Title: Stubborn
By: Chrissy Sky
Pairing: 1x4, with a side of 3x4.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.
Summary: Heero is stubborn. Not much else to say. ^^;

Notes: I'm unofficially using themes from writers_muses on LJ. Check it out, it's pretty cool. It's short, sweet, and un-betaed. I wanted to write at least one fic for this pairing that was completed, so… XD

"That bastard is too damned stubborn to die."

Duo had his arms crossed over his chest, his weight pressed against the steel wall at his back. A casual pose which, like his statement, bellied the tension lines on his face.

After Heero Yuy (the pilot, not the dead colony leader) had collapsed in Relena Dorlian's arms while saving the vice foreign minister from the Barton Foundation, he had been taken immediately to a med unit off base. It was a testament to Heero's strength of body and spirit that he survived the transportation and the surgery thereafter. The last twenty-four hours had been stressful for them all as they'd waited to hear news that the boy would indeed make it through.

"I mean," Duo went on, "we're talking about the guy who used to blow himself up every other week."

"Duo," Trowa chided gently as Quatre went pale.

Duo smiled wanly. "Sorry, man. I'm just really tired."

Wufei jerked his thumb behind him, in the direction of the waiting room. "Get some rest then."

"He wouldn't rest."

"He is, technically."

"Yeah, now. But that's not what I meant."

Sally Po came back out into the hallway, smiling a little and hoping to put them at ease. "He's doing well. Want to see him now?" They all nodded. "Okay, but don't let him get excited. He needs rest."

Duo was the first in, putting on a wide grin. "Geez, Heero. You gotta stop scaring me like this."

"Sorry," Heero muttered. "I know you want my hacking stuff."

Duo sniffed, his throat tightening embarrassingly at Heero being well enough to joke. "Asshole."

Heero's eyes softened for a moment, too tired to actually crack a smile, however rare those were from him. He turned to the rest of them. "Hey."

Quatre finally began to relax when he saw Heero and stayed near the foot of the bed as the other three crowded around pilot 01. They exchanged jokes and Quatre would giggle at the appropriate parts but not join in. Perhaps later. For now, he drank in the sight of his heart being alive and well.

He wasn't naïve. As a Gundam pilot he had accepted the inevitability of death long ago, and to live by the sword was often to die by it. That also meant that he did not take it lightly. The deaths of every pilot he had killed, especially during the time he had lost touch with reality after his father's death, would always weigh heavily on him. The likelihood of someone he cared about dying was just as high. If that someone was Heero Yuy, someone he had tried to kill himself, well…

So Quatre was grateful, nearly weak with relief.

After some time, Heero glanced at him questioningly, obviously wondering about his behavior.

Quatre blushed and subtly shook his head. There was nothing that could be said to explain himself that wouldn't be very embarrassing and potentially heartbreaking.

*

Later, it was Trowa who confronted him. Of all the other pilots, Quatre was probably closest with the circus clown. Given their at times rocky relationship, that wasn't always a good thing.

"You haven't told him yet, have you?"

Quatre averted his eyes from Trowa's own piercing green ones. "Well, he disappeared right after the war up until recently, and it's not like I've had the opportunity to tell him in the past few days." He smiled jokingly. "I was kind of busy bringing back our mobile suits from space."

"You can tell him now," Trowa pointed out logically.

The blond sighed. "To what purpose? Feelings are very confusing for he. Sometimes he doesn't even know why he does things. I don't want to burden him with my feelings."

"It wouldn't be a burden, Quatre. And he has come to terms with his feelings. That's obvious enough for anyone to see."

"He doesn't feel the same."

Trowa raised an eyebrow. "You can read minds now as well as feelings?"

Quatre flushed deeply. "If I could, it would be even more intrusive than it is just sensing people's feelings. And you know I try not to invade anyone's privacy."

"Hm." Trowa stepped closer, tilting Quatre's chin up so that he was forced to look at the taller boy. "He told me once to follow my feelings."

Quatre blushed more and tried to squirm away, but Trowa wrapped an arm securely around his waist. This was excruciating in two ways. Firstly, the reason being that they once had been romantically interested in each other. All chances for the relationship blossoming into something strong and lasting had ended when Quatre had nearly killed Trowa after going crazy. Quatre felt too much guilt over it, and while Trowa had been willing to forgive him for it, when the blond had figured out who his "heart of space" was during the last battle the communication between their mobile suits had still be open. Trowa, being naturally possessive, could not share the person he loved.

The second thing being that Quatre had not touched, or been touched, by anyone in a long time (not since Trowa, actually). He was an adolescent teenage male and had needs, embarrassing as they were.

"He would be a fool not to feel anything," Trowa told him, low and almost threatening.

Quatre shivered. "Trowa…" Rather than a protestation, it came out as a near-moan.

Green eyes glazed over and Trowa brought his face down to his, kissing Quatre gently. Caught up in the moment, neither noticed a figure slink further into the darkness, returning to his room in the recovery area.

Quatre finally remembered why they shouldn't do this and he pushed Trowa away enough to speak. "Trowa, please…" I don't want to hurt you anymore.

Trowa actually blushed, averting his eyes from Quatre's tempting expression and stepping back. "Sorry. Lost control."

"It's okay…"

"Tell him, Quatre."

Quatre shook his head. "It's just not that easy."

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Trowa turned toward the exit. Outside it was dark and the lamplights lit the area—the ones that were still working after the battle anyway.

"If you don't, how will he ever know?"

That said, he left the hospital to take a shuttle back to space. Quatre watched him go, feeling as helpless as ever about his feelings.

Perhaps he was just scared. But the fear of hurting others was paralyzing. Just because it inevitably happened didn't mean he wanted to go about doing it on purpose when he could avoid it. He knew that if Heero didn't feel the same but found out, which to Quatre was also inevitable, then Heero would feel guilty for hurting him. Quatre didn't want that.

He just wanted Heero to be happy. The boy deserved it so very much.

*

The next morning, Heero was flipping through the news channels when someone he hadn't expected to return entered his room.

Quatre beamed, a brown paper bag in his hand. "Relena mentioned you liked sweets so I bought you something."

Heero raised an eyebrow, taking the bag and setting it beside the teddy bear that said girl had given him before her departure. "I didn't think you'd still be here."

"Why not?"

Heero looked back at the television and shrugged casually. "No reason."

Quatre tilted his head, sensing something unusual radiating from the other boy. "Heero, are you alright? Would you like me to go?"

"Do what you like."

Quatre sat on the edge of the bed hesitantly, still worried.

Picking up on the worry—Quatre still had a very open expression—Heero sighed, softening. "I'm really alright."

"Okay… Anything good on?"

Heero tossed him the remote. "Just news about the incident the other night. Find something else, if you like."

Quatre smiled and flipped the channels until he found a French film, some sort of science fiction background. Heero helped himself to the donuts Quatre had purchased.

Giggling, Quatre reached over and gently wiped a bit of chocolate off Heero's cheek when he was done.

Heero blinked, eyes widening fractionally in surprise, not used to being touched.

Quatre blushed and pulled away. "Sorry—Ah…" He stopped as Heero grabbed his wrist in an unrelenting grip. "Uh… Heero?"

Heero softened his hold, grubbing the skin to make up for his abruptness. "Why aren't you with Trowa?"

Quatre blushed harder. "Uh… He went home last night to his sister…"

"No, I mean as in a relationship."

"Oh…" Quatre explained, though left out the details on how Heero was involved. "I didn't think you were interested in that sort of thing."

"You're my friends. The only ones I have." Heero sighed softly. "I suppose I should have been more attentive though, saying that…"

Quatre smiled gently. "You were trying to figure things out. Seeing you now, not fighting constantly in an endless battle, it looks like a weight has been lifted from you."

Heero shrugged. "I guess. I needed some time alone to think things over. Time I'd never gotten before."

"Looks like it did you good."

"Mm."

"What did you do?"

"I went back to school mostly. Took some jobs as a computer programmer to pay for tuition. Socialized with people."

"Got out of your shell a bit?"

"Something like that."

Quatre hummed softly, staring down at their still joined limbs. "I'm glad."

"Why?"

"Uh, well…" The blond squirmed, flustered. "I care about you."

Heero should have dropped it, but he was much too stubborn and a little hurt. "But not as much as you care about Wufei."

Quatre eyes widened, more than a little perplexed. "Wufei?"

Heero nodded. "I saw you and Trowa last night."

"Oh…" Quatre continued to be confused until he realized how Heero must have interpreted. Oh god! We didn't say his name! It was almost a favor from the gods, but Quatre could not lightly lie to Heero and continue to let him believe that, just to save his own feelings. "No, I… I wasn't talking about Wufei."

Heero frowned. "But he disappeared after the war. Who else could you be talking about? Zechs?"

Quatre blinked, then giggled. "Oh no, not Zechs either…"

Heero blinked rapidly, confused.

"There is one other who disappeared."

"Who?"

Quatre blushed and pointed at Heero, amused.

"Oh…"

The other boy giggled more, equal parts amused and relieved. "That was definitely not how I imagined you finding out my feelings."

"Hm." Heero continued to rub Quatre's wrist, lips twitching. "Nor I."

Smiling tentatively, Quatre lied down beside Heero, rubbing a bandaged arm gently. "I'm glad you're too stubborn to die."

Heero's lips quirked, thinking about the other ways he was too stubborn. "Me too."

End.