Captive Hearts

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

Notes: Heero and his guest retire to their respective rooms for the evening with their slaves.

Captive Hearts

Part Fifteen


Duo had a difficult time keeping his eyes lowered, as they should have been given his status in life. He was finished with his dinner, although he had not eaten all that much. He simply couldn’t keep his eyes off of Heero . . . he loved him so much. He stifled a sob that ached in his chest, not wanting to cry. He couldn’t. Not here, not in front of Trowa.

Oh . . . Duo couldn’t bear this . . . to be separated from the one he loved. Duo didn’t think he would be able to live should he have to leave with Trowa. Even if Trowa was his friend, a good and very dear friend . . . Duo loved Heero and did not want to leave him.

A firm hand slid across his back, rubbing his shoulders. Duo turned, casting a grateful smile to his friend. Trowa had always been able to tell when Duo was upset . . . and the gentle movement of his hand across Duo’s back did soothe him a little. The taller youth always knew how to make Duo feel better, even if he rarely spoke his own feelings.

“Thank you, Trowa.” Duo said quietly, lowering his eyes again.

“You should not worry so, Duo.” Trowa replied. “I have not yet made my decision.”

Duo nodded. “I will try.” He responded.

Trowa then yawned widely, holding his hand to his mouth. It was then that Duo noticed how weary his master looked. How could he have been so blind? He berated himself, shaking his head. He was a fool. His first duty was to see to Trowa’s care . . . and he hadn’t done so.

“Master . . . perhaps you should retire for the evening. You are looking tired.” Duo commented, lightly grasping Trowa’s wrist and bringing it away from his back. “I do not want your health to suffer.”

A slender hand settled on Trowshoushoulder. “Duo is right, brother.” Catherine’s kind voice whispered as she leaned over to speak. “We still have a long trip ahead of us. I would not want you becoming ill before we reach Mariemaia. You will not be able to protect her unless you are strong.”

A small smirk came to Trowa’s face as he closed his eyes. “As I know neither of you will let this go, I have no choice but to comply. Both of you worry too much.” He opened his eyes again and looked over to Heero, rising to his feet as he did so. “If you’ll excuse me, Heero . . . I have had a long journey and am quite tired.”

“By all means.” Heero replied, standing. “I trust that Duo will see to your needs. If you should require anything, I am sure my staff will be happy to accommodate you.”

Trowa bowed respectfully, Heero doing the same a moment later. “I thank you for your generosity and hospitality, Lord Heero.” Trowa said.

With that, he turned and left the dinning hall, Duo and Catherine at his heels. Duo sighed as he reached the door, casting a longing look back at his only love. He turned away as he caught Heero’s eye, his heart aching. He didn’t want to leave Heero.


*****


Quatre watched in concern all throughout the meal. Master Heero was unhappy . . . Duo was unhappy . . . and that Trowa person looked tired. Quatre didn’t like this. He didn’t like all the negative emotions floating around . . . he could almost feel all the aches and pains himself, not in a physical sense . . . he had always been intuitive.

He stayed king ing as Trowa excused himself from the table. He watched as Duo stopped at the door and looked back at Master Heero. The tension between them was palpable . . . the sadness looming in the air between them. Quatre frowned as Duo left, his heart aching in sympathy for Master Heero as the Baron slumped heavily into his chair.

“Master . . . maybe you should get some sleep as well?” Quatre offered, trying to do all that he could for his master.

Master Heero merely nodded in reply, sluggishly rising to his feet and leaving. Quatre followed quickly, his concern for Master Heero only growing with each passing moment. He trailed behind the silent young man as they returned to the bedchamber, watching his body language carefully to judge what he should do for him.

After they entered the room, Quatre closed the door behind them. He then turned to look asteaster Heero, only to find the baron simply standing there, staring out of the window.

“Duo loves looking at the evening sky.” Master Heero murmured, a single stray tear running along his cheek.

Quatre frowned deeply. His master was losing himself in sadness. He was losing hope. This was not something that Quatre liked.

“I am certain that the two of you will be able to enjoy the stars for many years to come.” Quatre said, trying to offer some shimmer of hope.

Master Heero turned, a faint smile on his face. “I thank you, Quatre . . . although I do not know if I can believe that. Trowa was so angry . . . I should have warned him. Because of me, Mariemaia was put in danger . . . I should have remembered.”

Quatre removed the cufnd ond other adornments that Master Heero had loaned to him, setting them carefully on a tabletop. He then moved over to where Master Heero stood, raising his hands to timidly draw the baron’s cloak from his shoulders.

“H-He would not hurt you just for spite . . . would he?” Quatre asked, laying the cloak over the back of a chair.

Master Heero said nothing immediately. However, he did eventually answer. “No . . . I do not think he would.” Master Heero sighed, allowing Quatre to help him remove hirmenrments. “Trowa isn’t the type of person to act cruelly just because he’s angry.”

“Then you have hope.” Quatre said, retrieving a nightshirt from Master Heero’s wardrobe and assisting his master in putting it on.

A brief flicker of a smile alighted on Master Heero’s face. “I suppose you are right, Quatre. I will try to keep my spirits up.” He ran his hand along Quatre’s arm. “For now though, I just want to go to sleep.”

Quatre smiled in return. “As you wish, Master.” He said, quickly shedding his own clothes and laying them aside.

He grasped Master Heero’s hand and guided him to the bed, easily pushing the other youth down to the mattress. Master Heero gave up no arguments or fights, simply going where Quatre led him. Quatre smiled again, climbing into bed next to Master Heero, drawing the blankets up over the two of them. Quatre lay his head against Master Heero’s chest, keeping his body close to the baron’s, if only to keep him warm dg thg the night. It was his duty and he would do it without question.

Master Heero sighed, yet wrapped his arm around Quatre’s body, pulling him closer. However, Quatre was quite startled not a moment later as Master Heero turned to him, wrapping his other arm around Quatre’s body as well. Master Heero had never held Quatre like this before . . . Quatre was once again worried.

“I do not want to lose him.” Master Heero whispered, altering his position and burying his face against Quatre’s chest.

Never had Quatre seen his master reduced to such a state. Master Heero had always striven to stay strong, to hide his feelings. Quatre didn’t like this. Shakily, he curled his arms around Master Heero, stroking a hand through his thick hair.

“Things will work out . . . I am certain.” Quatre said, hoping that it was true. He didn’t want Duo to leave either. “Just go to sleep. Tomorrow you can talk with Trowa . . . he will listen to reason.”

Master Heero nodded against Quatre’s body. Quatre held his master securely, wanting to soothe him, hoping that he was helping. In time, Master Heero fell into an unpeaceful slumber, slight whimpers coming from his lips now and again. All the while, Quatre hushed him, stroking his arms or back, offering comfort to the sleeping youth. Only when the whimpers ceased did Quatre allow himself to fall asleep as well.


*****


Duo ed aed as he entered the baths, carrying a number of soft drying cloths with him. He set them on the nearest surface and then stripped off his loincloth, joining his master, Trowa, in the water. In his hand, Duo held some soap, so he eased his hands along Trowa’s chest, doing his duty and cleansing the tall youth’s body. Trowa had been sitting on one of the stone benches, his head leaning back and his eyes closed. Duo knew that Trowa was weary, so it was best to get this done quickly so that he could rest.

Smirking at the slight moan of appreciation that came from Trowa’s lips, Duo ran his hands over Trowa’s chest, working away the dirt and sweat collected on his smooth skin. Trowa hadn’t had the chance to wash before dinner, as he would have preferred. It wasn’t as if he had been covered in mud though, so his appearance at dinner had not been offensive in the least.

“That feels good.” Trowa commented, cracking open his eyes and shifting his weight forward.

Duo said nothing. He merely eased himself behind Trowa’s body, washing his back for him while Trowa handled the rest of himself. Thankfully, Trowa didn’t have Duo do all of the things that bed slaves would have to do . . . he was spared the task of washing ALL of Trowa’s body, only helping out in a small capacity. And they had only spent one night in the company of each other’s bodies . . . Trowa did not want a bed slave, not really . . . it was his family that had forced Duo upon him.

When Trowa was done with his bath, Duo dried him then himself. Duo donned his loincloth once more, trailing behind Trowa as the nobleman returned to the guest room he was residing in. Is a s a simple bedchamber, nothing special about it. But it was the largest guest room in the castle . . . bigger than Duo’s own room.

Duo went about his duties, getting Trowa dressed in a plain nightshirt and putting him to bed. The tall youts bas barely awake as it was, most obviously tired after his long journey. Duo said nothing, stripping off his loincloth again as he took his place in Trowa’s bed, keeping his master warm in the night.

Trowa’s voice startled him. “Are you happy here, Duo?” Trowa asked, his hand firm against Duo’s side.

Duo blinked, pulling away from Trowa a little. “By here you mean . . .”

“With Heero.” Trowa finished for him. “Are you happy here with Heero?”

Duo nodded without hesitation. “Happier than I can ever remember being.” He said. “I . . . He . . . He said he loves me. And may the Gods forgive mut Iut I love him too.”

Trowa smiled for a brief instant, raising a hand to ghost over Duo’s features. “Dekim has been giving me a great deal of grief for handing you over to Heero . . . he does not approve of me allowing you such freedoms.”

Duo blinked. “I . . . I did not know you were getting in trouble over me.” Duo whispered. He laid his head down on Trowa’s chest, curling close. “I am sorry.”

“Don’t be, Duo . . . you had no idea that Dekim would raise such a fuss.” Trowa replied. “Just go to sleep now. We can discuss this more in the morning.”

Duo nodded a little, letting out a long breath. He only hoped that things would work out well, for all of them. He didn’t want Trowa getting into trouble over him. But he also didn’t want to leave Heero alone. Duo was conflicted . . . he hoped things would turn out okay.

To Be Continued . . .