"Convincing Heero"

Written By: Hemlock Inyx

Disclaimer: This chick does not own any of the Gundam Wing characters because they belong to Bandai and Sunrise. I am borrowing them for this fict and will return them in good (if somewhat sticky) condition. I also don't own Nora Robert's Convincing Alex, on which this fict is heavily based (well more like a fusion/translation). This fict is written out of love and not for profit, don't sue. Thanks and enjoy!

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: AU Romance/Cop Drama, Cross-dressing/drag, humor, romance, some OOC-ness, language, and murder- not main characters.

Pairings: 1x2, 4xC for added interest. More pairings to come.

Summary: Heero is a cop, Duo is a cross-dressing man who writes for a daytime soap opera. The pair meet when Duo is arrested doing 'research' for the soapie.

" Convincing Heero"

Convincing Heero – Chapter 17

“I can’t believe you want to spend the best part of a Saturday morning in a sweaty gym.” Heero was stalling, even as he walked with Duo up the iron steps that led to Rocky’s.

“It’s your sweaty gym,” Duo said, and kissed Heero.

The past few days had been almost like a honeymoon, Duo thought. If he took out the hours they’d both been at work. But they’d made the most of what time they’d had together, snuggling on the couch in Duo’s place, cooking a meal in Heero’s, wrestling in bed in both.

Duo was starting to hope that Heero believed he loved him. And, once Heero did, Duo wanted nothing more than for them to take that next step. The step that would lead to an authentic honeymoon, with all the trimmings.

“You picked me up at my gym yesterday,” Duo pointed out.

“That wasn’t a gym.” There was the faintest trace of a masculine sneer in Heero’s voice. “That was an exercise palace. Fancy lighting, piped-in music. All those mirrors.”

“At least I’ll be able to see when my butt starts to drop.”

Heero gave it a friendly pat. “I’ll let you know.”

“Do, and die,” Duo said smartly, and pushed through the frosted glass door.

Duo immediately thought of every bad boxing film he’d ever seen. The huge room echoed with grunts and slaps and thumps. It smelled of mildew and sweat and…Duo took a testing sniff and decided he didn’t want to know what else. There were exposed pipes along the ceilings and walls, and there was a hardwood floor that looked as though it had been gouged by spikes. The boxing ring that was set up in one corner was already occupied by two compact, dancing men in tiny shorts who were trying to pop each other in the eye.

A trio of punching bags hung at strategic points. A half-naked man with a body like a cement truck was currently trying to whip the tar out of one of them.

Weights were being employed as well. Duo watched tendons bulge and muscles bunch.

They didn’t worry about mirrors and lighting here. Nor did Duo spot any of the high-tech equipment he was accustomed to. This was down-and-dirty—squat, sweat and punch. Duo sincerely doubted there would be a juice bar in the vicinity, either.

“Had enough?” Heero asked. He was obviously amused at the thought of Duo stripping down to his leotard and having a go with the boys.

Duo closed his mouth, then answered Heero’s grin with a cool stare. “I haven’t even started yet.”

It was Heero’s turn to drop his jaw when Duo peeled off his sweatshirt. Beneath Duo wore a snug, low-cut crop top in zigzagging stripes of green and purple. As Duo shimmied out of his baggy street clothes, Heero shoved the discarded shirt in front of him.

“Come on, Duo, put your clothes back on. Sweet lord.” The bottom half was worse. Over form fitting tights Duo had on a teeny strip of spandex that covered little more than a G-string. “You can’t wear that in here.”

“Is it illegal?” Duo bent over to stuff his sweats into his gym bag and heard the heavy thump of weights as they were dropped. Maintaining position, Duo turned his head and smiled at the pop-eyed man staring at him.

The catcalls and whistles started immediately, the sound swelling and bouncing off the cinder-block walls. Heero was very much afraid there would be a riot—one he was likely to incite himself. “Damn it, put something on before I have to kill somebody.”

“They look harmless.” Duo straightened again and lifted his arms to weave his long hair into a braid. “Anyway, I came to work out.” With a challenging grin, Duo flexed a muscle. “How much can you bench-press?”

“Maxwell, don’t you dare--.” Heero broke off with an oath as Duo blithely strolled across the room to chat with the weight lifter. The two hundred pounds of muscle began to babble like a teenager. Heero had no choice but to send out a warning snarl, much as a guard dog might to a pack of encroaching wolves, before he went after Duo.

Duo pulled it off, of course. Heero should have known he would. The men started out drooling, kicked over into laughing and finally wound up competing with each other to show Duo the proper way to perform squat lifts, chin-ups and leg curls.

Before an hour was over, Duo had been shown pictures of wives and children, listened to sob stories over sweethearts and stopped being ogled—unless it was at a discreet distance.

“You sure you want to do this?” Heero asked again, tapping his gloved hands together.

“Absolutely.” Duo smiled at Rocky, as he himself laced up Duo’s gloves. “I couldn’t leave without one sparring match.”

“You watch out for his left—it’s a good one,” Rocky advised Duo. “Kid could’ve been a contender if he hadn’t wanted to be a cop.”

Duo winked at Rocky. “I’ve got fast feet. He won’t lay a glove on me.”

Two of Duo’s new admirers held open the ropes for him so that he could step into the ring. Enjoying the sensation, Duo adjusted his padded helmet. “Aren’t we supposed to wear those funny retainers?”

“The what—Oh, mouth guards?” Heero couldn’t resist, and he leaned over and kissed Duo to an accompaniment of hoots. “Baby, I’m not going to hit you.” In a friendly gesture, Heero tapped his gloves to Duo’s. “Okay, put your hands up.” When Duo did, lifting them towards the ceiling, Heero rolled his eyes. “It’s not an arrest, Maxwell.” Patiently Heero adjusted Duo’s hands until they were in a defensive position.

“Now, you want to guard, see? Keep your left up, keep it up. If I come in like this--” Heero did a slow motion jab at Duo’s jaw “—you block, jab back. That’s it.”

“And I feint with my left,” Duo said, and did so.

“If you want.” Lord, Duo was sweet. “Now try for here.” Heero tapped his own chin. “Go ahead, you don’t have to pull it.” When Duo punched halfheartedly, Heero shook his head. “No, you punch like a girl. Put your body behind it. Pretend I’m Dawn Gallagher.”

Duo’s eyes lit, and he swung full-out, only to come up solidly against Heero’s block. “Hey, that’s good.” Impressed, Duo swung again. “But I’ve got to move around, right? Fake you out with my grace and fancy footwork.”

Duo did a quick boogie that had the onlookers clapping and Heero grinning at him. “You got style. Let’s work on it.”

Heero was enjoying himself, showing Duo the moves. And it certainly didn’t hurt for a light-weight living in the city to learn how to defend himself with something more than an ammonia-filled water gun.

“It’s fun.” Duo ducked his head as Heero had showed him and tried two quick jabs with his left.

“Always room for another flyweight,” Rocky called out to Duo. “Come on, Duo, body blow.”

Chuckling, Duo aimed for Heero’s midsection and dodged his light tap towards his chin. “You look so cute in gym shorts,” Duo murmured.

“Don’t try to distract me.”

“Well, you do.” Duo danced around him again, and, laughing, Heero turned towards him.

“Okay, that ought to—.” Heero ended on a grunt when Duo connected hard with his jaw and set Heero down on his butt.

“Oh, God.” Duo crouched instantly, battering Heero’s face with his gloves as Duo tried to stroke it. “Oh, Heero, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

Heero wiggled his jaw, sending Duo a dark look. “Right cross,” Heero muttered as men climbed through the ropes to cheer and hold Duo’s arms in the air.

“I’m really sorry,” Duo was still saying as they started down the iron steps on their way out. But Duo was fingering the little bit of tarnished metal Rocky had pinned—with some ceremony—to his sweatshirt. “You said not to pull my punches.”

“I know what I said.” Heero would be lucky if he didn’t have a bruise, he thought. And how the hell would he explain that? “You only got through because I was finished.”

Duo ran his tongue over his teeth and stepped outside. “Uh-huh.”

“Don’t get smart with me, Maxwell.” Heero snatched Duo up and swung him around. “Or I’ll demand a rematch.”

Wildly in love, Duo tossed his arms around Heero’s neck. “Anytime.”

“Oh, yeah? How about…” Heero trailed off with a grimace as his beeper sounded. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Duo only sighed a little as Heero tracked down a phone and called in. As Duo stood beside Heero, watching his face, listening to Heero’s terse comments, Duo realized that their plans for a picnic in the park and some casual shopping were about to go bust.

“You have your cop’s face on,” Duo said when Heero hung up. “Do you have to go in?”

“Yeah.” But Heero didn’t tell Duo they’d found another victim. It was bad enough that he was spoiling their plans for the day. “It’s probably going to take a while. I’m really sorry Duo.”

“Look.” Duo framed Heero’s face with his hands. “I understand. This is part of it.”

Heero brought those hands to his lips. “I…” But Heero didn’t tell Duo that he loved him, because Duo would echo the words, and it made Heero nervous to hear them. “I appreciate it,” Heero said instead. “And I’ll make it up to you.”

“Tell you what—why don’t I finish up what I have to do, then stop by the market? I’ll make dinner. Something that won’t spoil if it had to be warmed up a couple of times.”

Though Heero’s mind was already drifting away from Duo, he managed a pained smile. “You’re going to cook.”

“I’m not that bad. I’m not,” Duo insisted with a bit of a huff when Heero grinned. “I only burned the potatoes the other night because you kept distracting me.”

“I guess it’s the least I can do.” Heero kissed Duo lightly once, then again, longer. “I’ll try to call.”

“If you can.” Duo waved Heero off, then stood watching while Heero jogged down into the subway. With a quick laugh, Duo spun around, hugging himself. He felt just like a cop’s wife.

*******

"I hope you don’t mind me dropping by.”

“Of course not.” Noin took a look at the bulging shopping bags in Duo’s hands. “Been busy?”

“Whenever I get started with that little plastic card, I can’t seem to stop.” Duo dumped his purchases inside the apartment door. “You look wonderful. How can you look wonderful less than a week after going through childbirth?”

“Strong genes.” Pleased in general, and with Duo in particular, Noin kissed him on both cheeks. “Come, sit down.”

“Thanks. I—Oops.” Duo dipped into the bag and pulled out a gold foiled candy box. “For Mom.”

“Oh.” Noin’s eyes took on the glow a woman’s get when she looks at her lover—or a five-pound box of exclusive chocolates. “I think you just became my best friend.”

Chuckling, Duo dug into the bags again. “Well, I know that people tend to drop by with baby things.” Duo held out a box wrapped in snowy white with bright red lollipops scattered over it. “And, though I couldn’t resist the tradition, I figured you deserved something really sinful for yourself.”

“I do.” Noin tucked the baby box under her other arm. “It’s really sweet of you, Duo, and unnecessary. You and Heero already bought us that wonderful stuffed teddy bear.”

“That was from us. This is from me. It’s a girl thing. I saw this tiny white organdy dress with these flounces and little pink bows and I couldn’t resist.”

Noin’s new-mother heart melted. “Really?”

“I figure in another year she might want to wear motorcycle boots, so this may be your only chance to play dress-up.”

“I swore that whatever I had, I wouldn’t make sexist decisions in dress or attitude.” Noin sighed over the box. “White organdy?”

“Six flounces. I counted.”

“Ah, company.” Treize strode out of the bedroom, with the baby tucked in his arm. “Hello, Aunt Duo.” Treize kissed both Duo’s cheeks, then his mouth.

“You said you wouldn’t wake her up.” This from Noin, who was already leaning over to coo.

“I didn’t. Exactly. What’s this?” Recognizing the gold foil box, Treize flipped it open and dived in.

“Mine,” Noin said in a huff. “If you eat more than one, I’ll break your fingers.”

“She was always greedy,” Treize said over the first piece. “Where’s Heero?”

“He got called in.”

“Good. Now you have time to sit down. I’ll sketch you.”

“Now?” Woman-like, Duo lifted a hand to his hair. “I’m not dressed for it.”

“I want your face.” Obviously well used to making himself at home Treize opened the drawer on an end table and rummaged for a pad. “Perhaps I’ll do your body later. It’s a good one.”

Duo’s laugh was quick. “Thanks.”

“You might as well cooperate,” Noin told Duo, and crossed over to take the baby. “Once the artist in him takes over, you haven’t got a chance.”

“I’m flattered, really.”

“There’s no reason to be,” Treize said absently as he unearthed a suitable pencil. “You have the face you were born with.”

“Thank God that’s not always true.”

That caught his interest. “You had it fixed?”

“No. I just sort of grew into it.”

“Not there,” Treize told him before Duo could sit. “Over there, closer to the window in the light. Noin, when do I get that drink you promised me?”

“On its way.” Noin stopped nuzzling the baby long enough to look up. “What can I get you, Duo?”

“Anything cold—and a shot at holding the baby.”

“I can accommodate you on both counts.” Noin laid her daughter gently in Duo’s arms. “She hardly ever cries. And I think her eyes may stay blue. Like Zech’s.”

“She’s a beauty.” Duo leaned down to brush his lips over the curling dark hair and to draw in the indescribably sweet scent of baby. “Like all of you.”

“Move,” Treize ordered his sister-in-law. “You’re in my way.”

Shooting off a mild Japanese insult, Noin headed for the kitchen.

“Talk if you like.” Treize gestured with his pencil, and began to sketch.

“It’s one of my best things.” Duo had already forgotten to be self-conscious. “Where are Une and Mariemaia?”

“Marie has the sniffles.” The pencil was moving with quick, deft strokes over the pad. “Une fusses over her, but she says I’m fussing over her and sends me on errands.”

“Which he does by coming by and plaguing me,” Noin called out.

“She’s happy to see me,” Treize said. “Because she’s lonely, with Zechs and Relena over checking on the progress of the new apartment.”

“Oh, that’s right, you’re moving.” Comfortable, Duo tucked up his legs. “Heero mentioned it.”

“We need a bigger place. Of course, it was supposed to be ready a month ago, but things never run on time. I’ll miss this one,” she said, coming back in with a tray of cold drinks. “And having Relena underfoot. But I imagine she’ll like having this place to herself.”

Duo reached for his drink with his free hand, gently jiggling the baby with the other. “I guess she has as big a crush on you as Zechs does.”

For a moment, Noin only stared. Then she let out her breath in a quiet laugh. “Heero said you saw things.”

“Just part of the job.”

Noin didn’t consider herself a slouch in the reading –people department. “So, how big a crush do you have on Heero?”

“The biggest.” Duo smiled and rubbed his cheek over the baby’s. “He thinks I’m flighty. Fickle. But I’m not. Not with him.”

“Why would he think that?”

“I have a varied track record. But it’s different with Heero.” When Duo lowered his head to murmur to the baby, Noin glanced at her brother-in-law. They exchanged a great deal without uttering a word. “It makes me envy people like your sister, Sylvia,” Duo went on. “Those three beautiful children, a husband who after years together still looks at her as if he can’t believe she belongs to him. Work she loves. I envy all that.”

“You’d like a family?”

“I never had one.”

Noin knew it was the lawyer in her, but she couldn’t help moving along the line of questioning. “Does it bother you that he’s a cop?”

“Bother me?” Duo’s brows lifted in surprise. “No. Do you mean, will I worry? I suppose I will. But it’s not something I could change, or that I want to change. I love who he is.”

“He’s making you sad,” Treize said quietly.

“No.” Duo’s denial was quick enough to startle the dozing baby. Duo soothed her automatically as he shook his head. “No, of course he isn’t”

“I see what’s in your eyes.”

Treize would, Duo realized, and felt the warmth creep into his cheeks. “It’s only that I know he doesn’t trust me—my feelings. Or, I suppose, the endurance of my feelings. It’s not his fault.”

“He was always one to pick things apart.” There was brotherly disgust in Treize’s voice. “Never one to take anything on faith. I’ll speak to him.”

“Oh, no.” This time, Duo laughed. “He’d be furious with both of us. All that male pride and ego.”

Instantly Treize’s eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing.” Duo grinned at Noin. “Not a thing. I’ll just wear him down in my own way. In fact, I’m going to start tonight. I’m cooking dinner. I thought maybe I could call your mother, find out if Heero has a favorite dish.”

“I can tell you that,” Noin offered. “Anything.”

“Well, that certainly widens my choices. Do you think she’d mind if I called her, asked for some pointers? My kitchen skills are moderate at best.”

“She’d love it.” Noin smiled to herself, knowing her mother would hang up the phone and immediately start planning the wedding.

***

It was after midnight when Heero let himself into Duo’s apartment with the key he’d given him. Heero was punchy with fatigue, and his head was buzzing from too much coffee. Those were usual things, as much a part of his work as filing reports or following a lead. But the sick weight in his stomach was something new.

He would have to tell Duo.

Duo had left the television on. In an old black-and-white movie a woman screamed in terror and fled down a moonlit beach. As Heero shrugged out of his jacket, he moved across the room to switch it off. Before he reached the set, he saw Duo, curled on the couch.

He’d waited up for him. The sweetness of the thought speared through Heero as he crouched beside Duo. For so many years now, he’d come home alone, to no one. Gently he brushed the dark chestnut bangs from Duo’s forehead and replaced them with his lips. Duo stirred, murmuring. His eyes fluttered open.

“I’m just going to carry you to bed,” Heero whispered. “Go back to sleep.”

“Heero.” Duo lifted a hand to rub over Heero’s cheek. His voice was thick with sleep, his eyes glazed with it. “What time is it?”

“It’s late. You should have gone to bed.”

Duo made a vague sound of disagreement and pushed up on one elbow. “I was waiting up, but the movie was so bad.” Duo’s laugh was groggy, and he rubbed his eyes like a child. “It zapped me.” Duo circled his shoulders before leaning forward to kiss Heero. “You had a long day, Detective.”

“Yeah.” And maybe, because Duo was half-asleep, he could put off the rest. “So have you. I’ll take you upstairs.”

“No, I’m okay.” Duo sat up, yawning. “Did you eat something?”

"I had a sandwich. I’m really sorry, I tried to call.”

“And got the machine,” Duo said with a rueful nod. “Because I’d forgotten the radish and had to run back out to the market.”

“You cooked?” The idea both touched him and accented Heero’s guilt.

“I amazed myself.” It felt good to settle against Heero when he joined him on the couch and slipped an arm around him. Cozy, right, and wonderfully simple. “Your mother’s recipe for chicken and rice curry.”

“Really?” Normally it would have made Heero’s mouth water. “That’s a lot of work.”

“It was a culinary adventure—and the cleaning lady will probably quit on Monday, after one look at the kitchen.” Duo laughed up at Heero, then rubbed his knuckles over Heero’s cheek when he saw the look in his eyes. “Don’t worry. It’ll heat up just fine for tomorrow’s lunch. Then again…” Duo snuggled closer. “If you’re feeling really guilty, I’ll take you up on that ride to the bedroom—and whatever else you can think of.”

But instead of chuckling and scooping him up, Heero pushed away to pace to the television and snap it off. “We have to talk.”

Heero’s tone had nerves skittering in Duo’s stomach, but he nodded. “All right.”

Heero though it might be best—for both of them—if they has some of the brandy Duo had offered him during an earlier crisis. Trying out the words in his head, Heero walked to the lacquered cabinet.

“It’s bad,” Duo murmured, and pressed his lips together, hard. Duo’s first thought was that Heero had changed his mind about him. That he had finally taken that good look he’d been afraid of and realized his mistake.

“It’s bad,” Heero concurred, then brought the snifters to the couch. “Here. Drink a little.”

“It’s all right. I don’t make scenes.”

Heero tilted the brandy towards Duo’s lips himself. “Just a little, Koi.”

Duo closed his eyes and did as Heero asked. Heero couldn’t say that sweet word to him in that loving tone if he’d changed his mind. “Okay.” A deep breath, and Duo opened his eyes again,

“There was another attack last night.”

“Oh, Hee-ro.” Instantly the image of Crystal LaRue’s mangled body flashed behind he eyes. “Oh, God.” Duo caught Heero’s hand in his and squeezed. “Last night?”

“The desk clerk found her this morning. They had an arrangement. She only used the room for work, and he was ticked that she hadn’t checked out and slipped him his usual tip.” Heero was taking it slow, deliberately, so that the general horror would pass before he hit Duo with the specifics. Again he tipped the brandy to Duo’s lips. “She’d rented the room three times last night. The clerk caught a glimpse of the third john when they went up, so we’ve had him looking over mug shots most of the day.”

“You’ll catch him.”

“Oh, yeah. There’s no doubt about it this time. He didn’t find the guy in the books, but he gave the police artist a fair description. We’ll be broadcasting it. This time we should have his blood type, too. DNA. Couple of other things.”

“You’ll have him soon.”

“Not soon enough. Duo, the woman…” Heero's fingers tightened on Duo’s, but he told him the worst as gently as he knew how. “It was Dorothy…She’s in the hospital, but they don’t think she’s going to make it.”

Duo only stared, and Heero watched, helpless, as the color simply slid out of his face. “No.” Duo was tugging his hand from Heero’s, but Heero only held tighter. “You’re wrong. You made a mistake. I just saw her. I just talked to her a couple of days ago.”

“There’s no mistake.” Heero’s voice toughened, for Duo’s sake. “I ID’d her myself.”

The moan came out brokenly as Duo wrapped his arms around himself and began to rock. “Don’t,” Duo said when Heero tried to gather him close. He sprang up looking around the room, dazed. “Don’t, don’t…I--I have to find my purse and keys, I have to go to the hospital…she’s alone, I know it. It isn’t right that she’s alone.”

“It’s never right. And they won’t let you in Duo. Not while she’s in critical condition. We have some guys with her. Keeping an eye out. I told them to call as soon as anything changed.”

It was his tone, the cool detachment of it, that had Duo whirling on him. “But she’s just a hooker. Don’t get involved, right? Don’t feel anything. Isn’t that what you told me?”

Heero went very still, as if Duo had pulled a gun and taken aim. “I guess I did.”

“I wanted to help her, but you told me I couldn’t. You told me it was a waste of my time and energy. And you were right, weren’t you, Heero? How fine it must be to always be so right.”

Heero took the blow. What else could he do? “Why don’t you sit down, Duo?” You’ll make yourself sick.”

Duo wanted to break something, to smash it—but nothing was precious enough. “I care, damn you. I care about her. She isn’t just a story line to me. She is a person. All she wants to do is go south, buy a trailer.” When Duo’s breath began to hitch, he covered his mouth with his hands. “She shouldn’t be hanging on to life by a thread. She shouldn’t have been hurt like that.”

“I wish I could change it.” The bitter sense of failure turned Heero’s voice to ice. “I wish to God I could.” Before Heero realized the glass was leaving his hand, he was heaving the snifter against the wall. “How do you know what I felt like when I walked into that hospital room and saw her like that? How the hell do you know what it’s like to face it and know you couldn’t stop it? She is a person to me, too.”

“I’m sorry.” The tears that spilled over now spilled for all of them. “Heero, I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Heero tossed back. “It was the truth.”

“Facts. Not truth.” Heero had tried to soften the blow, to cushion him when Heero’s own emotions were raw. Heero had needed to comfort. Heero’s eyes had been dazed with fatigue and pain and the kind of grief Duo might never understand, but he’d needed to shield Duo. And Duo hadn’t allowed him to do it. “Hold me, please. I need you to hold me.”

For a moment Duo was afraid Heero wouldn’t move. Then he crossed to him. Though Heero’s arms were rigid with tension, they came around Duo.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Duo murmured, but Heero only shook his head and stroked Duo’s hair. Grieving Duo turned his face into Heero’s throat. “I wanted to make it a lie somehow. To make you wrong so it could all be wrong.” Duo squeezed his eyes closed and held tight. “She’s somebody.”

Heero stared blankly over Duo’s shoulder as he remembered one of the last things Dorothy had said to him. ‘She treats me like somebody.’ “I know.”

“You’ll catch him,” Duo said fiercely.

“We’ll catch him. We’ll put him away. He won’t hurt anybody else.” Heero would tell him the rest and hoped it would help. “She had a knife.”

“I saw it. She showed me.”

“She used it. I don’t know how bad she hurt him, but she put up a hell of a fight. It’s recorded.”

“Recorded?” Eyes dull with shock, Duo leaned back. “My God. The tape. I gave her my mini recorder.”

“I figured as much. For whatever consolation it is, the fact that you did give it to her, and she decided to use it, it going to make a difference. A big one.”

“You heard them,” Duo said though dry lips. “You heard—“

“We got everything on, from the deal on the street until…the end. Don’t ask me, Duo.” Heero lifted a hand to cup Duo’s face. “Even if I could tell you what was on the tape, I wouldn’t.”

“I wasn’t going to ask. I don’t think I could bear to know what happened in that room.”

Calmer now, Heero searched Duo’s face. “I’ve only got a few hours. I have to go in first thing in the morning. Do you want me to stay with you tonight, or would you rather I go?”

Duo had hurt him more that he’d realized. Perhaps the only way he could heal the wound was to admit, and to show Heero, that he needed comfort. Needed it from Heero. Drawing Heero close, Duo laid his head on Heero’s shoulder.

“I want you with me, Heero. Always. And tonight—I don’t think I’d make it through tonight without you, waiting and worrying about if she’s going to make it.”

Duo began to cry then. Heero picked him up and carried him to the couch, where they could lie down and wait together.

To be continued…

~ * ~

Chapter 18

Back to Hemlock Inyx's Index

Back to GW Authors Index.