Rival Chatter
Chapter 13: Duo POV:
Warning: Rape, Duo angst, and of course, all around craziness abound.
"Hello?" I said into the phone as I took it.
"Duo, it's Howard," the voice on the other end said. I smiled, calming down some.
"Oh hey Howie!What's up?" I asked, as I stood up and walked with the phone toward my spare room. Heero seemed to understand, for he allowed me to leave without a word. Yet I was certain he wasn't happy about having his phone number found out from someone he didn't know. I'd have to appologize for it later.
"You are, tonight at the circus. Clarissa called. She mentioned something about a Jonathan calling and saying you were needed for work tonight. I couldn't get all the details, she seemed a little peeved. Then again, she never did like men very much."
"I know that one, Howie," I said with a smile. My sister by circumstance was always a little off her rocker. Perhaps it was because she'd led a rough life. I really couldn't say for certain.
"In any case, it you want the whole truth, you should call Johnny yourself and see what it was he needs." I sighed and dragged a hand through my long chestnut bangs. Something told me I was not going to have the quiet and peaceful day with Heero that I had planned on.
"Got it. I'll call him now. Thanks for sending me the message and I'll tell Clare not to call you unless it's necessary." Howard laughed at such words.
"Don't worry about her. I don't mind talking to the woman. She's got some interesting points of view on certain subjects." I laughed then and nodded in agreement, even though I knew he couldn't see it.
"She's full of those, all right. Talk with ya later, Howie. Promise I'll come visit some time."
"You better, or I'll pester your boyfriend's cell until you do." I chuckled, yet I knew that wasn't a threat. He really would do it.
"Got it." I hung up and dialed the number for the circus office almost immeadately. At once I was connected the the man I needed to speak to, seeing as he was the one to answer the phone.
"Circus Office, Jonathan Bloom speaking. How may I help you this fine day?" Jonathan's voice asked through the small speaker. I snorted. He was anything but accomadating sometimes.
"Hey, Jonathan, it's Duo. I heard you called for me to come in."
"Duo! Thank goodness someone called you. You're needed tonight, knife throwing." I nodded. No big deal. I'd be showing the skill of throwing it at targets. I could handle that.
"Trowa's gone awol and you need to take his place. Only you'll be throwing them at Catherine, seeing as she won't throw at anyone but Trowa." My eyes widened and I shook my head almost vehemitly.
"No can do, Jonathan. We have a deal. I don't do live targets." Johnathan laughed int he background.
"We have a contract, Duo. In the event that Trowa is not able to perform, you are to go on in his place and handle all duties thus entailed," Jonathan read, repeating the contract word for word. He was right too, damn it. Yet, Trowa was the one who had knives thrown at him. I had never expected this to happen. I thought Catherine would trust me enough to risk throwing them at me as well, seeing as Trowa and I always practiced together.
"What time?" I asked, feeling my insides chill. I really didn't want to do this, but Jonathan could be an ass. He'd sue me for breach of contract if I didn't do as I was told. At the moment, I couldn't afford such a thing. Especially if I wanted to be able to afford a place with Heero.
"Tonight, six o'clock show. It's the only one, but you won't be out until about seven." I closed my eyes.
"Ok, boss. I'll be there."
"You had better, Duo," he said, before hanging up. At least now I knew why Clare had been so upset. If he had told her I was there to be a knife thrower, she would have gone balistic, seeing as she knew I hated throwing them at living things. Almost as if in reluctant slow motion, I recalled exactly why I hated throwing them at people.
Trowa and I walked along the streets of the old district at night, each one of us having a knife on us in case something should happen. This area was anything but nice and sometimes it was down right dangerous. Walking together made things feel safer, but not by much. It was why Trowa had taken pride in showing me how to use such a weapon. It was what kept us safe when we had to take walks through places like this.
The sound of a fight was the first thing that caught Trowa's attention. Then I heard it as well. Muffled screams filled the air from a near by alley way. Trowa and I wasted no time running to figure out the situation. What we saw was enough to make our stomach's churn. A young girl, no older than Trowa or I, was being brutally raped by three men. Two were holding her down while the third was seeming to be enjoying himself on the young woman. Trowa reacted before I could and was already on the man with his back to us. He had been holding the girls arms down and thus keeping her from fighting. The second her arms were lose, he went to work on the one who was raping her, physically beating the crap out of him. I took the last one, who had been holding the girls legs apart.
Yet the rapist soon pulled a gun and aimed it at the dark haired girl. She froze and before I could think, the blade was in my hand and then flying. It embedded itself in his chest as he turned before I watched him fall backward. The girl scrambled away from him and Trowa pulled her against him, whispering something I couldn't hear. Instead, I stared as the two who were unconscious lay beside their fallen companion. I. . .I had killed him. . .and all in the name of protection.
We had called the cops and they had taken one look at the girl with us and known it had all happened in self defense. Even the courts had termed it that. Yet I still felt like a killer. The girl had come up to me, her dark raven black hair pulled back and hugged me.
"You are not a killer Duo Maxwell. You are a savior. Although I was not fully spared the pain of what occured, I was spared my life. I do not want it to come at the cost of yours." I had stared at her, who had been the one to have been tormented so just a little over seventy hours ago and I was lost. This girl had helped me to realize that I hadn't done this out of spite, but out of protection. While the thought for throwing a knife at any living thing would haunt me for the rest of my life, knowing I had saved someone so caring certainly made up for it.
"You are a savior," I repeated to myself as I stared into the mirror. I changed into black jeans and a black shirt. I brushed out my braid and then re-did it so it was neat. Once I was certain I was all right to go, I turned and headed downstairs, cell phone in hand. Once there, I noticed that Heero had dressed as well in my absence. He was certainly a very handsome young man when he wanted to be.
"What's going on?" he asked, taking in my appearance, right down to the fact I had on my boots. I handed over the phone.
"That was Howard, the one I called for my things last night. It's how he got your number. In any case, he wanted to let me know I've got work today, so I've got to get going." Heero gave me a smile, but I couldn't return it as genuinely as I wanted to. I was going to be a wreck until after the show tonight.
"Anything I can do to help?" he asked. For a second I froze in total horror. My mind pictured Heero standing there in front of the board while I threw knives at him with the speed of which I was supposed to toss them. Then he flinched and I hit him, my whole world shattering with such a sight. I shivered and shook my head.
"Naw, it's cool. It's only circus work. Nothing too big, Hee-chan," I said, trying to keep a smile on my face. Yet I was almost certain he didn't buy into this for even a minute. I watched as his eyes seemed to narrow slightly and a frown began to take the place of his smile.
"Are you sure that's all it is?" he asked. I nodded, this time my smile more genuine and more for him.
"Of course. I've just got to play knife thrower tonight. Tro-man's gone awol and so I have to fill in. Nothing major." Heero seemed to look me over closely, almost as if judging my words. Yet he then smiled once more, and I felt a part of my heart become lost to that silly grin.
"Are you certain you don't want my help? You could throw them at me," he said, half teasing. I felt my eyes go wide and instantly shook my head, so wildly that my braid flew behind me.
"I'm sure. Catherine's going to handle that part. She's done it for years, both Trowa and her. But I'll keep that in mind if I even get mad at you," I joked, looking away as my heart finally slowed back down to normal. I know he didn't buy all of what I had said, but I also knew he couldn't find fault with my words either.
"All right. How about if I come watch, instead?" he asked. I once again smiled easily as I shrugged.
"If you don't mind paying the fee, anyone could come see the show. That's what I'm there for." Heero watched me, yet his eyes seemed to relax after a while.
"I'll be there, Duo. I want to be a part of your life." I nodded, knowing he did at that. Hadn't he prooved it by offering to want to move in with me someplace together? I smiled brightly.
"I want you to be a part of my life as well. I love you, Hee-chan," I whispered. He smiled and pulled me into his arms, kissing my lips softly in response. My lips tingled from the brief contact and I unconsciously placed a hand to my lips. He seemed to smile wide for me at the action and I felt myself fall in love with him all over again.
"Love you too," he replied. He then looked outside. "Want me to drive you into town?" he asked. I took in his still uncovered feet and shook my head.
"Enjoy the rest of the movie, I've seen it before. Be at the circus by six to see the show. I'll be performing at seven." Heero nodded and held me close once more before pressing one more kiss against my lips. I trembled and kissed him in return, my body tingled this time from the contact. When he let me go, I grinned like a kid and headed off, knowing I would have a lot to accomplish before I went to work. Mounting the bike I started it up and grinned waving at Heero who stood in the doorway. He smiled back, waving as well. I blew him a kiss as the motorcycle started and drove off, leaving him behind for the moment.
My first stop was the orphange, of which I had informed Father Maxwell and Sister Helen of my plans to move. They didn't seem surprised and a lot of the children cried when I talked about it with them. Yet I promised to still work here every day after school, which seemed to calm them down. I then turned to Father Maxwell who seemed to look at me with serious eyes.
"You're moving on because of Mr. Yuy, aren't you?" he asked. I nodded, feeling my cheeks turn pink.
"But it's not for the reasons you believe, Father. I. . .I do need to move on. I can't keep having the state pay for me. I've graduated already and I'm simply causing the school to deal with me when they shouldn't have to." Father Maxwell smiled warmly and hugged me then, surprising me to no end.
"I believe in you, Duo. I know why you are moving, and why you are going to be leaving. I can understand completely. Love, is a very powerful emotion. With it, we can accomplish anything. No matter how big or small." I nodded in agreement before hugging him once more and heading for the door.
"I'm not gone yet. I've still got to find a place. I'll let you know as soon as I can when I've found a place and I won't leave you all alone. I'll even help out here for free if I have to." Father Maxwell nodded in agreement to that and Sister Helen and him waved as I left. I was glad he had been so understanding of what I had felt. I had honestly believed he would have looked down on me. Yet he hadn't, and for that I was grateful. Reving up my bike. . .I headed out, going to work to do the one thing I didn't want to do.
(AN: The scene at the circus is documented in Quiet Chatter Chapter 5. Thus, this brings this chapter to an end. I know it's short, but with all these kind offers of help, I'm certain our new Heero can make up for it. Until next chapter, which ever it may be, ja mata ne.)
