Disclaimer: Do I really need to bother with this anymore?
Anyway...
"Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after."
-Anne Morrow Lindbergh
He paced around his apartment as he progressively became more and more disheveled, removing a piece of clothing with each round of the room he made. First went the coat, then the leather shoes. How could he? The first two buttons of his shirt were undone. She wouldn?t really accept his proposal would she? His belt fell to the floor?the third button slipped from its hole. There is no possible way. The shirttails were tugged from his waistband. His hand ran through his hair. Sitting at the end of his unmade bed, he mulled over the idea. Quatre proposing to Relena. Didn?t he know Heero had staked that territory five years ago? Pansy boy couldn?t think he could just walk in and steal his girl just like that? She was his and Quatre knew that. He hadn?t gone through all of this work just to lose her to one of his gay friends.
Just as he was about to get up, there was a soft knock on the back door. Duo stood outside the glass pane, his eye focused on his feet, as he studied his shoelace. As Heero unlatched the door, the click of the lock caused Duo?s head to pop up. His mouth spread into a small smile of greeting.
?If you?re here to tell me about Quatre, you?re too late. And if you?re here to offer your condolences, they won?t do much good,? Heero announced even before Duo had a chance to enter the kitchen.
?I see you?re cheery as usual,? Duo sighed. ?So you?ve heard.? Heero frowned, his eyes darkening at Duo statement.
?What are you here for anyway?? Heero asked as Duo lightly stepped into the small kitchen.
?I wanted to ask you what you planned on doing about it, ? Duo replied as he took a seat at the little table. ?Do you mind?? he asked as he removed a pack of cigarettes from his jacket. Fetching a lighter from nowhere he lit the cigarette precariously balanced between his lips.
?No, go ahead.? Heero sighed as he moved to make a pot of coffee. ?I thought Hilde didn?t like your smoking habit.?
?And that would be why I don?t smoke at home. What Hilde doesn?t know, won?t kill her,? Duo smirked as he took a long drag of the cigarette.
?Do you want any?? Heero motioned toward the coffee pot he was currently pouring into his own cup.
?Sure,? Duo replied. Heero poured another cup and placed it in front of Duo. ?Now down to business,? Duo started placing his cigarette down on the plate that came with the coffee cup.
?What business?? Heero questioned with a cocked eyebrow.
?Relena,? Duo stated the obvious answer. ?So are you going to kill Quatre, or steal Relena away and tell her you love her and that you?ve always loved her? I?d go with the latter myself.?
?I don?t know,? he said desolately. He took a sip of his coffee, winced, and then added some sugar to the drink.
?How long has it been anyway??
?About three years, four months, and seven days.?
Duo?s eyes widened. ?Well someone?s been keeping track. What the hell did you leave for??
?Do you remember that night, the night I came to your house?? Heero started.
?Oh holy shit?? Duo moaned. He quickly began smoking again, inhaling deeply, as if he could keep it all at bay with his shortening cancer stick.
?So you do remember,? Heero smiled. It was small, almost unnoticeable, but it was there. ?She told me she loved me, and she kissed me. We went back to my place and??
?You didn?t,? Duo moaned, as he hung his head in his hands.
?No. I sent her home. We came very close, though.? Heero studied his palm. His lifeline had always been long, but before he had thought it was a lie. Now he prayed it wasn?t. ?Then I quit, got the first ticket on the next airship to the colonies, then a cab to your doorstep... and you know the rest.?
?So you?ve waited three years to tell me this?? There was an angry glint to Duo?s voice.
?I didn?t think you really needed to know.?
?I didn?t need to know. I didn?t need to know? Me and Hilde have been supporting you thorough three years of what we could only assume was a useless college education for reasons unknown and you didn?t think I needed to know? I?ve been your friend for five years now, and I didn?t need to know??
?Well? I?m telling you now.?
?A few years too late!? Duo exclaimed. ?Excuse me Heero, but this is pretty freaking important. What are you doing Heero? This wasn?t the way the story was suppose to be.?
?Who?s to say? Maybe it as meant to be this way,? Heero whispered more to himself than to his friend.
?Yeah. Because that?s the way the scenario was suppose to go. Boy meets girl, boy tries to kill girl. Boy then realizes he is in love with girl, and puts as much distance between the two as humanly possible. Nice Heero. Really. Very classy.? Duo rolled his eyes, taking another drag of his cigarette.
?I had and epiphany that night, Duo. I wanted to be someone she needed. A person who deserved her. Heero the soldier wasn?t that person. So I went away to become that person. It just took longer than I thought,? Heero sighed. ?And now??
?And now one of your gay friends is putting the moves on your girl. Honestly Heero, how long did you think she would wait?? Duo asked incredulously.
?Obviously not long enough.?
Seeing his friend?s apparent sadness, Duo softened. He looked the young man up and down. A complete mess.
?You know, there?s only one think to do,? Duo stated, snuffing out his cigarette.
?You quit smoking,? Heero replied with a smirk.
?No,? Duo retorted. ?You have to get your girl back. Which shouldn?t be too hard. Seeing as Quatre?s as gay as a maypole.?
Now I think I shall go and review someone else's stuff. I've always been so bad about that. But thanks to anyone who reviews my little humble works. I really appreciate it.