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"Halfway to Sublimity"Written By: Kaeru Shisho Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing
or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, male/male pairings, language Pairings: 1x2x1 Summary: When Duo moves to a new town on the river,
he meets a young man running the river and a rich boy who seems nice.
Maybe he'll settle down for awhile, or maybe not. "Halfway to Sublimity" Chapter Eleven Quatre, Trowa, Duo, Heero (POV) After a late breakfast, Quatre gathered all his guests in the sunroom. Heero was silent, inarticulate, and stood with his arms crossed over his chest, sucking the very sunshine out of the sky and glancing askance at Duo when he didn't think he was noticing. Quatre could feel something had gone very wrong with that couple and hoped being reunited back at their home would help. Distraction, he decided; that's what they all needed until it was time to visit the Saturday market. He orchestrated the conversation to touch on safe geographical topics and also to glean more information out of Trowa. "I was born in the L4 sector, originally," Quatre volunteered. "I can hardly remember a thing about it except the sand dunes and sun. You're from the south, Trowa?" "I was told dat I hailed from L3, but I don' recall it. I grew up in Cajun country w'ere de circus winters." "The circus? Really?" Quatre felt joy bubbling inside his belly like he'd swallowed champagne. He loved the circus with the exciting acts, the silly clowns, and the terrible food. "I was part of it, for a time. I don' tink I had family dere." "I wonder if you have family looking for you who you've never met?" Quatre said. When Trowa shrugged indifferently, he went on. "The circus comes here in fall early, on their way south. The town gets rather crazy when the circus comes." That comment went over like a lead balloon. He'd expected Duo to express interest in seeing the circus, but he was cleaning his fingernails with a letter opener. Heero was sulking close by, but since Wufei and Trowa were politely listening to him, he continued. "L3 isn't far from L4. Wufei is from L5." "Ah, de richest clan in de kingdom." "L5 and L4 are close together, too, right Quat?" Duo asked, unable to maintain quiet for long. "Never been in that direction." "I'll show you." Quatre, thrilled to be making some headway, stepped over to a writing desk, opened a drawer, and removed a linen-white paper, and a pen. On his way back to his chair, he selected a big, flat book from the bookcase. He used the book at a portable desktop and drew a large circle on the paper. "There's our kingdom." Duo and Heero had moved closer to watch. "In a nutshell," Duo muttered. Quatre chuckled then inscribed a much smaller one inside. "And the city-state of Sanc where we live. That includes everything along the Rogue River starting in the south with Serenity, Serendipity going north to Tumbletown, Sublimity, and Tumult and Devine at the furthest north border." "Dat's w'ere dey have de blockades, in Devine. Dey will be fightin' a civil war dere in no time," Trowa said. Wufei was looking over Trowa's shoulder. "You've seen that yourself?" Trowa nodded. "Yeah." Duo appeared less interested in the politics and more in the map. "I know the area inland east of Serenity," Duo said. He stared at Heero, adding, "Some think I have expertise in the area." Quatre didn't like his tone of voice, and wanted to avoid touching on any off-limit subjects, so he asked for just what he needed. "So give me the town names, expert. I forget the order." He wrote in the city names as Duo ticked them off. "Perdition and Purgatory, then these little villages Drain and Sully- which is really Sullivan's Gulch but it gets shortened-" "You've got to be kidding," Wufei snorted. "I don't make up this stuff! And then the capital city of Sanc, Sanc Royal." "Just a minute!" Quatre wrote in the names, dotting inside the small circle. At the very center he wrote "Sanc Royal", and then cut the blank part between the inner circle and the outer circle into five semi-equal pie wedges. "Okay, go on." Wufei pointed to the 9 o'clock position. "L5 sector goes here. L1 begins at 11 o'clock. L2 starts south of that at 2 o'clock. L3 begins then at 4 o'clock to about 6:30 with the Rogue River cutting through it. L4 from 6:30 back up to about 9 o'clock. These are approximate, naturally." Duo peered up at him through his bangs. "Pretty, damned exact, if you ask me. You teach the kiddies their geography this way?" "More or less." Wufei tilted his head to the side slightly and added a lift of his shoulders to complete the "who cares?" gesture. "How did you learn it?" "On foot. Didn't have school growing upon the streets of L2." "Duo!" Quatre was clearly shocked to learn that his friend hailed from the slummiest sector in the kingdom. "Hell there's no hidin' the way I talk." "It's colorful, to say the least," Wufei said. Quatre watched as Wufei inched away, giving Duo an extra foot of space as if to separate himself further from L2 trash. Trowa drawled, "A man's hometown is out of his control." Then Heero spoke up, intoning like a depth charge submerged beneath the sea, low and hollow. "I'm from L1." Heero dared them all to challenge Duo's heredity, or his own. If L2 housed the indigent poor and those desperate enough to fall to thievery and prostitution to survive, then L1 could lay claim to being the chief hideout of murderers and paid assassins. "Oh, Heero," Quatre said. "I thought you were born here." He watched Duo study Heero as if he'd grown a second head. At least he was meeting his eyes again. That was an improvement, Quatre decided. Heero's eyes locked onto Duo's as he revealed his dark origins. "Odin Lowe picked me up in L1 after shooting the real Heero Yuy to death, while Yuy was soaking in an onsen bath. He told me I was Yuy's illegitimate son. If you don't know, Heero Yuy was as powerful as Khushrenada at the time and his prime opponent. Anyway, Odin took me in and raised me as his own. I guess it was a joke that he named me after my actual father." Trowa knew he had to fill the awkward yawning silence. "An' Dekim murdered Odin." Heero's eyes slid askance. "Yes, and slaughtered or conscripted all his men except me and one other." "I remember dat time. An' I wasn't part of de attack, dat's fo sure. No. Not part of dat. An' I took off a few months or so later." "And you are not related in any way to Dekim Barton," Quatre said. He wanted to clarify this point immediately. "Not by de blood, but after his men attacked an' murdered my family, he raised me, givin' me his son's name." He looked up at Heero. The parallels in their lives too close for comfort. "He tol' me his boy had been shot dead. I hated him and them, the oder merc's, so I ran off, joined de circus for a time, but when he came alookin' fo me, I turned myself in to him. Either dat or he'da burned down de whole t'ing." "But you're not with him now," Quatre stated. He had finally gotten some of the information he'd been after. He could sense things about people, feelings and intentions bound to those feelings. Trowa, he knew, was not bad at heart, nor was Duo, or Heero, despite their birthrights. Thinking of the troubled pair, Quatre's eyes shifted their way a moment. Heero and Duo were standing side by side, not touching, but no longer shunning one another. An improvement. "Non. I ran off again like I said after Odin was killed. Been hidin' out. Gamblin' fo money. Tradin'. Helped the Sweepers once snaggin' pirates. Made some friends." "Twice," Heero corrected. "You just helped the sweepers again." "Yeah," Trowa smiled fractionally, slapping his bound leg. "How did I fo'git dat, eh?" "So, is everyone ready to go to the Saturday market?" Quatre asked. "I'll take Trowa in the carriage. The rest of you can walk and we'll meet there. Anything you buy, we'll carry back to your place with the carriage." Wufei opened his mouth to say he'd be taking the carriage, too, and then snapped it shut. Winner stared him down. "The walk will do me good," Wufei said. Heero seemed happy to move. "It's time we looked in at our house," Heero said. Quatre watched as he tried to catch Duo's eyes again, but failed. Duo still seemed listless, but then he was recovering from a gunshot to the arm. Quatre took that to be a sign that he wanted to go back to his own home, but he might not be well enough. "You can stay and recuperate here for a few more days, Duo." Duo shook his head. "Thanks, but I belong...back home." Wufei led them to the door. He stood just inside, perhaps gauging the temperature (hot) or determining his energy level (low) until Quatre pushed him, propelling him forward. "We'll run into you at the market, I'm sure, but just in case we don't, make sure you all come back for Sunday dinner. Remember!" Quatre called after them. He turned to Trowa, his head tipped to the side, smiling, and said, "Now for us, some healthful afternoon exercise and delightful, fresh air." (o) Afternoon delight. Trowa smiled. He understood what the phrase meant. He looked at the young Mr. Winner and knew he knew, too. Quatre stood there in a pool of sunlight whose source Trowa could not track and decided it had to be Quatre Winner himself. Light must have flared from his incandescent honey-blond hair and eyes that could change from cerulean blue to near turquoise, reminding him of the gradations of color he'd once seen in a view of the river. He stood there glowing in a sunflower-yellow shirt and white linen slacks, and Trowa thought he wanted nothing more than a little afternoon delight with him. But Quatre Winner, he was sure, wasn't the type to be trifled with no matter how much he flirted. "Sure. I'll need ma crutch to get to da carriage," Trowa said. They rode through Winner's estate, which sat in the midst of acres of fabulous, romantic gardens and pools. The carriage slowed before exiting to the road, rolled a little further, then stopped near a path through a parting in a high wall. "Just a short walk. I'm sure you can make it," Quatre said, helping Trowa step down. "Dere must be hundred different kinds of trees," Trowa pointed out. "There are," Quatre said. "Come on." The tree question put to bed, Trowa chuckled softly and limped after him the few steps necessary to take him inside the walled garden. They sat upon a bench beneath a willow and a pond. There was a glimpse of the town of Sublimity beyond a screen of birch trees. Some walls draped with vines looked like an ancient cupola. A tiled fountain spewed forth water that spilled over the bowl sides, gushing over rockery to empty into the duck pond. The ducks were motionless as decoys, wings folded, hemmed in by sleep. Quatre's shimmering, silk shirt worn open at the collar revealed a "v" of delicate ivory skin, luminous in the sunlight. His hair like spun gold, brushed the collar. He was wearing a dove-grey vest of feather-light wool trimmed in gold braid. In his left earlobe there glittered what was surely a diamond. Talk about gilding a lily! Quatre was too beautiful in a flannel bathrobe for his own good, much less what he was wearing now, Trowa thought. "Nice garden." "Uh, huh. We can discuss plants or you can you kiss me." Trowa was quick on the uptake. "Now dat's easy." He tipped Quatre's chin up with his hand and tasted his lips. Delightful. (o) Duo was on a roll. He was being a jerk and he knew it. His use of the L2 urban street slang was outrageous and he knew that, too. The trouble was, once he got started, he didn't know a way out of his funk. He wasn't about to apologize to Heero for kicking him out of his bed and room the night before. He had never come on to Heero or given him any reason to think he was a cheap lay. On the other hand, what Heero had said to Quatre to downplay Duo's trashy birthplace and revealing his own shoddy past had been a nice thing to do. Heero sure had a rough start, but that didn't give him any reason to say... whatever. Duo was no longer sure what Heero had said to set him off. He wanted Heero to say something now, though, but he didn't know what he wanted to hear. "I don't care if you've been a whore" was not it-- that was for sure. The more Duo thought about the evening before, the worse he got. Heero had been so nice and he had about admitted that he had no experience with sex, at least with a man. That had to have been hard for him to say. Why did he have to go and ruin everything then? Duo kicked a rock.What was there to say? The rock bounced off a boot, a black leather boot buffed to a mirror-like shine. "Eh..." Duo froze in place and wrenched his neck upwards to take in the face of the imposing figure belonging to the boots. Oh, man... "Hello, Mr. Chang." The man looked over his head to Wufei behind him. His soft, cultured voice contrasted with his piercing blue eyes and glossy platinum mane-a wicked combination. "Lieutenant Merquise. I'm honored." Zechs waved his hand dismissing the formalities. "How have you been?" he asked politely, although his eyes swept over Duo and Heero with curiosity. "Very well, thank you." Wufei turned toward Duo. "May I introduce Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy." His hand lingered over his shake as he said, "Heero Yuy, yes, I don't believe you and I have met, properly, but I recognize you, certainly." Heero graced him with a curt nod, "Merquise," leaving Wufei to carry on the conversation. Duo was in awe of the dazzlingly handsome man, standing there wide-eyed, and temporarily struck dumb. "Maxwell is in business with Yuy and they are renting the fishing lodge from Winner. We just came from the estate." Wufei gazed about. "He should be meeting us here." "Fishing lodge? I didn't know Winner had one of those." "Me neither," Duo muttered. He fought back his feelings of inferiority. Hell, it was just a man. A famous man. A fucking hot military man with fancy boots, gorgeous hair, and a sultry smile. Damn. "It's kinda a makeover, work-in-process." "They are putting on an addition," Wufei clarified. "Really? I was never clever or handy that way," Zechs said, smiling sincerely before turning back to Wufei. "I'm having a summer garden party next Sunday. I hope you'll attend." He smiled at Heero and Duo. "Very casual. Please, say you'll come, too." Duo didn't want to miss a party, but Zechs Merquise was damned daunting. Heero's shoulders had tensed up so much the cloth was stretched across his back. Wufei's eyes narrowed. "Thank you," Wufei said for them all. "I'm sure we'll all look forward to seeing you again next weekend." Zechs clicked his heals, mentioned other business to attend to, and marched away, leaving Heero smoldering and Duo rambling. "That dude's livin' chilly, fo shizzle. He's so iced out, ya think?" "Maxwell, if you want me to answer, speak the native language." Wufei halted suddenly. "I know you can talk." He stared at Heero and, unable to cow him slid his eyes back to Duo. "What is the matter with you two?" "I don't want to attend his party," Heero said. "That may be so, but that's not what -" Duo sighed, fed up with them all. Zechs garden party was not what was really wrong at all, and he knew Heero knew it too. Even Wufei knew. When he recognized Martha and her tailor husband Ramul patrolling their booth, he jetted over to examine their wares and engage them in a lengthy discussion about the quality of cotton fabric. If he couldn't solve his problems, he could hide from them. (o) Heero watched Duo swagger off uncertain whether or not to follow. He hadn't meant to hurt Duo's feelings. He hadn't meant to do anything but have mind blowing sex with the man he was sure he was in love with. He had replayed his last words in his head, knew where he'd gone wrong, and settled into a simmering anger at Duo for not giving him the benefit of the doubt and letting it pass. Still, his ire continued to warm under the hot sun listening to Duo's inane remarks, and then came Zechs Merquise unwelcome invitation, igniting his anger further. He was afraid he would hit the boiling point and blow up before making up. "This way." Wufei nudged Heero and slogged through the marketplace cutting a path with his glare alone. He pulled him into a secluded corner. "What did you do?" Heero crossed his arms over his chest, pressed his lips into a fine line, and scowled. "A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory." "Don't peddle your ancient Chinese proverbs to me." "I remind you: you had him in bed and mostly undressed. You can't tell me he wasn't ready, willing, and able." "Shut up." "I'm not saying he's--," Wufei shook his head, running a hand over his smooth coif. "He's held you off this long. I never would have guessed he was from L2. I would have thought he was from Sanc Royal. He could give Winner lessons in propriety..." Heero stopped Wufei's mutterings. "Are you saying Duo's got morals? Yes, he does. The problem has nothing to do with his birthplace. We had a misunderstanding, that's all." "Fix it. You'll be staying under the same roof, a small one, tonight, and tomorrow you'll be back to work. We are going back to Serendipity, correct? Tobacco to move, or was that my imagination?" Heero huffed, exasperated by Wufei's ranting, and Wufei knew it. "We go tomorrow, yes." He drew a long breath and let it out through his nose then clenched and unclenched his fists. "I miss-spoke, implying I thought he was more experienced, which insulted and embarrassed him. But he didn't give me a chance to-" Wufei raised a hand to block the wall of excuses. "The facts, although interesting, are usually irrelevant. With a woman, you simply accept responsibility and apologize. I could never bring myself to do that," Wufei said. "I'll do it," Heero said, resigned. "I don't want to sleep on that vermin-ridden couch and I don't want to leave things like this. I'll just explain what I really intended to say." Wufei shook his head, pooh-poohing that idea. "Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense." "I should tell him I was insane? That's insane." "Think negative, and you've already failed," Wufei canted. When Heero narrowed his eyes indicating his loss of patience, Wufei resorted to plain-speak. "Tell him you were crazy in love. You are in love, aren't you?" Heero looked down, freeing Wufei to move. "I see him. Wave. Oh, stick your arm out and swish it around in the air. That's right. Get the idiot's attention." "He's not an idiot." "Of course not. Okay, it's working. He's coming this way. I shall leave you to it. Fix things," Wufei repeated then moved away. "You'll do that, right?" "Yes. I accept." Heero took two steps then stopped. Duo was on his way to meet them. "Hey, where'd Wufei disappear off to? Hmm, private hiding place here?" He gave Heero a kiss on the cheek that he didn't seem to know what to do with. Then, suddenly, Heero flung his arms around him. Slowly, Duo returned this heartfelt hug. "Sorry," they both said simultaneously staring into one another's eyes to the exclusion of all else. "I was crazy," Heero said, adding in a whisper, "in love." Duo's jaw dropped and eyes widened impossibly large. "Ah-" Out of the ether, Wufei reappeared. "I said 'make up' not 'make out' with the boy! Take that someplace more secluded, like your house. I have a reputation to uphold as an instructor of children." Right. Heero broke away and moved back a step. They would talk later. Right now it was time to preserve images. No parents wanted their children influenced by perverts or a teacher who associated with them, and homosexuality was considered a rare and uncommon, as well as disgusting and barely tolerated, an affliction. Wufei seemed satisfied, and after pealing his eyes off the scarf in Duo's hands he asked, "Where did you get that?" "The booth with the clothing. Nice folks. There's another in Hilde's favorite color." Wufei cleared his throat. "You know her favorite color?" "She goes apeshit over red." "Red. Of course. Excuse me." Wufei started off in the direction of the red scarf when he spied Quatre and Trowa in the carriage. "Oh! Here comes that dilettante at last! Winner! Over here!" (o) Duo's braid swung from side-to-side as he took off after Wufei in search of the perfect scarf. Heero smiled, relieved that he hadn't damaged their relationship permanently with his slip up or with his revelation. In fact, he thought that last part came off pretty well. He would have to dig into Duo's psyche later, but for now things were okay. Tonight things would be better. Tonight they'd be home. Heero stepped up the pace to catch up with them just as Quatre's carriage rolled to a stop close by. He could hear Duo rattling on; his L2 jargon shed for his combination urban-slang-local-patois. Still, once Duo got going, he traveled far and fast. Heero found it amusing that even Wufei had a hard time keeping up, linguistically. "My clan lived in what amounts to be a small village. You've lived in the big city then, so how is it so different from this one?" Wufei asked. Duo's answer stretched from here to Infinity, if that's a place, Heero thought with a smile. "Well, to start, you can tell the tourists from the local urban dwellers. There's something so blue-eyed clean, so childish and trusting about how tourists shank it about a city. They lack pedestrian radar, that combination of peripheral vision, hard-won experience, and ESP that alerts them to the carriage that's about to occupy the space where they're standing, or the messenger boy on his pony who's speeding into their intended path. No, the street smart folks, they move with a strong sense of purpose, like... drop a shoulder to signal a turn." He demonstrated. Wufei nearly missed his cue and got run over. "No matter where you're headed, you move as though you are on a red-hot mission with the big kahuna. Then muggers don't bother you. Stand and dither, and you're dead meat." "This kahuna, is he an acquaintance of yours?" Wufei asked. Heero figured that Duo knew he was pulling his leg when he smiled, barely, and then ignored him and went on with his observations. "See, street folk look for the urban decision points, plot a turn well before they reach the corner. Real body vocabulary." "Having to translate your body language and your conversation? No wonder Yuy is going mad," Wufei muttered. Ten minutes later, Wufei had purchased his red scarf and Duo was still yakking. They cruised the food vendors and made their purchases, stocking up on everything. Duo was still making his observations, but Heero was glad to hear that his partner appeared to be losing his voice. Wufei had long ago tuned him out. "Duo, we should get Ruggles a dog collar. That way we could leash him properly to the boat and take him with us sometime." They didn't have the goat cart, so they first made a trip to the carriage to unload the numerous packages they had been carrying. Mostly they had purchased food. Trowa helped them stow everything away, and in turn they helped him to shaded spot to sit while Quatre hurried to a booth to buy him a cool drink. "Hey, Tro', you're doing pretty good for yourself," Duo said with a wry smile. He leaned closer, but Heero could still hear him say, "You've figured out Quat likes guys, right?" Trowa glanced over to where Quatre stood in line, colored in a flash, and then looked down at his hands, fumbling for a cigarette. "Yeah." "Well, he didn't come on to me at all. He's fucking bonkers over you. He must be that way, but his ain't zipper morals, if you get my drift." "He's a gentleman. I ain't no doofus." Trowa sucked in a lungful of smoke and let it out in a thin stream. "You know w'at 'deparler' means? It means you ramble on too much. I know a spot of luck w'en it comes my way." He stretched his legs, wincing as the injured one shifted. "I don' hide who ah am an' I take comfort w'ere I kin. He'll wake up an' send me on mah way soon 'nough." Duo shook his head and, seeing as he was about to start a long-winded argument, Heero drew him off with a firm reminder. "Dog collar, Duo. Then I want to go home." "Oh, yeah. Right. Let's go then!" Duo liked shopping and was pleased to look over the color choices for one in the right size, while Heero tried on a belt for himself. His had been damaged by a knife blade in the pirate attack. He riffled through the selections, but soon found he wasn't even looking at them; instead, his eyes were fixed on the object of his affections a few feet beyond. He simply couldn't keep his eyes off Duo. Duo looked up and suddenly his eyes sparkled. "You okay?" "Hn," Heero grunted. "There it is!" Duo snatched a tiny red dog collar. "I like the black better," Heero said, eyes glued to the black leather band clamped around the end of Duo's braid. "Black leather man, eh?" Duo's smile turned predatory. "We should save up for matching black leather pants for winter." Heero gasped for air. That had been the first time Duo had implied that they might be together in winter. Was he going to stay with him and not go back to the Sweepers, he wondered? Then he imagined Duo in tight, black leather pants and felt his body react automatically and inappropriately. "Yes." (o) As Heero and Duo became absorbed with the belt booth, Wufei joined Quatre. Trowa was resting on a bench not far from the carriage. Quatre was beaming. Wufei was glad his friend was happy, but troubled that the Cajun was the cause. If the man proved to be a thief, a spy, or a gold-digger, Wufei would feel responsible for introducing them. Then there was the chance meeting with Zechs Merquise... He pulled Quatre aside, whispering, "So you told Zechs to run into us at the market and invite everyone to his party? How did you get word to him so soon? What sway have you with this world to make things happen?" "My charm? I also like green. I can make marshmallows, too. Did you know that?" "Mysterious does not suit you, Winner. Nor does obtuse." Quatre smiled, exuding his appealing charisma and leaving Wufei thinking that there was nothing Quatre wouldn't try. They were walking between the stands, out in the sun-heated air, when Wufei asked him, "Is there anything you wouldn't take a whack at?" Quatre stopped on the flattened grass path between two booths, looking thoughtful. Wufei laughed. "If you really have to think about it, the answer's no. Given sufficient challenge, you'd try anything." "Yes, I think you're right. Emeralds. I wonder if anyone is selling jewelry with emeralds today." "Unlikely. Possibly peridots." Wufei followed Quatre's line of sight to Trowa hobbling with his crutch and heading their way. "Or jade. You are not thinking of purchasing something for...that man?" Quatre didn't answer him. Of course he was, Wufei thought, sighing. "There are three basic arrangements for the purchasing of jewelry," Wufei said. "The first is as keys to the front door-- call it engagement, anniversary, birthday-all public statements of affection and intention. The second is keys to the back door, which are presents to mistresses or boyfriends that are meant to ensure access, but bypass all the front door commitments. The third category is the keys out of the doghouse, or the purchases meant to make amends for bad behavior." Wufei paused long enough for Quatre to look up in question. "Winner, are you going for the front door, or--?" Wufei's question was cut off by Quatre's sudden movement. "Trowa? What is it? You look like you've seen a ghost." "Over dere! See de girl with de long hair 'bout da color of mine? She's with Barton's gang." "The girl? But she's--!" "She was wid the pirates. I saw her running away. She's dangerous, if she's seen me or followed me here--" "She wasn't caught, then." Wufei charged off in the direction he'd seen the girl last, while Quatre ran for Heero and Duo. A few minutes later, the other young men returned, hands empty. "She got away," Wufei said. "Who is she?" "Her name's Middie," Trowa said, cursing his infirmity and his inability to catch her himself. "Middie Barton, Dekim's other adopted kid." "You think she tracked you to here?" "Yeah." "She is either is very devoted to her father or she hates you. I mean, to keep up such a determined effort to get you back to circumstances you obviously don't want to be a part of is hateful," Quatre said. "Hatred, yes." Duo interrupted the discussion. "Hey, we got food that needs to go to the house; either that or it rots here in the sun." Trowa shrugged, giving up. "Not'ing we can do now. Might as well go." Quatre bundled everyone into the carriage and signaled the driver to take them to the fishing hut. Duo was increasingly excited as they neared the humble abode. He explained to Trowa what they were planning to do, installing plumbing and adding another bedroom. It was small and the back was a mess with the construction stalled by weather and the pirate event, but it was home. His first real home, as far as Wufei understood. The carriage parked on the main road, leaving them boys to carry the purchases and Quatre to support Trowa along the path to the cabin. Wufei noticed that something wasn't right about the same time Heero and Duo did. "What the shit?" Duo shouted, dumping his bags and taking off full-tilt to the front door, which was slightly ajar. Heero was close behind him. When Wufei caught up, Duo was wandering the house grumbling curses with each new discovery of ruination, while Heero stood silent and still as an assassin lining up a shot. At first, Wufei thought the storm had blown through, scattering the house's contents hither and dither. Through the window, he caught glimpses of the flooded back yard, but that was to be expected. When he turned in the direction Heero was staring, he saw what had held him so enthralled. Across the one wall, scrawled in house paint-- for it matched the outdoor trim-- was a message: Nanashi, come out, come out where ever you are. "This was done by people searching for Trowa Barton," Heero said. Quatre clasped his hand over his heart and cried out. "Oh! Oh, no! Let no one anywhere despise another. Let no one out of anger or resentment wish suffering -- on... anyone... at... all." He chanted this in a clear voice, measuring out each word of the last phrase. "Too late fo dat," Trowa murmured. Heero suddenly reanimated and shouted, "The boats!" He took off in a sprint toward the docks where his flatboat and Trowa's skiff had been tied up.
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