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"Romance 101"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: R Warnings: Post War Cannon, Sapp, fluff Pairings: 1x2 Summary: Ther Preventer shrink suggests Hirro needs to get out and date. Hirro enlists Duo's help and ends up discovering something else about himself. "Romance 101" “Hey, Hiiro.” “Hn.” Duo watched while his partner hung his coat over the back of his chair instead of on the coat rack and sat, not in the chair but on the edge of his desk where he proceeded to place one foot in his chair and stare out the slender window beside their office door. “Um… everything ok?” the longhaired boy asked sipping his cold coffee and making a sour face but Hiiro was so distracted he didn’t even notice. “Have you seen Dr. Atmon this month?” he asked getting up to pace to the window. “Uh…no,” Duo replied eyeing his cold coffee disdainfully before setting it as far out of reach as he could. “Why? Did something happen at your session?” Dr. Atmon was the psychiatrist that had been appointed to help Preventer agents who had participated in the wars to integrate into a world of regulated peace keeping ideas. Everyone that contributed to the war effort was invited to participate but the five youngest and most involved were Hiiro and his teenage friends. Having lost most of their childhood to their convictions each had readily agreed to the ‘training’ the good doctor was able to provide. Hiiro, like his teammates, had found the sessions both educational and enlightening gaining a wealth of knowledge about how ‘normal’ people lived. It was a time he usually looked forward to but that mornings meeting had left him ill at ease. Hiiro paused a moment in which Duo steadied himself upon seeing the way his spine stiffened and the muscles in his arms tensed. He was prepared for the worse, ready to help his friend over the nightmares or stand by his side in the event of a dire mission but nothing could have prepared him for the words his partner spoke. “I am to investigate the… opposite sex.” When the cloud cleared from Duo’s mind he had but one reply, “Why?” “Dr. Atmon appears to believe that my lack of interest in romance may be due to unfamiliarity,” the Japanese boy explained turning to face him and for the first time Duo saw true apprehension in his eyes. “Has he ever spoken to you about such things?” Hiiro asked hopefully. “Naw, man,” Duo replied only distantly aware of the disappointment in his partners expression. “Then why would he instruct me to carry out such a ridiculous mission?” Hiiro grumbled going back to his chair. “I guess he figures I’m good on that front,” Duo chuckled letting the shock dissipate and finding the situation rather amusing. “Hey,” he soothed. “It’s no big deal. I mean, I talk about girls all the time when I meet with him so he probably figures I’m ok where they’re concerned.” “But you don’t date,” Hiiro pointed out. “No,” Duo snorted. “But not for lack of options. I think he just wants you to consider all the paths open to you,” he shrugged. “Romance was not a consideration in my training,” Hiiro grumbled taking up the coffee cup on the edge of where his desk sat beside Duo’s. “No problem,” Duo grinned laughing so hard his side hurt when Hiiro spit the cold coffee halfway across the room. “A..ll we have to do… is find you a girl,” he giggled dodging the crumpled Styrofoam cut that came sailing his way. “I do not enjoy socializing,” the Japanese boy reminded him. “So,” Duo chortled, “We just have to find you a girl you can tolerate.” “You’re the only human I can tolerate,” Hiiro smirked wiping the yuck from the corner of his mouth while Duo smirked back. “That attitude is probably exactly why the Doc wants you to look deeper into the matter,” the longhaired boy reasoned. “I’ve never even given any thought.” “Yeah, well,” Duo replied picking up the phone, “Everyone’s got to start somewhere… Hi, Cheri?... Hey, you wouldn’t be free for lunch today would you?” Hiiro went paler with ever word which made Duo’s grin widen. “Cool, can you grab Susan or Mill? Hiiro’s coming along so… great! We’ll drop by your office and pick you up around one… ok… see ya then.” Hiiro stared hard as Duo hung up the phone but the braided boy simply smiled. It was so comical the way Hiiro suddenly couldn’t seem to perform even the simplest tasks. Duo found his uncertainty most endearing nurturing it until Hiiro almost called their lunch date off. By the time they went to pick the girls up Hiiro had sulled up to the point of not speaking at all and Duo was automatically placing himself between his partner and any random people they encountered to stave off the low growls that kept escaping Hiiro’s throat. “Relax,” he chuckled just outside Cheri’s door. “They’re just girls right?” “Girls have been the cause of more than one war,” Hiiro deadpanned. “It’s just lunch, Hiiro,” Duo sighed straightening his partners tie. “She’s a fellow agent so you at least have that in common.” Hiiro appeared to have something to say to that but held his tongue and nodded instead. Duo smiled proudly then turned to knock. “Hi, Duo!” Cheri smiled happily when they entered. “Hey, Mill,” the long haired boy smiled at the other girl who was darker haired than Cheri who he went to greet. “You know Hiiro don’t you?” “Of course,” Mill smiled albeit a tad nervously. “Are we ready then?” Duo pressed on making way for the girls to go first. Hiiro followed his lead watching his behavior very closely until Duo flashed him a scolding glare that reminded him he was supposed to be paying attention to Mill. He had no idea what to do or say however, so his mind kept drifting back to Duo to see how he was interacting with Cheri. It was so odd how the young woman, who, he noted, was actually several years Duo’s senior but that appeared to matter little to her, kept giggling at the strangest things. He saw nothing particularly amusing about what his partner was saying but she continually giggled which for some unknown reason appeared to amuse Mill because she was doing it too. He watched Duo help Cheri with her chair and copied the action noting Mill’s grateful smile though he was uncertain what she should be grateful for. Duo helped her pick out what she would eat then waved down a waitress to take their order telling her what he and Cheri wanted then turning expectantly to Hiiro. “The chicken salad is very good here,” Hiiro told his impromptu date who beamed happily and nodded. “Two chicken salads,” he told the waitress feeling a small swelling of pride when he caught the smile on Duo’s lips. Everything was going fairly well in spite of Hiiro’s lack of articulate interjection until another of their co-workers happened by. His name was Bert and his presence made Cheri roll her eyes but she offered a tolerate smile when he stopped to speak to them just the same. “I didn’t think you guy’s ate lunch,” Bert chuckled to the two boys but his eyes were aimed down Cheri’s shirt. “Yeah, well,” Duo grinned, “The turnips under my desk were still a little green.” Cheri and Mill giggled cutely at the comment though Bert appeared less than amused. “Are you guys…together?” he asked on a sneaking suspicion. “Yes,” Cheri informed him haughtily. “Now, if you’ll excuse is we’d like to finish our lunch.” “Are you serious?” Bert chortled making Hiiro’s left temple throb and Duo’s hand rest on his partner’s leg under the table soothingly. “But… isn’t he a little young for you?” “It ain’t the years,” Duo grinned suddenly producing a shimmering silver blade that danced and spun so quickly in his hand Bert barely had time to register what it was before it disappeared and Duo smiled. “It’s the mileage.” “Duo has more experience than anyone else on the force,” Cheri beamed. “’Cept him,” Duo grinned tilting his head toward Hiiro. Bert took one look at the scowl on the Japanese boy’s brow and quickly excused himself. It was a bit annoying actually but the girls were even more giddy after this incident than before leaving Hiiro to wonder after their sanity when Mill laughed when he asked Duo if they would be sharing the check. Duo’s amusement was easy to understand, he knew Hiiro was out of his element but what the girl found funny was beyond him. They returned to Preventer’s headquarters’ in good time where Duo expertly evaded committing to a second date that weekend with Cheri. Hiiro, however, intended to make the most of the situation and pursue the path Dr. Atmon had prescribed. “Shall we go to my apartment now?” he asked Mill as they neared Cheri’s office. “Wha…?” the girl laughed unsteadily. “I… what do you mean?” “Intimacy at the office is against regulation,” he explained to his now gaping lunch date. “I live close by so it wouldn’t…” PIYAH! Duo’s jaw hung slack as the girl marched away leaving Hiiro Yui with a stinging hand print on one cheek and a flaming blush on the other. “Um… would you excuse us a minute?” the longhaired boy said to the stunned Cheri before marching his bewildered partner down the hall. “What in the hell was that?!” he exclaimed the moment they were safely in their own office. “Apparently, I offended her in some way,” Hiiro replied. “Of course you did!” Duo groaned. “I can’t believe you asked her to shack up on the first date.” “That’s wrong,” Hiiro noted. “You think?” Duo snorted. Hiiro thought for a moment before asking, “How many dates should there be before sex is achieved? Duo stared until he felt his legs bump his chair then fell into it and stared some more. “You… are you looking to… get laid?” “Dr. Atmon said it was a natural desire for an eighteen year old boy,” Hiiro reasoned. “I thought you wanted to explore a relationship,” Duo grumbled. “Is that necessary?” “Well, not for the mechanic’s sake but most people prefer to at least know the person before they go jumping into bed with them!” Duo growled. “There’re little things like affection and attraction to be…” “I know what attraction is!” Hiiro snapped. “Have you ever felt it?!” Duo countered. “N…” Hiiro began stalling when he looked into his partners eyes. “No,” he finished turning away petulantly. “Not for a girl.” “Well, if all you want is to bounce some bimbo between the sheets then count me out!” Duo grumbled crossing his arms. “I’m not into that whole casual sex scene. If you’re going to sleep with someone it should be someone you have an interest in beyond how round her rump is.” “Like who!” Hiiro grumped. “There’s got to be someone you like,” Duo groused. “I can count the people I respect enough to like on one hand,” Hiiro told him sternly. “And out of those four you’re the only one I can stand to be around for more than a couple of hours!” he fumed. “I don’t know,” he sighed heavily letting go of much of his frustration along with it. “Maybe there really is something wrong with me.” Duo sat so quietly for so long he finally turned to see what was wrong and was taken aback by the cold cocked expression lingering on Duo’s face. “Duo?” “You…” the braided boy began but had to stop and clear his throat when it came out two octaves higher than it should’ve. “You wouldn’t want to uh… maybe,” he said averting his eyes in favor of tracing patterns on the arm of his chair as he asked, “You know…go out with me?” Hiiro brow knit, his lack of a verbal rebut calling Duo’s attention and slowly his eyes rolled up to meet Hiiro’s. “You would… consider that?” he asked almost as shakily as Duo. “Well,” Duo shrugged fighting off a dangerous hue in his skin. “Not all guys are attracted to girls,” he reasoned. “So I thought maybe…” “Is dinner tonight all right?” Hiiro smiled. “Are you going to put the move on me too?” the longhaired boy giggled but it was much more affective than when the girls had done it leaving Hiiro feeling giddy and bright. “Is that possible?” he grinned. “Not on the first date, Yui,” Duo laughed tossing a paper wad at him. ** “Come in, Hiiro,” Dr. Atmon smiled admitting one of his most interesting subjects. “Please, sit down. Make yourself comfortable.” “Thank you,” Hiiro replied unable to hide the smile in the corner of his mouth. It peeked out just enough to gain the doctors attention bringing a bright smile to his lips as he asked, “Well, now. Please tell me about your progress since last month. Have you met any nice girls?” “No,” Hiiro reported bringing a disappointed shadow to his eyes until his smile got the better of him and blossomed full force. “But I did discover that I’m gay,” he informed his suddenly animated councilor who was scribbling notes as quickly as he could. Hiiro went on to explain that he was now happily dating someone very special and had explored intimacy with him on every level imaginable. The details were held silently in his heart but he explained that his relationship had blossomed and grown far beyond any expectations he might have had. He’d found his mate and when the doctor advised against making such hasty decisions Hiiro informed him that he was well acquainted with his lover having known him for a very long time before the opportunity arose for them to explore the deeper meaning of their feelings. Dr. Atmon was thrilled to hear that Hiiro’s new lover was as head over heels in love as he was and they were already talking about moving in together. It was good to know he had found that last piece of the puzzle and that he had in some way helped to further the savior of Earth’s healing. He was left with an entire new chapter to write in Hiiro’s file and the confidence to move on to his next endeavor. ** “Hey, Doc!” Duo grinned bounding into the overstuffed couch in Dr. Atmon’s office. “Hello, Duo,” the man smiled. “Why so glum?” the braided boy asked. “Duo,” he began taking his seat. “There’s something I wish to discuss with you.” “Shoot.” “It’s about the numerous women you mention. Perhaps it would be productive if you were to chose one girl and explore…” “Oh, I’ve already got that covered,” Duo smiled. “But it ain’t a girl,” he went on watching with delight as the doctor’s eyes slowly widened, “And you don’t need to give me the sex talk either,” he chuckled eyeing the man’s hand as it went for his pen. “He rocks my world every chance he gets.” Dr. Atmon put pen to paper and began the new chapter in Duo’s file wishing with all his soul he could publish his work or at the very least… write a best selling novel. owari :)
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