Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Brought Into Focus ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it.

 

Chapter Six

 

Heero woke up groggy and with persistent feelings of loneliness the next morning, despite the fact that Duo had come back early and had seemed happy to see him. Hilde had thanked Heero for letting her “borrow Duo” - her words - and had left with the promise to come visit again soon. But she had seemed a little sad, and Heero was still wondering how things had gone.

 

The Japanese pilot dragged himself out of bed and into the shower. When he emerged thirty minutes later, he was feeling somewhat more human. He dressed himself in his Preventers uniform and went to make breakfast. While he was setting out bowls and a box of Lucky Charms, the phone rang. Heero was surprised to see that it was Wufei. He put it on speaker as he pulled the milk out of the fridge.

 

“Chang.”

 

“Yuy. Good morning.”

 

“Going into work?” Heero asked as he rummaged for spoons in a drawer.

 

“No. Une said that we still don't have to go in for two more days, remember?”

 

“Yeah, but I need to go in and talk to her.”

 

“Oh, good.”

 

Heero paused and glanced at the phone. “What? Why is that good?” He felt a little suspicious. His words to Wufei while Duo was still in the hospital echoed through his mind. Do you have to pick on him?

 

Wufei cleared his throat and said, “I was wondering if I could come by and talk to Duo for a bit. To…” he trailed off, sounding uncomfortable.

 

“Apologize?” Heero supplied as he raised an eyebrow. He held two forgotten spoons in his hand.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Sure. I was going to call someone anyway so that he wouldn't have to be here alone. I'll only be gone for an hour or so. Is that enough time?”

 

“Yes. Thanks, Yuy. I… appreciate it.”

 

Heero heard footsteps on the stairs behind him, and turned to see Duo coming down. “There he is now. Goodbye, Chang.”

 

Heero hung up the phone, knowing that Wufei would hang up without saying goodbye, and set the spoons on the table.

 

“How are you feeling, Duo?” he asked as he sat across from Duo and started to pour himself some cereal.

 

“Good. I'm still a little sore, but it's not that bad. Where's Wing?”

 

Heero froze and looked up at Duo, startled. Wing…? As in his gundam? What would make Duo ask that?

 

“Nani?” he asked. Just then they both heard a soft meow.

 

“Aw, there you are, Wing,” Duo said as he stood picked up the kitten. He walked to the cupboard and pulled out the cat food they had bought yesterday.

 

Heero shook himself as he realized what was going on. “You named the cat Wing?”

 

“Yeah. The name was kinda stuck in my head for some reason. Is that okay?”

 

“Hai. I mean, yes, it's fine.” Heero was surprised at his reaction. It had been so long since he had heard the name of his old friend in war.

 

As Duo finished feeding Wing, Heero continued to eat his cereal, and asked, “So, how was the movie? I never really asked about it last night.”

 

Duo shrugged and began to eat. “I dunno. She was nice. But it felt weird. I still don't remember her. I mean, even though I didn't know you when I first woke up, I had kinda remembered who you were before it was time to leave the hospital. And I remember you a little more each day. It's like…” he trailed off, and looked up at Heero, cereal forgotten. Heero had no idea what he was going to say, or whether he wanted him to say anything at all.

 

“It's like a photograph. With one of those old, old cameras they used to use on Earth. You take the picture and it's all dark, but as you wait, shapes start to appear and everything becomes clearer until you can see the photo. That's what my memories are like. They start out dark, but as time passes they're slowly brought into focus.” He paused with a thoughtful look on his face before going on. “Anyway, my point is that I felt comfortable with you right away because I knew that we used to be close, just like you said. But I hardly remembered anything about Hilde, and it was weird to be alone with her for so long.”

 

Heero blinked a couple times before continuing to eat. “Well, then you're not going to like me very much in the next couple hours.”

 

Duo looked up quickly at him. “Why?”

 

“I have to go to work to talk to our boss. Not for the whole day, don't worry,” Heero reassured him, since Duo looked a little panicked. “But Wufei is going to be here while I'm gone. He's not as bad as he seemed at the hospital. Give him a chance.” Duo frowned into his bowl. Heero sighed, and then thought of something.

 

“Hey, you know what would make him happy?”

 

“What?” asked Duo curiously, his hand beginning to fiddle with his braid. The cereal bowl remained half-empty in front of him. Heero could see the milk starting to seep into it and make it soggy.

 

“If you called him Wuffers.” The word sounded so odd when Heero said it.

 

Duo burst out laughing, the concerned look leaving his eyes. “…he doesn't really seem like he would enjoy that,” he said after he had calmed down.

 

“Yeah, he'll probably act mad, but trust me, he'll be happy, and probably more likely to act like himself.”

 

“Whatever you say, Heero. I trust you.”

 

Heero stiffened at bit at Duo's words. He had no idea how much they meant to him.

 

 

Half an hour later, Heero left his apartment and Duo in the hands of Wufei, feeling more than a little nervous. He would always be cautious around Wufei, especially after the way he acted at the hospital.

 

Once he arrived at his workplace, Heero went straight to Une's office. He didn't want to waste time talking to any of his co-workers. That had generally been Duo's job; even now, Heero preferred to keep to himself. Without pausing to knock, he entered the large corner office that belonged to his boss.

 

He saluted immediately, bringing himself to stand at attention. “At ease, Heero,” said Une, not looking surprised to see him. “What brings you here? Everything all right?”

 

“Yes, ma'am. I just came in to talk about coming back to work. I'd like to know whether or not Duo will be required to come.”

 

“Well,” said Une slowly, picking up a folder on her desk. She thumbed through it, and Heero saw enough to know that it was a medical report. “According to this, he should physically be well enough to at least come in and start getting used to the environment again. However,” and at this she looked up at Heero, “as to his mental condition, I am going to trust your judgment.”

 

Heero thought carefully before responding. “I don't think he should be given any serious work until his memory is fully recovered. I do think that it would be good for him to come with me when I return to work. He won't be able to walk around much, but he can at least be in the office and not alone at our apartment.”

 

Une smiled at him and said, “Alright then, that's what's we'll do. Dismissed, Heero.”

 

Heero saluted a final time, and turned to leave. He paused, and then, glancing over his shoulder, he said, “Thank you.” Une smiled and motioned for him to go back home.

 

 

Back at their apartment, Wufei and Duo were sitting awkwardly in the living room, listening as the clock announced every second that went by.

 

“So,” Wufei finally started, sounding uncomfortable, “did Heero tell you why I came?”

 

“No. He just said that you would be here so I wasn't alone while he was out.”

 

“I see. Well, I came by to - to apologize for my disgusting behavior while you were in the hospital. I only acted like that because I was angry that you had been injured that way, and that I couldn't help you. Someone…” he trailed off for a minute before continuing. “Someone used to tell me that the only emotions I knew how to handle were anger and shame. She was wise for her age.”

 

Duo knew that he shouldn't pry any further into Wufei's past. It seemed just as painful as the glimpses he could remember of his own. Instead, he just said, “I understand. Forget about it.”

 

Wufei smiled gratefully at him. Duo grinned back, and said, “So, what do you wanna do until Heero comes back, Wuffers?”

 

Wufei blinked at him for a long moment before leaning back in his chair and laughing. “It feels like too long since I've heard you say that.”

 

“Heero suggested that I call you that, but it felt pretty natural to say.”

 

“Yeah, we all had to get used to your little nicknames. But don't get used to calling me that. I'm not always so nice.”

 

Duo smiled, but looked as though he wanted to ask something. Wufei waited patiently for him to decide whether or not he was going to ask. It was still surprising to see him quiet and a little unsure of himself.

 

“Did… did Heero mind when I called him anything besides Heero? Because I've caught myself almost calling him Hee-chan a few times, but I wasn't sure how he'd respond.”

 

“Go for it,” said Wufei warmly. “Yuy never protested as much as I did, and it should make him happy.”

 

“M'kay then,” said Duo, looking cheerful now. They kept talking, enjoying each other's newfound company.

 

 

Heero returned home to find Wufei reading a magazine in the living room and Duo nowhere in sight. Wufei looked up as he entered the room.

 

“Well,” he said, standing up and setting the magazine down on the coffee table in front of him, “I guess I'm off babysitting duty now. He's in the kitchen.”

 

“Everything all right between you two now?” Heero asked bluntly, although he had a feeling that the answer was a good one.

 

“Yeah. Thanks for letting me talk to him.” With that, Wufei left.

 

Heero headed towards the kitchen, wondering why Duo would be in there. He was greeted by the sight of flour all over his normally immaculately clean countertops and Duo with a big spoon in his hand.

 

“Oh! Hee-chan, I didn't know you were back already. I was going to surprise you with these cookies `cause I found this recipe on the table in my room. I hope you don't mind the-“ His sentence was cut off as Heero crossed the room and pulled him into his arms, sticky spoon and all.

 

Heero breathed in the scent that was Duo and felt, for just a moment, that everything was back to normal. He wanted his Duo back. He's right here, calm down, he told himself firmly as he reluctantly let go of the braided pilot.

 

“Cookies, huh?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You're good at making cookies. Do you remember making them before?”

 

“Yeah, sort of. It was fun.”

 

They stood there silently, each wondering what to say next.

 

“Wufei said that I looked silly when I put the apron on.”

 

Heero laughed, and smiled fondly at him. “Nah, you can barely see it under all that flour.” Duo hit him gently on the arm. The timer on the oven went off, signaling that the cookies were done, and Duo busily turned to take them out while Heero went to wash the mess off his uniform.