Blood, Sweat and Tears Part 15
The moment he arrived home for the weekend, Duo went right to work tucking his little ones to bed. When he pulled the last bedroom door closed, he leaned his back against the wall and sighed deeply in relief at knowing that his charges were safe and sound. Everything was right in the world now that he was back home with his kids.
Hilde and Solo were sitting and waiting at the kitchen table when their braided 'brother' sauntered in lazily. Smiling warmly, the young woman pushed the extra cup of steaming tea towards Duo as he took the seat across from her. He winked a violet eye and took a small sip from the drink that had been made just to his liking.
"Well, no black eyes or bruising from what I can tell," Hilde smirked while appraising the running back's face. "Things must still be working out between you and Heero. It's a good thing that I didn't put money down on the bet I had with my husband, here, on how long that would last. I thought the honeymoon would be over long before now."
Snorting, Duo rolled his eyes, "Thanks for the vote of confidence there, Hil." He looked to the blonde beside her and nodded, "At least you gave me a little more credit at keeping my cool, bro. Thanks for that."
At that, Solo winced, "Actually, I only won by three days."
Choking on his tea, Duo sputtered and shot him a glare as he caught his breath. To his defense, the blonde young man shrugged, "Come on. The two of you had a knock-down, drag-out fist fight. I was sure that at least one of you, if not both, would have been hospitalized by now."
Finally able to breathe again, the running back muttered something about 'lousy, no good siblings' before taking a careful sip from his drink. Hilde and Solo just chuckled deeply to themselves. Duo lowered his mug and stated, "I'll have you both know that Yuy and I are both adults and we managed to come to an understanding."
When his 'brother' and 'sister' looked ready to open their mouths, the braided athlete raised a finger in the air and added, "Granted, that was thanks to Quatre and Lady Une's meddling; but we still managed to work things out just fine, thank you very much." Lowering his hand, he frowned deeply, "Actually, to be honest, I kind of worried about the guy."
Hilde tilted her head and asked, "Worried? Just a few weeks ago, you hated him. What has you worried about him all of a sudden?"
Not wanting to break his trust with Wufei, the running back only shared what he, himself had been observing with Heero's behavior. When he was finished, Duo rested his chin on a propped arm and said quietly, "He might have everything he could possibly want, but he's miserable and he doesn't even know it. I just wish there was a way I could get the guy to loosen up and enjoy something other than football."
By the end of his speech, both Solo and Hilde had smirks on their faces. Gazing from one to the other, the American glared at them. "Why are you giving me those looks?"
"You're totally crushing on him," the blonde chuckled deeply.
Laughing with his head falling back, Duo struggled to catch his breath. Wiping at a teary eye, he snickered, "Crushing on him!? Are you crazy!? We're oil and water."
All the more sure of her assumption, Hilde folded her arms and grinned, "Well, opposites do attract. The whole time you were talking about Heero just now, you had this almost dreamy look in your eyes. Maybe Yuy's not the only one oblivious to his own feelings." Raising a hand to keep the words from coming out of the mouth that opened to argue with her, she demanded, "Just tell me this- have you ever checked him out?"
Duo rolled his violet eyes once more. Throwing his arms in the air, he shouted in annoyance, "Of course I did! I'm gay and I'm a guy! I checked out everyone on the team a few times! You can't base your crazy theory on that alone!"
Quick to throw in, the young woman smiled triumphantly, "Ah! But when you did glance him over, did you like what you saw? Have you checked him out more than the rest of your teammates? And remember, you never tell a lie!"
His mouth snapping closed, the running back clammed up for a long pause. Closing his eyes, he put his nose in the air and replied, "I don't have to dignify that with an answer."
Nearly falling out of their chairs in fits of laughter, Solo and Hilde started cheering things like 'Yep!' and 'I knew it!' Sighing deeply, Duo made quickly finished his tea. His friends were still recovering their breaths as he rose from his seat and growled deeply, "Whatever, guys. You're reading way too much into this."
With a wide yawn and a long stretch, the fatigue from his long flight finally caught up with him. "I'm going to bed," the football player muttered, "G'night." Still giggling, the young couple wished him good night as he stepped from the room.
On his way upstairs, Duo snorted to himself, "Yea, I've got a crush on Yuy. What's next? Dogs and cats mating together?" He sniggered at that last thought. Considering how different he and the quarterback were, it would have to alter the course of the world as everyone knew it if they ever got together.
Besides, there was absolutely no way in hell that he was attracted to Heero. Yes, they were becoming friends now that their past issues were behind them. That certainly didn't mean that he was pining over the guy. Far from it, in fact! Sure, he might have checked him out a couple of times, but what was the harm at looking ever now and then!? It wasn't his fault that Yuy had an incredible physique for wandering eyes to roam over!
Shaking his thoughts from his head, Duo huffed out a breath of air and entered his bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he turned on the lamp beside his bed and slipped out of his black T-shirt. His work boots and the jeans soon following to pool on the floor, he crawled under his deep purple comforter and turned the light back out. Once his head hit the pillow and his eyes closed, the running back sighed deeply and drifted off.
* * * * * *
"Hey," Duo called as he stepped back into the Yuy household after his weekend home. "Anyone home?" There was no immediate answer. Shrugging, the running back headed upstairs to his room with his bags.
Respectfully bowing his head to the picture of Heero's parents at the top of the stairs, he turned and headed down the long hallway. Entering his room, he lowered his suitcases with a sigh of relief. "You're home," a familiar voice greeted from the open doorway.
Startled, the American spun and his mouth went dry at the sight that awaited him. Only a white towel wrapped around his waist, a very damp Heero smirked with an arm propped against the doorway. "Sorry," he chuckled deeply, "I didn't mean to scare you."
The words really didn't register in Duo's mind. All that he could think of was the rigid and perfectly built body before him. That unruly hair was still dripping wet at some of the ends and a few of the droplets were running down the washboard abs. It took every ounce of the running back's strength to not let his gaze follow those wet trails.
Swallowing roughly, Duo forced himself to look up into those cobalt eyes that pulled him into their depths. "I uh..." he attempted weakly, his voice failing him in the end. His mouth just opened and closed a couple times without so much as a peep.
Heero's smirk only turned all the more mischievous. Pushing himself from the doorframe, he stalked slowly to his frozen teammate. In a sultry voice, he asked, "When are you going to stop staring from a distance and start doing something about what you're feeling?"
Their faces only inches apart, Duo's breath hitched in his throat. The only sound he could hear was the blood rushing in his ears. He could feel his heart pounding and their breath mingling in the short distance between them. The only things that he could see were those deep blue oceans that he was drowning in.
Every last nerve in his body tingled and his hairs stood on end. Just when his legs felt like they were going to give out, a strong arm wrapped tightly around his waist, pulling him up against that strong chest.
Leaning so that their lips brushed together when he spoke, Heero whispered huskily, "Or are you still so convinced that you don't want this?" He pressed their lips firmly together as his eyes slid close. Duo gasped sharply at the sheer fierceness and hunger that he felt pulsing from his teammate. As soon as his mouth opened for that quick pull of air, the quarterback's tongue slipped inside to probe and explore.
Unable to fight his need and want any longer, Duo closed his own eyes and met the kiss with just as much intensity. His fingers buried themselves into Heero's damp locks as their tongues danced and swirled together. When they finally pulled back for air, he lost himself in those heavy-lidded eyes and breathed, "God, I've wanted this for so long."
"So have I," Heero sighed just before pressing their lips back together. He whimpered as the running back's hands moved to roam over his torso.
Making it his mission to hear that wonderful sound again, along with many others, Duo maneuvered his fingers around the tie of the towel at his housemate's waist. Without even looking, he eased the knot away and heard the fabric fall to the floor.
With a loud cry, Duo sat up in his bed. Sweat rolling down his face as he panted heavily, he gazed anxiously to his dark surroundings. When his eyes adjusted to recognize his room at his home, he sighed deeply in relief. Falling back into his bed, he willed his heart rate to finally calm. He pushed the dream away along with the feelings that it stirred.
At a wet feeling in his boxers, he quickly sat up with wide eyes. Slipping a hand inside, he confirmed what he feared and groaned, "Goddamn it!" He flopped back into his pillows with a hand over his closed eyes.
A few sleepless hours later, Duo finally decided to get up at he first signs of light through his drawn drapes. He stepped out into the hallway, his braid disheveled and dark circles under his eyes, and shuffled to the bathroom with a couple towels in hand. Along his way, he ran into Solo and Hilde as they stepped out of their own room. Fixing the couple with a heated glare, the running back muttered, "I hate you guys."
What concern had once been on his friends' faces when they got a good look a him faded into smug grins when they quickly rationalized the reason for the threat. Shrugging, Hilde chuckled deeply, "From the look of things, someone had a pretty sweet dream." She and her husband laughed as they just managed to duck away from the towels that were thrown at them.
* * * * * *
Flora bit her lip as she returned home, her stomach in knots after her weekend band practice. The hand carrying her flute case gripped the handle tightly. 'Aunt' Hilde was right behind her with a saddened look of her own in having heard the news on the way back from picking her up at school.
Wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders, Hilde reassured her quietly, "Whatever happens, you know that he still loves you, even if he can't be there all the time." A few small tears filled Flora's brown eyes as she nodded.
Duo was sitting at the table in the middle of the large room along with the youngest children of the lot. Having a gook look over all of their homework assignments and helping where needed, the braided young man was smiling and giving praise in the form of high-fives and pats on the head.
Looking up at his daughter and 'sister' approaching with deep frowns, Duo rose from his seat with a worried, "What's wrong, Flora?" He wrapped her shoulders in his arms and held her close in support. "Something happen at band practice?"
The Hispanic girl leaned into his embrace and sighed deeply, "My school music director announced the date for my band's last concert. It's this Tuesday night."
Instantly understanding why his daughter was so distraught, Duo pulled back and nodded, "I see." Up until then, he had been fortunate enough that most, if not all of his children's school events and sports took place on the weekend.
What with pre-season games opening in a couple of months, every training session was growing more and more important. But, he would have to miss out on a couple of practices to be able to make the concert.
Smiling warmly, the running back ran a hand over his daughter's dark hair and winked, "Don't worry. I'm not about to miss your last concern of the school year for anything. I'll work something out so I can be there."
Her brown eyes widening, Flora gasped, "But... but pre-season's right around the corner. Your coach will be mad if you miss any practices." Lowering her head and looking to her flute case, she shrugged, "This is just a stupid concert."
Gently lifting her head back up with a finger under her chin, Duo met her gaze and told her quietly, "I's not stupid, Flora. You've put a lot of time and work into this concert and I'm not about to miss it. Nothing is more important to me than you and your brothers and sisters. I haven't missed an event yet, and I'm not about to start now. Now, I said that I'd work something out and I will, so don't worry about it."
Flora smiled with shimmering eyes as she breathed, "Really?" Hilde was sitting at the table with the youngsters and wiped at her own eyes a bit at the touching scene.
Kissing the girl's forehead, Duo smiled, "Really." His daughter threw her arms around his neck tightly. Lightly patting her back, the braided athlete said, "I'm going to start dinner with Hil soon. Mind keeping an eye on the others while we're busy?"
"Sure thing," the girl smiled as she wiped the last of her tears. Kissing the running back on the cheek, she whispered, "Thank you, Dad." With that, she headed to the table and joined her little brothers and sisters.
Hilde patted the girl's shoulder as she followed her friend out of the room. On their way towards the kitchen, she frowned deeply, "How will you be able to convince Zechs to let you miss a couple practices? I'm sure he wouldn't be too thrilled with the idea this late in the training season."
At that, Duo smirked, "Zechs isn't the one that I need to convince. His wife is, now that she is a very influential member of the ownership board. Besides, as grateful as he was that I helped him out, I really don't think he'll have a problem with my missing one practice. I'll leave tomorrow so I can be there on Monday, fly back that night. After the concert, I'll fly back to be there on Wednesday."
Chuckling deeply, Hilde shook her head, "You really would do anything for those kids. And to think that you were once scared that you might not be a good father." Duo blushed a bit and her smile grew.
As they stepped into the kitchen, the pair set right to work on removing the ingredients needed for the meal they were planning. "So what are you going to tell Noin when you discuss your reason for missing out on a practice?" Hilde asked while removing a gallon of milk from the refrigerator.
Duo removed a few ripe tomatoes from the plastic bag waiting by the cutting board and shrugged, "The truth of course."
Nearly dropping the milk in her hands, the young woman's eyes widened as she all but shrieked, "You're going to tell her about the children!? You've never told anyone outside of this house about them before!?"
Aiding his friend before she dropped the container, the running back set the milk safely on the counter. "I really need a friend that has some pull with the team," he explained. "I need someone that I can trust besides just Quatre; someone who'll understand. I really think that Noin is a great choice for that."
"Well, you know her better than I do," Hilde sighed deeply. "If you think she can be trusted to keep this secret, I can't argue with the logic in having another confidant." She tilted her head and warned, "Just make sure you're one hundred percent sure before you go through with it. You said it yourself that the last thing these kids need is to be pulled into a media circus."
The braided young man tapped the end of her nose with a finger and promised, "I'll be careful." Satisfied with that, his friend nodded firmly. Taking up opposite sides of the kitchen, they worked in silence.
* * * * * *
"Hey," Duo called as he stepped back into the Yuy household after his weekend home. "Anyone home?" There was no immediate answer. Shrugging, the running back headed upstairs to his room with his bags.
Respectfully bowing his head to the picture of Heero's parents at the top of the stairs, he turned and headed down the long hallway. A chill ran up his spine at the sudden realization of déjà vu. His violet eyes widening, he quickly entered his room and threw his bag on the floor to make a quick escape before...
"You're home," a familiar voice greeted from the open doorway.
Jumping out of his skin with a cry, the American spun on his heels. Posed just as he was when he first saw him in the dream, Heero had an arm up and was leaning against the frame with a smirk on his face. Only this time, he was fully clothed without a hint of dampness.
What startled Duo the most was his instant disappointment.
"Sorry," the quarterback chuckled deeply, "I didn't mean to scare you."
The American replied quickly with a high squeak, "Just-" Clearing his throat, he tried again, "Just caught me a little off guard. No problem, man."
Heero grinned in amusement and nodded, "Well, I hate to admit it but it's good to have you back. It's been too quiet around here." Not waiting for a response, he turned on his heels and disappeared down the hall.
Loudly huffing out the breath he had been holding, Duo fell back to sit on the edge of his bed. Wiping the little beads of sweat from his brow, he groaned, "Shit. I think I might be attracted to him, after all."
TBC...
Again, thank you so much to JukeBox for taking care of the betaing for these last two parts! *hugs tight*
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