Puppy Love
At first, Heero had been very adverse to the idea.
They had been walking down the busy main street on winter afternoon, bundled down in coats and scarves against the cold, laden down with the week's groceries. Duo was, of course, overenthusiastic about being out, and had a habit of bounding up at down the sidewalks to stare into store windows like a fascinated child.
"Heero! Heero, look over here!"
As soon as Heero did, he knew he was going to regret it.
"Duo, you don't need one! I don't want a flea-bitten mongrel underfoot all the time!"
"C'mon, Hee-chan, pleeeaaassee! I've always wanted a puppy!"
Heero swore under his breath as he allowed himself to be tugged into the pet store, cursing the utter effectiveness of Duo's puppy dog eyes.
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And of course, there were problems.
Like the puddle he stepped in when getting out of bed…
The fact that their budget tightened even more to include all of Rocket's, as Duo named him, needs…
Like when his favorite loafers became Rocket's favorite chewtoy…
Or when the dog tried to maul his precious laptop…
Like when the special-diet food Duo insisted the canine need cost more than the steaks and shrimp Heero bought for their special dinner…
Or when the mutt ate said steaks and Heero had to call for takeout…
And the fact that the water was shut off because Heero had to wait for his next paycheck to pay the bill…
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It was a couple of months after getting Rocket that Duo was called away on a prolonged mission for the Preventers. Heero himself, having opted to be programmer and hacker, rarely had to leave home.
It was disconcerting how empty their bed felt at night.
He returned home to a cold, quiet house, threw down his briefcase and collapsed into a recliner, having not heard from his lover for two weeks.
The small, warm, furry body that crawled into his lap, gazing up at him with sad, liquid brown eyes, brought some semblance of comfort.
Heero held Rocket close, and prayed for his lover's safe return.
That was where Duo found them hours later as he crept into the house. He smiled, kissing Heero's forehead before he threw a blanket over their sleeping forms, and stalked off to the kitchen to raid the fridge.