Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Eagle In Flight ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

This is a disclaimer. Please note the dis before claimer. As in, I make no claim. In other words, the characters in this work are not my own. I'd like to think the storyline at least somewhat original, any similarity to other works, fiction or non-fiction is entirely unintentional.

 

Eagle In Flight

 

Chapter 7

 

Duo found himself absolutely enthralled by the end of Monday in his first week of training. The day's lessons had been split into three parts, separated by lunch and an afternoon break. In the morning he worked with several different instructors, covering the basics of Sentinel history, behavior and medicine; or, as one of his instructors had referred to it, `Sentinel care and keeping 101'. The afternoon had been spent with G and another instructor, working on developing his telepathic and psychokinetic abilities. There had been much less progress than he would have liked, but G explained that he had not yet come into his full powers, and it would be difficult to do more than basics until the pathways in his mind were fully open. The lunch and afternoon break, on the other hand .

 

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Duo closed his eyes for a second and swallowed dryly before walking up to Heero's door and knocking. This was ridiculous. It was just a friendly get-together for lunch, and here he was more nervous than one would be on a first date. He had just raised his hand to knock again when the door opened.

 

“Duo?” Heero blinked for a second before raising one arm and looking at his watch. “It's lunch time already? Shall we go then?” He lifted one hand to gesture towards the hallway and was surprised to find it caught in a warm hand that was used to tug him into the hall itself. Heero's voice questioned again, “What? Duo?”

 

Duo flinched briefly and frowned. “What they were going over today, it said Sentinels like to have body contact, particularly with their guides; so I thought, well, at least we could you know, hold hands. That doesn't bother me too much. Is it not okay?”

 

Heero's lips turned up in a small smile. “No, its fine. I am happy to be allowed to hold your hand. I was just surprised.”

 

Duo blushed and looked at the floor. “Well, okay then. That's good . . . I guess.”

 

Heero reached out to grab Duo's other hand and pulled Duo to face him. “It's great. I am pleased you are trying so hard. Now please, join me for lunch?” He released Duo's left hand and reached up to run the back of his hand down Duo's cheek. “I promise I won't bite: well, at least not you.”

 

Duo smiled at the small joke and tugged gently on Heero's hand. “Well, if we're going to lunch we'd better go, before our break's up.”

 

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After that lunch had gone fine, and the afternoon break that G said was to acclimate to each other's presence had been spent flopped on the bed in Heero's room, Duo reading a book on Sentinel behavior and Heero doing something (supposedly schoolwork) on his laptop, which had appeared mysteriously out of his luggage.

 

The days of the next two weeks flowed slowly but surely into one another. Heero and Duo quickly fell into a pattern. The afternoon break and evenings after classes were spent together, doing homework together or separately, acclimating to the silent presence of another. Duo viewed these times with some fondness, as the conversations that sprung up occasionally tended to be interesting, and were a good chance to get to know the man he had already devoted his life to. For Heero however, these times were heaven. The chance to relax in the presence of his Guide, the quiet pleasure as his senses once again set themselves to baseline levels… it was like nothing else he had ever felt. It didn't matter that the time was seldom spent touching, though Duo was allowing more of that too. No, now Heero understood for the first time the effect a compatible Guide had on his senses, and it was amazing. In Duo's presence the headaches soothed, the spikes stopped and the fear of zoning lessened dramatically. He couldn't wait until their bonding, when this marvelous creature would become his for all time. But they still had some work to do.

 

“Heero?” Duo spoke up from behind his Sentinel medicine textbook.

 

“Yes Duo?” Heero stopped the report he was doing for his advanced programming course, stretching quietly as he waited for Duo to continue.

 

“Is it true? That 10% of Sentinel deaths occur by zoning? Is that what would have happened to you?”

 

Duo thought that the words `If I hadn't woken you up' were better left unsaid.

 

“Duo, yes it is true, but not the way you are thinking. The zone itself is not deadly, just unpleasant. Deaths by zoning occur when zones happen in bad places, or when someone reacts badly to the chemicals used to pull unbonded Sentinels out of zones. So, if a Sentinel jumps in a pool and zones on the feel of the water, and then drowns, it is considered a death by zoning, even though what really killed them is drowning. In the situation you are referring to the danger was already past, so it is unlikely I would have been shot as well, and I have never reacted badly to chemical awakening. I would have been fine even if you had refused to help. I am, however, glad that you did decide to help. Chemical awakening tends to be abrupt and somewhat less than comfortable.” Heero shook his head and smiled softly, saying quietly, “But it is nice to know that you care.”

 

Duo smiled shyly, blushing. “I'm glad. I was hoping I wasn't putting you in danger by not being ready to bond right away. I know it can't be easy, but the more I read, the more scared I get, for both of us.”

 

“There is no need to be scared. Yes, your inexperience is not an ideal situation. It is not however, an insurmountable obstacle. And in some ways it is a good thing, as the strength of a late blooming will well complement my own abilities. With a normal Guide I might never have been able to achieve a stable partnership relation wise, because he or she would be always in the shadow of my greater abilities. But with you I have the chance to form a stable working partnership in all areas of my life.”

 

“Perhaps. But so many things could have happened to you or could still happen, because I am . . .” `Too weak', he thought, but did not say.

 

“I have said it before and I'll say it again: I will wait, till the end of time if it is necessary. If you are still not ready by the time G's timetable says we are to bond, we will change it. I will not have you forced.” Heero glared death at the imaginary senior Guide, daring him to oppose him.

 

“What makes you say I am not ready? What if I said it was okay, that I was fine with it. Would you wait then?” Duo set his textbook on the bed, and sat up straight.

 

Heero looked at him for a moment, then stood and walked over to the bed. He crawled onto the bed and set himself down, straddling Duo's legs. He leaned forward and pressed Duo down onto the bed.

 

Duo tried to control his trembling, tried to slow his breathing, but Heero was so close and what was he doing! Without thinking, Duo felt his muscles tense.

 

Heero felt Duo's muscles tighten and he released his Guide, sitting up but still straddling his legs. “You are not ready. I need you to understand what the bonding entails, and I need you to trust me. Until I have these things, the bonding will not proceed.”

 

Duo nodded yes as he pushed himself upright. “Okay, I get the point. Now could you please get off me?”

 

Heero smiled and removed himself from Duo's legs, but first he leaned down and scented at the crook of Duo's neck. Smiling, he then crawled to the edge of the bed and sat down. “And now you have questions. Ask.”

 

“What you were doing? Is that what bonding is like?” Duo's face made an odd contortion, as if he couldn't decide if that would be a good thing or a bad thing.

 

“Not necessarily. With more established pairs, the bonding tends to become more and more physical; and full body contact, or scans across the whole body with the hands are sometimes initiated. But the bond itself is simply a telepathic or empathic link between the two partners, and bonding is simply a reaffirmation of that link. It gives both partners a chance to re-align, as the Sentinel's senses are set to baseline and the Guide is given a chance to re-build his shields as he relaxes within his Sentinel's shields.”

 

Duo frowned. “But doesn't my presence set your senses to baseline? That was what the books said.”

 

“Sort of. With a little focus, when I am around you I can re-set my senses to baseline, and hold them there. But after bonding, the Sentinel's senses sort of , in a way, know where baseline is. This allows them to use their senses and return them to normal rather then having them beyond their control.” Heero looked frustrated. “The closest I can say is that it is like having a broken control knob. Under the right circumstances it may work, but not always. Bonding is like calling a repairman. It will eventually break again, but for a time it works just fine.”

 

Duo blinked. “Okay. So what you're saying is that you know the theories of control, but can't actually exercise them until we bond. In the meantime, my presence gives you some relief, but it's not total and it only works when we are together.”

 

“Yes.” Heero stood, walked around to Duo's side of the bed and brushed a hand across his cheek. “If that's all, I really do need to get some work done tonight.”

 

But time passed as it always has. Then the day came for Quatre and Trowa to be let out of the hospital. They were being placed across the hall, in the Guide's quarters of another paired room. This allowed them to be in shielded quarters while still having someone close, as Wufei would be staying in the Sentinel's quarters of the same suite. Under other conditions Heero would have also been in that room, but he didn't want to leave Duo, and there was no way Duo was ready to sleep in the same room with him, much less the same bed. So for now he would wait.

 

Duo continued to go to lessons, though he knew that they would be leaving soon. Quatre and Trowa had stayed at the hospital until they were cleared for space flight, at Wufei's insistence. Fortunately the hospital had not been busy, and had agreed to his request.

 

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Quatre glared halfheartedly at Heero and Wufei, twisting as much as he was able to do so, as they wheeled he and Trowa out of the hospital. Having been allowed to use crutches for some days now, it was frustrating that the two of them had insisted he and Trowa would ride out of the hospital as they were instructed, instead of sticking up for their desire to leave on their own two feet. Trowa had been shot in the arm, not the leg, and the cast wasn't throwing his balance of that much. As for Quatre himself - while he admitted the crutches were something of a pain with his hip still braced, it wasn't like it was immobilizing, and getting out of the wheelchair would be more trouble than it was worth. Frowning once more for good measure as they pulled up to the Center limo that had brought them here, he allowed Heero to help him up and into the car. Stupid Trowa was allowed to stand up and get in on his own, which sucked. It was several more minutes while Heero and Wufei returned the wheelchairs before they left for the Center. Once they were on the way however, Quatre began bombarding Heero with questions. After all, he had seen Wufei every day while Heero had only come once or twice, and never in the past week.

 

“So Heero,” He began, “How is Duo?”

 

Heero blinked once, then smiled. “Duo is fine.”

 

“And what have the two of you been doing for the past week?” Quatre inquired. “I haven't seen much of you.”

 

“Duo had classes to attend, and I have been attempting to keep up with my own work.” Heero looked at him. “I apologize for not visiting, I do not care for hospitals, and Duo was too busy to come with me.”

 

Quatre frowned, inferring from that statement that Heero had not wanted to come because of his senses. “Shouldn't your senses be getting better now that you are bonded? Is something going wrong that you haven't told me about, Heero?”

 

“Duo and I have not yet bonded.” Heero's statement was flat and curt.

 

“Not yet bonded? But he has agreed, has he not?” Quatre could not understand what was holding them up. Surely Heero was the most important thing here.

 

Heero snorted softly. “Yes, he agreed, after G told him the fact that he was my only match. But he is completely untrained. G wanted him to get some background, and for us to be in a safer place before we bond.” Heero tensed slightly, then relaxed and lowered his gaze to the ground.

 

Quatre looked at his friend silently for a moment, deciding to end his questioning there. There would be plenty of time to observe Heero and Duo together in the future.