Dogs and Ropes
"Are you okay, Duo?"
"Mm...why would you ask that?"
"You've been quiet all night."
"Does a guy need a reason to be quiet?"
"He does if he's you."
"It's nothing really."
"Okay."
"Thanks for asking though, Heero."
"There's nothing to thank me for."
"Sure there is. Caring enough to ask me how I am is something to thank you for already."
"You've been there for me. It makes sense that I would be there for you. Again, there's nothing to thank me for."
"Yeah, but still, I figure it's a nice thing to let your friends know once in a while that you appreciate them."
"Aa. Then, thank you as well, Duo."
"Heero?"
"Hmm?"
"I...never mind. Just, you know, if I've been quiet today, it'll pass tomorrow."
"I don't mind if you're quiet. It's only that it's rather unusual for you to be so uncommunicative for so long."
"A welcome change, perhaps?"
"Not necessarily. I don't mind you either way, talkative or not."
"You know, you're one of the few people who's never actually told me to shut up. Stop talking, yes, but never shut up."
"You don't talk that much."
"I used to, before I came here. Still do actually, 'cause I get 'shut up' a lot some days."
"Whatever you have to say, regardless of how irrelevant it may seem, is worth listening to, Duo. No one deserves to be told to shut up. In a joking manner, perhaps, though I am not particularly fond of its use as such, but to say it with serious intent is derogatory and hurtful and something I cannot condone. You can learn a lot simply by listening to others."
"If only others would actually *do* that once in a while, Heero, people wouldn't suck as much as they do sometimes."
"Yes, well, some people will always suck. But there's not much we can do, other than listen to them and learn how *not* to suck."
"I guess."
"*Do* people really tell you to shut up that often?"
"Like I said, not as much anymore, just before."
"Aa."
"It's not that it hurts me or anything, it's just annoying, really."
"Of course. You *are* okay, Duo, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I already told you am. Seriously, Heero, I'm fine."
"..."
"God, Heero, trust me, I am *fine.*"
"So long as you're sure."
"I *am.*"
"Alright."
"Good, now that that's settled, I'm going to sleep now, okay? Night, Heero."
"Good night, Duo."
"..."
"Duo?"
"..."
"Duo?"
"*What* Heero?"
"If you have something on your mind..."
"I *told* you, I'm fine."
"Good night then."
"Night."
___________________________________________
Author's Note:
Persistence can be a bitch sometimes.
Especially when it's aimed at you. So, this is an apology to everyone I've ever been pushy with.
"Are you okay, Duo?"
"Mm...why would you ask that?"
"You've been quiet all night."
"Does a guy need a reason to be quiet?"
"He does if he's you."
"It's nothing really."
"Okay."
"Thanks for asking though, Heero."
"There's nothing to thank me for."
"Sure there is. Caring enough to ask me how I am is something to thank you for already."
"You've been there for me. It makes sense that I would be there for you. Again, there's nothing to thank me for."
"Yeah, but still, I figure it's a nice thing to let your friends know once in a while that you appreciate them."
"Aa. Then, thank you as well, Duo."
"Heero?"
"Hmm?"
"I...never mind. Just, you know, if I've been quiet today, it'll pass tomorrow."
"I don't mind if you're quiet. It's only that it's rather unusual for you to be so uncommunicative for so long."
"A welcome change, perhaps?"
"Not necessarily. I don't mind you either way, talkative or not."
"You know, you're one of the few people who's never actually told me to shut up. Stop talking, yes, but never shut up."
"You don't talk that much."
"I used to, before I came here. Still do actually, 'cause I get 'shut up' a lot some days."
"Whatever you have to say, regardless of how irrelevant it may seem, is worth listening to, Duo. No one deserves to be told to shut up. In a joking manner, perhaps, though I am not particularly fond of its use as such, but to say it with serious intent is derogatory and hurtful and something I cannot condone. You can learn a lot simply by listening to others."
"If only others would actually *do* that once in a while, Heero, people wouldn't suck as much as they do sometimes."
"Yes, well, some people will always suck. But there's not much we can do, other than listen to them and learn how *not* to suck."
"I guess."
"*Do* people really tell you to shut up that often?"
"Like I said, not as much anymore, just before."
"Aa."
"It's not that it hurts me or anything, it's just annoying, really."
"Of course. You *are* okay, Duo, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I already told you am. Seriously, Heero, I'm fine."
"..."
"God, Heero, trust me, I am *fine.*"
"So long as you're sure."
"I *am.*"
"Alright."
"Good, now that that's settled, I'm going to sleep now, okay? Night, Heero."
"Good night, Duo."
"..."
"Duo?"
"..."
"Duo?"
"*What* Heero?"
"If you have something on your mind..."
"I *told* you, I'm fine."
"Good night then."
"Night."
___________________________________________
Author's Note:
Persistence can be a bitch sometimes.
Especially when it's aimed at you. So, this is an apology to everyone I've ever been pushy with.
