Fire in the Hole Part 20
"You're sure there's nothing I can get you?" asked Quatre for the third time.
Duo shook his head with a smile. "I'm sure, Quatre. I'm just going to lie here for a while."
"Um.... Okay," he said reluctantly. "But if you think of anything, call me," he ordered firmly.
"I will...." Duo's eyes were closed, he was almost asleep. Suddenly his eyes popped open. "Quatre!"
The blond leaped to his bedside. "What?! What is it?"
"When I wake up, will you meet me in the gym?"
"Of course," Quatre said quickly. "Why?"
"I need to start working out again, and I don't think I can handle the other guys right now."
"And you think you can handle me, is that it?" he smirked.
A single-eyed perusal. "No. I just think you'll go easy on me."
Quatre sighed his relief. "Smartass."
"You know you love it."
He bent to kiss Duo's cheek. "Just have a rest. Call me whenever you're ready."
~*~
Duo soon learned just how weakened he was from his illness. He couldn't throw a decent punch, couldn't manage a spin without getting dizzy and couldn't jump without landing off balance, to say nothing of his lack of wind.
"Dammit! This sucks!" he exploded finally. "How can being sick for a couple of days do this much damage?!" He sank down on the mat to rest his head on his knees. "Shit..."
"Stress takes your energy, you know," remarked Quatre, sitting beside him. "It'll be a week or so before you're back to your usual form." Duo shrugged listlessly. They sat quietly for a bit, until Quatre just had to ask.
"Duo, what are you going to do about Heero and Wufei?"
"I have no earthly idea."
Quatre straightened in confusion. "I thought you loved Heero."
"I do. But Wufei was there for me when Heero wouldn't be. He wasn't afraid to be with me when we were together."
"But Duo.... He raped you."
Duo shrugged. "I don't know if he did or not. I give out mixed signals sometimes; maybe that was just one of those times."
"Duo!"
"Hey, you cry 'wolf' often enough and you're gonna get called on it. I was sick and he scared me a little and hurt me a little." He looked at Quatre, his familiar smirk in place. "I've had worse done to me." Quatre glared at him. Duo flopped back on the mat. "I just don't know, Quatre. I think I might be in love with both of them."
"That'll go over like a dog turd on the dinner table," said a voice behind them.
Quatre swung around and Duo rolled over to see Trowa leaning against the doorframe.
"Hi, Trowa," grinned Duo. "So why can't I eat my cake and have it too?"
"Because those two pieces of cake would kill each other."
Duo sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I really am cursed."
"There is no such thing," said Trowa quietly. "You needn't make a snap decision, but you do need to make your choice. We are not going to function like a team until you do. Whomever you choose, the other will take it, if not gracefully, then stoically, and life will go on."
"Does Quatre keep you happy, Trowa?" Duo asked after a few seconds.
Trowa lifted one eyebrow and Quatre sat up with a squeak. "Why do you ask?" murmured Trowa, sitting on the mat.
Duo shrugged. "Because if he doesn't, I'll kick his butt around the estate."
"Duo!" cried Quatre indignantly, but Trowa stopped him before he could take a swipe at his friend.
"Actually, Duo, he keeps me very happy," Trowa smiled, giving Quatre a squeeze.
"Good. You're a great guy and you deserve it." Quatre stared at him, wide-eyed. "You too, Quatre. Any time Trowa doesn't treat you right, just let me know, and I'll.... I'll let him kick my ass around the estate." Quatre blinked, then began to laugh. The others joined in and they all sprawled on the mats.
After a bit Duo returned to his workout, this time alone.
Heero caught the very end of Duo's lament to Quatre, hearing Trowa's comment, but not what preceded it. He hid under the stairs and listened as the three joked together.
::Why can't I do that? Why can't I be relaxed and casual like Trowa?::
::'Cuz you're a perfect soldier.::
::Hn. Not me. Trowa is the perfect soldier; I'm just a killing machine.::
::That's not what J thinks.::
::J can go fuck himself! I don't care about him, the damn missions, the fucking war, the peace, anything! All I care about is HIM! How to prove I'm worthy of him, how to win him back, if I can... How... how to survive... if I can't...::
::Yuy, you're a wuss. Wusswusswuss!::
::GET! OUT! What are you, some despotic computerized conscience courtesy of that fucking mad scientist?!::
::Whoa! Alliteration! Yuy, I never knew you had it in you!::
::....!!!::
::He'll hear you...::
With a start he focused on Duo, now practicing the katas that Wufei had taught him. He watched Duo's routine, admiring his grace and wondering why he had never noticed how easily the auburn-haired beauty moved.
::Yeah, you missed a lot, baka.::
::Hn.::
::So, where was your mind when you were fucking him? Planning the next mission?::
::....::
::Oh, yeah, that's right, I was there, wasn't I? But I was paying attention, loser. I was guessing what flavor shampoo he'd used. I was marveling at his velvet skin. I was memorizing the taste of him. I was making love to him. You were just fucking him.::
::Stop it! I'm you; you're me! I'm arguing with myself!::
::Yeah... Crazy, isn't it?::
Heero blinked. Shit! Maybe I am crazy!
On the mat, Duo was slowly sliding his feet apart into a split. He held it for a count of ten, then swung his legs behind him and relaxed with a sigh. That was harder than his messed up workout with Quatre. He decided to continue this routine for a couple of days before trying his fighting moves again.
For right now, though, he'd just take a little nap...
TBC...
Back to PlaidDragon's Fanfictions Page