Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Gods of War ❯ Day Dreams ( Chapter 3 )

Title: Gods of War: Day Dreams

Author: Shinigamis_Soul (AKA Starlight Soul, AzureInk_Parchment)

Beta: None… (I know, I'm lazy, I haven't responded to any of the offers yet)

Disclaimer: I don't own them; I only like to play with them.

Status: WIP

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xS

Warnings: Torture, Angst, Preventor-ness, betrayal, Yaoi, Lemon (eventually),

Summary: The war has been over for years. Our pilots have worked hard to keep the peace they fought so hard to help create. Just months from retirement, Heero Yuy goes missing. Who is trying to capture that pilots and what is his connection to them?

 

 

Gods of War

Day Dreams

 

Trowa and Quatre were curled up in the second seat of the van, Quatre tucked tightly against his husband's side. They were sound asleep, the moving van the first chance they'd had to rest in several weeks. Sally sat in the first seat with Heero. Her laptop, courtesy of Quatre, completely held her attention as she soaked up everything she could about the nanites that she was now infected with as well.

 

Heero slept tucked against the side of the van, his bruises already beginning to fade. He had been alternating between sleep and ravenous hunger. It was a good sign; the nanites were working to repair the damage. Given enough time, he would be back to fighting fit; they just had to make it that long.

 

“Hey guys, we gotta make a stop,” announced Duo from the drivers seat. “We need gas and a stretch break. I've been sitting in cars for nearly thirty hours now.”

 

Trowa stretched nearly dislodging Quatre. “We should get some supplies while we're at it. Heero's going to go through a lot of protein in the next day or two.”

 

“He needs more fluids as well. I'm tempted to insist on the IV,” sighed Sally.

 

“Everyone armed?” questioned Duo. At the chorus of affirmatives, he smiled and laid out his plan.

 

* * *

 

Duo pulled up to the pump closest to the front of the store and gingerly climbed out of the drivers seat. With all of the doors opened Duo could pump gas and still keep Trowa and Quatre in sight inside the store. Sally stayed with Duo and Heero to watch the braided man's back while his attention was on the van. Heero, despite his weakened state, sat hidden in the shadows of the van with a gun resting in his lap. His alert blue eyes never left Trowa and Quatre as they gathered the items they needed in the small store.

 

“How are they doing?” asked Duo as Heero's stomach growled loudly.

 

“I think they've cleared all of the beef jerky from the shelves and they're moving to another isle. Trowa's has a basket full of bottled water too. They are about to leave my direct line of sight, Trowa is tall enough to see over the isles,” said Sally.

 

“He'll watch Kat's back,” murmured Duo closing the gas tank and moving to climb in the van.

 

Heero tapped Sally's arm to gain her attention. Once he had it, he signed to her, “He's too tired to be driving anymore. He's worried; he'll push himself too hard.”

 

Sally nodded in response before turning her attention back to the two men in the store. “They've hit the register.”

 

Duo started up the van and was surprised to find someone tugging on his braid. He turned to find his braid grasped in Heero's hand and cerulean eyes focused on him. Sally's watched as Quatre and Trowa finished checking out and made their way back to the van. Before Sally could say anything to Duo, Quatre did.

 

“Look out Duo, I'm driving. Get some rest back there, and something to eat,” ordered Quatre.

 

“Kat,” warned Duo.

 

“You're predictable,” said Trowa as he climbed into the passengers seat “Your first reaction is to protect us even when you're pushed to the limit. There are five of us to carry the weight of the load; let us help you.”

 

Duo gave in with little more than a token complaint. He settled into the seat with Heero tucked against him and accepted the beef jerky pressed into his hand by Sally. Heero nibbled at his beef jerky to avoid causing his throat to hurt more and allow his stomach to adjust to the solid food.

 

“I think I understand the nanites a lot better now,” said Sally going over her notes again. “This man had to have inside knowledge of them to be able to use them the way he was.”

 

“Even without intimate knowledge of them, he could have accidentally stumbled on how to use them to cause pain,” said Quatre from the drivers seat. “I learned the hard way; EM grenades are not a lot of fun. Luckily the nanites are not damaged by them they're just forced to reset.”

 

“I always wondered why those disappeared from our supplies so quickly,” murmured Trowa.

 

“I felt it best after that mission. It's a miracle I didn't get captured,” replied Quatre. “Rendezvous in three minutes.”

 

Heero tapped Duo's arm to get his attention before signing, “Ask him what it felt like. Did it burn like fire or did it feel like ice?”

 

“`Ro wants to know if it felt like fire or ice?” said Duo giving his husband a questioning look.

 

“Both,” replied Quatre surprised, “Fire when they went offline then Ice when they rebooted. It wasn't all at once either; it was more of a cascading reaction.”

 

“They're using an EM pulse then,” signed Heero tiredly.

 

“The device I took off you in the car…” said Duo softly, “I wonder if that was the source or if it just produced electricity.”

 

Heero closed his eyes and leaned his head against Duo's chest, letting his heartbeat calm him. “I don't remember much,” he signed with trembling hands, “at first they tried to just question me. He was more than a little eager to start on the pain. Once he started all I knew was pain.” He twisted, hiding his face against Duo, unwilling to let them know how much the man enjoyed torturing him or how much it affected him.

 

Duo could feel Heero's whole body tremble against him. He started to rub his hand up and down Heero's back. The long haired man wrapped his arms around Heero and snuggled in as best he could in the seat. He placed a gentle kiss against Heero's ear and was surprised when he jumped away startled. Eyes wide and body trembling uncontrollably, Heero fought against the terror that washed through him.

 

Duo met those wide eyes with steady violet ones. Gently, as he would have with one of the children on the street, he pulled Heero back to his chest. “It's okay; tell me, love.”

 

Heero fought with his panic, and let his hand close around Duo's braid. His body continued to tremble, his mouth working though no sound escaped. Finally he buried his face in Duo's neck and the words slowly tumbled out. “He… he would put his lips right by my ear and whisper. I… I could feel his l… lips on my ear. He'd keep them there while the p… pain burned and whisper.”

 

Duo tightened his arms around Heero and the rage he felt shimmered in his violet eyes. “We're gonna get this bastard, babe. He's never gonna touch you again.”

 

They pulled up next to a busy market. There were people everywhere, giving them enough witnesses and cover to ease their fears of attack. Wufei stood with his back to a stone wall, his bags against one side. They pulled up right in front of him and Sally opened the side door.

 

“Move it Fei,” said Duo his eyes still blazing though Heero was drifting off.

 

“Maxwell, you look like you're about to kill some one,” snarled Wufei as he climbed in the van, obviously in a foul mood.

 

Once they were moving Duo took one look around the group and felt his fury drain from him. Heero was drifting deeper into sleep against him and his gentle breathing was reminding Duo of how tired he was. The energy he had been running on suddenly seemed to abandon him and he lifted a trembling hand to brush through his bangs.

 

Wufei was suddenly beside him, dark eyes locked on him. “My friend, how long has it been since you've truly rested?”

 

“I couldn't,” stammered Duo as his exhaustion overtook him.

 

“I know,” murmured Wufei. “You had to make sure we were all safe, keep the gang together. We're all here now, you can rest and I'll keep watch.”

 

Tears glimmered in Duo's eyes though none fell. “They hurt him, Fei. They hurt him so much.”

 

“We're going to catch them but you have to rest so that you can take care of him,” replied Wufei keeping his voice low and even. He continued to murmur to his friend until violet eyes drifted closed and sleep took him. Once he was sure Duo was asleep he turned to his wife. “What happened?”

 

“Do you remember the man calling himself Cronus?” asked Quatre.

 

Wufei paled drastically and his hand strayed to his shoulder. “He's a monster,” hissed Wufei drawing himself up. “Master O sent him away after… after he tried to break me. I still bear the scars.”

 

“He figured out how to use the nanites against us,” added Quatre. “He seems to be trying to collect us though we don't know why. Do you remember what his real name was?”

 

“No, he simply called himself Cronus. He had a name for us though I do not remember it.”

 

“Gods of War,” sighed Quatre, “When we check in with Une we will pass on the information we have. Fei, there's a change of clothes in one of the bags behind the last seat. We've been changing and ditching everything as we go.”

 

While Wufei changed Sally looked over at Heero and Duo. “How much should I be worrying about him?” questioned Sally softly.

 

“You know about his past?” asked Quatre.

 

“Just the basics,” responded Sally, “L2 street kid, plague survivor, survivor of the Maxwell church massacre, alliance prisoner, gundam pilot 02.”

 

“We can't tell you the detail; he has to,” replied Wufei gently. “What we can tell you is that he was taught early on to protect his gang. He takes it very seriously; so much so that he sometimes forgets that we can help protect ourselves.”

 

“Like the day your stomach growled and he practically fed you his lunch,” said Sally thoughtfully.

 

“Yes,” replied Wufei. “If I had not ordered food sent to his office, he would not have eaten until he returned home late that evening.”

 

“The four of you always carry little bits of his favorite candy,” Sally prompted trying to understand completely.

 

“He won't buy things like that for himself,” explained Quatre. “He'll buy them for everyone else though he's more likely to pass on a healthy snack; usually a piece of fruit or something similar.”

 

“Three o'clock apples,” murmured Sally. “He shows up at my office everyday at three and gives me an apple, though I'm not sure how he found out that they're my favorite.”

 

“Despite his outward appearance, he's good at learning the little details. He truly is a master at stealth,” Wufei replied, “and he will do anything for his friends. Somewhere along the way he realized you get hungry about three in the afternoon. He does not tolerate the thought of one of us being hungry well.”

 

“Given his past, does that surprise you?” asked Trowa. “Starvation was a distinct possibility for many of his early years.”

 

* * *

 

He had just stolen dinner when he spotted her. Her dark hair was filthy and matted; she couldn't have been more than six or seven. Bruises decorated her face and arms. He circled the block and made sure she knew he was coming towards her. He was almost there when she darted into the alley sobbing. He stopped at the outside edge of the opening, knowing there was no exit within the alley.

 

“Are you hungry?” he called softly. The only response was a terrified whimper. “I won't hurt you.” He set the apple on the ground in front of him. “You can have it. I won't touch you.”

 

He watched as she silently slipped out of her hiding place to slowly move towards the food. Once she was within reach of the apple, her tiny hand snatched it and she started gobbling it up. Once the apple was gone she looked up at him with big brown eyes.

 

“You got a name?” asked Duo. She shook her head and he tipped his head to the side thoughtfully, “How `bout we call you Mouse.”

 

She nodded and reached out to take his hand. As soon as her small fingers touched him blackness spread from where their skin met. He dropped her hand but it didn't stop the spread. He screamed as she was devoured by the blackness.

 

Arms held him, rocking and crooning softly. Those arms held his arms pinned to his body and he was confused to still feel Heero's weight across his lap. He slowly opened violet eyes, his confusion swirling in their depths. Worried blue eyes met his as Heero moved so they were almost nose to nose.

 

“Dreamed about Mouse again?” asked Heero softly.

 

Duo nodded and was surprised when Heero reached up and wiped away a few stray tears. He gave Heero a weak smile before looking over his shoulder to find Wufei behind him.

 

“Are you finished trying to jump out of the van?” asked Wufei calmly.

 

Duo nodded again, still not trusting his voice. He didn't move to get out of Wufei's grasp but he pulled Heero back against him and hid his face in Heero's dirty hair. Of all the dreams, Mouse always shook him the most.

 

“Tell us,” said Quatre from the passenger seat. He was pale, his eyes wide. One hand rubbed at his chest as though trying to push away pain.

 

“When I ran with Solo's gang, we picked up the little ones we found. I was good at it, they trusted me. I found a little girl one day and took her with me. She was covered in bruises and didn't have a name. I named her Mouse `cause she was so scared. She was probably only six or seven. I stole some apples that day, just a little while before I found her… Some soldiers saw me and followed me. They beat her to death to punish me,” a sob broke from his throat. “She trusted me. She was just a baby!”

 

Wufei held on tighter as Duo tried to pull himself back together. The tears that had freely fallen in his sleep were bottle up tightly once more denying him the release he deserved. Giving an exasperated growl Heero pulled away from Duo and grabbed his chin.

 

“Not your fault,” he ground out, his voice sounding much closer to normal. “You did what you had to in order to survive. Those soldiers were monsters.”

 

“Heero's right,” said Sally from behind him.

 

“We have a problem,” said Trowa drawing their attention to the road ahead of them. Without giving them more than a second to look, he turned across traffic to avoid the man standing in the road.

 

“Was that a grenade?” questioned Sally blinking.

 

“Yes,” answered Quatre.

 

“How the hell did they find us?” demanded Wufei.

 

“Me,” said Heero. He turned to Duo. “Did you check for bugs?”

 

“I… I didn't have time. I stopped looking after I found the electrodes,” stammered Duo. He scrambled for his bag and pulled out the scanner. Starting at the top of Heero's head he scanned all the way to his feet. “I got it; shoes off `Ro.”

 

Heero kicked off his shoes and pulled off his socks. On the top of his right foot was a small scar, “Sub dermal,” he said to Sally.

 

“Quatre, hand me my bag,” ordered Sally slipping into the seat and pulling Heero's foot into her lap. Pulling out a needle and a vial she quickly numbed the area she was about to work on. “Quatre prep those gauze, I'm gonna need them.”

 

“Just get it over with,” growled Heero.

 

Sally sighed and opened a sealed package containing a scalpel. With practiced ease she sliced along the small scar. A moment later, she held up a small tracking device before handing it to Quatre in exchange for the gauze. She stitched up the incision before taping a piece of gauze in place.

 

“Get rid of that thing Quatre,” said Duo softly, he leaned with his head against the seat and his eyes closed, “Trowa, please just get us to a safe house.”