Notes: Just to make this perfectly clear, I don't know where I'm taking this story. I'm just going with the flow so it will no doubt, become a long one with many-a-chapter. Hope it's enjoyed by all who read it.
Notes… the rest: This chapter, for all intents and purposes, is a filler. So don't be disappointed with its lack of interesting content. I've also reached the end of my reserves so you, the readers, will have to bear with me while I write more. It shouldn't take long but I've got school among other responsibilities. I apologise in advance for any delays. Enjoy the chapter.
Warning: SLASH!-Yaoi. Whatever you people call it. Male/male relationships! Mild-angst. AU! I'll add more if I think it's necessary.
Eleven: Talks.
"Don't fret yourself Quat. T used to do this for me all the time, didn't you T?" He grinned thankfully up at the teen who was carrying him.
"That I did." Trowa said wryly. "His stamina suddenly fades when the three-fall goes." At this, Duo pouted, sticking his tongue out for good measure. The rest of the group laughed save Quatre, whose cheeks decided it was high time to blush heavily.
"I'll have you know, I could keep going all-"
"We really, really don't want to hear about that D." The tall senior laughed, sending a smile to his partner as he did spoke.
"Aww you're no fun anymore. Quat's got you wrapped around his lil finger, doesn't he?" When he received no answer he just laughed.
x-x-x-x-x
"I never realised you could fight… let alone that you were that good." Morgan said with a grin as Duo, Heero, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, Hilde and herself made their way towards the car park at the end of the school day. Wufei nodded.
"I agree, your skills are quite remarkable. I would very much enjoy the chance to spar with you myself." The Chinese teen said with a small smile. Duo grinned at them.
"Cool. I'd love to. But you gotta know that the way I spar with Zechs, or anyone else for that matter, is completely different from the way I'd defend myself should the need arise. I fight to protect and defend. I don't go looking to start things." He explained idly but with a firmness underlining his tone.
"An understandable and commendable trait. I'm curious as to how I would fair against you when you do not hold yourself back." Wufei commented and Duo shrugged.
"I don't want to sound vain or give the impression that I have an ego, because I don't, but I can be deadly when I fight. The last guy that was stupid enough to step foot inside the ground of the Orphanage with ill intentions was sent to hospital with a broken leg, wrist and more than a few cracked ribs; his face caught a few punches too. But, I didn't come out of that fight injury-free either. I broke my right arm, bruise a few ribs and cracked a couple more."
By the time Duo had finished his speech, the group had reached the edge of the car park and the parking space where the famed, as it were, Shinigami sat.
"I think I will settle for the spar. I enjoy my ribs being in their none bruised, none cracked state." Wufei said with a mild grin. Duo laughed at the comment.
"A wise choice my friend." He knelt down beside his bike and quickly removed the bike-lock. He then opened the under-seat compartment, removed the helmet inside and after handing it to Heero, he slipped the lock into the now-empty hold as well as the bag he'd retrieved earlier with his gym things in. He then let the seat fall closed and settled himself atop of it, straddling the bike. "Ok, I'm new. Does anything overly interesting happen on school nights?" He asked the surrounding group. He saw Heero step up to the bike and settle behind him.
"Well… we usually go home straight after school, get ourselves fed and then go round to a set persons house to get our homework done in peace." Quatre offered the information with a smile.
"Cool. Whose house is it tonight? I've got plenty of homework to be getting done." Duo enquired as he slipped the key into the ignition.
"It's actually ours tonight brother dear." Morgan grinned. "Mom and Dad usually go out whenever it's my turn to host. Usually they only go to the Yuy's but sometimes they wonder." Smiling, Duo nodded.
"Alright then. I guess I'll see you all later." The group nodded.
"Later you two. Duo, don't you go getting my brother injured on that thing." Hilde stood directly in front of the bike with her hands on her hips, a stern expression on her face. Duo just grinned as he slipped his own helmet on and clipped it into place.
"I'll give him the ride of his life Sweetness." He grinned, though no one saw, as he felt Heero's arms tighten around his mid-section. "Later." He started up the engine, slowly turned the bike around and sped away from his new group of friends.
The bike ride was as short as it had been that morning but it was none-the-less exhilarating. Duo soon pulled into the Charlatan's drive way and cut the engine. Heero slid off the bike and removed his helmet, handing it back to its owner.
"Thanks for the lift." The Yuy twin said with a small smile. "Me and Hil will be round later." He turned around and started to walk from the garden. When he got to the gate however, he stopped and turned back. "Oh, and what makes you think you can possibly give me the ride of my life?" He grinned at the braided teen who had been in the process of rising into a standing position after putting on the bike lock. His new neighbour blinked before returning the grin with his own smirk.
"Any time baby. I'll give you the ride only your dreams can cock up for you." He either didn't notice his word slip, or it had been intentional. Either way, Heero stared for another moment, still grinning, before turning to walk down the path all of 10 ft to his garden gate. He forced himself not to blush at the reply he'd received but was finding it extremely difficult.
Back beside his bike, Duo waited until he saw Heero's front door close firmly behind him before releasing the amused, yet warm chuckle that had been waiting patiently in the back of his throat. He shrugged his bag over one shoulder, picked up both of his helmets and walked towards the house. When he was inside with the door closed behind him, he wiped his feet unconsciously and made a beeline for the kitchen, stopping once to poke his head inside the door to the living room (finding it empty).
When he arrived in the kitchen he found it not so empty. In fact, both Mrs C and Kei (Mrs Yuy) were sat at the table with cups of tea in front of them. He inclined his head respectfully in their direction and set his helmets carefully on the work-top for the moment.
"How was school today Duo?" Mrs C asked him as he picked out a clean glass from the glass cupboard and went to fill it with water.
"Surprisingly," He began with a mild grin. "It was great. I met some very old friends of mine. I didn't even know they were in the city! Let alone in the next area! I have to tell you; seeing Trowa stood there… it brought back memories." He paused for a fleeting second before shaking his head, smiling brightly. "It was fantastic! We hadn't seen each other in five years, almost to the day. I had all my classes with him today, so I wasn't too overwhelmed by it all. I got into a little spat with a group of Jocks who decided threatening Roe was a good idea, but we didn't come to blows." He immediately saw the worry laced in his near-adoptive-mother's eyes.
"Is she alright?" Mrs C asked franticly.
"She's fine! The guy only threatened her because she was stood near my bike and refused to step away. You know the rumours about the bike. Anyway, not the point. Roe's fine, everyone's fine. In fact, everything's great. I met another one of my old friends! His name's Shada. God it felt great to see that kid again. We had a little fun with one of the bullies he seemed to have found himself tied up in – even Trowa joined in." The teen grinned as he sipped his water.
"Joined in what, exactly?" Kei asked, genuinely interested.
"Together, Tro', Shada and I… we rhyme. Well, I guess it's kind of difficult to explain, so I won't bother. Maybe some other time when I'm not in dire need of a run." He grinned at the women once again. "I'll just leave you two fine ladies to your tea." With a dramatic bow, Duo picked up his helmets (his bag was still on his back) and slipped out of the kitchen, fully intending to go upstairs, change into yet another clean running outfit and go for the rest of his run.
He paused at the foot of the stairs, his mind wondering. Curiously, he walked back down the hall and poked his head into the kitchen. "You didn't happen to wash… anything of mine today did you Mrs C?" He asked the woman who was now stood at an open cupboard, retrieving a packet of biscuits.
"Ah! Yes I did. I knew there was something I'd forgot to tell you. Yes. Though I left your tank top in the bathroom for a reason that escapes me at the moment." She smiled at the teen apologetically. He just laughed, thanked her for washing his things, and made his way up to his room, leaving the tank top where it was for the time being.
Once he was inside his room he closed his door and opened a window. He set both bike helmets on top of the set of drawers, un-shrugged his bag from his shoulder, setting it down on the bed followed closely by his jacket. He removed his top and sat down facing his laptop – already connected up to the internet and phone lines. He'd asked Mr and Mrs C if he could use the phone every once in a while –to call Sister Helena and they had said he was allowed to do so, as long as the conversations were not excessively long. He fished out the number Shada had given him earlier that day and dialled through his laptop, effectively bringing into operation the vid-phone built-in to its mainframe.
The phone rang three times before it was picked up by a woman with mousy brown hair that fell to her shoulders. She had a kindly look about her that made Duo instantly at ease. The woman seemed, from Duo's point of view, to be pleasantly buxom, she looked as though she walked with a smile on her face wherever she went. But her eyes – warm hazel – told the braided teen she wasn't a woman to be taken lightly.
He liked her.
"Hello?" The woman said, smiling in amusement at the half-dressed image of the teenage boy on the screen
Duo grinned brightly. "Hello there good lady. I was given this number today by a friend… so I called, naturally, with hopes of speaking with a certain young man going by the name Shada… or Shay, as my own and one other's case may be."
"You're a friend of Shada's? That's sweet. I don't think I've ever answered the phone to one of his friends before. But then again, he did fall in with a rough crowd…" The last part she said mostly to herself. Duo frowned slightly, thoughts whirling around in his mind but never passing his lips. The woman suddenly turned her thoughtful look into a frown as she narrowed her eyes at Duo's image. "You're not one of those friends are you?" She demanded to know and Duo instantly raised his hands in defence.
"Woah! No! But he won't be around those friends anymore. Shay's a good kid, if a little miss-guided in recent years. But I suppose it was to be a given. Anyway, not the point, is he home? I'd really like to speak to him again." He asked her, but she was still frowning. He sighed. "Alright, my Lady. Ask me anything you like, anything about Shada no one should know but him and you… as you're obviously asking the questions here."
There was a long pause before anyone started speaking again. And it was the woman's voice that was heard first. "Who is closest to Shada's heart in all the people he's ever known and loved?" She asked him, diving in straight at the deep end. Duo was half-temped to joke 'What? No favourite food questions'. But realised that wouldn't be appreciated.
"Solo was, might still be, but I like to think I've got a pretty deep place there too. And Trowa of course." He answered truthfully.
"His brother is very close to his heart. But who are you? I have heard of this 'Trowa', and he seems very nice." She said and Duo laughed a little.
"He's the personification of nice is our Trowa. Oh, I forgot my manners. I do apologise. My name is Duo Maxwell. Shada, Trowa, Solo and myself were all at the Joseph's Orphanage together." He explained. "Is he there please?"
"You're the infamous Duo?" She eyed him suspiciously. "Yes he's here. He's just taking a shower as he just got home from school. He shouldn't be long." She stared at him until he started fidgeting under her gaze. She seemed to notice and blinked twice. "How can I be sure you are Duo Maxwell?" She questioned. Duo reached behind him and brought his braid forward, holding it out for her to see clearly.
"You see any other teenagers with hair as long as mine?" She openly gaped at the 3ft long braid.
"Good lord. It's so good to finally speak with you Duo Maxwell." She said warmly after a pause for thought.
Written by Diluted Industry.