Part 37
Heero pulled the note off his door and put down his bag before opening the envelope. He read the neatly written note quickly.
"Hi Heero! (it said) I hope you get back early enough! I'm at the baths for a few hours! Please come down! Don't say you're tired, the spa will relax you! Ta! Duo!"
Heero smiled at the note. He was tired, but Duo was right, the spa would be relaxing. And seeing Duo after three days would be even better.
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Heero spotted Duo immediately. The Banshee was up to his chest in a tub of blue-green water. Unfortunately, he was not alone. Wufei sat in the tub with him, his back to Heero. And Duo was touching Wufei's face and looking deep into his eyes.
Heero growled to himself, remembered the IchiBan's advice, took a deep breath to clear his head, and walked into the room.
Duo glanced up and saw him. His lovely face lit up and he half stood, exclaiming, "Heero! You're back!"
Wufei started, then sank beneath the surface.
Duo blinked in startlement. "Wufei...?" Then he returned his attention to Heero. "Did you have a good time at home?" he asked eagerly.
"Yes, I did," Heero replied, casting a look at the bubbles breaking the surface. "Why is Wufei trying to drown himself?"
Duo reached under water, trying to get the Were-Dragon to come up. "I don't know. Wufei! What are you doing?"
Heero shook his head. He dropped his robe on a bench and stepped into the tub. "I'll get him." He reached under water, found a handful of hair and pulled Wufei up, spluttering angrily.
"Damn it, Heero!" he grumped. "Let go of me!"
"Wufei, what was that about?" demanded Duo. "Oh, now it's all washed off! Just stay put, would you? I'll get some more."
"More what?" asked Heero. Then he got a look at Wufei's face. At two black eyes, a swollen nose and a horseshoe-shaped imprint on one cheek.
"What the hell happened to you?!" he exclaimed. "Wufei, you look like a raccoon!"
"I don't want to talk about it!" He twisted away from Heero, hunching his shoulders.
Duo came padding back with a small jar. "He got kicked by a unicorn."
"A unicorn?!" exclaimed Heero. "What did you try to do to it?"
"Nothing!" yelled Wufei, settling back onto the ledge and waving his arms angrily. "Everybody keeps asking me that! As if I'm some pervert who would try to hurt a unicorn! It was hung up in a snare! I was getting it loose when the snare-setter turned up. The unicorn went ballistic and I got caught!" He went silent while Duo dabbed some lavender gel on his face and around his eyes. "The unicorn apologised," he muttered.
Duo raised his eyebrows and lowered his voice to Heero. "But everyone still asks what Wufei did wrong. He walked out of the infirmary when Mistress Loquinn asked that. He's a little testy right now."
"I am not testy, Banshee! I am pissed!" Wufei snapped. He folded his arms over his chest, glaring down at the water.
Duo glared back at him. "Don't you take that tone with me, Chang Wufei! Or you can sit here alone and snarl at your own bad self!"
Heero snorted and tried to keep a straight face. "You did a good deed anyway, and you do make a handsome raccoon, Wufei."
"Oh, shut up..."
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They paused at Duo's door. Duo patted his braid nervously and hugged himself.
"Thanks for braiding my hair, Heero. It's been years since someone did it for me."
"You're welcome; anytime at all," Heero replied, smiling. "I have memories of my mother wearing her hair in a braid sometimes. Not that you remind me of my mother," he amended quickly.
"That's okay, Heero. Did you really relax while you were at home?"
Something Duo always asked, as if he worried that Heero would not be able to put work aside or enjoy himself occasionally.
"Yes," Heero assured him, his smile widening into a grin. "I did magic for the children and played in a pick-up soccer game against some of the village children. Spent time with the IchiBan and some of my close cousins. It was very relaxing."
Duo grinned and his purple eyes flashed. "Good! All work and no play, you know."
"I do my best to avoid becoming dull."
A moment of silence fell, to be broken just before discomfort set in, by Heero.
"Duo..." It wasn't as easy as the IchiBan made it seem. He stiffened his resolve. "Duo, do you like me?"
Duo blinked, startled. "Well, yes. Of course, I like you! Why? Have I said or done something to make you think I don't like you?"
"No, of course not." A hesitation. "I just like to be clear. About things."
Before Duo could reply to that, Heero leaned in to kiss Duo's lips lightly.
"I missed you," he said softly, then almost ran for his door, leaving Duo standing in the hallway staring after him.
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"Q?"
The blond wizard looked up and smiled at his friend. "Duo! Hello! I haven't seen you in days!"
"Would you have time for lunch, maybe in town?"
Q looked around his desk at the scattering of papers and parchments. "You have excellent timing, Duo. I was just wondering how I was going to escape from this mess! Lunch in town will do nicely."
"Great. I... um... I think I need some advice."