Disclaimer: I still don't own them.
Back to You
Chapter 3
The artificial sunlight had been turned off and for the first time since Hilde had set foot on L4, the covering on the space windows had been opened, allowing for natural moonlight to illuminate the colony. To save energy, at night, the colony ran its air circulation system, refreshing the day's air. With the fans blowing at full power, it created a little breeze throughout the entire colony.
Hilde walked out onto the balcony off her bedroom. She had already shucked her shoes at the door, sighing in relief to having her feet released for the confining grip of the spiky heels. Grabbing the chopsticks embedded in her hair with one hand, she tugged them out, letting her shoulder length tresses dance in the manufactured breeze.
She leaned against the stone railing of the balcony, resting her chin in her hands as her eyes drifted over the gardens.
"I thought you'd be asleep by now since you have a early flight."
Turning toward her left, Hilde spotted him as he walked out of the shadows. He had shed is tuxedo jacket and bowtie. The white dress shirt had been unbuttoned, revealing his muscled chest. Duo was also barefoot and his hair had been let loose to flow behind him.
"I thought I was the only person in this wing of the house." She muttered under her breath as a shot of jealousy ran through her body. "Looks like you had fun playing in the garden. Catch any moonflowers while you were out and about?" Hilde nearly cringed as she realized she hadn't been able to keep all of the sarcasm out of her voice.
He stepped closer to her before he continued. Hilde grew angrier as she saw the tiniest hint of amusement in Duo's eyes. Sensing her jealousy, Duo decided to goad her a little. "Actually, yes, I had a wonderful time in the garden. Andrea is a very entertaining person..."
"I bet she is." Hilde interrupted.
Duo chose to ignore her comment and continue. "And as for being the only person in this wing, I guess you were wrong."
Hilde turned her back to him and tried to focus on the garden. "So where's Ms. McPherson now? Surely you didn't just leave her alone, the night's still young or do you have other women awaiting your arrival. I'd hate to keep you from them. "
Silence was her only answer. Her mouth burned from the venomous statement she just threw at him. Hanging her head, she closed her eyes. 'When did I become so bitter?' The only sound she heard was the colony's fans running in the distance. Sighing, Hilde spun away from the railing and ran smack into him. She took a quick step back and looked up into his face. His eyes were narrowed as he scowled down at her.
"Andrea is one of Quatre's nieces and a good five years younger than me. And as for my disheveled state; I was about to take a shower when I decided to come out for some fresh air." Hilde watched as he clenched his hands. "If it weren't for the simple fact that you're my best friend and a woman, I would have beaten you for even suggesting such a thing."
"Best friend? I'm your best friend?" Hilde pushed him out of the way, refusing to let him confine her against the railing. She whirled around and gave him a dry sarcastic laugh. "You're joking, right? Because best friends don't drift apart the way we have. Hell, Duo this is the first time in three years I've seen you in person. The first time in months that we've actually held a conversation that lasted more than five minutes."
She watched him flinch as she threw the words at him.
"And as for that comment about the women, you can't be upset at me for telling the truth. You've always been a ladies man. I mean look at how easily you picked up with someone new after me..."
"Hilde, I would advise you to stop right there." Duo growled, but she was beyond listening to him.
"I'm surprised that you even remember all their names. I know I couldn't keep up with them. What'd you have a little book that contained not even their names and numbers, but what kind of food, place, movies and sexual positions they preferred, that way you wouldn't confuse them with someone else." Placing her hands on her hips, she continued to throw insults at him, unaware of the dangerous glint in Duo's eyes.
"Now that I think about it, didn't every woman on L2 cross the threshold to your bedroom?"
"Since you know all about my sex life, Hilde, let me ask you about yours. How many men have you taken to your bed since me? One? Two? Five? You know they say sorority girls give it up easier than any other type of girl on college campuses."
The sound of her hand smacking his face nearly drowned out her whispered curse. "You Bastard!" She spun and headed toward her bedroom.
"THAT'S IT!" Duo yelled. Marching across the balcony, he grabbed her by the shoulders so that she couldn't run away. He then turned her around and ran is strong hands down her arms, pinning them at her sides. "I warned you not to push me, Hilde. And by God you will keep your mouth shut now!"
Duo brought his lips crushing down on hers. As his lips held her captive, he moved his hands up her shoulders, resting near her neck. With her arms free from his tight grasp, Hilde brought her hands up between their bodies, poised to push him away. But once her hands landed on the warm skin of his muscled chest, all the fight went out of her.
He smiled as his mouth held her, happy with the fact that she wasn't going to fight him. Duo's hands found their way to the back of her neck. Fisting his hands in her hair, he pulled lightly causing her to tilt her head farther back, her mouth slightly parting. Given the small invitation, Duo took the kiss to a deeper level.
Hilde felt herself completely give into to the demands of Duo's body, not that she was complaining. She needed to feel his body against hers, feel them together as one; had been craving it since the first time they made love. Moving her hands up his chest, she ran them under the white dress shirt that hung on his shoulders. Grabbing the cotton, Hilde slowly pulled the shirt off his shoulders and down to his elbows. Her nails raked his skin as they made there way down to the waistband of his pants.
As her hands ripped at the material of his shirt and pants, Duo released the hold on her hair and let his hands skim down her exposed back. Her skin was so soft against his unsteady hands. Hilde continued to fumble with the button on his pants as Duo pulled his mouth away from hers and began to suckle on the hollow of her neck. He heard a sigh escape her lips as his nimble fingers found the zipper to her dress.
Duo lifted his head as she sighed a second time. He realized that they were still out on the balcony. Not wanting to share Hilde's body with any prying eyes, he began to gradually walk into the bedroom, never releasing his intimate hold on her neck. When they finally crossed the threshold into her room, Duo pulled his arms away from Hilde, long enough to tear off the confining dress shirt.
Finally, Hilde was able to undo the button on his pants. But before she could reach the zipper, Duo pulled away from her. He slowly walked behind her, his hand trailing across the pale, sensitive skin along the top part of her dress. Closing her eyes and drawing a shaky breath, she felt him unzip the rest of the dress, allowing it to fall to her feet. She stood there in nothing but a garter belt, black thigh high pantyhose and a pair of black satin thongs. Duo felt his breath catch in his throat as she stepped out of the dress and turned around to face him.
Hilde kept her eyes averted from his as she made her way over to him. Falling to her knees, Hilde sat back on her heels as her hands quickly went to work pulling the pants down over his hips and letting them slide the rest of the way down his legs. She leaned forward and ran her tongue along the waistband of his silk boxers. Rising off her knees, she continued to lick her way up his torso allowing her naked breasts to rub against the same places she licked. Her path lead from his waist, up his chest, stopping to savor his neck and then moving on to his face. As her lips found his again, she lifted her leg and placed it over his hip, pushing her body against his erection. Taking the hint, Duo grabbed her other leg, lifting her up, her legs wrapped snuggly around his waist and carried her to the bed.
Duo pushed away the sheer curtain that surrounded the heap of pillows in the middle of the room. Moving behind the thin material, Duo kneeled down on the plush pillows, allowing Hilde to slide off his hips and onto her knees directly in front of him. Hilde let her hands roam down his taunt stomach; she smiled as she slid her thumbs into the waistband of his boxers. With not much effort, the material pushed away from his hips. As she shoved the boxers further down, she leaned forward, placing whisper soft kisses down the length of his torso.
A ragged breath escaped from Duo's throat as Hilde took him into her mouth. Her tongue and mouth danced along his rigid body, sending an overload of sensations throughout his body. His hands instinctively fisted themselves in her silky hair as she continued her sweet torture. Hilde felt his hands tighten in her hair, and the corners of her mouth turned upward, forming the beginnings of a devilish smile. Taking a deep breath, she leaned farther forward, taking him deeper into her mouth. The harsh whisper of her name echoed in the large room.
Duo pulled her mouth away from him, fighting to gain control of his body. Bring her face up to his; he plundered her mouth as he pushed her back into the pillows. He flashed her an impish smile and simply said, "My turn", as he began kissing her neck. His kisses left a wet path as it lead from the hollow of her neck to her breasts. His hands gently held her small breast as he wrapped his around on of the taunt pink peaks. A low moan came from the back of Hilde's throat as Duo's hands moved farther down; his index fingers tracing the lines of her black thong. In a matter of seconds, the satin material had been ripped in two and removed from her body. Pulling his mouth away from her breasts, he then moved further down on the bed of pillows and placed his mouth over her very core.
She couldn't seem to stop whimpering as Duo exacted his own form of torture on her own body. Her arms had worked their way above her head, grasping onto one of the pillows as her body shook under his mouth. Hilde felt herself climbing closer to the edge and tried to push herself over, but Duo pulled back, leaving her teetering on the edge of insanity. Taking her hips into his hands, he moved between her legs and thrust himself into her.
Her inner muscles eagerly grasped at him, drawing him deeper into her body. He began rocking his hips back and forth, slow movements that persuaded her taunt muscles to relax, allowing him to slide deeper into her hot body. Hilde moaned as her body arched off the cushion of pillows, rubbing against him as he slightly pulled back. The slight change in position caused Duo to slip all the way to the hilt. Over the gasp of shock Hilde uttered, Duo could hear the racing beat of his heart and his own hard labored breathing. The small hold he had had on his control completely snapped as she wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing his body closer to hers.
Duo's hips jack hammered, driving in and out of her. Hilde clung to him, holding him close to her; her nails raking the toned muscles of his back. Each breath that escaped her came out as a throaty groan, driving Duo to quicken his pace even further. He adjusted his position, hooking his arms under her knees and holding her legs wider, the weight of his torso pinning her to the pile of pillows. Within a couple more thrusts, Hilde felt a million tiny sensations explode throughout her body; she was completely helpless against the continuing onslaught of feelings. Her body hadn't even slowed its spasms as his began. Throwing his head back, Duo buried himself into her with one last powerful stroke. A primal groan sounded in his chest as he found his release.
Silence controlled the room, only to be interrupted by the muted sound of their harsh breathing and the occasional grunt or groan as the remnants of pleasure died away. Duo's sweat dampened hair hung over his shoulders, acting as a curtain as it fell around Hilde's face. He watched as she sighed and opened her eyes. Still dark with passion, they sparkled with contentment; and in that moment Duo realized that he loved her more than the air he breathed. No longer able to support himself on his arms, he laid his head down against her chest and closed his own eyes. Hilde laid her head against his own and let herself hold him close to her heart for the rest of the night.
****************
She watched him as he slept. This wasn't the first time she had done it, however it would be the last. She loved the way he smiled in his sleep. Hilde could always tell what was he was dreaming about just by the smile on his face. It was nearly 4:00 in the morning and her ride to the airport would soon arrive. It had taken all of her strength to pull herself from his warm embrace. Blowing him a kiss, Hilde turned to her bag, removed her clothes and headed into the bathroom.
The sound of the water running down the fountain waterfall woke him up. Duo lazily stretched his arms over his head, letting a huge yawn escape in the process. Not wanting to fully wake up yet, he snuggled back down into the pillows.
"Pillows?"
Opening one eye, Duo looked up directly into the peak of the canopy. 'Okay, this isn't your room. Whose room are you in? Come on, Duo, think.' As he began to sit up, he caught a whiff of Hilde's perfume and with it came the onslaught of all the memories of last night.
Memories of stolen kisses, sweet moans and tender touches. Making love with her had been exactly as he remembered it; full of passion and life. And at the same time, it was sweet misery. Because he realized how much he loved her and how much he would miss her once she left.
Through the sheer canopy, he watched her emerge from the bathroom. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a scarlet red tank top. Her hair had been pulled back and hidden under a tan baseball cap, a ponytail stick out of the back. Duo smiled as he watched her move around the room, picking up a few things and placing them inside her bag. She looked beautiful last night, but he preferred the way she looked when she was comfortable.
The zipping noise that echoed through the room as she closed her bag brought him out of his thoughts. Hilde adjusted the brim of her hat and reached down to pick up the bag when she heard him.
"Leaving already?"
The sound of his deep voice caused her to jump. She turned around to face him, her face expressionless. "Yeah, the flight leaves at 0600. If I leave now, I will have enough time to grab something to eat on the way."
Duo brought one knee up and rested his elbow on it. "Why don't you stay and have breakfast with me?"
His simple requested caused tears to form behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall down her face. She was tempted by the offer to stay and stare at him from across the breakfast table, drinking in her fill of him, before she left. But Hilde, preferred to remember him this way; lounging on a bed of pillows, his hair falling down his back, nude except for the sheet that was pooled in his lap.
Besides, the sooner she said goodbye, the easier it would be; on the both of them.
Duo opened his mouth, but Hilde cut him off.
"Don't. Everything that needed to be said was done so last night." She lied. "I'm truly sorry for the hurtful things I told you last night, please believe they were spoken out of anger." Picking up her garment and dress bag, she turned the knob and opened the door.
"Goodbye, Duo." Hilde called over her shoulder as she closed the door.
Duo quickly recovered from his shock, stood up from the bed and tripped over a couple of pillows. Wrapping the sheet around his waist he ran to the door. Throwing it open, he stopped at the threshold between the room and the hallway. He watched her turn the corner, willing himself not to go after her. 'Things will be better this way. I can live with the memories and nothing more.'
From a couple of doors down the hall, a pair of sorrowful blue eyes watched as Duo banged his head against the doorframe and then retreated back into Hilde's bedroom.
Back to You
Chapter 3
The artificial sunlight had been turned off and for the first time since Hilde had set foot on L4, the covering on the space windows had been opened, allowing for natural moonlight to illuminate the colony. To save energy, at night, the colony ran its air circulation system, refreshing the day's air. With the fans blowing at full power, it created a little breeze throughout the entire colony.
Hilde walked out onto the balcony off her bedroom. She had already shucked her shoes at the door, sighing in relief to having her feet released for the confining grip of the spiky heels. Grabbing the chopsticks embedded in her hair with one hand, she tugged them out, letting her shoulder length tresses dance in the manufactured breeze.
She leaned against the stone railing of the balcony, resting her chin in her hands as her eyes drifted over the gardens.
"I thought you'd be asleep by now since you have a early flight."
Turning toward her left, Hilde spotted him as he walked out of the shadows. He had shed is tuxedo jacket and bowtie. The white dress shirt had been unbuttoned, revealing his muscled chest. Duo was also barefoot and his hair had been let loose to flow behind him.
"I thought I was the only person in this wing of the house." She muttered under her breath as a shot of jealousy ran through her body. "Looks like you had fun playing in the garden. Catch any moonflowers while you were out and about?" Hilde nearly cringed as she realized she hadn't been able to keep all of the sarcasm out of her voice.
He stepped closer to her before he continued. Hilde grew angrier as she saw the tiniest hint of amusement in Duo's eyes. Sensing her jealousy, Duo decided to goad her a little. "Actually, yes, I had a wonderful time in the garden. Andrea is a very entertaining person..."
"I bet she is." Hilde interrupted.
Duo chose to ignore her comment and continue. "And as for being the only person in this wing, I guess you were wrong."
Hilde turned her back to him and tried to focus on the garden. "So where's Ms. McPherson now? Surely you didn't just leave her alone, the night's still young or do you have other women awaiting your arrival. I'd hate to keep you from them. "
Silence was her only answer. Her mouth burned from the venomous statement she just threw at him. Hanging her head, she closed her eyes. 'When did I become so bitter?' The only sound she heard was the colony's fans running in the distance. Sighing, Hilde spun away from the railing and ran smack into him. She took a quick step back and looked up into his face. His eyes were narrowed as he scowled down at her.
"Andrea is one of Quatre's nieces and a good five years younger than me. And as for my disheveled state; I was about to take a shower when I decided to come out for some fresh air." Hilde watched as he clenched his hands. "If it weren't for the simple fact that you're my best friend and a woman, I would have beaten you for even suggesting such a thing."
"Best friend? I'm your best friend?" Hilde pushed him out of the way, refusing to let him confine her against the railing. She whirled around and gave him a dry sarcastic laugh. "You're joking, right? Because best friends don't drift apart the way we have. Hell, Duo this is the first time in three years I've seen you in person. The first time in months that we've actually held a conversation that lasted more than five minutes."
She watched him flinch as she threw the words at him.
"And as for that comment about the women, you can't be upset at me for telling the truth. You've always been a ladies man. I mean look at how easily you picked up with someone new after me..."
"Hilde, I would advise you to stop right there." Duo growled, but she was beyond listening to him.
"I'm surprised that you even remember all their names. I know I couldn't keep up with them. What'd you have a little book that contained not even their names and numbers, but what kind of food, place, movies and sexual positions they preferred, that way you wouldn't confuse them with someone else." Placing her hands on her hips, she continued to throw insults at him, unaware of the dangerous glint in Duo's eyes.
"Now that I think about it, didn't every woman on L2 cross the threshold to your bedroom?"
"Since you know all about my sex life, Hilde, let me ask you about yours. How many men have you taken to your bed since me? One? Two? Five? You know they say sorority girls give it up easier than any other type of girl on college campuses."
The sound of her hand smacking his face nearly drowned out her whispered curse. "You Bastard!" She spun and headed toward her bedroom.
"THAT'S IT!" Duo yelled. Marching across the balcony, he grabbed her by the shoulders so that she couldn't run away. He then turned her around and ran is strong hands down her arms, pinning them at her sides. "I warned you not to push me, Hilde. And by God you will keep your mouth shut now!"
Duo brought his lips crushing down on hers. As his lips held her captive, he moved his hands up her shoulders, resting near her neck. With her arms free from his tight grasp, Hilde brought her hands up between their bodies, poised to push him away. But once her hands landed on the warm skin of his muscled chest, all the fight went out of her.
He smiled as his mouth held her, happy with the fact that she wasn't going to fight him. Duo's hands found their way to the back of her neck. Fisting his hands in her hair, he pulled lightly causing her to tilt her head farther back, her mouth slightly parting. Given the small invitation, Duo took the kiss to a deeper level.
Hilde felt herself completely give into to the demands of Duo's body, not that she was complaining. She needed to feel his body against hers, feel them together as one; had been craving it since the first time they made love. Moving her hands up his chest, she ran them under the white dress shirt that hung on his shoulders. Grabbing the cotton, Hilde slowly pulled the shirt off his shoulders and down to his elbows. Her nails raked his skin as they made there way down to the waistband of his pants.
As her hands ripped at the material of his shirt and pants, Duo released the hold on her hair and let his hands skim down her exposed back. Her skin was so soft against his unsteady hands. Hilde continued to fumble with the button on his pants as Duo pulled his mouth away from hers and began to suckle on the hollow of her neck. He heard a sigh escape her lips as his nimble fingers found the zipper to her dress.
Duo lifted his head as she sighed a second time. He realized that they were still out on the balcony. Not wanting to share Hilde's body with any prying eyes, he began to gradually walk into the bedroom, never releasing his intimate hold on her neck. When they finally crossed the threshold into her room, Duo pulled his arms away from Hilde, long enough to tear off the confining dress shirt.
Finally, Hilde was able to undo the button on his pants. But before she could reach the zipper, Duo pulled away from her. He slowly walked behind her, his hand trailing across the pale, sensitive skin along the top part of her dress. Closing her eyes and drawing a shaky breath, she felt him unzip the rest of the dress, allowing it to fall to her feet. She stood there in nothing but a garter belt, black thigh high pantyhose and a pair of black satin thongs. Duo felt his breath catch in his throat as she stepped out of the dress and turned around to face him.
Hilde kept her eyes averted from his as she made her way over to him. Falling to her knees, Hilde sat back on her heels as her hands quickly went to work pulling the pants down over his hips and letting them slide the rest of the way down his legs. She leaned forward and ran her tongue along the waistband of his silk boxers. Rising off her knees, she continued to lick her way up his torso allowing her naked breasts to rub against the same places she licked. Her path lead from his waist, up his chest, stopping to savor his neck and then moving on to his face. As her lips found his again, she lifted her leg and placed it over his hip, pushing her body against his erection. Taking the hint, Duo grabbed her other leg, lifting her up, her legs wrapped snuggly around his waist and carried her to the bed.
Duo pushed away the sheer curtain that surrounded the heap of pillows in the middle of the room. Moving behind the thin material, Duo kneeled down on the plush pillows, allowing Hilde to slide off his hips and onto her knees directly in front of him. Hilde let her hands roam down his taunt stomach; she smiled as she slid her thumbs into the waistband of his boxers. With not much effort, the material pushed away from his hips. As she shoved the boxers further down, she leaned forward, placing whisper soft kisses down the length of his torso.
A ragged breath escaped from Duo's throat as Hilde took him into her mouth. Her tongue and mouth danced along his rigid body, sending an overload of sensations throughout his body. His hands instinctively fisted themselves in her silky hair as she continued her sweet torture. Hilde felt his hands tighten in her hair, and the corners of her mouth turned upward, forming the beginnings of a devilish smile. Taking a deep breath, she leaned farther forward, taking him deeper into her mouth. The harsh whisper of her name echoed in the large room.
Duo pulled her mouth away from him, fighting to gain control of his body. Bring her face up to his; he plundered her mouth as he pushed her back into the pillows. He flashed her an impish smile and simply said, "My turn", as he began kissing her neck. His kisses left a wet path as it lead from the hollow of her neck to her breasts. His hands gently held her small breast as he wrapped his around on of the taunt pink peaks. A low moan came from the back of Hilde's throat as Duo's hands moved farther down; his index fingers tracing the lines of her black thong. In a matter of seconds, the satin material had been ripped in two and removed from her body. Pulling his mouth away from her breasts, he then moved further down on the bed of pillows and placed his mouth over her very core.
She couldn't seem to stop whimpering as Duo exacted his own form of torture on her own body. Her arms had worked their way above her head, grasping onto one of the pillows as her body shook under his mouth. Hilde felt herself climbing closer to the edge and tried to push herself over, but Duo pulled back, leaving her teetering on the edge of insanity. Taking her hips into his hands, he moved between her legs and thrust himself into her.
Her inner muscles eagerly grasped at him, drawing him deeper into her body. He began rocking his hips back and forth, slow movements that persuaded her taunt muscles to relax, allowing him to slide deeper into her hot body. Hilde moaned as her body arched off the cushion of pillows, rubbing against him as he slightly pulled back. The slight change in position caused Duo to slip all the way to the hilt. Over the gasp of shock Hilde uttered, Duo could hear the racing beat of his heart and his own hard labored breathing. The small hold he had had on his control completely snapped as she wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing his body closer to hers.
Duo's hips jack hammered, driving in and out of her. Hilde clung to him, holding him close to her; her nails raking the toned muscles of his back. Each breath that escaped her came out as a throaty groan, driving Duo to quicken his pace even further. He adjusted his position, hooking his arms under her knees and holding her legs wider, the weight of his torso pinning her to the pile of pillows. Within a couple more thrusts, Hilde felt a million tiny sensations explode throughout her body; she was completely helpless against the continuing onslaught of feelings. Her body hadn't even slowed its spasms as his began. Throwing his head back, Duo buried himself into her with one last powerful stroke. A primal groan sounded in his chest as he found his release.
Silence controlled the room, only to be interrupted by the muted sound of their harsh breathing and the occasional grunt or groan as the remnants of pleasure died away. Duo's sweat dampened hair hung over his shoulders, acting as a curtain as it fell around Hilde's face. He watched as she sighed and opened her eyes. Still dark with passion, they sparkled with contentment; and in that moment Duo realized that he loved her more than the air he breathed. No longer able to support himself on his arms, he laid his head down against her chest and closed his own eyes. Hilde laid her head against his own and let herself hold him close to her heart for the rest of the night.
****************
She watched him as he slept. This wasn't the first time she had done it, however it would be the last. She loved the way he smiled in his sleep. Hilde could always tell what was he was dreaming about just by the smile on his face. It was nearly 4:00 in the morning and her ride to the airport would soon arrive. It had taken all of her strength to pull herself from his warm embrace. Blowing him a kiss, Hilde turned to her bag, removed her clothes and headed into the bathroom.
The sound of the water running down the fountain waterfall woke him up. Duo lazily stretched his arms over his head, letting a huge yawn escape in the process. Not wanting to fully wake up yet, he snuggled back down into the pillows.
"Pillows?"
Opening one eye, Duo looked up directly into the peak of the canopy. 'Okay, this isn't your room. Whose room are you in? Come on, Duo, think.' As he began to sit up, he caught a whiff of Hilde's perfume and with it came the onslaught of all the memories of last night.
Memories of stolen kisses, sweet moans and tender touches. Making love with her had been exactly as he remembered it; full of passion and life. And at the same time, it was sweet misery. Because he realized how much he loved her and how much he would miss her once she left.
Through the sheer canopy, he watched her emerge from the bathroom. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a scarlet red tank top. Her hair had been pulled back and hidden under a tan baseball cap, a ponytail stick out of the back. Duo smiled as he watched her move around the room, picking up a few things and placing them inside her bag. She looked beautiful last night, but he preferred the way she looked when she was comfortable.
The zipping noise that echoed through the room as she closed her bag brought him out of his thoughts. Hilde adjusted the brim of her hat and reached down to pick up the bag when she heard him.
"Leaving already?"
The sound of his deep voice caused her to jump. She turned around to face him, her face expressionless. "Yeah, the flight leaves at 0600. If I leave now, I will have enough time to grab something to eat on the way."
Duo brought one knee up and rested his elbow on it. "Why don't you stay and have breakfast with me?"
His simple requested caused tears to form behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall down her face. She was tempted by the offer to stay and stare at him from across the breakfast table, drinking in her fill of him, before she left. But Hilde, preferred to remember him this way; lounging on a bed of pillows, his hair falling down his back, nude except for the sheet that was pooled in his lap.
Besides, the sooner she said goodbye, the easier it would be; on the both of them.
Duo opened his mouth, but Hilde cut him off.
"Don't. Everything that needed to be said was done so last night." She lied. "I'm truly sorry for the hurtful things I told you last night, please believe they were spoken out of anger." Picking up her garment and dress bag, she turned the knob and opened the door.
"Goodbye, Duo." Hilde called over her shoulder as she closed the door.
Duo quickly recovered from his shock, stood up from the bed and tripped over a couple of pillows. Wrapping the sheet around his waist he ran to the door. Throwing it open, he stopped at the threshold between the room and the hallway. He watched her turn the corner, willing himself not to go after her. 'Things will be better this way. I can live with the memories and nothing more.'
From a couple of doors down the hall, a pair of sorrowful blue eyes watched as Duo banged his head against the doorframe and then retreated back into Hilde's bedroom.
