Warnings: Stubborn Heero. Cliche fic.
Stay Part 5
"It's not a little thing," Heero says and I see his hands tighten a bit on the table. "Not a little thing at all- and not something that's easy to live with."
"In case you've forgotten, we've been living together," I remind him with a smile, "and I never even guessed that there was anything-" I stop before I can say 'wrong with you'. "Anything that you might be hiding."
His mouth twists a bit. "I didn't want you to know. It wasn't that hard- at the beginning when it was really bad neither one of us was home much- not with all the work with the Preventers starting up-"
"And now?"
He knows what I'm asking. He taps the upper part of his arm. "Now it doesn't get bad. Not as long as I make sure to have Sally check the cylinders." That makes him smile for some reason. "She's the one who insisted on them. With our schedule it was too hard to remember to take the pills, to make sure I got the right dosage."
I get up from the chair, move close enough to touch his arm. "That was a good idea."
He nods. "The best. Easier to adjust the dose too- that took a while to get right- and even now... sometimes it still needs to be tweaked a little. These make it a lot easier for me."
"I can see why. That really was a good idea of hers-"
"This really doesn't bother you?" There's still a faint hint of surprise in his voice as he reaches out and catches my hand as it drifts over his arm.
"Not like you're thinking it should." I squeeze his fingers. "Damn- compared to some of the things I was worried about, this is really more of a relief-"
"Relief?" He repeats incredulously. "To find out that your partner is-"
I cut him off before he can use the word. "You have an- imbalance. You're getting treated for it, have it under control- trust me, my imagination was coming up with much worse scenarios."
"Worse scenarios?" He echoes as if he can't believe there are any.
"Hell yes! I thought you were dying-" I squeeze his fingers again. "Those are used for serious illnesses too, you know." I see his mouth open and I know what he's going to say. "Yes, yes, I know- yours is serious- but you aren't dying from it. Damn, I thought you were going to tell me you only had months to live or something!"
Realization dawns and he gives me an apologetic look. Before he can say anything however, his phone rings.
"Ten to one, that's Quatre," I tell him as he pulls the phone from his pocket.
"You win," He says after a glance at the back and flips the phone open. "Yuy here." He listens for a moment and his lips curve into a faint smile. "Yes, of course Duo's still here too. We're at the MedCenter." Another pause. "No, I didn't break his legs. I set Sally on him."
That makes me laugh. Heero's shaking his head a little now, smiling a little wider. "Yes, yes, I will. Of course." He hangs up and rolls his eyes. "I don't think Quatre trusts my skills as a negotiator."
"You didn't tell him you'd made me promise to stay."
"I wasn't sure you were. The promise was to at least keep in contact, remember? Are you staying?" His tone is light, but his eyes focus on me with a sudden intensity.
"I'm staying." How could I leave now? After Heero trusted me with this secret of his?
Before I can say more, he pulls me close, catches my mouth with his for another of those lingering, warming kisses.
"Then I'm yours." He says and I have to take a steadying breath. He's not-
"Haven't even had a date yet-"
He chuckles in my ear. "Duo- if my... problem really doesn't bother you, and you do still want me- then I'm yours."
"But-"
"Besides, Une wants to see you. Right now."
"Oh hell."
"Probably." He kisses me again and then lets me go. "I just want you to remember that there are benefits to staying."
TBC...
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