Starting Over Again
Chapter 16
Disclaimer: Refer to a previous chapters.
Author Notes: It's been a year since I started this story exactly today and I don't know whether to be happy or sad. Oh well I updated and made it slightly longer than usual. Enjoy!
"Talking"
'Thinking'
***
The constant babbling. All the way home and into their apartment Duo had incessantly talked. Nothing serious-just prattled. Duo talked about everything: his job, the pedestrians, the weather, and his favorite cereal for Pete's sake!
It had to end soon, it had been going on for two hours straight and if it went on much longer Heero was going to spontaneously combust. Up until now he had simply been quiet, nodded every once and awhile, but other than that the conversation hadn't called for his help. That was going to end.
"...and so then I was walking down Aisle 12 and I know it was Aisle 12 'cause "
"Duo."
"It had the little fruit snacks on it and "
"Duo!"
"That means it has applesauce on it too, but anyways "
"DUO!" Heero finally shouted and Duo jumped in the middle of his speech.
"Hm? You want something Heero?" Duo asked innocently.
Heero put his hand to his forehead. "Duo...you have been talking NONSTOP for two hours STRAIGHT about useless things! I would listen, be happy to listen, if you were serious, but your not!" Heero near growled out.
"But I am serious Heero! I really did walk down the aisle 'cause then guess who I bumped into? Well you prob "
"Duo!" Heero shouted and clasped his hand over Duo's mouth and resituated himself on the living room couch so he could now face Duo. He faced the back of the couch, knees folded under himself and stared into Duo's eyes. "What is wrong?" Slowly he pulled his hand off the ever-so-loud ones mouth.
"Um... nothing was wrong. It was just Sally and she was getting fruit snacks too and "
Heero jumped on top of Duo pressing him to the couch, clasping his hand down on top of his mouth. "SHUT UP!" Heero stared for a few minutes and exhaled hard a few good times. "...Please." He asked in a much nicer, almost pleading voice. He stared for a few more minutes into the pools of violet.
Duo wriggled beneath him.
"Oh my gosh!" Heero jumped off of him and sat a little forward, "Sorry."
"S'okay." Duo absently rubbed his arm and looked out the window. He avoided Heero's eyes.
Heero let out an exasperated sigh. "Duo, really tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Duo crossed his arms, then, on second thought, reached our for the television remote.
"Heero grabbed his wrist. "No. There is something the matter."
"What makes you think that Heero?" Duo pushed himself into the back of the couch and crossed his arms.
"Your silent. And you were babbling. And you... you're not acting like you." Heero spoke slowly.
"Well, there is nothing wrong with me at all. Just drop it."
This time Heero grabbed the remote.
***
He had the feeling again. Someone was watching him. He scanned all the surrounding cubicles in what he knew was going to be a fruitless search for his watcher. He had looked time and time again to no avail. No, all his fellow employees sat silently doing various tasks even Duo.
That was unusual.
He always got his work done, but he was always doing SOMETHING while working or procastinating. Never just silently working. There was definetly something wrong with him. Maybe Heero would try to get it our of him later. He turned his attention back to the program he was working on.
And, as expected, the feeling came back. He tried to ignore it. And tried, and tried, and tried until he simply couldn't anymore. He wasn't even concentratin on work at all just thinking through who could be watching him. The thought of someone watching him, even if he was only blankly staring at a computer screen, and not being able to figure out who it was just went against his very nature.
He jerked his head up, piercing gaze in the direction of where he thought the person was, and caught a flash of purple as Duo yanked his head down. Heero's gaze turned from an angry one to a bewildered one.
So it was Duo watching him all this time?
Before Heero had a chance to even try to ponder this new revelation, he was called to Une's office.
***
"So Lady Une is moving us, eh? She just doesn't wanna keep me in one place, eh?" Duo laughed jovially and began to fiddle with one of his fries. This lunch break already seemed longer than usual. "So, what is the lady doing now, again?"
"Training and security checks." Heero sat across from Duo in a small fast-food restaurant Duo favored, eating methodically. "One of their other men Wood, he retired and one of us two would be the best replacement. I requested you to be my partner. Do you mind?"
"Naw, Heero, it's fine. My job was getting boring already and training should be fun." Duo pushed some more food around his plate. "...but if only one person retired how did the space require two people. Escpecially two highly-trained gundam pilots who could probably fill about four spaces seperately?" Duo asked and steepled his hands on the table waiting for an answer.
"I just requested it. I," here there was an ever-so-slight hesitation, "like working with you."
The braided teen was taken aback. He had expected something... something different that what he got. Even a long time ago, near the middle of the war when Heero was TRYING to change to impress Duo, Even when they were lovers, Heero had trouble admitting little thing like the fact that he liked working with Duo.
He certainly had changed.
Duo's near untouched plate did not appetise him at all the next time he caught site of it and he decided he was full.
Heero just stared curiously as Duo walked off to throw away his meal untouched. The boy sure was acting weird.
***
Heero had felt Duo watching him numerous more times after lunch, and now, back in Heero's car, Duo was babbling again! This, Heero decided, would be the end of him if it continued. He could understand that Duo was and energetic person who loved to talk but this was different. This was simply noise. Useless noise, not talk.
It had to end. Soon. Well as soon as Heero figured out a way to stop it.
***
Duo rolled over in his bed for the umpteenth time that night. The dark seemed too dark, the silent too silent, and he still couldn't stop thinking of his blue-eyed friend. This was going to drive him insane. It was like Quatre's talk had opened something inside of him and now he couldn't stop pondering Heero. All the way home he had thought about him. Wondered where their relationship lay and what exactly Heero thought of him. Later when Heero had jumped on top of him trying to force him to be quiet, with their bodies forced close together the myriad of naughty thoughts that flew through Duo's head had shocked even himself.
His attention had been drawn to his friend the whole day, even after he guessed he'd been caught. To study Heero, his hair, face, his mnnerisms, and occasionally when Duo was feeling brave, his lithe, muscled body.
During lunch he didn't even eat, just wondered more about Heero. Noticed just how much he had changed. Sure, he still wasn't the best talker or the sweetest thing on earth but he had obviously put some effor into changing his personality.
In the car again he had babbled once again while trying to define their relationship. Ex-lovers? Roomates? Friends? He finally settled on best friends. His mind automatically questioned if there was potentila for more. He pushed that thought away feebly and argued even more feebly that he didn't WANT anymore.
He wasn't even believing his own lies anymore.
Duo stuffed his head into his pillow. And layed there. And layed there. And layed there some more. He tried to sleep in vain. His thoughts wondered again. What did he want anymore? Why was he so afraid? Why was he believing these lies he had fed to himself? Even he was realizing what he was sure others had already seen. Everything he had told himself were lies. Rubbish. There was no denying it anymore.
Duo curled into a ball and pulled his second pillow to his chest. Something had broke inside him and now he didn't know what to think. Inside little parts of him still believed his lies and forbid to even think about any of this anymore.
The thoughts were willed away. The boy still couldn't sleep. Finally he stood in his dark, silent room and stumbled his way to the door in the dark. He made it through the living room to the kitchen without too much trouble although he did go slow and hit many things with outstretched arms. He flicked the light switch next to the table on only to jump about a foot in the air.
"Heero?"
***
Reviews! Please I live off them and I only got two last chapter. So please, please review this chapter and I'll update as quickly as possible! Thank you all soooo much!
Chapter 16
Disclaimer: Refer to a previous chapters.
Author Notes: It's been a year since I started this story exactly today and I don't know whether to be happy or sad. Oh well I updated and made it slightly longer than usual. Enjoy!
"Talking"
'Thinking'
***
The constant babbling. All the way home and into their apartment Duo had incessantly talked. Nothing serious-just prattled. Duo talked about everything: his job, the pedestrians, the weather, and his favorite cereal for Pete's sake!
It had to end soon, it had been going on for two hours straight and if it went on much longer Heero was going to spontaneously combust. Up until now he had simply been quiet, nodded every once and awhile, but other than that the conversation hadn't called for his help. That was going to end.
"...and so then I was walking down Aisle 12 and I know it was Aisle 12 'cause "
"Duo."
"It had the little fruit snacks on it and "
"Duo!"
"That means it has applesauce on it too, but anyways "
"DUO!" Heero finally shouted and Duo jumped in the middle of his speech.
"Hm? You want something Heero?" Duo asked innocently.
Heero put his hand to his forehead. "Duo...you have been talking NONSTOP for two hours STRAIGHT about useless things! I would listen, be happy to listen, if you were serious, but your not!" Heero near growled out.
"But I am serious Heero! I really did walk down the aisle 'cause then guess who I bumped into? Well you prob "
"Duo!" Heero shouted and clasped his hand over Duo's mouth and resituated himself on the living room couch so he could now face Duo. He faced the back of the couch, knees folded under himself and stared into Duo's eyes. "What is wrong?" Slowly he pulled his hand off the ever-so-loud ones mouth.
"Um... nothing was wrong. It was just Sally and she was getting fruit snacks too and "
Heero jumped on top of Duo pressing him to the couch, clasping his hand down on top of his mouth. "SHUT UP!" Heero stared for a few minutes and exhaled hard a few good times. "...Please." He asked in a much nicer, almost pleading voice. He stared for a few more minutes into the pools of violet.
Duo wriggled beneath him.
"Oh my gosh!" Heero jumped off of him and sat a little forward, "Sorry."
"S'okay." Duo absently rubbed his arm and looked out the window. He avoided Heero's eyes.
Heero let out an exasperated sigh. "Duo, really tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Duo crossed his arms, then, on second thought, reached our for the television remote.
"Heero grabbed his wrist. "No. There is something the matter."
"What makes you think that Heero?" Duo pushed himself into the back of the couch and crossed his arms.
"Your silent. And you were babbling. And you... you're not acting like you." Heero spoke slowly.
"Well, there is nothing wrong with me at all. Just drop it."
This time Heero grabbed the remote.
***
He had the feeling again. Someone was watching him. He scanned all the surrounding cubicles in what he knew was going to be a fruitless search for his watcher. He had looked time and time again to no avail. No, all his fellow employees sat silently doing various tasks even Duo.
That was unusual.
He always got his work done, but he was always doing SOMETHING while working or procastinating. Never just silently working. There was definetly something wrong with him. Maybe Heero would try to get it our of him later. He turned his attention back to the program he was working on.
And, as expected, the feeling came back. He tried to ignore it. And tried, and tried, and tried until he simply couldn't anymore. He wasn't even concentratin on work at all just thinking through who could be watching him. The thought of someone watching him, even if he was only blankly staring at a computer screen, and not being able to figure out who it was just went against his very nature.
He jerked his head up, piercing gaze in the direction of where he thought the person was, and caught a flash of purple as Duo yanked his head down. Heero's gaze turned from an angry one to a bewildered one.
So it was Duo watching him all this time?
Before Heero had a chance to even try to ponder this new revelation, he was called to Une's office.
***
"So Lady Une is moving us, eh? She just doesn't wanna keep me in one place, eh?" Duo laughed jovially and began to fiddle with one of his fries. This lunch break already seemed longer than usual. "So, what is the lady doing now, again?"
"Training and security checks." Heero sat across from Duo in a small fast-food restaurant Duo favored, eating methodically. "One of their other men Wood, he retired and one of us two would be the best replacement. I requested you to be my partner. Do you mind?"
"Naw, Heero, it's fine. My job was getting boring already and training should be fun." Duo pushed some more food around his plate. "...but if only one person retired how did the space require two people. Escpecially two highly-trained gundam pilots who could probably fill about four spaces seperately?" Duo asked and steepled his hands on the table waiting for an answer.
"I just requested it. I," here there was an ever-so-slight hesitation, "like working with you."
The braided teen was taken aback. He had expected something... something different that what he got. Even a long time ago, near the middle of the war when Heero was TRYING to change to impress Duo, Even when they were lovers, Heero had trouble admitting little thing like the fact that he liked working with Duo.
He certainly had changed.
Duo's near untouched plate did not appetise him at all the next time he caught site of it and he decided he was full.
Heero just stared curiously as Duo walked off to throw away his meal untouched. The boy sure was acting weird.
***
Heero had felt Duo watching him numerous more times after lunch, and now, back in Heero's car, Duo was babbling again! This, Heero decided, would be the end of him if it continued. He could understand that Duo was and energetic person who loved to talk but this was different. This was simply noise. Useless noise, not talk.
It had to end. Soon. Well as soon as Heero figured out a way to stop it.
***
Duo rolled over in his bed for the umpteenth time that night. The dark seemed too dark, the silent too silent, and he still couldn't stop thinking of his blue-eyed friend. This was going to drive him insane. It was like Quatre's talk had opened something inside of him and now he couldn't stop pondering Heero. All the way home he had thought about him. Wondered where their relationship lay and what exactly Heero thought of him. Later when Heero had jumped on top of him trying to force him to be quiet, with their bodies forced close together the myriad of naughty thoughts that flew through Duo's head had shocked even himself.
His attention had been drawn to his friend the whole day, even after he guessed he'd been caught. To study Heero, his hair, face, his mnnerisms, and occasionally when Duo was feeling brave, his lithe, muscled body.
During lunch he didn't even eat, just wondered more about Heero. Noticed just how much he had changed. Sure, he still wasn't the best talker or the sweetest thing on earth but he had obviously put some effor into changing his personality.
In the car again he had babbled once again while trying to define their relationship. Ex-lovers? Roomates? Friends? He finally settled on best friends. His mind automatically questioned if there was potentila for more. He pushed that thought away feebly and argued even more feebly that he didn't WANT anymore.
He wasn't even believing his own lies anymore.
Duo stuffed his head into his pillow. And layed there. And layed there. And layed there some more. He tried to sleep in vain. His thoughts wondered again. What did he want anymore? Why was he so afraid? Why was he believing these lies he had fed to himself? Even he was realizing what he was sure others had already seen. Everything he had told himself were lies. Rubbish. There was no denying it anymore.
Duo curled into a ball and pulled his second pillow to his chest. Something had broke inside him and now he didn't know what to think. Inside little parts of him still believed his lies and forbid to even think about any of this anymore.
The thoughts were willed away. The boy still couldn't sleep. Finally he stood in his dark, silent room and stumbled his way to the door in the dark. He made it through the living room to the kitchen without too much trouble although he did go slow and hit many things with outstretched arms. He flicked the light switch next to the table on only to jump about a foot in the air.
"Heero?"
***
Reviews! Please I live off them and I only got two last chapter. So please, please review this chapter and I'll update as quickly as possible! Thank you all soooo much!