Gundam Wing
London Alleyways
Warnings: very slight angst, difficult accents, period fic, AU, intrigue, humor, semi-large age differences, OCs
Chapter 04: Winged Lane
Duo led his gang through the back alleys toward the better part of town. He was frightfully nervous.
He had decided to take Mr. Yuy up on his offer and entrust his "education" to him and his stiff Chinese friend. The deal stipulated that his gang would be looked after and taken care of while he was in "gentleman" training, so here he was; leading his boys through London toward an uncertain entity that could be their salvation or just another failed attempt at care taking.
Stopping in the darkened alley that opened up to the end of Winged Lane Duo turned around and looked his boys over.
He had made sure that their faces and been washed and their shirts tucked in when they left their alley carrying only their most prized possession. Despite not having clean clothes or proper baths, Duo insisted that his gang tidy themselves up as much as possible. After all, they were going to be in the better part of town for at least a little while. It wouldn't do to look even scragglier then they had to.
Scanning his eyes over the small, young gang Duo felt a wave of protectiveness and nostalgia sweep over him. He loved each and every one of his boys like a part of his family. He didn't know what he would do if anything happened to them.
He looked at each of his gang members faces and noted with prided that all of their young and nervous faces were clean.
They had walked through the alleys in a formation meant to protect those weakest in the group. Looking to the boy standing at the back of the line, Duo met Solo's conning brown eyes. At nineteen, Solo was just over a year younger than Duo and had been the closest thing to a brother since their young days the Maxwell Church orphanage.
Giving his little "brother" a reassuring smile, Duo shifted his gaze to Freddy, an eager, brown eyed sixteen year old, who had taken up the place in front of Solo in the protective line up. Freddy had one of the hardest lives of all of Duo's boys. Abandoned at a young age, he had turned to prostitution as a source of somewhat steady income.
Duo thanked the Lord every day that he had stumbled upon Freddy on that dark night and rescued him from what would have been a fatal encounter with a particularly nasty, knife wielding John.
Standing in front of Freddy was Henry. A shy, green eyed boy of twelve, who had come to join the gang when Solo had pulled him into a dark alley and hidden him from the police that had chased him all the way from Harrington Road to the far end of Portobello.
Giving both boys wide smiles, Duo bent over to the two youngest members of his gang positioned in the very center of the line.
Nine year-old Josephine, or Joe as she insisted, and her six year old brother, Jimmy, were the youngest and, so far, least street hardened, of the gang. Both children were picking pockets to feed and satisfy an absent mother's opium addiction when Duo took them into his gang. Joe was a blue eyed tomboy with an uncanny ability to con rich passers by into giving up their change with a single flash of her practiced puppy eyes. Her little brother, Jimmy, was fierce with a gleam of defiance that shinned brightly in his young blue eyes and had a protective streak a mile wide for his older sister.
Straightening the siblings' fraying collars and smoothing their short, choppy hair, Duo turned a stern warning look on Ivan and Oscar standing in front of Joe and Jimmy.
At fourteen, both boys were hazel eyed trouble makers. The twins used their identical looks to wreck havoc on the unsuspecting cart owners and to occasionally trick their fellow gang members.
No one in the gang really knows that much about their past before they had walked into Duo's alley and blended themselves into the close knit gang, but they were fiercely loyal and had kind hearts. Duo didn't care what their past was like, since they refused to talk about it, he simply took them in with open arms.
Duo bopped both twins on the head for good measure before turning to the group at large. "Okay, boys. Wer goin' ta walk down tha stree' li' civilized people. We 'ave evry righ' ta be 'ere an' i' ain't no bo'ys busness other wise." Straightening, Duo turned to the mouth of the alley and stepped out into the neat, clean lane before them.
"Folla' me an' don' touch anythin'!" Joe pulled her hand away from a painted light post with a guilty smile on her face. Duo chuckled and gave her kind grin.
So, in a line, they strode down the lane toward the town house situated neatly and elegantly in a row of other equally elegant homes. A couple of people passing by them gave them slightly frightened or contemptuous glances before hurrying on their way. The boys paid no mind and just looked around in awe. Though Duo and Solo had been in some of the better parts of town, the others hadn't and everything was bright and new.
They had walked down the lane and onto Heero's block when Duo pulled his "borrowed" pocket watch from his shirt pocket to check the time; they were right on time.
"Oi! You street rats need ta be getting' offa' my street?!" An angry and accusatory voice called from behind the scraggily group.
Duo bristled immediately and turned to see a burly policeman with a scowl marching over to them from the opposite side of the street. Holding in his biting retorts, Duo tried to put on a calm innocent air; it wouldn't be wise to anger the man when they were so close to their destination. This wasn't Duo's turf, he didn't know the all ins and outs of this side of town.
Replying in a respectful tone, Duo said, "Sir, we 'ave an apoi'men' wit' Mis'er Yuy a' numba' one twe'y one."
"Right and I'm the Queen's Mum. If you turn around and leave quietly I won't 'ave to force you." The bobby didn't believe Duo and had reached for his riot stick which he began to slap into his other hand like a bat.
Behind his back Duo gave his boys the hand signals to circle around the little ones and take a couple of steps back. He'd never known a policeman to treat a simple street rat fairly so he wasn't going to chance his boys getting into a fight. "I ain't tellin' ya no lies, off'cer. Mis'er Yuy and Lor' Chang is expectin' us."
The officer was about to say something when a gleam of silver clutched in Duo's hand caught his eye. "Look what we 'ave 'ere! A thief! Where'd you get that pocket watch?!"
Tightening his grip on the circular time piece in his hand, Duo glared at the bobby with all his might. "Tha' ain't none o' yer busness!
"Ha! You did steal it, you li'le thief! I'm ganna arrest you, so giving me the watch." The burly man stepped forward with his baton held at the ready.
Duo took a step back and shouted, "I di'nt steal nothin'! We 'ave a righ' ta be 'ere an' we ain't leavin' till we see Mis'er Yuy!"
The clustered boys behind Duo let out cries of fright when the policeman started forward with an enraged shout and his baton raised, ready to strike. "Tha's 'nough o' your nonsence!"
Wufei was standing by the window sipping a cut of tea when Heero stepped through the parlor door with a satisfied look on his face. They had just finished getting all of the rooms finished.
Duo had returned a day after his first visit to hash out the details pertaining to the care of his gang. It was decided that they would stay in the Yuy household and begin their lessons right along with Duo. So, four rooms were prepared. A single room, two doubles, and a triple were all cleaned stalked and ready for the eight boys to move right on in.
"You look happy, Yuy." Wufei couldn't help, but chuckle at his friend.
Heero immediately schooled his features and bent down to pour himself a cup of tea. He had worked all day yesterday with Sally Po, his house keeper and his cook, Hilde, getting the house ready for an invasion of malnourish and grungy boys.
He really shouldn't be so happy; he just couldn't help, but be excited. The house was big and quiet. In Japan he was so used to his father's family being around him, that having a large house to his self, even with the servants, was rather lonely.
"I was just rechecking their accommodations. It wouldn't be fitting to have them arrive without anywhere to sleep." Taking a bite of his tea cake Heero sat in his favorite seat in the corner of the couch.
Wufei walked away from the window to refill his cup and said, "You can't lie to me, Yuy. I know you've been lonely here."
"At least you have the old coots to keep you company." Heero huffed in a rather undignified manner.
Chuckling, Wufei took a sip from his fresh tea. "Personally, I would rather debate politics with your butler than sit for tea with the "old coots", as you call them."
"Who wouldn't, Howard is quite the opponent." They both chuckled and returned to their tea.
Suddenly the parlor door burst open to reveal a harried looking Howard on the other side. "Heero, you better hurry, there's some trouble out on the street."
Duo closed his eyes and readied himself for the inevitable blow when a loud bang and shout rang out across the lane.
"Do not take one more step!" The sound of that deep and commanding voice caused Duo's eyes to snap open and his head to turn toward its owner.
Heero Yuy and Wufei Chang stood at the top of his stoop with enraged faces radiating the promise of pain if you were to disobey. Duo didn't question why it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen, he just let himself be swept up in the relief at seeing the blue eyed gentleman.
Heero stomped down his steps with flashing indigo eyes and clinched fists. When he reached the stunned officer he ripped the baton from his hands and threw it down the street. "What did you think you were doing?"
The man stuttered for a second then raised his chin and puffed out his chest. "I was arresting these riffraff, Mr. Yuy. They 'ave no business being on this street and this one 'ere," he gestured to a scowling Duo, "is in possession of a pocket watch that doesn't belong to him."
Heero had placed himself between Duo and the policeman, so he had to look over his shoulder to see that the young man was clutching his silver pocket watch like a life raft. Turning back to the officer he stated in an ominous and icy voice, "I know. I lent it to him."
Duo, who had paled thinking that Heero was surely going to turn him in for stealing his watch, was just as shocked as the burly policeman in front of him. "But Sir! Boys like them 'ave no business being in this part of town!"
This man was really getting on his nerves. Heero let his authoritative voice cut this man down a couple of inches. "They have business with me and if you make it your habit to harass law abiding citizens then perhaps I should speak to your chief down at head quarters."
Duo had to hold in his laughter as well as shock when the man began to stammer apologies and cower like a kicked puppy.
Heero was satisfied that he had put the fear of God back into this ingrate, but he wanted to go that extra mile that made him such a great business man and a ruthless fighter. "Now Officer, I want you to take a good look at these boys, commit their faces to memory, because these boys will be staying with me and if you ever threaten, harass, or touch them again I will make you wish you were never born. Do I make my self clear?"
The now quivering and whimpering man was nodding his head and stuttering affirmatives. Heero sneered and waved a dismissive hand at him. The policeman gave a shaky bow and made him self very scarce.
Glaring after him, Heero finally turned around and studied the boys behind him.
Wufei was standing in between Duo and the clustered group of dirty boys with his arms crossed and a satisfied look on his face. There was nothing Wufei loved more than justice and that was justice if he ever saw it. Nodding his head Wufei stated, "Well done, Yuy."
Heero responded with a, "hn" then turned and addressed Duo. "I'm sorry that happened. That particular officer has made it a habit to harass people walking down the lane." He then turned toward Duo's boys and gave them a cordial bow. "I am Heero Yuy and this is my friend, Chang Wufei." He gestured to his imposing looking friend causing the group to shrink slightly into them selves.
Turning back to Duo, he said, "Why don't we move the rest of the introductions to the house. It's much more private." He gestured toward the house then turned to lead the way.
They all filed up the steps, into the house, then into a larger and more formal parlor. On the way, Howard slapped three hands all reaching stealthily to pilfer items from the walls and mantels. Henry, Ivan, and Oscar all looked at the old man with surprise and a little bit of respect. They were the best pick pockets in the gang, next to Duo, and had never been caught in the action of lifting before.
Howard scowled at the boys and said, "These eyes are still as keen as the day I was born. Don't try that again." All three boys nodded their heads with a muttered, "yes'ir" before following their friends into the parlor.
Inside the parlor Heero stood in the center of the seating area with an air of authority and dominance. He looked at the boys sitting in front of him.
Duo was standing behind a couch with the boy introduced to him a Solo, which he remembered from his attempted mugging. The twins, Ivan and Oscar, were standing in the corner by the bookcase taking in the surroundings. Freddy and Henry were seated on the couch on both sides of the little girl, Joe, and her brother, Jimmy.
Heero studied them all. Curiosity and weariness were the two main emotions he could read from their guarded faces. They were all handsome children and appeared to be well taken care of despite their skinny bodies and tattered and dirty clothes. It was plain to see that these children, and that's what they were, meant the world to Duo. No wonder he was willing to accept the deal.
Taking a deep breath, Heero began with the laying down of the law. Behind him, was Wufei staring out another window in disinterest, Sally Po with motherly eyes just watching the children, and Hilde with friendly smiles and happy waves, while Howard kept his eye on the twins. He could tell they were trouble makers.
"This is my house as you know. You will obey the house rules or you will be back put out on the street."
Several nervous glances and sounds of protest were exchanged before Duo smacked heads and hissed, "Lis'in' ta Mis'er Yuy."
Heero began to pace as he continued. "While you are under my roof you will treat Lord Chang, my staff, and me with respect and listen when we tell you something. You will attend lessons in reading-"
"Bu' we don' know 'ow ta read!" Joe burst out.
Heero stopped pacing and threw a questioning glance at Duo. "I thought you said you could read?"
Duo scratched the back of his head. "Me an' Solo know 'ow. We lived in a church orph'nage 'fore we wer ou' on tha stree's, bu' tha others nevr lean'."
Heero nodded in understanding then continued, "Like I said, you will attend lessons in reading, writing, arithmetic and etiquette from Lord Chang and Sally Po."
He continued on in that vein until he had gone over all of the house rules and what they were to be doing while in his house. He finally stopped when he noted their wide overwhelmed eyes and pale faces.
With a sigh, he turned to Hilde. "Is lunch ready for them?"
Hilde hopped to and exclaimed happily, "Of course! Come on children! You'll have to eat in the kitchen till we get you all cleaned up, and I bet you're all starving!"
As if faced with a rabid dog, the children all inched closer to Duo. It was clear to Heero that he was definitely their role model, care taker, and protector. The youngest children attached themselves onto his legs while the older boys glanced at him in apprehension.
Duo placed kind hands atop Joe and Jimmy's heads then gave reassuring smiles to the other boys before turning to Solo. "I's alrigh'. Mis'er Yuy's a good man. Ta'e 'em wit' Hilde an' ge' 'em somethin' ta eat."
Solo nodded and the other boys reluctantly followed after him and Hilde, while Sally Po brought up the rear with a sad frown.
After all of the boys were out of sight, Duo turned to Heero, but stopped just short of speaking when he saw the look on his host's face.
Heero had been watching the exchange and, without realizing it, had come one step closer to understanding and actually respected the volatile and clever street urchin standing in his parlor.
He couldn't have described the kind of furry he had felt when he'd flung the front door open to see that policeman inches away from clubbing Duo. It didn't occur to him that he could feel that kind of protectiveness for another human, much less a sly thief like Duo. Yet, he had surprised himself.
Then watching him with his gang was like watching a father or older brother with their little siblings. Which, he supposed, was exactly what they were. When orphans live on the street they find the security of family any where they can and obviously Duo had offered each and every one of those kids a place in his family. Heero found him self respecting the street urchin like he seldom has his own peers.
Duo opened his mouth again and said in a much smaller voice than he intended, "Thank ya. Ya don' know 'ow much i' means ta be able ta give 'em thi' oppertuni'y."
Nodding, Heero replied, "I think I have an idea, but you don't need to thank me. I'm getting what I want and you're getting what you want. We are even."
The sound of loud laughter reached them all the way from the kitchen and Duo let a small smile touch his lips. "Jus' tha same. I'm still gra'ful."
On the opposite side of the street a burly man in a navy blue uniform glared menacingly at the elegant oak door with the stained glass window on it.
He had never been so humiliated in his life. How dare that arrogant half breed think he could just bring anyone into the neighborhood that he wanted! And those street rats; the nerve of them, just sauntering down the lane like they owned the whole block!
Oh yes, Mr. Yuy. He had committed their faces to memory, especially the one with that queer braid. Oh yes, he would certainly remember.
A/N: I hope you all liked! The ending is kind of ominous, but hey got to have a thicker plot, right? Once again, criticism and reviews are most welcome! Hope I entertained you again!
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