Whispered Touches Part 4
Heero heard his friends arrive before the doorbell actually rang. It began with the sound of a car turning into driveway, followed by the opening and closing of the doors along with the unmistakable voice of Meiran. He stood from where he was playing with Naoko and lifted the girl onto her feet.
"Let's go greet our guests, Naoko."
"Hi!" Naoko grinned up at him, her hand clutching a large piece of Lego that she had been playing with while he built random shapes to entertain her.
"That's right, we're going to say hi," Heero replied as he led Naoko to the door just as the doorbell rang. Heero opened the door.
"Obviously can't drive and navigate with the map, but you just won't let me help-" Meiran was saying to Wufei as the door opened. Immediately she turned her attention away from her companion to look at Heero, her smile firmly in place. It grew into a wider grin as her eyes dismissed Heero and trailed down to see Naoko. Naoko smiled up at Meiran, waving the piece of Lego in her hand.
"Hi!" she chirped again. "Hi!"
"Naoko!" Meiran dropped her duffle as she entered the doorway without Heero's invitation. She scoped the girl into her arms and cuddled her. "I've missed you so much, Naoko!"
"Kissie?" Naoko replied, hugging Meiran back. Meiran gave her a loud kiss on her cheek, and Naoko leaned forward to return the favor.
"Wufei." Heero nodded at his best friend.
"Heero," Wufei replied, picking up Meiran's duffle as Heero stepped back to let him in. "I hope we aren't intruding."
"Of course not." Heero shook his head as he closed the door. "My dad's out of town at a conference this weekend, and Mom won't be back until the evening so we've got the place to ourselves all afternoon."
"I see."
Meiran had taken it upon herself to wander directly into the living room where she sat down by the Lego and began to play with Naoko. Wufei cleared his throat, but Meiran took no notice. Heero smiled, recognizing Meiran's one-track mind when it came to his baby sister.
"Nice to see you too, Meiran." Heero knelt by the two girls on the floor. "I hope the trip wasn't too bad."
"Heero!" Meiran flushed slightly, reaching an arm around his shoulder for a quick hug. "The trip was horrible! HE." She jerked her thumb towards Wufei who was standing between them. "Wouldn't let me navigate and drove us to the wrong place! Insisted that I couldn't read a map just because that one time we had that scavenger hunt and I had the map-"
"You led us clear across towards the opposite side of the town!" Wufei inputted. "That goes to show you can not navigate with a map!"
"I was seven years old for gods sake!" Meiran snapped. "You'd think that you would have forgiven me by now and given me a second chance, but then again you're too bull-headed, your ego too stuffed up to even think that I can navigate better than you just because I'm a woman!"
Heero watched, amused as the two continued their banter.
Naoko interrupted by throwing a piece of Lego at Wufei's leg and managing to score a hit before she crawled into Meiran's lap, hugging the girl as if to comfort her.
"Naoko!" Heero admonished lightly, a little surprised at the baby's actions.
"Aww," Meiran cooed. "It's okay baby. Men are just bull-headed sometimes-"
"So are women," Wufei muttered. "They're just in denial."
"Sorry Wufei." Heero apologized. "I don't know what got into her."
"At least we know Naoko can be defensive." Wufei knelt down, reaching to take the baby girl's hand. "Will you say hi, Naoko?" he asked.
Naoko turned and looked at him, then wiggled the hand Wufei was holding. "Hi!" She smiled. "Kissie?"
Wufei sighed in an affectionate manner as he leaned close and kissed the baby girl's forehead quickly. Heero watched with a small smile of his own; he had known Wufei and Meiran for many years, and Naoko's birth had impacted on the two of them just as much as it had impacted on him. He knew that his two friends were older siblings to Naoko, almost as much as he was. Wufei rarely showed affection, but had never once turned down Naoko.
"Come on." Heero stood. "I'll show you guys around and then you guys can set up in my room." Heero knew that Wufei had brought his sleeping bag for they had agreed that they were too old to sleep together in one bed, but not too old to sleep in the same room so that they could still chat into the night. Hence, it had been decided that Heero and Wufei would use sleeping bags and Meiran would sleep in the bed.
It was later in the afternoon, when they were out chatting and playing with Naoko and Wing in the backyard, that the conversation of the ghost came up again.
"You don't really believe in ghosts, do you Heero?" Wufei asked as he tossed a ball for Wing to fetch.
"I didn't," Heero corrected, "but now, I'm not so sure."
"What do you know so far?" Meiran asked, watching the dog chase the ball. Naoko followed with giggles and the dog returned with the ball, offering it to the baby girl.
"We know that he and his family were murdered in the house next door eight years ago." Heero sighed. Both Meiran and Wufei's eyes shifted over to the mentioned house for a moment. "I've heard him a few times. His name is Duo Maxwell. Used to be the school's basketball captain and star. I think Naoko and Wing have actually seen him. Or it. Whatever you call a ghost."
"Wait a moment." Wufei leaned against the fence. "You're mentioning 'we', and 'I', separately. Why is that?"
"When I said 'we', I meant me and the two guys I've met since I moved here. Quatre Winner, who lives down the street, and Trowa Barton, whose family owns the local store."
"Ah." Meiran leaned against the fence next to Wufei. "So have you seen this Duo Maxwell?"
Heero shook his head. "Not yet, but other than the talking he has made his presence known by talking or playing with Naoko when I'm around, and reading my books."
They lapsed into silence, watching the girl and dog play. Naoko smiled at them, then sat down on the grass, watching as Wing shook himself and romped in the yard a few yards away from the baby.
"It's hard to believe when you haven't experienced it," Heero said after a minute. "I can only assume that Duo already knows both of you are here."
Meiran frowned at that and Heero noticed that she moved a little closer to Wufei. Deciding to take away from the sombre mood the ghost talk was causing, he made his observation known.
"You know, you two need to just get together, and get that over with."
"What?" Meiran spluttered, straightening quickly from the wall. "Yuy, I swear, every time we talk on the phone, or face to face, you say something like this!"
"What?" Heero raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You already bicker like a married couple," he teased lightly.
"Naoko, let's go inside!" Meiran shot Heero a dirty look before scooping the girl into her arms and stomping back into the house. Wing looked perplexed as to why Meiran took away his baby and he turned the look to Heero.
"I don't know, Wing." Heero answered. "Even you get the vibe that it's girl-time and you aren't allowed to be around, don't you?"
Wing regarded the two young men for a moment before going to sniff around the yard.
"So?" Heero returned his attention to Wufei, who opened one of his eyes upon hearing Heero's tone of voice.
"What?" Wufei asked when Heero didn't elaborate.
"When are you going to tell her?" Heero asked.
"Tell who, and tell what?"
"Tell Meiran you like her."
Wufei sighed. "I don't think she'd believe me."
"So make her," Heero advised.
"Easier said than done, Yuy," Wufei growled. "Anyway, what else is there about this Duo Maxwell that you know about?"
"Not much," Heero admitted. "We can't even figure out why the Maxwells were murdered. Duo won't speak to me about it. I do know what he looks like, from the picture on the sports wall of fame in school."
"Ah." Wufei turned an odd gaze at Heero. "And what's this tone I'm detecting?"
"What tone?" Heero asked defensively.
"What of the picture?" Wufei asked. "What's he look like?"
"Long braid. Pale skin. Skinny. Beautiful eyes in the oddest shade of violet, or amethyst; I can't really tell from the picture."
"There's no point in lusting after a picture," Wufei warned. He, as well as Meiran, were aware of Heero's sexual preferences, although this information remained a secret between the three best friends.
"I'm not," Heero grumbled. "I'm only stating what he looks like, in answer to-"
"Wufei!" Meiran's scream rang from the house. It took only a moment for the sound to be registered before Wufei was running for the house, followed closely by Heero and Wing.
"Meiran?!" Wufei raced through the kitchen, his eyes frantically searching for the girl. It was easy to locate her; she was standing in the living room, clutching Naoko. Wufei plucked Naoko from Meiran's arms and deposited the baby into Heero's arms. He then took Meiran by the shoulders, looking her up and down. "What happened? Meiran? Why did you scream?" he asked in a breath.
"I..." She grabbed Wufei's arms as if to anchor herself, looking only into his eyes. "I was...Naoko-"
"Take a deep breath," Wufei instructed, doing the same so that Meiran would follow. "Now, tell me what happened."
Meiran's gaze didn't leave Wufei's eyes. "I was playing with Naoko here. Then she stared passing pieces to this...third being. And then she wriggled like someone was tickling her. Then, this feeling at the back of my neck, a voice."
Heero, too, could feel the tingling at the back of his neck. He watched Naoko and Wing, hoping they would give the hint as to where Duo was. Naoko was hugging his neck tightly, and Wing seemed to be gazing at Naoko.
"What voice?" Wufei asked, confused.
"The voice. It...he...said. No, asked. Asked me to pass him a green piece of Lego." Meiran clutched Wufei. "Do you see it, Wufei?" she asked in a shaky voice. "A green Lego contraption. I didn't build it and neither did Naoko."
Wufei and Heero both studied the pile of Lego and sure enough, they could see a few green Lego pieces put together. Heero was certain he hadn't built that.
And then, the tingling feeling was gone.
~*~
Duo mentally smacked himself as he entertained Naoko from where she was perched in Heero's arms before he raced back to his attic.
/I've obviously frightened this Meiran./ He mused. /I didn't mean to./ He sat, rather, he floated in the attic. /Wish he'd stop prying. Telling people about me. Haven't even seen me, other than my picture./ Duo fretted for a moment. /Ah./ A small plan formed in his head. /I'll annoy the heck out of them. They really do believe I exist. Of course I do exist. But.../ Duo gazed out of the small window, staying well away from it. /But no matter what it takes, I can't let them find out about the murder./
/I can't let them find out how I killed my family./
~*~
"Heero!" Quatre waved at the approaching trio from where he sat on the jungle gym of the nearby park. Trowa was perched a bit higher and Heero waved to signify that he had heard Quatre's call. The five had planned to meet up right after dinner so Heero could introduce them to each other.
"Quatre, Trowa." Heero nodded to his friends once he had reached them. "These are my long-time friends from where I used to live. Wufei and Meiran."
"Nice to meet you," Quatre immediately said, offering a hand. Wufei accepted it, and Meiran followed before shaking Trowa's hand as the taller teenager slipped down to stand on the ground. "How long will you be visiting?" Quatre inquired politely.
"We arrived early this afternoon," Wufei answered. "And we hope to stay two nights. Then we will head back home in the early afternoon of Sunday."
Quatre nodded. "A weekend trip."
"Yes." Wufei nodded.
Trowa regarded Meiran thoughtfully. "Are you all right?" he asked in a polite tone. "You seem a little shaky."
"Yes, I'm fine." Meiran offered a bit of a smile.
"Meiran's had a bit of a run-in with Duo Maxwell back home." Heero supplied the answer. "Voice only."
"Ah." Quatre nodded almost sympathetically. "I haven't had the courage to go into Heero's house yet," Quatre admitted. "I'm sensitive to waves of feeling and that house just exudes this dark guilt. Even more prominent I mean, since Heero moved in."
"Maybe we should go for a visit," Trowa said thoughtfully. "If Heero doesn't mind, of course. I mean, with so many people, what could possible happen?"
"I don't know," Quatre admitted.
"It's fine if you want to come over." Heero shrugged a shoulder. "You've been wanting to meet Naoko anyway. She's seen Trowa at the store, but not you, Quatre."
"Ah, yes." As the baby of his own family, Quatre was rather intrigued by the little stories of the baby that Trowa had shared with him.
"You want to stop over now?" Heero asked. "There's so many of us I doubt Duo Maxwell can do anything to us."
"Right." Wufei nodded, the anger glint in his eye, along with his stiff shoulders portraying just how angry he was. Heero knew this stemmed from the earlier occurrence with Meiran and Duo. Wufei saw it as failure on his own part not to have protected Meiran, even though the girl was usually as tough as nails.
They walked silently back to the Yuy house, each left to their own thoughts. Wufei slid his arm around Meiran's shoulders and she gave him a shaky smile of relief.
As they neared the house, Trowa touched Quatre's shoulder lightly to let the blonde know that he was with a group. Quatre nodded at the reassurance, steeling his nerves and his mind and heart to this event. He felt his stomach turn at the guilt that seeped from the house. Heero opened the door to see Naoko and Wing not too far away. One of her hands was latched onto Wing's collar, and the other was raised, almost as if someone was holding her hand. As the four crowded in around Heero, they could make out the swing of a braid as a head turned in surprise towards the entrance. The five teenagers by the door could make out the very much see-through figure of Duo Maxwell, along with the shocked realization of his expression.
And then the figure vanished as if it had simply been a figment of imagination.
TBC...
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