Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, and am making no money off of this fic.

AN: I'm aware that Heero's recovery time is incredibly fast. This was done on purpose as another nod to his canon counterpart. On the other hand, I did everything but rewatch the series to try and find out which leg/shoulder it was that Heero damaged. I'm fairly certain it was the left for both, but if I'm wrong about either, please feel free to let me know.

This fic is dedicated to Clara Barton, who requested a 1X2 with power!bottom Heero and inexperienced but confident Duo. That actually wasn't as hard to write as I thought it would be.

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Free Fall by luvsanime02

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Despite Heero's best efforts, the handle for the rack of weights still slipped out of his sweaty grip and caused them to crash back down onto the rest of the stack. He clenched his fists, then wiped his hand off ineffectually on his slippery spandex shorts and tried again.

It would be infuriating if Heero wasn't so used to these setbacks by now. Anymore, he didn't even glance up from where he was glaring determinedly at the weights in front of him. The pin was only set for him to lift 20 lbs. It might as well have been 2,000.

"Alright there, Heero?"

He nodded. His fingers gripped the damn handle and pulled back once more, and Heero had to grit his teeth against the sudden strain. The muscles in his left arm, especially around his shoulder, ached from the effort, so he forced himself to hold still for five seconds before he slowly lowered the weights back down. He still had two more reps to go, and wasn't entirely sure if he was going to pass out or not before he finished. That thought just made him tighten his grip around the handle.

From behind him, Duo sighed. It was a familiar sound by now, mildly exasperated but mostly resigned. "You can take 20 or 30 seconds to rest, you know."

Heero did know. And he knew that Duo was aware that he knew, but of course that didn't stop him from commenting. "Yes." Heero knew; he just didn't want to stop and rest. Every second he rested felt like another failure, and after four months of physical therapy, he was sick of it.

Besides, the pain helped block out the practical voice in Heero's head that once again informed him that his current situation was entirely his fault. He'd been the one to ignore the parachute until the last couple of seconds possible. He was the one who had been too fascinated with free falling to care very much about crashing.

He'd been the one to almost passively commit suicide.

An equipment failure, everyone had called it. No one else could even imagine an alternative explanation. Interestingly, the only person Heero was sure didn't assume it had been an accident was his physical therapist, Duo Maxwell.

Heero would never forget the first thing Duo had said to him when they'd met, after introducing himself. "If you're trying to die, you'd better come up with a better way to kill yourself than that."

Had Heero been trying to kill himself? He didn't know the answer to that question, even now. Maybe he just didn't want to know. But Duo's words had stuck with him. Heero had a choice, to actively try and die some other way, or to suck it up and live.

So here he was, still alive.

He got through the next two reps with sweat running down his face and stinging his eyes, and his legs pressing against the weight machine as though the added force would help his arm lift them faster. Maybe it did. All Heero knew was that he set the weights down at last with a fierce sense of relief.

"You're the only patient I have to keep reminding to take it easy," Duo mentioned, his voice casual as he held out a bottle of water.

Heero snorted. That was likely an exaggeration. One of Duo's other patients, an eight-year-old girl in a wheelchair named Mariemaia, was probably even more stubborn than Heero. He took the water and tried not to guzzle it down, but his throat was parched.

Duo let him rehydrate for a minute in silence, but he didn't move away, so Heero knew he still had something to say. "I know how tempting it is to push harder during the last leg of recovery, Heero. Still, don't try more than what you can handle, or your arm will never heal right. All those pins holding stuff in place aren't magic, you know? They can't keep your limbs together if you're damned and determined to break them again."

Heero didn't say anything for a while, just let the silence settle between them as he rotated his left arm through the cool-down exercises Duo had shown him to keep the muscles from stiffening up. He watched his arm flex and extend, examining the scars running up and down his skin. Heero had a lot of scars now, and usually got some curious looks from strangers that he ignored because he couldn't be bothered to cover up and hide them.

He was so close to being completely healthy again. After four months of surgeries and therapy and more MRIs and X-rays than he thought was entirely safe for one person to have done on them, Heero was so very close to being given a clean bill of health. He could almost taste his impending independence.

Being patient had never been easy for Heero, and especially not now. He knew Duo was right, though. It was very annoying, but Duo knew Heero's limits, and he set goals that he knew Heero could achieve but really have to strive for.

"It's just so frustrating," he finally said, looking off to the side at someone who was using some equipment to try and walk, dragging their feet behind them one painful step at a time. At least Heero had never been forced to relearn how to walk. When he had crashed, sliding down the face of that cliff and tumbling through the sand, he had cracked his left femur straight through, and been in a cast for a month-and-a-half.

He'd also managed to fracture his skull and shatter his left arm in three separate places. He'd been in a coma the first three days. After he'd woken up, it had been a seemingly-endless round of tests and surgery, and then more tests. He'd developed an infection, been on one medication after the other, and crutches had been such a hassle to wield with only one working arm that they'd made him use a wheelchair at first, especially while he was still dealing with the vertigo from his concussion.

Also, Heero would be the first person to admit that he was a difficult patient. He'd attempted to get out of his bed to use the bathroom on the first day he was awake. The nurses had been in constant agitation over him, and he was almost positive their check-ins had happened more frequently for his room than for any others. His doctor, Sally Po, had actually threatened to tie him to the bed at one point, though she'd laughed loudly when Heero had dryly pointed out that he was flattered but she wasn't his type.

Duo was his type, actually. The physical therapist was around Heero's age, and very personable and attractive. Heero should have found him annoying, and sometimes he did, but he also found him intriguing. Duo was unlike anyone else Heero was used to interacting with.

Nodding at his response, Duo sat down beside Heero on the floor and bumped their shoulders together lightly. He didn't bother with a motivational speech about how Heero was almost done, and that he only had another week-and-a-half of regular therapy planned until he could switch to a schedule of coming in once a week for another month, and then he would finally be free.

Likely, Duo knew that wouldn't be a comfort to Heero, only an aggravation at the reminder of how close yet how far away that still was.

After another few minutes, Heero stirred. "Shouldn't you be helping someone?" This implied that Duo wasn't helping Heero, which wasn't quite true, but he didn't feel the need to acknowledge that out loud.

Duo shrugged, his eyes also on the patient trying to walk, following their progress but making no move to intervene. "She's fine, and Dorothy's not my patient, thank hell. She's Quatre's."

Heero nodded. He could speak up again and mention that Duo should go help someone else, but looking around now, he saw that there were only a handful of people still left in the room. Heero's appointment had been one of the last of the day, and everyone else had cleared out already. Duo probably didn't have any other patients in here except him.

That was no reason for Heero to just sit there. If nothing else, he was only getting sorer while resting on the mats. With that thought in mind, he put down the water and used his right hand to spring himself easily back onto his feet. Duo watched his fluid movements, and then shook his head. "You're something else, Heero."

He frowned, not sure how to take that. Duo, catching his look, hurriedly explained himself. "No, I mean it. Your rate of recovery is frankly terrifying. I can't tell if it's because you're really that stubborn, or if your last name is secretly Kent."

Heero let out a short laugh before he could stop himself. "Hardly. Maybe Wayne."

The rich son who watched his parents be murdered right in front of his eyes, and then grew up alone and bitter, seemed to fit Heero much better than the Kansas farm boy who discovered he had alien roots.

It was Duo's turn to laugh. "Okay, yeah, I can see that, actually. Well, Batman, does that make me Alfred?"

Heero suspected, in a really weird way, that his analogy made Duo more the Joker. Someone who pushed Batman to be more, and drove him to succeed at all costs, albeit in a twisted sort of way. Batman and the Joker existed in a co-dependent struggle to find some meaning out of life, with neither being balanced without the other. Heero probably shouldn't mention those thoughts out loud, although he honestly wasn't sure if Duo would be offended or flattered by the comparison.

"Sure," he said instead, taking the easier route of simply agreeing. Duo eyed him sideways, but didn't comment. He had an amazing ability to tell when Heero was holding back about something, but rarely pushed.

"Okay, I'm out of here. You still up for that pick-up game this weekend?"

The basketball game Duo had invited him to. He'd mentioned it as a good way for Heero to exercise his arm, knowing from previous conversations that Heero had played recreationally sometimes before his 'accident'.

Heero nodded, and Duo clapped him on the shoulder before leaving. "I'll text you the details!"

Looking around the room once more to make sure he didn't forget anything, not that he'd really brought anything with him except his house keys, Heero recycled the now-empty water bottle and left, calling up a cab service and waiting for it outside in the fresh air. He was going home and taking a nap. Therapy still exhausted him, most days.

This Saturday, he was going on a date with Duo Maxwell, whether the other man knew it yet or not. Heero wasn't about to let this chance slip through his fingers. He'd made the decision months ago to try and live his life now by acting on his emotions, and so he was going to do just that.

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Heero debated on what to wear, then realized he was being ridiculous and simply donned the same black spandex shorts, green tank top, and ugly yellow sneakers that he wore to therapy. Duo had already seen them, so it didn't make sense to change his exercise clothing now, and besides, Heero didn't see how tight spandex could possibly hurt his plans any.

To Duo's credit, Heero only had to 'accidentally' collide with him twice, even though they were on the same team, before he caught on to the game that Heero was playing, and it wasn't basketball. Duo's initial reaction was surprise, which Heero had expected, but it faded quickly into a sort of playfulness that Heero was not anticipating.

Not that he was complaining at all. Suddenly, it was like they were the only two people on the court. Everyone else seemed blurry while he watched Duo move around the court, weaving through the others and lining up perfectly to pass Heero the ball so he could score a shot.

Heero was covered in sweat by the time they were done winning the game. There was a possibility that he had overdone it a bit. He had been too busy having fun to pay much attention to his body's needs during the game, but now his arm was tingling a little and sore, and he tried to surreptitiously stretch it out. Of course, Duo noticed, but he said nothing, simply handing Heero a Powerade from his bag.

Heero wasn't exactly a fan of their taste, but he guzzled down half of it anyway before he paused for breath. Duo sipped his own pointedly, and Heero forced himself to slow down as well. Now that the game was over, he wondered if Duo was going to bring up the flirting, or if Heero would have to be the one to mention it first.

He barely got done thinking that before Duo turned to look him in the eyes and grinned. "So, wanna get something to eat?"

Heero wasn't really interested in food at the moment, though he'd probably be starving later. "Not really." Duo blinked, but he didn't seem put off, which Heero appreciated. "I'd rather you come over to my place." He took another sip while Duo processed that. "We could both use a shower," he added, just in case he'd been less than perfectly clear before.

Duo was startled into a laugh. "Why am I not surprised that you're forward as hell?" Heero didn't bother to answer the obviously rhetorical question, only raised an eyebrow as he waited for a response. Duo grinned. "Absolutely."

Heero drove home, Duo following, and they passed into his gated community within minutes. When he pulled in behind Heero, Duo got out of his car and let out a low whistle. "Damn."

That was a common reaction. Heero's house was three-and-a-half floors, plus a two-car garage and a swimming pool in the back. Not to mention the Jacuzzi on the deck that Heero hoped he'd be able to persuade Duo to try out with him later.

For now, though, he let them into the house through the garage, and then into the kitchen. "Is this where you ask me if I want some coffee?" Duo asked, smirking a little, while he looked around curiously.

"Or I could just kiss you," Heero said, and then walked over to do just that.

Duo didn't freeze, or tense up, but he was slow to respond at first. He got a whole lot more enthusiastic when Heero opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, though. Before long, Duo was pressing him against the breakfast nook, and Heero took hold of Duo's hands and put them on his back. Duo followed his lead, his fingers brushing quickly under Heero's shirt on their way down, then over his ass, before cupping under his cheeks and boosting Heero up onto the granite countertop.

Heero opened his legs so that Duo could get closer, and then proceeded to bite Duo's bottom lip into his mouth and suck on it until Duo moaned. They spent the next several minutes making out, and while part of Heero was tempted to have sex right there, the rest of him reluctantly remembered that the condoms and lube were in another room. He slowly pulled back, both of them breathing heavy.

"Why don't I just give you a tour of the bedroom first?" he asked, taking the opportunity to suck on Duo's earlobe.

Duo chuckled, his voice much lower than normal. "I thought we were touring the shower?" One of his hands was in Heero's hair, Duo's fingers clenching and relaxing, his nails dragging lightly against Heero's scalp. It felt wonderful. His other hand had settled for now on Heero's hip, Duo's thumb rubbing back and forth along the top of his shorts.

"Later," Heero promised, already absolutely sure that there would be a next time after this one. He clenched his thighs and used his arm to boost himself up. Duo's hand moved from his hip to his ass again, this time squeezing enthusiastically before using the leverage to help balance Heero. His other hand drifted down from Heero's hair, over his neck, until Duo was supporting Heero's weight with a hand pressed into the small of his back.

Heero was tempted to make Duo carry him the whole way to his bedroom, but Duo stopped as they left the kitchen and started slowly lowering him to the floor. "I don't know the way," Duo explained in between placing wet kisses down Heero's neck.

Duo probably wouldn't have wanted to carry Heero that far anyway. His bedroom was up one floor and on the other end of the house. "I'll show you," he said, then stepped away and took Duo's hand, threading their fingers together and leading him through the empty rooms and catalogue-ordered furniture.

"Nice place," Duo commented when they reached the bedroom, already kicking off his shoes.

Heero grimaced. "I have too much space," he muttered, before he stepped close again and kissed Duo some more just because he could.

"Well, yeah," Duo said, agreeing somewhat to Heero's surprise. "But it's still nice. There's so much you could do with all that space."

Heero shook his head, but didn't argue. He peeled his shirt off over his head, holding back the wince when his left shoulder protested the movement. Duo's hands were suddenly there, helping without speaking, and then his fingers ran over the scars that were now visible. Heero's hand covered Duo's and brought those fingers to his lips, kissing the pads before letting Duo's wrist go.

Then they were kissing again, almost gently at first, but both of them quickly becoming more insistent. Duo's shirt disappeared, and Heero spent some time licking at the Celtic cross with black wings now exposed on his chest.

He started moving backwards, Duo matching him step for step, until they were at the bed. Heero turned them around and pushed Duo, amused at the way his eyes widened in surprise before he let out a small grunt when his back hit the mattress. Heero turned to the dresser and hunted down the lube and condom, absentmindedly pulling off his shorts on his way back to the bed.

Duo watched him approach with his arms crossed under his head, lounging back like he was on a beach and waggling his eyebrows when Heero caught his gaze. Heero smiled, even though Duo looked completely ridiculous.

"This bed is amazingly comfortable," Duo mentioned, his voice growing softer and his expression turning serious as he watched Heero come closer, crawling over the bed to his side.

The bed was enormous, and easily Heero's favorite piece of furniture in the whole house. "Want to test out the suspension?"

Duo snorted with muffled snickering, and Heero used the distraction to peel off the rest of Duo's clothes. "This is a memory foam mattress," Duo responded, once he finally got his laughter back under control.

Heero had the lube open, and was rubbing it over his fingers. "The frame's wood." Solid hickory, so no way were they actually breaking the bed, but it was fun to joke about. Duo opened his mouth to respond, but clearly forgot what he was going to say when Heero slung his leg over so he was straddling Duo's thighs and then started carefully fingering himself. It'd been a while since he'd had sex, months, so he had to go slow as he stretched himself open.

"Hell," Duo whispered. His hands were running absently up and down Heero's sides, and all of Duo's attention was fixed on Heero's fingers. The attention sent a shiver down Heero's spine.

"Don't die just yet," Heero deadpanned. "It hurts like hell."

Duo's eyes jumped to his face in disbelief, and then he grinned. "I'll take your word for it."

Heero added another finger, and winced at the added pressure. Duo's fingers tightened around Heero's sides in response, before he forced them to relax. "You okay?"

"Fine," he reassured, letting himself take another minute to adjust. He finally removed his fingers and leaned forward over Duo to kiss him some more. It was fast becoming an addictive pastime. His fingers found the condom, and Heero swallowed the noise of surprise Duo made when he rolled it over Duo's cock and spread on some more lube.

"You ready?" Heero asked after he pulled back slightly, his lips brushing against Duo's with each exhale.

Duo's lips quirked up in a small smile. "Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" Then, he nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Heero firmly gripped Duo's cock as he slowly leaned back and started taking it in. Duo held still under him, and Heero could see that his teeth were clenched with the effort it took. "Just breathe," Heero reassured him, leaning forward again to rub his nose against Duo's, and letting out a deep breath when Duo's cock was all the way inside of him.

Duo huffed out a short laugh. "Seriously, I should be the one saying this shit." Heero merely remained unmoving, waiting until Duo relaxed some and started breathing again. Duo's fingers were clenching Heero's sides even harder now, and Heero rubbed his hands up and down Duo's arms soothingly. Eventually, Duo let out a long exhale and his fingers loosened their grip, his hands reaching around to grip Heero's ass and squeeze. "I'm good."

To test this, Heero slowly rose up the length of Duo's cock, then slid back down again. Duo groaned, and he ground his head back into the pillow beneath him. Heero smirked. "Let's have some real fun now."

Like he'd hoped, Duo heard the slight challenge in his voice and met him halfway. When Heero slid up Duo's cock, Duo helped support him, and when Heero pushed back down, Duo started thrusting up, matching Heero's slow tempo. Heero gradually increased their speed, and Duo followed, snapping his hips up faster.

Then his cock hit Heero's prostate, and his eyes rolled back in his head. "Right there." It was half a demand, half a plea, and Duo started paying attention to his angle until he hit it once more. "Again."

"Yes, sir," Duo muttered, but he was grinning, sweat running down his temples and dampening the flyaway strands of hair that were sticking to his face.

Heero's hands were braced on the bed on either side of Duo's head, and he leaned down so they could kiss. Their lips broke apart each time Heero lifted his hips, until Duo was raising his head uncomfortably in order to keep kissing him. Heero chuckled into the kiss, and eventually moved his right hand so that it was supporting Duo's neck, ignoring the way his left arm trembled at the added stress.

This felt too good to stop now. Heero's thighs were starting to shake from the exertion, and his shoulder was going to hate him later, but he didn't care. This was probably the most strenuous workout he'd had since starting physical therapy, and he laughed again at the thought.

Duo broke the kiss. "Should I be offended?"

Heero pushed himself down even faster, listening to Duo's resulting moan. "What do you think?"

They managed to keep the rhythm going for longer than Heero had expected, but eventually it devolved into uncoordinated thrusts. Duo shouted when he came, instinctively pulling Heero back down and holding him there. Heero reached for his own cock and stroked himself until he was also coming, moaning Duo's name over and over through the wave of pleasure.

Duo was trying desperately to catch his breath when Heero's awareness came back to him. He groaned at his exhausted muscles, but still couldn't bring himself to mind when the rest of him felt this pleasantly liquid.

Slowly, he lifted himself off of Duo and then collapsed onto the bed next to him. "We can have that shower after I can walk again," he mumbled, stretching out his spine until it popped before relaxing deeper into the bed.

"I'll give you a massage later," Duo promised, chuckling. That sounded perfect to Heero. He grunted an affirmative, but didn't bother to lift his head. He was falling into a light doze, barely paying attention to Duo moving around and getting comfortable beside him. "Don't fall asleep like that."

Heero opened one eye to send him a curious look. Duo gestured at where Heero's weight was on his bad shoulder. He sighed, but shifted around until he was on his back. "Thanks."

Duo inched closer, then kissed the end of his nose. Heero blinked, but didn't mind. "You keep on stealing all my lines," Duo mock-complained.

"I'll let you pay for dinner when we finally get around to the food," Heero promised, snorting softly.

Duo laughed, his hand trailing up and down Heero's arm lazily. "Sounds great."

Heero was going to wake up sore and starving, but he didn't regret a single moment that had led him here. No, he could only agree with Duo. Wherever this ended up going, it sounded great already.

This was something to look forward to.