Disclaimers: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing nor it's characters. Merely borrowing them for a little torture.

Warnings: Shounen-ai (because I suck at yaoi), major A.U, some OOC I think, deathfic

Finding Heaven

Part Eight: Winning Duo Maxwell

Hilde peeked out of the pantry at her boss who seemed more depressed by the day. Duo was slumped over his laptop, chin propped up on one fist checking the finishing on Relena Peacecraft's wedding pictures. He sighed, his eyes raking over the elegant picture Heero made in his tuxedo. It was another failure in Duo Maxwell's life. Easy come, easy go. He sighed again. His mind flittered back to two nights ago. It had been a horrible confrontation.

Why did everyone wanted him for sex?

Maybe it's your sexy, delectable bod? Brian was back and cackling evilly.

Go away.

Didn't you miss me?

Where were you when I needed you to kick my ass? Duo accused.

Giving up on the pretence of working, Duo saved the file and began surfing idly through the Internet, but his mind was still one hundred percent on Heero Yuy. He had seemed completely baffled when Duo asked him what made a relationship. Could it be that Heero really didn't know? That made it even worse. How would he explain something like that? Was Heero worth explaining to?

Yes… No… Maybe?

You sure know how to pick them, Brian told him and Duo could only agree. He wondered if he should just take the day off and go see Wufei. He needed to work off some tension and Wufei's punching bag was always and effective tool. Or was it Wufei as a punching bag? But ever since that unexpected incident on the streets, Duo had been a little afraid to go back. It was different than facing your past when it was chasing you, intent on eating your soul. No, it would do him good to stay away for a while. Shinigami came a little too close to the surface. Duo was so sure he had left him behind when Wufei, Solo and him left the streets. Apparently, all Duo did was bury him deep within himself.

Besides, he would see Wufei soon. Another one of Quatre's dinner was in the works and this time, he had made sure his friend didn't have a blind date waiting for him. Besides, the couple had already learnt their lesson with Heero Yuy. Causing eternal heartache was something friends shouldn't do to other friends.

An article on one of the on-line newpapers caught his eye. He sighed with relief this time. Ms Ice Queen was out of the country for at least a month. That meant no annoying calls for at least a month. Heero no longer came on Relena's behalf. That meant a hiatus for which to clear his head.

And trust me, you need it, Brian quipped. There's a lot of crap in here.

You don't say, Duo replied ruefully. It didn't bother him one bit that he was actually carrying on a conversation with his own sub-conscious. It was better than tangling with Shinigami.

"Boss?" Hilde called out hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

Duo tilted his head and smiled at his assistant, sitting up. His back ached in protest. "Ow," he winced, rubbing at it.

Hilde immediately looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

Duo flashed his best smile. "Bad posture. So, what's up?"

"Uhm…" She had something behind her which she took out uncertainly. "I didn't know if I should give it to you." It was the size of a jewellery box and festively wrapped, with a card attached.

"A present?" Duo brightened considerably. "For me?" He reached out and took it from Hilde. He shook it cautiously, noting that it didn't rattle. Something soft, his mind told him.

Duo loved presents. His childhood left him with a hunger for it. Not that he expected it from anyone, but every present he got was cherished and lovingly kept even if he really hated it.

"Read the card," Hilde told him.

Duo frowned at the air of worry that surrounded Hilde and took the card from the envelope. The colour drained from his face at the message.

Duo,

I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I am going to try asking for it anyway. I am going to win you back, even it is the last thing I do. I have a plan to that affect. Stage one is in your email. Stage two is in your hands. Everything else is up to you.

I love you.

Heero.

He gripped the plain card and the box, now unsure of whether to throw it across the room or to open it.

"Boss?" Hilde asked.

"When…" He took a deep breath. "When did this come?"

Hilde bit her lip. "This morning, you were out and I didn't know if… He came by this morning to drop it off."

"How did he look?" Duo almost kicked himself for asking.

"Like a train wreck."

For some reason, that made Duo feel better. At least he was not the only one who felt like shit right now. While happiness was enjoyed by everyone, shit was meant to be shared, in Duo's biased opinion.

"He had this really weird gleam in his eyes," Hilde continued. "He scared the hell out of me, but he didn't insist seeing you like he usually did. He just told me to make sure you got that," she nodded at the box in Duo's hands. "You want me to throw it out?"

Duo stared at the box and at his computer, gnawing at his lower lip in indecision. He hadn't checked his mails in days. He reached out for the mouse and clicked his inbox. There were about fifteen unread mails but after a quick scan, he found the one he was looking for. He felt slightly nauseous from all the nerves and he swallowed hard. His finger hovered over the mouse, wondering if he really wanted to read what Heero had to tell him. Coming to a decision, quickly clicked on the message before he chickened out.

It was a blind copy to him, from Heero. It was a message to Relena.  Very brief yet satisfactory.

I'm ending our engagement. Speak to you when you get back. Heero.

A smile appeared from no where and seemed to slap itself on Duo. He felt his pulse race as excitement and joy thundered through every single pore in his body. This was not a dream.

Nope, Brian assured. I would pinch you, but I have no fingers.

Shut up.

This was for real. Heero was choosing, finally choosing between his responsibility and his heart. And Heero chose Duo. This was really happening.

"Duo, are you sure you are okay?" Hilde asked apprehensively. Her boss was now grinning like an idiot. It was true that her boss's moods were sometimes mercurial, but this was totally weird.

Duo ignored her and stared at the box in his hands. He ripped the wrapping apart like a kid on Christmas morning and pulled the cover off the box. He lifted a gorgeously made bracelet that had a flat band for inscription. It was tasteful and wasn't too feminine. He would have gone off the deep end if Heero had given him something ridiculous like a plushie. He turned the bracelet over and read what Heero had engraved.

Forgiveness is a gift from you. I'm sorry. H

Duo felt as if his heart was about to explode. He still didn't completely trust Heero's intentions, but at least he was doing something for them, for their future. Duo felt himself taking a small tentative step along the long road towards trusting Heero Yuy.

You're a sucker for punishment, aren't you? Brian observed.

You think so? Duo asked worriedly.

He seems like he is doing the right thing.

Should I trust him?

You have already started to again, Brian shook his head.

"What are you going to do?" Hilde asked, bringing him back to the here and now.

"What should I do?" Duo asked Hilde.

Hilde sat next to Duo. "Can he be trusted?"

Duo smiled ruefully. "Now that's the million dollar question. Ask me a month ago, I would say 'yes' without a doubt. Now, I can't even say 'maybe' without a doubt."

Saying 'maybe' means you doubt, genius, Brian laughed.

You are my sub-conscious not my English teacher, Duo replied a little miffed.

I'm not the insane one who's talking to myself, Brian returned before dancing away.

"What do you want to do?" Hilde ventured.

"Kiss him? Forgive him? Have mind blowing sex with him?"

"Whoa," Hilde cried, holding up her hands. "Too much information." She turned serious. "Really, what do you want to do?"

Duo shrugged. "I want very much for him to take care of me. I want very much for me to trust him. I want to see how he is going to win me as he says" He sobered. "But I don't know if I can."

Hilde felt a bubble of joy at the returning spirit of her boss. This was the Duo Maxwell she knew, and if this one man can give him so much life, she would try to support him all the way. "I think you should give it one more try. Call him." She got up and left him alone.

Duo decided not to call Heero. He didn't even know what to say to him. He turned towards his laptop again, staring at the email he received. Deciding what to say, he hit the reply button and typed furiously before he had the chance to change his mind.

Stage one and two clear. Points received, unclear. Proceed to Stage three.

He pressed send and leaned back against his chair, fingering the bracelet reverently, realising Heero had touched this. He didn't normally wear jewellery and no matter who this was from, he felt uncomfortable putting it on. In the neighbourhood, wearing excessive jewellery was a bad invitation and years away from it hadn't dulled his training. No, he will keep it. Maybe he would have a little 'Heero's jewellery gifts to Duo' drawer before this was over. He put it away into the box and stored it in his drawer, unable to stop smiling. Damned if he was sappy. And this was the man who brutally tore his heart out.

But he's trying to piece it back together, Brian said.

Aren't you supposed to play Devil's Advocate?

His cell phone rang abruptly, startling him. He stared at the caller ID and realised it was Heero when he saw the private number message flashing. It rang a few more times while Duo continued to fight with himself.

Just answer it, Brian told him.

He decided to take Brian's advice and he quickly pushed the green button. "Hello?" He said tentatively.

"Duo," Heero sighed.

Duo could almost see the smile on his face and heard the overwhelming relief in the other man's voice and could almost make himself believe that Heero actually missed him. "How have you been?"

"Worried sick."

"About?" Duo teased. He wasn't going to let Heero off so easily despite having decided give their relationship another try. He was going to make Heero work for it this time. Maybe Quatre was right, play hard to get this time… uh… harder to get.

"You know what about," Heero said, seriously. "I want us to start again. I want us to be like a normal couple. I want us to go on dates. I want us to celebrate weird anniversaries. I want us to argue about which movies to watch. I want us…" He trailed off.

"You want us…." Duo prompted. To be together again, he added silently to himself. And I want you to know what that means to me.

"That's it, I want us. I understand now where I screwed up. I want you to give me a chance. I won't ask you to trust me. I'll have to earn it. I just want a chance to show you I deserve it." Even through the phone, Duo was stunned by the sincerity in Heero's voice. If he was lying, Duo knew that he would be one hell of a liar.

"I'm afraid, Heero," Duo admitted, unabashedly. "You did the one thing I was afraid you would do."

"I know," Heero said, sadly. "Can you spell idiot?"

"H-E-E-R-O," Duo joked and that won him a laugh, easing the tension.

Heero sighed heavily over phone. "I wish I could see you, I wish I could hold you and beg for your forgiveness, but I know it is not going to be easy."

A sudden worry assailed Duo. Did Quatre tell Heero something? "How… Why are you doing this all of a sudden?" He forced the question out.

There was silence and for a minute there Duo thought they got disconnected. "Because I just had a taste of being without you for two weeks and I know that's not want ever again. I love you, and I want to show you how much."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Heero Yuy?" Duo was astounded at how vulnerable Heero sounded.

Heero laughed. "I'm still all here, love. I just want you to know, you are under no pressure. If you decide to end it right now, I will let you go. Just say the word."

What if I don't want to let go? Duo said silently. The conversation was getting to heavy and he was still not prepared to accept it right now.

"What you did to Relena was low," Duo told him, not very happy with Heero for doing something this important via email.

Heero sounded serious, but completely unrepentant. "I just wanted to show you that I was serious. I needed you to understand I am prepared for this."

"I am now imagining her charging back here and twisting your ear, before hunting me down and shooting me like wild game." Duo smiled to himself.

"That's the best thing," Heero told him gleefully. "She is stuck in Sanq for some weird royal thing and will not be able to come back for an entire month." He sighed blissfully. "Relena free month. O what joy!"

Duo chuckled, amused at the evident relief in Heero's tone, but sobered instantly. "She still will hunt me down and shoot me like game. Besides, she knows where I live."

"She knows and I don't?" Heero asked him disbelievingly.

Duo really didn't want to get into that right now.

"So," Duo said, changing the subject. "What does Stage Three involve?"

Heero sighed, knowing what Duo had done on purpose. "A date."

That was the last thing Duo expected. "A date?" He echoed, uncertainly. After that first dinner, Heero had hardly taken him out. He said he didn't want too much attention. At that time, Duo didn't realise Heero was afraid to be tagged as a homosexual. "Are you sure?"

There was once again silence. "I want us to go somewhere. I want to show you off. I want everyone to look at you and wish that they are the ones that are going home with you. I want…"

"Enough," Duo cut him off laughing. "If you are looking to make me blush, you are doing a damned good job of it." He was also feeling a warmth and tenderness from the top of his head right down to his feet.

"So is Stage Three on?" Heero asked uncertainly.

Duo knew he was lost. He might as well get lost with Heero. "How should I dress?"

tbc…

Lame is my new middle name