17-Aug-2000
Title: "Breath of Madness" 3/?
Author: Hinokumo
Archive: yes, please
Category: Shounen ai, mild angst, OOC?
Pairings: This is gonna be a 1x2 mostly. I've got a 3x4 in mind later. Sorry, Wufei fans.
Rating: PG-13? I don't know, I'm not good at ratings
Warnings: If you don't like shounen ai--boy are you in the wrong
place--don't read any further. Mild language.
Notes: When Heero and Duo return from a mission, they find their friends behaving strangely. Look out, Heero--Quatre wants you to do WHAT?!
Disclaimer: I wish they were mine, especially Heero and Duo, but
they're not. I'm just borrowing them, so don't sue me.
Feedback: Oi! I love the feedback you guys have been giving me. My
poor, underdeveloped writer's ego sure does need it.
Heero jerked awake with a gasp, sweat glistening on his skin, eyes large and dilated. His superhuman reflexes found a strangle hold on reality quickly, and he realized he was in his room. A dream. He closed his eyes and his breathing slowed. Just another nightmare.
He opened his eyes again and read the clock: 3:00am. Well, at least he'd gotten a little sleep. Eyes that were accustomed to seeing in darkness that left normal eyes blind, scanned the room, falling short on his partner's bed. Heero frowned. His _empty_ bed.
"Kuso," the Japanese pilot cursed as he untangled himself from the covers, and pulled on a pair of black biker shorts. After a quick check in the bathroom to confirm his suspicions, he tucked his gun in the waist of his pants--Wufei might still be pissed--and went in search of the wayward American.
How do I get myself into these situations? Duo asked himself, his retreat stopped as his back hit the counter. All I wanted was some water, his mind whined in answer.
"What's wrong, Duo--did I startle you?" In the dim shadows of the pitiful-sized kitchen, Quatre's eyes sparkled with mischief as he slowly advanced on the other pilot. At the same time, he kept Duo's only exit blocked.
Duo tried his very best to become one with the counter. Although he had never feared or mistrusted his Arabian copilot before, he had sometimes suspected that the angelic face was just a cover. Now, recognizing quite well the look in Quatre's eyes, his suspicions shoved a big "V" right in his face.
"Uh--no! Not at all, Quatre." Stall, stall, stall... "What are you doing up?" ...for WHAT?!
Quatre came closer, putting a hand on the counter on each side of Duo. Not touching, but very, very close. "Looking for you."
"R-really? Why?" IwillnothithimIwillnothithim...
Quatre smirked and started to lean forward.
Iwillnot--aawww, shit.
Duo was preparing to make an explosive and violent exit when--
"Duo!" A loud voice growled his name like a command, startling both Duo and Quatre, who, thankfully, moved away from the braided boy.
Heero stood in the doorway wearing his trademark 'don't-mess-with-me- or-omae-o-korosu' look, fists clenched at his sides.
Duo did not know whether to glomp Heero for the rescue, or try and hide himself in one of the cabinets. "Heero!" He put on a big grin anyway.
"..."
Duo fidgeted. "I was thirsty?" For some reason, he always craved water after waking from a sedative-induced sleep.
"Come on."
Duo glanced at Quatre, who was leaning casually against the counter, looking for all the world like a little kid who had lost his lollipop. And was staring at Heero as if he had been the one to take it.
"Hai!"
The American practically ran to the door, more than ready to go back to their room--whether he could sleep or not--but slammed to a halt at the last minute.
"Anou... Heero? I can't go and get my much needed sleep that you insist I get if you don't let me through the door, ya know." Cobalt blue eyes captured him with an intense look, effectively silencing any further babble.
Duo suddenly felt very much like a deer caught between the headlights of two fast moving vehicles; Heero's on one side, Quatre's on the other. A sweatdrop began forming on his temple. The tense moment was broken when Heero grabbed Duo's braid and began walking back to their room, ensuring that he could not escape again.
"Itai! Hanase, Heero--I'm coming!" Duo howled. Luckily, Heero's back was to the American; otherwise, he would have seen the big triumphant grin.
Quatre remained in the kitchen a few minutes longer, then left with a very mischievous and not-so-angelic smile.
"Ne, Heero--did you see the way Quatre was coming on to me? That's twice in one day! I swear, our next mission--make sure you set me up someplace else. Have you ever seen Quatre smirk? It's downright creepy, man!" Duo rambled on nervously. To his disappointment, once they had returned to the room, Heero had released his braid and proceeded to flop back on his bed.
"Duo, sleep," came the muffled voice of Heero from his pillow.
"I can't sleep--I'm nervous. I don't now what to do--yeah, sure Quatre's cute and all, but I thought that he and Trowa were together and--"
"Nani?!" Heero's head turned at that, eyes registering surprise briefly before the walls smashed down again.
Duo looked taken aback as well. "You mean you hadn't noticed? Man, even Wufei saw that--oops..." Duo slammed his jaw shut in response to Heero's glare. "Sorry," he mumbled. How could he forget who he was talking to? He'd better shut up now before he blurted out something and wound up dead. Duo buried his face in his pillow.
After a few moments, a soft voice said, "For what?"
Duo's head shot up. "Anou...for talking about that kinda stuff. I wasn't thinkin about whether it might offend you."
"Hn. You talk about a lot of 'stuff.' To which are you referring?"
Duo sweatdropped. "Um...you know...Quatre and...Trowa?"
"..."
The self-proclaimed Shinigami gave a nervous, yet secretly hopeful, grin. "So, uh--you don't have a problem with that?"
"...why should I? As long as it doesn't interfere with the missions," he said before putting his head down again.
With Heero's gaze averted, Duo let some of the disappointment that he was feeling show. Damn it--always the mission. Ninmu this, Ninmu that. Kisama! I had you _talking_, too!
Then, as if it had just occurred to him, Heero asked, "What do you mean, twice in one day?"
Was it concern or just curiosity? Duo was saved by the chiming of Heero's laptop signaling an incoming message. He watched the Wing pilot cross the room and turn on the cursed piece of machinery, pale code scrolling down the greenish-colored screen, illuminating the room with its sickly glow. Duo was much more interested in Heero than what was on the screen, though--even if he could have read it from across the room. The way his sculpted muscles filled out whatever he was wearing, be it jeans or spandex, a testament to the barely restrained power within; the curve of his lower back as he leaned over the keyboard; the haphazard locks of dark hair that fell where they may--all added to the ethereal, sensual beauty that was Heero. If he thought he could have gotten away with it without being injured, Duo would have sighed forlornly.
Heero's expression changed subtly and there was an almost undetectable tensing of muscles. "Nanda, Heero? Daijoubu ka." Duo was one of the few who could read Heero... somewhat.
The frown deepened, then, "Ryoukai," before the screen went blank, plunging the room back into semi-darkness. Heero's blue eyes locked with Duo's violet, intense and nearly glowing with determination.
"Oi, nani?"
"Nan demo nai. A modification for my Gundam."
"Can't it wait till morning?" Never mind that it already was morning.
"Iie. Duo?"
"Hai?"
"I want you to stay here till I get back. Do not leave this room, understand?"
Duo bristled slightly. "Naze--"
"Duo!"
"Alright, alright--ryoukai. Sheesh, since when did you become a mother-hen?" Duo laid back, spreadeagled, then winced. He'd forgotten his cuts again; they were becoming sore.
"Hn." Heero exited, making sure to secretly check for the presence of his gun before leaving the room.
"Wonder what his problem is?" Duo thought out loud as he closed his eyes and sighed. In the darkness, alone with his thoughts, the grinning mask was gone, fully exposing his dark, pensive mood. Duo no baka. You'll never succeed. His heart ached for a moment, before he clamped down on it again. Heero would never see him as anything but a fellow pilot, no matter how much he tried to get close to the Wing pilot. But he couldn't stop trying. Why? What was it about the Japanese young man that so drew Duo to him, like a moth to the flame? He could not explain it...but he could feel it. Over the past year they had partnered together many times, and each time they went their separate ways, Duo felt a loss--like he was no longer complete.
Sure, he bugged his fellow soldier to the limit at times, but he couldn't help it. He wanted a reaction--any reaction--and the attention of his partner. And although there was no way to be certain, he thought Heero tolerated him as a friend at the very least. Duo smiled sadly. Otherwise, he'd have gotten a gun and a bullet up his snout a loooong time ago.
His thoughts were drifting into the haze of sleep when he heard, or rather sensed, something or someone in the room
Stupid scientists.
I'm going to kill them, Heero growled and wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. Wufei had put up a struggle, but in the end, he was no match for Heero Yuy. His eyes scanned the darkness of the hallway, virtually screaming 'ninmu,' as he made his way to his next destination. Drawing his gun, he laid a hand on the door.
Hn. Empty. Where were Quatre and Trowa?
Quatre...
Bits and pieces of earlier events and of Duo's ramblings were starting to fit together in Heero's mind--and he did not like the way the puzzle was turning out. He had to find the other two pilots ASAP.
Suddenly, Heero's sharp ears heard a muffled thump. He froze, muscles tensing, waiting for the sound again. If he'd had a battle aura, it would have lit up the hallway.
All was silent but for the sound of Heero's pulse in his ears.
"Heero, do come in and stop lurking in the hall."
Heero blinked. He advanced to where he had heard Quatre's voice, the "den," and blinked again. This time from shock, unable to keep his stoic expression in light of what he saw.
Duo, kneeling on the floor, arms bound behind his back, gagged, and violet eyes wide with fear/confusion/fury. Heero also noted the blood running down his right temple, chestnut strands that had fallen loose from his braid, and the torn sleeve of his t-shirt--along with Trowa standing to the right with a knife and Quatre on the left, a gun casually but certainly trained on Duo. All this observation took a total of 2.5 seconds.
"What the hell are you doing?" Heero growled.
Quatre's eyes sparkled wickedly and he grinned, despite the fact that Heero's gun was aiming at his head. "Playing a game--won't you join us? Duo needs a playmate--he didn't want to play with Trowa."
Heero's eyes flickered angrily to Trowa, who shrugged eloquently.
"Untie him and put down the gun, Quatre."
"No, I don't think so."
Two safeties clicked off simultaneously.
"Quatre, I don't want to shoot you, but I will if you do not put down the gun."
"I don't think you want to do that, Heero. That is, unless you want Duo to die." Quatre's grin was infuriating.
"Omae o korosu. Then you, too, Trowa, if you don't get him to put down that gun!"
"If you shoot him," Trowa's quiet voice was like honey. "I will impale Duo's heart with this knife, then your back with this one." Another dagger appeared in his left hand.
Duo mumbled something and fidgeted on the floor. Heero ground his teeth. Quatre kept on grinning. Seconds passed.
"What do you want?"
"I told you--play a game with us."
Hesitation, then, "What kind of game?"
The grin widened and Heero could have sworn he saw horns sprouting in Quatre's hair. "You and Duo make out while we watch."
tbc
Whoo-hoo! Can you picture Heero and Duo's expressions? 0.0 o.0
^___^
HnK: Bad Quatre!
Q: *pouts* I'm sorry.
T: Don't pick on Quatre *brandishes knife*
HnK: ^_^;; Just kidding
For those of you who just came in and are wondering what the hell is going on, parts 1 and 2 are at the following location: gw-fan, 1x2, GWYaoiFic, and ysml-fic. Tell me if you have problems finding them. Sorry for crossposting. I'm gonna be moving back to school the next few days, so I won't have time to type for a while. You'll just have to wait for part 4, where this time, I REALLY swear there is some lip-locking ^____^
(:./hinokumo/madness3)
