Warning: Language, adult situations, gratuitous use of Ocs

Rating: R

Special thanks to Tameiki and Kuiama for the translation and history help! ^_^

 

Sex, Lies and Family Ties:

 

He raised his hand again…not too high…but high enough for the dimmed lights in the six-seat cabin to cast its glow upon the gold band on his finger. His cheeks grew hot again and he lowered the hand to his lap. His warm gaze drifted toward Heero, sleeping…or supposedly sleeping beside him. Not surprisingly, the Japanese boy said little since they boarded the plane and, for once, Duo had not really minded the silence. It was all too overwhelming, really. The ring and Heero’s words…everything seemed to have rushed by so quickly.

 

It didn’t help that they would arrive at Chitose in less than an hour. Damn modern technology and its incessant need for speed.

 

“Would you like something to drink, sir?” came the soft, singsong voice from the pretty Asian stewardess as she leaned over his seat to smile warmly at him.

 

Drink? Excitement and butterflies in his stomach had prevented him from eating or drinking anything throughout the flight, and it wasn’t about to change now.

 

“No, no thanks,” he muttered, softly, with a responding grin.

 

“Would your companion like one?” she asked again. Duo was increasingly annoyed with the female’s persistence. He thought, perhaps, he could attribute some of that persistence to his own nervousness.

 

“Hmm…he’s sleeping,” he replied with a grin that now seemed a bit forced. “Oh, could you tell me just how long it will be before we arrive…?”

 

“We will be arriving at Chitose in about forty-five minutes, sir,” she answered with that same sickening smile on her face. Were they trained to keep it on for hours on end?

 

Must have been a pain, Duo thought warily as he gave a nod of acceptance and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. He hoped she would take the hint and leave him alone and, gratefully, a hail from another passenger a few seats back had her mumbling a quick ‘excuse me’ before making her way towards him.

 

“Pain in the nut, ain’t she?” came the low drawl that had Duo opening his eyes to look at the man that had been quiet for the entire trip. The white cowboy hat that the man had worn had been pushed up, revealing curious, but quite intelligent brown eyes. Tufts of raven locks fell across the wide forehead. A nose that seemed to have encountered too many fists, as well as lips that were full and smiling, completed features that Duo’s own curious gaze noted were clearly those of an American.

 

A ‘real’ American, so to speak.

 

Not that Duo didn’t consider himself ‘real’, but being born and raised in a colony could give one strange perceptions of different things. Those who were born on Earth could very well have bragging rights to calling themselves ‘real’ Americans or Chinese or Japanese or…

 

“A dollar for your thoughts?” He laughed. It was a rich, hearty laughter that resonated throughout the silent cabin. It wasn’t loud by any means, but it was enough to send chills down Duo’s spine. This man seemed familiar, but he couldn’t quite place a finger on it. He stopped laughing long enough to peer at Duo again, this time leaning over his armrest to smile warmly at the gaping teen.

 

“S’okay, kid. You don’t have to be scared of me or nothing. I don’t bite. Unless provoked, if you know what I mean.” He laughed again, and Duo could feel a reluctant smile tug his lips. He hated to admit that this guy was a smooth one. This was the kind of guy that could charm the retirement fund off an old lady in a heartbeat.

 

“Yeah, I know what you mean…”

 

“The name’s Dawson. Richard S. Dawson, at your service.” He tipped his hat and gave a curt nod, those brown eyes still sparkling with some inside joke that Duo couldn’t really understand, nor did he want to. “You might have heard of me.”

 

Duo’s eyes narrowed in thought. He might have…

 

“I own the Dawson Corporation. We are based in North America…New York to be exact, but I’ve got branches all over the world, son. We deal with cars. You know what I mean, don’t ya?”

 

Duo gave another soft nod. He knew what he meant all right. He had done an investigation on the Dawson Corporation a year ago. Rumors had spread that the man had been dealing in illegal importation of automobiles. Man, talk about a whack job.

 

“Have I seen you somewhere, son?”

 

I am not your son and no, you haven’t, Duo thought with an inward frown, even though the smile was still on his face. He hadn’t actually met Dawson face-to-face and the case had proven to be futile. No one had been able to pinpoint any illegal activity on Dawson’s end, so all files and documentation concerning the case had been closed. Game over.

 

He must have said something, because Richard gave a soft nod himself before tugging restlessly on the dark blue suit he wore. “See this broad next to me?” He pointed towards the sleeping Japanese woman beside him with a fat thumb. There was a sneer on his lips now and Duo could feel his stomach tighten with irritation. Calling a woman a broad could only mean one thing…

 

“Damn bitch got me in trouble, son,” Richard continued, his voice now lowered in a conspiratorial whisper. “I mean, it was only supposed to be for one night and I didn’t know she didn’t take the pill. So I end up knocking her up. I tell her to go get rid of the baby. I give her money. I beg the damn bitch to give it up, ya know? But no, she starts whining about her family’s going to kill her and blah, blah, blah. Man, I was pissed big time, ya know? Then she says she’s got her family in the Ya…Ya…Yazu…what the hell do they call them?”

 

“Yakuza,” Duo finished quietly.

 

“Ah ha. Them guys. Now, I ain’t no bad guy, but I don’t want to go messing around with them mafia guys, if you know what I mean.”

 

Duo groaned inwardly and really wished the plane had already arrived at Chitose. If he had to listen to this guy…

 

“…the Hayakawa family or something…”

 

Duo felt his blood run cold at the name. “What…what did you say?”

 

Richard stopped his rant long enough to wipe a hand across his forehead. “I said, she says she’s from some Hayakawa family. Her name’s Sakura. So here we are, going to her family to go tell them that I want to marry her. Can you believe that shit, boy?”

 

Richard looked too distressed at the moment to notice the wide-eyed boy’s reaction beside him. Duo was craning his neck to see the girl’s features, but she was huddled within blankets and only a slender pale hand was visible to his gaze.

 

Fuck.

 

With a sharp nudge with his elbow, he tried to wake Heero – if, in fact, the boy had been sleeping at all.

 

“I’ve gotta go all honorable and marry some broad that I don’t even want to, just to save my freaking hide…”

 

Heero wasn’t budging. “Just where in Chitose are you going to?” Duo asked, quite surprised to find that his voice was as normal as ever.

 

Richard seemed to consider this for a moment before replying with a light shrug. “I dunno. I don’t even think her damn family knows we’re coming. She might have told them, but we were planning on staying at a hotel in the city before going over to go see them, you know? We’ve gotta take things slow and all of that bullshit.”

 

Heero! Your cousin’s on the plane!! Duo nudged him a bit harder and was rewarded with a rather painful squeeze on his arm.

 

“I heard, Duo,” came a low whisper. “You don’t have to keep hitting me.”

 

From the corner of his lips, Duo retorted back quickly. “You mean you’ve been awake all this time, and you aren’t going to do anything?”

 

“What the hell do you want me to do?”

 

“But she’s your cousin, and she’s pregnant with this barbarian’s kid…”

 

“That’s her problem, Duo. Not ours. And besides, I am sure there are other Hayakawas in Chitose, or in Sapporo, or even in Hokkaido, so, stop overreacting.”

 

That logic did not sit too well with Duo. Now that mere miles separated Heero from his family, was he only trying to distance himself from them? It would be ironic if Heero’s cousin really was sitting only two arms length away the entire journey. With a light shake of his head, he forced himself to listen to Richard’s woes. If anything, the older man had helped in easing Duo’s worries…a little bit.

 

“So, what brings you to this side of the planet, boy?” Dawson asked with a weak grin. He looked flushed from his rant and was now dabbing his face with a white handkerchief. Duo felt Heero stir beside him and knew that the Japanese boy had given up any more thoughts of pretense.

 

“Ah, sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you up,” came the quick apology as the car-dealer met the passive blue ones that were now pinned on him. “Hey…you look kinda…”

 

Familiar?? Duo’s mind raced at the unfinished question as another stewardess came in to talk to Richard. He turned to face Heero, about to open up his mouth to complain when he was silenced with a lean finger.

 

“He said the same thing to you earlier, remember? Perhaps he recognizes us as pilots.” Heero shrugged effectively ending the discussion and rose to his feet. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

 

Duo gave a light snort and moved slightly to give him room to move. He watched Heero disappear through the bathroom door and leaned back into his seat, relaxing his overly tensed muscles. He noticed that there was a slight commotion to his left, and turning again, he saw that Sakura was not only wide awake but was beginning to speak in rapid Japanese to a clearly agitated Richard. The stewardess did her best to translate, but Richard wasn’t having any of it. Apparently, he didn’t want to hear what the girl, who looked all but eighteen, had to say.

 

“Doko iku to omotte’n no, baka? An’ta ga watashi wo kouyou fuu ni shitoita kuseni, nande imasara watashi wa mono mitai ni shiteru no you! Mata suatte, watashi wo kike!” [“Where do you think you are going to, idiot?! You got me this way and you are treating me like a thing! You sit back down and listen to me!”]

 

“Listen you, bitch,” he hissed angrily, cutting into her rant. “You just sit there and wait until I come back, you got it? I’ve got to go use the bathroom. Understand. The. Baaathaaarooom. Now, sit there and shut the fuck up!”

 

A flurry of insults were hurled out at him as he struggled to his feet. Sakura was one feisty female, Duo thought with a light snicker as he watched the girl try to tug him back down.

 

With Richard gone and the stewardess still apologizing after him, the cabin again left in relative silence. A few other passengers who had all been enthralled by the light entertainment returned to their normal activities. Sakura flung another insult after the American before settling back on her seat with a light huff. Her short black hair hid her face from view, but Duo could recognize that stubborn jaw line anywhere. She was definitely from Heero’s side of the family. She was dressed in a simple white tunic dress that showcased her creamy skin to his gaze. It was unlike Heero or Rei’s darker coloring, but Duo figured she must not have grown up in their environment or something.

 

“Men…do they all think they are gods or something? What pigs.”

 

English. Clear, fluent English. So much for all that Japanese talk earlier.

 

She suddenly turned her head to catch his curious gaze and Duo could not do much to hide the fact that he had been staring at her. He smiled and gave a light nod, but it was ignored as she turned back to face the window.

 

Being friendly didn’t seem to be her strong suit either.

 

None too soon, Heero walked out of the small room and began to make his way towards his waiting partner when, in a move completely unforeseen by the two teens, Sakura reached up to pull Heero into Richard’s seat. The Wing pilot’s instinct to protect himself took precedence but, managing to gather his wits about him, he settled for an irritated scowl on his features as his blue eyes met the amused, brown ones before him.

 

Shit. He recognized her face. She had been in one of the pictures that Rei had shown to him in the restaurant.

 

Sakura Hayakawa – the middle child to his Uncle Iruka. She was his real cousin alright.

 

Damn, did this circus never end?

 

“Kawaii,” she crooned as she laid her head upon his shoulder. She didn’t catch the horrified looks on Duo’s and Heero’s faces as they exchanged bewildered looks with each other. Couldn’t she recognize Heero’s features? Was she actually coming on to her own cousin?!

 

For some reason, the image alone was very disturbing, especially to Heero, who was now trying to gently pry his arm away from her grasp.

 

She noticed and lifted her head to smile and bat her lashes flirtatiously at the handsome teen. “Help me, please? Take me away from this bad, bad man…”

 

“You came here with him, didn’t you?” Heero asked curtly. “He’s planning to marry you, right?”

 

Sakura gave a light huff and a pout. “I’m not marrying that ape…”

 

Duo cut in. “But he said you were pregnant…”

 

“And who are you?” the girl asked coldly, as she squeezed Heero’s arm so tightly the pilot thought he would, at any moment, lose circulation to that area.

 

“He’s my friend,” Heero replied just as coldly, as he finally managed to release himself from her grip. “Now, if you don’t mind…”

 

“Yes, he’s coming with me,” she began in a bored tone as she shifted away to stare out of the window again. “But I want to teach him a lesson for ignoring me. Nobody ignores me.”

 

Duo rolled his eyes and fought back a snicker as he noticed Heero’s blank look. He couldn’t really blame the Japanese boy for looking that way. From Rei’s behavior to Sakura’s attitude, it looked like Heero Yuy’s real family was going to be as eclectic as Heero was single minded.

 

Duo figured he might as well make some new friends. “So…if I’m not too bold for asking…how did you wind up with a guy like Dawson?”

 

Sakura turned to him again, looking as if he had suddenly appeared from nowhere. “It’s no fault of mine, really,” she began in that quick way of hers, deciding that it wouldn’t hurt to talk to him. It reminded Duo of someone who was afraid of being caught doing something bad. The quick, short sentences, interjected with quick glances down the cabin, made her seem even sneakier than ever.

 

“I met him when I was trying to buy a new car. My old one was no longer the latest model, so I wanted to get the new one. Not so hard, right? Well, he began to sweet talk me, and I agreed to fuck him if he would give it to me for half the price.”

 

Duo and Heero gave small nods, both trying not to wince at the bluntness of the girl’s tale, although, it shouldn’t have been that surprising to them.

 

“Turns out Mr. America there figured he could screw me without the rubber and then he got me pregnant!”

 

Her voice was beginning to rise again and from his peripheral vision, Duo could make out Dawson returning to the cabin. He had the nasty feeling that things were about to get pretty ugly and motioned with a finger for Heero to move out of the seat. The Wing pilot caught the small gesture and gave a small nod of understanding.

 

“…and I told him that he had better be protected, but he wouldn’t listen to…hey! Where are you going to?” She shouted angrily as she watched Heero slip out of the seat so quickly she barely had the time to drag him back.

 

At that moment, Dawson stepped into the cabin and his presence seemed to stifle the little air they had there. Sakura practically growled at him as he sat down beside her. Before either man could say a word, she went into another tirade of words that went so fast, even Heero was having a hard time keeping up with it.

 

Suddenly she asked, “Are you my Brother Rei’s illegitimate son?”

 

Heero sputtered. Duo choked. Dawson looked confused.

 

Then a voice sounded over the speakers. “We have arrived at the New Chitose Airport. Please fasten your seatbelts and remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop. We hoped you enjoyed your flight and thank you for flying with Japan Airlines…”

 

Was he Rei’s illegitimate son??

 

Both teens exchanged glances and Duo finally let go of the laughter that had been building deep within him. Heero wasn’t even sure of why he was laughing, but he was sure it had something to do with the impossible image an informant such as Rei being his real father. Then again, that would mean that Sakura wasn’t as air-headed as she looked. She might know a thing or two about who Rei really was. It was a pity they wouldn’t be able to talk any further; however, if Sakura really intended to bring Dawson to the family, there was no doubt that they would meet again.

 

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Dawson asked, frowning, as he glanced from one teen to the other. “You guys know each other?”

 

Around a snicker, Duo nodded and leaned back, eyes closing as he responded. “You could say that.”

 

Sakura, not quite sure of what had really been funny in the first place, smirked and leaned back in her seat as well. “I think I might get to like you two. Hopefully, we can meet again…”

 

 

__

 

 

Duo was sure he had gotten over his nerves in the plane thanks to the antics of Sakura and Dawson. He was also sure that Heero would have relaxed as well, but as soon as they stepped into the Arrivals Lounge, the Wing pilot’s stomach caused him to excuse himself again.

 

Duo stood there, caressing the ring on his finger like a good luck charm and eyeing the flashing bulletin board that showed flight schedules. All around them, people walked with seemingly no care in the world. Happy laughter from reunited families and friends or loved ones filled his ears as he struggled hard not to stare too long into the crowd waiting to his left.

 

According to last minute plans, Heero’s uncle or uncles – Duo wasn’t sure anymore – had been willing to pick them up from Chitose. The American would have preferred to have taken the 60-minute drive to Sapporo with Heero, so they could sightsee as well as calm themselves. But no, they would have to meet yet another branch of the family head on.

 

Shit.

 

“Hey, you with the long hair.”

 

He turned around with a warm smile as he noticed Sakura, now wearing a black sheepskin jacket, grin at him and wave. Dawson was practically pulling her out of the lobby, but she still managed to get a few words in.

 

“See you around!”

 

“Yeah, same here,” he mumbled as he watched them disappear around a corner with the sign ‘Private Taxi’ above it. “Yeah, we’ll definitely be seeing each other again…”

 

“Are you ready?” Heero’s rather weak question made him turn around to stare at his rather pale companion.

 

“You sure you’re okay, Heero…?”

 

“They’re here,” Heero said, coolly, his eyes narrowing at something over Duo’s shoulder.

 

Duo, unconsciously, covered the single band on his finger as he spun around to see what had captured his lover’s attention. A few feet from the gathered crowd, stood a trio of thirty-something men in dark suits. One of them had the sign ‘Miwa’ on a white piece of stiff paper and, as he noticed Heero’s look, he tucked it away with a few whispered words to his companions.

 

Duo could feel Heero’s tension permeate the very air around them as he moved a bit closer. He reached out to squeeze the Wing pilot’s hand gently in reassurance, and was not too surprised to find it a bit clammy and cold to his touch.

 

The one with the sign broke away from the group and made his way toward them. He was relatively tall and well-built…not muscle-bound, but slender enough to know that he kept himself in shape. His eyes were almost as brown as Sakura’s, and his hair lay in the same unruly mass on his head. There was a warm smile on his lips and, even though Duo searched desperately for any falseness in it, he couldn’t find any. This guy seemed pretty pleased to see him…them, and Duo had the feeling that this guy could possibly be on their side in this mess. For now, at least, it comforted him.

 

“Hello, Miwa and Mr. Maxwell,” he said, greeting them with a polite bow to which Duo and Heero were quick to respond. The man’s smile broadened as he again stood straight, seeming pleased with their action. “My name is Hayakawa Ryouga. My father is your Uncle, Iruka. So, I guess that makes us cousins. The two men behind me…one of them is my older brother. Excuse him, but he’s a bit quiet. The other one is a family friend. I’ll introduce you to them as we go along, okay? Please…” he gave another bow and motioned for them to move ahead of him. “…this way. The drive is rather long, but I’d be more than happy to show you some of the sights.”

 

The older brother was Souji, the friend was Tatsu. Souji looked like his younger brother, except that the deeper lines on his face showed Souji to be clearly the more thoughtful of the two. He spoke little and smiled even less. He wasn’t unreceptive, per se, but he wasn’t going out of his way to make friends with their guests. Curious and friendly, Tatsu seemed to be more like Ryouga. He looked like a cross between a hyperactive teenager and a bumbling clown.

 

Duo wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn that he had noticed Tatsu giving Ryouga a few lingering looks that were anything but…normal.

 

“Here’s our ride,” Ryouga announced with a flourish as he pointed to the sleek black limousine that awaited them. He laughed at the questioning look Heero threw at him. “Your luggage has already been picked up and is on its way to the estate. There’s going to be a big welcoming party for you when we get back home.”

 

Duo squeezed Heero’s hand gently before swallowing tightly as he noticed Souji’s light frown at the gesture. As he was about to withdraw his grasp, Heero tightened it in open defiance. “I can’t wait to see them,” he replied with a small smile as he stepped into the car, almost pulling Duo in along with him.

 

They watched the three men talk amongst themselves for a few minutes. From Heero’s frown, as well as the concerned looks on Ryouga and Tatsu’s features, it looked like things were already beginning to hit the fan.

 

Souji drove, much to the relief of both pilots, leaving the four younger men in the backseat. Naturally, Tatsu and Ryouga sat side-by-side and, five minutes into their journey, the two couples found themselves staring at each other in obvious curiosity.

 

Heero still held Duo’s hand, and the dull glow of the ring on his finger was evident in the semi-gloom of the vehicle.

 

“Is…is that a ring?” Tatsu asked softly nodding towards their joined hands. “It’s very nice.” His smile broadened as he ignored the worried glance that Ryouga gave him. “Are you already married, Mr. Maxwell?”

 

Duo glanced at Heero, wondering what he was thinking, since he seemed to be doing a good job of pretending not to notice the conversation at all. “Well…ah…it’s not really…”

 

“It’s a friendship ring,” Ryouga deduced with a smile that felt a bit forced. “The kind that friends give to each other, Tatsu-kun. Now, drop it. Please forgive him,” he murmured, more to Duo. “He’s always trying to find out one thing or another…”

 

“It’s no big deal really,” Duo said with a light laugh.

 

“Oh, it’s a big deal alright,” Tatsu cut in again, with a smile that sent chills down both Heero and Duo’s spines.

 

“Tatsu!” Ryouga warned, coldly as he glared angrily at his friend. “What did I…?”

 

“It had better only be a friendship ring,” the other man continued relentlessly, ignoring his friend’s admonishment. “You don’t want to go into that compound with your relationship being flaunted in their faces. Things might not go so…”

 

“Shut up, Tatsu,” Ryouga finished icily, as he pinned the man with a deep brown glare devoid of emotion. It was a far cry from the friendly face they had met at the airport just moments ago. This was the true nature of Ryouga Hayakawa. He could be as friendly as anyone else, but beneath that friendly exterior was a man who could be equally as cruel.

 

Duo had the feeling that Tatsu knew this only too well.

 

“Please pay him no mind,” Ryouga continued, smiling in an attempt to ease the tension now filling the car. “We are much more accommodating than you think. Please, relax and enjoy the ride. We should be home any time now.”

 

As he began to explain some of the sights they passed, Duo could feel Heero’s fingers tighten around his own so painfully that the ring dug into his flesh.

 

Neither paid much attention to the slow trickle of blood from the small cut it had caused…

 

 

 

TBC…