Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Dance ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

1x5 Chapter 5

A/N- You see, the thing about me writing humor is that I have to underline it and point it out. But feel free to laugh whenever you want.

Betaed by Stray as usual. Without her, this story would have been …dgfgkflgkfhkghghk.

 

Wufei woke up feeling odd, there was a pressure around his temples -- the bandages, he realized -- and he couldn't open his eyes. They didn't hurt…but they felt strange…and…and…there was someone else in his room. Not Heero, he could always tell, not Sharine …not… “Who's there?” he asked, only his mouth was dry and all he managed was a dry wheeze.

 

The person did not reply. Not a doctor or a nurse…but still, he knew someone was there. Who….

 

Wufei took a deep breath and tried to analyze the situation. He remembered that he had woken up twice before; the drugs he had been given for the operation had done strange things to his system. They had either been too strong or he had not been able to shake off the aftereffects as he usually would have. He remembered that Heero had been there once - he was sure it was Heero -- who had sat next to him on a chair, talking in a low voice to someone-- Sally perhaps. Then a nurse - well, he thought it was a nurse -- had been walking around. He had been able to make out the sound of footsteps; flat sensible shoes, the faint smell of perfume and anti-septic. Then he'd gone under again so it was almost as if it had been a dream

 

But whoever was with him now was not a part of the hospital staff; he was sure. `Why,' he wondered, `do I think who ever is here'…he froze…'are here'…he thought as he heard the sound of rustling fabric to his left, not where he had heard the footsteps. `do not belong here,' he finished his thought bleakly.

 

He deliberately stopped trying to use his eyes, slowing down his heartbeat with care. `Pretend you're in a dark room,' he thought as he let his other senses take stock. `Stop trying to open your eye through the bandages.' He slowly closed his fingers, letting both his arms shift a little, bending them slightly at the elbows. There was no resistance on the inside of either elbow meaning no IV attached. He closed his toes under the sheet, felt his ankles flex…he was mobile. Good!

 

Next the room; he tried to imagine what the layout would be like; he'd seen it that morn…well, before the operation since he had no idea what day it was. The room had been bare then but he could remember the nurse moving near him with something, a food tray perhaps. So, there must be a nightstand next to the bed and maybe a chair as well.

 

The footsteps he'd heard had quieted but the person had not made any effort to be quiet so he must be standing still. Wufei concentrated…to the right. The person breathing and fidgeting a little was to the left, further away and …he heard the sound of the scruff of a shoe against the cheap carpet. Three people at least, and since no one was entering the room, at least one at the door as a watch out, maybe two. Better to assume the worse, so three people in the room, two outside. All those inside were wearing heavy shoes, boots maybe and that smell…

 

“Preventer Wu Fei Chang,” the footsteps to his left drew closer and Wufei inhaled softly, confirming the smell. It was something he was infinitely familiar with, rose essence mixed with sulfur, as Sharine had described it once. The special oil used to clean their Preventer issue guns - whoever was in the room with him was armed or had been armed until very recently.

 

“Yes,” Wufei said carefully, drawing up his legs slightly. Hospital beds were not soft and springy, thank god. It gave his heels some purchase which was a relief. He had spoken before so it was pretty useless to pretend he was unconscious and he needed to confirm his suspicious. For all he knew, if he didn't speak, they'd assume he was asleep and shoot him in the head and he'd never know. “It's Chang Wu Fei.”

 

“I see you're awake,” the man said coming closer.

 

Wufei nodded still listening. Ah yes…he was on the Preventer floor of the hospital and there was a tight security on the ground levels. Even he had left his weapons before coming up the elevator with Heero so these people must be unarmed. Or at least sporting nothing more lethal that a ceramic knife. Or Wufei hoped. Not that he had much to hope for now.

 

“Who are you?” Wufei said softly, letting his throat work. His mouth was dry and he was thirsty but he was already more in control of his.

 

“Just a messenger,” the man said, drawing closer. There was the soft slick of knife blade being drawn.

 

Wufei concentrated on his knees. “I thought you had pigeons for such things,” he said, then sprang. He had very little time to assess his situation as he moved. He realized he had moved just in time when he felt the brush of moving air on his face. He had just missed a knife swing by the tenth of an inch.

 

He swung off the bed, heading for the second person in the room, towards the left. They would not expect him to move in that direction. He used his left hand to throw away the cover just as he moved in a sweeping motion over his head. As long as it was behind him he would not have to worry about tripping over it. He knew from experience that things like paper and fabrics flowed and fell differently from what was expected, and since he was fighting blind he could not use something that unpredictable as a weapon.

 

Even as he jumped to his feet Wufei knew the drug had not yet completely left his system. His knees almost buckled, forcing him to tilt forward and take a smaller staggering step. Then as he surged forward, his shin hit something hard.

 

He had miscalculated; he had assumed the chair was on the other side of the room - instead it was a massive pain just below his knee-- crap. It also stopped his forward momentum so he could not move in the intended direction. With a gasp, Wufei fell to his knees, grasped the leg of the chair and swung it over his head without slowing down. The chair was standard hospital issue, light and durable (probably of some offensive color as well) and it swung easily and connected with something solid but yielding.

 

The person to the left grunted. Hit!

 

The chair was light weight and it had been a one armed swing so the blow was nowhere as effective as Wufei would hope it to be but had connected. Now he had something to go by. He let go of the chair - it was only effective as a weapon as long as the element of surprise was on his side -otherwise it was useless piece of junk. He sprang from the ground using his right hand to push his body up, left hand going for his bandages, and barreled toward the direction where the chair had connected. He ran into someone solid and burly, someone who was already moving out of his way. His shoulder connected solidly with that person's forehead- someone short and fast then. Wufei kept on moving, left hand searching for the edge of the bandages; hit the French window and dropped to his heels. Just in time as the window behind him exploded into a thousand fragments of glass. What caused it, he didn't know, but something had hit the glass hard enough for it to shatter. The force drove most of the glass outwards towards the balcony but some fell on him and on the floor around him.

 

As he stood up, Wufei could feel glass cutting into his bare feet, palm and upper arm but he was more concerned with his bandages. He knew he shouldn't take them off yet but he needed to see. It was no use running around like a blind rat when all he'd do is end up dying. Damn!

 

He had to keep moving towards the door. He was facing the opposite direction if he was not mistaken but he couldn't exactly make a dash to the door- it was counterproductive. His probing fingers found the edge of the bandages and tore off the fastening.

 

There was a lull in the attack as everyone took stock. They had most likely not expected the invalid to make such a move and even as the bandage unwound, Wufei heard more footsteps. The same weighted steps, same footwear…not help but more reinforcement for his attackers.

 

“That was quick, Preventer Chang,” the same person spoke. “No wonder they say you are the top Preventer of…”

 

“What do you want?” Wufei asked, stalling for time as the sticky end of the fastening got tangled up with his hair.

 

“You messed with someone I care about,” the man continued.

 

“That's a few hundred thousand,” Wufei said, mentally measuring the distance from the voice to the corner he was in. The wind from the hole in the glass brushed his cheek softly. He heard the glass crunch near him, ducked, swinging out his foot in a sweeping motion. His already abused leg protested but he hit his target solidly behind the knees, tipping the man over, backwards. Now…Wufei sort of leapt up caught the falling man and used his body weight to push him through the hole in the French window onto the balcony. The man he was holding went through, screaming as his body encountered the glass shreds. Wufei felt something sharp slice up his arm from wrist to elbow in one deep slash…a shard of glass, probably protruding from where it broke, but he jerked his hand back instantly. None of his muscles were cut, he could still move.

 

His left hand finally managed to pull off the last of the bandages. He was free. Well no, but he should now be able to see. He tore off the eye padding and opened his eyes…and gasped. Shit….light burst into his head like an express train, seemed to burn into his retinas and come out of his ears. Wufei almost screamed, clamped a hand over his eyes and jumped clumsily to the side to avoid the blow he knew was coming. He fell awkwardly, smashing his shoulder into the floor, eyes streaming tears.

 

He'd caught a glimpse of the room but maybe the price was too high. There were three more people at the door, instead of the two as he'd estimated, watching him struggle. They were confident that six men - five now if he left out the one pinned to the French window by glass -could take out one blind Preventer.

 

Someone came from his left. Wufei punched and missed. He heard air whooshing into his ear as something heavy, the same thing that had broken the glass, probably a baton or a baseball bat, was heading his way. He jerked his head back, bringing up his shoulder to take the blow but it was too late. The blow caught him under the eye to the left of his nose.

 

Wufei screamed as his cheekbone shattered; blood filled his mouth instantly, and pain radiated from his teeth to the top of his skull. His eye made a soft scrunch sound, louder than anything else, and he felt something warm running down his cheek. Blood. Wufei reached up blindly, ...the pain…to feel his cheek…no shards of bone but it was broken. The texture of blood felt different, slimy and thick. Sluggish…then he knew what it was and it was as if his world had dropped. His eye fluid- was it called vitreous, was leaking out. Oh shit.

 

He fell to his knees, hand covering his injured eye - heard a commotion by the door but really didn't care. Who - what…

 

Someone fell to the floor in the distance, god he was going to be sick. He felt nauseous, unsteady, his ear was ringing and he desperately wanted to swallow but all he could taste was blood.

 

“Wufei,” he heard Heero shout from across the room, even as a hand pressed to the back to his neck, forcing his head down.

 

“Don't move,” the person holding him down spoke.

 

“I'm going to kill you,” Heero said steadily and Wufei almost smiled. Just like old times.

 

“I'll kill him fist.” The cold press of metal against the base of his skull. Wufei just didn't care.

 

“It's just you and one more.” Heero had taken out three at the door in one move. Impressive. Still, Wufei didn't care, but as the initial shock of the pain ebbed he knew he had to move. They needed a distraction, something to give him a split second advantage. All he needed was to move, just one second.

 

He really needed to…

 

The knife cut into skin, sharply…glass shards dug through the thin cotton hospital issue trousers….

 

Heero, who had been about to move forward stilled. Idiot, Wufei thought. He was blind and yet he had known that Heero was about to move forward. Too heavy on his feet. Need more practice. Need some bloody distraction…

 

Something like…It was probably because his eyes were closed that Wufei heard it first, the soft slap of rope against the metal mesh of the balcony…

 

“The mesh is fixed on the inside,” Wufei pointed out as he walked outside. “And we are on the seventh floor…one good kick from the outside could push it inwards…”

 

“There are seventeen floors above you and trust me, you aren't worth the trouble,” Sharine had said.

 

Sharine! He thought even as the mesh was kicked inside. The man behind him jumped, startled. The knife dug into his neck a good two centimeters, narrowly missing his spine. Even as Wufei fell to the side, the best he could do in these circumstances, he heard the muted clung of a Preventer gun…once, twice. He was showered first with glass and then hot blood as the man above him toppled over him.

 

There were arms arching for him…large warm hands, calloused. “Wufei,” Heero's voice was urgent.

 

“I'm blind,” Wufei said.

 

“Shit, Wufei,” he heard Sharine shouting. “You idiot…just wait. They turned off security cams and had a false alarm on the parking lot…help is here. Hang on.”

 

“I'm not dying, stupid woman,” he said from his position, pressed against Heero chest. “I'm blind.” The blood in his mouth was making him feel groggy

 

“You're not,” Heero said saying insistently. “Don't move. Shanin, get Sally.”

 

“It's Sharine!”

 

“Do I look as if I care?” Heero yelled and then Wufei knew he was hallucinating. Heero never screamed. He was dreaming and all he had to do was shut his eyes and…

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!1----------------!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Wufei felt a cold compress on his forehead. It was so nice; he sighed softly to show his approval. Sleepily, he took an assessment of his condition. The rest of him hurt but in an odd detached way, which meant he was high on painkillers. His cheek ached dully as if he'd been slugged by someone; his right arm felt stiff and his shoulder twinged. He tried to move his head and froze as the bandages brushed the pillow. Shit, his eyes. He'd forgotten about his eyes. He tried to get up then, suddenly panicking.

 

The attack, the hospital room!

 

He had taken the easy way out, blacking out, but he was sure there were things that needed to be done. Things to clear out, forms to fill out… He was a Preventer and his office was probably going through a panic mode at the moment. He wanted to know about the status of the investigation, about what was happening with Lady Une and… Sharine. He started to sit up.

 

The hand that had been holding down the cold compass pushed down on his chest gently and whomever it belonged to made a soft sound of displeasure. Wufei frowned as much as the bandages would allow him. Whoever it was tending him was male but definitely not Heero. Why he had even assumed it would be Heero was beyond him; Heero was not the type of person to sit by a sick person's bedside and mop his brow. Just that the presence had felt familiar and safe, but if it was not Heero then…

 

He moved fast -- before his thoughts could finish processing -- and grabbed the hand on his chest firmly. His fingers closed around the wrist in an iron-like grip. The person hissed, startled, but did not draw back, nor did he try to pull his wrist free. Instead the arm relaxed in his hold.

 

By then, Wufei already knew who was playing nurse for him by his bedside. It was the same wrist he'd bandaged countless times; long, slender fingers, fine boned like an artist's. Hands strong enough to kill someone, hold up the body weight of two or three people, but also precise enough to sew small tears in their clothes. Wufei loosened his grip and relaxed back into the bed.

 

“Trowa,” he said weakly. “What are you doing here?”

 

“You're awake,” Trowa said sounding relieved. “You kept on slipping in and out. I wasn't sure if you were going to hang around this time `round. I'm not even going to ask how you feel. Here, drink some water.”

 

The straw at his lips stopped Wufei from commenting but he frowned. Trowa had spoken to him in long sentences. It could be the relief that he had woken up, but mostly, it sounded as if Trowa was slightly nervous. He sipped the cool water gratefully, a few careful mouthfuls, and regretfully drew back even though he needed more. He knew exactly what would happen if he drank too fast.

 

He let his neck muscles relax, sank into his pillow…wait a minute, his pillow!

 

“I'm home,” he said.

 

“Heero insisted on it,” Trowa said and from the way he sounded he was facing away from Wufei. Probably putting the water glass…container…whatever away. “The hospital security was compromised and we all felt it would be safer if you stayed here. No one knows the location of your flat—well a selected few and it is easier to guard.”

 

Wufei held out his left hand slowly. “Trowa,” he said carefully. “Come closer.”

 

Trowa's hand closed on Wufei's palm instantly. “Wufei…”

 

Wufei followed the arm up to the neck and then cupped Trowa's cheek. He traced up the curve of the cheek and found the thin scar only the five Gundam pilots knew existed- right under his left eye. It was so fine it wasn't visible to the naked eye but could be felt if the person knew what he was looking for. “It's you,” Wufei said feeling oddly relieved. “You talk too much…thought it might be someone impersonating…”

 

He drifted off as Trowa slowly turned his head and nuzzled Wufei's palm. Then Wufei felt Trowa's hand close around his, holding it in place. “You were saying?”

 

“I…uh…When did I get here?” Wufei said weakly. “I…”

 

“Wufei,” Trowa said seriously, letting go of Wufei's hand. “Your eyes are going to be fine.”

 

His hand went limp and fell back into bed with a soft thump. Suddenly he wanted to do nothing more than cry, scream, do something. It was as if an elephant that had been standing on his chest had stepped down and he could breathe again. “Oh,” he said weakly and his voice sounded unsteady, even to his own ears. “I didn't want to know...”

 

“It's going to be all right,” Trowa repeated firmly. “In fact, I'll take off the bandages in a couple of hours for about fifteen minutes. I have to change them and you should be able to see for a little while…”

 

“How long have I been out?” Wufei asked, his senses coming alive. His right hand felt heavily bandaged but his cheek did not hurt as much as he expected. Now that his mouth was no longer dry he could taste blood at the back of his throat but…

 

“Two days,” Trowa said. “We kept you under as long as possible and Sally agreed that it was a good idea. You don't react well to painkillers so it was to wait out the worst of it.”

 

“How bad is the worst of it?" Wufei asked . He had a lot of questions to ask but he wanted to do it one by one. His cheek hurt when he spoke but not to the point he was in agony with each small movement. It was almost as if his cheekbone had not been broken.

 

“Fractured cheekbone, lacerated right arm, numerous cuts and bruises… plus some damage to your sinuses and a couple of loose teeth. The eyes were a different story and the left one might not have been salvageable if you hadn't been in hospital then and there.”

 

“Oh,” Wufei said in a small voice.

 

“It's ok now,” Trowa said firmly. “Your cheek was the easiest to fix since we have the new bone mending technology but it doesn't work that well on soft tissue for some reason…”

 

“I…” Wufei said slowly. Things seemed to be moving too fast and he was feeling disjointed. Where was Hee…

 

The com unit in the wall rang and Wufei tilted his head towards it. He realized that, unlike earlier when he'd woken up in the hospital, though he was still worried about the bandages, he was not unduly bothered by it. Most likely since Trowa was there. He trusted Trowa with his life - he felt safe.

 

“Your caller line identification says isn't someone called Sha…rine,” Trowa supplied with a slight hesitation at the unfamiliar name. “Shall I patch you through?”

 

“My partner,” said Wufei, struggling to sit up, hissing in pain as he shifted his injured arm. Obviously it had been playing possum and now was coming awake.

 

“I'll put it on the speaker,” Trowa said. “You can talk to her from bed.”

 

“I'd rather…” Wufei protested, knowing exactly what Sharine sounded like but it was too late.

 

“Wufei, is that you?” the familiar voice filled his room. “I've been trying to reach you for ages…what'd you do, find yourself a guardian dragon?”

 

“Sharine,” Wufei croaked, his throat dry. He had to talk louder since the mike was at the corner of the room and his throat felt sore.

 

“You sound like shit,” she said cheerfully. “Why's the vid turned off.”

 

“He can't see so it's fair you don't either,” Trowa spoke firmly.

 

There was a stunned silence then Sharine asked in a hushed voice as if for Wufei only. “You're being held at gun point to bed aren't you?”

 

“He's my guardian dragon at the moment,” Wufei said dryly. “Green-eyed one at that. Give me a status report on the hospital incident.”

 

“You shouldn't…” Trowa started.

 

“It concerns me, Barton,” Wufei snapped, his instincts telling him something was wrong. Somehow Trowa's behavior felt …off. “Sharine…”

 

“What can I say?” she said, sounding pensive. “It was a stupid security glitch. Someone blew up a car in the hospital parking lot and while that was happening, jammed the cameras. There was enough of a time gap for six men armed with carbon fiber enforced knives and cricket bats…” he had been close when guessing the weapons used… “…to infiltrate the premises and enter your room. The hospital security is being upgraded even as we speak and…”

 

“How's the investigation going?” Wufei asked slowly.

 

“I must say your hulking ape of a fuck toy is good,” Sharine said with forced cheer.

 

Wufei looked up sharply towards the speaker. Well, turned his head that way sinc he couldn't really see. It was not that he was concerned Trowa would find out he and Heero were lovers - he'd never intended to keep that a secret from the rest of the Gundam pilots -- but because Sharine had avoided a direct question.

 

“He broke the necks of three people with his bare hands,” Sharine continued. “He is… ok I guess.”

 

Approval from his partner…

 

“…for someone who's short on memory.”

 

Well, something like that.

 

“He keeps calling me Shanin.”

 

“Heero's like that,” Wufei said automatically. “He's very bad with names” Not. Heero was a walking library, probably had been genetically created just for that. He had an I.Q. which would have made most geniuses feel insignificant and a photographic memory to match. He remembered the name of each and every person he had ever met.

 

“Anyway, he did say he'd bail me out.”

 

“Where are you?” Wufei asked, concern leaching into his voice. “Dammit, woman..”

 

“I'm in …custody,” Sharine said after a small hesitation. “I've been charged with discharging a weapon in a hospital and killing a civilian.”

 

“But…” Wufei sat up, his head spinning not just from the sudden movement. Preventers were usually exempt from such crap and anyway, Sharine had not shot some innocent bystander at an ice-cream stall. “Someone very big is on it,” he said in a blank voice. “Damn, and I'm incapacitated. How…where are you being held? Stay put, I'm coming down to the office now and getting to the bottom of this. Who's bringing up the charges…?”

 

“No,” Trowa said sharply.

 

“Alexander Mendez,” Sharine said bleakly. “Wufei, you have to stay out of it. He's got someone big backing him up, plus whoever turned off the hospital security camera was on the know how of the Preventers. Maybe even one of us. No one else knew you were having an operation since it was really a need to know thing. So…”

 

“You're disturbing him,” Trowa snapped out.

 

“Yeah,” Sharine sounded sheepish. “I know. Wufei, you stay put, I'll sort this out. There's not much you can do in the state you are in now and…”

 

“No need to rub it in,” Wufei said grumpily. “But I can still come down and make a fuss…”

 

“Green eyes,” said Sharine.

 

“Yes,” Trowa said promptly with no surprise.

 

“Keep an eye on him.”

 

“Will do.”

 

“Signing out,” Shrine said and the link went dead.

 

Wufei tried to get off the bed. “I have to go to office. Where's Heero?” They had gone to the hospital on his bike so maybe it was still in the parking lot. Not that he could ride it blind but Trowa rode an off-road Yamaha-Gundam model so he should be able to handle Wufei's bike.

 

“Heero's out with Duo and Quatre,” Trowa said softly.

 

“Uh,” said Wufei again. “Why?”

 

“Shopping,” Trowa said shortly. “Duo eats a lot.”

 

Then the enormity of it all hit him and leaned back. “You came,” Wufei said in a semi-whisper. “You all came!”[1]

 

“Stupid,” Trowa said with fond exasperation. “Heero called and said you were hurt and we all came. You'd have done the same for us.”

 

“But…” Wufei protested weakly. “You have work…and…so do I.”

 

“If you're thinking of going to save your partner, Sally is on it,” Trowa said firmly.

 

“But…”

 

“You need a bath,” Trowa said unwaveringly. “You stink. And you also need to brush your teeth.”

 

Wufei clamped him mouth shut and felt himself reddening. He had never slacked off on his personal hygiene so it was embarrassing that he was reduced to body odor and bad breath. “I'm sorry,” he mumbled.

 

“I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable,” Trowa said hesitantly. “You have a pill to take now so wait here until I get it. I'll run a bath while I'm at it, just don't try to get off the bed until I come back.”

 

Wufei frowned again at the sound of Trowa walking away, deliberately making noise so Wufei wouldn't be startled. It was the way Trowa spoke, far too many `I's in one sentence and slightly disjointed. He'd seen that happen once before, when Trowa had been coming out of one of his `roles' and when he had been getting into one. `Which was it?' he wondered. The other three had left him and Trowa, which meant they thought Trowa needed to stay put as well. Otherwise, they'd have left Quatre who made an excellent bedside attendant.

 

Not that he could imagine a shopping trip that required three Gundam pilots.

 

“What are you thinking about?” Trowa asked as he approached Wufei's bedside.

 

“You talk too much,” Wufei said bluntly. “It's like you're trying to channel Duo. Is something wrong?”

 

“I'm sorry,” Trowa said, and from the way the bed dipped, he must have sat on the edge of the bed near Wufei. “I've never before had to treat someone who couldn't see.” He paused then said apologetically, “You usually keep quiet and I could read your moods but with the bandages covering half your face I'm not sure of I'm reading you right and …” his voice dipped lower. “…you were so …so hurt. We were all worried. I'm sorry if I disturbed you or anything.”

 

Wufei felt as if he'd kicked some kid's pet bunny. “I'm just being a bastard,” he said. “It's not that I don't like you talking, it's that you act so differently.”

 

“Like you and Heero,” Trowa said dryly, and Wufei colored under the bandages.

 

“How long?”

 

“Uh,” Wufei thought it over. “It's not even confirmed between us,” he said. “Does he know my eyes are going to be fine?”

 

“Something like that,” Trowa said. “Your pill.”

 

“Do I…umph,” Trowa's lips were hot and pliant, his tongue as flexible as the rest of his body as if curled into Wufei's mouth and deposited the pill onto his inner palette.

 

“Swallow,” Trowa advised.

 

Wufei gulped loudly, his heart hammering. Where had that come from?

 

“You seem worried that you have bad breath,” Trowa said in a slightly cheerful voice. “I meant you had dried blood between your teeth, nothing more. Ready for your bath?”

 

Wufei meeped.

 

!!!!!!!!!!!-----------!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Trowa gave the term sexual molestation a new twist. Not that Wufei would call it exactly that, maybe he was just inexperienced. Trowa was gentle and caring. His hands were firm when he undressed Wufei and helped him into the hot water tub. Then he helped Wufei hold his arm above water while he washed and then dried and dressed him in a pair of cotton briefs as if he was five years old.

 

“Steady there,” Trowa said as he stopped Wufei from wobbling. “Now let's get you back to bed and…”

 

“I want to brush my teeth,” Wufei protested.

 

“Mouth wash,” Trowa said. “You're high on medication now so your cheek probably feels fine but trust me, you'll be thanking me afterwards for this.” Wufei scowled but obliged since he could see the sense in that. After all, he was not an idiot.

 

He then let Trowa lead him back to bed, the painkillers wearing off enough for his cheek to start throbbing and the shinbone in his right leg to hurt with each step. He was grateful to sink back into the cool sheets and…

 

“You changed the sheets,” he said in semi-wonder.

 

“They were sweaty,” Trowa said mildly. “I thought you'd like to have clean ones.”

 

“Thank you,” Wufei said sedately. “That was nice of you, Trowa. Any idea why Heero is taking so long? I mean, it was just a shopping trip and even Hee…”

 

“He is with Duo and Quatre,” Trowa pointed out. “Think you can sit up while I change your bandages? Some of those glass cuts need to be dabbed with this cream Sally left. I have to get you decent before she drops in for her visit.”

 

Wufei opened his mouth to tell Trowa that neither Duo nor Quatre were ten years old, nor female, so did not need to shop for three hours at a stretch, when Trowa pinched his nipple.

 

“Barton!” Wufei yelped.

 

“You have a cut there.” As cool air hit his skin, Wufei realized his nipple was cold as if something had been rubbed on it. But he couldn't remember getting any cuts there. Then Trowa's talented fingers started rub that cold “stuff” all over him.

 

Wufei wasn't sure if he were to scream or to groan with pleasure. It was a unique experience. He was, however, also becoming aware that the pain killers were wearing off and his entire face felt as if it was about to fall off. He had been solely mistaken about the extent of his injuries. However, Wufei hesitated asking for more pills since it might mean more tongue.

 

Not that he found it disgusting. It was just strange because he'd never thought of Trowa that way. Of course, he'd never thought of Heero that way either so maybe…

 

Trowa ran his hands over Wufei's body in a light, stroking fashion, which made him want to arch into the touch. This was bad. He felt Trowa's breath on his chest as he leaned over, excessively in Wufei's opinion, to reach the other side Couldn't he have asked Wufei to turn over or walked over to the other side of the bed or something? Really!

 

Just as he was about to cry Uncle, Trowa sat back. “Done,” he said in a satisfied voice. “And just in time too.”

 

“For what?” Wufei asked apprehensively.

 

“Your painkillers, and then I'll change your bandages.”

 

It seemed as if it took forever for Wufei to swallow the two small capsules past the lump in his throat. Afterwards he sat up, clutching the bed sheet nervously as Trowa unwound the bandages.

 

“Open your eyes, Wufei,” Trowa said softly and he obliged his heart hammering.

 

It was dark.

 

“I'm going to turn up the lights,” Trowa said softly. “Let me know if it hurts.”

 

Heart beating, Wufei nodded. The light switch was near the bed and Wufei felt Trowa move before the room started to light up in a soft yellow glow.

 

“It's…” Wufei swallowed to get rid of the dryness. “Blurry.”

 

“Your eyes are dry. Blink.” Soft instruction which barely penetrated his mind.

 

Wufei did just that.

 

“Better?” Trowa's voice was low, almost hypnotic.

 

“Yeah,” Wufei could feel a smile of relief on his face. “It's better. Turn up the light a little bit more Trowa, I…”

 

There was a bang as the front door opened forcefully, making both of them jump. “Honey, we're home,” Duo's voice came through.

 

“You're just in time,” Trowa called out grinning. “Come say hi to Wufei. He's up and the bandages are off.”

 

Duo was at the door so fast Wufei blinked. Then he blinked again when he saw Duo's black clothes and blue teeth, the latest fashion trend on L2, which thankfully was not yet popular on Earth.

 

“You've scared my neighbors away, haven't you?” he asked warily.

 

“Apart from the old lady who thought I was hot,” Duo said flippantly as he walked towards Wufei. “Oh, man you're so colorful I don't know if I should hug you or not. Do you think a small hug would hurt…uh?”

 

Wufei held out his hands and Duo was onto him, arms around him. “It's good to see you up and about,” he said finally. He pushed back and looked closely at Wufei. “Eyes ok? Well don't strain yourself and…” He fingered Wufei's bandaged arm and smiled weakly. “That's going to scar but I think a nice scar will look good on you…”

 

Wufei reached up and took hold of Duo's hand which was on his arm. “I'm all right,” he said firmly. “Will you quit being melodramatic?” Duo had big hands despite being an inch or so shorter than Wufei, long nailed, with brown dirt crusted under his nails. As Wufei looked down with slight curiosity, Duo looked down and flushed.

 

“Will you look at that,” he said with a slight laugh, pulling back. “I'll have to wash that off now.” He started to walk towards the bathroom. “I fixed your bike, you didn't put in the new pistons I sent you, so I had to do it myself.”

 

Wufei smiled at Duo's retreating back and nodded. “Thanks.”

 

“No problems, bro,” said Duo going to in and closing the door.

 

“Me next I think,” Quatre said from the doorway leaning against the doorframe. “I should come over and give you a hug but I'll say hi from here.”

 

Wufei looked up in surprise.

 

“Heero is standing right behind me and I'd be an ass if I didn't give you two some quality time together,” Quatre said standing up with a grimace. “Would you believe a five year old ran a trolley into my knee?”

 

“Oh,” said Wufei.

 

“You and I are going to talk about your new status, you know?” said Quatre before limping back towards the kitchen. Wufei started to frown at the blond's odd behaviors but stopped as Heero filled the doorway. He walked into the room quietly and it was as if Wufei's world had titled sideways.

 

He heard more than saw Duo scuttle out of the bedroom but his eyes were fixed on Heero's form, who was wearing a bright yellow shirt with green dragons and pink hearts on it.

 

“Hi,” he said, feeling slightly stupid. “New shirt?”

 

“Duo's idea of a joke.” Heero apparently had not gone through the shy phase in relationships. He walked over firmly and sat of the edge of the bed. He leaned over the pulled Wufei into hug which was nothing like the gentle one Duo had given him. It was hard, almost brutal and reassuring.

 

“You can see?” It was half statement, half question.

 

“Clearly,” Wufei told Heero's shoulder.

 

“I was worried,” Heero breathed. “I…”

 

“Heero,” Duo called from the sitting room suddenly. “Food. You'd better get lover boy something to eat, too, `cause he isn't suppose to take his medicine on an empty stomach.”

 

Wufei contemplated getting up just to hit Duo then deiced that he was hungry. He leaned back with a smile and nodded. “It'd better not be broth,” he said.

 

“I'll be back,” Heero said getting up and walking away, leaving Wufei feeling slightly lost. There was a lot of noise from the sitting room, far more than four people could make. Seriously, did Duo and Quatre have to argue so loudly about spoons?

 

But it was probably because of the noise that no one heard the com link buzz. Wufei leaned over carefully and picked it up, switching from speaker mode which Trowa had turned on earlier to normal mode.

 

“Chang here,” he said.

 

“Wufei.” The voice sounded urgent.

 

“Sharine,” he said surprised. “What is it?”

 

“You're not going to believe it,” she said sounding breathless. “The charges against me have been dropped.”

 

“Uh.”

 

“There's no one to bring on the charges, apparently. Everyone, from Alexander Mendez to his hooligans, had been killed. There's been this explosion at his manor, killing nearly all his men while his mother was out shopping. So she's safe but…”

 

Wufei could feel the com slip from his grip and had to catch it before it fell to the ground.

 

Duo with dried blood colored dirt under his finger nails, blushing when Wufei had noticed it…

 

“The police say the neighbors reported hearing gunfire…”

 

Quatre limping, not even coming close to Wufei but leaning against the door jamb…

 

“Not a large explosion but…”

 

“…no witnesses…”

 

Heero wearing a new shirt, price tag still attached…Wufei wondered if the old shirt had gotten burned or had blood on it…

 

“Sharine,” he said slowly. “I have to go. I'll call you later.” He cut the line and slowly put the com down.

 

Trowa distracting him every time he started to mention Heero. Keeping him busy, probably as instructed.

 

Very, very carefully, Wufei swung his legs off the bed.

 

[1] Er….not in a sexual way mind you. lol

 

A/N- Ok, I was not going to update this story so fast coz I was working on another but this had to be written. I've signed up for slashfest on lj- a Kakashi /Iruka from Naruto at that. I need to get working on that too, especially since I'm new to the fandom and have a few things to look up.

 

Having said that, a few reviews won't hurt my feelings you know. *hint, hint*