Baby Mine
Part 6
Heero poked his head into his bedroom, searching for his braided baka. He smiled when he found the boy on his side, sprawled out on the bed, a huge body pillow between his legs, and under his back. A few strands of hair covered his face, and the rest dangled off the bed in a tight braid. Heero could see his lips take in air as he slumbered peacefully. The boy was dressed in a black T-shirt, and a pair of while over-alls. Heero regretted having to wake his lover, but they did have work to do. He sat down gently near the boy's face and shook him awake.
"Mm.... later Heero, I'm so sleepy." Duo just closed his eyes tighter, gripping the pillow more firmly.
"Duo, wake up." Heero leaned in and kissed Duo's ear. "You said you wanted to help paint the babies room, so get up koi." He nudged the boy gently, trying to get him to stir.
"Fine." Duo opened his eyes and let out a little meow like yawn. He attempted to sit up, but his large stomach got in the way. "A little help, please?" Duo gratefully took Heero's hand as he was pulled into a sitting position.
Heero smothered a small laugh as he looked at a very sleepy Duo. "You look like you're about to burst, koi." He kissed Duo's cheek as the boy rubbed his eyes.
"Feel like it too, but thanks for noticing." Duo's tone was a bit bitter as he scooted to the edge of the bed and eased himself into a standing position. "So, ready to paint?"
"Hai, but are you sure you should help? Why don't you just rest?"
"Yes I am sure I can do this. And besides, if I leave it to you, it would probably be all scary and not cute at all." Duo stuck his tongue out at Heero as he sauntered off towards the nursery.
Heero just rolled his eyes and followed the boy, catching up quickly. Together they both entered a small empty room, with four paint cans, two paint rollers and trays, and two paintbrushes, on the floor. Heero proceeded to pour some paint into a bucket, fuming when he found the color to be light lavender. "Duo? Didn't we agree on pastel green paint? At least that is what I bought."
Duo smiled innocently and backed up against a wall. "Well, uhh, funny you should mention that Heero, cause umm, well.....you see it is like this. Um, well I like purple better, it is so friendly, and well I told Quatre to return the paint and get the purple one I liked, so-please-don't-be-mad-at-me-cause-I-am-really-sorry!" Duo's words left his mouth so quickly that Heero barely had time to understand.
"It is a 'friendlier' color?" Heero stalked over towards Duo, dripping paintbrush in hand.
"Yes?" Duo meeped out, as he looked at the incoming paint. "Don't you think?" He reached out, grabbed the paintbrush from Heero in one swift motion, and quickly swiped it down his face. He left a dripping trail of lavender on his lover, trailing from the tip of his head to his chest. Duo couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"DUO! That was not funny!" Heero stormed over to the paint and dipped another bush in it. Marching back over to Duo, he swiped it horizontally across his face.
"If that's how you want to play....." Duo wiped the paint of his face with the back of his hand, and then thrust the paintbrush towards his lover again. ...so be it!" A paint fight broke out, leaving both boys almost covered in paint. Finally Heero backed off and held up his paintbrush in defeat.
"Ok ok, you win. The room is purple. But seriously Duo, we should paint the room before there is nothing left to do so." Heero kicked an empty can of paint to emphasize his point.
"Your right Heero, we should probably get started." After a few moments in silence, Heero was standing on a small latter, rolling paint on the wall, while Duo stood, smoothing out the color with a paintbrush. Mischievously he turned towards Heero and flicked the brush at him.
"DUO!!!" Maybe waking Duo up was not the wisest idea.
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Duo stomped around the apartment flat, fuming. He picked up a small vase and threw it at Heero's head. It slammed into the wall to the right of Heero's head and shattered into billions of pieces. Duo and Heero were having a monstrous argument. But this time Heero knew Duo was right. He had every right to be this angry.
"Why Heero? Why do I always have to be the first to show any emotion to you? Why am I the only one that says 'I love you?' Sometimes I feel like I am talking to a wall, I might as well be in love with a wall. Do you even care about me at all?" Duo's eyes were welling up with tears, his face felt as if it was on fire.
"Ehh Duo! Mata!" Heero reached out for Duo. A voice inside him told him to tell Duo, nagged at him to yell it to the small braided boy.
"No!" Duo swatted Heero's hand away, his body was shaking. "Obviously you don't give a fuck about me." Duo turned quickly and ran to the door. Heero let him go, he knew there was no talking to Duo now. But still he worried about the American, especially in his condition. He wanted him home, safe in their apartment. He heard Duo slam the door behind him and he slumped to the ground. He knew one day his emotionless personality would hurt him like this.
Duo ran down the empty corridor that proceeded his apartment, his eyes filled with tears. He was sick of Heero not taking on a larger role in this relationship. He wanted to be loved as well. He was tired of giving his love to Heero endlessly and not getting anything in return. Suddenly he dropped to the floor in pain, his eyes closed tightly. "Oh gods..." Duo let out a scream that could pierce the night, his body convulsing in pain. "HEERO!"
Heero heard the scream of agony followed by his named shouted in desperation. He jumped to his feet as soon as he realized they were coming from his lover. Within seconds, he was kneeling by the shuddering boy. His heart raced as he scooped the boy into his arms. "Duo, shh Duo. I'm here." He cradled to boy, who let out another scream of pain, curling into a small ball. "Duo, look at me" Duo refused to, but Heero could tell the boy was crying, he could see his face squished up in pain. "Duo, is it the baby?"
Duo's breath was short, "I don't know. Heero..." Duo buried his face into Heero. "I'm afraid...Is this supposed to happen?"
"Shh Duo, it'll be ok, I'm going to take you to the hospital. It will be ok." Heero's face hid his worry and fear quite well. He thought to himself for a moment. He would drive them both, but he didn't want Duo to be alone. He wanted to hold him, and comfort him. He stood up and ran the few doors to an apartment, knocking on the door frivolously. "Trowa! It's Heero, please let me in."
From the other side of the door, Trowa heard Heero's desperate cries. What was it that could make him so incredibly upset? He opened the door, Quarte, wearing nothing but a long violet dress shirt and socks, hanging on his arm, resting his head on Trowa's shoulder. Trowa was dressed in a simple pair of tight black jeans. The two boys were faced with a very distraught looking Heero.
"Trowa! I need you to drive Duo and I to the hospital, please Trowa."
"Why? What's happened?"
As if on cue, Duo's scream pierced the air again. Trowa peered over Heero's shoulder to see Duo leaning back against a wall in agony. Quarte's eyes widened with worry.
"Get Duo and meet me by the garage." With that, the taller boy disappeared into the apartment fishing for his shirt, handing Quarte his pants in the process. Heero turned and ran to his lover. He kneeled down by the boy and pushed his hair out of his eyes so that he could kiss his hot forehead.
"Trowa's going to drive us Duo. Come on, I'll carry you." Heero went to lift him up when Duo stopped him.
"I can walk" Came Duo's meek voice. With that Heero helped him to his feet and wrapped his hand around his waist. Duo had barely taken three steps before wincing in pain and feeling his knees give out. Without saying anything, Heero lifted the boy into his arms and held him tightly to his body as he quickly walked the distance to the garage. When he got there, he found Trowa already starting the car and Quarte getting out of the passenger's side to open the door for Heero. Heero nodded as he lowered the curled up boy into the car, followed by himself. He slammed the door and waited for Quarte to return to his seat. Heero honestly didn't feel like being around them, but that was the furthest thing from his mind. The car started to pull away as Heero coiled his arms around the shaking boy. Duo pressed his body into Heero's. Duo gripped Heero's hand tightly as his breath came in short pants. "What is this?"
Heero looked up to see Quarte looking back at him, his innocent worried face peering from around the seat. Quarte glanced in the rear view mirror and saw Duo curled around Heero, shaking.
Heero's attention went back to the shivering boy. "Duo, stop, you have to breathe normally, your not getting enough of oxygen."
Duo's eyes came alive, "You of all people doesn't have the right to tell me what to do. Umph!" Duo doubled over again as he felt his child kick something inside of him causing him to let out such a pathetic moan that it saddened even Trowa's eyes. "Heero!" He held on tight to his lover as he screamed. The screaming seemed to help him, relieve him somehow. But the boy never did anything quietly, so why should this be different?
"Gomen.....Gomen Heero" Came Duo's weary voice between the pants. Duo's nails clawed at Heero's back as the Japanese boy cradled his lover, now lying on his lap. "Gomen ne Heero, I love you Koibito." Came Duo's voice as the pain lessened.
"Shh, I know. Relax, you need you strength." Heero kissed his lovers sweaty forehead, pushing his matted bangs out of his face. Heero leaned back against a door, allowing Duo to lay between his legs and rest himself on Heero's chest. Heero rested his hands on Duo's swollen stomach where they were quickly covered by Duo's.
"This would be nice, if I wasn't in so much damn pain!" Duo's voice changed from sweet to annoyed by the end of the sentence. He thrashed his head to one side and buried his face into Heero's chest. Suddenly Heero jumped up, he was so incredibly not prepared for this. What was he doing? Not only that, the hospital wasn't prepared for this.
"Trowa, do you have your cell phone on you?"
"Hai" Trowa said as he reached into the car's console and brought forth his phone, reaching backwards to hand it to Heero. Quarte knew his lover well enough to tell when the silent boy was worried or nervous. And in this case he was both. Both prevented Trowa from glancing into the back seat, for the fear of seeing Duo like that ate at him. There was something agonizing about his screams. Quarte grabbed hold of Trowa's free hand, and held it tightly. His thoughts were interrupted by the soft beeps of the phone dialing.
Heero quickly spoke into the phone, alerting the hospital that he would be arriving shortly, very shortly. He asked them to please call Dr. Podgany for him as well, insisting she be there. The hospital staff assured him everything would be ready. With that he got off the phone and tossed it back up to the front seat, holding Duo close to him again. "It'll be alright...promise."
"Promise me something else..."
"Ehh?"
"Promise me that they won't treat me like a lab animal. Promise me that, Heero."
"I promise."
"Ohh yea, and please don't let them baby me.....I don't want to be rushed around the hospital in a wheel chair and all. I am not that weak, I don't want attention. I am not a female." Heero laughed at that last comment. "Ohh and......." Duo's words were cut off as he let out another groan of pain. His eyes looked desperate for one sudden moment when he looked up at Heero. "Oh second though, baby me, spoil me, I'm weak, I'm in pain!" came Duo's fatigued voice. Just as Duo was about to lean back into Heero again, the car stopped.
"Arigato Trowa" Duo nodded at him, "Arigato Quarte" nodding at the blond as well "I won't forget this."
Heero lifted the boy up so he could help him out of the car. The logical thing to do would be getting a wheel chair, but in Heero's mind, there was no more logic. As he got out of the car, he lifted Duo into his strong arms, the braided boy curled up in his black sweater and jeans.
"Heero." Came Quarte's voice. "We'll wait with you." It was more of a statement then an offer.
"Arigato Quarte, but you don't have to. Go home, we'll be fine." Heero replied. A sudden moan from Duo notified him that he should get a move on. "Go, we'll be fine, honestly." Heero turned to continue walking. He was halfway to the door when he heard Trowa call him. He stood Duo up gingerly by his side and turned. "What?"
"Here" Trowa tossed his phone at Heero, who then slipped it into his pocket. "Call us"
"Arigato" With that Heero picked up his lover and continued his brisk walk. When he entered the door he was assaulted with Nurses, who conveniently had a wheelchair waiting. He placed the apprehensive boy into the seat and stood behind it.
"Were going to take him to the examining room, if you would be so kind as to stay behind and fill out some forms, it won't take that long, and we will take good care of him.", stated one nurse, getting straight to the point.
"Can't I just stay with him." He said, tightening his death grip on Duo's hand.
"Heero..." Came Duo's sweet voice, he could never resist it. "I'll be fine, now please make this easier on everyone, just listen for once."
Heero looked around unsure of himself, then sighed in defeat. "Fine....but you promise me something now, you promise you'll be ok?"
"Hai!" Duo half screamed the word as he clenched his stomach, eyes squeezed shut. Something was seriously wrong, he could see this by the looks on the nurses eyes. Duo shouldn't be having any sort of contractions, (being that it was physically impossible) so what the hell was this.
With that they wheeled him away, so quickly that Heero had hardly enough time to register it. While he was still in shock, the nurse who had spoken first grabbed Heero's hand and dragged him over to a counter. She shoved him a few papers to fill out, which he did, rushing but accurate. Finally, he pushed the papers back towards the nurse. The small woman proceeded to ask a few questions.
"Are you two, umm, well....."
"Married?" The nurse blushed as he said the word. And at the though, so did Heero. "No, we're not."
"And it is your child?"
"Hai" Heero stated, realizing that he was to have a child in a matter of hours. His eyes reveled that the boy was nervous as hell. The small woman got up and sat down next to him, placing one hand on his shoulder."
"I am sure Mr. Maxwell will be fine. So put those worries out of your head."
"Hai." But Heero wasn't listening.
"Come, I'll take you to him."
Heero jumped up, re-energized by the fact he would see his lover soon. As they made their way through a maze of rooms and hallways the nurse spoke again.
"We called Dr, Podgainy, and she should be here shortly, no doubt she is speeding to get here." Heero nodded, acknowledging the message. Finally they reached a door and stopped. "Mr. Maxwell is in there being examined, you may enter if you with."
"Arigato" Came Heero's voice as he slipped into the room. When he looked inside he saw his lover, slick with sweat, many apparatuses attached to his mangled body. When Duo looked at him he let out a little cry.
"HEERO!"
Heero rushed to his lover side, holding his hand. The cry was more out of happiness than pain. "Heero, can you just knock me over the head until it is all over?" Heero made a face as if disgusted by the machines attached to his lover's body. Of all places, Duo knew Heero would rather not be here. Just as Heero opened his mouth to talk Dr. Podgainy slid into the room. Her hair was unruly, and she placed her things down on the floor. She was already dressed in her doctor scrubs as she took a place on the other side of Duo.
"Well how are you doing tonight?" Came the woman's voice. Duo and Heero both liked her, she had a certain understanding within her. They put their complete trust in her hands, well maybe not Heero's.
"Stupid question." Came Duo's voice. "Aww shit!" Duo screamed, as his body convulsed in pain once more. He slammed his head back, and even through his closed eyes, Heero could see his tears shimmer down his cheeks. Heero couldn't stand to see him like this, it was eating at him. But yet again Heero was stopped from screaming at someone, by the doctor.
"You're in pain?" She stated the obvious as if it were some new discovery. Her expression changed to that of a worried one. "This shouldn't be happening, physically you can't have contractions. And even if you did have some amount of pain, it would never be pain like this."
Heero's mouth closed as he saw the worried look on the doctor's face. He felt Duo's hand tighten around his. Yet Duo didn't utter a word. "Then why the hell is he in pain?"
The Doctor seemed to ignore Heero's words as she lifted up Duo's gown to examine him. His stomach was stretched with eight and a half months of pregnancy. When the doctor pressed down in certain spots Duo let out a cry and tightened his grip on Heero's hand. "Hmm" She ran out of the room and got her staff of doctors and nurses.
Heero stood up, furious at the moment "What the hell is going on here!".
Finally a nurse came over to him and explained the whole situation to the two of them. Apparently the child was pressing too far up into Duo's internal organs, which could be extremely hazardous to Duo's life. The pressure was what was causing Duo so much pain, for the child had either gotten dangerously tangled in the organs, or was simply kicking and pressing into them. The latter of the two was the least hazardous, so many were hoping for that.
The nurse also informed them that an emergency cesarean was needed and that it was in favor of both the lives of the parent and the child. Duo agreed immediately, without any hesitation in his voice. It was obvious that the boy was afraid, for he was trembling, sometimes tears coming to his eyes, but not because of the pain. Heero never left him, even as they prepared him for surgery. He kept his hands folded around Duo's, every now and then kissing the miserable boy. At time Duo would pull away, not wanting to be touch, but in turn sometimes he would grab tight to his lover and hold him. Duo had been in this intense pain for over two and a half-hours, and who knew how he was feeling during the fight he and Heero had.
"Duo." Came the doctor's voice as she touched his shoulder. "It's time. Are you ready to see your baby?" Duo nodded nervously. "Don't worry, we are going to take good care of you." With that she left his side. He blinked as he looked nervously for Heero. He was told that the boy was putting on scrubs to that he was allowed in the room. Duo looked at his stomach one last time before his view was blocked with a sheet sort of contraption. He heard all the talking as the doctors were preparing themselves. He was numb now, and he felt nothing, which came as a relief. He brushed his sweaty bangs out of his face and leaned back. When his lover returned, he sat in his new chair position, behind Duo's 'bed'. He reached both his hands up, one on each side of Duo's head, and held on tight to the American's shaking hands. He lowered his face so that he could whisper in Duo's ear. He kissed the soft hot flesh there and held onto him tightly.
"I love you Heero." With that Duo heard the doctors cut into him, he screamed with the thought of it, but he was muffled by Heero's quick kiss. Heero talked to him the whole time, abandoning his silent ways. He talked about the most pointless things, he talked about Duo's hair. Duo listened to him, sometimes he spoke back, or nodded, but he listened. In his mind he put out the doctors, it was better for him that way. When he looked up every now and then he would see blood, his blood, and utensils.
He heard the voices telling him he was doing fine. Heero told him as well, even though he didn't know. Duo hands tightened around Heero's, his violet eyes stared straight up into Heero's cobalt pools. He felt tired, oh so drowsy and tired. Duo was brought out of his trance when he heard a piercing cry fill the air. It shot through his body as his eyes searched effortlessly for the source of the noise. Though he knew not why, his eyes welled with tears as he looked up to see Heero. Heero looked down upon the meek boy, eyes wide in disbelief, his own eyes wet, for the first time in, he didn't remember how long.
They both heard the doctor exclaim they had a girl, but it didn't register for a moment. One doctor lifted the bloody babe so that Duo could run his eyes over her. Then Duo let out a cry or glee. He had a daughter. His daughter was ok, and most importantly she was healthy. There were no words between Duo and Heero, there were no need for words, their eyes spoke for themselves. Heero let go of his lover's hands, and walked up to where he heard the cries. He was handed his bloody daughter, which he nervously accepted into his arms. He took her back to Duo so that he may bask in the beauty of the creature in which they had created.
Suddenly Duo froze up, his head dipping back in an unnatural way. His eyes were becoming slits. Sometime between sitting down and now a nurse had taken the baby away from Heero. He heard the doctors screaming at each other, all but one leaving the baby, and rushing to Duo's butchered form. Heero heard phrases, but not complete ones.
"We're going to lose him!" One doctor's voice traveled in Heero's ear.
Heero looked down at Duo still form. His eyes were slits, yet they were still looking up at Heero. His voice came in a whisper "Heero...." He heard more of the doctors crying out. Was his lover dying? He wanted to hold the boy, to revive him, but he felt himself being pulled from the room, ripped away from the one thing he cared about.
Duo's eyes seemed to close as Heero was being pulled out. Heero fought effortlessly, and reached out for Duo. He screamed out in desperation, love, and fear. His voice came ripping through his throat, ripping his heart in two. "DUO! I LOVE YOU! DUO!"
His eyes were filling with tears as he was quickly told he couldn't be in the room. He didn't understand, but he listened, they told him it was for the best. Heero sat against the wall adjacent to the room. His eyes were full of tears, they streamed down his face, he was making loud choking sobbing sounds. Hie arms were wrapped tightly around his legs, preventing anyone from seeing his tortured face. In his head he asked why. He asked why this happened to one so undeserving of it. He may have deserved such a torture, but not Duo.
His sweet angel, who now lay dying, without him there to hold him. Heero sat up and looked down at the blood seeping into his shirt and dripping down his palms. It was both his daughters and his lovers, merging together. It was a sickening red, it was like a dagger being plunged into the depths of Heero's stomach. He let his tears merge with his blood and trickle down his wrists. He sat back silently, his ears searching the air for anything that would give him a clue on his lover's condition. He suddenly felt guilty.
He remembered how he had brought up the idea of having a child with Duo, he never stopped the boy, and the child was his as well. But most of all he never said I love you. He could have all these years. Yet he never did. He did in fact love the boy, he loved him so much that is burned a hole inside him. They had not only fought a war to be together, but their own battles too. Heero was too stubborn to succumb to the love that Duo offered. He wouldn't allow it, and he hurt the braided beauty in this way. He knew he had hurt him, yet he continued to push the boy away, regardless of how much he wanted to hold him. But they were finally together, and they were happy. Yet Heero never told the boy of his feelings.
He should have done so, and maybe tonight wouldn't have been so horrible. They wouldn't have fought, Duo wouldn't have run from him, he wouldn't have slapped him. Heero threw away his thoughts in mental pain. He let the tears fall fast from his eyes. He let them fall down his cheeks, down his neck. He felt his heart race, unable to calm himself. In his head he had visions of his lover, all the good times they had before the baby. The first time the two had kissed, the first time they touched. He thought about the first time that they made love, and how beautiful the boy had been. How much he wanted to tell him of his love at that moment. He thought about the past 9 months. He thought about Duo's happy face when they found out the good news, he thought about how he and Duo would cuddle up, he thought about all the extra attention he tried to give the American.
He thought about sleeping with the boy curled into his arms and nibbling on his neck. But most of all he thought about his everlasting smile. He thought about the time he and Duo painted the babies Nursery, well rather he painted the nursery and Duo painted him. He remembered the way Duo shinnied and the cutest pair of overalls Duo wore (which were not black to his surprise).
He remembered giving into the paint fight and covering his lover in the violet paint. He remembered going out at all hours of the morning because Duo was hungry, thank god for all night places. His head was filled with memories, and he let his head fall into his lap, crying out softly.
His head in turn filled with all the times he regretted. He regretted telling Duo to go to his doctor's appointments alone. He regretted not being as much a part of the pregnancy as Duo wanted, but it was enough. But most of all he obviously regretted not telling the boy he loved him. He looked up suddenly, unsure of how much time had passed while he was wallowing in his pain.
He heard someone burst out the door next to him, hands and body covered with blood. He was followed by a few others. Heero couldn't find his voice, it was lost in his throat. He stood up slowly and shook himself off, drying his face with his sleeve. He jumped when he saw Dr. Podgainy step out of the room.
"What happened...is he...did he..." The doctor smiled softly on him, yet exhaustedly.
"He survived. He's a lucky one, we didn't think we could stop the bleeding. He is going to be awfully sore for a while. But he is alive, and thankfully out of critical condition. He did extremely well, I would be proud of him. Your daughter was sent to the nursery, you may come see her anytime you like." She smiled at the boy, whose eyes were wide with joy. She gave him a small push. "Go see him...he is still out though, so he will be drowsy for a good while."
Heero disappeared into the room, and then popped back out. "ARIGATO!" Then he tiptoed back into the room, towards his love. He saw him lying there, clean sheets wrapped around his body up to his shoulders. His arms were placed on top of the sheets at his sides. His eyes were closed, yet his face still seemed to look tired. Heero sat down quietly at his side, stroking his hair, fixing it almost.
He kissed his forehead over and over, just to prove to himself that the boy was really alive. He kissed his still lips, a tear falling onto the Americans face. Heero was surprised when he softly felt the other boys lips twitch, and respond to the kiss, softly kissing back.
When he pulled away he found Duo's weary eyes locking on his. They didn't say anything for a period of time, until Duo opened his mouth to whisper. "I love you too, koibito."
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