Chapter 3
Duo ran a brush through his damp hair. He had just gotten out of the shower and was surprised to find that Heero was still asleep. While Duo was taking his shower he had the radio blasting and was singing at the top of his lungs. Plus you could hear everything through these walls and they were all getting ready for church. Duo walked across the room and looked at Heero's sleeping form, his legs were tangled in the sheets and he was spread out all over the bed. Duo leaned over him and shook his shoulders.
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"Wake up Heero."
Heero slowly opened his eyes. He was staring into two violet orbs surrounded by a cloud of flowing chestnut hair. It took a few moments before Heero finally realized that he was looking into the eyes of his roommate and not some beautiful angel from above.
"Stop shaking me," He grumbled and rolled over onto his stomach.
"You have to get dressed for church," Duo said as he flopped down on the bed next to Heero.
"I'm not going," He replied gruffly, acting like a stubborn little child.
"Yes you are!" Duo stood up and yanked the covers off of Heero. When he didn't get up to retrieve them, he pounced on Heero and began to tickle his ribs.
"Stop!" Heero said as he pushed Duo off of him. Duo was startled for a moment and was about to jump on Heero again when he fell off the bed. He stood up and dusted himself off and began to walk away. He quickly turned around and pounced on Heero again.
"I won't stop till you beg for mercy!" He shouted as he sat down on Heero's legs so he couldn't kick him and then tickled his ribs again. Heero couldn't hold back his laughter any longer and he began to laugh really hard. He struggled to sit up but succeeded only in tangling up his arms Duo's extremely long hair. Duo laughed and continued his assault on Heero's ribs. Heero got his arms free and began to tickle Duo wherever he got a hold of him. Duo squealed in response everytime that he was tickled. Before they knew it, both boys were tangled in Duo's cloud of hair. After they were all tickled out, Duo decided to lie down next to Heero but his hair was still wrapped around Heero's arms. Being as he couldn't go very far without his hair being pulled on, he settled for sitting on top of Heero. He slowly brought his face closer to Heero's and soon he was inches from his face. Heero looked into Duo's blue-violet eyes and leaned in to close the gap between their lips. Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door.
"Hurry up! We're about to leave!" Duo jumped up surprised, pulling on his hair as he stood up.
"Itai!" Heero quietly began to work his arms free of Duo's mane. After he was freed he walked over to his dresser and quickly got dressed as Duo tried to work the tangles out of his hair. Heero walked over and grabbed the brush out of Duo's hands and began to gently work the knots out. He slowly ran his fingers through Duo's hair trying to separate the larger knots into smaller ones. After that he ran the brush through his hair. When all the knots were gone, Heero separated Duo's hair into three sections and began to braid the long chestnut hair. As soon as he was finished, Duo jumped up and grabbed Heero's wrist. He pulled him out the door and ran through the halls dragging Heero behind him.
"Arigato Heero!" Duo shouted back at him as they raced to catch up with the rest of the school.
When they had finally reached the rest of the students, they tried to quietly rejoin the group, looking like they had been there the whole time. But Ms. Murdle spotted them before they could even reach the crowd of boys.
"Why are you boys so late?" Ms. Murdle said while keeping her eye on Duo.
"I couldn't wake Odin-sama," Duo said. It's not far from the truth. I wonder what she'd do if she knew that we were having a tickle fight. Duo had to control himself so that he wouldn't laugh, but as soon as she turned away he burst out laughing. Heero gave him a funny look but he was chuckling as well. Duo liked the sound his voice made deep in his throat when he laughed. He decided he would have to make Heero laugh again sometime soon. They followed the line of people into the church and sat together in the back pew.
Heero sat through the ceremony looking up at the priest with a blank expression on his face. He spent the hour thinking about Duo's soft hair and his full lips.
Duo waved a hand in front of his face, "Oi Heero, did you even listen to what the priest was saying?" He asked after he had gotten Heero's attention.
"I don't believe in God." He stood up and walked past Duo and out the door, where the rest of the students were standing around talking. Someone placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Gomen ne, Heero. I didn't mean to upset you." Duo looked at Heero with big apologetic eyes.
Heero turned away from him and said in a soft melancholy voice, "I stopped believing that God was really there when my mother died and left me with a shell for a father." He looked back at Duo, his cobalt blue eyes shining with unshed tears and his stony features set in a sad expression.
"Gomen Heero," Duo said, his voice throaty as he enveloped Heero in a hug. Heero leaned into the embrace for a few moments before pulling back.
"It's not your fault Duo," He said before turning and walking back towards the school. Duo pasted a smile on his face and followed Heero. Brunch time! Duo's stomach growled in response. He chuckled and ran to catch up with Hee-chan.
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Chapter Four
Duo and Heero walked into the crowded dinning room, trying to find some seats. Finally they located two side by side when a voice called out, "Odin-sama, I saved you a seat next to me!" Heero looked up and saw one of the boys he had sat next to last night. He was waving his arms and beckoning him over. Heero looked over at Duo, who had already sat down in one of the empty seats. He glanced up and gave Heero almost a sad smile.
"Gomen, I already have a seat!" He shouted across the room as he sat down next to Duo, whose smile seemed to have brightened considerably.
"Oi Heero, why didn't you sit up there with them?" He asked, looking up at him innocently.
"Don't tell them," Heero said leaning close to Duo, "But I think that they're rather stiff and boring, ne?" He flashed Duo and rare and genuine smile. Duo laughed and nodded. The smell of sausages and french toast wafted through the room. Duo sniffed the air.
"Doesn't that smell good?" Duo asked, his mouth watering from the smells. The food was brought out and set down on the table.
"Looks good too," He said as he picked up a platter of bacon and put a heap on his plate, then passed it to Heero. As soon as Duo had some of everything on his plate, he began to stuff his face with food. Heero chuckled inwardly at the sight of Duo with his cheeks stuffed full of food. He picked up his fork and began to eat as well. Heero marveled at how Duo could eat so much yet stay to skinny.
"Where does all that food go Duo?" He asked, leaning back in his chair as let his eyes wander over Duo's slim hips and legs.
Duo stopped eating and scrunched up his face and turned to Heero. "The toilet?" He said giving Heero a strange look.
"Baka," Heero chuckled and shook his head. Duo went back to stuffing his face like a little squirrel.
When brunch was over the stood up and pushed through the crowd of boys to the hallway and began to walk back to their dorm room. Duo reached out and grabbed Heero's arm.
"Would you play chess with me Heero-san?" Duo asked looking up at Heero with big puppy eyes. "It's been ages since someone played with me."
Heero had a thoughtful expression on his face as he considered the idea. "Sure, why not…" Heero was cut off as Duo took his hand and pulled him down a different corridor.
"Where are we going?" Heero asked, a puzzled expression on his face.
"To the game room to play chess, silly." Heero chuckled as he was pulled behind Duo, who stilled had a firm grasp on his hand.
Duo stopped in front of a door and pulled it open. On the right there was a fire aflame in the fireplace and television in the corner. On the left there was a pool table and an air hockey table. There were boys spread throughout the room, either talking or playing cards. When they walked through the door all the conversation stopped and everyone turned to look at them. Duo shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. Many of the boys gave them dirty looks then got up and left, leaving Heero and Duo alone in the once crowded room.
"What's up with them?" Heero asked, watching Duo carefully and wondering why the brightness had left Duo's blue-violet eyes.
"Beats me," Duo said as he looked up and gave Heero a small smile, but Heero could tell that something was really bothering the braided boy. Duo walked over and pulled a chair up to the chessboard and sat down. Heero brought up another chair for himself and began to set up his pieces.
"Are you alright Duo-kun?" Heero asked as he picked up the white pieces and set down his bishops.
"Aa, I'm okay Heero-san," He said as he put down his knights.
Once they were all set they began to play. Heero moved out one of his bishops and Duo responded by moving out his knight. Heero let the subject drop for awhile but after seeing Duo wince as a group of boys walked into the room and spotting Duo left, he brought it up again though he hated to push him.
"Duo, I can tell that something is bothering you. Please tell me what's wrong." He placed his hand on top of Duo's. Duo snatched his hand away, upsetting their game of chess and sending the pieces rolling across the floor. He turned his face away from Heero's and studied the floor as he tried to find the right words to say.
"They all hate me and they haven't said a word to me since they found out that I was different," Duo said in a rush glancing up at Heero to see what how he was reacting. He scooted his chair closer to Duo's.
"How are you different?" Heero asked grasping Duo's chin between his fingers and lifting his face so that he was looking into Heero's eyes.
How can I tell him? What will he think once he knows? Will he call me names too? Duo thought as he looked into Heero's cobalt blue eyes, and drowned in the emotions he saw swirling in his eyes. Heero brought up his hand and caressed Duo's cheek. For the longest time neither of them said anything, they just stared into each other's eyes.
"I…I'm attracted to other guys," Duo said quickly, looking away from Heero ashamed.
Heero chuckled, "That's all?" Heero asked still chuckling. Duo's head snapped up and he looked at Heero.
"What's so funny?" He demanded.
Heero leaned in close to Duo's ear. "So am I." He lightly kissed Duo's cheek and walked out of the game room.
Duo ran a brush through his damp hair. He had just gotten out of the shower and was surprised to find that Heero was still asleep. While Duo was taking his shower he had the radio blasting and was singing at the top of his lungs. Plus you could hear everything through these walls and they were all getting ready for church. Duo walked across the room and looked at Heero's sleeping form, his legs were tangled in the sheets and he was spread out all over the bed. Duo leaned over him and shook his shoulders.
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"Wake up Heero."
Heero slowly opened his eyes. He was staring into two violet orbs surrounded by a cloud of flowing chestnut hair. It took a few moments before Heero finally realized that he was looking into the eyes of his roommate and not some beautiful angel from above.
"Stop shaking me," He grumbled and rolled over onto his stomach.
"You have to get dressed for church," Duo said as he flopped down on the bed next to Heero.
"I'm not going," He replied gruffly, acting like a stubborn little child.
"Yes you are!" Duo stood up and yanked the covers off of Heero. When he didn't get up to retrieve them, he pounced on Heero and began to tickle his ribs.
"Stop!" Heero said as he pushed Duo off of him. Duo was startled for a moment and was about to jump on Heero again when he fell off the bed. He stood up and dusted himself off and began to walk away. He quickly turned around and pounced on Heero again.
"I won't stop till you beg for mercy!" He shouted as he sat down on Heero's legs so he couldn't kick him and then tickled his ribs again. Heero couldn't hold back his laughter any longer and he began to laugh really hard. He struggled to sit up but succeeded only in tangling up his arms Duo's extremely long hair. Duo laughed and continued his assault on Heero's ribs. Heero got his arms free and began to tickle Duo wherever he got a hold of him. Duo squealed in response everytime that he was tickled. Before they knew it, both boys were tangled in Duo's cloud of hair. After they were all tickled out, Duo decided to lie down next to Heero but his hair was still wrapped around Heero's arms. Being as he couldn't go very far without his hair being pulled on, he settled for sitting on top of Heero. He slowly brought his face closer to Heero's and soon he was inches from his face. Heero looked into Duo's blue-violet eyes and leaned in to close the gap between their lips. Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door.
"Hurry up! We're about to leave!" Duo jumped up surprised, pulling on his hair as he stood up.
"Itai!" Heero quietly began to work his arms free of Duo's mane. After he was freed he walked over to his dresser and quickly got dressed as Duo tried to work the tangles out of his hair. Heero walked over and grabbed the brush out of Duo's hands and began to gently work the knots out. He slowly ran his fingers through Duo's hair trying to separate the larger knots into smaller ones. After that he ran the brush through his hair. When all the knots were gone, Heero separated Duo's hair into three sections and began to braid the long chestnut hair. As soon as he was finished, Duo jumped up and grabbed Heero's wrist. He pulled him out the door and ran through the halls dragging Heero behind him.
"Arigato Heero!" Duo shouted back at him as they raced to catch up with the rest of the school.
When they had finally reached the rest of the students, they tried to quietly rejoin the group, looking like they had been there the whole time. But Ms. Murdle spotted them before they could even reach the crowd of boys.
"Why are you boys so late?" Ms. Murdle said while keeping her eye on Duo.
"I couldn't wake Odin-sama," Duo said. It's not far from the truth. I wonder what she'd do if she knew that we were having a tickle fight. Duo had to control himself so that he wouldn't laugh, but as soon as she turned away he burst out laughing. Heero gave him a funny look but he was chuckling as well. Duo liked the sound his voice made deep in his throat when he laughed. He decided he would have to make Heero laugh again sometime soon. They followed the line of people into the church and sat together in the back pew.
Heero sat through the ceremony looking up at the priest with a blank expression on his face. He spent the hour thinking about Duo's soft hair and his full lips.
Duo waved a hand in front of his face, "Oi Heero, did you even listen to what the priest was saying?" He asked after he had gotten Heero's attention.
"I don't believe in God." He stood up and walked past Duo and out the door, where the rest of the students were standing around talking. Someone placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Gomen ne, Heero. I didn't mean to upset you." Duo looked at Heero with big apologetic eyes.
Heero turned away from him and said in a soft melancholy voice, "I stopped believing that God was really there when my mother died and left me with a shell for a father." He looked back at Duo, his cobalt blue eyes shining with unshed tears and his stony features set in a sad expression.
"Gomen Heero," Duo said, his voice throaty as he enveloped Heero in a hug. Heero leaned into the embrace for a few moments before pulling back.
"It's not your fault Duo," He said before turning and walking back towards the school. Duo pasted a smile on his face and followed Heero. Brunch time! Duo's stomach growled in response. He chuckled and ran to catch up with Hee-chan.
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Chapter Four
Duo and Heero walked into the crowded dinning room, trying to find some seats. Finally they located two side by side when a voice called out, "Odin-sama, I saved you a seat next to me!" Heero looked up and saw one of the boys he had sat next to last night. He was waving his arms and beckoning him over. Heero looked over at Duo, who had already sat down in one of the empty seats. He glanced up and gave Heero almost a sad smile.
"Gomen, I already have a seat!" He shouted across the room as he sat down next to Duo, whose smile seemed to have brightened considerably.
"Oi Heero, why didn't you sit up there with them?" He asked, looking up at him innocently.
"Don't tell them," Heero said leaning close to Duo, "But I think that they're rather stiff and boring, ne?" He flashed Duo and rare and genuine smile. Duo laughed and nodded. The smell of sausages and french toast wafted through the room. Duo sniffed the air.
"Doesn't that smell good?" Duo asked, his mouth watering from the smells. The food was brought out and set down on the table.
"Looks good too," He said as he picked up a platter of bacon and put a heap on his plate, then passed it to Heero. As soon as Duo had some of everything on his plate, he began to stuff his face with food. Heero chuckled inwardly at the sight of Duo with his cheeks stuffed full of food. He picked up his fork and began to eat as well. Heero marveled at how Duo could eat so much yet stay to skinny.
"Where does all that food go Duo?" He asked, leaning back in his chair as let his eyes wander over Duo's slim hips and legs.
Duo stopped eating and scrunched up his face and turned to Heero. "The toilet?" He said giving Heero a strange look.
"Baka," Heero chuckled and shook his head. Duo went back to stuffing his face like a little squirrel.
When brunch was over the stood up and pushed through the crowd of boys to the hallway and began to walk back to their dorm room. Duo reached out and grabbed Heero's arm.
"Would you play chess with me Heero-san?" Duo asked looking up at Heero with big puppy eyes. "It's been ages since someone played with me."
Heero had a thoughtful expression on his face as he considered the idea. "Sure, why not…" Heero was cut off as Duo took his hand and pulled him down a different corridor.
"Where are we going?" Heero asked, a puzzled expression on his face.
"To the game room to play chess, silly." Heero chuckled as he was pulled behind Duo, who stilled had a firm grasp on his hand.
Duo stopped in front of a door and pulled it open. On the right there was a fire aflame in the fireplace and television in the corner. On the left there was a pool table and an air hockey table. There were boys spread throughout the room, either talking or playing cards. When they walked through the door all the conversation stopped and everyone turned to look at them. Duo shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. Many of the boys gave them dirty looks then got up and left, leaving Heero and Duo alone in the once crowded room.
"What's up with them?" Heero asked, watching Duo carefully and wondering why the brightness had left Duo's blue-violet eyes.
"Beats me," Duo said as he looked up and gave Heero a small smile, but Heero could tell that something was really bothering the braided boy. Duo walked over and pulled a chair up to the chessboard and sat down. Heero brought up another chair for himself and began to set up his pieces.
"Are you alright Duo-kun?" Heero asked as he picked up the white pieces and set down his bishops.
"Aa, I'm okay Heero-san," He said as he put down his knights.
Once they were all set they began to play. Heero moved out one of his bishops and Duo responded by moving out his knight. Heero let the subject drop for awhile but after seeing Duo wince as a group of boys walked into the room and spotting Duo left, he brought it up again though he hated to push him.
"Duo, I can tell that something is bothering you. Please tell me what's wrong." He placed his hand on top of Duo's. Duo snatched his hand away, upsetting their game of chess and sending the pieces rolling across the floor. He turned his face away from Heero's and studied the floor as he tried to find the right words to say.
"They all hate me and they haven't said a word to me since they found out that I was different," Duo said in a rush glancing up at Heero to see what how he was reacting. He scooted his chair closer to Duo's.
"How are you different?" Heero asked grasping Duo's chin between his fingers and lifting his face so that he was looking into Heero's eyes.
How can I tell him? What will he think once he knows? Will he call me names too? Duo thought as he looked into Heero's cobalt blue eyes, and drowned in the emotions he saw swirling in his eyes. Heero brought up his hand and caressed Duo's cheek. For the longest time neither of them said anything, they just stared into each other's eyes.
"I…I'm attracted to other guys," Duo said quickly, looking away from Heero ashamed.
Heero chuckled, "That's all?" Heero asked still chuckling. Duo's head snapped up and he looked at Heero.
"What's so funny?" He demanded.
Heero leaned in close to Duo's ear. "So am I." He lightly kissed Duo's cheek and walked out of the game room.