**Any references to the Virginian and Maryland (where the summer house is located) come from my dear friend, Asy, who is from there! *hugs* Thank you so much for your help, sweets!
A Silver Lining Part 8
After struggling their way through the secluded base where they had been held and through the surrounding wasteland of hill and cratered fields used for bomb testing, Heero and Duo finally settled down. Both panting and wet with sweat in their efforts, they took shelter in an opening at the side of one of the tall hills that had been hit in a lag of weapon testing.
Lying on his back, Duo groaned in pain, his eyes squeezed closed, as he nursed his injured right leg. "Goddamn it," he hissed through the hot agony. "Of all the blasted luck..." his words were cut off as he moaned deeply as his friend carefully inspected the bullet wound that nearly shattered his knee.
With a deep sigh, Heero replaced the bandages made from the reminder of what had been left of the braided pilot's fleece that had been torn during their confinement. "At least it went clean through," the Japanese Preventer commented as he regained his breath. "The bleeding has stopped."
It had been a tiring journey and a long night. Now that the sun was beginning to rise, they would not have the cover of night to keep them from the watchful eyes of the guards chasing them.
After calculating for weeks, their carefully laid out plans had been all but destroyed with a single shot. They never even saw the gunman whom was lucky enough to hit the American's leg just before they left the base.
The injury had slowed them greatly, leaving them little choice now but to push on hard to make up time. The rescue team would be arriving at their rendezvous point in less than a half hour, and they still had miles to go yet.
Along with that, there were a good many guards practically on their heels. With the open fields and now the sunlight pouring over the earth, the two ex-Gundam pilots would be spotted easily from a good distance.
Running a hand through his unruly, damp hair, Heero carefully considered their options. Few weapons and little ammunition from what they were able to steal on the way out. The situation was grim at best at this point and he knew it, but was unable to say as much.
With the clock ticking, the last thing there was time for was sitting around thinking. "They're going to be here before long," Heero said at last, as he rose to his feet. "We have to get moving. We're half-way to the location where backup will be arriving to pick us up."
It was only then that the Japanese pilot realized how quiet his normally vocal partner was. When he turned to meet the other boy's face, he could almost feel his heart drop at the look of distress in those violet eyes watching him.
Slowly, the American sat up, wincing in pain at the slight movement in his leg that sent a sharp stab of sheering pain up his spine. Their eyes still locked, biting his suddenly trembling lip, Duo said quietly, "Heero... My leg is just going to slow us down. We'll both be caught at the rate we're moving."
The moment the words left the other pilot's lips, Heero replied, "Then I'll carry you." Knowing what his partner was about to suggest, he was not about to consider it as an option. There had to be a way out of this... where they could both make it out together.
"You can't carry me for five miles!" Duo shouted, his anger taking over his fear as he glared up at his friend. There was a long pause as they gazed on each other, both pairs of eyes silently speaking the many things running through their owner's minds.
After finding the determination in the Japanese Preventer's eyes, the braided pilot finally spoke, ordering, "You have to leave me here."
"No." Heero answered, without a hint of hesitation as the last time he expressed how the suggestion was out of the question. He refused to believe that this was their only choice. There had to be another option.
Frowning sadly, Duo propped himself up on his elbows. With his voice little more than a whisper, he said, "Listen to me, Heero. I am not about to let you get caught because I got careless."
A nod with his head in the direction of the guns they had gathered, he tried to reassure his partner by suggesting, "I can fend for myself, maybe find a place where I can hide until things relax enough for me to call for help."
Heero shook his head, his own cobalt eyes narrowing as he fought the fear and rage flooding him at their situation. This wasn't how it was supposed to end. They were supposed to make it to their destination to get out of this together. He insisted, "I'm not leaving you here like this."
Duo shook his head, his body trembling as he cried, "There's no other choice!"
Shouting in pain from the jolt that ran through him, the braided pilot held his injured leg, sweat continuing to run down his face. In the silence, he panted. Finally, his violet eyes filled with defeat and never taking them from the gaze locked on him, he frowned deeply and whispered, "Please, Heero..."
The pilot standing over him shook his own head, squeezing his own eyes closed so that he did not need to see the pleading look on his comrade's face, as he yelled, "No! You can't ask me to do this!"
It was... hurting Heero to see Duo in so much pain, the only person that he now considered his best friend after their time that they shared together during the wars and most recently in their confinement.
When Heero's cobalt eyes opened, they widened as they stared down the barrel of the pistol aimed at his head. Despite how the rest of his body trembled, Duo managed to keep his arm bearing the weapon steady as he replied firmly, "I'm not asking. I'm ordering."
"D-Duo..." the ex-Wing pilot whispered as he blinked in shock at the determination in his partner's violet eyes.
Taking a shuddered breath, the braided Preventer licked his lips before speaking, his voice still low as to keep the tremble out of it. "You're running out of time by staying here any longer. If you don't leave now, Heero, I swear to God I'll shoot you where you stand."
He would run and hide, but Duo never told a lie. Heero recalled the other boy's dictum as he looked past the barrel locked on him.
It was the only thing that his friend could have done to make him listen, they both knew it. Finally, his heart sinking and his eyes saddening, the once deemed 'Perfect Soldier' gave a firm nod.
With his free hand, Duo reached up to his neck line, removing the gold cross and chain from his neck. "Here," he whispered as he gestured for the other pilot to get close.
Slowly stepping towards his friend, Heero walked past the gun that had been trained on him to kneel beside the injured pilot. Moving, but moving as if he were out of his own body, he held out a hand to accept the gold chain and cross as Duo placed it in his palm. Before pulling his hand back, the braided Preventer squeezed their clasped hands together for a moment.
"I want you to take care of this for me," the American told the other as he continued to squeeze the necklace between their hands. "I-I've never trusted this with anyone else before..." His voice trailed off as he had to clear his throat.
Heero gave him a firm nod, reluctantly separating their hands. With great care, as if handing the most precious metal, he slipped the necklace around his own neck. After placing the cross behind his dark blue shirt, he kept their eyes locked as he vowed, "I swear that I'll get this back to you."
At the flash of doubt in the cobalt eyes watching him, Heero realized now more than ever that there was a strong possibility they might never see each other again. Quickly, he shifted so that he was leaning over Duo, his hands at either side of the injured boy. To the widened eyes below him, he asked firmly, "Promise me you'll wait for me."
Gasping sharply, Duo shook his head, his eyes filling with tears as he whispered, "H-Heero, you know that I can't-"
"Promise me," Heero cut him off, his own determination reaffirmed. "Whatever happens, promise me that you won't give up until I find you." When Duo began to shake his head again, the ex-Wing pilot grasped his chin to still him as he stated slowly and clearly, "I will find you. I swear it." Finally, the tears began to fall from Duo's eyes as he whimpered, trembling as he nodded at last. "All right," he breathed. "I promise I'll wait for you, whatever happens." Somehow managing to keep the strange, new emotions that threatened to drown him, Heero lowered himself atop the injured boy to embrace him tightly. With a stifled sob, Duo reached up to hold his friend tightly in return. It was the first time they had ever shared such a gesture of friendship and it nearly overwhelmed Heero. Pulling back enough to look down on his partner, he placed a soft kiss on Duo's forehead. There was a small gasp from the other pilot as he felt the lips on his brow. With their noses nearly touching as they looked to each other, Heero whispered, "Stay strong, Duo." At those words, he rose to his feet and ran from their hiding place into the fields. He continued to run without looking back, knowing that he would have stopped and turned back if he did.
* * * * * *
With a sharp gasp, Heero woke from his sleep, sweat running down his face as he came to his senses. Even now that Duo was back safely, he still dreamt of their last moments together before they were parted, every one of those dreams as real at the times he had lived them. His panting finally began to calm as he ran a hand through his damn, unruly bangs.
Still lying on his side, Heero's hand reached out and back to the other side of the bed where Duo slept for reassurance that everything was all right. Finding that the other side of the bed was empty, he sat up quickly, his cobalt eyes wide as he gazed frantically around the room, calling, "Duo?"
Quickly, his braided friend entered the room, opening the door that led to the second level balcony. His violet eyes filled with concern, Duo moved to sit at the side of the bed, speaking quietly as he said, "I'm here."
Easing at the sight of his friend, Heero leaned his back against the headboard as he sighed deeply in relief. "Sorry to startle you," he replied.
"Bad dream?" Duo frowned in worry. When his friend closed his eyes and nodded, the American moved forward to wrap his arms around him. Startled for only a second, Heero returned the embrace, burying his face in his partner's shoulder. Slowly, Duo ran soothing circles down the other pilot's bare back.
As they held onto each other, the ex-Wing pilot cursed himself for not managing to hold himself together. He needed to be the strong one of the two while Duo healed.
The last thing his friend needed was to worry about the two of them while he dealt with his pain. Still, that dream had reopened a lot of Heero's own wounds that he had been dealing with.
When they pulled away, Duo gave him a reassuring smile and asked, "Better?" Being able to see that smile, even if it did not reach his friend's eyes, and being able to hold the other Preventer as proof that he was all right had broken through the disorientation that had wracked the Japanese pilot.
Heero returned the smile with a nod as he replied, "Yes. Thank you." He looked to the door that led to the balcony as he blinked in surprise, "You were outside just now?"
Following his friend's gaze to the balcony opening, Duo shrugged, "Yea, I was out there for a while now just watching the sunrise." With a slight wince, he turned back to the other Preventer and frowned, "I didn't mean to startle you. I should have waited until you were awake."
"No, it's not that," Heero shook his head. A small grin fell on his face as he commented, "You managed to stay out there on your own."
Now seeing where his friend was going, Duo's small smile returned. "Yea," he nodded. "I managed to stay on my own for about an hour now."
Over the last couple weeks during their stay at their summer house, the braided pilot had tried to pull himself away from needing Heero's presence. With the exception of his duties in the bathroom and shower, Duo relied on his best friend to be there. The fact that he was now able to manage an hour on his own showed that he was steadily improving.
Gently rubbing the top of his friend's head, Heero smirked, "I'm proud of you." He was rewarded with another small smile, this one a bit brighter than any of the others he had seen of late. Stretching a bit as he yawned, he asked, "Did you have breakfast yet?"
Duo shook his head, blushing slightly as he replied, "Nah, I was waiting for you to wake up first so I didn't have to eat alone." At the irony of it all, Heero laughed quietly. Startled at the fact that his once stoic friend was not disappointed in him, Duo joined in his laughter.
Taking a moment to consider their options, the ex-Wing pilot tilted his head and questioned, "Do you think you would be up to having breakfast at one of the diners in town? Maybe we could visit the mall afterwards."
For the last two weeks, the two Preventers did little outside of the large estate. Heero was relieved when Duo grinned and nodded, "I think that's a good idea. It'd be a nice change of pace." With their plans set, they both got up and prepared to change.
* * * * * *
As they ate their meals in the small diner they found, Duo across from Heero with his plate of pancakes. "Are you sure that you're still up to looking around at the stores?" the Japanese pilot asked, cutting another slice of egg from his own plate.
Nodding, his braided friend swallowed his gulf of orange juice and replied, "Yea. I think I'll be okay for a while. I don't know how long I'll be comfortable if the place is crowded."
Heero reassured him with a small smile, "If it gets to be too much, just let me know. We're taking this one step at a time, remember." Relief filled his partner's violet eyes as he grinned back. The remainder of their meal was eaten in companionable silence.
Ever since their question game that they had resumed their first night at the summer house, the two friends came to learn more about each other than they ever had during their time during the wars. The game opened up the floodgates to many interesting conversations during their vacation.
Duo now understood Heero's protectiveness towards Relena having heard of his experience with the little girl and her dog during his training. Heero now had an even better appreciation of Duo's strength after his friend shared more of his childhood.
It was almost sad to think that had they never been captured in their last mission that they shared, Heero would never have had the relationship that he had now with Duo. He never really considered any of the Gundam pilots as true friends, even if they did have their duties at that time in common.
Now, Duo knew more about him than anyone else in Heero's life. He was certain that it was the same with him in Duo's case.
Whatever the circumstances leading to their close friendship, Heero was grateful for it. To actually have someone that he could be open with, someone who could help him understand and cope with his emotions, meant more to him than anything now.
Playing with a piece of his pancake, Duo asked quietly, "Did you want to talk about that dream you had?" He looked up from his plate to meet his partner's gaze and shrugged, "It might help if it's still on your mind."
Heero snapped from his thoughts at the questions and smiled at his best friend's consideration. "There's no need, Duo, but thank you." Lowering his fork, he admitted, "I just needed to know that you were all right when I woke up."
A small smile tugged at the braided pilot lips as he nodded before taking another bite from his meal. Looking to his left, over the counter, Duo's violet eyes widened when he spotted the calendar hanging on the wall by the coffee machine.
It was May 31st. Meaning.... Instantly, a memory from the day that he moved in with Heero on the Earth flooded him.
* * * * * *
As he finished unpacking his belongings, Duo sighed deeply in relief as he fell onto the large couch in the spacious living room of the grand beach house that he and Heero bought. It was still a shock to him; the fact that Heero Yuy, Mister Solitude himself, called him out of the blue with the prospect of their sharing a house together.
Speaking of his unruly-haired housemate, Duo heard Heero entering the living room with a slightly disheveled look after all of their efforts in getting their new furniture in. Falling heavily into the plush recliner across from the couch where Duo lied, the ex-Wing pilot sighed deeply as he closed his eyes.
Duo couldn't help but chuckle deeply as he watched his friend. It had been quite a long day, but their efforts in getting the house in order were well worth it.
Surprisingly, there had been little to no arguing as to how the two teenagers wanted the furniture arranged, who got which bedroom, or any of the other possible fights that could have broken out in situating themselves.
Another thought crossed Duo's mind as he realized that they had worked well past lunch and now dinner. Sitting up a bit, he asked, "Are we cooking or ordering out?"
"Ordering out," was the quick answer, Heero never opening his eyes. Just at the thought of having to stand over a stove and oven cooking made his already aching muscles twinge. Opening his right eye half-mast, he glared at the other youth. "And I am not getting up from this chair to do it."
With a snort, Duo lied back down as he commented, "Then it's going to be a while before we eat. I ain't moving, either." He paused slightly before laughing, "I don't think I can move!"
Folding his arms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling, the American tilted his head a bit as he asked, "By the way, Heero, when is your birthday?"
Across the room, he heard the Japanese Preventer recruit gave a sharp laugh of disbelief as he answered with his own question, "Where the hell is that question coming fro-" Heero cut himself off before sighing deeply, "Never mind. I don't want to know what goes through that warped mind of yours."
Duo smirked as he looked to his now more alert partner as he shrugged, "Hey, you're the one who asked me to live with you."
Raising an eyebrow to him, Heero smirked, "Don't remind me." Running a hand through his hair, he decided to appease his comrade's curiosity as he stated, "I never knew the actual day I was born, so I don't have a birthday."
Suddenly filled with energy now, Duo sat up on the couch as he smiled, "Great! We can pick each other's birthdays!" Before his wide-eyed friend could respond, the braided pilot grinned, "I think a summer birthday would fit you, sooo..." His violet eyes brightened all the more as he announced excitedly, "June 1st it is!"
Heero, deciding it was better to play along that to argue nodded. "All right. Then you should have a winter birthday to balance it, not that that makes any more sense than this concept of picking birthdays," he finished with a roll of his eyes. He considered for a moment before deciding aloud, "December 21st."
"Yatta!" Duo cheered as he grinned from ear-to-ear, bouncing off the couch. "Now that wasn't so hard, now was it?"
With a smirk, Heero relied, "And now that you're up, you get to call for dinner." Dou laughed and stuck his tongue out at the other teenager before practically hopping out of the room, the adrenaline from his excitement at having a birthday outweighing his fatigue.
* * * * * *
"Duo?... Duo, are you all right?" Heero's concerned voice broke through his thoughts. Shaking his head, the braided pilot looked to his worried partner.
Still taken aback at his realization, Duo could only blink his wide eyes at him for a moment. Tomorrow was Heero's birthday. All this time, his best friend had been so concerned with taking care of him that he probably forgot entirely his.
They had been separated before they got to celebrate either of their 'given' birthdays. Considering that, it wouldn't have surprised the braided pilot if his partner had forgotten their discussion from so long ago. With everything that Heero had done for him, Duo intended to make it up to him.
Finally, he smiled reassuringly, "Sorry, just thinking about something. I'm okay." Satisfied with that, Heero finished his breakfast as the waitress returned with their bill.
After leaving the diner, the two pilots drove to the Leesburg Outlet Mall. To their relief, it was not too crowded, considering it was early in the day on a Tuesday. Since Duo was in need of new clothes, they made their way to the clothing departments first.
There was even more of a hint of the old Duo as he went through outfits that fit his own style more than the outfits that were quickly picked out from what little he had from before the time he was home last. Satisfied with his selections of attire that would last him for a couple weeks, Duo and Heero both left with bags in their hands.
On their way past one of the department stores, Duo's violet eyes widened a bit when something caught his attention. Smiling over to his friend, he said, "I almost forgot something that I need."
It wasn't a complete lie since Duo had almost forgotten that the next day was Heero's birthday. He didn't need to mention what that 'something' he had in mind really was, or who it was intended for. "Mind if we meet up in a little while? Maybe at the center of the mall?"
Heero met his gaze with a look of uncertainty. "Are you sure that you'll be all right?"
Nodding quickly, his braided friend answered, "Yea. I shouldn't be too long." With a nod, the ex-Wing pilot walked off ahead.
Duo bit his lip as he looked to the crowded store. While he was not comfortable around a lot of people on his own, he wanted to do this for Heero. He deserved to have a great birthday after everything he had done for him. Besides, he was his best friend. Taking a deep breath after making up his mind, Duo headed into the store.
* * * * * *
Hiding the bag that he had managed to keep from Heero's eye all day, Duo smiled to himself. As nerve wracking as it had been to be surrounded by so many people and to have to ask assistance from one of the store clerks, he pulled it off.
At the sound of footsteps approaching the living room, Duo quickly finished stuffing the sheets of wrapping paper under the couch along with the present he picked out. Scrambling, he just managed to sit himself on the couch, his eyes on the flat television screen to make a convincing performance that he had not moved from his spot from before Heero had left.
Returning to his place on the chair beside the couch, the Japanese Preventer said, "Thanks for waiting for me." Taking up the remote, he pressed the 'Play' button to begin the movie they had picked out for the evening.
A few minutes into the film, Heero noted a small smile tugging at the corner of the other pilot's mouth. Tilting his head, the cobalt-eyed pilot smirked, "What are you smiling about?"
With a shrug, the braided Preventer replied, grinning, "I'm just... content." Snorting to himself in amusement, Heero's attention returned to the feature film.
The smile on Duo's face grew when he knew he wasn't being watched, anxiously awaiting the next day.
TBC...
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