Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ G-men ❯ Preliminaries ( Chapter 23 )
[ 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: 11.22.2002 | Updated On: 12.08.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 983 | 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: 11.22.2002 | Updated On: 12.08.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 983 | Status: Work In Progress
Category: Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, AU, Yaoi
Warnings: shonen ai, very slight violence
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5+6/6+5, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com
Website/Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina
G-men 23: Preliminaries
It took about ten minutes for Kurama to recap their different abilities, and the fact that they were currently waging attacks on OZ. Red eyes focused on each of them as their specific talents were described again, and Zechs blinked when they remained on him after the tall teen finished. The small black-haired boy stared at him until he shifted, glancing at Wufei. The elemental shrugged, frowning, and Zechs looked back to Hiei with a frown of his own. "What?"
"You're the healer?"
Kurama had just said as much and Zechs nodded, not sure what to make of the short boy's smirk. Hiei lifted a hand, pulling off the white scarf wrapped around his neck. He shrugged aside his black cloak, letting it fall over the back of his chair, and drew the sword strapped to his back. The white-haired man's eyes widened when the boy set his left arm on the table and swiftly sliced a deep wound. Quatre let out a surprised cry and Kurama groaned, leaving the table when blood began to coat the surface.
"You could have done that over a sink," Kurama scolded, frowning at Hiei's dark expression. The boy ignored him, watching Zechs.
"Well?" Hiei prompted, his smirk widening when the tall man flinched, breaking out of his surprise.
Zechs moved to heal the boy and Duo shot a doubtful look to Heero, his voice low. "They don't waste any time, do they." The dark-haired boy was scowling and Duo prodded him to get his attention, which he directed to Zechs' angry expression. "He doesn't look very happy."
Kurama moved behind the two boys, lowering his voice as he caught Duo's eye. "That's because Hiei *wanted* to get a rise out of him. If the problem in his healing is the delivery, we don't want to give him time to think about what he's doing." The violet-eyed boy raised an eyebrow at the towels in his hands and Kurama sighed. "Of course, *I* wouldn't have done it here, but...that's Hiei." Circling the table, he frowned at his small friend and dropped the towels with a pointed look. He wasn't about to clean up *this* mess.
It didn't take long to heal the wound, and Zechs was surprised by the hard muscle that meshed back together beneath his hands. Accepting a towel from Kurama, he wiped his palms. "I'd appreciate it if you gave me some warning, next time," he said, watching Hiei's thoughtful expression.
Hiei turned his arm, frowning at it before glancing up to look at Zechs. "It burns when you do that." Kurama shoved the pile of towels toward his hand and he snorted, cleaning his sword before sopping up the blood on the table. "What do you think when you heal like that?"
Taking his seat again, Zechs shook his head. "I just concentrate on healing the injury. For a cut like that I imagine the flesh sealing itself."
"Do you envision it?" Duo asked. He knew what the black-haired boy had meant about the burn, and he could see how a person might *will* something to happen. That was how he turned invisible, after all. "I mean, do you actually *think* about a wound healing, or does it happen naturally?"
"I just...focus on the wound and it heals."
Trowa caught Zechs' attention. "But you touch the person you're healing. With me, it felt as if you put some sort of energy into the wound. You sent that through your hands."
"Yes," Zechs nodded quickly, "but your wound was internal. I couldn't touch the wound itself, so I had to work from the inside out."
"Then you *do* send out some sort of energy when you heal," Kurama said, leaning his elbows on the table. "And you direct that when the wound isn't one you can see?"
"Yes, but I don't know much about how it works," Zechs admitted. "I see from the outside wound what sort of damage there is and I...imagine whatever it is that lets me heal being sent *into* a person. Then I imagine it being directed to the injury. Once it's there I heal it, the same as I would a flesh wound."
"You didn't just use your hands with Duo." The pale blue-eyed man flushed and Heero raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting. "Care to explain?"
"Yeah," Duo put in, frowning at the white-haired man. "That was the most painful kiss I've ever had." He realized what he'd said when Wufei let out a snort, the boy's smirk making his cheeks burn. Zechs was just as red, and Duo leaned back in his chair when he saw the way Kurama was raising a curious eyebrow at him. He abruptly bit his lip and dropped his eyes.
Silence reigned for a few seconds before Kurama gave into a smile. "Then you...send your healing force orally as well?" He didn't think a person's face could get any redder, and he calmed his smile as well as he could. "He must have had extensive internal damage."
"He did," Zechs said sharply. He wasn't used to being embarrassed, but he hadn't considered it a kiss when he'd healed Duo. It was simply the quickest way he could think of to put that power into the boy. "I know the...force comes from inside of me, so I imagined it flowing into him and to where the wounds were. Then I used my hands to center it on healing the worst ones from the inside out."
"I think I understand," Kurama nodded, glancing to the side when Hiei gave a sharp nod. "You were directing the energy, the healing force through him, and then pulling it back out again as it completed the healing. Then the pain either comes from the healing itself, or the movement of that power."
"The power," Hiei stated, red eyes aimed at Zechs. "You put too much out when you heal." Lifting his arm, he inclined his head to where the wound had been. "For a flesh wound, you need less energy. But you used the same amount you would have for an internal wound. Am I wrong?"
"I..." Frowning at the boy, Zechs shifted in his seat. "I'm not sure. I didn't hold anything back, though, I do know that. I don't really think about the *amount* of energy it takes to heal someone."
"You said you never experimented with your power," Kurama nodded, "so it is understandable. You might want to practice healing minor wounds, watching to see how much *effort* you use. Then you could try using less effort. Either the wound won't heal, meaning it's always going to burn, or the pain should lessen."
"It's a good idea," Duo murmured, his eyes glinting at the redhead. "But who's he supposed to practice on?" He wasn't about to forget how Heero had used him as the guinea pig for Quatre's little test. Kurama smiled at him and he blinked when those green eyes darted to the side.
"I think Hiei already volunteered for that, didn't you, Hiei." Kurama's smile widened when his friend looked at him, startled for a second before glaring sharply. He didn't argue, though. With a satisfied sigh, Kurama pushed back from the table. "But that can wait until another time. You weren't planning to leave anytime soon, right?" Zechs glanced at Heero and the Japanese boy shook his head. "Good. We can talk more about your abilities in the morning, if that's all right with you."
That sounded like a dismissal to Duo, even if it were a polite one, and he stood with a quick smile. A glance found the others standing as well and Kurama crossed the room, holding the door for them. It was rather abrupt, but Duo really didn't think the boy was trying to be rude. After all, he'd done the same thing with Yukina earlier. Following the others as they trailed out of the office, Duo paused in the doorway, his eyes sparking at the tall teen. "Can I ask you a question?"
Blinking in surprise, Kurama smiled. "Of course."
"Where's the last place you saw my picture?"
The boy looked more curious than anything, but Kurama could tell there was dull anger behind that slight smile. "I think it was in a bus terminal, but I didn't see it there. Hiei had it."
"What?" Duo started in surprise, his gaze darting to the black-haired youth still sitting at the table. The boy's arms were crossed over his chest and he returned the stare with a slight frown. "Why-"
"It's wrong," Kurama said softly, putting a light hand on Duo's shoulder, "for pictures of mutants to be put up as if they were wanted criminals. That's all." Violet eyes turned to him and he smiled, stepping back. "We'll see you in the morning. I look forward to this, you know. I've never had the opportunity to work with an A class mutant. You and your friends will wage a magnificent battle, I'm sure of it."
* * *
Dinner was being served when they reached the first level of the school, students filing through the halls in one general direction. Joining the flow, none of them spoke as they went through the serving line. Once they were seated, Heero looked at Zechs. "I'm going to do a search on those two," the Japanese boy said, his voice quiet in the general murmur of the cafeteria. "If Relena won't tell us anything, then it's the only option."
"You don't trust them?" Quatre asked. He'd been quiet through the last part of the meeting below, but he didn't see any reason to doubt the two mutants. From what Duo had said, they probably *were* as powerful as Kurama had claimed. But they'd also seemed able and willing to help them, not only to master their talents, but in their fight against OZ. Heero frowned at the table, and Quatre glanced to Trowa.
"It's because they didn't ask us anything about ourselves," Trowa explained. "Even if we're all mutants, they should have asked us something about our past besides out talents."
Zechs nodded at the tall boy, glancing to the blonde. "I don't think it was because they weren't interested, either. Kurama didn't ask us about our past because he didn't want us to ask about theirs. He never let the conversation turn more personal than our powers."
"That's true," Quatre admitted, his expression still doubtful. "But we don't know that they wouldn't tell us if we just asked." He looked across the table to Duo. "You said Miss Relena wouldn't say anything about them, right? That we should ask Kurama if we wanted to know. But we didn't ask him. I can see why you'd be wary of trusting another mutant," he said to Heero, "but I don't like the idea of investigating them without asking straight out first. Give them a chance to tell us before you find out for yourself."
"I plan to ask after I do the search," Heero said. "It's better that way. We can compare what they tell us with what we find." The blonde boy was frowning now, but he met his gaze calmly. "We can't afford to trust them blindly. What happened down there could easily have been a ruse to gain our trust. We won't be taken in twice."
Zechs winced at the reminder of their first meeting with Une, but he had to agree. "Heero's right. But I for one don't think that was a ruse. What would be the point? We were all together in a closed-in room. If they were working for OZ, they could have gassed us and taken us without lifting a finger." Dark blue eyes snapped to his and he nearly smirked at Heero's startled expression. "The fact that it didn't happen is a point in their favor."
"You guys are being way too paranoid," Duo commented. Unlike the rest of them, he wasn't going to wait for his food to get cold, his words coming in between bites. "I have absolute confidence that they're on our side. Besides, who would offer to play guinea pig to Zechs just to get on our good side? No one's that dumb."
Zechs frowned and Wufei smirked at the man before looking to Duo. "What did he say to you when we left?"
"Oh, I just asked him about that picture of me he said he'd seen, that's all." The others had begun to eat now, and Duo took another bite of his food before grinning suddenly. "You know, I still can't believe Hiei just cut his arm like that. I *definitely* wasn't expecting it."
Wufei could tell the boy was changing the subject, and he gave a slight nod. "His sword is very old-fashioned. I was surprised it cut so easily."
With a quick laugh, Duo smirked. "I didn't think people even *carried* swords anymore. But he did cut through weird plants earlier, so it had to be pretty sharp. What gets me is he barely flinched when he did it. As bad as Zechs' healing burns, he took it like a man." Pale blue eyes sparked at him from a droll glare and he smiled at Zechs.
"Kurama did say he resisted heat, though," Quatre put in. "If it burns, then maybe it wouldn't affect him as much as it did you and Trowa."
"That's true," Zechs said, his fingers tapping the table at the talk. He didn't like to be singled out for the flaw in his main talent, it was irritating. "I thought he was a child when I saw him earlier, but he's obviously older than that."
"What was your first clue?" Duo teased, smirking as Zechs' eyes flashed back to him. Teasing him was nearly as fun as teasing Wufei. "The voice, or the eyes?"
Wufei raised an eyebrow at Duo, his own lips curving into a smirk. "His eyes?"
There was a definite insinuating tone to the Chinese boy's voice, and Duo blinked when Heero shifted beside him. A quick glance found that boy's gaze on him as well and he leaned back a bit, frowning at him, and then Wufei. "All I meant was that he has that same bored look that Heero gets, and Trowa, too."
"Trowa doesn't look bored," Quatre countered with a slight frown. Duo turned to stare at him and he felt a little warmth creep to his cheeks. He knew the boy hadn't been insulting Trowa, but he'd spoken without thinking. The rising heat strengthened when he felt green eyes on him as well and he fumbled for something to say. "I think it's more serious than bored." The violet-eyed mutant continued to stare at him for a long moment before the boy smiled suddenly and Quatre sighed, dropping his gaze.
"Anyway," Duo smirked, enjoying his friend's embarrassment, "I look forward to meeting up with them tomorrow. Hopefully we can do more than just watch Zechs work."
"That reminds me," Quatre said, "Kurama didn't say when to meet them." Turning a bit, he looked around the crowded cafeteria. "And they didn't come up with us. They couldn't have had time to eat before we came down there, not with Hiei asleep."
Duo shook his head, leaning back since he'd finished eating. "They probably have their own kitchen down there. Let's just meet up here in the morning and go down when we're done. I have a feeling they'll probably be up."
"They can't help all of us at once," Quatre mused, frowning at what was left of his meal. "I think I'll stay with Une tomorrow. I don't think it's good to leave her alone for too long, and I want to start working with her."
"You're going to try bringing her softer side to the surface?" Zechs asked.
"Yes. And since we have an added incentive for staying here, I won't have to rush her." Quatre relaxed when Trowa nodded beside him.
"I'll join you," Trowa said, glancing to the others. "It's not a good idea to have anyone alone with her. She appears stable at the moment, but," he glanced at Heero, "we aren't taking chances."
"Good." Heero nodded to the boy, his brows drawn in a frown. "I'll stop by there before joining up with the others. I want to see this 'other side' of hers. I need to contact my informer with a report as soon as possible, but I don't want to do that until we know we'll be able to work on Une."
"Well," Duo sighed, "that looks like a plan to me. If you guys don't have anything else, I think I'm going to turn in."
Wufei's eyes glinted suddenly and he cleared his face, blinking at the longhaired boy. "Do you plan to share your room with Une tonight? You could bunk with me if you like." Duo's eyes widened in surprise and Wufei's lips twitched when he felt a hot glare blaze at him. Eyebrows rising, he turned an innocent expression to Heero.
The boy was just taunting him, Heero was sure of it, but he glared anyway, his eyes narrow slits of dark blue. "It's taken care of," he said tightly. Snatching his tray, he left the table, his expression relaxing a bit when Duo let out a light laugh.
"Yeah," Duo smirked, his eyes sparkling, "thanks anyway, Wufei." He waved to the others before grabbing his tray. "See you in the morning."
The American bounced away and Trowa turned calm eyes to Wufei. "You know he and Heero are sharing a room, don't you?"
"Of course I do," Wufei snorted. "It's very obvious."
Zechs glanced at the black-haired boy, shaking his head. "I'd be careful," he warned, "Heero doesn't look like the sort to take taunts lightly. I think he might be a bit possessive, judging by that glare he shot you."
"I agree," Wufei smirked. He didn't say any more as he cleared his own tray. Quatre and Trowa finished before him, and he nodded to them as they left for their own room. Zechs was a bit behind him and he waited, not wanting to leave the man alone in the room full of teens. "You know, Heero *should* be possessive." Pale blue eyes flicked to him in surprise and he stood slowly, picking up his tray. "I actually admire that about him. If he hadn't been assertive they never would have gotten together." The white-haired man blinked at him and Wufei smirked. "I'll see you in the morning." Zechs opened his mouth, but he didn't wait. The man was simply far too passive and there was no point even trying to change that. After all, even if the man had shown interest in him, Wufei wasn't about to lower his standards. He wasn't *that* lonely.
* * *
They'd taken a tray to Une before going to their room, and Quatre was thoroughly depressed by the time they reached it. The woman had flat out refused to eat anything. He'd been tempted to let that pass, but he knew he couldn't. If he did it once he *knew* she'd begin a hunger strike. He didn't have to be telepathic to know that. And it bothered him to force a person to eat. It was one thing to invade her privacy to make her answer questions, but to do it for such a simple thing made him feel dirty somehow. Trowa must have known, because the boy pushed him into a chair the moment they reached his room.
"You can't get this upset over something so simple," Trowa said, pulling off Quatre's vest so he could get to the boy's shoulders better. "I didn't read her mind, but I think part of her wanted you to intervene." Bright eyes turned up to him and he nodded. "If her unyielding side thought of the refusal, you know the other side was against it. Either way, you did what you had to for her own good."
The boy was rubbing his shoulders and Quatre smiled, relaxing in the chair. "You could rationalize anything, couldn't you, Trowa. I know I did what I had to, but I don't like using my ability on something so personal. I wouldn't even let her decide if she was hungry or not..."
"You think you're being too controlling?" The blonde nodded and Trowa smirked, curling his fingers tighter as the boy's shoulders remained tense. "I don't think you are. I think you're just choosing to blame yourself for something that can't be helped." Quatre didn't respond and he sighed, leaning over the boy, slipping his arms down over the boy's chest. Rubbing his hands over Quatre's arms, he leaned his forehead against the boy's hair. "Don't blame yourself. Just think of all the good you'll do her. It's up to you to undo all the damage Treize did to her. That should be enough to occupy your mind."
"I know," Quatre sighed, leaning against Trowa. "We've had such good news today, I don't know why I got depressed so easily." He felt the boy nod against his hair and smiled a bit as he pulled away so he could meet those dark green eyes. "You know, you don't have to stay with me while I work on Une. I'm sure the others would take turns. If I didn't know better, I'd think you volunteered with ulterior motives." The boy smirked at him and Quatre reached up a hand to pat Trowa's cheek. "And I'm not talking about *those* motives."
Trowa blinked in surprise, a bit wary and confused by the glint in the boy's eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Well, if you're with me, then you won't be able to explore your powers. Tell me you didn't think of that when you decided not to go down tomorrow." Green eyes widened and Quatre smirked in satisfaction, shifting in the chair as he folded his arms over his chest. "See? I know you as well as you know me. You *will* figure out as much as you can while we're here, Trowa. Whether I'm nearby or not."
"Orders?" A playful but definite nod answered him and Trowa's eyes narrowed, only the glint revealing his humor. "Then I don't have much choice, do I. Although, I hadn't actually thought of that until you said something." Quatre turned back to him in surprise and he smirked. "I wouldn't risk angering you again, you should know better."
Quatre frowned at that, dropping his eyes for a minute. He didn't really like the thought that Trowa had to go out of his way not to anger him. But he couldn't help being a bit satisfied that the boy wasn't going to argue about using his powers. The tall boy moved away from his back and he looked up quickly, blinking when his lover rounded the chair, green eyes watching him from a frowning face. "Trowa?"
"You need a bath." His lips twitched when the blonde boy straightened suddenly, pale blue-green eyes widening in outrage and he gave in to his smirk.
"Excuse me?!" Glaring at Trowa's expression, Quatre bristled. "You know I took..." The boy abruptly moved closer to him and he flinched back, not sure what to make of the calculating look he was given. "Trowa...?"
Hesitating for a moment, Trowa enjoyed Quatre's startled expression. "Allow me," he murmured, bending to lift the boy out of the chair. Hands flew to his shoulders and he smirked when Quatre's cheeks turned pink.
"Oh." Understanding dawned and Quatre blushed even as he shot a light glare at Trowa. "You could have just said so..."
* * *
TBC
Warnings: shonen ai, very slight violence
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5+6/6+5, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com
Website/Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina
G-men 23: Preliminaries
It took about ten minutes for Kurama to recap their different abilities, and the fact that they were currently waging attacks on OZ. Red eyes focused on each of them as their specific talents were described again, and Zechs blinked when they remained on him after the tall teen finished. The small black-haired boy stared at him until he shifted, glancing at Wufei. The elemental shrugged, frowning, and Zechs looked back to Hiei with a frown of his own. "What?"
"You're the healer?"
Kurama had just said as much and Zechs nodded, not sure what to make of the short boy's smirk. Hiei lifted a hand, pulling off the white scarf wrapped around his neck. He shrugged aside his black cloak, letting it fall over the back of his chair, and drew the sword strapped to his back. The white-haired man's eyes widened when the boy set his left arm on the table and swiftly sliced a deep wound. Quatre let out a surprised cry and Kurama groaned, leaving the table when blood began to coat the surface.
"You could have done that over a sink," Kurama scolded, frowning at Hiei's dark expression. The boy ignored him, watching Zechs.
"Well?" Hiei prompted, his smirk widening when the tall man flinched, breaking out of his surprise.
Zechs moved to heal the boy and Duo shot a doubtful look to Heero, his voice low. "They don't waste any time, do they." The dark-haired boy was scowling and Duo prodded him to get his attention, which he directed to Zechs' angry expression. "He doesn't look very happy."
Kurama moved behind the two boys, lowering his voice as he caught Duo's eye. "That's because Hiei *wanted* to get a rise out of him. If the problem in his healing is the delivery, we don't want to give him time to think about what he's doing." The violet-eyed boy raised an eyebrow at the towels in his hands and Kurama sighed. "Of course, *I* wouldn't have done it here, but...that's Hiei." Circling the table, he frowned at his small friend and dropped the towels with a pointed look. He wasn't about to clean up *this* mess.
It didn't take long to heal the wound, and Zechs was surprised by the hard muscle that meshed back together beneath his hands. Accepting a towel from Kurama, he wiped his palms. "I'd appreciate it if you gave me some warning, next time," he said, watching Hiei's thoughtful expression.
Hiei turned his arm, frowning at it before glancing up to look at Zechs. "It burns when you do that." Kurama shoved the pile of towels toward his hand and he snorted, cleaning his sword before sopping up the blood on the table. "What do you think when you heal like that?"
Taking his seat again, Zechs shook his head. "I just concentrate on healing the injury. For a cut like that I imagine the flesh sealing itself."
"Do you envision it?" Duo asked. He knew what the black-haired boy had meant about the burn, and he could see how a person might *will* something to happen. That was how he turned invisible, after all. "I mean, do you actually *think* about a wound healing, or does it happen naturally?"
"I just...focus on the wound and it heals."
Trowa caught Zechs' attention. "But you touch the person you're healing. With me, it felt as if you put some sort of energy into the wound. You sent that through your hands."
"Yes," Zechs nodded quickly, "but your wound was internal. I couldn't touch the wound itself, so I had to work from the inside out."
"Then you *do* send out some sort of energy when you heal," Kurama said, leaning his elbows on the table. "And you direct that when the wound isn't one you can see?"
"Yes, but I don't know much about how it works," Zechs admitted. "I see from the outside wound what sort of damage there is and I...imagine whatever it is that lets me heal being sent *into* a person. Then I imagine it being directed to the injury. Once it's there I heal it, the same as I would a flesh wound."
"You didn't just use your hands with Duo." The pale blue-eyed man flushed and Heero raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting. "Care to explain?"
"Yeah," Duo put in, frowning at the white-haired man. "That was the most painful kiss I've ever had." He realized what he'd said when Wufei let out a snort, the boy's smirk making his cheeks burn. Zechs was just as red, and Duo leaned back in his chair when he saw the way Kurama was raising a curious eyebrow at him. He abruptly bit his lip and dropped his eyes.
Silence reigned for a few seconds before Kurama gave into a smile. "Then you...send your healing force orally as well?" He didn't think a person's face could get any redder, and he calmed his smile as well as he could. "He must have had extensive internal damage."
"He did," Zechs said sharply. He wasn't used to being embarrassed, but he hadn't considered it a kiss when he'd healed Duo. It was simply the quickest way he could think of to put that power into the boy. "I know the...force comes from inside of me, so I imagined it flowing into him and to where the wounds were. Then I used my hands to center it on healing the worst ones from the inside out."
"I think I understand," Kurama nodded, glancing to the side when Hiei gave a sharp nod. "You were directing the energy, the healing force through him, and then pulling it back out again as it completed the healing. Then the pain either comes from the healing itself, or the movement of that power."
"The power," Hiei stated, red eyes aimed at Zechs. "You put too much out when you heal." Lifting his arm, he inclined his head to where the wound had been. "For a flesh wound, you need less energy. But you used the same amount you would have for an internal wound. Am I wrong?"
"I..." Frowning at the boy, Zechs shifted in his seat. "I'm not sure. I didn't hold anything back, though, I do know that. I don't really think about the *amount* of energy it takes to heal someone."
"You said you never experimented with your power," Kurama nodded, "so it is understandable. You might want to practice healing minor wounds, watching to see how much *effort* you use. Then you could try using less effort. Either the wound won't heal, meaning it's always going to burn, or the pain should lessen."
"It's a good idea," Duo murmured, his eyes glinting at the redhead. "But who's he supposed to practice on?" He wasn't about to forget how Heero had used him as the guinea pig for Quatre's little test. Kurama smiled at him and he blinked when those green eyes darted to the side.
"I think Hiei already volunteered for that, didn't you, Hiei." Kurama's smile widened when his friend looked at him, startled for a second before glaring sharply. He didn't argue, though. With a satisfied sigh, Kurama pushed back from the table. "But that can wait until another time. You weren't planning to leave anytime soon, right?" Zechs glanced at Heero and the Japanese boy shook his head. "Good. We can talk more about your abilities in the morning, if that's all right with you."
That sounded like a dismissal to Duo, even if it were a polite one, and he stood with a quick smile. A glance found the others standing as well and Kurama crossed the room, holding the door for them. It was rather abrupt, but Duo really didn't think the boy was trying to be rude. After all, he'd done the same thing with Yukina earlier. Following the others as they trailed out of the office, Duo paused in the doorway, his eyes sparking at the tall teen. "Can I ask you a question?"
Blinking in surprise, Kurama smiled. "Of course."
"Where's the last place you saw my picture?"
The boy looked more curious than anything, but Kurama could tell there was dull anger behind that slight smile. "I think it was in a bus terminal, but I didn't see it there. Hiei had it."
"What?" Duo started in surprise, his gaze darting to the black-haired youth still sitting at the table. The boy's arms were crossed over his chest and he returned the stare with a slight frown. "Why-"
"It's wrong," Kurama said softly, putting a light hand on Duo's shoulder, "for pictures of mutants to be put up as if they were wanted criminals. That's all." Violet eyes turned to him and he smiled, stepping back. "We'll see you in the morning. I look forward to this, you know. I've never had the opportunity to work with an A class mutant. You and your friends will wage a magnificent battle, I'm sure of it."
* * *
Dinner was being served when they reached the first level of the school, students filing through the halls in one general direction. Joining the flow, none of them spoke as they went through the serving line. Once they were seated, Heero looked at Zechs. "I'm going to do a search on those two," the Japanese boy said, his voice quiet in the general murmur of the cafeteria. "If Relena won't tell us anything, then it's the only option."
"You don't trust them?" Quatre asked. He'd been quiet through the last part of the meeting below, but he didn't see any reason to doubt the two mutants. From what Duo had said, they probably *were* as powerful as Kurama had claimed. But they'd also seemed able and willing to help them, not only to master their talents, but in their fight against OZ. Heero frowned at the table, and Quatre glanced to Trowa.
"It's because they didn't ask us anything about ourselves," Trowa explained. "Even if we're all mutants, they should have asked us something about our past besides out talents."
Zechs nodded at the tall boy, glancing to the blonde. "I don't think it was because they weren't interested, either. Kurama didn't ask us about our past because he didn't want us to ask about theirs. He never let the conversation turn more personal than our powers."
"That's true," Quatre admitted, his expression still doubtful. "But we don't know that they wouldn't tell us if we just asked." He looked across the table to Duo. "You said Miss Relena wouldn't say anything about them, right? That we should ask Kurama if we wanted to know. But we didn't ask him. I can see why you'd be wary of trusting another mutant," he said to Heero, "but I don't like the idea of investigating them without asking straight out first. Give them a chance to tell us before you find out for yourself."
"I plan to ask after I do the search," Heero said. "It's better that way. We can compare what they tell us with what we find." The blonde boy was frowning now, but he met his gaze calmly. "We can't afford to trust them blindly. What happened down there could easily have been a ruse to gain our trust. We won't be taken in twice."
Zechs winced at the reminder of their first meeting with Une, but he had to agree. "Heero's right. But I for one don't think that was a ruse. What would be the point? We were all together in a closed-in room. If they were working for OZ, they could have gassed us and taken us without lifting a finger." Dark blue eyes snapped to his and he nearly smirked at Heero's startled expression. "The fact that it didn't happen is a point in their favor."
"You guys are being way too paranoid," Duo commented. Unlike the rest of them, he wasn't going to wait for his food to get cold, his words coming in between bites. "I have absolute confidence that they're on our side. Besides, who would offer to play guinea pig to Zechs just to get on our good side? No one's that dumb."
Zechs frowned and Wufei smirked at the man before looking to Duo. "What did he say to you when we left?"
"Oh, I just asked him about that picture of me he said he'd seen, that's all." The others had begun to eat now, and Duo took another bite of his food before grinning suddenly. "You know, I still can't believe Hiei just cut his arm like that. I *definitely* wasn't expecting it."
Wufei could tell the boy was changing the subject, and he gave a slight nod. "His sword is very old-fashioned. I was surprised it cut so easily."
With a quick laugh, Duo smirked. "I didn't think people even *carried* swords anymore. But he did cut through weird plants earlier, so it had to be pretty sharp. What gets me is he barely flinched when he did it. As bad as Zechs' healing burns, he took it like a man." Pale blue eyes sparked at him from a droll glare and he smiled at Zechs.
"Kurama did say he resisted heat, though," Quatre put in. "If it burns, then maybe it wouldn't affect him as much as it did you and Trowa."
"That's true," Zechs said, his fingers tapping the table at the talk. He didn't like to be singled out for the flaw in his main talent, it was irritating. "I thought he was a child when I saw him earlier, but he's obviously older than that."
"What was your first clue?" Duo teased, smirking as Zechs' eyes flashed back to him. Teasing him was nearly as fun as teasing Wufei. "The voice, or the eyes?"
Wufei raised an eyebrow at Duo, his own lips curving into a smirk. "His eyes?"
There was a definite insinuating tone to the Chinese boy's voice, and Duo blinked when Heero shifted beside him. A quick glance found that boy's gaze on him as well and he leaned back a bit, frowning at him, and then Wufei. "All I meant was that he has that same bored look that Heero gets, and Trowa, too."
"Trowa doesn't look bored," Quatre countered with a slight frown. Duo turned to stare at him and he felt a little warmth creep to his cheeks. He knew the boy hadn't been insulting Trowa, but he'd spoken without thinking. The rising heat strengthened when he felt green eyes on him as well and he fumbled for something to say. "I think it's more serious than bored." The violet-eyed mutant continued to stare at him for a long moment before the boy smiled suddenly and Quatre sighed, dropping his gaze.
"Anyway," Duo smirked, enjoying his friend's embarrassment, "I look forward to meeting up with them tomorrow. Hopefully we can do more than just watch Zechs work."
"That reminds me," Quatre said, "Kurama didn't say when to meet them." Turning a bit, he looked around the crowded cafeteria. "And they didn't come up with us. They couldn't have had time to eat before we came down there, not with Hiei asleep."
Duo shook his head, leaning back since he'd finished eating. "They probably have their own kitchen down there. Let's just meet up here in the morning and go down when we're done. I have a feeling they'll probably be up."
"They can't help all of us at once," Quatre mused, frowning at what was left of his meal. "I think I'll stay with Une tomorrow. I don't think it's good to leave her alone for too long, and I want to start working with her."
"You're going to try bringing her softer side to the surface?" Zechs asked.
"Yes. And since we have an added incentive for staying here, I won't have to rush her." Quatre relaxed when Trowa nodded beside him.
"I'll join you," Trowa said, glancing to the others. "It's not a good idea to have anyone alone with her. She appears stable at the moment, but," he glanced at Heero, "we aren't taking chances."
"Good." Heero nodded to the boy, his brows drawn in a frown. "I'll stop by there before joining up with the others. I want to see this 'other side' of hers. I need to contact my informer with a report as soon as possible, but I don't want to do that until we know we'll be able to work on Une."
"Well," Duo sighed, "that looks like a plan to me. If you guys don't have anything else, I think I'm going to turn in."
Wufei's eyes glinted suddenly and he cleared his face, blinking at the longhaired boy. "Do you plan to share your room with Une tonight? You could bunk with me if you like." Duo's eyes widened in surprise and Wufei's lips twitched when he felt a hot glare blaze at him. Eyebrows rising, he turned an innocent expression to Heero.
The boy was just taunting him, Heero was sure of it, but he glared anyway, his eyes narrow slits of dark blue. "It's taken care of," he said tightly. Snatching his tray, he left the table, his expression relaxing a bit when Duo let out a light laugh.
"Yeah," Duo smirked, his eyes sparkling, "thanks anyway, Wufei." He waved to the others before grabbing his tray. "See you in the morning."
The American bounced away and Trowa turned calm eyes to Wufei. "You know he and Heero are sharing a room, don't you?"
"Of course I do," Wufei snorted. "It's very obvious."
Zechs glanced at the black-haired boy, shaking his head. "I'd be careful," he warned, "Heero doesn't look like the sort to take taunts lightly. I think he might be a bit possessive, judging by that glare he shot you."
"I agree," Wufei smirked. He didn't say any more as he cleared his own tray. Quatre and Trowa finished before him, and he nodded to them as they left for their own room. Zechs was a bit behind him and he waited, not wanting to leave the man alone in the room full of teens. "You know, Heero *should* be possessive." Pale blue eyes flicked to him in surprise and he stood slowly, picking up his tray. "I actually admire that about him. If he hadn't been assertive they never would have gotten together." The white-haired man blinked at him and Wufei smirked. "I'll see you in the morning." Zechs opened his mouth, but he didn't wait. The man was simply far too passive and there was no point even trying to change that. After all, even if the man had shown interest in him, Wufei wasn't about to lower his standards. He wasn't *that* lonely.
* * *
They'd taken a tray to Une before going to their room, and Quatre was thoroughly depressed by the time they reached it. The woman had flat out refused to eat anything. He'd been tempted to let that pass, but he knew he couldn't. If he did it once he *knew* she'd begin a hunger strike. He didn't have to be telepathic to know that. And it bothered him to force a person to eat. It was one thing to invade her privacy to make her answer questions, but to do it for such a simple thing made him feel dirty somehow. Trowa must have known, because the boy pushed him into a chair the moment they reached his room.
"You can't get this upset over something so simple," Trowa said, pulling off Quatre's vest so he could get to the boy's shoulders better. "I didn't read her mind, but I think part of her wanted you to intervene." Bright eyes turned up to him and he nodded. "If her unyielding side thought of the refusal, you know the other side was against it. Either way, you did what you had to for her own good."
The boy was rubbing his shoulders and Quatre smiled, relaxing in the chair. "You could rationalize anything, couldn't you, Trowa. I know I did what I had to, but I don't like using my ability on something so personal. I wouldn't even let her decide if she was hungry or not..."
"You think you're being too controlling?" The blonde nodded and Trowa smirked, curling his fingers tighter as the boy's shoulders remained tense. "I don't think you are. I think you're just choosing to blame yourself for something that can't be helped." Quatre didn't respond and he sighed, leaning over the boy, slipping his arms down over the boy's chest. Rubbing his hands over Quatre's arms, he leaned his forehead against the boy's hair. "Don't blame yourself. Just think of all the good you'll do her. It's up to you to undo all the damage Treize did to her. That should be enough to occupy your mind."
"I know," Quatre sighed, leaning against Trowa. "We've had such good news today, I don't know why I got depressed so easily." He felt the boy nod against his hair and smiled a bit as he pulled away so he could meet those dark green eyes. "You know, you don't have to stay with me while I work on Une. I'm sure the others would take turns. If I didn't know better, I'd think you volunteered with ulterior motives." The boy smirked at him and Quatre reached up a hand to pat Trowa's cheek. "And I'm not talking about *those* motives."
Trowa blinked in surprise, a bit wary and confused by the glint in the boy's eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Well, if you're with me, then you won't be able to explore your powers. Tell me you didn't think of that when you decided not to go down tomorrow." Green eyes widened and Quatre smirked in satisfaction, shifting in the chair as he folded his arms over his chest. "See? I know you as well as you know me. You *will* figure out as much as you can while we're here, Trowa. Whether I'm nearby or not."
"Orders?" A playful but definite nod answered him and Trowa's eyes narrowed, only the glint revealing his humor. "Then I don't have much choice, do I. Although, I hadn't actually thought of that until you said something." Quatre turned back to him in surprise and he smirked. "I wouldn't risk angering you again, you should know better."
Quatre frowned at that, dropping his eyes for a minute. He didn't really like the thought that Trowa had to go out of his way not to anger him. But he couldn't help being a bit satisfied that the boy wasn't going to argue about using his powers. The tall boy moved away from his back and he looked up quickly, blinking when his lover rounded the chair, green eyes watching him from a frowning face. "Trowa?"
"You need a bath." His lips twitched when the blonde boy straightened suddenly, pale blue-green eyes widening in outrage and he gave in to his smirk.
"Excuse me?!" Glaring at Trowa's expression, Quatre bristled. "You know I took..." The boy abruptly moved closer to him and he flinched back, not sure what to make of the calculating look he was given. "Trowa...?"
Hesitating for a moment, Trowa enjoyed Quatre's startled expression. "Allow me," he murmured, bending to lift the boy out of the chair. Hands flew to his shoulders and he smirked when Quatre's cheeks turned pink.
"Oh." Understanding dawned and Quatre blushed even as he shot a light glare at Trowa. "You could have just said so..."
* * *
TBC