Disclaimer: so do not own Gundam Wing…wouldn't that be great though? But I just write about hem as I wish it would happen
1x2 yeah!
ScarsPart one: Trying to Hide
Duo turned over in bed, thoughts running through his mind at high speed. He couldn't sleep, his mind lingered elsewhere, especially at this time of day.
Lying in bed in the dark, with only his thoughts alone with him in the small apartment. Barren of personal belongings and touches that made a place home. It was simply the physical needs, not even a proper couch, just a chair from the small kitchen table.
A mattress on the floor where he slept with the minimal amount of bedding. His pillow flat from use and the covers around him stirred up in a tangled mess.
He kept seeing the mirror reflection that looked back at him, stared right into his eyes and more importantly, mocked him as he scanned his own body. A mess now, of scars and burns that covered him like tangled weeds and distorted the once perfect and pale skin. He really hadn't meant for it to happen, it wasn't his fault, but that day he had been lazy, had let up his guard, so maybe it had been.
He still remembered it; it was the reason for his seclusion, why he hid from the light, from people, and from Heero. After he had been released, before even Quatre could find him, he had disappeared, destroying his trail thoroughly and totally. He had gone far from any place the other pilots would go, or ever thing to look for him.
That day, after the war was over, after peace was supposed to be finally achieved. He had been in town, finally happy, walking along with everyone else. Safe, no longer marked as a terrorist and no more OZ. Duo had been on his way to see Heero, his best friend, always, even if to him it was more, he was forever content just to stay by his side as a friend. But he hadn't even seen the men in the alley. His defense had been totally down, he had been too distracted and he had paid for it.
The one time he was content not to worry about he 'bad guys', they found him. That day they had taken him into the abandoned building and…
Duo felt along his chest, the shiny skin of burns healed over and the rough ridges of the scars where the knives had bit into his skin, slashed along his ribs and near his soft organs. They stood out against him, and he hadn't been able to get the make over done, he couldn't lie like that, but he couldn't face the other like this. And so he had hidden, reduced himself to this, a trapped being in a cold and desolate apartment that constantly retained the shades of gray all around him.
He stayed inside almost all day, only going out at night, and hacked. He had found the underground on computers compelling. Where he could be only a name on a screen, make friends he would never have to see, and go anywhere with no limitations. He sat on his bed, or near the window, and typed endlessly, even when the memories of Heero flooded back and filled his mind with that stoic figure sitting in front of a lap top, he typed on and on into the night and the next day.
Duo tossed like this when he lay still on his bed, though he covered his mirror, he still couldn't escape his own image looking back at him. A thin, tall, gangly figure that was nothing but a skin of scars. Dark rings below his eyes, always, and veins of blue that stuck out on him like a plant that over grew a wall or house. His long hair, chestnut and sun streaked, still vibrant even from the lack of sun, and his violet eyes still glowed in his elfish face like two pools of life. His golden cross about his neck the only mark of color on him, he walked about his apartment in gray seats and a black tank top, and only put on the treasures in his closet if he went out at night. Then he favored dark and heavy cloths that would hide all of him from view and allow him to pass through the crowds as his screen name, shinigamii.
Death that patrolled the streets and lerked in the dark corners of clubs and bars. Watching the people, their casual touches and loving embraces. They danced and moved in grace about him, never the wiser of him.
Tonight Duo ran from sleep, even if he had to think about all those scars beneath his cloths, for he could not face his dreams again. The shadows that chased him, the figures that raped him, and the screams that followed him in his escape from people, thousands of people who looked upon him in horror.
Duo finally got up and went online again. He listened to the dial up in the dark as the cars roared outside his window and the sound of angry voices crept through his walls. He found his favorite room and meet up with the daily visitors. He talked into the early morning with anonymous people and strangers who hid behind numbers. Until finally when the sun peeked over the buildings and he fell asleep in the stiff backed chair.
When Duo finally woke, it was to the sound of pounding on his door. Duo jerked up from his desk and fell out of his chair. He tightened his grip on a knife strapped to his leg underneath his sweats and stiffly headed for the door.
"Maxwell! RENT!" Duo relaxed and grabbed an envelop from the kitchen counter and went to the door. The landlord was tall and a weightlifter who always felt superior to everyone. And it worked with most tenants, but Dou always felt ready to put the man down if he laid a finger on him. But landlord Bruce was respectful of Duo, especially with all his scars, and one of the few people who did not shy away from the sight of Duo's face and body.
Duo handed over the envelope and made small talk with Bruce. He informed Duo of any changing renters or of new policies. And he was an ok guy, really very nice and understanding for all his attitude and outward appearance.
But Duo never talked long, he had become alien to human contact and shied away from people, even someone like Bruce. He said goodbye and went back to his computer. He sat down ready to put on one of his many CD's, for he found solace in the music, and he found a message on his screen.
It was a question. Just a question and a name under a one word file. Nothing else was listed for this mysterious person and, much like him, there was no way to trace the signal and find out about them. Duo was weary, but pulled up the question and his heart skipped a beat.
"02, why have you not reported?"
Duo stared at the screen in a stupor. He pushed back from the computer and didn't know what to do. He looked around as if he were being watched and stood ready to fight anyone who might be there. Though of course there was no one.
Duo finally typed back that he didn't understand and that whoever this person was seeking wasn't him. Duo severed his link and began to change his Screen Name. He deleted most files that would lead to him and got rid of anything under Shinigamii.
He couldn't be found, and if that had been whom he thought it was, he should probably move too. Duo was an expert and infiltration and hacking, his specialties were stealth and such, but there was in existence only one person who would be able to out due him. And after all his tries to get away, he was not about to face Heero now, especially not like this. He couldn't bear to think of Heero seeing him this way.
Duo was afraid to get on the computer for the next two days, he knew it was silly and not logical to think that Heero was still looking for him, but he couldn't bear to come across that message again. During the war and part of after, Heero had been his best friend. Then he had just disappeared, he could understand if Heero had looked from him after that, but not these many years later. It was inconceivable that the perfect solider would simply spend many yeas looking for someone who did not wish to be found while life went on around him.
Duo finally went on under a second name and alerted all his friends to the change. He once again sank into the underground and forgot about reality as he typed on for hours. He felt safe again; he covered himself thoroughly and hid from what Heero would look for, though it probably wasn't Heero at all. And that was enough to satisfy Duo to continue his life the way it was, sad as if may be.
Duo was not eating again; he couldn't stomach food and hold it down. It happened at least once a month. The lack of motion, the food he ate, the atmosphere and everything else made him sick and weakly so that he grew more this each time and his bones stuck out like razors against his scars. He hated it and vowed each time to change, but only ended up repeating the incident in one month's time. He would lay still on his bed with his window open, taking in the sunlight and doing what little exercise he could in his apartment. It made him woozy and he usually couldn't do a lot, but it helped.
Oddly enough, he lived near the beach. He loved to see the sun gleaming off the sand and to see the people walking around. Playing volleyball, swimming, sun bathing and other things such as building sandcastles. He had beachfront property in a small apartment building. But he had never once put a foot on the sand in the daylight. He would only watch them form a far and sometime pull down his hood in the moonlight and watch the ray reflect off the waves.
He now looked out his bedside window at a volley ball game and saw one of his favorites dive for the ball. Regulars were always easy for Duo to spot; he had even met some of them at nightclubs or when other landlords stopped by to visit Bruce.
Now Duo kept score and watched who won. He liked it for a moment, was content. He had watched such people during the war when he could. At the boarding schools, when they were hiding near a town before a mission. Duo missed discussing them with Quatre or just talking about them to Heero. But when that thought entered his head, he quickly snapped out of his daydream and had to lie back on his bed. He felt sick again and curled up in a tight ball.
He fought to keep down his stomach and tried to think of anything other than the other pilots and the few good times he had had during the war.
When the loud ring of his phone awoke Duo, he sat up and looked around, unsure of what to do. It was something he had never encountered before. The light streaming into his window was deep red and orange, it was sunset and threw everything into shadow, giving the phone and even more ominous affect. He thought about it and was actually sure that he had never given out his number, just kept it incase he got a job that required someone to call him. Otherwise he just worked from his computer and they wired the money to him.
So he sat there for about three rings simply staring at the phone and trying to come up with who would call him. He tenderly reached out a hand and picked up the phone on the fifth ring and put it to his ear.
"H-hello?" Duo croaked out and then cleared his throat, sure that whoever had called him hadn't heard. "Hello? Who is this?" Duo felt his heart beating in his throat, pulsing against his voice box and making it impossible to talk. And his stomach only added to the problem, since he had woken up it started to churn begging him to lay down again and go to sleep. He was almost positive he had a fever and his hand shook where he held onto his knee where his long legs spread out on the floor before him.
"Duo?" The voice was strong clear, and strangely, concerned. It was deeper than he remembered, but no amount of change could make Duo forget that voice, the one he treasured every time it spoke, for those times were far in-between. Duo blanched as Heero's voice came again. "Duo, is that you? Are you ok!"
Duo nearly dropped the phone and ran form the apartment. He couldn't speak, the words wouldn't come, and the mask he used to be able to call up in an instant was lost from him. All he could do was concentrate on not losing his stomach at the moment and to keep his hand from crushing the phone.
"Duo? Are you still there?" Duo realized he had to give an answer. He coughed back phlegm that threatened to come up.
"Y-yeah, yeah Heero, I'm here." Duo stammered. He wanted to smack himself in the forehead, 'smooth duo, real smooth.'
"Are you ok?" Heero asked, he was deffinantly concerned for him, but even to himself, Duo sounded sick and weak.
"Yeah! Yeah I'm fine, right as raind." Duo tried to sound stronger but realized that at the last minute he had added a d to rain.
"Duo, where are you? I mean, why did you leave, you didn't even tell Quatre where you were going." Heero actually sounded flustered. But that couldn't be, he was the perfect soldier, the one who was like a well-oiled machine, never faltered, never had fear, never felt pain, he didn't even have emotions. Duo remembered a Heero who barley talked and was like a stonewall that was always ready for anything thrown at it. This new voice of concern just didn't fit with his mental picture of the pilot of Wing.
"I-I was…I mean it was…" Duo panicked, what Heero had said, he knew where Duo was, probably right down to where he was sitting at that very moment. Could be in the city, on that block, coming straight towards him on a cell phone! "A-actually, I really don't have time to talk right now Heero, I have to…umm…I have to go buy food!" Duo felt a cold sweat creeping down his back, making his bangs stick to his forehead.
"Duo, this is important, just talk to me, you can buy groceries later." Heero sounded sterner instantly; no nonsense and ready to storm over there just to talk to Duo face to face.
"No you see, I really can't," Duo began to ramble, he needed a way out, fast, "The store closes soon and I have no food for supper, I can't order out, I need a special food, and I have to pick up medication." 'SHIT!' Duo realized too late what he had said.
"Medication?" Heero was back to sounding concerned. He could be ready to jump up and run to Duo's apartment if he were sick.
"Ummm…I ran out of stuff in my medicine cabinet, ya know, just in case." Duo tumbled on. This was not going well at all, and he couldn't throw off Heero. He didn't even know how Heero had gotten he number in the first place; he wasn't supposed to find Duo.
"Duo, would you calm down and talk to me." Heero sounded slightly annoyed now, as if he knew exactly what Duo was doing.
"Heero, I really can't! I have to go!" Duo started to take the phone away from hi ear, it was too painful, he couldn't talk to Heero, couldn't hear the concern in that voice, concern for him. Images kept coming to mind, fighting for attention, to remind him of how good it had felt, to be so carefree, to hand from tree branches talking to Heero, even when he wouldn't listen. The touch of rough skin, fighting side by side, and the adrenalin rush while escaping near death, everything they had done, just saving the world and being near Heero.
"Duo, don't hang up, I'm coming over!" Duo slammed the phone down; alarms in his head went off like sirens. Heero, Heero was coming, coming to his apartment, rushing to where he was even as he sat there stunned.
Duo stood quickly, and then sat down just as abruptly. He nearly lost everything in his stomach right there, including bile. He leaned against the cool surface of the concrete wall and concentrated on breathing for a few seconds. Then he let his eyes fall on what little he had around the room. He decided he could come back for it if he really needed it; he got up unsteadily and made his way to his computer. He quickly downloaded everything to a disk and stuffed it in his pocket, then he grabbed a long sleeved back shirt with a high collar then his hooded trench coat and pulled it on. He slipped on steel-toed boots without bothering to lace them up and grabbed his keys from a hook on the wall. He had no idea of how far away Heero was and he needed the fastest exit possible. He raced down a flight of back stairs, having to stop at least twice before he headed head first down the incline, and then came out in the laundry room. Stairs on the far wall led up and out into the back alley. He stumbled past Mrs. Karnes and her daughter doing laundry and up the stairs and out into the hot sunlight. It burned his eyes and made him stumble again at the sudden light change.
Duo fell against the concrete wall of the four-story building and look around. It was dingy and dirty and there was a big trash bin, but he could see the beach and the other direction that led to the street. He went for the street; he could go into any number of stores or clubs that were opening now that it was near dark. He came out onto the street and slowed his pace down to a stroll, he would stand out if he began to run away from his building as if it were on fire. He walked quickly and purposefully for the market, as if he were going to get food, even if he couldn't stomach it. But it looked good, and the night air was cold coming off the water, sot he heavy coat didn't make him that conspicuous.
Duo wound through the maze of food stands, and small store, deeper into town and away from his apartment. Guilt ate away at his stomach, making it worse and the pain made him want to double over and just fall asleep on the street. He also felt like the worlds biggest coward, people all over the world were handicapped and didn't care a thing about what people thought of them, but if Duo faced Heero and saw that look, disgust, fear, anger, he couldn't bear it!
So he walked on, even as he grew dizzy, even as his feet grew sore, as the night grew cold and dark, till he found a club he had never been to. It was loud and noisy and full of people, but not so crowded so that he would have to wait outside. He strolled in, letting the bouncer see that he was old enough and went into the back. He nearly melded into the wall and just let the pounding of the bass beat wash over him and beat inside his thin chest. It felt good going down his back along the wall and into his feet through the floor. He watched bodies melt into one another and men and women danced in the rain of flashing lights and the sound of the DJ.
Duo let his pain wash away and let the dizziness subside, as he held still long enough. He was still nauseous, but that wouldn't be going away anytime soon. Normally this atmosphere would give him a headache in this condition, but now, he felt relief, he was away, far away from his home, Heero wouldn't be able to track him here, not even with dogs, there were too many people. He closed his eyes and leaned back into the music.
But it was no sanctuary, halfway through a song that Duo distantly knew; he was grabbed roughly by the shoulder.
"Dance with me Babe!" Duo got a face full of liquor breath. It was practically soaked down with beer and something else. The man looked groggily at Duo and smiled lazily at him, pulling him out onto the dance floor in hard jerks.
"Umm, I think my date is telling me we're leaving now, but thanks anyway." Duo started to pull away. His hood was yanked down hard and the man got a fistful of braid.
"Your hair very lovely." He began to move to a beat that was off with the music. Duo swayed as an elbow hit his head and another hit him in the gut, the guy was shoving him in to everyone. No one moved to help him and Duo was at the mercy of the man while he was off balance and deathly sick suddenly ready to collapse.
Duo was getting upset very quickly, somewhere between anger and desperation. He grabbed the man's hand and bent back three fingers till they broke, all he could manage in his current state. The man abruptly let go of Duo and he fell forward to the dance floor while the drunks screaming made the whole place freeze and look over.
"Mother Fucker Broke My Fingers!" The man charged for Duo as he reached the door and tripped outside. Duo twisted his foot in the gutter and landed face first on the street. On the back road there were no cars, but hat also meant the man would catch him easier. Duo stood and pushed forward on his leg muscles that protested loudly and screamed at him to stop. But he shoved off the curb and ran across the street.
His pace was slow and his stomach was ready to jump up and was choking him in his esophagus. The man caught him, grabbed his coat flying behind him and yanked Duo backwards with his good hand. Duo fell back and his head hit the pavement with a loud crack. Stars burst in front of his vision and made him blind for a couple of seconds. He concentrated on the darkness around his vision and was able to see again right before the man's foot connected with his gut. Duo choked up and his stomach fluids came forth from his mouth. He knew he was in real trouble now. He panicked; it was just like that day. They had started with beatings, and then pulled out knives and lighters.
Duo wanted to scream, needed help, but his mind was leaving him quickly. He was going to black out if the man hit him like that again. He couldn't find his voice, but why was no one form the club helping. Duo felt the man looming over him again.
"Here's what you get for breaking my fingers!" The man raised his hand as Duo looked up, ready and accepting his fate, just more scars right?
But the man stopped, his hand, over and behind his head, didn't come down. He was frozen, pain and terror coming over his face. He fell forward over Duo, into the cub behind him and to his buddies who, in their drunken stupidness, had actually been cheering him on and keeping other people from helping Duo.
And standing over Duo was a tall, hard figure that could never be forgotten or mistaken, even in different cloths Duo recognized Heero. He was bigger than the teenager he had been, built more thoroughly and wearing jeans and a t-shirt that fit him perfectly. Duo could smell a strong and familiar sent coming off him, but his vision was blearing again.
Heero was looking over Duo at his discharged victim. "Duo, are you ok?" He looked ready to dish out more justice if need be, but Duo wanted out of there, fast.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He pulled up his hood, hiding the one long scar along his cheek and under his right eye. Half burn, half knife cut, but healed over so that it all looked like one.
Duo fought to stand up and failed, his body gave out beneath him in limp protest. He felt Heero's strong arms grab him up before he hit the ground and bring him up so he could lever one of duo's arms over his shoulder.
"My car is 5 yards this way." Heero directed as he steered Duo towards a parking lot on the side of the club.
"Get back here, you can't just walk off!" A person called behind them. But Heero simply looked back and they let the pair go off into he night. Duo could imagine the deathly look on Heero's face and let out a chuckle that turned into a moan at the pain it aroused.
Heero cradled him more and practically carried Duo to the passenger side door. He levered him inside a low sports car and then buckled him in safely. He went around the car and started it up.
"The nearest hospital is fifteen minutes away, I need you to stay awake till then." Heero commanded.
"NO! No, hero, no hospital, I'm fine." Duo could hear a slight slur in his voice and grimaced, still hiding as much of his body as he could sitting this close to Heero.
"Unacceptable, you may have a concussion and you sounded ill over the phone." Heero explained plainly.
"I'm Fine Heero, no concussion, my eyes aren't even dilated." Duo said pulling down the mirror over him. "Just take me home please." Duo said in as big a voice as he could muster. He knew his body well enough and he deffinantly did not want to go to a hospital where they would have no record of him, make him undress and then have Heero find out everything, for surly he would stay to see that everything was taken care of.
"Duo, you need professional help, those blows-"
"Were no more than baby kicks to me, he just got me off balance. Heero, please?" Duo looked out at him from under his hood, using his years of practice to hide his scars in shadow and still show Heero his full face.
Heero stalled, still driving towards the hospital, but then set his mouth in a frown and pulled over to the far lane to do a u-turn.
"Thanks Heero. You're a real friend buddy." Duo relaxed slightly and leaned back in his seat. He wouldn't fall asleep, but the pounding in his head needed to die down before he had to climb the stairs to his apartment.
Heero took him to his apartment and got him inside, and to Duo surprise and delight; the elevator was working for once. Duo pushed the button and waited as it came down form the top floor. Heero still stood steadily by him.
"See Heero, I'm here, safe and sound, you can go on home and tell Quatre that everything is fine." Duo tried to turn away from him and give him the hint to leave now.
"No, I still have unanswered questions." Heero said shortly. Duo didn't like the sound of that, he would want to come into the apartment and see what Duo's life had become, and Duo couldn't keep wearing his jacket, it was almost stifling just in the lobby.
"Ummm…I'm not really prepared for guests Heero, maybe another time?" Duo tried. Heero looked at him.
"It is all right, I remember how sloppy you were during the war." Heero had a look that was almost a smile and that shut Duo up long enough for the elevator to come and for Heero to get on. Duo followed at a loss for what else to do.
On his floor, as Duo got out his keys he made one last attempt at diverting Heero.
"Maybe you could come back tomorrow or next week and bring Quatre and we could all have tea or something?" Duo smiled as best he could, still hiding under his hood.
"Maybe, but that will be my second visit." Heero said matter-o-factly. Duo sighed heavily and opened the door, he would say his apartment was recently sprayed of bugs and he would have to let Heero see his face, but he rest of his body was strategically covered, it would be quick with as little pain as possible.
Duo walked in and let Heero come in behind him and headed for the small closet he owned in his room dropping his fault disk on his desk as he went by. No need for that to get forgotten in his pocket. He hung up his coat and hesitated going back to see Heero, his stomach was heaving inside him and his legs were wobbly. He listened to Heero, standing in one place, most likely looking around at the bare apartment and logging it away as a file in his mind.
Duo gave in as his shoulders slumped forward and he put on as much of his mask as he could, which was ok, considering he was just beat up. He came out and found Heero's back facing him, looking at his dingy kitchen in the little light from the overhead lamp. He turned at the sound of Duo behind him and Duo watched as Heero turned and his eyes fell on him.
The first reaction was recognition, then concern and then shock. He took a step toward Duo, who instantly took one back out of habit. His smile faltered.
"W-what is it Heero, you look surprised?" Duo tried to sound witty, but ended up sighing and walking around Heero.
"You want a drink?" He opened his nearly empty fridge to find a few sodas, left over pizza and a few other scraps of food. Or maybe, what had once been food.
"Duo...Your face…" Heero sounded sad and still in shock, as if he had just woken up. Duo turned.
"Sorry about the place, I just had it de-bugged, all my stuff is still in storage and I haven't had a chance to re-stock the fridge, but I have soda if you want." Duo was slowly coming down, his mind shutting off unnecessary functions and sleep crept at the edge of his consciousness. He tried to focus on Heero, that was the easy part, Heero had always been the center of his attention, would always be as long as he was around and even when he was away. He was a fascination, even now, when fear of rejection and reaction coursed through Duo's veins, he was still looking over Heero, amazed at the changes over the years they had been apart, and what had not changed.
"Duo, what happened to your face?" Heero was in front of him in no less than three strides. His hand came up to touch Duo, but when he cringed the hand swayed and backed off. Duo was still weary and cautious of people and raised hands. Everything was a threat. His child hood had also implanted that instinct to stay away from men who would beat you or rape you.
Duo stared into Heero's eyes; they were different, not hard cobalt blue, not fierce and stern, but almost gentle and caring, surly full of concern for a friend. Duo slumped down even more.
"It's nothing, just a little scrape I got in a car accident." Duo said the first thing that came to mind, and surprisingly, Heero accepted it. He backed off and looked around again. Duo was a little disappointed somewhere deep inside, it shouldn't have been that easy, for years he had imagined what he would say, what he could do to hide it, and now here was Heero, standing in front of him, in the little apartment, and it was just that easy.
Duo saw Heero turn to him again and then look him over, the baggy pants, long sleeved back shirt, and gloomy expression, his limp braid and soggy bangs.
"You are tired, I will leave you to sleep." Heero looked around gain as if wanting to say something. "You will be alright?" Heero asked.
Duo thought about that and then nodded. His brain was picking up things slow, he needed sleep, but needed to throw up something first. He didn't even wait a moment longer, he ran to the bathroom and kneeled in front of the toilet. His stomach muscle contracted and anything that had been left was now up and burning his throat and nose. Tears blurred his vision and fell with his projectiles in the murky water.
Duo heaved and heaved again till it was dry and he was choking. He suddenly felt a hand on his back and stiffened against it. But as it ran up and down his back, he relaxed. The heaving stopped and he sat back on the cool tile and leaned against the wall. A cool washcloth came to his face and wiped over his dry lips. He felt water put o his lips later and drank in little sips so that the taste was out of his mouth and his throat cooled down.
"Better?" Heero's quiet voice asked. Duo nodded and let Heero help him up and to his mattress. He felt it when Heero hesitated at his bed and opened his eyes enough to see Heero's frown.
"Movers broke the frame." Duo managed to get out before he coughed again.
Heero nodded, Duo felt the movement through his shoulder and then he helped Heero lever himself down to the bed. His feet were put off, and his boots were taken off. So were his heavy socks and then they were put on the cool sheets, bare and free.
He felt hand roving up his shirt, ready to take off the warm shirt and he yelped despite the pain it brought him. He clutched at the hem of his shirt and held it firmly in place.
"Duo?" Heero turned his name into a question.
"I like this shirt." Duo fumbled with the sheet to pull it over him.
"You'll get to warm." Heero said reasonably.
"I'm cold, I'll take it off later if I get hot." Duo tried again to sway Heero, but his suspicion was up now. He began to realize that Duo had been wearing winter cloths in a temperate weathered area and now he was refusing to undress even for bed, which he probably had pajamas for anyway.
"Duo, is there something…" Heero dropped off, he reached up and Duo felt light fingertips on his neck. His eyes flashed open as he realized that in his haste to pull down his shirt he had exposed his neck where two scars started. He jerked away from Heero with all he had and pinned himself up against the wall.
"Leave now Heero, I'm fine and I need sleep." Duo let his expression become dark, let his eyes lower and his bangs throw them into shadow.
Heero looked stunned as a deer in the headlights. He opened hi mouth to say something and then closed it again. He set his face as Duo had and seemed ready for battle.
"No Duo, something is wrong. Why did you leave us when you were eighteen, why did you disappear for five years? Why couldn't I find you? What are you hiding now Duo?" Heero got up on the mattress.
"NO!" Duo yelled. He banged against the wall again. "No, no, no!"
Hard hands grabbed Duo's shirt, hands that could bend iron and break men in half, snap necks and keep people safe, and the edges began to tear. From the tears came a loud rip and Duo felt cool air rush to his skin. He curled up as tight as he could, as quickly as he could and covered what he could. But Heero say, with soldiers eyes he saw everything.
And his face contorted in horror, just as Duo had known it would. He couldn't watch, he looked down, curled up, began to sob uncontrollably and felt bare and exposed towards the one person he loved and he couldn't stand it.