Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Sandrock was no more ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 17 )

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* +*+

Chapter sixteen

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* +*+

Violet eyes cracked opened, wincing in the blinding light. Disoriented, the braided boy looked around.

Trowa dozed lightly on the couch. One hand supporting his head, the other rubbing small blonde's back as he slept against the banged boy's chest. Wu Fei was balanced on the window sill, staring out of it.

`Hiiro… Where's Hiiro?" Duo thought scanning the room again.

The blonde stirred then slowly opened an aquamarine eye. Upon seeing the braided on conscious, he smiled and moved to kiss Trowa, who in turn woke, a smile on his face despite the questioning look he gave the smaller boy. Quatre then turned his eyes back towards Duo.

"Oh, hey, Duo." He said in a quiet voice, sitting up, bringing the blonde with him.

"How do you feel?" Quatre asked, a gentle smile on his face. His eyes, however, were filled with worry and concern.

"It's about time you woke up." Wu Fei grumbled.

"Hi-ya, guys!" Duo rasped, a shaky grin on his face. "Where's Hiiro?"

Quatre's smile broadened slightly, "Look down, Duo."

Confused, the braided boy did. Hiiro sat in a chair that was pushed close to the bed, with his head resting in the nook of his arm. The Japanese boy grasped Duo's hand tightly in his own as he slept. "Hiiro?"

"He hasn't left your side since you got out of surgery." Quatre explained standing and walking over to his friend. He took Duo's other hand. "He's been quite worried about you."

"I… I don't…" The braided one shook his head not getting it.

"You had several broken ribs, Duo." Trowa informed him, "When you climbed onto the roof and when you jumped, they pierced several of your organs."

"One sliced through your skin." Wu Fei added.

"Sounds painful." Duo joked.

"Duo, you almost died…" Quatre whispered, his voice choked with emotion. Trowa rose and wrapped his arms around the boy's waist, resting his chin on his koi's shoulder.

"But I didn't, right?" Amethyst eyes blinked.

"R…Right…"

"Then don't worry about it." He chuckled lightly, before a rack of coughs erupted from his chest.

Immediately, his three friends were at his side trying to calm him and Hiiro snapped awake, "Duo!"

"Hey, Hiiro!" Duo grinned weakly, "What's up?"

"You are, baka."

"We'll…uh… go and get you something to eat…" Quatre said as Trowa pulled him out the door.

"Laters, Q-man." Duo called, his eyes not braking the intense stare down that Hiiro had locked him into.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* +*+

"Do you think they'll be alright?" Quatre whispered as Trowa shut the door.

"They'll be just fine." The banged boy assured, kissing the blonde's forehead, "You worry too much." He leaned over to kiss the blonde's cheek, "They need to take these first steps…" He kissed the boy's lips, "…by themselves."

"Trowa…" Quatre giggled as his koi moved down to his neck, "What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" Trowa asked, capturing the blonde's mouth and plundering it. Quatre moaned into the other's mouth, his arms snaking up around the taller boy's neck.

"Oh, please…" Wu Fei sweatdropped, "get a room"

Quatre's face flushed as he pulled away. Trowa's eyes sparkled with mischief as he dragged his sputtering koi towards their bedroom.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* +*+

Hiiro and Duo stared at each other in silence for a long time. Hiiro was amazed that the braided boy hadn't opened his mouth in nearly ten minutes. Duo was amazed that Hiiro hadn't started a lecture yet.

And then they began to speak at once.

"Hiiro, I-." / "Duo, Do-."

"You first-." / "You first-."

Then more silence.

Finally, Duo sighed, breaking eye contact. "Hiiro, I'm sorry."

"Sorry? What for?" Hiiro raised an eyebrow, confused.

"For being an idiot." The braided boy mumbled, his hand going to his side, "I knew I was hurt bad. I knew that I needed help…I just…" His voice trailed off.

`Duo…" Hiiro said quietly, "You…I… I was scared."

The braided boy gapped, "Hiiro?"

"What?" the other boy snapped, "You think I don't get scared?"

"N…NO!" the braided boy looked hurt, "I just never thought you'd ever admit it. That's all."

"Yeah…well…" The Japanese boy looked flustered, "Trowa and Quatre both pointed out that without war, there's no reason for me to be the `Perfect Soldier' anymore… Trowa said I don't have to be as detached anymore…I…I just…" His face turned a bright shade of red.

"Hiiro?" Duo pressed, trying not to embarrass the boy anymore than he was.

"I don't know how to be anything else… It's all confusing to me." The cerulean eyes locked back onto amethyst eyes, "Quatre suggested that maybe… you'd be able to help me…"

"Wh…Why me, Hiiro?" Duo stammered, searching blindly for the end of his braid just for something to hold, amazed that maybe what he had dared not hope for was really happening.

Hiiro's face grew a deeper red, "Because, I…I…" He couldn't find the words he wanted, "Duo, I…" The Japanese boy heaved a sigh, and tried to calm himself. Finally, he looked at the braided boy with determination, "Aishiteru, Duo."

The braided boy's breath caught in his throat as he forgot to breath, `Did…Did he really…' Duo's thoughts raced as fast as his heart beat. `No, not Hiiro…'

"Duo, did you hear me?" Hiiro asked, suddenly very afraid that he had done something wrong.

Dumbly, the braided boy nodded slowly, "Hai, Hiiro, I heard you… I just… I can't believe…" He paused as a thought struck him, snapping him back to reality, "What about Relena?" Duo frowned.

Hiiro shrugged. "What about her?"

"Hiiro… she's your girlfriend, isn't she?"

Hiiro shook his head, "Just friends. It's always been just friends."

Duo's jaw dropped and for the second time in half an hour, he was speechless.

"Duo, I was worried about you." Hiiro started, fighting to find the right words, "I was afraid that you wouldn't come back…THAT scared me."

"Hiiro, I…"

"Before you passed out, you asked me what I was going to do…if I was going to stay with Relena…The answer was no…I … I was hoping that maybe…you and I could stay here with the others."

"Hiiro…" a small smile spread across the boy's face. "Really?"

The Japanese boy ran a finger along the braided boy's jaw line, "Really really."

Duo snorted, failing to keep his face serious, wincing at the discomfort it caused. Hiiro looked hurt, and very confused, "Duo…?"

The boy grinned, "Shrek." He stated. "That line's from Shrek…You hate that movie."

"But it's one of your favorites, baka." Hiiro mock scowled, "You watch it day in and day out, How can I not pick up on lines?"

"You're full of surprises today." Duo sighed, relaxing into his pillows. Hiiro smiled a real, heartfelt smile. The braided boy yawned, and blinked sleepily towards the window. Frowning, he realized that this wasn't the infirmary or his room, "Uh…Hiiro, where are we?"

"Your new room." Hiiro answered. He went to the window and pointed out, "No tree."

Duo smiled, "The new safe house?" Hiiro nodded. "That's cool."

"You should get some more rest." Hiiro said, as he opened the door. "I'll be back later if you would like."

The braided boy nodded, "I would…and could you bring Quatre? I need to ask him something."

"About the communications?" Hiiro scowled. Duo nodded and yawned, then winced. "I'll bring him." Hiiro promised. "I'll also tell Sally that you've woken and need more painkillers."

"Thanks, Hiiro." Duo smiled, his eyes sliding shut as he drifted off to sleep.

Hiiro smiled, and quietly slipped out the door.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* +*+

The cold blue eyes narrowed as she eyed the pathetic girl on the view screen in front of her. Catherine Bloom was sobbing hysterically, pleading for her help in getting out of imprisonment. "He had me arrested… me… his own sister! I don't know what to do… He's everything to me…and that bastard took him away…" Catherine's tears became heated as her face burned with pure hatred.

"Wait a minute." Dorothy asked, "Which bastard are we talking about?"

"Quatre Rababa Winner." The brunette spat with contempt.

The blonde raised an eyebrow, carefully guarding her anger from showing, "Quatre? He's alive?"

"Yes, I don't know how… but he was there!" Catherine looked frightened, "He didn't look like a ghost…I didn't know who else to call." She wailed, "I only get one phone call."

Dorothy smirked coldly, "Then you shouldn't have wasted it on a complete stranger."

"Dorothy…" Catherine pleaded, "Don't do this to me please…I need help, tell Miss Relena! Find Triton…He'll help me! I'm his sister…"

"I've very sorry, but I don't know you." Dorothy said reaching over to hang up the call.

"Dorothy, PLEASE!" Catherine shrieked gripping the screen as if it was a lifeline, as a policeman attempted to remove her and bring her back to her cell, "They want to put me into an institution!"

"I'm very sorry, Ma'am." An officer apologized, "She insisted that the person at this number would be able to help her."

"I wish I could, Officer." Dorothy said in mock sympathy, "Unfortunately, I don't know that girl."

"Very well then." The officer tilted his head, "Sorry to have bothered you."

"Do make sure she is taken care of." Dorothy ordered, "People like that shouldn't be out on the streets."

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* +*+

To be continued…