fic - two degrees : 11

Two Degrees : 11
Part 11

The ocean was a little gray today, being slightly ahead of what might be considered even an early beach season, but the weather was still fair.  Duo watched the waves for a minute or two before deciding, "I want to go into the water."

Beside him, Heero glanced over at him with some surprise.

"It's... I mean, it's not like this is the last chance ever, but... Anyway."  He kicked off his flip flops, took a deep breath, and started toward the water.

Heero was quick to follow.  "Might be a bit cold," he observed mildly.

"Not gonna go for a swim."

Duo slowed once his feet hit the wet sand.  He took a few steps in, far enough for the water to lap over his feet, before he came to a halt.

Heero stopped beside him, noticing with some sidelong glances that Duo seemed to be preparing himself to go farther in.  He let Duo have some time before he shyly offered a hand.

It took a moment for Duo to notice, but when he did, he smiled and forgot about his trepidation while their hands got used to each other.

Heero gently pulled him into the ocean.  "How far do you want to go?"

He hemmed and hawed for a bit, letting the decision be made for him as each step took them farther.  "Not so far we have to fight it."

Heero came to a stop with the water about mid-thigh, with the small waves pushing only occasionally up to their hips.  Duo, who had mostly been keeping his eyes down, watching his legs disappear into the water, bumped into Heero a bit.  He muttered an apology and stepped away, but the water contrived to push him back against Heero's side again, and he did not fight it.

"You're right," he said, to have something to say.  "It's a bit cold."

Heero chuckled silently.  Quatre had invited them out because he was planning on putting the beachhouse on the market ahead of the season, and frankly ahead of the beach itself disappearing into the ocean in a few years.  In a way, this was one of the last chances, in this one place.

"Bit weird, too," Duo added quietly.

"Not your first time, you said."  Maybe that reminder would take the edge off.

"Yeah, no of course I came down with the Sweepers, and heck you were there with us for a while, in the middle of the freaking ocean.  And for sure, they made sure I knew how not to die in all this water.  But..."

"Still weird?"

"...Still weird."  He moved his free hand through the water.  "All this water... Bit different, being on the water, for a reason, versus just... I dunno, sightseeing?"

"Like doing an EVA is different from just... sightseeing."

"Yeah, exactly."  He pressed up against Heero more snugly, pleased at their mutual understanding.  Being out in the black was always quite the experience, no matter how many times you went out there, but having a job to do was different from just floating there, taking it all in.  "You do much... sightseeing?"

Heero shook his head.  "Never a dedicated trip.  A moment here or there."

"Gotta be honest... I think I like space better."

"It's got stars," Heero agreed.  "But it wouldn't be the same, holding your hand through a suit."

Duo laughed, and decided to turn them so they could embrace.  "Yeah, you definitely have a point.  Definitely... couldn't do this."  Well, they were already up to their balls in a new frontier, so now seemed like an appropriate time to push their relationship past the flirting and into the kissing, and wasn't it just lovely that Heero seemed to have the same idea.

The water did not like being ignored, and gave them a reminder that it was time to go back inside.






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