Four:
News about Duo’s accident
spread like wild fire around school and I have a nagging feeling that the girls
are responsible for it. I mean, what do you do when the most popular guy in
school doesn’t show up for two days in a row? And besides, try resisting
Relena’s attempts to get the truth from you, it’s practically impossible. The
girl is like a drill sergeant and will never give up until you let her know
everything. Of course it’s safe to say that I only told her about Duo’s
whereabouts if she promised not to publish the pictures of Duo and I making out
in public. The deal was struck and the rest as they say is history.
Unfortunately, history has
shown that once news like this gets around, it’s bound to be the topic of
conversations for quite some time.
“And yet another letter, box
of chocolates and flowers to the Duo Shrine slash memorial. Man, you’d think
the guy was dead.” Wufei remarks warily as we eye Duo’s locker…at least what’s supposed
to be his locker. Many of his fans have been leaving flowers; brightly-colored
boxes filled with treats, teddy bears and get-well cards. And even though some
members of the council clear it up each day (they are all safely kept in my
office until Duo’s return), it always turns out to be a wasted effort because the very next morning,
another barrage of well-wishers descend to add even more things.
“He’s one lucky bastard,”
Quatre says, resting his chin upon Trowa’s shoulder almost absently. I watch as
Trowa holds on to the blond’s waist and can’t help but feel slightly jealous at
how open and comfortable they are with their relationship. I really wish I
could do the same to Duo at any opportunity that I get. I know he has no
problems showing his affections for me in public but I’m still a bit shy about
the whole thing.
But anyway, this is no time
to think about that. “Let’s go guys,” I
say aloud as I turn to make my way towards my first period class, only to find
myself coming face-to-face with a rather grim-looking Relena. “What?” I ask
almost defensively. She’s holding a notepad and tapping a pen upon it in a
steady rhythm.
“Well…something’s been
bothering me about your story regarding Duo,” she begins while flipping through
several pages. “The first issue of the school paper is due tomorrow and I need
something juicy for it. I mean you and Duo making out would have been a
sensation but we already struck a deal, right?”
“So… what’s your point?”
“My point is that I need the
story of the accident to be exciting, Heero,” she says firmly as if speaking to
a dumb child. “Like say he was attacked by the toughest gang in the city and
they threw him in the ditch…”
“But that’s not what
happened.”
“Who cares if that happened
or not? It’s all about the way you present the story to the people, Heero.
Presentation is the key. I can’t just very well put ‘Duo Maxwell fell into a
ditch because it was raining’. That’s too damn boring.”
“Well, sorry if it’s not
exciting enough for you, Relena, but that’s the truth about the incident and
that’s what you’re going to print in your paper.” As soon as the words escape
my lips, I realize I shouldn’t have said that.
I wince inwardly as her
features darken with annoyance and brace myself for a tongue lashing. “Are you
telling me how to run my paper, Yuy?” she says in a deceptively calm voice.
“Ah, well no, I’m not…”
“Well then, you run your
student council the way you want and I’ll run my paper the way I want to, got
it? And by the way, for saying that, I’m going to write whatever the hell I
want about this accident with or without your permission.”
And that was that. Discussions
were closed and no negotiations were necessary. The guys tease me about my
blunder in getting Relena pissed off and sure enough, the next day the first
issue of ‘Freedom Bell’ has the glaring headline:
__
DUO MAXWELL IN ACCIDENT DUE TO FALLOUT
WITH NOTORIOUS BIKER GANG.
In a stunning turn of events, our very
own Duo Maxwell of Class 3-A, an outstanding student of
We have tried to contact the local
police to find out more about the Shinsengumi gang but they refused to
co-operate with us. Please do not hesitate to send your well-wishes and
presents to either the Duo Maxwell Fan Club or to Heero Yuy, our school
president.
Please note that students who are caught
stealing the candies or flowers left at Mr. Maxwell’s locker, will
be made to serve detention after school.
__
“What the fuck?!” I slam the
paper on the desk, glaring into Relena’s unapologetic blue eyes. “What’s the meaning
of this, Relena? Whatever happened to reporting the truth?! Isn’t that what
your paper is all about?!”
“My paper is about reporting the truth and
exposing the lies of the beaurucracy,” she replies calmly while twirling a pen
between her fingers. “It doesn’t pertain to news outside the school and
besides, this is purely for entertainment purposes…”
“Duo being injured is some
kind of entertainment for you?” I ask coldly, feeling my insides churn with
disdain at her line of thought. “What do you think he’d say if he saw something
like this?”
She smiles and leans forward.
“You want to know what Duo would say, Heero? Even I’m shocked that you wouldn’t
figure out his reaction.”
I take a deep breath and open
my mouth to retort, when she beats me to the punch. “He’ll love it, Heero!
He’ll probably laugh his ass off and wish we could have even made it juicier.
Duo lives for adventure and if it means creating a biker gang just to make the
story better, then so be it. However…”
“However what?” I mutter
tightly.
“However, if it turns out
that Duo doesn’t like it, I’ll be more than happy to make a public apology to
him. Deal?”
She has me there and I really
don’t have anything to combat that. It’s a noble decision on her part to admit
her wrongs in public, but that still doesn’t give her the right to print things
that aren’t true.
“The Shinsengumi,” I mumble
with a low groan.
“Isn’t that a great name for
a gang? I used the name from our Japan History textbook. The Shinsengumi were a
formidable group.”
“That’s not the point,
Relena,” How can I make her see? “What if there’s really a group like that out
there and a member gets a wind of this? How are we going to make it up to
them?”
“Geez, Heero, you’re
overanalyzing everything. Relax.” She gets up from her chair and walks around
the desk to wrap her arms around my waist. Completely ignoring the looks we’re
receiving from the other students in the press room, she rests her head against
my chest and says softly. “You worry too much over things that shouldn’t be…well…worrisome.
Trust me, Duo’s going to be cool with this and then you’ll realize you were
stressing over nothing. Also, there is no gang called the Shinsengumi. I made
sure of that.”
I still feel uneasy about the
whole thing, but for her sake, I’ll smile and agree that I’m being a pain in
the ass. “Fine,” I finally reply with a weak smile. “I sincerely hope you are
right.”
__
The
Apart from the new flowers
planted for the season on the main grounds, the apartment complex looks no
different from the last time I visited. The same neat rows of buildings loom
above me, looking almost picture perfect. There are some kids riding around in
their expensive bicycles or scooters and I can even hear some of the residents
splashing about in the Olympic-sized swimming pool. Although, the weather’s still bleak
and miserable, the rain has let up a bit for the afternoon so I can understand
people wanting to make use of such an opportunity to get out of their homes for
a while.
I stand before the security
code machine and punch in the set of numbers that would connect me to Duo’s
home. I can hear the dull sound of a phone ringing and after what seems like
eons, Duo’s voice comes over the line. He sounds groggy – must have been
sleeping.
“State your name, age, sexual
preference and your level of hotness, please?”
I try to hide a smile as I
deliberately deepen my voice to reply. “My name is Eddie Bass, the lead singer
of the Stoners. I’m 27 years old and I like to take it up in the ass. As for my
level of hotness, why don’t you let me up and I’ll be more than glad to
demonstrate.”
He snickers and begins to
make kissing noises over the intercom. I notice there's someone else standing
behind me who obviously wants to get in as well and coughing lightly, I whisper
quickly. “Let me up, Duo. I’ve got a line forming here.”
“Geez, they all can’t wait to
get into your pants, can they? How much are you charging them? A hundred bucks
per quickie?”
“Duo…!”
“All right, all right, come
on up,” he says laughing and signs off. The gates begin to open and I walk in
quickly. While making my way around the corner leading to Duo’s building, I
steal a quick glance at the apartment where I had once seen a couple making out
in public. The shutters are closed and it looks uninhabited at the moment and I
can’t help wandering if they’re still a happy couple or if they have moved out
or broken up.
A soft ‘meow’ rouses me from
my thoughts and I stoop to my haunches to caress the rather fat and fluffy
white cat. “Hey there, Pearl,” I greet with a small smile as it tries to climb
into my arms. This is Eleanor’s cat, if you remember and I’m guessing Duo must
have let him out for some air. “No, can do. See? I’ve got my hands full…”
“Ah shit, forgot to feed
him,” comes the low drawl that’s followed by a yawn. I lift my gaze to eye
Duo’s long (and very nicely tanned) legs and the rather tight jean shorts which
barely cover his thighs. He has on a red plaid shirt that looks as if it was
thrown on at the last minute, causing me to all but drool at the sight of his
bare chest. I see he’s taken off the brace now. His back must be feeling
better. But damn! I’m definitely sure that Duo must have spent many hours under
the sun completely naked. I mean, there are no tan lines anywhere!
His braid falls over his left
shoulder as he walks out to meet us and then stoops next to me. His familiar scent
immediately assails my senses and before I can stop myself, I lean close to seize
his lips in a hard kiss. His eyes widen in surprise at my sudden move but he
makes no attempt to push me away or to stop. Instead, he parts his lips to
allow my tongue more access to his mouth and before I know it, I am lying on my
back on the slightly cold and uncomfortable pavement, my book bag and books
strewn around me as Duo straddles my waist and continues to wreck havoc on my
senses.
“Ah fuck…Duo…” I croak
weakly, arching my neck to allow his hungry tongue to trace hot kisses long my
jaw and neck. “Let’s…let’s go inside.”
“You started it,” he mutters
and sucks even harder on the sensitive region below my jaw.
“But…but…” We are outside! My mind screams. The
small hedges which surround the building aren’t good enough to hide us and I’m
afraid that someone might be watching. I have to take him inside or else…
“EEEEWWW! Get a room!”
I gasp and stare almost
stupidly at the two boys (they look twelve or thirteen at most) on their
bicycles, who are in turn staring at us with mixed expressions of disgust and curiosity.
I can feel my erection shriveling away with embarrassment but Duo’s quick to
diffuse the situation as he sits up and grins at his neighbors.
“Buzz off Mike,” he says
jovially. “And take your boyfriend with you.”
The two boys exchange quick
looks with each other and then both make faces of disgust at the thought. “Oh
hell no!” The one named Mike says. “Joe and I aren’t going to be queers like
you! See ya at the basketball court when your hands get better!”
They ride off, both laughing
at the queer and his boyfriend. I don’t know about Duo, but when I hear someone
calling me that, it really bothers me. I’m not ‘queer’ or a ‘fag’ – just
because I happen to like another boy. I’m a human being just like you. I bleed
and shed tears just like anyone else, so why should I be treated any
differently?
“It doesn’t bother you?” I
ask quietly as Duo gets up and holds out his bandaged hand to me. I notice that
they aren’t as thick as they were at the hospital and he can flex them a little
now.
“What? Making out outside
or…”
“The name calling,” I
interrupt quickly, trying to dust off the dirt from my uniform. “I don’t know
how you deal with it.”
“It hurts,” he admits with a
small smile, helping to brush my uniform as well. “But if I continue to dwell
on every man, woman and child who calls me a queer or a fag, I’d go crazy,
Heero.” He wraps his arms around my neck and rests his forehead against mine
forcing me to stare into those mesmerizing violet eyes. “But all of that
shouldn’t matter…as long as you are happy with yourself, then none of that
should ever matter to you.”
I blush faintly at the
sincerity of his words. “What are you now? My mother?”
He smirks and kisses me
again, but before I can get into it, he releases me and leads us into his home.
Not much has changed in here as well – although I do notice a few souvenirs
from their trip to
“Hey, Heero!” Duo calls to me
from the kitchen and I feel my heart leap into my throat. Christ! Am I sweating
in panic? Why should I feel this nervous over looking at something that’s
rolled up so carefully? It’s probably nothing more than some old and faded picture.
“Wha…what is it, Duo?” I pick
it up and swallow tightly. It’s a bit dusty and I doubt if anyone has noticed
it in a while. Sure enough, it feels like canvas and now there’s no doubt in my
mind that it is actually a picture of some sort.
“I’m making sandwiches,” Duo
continues oblivious to what I’m doing. “Want one?”
“Sure!” I yell back, removing
the rubber band which is holding it in place as slowly as I can. My heart is
literally thumping within my chest now and time seems to be slowing down for
some reason. I begin to unroll it carefully, wondering what its contents could
be.
Why would anyone want to hide
something like this…?
Duo…!
No…not Duo…or if it is Duo, then it’s an excellent depiction
of my boyfriend at least ten years from now. His hair isn’t as long, but rather
shoulder length and quite thick and full. His eyes are a deep blue and with
strong almost chiseled features, this version of Duo is every woman or man’s dream.
It’s just a portrait of his face…and…it looks like he’s wearing a dark brown uniform
– at least the collar of some kind of uniform as evident of the gold stars on
it. He’s not smiling, but there’s a hint of a smile on his lips and clearly in
his eyes. Damn, it’s like I’m falling in love with the future Duo!
“Here’s your sandwich, Heero…”
His voice trails off and I turn around quickly, forgetting to hide the canvas
in my hands. “What’s that?” he asks coolly and I blink in confusion for a
moment before realizing he’s talking about the item within my grasp.
“This? Don’t you know?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be
asking you, would I?” he says with a raised brow as he walks closer to me. I
notice my hand’s trembling a little, but I’ve opened this can of worms and I’ll
have to deal with it.
“I noticed it behind that
picture over there,” I say quickly. “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have looked
but…it’s a really nice picture of…”
“My father,” he says in a
tone devoid of emotion.
He takes the portrait from
me, stares at it for all of a minute before rolling it up quickly and tucking
it away behind several books on a shelf. I watch his movements, wondering if it
hurts his hands to do that or if the picture in general has hurt his feelings.
God, I feel sick.
“I’m…I’m really sorry, Duo,”
I begin weakly. “I didn’t mean to…”
“Better eat up your sandwich
before it gets mushy,” he says with a wide smile as he nods towards the plates
and cups of milk on the dining table. “And we should start on our school work
as well. My mom’s going to be back soon, so let’s hurry while we still can.”
Avoiding the issue again, are
we? I tell myself I should be used to Duo’s evasiveness every now and then, but
it still hurts to think that he’s hiding so much from me after all this time. I
really wish he would open up a bit more and talk to me. I am a good listener.
Why can’t he trust me? However, all I do for now is nod slowly in agreement and
bite into my sandwich. It’s delicious, I’m sure, but at the moment, I could
have been eating sand for all the difference it made to me.
__
“Eh…no, Duo. It’s not 3.23.
It’s actually…” I do a series of quick calculations and shove the paper towards
him. “It’s 4.15 raised to the power 2.”
“God, I hate math,” he
grumbles as he begins to erase his wrong answer. I notice him wincing, and not
for the first time this afternoon, but like a stubborn mule, he continues to
punish himself. A cigarette dangles from the corner of his mouth but I’m a bit
used to his new addiction so the smell doesn’t bother me as much now. In
between working, I regale him with tales about happenings in school and how his
locker has been turned into a mini-shrine. That seems to amuse him to no end
but then he curses me out for not bringing any of the candies, love letters or
flowers with me.
We’ve gone through his
English and Technology notes and are currently working on his least favorite
subject, Math. It’s not as if Duo’s not smart enough to pass it. He just
doesn’t seem to enjoy working on the ‘horrible’ subject in general. If my
memory serves me correctly, he always had a penchant for sleeping during Math
lessons. Ah, speaking of which, I’ll have to show him the article in ‘Freedom’s
“Check this out, Duo.
Relena’s been having fun in your absence.” I toss the paper in front of him,
carefully watching his reaction as he picks it up and reads through it
carefully. I am unaware that I’m holding my breath, sincerely hoping that he
doesn’t explode in fury. It will only prove Relena wrong and I’d hate to see
the fallout from this. “She says she’ll apologize if you don’t like it…”
“Damn…only a paragraph and a
half! Whatever happened to my popularity?!” He says, smirking as he crushes out
the cigarette in an ashtray beside him.
I guess this would have been
a good time to fall flat on my face like the characters on those cartoon shows
on TV, but instead I growl and try to grab him in a headlock. However, being
such a quick and agile son-of-a-bitch, he dodges and leaps out of his chair and
runs into the living room.
“Hah, you can’t even catch
me!” he teases as he dances out of my reach. The large leather sofa is between
us now and calculating quickly, I figure I can catch him if I just…
“Gotcha!”
His cry of surprise gets lost
amongst the large silk Indian pillows on the floor as we both fall to the floor
in a tangle of limbs. I had dived for him and it was a pretty good move, if I
do say so myself. We mock wrestle for a while and yes, I am getting turned on
with each move we make. I wonder when wrestling had become this seductive and
sensuous at the same time. Soon enough, we lie panting in each other’s arms,
trying to catch our breath.
“So you really aren’t upset
about the article?” I gasp, snuggling closer to him. God, but these pillows are
so comfortable.
He shakes his head. “No,
should I be? I think it’s pretty funny though. Heh, I almost wish it did happen
that way.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?!
How can you guys think its all funny? You could have really hurt yourself
badly, Duo!”
“All right, mother Heero!” he
replies, nudging me gently. “Man, you’re worse than my mom.”
I snort and stare at the
ornate chandelier hanging above us. “What if there’s really a gang out there
called Shinsengumi…or something like that. What then?”
He remains silent for some
time and then replies with amusement in his tone. “If there is…then I guess
we’ll just have to fight them, won’t we?”
Fight?! When
was the last time I actually got into a fist fight with anyone? I glance at
him, trying to mask my concern behind a scowl. “I’m not fighting with anyone,
Duo. How would that look if the school president was involved in a street
brawl?”
But is he paying any
attention to me now? No, he’s not. And damn if his lips aren’t beginning to
drive me nuts as he begins to kiss my neck again.
“Oh man…don’t even start,” I
groan weakly as I feel Duo’s hand slipping into my pants. “Who’s going to
change your bandages if they get stained?” I bite back a moan of pleasure as he
kisses my ear gently.
“Heero?” he whispers and
barely thinking straight now – his knee is beginning to rub my throbbing crotch
by the way – I nod slowly in response. “Can you promise me something?”
There’s something about that
question that has me coming to my senses quickly. I sit up and stare into his
eyes and the look within them confirms my suspicions. Duo is serious about this
and I can feel my heartbeat quicken with apprehension. “Wha…what is it?”
He removes his hand from the
warmth of my pants and lifts both of them to cradle my face, forcing our gazes
to be steady. The slight roughness of the bandages is a welcome distraction
from the intensity in his eyes. “Promise me you won’t go snooping into my
father’s life, Heero.”
Huh?!
I must have blinked in
confusion because he smiles – a small and almost sad smile. “Just don’t. If I
know you like I do, you’ll want to find out more about him and I don’t want you
to. Got it?”
“Duo…why?”
“Just don’t….for my sake.
Please…just let it go…”
He silences any and all
protests I would have made by kissing me again. And like only he can, he makes
me forget about his rather enigmatic request with his tongue and mouth. I’ll
try to rationalize his decision to stop me from researching the elusive ‘elder’
Maxwell…as soon as I’m done touching and tasting him properly. Dear gods, but
I’ve missed feeling his body as my hands greedily knead the flesh of his hard
chest, his nipples and torso. Ah hell…we really should be working on algebra
right now…
In the background, I think I
hear
And this time, they’ll be no
interruptions whatsoever.
~End Period Four~