mask

Disclaimer: I don’t owe gundam wing T_T and I don’t earn any profit from this fic…. But the story is mine!!!

Hi all! Hope you all enjoy this one-shot! It is about Duo and Heero…
Well… just read? ^_^

“What happened?” Trowa demanded angrily though he took Quatre’s limp body from Duo, “Status?”

“We screwed up,” Duo answered sheepishly, not meeting anyone’s eyes, “and 04 sustained a concussion and some bruises.”

To say the truth, his vision was blurred. He could hardly see the others even though he knew the lights were on. His whole body was hurting but he held on to his mask. He had to.

“I am sorry, guys. We got caught when we were almost out of the base,” he said simply. Somehow, his mind could not think of anything to say now.

“You mean you screwed up. I doubt Winner will make any mistakes,” Wufei started his rant, “this is injustice, Maxwell! The war might be just a game to you and your gundam is your toy. But the rest of us here take the war seriously! Let me guess, the mission failed because you were playing? Or you made a reckless move? It is this attitude that makes you the weakest link in our group! And what’s more is that you hurt your comrade due to this attitude of yours! Don’t you think you should be responsible?”

Game…Toy…Reckless…Weakest… Hurt comrade… Duo thought sadly, so that’s how they thought of me. Maybe my mask was too good? Or am I really that bad? Am I really that worthless?

Yet the mask had to be there, Duo decided as he tried to summon a fake grin and think of a smart reply like he always did. To hide the pain that he felt from those words. However, he swayed a little and his mind could not think of anything.

“I am sorry, guys. Maybe I should have held on to the disk,” Duo answered as he added mentally, and not give it to Quatre. Then he would not have dropped it and we would not be discovered.

Without a word, a punch was thrown into his face. He could not see who did it but he knew it had to be Trowa. After all, Trowa cared a lot about Quatre.

“Stop it, Barton,” Duo heard Heero yell as he stood up slowly.

I deserved it, Duo thought, it’s my duty to look out for Quatre. Moreover, I can’t have them think it’s Quatre’s fault. Let me take the blame. However, I still have to keep my mask. God, it’s so tiring. I think I am slipping away. Must go to the room as soon as possible.

“I say I’m sorry! Isn’t it enough? I am going back to my room!” Duo yelled angrily.

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and started to walk in the direction of the outline of the stairs towards his room.

One foot in front of the other. Yes, Duo, you can do it. Just a little more. After the stairs, turn right. Yes, slowly. One foot in front of another, Duo thought.

After what seemed like hours of moving his feet through sheer will, he had finally managed to grab the knob on his room door or at least he thought was his room. He could no longer see anything.

Once he opened the door, his world became dark and he fell limply on the floor.

***************

Downstairs, Wufei was still ranting about the injustice of giving a gundam to an irresponsible boy while Heero was suppressing the urge to punch Wufei right in the face. That might stop the boy from ranting about things he did not know about and teach him not to insult Duo again.

But then the perfect soldier will not do that, Heero thought, the perfect soldier will not punch his comrade just because that person is ignorant and rude. No, the perfect soldier will just ignore the ranting and continued with what he is doing. And I am the perfect soldier.

But then again, I hate this perfect soldier thing, Heero thought angrily, why must I be the perfect soldier? Follow my emotions, that is what Odin had thought me yet, being the perfect soldier means having no emotions. So what am I supposed to follow? Why must I be the one to be deprived of having emotions? To be the perfect soldier?

“He had to reflect on his actions! This is injustice that…” Wufei’s words were really irritating Heero but on the outside, Heero made no show of his annoyance.

“I am going back to my room,” he said in a monotone and started towards his room without waiting for an answer.

Maybe it is my duty to be the perfect soldier and Duo to be the joker? Heero continued his thoughts as he walked towards his room, speaking of Duo, there was something wrong about him just now. Maybe the failure of the mission was not his fault. Duo treats all his missions seriously as he does to everything though he does everything with a smile or a joke.

To say the truth, Heero was quite intrigued with the braided pilot. He had researched the pilot’s past. There was almost nothing but Duo did say he was from L2 and his name was of great significant to himself. The name Maxwell Heero could relate to anything from L2 was the Maxwell Church Massacre. If Duo was the sole survivor mentioned in the news, then how could he act so cheerful?

Then again, sharing a room with the braided pilot a couple of times enabled him to observe the boy more often. When Duo thought that no one is around, he is very different from what he usually acts. He is quiet and seems to be deep in thoughts. Heero knows this as a fact. He had spent quite a number of times observing the boy without the boy knowing his presence. Master stealth, the boy might be but he was not as good as Heero when it comes to detecting other people’s presence.

It was like a mask the braided boy wore when he was around the others. A happy joking mask to hide his real self. Like him, Heero hides all his true emotions behind his perfect soldier mask. Death glares and threats.

It was then he realized that Duo might be hurt. He did not stay and tease Chang about his ranting or to make sure Quatre was okay. He did not even report his own status. He had retreated to his room quickly.

That baka! Didn’t he know he should let the others know about his injuries? After all, isn’t he the one who always fusses over each of our injuries everytime one of us comes back from our missions? Heero ranted mentally.

Duo is always jumping around, asking everyone how they are feeling. It did annoy him as the braided baka shot questions after questions at him. But no matter how he threatened Duo, Duo does not give up until he is sure he is alright or that he is fine. Yet only Quatre is the only one who always asks about Duo. And that said person was now unconscious.

Just as he was about to knock on Duo’s door, he realized that Duo did not have a first aid kit in his room. They had only managed to find three of them. The rest of the kits were in their own gundams. He was supposed to share one with Duo until they could find more of these kits.

Cursing silently, he made his way to his own room. However, as he opened his door, he tripped over something lying across the floor. Instinctively, he switched on his lights with one hand while the other hand grabbed his gun in seconds.

Once his vision adjusted in to the light quickly, he realized in shock that he had tripped over Duo.

Duo was lying on the floor, not moving.

Shocked, he kneeled down and checked the pilot’s pulse. He was relieved when he found the weak but definite pulse. Gently, he carried the pilot and put him down on his bed. Then he went to retrieve the first aid kit in his bathroom.

He shook the braided pilot tenderly, trying to wake him up to get his status report. He did not want to touch his wounds or anything. From what he could see and smell, he was sure that the baka was not bleeding.

“Duo, wake up,” he said as he shook the braided pilot.

After a few minutes of shaking, Duo finally opened his eyes and stared at Heero, confusion showing in his eyes for a few seconds before they focused on Heero.

“Heero?” he asked, “what are you doing in my room?”

“Baka, you are in my room,” Heero replied in a monotone, “status?”

“I am fine! I am just tired!” Duo managed a grin though he was feeling pain all over his body.

“Hn,” Heero snorted in disbelief. He could see the pain in Duo’s eyes. It was really like a mask. A broken one since Duo was in to much pain to hold the mask together. He just had to know how to look past that mask.

“Status or I could just strip you and discovered that myself, and I still want to hear your report on the mission,” Heero commanded.

“Fine,” Duo answered, “just some bruises, nothing I can’t take care of. We went in, got the data, disk dropped, discovered, got caught, got beaten up, got out, came back and mission failed.”

Duo said quickly, trying not to give in to his pain and weariness. One of his ribs might have broken since the pain in his chest was so overwhelming. He could hardly breathe. He was trying so hard to slow his breathing to ease the pain. Moreover, his eyelids were so heavy. Yet, he had to keep up his mask. After all, he is happy cheerful and irritating Duo.

“Baka,” Heero scolded, “just admit you are in pain.”

“No way. I run, I hide, but I never lie! So I’m fine!” Duo protested as Heero tried to unbutton his shirt.

“You don’t lie. You only leave out things that are important,” Heero stated in a deadpan as he looked at the bruises across Duo’s chest, “where else?”

“Only the chest,” Duo answered, wincing as Heero shifted him a bit to wrap bandages around him, “and the head where Trowa hit me just now.”

“I think one of your ribs might be fractured. You will need to have Sally or Trowa to look at it later. Now breathe shallowly and don’t move so much,” Heero ordered, “what exactly happened?”

“Huh?” Duo asked, confused.

“How you got the bruises? How Quatre got hurt?” Heero asked as he finished shifting Duo on the bed.

“Well, we got caught and then they handcuffed me and Quatre from the ceiling and all,” Duo answered jokingly, “well, I think my mouth doesn’t like myself. As usual, they got angry and started to beat me up. But they only managed for a short time before they were called away. By then I got the key and we got out. We took a truck and dashed off with Oz, hot on our tail. I think Quatre hit his head as I turned the truck too quickly. He did not use the seatbelt. So moral of the story is to use a seatbelt?”

Heero snorted in reply. Only Duo could joke about a mission. However, Duo’s thoughts seemed a bit incoherent. He could see that he seemed to be in pain but was hiding behind his mask.

As usual. Use his mask to hide. What’s new? Heero thought sarcastically.

“The disk?” Heero asked. Somehow he knew that Duo was not telling him the whole thing.

“I did not hold on to the disk,” Duo replied with a sheepish grin, “I am sorry. But I had destroyed the information at Oz base. The disk was destroyed before they could get it back.”

He’s hiding something. He kept using the word “held on” and not “dropped”. He never lie but he hides, Heero thought as he continued to ask in a monotone, “did you drop the disk?”

“I told you I should have held on to the disk!” Duo snapped as he cursed mentally, Shit! did Heero know I am hiding? How? Isn’t my mask holding?

“I ask you, 02, did you drop the disk or not?” Heero pressed on.

He had to know he can stop hiding with me. Not for his sake but mine as well. Everytime he hides, there is this pain in my heart. Like I am upset that he does not trust me. I want him to trust me. Shit! I am not supposed to be feeling this, Heero cursed himself mentally but on the outside, he was glaring at the braided pilot.

“I…I…it’s my fault, okay?” Duo tried weakly.

“Yes or no?” Heero smirked, knowing that Duo could not lie or hide with a direct question. It was easy to exploit Duo’s motto of “I run. I hide but I never lie.”

“No,” Duo murmured quietly, “I passed it to Quatre.”

“Okay, so it’s Winner who dropped it?” Heero just said quietly.

“It was not Quatre’s fault that he dropped! It was a mistake anyone could make!” Duo defended his friend as he winced in pain. He really should not be shouting.

“If it’s not Quatre’s fault, it is even less likely to be your fault,” Heero said simply.

“Heero… do you think I am really worthless?” Duo asked hesitantly.

Wufei’s words started to echo in his mind, reckless… the weakest link…

“Baka,” Heero merely scolded.

“Maybe Wufei is really right. I mean everything I do, someone gets hurt. I am the weakest here?” Duo said self mockingly.

“You’re not, Duo. Ignore Chang,” Heero glared at Duo. In his mind, he wished that he had really punched Wufei for all the nonsense he had been ranting.

“Heero, can I ask you a favor?” Duo asked seriously. He did not know why he was going to do that. But somehow, he knew he could trust Heero.

“Hn,” Heero answered as Duo tried to sit up, “baka! What are you doing?”

“Heero…can…you don’t look at me for five minutes and lend me your shoulder?” Duo said softly.

“Duo?” Heero asked with a hint of confusion though he did shift a bit to allow Duo to lean on his shoulder without causing more pain to his chest.

“Please, Heero, don’t look at me now? I will continue to smile by the end of the five minutes. Just a little while? I promise I will turn back… just let my mask mend? I am so tired…” Duo asked as Heero brought his hands up to hug the injured boy gently to provide some comfort.

“It’s so tiring, Heero. I am so tired… I want to break the mask and throw it away. But I can’t do that! It is a part of me that I cannot survive without. But I am so tired and I don’t want to do this anymore…” Duo murmured softly.

“Am I really the weakest link? Am I the one who keep hurting others? I tried so hard to make sure the others are safe yet everyone I care about kept getting hurt? I am trying, Heero but it’s so hard and I don’t know if there is anyone in the world who appreciate my effort… but I can’t stop trying… it’s like giving up… but everytime I care about someone… the person dies… why?” Duo muttered.

“Solo… Father Maxwell… Sister Helen… maybe I should not be close to any of you like what Wufei had said I m hurting my friends. You might die like the others I care about. Maybe I should not be here. After all… I only create chaos and pain,” Duo continued.

Heero could feel his shirt becoming damp but Duo made no sounds to indicate he’s crying. To say the truth, Heero was stunned at the thought that Duo was crying.

Is this the same cheerful mischievous boy that I have known? The boy that jokes and plays pranks on everyone? The pilot who cannot stop his chatter even in battles? Heero asked himself, how can he manage to keep that mask up? How can he hide all his pain? I only see glimpses of it and maybe Quatre knows something about his feelings with his space heart. But the others… I don’t think they even have a clue…

“I’m sorry for being weak… but I have already tried so hard… it’s so tiring…” Duo continued quietly. Heero thought he heard suppressed sobs.

How long have you wear the mask, Duo? Heero asked in his mind, how long?

“I… I… thanks Heero. I think five minutes are up. I am sorry for letting you see me like that. I’m sorry. But don’t worry. My mask is mended. I am back. Don’t worry I won’t let down my mask. Thanks and sorry,” Duo babbled on as he pulled himself away from Heero. He could not look at Heero in his eyes.

He must hate me for being such a coward. I am so weak. And I cry. Big boys don’t cry, Duo scolded himself mentally, but it felt so good to be comforted by someone.

“I think I will go to sleep,” Duo said as he added mentally, if everything fails, hide. Talk in the morning or some other time.

“I’m not sorry,” Heero said in a monotone that caused Duo to look into his eyes.

“Huh?” he could not understand what Heero was implying.

“I’m not sorry for what you just did. And you should not be too,” Heero said again.

“Heero?” Duo was confused and lost. He could not process Heero’s words. His mind was tired and his eyelids were dropping as Heero shifted him gently back to lie on the bed.

“It’s good to let out your emotions and you are not the weakest link. Chang was ranting nonsense. Now go to sleep,” Heero said tenderly.

“Heero?” Duo could not help thinking that it was not reality. Heero Yuy does not speak gently!

“Just go to sleep, Baka,” Heero said again as he switched off the light and ready to exit the room. Looks like he had to spend the night in Duo’s room instead.

“Wait, Heero!” Duo called out, wincing once again at the pain.

Why is it so hard to remember not to shout? I must really like to hurt myself, he thought darkly.

“Yes?” Heero answered.

“Can you stay with me?” Duo asked hesitantly. Somehow, he felt safer when Heero was around and with Heero, he did not have to worry about nightmares, “it’s okay if you don’t want to. I am just being an idiot.”

Heero snorted but he walked towards Duo and shifted Duo a bit before holding him gently. He made sure that he was not hurting Duo. Duo tried to say something but he was cut off by a yawn.

“Go to sleep, baka,” Heero said, “just know that you might have a strong mask but I have a stronger hammer.”

“Heero?” Duo asked, surprised.

“Don’t keep your mask. It’s not healthy to wear it all the time. One day, I will break your happy mask.” Heero merely said.

Is he saying that he could see my mask? Is he saying that he does not like me wearing the mask all the time? Does that mean that he cares about me? Duo thought happily.

“Heero, does that mean that I could break your perfect soldier mask someday? The mask does not suit you,” Duo replied quietly.

Heero’s eyes widened in the dark, he could see through my mask as well? I did not know he knew about the perfect soldier mask.

“Hn,” Heero did not know what to say.

“Ne, Heero, can I use a scythe instead of a hammer? Scythe is much cooler,” Duo said as he drifted off to sleep.

“Baka,” Heero scolded lightly though a smile was on his face. Too bad Duo could not see the smile.

“One day, we can throw our masks all away, Baka. Oyasumi nasai,” Heero whispered gently as he too drifted off to sleep.


Okay! Finished… thanks for reading!

peace knights chap 8

“Why are you leaving Duo out of this, Heero?” Trowa asked as he sat on one of the big armchairs in his room.

“Wufei told me that it has something to do with the peace knights,” Heero replied, “I don’t want Duo to get involved.”

“Don’t you think that you are overprotective of Duo?” Trowa asked again as he glanced at the door.

“Like you are not overprotective of Quatre?” Heero retorted. No, he was not overprotective of Duo. He was just... very protective of Duo.

“I don’t think I can match up to you, brother,” Trowa answered, “at least I did not keep things from him.”

“Well, I am not keeping things from him,” Heero said, “I am just trying to ensure that he is not exposed to danger.”

Trowa raised an eyebrow at his brother, “and that is the definition of over protective.”

“I’m not over protective of Duo. I’m just concerned about his safety,” Heero said angrily and Trowa only smirked.

Heero glared at him. He was about to snap at his brother when there was a knock followed by Treize’s voice to ask for permission to enter.

“Enter,” Heero snapped as he continued to glare at his brother. Unfortunately, Trowa was unaffected by his glare and merely raised an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?” Treize asked as he noticed the glare Heero had been fixing on Trowa since he entered the room.

“I’m not overprotective of Duo,” Heero snapped again.

“Oh really?” Treize said with a hint of amusement in his voice, “I guess babying Duo and protecting him are different things.”

“I did not baby him!” Heero snapped and glared at the general.

However, Treize just chuckled and Trowa just smirked. He glared at them but unfortunately, both of them were unaffected to his glare. Heero just glared and turned to the door.

“Where are the others?” Heero demanded, changing the subject. Maybe he was a little over protective of Duo, but just a little.

“well, Wufei is coming with the ambassador of Mag. Hilde is getting Quatre from the library and leaving Duo there,” Treize answered, “why isn’t Duo included in this discussion? Quatre is his friend too.”

“I don’t want him to get involved with the peace knights,” Heero stated once again.

“But isn’t it unfair for him?” Treize asked, “It is not good to keep secrets from one another.”

“Well, his safety is more important. He is vulnerable compared to us,” Heero argued. Duo’s safety was the most important thing to him.

“Well, leaving him in the library alone might not be safe,” Trowa questioned, breaking the few minutes of silence, “he might run into some noble or get into trouble.”

“Not really. It might be the best place to leave him alone,” Heero answered.

“Why?” Trowa wondered.

“Yes. Because nobles don’t go to the libraries. They think they are too clever to need to go to the library,” Heero smirked.

Trowa just raised his eyebrows in question while Treize thought for a moment before he asked thoughtfully, “why do I have the feeling that I am being insulted? I am a noble too, you know.”

“Well, you never go into the library unless Wufei is in there,” Heero retorted, smirking.

Just then, a knock interrupted Treize’s retort.

“It’s me, Wufei and the ambassador from Mag. Permission to enter?” Wufei asked respectably.

“Enter,” Heero said simply.

“So what is it that you need from us, ambassador?” Treize asked when the two entered the room.

“I have some information to give and questions which all of you have answers to,” Rashid said respectfully, “and this is very important as it concerns the relationship between my country and yours.”

“What is it that it is so important that you decide to talk to us and not the king?” Heero asked in a monotone. This had better be important and not waste his time.

“It is regarding a peace knight,” Rashid answered hesitantly, “I am sure that all of you have heard about the legend of peace knights?”

“Yes, I assured you that all of us in this room are very familiar with the legend of the peace knights,” Treize answered, “and from what we gathered from Wufei earlier that this has to do with Quatre?”

“Yes, It had to do with Master Quatre,” Rashid answered.

“Master Quatre?” Trowa questioned.

Just then a knock interrupted Rashid’s answer. It was Quatre. He walked in uncertainly, trying to hide his nervousness. He glanced around and smiled uneasily before he sat down beside Trowa.

Trowa placed his hand over Quatre’s clenched fists. His little one was very nervous. He was even trembling. Why? The other times when he had seen Quatre this nervous were when he was with strangers. But everyone in the room except the ambassador was definitely not a stranger.

Trowa glanced around and noticed the others were looking at Quatre with concern. However, Wufei was glaring at the ambassador even as he shot concerned glances at Quatre. He caught Wufei’s eyes, silently asking him the reason for Quatre’s behavior but Wufei just shook his head. Trowa glared at him but Wufei just ignored him.

Trowa was tempted to hug his little one. Quatre seemed to be more nervous as the tension in the air thickened. No one spoke. Everyone in the room seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Trowa squeezed Quatre’s clenched fists gently, silently offering him some comfort. He had surpassed his urge to hug Quatre as the ambassador was around. Public affection to a slave might have consequences. He would not risk Quatre being hurt.

“So Quatre is here,” in the end, it was Wufei broke the silence. He could see how the silence was affecting Quatre, “can we get started on the reason we are gathered here?”

“Oh yes,” the ambassador snapped out of his thoughts.

He could see how scared his master was. Was it because of him or was it because of his master, the prince? He had heard of the treatment of slaves in this foreign country. He hated to think of what his master had endured during his disappearance.

“I will cut straight to the point,” Rashid said as he looked at Quatre, “I hope that you, Master Quatre, can return back to Mag.”

“No! I am not going back!” Quatre glared as he stood up, “I am not going.”

“But Master Quatre, His Majesty is worried sick! You have to return,” Rashid pleaded as Quatre shook his head, tears falling.

“Don’t call me Master! I am no longer a master! I am a slave! I have been a slave for years! All of you don’t want me so forget about me! I am happy here! I don’t want to go back!” Quatre shouted at the ambassador as Trowa tried to calm him down.

“Quatre, calm down please,” Trowa said gently as he wrapped his hands around his slave, trying to calm him down.

“Please,” Quatre begged as he turned to look at his master, “please Trowa, I don’t want to go back! I want to be here! I want to be with Duo and Wufei and everyone! I want to stay here with you, please!”

“Calm down, Quatre, Prince Trowa will listen to you,” Wufei comforted as he moved towards the blonde.

“I really don’t want to go back,” Quatre pleaded tearfully as he sat down beside Trowa again. This time Trowa wrapped his arms around Quatre gently, trying to show that he cared.

“Of course, you can do whatever you want, little one. No one will force you,” Trowa answered gently, “we just want to know more about you.”

“I think it will be better to let Quatre do the talking. He can decide what he wanted to tell us or not,” Treize suggested, “I trust Quatre to tell us what is important.”

“I agree,” Heero said for the first time Quatre had entered the room, “he should tell us what he wanted.”

“It’s okay. I trust all of you here with what Rashid had to say but…” Quatre hesitated, “but I don’t think you all will trust me after you heard what he had to say.”

“It’s okay, little one. Nothing will change after we hear anything. I am sure of that,” Trowa assured Quatre before glaring at the ambassador as if daring him not to say anything he will regret.

“Why don’t you start to tell us who you are?” Treize asked, “I still think you should do the talking since you are the person in question. I know that nobody here wants to talk about you like you are not here.”

“I… though it is hard to believe, I think I trust Rashid to reveal all about my past and I … I don’t feel like relieving all those memories. It… it hurts,” Quatre said quietly, “please?”

“Of course it’s okay. No one will make you do anything you don’t want to,” Wufei answered before he glared at the ambassador as well. He could understand Quatre’s feelings. He too had memories he rather not relieve.

“I don’t agree. I don’t trust him as I trust you, Quatre,” Heero stated as he turned his glare from the ambassador to look at the blonde in concern.

Rashid was getting more and more nervous with more glares being thrown at him. However, he was glad that his master’s friends or rather, his master’s master and those ranked higher than his master cared that much for him. At least he knew that Master Quatre was in good hands. He was not treated as poorly as those slaves that he had encountered so far in Gundam.

“How about you give us a summary and we get the details from Rashid?” Treize proposed, “However, we will not get details if you do not wish for us too.”

“It’s okay,” Quatre gave them a brave smile, “I have nothing to hide. Just that I feared that none of you would want to treat me the same after hearing my past. However, with all the kindness you had shown me since I was here, I think you all deserved to know my past.”

“Speaking of which, since Duo is not here, do you think you can tell him about this as well, Prince Heero? I mean the parts where you feel that he might want to know or are safe for him to know,” Quatre added.

Duo was his best friend in this castle. He felt that Duo deserved the right to know about his past just like the others. However, he had witnessed how protective Prince Heero was. Prince Heero did not even allowed Duo to wander around alone, fearing for his safety. It was cute for them to watch but to Duo, Prince Heero was restricting his freedom. He was upset about it, thinking that the prince did not trust him. But then again, Prince Heero always managed to cheer the upset boy up in a short while. It was sweet.

Heero nodded and gestured for Quatre to start. Quatre took a deep breath and started.

“My name is Quatre Raberba Winner. I am the only son of King Zayeed Winner and Queen Katherine Winner of Mag,” Quatre paused for a moment before he added “Well, I do have twenty-nine sisters” as an afterthought.

“Twenty-nine onnas? How do you survive?” Wufei blurted before he blushed and muttered an apology.

Quatre giggled, “I knew that you will say that!”

“And I think you have been spending too much time with Duo,” Trowa teased, knowing that Quatre was using this to ease off the shock he had given them with the revelation that he was a prince.

“I knew that I should have separated them more often even if Duo can’t speak! Now we have another hyperactive pranking monster with us! This is injustice!” Wufei started to rant before Treize stopped him.

“Come on, Dragon. Do you think Duo would not influence Quatre if they spend less time together? You have to admit Duo is too much a force to stop if he wants something. Or if he wants to play a prank. Nothing stops him,” Treize gave a chuckle, catching a glare from Heero.

“Can we get back on the topic?” Heero growled as he knew that the rest of them were edging to the topic of how he was never able to reject any requests from the braided baka.

“I am sorry, Prince Heero. Just could not resist,” Quatre apologized before his expression turned serious again, “I was thirteen when I met the Maganac Corps.”

With that, Quatre could not help but looked over at Rashid. He remembered the first time they met. It was a few years back.

“Welcome to the Maganac Corps’s village, Prince Quatre,” that was the first thing Rashid had said to him when he first met him.

He had snorted and chose to ignore the man. He was such a spoiled prince then, thinking that he was above them.

“Some things happened. Nothing major. Then it was when I was fifteen that things went out of hand,” Quatre continued.

Blood started to pool from below the portrait and screams echoed around the room. It was a while before he realized that he was the one screaming.

“My powers started to get out of hand. There was an accident and my powers were no longer able to be ignored. My father had decided to send me away to a teacher to help me with my powers. I think the teacher was someone named Instructor H,” Quatre said uncertainly, “my father… my family was ashamed of me. They don’t want anyone to know about my powers. So they sent me away. They don’t want me there with them.”

He thought he heard someone protest but memories flooded his vision…

“I don’t want to go, Father!”

“No, Quatre! You have to go.”

“But Father! Why can’t we invite the teacher into the castle? I don’t want to go there!”

“Listen to what you are saying, Quatre! I thought you are no longer the spoiled prince after the encounter with the Maganac Corps. You will have to do as I say! Grow up, boy!”

“But… Father! Please let me stay! I have a bad feeling about this!”

“No Quatre! You have to learn to control your powers! We can’t let you stay here till you do that! So stop your protests! You are a prince act like one!”

“But Father! Are… are you ashamed of me?”

“Do you really want me to answer that, son?”

“I…I… Father… I understand…”

“Then go, Quatre, you are wasting my time with your nonsense! And you are to set off alone. Consider that your training. What king can you be if you are such a coward?”

“But Father… I am not afraid…I have a very bad feeling about this!”

“Stop finding excuses! Don’t use your emotions as a guide! You should think with your brain sometimes and not your heart! So go! Get out of here!”

“I… but Father! I…I … I understand…”

I had begged Iria after that. It was a very bad feeling. But then they sent me away… they are really ashamed of having a freak in the family… Quatre thought, now that Trowa and the others knew. They are going to send me away as well. They might have thought it was safe for me to stay here before but now that they heard about how my family had reacted, they are going to send me away! I’m sure they would! They will never look the same at me again, knowing I am an outcast from my family.

Someone hugged him from behind. It was a warm hug. It was as if the person was trying to tell him that he was safe here. The hug brought him out of those upsetting memories. The hug told him that he was not someone to be ashamed of.

It was Trowa. Someone he had met less than a month ago. Yet, he was someone he trusted with his life, with his heart. Someone he knew that would protect him. His master, Prince Trowa. Quatre thought Trowa would be disgraced by him. Trowa ought to send him away. Far away, maybe back to the slavers, far far away. So Quatre would not bring shame to him.

“You are not a shame to anyone, little one. You can stay here. I will not send you away. I am not ashamed of you. I am proud to have a peace knight with me, Quatre. But you can leave if you want,” Trowa whispered.

“But even my family sent me away. I am a freak!” Quatre protested weakly.

“No that’s not true, Master Quatre!” Rashid protested loudly, “Your Majesty was not ashamed of you! It’s just that…”

“Just what, Rashid! He almost admitted that himself! Father did not want me as his son! He had disowned me when he sent me away!” Quatre yelled angrily.

“It’s Earl Douglas,” Rashid said abruptly.

“What? What about Douglas?” Quatre asked, puzzled at the sudden change in topic. He failed to see how his cousin had to do with his family sending him away.

“The assassin was Douglas,” Rashid said simply.

“It can’t be,” Quatre said softly, “you are joking…”

“What’s wrong, Quatre? Why are you hiding here?”

“Go away! Leave me alone!”

“Sorry, cousin dearest but I am concerned about you. Come on, my prince, why are you crying in the cave?”

“I say leave me alone, Douglas!”

“Well, not sure I can do that Iria is worried sick about you, you know. Why are you hiding here?”

“Are you deaf? I said leave me alone!”

“Quatre, don’t push me away! Didn’t you say that I am like your big brother? Little brother should not hide his problems from his big brother, you know!”

“But you are leaving! You don’t want to be my brother!”

“… It’s that what you are crying about? Quatre, you are upset because I am leaving this palace?”

“Yes! Why are you leaving? Why do you need to go to the castle near the border?”

“Cousin, you know about the bandits right? I volunteered to fight them off.”

“But why? You might get hurt. You are safer here.”

“Quatre, you do know that as a part of the royal family, you are required to protect your people?”

“I know, but there are so many other people? You are only eighteen. Why should you go?”

“Quatre, do you think that age matters if you know you can help people no matter how young you are? Will you leave your people to die, just because you are too young? Or will you do whatever you can to save your people?”

“……”

“I think you understand, cousin. We grow up together. Though you might be a spoiled brat at times, I know you are kind and care a lot about other people. One day, you will be a great king, like your father. And if that day comes, I hope to be helping you. In order to do that, I need to gain more experience if I want to be able to give you good advice, Quatre.”

“But…”

“Quatre, just remember my words, okay? Be someone who cares about others and not be a selfish man, like my father?”

“……”

“I am leaving tomorrow, cousin. So promise me you will try your hardest to learn and be a great king?”

“…I promise…”

And that was the last time I had been, Douglas. I have always missed his gentle smile and comforting words, Quatre thought, but he couldn’t be the person who tried to kill me! He couldn’t! He wanted to be my advisor! Why would he try to kill him? It makes no sense!

“I am so sorry, Master Quatre. We tried to keep it from you. The assassin you killed was indeed Earl Douglas. We did not learn about his motives but His Majesty suspected Duke Acht but there was no evidence,” Rashid explained, “however, the duke not only refused to admit that his son was the assassin, he accursed His Majesty of murdering his only heir.”

“I killed him…” Quatre trailed off in shock, “I killed my own cousin with my uncontrolled power… Douglas… my big brother… my advisor…”

“His Majesty had no choice but to send you away to learn to control your power, Master Quatre. He kept the identity of the assassin from you to protect you. No one was supposed to say anything to you, Master Quatre. All of us knew how close the two of you had been,” Rashid explained as he looked at his trembling master.

“Quatre,” Trowa said gently as he tightened his hug, please be okay, my little one.

“Duke Acht had managed to rope in almost all the nobles to threaten His Majesty. His Majesty might be the king but he could not do everything. He could not go against all his advisors. He had no choice but to send you away to learn to control your powers,” Rashid explained, “however, he wanted to make sure that you are safe, Master Quatre. We had no idea if the duke would try another attack on you, Master. His Majesty told the nobles that you are going to the Desert to look for a hermit master when you are actually going south. A small troop was sent out as a decoy while you sent off that day.”

“What happened then?” Quatre whispered out the question. He had a very bad feeling.

“They did not return. Not one of them,” Rashid replied as he looked at the floor, “we did not know if any of them survived or not. But there were no bodies found.”

“How many?” Quatre asked. His mind told him that the decoy had to make up of people who were always by his side to make it more believable.

“Fifteen,” Rashid said quietly, knowing Quatre was going to be very upset with this piece of news. At least he would understand that he was really in danger then.

“I…I... Trowa?” Quatre looked towards the person he had grown to trust in the few weeks, “can I have some time alone in the garden? I… I need some time to think…”

“Of course you can, little one,” Trowa replied soothingly, “just stay in the garden.”

“Thanks, Trowa,” Quatre replied mechanically as he walked unsteadily towards the door. He really needed to sort his thoughts.

“Will Master Quatre be okay?” Rashid asked as he watched the door close behind Quatre.

“He will be safe in the garden. We can see him from that window,” Treize answered as he glanced towards the window where Trowa was already staring out at, “he needs time to digest the information he had just received. And I think we all need to.”

“What are you going to do with Quatre?” Heero asked, straight to the point, “Are you taking him back to Mag?”

“Yes, but only if he wants to. I am not going to force Master Quatre to do anything he did not want to do. He had been through a lot,” Rashid replied.

“Good. Because if you are forcing him, I am not sure what I will do with you. Most likely nothing pretty,” Trowa glared at the ambassador seriously.

tbc....