Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Ugly ❯ Another friend emerges ( Chapter 4 )

 

 

Things had been more or less a blur.

 

Duo was laying on the livingroom sofa, drinking water from a cup with a straw.

It was Saturday, and Zechs would leave tomorrow. He had tried to complain and state that he wasn't going anywhere, but Duo shut him up pretty quickly. Also, he would't let Une take any leave from work.

To deal with the pain in her eyes was bad enough without the constant hovering. She had also been asking him in a low, troubled voice: ”Why didn't you tell me it was that bad?”

Duo never answered. 'Because you are one incapable lady, and I don't want to feel myself any weaker than I already do'? Une would have had a fit. Or then she would have gone to the nearest pub to drink herself unonscious. No. Duo knew, best not to say anything.

 

So, he sidetracked her by asking her to read to him, and so she had. It was lovely. Une would make him a comfortable bed on the livingroom sofa, bring him water with lemon slices and then sit herself on a large, worn, dusty red recliner and read and read. It made them both happy.

 

There was also a legal affair going on. People had asked him, if he would like to sue Alex, and for a moment he had been gripped by such an incapacitating fear, that when he could move again he had immediately said yes, he would sue him. He knew, that if he didn't do that, he would be incapacitated by that fear for the rest of his life. He must not be afraid of defending himself, asking for justice...

 

Some people came to his home, asking him questions, and they were accompanied by some Mr Winner Duo didn't even know that they knew... But, apparently they did. Une and Zechs did, anyway.

He had a discussion with Une, not meant for Duo's ears, probably, saying, that Alex had also beaten another boy up , and that the boy had told everything. Alex's attitude was pretty bad, though he had made some lame attempts on acting like a repentant fallen angel.

Mr Winner was whispering to Une that he thought Alex was on a highway trip to a correctional facility with the other boy also emerging. The other boy had obviously had some permanent damage done to the motoric-center(1) in his brain, but hadn't dared to do anything to confront Alex before. He had one witness to his beating, and Duo had seven to his, though only three of them would talk. Surprisingly so, Duo heard the name 'Müller' mentioned here.

Then the people went away, saying that Alex would never return to CliffTown. Duo's mom was whispering what a rare thing it was, that these people would come to them... Usually they should have gone to the people, and mr Winner had so many connections...

Duo had interrupted her by asking” Sorry, mum, what was that? Rare or rear..? I could't hear you..”

Une had only snorted, and then she had sneezed.

 

He had also learned, that his doctor was mr Winner's daughter. Apparently they had a lot of kids in the Winner household, but still they were filthy rich...

 

Zechs had looked at him oddly a couple of times, though. He had said something about everybody being in pretty bad shape, and wondering why that was...

 

Duo didn't grasp it, really, and made puppy-dog eyes at Zechs, making him play drag-racing with him.

Zechs was one of those rare guys, who didn't like car-games at all.

 

Noin had been especially nice to him, asking him, if he would like Sally to visit him.

He looked at her like she was an alien, and ordered her to make him soup.

Soup was all he could, very carefully, eat.

 

On Sunday, Zechs was patting him and grabbing him in a bear hug at least once an hour, trying to mind his jaws, and trying to make him give him a promise, that he would tell Zechs about his problems and their cause more precicely in the future.

 

He did it more subtly than Une, but Duo still wanted him to shut up. What would he do? Kill everyone at Duo's school just to make sure Duo would be safe?

He knew that Zechs was in a lot of pain for not being there when he needed help, but that was all a question of chance anyway. Duo hoped Zechs would get that.

 

Now he was hugging Duo, and Noin was hugging him too. Seeing them stand together, arms around eachothers waists made Duo suddenly happy. He was happy, that they were going away together. They needed it.

 

The doorbell rang. Une tiptoed to open it. She was always tip-toeing now, and Duo hoped, that she would just stop doing that. There were a lot of voices laughig there, and they came in too.

 

First came in Sally. Duo didn't blush. He was waiting for the familiar weakness around her, but it never came. Sally looked like someone from another planet, and in a way she was. She belonged to Duo's school, the very place where all of the evil brewed, but thenagain, she had requested three months worth of leave, to be able to work in her fathers company along with her boyfriend. And to top all that, she had been granted that leave, due to her superior school career.

She was a pretty girl with a no nonsense attitude, lovely golden locks and large breasts.

She handed Duo something. A gift. Duo took it and smiled. Color pens. And not just any, but very high quality products.

”I figured”, said Sally, ”That giving you anything edible would be a stupid thing to do. So here. ”

Duo's eyes shone and he fixed his gaze at their dark floor for awhile to get himself under controll. ”Thank you.” he said, from the bottom of his heart. He was pressing the colors to his chest, picking on the gray shawl he was covered in with the other.

 

Noin and Zechs were smiling in the backround, when in strided a tall, handsome man, with piercing blue eyes and auburn hair that was wavy and thick. He wore a navy blue sweater and slacks.

”I think you might have met sometime... But, anyway, this is Duo, Duo this is Treize. ” Zechs was smiling. He liked it, when the people he knew got to know to eachother.

 

Treize laughed. Duo later learned, that that was his habit. He would give a short laughter before starting to speak, and somehow it showed authority coming from him.

 

”Hey. Nice to finally be properly introduced. I think we might have bumped into eachother sometime somewhere... You have no idea, how much I've heard about you. Really.” Treize shot an amused look at Zechs. ”NO idea.”

Duo blushed. That felt weird on his nose.

 

”Well, I brought you something, too. You can't keep these though, but I figured you'd like to have them for awhile... You could copy them.” and he handed Duo a big plastic bag filled with square objects. When Duo peeked inside, he gasped. It was filled with cd's, and as far as he could tell, many were such that he had not heard them before. And there were some, that he had not even heard of before.

”You like?” Treize asked, unnecessarily.

”Yeah!” Duo managed. His eyes were as wide as saucers.

”Oh, yeah, Duo...” Treize continued. ”I brought you something else, too... Though it could be perceived as a punishment as well as a gift... Well... I mean... You can just toss him somewhere, or throw him out the window or something... WUFEI!! YOU PLANTING A BONSAI GARDEN IN THERE?”

Treize smiled towards Duo's shellshoked face. ” I brought you my lil' bro. Our parent's aren't home either for the next week, and he just cannot be left alone, that little rascal.”

 

From the hall glided a gracefull being. Head held high, raven black hair in the neatest ponytail possible, and face filled with scorn, Treize's younger brother ingnored Treize rather pointedly and bowed quite ceremonially to Une, saying :” It's a pleasure to meet you.”

Treize burst laughing and clapped his brother between the shoulderblades. If he hadn't had the impeccable balance that he had, Wufei would have surely fallen face first on the bluish brownish carpet.

Everything was so old... They had brought only a little furnishings with them as they came, and the rest had been the deceased uncle's. That uncle had mainly used the kitchen anyway, so all the dusting in world would't make the neglected pieces of furniture bright again... If they had ever been.

Wufei didn't seem to notice though, being too busy glaring daggers at Treize.

 

Zechs stepped forward, hugging Duo one more time. Duo sighed, and clapped him lightly on his back. ”I'll be fine, Zechs. Honest. I will.” he said to the young mans ear.

”Yes, of couse you will.” answered Zechs with a bright voice, that just oozed worry underneath.

 

Zechs sraightened his back, throwing his hair of his shoulder and reached for his red college shirt that was laying on Duo's cover. He pulled it on, while the others were exhanging small pleasantries with Une and then he turned to Wufei, who went immediately rigid.

”Well, take good care of Duo then, sport.” he said. ”You have my official warrant to beat the shit out of anyone, who tries so much as to breathe on him.”

 

Duo stiffled a groan.

”Wufei here is no pushover, Duo. He's a continental champion in school tournaments. Karate, you know, and then he has a belt in some other cool asian beat up thing. Don't you Wufei?”

 

”Well, actually...” Wufei whispered while Duo was saying: ”Oh, he has a belt . How very wonderfull...” Wufei was blushing and Duo was snickering.

He didn't know when he had developed such a sharp tongue, but it might have been when he noticed, that no-one could understand his slurring speech very easily anyway.

He tried to avoid opening his jaws as much as possible.

 

”Well”, said Zechs and flashed his friendly grinn. ”we must get going, we have a long drive ahead of us.”

And then turned in his spontaneous manner to Wufei, and grabbed him a hug too, saying ”Remember now, take care of Duo!”

Wufei looked like he had lost every tie he ever had to this reality, and was blinking his glittering, black eyes in the most adorably lost way.

Duo felt like laughing, but didn't.

He didn't feel any surprise or disdain at all. It was just... So funny...

 

”Please, sit.” he gestured on the recliner, and wufei walked mechanically towards it, plopping down like he wasn't really caring where he sat.

 

Everyne was buzzing around saying goodbyes and waving and whatever.

Then they moved to the hall to put on their shoes and jackets and then they came to the doorway to repeat the waving and and goodbye yelling. Une was there, hugging them one more time.

They started to stream towars the door, when Treize's head suddenly popped in to vision once more, and he said: ”Yeah, and you take care of MY brother, too Duo. He may be a pain, but I'd like him back in one piece anyway.”

Duo snickered. ” Ok... And I want Zechs back normal, then, too, you know.”

Treize smirked like he had understood Duo's speach. Maybe he really did. ”Will do.” he said, gave a wave, and was gone. Duo could hear the door clicking closed, and then Une emerged, saying: ”I better get the dinner started, then. You eat meat Wufei?” Wufei nodded.

”Good. And Duo can have his soup...”

And she disappeared into the kitchen.

 

”Wow.” said Duo. ”Yeah.” said Wufei, and then they didn't say anything at all for awhile.

 

”Youre not bothered..?” Wufei dared then, gesturing lightly in a way that could have meant just himself or the whole situation.

”No.” Duo replied, surprising himself by meaning it. For some reason he wasn't afraid of Wufei, or even rejection. 'I think I have fever', he thought to himself. And then he said. ”It's actually nice to have company.”

He pushed himself a bit higher on the couch. He noticed that he smelled lightly of sweat.

”Are you really here as a... Hired security or something?”

”Well”, Wufei smirked. ”Zechs” -here he blushed- ”Seems to think so... My brother seemed to think you'd need company, and I'm kinda happy to corner you, finally” Now his eyes were almost evil. Duo blinked a couple of times.

”C'mon, dude! Don't be an ass!! ” and Wufei lauhged. A confident laugh. A bit like Treize's.

”We really should get to know to each to eachother, but you kept disappearing on us! To think, that you were hiding...” Duo had to laugh, too, though he was a bit embarrassed.

Then his face closed up a bit, and he said, rather reserved: ” I don't have too many friends.”

 

Wufei shrugged. ”Well, were volunteering, so...”

 

Duo looked up. ”Are you having some multiple personalities complex, or what is it..?”

”Oh.” Wufei laughed again. ”No, I meant me and the guys. Quatre and Heero...”

 

Then his face had the weirdest expression. It was part curious, part pensive, and he wasn't looking directly at Duo. ” Heero was having a flue that day, so he wasn't with us... Which was good, because it would have been a lot more uglier, if he had been, I tell you... He wanted to come visit you, but his mom would't let him... he is still a bit sick, himself.” Wufei edged a little closer. ”But we were there... Quat and I. Quatre called for the ambulance, and I... Had the notion to make some things clear for that punk... He was still coherent enough to understand speach... Told him I'd kill him if he talked. And, apparently he understood. So, who is he?”

Duo was now offically lost. ”Who's Alex? This big-time bully-” ”Noo, no no. Not him!” Wufei was waving with his hands. ”That tall guy. The one who came out of the alley there... At first I thought that he was one of the guys who were running out of there... But then a realized, that they actually were running from him... ” Duo paled. ”What... What did he do..?” he managed to rasp.

Wufei was really radiating curiosity now. ”Well, he was a lot faster and sronger than those other guys, he caught almost all of them and... Well... He wasn't too nice to them, that I can tell you.” Quatre had run in the alley and he yelled at me, that it was you there, and.. The tall guy run after Quat for a moment, and then he run after those guys again, a few had managed to escape him, and I... I had been going after Quat, but decided to go help the mystery man instead...” Now Wufei looked Duo straight in the eyes. ” That Alex-punk had run the fastest, first, but apparenly he got angry at himself for that, because the stupid idiot came back... Your friend caught him, saw all the blood on his clothes, and...” here Wufei flinched, ”I think he liked Alex even less than the other fucktards...”

 

They were staring at eachother now. ”He looked a little wild... Like he wasn't really thinking himself, at that moment...” Wufei got quiet. Duo had a white knuckled grip on the afghan covering him. ”I... I asked him to.” he whispered. He suddenly remembered the few, pain filled moments before passing out. ”We were supposed to hang out and... I... I rememeber laying there, thinking that I didn't care if I died, but there had to be a way to get back at them for ruining my... My... Well not just that day, but my life in general...” Duo's face closed up again, but he kept talking. ”I told him to rather go after them than take care of me... He understood...”

 

Wufei nodded a couple of times and said: ”Yes, yes... Well, no-one's seen your friend, and NO-ONE has talked. No one dares, I think... I don't think, that anyone really misses that Alex-fellow...”

Duo tried to rub at his nose in anxiety, but flinched and scratched his arm instead. Where the hell was Trowa?

 

I could't find this word in the dictionary. You know, the part of your brain, that handles the movements?

Tbc