Unconditional Gifts
Part 5
Duo was sitting on the bed beside Wufei, thoughts of vengeance giving way to
pangs of sorrow for not only the Chinese youth but for the boy's love as
well.
//Trowa's got to be a total wreck if he hasn't come down here looking for Wu.
I hope to hell that Heero's got that under control. This is such a fucked up
mess.//
Ignoring his own long hair that was still in its usual loose braid from the
night before, Duo ran a hand through Wufei's silky hair, soothing himself if
no one else.
//I have no real idea how to cope with what's happened to you, babe, and
Tro's gonna lose it entirely when he finds out. Shit, Heero will be the only
one I can count on around here for awhile, Quatre's likely to just run off
when all this shit hits the fan, he's been feeling so guilty about so much
shit, I doubt he could cope with this crap, too. Can't say as I blame him,
but the angst level around here's gonna go through the roof.//
Before Duo's train of thought could darken further, his own lover quietly
opened the door and looked in, "Duo? Have you got Wufei in here with you,
koi?"
"Yeah, I sure do, Heero," he looked up gratefully as the Japanese teen
stepped close enough to embrace him warmly.
"How's he doing?" Heero asked gently as he glanced over to where the Chinese
boy lay sleeping. "Did he ever talk to you? Quatre said he wasn't responding
to anything."
"No," Duo's face fell as he looked Heero in the eyes, "Wu never said one word
to me or even opened his eyes for that matter. I don't think he ever even
knew I was with him this morning. It's like he's sealed himself inside his
mind and while we can't get in, he can't get out either, and that scares me."
"Don't worry too much just yet, Duo. Give him a chance to sleep it off,
okay?" Heero moved to sit on the opposite side of the bed effectively leaving
Wufei bracketed by the other two pilots.
Heero moved the blankets down a little to look at Wufei's face which was
slack with a semblance of sleep yet somehow expressed infinite sorrow and
pain. "Any idea at all what went into causing this disaster? I've got some
ideas from Trowa but I'd rather hear what you think before I go into it.
You're a better judge of people than I ever will be, Duo, I'm counting on you
to help me straighten this out."
Duo sighed and shook his head sadly before turning his gaze back to focus on
the silent form resting between them.
As he started combing his fingers through Wufei's hair again, the American
teen commented unhappily, "Unfortunately, yes, Heero, I think that I've found
out something that's going to cause a whole world of hurt, but Trowa didn't
do it."
Heero frowned, "Trowa 'didn't do' what, Duo? Why do I suddenly feel like
there's some seriously bad shit you're not telling me here?"
"Because you have good instincts, Heero," Duo answered ominously,
violet-indigo eyes raising to meet cobalt-blue ones with a look of determined
ferocity as he commanded, "Tell me what Trowa told you and then I'll tell you
what I know. Trust me," his usually smooth voice dropped into a low growl of
anger and pain, "nothing you tell me from him will change what I already
know. So spill."
The hairs on the back of Heero's neck rose as he immediately recognized the
voice of Shinigami as he sounded only during the most intense battles. This
was Duo Maxwell at his most dangerous and the Wing pilot knew better than to
argue or deny him any information that he demanded.
"All right," the Japanese teen nodded, any hesitation falling away as the
words began to form in his mind. "I can piece together the following scenario
from what Trowa told me. Apparently, Trowa finally decided to try to seduce
Wufei this morning. It was going fairly well until they were both naked and
the first time he touched Wufei's cock, he screamed and bolted."
Violet eyes flashed with anger but Duo didn't interrupt him. He nodded by way
of command and Heero resumed. "It's pretty obvious to me that Trowa's a
damned naive virgin and was confused to start with but this has left him
badly shaken. He's convinced this is all his fault and even if he never said
it to me, he probably thinks Wufei hates him and or won't ever let him come
near him again. Either way, it doesn't fit what I thought I knew about those
two and, like I said, I'm totally lost. Does this fit what you know or am I
way off base?"
"It fits all right," Duo snarled between clenched teeth. "It fits too fucking
well, actually!"
With the sudden fury of a summer thunderstorm, the Deathscythe pilot flung
himself off of the bed and began to pace the floor, his anger requiring
physical expression preferably at a distance from the young victim on the
bed.
Heero wisely remained silent as Duo allowed his jumbled thoughts to work
their way free. Five tense minutes passed in this fashion before Duo calmed
enough to sit back down on the bed only this time he sat on the side of the
bed next to his lover.
The still furious teen looked at Heero and spat angrily, "Trowa's timing
really sucks, Heero! I wish that damned circus clown had kept his hands to
himself like usual! Why did Mr. Shy have to suddenly go this far this fast?"
Heero shook his head, "Because they're in love, Duo, that's why. I'll admit
that this happened a helluva lot sooner than even I expected it to, and the
timing could have been better, obviously, but don't blame Trowa for acting on
his emotions this way. One thing I am sure of is that Wufei didn't refuse
this at the start."
Duo stared at Heero with open confusion then calmed a bit, "You're right,
Heero, I was out of line there. But knowing what I know now, well, hell, this
is just so fucked up it isn't funny!"
Patience wearing thin, Heero reached out one hand and carefully squeezed
Duo's clenched fist, massaging it with gentle pressure as he asked, "Why
don't you go ahead and tell me what you've found out, koi? Maybe this will be
easier for both of us once I know, too?"
Glancing at the silent boy behind them, Duo motioned with his head for Heero
to stand and follow him across the room. Curious, the Japanese pilot did just
that and he allowed Duo to pull him in for a brief, emotionally charged kiss.
As they separated, Duo answered the unspoken question, "I needed that, koi, I
need to know there's still some good left in this fucked up world or none of
this is worth it."
"There's plenty of 'good' left in the world, Duo," Heero assured him.
"There's some of it sleeping in our bed right now and there's still more
upstairs. Trowa's asleep and Quatre's keeping watch on him for me. No matter
what you've learned, this won't change."
"Yeah, this is true, but somehow it's not as easy to see it all in black and
white right now, Heero," Duo sighed and then the traces of the earlier fire
returned to the violet eyes as he stared at Wufei for a moment.
"Do you remember our talking about the possibility that Wu might've been
raped? I'm pretty certain it *is* true, Heero." Duo stood totally still as he
let his words sink in and before Heero could question his source of
knowledge, he added, "I've seen the scars."
Heero had been trying to sort out his own reactions to this even before the
last sentence was spoken but when the final words were uttered, his mouth
worked briefly and then he asked in shocked confusion, "You *what*?!"
Forcing his tone of voice lower, Heero added with rising levels of anger of
his own, "When? How? Are you sure?"
"I've never been so damned sure of something I really did *not* want to
believe in the first place in my entire fucked up little life, Yuy!" Duo
seethed through his teeth, arms crossed defensively across his chest. "And
don't you *dare* question me about this!"
Muscles that could bend steel tensed under Heero's golden skin as both fists
clenched and unclenched rhythmically. He waged an inner battle that had begun
the first night they'd discussed this particularly difficult issue.
Heero's knowledge and training from Doctor J came in handy at the oddest
moments and this was knowledge he had hoped to never need to access under any
circumstances and especially not in service to a fallen comrade. But the
truth of their suspicions was borne out in many of the tiny mannerisms Wufei
was unaware of and this final evidence, though not as conclusive as an actual
admission from the silent Chinese boy, was all that it took for this to
become an area of highest priority.
In a voice as dark and lethal as that of his soulmate and partner, the
Perfect Soldier answered Shinigami, "I have no intention of questioning you
for I have no doubts about the truth of this. All I want to know right now is
who did it and where the bastard is so Wufei can at least be given a full
measure of justice by putting an end to their miserable life, that's all. *No
one* hurts one of *us* like this and lives! NO ONE!!!"
A twisted smile answered back. "I have no idea who it is, but yeah, they'll
be dead as soon as we find out who they are, now won't they, lover-mine?"
"Damned right, koi," the Perfect Soldier answered in the same dark voice.
"Ninmu ryoukai!"
Speaking in terms usually reserved for mission assignments, however, calmed
Heero enough to realize they were overlooking two key players in the drama
that was suddenly unfolding. "Wait a minute, Duo," he said, reaching out to
take the American's shoulder in one hand. "We're not going anywhere until we
get some other things straightened out."
"Such as?" Duo asked, sufficiently free of the fury that had been holding him
to listen.
"First, we've got to stay put and get Wufei and Trowa through this
nightmare." Heero thought about a number of things that worried him as he
spoke. "There's no way in hell that Trowa knows about this or he'd never have
done what he did and it's going to cut him to ribbons when he finds out.
Hell, he and Wufei both strike me as apt to do something drastic when this
comes out. Wufei's hidden the fact that he was raped or abused or whatever
happened to him and he won't be happy about it coming out this way. Trowa, on
the other hand, is volatile enough that he'll find a way to blame himself if
at all possible and who knows what might happen then?"
"Shit, you're right," Duo cursed softly, "I used to wonder if Tro was
suicidal or something but I don't think anything this bad ever happened to
him before. When he finds out the guy he's in love with has seen this
particular side of hell, it just might push him over the edge. Crap!"
"I agree, unless..." Heero trailed off as a pained expression crossed his face
and then he turned Duo to face him. In a deadly serious voice he asked
simply, "If you were him and you found this out, what would it take to keep
you sane?"
"Huh?" Duo asked, "I don't understand, what's that got to do with it? I'm not
him, how would I know what it would..."
"Never mind, try this instead," Heero kept full eye contact as he said slowly
and carefully, "What if this had happened to us before our first time
together? What if *you* found out this about *me*? How would you handle it?"
Pure rage flashed across Duo's features as he snarled, "I'd find the
mother-fucker, cut off his dick and shove it down his throat until he choked
to death on it! Then, just for good measure, I'd cut the bastard up into tiny
little pieces and burn him to ashes with my scythe! Why? What are you trying
to get at?!?"
Heero seemed satisfied with the answer and just said, "That's what's going to
keep Trowa from losing his mind because of this, Duo. Revenge."
Understanding flashed into being and slightly calmed the raging Shinigami
once more. "I see your point, Heero. Fine then," Duo nodded, "change of
mission priorities then. We keep Wufei and Trowa in one piece until we know
who the rapist is and then we do our level best to deliver his sorry carcass
to Tro for justice."
Heero nodded, arms crossed and eyes dark. "If Wufei could have taken care of
this himself, he would have by now and I'm willing to bet that the fact that
we never knew he'd been hurt like this means whoever it is they're still out
there. Wufei's no coward, but even the strongest souls can't face every piece
of darkness fate throws at them."
"Agreed," Duo answered before sighing and pulling himself closer to Heero,
wrapping himself around the Wing pilot in an almost crushing embrace. "Ya
know, that whole scenario about you being raped really freaked me out, koi.
It makes me realize how incredibly crappy this whole thing is going to get.
Poor Wufei, sweet god, how's he gonna handle us knowing?"
Heero frowned as he returned the hug with matching ferocity, "Not well, koi,
not well at all. He's hidden it from us for some reason and it's going to be
an uphill climb for him to come to terms with it. But I'm more worried about
Trowa. This morning may have been the first and last time he ever tries to
make love to anyone. Damned shame that."
"No," Duo commented thoughtfully, "Not gonna happen, Heero. One thing I do
know and that's that those two are meant for each other. If we let him turn
tail and run, they'll both be miserable."
With a half-smile, he kissed Heero then issued his final order for the
moment, "All right, soldier boy, add this to your mission objectives!
*Before* we go track down the piece of shit that caused all of this grief,
you and me are going to see to it that these two have more than a fighting
chance at whatever level of happiness they still want. And if Wu decides he's
willing to give sex another try, then, damn it all, Trowa better be
interested or I just might have to 'convince' him to be interested!"
"Oh? Or what might happen, koi?" Heero teased gently, Duo could get a little
too single-minded at times and it worried him.
"Or Shinigami will kick his ass! Simple enough, really," Duo shrugged and
cast a look at Wufei who lay motionless in the bed, looking small and fragile.
Heero's eyes tracked along the same path and his lips thinned into a straight
line. "Very well, *if* Wufei wants to try again, I'll agree, otherwise you
back off, right?"
"No problem," Duo answered as he moved to go resume his vigil over his
friend. "But he will at least get the chance, understood?"
The dark voice had returned by the time the Perfect Soldier had moved back to
place a single hand on his soulmate's shoulder and he firmly stated in a tone
that spoke volumes all on its own, "Roger that, mission."
"Excellent." Shinigami responded and watched as his partner returned to stand
guard over the other fallen member of their team.
With the future converted from painful uncertainties to concrete objectives,
the two leaders of the Gundam pilots felt they at least had a handle on the
best approach to the situation that faced them all because of one pilot's
previously concealed dark secret. And while this was a good beginning, there
were others whose needs and abilities were not being taken full accounting of
and this would change their plans over time.
For now, though, the two people who most needed help were getting the best
their friends had to offer and that is far more than most people get in such
a situation.
Full Author's Notes to Run at Conclusion.
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