Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Welcome Home ❯ Chapter 4

During the days that followed, the two men had quickly settled into a sort of routine. Trowa had learned that Duo had not been overstating that he got up early. The American got up hours before he himself even thought about getting out of bed. Every morning, without fail, when Trowa came to the kitchen, his breakfast was waiting for him along with a full pot of coffee. Breakfast could be anything from freshly baked muffins to breakfast burritos that just needed to be heated.

 

After eating, he would speak to Quatre on the vid, keeping up with anything that his job entailed, ignoring the blonde`s insistence about him taking some time off. As the financial advisor to one of the richest men in the world, his job wasn't difficult, mostly consisting of doing math and keeping up with the many stocks that Quatre owned. It was work that he could easily do from anywhere, made even easier by the fact that Duo had secure phone lines and a computer system that would rival anything even the Preventers had.

 

Lunchtime would find both of them in the kitchen, eating whatever light lunch Trowa could come up with, sometimes not very original because Trowa wasn't the best cook in the world and relied mainly on sandwiches or leftovers from the night before. Duo would often smell of chemicals that were familiar, but he was unable to identify what they were without some context. The American would return back to his room after lunch, finally emerging in the late afternoon. The two men would spend the rest of the day together, taking turns providing dinner with Duo cooking and Trowa ordering take out or taking the other man out to various restaurants. They were basically just spending time together, getting to know each other once again after so many years, relating things that had happened in the years between seeing each other.

 

One day almost a month after Trowa had arrived found the two of them at the dinner table, eating yet another wonderful meal that Duo had created. There was a nervousness about the man that reminded Trowa of the pilot he had known during the wars. He waited patiently, knowing that if Duo wanted to talk to him, he would when he was ready. In the weeks they had spent together, they had both gotten good at reading the others mood. He was amazingly content with the time he had spent with the braided man, feeling like some part of him that had been lying dormant had been awakened after an eternity of sleeping.

 

When the phone rang, Duo nearly tripped over the chair in order to get to it in a hurry. He answered breathlessly and waited for a reply. Trowa looked at the screen and frowned, not recognizing the attractive, dark haired man that was staring back. He didn't think that Duo was involved with this man, because there had been no communication since he arrived, but you could never tell with people. He held his breath and waited, hoping to gather some clues from the conversation.

 

Apparently, Duo knew the other man quite well. Trowa had to tamp down a jealous urge to hang up on the man as he spoke. “Duo!”

 

“Paul! What's up? What did they say? Did they say yes? Why wont you answer me?”

 

Trowa placed a hand on the other man's shoulder, ignoring the man on screen narrowing his eyes at the gesture. “Calm down, Duo. He can't answer if you don't take a breath.”

 

“OH! Sorry, Paul. What'd they say?”

 

“I will be there tomorrow to pick up what you have completed. You are expected to be there day after tomorrow. I realize that it is short notice, but I'm sure you have enough-” The man had to stop when Duo squealed and spun around to hug Trowa with excitement, sending the taller man into a state of euphoria. The man on the vid screen waited a moment, then cleared his throat, capturing the braided man's attention again. “Should you need a date-” he began, but stopped when he received a negative response, Duo shaking his head vigorously.

 

“I already have a date, but thanks. When are you going to be here tomorrow?”

 

Trowa backed up a little, letting the other men talk about business. He couldn't help being disappointed when hearing that Duo already had a date for whatever was happening. He suddenly felt let down and sad, sitting and putting his head in his hands. He had truly thought that there had been something between himself and the other man. Now he knew that it was just his imagination and hopes that had set himself up for a fall.

 

“Trowa?” Duo was kneeling beside him, looking up at his face. In his state, he had been unaware that the call had ended. “Are you okay?”

 

“I'm fine. So whatever just happened is a good thing, I guess?” he asked, hoping he sounded normal.

 

“It's a very good thing, actually. I have a thing I have to go to and I was wondering-”

 

“You made a date with someone but you weren't sure that it was going to actually happen until now?”

 

A sheepish grin was plastered on Duo's face as he played with his braid in a rare nervous gesture. “Um, about that…would you mind being my date day after tomorrow?”

 

Trowa's head shot up in surprise. “You want me to go with you?”

 

Duo looked down, hiding his eyes behind his bangs. “I was hoping you would go. If you don't want to, that's fine, I just really wanted you to be there and-”

 

“Of course I'll go with you, Duo. May I ask what I am going to, though?”

 

“It's a surprise. You don't have to dress up or anything, it's nothing fancy.” Duo's eyes came back to his, a small but happy smile on his face. Suddenly his face cleared, his eyes becoming intent on Trowa's own green ones.

 

Trowa actually felt the sudden change, like an electrical charge between them. He slowly reached up, cupping Duo's face with one hand. He kept his eyes on Duo's while he brushed a cheek with his thumb, running his pinky finger over the bejeweled ear, enjoying the feeling of the silver cuff and the small dangling cross on Duo's lobe. A low noise, much like a purr, emitted from Duo's throat as he turned into the caress. His eyes slid closed and Trowa leaned forward, intent on tasting those lips for the first time and feeling that small ring that had fascinated him for weeks. He could feel Duo's breath on his lips, barely any space between them…and then…

 

The phone rang. Duo jumped away from Trowa, eyes wide. His hand went up to the cheek that had been caressed only seconds before, then turned away. He answered the phone, his sultry voice even lower and more husky than normal, causing Trowa to shiver. They had been so close, but the moment was gone now. There was no telling when they would come together like that again, or if they ever would. He briefly wondered why Duo had sprang away so quickly, but shook his head, refusing to believe that the other man hadn't felt something when his heart was beating so loudly he could hear it.

 

“Howard? What's up?” Duo's voice was steadier, but he was still breathing deeply. The older man on screen grinned maniacally.

 

“Heya D! Am I interrupting something?”

 

“Actually yeah, but what's up? It must be important since I asked you not to bother me for a while.” Trowa glanced at Duo, again wondering what was behind that comment.

 

“Well, I wouldn't bother ya, but you `member that situation we were talkin' about a while back?”

 

The American's entire body stiffened, reminding the taller man of when he had pulled Shinigami close to him during the wars. Again, Trowa placed his hand on a shoulder, offering comfort, hoping it wouldn't be pushed away. He didn't know who was more surprised when Duo reached up and clasped the hand with his own threading their fingers together loosely, but from the shocked look they received from Howard, it was apparent that the older man was surprised, yet pleased, by the comfort taken by the American. The braided man's grip tightened briefly, then he nodded to himself. “Put the address in an encrypted file. Let him look for it, but don't give it to him.”

 

Howard nodded and disconnected the call. Duo turned and met Trowa's eyes, the violet shadowed and tired. Trowa knew there was only one thing, one person, that could have that effect of the man he loved. His thoughts were confirmed only seconds later. “Heero's trying to find me.”