Title: So Long As It's Non-Alcoholic
Pairings: 2x3x2
Warnings: Lemon, drunken behaviour, probably a little OCC - but then when you're drunk, its allowed.
Disclaimers: The GBoys aren't mine. I'm only borrowing them, and promise to return them in their original state...well, maybe a *little* hungover.
Thanks to Rainbow for beta reading this. The usual amount will be deposited in your bank account.
Comments: This was spawned by the scene in the final ep of the series, in which Duo says they'll celebrate with expensive champagne, to which Quatre replies so long as it's non-alcoholic. I just had to laugh at that, and had this image of Duo sitting in Deathscythe, blinking in shock, and wondering what the hell Quatre was on, and if he was really being serious. And from there, he plotted.
Written for the TroDuo Fic Contest at http://welcome.to/TroDuoContest
I've been told the lemon scene gets kinda pwp-ish. I guess this is okay, because I figure sex doesn't really NEED a plot. Right? ;)
"Speech"
/Thoughts/
*Italics*
::Telephone::
So Long As It's Non-Alcoholic
/If I'm perfectly honest,/ Duo Maxwell reflected to himself as he sneaked around the wall of the giant ballroom, /I just don't belong here. All this glitz and glamour is a *little* over the top/. He pulled at his tie to loosen it a little more, and glanced around the room. The hall was decorated to the limits of taste, garlands of flowers and streamers strewn over the place, giant banners commemorating the end of the war adorning the walls. The overall ambience seemed to be rich and golden, from the flowers to the lighting. Groups of people stood together, chatting, while couples danced to the music provided by the orchestra positioned on the stage.
The whole affair served the double purpose of celebrating the end of the war, and paying tribute to those who had fought for peace. As the pilot of Gundam Deathscythe, and for the role he played in helping to end the war, Duo was a guest of honour along with the other Gundam pilots. The only one of their group missing was Heero, and Duo couldn't really muster up any surprise at that. He didn't think that an After-War celebration was part of Heero's mission.
Considering he was one of the guests of honour, people were taking surprisingly little notice of him. /Which is fine with me/ Duo thought to himself, smirking as he crept closer to the table where the punch was located. More precisely, the punch that Quatre Raberba Winner had been drinking through the evening so far. A rather, in Duo's not so humble opinion, bland punch, that was lacking in any useful content. A sad situation he was about to remedy.
/So long as it's non-alcoholic my *ass*/ Duo thought, looking around for the boy in question. He spotted him across the room, deep in conversation with some chick he didn't know. And Trowa. The object of his desire. It was, thus far, an unrequited love. He'd lusted after Heavyarms' pilot since the beginning, dreamed about him, and indulged in countless fantasies about the young man. Duo's heart skipped as he surreptitiously studied the quiet boy, drinking in the curve of smooth cheek with his eyes, the brown bangs that obscured half of his beautiful face. Many times Duo had just barely managed to resist the urge to push those bangs back, away from his face, to see Trowa's features in all their glory. /And to see if he actually has another eye under all that hair/ Duo grinned. Although he had to admit there was something endearing about just the one emerald eye peeking through his soft brown locks.
His smile faded a little as Quatre leaned in close to Trowa, his words making a small smile appear on the taller boy's lips. /Damn, those two are so close/ Duo thought wistfully. /I don't stand a chance/. He tried not to let it affect him, but sometimes watching the pair of them together almost physically hurt. And as much as he wanted Trowa, he couldn't hurt them by coming between them, or whatever relationship they might have. He sighed, mentally shaking himself back to reality, then grimaced as he realised Quatre was making his way across the room.
Forcing any glum thoughts to the back of his mind, he turned back to the task and hand and slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket, producing a bottle of vodka. /How the hell are we supposed to celebrate something this monumental without alcohol?/ he wondered. /I refuse to believe Q is that damn innocent. Hell, I'd bet he was weaned on expensive champagne/. He unscrewed the bottle, sure to keep it out of sight below the table. Sweeping his eyes surreptitiously around the room one last time to make sure Quatre hadn't spotted him, and that he wasn't being observed by anyone else, he tipped the bottle into the punch, giving it a quick swirl to make the liquid drain faster. Quickly, he shook the last few drops out, then screwed the cap back on the bottle, slipping it back into his pocket to dispose of later.
"Duo!" Quatre exclaimed in greeting, ambling over to the table.
/Just in time/ Duo thought with relief, scooping up the ladle and pouring himself and Quatre a glass of punch. "Punch, Q-man?" he asked, fixing a huge smile on his face as he held the drink out to his comrade. Quatre smiled back in thanks. "Guess you're used to this, huh?" Duo asked conversationally, gesturing to the room at large while watching like an eagle as Quatre took a mouthful of his drink.
The blonde frowned at his cup briefly, then shrugged, swallowing another mouthful. Duo sighed inwardly with relief. /So far, so good/
"I suppose. I'm not a big fan of large gatherings like this. They make me a little uncomfortable."
Duo took a mouthful of his own drink to hide the smirk that forced itself on his lips. /Keep drinking that and you're not gonna have to worry about feeling uncomfortable/. "Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way." Duo replied conversationally. "I feel like a fish out of water."
Quatre smiled again and drained his glass. "You know, I think this punch improves the more you drink it. It seems to have acquired a certain...kick." He reached over and helped himself to more.
/Once you start down the path to the dark side, forever will it dominate your destiny/. In his head, Shinigami laughed the evilest and most sadistic laugh he was capable of.
~*Hours And Uncountable Cups Of Punch, Bottles of Wine, And Anything Alcoholic They Could Get Their Hands On Later*~
"'n then Trowa runs outta the bathroom, to find out what all the screamin' was about. Only...only, he forgot his towel, so he's standing there in nothin' but his birthday suit. An' then me and Wuffie, we both suddenly stop yellin' at each other, gawpin' at Trowa. An' he sudd'nly re'lises that he's stark naked, an' lets out with this adori..adoru..really cute squeaking sound, and dives back into the bathroom, slammin' the door shut behind 'im!"
Duo giggled uncontrollably at Quatre's tale, sliding off his chair to join the highly inebriated blonde on the floor. Of course, it helped that the subject was Trowa. Duo could listen to stories about Trowa for hours if it meant he could learn something about the quiet boy. He said so very little about himself, and his past; he was a mystery Duo was dying to solve. And who better than Quatre, who seemed to know him best, to get information from?
Both pilots were worse for wear, red faced, ties undone, tuxedos crumpled messily. Quatre's hair was sticking up at odd angles, while Duo's braid had seen better days, whole lengths having come loose. He wasn't sure when he'd lost his hair-tie, and was drunk enough that he didn't give a damn. When he'd managed to get Quatre more than a little intoxicated, Duo had suggested raiding the bar and finding somewhere quiet to have fun. Quatre had agreed enthusiastically. So here they were, in a quiet room somewhere near the ballroom, surrounded by empty bottles, and drunk out of their minds. /Mission complete/ Duo cackled happily.
"An' you shoulda *seen* the shade of red he turned." Quatre was continuing, "I *swear* his whole body blushed!" he fumbled for a bottle beside him, tipping it up, and frowning when nothing came out. "Du-o." he whined. "There's nothing coming out. It's broken!"
Duo hiccupped, shaking the nearest bottle to him. Ascertaining that it had at least some liquid left in it, he handed it over to Quatre, whose face split into a huge grin before he guzzled at it greedily. /Man,/ Duo reflected, /When he loosens up, he *really* loosens up. And he's fun with it/.
"So, how big was he?" Duo asked, trying to sound nonchalant, when really he was bursting with curiosity. Quatre looked at him in a comically puzzled fashion, eyebrows drawn together. "Oh, man, how *big* was he?" Duo repeated, gesturing wildly at his crotch.
Quatre blushed a shade of red Duo reckoned could rival Trowa's. "Dunno." The blonde muttered around the bottle.
Duo blinked. "You mean you didn't even look?!" he yelped incredulously. "Trowa's standin' there in his naked glory, and you didn't even sneak a peek?!"
"Well, a little one." Quatre admitted, blushing even more.
Duo smirked, sliding up the wall into a sitting position. "Trowa has a little penis?" he teased.
"No!" Quatre protested, eyes open wide. "I meant I sneaked a little peek!"
"Uuuuh huh?"
"Well, maybe a not so little a peek."
"And?" Duo bounced impatiently. "How big is his ding dong?!"
Quatre suddenly smirked evilly. "An' why would *you* want to know?"
/Oh, shit. I can't tell him why I'm interested in Trowa!/ Duo gulped. "Ah, for the worthy cause of gossip." he recovered quickly. /And I didn't even lie. This conversation counts as gossip, right?/
Quatre raised his eyebrows, and smirked sceptically. "And who're *you*," he said, jabbing his finger emphatically at Duo, "Gonna gossip 'bout Trowa with?"
Duo blinked in dismay, stumped slightly. He had a point there. It wasn't exactly a topic of conversation he'd likely ever talk much about with Heero or Wufei or even Quatre, if he was sober. And discussing the nature of Trowa's endowments in particular would be even less plausible. It must have shown in his expression that he couldn't think of a response, because Quatre began chuckling.
"Thought so." he nodded. "So why'd you really want to know 'bout the contents of Trowa's pants?" he asked again. Duo sat there miserably, trying to think of a reason to give, *anything* but the truth.
Quatre leaned closer, conspiratorially. "You like him, right?"
A small squeak escaped Duo's lips, his eyes widening as he shook his head, in denial at the situation rather than Quatre's statement. This wasn't happening. "Quatre…"
"'Cos he likes you, you know?" Quatre grinned wildly.
Duo was suddenly floored. He couldn't have heard that right. *Trowa* liked *him*? "But you two have something going on!" Duo blurted out.
Quatre blinked at Duo, then burst into giggles. "Me and Trowa?" Tears began to stream down the blonde's face. "Now, *that's* the funniest thing I've heard in a long time!"
The situation was rapidly becoming too complicated and strange for Duo's drink hazed mind. "But you're so close. He even opens up to you."
"We're just friends." Quatre smiled, wiping his tears away with the sleeve of his shirt. "Just good friends."
"You mean you've never even considered anything more?" Duo asked incredulously. Quatre was in the position to make Trowa his, and he hadn't even made a move? "Why?" Duo voiced his confusion.
"Well, Trowa admitted he wanted to a while back, but he realised it wouldn't work so never tried to take it further."
"Huh?!"
"I don't swing that way, Duo." Quatre smirked, eyes glittering with amusement. "I even left a casual girlfriend behind when I came to earth."
"You're straight?!" Duo's world had just upended itself. He'd just naturally assumed Quatre was gay. There was something about him that made Duo automatically assume the boy was. His mannerisms, soft nature. His close relationship with Trowa and Duo had a feeling that both Heero and Wufei had assumed the same as he in that there was something more than friendship between the two. Duo didn't usually read people so wrongly. And then here was Quatre, telling him that not only was there nothing going on between he and Trowa, but that he was straight, too.
And that Trowa Barton liked he, Duo Maxwell. Talk about a bombshell. If he wasn't so stunned, he'd have been dancing around the room singing the Hallelujah Chorus. As it was, his brain was having a hard time convincing his lungs that it was imperative that breathing should happen, preferably *now*.
"So you do like him, don't you?" Quatre asked again, interrupting his thoughts.
Duo's breath left his lungs in a whoosh, and he could only look at Quatre, nodding mutely.
"Ah ha! Thought so." Quatre exclaimed, a smug expression creeping onto his face.
"How do you know he likes me?" Duo demanded, finally managing to get a sentence out.
"Because he told me." Quatre replied, matter-of-factly.
"Wow. I feel faint." Duo leaned back against the wall heavily. He was also feeling distinctly sobered up. Nothing like a shock to bring you to your senses. "All this time I liked him, and it turns out he feels the same way."
Quatre grinned, nodding enthusiastically. "He likes you a lot."
"So why didn't he say anything? Wasn't it obvious I liked him? I was all over him - I always tease and play with him more than the rest of you!"
Quatre chortled. "You're all over everyone. He thought it was just part of your hyperactive friendly nature. And if he did notice you paid more attention to him, he probably thought it was wishful thinking on his part."
"You ever tell him you thought I liked him back?"
Quatre shook his head. "Not in so many words. I did tell him that he should tell you how he feels, but he brushed that idea off - thought you'd reject him. Trowa is actually quite shy beneath it all, and doesn't really like opening up to other people. It took days of prying to get him to admit he liked you." Quatre grinned. "And then there's the fact he was adamant that you liked girls I was beginning to think he might be right, actually. It's the way you keep flirting with them whenever we're around them for any extended periods of time."
"Flirt with girls?!" Duo exclaimed, horrified. "I don't! I don't like them!"
"You still flirt."
"It's my natural charm." he protested. "I can't help reacting to an audience. If someone pays me attention, I automatically play up to it. I'm a people person."
"You just like being the centre of attention." Quatre smirked.
"That too." Duo admitted sheepishly. "But I don't *like* girls in that way, despite what it may look like."
"I know that now." Quatre nodded. "What we have to do now is make Trowa realise this."
Duo blinked. "What?"
Quatre gave Duo a *look*. "Do you want to get together with Trowa?"
"Well, yeah. Of course."
"Then we need to make it happen."
"We? You're going to help me?"
"Why not? I want you guys to get together, and I know Trowa reasonably well, so who better than me to help you along?" he winked. "Unless you don't want my help…" Quatre let the sentence hang.
"No, no, please, I'd love your help. I can't do this alone." Duo informed him hastily. Quatre was his best hope.
Quatre smiled enthusiastically. "Good. That's what I hoped."
Duo narrowed his eyes at his friend. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Quatre blushed. "I can't help it. I'm dying to play matchmaker. I hope you don't mind?"
"Hey, if this gets me and Trowa together, I'll gladly submit myself to your will." Duo assured. "So, what do we do?"
Quatre settled back against the wall. "Give me a few minutes. I'll come up with something." Whereupon he proceeded to think quietly, brows pulled close together as he concentrated. Duo sat watching him, trying to think of a plan himself, but failing as his mind kept swirling around the knowledge that Trowa liked him. He had a chance! It was more than he'd ever hoped for, what he'd dreamed of. But try as he might, his mind kept drawing blanks when it came to formulating a way to make all of his dream come true.
He dismissed jumping him in public and proclaiming undying love Trowa would probably think he was making a joke at his expense, and Duo would only have achieved hurting the boy, which was the opposite of what he wanted. Kidnapping held certain kinky possibilities, but Duo was sure it would serve to either piss Trowa off, or lead him to believe that Shinigami had finally slipped over the edge of reason. Something Duo wasn't entirely sure hadn't happened already.
He became gradually aware that Quatre was scrambling unsteadily to his feet, and grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. "Come on." he said, trying to pull Duo to his feet. "I have a plan."
Duo stood up carefully, and eyed the other boy warily. "Plan? What would this plan involve?"
"It involves getting you and Trowa, alone at home, in your bedroom."
"You plan on achieving this how exactly?" Duo asked uncertainly.
Quatre turned a wide eyed look of pure innocence onto Duo. "Fear not, I have it all worked out. Getting you there won't be a problem. You're left with the hard part of seducing him. But first…" Quatre rubbed his hands together, and grinned wickedly, "We need to find more drinks."
With that, Quatre ambled out of the room and in the direction of the nearest source of alcohol.
/I've created a monster/ Duo thought, hurrying after his companion. /Although taking into account the shocks I've had this evening, maybe a drink wouldn't be a bad idea after all/
~*^*~
"Twenty-three little Gundams, shooting at a base," Duo and Quatre sang as they hunted for their victim. They were a little off-key due to drink, and drawing some very amused looks. "Twenty-three little Gundams, shooting at a base, and if one little Gundam should fall fla-at on its face.." Alright, the wording was a little dubious, Duo knew, but he'd never claimed to be a lyrical genius, and they were enjoying themselves too much to care, anyway. He took a deep breath to belt out the next line. "There'll be twenty-two little Gundams, shooting at a base!"
"Twenty-two little Gundams, shooting at a…ah, there they are." Quatre trailed off, pointing vaguely across the room. Duo squinted, finally spotting Trowa and Wufei through the milling guests. Judging by Wufei's arched brow, they'd already been spotted. /Or heard, more likely/ he guessed. He let out a disgruntled and pained squawk as Quatre yanked him firmly by the braid over to their comrades.
"Easy with the hair!" he yelped.
Quatre let go, looking sheepish, then muttered quietly, "Alright. Now, remember to play sick."
"That won't be hard to do." Duo groused, rubbing the back of his head, and glowering at Quatre, who motioned for him to move again.
He sighed, and reflected on Quatre's plan. Simple, really. Duo would pretend to be feeling a little under the weather, and Quatre would turn on the puppy eyes and tell Trowa that it would probably be a good idea if he took Duo home to rest. From there, Duo had to do his best to seduce Trowa, and have his wicked way with him. Simple in theory. In practice, they'd already hit an obstacle.
"What happens if Wufei takes me home instead of Trowa?" Duo voiced his concern.
"Well, you could always seduce him." Quatre joked.
"But I want Trowa!" Duo's lip wobbled petulantly.
"And that's who'll be taking you home." Quatre soothed him, a determined glint in his eye. "Trust me."
Duo leaned heavily on Quatre as they approached the other pilots, shifting his expression to look as pitifully ill as possible. The way his stomach was somersaulting with nerves, there wasn't much need for acting.
"Well, *this* answers what you two have been doing all evening." Wufei commented disdainfully. Duo shot him a wounded glance, cursing to himself. He really didn't want to be doing this in front of Wufei. Not only would it 'prove' to him that Duo was obviously an irresponsible kid, but and this was what damaged his pride it would suggest he couldn't hold his liquor.
Quatre frowned in Wufei's direction, and turned to Trowa, who had so far been silent. Duo studied him, noting a flash of anxiety cross his face as he glanced at them. "Are you two alright?" he asked.
"Duo doesn't feel too good." Quatre radiated concern for Duo's well-being.
"Oh?" Wufei asked. "You mean he drank too much."
Duo's glare this time was venomous, prompting a look of amusement to appear in Wufei's eyes. /Irritating bastard/. He was suddenly tempted to get Wufei rip-roaring drunk in retaliation, if only to make barbed comments him about drinking too much.
Quatre ignored him, speaking to Trowa again. "I was wondering if you'd mind taking him home? I'd ask Wufei, but he and Duo would probably end up killing each other before they were even half way home." he looked pointedly at Wufei, as if daring him to make a comment. Wufei stared impassively back, then looked meaningfully between Duo and Quatre, obviously wondering what they were plotting.
Trowa looked at Duo, who in turn attempted to look even more pitiful. He shrugged. "I don't mind." he said softly. "Do you want to wait and see if you start to feel better, or go home now?"
Duo glanced at Quatre. "It might be for the best to take him now. He'd be better off at home. Just in case he starts to feel worse." The blonde replied, the picture of innocence. "We'll call you if you're not back before we're ready to leave."
Trowa nodded, then placed his hand lightly on Duo's back, leading him slowly away.
~*^*~
Duo fidgeted in the passenger seat of the car, glancing sideways at Trowa from time to time, vaguely wondering if it was safe for him to be driving with his hair obscuring his face like it was. On the other hand, Duo reflected, he'd piloted a Gundam with his hair in his face; he could probably manage driving a car blindfolded.
"Thanks for driving me home." he said, breaking the silence. Trowa nodded, eyes fixed on the road. Duo tried again. "Sorry for dragging you away from the party and all." Trowa shrugged. Duo started to feel a little disheartened. "Well, you can always go back when you get me home." he told his companion, subdued.
"There's no point. The party will be nearly over by the time I've gotten you home and sorted."
"Oh. Sorry." he sank back into his seat, feeling glum.
"Don't worry. I wasn't enjoying myself much." Trowa replied, glancing quickly in Duo's direction, perking his spirits a little.
"I wasn't to begin with. The drunk part was fun though." he let a grin spread over his face.
"The after effects obviously aren't." Trowa commented dryly.
"Ah, I guess not." Duo replied, secretly thinking that even if all he got out of the evening was a journey home alone with Trowa and a small conversation, the after effects would be more than worth it.
"You'll have one hell of a hangover in the morning." Trowa observed.
Duo wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Been there, done that."
"Quatre will probably kill you, too."
"Huh?"
"He's never been drunk before. He hasn't experienced a hangover."
"You live and learn." Duo replied nonchalantly, trying to suppress the twinge of guilt he felt inside.
"One question?" Trowa's eyes flicked towards Duo again, brow arched inquisitively. Duo nodded. "Why did you get Quatre drunk?"
Duo's eyes widened, feigning innocence. "Would you believe me if I said I found him that way?" he asked hopefully.
"No."
Duo sank even further into the seat. /Perfect,/ he thought, /There go my chances. He's gonna be majorly pissed at me for getting Q drunk/
"So, why did you do it?" Trowa prodded. He didn't sound angry. More curious.
"I couldn't resist." Duo shrugged. "It was for that non-alcoholic comment he made when we were escaping the Libra. I figured he needed an education in life."
Trowa nodded, but didn't comment. Duo sat quietly for a few minutes before asking, "You're not mad, are you?"
"No, not really - I think he enjoyed himself. But it was a stupid thing to do. What did you do, spike his drink?"
Duo nodded guiltily. "But I didn't leave him alone." he defended himself. "I made sure I was always with him, just in case. And I'm sure Wufei will take good care of him until you pick them up." he chewed his lip, starting to wonder if maybe he shouldn't have left Quatre behind after all. He *was* responsible for getting him into this.
"Wufei will take good care of him." Trowa agreed, pulling into the driveway of the house they were temporarily sharing. "Do you need help getting out of the car?"
"Nuh uh." Duo shook his head, fumbling to release the seatbelt. By the time he'd managed, Trowa was out of the car and had opened the door for him. "Thanks." he mumbled, clambering out, heading to the front door. Trowa hovered behind him as he climbed the steps, then reached in front and unlocked the door.
Trowa hit the lights in the hallway, dumping the car keys on the telephone table, and closing the door behind him. Duo staggered up the stairs, Trowa following closely, and made a beeline for his room. He fumbled around the door frame, fingers searching for the light switch. After a few moments, the room was flooded with light. As he walked into the room, a small part of him couldn't help feeling relieved that he'd not inhabited the room long enough for it to get to his customary state of chaos. One, it meant he wouldn't trip over his belongings and land flat on his face, and two, Trowa was usually a tidy and organised person.
"I'll get you some aspirin." Trowa said from the doorway. Duo nodded in thanks as the other boy left, and began to undress, his mind pondering the problem of how to seduce the green eyed beauty.
He kicked his shoes off into a corner, trousers following shortly after. /I could always sprawl naked on the bed in a provocative manner/ he thought, then quickly scrapped that idea. It seemed a little too direct, and would probably result in Trowa running a mile. /Or I could pretend I can't breath, so he has to give me the kiss of life, which I could turn into something a little more romantic/. That idea was quickly dismissed. Trowa would probably be furious at him for being so immature. He sighed, and scratched the back of his head. /Man, my hair is a mess. Gonna need to brush…it…out…that's it!/ his eyes flew to the hairbrush that sat on top of the chest of drawers, a wicked grin spreading over his face. /Perfect/.
He quickly pulled off his shirt, flinging it over his shoulder, and snagged his night shirt from the bed. /Don't want to make Trowa suspicious by being too undressed/ he decided. He grabbed his brush, and perched on the end of his bed, clad in a pair of black boxers and his grey nightshirt. He was just pulling his socks off as Trowa returned with a glass of water and two aspirin.
"Thanks." Duo mumbled as Trowa handed the items over. He dutifully tipped the pills into his mouth, and downed them with a gulp of water.
"You should drink more water before you go to sleep." Trowa instructed him as he took the glass from him, placing it on the bedside table. "It'll help you re-hydrate."
"Okay."
"I'll be downstairs if you need me." Trowa said, heading back for the door.
"Um…Trowa…" Duo said tentatively. Trowa turned around to face Duo again, visible eyebrow raised, silently asking Duo what he wanted. "Brush my hair for me?" The braided boy asked, trying to look endearing and pitiful at the same time. "Can't seem to control the brush properly."
Trowa stared at him. "Can't you do it in the morning?"
Duo was genuinely stricken at that idea. "No. It'll be bad enough to brush out now. If I sleep on it, it'll only get more tangled. And it's a bitch to brush out if it gets tangled that badly." he held the brush out towards Trowa hopefully. "Please."
Duo was actually surprised when he nodded silently and took the brush from his hand, sitting lightly on the bed behind him. After a few moments, fingers began to carefully pull the remaining strands from what was left of his braid. And then the brushing started, cautiously at first, gently working out the snarls, then the strokes became more vigorous as Trowa managed to tame the errant locks.
Duo sighed blissfully. He loved it when other people brushed his hair for him. He found it soothing, relaxing. He just didn't know many people that he trusted enough to do it, so he endeavoured to enjoy the experience whenever the opportunity arose. He amended his 'if nothing else happens this evening, it'll be worth it because' list to include satisfaction at Trowa brushing his hair. This was almost as good as sex. He stretched, arching his back, trying not to move his head and disrupt Trowa.
"Keep still." Trowa said softly. "It's hard enough to keep it neat without you stretching like a cat."
Duo blinked, then grinned. Now that he thought of it, he felt content enough to purr. And as he recalled, Trowa had a thing for big cats. He grinned wickedly, suddenly glad that Trowa couldn't see his face. "Meow?" he teased.
Trowa paused his brushing to tap him on the head with the brush. "Smart ass." he commented, before brushing again.
Several more blissful minutes passed by in a daze for Duo. All he was aware of was Trowa sitting behind him, and the rise and fall of the brush as it was pulled down through his hair. He almost whimpered when Trowa put the brush down beside him, finished brushing. Then opened his eyes wide as he felt fingers run through his hair. "So soft." he thought he heard Trowa whisper. Then louder, "You want me to braid it?"
"Uh?" Duo's brain caught up with the real world.
"Braid. You want me to do it for you?" Trowa repeated, separating the mass of chestnut into three chunky strands.
Duo nodded, then found himself shaking his head. /No,/ he thought, /I want you to keep running your fingers through it/. Trowa's hands stopped moving, and he realised that he must have said the words out loud. /Idiot/ he cursed himself, wondering how to salvage the situation.
He did this first thing that came to mind. He spun round on the bed, hair flying as he moved on his hands and knees.
And kissed Trowa soundly on the lips.
He was rewarded after a few seconds as Trowa moaned, opening his lips, letting Duo's tongue in to explore his mouth, tasting the sweet pastries and fruit punch the boy had consumed at the party, mingled with a spice that was undoubtedly *Trowa*.
And then the lips were suddenly gone, Trowa having scrambled away, panting at the top of the bed and staring at him, one visible emerald eye widened with shock and confusion. Duo stared at him, still on his hands and knees, hair hanging loosely around his body, and spilling over his shoulders in front of him. He brushed a few strands from his face, and looked at Trowa through narrowed eyes. He knew he probably looked a little like a wildcat in the position he was in. "Rowl?" he asked mischievously.
Trowa's eye widened even more. "D-Duo?"
/Ah well. Nothing to lose now/ he thought, and pounced.
He pinned Trowa beneath him, looking at him speculatively, before softly brushing the bangs out of his face. The other jade eye was just as wide and shocked as the other. "So you *do* have two eyes under that hair." he smiled, then leaned down to kiss him again.
Trowa's fingers prevented his lips before he managed to move his head far. "Duo, we shouldn't be doing this." he whispered.
"Doing what?" Duo said, voice slightly muffled by the other's fingers. "That's the problem. We're not *doing* anything." he tried to move forward again, but Trowa moved deftly off the bed, causing Duo to land face-first in the pillow. He bit off a growl, and rolled over to look at Trowa, who had moved away from the bed, closer to the door. "What, you don't like me kissing you?" he asked, hurt.
"No, I mean yes, I…" he trailed off uncomfortably. "Duo, you're drunk. You don't know what you're doing. I don't want you to wake up in the morning regretting anything we did. Even hating me."
/This guy is just too much!/. Duo want to scream in frustration. Instead, he pounced again, catching Trowa unawares. They tumbled to the floor, rolling over. Duo ended up on top, straddling his stomach, and grinning wickedly down at him. Trowa looked apprehensive. "Duo…"
"Want to know a secret?" he leaned down to whisper in Trowa's ear, "I'm not really drunk anymore." he raised his head again to look into Trowa's suddenly narrowed eyes, and couldn't help the smirk that came to his lips.
"Duo, what are you playing at?" Trowa asked carefully. "I don't appreciate being teased like this."
Duo's own expression became serious. "Who said anything about teasing?"
"Don't play games with me." Trowa wriggled beneath him, moving to get free. Duo bounced heavily, preventing him getting far. "Did Quatre tell you something when you got him drunk? Did he tell you I like you? Did you decide to play with me, play a joke at the expense of my feelings?" he bit off angrily.
A horrified expression settled on Duo's face. "No." he whispered. Then, more forcefully, "I damn well didn't." he climbed off Trowa, allowing him to sit up, and scrambled back to lean against the bed. He watched Trowa, unsure of what he felt now. He'd managed to hurt him, despite his best intentions.
Trowa sat up slowly and stared back at him. "Well?"
"Yes, Quatre told me." Duo winced at the betrayal that flashed across Trowa's face. "Don't feel bad." he sighed, then said hurriedly, as if to get it out of the way, "He only told me because he figured out that I felt the same way about you."
"What?" There was a hint of uncertainty in Trowa's eye.
"I'm not trying to hurt you here. I never wanted that to happen." Duo said sadly, head in his hands. "I'm sorry. This was a stupid idea to begin with." he groused bitterly. "I should have just waited until I was sober, and talked to you then. But oh, no. I was impatient and stupid, and had to let you know that I liked you the hard way. And then I end up hurting you totally in the process."
He looked up at Trowa, eyes pleading for understanding. "It wasn't meant to happen this way."
"What wasn't?" Trowa's expression was still wary. Duo's eyes flickered down again.
"This. You were meant to bring me home, and then somehow I'd let you know that I loved you, too…and then we'd live happily ever after." Duo laughed hoarsely. "Instead, here we are, you feeling betrayed, me feeling like a complete moron, and both of us are hurting."
Trowa was silent, and it took Duo a few moments to realise that he'd moved closer to him. "You…you really love me?" he asked uncertainly.
Duo felt almost dizzy with the relief that swept through his body. He looked up again at Trowa, violet eyes staring unwaveringly into emerald. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. I have for a long time, just didn't know how to say it."
A small, wondering smile graced Trowa's face as he leaned in, lips brushing Duo's own. "I love you, too." he whispered, capturing Duo's mouth in a kiss that spoke volumes of love, and a passion that promised so much more.
Duo reached up, caressing Trowa's smooth cheek as they explored each other's mouths with their tongues, probing warm, velvety darkness. He felt Trowa wrap his arms behind him, burying his hands in his hair and massaging Duo's scalp. The soothing sensation caused him to moan into the kiss.
The long haired boy whimpered fuzzily as Trowa shifted beside him, and his lips were suddenly gone. He opened his eyes as Trowa began to rise. "Bed." he muttered hoarsely. "More comfortable." Duo nodded in response, climbing to his knees, guiding Trowa to sit on the edge of the bed.
Duo shuffled forward to kneel between his legs, leaning in for another quick kiss, before pulling back and grinning seductively. He reached out and tugged at Trowa's jacket, pulling it down from his shoulders. "You're wearing way too much clothing." he said, as Trowa slipped his arms out from the sleeves. Duo threw the jacket behind him to join his own clothes where he'd thrown them on the floor not long before. "That's another thing I hate about formal gatherings," he moaned, tugging the other pilot's shoes and socks off. "Too many layers." The trousers quickly followed the rest of the clothing, leaving Trowa in his underwear.
Trowa leaned forward. "Do you always have to talk so much?" he whispered, licking the shell of Duo's ear.
Duo shuddered in response. "It's instinct." he replied huskily. Trowa's face moved in front of his, noses almost touching. He raised a questioning brow. "Well *you* try having Heero Yuy as your roommate. Even you'd start talking to yourself to prevent the constant silence and key-clacking from driving you mad." he laughed.
"Idiot." Trowa said, his smile taking any sting out of the word. "Now you're wearing more clothing than me." he observed, then reached down, grasping Duo's t-shirt and yanking it up over his head. He cursed as it got caught in the mass of chestnut hair. "How do you cope with this on a daily basis?"
"Years of practice." Duo laughed as Trowa scuttled behind him to pull the offending t-shirt the rest of the way off. "I'm sure you'll get used to i-t!" Duo trailed off into a yelp as Trowa's hands slipped between his arms and hauled him onto the bed.
"Much better." Trowa sounded satisfied as he joined Duo on the bed again. Duo rolled over, then swore as his skin came into contact with the hard bristles of his hairbrush. He scowled at it as he threw it off the bed, then turned his attention back to an amused Trowa, who chuckled at the mock-glare Duo shot him as he slid into the banged pilot's arms.
He purred as he melded his body against Trowa's, latching his mouth hungrily onto the other's lips. Trowa's hands slipped behind him, caressing his buttocks, kneading the flesh beneath the boxers gently. Duo's hands slid between their bodies, gliding over Trowa's smooth flesh and lean muscle. Questing fingers found a nipple and pinched it, the nub hardening between his thumb and forefinger. Trowa broke the kiss, hissing at the contact, hands tightening on Duo's backside for a moment. "Tease." he murmured, nuzzling into his throat, nibbling at the tender flesh, then trailing hot, wet kisses down his chest, before his mouth latched onto Duo's own nipple.
"Oh god." Duo hissed, arching into the contact, writhing as Trowa's teeth nipped lightly. /And he calls *me* a tease/ Duo thought fuzzily as Trowa alternated between his nipples, slipping his hands under Duo's boxers, pulling them down. Duo wriggled a little, helping his partner remove them. And then Trowa pulled back, eyes roving Duo's naked body. He couldn't help the blush that rose to his cheeks in response to Trowa's scrutiny.
"You are beautiful." Trowa murmured. He scooped up a handful of Duo's hair, expression fascinated as the locks slipped through his fingers, falling softly back onto the duvet. Duo growled, a little frustrated at the lack of action, and pushed Trowa onto his back, straddling his legs, grinning at the mild surprise on the other boy's face.
"You're not so bad yourself." Duo smirked, reaching for the waistband of Trowa's boxers. He leaned forward, a mischievous in his eyes, and peered inside. "So that's how big your ding dong is!" Duo cackled triumphantly under his breath.
"Huh?" Duo realised the other boy must have heard him, and blushed again, an embarrassed grin on his face. "Duo?"
"Uh. It doesn't matter." he chuckled, ignoring Trowa's questioning look, and set about distracting him. Fingers brushed lightly over skin as he tugged Trowa's boxers down, revealing his semi-arousal. Clothing finally removed, Duo looked up at Trowa, violet eyes meeting lust-filled green, and then he grinned evilly as he subjected Trowa to impatiently waiting, while he took his own turn at gazing at the other's lean body.
Trowa growled and fidgeted beneath him, impatience getting the better of him. Relenting, and a touch impatient himself, Duo bent over and slowly licked the tip of his penis. Trowa gasped, hips jerking up in response, his arousal growing larger. Encouraged, Duo enveloped the head with his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip of the organ. Trowa groaned, and Duo felt a light pressure as one of the other pilot's hands tangled itself in his hair, clenching at the locks. Slowly, he took more of Trowa into his mouth, licking at the shaft.
And then Trowa's other hand moved down, pulling him up towards his mouth for a hungry kiss. Their bodies meshed, limbs tangled together, hips thrusting as they devoured each other with their mouths. Trowa broke the kiss first, shifting on the bed to turn his attention to Duo's erection.
Duo's eyes widened, his mouth opening in a soundless 'oh' as the heat of Trowa's mouth engulfed him, tongue mirroring Duo's previous actions. For several moments his mind could only process the pleasure he was experiencing, before he became gradually aware that Trowa's own erection was bobbing temptingly in front of his face. Duo paused for only another moment more before his mouth claimed Trowa's arousal once more, suckling eagerly at the organ, and twitched as his ministrations caused his companion to moan around his penis.
His hands explored Trowa's flesh as they settled into a rhythm, massaging thighs and buttocks, fingers gently rubbing at his entrance as he felt Trowa do the same. Duo squirmed, pushing back into Trowa's touch, whimpering around the other boy's flesh. He pulled away from Trowa, feeling the cool air on his member as it left Trowa's mouth, and fumbled in the drawer of his bedside table.
Trowa looked up at him, a befuddled look on his face. "I want…need more." Duo croaked, turning back to the emerald eyed boy, clutching a tube of lubrication and a condom. Trowa's eyes widened, and he nodded in understanding as he shifted his position so he was level with Duo once more. The long haired boy pushed him down gently so his head rested on the pillows.
Carefully he opened the condom packet, throwing the wrapper to the floor, and turned to Trowa's erection, slowly sheathing it with the protective rubber. He looked back at Trowa to find the other boy frowning through his ruffled bangs. "What? Is something wrong?" he asked softly.
"No, nothing." Trowa shook his head. "Just, I was expecting you to take me, to be in control. Not the other way round."
Duo blinked at him, then laughed softly. "I'm a card carrying member of the PBS." he said by way of explanation. Trowa looked even more confused, and Duo elaborated. "Pushy Bottom Society. I like being bottom." his lips brushed Trowa's briefly as he straddled the other boy's waist, feeling the hard arousal behind him brush his backside. "Besides, who says you have *complete* control?" he winked down at Trowa as he twisted the cap off the tube of lubrication and squeezed a generous amount onto his fingers.
Raising himself onto his knees, Duo reached behind with one slick finger, rubbing at the tight rosebud of his entrance. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, relaxing, and then slowly inserted one finger, probing inside, stretching himself. He opened his eyes again to find Trowa staring at him, transfixed by his actions. Duo smiled a little, his eyes fluttering shut again as he inserted another finger and began writhing sensually, putting on a show for his enraptured one-man audience.
Duo was really getting into the act himself by the time a third finger joined the other two, and it was only Trowa's whimpering, and the sudden contact of a hand on his penis that drew him back to reality. Duo's eyes snapped open, and he grinned sheepishly at the look of near anguish and desire on Trowa's face. He took pity, and removed his fingers from his now slick passageway.
Carefully, he positioned himself over Trowa, hand grasping his penis to guide it inside. Trowa whimpered as Duo lowered himself slowly, filling himself with Trowa's erection. He paused for a few moments, allowing himself to adjust to the pressure of having Trowa inside him. Trowa whimpered again, and hips thrusting upwards into Duo a little more. "Please." he panted. "*Move*."
Duo rose to his knees again, gasping as the shaft was pulled from his body, leaving an emptiness that was quickly filled moments later as he plunged down again. He braced his arms on either side of Trowa, not trusting his legs to support him as he writhed on top of his lover. Trowa's hands moved to grasp Duo's hips, his own thrusting up to meet Duo's downward movements as they moved together, working as one.
The sudden sensation of Trowa's hand on his neglected erection caused Duo to cry out wordlessly, hair flying wildly as he flung his head back in pleasure. His rhythm faltered as Trowa's hand continued to glide firmly up and down his penis, and he paused for a moment, fearing the combined sensations would drive him over the edge too soon. Slowly he began to move again, and leaned over to kiss his partner, a chestnut waterfall of hair trailing over skin in waves. Trowa rose up to meet him, lips fusing together in the heat of their kiss, tongues battling wildly.
He felt Trowa move beneath him, turning him gently onto his back, still embedded deeply inside him. Duo wrapped his legs around Trowa's waist as the other boy took control, thrusting in and out, gasping Duo's name raggedly. Duo's hands fumbled over Trowa's backside, pulling him closer, urging him on, half blind from the blissful sensations he was experiencing; Trowa moving within him, and the intense friction on his penis, trapped between their writhing bodies.
They moved rhythmically together, gasps and moans mingling as their passion reached new heights. Duo began whimpering as he felt his end draw near, hands tightening on Trowa's buttocks, arching into him. Seconds later, he came, yelling loudly, head pushing back into the pillows, his own buttocks clenching together, clamping down on Trowa's penis. Through the fog of his orgasm he was dimly aware of Trowa coming inside him, hoarsely crying out his name.
The pair collapsed on the bed, panting and slick with sweat, Trowa's head resting on Duo's shoulder. Duo's arms tightened around Trowa, holding him close. "Love you." he murmured, placing a soft kiss on Trowa's head.
"Love you, too." Trowa replied softly, turning his head to kiss Duo's neck. The kiss was followed by a lick. "Mm. You taste good."
Duo chuckled. "Even covered in sweat?" he asked.
"Even covered in sweat." Trowa affirmed. "And other substances." he said, indicating between them.
Duo wrinkled his nose. "Eugh. I think I need to clean up."
Trowa stretched, rolling of and out of Duo. He suppressed the pang he felt at the empty space Trowa left behind. There would be more times after this, he reassured himself. "How about a shower?" Trowa asked, kissing his nose. "I, uh, need to dispose of this, anyway." Trowa said, blushing as he indicated to the condom.
"Aww. You look so cute when you blush." Duo laughed, pinching Trowa's cheek lightly. He rolled off the bed, dragging Trowa with him, and made a dash for the bathroom door. "Last one to the shower has to paint his Gundam neon pink!" he yelled behind him.
~^*^~
Duo smiled happily against Trowa's neck as his lover played idly with strands of his hair, still damp from their shower. "Your hair is a mess again." he observed. "And I put so much effort into brushing it earlier."
"You'll just have to brush it again." Duo mumbled. "Just not right now. I'm happy enough where I am."
"What makes you think I'll do it again? Especially if all you're going to do is ruin all my hard work and get your hair messy again."
"Because I'll give you a big sloppy kiss as a reward?" he looked up at Trowa, flashing puppy eyes that would gives Quatre a run for his money.
Trowa raised his brow. "Only a kiss?"
"If you get more than a kiss, we'll end up boinking like bunnies again and be right back at square one." Duo pointed out. "We'd be in a circle of wild sex and hair brushing for the rest of our lives…hey, maybe that's not such a bad thing." he mused, a mischievous grin appearing on his face. He reached over and fumbled on his bedside table. "Now where's my brush?"
"On the floor at the end of the bed. Where you threw it after rolling on it." Trowa replied, amused.
He sighed dramatically, then removed himself from Trowa's arms, crawling to the end of his bed. He groped around on the floor for a few moments before grasping the wooden handle. "Ah ha!" he exclaimed, then turned back to Trowa, brandishing his brush triumphantly.
"And what am I going to do with that?" Trowa teased.
"Well, I was hoping you'd brush my hair."
"I could spank you with it instead."
"Do that and I'll glue your bang back." Duo retorted as he crawled back up the bed to sit on Trowa's stomach. "Besides, if you brush my hair, I might even purr for you." he said enticingly, waving the brush under his nose.
"We-ell." Trowa pretended to look like he was considering it, then reached for the brush.
At which point, the telephone rang.
"No!" Duo wailed, the promise of having his hair played with twice in one night suddenly flying out of the window. "Don't answer it!" he pleaded, before resignedly climbing off Trowa's body.
"That'll be Quatre and Wufei. I can't leave them stranded there." Trowa looked at him sympathetically, then rolled out of the bed, dragging the duvet with him as he trudged to answer the phone in the hallway. Duo frowned, then blushed as he realised he was lying on his bed, naked as the day he was born, modesty getting the better of him, despite what he'd just done with Trowa not an hour past. And he was feeling suddenly chilly, too. He vaulted off the bed and hurried after Trowa to reclaim some of the warmth of the bedclothes.
He emerged in the hallway to find Trowa listening to someone on the other end of the phone, and looking thoroughly mystified. Duo picked up the edge of the duvet, pressing close to Trowa as he wrapped himself up. Trowa wordlessly reached over to the phone cradle and turned the speaker on. Duo's ears were assaulted with what sounded like a war zone.
::…tell Maxwell he is *dead*!:: Wufei's indignant voice yelled over the phone. Duo's eyes widened at the vehemence in Wufei's voice. ::Get off me! Get him off me!::
::Don't disturb them! They're too busy!:: Duo thought that Quatre sounded suspiciously like he was still drunk, which meant he'd probably continued drinking after he'd been left in Wufei's care.
::Quatre, come on, let Wufei use the phone.:: Duo met Trowa's startled look. *Relena?!* They mouthed to each other. /What the hell is going on there that's gotten Relena involved?/ Duo wondered.
"Wufei…" Trowa tried talk over the scuffling and yelling.
::Don't worry, Duo, Wufei won't get in the way of the plan!:: Quatre shouted. Duo couldn't help the giggle that escaped his lips.
::I heard that, Maxwell!:: Wufei snarled. ::Trowa, just rescue me, dammit! I'm at the mercy of a demented Quatre here! He gave me *pigtails*!:: Wufei's scream was a mixture of pure rage and indignation. ::Trowa!:: He was cut off as the phone went dead.
Trowa placed the phone back on the hook, and shook his head at Duo, thoroughly bewildered. "I don't think I want to know." he said, shuffling back to the bedroom, Duo in tow.
"I didn't know Quatre had it in him to even consider giving Wufei pigtails." Duo commented as he collapsed back onto the bed, wrapping himself in the duvet as Trowa discarded it to pick up his clothes. He was almost too busy admiring Trowa's backside to notice as he picked up Duo's jacket, hefting it and frowning at the weight. "Uuuh."
Trowa reached into the pocket, and pulled out an empty bottle. "What's this?"
"Ah, that would be the original source of Wufei's current dilemma." Duo muttered sheepishly.
Trowa shook his head, pulling on pants and a shirt. "You are one in a million, Duo Maxwell."
"Yeah, kinda lucky that. What would you do with *two* of me running around?" he grinned.
Trowa smirked, tying his shoelaces. "I'm sure I'd be able to think of something."
"Kinky. I'm kind of disappointed I don't have an identical twin now." Duo snuggled into the duvet sleepily. It still held Trowa's warmth.
"I'm happy enough with just one of you." Trowa said, leaning over to kiss him goodbye. "Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
"Will do." Duo said around a wide yawn.
Trowa paused at the door. "You know, I think we owe Quatre a drink for making this possible."
"So long as it's non-alcoholic." Duo muttered fervently.
He was asleep before Trowa had even closed the door behind him.
~*^*~
Duo groaned as he sat down at the kitchen table the next morning, head pounding, eyes bleary, and fumbled clumsily with the aspirin bottle, cursing the genius who came up with child-proof caps. /What in the hell happened last night?/. Various bumps, bruises, and more interestingly, love bites, indicated that *something* had happened last night. His headache refused to let him dwell on it for any length of time in order to ascertain what he had done, and who with. He finally managed to get the cap off, pouring the pills onto the table where he grabbed two and downed them with a mouthful of bitter black coffee. He grimaced. /Might as well eat the damn coffee granules by the spoonful all the good this is doing me/
He cradled his head into his arms as someone walked into the room. /Go away/ he thought fiercely, shutting his eyes tightly. /Let me nurse my hangover in peace/
"Good morning, sunshine." The person said cheerfully, dropping something on the table in front of him.
Duo frowned. That had sounded suspiciously like Trowa. Or Trowa on happy pills. He didn't think he'd ever heard him laugh, much less sound so damn cheerful. He scowled sourly, then opened an eye to see what had been dumped in front of him. Then promptly shut it again.
It was still there when he opened both his eyes a few seconds later, wrapped in a big red bow.
The empty vodka bottle he'd used to spike Quatre's punch.
And then it all came back to him. The party, the drinking, being taken home by Trowa, and the wild and passionate sex that had followed. /Oh. My. God. It happened. I did it with Trowa!/ he celebrated mentally.
Duo's eyes flew up to meet Trowa's, noting the uncharacteristically evil grin plastered on his face. "Whoa, who are you, and what did you do with Trowa?" Duo asked suspiciously.
Trowa's grin grew even wider as he sauntered out of the room. "You know, I feel strangely mischievous this morning." he informed the braided boy over his shoulder, then snickered. "I think your joking personality is really some kind of sexually transmitted disease."
Duo's mouth dropped open in shock, before he gathered his wits together. "Why, you…you…I'll teach you to go making insinuations like *that*, Mr. Barton!" he growled, and launched himself after the other boy.
The indignant yelps soon turned to laughter, and then near-silence but for the odd moan and whimper as their wrestling turned into something a lot more heated and passionate.
And Duo taught Trowa a lesson he would *never* forget.
Fin.
Notes:
A thank you for reading this fic. I appreciate it muchly. :)
Alcohol is *baaaad* kiddies. You should never do what Duo does in the first part of this fic. Spiking drinks is a nasty thing to do. And, yes, I am aware you SHOULDN'T mix aspirin and alcohol. I wanted Trowa to disappear, and getting aspirin seemed valid enough. I'll assume that painkillers in AC 195 have been modified so that they're safe to mix with alcohol or something.
'Twenty-three Little Gundams' is 'Ten Green Bottles' re-written. I don't know if you guys have it in the states - I know you have '99 bottles of beer' (or whatever), but the tune is different, and I've never heard 10 green bottles mentioned by Americans.
Pairings: 2x3x2
Warnings: Lemon, drunken behaviour, probably a little OCC - but then when you're drunk, its allowed.
Disclaimers: The GBoys aren't mine. I'm only borrowing them, and promise to return them in their original state...well, maybe a *little* hungover.
Thanks to Rainbow for beta reading this. The usual amount will be deposited in your bank account.
Comments: This was spawned by the scene in the final ep of the series, in which Duo says they'll celebrate with expensive champagne, to which Quatre replies so long as it's non-alcoholic. I just had to laugh at that, and had this image of Duo sitting in Deathscythe, blinking in shock, and wondering what the hell Quatre was on, and if he was really being serious. And from there, he plotted.
Written for the TroDuo Fic Contest at http://welcome.to/TroDuoContest
I've been told the lemon scene gets kinda pwp-ish. I guess this is okay, because I figure sex doesn't really NEED a plot. Right? ;)
"Speech"
/Thoughts/
*Italics*
::Telephone::
So Long As It's Non-Alcoholic
/If I'm perfectly honest,/ Duo Maxwell reflected to himself as he sneaked around the wall of the giant ballroom, /I just don't belong here. All this glitz and glamour is a *little* over the top/. He pulled at his tie to loosen it a little more, and glanced around the room. The hall was decorated to the limits of taste, garlands of flowers and streamers strewn over the place, giant banners commemorating the end of the war adorning the walls. The overall ambience seemed to be rich and golden, from the flowers to the lighting. Groups of people stood together, chatting, while couples danced to the music provided by the orchestra positioned on the stage.
The whole affair served the double purpose of celebrating the end of the war, and paying tribute to those who had fought for peace. As the pilot of Gundam Deathscythe, and for the role he played in helping to end the war, Duo was a guest of honour along with the other Gundam pilots. The only one of their group missing was Heero, and Duo couldn't really muster up any surprise at that. He didn't think that an After-War celebration was part of Heero's mission.
Considering he was one of the guests of honour, people were taking surprisingly little notice of him. /Which is fine with me/ Duo thought to himself, smirking as he crept closer to the table where the punch was located. More precisely, the punch that Quatre Raberba Winner had been drinking through the evening so far. A rather, in Duo's not so humble opinion, bland punch, that was lacking in any useful content. A sad situation he was about to remedy.
/So long as it's non-alcoholic my *ass*/ Duo thought, looking around for the boy in question. He spotted him across the room, deep in conversation with some chick he didn't know. And Trowa. The object of his desire. It was, thus far, an unrequited love. He'd lusted after Heavyarms' pilot since the beginning, dreamed about him, and indulged in countless fantasies about the young man. Duo's heart skipped as he surreptitiously studied the quiet boy, drinking in the curve of smooth cheek with his eyes, the brown bangs that obscured half of his beautiful face. Many times Duo had just barely managed to resist the urge to push those bangs back, away from his face, to see Trowa's features in all their glory. /And to see if he actually has another eye under all that hair/ Duo grinned. Although he had to admit there was something endearing about just the one emerald eye peeking through his soft brown locks.
His smile faded a little as Quatre leaned in close to Trowa, his words making a small smile appear on the taller boy's lips. /Damn, those two are so close/ Duo thought wistfully. /I don't stand a chance/. He tried not to let it affect him, but sometimes watching the pair of them together almost physically hurt. And as much as he wanted Trowa, he couldn't hurt them by coming between them, or whatever relationship they might have. He sighed, mentally shaking himself back to reality, then grimaced as he realised Quatre was making his way across the room.
Forcing any glum thoughts to the back of his mind, he turned back to the task and hand and slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket, producing a bottle of vodka. /How the hell are we supposed to celebrate something this monumental without alcohol?/ he wondered. /I refuse to believe Q is that damn innocent. Hell, I'd bet he was weaned on expensive champagne/. He unscrewed the bottle, sure to keep it out of sight below the table. Sweeping his eyes surreptitiously around the room one last time to make sure Quatre hadn't spotted him, and that he wasn't being observed by anyone else, he tipped the bottle into the punch, giving it a quick swirl to make the liquid drain faster. Quickly, he shook the last few drops out, then screwed the cap back on the bottle, slipping it back into his pocket to dispose of later.
"Duo!" Quatre exclaimed in greeting, ambling over to the table.
/Just in time/ Duo thought with relief, scooping up the ladle and pouring himself and Quatre a glass of punch. "Punch, Q-man?" he asked, fixing a huge smile on his face as he held the drink out to his comrade. Quatre smiled back in thanks. "Guess you're used to this, huh?" Duo asked conversationally, gesturing to the room at large while watching like an eagle as Quatre took a mouthful of his drink.
The blonde frowned at his cup briefly, then shrugged, swallowing another mouthful. Duo sighed inwardly with relief. /So far, so good/
"I suppose. I'm not a big fan of large gatherings like this. They make me a little uncomfortable."
Duo took a mouthful of his own drink to hide the smirk that forced itself on his lips. /Keep drinking that and you're not gonna have to worry about feeling uncomfortable/. "Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way." Duo replied conversationally. "I feel like a fish out of water."
Quatre smiled again and drained his glass. "You know, I think this punch improves the more you drink it. It seems to have acquired a certain...kick." He reached over and helped himself to more.
/Once you start down the path to the dark side, forever will it dominate your destiny/. In his head, Shinigami laughed the evilest and most sadistic laugh he was capable of.
~*Hours And Uncountable Cups Of Punch, Bottles of Wine, And Anything Alcoholic They Could Get Their Hands On Later*~
"'n then Trowa runs outta the bathroom, to find out what all the screamin' was about. Only...only, he forgot his towel, so he's standing there in nothin' but his birthday suit. An' then me and Wuffie, we both suddenly stop yellin' at each other, gawpin' at Trowa. An' he sudd'nly re'lises that he's stark naked, an' lets out with this adori..adoru..really cute squeaking sound, and dives back into the bathroom, slammin' the door shut behind 'im!"
Duo giggled uncontrollably at Quatre's tale, sliding off his chair to join the highly inebriated blonde on the floor. Of course, it helped that the subject was Trowa. Duo could listen to stories about Trowa for hours if it meant he could learn something about the quiet boy. He said so very little about himself, and his past; he was a mystery Duo was dying to solve. And who better than Quatre, who seemed to know him best, to get information from?
Both pilots were worse for wear, red faced, ties undone, tuxedos crumpled messily. Quatre's hair was sticking up at odd angles, while Duo's braid had seen better days, whole lengths having come loose. He wasn't sure when he'd lost his hair-tie, and was drunk enough that he didn't give a damn. When he'd managed to get Quatre more than a little intoxicated, Duo had suggested raiding the bar and finding somewhere quiet to have fun. Quatre had agreed enthusiastically. So here they were, in a quiet room somewhere near the ballroom, surrounded by empty bottles, and drunk out of their minds. /Mission complete/ Duo cackled happily.
"An' you shoulda *seen* the shade of red he turned." Quatre was continuing, "I *swear* his whole body blushed!" he fumbled for a bottle beside him, tipping it up, and frowning when nothing came out. "Du-o." he whined. "There's nothing coming out. It's broken!"
Duo hiccupped, shaking the nearest bottle to him. Ascertaining that it had at least some liquid left in it, he handed it over to Quatre, whose face split into a huge grin before he guzzled at it greedily. /Man,/ Duo reflected, /When he loosens up, he *really* loosens up. And he's fun with it/.
"So, how big was he?" Duo asked, trying to sound nonchalant, when really he was bursting with curiosity. Quatre looked at him in a comically puzzled fashion, eyebrows drawn together. "Oh, man, how *big* was he?" Duo repeated, gesturing wildly at his crotch.
Quatre blushed a shade of red Duo reckoned could rival Trowa's. "Dunno." The blonde muttered around the bottle.
Duo blinked. "You mean you didn't even look?!" he yelped incredulously. "Trowa's standin' there in his naked glory, and you didn't even sneak a peek?!"
"Well, a little one." Quatre admitted, blushing even more.
Duo smirked, sliding up the wall into a sitting position. "Trowa has a little penis?" he teased.
"No!" Quatre protested, eyes open wide. "I meant I sneaked a little peek!"
"Uuuuh huh?"
"Well, maybe a not so little a peek."
"And?" Duo bounced impatiently. "How big is his ding dong?!"
Quatre suddenly smirked evilly. "An' why would *you* want to know?"
/Oh, shit. I can't tell him why I'm interested in Trowa!/ Duo gulped. "Ah, for the worthy cause of gossip." he recovered quickly. /And I didn't even lie. This conversation counts as gossip, right?/
Quatre raised his eyebrows, and smirked sceptically. "And who're *you*," he said, jabbing his finger emphatically at Duo, "Gonna gossip 'bout Trowa with?"
Duo blinked in dismay, stumped slightly. He had a point there. It wasn't exactly a topic of conversation he'd likely ever talk much about with Heero or Wufei or even Quatre, if he was sober. And discussing the nature of Trowa's endowments in particular would be even less plausible. It must have shown in his expression that he couldn't think of a response, because Quatre began chuckling.
"Thought so." he nodded. "So why'd you really want to know 'bout the contents of Trowa's pants?" he asked again. Duo sat there miserably, trying to think of a reason to give, *anything* but the truth.
Quatre leaned closer, conspiratorially. "You like him, right?"
A small squeak escaped Duo's lips, his eyes widening as he shook his head, in denial at the situation rather than Quatre's statement. This wasn't happening. "Quatre…"
"'Cos he likes you, you know?" Quatre grinned wildly.
Duo was suddenly floored. He couldn't have heard that right. *Trowa* liked *him*? "But you two have something going on!" Duo blurted out.
Quatre blinked at Duo, then burst into giggles. "Me and Trowa?" Tears began to stream down the blonde's face. "Now, *that's* the funniest thing I've heard in a long time!"
The situation was rapidly becoming too complicated and strange for Duo's drink hazed mind. "But you're so close. He even opens up to you."
"We're just friends." Quatre smiled, wiping his tears away with the sleeve of his shirt. "Just good friends."
"You mean you've never even considered anything more?" Duo asked incredulously. Quatre was in the position to make Trowa his, and he hadn't even made a move? "Why?" Duo voiced his confusion.
"Well, Trowa admitted he wanted to a while back, but he realised it wouldn't work so never tried to take it further."
"Huh?!"
"I don't swing that way, Duo." Quatre smirked, eyes glittering with amusement. "I even left a casual girlfriend behind when I came to earth."
"You're straight?!" Duo's world had just upended itself. He'd just naturally assumed Quatre was gay. There was something about him that made Duo automatically assume the boy was. His mannerisms, soft nature. His close relationship with Trowa and Duo had a feeling that both Heero and Wufei had assumed the same as he in that there was something more than friendship between the two. Duo didn't usually read people so wrongly. And then here was Quatre, telling him that not only was there nothing going on between he and Trowa, but that he was straight, too.
And that Trowa Barton liked he, Duo Maxwell. Talk about a bombshell. If he wasn't so stunned, he'd have been dancing around the room singing the Hallelujah Chorus. As it was, his brain was having a hard time convincing his lungs that it was imperative that breathing should happen, preferably *now*.
"So you do like him, don't you?" Quatre asked again, interrupting his thoughts.
Duo's breath left his lungs in a whoosh, and he could only look at Quatre, nodding mutely.
"Ah ha! Thought so." Quatre exclaimed, a smug expression creeping onto his face.
"How do you know he likes me?" Duo demanded, finally managing to get a sentence out.
"Because he told me." Quatre replied, matter-of-factly.
"Wow. I feel faint." Duo leaned back against the wall heavily. He was also feeling distinctly sobered up. Nothing like a shock to bring you to your senses. "All this time I liked him, and it turns out he feels the same way."
Quatre grinned, nodding enthusiastically. "He likes you a lot."
"So why didn't he say anything? Wasn't it obvious I liked him? I was all over him - I always tease and play with him more than the rest of you!"
Quatre chortled. "You're all over everyone. He thought it was just part of your hyperactive friendly nature. And if he did notice you paid more attention to him, he probably thought it was wishful thinking on his part."
"You ever tell him you thought I liked him back?"
Quatre shook his head. "Not in so many words. I did tell him that he should tell you how he feels, but he brushed that idea off - thought you'd reject him. Trowa is actually quite shy beneath it all, and doesn't really like opening up to other people. It took days of prying to get him to admit he liked you." Quatre grinned. "And then there's the fact he was adamant that you liked girls I was beginning to think he might be right, actually. It's the way you keep flirting with them whenever we're around them for any extended periods of time."
"Flirt with girls?!" Duo exclaimed, horrified. "I don't! I don't like them!"
"You still flirt."
"It's my natural charm." he protested. "I can't help reacting to an audience. If someone pays me attention, I automatically play up to it. I'm a people person."
"You just like being the centre of attention." Quatre smirked.
"That too." Duo admitted sheepishly. "But I don't *like* girls in that way, despite what it may look like."
"I know that now." Quatre nodded. "What we have to do now is make Trowa realise this."
Duo blinked. "What?"
Quatre gave Duo a *look*. "Do you want to get together with Trowa?"
"Well, yeah. Of course."
"Then we need to make it happen."
"We? You're going to help me?"
"Why not? I want you guys to get together, and I know Trowa reasonably well, so who better than me to help you along?" he winked. "Unless you don't want my help…" Quatre let the sentence hang.
"No, no, please, I'd love your help. I can't do this alone." Duo informed him hastily. Quatre was his best hope.
Quatre smiled enthusiastically. "Good. That's what I hoped."
Duo narrowed his eyes at his friend. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Quatre blushed. "I can't help it. I'm dying to play matchmaker. I hope you don't mind?"
"Hey, if this gets me and Trowa together, I'll gladly submit myself to your will." Duo assured. "So, what do we do?"
Quatre settled back against the wall. "Give me a few minutes. I'll come up with something." Whereupon he proceeded to think quietly, brows pulled close together as he concentrated. Duo sat watching him, trying to think of a plan himself, but failing as his mind kept swirling around the knowledge that Trowa liked him. He had a chance! It was more than he'd ever hoped for, what he'd dreamed of. But try as he might, his mind kept drawing blanks when it came to formulating a way to make all of his dream come true.
He dismissed jumping him in public and proclaiming undying love Trowa would probably think he was making a joke at his expense, and Duo would only have achieved hurting the boy, which was the opposite of what he wanted. Kidnapping held certain kinky possibilities, but Duo was sure it would serve to either piss Trowa off, or lead him to believe that Shinigami had finally slipped over the edge of reason. Something Duo wasn't entirely sure hadn't happened already.
He became gradually aware that Quatre was scrambling unsteadily to his feet, and grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. "Come on." he said, trying to pull Duo to his feet. "I have a plan."
Duo stood up carefully, and eyed the other boy warily. "Plan? What would this plan involve?"
"It involves getting you and Trowa, alone at home, in your bedroom."
"You plan on achieving this how exactly?" Duo asked uncertainly.
Quatre turned a wide eyed look of pure innocence onto Duo. "Fear not, I have it all worked out. Getting you there won't be a problem. You're left with the hard part of seducing him. But first…" Quatre rubbed his hands together, and grinned wickedly, "We need to find more drinks."
With that, Quatre ambled out of the room and in the direction of the nearest source of alcohol.
/I've created a monster/ Duo thought, hurrying after his companion. /Although taking into account the shocks I've had this evening, maybe a drink wouldn't be a bad idea after all/
~*^*~
"Twenty-three little Gundams, shooting at a base," Duo and Quatre sang as they hunted for their victim. They were a little off-key due to drink, and drawing some very amused looks. "Twenty-three little Gundams, shooting at a base, and if one little Gundam should fall fla-at on its face.." Alright, the wording was a little dubious, Duo knew, but he'd never claimed to be a lyrical genius, and they were enjoying themselves too much to care, anyway. He took a deep breath to belt out the next line. "There'll be twenty-two little Gundams, shooting at a base!"
"Twenty-two little Gundams, shooting at a…ah, there they are." Quatre trailed off, pointing vaguely across the room. Duo squinted, finally spotting Trowa and Wufei through the milling guests. Judging by Wufei's arched brow, they'd already been spotted. /Or heard, more likely/ he guessed. He let out a disgruntled and pained squawk as Quatre yanked him firmly by the braid over to their comrades.
"Easy with the hair!" he yelped.
Quatre let go, looking sheepish, then muttered quietly, "Alright. Now, remember to play sick."
"That won't be hard to do." Duo groused, rubbing the back of his head, and glowering at Quatre, who motioned for him to move again.
He sighed, and reflected on Quatre's plan. Simple, really. Duo would pretend to be feeling a little under the weather, and Quatre would turn on the puppy eyes and tell Trowa that it would probably be a good idea if he took Duo home to rest. From there, Duo had to do his best to seduce Trowa, and have his wicked way with him. Simple in theory. In practice, they'd already hit an obstacle.
"What happens if Wufei takes me home instead of Trowa?" Duo voiced his concern.
"Well, you could always seduce him." Quatre joked.
"But I want Trowa!" Duo's lip wobbled petulantly.
"And that's who'll be taking you home." Quatre soothed him, a determined glint in his eye. "Trust me."
Duo leaned heavily on Quatre as they approached the other pilots, shifting his expression to look as pitifully ill as possible. The way his stomach was somersaulting with nerves, there wasn't much need for acting.
"Well, *this* answers what you two have been doing all evening." Wufei commented disdainfully. Duo shot him a wounded glance, cursing to himself. He really didn't want to be doing this in front of Wufei. Not only would it 'prove' to him that Duo was obviously an irresponsible kid, but and this was what damaged his pride it would suggest he couldn't hold his liquor.
Quatre frowned in Wufei's direction, and turned to Trowa, who had so far been silent. Duo studied him, noting a flash of anxiety cross his face as he glanced at them. "Are you two alright?" he asked.
"Duo doesn't feel too good." Quatre radiated concern for Duo's well-being.
"Oh?" Wufei asked. "You mean he drank too much."
Duo's glare this time was venomous, prompting a look of amusement to appear in Wufei's eyes. /Irritating bastard/. He was suddenly tempted to get Wufei rip-roaring drunk in retaliation, if only to make barbed comments him about drinking too much.
Quatre ignored him, speaking to Trowa again. "I was wondering if you'd mind taking him home? I'd ask Wufei, but he and Duo would probably end up killing each other before they were even half way home." he looked pointedly at Wufei, as if daring him to make a comment. Wufei stared impassively back, then looked meaningfully between Duo and Quatre, obviously wondering what they were plotting.
Trowa looked at Duo, who in turn attempted to look even more pitiful. He shrugged. "I don't mind." he said softly. "Do you want to wait and see if you start to feel better, or go home now?"
Duo glanced at Quatre. "It might be for the best to take him now. He'd be better off at home. Just in case he starts to feel worse." The blonde replied, the picture of innocence. "We'll call you if you're not back before we're ready to leave."
Trowa nodded, then placed his hand lightly on Duo's back, leading him slowly away.
~*^*~
Duo fidgeted in the passenger seat of the car, glancing sideways at Trowa from time to time, vaguely wondering if it was safe for him to be driving with his hair obscuring his face like it was. On the other hand, Duo reflected, he'd piloted a Gundam with his hair in his face; he could probably manage driving a car blindfolded.
"Thanks for driving me home." he said, breaking the silence. Trowa nodded, eyes fixed on the road. Duo tried again. "Sorry for dragging you away from the party and all." Trowa shrugged. Duo started to feel a little disheartened. "Well, you can always go back when you get me home." he told his companion, subdued.
"There's no point. The party will be nearly over by the time I've gotten you home and sorted."
"Oh. Sorry." he sank back into his seat, feeling glum.
"Don't worry. I wasn't enjoying myself much." Trowa replied, glancing quickly in Duo's direction, perking his spirits a little.
"I wasn't to begin with. The drunk part was fun though." he let a grin spread over his face.
"The after effects obviously aren't." Trowa commented dryly.
"Ah, I guess not." Duo replied, secretly thinking that even if all he got out of the evening was a journey home alone with Trowa and a small conversation, the after effects would be more than worth it.
"You'll have one hell of a hangover in the morning." Trowa observed.
Duo wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Been there, done that."
"Quatre will probably kill you, too."
"Huh?"
"He's never been drunk before. He hasn't experienced a hangover."
"You live and learn." Duo replied nonchalantly, trying to suppress the twinge of guilt he felt inside.
"One question?" Trowa's eyes flicked towards Duo again, brow arched inquisitively. Duo nodded. "Why did you get Quatre drunk?"
Duo's eyes widened, feigning innocence. "Would you believe me if I said I found him that way?" he asked hopefully.
"No."
Duo sank even further into the seat. /Perfect,/ he thought, /There go my chances. He's gonna be majorly pissed at me for getting Q drunk/
"So, why did you do it?" Trowa prodded. He didn't sound angry. More curious.
"I couldn't resist." Duo shrugged. "It was for that non-alcoholic comment he made when we were escaping the Libra. I figured he needed an education in life."
Trowa nodded, but didn't comment. Duo sat quietly for a few minutes before asking, "You're not mad, are you?"
"No, not really - I think he enjoyed himself. But it was a stupid thing to do. What did you do, spike his drink?"
Duo nodded guiltily. "But I didn't leave him alone." he defended himself. "I made sure I was always with him, just in case. And I'm sure Wufei will take good care of him until you pick them up." he chewed his lip, starting to wonder if maybe he shouldn't have left Quatre behind after all. He *was* responsible for getting him into this.
"Wufei will take good care of him." Trowa agreed, pulling into the driveway of the house they were temporarily sharing. "Do you need help getting out of the car?"
"Nuh uh." Duo shook his head, fumbling to release the seatbelt. By the time he'd managed, Trowa was out of the car and had opened the door for him. "Thanks." he mumbled, clambering out, heading to the front door. Trowa hovered behind him as he climbed the steps, then reached in front and unlocked the door.
Trowa hit the lights in the hallway, dumping the car keys on the telephone table, and closing the door behind him. Duo staggered up the stairs, Trowa following closely, and made a beeline for his room. He fumbled around the door frame, fingers searching for the light switch. After a few moments, the room was flooded with light. As he walked into the room, a small part of him couldn't help feeling relieved that he'd not inhabited the room long enough for it to get to his customary state of chaos. One, it meant he wouldn't trip over his belongings and land flat on his face, and two, Trowa was usually a tidy and organised person.
"I'll get you some aspirin." Trowa said from the doorway. Duo nodded in thanks as the other boy left, and began to undress, his mind pondering the problem of how to seduce the green eyed beauty.
He kicked his shoes off into a corner, trousers following shortly after. /I could always sprawl naked on the bed in a provocative manner/ he thought, then quickly scrapped that idea. It seemed a little too direct, and would probably result in Trowa running a mile. /Or I could pretend I can't breath, so he has to give me the kiss of life, which I could turn into something a little more romantic/. That idea was quickly dismissed. Trowa would probably be furious at him for being so immature. He sighed, and scratched the back of his head. /Man, my hair is a mess. Gonna need to brush…it…out…that's it!/ his eyes flew to the hairbrush that sat on top of the chest of drawers, a wicked grin spreading over his face. /Perfect/.
He quickly pulled off his shirt, flinging it over his shoulder, and snagged his night shirt from the bed. /Don't want to make Trowa suspicious by being too undressed/ he decided. He grabbed his brush, and perched on the end of his bed, clad in a pair of black boxers and his grey nightshirt. He was just pulling his socks off as Trowa returned with a glass of water and two aspirin.
"Thanks." Duo mumbled as Trowa handed the items over. He dutifully tipped the pills into his mouth, and downed them with a gulp of water.
"You should drink more water before you go to sleep." Trowa instructed him as he took the glass from him, placing it on the bedside table. "It'll help you re-hydrate."
"Okay."
"I'll be downstairs if you need me." Trowa said, heading back for the door.
"Um…Trowa…" Duo said tentatively. Trowa turned around to face Duo again, visible eyebrow raised, silently asking Duo what he wanted. "Brush my hair for me?" The braided boy asked, trying to look endearing and pitiful at the same time. "Can't seem to control the brush properly."
Trowa stared at him. "Can't you do it in the morning?"
Duo was genuinely stricken at that idea. "No. It'll be bad enough to brush out now. If I sleep on it, it'll only get more tangled. And it's a bitch to brush out if it gets tangled that badly." he held the brush out towards Trowa hopefully. "Please."
Duo was actually surprised when he nodded silently and took the brush from his hand, sitting lightly on the bed behind him. After a few moments, fingers began to carefully pull the remaining strands from what was left of his braid. And then the brushing started, cautiously at first, gently working out the snarls, then the strokes became more vigorous as Trowa managed to tame the errant locks.
Duo sighed blissfully. He loved it when other people brushed his hair for him. He found it soothing, relaxing. He just didn't know many people that he trusted enough to do it, so he endeavoured to enjoy the experience whenever the opportunity arose. He amended his 'if nothing else happens this evening, it'll be worth it because' list to include satisfaction at Trowa brushing his hair. This was almost as good as sex. He stretched, arching his back, trying not to move his head and disrupt Trowa.
"Keep still." Trowa said softly. "It's hard enough to keep it neat without you stretching like a cat."
Duo blinked, then grinned. Now that he thought of it, he felt content enough to purr. And as he recalled, Trowa had a thing for big cats. He grinned wickedly, suddenly glad that Trowa couldn't see his face. "Meow?" he teased.
Trowa paused his brushing to tap him on the head with the brush. "Smart ass." he commented, before brushing again.
Several more blissful minutes passed by in a daze for Duo. All he was aware of was Trowa sitting behind him, and the rise and fall of the brush as it was pulled down through his hair. He almost whimpered when Trowa put the brush down beside him, finished brushing. Then opened his eyes wide as he felt fingers run through his hair. "So soft." he thought he heard Trowa whisper. Then louder, "You want me to braid it?"
"Uh?" Duo's brain caught up with the real world.
"Braid. You want me to do it for you?" Trowa repeated, separating the mass of chestnut into three chunky strands.
Duo nodded, then found himself shaking his head. /No,/ he thought, /I want you to keep running your fingers through it/. Trowa's hands stopped moving, and he realised that he must have said the words out loud. /Idiot/ he cursed himself, wondering how to salvage the situation.
He did this first thing that came to mind. He spun round on the bed, hair flying as he moved on his hands and knees.
And kissed Trowa soundly on the lips.
He was rewarded after a few seconds as Trowa moaned, opening his lips, letting Duo's tongue in to explore his mouth, tasting the sweet pastries and fruit punch the boy had consumed at the party, mingled with a spice that was undoubtedly *Trowa*.
And then the lips were suddenly gone, Trowa having scrambled away, panting at the top of the bed and staring at him, one visible emerald eye widened with shock and confusion. Duo stared at him, still on his hands and knees, hair hanging loosely around his body, and spilling over his shoulders in front of him. He brushed a few strands from his face, and looked at Trowa through narrowed eyes. He knew he probably looked a little like a wildcat in the position he was in. "Rowl?" he asked mischievously.
Trowa's eye widened even more. "D-Duo?"
/Ah well. Nothing to lose now/ he thought, and pounced.
He pinned Trowa beneath him, looking at him speculatively, before softly brushing the bangs out of his face. The other jade eye was just as wide and shocked as the other. "So you *do* have two eyes under that hair." he smiled, then leaned down to kiss him again.
Trowa's fingers prevented his lips before he managed to move his head far. "Duo, we shouldn't be doing this." he whispered.
"Doing what?" Duo said, voice slightly muffled by the other's fingers. "That's the problem. We're not *doing* anything." he tried to move forward again, but Trowa moved deftly off the bed, causing Duo to land face-first in the pillow. He bit off a growl, and rolled over to look at Trowa, who had moved away from the bed, closer to the door. "What, you don't like me kissing you?" he asked, hurt.
"No, I mean yes, I…" he trailed off uncomfortably. "Duo, you're drunk. You don't know what you're doing. I don't want you to wake up in the morning regretting anything we did. Even hating me."
/This guy is just too much!/. Duo want to scream in frustration. Instead, he pounced again, catching Trowa unawares. They tumbled to the floor, rolling over. Duo ended up on top, straddling his stomach, and grinning wickedly down at him. Trowa looked apprehensive. "Duo…"
"Want to know a secret?" he leaned down to whisper in Trowa's ear, "I'm not really drunk anymore." he raised his head again to look into Trowa's suddenly narrowed eyes, and couldn't help the smirk that came to his lips.
"Duo, what are you playing at?" Trowa asked carefully. "I don't appreciate being teased like this."
Duo's own expression became serious. "Who said anything about teasing?"
"Don't play games with me." Trowa wriggled beneath him, moving to get free. Duo bounced heavily, preventing him getting far. "Did Quatre tell you something when you got him drunk? Did he tell you I like you? Did you decide to play with me, play a joke at the expense of my feelings?" he bit off angrily.
A horrified expression settled on Duo's face. "No." he whispered. Then, more forcefully, "I damn well didn't." he climbed off Trowa, allowing him to sit up, and scrambled back to lean against the bed. He watched Trowa, unsure of what he felt now. He'd managed to hurt him, despite his best intentions.
Trowa sat up slowly and stared back at him. "Well?"
"Yes, Quatre told me." Duo winced at the betrayal that flashed across Trowa's face. "Don't feel bad." he sighed, then said hurriedly, as if to get it out of the way, "He only told me because he figured out that I felt the same way about you."
"What?" There was a hint of uncertainty in Trowa's eye.
"I'm not trying to hurt you here. I never wanted that to happen." Duo said sadly, head in his hands. "I'm sorry. This was a stupid idea to begin with." he groused bitterly. "I should have just waited until I was sober, and talked to you then. But oh, no. I was impatient and stupid, and had to let you know that I liked you the hard way. And then I end up hurting you totally in the process."
He looked up at Trowa, eyes pleading for understanding. "It wasn't meant to happen this way."
"What wasn't?" Trowa's expression was still wary. Duo's eyes flickered down again.
"This. You were meant to bring me home, and then somehow I'd let you know that I loved you, too…and then we'd live happily ever after." Duo laughed hoarsely. "Instead, here we are, you feeling betrayed, me feeling like a complete moron, and both of us are hurting."
Trowa was silent, and it took Duo a few moments to realise that he'd moved closer to him. "You…you really love me?" he asked uncertainly.
Duo felt almost dizzy with the relief that swept through his body. He looked up again at Trowa, violet eyes staring unwaveringly into emerald. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. I have for a long time, just didn't know how to say it."
A small, wondering smile graced Trowa's face as he leaned in, lips brushing Duo's own. "I love you, too." he whispered, capturing Duo's mouth in a kiss that spoke volumes of love, and a passion that promised so much more.
Duo reached up, caressing Trowa's smooth cheek as they explored each other's mouths with their tongues, probing warm, velvety darkness. He felt Trowa wrap his arms behind him, burying his hands in his hair and massaging Duo's scalp. The soothing sensation caused him to moan into the kiss.
The long haired boy whimpered fuzzily as Trowa shifted beside him, and his lips were suddenly gone. He opened his eyes as Trowa began to rise. "Bed." he muttered hoarsely. "More comfortable." Duo nodded in response, climbing to his knees, guiding Trowa to sit on the edge of the bed.
Duo shuffled forward to kneel between his legs, leaning in for another quick kiss, before pulling back and grinning seductively. He reached out and tugged at Trowa's jacket, pulling it down from his shoulders. "You're wearing way too much clothing." he said, as Trowa slipped his arms out from the sleeves. Duo threw the jacket behind him to join his own clothes where he'd thrown them on the floor not long before. "That's another thing I hate about formal gatherings," he moaned, tugging the other pilot's shoes and socks off. "Too many layers." The trousers quickly followed the rest of the clothing, leaving Trowa in his underwear.
Trowa leaned forward. "Do you always have to talk so much?" he whispered, licking the shell of Duo's ear.
Duo shuddered in response. "It's instinct." he replied huskily. Trowa's face moved in front of his, noses almost touching. He raised a questioning brow. "Well *you* try having Heero Yuy as your roommate. Even you'd start talking to yourself to prevent the constant silence and key-clacking from driving you mad." he laughed.
"Idiot." Trowa said, his smile taking any sting out of the word. "Now you're wearing more clothing than me." he observed, then reached down, grasping Duo's t-shirt and yanking it up over his head. He cursed as it got caught in the mass of chestnut hair. "How do you cope with this on a daily basis?"
"Years of practice." Duo laughed as Trowa scuttled behind him to pull the offending t-shirt the rest of the way off. "I'm sure you'll get used to i-t!" Duo trailed off into a yelp as Trowa's hands slipped between his arms and hauled him onto the bed.
"Much better." Trowa sounded satisfied as he joined Duo on the bed again. Duo rolled over, then swore as his skin came into contact with the hard bristles of his hairbrush. He scowled at it as he threw it off the bed, then turned his attention back to an amused Trowa, who chuckled at the mock-glare Duo shot him as he slid into the banged pilot's arms.
He purred as he melded his body against Trowa's, latching his mouth hungrily onto the other's lips. Trowa's hands slipped behind him, caressing his buttocks, kneading the flesh beneath the boxers gently. Duo's hands slid between their bodies, gliding over Trowa's smooth flesh and lean muscle. Questing fingers found a nipple and pinched it, the nub hardening between his thumb and forefinger. Trowa broke the kiss, hissing at the contact, hands tightening on Duo's backside for a moment. "Tease." he murmured, nuzzling into his throat, nibbling at the tender flesh, then trailing hot, wet kisses down his chest, before his mouth latched onto Duo's own nipple.
"Oh god." Duo hissed, arching into the contact, writhing as Trowa's teeth nipped lightly. /And he calls *me* a tease/ Duo thought fuzzily as Trowa alternated between his nipples, slipping his hands under Duo's boxers, pulling them down. Duo wriggled a little, helping his partner remove them. And then Trowa pulled back, eyes roving Duo's naked body. He couldn't help the blush that rose to his cheeks in response to Trowa's scrutiny.
"You are beautiful." Trowa murmured. He scooped up a handful of Duo's hair, expression fascinated as the locks slipped through his fingers, falling softly back onto the duvet. Duo growled, a little frustrated at the lack of action, and pushed Trowa onto his back, straddling his legs, grinning at the mild surprise on the other boy's face.
"You're not so bad yourself." Duo smirked, reaching for the waistband of Trowa's boxers. He leaned forward, a mischievous in his eyes, and peered inside. "So that's how big your ding dong is!" Duo cackled triumphantly under his breath.
"Huh?" Duo realised the other boy must have heard him, and blushed again, an embarrassed grin on his face. "Duo?"
"Uh. It doesn't matter." he chuckled, ignoring Trowa's questioning look, and set about distracting him. Fingers brushed lightly over skin as he tugged Trowa's boxers down, revealing his semi-arousal. Clothing finally removed, Duo looked up at Trowa, violet eyes meeting lust-filled green, and then he grinned evilly as he subjected Trowa to impatiently waiting, while he took his own turn at gazing at the other's lean body.
Trowa growled and fidgeted beneath him, impatience getting the better of him. Relenting, and a touch impatient himself, Duo bent over and slowly licked the tip of his penis. Trowa gasped, hips jerking up in response, his arousal growing larger. Encouraged, Duo enveloped the head with his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip of the organ. Trowa groaned, and Duo felt a light pressure as one of the other pilot's hands tangled itself in his hair, clenching at the locks. Slowly, he took more of Trowa into his mouth, licking at the shaft.
And then Trowa's other hand moved down, pulling him up towards his mouth for a hungry kiss. Their bodies meshed, limbs tangled together, hips thrusting as they devoured each other with their mouths. Trowa broke the kiss first, shifting on the bed to turn his attention to Duo's erection.
Duo's eyes widened, his mouth opening in a soundless 'oh' as the heat of Trowa's mouth engulfed him, tongue mirroring Duo's previous actions. For several moments his mind could only process the pleasure he was experiencing, before he became gradually aware that Trowa's own erection was bobbing temptingly in front of his face. Duo paused for only another moment more before his mouth claimed Trowa's arousal once more, suckling eagerly at the organ, and twitched as his ministrations caused his companion to moan around his penis.
His hands explored Trowa's flesh as they settled into a rhythm, massaging thighs and buttocks, fingers gently rubbing at his entrance as he felt Trowa do the same. Duo squirmed, pushing back into Trowa's touch, whimpering around the other boy's flesh. He pulled away from Trowa, feeling the cool air on his member as it left Trowa's mouth, and fumbled in the drawer of his bedside table.
Trowa looked up at him, a befuddled look on his face. "I want…need more." Duo croaked, turning back to the emerald eyed boy, clutching a tube of lubrication and a condom. Trowa's eyes widened, and he nodded in understanding as he shifted his position so he was level with Duo once more. The long haired boy pushed him down gently so his head rested on the pillows.
Carefully he opened the condom packet, throwing the wrapper to the floor, and turned to Trowa's erection, slowly sheathing it with the protective rubber. He looked back at Trowa to find the other boy frowning through his ruffled bangs. "What? Is something wrong?" he asked softly.
"No, nothing." Trowa shook his head. "Just, I was expecting you to take me, to be in control. Not the other way round."
Duo blinked at him, then laughed softly. "I'm a card carrying member of the PBS." he said by way of explanation. Trowa looked even more confused, and Duo elaborated. "Pushy Bottom Society. I like being bottom." his lips brushed Trowa's briefly as he straddled the other boy's waist, feeling the hard arousal behind him brush his backside. "Besides, who says you have *complete* control?" he winked down at Trowa as he twisted the cap off the tube of lubrication and squeezed a generous amount onto his fingers.
Raising himself onto his knees, Duo reached behind with one slick finger, rubbing at the tight rosebud of his entrance. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, relaxing, and then slowly inserted one finger, probing inside, stretching himself. He opened his eyes again to find Trowa staring at him, transfixed by his actions. Duo smiled a little, his eyes fluttering shut again as he inserted another finger and began writhing sensually, putting on a show for his enraptured one-man audience.
Duo was really getting into the act himself by the time a third finger joined the other two, and it was only Trowa's whimpering, and the sudden contact of a hand on his penis that drew him back to reality. Duo's eyes snapped open, and he grinned sheepishly at the look of near anguish and desire on Trowa's face. He took pity, and removed his fingers from his now slick passageway.
Carefully, he positioned himself over Trowa, hand grasping his penis to guide it inside. Trowa whimpered as Duo lowered himself slowly, filling himself with Trowa's erection. He paused for a few moments, allowing himself to adjust to the pressure of having Trowa inside him. Trowa whimpered again, and hips thrusting upwards into Duo a little more. "Please." he panted. "*Move*."
Duo rose to his knees again, gasping as the shaft was pulled from his body, leaving an emptiness that was quickly filled moments later as he plunged down again. He braced his arms on either side of Trowa, not trusting his legs to support him as he writhed on top of his lover. Trowa's hands moved to grasp Duo's hips, his own thrusting up to meet Duo's downward movements as they moved together, working as one.
The sudden sensation of Trowa's hand on his neglected erection caused Duo to cry out wordlessly, hair flying wildly as he flung his head back in pleasure. His rhythm faltered as Trowa's hand continued to glide firmly up and down his penis, and he paused for a moment, fearing the combined sensations would drive him over the edge too soon. Slowly he began to move again, and leaned over to kiss his partner, a chestnut waterfall of hair trailing over skin in waves. Trowa rose up to meet him, lips fusing together in the heat of their kiss, tongues battling wildly.
He felt Trowa move beneath him, turning him gently onto his back, still embedded deeply inside him. Duo wrapped his legs around Trowa's waist as the other boy took control, thrusting in and out, gasping Duo's name raggedly. Duo's hands fumbled over Trowa's backside, pulling him closer, urging him on, half blind from the blissful sensations he was experiencing; Trowa moving within him, and the intense friction on his penis, trapped between their writhing bodies.
They moved rhythmically together, gasps and moans mingling as their passion reached new heights. Duo began whimpering as he felt his end draw near, hands tightening on Trowa's buttocks, arching into him. Seconds later, he came, yelling loudly, head pushing back into the pillows, his own buttocks clenching together, clamping down on Trowa's penis. Through the fog of his orgasm he was dimly aware of Trowa coming inside him, hoarsely crying out his name.
The pair collapsed on the bed, panting and slick with sweat, Trowa's head resting on Duo's shoulder. Duo's arms tightened around Trowa, holding him close. "Love you." he murmured, placing a soft kiss on Trowa's head.
"Love you, too." Trowa replied softly, turning his head to kiss Duo's neck. The kiss was followed by a lick. "Mm. You taste good."
Duo chuckled. "Even covered in sweat?" he asked.
"Even covered in sweat." Trowa affirmed. "And other substances." he said, indicating between them.
Duo wrinkled his nose. "Eugh. I think I need to clean up."
Trowa stretched, rolling of and out of Duo. He suppressed the pang he felt at the empty space Trowa left behind. There would be more times after this, he reassured himself. "How about a shower?" Trowa asked, kissing his nose. "I, uh, need to dispose of this, anyway." Trowa said, blushing as he indicated to the condom.
"Aww. You look so cute when you blush." Duo laughed, pinching Trowa's cheek lightly. He rolled off the bed, dragging Trowa with him, and made a dash for the bathroom door. "Last one to the shower has to paint his Gundam neon pink!" he yelled behind him.
~^*^~
Duo smiled happily against Trowa's neck as his lover played idly with strands of his hair, still damp from their shower. "Your hair is a mess again." he observed. "And I put so much effort into brushing it earlier."
"You'll just have to brush it again." Duo mumbled. "Just not right now. I'm happy enough where I am."
"What makes you think I'll do it again? Especially if all you're going to do is ruin all my hard work and get your hair messy again."
"Because I'll give you a big sloppy kiss as a reward?" he looked up at Trowa, flashing puppy eyes that would gives Quatre a run for his money.
Trowa raised his brow. "Only a kiss?"
"If you get more than a kiss, we'll end up boinking like bunnies again and be right back at square one." Duo pointed out. "We'd be in a circle of wild sex and hair brushing for the rest of our lives…hey, maybe that's not such a bad thing." he mused, a mischievous grin appearing on his face. He reached over and fumbled on his bedside table. "Now where's my brush?"
"On the floor at the end of the bed. Where you threw it after rolling on it." Trowa replied, amused.
He sighed dramatically, then removed himself from Trowa's arms, crawling to the end of his bed. He groped around on the floor for a few moments before grasping the wooden handle. "Ah ha!" he exclaimed, then turned back to Trowa, brandishing his brush triumphantly.
"And what am I going to do with that?" Trowa teased.
"Well, I was hoping you'd brush my hair."
"I could spank you with it instead."
"Do that and I'll glue your bang back." Duo retorted as he crawled back up the bed to sit on Trowa's stomach. "Besides, if you brush my hair, I might even purr for you." he said enticingly, waving the brush under his nose.
"We-ell." Trowa pretended to look like he was considering it, then reached for the brush.
At which point, the telephone rang.
"No!" Duo wailed, the promise of having his hair played with twice in one night suddenly flying out of the window. "Don't answer it!" he pleaded, before resignedly climbing off Trowa's body.
"That'll be Quatre and Wufei. I can't leave them stranded there." Trowa looked at him sympathetically, then rolled out of the bed, dragging the duvet with him as he trudged to answer the phone in the hallway. Duo frowned, then blushed as he realised he was lying on his bed, naked as the day he was born, modesty getting the better of him, despite what he'd just done with Trowa not an hour past. And he was feeling suddenly chilly, too. He vaulted off the bed and hurried after Trowa to reclaim some of the warmth of the bedclothes.
He emerged in the hallway to find Trowa listening to someone on the other end of the phone, and looking thoroughly mystified. Duo picked up the edge of the duvet, pressing close to Trowa as he wrapped himself up. Trowa wordlessly reached over to the phone cradle and turned the speaker on. Duo's ears were assaulted with what sounded like a war zone.
::…tell Maxwell he is *dead*!:: Wufei's indignant voice yelled over the phone. Duo's eyes widened at the vehemence in Wufei's voice. ::Get off me! Get him off me!::
::Don't disturb them! They're too busy!:: Duo thought that Quatre sounded suspiciously like he was still drunk, which meant he'd probably continued drinking after he'd been left in Wufei's care.
::Quatre, come on, let Wufei use the phone.:: Duo met Trowa's startled look. *Relena?!* They mouthed to each other. /What the hell is going on there that's gotten Relena involved?/ Duo wondered.
"Wufei…" Trowa tried talk over the scuffling and yelling.
::Don't worry, Duo, Wufei won't get in the way of the plan!:: Quatre shouted. Duo couldn't help the giggle that escaped his lips.
::I heard that, Maxwell!:: Wufei snarled. ::Trowa, just rescue me, dammit! I'm at the mercy of a demented Quatre here! He gave me *pigtails*!:: Wufei's scream was a mixture of pure rage and indignation. ::Trowa!:: He was cut off as the phone went dead.
Trowa placed the phone back on the hook, and shook his head at Duo, thoroughly bewildered. "I don't think I want to know." he said, shuffling back to the bedroom, Duo in tow.
"I didn't know Quatre had it in him to even consider giving Wufei pigtails." Duo commented as he collapsed back onto the bed, wrapping himself in the duvet as Trowa discarded it to pick up his clothes. He was almost too busy admiring Trowa's backside to notice as he picked up Duo's jacket, hefting it and frowning at the weight. "Uuuh."
Trowa reached into the pocket, and pulled out an empty bottle. "What's this?"
"Ah, that would be the original source of Wufei's current dilemma." Duo muttered sheepishly.
Trowa shook his head, pulling on pants and a shirt. "You are one in a million, Duo Maxwell."
"Yeah, kinda lucky that. What would you do with *two* of me running around?" he grinned.
Trowa smirked, tying his shoelaces. "I'm sure I'd be able to think of something."
"Kinky. I'm kind of disappointed I don't have an identical twin now." Duo snuggled into the duvet sleepily. It still held Trowa's warmth.
"I'm happy enough with just one of you." Trowa said, leaning over to kiss him goodbye. "Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
"Will do." Duo said around a wide yawn.
Trowa paused at the door. "You know, I think we owe Quatre a drink for making this possible."
"So long as it's non-alcoholic." Duo muttered fervently.
He was asleep before Trowa had even closed the door behind him.
~*^*~
Duo groaned as he sat down at the kitchen table the next morning, head pounding, eyes bleary, and fumbled clumsily with the aspirin bottle, cursing the genius who came up with child-proof caps. /What in the hell happened last night?/. Various bumps, bruises, and more interestingly, love bites, indicated that *something* had happened last night. His headache refused to let him dwell on it for any length of time in order to ascertain what he had done, and who with. He finally managed to get the cap off, pouring the pills onto the table where he grabbed two and downed them with a mouthful of bitter black coffee. He grimaced. /Might as well eat the damn coffee granules by the spoonful all the good this is doing me/
He cradled his head into his arms as someone walked into the room. /Go away/ he thought fiercely, shutting his eyes tightly. /Let me nurse my hangover in peace/
"Good morning, sunshine." The person said cheerfully, dropping something on the table in front of him.
Duo frowned. That had sounded suspiciously like Trowa. Or Trowa on happy pills. He didn't think he'd ever heard him laugh, much less sound so damn cheerful. He scowled sourly, then opened an eye to see what had been dumped in front of him. Then promptly shut it again.
It was still there when he opened both his eyes a few seconds later, wrapped in a big red bow.
The empty vodka bottle he'd used to spike Quatre's punch.
And then it all came back to him. The party, the drinking, being taken home by Trowa, and the wild and passionate sex that had followed. /Oh. My. God. It happened. I did it with Trowa!/ he celebrated mentally.
Duo's eyes flew up to meet Trowa's, noting the uncharacteristically evil grin plastered on his face. "Whoa, who are you, and what did you do with Trowa?" Duo asked suspiciously.
Trowa's grin grew even wider as he sauntered out of the room. "You know, I feel strangely mischievous this morning." he informed the braided boy over his shoulder, then snickered. "I think your joking personality is really some kind of sexually transmitted disease."
Duo's mouth dropped open in shock, before he gathered his wits together. "Why, you…you…I'll teach you to go making insinuations like *that*, Mr. Barton!" he growled, and launched himself after the other boy.
The indignant yelps soon turned to laughter, and then near-silence but for the odd moan and whimper as their wrestling turned into something a lot more heated and passionate.
And Duo taught Trowa a lesson he would *never* forget.
Fin.
Notes:
A thank you for reading this fic. I appreciate it muchly. :)
Alcohol is *baaaad* kiddies. You should never do what Duo does in the first part of this fic. Spiking drinks is a nasty thing to do. And, yes, I am aware you SHOULDN'T mix aspirin and alcohol. I wanted Trowa to disappear, and getting aspirin seemed valid enough. I'll assume that painkillers in AC 195 have been modified so that they're safe to mix with alcohol or something.
'Twenty-three Little Gundams' is 'Ten Green Bottles' re-written. I don't know if you guys have it in the states - I know you have '99 bottles of beer' (or whatever), but the tune is different, and I've never heard 10 green bottles mentioned by Americans.