DISCLAIMER: Gundam Wing does not belong to me (however hard I wish it was so). The charas I mentioned in this li'l fic of mine belong to Bandai, Sunrise, and Sotsu Agencies. I'm merely borrowing them for my nefarious purposes and I'll give them back slightly singed but still reasonably whole ^_~
WARNINGS: Do you really need this? Oookay, this is a yaoi fic meaning boy kissing, groping, boy, etc.... First few parts are quite tame but last part is lemony throughout. You've been warned so no flames or I'll kick your ass to kingdom come!!!
NOTES: There be spoilers here...so beware (Series, Endless Waltz). OOC in some ways but I like to think of it as softening Heero up a little...also AU (hmmm, maybe), sap (definitely!)
PAIRING: 1x2
NOTES AGAIN: This is a vignette of our fav G-boys life based on a song fic by Vonda Shepard
(again, I do not own the song, just borrowing). I've divided it into several parts in order not to bore you to death. This was supposed to be a short one but well, my muse just sorta had PMS and wanted me to suffer for quite a while, trying to piece together this gibberish crap.

** … ** Duo's thoughts
//…// Heero's thoughts

TITLE: Read My Mind


We held hands and laughed
Then we jumped in the water
Off the jetty we'd fly
As the sun gets hotter


"C'mon Hee-chan, join me!" a shrill and obnoxiously loud voice rent the silence and reverberated throughout the little lagoon.

Heero Yuy winced at the onslaught to what was once a peaceful afternoon but steadfastly refused to acknowledge the noisy braided baka. He continued typing on his laptop trying to finish his mission report as soon as possible. The brief respite from fighting Oz was a godsend for the pilots were exhausted, down to their last reserves.

"Hey man, the water is sooooo cooool." the voice continued oblivious to the glare thrown his way.

The Perfect Soldier was unmoved.

Duo Maxwell, a.k.a. the "braided baka," sighed with irritation then hauled himself out of the water and climbed up the wooden pier.

**What do I have to do to make him notice me? God, he's so dense!** Duo stood perfectly still for a moment and then an evil grin creased his face.

He stealthily made his way to Heero sitting on a lounging chair steadily typing on his laptop perched on his lap. Duo began to unravel his soaking braid planning to shower the preoccupied Wing pilot with the water droplets clinging on his long tresses.

As he prepared to splatter his partner with water ---

"Hn, don't even think about it."

A quiet voice warned without looking up from the screen.

Duo pouted and put his nefarious scheme on hold.

"You're no fun Hee-chan." he grumbled as he plopped down the wooden pier.

"Don't call me that." was the emotionless reply.

"Call you what?" Duo asked in a teasing voice.

"That."

"What that?"

"Duo…."

"I'm just asking you what is the that that you're talking about." Duo continued dodgely enjoying the word play.

With a final tap on the laptop, Heero closed the case with a snapped and faced the irritating boy. He stared at Duo for a full minute taking in the disheveled hair, the sparkling violet eyes and the skimpy shorts that was his only covering. Little rivulets of water ran down the boy's chest before dipping into his navel and disappearing into the waistline of his shorts.

"What do you want Duo?" he asked impatiently.

**You** Duo wanted to reply but instead he gave another grin and reached out to poke Heero playfully on the chest.

" Why are you so serious all the time Hee-chan? Look at that ---." He pointed at the shimmering lagoon, " don't you wanna enjoy the day for once?"

"If I do take a swim with you will you leave me alone for the rest of the day?" Heero asked gazing steadily at Duo.

Duo's eyes sparkled with glee.

"Of course Hee-chan. Scout's honor," he promised solemnly keeping his crossed fingers out of Heero's view.

With a sighed, Heero stood up and carefully put down his beloved laptop on the chair and stripped off his customary green tank top not noticing Duo's wide-eyes and bobbing Adam's apple. He sauntered off towards the edge of the wooden pier and waited impatiently for the braided boy to join him.

**Oh my, my, my…this guy is pure sex.** Duo sighed with longing and stood up to follow his obsession, the bane of his existence.

"Ready Hee-chan?" he asked ignoring the glare Heero gave him and decided to do something that would keep the boy awake at night for a long time.

Duo rushed towards Heero and when he was just a foot away, he spread his arms and glomped the boy tightly and planted a big, squishy kiss on Heero's startled mouth. The momentum of Duo's unexpected move sent the two boys in the water and before it covered the two of them, one could see Prussian blue eyes glinting with shock and something else, perhaps ---pleasure?


We were any age
Floating through space
Happy for once in the human race


"The space is so big, ne, Hee-chan?" Duo asked as he piloted the cruiser he "borrowed" after their escape from an Oz base.

Heero looked at the pilot of Deathscythe and marveled how he was able to retain his silly grin after two days of being beaten and whipped in an Oz prison. Duo looked like hell: T-shirt ripped to shreds with dried blood still clinging on it, showing his back full of deep lacerations from the steel-tipped whip. His left ankle was dislocated but all of these wounds and bruises were ignored by the chattering baka.

Duo looked over his partner and noticed the frown marring his usually stoic face.

"What?"

"How do you do it Duo?"

"Do what?" Duo replied pretending not to here the real question.

"Still smile and laugh after so much pain?"

Duo was silent for a long time wanting to give a flippant answer but knowing that Perfect Soldier wouldn't buy it for a minute.

" I guess I have lots of practice." he finally answered.

"Practice?"

"Yes, practice. When you lost everything you value…even your ability to mourn…all you have left is a …smile…a smile of bitterness."

Heero stared at Duo with his usual stoic face that belied the sudden understanding and empathy he felt for the pilot.

// Ah, yes…practice. He had lots of that too.//

"I remember this old, old movie I once saw. It's about these three hot chicks and somebody they call Mugs, Bugs or something…."

"Duo…"

"Okay, okay…I was just explaining…OKAY!!! Well this goofy guy said something about pain making your heart grow stronger…it exercises it you know…and one of the girls said that she must have a heart of a rhino because she never learns and…and I think I also have one ---that's why I can smile despite…despite everything…." Duo trailed off.

Heero was startled by the unusual analogy but after a second or two of thinking about Duo's confusing explanation it somehow made sense and offered a rare glimpse of the real Duo Maxwell.

"Thank you, Duo."

"For what?"

"For being honest…for showing me --- you."

Duo simply nodded. "You're welcome, Heero."



To be continued....


1 Tee-hee…sounds familiar? Charlie's Angels…I think Duo would really appreciate a girl-kicks-ass movie.


Author's Notes:
C & C are appreciated....