All of them agreed that it was time to move far away from that area and fast. Heero had sent a (minimised) report on the mission and the scientists also agreed that getting out of the area was the best option. Plus the fact that their safe house had actually caved in was a good reason to perhaps find somewhere more stable to stay.
They traveled for the rest of that night getting as far away as possible in some stolen trucks with the gundams strapped on the back, concealed under tarpaulins. Since Duo didn't have a gundam, he rode with Heero. It was a warm and happy feeling that surrounded the cab of Heero's lorry. They did not talk much and Duo fell asleep quite soon, but nonetheless Heero felt it was the most pleasant journey he'd experienced in a long time.
Several times he almost crashed into the back of Wufei's truck in front of him because he kept sneaking glances at the sleeping pilot beside him. The only problem was that a guillotine in his mind kept slamming off his desires.
It's not Duo…
Then why did it feel so right? He was so mixed up inside that it was tearing him apart. He knew he loved the boy sitting next to him, but he doubted himself as to why: was it because it was Duo? Or because it was someone who was like Duo?
Heero could never remember feeling this vulnerable ever before. He had been trained to cope with blood, death, tyranny, and war…but not love. He didn't even believe it had existed…up until now.
He growled and scowled heavily out the windscreen, angry at feeling vulnerable, angry at being confused and angry at being so upset. He forced himself not to look at the sleeping pilot besides him for the rest of the journey. He was looking for someone to blame for this…he decided it was the clone's entire fault.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo was woken with a start by the sound of the cab door slamming. He looked around. They had stopped driving, having arrived at the next safe house. Duo frowned, hurt. Heero had stormed out of the cab without even telling him they had arrived.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero worked steadfastly on Wing. It was the next day. Heero had managed to avoid the company of the clone ever since they had arrived. He did not like to dwell on the reasons why he was acting so cold. He did not like to admit his weaknesses, especially not when he suspected they were betraying Duo…the real Duo, the one that had given his life and now lay in the earth in the Sanq Kingdom. Wing had never been in such good shape. Heero had never had a reason to work so much on it all at once.
He heard the door to the hanger open and shut and light footsteps tap across the floor. His grip on his wrench tightened as he heard someone climbing the ladder up to the platform behind him.
"Heero?" It was Duo. His voice was quiet, nervous, confused.
Heero didn't reply or turn around. He kept working on an exposed circuitry panel.
"Heero, could I talk to you for a second?"
"Hn." Why was it hurting him so much to be cruel to the clone?
He heard Duo take a breath as he sat down on the platform at Heero's back. "Urm, you see…it's just…oh, God, why does this have to be so hard?"
Heero didn't reply but he stopped working.
"Listen Heero," Duo's voice was very careful, but it was impossible not to hear the hope behind the words. "I just want to know where we stand. A long time ago, just before I was captured, I told you…something," he paused to find the words. "Do you remember what I told you, Heero?"
"Hai," Heero stated. I love you…
Duo took another scared, shuddering breath. "Well…I just wanna know…"
Heero was silent.
"Goddamn it Heero!" Duo shouted. "Will you just speak to me for Christ's sake! I simply don't know what to make of it. When you first saw me, you kissed me, then you tried to kill me. Then you were really kind and then you run off to Relena…"
This momentarily puzzled Heero…
"Then…you saved my life," Duo's voice was choked with emotion. Heero felt his iron resolve rusting, melting, leaving him exposed, leaving his tender soul open to be torn by Duo's pain.
"I just want to know Heero…please tell me…you know how I feel…"
Heero turned around. There were tears brimming in those beautiful amethyst eyes, that tender face that he pictured so many times in his dreams was there before him, sad, confused, hoping for some kind of acknowledgement. Heero had the second chance that no one should ever get.
Carpe diem.
Heero could no longer control what he was doing. He was just going through motions of what he knew was right. He leant forward and his eyes slid shut. He captured Duo's lips in a tender kiss that seemed to light up the world inside his head. Bright channels were scoured to his heart and his entire soul burst alight with joy and love, things that were strangers to him but strangers that he welcomed and embraced.
Duo responded and Heero could feel the American's feelings reciprocating. Slender, warm arms encircled his neck and he felt Duo's own spirit reach out to pull him in. He was more than willing to go.
Fierce lightening stabbed down Heero's spine and he felt cold steel thrust itself through his revelation. He broke away violently from Duo. What am I doing!
"I'm sorry…Duo," Heero said, feeling the conflicting forces of fire and ice battle within him. "I can't…"
It felt more painful than a bullet to see that look on Duo's face. Heero had never seen the look someone has on their face when their heart is breaking. There were crystalline tears raising once again in Duo's eyes but he bit his lip so hard it must have been painful to try and keep the tears from escaping. Heero felt the blood freeze in his veins. He never wanted to see that look on Duo's face. The fact that it was his own fault was making it even worse.
"Ok," Duo's voice was choked. "That's ok, Heero…"
Duo climbed down the ladder.
Heero wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his face, biting his own lip until the physical pain overrode the pain in his heart. He could still taste Duo on his lips and it felt so right. But Heero would not let himself act so weakly.
He heard Duo's footsteps running across the hanger floor and then the door slammed shut.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wufei walked down the corridor to the hanger, searching for Heero. He needed to talk to him about some work they had to do next day.
He was interrupted in his thoughts by Duo bursting out of the hanger door at a run. He sprinted straight past Wufei without so much as a glance. There were tears coursing down his face. He ran down the corridor and Wufei heard a bedroom door slam and then the sound of stifled sobbing.
"Oh no…" He could guess what had happened.
It just was not fair. Why were they always thrown into these impossibly painful situations?
He turned back and continued into the hanger.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero did not hear Wufei enter. The sound of his own anguish screaming in his ears dulled all his senses. Why is this happening to me? Why am I always forced to hurt those I care for the most?
"Heero?"
Heero whipped his head up from his arms to see Wufei standing on the platform. He had a grim look on his face.
"What?" Heero asked sourly. He was in no mood for a lecture on justice…
"Duo just passed me in the corridor," Wufei stated.
Heero just looked at him.
Wufei sighed and dropped his tough act. "Listen to me Heero, why do keep torturing yourself like this?"
"It's none of your business, Wufei," Heero growled.
To Heero's annoyance Wufei was not ruffled. "Heero, I don't understand. You love him don't you?"
"Hn," Heero looked away.
"And he loves you. Do you know how many people get to experience that kind of thing?" Wufei seemed to know a lot about this.
"It's not Duo, Chang," Heero said. "No matter what I think about it or how I'd like it to be different, I know that Duo is dead. We all agreed that we would not try and replace him."
"Oh, give me a break Heero Yuy!" Wufei exclaimed. "Breaking a boy's heart to such an extent that he is lying, sobbing, in his room, feeling more alone than he ever has before…we never agreed that we'd do anything like that."
Heero looked away. "You don't understand."
"No, you're right. I don't understand. I don't understand why you are willing to ruin this chance. Look, it is Duo. I don't care what we agreed to or what you, or anyone else, think. That is Duo down there. He has all the same characteristics, the same personality, memories, and desires…everything. Therefore, right now, as far as he's concerned, he has been turned away by someone he loves and whom he thought loved him back." Wufei paused and fumbled over the next few words. "It hurts me to see him so sad. I care for him…a lot."
Heero looked back, stunned. Wufei? Wufei wanted Duo?
"Yes, I admit it, ok," Heero could never remember seeing Wufei so emotional. "I feel very strongly for him and I don't care if you know now." Wufei's face once more put on his hard mask as if daring Heero to challenge him.
"If you don't take this chance this you've been given, then I will," Wufei warned. He was deadly serious. "The only reason I haven't up until now is because I know that what he would have with you would be far more special than anything he could have with me. It would have far more meaning…for both of you."
Wufei held Heero's gaze for a moment. Heero didn't know what to feel. Anger? Jealousy? Fear? It was so incredale. It never really occurred to him that Wufei could feel for anyone. He was so stoic and quiet. It's like looking in a mirror…
Wufei turned and left without another word, his warning still hanging in the air.
Heero sat on the cold metal of the platform. He felt very small in the centre of the huge hanger. After a minute, he got to his feet and climbed down the ladder. He left the hanger and walked down the corridor, determination in every step. Reaching Duo's bedroom, he went in without knocking. Duo was lying on his bed with his face buried in the pillow. He turned over onto his back as he heard someone enter.
"Heero?" He looked confused. His eyes were red and his cheeks were wet from weeping. Heero registered for a moment that he had hurt him more than he had ever wished to and he swore he would never do it again.
He didn't hesitate. He crawled up onto the bed until he was positioned above the very stunned Duo. Leaning down, he once more captured Duo's mouth in a possessive and fiercely passionate kiss. Ai shiteru Duo, he thought. I always have done, I always will.
Duo stopped crying. Heero tried to kiss away the pain that he'd caused.
"Gomen Duo," he whispered between kisses. "Gomen nasi. Please don't push me away. I need you."
"Heero," Duo simply whispered back. As soon as Heero heard his name whispered like that by Duo, he knew that everything either of them had ever dreamed of was right here with them now.
After a minute of Heero's ministrations, Duo responded, first carefully as if he were still afraid Heero would pull away again. But, of course, he didn't. Duo's kisses became more urgent. He ran his hands through Heero's hair and pulled him closer.
Heero didn't look back. All his doubts had vanished. He had him, he had Duo, here, in his arms, where he belonged. Everything was as it should be and Heero felt more complete and freer than he had ever done before in his life. He could not think how he had lived so long without this.
He felt Duo pulling him in again, heart, body and soul, and this time he fell freely and didn't care that there was no going back. This was what he had been fighting for, though he only realised it then. This was what he lived for, this was what he wept for when he thought he'd lost it forever. And now he had it and he never intended to let it go again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero woke slowly next morning as if drifting to the surface of some rose-coloured lake. Everything was warm and everything was complete. He opened his eyes. He was in Duo's bedroom, in Duo's bed, in Duo's arms. Light filtered in from around the edge of the blind and flung its thin rays across the bed covers.
Duo looked like an angel that had fallen from heaven. His face was smooth and peaceful in its slumber, dark eyelashes resting on pale cheeks, untamed bangs resting across his face. Heero could feel Duo's arms wrapped around his body and his long, lithe frame curled up against his side. His own arm was wrapped around the longhaired boy, holding him close as he slept.
The previous night filtered back to him with a wave of soft pleasure. It was a mixture now, a mixture of soft moans, secret touches, loving embraces and precious, passion-fuelled utterances. But Heero remembered enjoying every glorious second of it. And yet the greatest pleasure of all seemed to be waking up and find Duo still there, his arms wrapped tenderly about him.
Heero was loathe to disturb his sleeping lover, but he could not help but reach out to brush tangled tresses out of his angelic face and to trace a finger down the delicate skin, just to reassure himself that it was real and not some fanciful dream. He felt Duo stir and tighten his grip on him in a sleepy embrace. He leant his face into Heero's palm and his eyes fluttered open. For a moment they just lay there gazing on each other, both too happy to speak.
"Hi Heero," Duo mumbled in a sleep-slurred voice. "Fancy meeting you here."
"Good morning Duo," Heero smiled.
"I've wanted for so long to be able to wake up like this," Duo said softly. He snuggled tighter up to Heero under the covers. Heero just looked at him, his hard eyes unbelievably soft.
Duo rolled himself so he was lying on top of Heero, their faces inches apart. He brushed his russet and sleep-tousled hair tenderly whilst gazing into his eyes. His own hair fell like a silken curtain about them.
"So long, Heero," Duo whispered wistfully.
Heero wrapped an arm around him and placed his other hand on the back of his neck, pulling him gently down for another kiss. Sweet eternities of nothing but a simple touch; it had seemed impossible that they would ever be able to experience such a perfect pleasure. The passion and love behind the kiss was what had been stored for years between them. Now all the puzzle pieces linked together and a beautiful picture was created.
They broke apart gently but the feeling did not leave them.
"You scared me for a while, Heero," Duo admitted softly, nuzzling his lover's face. His breath as he spoke brushed against Heero's neck with a sweet, feathery softness. "I was just so uncertain. You're so complex, Heero. But I loved you for it. But because you are so complex it was impossible to figure out what you would want. I was so certain for a while that you would never want me."
Heero wanted to intervene, but he wanted to listen to all what Duo had to say.
Duo sighed. "When I came back, I thought I'd finally reached something in you. But I saw that you doubted something. I'm not going to ask you what that was, not yet. But it scared me. I thought I'd misread you once again. I thought I must have dreamed those words I heard you say just before I passed out."
Heero eased Duo's face up so he could look into his eyes. "You'd been gone a long time," Heero said. "I knew what I felt, I just was not sure how to handle it."
"I'm glad you decided to handle it this way," Duo smiled.
"So am I," Heero replied.
"It really wasn't a dream then?" Duo's face was so serene. It made Heero's heart glow.
"No it wasn't a dream, Duo," Heero said.
"And last night wasn't a dream either?"
"Well, if it was a dream," Heero said, "It's a dream I'd gladly like to dream every night for the rest of my life."
Duo smiled again.
"And every morning," Heero carried on. "And sometimes maybe even right after lunch."
Duo laughed and buried his face in Heero's neck. "It was that good for you, huh?"
"Better," Heero eased himself over and moved Duo beneath him. He wanted to stay in contact with his lover constantly just to reassure himself that it was not some beautiful fantasy his mind had created. He kissed the soft skin under the boy's jaw and down his neck to his collarbone. Duo sighed with pleasure. Heero moved up again to catch the sigh with his lips. He did not realise that he had not gone to the Sanq Kingdom the previous evening. Neither did he realise that he had no intention of going that night either.
They traveled for the rest of that night getting as far away as possible in some stolen trucks with the gundams strapped on the back, concealed under tarpaulins. Since Duo didn't have a gundam, he rode with Heero. It was a warm and happy feeling that surrounded the cab of Heero's lorry. They did not talk much and Duo fell asleep quite soon, but nonetheless Heero felt it was the most pleasant journey he'd experienced in a long time.
Several times he almost crashed into the back of Wufei's truck in front of him because he kept sneaking glances at the sleeping pilot beside him. The only problem was that a guillotine in his mind kept slamming off his desires.
It's not Duo…
Then why did it feel so right? He was so mixed up inside that it was tearing him apart. He knew he loved the boy sitting next to him, but he doubted himself as to why: was it because it was Duo? Or because it was someone who was like Duo?
Heero could never remember feeling this vulnerable ever before. He had been trained to cope with blood, death, tyranny, and war…but not love. He didn't even believe it had existed…up until now.
He growled and scowled heavily out the windscreen, angry at feeling vulnerable, angry at being confused and angry at being so upset. He forced himself not to look at the sleeping pilot besides him for the rest of the journey. He was looking for someone to blame for this…he decided it was the clone's entire fault.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo was woken with a start by the sound of the cab door slamming. He looked around. They had stopped driving, having arrived at the next safe house. Duo frowned, hurt. Heero had stormed out of the cab without even telling him they had arrived.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero worked steadfastly on Wing. It was the next day. Heero had managed to avoid the company of the clone ever since they had arrived. He did not like to dwell on the reasons why he was acting so cold. He did not like to admit his weaknesses, especially not when he suspected they were betraying Duo…the real Duo, the one that had given his life and now lay in the earth in the Sanq Kingdom. Wing had never been in such good shape. Heero had never had a reason to work so much on it all at once.
He heard the door to the hanger open and shut and light footsteps tap across the floor. His grip on his wrench tightened as he heard someone climbing the ladder up to the platform behind him.
"Heero?" It was Duo. His voice was quiet, nervous, confused.
Heero didn't reply or turn around. He kept working on an exposed circuitry panel.
"Heero, could I talk to you for a second?"
"Hn." Why was it hurting him so much to be cruel to the clone?
He heard Duo take a breath as he sat down on the platform at Heero's back. "Urm, you see…it's just…oh, God, why does this have to be so hard?"
Heero didn't reply but he stopped working.
"Listen Heero," Duo's voice was very careful, but it was impossible not to hear the hope behind the words. "I just want to know where we stand. A long time ago, just before I was captured, I told you…something," he paused to find the words. "Do you remember what I told you, Heero?"
"Hai," Heero stated. I love you…
Duo took another scared, shuddering breath. "Well…I just wanna know…"
Heero was silent.
"Goddamn it Heero!" Duo shouted. "Will you just speak to me for Christ's sake! I simply don't know what to make of it. When you first saw me, you kissed me, then you tried to kill me. Then you were really kind and then you run off to Relena…"
This momentarily puzzled Heero…
"Then…you saved my life," Duo's voice was choked with emotion. Heero felt his iron resolve rusting, melting, leaving him exposed, leaving his tender soul open to be torn by Duo's pain.
"I just want to know Heero…please tell me…you know how I feel…"
Heero turned around. There were tears brimming in those beautiful amethyst eyes, that tender face that he pictured so many times in his dreams was there before him, sad, confused, hoping for some kind of acknowledgement. Heero had the second chance that no one should ever get.
Carpe diem.
Heero could no longer control what he was doing. He was just going through motions of what he knew was right. He leant forward and his eyes slid shut. He captured Duo's lips in a tender kiss that seemed to light up the world inside his head. Bright channels were scoured to his heart and his entire soul burst alight with joy and love, things that were strangers to him but strangers that he welcomed and embraced.
Duo responded and Heero could feel the American's feelings reciprocating. Slender, warm arms encircled his neck and he felt Duo's own spirit reach out to pull him in. He was more than willing to go.
Fierce lightening stabbed down Heero's spine and he felt cold steel thrust itself through his revelation. He broke away violently from Duo. What am I doing!
"I'm sorry…Duo," Heero said, feeling the conflicting forces of fire and ice battle within him. "I can't…"
It felt more painful than a bullet to see that look on Duo's face. Heero had never seen the look someone has on their face when their heart is breaking. There were crystalline tears raising once again in Duo's eyes but he bit his lip so hard it must have been painful to try and keep the tears from escaping. Heero felt the blood freeze in his veins. He never wanted to see that look on Duo's face. The fact that it was his own fault was making it even worse.
"Ok," Duo's voice was choked. "That's ok, Heero…"
Duo climbed down the ladder.
Heero wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his face, biting his own lip until the physical pain overrode the pain in his heart. He could still taste Duo on his lips and it felt so right. But Heero would not let himself act so weakly.
He heard Duo's footsteps running across the hanger floor and then the door slammed shut.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wufei walked down the corridor to the hanger, searching for Heero. He needed to talk to him about some work they had to do next day.
He was interrupted in his thoughts by Duo bursting out of the hanger door at a run. He sprinted straight past Wufei without so much as a glance. There were tears coursing down his face. He ran down the corridor and Wufei heard a bedroom door slam and then the sound of stifled sobbing.
"Oh no…" He could guess what had happened.
It just was not fair. Why were they always thrown into these impossibly painful situations?
He turned back and continued into the hanger.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero did not hear Wufei enter. The sound of his own anguish screaming in his ears dulled all his senses. Why is this happening to me? Why am I always forced to hurt those I care for the most?
"Heero?"
Heero whipped his head up from his arms to see Wufei standing on the platform. He had a grim look on his face.
"What?" Heero asked sourly. He was in no mood for a lecture on justice…
"Duo just passed me in the corridor," Wufei stated.
Heero just looked at him.
Wufei sighed and dropped his tough act. "Listen to me Heero, why do keep torturing yourself like this?"
"It's none of your business, Wufei," Heero growled.
To Heero's annoyance Wufei was not ruffled. "Heero, I don't understand. You love him don't you?"
"Hn," Heero looked away.
"And he loves you. Do you know how many people get to experience that kind of thing?" Wufei seemed to know a lot about this.
"It's not Duo, Chang," Heero said. "No matter what I think about it or how I'd like it to be different, I know that Duo is dead. We all agreed that we would not try and replace him."
"Oh, give me a break Heero Yuy!" Wufei exclaimed. "Breaking a boy's heart to such an extent that he is lying, sobbing, in his room, feeling more alone than he ever has before…we never agreed that we'd do anything like that."
Heero looked away. "You don't understand."
"No, you're right. I don't understand. I don't understand why you are willing to ruin this chance. Look, it is Duo. I don't care what we agreed to or what you, or anyone else, think. That is Duo down there. He has all the same characteristics, the same personality, memories, and desires…everything. Therefore, right now, as far as he's concerned, he has been turned away by someone he loves and whom he thought loved him back." Wufei paused and fumbled over the next few words. "It hurts me to see him so sad. I care for him…a lot."
Heero looked back, stunned. Wufei? Wufei wanted Duo?
"Yes, I admit it, ok," Heero could never remember seeing Wufei so emotional. "I feel very strongly for him and I don't care if you know now." Wufei's face once more put on his hard mask as if daring Heero to challenge him.
"If you don't take this chance this you've been given, then I will," Wufei warned. He was deadly serious. "The only reason I haven't up until now is because I know that what he would have with you would be far more special than anything he could have with me. It would have far more meaning…for both of you."
Wufei held Heero's gaze for a moment. Heero didn't know what to feel. Anger? Jealousy? Fear? It was so incredale. It never really occurred to him that Wufei could feel for anyone. He was so stoic and quiet. It's like looking in a mirror…
Wufei turned and left without another word, his warning still hanging in the air.
Heero sat on the cold metal of the platform. He felt very small in the centre of the huge hanger. After a minute, he got to his feet and climbed down the ladder. He left the hanger and walked down the corridor, determination in every step. Reaching Duo's bedroom, he went in without knocking. Duo was lying on his bed with his face buried in the pillow. He turned over onto his back as he heard someone enter.
"Heero?" He looked confused. His eyes were red and his cheeks were wet from weeping. Heero registered for a moment that he had hurt him more than he had ever wished to and he swore he would never do it again.
He didn't hesitate. He crawled up onto the bed until he was positioned above the very stunned Duo. Leaning down, he once more captured Duo's mouth in a possessive and fiercely passionate kiss. Ai shiteru Duo, he thought. I always have done, I always will.
Duo stopped crying. Heero tried to kiss away the pain that he'd caused.
"Gomen Duo," he whispered between kisses. "Gomen nasi. Please don't push me away. I need you."
"Heero," Duo simply whispered back. As soon as Heero heard his name whispered like that by Duo, he knew that everything either of them had ever dreamed of was right here with them now.
After a minute of Heero's ministrations, Duo responded, first carefully as if he were still afraid Heero would pull away again. But, of course, he didn't. Duo's kisses became more urgent. He ran his hands through Heero's hair and pulled him closer.
Heero didn't look back. All his doubts had vanished. He had him, he had Duo, here, in his arms, where he belonged. Everything was as it should be and Heero felt more complete and freer than he had ever done before in his life. He could not think how he had lived so long without this.
He felt Duo pulling him in again, heart, body and soul, and this time he fell freely and didn't care that there was no going back. This was what he had been fighting for, though he only realised it then. This was what he lived for, this was what he wept for when he thought he'd lost it forever. And now he had it and he never intended to let it go again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero woke slowly next morning as if drifting to the surface of some rose-coloured lake. Everything was warm and everything was complete. He opened his eyes. He was in Duo's bedroom, in Duo's bed, in Duo's arms. Light filtered in from around the edge of the blind and flung its thin rays across the bed covers.
Duo looked like an angel that had fallen from heaven. His face was smooth and peaceful in its slumber, dark eyelashes resting on pale cheeks, untamed bangs resting across his face. Heero could feel Duo's arms wrapped around his body and his long, lithe frame curled up against his side. His own arm was wrapped around the longhaired boy, holding him close as he slept.
The previous night filtered back to him with a wave of soft pleasure. It was a mixture now, a mixture of soft moans, secret touches, loving embraces and precious, passion-fuelled utterances. But Heero remembered enjoying every glorious second of it. And yet the greatest pleasure of all seemed to be waking up and find Duo still there, his arms wrapped tenderly about him.
Heero was loathe to disturb his sleeping lover, but he could not help but reach out to brush tangled tresses out of his angelic face and to trace a finger down the delicate skin, just to reassure himself that it was real and not some fanciful dream. He felt Duo stir and tighten his grip on him in a sleepy embrace. He leant his face into Heero's palm and his eyes fluttered open. For a moment they just lay there gazing on each other, both too happy to speak.
"Hi Heero," Duo mumbled in a sleep-slurred voice. "Fancy meeting you here."
"Good morning Duo," Heero smiled.
"I've wanted for so long to be able to wake up like this," Duo said softly. He snuggled tighter up to Heero under the covers. Heero just looked at him, his hard eyes unbelievably soft.
Duo rolled himself so he was lying on top of Heero, their faces inches apart. He brushed his russet and sleep-tousled hair tenderly whilst gazing into his eyes. His own hair fell like a silken curtain about them.
"So long, Heero," Duo whispered wistfully.
Heero wrapped an arm around him and placed his other hand on the back of his neck, pulling him gently down for another kiss. Sweet eternities of nothing but a simple touch; it had seemed impossible that they would ever be able to experience such a perfect pleasure. The passion and love behind the kiss was what had been stored for years between them. Now all the puzzle pieces linked together and a beautiful picture was created.
They broke apart gently but the feeling did not leave them.
"You scared me for a while, Heero," Duo admitted softly, nuzzling his lover's face. His breath as he spoke brushed against Heero's neck with a sweet, feathery softness. "I was just so uncertain. You're so complex, Heero. But I loved you for it. But because you are so complex it was impossible to figure out what you would want. I was so certain for a while that you would never want me."
Heero wanted to intervene, but he wanted to listen to all what Duo had to say.
Duo sighed. "When I came back, I thought I'd finally reached something in you. But I saw that you doubted something. I'm not going to ask you what that was, not yet. But it scared me. I thought I'd misread you once again. I thought I must have dreamed those words I heard you say just before I passed out."
Heero eased Duo's face up so he could look into his eyes. "You'd been gone a long time," Heero said. "I knew what I felt, I just was not sure how to handle it."
"I'm glad you decided to handle it this way," Duo smiled.
"So am I," Heero replied.
"It really wasn't a dream then?" Duo's face was so serene. It made Heero's heart glow.
"No it wasn't a dream, Duo," Heero said.
"And last night wasn't a dream either?"
"Well, if it was a dream," Heero said, "It's a dream I'd gladly like to dream every night for the rest of my life."
Duo smiled again.
"And every morning," Heero carried on. "And sometimes maybe even right after lunch."
Duo laughed and buried his face in Heero's neck. "It was that good for you, huh?"
"Better," Heero eased himself over and moved Duo beneath him. He wanted to stay in contact with his lover constantly just to reassure himself that it was not some beautiful fantasy his mind had created. He kissed the soft skin under the boy's jaw and down his neck to his collarbone. Duo sighed with pleasure. Heero moved up again to catch the sigh with his lips. He did not realise that he had not gone to the Sanq Kingdom the previous evening. Neither did he realise that he had no intention of going that night either.