Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Battered ❯ Chapter 5
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: deathangel125 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Suspense / Angst | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 10.20.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 448 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Suspense / Angst | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 10.20.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 448 | Status: Work In Progress
See first part for warnings.
Walking down the hallway, Duo was grateful that Trowa’s house was all one level, but at the same time wishing that it wasn’t so spread out. It felt like it took forever to get from the bathroom to the kitchen, where he could hear the owner of the house moving around.
Finally reaching the kitchen door, he stopped and leaned on it to catch his breath. While doing that he was able to just watch as Trowa moved around the room, his focus obviously on the food he was preparing. For the last two weeks, Duo had stayed here with Trowa, letting the tall man take care of him. Only briefly had he spoken to Quatre and Wufei, barely long enough for them to assure him that his vehicles were safe and being well-tended. He was aware that they had come the day after his escape from Heero, but their visit had coincided with Sally’s. By the time she had been finished examining him they had already been gone but had promised to come back soon with some clothes for him, since Heero had destroyed the few that he had had.
The decision to close up the shop had been a difficult one, but he knew he was in no shape to work on anything, and wouldn’t be for at least another week. He had tried to convince Trowa to go back to work at his store, but the other man wouldn’t budge, even when Duo promised not to leave the house.
During the day he and Trowa would talk about anything and everything in a way they hadn’t been able to since he had moved in with Heero. No subject was off limits and he had enjoyed the time more than anything else in recent memory. Those days also reminded him of how much he enjoyed being with Trowa, who had a sense of humor that was well hidden, but often as twisted as Duo’s own.
The nights were spent in Duo’s bed, where Trowa had continued to stay with him, holding him close. There hadn’t been any complaints about the way Duo would curl up to him in sleep, something he hadn’t been allowed to do with Heero, who valued his private space even while sleeping. When a nightmare did occur, Trowa would talk to him softly while rubbing his back until he was able to fall asleep.
Every morning, Duo woke alone. Every morning, he felt empty.
There had been no more intimacy between them and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He knew that Trowa was being kind and worried that kindness was what had prompted what had transpired that first night in the shower, though it didn’t fit with what the tall man had said.
The last few days had been filled with painful memories and even more painful realizations. Duo discovered that his closest friends had been aware of the abuse he had taken from Heero when he thought he had been hiding it so well, not wanting to ask for help because of pride and shame. It had been pride that had kept him with Heero for so long, not wanting to be responsible for their relationship failing. It had taken Trowa’s calm attitude and questions designed to make him think for him to realize that his hopes for staying with Heero were pointless. One person couldn’t hold a couple together, no matter how much effort was put into it if the other person didn’t put any effort at all into it. Now, Duo understood that he should have left Heero long before. As the saying went, hindsight was always twenty-twenty.
Because he had remained with Heero for so long his self-esteem was at an all-time low. The independence and resilience he had always had in excess were suffering, making him unsure of what his next move should be. The apartment was no longer his concern. Heero’s name was the only one on the lease, so that was one matter he was able to put out of his mind. The bank account they had shared had most likely been wiped out, but it was still something he needed to check.
The house phone rang, pulling Trowa’s attention away from the stove and to where it lay on the counter. After wiping his hands on a towel, he glanced at the number, letting out a low growl before he answered the call, his voice surprisingly normal. “Hello? Heero, how are you?”
Duo tensed but didn’t move, not wanting to divert Trowa’s attention. He knew how mad Trowa was about the situation, unwilling to let Duo take any of the blame on himself. “What do you mean he’s missing?” Trowa demanded, and Duo nearly applauded at the hint of panic in the tall man’s voice. He was a much better actor that anyone would have ever believed. “So why would you think he’s here? That’s flattering, I suppose.”
Trowa’s head turned, allowing Duo to see his profile. In contrast to the calm tone, the handsome face was set in an icy mask of rage. Do was helpless against the small noise of fear that bubbled out of his throat and he instantly regretted it when Trowa’s green eyes fell on him.
When Trowa crossed the kitchen, Duo closed his eyes tight, waiting for the inevitable blow. Surely if Trowa was that angry there would be some sort of repercussions for Duo bringing him into all of this. He was baffled when a gentle hand slid around his waist, and even more so when smooth skin rubbed against his cheek. Daring to open his eyes as Trowa responded to something else Heero said, he saw that the sharp eyes were still angry, but realized that they weren’t mad at him. “I certainly don’t have them,” Trowa said abruptly, his voice conveying impatience. “You’re more than welcome to come and look, but I don’t have anywhere to store them. I’ve been toying with the idea of adding a garage but I haven’t had time. You do that, then. Call me when you find him. I’m sure he wouldn’t have gone far.”
Pressing the disconnect button, Trowa hissed out a breath as he slid the phone across the table. “It seems that he called me first. Said I was the first person you would call.”
Duo was still wary of the edgy look in Trowa’s eyes and swallowed hard while reminding himself that Trowa was someone he had always trusted. “Wh-what did he say?”
“That you took off last week while he was at work and took all of your things.” Trowa shook his head, “I think he’s trying to make it seem like you left without his being aware of it. That your car and bike were gone only adds to his story if it ever gets out.” Looking down at him, Trowa added softly, “He also said that you cleaned out the bank account that you share. I have a feeling it’s something he did himself.”
“I already thought about that. It doesn’t matter,” Duo said, letting himself relax into the arm that still held him.
“We can get the money back, Duo.”
“No. It really doesn’t matter. I put less than a quarter of my earnings in there. I have a separate business account and I never got rid of my old account when I moved in with Heero and he insisted we get one together. When Heero started getting more…erratic I started putting more in my own account, only putting in what I had to in the joint account to keep him from asking questions.”
Trowa blinked at him for a moment then threw his head back and laughed. “I’d love to see the look on his face when he finds that out.” His mirth faded, turning into a look on worry, “There were times that he rambled, and I’ve never known Heero to ramble. He actually sounded kind of confused.”
“It happens when he gets really mad. Sometimes he would yell at me, but it didn’t make any sense. All I could understand was that I had done something that made him mad. That last night, he was more than scary, Trowa. I honestly thought he was going to kill me.”
His contemplation of that aspect faded when Trowa led him to a chair and began piling food in front of him. Staring at the large quantity, he raised his brows, “You hungry, Trowa?”
The blush that spread across Trowa’s face was mesmerizing. “Sally said that you needed to gain some weight. I thought the best way would be to offer you several different things. Anything we don’t eat we can take down to Cathy. She said she wanted to see you.”
Developing an avid interest in his food, Duo focused on his plate, “Does she know?”
“I didn’t tell her, Duo. I swear it. She figured it out and asked me a long time ago.”
“Does everyone know?”
A hand covered his and he forced himself to look at Trowa, giving a mental sigh of relief when he didn’t see any pity, only concern. “Sally didn’t know until she came here to check on you and we made her swear to keep it to herself. Cathy knew because she has worked with abused women in the past and recognized some of the symptoms in you. Quatre, Wufei and I were worried, but we had no idea how bad it was.”
Hearing the self-blame in Trowa’s voice had Duo turning his hand over and threading their fingers together while they ate. Duo didn’t dwell on how such a simple contact could make him feel better and he enjoyed the easy pleasure that he gained from it. While Duo was washing the dishes, an arrangement they had agreed to since Trowa did most of the cooking, Trowa brought up his anger during the phone call. “I wasn’t mad at you, Duo.”
Though the bandages were removed, Duo wrist still ached so he was careful as he submersed his hands in the soapy water and pulled out a plate, “I know that. Knowing it didn’t keep me from being terrified for a few minutes,” he admitted.
“But you held your ground.”
The pride in Trowa’s voice had Duo glancing up with a small smile. “I kept telling myself that you would never hurt me. Not like that.”
“Duo,” Trowa hesitated, and then went on with a wince, “why didn’t you ever fight back? The two of you were pretty well matched, if I recall correctly.”
“It was never anything that I could fight back. It was always so sudden and shocking.” The fear had lessened with time, but was still there. At least now he was able to talk about it a little easier. He had already realized that talking it out with Trowa made him feel a little better, and each time it got a bit easier.
“Are you saying he sucker-punched you?”
Able to recall a few incidents with clarity, Duo winced as he nodded. “I would see a movement from the corner of my eye, then wham. There wasn’t even enough time to brace for it usually.”
Hearing a small noise, he focused his attention on the tall man. Trowa’s eyes were closed as his hands tightened on the edge of the counter, the knuckles white as the wood began to crack threateningly. Not bothering to dry his hands, Duo ducked under one straining arm and put his hands on Trowa’s face.
At the touch, green eyes flew open, regarding Duo with surprise at the move. Stunned at his own actions, Duo moved up on his toes just enough to kiss Trowa softly on the mouth. “It won’t do any good to get mad about it anymore. It’s over now.”
“I wish there had been some way to protect you. Nothing like that should have happened to you. Not to you, Duo.”
The almost reverent way Trowa spoke had Duo’s eyes filling. Swamped with emotions, he put his arms around Trowa’s waist and let his head rest on the strong chest, soothed by the steady beat of Trowa’s heart. Above him, he heard a soft sigh before Trowa’s arms came around him, holding them together for several minutes.
Eventually, Trowa cleared his throat and pulled back to hold Duo at arm’s length. “You feel up to going to see Cathy today? She’s been asking about you.”
Torn between seeing Trowa’s sister and staying with Trowa alone, Duo hesitated for a long moment. Realizing that he needed to get out of the house he nodded, then gave the clothes he wore a rueful look. “We don’t happen to have anything that actually fits me, do we?”
Trowa had long since informed him of the way that Heero had destroyed his things. The papers he had copies of at the shop, but his clothes he had no replacements for, since he hadn’t owned that many in the first place. Trowa smiled brilliantly, holding up one finger as he crossed the room to snag the phone. Before Duo could ask who he was calling, Trowa was speaking, “Weren’t you supposed to bring Duo some more clothes? We’re planning to go see Catherine and he would like some clothes that fit. Yes, I agree that he looks cute in my clothes, but he can’t go around in them all the time. All right, we’ll be here.”
Duo looked down at his own body thoughtfully, the shirt of Trowa’s hanging almost down to his knees and nearly hiding the shorts he wore underneath. Frowning at Trowa, he had to ask, “Cute?”
Converting /tmp/phpylyr2f to /dev/stdout
Walking down the hallway, Duo was grateful that Trowa’s house was all one level, but at the same time wishing that it wasn’t so spread out. It felt like it took forever to get from the bathroom to the kitchen, where he could hear the owner of the house moving around.
Finally reaching the kitchen door, he stopped and leaned on it to catch his breath. While doing that he was able to just watch as Trowa moved around the room, his focus obviously on the food he was preparing. For the last two weeks, Duo had stayed here with Trowa, letting the tall man take care of him. Only briefly had he spoken to Quatre and Wufei, barely long enough for them to assure him that his vehicles were safe and being well-tended. He was aware that they had come the day after his escape from Heero, but their visit had coincided with Sally’s. By the time she had been finished examining him they had already been gone but had promised to come back soon with some clothes for him, since Heero had destroyed the few that he had had.
The decision to close up the shop had been a difficult one, but he knew he was in no shape to work on anything, and wouldn’t be for at least another week. He had tried to convince Trowa to go back to work at his store, but the other man wouldn’t budge, even when Duo promised not to leave the house.
During the day he and Trowa would talk about anything and everything in a way they hadn’t been able to since he had moved in with Heero. No subject was off limits and he had enjoyed the time more than anything else in recent memory. Those days also reminded him of how much he enjoyed being with Trowa, who had a sense of humor that was well hidden, but often as twisted as Duo’s own.
The nights were spent in Duo’s bed, where Trowa had continued to stay with him, holding him close. There hadn’t been any complaints about the way Duo would curl up to him in sleep, something he hadn’t been allowed to do with Heero, who valued his private space even while sleeping. When a nightmare did occur, Trowa would talk to him softly while rubbing his back until he was able to fall asleep.
Every morning, Duo woke alone. Every morning, he felt empty.
There had been no more intimacy between them and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He knew that Trowa was being kind and worried that kindness was what had prompted what had transpired that first night in the shower, though it didn’t fit with what the tall man had said.
The last few days had been filled with painful memories and even more painful realizations. Duo discovered that his closest friends had been aware of the abuse he had taken from Heero when he thought he had been hiding it so well, not wanting to ask for help because of pride and shame. It had been pride that had kept him with Heero for so long, not wanting to be responsible for their relationship failing. It had taken Trowa’s calm attitude and questions designed to make him think for him to realize that his hopes for staying with Heero were pointless. One person couldn’t hold a couple together, no matter how much effort was put into it if the other person didn’t put any effort at all into it. Now, Duo understood that he should have left Heero long before. As the saying went, hindsight was always twenty-twenty.
Because he had remained with Heero for so long his self-esteem was at an all-time low. The independence and resilience he had always had in excess were suffering, making him unsure of what his next move should be. The apartment was no longer his concern. Heero’s name was the only one on the lease, so that was one matter he was able to put out of his mind. The bank account they had shared had most likely been wiped out, but it was still something he needed to check.
The house phone rang, pulling Trowa’s attention away from the stove and to where it lay on the counter. After wiping his hands on a towel, he glanced at the number, letting out a low growl before he answered the call, his voice surprisingly normal. “Hello? Heero, how are you?”
Duo tensed but didn’t move, not wanting to divert Trowa’s attention. He knew how mad Trowa was about the situation, unwilling to let Duo take any of the blame on himself. “What do you mean he’s missing?” Trowa demanded, and Duo nearly applauded at the hint of panic in the tall man’s voice. He was a much better actor that anyone would have ever believed. “So why would you think he’s here? That’s flattering, I suppose.”
Trowa’s head turned, allowing Duo to see his profile. In contrast to the calm tone, the handsome face was set in an icy mask of rage. Do was helpless against the small noise of fear that bubbled out of his throat and he instantly regretted it when Trowa’s green eyes fell on him.
When Trowa crossed the kitchen, Duo closed his eyes tight, waiting for the inevitable blow. Surely if Trowa was that angry there would be some sort of repercussions for Duo bringing him into all of this. He was baffled when a gentle hand slid around his waist, and even more so when smooth skin rubbed against his cheek. Daring to open his eyes as Trowa responded to something else Heero said, he saw that the sharp eyes were still angry, but realized that they weren’t mad at him. “I certainly don’t have them,” Trowa said abruptly, his voice conveying impatience. “You’re more than welcome to come and look, but I don’t have anywhere to store them. I’ve been toying with the idea of adding a garage but I haven’t had time. You do that, then. Call me when you find him. I’m sure he wouldn’t have gone far.”
Pressing the disconnect button, Trowa hissed out a breath as he slid the phone across the table. “It seems that he called me first. Said I was the first person you would call.”
Duo was still wary of the edgy look in Trowa’s eyes and swallowed hard while reminding himself that Trowa was someone he had always trusted. “Wh-what did he say?”
“That you took off last week while he was at work and took all of your things.” Trowa shook his head, “I think he’s trying to make it seem like you left without his being aware of it. That your car and bike were gone only adds to his story if it ever gets out.” Looking down at him, Trowa added softly, “He also said that you cleaned out the bank account that you share. I have a feeling it’s something he did himself.”
“I already thought about that. It doesn’t matter,” Duo said, letting himself relax into the arm that still held him.
“We can get the money back, Duo.”
“No. It really doesn’t matter. I put less than a quarter of my earnings in there. I have a separate business account and I never got rid of my old account when I moved in with Heero and he insisted we get one together. When Heero started getting more…erratic I started putting more in my own account, only putting in what I had to in the joint account to keep him from asking questions.”
Trowa blinked at him for a moment then threw his head back and laughed. “I’d love to see the look on his face when he finds that out.” His mirth faded, turning into a look on worry, “There were times that he rambled, and I’ve never known Heero to ramble. He actually sounded kind of confused.”
“It happens when he gets really mad. Sometimes he would yell at me, but it didn’t make any sense. All I could understand was that I had done something that made him mad. That last night, he was more than scary, Trowa. I honestly thought he was going to kill me.”
His contemplation of that aspect faded when Trowa led him to a chair and began piling food in front of him. Staring at the large quantity, he raised his brows, “You hungry, Trowa?”
The blush that spread across Trowa’s face was mesmerizing. “Sally said that you needed to gain some weight. I thought the best way would be to offer you several different things. Anything we don’t eat we can take down to Cathy. She said she wanted to see you.”
Developing an avid interest in his food, Duo focused on his plate, “Does she know?”
“I didn’t tell her, Duo. I swear it. She figured it out and asked me a long time ago.”
“Does everyone know?”
A hand covered his and he forced himself to look at Trowa, giving a mental sigh of relief when he didn’t see any pity, only concern. “Sally didn’t know until she came here to check on you and we made her swear to keep it to herself. Cathy knew because she has worked with abused women in the past and recognized some of the symptoms in you. Quatre, Wufei and I were worried, but we had no idea how bad it was.”
Hearing the self-blame in Trowa’s voice had Duo turning his hand over and threading their fingers together while they ate. Duo didn’t dwell on how such a simple contact could make him feel better and he enjoyed the easy pleasure that he gained from it. While Duo was washing the dishes, an arrangement they had agreed to since Trowa did most of the cooking, Trowa brought up his anger during the phone call. “I wasn’t mad at you, Duo.”
Though the bandages were removed, Duo wrist still ached so he was careful as he submersed his hands in the soapy water and pulled out a plate, “I know that. Knowing it didn’t keep me from being terrified for a few minutes,” he admitted.
“But you held your ground.”
The pride in Trowa’s voice had Duo glancing up with a small smile. “I kept telling myself that you would never hurt me. Not like that.”
“Duo,” Trowa hesitated, and then went on with a wince, “why didn’t you ever fight back? The two of you were pretty well matched, if I recall correctly.”
“It was never anything that I could fight back. It was always so sudden and shocking.” The fear had lessened with time, but was still there. At least now he was able to talk about it a little easier. He had already realized that talking it out with Trowa made him feel a little better, and each time it got a bit easier.
“Are you saying he sucker-punched you?”
Able to recall a few incidents with clarity, Duo winced as he nodded. “I would see a movement from the corner of my eye, then wham. There wasn’t even enough time to brace for it usually.”
Hearing a small noise, he focused his attention on the tall man. Trowa’s eyes were closed as his hands tightened on the edge of the counter, the knuckles white as the wood began to crack threateningly. Not bothering to dry his hands, Duo ducked under one straining arm and put his hands on Trowa’s face.
At the touch, green eyes flew open, regarding Duo with surprise at the move. Stunned at his own actions, Duo moved up on his toes just enough to kiss Trowa softly on the mouth. “It won’t do any good to get mad about it anymore. It’s over now.”
“I wish there had been some way to protect you. Nothing like that should have happened to you. Not to you, Duo.”
The almost reverent way Trowa spoke had Duo’s eyes filling. Swamped with emotions, he put his arms around Trowa’s waist and let his head rest on the strong chest, soothed by the steady beat of Trowa’s heart. Above him, he heard a soft sigh before Trowa’s arms came around him, holding them together for several minutes.
Eventually, Trowa cleared his throat and pulled back to hold Duo at arm’s length. “You feel up to going to see Cathy today? She’s been asking about you.”
Torn between seeing Trowa’s sister and staying with Trowa alone, Duo hesitated for a long moment. Realizing that he needed to get out of the house he nodded, then gave the clothes he wore a rueful look. “We don’t happen to have anything that actually fits me, do we?”
Trowa had long since informed him of the way that Heero had destroyed his things. The papers he had copies of at the shop, but his clothes he had no replacements for, since he hadn’t owned that many in the first place. Trowa smiled brilliantly, holding up one finger as he crossed the room to snag the phone. Before Duo could ask who he was calling, Trowa was speaking, “Weren’t you supposed to bring Duo some more clothes? We’re planning to go see Catherine and he would like some clothes that fit. Yes, I agree that he looks cute in my clothes, but he can’t go around in them all the time. All right, we’ll be here.”
Duo looked down at his own body thoughtfully, the shirt of Trowa’s hanging almost down to his knees and nearly hiding the shorts he wore underneath. Frowning at Trowa, he had to ask, “Cute?”
Converting /tmp/phpylyr2f to /dev/stdout