A/n: 'sup, y'all? beamsI can't say I'm proud of this last chapter because uhm.. I've really tried my best trying to resolve things and all, but I just can't seem to make things right. If you're dissatisfied tell me so I could post the epilogue tomorrow morning or something to cheer you up. I just love.. cheering people up. gags lol. Anyhow…Right now I'll go and leave you to read. I love you all and, thank you (yes, YOU right there!) for reading this fic, although what possessed you to, I have no idea but well, like I said…. Arigatou minna-san! Peace out!
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Teach Me How To Be Cool
Lesson# 13: Truth, Beauty, Freedom..Er…Love?Duo
After the phone call from Heero, I had felt a little out of center. I mean, the guy was begging for me to forgive him. He was in a hysterical fit he even bit a cat as some sort of pilgrimage to me! I frowned as I flipped open the lamp and pulled out the ring Heero had given me from beneath my pillow. I crossed my legs and studied it closely.
Amethyst. He said it brought out the color of my eyes. I slipped the ring onto my ring finger and admired it in the gloom of the artificial light. It didn't lighten up my mood when Solo came bounding into the room, a little unhinged like he usually was and humming something he's possibly picked up from the radio.
"Heya coz." He sat in front of me, his long legs dangling off the bed. "What do you have there eh?" I hid my hand from his view. "Nothing," I smiled fakely. "Done with dinner?"
"Yeah, stuffed actually." He laughed at himself. "Is it all right that I'm sleeping in? I mean if you don't like me hanging in your room then I'm all right with that. I can work something out with the couch." I had this mental image of Solo doing something very scary to the couch.
"You know Solo," I began conversationally, trying to block out my earlier thought. "I don't mean to be rude but I'm not very keen on sharing my bed with other people. No offense of course-"
Solos held his arms up and smiled good naturedly. "None taken."
"I'm just a little bit depressed right now."
"Is it about the narc fellow?"
I shot him a glare, which he grinned at kindly. "Kidding."
He sighed, reached out to remove my bangs from my face and moved away as I flinched. His actions startled me. He BACKED off. Whatever my mom put in that salad must have been taking effect now, and I was glad.
"Do you want me to play for you?"
"Play?"
"The guitar, babe." He walked over to his guitar. "What the hell else do I play with anyway?" Your dick, I wanted to say but I shut my mouth for once.
"What song do you want?" Solo sat in front of me again and readied his guitar on his lap. It was plugged on.
"Times Like These," I said. Solo shrugged and began strumming. And maybe it's a little weird but the stuff Heero and I did together began flashing through my mind, kind of like a music video, only with a very bad singer. And I really, really felt bad about myself, and a part of me felt bad about Heero too.
After Solo played, he put down his guitar and sat closer, placing his hand near my thigh. I smiled through gritted teeth. "Er, thanks for playing Solo." Solo shrugged. "You know I'd do anything for you, coz." He grinned. "So tell me about this ex of yours. The one I'll soon be skinning alive and pulverizing into dust for hurting you."
I narrowed my eyes. "Oo..Kay… well, I… uh. His name is Heero Yuy. He's got Japanese blood, is the hottest guy in school and he calls me his god of death and likes to give me things, like the hamster you wanted to kill for example."
Solo looked sheepish. "Sorry for that, be."
I laughed. "It's all right." Solo moved closer and his hand automatically went for my thigh. I shuddered and moved away, my back against the wall. It was suicide being within a foot away from him so I prepared myself for the instant death. Solo began to say something, which I didn't catch quite properly. "What?"
"I said I like collecting things: whips, chains, handcuffs…" I stared at him, my mouth hanging open.
"Why have you turned so pale just then coz?" He was so concerned he leaned forward and clasped my cheek, with his other hand resting on my leg. "I was just kidding." I was quiet and my heartbeat raced. "What? You thought I was some sort of sicko or something?"
"Actually, yeah." I mumbled. "Uhm, lose the hands please? Yeah, thanks." Solo shrugged.
"Hey has this Heero of yours ever got to third base?"
"Uhm.. well uh… he… er…" I was sputtering like a retard, wringing my hands together.
"'Cause uh… You know if you need a lesson on kissing properly I'm always here."
I gave him a long look.
Have you ever had duct tape ripped off your naked buttocks? [1] That's the kind of pain I'm experiencing right now. And Solo won't shut up. I think he's high or something. He went to bed by 11 after telling me this story of how he broke his leg skateboarding while trying to sketch a chipmunk. I told him that it was the dumbest thing anybody could do, and you know what he said?
He said it only came in second because the dumbest in fact was to fall for somebody in your bloodline. Then he got psycho-stalker to me and kissed me on my forehead and told me to say my prayers that night because according to him you can't be so sure when there's some lunatic running around the neighborhood wanting to get laid desperately. He said that all in a coolly husky way.
And before leaving my room he said, "I want a vacuum." [2]
I pushed my cabinet over the door to block anybody from entering, specifically Solo. I didn't sleep well that night and I don't think I ever will with him within a 20-inch radius.
By morning my dad made a dramatic announcement. "Duo I'm driving you to school today." I was cross-legged as I sat on my chair. Didn't want anybody to play footsie again, of course, and Solo had just gotten up from the couch smelling like… come. I tried not to gag.
"I'm speaking with the principal today." Dad said as he tucked the bible under his arm and took a long sip from his coffee which I saw moments earlier the object of Solo's spit. "I'll ask for a permission to transfer you to another school."
"Uh-huh."
Dad tasted the coffee in his mouth, taking a long languid swallow.
"Hm. Needs more cream."
Solo
It took a huge crush on my own cousin to make me lose all the weight, the braces, and finally agree to that that Personal Development class my parents wanted me to take. When I was a kid I had trouble trying to speak properly. I had a speaking disability, my dad used to say, and he blamed my mother solely for this flaw. According to him, I got it form her side of the family.
My speaking disability went like this: My Ss and F's overrode the other and I had a fair amount of trouble trying to say all those words that began with d and b as well. People at school teased me about it. They called me a dumbass, which of course contained three of the four letters I feared so much, so at times when I would tell them, 'I am not a dumbass', they would end up laughing in my face instead because I messed up with my pronunciation.
I remember this time when I first learned how to say shit when I was in the first grade, Mrs. Blaine's class, and I was so proud of myself because I got ticked off by my low Math grade, and cursed: shit with so much emotion Ozzy would've been proud. Or at least would have had I not had a disability.
I said, 'ffphit' instead, which was consequently, and unfortunately heard. "Is there anything the matter, Solo?" Blaine asked me. I keep saying it over and over again and my teacher thought I was having spasms or something. She sent the nurse pronto.
Welcome to hell, the story of my childhood: You see, even my named started with an 's', and the trouble was, I wasn't really very good pronouncing words because like I said, my parents hated me enough to name me after something that means an action or feat carried by one person alone. One.
I carried a hundred and seventy six pounds in a four eight frame. People kicked me around and actually derived some sort of sick pleasure from it, and I liked the Backstreet Boys, looking up to them as role models. Yeah, I still shudder from the thought.
So in my early life, the gods were pretty hard on me- those years ago. But then Duo was born three summers before Kurt Cobain's death. I was four, and as my dad peered into the nursery where his brother's baby slept in one of those labeled cribs, I thought to myself, damnit I want another cookie. Minus the damnit because I wasn't very good cussing back then.
All right, so maybe it wasn't so life altering… yet. You see as I was growing I always wanted to be somebody. I didn't want to be one of those punks along the alleys who mugged old balding men by nine in the evening, or the subway rider who became all sweaty and shifty eyed and freaked whenever a stranger got within a foot near.
I wanted to be me.
It was a simple desire.
Anyway, three summers after, Duo was three and I was seven. MTV was invented by that time and I saw this band called Nirvana and their kick ass front man took my teenybopper attention from Nick Carter.
Only, my fascination of rock music went a little too post-Cobain. I learned later that day that Kurt, the guitar player, was in fact dead and I mourned possibilities. I could've been his number one fan, drew his name across my chest or some shit like that. I could've stalked him and he could've admired my desperation. He could've taught me how to play the guitar, and I could've taught him how to eat a chilidog within two seconds flat. He could've taught me how to speak my Bs, Ds, s's and Fs, properly. I could've written a school paper about him.
Instead though he died, I remained fat for the next three to four years and my cousin from Darlington visited.
This posed another problem.
I never liked girls. I figured I was too good for them, although really, it was they who were too good for me. My cousin Duo was six when he visited. His name meant two people who are considered to be closely associated in some way. Later I learned we were soul mates. Our names kind of gave that away, you see.
I didn't care much for relatives. My dad complained about how nobody in his family flushed the toilet or why aunt so-and-so kept giving him unpaired socks every Christmas. He wanted to be a lawyer/writer/philosopher/anchorman and said if it weren't for my mom's roast beef he wouldn't be married to her and have me as a kid, live in a mediocre life in the city with a mediocre accounting job.
No, siree! He would be a lawyer/writer/philosopher/anchorman who spoke four languages and drank martinis with olives instead of Coors in front of the TV. Anyway so enough about my dad.
So Duo came.
The last time I saw him was when he was born and his ass was freshly slapped by a doctor and he was bald and naked underneath all the blankets. But this time was different. He had hair now, stood to my wide chubby chest. It's a bit fucked up he wasn't walking around naked though, and that was something I kind of resented in our early days of seeing each other because even as a kid he had a nice behind.
Duo's family stayed for the weekend, and dad kept his mouth shut the whole time because my mom cooked her infamous roast beef. My aunt Helen commented about the curtains my mom bought downtown last spring, and my father snatched the food off Duo's father's plate. It went on like this for a few minutes, as I kept looking at my cousin. He looked so innocent, so fragile and vulnerable.
Duo and I stayed in my room that night. I still think I should've done something like tell him he was so gorgeously hot, but I might mess up so I shut up.
The first hour I was with him in my room, it was like there were butterflies in my stomach. Wait, I think I had eaten some but I'm not sure. I was very disturbed when I was a kid. It must be because my mother accidentally dropped me down the stairs when I was three.
The butterflies…Remember, I was fat so I wasn't really sure whether it was just because I had forgotten I'd eaten some sort of winged insect or because it was the first sign of love. Duo had grown, I had seen that. His hair was in a ponytail and he had large, innocent violet eyes.
It was his eyes that drew me to him, but I was too much of a bumbling idiot to point that he had nice eyes and asked instead why his eyes were of that weird, icky, abnormal color. Duo looked at me, and drawled, "What? Do you speak English? I didn't get what you said." Those were the magic words I was looking for.
I knew that Duo was the one from then on. I was young and naïve, true but I knew. It's like why you scratch your butt ever morning. There's no profound explanation just a soothing dose of satisfaction. [3]
Duo was still a bit confused by my remark, and my uncle, Duo's dad, learned how to flush that day after getting diarrhea from my mother's cooking. My mother and my aunt spent the entire day watching a cooking channel, and I stole a cookie for Duo which he ate only after I wrote down on paper what it was I was trying to say. Perfect fairytale.
It was like a movie, minus the kick ass rock music playing in the background because my dad and his brother had a taste for classical and Elvis. Don't ask.
I realized if I wanted Duo to look up to me, and like me, I had to loose weight and speak properly. I was eleven when I dropped the ballet[4] class in which (I was the only male student) my mom enrolled me in, in attempt for weight loss, and started to starve myself and enter that Speaking class two blocks away from where I lived.
My mom didn't even know I stopped attending the ballet class, instead consulting a music teacher who taught me how to play guitar for ten bucks per hour. One year after, I was twelve, taller, skinnier and wiser in the field of playing guitar, even rode a skateboard and could say 'Sara the Stripper Spat on My Shoe' flawlessly. (Thank you, Mr. Bellfore.)
I didn't do that pirouetting shit my mom wanted to see me do, yeah but I was cool now so I had no worries. Duo's parents came over again though without him, and when summer rolled in I asked if it'd be all right that Duo came to stay over for the time being. That granted, when Duo saw me and I saw him, it was surreal.
By then I was blessed by my fresh knowledge of rock music. I liked Led Zeppelin, Metallica, AC/DC and all those other rock gods. Duo had his hair even longer, in a braid and he grew a little bit tall, became hotter if that was possible but he still wore those weird, outlandish jumpers though. I much preferred nothing on him, you see.
I guess he was surprised to see that I had changed like that, I would too I guess. But that's how it started. He looked up to me from then on, we became close, wrote letters, held hands and he always, always said before sleeping, "Solo, I want to be like you someday.". I know it's petty, but that's what I can remember so far, and hell I'm not joshing.
Duo doesn't know it yet, but someday we're going to be together. Someday, or maybe later on considering his boyfriend dumped him last Saturday and his dad's gonna let him stay over my dorm till he finishes high school.
We're meant to be. Like apples to tartar sauce. Yum.
"You didn't tell me your boyfriend was a loser," I said as Duo and I walked to his dad's car. He had his head bent down. "He wears a pink hamster costume? I thought you said he was some sort of popular kid here in this hellhole." I gestured to the school. Duo was still quiet. Our shoes made gentle rasping sounds against the asphalt walkway.
"He's just a damn poseur, man. I can't see what you might even want from him." I continued as I opened the car door for him when we reached the parking lot. "He wears pink. He's got slanted eyes-is he some sort of Asian import?"
Duo looked up at me. "Don't be racist, Solo." There was a slight anger to his tone when he said my name and I was a little startled by it. "He's got Japanese blood, and I say it's cool because it's exotic and beats any lame, Bostonian, punk, bass-playing, skateboarding artist any day. You know?"
"Is that all?" I said lamely. Duo rolled his eyes and got into the car. I wanted to kick myself for that, because sometimes I got so smug I didn't think anymore.
"I'm sorry, all right?" I placed a hand over my chest, trying to lighten up the mood. "Deeply sorry."
Duo huffed. "You should be." He put on his seatbelt and I watched him.
"What do you possibly see in him anyway?"
"Oh, I don't know. His love for me?"
Time stood still. It was even like that song I heard the other day. I didn't know why it affected me that much: the fact that Duo sought for love from another person. I knew this was inevitable. I mean when I was a kid it didn't seem possible but after a few one night stands in the old university I realized it was likely.
I didn't, of course, see Duo as a slut-it's just that I knew somebody as special as he'd get a whole lot of attention from others, action if you know what I mean. I was waiting for this moment, for Duo to tell me he had somebody else in mind, and then when it came it sort of sealed off any other emotion from my system but anger underlined with jealous rage. I knew it was wrong to love your cousin. We were very much related, and this fact alone promoted me to long for his rejection in a sick way. But then this was it-this moment.
"Solo?" Duo's voice sliced through my thoughts. I stared at him, his tanned, slightly muscular body, the bony fingers clenched on the folds of his jumper pants. I saw only hate, and pain, and this undeniable desire to make him mine.
I found myself numbly jumping into the driving seat; fishing out the keys Duo's dad had given me earlier. "Where are we going?" Duo asked, frantic. He started becoming hysterical too, only the sound of his voice was drowned out by the hate I felt towards myself, him and this Heero guy who took away the one thing that ever made sense in my life.
"Solo?"
Duo was squeezing my arm, his eyes wide. "Solo?! Where the hell are you taking me? Solo?!"
I was driven by my lust. I could only hope that Duo said his prayers last night. I wanted to save him, save myself… but I held back so long, too long. I needed to be inside him. Just this once.
Dorothy
Treize tries very hard just to fix things between Relena and me. I'm not sure I like where it's headed though. The farthest he's got is coming home with a pink manicure, which he took off with some acetone from my box of 'Memories of Relena'. Relena had this tendency to paint people's nails pink when she's depressed. I think I've had enough, however.
I decided this morning that if I want things done I've got to do it myself. I didn't even go to school, but Treize pretended not to know and left me alone in the extra room Chang keeps at their place.
There's no use talking to Relena. She looked at me that night as Yuy and Maxwell left the party. She looked at me like she was torn between hating me and telling me to comfort her. I can't stand it. It's the last I've had.
I stomped down the stairs of Chang's little quaint white stairs, pulling my bags along with me in each step. I had enough credit to keep me alive, and enough change of clothes to save me some sanity. I was tired of living under Chang's roof, if even only for a few days. I felt like an intruder.
"I'm leaving for Boston." I announced and the ten o-clock sun filtered somewhere in between the fluttering of the sand colored curtains and my minute trepidation like translucent sheets on the kitchen table.
"Oh really?" Treize was reading the morning paper, his reading glasses balanced haphazardly on his nose bridge and Chang murmured something about those damned political alliances under his breath while picking up a knife. So, he didn't come to school too.
I rolled my eyes as I grabbed an apple from the basket for my trip. No use starving myself, after all. "While you're at it can you pick up some groceries for me by the store downtown?"
I gave Treize a look. "No, really, Treize." I told him. Chang snickered. "I am leaving, seriously."
"Anything you say, dearest." Treize continued to read the morning paper and Chang, I noticed only now, was actually busy chopping some vegetables. I could almost laugh at the domesticity of the whole situation, except a pang in my chest stopped me as I began wondering just how much I'd like for Relena and I to be as the couple in front of me.
"Yeah, what he said." I blinked at Chang's words.
"Well then," I gave them an implausibly long stare. "I'll call you when I get to Boston."
"Sure."
"Yeah."
I moved towards Treize as I pushed my hair aside from my eyes. He looked up at me through his reading glasses pushed up to his eyes and smiled softy. "Thank you for everything Treize." I said sincerely, sighing. "I'll be staying at a friends' house for awhile, and there's this school opening by fall semester. I've all things planned out, so don't worry about me. Do your own thing, all right?"
Treize raised both arms. "You're the boss, dearest." He smiled the smile he used for indulging foolish children like me. I sighed once more, ringing my hands together uncomfortably.
"Well," I braced myself for enough courage before I hugged him. Treize ruffled my hair affectionately and I caught Chang looking sympathetic for my cause.
"I've got to get going." I envied Chang for having the vegetables and the knife to busy his hands with. I found I didn't have much to do with mine but wring them like some shivering fool.
"And Wufei," Chang looked so shocked that I had used his first name. I guess I was too. I stood by the doorway of the kitchen, taking in all the hearty ambience of the place before me: The fruits by the table, the plates undone on the sink and the morning breeze blowing into the window. "Take care of Treize for me, not that I already know you would, but hey you wouldn't like him when he gets cranky."
"Oh don't worry," Wufei said good-naturedly. "I keep a bullwhip to get Treize's temper in check."
Treize turned red. Wufei and I laughed. I kicked my bag with a black boot, nudged it and slung it on my shoulder. When I closed the door behind me, I heard something snapping inside of me. Maybe the strings that held my heart to this place; I hated it for a very long time, but I suppose during that period of time, I loved it just the same-ambivalence, maybe.
"She'll be back." When you're by the side of the house you could still hear the conversations from inside the kitchen. Treize was talking.
"You think so?" Wufei now.
"I bet you sex in the shower she'll be back before noon." My eyebrow rose upon instinct at Treize's challenge.
"I bet you fifty dollars she'll be back by seven." Well, at least Chang had some faith in me.
"Deal?"
"Deal."
I smiled to myself as I began walking for the bus station. I was three houses away from Chang's when a big black limo made its way to my vision. I hurried, which was a difficult thing considering I carried three bags: one on my shoulder, two on each hand.
A jean-clad girl coalesced from the car door by my side. I began running for dear life. Damn these stiletto heels.
"I realized something today." That voice made me stop. I placed both bags on the grimy ground and turned, arms crossed. And I realized that was an incredibly bad idea because a cramp was beginning to form in both arms.
"Well what is it?" I tried to act cool despite this all.
"When I showered this morning and looked into my closet for something to wear…" Relena said softly. "I realized my clothes were all done in pink."
She had bloodshot eyes and she looked terribly distressed. She wore a red shirt and faded blue jeans complemented by worn white sneakers. I surmised that she was feeling very patriotic today.
It took me a minute to let that sink in. Has Relena's wit seeped into mine? I'm not sure. But it took me some time to understand it all, which I didn't sadly.
"Are you seeking some type of forgiveness from me?" I finally asked. "Because Relena, that didn't even make sense."
"I know." Relena shrugged. Her hair was in pigtails. She looked very, very different. "It just sounded cool when I rehearsed it in my head. "
"Oh. Well I'm leaving for Boston. You don't have to have a lesbian best friend anymore." I swallowed down the pain wanting to break free. I mean, I thought she was here to tell me she wanted her best friend back. "So smile, stick your chin up because from this day forward you'll be worry free."
"Hey Dorothy." Damn. I'm not even turning around because of the cramp and she wants to talk to me. "I just wanted you to know that… I feel really bad about myself for the past week."
I was quiet. My arms were rigid as they began hurt.
"I mean I know I've been a bit of a bitch lately-"
"A bit of a bitch?" I found myself scoffing. "Relena bitch is not even an understatement of what you've been like the whole week. Look, I'm catching a train that leaves at one. It's either you tell me what the hell's up with you or I leave now. Don't be wasting my time."
"Since when Dorothy?" Relena was watching many drama movies, repeating her words like that to add an appealing effect. "Since when did you start liking me?"
"I liked you ever since we uhm, showered together." I turned to my boots. "Noticed you had perfect little ti-"
"Okay, okay." Relena held up her hands to shut me up. "I get it."
"Was that all you're going to ask me?"
"No, not really."
"I just wanted to do this." She walked over to me.
And then she kissed me.
She
Kissed
Me.
And then I realized something today too: that it's hard to hold somebody when your arms are cramping all over.
Anyway after the cramp subsided, I asked Relena, "I'm leaving for Boston. Wanna come?"
"I haven't got anything on me, well except my nail file and my white converse sneakers."
"Girl, when you're with me you don't need anything."
Relena smiled, and I took her hand. "I love you." I said.
She kissed me again.
Heero
Duo's taller companion had been glaring daggers at me the whole time. Trowa was sighing and muttering about how I ruined his perfect plan, and being oversexed and people who died in the French Revolution because of things like that.
Duo's father was in front of me, the principal with his hands over his hips killing us with his stare alone. I couldn't come any near Duo after the tall boy yanked him away by the collar. He looked dominating.
"Hey, can you do a little dance for us?" He had said earlier. He was taller, resembled Duo a little bit. I think he might've been the one who flipped me the bird when I bought the aspirin, so I held my ground as best in a frivolous pink costume and narrowed my eyes.
Laughter. Glare.
"Little pink hamster," the boy taunted. "Little pink hamster!" I raised my arm, only it was heavy and furry. Instead of punching the boy I ended up falling to the floor and rolling along the hallway. The school had slippery floors today, I realized. Fuck it. It was humiliating. I wanted to curse Duo's 'friend' out loud. Only I have no more feeling left in me anymore so I just kept… rolling helplessly.
"Hamster! Hammie!"
"Shut up or I'll kill you all." I ground out somewhere along the dizzying trip towards the front doors of the school. ("And how are you gonna do that you punk?" Duo's companion taunted, laughing. I felt like ripping his tonsils out. "Choke us with your pink tail.") I reminded myself of a dustbin keeling over. Eventually I stopped rolling when I hit the schools double doors. I swear there were chickens flying around my head. Chickens, ha. they aren't even capable of flight.
"That hurt." I groaned out.
Trowa, the principal, Duo's dad and their annoying tall companion hurried towards me. duo ran at least five feet ahead of them, clutching the daisies in one hand and his hair flipping in the wind. I think my brain have been clogged then because besides Duo running towards me worriedly everything was a blur.
"Duo?"
"No it's Greg."
"Greg? Who's Greg?" I slurred. I felt a bit light headed. "Greg I think I hit my head real hard and I've found out that chickens really fly. You know that crap they make you watch on Discovery Channel that says they aren't suit for flying well the network's dead wrong. They fly. Look at them! So bee-you-ti-full."
Greg gave me a weird look.
"Shut up Heero. It's me Duo!" Duo/Greg whispered exasperatedly. "God this is all my fault. I'm sorry I freaked when I found out you hooked up with me because of a bet. And I'm sorry I didn't return any of your calls and punched me at Relena's party. I mean you've been an ass all the time behind my back but with me you were really sweet.
"I hated it that you fucking lied to me, that you made me feel so special all the time even when I didn't deserve it because all I wanted was to belong in the 'in' crowd. And I love you Heero. My perverted cousin Solo is taking me to Boston with him so I might never see you again. He's going to probably molest me or something. God. This is probably the last time I'll ever talk to you ever so- I want you to know that I fucking love you so much it hurts. I'm so sorry."
"I forgive you Greg." I blinked up at him. His face was getting squiggly. "But I don't love you. I love Duo."
"It is Duo. It's me!"
"I thought you said it was Greg."
Duo/Greg hit me upside in the head, and that prompted me to blink the dizziness away. I shut my eyes for a brief second and when I opened them again all I saw was the heavenly vision of Duo's violet eyes as they widened expectantly. God I love him so much.
"Heero?" Duo asked
"Duo?" It sounded so stupid. And this is the part when like in the movies there's gonna be a rock song playing in the background and there are two people, who torn by fate, are brought back together again. Then the audience goes 'aww' as the two people make out frantically and try to see who tears the other's tonsils out first. Only there's no rock song in that. And instead of ogling over each other I noticed I wore a pink hamster suit and Duo looked confused he didn't seem to want to kiss me. But there was this particular song stuck in my head that couldn't seem to get out. Something from Enya.
"I'm sorry I was such an ass." It was the words that spilled out first. Duo's arms came to lace around my neck, and he jumped into my lap the moment I shifted into a seating position. "I wanted somebody to show off at Relena's party. I was still blinded by my hurt pride and anger that she left me so I picked somebody at random. But,"
He took off the hamster head and placed it on the floor next to me. "But?"
"But I got more than I bargained for." I said, trying not to meet his eyes. "I got you. I fell. Hard." When I lifted my face to look at him he was grinning like an idiot. Ne, my little baka. His eyes sparkled so bright and his smile was so huge it almost blinded me.
"I love you Duo Maxwell." I moved in to place my arms around his thin waist. "I'm sorry. You don't have to forgive me. I just want to kiss you right now. This one last time."
Duo's eyes fell shut. His breath hovered above my cheek as I leaned in closer. Any minute now the Enya song would be over, replaced by some pop rock song like, Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana. I pushed my face nearer, my heart beating for a reason unbeknownst. It felt like our first real kiss.
I maneuvered my lips to press against his flushed ones, my heart doing that weird flip in my chest as Duo inched closer, his hair brushing gently against my forehead, and then-
"Oh no! Hold on a minute there buddy!"
Duo's eyes opened, widening slowly in astonishment. I thought it looked hot like when we first had sex and he took off my pants and saw my-
"Solo!" so that was his name. Fucker. Duo's eyes widened incredibly as he stared at Solo for a long time.
"What do you want?" I asked, annoyed. "We were in the middle of something here?"
"It's wrong." He said through gritted teeth. Duo's dad who was next to the Principal nodded his assent. I noticed only now that they had been watching there the whole time. Talk about invading our privacy. Trowa was sighing and looking worried, flailing his arms about himself (like a chicken if it had arms that is. I think I like chicken now. Chicken. Chicken. Ha! That sounds so wicked cool right now it's starting to worry me.)
But back to the present. I stood up, bringing Duo along with me and holding him by my side protectively. Duo clutched my arm, clinging like a leech which I had not problem about. I supposed we had looked a little silly, defiant yes but how can we managed such a coup when I was in a hamster suit? Mental note: Kill Trowa Barton.
"Why is it wrong Solo?" I turned to Duo, asking low under my breath. "Did I say it right?" Duo nodded.
"You're both guys!" He tripped on the word 'guys'. "And Duo's… he's mine." He had looked into my eyes, a glare hidden behind his words alone. Everybody was oblivious when he said the word 'mine' this time, because he had directed this particular word to me, addressed it to me so that I alone got it. He whispered it actually, or mouthed, or something like that because I saw only the movement of his lips as he formed the words. Nobody uses Duo and Mine in the same sentence but me. (in that kind of context)
Duo's dad grabbed Duo by the arm. "You turned my son gay!" He accused me. "He wasn't like this before. He was happy, bouncy like a ferret (Hey!" Duo protested.) and wearing jumpers and eating all his vegetables all the time. He used to like… like girls!"
"Dad, you have no proof whatsoever that I liked girls before," Duo told him, annoyed. "And I've loved Heero ever since I was five and he asked me to kiss him because he caught me a butterfly and then we went on the giant teacup then there was this big concert Mest concert where this guy in the mosh pit-"
"What?" We all asked him. You see, I couldn't remember the teacup or the concert part.
"Whatever. Fine. Go on ahead and bitch at us more."
"Okay." Duo's dad said. "Well, Mr. Heero Yuy. You are a bad influence. You're a bad seed. You're so bad it makes me want to exorcise you even when you're not possessed. And it's bad enough that you're taking my son away from my wife and I. Now thanks to you he's badly corrupted and thinks he likes boys! Everything bad has stemmed from you!"
It was so unfair. He could use bad six times in a four-second conversation and I couldn't love his son? "Sir, I love your son!" I said hopelessly.
"And I do too." The reverend sighed. "So I think it's best that I take my son away from you now, Mr. Yuy. You've done far enough. Duo, let's go. Solo's taking you to Boston." He was able to yank Duo from my side with his eyes alone. He must have some telepathic ability or connection to Duo. Some protectiveness. I might have failed at becoming a bodyguard, not that I'll choose it as a profession later on though.
Before I knew it Duo was being dragged away by Solo. Duo reluctantly went with him, his eyes flicking over to where I stand, and the daisy still clutched in one hand along with his other things. "Heero save me -"
It was numbing the way I watched him walk away as if I'd never see him again. And maybe I wouldn't. Everybody keeps leaving me: my mom, my dad. I had no stable friends. The only reason Trowa stuck around was because there was no other choice. It was either I or those sugar cultists hanging out at the back of the school passing Pixie Sticks with the Trench Coat People.
Nobody ever stayed long enough. Nobody that mattered anyway. It was as if they thought I was infected by an incurable disease.
I looked up.
Duo was finally leaving me. He was being taken away. Away. From Me.
There was a raw, intense blinding in my eyes, brief flashes of what has been, what could've been, what will be. Was I going to cry? No, I wasn't. It wasn't a burning pain or a stinging sensation. It was beyond that. It was rage. I suddenly hated the reverend, and Solo, and Relena, and ever person who ever thought I wasn't capable of loving Duo. There. I admit it. I love him, so much in fact.
"You're not taking him away!" I wanted to run to get to Duo but I was rendered immobile and otherwise speechless afterwards as the Principal held up his arm to stop me. I glared at him, and he peered down at me from his round-rimmed glasses.
There was still peanut butter on his bushy mustache, and I scoffed disgustedly. The Reverend watched this progression between the both of us. Apparently he was pleased I was going to get into trouble. If you ask me, Mr. Martin, the principal was in cahoots with the Reverend. For all I know this might be a ploy to get Duo and I apart. Well, this won't work. There's nothing they can do to-
"Did you hear what I just said, Mr. Yuy?"
I blinked. "It's the guidance counselor office for you two!" He angrily took one long at Trowa before sighing. "Mr. Barton, the fact being you helped Mr. Yuy into … into… the fact that you both cut class and severely pissed me off… well.. I… you're both doing detention till your senior year and it's into the counseling office with both of you!!"
"This is insane!" Trowa spoke up for the first time. "We just class, this once Mr. Martin! You can't be serious about giving us detention that long. This is such petty issue for that!"
"You're right." Mr. Martin said. I was vaguely aware of the strings of my heart snapping. Duo's gone. He was gone. He left me. And I let him. I fucking let him. Great now I'm hopelessly attached like Trowa is to Winner. Thank you Trowa. God, thank you for making me feel so fucking vulnerable to emotion.
"After counseling you're suspended for a week!"
"All right!" Trowa punched his fist in the air. And then stopped. "Hang on. What? Mr. Martin, don't be such a nazi! You can't do this to us!"
Mr. Martin's eyes widened. Apparently he didn't want to be referred to as a nazi. "Let me add another week's suspension to that." He smirked, hauled Trowa to the general direction of the counselor's office, and I dumbly stared after them. I felt like I had no feeling left in me anymore, like I was numb.
I didn't even know why it was such a problem for Trowa to be suspended; it wasn't as if there was anything good happening in school. Utter crap, they teach us here. Hone our skills my ass. Oh. Right. Winner. He won't get to see him that frequently if he was out of school for two weeks.
"Mr. Yuy?" I turned around. It was the Reverend. I zoned out so much I didn't realize he was still lingering in the background.
"Yes?"
"This is for the betterment of both my son as well as yourself."
I looked at him, felt the words stab me like a sharp steel sword in the back. "How could you say that?" He looked complacent, like he believed his own words were held more truth than all of mine could ever achieve. "You've never really loved a person as much as I loved him."
He looked startled, and mildly repulsed. "B-but.. you can't possibly.. it's wrong-"
"I love your son, Reverend Maxwell." I put on a grave face to annoy him. "I find that there's nothing wrong with loving him than there is you loving your own wife."
"Mr. Yuy?" Mr. Martin called out from across the hallway. "You have things to do and people to see?" I sighed, starting to feel tired of everything, breathing, leaving, living. "Good day to you Reverend Maxwell. I hope you think about what you did today."
"I should be the one who's telling you that, Mr. Yuy." He threw back at me.
"I know." I paused. "Ironic isn't it?"
I turned around, fumbling at my back to pull the zipper of the costume down, realizing that no matter what I did, Duo would still be gone.
I wanted something sharp.
Personally I don't know why we're in the guidance counselor's office. I have no clue. I keep zoning out the whole time, and felt dizzy, world weary, anxious. It was like I was attacked by various sweepings of emotion I have never allowed myself to feel…ever. It was like I was a hollow, soulless being drifting, wandering along the narrow paths of life, and life was another seamless abyss in itself.
Trowa was sitting next to me, looking sulky. He elbowed me once the pink-clad monstrosity of a counselor walked into the room, sitting on the big chair behind the oak desk.
"Hello." She smiled. "My name is Miss Hathaway. You can call me Anne. [5] That's my first name, you see. Teehee…" She giggled. Trowa coughed. "Well many people think I'm Shakespeare's wife. I mean you know Shakespeare's wife's first name was Anne and her maiden name was Hathaway but when people ask me if we're blood relatives I just laugh and say, 'Teehee. No of course not. I'm just plain ol' Anne to you!' Teehee!"
I narrowed my eyes, noticing only now that her garb consisted of pink boots, a pink pencil skirt, pink tank top and a cowboy hat, which, thankfully enough wasn't in pink. She wore pigtails… her hair was brown, and if I stared long enough at one of her pigtails I could remember Duo.
"Heero, are you all right?" Trowa hissed at me. He looked pissed. Hey that rhymed. God I am such a dork now. I may have been infected by that cat. Stupid cat. "You look more troubled than usual."
I blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"Your glare isn't very intimidating today. It makes you look, kind of irritating than scary. Are you feeling all right?"
"Are you kidding?" I spat out, under my breath. "The boy I'm in love with is leaving for Boston at this very moment and I can do nothing to stop it. And now he's going to leave me forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and e-"
"Heero, I think I get the point."
I shut up. "I feel like an idiot."
"Well you are."
"Go away."
"Unfortunately I can't do that right now."
I sighed, exasperated. I've been so redundant with everything. "You miss Duo don't you?"
"No-yes. Maybe. What are you playing at?"
Trowa smirked, moving his chair closer to mine so that our elbows touched. Anne was talking about how she thought Sponge Bob should be made president and Lucky Charms were supposed to be the staple food of the country. She was high. And annoying too.
"Duo's so cute isn't he?"
"A little."
Trowa's brow rose.
"Sure."
Higher.
"Fine. He is drop dead gorgeous."
"Nice ass too, don't you agree?"
"Very nice ass. Very very nice."
"And you love his hair so much too right? Love the way you touch him, and he touches you?"
I groaned. "Yeah…oh god." Brief scenes of sweaty bodies and Duo writhing underneath me.
"And you didn't mean to fall for him so quickly right?"
"I was a fool for love." I admitted.
"Ha!" He pointed at me smugly, and then as I glared at him he shifted in his seat. "Well anyway. Duo's got tantalizing violet eyes."
"Hn."
"And those lips? So kissable, soft and pouty…"
"Hn."
"And you want him back and will do anything just to do so." Trowa paused. "And you miss him so much you keep zoning out."
"Yea-what? Trowa?" I sputtered. This was the first time I ever sputtered. That cannot be. That.. that just happened. "You're Jedi-mind tricking me again aren't you?"
"Good guess Anakin." He rolled his eyes. "All I'm saying is that we have got to fight-"
"For our right to party?" I asked.
"Stop quoting songs." Trowa looked a bit bothered by my behavior. The cat's germs were quickly spreading, pervading my central nervous system first, my blood vessels, my tissues… everything. Gah. "It gets… disturbing."
"Disturbing?" I repeated. "Don't talk to me about disturbing. You can't even keep your pants on. You're always schnookling around with that Winner boy all the time. You've finished off my box of condoms!"
"You do know that there isn't such a word as schnookling right?"
"Shut up."
"What did Duo tell you anyway?"
"Exactly what you said," I mumbled under my breath, turning to stare at Anne who has now babbling incoherently. "Only he wanted me to fight for truth, beauty, freedom and love."
There was a very pregnant pause.
"I've come to a realization that everyone in this whole town is crazy."
"Wow." Trowa the master of sarcasm spoke. "Took you a long time to realize that, Heero. I feel oddly proud of you. I don't know why but I do."
"I'm touched."
Trowa turned towards Anne again. "What else did Duo say?"
I thought really hard, trying to push away the blankness away. "He wanted me to save him."
"Save him?" Trowa repeated. Anne just handed him a photo album, which he refused. "From what?"
"…Solo."
It was either we were just incredibly stupid or we just realized what Duo meant.
Trowa
I'd like to say that it's all my doing how Heero and Duo got together. I'd like to say too, that if it weren't for me Heero would never have fallen in love at all and learn the appropriate skills necessary for the little thing we'd all like to call courtship.
So the both of them should give me credit, and by that I mean, something like a very rewarding pat in the back, perhaps a high five a nod of gratitude or 'Hn' from Heero considering his social skills were still corroded, or maybe even a bag of money or condoms. But no, instead of any of those, I got a glare from Yuy. Ingrate.
Behind every cheesy romantic story, behind every epic saga, every hero who, albeit despite his obtuse endeavors, still got the girl (or the boy) is some dude who tells of the tales, trials and tribulations that said hero has come across, dudes like me.
But what do I do? I just sit, watch along in the background and give advice to our favorite He(e)ro. Personally I just like to hang around and see Heero squirm when I make him wear all the consumes. He listens to everything I say, you see, as I'm his best friend, although we both deny the sappy term.
It was pretty obvious he wasn't accustomed to feeling, (at all) for anybody. He had a rough life; his parents fought a lot and then left him the house when he came of age to travel around to god knows where, only giving him ample money to run his own life.
Heero was misanthropic, hated everything--he was a cynic. his life's principle? The world is hell objectified. but he was popular at school, and there where society breeds what little is left in our ineptitude for the future of this lovely country, the ground Heero stepped on was worshipped by many, not that he cared really. Girls fawned on him, especially Relena Peacecraft.
all my life I've been by his side. it got hard at times, we fought a lot; he's got a good left hook, mind you, and I got good in kicking... ahem, things. anyway, where was I? Heero and Duo. Right. sorry to lead you astray. you see that's just the problem. nobody likes to hear about me--they prefer hearing the quixotic adventures of Heero Yuy the great. But I suppose since you're there an don't need to listen to my incessant babbling I'll tell you the tale.
You probably know the rest already, how Heero fell in love with Duo accidentally. but there really aren't such things as accidents or coincidences--everything else is planned, laid out so you can never alter or fix it. it's something called fate.
I'd like to skip all the boring parts out. basically Heero and Duo became an item for at least a week. I know it's a short span of time but considering the amount of time they practically spend with each other, flirting, being all shy and PMS-y (Duo in particular) holding hands, kissing, saying love-dovey gibberish, it was a very, very long time, trust me.
But then inevitable happened. The night of Relena's party, Heero and my secret came out: Heero won Duo over because and only because of a bet. So Duo got severely pissed, knocked the life out of Heero, and left the party. Now Heero's wallowing in self-pity and whatnot.
but really, that isn't where this is supposed to go. Currently Heero and I were sitting in the counselor's office, Ms. Hathaway asking us why we felt the need to express ourselves in such a peculiar method as hamster costumes.
I was on the verge of saying that I just liked making fun of Heero because the look on his face was priceless, definitely a Kodak moment that I actually thought of taking a snapshot of him and sending it Kodak--they might've sent me back some money for that too-- but I decided against it as Heero might not appreciate hearing my reason.
Heero was unusually silent, and I asked him if he was all right. we launched into a semi-conversation in which I forced him to admit he missed Duo and we needed to do something about it.
"What else did Duo say?" I asked him.
Heero paused. "He wanted me to help him. save him."
"Save him?" I repeated. Anne thrust a photo album of her early years towards me but I gladly refused. "From what?"
"…Solo."
I blinked at him, pushing my hair to the side of my face. It did nothing really to obscure my view but I felt that fixing my hair was appropriate.
"You know Quatre told me there was something creepy about that Solo." Heero turned to me, the answer dawning on him. "Trowa if he thought Solo creepy what more has he thought of you?"
I punched him on the arm. "I'm serious Heero."
"Well so am I."
"Heero?" I asked tentatively. The moment I saw Solo I felt that there was something amiss already. "You don't think that Solo likes Duo in the way you do, do you?"
"He does."
"Oh. And you're just sitting around here with me in this hellhole doing nothing?"
"Maybe the Reverend's right." Heero sighed, exasperated. "I just want to go home Trowa.The Reverend has made it clear. He doesn't want me around Duo."
"You don't believe that baloney do you?" I was incredulous now. "Duo and you are made for each other."
"The way you and Quatre are?" A small, rueful smile played on his lips.
I nodded. "Exactly." they were like Tony and Maria, minus the corny dancing. They were like Clark and Lex for crying out loud! And don't let DC fool you! It's Clark and Lex who're the ultimate pair. it's not Lois Lane, people! Sure Lex can get a bit cranky at times at Clark, threatening to blow random things up, but hey they've got this unresolved sexual tension thing going on. You can't blame the poor guy. Great, now I'm starting to sound like Quatre.
"I don't know, Trowa." Wha? Heero was speaking. I pretended to listen. "Maybe I'm not really made for Duo."
"If you're not then who is?" I sighed, exasperated. It looks like it's back to the master to get things right again. "So what're your plans to get Duo back?"
"I'm empty." Heero furrowed his brows. "All I know is I don't want any costumes anymore ."
"The best we can do right now is-"
"Follow Duo to Boston and rip that Solo's skin to shreds."
"I was thinking more along the lines of dressing you up in a Superman costume," I smirked at the look that fell across his face. "But that's fine with me."
"Miss Hathaway?" Suddenly Heero looked up, standing to his feet. "I'm sorry but can we go now?" Now, I'd like to tell you an elaborate story about how Heero and I tied Miss Hathaway to her chair, gagged her and ran across the halls whilst ongoing classes, the air blowing hair from our faces as a very hip tune played along in the background. I'd also like to tell you that we drove to the airport, defied every parking/driving law, caught up on Duo before he left and how I watched fascinated and a bit satisfied as two sixteen year old boys held each other and kissed passionately in the midst of strangers who applauded and were in awe at the sight before them. You'd probably even see the credits rolling in. But no, that sort of thing happens in the movies. This is real life we're talking about hear. Demented, albeit odd life, but life nonetheless.
Miss Hathaway's eyes blurred with tears, her lower lip trembling. I didn't know why Heero got so affected to see her in that misery-ed state but he gave me a worried glance. Duo was definitely cause for this change.
"Great!" I muttered sarcastically. "You made her cry now."
"Well what was I supposed to do? Leave the office and be rude?"
"How the hell can you possibly think about being rude at a time like this?" I threw my hands up in exasperation. We launched onto a full arguement. "You're boyfriend's probably getting raped by now and you're worried you might upset the insane counselor?"
Miss Hathaway sobbed louder, her tonsils showing. I winced. Something in Heero's face changed, and a thousand undecipherable things flitted across his face. it was the very first time I saw him terribly distressed in perhaps the entirety of our friendship.
"Change of plans." Heero said decisively making his way to the door. "We'll go over Duo's house and try to stop him before he gets to Boston with Solo."
He was out the door by now. I could only blink after him. That sounded like a good idea so I left as well.
"Hey wait! Boys!"
Heero and I took his car. He barely gave me a glance as he started the engine and took off for Duo's house all in the same minute. I was a bit disappointed we didn't get to bring Quatre along but I said nothing about this. Worry was beginning to creep over me, like a bothersome gum stain beneath my shoe. Duo might really be in trouble, and I couldn't waste my time thinking about my cherub, not that ever thinking about him went as a waste.
I turned to look at Heero whose face was drawn to a tight, menacing scowl. He must have the same thoughts running in his mind, of course probably not about Quatre but Duo instead. In a matter of minutes the tires screeched, and Heero jumped out the car without turning off the engine. I followed after him, my legs feeling numb because I suddenly felt uneasy about the whole situation.
The front door was locked, so Heero and I kicked it open. We burst into the door, and Heero's eyes swept across the living room. We were met with complete and utter silence and for a brief second I felt stupid pitching the idea of coming to help 'save' Duo.
I guess nobody was home in reality, and that made me feel a bit silly. "They're gone." Heero said dejectedly, running up the stairs before I could catch my breath. I ran after him, taking two steps at a time, and sometimes pausing for breath. I was still a bit winded when Heero began to scan the hallway, and just as he turned to look at me again, we heard a scream coming from one of the bedrooms. Heero's eyes and mine instantly widened. Heero bolted for the room in question and kicked the door open again whilst I stood by him, dreading perhaps, what we might see.
And I did dread it, but Heero seemed to take it the worst. Duo's hands and feet were bound to the bed posts by a sturdy rope, and he was clad only in his boxers, his hair loose around him but failing to cover his body from the assault of a shirtless guy's tongue.
Duo shuddered, his eyes clamped shut as he tried to wiggle his way out of his fetters as one might when a heavy person straddled them. "Get off of him!" Heero barked, and I jumped slightly because that took me by surprise. I was still so shocked to the core I didn't know what to do with myself.
The shirtless guy turned to growl at us, his brows furrowing too, and I almost gasped because it was--
"Solo." I said blankly. Solo was Duo's cousin! It was one thing to be gay, but having an incestuous streak?
Solo didn't get off however, he ran a hand along Duo's chest and licked a path on his neck. Duo's eyes popped open. "Heero!" He was on the verge of crying. "Heero, oh god I'm sorry for cheating on you... I'm so sorry.. So sorry.... please don't hate me--"
Solo slapped Duo's face. Duo shut up, but his chest heaved as he continued to sob. "Heero..."
Heero glared and went to pounce on Solo, but before he could Solo raised a hand to stop him. "Nuh-uh, pretty boy." He smirked, drawing out a small pocket knife. "you move and I hurt him." Duo's eyes widened. I felt immobile, and I hovered against the backdrop of everything as Heero's hands clenched around himself before finally letting go.
Solo got off Duo and thrust a rope in our direction. "You." He jerked his head towards me and I felt the need to spit at him. "Tie him up." I gazed at Heero for a second. He nodded.
"Do what he says, Trowa." Solo snickered.
"Good little boy," He patted Heero's cheek. I glared at Solo before doing as I was ordered. So we didn't save Duo dramatically, and there wasn't even a moral of the story, or any point as to why Heero didn't grab Solo and beat the life out of him while he was tying me up, but our hands and feet were tied and gagged next to each other while Solo stripped to his boxers and ran his fingers all over Duo's face and neck, kissing him all the way.
Still, there's barely any comfort in that. We just watched haplessly as Duo cried even harder, calling out Heero's name and saying he was sorry. Heero's eyes met with mine. If we had some telepathic connection, I'd have known what he was trying to tell me but since there was none the fact being Heero was too prideful to admit I was his only best friend in the world besides his own ego, I scrunched up my eyes in confusion.
There was no use trying to form the words since I couldn't, really. So I tried harder, praying I would understand him. He leaned in closer so that his head fell to my lap and I gave him a weird look. Don't tell me he was going to...
As if understanding me, his eyes drew together into a scowl. So we did have a telepathic connection, albeit it was one sided. Heero maneuvered so he was lying face down with his head between my legs, and I tried to move away but he kept shaking his head. Then it dawned on me. It was either a) he wanted to suck me or b) he was telling me to untie him. I decided to go for b, seeing as Quatre would probably hate me if I cheated on him.
I didn't know why we both didn't think of this before, honestly. There I was removing the knots from Heero's bound legs, and what does he do? He stands up and doesn't even bother to untie me first before he goes darting off to wrench Solo off from Duo.
I made a frustrated sound as I watched, yet again, as Heero and Solo struggled to try hit each other the hardest. If you ask me if Heero unbound me first then he probably wouldn't have gotten into so much trouble trying to kick Solo's ass.
Duo was cheering Heero on, and I wanted as well but I was gagged, you see. Solo pushed Heero brutally off of him, sending Heero toppling to the desk, breaking items in the process. Heero recovered swiftly, punching Solo in the gut and making him double over in pain. Told you, good left hook. Then fear hit me. Solo grabbed the pocket knife by the nightstand and plunged it to the general direction of Heero's stomach, but Heero was lucky enough to dodge that.
Then I prayed. Yes, corny I know. but I didn't want to lose my best friend, and his boyfriend. I'd have no more person to make fun of, and the chances that I'll ever be credited for this story would most likely waver. So I prayed, sort of. I wasn't religious or anything but I mumbled to myself that whoever was listening out there, please send somebody--Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy--to come save the day.
Then something happened. This miraculous feat that'll have me on my knees (if I can manage it) faster than you could say 'huh?'. Okay, it may sound a bit far-fetched, and I'd again like to launch onto a more dramatic story about how halo began forming around Duo's head, and how soft white wings sprout out from his back, and the next minute we discovers he was in fact a real angel, and he punishes Solo by banishing him to the counselor's office forever, but sadly no, that didn't happen.
Instead, Duo's father came into the doorway. You could see how easily Solo looked so shocked, so horror-stricken and at that moment, Duo said, "Dad! Save me! Solo wants to rape me!" and I tried to mumble the same thing, except you know, about that part about Solo trying to rape me but like I said I couldn't. It just wasn't possible for a dude who had his mouth gagged.
Solo's pocketknife fell with a clunk to the floor, and Heero moved away from him to rush over Duo's side and untie him. Me? Nobody remembered me.
Duo's dad's face fell. "Solo... is this true?"
Solo was silent. He couldn't quite escape this situation now. He was only in his boxers and Duo was in the same position whereas I still remained tied watching dully as everybody acted like I didn't exist.
Solo hung his head in shame. "I didn't... didn't mean to. I was--I was possessed by an evil spirit!" Heero held Duo in his arms as he finally managed to remove the ropes. I wanted to scoff at Solo's remark.
Duo's dad rolled his eyes. "Solo, don't be lying to me now. The Lord knows when one is lying. And liars burn a fiery painful recurring death in hell."
Solo's eyes widened. "But.. I--I didn't meant to lie.. I was tempted. Duo tempted me to jump into bed with him! And... and--" He placed his face in his hands, sighing. "I'm sorry, unc. I was overcome with jealousy when Duo said he loved him." He pointed at Heero who was still protectively holding Duo in his arms.
Solo picked up his pants. "I should go now. I understand you probably don't want to see me again."
"That's true."
"Same here!" Duo said as he snuggled up, looking still shaken into Heero's neck. Solo left fairly quickly as he gathered his things and the Reverend made him promise to never show his face again. The Reverend was a very pious man. If I were in his place I'd have killed Solo if he tried anything funny with my son that is considering I had one with Quatre.
I was massaging my wrists and Duo sat on Heero's lap in normal clothes--jumpers for him were normal-- when the Reverend walked into the living room, his hands on his hips.
"All right Mr. Yuy., We've got something to talk about." The Reverend beckoned with his finger. Heero kissed Duo on the nose and gently stood up to follow the Reverend.
While they were gone, I asked Duo, "So do you think things are okay between you two?"
Duo smiled, nodding. "Yeah."
"That dumbass loves you, all right?" I assured him, rubbing my left wrist where the rope marks burned imprints. Quatre would probably kiss it better later on. "Despite what Heero says or does, he loves you."
Duo blushed. "you think so?"
"He'd be stupid not to."
The Reverend came back again, this time his stern face showing that of warmth and kindness. Duo looked confused as he shifted his gaze from his dad to Heero.
"What's going on?" Heero smiled as he took Duo's hand in his. He kissed his forehead.
"Your dad's finally okay with us being together."
The reverend seemed to find his shoes interesting as of the moment and I fought the urge not to laugh.
"Dad? Is that true?"
The Reverend sighed, shuffling his feet. "After taking some time to consider things between the both of you I came to a conclusion that there'd really be no point trying to separate you, since Mr. Yu--I mean Heero here would go to any length just to be with you," He looked up, looking flushed. "I give Heero my consent to...date you."
I grinned, standing up and patting The Reverend on the back. "You rock, Mr. Maxwell!" I tried giving him a high five but he glared. "Don't push your luck, Mr. Barton."
I gulped. Well, on the other side of things (not to mention the room) Heero finally made out with Duo. Yes, I know. You're probably asking me, "How could you leave out all the interesting bits out Trowa?" while struggling not to hit me with a frying pan, but I'll give you this, Heero took Duo's face in his hands and leaned closer.
Being that it was supposed to be my job to watch them, as I'm still waiting for the silver plaque to be handed to me later on, I strained to hear what Heero whispered to Duo.
"Thank you Duo," He kissed his nose, caressing his cheek with his thumb. "For making, no, teaching me how to love."
Duo's eyes shone like lampposts. Forgive the simile, I'm not exactly at my best with descriptions. "Yeah, and thanks a lot for making me smile, wear leather pants and breaking my heart."
Heero's face showed utter confusion. "But most of all thank you, for teaching me how to be cool."
Heero laughed and kissed him fully on the lips.
"Aww, how sweet." I cooed. The Reverend shook his head at me. He probably thought I wanted to kiss him to get into the swing of things.
So this my darlings, is the end. The story of truth, beauty... er, well anyway, you'd think that from all the bad high school clichés you've seen in the movies: (those involving the unique social hierarchy that constitutes any formidable high school society, dividing the jocks from the geeks and so on) that you can rightfully say that high school popularity is overrated. it's almost so unrealistic the way they make it all seem. It's not revolving around who was cool, and who wasn't.
But this love story, purer and more sublime than any other romance novel, will prove just how you can't help falling, even for the braided, violet-eyed boy in the blue jumpers. So this is their story. It isn't mine since I'm only left to tell the tale whilst I wait for a thank you.
Their story: Heero and Duo's It's not exactly life altering or inspiring or contains some hidden lesson behind it, and I could only hope it evokes some sort of feeling out of you. But I digress.
end.
---
This if the VERY first fic I have ever finished. I'm quite happy that I got to write the word 'end' in one of my chaptered stories seeing as I have the attention span of a humming bird and often stray from my fics. Anyway, I kept rewriting the ending but it didn't resolve anything really at my first few attempts, so I guess this is it, I suppose. Hey, sorry for the delay. I am taking a lot of classes right now and I'm high on cereals and sugar… so sorry if the ending annoyed you. I'm gonna continue my other fics sometime after the commotion in school dies down, aigh't? All right. Cool.
Let's roll into the credits:
Okay first, I'd like to credit: All American Girl by Meg Cabot, Angus, Thongs & Full frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, Hard Love by the fabbity fab fab Ellen Wittlinger, The Beetle And Me: A Love Story by Karen Romano Young, and Teen Angst? Naah by Ned Vizinni, (a very hysterical but quixotic take on Pie/David) As Told By Patrick / The Patrick Appreciation Society (a fic) by snuffiloser back on hottbaguettes which I've just printed and read to school last week. I didn't rip off lines from it or anything (at least I think I didn't) but it inspired me how to end this fic, and I realized we share a keen interest for Moulin Rouge.
Okay, uhm I'd like to thank everybody who has reviewed or read or printed the fic and brought it to school with them!!wink, wink I love you all, and someday we're all gonna get married! hugs everyone and hands out pocky ha! lol.
Debbie, for putting weird ideas into my head, threatening to kill me if I didn't write any SP/FB/GW/CSI fics, giving me a good slap in the face when I least expect it, getting me obsessed with Simple Plan all over again, introducing me to hottbaguettes and no sense of sin, and for being a friend who constantly annoys the hell out of me. But I love her cause she's nice, and she's so cool.
My lit teacher, Angie (for letting me copy your homework, and allowing me to be shameless) Jen (not telling on me and being okay with everything) and my ex best friend Claudia (for the nifty stuffed toys).
Also a very HUGE, thank you to Andrea, my dearest, dearest beta-reader for… EVERYTHING! Dude, you rock socks and I probably wouldn't have written the previous chapter and this if it weren't for you! J I'm glad you stick around and everything and listen to me babble when you probably have more productive things to do. gives giant pocky pauses hey that rhymed. Ha! I'm such a nerd.
[Note to reader: Everybody thank Andrea when you review! She's like, the reason this thing's written! So you have to give her some credit, 'kay?]
And To Link Worshiper, (love Smells Like Teen Spirit, dude) I'm glad you wrote that fic, cause it keeps me sane in school when my sched gets hectic. glomps yeah, I know the Mac and Apple thing, it was supposed to be different.. nobody bothered to point that out like nobody bothered to wake me up for school a couple mornings ago when I overselpt. Maybe I should get a new beta reader. ([andrea glares] haha! J/k. nobody can ever take her place! She's so frickin great.) Sorry if I don't review your fic often, actually I reviewed only once and I'm really mad at myself for that because you've been following this fic for like, forever and reviewing whereas my IE decides to be a bitch and not work more often than not when I log onto FF.NET. I swear I WILL review your fic again. And to anybody who's reading this, go read Link Worshiper's works! They'll rock your 1x2x1 world!
To those who reviewed the previous chapter (shoot me if I leave anybody out):
yuki-san3 : I hope you liked the ending, and can you teach me how to speak French properly?lol. there's nothing wrong with your grammar! hugs I wish I could like, review your fics, but sadly I'm not very good in French. Sniff. I wish I were though.
scarlett-ruby: Thanks, I guess. Haha.
Jess: thank you!!!! gives big hug
WhiteWolfSearching: I still love you most! Yeah, I'm totally polygamous! But you're at the top of my list!! Lol. thanks for sticking around this long.
Feckless: yeah, nobody likes to be left like an expectant hanging thing..
ChibiNekoTenshi: Now, that this is over and done with I can go ahead with Boy Meets Girl! Thanks for sticking around! Love ya!
DarlaLa mosca Tete: Yeah, Darla-chan!
YaoiYaoiYeah: uhm, did you receive my email? I hope you did, cause you haven't replied yet. Newei, thanks a load for joining the review team as you said! mwah
StaplersBreak: yes, scatterbrained, I know. Sad isn't it? well lol. I'm glad you liked it despite that. And I love your pen-name. It reminds me about that time I got hit in the head by a stapler. No kidding though.
Camillian: it was addicting? starts breaking into another SP song ahem. Right, well I'm glad you liked the way I write. People who say that turn me into complete mush as people in the real world usually hate what I write. Sniff.poor me, but anyways glomps thank wheeyow!
Dayzy: I'm confused. Do you have like, two personalities or uh, share your account with somebody? Well me glad you like fic. And thanks to "Rayne" as well! hugs
Nutshell: yeah, well I hope you like Trowa here too. I decided to uh, make him tell the story because he doesn't so little 'fic time'.
kaori-chan: kaori-chan! I'm happy that you're happy so here's the update!
Shinigami11: hah, I love you too! I'm gonna email you later, k? you sound pretty funny yourself 'cause I think you may as well be as deranged as I am. You'll get your laptop too! pats back
Muchacha: you can draw?! eyes widen in awe wow! That so kicks serious ass. I can't draw and I have no talent other than messing things up, so I enVy you!
Duo/Folken/TK: yay! You reviewed! Yeah, one more chap but there is an epilogue that is if you guys wanna see it. don't be sad. I'm not. lol. it gives me ample time to finish my other ahem Pivaid fics and do more homework.
Fragile Reflection: wow the fic affects you so much? I guess I'm flattered because if I were another person I probably won't be reading this! Thanks dude.
Lord J aka as nnp: hey, don't whack him! that'll leave a bump. On second thought, whack him. but just so you know I like Solo. Although he's a bit of an asshole here. I like nnp for you better, btw.
Kary-Asakura: that's disturbing. I think I'll never go on a cruise ship and look into the ocean the same way again. Heh. You watch too much discovery channel for your own good. I used to be addicted to the morning news when I was seven. My mum had to tear me away from the television. Your cousin lusted after you? Whoah, serious shit going on there. I have a cousin—who lives in Boston and wears Pocahontas boxers, and I kind of drew the character of Solo from him, but he's not perverted. He skates and sketches too thuogh.
hee-chan2: uhm, well this is what'll happen next.
winkie101: catches bishie plushies yay, thanks. .
Shin-chan: haha. uneasy laugh I'm not sure if this thing resolves stuff.
duo&heero: yeah, I know. Lol.
Kitty Kat: yeah the last part was a bit rushed, sorry.
releduo2: the perversion? Lol. what kind of place do you live in? I wanna go switch with ya! My house is pretty quiet so it gets boring so I play my cds real loud but then the neighbors complain so I have to keep it down. Stupid neighbors.
Jesse-chan: haha. Yeah I do that too sometimes. I read a fic and then when there's this line that really gets me lmao, I quote it and my friends all look at me like I'm having some private joke with myself. They find it disturbing but I don't care.
Amber: hehe. What's with the dance?
Sev-chan: thank you!!! hugs
Crème: well since I appreciate the fact that you remembered to thank me for not forgetting you, and considering I have the memory of a duck, I'm adding you in this again. Heh. Thanks a lot for reviewing, dude! gives pocky yeah, get used to my giving random things away.
LB : yay! LB-chan!
EternalDarkness: nah, you dun' have to bow. flushes haha. Well I didn't think the 'break up' chapter was angsty, but anyway, I'm glad I made you laugh.. at one am. I'm usually dead asleep by that hour or if not, browsing fics online or trying to do my homework.
Dargon1727: nope, it's not seven months anymore… I tried aiming for may 9 so it'll be like, my birthday gift for SP's Pierre Bouvier or something like that cause I suck at writing Pivaid fics, but I was tired from er… doing other stuff.
Rose Creighton: yeah, solo is an ass but I like him that way. I needed to direct everybody's hate towards him, and away from Relena for awhile.
Maria Wong: I missed me too. Lol. all right, I will update BOY MEETS GIRL, just for you. Yeah I know what you mean about farm animals. I'm mostly allergic to birds, which gives me a pretty decent excuse to stay the hell away from them. Aww, you twisted your ankle. Poor child. Lol. sorry to hear about that. You have a psychologist? Hook me up, dude. I have my own issues too! Anyway, uh.. can I have your email addy?
Evee-chan: here's the last chap!! gives pocky
Silver-Wood-GG: sorry for distracting you from homework! Anyway, I make sure I write a lot so the readers won't get disappointed. I mean, I'd like to read a lengthy fic myself, and I get pissed when the good chaptered stories out there are so frickin short, so I decided to dump a lot of stuff into each part that I write so as not to irk other people.
EternalSailorDarkness: yes, strange, I know. I decided to be the forerunner of.. alternative fics. Nah. I'm just a really odd person is all.
And to those others:
Tobias Lannister, Paulina Lysek, Y401-F4N, mitsune, ReddAlice, L33T PHR33K, Violet Yuymaxwell, Princess Lightina, Eraya, Water-chan, Karen McCoy, Emily Hato, ShinigamisLover, KittyKatu, Harlequin Light, Gears, Zonednew, Kanberry, Darkness, White Destiny,violeteyes, Dark Peppermint,Leira, Vergil, Reha, sara-chan, Ryoko-onee, autumn-ferris, Setowriter123456, Ryoko-onee, Tori Yuki Ichimura, Meiyo, Cradlerobber Speedo-kun, HeeroDuo1x2x1, Kasirika, Sagi-chan, X, SwomeSwan, annabellemanix, Kika, Skulled, Kanberry, Rabid Yaoi Fangirl, kate, Hakumei, Randi¸Koneko10, Kagirinai, GottdesTodes, Evita1, Corli¸ ristica, Terra Kaiba, nananashi-silence, Karinka, Arein Urameshi, Zarra Rous¸ mini-azn, Rings Of Saturn, andy¸Werekitten, Plastic Tree¸Fate-sama, Cewo, Duo, fate-sama , Darkarc, Ryouga Saiyuki, Lin-z¸Seraph's Cry, Leaf Zelindor, ChooChooTrain¸ Devylzangyl¸magic,dreamer¸pewp¸Sobakasu¸ spiritkat , secret10¸ Sincerly Upset, nani?, Sharnay, Caramina von Strade, Elfsong, Shinko, Shini-girl Kit¸Krad in California, nananashi-death¸nette¸The Demonic Duo¸ romanceinthemoonlight ¸Draco-Lover, Lizzard, Jersie, AHAHAHAHA! I OWN WUFFIE!!!, Satans Little Toy¸Kinoshi, Verogiftedjade, Shadow-Kat (thanks so much for everything!), Gosuke Yurason, Wind, Canyon A. Lynn, Marie¸ReddAlice¸Canyon A. Lynn , Catherina¸Ex-Angel & Muses ¸shinigami-steh, spellhorn, Queen Of Vegetasei ,sawdust,Sir Gabs-a-lot¸Peace Angel and Dark Angel¸mara-chan, Reina En Corazons AKA Tha Assassin, Fire-Wind1, Nina, TrenchcoatMan, animebishieluva, Kico Yushimi, Ashley¸winkie101¸Mariana1, maladyrancor¸beeb¸NanashiRose, Isika, and Sefarina Malaika.
1. A line from the movie The New Guy. Gets me cracking all the time. Thanks Deb! You're the best! lol.
2. From Ned Vizzini's book. I love this line and I don't care how many times I use it.
3. Thanks to Deb, again! Although I dunno where she got this. Sounds funny though
4. haha. I hate ballet. They make you feel like you're fat even when you're not! right, andrea? wink,wink
5. Anne Hathaway is Shakespeare's wife but she's got no relation to Anne Hathaway of the movie The Princess Diaries.
so this is it my readers. I practically gave you a peek into my insane mind. To all those nice people I met and added me to their YM/MSN/AIM I love you too! tata! I'm also working on a new fic called 'Catch Me I'm Falling, Really I Am' which is 1x2x1, and with a little help from Andrea the beta reader sent from heaven it'll be come out before the month ends.
Here's a sneak peak:
The Shiny Boy had very long chestnut hair, three feet long tied into a careful braid behind his head, violet eyes and soft, soft lips. He was lean and muscular, around my height or an inch shorter. He was smiling in that Brady-esque sort of way, which irked me.
It was annoying as it was shiny.
"My name's Duo Maxwell." He introduced himself. Somebody's hand behind me shot up. "I'm Quatre Winner! Nice to meet you." Oh yes, another Brady. "I'm just kind of lost right now. This is class b3 is it not? I have, let's see." A peak into a piece of paper. "French class with Miss Croft?"
"Well this is b3." Trowa explained. "But I'm not Miss Croft."
Obviously.
"She just got married last week."
"Oh!" Duo said, and he tilted his head in a manner that screamed 'I'm available'. "That's so nice, getting married."
"Actually it was obligatory." Trowa said seriously. "Her father was dying on his deathbed and hit her in the leg and said she had to marry or she'd forfeit the house."
"Oh." Duo said.
"Anyway." Trowa crossed his arms, which was an equivalent of a happy beam. "Have a seat Duo. There's an empty seat next to…"
"If you're making him sit next to me Barton I'd be sure to kill him." Trowa's brow rose, and so did everybody's. I had come to a realization they set this whole act up. They were so precise after all.
"Don't mind him Duo, and just sit next to him. He's just grumpy because he's never gotten laid. If he tries anything tell me."
Gah. Like it? hate it? God I sound like a retard. Well, tata! See ya on my next fic, and hopefully it won't be that disturbing! wavesciao.