Rival Chatter
Chapter 12: Heero POV
I woke up to find the house empty of occupants, except for Duo who slept soundly in the guest room. I had absolutely no intention of going to school today since I didn't want to risk Odin finding me there. I cared for the guy, I did, I just didn't want to deal with him right now.
I'd go back, I just needed time to cool off and hide away. That's why we had created this little sanctuary to begin with. We all needed our escapes every now and then, and this haven was just the place for it.
I went about the kitchen, clad only in my black cotton sleep pants, heating leftovers from last night. I didn't have much of a stomach for breakfast foods so I had leftovers. To my amusement, the smell of warm food brought Duo out of his room and peeking into the kitchen.
"Ohayo," I greeted.
"Morning," he said, rubbing his eyes. He was dressed in some loose pants and a faded black t-shirt, his hair in a messy braid. "What's for breakfast?"
"Last night's castaways," I said.
Smiling, he sat across from me and picked off the plate I had heated up. I didn't mind sharing… besides, I had heated all of it up.
After we ate and put away the dishes, we settled in the living room to play video games.
"Umm.. Didn't you have school today?" Duo asked after a while.
I looked at my watch, it was already nine. "I didn't feel like going today," I shrugged.
Duo gasped, "The perfect Heero Yuy is skipping? What about your perfect attendance?"
"Not to worry, I have it covered." I smirked.
We stayed like that a while longer, until we grew bored. I grabbed Duo around the waist and pulled him up to sit my lap as I snuggled him. Duo melted into my arms and I began to kiss his neck gently. It didn't get very far since Duo pulled away and toyed with the end of his braid.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
He shook his head, taking deep breaths, "I just don't want it to get too far, you know?"
"Does this have to do with the promise you made Father Maxwell?" I asked.
He nodded.
We were quiet after that, but he stayed snuggled in my arms. I'd been thinking a lot about him lately, and I was really contemplating taking our relationship further. I know we were only just together since the weekend, but I felt connected to him. I wanted to spend more time with him… and I wanted to tell him so.
"Duo…"
"Yeah?"
"I want to be with you."
He looked at me funnily, "I want to be with you too. I thought we'd established that when I became your boyfriend."
I shook my head, not really what I'd been getting at, "Well, we're graduating this year… and… well, I'm worried about what will happen when we each go off to college."
Duo looked away, toying with the end of his braid again. "That's not exactly true, Heero."
"What do you mean?" I asked, turning him in my lap.
He fidgeted for a moment then leaned into me, "Umm… well you know how I always have all my homework done even if I'm never there?" I nodded, "Well.. That's because I already graduated…"
"What? When?" I asked, in shock. When had he graduated and what was he still doing in school?
"Well, technically, I graduated two years ago when I was sixteen… that's why I never show up to class. I worked out a deal with the school; I'd monitor their online security and they'd let me pretend that I was still going to school so that it looks like I graduate with my class."
"Why didn't you just take your diploma and go to college?" I asked, still not grasping his thought process.
He shrugged.
"Please, Duo. I want to know." I pleaded.
"You're going to think it's dumb," he said, pouting a little.
I stroked his braid, loving the silky feel of it, "Try me."
He sighed, "The reason I haven't left for college is that I'd be kicked out of my home. In fact, when I graduate from High School, I'm supposed to leave because of the regulations of government-funded orphanages. I'm not going to college because if I don't go and continue working there, they'll give me a place to stay… but if I do go, I'll have to leave."
"Well, if you're worried about not finding a place to stay, you can always come live here." I said, bringing him fully onto my lap and hugging him tight, "I know Quatre and Wufei won't mind."
He let out a shuttering breath and shook his head, giving me pause, "It's not that I won't be able to afford a place, it's that…" he paused.
"What?" I prompted.
"I'm afraid of being alone," he whispered brokenly.
Those words broke my heart. He was afraid of being by himself? I suppose that was a normal fear for someone who was practically alone in this world.
"You won't be alone, angel," I whispered. "We can both live here. I won't go out of town, if that's what it takes, and go to the local University and you can enroll with me. You don't have to be afraid of living by yourself, I'll be with you the entire time."
I felt his arms tighten around me, but I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.
"I don't know if I can do that," he said, his head buried in the crook of my neck.
"Why not?"
"Because… I… I'm not good at accepting that sort of offer."
I sighed. This boy was stubborn and his pride was making him see my offer as charity, and not the selfish act that it was to keep him with me at all times. He should learn that when I make offers to give him things, I usually have my own reasons behind it.
"But…" he began, startling me out of my thoughts, "maybe… we can buy something…t-together…"
It was then that I realized that he really did care for me as much as I did him. I'm sure it was a tough inner battle to come to that sort of compromise.
"Then that's what we'll do," I smiled, tilting his head up to kiss him softly, "and until we can find something suitable, we can live here… if you don't mind."
He nodded his agreement. "I won't have to be a burden on Father Maxwell any more," he sighed.
"I doubt you could ever be a burden to anyone."
He looked up at me with uncertainty is his eyes, "But what if you get tired of me?"
I couldn't help but laugh a little, "That's not possible, tenshi. I love you too much to ever get sick of you."
He blushed a little, then looked over to the movies we had. "Are you up to snuggling while watching movies with me?" I nodded, making his smile all the brighter.
"I'll go get the popcorn," I said and got up.
A few hours later, my cell phone rang, interrupting our movie, making me glare at it. Picking it up, I saw that the caller had blocked their number.
"Hello?" I answered, after pushing the connect button.
"Give the phone to Duo," an unfamiliar voice said.
Frowning, I gave the phone to Duo, who took it.
"Hello? … Oh, hey Howie! What's up?"
