Thirty Second Gundam Wing
Kracken
1x2
Home
"We can be fine here, Heero," Duo said as he stepped over fallen masonry and surveyed the almost intact apartment in the abandoned complex. "We can wire it from next store. I've done that before. They won't notice... at least not for awhile. People throw out good stuff all the time. If we keep sharp, we can have furniture soon. As for water, we can use the-"
"Duo," Heero sighed and stepped up behind him to put arms around him.
Duo stopped talking and bowed his head, body tense. "I'm used to living like this. I know how to do it. You won't be sorry you stayed with me."
"I'm not sorry now," Heero said against his cheek.
"But..." Duo couldn't go on. He swallowed hard. "The guy said... I'm... I'm just a dead weight for you. I can do this for you... if you let me. If you want... me.... still."
Heero grimaced in pain and turned Duo to look at him. "The loan officer was out of line. No one," he said and then emphasized each word, "No one, Duo, should ever say things like that to you, or anyone else." He held Duo by his arms and gave him a small shake. "You shouldn't have run away."
"Didn't run,"Duo replied in a small voice. "I walked... fast."
"Okay, walked fast, halfway across town, with me, walking very fast after you, to... this." Heero gave the dilapidated living room a look of disgust. "Don't let one bigoted idiot do this to you... to us."
"He was right, though?" Duo was suddenly holding Heero tight, hiding his face against Heero's collar. Heero's strong arms came around him, sheltering him. "They won't loan to me... a guy who doesn't have a birth certificate, or a license, or a damned work history... who's a killer and an L2 orphan... and ... and..."He stopped, choking on the words and hating his moment of weakness, not wanting Heero to see it, not wanting to be that vulnerable.
"We'll have to get papers for you," Heero replied. "We may have to work a few years with Preventers and try to get the loan again. In the meant time, we can rent." He smoothed a hand over Duo's hair and then held him back from him to look in his eyes. "As for the rest, none of that matters. You're the man I love, the man I want to spend my life with."
Duo tried on a grin, but it wavered. "Even though I'm a wuss who runs from skinny loan officers?"
Heero snorted. "I'm hoping that you won't feel the need to do that again."
Duo cupped Heero's cheek with a broad hand and then leaned his forehead against Heero's with a sigh, "I didn't want to hear that you couldn't have something you wanted... because of me."
Heero kissed him and held him tight. "Duo, you're what I want. Nothing else matters. A place is just a place." He eyed a rat making it's way along a baseboard. "Though, some places are worse than others. Come on, let's go rent a house and then go down to government offices to see about getting papers for you. I'm sure that we can prove that you were born."
The ENd