A snatch at a jacket, fist tight with panic, and a jerk sideways, had saved his partner's life. The bullet meant for his heart had splattered against a concrete wall, and the perp had been apprehended after that. Duo Maxwell had listened, tight lipped, while Heero had cursed him at full volume.
"Stupid hair! Stupid jokes! Why can't you pay attention? Why can't you be professional? You were supposed to be watching him! If you had been doing your job, I wouldn't have had to save your life, just now!"
Heart hammering in his ears, perspiration making the shirt, under his Preventer jacket soaked, Heero couldn't tell his partner how terrified he had been, how his ranting was born out of love almost lost. He could only cover up the panic and try to bull forward until backup arrived and took their perp off their hands.
Back at headquarters, sitting behind his desk, Heero could still hear the click of the hammer, the gun firing, and Duo, saying... what had he been saying? Something about catching a movie and dinner after... something about making it a date. Only, they didn't date. A stupid joke that had almost cost Duo his life.
A shadow. Heero frowned and looked up and then lips pressed hard against his. He struggled, shocked, and then those lips said against his, "Thank you, for saving my life."
Duo was leaning over his desk, daring, a purple eye close to Heero's and wary of retaliation. Heero did retaliate. He captured those lips again and devoured them with a hunger that had been there, and denied, for too long.
End