Love and Lust - Part 12
By Kirakira

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Noin watched as her son was finishing up the last of his meal. She enjoyed the quiet moments she had with him. Although he was living with Relena's mother, sometimes Noin had to pick up Li from school if his grandmother couldn't get him. Those days were always her happiest. Sure, she would much rather have Li living with her...but there was one problem with that; Li and Zechs didn't get along one bit. Li was Zechs' son, true...but all Zechs seemed to care about was a family that he wasn't even sure was his-in other words, Heero, Akari, and Akira.

Li was about to take a sip of his drink when he noticed Noin staring at him from the corner of his eye. Setting the glass down, he looked at her questioningly.

"What?"

"Huh?" Noin blinked a few times, shaking her head. "Oh I'm sorry, honey...mommy was just daydreaming," she replied with a warm smile. Li took a sip of his drink and smiled back.

"What were you daydreaming about?"

"Well...I was daydreaming about how much I love the times we spend together. Just you and me...in this house. You know, I wish it was like this all the time." Li just kept smiling at her, so Noin continued. "It's good to see you, Li. Really it is. I just wish that you would move back in here with me. Whaddya say?"

"Zechs move out yet?" Li questioned, his smile gone. Noin sighed, shaking her head. Li frowned. "Then no."

"Oh well...can't say I didn't try huh?" Noin watched as Li finished his drink and went to put his dishes in the sink. "So how was school today?"

"It was alright. Mason got in a fight again."

"Really? Is he alright."

LI nodded. "The nurse said that she was more worried about the boys."

"Oh really..." Noin laughed a little. "So in short you had a good day."

"Yep..."

Just then the door opened and Zechs walked in. He plopped down on the couch and sighed, seeming totally exhausted. Noin looked at Li.

"Wait here for a minute, ok?" She said before going out into the living room. Staring at him, she crossed her arms. "Li's here..."

Zechs glanced at her. "...ok."

"Hmph. Aren't you even gonna ask me where he is?"

"Where is he?"

"In the kitchen. I don't know if he wants to see you. Hell who could blame him."

Zechs groaned. "Noin, don't start that with me."

"Start what!?" Noin snapped, glaring. "All I'm doing is telling you the same damn thing I tell eveytime he comes over here. God, Zechs how do expect to be apart of his life if you don't even take the time to talk to him. Do you even know when his birthday is?"

"Of course I do. It's June 3."

Noin laughed. "It's July 13, you asshole! God why do I put up with you!?" Noin threw her hands in the air. "You don't remember your own son's birthday! I bet you don't even know how old is here, either huh!?"

"God dammit Noin, what do you expect me to do!?" Zechs shouted, glaring at her. "I tried to get to know the kid, alright!?"

"No you didn't TRY to get to know him. And he's not a kid-he's your son!"

"Look Noin, I tried-he doesn't want me to know him. End of story."

"Oh please! I bet if it was either Akari or Akira in Li's place, you would keep on persisting until you got some answers!"

Zechs frowned. "What the hell are you getting at?"

"Oh don't think I didn't notice. Zechs, you got their damn picture on the wall in your office! Not one picture of Li is there and I know you have pictures of him because your mother-"

"Step-mother."

"Whatever! The point is that she always sends us pictures...and you don't even put one up. Why is that?"

"I just haven't found the time."

"Oh my bad. You don't have the time to get to know your son; you don't have the time to put up just ONE picture of your son. However, you do have the time to pester Heero; you do have the time to interfere with his life; and you do have the time to see Heero's children." Noin scoffed. "At least I know what your priorities are." With that Noin stormed out of the room, leaving Zechs to think about what she just said. After letting out a exasperated sigh, he looked up to see Li standing there, expressionless as usual. Zechs smiled slightly.

"Hey...how are you?"

"...Fine."

"That's good." Zechs got up and walked toward him. "What time did you come over here?"

"...Right after school."

"Oh..." Zechs knelt down so that he was level with Li, looking straight at him. "Did you hear anything that me and your mom were talking about?"

"...Does it matter if I did?"

"Well yes...it does."

"Why?"

"Li, just answer the question. Did you or did you not?"

"Why don't you just get to what you wanna ask me and stop beating around the bush?" Li glared at Zechs, who just sighed annoyingly.

"What is it that you want me to ask you?"

"The same question you ask me every time I come over here." Li started up the stairs as Zechs stood up. As he reached the top, he turned around, still glaring. "Akari and Akira didn't get in trouble, they said they were going to have a guest over tonight, and tomorrow, they said that they were going to the park." With that Li stormed to his room, slamming the door.
---
Akari finished off everything on her plate before getting up and going for seconds. Duo just watched her, chuckling softly.

"God, that girl can eat."

"Tell me about it..." Heero replied, taking a sip of his drink. "She can eat a large pizza by herself."

"Really??"

"Yeah....but of course she gets sick afterward."

"Oh." Duo laughed as Akari sat back down at the table. Then sighing he looked at Heero. "So uh, why was Zechs here. I know it's none of my business, but I'm just that damn curious I guess."

"Nothing important really. He was babbling about me being his soul mate...or something like that?"

"You serious? God, has he gone mental or something?"

Heero shrugged. "He just doesn't know when to give up, I guess."

"I think he's an oober," Akari declared, nodding her head. Heero looked at her strangely.

"A what?"

"An oober."

Duo scratched his head. "And what's that?"

Akari shrugged. "I made it up."

"Uh huh..." Heero smiled, shaking his head. Then he focused on Duo again. "So what time are you expected home?"

"Geez, you make it sound like I have a curfew."

"Sorry...just wondering."

"Well..." Duo thought for a minute. "Nobody told me I had to be home at a certain time...not that there's much of a home to go to."

"Hmm..."

Akira looked from one to the other, then centered on Duo. "Are you gonna spend the night?"

"Yeah we have an extra room," Akari chimed in after swallowing. Duo chuckled.

"Oh I dunno. Maybe not."

"But why?" Akira questioned. "You're welcomed here."

"You could move in!" Akari exclaimed.

"Oh no...I can't do that." Duo glanced at Heero, who was just watching him. "I'd be getting in the way."

"But we want-"

"That's enough." Akari covered her mouth at the sound of Heero's words. They sounded a little strict, and she definitely didn't want to get in trouble with him. Heero let out a sigh before looking at her and Akira. "Stop pestering. All that does is piss someone off. I don't want you guys ending up like Zechs, alright?"

"K!" Akari and Akira exclaimed, nodding. Then Akari thought of a great idea.

"Duo! You were alive in AC 185 right?"

"Uh...I'd like to think so..." Duo replied, looking at her curiously.

"Then you know about that L2 plague thingie, don't ya?"

"Uh...well..."

"You gotta tell me everything you know-please??"

"Um...well it's kinda hard to discuss, I mean-"

"You must know something. Did you see someone die?"

Heero saw a hurt expression cross Duo's face. "Kari that's enough."

Akari looked at Heero. "But daddy-"

"I said that's enough!" Heero shouted, getting a yelp out of both the girls. "I thought I just told you to not pester people-he obviously doesn't want to talk about it, so stop pushing!" He noticed Akari nodding her head and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry I yelled at you, sweetie. I didn't mean to but you just made me so angry I-just remember when someone tells you no the first time, then the answers no...alright?"

"Yes daddy..." Akari replied, softly.

"Good. Now go upstairs and get ready for bed. I'll be up there in a minute to tuck you in."

Nodding, the girls got up and put their plates in the sink. Afterward the said good-night to both Duo and Heero and went up the stairs as told. Duo watched them leave.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," he said after they left.

"I know what they wanted you to talk about was a touchy subject. I thought it would bring back something that you have been trying to forget for a while now."

"Yeah...well you can't bury the past...no matter how hard you try."

"True...." Heero got up and put his as well as Duo's dishes in the sink. "Thanks for coming over."

"Thanks for inviting me."

Heero smiled. "You're welcome."
---
The next day, Heero got on the phone to schedule an appointment at the hospital. Akari and Akira were upstairs getting ready for another day at school.

"Yeah I would like one as soon as possible...uh huh...9:00?...today?...well I guess that would be alright...and how long would take for the results to come up?...tomorrow?...alright then...yeah go ahead...bye." As Heero hung up the phone he thought if scheduling the paternity test that early was such a good idea. "Kari! Kira!"

"Yes?" Akari and Akira asked, coming down the stairs.

"Leave you book bags here. You're not going to school today."

Heero dialed the number to Quatre's house, oblivious to the squealing going on behind him.


TBC
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Ok ok...I lied...NOW there's only two more chapters left...sorry ^^;