By: Cryn
Disclaimer: It's here, you know what it means. :p
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"Are you ok Duo?" Heero asked, his voice emotionless.
"Yeah."
"What's up with Trowa?" He asked.
"It's a long story..." Duo stated and looked away, "I wasn't expecting you home."
"I got a call from Trowa stating that if I didn't find you before he did, that I could consider you dead, now what the fuck is going on here?" Heero's voice was still cold as ice. "What is so damned important to drag me away from a mission to save your ass? I swear that every time I'm out something goes wrong with you or with the house. Can I ever depend on you for anything? God and now you've had a fairly large conflict with fellow pilots! Why can't you just stay out of trouble?"
Feeling reprimanded for something he didn't even do, Duo was about to retaliate when Heero started again.
"Damn it Duo look at this mess!" Heero moved to start cleaning up the warm milk that Hope had fed on the night before; he also made it a point to toss a stained pillow at Duo's face.
Duo was awestruck. What the hell? Trowa could have killed him and Heero wouldn't have passed a second glance. "If you feel that way then I'm leaving, Quatre is in the car waiting for me."
"Duo?" The words were suddenly soft and ridden with confusion, the gentler side that Duo had once loved emerged quickly.
Heero had always been like that. As soon as Duo had hinted at leaving, Heero was suddenly sweet and loving, paying more attention to Duo and his little doubts. Always coming to bed early and snuggling tightly until the morning. It had been like that for as long as Duo could remember.
He sighed, "Heero... I can't do this anymore... I can't watch you leave and wait for you to return again for months on end. It isn't fair to be cooped up in a house all alone..." Duo's voice wavered for a fraction of a second. "Heero, I'm leaving with Quatre."
"But... Duo?" For the first time ever in the stoic pilot's life, he had a knot in his throat. An unusual feeling of sickness and the salty sting in his eyes; he was hurt.
"I'm sorry Heero." Duo watched as a single tear ran from the beautiful blue eyes.
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Quatre was starting to worry and debated returning to the apartment when Duo finally emerged. He had more of a backpack with him now, Quatre assumed it was some of his personal things. More noticeable than the backpack, was the large, swelling, black and blue bruise forming over Duo's left eye and cheekbone. He flashed a quick grin before passing by the door to open the trunk and shove his bag near the stereo equipment.
"Duo?" Quatre asked as soon as he had sat in the driver's seat.
"Not now Q, please." Duo sighed heavily and started the car.
The speakers roared to life but were quickly killed, Duo rubbing his aching head.
"Where do you want to go?" Duo tentatively asked Quatre.
"Anywhere but here..." His voice was soft as he stroked the kitten's fur.
"Agreed." Duo reached over and ruffled the little cat's head as well.
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Trowa's mind swam with incoherent thoughts. The last thing he remembered was turning to see a fist in his face. Had Quatre hit him? No, Quatre wouldn't hurt a fly... it couldn't be Duo because he was up against the wall at the moment. Then he heard something strange and soft as rain. Quiet sobs from another room.
Standing, he caught his balance on the wall and moved toward the hallway containing the other rooms of the house. He paused outside the bedroom door and took a breath, listening intently; there was no doubt someone was crying in this room. Peeking around the corner he was shocked to see the perfect soldier himself, collapsed face down on the bed. His shoulders shook with the choked emotions and his hands were balled into fists near the headboard.
Approaching slowly, Trowa tried not to make a sound, he had no idea how the soldier would react to being caught in such a strange position as this. It was working so far and he thought he might make it to the bed to comfort the pilot without Heero knowing it was him... but just as he reached the end of the bed, a board creaked loudly under his catlike feet.
The pilot turned, gun pointed between his eyes, "What do you want Barton?"
Heero sat up and turned away to look at the closet.
"I know why you cry Heero..." He spoke softly to the disturbed man before him, "I know that Duo left with Quatre as well."
"What's it to you?" He asked harshly, making Trowa flinch.
"I loved Quatre..." Trowa stated softly, "He didn't love me though."
"Obviously." Heero snorted.
Trowa went silent and looked away.
"Look, Trowa, I'm sorry, that was uncalled for..."
"No, you're right." He spoke solemnly at the floor.
Heero moved on the bed to sit next to Trowa. "Duo got what he deserved didn't he?"
Trowa scowled and nodded. "He took my love from me."
"I'm sorry I hit you, I wasn't aware of what was going on..."
"It's fine Heero, don't worry about it."
"Let me get you some ice." Heero stood and left Trowa alone in the room, staring holes into the floor.
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Duo had stopped to let Quatre buy some necessities for Hope. Quatre returned to find Duo asleep at the steering wheel, Hope curled in his lap. Smiling, he quietly moved the kitten and then slid the sleeping Duo into the passenger seat gently, he stirred for a second and went back to sleep.
Quatre went over their last conversation briefly before starting the car
"Where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere but here..."
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A/N:
1. Wow, another eternity on an update, I'm really sorry guys; my senior year is so incredibly fun though. I'm going to have Surgery pretty soon, so we'll see what comes up of this eh?
2. As Always, please, R&R