Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Welcome Home ❯ Chapter 3

Trowa sped down the road, leaning closer to the motorcycle to get it to go faster. It had taken four long days to convince Howard to tell him where the missing American was. He had even had to go to the Sweepers base and spend two days there before he had convinced the older man that his motives in finding Duo were honest. The man who cared for Duo like a son had finally caved when he heard the real reason Trowa was trying to find him, moved by the explanation of how long he had loved Duo and why he had never pursued the other man before this.

 

Before leaving, Trowa had gotten one last bit of advice from Howard. “That bastard Heero really hurt him, even if he wont admit it. If you manage to convince him to give you a chance, don't ever let him go, not for anything.”

 

“If he gives me a chance, nothing will ever take me away from him, that I swear to you,” he had replied honestly.

 

Now, two days after that conversation, he was almost there. He was surprised to find himself in a clean, middle class neighborhood where the houses resembled each other. He could imagine the neighbors getting together for a cookout and wondered if Duo would actually take place in one. He could see, in his minds eye, himself and Duo at one, talking to the other people in the neighborhood.

 

Shaking his head to clear it of the image, he looked at the house numbers as he passed them, wondering if he was in the wrong place, when he finally reached a cul-de-sac.

 

The house was set back from the road, unlike the others, with a border of trees that kept it mostly hidden from view. As he got off the bike and took a closer look, he could see the small differences that set this house apart from the rest even more.

 

For one, there were security cameras, barely visible and not noticeable to someone who didn't know how to look for them. Another was the lack of landscaping that the others had. The yard was well-tended, but there were no flowers or yard decorations, even though there was a small shed barely visible at the back of the house. It was also much larger than the houses on the street leading up to it.

 

He strode up to the front door, trying not to appear as nervous as he really was. He was mildly surprised to find the front door open, as if someone was expecting him. He stepped inside the home, a feeling of contentment washing over him as soon as he walked in, and called out, “Duo?”

 

“Hello, Trowa. Long time no see, huh?”

 

His breath caught in his throat and he found he couldn't speak. Duo's voice had changed over the years, becoming deeper, husky and more sultry. The photo Wufei had didn't do the American justice. His shoulders had broadened, filling out the tight t-shirt very well; he had grown so he was almost as tall as Trowa himself was. Along with the lean hips, long legs encased in tight jeans, and the violet eyes that chased Trowa into dreams, Duo was his idea of a walking wet dream. When you added the facial jewelry, the ear jewelry, other assorted jewelry and the hints of hidden tattoos, the American was surely going to be invading his dreams for a while. It was as if every fantasy he had ever had was coming true and was standing in front of him with a small smile playing on his lips.

It took a long moment to find his voice, having to swallow against the lump that had formed in his throat. Duo raised one perfect, pierced eyebrow at him in amusement. “Still as much to say as ever, I see,” he snorted, moving behind the frozen man to shut the door.

 

Trowa could only watch, noticing his movements were even more unconsciously graceful than before. His eyes glued to Duo's mouth when the other man turned, locking onto the tiny ring that encircled one perfect lip. He barely controlled his shudder when a pink tongue dotted out to that silver ring, moistening it. A small laugh from the other man finally broke his paralysis. “Duo, you look-” he stopped, not knowing how to put his feelings into words.

 

“Weird, right?”

 

“No, not at all, just different,” he smiled softly, seeing the other mans quick frown. “the look actually suits you. It wouldn't fit most people. You look” beautiful “really good.”

 

Duo smiled then, a small but real smile that made Trowa stare. He didn't think he had ever been on the receiving end of something so beautiful.

 

“Bring your things. I made up the bed in the guest room for you,” Duo waved a hand, signaling for Trowa to follow.

 

They only went a few feet when Trowa stopped, blinking. Seeing Duo again had put his brain into low gear. “You were expecting me?”

 

The braided man looked over his shoulder and smiled that small smile again. “Howard told me you were coming. I guessed when you would get here,” he said softly, stopping at a door and pushing it open. Trowa caught up and moved inside, putting his bag on the bed, mentally slapping himself for not realizing earlier that Howard would call. “Did he tell you why I was coming?”

 

“He said you needed some time to sort out a few things. I didn't ask. Figured you'd tell me if and when you were ready to talk.” He smiled again and Trowa began to worry his brain was going to short out if Duo kept smiling at him like that. “C'mon and I'll give you the grand tour.”

 

They walked through the house together, Duo showing him where everything was. He was not really surprised to see that everything was clean and well taken care of. At the very back of the house, Duo stopped in front of a closed door, looking very serious. “Please don't go into this room unless I invite you to do so. If I'm inside, don't bother me, okay?”

 

“I promise,” was Trowa's solemn reply.

 

Duo nodded, then grinned the same grin Trowa remembered from the war, the change so abrupt it threw the taller man off for a moment. When he was told to go rest before dinner, Trowa could only nod in agreement. Before Duo walked off, he managed to shrug off his stupor long enough to ask if he could use the phone to call Quatre. He saw the flicker of disappointment before the grin was back with a nod. “You have one a vid in your room. All phones are on a secure line, so you don't need to worry about anyone listening in on your calls.”

 

Trowa frowned at the comment, but didn't respond, assuming that Duo kept secure lines in order for his work with the Preventers and so no one could find him if he didn`t want them to. One of Duo's talents was to disappear if he wanted to. If he hadn't wanted to be found, it wouldn't have been possible, not for anyone.

 

He quickly called Quatre and reassured the blond that Duo seemed to be fine. The Arabian promised to tell Wufei so the Chinese wouldn't call out the entire force of the Preventers to find the `missing' man. He was about to disconnect the call when he caught the look on his friend's face. “What is it, Quatre?”

 

“Relena left three days ago…without Heero. I heard them arguing. She was saying the same stuff and …other things…about Duo, and Heero was yelling back at her.”

 

Trowa briefly tried to visualize the Japanese man getting worked up enough to yell at someone. He gave up when the image wouldn't take hold in his mind. “And then what happened?” he prompted, knowing there had to be more to cause Quatre so much concern.

 

“Heero told her that he was going to find Duo and make things right. I don't know what he meant by that, but-”

 

“Did Wufei give him any information?”

 

“No,” Quatre laughed shortly, “he actually said that Heero had fucked up and he wasn't going to help fix the problem. I also called Howard and Hilde. They promised not to tell him anything, so I think we managed to buy you some time before he locates Duo.”

 

They spoke for a few minutes longer and then hung up. Trowa went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, eager to see Duo again. When he went to the kitchen, he paused in the doorway so he could just watch the American move. It was easy to see that Duo was very used to being in the kitchen, his motions graceful and sure, hands never faltering when reaching for something.

 

He probably stood there for five minutes, drinking in the sight of Duo, watching the braid trail behind him, when a voice startled him out of his observations. “You gonna stand there all night, or come in and have a seat?” Duo asked, never turning around.

 

“How did you know I was there?”

 

“I could feel you there, Tro. An itch between the shoulder blades. Once a terrorist, always a terrorist, I guess,” Duo tossed him a look over his shoulder, violet eyes twinkling.

 

He sat at the small table, saying nothing, just content to watch the other man work. It wasn't long before Duo set a plate before him that had marinated chicken on pasta, golden potatoes, and some steamed vegetables. The braided man sat across from him after placing a loaf of still warm bread on the table.

 

“You cook,” was Trowa's response after he took an experimental bite. “You cook quite well.”

 

Duo blushed slightly at the compliment, then shrugged it off. “I've always been able to cook. When you eat as much as I do, it's cheaper than going out all the time.”

 

They ate in silence, something Trowa was surprised about. During the wars, the pilot of Deathscythe would talk constantly about anything and everything, regardless if anyone was actually listening to him or not. The Duo that sat across from him now seemed calmer and more content with himself and his life.

 

It wasn't until they were almost done that Duo finally spoke. “So how's Quatre?”

 

Trowa looked up from where he had been staring at his food in a concentrated effort not to stare at the man across from him. He was instantly drawn into those violet depths that were on him. “He's fine. The same, I guess. Busy.”

 

“So, how are you two doing?”

 

“We are friends, as always,” he answered with a shrug.

 

“No, I mean, how are the two of you as a couple?”

 

He looked back at his plate with a small frown. “We have never been a couple. Only friends.”

 

When Duo's fork clattered loudly to his plate, Trowa looked up again, in surprise. He had time to see those eyes widen even more than usual, taking over his entire face. “You were never together? But you lived with him.”

 

“I didn't know what to do with my life after the fighting was over. The circus made me happy, in a way, but I felt something was missing. I went to Quatre and he gave me a home and a job. He also gave me friendship, and the support I needed to feel useful, but we have never been together, not in a romantic sense.”

 

Duo grabbed his fork and stared at his food like it contained all the answers for life. “Sorry. Just everybody that I asked said that you two were happy together.”

 

“If anyone had ever bothered to ask either one of us, we would have told them what I just told you. It was never a secret, but everyone just assumed that we were together.” Trowa noted absently, wondering why Duo would be asking about Quatre and himself. “Besides, Quatre has been with Zechs for almost a year.”

 

He froze, hoping Duo wasn't choking to death as the other man began to cough loudly. The coughing suddenly became laughter that nearly caused the American to double over in his seat. He finally calmed down and looked over the table with an amused grin. “Man, I never saw that one coming!!”

 

Trowa smiled back a bit evilly, “Neither did I until I walked in on them in the middle of a lip lock in Quatre's office one day. I will never be able to look at that desk in the same way again as long as I live.”

 

Duo began to laugh once again, chuckling as he cleaned the dishes off the table. He was putting the dishes in the washer before he calmed enough to speak again. “So is that what drove you out of the house for a little while?”

 

“No. Just a side benefit for those two. I haven't had a vacation in a while and thought that you were a good person to spend some time with.” Trowa waited until Duo's eyes met his. “I hope you don't mind me coming.”

 

Duo smiled that smile again, the one that made his knees weak, and nodded. “If I didn't want you here, I wouldn't have told Howard to give you directions here. I'm…glad to see you again, Trowa.”

 

Trowa froze. Duo had known he was coming before he had ever left the Sweepers base. That meant…maybe the other man wanted him? It was possible, but he was not going to get his hopes up.

 

“I'm gonna turn in, I get up early. Make yourself at home. You are welcome here as long as you want to stay, Tro.” Duo went to the hallway, then turned to look at him again, eyes serious. “Did you ever find it?” At the frown he got in response, he continued, “Did you ever find what was missing when you went to Quatre's?”

 

Understanding the question finally, Trowa gave the other man a genuine smile, deciding to be completely honest. He had to put his cards on the table at some point. He would have to let Duo know how he felt at some time, might as well be now. “I found it as soon as I stepped inside your house and saw you again, Duo.”