This chapter is a *little* bit spicy, nothing nasty, just a hint of citrus, ok? =*_*=

Disclaimer #1: I don't own GW...*cries*...but if I DID own it, things would be SO different, but then again if "ifs and buts" were candy and nuts, we'd all weigh 300 pounds, so there. =P

Disclaimer #2: I was an English major, so when I write, I write wordy. You have been warned. =P

Disclaimer #3 (last one, I promise): This is a very confusing story. Gomen nasai. Don't get lost. =^_~=

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Heero aimed his gun at the intruder. "Identify yourself," he said calmly. His voice echoed in the huge warehouse as he looked down from atop Wing Zero's shoulder. A difficult shot, at this range, but nothing he couldn't handle. He could tell the intruder hadn't moved yet, and he knew the position of the door. Assuming the person was of average height, he calculated that he could plant one in either the head or the chest with decent accuracy.

Duo stepped into a pool of light no more than four foot square, cast from a security floodlight outside the hanger, through a small, barred window. He brushed his bangs away from his face and looked up at Heero.

Startled, Heero put the gun away and jumped down effortlessly, dropping to one knee, then rising slowly. He took in the strange sight before him; on the surface, it appeared to be Relena Peacecraft, but...

"Thought you might like some company," the apparition said. "I know things didn't go well this morning, but I'm hoping there's no hard feelings..." Duo nearly bit his tongue again, realizing how bad that sounded, although it probably only sounded that way to him.

Heero's eyes ran up and down the apparition. Her hair was braided, like it was a few days ago, but it looked darker than it had this morning. Her eyes looked strange too, although both of these could be explained away by the odd colouring of the light streaming in the window. Satisfied with this, he walked forward. "No, it's fine. Daijoubu," he said, with a quick shake of his pretty head. He stopped right in front of Duo, almost as close as they had been a few nights ago outside his dorm.

They stood there for awhile, then Duo scrunched his shoulders up and down, and gave Heero a goofy wide-eyed smile. Heero's concrete scowl softened, and his brow unfurrowed itself. He actually seemed relaxed by this. They left together, and made their way back to the campus. All the while, they talked like before, about life, work, school, fighting the good fight, all without ever touching on the subjects of body-switching or secret identities. Duo found it was possible to talk very closely with someone without getting hung up on identity; it was gloriously liberating. He bet Relena had never been able to get him to open up like this. It actually helped himself open up by the same amount.

It was well past 10:00 at night by the time they made it back, and it was longer than that before Duo realized he'd been hanging off Heero's arm without getting his lights punched out. People smiled at them as they walked past, thinking what a cute couple they made. They could feel the warm, fuzzy glances following them around, and it didn't bother either of them.

Pausing on a park bench outside Relena's dorm, Duo forgot his role, totally relaxed. "...ne, Heero?"

"Hn?"

"Can we do this again sometime?"

A pause. "Hai...I'd like that." Another pause. Was Duo hearing things? Never mind, plenty of days ahead to sort it all out. He decided not to press his luck, and just go to bed; time to put the book of fairy tales away, for tonight at least.

Duo rose from the bench. "Guess I should be going...it's pretty late," he said, taking a step towards the dorm entrance.

"I'll walk you there." Heero was on his feet and leading the way...this was unexpected. Not unpleasant, mind you...Duo agreed wordlessly and took his arm, as they walked down the hall and up the stairs.

**********

A short walk away, in Heero's dorm room, Relena paced. A horrible, gut-wrenching feeling had just crawled under her skin and was sending shockwaves through her brain that something, besides the obvious, was seriously amiss. Had something happened to Heero to make him late? Was he hurt? In trouble? On a last-minute mission? She sat down in his chair and stared at his laptop, hoping it would spring to life and explain the last few days to her.

Why had she agreed to this ridiculous farce? Was she truly so bereft of ideas on how to make her true love respond that she needed the All-American Dimwit to switch bodies with her? She wanted to tell someone, anyone, about what he had convinced...no, about what he had DONE to her. She felt coerced. Backed into a corner and told that this was the only way. But looking at the situation with a sober mind made it seem impossible to make anyone understand, or even believe her.

Relena suddenly felt sick again. Like before, she had stopped eating and drinking while inhabiting Duo's body. Once safely inside the bathroom she was startled by her own reflection in the full-length mirror glued to the door. A slender boy with a chestnut braid stared back at her. This was unbearable. She wanted her body back. And she wanted Heero to come home.

She walked weakly back to Duo's bed and curled up on it, thinking.

Wufei. He would understand...or at least, he might listen long enough for her to make her case. Out of all the people she knew, he had the most logical, orderly mind, and was most likely to believe her.

But then, she didn't want to get Duo into trouble either; he was her friend...sort of. She would give him until tomorrow do whatever he had planned to make Heero pay attention to her, and then that was it. No more extensions, if he didn't get the job done by tomorrow, the deal was off.

She pulled the blanket over her, staring at the door, determined to keep watch for Heero. Gradually, she weakened and fell asleep, but the awful, gut-wrenching feeling of foreboding wouldn't go away. Something was about to happen...

**********

Duo and Heero stopped outside Relena's dorm room. Christ, look at us. We're ridiculous, Duo thought. Well, only he fit that description, really. The absurdity of the last few days started to sink in, including his plans for him and Heero. I gotta get my head examined as soon as this is over...another disturbing realization. In the back of his mind, he expected it to end, like all good fairy tales do. If he was supposed to cope with that, the least he could ask in return was another good-night kiss, he reasoned. Best not to get his hopes too high up, after all.

He stood there, wondering if he was supposed to let Heero make the first move this time. A janitor was eyeing them, ready to alert Student Residence Services if he saw them do anything untoward. Heero made the janitor shrink around the corner with a Deathglare that was one step below being lethal itself. He turned his attention back to "Relena".

Ten seconds passed. Twenty. What was he waiting for? "So...any plans for the weekend?" Duo asked, trying to shatter the tension that only he felt.

"Time off, hopefully," Heero answered, "I've been cutting back on sleep and food lately for the sake of the missions. I didn't have dinner tonight because I was busy with repairs..." The look on his face was still severe, but tinged with something...unfamiliar. The corners of Heero's mouth weren't pointing as far down as they usually did.

Duo didn't know what to make of this, but he remembered the stash of tiny cakes, sweets and exotic coffees that Relena kept hidden in the bottom drawer of her dresser. With a sly grin he wondered if Heero knew that all along. "Are you inviting yourself in for a snack?" he asked, putting a hand on his hip.

"If you don't mind," Heero replied, huskily.

Duo shivered and opened the door, never taking his eyes off the visitor. He backed up into the apartment, repeating those words over and over in his mind. Heero shut the door and leaned against it; his expression grew stranger still. And he hadn't turned the lights on yet. Oh my God...

With two quick strides forward, Heero was in front of him, leaning against him, holding Duo's face in his hands and tilting it up to meet his..."Wha...are you...feeling alright?" Duo croaked, not wanting to pull away.

Heero pressed a finger to his lips. "...ashita..." he whispered.

Tomorrow? What about tomorrow? Duo thought, with as much innocence as he could muster.

Coiling one arm around his partner's waist, Heero leaned forward and began placing delicate kisses up and down Duo's neck. Gasping slightly, Duo clutched his Perfect Soldier closer to him, startled again by the warmth of his thin body. Turning his head to expose more of his neck, he caught a glimpse of the scene from a conveniently-placed mirror. Heero had his arms around Relena Peacecraft, nibbling her neck, hands running up her back, under her shirt...

Duo gasped and pulled away. What was this rat-bastard trying to pull, anyway? For months and months, Duo had been scrounging and begging for scraps of affection, then as soon as the guy gets Relena alone, he...but he'd been alone with her plenty of times, and nobody mentioned this happening. Had it been going on all along and their friendship just wasn't strong enough for Heero to mention it? And why was he looking so damn calm!?

Taking a step forward, Heero reached out and drew Duo close again, cradling his head against his shoulder with one hand and stroking his braid with the other. "Daijoubu..." He stuttered for words, slightly. "I know there's much I don't understand....about..." He couldn't quite finish the thought, instead putting his hands on Duo's shoulders and looking into those strange eyes that seemed half his and half Relena's. "...but I do understand sacrifice."

Sacrifice? What the hell? The word clattered around in Duo's head until he gave up trying to make sense of it. Looking up at those prussian blue gems that had suddenly turned from stern to soft in his privileged presence, he chose to ignore his suspicions. Maybe there's something in it, in what I look like...something between them...but I'M here now.

Duo stopped his inward babbling, grabbed Heero by the front of his tank top, and yanked him forward, kissing him full on the lips. He had been backed up nearly to the edge of Relena's bed, and quickly found himself on his back, being pressed into the mattress. Heero's mouth was on his throat, his torso pinning him down, and his hands in too many places to count. Maybe Heero didn't know what love was, but his animal instincts were working perfectly.

Then, just when Duo thought he was about to have the swishy skirt ripped off him (he hadn't made up his mind whether or not to encourage it), Heero paused, lifted himself up on his elbows, and looked quietly at his treasure. Looking up at him, Duo witnessed something phenomenal. Heero's expression softened, slowly at first, beginning with his furtive brow, which relaxed and hovered over his sparkling eyes like the delicately arched limbs of a tree sapling. The effect cascaded down his face and played upon his lips, making them curl up ever so slightly. He was gently smiling.

He did know what love was. He had to, to look at him that way. "Heero?"

Duo's whisper was silenced with a kiss. All of Heero's actions had softened now, and they felt more than comfortable enough to wrap their arms close around each other and begin the long journey toward sunrise together. Only the tiniest nagging doubt crept into Duo's mind, reminding him that from Heero's point of view, he was making love to Relena. Another kiss placed at the base of his neck burned away all notions of wrongdoing, and he answered the tiny voice, smirking inwardly.

Well.......it's not ALL bad.


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=*_*= Ooooooohhhh.....now, see, that wasn't so bad, was it? =^_^= How's it going to be the morning after?