Disclaimer: About the same as always, I'm out of my head, and know not what I do.

February Writing Challenge: Twenty Five Five Sentence Ficlets


[ one ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: BL Word count: 121 (what a goal to reach!)
Prompt: One Night Stand


Shower sounds woke him, and he jerked upright in bed amid the first flush of confusion. He knew the room instantly, though it wasn't his own, and memories seeped through, reminding of just how - and why - he was where he was. The smile was slow and hesitant, a slight curve of the lips, but he ran a hand through his bangs, glanced at the closed bathroom door, and settled back against the pillow once again.

Somewhere between the General Tso chicken and his seventh beer, Heero had spoken of an early court appearance, and Duo had the day off. Last night might have been their first one shared, and he was already making plans to keep it from being their last.





[ two ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: BL, language
Word count: 121 (yay! again)
Prompt: Girlfriend


Duo heard the comment as he came through the door and couldn't prevent the wicked twist to his mouth as the other detective passed by him in leaving. Heero acknowledged his return with a brief nod, but turned back to interviewing his witness - his tenth of the night, if Duo's count was correct. After dropping off one of the Styrofoam cups he'd brought, Duo went to his own desk and motioned for his next witness.

Sticks and stones and all that were well and good; he knew there was no 'girl' about him, and his relationship with Heero was not up for discussion in the squad. And if Detective Platt didn't know that, he could just go fuck himself.





[ three ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: BL, hints of sex
Word count: 121 (yay! again)
Prompt: Movie Night


Saturday night without pagers beeping, calling them out. Twin bottles of beer sat on the coffee table, glass sides covered in condensation as the brew's chill warmed, while on the floor, a bowl of popcorn lay overturned, its contents scattered. The leather of Heero's couch creaked in response to movement, and clothing shifted, shirts pulled off, jeans and boxers shoved down, legs tugged free. An amused chuckle ended with a startled yelp; a breathy moan became murmurs of appreciation.

On the wall, the shadows of two bodies aligned, blended together, briefly parted - shadows created in the light of a movie, a movie filled with impossible explosions, daring rescues, and of a lone man pushing his body to the limit and beyond.





[ four ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: BL
Word count: 163 (didn't want to cut anything out for the 121)
Prompt: Tangled and Dark


Rather than wake Heero with his restlessness, Duo slipped out of their bed, and went to stand in front of the bedroom window like a clichéd actor in some cheap drama. But, he could still feel the brick rough and cold against his cheek, still feel the damp concrete beneath the second (or third) hand jeans, threadbare to the point of obscenity, and the stench of rancid garbage was so strong in his nostrils, he wanted to gag. The same dream - nightmare - that had been his life from before, before the orphanage, before a bungled snatch and run became a lifetime change; the dream of haven in the niche in an alley wall behind the dumpster of a twenty-four hour diner.

He turned from the window, and watched Heero sleep in the dark. His haven was no longer that damp and dangerous place, and in less than five steps, he was there with Heero sleepily pulling him back to bed, nuzzling cheek to Duo's chest.





[ five ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: BL
Word count: 158 (didn't want to cut anything out for the 121)
Prompt: Green Leaf


Sitting around the corner from the suspect's brownstone apartment building in an unmarked dark-colored sedan, Duo was content, if a touch on edge, trading sarcastic quips and movie quotes with his latest partner - a woman this time. Since it became common knowledge that Heero and him were together, the change had to be made, and with a quick laugh and glance at his new partner - Montoya - Duo knew the powers that be were right. He kept his eyes scanning the street before them, waiting for the suspect's girlfriend to return, or sight of any of the three other accomplices they were investigating. Six months ago, being partners with Heero and sharing an occasional fuck wouldn't have had an impact on what should have been ingrained decisions except that two months before, instinct ruled out nearly at the cost of a victim's life.

Heero would remain his partner in all things but on the job.





[ six ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: ANGST, BL
Word count: 162
PromptHand in my pocket


The white banker's box was sitting on top his desk when they returned from lunch, its innocence masked what it contained - cold case, Special Victims, child tortured and murdered - they were the lucky ones to be tagged with the new information; his steps slowed to the point that Montoya's voice faltered and came to a stop as she turned to look at him, and then she too, looked at the box. Duo heard the intake of breath, and Montoya was reaching past him to the folder of case material printed out an hour before. She began reading the history, her voice steady, dispassionate. Duo started to open the box, pushing away the emotion, pulling on the shroud of professionalism; he barely felt Heero's hand squeeze his shoulder before he left for his own desk with his own cases.

And, as he began pulling evidence and the crime scene photographs from the box, he knew he'd need to feel Heero's hands that night.





[ seven ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: a little angst, BL
Word count: 168
Prompt: Crash into me


It was at a fair some miles up the coast that Duo had his first taste of what it would have been to be a real teenager. Heero sped by him, grinning in a way that Duo had never seen before, and he let out a whoop, racing after Heero, thrilled with the slow motion chase. A bump to his rear fender spun him around, and he backpedaled, throwing his head back and laughing as the young boy who hit him laughed, his scrawny arm pumping in the air; victory as charged as the electricity. Duo nudged his car forward, knocking the kid back into another rider, and a fourth rammed his side; a look showed Heero's smirk and wink, then he was gone, maneuvering for another hit.

And he was chasing after Heero once again, in this special place, where time was irrelevant, and there was no war, no crime; there was only now, and Heero and him, and a life they might have had.





[ eight ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: angst, BL, language
Word count: 261
Prompt: Dog Day


It was thick into August, with the heat just as high inside the squad room as outside since the building's heating and air system decided it was winter, and the furnace blasted in place of the air unit. Tempers were already raw, but nerves were jagged even more when the Captain came from his office frowning, a smirking public defender in tow, stopping at Heero's desk to inform him and his partner that thanks to a technical, their collar was about to be released.

Duo thought he was going to have to body check Heero with the look he gave, but Heero's attention swung from the Captain to the uniform escorting the perpetrator across the squad room. Heero's voice was low but the room was quiet enough for all to hear his words as if he'd yelled them - "you might have gotten away with it now, you son-of-a-bitch, but the next time you torture and maim a little girl, the next time you pull a mother from her car, beating and raping her in front of her children, you'd better look up because I'm going to be there, you motherfucker, putting a bullet between your eyes."

The room held its collective breath, the defense attorney hustled his client out with comments cast back about 'suing' and 'threats' and 'having your badge', and as the Captain started to speak, Heero jabbed a finger in his direction saying, "and you can mark that on my record"; Heero took his seat in the half congratulatory atmosphere and the air began to cool.





[ nine ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: kissing and stuff, BL
Word count: 121
Prompt: More than meets the eye


When Heero entered their apartment, Duo was there, pushing him up against the door, closing it behind him. Duo's lips were rough and demanding - devouring - Heero thought, and let his guard slide away, let himself sink into Duo's need. His coat fell from his hand, and Heero's arms rose to Duo's hips, his fingers threading Duo's belt loops to hold him in place.

A slow grind of hips, groin to groin, and a grunting moan broke the kiss; Heero knew with no doubt that Duo's appetite had been flamed and not the least bit sated.

"Hi," Duo said, his voice in innocent tones Heero knew too well, a croaked grin, and eyes that promised so much more.





[ ten ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: ANGST, BL
Word count: 161
Prompt: Searching for Answers


The house sat in a large lot with its backyard butting the riverbank; Duo hardly paused on his way through to the rear, letting the detective assigned the case sort out the casualties and the Crime Scene Specialists whip out their powders and record evidence. When the call came through on a domestic homicide, Duo was across town, but he made record time through traffic and tunnel crossing with the status update.

A single set of footprints broke the clean line of snow; Duo followed them, off to the side knowing where they led. Coatless, with his hair blowing in the wind, Heero was sitting on a large, snow-covered rock protruding from the bank; his steps slowed on his approach seeing the slight look of acknowledgement to his presence.

Duo tossed Heero his coat and sat by his side without speaking, just being there was enough; five murders and a suicide by cop wasn't the best way to start the week.





[ eleven ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: SAP, BL
Word count: 186
Prompt: Perfect Day


A barrage of aerial shells exploded, its colorful display lighting up the sky and nearly drowning out the stars behind them; bottles clanked and twin shouts of the celebration rang. Still under the canopy of the lingering bouquet, Heero closed the distance between Duo and him, and pressed a kiss to the side of Duo's mouth. Impulsive, but hardly daring, Heero cocked an eyebrow and tossed a challenge out in the open, his eyes flicked around to show just how alone they were on the knoll.

His beer cast aside, Duo's hands gripping fistfuls of his shirt, Heero was pulled down as Duo laid back on their blanket, though Heero fancied the fireworks reflected in Duo's eyes wasn't necessarily only from the pyrotechnic display going on overhead. The world and its colonies were celebrating, but Heero had an added reason - ten years had passed, and a good five of those spent with Duo; Heero wanted the rest of their years to be sanctioned, recognized as legal, and the acceptance to his proposal was all the more sweeter to learn that Duo had wanted it as well.





[ twelve ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: BL
Word count: 212
Prompt: Wake up Slow


When he woke, it could have been a Saturday morning, or even a Monday, Duo wasn't sure; he only knew that it had been one hell of a week before crashing into bed, and he planned to spend all day in or around bed - preferably with Heero - but his questing hand found empty space. Duo opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, trying to recall the night before, and recall just where Heero might have gone. Getting up, and snagging a pair of shorts on the way to the bathroom, Duo remembered sleeping for a time, remembered making love -SEX!- at least once; with his hand braced on the wall while he urinated, Duo remembered the almost sex thing in the shower he thought a dream. But it wasn't until he was making coffee that he recalled more than the physical, and how Heero had said he was doing a thing with Relena in the morning - this morning; Duo was still laughing as he practically threw himself on the couch.

Sipping coffee from his mug, he reached for the remote and turned it to a sports program - any sports program - settling for golf over table tennis, because at least it wasn't a toy dog show.





[ thirteen ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: BL
Word count: 237
Propt: See Through You


Seated at a picnic table, Heero was having lunch with his partner at an open air walk-up; not his choice of eateries, but his partner enjoyed the chili-cheese dogs (at which Heero shuddered every time the man ordered them) at this particular place, therefore, Heero indulged him his requests once a week. His partner, Williams, was in the middle of a story on 'why one doesn't want to answer a domestic disturbance call' (about some woman who called, then proceeded to slug the officer arresting her husband!) when Duo straddled the bench at Heero's side, nodding to Williams to continue with the story. Heero lost a few fries before Duo inserted his reason for the lunchtime visit between Williams' story and bites from his chili-cheese dog.

"Montoya's putting in a transfer to Cold Cases, and I'm thinking about joining her," Duo had announced, picking up Heero's soda and taking a drink, watching Heero the whole time.

A lifetime flashed in a moment, and Heero pictured Duo in every aspect of their careers, joining the force together, being in the same squad, on the job as partners until they became lovers, and throughout it all, he knew there was always something more that Duo had wanted; he smiled his acceptance, and loved that Duo instantly relaxed - his hope to be able to put the dead to rest, and families at ease from cases not easily closed.





[ fourteen ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG
Warnings: language, BL
Word count: 206
Prompt: Cat-like Feet


"Shit, he's going up," Montoya shouted, taking off at a run for the stairs even as Duo dived for the window, and up the fire escape - there wasn't a perp alive that could outrun him in his element.

One riser from the rooftop, Duo caught their suspect's leg and pulled, jerking him off his feet, but not before the man shoved back, knocking Duo from his; the slide down the metal steps was rough, but Duo was back up in a moment, hauling himself to his feet using the handrails, and charging up the rungs of the ladder-like structure. The man had gained the roof and was off like a rabbit in a greyhound race, Duo hot on his heels, and right behind, Montoya burst through the roof door, instantly joining the chase.

The roof's edge in sight, Montoya shouted warning, the perp jumped regardless, and without thought, Duo followed; landing in a roll, Duo was on his feet and reaching for the building's ledge, and the suspect's hands. Fingers bleeding with nails cracked, the man was shouting, pleading to be pulled to safety - Duo hauled him up, cuffed him, and sat on his back, catching his breath and waiting for their back up to arrive.





[ fifteen ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG
Warnings: language, BL
Word count: 212
Prompt: Faded Jeans


His name was called twice before Duo actually heard it and the look he was given by the community project coordinator (Hands for Habitat), he brushed off with a wiry grin, accepting one of the water bottles passed out, and claimed the heat was getting to him. Drinking his water, his eyes found where they'd wander before, where they remained and his smile became a little more predatory than genial; Heero was up on the roof of the house being repaired, squatting down, fitting shingles on tarpaper.

Denim had never looked so good, and no matter how many times he'd seen just that sight (of Heero in blue jeans, not slaving on an elderly woman's hot roof in July), Duo would never tire of it. Grabbing an extra bottle, Duo climbed the ladder, and surprised Heero with the drink (and a suggestive whisper on just what he could do when they returned home to relieve Heero of more than the sweat on his body).

Heero's eyes flashed in return, and with deliberate intent, he up-ended his bottle of water over his head, letting it flow down his face, soaking his shirt, and wetting into the crotch of his jeans; for Duo, time had never passed so slowly to call it a day.





[ sixteen ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG
Warnings: BL, slight touch of angst
Word count: 234
Prompt: Head over Heels


With a violent curse, Duo slammed out of the apartment, the door shaking the walls to either side, rattling pictures on the wall; Heero stood gripping a glass in his hand, willing himself to set it down on the counter and not throw it after Duo. It took several long breaths before he felt in control enough to begin picking up pieces of a broken plate, scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast; he spent extra time scrubbing the jam from the grout of the kitchen tiles, stopping only when his scratch pad was more white than purple.

Once upon a time, his life was simple, easy and structured from the time he woke to the time he laid down again, and there was no one to impose their own will upon his; but, despite his wishes to the contrary, Duo had, and kept pushing his case without asking for a return, and Heero was helpless in its face. Putting the breakfast things away before pouring another cup of coffee and taking a seat at the table, he waited.

Five, maybe ten minutes later, the door opened slowly, and Duo walked in, an apology on his lips and a look in his eyes showing his words to be true; with an accepting grin, Heero pulled Duo close, knowing his life would never be simple again, never easy, and he wouldn't want it to be any other way.





[ seventeen ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG
Warnings: BL, slight touch of angst
Word count: 198
Prompt: Like a Rock


Sitting on the edge of the mattress in his boxers, his hands resting on his thighs, Duo closed his eyes, releasing the pent-up breath, letting the tension flow from his back, neck and shoulders; it had been another long, fruitless day. Had it only been a couple days ago (or the week before?) that he'd joked in passing to Heero that he saw more of Montoya these days? There were times when he wished he hadn't left Homicide; at least there, he had the chance to see Heero for more than minutes at a time.

The touch on his side was unexpected but not unwelcome, and Duo relaxed back against Heero as he sat up behind him, too tired, too weary, and far too numb to do more than offer up his mouth for a kiss.

"Sleep," Heero was telling him softly, pulling him down into bed, and covering him with the blankets, "I'll have coffee, and breakfast ready in the morning for us."





[ eighteen ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG
Warnings: BL, slight touch of angst
Word count: 168
Prompt: Time and Again


How many times had he been there, in this same position, questioning a suspect, listening to the excuses, the lies, the pleas of innocence or understanding - the horror of confession, of justification?

Heero pushed away from the table, and growling to Williams that he'd be back, he left the interrogation room, leaning against the door a moment before heading off to the head. Relieving himself had been an excuse, his own way of regaining control, of remembering why he continued doing what he did, why he wasn't the one back in that ten by ten box being questioned.

Once upon a time, he had been no different in what he did than those he helped track down and put away; he had killed, had been a murderer, had his reasons - justifiable as part of war, to keep secrets, to bring peace, he still had taken lives.

Washing his hands, he avoided the mirror for he'd seen his reflection too many times in the eyes of those he interrogated.





[ nineteen ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG
Warnings: HEAVY ANGST, BL
Word count: 343
Prompt: Teddy Bear

NOTE: PLEASE take the angst warning seriously on this one - the story was taken directly from something that happened here in omaha a couple of months ago. it's rather haunted me, and i'd only heard about it through the news. it's one of the reasons we all need to keep track of each other someway, somehow.


At the door, Heero and his partner slipped on shoe protectors, and pulled on latex gloves while listening to the gray-tinged uniform tell of how the neighbor hadn't seen the resident or her child in a couple of weeks - give or take a day or two - and how the apartment manager wouldn't check on her, but gave over quickly enough the police when they were called, and how neither the officer nor her partner touched a thing, since the smell and position of the bodies were visible from the doorway; Heero nodded his acknowledgment, keeping his lips pressed shut and his eyes on the coroner examining the bodies.

He didn't have to look at either body to know they weren't victims of foul play, that they were just victims; Heero's stomach knotted when the coroner began his report, and for the first time in months, if not years, he felt bile begin to rise, and fought it down. The neighbor mentioned that the mother had been sick, a head cold she said - indications of the mother's general state, her manner of dress and position of her body on the couch confirmed - the coroner added that by the level of decomp, ToD was approximately fifteen to sixteen days before; the toddler lying on the floor beside the couch was almost two, and had lasted longer, putting his time of death at less than ten days.

In the tiny kitchen, there were signs of the toddler looking for something to eat, and eating the dry cat food from the dish on the floor - the neighbor confirmed the cat had been outside the day before, and when Heero asked why no one had reported the child crying, he was told the child had been mute, and didn't speak or make a sound.

Heero picked up a child's toy, watching as the coroner prepared the bodies for transport, and repeated to himself that at least it wasn't a homicide, that there was nothing he could do, no wrong to avenge and set to right - that it was just a normal every day tragedy.





[ twenty ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo, OC/OC (possible?)
Rating: PG, Warnings: BL, slight touch of sap
word count: 202
Prompt: Proposal or Proposition


With a glance to his partner and his partner's partner, Williams turned away again, his lip curled just so, and threw out the first thing that came to mind, "Makes my heart bleed, seeing two cops acting like love-sick fools." He took a bite of his hamburger, noticing that his partner's partner's partner was watching the fools; she wore no rings, her fingers bore no tan lines, and he knew from her short stint on the squad she didn't date anyone for long - just like himself, a cop to the marrow.

"They have it bad, they do," she finally said, with a wry twist of lips and a lift to her brow, "makes you wish you could bottle it, sell it and make a fortune."

Williams was still staring at her hand, wrapped around a damned waxed paper cup full of some sort of diet shit, and he saw her nails were trimmed neat, with a clear coat of polish; her pinky had a tiny scar across the first knuckle.

Touching his index finger to her scar, and looking at her, he gave her a slight smile and said, "I'd rather make a little of my own."





[ twenty one ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo, OC/OC (possible?)
Rating: PG, Warnings: BL, slight touch of sap
word count: 149
Prompt: Letting Go


The morning started quiet after the briefing on their new case, and Duo was content to let it remain so, for the time being. He knew only through Heero that the weekend plans his partner alluded the Friday before weren't the only ones on her schedule; dinner and drinks between partners' partners wasn't typical in any squad, any department of the force.

But, watching the unconscious smile flitter on her lips as she reviewed case details, Duo thought that maybe he would let the silence continue. He knew enough of the man to know he was a good one, if rough around the edges; knew enough to know he could be a good match, if the man lasted that long.

Setting aside his case folder, he broke the quiet to suggest a beginning point in reopening the investigation, and kept the shared knowledge of his partner's activities to himself.





[ twenty two ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo, OC/OC (possible?)
Rating: PG
Warnings: BL, slight touch of angst
word count: 163
Prompt: Don't Look Back


Heero found him sitting on the grass on the hill above the memorial, the one erected to commemorate peace and unity, to remember those lost in the time of strife and unrest, and to stand as a pillar of strength against tyrannical methods of government. With a bare nod of acknowledgement, Duo turned back to watch the monument's visitors; parents with babies in strollers and children running to circle its expansive base, widows and widowers, mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, friends, companions, and comrades.

"Do you think they understand what it's really about," Duo asked softly, leaning against Heero's shoulder.

Taking a moment to study the crowded square below; too far away to note expressions, he could still read posture and body language. Confident in his answer, he reached for Duo's hand and gave it a squeeze, reassuring, and said, "Most do, enough to believe in its symbolism to prevent acts of stupidity for the foreseeable future, and that's enough for now."





[ twenty three ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo, OC/OC (possible?)
Rating: PG
Warnings: BL, slight touch of angst
word count: 199
Prompt: Desert Wind


They called it a vacation, but to Heero's eyes, it was enforced time off; enforced as a result to injuries obtained in the line of duty; enforced for losing his professionalism, using force bordering excessive; enforced while his partner recovered in a hospital bed, where the specialist wasn't sure he would regain full use of his arm, be fit for duty.

Duo was there with support, with words to calm, words of agreement, and knew just when to hold onto words altogether, as Heero ranted and riled against the system that worked so unfairly. And when Heero was released from the hospital, if not for duty, and Williams was out of critical care, Duo booked a long weekend away - somewhere different, somewhere Heero could find the peace he desperately sought.

He didn't believe it would be possible, and nearly refused to board the plane, but after a day and a night at the cabin deep in the Sonoma, the bitterness was fading, the intense anger mellowed.

Watching the sunset on the flat horizon, the faint hint of a breeze lifted the hair from his face, and a pair of arms circled his waist; he was content for the day.





[ twenty four ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo, OC/OC (possible?)
Rating: PG
Warnings: BL, slight touch of angst
word count: 224
Prompt: Bills to Pay


It had been two months, one week, and two days since the shootout resulting in hospitalization for both partners, but, while Heero returned to work, his life going back to 'normal', Williams hadn't. He still reported for duty, still made the arrests, still performed at peak level, but talk of retiring, of maybe going into private detecting, of moving to Florida and getting a job with his brother-in-law peppered his rambling monologues.

When asked of Montoya, Williams would answer in mumble excuses, and turn away, but Heero saw the telltale, the fear that edged his eyes and tightened his mouth. Heero knew the reason then, for the sudden change, for he had spent many days and far too many nights in the grips of that fear, just knowing the next call would have him reporting to the hospital, the next knock on the door would be a brother officer come to inform him of the worst minutes of his life.

So, after work, over draft pulls down at McGinty's, Heero shared some of his personal life with his partner; telling him how there were days he nearly demanded Duo resign; days he nearly walked away, but, he also shared how he came to control the fear, and trust in his partner's ability to keep himself safe from harm, and make it through another day.





[ twenty five ]

Pairing: Heero/Duo
Rating: PG
Warnings: BL, slight touch of sap
word count: 121
Prompt: Hidden Treasure


It took a moment or two for him to realize what was off; the sunlight was halfway across the bedroom floor, and that meant it was nearing noon, Heero was asleep, and they were in bed. There was no alarms, no ringing phones, no showers to take, breakfasts to rush through, and no demands on their time.

"Go back to sleep," Heero mumbled in a groggy voice, and Duo kissed him before laying his head back on Heero's chest.

The day was theirs, the first in over a month, and they were starting it off right. And, with one leg threaded through Heero's, his cheek pressed to Heero's chest, Duo drifted back into slumber, listening to the beat of Heero's heart.





owari

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