FicWad

"Duo! Wake up. I don't care what you said before, but I will be doing what I had previously stated. What you knew I would be doing! If you don't, well, I'll cut all of your clothes to threads! Threads Duo! Do you hear me?"

Staring groggily at the amazingly loud and high pitched Hilde; Quatre briefly wondered how anyone could do this so early in the morning, shouting ear damaging words. Then as his mind went over the words, Quatre directed his gaze to Duo.

The other slumping man was spooning soggy cereal into his mouth mechanically, eyes shut and with his hair disheveled. Duo hadn't flinched at Hilde's yells, his hand had still reached out, searching for something and a mug was grasped. Duo then brought it with some measure of relief and minor grunting to his already open mouth. Quatre and Hilde both noticed that he needed to floss with a sense of disgust.

Tipping the contents down his throat, Duo gurgled and let out a sigh as the freshly squeezed orange juice hit his taste buds with a rush. An expression of extreme bewilderment crossed Duo's face as he hastily swallowed.

"What," Duo said slowly, his mouth stumbling over the word. Duo opened his eyes and stared, horrified, at the innocent juice. "What was that?"

"Orange juice, Duo, it comes from a fruit, orange strangely enough." Quatre spoke calmly, eyes lighting up with amusement, "You drink it," Stirring his tea, Quatre took a deliberate sip.

Shooting Quatre an irritated glare, Duo's attention shifted back to the juice, "No, what I mean is, where the hell is the coffee?" Duo's eyes scanned the clean and spotless shelves of the kitchen with desperation.

"Well, Duo, you see, there is none. I don't drink it." Quatre pointed to his tea and took another sip, "Tea is my cup of tea. Anyway," Quatre continued, "Coffee can be terribly unhealthy and addictive."

Turning slowly to face Quatre, his red veined eyes bulging, Duo choked out harshly, "No coffee?"

"Nope." Another sip followed by a sigh of contentment.

Duo's eyebrow twitched sporadically, "No caffeine?" In a hoarse whisper he spoke

"Well," Quatre racked his brain for any caffeine in the house.

"Yes?" Duo leaned forward, his eyes lighting up and his messy braid swinging erratically behind him.

"Coke, I think I have some coke." Duo sat up, grinning. "But," and sagged back mournfully in his seat, "I believe it is over twenty years old."

"Well," Duo said, looking at his knuckles with regret, "I won't be driving today."

"Hmmm." A slurpy sip, followed by excessive gurgles of happiness.

"Shut up Quatre."

"Duly noted."

Hilde sighed. "Now if you two young boys could get your mind back to what I was saying - "

"Why were you yelling?" Quatre asked, looking at the annoyed Hilde. "It's way too early for that. I think you scared away the birds," Duo nodded from behind him, then mocked killed Quatre.

Giving Quatre a level stare, Hilde turned to Duo, "I'm coming, stop being such a baby about it."

"Well, what I don't get is why you have to come, I mean you won't be much help. What - "

"Duo, I just want to go there, to see what I can do. Remember, I signed up to be a back up as well- "

"And I was against that from the start. Hilde, I don't," his eyes were wide open and pleading. "I don't want to see you hurt like that again. It took you months - "

"So you think I want that?" Hilde shook her head wearily, "I just want," she waved her hand around helplessly, "To help. Like you. Can't you see that?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to see you die." Duo stated bluntly.

"You think I do?" Hilde retorted, "I don't want to die, but people are already dead. I want to help so that more people don't die, so they have at least have a chance. Duo, isn't it best to have one life lost than ten? A thousand? The world?" Hilde pressed on, Looking Duo deeply in his eyes.

Calmly, if sadly, regarding her Duo sighed, "But can't you see Hilde? Those people aren't you. I don't love those people - "

"So you don't love," Hilde looked around, rather wildly, "Quatre!"

Duo looked startled, "Well yeah." And at Quatre's pink flush, Duo hastily amended, "But as a buddy. Quatre's way too pale, no offense, I like 'em dark."

"None taken," Quatre murmured, sipping his tea thoughtfully.

"But Hilde, I would rather lose a thousand nobodies than lose someone I love. Jeez, Hilde, Quatre isn't the same as you, he can hold his own - "

"And I can't?" Hilde cut in. "You've changed," she went on, "You're not the same."

"Hilde, I think that has been already proven," Duo said coldly, pointedly. Ignoring her latter words.

"I - "

This time Quatre broke in, "Look, Duo, Hilde. How 'bout a compromise?" They slowly nodded and then resumed glaring. "Duo, Hilde goes." Duo's jaw dropped. "But HQ is already manned, so there is not much chance of her doing anything dangerous, more than helping clean up." Hilde bristled. "Sorry if that came out poorly, but at the moment, most backup and reserves have already been called up. It's overstaffed for the time being. But there must be something you can do"

Grumbling, Hilde answered, "I suppose."

"Yeah," Duo muttered.

"Good! Now if you two could be quiet. I'll finish my tea in peace and silence," Quatre took a sip for measure as both Duo and Hilde refocused their gaze on him. "It's good. Sure you don't want some?"

"I'm sure," Duo said intently, nonetheless he picked up the kettle and sloshed it about thoughtfully, a considering, wicked expression on his face.

"Don't you dare!" Quatre warned.

Duo grinned.


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

"You ready to leave?" Quatre asked, looking at the freshly washed and dressed Duo and Hilde.
Running a hand through her short dark hair, Hilde held her thumb up. Duo in his second attempt to put on his jacket, muttered, "Oh, damn!" Rushing back up the stairs, he waved a hand, broad and with all five fingers outstretched in Hilde and Quatre's faces, in the universal gesture of five minutes. "I have to make a call!" Duo yelled as he rounded a corner.

Sighing, Quatre glanced at his watch and when his head and popped up again, Quatre noticed Hilde doing the same. They exchanged weak and impatient grins.

"He always like this?"

Hilde turned and considered Quatre, "Well, really, it started slowly. Like he was rebelling against a schedule of time limits, he hates 'em, and hates it when I impose them on him. He was doing his own thing. Now I think he only does it to annoy me!" Hilde laughed. Quatre soon joined in.

Swaggering down the stairs, Duo grinned with a touch of confusion and humour. "Hey! What are you laughing about?"

Which only made them laugh more.

"Riiight, let's go!" Duo muttered. Still smiling they followed him out of the door, which was strangely free of all press corps.

Looking around, Hilde glanced at Quatre, "How - ?"

Cutting in smoothly, Quatre smirked, "I have a few friends in high places." Eyes lighting up, Duo nodded in understanding.

"Um, who?"

"No one to worry your pretty head over, Hilde, just for us men!" Duo suavely said as he opened the driver's seat door and gave a smarmy wink.

Catching the door, Quatre jerked it back open, "Out, Duo."

Duo moaned and clutched with longing at the leather-lined steering wheel. "But Quatre!" He whined, desperately, "It's so - "

"Mine, shove it."

With a moan, Duo slunk out, sending Quatre loath filled and sullen glances.

"I hate you!" Duo pouted.

Chuckling, Quatre murmured, "As do I."

Sliding into the seat, he flashed Duo a grin, then as Duo glared and poked his tongue out, Hilde stole the front seat from him. She was giggling as Duo was left with the back seat. Crossing his arms, Duo huffed angrily as he sulked in the black leather interior. Shifting into gear, Quatre exited the driveway, ignoring Duo's face twisting into grostesque visage as he made faces.

"No!" Duo yelled, "Don't go left, go right, there's a short cut that way."

"I think I know L4 a little better than you do, Duo." Quatre answered.

"Fine, don't take my wonderfully correct and time saving short cut, see if I care!" Duo snapped "If I was driving," he then mumbled.

"Very well, we'll go your way," Quatre said with amusement. Turning right the three people rode in silence more or less, except for Duo's excited directions as he recovered from not driving.

So far the directions had left them driving in a less than reputable part of L4. Quatre glanced around with concern. He didn't know these streets very well. Turning sideways for a second and (drop the and replace with he) spoke, "Are you sure we are going the right way?"

"Uh, yeah?" Was Duo's less than credible answer.

"Duo - "

The windscreen darkened suddenly and a thud was heard. Putting the pressure on the breaks, Quatre gripped the steering wheel stiffly, knuckles turning white and pinched as the car shuddered to a stop.

"What - "

A man came up to Quatre's door, hand gripping the handle a moment after Quatre had locked the car. In frustration the man's fist slammed against the window on Quatre's side. Backing off slightly, Quatre eyed the man carefully and warily as his fingers reached below his seat. Glaring at the man, Quatre's eyes narrowed. The man outside squinted at Quatre, (his) eyes taking in Hilde and Duo.

They were clearly unexpected as, the man eyes darted to them nervously. Fingers twitching, he reached into the heavy, dark coat he wore.

The man slowly grinned when he pulled a gun out of his coat and aimed it at Quatre's head.