Disclaimer: The gw boys don’t belong to me. They belong to a whole slew of other people with a lot more money and brains than I have, darn it.
Warnings: Yaoi, meaning men with men doing things children shouldn’t see. If you don’t like it or don’t understand it, go read something else. I will not be responsible for you ignoring the clear warning written right here.
Pairings: 5+2, 3x2
CONSUMED
Tripping over a box set in the center of the hallway, Wufei glowered. Normally, he would have pushed it to the side and thought nothing about the obstacle, but this time the irritation of having such a crowded living area stuck in his throat. Unwilling to admit the cause of his bad mood had stemmed from work, he chose to take out his anger and frustration on the closest available target, his roommate.
Kicking the box aside and ignoring the ominous rattling as the contents shifted, he stomped through the apartment in search of the man that didn’t seem capable of getting rid of anything. He found his quarry as expected, sitting on the couch with his knees up, a book propped on them and a line of concentration between the wide eyes. “Duo, you have to get rid of some of this junk.”
His growled demand had the other man jerking, the book falling to the floor with a flutter of pages and a clunk. Duo stared at Wufei for a long moment before frowning in confusion, “What junk?”
“The junk that is scattered all over the apartment,” the dark-eyed man flung an arm out to encompass the area. “I nearly killed myself tripping over the box you left on the floor.”
“I’m sorry, Wufei. I had it out earlier and forgot to put it back in the clo-”
“You’re always forgetting to put things up. You leave stuff everywhere, cluttering up everything.” As an example he strode to the bookshelf and knocked over several items Duo had stored there, knocking many of them to the ground. “It’s all worthless. Random pieces of paper, bits of wood, old screws and bottles.” Angrily, he scooped up a hairbrush that only had a few remaining bristles and threw it to the floor, hissing when he saw it break into pieces. “See? It’s all worthless, yet you continue to hold onto it as if it were special. Get rid of this junk or find somewhere else to go. I can’t live with all of this trash cluttering the place any longer.”
Expecting a reaction of some sort and receiving none, Wufei glared at the long-haired man, growling in annoyance when he saw Duo staring at the broken brush with a horrified expression. Irritated he wasn’t getting the argument he wanted, he crossed his arms over his chest and stuck out his chin, “Are you going to say something?”
Duo’s voice was subdued, cobalt eyes never meeting Wufei’s as he nodded, “All right, Wufei. I’ll get my…junk out of your way.”
“Good. It’ll be nice not to have to worry about tripping every time I walk from one room to another. You’ll see that I’m right, Duo. Less clutter will make things more livable.”
The long-haired man was unusually quiet for the rest of the evening, choosing not to eat supper that night. Wufei didn’t understand why his roommate continued to look at the items he had angrily swept onto the floor, but eventually dismissed it, assuming Duo also had a rough day. He had already changed clothes in preparation for bed when he heard an odd sound in the living room.
It was a shock to discover Duo in the floor, holding the broken pieces of the hairbrush in his hands as he cried softly. For a moment, Wufei considered apologizing, changing his mind when he recalled the broken item was junk and nothing more. Leaving Duo to pick up the rest of the things, he went to his room and closed the door.
While working the next day, Wufei admitted to himself that he had been hard on Duo and had over-reacted due to his irritation. He was in a better mood when he arrived at their apartment that night, carrying a bag of take-out from Duo’s favorite restaurant as a piece offering.
The smile on his face disappeared when he opened the door and found Duo’s things gone, not just the items he had complained about, but everything the long-haired man owned. It didn’t take long to confirm that Duo had disappeared along with his belongings, leaving Wufei alone in the apartment with the uneaten food, depressed and completely confused.
Tapping his fingers on his desk, Trowa didn’t let his annoyance show to the man speaking on the phone. “Do you know where he is, Trowa?”
“Why would I know?”
“Because you are his best friend; if he was going to talk to anyone it would be you,” Wufei said with a hint of jealousy tinting his tone. “Duo wouldn’t leave without talking to you first.”
Knowing Duo would be disappointed in him was the only thing that kept the tall man from withholding the truth. “He didn’t leave, Wufei, he just left you and your apartment.”
“Where is he? I want to talk to him and he hasn’t gone to class in two days.”
“He’s at my house, where you aren’t welcome right now. I don’t want him talking to you yet, Wufei.”
Dark eyes narrowed, “That’s a little extreme, isn’t it?”
Recalling how quiet and sad Duo had been after appearing on his front porch one morning, a box of broken items in his hands, Trowa shook his head, “Not as extreme as your reaction to some things being left around the apartment, things that have never bothered you before. You hurt him, Wufei.”
“You know what happened.”
“I know. Duo told me the next day. I was the one that helped him move his things to my house while you were at work.”
Wufei clearly wasn’t happy to hear this, giving Trowa sadistic pleasure, “Why would you do that? You know how I feel about Duo.”
It wasn’t a secret that Wufei had been attempting to convince Duo to share more than an apartment for over a year. Unsure if Duo had wanted Wufei in return was what had kept Trowa from speaking his opinions. He didn’t think Wufei was good enough for his best friend and that had been proven by the careless act. “If you cared about Duo as much as you say you do, you would have asked why he kept those things instead of assuming they were trash.”
“They were trash, Trowa. You have no idea how annoying it is to have that junk scattered everywhere.”
Thinking of the way those seemingly worthless items were currently spread across a table in the attic of his house, the unbroken ones adorning some of the shelves in the living room and others in one of the window sills, Trowa shook his head slowly, “They may seem like junk to you, but they have meaning to Duo.” Recalling how he had spent the majority of the last two nights trying to repair the damage Wufei had done, Trowa narrowed his eyes, “You should have asked him what they were. I’ll speak to Duo, but I don’t know if he’ll want to talk to you right now.”
“I don’t know why you’re angry with me.”
“The hairbrush you broke into pieces…do you remember?”
Wufei snorted disdainfully, “It was trash. Nothing could have been brushed with it.”
“Not any more. That brush was the only thing Duo had left of Sister Helen, Wufei. He managed to hold onto it all these years, only for you to destroy it.” The horrified expression on the other man’s face had Trowa nodding shortly, “The things you broke because you considered them worthless were kept because they belonged to people Duo lost.”
“Trowa, I didn’t know.”
“All you had to do was ask. It would have taken five minutes of your time and you would have understood why he kept all of that…junk. I’ll tell him you called.”
After hanging up, Trowa closed up his office and left. Business was slow and his mind wasn’t on work, turning time and time again to his best friend. Saying that Wufei had wounded Duo was an understatement and Trowa was determined to make sure it didn’t occur again. At home he wasn’t surprised to find the American sleeping on the couch; Duo hadn’t been sleeping well at night, possibly reliving horrors of his past. Trowa watched the sleeping man for a moment before quietly going into his attic, where he had pieces of broken items everywhere.
Duo didn’t know the tall man had everything that had been put into the kitchen trash can. It had been heart-wrenching to watch as the long-haired man had cried silently as he placed every separate piece in the garbage before walking away with his head down. Trowa had waited until Duo left the room before taking the trash bag, glad he had just put a fresh one in although he would have dug through a week’s worth of trash to find everything if he had needed to and secreted the bag in the attic, where he had sat at night and tried to repair the belongings.
The first item he had decided to work on was also one of the most important to Duo, a small wooden cross that had charred edges. The cross had been in the box Wufei had kicked, already splintered and fragile, fracturing when the box had shifted abruptly. It had taken Trowa hours to figure out how to put it back together like a puzzle, taking his time to make certain each piece fit before gluing it together. The cross, now whole again, was sitting on a chair below the small attic window, waiting for the other two things Duo held most dear.
Trowa hoped Duo would sleep at least for another hour, pulling a small box from his pocket and sitting at the table, flipping the lid open as he turned on a table lamp. Holding the small charm up to the light, he critically eyed every millimeter to make sure the jeweler had done a good job of repairing it. The medallion had also been in the box with the cross, the charm coming loose from the silver backing it had been attached to. Having once belonged to a gang member killed by the alliance, Duo had worn the necklace until he had begun to fear the weakening clasp would break and he would lose it.
Satisfied the jeweler had done a good job, Trowa slid the medallion onto the new chain he had bought, paying more for the strong silver necklace than he could remember paying for anything that hadn’t been a planned purchase. He had seen the necklace and had been reaching for it before his mind told him why and he couldn’t make himself put it back, knowing the silver would look good on the long-haired man; it would also hold the charm safely if Duo chose to wear it again, not having to fear losing it.
Glad to have another one of Duo’s precious belongings fixed, he set the necklace with the cross and began the arduous task of putting a hairbrush back together. Two hours later he was putting the final touches on his self-imposed project when he heard movement inside the house. The green-eyed man took another fifteen minutes to make sure the glue was dry before picking up the three items and carefully bearing them down the rickety stairs, aware Duo wouldn’t be fully awake for a few more minutes; the long-haired man took longer to wake from a nap than anyone else Trowa had ever seen.
Stopping briefly in the upstairs bathroom, Trowa grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen; if today was like any other day, Duo would have a headache from the nap. Sure enough, he found the other man standing in the kitchen with a soda in one hand, fingers of his other hand massaging his temples, wide eyes closed. After swallowing hard to get past the ball of emotion in his throat, a sensation he had long gotten used to, Trowa set the repaired items on the counter and shook four pills into his hand.
Duo’s eyes didn’t open as Trowa pried fingers away from his head, plunking the pills in the open palm and taking over the job of rubbing the other man’s temples as Duo took the medicine without looking. “You do not take naps well, Duo,” he chuckled. “They’re supposed to make you feel better, not worse.”
“Naps suck,” the braided man groused as he leaned forward into Trowa’s touch.
Ignoring the way the sleep-roughened voice made a shiver run up his spine, Trowa continued to massage Duo’s temples for several minutes before stepping back and dropping his hands, “Better?”
Cobalt eyes cracked open slightly, regarding Trowa through long lashes, “Better. It doesn’t feel like someone’s driving a branding iron into my brain anymore.”
“There’s a nice thought,” the tall man winced. “I spoke to Wufei today,” he added softly, watching Duo closely to gauge his reaction.
Duo visibly jerked, “I don’t want to talk to him.”
“I assumed you wouldn’t and told him so. I had to tell you, Duo. That doesn’t mean you have to talk to him.” Placing gentle fingers on the other man’s chin, Trowa applied slight pressure until Duo turned his head toward the things on the counter. “I know they aren’t perfect, but I wanted to do something for you.”
The long-haired man froze, eyes wider than Trowa had ever seen before. Seconds passed before Duo reached slowly toward the three seemingly innocuous items he had carried since his youth. Trowa shook his head when the other man didn’t touch the things, instead turning to look at Trowa in disbelief. “They’re fixed, Duo; as good as I could fix them, at least,” he assured quietly, stunned at the tears he could see in the cobalt eyes.
“How, Trowa? How did you do this? Why did you do this?”
“How would be with time and glue. Why…that should be obvious,” he replied before speaking quickly in order to cover his slip. “You were sad. I know how much these things mean to you.”
When Duo finally touched the brush gingerly, he let out a small laugh of delight. “I don’t know how to thank you for this, Trowa. This must have taken hours.”
Refusing to say the ways Duo could thank him, Trowa shook his head, taking several steps away and picking up the necklace, “You don’t have to thank me. You want me to put this on for you?” he asked softly as he held it up, regretting the question when Duo nodded immediately.
With no way to take back the offer, he leaned forward so he could see the clasp behind Duo’s head, breathing deep to inhale the clean scent of Duo’s hair. Hearing the other man gasp, he quickly latched the chain and moved away, frowning at the odd look on his friend’s face, “Did I pull your hair?”
“No, you didn’t pull my hair. Is this new?”
“The other chain couldn’t be fixed, Duo. I tried, but there was no way. I hope this is okay.”
“It’s beautiful,” the braided man sighed as his fingers ran across the silver chain. Trowa’s eyes followed those slender fingers until Duo sighed again, more heavily, “Wufei’s right, you know. Most of that stuff is junk.”
“Wufei can be an idiot,” Trowa stated harshly, angry at himself for staring. Forcing his voice to soften, he offered a small smile that felt false, “He didn’t mean to be an ass, Duo. He never considered these things to be special to you. He’s not the type of person to be sentimental.” To make his point, he tapped once on the small medallion resting on top of Duo’s shirt.
“You know Wufei wanted…” the braided man shrugged, clearly uncomfortable.
Deciding it was best to turn away, Trowa began to search the cabinets, ostensibly looking for something for dinner. “He wanted you as a lover and likely still does. I know, Duo. If that’s what you want, don’t let this get in your way. He really didn’t understand.”
“You never liked the idea of me and Wufei being together in that way; did you?”
A need to reassure warred with a desire to be honest. Again, Trowa decided honesty was best, “I don’t think he can make you happy. That’s why I didn’t say anything. If he does, don’t let that go. If he doesn’t, you need to tell him so he can move on.”
Trowa turned his head in time to see Duo stroke the brush with light fingertips, a strange look on his face. “Wufei’s nice, I guess. He’s always been kind, other than when he did this. I knew he wasn’t mad at me, but I’m the one he took it out on. If it had been anything else I could have given him the fight he was looking for, but I was so stunned when he knocked everything down. I don’t know what to do, Trowa.”
Giving up on finding anything to eat while Duo sounded so lost, Trowa led the smaller man back into the living room. Gesturing for Duo to sit, the tall man folded his legs under him, sideways on the couch so he could look at his friend. “If he had known, he wouldn’t have done this, Duo. You do know that, right?”
“I know, but I lived with him for over a year and he never asked why I kept them or what they were. He just assumed they were junk.”
Seeing the conflict on Duo’s features, Trowa decided it was time to make the braided man analyze his feelings for Wufei, rather than using the shield of broken mementos. “Are you attracted to Wufei?”
“I guess so. He’s attractive; he really is, you know?” Duo shook his head after a moment, “I don’t know if I am or not. I could be if I let myself, but I always thought that when I got a lover it would be someone that made me feel…excited.”
Although the conversation was straying into areas Trowa didn’t feel comfortable with considering the people involved, he swallowed hard and pushed on, “Excited how? Do you mean excited about life in general or about…sex?”
Duo’s eyes had a faraway look, “Both. There’s never been a spark between me and Wufei. Isn’t that what everyone wants? A spark of excitement for everything, but more importantly a spark for each other? Isn’t that what I should be able to have?”
“I would assume so,” Trowa said cautiously. “Is there anyone you’ve ever felt that spark with? Has there ever been anyone that made you feel excited that way?”
Cobalt eyes focused so fast on him that the tall man jumped in surprise, “There was someone, but that was years ago. It’s probably the reason I kept hoping to feel that way again. Maybe it would be best to give Wufei another chance,” Duo added, though he didn’t sound so sure.
“Why don’t you stay here for a while, but call him. Some distance might make it easier to figure out what you want to do.”
Rising from the couch, Duo nodded, “I’ll go call him and see what he has to say.”
“Duo, the person you felt that spark with…what happened?”
Leaning against the railing of the stairs, Duo smiled wistfully, “Do you remember the first few days after the war?”
The reminder had Trowa’s insides jerking, but he kept his face calm and his tone even, “I remember the constant supply of liquor on Howard’s ship. I don’t know how we didn’t get alcohol poisoning. What you’re talking about happened then?”
“Yeah, man, were we drunk. I was getting ready to go to my bunk and pass out the last night when this guy cornered me. Before I knew what was going on he kissed me senseless. It was the only time I’d ever been kissed like that. There’s no telling what would have happened if Howard hadn’t come looking for me.”
“What happened to the guy?”
“Hell, Trowa, I doubt he even remembered what happened. It’s doubtful it would have happened without the help of alcohol. He probably wasn’t interested in me, anyway. I was just there when he needed something. I’m going to call Wufei and take a shower, but I’ll be back down to help with dinner.”
As Duo ascended the steps, Trowa almost called him back. He could have told Duo exactly what had happened that night on the ship, in detail. He could have told Duo the guy had been interested in Duo, and still was. After all, the guy that had cornered Duo had been him.
Back to Fanfiction On to Part 2