Twin Braids

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Hey, D'arcy, Duo said. How come your hair is always in a braid?

Be cause it's easier to deal with if it doesn't fly all over the place.

You could cut it.

I swore on the day my mother died that I would never cut it again.
They were having a picnic beside a lake, in a forest. They had flown in their gundams, just to be safe, but they were pretty sure they were lost to everyone else. They had brought a large enough picnic to feed four more people. They had finished and were now watching the ripples on the lake.
D'arcy turned to Duo. So, why is your hair braided?

The nun at Maxwell Church braided it for me. I decided to keep it that way when the church was destroyed.

And long hair because

For once, Duo seemed strangely reticent. Oh, we just couldn't cut our hair when I was young.

D'arcy snorted, then, seeing he was disturbed, she put her hands on his shoulders, and tried to sooth the tension away. Tell me.

Duo found himself telling her about his childhood, and in return, she told him what it was like to be a bastard girl. What troubled him the most were the stories about guys that seemed to think that because her mother had been a , her daughter would be one too. He jumped up when he heard about when she'd been raped, and could only be coaxed to sit down and abandon his plans for killing the man when he heard that he was already dead.

Somewhere during the storytelling, D'arcy's head replaced her right hand on his shoulder, and his arm had worked itself around her waist. As they sat looking over the lake, D'arcy suddenly became aware of their positions, and broke the silence with an embarrassed laugh. All this about braiding your hair, she said, pulling away from him.

Duo started to laugh as well, but was struck by another idea. Will you unbraid your hair for me?

D'arcy stopped laughing, and looked at him closely. Then she shrugged. She reached for her braid, and started to undo the tie, then stopped and grinned at him. But only if you undo yours as well.

I can't.

Why not? It's not like it's going to stay down — mine isn't either — and you have to take it down sometime to wash and comb so that it doesn't matt. Please, Duo?

Duo sighed, then gave in with a grin.

D'arcy grinned back, and finished undoing the tie. She started to undo the braid, then looked at Duo. He hadn't moved. Come on, you too.

Duo started to reach for his braid, but his hands fell down again. I

Then I'll do it for you.

She moved around behind him an continued to un-braid her hair. When he turned around to watch, she quickly pulled her hair out of sight. Be patient. Unless you're going to undo your hair yourself, don't watch me undo mine, she said, and gently turned his face back around. She kissed his cheek and continued working.

Duo knew that she'd finished when she gave a little sigh as her hair relaxed. Then she started on his. It felt as if she was intruding too much, yet he liked it. When she was finished, she spread it around his shoulders. She got up, and came halfway around. There she stopped. Uh, Duo? I you turn towards me, then I can face you without falling into the lake.

he chuckled, and D'arcy kneeled before him. He couldn't help but stare, the change was so great. D'arcy with her hair braided was down-to-earth, fun, familiar; a great friend to be with. D'arcy with her hair down, the naturally wavy hair made kinky by the braid, seemed to sparkle more brightly than ever than the sun pendant she always wore.

D'arcy, you look so different.

So do you. She was staring back at him. And your hair's so silky.

He reached out to touch her hair, and she reached out to touch his, bringing their bodies quite close. Duo looked down at her, into very light, very brown eyes. Something moved inside him, and he kissed her. She was startled, then her lips warmed, and she kissed him back. It seemed to go on forever. He could feel her breasts pressing against his chest, the dappled sunlight on his side. He could taste her, smell her, and even hear her when she gave a little moan.

His arms came around her waist, and her fingers brushed through his hair, mixing it with her own, so that a brown and purple curtain closed them off from the rest of the world. She opened her mouth to his tongue. He pulled up her shirt to caress her back, and she did the same, so that they were pressed chest to naked chest, groin to groin. Duo leaned back until they were lying down, then quickly rolled over, so that he was on top. Her fingers were slipping beneath the waistband of his trousers, gently teasing. He had to break for breath. He leaned back and stared down at her. Her purple hair was spread out on the ground, contrasting with the green. Her eyes, when they opened, were almost colorless. That wasn't right. Shouldn't they be more like dark chocolate now? He'd gone too far. Duo pulled away, stood up, and tried to ignore his body and her breasts. Sorry,. D'arcy. I never meant to go this far.

D'arcy stared up at him. His eyes were practically black, his shirt had fallen back down, his trousers were stretched, and he was breathing hard. His hair was tangled. He was also trying not to stare at her and failing miserably. She hoised herself up on her elbows. I didn't mean to go this far either. But we did. I feel as if I'm about to fall, and you must be hurting. Can't we finish it?

He made a gesture of denial. Don't sacrifice yourself for me.

Her eyes narrowed, and she thought a moment. Why do you think I'm scared? she asked, surprising him.

Your eyes. They're white.

If my eyes are white, then I'm feeling something very strongly. Duo's eyes locked on hers, and he sucked in his breath at the intensity of her emotions.

Please, Duo, she whispered. I need you.

He came back to her faster than his Gundam. Their lips met again, she pulled up his shirt again, and fumbled with his fly, then with her own. Finally they were open, finally he was inside her. They came together, cried out as one. After a few moments of oblivion, he rolled over with her, so that she lay on his chest. She buried her face in his neck, and he rested his cheek against her hair. They whispered words of love, and took a nap. Then they re-braided their hair, finished the picnic, and flew home.

~~~

That night, Akilah saw Duo pull up the flap to D'arcy's tent, say something, and get pulled in, laughing. She sighed, shook her head, and went to find Quatre.