Hogwarts Part 15
Childhood Isn't Always a Lark

"So... yer MY cat?" Duo was soaking in a tub of warm, clean water while waiting for Heero to return. Heero had told him to wash off and then wrap himself in a towel... then wait until he returned with clothing. Duo didn't know why, but Heero made him feel safe and... almost loved. He had a feeling that Heero was important to his older self.

Shi-Chan sniffed. -I'm not so much your cat as you are my person. Neither belongs to the other, and yet we belong to each other.-

Duo nodded. "Oh!" Then he frowned. "I don't get it."

Shi-Chan giggled. -We're partners. You'd better get out of there before you shrivel up!-

Duo pouted. "But it's so warm!"

"It won't stay warm forever." Heero closed the door behind him and approached the tub. "Come on." He picked up a large towel and held it open for the boy.

Duo reluctantly got out of the tub and shivered a little until Heero picked him up. "Hey... c'n I ask ya somethin'?" The shivers gave way to something else... trembling that shook his slight frame just as badly.

"You mean besides the question you just asked?" A part of Heero snickered and commented that Duo had DEFINITELY rubbed off on him. "Go ahead." He sensed that the child needed to keep the conversation going... to take his mind off the fact that he was naked and at Heero's mercy.

Duo bit his lip and took a deep breath. "You an' me... are more than brothers, aren't we?"

Heero paused in his motions of drying Duo. "Almost. We were almost more."

Duo blinked in confusion. "Why weren't we more?"

Heero put his hands on the child's shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Because I was a fool who didn't understand why you clung to me. You expected me to leave, and acted accordingly. I made the worst mistake of my life and fulfilled your expectations. I broke your heart."

Duo frowned and put the pieces together. "But... yer tryin' ta git back wif me?" When Heero nodded, Duo tilted his head. "Why?"

Heero looked into the young face and felt a peace settle in his heart. "Because I realized... that you are the most precious person in the world to me. I returned to find you gone, and it almost killed me when I couldn't find you anywhere. I... I would rather live with you and all your insecurities, than try and etch out an existence without you."

Duo blinked. "Ya know... if I were my proper age, I'da prolly think that was th' sweetest thing anyone ever said ta me. I hope I remember thatcha said it."

Heero smiled. "Regardless, I intend on repeating the words."

Duo fidgeted. "Ummm... you ain't gonna try nothin weird wif me, are ya?"

Heero shook his head, not insulted or hurt at all. Right now, Duo was an 8 year old little boy who had been on the run almost all his life from people who would take advantage of his inability to fight back. "I swear that I will make no move to touch you in any untoward way."

"Huh?" Duo frowned at the words.

Heero took a breath. "I won't touch you in a way that makes you feel icky. Okay?" He could not believe he had just used the word 'icky'.

Comprehension lit Duo's features. "Ohhhhh! So you ain't gonna try ta fuck me."

Heero gasped at the crude term. It wasn't so much as shock... he KNEW that Duo would have had that word in his vocabulary at that young age. It was more despair... that anyone would force themselves on the boy. He fought down the urge to pull Duo close and hold him until he regained his true age. "No... I won't force myself onto you. You mean so much more to me than that." He set the boy down. "Get changed and I'll take you down to dinner."

Duo's eyes lit up at the prospect of eating again and he quickly shed the towel and donned the clothes Heero had acquired. "How'd ya git the threads?"

Heero chuckled. "Simple. I asked a teacher to alter some clothes so they would fit you." He waited until Duo was dressed before gently picking the boy up.

"I CAN walk, ya know." Still, Duo rested his head against Heero's shoulder and yawned.

Heero continued to carry Duo. "I know, but you're tired, and my legs are longer. Right now, you wouldn't be able to keep up with me."

Duo nodded at the logic. "Do I get ta go ta sleep after we eat? 'M tired!"

Heero almost chuckled at the fact that Duo just repeated what had just been said. "Yes... you get to sleep in a nice, big, soft bed." He carried the child-form of the boy he had finally fallen in love with. He shook Duo awake when they reached the Dining Hall. "We're here." He set Duo on his feet and took his hand. He started to walk to where Quatre was waving when Duo froze. The boy's hand had tightened so much that it was cutting off the circulation in Heero's hand. Heero looked down at the trembling boy. "Duo? What..." Duo was pale and his breathing was coming in very quick gasps. Without a warning, the boy turned green and ran out of the hall. "DUO!!" Heero took off after him, noticing that Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, Meiling and six people from the Gryffindor table followed as well.

*****

It was too much... there were too many people. The guy called Heero could be overpowered so easily. And the way the guys at that one table had been looking at him made him feel dirty. As if they were contemplating on grabbing him and taking him to a quiet, secluded place and taking turns having their way with him. The memories and feelings were too much and he fell to his knees while he threw up. He hated being sick.

He tried to calm down and failed miserably as he threw up again. He whimpered as a pair of arms encircled him and pulled him close to a solid body. "Leggo!"

"Shhh... shhh, Duo. I've got you. You're safe."

'Heero!' Duo curled closer to his protector and sobbed.

"What happened? What frightened you?" Heero's voice was filled with concern.

"Th' guys... at th' last table... they were lookin' at me th' way guys on L-2 look at prospective fucks. I ain't never been touched, but I knew one guy who was the best in the biz. He... he went with a group like that one night and... and never came back." His breath hitched. "I... I found 'im a week later..." He spun away from Heero to throw up again.

"Easy! Calm down... I'll protect you." There was anger in his voice, but Duo could tell that none of it was directed at him as he was pulled close to Heero again. "Damn Slytherins."

"Heero... do you REALIZE what you just said?" That was Quatre's soft voice.

"I know... and it's another notch to the 'things I regret' pole." Heero's warm hand rubbed gentle circles that Duo found quite enjoyable. "At least THIS one I can remedy."

"About time! You're the first DECENT Slytherin I ever met! Forget decent... you're actually NICE!"

Duo wailed at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. "I wanna go back ta my room!"

*****

Heero gazed at Duo in concern. "Duo..."

Duo's terrified eyes looked up. "PLEASE! There're too many people in there!"

Heero smiled in what he hoped was a soothing way. "Duo... I'll protect you."

Duo's eyes were uncertain. "C'n ya pr'tect me from ALL of em?"

Heero frowned in thought. "If it will make you feel better, I will take you up to your room." He blinked as the falcon Angel had called Barr earlier landed on a rather peculiar perch.

Duo nodded miserably as Heero picked him up. "I made a mess. S'rry."

Angel spoke up. "Don't worry about it, kiddo. Hey! Take a look!"

Heero had to smile as the child looked up to see the falcon and another young woman. The redhead's hair was hanging loose around her... looking like a medieval Amazon chieftess, and Barr was perched on her head. Both looked as if they would rather be doing something else... someWHERE else... at the moment.

It took a moment, but Duo turned his face into Heero's shoulder and started laughing... as if afraid to make too much noise.

Angel laughed out loud. "Yeah... I know! You're really lucky. They RARELY decide to put efforts towards cheering people up."

Heero cradled the laughing child close with his smile still in place. It was good to hear the child's laughter. "You shouldn't go without dinner, though."

Angel smiled. "Don't sweat it! I'll get something for you guys to eat. Go on!"

Heero nodded. "Nothing too heavy for Duo. I don't want him getting sick again."

*****

Later on, Duo purposely ate his soup slowly, even though he wanted to slurp it down. He had never felt right about taking his time, not when someone could snatch food away. But he didn't think that Heero would steal his food, not when he had some of his own. Actually, Heero had more food than Duo had... fish, potatoes and some kind of green beans... whereas Duo just had his soup and a bit of bread. Heero hadn't wanted Duo to get sick, at least that had been what he had said. Duo found no reason not to believe him, since Duo had vomited quite recently and Heero probably didn't want to have to clean anything.

As soon as Duo finished with the soup, he took his bread and ran it around the inside of the bowl, wiping up every last trace of food he could find. He never had been one to waste food, not even a crumb. Never knew when he'd get another meal most of the time.

He blinked when he noticed that Heero was looking at him. In Heero's eyes he must have looked quite foolish. Duo ducked his head, chewing quietly on the last piece of bread, watching with lowered eyes as Heero finished his own meal.

When Heero finished, he set aside the dishes, then made sure Duo was comfortable in bed. He sat on the side of the bed, not making a move to violate Duo's personal space. Duo timidly smirked at him, a flurry of thoughts passing through his mind as he looked at Heero. He believed it when Heero had said that he wouldn't fuck him... Heero didn't look like the type that lied, plus Duo felt oddly trusting of him despite knowing that most men wouldn't be so trustworthy.

"Heero?" Duo asked, speaking quietly, his eyes fixated on the blankets covering him.

"What is it, Duo? Do you need something?" Heero asked, his tone one of concern.

Duo took a breath, steeling his nerves. "Y-you can fuck me... if-if ya wanna." He said quickly. Then he looked up at Heero, biting his lip before continuing. "I KNOW I'm a virgin now. But I dunno if I'm gonna be one when I'm my real age. And well, you've been so nice to me already... I would rather you do it to me than some stranger that finally catches me on th' street. I would rather you be my first."

Heero grasped his shoulders, hushing him. "No, Duo." He said, his voice a whisper. "Even if I agreed, you might not remember."

Duo sniffled. "But I'd know now. And that would make all the difference. You wouldn't want some filthy street rat that's been used and tossed aside."

Heero's hands tenderly drew Duo into a hug. Duo stiffened, but slowly relaxed in the embrace, snuggling closer as he held back his tears.

"Duo, I fell in love with you... well your older self anyway... and not some notion of purity. It's your kind heart and beautiful soul that captivated me. The physical body has no more to do with it than whether you're a virgin or not. Besides, I wouldn't 'fuck' you even if you were currently your true age."

"What?" Duo asked, feeling a bit hurt.

Heero merely smiled. "I wouldn't do something as cheap as that with you. I would much rather make love to you." He said.

TBC...

 

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