20-Sep-2000
Unaware of his roommates' conversation, Heero dreamed. The sensation of Odin's warmth had thrown him back in time, to the warm, comfortable chamber that had held him for much of his formative years. <dark-warm-safe.... heartbeat all around... thick fluid in my lungs, heavy, but comfortable.... so much better than the cold thin air outside. I hate when they take me out.>
The people in white coats would be coming soon, to pull him from the safety of his parents' body, to poke and prod at him, fill him with unnatural chemicals that hurt and made him feel strange. He could already hear their footsteps on the metal floor outside his chamber, and he shuddered. His parents convulsed reassuringly, caressing him from all sides.
Then -- light, bright and blinding; a cold rush of air all around, hands grasping him, wrenching him from his parents with a suddenness that was painful. He would not cry out, though; he'd already discovered that they hurt him even more when he did. He was pulled out of the fluid-filled tank that held his parents, and set on the ground. His limbs were unsteady, still not used to standing, especially on the cold floor.
Hands were lifting his limbs, poking, squeezing, and his eyelids were forced wide open, a bright light shone into them. <Pupil distillation normal,> he heard one of them murmur. <Hair and fingernail growth is good-- we need blood samples; also bone and tissue.> Then more needles. He suppressed a shudder. It hurt, when they did that. But he couldn't react.
<amazing growth rate... reflexes far above normal... and look at this... dna's not human, that's for sure...> Their voices merged into a blur of sound, and his eyes slid shut.
Odin curled around Heero's body, and the young man immediately snuggled closer, sighing contentedly. <My little boy... I'm so glad to be with you again...> he thought, nuzzling Heero's neck and shoulder, filling his nostrils with the familiar scent, so long absent.
<They've changed you, inside-- I can feel it. Your thoughts are different, not human, but not like us either. Can't believe Dr. J thought he was actually enhancing you, by pumping you full of those chemicals. He doesn't know the half of what we're capable of....>
He chuckled softly, deep in his throat, and listened as Duo settled deeper in his bed across the room, finally falling asleep. <Something strange in him... a darkness... very familiar...>
At last, he too surrendered to sleep, falling into dreamless depths.
Across the room, the braided boy's slumber was not so dreamless. It never was, really. Shinigami seemed to love tormenting him while he slept, he noticed idly, curling up more tightly in the corner of his dream-room, watching the blood trickle from Heero's body. Shini had pinned it to the wall with steak knives earlier, laughing hysterically while Duo tried not to notice.
<You're a sick bastard, you know that?> he asked his darker self. Shinigami laughed, running his fingers down Heero's cheek, catching the blood that tricked from his lips.
<Yes, I know. Doesn't he look precious?> Idly, Shinigami licked the crimson liquid from his fingertips, then smiled and licked Heero's cheek directly. The cobalt eyes, dim and glazed in death, twitched slightly. <Oh crap. Not this, Shini. Gods....> he shut his eyes tightly, clamping his hands over his ears. <please, pleaseplease just stop it and leave me alone....>
<Du-uuuoooo....> the voice was hoarse, with a gurgling undertone. He could hear the body getting closer, knowing exactly what he would see if he opened his eyes. Heero's lifeless body flesh grey and slowly decaying, moving toward him. He choked back a sob, and heard Shinigami laugh. <nonononono.....>
<What's wrong, Duo... don't you want me anymore...?> Heero's voice was mocking, and he jumped as he felt the chill of lifeless fingers stroking his cheek. <NO!!>
<It's your own fault,> Shinigami chastised him. <No one survives around you. You love him, he dies. That's the way it is. You can't escape me.>
Duo clamped his jaw tighter, trying to deny the tears already streaming down his cheeks. Heero's tongue rasped against his cheek, lapping up the salty drops, and Duo shuddered harder. Cold fingers ran down his throat, slid under his shirt to caress his nipples, and he fought to keep from vomiting. <Stop it! Stop it stop it stopit!!!> he screamed mentally.
Shinigami's smile was dark. <Then give up. Admit that I win, that you can't handle me, and let me out. I promise I won't hurt any of your friends... too much.>
Duo shook his head frantically. His chest hurt from holding back the screams, but he knew if he cried out, he was one step closer to defeat. Heero's dead hands were still caressing him, pulling at his clothing, and as the cold grey lips touched his own, his eyes flew open.
"NOOOOOOO!!!!"
The scream woke both Odin and Heero immediately, and they sat bolt upright, Heero reaching for a gun. "What the hell?" Only a few hours had passed, Heero's internal clock told him. It was still three more hours til dawn. Across the room, Duo was hunched over, sobbing, tears flowing down his cheeks.
<Nightmare...?> Odin was already in motion, as Heero slid the gun back under the pillow. Odin sat next to Duo, sliding his arms around the quaking boy's shoulders, and holding him close. "Duo.... shhh... it's all right." He gently rocked back and forth, soothing, as Heero sat to the other side of Duo, fingers twitching hesitantly, wanting to touch and comfort as Odin was doing, but his training holding him back.
<Don't feel. Don't touch. Feelings are a weakness.> Dr. J's words echoed in his mind. His fingers curled into a fist, still aching to stroke Duo's hair, to tell him things would be okay. Odin shot him a withering glance, informing him wordlessly what he thought of Dr. J's training, and Heero's resolve firmed. Slowly his hand came up and touched Duo's shoulder.
With a soft wail, Duo turned into Heero's arms, clutching him desperately. "Heero..." he sobbed breathlessly. "I... he's too much... I can't.... can't...." Under Odin's supportive gaze, Heero gently began stroking Duo's hair, reassuringly. "It's all right, Duo.... just relax. You're safe now, I've got you."
Odin's mental promptings seemed to be correct, the words had been the right ones to say. Duo snuggled closer, shivering. <You're warm, Heero... so warm, and alive... still alive. I don't want to hurt you...!> "I'm sorry," he whispered quietly, barely aware if he was speaking aloud or not. "I don't want to hurt you.... 'm sorry...." He trailed off, sliding slowly back into slumber.
Heero moved to lay him back on the bed, and Duo's eyes flew open once more. "Hold me, Heero," he whimpered. "Don't let me go, don't let me dream again... please!" The plea was desperate, and it struck to the core of him. He nodded slowly, moving to curl around Duo.
"I'm not going anywhere, Duo. I'll be here." <Always.>
End Part 10
(:./madcat/separate10)
