Geocities is closing in October, which is sad because that's where I keep all my stuff. While I look for a new home for my old stories, please enjoy this one. It was written for the SDDI's anniversary way back in April, 2003. If you haven't read it before, it's new to you! Please enjoy.

Warnings: 2+1, humor?, and typos.
Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Or something.

Engagement at Duck Pond

He probably looked stupid, he admitted to himself, as he searched for the ring in the duck pond. His clean jeans were already turning a mucky, moldy green and his hair slapped against his arm with all the strength and annoyance of a wet towel. On all fours in the middle of the duck pond was not the way he had intended to spend his time at the park with Heero, but that's how it ended out to be.

Heero watched from the grassy shore, a bemused, if confused and slightly indifferent expression on his face. His arm crossed loosely across his chest, he asked in a clear, if bored, voice, "Are you sure you don't need help?"

Duo wanted to go over there and strangle him, but finding the ring was more important than killing him. Instead, he crawled around in the pond some more, his hands searching the bottom for anything even remotely similar to what he was looking for.

It was at Duo's insistence that they go to the park. They had already had a late lunch at an Italian restaurant and, before that, had seen a bad action movie. He wanted to go to the park and look at the ducks. He just had to want to spent some nice, summertime leisure with Heero.

He actually had it all planned out, you see. He was going to do it in the movie theater, but it was too dark, and, however much he would rather have the darkness hide his shame if Heero said no, he still wanted to see the expression on Heero's face when he asked.

He also thought of doing it in the restaurant, but the embarrassment involved in doing it in front of complete strangers may have been too much for the both of them.

So the park was to be the place. It was a terrible shame, however. As they walked down the path by the pond, one behind the other, Duo's nervousness insisted that he checked the ring box to make sure, for the 7th or 8th time that day alone, that the ring was still waiting patiently in its velvet chamber.

And, just like the six or seven times before, there it was still, in all its lovely, platinum glory. Almost anxiously, he gently started to pull out the band when Heero, who was walking in front, stopped all of a sudden.

Duo fell back and to the side, the ring and its pretty velvet box flying out of his hands. He landed roughly, his right arm in the pond when he heard the distinct plop of something heavy falling into the water.

"Ducks," Heero warned after the fact, but by that time Duo was already in the pond, crawling in one direction or another, his hands stretched out before him, as he searched for something too precious to lose at that moment.

At this, Heero's thick eyebrow raised slightly. "Duo..." He paused, still trying to grasp the picture. "What are you doing?"

"Uh," Duo replied, hesitating to by himself some time, "I dropped something in." He shimmied his body to the left.

The ducks forgotten, Heero stood there, uncertain as to how to proceed. "Do you need some help?"

At this Duo panicked, and it showed clearly in his voice as he responded a shaky negative. Somehow, this kept Heero out of the pond.

But as the few seconds became several minutes, and various passerbys looked on in curiousity before moving along the path, Heero crossed his arms loosely and asked, "Are you sure you don't need help?"

Duo, wet, irritated, and just a little bit frustrated said nothing as he continued his rather futile search.

Uncertain as to how to get Duo to stop whatever nonsense he was trying to achieve in, Heero lowered his head and stared at his feet, only to be distracted by something rather shiny.

"What's this?" he muttered to himself as he bent over to scoop up whatever it was that caught his eye. He wasn't particularly loud, but Duo heard him, and immediately tensed up.

Turning in a wild, jerky motion, he watched as Heero plucked the platinum ring he was searching for from the grass next to his feet. If he didn't look stupid before, he sure did then, soaked in mucky pond water and mouth agape with fear.

He got up to his feet cautiously. "Um, Heero..."

Heero wasn't listening, however, or pretending not to, as he inspected the ring in his hand, from the size to the make to the style to the inscription in the inside.

Duo waded through the water hesitantly, uncertain as to what was the meaning behind Heero's closed, thoughtful expression. He stopped within a few feet in front of Heero, looking like some half-ass creature from the black lagoon, with his large eyes wide and his mouth slack-jawed.

"Duo..." Heero said finally as Duo's shoes swelled up to the size of tugboats with water.

"Yes?" Duo said almost breathlessly, his heart beating at 60,000 miles per hour with fear and anticipation.

"Is this for me?" Heero said calmly, as if they were discussing something as basic as the weather.

"If you don't want it," Duo started, almost rushing, "I can always return it. It's no big deal. I mean, it was stupid of me to even thing about trying to ask something that stupid to you, you know?"

Duo paused then, for he caught the expression in Heero's face. He wasn't mad, or confused, or indifferent. It was the same expression he would see on his face whenever they see each other. It was the same look that he would give Duo every morning after.

It was as if someone was kind enough to turn on the light, for he was glowing.

"Duo," he said then, and his voice sounded far off, and beautifully pleasant.

"Yes?" Duo replied, too dumbfounded to try anything longer than one syllable.

"Exactly," Heero said, completely bemused, as he placed a lovely, closed-mouth kiss on Duo's lips.

It was much later, the morning after to be exactly, that Duo was able to say something coherent and logical. It was only then that he had calmed down sufficently to be able to laugh at how ridiculous he looked, searching for the ring in the duck pond.

"Did you think I looked stupid, Heero?" he asked at the end of his vocal complaints over how he had acted in the park.

At this Heero shrugged. "At least it's an interesting story to tell at our anniversary. 'The Engagement at Duck Pond'..."

~~~end

Comments are more than welcomed. Any advice, also.