See all warnings and disclaimers in the first chapter.
A/N: Okay, so Heero sat me down (under threat of long, painful death) and talked to me about the whole Relena situation. And that's all I'm going to tell you.
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!
Heero: Baka. Just write the damn chapter.
Jewel: Hai, you big jerk-sama.
Duo: (glomps Heero) I don't think he's a jerk, Jewel!
Heero: . . .
Jewel: Ahem. I'm going to write now. Crazy boys.
The Journey to Terra
Duo patiently went along with Relena when she herded him, Heero, and Zechs into her shuttle and took to the air. But after a three-hour flight to land in what he knew was a spaceport by the sounds all around, he finally lost his willingness to play along. When a cooing, purring Relena asked him in dulcet tones to get out of the shuttle to board her private ship, Duo snapped.
"I'm tired of playing your game, Relena," he almost growled. "I know what you're trying to do, and I'm not stupid, so please stop treating me like I am!"
Relena laughed lightly, an exceedingly merry little sound, as though she was having the time of her life. "Oh, I know you're not stupid, Duo-love. It just makes this all the more delightful. Now please, don't make me ask again."
Too irritated to take heed to the light warning in her tone, Duo shook his head. "This won't work, Relena. My father won't cooperate, and neither will I."
"That's where you're wrong," Relena said, and though her tone was still sweet, Duo heard the sudden danger.
Her hand touched his arm, and a wave of electric pain slithered over his nerves. He clenched his teeth around a shocked intake of breath, hissing at the unexpected pain. His knees buckled, his legs turning to jelly and unwilling to support his weight. Zechs caught him even as Heero's tightly-controlled tension reached critical mass. Snarling terribly, Duo heard him leap at her.
He immediately heard the whining of charging energy rifles. Zechs lifted Duo completely off the ground, sweeping him into a gentle hold. Duo couldn't tell his own anger and pain from Heero's when the discharge once more caught the wolf in the flank. It took all his willpower not to cry out at the additional wash of agony. Then there was a rush of movement, a flurry of activity. Duo could not seem to orient himself.
When his senses finally returned, he had no idea where he was. His keen ears picked up the unmistakable sound of ship engines, and he ground his teeth against frustration and the residual pain. He realized Zechs was still holding him and struggled out of his arms.
"Heero?" he called, trying not to panic.
A grunting whine answered him even as Heero's voice soothed, "I'm here, Duo."
Trusting there were no obstructions, Duo stumbled toward him, his legs not really working properly. He practically fell on top of the wolf, burying his fingers in his thick fur and hugging him tightly. His hand lightly traveled to Heero's face, cupping his muzzle to kiss the soft fur on top of his head.
"Are you all right?" he whispered. He didn't care if Zechs thought it was weird he talked to his perceived-pet wolf.
"Dumb bastards got me twice with their thrice-damned rifles," Heero groused, sounding extremely put-out by that. "I do not like that female, Duo. She's dangerous. She reeks of lies all the time."
It took a lot of concentration to form a mental question. "Does it still hurt?"
"Yeah, and I can't really move yet. What did she do to you?"
"I don't know. I've never felt anything like that."
"Neither have I."
"How come I could feel your pain?" Duo asked, resting his head against Heero's shoulder.
"Part of the Bond," Heero replied, sighing deeply. "Eventually we'll be able to hear, smell, and see everything each other are hearing and seeing and so forth."
"Really?" Duo said, perking up at that thought. "Then I'll be able to see through you?"
"Eventually," Heero confirmed, yawning. "That comes with time, as we refine the Bond more and more."
Apparently, Zechs could stand it no longer. "Duo, are you all right?" he queried, coming to Duo's side.
Heero lifted his head and growled, but Duo patted his extended paw. "I'm fine, Zechs. I suppose we're on our way to Terra?"
"Yes," the man confirmed. "Are you in any pain? I know what she used on you, and those things have been known to kill people."
"I'm sure that's only with prolonged exposure," Duo said, trying to reassure him as he yawned. He felt utterly exhausted, and his body ached. He couldn't tell if it was him or Heero that hurt so much. Maybe both.
"There's a cot by the wall," Zechs said, sounding very worried. "Duo, why don't you come lay down?"
Even could he marshal his limbs to movement, Duo had no desire to pull himself away from the warm, comforting softness of Heero's velvet fur. The wolf had curled himself around Duo, and the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed soothed Duo greatly. He could feel himself slipping toward slumber even as Heero dozed off.
"I'm comfortable here," he mumbled, his body beginning to feel pleasantly heavy.
Zechs said nothing more after that, and Duo fell asleep.
o8o o8o
By day three, Zechs began to really worry. Relena didn't bother to come see them at all during this time, only sending her armed thugs by with meals. Each time Zechs asked them to send for his sister, but whether they did or not he would never know. Either way, Relena never came. And Duo never really recovered from her using the hand-stunner.
The entire first day of the flight he was tired and sluggish, never moving away from his great wolf. The second day he developed a slight fever and remained lethargic. By day three, Zechs was ready to attempt bodily harm. But Relena forestalled him by having her thug bring him to her.
"Well?" she inquired as soon as she saw him in her private, luxurious suite. "How's Duo faring?"
"Poorly," Zechs almost growled. "He's had a fever since yesterday, Relena, and it's not abating."
Her pale blue eyes widened as she rose from her pink sofa. "Why haven't you said something before now!" she snapped, slapping the com panel by the door.
"I've been trying," Zechs retorted, "but either you've been ignoring me or your muscle-heads have been."
"You stay here for now," she said shortly, slipping shoes on her feet. "I'm going to go talk to said muscle-heads." She stormed out.
Zechs sank down onto the sofa, dropping his head into his hands. It felt like years ago that he'd warned Relena against using those damn stunners. They delivered twice the shock of an energy rifle. He couldn't seem to get the image of Duo stiffening in pain, his face twisting into a grimace as his muscles turned to water.
His mind wandered back to when they'd met, that few precious days in the summer four years ago when he'd gone to the Maxwell estate on Hedara to visit them.
o8o o8o
"I'm glad you're here, Zechs," a fourteen-year-old Duo told him with a bright smile, his blind eyes falling a few inches shy of Zechs' face. "Father never lets me leave alone, and I don't like going places with hired bodyguards. They take the fun out of everything."
"I'm glad to be here, Duo," Zechs said, smiling down at the smiling boy. Duo was so, so beautiful. "It's too bad your father had to leave, though."
"Oh, don't worry about that. Father is always leaving for business and things like that. That just means more time for us. Can we go for a walk in the gardens? Mother had them put in, and they're really big. You can tell me what the flowers look like now."
"I'd love to," Zechs acquiesced at once.
The gardens were extensive, Duo had not been exaggerating. Beauty and color bloomed everywhere, serenaded by songbirds and frequented by brightly-colored butterflies. Zechs nearly exhausted his voice describing everything to Duo, who never seemed to tire of hearing it.
Laughing, Duo grabbed Zechs' hand and tugged him into a run. Zechs didn't know how the boy could run so carefree when he was blind; perhaps he had these walkways memorized from years of traversing them. His easy joy was infectious, and soon Zechs was laughing with him. Hours past, and Zechs drew Duo to his chest in a loose embrace the boy could easily break if he wanted.
"I'm glad to be sharing this day with you, Duo," he murmured, one of his hands closing around the boy's arm lightly to stroke the smooth, smooth skin. "There have been some painful things happening in my life of late, and yet they seem so distant now that I'm in your company."
A sweet, shy little laugh escaped the boy. "It's the garden," he said, ducking his head.
"No, it's you," Zechs whispered, his lips brushing over Duo's ear, causing the boy to shiver. "Thank you, Duo."
o8o o8o
Zechs forced himself out of his reveries. That was as close as he had ever come to kissing Duo. It had been physically painful to separate himself from the boy, feeling like a child-molester for the age-gap between them. He could still clearly see the fine blush of rose-pink that dusted the boy's cheeks. Feel the tender, shy touch of the boy's fingertips as he traced the contours of Zechs' face as though to absorb his features through contact.
I don't want anything to happen to you, Duo. I had forgotten these feelings over the years that separated our last meeting. I think I want to keep him safe more than I wish to give Relena what she wants.
His sister had changed. He had sworn when she was a small child to always protect her, to give her what she wanted. The horrors of their youths were such as most would never see, but it had over time warped the girl into this scheming, conniving liar who used people in the worst ways imaginable.
Even a few days ago he would never have believed he would one day no longer wish to honor the promise he'd made all those years ago. But seeing Duo again, being near him, touching and holding him, had changed that. Changed it quite drastically.
o8o o8o
When Zechs left, leaving him and an extremely quiet Duo behind, Heero could stand it no more. He phased into his human form and pulled Duo close, rocking him against his chest.
"Please wake up, Duo," he pleaded. He could feel the feverish heat in Duo's body, feel his weakness like it was his own. He hated it, because he didn't know what to do for his Bonded. He pressed his cool cheek against Duo's hot forehead.
The human youth, only a few months younger than Heero himself, turned into the contact with a soft sound of approval, his eyelids fluttering as though trying to awaken. Heero encouraged him with a rumbling growl deep in his chest, like a mother Telmaran would use for her sick pup.
"Duo," he whispered, brushing his lips over Duo's forehead, "please . . . wake up . . ."
So when Relena came in with one of her armed thugs, this was how she found them. Heero, so worried was he about Duo, didn't even hear them until the sound of something hitting the floor brought his head up. The human female's eyes were darting around, obviously taking note of the lack of giant wolf.
"You . . ." she gasped, mouth flapping like a fish. "You're a Telmaran!"