Library Part 8
Duo stared after his fleeing lover, guilt tightening his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Something struck the back of his head and he whirled to find Wufei grimly frowning at him, one hand raised to hit his partner again if needed. "Duo, if you don't get the hell out of my car and go after him-"
"He doesn't- he said- this is all my fault...!"
Wufei smacked the back of Duo's head again. "Idiot. He needs you, no matter what the hell he said. Deal with your guilt later- focus on him now. Go after him- I'll go get Po."
Duo silently cursed himself and slid quickly out of the car. Wufei was right. He'd seen Heero's injuries- he needed help. Deal with that first, worry about the rest later...
Hurrying into the building, he headed for the employees' warp point- hoping no one stopped him. The Library was busy- other than the Assistant shooting him a look over the rim of her huge glasses; no one even seemed to notice him.
He hit the warp point and hurried down the hall to Heero's room. The door was locked- but that had never stopped him before. Still...
"Heero?" He called out softly. "Heero? Let me in?"
No answer. Either Heero didn't want to answer him... or he couldn't. Duo had only seen the one bruise- but that didn't mean that there weren't others- or worse.
Quickly he picked the lock and let himself in.
~*~
Heero stood under the shower's cool spray and watched the reddish-tinged water swirl down the drain. He hadn't hesitated a moment, once he was safe inside his room he'd pulled off the pants and cloak the Ruler had supplied and turned on the water in the shower.
The cold spray made him shiver, but he didn't care. It would warm up soon enough. He leaned forward a little, letting his head rest against the tiles, closing his eyes. He wanted to wrap his arms around himself, but they hurt too much to move. It was easier to just let them dangle.
He didn't hear the door open.
The gentle touch on his shoulder made him start backwards, flattening himself against the tiles, eyes wide with terror.
"It's only me," Duo said softly. He pushed the curtain open a little more so that Heero could see the empty room.
Heero tried to calm his breathing, slow his heart down. "I told you-"
"Heero, love, you're hurt. Badly." He saw a spark of anger flare in Duo's eyes for a moment. "Let me help you."
"I can-" Heero protested, lifting his arms to push Duo away. But the movement made them hurt and he winced involuntarily. Duo gently pushed them back down, his hands sliding carefully over the bruises, as if he was tallying each one.
"Please?"
The water was warming up at last and Heero didn't protest when Duo drew him back under the spray.
He focused on Duo's dampening sleeves. "You're getting wet."
"I don't care." Duo's voice was still soft. "But how about I let you finish while I turn the heat on and find some bandages?"
"All right." Heero didn't feel like arguing anymore. He just wanted to stand under the warm water and close his eyes again.
Duo leaned forward, heedless of the water and brushed his lips over Heero's cheek. "I'll find you some warm clothes too," he promised and pulled the curtain tightly closed again.
Heero closed his eyes and let the water wash over him.
~*~
Duo stared at the closed curtain for a moment and choked down on his anger. Not now. He couldn't be angry now. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Heero had been covered in bruises- deep angry purple bruises- as if someone had literally picked him up and battered him against a hard surface. There had even been a ring of them around his neck- a small tight looking ring- as if someone had tried to strangle him with a delicate rope. He had a few nasty oozing cuts as well- at least one that would need stitches. Duo hoped Po came prepared with something to deal with those...
What the hell had happened to him? What had the Ruler done to him?
The anger rose up inside him again, fierce and hot, just like it had when he'd first seen Heero in the shower, so battered and bruised...
Not now. Later.
He pulled a pair of sweats out of Heero's bureau and put them next to the shower. Turning on the heat, he searched the small space for medical supplies and found only a small pack of band-aids. They were going to need that medic.
The shower stopped. Hurrying into the bathroom, he found Heero painfully trying to dry himself off. Without a word, Duo took the towel and did it for him, and then helped him pull on the sweat pants. He didn't dare pull on the shirt- not with all the oozing cuts, so he contented himself by putting washcloths on the two worst.
"Chang and Po should be here soon- we'll have her stitch these..."
"I-"
"Please, love. Please. They need to be stitched. You really should be in a hospital- you're so-" Duo choked the words off. He didn't want to sound angry with Heero, he didn't.
"No hospital."
"Then Po. Please."
"All right," Heero sounded so weary. "All right." He leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees, wincing slightly as he did so. He coughed, a harsh rasping sound and lifted one hand to touch his throat. "Ow," he said in an undertone.
"Looks like something tried to strangle you." Duo said without thinking and then bit his lip.
Heero made a sound that might have been a laugh. "Something did." He covered his eyes with his hands. "Several somethings."
"The Ruler?"
His lover shook his head. "No. His pets."
"Pets?" Duo echoed.
"The ones from the Rift. The ones left here when it closed." Heero shivered and Duo involuntarily tightened his grip on the washcloths. "He wanted to see if I could beat them..."
Before Heero could finish, someone pounded on the door.
TBC...
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