Tainted for life
Chapter 5
Oh damn, his head hurt. He cupped the back of his head in his hand. He opened his eyes. Ouchie. It felt like the bright light was trying to burn his eyes out! He closed them again and lay back down in the bed. Wait a minute... A bed? Something wasn't quite right here, he didn't even remember GOING to bed.
His eyes flared open and he shot upright at the memory of last night. He groaned as his brain protested against the fast move and intake of bright sunlight. But that was all vain. He could not believe how stupid he was last night. He was SO embarrassed! He didn't remember much of the whole ordeal but he did remember getting really drunk and acting all goofy against strangers, but also against his friends. Oh no... what will Heero think of him after this! He'll think that he is just some weak baby that is still in the progress of learning to deal with caffeine, let alone alcohol!
'Hey gorgeous.'
He whipped his head around. Ouw.
Catherine smiled at him and gently approuched the bed, sitting down. Still smiling. She gave him a beer.
'A beer?' He asked as he took the bottle from her. He didn't even want to THINK about alcohol. It made him do funny stuff. Actually, it wasn't even funny, just stupid.
'A beer and lots of water. That's the remedy.'
He eyed the bottle and then her. 'You sure? You don't just want to get me drunk so you can snap some shots of me dancing in my underwear?'
'As much as a turn off that would be. No. Just drink it, wussy.'
He took a sip but didn't want to drink anymore. He sighed and Cat noticed his mood dropped a few degrees.
'What is it?'
'That's probably what Heero thinks of me. A Wussy.'
Cat rolled her eyes dramatically and took the bottle of beer, replacing it with a bottle of water. 'If you ask me-'
'Which I wasn't.' He drank the water gratefully.
'Like I said: If you ask me you guys would make a hot couple. You just have to put some time in it.'
'Yeah, yeah, yeah. And some love and devotion.' He said in his best imitation of Dr. Phill. 'what topic is next? The birds and the bees?'
She pushed him while she laughed 'You really are hopeless, you know that?'
He opened his mouth to say something but Cat had beaten him to the push, hushing him.'...'
'Don't go smart on me Maxie.'
He rolled his eyes, imitating Cat's move. He thought she had finally given up on calling him Max, but some habits die hard. She was the living proof of that.
'How did Heero react to my... behaviour?' He asked cautiously, not sure if he wanted to know.
'Duo, stop it! Stop being so insecure!'
'What did he say!' He all but yelled, looking desperately at her, giving her his best of the best puppy eyes. No one could say no to his puppy eyes!
'No.'
Ah! That sadistic bitch!
He jumped on her and they rolled off the bed onto the carpeted floor. He tried to hold her down but she showed more resistance then he had expected as she put up a fight. Trying to push him off with her legs. At the end, when he had pinned her down and she could move none of her limbs she tried to bite him but to no avail.
'What did he say!' He demanded. He laughed as she stuck her tongue out at him and struggled again. But she wasn't going anywhere. And now, for his secret weapon. She brought her hands together so that he could pin them down using only one hand, while his other ventured lower, to her stomach and her side.
'Ah! Duo stop!' She screamed.
Duo laughed and continued.
Cat writhed beneath him and tried to push him off more then ever. Her hard laughter must have been heard throughout the building as she couldn't contain herself when he tickled her to death.
Very childish move and he knew that. But it always worked on his sister (back in the days he had yet to find out she was sent by the devil) so why wouldn't it work on her?
'Okay! Hahahahahahahaha! Okay, okay! Have mercy! I'll tell you! I'll tell you!'
He stopped and she slowly calmed down again. When she opened her eyes, she saw him looking at her expectantly. 'He thought it was stupid of you to take those drinks just to impress us.'
He raised his eyebrow.
She raised hers.
'That's all?'
She nodded.
His hand came closer to her side again 'You sure?'
Afraid of being tickled almost to death once again she just nodded. It really was all he had said.
'Why do you think he didn't took me home with him?'
Cat rolled her eyes 'Like anything exciting could have happened when you were in that state of mind.'
He eyeballed her for a moment before he climbed off, giving her back her freedom. Once again she was right. He couldn't even remember what had happened after he took his fifth glass. And he KNEW he had more then five. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been acting, all that just to look older, tougher. But one thing was for sure, he will never be tough. If he was he wouldn't ran away from his father, with his tail between his legs, leaving his mom all on her own. If he was tough, he would fight back the next time, like Heero had told him. But he knew for sure his fist will never connect with ANY part of his fathers body.
'Duo? Hello-o? anybody home?' She waved her hand in front of his face. 'If you really want to know, and you didn't hear this from me...' She came closer to him and looked serious despite the tickle attack only a few moments ago. 'Heero doesn't handle drunken men very well...' She said.
But Duo didn't understand what she meant with that. So he asked. But Cat sighed and backed out of it, saying he should forget what she just told him. But he couldn't, he couldn't forget. What could she possibly have meant with that? That Heero takes advantage of drunken men? Or that drunken men take advantage of Heero? Or that he doesn't know how to take care of drunken men? Argh! His head will explode with curiosity! First the mystery tattoo that is on a private part of his body and now this! "Heero doesn't handle drunken men very well."
'Just forget what I said, it came out all wrong and it wasn't mine to tell. Just forget it.' Looking guilty she stood up and left the room throwing a: Breakfast is ready, over her shoulder.
But now Duo was even more curious. He was born curious! And he was going to find out what she meant.
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'Oh Duo!' His mother rushed towards him and took him in her arms, squeezing tightly. She hid her face between his neck and shoulder in his unbound hair and sobbed. He sighed and embraced her lightly.
'We were so worried.' She managed to say.
'Who is we?' He asked, as he wasn't willing to believe that his father was worried about him. His car wasn't even in the driveway so he must have gone to work like it was a normal day. Maybe better then a normal day for he gay son was missing. Maybe dead.
'Me and your father of course!' She exclaimed, but even she knew she was lying at that moment. She was there at two am when her husband went to bed, unworried.
'Father? Worried? About me! Ha! Wouldn't that be a sight!'
'Duo!' she warned. Probably afraid that he will hear them. Then there would be hell to pay.
'I was with some friends, no need to worry.' He said with a smile. He knew that with that comment said and his cheeky grin on his face she will think he had some hot and sweaty sex last night. Well, let her believe whatever she wanted to believe. It sure was better for his reputation then that she knew he got so drunk he couldn't even spell his own name!
'Duo.'
Duo looked up, he was halfway up the stairs, his sister stood at the top, looking down at him. Usually she looked down ON him. He gave her and angry glare and climbed up the other half walking straight passed her to his room.
'I reckon you were with hot-tattoo-guy?' She asked as she followed him. But not for long as she found his bedroom door slammed in her face.
He heard her grunt and her angry steps down the hall. No way he was going to let that serpent get anywhere near him. He let himself fall down on his bed. His head still hurt but the ibuprofen Cat gave him really started to kick in as it was now nothing more then a faint throb.
He sighed, he was a little less anxious today to get to the shop. He was afraid of how Heero will react. IF he was at the shop again. This time he will make sure not to be there to early. He wasn't the type of guy to confront his problems when it came to the boys he loved. Yes, loved. He was in head over heels.
A knock on his door stopped his musings. The door opened and there was his mother, with the portable phone in her hand. 'Quatre.' She simply said. She gave him the phone.
Duo waited for her to leave the room before he put the phone to his ear. 'Hey Quat.'
'Duo! Hey!'
'Hi.' He didn't really feel like talking to him. He couldn't even call Qautre his official friends, they haven't seen each other for so long, not without Trowa being there as well. Now what did he want? 'What is it?'
'I thought it would be fun to hang out tonight.' Quatre said as enthusiastic as ever. Clearly not being able to sense how totally not interested Duo was.
'Sorry Quat, I already have plans with... other friends.' Mwhu! That's how it feels to be dumped by your best friend! Okay, so he was overreacting. So what?
'Oh... Well, can't i tag along with you? I'd love to meet you're other friends!'
'They're not your type of people.' He said dryly, but slowly he was beginning to feel guilty.
'Those people from the tattoo-shop?'
Duo's jaw dropped to the floor. How... how did he know!
'You know the girl at the 'reception'? Catherine bloom?'
'Yeah.'
'She is Trowa's stepsister! Isn't that a coincidence!' He yelled excitedly.
Yippy yay yey. What was Trowa, the Godfather! Was there ANYONE in this friggin' city he didn't have a connection with! A mental picture of Trowa dressed, acting and talking like the Godfather from the movie almost made him laugh. Almost.
'She is a nice girl. I'd love to come with you, if you don't mind.'
How could he say no to that without sounding like an asshole?
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'I thought about taking a tattoo but I was always afraid of how much it would hurt. I heard terrible stories about the pain and diseases you can get from used needles, like AIDS. Did I already tell you how beautiful your eyes are?'
'... about ten times.'
Duo rolled his eyes as he watched Quatre totally flirt with Heero from afar. Cat had kindly begged the Japanese man to help them out with cleaning again and from the moment Quatre walked in he had been plastered to the gorgeous male. It made Duo furious. Quatre knew how much he liked Heero! He knew it! Quatre already had a boyfriend why was he trying to steal Heero from him! Revenge? Revenge for not calling him for so long? He looked questionably at Quatre and raised his eyebrow. Nah! Quatre is so cotton candy sweet he can't even think about something like that!
'what's with the sour look Duo?'
He turned around and sighed. Cat raised her eyebrow and then looked at Quatre who was plastering himself on Heero. 'Gee, couldn't you have warned us about that guy? He has been sucking up to Heero for the last two hours.'
'Gee, I haven't noticed.' Duo said sarcastically.
'Why aren't you putting up a fight?'
'Because he is my best friend.'
'That ain't stopping him.' She pointed at Quatre.
'You're right!' Duo balled his fist, encouraging him for the last time before walking up to Heero and all but pushing Quatre away. 'Hey Heero, I wanted to apologise for my ridiculous behaviour from last night.' He said shyly, giving his best innocent look.
Heero smiled and Duo felt his legs turning into jelly. 'That's okay Duo, it didn't make you less attractive.'
Wha-wha-what! Did he just said what Duo thought he had just said! His mouth fell open. Even wider when he noticed the flirtatious look in Heero's eyes.
He was shocked as Heero lay his hand on his chest, just as casual as you please, but a touch like this was all but casual for Duo, he had never been touched like this, especially not by someone he hardly knew.
'Try to stay sober next time. I'm sure you're more interesting then.' He removed the hand from Duo's chest and Duo had a hard time keeping in the whimper that almost passed his lips.
Heero walked over to Catherine, apparently to say goodbye, for after that he grabbed his coat and left the shop.
Duo searched for Quatre and found him hanging around another tattoo-artist. Not nearly as pretty as Heero, but then again, Quatre settled with Trowa. He laughed out loud but stopped when he felt a hand on his forehead.
'Hmm, you're temperature seems normal though.' Cat said with a grin.
'Hahaha, doctor.' He looked dreamily out of the window.
'I reckon you had a short but enjowable conversation with Lover-Boy?'
'Enjoyable! Did you not see how he touched me? He laid his hand on my chest! Don't tell me he did that with you to.'
'If he did I would charge him for sexual harassment!' She said with anger and Duo laughed. He couldn't even imagine that a touch from heero could be unwanted.
'Oh my god you are in love! Stay out of my way, it might be contagious.' Cat pushed passed him to Quatre, she picked up a needle along the way and pretended she was about to tattoo his arm. Quatre's face turned deadly white and he scurried away. Ending up hiding himself behind Duo's tall form. 'She is Crazy!' He exclaimed, looking cautiously over Duo's shoulder. The sight of Cat, holding up the needle, grinning like an evil maniac made him hide again.
'Whatever Quat.' He walked away leaving Quatre in the open, but he quickly folowed Duo to the wardrobe. They grabbed their coats and left the shop. Duo had wanted to stay longer, but decided to drop off Quatre first, otherwise the boy will never go, even though he almost wet his pants because of Cat's joke. He guessed Cat and Frankie didn't really like the somewhat obnoxious boy (1).
'I'm sorry Duo.' Quatre apologised after five minutes of walking in total silence.
'About what?'
'Don't tell me you didn't notice me flirting with Heero.'
'Didn't notice.' Sarcasm was dripping thickly from his voice, making Quatre, somehow, feel even worse.
'I am so sorry, but if you feel better, he didn't respond to my flirting.'
Okay, so that was about the moment that he exploded. 'No Quatre! That DOESN'T make me feel better! Well... maybe a little, but that's beside the point! You flirted with a guy you KNEW I liked! You tried to steal him!'
'But-'
'Please, don't speak! I feel like strangling you already!'
A few moments of silence passed before Duo continued his raging.
'God Quatre! That you can pull such a foul stunt! Learned that from Trowa! Huh! I never complained about that guy and gave you ALL the time you guys needed! But geez... I thought we were best friends and you just left me to rot in the gutter. I know having a Gay relationship is hard in our families, believe me, I know, but that doesn't mean you should dump all your friends...'
Quatre looked guiltily at the ground 'You're right, and I'm sorry. But if you only took the time to understand how I feel about trowa, then maybe you would understand!'
Duo turned towards Quatre, fire burning in his eyes 'You think I don't understand? You think I don't understand what love is? Tell you what Quatre! I Do know love. I know love, I know, hate, I know sadness, rejection, remorse, anger, loneliness, I know them all! It is YOU who doesn't understand. If you would you would have NEVER flirted with Heero!' With that he ran off, leaving his once best friend standing in the middle of the street, looking down at the ground, silently shedding tears. Now he also knew sadness, rejection, remorse and loneliness.
(1) Can you believe it! Quatre? Obnoxious? Yeah right. Whatever floats your boat CW!
Aww... I begin to pity Duo a bit. Am I really that evil? To make his whole life fall apart? Duo's father would be proud of me, that's for sure.
But I think I'll go easy on him in the next chapter. Maybe with some Heero goodiness! (yes, I know this is not an existing word -.-')
I guess it's no front-page news but: Review!
Sappy postcard greeting from Crimson Waterfall!
