26-Mar-2005
Title: This Far
Author: Mookie
Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: G
Warnings: implied shonen ai, ficlet
Notes: Birthday gift for Link Worshiper. Loosely based on Billy Joel's The Longest Time.
It had been such a small thing.
If the Apple of Discord had led to the Trojan War, it shouldn't have been surprising that such a simple act could have the consequences it did, even years later.
Heero continued searching for shuttle departure times on his computer. Would have, could have, should have. He might have acted rashly many times in the past, but overall, could he honestly say he regretted everything he'd ever done?
Regret not the things you've done, but those you haven't done.
He clicked on Book Flight, slung his jacket over his shoulder, and shut off the light. He didn't even hear the door as he pulled it shut behind him.
When Duo opened the door, he'd expected to find another of the religious nuts in the neighborhood bent on converting him to The One True Savior. His favorite had been the duet of well-dressed-but-not-too-well-dressed young men wearing tags that proclaimed their rank as "elders", warning him about the impending end of the world.
He'd laughed a good long time after they'd gone.
He hadn't expected to find Heero Yuy standing in his doorway, arms crossed and shoulder against the wall as if he'd been waiting there all day. He stepped back into his apartment and ushered Heero in with a grand sweeping gesture.
Heero walked three paces into the room and turned, recrossing his arms and waiting for Duo to shut the door. Duo raised an eyebrow at his guest and folded his own arms, tucking the fingers of his left hand under his armpit. There was no point wasting time. When Heero Yuy had a bee in his bonnet, small talk wasn't an option.
"What's on your mind?"
Heero shifted his weight and let his arms drop to his sides. "I believe in repaying my debts."
Duo blinked, then ran a hand through his bangs. "And this has to do with me why exactly?" He shoved the fingers of his other hand in his pocket, his thumb hooking over the stitching.
"You gave me something," Heero said, his voice warring with his expression for holy-shit intensity. "And I never returned it."
"Ah, Heero," Duo said, raising one arm in a shrug. "You don't have to."
"I know." Heero took two steps closer. "But I want to."
Before Duo could reassure Heero that was completely unnecessary, Heero had taken that last step and wrapped both arms around Duo in a hug that took Duo's breath away.
Heero's heartbeat was racing against his own. One of Duo's arms was trapped, but he let the other fall around Heero's shoulder, sliding his fingers into the hair at his nape.
It had been an impulsive thing back then, just a one-armed "hey buddy, we did it" gesture, and he'd pulled his arm away just as quickly. He'd almost forgotten about it.
But, as they'd all learned, almost wasn't the same as actually doing.
Heero's breath was warm against his neck and he rubbed his hand up and down over what little of Heero's back he could reach.
He wondered if Heero would mind if he requested repayment with interest.
The End
(:./mookie/thisfar)
