Author: Jei
Warnings: Yaoi
Pairings: 1x2
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.
Summary: Heero knows his Duo well.
Note: Inspired by an HY at my workplace, though he did this for the usual reasons instead.
Rules of Engagement
"Howard! Call for you!"
The old man blinked dubiously through his sunglasses in the direction of the main building, then back out across the white sands and clear blue ocean. It was really a no-brainer which one appealed more to him at the moment, but what if it was one of his buddies, inviting him to a luau that night or something? He sighed and swung himself carefully out of his hammock. He needed another drink anyway. Dancing nimbly across the beach, he waved his empty glass at the barkeep as he punched the button to take the vid off hold. "'ello?" Darn, not one of his buddies at all. He squinted at the image over the rim of his shades to make sure. It didn't change. "Well, I'll be. To what do I owe the honor?"
"You're a difficult man to track down, Howard." Heero Yuy was only slightly less intimidating these days than he was back when Howard first met him. Perhaps only because he was no longer a crazed adolescent with a weapon of mass destruction at his back. The intensity of his eyes was more suited for this more mature version of him.
"Deliberately so," Howard drawled lazily, transferring his little umbrella over to the fresh drink the barkeep placed by his hand. "But now that you've gone through the trouble... what's the problem?"
"I just wanted to talk to you. About Duo."
"Huh? What kind of trouble's the kid gotten himself into now?" The guy probably thought he sounded benign, but the neutral tone was belied by that unflinching gaze.
"I want to marry him."
"Eh? Well, I suppose that's troublesome..." He remembered the kid telling him that there was maybe some kind of thing going on between him and Yuy, but he hadn't been very specific. How long ago was that again? Damn kid needed to call more often.
Heero snorted wryly. "You have no idea."
There was a reason Howard had stayed a happy bachelor. He didn't know, and he didn't want to know. He sipped contemplatively at his drink. "So, what, are you looking for my blessings or something?"
"Yes."
"That's awfully... old-fashioned of you. Adorable, but old-fashioned."
Heero grimaced. "As much as I respect you, Howard, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't have to."
"Heh, Duo making you run the gauntlet?" He wouldn't have thought Duo liked old-fashioned, but hey, there was just no accounting for taste. He liked this Yuy guy, didn't he?
"Yes. He just doesn't know it. I'm only trying to be pre-emptive here. Duo's going to fight me on this, so I'd like to cut off as many of his avenues of retreat ahead of time as I can."
So at least there was a reason for that man-on-a-mission look he had. Duo insisted the guy had loosened up, but hell if Howard could see it. "He, uh, doesn't want to marry you? Maybe you shouldn't be asking, then?"
"Oh, I'm asking alright," he answered grimly. "And he's going to say yes."
Howard coughed politely into his drink. "The wise man doesn't force Duo Maxwell to do anything against his will."
"Yes. The wise man corners Duo Maxwell into doing things he only thinks he doesn't want to do."
Well, he couldn't say Yuy didn't know his kid. "Look, why the hell would you want to force Duo into doing something, anyway? Especially something like this? You need legalization or something?"
"I need him, dammit." It was the first time Howard had ever seen him look the least bit ruffled. Well, maybe the second. The first time may have been unboarding on the Peacemillion after averting a global crisis and looking a little confused that it was all over. Or maybe he'd just been confused as to why he was still alive. In any case, now Heero glanced away from the screen, running a hand through his unruly bangs to buy himself some time to compose himself. And then he turned back to the screen with an expression just as determined as ever. "Look. I love Duo. I know he loves me. We've already tied our lives together in every other important way. It's taken a bit of convincing, but we've gotten here. We're just missing the obvious."
"Come on, Yuy. You know the kid. He ain't that keen on formalities."
"Neither am I. We don't need rings or ceremonies or paperwork. He just needs..." Heero sighed softly, exhaling some of that fierceness, almost to the point to where Howard could maybe see what the kid saw in him. "You know how he is about these things, Howard. You know how he is about acknowledging these things. I don't want him to live under this superstition that things will go wrong if he embraces it. That the minute he lets his guard down, something's going to snatch this away from him. I want him... I really want him to feel safe and secure in this, like he can put his trust in us."
"And if you have to slap a ring on him and love him to itsy bitsy pieces, you'll do it?"
"Yes."
That scary light was still in Yuy's eyes, but at least Howard could see a fair bit of love in it this time. Love, and maybe even enough stubbornness to outstubborn even the stubbornest of Duos. Seemed like a good match to him. "Fair enough. You got my blessings, kid, for what it's worth. He'd have to be getting pretty damn desperate to use me as an excuse, but I guess he can get pretty creative when he puts his mind to it. You got yourself a whole checklist of crazy things Duo might say or what?"
"Something like that. This is just one more thing I can tick off the list."
"Heh." There was definitely something in his voice that made Howard think it was a very long list. "Well, I'll let you get on with it, then. And invite me to the wedding."
"Will do. Yuy out. Oh, and... thanks."
"No problem. Give him hell."
Yuy actually cracked a smile. "Will do."
OWARI
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