Too Much to Ask

Tears tickled Duo's eyelashes in a rather destructive game and a frown adorned his normally smiling face. The twinge of hurt filled the emptiness inside him where his crush had once been. That damn scene just kept playing in his mind, over and over again. The saltwater wet his ashen face and he chocked on a sob. The rain poured around him but he didn't care, because thinking about where he left his umbrella started it all over again. He had come up with the courage... with the gall to tell Heero how he felt. His braid was falling out of its' usually neat order and he swallowed the lump in his dry throat. The cold from the piercing rain didn't matter to him, he was cold on the inside anyways.

--- It's the first time I

Ever felt this lonely,

Wish someone could

Cure this pain ---

Duo crept toward Heero's room, hoping he'd have some time to talk to the perfect soldier with Miss I'm-the-Stalker-of-Sir-Yuy around. He had to talk to him. That bitch made him so damn jealous it wasn't even funny anymore... and it was starting to affect him... now that Relena had decided to take up permanent residence with the Gundam pilots. He could deal with her every once in a while and pretend he didn't want to rip her head off, but... it was getting out of hand... especially when she started making moves on Heero. No words could describe how much it hurt to see her flirting with him. Duo was there that day to tell the stoic pilot how he felt, once and for all, mostly because Valentines day was well on it's way to being there and Relena, oh the horror, was getting freakishly giggly and devious about her 'oh-so-perfect' present for Heero. The braided male shuttered to think what she had in store at the moment. Duo had opened the door to horrific scene that went a little something like this::

Duo- "Hey Hee-" //is horrified by the image of Relena kissing Heero//

Heero- //breaks from kiss// "Duo?"

Relena- 'Hey! Don't you knock?!?" //clamps onto Heero//

It was at that point that Duo was at a loss for words. It was as if someone had cut him so deeply... it pierced his heart... and to him, it felt like it might of. "H-Hee..." That was all the longhaired male got out before he nearly backed into the wall, resisting the tears threatening to fall on his cheeks. Nothing could have stopped him from running out of the room then.

"Duo!" Was the last thing he heard before the door of the safe house slammed and the rain pattered around him, it's seemingly dreary mood matching his sorrow and pain. He felt like he was pouring on the inside... bleeding... dying... it hurt that much.

--- It's funny when you

Think it's gonna work out

Till you chose weak over me,

You're so lame ---

He got tired of running after a long while, but he didn't want to stop... he didn't want to think, it already hurt too much for words. He'd hoped, he'd prayed that Heero could like him back... but the thing was... if he was kissing her... there was no way he had a chance. So, Duo kept running, even when he barely had any strength left. It would have helped if Heero ever gave any hints to how he felt toward anyone... instead of acting like he was blowing everyone off. The brunette wished he could way he hated the stoic male... but there was no way he could ever do that. No matter how much it hurt that he'd seen him kissing her... it wasn't something he could blame on Heero. Sooner or later, Duo stopped running, because, there wasn't anywhere else to go. The rain still poured on though, drenching everything with it's sheeted wrath. The braided male sat down on a sodden swing in the local park's play area. Then he closed his eyes, remembering how much he'd tried to make Heero laugh, to make him smile. He'd only succeeded once or twice, but it was well worth it. Other times, he just stayed the same, not flinching, and he most likely, simply continued with his rhythmic typing.

--- I thought you were

Cool until the point,

Up until the point

You didn't call me

When you said you would

---

Seemingly to spite Duo attempts at humor and odd jokes, his overall happiness, never seemed to make Heero even crack a smile. Sometimes Duo just didn't get him. It was like he was too caught up in being the perfect soldier and trying to keep himself from becoming a tiny bit human, even as the war seemed to have ended. The whole act he had going was bound to crack sometime... but Duo was simply hoping that he'd be the one to crack Heero's shell. A sigh escaped the brunette's lips as another stream of tears mingled with the rain drenching the world around him. He wiped the trail away, though, what was the use? He was all alone.... but even then he felt like he was betraying himself by crying. Upon the death of Father Maxwell... he had sworn never to cry again. It seemed every time he had a crush of some kind, they had all managed to crush his heart, purposely or not, it always happened. This time... this time... the Death Scythe pilot had a feeling it would be different...maybe because... because the way he felt for Heero was different than he had ever felt for anyone else. A sound interrupted he braided male's thoughts. He looked up to find his gaze locking with that of Persian blue. The pain within him deepened.
"Duo..." Spoke the other pilot, his same orderly, bland tone present. Rage filled Duo and it mixed with the loneliness already there. He felt sick to his stomach. "I can explain..." Though the tone of Heero's voice had changed slightly, it still didn't hold any feeling.

"Don't bother." There was hurt bitterness in his normally cheery words. "I've heard stories like yours before... I'm not new to this game... just... just leave me alone." He said, holding back the tears that threatened to come all over again and leave behind more reddened trails beside the rain there.

---

Finally figured out

You're all the same

Always coming up

With some kind of story.

---

Duo managed a sad smile as he got up from the swing, turning to go. He felt like running away all over again, but he wasn't sure if he could with Heero right there... burning a hole in his back with that death glare he had. He continued to walk, a stab of agony going though his heart with every step. He didn't want to be caught with questions. The obvious was already out in the open, now all Heero wanted to do was come up with some lame story that would get him hurt all over again in the end. It was just like always... Duo was fool to think it'd be any different this time. He should have just given up long ago. Why was it that he even tried to get a reaction out of Heero before? He would give the same old silly stories, the same old corny jokes, and the same old humorous comments. As the longhaired brunette's step quickened in regret, a hand reached out to stop him, grasping his wrist with talented fingers...usually seen typing at a keyboard. How many times had Duo hoped the being that was attached to those fingers could hold him?

---

Every time I try to

Make you smile

You're always feelin'

Sorry for yourself.

---

"What?" Duo asked as he faced Heero but was silenced in being pulled into an embrace and then slightly pulled back as a turquoise raincoat being worn by the supposedly perfect soldier was wrapped partly around him. He wanted to protest, to struggle... but this was what he'd always dreamed of, wasn't it? He couldn't just escape from the flawless embrace... not when he was so near what he had lost over an hour ago. "Heero... I..." He hadn't a chance utter even another word as the normally stoic teenager claimed his lips in a sweet kiss. No smile, no laugher, simply a kiss. But in truth, that was the most meaningful reaction that the braided male had ever gotten out of him, and it was also, most certainly, the most unexpected. When they broke Duo looked up in surprise.

"Now will you listen to me?" He questioned, his business tone still as clear as ever. Laughter bubbled up from inside the Death Scythe pilot and he chuckled softly, receiving a rather confused look from the other male. "Did I say something funny?" Duo shook his head.

"I think I'm ready to listen now." The normal grin was in place, and he seemed to be past the pain of a few minutes before.

---

Every time I try to

Make you laugh

You can't you're too tough

You think you're loveless

I s that too much

That I'm askin' for?

---

"What you saw..." Heero began cautiously, "It wasn't what it looked like." The pain welled up all over again and a frown reclaimed Duo's heart- shaped face.

"Oh, so you weren't kissing her." He spoke wryly.

"I-I mean... shit..." The shorthaired male muttered, "I didn't mean to kiss her." This brought a skeptical look from Duo. "I'm serious." He spoke, now sounding like a pouting little kid, something that the braided male would have never figured Heero could sound like.

"Oh... so you didn't mean to kiss me either." Duo blandly interpreted.

"No! No! Look, I chose to kiss you! She made me kiss her!" This brought another look of skepticism and a raised eyebrow. "Look, I think she knew you were coming... and so.... I was just in there, typing like usual and she comes and... I told her to come back later because I was busy... but she wouldn't leave." He looked to Duo, half pleading him to believe what he was saying, "And right before you got there she practically attacked me and I was trying to push her off me when I saw you."

"I don't know if I should believe you."

"Duo... you have to believe me..."

"Sure, whatever." Duo responded, still hurt in all possible ways, and backed out of the embrace, walking off in the other direction. "But it still hurts..." He whispered under his breath, trying his best to ignore the Heero that was following him.

"Duo, wait!"

---

I thought you'd come around

When I ignored you

Thought you'd have the

Decency to change ---

But Duo didn't stop. He kept simply kept walking. Maybe this was running, maybe this was breaking his promise, his motto. Though it didn't matter now.

"Duo why are you just walking away?" Heero's voice echoed in the rhythmic pitter-patter of the rain.

"Because it hurts.... Because I don't want to be hurt all over again.... Because I know that even if I thought this crush would be different... it won't last... and then I'll have to start all over again." Duo moved a few strands of disobedient hair from his bangs out of his face.

"No one knows it will ever be like that." At this point, the longhaired brunette had stopped, his back still turned to the one his hear had been yearning for... for... who knows how long.

"It's always been like that." Duo answered, turning his head to Heero's guilty expression and laughing bitterly, "She's been flirting with you for weeks, do you know what torture that was? Could you possibly comprehend how much that hurt...? And then... and then... today..." The unavoidable tears spilled out all over again and he fell to the ground, overcome with emotions. "It's not getting any better..." He hiccupped in despair, his hands running through his bangs as he attempted to wipe his tears away in the process.

---

But babe, I guess you

Didn't take that warning

'Cuz I'm not about to

Look at your face again ---

"Duo..." The guilt overwhelmed Heero and he ran to the fallen pilot. "Duo..." He held the sobbing form in his arms.

"Is this too much to ask? To fall in love with the right person?" Duo questioned, unashamed of the tears that stained his face.

"No, no... it isn't too much to ask." Heero answered, a loving tone to his voice, one that no one could have anticipated hearing. Duo simply clung to the boy whose arm's enveloped him, the fear draining from him on the sidewalk, just like that. Maybe this was different... maybe he could be in love with Heero and be saved the pain.

"I-I'm so confused... I don't want to be hurt again..." Heero moved to look him in the eyes, "but... but I want to love you."

"I'm not going to hurt you. Nothing should be stopping you now." Heero insisted. The braided male simply shook his head in sadness.

"I've been promised that so many times... and every time it's been broken..." Then again... maybe this was different. Without waiting for a response, Duo resolved that once day, one hour, or even one minute wouldn't hurt. Pain couldn't come out of one day. With a sad smile, he rested his head on the Wing Zero pilot's lap, half-surprising the other male. Soon a smile graced Heero's traditionally bland face and he sat the longhaired teenager up, kissing him full on the lips as his fresh tears mingled with the sodden Duo's.
"Let's go home." Heero spoke calmly and the other male nodded in satisfaction and agreement. "And when we get there... Let's take out the trash." For a moment the Death Scythe pilot looked confused but then grinned infectiously.

--- Can't you see that

You lie to yourself

You can't see the

World through a mirror

--

And they lived happily ever after... once they were done putting a trash- covered Relena on the curb for the dump-truck to pick up in the morning.

---

It was too much

That I was askin' for...

---