Author: hostilecrayon
Pairing: 2+1
Rating: PG
Warnings: Angst
Disclaimer: I own Gundam Wing about as much as I own Gackt. Damn, I wish I owned Gackt. *Drool* ...Um... I mean, you can't own people! It's wrong! And stuff...
Notes: Umm... it was supposed to be 6... yes well... we all know I'm no good with length restrictions. >.<; So... erm... undetermined amount still left... maybe only one or two! Maybe... >.>;; And 500 exactly is just starting to get to me, so I'm changing the rules for this series. I just couldn't bring myself to delete any of it, and I think about what I've removed from the last five pieces and it makes me weepy. So instead, it'll be 500 or more, but hopefully less than 1000 per piece. ^.^;; Duo POV. For the Come challenge at gw500.
Tea in the Cupboard
I smoothed my pants for the third time, shooting a nervous glance at my watch. He wasn't late yet, and Heero was never late, but I already felt like he'd stood me up. I paced the confines of the room until I wasn't sure whether I'd made the right choice. Not that it mattered. The choice was made, wrong or right. I felt the niggling impulse flee in the back of my mind, but I shut it down quickly.
I forced my pacing to stop by sitting on the bed, but I couldn't bottle the nervous energy well, and my leg started bouncing without any regard to what I wanted. It was best to get it out of my system before he showed up anyway.
I shook my head in mild disbelief. Heero was coming. He was on his way so we could have the conversation we should have had a year ago. I had no fucking idea what to say.
Then the knock came, and it was too late to try to figure it out.
"It's open." I stood just to have something to do other than entertain thoughts of sinking into the mattress and avoiding this all together.
The door opened slowly and Heero stepped in, taking a minute to take in my studio. I hadn't needed anything fancy, but with Heero's keen eyes scrutinizing and memorizing everything they came across, I suddenly felt wholly inadequate.
When his intense gaze finally came to rest on me, I balked, walking to the 'kitchen' part of the room under the guise of making tea just to avoid eye contact. And yes, I bought it because it reminded me of him. Shut up about it.
I set the kettle on the stove and busied myself by washing the only two cups that I currently owned. They were gifts, at that. At least they were coffee mugs; it's not easy drinking hot tea from a cup without a handle.
I could feel the weight of Heero's stare and I pointedly ignored it, scrubbing a little longer than necessary at cups that had only had water in them to begin with. When I'd finally finished that, Heero opened his mouth as if to say something, but the tea kettle started whistling and I completely turned my back on him to click off the burner and dig in the cupboard for the box of chamomile tea I'd opened just for the smell. It just didn't smell right in the morning without it.
When I turned back to the cups, tea bags in hand, I snuck a peek at him and almost dropped them. The bastard was smiling at me. Well, more like grinning wryly.
"Is there something funny you'd like to share with me?"
He shook his head softly, and when his eyes locked with mine, I could see the sadness there despite the slight upturn of his lips. "You always were good at avoidance. If I didn't know you, I probably wouldn't even have noticed that you never bothered to say hello."
I dropped my eyes and continued making the tea. "It's a skill," I snorted, knowing he'd understand the stealth comparison I'd made. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd thought that before he'd said anything.
"You can't dance around this forever." He said firmly, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.
"Says who?" I replied, my quick tongue running away from me. He shot a disapproving glance my way and I back-peddled. "I just don't know what to say, Heero."
He raised a questioning eyebrow. "You're the one who called me, Duo."
"And? This isn't easy, you know." I sighed in mild frustration, playing idly with the string sticking out of the brewing tea, making the bags bounce up and down.
"It's simple. Are we coming or going?"
It took me a second to make the leap from talking about talking to actually talking. Leave it to Heero to be blunt. When the implications of what he said finally hit me, I forgot all about tea bags. I looked up and his eyes connected with mine. We stood like that for I don't know how long, his eyes seeking and mine unable to retreat while the kitchen filled with the warm scent of a comfort I no longer had. I bit my lip, not sure what to say.
I didn't have an answer.
OWARI
Back to hostilecrayon's Fanfictions Page