Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Cult Characteristic ❯ Chapter 9

Nine

Heero waited until he felt the shaking stop. He wasn't sure if it was because Duo had been laughing, or if it was a result of the shock of what had just happened, but Heero knew it was wiser to remain still, arms locked around Duo, until the shaking stopped. He pulled back slowly, catching the cobalt gaze and waiting for the last of the fear to fade. Then he started moving limbs, straightening out the legs and folding the arms into Duo's lap until he could easily lift the slight frame, which he did.

Wufei seemed….amused, and rather pleased with himself. Heero didn't blame him. In fact, even Heero was pleased with Wufei, which startled him a little. Heero nodded in thanks as he slipped past Wufei, between Quatre and Trowa, and headed past the abandoned chess board to the back door. One swift kick had it flying open and Heero slipped outside, to the shadowy sanctuary of a wide verandah.

Looking down at the bundle in his arms, Heero was not surprised to find Duo had buried his face against his shoulder. It had only taken five minutes after the first time Duo had woken to realise his eyes no longer tolerated light. It was not a problem in Duo's new room, where the heavy midnight curtains blocked out every ray that would dare attempt to enter the realm of Shinigami, but out here…

Sally had told Heero that small doses were what Duo needed if he was going to teach his eyes to like the light again, and Heero was determined to do just that. Steeling his resolve, he made his way to the long outdoor sofa Quatre had insisted they remove from his wing of the house. Having nowhere else to put it, they had dragged it outside, and left it there. Not a single person in the house regretted; it was the most popular seat in the house.

Heero lay Duo down so he was facing the horse paddock, reasoning if he described what he was seeing well enough Duo might dare to open his eyes for a peek…Curiosity had always been Duo's downfall. Once he was sure Duo was vaguely comfortable, Heero sat on the end of the couch and cradled Duo's head in his lap, fingers working their way to Duo's temples and moving in small circles. It usually only took a few minutes for even the red light behind Duo's eyes to give him a headache.

"Inside…"

Heero didn't reply. If he did he might just comply and that was the last thing he wanted. He wanted to spend the afternoon on the couch with Duo, watching the sun set and listening to him breathe…just being with him.

"Heero…"

Closing his eyes, Heero's only reply was to lay a soothing palm over Duo's clenched lids. He felt the lashes flutter beneath and smiled. No more protests came and every now and then Heero let his fingers `slip' open. Duo's breathing would get slightly heavier, but he didn't complain. Not once. Heero's chest hurt from pride.

At some point Heero looked up and realised the sky was stained purple. The sun had set, not long ago, and the dark orange smudge in his eyes was all that remained. He knew even it would fade, sooner not later. Duo's breathing was even, smooth, relaxed. Asleep.

Something blocked out the soft twilight and Heero looked up into onyx spheres. Wufei didn't say anything, just upturned a blanket and tossed it over Duo, tucking it around the little toes sticking out from the bottom of the cast. He even pulled the braid out from under the blanket, knowing it annoyed Duo when his hair itched his back as he slept.

"Arigatou."

Wufei's mouth formed a sort of smile that clearly said thanks was not needed, but Heero could never not thank Wufei. Not after all the man had put up with and all he was still doing for him. For them.

A shadow appeared behind Wufei and after a few moments of squinting in the near darkness Heero recognized their wayward waif.

"Hello Fiona," Heero said softly, nodding his head in greeting as his hands were still folded around Duo's neck and face.

"Is he asleep?" Fiona whispered so softly Heero barely heard her as she slipped in front of Wufei and leaned down until she was face to face with Duo, completely oblivious to Heero's affirmative response, seeing for herself. When she stood straight again, her face was scrunched in thought.

"He looks…happy…"

Heero couldn't help but wonder what Fiona had seen in her short life that simple happiness, even in sleep, would put her in such a state of awe. He decided he didn't want to know. It was enough to see that it did awe her. Heero resolved to make sure Fiona was happy for the rest of her life. She deserved it as much as anyone, even more so.

"Come on rat. I let you see him, now leave him be."

Heero looked at Wufei and shared a look. They had discussed this before, while Duo was sleeping and Fiona was at school. Ever since her first visit to the `house' Fiona's first request upon seeing them every morning and afternoon was to see Duo. Why none of them could fathom. Perhaps to see that he was alright, perhaps for another reason entirely. Whatever the reason, her interest was far from mild, and it worried them both. While neither believed Fiona was a threat, her knowledge was far beyond what they had imagined. She knew things…too many things.

Heero waited until they got to the door, then decided he should say something. Anything.

"What are you going to do?"

It was a double edged knife; a two sided question and they both knew it. Wufei leveled his gaze at Heero and took the safe way out.

"We're going to go see Sally in Little China."

`Little China' was what Fiona called Wufei and Sally's wing of the house. Heero found it oddly appropriate, even if Trowa did snort every time someone said it, and Quatre rolled around in hysterics making the worst jokes imaginable about how little things really were in China…

"Why?" Heero asked, a nagging suspicion in the back of his mind.

"Coz Wufei has a date tomorrow and Sally and me want to make sure he looks right."

Right, not good. Which could mean anything. And Sally was in on it. Heero doubted Wufei had really thought about what Sally would think of him escorting Relena Peacecraft to a private party, but by the look on his face now he was certainly considering it now. Heero doubted Wufei had considered Quatre telling Fiona about the `date' either.

Heero laughed softly as Wufei herded Fiona back inside, grumbling in Chinese.

"Heero?"

He looked down into bleary cobalt eyes, red rimmed and still watering from the stinging pain of the sunlight all afternoon. Heero gently kissed each lid, swiping away the tears with his thumbs. He was so…proud.

"Let's stay out a little longer, Koi." Now that it's dark. He didn't really have to ask. Duo was already asleep again.

*

Wufei left Fiona scrambling through his wardrobe with Sally, the two females determined to `dress him properly'. Wufei had also noticed they referred to dressing him `right' not `well'. He knew both females well enough to know the difference. Neither was happy he was to escort Relena, but neither would they complain if it kept Heero at home with Duo. Besides, they could see in Wufei's eyes that intended to give Relena a night to remember, and Sally could attest to the kind of things Wufei liked people to `remember'.

A grin tugging at his lips, Wufei moved off to the small room he had designated for his office. His desk was devoid of the usual stacks of paperwork. The smooth top was covered in small yellow squares; post it stickers. Each post it had a fact he had decided was important from his discussions with Fiona. They moved about his desk on a daily basis as he tried to solve the mystery that was the Death Cult.

Today they looked almost right. But almost was not good enough for Chang Wufei and he forced himself into the too familiar chair and began playing with the patterns again, the many conversations concerning the case with different people running through his mind, all to a private silent commentary he had created as he watched the videos. And under the post-its, as he moved them around, he caught glimpses of the laminated photos he had plastered to the desktop and he looked into the bloody pit once more, remembering Duo huddled against the wall, shivering…Soaked in blood.

"It has to fit. There is a way. The pattern is here. It is right in front of me. I need only open myself to the possibility," he muttered to himself, trying to clam a mind that had far too much to think about.

An hour later a rather annoyed, frustrated and tired man leant back in his chair and stared at the desk. It was perfect; the patterns fitted exactly. There was only one problem. In the very center was a blank post-it, the clean yellow paper glaring at him, as if in spite. It was the center of it all, and it was blank. Wufei needed that key. The one thing Fiona didn't know, or perhaps was unwilling to tell. It made no difference. It was the thing he needed and did not have and until he had it he could not move.

With a heavy sigh Wufei opened the top draw and pulled out the phone he kept there. He dialed a number from memory and waited for the three rings. The phone did not pick up but Wufei started talking, rattling off his badge number and the appropriate code before someone finally picked up on the other end.

"Agent Chang?"

Noin. Sighing, Wufei described what was before him on his desk, listening to the scratchy sounds of a pen as Noin wrote it all down. There was silence once she had it all, then a pleased grunt. Wufei heard Noin swivel in her chair and call for Zechs. There was a curious sound and then Wufei could hear them discussing the map Wufei had created.

"I have some ideas on your missing link, and if I'm right it fits…" Zechs said into the phone. He seemed hesitant. Wufei was not surprised. Zechs had left the pit that first night for the office to work on possible candidates who might have been involved as the benefactor for the Death Cult. He had not left Preventers headquarters since. From what Wufei had heard Zechs was turning up some very high profile names.

"Are you really escorting Relena to the Devourjac party tomorrow night?"

Again, Zechs sounded hesitant. Wufei wondered if he wanted to know because of the case or because he was Relena's sister, then decided it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Duo was his friend and that escorting Relena meant Heero could stay with him and make him happy.

"Yes."

"Aren't you going to ask me why?"

"I don't care why," Wufei replied resolutely.

"You should," Zechs replied coldly. "Devourjac is on my list."

*