06-Apr-01
I wanted to add a dedication to Arcadiana, you know who you are, for help is beta-ing this and all the support, always.
Title: T'ien Lung Ge (Celestial Dragon Song)
Authors: Laekin and bonnejeanne
Category: Action, Adventure, Romance, ANGST
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4x5 (Combinations there of)
Rating: R (Adult Situations)
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money being made or sought here.
WARNINGS: Angst. A very young Original Character and at least one heartrending scene with dying children.
NOTES: What is being posted here was written by myself and Laekin together, just as everything else in the Companions of Fate series. The plot is hers, with a few small contributions by moi; she writes for Quatre, Trowa, Duo and T'ien. My contributions are confined to Wufei and Heero and some brainstorming. The writing sessions for this were between October 19 and December 6, 2000.
Duo's eyes darted across his team-mate's faces, with an almost obsessive quick touch pattern, before he turned his head slightly and looked out a tinted window. His hand flipped over and his fingers curled with almost painful intensity around Heero's.
The action was not lost on Trowa, who drew his brows together in a puzzled expression. Though gregarious, the American pilot could not be called, *clingy* but at the moment, Duo seemed almost frantic to be as connected to Heero as he could be. Trowa had the feeling that if he, Wufei and Quatre hadn't been there Duo would have been on Heero's lap in a heartbeat.
Heero returned the tight grip without any signs of discomfort with the pain, threading his fingers through Duo's possessively. His eyes focused on Duo's face, watching his lover look out the window. A slight shadow seemed to pass across his eyes before it faded into his customary impassive mask.
Wufei looked from the two, Heero and Duo, to Trowa and then to Quatre. He was concerned, but also steeling himself a little for what might be coming next.
The tension in the American was not lost on Quatre either. Now that he was focused on his friends, his family, he could feel the pressure of Duo's riotous emotions pressing against him like a change in weather pressure. He took a couple of deep breaths, carefully buffering himself, but remaining silent for the moment, watchful of Duo and Heero as well as peeking out the windows of the limo occasionally.
Hmm... unless he'd missed some major reconstruction, this was not the route to the hotel.
"Heero?"
The Japanese boy answered by looking at Quatre.
Quatre's bright eyes took on a confused tint but he didn't press the Japanese boy any further. Shifting slightly on the leather seat of the limo, he plucked at his pant legs and fidgeted with his coat, vest and tie till Trowa finally reached over and closed his long fingers over Quatre's.
"Stop that," Trowa said softly but in an almost paternal tone of voice. It was obviously a habit he'd intercepted a number of times.
Heero did not shift his attention from Quatre. Realizing that the Arabian was not going to ask a question, Heero mentally checked through a short list of possibilities and said, "We aren't going to the hotel yet. I bought a house here. I'm taking you all there to meet T'ien."
Quatre blinked and even Trowa paused in mid knot-fiddle to blink. The taller boy recovered first, with an accepting shrug of his broad shoulders, he finished tightening the knot around Quatre's throat, giving the smaller length of the tie a gentle tug, a silent reminder for the blond to close his mouth and stop staring. That done, Trowa sat back and looked over at Wufei, trying to gauge his Chinese lover's reaction to all this.
Across the seats Duo sat silently, which in and of itself was a red-flag as to the American's pensive state of mind. The braided boy was still looking out the windows of the limo, watching the street landscape slide by. His fingers had yet to relax their hold on Heero's hand.
Heero gently stroked his thumb across the back of Duo's hand but did not try to intrude on his attention in any way. The next few happenings were things that couldn't be delayed or avoided, but as soon as they were surmounted, he realized he was going to have to try and have some kind of meaningful talk with his koi.
The limo arrived at the small house, looking a little out of place in the neighborhood, which was pleasantly middle-class in appearance. The yard had a fence and a gate, which looked quite normal. Heero had made sure the extensive security devices around the house and yard were concealed. You would never know it wasn't like any other house on the block, unless you attempted to enter the yard uninvited.
From the car Heero thumbed the remote control device in his pocket that opened the small driveway gate, and the limo managed to squeeze in enough for the gate to close.
Once the gate was closed and the limo had stopped, Duo finally released Heero's hand and was pushing open one of the back doors. He stepped out into the artificially bright sunlight and blinked a couple of times, bending down, just in time to catching the small hurtling body as T'ien tried to dive into the open limo door.
It wasn't fair!!! Heero was in that door, T'ien had seen the Japanese boy get in the limo before, and he didn't understand why one small six year old was not allowed to go too! T'ien squirmed vigorously but Duo had gotten pretty good at holding onto the little bundle of mischief over the past few weeks. It was the only way the American had been able to keep T'ien from getting underfoot when Heero had been installing the neat security devices.
Well... that and a judicious use of chocolate chip cookies.
Duo's whole attitude did a 180 and he could once again be heard laughing and grousing with Duo-ish charm. "Hey! Hold still you little wriggle worm, how's he going to get out of the limo with you stuffing yourself in the doorway, huh? Oh ho ho! Don't you use that tone of stare with me, young man!"
Heero got out behind Duo, his impassive expression softening without his features seeming to move. "T'ien." He lifted his hands and his fingers moved quickly as he spoke, repeating the words both verbally and in sign language with an automatic reflex honed over the last few weeks. "T'ien. Our friends are here. They'll think you have no manners."
Over the past few weeks, T'ien had shown a remarkable disregard for Heero glares. Oh he respected Heero's authority, no questions asked. What would take Duo a long and drawn out explanation process of why T'ien couldn't keep the bugs, only took one meaningful look from Heero and the bugs were quickly replaced outside.
However, general admonishments usually got Heero a warm, sassy little smile, as they did now. T'ien's hands moved quickly. ~Manners, smanners.~ T'ien then twisted adroitly about and nearly lunged out of Duo's arms towards Heero's neck.
Heero caught the flying child deftly, settling an arm under him and staring into his eyes, almost nose to nose. "You only do this so I can't sign, and you can pretend not to understand," he scolded in a quiet tone, his expression stern... except if you looked into his eyes. "I want my friends to see you at your best, not your worst. Then you can return to the state of a wild ragamuffin."
Having stepped out of the limo behind Heero, Quatre and Trowa both blinked, almost in stereo, to hearing the word ragamuffin come out of Heero's Yuy's mouth. In fact they looked at each other and repeated the word soundlessly, just to make sure...
'You heard that?'
'I thought I did... you too?'
'Yeah.'
Duo almost laughed at the twin expressions of ... 'whoa' that danced across Trowa and Quatre's faces as they both looked back towards T'ien and Heero.
Held in Heero's arms, T'ien had at first looked at the Japanese boy with complete innocence. ~Understand what?~ His dark eyes widening almost comically as he looked at Heero as if the idea was a complete new one to him, but obviously an idea that warranted further investigation. Then as Heero continued, T'ien had looked long-suffering... geeze.... how good did he have to be? Then his little brows had furrowed and he leaned back, giving Heero a wounded expression that looked plucked right off Duo's face.
~I'm always good! I am a model child.~ T'ien's little fingers flew right in front of Heero's nose.
Heero's expression softened visibly. His arm tightened a little, not unlike the tightening of Duo's hand in the car earlier. "Yes, you are. Gomen nasai, T'ien." Heero said softly. Then the stern expression attempted to return to his face. "However I still want you to meet our friends properly. However, if you must have your way - as usual..."
He turned slightly, presenting the child in his arms to the three who were watching, having emerged from the car. "T'ien, this is Quatre, you may remember from the shooting attempt? And Trowa, and of course, you know Wufei."
T'ien's small arms had wound their way up around Heero's neck and the Japanese boy had unabashedly gotten a quick but heartfelt kiss on the cheek. T'ien, for all that he had been through, or perhaps because of it, had proven to be a very demonstrative child and usually took affectionate liberties that amused even Duo. For now, he turned around in Heero's arms and looked at Quatre, signing furiously with a large grin.
~Hi! Glad you're not dead.~
Then he took in Trowa. Though the green-eyed boy was watching T'ien with a certain seeming lack of expression, something that usually meant he was deep in thought, T'ien, like the lions at the circus, could see past the icy blankness. The child beamed a happy grin at Trowa and wriggled just enough in Heero's arms so that he could reach out and swat at the heavy auburn hair that hung across Trowa's face.
Though T'ien could make not a sound, his bright smile was the equivalent of a childish giggle. A giggle that quickly stripped from his face as he looked towards Wufei. Looking at Wufei, T'ien's eyes got serious and he wriggled till Heero put him down. Once on his own feet, T'ien took a couple of steps till he stood right in front of Wufei, looking up.
T'ien studied the young dragon for a long moment, without the childish cock of his head from side to side. Instead, those over-intelligent, dark eyes burned up at the young man who's clan genetic heritage ran in T'ien's DNA strands. Then the little boy gave a formal and polite nod of his chin, averting his eyes respectfully from his elder.
Wufei, whose face had stilled to immobility as he watched the child, dropped down onto his heels, somehow without giving the impression of doing it to accommodate T'ien's stature. He glanced up at Heero, his dark eyes unreadable. Then he gestured to draw T'ien's eyes to his face.
"They've told you that Kuang is dead?" he said, in Mandarin.
T'ien looked up at Wufei's face. His expression was suddenly way too adult for the mischief maker who had met them. Lifting his hands, T'ien began to sign quickly. Then he paused and looked at Duo, a touch imperious. Duo, who had dropped back a few paces, couldn't seem to stop the twinkle that brightened his violet eyes, a twinkle that was quickly blotted by a following shadow.
Stepping up, so he could see T'ien's active fingers, Duo began to translate as the little boy signed.
~Yes, they did. Kuang was obsessed with his visions of rebuilding his lost home. At first, his ambition was perhaps noble, but towards the end, I believe he had lost even that part of himself and knew it. He no longer built to recapture that which was lost but to take vengeance on those who he felt had taken it from him. The hatred overtook the noble intention and I believe Kuang hated himself more than anyone. I believe that he wanted to be stopped, Wufei-sama, but he didn't know how to stop himself in the end.~
Wufei looked into the wise eyes of the child. After a moment, he said, "I did what I had to do, T'ien Lung. I did not enjoy it, and it does not require justification, but I think you mean to offer me comfort and I thank you. I did not know about you, but I should have guessed. You are my clan. What do you need?"
Heero's lips pressed together slightly but he held himself still.
T'ien's head tilted to the side as he studied Wufei's lips. Then the child smiled, so warm and bright. Taking a step forward, he touched Wufei's face very delicately with the tips of tiny fingers before making the graceful gestures with his hands once again.
~You are strong, Chang Wufei. Strong where Kuang was weak. Your path has remained true, where his lost his way. It is your legacy that will live on for the clan...~ Duo paused in his interpreting, even though T'ien's fingers hadn't stopped moving. T'ien, who had been able to see Duo's lips move out of the corner of his eyes, looked at the braided boy and lifted his little brows, repeating himself with his fingers. Duo took a slow breath and finished.
~It is your legacy that will live on for the clan... not his.~
T'ien gave Duo a warm, smile, then turned back to Wufei. The same warm, slightly sad little smile on his face.
Wufei looked back, not yet able to smile. "I am told there is more to our legacy," he said. "But you haven't answered my question. If you accept me as family, you know it is my place to supply whatever you require. I have been remiss. I am grateful others were there to amend my oversight."
Heero's jaw well and truly clenched but again he held himself still, and did not react outwardly.
The little boy stood there, looking at Wufei with a touch of confusion. His little face screwed up in a mimic of Heero deep in thought, though there was more animation to T'ien's face than the careful masks Heero could don. Lifting his little hands, T'ien lowered them a couple of times, before he looked back up at Wufei and began to gesture very rapidly.
~It was not my intent to leave the place were I was... designed. Heero asked me to come with him. I felt that it was my duty to stay. To help the other *mistakes* like myself and to find a way to stop what *He* was doing. I only went with Heero because... he touched my heart. You are my genetic family, Chang Wufei, but I do not know you. How can I ask anything of you?~ T'ien cocked his head to the side. Since he did not have vocal inflections to soften the words, he used his facial expressions as well as his body language. Both of which spoke clearly that he wanted the chance to know this man to whom he was genetically linked.
~Besides, I want for nothing. I have more then I even knew to dream about. I am... happy.~
Duo had quietly retreated into a small place within himself. It felt like floating in the vacuum of space in Deathscythe, with no input from the outside world beyond the passage of the stars past the monitors. It was a safe, comfortable little place that Duo found himself exploring more and more, though he knew he shouldn't. Still, it kept his voice from breaking as he repeated little T'ien's words.
Wufei closed his eyes for a moment and then nodded. "I understand. Thank you for making it clear. To answer your question, you can ask... you may not need to, but if such a need should come, you can ask, because I would be honored by any request. I recognize that you have the honor of a warrior. Heero chose your name very well."
T'ien actually blushed. The type of blush a youngster gets when a much-adored older family member recognizes a trait in them that they desire to have. He then nodded his agreement to Wufei's words about Heero's choice in names. His little fingers quickly spelling out.
~I was just happy to have a name!~
At this, Quatre and Trowa who had been silently watching the exchange, both blinked and looked at Heero.
Heero's attention was on watching the exchange between the small one and Wufei. He mastered enough of his own inner conflicts to glance up only very briefly at Quatre and Trowa, and then he shifted his gaze to Duo, the acting translator, and he frowned very slightly. Moving over to a place next to and slightly behind the braided boy, he studied him with masked but increasing concern.
"Let's go inside and sit down," Heero said, touching Duo's shoulder lightly.
T'ien happened to have his back to Heero, because he was suddenly busy studying Quatre, who was less of a neck crick than Trowa. The little boy didn't *hear* the comment about going inside but he suddenly turned, frowning a little. Walking from where Quatre stood, straight to Heero, T'ien seemed to be studying the ground right in front of his feet, though he bee-lined to Heero unerringly.
Once he got to the Japanese boy, he held up his little arms. Usually T'ien barreled from person to person, leaping halfway up their chest until said person was forced to catch or be flattened by 29lbs of child. Usually, unless he wasn't feeling well. Then he bee-lined for Heero. Duo was a great source of comfort for T'ien but the child would always bee-line for Heero.
Heero scooped up the boy and settled him on his shoulder as Wufei stood. The two young men exchanged a long look, but Wufei did not break the silence and Heero simply took Duo's hand with his free one and led the way to the house.
T'ien automatically wrapped his arms around Heero's shoulder, then laid his head down, hiding his face in Heero's neck. The little boy's eyes closed and his small body alternated between tensing up and quivering and complete relaxation. The moment only lasted 30 seconds, till finally T'ien seemed to go limp in Heero's hold, his breathing soft and deep against Heero's neck, as if asleep.
Duo closed his fingers around Heero's. His other hand reached up and gently soothed silky dark hair and small shoulders.
Quatre and Trowa exchanged a glance, then Quatre stepped over to Wufei. Gently putting his fingers around Wufei's elbow, he began to follow Duo and Heero and T'ien, while Trowa provided a warm supportive presence at Wufei's back.
The small house was neat and well furnished, but not cluttered, allowing space for small bodies to move and larger ones to maneuver. The house had several bedrooms, one of which had been made into a playroom and study for T'ien, and another of which was dedicated to Duo's use, aside from the rooms where the older boys slept together and Tien's own bedroom. Heero led the others to a large den area, where they could see a wide set of bay windows that opened on a view of the back yard, which was twice as large as the front, and contained a large number of playground items.
There was a tea set on a low coffee table with six cups waiting.
Once in the house, Quatre found himself peering about the living space, taking it all in. He grinned inwardly. It was both what he would and would not have expected. There was a warmth in the rooms that seemed to radiate outwards towards him. A warmth that was subtle, much like the owners of the home. He startled, just a little when he stepped on something that squeaked. Reaching down he picked up the rubber ducky that had probably escaped the clean up brigade by rolling behind a chair.
"Um... Duo? This yours?" Quatre teased gently, squeezing the little duck to make it squeak.
Duo looked over his shoulder and grinned wanly. "I wondered where that got to."
Duo released Heero's hand and moved towards the tea set. Without Heero's warmth to cling to, Duo found comfort in wrapping his long fingers around the warm tea pot.
"I know Quatre will want a cup. Anyone else?" Duo asked as he poured out a cup for the little Arabian, adding a lemon wedge to the side.
Trowa shook his head, he still had nightmares about really bad cranberry tea.
Wufei nodded, his eyes not leaving Heero and his passenger. The Japanese boy sat carefully, shifting his burden only slightly to settle him in the new position. Heero answered Duo's question, "Hai, arigato, Duo."
Duo poured out two more cups of tea, handing one to Wufei, then to Quatre and finally turning to settle the last cup and saucer close to Heero's free hand. He then grabbed a soft, warm throw blanket off the back of a straight-backed chair and was shaking it out when he stopped himself and looked at Heero a touch sheepishly.
Usually, when T'ien had these little episodes, keeping warm was a big factor but Duo suddenly wasn't sure how Heero would feel about getting tucked up like a 2 year old in swaddling clothes in front of the others. His wide, shadowed, violet eyes sought out his lover's gaze questioningly.
Heero nodded. His priorities were quite clear and Duo and T'ien had first claim.
Duo nodded, not very surprised. Careful not to disturb the sleeping child, he reached over Heero and T'ien, gently laying the blanket across them both, tucking the edges around T'ien to keep out any hints of a draft. The little boy shifted just a bit and burrowed more tightly into Heero's neck, till just the top of his dark, blue black hair showed. Duo smoothed out a wrinkle, rubbing in comforting circles across T'ien's back before stepping away to sit on the floor right beside Heero's knee.
Quatre looked at the odd little... family? He felt a certain bittersweet emotion touch his heart. Confused, he took his tea and saucer and retreated... where else... but to those beautiful bay windows. Trowa hung back in the doorway, where he could watch everybody. His arms crossed and his green eyes completely shuttered, taking in everything happening around him.
Wufei brushed his hand down Trowa's back, sliding his eyes to meet those green ones.
Trowa immediately focused on Wufei. He lost himself in his lover's onyx eyes, then gave a soft little smile. Though the child was tied to Kuang, the people who had hurt him... he knew the child was innocent. Trowa's withdrawn study stemmed from the emotions that he was *seeing* in Duo, and Heero and Wufei himself. Very discreetly, Trowa unfolded his arms and reached out a hand till he could tangle his fingers with Wufei's then he turned and looked at Heero and Duo.
"Heero... what's happening here?" His soft tones were rich and calm yet at the same time compelling.
"Duo told you the basics," Heero said, his voice even and quiet so as not to disturb the child on his shoulder. "T'ien was created by a cloning program of Kuang's. They made some mistakes in trying to create a perfect, conscienceless soldier out of Kuang's DNA. T'ien is smart - very smart. Probably more intelligent than any of us in this room. He's also dying. They got some of what they wanted but other things didn't go right with his development. So they kept trying. They finally got what they thought they wanted, so he tells us. Duo and I saw them. They're children now. And some of the previous ones like T'ien are still alive. They didn't simply euthanize them, they were being allowed to live and perform functions if they were able."
Duo said nothing. He sat by Heero's feet. If anything, he tucked a little closer to his lover but he didn't look up at any of his fellow pilots. Trowa stood, listening to Heero's words. His fingers remained curled around Wufei's, his thumb stroking soothingly along the back of Wufei's hand across the fine bones of his wrist. At the window, Quatre gazed into his tea, his eyes closing on a silent prayer as he recognized the source of the bittersweet emotions he was feeling in the house.
Borrowed time.
"My plan was a simple one," Heero said. "Get T'ien out and safe, and go back and take over the satellite. But the timing was bad. We had to take care of Kuang first. When we went back, the satellite had been moved. I haven't been able to find it." He glanced very briefly from Trowa to Wufei and then to Quatre. "I need your help. I've kept most of this from the Preventers so far because I don't know what they'll do if they find the satellite first. And I don't know who's running things there, and what *they* might do. T'ien has been helping but we're still coming up empty."
Trowa felt a small pinch. His fingers flexed against Wufei's for a moment in a gesture he couldn't quite stop. Quatre continued to study his tea, pursing his lips thoughtfully.
"I can contact the outlying Winner resource satellites. If it's been moving around between the LeGrange points, someone, somewhere, has got to have seen it. Even if they didn't realize what they were seeing."
Trowa gave a little nod. "I'm guessing that is what you meant, Heero? That it could propel itself? It should still be caught in the LeGrange points. We should be able to track it." Trowa said the last of this looking at Quatre who nodded, his turquoise eyes dark, already starting to plot.
"I know we *should*," Heero said, with the barest hint of strain. "However it hasn't turned up. But yes, use whatever resources make sense to you, but Quatre... be careful. They are running for a reason. I want to be the first one on that satellite, not one of your WEI people."
Quatre realized that the fact that he could hear the strain in Heero's voice was proof enough how deep it ran. Because of this, he decided not to take umbrage with the implication that he would be less than discreet in his investigation. Setting the half-finished tea down on the tray, he looked towards Trowa and Wufei.
"I should check in with Marilyn, then get to working on this. I somehow doubt that time is our ally here. I can start a lot of it from the limo but..." He paused.
Trowa gave a little nod and gave Wufei's hand another squeeze before releasing it. "I'll head back with you. Wufei, do you want to stay here?"
Quatre nodded, then reached up to touch Wufei's cheek with the back of his hand, stroking gently, studying the young dragon's dark eyes.
Wufei met Quatre's look, not hiding the disturbance in his soul from those teal eyes. The mask he assumed was not intended to shield him from either of his loves. "I'll stay for now, but call if you need me. Trowa, keep him safe."
Quatre gave a knowing nod of his head. He gave Wufei's cheek another loving touch before lowering his hand. Trowa had stepped up behind the little blond and he met those beloved dark eyes for a split second. Complete understanding in his green eyes.
"Hn," Trowa said, adding the soft noise to the affirmation in his eyes.
Quatre looked over at Heero, Duo and T'ien, his features shuttered behind the mask of concentration and concern. "I'll contact you as soon as I know anything."
With that softly spoken promise, Quatre disappeared back through the house, Trowa's long stride keeping easy pace with the little blond.
Duo, continued to watch the happenings around him with an air of someone who is wrapped in cotton wool and buffered from it all, the good, the bad.
Wufei gazed at the three clustered together. Heero had acknowledged Quatre's words and the two exiting with his eyes, but his look now slid to Duo.
Wufei looked around the room, and detected a doorway that might lead to a kitchen. "How long since you ate, Maxwell?"
Duo gave himself a shake and looked up at Wufei. He blinked a couple of times, then reached up to grab the tail of his braid, running it through his fingers. "We had breakfast this morning." Actually, T'ien and Heero had breakfast as prepared... with loving imperfection... by a hyperactive Duo.
Duo had been making an extremely concentrated effort to learn how to cook. Not just the simple staples that he was passable at, like scrambled eggs, cereal, spaghetti and the take-out menu for the local pizza joint, but actually balanced meals. Meals that were low in any sort of fat, yet still tasty. Meals that included vegetables, along with protein and milk and cheese. He'd also been making an effort to cook balanced breakfasts and also to make certain that Heero and T'ien ate three squares a day.
In truth, Duo had almost become obsessed with cooking. Using the actual act along with the study of books on the subject of nutrition and diet to help fill the time he'd spent awake and fretting. He also used it as a way to help hold other thoughts at bay.
"Come show me where things are," Wufei said to Duo, heading for his guess at the kitchen door. Heero's eyes flickered but he didn't react otherwise.
Duo frowned and for a moment looked rebellious, then he released his braid as he used his arms to help balance himself as he got up off the floor. Giving Heero a quick glance, Duo muttered softly.
"I'm telling you, though... I'm still not crazy about bean sprouts." Duo grinned manically at Heero and then followed Wufei.
"Wufei, it's to the right, left is the laundry room."
Wufei took the right turn, glancing to make sure Duo followed him.
Duo sort of trudged, more than his usual bounce and spring. Still, his face was open and inquisitive as he followed Wufei into the kitchen. Dark brows lifted a touch sardonically as Duo grinned.
"All right... why'd you want to get me alone?" Duo said as he rested his hip against the center island in the surprisingly spacious kitchen.
Wufei smiled very slightly, and began opening cabinets and drawers to get the lay of the land. He had every intention of fixing lunch.
"To talk to you," he answered the question. "And to listen. I know you and I have never been very close, but that's not really important. I care about you, as well as Heero. You've been under a great strain."
Duo watched Wufei rummage about the kitchen, which had sort of become Duo's domain in the past weeks. Though he felt he should be making quips and *defending* his territory, he just let Wufei roam as he pleased. Duo reached up and grabbed for the end of his braid once again. He studied the tail, flicking the loose hairs back and forth across his palm in a self-hypnotic gesture.
"I... he's a hard little guy not to get attached to. He's going to die... and we're not talking years here... we're talking... months... weeks." Duo gave a little shrug, not looking up from where his braid danced across his own hand. His voice was bland.
Wufei leaned against the counter, watching Duo. He nodded. "That's very difficult," he said softly.
Duo gave his braid a little flick, then continued to brush the hairs across his hand, like a painter across canvas. "He can't even yell when he's uncomfortable. It's been hard for either Heero or I to sleep, because we're both subconsciously trying to be there... if it acts up."
Wufei nodded again. "Will you allow me to help?"
The American continued to have the strangle hold on his own braid. He gave a little shrug. "You really need to ask Heero that." Duo said in a tone that had an edgy feel to it. The American suddenly burst into activity, dropping the braid and darting to the sink, muttering. "Damn... I meant to put these dishes away before we went to pick you all up." Though a perfectly good dish cleanser sat on the counter, there was a neatness about it that spoke of very little practical use.
Wufei watched Duo, but didn't interfere. Quatre could do this, he thought. I don't feel like I have the right. "What needs to be done for him right now?" he asked softly.
Duo leaned his hips against the sink for a moment, picking up a dishtowel and wiping a dry plate with it. "There isn't much. Whatever those... bastards," Duo spat the word out as if he were chewing on glass, "did to accelerate his intelligence and learning capacity, also accelerated the growth and development of his internal organs. He's six years old and has the heart, lungs, liver of a 50 year old man. The doctor Heero took him too, they could diagnose the problem but it's... *unknown disease* to them, causing genetic abnormalities." Duo brought his arm up, as if he were about to slam the plate down into the sink but at the last moment, though a visible physical effort, he lowered his arm and laid the plate carefully off to the side.
"They won't give him anything for the pain. Some... bullshit about not wanting to mask the symptoms." Duo's words came erratically as the American boy was obviously having difficulty catching his breath around his rage and upset. "As if masking the symptoms would do any harm. T'ien's been a damn experiment from the start and they're still using him like some sort of fucking lab rat." Tears had welled in Duo's eyes, tears of rage, anger, impotence and something else. His knuckles were white where he gripped the sink and his face was cast down, eyes focusing on the drain.
"What were we fighting for, Wufei? What did we suffer? The tests... the experiments to make certain that we could handle the Gundams. The drugs to enhance our own physical stamina. I thought we fought to stop all that SHIT!"
Wufei took a deep breath and then, before he could second guess himself, he placed his arms around Duo in a firm embrace.
Duo stood there, his body taut and trembling. He did not break away, nor did he seek the comfort Wufei offered. His voice was hollow and almost... broken.
"I look around... and I see. All that we did, all that we fought for. All that soldiers died for, our own sacrifices, the loss of our childhood. I look at T'ien and I think I know how he feels. His child's body with his old organs. I feel the same age on my soul. Why did we do it? What does it matter? Mankind just keeps trying to design the perfect warrior. Just keeps trying to dominate itself." Duo gave a little laugh, a sound that was not entirely sane.
"I might not as well have bothered. Everything we did was MEANINGLESS!" Duo spat the word out on a near scream. The word that for so much of their lives had been the lynch pin to every battle they engaged in.
Wufei simply held firm, listening to the rant. It called to wounds in his own heart and he had no trouble understanding the emotions.
"No," he said quietly. "Not everything. Duo... it's not a great deal, but I can help with the pain. And maybe other things."
Duo swayed a little, then quietly crumpled. Losing his hold on the sink, he sank down to the neatly kept linoleum floor. His knees tucked up to his chest and his eyes fixed onto the handle that led to the cabinet in the center island. Taking hold of his braid, Duo heaved a deep breath and just quietly said, "I want my innocence back."
Wufei sank down next to Duo and said softly. "I'm sorry, Duo. If I had been here," he grimaced slightly. "...I probably would not have been able to help much anyway. But I will do what I can. And Duo... you haven't lost all of it... just misplaced it. " He brushed his hand along Duo's arm and stood up. "I have some things in my bag I brought from Earth, things I sent for during Trowa's recovery. I think they will come in handy."
Duo gave a little nod to Wufei's words, then he seemed to escape into himself. Bright, out going, gregarious, loud, active Duo. The stillness was not unlike the sort of catatonic state he'd achieved when he'd been the pilot of Wing Zero that one time. There came a repetitive motion of his fingers drawing the braid through his hands in a self-comforting gesture that obviously was deeply rooted in a childhood long lost.
Wufei took a breath and let it out, and left the kitchen quickly. He knew the driver of the limo would have been told by Quatre or Trowa to drop his bag inside in case he needed to change.
End Part 2
Laekin and bonnejeane
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