"But I dun wanna go there! I dun wanna! No! No! No! I dun wanna! Dun wanna! I DUN WANNA!!!!!"
Solo's screams filled the large terminal, making a few passerbys stop in their tracks and stare at the little boy who was kicking and screaming as his mother dragged him through the large hall. They just stood there, their luggage at their feet, and stared stunned at the sight.
"Solo, quit making a scene." Hilde whispered harshly, her face red from both embarrassment and anger. As if the trouble Solo was giving her was not enough, she also had to deal with people staring at her with criticizing eyes. She just knew that they all had something to say about her parental skills, and that angered her even more.
"Solo! Quit it!" She barked, whirling around to glare at the little boy who was pushing and kicking and trying anything in his power to keep her from dragging him throughout the spaceport.
"But I dun wanna go! I want to stay in the car! I dun wanna go! I want to go home!" The little boy whined, a pair of burning blue eyes, glistering with both tears and anger, glaring up at his mother. "I don't want to go! I don't wanna see him! I want to go home!"
With a heavy sigh, Hilde forced herself to calm down, and slowly knelt in front of her son. She took his little hand in hers, wincing as she noticed that Solo didn't release his clenched fists even when she held his hand.
"Solo, honey, don't you want to go see daddy?" She asked softly, looking compassionately into his big blue eyes.
"No." The little boy let out, turning his head away from her anguished eyes. He fixed his stubborn face on the large LCD screen that displayed the flight information, looking numbly at the flashing numbers that danced across the screen. It was better than looking into his mother's hurt expression. He didn't want to make her sad, but he didn't want to just give in and go with her. He just didn't!
"Sweetheart, daddy's been wanting to see you for so long... he was really sad when you didn't want to talk with him on the phone... don't you think he'll be sad when he'll come and you won't be there to see him?"
"I don't care." He let out in a quiet and stubborn voice, his little heart aching with guilt. But he shoved it aside. He shouldn’t be feeling guilty! His daddy deserved it! Every bit of it! And besides...
"I don't want to see him and I don't want to see Hero!"
Hilde sighed sadly, bowing her head. "His name is Heero, honey, not Hero."
Solo snorted, jerking his hand away from his mother's grasp. "I don't care. I don't want to see him!" He spat in anger, turning to glare at his mother, his lips pouting stubbornly. "Why did he have to come? Why can't daddy just come home and that's it?"
"He is coming home, Solo. His shuttle is just about to land. He's coming home. Don't you want to come and say hello?"
"If he's really coming home, why did he have to bring Hero? I don't want him to come! He doesn't have a place to live here!"
Hilde was quiet for a while, struggling to find a way to explain her son what she'd been avoiding telling him ever since Duo called, and announced his upcoming return. She knew that Solo will not be able to accept it. She knew that the boy was still angry. Still hurt from betrayal and loss. But she also knew that she'll have to tell him sooner or later... and now was her last chance.
Sighing deeply, she took both her son's hands in hers, and looked deeply into his eyes. The little boy stood quietly before her, his anguished blue eyes sad and confused. She could see tears begin to shine in those large blue eyes, and her heart bled with pain and sympathy.
"Solo, honey... Heero will have a place to live when he comes... he's going to live with your daddy." She could see the hurt and anger double in their intensity, reflecting in his eyes, which were still so young... There shouldn't be such a look in the eyes of someone so young... her son... her poor little baby boy... Her heart came out to him... she felt so badly for him... Tears weld in her eyes and she pulled him into a tight hug, embracing him and petting the back of his head at the same time.
"But you can make a choice, Solo. You can decide to go home with daddy, or with me. It's your decision, honey. I know you've waited so long for daddy to come home... and I know it's hard... but Heero is going to come home with daddy if you want it or not. Your daddy loves Heero."
For a few long moments, Solo just stood frozen in his mother's embrace, his small shoulders slumped and his heart heavy. He blinked, his gaze numb, and slowly turned to look up at the large screen that hung above them, flashing lights and numbers. "He... loves him..? More... more than me..?"
His little lips trembled as he asked that question, tears leaking down his cheeky face.
"No, Solo. No. Never." His mother cried, holding him even tighter. "You’re his son... of course he loves you more than anything in the world! But he... he loves Heero too. He wants to live with both of you."
But he... he didn't want to live with Hero... he didn't want to share his father's love... he didn't want to wake up every morning and see the person who took his daddy away for so long... He didn't want to see him at all! But... but... but he wanted to be with his daddy. He wanted to go home with daddy... he wanted them to live together, so things could be like they used to. And if Hero will be there... if he'll come too... things will never be back to the way they used to be. Didn't his daddy know that? Didn't he realize it? Why was he bringing Hero along? Why did he love him too? Why was he so important? Why so suddenly? Why out of nowhere? Why? Why. . .?
The minute Duo stepped off the shuttle, he was filled with an overwhelming sense of excitement. This powerful and tingling feeling flooded him and he began speeding up his pace down the long hallways leading to the terminal. His traveler's bag bounced violently up and down as he rushed past the crowd, towards the Arrivals Terminal, where he knew his son was waiting. He couldn't wait to see his little-man!
He was so caught up in the expectation of seeing his son, that he nearly failed to notice the fact that Heero was falling behind, having a hard time to keep up with his pace. The young Japanese man was still recovering from his fatal illness, having made only a small progress towards total recovery. He was still very weak, and he tired easily. He was also unaccustomed to so much walking, after lying in a hospital bed for the last few months.
Despite the fact that he was having a hard time to keep up with Duo, dragging off behind, Heero didn't utter a single word of compliant. He knew how much Duo was looking forward to finally see his son, and he did not wish to keep him back. That's why it took Duo a while to realize that Heero wasn't behind him anymore. He stopped, whirling around with wide and panicking eyes, searching the crowd frantically. Finally, after the crowd scattered a bit more, he spotted his lover. Clad in worn-out jeans, a shabby black t-shirt and a rather large – unbuttoned - white shirt, Heero was struggling to make his way down the wide hallway. The small bag he was carrying, containing nothing more than a small change of clothes and a few minor belongings, was slipping off his slender shoulder as he labored to catch up with his lover.
Duo's eyes widened when he realized that Heero was determined not to complain about his hardship. His eyes then narrowed in irritation and the young man stalked back towards his lover, glaring.
"Heero, if you want me to slow down just say so, for God's sake." He muttered, taking Heero's small bag from him and loading it over his shoulder before the young man could even protest. He watched as Heero took a minute to catch his breath, panting heavily before he was able to speak back.
"Didn't... want to... keep you... back..." He finally rasped, coughing lightly after he spoke. His cheeks were flushed from the exercise he was putting his body through, and a sheen of sweat was glistering over his forehead. "Think I should... sit down... for a while..." He whispered in a tired voice, taking a shaky step towards a small bench by the wall. "You go... on... ahead..." He encouraged, settling down heavily, grateful to give his body some rest. He peeled the white shirt off, remaining only in his shabby old t-shirt, and wiped the sweat off his brow. " I'll... catch up..."
Duo frowned, not at Heero but at himself. He was acting way too selfishly... though he couldn't help it. He missed his son so much... he didn't speak with him for what felt like ages, and he longed to hold his little-man in his arms. True, it was all his fault for not doing these things for so long, he's been so concentrated on saving Heero, but he was hoping that he will be able to make up for all the time lost to him and his son. And he had a bag full of presents just to prove that!
But... seeing the joyful look on his son's face would have to wait just a little while longer. For now, he had to be a little more considerate towards his lover, who was looking pretty beat. A long shuttle flight and rushing down the spaceport was more than Heero could handle right now.
Sighing, Duo put their bags down and came to sit beside Heero. The young Japanese man was leaning back heavily against the bench, his head leaning back as well and his eyes closed. Duo reached for his hand, placing his palm over Heero's warm hand and then curling their fingers together. Heero opened his eyes to look at him, a look of confusion flashing briefly in his eyes.
Duo just smiled kindly and squeezed his hand. Heero smiled as well, and squeezed back.
"He's not coming." Solo stated bitterly, stomping his little foot on the terminal's floor. All the passengers of the L7 shuttle came out minutes ago, and his daddy was not among them. "He just forgot."
"Don't be silly, Solo." His mother said as lightly as she could, though her worried eyes were looking uncertainly at the doorway leading out of the Arrival's Hall and into the terminal. It was nearly deserted, and there was no sign of her ex-husband. Where was that fool?! Why did he have to disappoint every single time?! Didn't he know what he was doing to his son?!
Duo had no idea... he was simply clueless about the trust he broke. About the little heart he left shattered... She was sure that her ex-husband had no bad intentions... no cruel intents what so ever, but the facts still remained that he was losing his own son.