It's finally me again! I finally got the time to do this, but I'll have make-up work to do later. *shrugs* Oh, well. I'll deal with that then. For now, here's the next chapter!

*Warning* - mild cursing, 1+2, some angst, and, I dunno, some other stuff, maybe. Not much, but you'll get a helluva lot of angst in later chapters.

Disclaimer - I don't own the Gundam Wing characters, I just mess around with their brains. I'm actually gonna try to decrease my dislike for Relena, and yet am still eternally grateful that I do not own her. Thank you.

Footsteps

Chapter 14

Quatre's eyes blinked up at them, his smile blossoming as he saw Heero behind Duo. Heero relaxed as he saw the easily recognizable blonde as the one at the door. His eyes took in the silk shirt and trousers he wore, noting that the boy didn't really want to wear the garments. It was evident by the way he fidgeted in the outfit.

"Hi, Duo!" Quatre beamed, as chipper as always. "I wanted to come see you before I had to go meet some businessmen. I'm sorry it's so late ..." He checked his fancy Rolex. "It's almost 8:00." His open face puckered into a frown that showed his frustration. "I've got to leave sooner than I thought."

Duo's brows furrowed. "What?" He raced upstairs, leaving Heero alone with Quatre. Heero watched him leave, wondering what had caused Duo's hasty retreat.

"I'm glad you two finally got together," he said, smiling sweetly in his subtly expensive attire. Heero shifted his gaze back to his friend. He found that he could easily call the other gundam pilots friends, and was glad that that part of humanity still lived in him, despite his training. "I actually came out here for a conference nearby. I told you about it."

Heero nodded silently, remembering Quatre saying something to that effect when he'd asked for Duo's whereabouts. He'd been too busy thinking about Duo and that little diary to really pay attention.

"So, I decided to drop by." Heero started, having been so lost in his thoughts that he'd momentarily forgotten about Quatre. It was amazing how he had managed to revert to a fairly normal person so quickly. He supposed it could be the loss of the need for war, or maybe the loss of his machines. But he suspected that he'd always been alert ... until he'd come to Duo. Then it all didn't seem so important anymore.

Quatre cocked his head. "So? How'd it go?"

Heero heard the question and cringed. Damn Quatre's innocent curiosity. It really wasn't something he should talk about, especially behind Duo's back. And besides, how WAS it going? He didn't know. He couldn't blame Duo for wanting to think things out, for wanting them to not really get into a relationship. He could understand Duo's fear of the unknown, his uncertainty that this was really happening. But it all made things very difficult, and impossible to explain.

Thankfully, Duo came racing down then, saving Heero from having to answer. A sheepish look was caught on the braided boy's face. "Uh, you're right, Q-man." He turned to Heero. "Uhh ... I kinda sorta-lied about the time."

So that was what had happened. He had read the clock wrong when Hero had interrupted them earlier.

Heero smiled reassuringly at him. Duo was obviously embarrassed about the tiny mess up, and he looked supremely cute with his blush. "That's okay, Duo." It took everything in him to not sweep Duo up and swing him around. He was just too damn alluring.

Heero looked at Quatre, trying to tell him without saying anything that their intimacy level was none of his damn business. Quatre seemed to get the message, because he didn't ask again. Instead, he turned to Duo and smiled brightly.

"So, how are you doing?"

Duo snorted, shaking his head in mock exasperation. "He knows, Quatre. And I'm fine, just like the last time you asked."

Heero found that Quatre had been hinting about Duo's scars. Quatre had asked almost innocently, and he hadn't caught the subtle innuendo. He supposed Quatre had always had that gift. He stared into Quatre's eyes, which had focused once again on his own. "Does he, now?" Quatre murmured speculatively. Heero matched his look with his own possessive expression.

"I guess that answers my question for you," Duo said wryly, watching the exchange.

Quatre turned intense gaze away from Heero, who was disturbingly thankful. "What do you ..." Quatre's eyes widened as he understood just what had been implied in Duo's words. "Duo! You know I'd never tell anyone! You made me promise!" Quatre looked wholly indignant. "Heero just said he wanted to see you. So, I told him where you lived."

Duo sniffed. "Sure." Quatre seemed to bristle, but his reaction was spiritedly ignored. Duo cocked his head to the side, his braid swishing seductively against his thighs. "You want some food or something? I'm sure I could whip up something edible."

Heero smirked, trying to swallow down his lust. "I could argue."

Duo playfully swatted at him. "Hey, pal, you're supposed to be on my side!"

Heero slung an arm over Duo's shoulders and bent to lean on him a bit, both to play along and to ease his body's odd need for him. "That better?"

Duo tensed for only a second before leaning on Heero, too. "Yeah." He lifted his eyes, and violet and cobalt clashed. Heero saw as much need in Duo's amethyst orbs as he felt within himself. "Much."

And, with his usual timing, Hero came up, barking and jumping onto Duo. Duo turned and hugged both of his heroes at once, getting a sloppy doggy kiss for his efforts. He laughed and looked back at Heero, who was watching them with a soft, sweet look on his face. Heero felt so protective of them, yet so light and free. He couldn't hope to explain the emotions whirling through him. Most of them were brand new. He felt possessiveness, protectiveness, care and need and love. But there were so many others, too - a strange fire of warmth that laced him to Duo's every movement. It was like a part of him was linked to his lover. All he knew was one thing: they were everything. And he was surprisingly okay with that. Even the fact that he'd risk his life for a dog. Okay, maybe that disturbed him a bit, but other than that, he was at peace with the changes inside him. Perhaps they weren't really changes as much as realizations.

He bent down and played with Hero's ears, making the dog pant in ecstasy. He felt Duo's eyes on him, and looked up. Duo seemed to have the same feelings as he, for Heero knew that expression on his lover's face very well. It was what he felt whenever he saw Duo smile or laugh or joke around. How had he never seen it before, during the war? How had he been oblivious to both his own and Duo's wants? He'd been blind, and that tiny journal had helped him see.

He realized that he'd completely forgotten about Quatre and stood, still scratching Hero's head. Quatre was beaming at him like he was a kid who'd gotten a difficult problem right. "I'm glad to see you two are getting to know one another. It's really nice, especially after all of the things you two had to go through during the war."

Heero felt his face flush and concentrated fully on Hero's sensitive place behind his ears that made him pant and close his eyes in pooch paradise. He wondered if he could get Duo into that flushed state by playing in the same spot. It was definitely something to think about. He grinned wickedly at the visual that came with his mind's ponderings, then quickly hid it, lest Quatre saw it.

"Um, actually, I came over to see if the two of you would like to go out to dinner with Trowa and myself tomorrow."

Heero looked at Duo, pausing in his pleasuring of Hero, letting him know that the choice was Duo's to make. Duo sighed in irritation, but smiled brilliantly at Quatre. "Sure, Qat. We'd love to."

Heero nodded, pleased. Duo had been willing to show their relationship with Quatre, but Heero knew he very well may not want to show the world. He, himself, wasn't quite ready. He was still used to looking inconspicuous, and two gay men together stood out like a blood-red rose in the middle of black roses. It was something from his training that would be hard to shake off. Being watched made him nervous.

He could only wonder how Duo felt about it.

"Great!" Quatre's excited voice brought Heero once again out of his musings. "Does 7:00 sound good?"

"Sounds great, Qat." Duo answered almost tiredly. "Where is it?"

"It's an oldies restaurant, with oldies food mixed with our own that we eat now. I don't know why we ever switched from that food," Quatre said, mostly to himself. He seemed to snap out of his daze and smiled. "We'll come to pick you guys up, or you can just follow us in your car. Does that sound good?"

Heero decided to take over after seeing a flustered look on Duo's face. "Sure, Quatre, that sounds fine. Thank you."

Quatre took it for the dismissal it was. "Wonderful. I've got to go get ready for the meeting now. I'll have another, then it's dinnertime. It was terrific to see the two of you again, Heero, Duo." He turned and prepared to go.

"Quatre?"

Quatre and Heero both turned to Duo, who had spoken Quatre's name quietly. He seemed unsure, and wouldn't even catch either of their eyes. They instead focused on his feet, which had slipped into shoes earlier. "What is it, Duo?" Quatre asked compassionately. Duo looked up with such an tentative face, it made Heero's heart bleed.

"I ... was wondering if I could ... talk to you." He shot an apologetic look in Heero's general direction, but didn't make eye contact. "Take a walk or something." He looked quickly back to Quatre.

Heero watched in worry. It seemed Duo had to reach into his little bowl of courage to get this out. He wanted to help, but didn't know what to do. Helplessness was a feeling he wasn't used to, and he found out quickly that he didn't like it.

Quatre looked confused, but willing to help. "Of course, Duo." He turned to Heero, seeing that Duo wasn't going to make the effort. "We'll be back soon, alright?"

Heero nodded dumbly, watching as they left out the door. The click of the doorknob sounded like the sound of a cell door slamming shut. He had to squelch the urge to run after them and grab Duo, hugging him and demanding reasons for his sudden change. What had just happened? His head still spun. What had he done?

He looked at Hero for help, but the dog was looking at the door like he'd been abandoned. Perhaps he had been. Perhaps THEY had been. Heero moved to the window, the dog following dejectedly beside him. Heero noted almost unknowingly that Hero seemed to be an echo of Duo's moods. They seemed close. He wished he could be that close to his koi.

Heero watched out, waiting for them, unconsciously caressing Hero. Where were they going? What were they talking about? Had he done something to screw this up? But what? What had he done? Other than barging in and practically demanding a relationship. Damn. He'd done this wrong. Duo was probably scared of him, or frightened of what he'd done. He felt sick. Should he leave? No, he couldn't. He couldn't leave Duo. Not after seeing him like this. Not after they'd joined like they had. If Duo told him to leave, he would. But until then, he'd stay. He could do nothing else.

Hero whined, and Heero turned his head from the window to look at the golden retriever. "I know. I want him back, too." He looked back to the window, vowing that he'd take things slow and do only as Duo wanted. He wouldn't force him. He'd do anything, just as long as it meant they could stay together. He swore it.

He'd go one step at a time. Even if he had to go back to the beginning. Every step that brought him closer to Duo was one worth taking, no matter how small. No matter what. // Just give the chance back, Duo, and I'll prove just how much I love you; just how much I need you. //

*

A/N: I know, I know, that was short, especially for two weeks worth of waiting. Gomen!!! I had to take another day off of school to get THIS much accomplished. Next year is gonna be even worse, because I'll have two AP courses, and those are very similar to college courses. *groans* I'm so sorry. The next one will be fairly short, too, but it'll be the Duo POV I've been asked for. I hope it'll meet everyone's expectations! Review now, please! It really makes me happy! Again, I'm dreadfully sorry for the immense wait!