Begin Part Ten
NOTES: I know it's been a while! GOMEN MINNA! But I had a date yesterday so I might not drown you in sap anymore because I might have someone else to! WUHAHAHAHA! You are safe! Wish me luck in this new endeavor… @_@; (me + dates + actual love = disaster) ANYway, um.. yeah. The ending is coming SOON. Like, the next chapter and the epilogue.. The contest deadline is also soon! Ek ek! I'm scared I missed it! Oh well… -_-; Yep yep.. so if you're still reading this I have one thing to say: Damn. I love you.
Heero's eyes opened and he breathed deep, a happy smile gracing his lips.
He was safe.
He brought his nose up to touch Duo's, staring at his calm face. Their limbs were wrapped together in a tight embrace of love.
Then slowly Duo's eyes opened, hazy purple peered through sleep-laden half closed lids. "Heero...." he murmured, moving his head slightly forward and letting his forehead met Heero's.
"I love this," Heero whispered back, his eyes shining excitement.
"Love what...?" Duo asked softly, eyes still half-shut.
"Waking up and seeing you," Heero replied, giving him a slow, lips-only kiss.
Duo pulled back, his eyes a bit wider now. "I suppose we should take showers and then head over to your house, hmm?"
Heero paused to consider. "I suppose so."
So for the next hour they took turns in the shower and then sat down together to a breakfast of cereal.
When they got to Heero's house, no cars other than his were in the driveway and they were both grateful for that.
Then it was packing boxes and moving them into either car.
It was no easy business, moving Heero in.
He had taken his computer, scanner, and printer along with all of his books, all of his posters, CDs, DVDs, clothing (which was a good thing since he was wearing yesterday's jeans and one of Duo's undershirts), and other odds and ends. He left behind all of his trophies, however. They meant nothing to him. If anyone, they meant to most to his father and mother so he decided that they should have them.
He set up his computer while Duo unpacked his clothing. They listened to some of his CDs in what was now their stereo, putting Duo's old one in the closet. Heero decided that he wasn't in the mood for messing with the Internet connection and began instead to combine their CD collections, but stopped halfway through when a terrible thought crossed his mind.
"Is something the matter?" Duo asked. He had to have noticed the perturbed look that crossed Heero's face.
"Is this going to fast?" Heero inquired quietly. "I'm afraid that it'll burn out before it's even had a chance to live.... I...I don't mind this at all, don't misunderstand, but you.... I don't want to upset you. I don't want to move too fast for you...."
"Oh, Heero...." Duo cooed, walking over to wrap his arms around his waist, laying his shoulder on Heero's back.
"I don't want to guilt trip you into loving me, but you truly are the only thing I have left in the entire universe right now and I want to spend forever with you. I don't want to go too fast and fuck it up for us.... I wonder if maybe I'm just being a baby and I should go back...."
"No!" Duo cried, his arms getting much tighter around Heero's waist. "No! You will *not* go back while I am watching you, Heero Yuy! This is not too fast for me, I am perfectly comfortable. You do not need to worry, Heero. I want you here. If I did not like you, I would not invite you here, doing so would only have caused everyone more pain in the end. Please do not feel unwanted. I will tell you when I am uncomfortable and right now I am only sad that things had to work out so badly for you."
After a few moments of silence, Duo released his hold on Heero, leaning up and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before hopping back to unpack the rest of his clothing.
Heero smiled at his boyfriend. He really did know the best way to handle every situation.
He went back to organizing CDs.
They found themselves at the movies. They managed to hop a few, finally snuggling up in the last one, barely paying attention to it at all, just each other....
Heero admitted he was a little nervous about going out because of the fit he was sure his mother threw. He was afraid that she had called the cops and they were going to be searching for him.
Duo reassured him that he couldn't let his mother control his life and he was eighteen and legally allowed to leave anyway.
Heero found this acceptable and they left.
"Heero?" Duo whispered, looking up at his boyfriend, trying to be as quiet as possible.
Heero kissed his nose to signal his attention.
Duo just smiled up at him, his eyes shinning brightly even through the dark of the movie theater as he rested his head on Heero's shoulder.
Heero smiled back at him, stroking his bangs slowly.
The next few days were lazy. They spent the time getting to know everything about each other. Well, more like everything about Heero. It was amazing, for Heero, to realize how much Duo opened him up. He was going through his past, pulling out memories he thought he'd forgotten where as he would rarely say 'hello' to anyone before Duo made his appearance.
When Heero announced these thoughts, Duo just shrugged and told him that it was amazing what love would do to you. He told him that he convinced himself he wouldn't fall in love with anyone on Earth and try not to get too close to any of them for this was just an observation, nothing more, but then he really fell in love and all those rules changed. He couldn't hide his feelings or care.
Friday was a day of turmoil for Heero. Duo went to school and he was to wait in anticipation for him to get home. Unfortunately he also had to go to work, so he only had a few minutes with Duo before he had to disappear. He decides to get a bouquet of roses for Duo when he returned.
However the flower shop was held up and by the time he got his order in, he had to go to work, so he told the lady he would pick them up later and disappeared.
The entire time Heero was worried about what had happened at school, if Duo returned unharmed, how he managed, if he would have to confront anyone when he got back. Worst of all he didn't have any time to call because since it was a Friday night the ice-cream shop he worked at was packed.
He was glad to get out of there quick, his two female co-workers telling him not to worry about it and get back to his boyfriend, joking with him the entire time, much to his distress.
He picked up the flowers on the way back and speed back to what he now considered 'their home'.
Just saying that was infinitely precious to him. Their home. Home was a place of love, a place where you care about what went on. Without love and caring, you merely had a house; it takes those two elements to make it a home. It was *their* home. Theirs. Duo and his. Together. It was a house of love and caring that they shared. That made it all the more special.
Upon return he saw Duo's yellow Mustang in the garage, which meant that he at least made it home, and it wasn't terribly beat up, which was another good sign.
He shut the garage and opened the door to find Duo in the kitchen, cooking up a storm.
Duo had turned around and his eyes grew large with the sight of the roses, already laden with tears.
"Heero...." he breathed before running into his arms. Heero caught him, picking him up and holding him to his chest as his fingers gripped the soft cotton of Heero's shirt and tears began to make their way slowly at first down his cheeks.
"They were so awful to me...." he sobbed, wrapping his arms tightly around Heero's neck.
Heero walked over to check the contents of the stove, the sobbing boy still held tight in his arms and made sure that nothing would burn before setting the flowers on the counter and walking Duo into the living room where he sat them both down on the couch. Duo refused to let go of him, and Heero rubbed his back soothingly, kissing at his wet cheeks.
"They...they hit me.... They called me a fag and a pansy and a wuss.... They...they told me to pull down my pants.... They wanted to see if I was as manly as they were; they wanted to hurt me! They told me...they told me to suck them off to see...to see if I was as good as a girl.... They threw me on the ground. When you were not here...I did not know what to do!"
Heero noticed the bruises and scraps on his arms when he tugged up a little on Duo's sleeves. There were bruises on his face too, covered by the bangs.
There was a fire so deep in the pit of Heero's stomach, turning into a raging inferno that *anyone* should touch, let alone *hurt* his love...!
He realized how tight his arms had become around Duo's body and loosened them a little.
He would *never* let someone hurt Duo again. Never.
"Was no one there to protect you?!" His voice came out a lot angrier than he ever meant it and he felt Duo flinch in his arms and shake his head slowly.
"How can they expel us for showing love and just let people abuse you?!" His voice wasn't much calmer.
"Heero, please.... I am just upset, do not become too angry.... I will be okay...."
"But it shouldn't have happened! I'm not just angry, I'm fucking pissed off! If I were there, they would have gotten the fucking shit beat out of them! I'm not letting you out of my site on school grounds again!" Heero decided immediately.
"Heero.... Please, think rationally...." Duo begged, stroking his cheek slowly as the both of them calmed down. He leaned up and gave him a slow kiss. "Let us discuss this further over dinner, okay?"
Heero sighed and let Duo out of his arms, trying to contain the last of his wrath.
When Heero walked in, he saw Duo setting the flowers, now in a vase, upon the table.
"The flowers are beautiful.... Thank you...." Duo spoke quietly. Just staring at him Heero realized how vulnerable and weak he truly was. "I think it goes without saying that I've never been given flowers...."
Heero wrapped him into an unresponsive hug.
"I love you, Duo."
Duo took his hands off of him.
"I have been perverted, Heero. I...I do not know if I can love any part of humanity."
Heero was shocked, not to mention hurt.
"So don't love humanity -- just love me!" Heero cried in frustration, tears brimming his eyes. "Or did you never really love me? Am I just part of your experiment? Well I guess it doesn't matter, I've fucked up again! I should have made you stay here, but I didn't.... It's my fucking fault...."
Heero stormed over and got himself some of the spaghetti Duo had been making and sat down, glaring at it and shoving his fork angrily into it.
"It's all my fault. I should just shoot myself...."
He looked over at Duo who was standing only a few feet away, his head bent in shame, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Stop crying, Duo, it hurts me...." Heero told him gently, then became angered once more. "Maybe all I deserve is to see you hurt. God decided I've had all the hurt that could be place upon me so now I have to see you in pain."
Suddenly Duo snapped.
"I hate this place! I hate it here! Everything is all about pain and anger! I hate it!"
He then darted from the room and Heero heard the door slam.
Slowly he continued to eat his dinner, standing half way though it and swiped all of the dishes off the table. Hot angry tears poured out of his eyes like acid rain from the sky. The roses lay in the pooled water, surrounded by glass, the petals crushed and a few falling off in the mess.
Heero leaned down, reaching for one, heedless of the glass cutting his skin.
"I caused him this pain," he whispered, his hand clamping on the stem, the thorns digging into his palm.
"I hurt him...." Heero picked up a long slip of glass, which was the vase, turning it over in his hand.
"Why? All I do...is hurt...." Heero's legs weakened and he fell against the wall.
"Duo's right.... There's so much hurt...."
He slid down the wall.
"I'm just adding to that hurt...."
Slowly he brought the glass against his skin.
"I love you, Duo," he whispered.
'I'm still here,' was the first though in Heero's consciousness.
His eyes drifted open to see Duo, back to him, dancing to the radio as he tidied up the room.
'Ani Difranco', his brain registered a few seconds later.
It was a rather unsexy dance, but Heero's brain could definitely supply the pictures of a Duo who knew how to dance.
"Duo, what are you doing?" Heero asked, grinning.
Duo spun around, his eyes wide in shock. "Heero! You are awake!"
"Yeah...and I need to teach you how to dance," Heero teased, sitting and flashing him a grin. He realized he was in boxers and both his wrists were bandaged neatly.
He tried to ignore the thoughts of what he did last night.
He was seriously intent on killing himself. When he passed out, with what must have been loss of blood, he thought he had died. Duo must have caught him just in time and closed the wounds....
Duo couldn't hate him that much, then.
Duo was blushing lightly. "I did not mean for you to see...."
"It's not that bad, Duo. Anyone can learn how to dance. I did."
Heero stood and stretched for a moment.
" 'Freak' dancing is especially easy. You just let your body flow. It's especially easy if you have someone to dance with, because it's just like having sex with your clothes on," Heero explained, lifting his arms over his head and slowly, at first, letting his hips move in a slowly circular motion, letting his torso move along with that. A smile played at his lips when he saw Duo watching intently, obvious interest in his eyes as he watched his hips intently.
"I had to learn all of this when I joined Junior Varsity Football and started to get invited to parties. I had to impress the ladies. Normally, though, I'd have someone in front of me," Heero explained, moving his arms down so that his hands were resting on imaginary hips in front of him, slowly letting hips speed up in a more violent grinding motion. "And I'd kinda grind against someone else. I'm not really good with doing the other part, that's more difficult."
He stopped and waited a moment. "Break dancing is just letting each movement be a harsh jerk to the beat of the song," Heero explained, showing an example. "I'm better at this because I have no life," he continued, showing off slightly as he pulled his heart from his chest, still beating, then swallowed it. [1]
"Then you're last kind of dancing," Heero explained as the track shifted to 'Joyful Girl', "is your slow dancing. Sorry, but you can't do this with one person," Heero told him, grabbing Duo and pulling him to his chest, letting his arms wrap loosely around Duo's thin waist, rocking slowly to the beat of the music.
Carefully Duo's hands trailed up Heero's arms until he hesitantly wrapped his arms around Heero's neck, rocking back and forth with him.
"Heero.... Do you remember what happened last night?" Duo asked softly, his face nuzzled into the soft cotton of Heero's shirt.
Heero nodded. "Yeah...."
"Okay. I should not have said those things. I did not mean them."
"No, Duo. You have that right," Heero replied.
"But I did not mean them! I care very much for you, I...I love you very much, Heero, I was just upset with myself.... I felt weak, I felt ashamed. You would have been able to defend yourself against them, but I failed."
"How many guys were there, Duo? I'm not made of steel, you know." He chuckled sadly. "Just look at my fucking wrists."
"Seven. They were all Varsity, I think.... I know you are not made of steel, Heero. That is one of the things that makes you so strong."
Heero snorted. "No one would have been able to win against that. I guess.... I shouldn't have been so angry, but I was upset with myself for letting you be hurt. You are a part of me.... It hurts me so badly when you are in pain, I.... I can't stand it. To see that someone would hurt you.... I couldn't handle it. I.... It was my fault...."
"No, Heero, that is not it at all. There was nothing you could have done. I had to go so I did and you could not so you did not. Actually, I think it was good for me. I suppose I needed some reality, but I have to be honest, I do not like it here. I do like some parts of humanity. I like this, I like you, I like Quatre and Trowa, but over all this is not an enjoyable place."
"You have the right to feel that way. I feel that way most of the time anyway...." Heero admitted, wrapping his arms tighter around Duo. He didn't ever want to loose the other man, but it was very apparent that he could lose him at any moment.
"Duo...."
"Hmm?"
"I love you. Really. I guess it's just proof of how fucked humanity is. You're the only thing I love and you aren't from Earth. Isn't that ironic? Pathetic? I don't know anymore.... I'm going to stop pretending that I know anything."
"Then I guess I am just as pathetic as you for loving what I know is wrong, because I love you. Really. I guess it is just proof of how fucked I am."
Heero tilted Duo's head to look into his eyes.
"You're the most beautiful thing about the Earth," he whispered, the tips of their noses rubbing against one another.
"No," Duo breathed back. "You are...."
Slowly Heero's eyelids dropped and he laid his open mouth against Duo's, letting his tongue slide over his bottom lip. Duo let his tongue join Heero's getting him to slip into the warm depths of Duo's mouth.
Gently Heero pinned Duo down onto the bed.
Heero watched as Duo's eyes slid open.
"Hey lovely," Heero smiled, stroking his hair.
Duo smiled back at him, seeming content just to rest with him, his head on his chest.
"It's five o'clock."
Duo nodded.
"We've both missed work."
Duo nodded again.
"It might be fun to go out to dinner."
"Yes...." Duo agreed.
"You're not upset, are you?" Heero asked, worried.
Duo sat up and looked down at Heero, trailing a long finger across his bottom lip.
"Upset? No," Duo replied, grinning. "I am not upset at all. It was.... I did not know that much.... You are amazing."
Heero blushed as Duo leaned down to steal a kiss.
"Where do you want to eat, then?"
[1] I don't know how else to explain it and I don't know if it has a name. .;
End Part Ten