The world has caught on fire from what I've been told.

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

[Heero kicks open the door to his apartment, not caring that the top hinge pops loose. He's carrying an unconscious Dorothy in his arms, who is covered in soot, ash, blood, dirt, scrapes, bruises... Heero isn't unscathed, but unlike Dorothy, he won't be needing stitches. Just a shower. But there are more important things right now...

He ignores the gun that falls out of his pocket as he goes to lay her down on the couch, kicking the door one more time to keep it open for Duo. The kick is enough to knock the top hinge a little bit looser.]

Comments

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

Meddlesome...? [He frowned at that.] Wufei, do you know why Catalonia was there?

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

Only that she is always at precisely where and when she shouldn't be. If she doesn't attract trouble, she causes it.

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

[Heero couldn't keep a quiet, amused "Hn" from coming.] I agree. Who knows what her story is this time. I'm taking her to a hospital in the morning. There are too many others there tonight, and for damage much worse than she suffered...

This victory for them is going to make them more active, and soon. [He wanted to add more to that, but he drifted into his own thoughts instead...]

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

Them? Yuy, you're speaking in riddles. [Catalonia would be in the hospital tomorrow? And both Yuy and Maxwell were injured..]

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

[He massaged his temple with his free hand as he spoke, trying to fight off a headache. When he spoke, he wasn't angry, just firm and insistent. His voice was quiet. Tired.]

The Angels, Chang. I told you last time, they're the ones destroying the major cities around the world. Tokyo, Alexandria, London, Chicago... Shanghai defeated the Angels, but the rest of us... the outcome has yet to be determined.

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

So you'll fight again. [And damn it if he would just leave them to it. Sally might know of somewhere he could find housing at such short notice...]

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I just... hope we have warning next time.

... You're safe, right?

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

Safer than you, it seems.

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

Hn. At least something is constant.

[maxwellian.livejournal.com]

[And enter a Duo.]

Dorothy said she— Oh. .. Who're you on the phone with?

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

[Heero looked up at Duo, blinked, frowned a bit. Dammit, didn't Wufei tell him not to let Duo know last time...? Nevermind, it didn't count anymore. Besides, he wasn't in Chicago anymore, right?]

Chang, actually. [He shook his head, and decided that maybe changing the subject...] I forgot to make ice this morning. We'll have to wait for a little bit. [... Smooth. He mentally berated himself for that one.]

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

... Yuy? Who are you talking to?

[maxwellian.livejournal.com]

What? Chang Wufei "Chang"? When did you hear from him? How'd you find him? Why didn't you tell me?

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

[He turned his attention back to the phone momentarily.] Duo.

[At which point, he looked back up at Duo. This would not end well, he could already tell...] He found me, and I didn't tell you because I was told not to.

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

[a short pause of OMGWTF] Why did you just tell him that?!

[maxwellian.livejournal.com]

What— When? What the hell! [Duo was currently in a state of shock, but that was quickly giving way to anger and a small amount of betrayal — though whether directed at Heero or Wufei had yet to be decided.]

[selfdetonation.livejournal.com]

[Heero facepalmed. He was not dealing with this shit. They weren't kids anymore.] Perhaps because we're all friends, Chang. Does it honestly matter that much?

[With a sigh, he stood from his chair and shoved the phone at Duo's chest.] You two talk. Sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to.

[He went to grab whatever ice had actually formed at this point.]

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

That does not— [Talk? What?] Yuy? [He tried to keep the panic out of his tone, but he wasn't completely successful] Yuy?

[maxwellian.livejournal.com]

[It took Duo a few seconds to find his way out of the shock and raise the phone up to his ear]

Wufei?

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

Maxwell. [Wufei closed his eyes, all but daring his voice to shake] Please return the phone to Yuy.

[maxwellian.livejournal.com]

Return— No. Fuck no. What— Where have you been? [Without thinking about it or paying attention to what he was doing, Duo found the nearest surface and leaned his back against it. He wasn't paying attention to anything beyond his whirling thoughts and the voice on the other end of the line.]

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

Away. It hardly matters.

[maxwellian.livejournal.com]

Hardly— Fuck you, Chang. It's been two years!

((Ⓧ (http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p192/alexcicio/Jesse%20Bradford/j187.png)))

[pridefulscholar.livejournal.com]

It was my own decision to leave..

[maxwellian.livejournal.com]

I don't care!! Who do you think you are that you can just fucking disappear and then tell me it doesn't matter that you've been gone for two whole fucking years?!