FIZZ

1+2, drabble, romance

For daimeryan_rei, because she poked and prompted me!

Heero leaned back on the couch and shook the can in his hand. He frowned.

Duo looked across from the doorway. He was on his way to their room, his arms full of the clean washing. “What’s up? None left? I thought you bought a box of ‘em on Friday at the store.”

Heero glanced up and away again. “No, I did, it’s not a problem. It’s just… I left it here while I made lunch and now it’s…”

“What?”

Heero flushed slightly. “It’s gone flat.”

“Huh?” Duo raised his eyebrow. “It’s OK, flat Coke, isn’t it? Still tastes the same. Still quenches your thirst.”

“No,” said Heero, slowly. “It doesn’t.” He was frowning again.

Duo recognised that look; it was common enough recently. He bit his lip and put the washing down on the hallway table, where it balanced rather precariously. It could wait to be put away; after all, no-one ever died from not having a clean pair of boxers to hand – or at least, not on his side of the bedroom. He walked into the lounge.

“Kinda big-fuss-little-problem situation, Heero, don’t you think?”

Heero smiled at Duo’s bantering tone, but he didn’t look up at him. “Sure. That’s me all over, right? But I just don’t like the taste as much when the carbonation has gone.”

“The fizz?”

Heero nodded, slowly. “Yeah. Like you say. The fizz.”

Duo let loose something that sounded like a snort. “We’re not talking cola fizz here, are we? Is life really that boring?”

Heero’s smile faltered a little. “Am I that transparent?”

Duo shrugged. He came and sat down beside him and took the Coke can out of his hand. “You had a bad week at work; you can’t shake off this cold; we’ve spent the whole frigging weekend on chores; and now – may the vindictive Gods persecute and abuse you more than any other human being on the planet – your fizz is gone!”

Heero started to laugh.

Duo watched him, liking the way his shoulders shook and the skin creased at the sides of his eyes. That was nothing new, of course. There were advantages to familiarity and routine, same as there were disappointments and boredom. One of those advantages was being with Heero almost every day, watching him work, watching him sneeze, watching him frown. Better still, watching him laugh, knowing that he’d provoked it; that he’d brightened his mood, even just a little. Maybe he saw the good things more plainly than Heero.

“I know, Duo.” Heero’s voice broke into Duo’s thoughts, startling him. Heero was staring back at him, the laughter still an echo, amusement softening his expression.

“Huh?”

“I know what you’re thinking – I know you’re right.”

Duo frowned now, though at the same time his lips curved in a rueful smile. “Gonna give me that on paper? Some days I even doubt that myself.”

“Don’t,” said Heero, firmly. He took Duo’s arm and tugged him over so that their shoulders bumped comfortably together. “And I’m sorry if it’s my fault that you ever do. After all, I’ve got plenty of fizz elsewhere in my life.”

“Coke?”

Heero snorted now. “Don’t be obtuse. I meant you - the real thing.”

Duo groaned, grinning. “What a damned cheesy line –“

Outside in the hallway, a week’s worth of clean socks slipped off the table into a tangled, mismatched heap on the floor, but Duo never even finished his sentence. Heero kissed him, and that kept them occupied for many - many - more minutes.