Still The One
by Merith
He could hear it from the study, the steady phewf sound of vacuum pressure followed immediately by the heavy pop of leather meeting wood. His fingers pause on the keys and he turns his head as though he could see through plaster and paint and concrete. Duo is still angry and he knows each ball hit could be imagined his head.
Shutting down the laptop, Heero rises and heads for the backyard. Being right doesn't always make it easier.
Duo has set up the net with the pitching machine at the long end of the yard. His hits are controlled and powerful, line drives to centerfield, with enough force to burn a hole through a shortstop's glove. He is wearing his helmet and gloves, and his cleats are tearing up the grass with each set and swing. Though sweat beads his forehead, and its sheen stands out on his arms, Duo doesn't stop. Another pitch, another hit.
The pitching machine makes a short grinding noise; it's run out of balls. Only as he lays down his bat, does Duo see Heero standing at the backdoor. His brows pucker and he jogs across the grass, gathering balls. Heero jumps the steps, leans over and scoops up a stray ball. He holds the hardball in one hand, and watches Duo reload the hopper.
"It works better if you talk to me," Heero begins as Duo brushes by him on his way back to "home plate". "Ignoring me isn't going to solve anything."
"Fuck you." Duo clicks the pitching remote, and Heero dodges the fast pitch from the arm.
"Maybe later." Heero watches as Duo swings; watches the ball fly past and make the net cage jump with its force. His foot stops the ball from rolling farther even as another pitch is thrown. "Look, I've said some things..." he stops long enough to step out of the way of the ball. "...that upset you..."
The roaring growl is loud, even across the distance. Duo's bat connects with another pitch. "Fuck you!"
Heero snatches the ball from the air, and shakes out his hand, relieving the sting. "You said some things too, Duo."
Another pitch and Duo swings the bat almost wildly, missing the ball. "Yeah, so we said shit."
Turning the power switch off, Heero lofts the ball in the air and catches it. "You'd rather I was on my knees begging, I know." His eyebrow quirks and he lobs the ball once more.
Duo snorts, his bat swinging loosely in his hand. "Got that right - on your knees and begging." Duo is grinning now.
He holds the ball aloft. "How about if I pitch?" Duo nods and takes his stance and Heero pitches in the strike zone. Duo's swing connects with the ball and it smacks against the side of the pitching machine with a solid thump.
Heero is smiling as he reaches for another ball from the hopper. "There isn't much I wouldn't do for you, you know."
His pitch is soft and Duo's bat touches it with a gentle swing. "I know that." The clouds are gone from his eyes now.
"I wouldn't have minded you making the arrangements without asking," Heero is saying as he readies his next pitch, "but the day we leave is the day I'll be coming off a five day stretch of mids."
"Shit." The bat hangs loose, tip to the ground and the ball flies past. "I'm sorry, Heero. I didn't..."
"I know." Heero squeezes the new ball between his hands and begins walking the distance between them. "My schedule changed yesterday, but you'd already made the arrangements."
His helmet is pulled off and his bat is left behind as Duo meets Heero in the middle of the yard. "I can cancel..." And Heero is shaking his head.
"No," he says, leaning forward, his lips touching Duo's. "You'll just have to do all the packing," he kisses him again with a slight wet sound, "and the driving." Heero's smiling as Duo groans and their kiss deepens.
"Hmmm," Duo murmurs pulling Heero closer. "So what was that about you being on your knees?"
Heero chuckles, and nudges Duo's chin up and to the side. "I'm more interested in pitching," he says licking at a sweaty patch of skin.
"A little pitching, a little scoring," Duo more mumbles than says taking Heero's hand and pulling him along. "Show me that "on my knees" thing and you've got yourself a homerun."
The ball falls from his hand as Heero follows Duo into the house and closes the door behind them.
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