Heero's drunk.

OK, so maybe it isn't obvious, but for Heero, you know this is about the equivalent of 'completely wasted'. It's kind of a shock, seeing him so relaxed - the Heero you knew was always the definition of focus, so tightly wound up it seemed like his springs would snap any moment.

Of course, you always found an excuse to test that theory, patting his arm or breathing down his neck while reading mission reports over his shoulder just to see if he'd jump. But you're not going to think about that, not now. You've better things to occupy your mind, like where Heero's been for the last eighteen months and what the hell he thought he was doing pulling a vanishing act like that. You glance over to where he's determinedly not looking at you, and wish he'd say something, because this silence is driving you crazy.

Apparently, he shares the sentiment, because he suddenly puts down his glass and looks up.

"Quatre said I should apologise."

Your instinct is to retort 'Damn right you should, you bastard', but you manage a smile and an easy, "Accepted." No point in starting a fight just when he seems to have decided to talk. "So, where've you been?"

He frowns.

"I just travelled, at first. Then - I spent a good deal of time with Relena."

You resist the urge to roll your eyes. You imagine Relena made it kind of difficult for him not to.

"She asked me to marry her."

You blink at him. You'd never have thought she'd actually... well. You mentally shake yourself, then find your voice enough to ask.

"What did you say?"

"No." Heero shrugs, and takes a swig of his drink. "I don't think I'm in love with her."

"You don't think?" You can do this - the supportive friend thing comes naturally to you and always has. You're glad, though, that getting Heero talking usually means not saying much yourself, because your mental faculties seem to have left. He said no. To Relena. Wow.

"I..." Heero pauses, then frowns in the way that says he's considering. "How did you know you felt like that about Hilde?"

This time you stare at him outright.

"I'm... I mean, I don't." And all these years you'd been convinced of your pathetic obviousness. He actually...? God. Today really can’t get any weirder. "We're, uh, friends. That's all."

He glares, not the normal (well, if either of you have a 'normal', even now the war's over) Death Glare, just enough to tell you he isn't quite sure whether to believe you. You should probably be annoyed, but his face is screwed up with confusion, and you fight a grin instead. Heero befuddled is pretty damn amusing.

"Friends. Really. Where the hell did you get that idea?"

He lowers his eyes and mutters something that sounds like "Quatre", and you think that maybe bringing him to this crappy Sweeper bar wasn't such a bad idea after all.