|
"The Band"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU/Romance, Angst, fluff, mention of
the inappropriate fondling of a minor (brief/past incident), sap,
my corky humor , ^_^ Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5x????? Oh my! Summary: Hiiro and Duo discover the road to success
is sometimes as easy as simply following your heart. "The Band" Ch 5
By the time he caught his breath and regained his senses enough to realize it had been a dream he was drenched in sweat, panting like a race horse and hard as rock. ‘Shit.’ Four a.m. Well, there was no getting around it this time and he certainly wasn’t going back to sleep in this condition so he let his mind wander back to the dream and worked off a little tension. By the time he was finished it was past five and time to get up for the day so he went and showered and found he needed to do it again when visions of Duo’s soap covered body invaded his mind. He was feeling very refreshed when he picked the long haired boy up for school. At least until they drove around the corner and Duo decided he’d like a kiss good morning and suddenly his problems started all over again. ‘You ok?’ Duo asked confused by his reluctance. ‘Yeah,’ Hiiro replied draping his arm around his shoulders while he drove. ‘You’re not mad at me or anything are you?’ Duo asked. ‘No,’ Hiiro chuckled. ‘Of course not… it’s just…’ he glanced down at his lap. ‘Oh,’ Duo chuckled blushing bright red. ‘Sorry,’ he offered but for some reason he didn’t sound the least bit sincere so Hiiro kissed him again. ‘Holy shit! Check it out! The tambourine mans a fag!’ ‘Duo!’ ‘Get off! I’m gonna kill that son of a bitch!’ ‘Shit! OW! Calm down!’ ‘You’re a dead man, Cliff!’ ‘Duo calm OW! Damn it! Don’t fuckin’ bite me!’ ‘Let go!’ ‘Ha ha ha ha! Later girls!’ ‘FUCK YOU!’ ‘Damn it! Calm,’ Hiiro slammed one of his hands back ‘the fuck,’ then the other ‘DOWN!’ he shouted pining the boy’s entire body beneath him. It took a minute but Duo finally stopped struggling and glared up at him. ‘Why won’t you let me kill’im?’ he asked evenly and quite seriously. ‘Because you probably would,’ Hiiro chuckled wiping the sweat on his brow off on his sleeve. ‘You’ve got to stop letting him get to you,’ he told him easing up a little. ‘What in the hells the big deal anyway? Just because he got adopted and you didn’t?’ Duo was quiet for a long moment then just suddenly said, ‘Lets do it.’ ‘What?’ ‘You know... it.’ ‘What?!’ Hiiro gasped jumping away from him. ‘Where in the hell did that come from?’ he asked astonished by the hasty suggestion. ‘We can skip first period and go to your place right?’ the long haired boy reasoned sitting up and rubbing his wrists. ‘Yeah,’ Hiiro mused fighting against his bodies desires to keep a level head. ‘But why? Why now all of a sudden?’ he asked pulling them off the road into a parking lot so they could talk. ‘Why not?’ ‘Fuck that,’ Hiiro snapped slamming the van into park so hard it jolted. ‘What the fuck is that supposed to mean?’ he demanded glaring at the long haired boy beside him. Duo glared back for a long moment before his violet eyes softened and he looked away. ‘Damn it,’ he swore softly rubbing the palm of his right hand with his thumb hard. ‘What happened between you two?’ Hiiro demanded needing to know once and for all just how deep Duo’s connection with him went. ‘They were going to adopt me,’ Duo told him looking out his window at the passing cars. ‘The people that ended up taking Cliff.’ ‘What happened?’ Hiiro prompted, his hand slipping absently along Duo’s shoulder to gently caress the side of his neck through his thick hair. ‘We spent six months together,’ Duo told him still rubbing at his palm. ‘Fucker even had me calling him, Daddy,’ he snorted wryly. ‘I really thought he loved me, ya know?’ Hiiro didn’t have the courage to ask more so he just sat and waited hoping with all his might Duo wasn’t about to tell him what he feared he was. ‘I let him touch me,’ Duo said softly now staring at the palm he was digging a hole in. ‘He... molested you?’ Hiiro wanted clarification, his right hand softly stroking Duo’s neck while his right gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were turning white. ‘Yeah... I guess you could say... Hiiro!!’ Duo gasped reaching to steady the boy’s hand before it ripped the wheel clean out of the dash. ‘Calm down! It wasn’t like that! He didn’t do that!’ he told him, his words going a long way to saving his poor van from further abuse. ‘He just… touched me ... ya know? Until he got off then he disappeared and the next thing I knew Cliff was being adopted,’ he sighed. ‘Son of a bitch never let me hear the end of it either,’ he added resignedly. ‘You’re a damn site better off without a freak like that in your life,’ Hiiro growled making a mental note to bitch slap Cliffs Dad if he ever met him but his comment didn’t appear to make Duo feel any better. ‘I really thought he loved me,’ he repeated instead. ‘That’s why I let him do it,’ he confessed. ‘Jesus... no wonder you’re scared,’ Hiiro sighed. ‘Oh, do not even go there,’ the braided boy huffed suddenly turning to face him. ‘I told you because you wanted to know why I wanna rip Cliff a new one,’ he told him. ‘That shit has nothing to do with us.’ ‘But… it’s the same type of thing I want …’ ‘Hell no!’ Duo cut him off. ‘There is no comparison here, Hiiro,’ he told him. ‘I couldn’t relate you to him even if I tried,’ he chuckled. ‘Then... ?’ ‘I told you already... I’m having a tough time coping with the whole …bottom issue that’s all,’ he told him blushing furiously. ‘I’m not opposed to it,’ Hiiro grinned and suddenly the soft caress on Duo’s neck was giving him a serious case of the shivers. ‘I can barely stay conscious when you’ve got hold of me,’ he chuckled nuzzling the hand that was warming him so. ‘I doubt I’d really be of much use in a dominate position,’ he reasoned. The subject matter was all of a sudden turning to something Hiiro really didn’t think he could tolerate without attacking the boy right there in the van. ‘We’d better get to class,’ he smiled nervously starting the van. Duo didn’t press the subject, mostly because he really didn’t know what to say yet so he just let it lie. That afternoon during rehearsal he sang Just Communication for Hiiro alone leaving everyone, including Mrs. Udon, absolutely speechless. Quatre had smiled so brightly at Trowa when Hiiro’s arms closed around the trembling vocalist there had been no need for further deliberation on the nature of their true feelings for each other and the blond boy accosted Duo the moment he got the chance. ‘Give!’ Quatre demanded slipping up on the counter beside the long haired boy when they went to fetch some drinks. ‘What?’ Duo chuckled innocently. ‘Spill it!’ the blond demanded goosing him into giggling. ‘How long have you two been ga ga?!?’ he gushed. ‘Since we were about eight I think,’ Duo replied still laughing. It was an amazing feeling having someone to talk to about all this. ‘Oh my god! I can’t believe I didn’t notice!’ Quatre reprimanded himself. ‘Well… we only started to come to terms with it recently,’ Duo soothed pouring four glasses of J’s famous raspberry tea. ‘Its great isn’t it?’ the blond boy sighed dreamily. ‘Think I’ll make Trowa stop off for extra batteries tonight,’ he grinned waggling his eye brows. Duo blushed bright red and did a really good impression of a fish as his mouth dropped open while Quatre laughed at him. ‘You little shit!’ the long haired boy growled realizing he’d been had as his friend was just about in hysterics over his reaction. ‘It’s good though isn’t it?’ Quatre said once he’d caught his breath. ‘I love being in love!’ he grinned. ‘Of course the perks are pretty nice too,’ he added waggling his brows again but this time Duo only turned thoughtful. ‘Is it... hard?’ he asked doing a good impression of a boiled lobster this time as Quatre stared blankly at him. ‘I mean... doesn’t it... hurt?’ he asked unable to look at the boy any longer. ‘You mean you haven’t...?’ Quatre asked gaining his answer from the deepening blush on Duo’s face. ‘Oh, man... he must be going nuts!’ he chuckled. ‘What?’ Duo asked incredulously. ‘He’s a seme,’ the blond told him rolling his aquamarine eyes. ‘They’re very aggressive. Geez, I’m surprised his sack hasn’t exploded!’ ‘What?!?!’ Duo gasped in shock. ‘Look,’ Quatre said slipping down off the counter. ‘If you’re worried about pain... don’t. You wont remember any believe me,’ he told him taking two of the drinks. ‘I’d be more worried about Hiiro popping a vein if you don’t get on with it,’ he smiled leaving the boy to his thoughts. When Duo rejoined the group he was so lost in thought it really didn’t occur to him that he’d slipped into Hiiro’s lap until it was too late so he just decided to stay there. Hiiro was happy and everyone else was grinning so there really wasn’t any reason to stress. Soon they wrapped things up for the night having all had some of the home made carrot cake J had left in the fridge for them and went their separate ways. Hiiro decided to walk Duo home since the sky was clear, the air was cool and the breeze reminded him of days gone by when the two of them played and romped along this walk way years ago. It was a testament as to just how distracted Duo was that he ended up leaning into the Japanese boy allowing him to put a tentative arm around his shoulders while they walked in full view of their neighbors. ‘What’s on your mind?’ Hiiro asked softly. It wasn’t like he minded getting to hold him but it wasn’t like Duo to be so open about things. ‘Hm? Oh... nothing,’ Duo smiled unconvincingly. Hiiro cocked a brow that made him chuckle. ‘I dunno... guess I just wonder how I got so lucky is all,’ he told him inspiring Hiiro to pull him close and kiss his temple. They both laughed, Duo blushing cutely, when Mrs. Udon’s door suddenly snapped shut. They walked on in silence until the Church came into view whereupon their steps began to slow in an unconscious effort to prolong the night until Duo finally just stopped. ‘What is it?’ Hiiro asked turning to face him. ‘Maybe,’ Duo began pausing as he looked at the front door of his home. ‘Could I sleep at your place tonight?’ he asked softly. ‘I...ahem!’ Hiiro replied blushing and chuckling right along with Duo when his voice came out sounding like a ten year old girls. ‘Sure,’ he told him looking very nervous all of a sudden. Duo just laughed which served to calm them both. ‘If you really want to,’ Hiiro added in a more serious tone. ‘I do,’ Duo smiled letting him take him in his arms and kiss him warmly. They parted hardly even noticing the thin sliver of light that had broken upon them from the door of the little Church nearby, Duo’s eyes falling on the dark figure of an aged priest that stood silently watching them. ‘Shit,’ Hiiro breathed. He’d known they would have to face this sooner or later but he really would have rathered if they’d have been able to confess it straight up instead of being found out like that. Duo fidgeted glancing from Hiiro to the doorway several times before the door slipped shut again. ‘I’d better go in,’ the long haired boy said finally. ‘Do you want me to come with you?’ Hiiro asked supportively. ‘No,’ Duo replied. ‘He wont talk to me tonight,’ he assured him when he looked like he would object. ‘It’s not his style. He’ll wait till morning so I have plenty of time to squirm,’ he chuckled. ‘I’ll be here at sun up,’ the Japanese boy promised touching his cheek with his palm reassuringly. Duo just smiled and leaned into the warmth of his hand accepting another small kiss before they said goodnight. Sun up was half an hour too late. When Hiiro arrived he found himself confronted by not only Father Maxwell but Sister Helen, the Mother Superior and the Cardinal to boot. He was openly invited to join them along with Duo who he immediately sheltered beside him the moment they were together. ‘You alright?’ he asked seeing the destitute expression in his face. ‘No... not really,’ Duo replied shakily doing a really good job of scaring the hell of him. ‘Duo?’ ‘They’re going to send me away.’ ‘What?!’ Hiiro barked pulling him to his side protectively as he glared at the gathered clergy. ‘Why? He hasn’t done anything wrong!’ he growled at them. ‘The Church is not in the habit of condoning homosexual activities,’ the Mother Superior told them sternly. ‘The boy will be sent to a school that will be able to help him overcome his affliction and...’ ‘If you please,’ the Cardinal cut in patiently. ‘I see no need for insults or propaganda,’ he said earning himself a few brownie points in Hiiro’s book. ‘You don’t have to go,’ the Japanese boy reasoned. ‘You can stay here, move in with me…’ ‘He is still a ward of the state and will do as he is told!’ the Mother snapped. ‘Mother, please,’ Sister soothed smiling reassuringly at Duo for support. ‘I’ll come for him,’ Hiiro promised. ‘I’ll run away,’ Duo declared. ‘That won’t be necessary,’ Father Maxwell spoke for the first time standing from behind his desk. ‘Sister ... if you please,’ he said prompting the Nun to scamper out the door. ‘I’m sorry,’ Duo told the old priest. ‘I never meant to cause you any trouble,’ he sighed leaning into Hiiro’s arms. ‘Really?’ the aging priest chuckled. ‘But you do so excel at it,’ he teased making him smile in spite of the situation. A moment later Sister returned with a bundle, a bag and small wooden box Duo thought he was the only one who knew about since he’d hidden it under a baseboard under his bed when he was ten. ‘What?’ he gasped receiving what he knew was everything he owned in the world. ‘Am I leaving right now?’ he asked in shock. ‘I’m afraid so,’ Father Maxwell sighed. ‘Sister,’ he prompted again and Duo wondered at the smile the woman was attempting to hide until she opened the door and there… on the other side… as plain as day and in full view stood J. His mechanical eyes whirring and focusing on all present for a moment before he stepped into the room. ‘What’s going on?’ Hiiro asked standing to meet his guardian. ‘As of four a.m. last night Dr. J has accepted the responsibility of caring for the orphan Duo Maxwell and under the codes and regulation afforded by this state, will become the duly recognized legal guardian of said orphan just as soon as he decides to sigh his name in acceptance,’ Father smiled holding out a pen in Duo’s direction. The boy took one look at the pen, one at J’s smiling face and one at Hiiro then snatched it out of the old priest’s hand so fast he ended up inking his palm in his haste. ‘Where do I sign!’ he exclaimed jumping on the papers on the desk when Father pointed them out. ‘Now, see here,’ Mother started to object but fell silent when Sister put a calming hand on her shoulder as Duo snatched Father into a fierce hug leaving the papers and the pen on the desk. ‘Thank you,’ he whispered holding him tightly. The man just stood there in astonishment for a long moment before his arms slowly closed around the boy and he hugged him back. ‘Thank you,’ he said so softly only Duo could hear him, each of them understanding exactly what the other was thanking them for. Duo also hugged Sister Helen who hugged him back without a second thought and made him promise to visit on a regular basis before Hiiro blatantly carried him out cradled in his arms like a bride laughing all the way. This left J with the bags but he didn’t seem to mind offering the old priest a nod of his head before he picked the things up in his clawed hand and took them home with him. Hiiro carried Duo all the way back to his... their house first princess style then piggy back right past the crack in Mrs. Udon’s doorway and through the front door where they found a cake that said `Welcome Home` on it complete with an icing keyhole with a key to the front door stuck in it. By the time they ate some of the cake and Duo licked his new house key clean it really started to sink in what had just happened. ‘So,’ Duo began on the uncomfortable but necessary subject of living arrangements. ‘Where do I sleep?’ ‘Uh… well... I imagine J’s already fixed things up for you,’ Hiiro mused staring up the stairs. ‘Guess we should go find out,’ he shrugged. There was an extra room down the hall from Hiiro’s that had always been used as a storage closet for J’s rather numerous and diverse hobbies so this was the first place they went as it was the most logical solution to the problem however, it was still full of ... well… stuff. Duo looked at his friend thoughtfully, Hiiro blushing and offering him an expression that was somewhere between hopeful and apologetic as they both turned their eyes on the door down the hall. When Hiiro opened the door to his room, a door they had both been through countless times in the past it was to discover a brand new double bed where his twin used to reside. Duo’s things were sitting ominously on the foot and there were even new, darker curtains on the windows and matching pillow shams that were hand embroidered spelling out the words him and his. ‘Ummm… I can… ask him to change it,’ Hiiro offered not wanting Duo to feel pressured. ‘No,’ the braided boy replied a bit dazedly wandering into the room. ‘It’s nice, huh?’ he chuckled picking up the pillow that said `him`. ‘He goes a little overboard sometimes,’ Hiiro laughed nervously then suddenly gasped ‘Oh, shit! We’re late!’ prompting them both to dash out the door and head for school. The news of their new brotherhood shocked their friends to say the least. Legally they still weren’t actually related since Hiiro wasn’t formally adopted. The origins of his connection to the old Japanese man he’d been living with most of his life remained a mystery however, as Hiiro himself had never found the opportunity to ask. Hell, that morning had been the first time he’d seen the man in ages. Needless to say Quatre was dropping hints and suggestions left and right to help further along their relationship. A fact that embarrassed Duo, delighted Hiiro and just plain got Trowa off. Wufei was, as always, highly amused by the entire affair. The Chinese boy had been absent for many of his classes lately as well. It wasn’t really clear what he was doing with his time but it sure didn’t have anything to do with geometry. He did show up for band class though as the orchestra concert that Quatre was to play the violin solo for was that Friday night. This was about the only thing that could’ve kept Hiiro from dragging Duo home so they could work on turning his room into theirs but not even he would have suggested missing the blond boy’s performance. Most of the school and half the town turned out making for a fairly respectable audience for the slight Arabian boy. At least he wasn’t playing to an empty room even if it wasn’t the Taj Mahal. He played beautifully, as expected, being the highlight of the show and gracing the resounding applause with two curtain calls and an encore before finally stepping off the stage and into his lovers waiting arms where Trowa kissed him full on the mouth in full view of anyone that might have been looking earning them quite a few cat calls and one snide remark from a boy named Cliff and all hell broke loose. It was a damn good thing Cliff had experience at avoiding Duo because he ended up chasing him all over half the auditorium and out into the parking lot before he finally caught him, his winded state preventing him from actually throttling the boy beyond repair before Hiiro caught up and dragged him off kicking and screaming and scratching and clawing and cursing and… in the end it was once again Hiiro that got the worse end of the stick. ‘You’re a total fucking psycho!’ the dark blond boy yelled holding his throbbing jaw where Duo had clocked him one before Hiiro’s interference. ‘Fuck you your bigoted jerk!’ Duo growled pulling hard in his effort to get loose from Hiiro’s strong grip. ‘Why can’t you just leave us the hell alone!?’ ‘Just let it go!’ Trowa barked holding Quatre protectively under one arm. ‘He’s not worth it!’ ‘He’s gonna be fuckin’ dead in a minute!’ Duo snarled trying to stamp on Hiiro’s foot in another attempt to free himself and getting his arms jerked hard for his trouble. ‘You people are all freaks!’ Cliff shouted backing away and right into his blond girlfriend’s chest. ‘Honestly, Hiiro,’ she smiled confidently as the boy skirted her. ‘When are you going to dump these little gutter snipes and come along with us where you belong,’ she sneered then suddenly gasped as Hiiro released Duo and he ploughed right into the both of them knocking her on her skinny little ass in his effort to reach the screaming boy behind her. Hiiro let it go on for a minute, just long enough to grace the honey blond girl with a wicked little grin before he pulled his long haired friend off again at some great cost to himself. ‘Ouch,’ the Japanese boy ground out quietly in a tone of pure menace as his left shin exploded in pain, the threatening tenor in his voice serving to subdue the squirming boy in his arms to a more reasonable wriggle. ‘Why don’t you go feel each other up or something!’ Cliff sneered. ‘Why don’t you go ask your old man for lessons!’ Duo growled back. There was a long silence wherein the dark blond boy just stood starting blankly at him, both of them breathing hard and glaring daggers at each other then slowly, ever so slowly Duo’s gaze began to melt, comprehension dawning brightly in his violet eyes as an expression of pure shock overtook his beautiful features and Hiiro released him instantly. ‘Oh god no… Cliff?’ but the boy was already in tears and turned suddenly bolting from the parking lot disappearing into the night. With the lack of friends at her side the girl faded away as well leaving just the five boys and some confused looking bystanders milling about. ‘Come on,’ Hiiro coaxed the long haired boy who was still staring at where Cliff had disappeared. ‘Jesus, Hiiro,’ Duo gulped collapsing in on himself. ‘It’s my fault,’ he hissed as the Japanese boy wrapped him up and pulled him tight. ‘I never told anyone,’ Duo went on burying his face in Hiiro’s wide chest. ‘I should’ve said something.’ ‘Hush,’ Hiiro told him. ‘You don’t know what really happened,’ he reminded him. ‘It might not be any worse than what happened to you,’ he reasoned. ‘This guy sounds like a real coward if you ask me,’ he soothed ushering him towards their van. He offered the others a nod to let them know that he’d just as soon handle this one himself and they reluctantly hung back allowing the pair to leave alone. ‘Damn it,’ Duo sighed once they were on their way home. ‘Why didn’t it ever occur to me?’ he wondered out loud. ‘I mean… Cliff always seemed like such a normal guy ya know?.. An asshole even... not the type to have…’ ‘Then there’s a pretty good possibility that whatever took place wasn’t that severe,’ Hiiro reasoned. ‘Yeah, I guess,’ the long haired boy sighed again. ‘I need to know though.’ ‘I know,’ Hiiro replied. ‘We do it right though ok?’ he said brushing his thumb over the back of Duo’s knuckles where he was holding his hand. ‘Yeah,’ Duo agreed. ‘I’ll talk to Father tomorrow,’ he sighed again before adding a quiet, ‘Lets go home,’ and Hiiro swallowed really, really hard.
~ * ~ tbc... |
