Prologue

At long last the war ended and the beautiful princess rode away with her handsome prince. And they lived happily ever after.

Then again, maybe not.

You know, if romance novels and fairy tales are to be believed then as soon as you find your true love the world is suddenly a better place. The sky becomes bluer, the sunshine brighter, you open your eyes to them in the morning and they're the most beautiful thing you've ever seen.

The romance novels and fairy tales are full of shit, let me tell you. First of all, I don't believe in that true love crap. What I believe in is somebody who'll put up with you even though you're not perfect. Because let me tell you, first thing in the morning nobody is beautiful. There's crusty dried mucus in the corner of your eyes, you've got bad breath, there's most likely drool somewhere and sometimes you fart in your sleep.

To hear the stories tell it, the love is full of bell-like peals of laughter, quietly shared conversations and the right words are always spoken at the right time.

It's not true. What the hell is a bell-like peal of laughter anyway? The only tinkling going on here is followed by a flush. Nobody always says the right thing. In fact, most of the time we don't know what to say at all. And a lot of the time, we say a lot of stuff that we shouldn't. Shallow stuff that afterward we'd like to take back but can't because just the fact that you did say those things defines you. We're all pretty thoughtless. If you can find somebody who'll stay with you despite that, you're doing pretty good.

Maybe the princess rides away with her prince. But then they get to the castle, he wakes up and asks, "Where the hell am I?"

Tender words of sweet nothing, my ass.

So what's the real deal? The real ending to the bedtime story? Well for me it's writing dirty messages on the bathroom mirror. It's having my cup of coffee stolen in the morning before I get the chance to finish it. It's having a crappy day, coming home wanting to swear and throw things and then finding out that a simple, "Shit" and a hug works a lot better.

We're not together because Heero cherishes my hair and loves to brush it. Thank God because the man has the soft touch of a hippo. And Heero certainly doesn't stick around because I complete him or some nonsense like that. Hell, I can't figure out what he wants for dinner let alone his emotional and spiritual state.

The part they don't tell you, the part they sum up with their tidy little happily ever after, is the part where the prince thanks the princess for the lift, tries to sign up for the next war, finds out there isn't one and then moves in with the thief.

And in the end, the very end, they don't live happily ever after. They live bitching about stupid commercials, arguing over the volume of the stereo, taking turns cooking dinner, offering crackers and water when sick, saying the wrong thing but getting over it.

It may not be happily ever after, but it works.

Part 1: The Ants Come Marching...

The ants were the last straw. I had dealt with the death of my refrigerator that morning with a calm resignation that surprised even me. Especially since my computer was also in the final stages of meltdown. The ants though, which had invaded my apartment, were the final blow to my patience.

It was just one more thing at the end of a long list of things that could be filed under, Duo failing to get his shit together.

Boys don't cry. Instead I punched a hole in the wall next to my refrigerator, hurled a bag of gooey lettuce across the room and kicked the metal folding chair I had been using in the kitchen.

Temper tantrum completed, I set about cleaning up the place all the while swearing under my breath. I knew better than to think positive thoughts. Thinking positively doesn't do shit; a man can't eat on dreams and wishes. I've found that a pessimistic outlook is often the best course when dealing with life. That way if something good does happen it comes as a great and pleasant surprise. If something bad happens you've thought about it already so you're prepared.

Watching Heero blow himself up had just been another Shitty Thing That Happens. Finding out he was alive was a Pleasant Surprise.

So I wasn't terribly surprised when my doorbell rang. I dropped the carton of spoiled milk in the sink, wiped gunk from my hands and ignored the trail of squished ants I left on my trek to the door.

I wasn't sure if finding Heero Yuy standing there, dripping water on the landing was a good thing or a bad thing. I was leaning toward bad thing though when he handed me a slip of paper, "It was on your car. I think it's a parking ticket."

I shut the door in his face. I could only deal with so many crises at a time and my dance card was already full. Of course, he isn't Heero Yuy for nothing and after a moment the door swung open again to reveal him standing there, a slightly disgruntled look on his face. I suppose the fact that the door was unlocked helped as well.

The last I had seen of Heero he had been once again putting his life on the line to save Relena Peacecraft and her precious world peace. I liked Heero, don't get me wrong, in fact I probably liked him a little too much. But the trouble with Heero is that he has the self-preservation instincts of a Lemming. He never thinks about himself and that pisses me off. I mean, every human out there is supposed to be inherently selfish, right? I know I am. And so it really annoys me to find that there is someone out there, someone I know, that is apparently one of the last remaining selfless people on the planet. Though if Heero continued the way he'd been going that wouldn't be the case much longer. That selflessness is tricky business.

I tossed him a towel despite the fact I hadn't invited him in. "If you've come to tell me Relena's gotten herself into more trouble, as God is my witness I will throw your ass out that door."

"Do you win over all the ladies that way?" He peered out at me from under the towel and if I hadn't known better, I could swear the bastard was laughing at me.

I watched him carefully fold the towel up and place it neatly on the back of my ragged sofa, looking around at the same time. Suddenly I remembered the state of my apartment and felt heat rise to my face in embarrassment. Of all the people to show up on all the days, it had to be Mr. Freaking Perfect Yuy.

My home, and I use the term loosely, was basically a dump. I had stumbled away from the last war with nothing more than a duffle bag and my gun. I didn't even have Deathscythe anymore, at Quatre's insistence he'd been destroyed, now nothing more than rubble and space dust. Some days it was easier to hate Quatre than it was to mourn 'Scythe.

This place had been cheap and convenient and was only meant to be a stopover on my way to Bigger and Better things. I'd been here nine months and was no closer to figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up than I was to knowing Heero's blood type.

"Hey Heero, what's your blood type?" He looked perplexed by the question but just shrugged and told me. "A."

Well that solved at least one of life's great mysteries anyway.

I decided that the best defense was offense so I firmly told myself I wasn't going to bring up the war, my crappy apartment or Relena and plunged right in. "Sorry about the mess, I had to let housekeeping go. What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were headed off into the great blue yonder, princess in hand."

Apparently all communication between brain and mouth had shut down.

I'm not sure why I felt so defensive, Heero's not the type to look down on someone just because their life is currently in the can, but I couldn't seem to help myself. He studied me for a second and I had no idea what he was thinking. Instead of answering my question he suddenly pointed to the floor. "You have ants."

His surprised tone almost set me off into hysterical laughter but I was pretending to be the epitome of cool so I opted for stalking towards the kitchen instead. "I know."

He followed me and paused in the doorway, obviously surveying the disaster the room had become. The guts of my computer were strewn about the table and I had been piling the contents of my broken fridge on every other available space, including the floor. The refrigerator itself was silent, mocking me in its refusal to work.

He scooped a blob of soggy lettuce off the wall and studied it for a moment, obviously puzzled. He opened his mouth as if to speak and I cut him off with a scowl and a sharp shake of my head. "Don't even say it Yuy. I know. I know already."

He offered me another one of those silent looks and then smirked. "I was going to ask, if you had any cinnamon."

There are days I swear the man must have a sense of humor, it's just so warped nobody can follow it. This was one of those times. I stared at him in confusion but pointed to the cupboard above the stove. He walked over and pulled the cinnamon out, juggling it in his hand for a second before looking back at me. "If I get rid of your ants, can I stay?"

Well this was certainly an unexpected turn of events. One moment I'm cleaning stinky freezer gunk off me and the next Heero Yuy is asking to have a sleepover.

"Stay? Like the night? A week?" He fiddled with the jar in his hands, tossing it back and forth and then shrugged, "Don't know."

"I thought you were shacking up with her royal princessness." I was quite pleased my voice only came out slightly sarcastic.

"I passed out after I brought Wing down and found Relena." I nodded at him in encouragement and turned back to the fridge, hauling items out and dropping them on the floor. Where had all this crap come from? I couldn't remember eating Chinese takeout but there was a container of it trying to achieve sapience in the back of the fridge.

"When I woke up I was at her house and she was making arrangements..."

I raised an eyebrow though I didn't look up from my task. Arrangements, huh?

"She wanted me to stay with her, go to school, see a counselor, maybe take a job doing security." He actually sounded a little embarrassed. "I slipped out the window in the middle of the night."

No wonder.

"I tried to sign up with a military unit in China but they wouldn't take me. They said I was too young." Amused, I pulled my head out and looked at him but he wasn't smiling and I realized that to Heero, that hadn't been the least bit funny. I shook my head. Poor solider boy.

He seemed to take my lack of response as encouragement and held up the cinnamon bottle, "So if I make the ants go away, can I stay?"

And wouldn't you know it, the bastard got rid of my ants. Every last one of them.

Part 2: Bedroom Antics...

The first time we had sex, Heero put the condom on inside out.

It wasn't really his fault; lubricated side, powdered side, it all looks the same in a dim room. It wasn't until I got my hand on it that I suspected something was off.

"Uh, Heero? Is it supposed to feel so... dry?" I ran my fingers over it again in confirmation. Heero shivered but lifted his head to look at me. He squinted and then felt the condom himself. Thoughtfully he pulled on the latex, rolling it back a little to feel the lining and his skin underneath.

"I'd wondered why the inside was kind of slippery." He picked up the condom package and glared at it in disgust. "So much for easy application."

I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing. And when he shoved me off the bed I lay on the floor in a pile of pillows and blankets and laughed harder. A moment later he crumpled up the condom wrapper and threw it at me. It bounced off my head and rolled under the bed.

I lay grinning on the floor, naked as the day I was born and contemplated Heero's upturned face above me. He hadn't cut his hair since he'd moved in and it had grown down nearly to his shoulders where it curled slightly at the ends. I'd caught him staring at it in the mirror that morning and jokingly offered to remove it for him if he wanted. It was odd but for a second he'd seemed to look at it longingly before turning away to go get the scissors.

Heero isn't always very good at expressing desires. He often gets caught up in what he believes is the Right Way. Fortunately for him, I've always been a firm believer in Other Ways. And being the good friend that I am, I feel obligated to guide him back onto a path that's less straight and narrow.

Therefore, when he brought me the scissors I sat him down on the stool, trimmed the ends a little and then put the scissors away. When he looked at me puzzled, I leaned over to rest my chin on top of his head, meeting his eyes in the mirror. "I like it like this."

He'd put his hand up to touch the ends a little before looking back at me. Then his eyes switched to his reflection and he'd smiled.

Totally made my whole damn day.

It was then that I realized how much I cared about Heero. I can't help but feel this warm affection for the guy. He can be the most obnoxious stubborn bastard at times, but he also has moments where he seems so unsure of his place in life. I wasn't ready to throw myself in front of a moving train, but I'd definitely take a bullet for him. As long as it wasn't lethal, mind you.

"You crack me up Heero," I told him from my spot on the floor.

He shook his head at me but grinned as well and offered a hand to pull me up. Crawling back onto the bed, I lay on top of him for a while, just enjoying the feeling of his bare skin against mine.

Heero has the most amazingly soft skin. It's warm and smooth like satin and one of the best things about going to bed at night is the part where he takes his clothes off and slides in next to me.

There are parts of his body that aren't so smooth; scars that healed roughly, bumpy spots and lines of raised skin. But I have those as well. It's like a visual reminder of who we are and where we've come from.

"We don't necessarily need a condom." Heero gave an experimental thrust upward and chuckled. "We could always just do some of this."

I grinned and thrust back, "What, dry humping?" He raised an eyebrow and sniffed, "I prefer the term warm-up sex."

For the second time that night, I burst out laughing. I finally managed to calm down and rolled to the side so I could run my hand up and down his stomach. He made a pleased sound and then pushed my hand down a little further. "I like it when you laugh."

I rolled the condom off and grinned a little at the dampness it left behind. "Well they say the key to a good relationship is being able to laugh freely." I watched as he stretched a little, and I smoothed my fingers over the mark the condom had made.

"Well that too, but when you laugh and shake like that it feels rather nice down there as well."

Before I could say anything to that, he rolled over and pinned me to the mattress, a smirk hovering on the edge of his grin. I grinned back and pulled him down for a kiss. The kiss was nice. It wasn't hearts and stars and a box of Lucky Charms but there was tongue and teeth and he was growling softly which was way more of a turn on that I could ever believe possible.

With every thrust of his hips he'd thrust his tongue deeper; sucking and pulling on mine at the same time. The combination sent electric shocks through me and I dug my fingers into his shoulders.

It's amazing how fast you can go from feeling mellow to feeling horny. Fortunately I was in a position to do something about it.

I managed to open my eyes and focus on his face above mine. "It'll be a little messy but I say screw the condom."

He lifted his hips to grind against me, adding his hand to the action, "Personally, I'd rather screw you."

I stuck my tongue out at him and tugged his hair a little, "Ha ha. Well get on with it then."

And so he did.

Part 3: Picking up the Pieces...

The day my boss found out I was a Gundam pilot I lost my job.

I'd liked the job; the boss had been a prick but the people I worked with were decent enough. The sad thing is I'd been proud to get that job. I'd found it after we'd moved to a small house in a better neighborhood. I'd proven to the boss and other workers that despite my age I was a damn fine mechanic, probably the best in the shop.

I'd had regulars. People who only wanted me to work on their cars. It'd felt good.

And so it had been the most humiliating experience of my life to have some of those people, people who I'd thought respected me, stand by and witness my boss fling a handful of twenties at me and order me to get my goddamn Gundam ass out of his shop before he had me tossed out with the rest of the trash.

Gundam trash. Gundam fucker. I'd heard it all before. But I'd never had Joe Lawson standing there shocked and then turn his back on me in disgust. I'd never seen Cathy Moser hustle her kids away from me and lock them in the car.

That hurt.

Heero was at the computer when I got home. I kicked my shoes off viciously, enjoying the sound of them slamming against the wall. He looked up from what he was doing but only glanced at me for a second before turning back to his monitor. "You're home early."

I scowled and flung myself on the couch, stretching out and knocking a book on the floor. Heero gave me a reproachful look but didn't say anything and when he turned away again I shoved the book against the coffee table, making it rattle.

Heero and his computer were suddenly more than I could take and so I stood up, kicked the book again and headed for the kitchen.

There was leftover lasagna in the fridge. I wasn't particularly hungry but I hadn't had lunch yet and it was something to do other than sit and stare at the back of Heero's head.

I hadn't realized he'd actually followed me into the kitchen until I slammed my food down on the table and threw myself into a chair.

"You'll break that plate if you're not careful."

I glanced up at him and then stabbed the lasagna with my fork. "You know, somehow I just can't find it in me to care."

"Lovely attitude, I take it you had a bad day. Something happen at work?"

I looked up and he was standing there arms folded, all calm and logical. Just so fucking untouched.

"Oh, not much. Got fired because the boss found out about my slightly tarnished past." I pulled the wad of cash out of my pocket and tossed it on the table. "Narrow-minded bastard."

Heero shrugged, not looking too concerned. "Well you always complained about what a jerk he was."

I threw down my fork.

"That's not the fucking point, Heero! I liked that job! You just sit around all day in front of your computer; you have no idea. I had people who talked to me, who I thought liked me. What does an anti-social tech nerd like you know about that?"

His eyes narrowed and he stepped away from the wall. "Stop whining just because you found out how shallow some people are. You sound like a four-year-old crying, life isn't fair!" He sneered out the words, pretending to whine as he said it.

I clenched my fists and stood up, snarling at Heero, wanting to wipe that supercilious look off his face. "Who died and made you an expert on public relations? You're the most socially retarded person I know so you can just go ahead and get off your damn soap box."

Heero stalked up to the table and pointed his finger at me, "If you're such the expert then where are those friends now? All I see here is you deluding yourself into thinking people give a damn about you."

"Oh get the self-righteous pole out of your ass, Yuy. What makes you so fucking great anyway?"

"Screw this." Heero glared at me and then turned, stalking out of the kitchen. A few moments later the front door slammed shut.

"Fuck!" I picked up my plate and threw it across the room where it shattered against the wall.

I don't know how long I sat there at the table, staring at the wall seeing but not seeing. I know time past because the afternoon light faded into twilight and then deepened into darkness. When I finally stopped clenching my teeth and took a breath I realized I was sitting in the dark with nothing but the ticking of the clock to keep me company.

Slowly I stood up, legs stiff from clenched muscles. I ignored the broken plate as I headed out of the room, focused on getting to the door.

I got as far as the driveway when I realized Heero was sitting in the front passenger seat of my car looking sullen. Cautiously I opened the rear door and climbed in, neither of us saying anything, just staring ahead.

Finally I made the first move.

"You didn't go very far."

"I forgot my jacket."

I realized it was probably thirty degrees out and Heero was just in jeans and a tee-shirt. I'd thrown on my jacket when I headed out the door so I shrugged out of it and passed it to Heero in the front.

"Take it; I have a sweatshirt."

He didn't say anything, just nodded and slipped it on. I didn't know where to begin; I wondered if I should offer to move out, ask him if he was going to move out, apologize or just get out and go back to the house.

Sighing I scrubbed a hand over my face. "That could have gone better."

There was silence for a long time and I was afraid then. Afraid this was it, that I'd ruined everything; that Heero would leave. That silence dragged on and I was working up the courage to open the door and step away when he finally spoke.

"I got an email from Wufei today. He's offered me a position working for Preventers. Field work part-time, but mostly security. Stuff I do now but on a bigger scale."

So he was leaving. I slumped and pulled my braid forward, clutching the end. "That's great Heero." I couldn't control the way my voice cracked a bit. I couldn't control the way my throat clenched and heart suddenly dropped somewhere below my kneecaps.

There was more silence and then Heero opened the door, and got out. It clicked shut.

Time stopped and the world ended. The air left me and I sat frozen in shock, the absoluteness of that final click ringing in my ears.

Then the rear door opened and Heero climbed in next to me. I let out a shuddered gasp, relieved and pissed all at once. I reached over and punched him hard in the arm. "Jesus Christ! You scared the shit out of me!"

He scowled rubbing his arm and then looked at my face. My expression must have been pretty horrified because his scowl softened slightly and he reached over to tug my braid. "Don't be an idiot, Duo."

Irritated, I tried to move away but Heero didn't let go of my hair, running the end over his palm slowly, "The Preventers thing...there's a position for you as well."

Well if that didn't just take the wind out of my sails. "Oh."

Well, damn. I was slightly annoyed though, "You could have told me that before!"

He gave me an incredulous look, "Would that be before or after you jumped down my throat?"

I scowled, "You could have said it as soon as I got home. I was sitting in the same room, you know."

We were once again practically nose to nose facing each other down in a Mexican standoff. This time though Heero backed down. He fiddled with my hair and then finally looked back up at me. "It's not true Duo. What I said. I...there are people who care about you."

I snorted, "You don't have to force it."

He tugged my hair again and scowled. "Shut up. I care. I like living with you and sleeping with you and seeing you when you get home. I give a damn about you so stop making this so fucking difficult!"

I looked at him for a moment and then chuckled, "As far as apologies go, that one kind of sucked."

"Yeah? Well I'd like to see you do better." He dropped my braid finally and crossed his arms to look at me intently.

He was right of course, I did owe him an apology. "I don't really think you're socially retarded." I winced, God had I really said that? It sounded like something from a school playground. "Honestly, I think you have a lot more going for you and sometimes that makes me jealous."

We looked at each other and then shook our heads grinning slightly.

"That was pathetic."

I shrugged in agreement. "So what now?"

Heero reached over and opened the car door, "Now we get out of the car and go into the house because I'm freezing my ass off." When we got back inside Heero found the smashed plate on the kitchen floor. He didn't say anything though, just helped me sweep it up and dump in the trash.

I propped myself on the broom and watched Heero tie up the garbage bag, a thought occurring to me, "This is the part where we kiss and make up, right?"

He tossed the bag out the backdoor for pickup the next day and then turned to look at me, an amused expression on his face. "No, but I'll accept burritos for dinner followed by a blow job."

I laughed, "It's a deal."

Part 4: The Handyman's Nightmare...

I stood in the doorway and watched Heero swear as he pulled apart the air-conditioning unit for the third time that week. He looked up and pointed the screwdriver at me, "You know you're the mechanical genius in this household, why do I always have to fix this thing?"

I just shrugged, "Hey I'm comfortable, you don't have to fix it you know."

He snorted and then turned back to the unit, wacking it with the end of his screwdriver, "What I don't understand is why it breaks down at all. Nobody else I know has so many problems... " He trailed off, his attention once again focused on the wires in front of him and I took the opportunity to disappear into the other room with my book.

I hate air conditioning with a passion previously reserved for Oz and Zechs Marquis.

Our air conditioner breaks down a lot. Drives Heero absolutely crazy. We've gone through three different units and two different providers. You'd think the guy would have caught on by now.

We used to argue about the house temperature a lot. Every summer it was the same thing. I complained it was too cold, he told me I was a freak and to go put socks on. It wasn't until I overheard a conversation between Quatre and Wufei that I came up with my brilliant plan. Passive aggressive. That's the way to go.

I don't always sabotage it, but this week the weather had been fine and I didn't see why we needed to run the thing so much. If I'd wanted to live in the freaking tundra I would have moved to the South Pole.

I swear I'm gonna put in a walk-in freezer one of these days just so Heero can drag a lawn chair in there and hang out. Maybe then he'd keep the rest of the house above fifty degrees.

L2 isn't known for its great temperature control. Actually we'd had two temperatures for the most part. Hot and cold. I didn't mind the hot, hadn't liked the cold. The thing about being hot is you just suck it up and deal with it. Sweat a little. Strip down to the bare minimum. When you're cold, there's hardly any escape. Putting layers on works a little, but for the most part you stay cold.

But I could deal with that. You don't hear me bitch too much about the weather. However, I have been known to rant long and hard about the temperature inside the house. It's the middle of the summer; I shouldn't have to wear socks and long pants.

It's just not right.

So I'd perfected what is known as Tactic Number One. It involved glaring at Heero, pointedly glaring at the air conditioner, clutching my arms and then going outside to sit on the hood of the car in the sun. Heero referred to it as Duo Attempting to Prove a Point By Sulking. Obviously there was a discrepancy in our logic. That's why I had Tactic Number Two.

I put on a sweatshirt.

Tactic Number Three involved me, a toolbox and the Vile Machine itself but Heero didn't know about that one.

From my spot in the kitchen I heard the door on the air-conditioning unit bang shut and then Heero walked in, a satisfied expression on his face. He dropped the toolbox on the table and leaned over to see what I was reading.

"I take it you won your eternal battle against the evils of malfunctioning air conditioners?" I tipped my head back in order to look up at Heero. He nodded and dropped his chin to rest it on my shoulder. "What are you making for dinner?"

It was my turn to snort and I closed my book with a snap. "Ah so that's how it is. Big macho man defeats machine and now demands sustenance from his mate." I pushed my chair back a little, making him remove his chin. "I don't know, what do you want for dinner?"

He shrugged and walked over to the sink to wash his hands. "I don't care."

I rolled my eyes, "Ok, how about chicken?"

"We had that last night."

"And wasn't it delicious?" I stood up and crossed over to stand in front of him, hands on my hips.

He pulled me closer, one hand fiddling with the end of my braid and the other grabbing my ass. "Yes but I don't want it again tonight."

"Fine, fine. Omelets then."

He pulled back a little and looked at me suspiciously, "You're determined to feed me chicken in some form or another aren't you?"

I sniffed, "I'll have you know chicken is an excellent source of protein."

"Duo, it's chicken. Protein's the only thing it's a source of."

"Exactly! So you want omelets, right?"

He just sighed and got the eggs out of the fridge for me.

I was still pissed off about the air conditioner when we went to bed later that night. Heero fell asleep immediately. I tossed and turned but couldn't get comfortable because I was still cold. I'd lie next to Heero with an arm thrown over him to get closer but eventually the arm I was lying on would go numb and I'd have to roll over.

Heero sleeps like the dead. Unless he's having a nightmare, a bomb could go off and he'd sleep through it. I'm happy he's been able to relax enough over the years to get to that state but when I'm cold and uncomfortable I wish he'd wake up so I could bitch about it. I knew he wasn't ignoring me intentionally, the guy was asleep, but a part of me couldn't help but be irritated because it felt like he didn't care.

We had a blanket on the bed but it just didn't seem to keep me warm enough. It was one of those comforter blanket type things you can pick up cheap at the department store. Heero didn't like it because he said it made him too hot. I didn't like it because I didn't think the damn thing worked. Obviously not if I was still cold.

In July. In my bedroom.

I finally got up in disgust and went to use the bathroom. I did my business and then looked in the mirror, pointing a finger at myself. "Why don't you just turn the A/C off?" I shook my head and disagreed with my reflection, "Heero likes it on." My reflection scowled back at me. "You're a dumbass."

I nodded in agreement and hit the light switch.

When I got back to bed, I stood there watching Heero in the dim light. He was reaching his arm out, hand searching the side of the bed where I wasn't. He was still asleep but reaching out for me anyway. Some of my irritation drained away and sighing softly, I climbed back into bed. Immediately he pulled me close, wrapping an arm and leg around me.

He was soft and silky and incredibly warm. I fell asleep.

The next day when I got home Heero was standing in the middle of the living room looking extremely pleased with himself. I arched an eyebrow when he pointed toward the bedroom but let him lead me there anyway.

There was something new on the bed. It looked like a big fluffy pillow that covered the entire bed and Heero pushed me toward it excitedly. "It's a down duvet."

I stared at him puzzled, and he grinned. "It's made of goose feathers! It's light and easy to push aside so I won't get hot and because it's down, heat circulates through the air pockets and keeps you warmer than that synthetic cotton blanket we had before."

He looked at me, positively beaming and I didn't have a smile big enough to offer in return. "Thank you."

He nodded and continued to explain why this particular blanket was much more effective than our old one.

I guess I'd give the guy a reprieve over the air conditioner... for a few days anyway.

Part 5: Worshiping the Porcelain Gods...

"Repeat after me, Jose Cuervo is not my friend."

I got as far as 'is not' and then lurched off the bed and dashed back to the bathroom where I proceeded to throw up Jose and all his limes.

I was not hung over. However it was possible that I was dying. In fact I was pretty sure of it.

The trouble with living in times of peace is that you can't just go and shoot a guy in the kneecap if you need to bring him in for a talk. There are these regulations. You have to do things By The Book, as Wufei had sternly told me several times as we stood outside the bar.

Of course that wasn't why I was there. I was the guy Preventers came to when they needed an alternate route for accomplishing their task. I still wasn't allowed to bust any kneecaps though.

Wufei had asked me to come and help him with a guy they needed brought in. Quietly and Without Incident. My job was to go in there and fetch the guy.

A big mean scary looking one. The kind that outweighed me by about three ton and crushed beer cans on his forehead as a party trick.

So we did Tequila shots. Works every time, big guy like that sitting next to a small thing like me. I could hold my alcohol, but this guy was built like a Mack truck and apparently could hold a lot of alcohol too. Eventually though, he was down and out for the count and after paying the bartender I offered to get my friend a cab. We staggered out the door and into Wufei's waiting arms.

Mission accomplished, I got to go home. Heero wasn't terribly impressed with my solution to the problem but it didn't help that almost as soon as I walked in I bolted for the toilet. And had spent the rest of the evening not far from it.

"You're an idiot." Heero was standing behind me holding my braid away from my face.

I threw up once more and then flushed the toilet. "Thanks man, glad to know you care."

That earned me a scowl and my braid smacked against my back when he dropped it. "You know I do, but what if you hadn't been able to out-drink that guy? Not to mention what all that alcohol is doing to your body."

"Wufei was there; he had my back. Relax, Heero. Trust me, it'll be a long time before I pull a stunt like that again." It would have sounded more assertive if I hadn't punctuated the statement by throwing up again.

"So what do you think it was, Duo? The shots of Tequila or the suck of lime before each one? Maybe it's the combination." He paused and tapped his chin thoughtfully, "It could be the salt. Lime, salt, Tequila. Lime, salt, Tequila."

With every word he spoke I had an acute memory of the taste and my stomach lurched. I glared at him, "Asshole." Then I was turning and crouched back over the toilet.

I suspected Heero was mad at me.

I think the selling point when we bought our house had been the large backyard and relative cheapness of the property. I'm pretty sure the attached bathroom to the main bedroom hadn't been a major feature in our decision but I was extremely grateful for it now.

"I hate Wufei." I slumped against the toilet and groaned.

Heero stood in the doorway, arms crossed and didn't look the least bit sympathetic. "I don't see how this is Wufei's fault."

"He said to do it Quietly and Without Incident." I took a break from our conversation so my body could have another go at ridding itself of the alcohol. Heero waited patiently before picking up where we left off.

"So that's Wufei speak for 'go and get yourself completely hammered drinking the bad guy under the table.' I find that rather hard to believe." He didn't look amused.

I started to nod and then changed my mind when the motion sent other things spinning. I swallowed weakly instead. "Well technically he was on the table, but yeah of course. It's like Wufei code. You gotta read between the lines."

Heero just stared at me and then walked out. I made another attempt for the bed and when I got there he handed me a glass of water. "Here, drink this. In sips."

I took it gratefully and then laid down gently, wondering how much longer I had to live. The lights were off except the one in the bathroom. I'd left the door open so the bedroom was filled with a soft glow. I realized Heero hadn't laid down but was propped up against the wall, watching me.

"Hey don't worry; I won't die on you or anything." I squinted and tentatively reached a hand out to pat him on the leg.

He snorted, "Hardly. I'm only worried you'll be sick and not make it to the bathroom. I just washed these sheets."

I tried to protest but my tongue suddenly became thick and I struggled off the bed, not bothering to close the bathroom door as I reconfirmed that drinking mass quantities of anything was a Very Bad Idea.

The bathroom floor was cool and so I sat there, cheek pressed against the top of the tub. I decided that I'd just stay there; it was quite nice and I obviously wasn't going to get much sleep that night. I lost track of time, it was measured only in the rolling sickness of my stomach and the glasses of water I drank only to throw up again.

After a while Heero appeared, carrying several things in his arms. He laid a couple blankets down on the floor, folded in half to make them thicker and then my pillow. Finally he handed me a package of saltine crackers and another glass of water.

"There, you have a pallet to sleep on now. It'll be a little more comfortable than just the tiles. Eat the crackers. They'll help." He brushed my bangs out of my face gently and shook his head. "I'd kick your ass but you seem to be doing a fine enough job as it is." Then with a flick of his finger to my forehead he was gone and I was left with my crackers and blankets.

This had to be what they called tough love. The pillow was nice though.

Part 6: When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie...

So I forgot the damn milk. I didn't particularly like the stuff, didn't usually drink it and didn't think to look in the fridge when Heero called for the grocery list.

It wasn't my fault traffic was bad, the grocery store was packed and he had to wait in line for thirty minutes. Nor was it my fault some guy clipped him in the parking lot and dented his rear fender.

But it was my fault I forgot to put milk on the list.

Some days I piss Heero off and he goes off to scowl and I leave him alone and eventually it all blows over. But this time I really did feel bad. And he was standing there looking in the fridge as if he could conjure up a carton if he tried hard enough; which made me feel even worse.

I might not like milk all that much but Heero did. Not enough to usually fly off the handle because we were out but he'd had a bad day.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and contemplated the Duo Kicked a Puppy atmosphere we had going on. Finally I sighed. "I'm sorry."

He looked over the fridge door and scowled at me. I decided that an apology wasn't going to cut it this time and Direct Action was needed. "Ok. Look, I'll go out and get milk."

He slammed the door shut and stalked past me headed toward the living room. "Don't bother."

A guy can only feel guilty for so long. I folded my arms and glared at his back, "No I will. And I'll even pick up a pizza on my way home."

He was still ignoring me and I began to get frustrated, "Heero, I said I was sorry."

His only response was a shrug. I caught myself thinking about chucking the car keys at the back of his head so I left. Hopefully by the time I got home he'd have cooled down and the desire to put up my picture and throw darts at it would have faded.

I liked shopping for groceries. While Heero preferred to shop at the large supermarket on the way home from work, I liked the smaller grocery store that was closer to our house. The supermarket had a larger selection of goods but the produce section at the smaller store was far superior in my opinion. Besides, how many boxes of cereal did a person really need to choose from?

I was comparing milk expiration dates when I overheard two ladies talking over by the cheese. They were discussing some birthday party and how it conflicted with a romantic anniversary dinner the one woman had arranged for her husband.

She mentioned candles and tiramisu and an evening involving oil and a foot massage. When edible underwear and bath toys were brought up I tuned out before I overheard something that would traumatize me permanently.

Heero and I didn't celebrate our birthdays, and we certainly weren't married so there had never been an anniversary. I imagined the expression on Heero's face if he walked in on a table set with candles, fine china, a bouquet of roses and me standing there clutching a bottle of lavender scented oil, flower stuck between my teeth; and burst out laughing right there in the dairy section.

The two ladies looked up and glared at me so I quickly grabbed a carton of milk and snuck off down a different aisle still trying to get my snickers under control.

It was an interesting idea though. Not the romantic dinner, but having a special day; something to mark... well something else. What did Heero and I have to remember? End of the war? Meeting each other? Moving in together?

When I thought about it, the first time we'd met was during the first war so that'd make it... nine years.

Shocked I stopped right in the middle of the aisle between the noodles and canned fruit.

Nine years? Where'd the time go? One minute I'm fifteen and blowing the shit out of the world and the next I've got a house, steady job, and a Heero waiting at home for me. Annoyed with me at the moment, but still... there.

And yet had it really only been nine years? Little over seven since Heero moved in. It seemed much longer and yet so fast at the same time. Some memories were clear as day and yet I couldn't remember what we'd had for dinner the night before last.

Just thinking about the time made me want to check the mirror for grey hairs when in fact the face of a twenty-four-year-old had looked back at me just that morning.

Nine years. I wondered if Heero knew about it. Fucking hell.

I knew lots of people who'd been married and divorced in less time than that. They'd separate over stupid shit and then move onto the next person. Heero and I had never declared, 'this is it, you and me' it just was the way things were. Partners, best friends, the guy I shagged regularly.

I knew for a fact Heero wouldn't appreciate a romantic gesture like the woman by the cheese had planned, but I wondered if there was something that I could do, just some way to let him know that his company meant... well a lot.

Without getting too sappy. Or sentimental. And despite the fact that he was being pissy.

The great thing about the grocery store is you can find just about anything. Two-ply toilet paper with aloe lotion, thirty different kinds of bread, fruit from all over the world, and in this case -- just the item I needed to say what I wanted to say without actually having to say it.

After all, isn't that the whole point of an anniversary? Well maybe not, but the hell I was going to go up to Heero and profess my undying love. I didn't think I could do it with a straight face anyway.

I asked the woman to put my item in a separate paper bag and she gave me an odd look but did it anyway. I tossed the small package in my hand and smirked. See I could be romantic; it was gift wrapped and everything.

When I got home, Heero was sprawled on the couch flipping through the channels. Finally he settled on the news and tossed the remote back onto the coffee table. Looking up at me he folded his arms and scowled, "There's nothing on TV."

I guessed we'd moved on from pissed off to petulant sulking.

"Here you grouchy bastard, I got you something."

I tossed the package at Heero and he opened it, suspicious. I shrugged when he looked at me and then back down at the jar of cinnamon he held in his hand. "Gee Duo, you shouldn't have."

I snorted and went to fetch the pizza. "Only the best for you."

I was pulling the milk out of the fridge when I felt him tug on my braid, forcing me to turn my head and look at him. I scowled, "You know, most people would get my attention by calling my name."

He loosened his grip but didn't let go. "Most might but I'm special. Thanks for getting the milk."

I leaned back so I could get the door closed and he took the opportunity to reach down and grab something else. I smirked and shoved against him, "No problem."

After a quick tussle of who could grab who and where, he finally let me go so we could eat.

"Hey Duo?" I looked up. Heero was standing barefoot in the middle of the kitchen, pizza halfway in his mouth. "If I share the pizza can I stay?"

I grinned, "Might as well. After all this time you've kind of grown on me."