Warnings: Yaoi, angst
Disclaimers: Don't own GW.
Duo?
Chapter 12: Duo's Death
Heero heard the clock downstairs chime 9 o'clock and stopped pacing. He took a deep breath. 'It's now or never...'
He grabbed the third note and left his room. He shoved it into his pocket and went into the kitchen where Duo sat with a small book open in front of him. He ran his hands through his hair that remained unbraided. He put his head down on his arms and released a shaky sigh.
Heero bit his lip. Maybe this was a bad time. He went into the living room and leaned on the back of the couch. What could possibly cause Duo to seem so upset? He heard the legs of the chair scratching on the tiled floor and turned around to see Duo turning up to the stairs. Heero's eyes widened. Duo's long bangs covered his eyes but he could plainly see the tears streaming silently down his cheeks.
Duo hadn't seen Heero standing there and went up the stairs. Heero waited a moment before walking quickly to the bottom of the staircase in time to see Duo climbing the second set of stairs to the third floor before disappearing from sight. Heero looked into the kitchen to see if the book was still there. It was.
He picked it up and turned it over. The outside covers had no words indicating what it was, they were just a plain dark brown color that felt like very soft leather. In the front cover a tree was etched into the leather. The branches had no leaves, but looked old and scraggy. He ran a thumb over the thick trunk of the tree and sighed. It was so depressing.
He opened the book to a random page and realized immediately what it was; a diary. He went to the first page and started reading:
Dear Diary,
It is summer now, and I have discovered that I am unable to bear children. My husband was heartbroken; he had dearly hoped for a son. As did I. I have always wanted a family, ever since I was old enough to understand it.
My mother was always the one to reassure me that if I wanted something bad enough, that my wishes would come true. I suppose that would be impossible now. I haven't told her yet, but I plan to tomorrow.
Up until now, our marriage has gone perfectly. Hikou is my loving husband and we have only been married for a few months. I had told him that I would give him anything he wished for, but I see now that I cannot fulfil that promise. But still, I think adoption would be a good idea now. I can only hope that Hikou agrees.
Until next time,
Rumiko
Heero sat down and turned a few pages.
Dear Diary,
Hikou willingly agreed to adoption. When we brought our new child to my mother, she was overjoyed.
Heero gasped. Duo never told him he was adopted! He shook his head in wonder and kept reading.
Duo is wonderful, he's so cute! I don't know why his mother would want to give him up. But I guess that doesn't matter anymore. What matters now is that he is our son. I loved him instantly. His bright violet eyes just drew me in, I feel as though I could drown in them. He's such a perfect angel. He is very quiet and loves to look out the window.
He also watches Hikou with great interest. I have yet to figure out why, but he seems to expect something whenever he enters the room. I hope that he'll accept the fact that he's adopted when we tell him. We plan to tell him when he's a little older, though.
Until next time,
Rumiko
Heero turned the next few pages and read another entry:
Dear Diary,
Duo is getting more and more creative each day. Today he discovered the lock on his playpen. Hikou has just gone out to get a new one that he can't undo. He's very amusing, when he got out of his playpen, he went right to Hikou and crawled into his lap. It was adorable! Hikou seems really taken to Duo as well.
Heero stopped and scanned the page. It was filled with things that Duo had done up until then and just how adorable it was. He flipped through the pages until something caught his eye. This entry was much shorter and the writing seemed hurried.
Dear Diary,
I have a suspicion that Hikou has a mistress. He's been going out early and coming home later than usual during the past few weeks. I was doing laundry the other day with Duo when I noticed the strange smell of perfume on Hikou's clothes. I've been keeping to myself lately though, as does Hikou.
We celebrated Duo's second birthday last week and I noticed a young girl talking to Hikou. I think she's the one that Hikou has been seeing. I hear him coming in now.
Until next time,
Rumiko
Wondering if this is what had made Duo so upset, Heero flipped through the pages again, until he saw another style of handwriting. One much different than Duo's foster mother's.
I see Hikou's first wife has left something behind. A dairy, how odd. She has moved out now, but she left this in a drawer in the basement. Hikou has obviously made the right decision to divorce her.
Heero's jaw dropped. This was awful! How could he do something like that?
Hikou has sworn to allow her to see Duo whenever she pleases, but I really would prefer she take him. He's a nuisance. I never really liked children. Oh well, I guess I'll just deal with him when he's older.
As Rumiko would've said: Until next time,
Fuka
'Fuka, huh?' Heero thought, 'I guess Duo never knew that he had a different mother.'
He turned to the most recent entry.
Fuka here,
Duo is 16 today and he's more annoying than ever! I don't expect this annoyance to last for much longer though. In a few days, Hikou will also be rid of that long-haired freak. I expect he would cry if I called him that to his face!
Anyway, Hikou and I will walk into Duo's room when he doesn't come downstairs in the morning, only to find that he's mysteriously died during the night. I don't want to upset Hikou, but I think it's for the best. Duo would probably go crazy if he found out that he was adopted anyway. I think Hikou told Duo that Rumiko was my sister or something, because he treats her like family when she comes over to visit.
She seems happy enough with that, although she acts as though I don't exist. I can't exactly say I blame her, but still. Hikou is mine now and has been for many years. She seems to have gotten over it, and I see she is remarried. I find myself wondering if she adopted again.
I am going to poison Duo before he goes to bed in a few days, it will be almost immediately effective. Giving it more time to get out of his system during the night. I will not be caught.
I wonder how Rumiko will act when she realizes that her son has so "mysteriously" died during the night. She'll probably cry. I'll cry too, or at least pretend to, just to clear my name. I'll just about go crazy with grief. To throw them off. Burning this diary seems like a good idea, too.
Fuka
Heero was shocked. He stood up and scowled at the entry. She must have forgotten to get rid of it after she wrote it. He shut the book and went upstairs to find Duo. He didn't care about anything anymore, he just knew that Duo needed comfort, and he was going to give it to him.
He got to the third floor and looked around. Duo's presence was stronger when he stepped to the right. He peered around the doorframe to find Duo sitting in a corner, hugging his knees to his chest with his head bowed down. He started towards him and stopped when Duo suddenly looked up.
He swallowed hard. "Duo, I know about your parents," he said softly, taking another step forward.
Duo rubbed his eye and smiled. "Oh, did I leave that in the kitchen?" he asked, trying to sound like his usual self.
Heero reached Duo and sat down next to him. He shook his head. "Duo, you don't need to pretend." He sighed. "I can't say I know how much that hurt you, because I don't. But I can say for sure that I am always here for you, no matter what. And I know you're in pain right now, I saw you crying when you came up here." Duo looked down as more tears welled in his eyes. Heero continued, "I'll try to help ease that pain in any way that I can."
He put his arm around Duo's shoulders. "And if you need a shoulder to cry on, please come to me," he whispered.
Duo looked into Heero's eyes as more tears flowed down his cheeks. He then threw himself at Heero, sobbing into his shirt. "Heero!" he cried. Heero ran his fingers through Duo's long hair and put his other arm around him in an embrace. He felt Duo grip the front of his shirt with both hands and smiled.
Neither of them knew exactly how long they'd been like this, but Duo finally pulled away from Heero, one of his arms still around his shoulders. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, avoiding Heero's eyes.
Heero smiled. "Don't be." Duo looked at his hands in his lap and sniffed. Heero looked at his watch. "It's already 10, maybe you should go to bed. I know crying makes people tired." He stood up and offered his hand. "Come on, I'll go too." Duo blinked up at Heero's smile and took his hand. Heero pulled him up and put that arm around Duo's shoulders.
Duo let Heero steer him down the stairs and into their room. "I'll be right back," he said and left. Duo sat down on the bed and started braiding his hair.
'Heero's so sweet, no wonder I love him so much,' he thought with a smile.
Heero walked in as Duo tied off his braid. He set the diary he'd gone to get on his desk and made a circular motion with his finger, indicating that Duo turn around. He did and Heero changed into his dry bedshirt and shorts and tapped Duo on the shoulder.
Duo nodded at Heero's change of clothes and got into his side of the bed as Heero turned out the light. He saw Heero's shadowy figure getting into bed beside him. Heero closed his eyes.
Duo smiled. "Thank you, Heero."
Heero opened his eyes again and smiled at Duo. "Anything for you, Duo," he replied. He didn't really care if Duo took that as an "I love you and would die for you" kind of thing, because it was.