Colors are fragrant, but they fade away

In this world of ours none lasts forever

Today cross the high mountains of life’s illusions

And there will be no more shallow dreaming

No more drunkenness…

-          Japanese Proverb

 

 

Thirteen:

 

Heero’s footsteps were slow and deliberate as he made his way back towards his home. Burying his hands into the pockets of his dark slacks, he tried to make sense of all that had happened to him tonight. His emotions had been on a roller coaster ride, taking him from the depths of despair to a pleasure he had never thought possible and then back to the harsh reality that seemed to always make its gruesome appearance at such times.

 

As he came to the familiar threshold that separated the guesthouses from the main one, he stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowed as he remembered the story of…

 

David.

 

Although Heero had told himself that he hadn’t wanted to listen to the story, he had found himself hanging on to every word that had spilled from the teacher’s lips. Just who was this man? And just how much had he really meant to Duo? Heero had sensed that the braided man hadn’t been telling him the whole tale and at the back of his mind, the heir was sure that he had been pleased at the thought. He was still jealous. Plain and simple. He did not care to know about Duo’s past love interests, but yet he had been powerless to stop reality. Had he actually thought that Duo would have been a virgin? The thought alone was ridiculous.

 

David had been a teacher at St. Gabriel’s, that much was certain. He had been the first teacher to rush to the scene after Griffith had stabbed the janitor. Duo had passed out from the shock of the events, and naturally, had been taken to the school’s clinic to recuperate. Both men had met each other on that fateful day and according to Duo, David had taken him in as a ward under the supervision of the local police. David had, of course, taken on the responsibility of teaching Duo all that he knew. Heero wasn’t stupid. The braided man hadn’t said it outright, but he knew without a doubt that Duo and David must have had more than just a casual teacher-student relationship.

 

He was thirteen for crying out loud! How could an old geezer do things like that to a thirteen year old without feeling ashamed of himself?

 

But David hadn’t been an old geezer. Duo had said that the man had been only twenty at the time.

 

Jealousy reared its ugly head again and Heero gave a light snort of irritation at his feelings. Duo had told him that things were over now. However, when Heero had asked about David’s whereabouts, he had been a bit surprised to find that the teacher had remained tight-lipped about the subject. All he had gotten in response was a vague statement about Duo moving out of that neighborhood and that had been the end of that.

 

As long as they aren’t together now, that’s all that matters to me.

 

So, why couldn’t he stop thinking about Duo’s behavior? Why couldn’t he get rid of the cold look that had flashed in the teacher’s eyes for a brief instant? What was Duo hiding from him? What had really happened to David?

 

He stepped onto the lawn and began to stride quickly, hoping to make it towards the back door before being spotted by anyone. As he gave a casual glance towards the large patio on his left, he gasped in surprise when he saw the tell tale figure of his cousin leaning against the balustrade. Sucking in a harsh breath, he ran across the lawn as fast as his feet could carry him.

 

Oh, please; I hope she didn’t go into my room!

 

He opened the small door that led to a flight of stairs and climbing them two by two, he was able to make it to his bedroom floor unnoticed. He opened up the door that led to the hallway and peeked out carefully. The coast was clear, thank goodness. Still not taking any chances, he began to tiptoe his way to his room. He placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it quickly….and then turned it again, his eyes widening in horror as it refused to budge. He rattled it for a few more minutes, hoping it wasn’t his imagination playing tricks on him again.

 

He hadn’t locked himself out of his room, had he? And to make it worse, his set of keys had been left behind, as he had seen no need for them. Who would have done such a thing? Keiko? But why? He really could see no reason for the girl to do something like this, not that she wasn’t capable of doing such things in the first place. He still had memories of being locked in a storage room when he was six, thanks to her telling him about a box full of candies that were just begging to be eaten. How gullible and innocent had he been then?

 

Seeing that all his efforts were going to waste, he stepped back and took a deep breath. He would have to use another alternative - the window. But that would mean having to go outside again and risk Keiko discovering him.

 

Suddenly, he wished he was back in Duo’s arms, safe and sound. His head was beginning to ache from having to think too much and the possibility of being caught and having to explain his actions loomed heavily in the horizon.

 

What do I do now? What do I…?

 

“Master Heero?”

 

Feeling the blood drain from his features, he spun around quickly, slightly panicked eyes staring at the familiar figure of his maid.

 

“Yu…Yuzuki…?”

 

The woman gave a polite curtsey before making her way towards the boy who seemed rooted to the spot. With a certain grace in her movements that never ceased to amaze the Japanese boy, she brought out the set of keys to most of the rooms in the house and quietly opened up his bedroom door. Immediately, a frown came upon the boy’s features as he eyed her warily.

 

“How did you know it was locked?” he asked calmly, his tone hardly betraying the uneasiness he was beginning to feel inside.

 

Yuzuki gave a small smile that made her look so much prettier and younger than her age. One would have considered it a shy one…almost. “Your cousin was about to come in here, Master Heero. I had no other choice but to lock it, considering your…whereabouts.”

 

Heero’s hands clenched into tight fists by his side although he kept a polite smile of gratitude on his face. “Oh?”

 

“Please do not misunderstand me, Master Heero,” she tried to explain. She could tell that the young heir was getting quite irritated. It didn’t surprise her in the least. This wasn’t the first time her actions had gotten him worked up. “I was only doing this for your best interest…”

 

“Then perhaps you should stop to think of whether or not I would appreciate these best wishes of yours, Yuzuki,” Heero cut in sharply. “You are beginning to get too nosey.”

 

The woman sucked in a harsh breath, a flash of pain crossing her attractive features for a moment before it was quickly replaced with its usual mask of indifference. She lowered her lashes and gave another curtsey before replying quietly. “I apologize for my behavior, Master Heero. Please find it in your heart to forgive me.”

 

Heero stared at the white lacey bonnet; a part of the maid’s uniform – which, in all honesty, looked ridiculous to him – and the mass of wavy dark brown hair before shaking his head slowly. He suddenly felt tired and defeated and wanted nothing more than to lie down in his bed and forget about everyone besides the man he loved.

 

Daijoubu, onee-chan,*” he muttered in Japanese as he pushed open the door to make his way in. He only reverted to speaking his native tongue when he wished to apologize for any inappropriate behavior towards the older woman. It was something that had been established between them over the years, and seeing the small but familiar smile of gratitude on Yuzuki’s face made Heero feel a bit better inside.

 

“Thank you, Master,” came the soft reply. “You have a goodnight and many pleasant dreams…unless you wish me to bring anything for you.”

 

The boy was already shaking his head in refusal before she was done speaking. “It’s okay, honest. I just need to take a long bath and then go to bed. Please say my goodnights to my parents for me.”

 

“I will gladly do that,” she replied with another small smile and a quick curtsey. As she was about to make her way down the hallway, she stopped and spun around to face the disappearing figure of the young heir. “Master.”

 

Heero stuck his head out again with an impatient look only to have it wiped off as he noticed the uncharacteristic look of pure concern on the maid’s face. Of course, he had seen Yuzuki worried over his welfare before, but this time around, there was something quite intense about the look in her eyes. She looked almost…desperate.

 

“What is it, Yuzuki?” he asked in growing bewilderment. “Is…is there something wrong?”

 

The woman shook her head quickly. And licking her lips in a nervous gesture, she asked in a steady tone. “Are you happy, Master Heero? Are you…finally happy?”

 

Well, this was certainly new. Yuzuki was acting in a way that was beginning to alarm the teenager. “What do you mean by that, Yuzuki? I am happy, you know that.”

 

She shook her head in refusal. “Before he came here, you were never happy, Master Heero. But…but he makes you happy, doesn’t he? You like him, don’t you, Master Heero?”

 

The boy’s eyes widened in growing understanding and before he could stop himself, he blurt out in denial. “I do not know what you are talking about, Yuzuki…”

 

The maid wasn’t buying it. A strange smile had come to her lips as she gave another soft nod. “He makes you happy. I can see it in your eyes, Master Heero.” She placed a hand upon her chest and closed her eyes. “I only want to see you happy again, Master. That is all I could ever wish for.”

 

Heero gaped at the woman in surprise. He felt something hard tug in his chest and the ridiculous urge to burst into tears again overwhelmed him. Yuzuki was on his side. She had always been on his side. So why would it be any different now?

 

“Yuzuki…” he whispered softly, as he watched the beautiful green eyes pin their gaze on him. That dull ache that had filled his chest became much stronger, and unable to stop himself, he did something he had not done to her in over ten years.

 

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her.

 

 

 

 

He was walking down the halls of St. Gabriel’s again, but there was a big difference this time. This time around, he belonged. Oh, yes indeed. He was no longer an outcast. No one gave him funny looks and he was wearing his brand new uniform too.

 

And now, if he could only find the way to that classroom.

 

He kept on opening doors, but none led him to the right one. Where is he? Where is the one who makes me…happy?

 

He finally spied the door. It was a rather large one. So large that as he walked closer, it seemed to grow even longer and bigger. He could hardly get his hand around the doorknob now.

 

I just have to…to twist it and then…and then I will see him again…

 

And with determination etched on his features, he pushed open the door with all his strength. His eyes widened at the sight before him, but the shrill ring of the school bell forced him out of the room. No, the shrill ring threw him out of the room.

 

It was growing louder and louder…and just when he thought he would go mad from the sound of it, he reached out and grabbed hold of the offending object.

 

“What is it?” came the hoarse croak of a greeting.

 

“Nice way to greet me, Duo!” The irritated voice on the other end of the phone barked. “And by the way, good freaking morning!”

 

The teacher blinked wearily and sat up with a low groan. The rumpled sheets, evidence of what had taken place last night lay spread around his naked form in a sea of black. He groaned again as the memories came flooding back.

 

Hands…lips…tongue…sweat…sex…Heero…

 

And suddenly feeling a headache coming on, he stumbled out of the bed – almost falling to the floor in his haste - and began to make his way to the bathroom, still hanging on to the cordless phone.

 

“Is it morning already?” he finally muttered thickly. God, he felt like shit right now. He needed a drink.

 

Wufei slowly counted to ten before speaking as calmly as he could manage. “Did you sleep with him?”

 

Duo stared at his haggard-looking reflection in the small bathroom mirror, before replying coolly. “Sleep with who?”

 

He reached for his toothbrush.

 

“You know damn well who I’m talking about, Duo,” Wufei retorted. “What did I tell you…?”

 

The toothbrush, now filled with peppermint-flavored paste, was shoved into his mouth as he replied. “Wuuuff uuure uuu taalfin abouooff?”

 

He spat it out and rinsed, idly wondering if he should have his bangs cut. They were getting a bit too long.

 

Wufei, on the other hand, was seriously getting pissed.

 

“Duo. Don’t you even realize what you have done? The poor kid was already half-way in love with you and now you sleep with him, what do you think will happen now?”

 

The teacher turned the shower on, hands reaching beneath the warm spray to test its warmth. “He’ll live,” he replied a bit coldly. “Probably get over it. Find some other cute guy to fuck or better yet, get married to wonderful, sweet Relena Peacecraft and we will all live together like one big fucking family. Isn’t that right, Wufei?”

 

A long silence was heard over the other end. Neither man said a word. Each knew what the other was thinking.

 

And then, “You are having those dreams again, aren’t you, Duo?”

 

The braided man swallowed tightly and stared at the plain white tiles on the walls. And in a voice that sounded too alien to him, he whispered thickly. “Yes.” There was no use lying about it. The Chinese man could read him like a book now. A very open book.

 

He could almost hear Wufei nod at the other end. “Are they bad?”

 

Duo shook his head and sat down heavily on the toilet seat. He buried his face in a hand and made a low sound that was almost a whimper. “No…no…they aren’t that bad. I just had the one with the door last night.”

 

“Ah…the door.”

 

“What?” Duo asked sharply, not really liking the know-it-all tone that Wufei had the tendency of using. “Say it now, man.”

 

Wufei eyed the plain and rather boring view of the city in the growing daylight. It was a far cry from the nightlife. He eyed his suitcases all packed and ready for departure.

 

He wanted to go home.

 

“Having the doors is okay,” he finally said with a small yawn. “As long as he doesn’t know anything about your past. That’s all good, right?”

 

He raised a brow at the silence that greeted his comment and in mere seconds, he felt a cold chill race down his spine. “Duo? You…didn’t tell him about….that, did you?”

 

“I…I don’t think I did.”

 

“You don’t think you did?! What the hell kind of an answer is that?!”

 

Duo rubbed a hand across his forehead as he got to his feet and began to pace the small space. “I don’t know. I don’t know, Wufei,” came the rather agitated reply. “I think I did…and then again, I don’t think I did. What the hell am I saying?”

 

The other man was pacing his bedroom as well, anxiety clearly on his features. “Well, can you remember the way he looked when he left your house? Wait…he did leave your house, didn’t he?”

 

Duo gave a small nod. The water was beginning to get lukewarm. “Yeah, he wasn’t in my bed this morning. So, I guess he did go home.”

 

“Good. Now, try to remember what you said to him last night.”

 

The braided man gave a small whimper of helplessness as he leaned against a wall and sank to the floor slowly. “I can’t…”

 

“Just try, Duo! This is more important than you could ever know, damn it!”

 

The teacher squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head slowly. “I don’t…I don’t want to remember anymore. Please don’t make me remember anymore, Wufei. I couldn’t take it…please…” he finished weakly.

 

With a heavy sigh, the other man nodded softly. “I should be back in town tonight, Duo. If you want to talk…you know where to find me, okay? And Duo…”

 

“Yes, Wufei...” he croaked out weakly. Maybe he would just skip teaching today. He didn’t think he could function like this.

 

The dark-haired man at the other end, smiled warmly. “Just don’t forget that you have us now – the present; your present, and the future to look forward to. We don’t need to go back to the past…”

 

“But to fight our demons…” Duo tried to say, as he was again silenced by the Chinese man’s words.

 

“Our demons will never really go away, Duo. But, it’s what you wish to make of it that really counts. Why dwell in the darkness when there is a light ahead of you?”

 

“Wufei…”

 

“Take care of yourself, man. You know I love you…”

 

Duo smiled in response and finished up quietly, “…like my own flesh and blood. You take care too, Wufei.”

 

He listened to his friend hang up. The dull monotone of the dial tone filled his ear, but he couldn’t let go of the phone. It was as if he wished he could hold on just a minute longer to the voice of reason and safety that had helped him throughout the latter years of his existence.

 

You are more than a friend to me, Wufei. You are the reason I live today.

 

But somewhere at the back of his mind, a little voice cried out in denial. He would have to live for someone else now. Someone else who needed him now more than ever.

 

His student. His lover. Heero Yuy.

 

 

 

 

 

Dressed in a pretty light yellow chiffon blouse and a pair of dark blue jeans that molded to her hips like a second skin, Keiko walked into the breakfast room with a warm smile on her features.

 

“Good morning, Aunt Hikari,” she greeted jovially, as she leaned forward to place a soft kiss on the older woman’s face. “What’s for breakfast?”

 

As she made herself comfortable at the table, Hikari couldn’t help smiling warmly at the picture of beauty and yet elegance her niece portrayed. She really didn’t see why Odin didn’t approve of her. Keiko was a wonderful young woman. Dressed in a casual dark blue business suit, Hikari reached for her cup of tea and took a small sip before replying.

 

“Whatever you desire shall be brought to you, dear. Did you have a good night’s sleep?”

 

Keiko buttered a slice of toast, her peripheral vision catching a glimpse of Yuzuki’s familiar black uniform. Remembering the conversation they had had last night sent her shivering slightly and forcing a bright smile on her visage, the girl answered quickly.

 

“I slept quite well last night; It was so peaceful, I was out like a light once my head hit the pillow.”

 

“More sugar, Miss. Asawa?” came the soft voice that had the dark-haired girl jumping in surprise. In her haste, she knocked over Hikari’s cup of tea, which in turn sent the dark liquid spreading rapidly across the pristine white tablecloth. Suddenly needing to lash out in frustration, Keiko rose to her feet and barked out coldly. “Now, look at what you have done! You can’t just walk up to people like that…!”

 

“What’s going on here?” Odin Yuy asked, his tone a mixture of both irritation and bemusement as he walked into the room. He eyed Yuzuki quietly cleaning up the mess as Hikari and Keiko stood side-by-side watching her. “I asked…”

 

“If you must know,” Hikari interrupted curtly, “Yuzuki startled Keiko. That’s what caused the accident.”

 

The billionaire gave an exasperated sigh and sat down on his seat. He picked up the Business Times and opened it up quickly. Soon enough, his muffled voice was heard from behind the large pages of the newspaper. “If she hadn’t been so clumsy none of this would have happened.”

 

“Uncle Odin!”

 

Hikari held onto the shocked girl, she herself bristling in growing fury. “Odin Yuy! You apologize this instant!”

 

“And why should I?” came the calm reply as he gave a small smile to Yuzuki who was now pouring a cup of coffee for him. “She is clumsy. Just like her father. Do you know he broke my thousand-dollar crystal vase? The one that I revere…”

 

“And worship?” came the bitter response from his wife. “Damn you, Odin. You cannot treat my niece like this!”

 

“I will treat her any damn way I want to, Hikari. In case you have forgotten, this is my house.”

 

The master of said house lowered his paper to pin cold gray depths on the two women. “Now, if you are both done being so overly dramatic…I would like to know where my son is.”

 

Hikari sat back in her seat across from him at the table and crossed her legs. Resuming her dignified expression, she closed her eyes and replied just as coldly. “Where do you think he is?”

 

“You came down here before me, Hikari, the least you could have done was to…”

 

“I came down here to eat breakfast, Odin. You know as well as I do that Heero does not like to eat breakfast!”

 

“Then why don’t you try to encourage him to do so!” The paper went back up; the barrier that shielded him from those cold blue eyes before him. “And thank goodness those two left this morning. I don’t think I could stand being around them a moment longer.”

 

Hikari gave a small squeak – now too angry to form coherent words. With a very loud huff, she got to her feet and stomped out of the room, leaving only Keiko, Yuzuki and Odin, who was still hidden behind the paper, to their own devices.

 

A tense silence fell in the large room as Keiko bit her lower lip, trying very hard to stop the small smile that had threatened to come to her visage. She received a cold glare from Yuzuki and returned it with a sheepish grin. Completely ignoring the fact that her uncle hated her guts, Keiko sat back down to finish her breakfast of toast and jelly. The only sounds that emanated from the room now, were those of Keiko’s chewing, Odin’s page turning and Yuzuki cleaning up after Hikari.

 

Odin’s hand snaked out from behind the pages of the paper to pick up his cup of coffee.

 

“You really shouldn’t be eating like that, Uncle Odin,” Keiko said sweetly, as she licked off some jelly from her fingers. “It’s rather rude you know.”

 

Odin choked on his beverage and burned his tongue on the hot liquid before placing the cup down to eye the smiling girl with a frown.

 

“What’s this? You want to have a conversation with me?” he asked dryly. “I am not sure I know what to talk about with a way…teenager like you.”

 

Keiko clicked the roof of her mouth in a ‘tching’ sound of disapproval, even though that rather sickening sweet smile of hers hadn’t left her face. “Could you have Yuzuki leave the room please, Uncle Odin? I would really like to have a personal conversation with you.”

 

For a moment, Odin looked as if he wasn’t going to comply, but squaring his jaw in irritation, he gave a small nod to Yuzuki to leave. The maid’s fingers tightened around the piece of cloth she had been using to wipe the table as she gave a polite curtsey to her employer. And making sure that Keiko received another cold look of annoyance, she made her way out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

 

“Whew, thank goodness she’s gone. She really should be let go, don’t you think , Uncle Odin?”

 

The man said nothing. His only sign of having heard her comment, was his frown becoming deeper.

 

Keiko shrugged good-naturedly and began to pick at her bowl of fruit with a small fork. “May I ask you a question, Uncle Odin?”

 

The billionaire gave a small snort but refused to say anything.

 

“I know you don’t really like me and neither do you like my parents,” she began slowly as she darted out a tongue to lick the strawberry she had picked up. She sucked on it slowly, her eyes closing as she gave a low moan of enjoyment. Her sharp gaze had caught sight of the man shifting a little in his seat and she fought the urge to squeal in triumph.

 

Hmph! Men…all pigs.

 

Taking a bite out of the fruit, the smile disappeared as she said calmly, “However, Heero is my cousin which technically means that we are flesh and blood, ne?”

 

“I hardly think…” Odin began.

 

“No, you hardly think,” Keiko finished coldly. “As long as we are cousins, I am going to be looking out for Heero’s welfare and see to it that nothing stands in the way of him achieving total and complete comfort out of life.”

 

Odin raised a brow in skepticism. “Oh? Well, that’s very nice and kind of you, Keiko. But you see, that’s why we have servants and of course, my wife and I…”

 

“Aren’t you two close to getting a divorce?”

 

Odin’s fingers tightened around the paper, almost ripping holes through it as his indifferent frown turned into one of growing fury. Who did this girl think she was?

 

Keiko blinked with an innocent looking expression on her features. “I only ask because of the way you two were arguing this morning. From the look of things, I don’t think Aunt Hikari will be hanging around you much longer. And besides…”

 

“Besides what?” Odin hissed angrily. There was something wrong with this picture and he didn’t like it one bit. This girl…this girl wanted something and he didn’t know what it was yet. But yes, oh yes, he was bound to find out soon enough.

 

Keiko’s smile became even sweeter as she rose to her feet. She stretched languidly, giving Odin a good view of her very well endowed chest and flat torso that was now bare thanks to her innocuous action. She grinned and placed her hands down, only to skip towards the billionaire’s chair. And before Odin could utter a word of protest, she planted herself firmly on his lap, her arms wrapping themselves tightly around his neck as she rested her forehead against his to stare deeply into his bewildered depths.

 

Stupid man. You get a boner from anything in a skirt.

 

“And besides…” she continued in a husky whisper. “I think I have something that might make you want to reconsider your actions around here, Odin.”

 

“You little bitch.”

 

Keiko giggled and nuzzled him gently as her lips trailed soft kisses along his cheek. Once they got to his ear, they nipped it gently, her moment of triumph intensified as she noticed the way he shivered from her touches.

 

“I know that you have been a very, very bad man, Uncle Odin. So bad in fact that if such a thing leaked out or got to the press…goodness knows what it would do to your image.”

 

Odin felt the blood drain from his features as he listened to the soft words. This wasn’t happening. This little witch couldn’t possibly know about…

 

“She is a friend of mine, Odin,” Keiko finished up for him as if she had read his thoughts. “She had cameras planted all over the room and you wouldn’t believe my shock when she came bragging about it to me.” She pulled back, placing a mock stern look on her face. “Do you have any idea of how humiliated I was when I saw my own uncle fucking my best friend doggy style?”

 

Odin’s jaw worked silently as he gripped the edge of the table tightly. But it looked like the devil in yellow chiffon wasn’t finished yet.

 

“She made two video copies and had some of the pictures developed…privately of course. After all, you have a reputation to protect, right?” She began to draw slow, lazy circles across his chest, not failing to notice that the man was still hopelessly aroused. Shaking her head slowly, she gave a low moan of long suffering. “Just think. What would happen if the pictures got out? What do you think Hikari would say? What do you think…Heero would say? Hmm?”

 

“What do you want?” Odin hissed coldly. “What do you want from me?”

 

Keiko gave a small gasp and tried to look offended. “Uncle Odin! What do you take me for? I am not some loose girl who is here to make trouble. I just want to see my cousin happy, that’s all.”

 

The billionaire had heard enough. With a low growl, he tossed the paper aside and placed his hands upon the girl’s waist to lift her off his lap. Setting her firmly on the floor, he got to his feet and asked again in a clipped and icy tone.

 

“I.Asked.You.What.You.Wanted.Keiko!”

 

The girl pouted and turned her face away. She made her way to the window where she could make out her aunt talking to a group of gardeners. There was going to be a party this weekend it seemed. Oh, joy.

 

“Keiko…”

 

Odin’s voice broke through her reverie and with a light shrug, she spun around to smile brightly at the flustered man before her.

 

“Oh, it’s nothing too much, Uncle Odin. I just want you to get rid of someone for me.”

 

The man blinked in confusion. Was Keiko saying what he thought she was saying? Did she actually think he was going to kill off someone for her? If that was the case, then the girl was more demented than he had thought.

 

“You are crazy…” he began, only to feel a strange chill run down his spine at the angry look that had now come upon the beautiful face before him.

 

“I am crazy, am I? Let’s see who goes crazy when I splash your little orgies all around town! Then we’ll see who is crazy!”

 

“Then what the fuck do you want from me, Keiko?” He was really beginning to lose his patience now and as he watched that small smile return to the girl’s face, he felt the cold claws of fear and worry dig themselves even deeper within his heart.

 

“What do I want from you, Uncle Odin?” She asked softly as she walked up to him with a swagger that was nothing short of confident. Once inches away from his face, she leaned closer to whisper softly into his ear.

 

“I want Yuzuki fired.”

 

 

 

Duo stood in front of the door to the study with his eyes closed and his heart racing a mile a minute in worry. He had barely been able to maintain his usual smile or light banter with the maids and servants he had met this morning. Something was happening this weekend, because the house looked like it was getting a major renovation. Not that anything of that nature mattered to him at this point. He was too far-gone with his own personal issues to worry about some party.

 

And besides, hadn’t Wufei said something about having a bachelor party sometime this weekend when he was back home?

 

But what about Heero?

 

How could he look at the boy without thinking of all that had happened last night? How could he listen to anything the teen was bound to say without watching those lips move, hoping for just one more taste. How could he watch those hands make their little gestures here and there or write without imagining them on his body bringing him to a feverish state again?  How was he to look at that body and not imagine it being naked beneath or above him again, writhing in sheer pleasure, drenched with sweat. And those full lips begging him to fuck him over and over and over…

 

“Mr. Maxwell?”

 

“Argh!!” He spun around so fast that he almost fell to the floor, but quick reflexes had him grabbing onto the door to steady himself. He knew he was blushing heavily, but he tried to keep his cool as he placed a quick smile on his features. “Yu…Yuzuki. You startled me.”

 

The maid seemed to be doing that a lot lately, but giving the teacher a polite smile in return, she held up a tray filled with sugar cookies and some iced tea. “I thought I would bring you some refreshments a bit earlier today, Mr. Maxwell. These are Master Heero’s favorites.”

 

“Oh, really?” Duo eyed the desserts, suddenly aware that he had skipped breakfast this morning. “Don’t worry, I can take it in myself. I am sure you have other things to take care of now, don’t you?”

 

The maid gave a more genuine smile as she handed the small tray to him. “Thank you, Mr. Maxwell. Have a wonderful class today.” And giving him her normal curtsey, she made her way towards the kitchen.

 

Great. Now, how do I open up the door?

 

He placed the tray on the ground gently so as to open the door, when a pair of feet encased in white casual sneakers filled his vision.

 

That scent.

 

Light….magnolias? Yes, magnolias. The poisonous flower.

 

The feet rocked back and forth as Duo’s gaze drifted higher to take in the dark blue jeans, to the barely covered flat torso, to the swell of full breasts that begged to be released from their restrictive clothing. He felt his heart beat begin to quicken again. This time it wasn’t with just worry of the unknown, but it now raced with a feeling he had not experienced in a long time. That feeling of fear and knowledge. The distinctive feeling that he was able to control the situation now.

 

His hands fisted tightly as his gaze fell on smiling lips; lips that had once condemned him to hell and back.

 

The demons from the past always come back to haunt us, Wufei my friend, he thought wildly, as his widened amethyst depths clashed with the dark ones of one Keiko Asawa.

 

To his amazement, he felt a small smile come to his lips. Oh, yes…somehow he knew he was in control of this situation and there was no turning back now.

 

Face them or die. Face those demons…

 

“Hello, Keiko,” he greeted, his smile growing wider. He saw her own grin falter a little and feeling something surge through him – something that urged him to continue, he held out his hand.

 

“What a pleasant surprise…”

 

 

 

 

* It’s okay, big sister…