[exchange for services rendered] Top of Form Title: Exchange For Services Rendered
Author: ralphiere
Pairing: 1x2x1
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2046
Warnings: Heero's POV, language, somewhat OOC
Disclaimer: Don't own them, and none of the characters are minors.
Notes: Another afternoon spent writing for this challenge instead of for NaNo. Doh!

Thanks again to bleedtoblue for the beta! ^___^

Challenge #207 - service for gw500

++++

Favors are the currency used in friendships. One never expects any type of real compensation for picking up an inebriated friend from the bar after closing, helping to move a couch up three flights of narrow stairs, or driving to the other side of town because of an unexpected flat tire with no spare. These are the sorts of things friends do for each other - without hesitation, without argument. I have to admit that I had to learn this over time; such information wasn't provided in a manual and sadly did not come naturally to me. No matter, I learned to offer assistance, and ask for it in return, but the biggest thing I was pleased to learn about were the 'I'll owe you's'. Sometimes this perk must be used to one's advantage, and I was getting desperate. Did I plan it? No. Did I jump at the chance? Hell yeah. Was I nervous? If I weren't would I have replayed all this over in my head in an obsessive-compulsive loop?

First I should probably explain the drive behind my motives. He's about 5'11", 170 pounds give or take a few cheeseburgers, and looks sinfully good in anything he decides to throw on. And that's nothing! I have yet to mention the deep, almost lilac color of his eyes, and the way his braid brushes across the top of his ass when he moves ... I've got it and I've got it bad. He knows it, yet refuses to date me. I swear Duo Maxwell is still punishing me for swiping parts off his Gundam, even though I'd call it even seeing the bastard shot me first. But forget all that, that's neither here nor there. It's not that he doesn't want to date me, I'm pretty sure he does, it's that he refuses to even let himself try.

Have I tried? Yes. I've tried as much as I've dared. At first I just put the suggestion out there and he let it drop. Then I got a little more bold and asked if he wanted to go out for dinner ... as a date and he politely declined. When I got a little tipsy at Quatre's Halloween party and tried to kiss him that's when he finally towed the line. Sorry, Heero, I don't think it would be a good idea. We're friends, we work together... blah, blah blah. So I dropped it. We still go out as friends, but never just the two of us and never together. I've been a perfect gentlemen since he spelled it all out for me, tried very hard not to make him feel uncomfortable, but I wonder after all this time if it's me he doesn't trust or himself? It really doesn't have to be this complicated.

Back to my situation ... It was a week ago Friday, and Duo popped his head into my office with a grin. It wasn't unusual for Duo to stop by my office, we were still friends, even though I've italicized, underlined and bolded my feeling for him, and he really didn't seem to hold it against me. Sure he'd invite someone else along if we ever planned to do anything that could remotely resemble a date, but it was all good with me - no hard feeling and all that. But back to that Friday.

"Hey Heero, I need to ask you a favor," Duo smiled that smile that he knew gets to me, bastard that he is.

"Please tell me you're not moving again," I groaned, crossing my arms and watching him warily. Duo had moved three times in the last year, and was currently living on the third floor of a building without an elevator.

"Hey, I helped you clean your basement to make up for that," he pointed out, his smile turning a bit sheepish. "I'm not moving, I just need you to attend a conference for me."

"A conference?" I didn't think that sounded too bad, it wasn't as if such things weren't part of my job description anyway.

"Yeah, a conference... in Peoria." He turned his smile up a notch, leaning against the doorjamb, the epitome of relaxed.

"Peoria? As in Illinois?" We were currently in Baltimore, meaning I'd be traveling for this one. He didn't reply, only pleaded with his eyes and shrugged.

"And why can't you attend this conference?"

"I'm supposed to be flying out Sunday morning and won't be back until Tuesday, and I'd forgotten that Hilde -"

"Wait! You seem to be leaving out some important information. How long is this conference exactly?" I couldn't help but look at him with irritation. He expected me to travel and set my own work aside so he could socialize?

"The conference is only Monday, but it's starts early and ends late. They already set up the travel arrangements, or I'd try to get you out on Monday night." Duo stepped further into my office and stopped in front of my desk, placing both hands on the surface and leaning towards me. "Please Heero? I haven't seen Hilde in over a year, and she'd kill me if I backed out now - she's flying in tonight."

I tried to hold onto my irritation, but seeing that pleading expression on his face was too much for me, never mind how close he was to me, and the way his cologne smelled... "All right," I sighed, shaking my head in disbelieve for my stupidity. "But you're going to owe me."

"Anything, Heero!" Duo straightened and was already to the door, his relief obvious.

"Anything?" Call me a bad friend, but I couldn't resist.

He stopped short, turning slowly to face me. His smile was gone, but his expression was actually curious. "What - what did you have in mind?"

"Go on a date with me, a real date."

"Heero, I've already told you-"

I held up a hand, silencing him. "You told me you didn't think it was a good idea because we were friends, and we were co workers... you have yet to tell me it's because you don't want to go. Just tell me you don't want to go on a date with me, and I'll drop it for good."

He opened his mouth to answer me only to close it again. It may have been a trick of the light, or the fact that blood was rushing through my head, but I swear I saw the man start to blush. "Hilde's not leaving until Friday night, so Saturday?"

"Saturday's fine." I couldn't stop the grin; it was hard enough not to start laughing just for the joy of it. "Make sure you email me the travel plans, and information about the conference."

"I will." Duo was walking out the door when he stopped and turned towards me, a tentative smile on his face. "Thanks, Heero."

We haven't spoken in person since then. He emailed me the itinerary and the flight information and I spent my weekend working from home so I wouldn't fall behind in my own duties. The conference was boring beyond belief, but I went and jumped through all the necessary hoops. When I returned to work on Wednesday I'd learned that Duo had taken vacation time for the rest of the week to visit with Hilde. I dropped him an email telling him the conference went well, he emailed me back another thank you and that he'd call me when Hilde left.

He called me on Friday night, actually sounding nervous. I felt bad for having made him feel like that and almost let him off the hook. Almost - reminding myself that he couldn't tell me he didn't want to go. I needed to do this.

"So how was your visit with Hilde?" I hoped to show him that we were still friends first, impending date or no. Plus I actually cared how his week was - I'd missed talking with Duo while he was gone.

"It was good, we had fun. Of course by the end she was actually complaining that the air was too fresh here. I think she was getting homesick."

"I'm glad that she got to come."

"Yeah, me too." Duo fell silent a moment before clearing his throat. "So ... about Saturday. What were you thinking?"

"We could go out, dinner and a movie maybe? Or stay in if you've had enough going out this week, I could make dinner and we could rent something?" I tried hard to keep my tone light, like my heart wasn't threatening to escape my chest.

"Uh ..." Duo cleared his throat and I swear I could hear him biting his lip.

"Duo? Is it really such a horrible thing to have a date with me?" I sighed, unable to hide the irritation that surged through me. "Listen, if you don't want to do it I won't make you. We're even."

"No!" Duo cleared his throat again. "I'm sorry Heero, I'm not trying to be an asshole. I - I do want to go. You were right; I can't say that I don't want to date you ... it's just that I don't want to screw it up. Not with you."

"You won't screw it up," I said gently, suddenly feeling horrible for having put him in such a situation. "If it doesn't work out we'll still be friends."

"It's not that. It's just, you -"

"Just me?" I couldn't help but laugh, I knew I wasn't a prize, but how bad could I be?

"Will you just let me finish? God, Heero, stop interrupting!" Duo groaned in frustration, and I could hear him pacing through his apartment. "I really like you, okay! And I was afraid if I rushed into anything I'd fuck it up - I don't have the best track record in the relationship department."

"Then we won't rush." I swear to god that I was close to passing out, just hearing him say he really liked me made me feel lightheaded. "Why don't we just stay in, have some dinner and hang out. Come over around seven?"

"Okay." Duo adjusted the phone again; I could hear it rub against his chin. "I'll see you then."

So there I was. It was Saturday, almost seven, dinner was finished, wine was breathing, and I was second-guessing every decision I'd made up until then. I shouldn't have forced him to do this; I should've just left him alone. I can't help but replay everything that brought me up to that point, and wonder how I could've been so ignorant. I straightened my collar and ran a hand through my hair, ready to call him and tell him to forget it when there was a knock on the door. I took a deep breath before I walked across the living room and opened it.

I smiled when I found Duo. Duo in faded blue jeans and a red button up shirt. Duo with his hands stuffed nervously in his pockets and looking at me through the fringe of his bangs. Duo with a smile that blossomed when his eyes met mine, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

"I've been thinking a lot since we talked, Heero," he stepped closer to me, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Tonight's date is payment for services rendered."

Fuck. "Duo, I didn't-"

He took his hands out of his pockets and grabbed onto my shoulders, keeping me from backing away. The smile on his face was familiar, and I realized at that moment that I hadn't seen it in a long, long time. "Don't interrupt, Yuy, I would think you'd have learned better manners by now," he grabbed my face in one hand while he chastised me, and I was helpless to pull away. "I realized that I've been an idiot. Tonight's date is payment for services rendered, so I was wondering if you were doing anything tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" I was rendered brain dead by his close proximity and the feel of his hand on my face.

"Yes, tomorrow. I'm asking you out for a date tomorrow, so you'll know I'm not here just because I owe you." He smirked and patted my face before skirting around me and walking towards the kitchen. The date was looking up already.

++++

The End

+++++

+Top of Form