CHAPTER 22 - Confrontation

Quatre had the devil's own time dragging Wufei away from that alley. They'd agreed that it would be best for him not to be involved in the actual arrest of his unknown assassin, and he'd sort of agreed. That was before they really knew it was Osborne - Wufei hadn't got to the window in time to tell Quatre for sure if that was who he had seen. Now that he knew for a fact that it was Osborne, he was reluctant to leave them alone.

Not that he was worried about the traitorous Agent. Oh, no. He was worried about Heero and Duo, worried that his - friends? lovers? Quatre wasn't 100% sure which it was, yet - but Wufei was worried that they would take things too far, and get into trouble for it. That was what he sensed from the emotions rolling off the Chinese boy. He was only getting short "Let me help them - Winner, let go of me!" sentences.

He was glad Wufei was still a little weak after his long mission - he was pretty sure he wouldn't have been able to drag him away. It didn't help when sounds of violence erupted in the alley.

*

Heero had surprised Osborne by abruptly letting go of him - as soon as Wufei was out of sight. He wasn't planning on letting his new love get hurt again, ever - but especially not the day after the three of them had finally gotten together. Osborne staggered away from him, his dark eyes murderous. Heero had only gazed at him and moved back. Neither he nor Trowa needed to hear the words to know what Duo wanted.

Shinigami wanted this man all to himself.

The braided pilot circled Osborne like a panther stalking prey. His warm violet eyes had turned a cool shade of light blue, murder in their depths. He was remembering this man grinding harsh hands against Wufei's ribs, remembering the way his 'Fei had struggled to get away, pain writ heavily on his face. Remembering how those ribs had looked before, blue and swollen, and how they'd looked afterwards - purple and angry, swelling so much more pronounced. Remembering the way 'Fei's lips had been pressed tight together, to hold back a scream while the man hurt him.

Hurt their Wufei...

"Never hurt what's mine."

The words were a deadly hiss and Osborne shuddered even as he pulled out another knife. To his surprise, the other two pilots did not move to help their partner. He tried a sneer.

"Yours? What's yours? Oh, you mean little Chang? You're one of those, too?" He tried to keep his tone disgusted, not fearful. He couldn't keep his eyes from widening when the boy's face turned feral.

"You hurt him. You wanted to kill him."

Osborne let out a squeak and threw the knife. Duo dodged it easily and it thunked against the wall behind him, burying deep. Osborne dug out another and held it warningly.

"You keep away from me. I'll cut you open." The face in front of him was smiling like a death sentence now, and he just wanted to run. The other pilots were blocking his way. He couldn't run - gods, he couldn't run, what was he going to do? He took a deep breath. He was going to kill this kid, that's what he was going to do. He'd had excellent training - it had to be as good as theirs. They were just pilots because they were small enough to fit in those Gundam cockpits, that was all. He aimed more carefully and threw the knife.

Duo caught it.

Osborne stopped and just stared, unable to react to that. He couldn't react at all, not even when Duo lunged at him. He expected to feel the cool bite of the knife. Instead a rock-hard fist slammed against his jaw and he felt the bone shatter. The world went black.

*

Heero moved forward and grasped the fallen man's belt, slinging him easily over his shoulder. Trowa was speaking to Duo, talking him down from his Shinigami high. Heero couldn't hear his words but it didn't matter - Duo could, and he could see they were calming him down. He was glad he'd allowed his lover to take care of this man.

Heero would have just shot him, no mercy.

He didn't like people hurting what was his, either.

He'd already had to fight down the urge to kick the sprawled body. Now he carried the unconscious man out of the alley. Wufei and Quatre were several yards away, the blond still holding onto Wufei, arguing with him. They were abruptly quiet when they saw Heero and his burden. They came forward cautiously.

"Alive?" Quatre asked softly, and got an abrupt nod. Relief flooded him - this man was not worth his friends getting into major trouble. Wufei eyed the tall boy, who gazed back at him with an expression he couldn't quite understand. Quatre knew what it was. Protectiveness. Possessiveness. Love.

"You're not injured?" Wufei's dark eyes had gone on to scan Heero's body.

Quatre saw a spark of something else in Heero's eyes when he saw that, but he only shook his head.

"Duo?"

"He's all right!" Came the cheerful voice, and Duo slung an arm around Wufei's shoulder, landing a kiss on the surprised boy's cheek. "Nice of you to worry about me, 'Fei." Wufei rolled his eyes and scowled, but didn't push him away.

Quatre and Trowa laughed out loud. They retrieved the last two duffel bags from where they'd been stashed inside the door to the apartment house and the five Agents and their unconscious prisoner headed down the street, ignoring the odd looks they got.

They walked in silence for a few moments, no one quite sure what to say now. Wufei's head was reeling from too many things happening at once - friends changing to lovers, death threats, having two people suddenly so protective of him. All of them were wondering what was going to happen when they reached headquarters and Hernbeck found out his last grasping plot for safety had failed. They hoped he'd already been arrested.

Duo felt they were getting worried over nothing, and needed something to do to break the tension. Annoying Wufei had always worked before - and now he would get the opportunity to kiss and make up, right?

"Hey, 'Fei? What about the pizza? I still want some!"

A sigh. "Maxwell..."