From Far Away Part 20
"One glass of ale, boy!"
"Coming!" Duo poured the ale into a glass and glanced at his lover who was carrying a tray full of glasses and bottles.
<<Hee-chan.....>> Duo called his lover telepathically.
<<...............>>
<<Ne....Hee-chan......>>
<<..........>> Heero put two glasses and one bottle onto a table, full of laughing men.
<<You're sulking, aren't you?>>
<<Am not.>>
<<Then stop ignoring me.>>
<<Hn.>>
<<C'mon, I said I was sorry.>>
<<Hn.>>
<<Hee-channnn.... >> Duo wailed telepathically.
<<You're a baka.>>
<<I'm not.>>
<<So what do you call a person who gives ALL his money to someone without keeping some credits for himself?>>
<<uhm.... A kind person?>> Duo offered weakly and received a death glare from his koi. <<You said you didn't mind.>>
Heero let out a small growl and putted more glasses and bottle on the table a little too hard for Duo's taste. <<I didn't mind since I thought you were smart enough to leave some for us. Duo, you are a baka for forgetting that you too needed money to live, sleep, and travel the journey. Not to count you have a lover as well.>>
"A stingy lover...." Duo muttered, remembering an hour of torture he had to endure, listening to Heero and the bar owner bargain about the wages. He wondered what made Heero choose this job to gain money in the first place anyway.
<<What did you say?>>
<<uhm... nothing important.>>Duo heard a telepathic snort and wondered if Heero actually heard what he had muttered. He had learned not to underestimate his lover, especially when he was sulking or jealous. Duo saw Dorothy passing him quickly, serving the other customers and cringed as he noticed how short Dorothy's hair was now. The poor girl never dared to flirt with him again because every time she approached Duo, her hair would suddenly catch on fire.
The sound of a fist slamming down on a table broke him from his thoughts. Duo turned toward the noise to see some men standing and shouting at each other. He had seen them playing cards earlier, and based on their shouts, apparently some of them had cheated. He sighed as he realized a fight would break out soon and decided not to interfere, trying to save all the cups and bottles instead since it wasn't worth his time and efforts to try and stop the drunken men from fighting.
He had known for a long time that it was pointless to try and stop them. When he was still a street brat long ago, he used to hide beneath tables, waiting for the fight to start, then collected all the money they had bet with and ran away. Duo smiled, remembering those days. Anyway, he wouldn't do it any more. Not since Sister Helen made him promise not to steal again.
Suddenly the movements of his short-haired lover caught his eyes. Duo raised one of his eyebrows when Heero approached the bar owner, who looked ready to faint when the men started throwing punches. Poor him, he would have so many broken tables and chairs after this fight.
Duo watched as Heero spoke to the bar owner. Feeling curious, Duo approached them until he could hear their conversation without being noticed.
"......I can get rid of them for you if you give me 5000 credits."
"5000 credits?? You're joking! That's a month wages! Besides, you can't possibly beat those burly guys. Argh my chair!" The owner exclaimed as a guy broke one of his chairs
Heero shrugged. "It doesn't hurt to give a try. You have nothing to lose. The sooner you agree, the less you suffer the loss."
A bottle flew towards them, crashing into the wall, missing the owner's head by an inch.
"Well?" Heero raised an eyebrow to the pale man.
"I'll go for 3000."
"5000"
"3500"
"5000"
"4000. That's final."
Heero shook his head. "5000. That's fixed price."
Another thing flew towards them, this time a table. The bar owner shouted, realizing there was no way he could evade the table. A hand suddenly came up and caught the table, putting it back onto the floor.
Heero sat on the table lazily and smirked as the man looked at him, jaw dropped. "Well?"
The bar owner gulped and nodded weakly. "5000. I want those guys out of my place."
"Ninmu ryokai." Heero hopped down from the table and went straight into the fight. Without so much effort, he grabbed the guys one by one and threw them either through a window or a door, depending on which one was the closest. In one minute, Heero had finished his job, leaving the men out cold outside the bar while the rest of the occupants in the bar fell dead silent with the show.
Duo watched with his jaw dropped as his lover walked toward the bar owner. He watched as the man grudgingly handed the payment to Heero. Suddenly he knew why Heero chose this place to work at the first place. The realization only made him widen his mouth more and stared at his koi unblinkingly.
Heero smirked as he saw how Duo looked at him. He ignored the other stares he got from the rest of the bar occupants and walked straight to his lover. "Let's go back. We're done here." He grabbed Duo's braid and pulled the boy out of the bar.
~*~
<<You had planned it.>> Once in their room, Duo confronted his lover. <<You chose to work in a bar because you knew you would have a chance to gain money in a flash like you did just now.>>
<<I never had the intention of working for an entire month >> Heero shrugged and changed into his tank top and spandex.
<<But that isn't fair for the bar owner. You used his disadvantages to gain the advantage for yourself.>> Duo sat down on the bed and looked up at Heero.
<<Don't be silly, Duo. The bar owner's got more than enough credits to fix that problem from the money the men had left behind on the table. I just took a small part of it.>>
Duo made a perfect "O" and then frowned. <<Wait a sec. If you didn't plan to work for a month in that bar, why did you argue about the wages for an hour then?>>
<<Habit?>> Heero offered innocently.
Duo groaned and plopped down onto the bed. He soon got a handful of his lover sitting on his torso. "Heero??"
"Are you tired?" Heero wriggled his hips seductively, brushing Duo's groin intentionally.
Duo felt himself harden at the touch and grinned. "Never too tired to taste a virgin like you, koi."
Heero growled as he stripped the boy beneath him. << I'm starting to regret ever telling you this.>>
<<Too late, koi.>> Duo chuckled and started to do the same for his koi, stripping him from his spandex and tank top.
As the last cloth was peeled and left them naked, Heero caught Duo's mouth and slipped his tongue into the braided boy's mouth. He felt Duo's hand on the back of his neck, deepening the kiss while the other one roamed over his back and slipped into the crevice of his cheeks. He moaned into Duo's mouth as Duo's fingers entered and prepared him, pushing back against the fingers.
<<Impatient, are we?>> Duo chuckled and prodded Heero's prostate, making the boy gasp and then growl.
<<Stop teasing.>>
<<As you wish.>> Duo grinned and pulled out his fingers. He let Heero put lubrication on his cock before he rolled them so he was on the top and slid his aching need into his lover's welcoming warmth, proceeding to drive both of them into the peak of pleasure and oblivion.
~*~
Duo smiled as he lay on his side on the bed and watched the sleeping face of his lover. Heero looked so young and innocent when he was sleeping. He caressed Heero's face with one finger, savoring the rare serene moment. He wished they could stay like this, contented in each other's arms and never have to worry about anything else.
He watched as Heero's eyes fluttered open and he greeted him with a warm smile. "Ohayo." Duo bent down and kissed the boy passionately.
"Ohayo." Heero purred and nuzzled Duo's bare chest. "How long have you watched me sleeping?"
"Hmm... I dunno." Duo rested his chin on Heero's head. "Did you sleep well?"
"Aa... very well. I didn't dream anything."
"No more dreams about your past?" Duo caressed Heero's back.
"Not since the last one where we had the same dream." Heero purred and arched his back a little. "You?"
"Uh. Same like you. No more bad dreams. I think it's because I finally know all there is to know about your past."
"You know my past but I don't know yours." Heero moaned as he felt Duo's fingers wandering over him.
"Ah... There's nothing much to tell about my past. I've been orphan as long as I could remember." Duo smiled sadly as the memory came back to him.
"What did you do to survive?" Heero looked up to meet Duo's eyes.
"I joined a rascal gang, got caught after a few months and sent to an orphanage where I met Sister Helen."
Heero kept silent and watched as Duo became lost in his memory.
"Sister Helen is the orphanage manager. She is very kind and cares about us. I used to get scolded every time I tried to steal something and was punished to clean the orphanage until I promised not to steal anymore." Heero watched as Duo smiled. "I wonder what she is doing now? Will she be sad or angry when she finds out I've disappeared? Ah, I'm sure she must be worried since I promised to contact her at least once a month."
"Do you miss her?" Heero felt a little jealous.
Duo smiled at Heero and kissed him. "Aa. She is like a mother to me. If only I knew a way to go back and tell her I am okay...."
Heero gasped as he watched Duo suddenly become transparent and disappear slowly. "Duo!" he shouted and lunged for Duo.
"Wh...what? Why did you shout suddenly?" Duo blinked in surprise as Heero suddenly hovered over him.
Heero also blinked in surprise and dropped his body over Duo, feeling the warm and real flesh. Duo was here. Duo was still here. "I thought..... I saw you disappear just now." He hugged Duo tightly.
"Disappear? Where will I disappear to?"
"Back to your world." Heero trembled in fear. "Leaving me alone here."
"Don't be silly." Duo hugged back and soothed the boy, feeling the slender body shake rapidly. Heero was really scared. "I won't go anywhere. I'll always be with you."
"Promise?"
"I promise. We will always be together. No matter what happens and what comes upon us, I will always be by your side." Duo kissed Heero gently and felt Heero stop trembling. "Silly koi, I will never leave you. I belong to you, remember?"
"Aa.... And I belong to you too." Heero nodded but Duo could see a little fear still reside in those blue eyes. He covered Heero's face with gently kisses and caressed his slender body until Heero felt safe and fell asleep.
Duo sighed as he saw Heero's peaceful expression. Even after he fell asleep, Heero didn't let go of him, using his body as his bed. Heero's limbs sprawled all over Duo, his head tucked under his chin, breathing soft breaths against his neck. Duo stared at the ceiling to ponder what had happened just now. He was still confused. He didn't tell Heero, but he did feel something odd when he was telling about his past. One second he felt he was floating and the next one, he had Heero hugging him tightly, nailing him back to the earth, to the bed to be precise.
Did he really disappear like Heero said? If yes, where would he go and what caused him to disappear? Duo tried to find the answers but soon gave up and fell asleep, feeling so good with Heero as his blanket.
~*~
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Duo frowned as his sleep was disturbed.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
He stirred and found he couldn't move. His eyes flew opened and he needed a few seconds to process what was going on.
Heero.
Heero was still pinning him down with his dead weight.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Wait a sec!" Duo shouted and tried to remove Heero from him him, only to gasp as he felt Heero tighten his grip. Duo realized Heero was awake. Of course, how could anyone be still asleep with that persistent knocking? <<Heero! Let me go.>>
<<No. You'll disappear.>>
Duo blinked <<What are you talking about? I won't disappear.>>
<<Yes, you will. I just dreamt I woke up and you disappeared as soon as I removed myself from you.>>
Duo blinked again and noticed Heero trembling. Heero looked like a child going through shock because he just had a nightmare. Duo ran his hand over Heero's trembling body and realized despite his cool and steadfast behavior, Heero was still a child when it came to dealing with feelings. He just learnt how to express his feelings recently once he knew there was someone who wanted and loved him.
Compared with the Heero he met when he first arrived in this world, the Heero trembling in his arms was more expressive and animated. The way he got jealous, the way he sulked, the way he got angry, and the way he felt fear, Duo saw none of them in the old Heero.
Duo was stunned as he realized how important he was to Heero and how much he had affected the boy. They've changed each other and both wouldn't be the same if the other left for some reason. Duo smiled and caressed Heero's head, just like he had seen Sister Helen calmed a crying child. <<Shh, Heero. It's just a nightmare. It isn't real.>>
Heero made no answer. He just buried his head deeper under Duo's chin.
Duo sighed, knowing Heero wouldn't let go of him anytime soon. He remembered a child at the orphanage who had a bad enough of a nightmare once to have clung onto Sister Helen for an entire day. He just hoped it wouldn't take Heero as long to calm down and forget about his nightmare. This might even be the first time Heero actually had a nightmare, despite the ones from his past.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Duo groaned. He had forgotten about the reason he woke up in the first place. "Go away." He shouted.
"Heero, Duo, it's me. It's important." A female voice was heard from behind the door and Duo choked as Heero tightened his grip. <<Heero, you can kill me if you don't loosen your grip a bit.>>
Heero loosened his grip a little but made no other move.
Duo sighed again and caressed Heero's hair, pondering what was so important that Dorothy dared to get near him again. Whatever it was, it might be very important for the girl to risk her hair getting burnt again.
"Heero, please open." Dorothy again.
Yup it must be very important. "Wait a little longer." Duo shouted. <<Heero...>>
<<No.>>
Duo kissed Heero's head. <<I know you won't release me. But I need you to arrange yourself so I can feel more comfortable. Put your arms around my neck, okay?>>
Heero made no sound but he did move one arm slowly and put it around Duo's neck, then he moved the other one deliberately slow, which Duo cannot help but smile at his beloved's antics. <<Good boy, now let me sit.>>
<<No.>>
<<Come on, Heero. Sitting doesn't mean I will disappear. You're still holding me, ne?>> Duo smiled comfortingly and pushed his hands on the bed to help himself into a sitting position. Luckily Heero decided not to make the matter more difficult, so now Duo was sitting on the bed with Heero straddling his lap, arms around his neck. Without being asked, Heero wrapped his slender legs around Duo's waist, clinging onto Duo like a koala clinging onto the tree.
Duo chuckled and kissed Heero's head, noticing Heero have stopped trembling. A good sign. <<Hold on tight, Hee-chan.>> He put one arm around Heero's waist and slowly stood up, wobbling for some seconds before gaining his balance. Gosh he felt like a mother cradling a giant baby.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Coming!" Duo grabbed the blanket and putted it around them. Thank God the blanket was wide and long, covering them from shoulder to knee. He felt like a cone or a tube like this, but he could do nothing about it. He managed to free one hand out of the blanket without revealing their undressed state and walked toward the door.
Opening the door, he saw there was another girl with brown hair standing next to Dorothy. Both of them wore the expression of shock and surprise. Duo forced a grin as he realized how ridiculous they must look. "Sorry, but he just had a bad moment and won't let me go. Come on in." Duo gestured them to enter with his head and closed the door after the girls sat down on the chairs. He leant against the wall near the door, too last to move with his giant bundle, and looked at the girls. "I recall you have something very important to say, what is it?"
Dorothy stammered and gestured to the girl with slightly curly hair. "Uhm, this is Catherine Bloom, my cousin. We need your help."
"My help?" Duo blinked.
"Uhm, both of you."
"Wait a sec!" The girl named Catherine held up her hand. "I don't think I need both of them. I just need you, not him." Catherine pointed to the brown bundle under Duo's chin.
"Catherine!" Dorothy hissed.
"It's true. I recalled you told me only one of them fought the men last night. I thought both of you could handle this job, but judging from the boy's behavior right now, I think I can only depend on you, Heero." Catherine looked at Duo hopefully.
Duo blinked. Dorothy coughed. Heero.... no response.
"Uhm, Cathy..." Dorothy tried to speak but Catherine cut in.
"Dorothy told me how good you fought yesterday so I wanted you to be my caravan's bodyguard. I thought both of you were good at fighting, but since only one of you who is capable to fight, I'm afraid I can only give the job to you, Heero. As for your mate, don't worry you can take him with you." Catherine spoke smoothly while staring at Duo.
Duo made another perfect "O" with his mouth at the girl's outburst. He couldn't decide whether to laugh or to be angry and at the same time he was afraid as he felt Heero tensed.
"Uhm, Cathy... I think you should hire both of them because..."
Catherine cut Dorothy again. "What? You want me to hire a weak boy like him as a bodyguard?" She turned to Duo. "I'm sorry if I'm too blunt, Heero, but I don't think your mate can fight. If you want me to hire him, I hope he can cook. We're also looking for a cook."
A growl was the only warning for Duo and the girls as Heero suddenly turned his head and glared at Catherine, not releasing Duo. The braided boy could guess what Heero would do and shouted. "Heero! Don't! Stop!!"
Too late.
Duo could only look at the shrieking girl in sympathy as fire started eating her hair. Luckily Dorothy was fast, having been in similar positions like this for some time now. She grabbed the water pot on the table and poured it into Catherine, saving the girl from becoming bald.
<<Heero....>>
<<Hn.>> Heero looked satisfied as he saw the girl coughing. Despite his sympathy for the girl, Duo felt a little relieved as he noticed Heero had let go of his waist and was now standing on his own feet. Good improvement. Now he only needed to find a way for Heero to release his neck. Duo thought about flirting with Dorothy, but decided against it, not wanting to test how Heero will use his fire to deter would be suitors.
"So it's really you who started the fire." Dorothy looked at Heero accusingly. To Duo's amusement, the girl could conceal her fear and stare back at Heero.
"Hn."
"Sorry Dorothy, he's the jealous-type." Duo held his hands in surrender that earned him a smile from the girl.
"I can understand that." Dorothy nodded. "No hard feelings for you. I think I've learned my lesson in being careful of whom I can flirt with. And as for you, Cathy." She turned to the wet girl. "Don't be too quick to judge. You better wait till they introduce themselves first."
"Introduce?" Catherine, who had calmed down, could only look at Duo and Heero questioningly.
Duo grinned. "I'm Duo Maxwell, nice to meet you, ojo-chan." He nodded to Heero. "And this is Heero Yuy, my koi and also the best fighter you can get."
Catherine paled. "He... he is Heero..."
"Yup, the one who beat all the guys yesterday, Cathy." Dorothy answered.
Watching the girl get paler, Duo decided to help. "You said you wanted to hire us as bodyguards for your caravan. Where do you want to go?"
Catherine looked at Duo thankfully and started speaking. "To my home island. My family, Dorothy, and I think it isn't safe anymore to stay around here and we want to return to our peaceful island. As you know, OZ and Sank are at the moment in a state of ceasefire, so this is the perfect time to leave. But unfortunately, we need to go through the capital city of Oz. Since we need to be extra careful in the capital, we decided to hire some bodyguards."
"How much?" Heero asked suddenly while Duo rolled his eyes. Leave it to Heero to think about the money.
"3000 credits for each guard." Catherine stammered, afraid of getting burnt again.
Duo looked at Heero. <<Well?>>
<<Acceptable.>>
<<That's it? I thought you were angry with her.>>
<<Business and personal matters are different. By joining her, we don't have to buy horses and we also get some more money.>>
<<I should have known that was your reason.>> Duo sighed and looked back at Cathy. "We accept."
"Really? Oh thank you!!" Catherine suddenly lightened up. "Thank you so much!! Heero, uhm, I'm sorry that..."
"Forgiven."
Catherine blinked. "Oh, thanks. Anyway, we depart this afternoon. I'll wait for you in the bar. C'mn Dorothy, we need to tell the others." She grabbed Dorothy and quickly left the room without giving Duo or Heero a chance to protest.
<<This afternoon? Damn we have to move fast then.>> Duo moved to close the door but it was a bit difficult to do with Heero clinging on his neck. <<Hee-chan, let go now. I won't disappear.>>
<<No.>>
The braided boy sighed and with some effort, he finally managed to close and lock the door. <<Man, I wish I can just hop onto the bed rather than carrying you all the way back.>> Duo imagined the bed while still looking at the door. Suddenly he felt himself floating and the next thing he knew, he was standing on the bed, still with Heero clinging onto him.
Duo blinked in surprise. <<What was that?>>
<<We are on the bed. Standing.>> Heero's voice was as surprise as Duo's
<<Uhm looks like we somehow moved from the door..... did you use your Power?>>
<<No. I don't possess the Power to move us like this.>>
<<Then that means..>>
<<It's yours.>> Heero finished the sentence.
Duo didn't answer. He processed what had happened instead. No matter how many times he thought for another logical explanation, he couldn't find an answer. Oh well, nothing was logical in Heero's world anyway. Duo gave up thinking and decided to try the Power instead. He looked at the table and told himself he wanted to be on there. The next thing he knew, he was standing on the table, Heero still tightly glued to him.
<<Wow! I can do teleportation!>> Duo grinned and imagined the bed again.
<<Teleportation?>> Heero asked and noticed they were standing on the bed once again.
<<Yup, that's the name in my world for this kind of Power.>> Duo sat down and pulled Heero to sit on his lap.
<<The people in your world can do this teleportation thingie?>>
<<Uhm, no. It only existed in fiction.>>
<<Fiction, you mean fairytale?>>
<<Well, yeah. Some thing like that.>>
<<But you have the Power.>>
<<I think it's a part of Shinigami's Power, like this telepathy and my ability to see ghosts.>>
<<It may be true....>>
<<Anyway>> Duo grinned. <<I think I know why you saw me disappear. I was about to teleport for the first time.>>
<<Oh, that could be it.>>
<<It must be the reason. You can let go of my neck now. I won't disappear.>>
Heero hesitated. <<What place did you imagine when you were about to teleport at that time?>>
Oh shit. Duo cursed silently. He could predict Heero's reaction to the answer to his question. He couldn't lie and not answering only made Heero more suspicious. Duo sighed and told the truth. <<My world.>>
As Duo had predicted, Heero buried his head in the crook between his neck and shoulder and tightened his arms around his neck. The boy's legs wrapped themselves around his waist. Duo waited for some minutes before calling his lover.
<<Heero....>>
Heero didn't answer.
<<Heero, I...>>
<<Do you want to go home?>>
Duo was stunned by the sudden question.
Heero noticed Duo tense and closed his eyes. It looked like his nightmare was true after all. Duo would disappear, going back to his world. Would Duo be happy in his world? Of course he would. He had someone there, who cared and loved him. Torn between keeping Duo and wanting him to be happy, Heero finally decided. He kissed Duo's neck and slowly loosened his arms and legs, sliding down from Duo's lap.
"Heero?"
"There's no one who doesn't want to go home." Heero bowed his head, shaking as he realized Duo could leave him anytime he wanted.
A finger lifted his chin and a pair of violet eyes bored into him. "You're right, koi. Everyone wants to go home."
Heero bit his lower lip and tried to hold the tears that threatened to fall. He would lose Duo..... He would be alone again. But then he was suddenly enveloped in a bear hug and Duo's lips on his. <<You're my home, koi.>>
TBC...
No cliffhanger, see?? *gets some glares*
*sweatdrops* better write part 21...........
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