Disclaimers: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing nor it's characters. Merely borrowing them for a little torture.

Warnings: Shounen-ai (because I suck at yaoi) , major A.U, some OOC I think, deathfic

Finding Heaven

Part Two: Shut up, Brian, it's a date

Dinner was set at 7.30 at a pretty fancy restaurant/club type thing uptown from his studio. Duo knew he was being silly but he felt anxious about the upcoming appointment. He ransacked his closet for the umpteenth time only to realise that all his clothes were acceptable and he was a giggly and dizzy as a schoolgirl on a first date.

This was not a date, this was not date.

He had been chanting that mantra for most of the night now. Or at least, his head had been chanting. His heart was screaming the fact that he was going on a date. Heart and mind then fell into a vicious brawl where the mind lost out badly and retreated for the rest of the evening to lick its wounds. Which was why Duo was grinning like a brainless idiot at the moment. In essence, for tonight, he was a brainless idiot.

Finally picking out a white shirt and a pair of dark dress pants, Duo fixed his hair and waltzed out the door. He was already a little behind schedule. After all, he had forgotten how long it took to get ready for a date.

No, not date, dinner, NOT date, he told himself viciously. After all, he remembered how badly it hurt being betrayed. Could he do it to another person?

He was glad Heero didn't offer to pick him up at his apartment, which Duo was seriously considering giving him the address of. He got into his car and sped towards the restaurant, his stereos blaring loudly. He knew the way to the restaurant well, even though he didn't make it a habit to frequent there. As much as he made in a month, it still didn't give him enough leeway to have dinner there like it was your neighbourhood MacDonald's. There was a long line snaking back a block as Duo neared. It was a familiar sight and he wondered how Heero was going to get them in there. It was extremely popular and reservations had to be made a few weeks before. He came to a smart stop in front of the restaurant, blushing slightly at his late model sedan amongst the more expensive sports cars. He passed his key to the car jockey, took his ticket and moved to the front entrance.

Heero had mentioned something about meeting him there, but Duo, bless his excitement, or was it, curse his excitement, didn't bother to ask where. Duo stared at the large crowd in front of the restaurant to the long line that ended a long way down the block, biting his lips indecisively.

"You're early," Heero called from behind.

Duo whipped his head back and stared at every wet dream ever he had rolled into one. Who would have thought Mr Straight Ass would wear black leather? Duo was trying really hard to get past the leather pants that clung, oh so well to Heero's muscular legs to the slightly form fitting dark blue shirt which was left half buttoned, exposing a bronze chest. At that point, Duo knew he mind was distracted enough to only one of two things that desperately needed to be done at that very moment.

One: Pick up eyes from floor. Going on a date with empty eye sockets just didn't do anything for the appetite.

Two: Wipe drool from chin while forcing jaw shut. Gaping and drooling was so not attractive.

He was still trying to decide which one to accomplish when Heero stepped up to him with an almost amused smile and closed his jaw with a slim finger.

Heero leaned over, casually and whispered, "You look pretty hot yourself," before turning towards the entrance, where he was recognised almost immediately. He got the two of them into the restaurant/club, call it whatever you want, Duo called it damned expensive, within minutes and was seated a private table out of the way of the larger crowd and the music blaring from the speakers from the 'club' side of the restaurant.

During that time, the only thing that ran through Duo's mind was 'Shit, is this really happening to me?'

"So, would you like some wine?" Heero offered, perusing through the wine list.

Duo was still somewhat shell shocked and continued to stare at Heero.

"Max!" Heero laughed and that served to snap Duo out of his daze, or whatever you called staring at someone and gaping like a goldfish.

"You should laugh more often," Duo told him quietly. It made Heero look years younger.

Heero quirked a small smile. "Not much to laugh about."

They were interrupted when a waiter came to take their order. Duo let Heero order for him, and sat back, watching the other man that seemed so at ease in this setting.

"Tell me about yourself," Heero said, after the waiter left with their order, taking a small sip of water.

This is where thing get awkward, Duo thought. "What do you want to know?" He countered, pasting on a bright smile that didn't reach his eyes. There were a few things that he never spoke of, and his past was one of them. He wasn't sure where Heero was going to go with that line of questioning, but sooner or later, his past would be brought up.

Heero stared at Max for a while, taking in the brilliant smile which was at odds with the almost strained look in the other man's eyes. Shit, he had clumsily wandered into dangerous territory. "Well," Heero cleared his throat. "I have always wondered how it would feel like having a dozen gorgeous models bending at your very command," he smiled evilly.

Duo released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Somehow, Heero got it, he freaking got the message. Once again, Duo was forced re-evaluate Heero's perceptive ability. Well, the man was a businessman, and if Quatre was a good example, the man opposite him was extremely perceptive. That means he wouldn't be prying into areas where he wasn't welcome, but would also know his weak spots. Inwardly, Duo sighed. Everything was a freaking trade off. Spend time with the man, let him know your deepest inner most secrets. Don't spend time with the man, spend the rest of the photo session with his fiancée checking out his ass.

Hey, Duo thought brightly, not too bad.

"Well," Duo told Heero self deprecatingly, trying to turn his thoughts back to what was an evening filled with possibilities. "It helps that I don't have any vested interest in them bending over personally. The girls know me too well." He blushed for some reason, not really wanting to admit to Heero that he was homosexual.

Oh, come on, Duo Maxwell, his mind chided him, back from licking its wounds to throw in a sucker punch. It's not like no one knows you like men. Hell, the entire fashion industry knows.

Heero sat forward, with an even more mischievous glint in his cobalt blues. "I meant the male models."

Duo wondered if anyone had ever perished, choking on his own saliva. Once again, he got the whole fish impersonation down pat, trying to catch his breath, while Heero came over and started patting him on the back. He realised belatedly that Heero was trying to tell him that he was gay too. What a minute, so what was he doing with Relena Peacecraft?

"Sorry," Duo apologised sheepishly after he got his breath. "Thank God I wasn't eating or drinking." This Heero Yuy was a different Heero Yuy Duo was used to. This Heero Yuy actually had a sense of humour.

Heero shrugged nonchalantly. "Not to worry, Heimlich manoeuvres and mouth to mouth resuscitation are my fortes," he lifted an eyebrow… suggestively?

Duo was definitely dreaming now. At a loss of words for the first time ever, he was glad for the distraction the waiter brought, along with the food. They ate in relative silence, commenting idly on the food and other safe subjects. Duo definitely didn't want to be caught between a mouth full of food and Heero's own brand of humour. He didn't think he would live that long. No matter how blatant the joke was, Duo realised it was not right to just come out and ask Heero about his sexual preference, at least not on the first date.

So now, it's a date, his mind, whom now Duo tagged as his stupidly logical side called Brian, nagged.

Shut up, Duo told Brian viciously.

Make me, Brian taunted.

Duo decided that talking to himself when he had a gorgeous specimen of man opposite him was just too ridiculous.

"What are you thinking about?" Heero asked, toying with his fork, a soft smile on his face.

"Huh?" Duo said intelligently, looking up.

"You looked like you really concentrating on something. I could almost hear the wheels of your mind clicking from here," Heero told him wryly. "Tell me if I'm boring you."

Duo's eyes widened with shock at his inappropriate obsession with Brian. "Of course not, you are the most fun I've had in months. I mean, I haven't been on a date in ages and you are so breathtaking and…."

Shit Duo, you and your mouth, Brian chided.

Well, I thought that my mind controlled my mouth, Duo shot back. And that's where you come in.

Nothing controls that mouth of yours, Brian mocked. It works independently of anything remotely intelligent in your body.

That's what you think, Duo resisted the urge to stick out his tongue petulantly at a non existing person and realised how close he was to being utterly insane. He raised his eyes shyly to meet Heero's and found the other man sitting there with a warm smile of, well, delight. It was more than that, but Duo could only read the joy and the rest was lost in his embarrassment.

"So, how about dessert?" Heero changed the subject, judging by the deep red hue painting the other man's cheeks that this subject should be dropped delicately.

Heero found out that night that Duo and sugar should be kept as far apart from each other as possible. He was run ragged when Duo overdosed and went into a sugar high. The braided man dragged him into the club where he proceeded to dance with practically every woman that came up to them. Heero did his famous flower pot impersonation, watching Duo dance with woman and woman, most of them doing their damnest to catch the eye of what Heero thought to be the most sexy man in the entire club that night. No matter how hard he tried to be jealous of the flocking women, Heero found himself almost proud that he was on a date with Duo and no matter how much attention Duo was getting tonight, it was to Heero's side he would return.

So now it was a date? Heero shook his head giving up the pretence of an I'm-Sorry dinner or at least a guys hanging out together type of thing. He had told Duo in no uncertain terms that he found men attractive and judging by Duo's his pole axed expression earlier, the other man was trying hard to deal with it. After all, Heero was engaged to marry to a woman.

"What are you doing just standing there?" Duo yelled at him, waving him over. "Come and have some fun!" He invited, twirling another girl in his arms.

Heero smiled faintly, declining the invitation with a slight shake of his head.

Duo shrugged in an almost 'Your loss' expression and continued to lavish his attention on the girl. The music changed, slowing and all over the crowded dance floor, dancers began pairing off. The braided man enjoyed the joy of the music running through him, but he had no intention of dancing anything slow with the girl in front of him who was looking longingly at him at the moment. He smiled, shrugging in apology and moved away, only to be stopped by a solid, flat, chest.

"Wanna dance?" Mr Solid had wavy blond hair and blue eyes. He was also freaking towered over Duo, who felt very much like an infant in front of him.

"Thanks, but I've had enough," Duo declined, trying to get around him but was grabbed around the wrist in a painful vice. "Let go," he warned.

Mr All Brawns and No Brains, smiled, leaning close to Duo, filling the smaller man's nostril with a pungent scent of alcohol. "Come on, don't be such a tease."

"Let go," a deep dangerous voice came from behind Mr Looking In Death's Face and Don't Know It Yet and he turned to meet the avenging angel Heero Yuy.

"He's with me," Heero told the muscle bound idiot evenly. If he didn't get his paws off his Max instantly, Heero would be mopping the club's floor with his face. Wait, rewind, his Max? Where the Hell did that come from? Probably the same place with 'he's on a date'.

Mr No Grey Matter paled at the look of impending death in Heero eyes and backed off, recognising danger through his alcohol infused senses.

Duo stared at the drunk freak's retreating back almost resentfully. He turned to face Heero with a mutinous expression. "I can take care of myself, Heero."

The other had the decency to blush. "I'm aware of that." And he was. Heero just couldn't stop the jealousy that shot through him when the man approached his date. He just reacted.

Duo pushed Heero aside, fully intending to leave the other man standing on the dance floor alone and was grabbed by the arm. "What?" He snapped irritably. He was gay, but by Hell, was in no way effeminate, braid aside and Heero had better understand that.

Not knowing why he did it, and knowing that it was probably a very bad idea, Heero pulled the photographer towards him. "Dance with me," he coaxed sexily.

Lulled by the heat of Heero's chest and the intensity in those blue eyes, Duo felt his irritation melt and once again desire rose. And dance they did. The moment they stepped into each other's arms, the rest of the world faded into the background. They moved slowly, not even hearing the beat of the music. Each knew exactly where their bodies touched, hands clasping hands, shoulders touching shoulders, hips teasing hips. They felt each other's attraction through the thin cloth that separated them and they continued to move provocatively in the sea of people. They were abruptly brought back to the real world when the music stopped. Both breathing heavily, they stared deep into each other eyes, unwilling to step away and definitely refusing to let go of their touching hands.

Brian decided at that moment to smack Duo in the side of the head, bringing him back to himself. Flushing, Duo stepped back, unable to meet Heero's eyes. After all, he had just teased and flirted like a cheap harlot with Heero.

Harlot? Brian laughed. You must stop reading all those Harlequin romances.

Put your head in the toilet and flush it, Duo countered.

"I'm ready to go home now," Duo said, softly. He turned and walked out of the club, too embarrassed by his display earlier to actually speak directly to Heero.

"Max, wait!" Heero called, chasing after the braided photographer.

Duo passed his ticket to the car jockey who went to retrieve his car.

"Max," Heero called.

Taking a deep breath, Duo squared his shoulders and turned to Heero. "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to…" Mean to what? Come on to you like a cat in heat? Grind my hips against yours as if I was branding you with myself? Damned if his pants didn't feel tight. He flicked curious violet eyes to the general area of Heero's crotch. After all, you can't hide much in leather pants, and Heero seemed very uncomfortable at the moment.

Heero lifted Max's delicate chin to meet his eyes. "Are you saying goodnight, Max?" He leaned down, a hair's breath away from the other's lips. The other man could feel Heero's breath ghosting over his cheeks, teasing him.

Duo pushed him away playfully and said the first thing that came to mind. "I don't kiss on the first date." Eyes widened at the realisation of what he said and he clasped his hands over his mouth in horror.

Brian was in the back of his head cackling evilly.

Duo had never been so glad to see his car coming at him. He got in and made to wave goodbye to Heero, who waved back, smirking at him. As he pulled away from the curb, he heard Heero saying softly, "Then, I have to make sure that there will be a second date."

Duo wasn't prepared for the warmth that flooded him as he drove home, thinking about dinner. The whole night had been outwardly innocent, but there had been undertones of sexuality suffused in everything they did. That and tonnes and tonnes of hormones.

He may be gay, but he is engaged to a woman, Brian reminded him mercilessly.

Duo was really beginning to hate Brian with a vengeance.

You sure know how to pick them, don't you? Brian observed and Duo could only smile ruefully in agreement.

tbc…

Whoopsie, next one out. So, should be a next one?