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Duo groaned as he sat up onto the edge of his bed, brushing his hair over his shoulder and yawning. He’d flown back home late, wrapping up another bullshit mission for Preventer.
It wasn’t all bullshit - they’d dismantled a pretty significant trafficking cell, and found they were moving a lot more than weapons. Still, the work was becoming less and less gratifying the longer they were at it. The targets were fewer and fewer, and they were easy to take out once a few of their skilled agents had the chance.
The unfortunate part about peace was that it was, all things considered, kind of boring. Duo had been bored before, but that had been different - incidental. Every once in a while, some new tragedy or victory or situation would arise and novelty would swoop in afterward. Change had been constant in one way or another. Existence had been so hard that there’d been no time to stop trying to survive moment to moment.
Now, he had time. Duo had to think through to the next mission. He had to consider whether the milk in his fridge would still be good by the time he got back. More and more, Duo spent time considering Heero.
The greatest thing about having Heero Yuy for a boyfriend was that he had no idea what the fuck he was doing. Everything about romantic relationships was new to him. He would show up with gifts - never anything normal, things that were beloved all the same - even if he clearly didn’t intend to actually stay and talk. His idea of a date was often simply occupying space, letting Duo chatter and prod him for an evening without any bother. He would double text if he thought of something interesting. He was observant, and careful, and while he wasn't exactly a textbook 'good boyfriend', he had Duo figured out.
That was the tricky part.
Duo stood and stretched before he turned over his phone on his bedside table. It was just after nine in the morning. “Twelve missed messages?” he said, his voice still so tired it croaked in his throat. He started reading through them, realizing they were all from Heero.
> Have you made it home safely? 0215h
> I checked the mission debrief. Good job. 0222h
> Stefan let me know you were home. Sleep well. 0245h
Duo rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. Of course Heero would be in contact with the security in his building.
> I’m off work today. I booked it off - I want to come see you in the morning. 0250h
> I’ve missed you. Wufei said it has made me ‘act stupid’. 0255h
> You probably aren’t awake yet. I stopped at the boulangerie by my place. 0715h
Duo’s stomach rumbled, and at the same time, his senses came alive. He wasn’t alone in his apartment. He picked up the knife he hid under his pillow - Heero had finally helped him kick the habit of sleeping with a gun, but Duo wouldn’t, couldn’t rest unless he had some weapon in arm’s reach.
Duo had uncharacteristically fallen into bed with most of his clothes still on the night before, exhausted after piloting back from overseas and a debrief that had carried on until after midnight. He crept along the edge of his room and turned his doorknob silently, edging the door open.
There was no one to be seen in the hall outside his bedroom, but he could hear rustling from across the open-concept space. Slowly and on silent feet, Duo moved into the hall. Three, four, five steps along the carpeted corridor led him to where it opened into the living room.
He saw his target in the kitchen, his back wide open, oblivious to Duo’s silent menacing from across the room.
Duo ducked back and hid again, contemplating his moves before he darted out, silently moving behind his couch, and then even a little closer, right underneath the ledge of the kitchen island.
The microwave beeped. He heard the scrape of a plate being pulled out, and a quietly uttered curse from the interloper.
Duo knew what he could get away with. He was spry, fast, and an incredible sneak to this day. Even if he’d put on inches and weight - though not as much as some of the others - Duo was still the most talented infiltrators of any Preventer agent. He could fly over the island and jump onto his back. He could creep around to the other side and spook him, taking the element of surprise by the horns.
Instead, Duo stood just as Heero leaned over the island and put the plate down against the surface. With a flick of his wrist, he loosed the knife. He smiled as it ended up impaled in a thick cinnamon bun, wavering in the air from the weight of the handle.
“Mornin’,” Duo said, grinning. Heero watched him from over the island, the second cinnamon bun on a plate in his hands. He peered down at the knife before he put down his plate.
Duo was pulled into Heero’s embrace before he could do anything else. The feeling of being pressed up against Heero’s chest, letting himself relax into that hold - he liked the action, the drama, the adrenaline of stress. It had taken - it was taking - a long time for him to accept the comfort of the familiar.
They sat down at the island, and Heero let Duo chat away about the mission, and the flight home, and the drudgery of paperwork. In between sentences, Duo had bitten into the cinnamon roll, finding it was as rich and decadent as ever. The brief trip in the microwave had softened it again, melting some of the icing.
“This is different,” Duo said after the second bite. “It’s good.” Heero smiled at him, and it warmed Duo even more than the food did. Something about the spice was different. Duo didn’t know enough about cooking to put his finger on it, but the little change was fun.
Still, it had been unexpected. Heero had been bringing him things from the bakery along the way from his building for a while now, but once he’d seen how much Duo enjoyed them - or heard the groan it pulled out of him when he first tried one - the cinnamon rolls had been a routine staple. Duo considered as he chewed, watching Heero get up and cross the kitchen to pour coffee out of the press and into two mugs. The pastry was still excellent, but he liked the usual, too.
They’d finished a bit of morning routine, eating breakfast together, enjoying some coffee, before Duo turned back to his room to shower. Heero lounged on the bed, reading a book he’d brought with him.
Duo grabbed his phone back off the bedside table and stepped into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he finished reading his missed messages, waiting for the water to run hot.
> The spices in the cinnamon rolls are different this time. 0745h
> The baker said that it’s seasonal. 0746
> I got a few things to try. 0747
Duo smiled.
> I wonder if I shouldn’t have told you. I know you like surprises. 0800h
> Next time, I won’t say anything. I like the way you get excited. 0810h
Reaching one hand into the water, he let the still-cool stream wash over his fingertips. Duo scrolled to the last message, feeling tears well into his eyes.
Anything new could become a familiar comfort, with time.
> I love you. I’m coming up now. 0840h