Title: The Tow [part 3 / 4]
Pairing: Heero/Duo
Warnings: language, angst
Disclaimer: I don't own them, thank you!
Notes: Boy Butter is a real thing - if you don't believe me ask google!

Thanks to bleedtoblue for the beta! I tweaked it a lot after she looked at it, so I take full responsibilities for the errors :P



The Tow


"Fucking asshole!" Duo resisted the urge to punch the brick faŤade of a building he passed retracing his route back to the Inn. If it wasn't for lack of transportation, he'd leave now without a backwards glance. Would I?

"Damn right I would," Duo whispered under his breath. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this angry. Wait ... yes he could, and it involved catching his ex with that guy from the laundromat and a tub of Boy Butter. Now that had been angry.

He found the Inn without issue, and was relieved to find Betty had gone to bed and had just left a note for him to lock up when he got in. Only in a town like this would a woman he'd just met trust him to lock up when he got in. It was like he'd entered some bizarre episode of The Twilight Zone and was trapped there. Crumpling the note up in his hand, he locked the door as requested and mounted the stairs to his room.

The Inn was quaint and remarkably empty for the end of the summer season. Betty had settled him in a comfortable room with a private bath, and when Duo opened the door he couldn't hold onto his anger. Not only had she turned down the bed, but also left a plate of cookies and a large glass of water on the nightstand. He made a mental note to tell everyone he knew about this place as he picked up a cookie and took a bite. They were chocolate chip, and downright perfect in Duo's opinion. He couldn't remember the last time he was made to feel more welcome anywhere - Hell, even going home to visit his parents wasn't this pleasant. Suddenly he found himself thinking of Heero without family and tossed the cookie back on the plate, unable to finish it. Betty's the closest thing to family Heero has. His anger towards Heero slowly started to ebb away.

He knew that it was a big deal that Heero confided in him; he didn't seem like the type of guy who would rehash his history with just anyone. It had to mean something, didn't it? It took a minute for Duo to realize he'd been pacing and he forced himself to stop. Why was he letting this place get to him like this? In the morning his car would be fixed and he'd go to start his new life. Maybe you already have?

"Shut up," Duo growled to no one, wanting his internal monologue to just shut the hell up so he could relax. He needed a shower, bed, and hopefully sleep - then he'd be in a stronger position to move on.

He stripped off his shirt and tossed it on the floor near his backpack before walking into the bathroom and flipping on the light. He had intended a quick shower, but when he got a good look at the bathroom he decided against it. A large claw-foot bathtub almost filled the small bathroom, and in turn filled Duo with a feeling of nostalgia. He hadn't seen a bathtub like that since he was a small boy and his grandmother was still alive. She'd had one of those in her house, and he remembered how he could actually float in it when he was little, with his hair surrounding him in tendrils. He'd been a merman, and could remember how the sound of his grandmother's piano playing filtered through the water calling to him.

Dropping the rubber stopper into the drain, Duo finished undressing as the tub filled. He tested the temperature of the water with his hand before shutting the water off and lifted his foot to step in. Before he'd submerged even his toes in the water, he hesitated and reached to turn the bathroom light off. Moonlight spilled in from the small window over the toilet, and it was all the light he needed. For some reason he thought soaking in the dark more fitting and hoped it would clear his mind.

He doesn't know how to approach you, you know.

He didn't seem to have trouble approaching me in the alley - oh no, he seemed to have that down pat.

Duo had never met anyone like Heero before in his life; the man was an enigma. One minute he was aloof and unapproachable, and the next he was trying to be a confidant. He's only that way when I'm talking about me. Duo thought about this for a moment, flicking the surface of the water idly with his fingertips. Maybe he'd asked too much of Heero when he'd expected him to share something personal. Maybe Heero shouldn't run away. Maybe he shouldn't be acting like a complete jerk ...

His braid was draped over the side of the tub, and he pulled it towards him, removing the tie before unraveling it. Once his hair was loose, he sunk low in the tub and let it fan out around him, enjoying the light tickling sensation of hair brushing against his skin. It would be a bitch to untangle after his bath, but for the moment it was worth it. He scooted himself lower, submerging his ears into the water and listened to the womblike silence. Ever few seconds a plink would resound through the water as a drip escaped the confines of the spout. Duo closed his eyes and tried to focus on the silence, letting his body relax as he felt his bottom lift off the floor of the tub. He was too tall to float in the tub properly, but it was deep enough to make him buoyant. Trying to let his mind grow as buoyant as his body, Duo focused on the easy rhythm of his breathing.

"What? You don't want to join us, Duo?" Words filled with taunting malice; daring Duo to cross a line he had no desire to cross. "Come on, it's only sex, why are you getting your panties all in a bunch?"

Hurt and angry, he'd fled the apartment, his apartment and ran the entire five miles to the Boston Common before stopping and trying to catch his breath. It had been past midnight, and the Common had been deserted save the bums who'd staked claim to dark corners. Duo had finally collapsed on the grass, a searing pain in his side and his throat raw from panting. He hadn't cared that he needed to teach in the morning, he hadn't cared that it was night and he was vulnerable, frankly he could've cared less if the bums had staged a public lynching with him as the guest of honor. He just wanted to get the cruel tones of his lover's voice out of his head.

"Why leave? You'll just come crawling back when you realize no one else will want you..."

That had been his breaking point, the beginning of the end. He'd checked into a sleazy hotel that night and called into work the next day. He didn't care about the apartment or the furniture, he only wanted his personal belongings and he'd be more than willing to leave the asshole with everything else. The school year had been winding to a close, and the horrific reality slap from his now ex-lover was enough to make him see how miserable his life was. He loved teaching, but hated doing it here. He couldn't bring himself to believe that everything he'd worked for had been for nothing - there had to be a place for him. It had taken Duo a surprisingly short time to secure a new job, and everyone thought he was crazy for moving so far away. He could admit that he was running, but he wanted to believe he was running towards something as opposed to running away. He wanted so badly to believe.

"Fuck it." His voice sounded odd to him through the water, but it was no longer angry, just incredibly tired.

"...no one else will want you..."

... Heero won't want you ...

Duo couldn't explain why he even cared if Heero wanted him or not. He'd only met the man a few hours before, but there was ... something about him. Since he'd first sat next to him in the cab of the tow truck he felt drawn to Heero. Sure there was an instant physical attraction, but it had gone deeper than that. He wasn't actively looking for another relationship, but his gut told him he'd be missing out on something if he ignored this. The word 'rebound' screamed through his mind, but he felt deep down that it was more than that. Facing his future alone was daunting, he'd be happy just to have a friend. Heero would at least want to be his friend, right?

"Do you think our friends are going to side with you? How pathetic! You'll be alone ..."

Pathetic, yes, but that word described the circle of friends that Duo had gained through his lover. People he'd thought actually cared were quick to avoid Duo like the plague, shallow assholes as far as he was concerned. It was a slap in the face, but he was glad he'd received it when he did. He had no intention of living a lie, no matter the cost. Looking back he hadn't been surprised with the betrayal, the mindfuck - some part of him always knew. But Heero ... Heero had been nothing but honest with him when he finally spoke. Duo had been so wrapped up in his own shit that he hadn't taken the time to notice that Heero had his own sordid history to contend with.

With a sigh Duo sat up and brought the present back to him. He'd spent more than enough time obsessing about his past; it was time to move forward. He washed quickly before pulling the stopper out of the drain, standing up and taking time to squeeze the excess water out of his tangled hair. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his shoulders, holding it tightly against his body and just standing in the moment. The anger he'd felt towards Heero had gone, leaving him feeling confused. His brain told him to get out of Dodge while he could, but his heart told him he might be missing out. Lucky for him his body was screaming sleep and the rest could wait for morning.

Asleep minutes after his head hit the pillow, he dreamed of blue eyes and fiery kisses.

--

Morning greeted him with sunshine and blueberry pancakes. Being here made him long for something he couldn't define, and he realized how easy it could be to forget his purpose. Forcing himself to move, he dressed and packed quickly as the delicious smells of breakfast wafted up the stairs. He'd only met Betty for the first time the night before, but Duo knew he'd miss the woman when he left even though he couldn't explain even to himself why. This stupid place was getting under his skin. Somewhere the fates were laughing.

Slinging his backpack over one shoulder, he closed the door to his room and made his way downstairs. He could now smell freshly brewed coffee along with pancakes, and his stomach rumbled audibly as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Duo. Sleep well?" Betty flipped a pancake off the griddle and onto a plate, turning to Duo with a smile.

"I slept very well, thank you." Duo returned the smile when Betty motioned towards the coffee pot and handed him a mug. "Once I get some coffee in me I'll be good to go."

"I hope you like pancakes, I made blueberry. Blueberry pancakes are Heero's favorite. I was wondering if you'd mind taking a plate to him when you go to get your car. That boy always forgets to eat and he's getting way too thin."

"I love pancakes and I don't mind taking some to Heero," Duo answered, trying to keep his voice even. He'd been nervous about seeing Heero, but maybe bringing a peace offering would help. "He hasn't called to say my car's fixed, has he?" He didn't think he'd ever thought to give Heero his cell phone number.

"He called this morning just to check on things like he usually does, but he didn't mention your car. That was almost two hours ago, so it could very well be fixed by now."

"He calls every morning?" Duo grinned, sitting at the table as Betty ushered him with a plate of pancakes in her hand.

"He's always been such a sweet boy." Betty set the plate in front of Duo, and turned to refill his coffee. "Since my kids have grown up and moved away Heero has been like a son to me."

"He spoke kindly of you."

"He spoke kindly of you too," Betty said, sitting across from Duo and adding sugar to her coffee. "He seemed a bit worried this morning that you might not have made it back alright."

"He said that?" Duo frowned slightly as he chewed. The pancakes were delicious, but the taste was the last thing on his mind.

"Well ... not in those exact words. He asked if you made it home alright and he sounded a bit ... concerned." Betty took a sip of coffee and peered at Duo over the top of her mug. "You boys didn't get into a disagreement last night, did you?"

Disagreement? Duo would call it more an altercation than a disagreement, so he felt confident shaking his head 'no' as he swallowed. "We just parted ways at Jack's."

Betty nodded and watched him eat with a thoughtful expression on her face. Duo felt as thought the woman could see right through him - see the heated words between them and the even more heated kiss stamped across his forehead.

"Heero hasn't had an easy time of it. Try not to be too hard on him, there's much more to him than meets the eye." Betty reached across the table and patted Duo's hand gently. "And I'm pretty sure there's more than meets the eye when I look at you too."

Duo didn't know what to say, but was saved when Betty patted his hand one last time and stood to fix a plate for him to bring to the garage. This woman was something else, but it made him happy that Heero had someone like her on his side. He knew little about the man, and already Duo was thinking of his welfare.

When he finished eating, he carried his dishes to the sink like he'd been living there all his life. Betty had explained the first night when she'd made him dinner that he could sit in the dining room, but it was much more cozy in the kitchen and Duo had to agree with her. It was easy to feel at home here.

"Thank you so much for the hospitality. I really appreciate your kindness." Duo smiled and shifted the pack on his shoulder awkwardly. Before could turn and leave, Betty stood up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"Anytime you're in the area you make sure you come to see me." She handed Duo a plate of blueberry pancakes covered in plastic wrap and small brown paper bag. "Tell him to return the dishes when he has a chance, no worries, and he can keep the rest of the syrup."

"Will do." Duo nodded with a smile and turned to walk out of the kitchen. "Bye, Betty, thanks again."

He glanced at the clock on the wall as he passed through the foyer to the door and was shocked to see it was already past ten. When he stepped outside the morning was starting to lose its cool edge and the sunshine felt warm as he lifted his face to the sun. The air smelled fragrant with flowers and morning dew, and the mountains on the horizon were breathtaking. He could wake up to this every day, and hoped that it was just as beautiful where he was going. Balancing the paper bag on the covered plate, Duo carried it with care towards the garage. The closer he got the more his nerves jumped. Admit it Maxwell, you were as much an asshole as he was. He stood outside for a few minutes, looking and trying to will himself to go inside. He could hear music coming from inside, and the curiosity of what Heero could be listening to was enough to draw him in. He could see Heero looking up at the underside of the car, and Duo just watched him for a moment before he made himself known.

"How's it going?" Duo raised his voice loud enough to be heard over the radio. Heero was listening to Blues, and it seemed more than fitting.

"Almost done," Heero answered without looking, keeping his attention on what he was working on. The flat tone to his voice made Duo flinch, and he was glad that Heero wasn't able to see him.

"Betty sent you some pancakes ... blueberry, she said they were your favorite." Duo felt like a kid standing in the principal's office and forced himself not to fidget.

"Thanks, you can set them on the workbench." Heero finished what he was doing and looked at Duo while he wiped his greasy hands on a rag. "She thinks I'm not eating enough."

"Are you?" Duo asked before he could stop himself, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

Heero raised an eyebrow and Duo before stepping back and lowering Duo's car to the floor. "I'm sure you have more pressing things to worry about than whether I'm eating or not."

"It's not that, I-" I what? Duo set the plate on the workbench as asked and walked around the car. He didn't know what to say to Heero, hell, he didn't know what to say to himself. "Listen, Heero, I'm sorry I was such a prick last night. I-"

"Don't Duo, just don't." Heero moved around to the driver's side of the car and leaned in, turning the key and starting the engine. He let it run for a full minute before turning the key and shutting the engine off. "It's fixed and ready to go."

Trying to control his frustration, Duo stepped around to where Heero was standing and stood in front of him. "I'm trying to apologize here. The least you could do is listen to me."

"You have nothing to apologize for. My behavior was unacceptable, and I regret -"

"You regret what?! Kissing me I suppose." Duo was letting anger edge into his voice, and it was the last thing he wanted to do. "Or maybe you regret wasting your time talking to me?"

Heero kept his face unreadable as he looked at Duo and shook his head. "I don't regret kissing you, but I regret kissing you how I did ... I'm the one who was the prick."

Duo just stood there with his mouth open for a moment, at a complete loss for words. He didn't know what he expected, but this wasn't remotely it. "It wasn't fair of me to assume ... I mean, I was ... I was thoughtless and I'm sorry," Duo sounded like an idiot and knew it, but he didn't care as long as he could apologize.

"Alright," Heero agreed with a shrug. He turned and walked over to the workbench, a small smile curved on his mouth when he saw Betty's plate. "Not that it matters now - your car's fixed and there's nothing holding you here."

"But something is." Duo's voice was soft, but clear and he suddenly felt confident in his intentions. "I can't just drive away and not look back."

"It may be the best thing for you."

"I'm not known for doing what's best for me. It's just not my style." Duo leaned against his car and crossed his arms. "What I said last night was true."

"The part about me being a bastard?" Heero grinned and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Duo returned the grin. "The part about wanting to get to know you, although the bastard part is still out for deliberation."

"Good." Heero's expression grew serious and he searched Duo's face for a moment. "Lewiston's not that far ... if you need help getting settled in your new place."

"I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."

For a man who appeared able to close himself up tight, Duo was surprised to find a look of relief in Heero's eyes. Duo smiled slightly and shook his head with a breath of laughter. "What a fucked up pair we are."

Heero nodded and returned the smile. "At least we have something in common."

++++

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