"Don't forget- keep in touch!"
Those were Duo Maxwell's last words... before he embarked on his travels around the world. Heero Yuy heaved a sigh, placing his hand under his head to support it and stared outside the window. He hated the fall. The colouring and the falling of leaves, the dark grey clouds, the constant rain, the miserable low temperatures. Why the hell was he stationed in this country for two years anyway?
He had accepted the mission to infiltrate this semi-political society who was preparing for a military coup, and after he exposed the key figures and other involved persons, clearing out their movement efficiently, Heero had accepted the proposal of staying around for two years, time enough to get this new branch of the Preventers started.
This country was godforsaken desolate and deserted... it even hurt to think about it. Food and drink were rationed, the people were moody and grumpy, there was no place at all for relaxation or entertainment, and the dark grey surroundings were bound to make anyone depressed. Jumping off of bridge almost sounded tempting... if only for the short thrill of the fall and the adrenaline rush, Heero presumed. He swirled the stone-cold coffee around in his mug. There was no taste to the liquid- the only way he'd get real coffee was from one of the 'survival kits' Quatre loved to send to his fellow former pilots. Good old Quatre... he regularly shipped packages filled with snacks, nifty gadgets or things he thought that would come in handy.
Peace had settled on Earth and the colonies, so there was no need for concealed weapons, money or equipment necessary to engage in warfare anymore, so the blond CEO and renowned businessman packed fancy things like gloves or agendas, books or movies. Heero snorted. Whenever he was, no matter how far from the outside world, Quatre would track his address down and mail him something, and Heero was convinced that he did the same for the others... even though it was hard to get a hold on Duo.
Was it now, really? He tapped against his mug. Duo was always on his way, travelling from whatever backyard place to another, visiting the craziest locations no one had ever heard of before. Duo had seen the most beautiful places, meeting native and undiscovered tribes, experiencing so much in nature and life in general while he, Heero, was wilting away in some stupid, cold hellhole. He frowned. Was he simply envying Duo, or was he 'just' fed up with his work? A midlife crisis for someone barely in his twenties? He checked his watch.
His life was pretty much boring right now- maybe he could file a transfer request first thing in the morning. No one at Preventers HQ was going to deny their star agent anything- his reputation would precede him, and neither Lady Une nor Sally Po would doubt his intentions. Sure, they'd probably protest that his time wasn't served, and that the Preventers post wasn't running independently... well, they could find someone else to finish the job.
Funny how Duo never had bothered joining the Preventers, not even considering their job offer as soon as the war was over. Wufei was the first one to take up on the offer, becoming quickly the thriving force behind the complete organisation, together with Lady Une and Sally Po. Trowa had signed up as well, but quit after six months and joined Quatre's workforce. Quatre himself had declined immediately as well, building up Winner Enterprises from the ashes, focusing on rebuilding and continuing the legacy of his father.
That left only Heero, and he had accepted immediately- simply because he wasn't sure what to do next, and a steady job and income seemed fine to him at the moment. Funny yes, funny how Duo had said "No thank you, I'm fine" and had trotted of, speaking his famous last words...
To him in person.
Heero sighed, again. Duo had sent him e-mails, cards, and telegrams from every corner of the world, telling him of the things he'd seen and done. He had a cell phone with him, but the reception often was bad and the connection difficult to establish in the first place. Heero had tried to leave one or two voice messages, but had to quit out of sheer frustration, as the messages couldn't be put through.
It'd been so long since Heero had heard his voice... how could he keep in touch when it was so difficult to reach him? Every card, every e-mail, every telegram was safely stored in a box, and he loved sifting through them and re-reading them, as Duo was a wonderful storyteller, sharing his travel experiences with him in such a way that Heero almost could imagine being with him.
Being with him. Gods, he'd kill for some human interaction... some real human interaction. His colleagues here were just... antisocial jerks, and it took a great deal out of Heero Yuy himself to say that. Not that he was the kind of person to socialize and go to dances or parties as Relena would like to do, or even Quatre who was always in the picture when attending a charity dinner, but this... yes, he was definitely putting in that transfer request tomorrow, and then he was going to withdraw all his savings, take a sabbatical and travel after Duo. He widened his eyes- that particular part of his usual train of thoughts was new to him. Nonetheless, it was a very interesting particular part... and he was brusquely interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Who's there?" He asked rudely, his hand flying to his gun, tucked away in his belt. This was a Preventers' office, but not many knew the location... and his colleagues were all accounted for, either on a mission or at home.
"Santa Claus," he heard a familiar, slightly muffled voice.
"Wrong season," Heero answered, cautiously approaching the door. Was this some kind of prank, a practical joke? Everyone knew he didn't appreciate them- but on the other hand, no one around here didn't seem the type of person to pull a prank on him...
"Com'on Heero, I'm freezing my ass off here!"
He no longer hesitated and flung open the door, pulling out his gun and cocking it the next second, placing the barrel right between the eyes of the visitor.
"Typical," was the short, but not curt answer, and Heero pulled back the gun.
"What are you doing out here?"
"Visiting you," Duo snorted. "Hey, I've got some whisky with me. All the way from Scotland! Let's get inside and warm us up a little, what do you think about that?"
Heero was baffled, but stepped away from the door to let Duo in. He looked healthy and well, his cheeks tinted red from the cold, and he was wearing the most horrid woollen cap Heero had ever seen- and he looked amazing in it.
Duo went into the office, 'tsk'-ing loudly. "Who's your interior decorator?"
"Preventers HQ," he answered dryly, crossing the distance to the other wall and freeing up a coat hanger for Duo.
"Efficient as ever," Duo smiled as he gave his coat to Heero to hang it up, and he stripped himself of his gloves and scarf. "So, for how long are you stationed here?"
"Officially for two years, but I was planning on sending in a transfer request tomorrow," Heero admitted. He went into the small kitchen, putting up water to brew 'fresh' coffee. Searching through the cabinets, he found two small shot glasses for the additional whisky. Duo had followed him into the kitchen, curiously looking around, frowning slightly when he saw what Heero was doing.
"You wanted a shot glass of whiskey with your coffee? Something wrong with a real glass?" he joked, pulling out two larger glasses.
"I didn't know you were such a drinker," Heero retorted.
"I'm not, I just like to get warm... a good way of warmth only an excellent whisky and excellent company can give me."
"L-like that," Heero said and wondered why he stuttered. Turning off the stove, he watched Duo pulling out a bottle from his small backpack.
"Is that all your luggage?"
"Yes, that's all," Duo laughed, unscrewing the bottle cap. "I don't have to tell you how we've been trained with the least possible as luggage; it's really handy when travelling around the world."
"You must tell me everything about your travels," Heero nodded, shoving the two glasses towards him. "For example, how did you exactly end up here?"
"Ooh, by coincidence," Duo answered airily while pouring the alcohol, and laughing rambunctiously when looking at Heero's face. "Just kidding. A little blond angel appeared to me in a vision and whispered to me where I could find you."
Heero couldn't help but laugh at that, though it was mixed with a snort; leave it to Quatre to 'whisper' to the right person... he doubted he needed the whisky anymore, as the temperature in the room had already risen considerably, ever since Duo's appearance. He looked satisfied, content, happy... and so handsome. The large bangs framing his forehead were a little damp from the humidity outside, his large eyes radiated a certain... inner peace, a certain acceptance that Heero couldn't really describe.
All of Duo's movements were calm and composed, but still keeping that same old touch of enthusiasm and exuberance he knew and loved in him the moment they met. Well, he got shot then... twice... but still, exuberance. Duo had grown, maybe more than he had... and he'd been wasting his time with this dead-end job stationed at a Preventers' office in a land he couldn't even pronounce the name of without having to start over five times.
"Proost," Duo said while holding up his drink, and taking a swig before Heero could say the same.
"What kind of language is that?"
"Oh, they speak it in a small country, close to the sea, somewhere in Europe," Duo said, licking his lips. Heero almost spat out his sip, as the liquid burned in his throat- he wasn't used to it. He coughed, swallowing bravely as his eyes started to prickle. Duo laughed softly. "Maybe I should have taken the coffee with it," he said, though not mockingly and put down his glass, sitting down at the table. Heero agreed, still coughing, and went to sit down as well.
"How long are you going to stay?"
"I'm not sure," Duo said, staring at his glass. "It's been quite some time now that I've been travelling and though I'm not really looking forward to settle down into an office job, I do realize I can't go on like this... I mean, I have to get a job sometime and make something out of my life."
Heero knew it wasn't really a financial question- they'd never had much funding to begin with anyway, and during their training and the actual war, they learned how to spend as little money as possible –with the exception of Quatre-, and it wouldn't surprise him if Duo had spend money on sending the cards and such to his friends and on the barest essentials as food and clothing.
"Feeling a little restless?"
"Sort of. Something I can't really place."
"Feeling alone?" Heero suddenly said, not allowing himself the time to wonder why he asked that. Duo looked up at him, glass almost halfway for another sip, the surprise in his eyes obvious.
"No, not alone," he said, after a brief moment of consideration. "I have my friends... I met a lot of new people during my travels and I think some of those contacts can and will develop into something more permanent, like real friends instead of acquaintances. I have you," he said, almost matter-of-factly.
"Me?"
"You're my friend, aren't you?"
"Of course I am!"
"That's all I wanted to know. So you wouldn't mind offering your bed to your tired friend while you spend one night at your couch, would you?"
Heero's mouth almost went slack, and then he suddenly grinned. "For you, anything," he said, lifting up his glass as well. "I can survive a night on the couch, as long as you spend the night with me."
A smile spread across Duo's face, as he tipped his glass forward to touch Heero's glass. "Promise?"
"Promise."
"On spending the night with me."
"On spending the night with you."
"Forever."
"Forever."
"Amen."
"Amen, Duo. Amen."
The glasses clanged together, the sound resonating through the office. It was getting warm inside- and the desolation seemed to move away, taking its bland, grey colours with it, as they both sat at the table, picking up where they left off- both grown, both older, and both ready for another chapter in their lives.