A/N: Hi guys you're still with me? Thx for reading esp. to my reviewers Sakura123 (Girl, write what you think. Actually I like frankness a lot since I'm the same. My friends haven't ripped my head of cause of my loose mouth & actually it's for me a sign of honesty. Nope, don't know Scott McNeil & Mark Hildreth. Who are they? Hm, sure. Poor pilots being abused by our writing. But I gotta admit something for you. I never saw the whole TV show so actually I don't know how their creators made them to be. I got to know the charas over fanfictions and over the time I created my own picture of all the different variation I had read.), Akennea (Well, if you say so… ^_^), Curious Dream Weaver (Yeah, they simply left. If you ask me they're in for mega trouble if they ever dare to enter the safe house again.), Hikaru (Yup, I always run out of the room with yaoi pairings concerning 05, 06 and 13. That creeps me out. Those three are strictly hetero for me.), Eri (You do? I'm happy now. At least I have achieved something this week. Hach!), griffen_cub (I think Duo was so grumpy cuz I've been feeling like that. Only a happy hyper Duo is way too boring for me. His chara has much more to offer.), TERRY MAXWELL (Geez, really many questions…Lemme see. Yeah, Duo's past will be integrated into the story but it won't play such a big role as long as Kenji is small or there. What "boyfriend" are you talking about? I don't understand. Yeah, I still gotta interview Q and Tro what's with their sudden departure. Good that you remind me. Duo won't be a pedophile. He's one of the good guys here. And loving Kenji? Well, depends on many things I guess… e.g. how many reviews I get… Nah, I'm just kidding. I don't know actually. Don't know if being Kenji will affect Heero. Good question. I've thought about that myself already. And if Heero will ever return? Now THAT depends really all on the readers.)
Chapter 12: Clean-up time
Duo entered in a huff his room Kenji trailing uncertain behind the agitated pilot.
'Okay, now. Thanks to Wuffers I'm stuck with the tub AND the brat. Well, he better have some food ready when we're out of the bath. Otherwise Shinigami will pay him a visit. He he.' His stomach rumbled in agreement.
Grabbing his grey sweats and a warm pullover the dripping wet teen ran down to the stairs almost stumbling over Kenji who had been waiting in the corridor.
'Geez, I forgot the damn towels.' Duo slapped his head, turned and raced back into his room. Kenji a step behind him.
The braided teen pulled some towels out of the closet and then looked at Kenji. "You know I indeed said follow me but that doesn't mean you have to follow me around like a lapdog." Kenji frowned at the words not entirely understanding why Duo was refering to him as a dog and decided to ask Wu Fei-sensei later about it.
The Gundam pilot shook his head. 'Gods, was Yuy always like that? Needing orders to survive? Christ. No sense for curiosity or adventure.'
The street kid in Duo was scowling at Kenji's behavior. In his eyes the kid was just downright wrong. It wouldn't have survived a day on the streets.
Duo raced downstairs when he turned around and saw Kenji was missing. He sighed and yelled upstairs. "Get a move on brat or you can explain to Quatre why you're sick. Cause if you stand any longer up there doing nothing it'll be your fault."
Duo didn't care if Kenji understood what he had said but it didn't matter. In a couple of seconds Kenji stood next to him in the bathroom watching him getting undressed. The tub was almost full and Duo looked forward to get in and have a long relaxing bath. Casting a glance to Kenji he noticed the kid hadn't moved a finger to undress himself.
"What? You don't expect me to help you, do you? You a FIVE year old? As far as I know that smartass upstairs said something about five years being able to undress themselves. Guess you're a speacial case or what?" Kenji continued to stare at him. The small boy stood there shivering in his wet clothes, bangs plastered to his face with water running over his cheeks.
Duo blinked.
'Oh oh. No way. I'm halluzinating. I gotta get into the tub. I'm suffering from brain freeze.'
But he didn't move instead he outstretched his hand touching the childs cheek. It was wet and warm. And the water probably tasted salty, too. Duo groaned. He really was insensitive these days. All his confusion, anger and frustration at the current situation had pourred onto the shoulders of Kenji who -he had to admit- hadn't any fault of him being here. Nor could he understand why he, Duo had trouble dealing with him. The question was just how could you explain that to a five year old who didn't even speak your language?
The braided teen got into a crouch taking one of Kenji's hands. "Look kiddo. I'm sorry. For once I really am. None of this crap happening between me and Yuy is your fault. You just happen to be a goddamn copy of him which makes me want to throttle you each time I see your face but beside that I really don't have a problem with you."
Duo thought that pretty much sumed it up but seeing the screwed up expression on the boys face the kid kinda got it all wrong. "Ah common now don't cry."
Duo clumsily wiped at Kenji's tears who sobbed quietly.
"Duo no like Kenji-chan?"
"What?!"
Duo was too surprised to utter an answer right away. But he caught himself and raked his hands through his wet hair.
"Honestly? No. Or maybe…" Duo sighed. "Ahhh. I don't know kiddo. I don't know." He fell silent.
"I don't know if it makes any sense to explain the why and how since I don't really think you could understand it – literally. But listen. Your older… eh"-'Your older what, Maxwell? Self? Makes a lot of sense to a five year old. Damn it! Aah!-' "your older brother and me we don't really get along very well. He doesn't like me. I don't like him. We just can't find anything we have in common you know something were we can connect. Okay, he's a Gundam pilot and I'm a Gundam pilot but that's all. And it's goddamn not enough to be good team partners."
Duo said angrily more to himself than to Kenji who listened intentively.
"But you see. Shit happens and maybe just maybe I'll get used to you. Until then I think it's better you stick to someone else. Shinigami doesn't make a nice playmate."
To his amazement Kenji grinned at him.
'Oh yeah, he understands what Shinigami means. Probably thinks it's something cool. Geez, kids.' Then Kenji frowned.
"Duo?"
"Hm?"
"Kenji have older brother?"
Duo starred at him stupidly until he remembered his little story.
"Ah yeah. You see. He's much older than you and well he was very good in school and now he's working together with the guys and me on this very important project."
Duo hoped Kenji would buy that and thankfully he did.
"Okay now. Let's get you out of those clothes or I'll have some stuff like how I could get you sick and so on to explain to your Quatre-sama."
Duo quickly undressed Kenji and pulled off the rest of his clothes before climbing into the tub. Kenji followed with his help.
'God, thanks to whoever invented the bathtub.' He got under water with Kenji giggling at him.
'Geez, never would have dreamed of being with Yuy in a bathtub. Argh, gotta stop thinking of Kenji as Yuy.' He berated himself coming up again.
"Well, let's start cleaning up kiddo before Wuffers burns dinner. Well, I hope at least he started it. Otherwise we'll just have fried dragon for dinner." Duo chuckled and grabbed the soap.
"Wash that hair of yours kid." He tossed Kenji a small bottle of shampoo who frowned. Sure his hair wasn't as pretty as Duo's but it wasn't that bad or? I mean it wasn't really his fault it usually did what it wanted.
"What kid? Quit staring at me." Duo started to scrub his skin. "Hurry up. I still need to wash my hair." Kenji blinked at him and finally started to clean himself up. Having his hair lathered with shampoo he pulled on Duo's braid which swam in the water like a snake to get the Deathscythe's pilots attention.
"Ouch. Stop yanking on my hair." Duo glared at Kenji but at least helped him to rinse his hair now.
"Gah!!!" Kenji rubbed his eyes as the water mingled with shampoo got into them. Duo slapped his hands away with Kenji whining about his eyes.
"Geez kid. It's only water and stop rubbing it in! Here take the washcloth." 'My god so sensitive that kid. Wait until you're back Q, you're skin deep in shit.' Duo thought annoyed and got out of the tub.
Right then Wu Fei rattled on the door. "Get a move on Maxwell. And don't let the kid drown in the tub."
"Shut up Wu Fei. How about you take over your duties as a sensei? For the decision 'me not having to do anything at all with the kid' it's kinda odd how often I'm actually together with the brat." Duo shouted through the door. But Wu Fei only laughed and hopefully walked off in direction of the kitchen.
'Damn, it's always me who ends up with the sticky things.' He regarded Kenji with a glance.
"Well at least YOU're not looking like a wet rat anymore. Common get out of there. I gotta wash my hair." Duo dressed quickly in his clothes and dropped a smaller towel over Kenji's head before rinsing the now empty tub and wetting his hair under the spray of water.
'God, how do I hate washing my hair like this.' Hearing Kenji giggling he turned his head and found a naked five year old obviously laughing about him.
"What's so funny brat and damn it would you please put on some clothes? I wouldn't care usually but you see if you're big brother ever gets wind of this I am sooo dead. Besides Q wouldn't want you to catch a cold. How often did I said that already? Jesus. Oh and before I forget it. Right now it would probably be me who'd be taking care of you and that's something WE BOTH DON'T WANT. Got it?!"
Duo got back to washing his hair.
"Duo all red."
Duo rolled his eyes at him.
"So that's what you're thinking is funny. Wait how you would look with your head hanging under almost cold water trying to wash meter long hair."
Duo grumbled and continued rinsing his hair. Finally done he wrung it out and wrapped it up in a towel. By now Kenji was howling with laughter pointing at the fuming pilot who looked from his neck upwards like a sunburned sultan.
"Funny ne?!"
Duo glared at Kenji.
"Let's see what d'ya say about this."
In one swift motion Duo had grabbed Kenji's ankles had howled im upwards letting him dangle upside down over the bath tub.
But to his own astonishment the boy was shrieking now with even more laughter and in less than a second the door flew open with a red faced Wu Fei ready to rip Duo's head off.
"What the fuck are you crazy idiot doing????"
Duo regarded Wu Fei with a cool look.
"Language Chang." Looking very seriously he added. "I'm only trying to give him a taste of space gravitation. Since you seem to neglect your post as a teacher."
Wu Fei raised an eyebrow. "Really now? Couldn't you have waited until he was at least dressed."
As if to support Wu Fei's statement Kenji sneezed.
"Bless you." Said Wu Fei. "You two chaots better get ready or no dinner." And the Chinese walked back into the kitchen.
"Yes, big bro." Duo mimicked.
"I heard that Maxwell." Came a yell from the corridor.
"Damn." Duo muttered and glancing at Kenji. "You know this is all your fault. You're nothing than trouble."
He put the kid down and they both silently got ready. Fifteen minutes later Duo and Kenji stared with a sinking feeling on their plates.
'What the fuck did he tried to do? Or maybe this is some Asian speciality?' Duo eyed suspiciously the globbery fishy mass on his plate and glanced at Kenji who poked carefully at the undefinite mass on his plate as if it would jump up and bite him any second.
'Nope. Doesn't look like it.'
Wu Fei ignored them both and ate happily his meal. Finishing he looked up and saw their untouched plats.
"What not hungry? I'll take care of it." And wolved down their food as well.
'Gross, how can he eat that?' Duo shuddered at the thought.
"Hm, that was good." Wu Fei streched himself. "Okay you two. I cooked, you do the dishes." With that he got up and went up the stairs probably to his room.
Kenji and Duo stared at their point blank plates.
"Wu Fei-sensei no good cook." Kenji stated.
"You said it kiddo." Duo agreed sighing with a growling stomach. "And now? I'm hungry."
Duo got up opening the drawers in the kitchen hoping to find something edible.
"Woohoo. Lookie here what I found. Since I'm a good guy I'm even ready to share with you kiddo." Duo swirled around and presented with a 'Tadaa.' a package of chocolate chip cookies. They both started to munch on their rather unconventional dinner.
"Not that bad or? Well, one could say we survived day number one. And tomorrow Wu Fei the great sensei can suffer under you. Well and me of course. Can't let you have all the fun now, can't I?!"
Kenji, too busy stuffing his mouth full with cookies nodded his agreement.
"But for now I think it's better to let Wuffers rest. He'll need it for tomorrow." Duo said mischieviously stretching in his chair like a big cat while popping the last cookie into his mouth.
***
Oh well, didn't like that chapter that much. I didn't have much time to write this week so it seems kinda awkward to me. I think I'll let Wuffers have his class next time or maybe let the three get sick overnight. Any suggestions ? Btw, regarding Kenji's comprehension of the language let's just say he's very smart for his age, English is easy to learn and usually understanding people is easier than answering them in another language. (at least for me…) Also I'm not so sure if I can update next week since I'm flying home for the holidays. Well, let's say it depends on your reviews if it's worth the stress. He he. Bye.