Title: Ashes and Cloves: Into the Melting Pot We Go! Part One of ???
Author: HeeroDuo1x2x1
Feedback: I like feedback! The more, the better! Nice comments are nice, and giraffes that cluck will laugh at flames. Tell me if something doesn't make sense, or if there's a grammar/spelling mistake that messes up part of the story!
Disclaimer: I own very little right now, and, of course, Gundam Wing is not amongst my possessions for the time being. But that's not going to keep me from hoping, right? Right. So, since I'm being forced to write a disclaimer, I will. Don't own, can't afford, NO SUE POOR PERSON! *Nods solemnly, and sighs oddly.*

Nao-chan: Ahh, the scent of shounen ai in the evening! *breathes deeply.*

Naruku: *shifty eyes Nao-chan.* Yep. Now, the next step of our devious thievious plot to take over the world with yaoi is…. *whisper, whisper* and then…. *quiet, quiet*!

Nao-chan: *squeals* Coooool!! Sounds like fun!! Let me go tell the G-boys!! *runs away and returns with little chibified pilots tied to… objects.* Hey, you guys guess what! *whisper, whisper, quiet, quiet.*

Chibi-Fei: *gets a VERY bad nose bleed.*

Chibi-Duo: *Evil laughter* OOooOOoo!!! Sounds like funeth!

Chibi-Hee: *cute li'l death glare.* Omae o korosu.

Don't trust the muses! They'll betray you!

Warnings/Rating: 1+2/2+1; PG-13 for language and shounen ai; OOCness, Sudden POV changes and errrr…. Stuff. ENJOY!

The exchange was brief. A slight brush of the shoulders, a moment where their eyes were locked, and following the other with their eyes inconspicuously. It had been the same for the past week, since the new tenant had moved in. The man was fairly mysterious, according to the residents. He had full, long chestnut hair always tied back in a braid, and large and expressive violet-blue eyes. At first, he was mistaken for a woman because of his small, lithe figure and his hair. Some insisted that he was a woman. Others said he was an angel because of his feminine appearance.

But everyone agreed on one thing: He was beautiful. Not handsome, not even gorgeous. Beautiful was the only word that seemed to fit when describing the man. Everyone thought so. They knew nothing of him, not even his name, but they all wanted him to notice them, to talk to them. He didn't. All he saw was one person, the one person who he brushed into every morning. The one person he stared into the eyes of on a daily occasion. He saw this person as what everyone called him. Beautiful.

A cold man with unruly chocolate brown hair and impassive cobalt blue eyes, Heero Yuy was, at one time, the man the girls stalked. He was tall, with chiseled oriental features and a defined face. His expression rarely changed, his eyes rarely strayed from their target. At only 21, he had women swooning over him as much as the violet-eyed tenant. Yet, Heero was thought to be unreachable, unattainable to anyone. He wanted no one.

They always bumped into each other at the same times almost everyday. When Heero locked his door in the morning, the violet-eyed man would be returning from his night-job. When Heero came home, the violet-eyed man would be leaving hastily, usually pulling on a jacket or shoe as he scurried down the hall.

It happened on a Saturday. The violet-eyed man had been at the apartment complex for only 3 weeks, and he and Heero had yet to truly speak. But, it finally happened that day. They spoke. It was one of those instances that don't happen very often, only when you should be doing something you're not. Heero's apartment, while was usually stocked with non-perishable foods, was completely devoid of any edible substances. Slightly annoyed and irritable that he had to go shopping on a Saturday, he stormed from his apartment and collided with the violet-eyed man. Both fell to the ground, shocked. The violet-eyed man was the first to his feet, and, as if by habit, automatically reached to help Heero up as well.

"Hey, Sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean to bump into you." His voice was melodic tenor, and he smelled of ashes and cloves.

Heero shook his head, not removing his eyes from the man's symmetric face, "We're both in a hurry, it's perfectly reasonable that we collided."

The man grinned, his eyes shining, "Great…! Erm… I know your face, but not your name…"

Heero blinked, realizing quite suddenly that he and the violet-eyed man hadn't really spoke until just that moment, "Heero Yuy."

"I'm Duo! It's fantastic to finally talk to you! I mean, I see you everyday and all we've ever said to each other is 'hi' and 'hn.'" Duo rubbed the back of his head, laughing slightly, "Sorry, I go off on tangents a lot. I'm probably delaying you. Plus, I gotta restock my fridge, anyway."

Heero stared at Duo for a moment, his mind going over a list of ways in which he could shut the man's mouth. No matter how much Heero disliked the idea, the first item on each list he came up with was simple. Grab him, kiss him and grope him. He quickly killed each thought, knowing that you don't make out with people you've just met, even if they were the most beautiful person on earth. Heero smirked inwardly, 'He is.'

It took a moment, but Duo's words finally sank in. "You're going shopping? That's where I'm headed." Heero, despite the fact that his every neuron, every fiber in his body had never suggested such a thing before, added, "You can tag along with me, if you want."

Duo's eyes lit up. To him, it was amazing. The object of his unhealthy infatuation since he had arrived wanted to go shopping with him. So what if it wasn't glamourous, but it was a start.

And a wonderful start it was. It became a normal event. Every Saturday, they would go shopping together, and then have dinner together. Sometimes they went out, other times they ate over at Heero's or at Duo's. That was the beginning of their friendship, and as most friendships go, it continued to grow with time.

        Heero's POV

Saturday. It became, very quickly, my favorite day of the week. We didn't go shopping that Saturday. Instead, we wandered around town. The sunlight spilled over Duo's hair and skin in a display that made him look extremely attractive, and I found myself stealing glances at him as we walked. He wore a simple outfit, a black tank top and black pants, but it accentuated his form so perfectly that he looked like a mythological god. Was I physically attracted to him? You would figure that after being around someone for over a month, you would become used to their appearance. But with Duo, it was like not noticing a great piece of art, because that's what he was. Flawless, a perfect portrait of a god. I noticed every small detail, and I cherished all of him as inconspicuously as possible.  I was, without a doubt, physically attracted to him. Hell, maybe even more than that.

He made everything interesting. His laughter would fill me, and I'd find myself smiling at his jokes, listening to his voice. He was the only person who could make me smile, and he knew it. I'd only known him for a little over a month, but I already knew more about him than anyone, and I already trusted him more than anyone. He had that effect on me, and I would've gone to the end of the world for him. But I never spoke these sentiments to him; I never even dared for a long time.

"So, are we eating out or am I cooking?" Duo looked at me with raised eyebrows, and I shrugged, not allowing my thoughts to be displayed on my face or in my eyes. I could tell that he wanted to eat out. His eyes strayed to a small diner on the corner every few moments, and I didn't want to disappoint him because we'd eaten out last weekend.

"Out. That diner seems fine." I glanced at the diner, seeing Duo's face out of the corner of my eye. He grinned, grabbing hold of my arm and pulling me towards it. It was all I could do not to blush at the contact. His hands, I found, were always quite cool, and sent invisible shivers through me. This time was no different. As he pulled me through the door and released my arm, I found myself wishing he hadn't.  My arm felt bare now, devoid. But, I ignored the feeling efficiently, sitting down at a booth in the corner across from where Duo had sat down. Our knees were touching.

"What kind of diner chit-chat are we going to start today?" Duo asked, an impish look on his face. I didn't like that look much. It frightened me slightly. "Maybe we should start with a subject I find very interesting."

I quirked an eyebrow, still not liking the look on Duo's face, "What would that be?"

"Oh, not much. I'm just moving." The impish grin widened and I gasped in horrour. He couldn't move, I wouldn't let him! He'd only lived in the apartments for two months, and leaving now was out of the question.

I remained collected in my response. "Where to?"

He obviously wasn't expecting me to be calm about it, even though I was screaming on the inside, because he looked taken aback. He shook it off, and grinned, "Guess."

I shrugged, although I wanted to strangle his beautiful crème neck, "Hn."

He rolled his eyes, and leaned forward slightly, our knees pressing against each other more forcefully. His amethyst eyes sparkled in the florescent diner lighting, and his mouth turned up into a crooked grin. "Do you really want to know?"

I followed his lead and leaned in myself. "What do you think?"

Duo leaned back casually and slowly, his mischievous look never faultering. "I'm moving in with you."

Whatever I was expecting, that wasn't it. I had expected him to say that he was moving to another country or something of the like. But not that. I was silent, and he looked disappointed. He must've assumed that I didn't like this idea. But, I thought it was wonderful, magnificent. It was welcomed with open arms. I grabbed his hands in mine and squeezed, a small smile forming on my lips. My cold disposition was melting, and I found myself not really caring.

"This is wonderful!" I exclaimed, finally letting go of his hands. Duo stared at his hands for a moment before looking up at me and grinning ear to ear. I wished I knew what he was thinking. I loved his smiles. They were always so expressive, so full of life and so very beautiful. He had begun to speak again, but I was more focused on his voice and gesticulations. I never moved my eyes from him.

He finished speaking, and I grunted the affirmative. His question? His bed was going to be the last thing brought into my –our– apartment, and Duo needed someplace to sleep. He and I were going to share a bed. It actually worked out nicely that way, I suppose, although I was saddened that we were only in the bed together on Saturday and Sunday. Duo worked nights at a local café, while I have daytime hours at a large software company. So it was very much as if we both still lived alone. We only really saw each other on weekends and when one left for work.

A/N: I'm VERY pleased with how this is coming along, but I need help! I'm not sure if I should have the other characters make an appearance or not. Yay or nay?

Nao-chan: Which means yes?

¬_¬ *sighs* Yay.

  Nao-chan: Oh, akay!

Next chapter:

Ashes and Cloves: Dinner at the Circus! Part 2