Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Sticks and Stones ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Author: Aravis Tarkheena

Title: Sticks and Stones

Pairing: 2x1 (Duo/Heero)

Warnings: AU, angst, melodramatic Heero >.>;; violence, abuse, mention of attempted NCS (nothing bad don't be scared),lemon, yaoi ( duh ) waff maybe, some sap too of course ^^, fluff from time to time … that's all I think…

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: R

Chapter Three

The police officer was a tall man with black hair that was slightly too long and hung lose around his eyes and ran a shaggy path over his ears. His posture was relaxed and his light blue eyes looked at Heero with sympathy. He smelled like coffee and sweets. It was a good smell. But Heero wasn't fooled. He had fallen for it once and look where it had gotten him. Same place he was now. In the hospital. But it was for a week that time. No he wouldn't make that mistake again. He wasn't young and stupid anymore. No matter what they said he wouldn't tell them.

"Hey there kid my name is officer Stevens, but you can call me Jim ok?" His voice was soft and soothing, a comforting voice, a voice you could trust, but Heero didn't.

"You want to tell me what happened last night Heero?"

Heero didn't bother to ask the man how he knew his name. The doctors tell people things without asking permission. Just like they call people without asking permission.

"Son? You want to tell me?"

Heero glared up at the man with the nice blue eyes and soothing voice.

"I'm not your `son' and nothing happened." Heero hated it when people called him son, he wasn't their son, he wasn't anyone's son. The only people that had a right to call him son were long dead and Heero didn't think they even had that right anymore. Especially after they just died and left him there. All alone.

"Ok, OK kid, I won't call you son, but if nothing happened then how'd you get all beat up."

"I'm not even going to bother to lie to you, because we both know it will be just that. A lie. So why don't you stop wasting both our time and go away."

"Heero this guy wants to help you. I think you should talk to him." Duo said to Heero.

"I don't want his help, I don't need his help. I don't want your help, and I don't need your help. Now that that's been established why don't you both leave me alone?"

Duo and Jim looked at each other. Heero glared at them. They both looked at Heero glaring at them.

"Heero if you tell me who did it I can stop them." Said Jim.

"How? By putting him in jail so he can get out in a few weeks and hurt me even more? By putting me in a foster home with pedophiles and perverts? No thanks, I know all about that brand of `help' and I'd rather help myself."

"I'll find a nice place for you to stay. I'll protect you. I promise."

Heero scoffed at the man. "Want to know how many times I've heard that one?"

Jim looked in to Heero's eyes. "Yes, how many?"

"Enough to know it's always a lie." Heero said, staring into the other man's eyes with contempt.

"I know he's hurting you. You know he's hurting you. Why not just put a stop to all of this."

"Because if I try it will get worse."

"We'll set you up in another house, with different relatives."

"He's all I have."

"Then a foster home."

"Been there, done that. Trust me it wasn't much of an improvement."

"We'll find you a really nice family. I promise."

"Sorry, call me jaded but I just don't trust the system enough to find me "a really nice family". There's no such thing as a really nice family that wants a kid who used to get beat up on a regular basis."

"What about mine." They were both startled to hear Duo's voice. Heero had almost forgotten he was there.

"What about my family. Would you press charges and testify if you could stay with me? With my family? Would you want to stay with us?"

Heero stared at Duo, was he kidding? He would do anything to stay with Duo. Anything. But was it possible. Was he serious? Would Heero really be allowed to live in that house? That wonderful house with those nice people and the great smells and the nice lawn and painted porch? Would he? It wasn't possible. They wouldn't want him.

Heero looked back at Duo. "You can't be serious…"

"I am. I'll go now and ask Mom and Dad. If they say yes, if they say you can stay with us will you tell Jim what happened?"

"What about when he gets back out. You're parents won't want me around forever."

"When do you turn 18?"

"Huh?"

Duo rolled his eyes in exasperation. "When's your birthday."

"In about a year, I just turned 17. Will your parents want to keep me for a whole year?" Heero asked.

"I'm sure they will, I'll be right back and ask them. OK?" And he rushed off.

Heero was left alone with the man named Jim. The silence was uncomfortable, but Heero didn't speak. If the man didn't like it let him talk.

Jim cleared his throat. "How ya feeling?"

Heero just looked up at him and said nothing.

"Must have hurt when they put your arm back in place."

"There are easier ways to do it than the way they insist in doing it. Their method is nothing short of barbaric." Heero said.

"Ah." Jim obviously didn't know what to say to that. And the silence fell again.

"You like school?" Jim tried again.

"Better than home." Heero replied. But he did like school. He loved school. He loved being told he was smart and having the teachers praise him. He loved looking at those big 100% marks on his tests and papers. He loved seeing the straight A's on his report card. School was so different from home and he loved it.

"You play any sports?" Heero looked at Jim again.

"Do you really care or are you just trying to pass the time."

Jim grinned. "A little of both I guess."

Heero rolled his eyes and was about to make a scathing remark about Jim's social habits when Duo came bounding into the room with his parents in tow.

"THEY SAID YES!!" He shouted and Heero winced at the loud noise as Duo came running over to his bed. Heero noticed that Duo's mother and father stopped and stood near Jim.

"They said you could stay `Ro!"

Heero looked at Duo's parents, "Honto?" He asked looking directly into Duo's father's eyes. They were nothing like his son's. Mr. Maxwell's eyes were dark brown and cautious, as if he were wondering whether or not Heero would jump out of the bed and bite him.

"What?" Duo's mother asked. Duo certainly took after his mother. She was a lovely woman with blue eyes and thick brown hair. Her face was kind and gentle and her voice was soft and malifluous just like her son's.

"Heero's asking if you're for real mom." Duo translated.

"Of course we're for real Heero. We'd love you have you stay with us. We just want to be sure you're safe and sound. You're such a good friend to Duo, always helping him with his school work and such. We'd love to have you."

Heero looked over to Duo's father.

"Sir?" He asked.

Duo's father looked into Heero's eyes. "I see you're not much one for pretty lies so I won't waste time and tell you any. I feel the same way as my wife, but I'm still bothered by this whole thing. Before I say yes I want to know that this was a domestic thing and you're not involved in anything shady."

"Trust me I don't have time for anything shady. J keeps me too busy for that."

"Alright then you can stay with us as long as you need to. Even when he gets out you're welcomed to stay with us."

"Arigato gozaimas Maxwell-san." Heero said with a bow of his head. If he could he would have gotten to his knees on the floor and bowed down to Mr. Maxwell from there, he was so grateful. But Heero was cautious not to let it show too much in his voice. It tended to happen that if he showed too much interest, or too much affection for one thing it was often used against him later. Now he was formal and polite, making sure not to offend anyone.

"So you'll tell me what's up then Heero?" Jim broke in.

Heero sighed. "Yes I'll tell you if everyone leaves the room."

"OK then everyone out!" Jim called with a smile.

"I'm staying. I want to know what I'm dealing with here." Mr. Maxwell said.

"Alright you can stay, but everyone else is out." Heero replied.

"I'm staying too." Duo chimed in.

"IIE! If you stay Duo I won't tell them."

"But-"

"No. I mean it. Out. Now."

"Go on son. Go sit with your mother." Duo's father coaxed.

"But I-"

"Now Duo." He stated flatly, leaving no room for argument.

Duo left and the two remaining men looked at Heero.

"Now." Jim said, "About last night."