Mission: Cheer Up

[truedeath02]

Characters: Duo, Quatre
When: About two days after Duo had his accidental voice post shooting the bug
Where: Jin's clinic/bookstore/"boarding house"
Rating: PG-13 for Duo's potty mouth
Summary: Quatre's depressed again, so Duo goes and forces him to cheer up again.

Quatre walked into Jin's and sighed. He couldn't call this 'home', even in this place. He shivered a bit and shut the door behind himself. Removing his coat and shoes, the blonde headed up the stairs towards his room. Lately it seemed he was spending more and more time in his room, hidding from the others. Shutting that door, he sat down on the bed, watching as Aftab jumped off the chair and padded over to him, meowing.

Duo heard Quatre from where he was in the back room. He'd been doing the little bit of daily first aid he'd been doing since he'd gotten stung a few days ago when the Arabian pilot returned. Finishing up with a slight grimace at how damn itchy and sore it still was, he decided to check things out. He came around and went up the stairs, sparing a quick glance into the main room where Oliver was staring out the window at a bird and Shin was laying on the couch. He hissed a sharp whispered command at the dog, and the black lab slinked his way off the couch as Duo disappeared to the second floor. The American pilot paused outside Quatre's bedroom door and listened.

It was relatively quiet in Quatre's room, except for a few harsh whispers. The blonde was sitting on his bed, clutching a pillow to his chest. Aftab jumped up onto the bed and padded over. She curled up against Quatre, who began to pet the small cat.

Duo checked the knob first to see if the door was locked.

And the door wasn't locked....

So Duo stepped through. "Q?" he asked, glancing around the door itself to peer at the bed.

Quatre looked over at the door, most of his face now hidden by the pillow. He didn't say anything as he watched Duo.

Duo raised an eyebrow in question. "You alright there?" he asked him.

"No."

Duo mentally cringed. "Want some company?"

He shrugged. "I suppose."

"Well, you either do or don't," Duo quipped. Deciding not to take no for an answer, he stepped the rest of the way in and closed the door behind him. "You need to cheer up... really." He flopped on the bed next to Quatre.

Aftab yeowled and then scampered off the bed. Quatre watched the cat go before glancing at Duo. "Why?"

Duo made a face at the little biter as she ran before turning back to Quatre. "'Cuz. I said so." He grinned. "Seriously, Q... you can't live in a funk like this forever. Quit it, okay? You're gettin' everyone freaked out."

Oliver stuck his head in the door, hearing Duo's voice. He'd come up when Aftab had come down.

"Its seemed to have worked fine for me these past two months..." He said scooting towards the edge of the bed.

Duo rolled his eyes. "Quatre... Puh-leeze..." He glared at him. "It's the fact that it's been two fucking months that's got everyone worried. This isn't normal!"

He looked at Duo.

"Okay, so that argument doesn't hold much water 'cuz this whole damned place isn't normal, but still... you know what I mean."

"I'm fine..."

"You're not fine."

"If you're so worried, why didnt you say anything earlier?"

"'Cuz I thought it was something that would pass," Duo said. "At least, I hoped it would. But it's not... and now that's starting to worry me more." He sighed, looking down at his hands.

"I don't know what to do anymore Duo... Our family has been destroyed and I can't seem to repair it."

"If something like this pulls us apart, Q, then we weren't much of a family to begin with, sorry to say," Duo said flatly.

He fell silent at that. "If we're not a family, then why do you care?" Quatre asked suddenly, almost harshly.

"I dunno... 'cuz I'm a glutton for punishment?" he asked. "Look, Q... I don't think it's as bad as you think it is. We stick up for each other, look out for each other... it's working. I dunno why you think we're falling apart, really."

"Because no one seems to care."

"When you give off a vibe that you wanna be alone, people are gonna leave ya alone, Q," Duo said sharply. "You kept isolating yourself and playin' anti-social. We're not exactly a buncha experts here on how to interact with others. You know more than we do on that. Wha'dja think we do?"

"I don't know. Honestly I don't know." He finally admitted.

Duo sighed. "So... we don't 'not' care," he said. "Just... this is goin' on longer than the usual, 'stay away from me' moments that some of us get. I mean, Heero and Wufei get cranky like that all the time, wanderin' off on their own. But they usually come back after a month or so."

"I've barely seen or spoken to anyone in two months."

"But that's my point," Duo said, feeling like he was talking in a circle. "We do that to each other... but we usually pop up again after a while. It's when we're gone longer than six weeks that we start to wonder if something happened. Now, granted, we've seen you around... but it's still the same thing... you bein' off on your own or whatever." He poked Quatre. "Just stop avoiding us, huh? Really... lighten up."

That got the blonde to squirm away from Duo, swatting at his hand. "Don't do that! You know I'm ticklish!"

At that, Duo smirked... a very sly looking smirk. "Yeah... I know..."

"Duo...?" He asked letting the pillow fall away from himself.

He laughed, almost an evil cackle, and pounced, pinning Quatre to the bed with a grin. "Don't make me force you to laugh."

The blonde let out a small cry as he suddenly found himself pinned. He squirmed. "Duo!"

"Hmmmm?"

He pouted.

"You know that doesn't work on me."

He squirmed a bit more.

And Duo started tickling.

Quatre squeaked and started laughing.

Duo grinned and started laughing with him, eventually stopping the tickle attack.

The blonde kept laughing, dropping back against the bed.

"Toldja I'd do it," Duo said, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. He lightly poked Quatre again, laying on the bed next to him.

Quatre turned to look at Duo and then hugged him enthusiastically. It seemed that's all the blonde needed to get back to his usual chipper self.

Duo laughed a bit in alarm, wincing lightly when one of Quatre's arms accidentally rubbed against where he'd been stung. It was still tender. However, that didn't dampen his return hug.

"Thanks."

He smiled, nodding a bit. "Anytime."

"What happened to your arm?" He asked as he sat up.

"Uh... yeah... remember that incident on the PCDs where I shot something?" Duo said a bit sheepishly. He sat up as well, rubbing the back of his head in mild embarassment.

"Duo..." he said sternly.

"Yeah, well... one of Heero's bug friends decided to take a shot at me, too," he said with an annoyed sounding sigh. "Jin's already looked at it, it's fine. But I do still hafta fix the bullet holes in the kitchen wall..."

He sighed. "I'll help you."

Duo gave him a thankful smile. "Thanks," he said. "There's a few... well... kinda..." He bit his lip.

"What?" He asked.

"I did kinda empty the whole clip," he said quietly and quickly, cringing as the words came out.

He sighed and shook his head. "I would have done the same thing."

"I know Heero has..." he muttered.

"So, it's okay then."

Duo smiled a bit. "I'd hope so. Damn things are fucking huge. Anything over 3 inches is gettin' shot... no ifs, ands, or buts."

"Sounds like a good idea. How did they get in?"

"I have no clue," Duo said. "But I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the damn things learned how to open the door."

He shivered. "At least there are no rodents of unusual size."

"You've seen some?" Duo asked. "And by... 'unusual size'... what does that mean?" He pulled back, giving the Arabian pilot a wary look.

"They're from a book I read as a child. Rodents as large as four feet tall!" He said waving his arms.

"Considering all the other weird shit around here... I wouldn't be surprised if they showed up," Duo said flatly, ducking the waving arms. He sighed and leaned against Quatre. "Are they dangerous?" Not that it mattered. Duo wasn't a fan of rodents.

He hugged Duo close. "Book says they are."

"Figures." Duo glanced at Quatre. "I really don't like rats, yanno."

"I know." He replied, "I don't care for them much either."

"They bite."

"Nasty creatures."

"And crawl on you..." He shuddered. "And make noise at night..." Duo shook his head. "Almost as bad as spiders. But you can usually see rats before they get to ya if you're not too close to the walls. Spiders drop down from the ceiling an' shit. Like, surprise! Here I am!"

He nodded.

Duo shuddered again. "Yech."

"I don't know what's worse. Spiders or rats. At least they haven't crosbred here yet."

Duo actually jumped from that shudder. "Don't give this place ideas!" he said. "It just might happen!" He grinned then. "Though, the mental image I'm getting is kinda weirdly amusing."

The blonde laughed. "Oh? Do tell!"

"Well... it's got kinduva rat's body... a little large... with these big crazy legs stickin' out... eight of 'em, of course... and then antennae with large round things on the end... and bug eyes."

He laughed.

"My first idea was all black... but it's even funnier if you picture it with colors... like striped legs an' stuff." Duo chuckled.

He laughed and leaned against Duo.

Duo smiled a bit. "Feelin' better?" he asked Quatre.

"I am."

"Good. Mission accomplished." He grinned.

He flicked Duo.

"Ow!"

The blonde smiled.

Duo poked him.

He squrimed.

Duo grinned.

The blonde pouted.

"Oh stop. That only works on Trowa, and you know it," he teased.

He blushed and then looked down.

"What...?"

"Trowa doesn't seem too upset with me, does he?"

"He's been kinda mopey... at least, I think he has been," Duo said. "He always seemed kinda mopey to me, though." He shrugged. "You should probably go talk to him. Cheer him up." He smiled.

He smiled back. "I will."

"Good."

"And we should see if we can find a new building..."

"But something that's a bit of a fixer-upper... otherwise, Heero'll go stir-crazy." Duo laughed.

"Of course. I think Trowa would go stir-crazy too."

"And with space for Wuffers' garden... I think he's upset he had to leave the other one behind," Duo added.

"Yeah. And a nice yard for Shin."

"Guess that means I'll hafta keep 'im outta Wuffers' garden," Duo said, looking up at the ceiling.

"Yeah."

"Maybe just once..." he pondered, looking a bit sly.

"Duo..."

"C'mon... just one time... really..." he said, giving Quatre his own puppy eyes. "It'd be really funny... and you know he'd make me fix it up again anyway. Not that I wouldn't."

He sighed. "As long as you keep me out of it."

"No one else'll get involved. I promise."

"Good."

"Yes!" He grinned.

"Are you hungry?"

"Kinda..." He glanced at Quatre. "You?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's get food." He picked Oliver up off the bed despite the quiet little hiss of protest from the feline, and stood up.

"Oliver didn't sound happy."

"He just doesn't wanna get off the bed."

He nodded as Aftab came padding back in.

"Lazy bum." Duo shifted the long-haired tuxedo cat to his shoulder, rubbing the back of his neck. Oliver didn't protest that.

Kneeling down, Quatre picked up Aftab and smiled at Duo. "He looks happy."

"I'd hope so. I know for a fact that he likes having his neck rubbed like that." Duo grinned back and headed out the door.

"He's your cat."

"Yeah... I guess he is," Duo said. After nursing the kitten back to health when they found him emaciated under some of the scrap piled in the yard of their old building, the feline had been Duo's shadow almost as much as Shin. Granted, he never really went outside, but he certainly followed Duo around the house. The American pilot made his way down the stairs, pausing to glare at another dark furry shape that had resumed his spot on the couch. "Shin!" he snapped. "I said no couch here!" Again, the lab slid off the couch like he was made of Jell-O, curling up on the floor next to said couch.

Quatre laughed at that. "I don't think Dr. Uzuki minds."

Duo just sighed. "I just feel bad... 'specially 'cuz the warmer weather is making him shed like he's goin' bald." He shook his head, put Oliver back on the floor once they were down the stairs, and headed into the kitchen.

Quatre set Aftab down and followed after the, as Wufei dubbed him, braided menace.

"What're ya in the mood for?" Duo asked.

"What do we have?"

"Uh..." Duo poked his head in the fridge. While Jin might have been good at getting things stocked before, the addition of five growing teenagers after the earthquake hadn't been helpful in keeping the pantry and refridgerator stocked. Not that they weren't helping and sustaining themselves well enough, but it still made for a slightly smaller than usual selection. "Cold cuts for sandwiches... looks like some bare basics for a salad... not sure how much of a salad at that... Is there any bread?" he asked Quatre.

The blonde turned and checked the bread box. "Yeah, there's some."

"Well, we can make sandwiches."

"That works."

"Cool." Duo pulled out the cold cuts, placing them out on the counter. He went through them, picking the roast beef for himself.

"Do we have any turkey?"

"Yup." He handed that over and put the rest away.

He took the turkey and then handed some bread to Duo

Duo took the bread and loaded up his own sandwich. Thinking about food had suddenly brought on his appetite.

Quatre finished making his sandwich and glanced at Duo.

Duo finished after Quatre, then quickly cleaned up after himself before getting a glass of water. "Want some?" he asked.

"Sure."

Duo handed the first glass over then and grabbed a second for himself.

He began to eat his sandwich.

Duo joined Quatre at the table, stepping over the circling pets who wanted their own portions, and started in on his own sandwich. "Didn't realize how hungry I was until I was lookin' at the stuff," he mumbled.

"I know that feeling." He looked down at Aftab, "Not for kitties."

Oliver sat there, as fluffy as he could get, staring at Duo. Duo ignored him and Shin, even as the lab attempted to make himself smaller looking.

"What's with them and wanting our food?"

"I have no idea," Duo said, glancing down finally. Shin shifted closer. Oliver continued to stare. "Maybe it's because we're eating it."

"I know I put out cat food this morning."

"Oh, they've been fed," Duo said. "I fed mine. I think it's just because they want to know what we're putting in our mouths. Most of the time, Oliver doesn't even eat it. He just picks it up and flings it across the room."

Quatre snorted and glanced at the fluff ball. "What a strange cat... Fitting for such a strange owner."

"Hey now."

"What?" he asked looking at Duo innocently.

"You know." Duo made a face at Quatre and then went back to his sandwich. "Dork."

He laughed. "Yeah, I love you too."

"I know." Duo grinned.

He smiled at Duo.

Finishing his sandwich, Duo stretched and yawned, rubbing a bit at the still itchy and sore bug sting. He couldn't think of it as a bee sting. That was no ordinary bee...

"Don't itch it."

"I'm not."

"Don't rub it."

Duo stuck his tongue out.

"Not unless you intend to use it."

"That's Trowa's job."

He choked on his water, turning bright red. "DUO!"

Duo laughed, flopping over on the table.

The blonde stared at the American, his eyes wide.

Wiping some tears from his eyes, Duo couldn't stop chuckling as he sat up. "Your face... was classic."

He slumped a bit, pouting.

"Oh stop." Duo flicked some water from his glass at Quatre. "You went there first."

"You didn't have to take it that far."

"Take it how far?" Duo asked. "There wasn't really anywhere else I could go with that." He shook his head. "Nevermind." He was still chuckling over the look on Quatre's face. He put his chin down on his arms, avoiding the bandaged area where the sting was healing as he leaned on the table.

He couldn't help but smile widely.

"Dork," Duo muttered.

"So?"

"So?"

He smiled.

Duo grinned, rubbing a bit at the bandage without really thinking about it. He stopped when he caught himself and made a face.

Quatre frowned.

"What? I stopped, okay?" Duo said, a bit defensive about the frown.

"Okay."

He sighed. "It was worse the day it happened anyway."

He nodded and sipped his water.

"Well, I mean... it didn't itch... but it hurt like a bitch." Duo frowned. "And then my arm swelled up... ugh." He put his head down with a thump on the table. "It sucked."

"Good thing Dr. Uzuki attended to you."

"Yeah. Same for Heero. He got stung, too."

He frowned.

"Not the same bug... or the same time," Duo explained. "A few days before that... after those weird dreams where we like... met people."

"Oh... Yeah..."

"I found out a lotta weird stuff," Duo said. "I don't remember all of it, but I know more about some people from other worlds than I ever thought I'd know... and I have a feeling there's people out there that know more about me than I might even know about myself..."

He looked at Duo.

He frowned a bit. "It's a weird feeling, to be honest."

"I'm sure it is."

He sighed, then shook his head and got up, grabbing the plates and glasses to clean up.

Quatre watched him.

Once he was done, he gave Quatre a quick smile. "Hey... we're still a family... maybe just a little dysfunctional, is all... right?" he said.

"That's fine by me."

He smiled. "Good."

He smiled back.