Braids and Waves

Parings: 1x2, 2x1 (eventual!) 3x4

Warnings: Angstyness.

Notes: So if you’re still reading after last chapter and not fallen asleep… love you ^_^! It starts kicking off again now. Thought I would post a day early to make up for late posting last week! To Diane Rainwater: Thank you so much ^_^. I am so flattered that you would even think of a picture. I’m glad you’re enjoying the story.

Thanks: To my little demons (my muses!) who would not let this story
lie.

Summary: Duo is living with Quatre and Trowa. But what no-one
realises is why. And what happens when they find out the truth,
especially Heero.

Enjoy

Chapter 12 – No Goodbyes.

As soon as he closed the door, Duo slumped against it and slid to the floor. He wrapped his arms around his shins and rested his chin on his knees. Fate could be cruel but regrettably predictable. He had known this would happen. It was why he hadn’t wanted to say anything, unfortunately it was taken out of his hands. It didn’t make it hurt any less. Those blue eyes that had been full of fire and passion only a few hours ago had frozen over. The pure disgust that had been written on Heero’s face had cut him to the core. No matter that Duo had predicted the outcome, he could never have prepared himself for the hurt Heero had caused. He couldn’t understand how the others had been so… accepting and yet Heero had rejected him so completely. It still crushed him just to think of the scathing words his barb tongued lover had left with. He mentally rephrased himself, ex-lover. But as he told himself last night, he would have that one night, that one memory. Just remembering how Heero’s hands had touched him, how he had been kissed, how Heero had used that wonderful warm mouth of his. It was cruel to think that such a talented mouth could also emit such malicious venom. But those eyes, those deep sea blue orbs that had smouldered with such intensity. He would never forget that look. How could he, it was burned into his mind.

Duo looked over to the bed. The sheets were still mussed from the night’s passions. The pillow probably still held Heero’s scent. He was so tempted to walk over to the bed and bury himself in that pillow and then probably cry into it. He opted to stay where he was. He couldn’t bring himself to go anywhere near the bed. It had become a place of lust and detestation. Such a fine line between love and hate and they had both crossed it.

And yet… If Heero walked up to him and asked for forgiveness, pleaded, begged, Duo knew he would. He would only make Heero beg just to see him do it. All it would take would be one word. And that scared him. Where Heero was concerned, he would bend over backwards. It didn’t matter how cruel he had been, all Duo needed was a sincere apology. And that was the reason he didn’t go near the bed, he didn’t want his resolve to break. If it did he knew he would go and find Heero and he would be the one begging. He couldn’t let that happen. He had to be strong in this. He rested his forehead on his knees and closed his eyes.

-x-

The next thing he knew there was a loud knock on his door. Duo jumped awake. For a moment he didn’t realise where he was. Then everything returned to him in a jolt and it was all he could do to not whimper.

“Duo, are you ok in there?” Quatre. Duo managed to stop the groan. He felt it best to remain silent. “Well, if you want dinner, there’s some food downstairs and…” Duo heard a loud sigh, “I’m always here if you need to talk.” Duo silently thanked him. He wouldn’t take the blonde up on his offer but it was nice to know that he cared. But it was at that moment that Duo knew what he was going to do.

-x-

Everyone had gone to bed. Duo had listened to them. He hadn’t left his room the whole time. He knew for a fact that Heero still hadn’t come back. For a moment he worried for the stoic Japanese man, then his thoughts returned to what he had to do. Darkness had fallen a long time ago. He had just been biding his time. He had packed his duffle bag earlier and was all set to go. Not that he was taking it with him. It would just save the others a job later. He glanced at the note he had left. It didn’t say much but it would be enough. He looked once more at the bed. So much more could have come from that but… There was no point dwelling on the ‘what could have been’s. He needed to move forward now, or in this case downwards. He turned to the window and opened it and looked down. It wasn’t too far. He had dropped farther from his Gundam before. He climbed onto the window ledge and looked out. A fine slither of a moon hung low in the sky and the stars shone brightly. How long was it now since he had been up there? He wasn’t sure where he was better off. He took a deep breath then dropped out of the window. Standing upright he began to jog away from the villa without looking back.

-x-

He waited for the sun to rise. He wanted to see the sky change from navy to turquoise as he didn’t know when he would next get to see the event. As soon as it got too bright he stood up and looked around. It was still too early for anyone to be around. He quickly stripped off his clothes and pulled off the tie that was holding his braid. He ran his fingers through his hair, freeing the long strands. The wind began to pull it about.

“Now you will have to come and find me Heero. No goodbyes. It’s easier this way.” He closed his eyes for a moment then dived from the edge into the water. He flicked his tail firmly sending himself into the darkness where no one would see him, leaving only a small wake and invisible tears behind him.

-x-

Heero finally turned up in the morning looking worse for wear and extremely miserable. Trowa, Quatre and Wufei were all sitting having breakfast when he walked in. No one knew what to say to him, there was an awkward silence.

“Uh… where’s Duo?” He asked quietly. Quatre was the first to reply, but it wasn’t kindly as he normally would have done.

“He shut himself in his room since you left. He didn’t even come out for food.” Heero looked ashamed by the fact. Quatre was secretly pleased by this, it served him right. He ran his hand through his messy bangs, it was then that all three sitting at the table could see the start of black circles under his eyes. Clearly Heero hadn’t slept.

“I’ll see if I can talk to him.” He turned away leaving the three to look at each other.

Heero knocked on the door. There was no reply.

“Duo, it’s Heero. Can we talk?” He waited for a moment, listening for any sound. “Please Duo, answer me.” He listened once more. Then he heard a strange noise. It sounded like a car. Why would he be able to hear a car? He tried the handle and found the door to be unlocked. “Duo?” He looked over the room to find no Duo. The reason for hearing the car became obvious, the window was wide open. Heero ran over to it and looked out. There was no sign of the braided American. Heero slammed his fist against the wall. He turned to look at the bed and noticed it was in exactly the same state they had left it the previous morning. It was a good chance that Duo hadn’t slept then, at least not on the bed and probably had been gone for hours. His eye was caught by a piece of paper on the bedside table by the lamp. He picked it up and glanced over it then bruisquely walked out of the room.

“Duo’s gone.” He told the others as he walked back downstairs.

“What do you mean Duo’s gone?”

“I mean Quatre, that he’s not in his room, the window was wide open and he left this.” He handed the bland the piece of paper. “His bag is still in there too.”

“Well, he couldn’t be going far then.” Trowa stated.

“I think he’s going a lot father than you think Trowa.” The Arabian handed his lover the paper.

“’I’m going home’ What does that mean?” Trowa replied clearly confused.

“It means he’s going back to his real ‘home’, that’s why he didn’t need his bag. He’s going to the sea.” Quatre looked back at Heero. He simply nodded, then turned towards the door.

“Where are you going Yuy?” Wufei called to him. Heero turned back.

“I’m going to find Duo before it’s too late. You can come with me if you want or you can stay here. Your choice.” He turned back to the door and the other three men quickly followed.

-x-

“But where would he have gone?” Trowa wondered out loud.

“Knowing Duo, he would have gone the shortest route, especially as he was on foot.” Without warning, Heero swerved the Jeep off the road and parked on the grass verge. “I bet this is a good place to start.” All of them had to agree as they looked out on to the bay. “Let’s split up and see if we can find him.”

They all began to search the bank and it wasn’t long before Heero’s worst fears were realised. Quatre found the clothes and handed them to Heero.

“He’s gone Heero.”

“Then I’ll find him.”

“But it’s the sea, and oceans and he could be anywhere.”

“Then I’ll search everywhere. I don’t care how long it takes. I need to find him Quatre. I hurt him so badly and I’ll never forgive myself for that. Ever. I need to apologise, but first I’ve got to find him.” The blonde had never seen Heero look more determined than at that moment, not even in the war. He couldn’t argue with him.

“I will help you any way I can then Heero.”

“Thank you Quatre, but this is something I do have to do on my own. I messed up something so beautiful… now I will have to find him and get it back.


-x-

Thoughts… anyone? Please let me know.