"Heero's Dog"

Written By: Kaeru Shisho

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story.

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: AU, male/male pairings, language

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4,

Summary: Heero chooses a dog for stress relief and gets everything but, and then he meets Duo. This is about relationships more than dogs, but the title stuck. And he does get a dog.

A/N: My thanks go to Waterlily for the excellent editing and support. The story is told from the point of view of Heero, Trowa, and at times Wufei. Thank you for reading.

" Heero's Dog"

Chapter 3

Trowa considered calling Heero and cancelling the dinner date. Twice already. But then, that would have been cowardly to have done instead of facing him and letting him down. He felt torn enough over ending things with Duo, which he hadn't yet done either. He should have shut that ragged relationship down earlier when Duo called to let him know he'd made it back ashore and was about to crash and sleep about twelve hours at his friend's place. At Wufei's house. Most pointedly choosing Wufei's place over Trowa's new place on the site of the Bloom Circus over-wintering property.

If he didn't end things soon, there'd be no friendship left to save.

Evading the pain that brought up, Trowa's mind settled on something pleasant, something blond and smiling, Quatre Winner. Now there was someone who appreciated his better qualities!

Duo was making it clear that he wasn't making any accommodation in lifestyle for him, obviously. Being apart with time to think hadn't brought them closer, that was for sure. He'd been more abrasive that usual on the phone, Trowa thought.

In comparison, Quatre was comforting and exciting all at once. Probably extremely high maintenance, but that might not be a bad change- he could endure anything for Quatre, he decided. He liked his kindness towards his dog, his politeness. He was a little demanding and would require Trowa put himself out a bit more than usual, but maybe that was what he needed? He could use some motivation to improve his life. Quatre was good for him!

So why was he meeting Heero tonight—yet a third man? He liked Heero. Straightforward, no-nonsense, good-hearted, and hard-working. Solid. A man to lean on in times of need. A... friend. There. He'd worked it out. Heero was excellent friend material, but here he was starting something with him. Not a boyfriend. That impression he knew had to terminate. What he wasn't so sure about was how to put out fire without dousing the coals and everything.

With that on his mind, Trowa took a seat at a table and sipped his water. He'd arrived early and now would wait. He wouldn't wait long because Heero was the sort to arrive exactly on time.

"And there you are." He smiled and dipped his chin when he caught the other's man's attention at the door. He added "dependable" to Heero's long list of attributes. The only thing missing was that special spark, the one that twinkled in Quatre's eyes.

(*)

Across the table from Heero sat Trowa, a good-looking man about his age, wearing well-fitting, comfortable clothes. He had an easy-going grace which came from Heero-knew-not-where, but he was curious about him. Curious but not dying to know. Not "fixatedly enthralled" as his friend Quatre had once described the early painful spasms of love.

Like he was with Duo.

Heero winced at that. Painful, no shit! Thinking of unattainable, gorgeous Duo was a stab to his heart. But it also lifted his spirits in a way he liked. Heero simply couldn't stop thinking or dreaming about him after just having seen him. Well, a little dash of reality would help, so he conjured up Commander Une's scowling visage. Mission accomplished. For the time being.

A waitress came to their table and asked, "Ready to order?"

Heero followed Trowa's example and ordered one of the specials and a beer.

"What a week," Trowa muttered.

Heero glanced up and saw the other man staring at him. "Yes," he agreed automatically. "It's been—" He pause, contemplating what the week had been. Not busy. He'd had the time off from work. He was having difficulty finding ways to occupy all his free time, even with Wing to care for and get accustomed his new home.

"—Eventful?" Trowa guessed. "A new member of the household will eat up your life." He clarified with, "Your new dog?"

"Wing. Yes, he's... been good company, actually." And it was due to Wing's needs that Heero had run into Duo. "An asset."

How unexpected and extraordinary the meeting in the dog park had been!

Now that the man was in town, Heero wanted to see more of him. Was he beyond his reach, though? If he was attached to another man, as he seemed to be, well, they'd become friends, at least. Friends. He didn't want to be merely friends, but he'd take what he could get.

Would he try to attract Duo for himself? Could he do that? He didn't know if he had what it took or wanted to be the type that did. Someone would be hurt.

Still, he liked Duo's liveliness, his spirit.

In comparison, Trowa was possibly too laid back, too...chill... too much like himself. That made Heero smile and chuckle.

"What?" Trowa asked.

"I was thinking how much alike we are. We can sit here and eat without sharing a conversation and be content. And yet..."

Trowa's eyes remained fixed on him.

"It is as if we both have other things on our minds at the moment. I could be wrong," Heero added quickly when he realized how cold that probably sounded.

"No, you're not, actually." Trowa smiled fractionally. "Currently, my life is more complicated than I'd like."

Heero let that sink in and roll around in his brain while the bread arrived. "Mine, too. I hadn't expected that."

"Me neither."

"The other... person you were meeting. That worked out?" Heero asked.

"Better than I had any right to expect, yeah."

So, that was clear from Heero's standpoint. Trowa had said he was seeing someone for coffee dates and now, well, that was that. "Too bad for me," Heero smiled crookedly.

"You did tell Quatre about us."

"Did I? I might have mentioned your name. He's the one who referred you to me when I was looking to buy a dog. There wasn't anything to tell, though, was there?" Heero meet his eyes. "Why? Am I wrong?"

"It was... it's him."

"Him? As in... the man you were seeing?" Heero even could chuckle over that. "He didn't say it was you, but he was shocked to hear you and I had gone out. I didn't even mean to drop your name, but—"

"But he's got a way at getting it out of you?" Trowa asked. "Yeah, I've noticed keeping secrets from him isn't easy. It's all right."

"Water under the bridge?" Hero asked. Was it his imagination, or had Trowa shuddered when he said that?

"So to speak. So, you two are good friends?"

"Yes, for a long while."

"Friends?" he emphasized in a way Heero couldn't miss, he thought.

"Me and him, yes, like I said. Just friends."

Trowa chuckled and tore off a piece of bread. "I meant you and me. Are we good?"

"Yes, of course. Friends."

Trowa looked relieved, like a man on death row having been given a reprieve. Heero certainly felt better.

"That's awesome," Trowa said. "I came here worrying that you might hate me and, to tell the truth, I don't make friends easily."

"I have a certain amount of experience with the..." Heero hesitated to find the right word. "...transformation." He met Trowa's glance directly, holding his eyes to let the message sink in. "From love interest to just-a-friend."

"You and Quat?" Trowa whispered.

The corners of Heero's lips curled up. "A long time ago."

"Couldn't have been that long."

"Teenagers."

Trowa nodded with a knowing smile. "I don't blame you for trying."

"Of course you don't, idiot," Heero said with warmth in his voice and no malice. "I sincerely hope you can fix things with him. If there's anything I can do-?"

"Thanks, no, but if there is, I'll - well, thanks, anyway."

After that, the dinner conversation flowed on to the topic of dogs and Heero's work, and lastly on the origins of Bloom's Circus.

"Don't laugh, but I was a part of that circus for a few years, until college gave me an excuse to try something new."

"You needed an excuse?"

"Well, kinda. My sister is still with them, which is why I got the place on the cheap when they sold off the property."

"It's no longer used?"

"Not by the circus. They left a few old animals, which I still care for until they die, but the land and house are mine."

"That's a lot of responsibility, taking care of all that alone."

"Yeah. I'd thought I had a partner when I made the offer, but that hasn't worked out either. I can hire some help," he said suddenly.

"Talk to Quatre about that. He has a huge crew of men in his employ looking for a place to settle."

"Sounds intriguing. I'll think about it."

"That's what friends are for," Heero said picking up the check. "My treat this time."

(o)

The next day, Heero set out to meet Quatre at the dog park. His plan was to be there at the same time as before in hopes that he might again meet up with Duo. So far, nothing.

Sand Flea, the name Duo had anointed her with had stuck, and Wing were worn out from running and jumping and scampering about after their masters, and still there was no sign of Sky or his master.

"I'm sorry, Heero, but I can't stay any longer. I have work to go back to. You remember what that's like, I'm sure."

"Shut up, Winner. And get rid of that smirk. You don't wear one well."

"I wear everything well, I'll have you know!"

Heero noted that the other man hadn't yet left him. "Go then. I can bear up under a little more fetch with Wing."

"But who will do the talking if I'm not here?"

"Hn." Very funny.

Quatre tottered from foot to foot, and then stopped as if he'd come to a decision. "He might not show up."

"I know that." Heero squinted into the sun, the direction he expected Duo would come from.

Quatre smiled. "As Einstein once said, 'Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow'."

"Our conversation is becoming reduced to platitudes, Winner? You might as well save your breath and just go."

"You haven't replied to my party invitation."

Heero gave his friend a wobbly smile. "You didn't send me one."

"I didn't? Well, now you know. You will come and bring someone spectacular to show off."

"Ha! Right. And you'll be inviting the Peacecrafts of course?"

"Merquise, he likes to be called, and she's a Darling."

"You called her that, not me."

"Heero! They are important people in Sanc society, and since it is my party, yes, I'm inviting them. Beside, that was your ancient history. If I stopped inviting people I dated, I'd have some sparsely populated and very dull get-togethers."

"I wouldn't mind dull and sparse."

He could hear Quatre mumble something under his breath as he turned up the path, and then add in a louder voice, "And don't forget to invite your cute boat man, Duo, to my party."

"Oh, yeah, and I'll be sure to include the part where he's to bring his current partner or... whatever."

Quatre was out of shouting distance and speeding to where he'd parked his car.

If I ever see Duo again, Heero thought glumly. He threw the ball harder than he'd meant to, sending it into the far corner of the enclosure and Wing flying after it.

An errant breeze brought the tang of moist sea air on his face and he closed his eyes. What was it about Duo that made him want so much? Was it his energy? Free spirit?

"Hey! Heero!"

Or general hotness? The object of his infatuation appeared at his side. Heero smiled, thinking he'd summoned the man by pure will power. Hotness it was then!

"Duo." He stopped himself from grinning madly and drooling like a dog with his tongue hanging out, but holy cow! The man was everything Heero dreamed about. Not too tall, built to be touched, dynamic, sexy as hell.

"Bring your tuckered pup over to the big dog run so I can keep an eye on Sky."

Wing lay at Heero's feet, panting, so he picked him up. "Okay."

They stood and watched Sky romp around the park. Wing was happy to watch and rest in his master's arms. So, why couldn't Heero strike up a conversation? He'd been talkative with Trowa the evening before, even to the point of discussing feelings. Why was he doing a dumb-mute act with Duo, for God's sakes?!

"Nice dog. Gentle. He looks happy. You must be treating him right."

"Thanks."

"Easy to train?" Duo asked.

"I don't know. I bought him trained." Heero thought a moment, promised to kill himself if he let this opportunity to get to know Duo get away from him, and then added, "He's figured out how to train me."

Duo laughed. "That's good!"

Heero glanced over Duo, admiring the way the wind blew loose hair from Duo's braid. He wanted to reach over and touch it, touch him. He desperately wanted to kiss him. Right there and then. In public! He didn't care. Much.

The man appeared relaxed, but when Heero moved closer, tension radiated from him. He had a fairly wide personal-space as well, but Heero wondered if Duo's had something to do with him. Was it because he had a boyfriend and he didn't want Heero too close? Of course it was something like that, he reminded himself. Idiot! How could anyone so smart and attractive not have a boyfriend worth keeping? Heero didn't want to ask about roommates, housemates, or close friends and learn more than he could bear. He didn't want to know more about the man caring for Duo's dog and carrying his bag. He wanted to change all that and become that person in Duo's life.

He stopped rubbing at his chin, a nervous habit Heero had thought he'd stopped, looked up, and caught Duo's eyes staring into his. Violet-blue. Definitely violet was in there today.

Duo moved his hand up and ran his fingers over his own stubble. "I'm pretty rough, huh? I hate having to shave. Heh, heh... I remember being just a kid, thrilled when I felt it go from fuzz to sandpaper, like, overnight. I knew it meant I'd be a man soon. I was short and damn scared I'd remain a pretty boy forever, so when the beard came in... yeah, very cool."

"Then you had to shave it off," Heero said, commiserating over a thrilling new task which with repetition had developed into a tediously boring chore.

"Then I had to shave it off, right. And every fucking day after that." Duo grinned. "What a drag, you know?"

Heero smiled and shook his head. "Couple times a week, for me."

"No shit?" Duo moved to within touching distance. "Lucky man."

Heero felt the blood rush to his face under the other man's sudden scrutiny.

"It must be your Asian heritage expressing itself somewhere in your genome."

"Japanese..." Heero's voice trailed off into a whisper when he felt Duo's arm brush his shoulder.

"Yeah, I got a... good friend... who's Chinese and never seems to shave, lucky stiff. What?"

"You study science?" Heero asked, still mulling over the "genome" term and trying not to focus on the mentioned-in-passing Chinese guy, who was probably the boyfriend he'd seen meeting Duo.

"Yeah, you know, to go with the sea research stuff I do? Thought a degree in Biology would be something." Duo shrugged off any implications that he was a serious student. Suddenly, his eyes seemed to focus in the distance as he stepped away with a shout. "Sky! Come!"

Then Heero heard the snarls and barks signaling the beginnings of a dog fight. Not their dogs. Wing was at his feet and Sky was obediently returning to his master's side.

"Good boy," Duo said with a loving pat, one Heero wanted for himself along with those words said in that tone of voice. "Sky, you know Wing. Remember him, boy? Yeah, fuzzy little guy."

Wing flopped onto his back and wiggled. The complete submission to the other dog embarrassed Heero, although he couldn't put in words why. Sky nuzzled the soft fur and looked up at Duo, puzzled, or waiting for permission to rip the smaller dog apart—Heero couldn't read the animal's mind.

Duo could, of course. "Be nice!" He could also read Heero's face well enough, apparently, to figure out what was making him squirm. "Ha! Don't worry, pal. Dogs are dogs. They don't always reflect what their owner's like. Take you, for instance—"

Would you, please? Heero thought this very hard, and bit his lip to keep from saying it.

"You strike me as a tough-as-nails agent of the law, with a soft side for his dog."

And you. "When I'm on the job, yes." More than ever, Heero wanted to show his soft side to Duo. He could be as tender as necessary.

"So—" Duo paused and seemed stuck as to what to talk about. "You just started coming here, to the park?"

"Since I only just got Wing, yes." Heero realized immediately how condescending he'd probably just sounded and wanted dearly to change that impression. "I've never seen you around town before. Did you just move here?"

"Heh, heh... sometimes I feel as if I did. I've lived here a couple years, but I'm hardly around."

"Have you taken your ship out since I was on board?" Heero asked.

"Yes, a couple times. With the mild weather, I've been popular with researchers."

Heero licked his lips. "Are you the owner of Offshore Survey Division then?" Then he grimaced when he realized he sounded as if he were interrogating a suspect. "Sorry, I don't mean to pry."

"That's okay. We never had the chance to talk much on the ship, did we? Anyway, OSD is one hundred percent mine, if you don't count the bank's 2/3 claim on it," Duo said, the obvious pride of achievement beaming from his smile. "As you can guess from the name, it was a part of a fleet of ships. When the drilling company no longer wanted to maintain the vessels, I acquired the funds and I bought the one ship and business. Kept the good name."

"That must have cost a lot." Heero didn't ask how such a young person could have come up with that much money.

"Yeah, and still does. I'd been working for someone else and he gave me the down payment. Howard."

"Howard Sweeper?"

"Yeah. Cool old dude in Hawaiian shirts. You know him?"

"I've heard of him,' Heero said. "Sweepers company does recovery operations along the coast for Preventers, sometimes. I was present when he turned up a stolen safe from a robbery under investigation."

"Okay, that's right, on your application form last summer you'd put 'Preventers' under 'occupation'."

Not only had Duo noticed, Heero thought, he'd remembered! Heero was pleased to think that he had mattered, that he had won a little of Duo's attention back then.

Duo was still talking. "That was your case? Freaky-weird finding that body in the safe, but you recouped some money, too?"

Sadly, Heero thought. He could have met Duo a year ago and already have gotten past this awkward stage. It felt awkward to him, although Quatre called it that "wonderful, magical, fabulously exciting time!" Racing heart, rush of blood to the face, inability to verbalize his thoughts, sweaty palms and daydreaming about the color of his eyes—where was the "amazing" in that? Amazingly stupid, possibly.

"Yeah, I remember Howie blabbing about that." Duo looked worried. He looked vulnerable and kissable. "Um," he added quickly. "I wasn't in on it or anything."

"Of course not," Heero said. "All the money was recovered. The body belonged to one of the robbers. We don't think he was pushed, but somehow slipped and hit his head and the time-lock closed the door on him."

Duo grimaced, "Ugh."

"He might have survived had the other robbers thought to look for him, but they didn't wait to reopen the safe; instead, they just took it, using a hydraulic scissor lift to move it."

"Man those machines must cost an arm and a leg to buy, so to speak."

"You're right, so the idiots rented the thing!"

Both men laughed.

"Oh, God!" Duo wiped the flow of happy tears away. "So they were in a hurry to, what, return it for a refund?"

"That's what one of them actually said, yes. Leaving a paper trail never occurred to them."

"Jesus, you wonder how mentally depleted criminals are. Lo, the clever burglars have sunk low, heh, heh. Where were they going to take the safe, did you find out?"

"Their plan was to drop it off a cliff to break it open, however, the weight made the trailer swing wide, and over the wrong cliff into the sea it went."

"So you brought in Howard to pull it out?"

"Yes."

"Hm... bet he loved that. Hard but fun work."

"So, you are paying him back with work?" Heero asked.

"Yep! To pay him back I do occasional jobs for him, making us pretty much even now. It's the bank loan for the rest that's got me taking on so many jobs now. I'm taking classes, which costs a bundle, and busting my ass to pay for everything."

"That's too bad. I'd like to see more of you." There, Heero said it! It had just popped out, too!

"Um... Oh! My God! What time is it? Aw, shit! I'm late for class! I can't believe I forgot totally about it! I'll never make the bus-"

"My car's parked right over there. I can drive you over, if that would help?"

Duo shook his head. "Naw, thanks though. It's lab class and I don't have any of my stuff. Shit." He seemed to come to terms with it fairly quickly, though, Heero was glad to see. "Oh, well. This wouldn't be the first time, or the second, or third. I'm not really cut out for the academic life."

"Do you need a degree?"

"To run a ship? Not in the least. I read books and have learned more oceanography than the students know taking the trips. I just... well, I was told it would make me a smarter person."

"You are one of the brightest people I've met," Heero said. "I doubt a degree will make much of a difference, unless you think you're missing out."

"You're right; at least, that's what I've been thinking. I'd been letting... others... decide what I should or shouldn't do for a while. Personally, I'd like to stick with the ship and that business... travel some and forget college."

"You could always go back to classes at a later time, if you found that you'd missed out not having the degree."

Duo smiled. "I like your way of thinking, 'Ro. I've pushed myself too much to fit other folk's ideas of what I ought to be doing while trying to do what I wanted. I'm worn out going in too many directions at once. I think today's the day to fix all that. I'll quit the school part, for starters."

"Wait! I might be wrong, just as wrong as anyone else. Maybe you should think about this before you do something-"

"-Rash?" Duo chuckled. "Heero. I've been thinking about this for weeks, trying to talk myself into taking some action. It been so great having someone to bounce ideas off of that isn't judging me, you know? I appreciate that more than you can guess. My point being that I didn't just jump to some sudden conclusion."

Heero felt relieved. "Good."

Duo patted him on the back and Heero felt the tingling thrill of it all up and down his spine. "I will take you up on that ride, though, if it's for real? I wanna drop the classes I just registered for while I can get my money back."

"No... problem," Heero managed to say, caught breathless. Ride...

"So, did you graduate?" Duo asked as they leashed their dogs and prepared to walk to Heero's car.

"Not from college," Heero's lips curved up. "Police academy and then I was recruited immediately into Preventers."

"Whoa! I bet that doesn't happen all that often."

Heero shook his head. "Not often."

"You must have been pretty exceptional."

And still am! "My adopted father at the time was a doctor and was determined for me to go to the best school. I disappointed him when I chose to become a cop like the man who'd raised me."

"Who... was also not your father?" Duo guessed.

"Correct. I never knew my birth parents, but the man who took me in after they died was a close friend of theirs. He was a New York City cop."

"Ah, so that's where you got that idea in your head?"

"It's likely. He died in a firefight that made headline news and the fact that he was leaving behind a child drew a lot of attention. A man... a doctor... contacted protective services and... I had a new life."

"Lucky you! Adopted twice and by a doctor?"

That wasn't what he'd expected Duo to say. "Not really as special as it sounds-"

"I never knew my parents either, but I grew up in an orphanage."

"No one adopted you?" Heero could not believe no one would want a cute kid like him—like he must have been ten years ago.

"Nope. I was in the last year I could remain there, when I got interned with Howard's Sweepers—now that's where Lady Luck came in!"

"Here's my car. Dogs in back." Doors were opened and dogs tucked in first. Heero admired him even more. He'd come so far all on his own! "More than luck, I'd say. You are smart and have a vision for your future."

Duo slipped into the passenger seat and turned to face Heero. "Yeah, I do and it's getting clearer. This has been great talking with you."

Heero agreed. "I've enjoyed it, too."

"Yeah," Duo chuckled into his hand. "I'll bet. You don't strike me as the chatty type."

That brought a smile to Heero's lips again. "I'm not, as a rule (but it's been getting easier with you). I think Quatre is the only other person I've told about my past. Oh, that does remind me of one thing I intended to say."

"Ye-es?"

"Quatre, you met him before—"

"The blond friend with the little... Sand Flea."

"Yes, him. He's having a party, at his house, a small one—ah the party's small, not his house. It's this weekend, Saturday evening. He asked me to pass the invitation on to you, if I saw you."

"Saturday? Sounds okay to me. You going to be there?"

"Yes. And you can bring your, ah, housemate."

To Heero's despair, Duo brightened. "Great. He needs to get out and socialize more- talk about anti-social. Not a psychopath!" he added quickly with a smile meant, Heero figured, to be reassuring. "Just... a loner. Great, great... um... where is it we're going?"

"It's complicated. I can text you directions and the time."

"Um, you could if I had a phone. Phone over board, heh, heh... yeah. I haven't replaced it. Well, um, taking care of that later on. So, ah, here lemme give you 'Fei's number. You can leave a message on with him... yeah...you can send all the info there, and he'll get back to me."

"Fey," Heero repeated. So, the boyfriend had a name, albeit an odd and whimsical one. "He's... the one that met you at the dock?"

"Did he? I guess he did. He would. He's pretty great that way. Reliable and steady."

So am I, Heero thought to himself. "I-I'll call, then when I know more and send the address."

"Cool." Duo directed him to a handy drop-off place and thanked him again for the ride and invitation.

With a promise to "see you Saturday", he sat and watched as Duo and Sky trotted past the square outside the Administration building. When the last of the long, brown braid had passed out of sight, he picked up his phone and stared at it. "Just get it over with."

He picked out the address and directions, made up a time, and paused before pressing "send". "I should call him and invite him personally." He'd get to meet this 'Fei chap on Saturday. Wonderful.

No. Not wonderful. He felt sick. He'd call later then.

He didn't even notice when Wing scampered from the backseat and into his arms. Heero knew he was in full-blown love. However was he going to get by without Duo in his life?

"What am I going to do?"

TBC

Chapter 4

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