Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Burnout ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 6 )

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Chapter five

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"You should be resting." Trowa said, leaning against the doorframe.

Quatre looked up from his packing, startled, "Trowa! I didn't hear you coming." He stared at the taller boy for a moment before he turned back to his duffle bag, his face slightly flush.

"What are you doing?" Trowa frowned, stepping closer and surveying the room. It looked as if it had been ransacked. Clothes and books were thrown all over the place. It was very unusual behavior for the boy that liked to have everything in its proper place.

"Packing." The blonde answered quietly, a note of sadness in his voice.

"I can see that, but why?" The banged boy asked. The smaller boy didn't answer. Instead he just grabbed more clothes and almost angrily shoved them into the bag. "Quatre," Trowa addressed, his hand grabbing the blonde's arm, "What's wrong?"

Quatre refused to look at the taller boy, "In light of my `episode', I've been called back to L4 for testing until further notice." His entire body trembled with emotions that the smaller boy was refusing to show.

If Quatre had been looking at Trowa, the blonde would have seen a rare expression of shock and devastation cross the stoic boy's face before the mask and training kicked back in. "I see." The banged boy replied flatly. "When do you leave?"

The blonde cringed inwardly at the tone of Trowa's voice, "First thing in the morning." He answered, trying to keep his voice steady. "I'm to take Sandrock to the Singapore Spaceport base and steal an OZ shuttle."

"Alone?" Trowa frowned. "But the base will be heavily guarded."

Quatre shook his head, still avoiding the taller boy's face. "Duo's to accompany me to the base and take a shuttle back to his own colony, as is Wu Fei."

"They're calling all of you back. . ." Trowa murmured.

Quatre shook his head slowly. "Not Hiiro and. . . not you."

Trowa sat down on the Quatre's bed, pulling the blonde down next to him. "You don't want to go?" He asked gently.

"I want to stay." The smaller boy whispered, his watering eyes focused on the floor.

Trowa shook his head, "Quatre, you're being taken away from the war, away from the people in pain. You'll finally have some peace. Isn't that what you want?" Slowly the boy nodded, his tears breaking past his will. "I don't understand, Quatre. . . Why would you ever want to stay here?"

"I. . .I want. . ."The blonde's face was becoming red with embarrassment.

"Quatre?" Trowa prompted, "You can tell me anything. You know that, right?"

Slowly the boy nodded, swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat, "Hai, I know that, Trowa. . . It's just; the words aren't easy to say."

The banged boy blinked, `What on earth could it be?' He wondered, `Quatre and Duo are the most talkative out of the five of us. . . He always knows what to say, and how to say it.'

"Gomen ne, Trowa. . ." the blonde apologized, breaking into the taller boy's thoughts, "It's nothing. . ."

"Quatre, it is something." He disagreed.

Finally, the blonde met his gaze, "Nandemoni." He whispered, "Jiisu ni."

Trowa watched him as he stood, zipped up his Duffle and headed towards the door. "It's going to take time to get Sandrock ready, I . . . I probably won't see you again, before I leave. . ." He whispered, "S. . . Sayonara, Trowa. . ."

"Quatre, matte. . .!" Trowa called, rushing after him; but when he got to the hall, the only person he saw was a very annoyed Hiiro, approaching him. "Did you see where Quatre went?"

The stoic boy shook his head, "Trowa, you realize that our mission wasn't aborted, it was just postponed?" The banged boy nodded. "If you become distracted, the mission will fail."

"Hiiro." Trowa said curtly, "You were the one that told me, `The only way to live a good life was to follow your emotions'. I know I have a mission, and I won't let it fail, you have my word; but my emotions are telling me that I need to protect Quatre. . .I . . . I want to protect him."

The Japanese boy studied the banged boy intently for several minutes before finally speaking, "He is a soldier too." He pointed out. "He is fully trained and can take care of himself."

"I realize that." Trowa sighed slightly, "But that's what I feel."

Hiiro shook his head slowly, his dark hair falling in his eyes, "I suggest you don't allow them to find out about this." He advised, "They're liable to order his assassination as to eliminate any further hindrances or distractions."

Trowa's look became very dangerous, as he snorted, "They can try."

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"I'm so stupid!" The blonde muttered, from inside Sandrock's cockpit. He smacked himself in the head, "I can't believe it!"

"Oi, Quat!" Duo called from Deathscythe's cockpit, "What's up with you? You've been swearing and putting yourself down for the last half hour. It's getting difficult to concentrate on repairs." Quatre didn't answer until, Duo's head popped into his view. "Did something happen with Trowa?"

To his eternal humiliation, the smaller boy felt his face turn a deep red as he tried to deny his friend's question. "Ii. . .Iie. . . I just. . .I mean. . .I. . ."

The braided boy chuckled slightly at his embarrassment, "You really should tell him."

"I couldn't!" Quatre looked up sharply, horror written plainly on his face, "He'd hate me! I don't want to lose what friendship I have!"

"Easy Quatre." Duo said grinning, "Did you ever stop to think that maybe he feels the same way?" The blonde looked down and shook his head slowly. "You can sense things, have you ever thought to sense his emotions?"

"He keeps his emotions bottled up, almost as well as Hiiro." Quatre whispered, "I can't read them."

"Then I suggest you talk it over with him." The braided boy said plopping himself down on Sandrock's open hatch door, sitting cross-legged. Quatre climbed out of the cockpit and joined him, his feet hanging over the edge. "Preferably before we leave?"

"I can't." He argued, "I just can't, Duo."

"Why?" he demanded, "Why is this so hard for you Quat?" The blonde shrugged slightly, "Well I think it's stupid." Quatre winced under the unusual harshness of the braided boy's tone. "If you don't, I think you'll end up regretting it."

"And what about you?" The blonde asked, trying to change the subject, "Are you ever going to tell Hiiro?"

It was Duo's turn to go beet red with embarrassment, "That's not fair, Quat!" He protested. "Hiiro is nothing like Trowa!"

"Not really." Quatre disagreed, "They both keep to themselves."

"But at least Trowa can show compassion!" Duo insisted, "Hiiro wouldn't do anything, cause it might interfere with his mission!"

Quatre pondered what the braided boy was saying. "Maybe. . ." He whispered as the hanger doors creaked open, startling both boys.

"Are you two almost ready to leave?" Wu Fei called up to them.

"Hai!" they called down in unison. The Chinese boy stared up at them for a moment before heading back towards the house.

"Are we really heading back to the colonies?" Duo asked in a subdued manner.

Quatre looked at his friend, "I suppose so." He said quietly, "Don't you want to?"

The braided boy heaved a sigh, a grin quirking at the side of his mouth, "Yeah. I do." He replied, "But I'm not so sure we'll be welcomed back."

"I know what you mean." The blonde said, "My family was furious when I left to fight, I'm not sure my father will be very forgiving."

"Eh. . ." Duo shrugged, standing and stretching, "Or they might welcome you back with open arms." He looked around the huge hanger and at each of the five Gundams before turning back to the smaller boy, "Hey, you want to get a burger before we leave earth?"

"I'm not very hungry." Quatre said with a small smile.

"Are you alright?" The braided boy asked, offering his friend a hand to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired, that's all." The blonde shrugged and turned back to the cockpit, besides, I have a few more adjustments to make before Sandrock will be space worthy."

"Okay, Quat." Duo flashed one of his carefree grins, "I can bring you back something if you want."

"Arigato, Duo." He smiled, "That'd be great."

The braided boy shrugged and quickly descended from the Gundam, "I'll see ya later then!" He called up to the boy, making a quick jog towards Wu Fei's motorcycle.

"Uh, Duo!" Quatre called when he realized what the braided boy was about to do, "I don't think that's a good idea! Wu Fei is still mad about the last prank you pulled!"

The braided boy waved carefree towards the worried boy, "Don't worry, Quat!" He replied, "It's not like he can lock me in the closet again."

"Still. . . I wouldn't tempt him." Quatre said quietly as Duo revved up the bike and disappeared from view.

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Trowa silently watched the boy as he turned and headed back into the cockpit of his Gundam, from his place in the shadows. What Hiiro had said earlier about them putting a hit on the small blonde disturbed him to no end. He had no doubt that if he were to fail in his mission, and they found out that Quatre was the reason, they wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him. They were that cold and heartless.

His mission. . .

Trowa heaved a deep sigh.

The banged boy was not looking forward to this mission. It was risky, and would probably fail even if a certain Arabian didn't constantly occupy his thoughts. It was long term, which meant, he had no idea how long it would last. It could easily be anywhere between a week, a month, or even a year; and during that time, he'd have no contact with the other pilots, except maybe Hiiro. He'd be alone and behind enemy lines.

No, Trowa was not looking forward to this one bit.

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To be continued. . .

Author's notes: The next chapter is underway, though it may take longer to finish. I'll have it posted as soon as I can.

^-^

Arigato!!

Weissangel24