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"Epiphany "Written By: Mookie Second place story in the Moments of Rapture Fall 2003 contest. Disclaimer: I don't really need to be Captain Obvious here, do I? No ownership, no money being made. Written for fun, not profit. Warnings: AU, shounen ai, some strong language Pairings: 1x2 Spoilers: None
"Epiphany"
Part II The rule of friendship means there should be mutual
sympathy between them, each supplying what the other lacks and trying
to benefit the other, always using friendly and sincere words. And what a delight it is to make friends with someone
you have despised. ~~~~~~ "The 'Prodigal Son' returns, eh?" Duo said, nudging Heero with an elbow as he pointed to a brown-haired young man standing in line at the registrar's office. Heero's eyes didn't leave the transfer student. The brunette thanked the woman at the desk, glanced at his schedule, and tucked it into the folder he was holding. His eyes met Heero's. Duo looked from one to the other as the new student walked over to them. Heero spoke first. "Hello, Trowa." ~~~~~~ "Heero Yuy, how the hell do you know Trowa Barton?" They were in their junior year, and had moved to the upperclassman dorm. The difference with these dorms was that there were three bedrooms, a common area, and a bathroom, shared among six students, rather than all students on the same floor sharing one bathroom. "We were in band camp together," Heero said in a blase tone. "Oh, you are so not getting away with that ridiculous story," Duo huffed. "You can do better than that, you know. I'll find out, even if I have to ask Trowa myself." "Ask me what?" Duo looked up at Trowa, who seemed much taller in the confines of the sitting room than he had earlier that day. Duo recovered quickly. "How do you know Heero?" "Band camp," Trowa answered easily, smiling at Heero. "No. No, no, no," Duo said, holding his head in his hands. "I don't believe it." "Believe what?" a third voice chimed in. Duo's eyebrows rose sharply. He looked from the door to Heero, who was not at all surprised to see Quatre Winner dump a suitcase on the floor near the couch. Duo noticed the sudden tensing of Quatre's shoulders, and Trowa turned to face the newcomer. "Quatre." "Trowa." Quatre's voice was cold. "What, am I the only one here who has never met Trowa?" Duo said, throwing his hands in the air. "We've never met," Trowa said evenly. "Then how-" Duo stopped as Quatre turned on his heel and marched back out the door. He looked at Heero helplessly, but his friend only shrugged. "Damn it!" Duo said, then he stormed out the door after the blond. "Does he know?" Trowa asked. "Which one?" "Either." "Duo knows I have 'family' but not who that family is. He knows that I have a rather eclectic collection of talents." "Would that be the ballroom dancing, the fencing, your knowledge of many languages?" "All of the above, and a few that he doesn't know about." "Heero, he won't hold your money against you, you know." "He did when it was-" Heero bit his lip. "When it was Quatre." Trowa sighed. "Heero, it's nothing. He blames our family for his father's death, because of that expose Father wrote." "He's not my father," Heero reminded him. "Fine, fine. Still, Heero, he tried to do right by you. Our family isn't perfect, but is anyone?" "No," Heero admitted, bowing his head. "I'm sorry. I did not expect you, otherwise I would not have suggested to Quatre that he try to get a room in this suite." "I know, Heero. Don't worry about it. We were going to have to have this show down sooner or later. I agree, the magazine never should have published the slanderous article on the Winner Corporation, but you know Father. He always put sales over taste." "And that is different how?" Trowa laughed. "OK, I know. Tabloids are, by definition, tasteless. That's why Winner never should have let it get to him. Quatre can't seriously go on thinking that the Tattler is responsible for his father's accident." "Was it an accident?" "Heero, I am sure I am going to be dealing with this for the entire semester. I don't need your speculation on top of everything else, just because your mother didn't tell Father she was pregnant before he proposed." "He should have known!" Heero bit out. "How, Heero? Tell me that!" "He had responsibilities!" "Heero, we all have responsibilities. You sound like Quatre now. People have to start shouldering the burdens that their actions have gained them. I could easily blame you for the way Father expected me to excel at everything. It wasn't easy following in your shadow, you know." "So how is YOUR little defection any different from mine?" "It's not, Heero," Trowa sighed. "Look, I covered for you with your roommate. Duo, his name is? But he's going to feel hurt if he finds out on his own." "Our relationship has nothing to do with Duo." "Heero, there you go again. What happened to the kid who went with his gut reaction? Damn it, Heero, you used to do things without analyzing them to death. Don't you think that Duo would feel he did something wrong, that you wouldn't want to confide in him? I assume he's the 'best friend' Father told me about." "It was a mistake to say anything to that man. He hates me." "Heero," Trowa said, rubbing his eyes and moving to the couch, wincing as his foot hit Quatre's suitcase. "He took you in and pretended to the world that you were his son. Isn't that enough?" "I never knew my father!" "What do you need to know? Father could have found out if you'd really wanted to know who Ichiro Yuy was, but you preferred the fantasy to the reality, didn't you?" He watched his stepbrother's hands as they clenched and unclenched, and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder. "Hiroshi," Trowa said quietly, causing Heero's eyes to darken at the use of his given name. "My name is Heero," he said quietly. Trowa removed his hand slowly. "And just who is Heero Yuy?" Trowa got up and walked toward the door. "I'll be back around nine. I need to get some air." He heard Heero's fist hit the wall before he'd finished closing the door. ~~~~~~ "Quatre! Wait up! Shit, Quatre!" Duo ran after the blond, who seemed intent on avoiding him. "Damn it, Quatre, will you please STOP!" Quatre stopped, but he didn't turn around. Duo grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around. "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on? This guy, Trowa Barton, shows up out of nowhere, and suddenly everything is so very wrong." "He killed my father!" "What?" Duo sucked in a breath. Quatre closed his eyes and struggled to compose himself. "Listen, Quat," Duo said. "I think it's time you and I really got to know each other, don't you?" ~~~~~~ "Heero, got a minute?" Heero looked at Duo, then at Trowa and Quatre, who just realized that they were to share a room. "Where are the others?" Heero said, ignoring Duo's question. "Do I look psychic?" Quatre spat, causing Heero to blink in amazement. "Heero, it's kind of important." Heero looked at his best friend, and his features softened slightly. "Duo." Duo glanced at the other two, and said hesitantly, "I was thinking maybe we could go out for pizza, just the two of us? Doesn't have to be pizza, either," he added hastily. Heero grabbed his keys and shoved them in his pocket, walked to the door, and looked at Duo expectantly. "You guys gonna be alright?" Duo asked anxiously, looking from Quatre to Trowa and back. "Quatre and I have a few things to clear up," Trowa said. Quatre nodded slowly. "Hey, Heero," Trowa called just as he and Duo were walking out the door. Heero poked his head back in the doorway. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." ~~~~~~ "So let me get this straight. You and Trowa are brothers." "Half brothers." "So this is the infamous family. Did you really go to band camp together?" Heero leaned back and smiled at his roommate. Duo always had a way of making light of things. "I really don't like to talk about it," he said, and Duo knew he wasn't referring to the band camp cover story. "He must have really loved your mother," Duo said, toying with his napkin and watching Heero out of the corner of his eye. "What makes you say that?" "He forgave her." Heero looked skeptical. "Heero," Duo sighed. "I don't like to talk about my family much, either, because I really didn't feel I had one. Let me tell you, joint custody sucks. I felt like neither of them really wanted me, but they didn't want the other to have custody. Maybe they did, but that's how it felt when I was growing up. And then my dad moved out of state, and that meant a whole new custody battle. I think army brats got to spend more time in one place than I did. Made it hard to make friends." Heero's eyes widened, and Duo's face flushed slightly. "So don't get all puffed up, just because you're my first real friend, ya know. I just wanted you to know that." "You...you were my first friend, Duo." Duo's eyes met Heero's, and neither said anything for several moments, then Duo cleared his throat. "So, the Barton family, who churns out the Tattler, accused Quatre's dad of unscrupulous business practices. In turn, the man gets in his car, red with rage, crashes into a warehouse, and the thing explodes. Quatre blames the entire family, especially Trowa, who he sees as the heir." "Trowa is the heir," Heero said. "I am not a Barton." Duo waved his hand. "Doesn't matter, it's what Quat perceives. I'd have hated to be part of that media circus. Man, Heero, this is like some really bad B-movie, ya know. Who would play you in the movie version? Think they'd get anyone to play me? And did you know that Quatre had this slightly obsessive vendetta against your family?" "Yes, I don't know, most certainly, and unfortunately yes." Duo counted on his fingers to match up his responses and grinned. "Aww, that's so sweet, Heero, that I'd be part of this movie deal. I think I'd like some creative input to see who portrayed me." "Duo, it's really not that fantastic, you know." "Oh, but it is. Tell me you wouldn't think so if you were in my shoes." "What if Trowa and I were half-brothers and my father got killed overseas, and his father worked in a shoe store, and Quatre's father was accused of infidelity, and he was cleaning his gun and accidentally shot himself in the head. Would this story seem so far-fetched then?" "Well, no, not really. Damn, Heero, but that's not what happened, ya know?" "It is, if you think about it. It's just that Quatre's family and mine and Trowa's are wealthy, and therefore of interest to the proletariat." Duo laughed. "I don't think I'll ever tire of hearing you talk, Heero. Think it's safe to go back?" "Maybe the mysterious fifth and sixth roommates have shown up by now." "Well, all that we're missing now is a prince of an overthrown country and maybe a porn star, what do you think?" ~~~~~~ "What is your problem?" Quatre was yelling as Duo and Heero returned to their room. "I don't have a problem," a dark-haired boy they didn't recognize replied. "My roommate backed out, and unless there is someone who requests a transfer, I get the room to myself for the duration of the semester. I would not expect you to give up the room if you were in my place." "But you don't understand," Quatre was very close to whining. "If you do not wish to share with him, then perhaps you should have Mommy and Daddy pay for a single for you," the other student sneered. Quatre lunged for his throat, but was held back by Trowa. "Let GO, Trowa, or so help me, I'll..." "Um, hello? What's going on?" Trowa pulled Quatre back and motioned for Heero to move between them and the new boy. "This is Wufei, he has Room C. His roommate withdrew this morning. Quatre here expects him to move in with me." "Or with me! I just can't room with you!" He turned to Duo. "Duo..." "No, sorry, Heero and I go way back," Duo said, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "I'm the only one who knows that he sucks his thumb in his sleep, ya know." He looked at Heero apologetically as Heero glared at him. "Quatre," Trowa sighed. "There's nothing that can be done about it tonight. Unless you want to sleep on that couch." Quatre marched into their room, slamming the door behind him. Trowa sighed, looked at Duo and Heero, then opened the door and entered, shutting the door quietly behind him. "Uh, I'm Duo, this is Heero?" Wufei glanced at them both, nodded curtly, and went into his room. "Just you and me, babe," Duo quipped. Heero rolled his eyes and walked into the center bedroom. ~~~~~~ "Oh, shit, TROWA!" Heero's eyes, which had snapped open as he heard the crash in the next room, widened before he threw himself out of bed and slammed the door open. "'ro?" Duo asked, blinking at the open door. "Trowa." Quatre was kneeling on the floor next to Trowa, patting his cheeks and pushing his hair out of his eyes. "Quatre." Heero's voice was like ice. Quatre didn't seem to notice. "Heero! Trowa, he-" Heero grabbed him and turned him around then pulled his fist back. Before he could land the punch, Duo was grabbing his arm from behind with both hands. "Heero! Quat, what the hell?" "It's Trowa!" "You did something," Heero growled. "I'll kill you..." Duo shivered. "Heero, come on, calm down." "I am calm." "No, no you're not. You sound calm, but you're far from calm. Come on." Quatre was back on the floor next to Trowa. "Kill me later, but I think Trowa might have a concussion or something." Duo sighed in relief as he felt the muscles in Heero's arm relax. Heero joined Quatre next to Trowa. "Flashlight?" Quatre reached into the top drawer of the nightstand behind Trowa and handed him the light. Heero shined it in Trowa's eyes, then flicked it off, then he checked the pulse in Trowa's neck. "You're lucky, Winner," he growled. Quatre swallowed visibly. "I'm sorry," he said. "Ok, guys," Duo said, placing a hand on Heero's shoulder. "Let's get Trowa cleaned up." Heero and Quatre brought Trowa's limp body to the couch, and Quatre sat with him, holding his hand while Heero got the first aid kit from the bathroom. "Thanks," he said quietly, reaching for the warm washcloth that Heero handed him. "So, Quat," Duo's voice broke the silence that followed. "Care to explain the shiner Tro here has?" "I hit him," Quatre said, sounding every bit as miserable as he looked. Duo gripped Heero's elbow slightly and let go. "I didn't mean to hurt him!" His eyes pleaded with Heero. At Heero's look of disbelief, he said, "I did, but not like this!" "Let me guess, he fell and hit his head on the nightstand," Duo supplied. "Yes," Quatre whispered. Heero ran a hand through his hair. "You're lucky I like you, Winner," he finally said, then returned to his room. Duo watched Quatre as he patted the cut on Trowa's forehead gently, then noticed that Quatre was still holding Trowa's hand. "I really am sorry, Duo," Quatre said, looking up at Duo. He looked ten years older. Trowa's eyes twitched beneath their lids, and Duo caught a glimpse of green. Duo fought the grin that struggled to surface, and cleared his throat. "Well, Quat, you really should be telling Trowa that." "I know." Quatre closed his eyes for a moment. "I just...we just... after you guys left..." The corners of Trowa's mouth started to quirk slightly. Duo might not have noticed it if he weren't so used to Heero's subtle signs of amusement. "What, did you guys get down and dirty or something?" "NO! It wasn't like that! I didn't even kiss him!" Quatre closed his eyes again, looking like he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him. "Say no more, Quatre, say no more, I think I'm gonna go to bed now." "Duo..." "Stay with Tro and make sure he's going to be alright. Maybe you guys should stay here until he regains consciousness. Heero seems to think he'll be OK, and I've seen people in worse shape after fights, so I'd have to agree." "Thanks, Duo, even though you probably should have let Heero pound me into next Tuesday." "Quatre Winner, are you using slang?" Quatre smiled weakly. "Good night, Duo." Duo closed his door quietly behind him, and crept to his bed as quietly as he could. "Why do you look so damn happy?" "Ah, Heero, I knew you wouldn't be sleeping yet." "Then why are you creeping around like you broke curfew?" "I dunno. Habit, I guess. Listen, I think those two will be OK now." "You know something." "I don't know a thing." Duo stressed the word 'know' slightly. Heero grunted. "I don't suck my thumb." Duo laughed. A pounding on the wall next to him cut into his laughter. "SHUT UP IN THERE!" ~~~~~~ "I will never call you antisocial again, Heero," Duo pronounced, scowling after their new suitemate as Wufei walked away. "Not everyone wants to partake in school activities, Duo." "Yeah, but we've lived together for an entire semester. He's the last one to turn 21. We should go out and celebrate that." He glared at Heero. "Of course, YOU turned 21 last year and neglected to mention it." "You were still only twenty, Duo, where would we have gone?" Duo blew his bangs out of his face. "Yeah, well..." He brightened. "Hey, Heero!" Heero closed his eyes briefly. "If you can't get Mohammed to the mountain..." ~~~~~~ "Duo, is there anyone that you didn't invite?" "It's a small, INTIMATE gathering, Trowa. I know that I'm vastly popular, but this place isn't exactly stadium sized." He eyed the green-eyed boy speculatively. "Ya know, I think I'm liking the new hairdo. You should thank Quatre for belting you." In an attempt to hide as much of the bruising as possible, Trowa had taken to combing his bangs straight and letting them fall over his brow. Duo had been shocked at how much hair Trowa had, seeing as the other boy normally slicked it back the way Wufei did. "Bangs are a good look for you." A knock at the door interrupted his harassment of Trowa, and he bounded to the door. "Lena, babe, nice to see you!" "We're just friends," Heero said to Trowa. Trowa grinned. Duo had been going on and on all week about inviting Heero's girlfriend to the party. "Am I early?" Relena looked around the room. "Nope, it's just six of us, including Wufei," Duo said. "Beer isn't as cheap as we'd like ya know. That's Tro, and you know Heero, of course." Relena moved to greet Heero, joining him on the couch. Trowa was seated on the armchair, and a couple of beanbag chairs were on the floor. Wufei scowled when he saw everyone sitting in the common area, and looked at Duo when he saw the cooler. "Happy Birthday, Wufei!" The dark-haired student surprised them all by seating himself on the floor and crossing his legs. He grabbed a beer from the cooler and used his thumb to pop off the top. "Oh, that's so cool! Can you break bricks with your bare hands, too?" Duo said. "Duo, I am not responsible for any injuries you receive if you continue with the kung fu comments." Wufei jiggled the bottle for emphasis. "So you're really not changing your major after all?" Heero asked Relena. "No," she said, looking a bit sheepish. "I actually found that I LIKE poli sci, can you believe that?" Wufei snorted. "What?" she said, turning to see what had prompted that reaction. "Politicians are masters at double talk," he said. "The fact that you thrive in it tells me a lot about you." "Pray tell, what is YOUR major?" She felt Heero place a hand on her shoulder and squeeze gently. "Criminal justice," Wufei said, his eyes narrowing. Relena made an unladylike snort, but refrained from comment. "If you have something to say, then say it," he growled at her. "No, I have nothing to say," she said, turning back to Heero. Wufei inched closer to the end of the couch. "I want to know what that look is supposed to mean." "'That look?'" she asked innocently. "Yes," he said between clenched teeth. Relena patted Heero on the shoulder and turned to face Wufei, leaning her elbow on the armrest. "That means that you might as well just become a lawyer," she said sweetly. "So, Heero, some party, eh?" Duo said, tumbling over the backside of the couch to land between him and Relena. He handed one of the beers in his hand to Heero. "I'm sorry I'm late!" Quatre's voice was on the other side of the door. They could hear him fumbling for his keys. Trowa got up from the armchair and opened the door, then walked back to the armchair. Quatre looked after him, then noticed Duo's smirking at him. "Well, anyway, I brought refreshments," he offered, holding up a six-pack. Duo was back over the couch in a flash. "Quatre! This stuff isn't even sold in this state because it's like eight percent alcohol!" "Nine," three voices corrected him. Duo looked around. "OK, I see Quatre knowing, but Lena? Wufei?" "Zechs," was all Relena offered. Wufei just smiled and slitted his eyes halfway. Relena watched this for a moment, mouth agape, then started in on a new argument, this time about criminal lawyers. Several hours later found Relena and Wufei still trading barbs, their voices slurring slightly. Quatre had taken a seat in the beanbag chair in front of Trowa's chair and was dozing off. Duo nudged Heero. Quatre was losing the battle against sleep, and his head fell backwards against Trowa's leg. "So, Tro," Duo said. "What do you use to get your hair to stay like that?" Trowa just smiled at him. "Sure you want to know?" "Heero," Duo said, affecting a whine. "Tro is...hey. Tro, Ro. Mind if I call you 'Ro from now on?" he asked Heero. "Mind if I call you 'O?" Heero replied. Trowa snorted. "What?" "Just thinking that it's a great name if you're engaged in..." he waggled his eyebrows. "...strenuous physical activity," he finished, smiling lazily. "Oh? OH!" realization dawned on Duo, and he started laughing. "Damn, Tro, you're a closet pervert." Trowa's smile never slipped, but he stuck out his tongue and touch his nose with the tip. "They are corrupting my morals, 'Ro!" "'O?" "Heero! Cut that out!" ~~~~~~ "So what about love?" Relena pressed. "Love is nothing more than an excuse for one's baser instincts," Wufei scoffed. "My baser instincts don't need any excuse," Trowa commented from his chair. His hand had traveled down to tangle in Quatre's hair sometime during the night. "I will never look at you the same way again," Duo said. "Let me guess, you took lambada lessons with Heero here." "Actually," Heero said. "Cut the shit," Duo said. "This I gotta see-" "You're a coward," Relena told Wufei. "Love is...a very frightening thing. It takes real bravery to confront it head-on." "Ever been in love, Lena?" Duo asked. "Yes," she said. "Or at least, I thought so at the time." No one failed to notice how she glanced at Heero as she spoke. "But then I realized that there are different kinds of love." "There's also responsibility," Heero piped in. "What?" Duo turned to Heero, surprised that his friend was joining this particular conversation. "What people call love is not dictated by logic," Heero explained. "But responsibility, that can be demonstrated much more easily." "Responsibility isn't always logical," Duo pointed out. "Families are responsible for each other's well being," Heero argued. He shot a dark glance at Trowa as the taller boy cleared his throat. "I agree with Heero," Wufei announced. "Responsibility is more meaningful than love." "Men!" Relena said, pulling at her hair. "Hey!" Duo said. "I'm on your side, Lena, don't lump us all together." "You agree with her?" "Sure, why not?" "Duo, that is not logical, you know." "Cut the logic shit, Heero. And you butt out for a minute, Wufei," he said as he noticed the boy on the floor open his mouth. "OK, let me ask you something. How does a computer virus work?" Heero struggled a bit to find the words he wanted, the alcohol making his brain a bit fuzzy. "It's a little program that carries out a specific task. It piggybacks another program and every time that program runs, the virus can reproduce. Shared files can make the problem propagate, and everyone could theoretically end up with it on their computer..." he frowned, not pleased with his explanation. Duo patted him on the leg. "Good enough. Now how does a biological virus work?" "I don't know that, Duo!" "This from the guy who watches the Discovery Channel every night," Duo sighed. "OK, what makes a virus hard to kill?" "Which one?" "Either." "Containment, I guess." "OK. Now what do you know about evolution?" "Eh?" Heero's eyes opened wide. "Ah. Viruses can mutate." "Bingo!" "What the hell are you talking about?" Wufei interjected. "The point I'm trying to make," Duo began, only to be cut off by Heero. "Sometimes no matter what you do to try to combat something, it's capable of changing, making your attack ineffective." "So the term 'love bug' is pretty accurate, wouldn't you say?" Relena started giggling. "She's cut off," Heero said, glaring at Duo. "I win!" Wufei grinned, pointing to the number of empty bottles next to him and then the ones next to Relena. "You guys were competing to see who could put away the most alcohol? I'm...almost proud of that, Wufei." He elbowed Heero, who had started to growl. "Some things can't be explained by science." Everyone turned to look at Quatre. The blond turned and looked up at Trowa, who looked like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Quatre's hand slowly touched the fingers that had been stroking his hair, and he smiled, then promptly passed out. ~~~~~~ "There are no decent apartments in this entire city!" Duo said, crumpling the newspaper in his hand and throwing it on the table dejectedly before walking toward the window. A presence joined him at the window. "Duo, I'm sure something will become available that you'll be able to afford." "Not on an entry level position, that's for sure," Duo complained. "Stranger things have happened," Quatre said softly. "Yeah, I guess so." Duo glanced at his friend's left hand, where the plain gold band glinted in the sun. Trowa had given it to him the night of their graduation. "You're more than welcome to stay here until you find something, you know," Quatre reminded him. "I know, Quatre, but..." Duo didn't want to explain that he felt like he'd be intruding on their honeymoon. They weren't actually married, but they might as well have been. Duo felt a twinge in the region of his heart. Things were never going to be the same. "You know I couldn't stand you when I first saw you?" Duo asked. "Yes, I told Heero that I felt you didn't care for me very much." "I'm sorry, Quatre. Heero was right. He said that although first impressions were often the most important, they weren't always the most accurate. Which is funny coming from a guy who also has a habit of leap first, then look." "You think Heero is like that? I thought you complained that he overthinks things too much." "He taught me a lot, ya know," Duo said, touching the glass with his fingertips. "About myself." ~~~~~~ "What about intuition? What about gut reaction?" "Those are valid points," Heero said agreeably. "Heero," Duo said, taking deep breaths to avoid pulling his hair out. Or Heero's. "You are a walking contradiction, you know. With Quatre, you didn't judge him until you got to know him. Then you were ready to pulverize him when you thought he hurt Trowa. And don't even get me started with Trowa! You guys have a love-hate relationship like no other." "That is common with siblings," Heero said, a smile twitching on his lips. "Then you get all philosophical with man's destiny to repeat mistakes, but you lecture me on making sure I learn from my own mother. And Relena! First you complain that she clings to you like Saran Wrap," Heero snorted at Duo's reminder, "and then you two are like best buddies." "Duo," Heero said, suddenly very serious. "Never doubt that you are my 'best buddy.'" Duo scratched his head nervously. "Let's not get all sappy now." "Sap has nothing to do with it. Duo," he said. "What do people think when they first meet me?" "That you're scary?" "Duo." "And antisocial." "And what did you think when you first met me?" "You didn't talk very much." "And what did I tell you then?" "Yeah, OK, Heero, got it. You showed me plenty of times that you can be quite chatty when a bug bites you in the ass." "What do you think of Quatre?" Heero persisted. "What do YOU think of Quatre?" Duo retaliated. "Quatre is very kindhearted," Heero said. "He was very confused. I think Trowa is good for him." "That's what I mean!" "Duo..." "OK, Heero, how about this one. What did YOU think of ME when we first met?" "I had not yet formed an opinion about you, other than you seemed to look forward to the school year and the social activities." "And now?" Heero looked right at him. Duo felt as though those eyes were looking THROUGH him. He'd never realized how blue Heero's eyes were. How had he known Heero for four years and not even realized the man had blue eyes? "You hide in plain sight," Heero finally announced. Duo didn't have to ask what he meant by that. The only people he felt really comfortable around were Trowa, Quatre, Relena, and even Wufei. And, of course, Heero. ~~~~~~ "I didn't realize it was so obvious that I was putting up a front," Duo said. "Obvious? Duo, it's not at all obvious. You seem very genuine, no matter where you are." "But Heero..." "Duo." Heero's voice came from the doorway. Duo turned, panic stricken, wondering if Heero had heard them talking about him. Not that they were saying anything bad, but it was always awkward if you were discussing someone only to have the topic of discussion arrive unnoticed. "I have something to show you." Heero held out a newspaper, folded to one page. Duo took it and noticed it was the real estate page, with one listing circled. He scanned the description and shook his head. "Heero, there's no way I can afford to buy this condo." "What if..." Heero hesitated. "What if you had a roommate?" Duo felt his smile widen, and he thought his face might split in half. "You and me?" "You've grown on me," Heero said, shrugging. "Oh. My. God." Duo said, waving the paper at Quatre. "Quat, check this out!" He turned to Heero. "Heero, I could kiss you!" "Wow!" Quatre said. "This is awesome! It's really not all that much, either, and a condo isn't a bad idea." "Wait until you see the view," Heero said quietly. Duo beamed at him. "Just let us know if you need any help moving, guys," Quatre was saying, but Duo was too busy thinking of what furniture might look good in their new home, despite the fact that he'd never set foot in it and didn't even know what it looked like. ~~~~~~ |
