Inspired by Clara Barton reblogging a picture on tumblr ( dashboard/blog/simulacraryn/143244888158) and the song "Blasphemous Rumors" by Depeche Mode! I do not own either. - This was written for Noora
Heero could have sworn that leaving everyone behind after the War would have been easy. Somewhere along the way, from the moment he landed on that damned beach in the J.A.P. point of the Eurasia territories that the Alliance had strong armed into uniting as a singular unit, life had changed. He met countless amounts of people whom he'd grown attached to, whose lives were meant to change his. From Relena Darlian, to even Catherine Bloom - anyone he met along the way, helped humanize the empty carcass that was 'Soldier 01'.
So why had he left them all behind?
Originally, Heero had meant to leave and explore Earth after Milliardo/Zechs nearly destroyed the beautiful planet with Libra. He came so close to losing a place that he'd been dying to explore and with the world at peace, finally, time came for Heero to explore. Time that he also used to get to know this new person that emerged from the War.
It was a lonely road, as he looked around his apartment. He'd tried to fit in, to decorate less meagerly. Or as Duo once said "make a house into a home you want to be in". Still, Heero felt as if something was clearly missing from his new arrangement.
He began contacting his old friends, arranging to catch up as he or they, traveled around. The first had been Relena, it'd been surprisingly easy to get a hold of the World's Busiest Politician as she tended to traverse through Japan quite a bit. From there he calmly got back in contact with many of his old comrades, one could even say they were his friends.
Word had it that the circus would swoop into town and Heero booked his tickets. Trowa was the last one of their rag tag group that he'd been able to get a hold of. When the day came and he entered the big top, he was amazed by being able to enjoy the show, rather than hide away in one of the trailers. He'd done work for the circus during the war, but never truly enjoyed the show.
Trowa often described it as magic to be experienced through the eyes of a wondering child. Heero had no point of reference to what his friend (was he even?) meant and Trowa simplified it by merely pointing at Duo and saying "be like him when you go in there to watch the show." - An extremely difficult feat, until the acrobat's show began. He saw Trowa, walking the tight rope like he'd been a direct descendant of Karl Wallenda himself.
But what had surprised him the most was to see that his [Trowa's] performance partner, Catherine - was still flying through the air with grace and versatility. Mesmerized, Heero latched unto the visual show - a gleeful smile over his face. His mind wasn't in the apartment he barely used anymore, or the loneliness he felt - the barely there life that he pretended to enjoy.
He was a child and this was his Elysium, a hearty laugh as Trowa caught Catherine and spun her around.
When the show ended, Heero felt dread at the pit of his stomach. He hadn't wanted to go home, but he didn't know if he should catch up to Trowa. It would be easy to run, to sit alone in front of his never-used television set. Once he stopped thinking, a dainty hand came into his view.
His heart fluttered at the sight of brightly colored nails, his eyes finding hers.
"Catherine."
Her name, a fond memory of a time long ago and a debt unpaid.
"My my,"- Her voice dropped a few decibels, a hint of longing - "You finally found your way back."
"It's been…"
"Complicated? Isn't it always, Heero? Trowa's been waiting for you…"
"I suppose that he has. How…"
"Why don't you find out how he's been, for yourself, instead of using me as your info center on all things your boyfriend."
Had he truly been this afraid to come find Trowa?
"And the next time you walk away without so much as a goodbye, I will have your sorry ass thrown out on sight. Trowa deserved better than waking up to an empty bed…"
The reaction stung, but he deserved it for all he'd done.
"Catherine," - Trowa's soothing voice came from the shadows - "I think Heero's had enough…"
There's that tension and all Heero could think was, maybe this was what his place was missing. A fire, a family. Someone who could understand his independence and wouldn't judge, as he too, required the same 'no frills' approach. An approach Catherine would never understand and he was actually at peace with that.