Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Pinball ❯ Safe ( Chapter 12 )

Series: Pinball

Chapter 12: Safe

Author: Niere

Rating: PG-13

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: My sincerest thanks to all of you that are reading this and especially to those that have let me know. Your comments have really brightened my life! Sorry about the 'cliffhanger'. It wasn't intentional, just seemed like an appropriate stopping place at the time.

I'd like to apologize to those that have had difficulty knowing when the manual alphabet was being used. I was using stars as well as italics to highlight what was being 'spelled'. I had no idea that the stars were not coming through. Gomen. I've change it, now. Again, I apologize for the confusion.

Methods of communication:

"normal speech"

{manual alphabet}

//telepathic speech//

::morse code::

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.

# # #

The aroma permeating the house as they entered was enough to set Duo's stomach rumbling and his mouth watering. "Mmm," he sighed, "smells like Wufei is cooking. Heero, you are gonna love this!"

Zechs led the way toward the dining room, where they found Trowa and Quatre just finishing setting the table. The boys looked up as the group entered the room. "Duo! Heero! You're all right!" Quatre squealed as he flung himself at his braided friend. Heero staggered slightly at the onslaught of emotions that bombarded him in greeting: worry/concern/relief/welcome/friendship. Trowa reached out quickly with his own talent, both to steady his friends from the physical and emotional exuberance his beloved was bestowing, as well as to welcome Heero in his own way. Grinning, the tall telekinetic moved to 'rescue' his friends from Quatre.

"Calm down, Q-man," Duo panted, suddenly finding breathing extremely difficult. "You're supposed to be on our side, remember?"

"It would make for an interesting headline, though," Heero said quietly. "Assassination survivor strangled by friendly hug."

Everyone laughed at that. Quatre let go of Duo, blushing and laughing as well. Then it dawned on him just who had made the comment. His eyes widened in shock. "Heero?"

Duo grinned as he reached out with a finger and closed Trowa's mouth. "Tro, Quat, you remember Heero, don't you?"

"But…" was all Quatre could manage.

"We'd all like to hear exactly what happened," Treize pointed out. "Duo and Heero can fill us in over dinner. Knowing Wufei when he gets to cooking, there should be plenty for all."

"Good, 'cause I'm starved!" Duo exclaimed.

Trowa smirked. "So what else is new?"

Just then, the door separating the dining room from the kitchen opened. Wufei backed his way in, struggling with a very large serving dish. Trowa reached out and assisted in placing the dish on the table. Wufei nodded his thanks.

"Were you expecting an army?" Zechs teased, eying the amount of food that had been prepared.

"Well, you did say that Duo hadn't eaten," Wufei said, grinning.

"Hey!" Duo tried his best to appear affronted.

Heero moved closer to his friend. "You have good friends to go to such trouble for you," he mumbled, shyly.

"Thank you, Heero," Wufei stated. "It's nice to know that someone appreciates…" He stared at the other boy. "Y-you can talk?" he stuttered.

Heero edged a bit closer to Duo, nodding.

"Since everyone has discovered Heero's regained his senses," Treize interrupted, "maybe we should eat before all this hard work is wasted."

"Good idea," Zechs agreed, taking Wufei by the arm and maneuvering him toward his seat.

Everyone took places and the food was passed around. While they ate, Duo recounted what had happened at the hotel room. Heero continued the tale when Duo faltered, after telling about killing the man who had come to hurt them.

Heero had difficulty speaking when he tried to tell about how he managed to get Duo's attention. Duo noticed this immediately. "It's ok," he whispered, "you can trust them. They already know how I feel about you and won't mind at all."

Heero glanced sharply at the braided boy. 'And just how do you feel about me?' he thought. He paused for a minute, then sighed slightly. Telling this couldn't be any worse than the readings, just more…verbal.

He discovered that while actually saying what had happened, and what he was thinking at the time, was not as traumatic as having his memories read, it was definitely harder to force himself to do. He managed, though. Duo said he could trust these people, and he trusted Duo completely.

//It's all right, Heero,// Treize sent, sensing the boy's turmoil. //Everyone here cares for you and would do nothing to intentionally hurt you or Duo.//

Eventually, with frequent pauses and much blushing on the teller's parts, the entire story was told. Those listening were quiet, respecting their friends' and empathizing with the embarrassment that the telling was causing them.

"What happens now?" Trowa asked as both the tale and the meal were completed.

"First, we let these boys get some rest," Treize stated. "It's been a very trying time for the both of them."

"They can have my room," Wufei offered. "That is, if they don't mind sharing a bed," he finished with a small smirk.

"No, that's ok, we can share," Duo stated. Then he realized what Wufei had said. "Wait a minute. Why do you have a room here? What happened to your own home?"

"Nothing happened to it," Wufei explained. "My parents have been out of the country for the last two months, remember? I told you about that. They only agreed to let me stay and finish school here if I were 'supervised by a responsible adult'. They know both Treize and Zechs from the Explorer group and decided that they were trustworthy enough to allow me to stay."

"Then, where will you sleep?" Heero asked. "I don't want to put you out of your bed."

"That's ok," Wufei said, blushing slightly. "I don't really use it that much anyway."

Duo grinned. "Oh, really?" He couldn't help teasing his friend. "And do your parents know about this?"

"Actually, they do," Treize said. "We wouldn't have agreed to let him stay if they didn't."

"No matter how much he would have been missed," Zechs added.

Quatre started. "Both of them?" he whispered in shock, "but how…?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" Trowa asked him quietly. "Besides, that explains why he was so accepting of our relationship, doesn't it?"

"True," Quatre agreed.

"What about security?" Duo asked. "We don't know who else may be following Heero. I'd rather we don't repeat tonight…ever."

"That shouldn't be a problem here," Treize explained. "We have sensors which will pick up anything larger than a rabbit."

"Also, Treize and I both monitor the area unconsciously now. No one could get anywhere on the property without one of us being aware of their presence."

Heero looked thoughtful at that. He closed his eyes, concentrating.

After a minute or two, Duo noticed that Heero wasn't moving at all. "Are you all right?"

Heero opened his eyes. "Is there a barrier surrounding the area? Something…electrical?"

"Yes," Treize told him. "That is the sensor wire. It surrounds the entire property, just underground so it won't be interrupted." He looked hard at the boy. "What do you sense?"

"Nothing above instinct," Heero stated, analyzing what he was perceiving, "no conscious thought other than those inside this room."

Quatre also concentrated. "I can feel it, too. There are predators and prey, but nothing more than the normal instincts of animals."

"It's covered then," Wufei said. "Quatre and Heero can monitor for intruders during the day while Treize and Zechs cover the nights."

"Ok," Duo agreed. "But what happens if someone shows up while they are at work?"

"Wufei and I can cover long range protection, I'm sure," Trowa pointed out.

"Exactly," Wufei agreed. "You stay by Heero."

"Sort of 'last resort', huh?" Duo said, then he grinned at Heero. "Gee, Heero, I don't know. Do you think you could stand being around me all the time like that?" His eyes widened slightly as Heero looked thoughtful.

"I don't know," he said. There was a long pause then he grinned back, "But it could be fun trying, ne?"

Everyone laughed at the expression on Duo's face. "Gee, thanks, Heero."

Trowa stood. "It's getting late. We'd better go, Quatre, if we are going to be back here first thing in the morning."

Treize and Zechs looked at each other briefly. "Would your parents allow you to stay here for a few days?" Treize asked them.

"Cathy knows that if I'm not home, I'm with Quatre. She'll call my cell if she needs me for anything," Trowa said.

"There are so many at my house, no one would even notice I was missing for about a month," Quatre snickered.

"We don't want to worry anyone," Treize pointed out.

"They won't," Quatre insisted. "They know I'm with Trowa and will call my cell if they want me." He snickered. "I've even had them call me when I'm at home, just to find out where in the house I am."

"Then it's settled," Zechs said. "They can use my room. I only use it for storage anyway, basically."

The adults showed the boys to where they would be sleeping during their stay and wished them a good night.

"You need anything before you go?" Duo asked Wufei with a smirk. "Pajamas or something like that?"

Wufei blushed a bright red. "No, not really."

"Never mind," Duo said with a laugh, "I don't think I really want to know. See you in the morning, right?"

"Right," Wufei agreed "Sleep well."

"We will," Duo said, closing the door. Then Wufei heard something that made him smile. "…eventually."

TBC

##Author's Note##

I sincerely apologize for being so late with updating. The real world has been extremely stressful lately. I hope to update more frequently from now on. Wish me luck, ne?

Niere