Disclaimer: Don't own them, wish I did!
To Protect and Betray, Part 3
Sunlight streamed across Duo's face. He groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. His watch beeped. "Man, morning all ready," he mumbled into the other pillow. He sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands. It was Sunday, two days after the gala. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and walked towards the shower. Another cold shower was an order after what he dreamed last night.
Relena rolled over in her bed. She ignored the chiming of her clock and pulled the blankets over her head. "I don't want to get out of bed yet," she groaned as she buried herself deeper under the blankets. She knew that she would have to get up because today her and Duo were painting her room. Most of her stuff had been moved the other day while she worked in the study downstairs. Her brother and Duo moved most of the furniture.
Duo walked out if his room and knocked on Relena's door. He didn't hear anything, so he opened the door. He saw a lump in the middle of her bed. "Relena, time to wake up," he said as he walked over to the bed.
"Go away," Relena mumbled, curling herself into a tighter ball.
Duo sighed. It wasn't usually that hard to get her out of bed in the morning. Most days all he had to do was stick his head in and call for her to wake up. "Come on sleepy head, you have to paint today, remember," he said as he shook the lump in the middle of the bed.
Relena groaned and tossed the blankets down to her waist. "All right, all right, I'm awake," she said sleepily as she squinted at the bright sunlight streaming in through the French doors.
Duo smiled at her sleepy expression. And even with the cold shower, his body reacted to the sound of her sleepy husky voice. His eyes also registered the royal purple satin nightshirt that she was wearing. He cleared his throat. "I know you don't want to wake up, but we have to paint today, so the faster you get out of bed, the faster it will get done," he said as he tugged gently on her braid that hung over her shoulder.
"I guess you're right. Go on down to breakfast, I'll be down shortly and soon as we're finished we can start painting," Relena replied as she covered up a yawn with her hand.
Duo turned and left the room. He could feel his heart pounding rapidly just from being near her and barely touching her. Cold showers had ceased to work where she was concerned. He sighed and went down to breakfast.
Relena pulled on a blue plaid cotton shirt with an old pair of jeans. She had taken a quick shower, but she knew that she would get dirty again anyway. She ate breakfast slowly, trying not to laugh when Duo asked Pagan to bring out more pancakes. Her and Duo made their way back to her room after Duo had gulped down his third glass of orange juice. "I guess we should cover everything up first," she said as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.
Duo nodded and helped her put down drop cloths all over her room, so that her furniture and her rug would not get paint on them. "What side do you want to start on?" he asked as he looked around the room.
"I guess I'll start on this side of the French doors and you can start on the other," Relena replied as she picked up a can of Wedgwood blue paint and went to the left of the open doors.
Duo picked up the other can and went to the right of the doors. He looked over at her after a while. She had climbed the ladder and was beginning to paint. He had started as well. For awhile all was silent except for the sound of the rollers and the wet paint going onto the wall.
Relena climbed down off of the ladder and started to paint closer to the floor. And for the millionth time her shirt came untucked. "That's it," she muttered and put down the roller. She undid a few buttons and tied the shirttails into a knot under her breasts, leaving her midriff completely bare.
Duo heard her and looked over at her. His eyes widened as he watched her tie her shirt up. His eyes immediately went to the bared skin. He swallowed and looked away. He surveyed what he had just painted. He was at the door. He looked over at what she had done. She wasn't as far along as he was. "Hey, princess, why don't you start that wall over there, I'll finish up this wall," he said as he pointed to the wall behind her bed.
"All right," she sighed as she picked up her can of paint and went over to the other wall. She came back and picked up the ladder. She climbed back up and started painting again. After a while she looked over her shoulder at Duo. He was almost finished that wall. She paused for a moment to watch him. He was wearing a gray shirt and black jeans. His braid hung down past his waist. She could see the muscles in his arms as he pushed the roller up and down the wall. She continued to watch him until he was finished that wall.
"There. That wall is all done princess," Duo said as he wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. He looked over at Relena, who was halfway done the other wall. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled.
"Good. I can finish this wall up myself. Why don't you go bring up some lunch? I'm sure you're starving for food by now. I know I am," Relena said as she turned back to her wall.
"Sure thing," Duo replied as he went to leave the room. He glanced over his shoulder at her. She was stretching, making the shirt go up even higher. "Damn, why does she have to look so good," he muttered as he left the room. He knew now, he wasn't hungry for food. He much rather be kissing Relena. He went down to the kitchen and made some sandwiches and got some sodas. He put them on a tray and carried them upstairs to her room. He opened the door and closed it with his foot. "Here's the food," he said as he set the tray down on the floor next to her bed. He looked at the wall she had just finished. " I see that we're all done that side."
Relena nodded and gave him a smile. She walked over to him. She noticed that he had some paint streaked across his forehead. She picked up a rag. "You have some paint on you Duo," she said as she wiped it off with the rag.
"Oh," he said as he felt the damp rag on his forehead. He looked at her as she dropped the rag onto the covered bed. "Well, let's eat. There isn't that much more to do," he said as he gestured to the two walls behind them.
"I'm so glad this is going so quickly. Thank you for your help Duo," said Relena as she sat down on the floor and picked up a sandwich. She looked up at him and pulled his hand until he was sitting next to her on the floor.
"Your welcome," he replied as he started eating a sandwich as well. It was hard for him to eat with her looking like she did at the moment. Some wisps of hair had come out of her ponytail and were clinging to her cheeks and neck. The way that her shirt was tied also didn't help, and her jeans barely clung to her slim hips. She had some paint splattered on her jeans, but she didn't seem to mind. She looked just as good in this relaxed and disheveled state as she did when she was all dressed up. "And you think she looks as sexy as hell like this too."
Relena finished her second sandwich and finished her soda. "Well, I'm all done. I guess I'll get started on that other wall," she said as she stood and went back to get another can of paint. She walked past her stereo and as an afterthought, switched it on. "It was a little to quiet in here," she said as she walked over to the wall where the door was.
Duo swallowed his third sandwich and gulped down his second can of soda. He watched as she leaned over to open the can of paint. And since she was now in front of him, he had a view of her front instead of her back. Her shirt gaped open a little, revealing some cleavage. He shut his eyes tight and went over to the wall he was supposed to paint. "You have to stop that." He could see her tapping her foot to the music on the radio as she stood on the ladder and started painting.
Relena started to lip synch to the song on the radio. It was Britney Spears 'Crazy.' It made her think of Heero, but then the face inside her head changed. It was Duo. "You drive me crazy, I just can't sleep. I'm so excited, I'm in too deep. Oh, crazy, but it feels all right. Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night," she sang softly.
Duo could hear her. He couldn't help but smile. He looked back over at her, her head was moving in time to the music.
"You drive me crazy baby," Relena sang. She finished the part over that door. "Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night." She heard clapping; she turned and looked over her shoulder at Duo. She blushed.
"You have a nice voice, princess," Duo commented. He could see her blush a little and turn back to the wall she was painting. He grinned.
"Thank you," Relena said softly as she started to paint again. She paused to look over her shoulder at him. He was painting a lot faster then she was. She sighed and turned back to her wall.
Duo put the roller down on the floor. He looked back at Relena; she was halfway done her wall. He absently scratched his nose, smearing paint on it. He walked over to her and stood behind her. "Need help," he said.
"Sure, why not," she Relena replied as she turned to look at him. She burst into laughter when she saw the paint streaking across his nose. "Duo, you have paint on your face again."
"And you think that's funny," he said. An evil little smile crossed his face as he touched the wet paint from her roller and then touched her face, leaving a trail of paint across her cheek. "Now, that's funny," he laughed.
"Oh, you," she said as she grabbed the paintbrush she had been using for the corners. She flicked it at him, sending some paint across his face and his shirt.
"Two can play this game," Duo grinned as he picked up the other brush and flicked it back. He laughed as she shrieked in protest. Soon, the both of them were flicking paint and splattering it on each other. He caught her around the waist when he saw her going for one of the rollers. "I don't think so," he said as he picked her up off her feet and held her against him
Relena was laughing hysterically as she tried to get out of Duo's hold on her. She could hear him laughing just like she was. They were both laughing so hard that his hold on her loosened and she slipped away. She dropped to the floor, rolling onto her back laughing like a little kid. He did the same. "Oh, my," she said as she wiped some tears away from her eyes.
"I haven't laughed that hard for a while," Duo said when he caught his breath. He rolled to his side and looked at her. She was still laying on her back, wiping the tears of laughter away. He scooted over to her. "That was fun," he said as he wiped away some of his own tears of mirth. He looked down into her face. He reached up and wiped some of her tears away.
Relena felt his fingers on her face. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. His face was so close to hers. Her lips parted as she looked up at him. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Mandy Moore's song, 'I Want to Be With You,' began to play over the radio.
Duo continued to wipe away some tears that were still on her cheeks. He looked into her eyes and saw something. His fingers stopped moving as he looked into her eyes. And of its own accord his hand cupped her cheek as he lowered his head towards hers. His lips brushed against hers. He couldn't stop himself from kissing her.
Relena couldn't believe it. Duo was kissing her. She closed her eyes and her arms came up slowly and went around his neck, pulling him closer to her. She parted her lips under his.
Duo kissed her slowly when he felt her arms wrap around his neck. But when her lips parted under his, going slowly became irrelevant. He flicked his tongue against her lips and when they parted even more, he slipped his tongue into the wet heat of her mouth.
Relena had never felt like this before. Her body was flashing hot and cold. And the way he was kissing her, was something that she had only dreamed of. She felt his body come closer to hers, so that one of his legs was lying between hers and his body half covered hers. She kissed him back, slipping her tongue over his.
Duo pressed her closer to him when she kissed him back. His one hand rested on her bared midriff. Her skin felt as soft as silk. His thumb made lazy circles around her navel. He wasn't even thinking about what Heero would do to him, if he knew what he was doing.
Relena felt a maelstrom of sensations flood her senses. She wrapped her one leg around his. She could feel his hand on her bare skin and his thumb dancing around her navel. His mouth was still on hers. Just then there was a knock on the door. They sprang apart.
Duo rolled away from Relena and stood up. He raked his hand through his hair. He looked down at Relena, who had sat up. "Who is it?" he called out. He hoped he didn't look guilty. He sure as hell felt like it.
Zechs poked his head inside Relena's room. He saw Duo and Relena in the middle of the room. "I see that you two are almost done," he said as he surveyed their work.
"Yeah, almost done. Just that wall right there has to be finished," Duo said a little nervously. He raked his hand through his hair again.
"Yeah, it shouldn't take us long to finish," Relena replied as she took a deep breath. Her heart was still pounding out of control.
Zechs looked at them closely. He saw paint splattered all over them as well as the way they were acting. They were both acting like they had been doing something that they shouldn't. He eyed his sister closely. He saw a handprint on her stomach, too large to be hers. He looked over at Duo, who had turned away and was walking towards the door. He could see a small handprint on the back of his neck. "Well, that's good to hear. Relena, I have some papers for you that came. Why don't you come downstairs and take a look at them when you clean up a little," he said as he turned and left the room. He looked over his shoulder and saw the guilty look spread over his sister and Duo's face. He closed the door behind him, knowing exactly what they looked so guilty.
Relena put her hands to her cheeks. She could feel how hot they were. She glanced over at Duo. " I think I'll go downstairs," she said as she stood. "You don't mind finishing up do you?"
"No. Go on downstairs, princess, " Duo replied in a low voice.
Relena practically ran from the room. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. "What just happened in there?" she asked softly. "What were you doing kissing Duo? Don't you love Heero? Haven't you always loved him? But what do you feel for Duo? Do you love him too? Oh God, I'm so confused."
Duo bent his head forward. He had kissed her like he had wanted to do for weeks. But her brother's sudden interruption brought reality back to him. "Heero. What would he do if he found out that I kissed her? He would probably shoot me in the head. He's my best friend and I just made out with the woman that he probably loves. But I think that I'm in love with her too. I am so confused. What the hell am I going to do?"
Author's Note: Next chapter's a lemon. I can't seem to write enough of these.