Adult-FanFiction.org : Gundam, Beyblade, DBZ, FMA

The Road to Kindness	By : shinigamiinochi Category: Gundam Wing/AC > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 7934 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing/AC, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
The Road to
Kindness

Chapter 7

Part 10

Heero woke Duo up twice, but it was impossible to tell the time
in the windowless room and after a few minutes, Duo�s phone screen went black
in screen saver mode, so he couldn�t use that to tell the time, either. Duo
slept like a death weight in his lap, not even twitching at the awkward
position like he would if he was sleeping normally. Heero knew that he hadn�t
settled into a nap so much as he had blacked out. Heero could feel Duo�s blood
from his anal injuries soaking into his jeans. The first time he had woken Duo
up, the blood had still felt warm and slick as it soaked through his pants and
onto his leg, but the second time he had woken him, it had felt cold as it
started to dry, turning his jean leg stiff and feeling strange on his skin. He
didn�t know which had felt worst, feeling hot slick liquid and knowing that it
meant that Duo was still bleeding, or the cold blood that felt too much like
the life, the heat, was leaving Duo.

�� Each time, it had gotten harder to
rouse Duo and that scared him. It was terrifying, trying to force him awake
with his raw voice, constantly wondering if Duo would wake up this time or if
he was so far gone that mere words couldn�t bring him
back. He didn�t dare use his legs to shift him, afraid that he would hurt Duo
or he would fall off his lap and wouldn�t be able to pull himself back into
that position. His heart would pound, his thoughts would race, as he called
Duo�s name as loudly as his sore throat would allow, begging him back to the
waking world and almost positive that Duo had died, since he couldn�t feel his
breath through his clothes and couldn�t see his chest move with how he was
curled up. But then Duo would open his eyes, the violet brilliant and beautiful
in the dull room, like seeing a blooming iris among a gravel path. Their eyes
would meet and Duo would choke out some reassuring words through the pain. The
first time Heero had awoken him, Duo had managed to stay awake for several
minutes, asking Heero how he was doing
and if he felt as cold as Duo did, or if it was just him. Heero hadn�t had the
heart to tell him that it wasn�t that cold and it wasn�t the room�s temperature
that was making Duo shake like that, but Heero was sure that Duo knew that. The
second time he had woken him, Duo had only staid awake for a few seconds,
though Heero didn�t know if his diminishing stamina was from exhaustion or
bloodless. He was scared to try a third time, scared to find out how much
strength Duo had left, if any. He was scared to not try, if his yelling him
awake was the only thing keeping Duo alive.

�� Heero was hungry and thirsty, though
he didn�t know which need was worse. His empty stomach gnawed at him, it
actually ached, but his throat hurt from yelling and his mouth felt like he had
swallowed sand. He remembered the coffee that he had had before they had been
taken like a sort of heavenly dream and how Duo had declined to buy anything
from the coffee shop, willing to wait for the soda they would have with their
pizza, though thinking of things like drinks and food seemed borderline between
hellish and wonderful. If Heero was feeling this thirsty, he was worried to
think about how dehydrated Duo was. That was why Duo didn�t even have the
energy to move, he realized. He had stopped bleeding awhile ago, which was a
huge relief for Heero, but he had no sugar in his blood and with no food and
water, or some source of iron, Duo�s body wasn�t recovering from the blood loss
like it should. As hungry as he was, if Heero had any food at that moment, he
would have happily given it to Duo.

�� Heero felt his eyelids start to drop
and shook his head violently, struggling to stay awake. He wanted to scream in
frustration as he realized he had lost count again. Since he didn�t know what
time it was, he had started counting to 2,400 before waking Duo up. His
analytical mind had summed up that this was a good plan and the only real way
to have some sort of idea of the time, but he found himself continuously
screwing up his counting. That same analytical part of him told him that his
hunger and dehydration were making him sleepy and he needed to eat something,
because all the sleep in the world wasn�t going to make him feel better. That
wasn�t acceptable and how drowsy he felt scared him. He couldn�t even get up
and pace to keep awake. Duo was relying on him to be the strong one now, he had
to stay awake to keep Duo alive, but he was so tired, his body�s hunger for
things that he could not provide it making him want to shut down and hide from
it, just for a little while�

�� Heero caught his eyes trying to shut
again and in frustration, he banged his head against the metal frame of the
bed. A terrible pain flared red hot in his skull and he cursed loudly. He had
no idea what Chris had done to him, but it felt like his skull was cracked or
bruised or something. He made a mental note not to hit his head against
anything anymore, even if it was the only part of his body he could move
freely. He didn�t even have the energy to feel bad at how worried his mother
and his friends probably were at this point. He was sure that one of them had
called his mother as soon as they had realized that they were missing. Heero
settled his head against the frame, very gently, and closed his eyes, too
exhausted to bother to fight them open anymore. His head was throbbing
unpleasantly, he just needed to give his vision a rest, then
his head would feel better. He started to count again, focusing on only the
numbers and how still and heavy Duo felt as he slept on his legs, crotch, and
stomach. The room was silent as a tomb compared to all the screaming he had
done when Chris had been there. That thought made Heero laugh. The sound was
strange and crazy, even to Heero. It didn�t wake Duo up. Yes, he supposed that
the room was a tomb, or it would be soon. He just wished that his throat didn�t
hurt so much. What was driving him insane was that he couldn�t talk to Duo,
couldn�t fill the room with some sort of sound, couldn�t voice all the things
that he wanted to say to his friend. He wished that he could touch his silken
hair one last time. He wished that he could hear him laugh one, just once more.
But all he could do was sit on the cold floor and count the seconds away as
both his stomach and his heart yearned�

�

�.

�..

� Heero jolted
awake, nearly throwing Duo out of his lap, at the thunderous sound of something
slamming against the walls of the room.

�� No,� he realized in half shock, half
sleep, �not the walls, the door.�

�� Sure enough, the slamming sound came
again and Heero clearly saw the door shake, the old wood not standing a chance
against whatever was trying to get in. He should have been ecstatic that
someone was trying to get into the room, he should have wanted to scream out
for help, but he staid silent. His mind was fogged with involuntary sleep, the prospect of getting rescued such a dream at this
point that he couldn�t trust it. What if he was dreaming? What if whatever was
trying to break through the door wasn�t something that was coming to rescue
them, but to finish the job that Chris had started? Each crashing bang woke him
up more and more and his body tensed. He realized that the likelihood of it
being someone to kill them was tiny. Chris had acted like he was the only one
on his fucked up little mission, and if it was Chris, he had the key for the
door. But the likelihood that it was one of their friends or family was even less. Heero had given up on the hope that they would be
saved hours ago, at the very least. He just couldn�t think of how their friends
would be able to find them, even if their phones worked. Worst of all, he was
still completely helpless and, even with all of the
racket, Duo hadn�t roused. It terrified him that Duo was so far gone, the loud
noise didn�t make him stir. He had no hope of doing it with his own voice if
that was the case.

�� Though Heero, like most sane people,
didn�t want to die, he had to admit that dying with Duo Maxwell in his lap was
way up there on his list of ways to go. Of course, having Duo die, too, would
never be part of that, but at this point, he would take what he would get. But
what if whoever was trying to break through the door was going to take that
away from him? It had been such a huge relief, after all those moments mourning
that he and Duo were going to die away from each other, to have his best friend
so close to him.

�� After what seemed like an eternity to
Heero, Duo started to wake, just as he heard the door�s lock break and it
slammed open. Heero watched with wide eyes as a tall man all but ran into the
room, looking as though he was running into a battlefield. For one scary
moment, Heero caught the flash of frantic green eyes and thought that it really
was Chris, but his fuzzy brain engaged as he realized that this man was too
young, and slim instead of muscular. Besides, he recognized him personally.

�� Trowa,� he breathed out roughly,
unable to believe what he was seeing. He had to be dreaming, there was no way
this could be happening. What was more, Quatre and Wufei were following the
taller boy into the room, both looking like they were
about to keel over in the mix of shock and relief that Heero was also feeling.
No, he had to be still asleep, all that was missing
was his mother.

�� Oh, thank God,� Trowa gasped out in
the same breathy tone as Heero, taking in the sight of his two friends like a
thirsty man would look at a glass of water. Wufei stayed by the door, his dark
eyes flitting back and forth from the broken door to the puddle and smears of
blood and semen by the wall to Heero and Duo, looking sickened, relieved, and
shocked, all at the same time. Quatre looked the same way, though his eyes were
fixed on his friends. The room stank of things Quatre didn�t even want to think
about, but that didn�t matter right now. All that mattered was that Heero and
Duo were found and they had to get them out of this rat hole. The rest they
could take care of later, when they were all safe. They still didn�t know who
had done this or if they were coming back. Quatre knew that he would feel much
better when they got Heero and Duo to the hospital so a doctor could tell them
that they would be five. But all that blood� it made his heart pound to think
that they had come too late.

�� The slamming of the door had been
muted for Duo as he existed in between sleep and reality. He had heard the
noise quite clearly, clearly enough that it had almost completely woken him up,
but it hadn�t connected with his consciousness what was happening around him
until he had heard the loud sound of the lock breaking on the old door. Still,
he was so tired and it was hard finding reasons to open his eyes and be aware
when he was in so much pain. It was the breathy whisper he heard from Heero
that piqued his curiosity and he opened his eyes, meeting familiar emeralds.
The breath went out of him quickly, as though someone had punched him in the
gut. Relief filled him, replacing his surrendering hopelessness, making him
feel slightly ill and wide awake. He wanted to cry at the feeling, knowing that
they were probably going to survive. At the very least, Heero would live and
that was all that mattered to him.

�� Trowa had run into the room so
quickly, he hadn�t seen the bloody mess on the floor that Quatre and Wufei had,
but Duo�s state told him enough. Both Heero and Duo looked pale and terrible,
Duo covered in blood that made Trowa almost fly into a panic. The smell of the
room and the blood on Duo�s legs told him enough about what had happened. If he
didn�t feel so shocked and sickened, he would have punched the wall. Instead,
he fell to his knees in front of his friends. Duo was looking up at him, too
weak to get up on his own. Trowa, as gently as he could, untangled Duo from
Heero and pulled him into his own arms and lap, keeping an eye out for any
fresh blood, but its absence didn�t make him feel any better.

�� No!� Heero protested once his muddled
mind realized that Duo was being taken from him and pulled at his bonds, trying
uselessly to get him back. Trowa and Wufei saw the move, but Trowa was too
preoccupied with looking over Duo to help. Wufei finally found the courage to
insert himself in the situation and went to Heero�s
aid, putting a hand on his shoulder to try to keep him still unless he hurt
himself on the metal.

�� Heero, it�s
ok,� he tried to soothe, though he knew that he was terrible at it, �Let Trowa
help him!�

�� The fight left Heero at the mention of
his best friend, settling down at the thought of Duo getting help and the feel
of Duo�s bare foot against his own, even as Trowa had separated them.

�� Please, help him!� he begged. Wufei
nodded.

�� Trowa will. Quatre will get a bolt
cutter, somehow, and we�ll get you free,� Wufei promised. Heero shook his head.

�� Duo said he could get them off with a
bit of metal, but he was too weak,� he choked out. Wufei looked over to where
Duo was cradled in Trowa�s arms, Trowa tucking one arm against Duo�s back so he
was sitting up without any pain or strain. Seeing the shape that the longhaired
boy was in, Wufei felt sick all over again.

�� You have to get me out of these,�
Heero said, panicked, �Duo needs me!�

�� Stay still!� Quatre scolded, coming
over to help Wufei with Heero�s bounds, �Trowa is taking care of it and
breaking your wrists won�t help anyone!�

�� Help Heero,� Wufei heard Duo plead to
Trowa and would have snorted if it didn�t make feel so sad. Both boys were more
worried about each other than themselves.

�� It�s ok,� Trowa said gently, glad
that Duo was too weak to try to get to Heero on his own, he wasn�t sure what
his injuries were and didn�t want to risk fighting with him.

�� Duo, tell me how to get his cuffs
off,� Wufei urged. Duo looked over at his Chinese friend, concerned black eyes
meeting his. Duo nodded shakily. He wanted Heero to get help. He remembered how
terrified he had been when he had watched Heero fall into the gutter, his head
bleeding, and knew how badly Heero wanted to be free of the chains, but mostly,
he wanted one of their friends to tell him that he was going to be ok. He felt so helpless as his friends surrounded them, trying to help,
yet he was too weak to do anything but watch. Then again, if he had been
stronger, he would have been able to free Heero and break out of the room all
on his own.

�� You�ll need a straight piece of
metal,� he told Wufei, grateful that his voice wasn�t as shaky as he felt.

�� I think I have something like that,�
Quatre contributed, perking up from his shocked silence as he realized that
there was something that he could do to help. He dug into his knapsack, taking
out the PDA he always carried with him and detaching the metal stylus.

�� Will this do?� he asked Duo. Duo felt
this strange little spark go through him at the realization that, even though
he was physically incapacitated, his friends were still looking at him for his
advice and knowledge, not out of disgust, though he was sure that that would
change quite quickly once Heero was safe.

�� Yes,� he said weakly, a faint tremor
going down his back as he struggled to keep a grip on reality. Quatre watched
with a pensive air as Duo walked Wufei through picking the locks, telling him
the exact angles and force that he would need. Trowa�s respect for the younger
boy grew by the second. He had an idea that this lock picking skill had come to
Duo during his time on the streets and had probably been used illegally, but it
was quite impressive. What was even more impressive was that he was able to
give Wufei such a detailed, patient explanation when he was shaking in pain and
on the edge of shock. Duo talked slowly, repeating the instructions when Wufei
asked with patience, like he was an adult teaching a kid a valuable skill
instead of an injured boy frantic to get out of the small room he had been
trapped in for who knew how long.

�� Duo lied completely still as he felt
Trowa ignore what was going on with Heero and start to search him for injuries.
He wanted to tell Trowa to leave him be and concentrate on helping Heero, but
realized that the tall boy wasn�t going to do as he asked. Heero was what
mattered, but Trowa didn�t seem to understand that and Duo was too tired to do
anything more than let Trowa examine him. Besides, Wufei was doing quite well
for someone that had never picked a lock before. Duo fed him the rest of the
instructions and fell silent, knowing that it would take at least another ten
minutes to pick the lock. Heero seemed to squirm with every minute that passed
without him being freed. Trowa�s long fingers were shockingly gentle compared
to how Chris had touched him and Duo�s eyes slid shut, his pained expression
melting away to one of bliss at the tender touches. Trowa thought that it was
heartwarming, and breaking, at the same time and made sure to keep his touch
light, even if he was positive that he wasn�t hurting Duo, just to keep that
expression there, instead of one of pain and skittishness.

�� Trowa knew exactly what Duo was
feeling as they huddled around them. He had felt it a hundred times before, back when he had been with his uncle. He had felt
that way every single time he had left the house with his uncle and had passed
people in the street, wondering if they knew, if they could see the filth on
him and how the mere thought that a total stranger might know the terrible
person that he was had made him feel so sick. Even after, when he had been in
the hospital, that feeling of filth and shame wouldn�t leave him and he had
wondered if his doctor and the nurses were disgusted with him. He knew that Duo
was thinking the same thing now, of them. He was thinking that they were
disgusted in him, hated him, that Heero was the only one worth saving. Trowa
wanted to be angry with him for thinking that way, but he understood those
feelings too well and he refused to let Duo feel that way. After what he had
gone through, he deserved to have some peace of mind, to know that they still
loved him and were more worried about him than Heero, both physically and
mentally.

�� How did you find us?� Heero asked,
trying to keep his mind off how edgy he felt with the prospect of getting free
and being, finally, able to care for
his best friend. Quatre kneeled down to be at eye level with Heero and the smug
look in his blue-green eyes made Heero feel better than he had through this
whole ordeal. He hadn�t realized what being bound had done to him, but now,
surrounded by his friends, finally safe, he was nearly ready to throw a fit to
move around, to stand, to touch someone.

�� Did you know that Duo�s phone has a
GPS locator on it?� Quatre asked with an excited glint in his eye. Heero shook
his head, his eyes wide.

�� Well, your mother did,� his blonde
friend told them, �she had paid for it and turned it on the second she got the
phone for Duo, in case Wes ever decided to try something.�

�� Heero made a mental note to kiss his
mother the second that he saw her. It was just like her to be so overprotective, she would keep a trace on Duo�s phone. Maybe
sometime he would get pissed at her for keeping tabs on his friend like he was
an animal in a reserve, but not today. Definitely not today.

�� But we still had thought that we had
lost you guys for good,� Quatre continued to explain, his tone less excited and
more sober, �The system only works when the phone is on, and Duo�s was off for
so long, we feared the worst. Then, Name suddenly got a signal a few hours ago.
It took us this long to find you because you were all the way down in Cambridge and there was
all this traffic�� Quatre continued to ramble on. Trowa felt Duo�s back stiffen
against his arm.

�� Both Heero and Duo realized what had
happened. Duo felt a little thrill of happiness, realizing that, in the end, he
hadn�t been completely useless. In a roundabout way, he had saved Heero. If he
hadn�t turned on his cell phone, their friends never would have found them.
That he felt so happy about such a small thing made him feel pathetic, though.
He shouldn�t feel this happy, he told himself, besides that one act, he had been completely useless. He should
have done so much more to help Heero. Hell, Heero never should have gone
through this in the first place. It was his own damn fault that Heero had ended
up in danger, so he had no right to be happy about having a role in getting him
out of it. He didn�t notice the sad, annoyed look Trowa was giving him as the
tall boy caught his own fallen, guilty expression.

�� Yes!� Wufei suddenly cheered as he
heard the loud click of the lock in the cuffs giving way. Heero felt the metal loosening
and, in a sort of insane, giddy triumph, he nearly ripped his wrists out of the
cuffs, stumbling to his feet with no grace at all. Sitting down for such a
length of time had taken its toll on Heero�s body. It had taken all of his
strength just to get to his feet and he had had no idea how weak he was. How
was he supposed to help Duo when he barely had the strength to walk? Things got
progressively worse as he got his feet under him and he swayed, struggling to
stay upright. His back ached and his headache reawakened, pounding in his skull
and making his brain feel like it was dissolving into his ears. The worst were
the pins and needles that attacked his legs and arms, making them tremble and
he felt like squirming with the awkward, painful feeling.

�� Heero, wait a minute!� Quatre
snapped, standing up just as quickly to grab at Heero�s arm in case he fell
back down.

�� I�m fine!� Heero snarled at him.

�� Heero, you and Duo have been missing
for twenty-four hours, and if you�ve been chained up for that long�� Quatre
tried to reason with Heero, but Heero ignored him to kneel in front of Duo, who
was watching Heero in relief that he seemed to be ok.

�� Duo�� Heero breathed, wanting to cry
as he finally got a good look at the longhaired boy. Duo still looked like he
was on death�s door, though there was a solidity in
his eyes that made Heero want to believe he was going to pull through. But he
still looked� hell, he looked a bit like a banged up rag doll and it was
tearing Heero up inside knowing he hadn�t been able to be the friend, the protector, that Duo had needed. Heero put a hand on Duo�s
shoulder, reveling in the feeling of him, real and still alive. It was the
sweetest feeling he could feel after, what had Quatre said? After twenty-four
hours of hell, Heero could finally touch Duo.

�� Duo felt Heero�s hand, gentle and
almost affectionate, on him, the deep seated part of himself that loved Heero
so completely, he knew he could never get it out of him, that part of himself
that sometimes thought he needed Heero just to breath, warming and blossoming
at the physical contact he had been yearning for, for so many hours. The rest
of Duo, however, violently flinched away from his best friend.

�� Heero pulled his hand away as though
he had suffered a terrible, electrical shock. Their friends� looked at them
with wide, shocked eyes, Heero just staring at Duo with a hurt, confused
expression. Quatre and Wufei couldn�t understand what had just happened. Duo never flinched from Heero. He flinched
from everyone, even from Name, but never Heero. Seeing him do it now, so
vehemently, seemed devastating, even for them, let alone Heero. Trowa looked at
Duo, who looked ashamed, yet resolute at the flinch, with a broken expression,
realizing what was going through Duo�s head. As much as Trowa didn�t want that
to happen between the two best friends, he couldn�t think of a single thing to
do to stop it. Heero took the decision out of his hands, however. His deep blue
eyes hardened and he stood up once again, distancing himself both physically
and emotionally from Duo. Duo looked like he was going to cry, like he wanted
to reach out for Heero at the same time that he didn�t dare. The look was
heartbreaking enough that Trowa wanted to scream at both of them in
frustration. Quatre looked at him worriedly, but Trowa shook his head. No
amount of meddling on Quatre�s part was going to fix this.

�� We need to call an ambulance,� Heero
told Quatre, refusing to look down at Duo. His heart felt like it had been
stabbed over and over by something rusty and sharp. Every instinct was
screaming at him to comfort Duo, to protect him as he had been doing ever since
he had driven him to the hospital what seemed like a lifetime ago, but Duo
didn�t want him to touch him. Duo didn�t want anything to do with him.
Frustration and desperation bubbled inside of him and he wanted to rip his own
heart out. He wanted to be angry at Duo for putting such an impenetrable wall
between them when he needed Duo so badly, but he didn�t have it in him. It
wasn�t Duo�s fault that he hadn�t been able to stop him from getting raped.
Heero deserved all the bitterness and hatred that Duo could dish out. He swayed
on his feet, feeling weaker than ever and Heero wasn�t sure if it was the
heartache, or his physical hunger.

�� I can get a signal in the hallway,�
Quatre told him, already digging into his pockets for his cell phone.

�� No!� Duo protested, struggling to sit
up even as Trowa tried to keep him still.

�� Duo,� Quatre said softly, his voice
tinged with panic at the ordeal of having to reason with Duo�s stubbornness
when he was this injured, �You�re hurt and we don�t know how badly. Heero�s
right, we have to take you to a hospital.�

�� Duo shook his head, his face white as
a sheet and his eyes wide with the thought of going through that whole process,
of having to go to the hospital again and deal with needles and tests and
doctors�

�� No,� he pleaded, his small voice
making even Quatre doubt calling for medical help, �I�m used to this, I can deal with the pain. I�m not bleeding anymore, I�m just
tired and hungry, but I can deal with it.�

�� Trowa chewed on his bottom lip,
keeping his arm at Duo�s back. That Duo was still awake and was actually
arguing with them was a good sign, but he was still worried. He remembered what
Heero had told him, back when Duo had still been in
the hospital, and how hard it had been for the longhaired boy. He didn�t want
to subject him to all that in his current state unless he really had to. What
they needed was someone that Duo trusted that also knew at least a little bit
about medicine to help with his injuries. Trowa sighed heavily, his eyes
meeting with his boyfriend�s.

�� Call Name,� he instructed, �Tell her what�s happened and where to pick us up.�

�� Duo needs a hospital!� Heero snapped,
angry and irritated at the situation, his pent up rage over the previous events
spilling out. He wanted to hit something, to scream and yell, and he knew it
had nothing to do with how tired he was.

�� He�s in shock and a hospital is not
going to help!� Trowa argued back, �We need to get him back home, where he�s
safe.�

�� He�s not well,�
Heero argued, his voice more subdued. Where had his confidence gone? In
the past, he had always been the one that had known what was best for his
friend, but now Trowa had taken over that role and Heero floundered for that
surety back.

�� It�s not his body that I�m worried
about,� Trowa pointed out. Any doubts he had fled when he looked down at Duo
and saw the utter relief in his eyes and felt how his body relaxed. Duo needed
food and water and medical supplies, but more than that, he needed to believe
that he was safe and taken care of. A hospital would only stress him out and
bring on a panic attack, something that Duo wouldn�t be able to handle right
now. Heero clenched his fists as he saw how Duo seemed to search for Trowa�s
attention, how he relaxed in his arms. Hate bubbled in his heart. He wanted to
be the one that Duo looked to, but that was long dead. Duo would never look at
him that way again, not after how badly he had fucked up.

�� Will you let me help you?� Trowa
asked Duo softly. Duo fleetingly looked at the others, then back at Trowa, and
nodded. A silent message went between them, one that Heero didn�t understand at
all and it only made him angrier. There was a small part of him that told him
that this was wrong, if Trowa could help Duo, then he should let him, Trowa was
his friend, so he shouldn�t feel jealous towards him, but that maddening anger
that seemed to be swallowing every other emotion, every part of what made him, him, wouldn�t let him let it go. Quatre
recognized what was going on. Duo didn�t want any of them to know what had
happened, to take care of him when Duo thought what had happened was so
shameful, but he trusted Trowa, because Trowa had been here before. He realized
what Trowa had tried to explain before, about his promises meaning more to Duo
than the others.

�� You�re not a doctor!� Heero growled
low in his throat. Duo looked at him in alarm and a bit of anger ebbed away at
the brief contact.

�� No,� Trowa said slowly, as though he
were talking down an agitated dog, �But I did help out with animals in the
circus when they were sick, which makes me more of a doctor than anyone else
here, and if Duo will let me look at him, it�s better than a hospital.�

�� Quatre nodded in understanding and dug
through the knapsack he had brought for a bottle of water and a couple of
slices of pizza in the take out containers they had brought. Wufei cautiously
approached Heero, who looked as though he was about to do something violent.
Quatre knelt down in front of Duo, looking him in the eye.

�� Are you sure about this?� he asked,
examining how pale Duo was and how he shook a little with pain. Duo nodded.

�� I just want to go home,� he said
quietly, as though he was ashamed to say it. Quatre smiled and kissed Duo�s
cheek.

�� Then we�ll take you home,� he
promised. Duo shot him a look, his eyes darting to Heero, silently begging for
him to take care of their friend. Quatre leaned forward.

�� Just let us take care of you, too,�
he whispered in Duo�s ear.

�� Come on, Heero, the sooner Trowa
looks at Duo, the sooner we can take the both of you home,� Wufei soothed.
Heero didn�t relax, his expression merely turned from pissed to sad as he
caught Duo�s eye again. The room filled with a frightening sort of calm that
made a shiver go down Quatre�s spine.

�� I�m sorry,� Heero whispered, his
voice nearly cracking with emotion. Duo stared at him in shock, watching as the
blue eyed boy turned and left the room with Quatre and Wufei hurrying after him.
Trowa only let out a relieved breath when Wufei closed the door behind them,
allowing them some sort of privacy.

*****

�� He hadn�t meant to do it. Well, maybe
he had. He didn�t know. All he did know was that he would do anything to get
that look of fury and betrayal and helplessness out of Heero�s eyes. No, Duo
didn�t think that he had meant to flinch away from his best friend. So why had
he done it? It had just been so automatic. It wasn�t the flinch he usually gave
when he thought he was in danger, when someone was touching him and he felt
cornered, but he didn�t think that Heero had realized that. He had flinched
because he had been scared of Heero touching him. He hadn�t been scared of Heero, no matter what Heero did, he
would never be afraid of him, but he had been afraid of what he would do if
Heero touched him.

�� He didn�t deserve him. Heero didn�t
deserve to touch him, to� dirty himself by touching him, especially with Chris�
stench still on him. He didn�t want that part of him that loved Heero so much
to surrender to how good it would feel to curl up in Heero�s arms. He didn�t
deserve that, didn�t deserve the comfort that Heero could provide. It would be
a lie anyway, because Heero had to hate him now. Wasn�t that why he was so
angry? Heero was so kind, still trying to help him, but the whole situation had
driven them apart, had made Heero angry at him. He had told himself that, after
Heero had found him again, he would never make him angry at him like that ever
again, no matter the circumstances, but he had. He had destroyed their
friendship and Heero�s trust in him. So, with that threat of Heero touching his
dirty skin, he had flinched and probably had made Heero hate him even more.

�� Duo felt Trowa�s larger, stronger
hands on him, helping him to his feet. Duo stumbled, feeling like a newborn
deer, as Trowa guided him onto the bed. The softness under him felt instantly
better than the hard floor, and the stable headboard
and pillows at his back helped him to sit up better, but it was of little comfort
to him. He hung his head forward and started to cry. It was almost shocking,
the tears and the sorrow that filled him almost to the bone, that feeling that
he had lost his best friend, but he couldn�t get it stopped, like it was just a
force of nature. Trowa kept a hand on Duo�s shoulder, but didn�t tell him to
stop crying or ask him what was wrong, he just let him cry. His thin shoulders
hitched as he sobbed, heavy tears trailing down his cheeks and Trowa wanted to
hold him, but knew that he wasn�t the one that Duo wanted to be held by. Just as quickly as the fit had started, it stopped, Duo�s defenses
and pride bottling up his feelings as shame took hold.

�� Feel better?� Trowa asked softly. Duo
shook his head.

�� No,� he murmured. Trowa gave him a
moment, leaving his side to rummage in the duffle bag for the first aid kit. He
found it instantly, but gave the illusion that he was having trouble locating
it so Duo would have a few minutes to gain that mystical strength he seemed to
possess in moments like these. Once Duo gave the impression that he had his
emotions under control again, Trowa sat on the edge of the bed, the kit, some
pizza, water, and a blanket in hand. Duo looked at the kit warily.

�� Do we have to do this?� he asked, his
voice made heavy with exhaustion and his eyes looked more like an old man�s
than a teenagers. Trowa gave him a weak smile.

�� You know I do. That�s the deal, Duo.
I won�t take you to a hospital, but I have to make sure that you�re ok,� Trowa
said. Duo looked away from him, onto the cream-colored sheets, embarrassment
making him blush. Trowa sighed as he read the look easily, placing his larger
hand on Duo�s thin one.

�� I know this is hard,� he said in a
kind voice, �But I�m not ashamed of you. There isn�t an injury that you could
have that would make me feel less of you in any way. Do you understand? You�re
my friend, so let me take care of you.�

�� Duo hesitated for several seconds,
then cautiously looked over at Trowa and nodded. The last thing he wanted was
for Trowa to give him an �exam�. He didn�t want Trowa to see the damage, to see
how filthy he was, but if not Trowa, then who?

�� Heero,� his mind supplied, but he
shook off the thought. He trusted Trowa. Trowa understood this, the physical
part and the emotional. He had meant what he had said to Quatre, after all
this, he just wanted to go home, he wanted to curl up in bed and cry in the
privacy of his room, where no one could see his shame and how on the edge of
falling apart he was. He had almost gotten Heero killed, had torn apart their
friendship, and Heero had been forced to watch Chris fucking him. How much
lower could he possibly get? If it was possible to die from overload of
emotions, Duo was sure that he would have dropped dead at that very moment.
But, if there was one thing he had always been good at, it was denying himself
his feelings, and the things that he wanted most.

�� If anything hurts, you have to tell
me,� Trowa demanded, �I don�t care about you being brave or trying to �be a
man�. If you�re hurting, you tell me, got it?�

�� Duo nodded. He didn�t think that he
would have a problem with that. He felt so weak, so completely drained, he didn�t have the strength to hold in his pain
very much anymore. Still, he closed his eyes as Trowa�s hand went to his neck,
inspecting the slash. If he could fall asleep, he would have, because he
certainly didn�t want to be awake for this embarrassment, but even as tired as
he was, he also felt wide awake. He wondered if Name would hate him for this,
too, for putting her son�s life in danger�

�� Stop it,� Trowa scolded, pausing in
his examination. Duo looked up at him in shock.

�� No one thinks badly of you,� he
assured him, �All we want is to see you better.�

�� Duo let his anxieties over Name be
pushed down, where they lingered and ate at him, but he wouldn�t have to think
about them. He didn�t know if Trowa was right or not, but he couldn�t deal with
right now, it was too much. He would find out later, but Name wasn�t here right
now.

�� Will Heero be ok?� he asked shakily
as Trowa�s fingers brushed over the cut. Trowa snorted.

�� He�s the one who walked out of here
under his own power,� he pointed out, �He�ll be fine.�

�� Duo relaxed a little at that. If Heero
had had a concussion, Quatre would have told him, he was sure. He winced as Trowa
dug into the cut a little.

�� Sorry,� the taller boy apologized,
�I�m just trying to see how well it�s healing, but it�s scabbed over pretty
well already, so I think it will fine. We�ll have to keep an eye out for
bleeding and infection for awhile.�

�� Duo stayed still as Trowa put
antibiotic lotion on the wound and covered it with a large band-aid. The cream
made it burn and Duo hand itched to scratch at it, but didn�t dare. He shivered
as he felt Trowa�s long fingers brush over the bruise on his cheek from Chris�
slap. It felt good, the sensation of skin on skin,
human contact that wasn�t laced with self-revulsion. He saw no reproach in
Trowa�s green eyes, just concern, for him.
It made him want to cry again. At least he would have one friend after this.
Two, actually, if he believed Quatre�s words about letting them take care of
him, and he did. But, if he could trade Trowa and Quatre for Heero�s trust and
respect in this moment, he would in a heartbeat. Yet that thought didn�t
cheapen what he felt for Trowa and Quatre, either.

�� Trowa gave the same treatment to Duo�s
bruised and cut-up wrists, covering them in the lotion and wrapping them in
gauze.

�� It�s just for tonight,� he told Duo
as he finished with both wrists, �We don�t know the kind of bacteria you were
exposed to in here.�

�� Heero cut up his wrists, too,� Duo
mentioned, remembering how hard Heero had fought. Trowa nodded.

�� I�ll take care of him when I�m done
with you,� he promised.

�� If he lets me,� Trowa thought grimly,
remembering the angry look in Heero�s eyes.

�� You�re really good at this,� Duo
murmured, closing his eyes as Trowa pressed his hands against his chest and
back, moving down his clothed upper body.

�� Thank you,� Trowa said with a soft
smile. Duo relaxed a little at the feeling of Trowa�s hands on him. There was
nothing sexual about it, it was just comforting, to be touched by someone who
he trusted, who didn�t hate him or want to hurt him. He was used to Wes�
half-assed attempts at healthcare at moments like these, but Trowa was being
gentler and more attentive and thorough, actually looking for wounds instead of
merely treating the ones he could see.

�� Where are we? You mentioned Cambridge,� Duo asked,
using his curiosity to stay calm as Trowa�s hands traveled lower on his body.

�� We�re in an abandoned hotel near the
Harvard �T� Stop,� Trowa told him, studying Duo�s face for any signs of
discomfort. He didn�t want to completely undress Duo if he could help it. The
shirt was covered in blood, and probably uncomfortable to wear, but Trowa
recognized it as the last scrap of the boy�s dignity.

�� Suddenly, as Trowa simultaneously
pressed against his lower back and abdomen, Duo gasped in pain, his eyes
opening in shock. Trowa relieved the pressure in alarm, realizing what the pain
meant.

�� I�m sorry,� Trowa said hastily,
putting his hands on Duo�s shoulders to steady him, worried at the signs of
physical shock Duo was displaying.

�� I�m fine,� Duo choked out. Trowa
wanted to yell at him in frustration. He was in no way fine, what Trowa would
have to do was not fine.

�� You know what I have to do,� Trowa
warned him. Duo nodded hesitantly, his gut clenching in half pain, half
anxiety. Trowa was glad that he wasn�t begging him not to check down there, he
wasn�t so sure that he would be able to deny him the request. He remembered how
hard it had been for him, as a kid in the hospital when the doctor had told him
that they needed to check for anal damage, he couldn�t imagine how Duo felt,
knowing that a friend was going to be examining him.

�� The last thing I want is for you to
feel any pain,� Trowa soothed, �But you know that it is going to hurt, but I
need to see how bad the tears are, if there are any. If you need stitches,
we�ll have to take you to the hospital anyway.�

�� Duo sighed.

�� I know,� he murmured, �But I�d rather
have you doing it than a doctor.�

�� Duo shuddered then, at the thought
that he would have to get Doctor Stark touching him down there again. He felt
too tired to deal with any of this, let alone his doctor, who he didn�t trust
in any way. The pain was starting to dull, time putting some distance between
the agony, but he still felt drained, his world
becoming muted and he knew that he was slowly going into shock. His body was
still shaking and he was caught between wanting to cry, throw up, or just pass
out. If he had felt stronger, he would have taken the lead, but he was too
tired and surrendered to Trowa, who seemed to know what he was doing. He told
himself that it was easier this way. If he took control, he would have to think
about Heero and what would happen when he got home, things he couldn�t bare to
dwell on right now. He knew he would have plenty of nightmares when he was
finally able to fall asleep, his subconscious forcing him to relive and think
of things he wanted to bury.

�� Trowa noted how Duo seemed to withdraw
from the situation, his legs tensing like a little kid that was about to get a
shot, knowing that it was coming, but wanting to run away. He sighed. Duo was
probably feeling like he still being violated, having someone touch him in a
place he would rather the world left alone, and simply asking him to close his
eyes and spread his legs would be beyond callous and cold, Trowa certainly knew
how he would feel if someone told him to do that. It was more than just empathy,
Duo was a good friend and he didn�t deserve to be treated with anything but
respect, even if he had to be examined in that way.

�� Here,� Trowa guided Duo into his lap,
having Duo straddle is waist so his legs were on either side of him, but he was
more comfortable and Trowa could wrap his arms around him, �Put your head on my
shoulder.�

�� Duo did as he was told, and even
though he still knew what Trowa was going to do, and felt anxious about it, he
also felt more relaxed. Trowa wouldn�t hurt him like Chris had, he just wanted
to help and being held like this made him feel oddly protected. In any other
situation, he would have closed his eyes and fallen asleep.

�� Tell me how you feel,� Trowa urged,
�Don�t just stay quiet.�

�� I feel tired,� Duo said softly,
feeling Trowa push away the bottom of his shirt, his hands lingering near his
buttocks. Both boys blushed deeply, but didn�t move away.

�� I feel sick. Everything aches and I�m
hungry and thirsty. I have a killer headache and all I want to do is sleep, but
I feel restless at the same time,� Duo continued. His breath hitched and his
whole body tensed as he felt Trowa�s finger brush against his torn sphincter.
Trowa winced in sympathy as he felt the tears and dried blood on Duo�s skin. As
Duo had been talking, he had covered his finger in more of that lotion, but he
was worried that he was going to end up hurting Duo more than he needed to.

�� It�s not too bad so far,� Trowa told
him, hoping that, by talking to Duo, he could keep him from panicking, �You do
have some tearing, but its not bleeding anymore and you don�t feel like you
need stitches. I need to go deeper, is that ok?�

�� Just get it over with,� Duo begged,
his hands clenched tightly in Trowa�s shirt as he buried his face in the taller
boy�s shoulder. His face felt like it was about to burst into flames in
embarrassment, but as long as Trowa didn�t laugh or make fun of him right now,
he could deal with it. Trowa rubbed Duo�s back through the shirt with his other
hand.

�� It�s ok,� he tried to comfort as he
slipped his finger inside of Duo, checking for anymore bleeding or a deep tear
that time wouldn�t be able to fix by itself. He heard Duo hiss in pain, but
felt proud of him when he didn�t flinch or try to move away.

�� We�re going to take you home where
you can have a nice, hot shower, take a long nap, and Name will make that soup
for you that you like so much,� he used his voice to talk Duo down as he could
feel his slender back trembling under his hand. Both of them took a deep,
relieved breath as Trowa slipped his finger back out. The green-eyed boy
frowned as he noted the tinge of red on his skin, but the blood was too light
to be of much worry and he cleaned his hands thoroughly with some of the wipes
in the first aid kit, then settled Duo back against
the headboard.

�� Well?� Duo asked tiredly as Trowa dug
through the duffle bag some more.

�� You�re still bleeding further up, but
it�s slowing down and the tearing is bad, but not bad enough you�ll need
stitches, though you will have to stay away from solid food for a few days,�
Trowa told him, giving him a reassuring smile. Duo nodded, his anxiety leaving
him in a rush and making him feel hollow and wasted. He blinked in confusion
when Trowa handed him some pizza and a water bottle. As Duo took them, Trowa
also gave him two white pills. Duo recognized the writing on the side as the
iron tablets he had to take for his anemia and wondered if they had gotten them
from the hotel or had simply bought some more.

�� You�re stronger than you think,�
Trowa said, his voice sounding proud, �With some iron and sugar, you should be
feeling better by tomorrow. Your body is still in shock from the trauma and
your anemia is making you tired and shaky, but the pills and food should take
care of that.�

�� Duo listened to him with only half an
ear, downing the pills and taking huge gulps of the water. It wasn�t very cold,
but with his thirst, he didn�t care. Trowa watched him drink the whole bottle
in one go and grabbed another from the bag. He had a flash of d�j� vu as he did
so, barely remembering the day Duo had run away and he had found him on the
balcony. Duo took the water from his, but with one bottle of water down, he was
more eager to eat the pizza. His hands shook as he struggled to eat and Trowa
helped steady his hands.

�� Duo, what happened?� Trowa asked in a
soft tone. Duo looked up at him as he chewed on the pizza. His stomach did a
few odd twists and turns, but he wasn�t all that bothered by it. He was used to
this stage after living on the streets and then getting used to three meals a
day at the Yuy�s. Still, the simple slice of cheese and tomato tasted like
heaven. Duo realized that, by telling Trowa who had taken him, Name would no
longer be satisfied with letting things be. He didn�t know the steps she had taken
to find Wes so far, but if she learned about what Chris had tried to do to her
son, she would declare all out war. He didn�t know if that was a good thing or
a bad thing, but any reservations he had about getting the Yuy name involved
with his sordid past had died the second Chris had threatened Heero�s life.

�� So, Duo told Trowa as much as his
dignity would allow in between bites of his pizza. The food felt solid in his
stomach, his shocked system feeling ill at the presence of rich tomato sauce
and cheese, but it still felt good to eat something. He didn�t feel any
stronger having consumed something, and he was lying against the headboard
heavily. His body was telling him that there was absolutely no reason for him
to be awake right now. Heero was safe, they both had food, he was no longer in
any danger himself, and Trowa was quite capable of taking care of anything else
he might have forgotten. He still ached and throbbed and burned, but the pain
was just making him more tired and he struggled against the pull of sleep.

�� When Duo finished telling Trowa about
what had happened during their abduction. Trowa was looking at him in shock,
his hands clenched in anger, partially because of what Chris had done to Duo
and partially at the realization of how close they had come to losing Duo and
Heero forever.

�� Why would Wes save you?� he asked in
a near whisper, utterly confused. Duo shook his head.

�� I have no idea,� he admitted, �It�s
kind of ironic, really. Heero and I owe our lives to him.�

�� No one owes that bastard shit!� Trowa
snarled. Duo gave him a small smile, feeling oddly happy that Trowa considered
what Wes had done so horrible, he couldn�t possibly
have any redeeming qualities at all.

�� Should I have had the pizza?� Duo
suddenly asked, remembering Trowa telling him he shouldn�t be eating solid food
and not wanting to talk about what had happened with Chris anymore. Trowa
sighed.

�� Unfortunately, pizza is all we had
and you needed food, but from now on you should only have soup until you�re
healed,� he explained.

�� Thanks for the food, anyway,� Duo
smiled weakly.

�� Are you feeling any better?� Trowa
asked in a softer tone. Duo gave him a half-hearted shrug.

�� Everything still hurts, I still feel
dirty, I still feel weak, and I still feel like I�m going to black out at any
second, but at least the company�s much improved,� Duo said with a forced grin.
Trowa snorted.

�� Close your eyes and take a nap. Name
should be here soon and we�ll all be back home in no
time,� Trowa got off the bed. It suddenly clicked in Duo�s head that Trowa
meant to leave him alone in the room. The thought of the one person who he knew
didn�t hate him or was disgusted in him, but also truly understood how he felt,
filled him with panic. If he had had the strength, he would have made a grab
for his friend. Trowa caught his wide-eyed look and stopped in his tracks.

�� I�m going to check up on Heero, we�re
not going to leave you,� Trowa promised him. He knew that Duo didn�t really
believe they were going to leave him behind, but he also understood that logic
had nothing to do with Duo�s fears.

�� I�m not the only one who�s worried
about you, Duo,� he soothed, reading Duo�s thoughts plainly, �None of us are
ashamed of you. The only one we�re angry at is Chris, not you. You aren�t dirty
or weak just because that man hurt you.�

�� Duo refused to meet his gaze and Trowa
sighed, knowing that he was thinking of Name and Heero. In Duo�s mind, if Wufei
wasn�t yelling at him, he didn�t blame him, and he knew that Trowa and Quatre
didn�t blame him, but Name and Heero must because Duo�s association with Chris
had put Heero in danger. Trowa didn�t know how to make that belief go away
besides warning Name of Duo�s feelings, but he could try, anyway.

�� Name won�t hate you, and you know
that. She loves you, she�s told you that often enough. Do you really think
she�s the sort of person that would hate you for this? Or do you think that
she�s the type of person that would be worried that you almost died, and just be grateful you�re safe?�
he pointed out.

�� Trowa smiled at the spark of doubt in
Duo�s eyes, as well as a very deep need for the only mother he had ever known.
It made Trowa�s heart warm to think of the bond Name and Duo had and thought it
would do him a great deal of good right now to have her over-protective,
maternal nature.

�� I�ll be right back,� Trowa promised,
smiling softly as Duo closed his eyes and hoped that the younger boy would
sleep until Name arrived.

*****

�� The hotel hallway showed the
building�s age better than the little room did. There was few wallpaper left,
most of it curled up and peeled off by time and water damage. The only light in
the long hallway was from the broken windows. Heero wondered how Chris had
gotten the lights to work in the room when they clearly weren�t working in the
hallway.

�� The three boys waited impatiently for
Trowa to finish with Duo. Heero kept expecting Trowa to burst out and tell
Quatre to call an ambulance, but he supposed that it was a good thing Trowa
hadn�t come out of the room yet. That meant that Duo wasn�t doing so poorly
that a hospital was needed, or Duo had died and Trowa was just working up the
courage to tell them, but that seemed unlikely. Still, that fear ate at Heero
and made him feel anxious and edgy. If Quatre and Wufei hadn�t been there, he
would have punched the weak, plaster wall he was leaning on until his knuckles
bled, but the last thing he needed was his friends thinking he had gone mad,
whether that was the truth or not. He could feel it there, under his skin,
beating away like his heart, his anger. He couldn�t remember the last time it
had felt this physically real and that he had had the urge to take it out on
Trowa, just because Duo was more comfortable with him now, was scary. He
couldn�t blame his green-eyed friend for this, for his inability to protect the
one he loved, even his inability to seek justice for him. He had thought that
he would kill Chris at any expense, but the man had just� walked away after
violating and nearly killing Duo without so much as a scratch. It was that
sense of helplessness and injustice that made him want to punch something to
death, or maybe it had been Duo flinching away from him that made him so angry.

�� He could never be mad at Duo. He had
been mad at him before, when he had believed Duo had been using him, but once
he had discovered the truth, he had vowed to never be angry at him again and
that promise had stuck. He felt like it was simply impossible for him to be
angry at his best friend, even when he had hurt him worse than anyone before. The
pain he had felt when he had thought that Duo had betrayed him was nothing
compared to the realization that their friendship was breaking away like
something fragile and rotting. Heero staid slumped, sitting on the floor
against the wall by the door, trying to think of some way he could make things
better, but nothing was coming to him. He hung his head. Saying �sorry� in this
circumstance wasn�t going to work.

�� Heero had never been good with words.
Before, when Duo had disappeared for such a long time, it had been easier. All
he had had to do was find him, patiently listen to his story, and assure him
that he wasn�t disgusted with him. It had been the assuring part that had been
difficult, but he had known what to say to make things better. Now, Duo was only
a few feet away and there was nothing he could do physically to help him and
the words he needed to make things better were failing him in the worst way.
How could he possibly apologize for letting that happen to Duo again, when he
had promised him he would protect him from anything, well enough that Duo would
forgive him and things would go back to normal. The thought that things were
broken beyond repair was too frightening. The only consoling thought was that
Duo could never truly leave him since he had nowhere else to go. He could run
away again, but they would find him and Heero didn�t think that Duo would leave
his mother, he cared for her too much. It didn�t do
all that much to make him feel better, though. It just made him realize how
close Duo would be to him, but how different everything was going to be when
they got home. All he wanted to do was hold the boy close and make sure that he
was ok, but he couldn�t because Duo hated him. He had thought that loving Duo
before was painful because he could never say anything, but the knowledge that
he actually hated him made it feel unbearable.

�� Quatre and Wufei seemed to realize
instinctually that Heero wanted to be left alone and merely stood against the
opposite wall like silent sentries, keeping an eye on their friend while
waiting for Trowa and Duo to come out of the closed room. The pizza and water
they had given him felt tasteless and heavy in his stomach and he had eaten it
simply to get more energy and stave off his hunger, he hadn�t even tasted it as
he had eaten. His hands still felt like they wanted to shake and his stomach
hurt a little, but he felt more awake and aware than he had been before, so it
was an improvement, and he needed concentration and rational more than he
needed the pain to go away. He wondered if this was what Duo had felt like all
those years of starving on the streets, but realized that not eating for
twenty-four hours was probably nothing compared to not eating for days. Still,
he had never wanted Duo to be reminded of those dark days of his childhood like
this, though it gave Heero a little taste of what his best friend had gone
through. He couldn�t really hope for anything, he felt like his weakness had
made him unworthy of hope, but he wanted very badly for his mother to come for
them, soon, so they could go home and he could get Duo safe. Chris might have
left, but Heero wouldn�t think of him as safe until they had him tucked in to
his bed back in Maine.

�� Without warning, the door to the room
swung open and the three boys jumped in surprise. Trowa strode out, med-kit in
hand and closed the door behind him.

�� What are you doing?� Heero ground
out, vainly trying to control his overflowing rage as his friend knelt in front
of him. Trowa should be in there,
taking care of Duo! And why had he shut the door? Fear quickly replaced anger
and his heart raced.

�� He�s sleeping,� Trowa said hopefully,
�He�s all taken care of and now I�m going to settle him and my fears by taking
care of you.�

�� I�m not hurt,� Heero snarled. Trowa
raised an eyebrow and looked down at Heero�s wrists. Heero followed his gaze
and blushed a little in embarrassment. He had
completely forgotten about the wounds from the cuffs.

�� I can take care of myself,� he
growled. He didn�t want Trowa to touch him, he didn�t
want anyone to touch him. Why
couldn�t they just leave him alone? He wasn�t the one they should be looking
after. Trowa held his gave in an intense green stare.

�� I�m sure you can take care of
yourself, Heero, but I�m going to help you anyway, because you�re my friend and
I�m worried about you, too,� Trowa said softly. Heero looked away from him,
guilt mingling with the shame, anger, and fear he felt so strongly. Trowa was
right, they were friends, and Heero had no reason to be so furious at him. He cared
for Trowa and he never would hurt him. As angry as he was at himself, and as
ready as he was to take that anger out on someone, he could never, ever
actually strike the tall boy. He was only taking things out on Trowa because of
his closeness to Duo, where Heero couldn�t even touch him, the trust that Duo
had in Trowa where Duo clearly didn�t trust him
anymore, stirred such an extreme jealously in him. Everything was so wrong, he had
never thought they would end up in this place, that he would ever feel this
distant from Duo. He didn�t know what to do, didn�t even have the privacy to
cry out his fears and frustrations. He just wanted his best friend back, wanted
the boy that had gone swimming with him just a few nights ago, not the boy that
felt the need to flinch from his touch.

�� This was Trowa, he told himself, one of the best friends he had ever had,
but his broken heart didn�t want to listen. It just wanted to lash out at
someone it could actually hurt and with Duo�s readiness to trust Trowa with
examining him, it might as well be him. But his feelings for Trowa,
though mixed up with anger, sadness, and jealously right now, were too old, and
still too strong, for him to actually do something hurtful to Trowa. So, all he
could do was glare and let his fury boil and seethe deep in his heart. Hurting
Trowa wouldn�t relieve that ache to hurt, it wouldn�t get rid of his need for
Duo, either, so what would be the point of alienating one of the few friends he
had left?

�� Heero held out his wrists to Trowa as
an act of surrender. Trowa nodded in gratitude, but couldn�t shake his concern
for the Japanese boy. Heero could think he was hiding his emotions all he
liked, but Trowa could read him clear as day. They had been friends for too
long to hide feelings from each other. He would have told Heero to just punch
him in the face and get it over with if he thought it would help Heero at all.
Instead, he concentrated all his worry for his friend on taking care of his
cuts.

�� How is Duo doing?� Quatre asked from
behind him. An invisible shudder went down Trowa�s spine at the warm sound of
his lover�s voice. If they had had any kind of privacy, in that moment Quatre
would have been in his arms in the blink of an eye. Duo�s story of events had
spooked him more than a little, the realization of what sort of people Duo had
been living with since he had been a child, and the dangers they had taken on
by letting him into their lives. He would never regret being friends with Duo,
for helping him heal from the horrors of his childhood, but how close they had
come to losing him and Heero, and the depths that his former �guardian� would
sink to. It was haunting to realize that Chris hadn�t simply attempted to
silence Duo, but had actually brutalized him, stripping him of all dignity and
humanity, before trying to kill him. And it had been done so easily. The second
that Heero and Duo had been left alone, Chris had taken the chance, and he had
gotten away with it. The worst part was that they weren�t taking their friends
away from the danger that had almost taken their lives,
they were bringing them back into it. If Wes and his
�friends� could get to Duo in Boston,
what was stopping them from getting to him back home?

�� With those thoughts, Trowa almost
abandoned Heero to hug his lover tightly, to let Quatre�s gentle, caring nature
make all the bad things go away, as it so often did for him, privacy be damned,
and he was sure that the second they were back home, alone in their room, he
would do just that, but he had promised Duo he would look after Heero and if
Duo could wait until they were back home to have a meltdown, the rest of them
could dam well wait, too. He had finished wrapping up Heero�s torn and bruised
wrists and had started to inspect his head, though Heero�s thick hair made it
difficult. He remembered how Duo had told him, with a wide-eyed, shocked
expression, how Heero had been struck in the head and how Duo had watched him
fall into the street, blood pouring down his neck. Trowa could imagine how
scared Duo must have been at that moment and wanted to kill Chris for that
alone. Sure enough, there was a great deal of dried blood on Heero�s scalp and
neck.

�� Not great, but not terrible, either,�
Trowa answered his lover�s question. Heero seemed to become more alert, anxious
to what Trowa had to say.

�� He�s lost a bit of blood and there�s
a lot of internal damage, but he�s strong. If he takes care of himself and
doesn�t strain anything or reopen his wounds, I don�t see any need for a
hospital,� Trowa told them as he finally located the gash and bump on Heero�s
head, making the other boy hiss in pain, �He�ll need to consume a lot of iron
to make up for the blood loss, and with his internal injuries he won�t be able
to eat solid food for a few days, but unless the bleeding picks up again or he
gets an infection, he�ll get better with some sleep and relaxation. I think the
biggest thing we need to watch for is his level of stress.�

�� Trowa finished with Heero�s head and
examined his deep blue eyes in the light of the hallway, wishing he had a
flashlight.

�� The wound on your head is pretty bad,
but it�s not bleeding anymore and I don�t think you have a concussion,� Trowa
informed him. Heero shrugged off his light touch on his shoulder in irritation.

�� I feel fine,� he grumbled. Trowa was
about to snap back at him, annoyed at his disregard for his own health, when
Quatre�s phone rang out in a merry ring tone, making the blonde squeak in shock
and the rest of them jump. It made Wufei feel silly,
having been startled twice by nothing, but they were all on edge, as though
they expected the hotel roof to collapse on them or Chris to return. That
thought made Wufei shutter. All five of them were unarmed and against a man
that could do such violence to Heero and Duo, Wufei suspected their numbers
would be useless to them. The three of them stared at Quatre as he merely
looked down at his ringing phone like it was some alien thing he didn�t know
what to do with.

�� Answer it,� Heero snapped tersely.

End Part 10
- 15
- 16
- 17
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Road to Kindness