Gundam Wing

London Alleyways

Warnings: very slight angst, difficult accents, period fic, AU, intrigue, humor, semi-large age differences, OCs

Chapter 10: Taking a Ride with My Best Friend

Heero stalked down the street toward his Aunt's house grumbling under his breath and generally making a menace of him self. Cart owners along the street hid behind their wares and passers by would circumvent the fuming young man like the plague.

He had nearly forgotten about their scheduled tea party and was the better for it, but when he got the note explaining that she fully expected him to be in her parlor by ten thirty his spirits had sunk and his nerves had frayed. Heero was not in the mood to humor her decaying old carcass.

Ok, he conceded to himself as he marched down the street, that may have been a bit harsh, but that woman had been warring on his patients ever since he found out that she had asked the police sergeant to keep a tail on him. Luckily for himself and for the London police force the sergeant refused like a wise man. All hell would have broken loose if Heero had found out other wise.

The children's progress in their studies and Duo's progress in his training had been going exceedingly well as of late despite his best friend's absence from his home. Heero couldn't help but worry about Wufei. He knew how little the other man could stand his own father and uncle much less spend very many consecutive days in their presence without a reprieve. His lack of visits to the Yuy home was no doubt the result of the scene Heero had walked in on in Quatre's library, but Heero dearly wished Wufei had simply come to talk to him instead of hiding from his embarrassment, "dishonor", and conflicted feelings.

Clomping rather unbecomingly up his Aunt's front steps, Heero rang the bell and waited for their decrepit but kind old butler to answer the door.

"Good morning Master Yuy." Pargon smiled kindly and bowed politely.

"Pargon." Heero returned the bow and stepped through the entrance handing his cane, hat, and coat to the butler.

Almost immediately, Heero cringed as an indignant screech echoed down the hall from the parlor.

"I am afraid," Pargon explained, "that Miss Relena is rather upset this morning."

"Oh God." Heero sighed and began to trudge down the hall leaving a sympathetic Pargon by the door to hang up his things. Pargon did not envy that boy, not one bit.

Three hours, two cups of tea, four scones, a raging headache, and a near bursting ulcer later, Heero had finally made it back to his home and had burst into his parlor to the surprised and wide eyes of his best friend and his pupil.

"I do not believe the nerve of young women these days!" Heero ranted, tearing off his outer coat and yanking harshly on his gloves. "Relena just could not leave it alone!"

Duo watched as his friend went straight to the brandy, dumping his coat, gloves and hat on his desk as he went. His eyes continued to grow in surprise as Heero poured himself a large glass of brandy, tipped it all back, grimaced then poured himself another glass and practically collapsed into his favorite high backed chair.

"I take it your tea appointment didn't go as smoothly as you would have hoped?" Wufei guessed with a wry smirk on his bruised lips.

"Oh, Wufei! Thank God you're here!" Heero huffed in relief as he bent double in his chair to hang his head between his knees in supposed exhaustions. "Please put me out of my misery!"

Duo stood and walked quietly over to Heero's desk. Moving the hat to one side he quickly lifted the coat from the desk and shook out the wrinkles then draping it over one arm he straightened the gloves in his other hand and lifted the hat from the desk. He had never seen Heero so rumpled before, every time he had come back from an errand or business meeting his had always taken the utmost care with his things before he did anything else.

It was very disconcerting, Duo realized, to see Heero in such a state. It tapped into Duo's protective instincts on a familial level, but not in the same way he wanted to beat the shit out Wufei's old man for hitting him. It was in a way that made him want to sooth and console, comfort and make everything better.

In a way that made him want sit on the arm of Heero's chair and stroke his fingers through his wind blown chocolate hair and offer his physical comfort as consolation for his frustration.

A shiver raced down his spine at the thought as he stepped unnoticed toward the door and handed Heero's things to Howard silently to be put up properly.

"Would that take away any of your problems, my friend?" Wufei asked taking a sip of his brandy and watching Duo's every move as covertly as possible.

Heero huffed and groaned into his knees then lifted his head and scowled at the smirking prince. "No. But it would make me feel better."

"Somehow, I highly doubt that."

Sitting up properly in his chair, Heero closed his eyes and rubbed tiredly at his temples. "I don't know where she ever got the idea that I would be proposing marriage to her, ever. Apparently the latest gossip is that I have my eyes on Miss Sylvia Noventa."

Wufei snorted in amusement. "You're kidding. She's barely even old enough to be out in society."

"I'm not." Heero ground out between his teeth. "You know how the gossip works. This week it's Sylvia, next week it'll be some other highly eligible bachelorette. But that's not the point."

"It's not?" He watched with no little amusement as Duo stepped to Heero's side offering him his father's ivory pipe already packed with his best tobacco and a lit match at the ready. Heero, much to Wufei's continued amusement, muttered a short thanks before taking the pipe from him and allowing the younger man to hold the match over the tobacco while he puffed until it was lit appropriately.

Sitting himself more comfortably in his chair, Wufei wondered. Now, when did this happen?

"No," Heero confirmed at last, blowing a cloud of smoke from his mouth. "The point is that, Relena took offense to it. She wanted to know why everybody thought I would be 'cheating on her' and how 'that little tramp' thought she could steal 'her Heero' away from her."

"She actually said that?" Wufei was aghast. It was one thing to speak in such a way when around one's own friends, but in front a prospective husband, regardless of the reality of it, was so improper it was disgusting. "Does she have no sense of propriety or manners what so ever?"

"I don't think she does." Heero frowned seriously. "It's like we're already married, I just haven't realized it yet."

"Sound's like that bi-… er young woman is a crumpet short of a tea party." Duo said for the first time from his standing position in front of the fire place where he had thrown the match into the smoldering flames. Hearing that this woman was trying so desperately and obtrusively to sink her claws into his Heero had made Duo's hackles rise.

"You know," Heero said as he pulled his pipe from his mouth and looked at Duo, "I wouldn't put it past her to be completely insane, either."

"Do you honestly believe that she's crazy?" Wufei asked.

"Maybe not crazy, but definitely not living in the real world. I mean, I haven't made any indication towards marriage with her and she and my aunt won't just leave it alone." His aunt's blackmail of his inheritance is the whole reason why he had devised the plan involving Duo and his gang. She was trying to force him into marriage and he just wouldn't put up with it.

Duo clinched his hand tightly on the edge of the mantle where he had rested it, but his anger at the girl and Heero's aunt never made it into his voice. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, Heero. She may be ridiculous and just a girl, but be careful around her and your aunt." He met Heero's deep blue gaze as he spoke. "One of the things I learned on the streets was that a woman could be as kind or as vicious as a wild dog if she thought herself wronged. Watch out for them."

Something about these women set him on edge, and it wasn't just the fact that they were trying to marry off the man he loved. Besides the blackmail and the need for Heero to devise such a plan as a distraction for his aunt, these women stunk to high heaven of ill will to Duo. He didn't trust them.

Heero nodded to his charge's surprisingly astute advice and let the simmering air dissipate for a few moments.

The three young men sat in silence for a time before Heero huffed out another breath and sipped from his brandy. "Relena was determined to steal me away for some social thing or another so I was forced to tell them I was other wise engaged for the day after tomorrow."

Wufei and Duo both looked at him in reluctant curiosity. Walking back to his vacated seat, Duo sat down and picked his brandy back up. "Why are you other wise engaged?"

"Why, I'm entertaining the Earl Maxwell of Austria, his younger brother and their younger cousins, of course." Heero intoned lightly as he puffed and sipped.

Wufei looked from Heero's nonchalant expression to Duo's open mouthed disbelief and blinked in surprise. "Indeed?"

"Mm." Heero agreed as he crossed his legs and studiously avoided Duo's widened eyes.

Suddenly Duo unfroze and bolted out of his seat. "You can't possibly be serious!"

"I assure you I am dead serious."

"But-but-but…" Duo groaned and thrust his fingers into his long bangs. "That means I have to go out! And-and act all," he waved a hand in the air vaguely, "gentlemen like."

Heero grinned at him, completely unruffled by Duo's insecurity. "I have complete faith in you and the children."

"The children?" Duo and Wufei asked at the same moment.

"The boys aren't ready for that, yet!" He was panicking and he knew it. Having diner and conversation at Quatre Winner's home was one thing, but Heero was suggesting being seen out in actual social public, where the boys would have to be on their best behavior, and he would actually have to act like an Austrian Earl. "I'm not ready for that!"

"Duo," He watched as his friend's face continued to grow steadily paler. "You are perfectly ready for it. And the children will be fine. Sally and Howard will be out with us to help rein them in and I'm inviting along Quatre and Trowa as well. Everything will be perfectly fine."

Taking deep breathes to ensure he didn't actually hyperventilate Duo slowly sank back into his seat and poured himself more brandy. "O-ok. Well, where will you be entertaining me-us?"

"Well, Earl Maxwell, you are quite devoted to your younger cousins, of course." Heero smirked knowing he had won.

"Of course." Duo grunted as he downed the rest of his glass and wished they had something stronger than brandy in the decanter.

"So naturally, you refused to do business with me unless I made an effort to cater to the children." Heero continued seemingly not a bit worried with the story he was weaving.

"Business?" Wufei asked with a raised eyebrow.

Duo looked from Wufei to Heero with growing dread plain on his face. "What do you mean business?"

"That's the reason you've come all the way from Austria to stay with me." Heero explained as if he should have known that already. "We are looking into a mutually beneficial business venture between your estate and mine."

A small hysterical laugh broke from Duo's lips. "Of course." He smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand that wasn't white knuckling his bandy snifter as he slid against the sofa back to sprawl out on his side.

Chuckling at Duo's dramatics, Heero continued as if he suddenly didn't have a care in the world. Duo really did look rather endearing when he thought the world was going to end. "Tomorrow I'll be taking you to my offices. My lawyers and I will explain all the finer points of my business and help fabricate one for you that would be believable enough for an Earl from Austria."

A pathetic whimper sounded from the mass of uncertain misery on the sofa and Wufei shook his head in amusement. He hoped his friend knew what he was getting into, for his sake and for Duo's. "Where will you be doing this entertaining, Heero? You didn't say." Wufei asked.

"Oh right," Heero grinned almost evilly. "The Zoo."

Later that day after most of the children were already in bed, Duo had stopped ranting and raving, and Wufei was set up in his normal guestroom, he and Heero sat in the study discussing the events of the day.

"Was springing all of that on him all at once really necessary?" Wufei asked as he sipped at a late evening cup of tea.

Shrugging, Heero continued to watch the flames in the fireplace flicker to and froe. "I suppose not. But I was going to have to take them out into society sooner or later for my plan to work. Now seemed as good a time as any."

"True." The prince conceded with a sideways tilt of his head. "But perhaps you should have brought it up in a more… delicate manner."

Heero flicked his eyes over to his best friend and raised an eyebrow at him. "Delicate? Since when do you care if I'm 'delicate' with Duo or not?"

"I don't know. Maybe since you started seeing him as less of pupil and experiment and more of a friend." Wufei watched him from the corner of his eye.

"What makes you say that?" Squirming in his seat, Heero had forgotten just how observant his friend was.

Setting his cup down into the saucer, Wufei studied him. "You're doing all of this for him." He said like it was the more obvious thing in the world.

"You didn't have this scheme of distracting your aunt until you had your serendipitous moment of nearly being mugged by him. You've always been generous, but you would never have taken in eight children off the street to personally oversee their welfare until you met Duo." Wufei pointed out succinctly. "I struggle to believe that you didn't make the scheme up just so that you would have a reason to be in contact with him."

With Wufei's last words Heero flinched. It was true. His aunt had always been a pain in his side, but until he had met Duo he hadn't really thought of a way to deal with her. He had wanted to be of some help to Duo and had needed to do something about his aunt. Truly it had just been convenient all around.

"Do you have a point, Wufei?" Heero asked putting on a perturbed air.

"You care for him." He stated point blank.

Freezing in surprise Heero stared at his friend with fearful eyes. After a few moments of thinking about how the best way to approach such a concession would be, he finally relented and seemed to deflate. "Yes. I do, a great deal."

Smirking in triumph the Chinese businessman leaned back in his seat and sipped his tea. "I thought so."

Sighing, Heero ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He had been struggling with his feelings for some time. He had yet to come to a suitable solution.

"Why do you look so troubled?" Wufei asked as his smirk slowly slid from his lips.

Staring down at his hands Heero murmured, "What do you think Duo would do if he realized I had those kinds of… feelings for him?"

"I know what I think, but obviously you are thinking something completely different."

"He would not be happy at all." Heero bit out. "When I first offered him help he accused me of propositioning him. You heard how suspicious he was when I was explaining my plan." He gestured toward him then let his hand drop and his gaze fall to the floor. "You didn't see the look on his face when he found the twins and me asleep on the sofa this morning."

"Mm." Wufei frowned in understanding. "Upset was he?"

Heero scoffed. "He damn near skinned me alive."

Humor and another knowing smirk began to play at Wufei's lips again. "He didn't seem to be too upset with you this afternoon."

"I explained the situation once he stopped yelling." Heero played the scene over again in his head and felt his stomach drop. Realizing that Duo could think him capable of taking advantage of the twins like that had felt like a stab to the heart. He thought he had gained Duo's trust.

"Heero?" He watched the emotions play over Heero's face and realized that there was more to this than Heero's uncertainty of Duo's reaction.

"I thought I had earned his trust, Fei. How can I have earned his trust if he thinks me capable of something like that?" He stared at the rug on his floor as if it held his very salvation.

"Duo trusts you." Wufei tried to comfort. "It was most likely a kneejerk reaction. You must remember that he had been conditioned to distrust men of higher social status for most of his life. Lessons like that don't just disappear over a few weeks."

Heero glanced up to meet his eyes skeptically.

Snorting in disbelief, Wufei asked, "You honestly didn't notice?"

"Notice what?" He frowned in confusion.

"This afternoon while you were huffing and puffing about silly little girls, Duo was taking care of you."

"What are you talking about?" Heero scowled as if by simply boring a hole in his friend's forehead with his eyes he could make sense of his words.

"While you were drinking half the decanter and spitting fire, Duo had straightened your coat and gloves and handed them along with your hat to Howard to take care of. You know. The ones you were too busy being angry to do more than dump on your desk." He smirked in small triumph.

"And while you were muttering and being caddy like a woman, Duo had packed your father's favorite pipe with your best tobacco, offering it and lighting it without so much as a word or having been asked." Now he felt suitably satisfied with his friend's suddenly understanding expression and blushing cheeks.

"I dare say he would have poured you a brandy as well if you hadn't beaten him to it." Wufei looked like the spitting image of a Cheshire cat now and Heero wasn't sure he liked that one bit.

"What's your point, Chang?"

Wufei set his now empty cup on the end table with finality. "Duo cares for you as well."

And just like that, Heero mind slowed to a comforting murmur as little details of the past for few days, maybe even weeks filtered back to him.

Duo would sit on his sofa and read while he did his work, would offer him tea, brandy, coffee when Sally brought them, always had a bright smile for him when he returned from an errand to finish their lessons, his behavior becoming less abrasive and more open to the point of actual companionship.

It was all in the little things, that Heero saw what Wufei was getting at. When Duo would remind him not to "work himself to death", would come and get him for meals, would listen to his instruction and try to absorb everything he taught him. When Duo laughed at him and teased him for how serious he was. When he would smile at him in that way that made Heero's heart thud loudly and his ears hot around the edges.

Glancing at his friend, Heero didn't bother to conceal the hope in his eyes. "Do you really think that?"

Nodding with a small smile on his face, Wufei said, "It's a possibility."

Heero returned his smile and glanced back down at his hands to watch his fingers play with a stray thread on the arm of his chair. This revelation gave him hope and something to think about, but it also reminded him of something he wanted to discuss with his friend.

"Wufei," the Chinese businessman met his friend's gaze, "What happened with Freddy in the library?"

"I…" Wufei stared at him stunned for a moment then let his head fall into his hands. "I don't know."

They sat in silence, Heero watching as his best friend berated himself. Finally Wufei lifted his head. "I spoke to Duo."

"What did he say?" Heero asked genuinely curious. He knew the younger man wouldn't have condemned Wufei, but you could never tell what would come out of his mouth. Duo's opinion might have changed since the conversation with Freddy Heero over heard.

"He basically told me that if I messed up in anyway he would castrate me."

That surprised Heero into a quick burst of laughter before a scowl from Wufei silenced him. Clearing his throat, Heero still couldn't wipe his amused smiled off his face. "And rightly so, Fei. Freddy is… I hesitate to say fragile, but he is at least shy of emotional affection."

He noticed his friend didn't just say affection in general. Frowning in confusion Wufei asked, "What do you mean by that?" And when Heero wasn't forthcoming with an answer his eyes widened. "Are you suggesting…?"

Sighing, Heero threaded his fingers through his bangs. "It's entirely possible that the boys would have had to do anything to survive on the streets."

Suddenly he could feel a rage building in his gut like he had never felt before. "How could Duo let them do that?! I'm gonna kill him!" He bolted from his seat, his hand clutching his sword in a death grip.

If it wasn't so serious, Heero would have been amused by his friend's show of temper. "Sit down Wufei. Duo did no such thing." He waited till the enraged red had faded somewhat from Wufei's face before continuing. "I overheard a conversation between him and our Freddy that would lend me to make certain conclusions. From what I heard Duo was in no way encouraging such actions."

That calmed the irate businessman somewhat, but it left him with a bad taste in his mouth. He found him self disgusted with the injustice of it all. Disgusted with the kind of hardship that would push such an intelligent and kind person like Fredrick to… do things like that. Of course Heero never said it out right, and the possibility that he had misunderstood the conversation he eavesdropped on was there but the implication had been made and that was all Wufei needed to have a new understanding of Fredrick and the rest of the gang.

They hadn't been simply "street rats" for sometime now, but this new development, or the possibility of it, had impressed upon him the respect they deserved for surviving in the dregs of society as successfully as they did. Then again it also fueled a deep sorrow and unbidden fury in him too.

"No one should have to be forced into a situation like that." He had long since returned to his seat but the clinching of his fists hadn't eased.

Nodded sagely, Heero watched him with observant eyes. "Does this change how you think of him?" He asked. Wufei looked up and turned his face toward him with a frown. "If it does, you don't deserve his affections."

In his surprise at Heero's statement several things struck him at once. One was that Heero had grown just as protective and attached to his charges as Duo was and another was that he had to think about that. Did the possibility that Fredrick had sold his body in order to survive change how he viewed him, how he felt about him.

Wufei sat in silence contemplating that for a few moments then finally shook his head and sighed. "No, it doesn't. It doesn't change the fact that he is an extremely intelligent, kind, and shy young man. It doesn't change that one bit."

"And does it change how you feel towards him?" Heero smirked when Wufei raised an eyebrow at him. "I know you, Wufei. If it had been anyone else you learned this about you would have been righteously indignant and suitably outraged but you wouldn't have been in a killing rage."

He thought about that for a moment then tilted his head in agreement. "You are right, my friend. I do have… feelings for him." He met his friend's calm gaze. "And it doesn't change my affections. They are still, as they ever were; inappropriate and damned hard to ignore."

Heero chuckled and leaned forward to snag a tea cookie off the tray on the coffee table. "Inappropriate? How is having affections for someone 'inappropriate'?"

"I am six years his senior." He supplied.

"Hardly an excessive age difference." Heero countered dismissively. "My father was nearly twice that older than my mother, and so was yours." Duo was nearly six years younger than Heero as well, but he didn't mention that.

"He must think me an old man!" Wufei almost pleaded. "He wouldn't be attracted to me anyway."

"Not from what I heard, or saw when you nearly kissed him in the library." Heero pointed out almost accusingly. "He didn't seem offended by your appearance, not one bit."

His mouth opened and closed a couple of times reminding Heero of the coy pound at his estate back in Japan. "I'm a man, then!" Wufei burst out. "How do we even know he is attracted to men?"

Heero just raised an eyebrow.

Wufei sighed. "You're right. That one isn't really that much of an issue for either of us." He frowned down at the rug in thought then lifted his head and met Heero's eyes. The look in his rich black eyes almost had his friend dropping his cookie. "But what about my father and my uncle? What sort of censure would Fredrick be exposed to if our… my affections for him became known?"

"Now, that," Heero conceded with a troubled crease of his brow, "is a valid excuse."

It was not a secret to Heero that Wufei's male elders were prone to physical discipline, that they were hypocritical in their criticisms of English culture and their upholding of Chinese traditions. He had opened his door enough times to see his friend with a bruised cheek and a split lip to know they were unpleasant old codgers. They, along with Wufei's own insecurities, were probably the only things keeping him from really wishing to explore his feelings for Fredrick.

Heero studied his friend's face, tracing his eyes over his lightly purple bruised cheek bone and his scabbed lower lip. Not for the first time did he wonder why Wufei put up with their abuse, but then again he knew the answer. Growing up in a culture where defying your elders for any reason was nearly as bad a sin as you could possibly commit had left ingrained conditioning in Wufei(1). Even now that he had the physical power, mental fortitude, and clan support to defy them without repercussions he would still take their abuse.

"When are you going to finally kill them, my friend?" Heero huffed in frustration.

That pulled a weak chuckle out of him. "Not anytime soon, Yuy." He gave him a small smile that faded too quickly. "Would it be worth it? Would it be worth potentially exposing Freddy to that?"

Heero sat and thought about it. If he had Wufei's troubles with Duo it would be no contest. "Yes," he finally said. "It's worth it."

Their gazes met and held before Wufei broke contact with a resigned nod. "I will talk to him."

"Good." Heero grinned triumphantly.

"If I am going take these steps with Fredrick are you not going to take your own with Duo?" Wufei asked with a sly smirk.

A surprised blush promptly broke out on Heero's cheeks. "I-I…"

"I thought so." Wufei chuckled. "At least think about broaching the subject with him. You're going to be spending the day with him and your lawyers tomorrow?"

"Yes." Heero nodded. "I would appreciate it if you worked on getting the boys prepared for the Zoo. Help them with the finer points of social etiquette and the roles they have to play?"

"Of course." The sat in silence for a time before Wufei stood and smoothed his clothes. "I'm heading off to bed, Heero. The next couple of days are going to be interesting."

"Mm." He nodded with belated dread setting in. "Good night, Fei."

"Good night." Heero waited until he heard Wufei's foot steps beginning to ascend the stairs before he sighed tiredly and slouched down in his seat, rubbing his hands over his face. "Oh yes, the next couple of days are going to be very interesting."

A/N: How long as it been? Like waaaaaaaay too long. I apologize. But I got this one out for ya'll. I know I left it at a cliff hanger last chapter and once again, Please Don't Kill Me! I hope ya'll liked this. The next chapter should be out sooner, I Promise!

(1) I might be exaggerating on the obedience to the elders, but it works for the story.