Sonata:

 

After the initial shock and surprise at Duo's departure, Heero was the first to recover as he made a mad dash for his jacket to run after the speeding car. Unfortunately, he made little to no progress as Wufei's painful grip on his arm pulled him back roughly. With a small grunt of surprise, his clenched fist lashed out to punch the Chinese boy. However, Wufei was exceptionally fast and Heero found himself hitting nothing but air. He cursed loudly and tried again, but he ended up falling flat on his ass as Wufei had struck out a leg to topple him to the cold ground. Heero tried to rise again, a torrent of curses flooding from his lips now as he glared angrily at the boy above him. The Chinese boy was having none of it. He placed a booted foot upon his former comrade's shoulder, holding him prisoner as dark eyes narrowed with irritation.

 

"Don't you get it yet, Heero?" he asked coldly. "Will you just cool that temper of yours and realize what the fuck's going on here?"

 

"Let me go, Wufei," came the equally icy retort. "You stay out of this, okay?"

 

"And what if I don't?"

 

"Let's not go through this bullshit again," Heero muttered tightly. "Duo's gone and I would like to get him back..."

 

Wufei's sudden laughter had the Japanese boy looking a bit confused, but he masked it quickly with a look of indifference.

 

"Sometimes I wonder if you really are the most naive out of all of us, Heero," Wufei mused out loud as his laughter dwindled to snickers. "You have a way of seeing things that are quite...different..."

 

"Thank you for the compliment. Now, if you are quite done, I would like to..."

 

"Duo isn't going to be speaking to you for a while, friend," Wufei interrupted. This time the laughter was gone from his voice and his eyes had taken on a serious look again. "He would have killed that cousin of yours, Heero. You should have heard what he said to Duo."

 

Heero said nothing, but Wufei knew that he had his undivided attention.

 

"He called Duo a good-for-nothing...basically and that he was no longer going to be a major part of your life once you got to Japan." Wufei shrugged, still making no attempts to release the boy on the ground. Heero could feel his shirt getting soaked, but that was hardly important now. His eyes searched the handsome face above him, as if hoping that Wufei was making this all up, but he could see the faint look of annoyance in those dark eyes and Heero knew it wasn't a lie.

 

"I don't know what kind of family you've got back there, Heero and I'm not going to sit here and make judgments over people I hardly know. But don't you think that if they are willing to treat someone that you claim to love like this...that there is something seriously wrong here? You've been with Duo for almost three years and before that, you hardly even knew who they were, right? Duo helped you research and find them for you, didn't he? He was looking forward to seeing them with you...to maybe share your new happiness with them...but things don't seem to have changed over there in Japan, has it? It looks like they still live in a time when traditions are being held in high esteem."

 

The Chinese boy sighed and reluctantly relinquished his hold on the Wing Pilot. "Whatever the case may be, Heero, you can't just abandon..."

 

"Who say's I’m abandoning him?" Heero interrupted a bit too defensively, as he staggered to his feet. There was a stubborn look in his eyes now and noticing it, Wufei resisted the strong urge to slap it right out of the boy's face.

 

"I say you are," Wufei replied angrily. "What the hell is wrong with you? I don't know what the hell he sees in you because you are acting like a goddamn selfish prick!"

 

Heero gaped in surprise at the vehement words. He had never seen Wufei this upset over something that really had little to nothing to do with him. Heero had noticed the looks on both he and Duo’s faces when he had arrived earlier, but he had tried not to read too much into it. But now...with this new attitude...Heero wasn't so sure anymore.

 

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" he finally asked quietly. "I am not stupid, Wufei. I know exactly how you feel about Duo."

 

The Shenlong pilot gave a start and flushed at the observation, wondering why and how in the world he had let such an emotion become so blatant.

 

"You are mistaken, Heero," he began in a tone that was slightly shaky. "I might have feelings for Duo, but they are purely on a brotherly level. I would never want to jeopardize...what little of a relationship you have left."

 

Heero grit his teeth at the sarcasm, as he reached down for his jacket again. It was beginning to get a bit chilly and he shrugged into it quickly. "Whatever you say, Wufei," he muttered thickly. "Just know that next time you touch him in that way...I might not be so forgiving."

 

The raven-haired boy sucked in a harsh breath, his fisted hands buried deep within his pockets, or he was sure he would have knocked Heero to the ground in a heartbeat.

 

"You don't deserve, Duo," he suddenly said curtly, noticing the way Heero had stiffened at the comment. "Yeah, you heard me. You don't deserve him, Heero Yuy. I still don't know why he feels he has to remain with you because if you ask me...he could have done so much better. Check your goddamn priorities, Yuy. Why do you think your mother left the family?"

 

At Heero's look of surprise, the boy smirked. "Duo told me all about it a while ago. He told me of the letter Odin had written. Apparently, your mother must have left her family because they were stifling her, correct? And here they are about to do it all over again and you want to let them. So go ahead, Heero Yuy. Go ahead and leave Duo in the dust while you go and have some good quality time with your family. I am sure they would always be there for you in your times of pain or at nights when you can't sleep, right...Heero?"

 

He gave an exaggerated yawn and began to walk away. Since Duo had taken the Jeep, he would have to walk all the way back to the city.

 

Damn.

 

What was even worse was the way he felt right now. He figured he was stupid for his elaborate speech, but it had to be said. If he couldn't get Heero to see just how much Duo loved him, then he would be failing the American. Even though his heart bled at the thought of sending Duo back into Heero's arms, it was the only thing he could do to make him happy again. Wufei realized with a sinking feeling in the pits of his stomach that he would do anything to make the vivacious pilot smile again for him. A genuine smile at that.

 

"Wufei..."

 

"What is it now?" he snapped back, before wishing he hadn't. Heero's voice had sounded weary and as he turned around, he noticed that the Japanese boy was staring morosely at the ground with shoulders slumped. It certainly wasn't the picture that he had expected to see and Wufei suddenly felt awful for being too harsh. Heero was also going through a tough dilemma of his own and Wufei could understand...a little...if the boy's rational thought disappeared from time to time.

 

"What is it?" he asked a bit quieter this time.

 

Heero gave a casual shrug before replying softly. "I can drop you off...if you want..."

 

The Chinese boy shook his head. "No...I need to walk and clear my head for a while. You need to find Duo and talk to him as soon as possible, okay?"

 

The Wing pilot seemed to have lost all his willpower to fight as he nodded slowly. "Yeah...I guess so..."

 

And not saying another word, he made his way to his car and drove off into the twinkling lights of the city, leaving Wufei staring after him in the vastness of the empty parking lot.

 

The Japanese boy knew he didn’t have to search very far. He knew exactly where his lover would be.

 

 

__

 

 

Rei's fingers shook terribly as he dialed the numbers to the Hayakawa compound. He had phoned Heero first and had recounted the story of his horrendous ordeal with his psychotic friend in the best way he could. Of course, he had omitted telling Heero about his real reason for being around the Peacecraft premises in the first place and had instead regaled his cousin with a tale of how he had been walking down the street, only to be ambushed by Duo and his comrade. He scratched at the white bandage he had placed over the cut on his cheek as he stared at his pale reflection in the mirror across the small motel room.

 

The sooner he told Takeshi about this, the better. He couldn't remain here any more. He wanted nothing more to do than to get back home to his family. He hadn't heard from his little Miaka in a while now.

 

"Hello?" came the voice over the end of the line.

 

Rei blinked in surprise. It clearly wasn’t Takeshi. He picked up the small black address book he had been holding to stare at the numbers he had written in there. Yes, he had dialed them correctly. This was supposed to be the direct number to his grandfather, but this…who was this on the line? No one else was supposed to know about…

 

“Rei? Is this you?”

 

“Ah…hai…obaa-san,” he stumbled out quickly, fighting the urge to fall to his knees in greeting to a woman that wasn’t even in the same room with him. That definitive voice of authority was one that had always left him cringing inwardly especially whenever he had gotten in trouble as a young boy. “I was…”

 

“Your grandfather cannot come to the phone right now,” Akane interrupted calmly. “What message do you have for him?”

 

So grandmother was told about this too, Rei thought with a puzzled frown. He had always been under the impression that this was a secretive operation.

 

“Rei,” came the impatient call at the other end, sending the man blushing in embarrassment.

 

“Yes, mother. Forgive my silence, I was just hoping that I could speak to grandfather personally…”

 

“So, you feel as if you cannot tell me the same things you tell Takeshi?”

 

“No…”

 

“Then proceed, Rei.”

 

The tone left no room for argument and sighing inwardly, Rei began to recount the tale of his escapades with Duo. This time around, Duo had suddenly become the most evil person on the planet and the gun that the American had wielded had been placed right against his chest. He also finished with a threat that Duo had said in which the boy had sworn to hunt down the family members and to kill them all.

 

Once done with his tale, he worried his lower lip as he listened to the heavy silence at the other end of the line. So, he had fabricated…just a little bit, but he was still the victim here, wasn’t he?

 

“Are you done with your story, Rei?” Akane finally asked in a voice that seemed calm, but Rei knew only too well just what lay beneath the surface. His grandmother was furious.

 

“Ye…yes…”

 

“Suoh was right,” she interrupted coldly. “You are nothing more than a…” She stopped and Rei strained to listen to what was going on at the moment. It seemed as if she was talking to someone in the background, but Akane’s voice was so low, he could barely make out what she was saying. However, it still didn’t stop the dull feeling of anger and humiliation he felt at the insult that would have been hurled at him. His uncle, Suoh, had never really liked him, no matter how hard he had tried to please and do his will. And as usual, his grandmother was always there to support Uncle Suoh. It almost wasn’t fair.

 

“Rei, are you still here?” came the cold question that had him starting in surprise.

 

“Ye…yes, mother…”

 

“Good. Now, listen carefully to me, you worthless boy, there has been a change in plans, do you understand?”

 

“A change in…?”

 

“Yes, a change of plans. Let Miwa know that he can bring his friend along with him. Do you understand me? You must let him know that he can bring this…Duo when he comes here.”

 

Rei felt the world spin around him as he rose to his feet quickly. “But…but!”

 

“You had better do it, Rei, or you might just consider remaining over there and never returning home again.”

 

“Obaa-san!” he cried desperately, but the dull hum of the dial tone filled his ear as he slumped back to the bed in defeat. He couldn’t believe it. So what had his trip been for? Why had he gone through this humiliation only for them to want to see Duo? What had made Takeshi change his mind? What in the world was going on back at home?

 

And now I have to go and grovel at their feet again, the man thought bitterly. The very idea of going back to Heero’s apartment to tell them the good news was too much for him to take. And with a loud cry, he threw the cordless phone towards the mirror, watching it smash and fall to the floor into a thousand pieces of glittering shards.

 

 

__

 

 

Duo stood in the middle of the darkened kitchen with his eyes closed. Coco had only woken up when he had come in and had promptly gone back to sleep, which was a good thing as the pilot wasn’t really in any mood to deal with the feline. He pulled off the wool cap from his head and slowly began to loosen his braid.

 

He would take a quick shower – more to wash away the stench of the evening…or maybe all that had happened this evening. The images and sensations whizzed through his mind rapidly. Heero’s kiss. Rei’s capture. Rei’s insults. Shooting the bastard – or at least an attempt at it. Rei’s release. Wufei’s words. Wufei’s…kiss.

 

His fingers rose to caress his still swollen lips gently, wondering why that last thought would still linger on for so long. He didn’t like Wufei in that way. The Chinese boy had become a steadfast and strong ally after the war, but not once had anything romantic crossed Duo’s mind when it came to him. But the kiss had been…pretty damn good if he could say so himself and Duo was sure that if Heero hadn’t arrived, he would have given in the low heat that had begun to pool in the pits of his stomach.

 

We might have made out…

 

He opened up his eyes and sighed softly. And not caring that he was still in the kitchen, he began to strip out of his clothes carefully. He tossed them onto the laundry room…floor, knowing full well that his partner was bound to complain about the way they had been left so carelessly.

 

Not that Duo gave a fuck right now.

 

Heero had begun to show his support for his family. His very worst fears had begun to come to fruition. He would be left back here while Heero would go to Japan and…

 

“Fuck!”

 

He scrubbed his eyes with hands that trembled as the stings of unshed tears filled them again.

 

“Idiot, idiot, idiot! I’m just a stupid idiot,” he whispered thickly as he turned on the shower to almost scalding hot before stepping into it. “He just…I just…”

 

The shrill ring of something was a dull hum in his mind for a moment, before he finally registered that it was actually the phone. Assuming (and hoping) it would be Heero, Duo flew out of the stall quickly. Drops of water fell to the carpeted floor as he dove across the bed to pick it up but he was a minute too late as the low sound of the answering machine came on.

 

The voice at the other end sent a chill down the American’s body. But it was the words that spilled forth that had him rooted to the bed in shock.

 

“Miwa, this is Rei…”

 

Like Heero wouldn’t have figured that out already.

 

“ I just got a call from your grandmother and she has blessed your relationship.”

 

Duo could tell that the man was having a hard time just saying the words. They sounded so strained.

 

“Anyway, the point is…she wishes to see both you and Duo when you arrive. It would make her very happy…”

 

Something else was mumbled, but Duo didn’t care to know as he stared numbly at the boy who had just walked into the bedroom. Their eyes met as Rei’s last words filled the thick and tension-filled silence.

 

“So, congratulations, Miwa. It looks like you have both won this round. See you in Japan, cousin.”

 

CLICK!

 

End of messages…

 

 

 

 

 

TBC….