Author's Note: Second story in the 'Heart' arc. Hope you like!
A Glimpse into a Soldier's Heart Part 2
II. A Brush and Two Broken Hands
God dammit, you stupid little son-of-a-bitch! Stupid! You stupid STUPID air headed, egomaniac bum! How stupid do you have to be to break BOTH hands!!! Heero, it's all your fault! If you hadn't gotten yourself into a shit load of trouble... But no... you just had to play it tough! And now look at me! I can't use two freaking HANDS!!!!!!
I curse myself as Heero helps me over to my bed, and I do my best to make it difficult for him. I lean all my weight upon him and refuse to move so he'll have to drag me all the way. Now don't look at me like that, I'm not acting like a baby. Because of him and his stupid suicidal needs, I am practically crippled! This is the LAST time I do ANYTHING in order to save his sorry ass.
Heero keeps silent as ever. I bet he knows how angry I am. And I should be! He didn't even say he's sorry. He didn't even thank me! Not that I'm looking for gratitude, but a simple acknowledging 'Hn' would have been nice. You know, just so I'll feel like he gives a damn about something other than trying to get killed.
But he remains cold and indifferent even as he helps me lie down and take off my shirt. Wordlessly, he retrieves the first aid kit from under my bed and begins to tend my broken bones. I prepare myself for a painful treatment, looking away and closing my eyes tight. Hey! I'm not a crybaby! Did you see how this guy tends his own broken bones? Just thinking about what he'll do to mine makes my feet all shaky.
I feel something cool and soothing touch my aching and broken wrists and I look down to see what he is doing. His slender fingers are busy smearing some ointment onto my skin. I look up at him in question, but his gaze is fixed on my injured arms, his features seem deeply concentrated, almost careful, as he rubs the cream onto my injury.
A few moments pass and I suddenly feel my arms go numb. I look up at him again, surprised. "What is this stuff?" I whisper.
Heero doesn't answer at first; instead he bends towards the first aid kit, looking for something. "It will make the pain go away." He answers quietly, turning back to me.
I watch him as he fixes my broken bones, his touch always gentle, careful and caring. He's got this thoughtful look on his face, as if he's trying really hard not to hurt me. God damn him, how can I be angry with him when he's like this? Damn you Yuy, you always seem to know how to surprise me with your uncharacteristic behavior.
After a few minutes he finishes up and closes the kit. With no further words or contact, he gets up and walks over to his own bed. I watch him, still shocked, as he sits down, the laptop on his lap, and he begins to write the mission report.
I sigh. Again he pulled away. One moment he is gentle and caring, the next he is as talkative as a wall. I just don't know how to get through to him anymore. And it's beginning to drive me crazy!
* * *
With nothing better to do during the evening I drag my injured self into the bathroom, wanting nothing more than a nice long and warm shower. I take my time in there, struggling to take off my cloths with two injured arms. I have no idea how I manage it, not to mention turning on the water!
I curse as I try to wash my hair, but I can't even grab the shampoo bottle!
I throw it to the floor in frustration and curse. I hate this state!
Giving up on my long relaxing shower, I stomp back into the room, water dripping down of my wet hair, soaking my tee shirt with water. Dammit, I couldn't even dry my hair properly.
I slump down on the bed, back facing my ungrateful partner, sulking. My hair falls all around me, all wet so it clings to my body. Oof! I hate this; I can't even brush it or braid it in my current state. I swear I'll kill you for this Heero.
I gasp as I feel the bed shift and I turn to see why. My eyes widen as they meet two cobalt blue orbs that look down at me with mild amusement.
"Turn around." Heero orders quietly and I glare at him.
"What for?!" I ask harshly. Don't you even think about sucking up to me now, Heero. Not that you ever will, but a guy can dream, right?
Heero sighs irritably and puts two hands on each of my shoulders, turning me around. Just before he disappears from my range of sight, I see that he is holding something in his hand. I must have been imagining, but I think it was a brush.
Wait a minute! My hairbrush?!
I gasp again as I feel the first soft stroke, as the brush runs through my wet hair.
"Hee-Heero..?" I mumble, shocked. "Wha-what are you doing?"
Must have been my imagination again, but I swear that he was chuckling. "I'm brushing your hair."
I roll my eyes. "I can see that. Why?"
He keeps silent and I have to bite my lips to keep from purring as he runs the brush through my hair with long, careful strokes. Again he had managed to surprise me. What's up with him? But I'm not complaining. I love it when he's like this. It's like we're real friends or something.
I know I shouldn't really speak, I'm afraid to break this almost serene moment, or to scare him off, but I have to.
"Heero?"
"Hn?"
I sigh, not really wanting to raise the topic right now. I'm afraid of his answer. "Why?"
"Why what?" He answers and I close my eyes as he slowly and gently draws the brush through my hair.
"Why are you being nice to me?"
The brush stops moving and I hold my breath. I'm afraid that he took it the wrong way and now he'll flee. Oh God, I screwed up, didn't I? Note to self- never rub Heero's humanity in his face. Never.
I gasp as I feel the brush continuing its gentle maneuvers again, and I hear Heero sigh. "Because I'm your friend."
I smile. "Really, you are?"
Heero snorts and taps my head with the brush. "Of course I am, baka."
Now I am grinning. "Thanks Heero." I can tell that he is shrugging. "No, I mean it, thanks."
He keeps silent, and continues his brushing. I wince as the brush gets caught in a tangle. But Heero's fingers go up and gently disentangle the hair before continuing his ministrations. I sigh pleasantly. His fingers do not leave my hair and I feel him following the brush's path with his fingers. I close my eyes and yawn lazily. This is heaven.
I nearly fall asleep as the soothing rhythm of his brushing goes on. After a long silent while, Heero draws the brush away and I whimper. I hear him chuckle again as he parts my hair into three even parts and then withdraw.
"Duo?"
His quiet voice barely registers in my numb mind. "Hmm?"
"How..?" He asks, running his fingers through my long hair. "I don't really know how to..." He explains, sounding a little uncomfortable.
My eyes snap open, and then I realize what he was talking about. "Oh. It's real easy. Take the middle part in one hand," I tilt my head back a bit as I feel his palm do as I told. "And then another in your second hand." I smile a little as I feel the uncertainty in his movement. "And put it over the middle part."
"Like this?" He asks as he does what I've told him to do.
I nod. "Yes. Now repeat the same with the left side, and then go back to the right."
"Oh." He lets out and I detect a smile in his voice. I feel the bed shift a little as he sits up on his knees. I close my eyes as he so carefully, so thoughtfully, braids my hair. His movements are slow and rhythmic as his brushing. It's so relaxing; I can't help but let my mind wonder as I surrender myself into his sensuous hands.
A pleasant silence falls over the dimly lit room and all I can hear is his light and even breathing.
"Duo?"
I really don't feel like talking now. "Mumm?"
"Do you mind if I'll ask you a question?"
He sounds so unsure of himself all of a sudden, I wonder what it is. "Sure. Shoot."
He sighs, his fingers placing another fold into my braid. "Why do you have such long hair?"
What a weird question coming out of a guy like him. I am so perplexed; I keep silent for a while. Heero's movements slow down and I think he interrupted my silence the wrong way.
"I don't mean to be hurtful, it's just that... I've never seen a boy with his hair as long as yours. You don't have to answer."
I chuckle and shrug. "It's okay, Heero. Really." I feel him relax and continue his work more confidently. I sigh before answering. "My hair is... it's like the only thing I have that's always with me, ya know? I feel more confident when I feel its weight on my head or when it taps against my body. I can't really explain it. It's a constant. I've always had it."
Call me a nut, but I feel him smile. He runs his fingers through the strands of hair that are not yet tied into the braid, and I shiver at his tender touch.
"Did you ever have such a thing, Heero? This one thing you can never let go of?" I dare to ask, my heart racing. I shouldn't have asked, right? This is Heero Yuy we're talking about here!
Heero nods and brushes his fingers through my hair again. "Yeah, I did." He chuckles. "It's stupid, really."
I turn around to face him. "Nothing like that is ever stupid, Heero." I inform him harshly. I look him deep in the eyes, smiling kindly. "What was it?"
He looks away, a little smile on his face. "Promise not to laugh?"
Oh God... what can it be?! I'm too anxious to talk, so I only nod slightly.
Heero looks back at me, smiling. He's so cute when he smiles. "When I was little," He begins, his voice soft and almost child like. "I had a teddy bear, I never went anywhere without it."
I smile as I see him blush with embarrassment. I put my hand on his, and look up at him seriously. "That's not stupid. It's adorable."
He gives me a mock-scowl. "Adorable? I. Am. Not. Adorable!"
Yes you are. "Of course not, Heero."
He chuckles and gently turns me around. He continues his work on my hair.
"What was his name?"
"Whose name?"
I sigh in irritation. "The teddy, what was his name?"
Again I can feel him smile. It's like someone had turned up this bright light in the back of my head. "His name was Yoshi."
I smile. "Cute. It's hard to picture you with a--OUCH!!!" I call out as he yanks my braid. "Okay, okay, NOT cute!"
Heero chuckles and straightens my hair back so he can continue.
Heero had a teddy bear. Who would have thought? Hee hee... maybe I'll buy him one for Christmas. Wouldn't you just love to see the looks on his face? Oh yeah... definitely what I'm gonna buy this Xmas.
"All done." Heero states and taps on my back. "Go to sleep now, Duo. You'll feel better in the morning."
I nod as I see him get up and walk towards his bed, back to the cursed laptop. I take a hold of my newly done braid and begin to play with it in my hands. I can't help but smile at his actions. He had managed to both cheer me up and make me forgive him, even though I had promised myself to not let him off the hook for this one.
I chuckle and throw myself back into the covers, sending my glance over to Heero. I watch him as he types up his mission report, his expression as concentrated and thoughtful like when he did my hair. But I got something the laptop didn't. I got to see the gentleness and caring in his eyes. And the laptop never got to see one of his wonderful smiles.
I turn my gaze up at the ceiling, still playing with my braid and I smile. I'll have a good sleep tonight, that's for sure.
"Night, Heero." I mumble as I turn to my side, covering myself tightly.
"Hn." He acknowledges, the typing never stop.
"Sleep well." I wish him. I'll see you in my dreams.
OWARI
Any smart remarks?