Disclaimer: The characters belong to Sotsu, Sunrise, Bandai Entertainment, I neither claim them nor certainly make any money off them!
Pairing: 6x2
Rating: Lemony in places
Time Setting: Post-series, three years later (minus events in Ground Zero, Blind Target, Endless Waltz as when I started this, I hadn't seen or read about these yet)
Summary: A chance meeting leads to the recovery of a wounded heart.
Duo Maxwell peered over the hand of cards he held to study his opponent. He had just fifteen minutes before Zechs would be ready to leave; today they were heading back to C-241 at last. Across the small card table in the garden sat a boy who was all large, dark blue eyes and wrapped in a silence that screamed of way too much time alone. "You going to bet or what?" Duo muttered, shifting his position on the backwards chair. [Damn, I'm gonna call him Heero in about five seconds...]
Judo regarded the young man with the long brown braid gravely. "Is he your brother?" the boy blurted out abruptly. "Maxwell, I mean."
Duo looked peculiarly at him until he realized the kid had actually met Heero. [Heh, that must have been some meeting...] "Nah, he was undercover and happened to borrow my name. We're old friends; he's done that before."
"Oh." The boy went back to studying his cards with an all-too familiar intensity.
[What, did someone clone Heero Yuy?] Duo thought for the tenth time since meeting this reticent child. "So, how do you like it here, Judo?"
The boy shot him a withering glance, then proceeded to ignore the question. "Did you fight in the war?"
[Okay...] "Sure did," Duo said casually, looking over his cards again.
"Which side?" Judo snapped, a little too severe.
Duo cocked an eyebrow at him, looking back with a frown. "I fought for the peace of the colonies. You got a problem with that?"
But the boy would not be deterred. "White Fang or OZ? Tell me!"
[Why you...] "Neither!"
The boy got to his feet, shaking strangely. "How could it be neither? Were you part of OZ?"
Duo suddenly had the feeling that if the boy had had a gun, it would have been pointed at him and cocked. "Now wait a minute here!" Duo got to his feet, fists to his hips, and leaned down over his little challenger. "There was a lot more going on besides the White Fang or OZ! Or did someone tell you the White Fang represented all of the colonies?"
"They were the only ones willing to stand up to OZ!" Judo shouted, hands curled up into fists.
Duo chuckled. "Is that so? What about the Gundams? They stood up to OZ plenty!"
The deep blue eyes widened. "Gundams?"
"Gundams," sighed another voice nearby, a significantly deeper one. "Judo..."
The boy turned to face Zechs, and now his expression was haunted. "Commander Milliardo... sir."
[He came from White Fang parents,] Duo realized, wondering. [Well, that explains his hatred of OZ, but...]
"I'm not that anymore, Judo, you know that," Zechs murmured gently, threading fingers into the boy's dark brown hair when he came up to them. "The war is over. There is no more OZ..."
The boy looked sullenly over at Duo but didn't speak.
"Time for bed, Judo," the taller man said, patting the boy on the shoulder. "And no more computer tonight."
"Yes, sir," Judo replied quietly, but it was the response of a soldier to his captain. He collected the cards, put the chairs in place, and silently departed without a further word to either of them.
Zechs sighed, slipping an arm around Duo's shoulders. "I'm sorry, I should have spoken to you about him," he said when the boy had gone. "He's obsessed with the war."
"They're all broken in one way or another, aren't they," Duo murmured, leaning into him, his arms going about his waist. "It hurt all of us."
"Yes." Zechs turned and pulled Duo into his arms, just holding him close for a moment before speaking. "I've spoken to Unter about Judo... I think they could be good for one another."
Duo didn't reply, too glad and relieved to be able to stand here in Zechs's arms. They'd spoken little on a personal level in the past three days since their long talk. [And we all have to be patient with the process,] he thought, noting that he could feel tension still in Zechs's back muscles. [Especially me...] He released Zechs, putting him off. "We'd better get going," he murmured, walking away.
Zechs looked up to watch him go, momentarily mesmerized by the sway of the long chestnut braid. Then he sighed and followed him.
To Duo's wonder, Zechs wanted to go to the orphanage first, though it was in the early hours of the morning on C-241. "I'll see you later," Zechs had murmured to him, kissing him on the cheek before disappearing inside his office.
Duo found himself abruptly alone, staring at a closed door, standing in the foyer in the dark. [Well... ] He turned on his heel and strode out of the orphanage, automatically starting out on the two mile hike to his studio apartment. He was tired and didn't want to think about the fact that he'd rather hoped he'd get to go home with Zechs. [I'm so stupid,] he mused and trudged on, hunching his shoulders as he walked. [What, did I really think I'd just get to move in with him? What was I thinking?]
At home, he fell heavily into his bed, but a moment later was up again to pick up covers from the floor where he'd last tossed them. It seemed so cold, even though he still had all his clothes on. It then occurred to him to check the thermostat; sure enough, the setting was what he usually had it to. But there was no heat. Then his glance fell upon a stack of papers on the nearby kitchen table. [Well, Maxwell, it helps to pay the bills once in a while...] The heat had been shut off! But even as he realized this, he also realized he didn't have any money to pay the bills.
Another glance explained why; there sat the stack of radio transmitters by the door. If he'd spent time finding a buyer instead of working at the orphanage, he'd have enough to get through another month. Which reminded him... [Oh, shit, and the rent is past due...] Belatedly he remembered he saw a piece of paper on the door, but hadn't bothered to read it. [Was that what I think it is?] he wondered, sighing. He was being booted out, no doubt.
It's not like he had much as it was. The apartment was sparsely furnished and he had a computer, tools, a few changes of clothes, and that was pretty much it. [Not much to show for three years on my own,] Duo thought, sinking back down on his bed. [But then I had less when I was a pilot. Just me and Deathscythe against the universe!]
He shook his head, feeling as cold on the inside as the outside, wrapping his arms around himself. [Who am I kidding? Once street scum, always street scum... living hand to mouth my whole life. How can I fit myself into *his* life?]
Mumbling to himself, he wrapped up in his covers as best he could and curled into a ball to get warm, falling asleep finally a few minutes later.
Cherry passed her boss's office door the next morning as she went to check on breakfast preparations for the children, and noted the door was closed, which wasn't usual. [Hmmm, someone in there?] She pushed it open, then gasped. Her boss was back! [Asleep at his desk, poor man,] she thought, frowning. [I won't disturb him. He must have come back in the middle of the night and fell asleep here.] Gingerly she stepped back out and closed the door behind her.
Zechs woke to the click of the door, starting, then grimacing as a pain shot up his back. He was stiff from falling asleep in such an awkward condition. "Where..." He looked around the desk; he had an office in each orphanage so he had to look around a bit to remember where he was. Then he knew... C-241. [Came back last night, stopped in here...] He looked toward the door abruptly. [Duo... did I really just send him off like that? I must have been really tired...]
Zechs shoved himself upward and went unsteadily to the door, stretching as he opened it. Moving out into the corridor, he stopped the first staff person he saw. "Where's Duo?" he asked, rubbing sleepily at his face.
"Sorry, sir," the woman, one of the teachers, replied. "I haven't seen him today."
He took a deep breath. [Duo... did I remember to give you a key? Where are you?] Zechs shook his head, still trying to rid himself of the cobwebs. [I suppose he'd prefer his own place, something to call his, rather than accept what he'll surely see as my charity. Above all, I must respect his dignity. Still... ]
Zechs went first to his own house, but wasn't entirely sure why and stood outside in confusion for a few minutes; he was sure now that he'd forgotten to give Duo a key. Then he went to Duo's place.
There was an eviction notice on the door. [Oh, my God...] he thought and wondered if Duo was already gone. What had he done? Then Zechs tried the doorknob. To his wonder, the door wasn't locked. He opened the door and pushed it open slowly. The one-room apartment was dark... and cold. Entering, he closed the door then squinted as he glanced around the sparsely furnished room, the only light leaking in from a single, shuttered window. He spied the bed... and a large lump in it, huddled under covers. [Why is it so cold in here?] he wondered, then flicked up the light switch by the door to see better.
Nothing happened. Cold apartment, no lights... an alarm began to sound within him. [They've already turned off the heat and electricity... this is my fault. If he hadn't been helping me the past couple weeks... damn.] He dropped his coat by the door and went to the bed. "Duo..." he murmured as he spied the end of the long braid peeking out from the edge of the covers. Zechs sat carefully on the side of the bed beside the "lump" and tried to draw the covers off, but they were gripped tightly around the form and he had no success.
Something about the situation struck a deep note of anguish within his heart and before he could think about it, Zechs had climbed onto the bed itself and was wrapping his long body carefully around the huddled form, understanding instinctively the younger man's need for warmth.
The form within the covers trembled once violently, then a sound between a whimper and a sigh issued forth.
"Duo?" Zechs asked anxiously, then he tightened his arms around him and began to speak, words starting to tumble forth. "Please, Duo, I have a huge favor to ask of you. Please? I know you're not sleeping, little angel."
A muffled voice responded, "What?"
Zechs laid his cheek against the chilled form in his arms, his eyes filling with tears from the strong emotion that had overwhelmed him. "Please, Duo, I need you to come live with me. I... I can't go back there alone, not now, not without you, Duo. I couldn't do it. I slept at my desk all night, then as if I was dreaming I went to my house, but you weren't there and I couldn't go in. I can't... please... Duo..."
The ball came alive in his arms, pushing to get out. Zechs released his tight hold as Duo emerged from the covers, tousled but awake, sitting up within the circle of his beloved's arms and legs, twisting until he faced him and could look up into his eyes. For two long seconds Duo simply stared at a wondering Zechs, then he was escaping from the covers and the bed altogether.
Duo, his heart racing, took three steps and stopped, facing away from Zechs, thoughts whirling. [He's begging me to live with him! And he didn't go home, he doesn't want to go home... without *me*? Shit... this is what I want, but do I really? I'll always be sponging off him... despite what he says, he has to regard me as something of a charity case...] He wrapped his arms around himself, realizing he was shivering. [Damn, it's so cold in here... why is it so cold? Damn it, I'll have to borrow money to buy some more blankets...] He faltered, remembering he was going to have to leave his apartment anyway. [Fuck... guess I have no choice.]
When he turned back, he saw a sight that unnerved him. Zechs was sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning over, his head in his hands, the long white hair veiling his face. "Zechs?" Duo asked timidly, still hugging himself.
"I would never ask you to do anything that would take away your dignity," Zechs responded, his voice sounding a little funny. "I apologize for sending you away last night. I... I do need you. But I respect you first, always."
"Thank you," Duo murmured, abashed. [I didn't want him to see me like this... in my little shithole.] Suddenly embarrassed, he turned around again. [I don't want him taking care of me... I don't want to be a stray cat he's rescuing... and why I didn't understand this sooner, I'll never know...]
Duo lifted his chin, resolute. [Back to Plan A - and I need to do this for myself, not for him,] he thought, thinking of his original idea to improve himself so that he could be on a more equal ground with Zechs. [I bet I could cajole Heero into giving me a reference so I can get a loan and go to school at the community college. I'll work two jobs, the one at the orphanage and whatever else I can get to get my bills paid... but what if he really does want me to come live with him? And not just because I'm... needy? Damn! I can't become another weight around his neck...]
He heard the creak of the bed when weight lifted from it, and heard the click of shoes behind him. Then long arms came around from behind to enclose him. "Please, angel, come home with me," Zechs murmured, resting his head atop his. "I need you there... please, love."
Duo swallowed with difficulty, his throat gone tight. Abruptly he turned within Zechs's arms and threw his arms around his neck, pulling himself up against the man. "I will... but no way are you taking care of me or paying my way. I seem to be out of an apartment at the moment... but that's gonna change, you'll see..."
"I understand what you're saying," Zechs murmured, holding Duo close against his body, grateful that his request hadn't been rejected outright as he'd feared. "And I can't imagine needing to take care of you. I rather thought it would be the other way around..."
Duo buried his nose against the side of Zechs's neck, inhaling the man's clean scent deeply. It was becoming an anchor. "I have no money, okay? I've got plans, though, and I'll soon be able to pay my share of the rent or mortgage or whatever."
[I purchased my house outright,] Zechs thought soberly. [Oh, my proud little angel... how are we going to handle this?] "Duo, we'll talk about this later, please. Now... come home?"
The young man bit his lip and nodded against Zechs's neck. But he didn't let him go for a while. Not until he warmed up.