Author: Zazu
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Get-together
Pairing: 1+2+1
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, nor do I own the characters. I have borrowed them here for some fun and creativity, and this is not for profit. I do, however, own the plot mentioned here, and any instances that you may find similar to real life events are purely a coincidence.
Author's Note: Beta-read by Jana
This is for Jana, who requested "heero makes a bad patient. potential get-together fic! *obviously* it would be heero and duo getting together. you know... just in case you like... didn't realize they were my otp or something ^_~"
The Silver Lining
It didn't take long after they changed my medication for me to notice that something was off. By then, I'd been in the hospital for over a week, but lucid for only a couple of days.
Jumping out the third floor window to avoid an explosion wasn't the brightest idea, even if it was the only exit I had.
Duo had been with me on most days; I could tell by the hunched shoulders that showed he was tired. I could tell because he wasn't shaved, which was a rare thing. But when I was awake, he smiled and moved around, making my head spin in confusion trying to keep up with him.
More than once, I told him to stop moving, stop doing things, just to leave me be, but he only laughed it off and told me that visiting hours were limited and he had lots to do if I wanted to be clean and comfortable.
It was only a few days later that I was allowed to go home, and I looked forward to being away from all the busy hustle-bustle of the hospital. It's not a place that's very conducive to rest. We arrived at my apartment just before noon, and by the time it was seven or eight in the evening, I was ready to be alone.
"Duo."
"Yeah?" he called from the kitchen where he was washing the dishes...or something.
"It's almost eight thirty."
"So? Is there something you need? I didn't forget your medication, did I? Are you hurting?" He came to the doorway, wiping his hands on a dishcloth.
"No."
He rolled his eyes. "Right. As if you would admit you were in pain."
"Go home."
"Go home?" he asked. "I was about to throw in a load of laundry for you. And I didn't get around to cleaning out your fridge yet. Doing that before dinner would have made it difficult to eat, though now, I'm not sure if waiting until after dinner was the best idea."
"You don't have to. I'll do it myself."
"Yeah, right. You, who can hardly lift your arm up to wipe your face. You can barely reach your hair! How do you plan to do any of those things?"
"I'll manage."
"Just let me help, Heero. I won't be loud. You can go to bed if you want."
"I'm out of the hospital, Duo. I'm no longer an invalid."
"Didn't I just explain that..."
"I can manage fine without you."
"Buddy, two weeks ago, you jumped out of a window with an explosion behind you. You were concussed for almost a week and even now I'm not sure if you're all there. You had shrapnel and glass in you, sticking out like the pricks of a porcupine!"
"And I'm out of the hospital now," I grumbled. "Go home and get some rest."
"I'm fine."
"You're tired."
"I can handle it, Yuy. Worry about yourself."
"I am worried about myself. My sanity, to be exact. I need some time alone, some space. You're not giving it to me."
I'd never seen Duo Maxwell lose his temper so quickly. He slammed the dishcloth onto the floor, glaring at me.
"In case you're wondering, you've never qualified as having any sanity in my perspective. You were given the orders to retreat. If you had, you wouldn't have been blown up!"
"I wasn't blown up."
"Damn well close enough!"
"I was trying to get the data!"
He actually laughed. "You had maybe a fifteen percent chance to get that data. It wasn't worth it. You and I both know it. Had you been the commander of that operation, you would have issued a retreat and expected that everyone should obey you. Do you know how guilty Chang is that he couldn't make you listen?"
"It wasn't his fault. I told him I would be responsible for my own actions..."
"And if everyone said that, what's the point of having a commander?"
"I don't need your opinion on my actions."
He slammed his fist into the doorjamb. "Well you're fucking getting it you reckless shit! Do you not think before you act? Or do you just not understand the words 'you are not expendable'?"
I looked away and glared at the coffee table. "If I could have gotten that data it would have made a difference..."
I didn't realize he had moved until he grabbed me by my collar and shook me once. "At what high cost?" he shouted. I grit my teeth in pain at that sudden movement and he immediately released me. "Shit," he muttered.
"It was my personal decision," I said. "I didn't ask for your opinion."
"Fine," he breathed softly, pivoting to go back into the kitchen. I heard the sound of things moving, being tossed into a bag, and slowly got up to see what he was doing. I didn't move fast enough, because he appeared at the doorway once more when I was still a few steps away, holding a large garbage bag.
He stalked past me and I turned to see him shrug into his jacket. Then, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a key. "Your house key." Dropping it carelessly onto the coffee table, he grabbed the bag of garbage again. "I'm out of your hair."
In a flash, he was gone and I was alone in my apartment.
"Damn it," I muttered. The last thing I'd wanted was to be on bad terms with my partner. I had been concerned for his health, too! Why did it come out like I didn't appreciate his help?
Closing my eyes with a sigh, I turned to go to my room, deciding that I'd wait a day or two before calling to apologize.
Things were much more difficult without him around. I hadn't realized that Duo's presence distracted me from the pain. I missed his helping me reach for things that were a little higher than I could manage at the moment, especially without my having to ask him. I missed his fingers combing through my hair, washing it for me so I wouldn't feel disgustingly dirty. I even missed the way he scrutinized my expression, trying to guess if I was hiding my pain from him.
The next afternoon, the doorbell rang, and I assumed he was back. But when I opened the door, all I saw were groceries on the floor; there wasn't a soul in sight. It could only have been him; no one else knew my tastes as well as he did.
The twinge in my heart from his refusal to answer my calls came as a surprise to me, and hurt more than the many injured spots on my body.
Wufei visited, but said he hadn't seen Duo since he'd been at the training center, though he did know that Duo was back at work. I called him at his desk but it went to his voicemail; either he hadn't been there or he read the caller id and chose not to answer.
"Call me, Duo...please." The last word had been an afterthought, but I was glad I had added it, because a couple hours later, the phone rang and he was on the other end of the line.
"Are you avoiding me?" I asked bluntly.
"How are you feeling? Are you taking your meds?" he spoke as if I hadn't asked him a question.
"Come over, Duo. There's something I want to tell you."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Heero. You wanted space and I'm going to respect that."
Wasn't it enough that I was asking him to come over?
"Either you come over, or I'll come find you." With that, I hung up the phone.
Of course, it took a little longer than usual for me to get ready. I shuffled out of the apartment and took the elevator down, but when it opened, I was surprised to see Duo. He was panting like he'd run for miles. In fact, it smelled like he had.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he panted, not letting me out and pushing the button for my floor again.
"I told you I'd come find you."
"Your exact words were 'either you come over, or I'll come find you'. May I also remind you that you didn't give me a chance to answer before you hung up on me?"
That was true. But given how he'd avoided me, I hadn't thought he would bother to come.
"I didn't think you'd come," I answered honestly.
He didn't speak until we were back in my apartment and even then, he only leaned against the front door.
"What the hell is wrong?" I asked when he didn't speak.
"Nothing." He sounded like a petulant child.
"Duo," I growled. "I don't appreciate being ignored."
"You damn well didn't appreciate my being around either. Make up your mind; you're giving me whiplash."
I conceded that point, but there was still one thing that wasn't explained. "Why are you so moody?"
"Because you damn well almost died and I couldn't do a thing about it!" he snapped.
"Duo, you know there are risks in our job."
"You took an unnecessary one."
"So you informed me. What's done is done; what do you want me to do about it?"
He didn't answer.
"What's really the problem, Duo? If we can't sort things out, how can we go back to being partners?"
He looked up like I'd slapped him. "You want to change partners?"
"I didn't say that. But I need to know if I did something to piss you off. I know I asked for space, but...you know that I hate being hovered over."
"No one would hover over you if you took better care of yourself."
"Aren't we done with that point?"
"I couldn't stand the thought of losing you, okay?" he spat. "I very nearly did! If you'd just up and died I would never have had a chance to tell you that I love you and I would have regretted that for the rest of my life!"
I stared at his bowed head in shock, wondering if I'd heard him properly.
"Duo?" I whispered.
"Fuck. Listen man, I'm sorry. I know you don't feel that way. Hell, you can hardly stand to be around me for more than a few days at a time. I'll get out now." He turned and grabbed the door, but I grabbed his jacket.
"Don't. You. Dare."
He didn't turn to face me; then again, I didn't expect him to.
"I'm sorry," I said.
He spun around so quickly that his jacket was yanked from my grasp. "You're sorry?" he asked incredulously. "Why the hell are you sorry?"
"I'm a horrible patient. I'm sorry. I'm a terrible partner. I'm sorry for that, too." I grabbed his sleeve, staring at his shoulder as I spoke. "I just...I'm afraid to rely on you because I-I'm afraid that one day you'd be gone. I'm an idiot, because it took you leaving me and avoiding me for me to realize that it was too late...I'm already relying heavily on you...to stay by my side. I'm sorry."
He didn't speak and I didn't dare to look at him. "I'm sorry," I whispered again. "I know I hur-"
Duo's lips were suddenly upon mine, kissing me softly. He pulled back a moment later with a chuckle. "I'm sorry. I probably smell horrible. I ran as fast as I could to get here."
I shook my head, my eyes darting between his and his lips. He sighed. "I wasn't ignoring you, Heero," he said. "I was angry at myself because I thought you were sick of me and threw the first thing I had against the wall. I hadn't gotten around to replacing my phone yet." Leaning his forehead against mine, he smiled a little. "Though, if a little silent treatment would have gotten you to tell me your feelings, too, I'd have done it sooner."
"Idiot," I muttered.
"But your idiot, right?" he asked hopefully. "I mean, we can start slow if you want...but tell me we're going to start?"
"My stubborn idiot," I corrected. "Can we move away from the door now? I need to sit down."
"Oh ho! The indestructible Heero Yuy realizes that he does feel sore!"
I would have elbowed him if I could, but I knew that would hurt me more than him. "Taunt all you want houseboy. Just get me my pain meds while you're at it. Dope me up a little and you can do whatever you want."
"Whatever I want?" he asked, eyebrows wiggling suggestively.
"Within reason," I amended.
"Within whose definition of reason? Yours or-"
"God, I'll get my own meds."
"Sit your ass down, Yuy, geez. What's a guy got to do around here to feel appreciated? All I want is a little bit of a reward. A little, teeny, wee bit."
"Wash my hair later and I'll think of a reward for you."
He smirked at me as he handed me a glass of water and a few pills. "Yes master. Your houseboy is at your every beck and call if you promise a good reward. Until you're all healed up, that is. All bets are off then. You can bet your ass that I'm going to jump your bones as soon as the doctor says you're okay."
I almost choked on my medication and groaned. "Duo! Damn it!"
"What? If I can't do more than think about it, the least I can hope for is that you'd be thinking about it too. It'll make seducing you a hell of a lot easier!"
I sighed and simply closed my eyes. He settled next to me and leaned his head against mine. Teasing aside, I felt a calm, contented feeling steal over me.
I wasn't able to retrieve the data from that mission, but it turns out that almost getting blown up had been very much worth it.
Not that I was ever going to try it again.
OWARI
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