Heero growled low in his throat as he realised Duo was ten minutes late
again. It was a good job he had told him to get to the spaceport half an
hour earlier than he would have actually had to. Eventually, Duo appeared
in the midst of the crowded duty free department, dragging his hand
luggage. A group of Chinese tourists took a random picture, the flash
momentarily blinding the American. Duo spotted Heero and waved cheerily to
him. Heero nodded back.
"Oh come on Hee-chan!" Duo chirped, "We get to go on vacation and you're all grumpy!"
"It's not a vacation Duo" Heero replied sternly "you need to remember that."
"Oh I know, but I still intend to have some fun before we get there. I'm going duty free shopping, you coming?"
Heero shook his head.
"Suit yourself". Duo left his bags with Heero and scampered off towards the nearest fragrance shop. Heero watched him go, braid swinging, and wandered off to the bar.
He didn't order anything though. It was always his belief that drinking before a flight, be it aeroplane or space travel, was something only football hooligans took part in. Duo on the other hand believed a pre- flight drink was tradition, and joined Heero at the bar along with four bags of aftershaves and shirts. He ordered a vodka and coke, the pulled something out of one of the bags.
"I got this for you Hee-chan" he said, "I thought it would suit you."
Heeor looked at the shirt in Duo's hands. Italian made black silk with pearl-white buttons. Heero's jaw dropped.
"How much did that cost?!"
"Oh don't worry about it. I thought it would be nice to get it for you since it's been so long. Plus, I'm sick of seeing you in that bloody tank top."
Heero didn't say anything. He took the shirt and shoved it into his hand luggage, checking his watch as he did.
"Come on" he said, standing up "boarding time."
Duo nodded and downed the rest of his drink. Heero led the way to the terminal, wondering how long Duo could last before he had an explosion of energy and insisted on getting p from his seat every five minutes.
"I need the toilet."
"Why didn't you go before we boarded?"
"I didn't need it then."
Heero sighed. They hadn't been on the shuttle for five minutes and already Duo was unable to sit still. Heero cursed himself for letting him have the window seat. He got up and stood in the narrow aisle, pressing up against the seats to give the boarding passengers room to pass while Duo squeezed past them in the opposite direction towards the toilet. When he came back, he had already managed to upset one of their fellow passengers enough for them to ask the steward to remove him from the shuttle. The steward led him back to his seat and turned to Heero.
"Please keep your son under control sir," he said.
"He's not my son" Heero replied, "He's the same age as me."
The steward looked slightly confused for a second, then apologised for his mistake. Duo glared at his as he walked back down the aisle checking people had their seatbelts on.
"Why do they have seatbelt's on shuttles?" Duo asked "Is it so you don't fall off when they go around corners?"
Heero laughed. He actually laughed, and it wasn't a little fake laugh. I t was a real, proper laugh, like when you have just found something genuinely funny. Duo was impressed. He wished he had a camera to capture the rare moment.
"Find my little joke funny Hee-chan?"
"You just made a point," Heero said from behind tears of laughter "there really is no point to them."
A low rumble announced that the shuttle was about to take off, and Duo practically bounced with excitement. It moved out into the take off line and sped down it.
Heero nudged Duo, but there was no waking him now. The American was fast asleep, leaning on Heero's shoulder. Heero looked out of the window upon the stars of space. The journey only had an hour or so left, and most of the passengers had disembarked on L2 when they stopped there about half an hour ago, all of which Duo had slept through. A stewardess stopped by on her way past to see if they wanted any blankets, and Heero declined. He felt Duo moving and looked down. He had to admit, he didn't really mind having Duo asleep on his shoulder, in fact he quite enjoyed it. Maybe one day he would finally have the balls enough to tell Duo how he really felt.
Heero nudged Duo again, harder than before, and the braided boy woke up. He looked around the passenger compartment with the slightly glazed look to his eyes of someone who could use at least another hour of sleep.
"Wasup?" he slurred "We there?"
"No" Heero replied. Duo rubbed his eyes sleepily and cracked his neck. His braid was starting come undone, and little chestnut locks fell about his face along with his bangs.
"Why did you wake me then?"
"You were asleep on me, and since I want to sleep too I thought it would be a better idea to lie down. These seats do recline you know, you don't need to lean all over me." Back into Perfect Soldier mode. Heero even threw in a semi death glare to convince Duo further.
Duo poked around the side of his seat and found the recline button. The seat moved back and rested horizontally, turning itself into a sort of bed. Shuttles like this one, supposedly made for long journeys, we're often boasted about by travel companies as having 'the most comfortable, spacious sleeping facilities in space travel!'
Duo was finding it quite the opposite. The armrest was digging into his back and the headrest was hard and uncomfortable. He fidgeted constantly, and only stopped when Heero gave him a sharp dig in his side.
"Hee-chan..." he moaned "stoppit okay?"
"Keep still then baka."
"I can't, these seats aren't exactly waterbeds you know."
Heero turned over and glared at Duo.
"It's not fair to keep me awake just because you can't sleep, I'll knock you out if I have to."
Duo groaned and curled up, doing his best to keep the imposing armrest out of his back. Heero turned back again and faced out into the aisle. About three seats down from them, another passenger also had their seat reclined, and was reading. The rest of the seats were empty. Heero raised himself up on his elbow and looked out of the window.
They were passing another colony, one Heero didn't recognise. They had another sixteen hours left before they reached AT90, and the thought of spending them cramped in this poor excuse for a chair was unappealing to say the least. A stewardess walked down the silent aisle and stopped to ask Heero if he wanted anything. Heero asked for an extra pillow, and she got one out of the overhead compartment for him. It was remarkable how similar the passenger aeroplanes and space shuttles were. The stewardess left and asked the one other passenger the same question. Heero paid no attention to them. Duo moved again but didn't wake up. The colony outside the window disappeared from view and Heero settled down to sleep.
"Welcome to AT90" the kid at the check-in desk greeted them. Duo nodded in reply while Heero said nothing. The American was still half asleep, and Heero was practically carrying him around. Duo didn't bother to help Heero find their luggage at baggage claim either. Instead, he sat against the wall and waited until they were ready to go. Heero came over, dragging their bags and glared at Duo again for not helping.
"Sorry" Duo apologised "I'm just too tired. I'd say it was jet lag but since we weren't on a plane I don't suppose that's right is it?"
"Hn" was Heero's reply. Duo followed him to the pick up zone outside while they waited for their ride.
Well, I've just read back over this and I can pick out the three exact points where I developed a crippling case of writers cramp and had to just throw in anything to keep myself from loosing my sanity. Oh well, it'll do. Sorry if it sucks, but hey I'm tired...
Miko: and a crap author... Kaine: sod you...
"Oh come on Hee-chan!" Duo chirped, "We get to go on vacation and you're all grumpy!"
"It's not a vacation Duo" Heero replied sternly "you need to remember that."
"Oh I know, but I still intend to have some fun before we get there. I'm going duty free shopping, you coming?"
Heero shook his head.
"Suit yourself". Duo left his bags with Heero and scampered off towards the nearest fragrance shop. Heero watched him go, braid swinging, and wandered off to the bar.
He didn't order anything though. It was always his belief that drinking before a flight, be it aeroplane or space travel, was something only football hooligans took part in. Duo on the other hand believed a pre- flight drink was tradition, and joined Heero at the bar along with four bags of aftershaves and shirts. He ordered a vodka and coke, the pulled something out of one of the bags.
"I got this for you Hee-chan" he said, "I thought it would suit you."
Heeor looked at the shirt in Duo's hands. Italian made black silk with pearl-white buttons. Heero's jaw dropped.
"How much did that cost?!"
"Oh don't worry about it. I thought it would be nice to get it for you since it's been so long. Plus, I'm sick of seeing you in that bloody tank top."
Heero didn't say anything. He took the shirt and shoved it into his hand luggage, checking his watch as he did.
"Come on" he said, standing up "boarding time."
Duo nodded and downed the rest of his drink. Heero led the way to the terminal, wondering how long Duo could last before he had an explosion of energy and insisted on getting p from his seat every five minutes.
"I need the toilet."
"Why didn't you go before we boarded?"
"I didn't need it then."
Heero sighed. They hadn't been on the shuttle for five minutes and already Duo was unable to sit still. Heero cursed himself for letting him have the window seat. He got up and stood in the narrow aisle, pressing up against the seats to give the boarding passengers room to pass while Duo squeezed past them in the opposite direction towards the toilet. When he came back, he had already managed to upset one of their fellow passengers enough for them to ask the steward to remove him from the shuttle. The steward led him back to his seat and turned to Heero.
"Please keep your son under control sir," he said.
"He's not my son" Heero replied, "He's the same age as me."
The steward looked slightly confused for a second, then apologised for his mistake. Duo glared at his as he walked back down the aisle checking people had their seatbelts on.
"Why do they have seatbelt's on shuttles?" Duo asked "Is it so you don't fall off when they go around corners?"
Heero laughed. He actually laughed, and it wasn't a little fake laugh. I t was a real, proper laugh, like when you have just found something genuinely funny. Duo was impressed. He wished he had a camera to capture the rare moment.
"Find my little joke funny Hee-chan?"
"You just made a point," Heero said from behind tears of laughter "there really is no point to them."
A low rumble announced that the shuttle was about to take off, and Duo practically bounced with excitement. It moved out into the take off line and sped down it.
Heero nudged Duo, but there was no waking him now. The American was fast asleep, leaning on Heero's shoulder. Heero looked out of the window upon the stars of space. The journey only had an hour or so left, and most of the passengers had disembarked on L2 when they stopped there about half an hour ago, all of which Duo had slept through. A stewardess stopped by on her way past to see if they wanted any blankets, and Heero declined. He felt Duo moving and looked down. He had to admit, he didn't really mind having Duo asleep on his shoulder, in fact he quite enjoyed it. Maybe one day he would finally have the balls enough to tell Duo how he really felt.
Heero nudged Duo again, harder than before, and the braided boy woke up. He looked around the passenger compartment with the slightly glazed look to his eyes of someone who could use at least another hour of sleep.
"Wasup?" he slurred "We there?"
"No" Heero replied. Duo rubbed his eyes sleepily and cracked his neck. His braid was starting come undone, and little chestnut locks fell about his face along with his bangs.
"Why did you wake me then?"
"You were asleep on me, and since I want to sleep too I thought it would be a better idea to lie down. These seats do recline you know, you don't need to lean all over me." Back into Perfect Soldier mode. Heero even threw in a semi death glare to convince Duo further.
Duo poked around the side of his seat and found the recline button. The seat moved back and rested horizontally, turning itself into a sort of bed. Shuttles like this one, supposedly made for long journeys, we're often boasted about by travel companies as having 'the most comfortable, spacious sleeping facilities in space travel!'
Duo was finding it quite the opposite. The armrest was digging into his back and the headrest was hard and uncomfortable. He fidgeted constantly, and only stopped when Heero gave him a sharp dig in his side.
"Hee-chan..." he moaned "stoppit okay?"
"Keep still then baka."
"I can't, these seats aren't exactly waterbeds you know."
Heero turned over and glared at Duo.
"It's not fair to keep me awake just because you can't sleep, I'll knock you out if I have to."
Duo groaned and curled up, doing his best to keep the imposing armrest out of his back. Heero turned back again and faced out into the aisle. About three seats down from them, another passenger also had their seat reclined, and was reading. The rest of the seats were empty. Heero raised himself up on his elbow and looked out of the window.
They were passing another colony, one Heero didn't recognise. They had another sixteen hours left before they reached AT90, and the thought of spending them cramped in this poor excuse for a chair was unappealing to say the least. A stewardess walked down the silent aisle and stopped to ask Heero if he wanted anything. Heero asked for an extra pillow, and she got one out of the overhead compartment for him. It was remarkable how similar the passenger aeroplanes and space shuttles were. The stewardess left and asked the one other passenger the same question. Heero paid no attention to them. Duo moved again but didn't wake up. The colony outside the window disappeared from view and Heero settled down to sleep.
"Welcome to AT90" the kid at the check-in desk greeted them. Duo nodded in reply while Heero said nothing. The American was still half asleep, and Heero was practically carrying him around. Duo didn't bother to help Heero find their luggage at baggage claim either. Instead, he sat against the wall and waited until they were ready to go. Heero came over, dragging their bags and glared at Duo again for not helping.
"Sorry" Duo apologised "I'm just too tired. I'd say it was jet lag but since we weren't on a plane I don't suppose that's right is it?"
"Hn" was Heero's reply. Duo followed him to the pick up zone outside while they waited for their ride.
Well, I've just read back over this and I can pick out the three exact points where I developed a crippling case of writers cramp and had to just throw in anything to keep myself from loosing my sanity. Oh well, it'll do. Sorry if it sucks, but hey I'm tired...
Miko: and a crap author... Kaine: sod you...