Title: Learn from past and live for future
Pairings: 1x2
Chapter 5
Laughing and loud joking did not surprise Heero at all; they were at Duos home after all. What he did not expect was seeing Duo, a strange guy and a horse running around with a big yellow ball being passed between them. More specifically Duo and the guy where passing the ball between themselves trying to ignore the horse who was running around both of them and trying to steal the ball for himself.
The moment when he did succeed and took the ball his whole body was trembling and he was all ecstatic with happiness. To make the play funnier Duo would try to take the ball back but Heero could see it was just an act. Duo was just playing around; during this time the horse would roll the ball away with his head or front hoofs.
"Can I play with them to?" his son asked excitingly.
"We will see." Heero replayed while he wondered how long it took for Duo or the stranger to make the horse play with them and with the ball. He made a note to ask Duo exactly that when they had more time.
"Is that normal activity" Heero absently asked Wufei while they watched the game before them.
"From the look of it they are very comfortable playing it, so I would say yes it has to be normal activity." For a while they were just watching but then Wufei continued "Duo once told me that Quatre got the idea with the ball while watching Trowa's circus performance" Wufei explained "I am not familiar with the game and saw it just 1 or 2 times but it looks funny, so the purpose of the game is achieved."
"Do we wait for them to end it or make them notice us?" Heero wondered.
"We don't need to do anything. It's the horse, when he detects us he will let everyone know we are here" Wufei said rhetorically. "I would rather wait for Duo or Tom to see us then to stop the play. We don't want to make that horse cranky. I don't know how Duo raised him but you should know we are dealing with a crazy horse here." while talking a strong wind blow between them and a smell of newcomers stopped the horse on his progress to get away with his stolen prize. The horse stopped doing what he was doing and raised his head toward them. That was the only warning they got before the horse started running toward them.
"Okay, what is happening here?" Heero asked little bit worriedly.
"Whatever you do don't take a step back just let him come to us," Wufei explained.
"Daddy what is happening? Did we make the horse angry?" his son was asking.
"No, Solo we did nothing wrong. Take cover behind me. Everything will be okay." Heero explained while using his calm voice.
"The horse sees us as newcomers and want to let us know, that we are dealing with him, if we do anything that is not okay," Wufei said toward Solo. "So all we have to do is stay calm and wait for Duo"
From Heero's point of view that horse was a little bit odd. When he got to them he made few circles around them after which he just stopped and was watching them; from 2 meters away. Heero hoped Duo would see them soon because he really did not want to start his new life with his son being scared; but while he was looking at the horse thinking about Duo and feeling his son at his back a height tone of sound reached all of their ears. The tone made the horse turn around and go back to his playing ground.
"I will definitely have a talk about that horse with Duo" Heero said aloud.
"Daddy, the horse was just saying hello," explained his son while keeping track of the horse movements. "He likes us," he continued still looking wishfully toward his back.
"I hope so, but stay away from him till he is properly presented to you; that way you can pet him and show him with touch that you want to be his friend. Okay?"
"Okay"
"So, who is that guy? You called him Tom?" Heero asked Wufei.
"Yes, Tom and his husband Joe Turner live north of here. They came and asked for a job 5 years ago. So, Duo gave them a hectare of his land to build their home on and help him out with the land. They are good people, you will like both of them."
The stranger was the same height as Duo with short black hair and piercing black eyes. From what Heero could tell he was from Indian heritage.
"Did you check them out?" Heero added.
"That's the first thing I did after hearing they were living with Duo." Wufei responded "Their backgrounds where clean and Duo looks at them as a family members; also we both know Duo is good at character judgement."
Heero couldn't explain what he was feeling right now but as soon as Wufei told him that Tom guy wasn't single and had even a husband his inner demon let him at peace. While they were talking Heero saw that Duo was very happy to see them. He also could tell that Duo looked around searching for someone; probably his son.
"Hey, guys" Duo welcomed them with happy voice. "It's great you got here. I was already getting worried that something went wrong." While talking his eyes still look all around try to see where his son was. "Heero, I don't want to sound like a kid who didn't get his lollipop but where is your son?"
"Your horse seemed a little bit aggressive so …" he did not replay, instead pointing his thumb toward his back side "I told him to stay behind me," with that he moved one step to the left and reviled his kid.
"OMG, Tom look; what a good looking kid Heero has." While he talked to all of them he went to Solo and then down to his knee "Look at you, what a cutie you are. You really could be mini clone of your dad." While talking to him he reached out his right hand and waited for the kid to take it "I am Duo Maxwell, at your service. I may run, I may hide but I will never tell a lie." Duo knew his motto was old but still it was something that was part of him. "You can call me Duo or just D or uncle Duo or uncle D or whatever."
The kid was still looking at him without saying a word so Duo look at Heero "Heero, we had a talk a long time ago about not talking so what we have here" he moved his hand from himself toward his son and back again, "is really something we will have to change."
Heero could only smile even if he knew exactly why his son was not reacting toward Duo. He could warn Duo to just wait but at the same time he wanted to see his son reaction toward him because in reality his son was reading Duo in a way Relena did not like much or rather was scared off. It was like his son could see into someone soul and tell it if you were good and bad person. Heero always felt like his son could see the real you inside out.
"Can your horse be my friend to?" A small voice asked Duo.
"Okay that is not what we were talking about, but it's better to talk about something then nothing," Duo said while looking back toward the horse. "Shiny come here."
It was little bit strange to see how responding Shiny was toward Duo as he understood what was asked of him. So Heero was not surprised to see Shiny going to Duo and let himself be caressed before everyone.
"Shiny, do you want to have a new friend?" Duo asked the horse with very serious voice and to Heero astonishment his horse made a node like saying "Sure".
"Can I caress him?" his son asked again.
"He likes to be in the center of everything so he will love you more with every gently stroke. You just have to understand that to be a friend with him is to get a friend for a lifetime. You will have to caress him every day and play with him all the time. He will never let you be alone and will expect of you to be there when he wants it. He can be very selfish like that." While Duo talked he was caressing his horse and looking toward Solo with very serious face. "So do you want to be his friend little guy?"
"Yes, Yes, Yes," Solo responded excitingly while jumping up and down on the same spot.
"Now that's what I'm talking about." Duo replayed with big smile on his face. "Great response kid," then all of them waited as Solo got little bit closer to the horse and stretched out his little hand toward the horse waiting on the horse to smell it.
Few seconds ticket by before Shiny looked toward Duo to get extra encouragement "go on, you know you want it" came Duo respond and that was all what he needed.
The end result was watching a small kid smiling while gently stroke the big horse. He was all but shining with happiness like he got the best Christmas present. "Daddy look, I have a new friend."
"Son," Heero waited for Solo to look toward him "Duo was so kind to share his own friend with you and all you done is ignoring his request" Heero looked his son with strict face while continuing "When we were learning about good behavior we also learned the correct response toward someone who presents himself to us. Explain it to me; what mistake have you made so far?"
His son skin got all but white and his eyes went toward the ground. His happiness was all but gone and Heero could see his harshness made his son pull back into himself. As soon as he saw what his words done he was ashamed of himself. So he did the only thing he knew would help his son now; he went to him picked him up into his lap and hug him. "I am sorry small bug, you know dad is not angry with you; I just wanted to remind you that you still haven't presented yourself to Uncle Duo."
His son quietly for his ears only said "Sorry, daddy. I was so excited about the whole place, all new animals and that nice man sharing his friend with me."
"It's okay," he caress his sons head "I will put you down now and you will go and present yourself properly. Show them the smart, good looking kid you are." He released his son and then watched him go toward Duo. When he got to him Duo again went to his right knee and waited. "Uncle Duo, I am sorry for not presenting myself properly. I was too excited to remember the right behavior." After explaining it he then stretched his right hand and waited for Duo to take it; when it was done he continued "It's a pleasure to meet you Uncle Duo, my name is Solo Maxwell Yuy Peacecraft."
The whole name all but stopped Duo doing anything. He needed few minutes to process what exactly he just heard "You name is Solo Maxwell Yuy Peacecraft? How did that happen?" his eyes all but started to water "Heero, what have you done?" he asked Heero with quite voice.
Heero saw true pain in Duos eyes for the first time he knew him. He hoped Duo would be ecstatic with happiness when hear his sons whole name. But he was wrong he somehow made is worse. What did he done wrong? But no matter what he had to make it right and talk to Duo alone for few seconds.
"Solo, go to Shiny for few second, Daddy needs to talk to Duo." His son could probably felt both there sadness but without a word he went back to the horse and started to caress him on his left side. When he was sure his son could not hear them he put all his attention to Duo.
"Duo, I just wanted to make your happy. You told me about your childhood friend and I could see it in your eyes how important he was to you. Was I wrong?"
With sad eyes Duo got up from the ground he was sitting on and went to Heero. His eyes went toward Solo, while watching him he remembered his childhood friend. He never believed that someday there would be a kid whose name would be Solo. Some part of him was indeed happy the same way as that small kid was when he heard Shiny would be his friend but other side of him was scared of it. "What about the curse," Duo asked quietly so only Heero could hear.
"What curse?" Heero asked beck astonished. "Duo I will kick you if you telling me you believe in some kind of hocus pocus."
Even to Duos eyes his thoughts sounded like he was really over thinking but he couldn't help himself. So all he could do was explain it to Heero. "Solo died very young what if while giving your kid his name you cursed him with a short time to be alive?"
With quick right hand he lightly smacked Duo on his head "Ouch, what the heck Heero?"
"Duo, we went true whole war and survived something any normal person could not. If we could do it, Solo will do it. And now he is living for your Solo to, so get that negative thoughts out of your mind and get to know my son properly or else I will have to take drastically measures."
"Being married to Relena really did help you with your communication problem," Duo said proudly "I don't think I have ever heard you speak so many words in one minute. Are you really Heero Yuy the Gundam pilot who went through the whole war not talking to anyone but little old me?"
"Don't let me give you another smack," Heero replayed back "and that doesn't change the fact that I am still not sorry for stealing your parts; and we should just accept the fact that my Wing was better Gundam then yours."
"Hey, don't say anything against my Deathscythe!"
Happy once again just to be able to bicker with Heero about their Gundams made Duo relax his worries. "Let me welcome you properly to," with that he pulled Heero in a warm embrace "I am really happy you guys gonna stay with me." To Duos astonishment Heero did not pull away but even embrace Duo back. "I really missed you Heero."
The warm feeling Heero felt while being in Duo embrace was back "I missed you too; like crazy every day. The moment my son was born I wanted you there to show him how to be alive. But my trap was already in place and I did not know how to get out of it."
Duo knew both of them needed more time to talk, but at the same time he knew it was not the right place for it. "Let's talk later; about everything. Now I have to present you to Tom." When he released Heero he turned around with intention to do just that but then he saw not only Tom but even Joe standing with Wufei watching them with smiles on there faces.
"Have you guys never seen friends embracing?" Duo said mockingly while pulling Heero toward other guys "Come Heero let me present you my right hands or sometimes slave drivers, Tom and Joe Turner." When they reach them he continued "Tom, Joe let me introduce you to Heero Yuy." When both shock their hands with him Duo went to Solo who stood with Shiny and did the same "and that my friends is the best looking kid in the world. Let me present you Solo Maxwell Yuy Peacecraft"
Solo responded with quite "Hello," and then just watched both of them; measuring them.
"So what are we eating today," Duo asked Joe very seriously.
While waiting for Joes replay he turned toward Heero to explain "I don't like to cook very much so both of them take pity on me and share their meal; sometimes. To be fair to all of us each of us make something for one another every other day. It is Joe's turn today." When he was satisfied with his own explanation he looked back to Joe to hear his replay.
"Spaghetti," Joe replayed.
"Cool," but right after he registered he continued "Hey, that is my receipt."
"If you don't try my Spaghetti you will never know if my receipt is better than yours," said Joe back and then bowed to Solo. "Hello, Solo do you like it here so fare?"
Heero was very surprised when Solo did not seem scared of such a big guy. "Yes, it's like we are in wonderland," a young voice replied.
With the same big smile as Duo's Joe continued "I see you have a new friend," he pointed toward Shiny who was grazing nearby.
"Aha," Solo nodded,"Uncle Duo told me, Shiny is my friend for a lifetime."
"That is a serious responsibility young Solo, but you couldn't have a better friend by your side."
Before anyone else could say something Shiny raised his head and was gone like fire was after him.
"Hey," Wufei responded "What is wrong with Shiny today."
"Is someone else meant to come by today?" asked Tom while looking toward the horse who was running straight to entrance of the property.
"Don't know," replied Duo then look toward Joe "Any idea?"
"What about the Doctor?" Joe said absently.
"He came for Baba and Buch in the morning. He also said he would bring them back tomorrow," while chatting absently he looked toward Heero and Wufei to explain. "His name is Evan Malcom and he is animal doctor."
"If my eyes are not tricking me its his truck" Tom commented absently.
"Look at that Shiny is moving parallel to the car; someone care to explain to the others why," Joe said even if he started walking toward the main house.
"Buch," both Duo and Tom replayed at the same time.
"Let's get to the house and see what he wants," Joe said and he, Tom and Wufei start walking toward it.
"Who are Baba and Buck?" Heero asked.
"Farm dogs," Duo replayed.
"Why does your animal doctor need your dogs?" Heero asked again.
"Solo," Duo looked toward the small boy who was at Heero's left side. "Do you see that big yellow ball back there," he pointed toward the field a few meters back from them waited for Solos node.
"The ball you were playing with earlier," Solo asked excitedly while looking toward ball.
"Yes, that the one. Please run to it and roll it to us so we don't lose it,"
"Can I try to kick it," Solo asked.
Such an innocent question could be asked only by a kid thought Duo while he replayed "Yes, you may but watch out that you don't fall; it's a big ball." He then looked back toward Heero.
While both of them watched Solo running to the ball Duo continued "Sorry, Doctor Evan called me yesterday and told me he has some kind of seminar in school on human cruelty toward animals and wanted to show those children how animals can be our best friends if we treat them with respect. Ironically even if he is an animal doctor he doesn't have his own dog; he is more a cat person so he called to ask if he could borrow my dogs."
"Are you the only human around here to have dogs?" Heero wondered.
"It's because of their mother."
"What dog bread are we talking about here?" Heero asked.
"Rottweiler," was Duos respond.
"Is that bread not dangerous?"
"Heero, every bread can be dangerous if owners don't really care for them and use them."
"Uncle Duo, Uncle Duo," happy voice pulled both man from chatting.
Yellow ball came rolling toward them.
"Nicely done; now fallow Uncle Wufei, Tom and Joe toward the house. Can you do that?"
"Yes," happily Solo replayed as he again started to roll the big ball toward the house.
Both of them waited for Solo to make the right distance between them before they continued with the talk while walking after him.
Heero wanted to know more about those dogs "Please, tell me about them and their mother."
"I found her in the barn with blood all around here. At first I thought some animal got to her and killed her and just left her there. So my first thought was to check if she was alive."
For a few second Duo stopped talking and to Heero it looked like he was right there seeing, smelling and even feeling how he had that day.
"The way she was just lying, all that blood I just could not see if she was breathing so I went to her and got my hands under her muzzle to check for the pulse but her head just come up and all I could see where wild scared eyes and while teeth's. My God did she scare the living soul out of me. The way I was jumping away from her was like I was flying away."
"That would really be interesting to so," Heero commented "How did you get her to calm down?"
"Are you crazy, the way she scared me? I had no intention to get near her again so I called dock Evan Malcom. He pumped her up with tranquilizer or sedative which made her sleepy. Then he took her to his place."
"What happened then," Heero asked once more.
"Doctor Evan called me after a week. He wanted me to come and see her. I just couldn't say no and if I am honest I wanted to ask the doctor what really happened to her. Or what he could tell me."
For a while they just walked and Heero wandered if Duo would tell him more or if he would have to wait for later to get the whole story but then Duo continued. "When I got there doctor told me that based on her wounds she had to be a fighting dog. Her owner had used her for fighting and winning but as it looked she did not win the last fight. Usually at that point owners just throw their dogs away; somewhere. I guess he dropped her near my land. How she came to my barn I cannot say."
"Did you try to find the owner or more about where those fights were being held?" Heero wondered.
"Sure, I wanted to and for a while I had some suspicious about my nearest neighbor. He is little bit crazy in his head and usually comes into my land to accuse me of idiotic stuff. Maybe he is lending someone part of his land where those fights are being held but we don't have evidence. Additionally we haven't seen or heard any dog barking's and the doctor did not get any other unusually injured dogs. So we let it go."
"How come you got her? Did you not leave her with him?"
"First I got an explanation based on her injuries then he led me to her. Even after she got one week of healing at doctor place her appearance did not change much. With her scares all around her face and body she was ugly like hell so I asked the doctor what would happen to her if I didn't take her with me." At that Duo gave him a sad smile then continued, "Doctor Evan told me that he would try to find a family for her but he was not very optimistic about it. Her injuries where very deep physically and mentally so he did not see much hope for her. The best thing for her was to put her to sleep."
"I can assume you did not choose his option?" Heero ask rhetorically.
"No, even if she looked awful and did not want anyone near herself it was not right to kill her off just like a piece of garbage and we had a lot of space."
Before Duo could continue with his tale a voice pulled them out of there talking and both of them realized that they stopped walking and where just standing around.
"Are you guys coming," yelled an impatient Tom in his voice.
"We are coming," Duo yelled back then looked to Heero.
"Come," Duo pulled on Heero's arm "let me present you to our animal doctor."
"Even after 9 years you still the same old Duo Maxwell," Heero said jokingly while letting Duo pull him like he always did when they were together.
"What are you talking about," asked Duo.
"Nothing, forget it; but I still want you to end that tale." Heero reminded Duo.
"Sure I will. But first lets us see what the good doctor Evan wants from us, then we can have lunch and I can show you my home. What do you say?" Duo said.
"Okay," and with that both turner there attention back to others.
TBC
Author note:
Hello, to those who are going to read my new chapter! Also, thank you for waiting for it; I hope it won't be too boring. I will write new chapter as soon as I will get a will to continue. If someone has any question or suggestion just make a review but use your log in name so I can replay.
Beta reader:
"Poisonsnake23" - Thank you for your time and thank you for having patient with me.