Blood, Sweat and Tears Part 27
Early the morning following his arrival to Chicago, Heero lay awake in his bed. Staring up at the ceiling, he regretfully recalled how he turned down the offer to join Duo and his family for dinner.
Having to come to terms with everything that he had learned was a bit too much. So, he closed himself away in his guest room and retired to bed early.
That look of disappointment on the running back's face when he declined still haunted him. Despite the fact that his teammate quickly covered the hurt with that fake smile, Heero knew that he had hurt him. The guilt of that was eating him alive.
It was just a little after sunrise now and outside, the city began to wake with sounds varying from laughter to cars driving up and down the street. His appetite returning in full force, the quarterback turned onto his side and stretched. Slowly climbing out of bed, he pulled on a pair of grey workout shorts over his boxers and a white T-shirt. Once he slipped on a pair of socks, he headed downstairs.
Silently thankful that there was no one else up and about yet, Heero moved into the spacious living room. As hungry as he was, exercise needed to come before food. No sense in changing up that routine during his stay.
Positioning himself in the center of the room, he lay down on the carpeted floor and started his sit-ups. Eyes closed, he mentally counted his reps and focused in his conditioning. The world went away as he willed all of his stresses away. By the time he reached his hundredth sit-up, he lay back down and calmed his breathing.
When he opened his eyes and looked to his side, the quarterback nearly jumped out of his skin in finding a little face just a few inches from his own. The five-year-old Arab boy named Abdul was lying on his stomach and smiling widely. "Hi," he greeted with a cheerful voice.
Blinking in shock, Heero sputtered, "H-hi."
The child blinked his brown eyes and tilted his head of short-cropped, dark hair and asked, "Whatch 'ya doin'?"
"I'm working out," the team captain answered simply. He frowned deeply, "Shouldn't you be in bed still? Is anyone else awake to look after you?"
Abdul shook his head with a bright grin, "I'm always up now. Cartoons are on." That said, he crawled up to the large, flat-panel screen and turned it on to a station with talking animated animals.
Making himself comfortable, the boy sat up on the closest couch and curled up on a cushion.
With a snort, Heero shook his own head. "Cartoons," he muttered to himself. "Of course." In seeing that the youngster was perfectly content watching his program, he rolled over to fix his hands flat on the floor and started his push-up reps.
By the time he reached ten, he was once again faced with the wide and curious eyes of his little companion. "Do you need help?" Abdul asked. "Daddy lets us help when he works out. I can help you, too."
There was an anxiousness in that small face much like Duo's when he had visited the quarterback's room to announce that dinner was ready. As rough as it had been to disappoint his teammate, he couldn't imagine doing the same to such an eager child.
Lowering himself onto his stomach with a small sigh, Heero thought of how in the world he could get the boy to help him. Abdul waited patiently as he gently rocked himself back and forth. An idea suddenly coming to mind, the football player smiled, "Actually, there is something that you could do to help me out and still watch your show."
With a sharp gasp, the little one beamed excitedly.
* * * * * *
Not long later, Duo stepped into the living room to check on Abdul. Knowing how much his son loved the early morning cartoons on Saturdays, he knew that he would find him on the couch before the television. What he actually found made him freeze with wide violet eyes.
Giggling, Abdul was sitting atop Heero's flat back as the Japanese athlete continued his push-ups with the added weight to amp up his workout. Lightly counting his reps to himself, the quarterback actually had a small smile on his face at the boy's light laughter.
The moment ended when the little Arab looked up and grinned from ear-to-ear. "Hey, Daddy!" he waved. "I'm helping Heewo!" His own eyes widening, the quarterback paused just as he lowered himself to the floor. When they reached the ground, his charge carefully scurried off of his back and ran to his father with arms opened wide.
Duo smiled warmly as he scooped his son up in one arm and rubbed the top of the boy's head with the other. Chuckling deeply, he winked, "Looks like you were doing a good job, too, Abdul. That was very good of you." Abdul's grin grew as he tightly wrapped his arms around his daddy's neck.
Heero rose to his feet and nodded firmly to the little one with a small smirk of appreciation. Biting his lip, the running back said to his teammate, "I was just going to get breakfast going." Hope, Sun, Jamie and Camille entered the room and migrated to the television as the cartoons continued to play.
Lowering Abdul so he could join his siblings, Duo winced slightly when he looked back into the cobalt eyes that were watching him. "Would you mind keeping an eye on them while Solo, Hilde and I work on breakfast? The older three are still sleeping in." Gesturing to the lot watching the television, he stated, "That will keep them occupied until we're finished."
Not seeing the harm in such a simple thing, Heero agreed with a shrug, "Sure. They shouldn't be a problem." Nodding his head, the American quickly turned and slipped from the room. The guilt of his actions from the night before returned full-force for the quarterback. Chewing on the inside of his lip, he sat himself on the floor besides where the children were gathered.
Camille pushed back her dark hair from her little face and grinned down at their guest. Kicking her feet back and forth, the Hispanic girl said quietly, "Daddy really likes you." Cobalt eyes widening, the Japanese athlete snapped his head to peer up at the group that now had all eyes on him.
"How do you know that?" Heero inquired.
Just beside Flora, Hope's red hair glowed in the sunlight explained with a giggle, "Daddy only brings people he really likes here." The way that the youngest of the lot said those words, it was as if she thought everyone knew that fact.
Leaning forward so his little head was past his sisters', Sun added, "Only Uncle Quatwa been here, too."
That realization hit the quarterback like a punch to the chest. The whole time that he had been reeling over the fact that Duo was about to become a parent, he never took into consideration the fact that he was sharing the most important and private part of himself.
Suddenly, the guilt reached a whole new level that made him sick to his stomach.
Broken from his thoughts at the feeling of something wrapping around his arm, Heero blinked and returned to the present. Looking down, he found Jamie hanging on in a firm grip. "If Daddy likes you, I like you," she grinned sweetly.
Swallowing roughly, the football player frowned deeply and muttered to himself, "I don't like myself much right now."
* * * * * *
At the breakfast table, Heero was amazed at just how different Duo was when he was with his family. The moment that they all sat down, the family joined hands and the running back said Grace. The children were terribly patient and polite as the food was passed around. Every one of them had something to tell their 'dad' and he was more than eager to listen to them all.
What struck Heero the most about his sitting and watching the family interact was how different Duo was. While the braided athlete still had his humor and quick tongue, he was... peaceful. Much more so than whenever he was back at Pittsburgh. Whenever he was away from his kids, it was as if he was on edge just beneath the surface.
Almost snickering to himself at recalling how much he dreaded having to work with the famed 'bad-boy' of football, Heero shook his head in amusement. The running back was nothing more than a big teddy bear when it came to his family.
But then, a sudden thought came to him.
Ever since Duo's arrival to Pittsburgh, there was a change in his demeanor compared to how he had behaved on and off the field prior to that. This was a guy who had committed everything from DUI's to assault to vulgar gestures at spectators and vandalism. How could a person just turn that off so quickly in a matter of weeks?
There really was only one answer. And as soon as it hit him, Heero straightened with wide eyes. At the same moment that he came to his realization, the quarterback snapped from his thoughts when some of the little ones finished up their meals and left the dining room.
Stretching as he rose, Duo announced, "I'll get to work on filling the dishwasher."
Just as Hilde and Solo were about to offer their assistance, the team captain spoke up, "I'll help." The young couple looked at him with wide eyes. Still, no one looked more shocked that Duo, his jaw own eyes like saucers as he froze in the middle of gathering a couple plates.
A bright smile lit those violet eyes for the first time in days. "All right. Thanks, man," he replied with a small nod.
Quietly, with small grins of their own, Hilde and Solo made their way from the table and out of the room to check on the youngsters.
In a rush, the quarterback rose from his seat and gathered the silverware and plates set around him. Each taking one half of the table to clear off, the pair worked in silence at first. Once they reached the counter with their piles dishes, however, Heero couldn't hold his tongue a second longer.
"So it was all an act," he began. Nearly dropping the plates in his hands as he set them down, Duo looked to his teammate in wide-eyed confusion. "Before you were traded to Pittsburgh, everything that you said and did was just an act so that people would pin you as an asshole," Heero stated with all certainty.
Much to his surprise, a small smile tugged the running back's mouth. "You figured it out," he said quietly. Taking up a washcloth, he turned the sink faucet on and advised, "You're one of very few to know that about me."
Heero shook his head as he all but shouted, "But why!? Why would you willingly risk ruining your reputation like that!? Did you want to get traded constantly!?"
Calmly meeting the cobalt eyes that were watching him, Duo answered, "Actually, yea. That's exactly the reason for it." Taking a deep breath, he turned back to the sink and began rinsing off a few plates. "At least, that was the point until the team that I wanted to be traded to decided to sign me," he shrugged.
The frown on his face deepening, the quarterback repeated, "The team you wanted...? What team is that?"
Finally unable to concentrate on his work, Duo sighed deeply and turned the water off. Turning so that he faced his teammate, he folded his arms and responded, "Where I plan on building a new home for my family. Over the years, I did a lot of research to some of the safest areas with the most respected schools where I could raise those kids because I don't want anything but the best for them.
"Green Bay was at the top of the list, and so that's where they'll be living once the adoption is final. We break ground in a few months there." Roughly swallowing, the American frowned sadly, "And I want to be able to go home to them every night, Heero. The days I have to miss them during the week are killing me."
Snorting, Duo continued, "Now, granted, I might have gone a little overboard in trying to get traded this last season especially. But, like I already told you, I hated that whole organization on top of wanting to get in enough trouble that they'd want to trade me."
His braided head lowering, he muttered, "But nobody wanted to touch me then. Hell, the only reason that Dorothy signed me is the fact that she actually found someone that hated her bastard of a cousin as much as she did. I would have been out on my ass with nowhere to land. I had to pull back or else I'll never get to see my family on a normal basis."
Slowly taking a deep breath, Heero took it all in. Every bit of it made perfect sense. Everything was executed for a reason, with a clear goal in mind. Suddenly, his housemate wasn't such the enigma any longer. And he was lucky enough to be one of the few to see and know the real Duo Maxwell. He'd been willing to sacrifice everything-his reputation, his career, his talent... everything for his family.
Along with what was already riding on a successful season for the Wolverines, so was Duo's chance to be the father that he wanted to be. And that would mean leaving Pittsburgh if he was to be traded.
Clearing the lump in his throat, Heero gently took one of his teammate's hands in his own and squeezed it. When Duo looked back up at him, there were tears shimmering in his violet eyes.
The sight of that pain in his friend's face made the quarterback's heart ache. It was all that he needed to know that what he was starting to feel was deeper than a mere lustful attraction. "I'll help any way that I can to keep that from happening," he vowed quietly.
Biting his lip, Duo protested, "The damage has already been done. I don't think that Green Bay will ever want to work with me. And let's just say that they do... What would that mean for us? You know that if I do end up being traded that we'll have to-" He was silenced with a soft brushing of lips against his own that made him gasp.
Heero gave him a small smile and shrugged, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, we just worry about today and let the rest sort itself out." The running back blinked in surprise and a small grin tugged his lips. Gently brushing back the long bangs from his housemate's gaze, the Japanese athlete told him, "I'm sorry it took me some time to come around during my stay here."
Wiping away the unshed tears from his eyes, Duo chuckled deeply, "Better late than never." He took a deep and shaky breath as the hand on his chin fell away. His stomach in knots, he asked, "So does this mean that I haven't scared you off yet?"
Unable to help the deep chuckle that bubbled out of his chest, Heero smirked, "Not yet."
Very slowly, they leaned in for a chaste kiss.
* * * * * *
Once the dishes were set side in the dishwasher and the table was cleared, Heero and Duo headed back towards the living room. "You know," the running back snickered, "Marcus and Tai are two of your biggest fans."
In shock, the team captain turned to his teammate and blinked widely, "Really?"
Nodding, Duo replied, "They've been following your career for the last two years. They really look up to you for being one of the very few great quarterbacks that comes from a minority." He raised an eyebrow and smirked, "You haven't noticed the fact that they get that 'deer in headlights' look and lose the ability to talk whenever you're around?"
"Actually, I did," Heero admitted. "But I thought it was because they were just surprised that you actually brought one of your teammates here. I didn't realize it was because I was one of their favorite players."
His smile growing, the running back nodded, "Second only to me. And that's for the obvious reasons." Shaking his head, he sighed, "I'm sure that it was a dream of theirs to meet you. Now that they have, they don't have a clue what to say or how to act around you." He peered out the corner of his eye to watch the thoughtful look on his friend's face.
A plan coming to mind, the quarterback grinned and nodded firmly.
Stepping into the living room first, he headed right to the couch where Marcus and Tai were playing with their hand-held games. When their guest approached, they stopped instantly and looked up at him with those wide eyes. The sounds from their battleship game continued without them.
Politely bowing his head, Heero inquired, "Do you guys happen to have a football?" The two boys nodded numbly, their jaws hanging from their hinges. "Good," the Japanese youth smiled. "Would you mind catching some passes so that I could stretch arm out?"
Instantly finding his voice, Marcus gasped, "Y-you mean it, sir!?" Tai held his breath in waiting for the answer, sure that they had misheard the running back. Wincing a bit, Heero answered, "Yes, but I'm not old enough to be called 'sir.' Heero's just fine."
The boys sprung from the chair, whooping and jumping around. From his place on the couch with the youngest children, Duo smiled widely at the scene. "We have a football!" the Tai exclaimed to his idol. "And we can head to the roof for the space that you need!"
"All right," the quarterback chuckled deeply. "Lead the way." Still cheering and yelling excitedly, Marcus and Tai all but ran from the room. Shaking his head in amusement, Heero followed their voices.
Hope and her siblings all looked up at their braided parent as she asked, "Can we go watch, daddy?"
Lightly kissing the top of her head, Duo winked, "Of course. I wouldn't let you guys miss this for the world." Together, the family rose to their feet and quickly followed after the others.
TBC...
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