Description: Duo gives undue attention to the popsicle vendor. Heero starts to wonder why. 1x2
Rating: T
Stuff: I don't own Gundam Wing
Warnings: Same-Sex Relationships
Popsicles
I typed the finishing touches on my report then attached it to an email and sent it to Commander Une. I glanced over at the clock and saw it was 11:46. I decided to head over to Duo's office to see if he wanted to join me for lunch.
I strode down the hallway. A few other agents greeted me on sight; I gave a simple nod in response. When I reached Duo's office, I performed a quick two raps on the doorframe before sticking my head in the open door. "You up for lunch?"
His head shot up and a large smile split his face. "Just a sec. Let me finish this first." I nodded and sat in the chair facing his desk. He typed for a few minutes more and then swiftly stood from his chair. "Alright! Let's go get some grub! Whatdya have in mind?"
"How about the wrap vendor in the park?"
"Sounds good to me."
We headed out of his office and started to walk down the hallway side by side.
The first agent we neared yelled, "Hey, Duo!" and then gave a slight nod in my direction, saying, "Agent Yuy."
I gave a small nod in response as Duo jovially yelled, "Eric! How's the little one doin'? She over the chickenpox now?"
"Yeah, but now the other two got it," he groaned.
"Aw, man, that sucks. Hope they get better soon."
"Yeah, me too. See ya!"
Duo waved at the man. We barely made a few steps farther.
"Duo! Agent Yuy. How ya doin'?"
I once again gave a simple nod while Duo responded, "Great, man! Didya remember those flowers?"
The agent laughed. "I did! Thanks for reminding me! You saved my ass. Dunno how you remember my anniversary better than I do."
Duo laughed. "Dunno how you keep forgetting. Gotta be careful. Diane's a fine woman. If you're not careful someone may steal her from ya," he teased.
"Don't gotta worry about that with you backing me up." The agent winked.
Duo called a short, "Later, Brian" as we continued down the hall.
Just before we reached the exit, another agent came in. She nearly bumped into Duo. "Sorry. Oh! Duo! Thanks for your advice about Scott." The agent smiled at him.
"Ooo! Didya ask him out?"
"Yep! We have a date this Friday!"
Duo gave her a quick hug. "That's great! I'll talk to ya later, Jaina? Ro and me were just about to grab some lunch."
"Oh, sure, sure. No problem. You two have fun!" She waved and then headed off down the hall.
We both went through the exit and then turned towards the park. We walked the rest of the way in silence.
We ordered our usual sandwiches and sat on a bench in a quiet, sun-dappled corner of the park. We both ate our meals in silence. Duo finished first and rested his head on my shoulder as I finished.
Duo and I filled the rest of our lunchbreak by walking around the park, watching the breeze through the leaves and the squirrels frolic in the grass.
At one point I sensed Duo's sudden fierce focus next to me. My eyes scanned the surroundings with more intent, but I noticed no signs of danger. I glanced over at him, then followed his sightline. He was focused on a vendor cart.
I peered more closely at the cart. It was a small, simple cart painted with yellow and white stripes with a matching yellow and white striped umbrella to block the sun. The sign signified that the cart sold popsicles.
I could note nothing unusual about the cart. The weather had taken a warm turn, and everyone could feel the beginnings of summer. So a frozen confectionary vendor showing up in the park was certainly not out of the ordinary.
I glanced back at Duo. His eyes were still riveted on the cart. "Do you want one?"
He seemed almost startled out of his focus. "Huh?"
"I'll buy you a popsicle if you want one."
He gave a small smile. "Oh, nah. I'm good. Thanks, Ro."
We continued on our walk, but his eyes kept flicking towards the popsicle cart. I eyed the vendor cart once again, this time trying to figure out what Duo saw. It was once I had stopped judging it based on its threat level that I finally noticed. The man running the vendor cart was very attractive. My eyes narrowed. Was Duo attracted to the man?
I felt a strange, clenching feeling in my chest.
At that point I wanted nothing more than to get Duo as far away from the popsicle vendor as I could. I grabbed his hand and set a quick pace back to Preventers Headquarters.
I only vaguely heard the other agents greeting Duo, and Duo responding in kind as I led us to his office.
He was barely through his office door before I shut it and pinned him up against it using my body. I pressed my lips to his and proceeded to partake of a slow languorous slide of lips against lips, tongue against tongue. I twined the fingers of both of my hands in his hair, just above the start of his braid. I caressed his face with my thumbs. One of his hands threaded through my hair and the other slid into my back pocket.
I eventually broke the kiss but kept my body close to his. His eyes sparkled and he said in a breathless voice, "Don't get me wrong, Ro, I loved that, but I thought you were against displays at work?"
My eyes scanned his face. His large, luminous violet eyes. His cute, slightly upturned nose. His soft cheeks that were often bunched into a grin. His pink, velvety lips that were now slightly glistening as a result of our kiss.
His grin slightly faultered. "Ro?"
I thought about how he had a smile ready for everyone. How I had treated him when we first met and how he acted like I was a friend anyways until we finally were, and then more. How beautiful his laugh was.
I thought about the warmth I felt swell inside whenever I saw his sparkling eyes turned my way.
I didn't know how to say all this, so I simply kissed him again.
I had a completely unproductive second half of the work day. I constantly found myself simply staring at my monitor, thinking about Duo. What if he was attracted to that vendor? Was it a simple appreciation of visage or something more? The attention he granted the cart seemed more than just a simple "admiring the view".
I knew Duo acted slightly different around me than everyone else, but that's how it's always been and I thought nothing of it. But what if he grew tired of that?
What if I no longer make him happy?
The clenching feeling increased tenfold and I nearly gasped. I could feel tears prick at my eyes. I scrunched my eyes closed to keep them at bay.
That evening, if he noticed how I was slightly more attentive, how I kept the pace slow to drag out the closeness, the slight edge of desperation to our lovemaking he certainly didn't say.
I had been, mostly unsuccessfully, trying to focus on work when I heard someone barrel into my office. I looked up to see Duo. I wondered why his face seemed flushed with excitement.
"Ro, let's go to the park again today for lunch!"
It took everything I could to steel my features. To not display the pain that sentence combined with his apparent anticipation caused me.
I didn't even glance at what I had been trying to work on, I just got up to follow Duo out into the hallway.
"Duo, my man! Hello, Agent Yuy. Duo, did you watch the new episode of Fighters Team Zeta last week?"
"Yeah! It was awesome! Can't believe they left it on a cliffhanger like that, with an actual cliff no less! Can't wait 'til the next ep shows to find out what happened."
"We should have a Fighters Team Zeta party for the finale!"
"That sounds awesome!" Duo turned towards me. "You cool with having a party at our place for a few people?" I nodded. I would probably agree with anything Duo asked. Duo exclaimed an "Awesome!" and turned back to the agent. "So, Ro 'n my place, half hour before airing? Feel free to invite others."
"Sounds great. See ya there."
We passed no other agents on our way to the exit and quietly made our way to the park.
I could tell he was trying to be subtle about it, but Duo kept directing our casual stroll to keep the popsicle cart within eyesight. He kept sending furtive glances its way. The same man was tending the cart today as well.
The clenching feeling in my chest welled up. I couldn't take anymore. I made a soft, plaintive call, "Duo?"
He turned towards me. "Hmm?"
I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see his expression as he talked of another. "Why do you keep watching the popsicle cart?"
"It's a popsicle stand! A popsicle stand! I've never actually seen one before!"
My eyes shot open. His expression wasn't the lovestruck gaze I was fearing. It was a mischievous grin you could almost call calculating. A sense of puzzled confusion filled me. "What are you talking about?"
"Ah, come on! A popsicle stand!"
The confusion merely increased. "Yes, the cart clearly sells popsicles. What's so important about that?"
He heaved a huge sigh of apparent exasperation. "You never heard 'let's blow this popsicle stand' before? Never thought I'd ever actually see one. Always ice cream stands. Bet if you watch him enough you'll catch him doing something wrong. Then I'll get to go all Preventer Agent Shinigami on his ass."
I could feel the proverbial light bulb come on. "Duo… please tell me you aren't carrying explosives as we speak."
He gave me a sheepish smile.
I couldn't help it. The relief was too great. I started laughing.
It wasn't until I heard Duo's quiet, "Ro, what's wrong?" that I noticed I was crying as well. I pulled him to me in a tight hug and buried my head in his neck. He stroked my back and murmured quiet assurances into my hair.
I was eventually able to pull myself together and stepped back from him. He gave me a pondering look. "I.. umm… wasn't expecting that response. What's up, Ro?"
I pulled a large breath into my lungs and let it out slowly, letting calmness fill it's place. "I thought you were interested in the man running the cart."
"Well, yeah, I wanted to catch him poisoning the popsicles or directing his lackeys on how to properly handle his slave trading ring."
"I thought you were interested in the man."
Duo's eyes grew wide. "You, what, thought I was gonna leave ya for the popsicle man?" He pulled me back into a tight hug. "Ro, I'd never leave you. I love you too much."
"You always act so different around others. I thought maybe you grew tired of how unsocial I was."
He put a hand around my chin and directed my face, forcing me to make eye contact. "Heero, I don't expect you to be anything other than who you are. I fell in love with you like that, and I will always love you like that. You're my rock. My foundation. My support. You've always been there for me when I needed someone. Always give your all for me. How could I ever fall out of love with you?"
I moved my face closer, and mumbled a quiet, "I love you too, Duo" against his lips before kissing him breathless.
Eventually we broke apart, and started to make our way back to headquarters. I reached over and slid my hand in his. Duo's violet eyes met mine and I could see the joy sparkling within them. His hand was warm.
-x-
-Author's Note-
Thanks for reading!
This was suppose to just be a cutesy "Oh, Duo…" story, but it was all "No! I wanna grow up into a real story!" Now I'm not really sure what this is.
