Reclamation Part 3
Pale pink painted the sky. The night patrol had been relieved and the rebel compound was gearing up for another day of "Let's piss off OZ.
Quatre stirred beside Trowa. Rearranging his position on the lumpy mattress, he checked to see if the rescued stray named Duo had snuck out during the night, but his anxious glance confirmed that the mysterious intruder was still in place.
As Quatre eased around to sit cross-legged, rear end on the mattress and ankles on the floor, his taller lover sighed, shifted a bit then settled down again.
Duo was curled up facing the blond rebel. His cape of hair had become snarled up in the blankets and one grimy hand was tucked under his chin.
Puffy bruising, proof of the power of Heero's punch, discolored Duo's jaw, there was residual swelling on his lower lip and judging by the grimace contorting his face, Quatre guessed his dreams were not at all pleasant.
Duo flinched then held his breath before his entire body jerked as if recoiling from whatever demons lurked in his subconscious. A scowl creased his brow. Lips parted allowing a mournful moan to escape then a harder shudder almost rolled him off the crude pallet.
Quatre laid a hand on the quaking man's arm and rubbed lightly. "It's all right." he whispered hoping either the touch or the words or a combination of both would terminate the nightmare's control.
*********
Bright scarlet swirls in a powerful vortex, sucking a thrashing figure into a bottomless abyss. A mouth gaps wide but no sound can be heard. Hands grope, grappling into the funneling tide for any handhold to liberate the drowning form.
Deeper.
Water not air fills the lungs, the heart hammers so hard it feel like it will burst. Eyes are clouded by an opaque glaze that grows dimmer by the second.
Blackness.
Nothing but absolute silence.
The figure gazes with a sightless stare. Trapped between dim sunlight and the murky bottom the body bobs, limp arms and legs undulate with the current's ebb and flow.
Utter abandonment, complete disconnection is the only sensation. Mind numb, body bloated, soul forsaken never to be reclaimed.
Gradually a tingle touches his mind; a faint voice calls eerily from a distant.
Is the voice calling his name?
Bloody water distorts his hearing; silt clogs his mouth and strangles his throat.
"Please find me!" his mind screams as the voice fades further into the foggy emptiness. "Oh merciful saints please save me." it begs as his lifeless body sinks to the bottom.
All is lost.
*********
Quatre leaned closer as a mixture of hissed breath and garbled sounds issued from the Duo's slack mouth.
Again Duo held his breath but this time it seemed the arrested inhalations had become a permanent condition.
The fact Duo wasn't breathing suddenly struck Quatre like a bolt of lightning. "NO!" Quatre screamed before alarm spurred him to action.
Trowa woke abruptly. Rattled by Quatre's screaming, his adjusting eyesight found his partner kneeling beside Duo and shaking his floppy body like a large dog shaking an old rag.
"What in the hell are you doing?" Trowa demanded as he crawled to his panicked lover.
"He stopped breathing." came the fretful reply. Quatre continued to shake. "Damn it Trowa do something!" he demanded, a sharp edge on his normally even voice.
Trowa took a second to study Duo. His chalky face confirmed he was obviously in trouble. "Move away." he ordered then gently but firmly pushed his lover aside.
Trowa straightened Duo's neck to align his windpipe, pinched his nose shut and covered his now purple lips with his mouth. A steady breath was delivered. Duo's chest responded to the rushing air like an inflated balloon.
Trowa leaned back on his heels and watched as the forced air was expelled.
Nothing changed.
Repeating the process, Trowa dared to add more pressure to the next breath. This time when he paused to observe, a raspy wheeze caught in the Duo's lungs. A heaving hesitation rattled through his chest then he began to breathe.
At the sudden revival arms flung out, hands battered inches from Trowa's head. Next fingers clawed, barely missing Quatre's face.
Trowa intercepted the flailing hands and pinning them across Duo's chest.
"DUO! WAKE UP!"
Eyes popped opened. Pure terror shone in their enlarged pupils proving that whatever Duo had experienced in his nightmare had followed him into the waking realm.
Quatre gathered up handfuls of ratty hair snaking about Duo's neck. "Calm down." he urged as he moped sweat-soaked bangs from Duo's wild eyes.
With ragged gulps of air that sounded like Duo was breathing through syrup, he struggled under Trowa's hold. "Easy." was whispered to encourage him to calm down before the exertion put his fragile health at greater risk.
Gradually breathing evened out. With less strain on his system the shaking subsided to small tremors and his color improved.
"You had a bad dream." Quatre stated stroking Duo's clammy forehead with a reassuring rhythm.
*********
Meanwhile both Heero and Wufei had also been rudely roused from their slumber.
Wufei sat up, beheld the unfolding scene then shook his head as he watched Trowa and Quatre wrestle with their agitated "guest". "Just what we need, another feral stray," he thought to himself, "and a crazy one at that."
Heero, too, sat for a long moment watching his friends wrangle for control. However, he didn't view the thrashing figure as a pesky problem; rather he felt a real sense of empathy.
In their own way each Cluster rebel was just as insecure and on the verge of crumbling under the strain of living with an uncertain tomorrow. Each day was a struggle to survive; each moment could be their last.
The sands of time were steadily slipping through the hourglass of life and if OZ and the Alliance had their way the grainy seconds of existence would be flushed away in a violent wave of reprisal.
But at least they had the Cluster, they had each other. One member would never fall without intervention even if death was visited on every person. United they created a formidable force. Together they had a chance to free L2 but this lone vulnerable man had no support, no safe port in the terrible storm.
Heero wasn't surprised by Duo's reaction. He could only imagine what turbulent circumstances had shaped the frighten intruder. It was clear Duo had been beaten prior to his arrival. Hitting him hadn't helped to foster trust and for that fact Heero had suffered much guilt.
Oddly though there was an underlying strength in spite of Duo's weakness and fear. His fighting back proved he hadn't lost all his determination, that every bit of intestinal fortitude hadn't been depleted.
This truth had also been borne out when Duo's resilient courage had challenged Heero the pervious night.
Yes, there was definitely more to this stranger than the surface coating of dirt and far more fire in his soul. There was an alluring quality that not only captured Heero's interest but had tugged at his heart as well.
As Heero watched Duo finally succumb to his frailty, his conscience demanded to make things right between them. But could he risk his own wounded emotions for the young man's sake?
With a worn sigh Heero knelt beside the newest Cluster member "What happened?" he wondered, knowing something of a most disturbing nature had triggered the outburst.
Quatre looked up into Heero's normally steely eyes and discovered that a hint of softness had lessened the chill. "He was dreaming then he stopped breathing."
At the sound of Heero's voice, Duo locked his terror-widened eyes on the Japanese male. Memories of the solid punch that sent him crashing to the floor sent a renewed bout of quivering coursing through his thin frame.
Pangs of guilt stabbed through Heero's gut with increased intensity. "I promised I wouldn't hurt you. Remember?"
Still not willing to test Heero's depth of compassion, Duo drew up. He figured if he remained quiet he might be spared further punishment.
Taking the chance Duo wouldn't lapse into another fit of panic, Heero reached down to lightly stoke along his cheekbone. "I know you don't have any reason to believe me." he admitted.
After all he hadn't given Duo any reason to trust. "Please give me a chance to prove myself."
Quatre nodded his encouragement.
Lavender eyes studied Heero's eyes. The swollen bottom lip moved then went still once more.
"I'm not going to pretend I know what you've been through." Heero confirmed, "It will take time to get use to each other but you're safe here and for now that's all that matters."
Right then Heero decided to concentrate all his efforts on a strategic plan to win Duo's trust. "First breakfast." he announced as last night's poor rations hadn't been nearly sufficient. "Then a bath and change of clothes are in order."
Once again displaying a remarkable thaw in his usually stoic demeanor, he added. "Breakfast might not be fancy but it will be filling."
*********
Throughout the exchange, Wufei watched with curiosity combined with concern. He still had doubts about the sanity of keeping the erratic intruder, but Quatre had taken him under his wing and no one messed with his nesting instincts.
"Besides," Wufei reasoned, "this will give Quatre something to keep his mind occupied and maybe at the end of the day he'll be worn out enough to sleep."
Even though Wufei came across as the no-nonsense rebel leader he'd managed to maintain a measured degree of optimism. He hoped one day he and his brother would have something that approached a normal life, at least as normal as it could be on L2.
But Heero had long ago given up the likelihood circumstances would change for the better. He stubbornly held the belief that his only true liberation would come in death.
It wasn't that Heero necessarily had a death wish but, in his opinion, a more realistic view of life. This hardened attitude had manifested itself in an icy barrier erected to guard his heart and not even his strong kinship with Wufei would dissuade his pessimistic logic.
Wufei had to wonder. Would this "stray" be a positive influence? Could he alter his brother's negative outlook? In much the same way Duo gave Quatre a focus in his day to day activities could he also give Heero a reason to view life as more than a daily drudgery?
As the Chinese Cluster leader tugged on his boots and secured his hair in a ponytail he couldn't help the small glimmer of hope. Perhaps the interaction between his fatalist brother and the stranger who had turned everyone's world upside down would evoke a change.
"Yes, this situation will definitely be interesting."
*********
Breakfast was more nutritious than midnight's pitiful fare.
The previous day two females had managed to "charm" a shopkeeper into giving them fresh eggs while three men used the "five finger discount" to procure apples and several cans of orange juice.
Eggs cooked on top of a kerosene fueled stove. Beside the sizzling frying pan, a coffee pot gurgled and leftover biscuits warmed in a piece of tin foil.
It wasn't long before the breakfast delights' aroma drifted into the makeshift bedroom. Quatre had helped Duo sit up and secured both blankets around his slender shoulders warded off the early morning chill then left to find Trowa.
As Heero handed over a plate piled high with scrambled eggs and biscuits and a mug of orange juice, he attempted to engage Duo in conversation but his unwillingness to talk came as no surprise.
When pressed to communicate Duo had uttered his name but silence was his protective barrier and no amount of prodding would breach the barricade. No, Duo had closed the door and he was the only one who could open it.
But right then the man's silence wasn't the most important problem. His shabby condition, his gaunt frame and his mistrust were enough obstacles to overcome. Physical recovery was the first priority, mental and emotional wellness, that would be another challenge altogether.
"There's sugar for the coffee but no milk." Heero stated. "If you want more to eat let me know we have plenty." he stated, stretching the truth concerning the Cluster's inadequate supplies.
Duo tilted his head and studied the Japanese man who didn't seem as much of a threat.
"Eat." Heero urged, "In this chilly air the food won't stay hot very long."
Duo picked up a fork and holding the plate level with his mouth began shoveling the eggs.
"Slow down no one is going to take it away from you." Heero promised.
The shoveling did slow down as Duo took time to chew. The juice was downed in one long gulp then he made short work of the remaining eggs.
"Want more?"
Duo nodded, "Yes" sending his mane of ratted hair swishing over his shoulders.
Upon Heero's return from the kitchen, Duo gratefully accepted another glass of juice and two apples.
As the Duo enjoyed an apple, Wufei strode in and with a nod indicted his desire for a private conversation in the kitchen.
"I don't want to sound harsh but that boy NEEDS a bath." Wufei whispered, wrinkling his nose at the unpleasant smell wafting from the man's general direction.
Heero came to the Duo's defense. "We've all smelled at one time or the other."
"True but I don't think anyone has ever been quite this ripe."
"A bath is the next order of business."
"And wash his hair." Wufei ordered.
"There's no way I can wash that mess until I pick through the rat's nests." Heero concluded as the amount of work involved in the combing out process was very apparent.
Wufei rested his hand on his brother's shoulder, "Good luck." he smiled, "And Heero," he called as he reached the door, "watch out I think his bite IS worse than his bark."
Not as amused as Wufei thought he should be, Heero flipped him a middle finger salute.
"This ought to be fun." Heero sighed just before he knelt beside Duo. "I'm going to comb out your hair and then you're getting a bath." he announced firmly, leaving no room for argument.
At the stern declaration Duo's lavender eyes widened but he shook his head affirmatively.
Fetching a comb from his personal belongings Heero sat on the mattress behind Duo. He had no doubts that once the messy mane was combed out and washed, Duo's tresses would be beautiful but getting to that goal was going to take some time.
"No need to rush." he announced as he gathered a handful of hair at Duo's crown.
TBC...
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