Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Extreme Home Makeover - Gundam Edition ❯ The Walkthrough ( Chapter 14 )

The Walkthrough

 

Duo swallowed nervously. If Heero hated the house, his own life was forfeit. That was the agreement, and when Heero said he'd kill you, he always followed through.

 

Duo paused, mulling that over again. He shook his head and sprinted toward the door.

 

Heero stood just inside, staring. The entryway tiles seemed to have been done in three different styles, though the effect was oddly charming. He turned to the left, briefly surveyed the jungle-motif kitchen and breakfast nook before dismissing it as adequate.

 

Through the house he prowled, noting the clear amount of effort that had gone into the work. He couldn't maintain his anger in the face of so much care. Besides, every time he passed something shiny he caught his reflection, and Heero-in-mouse-ears was not a very angry image.

 

One door caught his attention. It seemed much more high-tech than the rest of the house, and beside it on the wall was a palm-print security lock. As Duo trotted up, Heero asked him about it.

 

“That? Oh, that's the bathroom,” Duo said brightly.

 

“Bathroom?” Heero put his hand to the security panel.

 

The door slid open with a soft pneumatic hiss.

 

As Heero stepped across the threshhold, a hyacinth macaw flew by, nearly knocking the mouse-ears off again. The bird landed in a glistening palm tree beside a musically-tuned waterfall.

 

Heero backed up and shut the door. He looked around, then opened the door again.

 

Bird calls and the murmur of falling water wafted out.

 

Heero took the line grapple off his belt and bolted the business end to the door frame. He turned to Duo. “If this line goes slack, send backup.” Then he headed into his bathroom once more.

 

At the foot of the waterfall, a large koi pond glimmered in the synthetic sunlight. Brightly colored fish swam lazily, occasionally coming up to nuzzle the bar that released a pre-measured helping of food.

 

Overhead, tropical birds twittered and fluttered from tree to tree.

 

Beyond the waterfall and pond, a built-in jacuzzi bubbled and steamed. Within easy reach sat a refrigerator and what looked to be a snack bar.

 

The jungle seemed to go on and on; Heero didn't have enough line to locate the walls, so he turned back. He did find a Zen rock garden complete with sand rakes and a stereo system currently programmed to play new age muzak.

 

Reaching the entrance again, Heero stared at Duo. “Did you build this?”

 

“No, that was Wufei's secret project,” Duo replied.

 

“That's some secret project,” Heero murmured. “I hope he has a map.”

 

“I, er, did a secret project too,” Duo stammered. He fidgeted with the end of his braid.

 

“If it's anything like this, I owe you more than a thank you,” Heero stated, still a little unnerved by the fourth-dimensional geometry of his new-and-improved bathroom. It occurred to him that he hadn't noticed a toilet or a shower…unless that's what the pond and the waterfall were for…

 

“It's your bedroom,” Duo blurted, then hurried off to show him. “Heero, when you're not out saving humanity or threatening people, you need a sanctuary to return home to.”

 

“I thought that was the bathroom.”

 

“No, that's Wufei's idea of a sanctuary. If he wants to chill out in the john, power to him. What I've got for you behind this door is, er, well…” Duo fumbled to a halt. Blushing, he pushed the door open. “Welcome home, Heero.”

 

Heero stepped into the master bedroom. Until then, he'd been seriously contemplating how to dispatch Duo, but now… The décor was masculine and understated, almost as if someone other than Duo had been responsible for it. Very classy, and very much appreciated.

 

And there, on the bed: a cookie on the pillow and two magazines on the bedspread.

 

Duo frowned; he hadn't put those there…

 

Heero brushed a few stray leaves off the books and lifted the cover of the first one. He smiled in spite of himself. Though not a big fan of doujinshi, he did know this one was quite rare, and quite kinky. Sure enough, there was that picture of Duo he'd been using as his computer wallpaper for months now.

 

“Heero, you're…you're smiling!” Duo blurted, still wondering how the books and the cookie had gotten there.

 

Outside the window, the Plant gave itself a high five.

 

Across town, Dorothy searched through her library one more time, just knowing she had to have put those doujinshi down somewhere…

 

“Duo, you did all this for me?” Heero asked, the smile still tugging the corners of his mouth. He took his mouse-ears off and set them on the bedpost.

 

“Yeah, all for you, Heero.” Duo stuffed his hands in his pockets and blushed. He'd just realized the two of them were alone together, in the master bedroom.

 

Heero seemed to have noticed this too. He dropped the doujinshi on the bed and approached Duo in what can only be described as a sexy slink.

 

Heero reached out for Duo…

 

…and the floor tilted beneath them, sending the two tumbling into each other's arms.