A mini-sequel to one of the spring drabbles- Turbulence.
Sorry, just had to get them together in my head at least!!
Turbulence Part 2
The island hopper flight must've been especially bad today, Heero mused as he finished paying for his groceries. There were several tourists in the tiny market, most of them looking for something to settle their stomachs. The locals sometimes joked that most of the island residents were there simply because they couldn't face the flight back.
Heero's stomach made its usual lazy flip at the thought of going home. He meant to go back- someday- he did. It's just- he wasn't sure exactly when. Duo asked him about it in every email- a casual inquiry as if Heero was simply on a vacation.
It didn't take much though, to see the need beneath the question. Duo was trying hard not to pressure him, but-
As he loaded the bags into his jeep, he thought of Duo's last email. He still hadn't answered it yet. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to Duo- he did. He just didn't know what to say. His emails always sounded so stiff, so... cold. That wasn't how he wanted to talk to Duo... but he couldn't manage anything better.
Things hadn't been good when he'd left. Leaving had not made them better, not truly. At the time he'd only wanted to get away- later he'd hoped that being away from things would help somehow. Give him a better perspective, or maybe somehow make things hurt less. It hadn't- and now he wasn't sure what to do.
"Heero."
Surprised, he spun around and found Duo standing behind him, a duffel bag hanging from his shoulder, his braid coming undone, a faint smile on his lips. Heero wondered for a moment if he was hallucinating- if he'd thought about Duo so much that now his brain was playing tricks on him...
But this Duo didn't look like the Duo he'd left behind all those months ago. The smile wasn't as bright, there were dark smudges under his eyes...
"Duo? What are you doing here?"
Duo half shrugged. "Came to see you." He tilted his head towards the airport. "Just got off the plane. They said I could get a cab over here, but then I saw you..." His voice trailed off a little. He pulled at the hem of his shirt and Heero caught the flash of gold on his finger.
So he hadn't taken it off...
Say something, Heero prodded himself. Don't stand here staring like an idiot- Ask him how he found you. Ask him if he was here to end things. Tell him you missed him.
"How was the flight?" He managed and mentally kicked himself.
"Awful," Duo answered, his mouth once again curving in a smile. "I didn't think we were going to make it, to be honest." He took a step closer. "In fact, I don't think I can face that flight again anytime soon- so, can I stay here for a bit? With you?" His tone was light, but Heero caught the way Duo's eyes narrowed as he spoke, the way his shoulders squared- he was bracing himself for a rejection, Heero realized.
"Yes," he gestured towards his jeep. "Just toss your bag in the back."
Duo didn't say anything during the car ride. He simply rolled his window down and put his head on the frame, letting the breeze pull even more strands of his hair loose from his braid. When they reached the tiny bungalow Heero was renting, Duo helped him unload the jeep.
He didn't like the silence, Heero decided as Duo followed him into the house. It was too much like the last weeks they'd spent together. Awkward and uncomfortable- and he felt as if he was missing something- something important-
So as he put the bags down on the kitchen counter, he took a deep breath.
"I missed you," he said and a moment later had to brace himself against the counter as Duo flung himself in his arms.
That's what he'd been missing...
"I missed you too. So much." Duo's grip tightened. "I wanted to give you space- but I couldn't wait any longer- I'm sorry-"
"Don't be. I'm glad to see you."
"And I'm sorry for before- I wasn't- I shouldn't have done it- I never thought it would-"
"I shouldn't have overreacted-"
"It wasn't an overreaction- I was way out of line-" Duo stopped and took a deep breath. "If you can forgive me- if we could give this another chance- I know we have a lot to work out, but I love you- and I want to make this work- I'll do anything-"
Heero covered Duo's mouth with his own, cutting off the flow of words.
"Please tell me that was a yes," Duo murmured against his throat when Heero came up for air.
"Of course it was a yes," he couldn't help the smile that curved his lips. "What the hell did you think it was?"
"A sneaky way to shut me up."
"Well, it was that too," Heero teased and Duo laughed.
A wave of relief swept over him. They were going to be okay. After all, some things were just meant to be.
OWARI
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