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"Entanglement"Written By: Clara Barton Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. The following
is an intellectual exercise with no intention of profit. That said,
these characterizations, words, and situations are mine. Please ask
before reprinting. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Angst, language, sex Pairings: 2x3, 1x2x3, past 1x4, past 1x5 Summary: It was supposed to be one night, a threesome with a complete stranger to celebrate their anniversary, but things got complicated. Sequel to: King of Hearts, Defeated and Brand New Day A/N: I wrote Defeated as a one shot, but then
I wrote King of Hearts (actually a prequel to Defeated) for the 2014
Smut Off with Miss-Murdered and I've just fallen in love with these
characters so I wrote Brand New Day. Entanglement is a multi-chapter
fic of the events taking place after Brand New Day. You definitely
need to read those three one shots before reading this. "Entanglement" Chapter Thirteen "..of course. Duo and Trowa are both excellent lawyers." "Indeed. It was so wonderful to see Duo on the cover of the New York Times twice - and did he tell you the New Yorker and the Atlantic interviewed him last week? It's so wonderful he is being acknowledged." "I seem to remember his partner, Heero Yuy, in those photographs as well." "Yes. Truly a great partner for Duo. I -" The doorbell rang and Duo made absolutely no pretense about his desire to escape and answer the door. He practically threw the bowl of potatoes he had been peeling down and fled the kitchen where Catharine, Trowa's sister, and Helen sat at the breakfast table and argued with each other. Trowa, of course, had been able to escape to their bedroom upstairs to take an urgent phone call. Duo didn't begrudge him that - listening to these two women battle was hard enough on him, it made Trowa even more anxious than it did Duo. Of course, as he made his way to the door, he had to wonder - would this new addition to their Thanksgiving make things better or worse? He opened the door to find Heero on the other side, dressed in a navy sweater and khaki pants, wine bottle in hand, overnight bag at his feet and an unsure expression on his face. The acute relief Duo felt was immense and he pulled Heero to him, hugging him and kissing him. "Thank God you're here," he said as he pulled away quickly, mindful of the fact that Catharine and Helen were both nosey and could walk up to see this. Heero arched an eyebrow at his slightly desperate tone. "Sorry, it's been a... rough morning." "How is Trowa holding up?" Heero asked. Duo sighed and stepped aside so that Heero could enter the house. "You know him, burying everything down deep so he doesn't have to deal with it." Heero again arched an eyebrow, and Duo could feel his recrimination. After all, didn't he do the same thing? Or at least try to? Heero just didn't let him. Duo swallowed hard, remembering last week, perhaps one of the worst days of his life, and the way that Heero had been there for him, refusing to leave, refusing to let him ignore the pain and fear and then he had taken it away, had soothed him and worshipped him and Duo had confessed. He had told Heero he loved him. And Heero hadn't said a word about it. Duo was trying not to make anything of that - of Heero's silence. After all, maybe he simply hadn't heard him. Maybe he assumed that since it was at that moment - during sex after such a miserable day - that Duo hadn't really meant it. But each day that went by, as Heero continued to hold himself back, continued to turn down nights at their apartment and continued to have a pinched, troubled look on his face when he looked at Duo and Trowa, each passing day seemed proof to Duo that Heero did not return his feelings. But now, he reflected as he took Heero's bag, was not the time to go down that dark hole. Heero obviously cared about Duo and Trowa - why else would he have put up with Duo that day or agreed to this weekend of hell? As if summoned by his thoughts, Helen walked into the living room and greeted Heero with a smile. "Oh Heero. It's so good to see you again." Heero inclined his head politely. "You're looking well, Helen. I appreciate this invitation to join your family this weekend." Helen beamed. "But of course! Why, you and Duo have been spending so much time together at work - doing such wonderful things together," here she paused to look at Catharine triumphantly, who only rolled her eyes in response," you're nearly family already." Duo had no idea what already could possibly mean. It wasn't as if Heero could ever really be family. Not unless Duo planned on divorcing Trowa and - He sighed. This had to stop. Before he could say anything, however, Trowa came down the stairs. Duo watched him look at Heero, watched the way his face transformed from the carefully neutral expression he had worn since Helen arrived into a full fledged smile. It made Duo smile as well - seeing Trowa instantly that relaxed and open just because Heero had arrived. Apparently they both desperately needed him here. "Trowa," Heero greeted him and Trowa actually hugged him, holding on tightly for a moment before letting go. "Heero. I'm glad you could make it. Have you met my sister yet? Catharine, this is Heero Yuy. Heero, my sister." Heero and Catharine shook hands and Duo noticed that Catharine and Helen were both regarding Trowa with slightly raised eyebrows. Clearly neither woman had been expecting Trowa to hug the apparent rival for Duo. "It's good to meet you," Heero told Catharine. "And you as well," she said, her eyes sparkling mischieviously. "My brother has told me so much about you." Now it was Heero and Duo regarding Trowa with arched eyebrows. It made sense, Duo supposed - Trowa genuinely liked Heero as a friend as well as their clandestine lover - but he still found it interesting that Trowa had spoken to Catharine at length about him. Then again, Trowa was taciturn at the best of times - when Catharine said he had told her so much about Heero it really could just be to mention that he worked with them and he worked out with him. Could be, but Duo doubted it. He didn't mind that Trowa talked to Catharine about Heero - hell, Duo now had a weekly beer with Vandy to talk about their complicated lives - but it made him uneasy. Duo knew that he was usually the one to dive in first, knew he rushed to the finish line and fell in love hard and fast and he had assumed that he was the only one already completely in love with Heero. But if Trowa had spoken to Catharine about him - and from that look in her eyes it was clearly more than two sentences - then Duo knew he had to feel just as deeply for Heero as he did. And they still didn't have a clue about Heero's feelings for them. "Anyway," Duo spoke up, "let me show Heero to his room." They had decided there was no way Heero could a room with Catharine or sleep on the couch in the living room, and since there was no plausible reason to put him in their bedroom, Trowa had purchased an air mattress and shoved the desk to one side of the room in their small office. It was cramped, but it at least a room. Heero smiled slightly as he took in the small space and set down his bag. "Reminds me of my dorm room in college," he said. "Well, if you feel like channeling your college days of sneaking around for sex..." Duo muttered and waggled his eyebrows. Heero gave him a look. "I'm really not sure that's the best plan," he said, holding Duo's eyes for a moment before his gaze drifted down to Duo's lips. "Although I'm sure your mother would be over the moon if she walked in on me fucking you in the shower." The thought of his mother catching them was in no way a turn on, but the low register of Heero's voice, the way he said fucking, had Duo shivering and fighting off arousal. He stepped out of the room before he could do something unwise. "Come on. Can't leave Trowa alone with them for too long." Heero followed him back to the kitchen, where Trowa had taken over peeling the potatoes Duo had previously abandoned. "Wine?" He asked everyone, thinking that putting a dent in the six bottles of Malbec Trowa had purchased would likely help everyone feel more at ease. "Yes please," Catharine said and everyone else nodded as well, Trowa a little vigorously. Duo ran his hand down Trowa's back as he walked past, and Trowa leaned back into the touch slightly. As Duo poured glasses of wine he wondered if maybe they shouldn't just plan to spend Thanksgiving in Paris too. He knew Helen liked getting to see him, but he really didn't think he could put Trowa through this every year. They had always planned on having children, and Duo knew that that would likely finally force Helen to accept Trowa as a permanent part of Duo's life. But now, with Heero, that wasn't going to happen. Duo sighed. At least if the three of them went to Paris they didn't have to hide their relationship. It wouldn't be the same thing as a family Thanksgiving, teaching kids how to mash potatoes or watch them fall asleep after the large meal, curled up between Trowa and Duo on the couch. "Does your family not celebrate Thanksgiving?" Catharine asked Heero, pulling Duo out of his thoughts. He passed around the wine and then leaned on the counter beside where Trowa worked. "They do," Heero said, his face tense and his voice slightly bitter. "Oh. I hadn't realized we were keeping you from -" Helen started to say. Heero shook his head and interrupted her. "You aren't keeping me from them," he assured her. He drew in a breath and forced himself to relax. "I was grateful for the invitation." Trowa had finished peeling the potatoes and Duo took over for him, adding seasoning, butter and milk before mashing them. "Oh - are we that close to eating?" Catharine asked. She sniffed the air. "It smells amazing, I just hadn't realized we were so close." "Still about half an hour," Duo told her. "I'll cover these and put them in the oven with the turkey and then get to work on the green beans. And then it will be ready." "Oh. We should probably set the table then," Catharine looked at her brother. "Give me a hand?" "Mom, can you find some music to play for us?" Duo asked Helen. Which left him in the kitchen alone with Heero. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't - I didn't even ask about your family." He felt like an idiot, but he had assumed Heero would say something to him if he had his own family tradition. "It's fine. I wouldn't be there if I wasn't here," Heero said, some of the edge back in his voice. Duo swallowed hard. He was acutely aware of the fact that Heero was still the only person he had confided in, yet Heero still hadn't explained his teenaged suicide attempt - and now there was clearly some issue with his family as well. Duo felt shallow and self-centered. Hadn't he been the one to make that big speech about this needing to be more than sex? "Do you -" "No," Heero interrupted him before he could get very far with the question. Heero sighed. "I don't talk about it. It's not - it's not something that can ever be remedied. What can I do to help?" Duo put him to work trimming the green beans. "I, ah, probably should have warned you." Heero looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. "Cathy and Tro had this weird family tradition of watching Star Wars after we eat." "Which films?" "All of them." Heero winced. "Even -" "Yeah. Even those. I know. It's fucking weird and it's bad taste but... when they were kids they used to watch the original trilogy with their parents and after the new ones came out they started watching those too because their Dad always wished they had made more films but he was dead by the time those pieces of garbage came out and..." "Do they watch them in order by release date or chronological?" "Release date, thank God. So you can always just fall asleep by the time they get to Attack of the Clones." "Does your mother watch them?" Duo chuckled. "Actually she does - well she watches the first one and then usually goes off to read on the beach if the weather is nice during the second one. We watch Return of the Jedi during dinner, and like I said... pretend to fall asleep by the time we get around to the prequels." Heero nodded. "That sounds like a safe plan." "Trust me. It's the only plan. They've seen these things so many times they have the dialogue memorized. And while Trowa makes a much better Anakin than crybaby ever did, it's just weird when he and Cathy start doing whole scenes together." Heero smirked slightly. "I don't know. I might have to stay up to see that just once." "Suit yourself." Duo smirked back at him and nudged his shoulder. Heero nudged him back. "Thanks for coming." "Thanks for inviting me." -o- Lunch was surprisingly anti-climactic. The conversation was neutral, especially with Helen there, and Duo and Catherine did most of the talking while Helen kept herself to just a few snide remarks and Heero and Trowa remained silent and mostly just complimented the food. Duo felt guilty when, after lunch, he and Trowa took their normal positions together on the couch while Helen and Catharine sat in the armchairs but then Trowa moved over, closer to Duo, and Heero sat down on the couch with them. The couch wasn't that large, and, as they had learned from previous experience, the only way all three of them fit on it was if one of them sat partially on someone else. So Duo gamely shifted so that his legs were open, one against the back of the couch, and Trowa settled back against him while Heero sat beside him, close enough that Duo could discretely wedge his foot under Heero's ass. They settled back to watch A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back and Duo found himself falling asleep a few times. Heero, however, seemed to be just as much of a nerd as Trowa and Catharine and stayed awake the entire time, contributing to their side conversations as they questioned the characters motives and the social values of the Star Wars galaxy. It wasn't until they finished Empire and Duo started to reheat the leftovers from lunch that things took a turn for the worse. Catharine started it, accidentally Duo was sure, when she asked Trowa about their adoption plans. "The last I heard you were on the waiting list? But that was a few months ago. Have you heard anything since?" Trowa exchanged a look with Duo. "We did," he eventually answered his sister. "But we've decided to wait. We still aren't sure if -" "You mean you still aren't sure," Helen interrupted him. This had been one of her biggest issues with Trowa from the start. Trowa had never said he didn't want children, but he had never expressed much enthusiasm for it. Duo knew he wasn't against it, or he wouldn't have pushed for it so hard all of these years with him, but Helen seemed to think Trowa wanted nothing to do with children. "No," Trowa responded. "We discussed it together and we both decided that now is not the right time." It was almost the truth. They really hadn't had much discussion outside of the time when Duo freaked out over the realization that having Heero in their lives meant there was absolutely no chance they would ever be approved for adoption. They had spoken about it once, a few weeks ago, when another agency they had approached months ago had called them back. Duo had been more rational at the time, more committed to having Heero with them, and they had decided that changing their plans in life to accommodate Heero was, in the end, what they wanted. But it wasn't as if Trowa could come out and say that - so he had agreed to tell the lie if it came up with their families. Duo still wasn't sure he could have done it without feeling miserable - he actually felt miserable just hearing Trowa say it. He wanted a family, had always wanted to be a father, but he loved Heero. And it was clear Trowa did as well. However much he wanted children, they needed Heero more. "Really?" Helen pressed. "And when would be the right time?" "Mother -" "Duo. Darling, let Trowa speak." Catharine looked just as miserable as Duo felt. Heero, standing to the side and almost outside of the room, had a neutral expression on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. Trowa held Helen's gaze for a long, tense moment. "When Duo and I want to change our plans, we will. And I'm sure that Duo will let you know, but our decisions aren't open for negotiation." His voice was that icy tone he rarely used, had only ever used three times in fights with Duo. Helen opened her mouth, clearly spoiling for a fight, and Duo jumped in before this got any worse. "Heero, you said you needed to look at some paperwork? Did you want to use Tro's computer to do that before we have dinner?" It was a pathetic excuse, painfully obvious, but it was all Duo could think to do. "Yes," Heero said. "Thank you - I'd forgotten about that." Now was not the time for jokes, but all the same Heero's sarcasm caught Duo off-guard and he had to fight off a laugh. Catharine's lips twitched in amusement but Helen looked angry. Trowa and Heero made their escape upstairs, leaving Duo alone with his mother and Catharine. "Duo, darling, I simply - " "Mom, Trowa and I are completely on the same page with this. With everything." Fifteen minutes later, Heero and Trowa came back downstairs, Trowa's clearer expression the only evidence that they had not been looking at files on his computer - then again, maybe they had. Maybe fifteen minutes of looking at porn had helped relax Trowa, but Duo doubted it. He sent Heero a grateful look, who shrugged minimally in response. Dinner was quiet and tense and Duo was grateful for Return of the Jedi playing, saving him from trying to make awkward conversation and allowing everyone to focus on something other than the argument that had just occurred. As Duo was clearing the table and preparing to wash dishes, Helen stopped him. "Darling, let me handle that. Why don't you show Heero the beach? Relax a little." Duo was stunned speechless. Was she seriously going to - "Actually," Heero spoke up. "I'm sure Duo and Trowa would appreciate some time together. Why don't we handle the dishes while you two go for a walk and relax?" Helen had a sour look on her face. "You should join them," she suggested. Catharine rolled her eyes. "No," Heero said, "I'd like to help clean up. Duo and Trowa have put in a lot of effort for us." "Sure. Ah, thanks." Duo caught Heero's arm as he walked into the kitchen. "You can come with us," he assured him in a low voice. Heero shook his head. "No. You and Trowa need the time. You should talk to him." "About my mother and -" "No. About what happened to you." Duo sighed in exasperation. "'Ro, this is really not the right time. Especially after -" "Duo, you're never going to think it's the right time. He needs to know and you need to tell him. He knows something happened. He asked me about it." Duo opened his mouth to argue, but Catharine walked by them and gave him a look. Duo sighed, released Heero, and joined Trowa by the front door. "Right. Well... don't burn the house down while we're gone," Duo said and avoided looking at Heero again. -o- Trowa was quiet, which wasn't exactly abnormal, but the tense set of his shoulders and the frown line between his brows were clear indications of just how frustrated he really was. Duo had never enjoyed holding hands, but he laced their fingers together, squeezing slightly before keeping their hands together in a loose grip. "I was thinking... maybe next year we should do Thanksgiving in Paris, too," Duo said. "And by Thanksgiving, I mean you, Heero and I can just spend four times screwing our brains out and drinking champagne." Trowa laughed. "That sounds like a good plan." "I'm sorry, Tro. I -" "It's not your fault, Duo," Trowa sighed. "I shouldn't have let her get to me. I just -" "You just get tired of fighting the same damn fight with her every time. I know. I know and I wish I could say something to her to make her understand that you're not going anywhere. That you're what I want and this is what I want." "It is, isn't it?" There was a note of hesitation in Trowa's voice and Duo quickly stamped down on the anger that aroused in him. "Yes," he assured Trowa. "I've noticed... you've been distant lately. Not like before, but something is clearly bothering you." Duo mentally cursed. Heero was right - as usual, as always it seemed like. "It's not - it's nothing to do with us." "With Heero?" "No. Not him either. Well, he -" Duo caught himself too late and sighed at Trowa's arched eyebrow. "Last week, in court -" "The YSI trial?" Duo nodded and stopped walking. He sat down on the sand and waited for Trowa to sit down beside him. They huddled close for warmth and Duo couldn't help but think this would be the last time things would be like this - the last time Trowa touched Duo without knowing. He sighed. "Zechs called Dr. Giovani as a witness. He's a psychologist, works for the state of New York and deals with juvenile delinquents. He, well, after I was caught shoplifting I was sent to see a psychologist." "Dr. Po?" "No. She was the school guidance counselor. I had to see her too, thank fucking God. But Giovani - I saw him twice a week for two years." Duo swallowed hard. This was so damn difficult to admit. His throat was constricted with anxiety and remembered fear and pain. "You know I'm shit at talking about things. It took a few months for me to start trusting him, to start really talking to him. And then he..." Jesus. What did he say? What could possibly describe just how much Giovani violated Duo? "He raped me," Duo began and he felt Trowa's body go still against him. "He raped me and he told me no one would ever believe me or trust me or even want me because I was such a stupid, pathetic kid. He used to make me undress him. I'd come in, I'd lock the door, and he'd sit there in his chair and make me take off his clothes." He hadn't told Heero about that, hadn't wanted to remember that much, but now that he was talking about it - it felt like a fucking flood gate had opened. All of the memories crashing down and drowning him. "I always had to clean him off afterwards, too. He had these sanitary wipes that smelled like lavender and -" "You hate lavender," Trowa murmured, realizing why. Duo drew in a shuddery breath. "I hate lemon scented shit too. He had a lotion, some kind of lemon hand cream, that he used as lubricant - it fucking hurt every time. The alcohol in it or the fragrance or something but if burned and I could smell it on his fingers when he touched me." "Heero said YSI offered to settle." "Zechs called him as a witness - he knew about me somehow and I froze. I don't think I've ever been that scared in my entire life which is so fucking pathetic because I'm twenty-nine but seeing him on that witness stand... I barely managed to cross examine him." "But you did." "I did. I crushed the case." "You said Heero had something to do with this." Duo sighed. "No, he just knows about it. I told him, when you were in Miami a few months ago - the same damn day you almost fucked him in the locker room." Trowa was quiet for several minutes and Duo tried to keep his mind blank, tried not to assume what Trowa's reaction was going to be. "I don't want you to need me," Trowa said at last, his voice low and hard to discern from the rumble of the ocean waves. "But I'm here, when you do need me. I'm your partner, Duo. I love you. I go to bed thinking about you and I wake up thinking about you. I don't want you to - I wish to God that had never happened to you, and I wish I had been with you in court to face him, because the things that hurt you - the pain you feel - those are the burdens I want to share with you." Trowa turned Duo to face him. There was almost no light out tonight, the overcast sky blocking out most of the moonlight, but the faint illumination of lights from the house cast a soft glow on Trowa's face, on the shimmer of tears in his eyes. Duo swallowed hard. "I love you," Trowa repeated. "Tro -" "This doesn't change anything. Except," Trowa ran his thumb over Duo's cheek, "except it makes it even more obvious how amazingly strong you are. How lucky I am to have you in my life, by my side." "I'm the lucky one," Duo insisted, humiliated by the raw quality of his voice. Trowa kissed him, a gentle press of his lips that was all about comfort and trust. "We're both lucky," Trowa compromised and Duo nodded in agreement. He rested his forehead against Trowa's for a moment, enjoying the stillness of the night, the steady warmth of Trowa's body, the knowledge that Trowa didn't think him horribly pathetic and weak. -o- The next morning Duo decided to take Heero up on his offer to run with him. He left Trowa asleep in bed, pressing a quick kiss to his mouth as he left the room, and then heading downstairs to the office. Heero was also still asleep, curled on his side clutching a pillow and the sheets and blankets tangled in his legs. Duo had to grin at that. Heero was usually the first one awake - out of all of them he was the closest to a morning person and rarely had to rely on an alarm clock to wake up. Duo knelt down by the edge of the air mattress and ran his fingers over Heero's spine, pushing his t-shirt up as he went, and Heero shivered at the sensation before rolling over and opening his eyes. He regarded Duo with a sleepy smile. "Morning," Duo greeted him. "Morning." Heero stretched, his morning erection bobbing under the sheets, but Duo only spared it a passing glance. "Thought you might want to go for a run with me?" "Really?" Duo shrugged. "You don't have to. It's Thanksgiving so you might want to sleep in and -" "No," Heero assured him, already getting off of the mattress. "I'd love to." During their run, Duo focused on trying to keep a steady pace with Heero. It was new for him, he had always been a terrible running partner, as Trowa had learned early on, but, he found, it was worth the effort. Heero didn't try to hold a conversation, which Duo appreciated. Instead, they ran five miles in companionable silence and when they returned to the house they walked down to the beach, cooling down from the run and enjoying the rare, sunny morning this late in the year. "Did you stay up and watch the prequels with them last night?" Duo asked Heero as they toed off their sneakers and approached the edge of the water. It was bitingly cold, but Duo didn't mind and Heero didn't seem to either. "Yeah. You were right - they started quoting dialogue at each other. It was funny - and you were right, Trowa is a much better Anakin." Duo chuckled. He had only stayed up until Helen went to bed - he wasn't about to risk something else happening with her and Trowa. When Trowa did finally come to bed he had kissed Duo awake and then held him, spooning against him like they used to do when they still lived at opposite sides of the country and didn't want to waste a single moment not touching each other. "I'm glad they still do it - still have that family tradition." "Do you and Helen have any traditions?" Duo snorted. "Drinking wine." Duo shrugged. "My Dad was the cook in the family. After he and my brother died... we used to get Chinese takeout for Thanksgiving for years, until I finally started to cook some. What about your family?" As Duo had anticipated, Heero tensed at the question. "Not really," Heero admitted. "Not since - not for a long time." "Do they cook a big dinner?" Duo pressed, knowing Heero would rather he leave it alone. Heero shook his head. "No." "Do they go out? Have extended family they visit or -" "Nothing. They don't do anything for Thanksgiving." Heero started back towards the house and Duo swore. "I'm sorry," he said when he caught up to Heero. "I'll drop it. I just -" "It's nothing you can fix, Duo," Heero said, his voice bitter and his face drawn. "I know you want to. But you can't. Just leave it alone." Their walk back up to the house was quiet and as soon as they entered the house, Heero made a beeline for the office, firmly closing the door behind himself. Duo sighed in frustration. Way to go, Maxwell. Catharine was in the kitchen, and she arched an eyebrow at him but said nothing. Duo gratefully accepted the glass of water she handed him. "You know," she started to say, and Duo had a very bad feeling about this. Over the years Catharine had cornered him a handful of times. She liked him, certainly more than Helen liked Trowa, and she even thought Duo was good for Trowa, but she still liked to make sure her brother was being treated the way she knew he deserved. "You know, Heero seems like a great guy." Duo blinked in surprise. He had expected her to bring up his mother's awful behavior. "He is," Duo agreed in relief. "And really, really cute." Duo arched an eyebrow. "Cathy, you're very attractive, and any guy would be lucky to date you, but Heero is gay." She glared at him. "I noticed. It was kind of obvious from the way he stares at my brother's ass and your crotch all the time." "Oh." Duo tried to think of what he could possibly say. "Well, we are damn attractive guys..." he trailed off when her glare intensified. "I don't know what the hell is going on," Catharine said. "But when you married my brother you told me that you wanted to spend the rest of your life making him happy, that the thing you wanted more than anything else was to make him smile every day." "I meant it - I still do," Duo assured her. Catharine held his gaze for a long moment. "I like Heero," she said at last. "He joined in our Star Wars quotes last night." That was news to Duo - he hadn't expected Heero to do that, and Heero definitely hadn't admitted to it earlier. "I didn't realize he was as tragically geeky as the two of you," Duo murmured, earning an eye roll from Catharine. "Trowa likes him a lot," she continued. Duo nodded in agreement. He wasn't entirely sure where this was going or how much Catharine had guessed or assumed - but she clearly knew something was going on and didn't seem to be outright against it. "They really get each other," Duo said cautiously and Catharine nodded. "I noticed that. And you?" "Huh?" "You and Heero - does he really get you too?" "Um, I -" "Good morning," Helen walked into the kitchen and Duo snapped his mouth closed. "Morning Mom," he greeted her. "Morning," Catharine's own greeting was just barely polite. "I made coffee." She waved at the pot but made no offer to pour any for Helen. It was another hour before Heero joined them, and an hour after that before Trowa finally came downstairs. "So lazy," Duo chided him. Trowa rarely got to sleep in, but when he did he seemed to take it as a personal challenge to sleep as late as possible. Trowa accepted coffee from Catharine and joined Heero at the breakfast table. "I was up late," he offered in defense. "So were we," Catharine gestured to herself and Heero. "And Heero got up to go running with Duo at the crack of dawn today." Trowa looked up at that, glancing between the two men, a question on his face. Duo shrugged. He hadn't mentioned it to Trowa, and he suddenly felt a little guilty, as though he had stolen time away from him. "I went back to sleep afterwards," Heero assured Trowa. "For an hour." Trowa rolled his eyes. "Fine. I like to sleep. Sue me." "Dangerous threat with two lawyers in the house," Duo murmured and he and Heero shared grins. "Heero, do you know how to play bridge?" Helen asked. Heero frowned slightly. "I used to," he allowed. "I haven't played it since I was fifteen or so." "Ah, well, I'm sure you'll remember the rules easily enough. Catharine refuses to learn and it's so rare we have four for a game." Duo shot Heero an apologetic look. Catharine patted Heero on the shoulder sympathetically. "You can partner Duo," Helen said. "Since the two of you work so well together already." Duo clenched his teeth against the immediate rebuke that sprang to his lips. It wasn't even noon yet. After an hour of cards, things had only gotten worse. Helen chided Trowa on the way he bid his hand constantly, while complimenting Heero and Duo when they won. She used the word partner more times than Duo thought possible and then he finally snapped when suggested that Duo and Heero were a perfect fit for each other. "Mom, can I have a word with you? While Trowa deals the next hand?" Duo guided his mother into the kitchen. "What are you doing?" He hissed at her. Helen frowned. "What do you mean?" "I mean what are you doing? Why are you antagonizing Trowa like this? Why are you throwing Heero at me like I'm - like I'm not married and not completely in love with my husband," and with Heero, he silently added. "Darling, I'm simply trying to show you that you have options. Heero is clearly attracted to you and -" "I'm married to Trowa. I chose him. I want to spend the rest of my life with him." And Heero. "Trowa is my partner - I already, at this moment, have everything I want. I have the partner," partners, he silently amended, "that I want and need. I don't need you constantly antagonizing Trowa." "Darling, I simply want what's best for you. I want you to have someone who knows just how remarkable you are and treats you the way you deserve." "I already have that," he assured her through clenched teeth. "Everything that you want for me - I have. Trowa loves me. He thinks I'm incredible and it's beyond imagining why he loves me as much as he does, but he does. I understand that you don't care for him as much as I do. I understand that you want the best for me. But you have to trust that I have found that. In Trowa." And Heero. "Please. Love him for my sake. Please." Helen held his gaze for a long moment and then sighed. "I don't know if I can love him, but I suppose I can do a better job of tolerating him." It wasn't nearly enough, in Duo's mind, and Helen saw the mutinous look on his face. "I can even be nice to him," she added and then hugged him. "I'm sorry. I simply love you and you are all that I have left in this world. Does it make me so terrible to look out for you?" "No," Duo sighed and hugged her back. "But you have to trust my choices and you have to support me - and that means supporting Trowa too." Helen kissed his cheek. "Very well." She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. "If he really makes you happy." "He does." It felt ridiculous to be having this conversation after two and a half years of marriage - after five and a half years of being together. Helen smoothed his sweater and stepped back. "Well, we shouldn't keep your guests waiting." Duo followed her back into the living room, where it was very obvious everyone had overheard them. Catharine, sitting on the couch with a book in her lap, smirked at him. Trowa had a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth and his posture was more relaxed than it had been in days. Heero - Heero made an excuse about checking his emails and returning phone calls from work and left the card table. -o- ~ * ~ |
