Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ❯ Part Twenty-Four ( Chapter 24 )

Part Twenty-Four

Heero, Duo, and Trowa wandered around a city in the outskirts of Autria. They made it there last night, found a nice tavern, and decided to settle down for a week or two before going to the capital, RiaMra. Why go to the capital? To find a place to settle down for a month or so and, well, wait for any activity from the Zher'Nak.

So Heero, Duo, and Trowa were on a mission. Searching for clothing and a fine carriage.

Why them and where Quatre and Wufei?

Quatre and Wufei were staying at the Tavern, just trying to generally pick up any information about the world that they could. Even Heero had been trapped behind the walls for several moons, all that he knew could be obsolete.

Heero, Duo, and Trowa were also chosen for a reason, and not just to separate Heero and Wufei from any potential fighting. Trowa really wanted to stay with Quatre, and Quatre really wanted to go with Trowa, but they decided the pairs for a reason. Heero and Wufei were about the same size, as were Duo and Quatre. However Trowa was a few inches taller than all of them. They wanted to be sure they got the right, or at least very close to right sizes in clothing.

Finally they found a shop that didn't look like it would be too expensive and sold clothing immediately, cash down.

They were cloaked as simple travels, Heero borrowing Wufei's shirt since his was ruined. When the seamster saw them enter he didn't think much of them. They were young travelers, they didn't have much money. He would ignore them.

But Heero demanded his attention.

"I'm looking for a few different things. First I would like to see your most lavished dresses," he spoke, the same commanding air about him when he was in peasant's clothing or a king's.

The seamster looked up suspiciously and asked him how much he wanted to spend.

Heero replied offhandedly that money was of no issue.

Still suspicious, the seamster lead him to some most gourious gowns and when Duo laid eyes on them....

He didn't care if he had to be a woman to wear that cloth, he wanted to wear it because he wanted to be beautiful and those dresses, he was convince, would make him beautiful.

"What do you think?" Heero asked, turning to Duo. "Will these be acceptable for you and Quatranine?"

Duo schooled his face to arrogance and replied that he 'supposed they'd do', while in truth he was totally beside himself that he was even allowed to look at such a beautiful creation. All his life he was garbed in a simple tunic and drawstring pants. He shouldn't have been allowed to own such beautiful clothing.

They looked over several, Duo trying not to want everyone one he saw, as Trowa helped pick out ones that would look best on Quatre.

They decided on three dresses a piece.

Then they looked through men's clothing and Duo picked out three for Heero, Trowa, and Wufei that would look best on them, saving the most handsome for Heero.

After which they picked a few traveling outfits and a few simple outfits that would be acceptable to wear around town.

The seamster was completely in shock when Heero pulled out the gold to pay for it all as his two apprentices began to wrap up the clothing.

And while Trowa and Duo were saddling the horses, Heero picked out a few pieces of jewelry that were being marketed there and bought them discreetly to give to Duo at a later date.

"Are you guys hungry? I'm hungry. Let's get a snack or something," Duo chattered as they wandered through the crowded streets.

Being as Heero didn't know where he was going and it was Duo asking, he began to hawk the stands for something for Duo to eat.

Then he saw what he wanted and made his way to the stand. He picked up three of the fruits and asked the woman where he could find a carriage.

Duo had wormed his way through the crowd after Heero, leaving Trowa to keep the horses out of the way, and came up behind him, grabbing one of the fruits out of his hand and inspecting it. The woman continued to rattle off directions but was becoming exceedingly nervous with the 'Lady's' inspection of the fruit. She didn't want anyone rich (as she thought the two of them were) to say anything bad about her services.

Finally Duo smiled in amusement and as they walked away, asked Heero what it was.

Heero handed one to Trowa as he took the lead.

"It's a peach," Heero spoke. "Just eat it."

"It's...fuzzy," Duo giggled and watched as Heero bit easily into the flesh. Trowa had already begun to devour the fruit and Duo felt very foolish that he was so hesitant to try it.

The taste exploded in his mouth, engulfing his tongue in the slick sweetness of the fruit.

Faintly he felt like he had tasted such sweetness before, though he didn't know where as he took another large bite, reveling in the taste.

It dawned on him that it was Heero's kiss which had tasted so sweet upon his lips.

He blushed a little at his thoughts as he continued to eat.

Duo wished it had been a love thing, but Heero was much too good for him anyway.

After lots of bargaining, Heero bought the carriage and hooked up the two horses, moving the clothing to the storage compartment underneath.

Duo, to his disgust, was made to sit in the back alone for Heero was going to teach Trowa to drive.

Actually, he had a lot of fun watching people pass so quickly, even if it was a little dizzying.

"I don't mean to intrude or sound frank," Trowa spoke after Heero had given him the basics.

"Shoot," Heero replied.

"Are you and Duo more than friends?"

Heero almost choked.

"Of course not! Why would you ever think that?" Heero demanded carefully.

Trowa shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable with Heero's reaction.

"I don't know.... You two sleep together and seem so close...."

Heero sighed. "Duo's scared. It's a comfort for him since we slept together at the Academy."

"Oh...." Trowa replied softly. "You two would make a nice couple...."

Heero tried not to stare at Trowa in disbelief and keep his eyes on the road.

"I'd expect that from Quatre, but not from you," Heero said quietly.

Trowa shrugged once more. "I'm sorry I said anything...."

Heero's lips formed a thin line.

"No," he finally spoke. "Don't."

~~~

They returned to find Quatre in a highly disheveled state.

Surprisingly, they managed to get all the clothing upstairs without Quatre spilling everything aloud.

He spun a web of threads that would protect outside ears from hearing, before sitting down and a letting a few tears slip out of his eyes.

"Okay Quatre, what's wrong?" Heero finally asked, standing before him, as Trowa settled down next to him. Duo sat down on his other side and Wufei sat in the corner, looking bored.

"My country! It's completely falling apart! They haven't had a ruler since I was sent away and it's been corrupt since!" he cried.

Heero was surprised he cared with so much sincerity. His country sent him away because he was a freak, yet here he was shedding tears for it.

"And...?" Heero asked, not getting the point.

"Well, I have to do *something*!" Quatre replied as if it was obvious.

Heero sighed and rubbed his temples. "Quatre, first of all, how will you prove to them who you are? Second of all, whether you like it or not, you do have Talent and you are one of the Sha-Zraj-Ni. All of us are needed to defeat the Zher'Nak."

Quatre's lower lip trembled. "I don't know how I'll prove it! But I've got to! I've got to do something! I can't just let my country fall to ruin before my eyes!"

"Yes, well if you don't stick with us than more than just your country will fall to ruin!" Heero snapped back curtly.

"Fuck off," Wufei suddenly spoke, standing. "Cut him a fucking brake, bastard. We can go see how his country is doing. It's not like we have anything better to do than wait to be attacked."

Heero was taken aback by being spoken to so brutally.

"He has a point," Trowa said, wrapping an arm around Quatre's waist protectively and giving his best glare to Heero. He knew that Heero was mentally and physically stronger than he was, but he was going to stand his ground on this.

Heero was for once, at a loss for words and Wufei smirked.

"Now you know what if feels like to be stupid, mister Yuy. Your own sword always hurts the most," he whispered to Heero as he walked past him and into the other room.

He turned to his friends, but they all looked at him like he was some kind of devil heathen.

In attempts to save his pride, he spoke. "We can do that, if that is what you wish."

With those words, he turned and stormed out of the room.

He wasn't so angry as he was embarrassed and afraid. He needed them more than he liked to admit. He was always so dominating over them because he wanted to make it look like they needed him, so that he had an excuse for sticking with them other than they were the Sha-Zraj-Ni and so that he didn't have to admit he was dependent upon someone else.

But those four meant more to him than anyone else. They were the only people he could talk to, the only people that could possibly conceive a little the pain that came with being an Artist.

He found himself in the stables and scrubbed at his eyes.

No matter how much he could command, no matter how old he acted, he was still a fifteen year old boy and he still cared what people thought of him and he still felt like his world was crashing down when he had a fight with his friends.

He got a glance at himself in one of the metal pans that was hanging on the wall for a horses' water when they came in.

He felt so ugly when he cried. His face became red and his eyes got puffy and it was so weak to cry....

Sniffling a little and trying to hold back more tears, he grabbed a brush and walked over to their stable, throwing down his cloak on the fencing and hoping over.

Steadily he began to brush the horse's mane, concentrating on the rhythm and not on the fight they'd just had. Not on the fact that Wufei won. Not on Duo's angry eyes.

The horse neighed it's pleasure at being brushed so, and the other seemed to get jealous.

Heero laughed a little as she brought her nose under his neck, rubbing against it and trying to get his attention. He rubbed her nose and kissed it, turning to stroke at her hair.

The other, noticing the absence of the brush on her mane, began to grow jealous of the other and nudged his ribs.

Heero sighed and rested his head against her neck, stroking it carefully with his bare hand as his thoughts shifted to his personal problems.

"Life must be so easy for you," he whispered to her. "Even if they weren't mad at me and Duo was in love with me and we were happy, I'd still be one of the Sha-Zraj-Ni.... I'd still die.... I'd still be unable to attach myself to anyone or anything for fear of getting hurt...."

"Have you named them?" Duo asked with a slight smirk and Heero was shaken and realized that he'd been standing in the doorway for a few minutes now.

Heero didn't reply for fear it was mockery and went back to stroking the one he named Yovva's mane.

Duo leaned over the fence and watched. The other walked up to him and nuzzled his cheek to get his attention, and Duo giggled and rubbed her nose.

Heero found it ironic.... He had named that one Duo.

The two loves of his life.

"I'm not mad at you Heero," Duo spoke softly, eyes still sparkling with mirth as Heero glanced over his shoulder.

"You sure seemed like it," he muttered back.

"Hey, you stuck with me though my problems. You just happen to be a tad of a control freak. I'm cool. Wufei didn't really have any right to rip on you so bad. It was uncalled for. He could said it in a simpler way," Duo told him lightly, still rubbing the horse's nose. "The whole thing about waiting to die upset me, I should've stood up for you...."

Heero growled. "I don't need anyone to stand up for me."

Duo barked a laugh back. "Everyone needs someone sometimes, Heero. Even Wufei. So remember that when he's being an recalcitrant ass [1]."

Heero tried not to giggle at Duo's terminology.

"Everyone else is still mad...."

"Nah. Quatre will just be happy that we're going to his country and when he finds out it's not as bad as the rumors say, he'll be fine. Trowa will be happy to see that Quatre's happy. Wufei.... Wufei's always an ass. Even before this incident he could be a pain a lot."

Heero sighed and turned to look at Duo.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Duo shrugged the gratitude off. "We're friends, right? I couldn't just let you feel battered around like that."

'Besides,' he added silently. 'I got the cutest image of you smiling with the horses.... Not to mention...I love you....'

~Til Then~

[1] I'm sorry! I *had* to use the word! Shoot me now! I'm sooo losing it!