Title: The Tutor Author: Gina Lin Genre: Romance, Angst, Drama Series: Gundam Wing Pairing: 2x5 Warnings: Yaoi, AU, Language Rated: PG-13 to R Archived: S_E Updates, Shades and Echoes, FF.net.

Chapter 13

The Misunderstanding

The banner above the doorway inside of Darlene and Solo's apartment read "Free Solo!"

Duo had chosen the gold letters of which he was rather proud, even though the "F" on "Free" was a bit crooked.

"He's never going to go back to that place," said Duo, folding his arms. Wufei recognized that determined look and said nothing.

"Fei, can I talk to you like, um, seriously?" asked Duo, not noticing the silence.

"What do you want to talk about?" asked Wufei.

"About what happens now," said Duo swallowing hard.

"Me and you-wise, I assume you mean," said Wufei uncomfortably. He fiddled with some gold glitter that had stuck to his hand, rubbing it off.

"Yeah," said Duo. "It feels weird sometimes living at your house and sleeping with you, ya know what I mean."

"Duo, you're my boyfriend, and we're seriously involved, what else would we do?"

"I feel like I'm making your mom have to look the other way a lot."

"If you were my girlfriend and living with me, she'd be doing the same thing," said Wufei reasonably. "She feels we deserve our privacy. And we're both eighteen Duo, we're not kids anymore. She wants us to be happy."

"She's worried because we're kinda young, Fei."

"I can't help being young, and neither can you," he said, frowning. "No more than I can help being attracted to you. This is what fate has dealt us, we have to work with it."

"You're not regretting being with me, are you?" asked Wufei, his eyes downcast.

Duo could almost feel the leaden pain in Wufei's chest as he asked.

"No, no, course not!" said Duo. "I'm just kinda worried. I guess I feel like I've taken a lot, and not given much back. To you and your mom."

"You're usually not the worrier, Duo, I am," said Wufei, as he went over to sit beside Duo on the couch. "Please don't hate me for saying it, but I think it's just your shaky self-esteem talking."

"Again?" asked Duo. "Sometimes I feel like I should just keep lying on a couch somewhere until my brain gets fixed."

"There's nothing wrong with your brain," said Wufei, reaching around to give him a reassuring embrace. "You've just had a lot of things happen to you that aren't that wouldn't be good for anyone's ego."

"I get tired of people feeling sorry for me, Fei," said Duo,sighing. "It's not great feeling like the world's biggest fuck-up charity case."

"I never felt that way about you," said Wufei seriously. " And I don't do pity sex," he added more lightly.

Duo laughed ruefully. "Too bad, because I'm sorta wanting some pity right now."

"Duo, if you're worried about the hearing tomorrow, just say so," said Wufei, growing irritated and pulling away.

"Okay, I'm worried," said Duo. "Geezus, what if something goes wrong and Solo ends up in jail. What'll I do, what will Darlene do? At least I'm 18 now, they can't touch me, but.."

"Duo, stop it!" said Wufei, grabbing him by the arms and shaking him a little. "You've got to stop this."

"I can't help it, I'm scared!" said Duo, his voice cracking a little. He pulled his arms free and huddled in the corner of the couch. "If it bugs you, just get the hell away from me!"

Wufei exhaled loudly. "Come on, I'll take you home, and we can fight there," he said resignedly.

Duo stubbornly refused to answer and leaned his head against the back of the couch.

"I'm not going to beg you, Duo," Wufei said.

"I want to stay here," said Duo, not looking at him. "I'll go with Darlene in the morning.

"Fine," said Wufei wearily. "I'm tired and tomorrow is going to be a long day."

"You'll be there?" asked Duo, turning part way round.

"Of course I'll be there!" said Wufei in a loud, exasperated tone. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I thought you were mad at me," said Duo in a low voice.

"I'm just tired and a little irritated," said Wufei. "But that doesn't mean I won't be there for you and Solo."

"Thanks, Wufei," said Duo tonelessly.

"God, Duo, you sound like I just beat you!" snorted Wufei.

"Usually when people get mad at me, they do," said Duo very quietly.

Wufei's eyes widened and he quickly strode over to the couch, kneeling in front of Duo.

"Duo, look at me," he said. "Please, there's no reason for you to ever be afraid of me."

"I know," said Duo, still very quiet. He turned around and looked up at Wufei with a pale tense face.

"Do you?" asked Wufei. "Duo, I'm not perfect. Sometimes, I'm going to lose my temper, sometimes I'm irritable, hell, sometimes I just am going to have a bad day. But that doesn't mean I'd ever hurt you. I can't have you cringing in a corner when I get aggravated because there's hair in the sink."

Duo nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll try," he said simply. "It's just that I think of all the times I was hit when someone is mad at me."

"Come here," said Wufei. "I'm sorry I raised my voice, and I'm sorry if I made you upset." He pulled Duo into his arms. "Come on, go home with me. I'll be lonely without you."

"I probably can't sleep without you anyway, by now," said Duo, burying his head against Wufei's shoulder.

"Miss the blanket hogging and the snoring, huh?" asked Wufei, trying to lighten the moment.

"I think that's me," said Duo, sniffing a little.

"You're right, it is you," said Wufei. He pulled Duo's face up to his and kissed him. "I'm so used to it, I don't think I could sleep without that buzzing in my ears. I like knowing you're there, hearing you breath, feeling how warm you are. Hell, I even like it when you talk in your sleep."

"Well, if you need me that much, I'd better go home," said Duo, trying to smile.

"No one's ever going to hurt you if I can help it," whispered Wufei in his ear. "Including me."

"I know you mean that," said Duo. "But I need to take care of myself, too."

"You can do that," said Wufei, "You're a strong person, or you'd have never survived so far. But, there's nothing wrong with a little help from people who care about you."

"I wanna go home," said Duo plaintively, his head still buried in Wufei's shoulder. "I'm so tired of worrying."

"That's what we're going to do. No matter what happens tomorrow in that courtroom, I'll be there for you, Duo."

"I think Mr. Winner will get the judge to understand what really happened," said Duo. "But I can't help but worry."

"I know," said Wufei. "I guess if it were my brother, I'd be worried too."

"We're all family now, Fei, just like your mom said."

Wufei looked at him and smiled uncertainly. "I guess I'd better start thinking that way, hadn't I?"

"You think Solo and Darlene will like the sign?" asked Duo, turning around one last time to look at it.

"I'm sure they'll love it."

TBC