Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Frozen Heart ❯ Frozen Heart 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Frozen

Part 2

When Duo didn't show up for the rest of the day, Heero took it in stride. The braided baka was probably off somewhere sulking. It wasn't the first time he'd run off after a quarrel with Heero, but he had always come back after a few hours, his cheerful smile firmly in place. Heero had no doubt Duo would be back once his stomach started growling.

When Duo failed to make an appearance at the dinner table, he ignored his partner's continued absence and finished his meal with his customary silence. He steadfastly ignored the pointed looks of his teammates, just as he ignored the growing disquiet in his gut. The baka would be back by the next morning at the latest, he told himself sternly. Going out to look for him would only encourage the braided boy to throw a similar tantrum the next time something didn't go his way. Firmly, he refrained from dwelling on the details of their fight. He hadn't hit him that hard. More likely it was his pride suffering. Heero's mouth settled into a hard line. Perhaps now the outrageous pilot would stop teasing him. His emotions were not to be trifled with.

He waited all night, and with every hour that passed without the Deathscythe pilot stumbling into their room, his anger and worry mounted.

When he descended to the kitchen, his features were fixed in a scowl. He glanced around the room, and after ascertaining that Duo had indeed failed to return, turned to Quatre.

"Where is he?" He demanded in a hard voice.

Quatre put his coffee down very deliberately. Heero had taken more than twelve hours to figure out that Duo had gone. It was all he could do not to fling the contents of his cup at the other boy's face.

"He's gone." He replied instead, his tone taut with dislike.

Heero was taken aback by the intensity of emotion directed at him. Quatre was the peacemaker of the group. He was the one who mediated and soothed ruffled tempers. That alone should have warned him. However, Heero's patience had all but run out. Temper frayed with feelings he couldn't understand or deal with, he responded with the only emotion he could safely take refuge in. Anger.

"Explain." He growled in a dangerous tone.

Normally, Quatre would have backed down in the face of his fury. But these weren't normal times. His eyes flashed.

"Gone. As in he's left. As in he's not coming back. As in we've lost one of the best Gundam pilots ever because of your stupid insensitivity and senseless violence. Is that clear enough for you, Heero?" Quatre knew he was letting his grief and anxiety lead him astray, but he couldn't stop the words from spilling out. His friend's pain clawed at him; shredded at his control. "Or do you need me to spell it out- Argh!"

Heero had slammed the smaller boy against the wall, his face inches from Quatre's pale, though angry visage. However, instead of aquamarine eyes, it was a pair of violet orbs that stared back at him. Violet eyes swirling with fear and pain. His stomach twisted as he struggled to process Quatre's words. Gone. Duo was gone. Duo wasn't coming back. He shook his head, instinctively denying the statement.

"You let him go?" He hissed.

In spite of himself, Quatre's eyes widened. Heero's tone promised violence.

"ENOUGH!" Wufei's strident voice coincided with strong fingers forcibly pulling him off Quatre and pushing him roughly away. Trowa placed himself squarely between Heero and Quatre.

"Back off, Yuy."

Trowa's tone was cool, but there was no mistaking the threat in his green eyes. Heero realized distantly that it was the only warning he was going to get.

However, Quatre was angry too. He had watched helplessly as his best friend left with a broken heart, and the instigator of the whole tragedy actually had the gall to blame him. In a rare show of defiance, he shoved past Trowa, lifting his chin in challenge.

"What- you're going to hit me too?" He dared, his own eyes smoldering with grief and anger. "You're the one who drove him away, Heero." His voice shook. "You're the one who destroyed this team!"

Something flashed in the blue gaze, and Heero moved closer, fists clenched.

Trowa tensed. If Heero lays even one finger on Quatre-

"I said that's enough!" The sound of his katana leaving its sheath froze them, three pairs of eyes focusing on Wufei as he angled his katana meaningfully. "Opposite ends, both of you. Now." The glint in his eye told them he was more than willing to back up his demand with his katana.

Once he was satisfied that enough space had been cleared between the two, Wufei went on quietly.

"Maxwell's desertion is a clear fact. When this mission ends we will find him. He will answer for his actions. However," His tone went cold, his eyes meeting Heero's head-on. "the mission comes first. I will not countenance any further conflict arising from this incident. Whatever accounting to be done will be done after we've completed this mission."

Heero glowered, but nodded his acceptance of the directive.

"Quatre?" Wufei glanced at the Arabian, his eyes softening minutely. Don't make this any harder than it already is. "We all miss Duo, but fighting among ourselves will not change matters."

Finally, Quatre nodded, his gaze sliding away to gaze out the window. He knew he was acting irrationally, was acting way beyond rational behavior. He took a deep breath to center himself. A steadying hand gripped his shoulder and he leaned into the comforting touch gratefully.

Heero made his way back to his room. For a long moment he stared darkly at Duo's empty bed, then resolutely, he powered on his laptop and began typing.

Run and hide, Duo, he thought angrily,that's all you ever do. Run. Hide. And this time you better pray I never catch up with you. Because when I do…his throat tightened and he swallowed furiously. He blinked, brushing angrily away the treacherous moisture making its way down his cheeks.

You lied, Duo. You say you never lie. But you lied to me.

You said you loved me.

How can you leave me?

-end Part 2-