Rival Chatter
Chapter 10: Heero POV
"You obviously didn't waste any time spending my step-son's money," I heard Odin's normally cultured voice hiss. I had only just stepped out of the room to tell Rosie to set out an extra place at the table, but upon hearing Odin speak like that to Duo, I froze.
I know that there's a saying about eavesdroppers getting what they deserve when they listen in on conversations that don't pertain to them, but at the moment I was too shocked and morbidly curious to care. Why had Odin said that, and with such venom, no less? This wasn't like him.
"Actually, your step-son was kind enough to donate that cash to the Maxwell Orphanage. It seems kind of fitting, actually. The money coming from you when you placed at least one child into that orphanage yourself, that makes it very fitting. I wonder how many others you helped find a home there," Duo said quietly. There was less venom and more ice in his voice, which reminded me of the way he used to look and speak to me before the week we spent pretty much holed up in the library. And what did he mean by 'others'? What was he implying? He couldn't possibly mean that so many kids living there was Odin's fault… right?
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," Odin replied, sounding a bit haughty. I didn't know what Duo was talking about either, and seriously considered going back in there and breaking it up between the two of them. This wasn't how I wanted things to pan out! Still, I hesitated; I wanted to know if Duo would explain himself.
He didn't let me down.
"A woman you turned away ten years ago. She was ill but you wouldn't treat her due to having no money or insurance. She had long brown hair and lilac colored eyes. I seem to recall you telling one of your fellow doctors that it was a shame she was so poor, cause she had such lovely eyes. Exotic was the word you used."
What? This could not be happening to me. How unlucky does a guy have to be to have his boyfriend's mother die because his stepfather didn't see her ten years ago? Talk about a family feud! I don't blame Duo for hating the rich. I'd hate the rich too if that had happened to me. In fact, I'm surprised he gave me a chance at all once he found out I now lived in a wealthy home.
"Your mother was Lilith Maxwell?" Odin asked, shock coloring his voice.
Well, damn… Duo was right… Odin DID put him in that orphanage. The thought that his real last name was Maxwell is kind of ironic, but that's hardly the point. Just as I thought there was no possible way I could be more shocked or appalled, Odin had to go and open his big mouth.
"Tell you what, then. How about I pay you to leave my son alone. To just walk out that door and never darken our lives again. Just name your price."
Stupid. That was absolutely the WRONG thing to say to Duo if I had learned anything in the past few days. I could just imagine Duo seething and doing his best not to strangle my stepfather. And for that matter, how dare Odin try to buy Duo off? Did he think my koi was just another gold digger? RELENA was a gold-digger and he was practically filling out the pre-nuptials! How DARE he!
"You think I would take money from you when I won't even let Heero buy me anything? Are you insane? Oh, wait, let me think. . .of course you are. I happen to love Heero, Mr. Lowe. As much as I realize having a gay man for a step-son isn't going to look good for you public reputation, perhaps you should think about what he wants. If he doesn't want me any more, then I'll leave him, without darkening his life again. But no one else save him can make me leave him. For as long as he wants me, I'm his. He helped me fight some of my inner demons. He really cares about you, but you don't seem to understand how to think in human values. You think money is a solve-all cure, but it isn't. If you simply told him you loved him no matter what, preferences be damned, Mr. Lowe, I can even forgive you for what happened to my mother. Who really knows if your accepting her could have made a difference? I certainly don't. Therefore, the only thing I want from you is to accept your step-son as he is, and love him in spite of what may seem as a blemish on your sterling reputation."
By the end of Duo's little… er… not-so little monologue, I wanted to cry. Duo was actually standing up for me and telling Odin that I needed a father figure and not an ATM. No one had ever cared for me like that. Even my mother, who I knew loved me, never tried to make a family out of us. It's kind of ironic that Duo'd be the one doing that.
I had definitely heard enough of all of this. Quietly, I stepped into the room and cleared my throat.
"Heero!" Duo exclaimed, looking semi embarrassed.
"How long have you been standing there, Heero?" Odin asked.
"Long enough," I answered. Odin looked like he was going to say something, but I beat him to it, giving him my best glare, "Save it. I don't want to hear your excuses right now and I don't feel like being offered money either. Please tell Rosie that I won't be having dinner tonight. On second thought, I'll tell her myself." I turned to look at Duo, my eyes softened at his confused and embarrassed expression.
"Duo, please wait for me in the car," I said as I left the room.
First I went into the kitchen and told Rosie that I was going to spend the night away from home and that I probably wouldn't be back until at least tomorrow. She wanted to know what happened, but I told her I'd talk about it later. She just nodded and began putting some dinner into plastic containers.
"Go on and pack, Heero. I'll have your dinner and snack bag ready when you're done. I'll make sure to pack extra for that handsome boy of yours."
I nodded and thanked her before rushing upstairs and dumping some clothes and toiletries in my duffel bag. I then zipped the thing up and snatched my laptop on my way out. As I passed the kitchen in my hurry to get away from there, Rosie came out and handed me a large paper sack with a set of handles on the top.
"Be careful, niño,1" she said to me, kissing my forehead.
"I will Rosie." I smiled then made a hasty exit, not even paying attention as Odin yelled for me to come back or my mother coming down the stairs, wondering what was happening.
Duo waited for me outside as I had asked. He was leaning against my car and fiddling with his braid in a nervous gesture.
"Heero," he said as I approached him.
"Don't say anything, Duo. Not yet. We'll talk later." I answered.
"But-"
"Later!" I growled.
He snapped his mouth shut and helped me load my bags into the car as I fished the keys out of my pocket. When we settled my duffel and laptop in the back seat, Duo slid in to the front and held the food as I peeled out of there.
We were down the road when I fished out my cell phone and called Quatre.
"Hello?"
"Quatre, I'm going to our safe house." I told him.
"What? What happened? Do you want us to come?" he asked worriedly.
"You don't have to come, I just wanted to let you know I'm staying there for the night…"
"Did something happen at home?" he was a persistent little blonde.
"I'll tell you about it later, okay, Q? Right now, I just need to know if the code has been changed."
"#0R3"
"Thanks, Q." I clicked my cell off and threw it in one of my cup holders, driving away from the city.
"Umm… Heero? Where are we going?" Duo asked curiously. "And what's this about a safe house?"
I handed him the phone, "Can you ask to stay the night?" I asked him.
He carefully took the phone and nodded. "Sister Helen won't be happy about this…" He then dialed his number and waited while the call connected.
"Maxwell Church and Orphanage," I could hear a sweet voice answer.
"Hi Sister," Duo began, "Can I talk to Father, please?"
There was silence for a few moments when Duo began talking again. "Hi, Father, I… I'm spending the night away tonight, so don't wait up for me." I saw him wince and take his ear off the phone for a second before asking me if he could talk about what happened at my place. I nodded and he once again resumed his conversation, "It's not what you think, Father…Well, I met Heero's step dad… and It wasn't pleasant… It was HIM, Father! YES, It was Dr. Lowe, that bastard!… Yeah, we went at it, and Heero heard it. We're driving do an undisclosed location, because apparently Heero doesn't want to be at home or alone… I made a promise to you about that, and I never lie!" He paused. "Yes, I know Father. I know. Thanks, you don't know what this means to us right now…" another pause, "yeah…God Bless."
He then clicked off my phone and put it in the cup holder. Not a moment later, my phone started going off with 'Chinese Dance' as the ring tone. I picked it up and pressed the 'accept button.'
"Q called you, I presume," I said, already knowing it was Wufei on the line.
"Just letting you know I'm coming too, so don't bolt the doors just yet," he said.
"Got it."
"Be there in an hour," he then hung up.
"So…" Duo cleared his throat as we turned down an access road paved in gravel, "Where did you say we were going again?"
"Someplace safe," I said.
"You're not some sort of psycho serial killer, are you Heero?" Duo asked trying to sound playful, but a note of trepidation seeped through his voice.
"Iie, Baka," I snorted.
A short while later, we arrived at a gate that required a pass code. I typed it in. The password cleared, but then a voice identification was required.
"Heero Yuy," I said out loud. The screen beeped and the gate opened. We drove for a few more minutes until we arrived at a quaint two story log cabin that had a bit of a country house feel to it. It had a nice deck and a chimney and a really nice interior.
We stepped out of the car with my bags and entered the house once I unlocked it. The house was fully furnished and very clean. It had three upstairs bedrooms and a downstairs guest room. There were two bathrooms, a full functioning kitchen, a library, and a living/entertainment room.
"Put that bag on the table," I told Duo as I went upstairs with my duffel and laptop. Quatre, Wufei and I all had some personal belongings in our own respective rooms, so I just went and dumped my bag and laptop on my bed before coming back down again.
Duo, meanwhile was busy unloading the bag with the food in it when I returned to the kitchen. I pulled out some plates and set the table, knowing that Rosie had definitely packed enough dinner for me and my friends. She always did when she knew I was 'running away.'
"Can you wait to eat until the others arrive?" I asked.
Duo nodded and we left the kitchen and went to the living room.
"What is this place?" Duo asked finally when the silence became too much.
I sighed, "Quatre, Wufei, and I bought this place when Wufei was old enough to drive. We need to get away from our respective families every once in a while and this is our… version of a club house."
Duo's jaw tightened and I'm sure it was because of the shameless exhibition of our wealth.
"Though, in all honesty, Quatre is the one that keeps things running. He is the heir to his family's fortune and he's the one that needs this get-away more than anyone. Just meet his family and you'll see what I mean.
"We come here during the summers mostly or on breaks when we need to get away from everything… like tonight."
"I see…" Duo said.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
"For what?" Duo blinked in confusion.
"For everything," I answered. "I didn't know about Odin… I'm sorry I put you in that situation. I'm sorry I practically kidnapped you. I'm sorry you have to put up with me being this way. I'll understand if you don't want to be with me any more. I can understand why you hate people with money so much." By that time, I had curled myself up in a fetal position on the couch, my head low, and my eyes tearing.
"It's not your fault," Duo soothed as he snuggled close to me. "I don't blame you."
I wiped my eyes at that and hugged him. "I don't want to lose you Aisuru. 2"
1 Niño means boy in Spanish
2 Aisuru means Beloved in Japanese
