Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Winning Duo ❯ Chapter 27
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Calic0cat 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.31.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 2.2K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.31.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 2.2K | Status: Completed
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Title: Winning Duo
Chapter: 27/?
Author: Calic0cat <calic0cat@fastmail.fm>
Story Started: Jan. 2003
Genre: Yaoi, Romance, Humour, Angst
Pairings: Working towards 1x2x5; 3x4; 6x9; others may be implied
Rated: R
Warnings: OOC, Swearing, Shifting POV, Threesome
Archives: At Mediaminer.org under Calic0cat. Anyone with archive permission for my other fics can help themselves; anyone else, please ask.
Disclaimer: Duo and Heero and the rest of the GW gang aren't mine. This story is. Nuff said.
Notes: Starts one year after Endless Waltz. POV changes frequently.
'Thinking'
"Speaking"
*** Time passing or scene change
Author's Notes: I usually write 1x2x1, so a 1x2x5 is a first for me (well, writing one is - I've been reading them for quite a while now, that's the *only* threesome I actually *like*). Feedback is appreciated.
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Duo opened the suite door and stepped aside while Heero carried Wufei in. His gaze flickered guiltily over Wufei's pale face and Heero's set expression before he silently turned to close the door. 'God, I fucked up *so* bad... I shouldn't have hid the fact that I was getting sick. Shouldn't have tried to do the demo.' Shouldn't have, shouldn't have, shouldn't have. But he *did*. And now Heero and Wufei were paying the price for *his* mistakes. Wufei in the form of a broken arm and two cracked ribs. And Heero in guilt over having caused those injuries.
Duo hesitated in the sitting area, expecting Heero to take Wufei into their room. He wasn't too sure Wufei would want to share his anymore. Not after what happened. He opened his mouth to say as much, then closed it without speaking when Heero turned towards his room. Maybe he was wrong to let Heero put Wufei in his room. But... 'At least I'll have him close one more night... Even if he can't forgive me, I'll have one more memory to store away...'
Heero carried Wufei into Duo's room, waited while Duo pulled back the covers, then gently placed him on the bed. Wufei had been insistent that he did *not* need to be admitted to the hospital, glaring and swearing at the middle-aged doctor that tried to insist. Heero had finally added the weight of his own glare and the doctor had caved in on the subject, but he'd insisted on administering a painkiller before Wufei left. Wufei had refused, Duo had protested, and Wufei had finally agreed on the condition that Duo get properly checked out.
Which of course led to discovering the *second* mess that they had to deal with. Bronchitis. Fortunately, *just* bronchitis, no bacterial infection. Yet. So no antibiotics. Basically, Duo just had to keep doing what he had already been doing - take ibuprofen for fever and a cough suppressant to control the cough as necessary - plus drink lots of fluids and *rest*. The doctor had been extremely displeased to discover that Duo had been engaged in something as tiring and temperature-raising as sparring. Heero suspected that the doctor's extreme irritation with the whole bunch of them had led to him dosing Wufei with a sedative type of painkiller. Probably the man had hoped they'd give in and let him be admitted if he couldn't walk out on his own. Heero had just given him an even nastier glare for the trick and carried Wufei out to the taxi.
'What a mess,' Heero thought as he stepped away from the bed, trying not to limp, while Duo stepped forward to remove Wufei's shoes and make him at least a bit more comfortable. He was pretty sure he'd pulled a couple of muscles trying not to hit Duo with that kick. 'And as it was, I still ended up hitting Wufei. Hitting him damn hard too since where he moved *to* was the direction that I was pulling the kick *towards* in my attempt to miss Duo.' He didn't know whether he'd ever forget hearing the sickening crack that told him his blow had broken something even before Wufei crumpled to the ground.
'Would I feel any worse if it had been Duo that I'd injured?' Heero wondered. He wasn't really sure. He wasn't too sure that he *could* feel much worse. He'd gone through that scene in his head repeatedly over the course of the past few hours and he just couldn't find a way to avoid what happened. Not once he'd started that kick. 'But things should have never reached that point. I should have called a halt once I realized just how "off" they both were. Even if I *didn't* have any idea that Duo was sick...'
"Why?" Heero asked quietly as Duo drew the covers over Wufei and moved away from the bed. He reached out and caught Duo's chin, forcing Duo to meet his eyes. "Why didn't you tell us you were sick? Why did you hide it?"
Duo swallowed hard. He really didn't have a good answer to that question. The one that he did have was just going to hurt Heero even more. But it was time to stop the half-truths. Time to stop dodging questions. He'd created a big enough mess already, he didn't need to make things even worse by continuing down the same path of misleading answers. "Everything was going so well. You both actually wanted my help. I'd wanted your approval, Fei's approval for so long..." He had to stop as a coughing fit interrupted him. Recovering, he continued, "And I didn't want to prove that you were both right before, that I *was* weak after all. Getting sick just from being damp and chilled and stressed out. I thought I could just treat the symptoms and keep going. That I could get through the demos at least. Figured I'd tell you afterwards, when it wouldn't matter as much. When I'd have already proved that I could hold my own even if I *was* weak enough to get sick so easily." Duo's voice dropped off and he whispered guiltily, "I never thought anyone else would get hurt. I wouldn't blame Fei if he never forgives me. Wouldn't blame you, either, Heero. I'm sorry..."
Heero rubbed his hand across his face wearily. Maybe this was all for nothing. If Duo still didn't believe that they loved him no matter what, that they were sorry for all the things they'd said and done in the past... Didn't believe that he could trust them, trust their love for him... Then what was the point? "What will it take to make you believe me? Believe Wufei?" he asked in discouragement. "How are we supposed to ever convince you that we love you when you don't even give us a chance to prove it?"
Heero slumped down on a chair, suddenly exhausted and abruptly aware of every strained or pulled muscle in his body. "Dammit Duo, how do you think I feel knowing that you've been getting sick since sometime yesterday, have *known* that you were getting sick, and that you deliberately hid it from me? From *us*? Knowing that I missed the signs that you weren't feeling well? Signs I shouldn't have needed to look for because YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME?!" Heero drew a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down again before adding wearily, "How do you think I feel knowing that you don't trust me, or Wufei, or our love for you, enough to tell us something that important?"
Duo listened, horrified, to Heero's words. That wasn't it at all! Or... was it? Had he really thought that they would turn away from him if they knew? Suddenly, he wasn't sure exactly *why* he hadn't told them. He'd told himself that he needed to prove his skills to them by taking part in the demos; that he was afraid they wouldn't let him if they knew he was getting sick; but why had it been so important that he prove his skills? Hadn't the fact that they'd even asked him to help out showed that they respected his abilities? "I just... I needed to show you that I really could help... That I could be a partner..." he whispered.
"Partners trust each other and help each other," Heero said flatly, staring at the floor in front of him. "They don't hide things from each other and they *do* ask for help when they need it. It seems to me that *you* were the one who first tried to teach *me* that during the war. How the hell are we going to make a relationship work if you don't trust us?"
"I... I'm sorry," Duo managed to gasp out. "I... I just..." Just can't believe it's true. Which was exactly what Heero was accusing him of in that defeated tone. 'I've wrecked it. I had just what I've been dreaming of for so damn long now and I fucking *wrecked* it. If Heero feels like this, what's Fei think? Probably the same damn thing... And I can't even deny it. Still can't even manage to tell them how much I love them both.' "I'm sorry," he repeated, blinking rapidly as tears threatened yet again. "God, Heero, I'm so sorry..." Duo turned and fled the room, instinctively heading for the hall door and reaching for the knob.
Heero jerked his head up sharply as he realized that Duo was leaving. He lunged to his feet, wincing as over-stressed muscles protested, and headed after him. 'Not again, dammit! I can't leave Wufei here alone and in a drugged sleep while I go chasing Duo all over the damn city!' He hadn't meant to send Duo into flight again! But then this was just more proof of the problem. 'He probably has himself convinced that he's wrecked everything and we don't want him anymore,' Heero realized with a heavy heart. He reached the sitting area just in time to hear the hall door click shut again - with Duo still on the inside. Heero sagged against the end of the couch in relief. 'He stopped...'
Duo stood with his hand on the knob, struggling with his torn emotions. He had his wallet, there was nothing stopping him from hopping a flight back to L2. And if he'd really wrecked things with Fei and Heero, that was exactly what he should be doing. But if they really loved him, maybe... maybe they'd be willing to forgive him. Maybe he hadn't wrecked things beyond repair. If he wanted this badly enough to make the effort. If he could trust them enough to try...
"They say they love me... No, I can't keep thinking of it that way... Not 'they say they love me'... They *love* me. I have to trust them... Have to try... Maybe they can forgive me... Maybe we can still fix this..." Duo murmured quietly.
"If you're willing to really try, of course we can," a voice answered.
Duo jumped, startled, and turned around. "Heero..."
"I'm hurt and upset and a little bit mad at you, but I still love you," Heero said carefully. This was such new territory for him. He desperately wished Wufei were awake and here to let him know whether he was doing the right thing or not. Prompting Duo to run from him, from *them*, had not been his intention and he was a bit afraid of making things even worse. But Wufei wasn't available and he would have to handle this himself and just hope he didn't screw things up even more than they already were. Heero opened his arms and waited tensely, hoping Duo would take the invitation, hoping Duo would believe what he had said.
Duo took one hesitant step, eyes searching Heero's face. 'He means it. All of it. He *is* hurt and upset. He's even kinda mad at me. But... he still loves me...' The next step turned into a rush of steps, carrying him across the room and into Heero's arms.
Heero held Duo tightly against him, stroking his hair and back as he'd seen Wufei do before while Duo poured out a litany of apologies and mangled explanations. 'He stopped on his own. Stayed on his own. Maybe he *does* believe us at least partially...' As Duo's stream of words became broken by coughs, Heero started to shush him gently. "It's okay, Duo. You made a mistake and you've apologized. I accept your apology and I'm sure Wufei will tomorrow once he's awake and aware again. He wouldn't have done what he did if he didn't love you, you know. Just don't ever do something like this again, please?"
"Promise," Duo said earnestly. 'I won't. I *can't*. Hiding things and keeping secrets just got everybody hurt one way or another. Fei got the worst of it physically, but Heero's pretty upset about all this too. I know he feels bad 'cause Fei got hurt by him even if it was accidental.'
"Come on now, let's see if they've replenished the soup supply in here so we can eat and get some rest, okay?" Heero suggested.
Duo nodded against Heero's neck before reluctantly pulling away from him. "Okay," he said softly, trying not to strain his voice any more. He was tired. Very tired. And not very hungry. But he knew that the steam from the hot soup would help ease his breathing and he needed the nutrients too. Almost as much as he needed to rest. But nowhere near as much as he needed Wufei to wake up and accept his apology and tell him that he still loved him.
***
Heero waited for Duo to climb in bed next to Wufei as usual. Duo hesitated, twisting his braid nervously. He wasn't sure that was a good idea. For one thing, he tended to end up sprawled all over his bedmates and he could hurt Fei if he did that tonight. And - well, there was also the fact that he wasn't too sure Wufei would want to wake up with him in close contact even if he didn't hurt his ribs or arm. There hadn't even been a chance to apologize properly between the accident happening and Fei unwillingly giving in to the sedatives. There'd been too many other people around and too many things going on. He *hoped* that Wufei would forgive him. But even if he did, that didn't mean he wouldn't be a wee bit... 'Pissed off at me. And with good reason. After all, it's my fault he got hurt. Why would he want to wake up with my head on his shoulder even if it was his uninjured side?'
"Duo?" Heero said quizzically. "Aren't you getting in?"
"Uh, I think you'd better take the middle tonight, Heero..." Duo said hesitantly. "I sprawl all over you guys in my sleep and I don't want to hurt Fei even more by doing that..."
Heero closed his mouth on his instinctive protest. Duo had a good point. The times that they'd shared a bed had invariably both started and ended with Duo lying partially on top of one or the other of them. He liked the feeling himself and he was pretty sure Wufei did too. But with a broken arm and cracked ribs to deal with too - err, no, that would not be a very comfortable sensation. "Alright," he agreed, crawling in beside Wufei. 'I just hope he gives me a chance to explain if he wakes up before I get up in the morning!' he thought only semi-jokingly. They'd been sharing a bed, true, but they'd never actually been close enough to touch before. Heero barely got himself comfortably situated before Duo was crawling in beside him and starting to curl up with his head on his shoulder.
"Umm, this is okay, isn't it Heero?" Duo suddenly asked. "I mean, I'll understand if you're still mad and you don't want..."
"Duo," Heero cut him off firmly. "Don't be an even bigger idiot than you've already been today. I love you, remember?"
"Okay," Duo said meekly, shifting even closer to Heero. "I just..."
"Duo. Go to sleep," Heero ordered gently. "No more talking. Just rest."
"Okay," Duo said again, snuggling against Heero's shoulder. "G'night Heero..."
"Good night, Duo. I love you."
The room fell quiet for several minutes, then, so soft that Heero wasn't entirely sure that he'd heard correctly, a sleepy mumble said, "Love you too, Heero."
***
During the night, Wufei half-woke from his drugged sleep and realized that he felt a bit cold. He still had a full set of blankets over him, but he was missing the warm body that he'd got used to having draped over him. He started to roll onto his side, looking for Duo, then was reminded of why Duo might *not* be draped across him by the awkward cast and a sharp twinge from his ribs. Probably Duo hadn't wanted to risk hurting him. But he missed the contact after even just a couple of nights of it. Maybe...
Carefully, Wufei shifted across the bed, towards the nearest slumbering body. Part of him noted that it was unusual for Duo to be sleeping on his back, but that was convenient for his purposes. He rested his cast between himself and the sleeper and put his head down on the other's shoulder, only to have his ribs twinge. After a little experimenting, he discovered that the only way he could get comfortable was to get close enough to support himself against the person's body, drape one leg over theirs, and put his head on their chest with his casted arm angled across the torso. After a moment of comfort, Wufei suddenly realized that there was another head resting on the chest. A head with a long braid that flopped across, nearly touching his hand.
'If Duo is over *there*... Then...' Oh shit. He was draped all over *Heero*. 'I should move,' Wufei thought reluctantly and a bit muzzily. But... he was awfully comfortable. Maybe Heero wouldn't mind too much. He could always blame it on the drugs... And maybe Heero's reaction would help him figure out whether he was the only one wondering exactly how he felt about the non-shared member of their threesome. 'I really *am* comfortable...' he decided sleepily. Wufei shifted his casted arm a bit, gathering Duo's braid into his hand, and drifted back off to sleep.
***
Heero woke up slowly, feeling almost uncomfortably warm. 'Damn. Duo's fever must be up...' he thought, struggling to pry his eyelids open. Odd though, he would only expect one side to be warm if Duo was draped over top of him. He blinked in disbelief, convinced that he must still be dreaming, as he finally opened his eyes to find not one but *two* bodies sprawled across him. 'No wonder I'm so warm...' he thought dazedly. Evidently Wufei must have missed having someone draped all over him in his sleep and sought out the nearest warm body - *his*. 'This - could be very - err - *awkward*...' To put it mildly. How *would* Wufei react to waking up with his head on Heero's chest, one leg thrown across Heero's, and his arm in its cast resting on Heero's abdomen? He wasn't too sure he wanted to know.
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Title: Winning Duo
Chapter: 27/?
Author: Calic0cat <calic0cat@fastmail.fm>
Story Started: Jan. 2003
Genre: Yaoi, Romance, Humour, Angst
Pairings: Working towards 1x2x5; 3x4; 6x9; others may be implied
Rated: R
Warnings: OOC, Swearing, Shifting POV, Threesome
Archives: At Mediaminer.org under Calic0cat. Anyone with archive permission for my other fics can help themselves; anyone else, please ask.
Disclaimer: Duo and Heero and the rest of the GW gang aren't mine. This story is. Nuff said.
Notes: Starts one year after Endless Waltz. POV changes frequently.
'Thinking'
"Speaking"
*** Time passing or scene change
Author's Notes: I usually write 1x2x1, so a 1x2x5 is a first for me (well, writing one is - I've been reading them for quite a while now, that's the *only* threesome I actually *like*). Feedback is appreciated.
#################################################
Duo opened the suite door and stepped aside while Heero carried Wufei in. His gaze flickered guiltily over Wufei's pale face and Heero's set expression before he silently turned to close the door. 'God, I fucked up *so* bad... I shouldn't have hid the fact that I was getting sick. Shouldn't have tried to do the demo.' Shouldn't have, shouldn't have, shouldn't have. But he *did*. And now Heero and Wufei were paying the price for *his* mistakes. Wufei in the form of a broken arm and two cracked ribs. And Heero in guilt over having caused those injuries.
Duo hesitated in the sitting area, expecting Heero to take Wufei into their room. He wasn't too sure Wufei would want to share his anymore. Not after what happened. He opened his mouth to say as much, then closed it without speaking when Heero turned towards his room. Maybe he was wrong to let Heero put Wufei in his room. But... 'At least I'll have him close one more night... Even if he can't forgive me, I'll have one more memory to store away...'
Heero carried Wufei into Duo's room, waited while Duo pulled back the covers, then gently placed him on the bed. Wufei had been insistent that he did *not* need to be admitted to the hospital, glaring and swearing at the middle-aged doctor that tried to insist. Heero had finally added the weight of his own glare and the doctor had caved in on the subject, but he'd insisted on administering a painkiller before Wufei left. Wufei had refused, Duo had protested, and Wufei had finally agreed on the condition that Duo get properly checked out.
Which of course led to discovering the *second* mess that they had to deal with. Bronchitis. Fortunately, *just* bronchitis, no bacterial infection. Yet. So no antibiotics. Basically, Duo just had to keep doing what he had already been doing - take ibuprofen for fever and a cough suppressant to control the cough as necessary - plus drink lots of fluids and *rest*. The doctor had been extremely displeased to discover that Duo had been engaged in something as tiring and temperature-raising as sparring. Heero suspected that the doctor's extreme irritation with the whole bunch of them had led to him dosing Wufei with a sedative type of painkiller. Probably the man had hoped they'd give in and let him be admitted if he couldn't walk out on his own. Heero had just given him an even nastier glare for the trick and carried Wufei out to the taxi.
'What a mess,' Heero thought as he stepped away from the bed, trying not to limp, while Duo stepped forward to remove Wufei's shoes and make him at least a bit more comfortable. He was pretty sure he'd pulled a couple of muscles trying not to hit Duo with that kick. 'And as it was, I still ended up hitting Wufei. Hitting him damn hard too since where he moved *to* was the direction that I was pulling the kick *towards* in my attempt to miss Duo.' He didn't know whether he'd ever forget hearing the sickening crack that told him his blow had broken something even before Wufei crumpled to the ground.
'Would I feel any worse if it had been Duo that I'd injured?' Heero wondered. He wasn't really sure. He wasn't too sure that he *could* feel much worse. He'd gone through that scene in his head repeatedly over the course of the past few hours and he just couldn't find a way to avoid what happened. Not once he'd started that kick. 'But things should have never reached that point. I should have called a halt once I realized just how "off" they both were. Even if I *didn't* have any idea that Duo was sick...'
"Why?" Heero asked quietly as Duo drew the covers over Wufei and moved away from the bed. He reached out and caught Duo's chin, forcing Duo to meet his eyes. "Why didn't you tell us you were sick? Why did you hide it?"
Duo swallowed hard. He really didn't have a good answer to that question. The one that he did have was just going to hurt Heero even more. But it was time to stop the half-truths. Time to stop dodging questions. He'd created a big enough mess already, he didn't need to make things even worse by continuing down the same path of misleading answers. "Everything was going so well. You both actually wanted my help. I'd wanted your approval, Fei's approval for so long..." He had to stop as a coughing fit interrupted him. Recovering, he continued, "And I didn't want to prove that you were both right before, that I *was* weak after all. Getting sick just from being damp and chilled and stressed out. I thought I could just treat the symptoms and keep going. That I could get through the demos at least. Figured I'd tell you afterwards, when it wouldn't matter as much. When I'd have already proved that I could hold my own even if I *was* weak enough to get sick so easily." Duo's voice dropped off and he whispered guiltily, "I never thought anyone else would get hurt. I wouldn't blame Fei if he never forgives me. Wouldn't blame you, either, Heero. I'm sorry..."
Heero rubbed his hand across his face wearily. Maybe this was all for nothing. If Duo still didn't believe that they loved him no matter what, that they were sorry for all the things they'd said and done in the past... Didn't believe that he could trust them, trust their love for him... Then what was the point? "What will it take to make you believe me? Believe Wufei?" he asked in discouragement. "How are we supposed to ever convince you that we love you when you don't even give us a chance to prove it?"
Heero slumped down on a chair, suddenly exhausted and abruptly aware of every strained or pulled muscle in his body. "Dammit Duo, how do you think I feel knowing that you've been getting sick since sometime yesterday, have *known* that you were getting sick, and that you deliberately hid it from me? From *us*? Knowing that I missed the signs that you weren't feeling well? Signs I shouldn't have needed to look for because YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME?!" Heero drew a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down again before adding wearily, "How do you think I feel knowing that you don't trust me, or Wufei, or our love for you, enough to tell us something that important?"
Duo listened, horrified, to Heero's words. That wasn't it at all! Or... was it? Had he really thought that they would turn away from him if they knew? Suddenly, he wasn't sure exactly *why* he hadn't told them. He'd told himself that he needed to prove his skills to them by taking part in the demos; that he was afraid they wouldn't let him if they knew he was getting sick; but why had it been so important that he prove his skills? Hadn't the fact that they'd even asked him to help out showed that they respected his abilities? "I just... I needed to show you that I really could help... That I could be a partner..." he whispered.
"Partners trust each other and help each other," Heero said flatly, staring at the floor in front of him. "They don't hide things from each other and they *do* ask for help when they need it. It seems to me that *you* were the one who first tried to teach *me* that during the war. How the hell are we going to make a relationship work if you don't trust us?"
"I... I'm sorry," Duo managed to gasp out. "I... I just..." Just can't believe it's true. Which was exactly what Heero was accusing him of in that defeated tone. 'I've wrecked it. I had just what I've been dreaming of for so damn long now and I fucking *wrecked* it. If Heero feels like this, what's Fei think? Probably the same damn thing... And I can't even deny it. Still can't even manage to tell them how much I love them both.' "I'm sorry," he repeated, blinking rapidly as tears threatened yet again. "God, Heero, I'm so sorry..." Duo turned and fled the room, instinctively heading for the hall door and reaching for the knob.
Heero jerked his head up sharply as he realized that Duo was leaving. He lunged to his feet, wincing as over-stressed muscles protested, and headed after him. 'Not again, dammit! I can't leave Wufei here alone and in a drugged sleep while I go chasing Duo all over the damn city!' He hadn't meant to send Duo into flight again! But then this was just more proof of the problem. 'He probably has himself convinced that he's wrecked everything and we don't want him anymore,' Heero realized with a heavy heart. He reached the sitting area just in time to hear the hall door click shut again - with Duo still on the inside. Heero sagged against the end of the couch in relief. 'He stopped...'
Duo stood with his hand on the knob, struggling with his torn emotions. He had his wallet, there was nothing stopping him from hopping a flight back to L2. And if he'd really wrecked things with Fei and Heero, that was exactly what he should be doing. But if they really loved him, maybe... maybe they'd be willing to forgive him. Maybe he hadn't wrecked things beyond repair. If he wanted this badly enough to make the effort. If he could trust them enough to try...
"They say they love me... No, I can't keep thinking of it that way... Not 'they say they love me'... They *love* me. I have to trust them... Have to try... Maybe they can forgive me... Maybe we can still fix this..." Duo murmured quietly.
"If you're willing to really try, of course we can," a voice answered.
Duo jumped, startled, and turned around. "Heero..."
"I'm hurt and upset and a little bit mad at you, but I still love you," Heero said carefully. This was such new territory for him. He desperately wished Wufei were awake and here to let him know whether he was doing the right thing or not. Prompting Duo to run from him, from *them*, had not been his intention and he was a bit afraid of making things even worse. But Wufei wasn't available and he would have to handle this himself and just hope he didn't screw things up even more than they already were. Heero opened his arms and waited tensely, hoping Duo would take the invitation, hoping Duo would believe what he had said.
Duo took one hesitant step, eyes searching Heero's face. 'He means it. All of it. He *is* hurt and upset. He's even kinda mad at me. But... he still loves me...' The next step turned into a rush of steps, carrying him across the room and into Heero's arms.
Heero held Duo tightly against him, stroking his hair and back as he'd seen Wufei do before while Duo poured out a litany of apologies and mangled explanations. 'He stopped on his own. Stayed on his own. Maybe he *does* believe us at least partially...' As Duo's stream of words became broken by coughs, Heero started to shush him gently. "It's okay, Duo. You made a mistake and you've apologized. I accept your apology and I'm sure Wufei will tomorrow once he's awake and aware again. He wouldn't have done what he did if he didn't love you, you know. Just don't ever do something like this again, please?"
"Promise," Duo said earnestly. 'I won't. I *can't*. Hiding things and keeping secrets just got everybody hurt one way or another. Fei got the worst of it physically, but Heero's pretty upset about all this too. I know he feels bad 'cause Fei got hurt by him even if it was accidental.'
"Come on now, let's see if they've replenished the soup supply in here so we can eat and get some rest, okay?" Heero suggested.
Duo nodded against Heero's neck before reluctantly pulling away from him. "Okay," he said softly, trying not to strain his voice any more. He was tired. Very tired. And not very hungry. But he knew that the steam from the hot soup would help ease his breathing and he needed the nutrients too. Almost as much as he needed to rest. But nowhere near as much as he needed Wufei to wake up and accept his apology and tell him that he still loved him.
***
Heero waited for Duo to climb in bed next to Wufei as usual. Duo hesitated, twisting his braid nervously. He wasn't sure that was a good idea. For one thing, he tended to end up sprawled all over his bedmates and he could hurt Fei if he did that tonight. And - well, there was also the fact that he wasn't too sure Wufei would want to wake up with him in close contact even if he didn't hurt his ribs or arm. There hadn't even been a chance to apologize properly between the accident happening and Fei unwillingly giving in to the sedatives. There'd been too many other people around and too many things going on. He *hoped* that Wufei would forgive him. But even if he did, that didn't mean he wouldn't be a wee bit... 'Pissed off at me. And with good reason. After all, it's my fault he got hurt. Why would he want to wake up with my head on his shoulder even if it was his uninjured side?'
"Duo?" Heero said quizzically. "Aren't you getting in?"
"Uh, I think you'd better take the middle tonight, Heero..." Duo said hesitantly. "I sprawl all over you guys in my sleep and I don't want to hurt Fei even more by doing that..."
Heero closed his mouth on his instinctive protest. Duo had a good point. The times that they'd shared a bed had invariably both started and ended with Duo lying partially on top of one or the other of them. He liked the feeling himself and he was pretty sure Wufei did too. But with a broken arm and cracked ribs to deal with too - err, no, that would not be a very comfortable sensation. "Alright," he agreed, crawling in beside Wufei. 'I just hope he gives me a chance to explain if he wakes up before I get up in the morning!' he thought only semi-jokingly. They'd been sharing a bed, true, but they'd never actually been close enough to touch before. Heero barely got himself comfortably situated before Duo was crawling in beside him and starting to curl up with his head on his shoulder.
"Umm, this is okay, isn't it Heero?" Duo suddenly asked. "I mean, I'll understand if you're still mad and you don't want..."
"Duo," Heero cut him off firmly. "Don't be an even bigger idiot than you've already been today. I love you, remember?"
"Okay," Duo said meekly, shifting even closer to Heero. "I just..."
"Duo. Go to sleep," Heero ordered gently. "No more talking. Just rest."
"Okay," Duo said again, snuggling against Heero's shoulder. "G'night Heero..."
"Good night, Duo. I love you."
The room fell quiet for several minutes, then, so soft that Heero wasn't entirely sure that he'd heard correctly, a sleepy mumble said, "Love you too, Heero."
***
During the night, Wufei half-woke from his drugged sleep and realized that he felt a bit cold. He still had a full set of blankets over him, but he was missing the warm body that he'd got used to having draped over him. He started to roll onto his side, looking for Duo, then was reminded of why Duo might *not* be draped across him by the awkward cast and a sharp twinge from his ribs. Probably Duo hadn't wanted to risk hurting him. But he missed the contact after even just a couple of nights of it. Maybe...
Carefully, Wufei shifted across the bed, towards the nearest slumbering body. Part of him noted that it was unusual for Duo to be sleeping on his back, but that was convenient for his purposes. He rested his cast between himself and the sleeper and put his head down on the other's shoulder, only to have his ribs twinge. After a little experimenting, he discovered that the only way he could get comfortable was to get close enough to support himself against the person's body, drape one leg over theirs, and put his head on their chest with his casted arm angled across the torso. After a moment of comfort, Wufei suddenly realized that there was another head resting on the chest. A head with a long braid that flopped across, nearly touching his hand.
'If Duo is over *there*... Then...' Oh shit. He was draped all over *Heero*. 'I should move,' Wufei thought reluctantly and a bit muzzily. But... he was awfully comfortable. Maybe Heero wouldn't mind too much. He could always blame it on the drugs... And maybe Heero's reaction would help him figure out whether he was the only one wondering exactly how he felt about the non-shared member of their threesome. 'I really *am* comfortable...' he decided sleepily. Wufei shifted his casted arm a bit, gathering Duo's braid into his hand, and drifted back off to sleep.
***
Heero woke up slowly, feeling almost uncomfortably warm. 'Damn. Duo's fever must be up...' he thought, struggling to pry his eyelids open. Odd though, he would only expect one side to be warm if Duo was draped over top of him. He blinked in disbelief, convinced that he must still be dreaming, as he finally opened his eyes to find not one but *two* bodies sprawled across him. 'No wonder I'm so warm...' he thought dazedly. Evidently Wufei must have missed having someone draped all over him in his sleep and sought out the nearest warm body - *his*. 'This - could be very - err - *awkward*...' To put it mildly. How *would* Wufei react to waking up with his head on Heero's chest, one leg thrown across Heero's, and his arm in its cast resting on Heero's abdomen? He wasn't too sure he wanted to know.
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