disclaimer: the boys aren't mine. i just manipulate them for my own personal enjoyment.

rating: *this fic is not yet rated*
feedback: it's necessary to live...so, yes!
warnings for entire fic: shounen-ai/yaoi, angst, duo/heero torture, language, small lemon-ish spots(?), AU (AC 200)
spoilers: none
pairings: odd....can't explain but it involves heero and duo and 3X4 implied.

notes: another one that came to me in dreamscape. yes, i know, i have weird dreams. you should see what happens after i eat pepperoni pizza ^_~

//heero's thoughts//
:: duo's thoughts ::


momentary lapse of reason
part 12


It had been 10 days since Duo woke from his coma. Heero continued to spend a better part of each day rebuilding their relationship. During the evenings and on weekends, Heero deferred his time spent with Duo to Quatre, Trowa and Wufei, allowing them to spend as much time as possible with their braided friend.

Wednesday morning found the four young men seated at the kitchen table.

"I'm taking an indefinite leave of absence from work." Heero announced.

His words were met with three sets of wide eyes.

"Heero?" Quatre questioned. "Why? Duo seems to be coming along just fine."

"He will need someone to help care for him though, Quatre." Wufei added. "Especially after he comes home."

"We can get a nurse for that." Quatre replied curtly, looking in Heero's direction. "It shouldn't be Heero's responsibility to take care of him."

Heero looked sharply up at Quatre. There was no reason he should understand, the tone of his voice rubbing Heero the wrong way nonetheless. "Duo is not a responsibility. "

"I didn't mean it like that, Heero." the blonde replied, looking over at Trowa.

"I think what Quatre means, Heero, is that you have been spending a great deal of time with Duo and you could probably use a break. He is making great progress."

Heero stood and placed his hands on the back of his chair, pushing it back under the table. "He is making great progress because I am there with him..... not some stranger."

Quatre looked over at Heero, the look in his eyes unsettling the blonde. "Yes, Heero.... that is true, but..."

"No buts.... Are you going to inform Lady Une of my decision or should I?" Heero asked.

Quatre nodded and Heero turned to exit the room, leaving three very confused young men to follow his retreat.

++++++++

The three sat in silence for several minutes after Heero had left the room.

"What was that all about?" Quatre inquired.

"I think he's a bit on edge. He has been through a lot with Duo these past few weeks.... more so than the rest of us." Wufei added.

"He could have asked for help." Quatre replied.

"I don't think he wanted help, little one." Trowa told the blonde "He's certainly made it clear he doesn't want any now."

"Do you think we should have offered him more support?" Quatre began. "I mean... we did kind of just throw this all at him. He was pretty hesitant in the beginning......."

"He is more than capable of handling it. We all know Heero well enough to know that if he didn't want to do this, he wouldn't be." Wufei told them.

Quatre and Trowa nodded.

"He seemed kind of ....I don't know...possessive? Didn't he?" Quatre asked as he looked at the others, trying to gauge their response. "Or was it just me?"

"I think protective would be a better word, Quatre.... and yes.. he did." Trowa replied, smiling at his lover.

"Yes.... protective..." Quatre agreed. "I suppose that's understandable..."

++++++++

Heero had decided against his standard a.m. visit with Duo given his current frame of mind, instead spending a good part of the morning handling various tasks around the house he had let fall by the wayside while he tended to Duo. The discussion held over breakfast had perturbed him.

Quatre's assertion that Heero could possibly view Duo as some sort of burden angered him. Heero clenched his fists as he replayed the blonde's words over in his head. The fact that none of them knew his true feelings for the braided young man played little part in the general feeling the conversation left him with. Aside from allowing an occasional intervention by Sally, the five had rarely relied on outsiders to take care of one of their own in the past.

The fact that Duo was in need of long-term assistance didn't change that..... he couldn't imagine how anyone could think it would.

+++++++

Heero hurried about the house, the routine chores allowing him to calm down before he left for the hospital. Grabbing his jacket from the hall closet, he prepared to exit the house, pausing at the front door as the telephone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Heero. It's me." Heero envisioned the smile on Duo's face.

"Morning, Duo. I'm on my way there now. I had some things here at home to take care of."

"No problem, Heero." Duo replied. "Take your time."

"Since I have you on the line...anything you want me to bring you?" Heero asked.

"How about some clothes? I'm coming home today."

on to part 13

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