Mission: Dentist
by Persephone
Duo thumped up the porch stairs, making a mental note to reapply the stain that now seemed slightly faded and well-worn. A glance at his watch had him throwing aside wayward thoughts and reminded him to focus on the mission at hand.
"Heero! Where are you?" Duo kicked the door shut with his foot, juggling grocery bags and keys. "Don’t you know what today is? I told you this morning!" He sighed inwardly and dropped his bags onto the kitchen counter. They were going to be late. He could feel it.
He continued on his way into the hall and up the stairs towards the bedrooms. "Heero, don’t act like this. You’re only prolonging the agony! It’s just one tooth."
He went directly to the closet in their bedroom and threw open the doors. He blinked. And then again. There was Heero, huddled beneath the hanging suits. His eyes were wide and his expression frantic. He shook his head rapidly, "I’m not going."
Duo sighed and leaned against the doorframe, "Koi, it’s just a dentist. He’s going to help you feel better. I promise!" He held back a feral grin when Heero tentatively stuck his head out of the closet to better judge Duo’s expression. Duo held up both hands and whipped out his best smile. His face fell when Heero’s eyes narrowed and he jerked his head back into the closet.
"Liar. Dentists are demons, sent only to torture! I refuse! You can’t mak-" He choked on his last words when Duo’s hands flew out, wrapped around his shirt, and yanked him out of the closet.
He struggled futilely against Duo’s grip on his shirt as he was walked purposefully down the hall and descended the stairs.
"Duo! Let me go!" A rapid jerk.
"This is for your own good, Heero." An equally strong tug.
Heero ground to a halt at the bottom of the stairs by wrapping his legs around the banister. Duo was forced to stop and tapped his foot impatiently, "Heero, what are you doing?"
Heero turned liquid eyes towards his lover, "Have I told you today how much I love you? Because, if I haven’t, then I’ve been remiss in my duties as your one true love!"
Duo forced himself to remain stoic and unmoved by the imploring expression pasted onto Heero’s face. He was stunning, even when conniving and devious.
Duo rubbed his head ruefully, knowing his chances of getting any when they got home were just about zero, "Ah, yeah, like this morning when we woke up and you realized today was your appointment and in the shower when you almost had me convinced you didn’t need to go." His eyes narrowed, "Until you tried to bite into a piece of toast and nearly swallowed your tongue! You never went to the dentist when you were younger and now you’re feeling it. You just need one tooth pulled, love. It won’t take that long. Please?" He pressed a soft kiss on Heero’s pouting lips and then his cheek and the special place behind his ear that always turned him to putty.
Heero leaned into his touch, cursed himself for the weakness, and then detached himself from the banister. He stood, brushed imaginary dust off his pants, and tried to get back his self-respect. Catching Duo’s eyes, he nodded briskly and headed for the door.
Duo hurried to catch up and grabbed his keys just as Heero opened the door. They walked to the car, got in, and were off.
In the car, Duo kept one eye on the road and one on the tightly clenched hands in the lap of his lover. He placed his right hand over the trembling pair and squeezed gently, sighing in relief as they opened and accepted his hand warmly into their midst.
He kept those two hands in his own as they waited for Heero’s name to be called.
"I’ll be right beside you the entire time, koi." He always switched to endearments in Japanese as they reached Heero deeper than any English word could.
A dental hygienist stepped out from behind a pristine white door, "Mr. Heero Yuy?"
Duo stood and Heero followed suit, walking behind the woman as she led them through a twisting hallway that seemed to go on forever. Heero clenched his teeth when the woman nodded them into a small room. His eyes grew wide as he took in the sterile looking chair, the bright light above and the small tray table for instruments...for what purpose?!
He turned, instinct making him want to flee, as it had many times before in interrogation rooms. Only Duo’s warm grip on his hand kept him from making it to the door. He struggled against the automatic response to take Duo over his shoulder and just run as Duo led him to the chair.
"Sit, Heero. The sooner it starts, the sooner it’s over, right?"
Heero plopped down on the seat, not liking how it didn’t sink under his weight like the comfy couch he had left at home. "I’m mad at you, Duo." He wasn’t, not really. But he was angry at the situation that placed him here, angry at the fact that he was scared, and slightly despondent over discovering just how firmly he was wrapped around Duo’s finger.
Duo winced, not liking being on Heero’s bad side, but hating seeing him in any pain, "That’s fine, so long as you can chew properly while you’re taking out your anger on steak or something equally as manly."
Heero turned his head to face him, "Will you grill me one?"
Duo grinned, "The biggest one in the store!" Heero touched his cheek in apology and Duo turned his face into it to press a kiss against the callused palm.
The dentist entered then and cut into their conversation.
And everyone in the waiting room blenched when a loud shriek echoed down the hall and into the room.
Duo glanced over at Heero for the hundredth time while he patiently grilled the steak. He hadn’t spoken a word since they left the office and stopped at the grocery store. Nor when they had come back to the house and started dinner. And not a word when Duo gave him a towel wrapped around ice for his throbbing jaw.
"Heero, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize he wouldn’t numb it first! Are you okay? Won’t you talk to me, please? Forgive me, love! I feel awful, horrible! Ah! Do you hate me?" He was frantic. Heero never went for the petty things other couples did in fights. No insults, no pointed stares, no silent treatment.
Heero eyed him balefully and mumbled, "It hurts to much to move my mouth."
Duo’s brow creased, "Could you speak up? I can’t hear you over the grill."
"Hai." Heero pushed his chair back from the patio table, set his icy towel on the top, and walked over to Duo. He took a deep breath and leaned very close to Duo’s unsuspecting ear.
"ITAI!!!"
Part Three - Trowa’s story - will be up next!
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