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"A Little Less Normal"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.
Warnings: AU, Yaoi, Lemon, Language, Angst, Romance Pairings: 3x2, 1x5, past 3x4 Summary: Trowa Barton starts a new job and intends to start a new life, free of complications like falling in love with your boss. But life doesn't go as planned, and Trowa struggles to find balance between work, love, and handsome strangers. A/N: This fic will feature several different pairings - and probably not the ones that you expect after a first glance. This is told in third person POV, but it will switch to different characters with each chapter. While not a crossover, I definitely want to acknowledge that the TV series, "Dirty Sexy Money" and the movie Two Weeks Notice both influenced me to write this. I would appreciate any feedback, whether it be negative or positive, criticism or lavish praise. Lavish praise preferred.
"A Little Less Normal "
Duo woke to the sound of a phone ringing. With a groan, he opened his eyes. His bedside clock informed him that it was only six A.M. Since Natalie wasn't here, he had intended to sleep in until seven this morning, and he was irritated to receive a phone call at such an ungodly hour. He debated ignoring it, but the sudden thought that it might be ABOUT Natalie had him rolling out of the bed and searching for the phone. He found it on the dresser and answered it grumpily. "Hello?" There was a moment of silence on the line, and Duo held the phone away from his face to see the caller ID. As he did so, he realized that the phone was most definitely not his. He saw Heero's name on the screen, and cold dread settled into his stomach. "Duo." "Yeah, hey, morning!" Mentally, Duo was cursing and trying to figure out what to say. "This is Wufei's phone." Heero's tone of voice was about as cold and hard as Duo had ever heard it. "Er, yeah, I guess it is." "I was calling to make sure he got home after last night." "Oh, um, he's fine." This was not getting any better, and Duo just wanted this conversation to end. "Tell him I called." "Sure thing." Heero hung up and Duo slumped against his dresser. "Shit. Fucking shit!" Duo picked up the phone, the keys, and the wallet that all belonged to Wufei and stormed out of his room. He knocked on the room he had shown Wufei to the night before and then opened the door. "Enter." He heard Wufei say after a moment. Duo opened the door and found Wufei sitting on the side of the bed, his shoulder length hair sleep tousled. "Morning, champ." "Good morning." Wufei was scowling. "I don't usually sleep this late. I didn't set my alarm last night." "Yeah, that'd be because you left your phone in my room. And of course, your good buddy Heero called a few minutes ago to see if you made it home last night." Wufei's eyes widened comically. Or at least, it would have been comical under different circumstances. "Yep. I didn't realize it was your phone until after I answered it. So…yeah. He wanted me to let you know he called." "What did you tell him?" Duo shrugged. "Not much of anything. Wasn't a really long conversation. I think he was too busy plotting ways to kill me to do much small talking." Wufei's scowl became even more pronounced. "So…I'm going to head in to work early and do some damage control. I, ah, don't know if we'll be playing tennis today." "He thinks I slept with you." "Well, yeah, I'm pretty sure that was the only conclusion he could come to when I answered your phone at six in the morning after we spent the night out drinking." "Shit." Wufei didn't swear often, and when he did, it usually amused Duo. Again, however, the circumstances this morning weren't quite ripe for humor. "Right. Um, Sara will be up and about soon – she can make you breakfast or you can just head out on your own. The bathroom should have any toiletries you need, if you want to take a shower." "I should talk to him." "No!" Duo shook his head emphatically. "No, let me talk to him first. No offense, but him talking to you is only going to make things worse." "I can explain what happened." "Trust me on this. I've had years of experience pissing off Heero. Right now, he's mad at me. If you talk to him – try to defend or explain – then he's going to get pissed off at you. And really, please take my word for this, you do not want Heero pissed off at you." Duo could see that Wufei was still skeptical. He sighed. "Look, right now, Heero's probably mentally cataloguing all of the depraved things I could have done to you last night. You add your voice to that – it's not going to be pretty. Just, let me deal with this." Still reluctant, Wufei finally nodded. "Thanks. Okay, I'm going to shower." "Thank you for the schedule update," Wufei muttered. "Someone's snarky in the morning." Wufei glared and Duo chuckled at him. "Alright. See ya." Duo left Wufei and returned to his own room. His shower was much shorter than normal, and he wound up braiding his hair wet instead of blow drying it. The suit and tie he threw on were not coordinated with his usual flair, but he was anxious to get to Heero and do damage control before his brother had had too much time to bury himself in dark thoughts. When he went downstairs, Wufei was in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee and eating a piece of toast. Sara was browning another piece of toast on the stove in a pan, and the look she shot Duo as he entered was not a pleasant one. "Morning." He tried a smile, but it died as her look became even harsher. Clearly, she did not approve. "Good morning." She deposited the toast and a glass of orange juice in front of him. She gave Wufei a look, and then turned on her heels and marched out of the kitchen. "Sorry about that," Duo said. He wondered if the two had spoken before he entered. "Hm." "She's kind of a big fan of Trowa's – so… yeah." "Everyone is a fan of his." "Including you, you know." Wufei scowled. "I know." "Look, I'm serious – stop comparing yourself to him. You and Heero completely click. Just – forget about him. He doesn't matter in this." "Really?" "Yeah." "You aren't at all curious about why Heero called me at six in the morning?" Duo frowned. "Well, he said he wanted to make sure you got home okay." "Because I'm not thirty-one, and haven't gotten MUCH more drunk many times in my life before. I wasn't even really drunk." "Where are you going with this?" "Heero is even less of a morning person than I am. He wouldn't be calling just to chat." "Still not following you." "Heero and Trowa left together last night. Who's to say they didn't go home together?" The thought hadn't even crossed Duo's mind and he wished Wufei had never said it. The instant mental image that arose in his mind was not one he wanted. "What, so Heero calls you the morning after he gets laid to brag?" Duo sneered. Wufei shrugged. "Not usually. But he's been after Trowa for a while. Maybe it was momentous enough that he wanted to share." "Why the fuck are you saying this?" "Because it's likely what happened. Last night – this entire fiasco – all for nothing. Heero's got Trowa and now he's happy and completely out of my reach." Duo could not deal with the thought that his brother might have slept with Trowa, or the possibility that Trowa might have slipped away from him. "Fuck. Okay – you suck in the mornings. Seriously, we are never doing this again. I've got to go." Wufei nodded and looked as depressed as Duo felt. "Oh, for fuck's sake. Wufei! Snap out of it. If you've really been in love with my brother for more than twenty years then you need to fight for him. Who gives a fuck if he and Trowa had one night of drunken sex – they won't ever make it as a couple. Pull yourself together." The speech seemed to have an effect on Wufei, because he glared at Duo. The fact that Duo was devastated by the idea of them having one night of drunken sex, well, that wasn't something Wufei needed to know. "Good. That's the Wufei I'm used to." On instinct, and because he knew the opportunity wasn't likely to arise again, Duo kissed him. Wufei stiffened, obviously surprised, but after a moment he relaxed into the kiss. Duo pulled away. "Well, I'll see you later." He made his escape before Wufei could say anything else dark and depressing. Heero's office was empty. It was seven-thirty on a Tuesday morning, and knowing Heero, there was no logical explanation for why he wouldn't already be chained to his desk. Either he had been involved in a fatal car accident or he had decided to stay in bed and fuck Trowa all day instead of working. Duo winced at his own thoughts. By eight there was still no sign of Heero – or Trowa – and Duo pulled out his cell phone to text Trowa. 'Did I miss the memo about not working today?' He was relieved by the instant reply. 'Did I miss the memo about you showing up before noon today?' 'Seriously. Where are you? Do you know where Heero is?' 'Coffee run. He's had a rough morning. We are on our way back.' Duo sighed. It was nice to know that they weren't currently screwing like bunnies, but it didn't mean that they hadn't been. When Heero's office door opened five minutes later to admit them, Duo stood up. "Morning," he greeted them. Heero's glare could have frozen the sun. Trowa looked between them, clearly sensing the instant tension. Duo tried to look for signs that they might have just slept with each other – but he really didn't know what he was looking for. "Morning," Trowa replied cautiously. "Ah, Heero, can we talk about –" "Duo, I'm working. What you do with your life is clearly no concern of mine. I don't have time to listen to your exploits." Trowa's eyes widened. "Okay, look, there was no 'exploit' – this is all just a misunderstanding. I can tell that you've already made this into the worse possible scenario, and I need to explain what happened before you get yourself any more worked up about –" "Worked up? You fucked my best friend. My straight best friend. You got him drunk and you –" "I didn't! Jesus Christ, Heero! I didn't sleep with him!" Heero was breathing heavily, and the coffee cup in his hand looked in danger of exploding under the force of his grip. Heero seemed to realize it, because he set it down. "Why exactly did you answer his cell phone at six A.M. if he wasn't with you?" Heero's tone was measured, and Duo knew that it meant he was even angrier now. "Look, Heero –" "Why?" "Okay, one, it's not really your concern where Wufei spends his nights. Two, he left it in my room after we talked." "You talked." "Yeah." "Wufei went home with you and the two of you sat in your room and talked. Because you're thirteen year old girls." "Okay, maybe we di – " before Duo could even finish the thought Heero's hands were fisted into his shirt. "Why did you do it?" Heero demanded. "Why couldn't you let me – even Wufei? What –" "It didn't mean anything! We –" Duo instantly realized it was the wrong thing to say. Heero's fist connecting with his nose only reinforced the point. "God damnit. You broke my fucking nose!" Duo shouted. At least, that's what he tried to say. The sharp, intensely throbbing pain distracted him almost as much as the blood he could feel dribbling down his face. "We didn't do anything! For fuck's sake, learn how to listen before you jump to conclusions. We talked. We kissed. That was IT. It didn't mean anything because it wasn't anything!" Heero shoved him backwards and Duo had a hard time staying on his feet. "You kissed him." "Yes." There was no point denying it, and Duo wanted to be honest, but the look of complete devastation on Heero's face made him rethink that desire. "Wufei is straight." "Yeah, well, not so much it turns out." "You." "I didn't seduce him or anything – it wasn't – Heero. It was nothing." "Why you?" It wasn't the time for snappy comebacks, so Duo remained silent. "It's always you, though, isn't it? Every time." Heero's voice was bitter and his entire posture suggested defeat. "Just once – why – " Heero shook his head. He turned away from Duo and looked at Trowa. "I'm going to work from home today. If anything gets resolved with the Munich situation, please let me know." "Heero." His brother shook his head and collected his briefcase. "I can't talk to you right now, Duo." Without another word, Heero left the office. "Fucking hell." Duo collapsed into a chair, wincing as the motion set off a fresh wave of pain. "You should go to a doctor," Trowa said, his voice mild. Duo looked over at him. "I bet this was just the most delightful morning of your life," he muttered. Trowa shrugged. "Top five, without a doubt." Duo chuckled, but stopped instantly at the pain. "Damn. He hasn't punched me in years. I forgot just how much it fucking hurts." "It's also disgusting. Please, go to a doctor." Duo grinned. "You got a problem with blood?" "I've got a problem seeing it all over your face, yes." That made Duo grin even wider, especially when Trowa's eyes narrowed. He clearly hadn't meant to say that. "Why don't you come with me?" "Are you asking me on a date? To the ER?" "What can I say? I'm a classy guy." "Yeah, classy is how I'd describe a guy who just confessed to making out with his brother's best friend. His straight best friend." Duo winced. "Yeah, about that. Um, talking right now kind of hurts. Can we do that after I've got some painkillers in my system?" Trowa nodded. "Thanks." The ride over to Dr. Greenfeld's office was quiet, but relaxed. Duo was grateful for how Trowa seemed to be taking the entire situation in stride, or, at the very least, not jumping to conclusions. Or maybe, Duo realized, he simply didn't care. Maybe he HAD spent last night with Heero, and Duo's escapades were of no concern to him anymore. "You didn't sleep with Heero." Trowa hazarded a glance at him. "I thought the talking was going to wait." "Trowa. Did you sleep with my brother?" "Heero's a good guy. He's also a little single minded in pursuing me." Trowa shrugged. "When we got to my apartment last night, he came up. He, ah, seems to be under the impression that I'm no longer involved with anyone. So – " "Okay, I don't want to hear anymore." Duo swallowed hard against the sudden desire to scream. There was something nasty churning in his stomach, and he didn't want to think about just how deeply this cut into him. "Well, I'm not done talking yet." Duo sighed. Perhaps he deserved to hear the details, to hear just how much better his brother was. "So we talked. We had a few more drinks. We watched Sports Center. I told him that yeah, I'd broken up with my boyfriend, but I wasn't available. Or interested. He's a great guy. But I'm not – " Duo risked death and extreme pain to lean over and kiss Trowa. It wasn't the best kiss he had ever experienced. In fact, it wasn't very pleasant due to the blood caked around his nose and his swollen skin, but it was still incredible. Especially when Trowa kissed him back just before he pushed him away. "You're driving," Trowa reminded him. Duo grinned, not caring about the pain, but turned back to the road. When they arrived at Greenfeld's office, Duo was experiencing a rather giddy high. He knew it was because of the adrenaline coursing through his system, but he also suspected that Trowa's admission was fueling it as well. Trowa, meanwhile, was looking at him with good-natured disdain. "I've never seen you like this," Trowa said after Duo grinned at him for the third time, for absolutely no reason other than he was there. "Yeah, well, I try not to let Heero break my nose too often." "How often has he?" "Twice –well, this makes three times. He loves to aim for my nose. It's cuz he's jealous of my ridiculously good looks, you know." "I'm sure." Dr. Greenfeld entered a few moments later and shook his head at Duo's appearance. "Duo. We need to stop meeting like this." "I know!" Greenfeld patiently worked to reset Duo's nose – after giving him an injection of pain killers – and clean him up. "It's going to be swollen and tender for a few days. But it looks like it should heal very well. A slight deviation, but actually, this realigns your nose just a bit from the last time you came in here." "Thanks, Doc!" Greenfeld ignored Duo and turned to Trowa. "You should be warned that Duo's body doesn't metabolize pain killers very quickly. He's likely to be… a little obnoxious for the next few hours." Duo slid off the table and stumbled. Trowa used one hand to steady him. "He'll also need looking after." Duo grinned up at Trowa, who rolled his eyes. "I'll take care of him," Trowa assured the doctor. "Thanks, Tro!" Duo leaned in, but Trowa held him off with a warning look. "Duo, take care, and try not to pick any more fights with your brother. You are getting too old for this." "I promise." Greenfeld shook his head and then waved his hand in dismissal. It took some coaxing, but Duo finally surrendered his car keys to Trowa and the much more sober man drove them to Central Park at Duo's request. He wasn't in the shape or the mood to do any work, and since Trowa was stuck babysitting him, he wanted to at least spend the time doing something pleasant. With a little more coaxing, Trowa joined Duo laying in the grass near one of the many small ponds. Duo closed his eyes and relaxed, relishing the sunlight above him and the feel of Trowa beside him. There were several inches between them, but Trowa's arm was pressed against his own, and his head was angled closely enough that if Duo rolled his head they could bump foreheads. "So, about last night." "Your night of drunken debauchery." "If that's what we're calling it." "I think so, yes, at least for the foreseeable future." Duo grinned. He had missed Trowa's sense of humor. Had missed talking to him. "God, I miss you," he said out loud. "I'm not sure how that fits into last night. Unless you're telling me that you were using Wufei as a substitute for me." "No! No way." Duo shook his head."No such thing as a substitute for you." He sighed. "So, last night, Wufei and I got to talking. About how perfect he thought you and Heero were for each other. I definitely disagreed with that, and I sort of told him about us. And then Wufei confessed that he's been in love with Heero since they first met, when they were…eight, I think" "And?" "What do you mean 'and'? Wufei's been in love with my brother for more than twenty years – that's kind of crazy." "No it isn't. It was obvious as soon as I met Wufei. I just figured he wasn't the type to admit to being gay." "Yeah, well, turns out the problem isn't that he's ashamed of being gay. He's ashamed of being a virgin – I mean, you know, a gay virgin. Because obviously he had sex with Meilin. Probably more than once, come to think of it." "Probably," Trowa agreed drolly. "Anyway, so he tells me that he can't tell Heero how he feels because he's afraid that he won't actually ENJOY the physical aspects of…physical aspects, you know." "I know." The humor in Trowa's voice was enough to make Duo grin. "So, he sort of…well, he – " Trowa suddenly sat up and leaned over Duo, blocking out the sun. "He asked you to sleep with him. So he could figure out if he would enjoy it." "Yeah. Exactly." The humor had left Trowa's face. "So we went back to my place. We ah, you know, kissed some. It was pretty obvious he was enjoying himself. So, I stopped. I, ah, I dunno, it just felt wrong. You know? I mean, he's crazy about Heero, and I'm crazy about you, and it was just – anyway, then we talked,' bout you and me, and him, and then I put him up in the guest room. But he left his cell phone in my room, and this morning I answered it, and it was Heero, and Heero being Heero, he jumped to conclusions… and I got my nose broken again." Duo paused. "You don't find this funny anymore." "Wufei shouldn't have asked you to do that." "I know! He should have just grown a pair and asked HEERO to do it. That's what I told him last night – and what I said again this morning." "He treated you like a whore." Trowa's voice was back to that same flat tone he had used when confronting Alima Fontaine. "Er, I wouldn't go that far. He was asking me for a favor, as a friend." "Duo, he was using you. He was trying to, anyway. A friend doesn't ask that of you. He KNEW you weren't interested in him, that you were still invested in me. He wasn't interested in you, he just wanted to use your experience and your body." "No, seriously, it's not – well, when you put it like that – but –" "Duo. He shouldn't have put you in that position." The look that Trowa was giving him was hard to decipher. "I know you slept with Zechs," he blurted out. Trowa winced and leaned away, turning slightly so that Duo could only see his profile. "I'm sorry. You deserve someone better than me." "No, for fuck's sake, not this again. I – fuck, I don't know why I said it. I slept with him too, okay. Last week, when I met him for dinner to talk about a PR contract." Trowa's shoulders stiffened. "See? Now I am a whore. Just like Wufei –" "No, you aren't." Trowa's voice was fierce. "You aren't. You're nothing like me. Nothing like that." "Sure. That's why everyone in my family is convinced that I sleep with a new guy every week and don't care about anything but fucking my way through Manhattan." Trowa scowled. "Why do they think that? That isn't you." "Well, once upon a time, there was a young man. He was ridiculously good looking, and very charming. He grew up in a very loving and very sexually repressive household. So, when he went away to college – " "Where did you go to college?" Trowa interrupted. "-When he went away to Northwestern – he decided to live his life just as he had always wanted to. He went to a lot of parties, and met a lot of other good looking guys. He fell into bed with them very often, and didn't bother to really get to know any of them. But there was one who was different. The young man thought he was special. It turns out, he was. Because this good looking guy just happened to be an undercover tabloid reporter. And this good looking guy managed to convince the young man to have sex with him while he filmed it and photographed it. It wasn't long before the good looking guy went to the young man's father and blackmailed him into paying half a million dollars for the film and the photographs. The young man's father was very, very disappointed. And the young man's brother and his best friend were also disappointed, but they were also amused, because they had always known that the young man was stupid, and would get taught a lesson for his slutty ways. And so, ever since then, the young man has been living with the fact that he is an idiot, and that he was a slut, and that he doesn't trust any good looking guys enough to tell them who he really is." Duo sighed. The high from the pain killers had started to fade. "You trusted me." "And then, one day, the young man spilled coffee all over the most good looking guy he had ever met. And he knew, beyond a doubt, that THIS good looking guy really was different. Really was special." "I cheated on you." Duo sighed. "It took the young man a while, but he realized that as amazing, and different, and special as this good looking guy was, he was also damaged. Not the same way the young man had been, but differently. This good looking guy didn't have trust issues, not like the young man. His issues had more to do with the fact that he didn't realize just how amazing he was, just how much he deserved in life. See, this good looking guy had lost his parents when he was very young, and a seriously fucked up man tried to convince the guy that his loss wasn't as important as letting an idiot get away with killing them. The guy didn't believe the man, not at first, but then, after the guy met the most incredible person in the world – second most, but at the time, he hadn't met the young man, so he didn't realize he was wrong – and the guy fell in love with this incredible person. But then this incredible person left him, and the guy started to think that maybe he wasn't worth the effort, maybe he wasn't as special and amazing as his sister told him, or as his parents used to tell him. The guy was lost and unhappy, and when he met another good looking guy, who, even then, the guy knew was another seriously fucked up man, he started to believe this fucked up man when he told him that all he was good for was sex, that he wasn't worth the time or effort for more. But then – just like the guy had always dreamed – the incredible person calls him and needs his help. So he rushes to the rescue, knowing that now he's special, now he can be amazing. But then something happens – sorry, I don't know this part." Trowa sighed. "And then the guy spends the next two years waking up every morning, convinced that THIS will be the day that the incredible guy realizes that he is special and amazing enough to defy his family and be with. But after two years, one night, the incredible person introduces him to a beautiful princess and tells the guy that he is going to marry the princess. So now, the guy knows that he won't ever be special and amazing enough. So he leaves." "Right. So then he leaves. And he's sad for a while, until he meets the actual most incredible person in the world. It takes them a while, but the guy and the young man realize that even though they're both damaged and a little broken, they're really good for each other. And they're both special and amazing enough. Especially the guy." Trowa's entire posture was stiff, and Duo didn't know if he should keep talking or wait for Trowa to say something. "Please tell me that isn't Nat's bedtime story or something." "Nah, it isn't frightening enough for her. But I AM shopping it around for a book deal." Trowa smiled slightly. "I'm not amazing or special. I'm just me." Duo sat up and positioned himself in front of Trowa, waiting until the other man looked at him. "You are just you. And you is amazing and special." Duo winced. "Sorry about the grammar. Look, I get that you've had a lot of shitty things happen to you, and that people in your life haven't always appreciated just how great you are. But, Trowa, YOU need to realize that they were wrong. You are special. And you're fucking amazing. I swear to God, you're so amazing that I can forgive you for being a Red Sox fan AND for thinking that Luke Skywalker is a better pilot than Wedge Antilles. And that's saying something." Trowa's lips twitched. "He IS a better pilot." "Bullshit. He's got the Force to act as his autopilot. That isn't skill." Duo leaned forward until his forehead was resting against Trowa's. "I'm going to be honest with you, and this might freak you out a bit. But I've been doing some thinking recently." "You're right, that is a bit scary." "I want you in my life. I want you in Nat's life. I want us to get a cat, and a dog, and maybe in a few years another kid. I haven't known you for that long, it's true, but I knew from the moment you laughed at my cholera joke that there wasn't anyone more worth spending my life with. So. That's where I am. And I thought you should know." Trowa was quiet, but he kept his forehead pressed against Duo's. He closed his eyes. "What did the guy do next?" Trowa asked. "He did whatever the fuck he wanted to. Because the guy was starting to realize that he was special and amazing and he could do whatever he wanted to with his life, because he deserved to be happy. And even if he didn't want to spend his life with the most incredible person in the world, he could at least know that there was someone out there who KNEW he was worth it." "It's a good story." Trowa said. He sat back, so that there was distance between them . Duo also straightened up. "Yeah, well, based on true events." Duo winked. "Let's get some food in you and then go back to work," Trowa suggested. He stood and brushed grass off of his shirt. Duo stood as well, refusing to let himself think too much about this. Trowa knew where he was on the issue now, so it was up to him to decide what he wanted to do with it. They grabbed hot dogs from a street vendor as they walked back to the car. "Hey, the Red Sox are in town this weekend. I thought I'd take Nat to the game on Saturday, introduce her to the greatest franchise in the history of the world. Any chance you'd like to join us?" Duo asked Trowa as they walked back to his car. "I told Catherine I'd take the twins on Saturday." "Bring them. Nat seemed to like them. A lot. You know, I didn't think about it before, but they're the only two kids I've ever heard her talk about in positive terms." "She doesn't get along well with other kids at school?" "No, not really. She's always been a target for bullies, because she's small for her age, and because she's such a loner." "I think they'd like to see her again, too," Trowa said after a moment's consideration. "Great. I'll see about bargaining for some first base line tickets, then." Duo winced as a sudden thought occurred to him. "You're all going to be wearing Red Sox shirts, aren't you?" Trowa smirked. "No other option," he said. Duo shook his head. "Damn. Well, I guess I'll risk it." Duo replied with a grin.
The rest of the day passed quickly, with no word from Heero or Wufei. Or from Trowa, for that matter. When they arrived back at the office he abandoned Duo to sorting through which ridiculously boring task to start with and went off to work on the Munich situation – whatever that happened to be. When Duo arrived home that night, Sara was preparing dinner while Nathalie worked on her homework at the kitchen table. "Hey, kiddo." Nathalie looked up and her eyes widened comically when she saw Duo's face. "What happened to you?" The shocked tone of her voice caught Sara's attention as well. "Oh, not again," she muttered and shook her head before turning back to the stove. "I, ah, did some boxing today. At the gym." Nathalie frowned. "You look like you lost." "Yeah, pretty much. Turns out I'm not very good at it." "How long are you going to look like that?" "Like what?" "Like your nose is gross and there's bruises all over your face." Duo grinned. "Oh, probably the rest of this week at least." She shook her head. "Embarrassing." " Alright, now I've got some good news and some bad news." "Bad news first." "Alright, bad news is that we're spending Saturday with Trowa, Luc, and Lilly." Nathalie frowned. "What's the good news then?" "We're going to see the Yankees crush the Red Sox." Nathalie rolled her eyes. "Stupid baseball." "Hey, it's not stupid. It's the greatest game ever invented." Duo nodded at the open math book in front of her. "How are you doing with that?" She shrugged. "Okay. It's not due until Friday." "Want me to look over it after dinner?" She nodded. "If you want to." "You bet I do. Do you have any idea how much I miss word problems and long division?" She rolled her eyes. "You are such a dork." He smirked at her and ruffled her hair. "Why don't you set the table for dinner?" She jumped down off the chair and collected the silverware and napkins from Sara. "So, about this morning," Duo said as soon as Nathalie was out of the room. "You don't need to explain anything to me," Sara said. Duo sighed. "Why is it people always say that when I do have to explain something? Sara, I didn't sleep with him – we –" "Duo. I know that he slept in the guest bedroom. I changed the sheets this morning. You don't have to explain anything." "Oh. Okay then. Well. Now that that's settled." Sara gave him a patronizing look. "What did you say to Heero this time?" She indicated his nose. Duo sighed. "Nothing much. He's just under the impression that I had my wicked way with Wufei last night." Sara arched an eyebrow. "I kissed him, okay? That's it. Nothing more." "Hm." Duo rolled his eyes. "In related news, I told Trowa that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him." Sara's face was inscrutable. "Well, that's something, then," she said at last. Duo rolled his eyes. " You always know what to say to make me feel better." She smiled. "Yes, now go sit down so that I can serve dinner." "Yes, ma'am!" Over dinner, Nathalie told Duo about her day, and started to ask questions about the upcoming baseball game, the twins, and Trowa. He was struck by just how different she was from the girl he had rescued weeks ago. He knew, from Hilde, that she was still shy and defensive at school, but even there her façade had cracked and she was participating more in class than she ever had before. And at home she felt confident enough to try and push boundaries and find out what rules she could get away with breaking. She quickly discovered that there wasn't much she could get away with where Sara was concerned, but that Duo was much more lenient with everything except for schoolwork. Nathalie seemed genuinely excited to have the chance to spend more time with the twins, and Duo made a mental note to investigate the neighborhood and see if there were any appropriate children her age she could become friends with as well. It also reminded him to contact his realtor about selling some of the brownstones. He would request that families with children be considered above others. After dinner, they spent time going over her math homework. He was incredibly pleased and proud by how well she was doing with it, and he allowed her to stay up for an extra half hour to watch television because of her progress. He had just looked in on her after her bedtime when he heard the front door bell ring. He jogged down two flights of stairs and approached his door cautiously. It was nine-thirty on a Tuesday night, and he certainly wasn't expecting any visitors. When he opened the door he had to strongly resist the urge to immediately close it again. "We need to talk." Heero was standing on his door step, wearing jeans and an old Princeton tshirt. With a sigh, Duo stepped aside and gestured him in. "No more punching, though. Nat's already convinced I'm a pansy who got the shit kicked out of me by a punching bag. I can't afford to lose anymore street cred with her." Heero winced. "I didn't think about her." "Yeah, well. Let's go up to the library." Duo led the way, Heero close behind him. "You did a good job with the restoration," Heero said. "Thanks." Duo gestured Heero towards the leather armchairs by the fireplace and closed the door. "Can I get you a drink?" Duo asked. Heero shook his head. "Okay. So… talk." Duo leaned back against the writing desk on the opposite wall of where Heero sat. He wasn't exactly paranoid, but there was no reason to be closer than necessary, either. "I'm not really sure where to start." "The beginning?" Duo suggested. Heero sighed. "You've always been better at picking up guys than me." "Heero –" "Even guys that I liked, guys you had nothing in common with, you could charm anyone into going out with you." "I never asked out a guy because you liked him. I never said yes to a guy just because you liked him, either." "I know that. That's what makes it even worse. Anyone that's ever compared us has always chosen you." "That's bullshit, and you know it." Heero gave him a piercing look. "Alex Mayfair." Duo winced. That was probably one of the most contentious events in his and Heero's lives. Alex had been a freshman with Heero at Princeton, and had accepted an invitation to visit the Yuy's for Thanksgiving break. Duo had been a senior in high school, and had recently come out to their parents himself. Alex had been dating Heero, but by the end of his four day visit, it was Duo he called and emailed; Duo he arranged to see over Christmas break. "Yeah, okay. But he was a jerk – and I was a stupid, selfish kid." "Sam Goldstein." Duo winced again. Sam had been a grad student with Duo at Columbia, and Duo had introduced him to Heero, convinced the two would hit it off. But, less than a week after Heero had gone on a date with him, Sam had confessed his attraction to Duo. Duo had grown up enough to turn him down, but Heero had still found out. "And now Wufei." "Wait, wait, wait. Wufei doesn't like me. He didn't pick me over you. He – wait. YOU like HIM?" Heero scowled. "It doesn't matter. I just don't know how to compete with you. I can't –" "No, no, it does matter," Duo interrupted. "Because the guy is crazy about you." "Funny way he has of showing it." "Yeah, well, he's a bit screwy." Duo sighed and sat down in the chair next to Heero's. "It's you he wants. He, ah, well, he's gay – but he's only ever been interested in you, so he's never bothered to experiment with anyone else." Heero's eyes instantly narrowed. "So he thought you would be a good candidate?" "Well, once again, he's a bit screwy. He didn't want to have to compete with Trowa for your attention and have to confess to having no fucking clue what he was doing, if he ever got your attention." "Trowa's out of the picture," Heero said, and the bitterness in his voice was conspicuous. "Well, maybe that's for the better. I mean… turns out your best friend's been in love with you for twenty years. That's something, right?" "He tried to use my brother for sex." "Why does everyone make it sound so wrong?" Duo muttered. "It is. He should have trusted me. If he truly cared, he would have –" "Heero. Stop. He does care. He does trust you. It's himself he doesn't trust. He really thought there was a chance that he wouldn't LIKE sex with another man, and he didn't want to find that out with you." Duo shrugged. "He's also about ninety-nine point nine percent convinced that there's no way you would ever be interested in him anyway." "He's an idiot." Duo nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry that I hit you." "I'm sorry I fucked Alex Mayfair. But that was thirteen years ago. I've tried to grow up a little since then." "I know. I shouldn't have – I just – it's Wufei. I never, in a thousand years, thought there was any possibility he would be interested in men. In ME." "So, you ARE interested in him, right?" Duo asked. Heero scowled. "It's complicated. Especially now, after this." Duo winced. "Heero, I really think you should talk to him. Don't get too analytical about this. Just… talk." "Easy enough for you to say." Heero sighed. "I really am sorry about hitting you." "Yeah, well, I guess I deserved it." Duo shrugged. "Besides, gave me a good excuse to take the morning off, get doped up on painkillers, and lay out in the Park." Heero shook his head. "Pathetic." "Hey – you're the one who went home to work. You should have just gone straight to a bar and gotten shit faced." "I thought about it." "So… this thing you have for Trowa. Are you over it now?" Duo asked cautiously. Heero frowned. "It's not a light switch. But he's made it clear that he isn't interested. And now… Wufei has definitely made my life complicated." "You need some complications in your life." "Why are you interested in Trowa anyway?" Duo shrugged. "I dunno. Thought I'd try my luck with him." Heero frowned. "He's a good lawyer, a real asset to us. And I consider him a friend." "What, so now I can't kiss any of your friends?" Heero's face was dark. "Too soon, huh?" "Yes." Heero shook his head. "I should go. I just wanted to talk to you." "I appreciate you not punching me again." "It crossed my mind. You acted like an idiot." "Well, that's me." "It's not you." Heero sighed. "Thank you for not sleeping with him." "I couldn't do that to you. Not again." Heero nodded. "Thank you." "Anytime, bro, anytime." ~ * ~ tbc... |
