Title: Moving Forward
Theme + Number: #34/ Troubled thoughts

Genre: Drama/Introspective/Romance
Warnings: Spoilers for EW and Duo's past
Character/Pairing: Duo/Heero
Word Count: 642
Rating: PG
Summary: We both have our regrets. People we wish we could have saved, mistakes we wish we hadn't made. But dwelling on these things doesn't make it any better. We have to keep moving forward.

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The rain was falling steadily by the time he got home, the warm summer showers soaking through his clothes and giving him a slight chill. But at the moment, this was the least of Heero Yuy's concerns.

There were no lights on in the apartment, and given the weather- Heero knew that Duo couldn't be out at the junk yards working overtime. No, something wasn't right and that thought alone caused him to climb the stairs quicker than usual.

"Duo?" He called softly through the door, waiting for an answer and not getting one.

Fumbling in his damp pocket for the keys, he finally found them and jammed it into the lock. Pushing the door open, he noticed a familiar lump on the sofa.

"Duo?"

"I'm...here."

Slowly edging his way to the blanket-clad figure on the couch, Heero sat down beside him.

"Why are all the lights off?"

"Power's out?" He offered lamely.

Heero leveled him with a serious glare, "Duo, we've talked about this. You don't have to hide your feelings from me."

Slouching over onto Heero, Duo sighed.

"Something happened downtown today..."

Heero remained silent, reaching over and took Duo's hand.

"There was a fire at the local church," He paused, "A couple of orphans there didn't- didn't make it out in time."

Thinking back to what Duo had told him about his past, Heero understood right away what the problem was. It hit too close to home, too similar to the events in which Duo had lost the people he considered his only family.

Pulling his companion into an embrace, Heero absently stroked his hair.

"You couldn't have saved them, Duo."

"I know. But...I wish I could have."

"I killed a young girl by accident once. Her and her small dog."

Duo snapped his head up at the sudden admission, his eyes focusing on Heero's somber expression. Quietly, Heero explained.

"The explosives were too powerful, and so my target fell onto the building she lived in. I'd met her in the park earlier that day, playing with her puppy," He closed his eyes in thought, but continued to speak, "It was a fatal mistake; something I've wanted to erase from my memory but can't."

Biting his lip, Duo spoke up, "Why haven't you told me this before, Heero?"

"Because it's not something I'm proud of," He replied honestly.

"Then why now?"

"You needed to hear it."

The two fell silent, the steady rain outside being the only noise as Duo wrapped his arms around Heero.

"Thank you."

"We both have our regrets, Duo. People we wish we could have saved, mistakes we wish we hadn't made. But dwelling on these things doesn't make it any better. We have to keep moving forward."

Duo smirked, leaning back as he tapped Heero on the nose.

"You've been around Relena too much. You're starting to talk like her."

A soft smile crept onto Heero's face, "She said something else about it too."

"What's that?"

"That the best way to move on is with the help of someone who loves you."

Laughing lightly, Duo shook his head, "Man, that girl sure knows us better than anyone else. Maybe we should hire her out as a post-war therapist."

Heero pulled back looking down at his still-damp clothing.

"I have a feeling already that she'll have something to say if I come in tomorrow with a cold because I was sitting around in a wet shirt all night."

"I bet she will."

Standing up, Heero paused a moment.

"So, are you okay now?"

Duo nodded with a genuine smile, "Yep, couldn't be better. Love heals and all that sappy shit."

Heero leaned down for a quick kiss then turned towards the bedroom.

"I'm going to go change, why don't you try and turn the lights on."

Standing with a mock salute, Duo smirked.

"Mission accepted."

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