Duo was exhausted. He had pushed himself far too hard over our four day weekend and he was now paying the price for the lack of rest he took during it. We had decided to spend our time clearing out our new parcel of land. I couldn't say no to his excited countenance when he leapt upon my bed early Friday morning. Thank goodness I could control the weapon in my hand with my thumb pressing down on the hammer of my pistol when he surprised me awake. I, however, wasn't surprised with his lack of alarm.
He wanted to get up at first light, so we did. We ate in the Jeep on the way to our new property and when we got there that first morning; he seemed to be a man walking about in a dreamlike manner. I guess it's safe to say that I've never truly seen him so happy. After all; he was speechless for the first fifteen minutes after our arrival. I have a feeling that he was telling himself that yes, this was real and that yes, this was his. I stood back while I mixed oil and gasoline in a small jerry can, watching him as he took everything in. I fueled the first weed eater and primed the pump, and then checked the blade to make sure it was secure and sharp before walking over to him. He grinned at me as if I had just handed him a wad of unexpected cash and then I wisely walked away as he strapped himself in, slipped on his protective goggles and got to work. I decided to lose myself in my thoughts over the roar of the small beast as I prepared my own machine.
He started at the far corner, so I began my work on the opposite end, our plan to meet in the middle and go from there. The handles as I gripped them while swinging the blade in a slow side to side arc buzzed in my palms, making them a bit numb, but not unpleasantly so. I love to work and now I could see why he was so excited over this; it really was good therapy for the mind. With the sharpened blade, I made short work of the thick bushes and small trees as we both worked along the road frontage, but we did leave a lot of brush that needed to be gathered up before we could proceed. He suggested burning it. I agreed and so we did. We worked right through lunch and didn't stop until the last bits of sunset slipped from the clouds above us. The wood pile was smoldering, but we felt there would be no danger of it spreading if it decided to catch.
That first night, I sat in the living room, staring blankly at the television while I silently acknowledged how tired I actually was. It was the good kind of tired, where you feel accomplished after a mission well done. I've always loved that feeling. Duo took a long shower and while he washed his hair, I threw us together a quick dinner of ham sandwiches and potato chips. It was the best I could do with all the remaining energy I had left. Duo ate while I showered, and then sat with me as I had my meal while we watched the end of an old action movie.
I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until I felt a hand gripping my shoulder and my name whispered softly into my ear. My eyes fluttered open and I gazed up to him and I realized; he looked as tired as I felt. No words were spoken, only soft nods as we looked into each other's eyes, and then, with a grunt, I rose. We went to bed and slept heavily until my alarm went off at six the next morning.
We got more work done that Saturday, but this time, I insisted that we stop for lunch. He was really pushing himself into his work and I didn't like the pallid tone his skin had taken. I forced him to sit down on the cooler lid while I placed a sandwich in one hand and a Gatorade in the other, but the look of gratitude wasn't lost on me. Sometimes Duo just needs to be watched over and I didn't mind being the one to do it. I just wish it weren't so humid that weekend. By the end of the day on that Saturday there wasn't a dry stitch of clothing to be found on us and even though the sun had gone down, we still continued to press on. Having let my bangs grow as unruly as this underbrush, I discovered was actually beneficial. I simply 'borrowed' one of his ties and pulled them back off of my face. I really needed a haircut. And a shave. He caught me studying my reflection in the driver's side rearview mirror and had a good laugh. I let him rib me more as we slowly drove home until I reminded him of that time he nearly put my eye out with his erection.
For some reason, that is a pretty good go-to to get even with him when he feels he has something over on me. I love to watch him turn various shades of red while he pretends he isn't embarrassed and just to watch him squirm like a nervous teenager somehow makes me want to laugh. But not in a bad way. I'd never laugh at him to hurt him and besides, it was just an erection. A perfectly natural reaction to where I had placed my hand on his leg. I needed somewhere to put my hand to steady myself while I worked on his knee.
We drove home in silence that night and when I pulled up to our favorite sub shops drive thru, I realized why. He had fallen asleep. I ordered what I had seen him get many times in the past and got us home even though there was a moderate amount of traffic for such a late hour. I also decided that it was just easier to make two trips and carry him and then the food to our apartment rather than wake him up. I guess this kind of made me feel old. We're used to doing field work, we work out in the gym that's located in the basement of our building, but this was different. We were putting our heart and souls into this project that tended to last from seven in the morning until question mark. And Duo liked to push the question mark. So do I, truth be told. So do I. I was proud of him for that.
So I made the two trips, carrying him first to the apartment. He fit so well in my arms, even if we are both very tall men. The way his cheek rested against my shoulder while we rode up to the eighth floor made me feel good; feel needed. He was still wet from sweat, and so was I, but now, we were growing cold. I got him on the couch, peeled him out of his shirt and lay him down before covering him up and going back to get our food. By that time I wasn't really hungry anymore, and since I had gotten us some subs, I knew they would hold up well in the fridge. They heat up well and Duo isn't too picky with his food.
After I put our sandwiches into the fridge I came back to check on Duo. He was shivering so I ran a hot bath and managed to coax him awake enough to let me finish undressing him, and then I walked him like a drunk to the bathroom. He really wasn't aware of much as I eased him into the tub, but he was shivering harder now. I bathed him thoroughly making sure to get the sweat and grime off of his beautiful skin and then I took my time washing his hair. By the time I was done, I barely had the energy to get him to roused enough to get out of the tub and to sit on the toilet while I dried him off. It seemed as if it took forever to manage that wild mane into a semblance of dampness that I felt wouldn't soak through the sheets or give him pneumonia and then I, as I let him lean against me, braided it. Afterwards, I continued to let him lean against me, him still sleeping soundly, and I just held onto him. I think even as I stood over him with my arms around his shoulders to hold him still, I dozed, only waking when I let out a snore loud enough to startle me. It was enough to get me going, to get him on his feet and into bed where I let him lie naked beneath his bedding. He liked to sleep in the nude anyway and I just didn't have the steam to fight him into any pajamas or whatever it was he decided to sleep in when he felt night clothes were a necessity.
Somehow I managed to get a shower of my own. By that time, I too was freezing and the hot water seemed to wake me enough to help me finish this little mission. I barely remember trudging to bed and I must have hit the snooze on my alarm at least three times. I didn't wake up until I felt a familiar dip on my mattress.
"No," I groaned into my pillow. I had been so tired that I couldn't fully enter sleep. Hands reached into the covers, palms strong and rough with the work we had been doing nonstop for the past two days pressed into my back. I repeated the negative with a deep groan as I held onto my pillow with both arms.
"C'mon, time to get up," Duo's tired voice spoke close to me. I could feel the timber and vibration of his words against my neck. It sent shivers along my body but I was adamant that no, I was not getting up. We could sleep in and then go back and do some clean up later on in the day. Besides; we still had Monday off. Three days clearing out land out of a four day weekend wasn't bad.
"Heero," Duo intoned and once again, the vibration from his voice tickled my skin. He flopped down on top of me with a deep sigh and I knew that he had probably slept as fitfully as I had. Reaching back, I managed to hook an arm around his body and flip him over beside of me.
"Go back to bed," I groaned. Rustling against me as the covers were pulled back caused me to groan again, but before I could argue, I heard them whisper as they were pulled back up and then the comforting feel of his body pressed against mine. I relaxed as Duo settled in next to me and then we finally got some good sleep.
I knew today was shot when I woke again several hours later. It was already three in the afternoon and where sunlight should be streaming into my windows wasn't. A heady grumble of thunder, far off to the west, told me that rain was coming. Duo was still pressed against me, completely hidden beneath the covers. I peeled them back enough, I had an ache to see his sleeping face and when it was revealed to me, I wasn't disappointed. Our faces were so close and he smelled so enticing with the body wash I had scrubbed him down with last night. The faint hints of his shampoo still lingered in my nostrils and I realized that I had moved close enough that our lips were barely touching. I breathed in with the same gentleness of his exhales, taking his breath into my lungs for a few moments before closing the distance and joining our lips into a gentle kiss.
"Four fuckin' thirty," I managed to groan as I drug myself out of Heero's bed. "Why'd we sleep so late? Is that thunder?" I exclaimed as I walked into the kitchen. Heero looked like shit. "You look like shit, buddy," I grumbled as I headed to the coffee pot. "Why did I climb into bed with you?"
"Because," Heero answered as dug for his barber kit. He lost his train of thought and I stood there, staring at him as he pulled it down from the china hutch. A slow grin took over my face.
"And I was naked," I sang softly. "You want me, don't you? You want all this, baby," I purred as I lifted my arms above my head and did a bit of the belly dance that Quatre had taught me. One day, he was really going to teach me how to do it, but so far, we only burst into laughter like twelve year old girls during every lesson. It really doesn't help if Trowa's in the peanut gallery, quipping off to us with that dry wit of his while under the pretense of reading a paper or drinking his coffee.
"I thought you were just coming in to put my eye out," Heero fired back and I felt my face begin to burn. I sputtered a few things as I turned to the coffee pot before another grin took over my face. "Glad you noticed," I said coyly.
"How could I not?" he fired back as he headed to the bathroom. A knot began to form in my stomach and I turned my head quickly and watched his retreating back. My eyes then shot down to my crotch. "It's four thirty, you had your chance for morning wood buddy," I said to my budding erection, but something in my belly, that knot perhaps, told me that maybe it wasn't so much the fact I had just gotten up more so as to what Heero had said.
"Great, here we go again," I muttered as the what ifs came crashing down upon me in waves.
"What coffee is this?" I called as the clippers began to buzz from the bathroom.
"Kona," Heero answered.
"Yes," I said in excitement. Kona is my favorite and we only use it for special occasions because we don't want to get used to it. We want to keep it fresh and exciting. Like so many other things. I paused again, my lips pursed as the edge of the cup came close to them, and then blinked as I slowly turned my head to the bathroom. Maybe? Maybe that's what he's doing? Is he… Nah. No may, Maxwell. He's not savoring you, if he wanted you, he'd go get you. Or at least pick up the fuckin' hint that you've got a crush on him.
"Not a crush," I breathed, and then took a drink of my Kona. Love. Head over heels, die without him, can't live with him, want to climb a building wearing nothing but a cape love. Love. L.O.V.E. love. In love with him.
"He has to know," I murmured as I set the cup down and walked to the bathroom. The realization had hit me that he was cutting his hair and I had gotten there in time. He always started with the back, but when the sound of the clippers stopped, I knew I had to get in there quickly.
"Don't!" I cried out. He had brushed his longs bangs and had pulled them out, his scissors poised to start hacking away. His eyes were confused as they gazed at me in the reflection of the mirror. "Don't cut them. Pull them back. I… I like that," I said.
"You do?" he asked, his voice soft and a little uncertain. "You don't think I look like Trowa?"
I laughed. "Not at all, Heero. He parts his to the side, you just look through yours like some kind of shaggy dog. No…" Approaching him, I made a point of removing the scissors from his hand and then picked up my wide-toothed comb. I brushed his hair back and then tied it at the back of his head with one of my bands. A few wayward rebellious locks still fell in his face, but he looked good. He looked more intense now, dangerous. It was good to see those eyes, sharp as flint, unfettered and unleashed. They were softer now.
"See? You look good." I patted him on the back and then let my palm linger a little longer against his body before dropping it.
Heero gave a slight shrug, and then began to pack up his barber kit. "I should grow them longer, then. Make it look better in the back."
"Agreed," I said. "So… we're not going to do any work today, huh?"
"No," came the soft answer.
"Good," I sighed. "We can clean up around here, then. Just take a nice Sunday off. I could use it. Man, I don't even remember getting into the shower last night. I just remember waking up as I was trying to wake you up. I guess I was on auto pilot."
"I carried you in," Heero said as he zipped up the case and walked out of the room past me.
"You carried… really?" I asked, perplexed. I knew I was exhausted yesterday, but to be carried in like some bride? I cast my eyes back down for a brief moment. Down, boy!
"I couldn't wake you up. I put you in the tub, you were shaking by the time I got our subs in the fridge."
"Wait… you gave me a bath?" Now my heart was throbbing as hard as my erection. I decided to close the door in case he decided to come back to have this discussion in a closer manner.
"You stank, you were wet and cold, I had no other recourse," Heero answered. Good. By the sound of his voice, he had remained in the kitchen.
"You even washed my hair?" I asked with a laugh as I pulled my braid over my shoulder to gently finger the thick heavy rope.
"I had no other recourse," came the answer once again. "I actually fell asleep holding you up on the toilet after I had finished braiding it."
"Really?" I laughed at the mental image. Seeing Heero standing up and sound asleep wasn't new to me, but a more genuine smile crossed my lips at the thought that he was holding onto me. It made me feel really good. And he had braided my hair. It would be a long while before I unbraided this baby.
"Really."
"Thanks, Heero."
A grunt was my answer. When the silence stretched out between us, I grabbed up the lotion, sat down on the pot and whipped out the famous ten inches of Maxwell fury. He was hard and throbbing in my hand as I took care of his needs. I just wished it was Heero's hand stroking him instead of mine.
A storm came down upon us that evening. We sat watching an old black and white horror movie while we ate our sandwiches that Heero had gotten us the previous night. Lightning flickered in the distance, but now it seemed to be a constant strobe light in the dark clouds. Thunder grumbled in a near constant voice but the rain was yet to fall.
"Think we'll lose power?" I asked. Heero shrugged once as he chewed his bite thoughtfully.
"Maybe," he answered. "We need it."
"Yeah, the only thing is is that it sucks to move wet brush."
"It'll be fine," he answered. "We can go after the soft stuff instead of bushes and trees. Get that tall grass along the edges of the property line. We'll need a bobcat to pull that old fencing down so it can be replaced."
"Speaking of," I said. "We need to build a real wood shed, you know, for our fireplace. Go ahead and stock it up."
"We've got heavier growth towards the back," he said as I stretched out my legs and placed them carefully across his lap. Without missing a beat, he rested his arms upon them as he stretched out his own upon his plush ottoman. "We'll make sure to stock up well."
"Man, the first winter at that place is going to be amazing," I said with a smile. "Think we could make the fireplace big enough to cook in?"
He cut his eyes over to me. "I was thinking that very thing. I know we'll never get Trowa out of the house once he sees that."
"Yeah," I smiled. "We should just make it big enough to move he and Quatre in. That'd be great."
Heero grunted softly and we ate and watched our movie. I got up to throw away our trash and then came back in, once again draping my legs comfortably over Heero's lap. I was waiting for him to protest, perhaps even through my legs off, but he never did. He rested his palms over my calves and then, much to my delighted surprise, began to rub them while commenting on the bruises. I laughed and recanted how I had tripped over a massive root, and as soon as I had gotten up, turned right around and had tripped over another one.
"I looked like a fish floundering out of the water," I said with a laugh. There was a faint smile on his own lips too as his thumb continued to rub tenderly over one of the nastier looking bruises.
"I'm sorry I missed that, just be grateful you didn't twist your ankle," he said as the lights flickered. We both turned our heads up to look, and then relaxed as things went on as usual. His hand cupped my foot and I settled back onto my pillow. He continued to watch the movie, but I watched him. It was good to see his face and judging by his body language, it didn't seem to bother him in the least bit that I was staring at him. He remained calm and relaxed. Usually when people stare at him, he becomes as stiff as a board.
What are you doing to me, buddy? Is this some sort of game you're playing on me? Did you figure it out and are now having a bit of mean spirited fun on my account? I shook my head and with deep regret began to pull my feet out of his lap. He didn't object, and even let my foot slide out of his hand as he kept a firm but gentle hold upon it. I was so confused. Heero is good at that; absolutely driving me crazy. What could be innocent things such as this were probably no more than just random touches or mundane things to him.
I cut my eyes over to him as I folded my legs beneath me. Damnit, Yuy, I love you my heart sighed.
