Secrets and Lullabies
Chapter Fourteen: A Little Too Perfect
By Oblivious-Bystander
Pushing open the front door, I am greeted with the smells of garlic butter, meat, and apples. To be honest, the smell of apples, these days, always make me feel calm. Taking a quick glance around the room, I found my target immediately.
Standing at the stove, humming as beautifully as bird, was the woman I had grown to care strongly for in the past few weeks. Before I could make my way by her side, little hands took hold of mine. Glancing down, knowing exactly who it was, I was greeted with the biggest blue eyes I had ever seen.
"Josh, my man, how have you been today?" swinging my arm around as his little grasp kept him dangling off the ground as I did so
Laughing his little boyish laugh, he responded the best he could, "Great!" holding on for dear life
Swinging his entire body to rest on my hip, I looked him square in his face, wondering how you come to love someone so small so quickly and strongly, "What'd you and mommy do today?"
Resting comfortably in my arms, he thought of a response, but just shrugged it away.
"Nothing, huh?" my heart melting entirely as the boy rested his head on my shoulder, his tiny body relaxing completely.
I had noticed the kid had taken some sort of liking to me over the past few weeks but never like this. But surprisingly enough to me, I couldn't help but feel pleased with the new connection I now had with the boy.
Swaying awkwardly, not used to all this pure affection, I glanced up at my previous target to be greeted with eyes just as blue as the boy's eyes in my arms. The smile on her face was so relaxed, calm, and loving. Her shoulders were slumped, and her posture at ease. Before I knew it, I was smiling back.
Walking towards me, her hand instantly caressing the child's hair as always, she stood a good couple inches below me, her eyes glued to mine
Clearing my throat, I felt my own devilish smirk, "Is it just me, or am I being a little overly greeted today? What's the bad news?"
Shaking her head, turning her attention to her son in my arms, she responded quietly, "Josh has really become attached to you hasn't he?"
Looking back down at the child, who was now limply asleep, I smirked once more, feeling the warmth in my heart spread at her words, "Yeah, I guess he has"
The rest of the night kind of flew by in a breeze. Josh was woken up to eat the beef stew and garlic bread Relena had made, ushered away to take a bath, and tucked away into bed. The same as every night, Relena's lullaby crept down the hallway as I washed the dishes and put away the leftovers.
It was shortly after that that Relena slipped into her diner uniform consisting of a short skirt and blouse and was moments from being on her way to the night shift.
It had only been a few weeks, and meeting her was unexpectedly eventful, but I always caught myself watching her. Missing her every time she went away. Feeling a familiar pull on the tip of my tongue when she was about to leave. Words I did not dare to speak.
Walking silently across the room towards my place in the kitchen, she placed her hands on my shoulders and pulled herself up to place a small kiss on my lips. It was never much but it didn't need to be.
Smiling down at her, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, I wished her a goodnight and, shortly after, she was out the door, locking it behind her.
Sighing, I couldn't believe how fast everything was moving. How perfect everything had been. By now, I had expected a least something to go wrong.
Perhaps Erin would show up. Or maybe that was tomorrow, when I got the remainder of my things.
Taking a seat at the kitchen table, facing the hallway and front door for security, I again thought on how much I cherished the small boy just down the hall.
'You would think he was your own son the way you cherish him'
Stopping at the thought, I growled. Nothing in my life had ever gone this fast or perfect. Something wasn't right about it. It wasn't supposed to be this calm every day.
Huffing, aggravated that I was even aggravated at my own life's perfection, I pulled out my phone and effortlessly dialed a number.
On the third ring, a chippie voice answered, "Heero! Buddy! Long time no see!"
Rolling my eyes, my hand diving into my hair, I groaned, "Duo, why do you have Quatre's phone?"
"I've been staying with him! I just finished moving down yesterday, I called you but you didn't pick up. I thought for sure you were off!"
"And how would you know that" glaring at the dark living room ahead of me.
"Because I called your boss to check and make sure!" his American accent biting into every word he said
"I guess I was busy. Where's Win-"
"Ahhh, you must have been with that chickadee, Lena! You sly dog you! We should double date!"
Ignoring him, I continued, "Where's Winner, Duo? I need to speak with him"
"Oh, I thought you were calling to talk to me!" fake disappointment ringing loud and clear
"Why would I be calling to talk to you?" annoyance evident in my voice
"Oh Heero, Stop it before you break my wittle heart!" Duo said, using a terrible feminine voice before hollering away from the phone for Quatre.
Tapping my fingers, not really knowing what I had called for, I waited. I would have just walked over to his apartment if it weren't for the child asleep in the back room.
"Heero?" said a soft familiar voice through the phone
"Quatre," stopping to glance at the time on the over top, 9:55pm, "I'm not exactly sure why I called, I would've just come over but…Josh is asleep" feeling a foolish now for calling
"…Oh alright, is everything okay? I haven't heard from you in a while" concern lacing every word
"Everything is fine…actually, everything has been going perfect. Perhaps a little too perfect" mumbling the last few words
"Hmmm…You're getting along okay?"
"Perfectly. Relena and I…I don't know. She makes me feel…well she makes me FEEL and her son, I just can't believe the…attachment…we share" tripping over my thoughts, clenching my eyes shut, hoping for some sort of answer
"Do you love them?"
The question was very forward and blunt that it caught me off guard. Blinking several times, searching for an answer, I found myself…almost afraid of the answer.
"I…I don't-"
Cutting me off, he said it again, "Do you love them?"
Sighing, my chest tightening, I slumped back into my chair and closed my eyes, "I guess I was hoping you could answer that question for me. Everything has been going so well, too well. I just…"
Suddenly, a different voice cut in, "You fool! Lowering yourself to a woman!"
Flashing my eyes open, I rocked back against the table, "Wufei?"
"I thought you were a man, Yuy!" I could see the disapproval on his face
"I-…"
"Heero! Don't listen to this ape! Follow your heart, champ!" Duo's voice broke through the line
"Duo, what are you-"
"Relena and Josh are good people. If you decide to pursue a long lasting relationship with them, you have to promise me to always protect them" came a voice I didn't recognize right away
"…Trowa"
"Heero, I know we have always had our differences, but Relena and Josh are very special to me. I need to know if I can trust you to keep them safe"
"What does it matter you? You obviously didn't do a good enough job protecting her in the first place otherwise she wouldn't need protecting" I felt the rage spill from my mouth as randomly venomous as humanly possible
"Heero, you may know part of the story due to her good nature but you don't know all of it. I didn't know Daniel was someone to be worried about" he bit back
Swallowing my words, glaring at the floor, I let out a heavy sigh, "I have come to care for Relena and her son in more ways than I thought possible."
After a brief pause, his voice came through the phone like silk, "I trust you will protect her should Daniel ever return? He now knows she is here"
Taking that thought into consideration, I hardened my stare to the hallway entrance with a new decision, "I'll kill him if he tried to touch either of them"
A grunt of approval was his only response before the call was ended and I was left to the silence of the apartment.
Rubbing my face slowly, I stood from my chair and flicked out the kitchen light, walking for the bedroom. Relena wasn't to home tonight and I knew Josh didn't like to sleep alone. Plus, there was so much on my mind at the moment; I really didn't want to sit in my own company.
Stopping in the bedroom doorway, looking at the little figure sprawled out in the bed, shining numerous colors of blues and greens from his night light, I walked over to the bed, stopping to take one more good look at him. He really did look a lot like his mom.
Removing my shoes, pants, and shirt, I climbed under the covers with the small boy, slowly to not wake him. As I rolled over to face him, I was startled by his blue eyes watching me.
"Josh, why are you awake"
Blinking slowly, obviously still half-asleep, he mumbled, "I want you to be my new Daddy"
Staring down at him, unsure of what to say, unsure I heard him correctly, I tried to put on a small grin, "You'd make a great son, Josh" realizing it was the truth
Smiling, satisfied with the answer, the little boy shuffled over and rested his tiny frame against my side, and fell back asleep.
Not moving an inch, eyes glued to the glowing stars on the ceiling, the words kept repeating over and over in my head. Children sure were forward.
'Do I want to be a father?'
Out of nowhere, a muffled voice came from the child at my side, "I love you, Daddy" It was as pure as a feather, as heavy as a space shuttle
Without a second thought and a warm heart, I snuggled closer to the boy and relaxed, forgetting all my worries. And right before I fell asleep I freed the words that were resting restlessly in my throat.
"I love you too, Josh"
Hello again, I was sure to write another chapter. Reviews def. are good motivation. haha :3
ANYWAYS, I know this chapter was a little over the top mushy, and really moved kind of slow. Plus it was a short chapter. Writing obviously isn't my specialty. I just wish somebody could get my imagination on paper. Things would be a lot easier and interesting lol. Anyways, I hope it wasn't too terrible or sappy. I know Heero is quite a bit out of character but too late to turn back now.
R&R, be gentle with me folks!