Cat's Delight
by Mai Sieu Phong
Part 3
Life at home was dull. There wasn’t anything to do. No missions, no jobs, no nothing. Hee-Kitty gave a great, big yawn as it continued to stare out the window, watching the annoying birds as they twittered and flew about. What good where its reflexes, speed, and supreme senses if it only lounged around the small apartment days on end?
It was really boring and lonely at home with no one to talk to listen to. Heero spent his days napping, walking from room to room, watching TV, and waiting until his partner returned home.
Speaking of which, Heero snorted when he recalled the time Duo came home one day with a new present for his kitten. “Look! Look at the nice juicy mouse! Goo~~~ Get it!” The braided man flung the newly bought, rubber, rat across the room and urged his kitten to chase after it. Hee-Kitty had looked at the little rubber toy before slowly turning back to his master with disdain. There was no joy in chasing an inanimate object, especially when he knew it was not real. Those kinds of toys did not appeal to him.
A few days ago, he had seen a few stray cats walk across the street outside and pawed at the door, trying to get Duo to let him out, but the American was too overprotective. Cars, thugs, dogs. Duo didn’t want his precious kitten to get hurt or lost. Hee-Kitty pouted and went back to his seat by the window.
Heero rested his head on his front paws as he lay atop the back of the sofa and gazed outside. His tail swished anxiously, back and forth in a lazy tempo, as he watched and waited for anything exciting to happen.
The only thing Heero looked forward to was evenings and weekends. Duo was home to keep him company during the evenings. On weekends, Duo would finally let him out and they would go get some fresh air during walks. On weekends, Duo consistently took him to visit the hospital and see his human body.
He listened as Duo read his science fiction book. He was a very interesting narrator. Heero thought that Duo could have been a school teacher if he wanted to. Everything Duo did was with enthusiasm. He found himself looking forward to the weekends just so he would find out what happened in the next chapter. He listened attentively to Duo’s voice and anticipated the next weekend before the current one was even over.
Hee-Kitty was so bored after the first week of doing nothing that he would have gone mad without Duo’s company. He craved the company so much that he bounded towards the door as soon as he heard Duo jingle his keys, trying to unlock the front door.
Duo came home with a wide smile when he found his cat eagerly waiting for him and Heero certainly enjoyed the attention Duo poured onto him afterward. He never thought he could have been an affectionate character --such an attention hog.
The grey kitten gave another bored yawn and rolled over, falling off back of the couch and onto the seat cushions. Was this how the other pets felt? Bored beyond wits? He’d already napped and it would be another hour before Duo came home. Hee-Kitty sat up, stretching his front legs then hind. He tilted his head down and bent a hind foot up to scratch an irritating spot behind an ear. He frowned and looked at his tiny paw afterward. His nails were feeling pretty dull and ineffective.
Lately his claws had been feeling oppressed. His feline instincts longed to dig its claws into something. It was a yearning Heero had tried to ignore but grew greater each day. It nagged at him with every step he took.
Heero hopped off the couch and looked around. It was as if a magnet was attracting his claws toward the couch legs. He put a paw against the sturdy furniture and his claws reacted, springing out and digging in. His small, furry, body practically shuddered. The feeling was _very_ gratifying.
Hee-Kitty placed both paws on against the couch and they automatically dragged down the fabric. The friction and resistance brought pleasant tingles against his hands. It was like a foot massage, polishing and buffering his nails. He did it against and it sent vibes of goodness throughout the cat’s body. What was this feeling? Whatever it was, it was nice.
Duo came home, opened the front door and when he found his cat, he screamed.
“HEE-KITTY!!!!!!!!!!” Heero started at the loud voice. He hadn’t even noticed Duo’s presence. “What have you done to my couch?!” Duo cried. The sofa was battered now with rips everywhere and stuffing sticking out at every angle.
Busted.
Heero’s tail bent down, curling between his legs and his ears also drooped down, reflecting his guilt and dread. He saw the braided man reach for an old newspaper and roll it into a tube. The kitten gave a loud yowl and dashed quickly into the bedroom before Duo could swat him.
Duo bounded after the trouble maker with a war cry.
“Get out of there you horrible cat!” Duo knelt down to look under his bed. Heero had safely hid on the side farthest from Duo and out of the man’s reach. He hissed back when Duo shouted threats and made attempts to grab his kitten.
“You’re cat food when I get my hands on you!” Heero knew that Duo would not actually kill him or even break his bones, but he didn’t want to take the dare. Even a spanking with a newspaper was despicable. He meowed as he dodged clear of Duo’s grappling hands.
“Argh!” Duo stood back up absolutely frustrated. “Fine! Stay under there!” The kitten would have to come out eventually.
Hee-Kitty remained under his safe-haven as he watched Duo’s feet stomp out of the room. He decided it would be safer to hide under the bed just a little longer until the braided man cooled off a bit.
Heero waited until Duo was done cooking and eating before venturing out. The American was generally more amiable when his stomach was full. He crept out cautiously, nose and whiskers twitching as he tried to sense any threat.
Duo was resting on the battered couch watching the news. The kitten winced at the condition of the sofa. It looked like it had survived a natural disaster. He hadn’t really meant to get so carried away. Honestly! Heero made slow movements as though anything faster would make his partner go berserk again.
“Come to apologize, huh?” Duo asked sourly, watching the timid kitten approach him.
“Meow.” The small cat nudged his leg and looked up at him with innocent azure eyes.
“You’re such a bad cat. I don’t even know why I put up with you.” The cat looked stricken and stood up on its hind legs, resting his front on Duo’s knees. Heero did his best to look mournful and mewed again. “Oh stop it.” Duo pleaded, already softening. Regardless of how troublesome his kitten was, there was no way he would turn his poor thing into a stray, homeless cat. He bent down and kissed his kitten on top of its head. “You know I can never stay mad at you when you give me that face. You’re so manipulative.”
Hee-Kitty purred when Duo rubbed his knuckle against a tender spot on its neck.
“Go eat your dinner. I left some chicken in your bowl in the kitchen.” Heero wanted to smile. He knew Duo would not hold anything against him. Even if he had been furious, Duo still cared enough to make him dinner. That was what Heero liked about the American. Duo seemed to have such a big heart. He found that very admirable in the man. Duo had accomplished many things even when his emotions were so upfront. Heero could never do that. He had to be passive about everything to do his missions.
Duo smiled as his kitten padded off into the designated kitchen area.
The next day, Duo bought Hee-Kitty a scratching post.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Life was so easy when Heero was a cat. It seemed so carefree. But things took a big turn, for worse.
Duo rushed into the hospital hurrying to his partner’s room as the evening started. He’d had to work weekends lately and it left him with very little time. To his dismay, the blonde politician was already in the room sitting in a chair beside the bed. Duo frowned in disappointment as he came into the room quietly.
“Ah, Duo-San!” Relena looked up and greeted him with a sunny smile. All this cheeriness was really beginning to get on his nerves.
“R-relena…” He was hoping this was a nightmare. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve decided to take a break from my campaign to be with Heero. I cannot stand the idea of him in this lonely, cold hospital without anyone to comfort him.” As if Duo was not enough. She looked at Duo nervously when he frowned. “Do you think it’s a bad idea?”
Duo gave a nonchalant shrug as he pulled his black-stripped kitten out of the bag. “We both want what’s good for Heero, don’t we?”
“Yes, of course.” She agreed, coming over to stroke the small kitten. She was mussing his shiny fur. With an annoyed look, Hee-Kitty turned its head, dodging her hand. Relena did not seem to notice the offending gesture.
“I’ve decided to take your advice, Duo.” She announced, smiling down at the kitten.
Duo blinked quickly and gave her a blank look. “What advice?”
She giggled softly. “When we were at the coffee shop. You told me that I should tell Heero my true feelings.” She reminded. “I want to tell him. When he wakes up, I want to tell him that I love him…and I want to ask him to stay with me… forever.” She turned beet red at the confession. Heero felt a bit heated with embarrassment too. It was so strange to have people talk about him as if though he weren’t even there.
“Oh, that one.” Duo’s laugh was very strained. “You’re very lucky, Relena.” He winked at her. “Knowing Heero, he’ll probably agree and you two will live happily every after. I knew you two were always meant to be.”
Never! Heero looked up at Duo with narrowed eyes. He didn’t like Relena! Why did Duo say such things?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hee-Kitty looked at his partner with worry. Duo seemed very disturbed for some reason. His hands were clenched tightly at his side as he entered the apartment.
“Bah. It’s so not fair.” He complained to his cat as he emptied his backpack of the furry creature. “I know. I know that I don’t have control over him or anything.” Duo tried to be logical. “But… I really don’t need to see Relena marching all over the damn place as though she’s already declared some kind of victory over him.” Of course, Duo was exaggerating a bit. He looked at his cat and frowned. “It’s just so despicable how she goes and says all that crap about love right in front of me. I mean, hell, I love him too, y’know!”
//Nani?// Heero started at the declaration. Love!?
“And she doesn’t even notice. She’s practically shoving the fact that she’s got Heero, in my face. It’s so stupid.” Duo huffed at the whole situation. He’d always been resentful of the woman. She had everything, power, money, and even Heero’s attention. All Duo wanted was to be by Heero’s side when he was sick, to comfort and console the man. It was his only chance to be close without getting pushed away. And now… Relena was going to deprive him of this. It was so stupid.
“No…..get a grip with yourself, Maxwell. You set yourself up for this.” Duo shook his head, berating himself for being jealous and angry at the innocent woman. He plopped down onto the couch exhaustedly and Hee-Kitty followed him, jumping on to sit beside him. The braided man knew that Heero didn’t love him. He didn’t need the fact shoved in his face again.
“Everyone knows that Heero loves Relena.”
//Naaaaannni???// apparently, everyone knew except Heero himself. The kitten drew back in surprise and Duo grabbed hold of the kitten before it could fall off the edge of the sofa.
“He won’t care that I practically devoted my life to him. I may have come to see him everyday religiously, but he doesn’t know. He’s in a coma.” Duo buried the cat into his chest.
And that was the end of his depressing monologue. The braided man decided to shut up. He was losing it, talking to his cat as though it could help. Duo sat there contemplating, running his fingers through the cat’s short fur. Heero had his own things to mull over. With the Duo’s startling revelation, Heero was unsure of how things stood between the two.
Laying on Duo’s chest as the man slouched, Heero reconsidered the way he had treated his friend. Pretty damn shitty. In all the time they’d been together, Heero was probably 90% negligent of the braided man’s feelings for him. Heero was not averse to the idea of homosexual relationships, but he didn’t know where to start. He wasn’t even sure of his own feelings.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It wasn’t until late at night that the wing pilot realized how hurt Duo truly was. He was on a thin layer of sleep when a muffled sound woke him up. He heard Duo sniffle and thought the baka had been in the cold weather long enough to catch a cold, but Duo’s breathing was irregular. Heero lifted his head and raised his ears as he listened to the sounds coming atop the bed.
Duo covered his eyes with a hand, but that didn’t stop the tears from coming. He didn’t know why he was breaking down now of all times. Maybe the accumulating stress was finally taking its toll. He had been thinking of the whole ridiculous situation when the tears suddenly trickled down.
Heero didn’t love him. Duo had hope, but in reality, he was just playing the fool, pretending that he was the most important person to Heero. But, now that Relena was in the picture…. What did the wing pilot need him for? Heero was perfect, strong, smart, quick, good-looking . Why would he want a baka like Duo? It hurt to think of Heero with another person. Worse yet, if Heero never woke up to fall in love.
The perfect soldier had been immobile far over a month. What if he never woke? Heero would be one of the many on his list that he’d loved and lost. Duo’s fingers were wet with his tears as he moved them to clamp over his mouth. He tried to muffle a sob but it was still so loud in the quiet room. Duo took a breath and it staggered through his lungs; hurting his chest. He felt the bed shift and he turned to see Hee-kitty, looking at him in concern.
Duo was crying? Heero came closer to his friend and saw the wet trails, reflecting off the city light glows. Why was he crying? Duo wiped his nose hastily, embarrassed for crying but his eyes kept leaking.
The kitten came over and lapped at his cheek, tasting saltiness before nudging the spot. It was the only way Heero knew how to comfort the man. The actions seemed instinctive in this body. He felt Duo respond, giving a sigh and laying a large hand over his tiny frame. The kitten laid by his side as he cried quietly. He buried his face into the mass of fur and Hee-kitty didn’t mind that his fur was getting soaked as long as it helped Duo.
Eventually, the crying stopped. Duo’s face felt sticky as the tears dried and his eyes were slightly stinging. It’d been a long time since he’d had such a breakdown. Hee-kitty had remained by his side silently the entire time, as if it really cared that he hurt. Duo hugged his pet gratefully before relaxing and falling asleep.
Heero turned his head and saw Duo’s face clearly in the dark room and was glad to see that the man was finally okay. It had alarmed Heero to new heights when he saw his friend cry. Duo always smiled; especially in the toughest times when no one else could. He _always_ smiled. When the situation got tougher, his smile would usually grow even bigger.
That night, Heero realized that his friend was just as human as anyone else. He saw Duo’s hurt and anguish face and felt helpless. He never wanted to see his friend like that again. Pain and sadness was inevitable in life, but that didn’t mean Heero had to like seeing a sad Duo. He rubbed his cheek against the sleeping boy.
It hurt to know that he was the cause of Duo’s problems. He didn’t deserve any of the man’s affections.
Hee-Kitty frowned. He didn’t deserve it, but he wasn’t going to let it go now that he had it. It was like finding a one-hundred dollar bill on the floor. He hadn’t really earned it, but he was sure as hell keeping it.
He wanted to continue being special to Duo. He’d never been in such a position before. Every time Duo smiled for him, hugged him, even kissed his head, Heero felt warmed over. His insides felt hot as though he would have melted soon. Only Duo had been able to ever make him feel that way.
He didn’t understand where everyone got the notion that Relena and he were some kind of item. Sure, he had protected her in the war. He’d spoken to her a few times. Relena had technically saved him a few times, but without Duo or any of the other pilots for that matter, he probably would not have survived.
Heero felt that without Duo, he might not have survived a life without war. Sure, he would have lived… but living as though he were in a coma like now. He would breath, eat, and walk, but unable to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He wouldn’t have been able to appreciate the joys of life. Duo taught him how.
Why was Duo acting like it was already the end? He made it sound as though he did not believe Heero could ever love him back. Hee-Kitty rested its head against Duo. He was still surprised at the rupture of emotion that came from his friend. Was Duo really this distressed over Heero? Heero could have never guessed the depth of Duo’s feelings for him.
It was quickly revealing in the last few hours. It was a big shame that everything had to come at such an inopportune time. Why couldn’t he have found out earlier when he had been human? Heero wouldn’t have treated Duo in such a rotten manner. Wouldn’t have turned down the movie. Wouldn’t have ignored him, or treated him like last priority.
Hee-Kitty ran his cheek against Duo’s soft skin. The American didn’t wear shirts to bed. While he was still a bit shocked and confused by Duo’s big secret, it explained a lot about the man; It explained why he was always hanging around the wing pilot, why he was always smiling and touching him, always inviting him to places, trying to have fun.
It left a good feeling inside the soldier. It was something warm, that made him almost want to burst… in a good way. It was even better than the feeling of an accomplished mission. Heero was no expert in this “love” department, but he knew that all these feelings had something to do with Duo. He didn’t know whether he was in love with the baka or not, but he knew that he cared very much for Duo. It was a close to love as he could possibly get right now.
Right before Heero dozed off, he decided that as soon returned to his human form, he would give it a try with Duo.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
With Relena at the hospital now, Duo came to visit less and less. He came twice or sometimes three times a week to check up on his friend, but never stayed very long under the woman’s careful eye. He had no privacy there and he wasn’t needed there anymore.
While Duo seemed to deflate a bit at his lost privileges, he was more at ease now that he had more time for other things. The American slowly turned back to his usual vivacious self.
Duo was in an uber-happy mood a few mornings later. Hee-Kitty had to wake up with all the racket the man was making. The baka had turned on the stereo incredibly loud, his hair dryer roaring, and he was singing at the top of his lungs. Leaping off his bed, Heero crept to the bathroom, peered through the open door and sniggered.
Duo had a large towel wrapped securely around his waist as he rushed to dry his hair quickly. He was bobbing his head and sashaying his hips to the beat of the deafening music, singing along to some oldies song. He grinned when he saw his kitten peering at him inquisitively. “I’m too sexy for my cat, to sexy for my cat, what’chu think about that~~” He gave the kitten a mock-haughty look and jutted his hip to the side in a pose. Heero smirked.
At the moment, he was thinking that Duo would be totally mortified if he knew he was strutting his stuff around the small room, half-dressed, singing and listing a bunch of things he was too sexy for, in front of his partner. Well, he certainly was very sexy. Hee-Kitty licked its lips as though it was eyeing a big, juicy rat. Yum.
Heero blinked. Where had _that_ come from?! Was he seriously enjoying the view of a half-naked Duo? He tilted his head and looked at the braided man again, as if the angle would change his perspective. Yes. He was definitely enjoying the show. Heero cursed mentally and blamed his irrational thoughts on his feline body.
//It must be mating season.//
Duo hurried off to work soon later, giving his pet a big smooch and hug. Hee-Kitty stared at the door after Duo left and locked it. He wondered why Duo was acting so cheery all of a sudden.
That evening, Hee-Kitty hurried to the door as soon as soon as he heard Duo’s loud voice in the hallways.
“It’s totally cool with-- Hi Hee-Kitty!” As soon as Duo opened the door, he knelt down with open arms to catch his cat. Heero rushed toward his friend in a big “welcome home” commotion, but stopped in his tracks when he saw someone behind Duo.
The short woman smiled down at the cat when the animal stared up at her with wide, blue, surprised eyes.
“Hee-Kitty,” Duo scooped up his frozen cat. “Say ‘hi’ to Hilde.” He held the kitten’s paw and moved it to make it seem as though the cat were waving. Hilde laughed. “She just joined Preventers here so I’m letting her stay here until she can find a place of her own. Be a nice host, ok?”
Heero felt uneasy with the new person in their home. He viewed her as an intruder… a competitor. She reached out to pet the cat, but it moved, avoiding her touched. Duo laughed sheepishly when she frowned and looked up at him questioningly. “I think he’s just nervous around strangers. Come on. I’ll show you where you can unpack your stuff.” He let the car down and motioned the girl to follow him. Heero glowered after the two, sensing a big change in the future.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He didn’t like the way the two spoke to each other. Wasn’t it Duo himself who had said that Heero was his best friend? It certainly did not seem like it from the way those two people talking a mile a minute and laughing at every little thing.
The cat didn’t like it. Not one bit. Hee-Kitty sat near the edge of the room, glaring at the two happy figures as they made dinner, dancing around each other in the tiny kitchen to reach for certain cooking items, giggling like children when they accidentally bumped into each other.
That evening, Hee-Kitty had to sit on the floor beside Duo’s chair while Hilde sat in an adjacent seat for dinner. The two friends laughed as they caught up with each other. If Duo had looked down at his kitty, he would have seen a huge ball of fur as all of Hee-Kitty’s hair had puffed out in irritation.
“You shouldn’t spoil your cat like that.” Hilde spoke up when she saw Duo serve the cat a portion of their dinner.
“He won’t eat anything else though. Besides, he likes it. You like daddy’s food, don’t you? You widdle, cutie pie!” He made faces at the cat and the woman looked at him hopelessly.
Hilde slept on the sofa even though Heero’s room was unoccupied. The Wing pilot was relieved that Duo hadn’t given it to her. The door to his room had remained closed ever since Duo received news of his partner’s condition. He’d left everything in the same place, so that when Heero came home, everything would be the same, as if no time had passed.
Days did pass though, and Hee-Kitty was acting more and more irritable. Duo didn’t understand why his kitten was acting so sour lately. Even when time passed, the cat still had not grown accustomed to Hilde and remained quite vicious to her while acting sweet and cuddly toward him. Weird.
Hee-Kitty didn’t like Hilde one bit. Sure he’d known her during the war. Barely. She had been one of Duo’s acquaintances but he never spoke with his partner much about her. She made herself at home, leaving her “feminine products” lying around in the bathroom, toying with Duo’s braid when she was bored, even throwing her legs across his lap when they watched TV!
It had come to a point that even Heero had to admit… he was jealous. Hilde made Duo laugh and smile. They always talked so much. Duo looked like he was enjoying himself too much with her.
She even encouraged him to go out more instead of staying inside being a worrywart over Heero’s condition. The woman dragged him to dance club once and they didn’t come home ‘til midnight.
Duo still hugged and kissed his cute pet, but Hee-Kitty was jealous and upset, not wanting to share Duo.
The two went out one night and Hee-kitty stayed up, pacing by the window sill, waiting past two in the morning for them to return home. His ears perked when he heard the doorknob jangle and giggling behind it.
“I can’t believe you did that, Hil! You’re crazy!” They laughed some more.
“What are you talking about? You told me to do it!”
“Yea, but you’re crazy for listening to me!” The laughter settled down as soon as Duo flung the front door open.
“Hm…”Hilde hummed and looked at Duo thoughtfully. “This is when you’re supposed to repay me for that dare, Duo.” She smiled widely. Hee-Kitty cocked his head, wondering what Hilde was talking about.
Duo seemed a bit flushed at her words, fully understanding what the short woman was talking about. “Hil, didn’t think you were serious about tha-” Hilde stood on her tip-toes and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his. It was just a simple touching of the lips, but Heero felt as though his heart had frozen over as he watched the scene from his place on the windowsill. It ached, an unfamiliar feeling in his chest, to watch yet he couldn’t pull his eyes away.
Slowly, Duo brought his hands up, grasping his friend by the elbows and gently pulled her arms from around him, moving himself away from her.
“….Hilde….” He was at a loss for words.
“Don’t tell me you don’t feel the same way. Look at how we’re together. We’re perfect!” She claimed, trying to remind him of the past few days.
“We’re great together, but you’re like a little sister to me. We’re like childhood siblings.” He couldn’t picture a future with her, couldn’t picture coming home to her everyday and being thrilled about it forever.
“Like a sister?” She frowned; her arms were tight by her side.
“Yes.” Duo nodded uneasily. “I can’t love you Hil. You know that I love-”
“Heero.” She cut in again, saying the name in contempt. She sighed and shook her head. “I just don’t understand you, Duo. What did he ever do to deserve a guy like you? I could, no, I _want_ to give you so much more than Heero would ever be willing to give.”
Duo seemed hurt by her words and curled slightly, slouching into himself. “I don’t know, I just love him. Something about him is so magnetic. The way he looks at me. When he smiles sometimes at me. You can’t explain love, you just fall for it!”
Hilde was not satisfied with his answer. Her face scrunched up and she fled the place, stomping into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. The shower turned on, but the thrumming water did not disguise the sound of her crying through the thin walls.
Heero had never felt so relieved in his entire life. Not even when the war finally ended, did he ever feel this graced with mercy. He still had a chance to earn Duo. When he was human, Heero was determined to earn Duo’s feeling. He would not take them for granted, ever again. He began to think that this was love. Maybe he was in love. Maybe. He didn’t have anything to compare this against, but only Duo would make him feel so elated, overjoyed, heartbroken, and sad.
When Heero became human, he would give Duo a real reason to love him, rather than that lame explanation the braided boy had given.
Duo turned to see his cat peering at him pensively.
“Why do I always screw everything up?” He asked the kitten as he picked it up, petting its head and making his way to his own bedroom.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo lay on the bed, the cat lay on his chest, as he tried to view the whole affair from all angles. The shower had turned off half an hour ago and Hilde had gone very quiet. Heero was anxious, wondering what the woman was up to.
Another half an hour passed before they heard a timid knock at the door. Hilde poked her head in and looked around nervously before settling her gaze on Duo.
“Um, hey. Can I come in?” Duo sat up slowly and nodded. Hilde sat on the other side of Duo, a little too close for Heero’s liking. “I’m really sorry for the way I acted earlier. I should have known you weren’t ready.” She apologized. “I just thought, since we were getting along so well, that maybe your feelings had changed. I told you I loved you a long time ago before you left the scrap yard to join Preventers. I still do.”
She held a hand up to silence the American as soon as he opened his mouth to reply. “I know you love Heero and I’ll accept it... But that doesn’t mean I can’t try.” She looked at Duo squarely in the eyes. “You’re wasting your time on Heero. He’s already got Relena.” She looked guilty for having to crumble Duo’s hopes, but someone had to do it. “Deep down inside, you know it’s true.”
Lies! Hee-Kitty glared at the woman.
She reinforced her statement, “You know that, don’t you?” Heero felt hurt when Duo nodded, agreeing with Hilde. Did Duo really have so little confidence in himself and Heero? “So… why don’t you give yourself a chance to move on? Let me help you!”
“Hilde, I’ve tried. Nothing helped.” Duo protested. Hilde shook her head strongly.
“No, you have me now. I’ll help you move on. Okay?” Duo seemed hesitant at the proposal. “I promise.” She swore. “I promise you won’t regret it.” She reached up to cup Duo’s strong face. Heero watched in dismay and Duo bit his lip, thinking very carefully. Slowly, he nodded, accepting her offer.
No! Heero seethed quietly. Witch! The woman was evil! Why did she have to come here and ruin everything! Heero needed _his_ chance! A small voice in his head told him that he’d already _blown_ his chance with Duo, but that wasn’t the point. Hmph, the next thing she’d probably do was replace his position as Duo’s partner in Preventers.
This woman was seducing Duo and Heero couldn’t even stop it. He raised a wicked eyebrow. Or could he?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Duo! Your blasted cat!” Hilde shouted. She came out holding a pile of rags. “Look what your cat did to my favorite sweater!” Duo frowned at the material in her hands. That was a sweater? “It was my favorite, _expensive_, cashmere sweater. Licking his paw and congratulating himself on a job well done, Hee-Kitty smirked from his corner of the room.
“Aw, come’on, Hilde. It’s just a sweater. You can always buy a new one.” That did not appease her anger. Hee-Kitty decided it was time to approach the two and he came up, purring and rubbing against Duo’s leg. “Hee-Kitty.” Duo held the cat up so they were face to face. “Why did you do that to Hilde’s sweater? I thought you used your scratching post.”
“Mew” Hee-Kitty licked Duo’s nose and gave an innocent look.
Duo turned to his female friend. “He doesn’t know any better.” The young girl glared at the evil cat. “Look, if it helps, I’ll repay the cost of your sweater.” Quickly, Hilde shook her head and tried to smile.
“No. You’re right. It’s only a sweater. I’m just being silly.” She tried to laugh it off and the two, Duo and his kitten, watched as she retreated with a stiff back.
The next day, Hee-Kitty had torn out all of Hilde’s girly stuff from the bathroom; spilling her bottles and pulling everything out of its package. The day after that, the wind suddenly picked up and a window flew open where Hilde’s papers where nearby, causing them all to fly out from the three-story build and scatter on the streets down below. She spent an entire afternoon trying to re-gather and re-arrange them all back to proper order.
Heero felt a bit guilty for playing dirty, but he had very few resources and he was a very desperate kitty.
It came to the point where Hilde had to get a squirt bottle and spray the cat if it so much as looked at her belongings. The water nearly sent Hee-Kitty into fits as it tried to escape being touched.
Meanwhile, Duo scratched his head, unable to make out anything. He couldn’t understand, for the love of god, why Hee-kitty had become so out of control. For a short moment, he thought that maybe he had gotten into something way over his head when he took in the orphaned cat. He had considered sending the cat away, but Hee-kitty gave him such a look that he couldn’t bear to live with himself if he abandoned the poor thing.
Besides, all the bad things were happening to Hilde. Not himself. Knock on wood. Hee-Kitty was still very amiable towards him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo came home from a short walk to the park with Hee-Kitty in tow, when they were greeted with the sight of Hilde standing near the kitchen counter, her suitcases by her side. She gave him apologetic smile.
“I finally found a nice affordable studio downtown.” She explained. She kissed him quickly on the cheek before the taxi arrived and waved farewell.
Hee-Kitty swished his tail arrogantly in victory.
He was wrong though. It was far from triumph. While he didn’t have to see Hilde everyday, that didn’t mean that Duo couldn’t. The American could see the woman in the Preventers office and sometimes even dropped by her place to have dinner. It seemed as though Duo was really trying his best to move on.
Hee-Kitty lay on the couch, looking back and forth between the clock and the door. It was already 10 at night. On a weekday, it was a very late time for Duo to come home, even when he worked overtime. He didn’t return until 11 and as soon as he entered the door, the phone rang.
“Hilde!” The kitten frowned with possessiveness. Why was she bothering Duo this time?! “Yea, I had a great time at dinner too. Thanks…Uh-huh. Next week? Totally!” Duo continued to gabber on the phone as the cat slumped dejectedly, climbing off the couch and into his bed, not even bothering to greet his partner.
So that’s where Duo had been all night. Out with Hilde. The kitten curled in on itself. Heero really felt depressed. His plans were not a success. And now, Hilde was not even here for him to harass and vent out his frustrations.
If only he were human. He would be able to talk to Duo too. He couldn’t speak in this stupid cat form. When he was human, he rarely spoke, but now, he had so many things to tell Duo. He hated being a cat. He loathed it now. Huddling a bit, his body shivered involuntarily, feeling very alone and upset all of a sudden. If he were human, he would be able to… hold Duo too.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo was awoken but shrill ringing. He nearly fell off his bed in surprise. It took him a moment to realize that it was the phone and he rushed over quickly to answer before the caller could hang up.
“Hello?” His violet eyes widened at the news. “Holy shit! Ok, hang on. I’ll be there right away!” He shouted into the receiver before slamming the handle down.
He rushed into his room and dressed quickly. Hee-Kitty remained asleep, ignoring him, so he decided to leave it alone. He had more important things to attend to so he left his pet alone.
The cat woke up abruptly when Duo slammed his front door shut with a loud bang. It blinked its brown eyes dazedly before yawning and falling back to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero felt immensely tired as soon as he opened his eyes. The clarity in his vision had blurred a bit, hearing muffled, and smelling dulled. What happened? Was he losing his sensed? He stared at the bland white ceiling for a moment before a face loomed over him.
“Heero!!” It was Relena, eyes wide with overjoyed relief. “Thank god! You’ve finally woken up!” She threw herself against his chest, going on about how afraid she had been for him.
He was awake?
Heero closed his eyes in understanding. He hadn’t lost his senses; he was just unused to the sluggish human body after being in the bouncy, keen kitten. He was human again! Now was his chance. He had to see Duo. Heero opened his eyes at the mention of the name, wondering where his partner was. There was only Relena in the room with him.
“Ano… Heero-San.” Relena asked. He looked at her. “I’ve been thinking very hard ever since you were in the car accident… you know that I have feelings for you ever since the war.”
Immediately, Heero knew where she was heading. He shook his head, frowning when his muscles ached from the small movement. He didn’t want to hear what she had to say. He knew the question, and did not want to take the offer.
“I see…” Relena looked hurt and Heero was reminded of the time he’d ripped her birthday invitation years ago. It was the same expression she wore now. “Well, I hope that you find someone to love then. It will surely be a lucky person.” She took the rejection gracefully, bowing her head slightly. As if on cue, the door opened and both Relena and Heero turned to see Duo leaning against the door frame, gasping for air.
The elevator had been taking forever and there was already a crowd of people waiting in the main lobby. Duo had taken the stairs, bounding over two steps at a time to reach Heero’s room
“Ohayo!” He greeted loudly. It was a good morning and Heero had woken up. “Maa…” He paused, trying to catch his breath. “I was beginning to think you’d turned into a bear, hibernating all of a sudden!” He was joking around easily, but Heero noticed the distance his friend kept from him.
“Du-hu.” Heero’s throat constricted, feeling parched. He swallowed and felt a slow burn in his throat, dry from disuse. Making a slight hand motion, he tried again. “Duo.” Heero spoke slower this time, beckoning his partner. Bother the vice minister and American widened their eyes. It had been Heero’s first word in months. It was a surprise (to Duo anyhow) that his name was the first thing that came from the man’s lips.
“Hai?” Duo came over to the other side of his bed, looking anxious. When his partner was close enough, Heero reached out to grasp the lengthy braid. Heero was surprised at how weak he’d grown. He could barely sit up or pull Duo down. Thankfully, Duo bent, looking at him with confusion. “Heero?”
Heero’s hands were on the verge of trembling. Muscles, unused for months, felt numb and frail. Heero used all of his little energy to sit up and firm his grasp.
Duo’s eyes widened incredulously when Heero pulled him into an embrace, his arms wrapping around his shoulders.
Heero spoke in a soft whisper. “Arigatou.”
He was sure that Duo didn’t know what he was being thankful for, but if the braided man gave him a chance, he would show him everything he was grateful for as well as pay him back, with interest, for all his compassion and generosity.
Duo didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he wasn’t about to start complaining. When he was on the verge of losing hope, Heero came back. He was about to forget and leave all his troublesome heartaches behind, but a miracle happened and a new Heero came back, embracing him right in front of Relena. Bringing his own arms to wrap around Heero’s chest, Duo gave a happy sigh and buried his face into Heero’s tousled locks of hair.
“I’m so glad.” He murmured in to the mussed, brown hair. “I’m so glad you’re alive.”
They were pulled apart shortly after when the doctor came in to check on hispatient.
The stethoscope was icy against Heero’s skin, but he didn’t notice. The Japanese man felt warmed over as he looked at Duo. His partner was smiling warmly, brightly back at him. Heero was certain that his chance was still open. Maybe he had to work a lot harder now since the chance had grown very small, but that was all he needed.
He couldn’t explain the bizarre events that had happened. Maybe being in the cat was some divine being’s work, trying to make Heero realize what was in front of him, what he was missing out on. He might have been blind to it all had he remained human. He had been given a gift, an opportunity. It opened new doors and Heero was going to take advantage of it.
Feeling a bit shy, Heero smiled back at Duo slightly. He’d learned his lesson. He was not going to mess up this time.
Authors Notes:
Yea, rather lame ending ^_^;; If you think this was a horrible ending, then you’ll be glad I changed it from the original one which was twice as worse LOL. Sorry about that.
My reason for Heero turning into a cat was just for a bit of comedy, but also a way for him to discover things about Duo that he had never taken the time to notice before. This was his second chance [:)]
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