Te Amo
by Akuma
Part 9
After Colony 197
Beginning of July
"I'm home." Duo sighed. Hilde had asked him to go to L2 to maintain their company there and he delightedly complied, happy to be free from being his wife's slave for a few days. But now....
"Welcome home." Hilde walked out from the bedroom.
Duo dropped his jaw as he noticed his wife's flat stomach. "Hilde.. Are you...when... how..."
Hilde smiled. "I delivered yesterday and I didn't tell you because I wanted it to be a surprise. Dr. Philip was wrong about the gender, though. Want to see your son?"
Duo nodded dumbly and followed his wife to the bedroom he had prepared for the baby before. His heart fluttered. A son! He had a son now! He approached the baby cradle in anticipation and was mesmerized when he saw the sleeping angel inside, which happened to inherit his chestnut gold hair. "My son...." He whispered in awe. "Thank you, Hilde."
"You have to give him a name." Hilde slowly lifted the baby and gave him to Duo.
Duo carefully put the baby in the crook of his arms and gazed down on him lovingly. "Solo Maxwell. His name is Solo Maxwell."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After Colony 197
Middle of July
"Come on come on..." Duo muttered as he punched a certain number on the videophone.
Beep. "I'm not at home right now. Leave a message..."
"Damn!" Duo disconnected the videophone and slumped down in the chair. This was his fifth call. Where was Heero? This was the first time he had had difficulty contacting Heero. Usually Heero was always there, answering his call. There were so many things he wanted to tell the Japanese boy.
"Duo, can you go and buy milk for Solo?" Hilde entered his study room.
"Huh?"
"I'm tired and want to rest." Hilde yawned. "Solo is so annoying. He cried a lot last night."
Duo frowned, not liking that Hilde found Solo annoying. "He wouldn't cry that much if you fed him yourself."
"I can't" Hilde glared. "I told you so. Dr. Philip has checked me..."
"... and you aren't allowed to feed Solo, I know I know. Sorry, Hilde." Duo cut in, sensing trouble. He quickly stood up and reached for his coat. "I'll buy it now." He left his wife and went to Solo's bedroom, delivering a kiss to the sleeping angel.
~*~*~*~*~*~
BUZZ
Duo pushed the bell again. After buying the milk, he had decided to stop at the laboratory where Heero lived. However, no one answered the bell. Duo thumped the door in his irritation and to his surprise the door swung open.
His curiosity turned into suspicion. He knew Heero, and the Japanese boy wouldn't leave a door unlocked. He carefully entered the laboratory and checked the rooms one by one. He finally reached the main room and looked around, trying to find something unusual or out of place. His eyes fell on the bed and without thinking he approached it. The bed was plain and simple, covered with a white blanket. Was this where Heero slept? It looked so cold....
Duo looked around and noticed something on the desk near the bed. He approached it and was surprised to see a pot of withering violet flowers. This was Heero's favorite flower! And seeing the flowers' condition, it was obvious Heero had abandoned them a few days. Damn, where was he? Duo checked the desk, trying to find some hints to Heero's whereabouts and was startled when he saw the glass box near the pot. He reached for the box and held it up, looking at the white figure inside.
"You kept this, Heero?" Duo whispered in disbelief. A smiling Heero flashed before his eyes and Duo blinked. White day.... that was the first time he saw Heero smiling. He liked seeing Heero smile and remembered every time he managed to make the boy smile. Once was when he bought the Japanese boy a pair of new shoes and later when he took Heero cruising...Duo widened his eyes as he remembered why he took Heero cruising. Heero's birthday!!! He had forgotten the birthday he had assigned for Heero!!!
Duo slapped his head. Heero might be angry with him. That's why he couldn't find the Japanese boy. Damn, he had to make it up to him..... He looked at the glass box in his hand and saw a smiling Heero flash before him again. He really had to apologize and buy Heero a great present. It had been long time since he saw Heero smiling. Last time was ........
Duo frowned.
Last time Heero smiled.........
.........was when they were cruising.
Duo frowned harder, trying to remember other times that Heero had smiled and found none. Heero had stopped smiling not long after the cruise! Damn him for not realizing it! After cursing himself for being ignorant, Duo looked thoughtfully at the glass box. What had made Heero stop smiling? What happened after the cruise...
Hilde!
Duo felt struck by lightening when he realized Heero stopped smiling after Hilde appeared between them. The Japanese boy had reverted back to like he was when he first met him. Never smiled, never showed any expressions. Damn! He was a fool to believe that Heero wasn't disturbed with Hilde's appearance. The Japanese boy was surely unhappy that he stopped smiling after that!!
As if someone had turned on the light in his mind, Duo found himself tracing his memories.
Heero tensed when he said Hilde's name, the sign that the Japanese boy was upset.
Heero's eyes flashed or dimmed when he talked about his day with Hilde or something alike. It was jealousy or pain or sadness flashing in those Prussian blue eyes.
Duo's eyes widened in horror as the past events flashed in his mind and he now knew what the Japanese boy's gesture meant. Nononono, what had he done? Why didn't he realize it until now?
"..... Do you plan to stay with me in this house forever?" The Japanese boy looked vulnerable and nervous for a few seconds before he said those words.
Duo had to lean against the wall when he realized the meaning of Heero's words. That was as close as Heero was able to come to a proposal!!! Fuck! Where did his eyes and mind go during that time? Right, always thinking about Hilde! He failed to see the feelings behind the Japanese boy's words and wrongly thought Heero was emotionless in dealing with something like that.
Heero had cared for him. Heero possibly loved him enough to propose to him!!! Damn it all to helll!! The desperation to find Heero was greater now that Duo realized how wrongly he had treated the Japanese boy. He had to apologize to Heero!!
Duo desperately searched all the rooms in the laboratory but he couldn't find Heero. Finally he gave up and settled on leaving a note on the desk asking Heero to call him once he got home. Duo looked long at the glass box and then put it in his pocket before walking out of the laboratory.
He would give it back to Heero once he found him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After Colony 197
Early August
Duo entered his study room and slumped against his chair. He had just gone to the laboratory again and found his note still in the exact place, untouched. Heero must be really angry at him for leaving without telling him. Where did Heero go? Duo looked at the ceiling. It had been long time since he last talked to Heero. He missed the Japanese boy.
It was month after her pregnancy and Hilde hadn't changed except for craving strange things. She had given almost all her duties to their servants, a butler to welcome him home, a maid to take care of his bath, and a cook to cook for them. Their company had grown bigger and had several new branches on some colonies, categorizing him as a rich man. Money was not a problem for him now. But even though he had a wife, a son, and large sum of money, he didn't feel satisfied..... His wife wouldn't wait for him if he came late and they slept in separate bedrooms. The butler only could welcome him home formally, not with a soft greeting, a kiss or a hug he used to receive every night. The cook couldn't make the food as delicious as he used to eat. The gardener made his garden beautiful, but he couldn't find a sleeping boy under an oak tree........... The boy who would melt in his arms every time he kissed him, the boy who waited for him every night, the boy who cooked the most delicious food he ever tasted.....
Duo missed the life he had had with Heero.
He could endure it during Hilde's pregnancy, telling himself Hilde would make it up to him after it. But now he found out, Hilde would be always like that, pregnant or not.
He had made a mistake by marrying Hilde.....
Solo's cries snapped Duo from his thoughts. He quickly went into the baby's room and took his angel in his arms, trying to make him stop crying. A few minutes of rocking and humming, his angel stopped crying and laughed happily. Duo was stunned when he saw his angel open his eyes.
Violet, the same eyes as his. Obvious proof that this angel was his.
Duo smiled and kissed his son's forehead. Even though he had made mistake by marrying Hilde, his wife had given him this angel. He wouldn't divorce her. His angel needed his father and mother to grow up with. He would tolerate Hilde for the sake of his child.
"Sleep well my angel." Duo murmured and put the yawning child in his cradle.
After making sure his angel slept well, Duo walked out of the room quietly. His mind resumed his thoughts once again. For his angel, he would tolerate Hilde, but that didn't mean he had to sacrifice his own needs. He wanted Heero ..... Maybe he could ask Heero to be his son's private teacher, that way he would often meet Heero........ .
All he had to do now was find Heero.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After Colony 198
Late April
"Congratulations, Sally, Wufei." Duo smiled and shook the newlyweds' hands while his violet eyed angel cooed happily in his other hand.
"Thank you, Duo." Sally smiled and gave a peck to the giggling angel. "Solo is so cute. I hope I'll have one as cute as him."
"Of course you will. I'm going to hit the food." Duo waved and walked away, giving a chance to the others to greet the newlyweds. He was getting a drink when a familiar voice called.
"Hello, Duo."
Duo was surprised. He hadn't heard that voice in a long, long time. Last time he heard it, was at his wedding party. Turning around, he was face to face with a woman with blue eyes. "Relena."
The Queen of the world nodded and smiled. "Long time no see." Duo nodded while Solo cooed, dragging Relena's attention to him. "He is so cute."
"He's my angel." Duo beamed.
Relena tilted her head slightly. "His hair and eyes are yours, but his face.... He looks like Heero."
Duo kissed Solo's cheek. As Solo grew up, it startled him as he saw how closely Solo resembled Heero, save his violet eyes and chestnut hair. "You're the seventh one who said that. Don't let Hilde hear you say that. She'll have a fit."
"Where is she?"
Duo shrugged. "Last time I saw, she was talking to Noin."
".....still no news about Heero?"
Duo shook his head. After a month waiting for Heero to cool off and come back, Duo became worried when the Japanese boy didn't return. He contacted Trowa and Quatre but like him, they didn't know Heero's whereabouts and were surprised to find Heero missing. Together, they contacted the others but none of them knew where Heero was.
Feeling really worried, Duo then searched for the Japanese boy and asked the others to help him, including Lady Une, who asked Relena to use her influence to find out where Heero was. Months passed and all efforts still resulted nothing. No one knew where Heero was. The Japanese boy seemed to disappear without a trace.
Relena smiled wistfully. "I miss him."
Duo nodded. "Me too. Don't worry, we'll find him. No matter how long it takes, I'll find him."
"I hope he will show up before I get married. I really want him to attend my wedding." Relena then smiled at him. "I have to go now. I'm glad Heero has a friend like you who cares for him, Duo. I'll ask my detectives to work harder."
Duo watched Relena walk away and then chuckled bitterly. Friend huh? Heero was more than a friend to him, but only Quatre and Trowa knew it. Well, Wufei probably knew it since he once kissed Heero in the cell when the three of them were confined. However after the first war, he rarely showed up with Heero and with him dating Hilde at that time, the others never thought about their relationship as more than best friends. They still thought him as a good and loyal husband while the truth was he no longer touched Hilde. He couldn't bring himself to do that, not while Heero's images flashed in his mind so often.
He gulped his drink and looked at Solo wistfully. "I'll show you a person who looks just like you, Solo. I'm sure you'll like him."
Solo cooed and laughed happily. Duo's eyes softened. "I'll make him laugh as freely as you do."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After Colony 199
Middle of February
Duo punched the wall of his study room out of frustration. Two years. It had been almost two fucking years and still no sign of Heero. Where did the boy go? He had searched the laboratory thoroughly and found nothing! He had been confused when he found the dresses and various loose clothes in Heero's cupboard before he realized there was a chance that Heero had been disguising himself so no one could find him. Duo became very worried as his mind thought of the possibility that Heero might have been doing some recovery missions on his own and something went wrong and that he never returned to the laboratory. He tried hard to find the Japanese boy, but the result was always the same.
Zilch...Zero.
None of the best detectives and agents could find Heero. Duo had been furious and gave them his Shinigami poker face that made most of them recoil and promise him to work harder in trying to find the Japanese boy, but months had passed and still no results. Heero had disappeared so thoroughly that it was like he'd been swallowed up by the earth.
"Where are you, Heero?" Duo whispered longingly, eyes gazing on the framed picture on his desk. A picture of a smiling boy with Prussian blue eyes and messy brown hair, holding a small glass box of white figure which now stood next to the framed picture. Duo eyed the picture long and hard before turning and looking out of the window.
He would not stop looking for Heero.
No matter how long it took, he would find Heero and make him smile again.
Just like in the picture.
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