The Miracle on 3rd or 4th Street
by Sprinkles
5/31/A.C. 195
Blackness...
"That was quite some shout."
"I'd never have believed it if I hadn't heard it myself."
"Recovering from completely severed vocal chords. I almost don't believe it."
Some voices were talking about him, but they seemed so far away. His eyelids were far too heavy to lift.
"You realize, Heero, that with the volume of that scream, Duo's vocal chords may have ripped again for good this time." Wufei's voice
"Heero?" now Quatre
"Leave him, Quatre. He's just worried."
"Thank God we managed to destroy all the MDs on Duo's back while he was trying to call Heero." Quatre again/
//Heero? Heero was worried about him.//
*You're a survivor, kid*
//Tybalt?//
//I have to be hallucinating...//
"Gentlemen?" Sally had entered the conversation
"Sally? Do you have the results?"
"Yes. The reason for his unconsciousness was a mixture of exhaustion and blood in his throat."
"Blood? But he had no wounds on his throat." Heero spoke in worried tones.
*Hell's bell's, kid. No wounds? You must really be something, then.* Tybalt's voice was still talking...
//You aren't really in my head. I'm just imagining you.//
*Ha. Suit yourself, kid.*
"The blood came from his vocal chords ripping with the volume of that scream. With the amount of blood still in his vocal chords, he will never regain his voice. There's nothing I can do." Sally, again.
"Heero? What's wrong?" Quatre's voice now.
"Do you realized he sacrificed his voice for my sake, when my stupidity should have gotten me killed?" Heero's voice was but a whisper.
//Well, shit. My voice is gone forever.//
*What the hell'd you do to it?*
//I screamed a warning to save Heero's life.//
*Hm.*
//What are you doing in my head anyway?//
*Just speculating.*
//Well what do you 'speculate' about me wasting my voice on one scream?//
*I do not know to what better use it could be put.*
//It's gone now.//
*In this crazy world, you never know what can happen.*
Grayness now, images were appearing. Faces were looking down at him.
Duo blinked.
"DUO!!" Heero bounded up and over to his bed.
"Duo, how--" Heero was cut off by Sally.
"Heero, don't ask him anything. It will cause him pain."
Heero ignored her. "I have to know for my own sake. Duo," He addressed Duo again, "How many fingers am I holding up?"
Duo took a deep, painful breath.
And the barest whisper, while still being unmistakably clear.
"Four fingers and a thumb."
Just the astounded look on everyone's face was worth the pain. Except for Heero who looked as if he had believed in nothing less than a full fledged recovery by Duo.
6/1/A.C. 195
Duo was discharged from the hospital the next day with his voice weak but returning fast than anyone thought possible. Heero seemed to have taken the role of Duo's protector and Duo didn't mind one bit. In fact, he was glad Heero was paying attention to him. He had so much he wanted to say to Heero and could not do it in the hospital so he waited till he was discharged and led Heero to the lake on 4th street, one block over where Tybalt had once shared his wise words.
"Heero? The last time I came here it was with a very wise man called Tybalt. And he gave me the courage to say what I want to say to you."
Duo opened his mouth to make a speech. He wanted to say how happy he was, how afraid he had been for Heero that day. He wanted to talk to Heero about love and trust and what it meant to him and how he could never face losing Heero. What he though about Heero's smile and laughter back so many days ago. And, he longed to ask, did Heero feel the same way?
Such were his thoughts and he closed his eyes trying to find the words to express them. Feeling Heero's gaze, he opened his eyes to see Heero raising his eyebrow.
"Duo, I thought you were just here the day before our last mission."
"Yeah. That's when I sat here with Tybalt."
"Er, Duo? You were sitting by yourself."
"What are you talking about? He was sitting right where you are."
"No, Duo. I saw you from the safe house. You were typing on my laptop by yourself. I wondered if you were ok."
Duo just looked at him in shock and confusion. //If I was sitting by myself, who was Tybalt?// His mind yielded no answers. However, looking at Heero, Duo suddenly found the words he wanted to say, no shout to the world. Duo opened his mouth again to speak.
And swiftly closed it again.
*I wouldn't waste it...* He had said to Tybalt back then.
And Heero, with his slight smile and warm glance...as if he could read everything Duo wanted to say from his face. The slight smile widened.
Heero understood. Duo's smile matched Heero's as he snuggled closer.
They looked out onto the water that Tybalt could never see.
It was going to be a beautiful June.
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