This was a challenge that was never fulfilled, is being reworked, and that I intend to finish... and hopefully soon.

Title: Domestic
Author: Ileana A. (babygray)
Main Pairing: Duo/Heero
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. This is pure jest.
Notes: This is a 26-part story, made up of noisefics/drabbles/whatever. It's not chronological, but don't worry too much about that. Reworked, but rough and un-beta'ed. Enjoy! Also, this part took a turn I didn't expect, which is good. Less couple-breaking angst for me.

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--Understanding--

They sat across from each other, each with a beer in hand. Heero, always the shy one, didn't seem to want to start the conversation. She understood why. She was the one that bought it up, after all.

The television was on, and just loud enough for her to hear the baritone cheer of the variety show Heero was watching as he waited for her. The others were outside, in front of the house, and sometimes they were so loud that she could hear them as well.

"I'm sorry, Heero," she offered, watching his long fingers caress the cool tin surface of his can.

"It's alright," Heero replied instantly, though she knew it wasn't, and was certain that he thought the same.

"I really don't know what came over me, calling you," she tried to explain, to excuse herself. "But... I knew I needed to. Even... even though it would have caused you trouble, I had to."

Heero bit his lip. "There's very little I can refuse you, but this is something Duo needs to be involved with as well. You do, understand that, yes?"

"I know how committed you are to him."

"Which is why I can't give an answer to this right away." His head tilted to the side as he thought. "Duo has to be as much a part of this decision as I am."

"But it won't be his child," she said, almost pleading. "He was agreeable enough with you fathering Hilde's child."

"He was, but Hilde's baby will have both her and Sally raising it. I'll be there, but it's a much different situation than if you had my child." He stared straight at her, his expression serious. "It will be much more than just 'us helping a friend'."

She frowned. "I'm not trying to steal you away from Duo."

"I know you're not."

"I just..." She looked at her hands, pale and soft and bare of any adornment. She was afraid of so many things, the least of which was growing into a childless spinster. Long ago, she thought she would be married by now, with a child or two clutching her skirts and this man by her side. So long ago, she was embarrassed to think of those dreams now, when she was feeling vulnerable. "I just don't want to wait anymore."

"Are you sure this is what you want, Relena?" he asked, his long fingers now skirting the surface of her skin. She clasped her hand gently around the cool hand. "We both know there will be other men."

"But when?" she said, feeling more brokenhearted than she did that afternoon, when her latest relationship collapsed disastrously. Tears were welling up in her eyes against her will. "I just..."

In an instant, he came over from his side of the counter and gathered her in his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, feeling the shirt he wore soak up her tears. His large hand smoothed down her hair the same way her father used to do when she was upset, so many years ago. His strong arms held her as one would hold a small child.

He held her for a long time, though for how long, she couldn't say.

After a while, she pulled away and let out a breath in an attempt to regain her calm. Duo stood just outside the kitchen, his face betraying a worry.

"Something wrong?" he asked, a calloused hand against the doorless frame.

Heero wiped away a bit of moisture from her face with his thumb. "No... Everything's fine. Right?"

Relena wasn't sure, but as that thumb brushed away the last physical marks of her heartache, things appeared as if they could be.