Author's note: Sorry for the delay. I'm not sure if this is the last chapter or not. We'll see. At most there might be an epilogue. I'll cross that bridge when we come to it. As always, thank you for reading!
"Trowa?"
Trowa bolted from sleep launching himself from the narrow bed, searching for a weapon instinctively, though his mind had already registered that the gun wouldn't be found in it's natural home on his hip. The silence could have driven him mad, had he not tuned his ears long ago to the quiet sounds of breath from another body. A soft chuckle rose from his right side, soft, though tearing the silence as smoothly as a well sharpened blade, forcing him in an instant from his momentary lapse back into the present, reminding him that someone's voice had brought him so quickly from his slumber.
The smiling face of Quatre Winner sparkled up at him through the dark.
"Quatre." Trowa grumbled, jolting again as the events of the previous days became clear in his sleepy mind. "Quatre!" he exclaimed, throwing himself from the narrow bed, crossing the short space between the two beds in a single stride. "How long have you been awake?"
The blond smiled softly. "Not long. Maybe thirty minutes."
"Thirty minutes.! But..." Trowa's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Duo, Heero..."
Quatre chuckled again, waving an arm in the general direction of the window on the other side of his bed. There, bathed in the soft light of the street lamp through the blinds, sat Duo and Heero, curled together as only lovers could possibly manage, sleeping quietly . "I think Duo can sleep anywhere."
"Of course he can." another voice had Trowa whirling around,once again searching in vain for any form of a weapon that ordinarily would be tucked away on his tall, lithe body. Wu Fei melted from the shadows,eyes gleaming with the amusement he'd never allow to grace his face, hands raised. "It's only me. I stopped by a few hours ago, and when I realized the snoring came from that lazy thing on Yuy's lap, decided to stay."
Trowa nodded his thanks, though his eyes narrowed as he pondered the situation. "Some watchers they make."
Quatre was trembling with silent laughter, hand pressed to his side, his face a mask of mirth and pain. "Oh, Trowa. Tell me you've all not been here watching me sleep." He laughed softly, his blue eyes sparkling.
"Of course we were, Winner." Wu Fei's scoffed, his sharp chin jerking up as he submerged himself into his usual arrogant demeanor. "It is our way."
Though Quatre's face immediately transformed into polite business-like man befitting the name of Winner, Trowa could see the laughter still dancing in his aquamarine eyes. "My apologies, Wu Fei. I appreciate your concern." Despite himself, Trowa found his own mirth bubbling forth, unbidden though not wholly unwelcome. Quatre, his heart whispered, as his own feelings, denied for so long warmed him from head to toe. Now, with his love awake, he could allow himself a measure of peace, replacing the iron clad grip of worry and fear that had held him captive from the moment he'd realized Quatre's danger.
Rolling his shoulders, Trowa smirked at the small blond, who was shifting slightly upon the bed, attempting to find some small comfort. "At least Wu Fei isn't snoring on the job." Quickly crossing the room, he promptly jerked the chair mercilessly from beneath the two sleeping forms.
To his credit, Duo only made a small squeak as he landed ass first on the cold tile floor. Heero, however, was another matter entirely. His training, subdued for only a moment by the comfort he found in his lover's embrace, molded with a soldier's reflexes and instincts screamed as he swung around poised for attact, at the precise moment Trowa danced just beyond his reach allowing Heero's signature steel toed boots to become tangled in Duo's sprawled out legs. With an uncharacteristic "umph!" the Perfect Soldier fell, his ass landing squarely on Duo's face.
Quatre's laughter rang throughout the room, as he doubled over, tears leaking from his eyes though his body screamed in protest of his mirth.
A muffled curse came from beneath Heero, as firm hands gripped his hips to shift him lower, as Duo struggled to force himself into a seated position, a scowling Heero now on his lap. "Heero, babe. I love your ass. But you don't have to sit on my face for me to get a look, love."
Heero's responding glare had Duo flinching, though further to his credit he remained seated, arms firmly wrapped around his dangerous lover. To anyone else, the glare was lethal at 20 paces. "Do not call me 'babe'."
Laughing himself, Trowa crossed the room again, locating the overhead lights a nurse must have turned down earlier while he slept, as the door slammed open revealing a very cross elderly nurse.
"Mr. Winner. I'm glad to see you awake," she clipped with the voice of a drill sergeant, moving to stand beside the blond pilot who was gasping for breath through laughter and pain. "I really must insist that your friends leave, if they are bothering you."
Quatre made a visible effort to calm himself, though even he could not control the smile that lit his face. "No, I'm sorry. They aren't bothering me. Duo and Heero here just had a small accident, is all." He waved to the two on the floor, Duo's face burning red of embarrassment, Heero still scowling.
Though Trowa could clearly identify her immediate argument, he found himself quietly impressed as she busied herself with her routine diagnostic tests without further comment. Tense moments passed, as even the Gundam Pilots found themselves held firmly in place by the mere presence of the nurse. They had all, at some point or other, found themselves at the hands of local medical facilities both on Earth and in Space alike, each earning a healthy respect and fear for the women who worked in such places. It remained an unspoken fact that these women could perform unspeakable horrors that could trump any torture session Oz could conjure. Finally, seeming content with the state of her patient, the nurse nodded curtly.
"You are very lucky, Mr. Winner. I trust that you will not tempt fate any further by inflicting undue stress to yourself at this point." She demanded. Quatre found himself nodding meekly, finding the movement far more secure than any words might. In truth, he feared he might say something which would cause her to remain longer. With this, she promptly exited the room, though giving the visitors a telling glance, which struck shivers down even the two most stoic pilots.
Stepping forward, Wu Fei nodded in Quatre's direction, as close to a smile as any had seen him,"Winner, now that you're awake and entertained, I will return to the house." His obsidian eyes darted to Heero and Duo, as pointed look was briefly exchanged. "You will need your rest."
Heero promptly removed himself from Duo's lap and stood, jerking the American up roughly by his arms. Grinning widely at Quatre, Duo winked, as a blush crept up the smaller man's neck to flutter across his cheeks, before he turned a smile of guilt and remorse exchanged as his violet eyes peered cautiously from beneath his bangs. "Ah, sorry about falling asleep on duty, Tro. We'll make it up to you."
Trowa smiled slyly at him. "I think you've made up for it sufficiently, Duo. Heero," Trowa nodded in the direction of Wing's pilot.
"Hn." Heero grunted, pulling his duffle onto his shoulder. He clasped Quatre's shoulder briefly in a rare moment of affection (save the few he gave Duo) and followed Wu Fei from the room.
"See ya later, Q!" Duo chirped as he dashed out the door, yelling over his shoulder, "Don't get into too much trouble, you two!"
The silence rang in the long moments passing as their comrades, friends, no, their family left them to themselves. Though he found himself wrapped in the warm embrace of surprising peach, Trowa's heart raced. Here we are, his heart whispered, nearly inaudible even within his own mind as the steady sound of his heart thrummed washing out the silence.
Slowly, painfully, hopefully, his emerald gaze turned to Quatre, who, despite incredible blood loss and obvious pain had taken on a healthy glow from laughter. "Those two are impossible." he muttered.
Quatre soft smile played across his lips, as his sparkling aquamarine orbs met emerald, and he eased softly back onto his pillows. "They love each other." His slender hands folded upon his lap, for a brief moment captivating Trowa's gaze." It's nice, that they've found that despite everything they've gone through."
As usual, though the words rang clear as a bell through his mind, Trowa found himself incapable of allowing the words his heart ached to release into the care small blond man before him. Instead, he nodded and lowered himself gently into the chair beside Quatre's bed.
"How do you feel?" he inquired softly.
Once again, a smile danced across Quatre's face, as they had a habit of doing in Trowa's company, despite his response. "Sore, stiff. Everything hurts, but not as badly as I'm sure it could. I'm willing to wager they've got pain medication in one of these bags." Quatre motioned from the i.v to the bags hanging just above his bed. Trowa merely nodded.
"Trowa, please. I'm not going to break." Quatre's hand reached out to grasp his. " I'm sure the doctor is confident that I will be just fine."
Here he is, in a hospital, an he is comforting me. How Quatre-like. "How do you seem to always know everything?" He inquired, mock frustration in his soft tone.
Quatre laughed, the pure ringing sound sending waves of pleasure through Trowa's system. "I wouldn't be in a private room, with only an IV and a pulse ox if I were not."
Trowa felt his face heat. Only Quatre held the power to make him feel foolish. Immediately the blond's attitude changed, clearly sensing his embarrassment.
"Oh, Trowa. I didn't mean that how it sounded."
"I know, Quatre. It's just..." Trowa's voice left him, finding himself unsure of the following steps.. Every road seemed to return to telling Quatre everything...all his hidden feelings, all his desires. He dropped his gaze to study the threads in the blanket covering the bed.
The hand, soft and smooth against his hard and calloused own, gripped tightly, reassuring while demanding. "Trowa." Despite himself, Trowa found himself looking up, those pure blue eyes drawing him in, drowning him. "You can tell me, Trowa."
Trowa shook his head, though his heart seemed to shatter in that moment. A year of hidden truths, covered in a veneer of iron and stone begged to be released from their bonds, as his arms ached to wrap themselves around the small body before him, shelter it, protect it, and never let go. "No. Wu Fei was right. You need to rest." He managed, willing himself back into control that simply would not come.
The soft smile returned. "I can feel you, Trowa." The aquamarine gaze caught and held the emerald eyes of the man he loved so dearly once again. Though this time, sparkling tears threatened to fall, shattering Trowa's heart further. "You know I can feel you. Our bond...I've never felt anything like it, my dear Trowa. Each ache, each small joy, it's like your emotions fit perfectly into mine. It's as if you were created to fit with me, like a puzzle piece I didn't even know I was missing until I met you."
Trowa took a moment to marvel at his own pulse. Even in battle, he'd never felt, or heard, it ring so loud in his ears. "I could have lost you, Quat." he whispered softly, his own tears escaping to fall on their joined hands. "I could have lost you before I'd ever even had a moment to really have you.
A single tear ran down Quatre's face. "We've almost lost each other so many times over the last year. Each time," he took a deep breath, "each time, I promised myself I'd never let the chance slip by without my telling you, Trowa."
His heart sang, but in that moment, reality came crashing in. Who are you, No-Name, to think you can give this man anything?. Who are you to deserve the love of someone so pure? A harsh voice from within screamed. Insecurity, at it's finest.
"No." Trowa threw himself from his chair, to pace the room as his own emotions waged an internal war on his heart. "Don't, Quatre. Please. Don't say anything else...I can't...I don't have anything to offer you, Quat! This is crazy. I'm no one. Even my name...God! I don't even have a name, Quatre."
Quatre's eyes flashed in an instant, stilling Trowa's movements, as Quatre pulled himself up fully in the bed. "Don't you dare, Trowa." With a breath, Quatre forced himself into a more calm state of mind, as he often had over the years. Anger, he told himself, will not win you this war. " Please, don't ever say something like that again, Trowa. You have a name. You are someone. You are Trowa Barton, Pilot of the Gundam Heavy Arms, friend, brother, and, you, Trowa, are the love of my life."
Trowa's heart leapt as he forced himself to take calm, reassuring breaths. WIthin an instant most of his insecurities abandoned their cause to stand quietly, as the love he felt raced through his blood like fire. Yes, he had known his love was returned. Yet, hearing it, feeling it as it poured out of Quatre during his small speech...it took his breath away.
Slowly, with careful deliberate steps, he returned to the bed, this time, seating himself on the edge. With care, he cupped the small, angelic face that had captured his heart in one hand, rubbing the tear that had fallen away with his thumb. "I love you, Quatre Winner. I just...I just wish I had more to offer you."
Fresh tears flowed from Quatre's eyes. "Oh,Trowa. All I've ever needed was you."