Genre: Romance, AU
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5x6 (yes, in that order), 5+4, and 3+2
Disclaimer: Don't own nothin' but these words
Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, lime (I mean copious, copious amounts of citrus), some language, sap, fluff, silliness, whipped cream, strawberries, melted chocolate, candles, Relena bashing, aphrodisiacs
Special Note: Dedicated to loki lee, StandingOnTheRooftops, snowdragonct, Stratagirl, and Demonskid. You've all been exceptionally encouraging and loving, Valentine's e-cookies to you all!
A/N: Nothing more perilous happens in this story than burned cookies. And an idiotic plot by Relena. This is a get-together story with all together too much smexing. If you don't like that, why do you read ANYTHING I write? You should know better by now.
Part One: Miscommunication is the Key
"Ne, Duo?"
"Hmmmmm . . ."
"Wake up, lazy sod."
Sod. What a name to call me, you jerk.
"Are you drunk?"
No, not any more. Shit, my head is splitting. Why did I get drunk last night?
Light poured in through the curtains, and Duo groaned. Turning his head, he buried his face in the cool softness of his pillow. "Le'me alone," he grumbled, not anywhere near ready to be facing a new day.
"Come on, Duo," coaxed that voice, "get up. Please? You promised you would help me get the restaurant ready. It's almost noon. C'mon, I let you sleep in much longer than I should have."
That's true. You were always a good friend, Quat. Now leave me alone and let me die.
"Get up!"
Duo shrieked and fell out of bed when frigid water liberally splashed him right on his bare back. The noise, the sudden movement, and the abrupt cold did nothing for his pounding headache. Jumping up, he raced to the bathroom and threw up. He didn't make it to the toilet, but he did make it to the sink.
"Gross," Quatre's voice wafted from the bedroom. "Duo, puke in the toilet."
"I wouldn't have puked at all if you weren't such a bitch," he grumbled to himself, rinsing his mouth. He actually felt a little better now, and he tunked a few Advil. Brushing his teeth, he glanced up at his reflection. Shit I look like hell. Trowa will be upset.
At the thought of his boyfriend, Duo suppressed a sigh. Trowa Barton. One helluva good looking guy. They'd gotten together during college two years ago. Sure, they'd pawed and petted and made out. But they'd never gone all the way, and it was Duo's fault. For some reason, he couldn't do it. At first he'd thought there was something wrong with him. Now, he knew it was because he simply didn't love Trowa. Liked him a lot, sure. Loved looking at him, of course. The guy was hot. But . . .
"You're going to wear red, right?"
Duo hung his head, closing his eyes. "Quat, Valentine's isn't until Saturday, and that's . . . six days away."
"So? Trowa likes you in red."
Duo winced. Quatre, though he had a boyfriend of his own, talked an awful lot about Trowa. A few weeks ago Duo had seen them together at the restaurant. Oh, it was perfectly innocent. They weren't even standing close enough together to arouse suspicion. But Trowa had been smiling, and Quatre had been giggling and blushing. And Duo, damn him, had thought they looked good together. Cute and natural. Something Trowa and Duo had never looked.
"Fine, red it is," he agreed.
The pad of bare feet and a cool hand on his shoulder told him Quatre had snuck up on him. "What's wrong, Duo? Lately, you've been . . . I don't know. Morose? And you've gotten drunk the last ten nights in a row. I know you and Hilde go drinking sometimes, but you never get drunk."
Straightening, Duo headed for the shower. He felt gross. "Maybe I'm PMSing," he muttered.
Quatre snickered. The bitch.
-
The restaurant was called Hell's Garden. Duo and Quatre, both sons of rich men, had used some of their inheritance to buy a run-down old place and fix it up. Duo, of course, had chosen that bold name, and the place's first patrons had been insanely curious. Now it received regular business on its own merit. Duo was co-owner and seating host, Quatre was co-owner and dessert chef. The restaurant was frequented especially by women in their mid-twenties to early forties, many of whom simply loved staring at and flirting with the two attractive owners.
Duo had been Quatre's best friend for twenty years, literally since birth. They were cousins on their mothers' side, and so had grown up together. They went to college together, Duo studying art and Quatre studying music. They got the AA and abandoned school for their first business venture. They bought a beautiful apartment together and had made Hell's Garden a huge success. Quatre loved Duo, felt he was more a brother than a cousin, since he had only older sisters and Duo had no siblings at all.
But lately . . .
It was so wrong. Quatre was the one who had introduced Trowa to Duo. But about a month ago, he'd realized something terrible. He was head over heels for Trowa. The man was two years older than them. Quiet, strong, beautiful. He was in love with Duo's lover. And almost as bad, he had a lover of his own already.
Chang Wufei was a proud, confident man. Quatre didn't think he'd take kindly to being ousted in his lover's affections. Wufei ran an enormous computer-programming company with his best friend, someone Quatre had never met. Hell's Garden would be closed all day Saturday, because Duo was hosting a big party in honor of Valentine's Day, and Wufei had invited his friend.
"Quatre?"
Quatre startled and looked up to find himself drowning in cool green. Trowa looked devestating in a rich green sweater and low-riding black jeans. God the man was delicious. Why had he only now started to notice? Even though he felt like crying, Quatre smiled.
"Hey, Trowa. Did you come to help us?"
"Yes," Trowa confirmed.
"What a gentleman. Duo is somewhere in the back, probably scolding the bartender. The wine order was incorrect last week."
Trowa nodded, an absent expression on his face. He perched on the edge of the desk as if nervous. "I wanted to apologize," he said slowly. "Last night I . . . may have overstepped my bounds."
Quatre shook his head, smiling warmly. "No. I was a little tipsy. Duo gets overly friendly when he's drunk, too."
"Ah. I'm glad I didn't offend you."
Quite the opposite, Quatre thought. Last night, just before he'd closed the restaurant, Trowa had asked him to stay awhile and make him dessert and a drink. Quatre all-too-happily agreed, thinking Duo would be out late with Hilde. Both of them drank a little too much, and Trowa had given Quatre a light, good-night kiss. Right on the lips. It was little more than a peck, but it was more than enough to make Quatre blush and lick his lips for more. Damn him.
Displaying his usual knack for terrible timing, Duo burst into their office, hangover seemingly forgotten. "Quatre, do we---oh, hey Tro. Good timing. Someone's gotta hang up the pink and red streamers, and I ain't tall enough. Go ask Hilde, would ya? She'll show you."
Quatre wondered if the look Trowa gave him was a little too . . . heated. He left, and Duo didn't seem to notice.
"Quat, would you mind making heart-shaped sugar cookies for the party? I know you said you don't want to do anything boring, but I found this great pink frosting that tastes like cotton candy, and if I got some red sprinkles it would look real festive, don't ya think? That's the only thing I'll ask you to make, the rest is up to you. Please? Pretty please?"
Duo was, Quatre thought glumly, the reason why he would never, ever let his real feelings for Trowa out. He thought he could be brave enough to tell Wufei he was in love with another man. But he could never hurt Duo by making a move on his best friend's boyfriend. Setting aside the sharp ache in his chest, he smiled brightly.
"Sure. But for that, you'll be making the punch."
"Aww! But you promised to make flaming rum punch!"
"Heart-shaped cookies or flaming rum punch. Which do you want more?"
Duo pouted. It was such an insanely cute pout. "Fine, I'll make the punch. I think you're the one who's PMSing." He stormed out of the office in a huff.
Feeling better now, Quatre went back to inventory. He wanted to be done by tomorrow night.
-
Trowa watched Duo storm out of his and Quatre's office and considered going back in to continue the conversation of last night. Part of him ached to tell Quatre how he really felt. That while it had been fun with Duo, his heart lay with the blonde. But it would be unfair to them both. Quatre would never betray Duo, and Duo would be crushed. These feelings would have to disappear.
Sighing silently, Trowa went to where he knew Duo was. His short, slender lover was bossily telling Hilde how to arrange the table displays. He'd gotten silk pink and red roses, carnations, and baby's breath. And lacy white tablecloths. It would all look very festive. Coming up behind Duo, he slid his arms around the thin waist and squeezed gently. Perhaps this romantic holiday would be what they needed to rekindle their passion from two years ago. When he'd not been able to get enough of the long-haired, loud-mouthed youth. Duo's shirt rode low enough he could kiss the naked skin of his neck.
A slight tremor ran up Duo's body, perking Trowa's interest. He loved physical reactions to a simple touch. Indigo eyes lifted to meet emerald, full of question and curiosity.
"Tro?"
"Where do you want the streamers?" he asked, turning Duo in his arms to kiss him properly.
Duo broke the kiss after a few seconds. "All along the--" Another kiss--"bar, and the host podium--" another kiss--"and the . . . fuck . . ." Duo dropped the clipboard he was holding and threw his arms around Trowa's neck, deepening the kiss until Hilde blushed and turned away.
Trowa poured enough heat into it to leave Duo smouldering without fully arousing him. By now he knew all the right places to touch, lick, nip, and suck to elicit the best responses. When he finally pulled away, Duo's face was flushed and his pupils dilated. His lips gleamed with Trowa's saliva.
"Wha . . . what was that for?" Duo gasped.
"Nothing special," Trowa replied, running his thumb over Duo's reddened lower lip. And then hated himself all over again as he suddenly thought how beautiful Quatre would look flushed, red-lipped, and with Trowa's saliva on his lips.
Duo, Trowa thought dimly, was a contradiction. He acted like an idiot sometimes, a lovable idiot. But he was unbelievably sensitive to vibes, and even though outwardly Trowa didn't think his expression changed, Duo still drew away from him slighlty, his eyes shuttering. Like a clam crawling back into its shell. He slowly pulled out of Trowa's arms, smiling in a sad sort of way.
"I . . . gotta help . . . Quatre with inventory. Hil', would you show him where we want the streamers? Only in the high places." And he was gone, the long tail of his braid falling over the curve of his ass.
Trowa closed his eyes. Speaking of asses . . . I'm a total prick. Kissing my boyfriend and thinking of someone else. What to do. He sighed. He really needed to talk to Wufei. His fair-minded friend would set him to rights.
Part Two: Meetings Going Awry (aka When Your Dream Man Is An Ass)
"I don't know why you're dreading this party so much," Zechs Marquise said. Again. For the sixteenth time.
Yes, Heero was counting. "I'm not dreading it." Why did he even bother?
"Are you kidding?" Zechs said. Again. "When Wufei told you about it, you practically keeled over into a fit."
It took a good deal of self-control not to roll his eyes. "The only reason he invited me is because he's got it bad for you," he snapped.
Zechs frowned at him as though he thought it was a tasteless thing to say. "He's got a boyfriend," he said, even sounding affronted.
"So?" Heero retorted. "He's not dead."
Zechs glared at him. "And you wonder why you're single. You're the most emotionally retarded bastard I've ever met."
"Hn." Ignoring him in favor of reading through strings and strings of code.
A little over a year ago, Wufei had come to Heero, his best friend, with the idea of putting together a company to write programs for other companies. Because, he'd said, there was a lot of money it computers. Heero, heir to a small fortune back home in Japan, had agreed out of sheer boredom. Program-writing was a little too easy, but running a company had its perks. For instance, no one bothered a pissy, cold-eyed boss. Women didn't flirt, men didn't engage. Mostly.
Zechs, who was Heero's 'administrative assistant,' remained the exception. Him and his idiotic sister, Relena.
"Come on," Zechs chided. "Don't go into it closed-minded. Maybe you'll meet the man of your dreams."
It was that sentence that Heero carried with him when he went with Zechs to the restaurant tackily called "Hell's Garden" to meet Wufei and his boyfriend for lunch. It was, he thought distantly, odd that he was only just now meeting the guy when Wufei had been dating him for about nine months. Zechs, with his usual equanamity, was all smiles and gentle talk about meeting new people.
Hell's Garden was located on a street corner, so it was not squashed between buildings. As a result, it stood out. The front had been painted black with acid-green trim, the result dramatic and glaring. Impossible to miss. At the moment, it was made all the more garish by the decorations that decked the storefront in pink and red for the holiday. Four little tables with pink umbrellas sat behind a surprisingly pretty iron gate, and window boxes were laden with drooping flowers of blue and white.
Zechs took the lead and Heero followed more sedately. He'd never been here, though he'd heard multiple times that the place was 'fun and exciting' and the cuisine excellent. The inside was decked out even more garishly than the storefront, pink and red everywhere in the form of flowers, streamers, paper hearts, stuffed bears, fat white candles, and other paraphenalia. He barely resisted rolling his eyes.
At the host podium, Heero rethought his earlier assessment. The young man standing there wearing a red button-down blouse of what looked like red silk under his black apron, was quite gorgeous. He had a long braid of cinnamon chestnut that disappeared down his back. A small pink carnation was tucked behind one ear, and Heero could see glittering barretts in his hair. His eyes were rich indigo, and he was absolutely the most delicious thing Heero had ever seen.
He broke into a smile at the sight of them. "Welcome to Hell's Garden. Table for two?"
"We're meeting two friends, actually," Zechs said smoothly, a spark of interest flaring briefly in his eyes.
Heero felt a flash of ridiculous jealousy.
"Ah," said the beautiful host. "Would you prefer to wait for them at the bar?"
"Yes," Heero cut in before Zechs could speak. Without waiting for Zechs, he turned and headed for the open bar. He heard more than saw Zechs follow him as he sat down on a stool. The bartender smiled outrageously.
"Hi, handsomes. What'll ya have?"
Heero thought it was weird to be flirted with so openly by a man. This place had a strange air about it. "Ice water," he said glacially.
"Dark beer for me," Zechs said, sliding down next to Heero. "Honestly," he said in an undertone, "do you have to be so cold?"
Heero ignored him.
-
Duo watched the two men go to the bar, feeling a strange burning in his chest. Never, ever in his life had he seen someone who so instantly turned him on, without doing a god-damned thing. He seemed like a total bastard, but damn he was eye-candy. Tall and lithe and golden-skinned and messy hair (as if he'd just climbed out of bed after some hot sex), cobalt eyes like the richest glass . . .
Stop torturing yourself, Maxwell, Duo thought sharply. He left the podium and headed for the kitchen, hooking his door-buzzer onto his belt so he would know if someone came in.
He'd been feeling dispirited all day after Trowa's kiss. For a moment he'd thought his feelings for his boyfriend were rekindling. Then Trowa had given him a strange look, almost guilty, and it had fizzled right back out. It was as if Trowa had been thinking of someone else. Probably someone blonde and blue-eyed.
"Duo?" Hilde's voice startled him out of his thoughts.
The black-haired waitress gave him a concerned look. Duo forced himself to smile. "What's up?"
"You okay?" she said gently.
Duo sighed inwardly and nodded. "Sure am. Maybe a little stressed. Me an' Quatre are behind on inventory a little."
"That's all?"
"That's it."
"You sure?"
"Positive." He pushed her toward the floor with a grin. "Don't you have some customers to see to?"
Finally seeming reassured, she returned his grin and went back out to the restaurant floor. Duo moved to the kitchen proper and watched Quatre from a distance for awhile. How could he go up to his best friend and ask, "Hey, do you have the hots for my boyfriend?" He knew Quatre would deny it if he asked right out, for fear of hurting Duo's feelings. How could he tell Quatre there were no feelings left to hurt? He had Trowa had had a lot of fun. But . . . He's not the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.
The buzzer on his belt hummed. Duo quickly hurried back out to the podium and smiled when he saw Wufei. "Hey, 'Fei. You here to see Quatre?"
"Yes. Is his lunch break coming up?"
"In about two minutes. I think he's just finishing his dessert special. You wanna wait for him at the bar or in the office?"
"The bar is fine. We're meeting friends, and they're here. You should join us too, since I invited them to your party Saturday night."
"Ah. I'll take my lunch early, then."
With Hilde manning the front door, Duo joined Wufei and Quatre at a private table.
"Quatre, Duo, this is Heero Yuy, my partner, and this is Zechs Marquise," Wufei introduced everyone.
Duo smiled and shook Zechs' hand, then Heero's. Was it his imagination, or did Heero hold it just a tad bit too long? "Please to meet ya. How'd ya like the place?"
"You certainly picked a brazen name," Heero replied.
Great, Duo thought sourly. Man of my dreams and he's a total prick. "I like a name that stands out," he said tartly.
"It was half my idea," Quatre piped up.
"Which half?" Heero inquired all too politely. "The 'garden' half?"
Duo ground his teeth. Actually, that was dead on. Duo had wanted an even more morbid name for the restaurant, but Quatre didn't want to scare all the customers away before they came in for a taste. They'd compromised.
Quatre smiled sweetly. "Yes. So you're not just a pretty face."
Duo choked.
Zechs slid an arm around Heero's shoulders. "Please don't mind him. He doesn't know how to deal with people before lunch."
"I recommend the smoked salmon," Duo said, "if you like seafood. It's excellent."
Zechs ordered the salmon, but Heero ordered the chicken linguine, probably just to be an ass. He spent most of his afternoon trying to keep a civil conversation going. Heero was monosyllabic at best, glacial at worst. If it wouldn't have messed up his gorgeous face so bad, Duo would have belted him. Zechs was far more smooth and mellow. He, at least, was decent company.
"So, are you seeing anyone, Duo?" Zechs asked as lunch dishes were replaced by coffee.
"Yeah," Duo replied, hoping to see a reaction on Heero's face. "My boyfriend's at work, otherwise he'd probably be here, too."
No reaction to being gay, but Duo did see something pass through Heero's eyes. Very quickly, then it was gone. Was that . . . disappointment? Shit, Duo thought. Was this guy attracted to him? And like an idiotic gradeschooler teased him to get his attention? Now desperate to know, Duo asked his waitress to bring him a sundae. Quatre gave him an amused/annoyed look, probably insulted that Duo would want a simple dessert like that when there were far superior ones available he'd made.
Duo wasn't much interested in the dessert itself, but the ice cream and whipped cream gave him an excellent excuse to torture Heero. He knew very well he was a beautiful, desirable person. Gay men could never keep their hands off him in bars, and straight women could not stop hitting on him. If Heero was gay, Duo would find out. He plucked the cherry off the top of the whipped cream and slowly raised it to his lips, allowing some cream to smear on his lower lip before fitting the red fruit between his teeth.
"So what do you do at work, Zechs?" Duo asked.
The handsome blonde smiled and happily began talking about it. Duo listened as though his job was the most interesting thing in the world, all the while eating his treat. He dipped his finger into the cream and lifted it to his lips, slowly pushing it between them to suck it clean. Oh, yes, Heero was watching him. Those cobalt eyes bored through Duo, heated enough to be a physical caress. He made sure not to meet Heero's eyes, wanting the man to watch him as he lifted the spoon to his lips and worshiped the silverware with his tongue. Shit, if he keeps staring at me like that I'm gonna come in my pants. He was so hard by now it hurt. He didn't think about how he would stand up without showing everyone his hard-on. All he wanted were those eyes on him. Imagine this is your cock I'm licking, Heero. That I'm sucking cream off the tip.
"I'm a little surprised you're the seating host," Zechs said, "when you're co-owner of this place."
Duo chuckled and licked cream off his finger, making sure to wrap his tongue around the slender digit before pulling it free. "I like doing that. It's nice for people to put a name and face to a place, you know? It makes them feel more at home when they see the owner of their favorite restaurant isn't some stuffy, uptight man with a paunch and moustache. Not that there's anything wrong with that." He smirked.
"He also likes the attention our regulars give him," Quatre said with a coy smile. "The women flirt and fawn and swoon. It's very flattering, I'm sure."
"Shut up," Duo said good-naturedly, blessing Quatre for that well-timed comment. Yes, that was jealousy that flickered in Heero's eyes. Very, very briefly. You want to fawn over me, too, Hee-ro? Go ahead. He licked melted chocolate off his spoon.
Heero's watch beeped. It startled Duo. Heero gave it a quick glance, suddenly all business and cold again. "We've got to get back to the office. I have a deadline. Wufei, you coming back today?"
"Sure, in about half-an-hour," Wufei replied.
And with that, Heero rose. He nodded to Zechs, who got up and followed. Heero dropped a crisp, hundred-dollar bill on the table. "Keep the change," he said, and the two of them left.
Duo couldn't tell if he'd succeeded in giving the man a hard-on or not. That stupid asshole. Couldn't give me anything at the end, not even a smile. And damn it, now he had his own problem to deal with. Mercifully, Wufei turned to Quatre then to ask him about the party. Duo discreetly rearranged his apron, insanely glad he was wearing it.
"Man, shouldn't'a had all that ice cream. I'm gonna go take some Advil, Quat."
Quatre nodded, flashing him a sympathetic look.
Duo locked himself in the employee bathroom, removing his apron and propping one foot on the toilet seat. Closing his eyes, he unzipped his black slacks and reached inside, squeezing himself. Shit, it felt good. Trowa hadn't touched him in probably almost a month, keeping their moments of intimacy to kisses alone.
Dark, deep, intense cobalt flooded his mind. That gaze, so heavy and hot, staring at him with such single-minded intensity. Duo could not remember anyone ever looking at him like that. So possessive, even though they'd just met. He wanted to be possessed by that gaze. By that touch.
Fuck. He imagined it was Heero's hand wrapping around him. Squeezing gently to relieve pressure. Running a thumb teasingly over the tip, smearing white precum. Stroking firmly from base to crown, then squeezing again. Damn it, damn it. He was being swept away into a stormy sea of cobalt, fantasies about a man he barely knew. Would Heero be a gentle, slow lover? Would he be forceful and aggressive, taking what he wanted without concern for his lover's consent?
I could go all the way with him, Duo thought hazily as he sped up his pace. I bet he's big. I wonder how it would feel, to have him enter me. Imagining Heero's cock shoving into him sent him over the edge. His vision grayed as he bowed forward, riding his orgasm to its completion. Then he sagged against the wall, and reality settled heavily back in. He closed his eyes. Some boyfriend I am, imagining a stranger jerking me off.
He stayed in the bathroom for awhile after he cleaned up, sitting on the closed toilet lid with his head in his hands. Unwanted, the image of Trowa and Quatre together floated up behind his eyes. Why had he stayed with Trowa so long when he didn't love the guy? The answer to that came as quickly as the question.
He didn't like being alone. Trowa was comfortable and familiar, and even if it wasn't love, hey, it was fun. He tried to imagine breaking up with Trowa, letting him make a move on Quatre. If they loved each other, they would move in together. Where would that leave me? A friend to a sappy couple who didn't have enough room in their lives for a third. The thought of that made Duo ill. Rising off the toilet, he put his apron back on and determinedly marched back out to the table where Wufei was just saying goodbye to Quatre.
"'Fei?"
The black-haired man looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Would you invite your friends Heero and Zechs to go out with us tonight, or tomorrow? If you're all free? I want to get to know them better, because if Heero's as big an ass as I think he is, he's not invited to my party."
To his surprise, Wufei snorted laughter. "He's as big an ass as you think he is," he said, "but once you get to know him, you get used to it."
"Fine," Duo huffed, "but can you invite them? Both?"
"Sure."
Part Three: It's Almost Pathetic It's So Sad
"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeero!"
Heero winced. God he hated that woman. He ducked back around the corner, hoping she hadn't seen him, and headed to the elevator. Yesterday Wufei had told him he and Zechs were to meet him, his boyfriend, and his boyfriend's best friend and boyfriend at the bar for drinks. Get to know each other better. It all sounded cozy and quaint. The only reason Heero had agreed was because---
"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeero!" She all but tackled him from behind.
Bracing himself against her slim weight, Heero twisted in her hold to use an arm to shove her off. She staggered back a couple steps, but she didn't so much as flinch under his death glare.
"Where are you going?" she sing-songed. "You haven't asked me out on a date in days!"
I've never asked you out on a date in your life, bitch, Heero thought, ignoring her as he headed to the elevator and hit the button to call it. Inspiration suddenly hit. "I'm going on a date," he said. He gave her a savage grin. "With a guy."
Relena stopped and stared at him. "A . . . a guy?" she squeaked.
Most satisfying. "Yes. I've got to leave right now." This was the most he'd ever said to her. "I don't want to keep him waiting. He's very demanding. Especially in bed." He stepped into the elevator. The silver doors closed on Relena's shocked, pasty face.
Immensely pleased, Heero made his way sedately to his dark blue Ferrari. He didn't have to be to the bar for another two hours, but this gave him plenty of time to go home and plan. Plan what, exactly, he didn't know.
The hell you don't, Yuy. You're gonna plan how to break that hot piece of ass Duo up from his boyfriend.
The insidious voice in Heero's head smirked and leered at him. He ignored it. True, Duo was the singlemost gorgeous creature he'd ever seen in his life. He wanted him more than he'd ever wanted anyone or anything. And he was perfectly willing to break up a relationship to get him. Which he wasn't too worried about. Judging by the way Duo had teased him yesterday afternoon over lunch, Duo wasn't exactly lovey-dovey with his boyfriend, whoever he was. Otherwise, why else would he have made out with a spoon? The image of it made his groin tighten pleasantly.
He took a slow shower. He didn't touch himself. As if he had so little control. No, this pent-up passion he would spend when Duo was in his arms, writhing and squirming and wet-eyed and begging. Fuck. It took a little more will-power not to touch himself this time. He wondered how Duo's boyfriend fucked him. Facing him? From behind? Heero couldn't decide which he found more appealing. Just to be safe, he turned the hot water down a little, and the cooler temperature calmed him.
When he finished with his shower, he spent some time lounging and amusing himself watching TV. Romantic shows dominated with Valentine's just around the corner. They bored Heero quickly, and for awhile he simply lay on his couch, clothed only in his silk bathrobe. Then it was time to get ready, and Heero considered. He'd never been a vain man, and he cared little for attracting any eyes. But tonight, he wanted Duo to watch him and only him.
He slid into a pair of jeans that rode low on his hips, the black denim clinging in all the right places without looking too tight. His shoes he kept to simple black boots. The shirt was rich, cobalt suede. It felt soft and supple beneath the hand, and he left it unbuttoned to just above the pectoral muscles. Around his neck he fastened a moderately heavy silver chain with a pair of feathered wings curling around a sapphire shaped like a skull. Eye-catching.
He completed his ensemble with his black leather jacket---it fell to his knees. In all he looked rich, successful, and damn hot. His eyes were too cold to be anything but confident and powerful, so even though the outfit was meant to be sexy, he didn't look like an easy mark. Anyone would have to be a fool to think that. Pleased, he slipped his wallet into his pocket and headed back for his car.
The bar, which catered predominantly to the gay crowd, but it was an uppity kind of place. Meant for rich gay folks. It was called Whispers in the Dark, which Heero thought was only minimally less tacky than Hell's Garden. There was a long line out front, but Heero bypassed them all. The bouncer merely glanced at him and nodded him inside.
Zechs, Wufei, Quatre, Duo, and his boyfriend were all there, and Heero was pleased to be the last to arrive. It meant Duo's eyes were his, and he could see a hungry look fill rich indigo. He draped his jacket on the back of a chair and settled himself between Wufei and Duo. He asked the bartender for a Jack Daniels. To his right, Duo took a sip of his drink and smiled, reaching over to lift the pendant off Heero's chest a little. His fingers brushed ever-so-lightly over Heero's skin.
"This is pretty sick. Where'd ya get it?"
By his tone, Heero deduced that meant he liked it.
"He got it off the man he'd just killed," Zechs said to his left, tossing back his shot.
Duo laughed. It was a low, rich sound. Hot as hell. "Funny. You a hitman, Heero?" He dropped the chain.
Heero merely looked at him, and Duo squirmed almost imperceptibly in his seat.
-
After half an hour of drinking and talking, during which Trowa hardly said a word, he realized Duo was acting very uncomfortable. He tried to work out why, and eventually he realized. Here he was, supposed to be Duo's boyfriend, and he was acting like a casual friend. This Heero kept subtly flirting with Duo, though his actions were more heated glances than words or gestures. Once more berating himself for neglecting him, Trowa rose and asked Duo if he would like to dance. His boyfriend looked a little startled as he put his hand in Trowa's, rising and following him to the floor.
The driving beat of the music, which Trowa had been blocking out until now, quickly seeped into his blood. He wondered how long it had been since the two of them had danced. He'd forgotten how quickly and easily Duo gave himself over to it, moving like a sensual god over the floor. In moments he was the only thing on Trowa's mind. The way his hips gyrated, the way his eyes smouldered, every movement liquid and graceful and sexy.
Trowa spun Duo around to press up against his back, and Duo lifted his arms to wrap them around Trowa's neck. Trowa ground against him, and Duo twisted in his hold. One slim leg dragged up Trowa's thigh and Trowa held it there, gazing down at Duo with a heat he had not felt in . . . a long time. They were grinding in time to the music, shit, they were practically having sex right on the dance floor . . . Duo was just as aroused as he was . . . His other hand slid down to Duo's ass, pushing forward just as he thrust his hips forward. Duo actually cried out softly.
That was all it took. Grabbing his hand, Trowa abandoned the dance floor and pulled him toward the ample bathrooms. Duo melted into him as he shut the stall door, slanting his mouth over Duo's and shoving his pants down around his ankles. He shimmied his own pants down and grabbed them both in one hand. Duo moaned low and sweet into his mouth, rocking into his touch, hands clinging to Trowa's biceps. God this man was so sweet.
Their pace was frantic. Duo broke the kiss first to press his face into Trowa's neck, panting harshly. "Tro-wa . . ." he gasped, just as his body began to tense and shudder.
Unbidden, Quatre's face appeared in Trowa's mind. It was his body that arched in Trowa's arms, his eyes that squeezed shut, his voice that let out that breathy moan as Trowa's own orgasm hit.
They came down slowly, and suddenly it was Duo in his arms. Trowa's gut clenched, and he felt sick. Why couldn't he be satisfied with this man? This gorgeous, sensual, fucking sexy man? Why did he have to want Quatre, the blonde, aqua-eyed siren who was already taken? Shit. What is wrong with me?
Duo was watching him. He realized it too late. Indigo eyes clouded, and he pulled out of Trowa's embrace to straighten himself up. "This is the second time," he said in a soft voice. "Who were you thinking of, just then?"
Trowa felt like he'd swallowed a boulder. He couldn't speak, his throat just seized painfully. Those limpid eyes held his, dark and gleaming and sad.
"Maybe you should find out," Duo all but whispered. He quietly unlocked the stall door and moved past Trowa, out of the restroom.
Trowa didn't follow him, guilt squeezing his heart like a huge fist. What the fuck is wrong with me?
-
Duo went back to where Wufei, Zechs, and Heero were talking. Quatre sat amongst them, looking amused. He glanced up and smiled at Duo, but it immediately faded to a worried frown as Duo shouldered into his coat.
"Duo? Are you leaving?"
"Sorry," Duo said, not feeling social anymore. "Headache."
"Let me take you home," Quatre said at once, beginning to rise.
"No!" Duo snapped. Flushing a little, he moderated his tone. "No, it's fine. Stay and enjoy yourself." He wasn't angry with Quatre, not really. More accurately, he didn't want to be angry with Quatre. Still, it was one thing to know his boyfriend might have the hots for someone else. It was quite another to be jerked off by him while he thought of that someone else.
It was a strangely painful sensation.
"I'll take you home," Heero startled him by saying. Not offering. A statement. A fact.
"It's fine--" Duo began.
"You've been drinking," Heero pointed out, "and you shouldn't drive."
Duo opened his mouth to argue so had Heero, but he closed it without a sound. "Fine," he acquiesced, sounding more weary than sullen. He allowed Heero to take his arm and steer him out.
The man drove a Ferrari. Heero opened the passenger door for him, and Duo silently slid into the seat. He would rather walk than face a drive with a veritable stranger, but at least it wasn't all that far to his and Quatre's apartment. Heero didn't say a word as he drove, and Duo quietly gave him directions. He parked and walked Duo to the door, even though he wasn't drunk enough to require an escort. Once there, Duo unlocked it and looked up into cobalt eyes.
"You wanna come in for coffee?" For himself, he was done drinking for the night.
Heero shrugged one shoulder. "Sure."
Couldn't act enthused about it, could ya? Duo thought venomously.
"You and your boyfriend have a fight?" Heero asked as Duo started a pot of coffee.
His hands froze in the act of measuring the beans for grinding. "What makes you think that?" he asked neutrally, starting the noisy grinder.
Heero waited until he finished. "He drags you into the bathroom, and a few minutes later you leave without him."
Duo shot him a glare and poured the ground coffee into a filter. "You don't know me well enough to be asking me such a personal question." He poured water into the reservoir and turned the machine on.
And turned around to find Heero right behind him. Shit, when had that happened? How had the man moved so quickly and so quietly? His dark eyes bored down into Duo's, hot and intense.
"Maybe I would like to," the offer fell off the man's lips. "I would never drive you away like that."
Duo couldn't decide if that comment made the man less of an ass or more. "I think you should leave," he said quietly.
Heero didn't move and shit, he was so close. All he had to do was lean forward just the tiniest bit to trap Duo between the counter and his body. Yesterday, the thought would have made him shiver with delight. Now it made him feel cornered.
"Please," he said quietly.
Heero held his gaze for a few more seconds, then he turned on his heel and walked out. Duo didn't see him to the door, slumping against the counter when he heard it shut.
I was going to make this a oneshot, but it's longer than I thought. Next part will be the riveting conclusion! LOL. Just kidding.