Heero closed the door behind him with a thud, muffling the riotous sound of the afternoon thunderstorm. He took just a moment to lean against the door, shaking rain-slicked hair from his eyes with a peremptory toss of his head. His brow furrowed. No peace was to be had in here; the entire apartment roiled and heaved with a heavy bass beat and some musician's unintelligible screeching. His frown deepening, Heero toed off squelching sneakers and sopping socks then padded into the living room.He found Duo there (who else!), draped side-wise over Quatre's imported leather chair, his legs dangling over one arm, swinging with the beat, his braid hanging to the carpeted floor over the other. A book rested in one hand while the other held a half eaten chocolate bar. Deeply
involved in his reading, he hadn't heard Heero come in at all. With an annoyed grunt, Heero padded over to the entertainment console and pressed the off switch. The sudden silence was physical. Duo started up, eyes wide, body tense. He relaxed again as he identified his intruder.
"Oi, man! You surprised me! Don't sneak up on a guy like that!" Then, taking in his fellow pilot's drenched state, he smiled. "Boy, Heero, the phrase, 'drowned cat' was made for you!" Heero spared him a glare then headed for the bathroom. He emerged a few minutes later wrapped
in a heavy terry bathrobe, vigorously toweling his hair dry."Why was the music up so loud?" he grumbled, voice low. " I'm surprised you're not deaf." Duo had resettled in the chair, humming under his breath, munching contentedly on his chocolate bar, absorbed once again in his book.
Duo turned a page, settling deeper into the chair's soft leather. "I like it that way," Duo responded evenly, not looking up from his book.
"Where are the others?"
"They went to cruise the mall, maybe catch a movie," he replied, voice distracted. He glanced up at Heero momentarily, "Quat has his pager on if you want to catch up with 'em."
Heero went back to drying his hair, not even bothering to grunt a reply to that suggestion. He did *not* do malls. "You didn't go with them."
"Nah. Didn't feel like it; wanted a little downtime alone." Duo dropped his book in his lap and stretched, cat-like, with a little contented groan, finally giving Heero his full attention. He noted the other boy's faintly guarded posture, the down-turned edges of his mouth. "What have you spent the last two hours doing?"
Heero leaned against the bar, arms crossed in front of his chest. "I had mission reports to review and some minor repairs to do on Wing. I also took the time to monitor some of the latest OZ communiqués; I think they may be planning something but nothing's going on for the moment."
Duo listened to this recitation wide-eyed, then his expression gentled, grew sympathetic. "Ah" He said with a wry smile, "Ever the perfect soldier, eh Heero?"
Heero shifted uneasily, puzzled and discomfited by Duo's knowing look and tone of voice. "You don't have anything better to do then read..." He pushed away from the bar and went to where Duo sat, snatching the book from his lax fingers. He scanned the cover, " 'The Dragonriders of
Pern'?""It's a classic!" The American pilot leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, bequeathing Heero one of his brightest smiles. "Great story...great characters...action, romance, angst, danger...What more could a guy want?"
"It's not real." Heero countered. "You're wasting your time reading Fantasy, Duo" The young pilot tossed the book carelessly back into the other youth's lap, body language reflecting his disdain.
Duo sat upright, his head cocked to one side. "Fiction is based on reality, Heero. Human emotions and experiences shape the story, allow you to get involved. That's what makes a story fun, interesting." His voice became wistful, his gaze unfocused. "I think it would be rad to fly a dragon, travel through time...."
A snort was all the reply he received.
"Duo, have you done *anything* important today?" Heero asked, his irritation evident in his stance, the slight creases at the outer corner of his eyes. " What about Deathscythe? It took a beating in the last mission; have you made repairs? What about your debriefings? Have you sent
them in? And there's still..." Duo listened to him momentarily, saucer-eyed, then burst into laughter."Wahhahhahah...." Duo wheezed, holding his sides, "Heero..."He gasped, struggling to catch his breath, "Stop! Stop! You're killing me! I'm dying!" He made a comical, over-acted gesture of agony, ala Captain Kirk, and tumbled from his chair to the floor, playing dead. Heero glared at him a bemused moment, then, rolling his eyes, wandered into their small kitchen to search for lunch. Still smiling, Duo rolled onto his belly, propping himself up on his elbows. "Shinigami thanks you for you concern, Heero, but he is spit-polished and in tip-top-shape. My reports were
turned in* days* ago, I haven't received any mission details, and I *even * finished this week's homework!" There was more than a touch of smugness in his voice. He leaned forward, chin in his hand, kicking his heels, eyes twinkling. "I think I deserve to sit on my ass awhile, eating
chocolate, listening to my music, and enjoying a good book, don'cha think?"When Heero didn't answer, Duo's smile slowly faded to be replaced again by an expression of consideration and empathy. Heero felt him watching him, though his back was to the other boy. Duo's regard was like a million feathers tickling the skin of his back and neck. "I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, if you want one." Duo offered quietly from behind him. "They're in the fridge." The young Japanese boy grabbed one, and pouring himself an icy glass of milk, went to the small dinette table and plopped down to eat, deliberately ignoring the boy watching him from the floor.
"Ne, Heero." Duo began, gracefully getting to his feet and moving to sit at the table with his fellow pilot. "Don't you ever just do something because it's...fun? Because you just...*want* to" His voice was soft, warm. Again, that look, as if he were seeing into Heero's soul. Heero took a
swallow from his glass, concentrating on the cold, pleasant feeling the milk gave as it went down to his stomach. He didn't meet his roommate's uncomfortable gaze."How can I relax? The world is Hell." He replied, bitterness dripping from each word. "How can *you* relax? I don't understand you at all!"
Duo lapsed into stunned silence, eyebrows scurrying into his hairline in surprise, but he didn't take his eyes from Heero's face. The Japanese youth squirmed in his chair. "Why are you looking at me?" He blurted out, when the silence had gone on too long, "You're always watching me, talking to me. It drives me nuts!"
Duo blinked, startled out of his reverie, a slow blush staining his pale cheeks. He smiled a little goofy-ly. "Gomen, Heero. But...You're interesting."
"Interesting?"
Duo nodded, grinning.
"I don't know anyone else who would leap from a tower window without opening his parachute; fix his own broken leg; bend steel with his bare hands..."
"Shut up, Duo! I'm no bug under your microscope!"
"Nah. You're more interesting than a bug. Nastier, too."
"Duoooo..."
"And besides... I like you."
The words were simple. The effect, devastating. Heero flushed, finding it a little hard to breathe. He rose on shaky feet, fighting for control, stumbling to the sink with his dishes.
"I don't understand you." He whispered more to himself than to the other boy. He heard the faint creak of the chair as it gave up Duo's weight but still jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.
"Heero, haven't you ever had a friend? "
With an effort, Heero smoothed the expression from his face and lightly shrugged Duo's hand from his shoulder before turning to meet his wondering eyes. "I don't need friends." He carefully watched the other pilot's face, expecting to see hurt or anger. But he saw neither. The other boy was chewing on his lip absently, a slight crease between his brows, his hand idly playing with his golden crucifix. They were mere inches apart; Heero could feel his body heat. He took a step back, safe again in his personal space. Finally Duo seem to come back to himself. He gave Heero a little smile.
"I ...think...I understand now." He said quietly, looking at Heero but not really addressing him. "OK! I've made up my mind-- mission accepted."
"What?" Heero blinked, confused.
The American's smile broadened, lighting his eyes. "Mission: accepted. Isn't that what you say? All of the time?"
"What mission?"
Duo reached forward and tapped him on the center of his chest. "You."
"Me?" Heero frowned, "What about me?"
Duo ran a hand through his hair, looking a little self-conscious. "I'm going to win your soul back." He stated quietly. He met Heero's cobalt eyes again; "I'm going to help you regain your humanity." He took a step forward, closing the space between them. "And I won't fail." He crossed his arms, giving Wing's pilot a cocky, lopsided smile. "I'm even more persistent than that nutty girl who chases you all over creation."
Heero couldn't help but laugh, or nearly, at the reference to Relena. "You're crazy"
"Yeah, but fun-crazy."
Silence. This time it was Heero's gaze that judged ... evaluated. Then a mere question: "Why?"
The longhaired boy blushed again, suddenly finding his well-trimmed nails interesting. "Like I said, I like you." He met his eyes briefly; "You're worth it, right?"
Heero opened his mouth, about to respond when Duo's pager went off. Duo glanced down, almost relieved. It was Quatre. The show started in twenty minutes. Did he want to come? Duo looked at Heero, a raised brow asking if he wanted to come along. The other boy shook his head.
With a shrug, Duo hopped over to his chair, and came back to Heero with an uneaten bar of chocolate and his book, handing them to him. "Gotta go! Keep my page for me, ne?" With a wave he grabbed his raincoat and was gone, leaving Heero alone. This time, the silence was
deafening.Heero stood, not moving, blinking at the candy in one hand, the paperback in the other. He let out a breath he had not realized he was holding. "Baka", he thought at the absent Duo. He was about to toss the candy in the trash, the book onto the counter when he thought, "Oh, what the
hell..." He undid the wrapper, giving the dark, smooth candy a suspicious look, then took a cautious nibble. "Oh!" he gasped, startled at the sweet richness. He took a bigger bite, suppressing a little moan of pleasure and appreciation. No wonder Duo was a fiend for the stuff!
Picking up the book, Heero walked over to the abandoned leather chair, slouching into it with one leg thrown carelessly over the arm. Munching slowly on the candy, savoring each bite, he opened the book to the first page, scanning the first few sentences. This is so stupid, he thought,
taking another bite of chocolate, turning the page. He shifted, pulled his robe closer about him, getting more comfortable. Soon he was lost in a world of bold warriors and telepathic dragons...
It was late when the others came back, laughing, talking excitedly about the movie. They greeted Heero with happy voices, telling him they wish he had been with them. They had eaten out but had remembered to bring him dinner.
"I get the bathroom first!" Duo shouted, already sprinting in that direction.
"Don't take forever, Duo!" Wufei grumbled, collapsing onto the couch, looking for the TV remote. Heero still lounged in the chair, Duo's book across his lap, a candy bar wrapper beside him on the floor.
"Oi, Duo." He called before the other boy disappeared into bathroom oblivion. The American paused briefly at the door.
"Eh?"
"What else have you got to read?"
END
Thanks for reading!