Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Fly on Broken Wings ❯ Crimson ( Chapter 15 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

LSE // 2-2-05

(Fly on Broken Wings - Chapter Fifteen: Crimson)

rated: R - language, content, violence

shounen-ai/yaoi

Crimson

He's in pain.

Just let me talk to him.

You've done enough trouble, Trieze.

He looks angry.

Both of you be quiet.

Wufei, maybe we should...

Dark eyes focused on the sight of Duo's face, lips half-open with shock as the boy simply stared and stared, the absence of anger more terrible than if it had been present. Trieze returned the gaze with a stifling arrogance despite the internal turmoil raging inside his head. To him, of course, it seemed as if Wufei and Meiran were on either side of him, bickering. Reality blurred all things grey to the alternate personality.

The tension scaled upward as Trieze waited for Duo to lash out, but that moment never came. With a single, desperate sob, Duo fell to his knees on the floor, face burying into his hands. The long chestnut plait drooped despondently to the ground, a snaking tail over the black-on-black of Duo's clothes.

Look what you did, Trieze!

Shut up, Meiran.

Maxwell...!

...Wufei?

Maxwell!

Hey, what's wrong?

Duo!

As quick as he appeared in the first place, Trieze vanished as the wire-frame glasses were quickly shoved into place. Wufei dropped to his knees beside Duo and started to reach out to him. "Maxwell..."

"Go away!" Duo screamed, lifting his tear-streaked face. "Haven't you done enough?"

"But..." Wufei felt confused and bewildered, the two emotions at odds with his usual composition, and it showed on his face. He felt a gentle touch to his shoulder and looked up at Trowa's much taller frame. The stoic boy shook his head slightly in warning.

Slowly, Wufei rose to his feet, dark eyes staring down at Duo, who hid his tears with one sleeve, head bowed once more. Touch still gentle, but insistent, Trowa guided Wufei to turn around and gave the younger boy a slight push. Still half-dazed, Wufei shuffled out of the nook, passing Quatre who still stood riveted in one spot.

Trowa knelt and carefully lowered Duo's arm from the tear-streak face, watching him with sympathy and pity before rising back to his feet and pulling Duo with him. Still half-sobbing, Duo complied and the two started to leave. When Trowa looked at him, Quatre understood he was to check for any nurses in the area. If they saw Duo upset there would be questions.

Questions he wasn't sure could be answered.

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Just before lights out, Quatre looked up from a book to see Wufei standing in the doorway of their room. Likewise, Duo rolled his head away from watching the ceiling to stare at the Chinese boy. Visibly steeling himself, Wufei waited for Trowa's silent form to join him in the doorway before speaking. "You must take your medicine, Maxwell, instead of your usual tricks."

Duo's eyes narrowed briefly before a careless, false smile crossed his face. "I've been a good boy, Wufei. After my little scene with Dickie, they found out I'd been skipping. They can test for it in your bloodstream, unfortunately. So you see, no need to worry," the final words held a hint of anger and warning equally mixed.

"Don't try to act like that's going to work. You always play good until they've gotten lazy about it again." Wufei hesitated before adding in a quiet plea, "We're worried, Maxwell. We've seen this happen before. If... if you continue, we will tell the doctors."

"I think just you will tell the doctors, Wufei, unless Trowa's broken his silence without me knowing. Ne, Trowa? Cat got your tongue?" Duo mocked, grinning a cold smile at Trowa.

Quatre sat upright, appalled that Duo could be so cruel to his friends, who were only trying to help.

Wufei seemed unaffected by Duo's words, "You said it yourself, they can test your blood."

Leaning forward on his bed slightly, Duo's smile vanished and he suddenly looked very angry. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me," Wufei challenged.

The small blonde looked between his friends with a slight panic before edging backwards towards the headboard. Were they going to fight? Duo's anger frightened him, even if it wasn't directed at him. When his roommate suddenly looked right at him, Quatre let out an involuntarily squeak as he hugged Sandrock tighter to himself, eyes flying wide.

Violet eyes flashed between the three of them before the fight seemed to leave Duo and he lay back on the bed with a sigh. "Fine," he muttered, rolling away to face the wall.

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Quatre walked on eggshells around his roommate for the entire day, but his fears seemed unreasonable. Duo acted complacent, not even back-talking to Doctor Richards as much as usual. Something kept Quatre from relaxing entirely, however, especially when Wufei pulled him aside just after dinner and, in a low voice, asked if Duo was sleeping at night.

"I... I'm not sure? He's awake when I go to sleep and wake up," Quatre explained, hunching his shoulders slightly.

Wufei frowned in concern, looking over Quatre's shoulder to Duo, who was dutifully downing his medicine at the nurse's station. "I just have a bad feeling," the Chinese boy muttered, releasing Quatre's arm.

The blonde hesitated, "You... you said Duo wouldn't... I mean..."

"I never said Duo wouldn't hurt himself," Wufei clarified in a quiet, strained voice. Dark eyes lowered away from the stunned disbelief in aquamarine as Quatre realized what Wufei meant. With a slight, embarrassed shrug, Wufei left Quatre standing there alone.

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That night, Quatre woke with a start, staring up at the black on black of his surroundings while his mind frantically tried to identify what exactly had caused his sudden awakening. Slowly, he became aware of a low, hissed whispering from across the room. Sitting upright with Sandy held close, Quatre peered into the shadows that marked Duo's side of the room. "Hey?" he called quietly to his roommate.

The whispering stopped.

The small blonde fumbled at the side drawer for the flashlight stashed inside and flicked it on, the beam shooting through the darkness to illuminate the floor beneath Duo's bed. Glittering eyes shone slightly in the dim light as his roommate lifted his head. Quatre froze, flinching back instinctively. "Duo? What are you doing up?" he asked with a calmness he didn't feel.

Duo played a melody on the small electric keyboard, the volume down so low Quatre had to strain to hear it. The notes hovered in the air, a melancholy dirge that sent a chill down Quatre's spine.

Wufei's warning came back to him, and the light quivered as Quatre began to tremble. Every instinct told him to just turn the light off and crawl under the covers, but he swallowed a cold lump of fear and slid out from the bed, padding quietly across the room.

He paused an arms length away, the beam of light pointed at the floor. Duo sat, head bowed, with the keyboard across his lap. He plunked out a series of notes, and then hit the same key over and over, as if stuck in mid song. "What comes next?" Duo whispered, playing the series again and again, each time stopping at the same point.

"I don't know. What song is it?" Quatre's voice shook as much as his hand. He didn't understand why he was so scared, and that only frightened him even more.

The older boy did not answer, and the tempo of the melody increasing with each play, until Duo's hand flew over the keys. Quatre backed away slightly as Duo gave a wordless snarl, but then crept guiltily forward. "Duo? Maybe you should go to bed..."

"I can't remember how the song ends!" Duo cried, slamming his fist on to the keys, a rough chord booming out in protest.

Quatre winced, "It's okay. You'll remember in the morning."

Duo shook his head, furious at his roommate for not understanding. Why did no one ever understand? Thoughts chased thoughts around in his head and he couldn't grasp at any of them when the encroaching darkness threatened to take away all thought. And when he slept he was awake, and dreams were but illusions that promised what could never be. The song eluded him just as Heero never came and he knew, knew way down deep inside that Heero would never come, but that never stopped him from dreaming, and dreams were only illusions.

The few bits of the melody chased around the thoughts in his head and tangled up against logic only to run into the darkness and never be found again, never ever. He could fly and soar but what went up must come down and the medicine only kept him numb. "I can't remember how the song ends," Duo repeated, punctuating each word with punch against the keyboard, not even realizing it when the plastic shattered, cutting his knuckles.

Quatre let out a horrified gasp, the flashlight dropping to the floor and rolling away. "Duo, stop!" he whispered fiercely, bravely trying in vain to pull the keyboard from the older boy's grip.

The clock struck seven and the fluorescent lights flickered to life as all the rooms in the ward lit up, a vibrant wake up call. Quatre blinked as his eyes struggled to adjust, his grip on the keyboard faltering.

Crimson splattered against the bedspread.

"Duo!"

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Wufei sat across from Trowa and frowned, looking at the two empty seats before twisting in his chair and staring back at the breakfast line, which was nearly empty. Turning back around, he found Trowa gazing at him with a question in green eyes. "I was delayed a little this morning," he explained, as it was almost half-past eight. "Did Maxwell and Winner already eat?"

Trowa looked down at the few cold crumbs that remained of his breakfast, and shook his head.

"I haven't seen them," Wufei said slowly.

Trowa lifted one shoulder to indicate he hadn't either. He had been hoping Wufei would provide a reason for the two boys' absence. Trowa unconsciously lifted a hand to his chest as if in sudden pain, trying to shake the cold, terrible feeling that gripped him.

Wufei's eyes roamed thoughtfully around the cafeteria, as if hoping to see his friends' faces. "But Maxwell's been taking his medication," he said in the same slow, careful tone.

Trowa nodded, lifting heavy eyes from his empty plate.

"Unless..."

A solemn silence settled over them both as the inevitable conclusions were reached.

"Do you think...?" Wufei began, but Trowa was already walking away, swift strides weaving him through the tables in the most direct route to the door. With a hasty prayer, Wufei scrambled after him.

"Barton, I passed the nurse's station on my way to breakfast and nothing there suggested we should be worried..." Wufei started to say, but Trowa wasn't listening. All he could think about was the small blonde's safety and, although he knew Duo would never hurt Quatre on purpose...

A nurse ran past them, the Head Nurse's plastic tranquilizing case clutched tight. She was heading for hallway B1, where Duo and Quatre's room was. Along with nearly fifty other boys' rooms. But that didn't stop Wufei from letting out an oath in Chinese.

Trowa's heart leapt into his throat and they both started running after her. He strained his ears, fearing he would hear Quatre's unmistakable screams, but then grew afraid when he didn't.

"Fuckers!" Duo howled. "Nazi bitches!"

An orderly caught Trowa's arm, stopped him several doors away from where Duo's enraged profanity was causing an uproar among the nurses, and a second orderly similarly halted Wufei. A cluster of patients had gathered on the other side, the chaotic scene prevented them from leaving the hallway. Some were still wearing pajamas.

"What's going on?" Wufei demanded, trying to duck under the orderly's arm.

Trowa stood frozen in place, eyes skipping from nurse to nurse as the plastic case was opened and a needle prepared.

"I hate this place! I fucking hate it, and I hate you!" Duo was screaming, and a loud crash came from inside the room. A feminine cry was drowned out by the sound of wooden breaking, and Trowa guessed that the furniture was being overturned. "Hands off me, you giant hulking, drooling brainless bastards!" Duo's voice rose higher with each insult, until the last syllable broke off into a shriek of fury.

When the scream ended, so did Duo's tirade. A couple of nurses walked out leaning on another's arms, tittering nervously, followed by the Head Nurse, who wore a look of grim satisfaction. "Get him down to the infirmary," she commanded a pair of orderlies before turning to her flock of nurses and ordering them find a janitor.

The orderlies disappeared into the room before emerging again with Duo's limp body between them on a stretcher. Flecks of blood dotted the boy's face, closed eyes ringed by dusky shadows that accentuated pallid cheeks. Duo's hands were folded neatly on his chest, the knuckles cut and smeared with blood. Any tell-tale crimson that would give away Duo's other injuries, if there were any, was invisible against the black clothing. The boy's long chestnut braid trailed along the ground, dark and splotchy with, Trowa realized to his acute horror, blood.

A single nurse remained standing in the doorway, but all the rest scattered, some following the Head Nurse, and some trying to coax the small gathering of patients back to their rooms. The orderly keeping Trowa at bay offered a sympathetic smile before leaving.

"Go back to your rooms," the nurse said as they approached, "or go eat breakfast if you haven't already." Looking over her shoulder, the nurse muttered, "Christ, this is going to be hell to clean up.

Trowa stared around her at the complete disaster that was Duo and Quatre's room. The dresser lay on the floor, split open, and the mattress was skidded nearly entirely off the frame on Duo's bed. Quatre's side of the room remain remarkably untouched, except for a scatter of pencils and notebooks that looked to have been thrown from the other side. Papers were everywhere; most of them stippled brown with dried blood.

"Where is Winner?" Wufei asked, voicing the question Trowa couldn't.

The nurse tilted her head to one side in confusion, "Who?"

"Duo's roommate," the Chinese boy clarified, tone harsh with irritation and worry.

The nurse smiled as if she understood, "If you're looking for your friend, why don't you check the dining hall? Have you two eaten breakfast yet?"

"We've eaten," Wufei grumbled, moving out of earshot.

Trowa followed, exchanging glances with his friend.

"He must have woken up before Maxwell," Wufei said, trying to remain optimistic.

The taller boy lifted an eyebrow.

With a thoughtful frown, Wufei corrected himself, "No, because Maxwell doesn't sleep when he's manic. Well, she would have told us if Winner had been hurt, so there is no use worrying over it." Despite his words, Wufei's worried countenance remained.

Trowa looked pointedly at the room, and then the nurse, before meeting Wufei's eyes and wearing a look of pleading.

"You want in there?" Wufei guessed, and was rewarded with a nod. "But you need past the nurse."

Trowa smirked and patted his friend on the shoulder.

"And you want me to distract her while you do it. How do you suggest I do that, Barton?"

Trowa shrugged.

"Can I help?" came a voice from behind them, and both boys turned to find Relena standing there with a worried smile on her normally poised face. "I saw them taking Duo away. What happened?"

"We don't know," Wufei answered, tone wary.

Relena studied his face carefully, reading the evident dislike and distrust in the Chinese boy's dark eyes. "I owe Duo a favor. Do you think this would work as repayment?"

When Trowa nodded, she smiled, and then reached out and shoved Wufei. "Jerk!" she cried vehemently, and Wufei was so surprise he stumbled back a few steps. "I can't believe you would do that!"

Trowa slipped away as a bewildered Wufei reluctantly tried to act like he deserved Relena's outburst. The ruse worked perfectly, however, and the nurse came hurrying over.

The cold feeling in his gut intensified as he stepped over the threshold, eyes and ears alert for... He didn't know exactly what he was looking for; something just told him to be on alert. The room looked the same inside as it had from the hallway, however, and he was about to turn back and rescue Wufei from his unwilling participation as a decoy when something caught his eye, and held it.

A teddy bear, the cream fur of its soft middle flecked with blood.

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Author's Notes: So I finished this chapter instead of doing my homework. Can anyone really blame me? Eee, cliffhanger! I'll try to hurry with chapter sixteen. Maybe this weekend? I don't know! It depends on how kind my muses are to me.

Um, based on some of the feedback I've been receiving it seems so many of you hate Heero now! Poor Heero! I only do this to him because I love him, after all. You'll just have to stick around for more chapters to find out the truth, ne?

And you know what I realized? It's incredibly possible I'll still be working on this story in March. That means I'll have been writing it for an entire year! I hope everyone's still enjoying reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. There's still lots of story left, too, so everyone please have faith in me! I'll have the chapters out as fast as I can...!

Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!

LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit at aol dot com)

Random Japanese sentence: "Tsukue ni atama o butsukeru! Itai!"