Coming Home

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own them, never said I did.

Duo made his way to the house he had grown to know quite well in his late adolescence. He pulled up to the driveway, hitching his pack higher onto his back and let the engine die down. He took a moment to secure his bike before taking a breath and walking up the three cement steps and gently pushing the doorbell button. His heart was racing as he waited for an answer to the chimes going off on the other side of the door. He had been dreading his return since the moment he made up his mind and sent the postcard to Heero almost a week and a half ago. He knew he was wrong to think they could pick things up where they had left off, but Duo needed to get his head straight before getting into a serious relationship with someone.

The fact that Heero was his best friend at the time did nothing to alleviate the situation. If anything, it made things that much worse. He couldn't-wouldn't- take out his frustrations on Heero. He couldn't take advantage of his best friend like that. No, Duo needed out. He needed to step back, get his head on straight, before he did anything he'd regret later.

Duo was rudely taken from his thoughts as the front door opened and a pair of intese, glaring eyes stared at him from just inside the threshold.

"Duo." Came an unimpressed voice from that icy facade.

"Heero..." Duo breathed. He took stock of Heero's visage. He hadn't grown much since they last saw each other; Obviously his Asian heritage kept him from having a significant growth spurt. His eyes were cold and calculating, his skin was bronzed and his muscles tense. There was a new aura around him that Duo had never known. The closest Duo had ever come to seeing this sort of persona projecting itself from Heero was that first day he'd met the Japanese boy-no, he's not a boy any more.

Heero moved back inside the house and left the door open. Duo blinked quickly and walked on in, taking the time to close the door behind him. As he walked into the house, he noticed that the interior decorating had changed over the years. The large house that used to belong to Heero's father now belonged to Heero. It now reflected the transfer of ownership. Where elegant Victorian rugs and vases used to be, there now was an array of ornamental bamboo plants as well as ceremonial swords and silk draperies. Yes, the house had changed a lot. It was as if Duo had stepped out of his world and into an oriental haven.

"Take off your shoes," came a gruff voice just as Duo was about to step off the marble entry where a shelf of neatly arranged shoes lined the wall, near the floor, and onto the wood paneling.

Duo took off his boots, dirty from the trip, and stepped further into the house on gray socks.

"Aren't you going to welcome me home, Heero? I've been gone a long time, can't a guy get a hug?"

"You left of your own accord. I'm sure you have other things to get to, so if you don't mind, I'll be in my office. I assume you know your way around." With that, Heero turned and walked up the stairs to the den that used to be his father's home work station.

Duo let out a breath, blowing his messy bangs up into the air for a second before gliding back down to cover most of his eyes. He hitched his pack again and walked up the stairs to where he had had a room assigned to him before he had left. He reached the door to his old room and turned the knob. It stuck. He tried again and shoved his shoulder against the wooden door. It opened.

The room had a fine layer of dust over every surface. The bed was just as it used to be when he left. He could even see the fold in the bedspread where he had tossed his duffel bag to pack. Had NO ONE come into this room in five years? He looked around some more. There was an old candy wrapper sitting on the corner of his desk and a dirty sock was sitting on the floor of his closet. It was as if this room had been frozen in time for five years while everything around it changed. He closed the door to his room and went to sit on the bed, producing a cloud of dust as he did so.

"What's happened since I've been gone?"

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Heero stood in his office, the door closed behind him, his hands clenching and unclenching.

"Why are you back, Duo? Why did you leave in the first place?"

He ran a hand through his unruly hair and took a deep breath. 'I can do this, he's probably going to be here for a while before he decides to pack up and leave again. All I need to do is avoid him long enough and he'll go away and I won't have to think about it any more.'

He sighed and went to his desk. He booted his laptop and went online.

Quatre.

He's back. I don't know what to do about him. I don't know if I want him to stay.

Heero sent the email and closed his laptop. He hated asking anyone for help, and he hated letting anyone in on what he was feeling, but Quatre has known Duo longer and he had been there to help when Heero had his heart broken.

He sat back and listened to the sound of his own breathing. He was there for a couple of minutes when he heard a knock on the door.

"What?"

Duo poked his head in and blinked at Heero sitting behind his desk. "Umm... I made some sandwiches, I was wondering if you were hungry."

"Hn" Heero stood and brushed by Duo on his way down to the kitchen.

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In the kitchen they ate in mostly silence. Heero refused to look up at Duo and Duo was beginning to become irritated at Heero's brush offs.

Finally Duo could stand it no longer and slammed his napkin against his empty plate. "I've had it Heero! Just what the Fuck is you problem?!"

Heero didn't look at him, just snorted and stood with his plate and glass and took them to the sink before moving to exit the room.

"Oh no you don't, Yuy," Duo grabbed hold of Heero's arm, "You are going to tell me what your problem is right n-OWW!"

The next thing Duo knew, he was standing up against a wall, wrists pinned on either side of his head, and a very angry-looking Heero staring at him with those cold blue eyes.

"Don't presume to tell me what I will or will not do in my own house," his voice was venomous as he ground out the words. "You have been gone for five years and now you think that you can pick up being my best friend again? I don't think so. You've been gone too damn long without so much as a phone call for me to call you little more than an acquaintance."

Heero released him then and continued to stalk out of the room.

"Heero wait!" Duo called after him, "Please, Hee-chan, tell me what's wrong. What's happened since I've been gone? I feel like a stranger in my own home."

"Maybe that's because you ARE." He left Duo standing in the kitchen without so much as another grunt in his direction.

'What have I done?' Duo thought in dismay as he watched the retreating back of the one person he tried to spare with his absence.

Jess' Rant

Hey everyone! Okay, here's the next part. I hope you guys like .

I don't mean to make Duo be the "bad guy" it's just your standard case of mutual misunderstanding. They both have their reasons for being the way they are, but never fear! I am a hardcore 1x2 fan and I will do everything in my power to make this story have a happy ending . ( I couldn't live with myself any other way).

Oh yeah, I got caught with an inconsistency. One of my lovely reviewers pointed out that I said Noin was going to the Navy then in chapter one (or two if you see this on FFN) I said she went to the Army. Okay, so I'm not great at remembering every detail I write, but in my defense, Heero doesn't really know where she's at, he's just making guesses. Besides, it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind, so I'll let the inconsistency stand. Heero doesn't know where she ended up and I'm too lazy to backtrack and find where I made the mistake.