Title: Reflection
Author: Keithan
Disclaimers: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to their respective owners.
Rating: G
Timeline: Spire (Fic list here)
Series: Companion fic to Within the Borders of Sanq
Characters: 1+4
Summary: Tears had no place in the eyes of a perfect soldier.
Notes: As stated above, a companion fic . You might want to read/re-read that fic (from way back, I know, but still :P) first because this is just a 500-word (word limit set and reached exactly) side-fic to that, this time a bit from Heero's POV.

Reflection
by Keithan

The late afternoon sun was hidden behind heavy clouds, but what little sunlight that managed to peak through was cast upon them in an orange glow. Heero stood frozen, watching the glint of reflected light from Quatre's face, catching the few tears that suddenly trailed down the pale cheeks.

Quatre is crying.

All his thoughts prior had been swept by the wind that promised a cold night of rain. Heero felt his body tense, a soldier's reaction in dealing with the unknown. He knew he had been pushing Quatre to cry, pushing him to let go of the burden he was still so obviously carrying, pushing him to move on and face the war as a soldier without a fresh wound waiting to get infected. But faced with the sudden trickle of tears, and standing in front of Quatre's pain, his logical mind that kept telling him this was what the other needed shut off completely.

He reached out a tentative hand, slow but steady, to Quatre's face. The wetness his fingers touched there came as a surprise. He half-expected it all to be an illusion. He blinked as he stared at his hand, as though expecting a similar wetness in his own eyes. But there was none. There had been none for a long time now.

"Heero."

He opened his mouth to answer, to say something, but he found no words, and he closed it again. In his mind, his only thought was, Quatre is crying, and he felt tightness in his chest, something he was unfamiliar with.

He wanted nothing more than to turn his back to the sight of the other Gundam pilot with tears so evident on his face, even if Quatre tried to blink them back and compose himself again. But he couldn't move, couldn't turn his back, not to Quatre, who had, on so many occasions, chosen to stay with him in his need, even when the other pilot always had a choice to turn away.

He felt Quatre sway on his feet, and he tightened his hold on the other's shoulder to steady him. The answering grip on his wrist told him that the assistance was not lost on Quatre as he used the support to steady himself again.

Heero's eyes drifted again towards his other hand hanging between them, palm open and fingers wet with tears. And he thought, how long? How long since he had seen his own?

"I had forgotten," he said, words suddenly slipping from his lips.

"It doesn't matter," Quatre replied. "I'm already crying for you."

Heero's eyes snapped back to his companion's face, yet his gaze was carefully avoided. Rain started to fall, small drops that were negligible as he felt them, cold and wet, on his skin. He saw some land on Quatre's face, hiding the trail of tears there. He pursed his lips into a tight line, gripped Quatre's shoulders tighter.

Heero never wished so hard for anything than to be able to cry again.

End
12.06.09

Posting time was short so this was posted in LJ first, since I find it easier to post there. Future fics might get posted there first if time is an issue again.