Afterwards 2 Part 5
Duo collapsed into the booth and I smirked. "Tired already lover?"
He made a face back at me. "Heero, c'mon, even you have to admit that was really tough."
"Duo, it's just shopping."
"Heero, there's a reason women call it a sport." He took the menu from our grinning waitress. "At least we're finished..." He gave me a panicked look. "Aren't we?"
"I think so," I reassured him and he turned his attention to the menu. He looked happier- despite his complaints about being tired. I was glad. I had done nearly everything I could think of to distract him, to keep his mind busy and off of other things.
I wasn't sure how well it had worked. Duo was good at pretending. I hoped some of the happiness he displayed was real. We ordered our meal and then I reached across the booth and picked up his hand.
"How are you doing?"
He smiled for me. "Just fine. Other than the aching feet thing. Oh, and I think I got a bruise where that old lady hit me with her umbrella in the bookstore."
"She apologized."
"Right. She wanted the last copy of that book." He rolled his eyes. "I hope Sally appreciates my efforts on her behalf."
"I'm sure she will." I chuckled. "Just like I hope Hilde and Relena appreciate what we went through in the toy store."
Duo shuddered theatrically. "We are never doing that again. All kids gifts are getting ordered online after this. I am not braving that again."
"I thought the little girl hanging on your braid was cute."
"Her hands were sticky," Duo grimaced at his braid. "I am going to shower when we get home."
"I'll help you."
He looked up at me and smiled warmly. "I was hoping you'd say that. Offer to rub my feet too and I'll do anything you want for the rest of the weekend."
"Be careful what you offer..."
His gaze warmed even more. "I'm very serious. Anything you want."
I looked around for the waitress. "I hope our food gets here soon. I suddenly want to go home very badly."
That made him laugh.
~*~
When we finally got home, I let Val out and checked her water bowl. Duo went to check messages. I listened too, as I moved around the house, relieved that we'd only gotten one message- and that from Quatre about Relena's party.
"Shower?" Duo asked me when he finished and I happily let him drag me in that direction.
The end of Duo's braid did smell like a lollipop, so we washed it out and I helped him dry it afterwards. Then we curled up on the bed, his feet in my lap as he read the news to me.
The phone rang.
"I'll get it," I said and patted his ankle. "Don't undo my hard work."
He smiled at me as I got up and made my way to the phone. I looked at the number and cursed under my breath.
"It's Victor?" Duo asked and I nodded, wondering what he was going to do.
"Yes."
"Ignore it." Duo tossed the reader on the chair beside him. "I refuse to answer. You know he didn't change his mind in a day. Let him talk to the machine again." He crooked his finger at me and smiled. "Come here. I think I promised you something earlier?"
I joined him on the bed, stretching him out beneath me. "So you did." I kissed the corner of his mouth. "Anything I wanted, I think you said?"
He tilted his head back and smiled as I lapped at his throat. "I did. So show me what you want, Heero..."
~*~
Duo was awake when I got up, ensconced on the couch with Val and a newspaper. I noticed the message light wasn't blinking and I wondered if he had listened to the message- if Victor had left one at all.
He kissed me good morning and we talked about our plans for the day. He seemed fine, but I wondered.
The next few days I kept expecting phone calls. None ever came- at least not when I was home- and I wondered if Victor had given up. Christmas was getting closer and our days were busier and busier. Duo never mentioned his father and I didn't ask. Maybe that was wrong of me. Maybe I should've asked him to talk about it, but he seemed fine.
Fine until I came home the last Monday before Christmas and found him curled up on the couch, an express envelope on the couch beside him.
The look on his face made me go to him immediately. "What is it?"
He pulled me down beside him, held onto me tightly. "More of Victor's spite," he said and handed me a letter.
It was from a lawyer's office. I read it and blinked. "What the hell?"
Duo shook his head against my shoulder. "Can you believe him? The jerk altered his will. If I'm married to you, I don't get anything. Like I fucking care. I wasn't getting anything before. I don't need anything! Why the hell would he do this? I wasn't in the will before. Why am I supposed to care now?"
"Shh," I stroked his braid. "Relax. He's only doing what he thinks matters. Money matters to him. He doesn't know you feel differently."
"He doesn't know me at all." Duo yanked the letter out of my hands and crumpled it up.
"Maybe he expects you to call him and apologize."
"Fuck that." Duo was fairly vibrating with anger.
"Or he's trying to get on our Christmas card list."
Duo gaped at me for a moment and then started to laugh. "I'm not sending that bastard a Christmas card!" He tossed the letter to the floor and pulled me close for a kiss.
"We could send him a fruitcake."
"He might deserve that," Duo agreed, still smiling. "You're right though. He's only trying to get a reaction. I won't give him one." He kissed me again. "What would I do without you?"
Be in your father's good graces, I thought, but didn't say it. Instead I kissed him again. "You'd be making your own food. What do you want for dinner?"
He smiled and returned my kiss. "Just you love. All I want is you."
OWARI
Back to Merula's Fanfictions Page