Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Frog Prince ❯ Part 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Gundam Wing Fairy Tales 2: The Frog Prince

 

Author's Note: This plot bunny bit me in the ass when I found a book on Grimm fairy tales my cousin made for me when we were kids. It's not going to be terribly long and it's not going to be, I promise. And look, no rape! Though there is an evil Relena (it's a fic based on a fairy tale, of course I'm going to use Relena as the evil sister). Some notes on the original `The Frog Prince', first.

 

It continues to amaze me how people can take something like a fairy tale and twist it so much. Ask just about anyone and they'll tell you that The Frog Prince is a tale about a princess who kisses a frog and it turns into a handsome prince. However, this is completely WRONG. Those of you that are in your twenties will, like me, probably remember the movie version in which a pretty little princess loses her golden ball and a frog gets it for her. She's so grateful, she lets the frog live with her, only her sister is so disgusted by the creature, she tries to get rid of it. The story ends with her kissing the frog and being whisked away to a beautiful kingdom to become Queen. This, however, is not the fairy tale. Yes, there is a very beautiful princess who loses her golden ball and a frog helps her out, however, when he makes her promise to take him home, to eat from her plate, and to sleep in her bed, she doesn't honor it. She runs back home and is horrified when the frog shows up the next day. The King (one of the only decent characters) forces her to keep her promise. The princess hates the frog and is disgusted by it. That thing about the princess kissing a frog that turns into a prince? Not true. When the little guy tries to sleep in her bed, she throws him against a wall, which, somehow, transforms him into a prince. So, here's a lesson kids: throw ugly things into walls, they may make your dreams come true! So, honestly, I don't have any idea where the `kissing a frog will turn it into a prince' thing came from. This is my take on the original story. There are no literal frogs, but there is an annoying girl who breaks her promises and a loyal servant to the prince (he was called Henry in the original tale and he was the only other decent character besides the King, he was loyal all those years that the prince was stuck as a frog and even cried over the guy). This was going to be a Valentine's Day fic, but I thought of it too late.

 

Author's Notes 4/17/09: This fic was going to be a one shot, but as usual, it got away from me, so I'm breaking it up. I got enough reviews on ff.net showing interest that I decided to give it more attention than I had originally chosen. Actually, I like this fic a lot, even if it is quite different from my regular works.

 

 

Pairings: 1x2, 13x9, unrequited R+1.

Warnings: AU, OOC, bastardized Relena, dead Noin, angst, sap, lemon, het, yaoi, language.

Summary: One day, a lonely boy named Duo is rescued by a dangerous looking man named Heero. Wanting to repay him for his kindness, he brings the man home and the two quickly become friends. However, his elder sister, Relena, will do anything to get rid of the kind stranger, but when Heero's secret comes to light, she might just settle for tearing apart the two friends.

 

 

 

 

*****

Treize and his beautiful wife, Noin, had wanted children more than anything in the world. Treize was the sort of man any woman would have been glad to have as her husband, tall, handsome with sandy brown hair and light blue eyes, as well as very wealthy, kind, and patient. The same could be said for Noin, a passionate, loving woman with short, raven hair and twilight eyes. They had been married quickly, but their love for each other had been as bright as a flame in the darkness, and hard to put out. Very early on in their marriage, they had discussed having children. With Treize's wealth, money wouldn't be a problem with raising children and, to both of their shocks, the other had no qualms about kids. At first, things had been hard for them. A year had passed with the pair trying as hard as they could to have a baby with nothing to show for it. They went to specialists, only to be told that there was nothing wrong with either of them. Little did he know, but listening to his wife sobbing late at night over something that she had believed she could never have would haunt Treize for the rest of his life. However, all of their wishing finally paid off during one late summer, Noin had given birth to a beautiful baby girl.

Most wealthy men would have been upset at having a girl child, as most wealthy men are concerned about heirs and the continuation of the line, but Treize was no such man. He had looked upon his new born daughter with absolute love and devotion. He knew, the second he had laid eyes on her, that there was nothing in the world he could love more than his child. Little did he know that in only five years time, he would have not one, but three children, each that he loved more than anything else in the whole world.

 

 

Twenty years later….

 

 

Treize had thought, at his current age, he would have left the more tiresome aspects of father hood behind him and be able to relax knowing that his children were mature enough to mostly take care of themselves. He had, obviously, been mistaken. Two hours ago, he had sent his middle child, Relena, to water his Noin's orchids, but, having set foot in the green house only a few minutes ago, it was obvious to him that she had not done her chore. It wasn't such a rare thing, however, for his daughter to either forget, or outright shun one of her chores, and she certainly didn't have many. Most of the work was done by either his youngest child or one of their servants, but he had been sure that a simple task like this would be easy for her. No, the task itself was not what made his Relena so… irresponsible, it was simply the idea of work. Though she was a full three years older than his youngest and only two years younger than his oldest, she acted like the child of the family, always running off to play instead of doing what she was told. In earlier years, he would have ignored such behavior and let her do as she pleased, being the only daughter still living at home and he did cherish her, despite her stubbornness and laxity. However, as he was getting older, he had realized the damage he had done by spoiling the girl and that, one day, he would not be there to guide her and prod her along. One day, his little girl would have to realize that she was an adult and the world was not all gold and diamonds. But, though he had spent the last few minutes searching for the girl, he had the feeling that she was not in the house.

It was a beautiful spring day outside, though in the far horizon, dark clouds were gathering and, without the aid of the news programs, he knew there would be a storm the next day. He was positive that Relena was outside, perhaps searching for wild roses, one of her favorite things to do. When she had been very little, she had been obsessed with the bright red flowers that grew in the woods and along the river that curved near their mansion home. Knowing this, he had hoped that he could coax her to take care of her mother's flowers, but Relena only cared for how the flowers looked, and had absolutely no interest in the actual care of the living things. He remembered how, on her sixteenth birthday, he had given her a brightly colored finch. She had been enthralled for the first week that she had had it, but had quickly become bored, especially when she discovered that live animals required work. Instead of telling Treize to take it away, she had neglected to take care of it and the poor thing had almost died. Horrified by this, Treize had thought to take the finch back to the store, to give to a proper owner, but his youngest child had taken the bird and cared for it, bringing it back to health. He had been caring for it these past two years and the bird was still alive and well. The memory of his youngest, smiling brightly as the bird perched on his finger, brought an equally bright smile to Treize's face.

Treize descended the porch and wide steps of the front of the mansion that they called home, hoping that he would find Relena out front. As he passed by the small pond that was near the greenhouse, he spotted one of his other children, his youngest, in fact, sitting by the pool, watching the koi fish swimming about. Treize smiled fondly, though his child couldn't see it.

“Duo,” he called. The boy turned and smiled at his father.

“What's wrong, Dad?” the teenager asked, immediately picking up that there was something wrong, which only made Treize smile wider.

 

Noin and Treize's first daughter they had named Hilde, after the valkerie, a woman that had been able to surpass anything, even death. She, just like all of their children, was beautiful, inheriting her mother's hair and eyes. She acted like a valkerie as well, full of strength and pride. Treize and Noin had been so happy when she and their son, Duo, had become best friends, despite their differences, as early as when Duo was a toddler. Treize didn't know who had been sadder when she had gone off to college two years ago, Duo, or himself. He didn't know what had made it worse for himself, that Hilde was his first born, the seed of all of his hopes and dreams during a time when they had felt so hopeless, or because she looked so much like his wife, it hurt to look at her sometimes.

When Hilde had been born, Noin and he had been satisfied, believing that a miracle had happened and she would be their only child. They had been shocked, a mere two years later, when Relena had come along. As much as Hilde had looked like her mother, it had been clear that Relena had gotten most of her genes from Treize's side of the family. She had almost the same shade of his hair, only just light enough that when the light of the sun reflected off of it, she looked almost blonde, as though she had wheat for hair, and her eyes were the same blue as his. However, Relena had been a high maintenance child. Treize did not know if this was because they had constantly doted on her, her beauty reminding them of European princesses, or if it was simply a part of her nature. Though, even as a baby, she had been fussy. Yes, there had been times when Hilde had been the same way, but Relena had been that way most of her babe-hood. She had cried constantly and as a child she had been an absolute terror, throwing temper tantrums left and right and Treize was sure he had made this behavior worse by never denying her a single thing. She was remarkably bright, but her temper seemed to overshadow what positive traits she had.

Three years after Relena's birth, they had been blessed with another child, their only son, Duo. It had seemed like an odd name, but they had found it funny at the time. When Noin's doctor had told her that she was to have twins, she had panicked. One child at a time she could handle, but she had no idea what to do with two at once. Readily, they had decided to name the twin boys Damien and Nathaniel, only to discover, after another round of tests, that there had been a mistake and there was only one boy inside of her. Noin had joked, throughout her entire pregnancy, that it was as though God had heard her prayers and had forced the boys to merge as one once more. However, this joking had turned softer and fonder when they had taken their first look at the babe. While Hilde looked like Noin and Relena looked like Treize, Duo looked like neither of them, like no one in their family. He had a thick mop of gorgeous chestnut hair, shimmering with golds and reds and all sorts of shades, his eyes an equally stunning violet, the likes that Treize had never seen before. The doctors had told them to expect his eye and hair color to change as he aged, but such a thing had never happened. Noin had truly started to believe that God had heard her pleas and that Duo had been a gift from an angel.

As much as they had doted on Relena, they had done tenfold to Duo. Unlike their middle daughter, as a baby, Duo had never cried and had caused little mischief as a child. He had truly been a gift from above, a reprieve after the torments that Relena put them through. A pensive boy, though seeming a bit lonely at times, Duo was full of energy for life, though not hyper like Relena had been, and acted as though he were the older sibling, readily taking up Relena's chores and trying to help with the servants, saying that he enjoyed the work, though Treize also knew that his son was strongly empathic, hating to see the suffering of others to the point that he worried about him with strangers. Duo was the sort of boy that thought about everything he said, so that, when he spoke, his words would have true meaning and not just be noise. Treize supposed that it was those patient, kind traits that had given his son a special place in his heart, though it could have just been the fact that the boy was small and physically, obviously, the youngest of his little brood. He did worry about him, though. He was concerned that some stranger would use his son's kindness and gentle nature against him one day. It didn't help that Duo was beautiful, in a sort of earthly way, like an elf or white wolf. Beauty was in his nature, it wasn't something he set out to create, at times Treize deeply believed that his son didn't even realize his good looks, which made the thought of someone taking advantage of him all the more real.

Treize's smile turned slightly sad and thoughtful as he saw the brilliant ball of quartz that Duo was rolling around in his hand. The ball, the size of one of Duo's slender hands, shimmered in the sunny light, flecks of gold and white and silver-fire caught in the bright light and made Treize's heart ache. Seeing the expression on his father's face, Duo's own smile fell and was replaced with one of deep ache and darkness. Treize wanted to immediately try to destroy that look, but floundered, not quite knowing how, though he knew the reason why it was there.

“Have you seen your sister?” he asked instead. Duo shook his head, the long braid that he had started to grow when he had been only seven thumping against his slender back. Treize loved that hair, though he wasn't sure why. When Duo had proclaimed that he wanted to grow out his hair, Treize had had no objections, partially because he felt he could never deny Duo anything that would make him smile and partially because he honestly could see no harm in it. He wasn't sure of Duo's reasons, but it was hard to imagine him without the long locks now that he was fifteen and it had been eight long years since he had had short hair. Duo wore a slightly guilty look at not knowing Relena's whereabouts, which in turn made Treize guilty for asking him to begin with. It wasn't at all fair to either of his children, but Duo was easily the most responsible and so Treize felt he could rely on him for anything. Because of this, he often put Relena's safety in Duo's hands, knowing that he would do as he was told. Relena had always hated that her younger brother was her keeper, but Duo had thus far kept her out of harm's way.

“I'll find her,” the boy promised, standing with the ball of quartz in his hand. He paused for a second, as though some invisible force was keeping him there, and his violet eyes met his father's blue ones.

“About Mom,” he started hesitantly. Treize stilled as though he had come across a skittish white deer, marveling at the rareness of it and frightened he would scare it off. Duo bit at his lower lip, a common sign that he was distressed and, to Treize's dismay, he shook his head.

“Never mind,” Duo murmured and ran off towards the gazebo at the back of the mansion. Treize followed him with a devastated look, wanting to demand that he come back here and tell him what he was about to say, but he didn't dare.

 

 

 

Ten long years ago, Noin, Treize's wife and the only woman that he had ever loved, had passed away. It had been a month after Duo's fifth birthday, and though he had been so young at the time, he had loved his mother deeply, as only a young child can completely love his mother. It had been hard raising the three children without her love and support, but somehow, he had managed. He wondered if Relena would have become a different person if Noin had lived, but knew how pointless it was to speculate on such things. The mansion seemed so empty without her and he worried at the effect her death had had on his son. He seemed so… lonely, especially after Hilde had left him and Treize didn't know how to comfort him. That ball of quartz… Noin had given that to Duo as a present on the last of his birthdays she would ever see. Even before her death, he had treasured it greatly. Unlike Relena, Duo found the greatest joy in such simple beauty, caring not for expensive electronics or jewelry, but loving pretty stones and pressed flowers, something he could treasure, but also something that was natural. Then, Noin had passed away and Duo had clung to that stone like another child would a blanket or teddy bear. Treize had seen Relena eying the stone with jealousy, but had put his foot down about her playing with it. It was Duo's, he had told her time and time again, and it was certainly not a toy for careless girls to play with.

Treize sighed as he went back into the house to tell the cook to start dinner. He supposed it was the fate of wealthy children to be lonely, having few of their class to play with, but it was even worse for them. Their home sat in the heart of a great old wood, far from schools and other young people for his children to be with. They were a bit isolated, but the river and woods were beautiful and Noin had found it so relaxing. Treize had, at one point, found it on the tip of his tongue the suggestion to move after Noin's death, but had never voiced it, knowing that Duo would hate moving as he loved the woods and he loved their house and the memories of his mother within it, though Duo would never say those things, simply letting Treize and Relena do what they thought best. Duo could be just as stubborn as his older sisters, but often second guessed himself when it came to making important decisions. Treize sighed again, deeper this time. Relena and Duo had never had many friends, but Relena seemed to revel in her privacy while Duo seemed just so… lonely. Lonely down to his bones, down to his soul. He was so quiet and often had a sad look about him, a look that Treize did not know how to banish. How could he force a friendship on his son? Friendship had to come naturally, freely, but how could such a thing happen when there was no one around for Duo to connect to? It couldn't be healthy for a teenager to have these feelings. If he acted like Relena, content with his isolation, Treize would have let it pass, but he could see that his child was miserable, missing his eldest sister and his mother. Also… it couldn't help that the poor thing blamed himself for what had happened to his mother so long ago.

 

 

As Duo walked to the gazebo in search of his older sister, he was deep in thought. It wasn't the first time he had tried to talk to his father about what had happened to his mother, but his fear of his father's disappointment and anger at him for her death always stopped him. He thought that, if he could just pretend that his father loved him and didn't hate him for killing her, then he could survive, but if he had to talk about it, how could he ignore his father's feelings, then? He ran a hand through his long bangs, unsure of what to think or do. He had been a small child when his mother had died, but he remembered her so clearly and he missed her so much… His special ball of quartz seemed to warm in his hand he was squeezing it so hard. He frowned as he finally came upon the gazebo and saw his sister, dressed in one of her blue skirts, sitting on the white, wooden bench, plucking the petals off of one of the daisies that grew near.

“Relena, what are you doing?” he asked sternly. She seemed to finally notice him and gave him an annoyed look.

“What do you want?” she hissed coldly. Duo knew, had known since he had been very little, that he was his older sister's least favorite person, but at times, like now, he was taken aback by her sheer contempt at his existence. He couldn't see how he could make things better and he deeply wished to have a relationship with Relena like the one he had with Hilde. He couldn't change the fact that he had been born anymore than he could change that his father saw him as the `responsible one', often making him baby sit his older sister, which drove her into a mad rage. Still, he had born her insults and bullying for too long to be cowed by her with a mere look.

“Dad is looking for you,” he said in a sharp voice, trying very much to sound and act like his father, the only one that could bring the blue-eyed girl to heel, but felt that he didn't have the strength to come close, “You shirked your chores again, didn't you?” he scolded. Relena scowled at him.

“What's the big deal? They're just flowers and it's not like you won't do it anyway, you suck up,” she insisted with a slight sneer on her face. Even though it was true, Duo hated that look.

“It is a big deal,” the sound of their father's voice made Relena's back stiffen, “Those were your mother's flowers, besides, I gave that chore to you, Relena, not Duo. You can't rely on your brother all the time,” Treize said coldly. Deep inside, Relena seethed. Their father was always defending Duo. So what if she had decided to come outside and play in the pleasant afternoon air instead of watering some stupid plants? They had servants for that sort of thing, but for some reason, Treize insisted that she do some of the chores. She couldn't understand her father, they had so much wealth, but instead of showing them luxuries, he made them work! Then there was Duo… he really was such a suck up, not only doing everything he was told, but actually helping the hired staff, it was sickening! He acted more like the common children in the town that they sometimes visited to go to movies than the son of a rich man. But, there was absolutely nothing she could say or do to make her father look at her brother in the same way that he looked at her, so distrustfully… as far as their father was concerned, if anything went wrong, there was absolutely no way that Duo could be responsible, he was just too… mature.

“But, Father, it's such a lovely day out,” she whined, hoping to talk her way out of a scolding, “I was just about to go for a walk in the woods, I was going to water the flowers later, honest!”

Duo looked at her sharply. He knew that their father would never see it, but he could tell that she was lying just by looking at her face. Oh, he had no doubts that she had wanted to take a walk in the woods, but he knew that she had had no intention of doing her chores. Something cold laced up his spine at the thought of going into the woods. They were beautiful, especially at this time of year, but they scared him. They were like a labyrinth, full of wild beasts, rocks, and then there was the river, which was deep and long. Normally, he loved everything about nature, but he stayed clear of the woods.

“Absolutely not,” Treize snapped, folding his arms over his chest, “You are not going out into those woods by yourself,” he said with a dark look in his blue eyes, “They are much too dangerous. There are wolves out there, and possibly even bears.”

“But it's beautiful out and I can take care of myself!” Relena protested, “Please, Dad, I'm eighteen years old, I'll be careful!”

Duo snorted in disbelief. Of course, the second she wanted something, his sister would harp about her age, but more often than not, she acted like a little girl. Still, he could see that Relena's look and whinny voice had hit a weak spot within their father, he could actually see his resolve crumbling.

“Alright,” Treize agreed. Relena seemed to crow with delight at having gotten her way once more, but Treize put up a hand to stop her from running off.

“However, there are conditions. The first is that you must come back in a few hours. The cook is starting dinner and it should be ready by then. It will be getting dark around then anyway and I don't want you getting lost. The second is that your brother will be going with you,” Treize ordered. Relena opened her mouth to protest, but her father didn't give her the chance to say anything.

“This is non-negotiable Relena. Duo will look after you and if you get lost, two pairs of eyes are better than one. If I don't see a hair of you by suppertime, I don't care where you are, you will be grounded, is that understood?”

Relena wanted to tell him that there was no way she was going to let her little brother follow her around like some lame guard dog, but knew that tone in his voice and knew that either Duo was coming with her, or she wouldn't be going.

“Fine,” she pouted and marched towards the path of the woods, whirling to give Duo a furious look.

“Well, are you coming or not?!”

Treize sighed as he watched his son run after his daughter, desperately trying to keep track of her even as she ran ahead of him. He couldn't wait until the fall came and he would be sending Relena off to school. He was sure that the mansion would be peaceful with just Duo and himself. His stress level would be down, at the very least. He didn't even need to yell back to his son to keep Relena safe, he knew that he would. As much as Relena hated her brother, and Duo disliked her as well, they were still siblings and Duo wouldn't let anything happen to her, it was the other way around that bothered Treize as he walked back into the house.

 

 

 

The woods truly were beautiful in summer time. Every bush, every tree, every weed and flower was blooming and full and bright with life. It made it hard to reconcile the harshness of fall that had come and gone so many times in their lives and though that fear that Duo had for the forest was still there, he found himself overwhelmed with the beauty of it, too. Duo had always been a fast runner, though he was quite short, he was thin and his legs were long, so he could run fairly quickly, just not for a long time. At first, Relena had seemed set on trying to lose him in the thick matting of trees and thorn bushes, but her white shirt and bright blue skirt made tracking her just a little bit easier, even if she seemed a bit more agile than him. He didn't bother calling to her to slow down, knowing the stubborn girl wouldn't listen. As if she knew the turmoil that he was in, she laughed gleefully as she run, closer and closer to the river. As Duo realized that, his heart raced in terror and he wanted to stop, his duty to his father and his sister the only thing that kept him chasing after her.

“Goddamit, Relena, stop!” he snarled, finally able to bolt forward as the trees thinned just a little and he managed to grab her arm. As she whirled to face him, he thought, for a brief moment, that she was going to bite him or hit him in the face, but she only glared at him with complete loathing.

“You can't tell me what to do!” she snarled. Duo clutched his quartz in his fist, contemplating the benefits of simply hitting her with it and dragging her back home. He didn't want to be out here. An hour had already passed and the threat of dark in only another hour set him on edge. Still, the thought of hurting Relena was so fleeting, it was gone in less than a second, as though he had never thought of it at all.

“Yes, I can,” he growled out, his fear frustrating him, “Dad said you have to listen to me. We're too deep in, we have to head back. If Dad heard about you trying to lose me…”

Duo had no doubts that that was exactly what Relena had tried to do. He hadn't ventured into the woods for ten whole years, though he knew that his sister had snuck out here many times and knew that paths of the wood better than he ever could. If he lost her, he would truly be lost and she knew that. Relena laughed, shoving him away from her harshly.

“Why should I listen to a single word you say?” she hissed cruelly, her voice filled with malicious glee, “Why should Father trust you over me? You, who killed Mom?! If you hadn't been so irresponsible… if you had only remembered to close the gate to the goat pen, she wouldn't have been out that night! She wouldn't have been chasing the goats, she wouldn't have slipped and drowned in the river! Why should I listen to a murderer like you? How Father can stand the sight of you, I certainly don't know!” she shoved him again and Duo stumbled backwards. His violet eyes clouded over with a deep, agonizing pain, so sharp and powerful that he found it hard to breathe. He remembered so little of that night… He wasn't sure if it was the passage of time, or simply because thinking of it was too painful, but he couldn't remember closing the gate, couldn't remember much of that night at all. But… the facts spoke for themselves, didn't they? He and Hilde had often played with the goats and it wasn't unfeasible that he had forgotten to lock the gate. What he did remember of that night was practically nothing, but he remembered the next day. He remembered his father waking to find that his mother was not in bed with him and had called for a search party. He remembered their servants returning to the mansion with his mother's dead body, bloated and pale from water. He remembered him, Relena, and Hilde hiding outside the door to the living room, listening as his father was told that his wife had been found a mile from their house at the river bed, that it had been so muddy last night and she had probably slipped and fell into the river. He remembered one of the servants remarking that several of their goats were missing and that that had probably lured his mother to the woods that night. He remembered the look his father had given him when Relena had eventually spoken up later that day and told him that Duo had been the last one at the goat pen the previous day. Oh, yes, he remembered that look more clearly than anything else and he remembered the gut wrenching pain that look had caused him.

So, as cruel as Relena's comments were, they were true and he felt paralyzed with the power and emotion behind them. He had asked himself the very same things over and over again, how his father could find him so reliable, how his father could even look him in the eye, knowing that his son had killed his wife out of sheer carelessness. Mostly… he missed his mother and it was all his fault. He knew these things and it tore his insides up so badly, he barely noticed when his sister grabbed his quartz from his hand and ran off with it. He blinked out of his stupor as she left his sight. Though, in that moment, he hated her more than ever before, for making him feel so terrible, for stealing his beloved token from his dead mother, he felt overwhelmed by feelings of protection for her, to save her in the way he had been incapable of saving his mother.

“Relena!” he yelled and ran after her.

 

 

 

Duo tried to tell himself that it wasn't the fact that these very woods had claimed the life of his mother that set him so on edge, it was simply because it was so hard to get lost in them, the way the thick trunks of the trees kept you from seeing the path in front of you, or even the sun above your head, how the thorn bushes pulled at your clothes and hidden holes and rocks threatened to trip you up and snap your ankles. He tried to tell himself that he hadn't gone back into the woods since his mother's death because he had never needed to, because there were wild things out here and kids like him had no business in the forest, but these things were not entirely true. In less than ten minutes chasing after his sister, Duo had become hopelessly lost. He couldn't tell which way she had gone, or which way they had come from, and, even if he could still see the sky, which was slowly darkening, it was still too bright to see the stars, too bright to tell where north was. Off in the distance, he heard a long, deep howl. He couldn't tell if it was a dog, a coyote, or a wolf, but it sent a shiver down his spine. He quickly realized how pointless it was simply running around, not knowing where he was going, and sat down against a tree. A strong wind picked up and ruffled the various foliage and tree branches, making Duo shudder. He felt as though this forest knew it had taken one of his family before and was hungry for another. He knew, logically, that he only had to wait about a half an hour more before his father knew he and his sister had not come home yet and sent someone to come get them, but he was terrified. He was furious at Relena for making him feel this way at the same time he was scared for her. Despite his anger, he hoped that she knew the forest well enough to go back on her own. He rubbed the palms of his hands against his eyes, feeling the sudden, childish urge to start crying, but he didn't dare show the wilderness he was now trapped in any weakness.

`Dad will find me,' Duo thought miserably, `He'll find me…' but all he could think of was that howl and how very alone and scared he felt, deep in his heart.

 

 

 

 

 

Relena smirked to herself as she looked back and realized that she had shaken Duo off of her trail. It hadn't been that hard, honestly, though Duo was quite quick, he didn't know this forest like she did, scared like the little boy that he was of it. It served him right. She hoped that he was quaking and crying for his `Daddy' to rescue him. Who did he think he was, treating her like a little kid? They were three years apart, for Christ's sake! She didn't feel bad for leaving him alone or those things she had said to him. It had been the truth, she just didn't understand how their father could look up to Duo so much, knowing what he had done all those years ago! She tossed the ball of quartz high up in the air, catching it deftly. It was truly a beautiful thing, and her little brother certainly didn't deserve it. Before Duo had been born, and before he had become a toddler, she had been her father's little princess and she had reveled in the attention her parents had given her. But then Duo had gotten older and they had seen something in him that had stolen all of their attention away from her. Just what was so special about him anyway?! He was quiet and meek and a suck-up know-it-all! There were a lot of things she disliked in life, slimy things, snakes, frogs, cold baths, cottage cheese, but she didn't hate anything so much as she hated her little brother. She tossed the ball again, a cruel smile crossing her face. She took great pleasure in making the little brat miserable and what would make him more miserable than losing his precious treasure?

As she walked, eventually the heavy tree line melted away into a clearing and she could see the river. On a whim, or rather an emotional impulse, she threw her hand back and let the ball of quartz go with all of her strength. She almost wanted to laugh as she saw the shimmering thing arch out in the air, then fall into the river with a splash, so heavy that it only sank and didn't drift with the current. That would serve Duo right, she thought. If he loved it so much, he could dive in after it, and maybe the river would kill him like it had their mother and she would be free of him once and for all! The thought brought a dark smile on her face, though deep down she knew that she didn't have the bravery or courage to do such a thing. It wasn't because of any affection she had for her brother, it was simply an inability to face her father's wrath. It was that thought, the image of her father's face contorted with anger, and the sort of terrible punishment he would bestow upon her, that made her realize what she had just done. Normally, she would feel no fear at her actions, believing that nothing bad could possibly happen to her, but that ball had been Duo's, she thought with distaste, and if Duo told their father that she had stolen the ball and had lost it, he would be furious. It didn't help that their mother had given Duo the ball. If she came back empty handed… she shivered in fear. She couldn't go back without it! But… there was no way she was wading out in that freezing water, getting herself all dirty with mud and gunk! If only she could find a way to get it back without going into the water herself…

“Why so upset, little Miss?” a rough, deep voice almost seemed to boom from her behind her. Relena, so absorbed in her thoughts, had not heard the rustling of the bushes behind her as the man had walked into the clearing, had not heard him walk right up to her, so when she whirled at his voice, she was not only startled, but terrified.

Through her fear, the second thing that Relena felt when she took a look at what she deemed her `attacker' was disgust. He was tall, about a foot taller than her, with stubble around his face, dirt on his skin, and torn, smelly clothes that made her nose wrinkle in distaste. He looked like a vagrant, in fact, she was quite sure that he was one. He carried nothing with him and Relena was sure that he had nothing, his boots looking like he had been walking in them for most of his life. He wasn't very old, about in his twenties, though his eyes seemed ancient and had dark circles under them. He was thin, not in a dying sort of way, but enough that it was clear that he gathered his own food. All of these things made Relena scared of the man, scared that he would try to rob her or rape her, perhaps even slit her throat when he was done, but what simply terrified her was the dangerous look in his piercing blue eyes and how his terribly messy, dark brown hair, which fell around his shoulders, gave him the look of a rogue wolf instead of a man. Her voice caught in her throat, her body torn between fight and flight. Of course, the idea of fighting the tightly muscled, tall man was ludicrous, still, she was slimmer and more agile than he was and could probably get away if he hadn't been directly in front of her. However, through her fear, a spark of intelligence shown through and she staid rooted in a thought of shrewdness. She was more than capable of crocodile tears, using her fear as a prod to herself, and let them slip down her pale, smooth cheeks.

“Oh, good sir, I've lost my favorite thing in the whole world, a ball of shimmering quartz! I was playing here by the river when I slipped and dropped it in the water! I can't go home without it! Will you help me?” Relena had to hide a grin as she begged. Yes, let this vagrant dive into the cold, cold water and search blindly for her brother's precious rock. He certainly wouldn't look any worse off than he already did! As soon as she got it back, she would rush home, and if her brother was truly lost and never showed up, she could blame it on this man! Hopefully, her brother would freeze tonight and no one would ever be the wiser! And, of course, any man would be glad to do something for free for a pretty, sweet girl like her.

Relena watched as the man's blue eyes became pensive, thinking over what she had said. Suddenly, the man smiled kindly at her and something in her heart warmed, though she couldn't figure out why, the man wasn't exactly handsome, not smelling and looking as he did.

“I would be glad to get your ball,” he said softly and Relena beamed, “However, I am in need of a place to rest for a few days and a hot meal. I'll get your ball for you, but only if you promise to allow me to sleep in your home.”

Relena's eyes narrowed slightly at the proposal. To think of this disgusting man in her beautiful home… it was laughable! Of course, he certainly didn't have to know that. Let him think he was getting a warm bed, as long as he gave her what she needed, she could lose him quite easily in the forest.

“Thank you so much, I would be glad to let you stay in my home!” she exclaimed, hoping that the man couldn't see her lie when inside she was crowing that she had been right about his homelessness and disgusted by it. The man smiled at her and extended his large, calloused hand to her.

“Then we have a deal. My name is Heero,” he said. Relena stared at the hand and made no move to take it, rubbing her own on her skirt at the mere thought of touching his dirty skin.

“Relena,” she said after a moment, contemplating whether she should lie about her name, but didn't see the point in it. Heero put his hand down, getting the message that she didn't want to shake hands with him.

“Well, Relena,” he said as he approached the river, “Don't cry anymore. I'll get your ball.”

With that, Relena watched as the stranger dove into the river, clothes and all. He disappeared under the current quickly and, as a minute went by, she was sure that he had been swept away. For a moment, she was glad, not wanting to deal with the dangerous looking vagrant, but she quickly remembered that he was her only hope at getting the ball back. She looked on in amazement as his dark head poked out of the waves and he swam back towards her, getting out of the water and shaking his head to free stubborn water from this thick, untamed bangs like a dog would. Clutched in his hand was the ball of quartz. With a gleeful look, Relena took the ball from him, but didn't spare him a moment's glance, her goal in sight. She turned on her heel and ran, as fast and hard as she could, into the thick trees.

“Wait!” she heard him call after her and laughed as she heard his heavy footsteps, knowing that his larger form would not be able to track her. Her suspicions were confirmed in mere minutes as she could no longer hear the man behind her. She paused and listened, but couldn't hear anything and grinned. She tossed the ball up in the air and, whistling happily, started to make her way back home.

 

 

Heero had watched, in shock, as the teenaged girl had fled, the pretty quartz in her hand, but now, he wondered how he could possibly be shocked at her behavior. He had been homeless for a very long time, hiding out in woods and killing animals, drinking from streams, just to survive. This wasn't the first time he had reached to someone and it wasn't the first time he had been betrayed. He had been foolish to run after her, her slim form able to dart between trees much more quickly than his and he had lost her within minutes. He sighed to himself. He was freezing, his wet close sticking to him, and he was hungry. Food had been scarce lately and he had lost a little weight. It had been stupid of him to think that the girl would let him into her home, few people did when they saw how he looked, but still… foolishly… he had hoped. At the very least, he had wished that she had been honest with him. He shook his head, trying to clear out more water, but just felt like a drowned rat. He would have to find something to eat, sooner or later, maybe an underfed rabbit or even a crow. He thought back on the girl with yearning. There was nothing sexual about his thoughts, he had never thought of women in such a way before, but that lure of a warm home and a hot meal had been powerful, gravitating, and now that it was gone, he felt so empty inside, until the anger had started to fill him. It had been a very, very long time since he had met a kind person, someone willing to help him, just because he needed it. He was quite sure that he would never find another person like that. He trudged through the trees, cursing as his arm caught on one of the thorn bushes and it scratched him. His anger didn't matter, what the girl had done didn't matter, he decided, he just needed to keep walking. That was the story of his life, to keep going, no matter what happened to him, no matter what he wanted.

 

 

 

 

Duo, even as a child, had always loved Robert Frost, but in this current instance, having `the woods are lovely, dark, and deep' circling through his head over and over was more bitterly ironic than he cared to think of. He felt miserable, frozen in his place, sitting on the ground, his arms wrapped around his knees as he tried to bury his face in them, a task that at first had had him paranoid in case some animal tried to sneak up on him, but mostly, he was too scared to look around. He knew that he was being a big baby about his situation, but he couldn't help the fear, couldn't tame it no matter what lies he fed himself. He wanted to cry, very badly, but didn't want to give in to the weakness, didn't want to admit out loud just how scared and lost he was. Even if his father went looking for him, there was the very real possibility that he would never find him. Duo felt a tear slide down his cheek. There was a storm coming, too, and that feeling of uncertainty, of not knowing what to do, was tearing him up inside. He had known, from the very start, that this had not been a smart thing to do.

Duo's head shot up as he heard something, probably a branch or fallen twig, snap only a few feet away from him. He looked up just in time to see a man nearly climb out of the brambles and heavy bushes that surrounded Duo's spot. He stared wide eyed at him, unsure of what to do. He was frozen to the spot again, realizing that, if this man was dangerous, he had absolutely no weapons of any kind and the man was much bigger than him and Duo knew little of self defense. He was sure that if he screamed, even if, through some random luck, someone heard him, if they found him at all, he would be long dead.

Heero stumbled through the bushes, swearing under his breath as his clothes got caught in more thorns once more, but managed to free himself. He instinctively sensed that he was not alone, though the sun was quickly setting and it was getting darker. His blue eyes met with a young boy and he, too, froze in place, less out of fear and more out of awareness that the boy was terrified and ready to bolt. For a brief second, he looked as though he could not believe what he was seeing, but forced the emotion away. The boy was a pretty thing, though he had long hair, it was clear to Heero that he was a boy, his eyes a rich, strange color that seemed to draw him in. His clothes were well made and he was sure that he belonged to the same family as that girl, Relena, but there was something in those eyes that made Heero's anger melt away. He found himself wanting to ease the boy, who was obviously even more upset than the girl had been. Heero was smart enough to see why, a teenaged boy, crying in a dark wood, the poor thing was probably lost and not as knowing as the girl. He raised his hands in a symbol of peace, showing that he had no weapons in them, though he supposed that the boy, if he wasn't an idiot, understood that Heero could strangle him quite easily if he wanted to.

“I'm sorry to startle you,” he apologized and felt gifted when the terrified look in the longhaired boy's eyes started to abate a little, “I mean you no harm. What is the matter? Why are you crying?” Heero felt a second's foolishness at reaching out to the boy. He had been worried when he had stumbled on the girl, also crying, and had tried to soothe her, only to be shunned for all his troubles. However, this boy seemed to settle a little and looked at him, not with disgust or contempt, but curiosity and hope.

“I'm lost,” Duo said in a small voice. Heero instantly felt… softened by the admission and the look in the boy's eyes. He was truly frightened, not the anxiety he had seen in Relena, but actual terror. Heero found that he simply did not have the ability to leave the child out in the dark woods, for any reason, and approached him like he would a timid fox, not wanting to scare him any further. However, the boy didn't seem so scared of him anymore, he instead seemed more preoccupied with the woods around them, as though he thought some terrible monster was going to leap out and slaughter the two of them. Though he was cold, wet, and very, very hungry, that look in the boy's eyes, absolute terror, only tempered by a very real attempt at being brave, seemed to make his own problems so very small. It had been a very long time since Heero had been afraid of anything. He had hunted every creature in these woods, from large buck to feral wolf, and had survived so far. Heero sat on the ground near Duo, not too close to startle him or make him feel uncomfortable, trying to make himself smaller so the boy didn't think that he really was some terrible person that was going to hurt him.

Duo watched the man carefully as he sat down on the ground with him, but it wasn't out of any fear of him, rather, he was trying to figure him out. So far from town, deep in the woods, it was shocking to him that anyone could possibly be here. He looked ragged and worn, but there was a handsome quality to his features, even if he could do with a proper shower, and his eyes were kind, certainly not the eyes of a murderer. Duo blushed slightly as he tried to figure out what it was, exactly, that had made him think of the stranger as handsome, but couldn't quite place it. He had never thought of his own sexuality before, how could he? He wasn't that old and his world was centered around his family, television, and movies. He had no real friends, no one that he could look at and think `that is a person I could fall for'. He spent more time with the family animals and occasional rabbits that ended up on their property than with anyone close to his age. But, this man… there was something about him that made him feel oddly warm inside. It wasn't the sort of untamed heat that he had read about in books, it was more like a single spark that had piqued his curiosity. His eyes widened as he took in the man's incredibly messy, damp hair and his wet clothes.

“Who are you?” he suddenly blurted out, snapping his mouth shut just as quickly as he had spoken, his instilled manners telling him how rude he was being. However, the man didn't seem the least bit offended and chuckled at the question.

“My name is Heero,” the man offered, “I live in the woods here.”

Duo's interest lessened his fear. It had been a very, very long time since he had seen a new face, let alone someone that actually showed an interest in talking to him like an individual and not a child.

“Duo,” he returned the favor, “I was out playing with my sister, but now I can't find the path back home.”

Heero smiled kindly at the explanation. It was easy to see how the boy could have gotten lost, the woods were big and confusing, especially to someone who hadn't gone into them very often.

“Why are your clothes wet?” Duo asked curiously.

“I took a swim,” Heero responded good naturedly. He was surprised that the boy wasn't trying to get away with him. He wasn't used to people talking to him so freely. He was even more surprised when Duo looked at him with a worried expression.

“But you must be cold! A storm's coming and it'll probably rain soon. You'll get sick.”

Heero stifled a chuckle. This `Duo' was a strange boy, acting so adult-like, practically scolding him for childish behavior. If anyone else had done so, he would have been annoyed, but, somehow, when Duo did it, it seemed charming. Duo looked down at his own clothes mournfully.

“I'm sorry,” he murmured, “I don't have anything warm to give you.”

Heero's heart, having grown cold and stiff after years of taking care of himself, warmed at the boy's concern.

“That's quite alright,” he assured him, “It wouldn't do for me to steal warmth from you when it'll be cold soon. I've lived in these woods for many years and I think I can help you find your way back home. You must live in that mansion at the edge of the forest, it's the only place near here.”

Duo, like a ray of sunshine through a slit in a black cloud, brightened the dark forest air with his sudden exuberant smile. He felt the remains of his fear completely vanished and struggled to contain the urge to hug the stranger.

“Thank you!” he cried, overwhelmed in his relief. Heero's smile grew, the boy's personality quite contagious, even to one as himself that was not used to smiling or being happy. Then, the boy's expression fell again and Heero felt the loss very strongly. He realized that he really didn't want him to be sad, for any reason, he was far too beautiful when he was smiling and far too devastating when he was in pain.

“But… I can't repay you,” Duo said sadly, “I don't have anything to give you.”

“You don't have to,” Heero urged, “It is not a small thing. You are lost and if I left you out here alone, far from your family, I would not be able to forgive myself.”

“But I must!” Duo insisted, “You don't have to help me and if I can't repay you for a simply kindness, I wouldn't be a very good person at all. Besides, I was scared and you helped me. I simply have to repay you for making me feel better! I don't have much, but my father is wealthy. He can pay you,” Duo looked up at the cloudy sky with worry, “And, if you are escorting me back home, I must insist that you stay with us, at least for a few days. It will be a bad storm and your clothes are wet. We can feed you and give you shelter, unless you really don't want to,” Duo hesitated. He found that he really wanted Heero to take him up on his offer. To have someone to talk to, to distract him from his older sister, that would be a wonderful thing, and he didn't think he would be able to sleep tonight knowing that the kind stranger was braving the storm in the dark woods.

Heero's deep blue eyes widened at the teenager's words. What he was offering was what he had wanted from Relena, only, it was even more, since Duo was offering that his father pay him. Of course, money was of little use to a man like him, but the gesture alone made him feel lighter. And the boy was offering it so freely, without a second thought. Heero had not seen that sort of kindness in any point of his life. It was refreshing and made the boy seem all the more beautiful. Also, he could see the need in the boy's eyes, the need for a friend and the need to help someone that needed it. Those things were very powerful. Heero was not a stranger to deep loneliness, he had been Duo's age the last time he had had a friend, but he was long gone now. Still, there was that cynical, jaded part of himself that had allowed him to survive for so long that was now telling him that the boy couldn't be trusted. Relena was obviously this boy's sister and she had made him promises, too, only to abandon him the second his part of the bargain was fulfilled. Would this boy do the same thing, fleeing the second he was shown the right path? He did not want to believe that, he could not believe such a mature, soft spoken person could be that sort of terrible person, but he was still unsure. However, Duo had been the one to offer it, not Heero. Why would he offer if he did not intend to see it through? Besides, Heero told himself, it didn't matter if Duo kept his promise, he would not leave him out here, in the dark, all alone, especially remembering how terrified he had been. He would show the child back to his home, regardless of the reward.

“Alright,” Heero agreed, “But I would have showed you the way back, no matter the reward. I would be grateful if I could spend a few days at your home, but only if your father allows me. I don't want you to feel bad if he doesn't.”

Duo fought the urge to blush again at Heero's assurances. Though his parents had always taught him the right thing to do, being with Relena had also showed him that many people would not do anything unless they got something out of it. He was glad that this man was not at all like his sister. Despite being complete strangers, he was willing to help him and Duo felt that what he could offer him was so little in comparison.

 

 

 

 

 

It quickly became dark and as the two of them walked side by side, Duo realized just how tall and imposing Heero really was. It was odd, he thought, but he felt at ease with him, as though he trusted him not to hurt him. It was silly, since, in reality, he knew nothing about the man that was showing him the way back home, but he truly didn't feel threatened, whether because of his actions or that kind look in his beautiful eyes, Duo wasn't sure. The more logical part of himself, that part that tried not to be influenced by acts of kindness or attractive eyes, told him that Heero could be leading him off to his death and he would never know. But, that didn't really make sense, when he thought about it. Heero could kill him right now and no one would ever know, unless he was of the sort that liked to play games, and as much as Duo's head told him that this was very possible, his heart refused to believe it. It was a childish urge, he supposed, to want to think the best of a new friend, simply because he was lonely and wanted someone to talk to. Though, on the way back, the two didn't talk very much. Heero was concentrating on the paths and Duo was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of shyness. It had been so long since he had had to talk to anyone that wasn't a part of his family and was scared of making a fool of himself to this man that he wanted very much to like him.

So emerged in his thoughts, it was a great surprise to Duo when the thick trees parted and he could see his house peaking through them. He managed to shock both himself and Heero when he hugged him tightly in his gratitude.

“Thank you,” he breathed in a small voice, “Thank you so much for helping me!”

Some part of Heero wanted to return the younger boy's hug, but in that moment and pleasant shock, he didn't have it in him. He was overwhelmed by the gesture, even if it had only been a spur of the moment move in a moment of elation. When was the last time he had felt the touch of another human? He couldn't remember, years he was positive. The boy was warm, he could feel that through his cold clothing, and his body threatened to shake with it, wanting to swallow up that warmth and feel it, deep inside. When he was released, he realized that he could still feel the boy's body heat, even though he had moved away from him, as though the mere memory of it had made it real. To his further shock, in an act that Heero thought would cause his heart to explode inside of him, the boy did not run off towards the house, but staid next to him, searching his face, his violet eyes bright with excitement.

“Well? Are you coming?” Duo prodded, seeing the man's frozen posture and suddenly feeling scared that he wouldn't come into the house with him. Had he done something wrong in hugging him? He supposed it was a childish thing, especially for a boy, but it had been the only way he could think of showing how grateful he was. He was usually very eloquent, but his words failed him around Heero, who seemed a little awkward, something that Duo wasn't used to and wasn't sure if his words were good enough.

Heero thought his heart would surely stop in shock as he realized that the boy truly did mean to keep his promise, leading him to the front door. No terse words were exchanged, no excuses as to why the promise had to be broken, only an open, warm look on the teenagers face as he struggled to keep Heero moving towards the door. Eventually, Heero realized that he wasn't going to be put out or betrayed and he followed Duo up the front, large steps and to the beautifully crafted door of the mansion. Around them, the wind had picked up and tossed their hair with abandon. This made little difference to Heero's, but seeing the boy's tossed bangs made the blue eyed man's heart hurt as he looked at him. There was something very… ethereal about it, a far cry from the hair of a wild dog or rabbit that he was used to, or even his own thick, dark hair. His newly made friend opened the door and ushered him inside, more like a treasured guest than a stray dog that Heero felt like. The inside of the large home was pleasantly warm, but startlingly so for Heero. He hadn't felt that sort of warmth since his early teenaged years, the only sources of warmth in the forest being a rare fire or the heat of summer. Through all of this, Duo acted as though what he had done was the most natural thing in the world, while Heero felt like his world had been shook off of its axis.

“Very few people have every given me anything so freely before,” Heero remarked as Duo led him down the hallway. Duo turned to look at him with a strange, sad expression.

“Why?” he asked. Heero couldn't help but smile at the boy's naiveté. It was obvious to him that Duo had led a rather sheltered life. It wasn't through any fault of his own, but obviously, he had spent most of his life in this house, in the loneliness of the woods and hadn't had a lot of contact with other people. It explained a little bit for Heero, why Duo seemed so excited that he hadn't refused to come here with him.

“Not everyone in the world wishes to repay others for their help. Most people will only do something if there is some great benefit in it,” he told him. Duo frowned.

“But, you helped me when I really needed it. If it weren't for you, I'd still be stuck in those woods. I was so scared that my father would never find me and that I would be lost forever, but you helped me without asking for anything in return! My parents raised me to believe that we should always do the right thing. You did me a true favor, so I should give you something in return, also because you need it. It must be hard, living on your own. Is it wrong that I try to help you?” Duo asked, once again feeling as though he had done something wrong. Was his trying to help Heero implying that he couldn't do it himself and therefore rude? He hadn't meant to be, but the sight of Heero, cold and hungry, had been painful to him. He had the means to help him, so wasn't that his responsibility? To his great relief, Heero didn't act defended by this at all and smiled at him.

“No, it isn't wrong, but few people see the world that way,” Heero said mournfully, “You aren't the first person that has promised me a place to stay, but you are the first to have offered it and one of the few that has kept a promise to me.”

“That's terrible,” Duo said sadly, “If you aren't going to do something, why bother making the promise at all?”

“Duo, what are you doing bringing that man into our home?!”

Relena's shrill cry made both boys stiffen, Heero narrowing his cobalt-colored eyes at the familiar girl. She stood by the door to the kitchen with her hands on her hips, looking furious and not the bit ashamed at seeing Heero there. In fact, she didn't seem to notice his presence at all, simply glaring her little brother down as though her look could cow him into submission. Heero thought for a minute that it would, feeling another spark of anger at the girl for trying to control her brother. However, Duo didn't waver, merely glaring back at her. Relena realized that the tactic wasn't working, but her gaze was still icily furious.

“That man is dangerous! How dare you let him in here! Dad will be so angry at you!” there was a malicious gleam in Relena's eyes as she said this, just at the thought of getting her brother in trouble. She was shocked to see Heero and wondered how he and Duo had found each other and how Duo had found his way back home. She wasn't worried that Heero would tell on her. Who would trust a vagrant over her, anyway?

“He isn't dangerous,” Duo protested, “He helped me find my way back home after you got me lost.”

Relena laughed, whether disdainful over Duo's remarks that she was more dangerous than Heero or to simply cover over her guilt in the whole situation, only she knew.

“That… man is completely untrustworthy! He lives in the woods, for Christ's sake! He's nothing more than a two timing vagrant and anything he says is a lie!” Duo caught a tinge of fear in her voice and pounced on it like a tiger with a wounded deer.

“If he's so untrustworthy, than why did he help me? If he had wanted to hurt me, why not just do it out in the woods where no one could find me?! As far as I'm concerned, he's more trustworthy than you are! At least he didn't leave me out in the middle of a bloody storm, completely lost and alone!” Duo snapped angrily, his hands curled into fists. Heero watched him with a sense of respect. The boy was a bit shorter than his sister, but she flinched away from him like he was a wild animal that had come to snarl at her. He put a comforting hand on Duo's shoulder and Relena's light blue eyes widened in confusion when Duo didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable with his presence.

“You still owe me, Relena,” he said coldly, “You ran off before you could fulfill your promise to me.”

“What promise was that?” Treize asked, standing behind Relena suddenly, having heard shouting from the kitchen, but not understanding what his children were yelling at each other about. At first, he had been shocked to see a stranger in his house, but his son seemed to accept him, so he temporarily let it go, wanting to know what this was all about.

Relena whirled and looked at her father in shock. He saw a fraction of guilt in her expression, though she tried to cover it up, she was his child and he was used to seeing such things.

“Dad,” she stumbled to find some excuse, some way to brush off Heero's words as a lie, or misunderstanding, but Duo's inexplicable trust in the homeless man complicated things greatly.

“What promise?” Treize pressed. Heero's eyes widened as he saw Treize, that same shock and desire to do or say something that he had had when he had seen Duo, but once again, it passed quickly. He realized that Relena was never going to respond and sighed.

“She needed me to get something from her,” he tried to explain, “She promised that, if I got it, she would allow me to stay in this house for a few days. However, once I gave it to her, she fled. Shortly after that, I found Duo in the woods. He was lost and promised me, if I could help him get home, he would let me stay, at least until the storm is over,” Heero gave Relena a cold look, “Unlike your daughter, Duo kept his promise. Even if you say that I can't stay, at least he tried and I have no more debt with him.”

Duo bit his lip, hoping that his father would say yes. Even if Heero said that he had repaid his debt just by trying, that wasn't good enough for him. The cold look that Heero had given his sister was nothing compared to the look that their father was giving her now.

“Relena,” the older man practically hissed, “I am ashamed of you!”

Relena had the good sense to look chastised, but didn't dare to look away from her angry father.

“This man helped you and you ran away! This is not the way your mother and I taught you to behave!” Treize sighed heavily, suddenly feeling very weary and ran a hand through his short hair, “Why can't you be more like your brother? At least he followed through on a promise. If you were unwilling to keep your promise, you should not have asked this man to help you!”

Relena bristled at the comparison to her younger brother.

“But… he just came out of the woods and he scared me! What kind of… pervert approaches a young girl anyway?” she stuck up her nose at Heero, whose eyes widened at the insinuation that he would have raped her.

“Then why did you ask for Heero's help?” Duo yelled at her, shocking his father, “If you were so scared of him, why didn't you run away?! It's not like he asked to take you somewhere! Asking for shelter isn't that unreasonable! You could have brought him here and told Dad about it, who could have called the cops if you were so damned frightened! Instead, you slunk off and left him behind! I wasn't with you at the time, did you even think that this `dangerous man' might hurt me?”

It wasn't often that Duo stood up to his big sister. Mostly, he didn't see the point in it, but her remarks about Heero enraged him. It was true, when he had first seen the impressive man, he had been frightened, but what Relena was saying wasn't the truth and she knew it. She was only using how Heero looked to get her way, and to get out of trouble. Treize realized that, too. He was shocked at Duo's anger towards his sister, but saw that Duo was making a lot more sense. The man, Heero, did look dangerous, but he had helped his son where Relena had not, had helped his daughter, too. Relena had told him when she had arrived that Duo had gotten lost, and for a moment, he wondered if she had left him on purpose, but really didn't want to think that of his daughter, even if he could see her doing it.

Relena opened her mouth to protest all of this, but her father seemed to dismiss her and approached Heero, which only made her rage skyrocket even more. Heero's shock at Treize's appearance and actions returned when the man, even taller than him, reached his hand out to shake. Not exactly sure what to do, Heero returned it, not really knowing what he was shaking for.

“Thank you for bringing my son back safely,” Treize said, his deep voice shaking with raw emotion that he didn't even try to repress. Heero's eyes widened further, not expecting the sort of powerful gratitude he saw in the other man's eyes.

“It wasn't any trouble,” he confessed, “I know those woods well and I knew where your home was. Besides, I couldn't have just walked away.”

“I want to apologize for my daughter's behavior,” Treize said, barely casting Relena another glance, “It was very rude what she did to you. Regardless of any promises either of my children made to you, you helped both of them and I would be honored to have you stay, for as long as you need. We are not wanting for food or shelter and my children have very few anywhere near their age to talk to. It can get quite… lonely out here. Having you stay with us is no trouble. I just ask that if you need anything, you talk to me.”

Heero found himself smiling at Treize's words. He had been doing that a lot in the last hour… smiling. It seemed like forever that he had done so and truly meant it.

“I cannot deny that what your daughter did was a betrayal,” Heero pointed out, “However, I don't wish to punish her. I would like to know her better, your son as well. If I could be so bold, could I sleep in the room next to hers? It's been awhile since I've been with people and it would be… a comfort.”

Relena stared at the strange man incredulously. How dare he suggest that he sleep near her?! The thought was disgusting at the same time that it shocked her, she couldn't figure out why he would ask such a thing. She expected her father to give out some sort of outcry that he would want to sleep near her for some perverted reason, but to her frustration, Treize only smiled at Heero.

“That's fine. There are two bedrooms in between Duo's and Relena's, you can have one of those. You can take a hot shower and get out of those clothes, I'm sure I can find some to fit you. But first, I'm sure you're hungry and dinner is ready,” Treize turned and led them into the dinning room. Heero followed, still a little unsure of himself, but Duo stood by his side, silently leading him, as his sister glared daggers at Heero's back.

 

End Part 1