Title: A Helping Hand 7

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero stopped just outside the front door. Then he just dropped down on the stairs and sat there for a while. He took a few moments to think about Duo what had happened to him and what was happening between them.

Sighing heavily, he pushed himself up then went inside and got quite an eyeful!

"Uh... guys! That's for the bedroom!"

The only answers he got were several incomprehensible moans. Closing his eyes, Heero carefully, made his way to the kitchen to put away the surprise he'd gotten for Duo. Then with his hand over his eyes, he stumbled back out into the living room, knocking over a small table as he searched for the stairs. Cursing he leaned over and picked up the table. Once he'd found the stairs, he tripped up them and up into his and Duo's room.

It only took a second for him to find Duo, curled around a pillow. The Japanese boy walked over to the bed and dropped to his knees beside it. His hand softly touched Duo's cheek, but the other boy shrank away.

"Duo..."

"You said, 'I won't let go until you tell me to.' And I didn't tell you to!"

"I'm s-sorry Duo... I just went out to get you something."

Eyelashes lifted for Heero to see bright purple eyes. "You got me something?"

"Yeah, I did; but I don't know it you want to go downstairs to get it. Quatre and Trowa were in the middle of something when I came in."

Duo jumped up and grabbed Heero's hand. "I don't care. I wanna know what you got me!" He dragged Heero down the stairs, jerking to a stop at the last step as he saw Quatre and Trowa climax together. Duo let out a small sigh in seeing that. Then the two of them kissed softly and whispered in each other's ears. Duo, guess it was something along the lines of 'I love you', and other such sappy pillow talk.

A part of Duo resented them because they had something he didn't. The other part of him applauded and adored them, they were happy together and it gave him hope that someday he'd have what they had.

Heero's arm wrapped around Duo, startling him, "Something wrong?"

Duo shook his head, "N-no..."

Heero moved around Duo and headed to the kitchen. Remembering his surprise, Duo quickly followed him.

"So what'cha get me?" Duo grinned, sitting on a barstool at the counter.

"Close your eyes." Duo did as instructed. Heero went to the refrigerator and opened the freezer half, took out four buckets of ice cream. Turning and shutting the freezer with his foot, he went back to the counter and set them out in front of Duo. "Okay. Open them."

Duo opened his eyes to see Heero opening the first bucket. "Whoa! You got me four buckets of ice cream!"

"Yeah," Heero sighed shyly, "I didn't know which you'd like better."

"Fudge Swirl, Chocolate, Rocky Road, And Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough." Duo smiled up at Heero. "These are good. Cookies 'n' Cream, Mint, Lady Bug, Elephant Tracks, Blue Moon, anything would have been good."

"I'm glad." Heero went over to one of the cabinets bring down a bowl out for Duo. While he went to get a spoon from the silverware drawer, Duo thought about when he'd been feeling when he'd watched Quatre and Trowa.

/Maybe I don't have what they have.../ He watched Heero with a smile, a genuine smile, on his face. /But what I do have looks pretty, good.../ His eyes ran over Heero's body. /And it has the potential to be even better./

Heero caught Duo's eyes on him and he felt a bit... strange. "What are you looking at?"

"You," Duo replied honestly.

Heero glanced himself over. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Duo laughed, shaking his head. "No, nothing's wrong. You're just..." Duo met Heero's gaze as he thought of the right word to use. As he stared into dark blue eyes, he found a softness in them he hadn't noticed before. "Perfect."

"I'm not perfect Duo." When Duo didn't respond, Heero returned his attention to the ice cream. So, what do you want?"

Duo's eyes let up as he looked over the buckets while Heero opened them. As he watched him, Heero caught a glimpse of what he could imagine Duo like as a child. A huge, bright violet eyed child with hair down his back, in a candy store trying to figure out what to pick.

"I can have anythin I want?" Duo asked innocently.

"Yes."

"'K! Then I want two scoops of each!"

"Two of each, uh?" Duo nodded vigorously. Heero began dishing out the ice cream; Duo looked at the single bowl and frowned.

"Where's your bowl Hee-chan?"

"I don't want any."

"But Heero!"

"I don't want any."

"Ok fine. Then make it three scoops of each."

"Three?"

"Yep, I have to eat some for you too!" Duo giggled.

Heero chuckled softly and kept spooning out the ice cream, piling it into Duo's bowl. Duo watched him, a big smile on his face. He picked up the spoon and dipped it in then took a bite.

"Mmm... thank you Heero."

"Well I just thought you could use a treat."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Duo took another spoonful and raised it to his lips. "You gotta have some Heero." His lips closed around the spoon, and then he pulled it out only to dip it into the frozen dessert again. This time he got a bit of plain chocolate on it. "At least have the chocolate."

"I don't want any. It's for you." Heero declined, pushing it away. He moved closer to Duo. "I want this." Softly he planted kisses on Duo's lips, kisses Duo happily returned. Then Heero's mouth opened and he began to slip his tongue into Duo's mouth.

Duo withdrew quickly, shaking.

"Oh Duo... I..."

"It's alright."

"No, it's not. I promised I wouldn't push you. That I'd let you decide when we moved on."

"Heero, it's ok... I want to... I really do." Heero slipped his arm around Duo's waist. "Just... I'm just not ready."

"Let me try that ice cream." Heero wanted to change the subject. Now he felt like an ass for pushing Duo further than he was ready to go. He should have known better. He didn't want to make Duo uncomfortable.

Duo just smiled at him and moved the spoon to Heero's mouth. Heero closed it around the spoon, letting the cold touch his tongue. Duo laughed, "Now the fudge swirl." He fed Heero the next flavor. "Next chocolate chip cookie dough." He made sure to get a bit of cookie dough on the spoon and gave it to Heero. "Lastly… Rocky Road." Heero opened his mouth on more time for Duo.

"Maybe I'll just share yours."

"K!" Duo smirked.

Heero covered the four buckets and put them back in the freezer. Then he got a spoon and went to sit next to Duo. Smiling Duo slid the bowl over between the two of them. They split the ice cream between them. Duo giggled as they took turned feeding each other. As they nearly emptied the bowl, Duo took a bit of each flavor and raised the spoon to Heero. "Try this."

Heero opened his mouth and tasted all four of them together. "Hmm... very good."

Quatre peeked in on the two and smiled at what he saw. "Good for you guys..." He whispered softly, and then followed Trowa up the stairs.

Duo finished the rest of it. "Thanks Heero. I really needed that."

"You're welcome."

They headed back upstairs after setting the bowl in the sink. Entering their room, Heero went right to his laptop while Duo went to his dresser to pull out a pair of boxers and a t-shirt.

"Heero; I'm gonna take a shower."

"Want any help?" Heero asked curiously just because he was still worried about Duo's healing hands.

"No thanks. I think I can manage by myself."

"Alright, just call if you need me."

Duo nodded as he left the room. "Will do, Heero."

For the first hour, Heero checked on the news he'd missed while listening to Duo. Then he checked in with Dr. J, seeing if he had any orders yet.

While doing this, a new document opened.

Did he tell you?

I wish you wouldn't possess my laptop like that.

Heero typed back angrily.

So did he?

Yes.

How's he doing?

Why don't you go ask him!

Why are you so angry? You know what was going to happen to him! You knew that he was going to be, raped that night!

Why do you think I told you to take care of him!

Maybe you shouldn't have made me dance with him! Then he wouldn't have ran outside!

Then the two of you won't be boyfriends and Duo would still be driving you crazy with his constant nagging instead of being considerate of your need to be alone.

Heero didn't reply for a long time. Just sat there, staring at the screen.

You knew all this was going to happen?

Not exactly, I know what happened and I know it would have been worse if you hadn't gone with him.

Worse?

Heero suddenly felt worried. He swallowed hard before he continued.

You mean he would have died?

It didn't happen; like that so don't worry about it.

However, it could have...

It didn't, so calm down... You care about him?

Yes! You know that. He's my friend, the only one I've ever had, and the only person I've ever considered a friend. Yeah he bugs me but... Now he's my boyfriend! Of course, I care about him!

Would you miss him if he did die?

Yes...

Heero sank back in his chair and thought about just how much he would miss Duo. It would have never occurred to him before now, but he would miss a lot about his loudmouth, braided, American boyfriend.

"Hey Hee-chan!" screamed someone in his ear and arms wrapped around his shoulders. Heero jumped, completely caught off guard. "Whoa... Heero, you ok?"

Heero looked up to see Duo smiling down at him. "Yeah, fine."

"I thought you heard me come in."

"No, I didn't."

"Wow. I actually snuck up on you." Duo rested his chin on Heero's shoulder. "So what'cha working on?"

"Oh... uh..." Heero panicked and quickly glanced at the screen. Luckily, the document had closed itself and Heero's previous work was up. "The usual."

"Same old, Heero," Duo kissed his cheek. "Can you break away long enough to braid my hair before I go to bed?"

"Sure Duo." Heero pushed away from the desk. He got up and went to get Duo's brush while Duo went and sat on his bed. Heero joined him a minute later and began brushing out the long brown tresses.

"It's been so long since I've trusted anyone besides myself to take care of my hair."

"Oh?" Heero asked plainly trying to act as though he didn't know. "Who was the last person?"

Duo hesitated a bit in his answer. "Well besides you, the only other person that ever brushed and braided my hair was..." Duo paused, a long heart-wrenching pause. "Sister Helen..." A single tear rolled down Duo's face at the mention of the nun.

"Hn." Heero noticed Duo's hesitation and pain at the thought of the nun and didn't press it any further but then Duo continued on his own.

"When I was little I lived in Maxwell Church on L2. Father Maxwell and her took really, good care of me... Then they were... And I couldn't save them... I was too late..."

"Oh Duo," Heero breathed apologetically. He petted Duo's hair. "How old were you?"

"Eight... I stole a MS to save them but I was too late... Father Maxwell was already dead, when I got there... and Sister Helen... she... I... she died in my arms."

"Duo, you were eight. You can't blame yourself."

Duo didn't reply.

"That why you took the last name Maxwell?"

"Well I was an orphan, never knew my parents... They were the closest thing I ever had to a mom and dad... so yeah... It just seemed right." Duo grinned wistfully. "I don't believe Heero Yuy's your *real* name."

"It's a code name. I don't know my name. I was just called..." Heero stopped, not able to recall being, given any other name other than Heero Yuy. "I don't know... I can't remember."

Duo turned around to face Heero and saw the first glimpse of sadness in his deep blue eyes. "Hey. It's in the past, it doesn't matter now." He hugged Heero tightly. "You are Heero Yuy. My Heero."

Heero returned Duo's embrace and buried his face in Duo's neck, hiding in his half-braided hair. "You're right... you're right..."

"How about the day after tomorrow, if nothing comes up, we just spend the whole day together?"

"Why, not tomorrow?"

"Cause I need to talk to Quat. After you he's my closest friend and I've kinda left him in the dark for awhile on what happened; now that I've told you... I think I can tell him... at least I hope I can..."

"If nothing comes up, we can."

"Thanks Hee-chan."

A few hours, later they went to bed. Duo clung to Heero, now that Heero knew; he hoped his nightmares would subside. Heero held Duo close, hoping that Duo would be alright.

That night though, Duo did have another nightmare, but Heero was awake, waiting for it and was able to, quickly calm him, back down this time and Duo was, left to dream a bit more pleasantly.

~dream sequence~

The prince got off his horse and approached the long-haired man he'd rescued a few days before, with great caution. Said man was sitting alone beside the river bend. "Sir?" He called out wryly.

The man turned and smiled at the prince. "Your Highness." He greeted him with a low bow.

The prince walked over and kissed the young man, shocking him.

~end dream~

Duo snuggled closer to Heero as he slept. Heero, awakened by the movement of his lover, instinctively tightened his grip on him, and then glanced down. He hadn't expected the peacefully look on Duo's face but was none-the-less glad it was there. Heero gently kissed Duo's forehead, then went back to sleep.

TBC