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A/N: Send me e-cookies!


When Knowing No Longer Matters

"I don't know how it came to this."

Damia had driven out quite a way from the city to meet with Phylia in secret. She looked at the Yuy woman with compassion and sympathy. "I know this . . . path we've chosen will bring pain. But we're counting on the goodness of our fathers. What else do we have at this point?"

Phylia turned away, her dark eyes dropping closed. "And yet here we are. If our fathers really wanted peace, wouldn't they have come up with it on their own?"

Damia shook her head. "I know it seems hopeless. But think of our brothers. Lucrezia Noin paired them together for the Science Show, just as we requested. It seems like a terribly long shot, but we can hope beyond hope that they will not only learn to work together, but to get along. They don't need an enduring friendship to bring this absurd blood feud to an end. Just an understanding of one another."

"It is not our brothers I doubt," Phylia murmured.

"Don't lose hope," Damia said, striding forward and clasping her friend to her breast. "Please, Phylia. We can do this. If we don't, no one else will. Every day tensions between branches of our families grows stronger. We cannot fail."

Phylia rested her head against Damia's shoulder. "Yes, I know you are right."

But it's still impossible to believe. She didn't say it, but Damia heard it just the same. In all honesty, Damia wasn't sure she herself could believe one-hundred percent that their actions would succeed in their ultimate goal.

Duo, she thought, so much is hinging on you. Please be the person I know you are.

-

Duo sneezed. Sitting close as he was against Heero's side, he felt it when his companion started. The arm loosely around him tightened into a real hold.

"You okay?" Heero asked. "You're not getting sick, are you?"

The fussiness immediately appealed. Smiling, Duo shook his head. "No. Someone was talking about me, is all."

He felt Heero rest his cheek on the top of his head. "You believe that silly superstition?"

Duo giggled. "No. But it's nice to think someone might be saying nice things about me."

"What if they're saying mean things?" Heero wanted to know.

"Like anyone would say mean things about me," Duo scoffed. "You're the only one, and you're converted now to worship in the temple of Duo Maxwell."

A strong, warm hand slid up his arm. "I would like to worship in that temple," came the soft reply.

Duo shivered. Nothing like switching tactics. It had only been a handful of hours since their talk in the lift. Thinking about it still made Duo flush, though he wasn't sorry he'd said any of it. The pair had come home to hit the arcade, which Duo of course loved. Now it was getting late, and they sat watching a movie on the holonet. Heero had even given him his cheesecake. It was almost a perfect day.

Almost. That hand did not stop its gentle caress, a ghost of a touch that made his skin tingle and his heart race. Just six hours ago or so he'd been sure he wasn't quite ready for intimacy. Now, his blood warming in his veins and raising his whole body temperature, he wasn't entirely sure he would stop Heero if his companion started . . . doing intimate things.

Heero moved, shifting to nuzzle Duo's ear. His pulse jumped again as he tilted his head to the side without thought. He felt a hand brush his hair out of the way, then soft kisses wandered down his neck. Duo felt a little too warm, especially when Heero's lips parted and he gently nibbled and licked the suddenly sensitive skin there. When he found Duo's pulse he attached his mouth to Duo's throat and sucked, and Duo's mouth fell open, eyes falling shut. Shit but that felt good . . .

Ah, damn, he's going to feel how hard my heart is pounding . . . Heero's hand spidered down his arm and worked its way back up under his shirt, stroking his hip and stomach. Who would have thought such simple contact could made Duo so . . . eager for more? He could feel his body arching toward Heero, ready to take whatever Heero gave.

"Duo," Heero breathed against his neck, "can we go to my room?"

That tone left little room for uncertainty as to Heero's reason for asking that. And he wanted to know if what he wanted was all right with Duo. If he wanted it too. And he did. A tiny moan escaped him just thinking about it, barely audible. Heero kissed down his jaw in response, licking Duo's lower lip.

"God," Duo gasped out, "yes." And he brought their mouths together for a sudden and eager kiss.

Heero thrust his tongue past Duo's lips, stroking it along the roof of his mouth. For some reason, that drove Duo crazy. He twisted, practically in Heero's lap now, pressing against his friend and companion. He didn't care. He no longer cared if it was too soon for them to be doing things like this. He wanted to feel Heero's touch, he wanted to see him with no barriers between, to feel naked skin slide along naked skin.

Heero broke the kiss so abruptly it startled Duo, and he rose off the couch. Firmly taking Duo's hand, he led him away from the large sitting room and to the bedrooms. To his own bedroom, shutting the door, not bothering to turn on the lights. The twin moons, neither quite full yet, cast enough illumination through the window. Duo could just make out the flush to Heero's face.

And Duo realized Heero was just as shy and new to this as he was. It made his pulse jump again. For some reason, that made him feel a lot better. They came back together as though magnets drawn by a force that could not be denied. Heero aligned their bodies, pulling Duo flush against him to resume that spine-tingling kiss. His hands, resting on Duo's hips, moved around to his backside and squeezed.

This time it was Duo who broke the kiss, a ragged groan bubbling up from his throat. Heat was gathering between his thighs. Wow, was he ever getting turned on easily. He flushed, but he neither could help it nor cared. His head fell to rest in the crook of Heero's neck as the taller boy kneaded the globes of flesh in his hands, making Duo start panting. He was way too hot.

He realized Heero was backing him up toward the bed. They went down suddenly, and Heero's hands tugged insistently at Duo's shirt. Lifting his arms, he helped Heero pull it off, then yanked Heero's off over his head. Heero resumed his kiss, then, pressing down on top of Duo. The skin of his chest was smooth, flawless like silk. Heero's hands slid down Duo's ribs and then up his stomach and chest. Duo nearly jumped out of his skin when Heero brushed his nipples with his thumbs.

"Nngh, Heero—"

The pressure increased. Duo's head fell back with a moan, and Heero obligingly sucked on the arch of his throat. God, why did everything Heero did to him feel so good? A knee pushed between his thighs, and Duo sucked in a sharp breath. Pleasure crackled over his nerves at the brief contact, and he ground himself against Heero's leg. It felt so good, oh it felt amazing and he wanted more—

Heero fumbled with the zipper on Duo's pants, his hands clumsy and trembling. "Duo, I want to . . . have to see you . . ."

Then he was naked with dizzying speed, and Duo felt the flush through his entire body this time. Heero's gaze ate him right up, raking up and down his frame, devoting special attention to the rigid, begging length between Duo's thighs. He might have been embarrassed had Heero's expressive eyes not told him the taller boy was pleased by what he saw.

"God you're beautiful," Heero whispered, once more fusing their mouths together.

What was it about Heero's kiss? It stole every last breath, every last minuscule amount of oxygen from his lungs, sapped all his strength, and made his blood turn to fire. Not caring if he seemed needy or desperate, he grabbed Heero's wrist and guided his hand to the center of his aching need. He wanted to feel Heero's touch. Needed to.

Heero's hot hand on his naked flesh about sent him through the roof. Electricity shot to every nerve ending in his body, bolts of pleasure crackling over his skin. "Ahh, He-Heero . . ."

Heero's fingers curled around him, squeezing. It felt fantastic. Liquid moans streamed off Duo's lips as his hips jerked up into Heero's hand, eager of their own accord for more of this incredible pleasure. It turned him into a creature of need, base and carnal desire replacing all higher brain function. No one had ever touched him like this.

"Nnh . . . Heero . . . please . . ."

That demanding mouth landed on his, swallowing all further sound. Then Heero pulled away from him, removing his hand. It wrung a pathetic whimper from Duo and he opened his eyes. When he saw Heero unzip his jeans he quickly assisted, pushing pants and boxers down. Heero kicked them off his legs, and they fell to the floor with a soft thump. Duo's greedy eyes took in his companion's body, glorious in its naked splendor. Heero was built like every god of beauty legend had ever depicted. Toned, lithe, golden, and obviously strong.

Then all thought was driven away. Heero leaned back down, grinding his pelvis into Duo's. The feel of hard desire pressed to hard, hot desire about sent Duo out of his mind. Knowing that he was the reason for Heero's excitement went straight to his head, need throbbing between his thighs.

"Yesssssssssssss . . ." he hissed, lifting his hips off the bed to grind against Heero.

Maybe the knowledge of what they were doing, that it was both their first time, that it was Heero combined to make this the most intense experience of Duo's young life. He couldn't seem to catch his breath, couldn't seem to concentrate or focus on anything. Except that incredible pleasure building between his legs. Heero's mouth bit and licked down Duo's neck, making Duo pant and moan. Then Heero once again gripped the soft curve of Duo's backside, at once lifting and squeezing. Duo's eyes shot open when Heero's hands spread him. It was unexpected and enough to send Duo careening down into sweet release.

He tumbled into pure white bliss. Pleasure glittered over his skin, racing up his body in waves, originating between his thighs, robbing him of all sense and thought and reason. He could vaguely feel himself gasping Heero's name, a breathless little sound that had barely enough force behind it to be heard. He couldn't see anything, could barely breathe.

Then every muscle in his body turned to water. He sagged back onto the bed, feeling like he was sinking into a pool of golden warmth. When he came down off his amazing high he found Heero leaning over him, eyes closed, breathing slowly evening out, forehead pressed to Duo's. Duo could feel the heat of each breath against his cheek. Finally cobalt eyes opened, though the moon washed out the color. The boys gazed at each other for a time, both searching for regret in the other's countenance. Neither found a trace.

"Wow," Heero whispered.

Duo couldn't help it and giggled. "You're telling me," he murmured, voice just as low as the other's.