Chapter 10
Heero woke to rays of sunlight streaming across his face. He opened his eyes and quickly covered them with his hand to block the piercing daylight. The clock told him it was 10:30am, the latest he'd ever slept in his life. His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten dinner last night, preferring to remain in the solitude his room offered. He really hadn't wanted to see the braided baka.
Heero sighed remembering his words the previous afternoon. He groaned and muttered, "What I really meant was, how could you love me like this?" And the answer, Heero was sure, was that Duo couldn't. After all, the American must have had the same goals as himself, peace, a normal life. Hell, when he put it that way, why was he here in the first place? He'd taken Duo away from his job, his home, not to mention scared the crap out of him in the first place.
Another protest from his stomach roused Heero from his musings. Sitting up he swung his legs off the side and made his way to the door.
Something was wrong. Heero's ears searched for sounds and came up with nothing but complete and utter silence. Where was the sound of the coffee pot, the gentle scuffling of the slippers Duo always wore while he shuffled around the kitchen, the small clatters of plates and sizzle of a frying pan? Making his way to the kitchen, Heero peered around the doorjamb cautiously. Nothing.
A little uneasy he walked into the room. An inspection revealed that Duo had not been in the kitchen that morning. Suddenly a piece of paper on the table caught his eye. Walking over, he picked it up and read.
Heero-
Am leaving for a couple days, maybe more. Don't worry, if you need anything contact Quatre or Lena, they both said they'd send supplies.
-Duo
Frustrated Heero slammed the note back on the table. *Fine.* he thought. *If that's the way you want it.*
A week passed and still no sign of Duo. Heero spent his days shuffling around the house, watching every movie vid, reading every book, and listening to every cd. He didn't dare leave the house for fear that Duo would try to make contact. Heero was starting to worry. Finally, frustrated, he called Relena up on the vid screen.
"Hi Heero!" she chirped.
Heero's eyes narrowed. Why did she look so nervous?
"Where's Duo."
"Oh.he said something about visiting an old friend." She smiled. "Was there something you needed?"
Heero silently studied her face. "Where is Duo," he asked again.
"I already told you-
"Relena," Heero growled menacingly and glared at her. The Queen of the World met his penetrating gaze with an inferior one of her own and dropped her head into her hands.
"Oh God. I told him I wasn't any good at this," she mumbled into her hands.
Heero waited as calmly as he could. Patience wasn't his strong point.
Relena sat up, blew her bangs out of her face, and tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked at Heero seriously. "You need to contact Sally. She'll tell you where Duo is. The only reason I'm giving you this much information is because I'm worried about him." she hesitated, ".and to tell the truth.I think he needs you," she said simply.
Heero paused, thoughts in a jumble. "Arigatou Relena."
"You're wel-
The vid screen flickered off. "-come," she finished. Leaning back in her chair she chewed thoughtfully on a strand of hair. A knock on her office door dragged her out of her thoughts.
"Come in," she said loudly. Pargan entered balancing a tray with tea and some sweets to tide her over until her late dinner. She flashed him a grateful smile. "Arigatou Pargan."
"You're welcome Relena-sama," he responded warmly.
She watched thoughtfully as he placed the tray on the small table near her desk and poured a cup of tea. He set a biscuit, jam, and some cookies on a small plate and left her tea black, the way she liked it. He set out a napkin, collected the tray and started for the door.
"Pargan?"
"Hai Relena-sama?"
"Why do people in love act so stupid?"
Heero woke to rays of sunlight streaming across his face. He opened his eyes and quickly covered them with his hand to block the piercing daylight. The clock told him it was 10:30am, the latest he'd ever slept in his life. His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten dinner last night, preferring to remain in the solitude his room offered. He really hadn't wanted to see the braided baka.
Heero sighed remembering his words the previous afternoon. He groaned and muttered, "What I really meant was, how could you love me like this?" And the answer, Heero was sure, was that Duo couldn't. After all, the American must have had the same goals as himself, peace, a normal life. Hell, when he put it that way, why was he here in the first place? He'd taken Duo away from his job, his home, not to mention scared the crap out of him in the first place.
Another protest from his stomach roused Heero from his musings. Sitting up he swung his legs off the side and made his way to the door.
Something was wrong. Heero's ears searched for sounds and came up with nothing but complete and utter silence. Where was the sound of the coffee pot, the gentle scuffling of the slippers Duo always wore while he shuffled around the kitchen, the small clatters of plates and sizzle of a frying pan? Making his way to the kitchen, Heero peered around the doorjamb cautiously. Nothing.
A little uneasy he walked into the room. An inspection revealed that Duo had not been in the kitchen that morning. Suddenly a piece of paper on the table caught his eye. Walking over, he picked it up and read.
Heero-
Am leaving for a couple days, maybe more. Don't worry, if you need anything contact Quatre or Lena, they both said they'd send supplies.
-Duo
Frustrated Heero slammed the note back on the table. *Fine.* he thought. *If that's the way you want it.*
A week passed and still no sign of Duo. Heero spent his days shuffling around the house, watching every movie vid, reading every book, and listening to every cd. He didn't dare leave the house for fear that Duo would try to make contact. Heero was starting to worry. Finally, frustrated, he called Relena up on the vid screen.
"Hi Heero!" she chirped.
Heero's eyes narrowed. Why did she look so nervous?
"Where's Duo."
"Oh.he said something about visiting an old friend." She smiled. "Was there something you needed?"
Heero silently studied her face. "Where is Duo," he asked again.
"I already told you-
"Relena," Heero growled menacingly and glared at her. The Queen of the World met his penetrating gaze with an inferior one of her own and dropped her head into her hands.
"Oh God. I told him I wasn't any good at this," she mumbled into her hands.
Heero waited as calmly as he could. Patience wasn't his strong point.
Relena sat up, blew her bangs out of her face, and tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked at Heero seriously. "You need to contact Sally. She'll tell you where Duo is. The only reason I'm giving you this much information is because I'm worried about him." she hesitated, ".and to tell the truth.I think he needs you," she said simply.
Heero paused, thoughts in a jumble. "Arigatou Relena."
"You're wel-
The vid screen flickered off. "-come," she finished. Leaning back in her chair she chewed thoughtfully on a strand of hair. A knock on her office door dragged her out of her thoughts.
"Come in," she said loudly. Pargan entered balancing a tray with tea and some sweets to tide her over until her late dinner. She flashed him a grateful smile. "Arigatou Pargan."
"You're welcome Relena-sama," he responded warmly.
She watched thoughtfully as he placed the tray on the small table near her desk and poured a cup of tea. He set a biscuit, jam, and some cookies on a small plate and left her tea black, the way she liked it. He set out a napkin, collected the tray and started for the door.
"Pargan?"
"Hai Relena-sama?"
"Why do people in love act so stupid?"