Disclaimer: Not mine.
Warnings: Language. Relena. Melodrama. Sometimes Relena using melodramatic language.
Control Freak part V
The lobby was almost unnaturally cool. A large, scantily furnished area, its small, old-fashioned windows did little to illuminate the cavernous space. Odd shadows fractured off the faded, old furniture, creating a surrealistic atmosphere. The room seemed almost to be locked away from the rest of the world, stagnant in time, an entity unto itself operating apart from the rest of the world. It was unnerving and, Heero thought, almost markedly trite, like a set from a low budget movie.
At the back of the room, farthest from the entrance, was a wide, ill-lit staircase. Although at one point it must have been at the height of elegance, currently its marble steps were marred by grooves worn deep from years of hard use. The polished wooden handrails had lost their shine and were chipped and cracked. More balusters were missing that were present.
"Well," Relena said dubiously, "I guess that's where we're headed." Rubbing her bare arms in an effort to stay warm, she started across the echoing floor determinedly. Heero began to follow, looking about with wary distrust. They hadn't seen a soul since entering the building. Even outside the streets had seem preternaturally calm. If he wasn't a calm, rational adult, he'd wonder if Duo hadn't arranged an ambush.
They were almost to the stairs when his steps suddenly faltered to a halt. "Wait," he called, suddenly uncertain. "I… I just thought of something."
"What's that?" she asked, pausing in mid-step and looking back over her shoulder at him.
"I found his name in the phone book," he muttered.
"So he didn't give you his address?" She looked mildly surprised, then grinned wickedly. "Are you afraid he won't want you to be here?"
"No! Yes! It's just… if his name was listed in the phone book, that must mean he lives by himself. Otherwise his parents would have been listed instead of him. I don't know anyone our age who lives by himself.
"Heero." She came back to stand before him and stared solemnly up at him. "As you just said yourself, he is our age."
"I think so. I'm not really sure."
She looked slightly exasperated. "But he is near our age?"
"Yeah."
"Then it's not unheard of to be living alone. Sometimes family situations just don't work out and it's better for everyone if the members separate. It happens fairly often. Especially," she lowered her voice, "in lower class households."
"It happens in plenty of upper-class ones, too, Relena," he glared. "With your own half-brother, for example."
She flushed. "Zechs didn't leave because of a disagreement. He left because he wanted to find himself."
"Same difference," he shrugged impatiently. He was more curious than ever about the other boy and quibbling over meaningless minutiae was pointless. "Let's go."
"What do you think I was doing?" she griped. They headed towards the stairs.
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The door looked just like every other one. He'd expected it to be somehow different. Maybe be wearing a hood or something. He felt vaguely disappointed.
"Were you planning on knocking?" Relena asked, eyebrows raised, shifting her weight impatiently from foot to foot. The fluorescent light flickering overhead made her look as though she were performing a outlandish, solitary dance.
He glared down at the fidgeting girl and raised his fist, sharply knocking exactly once. The door swung open almost immediately.
"I was wondering how long it would take you," the tall, lithe boy standing on the other side drawled. "I've been watching you through the peephole for damn near five minutes."
"I'm sorry, I must have the wrong address," Heero stuttered. "I was looking for--"
"Duo? Yeah, this is his place. I just crash here sometimes. My name's Trowa. Come on in. If we let you swells stand out there much longer, you're gonna get jumped or something." He grabbed Heero's arm and practically dragged him into the apartment. Relena followed nervously after, silently thanking god she hadn't brought her purse along.
"How did you know we were out there?" she asked meekly, trying not to stare at the small, shabby living room they were unceremoniously installed in. Trowa courteously offered her a seat on what was apparently the best chair, being the only one not draped in bed sheets. She smiled tightly and sat. He smiled in return and gracefully threw himself across a sagging couch, reclining with feline grace.
"When a bright pink stretch limo complete with chauffeur shows up, word tends to travel pretty fast," he smirked. "Doubly so when such a handsome couple is riding inside."
"We're not a couple," Heero bluntly stated, uncomfortably perched on a sagging armchair. "And who told you? We haven't seen anyone since we arrived."
Trowa laughed. "You may not have seen them, but they most certainly saw you. But enough about that. What can I do for you fine people this afternoon?"
"I'm looking for Duo," Heero responded sulkily, already taking a disliking to this odd, ridiculously self-confidant boy.
"Obviously," Trowa rolled his eyes. "Why else would you be here?"
"May I inquire as to where he is?" Relena ventured quietly, her hands folded so tightly in her lap that the knuckles were white. Her chair, as it turned out, was in the best shape because it was upholstered with wool, making it very uncomfortable to sit on without long pants. Politeness dictated that she couldn't squirm, but she wanted to very much. With every urge to scratch, her belief in Trowa's apparent courtesy lessened exponentially.
"But of course," came the response. "He's here."
"Could you tell him we'd like to see him?" Heero asked through clenched teeth. This was going nowhere fast.
"Not while he's sleeping. He wouldn't hear me." Trowa stretched and lolled bonelessly on the couch, obviously having no intent of rising anytime soon.
"Waking him up might help."
"Ah, but then I'd run the risk of being punched before I could explain why I'd awoken him. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but he's pretty good at hitting people. Too bad he's not so adept at waking up peacefully."
"So throw something at him from the doorway."
"Now, now. When someone has a concussion, it's in everyone's best interest not to aim projectiles at their head."
Heero froze. "Did I do that?"
All pretense of hospitality disappeared as Trowa stared him right in the eye. "You most certainly did." He sat up on the sofa and leaned towards the other teenager. "Now would you like to explain precisely why you're here to see Duo, preferably before my patience runs out and I decide to throw you off the fire escape?"
"There is no fire escape," Relena tentatively pointed out.
Trowa stared at her. "Precisely."
"Don't you threaten her," Heero ordered, shooting to his feet.
"I thought she wasn't your girlfriend," Trowa smirked, rising to his feet as well.
"No, but she is my friend. Judging from your behavior, I'm guessing you know precisely what that entails."
A sort of respect kindled in the taller boy's eyes, then extinguished almost immediately. "It's too bad you're such a fucker, Heero, or I might have learned to like you. Oh, well. I hope you take punches as well as you give them."
"You're not going to fight, are you?" Relena ventured in a slightly high-pitched voice. "I've never seen a fi--"
"Shut up," both boys ordered her simultaneously, then resumed glaring at one another.
"Ex-cuse me," a sullen voice came from behind Heero. "As loathe as I am to interrupt your fun, might I suggest that you all shut the fuck up?"
"Don't get in my way, Duo," Trowa growled, flexing his hands.
He snorted. "Or what? You'll hit me for stopping you from hitting him for hitting me? That makes good sense."
Trowa allowed his fighting stance to drop, turning to Duo in quiet exasperation. "Shouldn't you still be in bed?"
"Who are you, Trowa Nightingale, Boy Nurse Extraordinaire? I have a headache, not a friggin' concussion." At this, Heero shot Trowa a look, causing the other teenager to shrug. Ignoring the exchange, Duo threw himself down on the couch and stared at Relena. "I know the asshole you came here with, but who the fuck are you?"
She stiffened. "I'll ask you to refrain from cursing at me--"
He snickered. "Okay, Miss Manners. Let's rephrase the question. While I am mildly acquainted with the pile of feces over there that some might call a human being, I have not had the perhaps-pleasure of being introduced to your ruffle-swathed self. Would you please do me the honor of informing me of your name?"
"Relena," she muttered reluctantly. "D-did Heero do that to you?"
"You mean this?" Duo gestured towards his face, a mess of bruises and scrapes. "Yeah, but don't worry your diamond encrusted head. I've been hit worse." He chuckled self-derisively, then pulled up the hood on his baggy sweatshirt, shoving his hair down the back.
Silence reigned supreme for a moment. Then, "How long did it take to grow that?" Relena boldly inquired.
"Relena," hissed Heero, taking the few steps necessary to reach her side. "I thought I told you--"
"My entire life," Duo cut him off, staring evenly at the blonde girl. "And I don't talk about it. Ever."
"It seems to me," she reasoned slowly, "that if I were to do something as visibly drastic as grow a yard-long braid, I wouldn't be opposed to speaking of it. Otherwise I'd choose to do something a little more subtle."
Duo gave a short bark of laughter. "Yeah, I'd call you the queen of subtle. Nice ride, by the way."
She flushed and Heero inwardly sighed. It was going to be a long afternoon.
-end chapter v-
A/N: Sorry about the ending. I had planned to write more, but RL interrupted. Perhaps there will be another update before next weekend to make up for it. ;;
Thank you sentra, indigiodeath666, wing dance, evil bunny, tracye1014, satanira, dark spider, spandex monkey, Natasha aka tash, shadow-seraph, space monkey, shinko ryusei, kaori-chan, star bug Kenny, and fergiai for reviewing!!