Kracken
Disclaimer:I don’t own them and I don’t make any money off of this.
Warning:Male/male sex, graphic, violence, language, Past NCS.
Shini Four
Aftermath
“Kong,” Wu Fei said suddenly over the sound of the helicopter.
Duo was leaning back into Heero’s loose embrace as they settled wearily into a corner of one of the seats near the window. “Kong?” he asked as Soda curled up at their feet.
Wu Fei looked embarrassed as he pulled his white dog in closer near his legs to let Kit and Grange toss in what was left of their equipment. Climbing in after, they threw the door shut and then lowered themselves onto the seat. “It means 'glorious'," Wu Fei explained. He smiled warmly down at his dog. “He was glorious today.”
Kong looked up and panted as if agreeing. Duo snickered, “Hey, he looked. That’s better than he’s done with any of the other names you’ve given him.”
“Rest,” Heero told him sternly and made Duo lean more heavily against his chest.
Duo sighed and didn’t argue.
“How are you?” Kit was asking Grange and touching the large bruise on his forehead.
Grange glared at Duo. “Better than can be expected after getting almost killed by that idiot!”
Duo tensed. Heero loosened his hold.
Wu Fei looked from Duo to Grange. “You panicked?” he asked Duo, putting the pieces together.
“I tried to keep him from being swept away by the water and he attacked me,” Grange accused. “What kind of agent does that in the middle of a water rescue?”
“He-He grabbed my cross, “ Duo explained softly and held the object in question tightly in one fist.
“I thought that it was a good choice considering how you usually react to people touching you,” Grange retorted.
Duo seemed to curl against Heero without hardly moving, something that was more mental than physical. “I’m sorry,” he managed. “I...” he couldn’t find an adequate explanation and fell silent, eyes downcast and mouth tight.
Wu Fei snorted. “Grange, grabbing Duo’s cross is on a level with someone grabbing your crotch during a rescue. While it is not a good thing to have reacted so strongly, I doubt that you could claim that, when presented with that scenario, that you could perform any better.”
“I was the one rescuing you, Grange” Heero added, “Duo dived into the water after you because he didn’t know what kind of condition you were in, whether you needed help staying above the water or not. You didn’t need his help.”
Grange scowled even more. “I’m not giving him a pass on this, Yuy.”
Duo said from the cover of his bangs. “You shouldn’t.”
Grange grunted. “I’m glad that you see it that way.”
Kit said angrily, "Hey! He jumped into that water, without hesitation, to save your ass! How can you say that he-”
“I can,” Grange retorted and leaned back into the seat, closing his eyes wearily.
“You’re reporting him,” Kit accused.
“Yes,” Grange said stiffly. “I’m sorry your trip was ruined, Kit, but Duo is an agent and people’s lives are in his hands, day in and day out. This is a flaw I can’t ignore.”
A medic opened the door and climbed in. Shutting the door behind him, he said , “Hang on, everyone. We’ re taking off.”
Hands reached for seat belts and straps and the helicopter lifted off.
The medic was a very thin, older man, with close shaved gray hair. He started taking equipment out of cases and asked, “Who’s first? Or should I ask, who’s worse?”
“Duo,” Heero said.
“Heero,” Duo said at the same time.
The man chuckled. “How about I look at you both first, then.” He eyed them. “You two ARE banged up, aren’t you?”
Soda cocked ears and the man froze.
“Nice, doggie,” the man said soothingly and looked at Duo and Heero questioningly.
“Yellow, Soda,” Duo said.
The man tentatively approached and Soda only watched. Feeling bolder, he began to reach out for Duo with a stethoscope. Duo twitched and Heero automatically kept the man from touching.
“Explain to Duo what you’re going to do before you do it,” Heero warned. “We were soldiers and we’re both agents now.”
“Hair triggers, eh?” the man grunted sympathetically and then held up the stethoscope to show Duo. "First off, I’m going to listen to your heart to see how stressed you are. If it’s bad, I’ll hook you up to one of the machines and monitor you. All right?” When Duo nodded, he slid the end of the stethoscope down the collar of Duo’s shirt to his heart. Duo shivered. Heero murmured reassurances in his ear.
“Running fast, but not too bad,” the man told him as he pulled the scope back out. “Experiencing any dizziness, shortness of breath, localized pain, head ache, backache, urge to ballroom dance...?”
Duo almost didn’t catch the last as he continued to shake his head no, but then he gave a light chuckle.
“Just scrapes and bruises then?” the man asked, smiling.
“I think so,” Duo replied.
“And you, Captain?” The man asked Heero next.
“I’m an agent, not a-,” Heero began.
“Just joking,” the man assured him.. “So...?”
“Scrapes and bruises,” Heero replied. “Duo is chill though, and he hurt his head and his wrist. You should check for-”
“I have the medical school sheepskin, captain,” The medic teased, “and I’m fine without an assistant.” He looked at Duo while Heero floundered. “Cold?” When Duo nodded, embarrassed, the man began taking plain blankets out of a compartment. “You’ll have to share. There’s only a few.” He eyed Heero. “I don’t think the Captain will mind though, right?” He smirked knowingly. “Now,” he said after Heero had wrapped a blanket around them. “I need to ask again, I think, any headache, Lieutenant Stoic?”
Duo blinked at him. “Just aches, like a bruise. It’s not throbbing, like a headache,” and then, “I get to be a lieutenant?"
“I can make you a Colonel if you want,” the man joked. “Checking your pupils and your skull,” he warned as he reached up cautiously and touched lightly. “Hm.... Hmmm... uh...nhh... nope, you’re fine. I can give you something for the pain.”
“It’s not that bad,” Duo replied.
“Grange!” Kit was arguing under her breath. “You can’t mean to report Duo! He doesn’t deserve that!
“He panicked in the water and endangered himself and me,” Grange snapped back. “That’s unacceptable."
“It is,” Duo interjected despondently.
“Water rescue?” The medic shivered as he turned towards Wu Fei to check out the scrapes and cuts he had received sliding down the rocky embankment. “I would have panicked too. Flood water scares me to death.”
“It wasn’t the water,” Duo said, almost whispering it.
The medic shrugged as he checked a particularly deep cut on Wu Fei’s forearm. “We all have things we can’t tolerate."
Grange asked irritably, “Could you be a medic if you were frightened of sterile gauze? Of people breathing on you? Of people touching you?”
“Grange!” Kit warned, disliking him revealing Duo’s personal problems.
The medic looked thoughtful. “That could make it harder, but, “he grinned, “I could always put on a mask and gloves. There’s ways around everything, just about.” He looked at Grange pointedly. “I guess you have to ask yourself whether you’d let someone die because of what you’re afraid of. Seems like you’re here in one piece, so maybe Colonel Stoic’s problems aren’t as bad as you make out?”
Grange was seething now. “He tried to kill me,” he revealed.
“That’s enough!” Heero snarled. “If Duo had been trying to kill you, Grange, you’d be dead!”
“He missed! “Grange snarled back.
Duo frowned. “I don’t know... “
Kit began to say something, but the helicopter took that moment to make a strange, loud noise.
Duo sat up, wide eyed, pushed the blanket off of him, and grabbed a strap. “Brace yourself! Engine trouble!”
“This trip is absolutely jinxed,” Kit ground out tensely as she made sure her seat belt was fastened and grabbed onto what she could.
Wu Fei nodded once. “Agreed.”
Heero reached and made sure the door was secure and then he grabbed for his own strap as the helicopter slewed sideways and down sharply.
The medic slammed against the door along with Kong. Soda managed to use his four feet to advantage and only slid slightly. Medical supplies went flying. Several sharp instruments went flying passed Heero, cutting him in the face and shoulder.
Metal ground on metal and then there was a violent impact. The helicopter rolled, flipping over the tree tops. Wood splintered and broke with explosive sounds. The side of the helicopter crumpled inwards and the door was suddenly not there. The medic had gained a strap and he kept himself from being sucked out, barely, legs braced and both hands locked tight on his lifeline.
Kong had slammed against what was left of the wall, and proceeded to roll with the helicopter. Wu Fei shouted his name, his heart in his eyes, wanting to save his dog, but unable to. Soda had managed to jam himself under a seat, but his safety was in question as well as he yelped and was tossed about in his tight space.
The helicopter dipped down and came to rest, suspended above the ground, a splintered tree trunk driving into the doorway and just missing the medic’s torso. It stopped mere inches from Grange’s chest. White lipped, Grange stared at those deadly wooden points.
“Okay, love?” Kit breathed.
“O-Okay,” Grange stammered, just as the helicopter slid another inch and those spikes came closer. “Shit!” he swore and fumbled at his seat belt.
The medic looked dazed. He wrapped his arms in the strap, twisting his body around as he tried to get the leverage to get back inside fully. “Broken leg,” he called to no one in particular, his right leg dangling and useless.
They were all hanging towards the torn open side of the helicopter. Shock wore off enough to allow action.
“Status!” Heero demanded, falling into soldier mode easily.
The medic blinked and then looked down past his feet. “About twenty four feet up. If you can climb, I think you can make it down.” The helicopter slid another inch. “This wreck’s going down, people. Mobile or not, you have to get the hell out now.”
“Rope?” Duo asked.
“Left compartment by your head, “the medic panted, the strain beginning to tell on him. “Repelling rope and rescue line.”
Duo braced himself against Heero and pushed himself up to reach the compartment. He pulled out the ropes and tied one securely to parts of the helicopter. That done, he let Heero hold him around the waist for support while he took off his shirt and ripped it into strips. Tying those strips around his hands, he created makeshift gloves.
"Seat belt is stuck!” Grange shouted in anguish.
Kit tried to come closer but she couldn’t without letting go of her strap. Grange waved her off. “Stay there!” he ordered.
“Yeah, stay put,” Duo said as he finished his preparations. “I’ll
save lover boy. “
Hooked up as if he were climbing a cliff, he repelled from his seat and hung
from his rope, wrapped hands manipulating the rope so that it lowered him to
where he could get at Grange. He pulled a knife from his boot and Grange started.
The medic slipped. His body jerked and his broken leg slammed against the broken edges of the door. He howled and almost lost hold of his strap. Duo instantly slid down the rope, even the makeshift gloves not saving him from rope burns, and he almost dived for the medic. One handed, he grabbed the man by the collar and then wrapped his legs firmly around the man’s waist. As he held the medic in place, he tied the man to another of the secured ropes that Heero tossed down to him.
“Hang around for a few minutes, “ Duo joked and climbed back up to Grange.
“That was pretty damned competent," the medic said in a pain filled pant.
“Thanks,” Duo replied absently as he cut at Grange’s belt. It came loose and Grange moved away from the danger of being impaled.
“Ready,” Heero said as he tightened a rope and repelled from his seat.
“By the numbers,” Duo said and Heero understood. Worst wounded first and dogs last, if at all.
“The pilots,” the medic reminded them.
Heero nodded and went to the door separating them from the pilot’s seats. He used his strength to open the buckled door and then peered inside. He took less than a second and then he was turning back.
“Well?” the medic demanded anxiously.
“Cockpit’s gone,” Heero replied l, death nothing new to him.
The medic wasn’t so calm. He started shaking, eyes wide. “Oh, my God! Marty...he-he had a family! Steve... jeez! He just started a week ago! They’re... they’re dead...”
Heero didn’t even nod, just assessed the people around him and then told Duo. “I’ll take the medic.”
“I’ve got Wu Fei,” Duo replied.
Wu Fei looked indignant. Duo waggled a finger at him as he came to rest on Wu Fei’s section of seat.
“You have a piece of metal through your lower leg, Chang,” Duo pointed out. “Stop hiding it and playing tough guy. I can see the damned blood dripping. You need to get down and get bandaged, pronto.”
Wu Fei still managed to look arrogant and not the least bit incapacitated as he reached for the rope.
“No,” Duo told him,” You have to hang on to me. There aren’t enough ropes and we have to do this quick.”
Wu Fei knew the consequences of touching Duo. He hesitated.
Duo told him impatiently. “Wu Fei, I’m ready. You aren’t going to surprise me. When I’m prepared, it’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”
“Hurry!” the medic urged as the helicopter slid again and wood cracked and splintered.
Very carefully, Wu Fei reached out and took hold of Duo. Duo shivered only a little and then smiled at Wu Fei. “Here we go. Elevator down.” and then let them go downwards as quickly as he could manage.
“Fire,” Wu Fei said as smoke came sharp to their noses.
“Of course,” Duo grunted as he tried to get their double weight down safely. Some of the debris had set several patches of forest on fire.
Heero wasn’t far behind with the medic as they touched the leaf strewn forest floor. It was littered with pieces of cockpit and Duo had a brief glimpse of the dead pilots before he turned back to business.
The medic settled next to Wu Fei and began to work, looking almost unconscious himself. His hands were shaking and his skin was pale. As he worked to stop the bleeding on Wu Fei’s leg, Wu Fei was taking things out of the man’s portable case to help the medic.
“I swear Wu Fei would die and help people bury him,” Duo grunted to Heero as he began climbing up again. Heero was a heartbeat behind him. “That man won’t admit to any weakness.”
“You’re wounded as well,” Heero pointed out. “You’re bleeding across your shoulder blades and your clothes are torn.
Duo grinned tightly. “Something rammed into me, but it’s okay,
just scratches.”
“So you say,” Heero retorted sourly.
“Someone has to do the rescuing, Heero, “ Duo pointed out. “And we two are the best at that, right?”
Heero grunted in amusement. "Yes, we are.”
“Then let’s do it,” Duo urged.
When they reached the helicopter again, Kit went with Heero, locked onto his back as he lowered them, hand over hand, down to the forest floor. Grange watched them anxiously and then glared at Duo perched next to him.
“I’m climbing, you hang on,” Grange growled.
“Hell, no, we don’t have time! “ Duo snarled.
“You almost killed me the last time you were in charge of the rescue!” Grange snarled back. “Why should I trust you now?”
“Like I said to Wu Fei,” Duo told him. “When I know what’s coming, I can handle it. Now, if you want me to leave you, I will. I do still have two dogs to rescue.”
Grange glared and then carefully reached out and wrapped himself around Duo. Duo swore at his weight. Wu Fei was almost as light as he was, but Grange must have weighed at least fifty pounds more.
“Shit!” Duo swore, giving up his pride all in an instant. “You’ve gotta do the climbing down. You’re too-”
The helicopter rolled. Taken by surprise, Grange lost his grip. He fell. Duo reacted instantly. He let out the tension in the rope and simply fell after him.
“This is going to hurt,” Duo muttered to himself even as he grabbed at Grange with arms and legs and brought the man in close. Grange wasn’t stupid, he twisted and grabbed at the rope, knowing what was going to happen when the rope ran out of slack.
The force of their sudden halt made them jerk, twirl, and cry out. Duo felt the rope snap taught and take some of his skin off at the same time. Duo’s arm broke near his wrist and his shoulder jerked out of it’s socket.
Heero was climbing up instantly and helping them down to ground level. Duo panted and bit by cries as he lay prone. Grange sprawled bonelessly next to him. The man was unconscious. “My elbow clocked him, I think, “ Duo slurred as he tried to shut off his pain enough to function. “Heero, I think you’d better-”
“He’s gone,” Kit was saying somewhere near his right ear. “He went after the dogs. We need to get out of here.”
“Cell phone,” Duo said as he forced himself to sit up.
“The medic passed out,” Kit told him. “Wu Fei is making the call.”
“Fire’s going to get worse,” Duo replied. “We need to evac, pronto.”
“Maxwell!” Kit exclaimed. “There is a helicopter above us about to make us into pancakes. That’s a bit more immediate. Can you walk?”
“I’m going to,” Duo told her and he ignored the pain as he tried to get up.
“They’ve already sent someone to investigate the fire and the smoke,” Wu Fei called. “I told them we need immediate pickup.”
“Heero?” Duo wondered as Kit put a shoulder under his arm and helped him stand. He tried looking up, but the pain and dizziness kept him from seeing anything.
“He’s coming down with Soda,” Kit told him.
Priorities, Duo thought. His lover would bring his dog before Wu Fei’s and risk his life to do it.
They moved away from the helicopter and found a rise of ground. Sitting down, Duo was suddenly nosed and checked over by Soda.
“Is Heero climbing again?” Duo wanted to know, but, when he looked
around, he saw that Kit had gone to help the others. “I should be helping
too,” he said to himself and managed to stand again. He took one step,
two, and then fell unconscious, the world spinning into nothingness.
_____________________________________
“This feels good,” Duo slurred as he became aware that he was
in a soft bed. He licked cracked lips with a dry tongue. A straw was put between
them and he sucked water greedily. Opening his eyes, he saw Wu Fei’s cool
expression. The man had risen from a chair with a crutch under one arm to give
Duo the drink.
“Sit the hell back down,” Duo rasped. “You were bleeding to
death, Chang. You should be the one in this bed.”
“So were you,” Wu Fei told him. “There was a deep wound in your shoulders.”
“Really?” Duo grunted, feeling thick bandages there. “I didn’t feel a thing when it happened.”
“Adrenalin,” Wu Fei surmised.
Duo looked around the room. It was obviously a hospital. “Heero?”
“Stepped out for a moment to attend to his needs,” Wu Fei replied with a slight blush.
“He went to take a leak?” Duo guessed with a smirk that hurt his mouth.
“Yes,” Heero said as he came back into the room. He was bandaged as well and bruises were livid on his face. He went to Duo’s bedside and lightly caressed Duo on the cheek.
“I will be outside,” Wu Fei said uncomfortably and then Duo noticed that he was in a wheelchair as he began wheeling it out of the door.
“Go back to your bed!” Duo called after him.
“He will be all right,” Heero told him and then he stroked Duo’s face again. His expression was so serious that Duo felt a knot in his gut form.
“What’s wrong?” Duo asked anxiously.
“Everyone is all right, “ Heero told him, “You, the medic, and Wu Fei were the only ones who needed to be hospitalized.
“Grange is okay?” Duo wondered. “I think my elbow hit him pretty damned hard.”
“He was checked out and released,” Heero replied.
“The dogs?” Duo was almost afraid to ask. He remembered Soda being rescued but he wasn’t sure of that memory. It was a relief when Heero nodded.
“They are all right.” Heero told him and then looked even more serious.
The knot in Duo’s stomach tightened even more. “Out with it!” Duo demanded. “Something’s going on!”
“Sally Po wants to speak with you,” Heero told him. “Grange reported to her as soon as he was released.”
Duo felt bitterness well up and he turned his face away. “Guess I’m getting my pink slip then.”
“I don’t know,” Heero admitted. “I told Grange that you weren’t to be disturbed for several days. We will discover Po’s verdict then.”
Heero settled on the side of the bed and took Duo’s hand in his. His blue eyes seemed to drink Duo into them.
“What now?” Duo demanded, looking at him. “Is there more to cap off this camping trip from hell?”
Heero managed a smile, surprisingly. “It wasn’t all that bad, until...”
“Until God decided we were having too much fun,” Duo groused. “Floods are right up His alley.”
Heero kissed his hand and pressed it lightly to his cheek.
“Heero?” Duo wondered.
“Near death experiences always make me appreciate the time we have together that much more,” Heero explained with a soft smile.
Duo let all of his trepidation and anxiety slip away and he smiled back. “Love you, baby.”
“Love you, little baka,” Heero replied. “We’ll deal with what comes together. Just as we’ve always done.”
“Together,” Duo agreed and then chuckled as he leaned close to
Heero and hugged him. “Together, we’re unbeatable, and even Sally
Po doesn’t stand a chance.”
Read more of Kracken's fiction and fanfiction at http://kracken.bonpublishing.com
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Kracken has a yaoi book published, The Angel Within, at amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0974416002/qid%3D1066434868/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-2967152-0308168
and at her publishing website at http://www.bonpublishing.com. Thank you to
everyone who already bought the book. *hugs*