Christmas came and went, and thankfully we had a nice peaceful time. Heero and I were both busy with our work, but I did manage to put up a tree and he and I even spent a few hours decorating it. I think he actually had fun because I saw him smile a few times. We fought over where the big balls were to go and he honestly laughed when I hung them from the belt loops of my jeans so they could dangle by the zipper and shook my hips so they could dance. Insult was added to injury as he, with a straight face, gathered two of the smallest balls and handed them to me, suggesting that I should try to be more "anatomically correct."
So… the practical jokes that started over that incident ended shortly around groundhog's day. We got back to our routine, but I can't help but to think back on what happened at Quatre's Christmas party. I couldn't help but to wonder what exactly it was that Quatre was up to when, much to my surprise, Heero and I kept ending up beneath the mistletoe in the oddest places. Inside the door? Well, that was to be expected. By the punch bowl? Really? But, there it was. By the fireplace, boom, got us again. I don't think I've ever kissed someone so much as I spent kissing Heero that night at the party. I think Quatre was a little mistletoe sniper, and each time he'd call us out that we were under it, no matter how withering a glare was shot at him, he'd just look at us with this wide-eyed innocence and then claim it was tradition.
Not that I didn't enjoy it, mind you. Heero didn't just give me a peck; his lips were actually… warm. Engaging. And he hadn't had more than a glass of wine all night.
It's already halfway through spring and I still can't get that night out of my head. Nothing really extraordinary happened beyond that. We did what we always do; fall into our routine. Get up, go to work, come home, eat, watch movies, hang out, and go to bed. Fridays we do the grocery shopping. Last week, he bought a new pair of sneakers. Two weeks ago, I took my watch in to be repaired. Just boring old humdrum run of the mill life for us, but that night at the party… wow.
It was the way he kissed me. I mean, yeah, like I stated before, we would both shoot Quatre a glare, but when we turned to each other and kissed… he engaged. Oh how I wish it were sincere. Why couldn't it have been sincere? He's so damn perfect that even a meaningless kiss beneath a parasitic plant was enough to curl my toes because everything Heero does, he does it 100 percent. The way he moved his lips against mine, so warm, so firm…
"Damnit, Duo," I chastised myself. It's Saturday, a little after eight in the morning and now I have a raging boner. Heero's gone for his jog, and I think he's going to pick us up something to eat on his way back. Per routine. What am I going to do when he falls in love with someone? This is just killing me.
Well, since I'm still in bed, there's nothing to do but fish around in my boxers and relieve this ache in my groin. I make quick work of it, not truly finding pleasure in the act of masturbation, but at least my motor's already going. Before I climax, I reach over and grab a tissue to keep from making a mess, and then I lay there, my soft cock still exposed through the hole in my boxers. What I'd give if he would just burst into my room and ravage me. Make it an all-day affair. Sighing when that familiar sensation of warmth begins to bloom within my belly once again, I shut those thoughts down fast. My lotion is in the living room and I'm running out of tissues.
I must have drifted off into a dose, because the snick of the door as it shut pulled me back awake. I tucked myself back in and then rose out of bed. "That you?" I called.
"Serial killer," came the answer returned to me in that comforting monotone. I couldn't help but to grin.
"Did you bring the sharp axe this time?" I asked as I came down the hall. The rustle of a paper bag reached my ears.
"No. I thought I'd change it up this time and use a tire iron," Heero answered as I came into the kitchen. He was still sweaty from his run. I love how the hair at the nape of his neck gets wet when he perspires. It curls just a little bit.
"Oooh, kinky," I teased. "How was your run?"
"A lot of foot traffic," he grumbled as he set out our breakfast sandwiches, and then began to put away other items he had bought. "Lunch," he explained at my curious expression.
"Ah, good thinking, Heero." I sat down at my seat where he joined me shortly. "A lot of foot traffic?"
"Yeah, didn't slow me down though. I just used them as training obstacles."
"I like what you're doing with your hair," I said, changing the subject. And I do like what he's doing with it. He's pulling a Heero version of Trowa, yet, not, if you know what I mean. He's always had feral hair, but now, it's gotten so long in the front he can completely hide his entire face with his bangs. He still cuts the back of it, on his own, and let me tell you, that's fun to watch. But the front is just so… long. He's started to pull it back into a pony tail, completely exposing that handsome face to me. It's so good to see those beautiful blue eyes of his, anytime I want. I really like what he's doing and I guess so are some of the guys that live around the area. They, too, are growing their bangs out and then styling them like Heero but they aren't doing it right. Heero doesn't slick them back with every hair in perfect union with the other. No, he's still wild and wooly and I love it.
Have I forgotten to speak? He's looking at me, staring actually. Cutting my eyes to the side, I begin to rapidly run our short conversation through my mind again. Yup. I've left him hanging. I must be staring at him like a love struck puppy.
And I am a love struck puppy…
"Duo?" His tone is clipped but amused. I'm in the good.
"I was just thinking that your hair is really starting to turn me on." Lifting my hand, I slowly trace a circle around my left nipple while licking my lips at him. He simply stares at me, nonplussed. After a very long beat of silence, he breaks it.
"Anyway, I thought you might want to go look at our land, perhaps start discussing exactly where we want the house built."
Oh yeah, we bought our plot of land. It's perfect; it's even close to the railroad tracks. I love trains.
"Sure," I agreed as I grew serious. I lifted my sandwich, thanked him again, and took a bite. "We'll need to stake it out too. I want a huge house."
"Do you?"
"You don't?"
"It doesn't matter to me," he said softly. He looked at me with those intense yet soft eyes, and then lowered them so he could eat. I love when he looks at me like that, and yet he has no clue what he's doing to my heart. Every time I pretend that he's looking at me like that on purpose. As if I am the love of his life and all he wants to do is make me happy. Funny, because the roles are actually switched there. I'd do anything to make him happy. And I try my hardest to.
We ate in silence, and then I cleaned up since he had bought our meal. "In the shower, mister. You're starting to stink, buddy."
"You've never complained before."
"Well, with me turned on by that sexy hair of yours, all my senses are heightened," I said as I stuck my nose into the air. I gave him a smile and a playful wink to let him know I was kidding, and then sighed softly as he walked down the hall. Did I mention how I love it when the hair curls at the nape of his neck when he's been sweating? Actually, does he know how hard I want to bite him when I see him like that?
Looking down at my groin, I sigh again. "Really?"
Our plot of land was thirty acres, and as per my specifications, a perfect square. I trusted Heero to take the initiative and find it for us, and he didn't let me down. It needs a lot of love right now. There isn't much room to pull in, it's rather overgrown, and we're afraid if we venture any further than a few hundred feet inside the old tractor drive, we'd completely lose the jeep. Heero parked and we climbed out.
"We need some equipment," I said as I shut the door behind me. I had to fight with some stinging nettle, knowing full well that I was going to be itchy tonight wherever those prickly sneaky little buggers brushed against me. The stingy doesn't typically last long, but oh boy, while you got it, it really got you good! I've heard it was miserable for people who were allergic to it. Plowing ahead of me, Heero walked forward.
"I'm hiring a crew," he stated as I listened to the bushes snag at my pants and crunch beneath our feet as I followed him.
"A crew? For what?"
"So it can get done."
"I wanted to clear this place out," I said as I walked in his path. "You know… really get to know the land." I nearly ran into him when he stopped suddenly.
"I thought you wanted to move as soon as you could," Heero said, a frown forming on his face. I could see immediately that he wasn't upset with me, but rather that I seemed to be putting a hitch in his plans. I gazed back up to him apologetically.
"I do," I said. "But also, I wanted to really get in here and make this place my own, you know? And if you wanted to help, you could, but you don't have to. I know you've got a lot on your plate as it is at work."
Heero had been promoted; he now trained elite forces, though we still had a desk in the same office. His in front of mine. Everything has to have paperwork, and though I don't see him as often at work as I used to; I was grateful for the red tape in this instance. He refused to have a secretary hired for that purpose.
"That's a lot on your plate, too, Duo," he simply said and I could have smacked my forehead repeatedly. He was simply trying to make things easier on the both of us. Even though he didn't feel for me what I felt for him, I know he still loved me because we were best friends. And best friends always watched out for the other.
Reaching out, I gripped his shoulder. "Let's compromise," I said. "You hire a crew to clear out the area around the house and driveway; I'll handle the rest, okay?"
This seemed to set his mind at ease and he nodded, relaxed. And that's how we worked. There was no point in fighting, not when we were a team and used that teamwork at every possible turn. It's what kept us alive in the past.
"Big house," Heero said.
"Big house," I grinned. "Let me go get the bundle of stakes and we'll get this bad boy marked."
"Roger that," Heero said, and then turned.
I let him find the perfect middle for our home, and by the time we agreed on floor plans and size, and then got the preferred area staked out, I was literally jumping for joy. He watched me with open amusement, seemingly pleased that I was so happy, and I was. I couldn't wait for ground to be broke.
"Now, as long as they don't run over our markers clearing this out, we'll be good," I said. I was sitting on the hood of the jeep now; the sun was on its way down, and was finishing out the upstairs plan. The house was designed after one I had been in a long time ago, during the war. I had used it for two weeks even though the poor thing was falling down around me. I can't explain how I felt over it; I just knew that once upon a time, a family that had lived there had loved the place very much. That residual emotion had lasted for a long time. I have no idea if that old place is standing today, I'm still amazed that it was standing, then, but I knew that if I ever built a home of my own, I was using those floor plans.
It was a farmhouse, tall and white. The front door opened into a long hall that led all the way to the back where you found yourself in the living room. To the right you walked into the kitchen, to the left, the living room and back door, straight ahead, the bathroom. Right as you walked into the front door, there was a room on the right that I would use as a guest room. If memory serves, and it does serve well, that bedroom jutted out further from the house, giving it some nice angles. To the left of the front door was an entryway that led into the den that had its own staircase. Just past the bedroom downstairs was a doorway that opened onto a narrow staircase. I had carefully eased my way up those stairs, terribly afraid I'd go shooting through them, and upstairs there were two bedrooms. I think I'm going to recreate that and put a huge master bathroom between them. I have a feeling Heero will be happy anywhere he decides to be. He was even sweet enough to let me make my bedroom upstairs on the other side. You know that staircase in the den? It faces the room but curves up along the wall. I want the entire upstairs side of that house with a master bathroom of my own.
"That's a good idea," Heero said as he drew out the plans. "You like your room and space. I think I'll take the bedroom upstairs in the front."
"Why don't you do what I'm doing and mirror my room?" I suggested.
He shrugged once. "I can always use the other bedroom for my needs, and convert it to a spare if we have company."
"You're more than welcome to share my room with me if it comes down to that," I said, and meant it.
"Thank you," he said, and went back to the blue prints. We'll have to submit these soon. Oh, and just beyond the door that leads to the staircase on the right side of the hall, as you're looking in from the front door, is a dining room. It attaches to the kitchen with a sliding door of some sort. I'll let Heero decide on that, but oh man; we can actually entertain our friends. This is going to be awesome.
Before I could stop it, another large smile spread across my face as I gazed at the empty space where our house would soon be built. My heart welled so wide inside of me that I couldn't help it. I slid off the hood of the jeep and walked over to Heero where I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly. Without missing a beat, he continued to work on our house plans as he wound his left arm around me and I laughed in pure joy as he gave me a tight squeeze.
Thunder rumbled, causing the kitchen window to rattle. It had been raining all day and it didn't seem like it would be letting up any time soon. It was Friday night and Heero and I, still damp from running as quickly as we could in and out of the grocery store, finally finished putting our items away. "We'll need an attached garage, but for the life of me, I don't know what side of the house it would look good on."
"We can put it on the living room side, and have a portico if you want a wraparound porch," he answered as he squatted down to put some canned goods away."
"I like that," I answered as I folded up the plastic bags and tossed them away. "I like getting wet, I just hate getting wet," I sighed. Rising, Heero pinned with me a long suffering look and I grinned in answer.
"You get to pick appliances," he told me as he pulled down a loaf of bread. "Sandwich?"
"I do? And nah, I'll eat some left overs," I answered.
"Yeah, I trust your judgement," he said as the wind hooted louder, as if trying to interrupt our conversation. "Will you miss living here?"
I looked around as I pulled a container of mac n cheese out, and then gave that a thought. We had a living room, two bedrooms, a single bath, a kitchen that doubled as a dining room and a tiny laundry room. We spent twelve hundred and forty seven dollars a month on this tiny little abode. With a frown, I shook my head.
"No. I won't. We've been here for seven years and it still feels like a sardine can." The wind picked up again and thunder grumbled. Closer this time. "We have neighbors that love to smoke pot in the hallway, even though they know we're Preventers and to tell the truth, I've had enough of listening to people either fight, or screw every weekend. The guy above us loves to watch action movies at three in the morning, but only on Monday mornings. The windows leak, the heat goes out and I'm mad that they won't allow for us to put in a little AC unit. Even though you came through for me and put one into my bedroom because I was sweltering to death. The management is rude, maintenance is a joke. So… no, I won't be sorry to leave this place." I looked down and shot a pointed glare to the linoleum in the kitchen. It was only three years old, but it was put in with such haste that it was peeling in the corners. "And I won't let anyone half ass our place, either. I will land on them with both feet if they go to screw us over."
Having finished making his sandwich while I spoke, Heero took a bite as he passed me. "Atta boy," he said around his bite before walking into the living room.
"And I want a Roomba!" I called after him.
"That's only because you want to put googly eyes on it!"
"And a Wahini doll, too!"
"I am so happy for you," Quatre said as soon as I came into the office. He spoke slowly as one savoring a joyful mouthful. He took my arm as we walked down the hall. "Have you broken ground yet?"
"Not yet," I said as I spun him like a dancer, much to his delight, and then put my arm around his shoulders.
"Are you going to throw a housewarming party?"
"Yeah, close friends only. And no gifts," I said. I had to look him sternly in the eye over that one, but soon let out an explosive sigh. "Quatre! We aren't breaking ground until next weekend!"
"I know!" he laughed as he wound his arm around my middle. "I couldn't help myself, but don't worry, it can wait until the party. Can we come by and see it when it starts?"
"Now, now," I said as I reached the office I shared with Heero. "You can't see a baby before it's born."
"Of course you can," Quatre said. "With modern day technolo…"
"You're such a smartass," I answered, effectively blocking him off. "No more gifts," I said sternly as I went to my desk. I paused halfway down, remaining in a partial squat as I noticed that Quatre was still standing in my doorway with this look on his face. "What?"
"Heero is so happy," he said with a smile. "You'd think the two of you were getting married or something."
"Yeah," I grumbled. Marriage was something that I really didn't want to think on too hard right now. It was going to be hard enough selling my half of the place to him when he found that certain someone. It would be so hard to walk away only to end up in a dingy little apartment once again.
"What's wrong?" Quatre asked, concerned.
I shook my head and finished taking my seat. "Nothing buddy." I offered him a charming smile, and then begged him with the largest puppy dog's eyes I could muster for some hot chocolate. He relented with that gentle smile of his, and I got back to work.
"He's beaming," Heero said as he entered shortly after Quatre left.
"Yeah, he's excited about our new place," I agreed as I booted up my computer. "He's already got us a house warming gift."
"You're kidding me," Heero grunted as he hung his jacket up on the coat rack in the corner, and then sat down in front of me.
"Don't worry," I said, grinning at him from over my monitor. "He said it could keep until our house warming party."
"That doesn't mean it isn't a puppy," he sighed.
"Don't worry; I think he knows we're not ready to commit yet."
There was something in Heero's eyes when I said that, but darn if I ain't reading everything about him all wrong. Shrugging to myself, I got myself into my work as I waited for Quatre to bring me my hot chocolate.
