July 28, 2000
Wow...we're just working on a lot of stuff together lately...
Feedback appreciated but, as always, not necessary.
Inspired by the TLC song "What About Your Friends"
Warnings: Yaoi, angst, prejudice and hatred, severe OOCness
Notes: We, unfortunately, have experience with this problem.
::shrugs:: Makes it easier and harder to write, I guess.
AKL and BCW
Heero's hand tightened imperceptibly on Duo's under the table. Duo could see how nervous the Japanese boy was in the slight sheen of moisture covering what could be seen of his forehead through his messy bangs. Across the table, Quatre and Trowa were engaged in another deep conversation.
"To friends," Quatre said suddenly, raising his glass of red wine. Trowa followed suit, lifting his glass and nodding at Heero and Duo. Duo could feel the tension seep from his lover's shoulders; it was almost like a silent blessing. "To friends," they echoed quietly, Wufei's absence conspicuous.
"We have something to tell you," Duo said quietly after a moment. "The war's over, and there's no reason to hide it--" He smiled as he felt Heero squeeze his knee gently. "Heero and I are lovers. We have been since the war."
Quatre's cheerful face froze in shock. "You...?" Trowa said nothing, but avoided looking at them. It was much different from the open-arms joy they had been hoping for. "You and Heero?" Duo's heart was slowly sinking in his chest.
"That's--oh Duo!" His lip curled. There was a cold light to his eyes now. "Duo...how could you? And Heero!" He looked angrily at the Japanese boy. "You and Relena! What did she say?"
"Relena and I were never together," Heero said quietly, fury growing in the pit of his stomach. Suddenly, the cozy Italian restaurant seemed too crowded. "Why can't you just accept--"
"Accept that two of the people I entrusted my life to are homosexual deviants?" His voice was slowly growing louder; Duo recognized the tone. It was the voice of Father Maxwell when he found Duo and one of the older boys kissing in the closet. It was the voice of the zealous religious devotee, the unswaying faith of thousands years come back to haunt them. "Never."
"Trowa!" Duo looked hopefully at the brown-haired boy. "I thought you and Quatre--"
"No." His voice was dead. "You thought wrong, Duo. Perhaps it is best that you leave now." His eyes softened a fraction as he saw a strange glazed look come over Duo's violet eyes. Maybe he thought the braided man was about to cry.
"I think it is," Heero snapped, pulling Duo into the warmth of his arms. "I would have expected better from both of you." With that, they left the room with their heads held high, ignoring the angry and disgusted looks that other patrons shot them.
They walked in silence for a long time. Finally, Duo said, "I never thought they would have the same reaction as Wufei. Quatre...he always seemed so nice..."
"He is nice," whispered Heero, barely able to keep the bitterness from his voice, "to those who fit inside his definition of normal. He can't help the way he is." It went unsaid that by the same token, neither could they help falling in love.
Duo nodded, and buried his face in the sleeve of his leather jacket for a long moment, as if he were trying to contain tears. When his head finally emerged from the folds of material, his eyes were cold and dry. "So here we are. The end of the war. We've got all the money a country could want, and not a single ally in as many people. Looks like we're on our own, now."
"Looks like it." Heero kissed Duo's hair lightly, inhaling deeply. "Think we can do it?"
"We'll have to," replied the American. There was no other option; the only people they could depend on were each other. It was a lonely position to be in.
They strode, arm in arm, a two-man army against the world, pretending not to care when a mother snatched her child from in off the streets, pretending not to hear the hisses and catcalls.
"I love you, you know," Heero said in a voice so low Duo almost missed it. He smiled, unable to summon up his usual cry of pleasure or loud, raucous laugh. He watched, jealousy burning his insides, as two women stopped and checked out Heero's body. He could easily have anyone; both of them could.
"I know," said Duo, and he meant it. That time there was no need to pretend. "I love you too."
Bianca and Ariana
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