Author's Note: Fair warning, I kinda anticipate some people might be disappointed by this chapter but I think it's more realistic this way so sorry, not sorry! ;-) Also, this chapter goes perfectly with the mood and chorus of "Power Trip" by J. Cole. Especially since my internal head radio was playing it on repeat as I wrote. So if you want to hear a sad and sexy song, go have a listen. Oh, and I think I totally forgot to mention this earlier, but the song I had in my head for Duo and Relena's duet would be like "Suit and Tie" by Justin Timberlake. ;-P


Heero was especially anxious as he leaned against the cool marble walls of the Optimum Grand, watching people coming and going from their rooms to the lobby, the elevators seemingly constantly occupied. He'd stood there for nearly two hours already, waiting for Duo to return. On his way into the city he gathered that Duo was doing some kind of charity promotion event for a childhood disease prevention clinic. Of course, it all made sense now, the reasons he was so active in children's charities. Heero couldn't help but cringe inwardly to imagine his childhood. Not that Heero's was great by any stretch of the imagination but at least there was somewhere for him to go home to. An emotionally manipulative, physically abusive home, but a home nonetheless.

He lost himself in thoughts of his past for a while before finally he heard a burst of excitement that piqued his interest. He turned his head towards the hurried voices as they approached and sure enough, Duo Maxwell was walking up, chatting easily with a group of excited fans.

But when his eyes finally lifted and they met Heero's it was like all time stopped for that brief moment. The look of absolute shock on his face was well worth it and Heero smirked even as the yelp of "oh shit!" left Duo's lips and an elevator door dinged open.

Immediately Heero strode forward, grabbing his shirt and pulling him into the elevator. As soon as the doors shut he reached for the button for the top floor before dragging Duo in for a kiss – only to be thwarted by a hand over his mouth. But Duo pressed his lips into the back of his hand too and closed his eyes. His other hand was twisted in Heero's hair as he slammed him up against the back of the elevator. Duo's eyes opened and he removed his hand and his mouth, kissing across Heero's cheek to his ear. Despite how pissed he was he didn't actually get to kiss Duo, Heero couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the sensation as that skilled tongue stroked his ear lobe.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his whisper husky with lust and Heero tried not to moan as he pressed those hips closer.

"Had to come," he managed out between pants as Duo rocked his hips, the feeling of the friction he'd longed for finally accessible to him. "Heard your song."

Duo froze and the doors opened. He pulled away reluctantly and straightened his clothing before leading Heero down a short hallway and unlocking the heavy door. They entered into a luxurious sitting room but Heero hardly noticed it, his eyes trained on Duo's back. As soon as he paused in the room, Heero was wrapping his arms around his waist, holding him tightly and kissing his neck.

"I feel the same way," he murmured in his ear, nipping it gently but Duo was throwing him off roughly, striding across the vast room to the bar. Heero was confused. He thought the song had made it pretty clear. Unless, of course, it wasn't actually about him at all. But how could that be? He thought... he was so damned sure... But uncertainty began to eat at him as he watched Duo crack the lid on a bottle of gin and throw it back.

"I told you," he growled darkly, not turning to face Heero, his shoulders hunched protectively. "This ain't love, and it'll never fucking be love."

"But –" Heero started but stopped, feeling defeated, feeling like he should just turn around and leave. Obviously he'd misunderstood. This was stupid. Wufei was right. Fuck but he hated when he had to admit that.

"It can't be, don't you fucking get that?!" He had turned to shout the words, his eyes hot with anger and frustration. "You and me – we'd never fucking work! We're both too goddamned stubborn. We don't even live on the same damned colony! And you...! You're supposed to go on tour in two days and you fucking show up here – for what? Why? I haven't seen you in four months!"

"I just thought..." Heero muttered lamely, dropping his eyes to the rug self-consciously.

"Well, ya thought wrong." Duo turned away from him then and started slamming things around on the bar. Heero decided to pack up his wounded pride and just leave before he thought about it too hard and started crying or begging or something equally humiliating.

He turned to leave and made it about to the door before he felt Duo's hands on him, his arms embracing him, his body pressing against his back. He could smell the gin on his breath as his nose buried its way into his neck and Heero couldn't breath he was so scared and desperate and fuck but he wanted this to work.

"You're just going to leave me." Duo's voice cracked on the words and Heero began to realize his shoulder was wet. "I'm going to need you and you won't be here."

Heero's heart ached because now he knew. He understood why Duo felt that way, why he was scared. He shifted so that he could hold Duo against him, stroking his hair and placing a gentle kiss on his temple.

"I'll quit," he said with a determined finality. Duo shook his head against his chest. "I will. Or I'll move to L2. I'll become your agent. I'll –"

"Fucking shut up," came the muffled interruption.

"I will," Heero repeated. "I'll –"

"Shut. Up." Duo's head was still buried in his chest but after a moment he lifted his head to look at him, a weary expression on his face. "Don't fuckin' matter. You've gotta do your tour, so just shut up." He leaned forward to place a kiss alongside Heero's nose. Then he nuzzled his nose against his, their lips almost brushing, but not quite. Heero's lips slipped open desperately, wanting so badly to complete that motion, make that promise Duo wouldn't allow him to make. His stomach bottomed out and he grabbed the back of Duo's head, no longer giving a fuck, just wanting those lips pressed against his so badly. But when he pushed him forward Duo turned his head askance and they were cheek to cheek instead.

"Just fuck me," Duo begged into his ear. Heero shut his eyes tight to fight back all the emotions and want and need he felt at the plea. "Fuck me tonight and make it feel like forever."

And then, without thinking or really even meaning to, he was placing sloppy kisses along Duo's jawline and down his throat, across his collarbone. And Duo was trembling under him, his hands shaking as they slid through his hair. And they were moving across the floor, Heero pushing offensively, pushing through the cracked door into the bedroom, falling back onto the big, plush bed. And then Heero was slipping off his pants carefully, each move deliberate and kind, making sure that even if Duo wouldn't let him say it, he would know beyond a doubt that Heero loved him.

As Heero took off his own pants Duo turned over and shimmied up the bed, leaned over, and grabbed the necessary supplies out of a bag by the side of the bed. But before he could get back Heero was on the bed, throwing his body over him and planting kisses on his back, bracing himself with one hand as the other reached up Duo's shirt and then stroked down his chest, fingers swirling and sliding across his skin. Duo shivered against him, groaning quietly. Then he was grabbing Heero's hand and pushing it down, forcing his fingers into his stiffening cock, gasping as they collided.

Heero laid his head on Duo's tremulous back, breathing heavily as he felt Duo's dick get hard in his hand, his fingers teasing it with little pulls and light strokes. Duo snaked his hand back across Heero's shoulders until he gripped his neck, holding him down against him as his hips jerked forward involuntarily.

"Fuck me," he moaned urgently. "Fuck, I need you now." The deep, throaty demand made all thought slide out of his head, his hips pushing forward into Duo's ass, his hand sliding back to Duo's base and pushing Duo back into him. Duo's hand gripped his hair, yanking painfully as the arm holding him up weakened and then Heero was guiding him down to the mattress. He wrapped his left arm up around his torso as they lay spooned together, holding him close and running kisses up the back of his neck. His other hand reached out and found the lube after a moment and Duo helped him with it and quickly he was slipping his fingers into him and then slipping himself into that tight warmth he had longed for for months.

He rolled his hips slowly back and forth, running his hand up and then down Duo's shaft in rhythm, each movement deliberate, timed, forcing Duo to feel every inch of him. He buried his nose in the base of his braid, breathing in the sweet hotel shampoo and the musky scent of Duo. His fingers played slowly with a nipple, easy to find even though the thin cotton shirt, twisting it, pinching it, and he sucked at Duo's neck, the sensation of being in him causing him to bite down every time he slid forward. Duo whimpered softly in response, his hands clutching at the sheets weakly under Heero's careful, tender ministrations.

"'Ro," he pleaded and Heero's arm tightened around his torso. "I can't take this. Please. This – this is..."

Making love, Heero finished mentally, knowing that was his intention from the very beginning.

"I know," he whispered, his breath a sigh in Duo's ear and Duo let out a deep groan on Heero's forward thrust, coming helplessly across Heero's hand and the sheets. Heero pushed forward again and again as Duo's muscles clamped down around him until it was more than he could bear and he was over the edge, kissing the back of Duo's neck, shoulders, hair, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close.

They lay like that for several minutes, their breathing becoming shallow, their muscles relaxing, and Heero slipped his hips back so he could slide out to hold him more comfortably.

Duo twisted in his arms and Heero stroked his slightly sweaty bangs, kissing his cheek and running his nose against his cheekbone. Duo closed his eyes and snuggled closer to him.

"I did miss you," he murmured at last as he tucked his head up under Heero's chin, finally letting his guard down. Heero couldn't help but smile a little smile, glad he came all this way despite Duo not being completely forthright. Not allowing him a kiss.

"But this is what we're good at," Duo muttered and the smile disappeared from Heero's face. Heero couldn't refute that fact as doubt crept into his heart. He never did manage a successful relationship with a man. Why would be Duo be any different? In fact, common sense would dictate that an attempt with Duo would fail even worse than any of his others – the man was clearly psychologically damaged from his life experiences and who knew if he would be able to share something like love at all? Heero wasn't exactly a blank slate for that matter. Maybe his own past and difficulties with his father were the reason he couldn't make any relationship with a man work long term.

Despite all that, Heero felt forced to play devil's advocate, never one to give up without a fight. "But isn't it worth giving it a chance?"

"One of us would have to give up so much." Duo shook his head slightly. "I can't do it. No matter how much I might want to, I can't. I've helped too many people. They're more important."

No matter how much Heero wanted to argue that point, he kept his mouth shut. Despite what he might have thought, Duo did deserve some happiness. The whole population of L2 wasn't his responsibility.

"What if you didn't have to give it up?" Heero asked quietly.

"I can't possibly ask that of you." Duo sighed and ran his fingers through the soft hair on Heero's lower abdomen. "When you go on your tour you'll realize that you can't give it up. It's too exhilarating, performing. And I wouldn't ask you to leave that. You'll see."

"Maybe," Heero replied uncertainly. Performing was actually his least favorite part of the profession. He wasn't exactly looking forward to the tour at all. "Maybe we can see how I feel at the end of the tour?" His prediction: exhausted, overwhelmed, and desperate to get out. He hadn't done a tour for almost three years. And even then, Wufei stacked a bunch of smaller venues at the end so that he could catch a break.

"Yeah?" Heero noted the tiniest bit of hope in the question.

"Yeah," he replied, kissing Duo's temple. "But tonight, we can just enjoy each other."