Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ G-men ❯ Unraveling ( Chapter 34 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Arigatomina 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.09.2004 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.0K | Visits: 636 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.09.2004 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.0K | Visits: 636 | Status: Work In Progress
Author’s Note: A few people have asked about Heero. He isn’t going to get much ‘screentime’ for a few more parts. There will be references to him, but no clear answers just yet. He’s one of my favorite characters, so you can be sure I’ll get him back in the story as soon as I can.
It turns out Hiei had more to ‘say’ in this part than Kurama, so he got most of the focus for that pair. And the part turned out to be shorter than I’d estimated. Some of the future parts will be extra long, though, so it should even out in the end...
I want to thank the readers who’ve watched the vid – I made it for you, so I’m glad you liked it. A few questions came up about it. Treize is shown with Quatre because he was the one who took him in that base, before Zechs found him and gave him back to Trowa. Jin and Touya will be a couple in this fic (with the possibility of a prequel focusing on them and their friends, a YYH-Naruto fic if I write it) but I expect to make it a threesome with Yusuke, I just haven’t decided if Yusuke is uke to Jin or seme or both – I’ve never read that pairing before so all I know is that Touya is my main uke.
Vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.
This Part: Featured characters include Quatre (3x4), Duo, and Hiei.
AMV: www . geocities . com / arigatomina / gmen . html
Category: Yaoi, Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho
Warnings: shonen ai, minor angst
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, Kurama-Hiei, will be 6x5
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina
Gmen
Part 34: Unraveling
Trowa woke to a sharp cry of pain. Next to him on the bed, Quatre seemed to be suffering from some sort of attack. The boy was curled in on himself so tightly his muscles trembled at the strain. Eyes locked on that pale face, Trowa pulled him up.
“What is it?” Trowa asked anxiously.
Quatre had assured him he’d suffered no lasting harm from being exposed to his unrestrained power the day before. The boy had told him about the filter Kuwabara had helped him create. He’d been outright giddy with happiness over the success. Remembering that, Trowa was immediately sure Quatre’s current condition was unrelated.
“Quatre?”
It hurt too much to speak, to even care about the concern evident in Trowa’s voice. Quatre’s teeth were clenched, and he hissed through them, his words garbled and faint.
“Don’t,” Quatre whispered. “Hurts. Too fast to...”
He held himself tighter, struggling to curl into a more protective ball. He didn’t understand why he was being held still where the pain could get him so easily. Why couldn’t he move his arms? Why did it burn inside, eating away at him? How long, how long, a lifetime of pain, holding him, tearing, burning.
“Please stop, I can’t...! Too much...”
The words melted into a soft keening cry, and Trowa’s panic shut down sharply. His eyes locked on Quatre’s wide, blind gaze. The reading was sudden and concise, cutting through the confusion and diving right into the source. He could feel the pain, a crushing well of it, with an essence he only knew from a distance. Quatre’s suffering was faint compared to this. Trowa withdrew seconds later with resolve and a name.
“Filter it,” said Trowa. His voice was cold, without a hint of compassion. “Make a filter on the pain like you did with me. If you can’t block it, at least separate yourself from it so it won’t hurt you so much.”
“I’m trying but it hurts,” Quatre whimpered. Tears filled his eyes, but he couldn’t see anyway. The pain was a bloody, blinding veil that obscured everything. “It burns,” he cried, “tearing me... What is it? Why is it...?”
Trowa’s expression hardened at the helpless tone. He grabbed Quatre’s hair, near that still tender spot where the boy had struck the tree the day before, and jerked that blonde head back. The unexpected force surprised Quatre enough to lock bloodshot eyes on him.
“Block it,” Trowa ordered. “Do it now.”
Quatre gasped, confusion shining through his tears. “You’re...hurting me...? Why...?”
Those eyes tore at him, but Trowa locked away the emotion, keeping his gaze clear and determined. His left hand rose to catch Quatre’s shoulder, fingers digging in nearly tight enough to break the boy’s collar bone.
“This is your pain,” Trowa hissed, directly into Quatre’s ear, “feel the difference. That, that isn’t yours. You don’t have to feel that...!”
The confusion thickened, with deep emotional hurt that mingled the sensations of physical and psychic pain. Quatre sobbed, lost in the middle of it. He didn’t understand anything except that he was in pain, and now Trowa was hurting him too, Trowa, who’d sooner die than hurt him.
'Don’t...Trowa, don’t. It hurts, pulling me and I can’t...can’t breathe. Please, please hear me, I can’t breathe...! I need...help. Trowa...? Tro-'
It struck him like a gale, staggering him as if he were being wrapped in a numbing shock of wind. That feeling, of having Trowa’s presence curl around his psyche, was enough to separate him from his physical body. Just for a moment, just long enough for Quatre to see himself standing outside that plate window, that filter.
His palms were pressed flat against it as he looked in to see Trowa on the other side, staring back with warm, welcoming eyes. Quatre opened his mouth but couldn’t seem to find a voice to speak with. He moved so their hands were together, only that thin glass separating them, and he longed to go through, needing to feel him.
He could hear that clamoring behind him, his heart contracting with pain beyond physical sensation. And he whimpered without sound, pressing his hands hard against the glass that had taken so long to form. Now he wanted to tear it down, anything to get to the boy on the other side.
A whisper reached him, but it was too quiet to hear. He couldn’t hear him through that pane of glass, could see Trowa’s lips moving as he spoke, but couldn’t hear the words. Quatre leaned closer, struggling to hear over that pain in his heart.
'...to section it off...another window like this...filter...don’t have to block it out...only keep it from taking you over...'
The words were so calm compared to the storm raging behind him, that Quatre grasped them tightly, hiding them away where that pain couldn’t touch them. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to the glass, feeling the heat of it, so much hotter than even the pain. He was trying to remember how he’d made this filter, to concentrate enough to remember, to imagine a shield coming up between him and that encompassing pain. But he couldn’t do it alone, not alone. He’d had help before, to pull him out, an anchor.
He opened his eyes, meaning to ask Trowa for help, and stared at the empty space. There was nothing beyond the window but blackness. Quatre reacted with fear bordering on stark terror.
'Trowa?!'
Quatre jerked, opening his eyes with a ragged breath. “Trowa...!”
The blonde boy lunged forward, catching him in a tight embrace, and Trowa let out a shaky breath of his own.
Strong arms moved around him, but it wasn’t enough. “Tighter,” Quatre whispered, crushing himself in that embrace. “Hold me tighter. It still hurts...”
Pain and fear erupted at those words, but Trowa obeyed, his arms pulling the boy closer. “You can’t block it out...?”
“I have,” said Quatre, “but I can still feel it inside. My heart, my heart hurts from it. But...it’s not my pain...”
“I know.”
Quatre pushed back, just enough to look up at Trowa. “I’ve never felt anything like-“
He stopped suddenly, that emotional pain fading away to be replaced with a more personal pain, his pain. And he blinked back tears, horrified at what he was seeing.
“Trowa,” he whispered, as he reached up to brush the dampness on the other boy’s face. “You’re crying...”
Panic and hurt shivered over him, and Quatre shook his head furiously. “Please don’t,” he whispered. “I’m sorry if I scared you, I didn’t meant to worry you, just please don’t-“
Trowa stopped him with a tender, loving kiss. But his expression was so sad Quatre caught his breath to keep from sobbing against him.
“I hurt you,” Trowa explained, his voice a hoarse whisper, “intentionally. I never thought I’d do that, but I did. I knew exactly what I was doing...and I did it anyway. If you hadn’t reacted to me I would have hurt you more...”
“Hurt me?” asked Quatre, confusion swamping his pale face. “When did you...?”
Trowa answered by brushing a hand over the boy’s shoulder, pressing lightly on the bruising flesh. Quatre gave a little cry of surprise and reached up to touch the area himself. It was very tender, already darkening, as if he’d been struck there. But he didn’t remember Trowa doing it.
A glance at Trowa’s face told him the boy had done it, his expression was heart-wrenching. Quatre gave a mournful cry and pulled him down into a warm embrace.
“Oh, Trowa,” he whispered, smiling through his tears, “don’t look like that. I forgive you, of course I do. You brought me out of it. No one else could have. I saw you, Trowa, in my mind. I saw you there, through the window. Before all I could see of you was a storm, but I saw you this time, the real, beautiful you...”
“I dropped my guard,” said Trowa, more shaken by the admission than anything. “I could barely see you through it, it was so dark on my side, but I could feel the pain you were in. I could see it trying to take you away, to drown you in it.”
Quatre nodded against Trowa’s neck, unwilling to let even an inch separate them. “I have never felt anything like that, and it’s still there. Heero. I don’t understand what’s happening to him. Even now that I know what it is all I can feel...all I can get from him is that pain. I can feel his pain, but nothing else. Not even a thought...”
“He’s unconscious,” said Trowa, “so the sensation is all he knows. I don’t know why you’re feeling it unless you’ve made a connection to your friends.”
“Yes,” said Quatre, “he’s in my heart. That’s where the pain is, my heart.”
He turned his face, ducking it so his words were spoken against Trowa’s warm neck. “We have to help him. But I don’t know where he is, or who’s hurting him...”
Trowa’s eyes narrowed and he was silent for a moment, not sure what to say. “You didn’t read Heero before he left...? He isn’t being attacked, Quatre. He knew this would happen when he left, he just didn’t know any of us would feel it. He didn’t want us to worry about him, so he didn’t tell us what he was going to do.”
Quatre shivered at that, holding Trowa tighter. “Will Duo feel this? Heero’s all alone. If Duo knew...it would tear him apart.”
“We won’t tell him,” Trowa said decisively. “Heero didn’t want any of us to know, but especially not Duo.”
“And now he’s all alone...”
- - -
There was an air of foreboding at the table that morning. Duo, who’d been the first to join Zechs, was on his fourth cup of coffee – black, no sugar – and had circles under his eyes. Wufei, who often woke early from disturbing, but immediately forgotten dreams, sympathized with him. He hadn’t been long before joining the two, though he’d gotten considerably more sleep.
Trowa and Quatre were notably subdued, the faint redness in the blonde boy’s eyes hinting that they’d had their own disturbing incident that morning. They didn’t speak of it as they sat to tea, not in the mood for food any more than their friends were.
If not for Hiei, the table could have been occupied by ghosts, for all they were silent and moody. Hiei was devouring seeded cheese buns directly off the platter, which he’d selfishly taken back to the table with him.
Kurama watched with amused eyes and a knowing smile, sipping on his tea and content to let Hiei eat for the both of them. He hadn’t eaten much of anything the last two days, so it was about time he caught up.
Zechs waited until Hiei had finished to give the news he’d been holding back since before Duo came down. He got their attention by pushing his chair away from the table.
“Relena came down earlier,” he said. “She’s going to a meeting with some of the neighboring leaders later this morning. There will be OZ officials there as well, so I’m going to accompany her. At this point they must know where we are. They haven’t made a move yet, but I don’t trust them enough to let her go by herself.”
He turned to look pointedly at Hiei. “Yukina plans to join her.”
“No.”
Kurama winced at the way Hiei glared. He dropped a hand to the boy’s shoulder and shook his head at him.
“I’ll speak with her,” Kurama promised. “I’m sure if I went to keep an eye on Relena, Yukina-chan would agree to stay here. She wouldn’t try to go with her if she weren’t concerned.”
“She has a right to be concerned,” said Zechs. “I don’t trust this. Relena told me the meeting was originally scheduled for a month from now. OZ requested they have it today instead.”
“You’re expecting some sort of attack on the Sanq envoy, then?” asked Trowa. “If so, you should have someone else with you who has offensive skills.”
He nodded to Kurama. “Not that we don’t trust your strength. OZ knows Zechs is with us, so they’re more likely to keep quiet if they know who they’re up against. I doubt they’re aware of your power.”
“Oh, I’m not offended,” Kurama smiled. “I was going to suggest that myself. Perhaps Wufei would like to join us?”
Wufei’s eyebrow twitched at the smile Kurama turned on him, and he resisted the urge to squirm in his seat. Now there was no doubt in his mind that the redhead was playing matchmaker. His duel with Zechs had been cut short the day before, Relena showing up to remind Zechs of his manners and dragging him off to socialize with her and Dorothy. Wufei suspected Kurama was looking for any chance to get the two of them together again.
He was considering how to answer that question when a hand clapped down on his shoulder.
“Join you where?” asked Yusuke. “I’m game.”
The boy grinned and drug a chair over so he sat between Duo and Wufei, both of whom sent him uncertain looks.
Kurama gave a quick smile. “It’s a meeting of foreign dignitaries, very boring. And besides, you wouldn’t want to miss your match with Hiei, now would you? He isn’t likely to reschedule it.”
“Are you going without him?” Yusuke returned, raising an eyebrow. “He wouldn’t fight at full power if he’s busy worrying about you. So there’s no point in a match until you get back.”
Hiei, surprising to everyone, admitted as much, nodding with a dark glower. Hiei didn’t look at all happy about it, but Kurama was quite smug to hear it.
“I don’t think there’s a real need to have three extra mutants go,” said Zechs. “But Relena can bring a few guests, so long as they aren’t open bodyguards. You’d have to be discreet. She and I will be the only ones allowed into the conference room, since I’m the technical heir to this country, and she’s the current leader. That would leave the three of you outside the doors. Chances are nothing will happen and you’ll just be sitting for a few hours in the waiting room.”
“But good to have us there just in case, right?” Kurama smiled. “I’ll just go speak to Yukina-chan, then.”
- - -
Duo didn’t say anything as the four mutants took their leave. He, Trowa, and Quatre had seen them to Relena’s personal plane, but the only fanfare was Kurama blowing a kiss to seemingly no one. Few of the people around the airfield noticed the black shadow that had stayed back near the building. So none of them saw Hiei’s eyebrow twitch at the playful gesture.
Then they were gone, and Duo found himself walking back towards the school a few paces behind his friends. He was relieved that they weren’t acting sappy at the moment, but their silence, and Quatre’s continued glances back at him, were irritating to put up with. They seemed to think he was upset to have been left behind. Again.
He wasn’t upset, just angry. Of course he couldn’t go with Wufei, not when he still wasn’t able to use his powers without getting dizzy. He’d tried that morning, after waking up in a cold sweat. Just a few minutes of invisibility and he’d felt light-headed. It made him wonder if he’d still be in a coma if Kuwabara and Yukina hadn’t leant him their energy. He was pathetic.
The thought served to darken his mood even more, his shoulders hunching a few more inches as he slowed his walk. The happy couple were getting further away, but he knew he only had a minute or two before Quatre would glance back again. The blonde boy seemed obsessed with sneaking looks at him this morning. He probably expected him to have an emotional breakdown, or to throw a temper tantrum at not getting to go along on the trip.
Duo rolled his eyes, and sidestepped off the path that was taking them back to the school. He’d probably worry Quatre by disappearing, but the boy could always read his mind to find out where he’d gone. He just didn’t want to be stuck in that school, without even Wufei for company. The last thing he wanted to do was to watch Trowa and Quatre hang on each other all day.
So they were happy with each other, good for them. But seeing it twisted the wound for Duo. He needed a distraction.
The pair didn’t notice when he slipped away. Or if they did notice, they didn’t comment on it until he was out of hearing range. Duo took the set of stone steps carved into the hill to the side of the school. He hadn’t really explored much, but as far as he could tell everything downhill eventually led into the forest.
There was an early morning chill in the air, just crisp enough to make Duo glad he’d brought a jacket. He flicked the collar up to block his ears and longed for his cap. He’d lost it somewhere between the old safehouse, the hotel, and here. With it, he could have ducked his head so none of the shopkeepers sweeping the walkways would see his face. From the way they stared he thought they rarely saw students out this early.
Duo picked up his pace to a brisk walk and did his best to ignore the curious eyes that followed him. He was so set on the sidewalk beneath his feet that he didn’t notice when the people stopped watching him. There was a sudden silence, where a general murmur had been a moment before. He’d missed the looks, but the quiet got his attention.
He paused to glance back at the shop he’d just passed. An older man had been setting up a rack of discounted clothing outside his bright window when Duo walked by, and he’d stopped to stare with unabashed curiosity. Now the man was studying the price tags, almost pointedly looking at everything that would keep his back to the sidewalk. And the other people, who’d been staring just as rudely, were now minding their business studiously. From Duo’s eyes, it was almost eerie.
He shrugged it off as well as he could and the rest of the walk was uneventful. It really reminded him of how the people had avoided Kurama by crossing to the other side of the road. Instead of loitering outside to stare at him, the people ducked back in before he got more than a few feet from them. And while it did make him feel rather like a leper, it was amusing after a while. By the time he reached the forest he was nursing a small, fleeting smile.
Duo hadn’t planned out what he’d do once he reached the forest. He couldn’t practice his talents the way the others had here, so that ruled out anything industrious. He started down the path opposite the one Kurama had sent them on the day before. He hadn’t been in that part of the forest yet, so it was at least new scenery.
The sun hadn’t even started to creep into the forest yet, but the birds were already waking with chirruping, repetitive and high pitched whistles. Duo grimaced up at the treetops and kicked a nearby bush, just to be spiteful. He promptly jumped back as something fat, dark, and furry scurried over his foot in its haste to seek shelter in the underbrush on the other side of the path.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say that was a beaver,” Duo breathed, grinning at the bushes the thing had ducked into.
The nearest bush shivered at his words and he could swear he saw beady eyes where the large rodent was still watching him. The birds had dimmed, disturbed by his presence, but they soon started up again. Duo wrinkled his nose at the sounds that were bound to give him a pounding headache before long. Then he broke into a light jog up the path, scoping the terrain before increasing to a run that blocked out all sound except wind rushing past his ears.
It brought back memories, running unseen through a forest, far from prying eyes. He could feel that old solitary survivor instinct waking with energetic plans. Food first and a place to hide while he watched the nearest base to memorize the shift changes, picking his choice of weapon based on the number of guards, sneaking in and listening to random snatches of conversation that might give him his next target, and then the kill and escape, always noting the fastest way out once alarm klaxons were screaming off the walls.
It hadn’t been a happy way of life, but he’d been busy. He’d never had the time to stop and mope or think too much. Even going on foot from base to base had kept his mind on survival, noting everything around him and not worrying about what was inside him. Since then he’d become so self involved he probably wouldn’t have noticed if a group of soldiers were tailing him.
The thought was disturbing, bringing a bolt of unease. Duo stopped, his breaths silent despite how long it had been since he’d run. He had a horrid suspicion that something was wrong, that he really had failed to notice something that should have come naturally with his instincts. It was enough to make him lift his gaze in sweeps over the forest, almost afraid that he’d see a few armed men casually aiming at him.
The people on the streets had behaved strangely. They’d seen him before, going alone that first time and then again with the others. When he’d been by himself, they had stared the entire time. They hadn’t looked away until he was with his friends. So why had they stopped watching him this time?
He didn’t see anything, but that feeling of something being off had increased dramatically. He held his breath for a moment, listening to the forest. Then he realized what it was. The birds had gone silent. And since he hadn’t seen anything on the ground, that only left...
Duo stared up at the canopy for a second before breaking into a small, confused smile. “Are you stalking me?”
“Yes.”
The simple response nearly made him laugh. Duo shook his head and raised an eyebrow at the shadow he’d spotted, nestled close and casual in a nearby tree.
“Why don’t you come down,” said Duo. “You might as well. It’s not like I could outrun you, anyway.”
Hiei sniffed and shoved off the tree, landing in a crouch a few feet from Duo. He eyed the boy’s smile for a second before looking away. “You shouldn’t be out here alone.”
Duo blinked in surprise, a little insulted. “Since when? The rest of the students come out here as much as they want in the mornings. Why shouldn’t I?”
“Why did you come out here?” asked Hiei.
Since Hiei wasn’t looking at him, he didn’t see the way Duo glared before turning away. He started walking again, and Hiei trailed after him.
“I didn’t want to be a third wheel,” he admitted. “It’s not like Trowa and Quatre have had that much time to be alone these days.”
“They aren’t alone now,” said Hiei. “They’re with that woman you brought. And Yukina.”
Duo glanced back to see Hiei scowling at the forest to the side of the path. “I take it you don’t like her being there?”
“Kurama said that woman is a member of OZ,” Hiei glared. “Yukina shouldn’t be anywhere near her.”
“Don’t worry, Quatre wouldn’t let Une say anything mean to Yukina. She has this soft side, Une does, so she likes Yukina. I doubt there’s anything to worry about. Une wouldn’t hurt Yukina any more than that Kuwabara guy would.”
Though he’d been trying to help, Duo knew he’d said the worst possible thing. Hiei ground to a halt and looked like he didn’t know whether to glare or grimace in disgust. His mottled expression made Duo grin weakly.
“I guess it’s hard having a little sister,” said Duo. “I wouldn’t know, myself.”
Hiei looked away in visible discomfort, and Duo frowned at him, something niggling in the back of his mind. “If Yukina’s back at the school, shouldn’t you be there watching out for her? That was the reason Kurama left, right? So you could keep an eye on Yukina?”
“She’s with your friends,” Hiei frowned, glancing back at Duo again. “Where you should be.”
“So what is it? You’re here to bring me back?” Duo glared, all of his frustration rising up to knot in his throat. “I may not be at the top of my strength, but I can still get the hell out of dodge if my life depends on it. I’m not helpless no matter what crap Heero told you guys.”
“He,” Hiei ground out, his dislike of Heero audible in his tone, “didn’t tell me anything. Kurama did.”
“Then Kurama told you to follow me around?” Duo prodded. “Isn’t he a busybody.”
Hiei blinked wide eyes at that term, dismissing the ideas that popped up as possible definitions. “A busy...body?”
It was really hard to stay angry when Hiei was wearing such a confused expression. Duo grinned cheekily. “I didn’t mean it that way, but I guess you’d know if he had a busy body or not.”
The boy continued to frown at him, and Duo waved a hand. “I just meant he likes to stick his nose in other people’s business. Like what he was doing with Wufei this morning. If I didn’t know you and Kurama were a couple, I’d think he was hitting on him.”
Hiei raised an eyebrow. “You mean flirting?”
“Right,” said Duo. “It was the way he invited Wufei to go with him. And how he was trying to get Yusuke to stay behind, like he wanted the two of them to be alone. It’s nice that you trust Kurama so much. If it were me, I’d probably be furious at having my lover flirt with someone else right in front of me.”
“Lover?”
Duo turned to find Hiei looking shell-shocked, and he wondered for a moment how anyone’s eyes could be so wide. “Last I heard, you guys were lovers or related. Since you’re definitely not related, that leaves the other option. Did you really think no one noticed? He talks about you all the time. And as possessive as you got after that incident with Zechs it was pretty obvious.”
He shrugged and glanced away, not seeing how Hiei’s face had drawn into a frown. “I guess since you’ve been together so long you don’t really think about how noticeable it is. Not like me and Heero. We barely get along, and he definitely isn’t one for public displays of affection.”
Duo shook his head, changing the subject quickly. “Anyway, it’s really nice that you’re so willing to stay behind while Kurama goes off by himself. Though I’d be more worried about him being alone with Wufei, than about an attack.”
“He doesn’t want your friend,” Hiei said sharply, frowning at the obviously faked cheer Duo was putting on. “He wants to see him with Zechs.”
“No way!”
Duo blinked a few times before closing his gaping mouth. “Zechs? But the two of them barely even talk to each other.”
“You weren’t there yesterday when they dueled,” Hiei sniffed. “Kurama says there’s chemistry. Idiot fox.”
A duel? Chemistry between Zechs and Wufei?
Duo knew he’d been left out of the loop on a lot of things, between his mishap while training, and missing lunch the day before. But Wufei and Zechs having chemistry and him not noticing? Wufei would have told him.
Only if it were a recent development, Wufei wouldn’t have said a word about it. The thought that his friend was holding things back, probably so he wouldn’t bother Duo now that Heero was gone, made Duo feel that much more separated from the group. And Kurama playing matchmaker to his best friend – that was the worst blow of all.
“If anyone is going to set Wufei up,” Duo growled, “it should be me.”
Hiei blinked at the boy’s glare, raising an eyebrow. “Are you jealous of Kurama?”
“No, but you should be,” Duo rounded. “He’s off having fun with my friend and you’re stuck here tailing me around the woods. That’s hardly fair. Then again, if I were him I wouldn’t want you spending time with me either. Hell, Heero got jealous if Wufei so much as looked at me.”
“Kurama does what he wants,” said Hiei. “I don’t control who he looks at.”
“Really?” Now it was Duo’s turn to raise an eyebrow in disbelief. “As angry as you got when Zechs looked in Kurama’s mind?”
“Zechs had no right,” Hiei said sharply, “because he was not invited.”
“Then, if Kurama wanted him, you wouldn’t argue...?”
“No.”
That answer was given coldly, but Hiei didn’t meet his eyes. Duo shook his head in simple confusion. “Why the hell not?”
“It’s his choice to make.”
Hiei knew Duo wouldn’t understand and he didn’t plan to explain. The boy thought they were lovers. How he and Kurama had given that impression, Hiei didn’t know. It was obvious someone had twisted their relationship into something it wasn’t, and had repeated the rumor to Duo. Hiei just hoped Kurama didn’t hear of it. He was sure that sort of talk would make the fox decidedly uncomfortable.
For all that Kurama seemed confident, he was wary of what he considered sexual contact. Hiei knew. It had been over two years since Kurama had decided they couldn’t shower together anymore, as if he expected Hiei to attack him if he showed his body. He’d been disturbed at first, knowing that Kurama didn’t trust him, but he’d come to accept it. And he’d learned quickly, how to hide anything that might make the fox uneasy.
That had led to their sparring routine, the perfect distraction with an added benefit of increasing Kurama’s fighting skills. Hiei had made sure that if the fox did find someone he wanted that way, he’d be able to protect himself. And that, which was more than he could do for Yukina, was enough to be grateful for. Kurama loved him. He wouldn’t ask for more than that.
Only, there was that kiss the other day, which Hiei still hadn’t found a good explanation for. Kurama had clearly been horrified afterward, even afraid. Two years and he still expected Hiei to attack him? And if so, why had he looked so happy when he returned the kiss?
Hiei wasn’t so innocent that he didn’t recognize passion. Kurama hadn’t been horrified that he’d kissed someone, he’d been horrified that he’d kissed Hiei. It wasn’t sexual contact the fox was afraid of, but the thought of having such contact with him. As much as Hiei had tried to hide his attraction, he knew somewhere along the line he’d failed.
Now it was only a matter of how long he had before Kurama found someone he wasn’t afraid of. And with Yukina’s growing interest in Kuwabara, Hiei knew there was no chance of Kurama choosing her. That had been his hope, that Kurama would choose her and he could keep them both. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what he’d do without them.
Duo didn’t know what to make of Hiei. It was clear to him that while the boy might stand by and let his lover leave, he’d mourn the loss. So why would he stand by and suffer that? Was Duo selfish in comparison, or not in the same sort of loving relationship?
He knew he’d never accept Heero leaving him for someone else. Oh, not to say that Heero wouldn’t do it. At the moment Duo wouldn’t put anything past him. But he couldn’t accept it without a fight. He wasn’t some toy Heero could use and discard when he found someone he liked better. If there was any ownership in their relation, Heero belonged to him, and he’d damn well tell him as much when the boy dragged his sorry ass back there.
Forget moping around and feeling abandoned, Heero deserved a railing at least twice as bad as the one he’d given Duo for overusing his power. And the more Duo thought about it, the more he was sure he’d looked at this situation the wrong way. Heero had left him because he’d let the boy go. That was unacceptable. He’d be damned before he’d let some guy walk out on him.
“I guess that means I’m damned,” Duo muttered, glaring crossly at his folded arms. “But see if I do that again. When I get my hands on him...”
Hiei had looked up when Duo spoke. Now, he leaned back a bit, not sure what to think of the strangling motions Duo was making with his hands. He raised an eyebrow at the boy’s almost murderous expression. He almost asked Duo what he was talking about, but decided against it. Something else had caught his attention.
He never saw the boy move. Duo’s mind had a brief memory of Heero pushing him off the bed at the safehouse, as he was shoved back and up too quickly to react. One moment he’d been standing a few feet from Hiei, and the next he was hanging over a thirteen foot drop with an arm around his waist as the only thing supporting him. And all he could do was stare in shock as something exploded on the path where they’d been standing.
Their attacker was a brief slender black outline that lasted no longer than the explosion had. Hiei’s jagan had reacted to the presence with a recognition of power and little else. Now he could make out a vague green energy shadow where the person had stood, the same type that was fading out from the torn ground below them. He didn’t get a clear rank from that brief exposure, but the small crater in the path made it obvious that the mutant was powerful enough to be a danger.
He sent one last at the surrounding area, his jagan reading for any sign of energy, but spotted nothing but that residue. His arms shifted, turning Duo to face him so the boy lay half over his shoulder. It would be awkward, but he had no time to move slowly and he couldn’t leave Duo by himself any more than he could stay out here while Yukina was alone in the school.
Duo choked from both humiliation and the shoulder he was lying over. He didn’t stop to marvel that Hiei could carry him and still jump from tree to tree without so much as breaking a limb with their added weight. He was too caught on the fact that the smaller boy was carrying him like a sack of potatoes. Face a dark red, Duo caught hold of the back of Hiei’s cloak and did his best to speak while bent over a hard moving shoulder.
“Put me down,” Duo managed.
“There’s no time,” Hiei answered tightly, not slowing a bit.
“I know that!”
Duo groaned as he was jarred from a far jump, the landing of which shook leaves free from the limb – his weight more than Hiei’s, he was sure. “But I can get us there in a second! You’re going to the school, right? Just stop long enough for me to breathe and I’ll take us there!”
Despite his order, Duo was surprised when Hiei stopped dead and tipped him onto his feet. He swayed for a moment, since the limb was far too narrow for his liking. Then he reached out and caught Hiei’s shoulders, pulling the boy into a sort of embrace as he focused on the safest place in the school. A second later they disappeared.
- - -
TBC
-notes-
Next part will focus on Quatre, Hiei, and Kurama.
It turns out Hiei had more to ‘say’ in this part than Kurama, so he got most of the focus for that pair. And the part turned out to be shorter than I’d estimated. Some of the future parts will be extra long, though, so it should even out in the end...
I want to thank the readers who’ve watched the vid – I made it for you, so I’m glad you liked it. A few questions came up about it. Treize is shown with Quatre because he was the one who took him in that base, before Zechs found him and gave him back to Trowa. Jin and Touya will be a couple in this fic (with the possibility of a prequel focusing on them and their friends, a YYH-Naruto fic if I write it) but I expect to make it a threesome with Yusuke, I just haven’t decided if Yusuke is uke to Jin or seme or both – I’ve never read that pairing before so all I know is that Touya is my main uke.
Vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.
This Part: Featured characters include Quatre (3x4), Duo, and Hiei.
AMV: www . geocities . com / arigatomina / gmen . html
Category: Yaoi, Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho
Warnings: shonen ai, minor angst
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, Kurama-Hiei, will be 6x5
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina
Gmen
Part 34: Unraveling
Trowa woke to a sharp cry of pain. Next to him on the bed, Quatre seemed to be suffering from some sort of attack. The boy was curled in on himself so tightly his muscles trembled at the strain. Eyes locked on that pale face, Trowa pulled him up.
“What is it?” Trowa asked anxiously.
Quatre had assured him he’d suffered no lasting harm from being exposed to his unrestrained power the day before. The boy had told him about the filter Kuwabara had helped him create. He’d been outright giddy with happiness over the success. Remembering that, Trowa was immediately sure Quatre’s current condition was unrelated.
“Quatre?”
It hurt too much to speak, to even care about the concern evident in Trowa’s voice. Quatre’s teeth were clenched, and he hissed through them, his words garbled and faint.
“Don’t,” Quatre whispered. “Hurts. Too fast to...”
He held himself tighter, struggling to curl into a more protective ball. He didn’t understand why he was being held still where the pain could get him so easily. Why couldn’t he move his arms? Why did it burn inside, eating away at him? How long, how long, a lifetime of pain, holding him, tearing, burning.
“Please stop, I can’t...! Too much...”
The words melted into a soft keening cry, and Trowa’s panic shut down sharply. His eyes locked on Quatre’s wide, blind gaze. The reading was sudden and concise, cutting through the confusion and diving right into the source. He could feel the pain, a crushing well of it, with an essence he only knew from a distance. Quatre’s suffering was faint compared to this. Trowa withdrew seconds later with resolve and a name.
“Filter it,” said Trowa. His voice was cold, without a hint of compassion. “Make a filter on the pain like you did with me. If you can’t block it, at least separate yourself from it so it won’t hurt you so much.”
“I’m trying but it hurts,” Quatre whimpered. Tears filled his eyes, but he couldn’t see anyway. The pain was a bloody, blinding veil that obscured everything. “It burns,” he cried, “tearing me... What is it? Why is it...?”
Trowa’s expression hardened at the helpless tone. He grabbed Quatre’s hair, near that still tender spot where the boy had struck the tree the day before, and jerked that blonde head back. The unexpected force surprised Quatre enough to lock bloodshot eyes on him.
“Block it,” Trowa ordered. “Do it now.”
Quatre gasped, confusion shining through his tears. “You’re...hurting me...? Why...?”
Those eyes tore at him, but Trowa locked away the emotion, keeping his gaze clear and determined. His left hand rose to catch Quatre’s shoulder, fingers digging in nearly tight enough to break the boy’s collar bone.
“This is your pain,” Trowa hissed, directly into Quatre’s ear, “feel the difference. That, that isn’t yours. You don’t have to feel that...!”
The confusion thickened, with deep emotional hurt that mingled the sensations of physical and psychic pain. Quatre sobbed, lost in the middle of it. He didn’t understand anything except that he was in pain, and now Trowa was hurting him too, Trowa, who’d sooner die than hurt him.
'Don’t...Trowa, don’t. It hurts, pulling me and I can’t...can’t breathe. Please, please hear me, I can’t breathe...! I need...help. Trowa...? Tro-'
It struck him like a gale, staggering him as if he were being wrapped in a numbing shock of wind. That feeling, of having Trowa’s presence curl around his psyche, was enough to separate him from his physical body. Just for a moment, just long enough for Quatre to see himself standing outside that plate window, that filter.
His palms were pressed flat against it as he looked in to see Trowa on the other side, staring back with warm, welcoming eyes. Quatre opened his mouth but couldn’t seem to find a voice to speak with. He moved so their hands were together, only that thin glass separating them, and he longed to go through, needing to feel him.
He could hear that clamoring behind him, his heart contracting with pain beyond physical sensation. And he whimpered without sound, pressing his hands hard against the glass that had taken so long to form. Now he wanted to tear it down, anything to get to the boy on the other side.
A whisper reached him, but it was too quiet to hear. He couldn’t hear him through that pane of glass, could see Trowa’s lips moving as he spoke, but couldn’t hear the words. Quatre leaned closer, struggling to hear over that pain in his heart.
'...to section it off...another window like this...filter...don’t have to block it out...only keep it from taking you over...'
The words were so calm compared to the storm raging behind him, that Quatre grasped them tightly, hiding them away where that pain couldn’t touch them. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to the glass, feeling the heat of it, so much hotter than even the pain. He was trying to remember how he’d made this filter, to concentrate enough to remember, to imagine a shield coming up between him and that encompassing pain. But he couldn’t do it alone, not alone. He’d had help before, to pull him out, an anchor.
He opened his eyes, meaning to ask Trowa for help, and stared at the empty space. There was nothing beyond the window but blackness. Quatre reacted with fear bordering on stark terror.
'Trowa?!'
Quatre jerked, opening his eyes with a ragged breath. “Trowa...!”
The blonde boy lunged forward, catching him in a tight embrace, and Trowa let out a shaky breath of his own.
Strong arms moved around him, but it wasn’t enough. “Tighter,” Quatre whispered, crushing himself in that embrace. “Hold me tighter. It still hurts...”
Pain and fear erupted at those words, but Trowa obeyed, his arms pulling the boy closer. “You can’t block it out...?”
“I have,” said Quatre, “but I can still feel it inside. My heart, my heart hurts from it. But...it’s not my pain...”
“I know.”
Quatre pushed back, just enough to look up at Trowa. “I’ve never felt anything like-“
He stopped suddenly, that emotional pain fading away to be replaced with a more personal pain, his pain. And he blinked back tears, horrified at what he was seeing.
“Trowa,” he whispered, as he reached up to brush the dampness on the other boy’s face. “You’re crying...”
Panic and hurt shivered over him, and Quatre shook his head furiously. “Please don’t,” he whispered. “I’m sorry if I scared you, I didn’t meant to worry you, just please don’t-“
Trowa stopped him with a tender, loving kiss. But his expression was so sad Quatre caught his breath to keep from sobbing against him.
“I hurt you,” Trowa explained, his voice a hoarse whisper, “intentionally. I never thought I’d do that, but I did. I knew exactly what I was doing...and I did it anyway. If you hadn’t reacted to me I would have hurt you more...”
“Hurt me?” asked Quatre, confusion swamping his pale face. “When did you...?”
Trowa answered by brushing a hand over the boy’s shoulder, pressing lightly on the bruising flesh. Quatre gave a little cry of surprise and reached up to touch the area himself. It was very tender, already darkening, as if he’d been struck there. But he didn’t remember Trowa doing it.
A glance at Trowa’s face told him the boy had done it, his expression was heart-wrenching. Quatre gave a mournful cry and pulled him down into a warm embrace.
“Oh, Trowa,” he whispered, smiling through his tears, “don’t look like that. I forgive you, of course I do. You brought me out of it. No one else could have. I saw you, Trowa, in my mind. I saw you there, through the window. Before all I could see of you was a storm, but I saw you this time, the real, beautiful you...”
“I dropped my guard,” said Trowa, more shaken by the admission than anything. “I could barely see you through it, it was so dark on my side, but I could feel the pain you were in. I could see it trying to take you away, to drown you in it.”
Quatre nodded against Trowa’s neck, unwilling to let even an inch separate them. “I have never felt anything like that, and it’s still there. Heero. I don’t understand what’s happening to him. Even now that I know what it is all I can feel...all I can get from him is that pain. I can feel his pain, but nothing else. Not even a thought...”
“He’s unconscious,” said Trowa, “so the sensation is all he knows. I don’t know why you’re feeling it unless you’ve made a connection to your friends.”
“Yes,” said Quatre, “he’s in my heart. That’s where the pain is, my heart.”
He turned his face, ducking it so his words were spoken against Trowa’s warm neck. “We have to help him. But I don’t know where he is, or who’s hurting him...”
Trowa’s eyes narrowed and he was silent for a moment, not sure what to say. “You didn’t read Heero before he left...? He isn’t being attacked, Quatre. He knew this would happen when he left, he just didn’t know any of us would feel it. He didn’t want us to worry about him, so he didn’t tell us what he was going to do.”
Quatre shivered at that, holding Trowa tighter. “Will Duo feel this? Heero’s all alone. If Duo knew...it would tear him apart.”
“We won’t tell him,” Trowa said decisively. “Heero didn’t want any of us to know, but especially not Duo.”
“And now he’s all alone...”
- - -
There was an air of foreboding at the table that morning. Duo, who’d been the first to join Zechs, was on his fourth cup of coffee – black, no sugar – and had circles under his eyes. Wufei, who often woke early from disturbing, but immediately forgotten dreams, sympathized with him. He hadn’t been long before joining the two, though he’d gotten considerably more sleep.
Trowa and Quatre were notably subdued, the faint redness in the blonde boy’s eyes hinting that they’d had their own disturbing incident that morning. They didn’t speak of it as they sat to tea, not in the mood for food any more than their friends were.
If not for Hiei, the table could have been occupied by ghosts, for all they were silent and moody. Hiei was devouring seeded cheese buns directly off the platter, which he’d selfishly taken back to the table with him.
Kurama watched with amused eyes and a knowing smile, sipping on his tea and content to let Hiei eat for the both of them. He hadn’t eaten much of anything the last two days, so it was about time he caught up.
Zechs waited until Hiei had finished to give the news he’d been holding back since before Duo came down. He got their attention by pushing his chair away from the table.
“Relena came down earlier,” he said. “She’s going to a meeting with some of the neighboring leaders later this morning. There will be OZ officials there as well, so I’m going to accompany her. At this point they must know where we are. They haven’t made a move yet, but I don’t trust them enough to let her go by herself.”
He turned to look pointedly at Hiei. “Yukina plans to join her.”
“No.”
Kurama winced at the way Hiei glared. He dropped a hand to the boy’s shoulder and shook his head at him.
“I’ll speak with her,” Kurama promised. “I’m sure if I went to keep an eye on Relena, Yukina-chan would agree to stay here. She wouldn’t try to go with her if she weren’t concerned.”
“She has a right to be concerned,” said Zechs. “I don’t trust this. Relena told me the meeting was originally scheduled for a month from now. OZ requested they have it today instead.”
“You’re expecting some sort of attack on the Sanq envoy, then?” asked Trowa. “If so, you should have someone else with you who has offensive skills.”
He nodded to Kurama. “Not that we don’t trust your strength. OZ knows Zechs is with us, so they’re more likely to keep quiet if they know who they’re up against. I doubt they’re aware of your power.”
“Oh, I’m not offended,” Kurama smiled. “I was going to suggest that myself. Perhaps Wufei would like to join us?”
Wufei’s eyebrow twitched at the smile Kurama turned on him, and he resisted the urge to squirm in his seat. Now there was no doubt in his mind that the redhead was playing matchmaker. His duel with Zechs had been cut short the day before, Relena showing up to remind Zechs of his manners and dragging him off to socialize with her and Dorothy. Wufei suspected Kurama was looking for any chance to get the two of them together again.
He was considering how to answer that question when a hand clapped down on his shoulder.
“Join you where?” asked Yusuke. “I’m game.”
The boy grinned and drug a chair over so he sat between Duo and Wufei, both of whom sent him uncertain looks.
Kurama gave a quick smile. “It’s a meeting of foreign dignitaries, very boring. And besides, you wouldn’t want to miss your match with Hiei, now would you? He isn’t likely to reschedule it.”
“Are you going without him?” Yusuke returned, raising an eyebrow. “He wouldn’t fight at full power if he’s busy worrying about you. So there’s no point in a match until you get back.”
Hiei, surprising to everyone, admitted as much, nodding with a dark glower. Hiei didn’t look at all happy about it, but Kurama was quite smug to hear it.
“I don’t think there’s a real need to have three extra mutants go,” said Zechs. “But Relena can bring a few guests, so long as they aren’t open bodyguards. You’d have to be discreet. She and I will be the only ones allowed into the conference room, since I’m the technical heir to this country, and she’s the current leader. That would leave the three of you outside the doors. Chances are nothing will happen and you’ll just be sitting for a few hours in the waiting room.”
“But good to have us there just in case, right?” Kurama smiled. “I’ll just go speak to Yukina-chan, then.”
- - -
Duo didn’t say anything as the four mutants took their leave. He, Trowa, and Quatre had seen them to Relena’s personal plane, but the only fanfare was Kurama blowing a kiss to seemingly no one. Few of the people around the airfield noticed the black shadow that had stayed back near the building. So none of them saw Hiei’s eyebrow twitch at the playful gesture.
Then they were gone, and Duo found himself walking back towards the school a few paces behind his friends. He was relieved that they weren’t acting sappy at the moment, but their silence, and Quatre’s continued glances back at him, were irritating to put up with. They seemed to think he was upset to have been left behind. Again.
He wasn’t upset, just angry. Of course he couldn’t go with Wufei, not when he still wasn’t able to use his powers without getting dizzy. He’d tried that morning, after waking up in a cold sweat. Just a few minutes of invisibility and he’d felt light-headed. It made him wonder if he’d still be in a coma if Kuwabara and Yukina hadn’t leant him their energy. He was pathetic.
The thought served to darken his mood even more, his shoulders hunching a few more inches as he slowed his walk. The happy couple were getting further away, but he knew he only had a minute or two before Quatre would glance back again. The blonde boy seemed obsessed with sneaking looks at him this morning. He probably expected him to have an emotional breakdown, or to throw a temper tantrum at not getting to go along on the trip.
Duo rolled his eyes, and sidestepped off the path that was taking them back to the school. He’d probably worry Quatre by disappearing, but the boy could always read his mind to find out where he’d gone. He just didn’t want to be stuck in that school, without even Wufei for company. The last thing he wanted to do was to watch Trowa and Quatre hang on each other all day.
So they were happy with each other, good for them. But seeing it twisted the wound for Duo. He needed a distraction.
The pair didn’t notice when he slipped away. Or if they did notice, they didn’t comment on it until he was out of hearing range. Duo took the set of stone steps carved into the hill to the side of the school. He hadn’t really explored much, but as far as he could tell everything downhill eventually led into the forest.
There was an early morning chill in the air, just crisp enough to make Duo glad he’d brought a jacket. He flicked the collar up to block his ears and longed for his cap. He’d lost it somewhere between the old safehouse, the hotel, and here. With it, he could have ducked his head so none of the shopkeepers sweeping the walkways would see his face. From the way they stared he thought they rarely saw students out this early.
Duo picked up his pace to a brisk walk and did his best to ignore the curious eyes that followed him. He was so set on the sidewalk beneath his feet that he didn’t notice when the people stopped watching him. There was a sudden silence, where a general murmur had been a moment before. He’d missed the looks, but the quiet got his attention.
He paused to glance back at the shop he’d just passed. An older man had been setting up a rack of discounted clothing outside his bright window when Duo walked by, and he’d stopped to stare with unabashed curiosity. Now the man was studying the price tags, almost pointedly looking at everything that would keep his back to the sidewalk. And the other people, who’d been staring just as rudely, were now minding their business studiously. From Duo’s eyes, it was almost eerie.
He shrugged it off as well as he could and the rest of the walk was uneventful. It really reminded him of how the people had avoided Kurama by crossing to the other side of the road. Instead of loitering outside to stare at him, the people ducked back in before he got more than a few feet from them. And while it did make him feel rather like a leper, it was amusing after a while. By the time he reached the forest he was nursing a small, fleeting smile.
Duo hadn’t planned out what he’d do once he reached the forest. He couldn’t practice his talents the way the others had here, so that ruled out anything industrious. He started down the path opposite the one Kurama had sent them on the day before. He hadn’t been in that part of the forest yet, so it was at least new scenery.
The sun hadn’t even started to creep into the forest yet, but the birds were already waking with chirruping, repetitive and high pitched whistles. Duo grimaced up at the treetops and kicked a nearby bush, just to be spiteful. He promptly jumped back as something fat, dark, and furry scurried over his foot in its haste to seek shelter in the underbrush on the other side of the path.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say that was a beaver,” Duo breathed, grinning at the bushes the thing had ducked into.
The nearest bush shivered at his words and he could swear he saw beady eyes where the large rodent was still watching him. The birds had dimmed, disturbed by his presence, but they soon started up again. Duo wrinkled his nose at the sounds that were bound to give him a pounding headache before long. Then he broke into a light jog up the path, scoping the terrain before increasing to a run that blocked out all sound except wind rushing past his ears.
It brought back memories, running unseen through a forest, far from prying eyes. He could feel that old solitary survivor instinct waking with energetic plans. Food first and a place to hide while he watched the nearest base to memorize the shift changes, picking his choice of weapon based on the number of guards, sneaking in and listening to random snatches of conversation that might give him his next target, and then the kill and escape, always noting the fastest way out once alarm klaxons were screaming off the walls.
It hadn’t been a happy way of life, but he’d been busy. He’d never had the time to stop and mope or think too much. Even going on foot from base to base had kept his mind on survival, noting everything around him and not worrying about what was inside him. Since then he’d become so self involved he probably wouldn’t have noticed if a group of soldiers were tailing him.
The thought was disturbing, bringing a bolt of unease. Duo stopped, his breaths silent despite how long it had been since he’d run. He had a horrid suspicion that something was wrong, that he really had failed to notice something that should have come naturally with his instincts. It was enough to make him lift his gaze in sweeps over the forest, almost afraid that he’d see a few armed men casually aiming at him.
The people on the streets had behaved strangely. They’d seen him before, going alone that first time and then again with the others. When he’d been by himself, they had stared the entire time. They hadn’t looked away until he was with his friends. So why had they stopped watching him this time?
He didn’t see anything, but that feeling of something being off had increased dramatically. He held his breath for a moment, listening to the forest. Then he realized what it was. The birds had gone silent. And since he hadn’t seen anything on the ground, that only left...
Duo stared up at the canopy for a second before breaking into a small, confused smile. “Are you stalking me?”
“Yes.”
The simple response nearly made him laugh. Duo shook his head and raised an eyebrow at the shadow he’d spotted, nestled close and casual in a nearby tree.
“Why don’t you come down,” said Duo. “You might as well. It’s not like I could outrun you, anyway.”
Hiei sniffed and shoved off the tree, landing in a crouch a few feet from Duo. He eyed the boy’s smile for a second before looking away. “You shouldn’t be out here alone.”
Duo blinked in surprise, a little insulted. “Since when? The rest of the students come out here as much as they want in the mornings. Why shouldn’t I?”
“Why did you come out here?” asked Hiei.
Since Hiei wasn’t looking at him, he didn’t see the way Duo glared before turning away. He started walking again, and Hiei trailed after him.
“I didn’t want to be a third wheel,” he admitted. “It’s not like Trowa and Quatre have had that much time to be alone these days.”
“They aren’t alone now,” said Hiei. “They’re with that woman you brought. And Yukina.”
Duo glanced back to see Hiei scowling at the forest to the side of the path. “I take it you don’t like her being there?”
“Kurama said that woman is a member of OZ,” Hiei glared. “Yukina shouldn’t be anywhere near her.”
“Don’t worry, Quatre wouldn’t let Une say anything mean to Yukina. She has this soft side, Une does, so she likes Yukina. I doubt there’s anything to worry about. Une wouldn’t hurt Yukina any more than that Kuwabara guy would.”
Though he’d been trying to help, Duo knew he’d said the worst possible thing. Hiei ground to a halt and looked like he didn’t know whether to glare or grimace in disgust. His mottled expression made Duo grin weakly.
“I guess it’s hard having a little sister,” said Duo. “I wouldn’t know, myself.”
Hiei looked away in visible discomfort, and Duo frowned at him, something niggling in the back of his mind. “If Yukina’s back at the school, shouldn’t you be there watching out for her? That was the reason Kurama left, right? So you could keep an eye on Yukina?”
“She’s with your friends,” Hiei frowned, glancing back at Duo again. “Where you should be.”
“So what is it? You’re here to bring me back?” Duo glared, all of his frustration rising up to knot in his throat. “I may not be at the top of my strength, but I can still get the hell out of dodge if my life depends on it. I’m not helpless no matter what crap Heero told you guys.”
“He,” Hiei ground out, his dislike of Heero audible in his tone, “didn’t tell me anything. Kurama did.”
“Then Kurama told you to follow me around?” Duo prodded. “Isn’t he a busybody.”
Hiei blinked wide eyes at that term, dismissing the ideas that popped up as possible definitions. “A busy...body?”
It was really hard to stay angry when Hiei was wearing such a confused expression. Duo grinned cheekily. “I didn’t mean it that way, but I guess you’d know if he had a busy body or not.”
The boy continued to frown at him, and Duo waved a hand. “I just meant he likes to stick his nose in other people’s business. Like what he was doing with Wufei this morning. If I didn’t know you and Kurama were a couple, I’d think he was hitting on him.”
Hiei raised an eyebrow. “You mean flirting?”
“Right,” said Duo. “It was the way he invited Wufei to go with him. And how he was trying to get Yusuke to stay behind, like he wanted the two of them to be alone. It’s nice that you trust Kurama so much. If it were me, I’d probably be furious at having my lover flirt with someone else right in front of me.”
“Lover?”
Duo turned to find Hiei looking shell-shocked, and he wondered for a moment how anyone’s eyes could be so wide. “Last I heard, you guys were lovers or related. Since you’re definitely not related, that leaves the other option. Did you really think no one noticed? He talks about you all the time. And as possessive as you got after that incident with Zechs it was pretty obvious.”
He shrugged and glanced away, not seeing how Hiei’s face had drawn into a frown. “I guess since you’ve been together so long you don’t really think about how noticeable it is. Not like me and Heero. We barely get along, and he definitely isn’t one for public displays of affection.”
Duo shook his head, changing the subject quickly. “Anyway, it’s really nice that you’re so willing to stay behind while Kurama goes off by himself. Though I’d be more worried about him being alone with Wufei, than about an attack.”
“He doesn’t want your friend,” Hiei said sharply, frowning at the obviously faked cheer Duo was putting on. “He wants to see him with Zechs.”
“No way!”
Duo blinked a few times before closing his gaping mouth. “Zechs? But the two of them barely even talk to each other.”
“You weren’t there yesterday when they dueled,” Hiei sniffed. “Kurama says there’s chemistry. Idiot fox.”
A duel? Chemistry between Zechs and Wufei?
Duo knew he’d been left out of the loop on a lot of things, between his mishap while training, and missing lunch the day before. But Wufei and Zechs having chemistry and him not noticing? Wufei would have told him.
Only if it were a recent development, Wufei wouldn’t have said a word about it. The thought that his friend was holding things back, probably so he wouldn’t bother Duo now that Heero was gone, made Duo feel that much more separated from the group. And Kurama playing matchmaker to his best friend – that was the worst blow of all.
“If anyone is going to set Wufei up,” Duo growled, “it should be me.”
Hiei blinked at the boy’s glare, raising an eyebrow. “Are you jealous of Kurama?”
“No, but you should be,” Duo rounded. “He’s off having fun with my friend and you’re stuck here tailing me around the woods. That’s hardly fair. Then again, if I were him I wouldn’t want you spending time with me either. Hell, Heero got jealous if Wufei so much as looked at me.”
“Kurama does what he wants,” said Hiei. “I don’t control who he looks at.”
“Really?” Now it was Duo’s turn to raise an eyebrow in disbelief. “As angry as you got when Zechs looked in Kurama’s mind?”
“Zechs had no right,” Hiei said sharply, “because he was not invited.”
“Then, if Kurama wanted him, you wouldn’t argue...?”
“No.”
That answer was given coldly, but Hiei didn’t meet his eyes. Duo shook his head in simple confusion. “Why the hell not?”
“It’s his choice to make.”
Hiei knew Duo wouldn’t understand and he didn’t plan to explain. The boy thought they were lovers. How he and Kurama had given that impression, Hiei didn’t know. It was obvious someone had twisted their relationship into something it wasn’t, and had repeated the rumor to Duo. Hiei just hoped Kurama didn’t hear of it. He was sure that sort of talk would make the fox decidedly uncomfortable.
For all that Kurama seemed confident, he was wary of what he considered sexual contact. Hiei knew. It had been over two years since Kurama had decided they couldn’t shower together anymore, as if he expected Hiei to attack him if he showed his body. He’d been disturbed at first, knowing that Kurama didn’t trust him, but he’d come to accept it. And he’d learned quickly, how to hide anything that might make the fox uneasy.
That had led to their sparring routine, the perfect distraction with an added benefit of increasing Kurama’s fighting skills. Hiei had made sure that if the fox did find someone he wanted that way, he’d be able to protect himself. And that, which was more than he could do for Yukina, was enough to be grateful for. Kurama loved him. He wouldn’t ask for more than that.
Only, there was that kiss the other day, which Hiei still hadn’t found a good explanation for. Kurama had clearly been horrified afterward, even afraid. Two years and he still expected Hiei to attack him? And if so, why had he looked so happy when he returned the kiss?
Hiei wasn’t so innocent that he didn’t recognize passion. Kurama hadn’t been horrified that he’d kissed someone, he’d been horrified that he’d kissed Hiei. It wasn’t sexual contact the fox was afraid of, but the thought of having such contact with him. As much as Hiei had tried to hide his attraction, he knew somewhere along the line he’d failed.
Now it was only a matter of how long he had before Kurama found someone he wasn’t afraid of. And with Yukina’s growing interest in Kuwabara, Hiei knew there was no chance of Kurama choosing her. That had been his hope, that Kurama would choose her and he could keep them both. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what he’d do without them.
Duo didn’t know what to make of Hiei. It was clear to him that while the boy might stand by and let his lover leave, he’d mourn the loss. So why would he stand by and suffer that? Was Duo selfish in comparison, or not in the same sort of loving relationship?
He knew he’d never accept Heero leaving him for someone else. Oh, not to say that Heero wouldn’t do it. At the moment Duo wouldn’t put anything past him. But he couldn’t accept it without a fight. He wasn’t some toy Heero could use and discard when he found someone he liked better. If there was any ownership in their relation, Heero belonged to him, and he’d damn well tell him as much when the boy dragged his sorry ass back there.
Forget moping around and feeling abandoned, Heero deserved a railing at least twice as bad as the one he’d given Duo for overusing his power. And the more Duo thought about it, the more he was sure he’d looked at this situation the wrong way. Heero had left him because he’d let the boy go. That was unacceptable. He’d be damned before he’d let some guy walk out on him.
“I guess that means I’m damned,” Duo muttered, glaring crossly at his folded arms. “But see if I do that again. When I get my hands on him...”
Hiei had looked up when Duo spoke. Now, he leaned back a bit, not sure what to think of the strangling motions Duo was making with his hands. He raised an eyebrow at the boy’s almost murderous expression. He almost asked Duo what he was talking about, but decided against it. Something else had caught his attention.
He never saw the boy move. Duo’s mind had a brief memory of Heero pushing him off the bed at the safehouse, as he was shoved back and up too quickly to react. One moment he’d been standing a few feet from Hiei, and the next he was hanging over a thirteen foot drop with an arm around his waist as the only thing supporting him. And all he could do was stare in shock as something exploded on the path where they’d been standing.
Their attacker was a brief slender black outline that lasted no longer than the explosion had. Hiei’s jagan had reacted to the presence with a recognition of power and little else. Now he could make out a vague green energy shadow where the person had stood, the same type that was fading out from the torn ground below them. He didn’t get a clear rank from that brief exposure, but the small crater in the path made it obvious that the mutant was powerful enough to be a danger.
He sent one last at the surrounding area, his jagan reading for any sign of energy, but spotted nothing but that residue. His arms shifted, turning Duo to face him so the boy lay half over his shoulder. It would be awkward, but he had no time to move slowly and he couldn’t leave Duo by himself any more than he could stay out here while Yukina was alone in the school.
Duo choked from both humiliation and the shoulder he was lying over. He didn’t stop to marvel that Hiei could carry him and still jump from tree to tree without so much as breaking a limb with their added weight. He was too caught on the fact that the smaller boy was carrying him like a sack of potatoes. Face a dark red, Duo caught hold of the back of Hiei’s cloak and did his best to speak while bent over a hard moving shoulder.
“Put me down,” Duo managed.
“There’s no time,” Hiei answered tightly, not slowing a bit.
“I know that!”
Duo groaned as he was jarred from a far jump, the landing of which shook leaves free from the limb – his weight more than Hiei’s, he was sure. “But I can get us there in a second! You’re going to the school, right? Just stop long enough for me to breathe and I’ll take us there!”
Despite his order, Duo was surprised when Hiei stopped dead and tipped him onto his feet. He swayed for a moment, since the limb was far too narrow for his liking. Then he reached out and caught Hiei’s shoulders, pulling the boy into a sort of embrace as he focused on the safest place in the school. A second later they disappeared.
- - -
TBC
-notes-
Next part will focus on Quatre, Hiei, and Kurama.