Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, but you probably already know that.

Pairings: 2x4

Warnings: yaoi, of course. m/m sexual relations. Some original dialogue from the series was used.

Author's Notes: A big thank you to Miss M, for beta-ing!

This fic takes place during the episode "The Whereabouts of Happiness" and is meant to be a sort of prologue to a longer story I'm currently working on.


"Wanna join us?"

Such a simple invitation, but it meant everything to Duo Maxwell. He had just watched the death of Heero Yuy, a fellow soldier he'd thought completely unbreakable. He'd discarded his life for the sake of the colonies without a second thought and though Duo was nothing if not a close friend of death itself, something about watching Heero self-destruct had shaken him. Duo hadn't been rattled by death for a long time. He supposed that it was a good thing- to still be able to be surprised. To still be able to feel something. Even if that something was frighteningly similar to depression.

Duo looked down at the Gundam pilot standing on the cliff wall, flanked by his own army of mobile suits and looking up at him from underneath goggles that Duo would have made fun of if he had been in a better mood.

"Yeah, I do. I could use some sympathy right now," Duo answered honestly.

His answer sounded too somber to his own ears, yet he couldn't deny the truth behind them. Besides, he had a gut feeling that the boy on the cliff, with his neatly pressed button-down shirt and slacks, was no one to fear. There was something disarmingly trustworthy about him. And damn if Duo didn't have a thing for big, innocent eyes.

If there was something Duo could always count on, it was his sex drive. And yes, he hadn't really gotten laid since the start of Operation Meteor but he'd been a little busy saving the world from OZ's evil reign so excuse him if he hadn't been able to take care of his most basic needs. So maybe it was a bit ridiculous to be checking out the way the other pilot's ass moved in his dress pants, but Duo had never been one to deny himself pleasure. Safe in the confines of Deathscythe's cockpit, Duo allowed himself to check out the blonde for a few seconds before returning to mission mode. After all, they were still in danger.

Later on, Duo would find himself exchanging formal introductions with the blonde pilot and who would have thought that he'd end up being Quatre Raberba Winner, heir to the Winner family's wealth and influence. What the hell was a sheltered, rich kid doing getting involved in this war? It takes all types, Duo had said in response to Quatre's admission that he'd disinherited himself from his family. He had come off as dismissive on purpose, but he was impressed with Quatre. Duo had never been around anyone like him before. Quatre was charming and eloquent. He had all forty members of the Maganac Corps and the inhabitants of their underground base eating out of the palm of his hand. Duo had been around manipulative leaders before. He'd been a L2 street rat for most of his life and he knew that a person does not get to be in charge of others without being a major asshole.

Except that Quatre didn't seem like that at all. His smile came easily and he listened to the opinions of the Maganacs. He was polite, and not in an infuriatingly annoying way, but in an honest way. And that was kind of annoying. And kind of sexy.

Duo found himself utterly confused by the gentle nature of Quatre. He was a Gundam pilot and apparently the leader of an army. Why wasn't he barking out orders and demanding answers from Duo? Quatre's presence made him feel strangely comfortable and it was, frankly, disorienting. Duo did not like to feel disoriented. And he certainly didn't like the way his brain had taken special note of the fact that Quatre was an inch shorter than him when they had stood face to face and introduced themselves. And that he subconsciously gulped when Quatre led them to an unoccupied bedroom under the guise of getting to know each other better. Quatre had the upper hand in the situation, whether he knew it or not.

Quatre stood by the small window, propping it open to let some light into the shabby room. Duo looked around the room, noticing the single bed. A perfect size for two teenage boys, his brain supplied helpfully. Duo sighed loudly and dragged a wooden chair to the center of the room before straddling it. He resigned himself to the fact his thoughts were going to wander to some dark places as long as they were in this damn room and there was nothing he could do about it but try to focus on something else. Something other than the way the light streaming into the room made a halo of Quatre's hair.

Quatre turned from the window and Duo saw him falter for the first time. To any normal human, Quatre simply turned from the window and began talking. But Duo was trained by years of hard living to notice the slightest changes in a person's demeanor, so he noticed barely audible intake of breath and the tiny pause before Quatre began his line of questioning. And he definitely noticed the way Quatre's eyes drifted down to his crotch.

Well, that certainly changed things. If Duo had known Quatre was interested he would have jumped his bones the moment they had closed the door. After all, his body needed to release the pent up energy and frustration and sex had always been Duo's second favorite way to do so. Fighting, of course, was number one. And if you combine the two, well, Duo was just putty in your hands.

They continued their conversation, Quatre attempting to seem unaffected by the sudden tension that filled the room and Duo tried to hide a smile when he noticed the way Quatre was shifting awkwardly on the bed. They discussed their mission and their similarities, and even Heero for a while. But Duo could almost taste the tension that had settled after Quatre's blunder. Duo felt himself growing bolder with each shy glance he received from the other pilot.

"The colonies were a clear target once the Gundams got going," Quatre said, dejectedly.

Duo only nodded.

Silence settled between them then and Duo felt a familiar urge that so often came with the hopelessness he was feeling. He wanted to push Quatre onto the bed and fuck him senseless. He wanted to lose himself in the slighter boy's body and remove the image of the exploding Wing Gundam from his mind. He was tired of killing and of being the God of Death. He wanted to be a horny teenager for just a little while. And maybe Quatre understood that.

"You can sleep in this room if you'd like," Quatre began after a few moments, "I should probably go check in with Rashid."

He stood to go the door but Duo stood quickly and blocked his path. Quatre looked at Duo's priest outfit and licked his lips ever so slightly and Duo knew he had him. He felt like a wolf, circling its prey. Duo grinned, intoxicated by the effect he seemed to have on the other boy.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, yes. Well, I have to...um..go now...so..."

That he could reduce Quatre to stuttering over his words was the final straw for Duo and he stalked even closer. Quatre stepped backward until his back hit the wall and he gasped when Duo crowded him, placing one hand on Quatre's hip and the other braced on the wall behind them. Quatre blinked his eyes a few times, looking endearingly flustered and Duo dove in for a kiss, slowly and seductively, like he'd often done before but his lips met a force he was unprepared for. Quatre kissed him passionately, mouth wide open and tongue probing. Duo had been prepared for a chaste meeting of lips to start things off but Quatre kissed like a man who had been dying of thirst, finally receiving a drink of water.

It's probably his first kiss, Duo thought and the notion shouldn't have made him as hard as it did. He moaned at the thought of being the first person to claim Quatre's perfect lips and all but shivered when he felt Quatre's hands pressing lightly against his back. He kissed Quatre harder and brought their hips together in a single thrust that made Quatre whimper. But then, Quatre's eyes flew open and he pushed Duo back forcefully, breaking their kiss.

"What are you doing?" Quatre asked in an alarmed tone.

"Kissing you, obviously, but you knew that."

"Why?" Quatre sounded terrified and angry. Like a wild animal. Duo entertained the notion for a moment that perhaps he'd been mistaken about Quatre. But then, Quatre had kissed him back. Like he meant it. Like he wanted it too.

Duo pushed his face closer to Quatre's again, hoping to clarify some things and stop all the pesky talking but Quatre pushed him away again before he could reach his lips. This time, the shove was hard enough that Duo stumbled back a bit before regaining his footing.

"Okay, okay," Duo pacified. He put his arms up in mock surrender. "Sorry, I must have misread some signals or something."

The look of utter confusion and panic on Quatre's face made Duo's heart sink, especially since he'd been the one to put it there. A commotion below the window drew both of their attention and Quatre moved towards the door again.

"I'm sorry," Duo said.

"It's okay, I'm just not...you know...I can't be..." Quatre trailed off and Duo realized that he'd been right when he'd thought that it was Quatre's first kiss.

Duo had grown up an orphan on the streets, with no parental guidance to disapprove of his choices. He supposed most fifteen year olds knew little about sex and Quatre was probably even more clueless. Duo guessed the heir to a family fortune would live a pretty sheltered life.

"We should go see what that's all about," Quatre said quickly before opening the door and stepping through.

"Well, that was a bust," Duo's sarcastic tone filled the empty room. He sighed and straightened out his collar before following Quatre's path.


The next few days were filled with much less time to ponder the delicate situation Duo and Quatre found themselves in since their priority became to escape the unreasonable amount of OZ mobile suit patrols that were on their ass. Besides, Quatre seemed to have taken the ignore-the-awkwardness approach and soon the two pilots found themselves falling into a pattern. They talked of their reasons for joining Operation Meteor and life on their respective colonies. Mostly, they discussed their Gundams, waxing nostalgic about the first time they laid eyes on the machines and going on at length about the impressive mechanics of their Gundams like proud lovers.

In the night, they whispered quietly to avoid detection and took turns sleeping inside the mobile suit carrier they travelled in and keeping watch outside in the dense jungle.

"Quat," Duo said, arms stretching towards the night sky, "I think I'm going to call it a night. I'm beat. Mind taking the first watch?"

"No, not at all, Duo," Quatre smiled cheerfully, something that Duo had not gotten used to.

Duo smiled back, feeling a knot turning in his stomach and a heat rising in his cheeks. Despite the passage of time, the incident at the Maganacs' base still made Duo embarrassed. He'd never been rejected before. Duo had indigo eyes, a luscious head of hair and a sweet face. On most nights, all Duo had to do was give a feral grin and a crude joke and he could have anyone he wanted. But, he supposed, Quatre was a different kind of animal. He'd been brought up in a glittering world of wealth and power and stifling responsibilities while Duo had been barely scraping along for most of his life. So maybe fucking Quatre required a different approach. Though the mere thought of having Quatre underneath his hands went straight to his dick, Duo found that he was perfectly content to leave well enough alone. There was something so damn virginal about that guy that Duo almost felt bad for fantasizing about ripping that damn vest off his slim shoulders. And for what was about to come next.

Duo settled into the makeshift bed, tucked away in a corner of the hanger deck of the carrier. The entrance to the deck was still opened and Duo could hear the soft sounds of crickets and Quatre's footsteps as he monitored the perimeter of the area. He tried to make himself as comfortable as possible and closed his eyes. Duo felt exhausted but he couldn't fall asleep, not just yet. He didn't want to disappoint. He slowly unbuckled his belt and lowered his pants enough to fit his right hand into the waistband of his underwear. He slowly lowered those as well and began to stroke his hardening erection. Duo bit his lip to keep from crying out as images of Quatre's creamy skin and blue-green eyes filled his mind.

As if on cue, he heard a soft gasp from the entrance of the hanger deck. He moved his hand faster now, his thumb pushing against the head of his cock and his legs falling further apart. This was their nighttime ritual since they'd escaped the underground base. Duo would close his eyes, think of Quatre's slightly parted lips and how they had felt against his, and pretend he didn't know that Quatre watched from the shadows. He'd make a show of it - gasp a little louder than necessary, squirm a bit in the blanket. One night, Duo had unbuttoned his shirt and slowly dragged his fingertips up and down his bare chest while stroking himself. If the sound he'd heard escape Quatre's lips was anything to go by, the move was well received.

In the mornings, the two pilots would carry on like nothing had happened at all. Duo wondered suddenly if Quatre touched himself while watching him. The thought of the blonde pilot with his hand down his pants spurred him on, and Duo stroked himself faster and faster. He was so enraptured, eyes shut closed, that he didn't hear Quatre's footsteps softly edge closer to him until the other pilot was only a few feet away.

"Duo," Quatre whispered.

He froze in his motions, unsure of what to do. Quatre stepped closer and knelt on the ground beside him. He sat on back on his heels and folded his hands neatly in his lap. Duo's heart raced as he looked up at him; this was definitely uncharted territory. The two boys locked eyes and for a moment Duo feared what Quatre would do. But then Quatre's hand was over the one still holding his cock and he stroked Duo slowly. Duo began stroking with him, throwing his head back and letting his eyes slam shut. It was surreal; Duo had been dreaming of this moment since that first kiss but never thought it could come true. It was fodder for his fantasies and nothing more. Yet here Quatre was, hands trembling slightly and every so often slipping from on top of Duo's and touching his cock. The feel of Quatre's newly calloused hands on the soft skin of his dick was enough to drive Duo closer to the edge and just when he thought it couldn't get better, Quatre removed his hands and moved between Duo's legs.

Duo was sure he'd done something exceptional to deserve such a heavenly reward. When he felt Quatre's hot breath on his sensitive dick, he nearly came apart. Then Quatre placed a small kiss on the tip and Duo thanked whatever god had made this possible. Quatre took Duo fully into his mouth, bobbing his head back and forth and running the flat of his tongue on the underside of Duo's cock. He was imperfect. Quatre used a bit too much teeth and not enough tongue but his mouth was warm and tight and he sucked Duo with an eagerness that left him breathless.

Duo raised his head and looked down at the golden head of hair bobbing onto him, eyelashes fluttering and throat swallowing. He moaned at the sight and the sensation and his hands moved to tangle themselves in Quatre's hair. Quatre pushed off suddenly, shoving Duo's hands away from him. He sat up, out of breath, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt.

"I'm sorry," he said, and Duo realized Quatre was trembling. Duo sat up, too, cupping Quatre's chin and gently moving his head to force him to meet his eyes.

"It's alright, Quatre," Duo said earnestly, "really, it's alright."

He wished his words conveyed all he meant to say. It's alright to feel how you feel, to want who you want, to be who you are. But he'd never been the emotionally expressive type and Quatre seemed to need so much more than he could give him. So he rubbed his thumb lightly against Quatre's cheekbone and smiled at him.

"I've never done anything like this," Quatre ventured, "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"We don't have to do anything," Duo said, though a certain part of his mind screamed yes, we do.

"I want to, I want to so much. I want you so much I feel like I'm dying, Duo," Quatre said fiercely as his hands grabbed at Duo's shoulders.

"Alright, alright," Duo chuckled fondly, "I'll teach you then."

They moved in the makeshift bed of blankets on the cold, metal floor. Duo climbed in after Quatre, settling himself gently over the other boy and leaning down to kiss him.

"I already checked the perimeter and there was nothing suspicious," Quatre said suddenly.

Duo barked out a laugh. "You would be thinking about that at a time like this. You have got to relax."

He punctuated his sentence by kissing Quatre softly, lips brushing over the other boy's and hands stroking his face. Quatre was still shuddering but his eyes flew closed and he kissed back sweetly, his arms wrapped around Duo's shoulders. They kissed and kissed and kissed. Duo thought vaguely that Quatre tasted like the ocean, salty and fresh. He moaned into the kiss and opened his mouth wider to allow Quatre's tongue inside. Quatre's hands moved to Duo's braid, tracing it all the way to the end before coming back up and threading into the back of Duo's head.

Duo grew bolder, settling one of his legs between Quatre and rubbing his knee against Quatre's erection. He was rewarded with a breathy moan from Quatre when their lips finally parted. Quatre opened his eyes and looked up at Duo. He chewed his lip nervously and his fingers scratched lightly at Duo's hair. The soft moonlight that streamed into the hanger deck made Quatre's skin glow and it was impossible to tell whether his eyes were blue or green. Duo wanted to ask him if he knew how damn beautiful he was like this, but that would mean making this into something more. It meant admitting that his heart was pounding against his chest for reasons other than the temptation.

"I want you to fuck me."

Duo blinked a few times and then frowned, wondering if he had heard what he thought he had. His face must have shown the confusion he felt because Quatre repeated it.

"Please," Quatre added politely and Duo couldn't help but laugh.

"You are something else, you know that, Quat?" Duo said, shifting from on top of the other boy to lie on his side.

"You said you'd teach me," Quatre reminded Duo in a way that sounded too much like begging and Duo had to wonder if Quatre knew how much that turned him on.

"I don't think you really want me to be your first time."

"Please, Duo." He wrapped his arms around Duo again, bringing him back on top and between his legs. "I want this," Quatre continued, grinding his hips against Duo, making him groan, "I want you to fuck me, please."

Duo tried to resist. He really did. There were so many reasons to say no. They really should have been paying attention to OZ patrols, Quatre was woefully inexperienced and no amount of lubrication would make this any easier for him. Not to mention the fact that they didn't even have lube. But the way Quatre was wantonly grinding against him and looking up at him through half-lidded eyes made all those thoughts fly out of Duo's head.

He surrendered to the hard planes of Quatre's body and he kissed him soundly while his hands worked to unbuckle Quatre's belt and shove the pants away. He continued to kiss Quatre as his hand worked his cock quickly, making Quatre moan into their kiss. Duo's other hand wandered between Quatre's legs and grabbed his cheeks with more force than he meant to. But Duo couldn't help himself. He was panting and needy and there was a beautiful boy underneath him, offering himself up to him like a lamb to the slaughter and Duo wasn't going to disappoint. He was going to destroy him.

Duo shoved his fingers into Quatre's mouth, momentarily shocking him before he got the hint and sucked until the fingers were thoroughly coated. Then, Duo withdrew his hand and his finger traced the ring of muscle between Quatre's cheeks. He kissed Quatre roughly until he felt him relax beneath him. Slowly, Duo breeched Quatre's entrance, shallowly thrusting his finger in and out, willing Quatre to relax further. He added a second finger, scissoring Quatre open. When Duo added the third finger he must have hit the spot that made Quatre see stars because he broke their kiss with a shout. He wrapped his arms tighter around Duo, his mouth letting out a shaky breath against Duo's ear.

The broken way Quatre whispered his name made Duo feel like a god and he grinned viciously against the side of Quatre's face. He licked his palm and jacked himself, using the spit and his own pre-cum to make himself slick. Duo didn't give Quatre a chance to brace himself before he lined up his achingly hard cock against his entrance and buried himself to the hilt inside him. Quatre let out a loud cry and the two boys lay almost motionless. All Duo could hear was his blood pounding in his ears and the soft whimpers coming from Quatre. He looked down at the pained expression on Quatre's face, eyes closed and brows furrowed. Slowly, Quatre opened his watery eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly. It was all that Duo needed.

Duo opened Quatre's legs wider and thrust into him. He started out slowly, waiting for Quatre's groans of encouragement and he leaned down to kiss the smaller boy, his lips pecking Quatre's forehead and kissing the tears away from his eyes. Quatre moved his head and kissed Duo's mouth with abandon and it took all of Duo's self-control to continue at his delicate pace. But Quatre was so tight around him; so young, so innocent, so unexplored. So many of the things Duo had never been. So very, very tight, and Duo soon found himself thrusting harder and faster. Quatre's legs wrapped around his waist and he grunted with each thrust. Quatre made these perfect little noises that drove Duo wild and he pumped harder and harder and felt so close to the edge. He felt his orgasm building at the pit of his stomach so he wrapped his hand around Quatre's untouched cock, pumping in tune with his thrusts. With a sudden shout, Quatre came, spurting white into Duo's hand and their stomachs. Duo tumbled over the edge soon after, unable to control himself when Quatre clenched around him.

A wave of exhaustion washed over the boys as they laid side by side, their breaths still coming in short bursts. Quatre and Duo stared at the ceiling, unable to look at each other. Duo had never felt both so guilty and so satisfied. He braved a look in Quatre's direction to survey the damage. Quatre was covered in a layer of sweat, his hair matted and stuck to his forehead and there was a pool of drying cum on his shirt. His bottom half was naked and, no doubt, freezing. His chest rose and fell rapidly and his cheeks were stained with his tears. He looked absolutely debauched and Duo hated how good it made him feel that he had taken this boy's innocence.

He was about to mutter an apology when Quatre turned to him and smiled widely.

"Thank you," Quatre said quietly and reverently.

Duo smiled back. "The pleasure was all mine, Quat."

Quatre laughed a little at that and wrapped the blanket around himself. "Is it always going to be this tiring?" he asked between yawns.

"If you're doing it right," Duo chuckled as he stood up, zipping his pants and fixing his shirt. "I'm going to take the next watch," he continued but Quatre was already fast asleep. He wrapped the sheet tighter around the blonde before stepping outside into the cool night.

Duo's skin tingled with cooling sweat and the afterglow of a good fuck and he shivered in the darkness. He looked up at the night sky, littered with stars and lit up by the full moon. Duo could see the faint brushes of nebulas in the inky black. He wrapped his arms around himself and thought of Quatre's slim legs and wide eyes. If they weren't in the middle of a war, Duo would have been content to spend the rest of his life trying to figure out the color of Quatre's eyes. But that's not who they were. They weren't average teenage boys, they were elite soldiers and the battlefield was no place for the feeling rising in his chest. But maybe for just this one night, Duo could pretend.