Silence Part 12
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Duo
Hi, Heero. God, you're beautiful tonight... Ah, you're beautiful anytime. I gotta be quiet; it's after midnight. It feels like it's been a month since I was here. I had a couple of bad days, but I'm okay now. Wufei's been really kind. I can talk to him almost as easily as I talk to you. He's pretty much living in the guestroom and he's even been helping me out at the shop. And he's been terrific with Solo. He's so stern and restrained except when he's playing with Solo. Oh, you should see it! The two of them lying on the floor, building whole cities with Legos! Oi, don't tell him I told you that! Um... I'm beating around the bush, can you tell? I broke the promise I made... Nothing else seemed to work... and I want you back so bad... It only hurt a little bit... and Solo never saw anything. I... um... lost track of time, though, and he called Wufei... And he came... That's why he's staying, I guess. It's nice to be able to talk... And he doesn't mind my nightmares... Heero, we have to do something really special for Wufei when you wake up... Maybe we could do a little matchmaking. I hate thinking of him being alone; he's a nice guy, he deserves better. Okay. Confession is over. I don't want you to be mad at me; I love you... What shall I do tonight? You wanna cuddle or you wanna get naughty? Oooh... Mr. Yuy! I am your... slave...
~*~
Wufei
I managed to get Solo off to school without him realizing that Duo hadn't come home. I called the shop; he wasn't there. I was about to call the nursing home (thinking that he might have paid an early visit) when the home called me.
The woman who glared sourly at me looked much like an anime demon. ::This is someone who was born to be a villain,:: whispered the fanciful part of my mind.
"Are you acquainted with Duo Maxwell?" she demanded before I had a chance to speak.
"Yes, I am," I returned sharply. "Who are you?"
"I am the Director of Green Meadows. The police have been notified, so if you wish to see him before they arrive, you'd better be quick."
And the connection was broken.
The police?! Whatthefuck?!
~*~
Heero
Duo was here. He made love to me. It was... wonderful... He was gone when I awakened. The glow of his visits last all day, usually. Today, though, I feel apprehensive. He was concerned last night. He told me that he'd broken his promise not to use blood magic. I wanted to tell him it didn't matter; I understand. I love him; nothing else matters. He didn't do it for power or greed; he did it for us, and I want to be with him as much as he wants to be with me. Only he matters to me; his happiness... Why do I feel so... so ready? As if waiting for something to happen. I'm back in the cockpit of Wing, waiting for a sign, a sight, a signal to send the soldier into battle once again...
~*~
Duo
Motherfucker! What -! Hey! Stop! Ouch! Shit!
What the hell's goin' on?!
Ah, fuck! Hurts... Hurts! Dammit!
Getthefuckoffme!
Oh, Lady... help me... Heero... No...
~*~
Wufei
I stormed into the director's office, shaking off the receptionist and sending him scurrying with a single glare.
The she-demon behind the desk lurched to her feet, snarling, "How dare you!"
"Shut up, onna! Where's Duo!" Mutually exclusive requests, muttered the logical side of my mind; I must be frightened. A movement on the edge of my peripheral vision caught my attention. I threw the security guard across the room. "What have you done to Duo?" I bellowed.
"I don't know who you are or where you're from," she sneered, "But in this colony cluster we have laws to protect the unaware from interference by perverts."
I nearly went Zero System. ::Wait, wait!:: screamed that voice. ::Not yet!:: "I'm Chang Wufei. What the hell are you talking about?!"
"Mr. Wufei, we found Mr. Maxwell in bed with Mr. Yuy at 0530! In this cluster, such behavior is illegal."
I glared at her. Stupid damn bitch... "I am Chinese; Chang is my clan name, Wufei is my given name." She reddened abruptly. ::Yeah, bitch, I know your type.:: "Where is Duo?" I demanded again, stalking closer to her desk.
She stepped back against the wall and pointed. "It doesn't matter what you do; the police will be here any moment and he'll be arrested for his disgusting behavior!" She sounded almost gleeful at that thought.
I caught my breath when I saw the figure huddled under a blanket on a sofa. I wouldn't have known it was Duo if not for a few tangled wisps of auburn hair. "Duo, what happened?" I breathed, grabbing his shoulders. He didn't respond and I tilted his head back to get a look at his eyes. They were open, but bleary and unfocused, the violet irises disappearing into the blackness of his pupils. A trickle of dried blood stained the corner of his mouth. Barefoot and shirtless, he shivered even under the blanket, his body twitching spasmodically.
"What the fuck did you do to him!!!" I roared, turning on the she-demon. "If you've hurt him, I'll fuckin' kill you, you chikusho!"
"He was out of control! We had to sedate him!"
"Sedate..." I echoed in disbelief. An ordinary medication in Duo's highly modified system? Shit... He wears a bracelet warning medical personnel and listing the medications he can safely tolerate. Shitshitshit!
I grabbed my phone and called Duo's doctor. He uttered several choice words and said he would be with us in six minutes. I turned back to Duo, thinking to hold and reassure him, and discovered that his arms were handcuffed behind his back. An instant later, I had the bitch by the collar and against the wall, the logical, common sense portion of my mind long forgotten.
"Handcuffs?! HANDCUFFS!!! Get them off him! NOW!!!"
"I don't..." she gasped. "No key..."
"FUCK!" I threw her at her desk and rushed back to Duo. I whipped the blanket away, grabbed the links of the handcuffs and twisted with all my strength. They broke. Duo slumped against me and I held him tightly.
"Baby? Duo, look at me; talk to me," I begged, but he only whimpered, his eyes rolling back in their sockets. "Duo..."
~*~
Duo
fuck... ...needle... hurts... ah, man... stupid, stupid, stupid... never woulda happened to... to... to Heero... my bones are melting... crap... there's three of everything... why the fuck... do I wear that... stupid bracelet... if they're... not gonna read it... please, can I pass out now... he's mine... my husband... loves me... not... wrong... oooh, shit... blood... nose itches... never shoulda stopped... carrying lockpick... hurts... shit hurts... somebody help... Heero... need you... don't wanna die... fuck... Wufei... my friend... God... help me... don't wanna die... now...
~*~
Heero
Something is WRONG! Where is he?! DUO!!!
~*~
Wufei
Michael arrived at the same time as two varks1 . He ignored everything else, including me, to run Duo's vitals.
"What did you give him?" he yelled in the direction of the she-snake. She was staring at us in an almost comical fashion, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.
"What's wrong?" she whispered. "It was just a sedative... A common sedative... This never happened before..."
Michael had Duo on the floor, muttering under his breath, "Shitshitshit... goddamnmotherfuckingassholebuyacluelosers. You fuckin' poisoned him, you idiot!" He lifted Duo's limp arm, displaying the medicalert bracelet he wore. "What did you think this was?! Costume jewelry?!"
The varks crowded into the room silently, obviously willing to wait their turn, since they would have no infraction if the suspect died. The older vark looked concerned, the younger bored.
Michael pulled out a syringe. "I don't have time to fuck around," he growled to himself. His eyes leaped to my face. "Wufei..." I nodded sharply. "Pray." He slid the needle into Duo's vein and depressed the plunger.
Without thought, I held my breath and the end of Duo's tattered braid.
::Don't die, baby; PLEASE don't die! I don't want to kill again, Shinigami, but I will for you. I promised Heero I'd keep you safe... I can't fail him; I CAN'T!::
I couldn't tell if he was still breathing. Suddenly, Michael began chest compression and my heart stopped.
"Duo! No!" Fifteen seconds. Thirty seconds. Forty-five seconds. Tears burned my eyes, leaving fire-trails down my face.
::Duo... Baby... sweetheart... pleasepleaseplease...::
~*~
Duo
It's too hot... I'm on fire... Hurts, oh man... Heero... where are you... I can't find you... Hell... finally made it... not ready... NOT READY... Not alone... let me go... Lady, I beg of you... ...oh...
~*~
Wufei
Duo's chest heaved; his body convulsed, shuddered. He began to retch; Michael turned him on his side as he vomited again and again. I bent over him, my forehead against his shoulder, my hand clutching his. Thank you God; thank you, gods; thank you, ancestors; thank you...
I sucked in a great lungful of air and looked up at the varks. "I want that woman arrested for attempted murder," I said coldly.
"Me?!" she squawked. "He was in bed with a patient! He's a dangerous pervert! We had to knock him out or who knows what he would have done!"
I ground my teeth with the effort of not simply breaking her neck. "IF you had bothered to ASK, he would have explained himself. YOU slammed him full of drugs with no regard for HIS safety!" I cradled Duo against my knees, not willing to let go of him even to shake my fist at her.
The two varks looked at me, at Duo, at her, at the guard huddled in the corner nursing a broken arm and trying to look as if he'd had no part in anything that had transpired, and finally at Michael.
"Are you a doctor, sir?" asked the elder vark.
"Yes," Michael replied, rubbing his hand over his face. "I'm Michael Goto, Mr. Maxwell's doctor."
"So, how come you're here?" asked the younger vark. "This is a long-term care facility, right?"
Michael swung his head toward the bitch. "My patient's husband is here. Mr. Maxwell was visiting his husband and was... was assaulted on this woman's order." He pulled out a small oxygen cylinder with attached mask and fitted it over Duo's face. It was just a precaution; he was breathing almost normally. "Mr. Chang called me when he realized what had happened. He's back, Wufei; just relax."
I hadn't realized how upset I was. Michael is one of the best FPs in the system. He came highly recommended by Sally, and has a strong interest in the varieties of genetic manipulation practiced before and during the war. He's monitored Duo closely for six years and still hasn't identified all the modifications that Shinigami carries. He's also a close friend.
The varks seemed perfectly willing to wait on us; maybe they had nothing else to do. The bitch was behind her desk once more, smoothing her hair and clothing and attempting to look professional. Shit, she's Relena Peacecraft in twenty years. The guard slithered up to her, whispering plaintively.
"Officer, is it all right for this man to get treatment for his broken arm?" she said loudly. Both varks looked at her, at him, back at her.
"How'd it get broken?" asked the younger.
Hey, I survived the Yuy Death Glare; this onna was nothing. I glared back at her and she flinched.
"He threw him into the wall!" she spat, glaring at me.
Vark eyes swung to me. The pair were as silent and observant as stalking wolves. I had the strong feeling that something else was going on under the surface tension in the room. I would have liked to know what it was, but the obvious was more important at the moment.
"He tried to grab me," I stated. "No one grabs me."
"This was after you injected Mr. Maxwell with something," said the elder of the pair to the female.
"Which you did because you thought he was dangerous," said the other.
"Because you surprised him in his husband's bed," continued the first.
I glanced at Michael and saw that he was as curious as I was. They seemed to have forgotten all about us; their attention firmly fixed on the director.
"And nobody bothered to check for a medicalert," sighed the younger, shaking his head. He looked at the guard who was now a sickly gray color. "Go get it treated, but don't leave the building."
His partner took out a small notebook and a pen. "Now, we'll talk."
~*~
Duo
Aaaah... cool water... green and blue... Heero... oh, yes... hold me now... lavender violet so fresh... God protects me... sorry so sorry... okay... Wufei... gotta love him... never yells at me... just like you... my love... my friend... oh so tired... sleep... little death... safe dark... quiet dark... Heero just hold me...
~*~
Heero
Something happened. I can feel it all around me. The tension squeezes my chest like 5Gs in space. In my mind, I find him spinning, falling, and I reach out to pull him into my arms, holding him tightly against my chest. His soft breath feathers the hair behind my ear, tickling me. Duo clings to me, quivering with stress. Don't go! I cry, as he seems to dissolve, nearly fading from my embrace. But he lifts his face; I kiss him deeply, drawing him back. Stay with me, my darling, my angel. Whatever calls is a lie; refuse it, ignore it. Stay with me... I love you. His fingers caress my cheek. So tired, he whispers and his violet eyes flutter closed. Sleep, he breathes. Hold me, Heero... Don't let me go... Never let you go, my Shinigami. He begins to purr in my ear...
~*~
Wufei
The younger vark squatted beside me. "Is he okay to be moved?" he asked Michael.
"Yes, but gently."
"Let's find someplace more private. I assume you want to clean him up." He made as if to pick Duo up and I stopped him.
"No." I lifted him in my arms. Michael draped his braid over Duo's chest. The vark nodded. We followed him from the room.
In a treatment room, I stripped off Duo's trousers and set about cleaning him up. Michael ran his vitals again, peering into his eyes and ears with his light. Then he took down Duo's braid, brushed his long hair gently and rebraided it neatly. The vark watched us silently for a few minutes before speaking.
"I'm Detective Ohara; my partner is Detective Sergeant Wilkowski. I was on Earth when that nut tried to drop the station. I remember the Gundams; they saved the world."
I glanced up; he was watching me. I shrugged.
"You're the pilot of 05, aren't you?"
"I was." The war is over, for now. It's no longer my concern.
"Your colony was murdered; I'm sorry. My grandmother was from the village you and the rebels saved." I shrugged again. Was he trying to play good cop? "Which one was he?" he nodded to Duo.
"02. The Gundam was Deathscythe."
"Thanks. For what you all did." He exhaled a long breath. "What's going on here?"
I gave him the version according to Chang. Michael gave him the version according to Goto. He took notes by hand.
"Are you going to arrest Duo for wanting to be with his husband?" I asked bluntly. Ohara raised one eyebrow. "If you are, I have to kill that reprehensible onna." He blinked at me. "Honor demands," I said flatly.
He nodded as if he understood. Maybe he did. "The law is vague. It was passed to protect the helpless from unwanted and unauthorized attentions. I doubt a judge would do anything but dismiss it." He consulted his notes and I breathed a sigh of relief. Duo stirred slightly.
"His husband, Mr. Yuy -- is that correct? -- is in a coma. As a result of what?"
"He was shot during an attempted robbery at their business." I eased Duo's jeans back onto him and lifted him in my arms again. "We're going to Heero's room." I walked out, trailed by Michael and Ohara.
"I remember that. It wasn't our case, but I remember it. Mr. Maxwell dealt rather forcefully with the assailant."
"He killed the bastard," I tossed over my shoulder. "Instantly. Bone slivers into his brain. Has nothing to do with anything now." I stepped into Heero's room and turned to face the detective. "I do not believe that Heero Yuy is unaware of his surroundings. He may be unable or unwilling to respond, but he KNOWS when Duo is with him, and he LOVES it. And NO ONE can say differently."
Duo's eyes fluttered at my emphatic words. "'Fei..? Whasgoinon... 'M I 'live?"
"Of course you are," I reassured him, ignoring the vark for the moment.
"Thanks... Al'ays coun' on you..." he mumbled. "Wher' we..?"
"Heero's room," I said gently. "I think the two of you need to be close for a bit before I take you home." I laid him on the bed beside Heero and he snuggled up to Heero's still form.
"'Fei... yeraniceguy... 'Eero... 'M okay... Caught me by s'prise..." He winced as he wrapped his arm around Heero's ribs, but didn't let go of his love.
Michael caught it and took a closer look at his arm. "Bruises coming up," he said after a moment. "Some small cuts and bruises. A couple of hand prints." He shook his head in disgust and reached into his bag. "Someone grabbed him hard enough to leave hand print bruises and cut him with their fingernails." He disinfected and dressed the small crescent-shaped cuts; Duo slept through his ministrations. "Regardless of what the authorities plan to do, I am reporting this to the Registry. Ignoring an alert tag is an actionable offense and I'm feeling offensive. Damned idiots."
I didn't think I could get any more furious, my hold on civilized behavior more tenuous than ever before. I faced the detective once again. "Well? What're you going to do about this?" I demanded.
He closed his notebook and tucked it away. "Well, Mr. Chang, I really can't do anything without further investigation." He glanced at Duo and Heero. "I don't see anything odd here; just a loving husband being understandably attentive to his spouse. Dr. Goto, would you mind making a statement of your findings of Mr. Maxwell's injuries? Ignoring an alert tag is a serious crime."
As he and Michael ("I'll talk to you and Duo later, Wufei, okay? Give him half an hour, then take him home.") left the room, I began gathering what I could find of Duo's clothing and trying to return my mind to a state of serenity.
Yeah. Sure.
~*~
Heero
A disturbance in my room. My eyes are closed; I cannot see what's happening. Ah, it's Duo! My darling angel. He's here... But not alone. Wufei settles him on the bed next to me. He mutters faintly, wrapping his arms around me. He's okay. Or is he... Dammit, something is still not right. Wufei remains in the room, talking to someone... Michael is here also, lifting Duo's arm, looking closely at it. Someone else is here... A scent I don't recognize. Calm authority. A voice tinged with a faintly Asian accent. Michael's voice drips with contempt. Something strange has happened; I've felt it since I realised it was day, but my brain is refusing to process the words it hears. But Duo is with me. He's warm and alive and safely with me. Strangeness doesn't matter... If it matters, Wufei will tell me as he always does.
~*~
Duo
Heero... I fucked up. Fell asleep. Caught me. I think they gave me a shot. I was on fire... God... my blood was burning... But Wufei came... fixed it... called Mikey... Heero... is it okay if I love Wufei..? He said he promised you... Man... I wouldn't promise to look out for me... I think I banged my head... There's a lump and I've got a headache... I don't wanna leave you... wanna stay here forever... Cop didn't arrest me... I think... I think Wufei's calling me... Heero, please... I can't live like this... I have to have you back... I'm afraid, Heero... I'm afraid...
~*~
Heero
Fucking hell! Omae o korosu! All of you! MY husband! MY Duo! MY Shinigami!!! MINE!!!
~*~
Duo
I like my own bed. Just the right amount of firm and soft. Real silk satin sheets. A pile of puffy, fluffy pillows. I used to love it, until I had to sleep alone in it.
Wufei brought me home after the director of the nursing home nearly poisoned me. It's been a few days; I don't remember much. What I do remember is fire; the feeling that my body was spontaneously combusting from the inside out. And then Wufei's voice, and someone else... Then the ice water hitting me, putting out the fire and allowing me to breathe. And Heero's arms around me, his mouth on mine; feeling real again, and safe and loved in his embrace. Wufei rescued me. He said he called Mikey and he knew what to do. I think I recall that, but I'm not sure.
I sure recall the summons I got three days ago. I read it, but didn't understand it or didn't want to. Gave it to Wufei to read. He started swearing in Chinese; the bad words. Really bad words that I don't understand and that he refuses to translate. I thought he was going to start throwing things or even go for the decorative swords. I've never been afraid of Wufei before...
I can't bring myself to get out of bed for more than a head call. I can't stop shaking. I can't eat. I can't sleep.
Wufei is in and out often. He coaxes, he begs, he rants, he threatens. He holds me and combs his fingers through my loose hair. I can feel his worry, his concern. He tells me everything he's doing to help. I listen, but I don't seem to hear him. Solo sleeps next to me. Wufei sleeps in the chair. I lie in bed and stare at the ceiling. I cry. Nothing helps.
Sweetums is pacing slowly around the bed. Occasionally, he flicks his tongue at me, tasting my defeat, my failure. He allows me to pet him, gently fingering his frills. No reproach in his independently twitching eyes; life's a bitch and then you die, he seems to say. But it's not and I can't...
The nursing home has filed a motion to be appointed Heero's guardian, because I have demonstrated psychologically unstable and physically dangerous behaviors. Quatre and Trowa have supplied them with episodes supporting that claim.
Wufei is downstairs right now, arranging for some help in the house. Solo is at school.
I feel like eating the barrel of my automatic...
TBC...
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