Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Dead Ground ❯ Imaginings ( Chapter 4 )

Wufei toweled the sweat off his face and looked up at the sky. The sky was blue and there were a few clouds. Looking off in the distance he knew that would change soon. If not today then tomorrow. Maybe they'd be lucky and get some rain. There was a small breeze and he was enjoying it immensely. Going over his forms was quite a workout, and he wished there were more of a breeze then there was. He also wished there were some trees, or plants, or something around here. He enjoyed nature and was tempted to sprint to the edge of the forest so that he could meditate among the living plants.

 

He didn't much care for where they were staying. It was dead. All of it. No plants, no animals, not even the sound of insects. He had spent the day outside yesterday and he didn't even see a bird fly over the area.

 

It just wasn't right.

 

He decided, in the end, that it would be best if he stayed near the cabin. After making that decision, he settled himself down on the ground, closed his eyes, and began to clear his mind.

 

“... Wufei ...”

 

It was a soft whisper, but in the absolute silence it was easy to catch. The Chinese boy opened his eyes and looked around.

 

There was no one.

 

I must have imagined it. He thought.

 

Once again he closed his eyes.

 

“Wufei ...”

 

This time it was louder. No. It was closer. It sounded closer. His eyes popped open and he whipped his head around, first in one direction, then in another.

 

Again, there was no one.

 

That sounded like... No. I'm just imagining things.

 

After a few moments of silence, Wufei, feeling unsettled, once again closed his eyes.

 

“Wufei”

 

His eyes flew open and he was on his feet in an instant. He looked around wildly. It was her! He would know her voice anywhere! He continued to scan the area. First toward the cabin, then toward the forest.

 

No one was there.

 

No one.

 

The disappointment hit him like a knife in heart. He could have sworn...

 

He realized he had been holding his breath, and he let it out slowly. As he did so, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and the breath he was breathing out, quickly became a gasp. He turned around quickly, expecting to see her.

 

He blinked a couple of times before his mind registered that it wasn't who his heart desired it to be.

 

It was Heero Yuy.

 

He blinked again and realized Trowa was also there, standing behind Yuy. Heero cocked his head and narrowed his eyes.

 

“Yuy!” Wufei finally managed to gasp.

 

“Are you alright?” This from Trowa.

 

Wufei looked from one pilot to the other. He opened his mouth, then shut it. Finally he said, “Of course. Why wouldn't I be?”

 

The two other pilots looked at each other then back to Wufei.

 

“We called to you. We thought you heard us because you looked up, but then you began meditating again.” This time it was Heero who spoke. “We called a second time, and we were sure you heard us, but then you went back to meditating again. When we called you a third time and you got up and stared straight at us, but then you looked away. It was like you were looking for someone.” Heero paused then said, “Were you looking for someone?”

 

Wufei considered telling them, but decided against it. It would make him seem weak.

 

Yes.

 

Telling them he was hearing voices, and that he hadn't seen them at all, would definitely make him seem weak.

 

Weak and unstable.

 

He wouldn't have that.

 

Deciding not to answer Heero's question he realized for the first time that Yuy was carrying his laptop, and both pilots were carrying some wires and metal rods. Nodding his head at what the two boys were holding he asked, “What's all that for?”

 

--------------------------

 

 

Holding the light fixture away from the wall, Duo inspected the wires that connected the light fixture to the wall. The wires were in good condition. The wires were connected to the light fixture correctly. Everything was fine. Sighing, he replaced the light fixture. After stepping off the stool, he picked up his check list.

 

Basement X

Bathroom X

Living room X

Kitchen X

His room X

Heero's room X

Wufei's room

Quatre's room

 

Putting the pencil to the paper he checked off Wufei's room. One left, he thought as he picked up his stuff, and looked around. Wufei would have a fit if his room wasn't left left exactly how Duo had found it.

 

After closing the door to the Chinese boy's room he turned to Quatre's door. He knocked softly. No answer. He knocked again, this time with an added, “Quatre, it's Duo. I need to come in to check the light in there.” After this he heard a soft “Okay...” With that, Duo let himself into the other boy's room, softly closing the door behind him. As he put the stool and tools down he looked up and asked, “Are you feeling any better?”.

 

“Not really.”

 

“Gee, I'm sorry to hear that. You don't look too good either.”

 

Duo turned around and walked over to the light switch and flicked it on. Nothing happened. Flipping the light switch on and off a few times while watching the light bulb, he said, “Hmm... Well, looks like your light bulb is burned out too.”

 

That got the blond boy's attention. He pulled the blankets tighter around himself.

 

“Are other lights burnt out?”

 

“Yeah, one out in the living room and the one in the bathroom.” He picked up some tools and got on the stool. He reached for the light fixture to take it down. “So now I'm going around this stupid cabin checking all the wires and stuff because the Perfect Asshole can't except the fact that he picked out some bad bulbs. Must be the wiring he says... whatever.”

 

Some people just have no sense of humor. Duo thought.

 

He inspected the wires. They were good, just like all the others. “Well, anyway, this one is the last one, and it's fine.”

 

After putting the light fixture back in place he unscrewed the burnt out light bulb. Glancing at the blond he said, “I'll be back.” and left to get a new bulb. Duo soon returned as promised and the new bulb he brought back took it's place in the light fixture. After checking to make sure the new bulb worked properly, he checked off the last room on his list, then looked over at Quatre.

 

“It's almost lunch.” He looked down at the plate by Quatre's bed. “Those eggs look nasty, why don't I bring you something fresh?”

 

“No thank you. I'm not really hungry.”

 

“We'll, too bad! You need to eat.” And with that said, the braided boy reached down, picked up the plate of cold eggs, and headed toward the door.

 

“Duo...”

 

He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. “Hmm?”

 

“We shouldn't be here.” Duo turned fully back to the blond.

 

“What? What do you mean?”

 

“Well... We should be out there. Not hiding out here, you know. Besides, aren't you bored? I mean, well, there isn't anything out here to do and...”

 

“Quatre,” Duo interrupted “We have to keep ourselves alive to fight OZ, you know that. Besides, being here isn't too boring ... yet.” he smiled “Besides, I've got things to keep me busy. Probably try to fix that water heater again today. Maybe tomorrow I'll go try to fix that truck. We won't be going anywhere 'till that's fixed. Anyway, don't worry about the war or me right now. Just rest up.” And with that he was out the door.

 

---------------------------------

 

“It's not all that important to be able to contact anyone right now.”

 

Heero glared at Wufei. “Yes it is.”

 

“I think Wufei is right, Heero. After all, with all the broken links in our network right now, it's probably best if we keep our disappearance complete at the moment.”

 

Heero turned his glare on Trowa. “It's not just being able to communicate. We can't get any information on what is going on out there. We're completely shut off from ANY information.”

 

Standing outside the cabin, the three pilots continued to argue.

 

“Yuy. Be reasonable. For one thing, this idea of yours to put up some sort of... of... “ Wufei waved his hand in the general direction of the cabin. “...antenna on the roof, most likely won't work. Besides, that roof looks like it could use major repair. I don't think any of us should be on it.”

 

Heero's glare turned, once again, to Wufei.

 

Wufei shook his head. “Fine. Do as you please, you always do anyway, but don't expect my help on this crazy idea of yours.” Wufei began walking back to the cabin muttering something about “Laptop Addicts Anonymous”.

 

Heero glared at Wufei's retreating form. “What was that Chang?”

 

The shaking of his shoulders was enough to let both Heero and Trowa know that Wufei was getting a chuckle out of whatever he had said.

 

Heero turned back to Trowa in time to see the small smile on Trowa's face change to a more serious look. Heero's eyes narrowed.

 

“Well, what about you, Barton?”

 

Trowa folded his arms. “Heero, we're not going to be here all that long. I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure we're not missing that much.” Trowa glanced at the roof of the cabin. “Probably better to be safe then sorry, wouldn't you say?”

 

The two boys stared at each other for a moment. After getting no response, Trowa turned around and headed back inside the cabin, leaving the Japanese boy alone with his laptop and a various assortment of wires and cables.

 

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Laying on his bed, Duo looked up at the ceiling. It had been a frustrating day. He had checked all the wiring in the cabin, but hadn't found any problems. When he had found Heero to tell him his findings, the other boy had only paused long enough to look up from whatever crazy project he was working on and give him the 'death glare'. As if it were his fault that Heero had picked out duds for light bulbs. Well, whatever. He had thought. He left the dark haired boy to whatever he was doing and decided to make himself, and Quatre he remembered, something to eat.

 

Apparently, Trowa and Wufei had also decided it was time for lunch, because by the time he made it back to the kitchen, the other two boys were already getting stuff out for lunch.

 

As they worked, Trowa and Wufei told Duo of Heero's idea. That eventually let to jokes about how Heero had probably never had a baby blanket, so he was making up for that with his laptop. Unfortunately, the topic of their conversation happened to enter the room at that moment. The laughter had died when they saw his glare and realized he had heard what they had just said. Before Heero stomped out of the kitchen, Duo thought he had seen something else in the cobalt-blue eyes.

 

Was it hurt?

 

Duo had long suspected that the pilot of Wing Zero felt more then he let on, but it was hard not to react to the stony expression he usually wore. Hard to forget that behind that expression there was a human being, not a machine.

 

The three of them had gone back to their food preparation in silence. They had fixed food for Quatre, but of course he didn't eat a bite. He did, however, drink a bit of some tea Wufei had fixed up. Duo had smelled it and was confused about how Quatre would drink something that smelled like gym socks, but not eat what they had fixed for lunch.

 

Quatre asked them if they would bring him another blanket. Unfortunately, there was only one blanket left packed in their supplies. It was thin and not very big. Trowa offered to give Quatre his blanket and take the small one, but Quatre refused. He had insisted the thin blanket was exactly what he wanted. Duo had felt guilty for not offering his blanket to the sick boy, but the cabin wasn't the warmest of places at night, and of course, Quatre wouldn't have taken his blanket, anymore then he had taken Trowa's.

 

Quatre also asked for a large bottle. He wouldn't say what the bottle was for, just that he wanted one. Trowa, Wufei and Duo all had milk with their lunch, so as to empty one of the milk jugs for the sick boy.

 

Correction.

 

Trowa had milk, and Duo had milk. And Duo had Wufei's milk. Apparently the Chinese pilot wasn't fond of milk.

 

After lunch he had retreated to the basement where he had worked on the water heater for the rest of the day. Of course, he should have known that he wouldn't get it working. He had finally given up and took a cold shower. It was one of those times when he wished his hair was shorter. The water wasn't just cold. It was freezing!

 

He pulled his blanket closer and looked over toward the wall. Heero's room was on the other side of that wall. Duo frowned. He really did want to be friends with the other pilot. Well... He would like to be more then friends with the other pilot, but he wouldn't think about that. He didn't know what Heero would think if he knew Duo was thinking about him that way. Hell, he didn't even know how he felt about himself thinking this way. Heero would most likely kill him, or try to. He was pretty sure the dark haired boy didn't swing that way, but then, from what he knew of Heero's personality, did he really want a relationship with someone who had the personality of a rock?

 

He shook his head. No, that wasn't fair. He was pretty sure that all he had really seen of Heero Yuy was a wall. A mask. A facade. Even Heero's name was a mask. It wasn't even really his name. His mind jumped from one thing to another, but never really left the subject of Heero. Sighing, he realized he was thinking about exactly what he told himself he wasn't going to think about. He tried to think about something else, but his mind eventually wondered back to the boy with the messy hair that was currently residing in the room next to his.

 

He closed his eyes and imagined Heero in his mind. Imagined that damn sexy body close to him. He imagined that he could run his hands over...

 

A creak pulled him away from his thought. He opened his eyes and looked up at the celling. For a moment there was silence, then there was another creak. This time louder. There was an attic up there, but when they had first come to the cabin they had been unable to get the hatch open to explore up there.

 

Maybe it's just mice...

 

Another creak.

 

Really... big mice...?

 

Then again... They hadn't seen any mice in the cabin.

 

Suddenly there was a thud above him. Duo sat up quickly at that, and decided that he would rather not be alone right now. Jumping out of bed, he grabbed his blanket, wrapped it around himself and left his room.

 

Now in the small upstairs hall, Duo looked up. The hatch to the attic was just above his head. He now felt glad that they hadn't been able to get the hatch to open.

 

Duo looked over the railing, down to the living room. It was dark. Apparently Trowa had decided to go to bed. Sighing, Duo turned around. Heero was still up. He knew this because the light from Heero's room was seeping out from under the door, lighting the hall with a soft glow.

 

He looked back to his door, then back to Heero's, trying to decide.