The Remote and the Laptop
by Sprinkles
5/27/A.C. 195
Today was the unofficial Gundam repair day, as everyone, rather uncannily, headed to their Gundams all at once. Duo found the work strangely satisfying. It required enough attention to stop him from thinking about his predicament yet was methodical enough to be soothing.
Quatre had finally shut up. Trowa had managed it in his quiet, enigmatic way, and no one knew for sure how he had accomplished that. The common consensus was that Quatre had given himself a rather sore throat because he had, for some reason, been screaming himself hoarse all through the night. Trowa on the other hand, was looking very pleased with himself.
Heero was acting very strangely. He would stop his work for minutes at a time and stare at Duo's back. His brow was furrowed in concentration even though he was doing very little. Suddenly, Heero's eyes widened, he dashed into his cockpit with much less finesse than usual and tinkered. Fifteen minutes, Heero reemerged with a disk in his hand.
"Everyone? This is some new software that lets everyone use their keyboard as a written intercom. I'm going to install it on everyone’s Gundam."
Everyone nodded their assent and Heero went to work. Now Duo was the one staring at Heero’s back.
//I always thought Heero hated me talking.// But as he watched Heero upgrading Heavyarms' systems, Duo smiled. //I guess Heero had a change of heart. Who'd've thought he had one.//
Half an hour later everyone was inside doing various things. Heero was once again behind the laptop and Duo was in front of the television again, staring at the screen without looking at it. How was he ever supposed to communicate with Heero if he couldn't talk?
//Confidence, Maxwell! If the little mermaid could do it, so can you!//
Heero rose from his chair. Duo glanced up at him, smiled shyly and patted the place on the couch next to him. Heero smiled very faintly. //It’s just to humor him…// Heero sat down. Heero grabbed the remote and flipped to the monster truck show. Duo waited till Heero had put the remote down before snatching it and changing it to Martha Stewart Living. Heero glared at him and grabbed the remote.
Flip.
Trucks
Flip.
Gardens.
Flip.
"Just look at him crush--"
Flip.
"—the flowers and --"
Flip.
"--spray all that dirt--"
Flip.
"--coated with sugar--"
Heero flung himself at Duo who was holding the remote out of Heero's reach, while scrambling backwards off the couch. Heero grabbed Duo around the legs and hauled him back. Pillows flew. The remote ended up somewhere unknown. When the dust settled Heero found himself pressed hard on top of Duo, trying to squeeze the life out of him with Duo using his braid as a whip, snapping Heero's neck and shoulders with it.
Heero froze. Duo was grinning and so was he. He imagined how awkward somebody would if they walked in on this. But there was something else. He could feel Duo's heart beating. //And to think that if that bullet had hit a little higher or lower...Duo would have...would have...// Heero got up.
"Duo, I-I've got to make a couple extra adjustments to Wing." A pause. "If you want...you can play some games...on my..."--Heero had to force himself to spit the last word out-- "...laptop." Duo’s eyes widened. Heero had given him explicit permission to touch the grand, the sacred, //El Laptop//.
Heero took a deep breath, as if wondering what he had condemned his poor laptop to. He was heading to the door when Duo touched his hand.
Duo smiled. //Thank you.// he mouthed.
And Heero knew that it was for more than just letting him use the laptop.
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