Con And Consequences:
9.56am
Juvenile
Delinquent Building (Courthouse actually):
Our
footsteps are hollow echoes within the narrow corridor as we make our way
towards the courtroom. Here we are, five young men, all in our Sunday suits,
trying our best not to look as worried as we feel inside. Duo had said
something about the dark blue piece he had on as being his only good one. He
hadn’t exactly counted on wearing the outfit any time soon especially not in a
courtroom of all places.
The
last time I had worn a suit, this black one to be exact, I had been at a
luncheon being held for students who had plans to major in the sciences at
colleges of higher learning. It had been called the ‘Young Scientific Students
Association’ or something like that. I wonder what they’d think of their guest
speaker now. I certainly hadn’t envisioned myself in this position, that’s for
sure.
“Ah,
if it isn’t my good friend, Maxwell.”
We
all recognize the familiar brisk tone and I groan inwardly while watching Duo’s
jaw clench in response. Back then, he had been relatively sick and still
recovering from his bout with the flu, but now, Duo was back in charge and it
was clear from the look that had come into his expressive violet depths, that
he was more than ready to take the officer on.
“Officer
Hisoka,” he says dryly with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. It’s
quite fascinating to see Duo in this way. His features lose that ‘laid-back’
and almost ‘lazy’ look to become rather sinister – okay; perhaps sinister is
too strong a word. But there’s no denying the fact that Duo looks almost…scary
then. Definitely not the kind of person you’d like to mess with when he’s
having a bad day.
Perhaps
Hisoka had noticed the look as well because he seems to falter for a moment
before regaining his hard-edged demeanor. “Good to see you again. What have you
done this time?”
He
falls in step with us as the officer leading the line (he is followed by Wufei,
Quatre, Trowa, and then Duo and I bringing up the rear) pushes open the large
brown doors that takes us directly to Court Room…Five today.
“We
haven’t done anything,” Duo begins a bit too loudly. He tugs restlessly on his
tie. “We’re just here for our hearing.”
“Ah,
hearing, eh?” Hisoka snorted in derision. “So I bet your parents are back home
kicking their heels and wondering just what the hell their delinquent son is up
to now…fuuuck!”
None
of us had seen it coming. I mean how the hell could we? One minute we were all
wondering if Treize would help us out of our mess and the next minute, we’ve
got a bleeding officer on our hands! Duo’s breathing is harsh and rather heavy.
His fist is still drawn back, knuckles dull with the blood he had drawn forth
from the older man’s nose. It is complete and total chaos from there on out.
Officer Hisoka is screaming and holding his bleeding flesh while we continue to
watch in horror and disbelief. Several officers soon come running down the
corridor and Duo is promptly handcuffed much to my dismay.
“Hey!
Let him go!” I am hardly aware of the words coming out, but if Duo’s going to
be locked away then I’ll have to be with him. “It’s the officer’s fault!”
I’m
not even sure of what Hisoka said to get Duo so riled up. Had it been because
of Hisoka’s tease about Duo’s parents? I know that Duo hasn’t spoken much about
his family, if at all and I’ve always believed that he’ll tell us about them in
his own good time. But this incident has only done more to pique my interest. I
want to know just what, who and where Duo had really come from.
“What
in the world is going on here?” Treize bellows as he strides into the chaotic
courtroom. Hisoka’s currently howling like a bear that’s been wounded severely,
while Wufei and the others are trying to convince the other officers to let Duo
(who’s still looking mighty pissed off by the way) go. It’s a good thing the
judge hasn’t come in yet because I have no doubt he’d love to lock us all away
for a very long time.
I tell Treize the short version of the story and with a curt nod, he walks up to the officers hanging on to Duo and says a few words to them. Whatever is said seems to go well with the older men and with great reluctance, they release Duo with a stern look and a warning. Hisoka’s taken out of the room in a stretcher (and believe me, I wonder what for) and in less than five minutes, the once noisy and boisterous room is now as still as death.
I
slump onto the hard bench and close my eyes waiting for the inevitable. The
judge is going to hear about this. He or she’s bound to get very upset over the
situation and he or she might never give us a chance to go back to school. I
steal a glance at Duo, who’s now sitting a few feet away from us. His head is
lowered and his hands are still in handcuffs but clenched tightly together as
if trying to control himself from punching something. His left foot taps
restlessly on the floor, his jaw clenched tightly, his eyes, hard and
unrepentant. He’s a picture of agitation and frustration and for the first time
in my life, I feel a helplessness so great consume me. I want to do something –
anything, to ease his suffering, but I don’t know what the hell to do.
No one had taught me Tender Loving Care 101 at school and I have the feeling
that I am going to come out looking like a complete and total moron if I even
make an attempt to do something like that.
“All
rise for the Honorable Judge Gwendal!”
I
tear my gaze away from my friend and stare long and hard at the dark-haired man
who makes his way up the podium and into his chair. He looks relatively young
(in his late thirties to early forties) and his shoulder length black hair is
tied back in a ponytail – although a few strands manage to fall loose to frame
his strong and handsome features. He sits and we are ordered to do the same.
“I
hear there was a ruckus in here earlier,” he says in a loud voice that carries
itself to every corner of the room. I steal a glance at my friends and notice
that I’m not the only one who’s beginning to get really worried. Judge Gwendal
didn’t sound like the kind of man you’d want to get upset over anything. “I’ll
get to the bottom of this as soon as I hear your proposal…Mr. Khushrenada.”
Treize
gets to his feet and begins to point out the reasons for our need to return to
school – which is rather silly if you ask me. We do need to get back to
school because we are students. Would they rather see us walking down the
streets and becoming junkies or murderers or god knows what, when we could be
upstanding and law-abiding citizens within the school grounds? Treize then
begins to list our accomplishments, including Trowa and Quatre’s enormous
contributions to the promotion of the Arts in the school. Wufei’s awards for
his Kendo and good grades. Duo’s contributions to sports in school and of
course his grades and then…mine. I feel I should be embarrassed but I will
admit that I feel a bit smug about my accomplishments. I had come a long way
from being a scrawny kid back in grade school who was a relative nobody to what
I have become today. I have worked very hard and I deserve everything I have
gotten and no one can ever take that away from me.
It
takes Treize a good twenty minutes to get done with his speech or maybe it was
longer, I don’t know anymore. However, Gwendal has heard enough and he begins
to scribble a few things on his notepad while we all hold our breaths and
wonder if he will ever say anything at all! Finally, he drops his pen and
regards us with a look that could wither a flower in spring.
“What
you boys did on that day, was… to put it simply…stupid.”
No
surprise there. I tell myself that everyday, sir.
“If
you wanted to get your kicks, you could have done that anywhere else but within
the school grounds. From your accolades and accomplishments, you all seem like
really good students to me and I can see no fault in that.”
He
takes a deep breath and says flatly. “You will serve a one month suspension
from Fujisaki High School beginning today. You are not allowed within a hundred
feet of the school grounds during this time and you will not be allowed to
attend any extra curricular activities including lessons with any member of
staff or to visit any other school at that time. You are on probation and will
have officers sent to you once a week to check on your progress. If even one of
you screws up during your probation, you’ll be sent a letter of expulsion
effective immediately. Do I make myself clear?”
We
all murmur a ‘yes’ in response, although I am beginning to feel lightheaded and
giddy with happiness. Just a month’s suspension and then I can be back in
school!
“However!”
I
lift my head in surprise at the sudden interruption, my jubilation slowly
becoming a tinge of dread as I watch the judge pin his impassive blue gaze on
Duo. “Since some of you do not know how to control your tempers, I think it’s
safe to say that one of you will have to serve an extra week of suspension.”
Treize
gets to his feet. “Please, your honor. From the story I heard, it seems as if
Officer Hisoka instigated the argument…”
“It
still gives the boy no right to hit an officer, Mr. Khushrenada,” Gwendal says
smoothly. “I’m being extremely lenient with my penalty. He could easily be
locked up for that stunt he pulled, so he should count his lucky stars he’s
getting off this easily.” He turns to look at the rest of us. “As for you
four…let this be a warning and lesson to you. I don’t want to see your faces in
this building ever again. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,
sir,” the others respond slowly. But my earlier triumph at getting off so
easily is considerably dampened by Duo’s extra punishment. He wasn’t even
supposed to be with us in the first place and somehow he’s the one who’s gotten
the short end of the stick. It wasn’t fair in my opinion. And before I can
control my mouth again, I get to my feet and find myself saying clearly but in
a voice that sounds rather distant to me.
“I…I
will serve the extra week suspension as well, your honor.”
I
stubbornly keep my gaze pinned on the judge, who looks a bit surprised at my sudden
outburst. He masks it quickly and leans forward to peer at me with interest. I
know the others and even Treize and some officers in the courtroom are all
staring at me but I’m not going to back down now. Duo had stood up for us and
I’ll be damned if I’ll let him get a punishment he doesn’t deserve.
“Oh?”
Gwendal says in an amused tone. “You would like to serve an extra week, would
you now?”
“And
so will I, your honor,” Wufei says quietly but firmly as he too rises to his
feet.
I
steal a quick glance at him, but he’s not looking at any of us either. He has
that closed and rather stony expression of seriousness on his visage and for
one moment, I feel a surge of pride and gratitude.
Quatre
and Trowa stand up at the same time, but before any of them can open up their
mouths to say anything, Gwendal waves a hand. “You will both serve the extra
week as well, am I correct?”
They
flush but stand their ground and nod in unison. Ah, man. I have the best
buddies in the world and turning to my left to glance at Duo, I almost feel my
heart stop as our eyes meet. He seems surprised and yet…pleased? Happy?
Confused? I’m not sure of what he’s thinking or going through, but there’s no
doubt that he’s quite amazed at this show of solidarity for his plight. His cheeks
are a dull pink of embarrassment and I have to grip the edge of the table to
stop myself from pulling him into my arms.
“Well,
this is a very unexpected development,” Gwendal says in that same tone filled
with amusement. “What say you, Mr.Khushrenada? It seems as if your boys have
some kind of fixation on helping each other out.”
“They
are indeed very good friends, sir,” the lawyer says with a slight shake of his
head. He’s just as confused with our responses.
Gwendal
eyes us for a moment longer before banging his gavel with a resounding slam
that sends us jumping in surprise. “So be it,” he grates out coldly. “One extra
week added to your suspensions. Have a wonderful vacation contemplating what
this means to your grades. Case dismissed!”
And
with a graceful move, he’s out of his seat and out of the room with a sweep of
his dark robe.
“Well…congratulations,
boys,” Treize says with a snap of his briefcase and a warm smile towards us.
“It seems like you’ve all got more than a few balls on you.”
An officer
comes towards Duo and unlocks his handcuffs. I watch as he rubs his wrists
gently. He now has a look of consternation on his features and without saying a
word he begins to walk out of the room.
Huh?
“Duo?”
I call out quickly as I begin to make my way towards him. What the hell is
wrong with him? We had just sacrificed an extra week for him and he couldn’t
even thank us? “Hey, Duo wait up…” I place a hand on his shoulder, only to have
it swiped off quickly. I gasp softly in surprise at the cold look that’s come
into his eyes.
“Leave
me alone, Heero,” he says quietly. “I
never asked for you guys to do that for me.”
“Wha…?”
“What
the hell were you guys trying to prove? Huh? Let’s pity Duo and stay with him?
Please!”
I
can feel the anger welling up within me at his words. How dare he talk to me
like that after what he’s done! It’s all his fault he got into the scrape with
Hisoka in the first place. “What the hell are you talking about?! We didn’t do
it to pity you…”
“Then
why did you do it?! Answer me that, Heero. Why?!”
Why…what…why
is he looking at me like that?! What’s that almost desperate look in his eyes
that I can’t really decipher? I feel like my head is about to spin and possibly
fall off my shoulders at this rate. What is Duo trying to get me to say? Why
had I stood up for him? Because…it’s because…
“…because
we’re…I…”
I’m
not…sure! Oh fuck…why won’t my heart stop pounding so fast? What and where are
the right words that need to be said now? It’s hovering somewhere on the tip of
my tongue so all I have to do is open my mouth and say…
“Because
we’re all friends, Duo. Why would you think we wouldn’t want to help you?”
The
right words dissolve and melt into nothing as I feel something heavy sink into
the pit of my stomach. I hadn’t said the right thing after all. I lower my gaze
and stare at the rather ugly carpet beneath our feet. I don’t want to see the
disappointment in his eyes. It would be my undoing. I just know it.
“Friends,”
he says flatly.
“Yeah…friends.”
I shrug and run trembling fingers through my hair and still not looking at him,
I try to muster a weak attempt at a smile.
“Do
you want to know why I really came with you guys to this place in the
beginning?” he says in that same quiet tone that’s become devoid of any emotion.
I
feel my heart leap to my throat as my mind begins to scream in denial. Don’t
you dare say it, Duo! Don’t make me any guiltier than I already am!
But
Duo can’t hear my thoughts because he plows on mercilessly. “I chose to be with
you, Heero. I wanted to be by your side because I…”
“…because
I…really…lo…”
“What’s
going on here?” Treize interrupts as he places a hand upon my shoulder and
sends my heart plummeting all the way down to my stomach. I feel literally
sick, angry and down right frustrated and watching Duo getting swamped by Trowa
and Quatre isn’t exactly helping. He doesn’t look back at me and I know that
the moment is lost for who knows how long. What was he about to say? That
he…just might be…
“…in
love with the bars around here!” the damn lawyer says almost sending me gagging
in shock. “So what do you say, boys? A little toast to our victory?”
“I’m
going home,” Duo says flatly. “I’ve got to get to work tonight…”
“You
work at night?” Two or three of us ask incredulously.
Duo
shrugs and gives us a small smile. “I changed my shifts. More money comes in at
night.”
“See
you guys…later.”
And
just like that, Duo walks out on us without a second glance. Yesterday, things
had seemed so damn well between us. After regurgitating my lunch on Duo’s pants
and subsequently passing out, he had stayed with me even after the other guys
had left. I curse myself for being so helpless to the powers of liquor and I
wish I could have been awake to be with Duo and to spend the rest of the night
with him. But no, I had woken up with a hangover the size of a small European
country and it had been Trowa who had actually woken my sorry ass out of bed to
get dressed for our court date.
Just
where have I gone wrong?
Had
it been a bad idea for me to stand up for Duo? I thought he had been happy with
my actions? Or was that just me wishing he had felt that way? Had I
underestimated him? Had I not taken his feelings into consideration?
“Heero?”
I
lift my head, hardly aware that Treize has left my side and it’s Wufei now
standing alone before me. He gives me a wan smile and shoves his hands into his
pockets. And with nothing but a small nod, he simply says.
“Let’s
go home.”
__
Friday
Afternoon:
Wonder
Mart:
“That
will be three fifty-five, ma’am.”
Smile.
Take the money. Banter a little. Inquire about her husband or son or daughter.
Give her the change. Smile some more and wish them a happy day. That’s a
routine that’s earned me ‘Employee of the Month’ for three months running. I
think the other co-workers hate me…besides Wufei and maybe the manager.
He’s openly gay and has been eyeing my
dark-haired friend for months… but we won’t go there.
The
chime above the door signals the arrival of new customers and as I plaster on
the smile that’s necessary for good business, it remains frozen in place as I
notice who has just walked in. I can feel my heart ache with a fierceness that
almost has me placing a hand upon it in the hopes that it will stop causing me
to feel this way.
For
the past two weeks I’ve tried to get in contact with Duo, but he’s either been
too busy at work or he’s sleeping throughout the day and cannot get to his
phone (which is the excuse he gives to me whenever I do call him). I’ve thought
of going to his place several times over, but the guys had advised me not to do
so. Imposing myself on Duo would only make him resent me even more. I wanted to
say the hell with it all and impose myself on him, but remembering that
cold look and the words he had been about to say, my own dumb foolishness has
me feeling unworthy to stand before him. I wouldn’t know what to say or do.
And
now this.
He
knows I work here. Doesn’t he? Why would he just waltz in here like nothing’s
gone wrong between us? I absently caress my left hip, something I have been
doing for the past few nights. I’ve often wondered if he’s gotten his tattoo
removed. I wouldn’t put it past him to do so considering the current mess we’re
in.
Their
laughter sends my nerves on edge and I grip the edge of the counter tightly. I
watch as they make their way down the art aisle and the way he points towards
things, which his companion refutes with either a laugh or a mock frown. I
watch Duo’s features light up with pleasure and the pang in my heart throbs
even harder.
“Excuse
me, could you tell me how much this is?”
That
smile had once been reserved for me.
“Umm…sir?
Could you tell me…how much this is?”
How
dare he walk in here with that bastard and act as if nothing’s going on between
us?
“Moooommy!
That man’s scaring me!”
“Young
man, my son wants to know how much the candy costs!”
“It’s
twenty-five cents, alright?!” I finally snap in irritation. “Twenty-five
freaking cents!”
Needless
to say, my behavior doesn’t sit too well with the manager and he promptly sends
me to the aisles. I am replaced by some other fresh-faced newbie and that’s
fine with me. This is my chance to talk to Duo and I’m not going to let this
opportunity pass me by.
I
begin to make my way towards him, my mind already forming the words that I’m
going to say. Making sure I have them intact and ready to let fly, I am stunned
at the way he suddenly tugs on Andre’s arm and begins to lead him towards
another aisle. I grit my teeth and follow but a hand upon my shoulder has me
spinning around quickly, ready to give whoever it is a piece of my mind.
“I
was wondering if you could show me where the feminine products can be found…”
“Aisle
10,” I reply quickly with a similar smile before focusing on my target again.
Damn it! I’ve lost them! Duo thinks he can be slick, right? I work in this damn
store, so I’ll weed him out before the day is through. With a determination
that seems to send a few customers out of my path, I stomp down the aisles and
sure enough, there they are, about to purchase some bedding items.
Bedding
items?? What are they now? A freaking couple?!
“Ah,
here’s someone to help us now,” Andre says as he nods towards me. “Oh, it’s
you, Heero. I didn’t know you worked here. Could you help me to get…?”
“You’re
avoiding me, Duo,” I say quietly but firmly, completely ignoring Mr. Artist as
I glare at the boy who’s doing a good job of pretending like the bed sheets are
more interesting than I am.
“Umm…Heero…I
would like…”
“Duo,
goddamn it, answer me!”
“Hey,
aren’t you supposed to be helping me here. I’m a customer…”
“Put
a fucking lid on it, Andre,” I snap coldly as I place a hand on Duo’s arm and
begin to tug him towards the back room. He’s surprisingly not putting up much
of a fight and just follows like a rag doll.
Safe
and now alone in one of the many storage rooms, I kick the door closed behind
me and push him roughly against the wall, my lips, on their own accord, hungry,
seeking, needing to taste him again.
I
beg and plead with my tongue, hoping he’ll give me an answer to the millions of
questions running around in my head. I press my body against his, demanding to
know how he can leave me this frustrated and unhappy all this time.
But
he remains stubborn and unresponsive. His mouth remains sealed, his arms still
by his side as he makes no move to either push me away or to encourage me. I
pull away slowly and rest my forehead against his, opening up my eyes slowly to
stare into his. They are painfully blank, empty and so alone and I want to wail
in disbelief.
Where
did I go wrong, Duo?
“Are
you done?” he says coldly and I feel my heart sink even lower.
“Duo…I…”
I lick my lips and try to say something…anything to help ease the tension
between us.
“Because
if you are…” he says with a small smile and in a move so fast that I can barely
think, I find myself against the wall and that hard (oh dear god, wonderful!)
body of his pressed tightly against mine. “I’d like to show you how it’s really
done.”
I
make the mistake of opening my mouth to say something and in mere seconds, I’m
literally sucking down on Duo’s hot tongue. Oh man, have I missed this…
“Ah!”
His
hands are down my pants! When the hell had he…?
“Oooh….”
I
grip his shoulders tightly as he pushes down my dark slacks a bit lower to gain
more access to my already dripping cock. The storage room was already hot
before we came in, but now, it’s ten times as hot! I’m downright suffocating
and I like it!
/Heero
Yuy to the front desk please. Heero Yuy to the front desk./
Duo
tears his lips away from mine and begins to suck hard on that sensitive area
between my jaw and neck. His hands are stroking me in a rhythm that’s bound to
have me coming any minute now. He teases my slit, coating the swollen head with
my thick pre-cum. My breathing is harsh…no, our breathing is the only
thing that fills the heavy stickiness of the room and coupled with the wet
sounds of his hand upon my flesh, I’m in pure heaven.
/Heero
Yuy to the front desk…/
Aaaah!
Duo…oh fuck…I can’t…
“Come…Heero…come…”
Has
his voice always sounded this ridiculously husky and sexy? I can feel the rush
of heat begin to concentrate on my engorged flesh. I’m going to scream. I just
know I’m going to. And then everyone’s going to know that I’m being jacked off
in the storage room and I’ll lose my employee of the month status and I’ll…
“Aaahmmmmfffff!!!”
I bite down hard on his jacket, hoping I don’t draw blood as my body
stiffens in readiness for an orgasm that’s bound to have me blacking out if I’m
not careful. With a soft but yet firm squeeze on my balls, I give up…and in a
big way too. I bury my screams in his jacket, feeling as if I’ll never stop
coming into his hand and onto the floor. My entire being seems to shudder and
tremble with the intensity of my release; my mind a sea of endless nothing as
all I see, feel, and taste is Duo. Nothing but Duo.
“I’d
better get going now,” he says quietly as he releases my nearly flaccid cock
with a final stroke. “Besides, I think they need you back at the register. You
really shouldn’t be slacking off.” He cups my chin with his clean hand and
forces me to stare into his eyes. How could I have thought them empty just
moments ago? There is a fierce fire within them that has my already trembling
knees threatening to send me to the floor.
“See
you around, Heero.” He gives me another hard kiss barely allowing me to respond
before spinning on his heels to walk away. He’s careful not to open the door
too wide or the customers outside would have gotten an eyeful of one half-naked
cashier.
But
I slump to the floor anyway, my legs unable to hold me up any longer and bury
my face against my raised knees.
Oh
god. This…this… feeling…within me…
I
know what it is but I’m worried – so worried about what it will mean to me…to us
in the future.
~End
Period Fifteen~