Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / GetBackers Fan Fiction / Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Consequences of our past ❯ Chapter 22 ( Chapter 23 )

 

XxXxXxX

 

Chapter 22

 

XxXxXxX

 

Hiiro listened, with Duo pressed against his side, as Trowa continued the story-Wu Fei imputing details here and there. Quatre slept soundly in the Chinese teen's lap, his hand never twitching from the banged boy's grasp. Now that the Arabian wasn't moving, the Japanese teen could observe just how seemingly frail the other really had become and how worried his former lovers were.

 

“Excuse me.” He said, shifting his braided lover enough so that he could stand, Hiiro stopped any protests before they could be voiced. “Keep going, I'm going to find Rashid…”

 

“Got'cha `Ro.” Duo nodded grimly as his partner left the room. He too had noticed Quatre's seemingly poor health. “So?”

 

XxXxXxX

 

After leaving the Pharmacist's, it didn't take too long for the quartet to meet up with the Get Backers. The former Lightening Emperor greeted the smaller blonde with great enthusiasm that left Quatre beaming. Introductions were made, during which Ban continuously glared at the red-headed German and Ginji commented with a dramatic shudder on how Schuldig reminded him of Akabane. Laughing, the empath filled his lover in on the joke while Omi looked positively confused.

 

“So Computer Boy is ok?” Ban asked Wu Fei while the two blondes were busy reuniting.

 

“As far as we can tell.” The Preventer replied, watching his partner interact with the older teen. “We'll know for sure when we restart his memory programs.”

 

“Good.” The Jagan user nodded, satisfied. “Gin would have been dangerously devastated had Makubex not survived.”

 

“I think… So would Quatre.” Wu Fei mused.

 

Ban smirked, pushing up his amethyst-tinted shades before yelling at his own partner, “HEY! Lightening Rod! Stop wasting time! We've got a mission to finish!”

 

Chastised, Ginji popped into his tare form, looking rather pathetic, “I'm sorry Ban-chan!”

 

Quatre smiled at his friend's antics before a sharp shiver raced down his spine, causing the smaller new-type to gasp. “Hide!” He hissed, ducking into an alley and pressing his back against the wall as he tried to blend into the shadows.

 

Wu Fei ducked beside his partner, while the Recovery Service and the Assassins hid across from them. “What is it?” The Preventer mouthed silently after a few moments of nothing happening. The empath was very white, and his body trembled even as he hugged himself tightly. “Quatre?”

 

/”It's a Banshee.”/ Schuldig mentally replied for the shaken blonde just as an unearthly piercing shriek tore at the party's senses causing everyone to cover their ears. /”Very dangerous.”/ The telepath grimaced.

 

`Why?' The Chinese teen thought back before the sudden painful sensation, as if his skull were going to explode.

 

Emerald eyes searched the sky for the threat as he answered, /”They feed off of the positive emotions of men leaving behind a pungent, depressing, aftertaste. Those a banshee feeds from usually end up killing themselves within a day. Someone like your empath is a delicacy for them. A never-ending fountain of other people's positive emotions at their disposal.”/

 

Concern flashed across Wu Fei's eyes as he turned his attention back to his partner who whispered, “She took a victim…” Aquamarine eyes clenched tightly shut as he grasped at his heart, gasping for breath before he slid down the wall. “Oh Allah… So hollow…”

 

“Quat…” Fei shook his head, kneeling beside the smaller teen, and wrapped his arms around the smaller newtype.

 

“We should leave.” Ban stated with a side glance towards blonde Preventer. “It isn't safe to stay here.”

 

“We're running out of time.” Ginji added, a sad look in his brown eyes. Being a native of the Limitless Fortress, he was familiar with the atrocities, like the banshee, that hunted from the higher floors. He had lost too many friends and people that he considered family to those monsters. “We have to at least make it to the Belt Line before dark.”

 

Nodding his agreement, Chang slipped an arm around the new type's waist and hoisted him to his feet. “Come on, Quatre…” He whispered, “Focus.”

 

Taking several steadying deep breaths, azure eyes opened and locked onto obsidian. Wu Fei gave the empath an open invitation to delve into his aura, and he did so, seeking solace and stability. After a minute and a half, Quatre was standing on his own, alert and ready to move on.

 

XxXxXxX

 

Rashid was relieved when the other four pilots had shown up at the estate, despite Quatre's obvious displeasure. If they were here, then the chances of saving his young master's life were greatly increased. Perhaps they could even encourage the blonde to eat? As it was, they were already successful in getting him to sleep with their mere comforting presence. Allah knew that the young man needed it.

 

Lost in his own renewed hope, the Maganuac didn't realize he had company. Blinking, he stared at the younger man who had snuck up on him. “Mr. Yui?”

 

“How long has Winner been like this?” The Japanese teen demanded, direct and to the point.

 

“Since he came back from the Limitless Fortress.” The giant of a man replied. “About three weeks or so.”

 

“He looks like the walking dead.” Hiiro pressed. “Exhausted and half-starved.”

 

“Master Quatre hasn't been able to sleep nor has he had much of an appetite.” The large man's forehead creased with further concern. “He'll eat a couple of bites just to appease us, but it's never much and he often violently sick afterwards.”

 

“Why did he hide from us?” The perfect soldier glared. “Why didn't he come to us for help?”

 

“Some battles can not be fought by a group. He didn't come to you because he knew there was nothing you could do.”

 

“We could have been there for him.”

 

“Be here for him now.” Rashid advised. “His war isn't over yet and his reserves are non-existent.”

 

“We're not going anywhere without him.” Hiiro promised.

 

“It's getting late. I'll bring in some food, and then one of the Maganuacs will show you all a room for the night.”

 

“Arigatou.” The former pilot nodded, before returning to the others.

 

XxXxXxX

 

Quatre groaned as he stretched, working kinks out of stiff muscles. Ban had relieved him of guard duty, with instructions to get some sleep. Despite how tired as he was, the empath wouldn't allow himself to relax enough to get any rest. Settling besides Wu Fei's prone body, he resigned to a sleepless night.

 

“You'll wear yourself out.” Chang whispered, mindful that Ginji was sleeping nearby, as he draped an arm across the smaller boy's middle. He pulled Quatre until the pale teen was snug against his side, head resting on his T-shirt clad chest.

 

“Thought you were sleeping.” The blonde whispered back as his lover tugged the ragged blanket over the both of them.

 

“Off and on.” The oriental smiled, running his fingers through the Arabian's silky hair. “Been waiting for you to come lay down.”

 

“ `M sorry.”

 

“Don't be.”

 

They fell into a long silence. The Chinese Preventer was almost convinced that his partner had finally fallen asleep when an emotionally strained voice whispered, “If you hadn't been involved in the war… What do you think you'd be doing right now?”

 

“I don't know…” Wu Fei frowned, surprised by the inquiry. “I don't know.” He repeated. “That's a loaded question, Quat. Too many variables. Would my wife have lived? Would the colony have been destroyed- would I have been on the colony when it did!? Would I have met you? Or the others? Would we have been friends? What I do know is if I hadn't taken part in the war, we wouldn't be together now.”

 

“What would you want to be doing!?” His lover's tone almost sounded desperate as he rephrased the question. “Please, Fei!” Quatre shuddered, burying his face in the Chinese boy's neck, “I need an answer of some sort! If you weren't a Preventer, what would you see yourself doing?”

 

Chang sighed, thoughtfully, as he rubbed the smaller boy's back in soothing circles. “I've always loved books… Loved learning. A student, perhaps? Or a librarian?”

 

The empath snickered, a faint grin tugging at his lips. “I can just see you going into a rant over the injustices of not returning a book on time.”

 

“Hey!” Wu Fei protested indignantly, “I'm not that bad!”

 

“What about a book store?” Quatre suggested.

 

“I haven't really thought about it.” The raven-haired teen replied honestly. “I suppose it would depend on which store.”

 

“Your store?”

 

“You mean own a book store!?”

 

“Sure! Why not?” The blonde shifted onto his elbows, so that he could see into ebony eyes. “That way it could be run your way.”

 

“It's a lovely dream, Quat.” The teen agreed. “But it's not something that I'd really think too seriously about. I like being a Preventer. I'm not looking for a career change anytime soon.”

 

It was too quick to be seen in those carefully guarded azure orbs of emotion, but Wu Fei sure did feel that tiny pinprick of pain through their strengthening bond. Without another word, the smaller newtype lay down, once again resting his head on the Oriental's chest.

 

XxXxXxX

 

“Okay, Kitten.” Schuldig began as he circled the youngest Weiss member. “I know that Nagi is in this building somewhere. You should be able to reach out along that link you two have and find him.”

 

Bombay swallowed harshly, “W-What if I can't?” Pained eyes that held fear searched the calculating emerald orbs. “What if he's not there?”

 

“He's there.” The German assured. “Alive.” He added when he sensed the younger assassin's doubtful thoughts.

 

“Then how have I not been able to reach him? I've tried. Believe me, I've tried…”

 

“You were too far.” Schuldig shrugged, “And up until now, his mind has been locked. But you, kid, are the key to freeing his consciousness and saving him. I can help you by offering a way to extend your ability even farther.”

 

“How do you know?” The teen demanded, “How can you be so certain that he's even alive!? I haven't felt anything from him since we fought against you!”

 

“You're still here, Kitten.” The telepath stated bluntly, “If he were dead, you would be too. That's how a soul-link works. Now, are you going to trust me?”

 

“I want Nagi back.” Omi whispered, “I need him.”

 

“Then find him.”

 

XxXxXxX

 

To be continued…