Author: aomurasakiai
Warnings: AU, Angst, Sap, Shounen ai/Yaoi
Pairings: 2+1, 1+2, 2x1
Spoilers: None
Rating: PG-13
*Everything above may be
subject to change*
Fragile Faith: Chapter 11 – Making a Present
Duo arrived at the orphanage early the next morning. Lady Une met him at the door.
"Duo. I was wondering something." Duo blinked.
"What is it Lady Une?" Lady Une gave him a smile.
"You really care about Heero don't you?"
"What?! Of course I do! I care for him more than anyone!!" Duo immediately looked away and flushed after his outburst. He heard Lady Une chuckle softly.
"I thought so. I mean yesterday… I believe you've moved a mountain with him."
"Yeah well, I didn't do much." Duo smiled and shrugged. He was surprised to see Lady Une suddenly turn serious.
"Don't say that. You did more for him than anyone ever has." She took a deep breath. "Duo… I want to ask a favor of you."
"Sure. What?"
"Heero… I know he has a lot that he's holding in." She paused to place her hand on her heart before continuing, her voice growing increasingly soft. "And I also know that you can bring it out. He needs to tell *someone* everything. He needs to cry, Duo… He has to. Keeping it all in for over 10 years just isn't…" She paused as emotions washed over her. Duo walked up and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I know," he said equally as soft. Tears were beginning to form in his eyes but he didn't care. "I promised that I'd take care of him. Now I promise you that I'll love him as well… no matter what has happened to him." Lady Une smiled through her own tears.
"I know you will. Thank you Duo." She gave him a brief hug. "That's why I'm allowing you to spend the night here whenever you want. I've already called the university and they said it was just fine."
"Really? That's great! It'll save lots of time. But oh… I should go get some clothing and stuff." He laughed and hugged Lady Une tightly. "Thanks a lot."
"I'm the one who should be thanking you." Duo smiled before getting back into his car and driving back to his dormitory to do some packing. But before he left he decided that a present would be a nice surprise for Heero. However, he didn't want to buy one like before. So he quickly ran down the hall and knocked quietly on his friends' door, mindful that it was still morning and that he didn't want to start the day off by getting them mad. Moments later a blonde head peeked out.
"Hey Quatre," Duo said, keeping his voice low when he spotted Trowa still sleeping inside.
"Duo… what are you doing up so early? Oh wait a minute… the orphanage right?" Quatre knew about the orphanage since he was one of the first ones Duo told. Trowa, Wufei, and a few others were also told about it and Duo kept them updated on everything that happened. So they all knew all about Heero.
"Well, yeah that. Also I was wondering something."
"What is it?"
"I want to give a present to Heero. But I don't know what."
"Hmm… What does he like?"
"I… don't really know," Duo said quietly… almost ashamed.
"Well, are you planning to buy it or make it?"
"Make it."
"Alright then. Why not ask Hilde for help?" Duo smacked his forehead.
'Now why didn't I think of that? Hilde is the best when it comes to home EC kinda stuff.'
"Thanks Quatre. Where would I be without you?"
"Present-less that's for sure." Quatre smiled.
"Thanks. Sorry to wake you."
"It's okay. Hope you make a great present." Quatre softly closed the door.
Duo nearly sprinted down the hallway to Hilde's room, almost running into her when she stepped out into the hall. She gave a startled yelp.
"Good god Duo! What are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?!"
"S-Sorry Hilde." Duo panted before asking in his most pleading voice complete with puppy eyes. "Can you pleeease help me make something for Heero? Pretty please?" Hilde huffed.
"Is that all?" She sighed before opening her door and stepping back inside. "Come on in then." Hilde went over to her bed and sat on it. Reaching over to the dresser she grabbed a bag and began to pull out yarn, felt, thread, needle, scissors, and so on. Duo's eyes got wider with each item she took out.
"Now then. You call upon me for help in making something." Duo nodded. "And this is for Heero who you've been talking about all night long to the point where most of us nearly went without sleep." A sheepish nod. "Then you must like him a lot to be desperate enough to ask *me* since you were never the type of person to do arts and crafts." Hilde gave Duo a triumphant grin.
"Alright already! You don't have to rub it in! Sheesh…" Hilde laughed.
"Okay now. Hm… I have plenty of materials here to make a plushie. Wanna try?"
"Is it going to take long?"
"Of course not." She gestured the other side of the room and Duo almost fell off the bed as he saw literally a *mountain* of plushies of almost everything.
"I do them in my free time." She smiled. "Now first of all, any idea what you'd like to make?" Seeing the blank look on Duo's face, she sighed. "Oka~ay. Since you're giving it to Heero let's make a plushie of you!"
"WHAT?!" Duo shouted while blushing bright red.
"Why not? I have plenty of felt here. Ooh look at this! Brown yarn! And what do you know! Violet buttons!" Duo's eyebrow twitched.
"You had this planned didn't you?" All he got was an innocent look. Duo just sighed and they got to work.
It was late in the evening when they finished. Duo's fingers were in throbbing in pain with all the cutting and sewing he'd had to do. He also pricked himself with the needle more times than he cared to remember and now his fingers were wrapped in little white bandages. The plushie itself didn't turn out too bad since Hilde helped him a bit with instructions. However she wouldn't touch the needle or assist with anything else because she insisted that Duo make it himself or it wouldn't hold the same meaning. Duo smiled as he held up the plushie of himself.
The plushie was about twice the size of his hand and it was soft due to the cotton stuffed within it. It was wearing what he was at the moment: a red tank top and black pants. The violet buttons were sewn onto the head that had a tiny nose and a big smile. The brown yarn covered the head and was braided down the plushie's back, tied off with a small violet ribbon.
Duo quickly thanked Hilde and after receiving a hug and a "Good luck!" from her, he ran back to his room to grab the bag packed with all the necessities for a sleepover. On the way there, he stopped by a fast-food place to get dinner and ordered enough to treat Heero to some as well. Arriving at the orphanage, he quickly parked the car and checked his bag to make sure the plushie was still there.
He hoped that Heero would like it.
tbc…