“Do you know who I am?” he asked quietly, not quite knowing what to say. He just wanted Duo to say something, anything, to reassure Heero that he could talk again. That last night had been real.
Duo nodded. “Of course,” he murmured, and Heero was overcome with relief to hear the words. “You’re Heero.”
Heero fought to stop the smile that threatened to conquer his face, at the way that Duo had said that. He recognized Heero immediately, and expected him there. But his elation was short-lived, because Duo spoke again without his prompting.
“Who... am I?”
Any thoughts of smiling were banished instantly by the helpless disorientation on Duo’s face. That’s what I want to know, don’t you understand? he railed silently, though none of the words made it out of his closed throat. It’s best that you don’t remember, Gods know it can only be a mercy, but I want to know who you are, what you are, how it is you make me feel... “Last night, you told me your name, Duo,” he offered at last. “Didn’t you?”
“I... yes.” Duo lifted one hand to his head, and then stared at it, bewildered, as though he had never seen it before. “I remember... that, but... not...” He trailed off, watching his hand slowly open and close. Abruptly, his eyes snapped back into focus and he looked around, almost panicked. “Where is -- where are my...”
“Your what?” Heero repeated intently.
“I don’t -- know.” Duo’s hand closed into a fist around one of the blankets. The moment of clarity, of fear, dissolved slowly back into safe uncertainty. “I don’t know...”
Silence fell, and left Heero at a loss. “I think it’s time for breakfast,” he finally said, knowing even as he spoke how inane it must sound. “I’ll only be gone for a few minutes... is there anything in particular you want to eat?” Duo stared at him for so long that Heero began to be worried for him, before finally the words seemed to register. After a moment’s hesitation, he shook his head, and looked down. Heero waited a minute more, for Duo to say something, before slowly rising from the edge of the bed and exiting from the tent.
Re: Spoil of War, prologue
Date: 2006-02-27 11:22 pm (UTC)“Do you know who I am?” he asked quietly, not quite knowing what to say. He just wanted Duo to say something, anything, to reassure Heero that he could talk again. That last night had been real.
Duo nodded. “Of course,” he murmured, and Heero was overcome with relief to hear the words. “You’re Heero.”
Heero fought to stop the smile that threatened to conquer his face, at the way that Duo had said that. He recognized Heero immediately, and expected him there. But his elation was short-lived, because Duo spoke again without his prompting.
“Who... am I?”
Any thoughts of smiling were banished instantly by the helpless disorientation on Duo’s face. That’s what I want to know, don’t you understand? he railed silently, though none of the words made it out of his closed throat. It’s best that you don’t remember, Gods know it can only be a mercy, but I want to know who you are, what you are, how it is you make me feel... “Last night, you told me your name, Duo,” he offered at last. “Didn’t you?”
“I... yes.” Duo lifted one hand to his head, and then stared at it, bewildered, as though he had never seen it before. “I remember... that, but... not...” He trailed off, watching his hand slowly open and close. Abruptly, his eyes snapped back into focus and he looked around, almost panicked. “Where is -- where are my...”
“Your what?” Heero repeated intently.
“I don’t -- know.” Duo’s hand closed into a fist around one of the blankets. The moment of clarity, of fear, dissolved slowly back into safe uncertainty. “I don’t know...”
Silence fell, and left Heero at a loss. “I think it’s time for breakfast,” he finally said, knowing even as he spoke how inane it must sound. “I’ll only be gone for a few minutes... is there anything in particular you want to eat?” Duo stared at him for so long that Heero began to be worried for him, before finally the words seemed to register. After a moment’s hesitation, he shook his head, and looked down. Heero waited a minute more, for Duo to say something, before slowly rising from the edge of the bed and exiting from the tent.