Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Pinball ❯ Communication ( Chapter 4 )

Series: Pinball

Chapter 4: Communication

Author: Niere

Rating: PG

DISCLAIMER: The series Gundam Wing and the characters therein do not belong to me. I'm just putting them in different situations to see how they react.

Summary: It's a world where everyone has psionic abilities…well, most everyone. Another contest is coming up and the undefeated Duo notices a new player, a null, a person with no psionic abilities. Just what is it about this boy and why can't Duo get him off his mind?

Author's Note: Have you ever heard the song Pinball Wizard by Elton John? I love the song. I was listening to it and was bitten by yet another plot bunny. This is based, loosely, on that song.

*indicates "conversation" via manual alphabet, the system Duo is using to communicate with Heero*

TK=telekinesis, the ability to move things with one's mind. TP=telepathy, the ability to send/receive thoughts. Empathy=the ability to send/receive emotions or feelings. Pyrokinesis=the ability to create/control fire. Pre-cog=the ability to "see" the future.

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Preliminaries for the competition ended up taking two more days. It seemed that kids from all over the state were coming to try. Duo took to hanging out at the stadium in hopes of seeing Heero again. Quatre, Trowa and Wufei decided not to come the second day, preferring instead to get more practice in. Duo, after all, was the current champion and didn't need as much practice as the others did. They did decide to hang out with Duo after lunch the second day, both to keep him company as well as not to burn out by over practice. This was suggested by Duo himself, having the experience to know.

Finally, on the fourth day, the competition started. It was rather nerve-wracking for the older contestants, since the youngest age groups went first. Duo spent the time both watching the players and looking for Heero to arrive.

He didn't show that morning, but when the friends returned after lunch, there he was, sitting in the chair where he had been before. As a group, the boys approached. Heero seemed to sense them and shrank back, plainly fearful.

"You think he doesn't remember us?" Quatre asked, concerned at the fear the boy was expressing.

"It's not like he would be able to tell who we are, now is it?" Wufei pointed out.

"Besides, the only one he actually 'met' was Duo," Trowa reminded them.

"Quat, try it like we did before." Duo instructed. "Project reassurance and friendliness."

Quatre gently placed his hand on the other boy's, remembering the difficulty he'd had before, and did as he was asked. Heero looked up. *Duo* his fingers spelled. Duo grinned. "He remembers!" He wrapped Heero's hand around his and spelled back, *hello Heero*.

Heero hesitantly reached out a hand searchingly. Duo took it and placed it on his face, "showing" his smile. Heero's expression became lighter, although remained wary. He slid his hands down to Duo's shoulders, then frowned and pulled back, hugging himself.

Duo's smile faltered. "He doesn't remember me?" He reached for the boy's hand again. *Heero*

Heero snatched his hand back and shook his head. The boys stood watching, confused. Things had seemed to go so well before, what was the problem now?

Wufei glanced down at his braided friend, then smiled. He knelt down beside him and placed a comforting arm around him. "I don't think it's that he doesn't remember you, he just doesn't 'recognize' you."

Duo looked up. "Huh?"

Wufei grinned at him and dropped his arm, pulling slightly on the distinctive braid. "You had your braid over your shoulder when he 'met' you, remember?"

Quatre and Trowa both laughed. "That's how most people recognize you, you know," Quatre pointed out. "Why not him, too?"

Duo smiled sheepishly. "Uh, yeah." He pulled the braid over his shoulder, then reached for Heero's hand again. *Duo* he spelled, then placed the end of the braid in the boy's hand.

The difference was dramatic. Heero's face totally it up. It was as if no one had ever even attempted to communicate with him before, much less befriend him.

"So, now what?" Trowa inquired. "We don't know that 'finger talk' like you do."

"Neither does Heero," Duo pointed out. "I still have to teach it to him. Once I do, then I can 'introduce' the rest of you."

"Then I think the rest of us should wander around for a bit and see just how the competition works," Wufei suggested. "None of us have ever competed before and since it seems that they won't get to our age-group for a while, it would be a good idea to get some idea of what to expect."

"I agree," Trowa said, turning to leave the boys alone.

Quatre hung back at first. "Are you sure you won't need me to project anything?"

Duo shook his head. "I don't think so. He knows who I am now, so we should be ok. You go enjoy yourself. I've seen it before." Quatre grinned and followed after his friends.

Heero's face fell as the others departed. The boy was blind and deaf as well as a null without any abilities, yet it seemed that he was still able to sense when there were people close to him. Duo watched the emotions crossing the others face and realized that the boy thought he'd been left alone again. "Guess again," Duo whispered. He took the end of his braid and tickled Heero's nose with the tuft. He snickered when the boy started, then sneezed.

*Duo*

*Yes*

Heero frowned at the unfamiliar contortions Duo's fingers were making. Duo just smiled. "Ready for class?" he asked, knowing the other boy wouldn't hear him. "First, we start with the basics."

Duo took both of Heero's hands, opening one out flat, and wrapping the other around one of his own hands. The 'lesson' began. Duo traced the letter A on the flat hand while positioning his fingers in the position corresponding to the manual alphabet version of the letter. Heero frowned, apparently not making the connection.

Duo tried again with the letter A, but no success. Duo sat back on his heels, thinking. How to get through to him? He'd seemed to understand before, why not now?

Heero's hands reached out searchingly when Duo retreated. Duo grinned and placed the end of his braid back in the boy's hand, letting him know that he was still there while he thought.

He'd seemed to understand the names. Why didn't he make the connection between the letters?

An idea came to Duo and he grinned. Removing his hair from the boy's grasp, he placed their hands back in the original positions. *Heero* he spelled with the one hand while tracing the letters on the other hand. Heero looked thoughtful, then nodded, pointing at himself. *Duo* was the next attempt. Heero nodded again, pointing towards his new friend.

Ok, that much was understood. Now, how to break it down into the individual letters and let him know there was more?

The only way was to try with what Heero already knew. *H* was all that Duo spelled. Heero nodded and spelled his own name. Duo took one of Heero's hands and placed it on his face as he shook his head. *H*, he tried again.

Heero's eyes widened. It seemed that he was starting to understand. Duo tried the *A* again. This time Heero smiled, nodding.

Once the connection between the traced letters and the manual ones was made, Heero made amazing progress. In less than two hours, Heero was able to demonstrate the complete alphabet. Apparently, at some time earlier in his life, someone had taken the time to teach him his ABC's. For this, Duo was extremely grateful. He wasn't sure if he would be able to teach him if he didn't have at least that much knowledge already. Now for the next challenge. Was the alphabet all that Heero knew, or did he know actual words also?

*Duo can I ask something*

Duo almost hugged the other boy in joy. He knew! They would be able to communicate after all!

*Sure*

*I do not want to of…* Heero frowned in concentration. *off…* He shrugged and tried again. *I do not want to upset you*

Duo smiled. *You can ask me anything I will not be offended*

Heero blushed slightly, then spelled, *are you a girl or a boy*

Duo couldn't help laughing out loud. *all boy*

*but* Heero grasped the braid that was draped across his leg. During the course of the 'lesson', the boys had migrated to sit on the floor together to make it easier for Duo.

*it is a long story believe me*

*I do* Heero still looked skeptical. *but*

*I can prove it*

*how*

Duo gave Heero a wicked grin. He took one of the boy's hands and placed it on his knee. Slowly he moved the hand upward. Heero focused on the hand, then jerked it back, realizing where it was going. His face turned a dark shade of red.

*I believe you* he spelled frantically.

Duo snickered, then reached for Heero's hand again. The boy was hesitant, but allowed the contact, as long as it stayed on his side of the two of them. *sorry* Duo spelled.

Heero's head had dropped when he pulled his hand back. His face reddened further as he shook his head slightly.

*Heero* Duo traced a question mark in the palm.

*not*

*not what*

*sorry*

Duo's eyes widened. Was it possible that this new friend was like him? In that way?

Just then, the other boys came pounding up. Heero looked up, startled.

"What's up?" Duo asked. *my friends are here* he explained to Heero.

"We just wanted to see how you two are getting along, and let you know that we're going, Wufei told him. "The competition is almost over for today. They won't get to us until at least tomorrow."

*friends* Heero spelled, 'looking' around.

Duo grinned and waved the other boys closer. "Shall I introduce you now?"

"Sure," Wufei agreed. The other two shrugged and nodded.

Duo scooted to sit beside Heero and motioned Wufei to sit in front of the boy. He placed one of Heero's hands on Wufei's face while he spelled into the other. *friends this is Wufei*

Heero gently traced the Chinese boy's features then, discovering the tightly pulled back hair, felt around to find the ponytail it was collected into. He smiled as Wufei nodded in greeting and sat back.

Quatre was next. *Quatre* Duo 'introduced'. The blond projected happiness and welcome as his face was explored.

*and this is Trowa* Heero's eyes widened as he discovered the other boy's hair style.

*how*

Duo snickered as Trowa just rolled his eyes. *don't ask*

"How do I say hello?" Trowa asked. Duo showed him the finger combination for H and I. Trowa placed his hand in Heero's and spelled *hi*. He grinned at the joyful smile that appeared on Heero's face.

*friends* Heero spelled in wonder. *I never had friends before*

*they just wanted to stop by* Duo spelled. *the competition is almost over and they are leaving*

*over* Heero frantically starting feeling for his chair. *you have to go now*

Duo helped the boy up. *why*

*onegai if J finds you here* Heero shuddered. *please go now*

Quatre gasped. "Duo, he's terrified."

*all right we will go* He paused briefly. *talk more tomorrow*

Heero nodded and pulled Duo into a quick hug. The boys stood back and watched as Heero composed his features into their usual blank mask, then moved away.

They went to the nearest platform, apparently watching the end of the competition. Actually, they were all watching for Dr. J and wondering just why Heero seemed so afraid of him.

As the last play was completed, J entered the stadium. They watched as he went over to Heero and placed one hand on his shoulder. Calmly, the boy stood and allowed himself to be led away.

Duo couldn't wait until the following day. Not only would he be able to see his new friend again, but maybe he could find out just what was going on.

* * *

TBC