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Disclaimer: for all of you who are dyslexic out there: .gniwg fo yna nwo t'nod I

~Life aint no bowl of cherries~

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"Hilde…yeah its me Duo…hey ya know that new employee…well she won't be commin back to work for a while…"

On the other line Ms. Schbiker knew exactly what was going on before he said anything.

"Otto hurt her again didn't he…"

"Otto? Who's Otto?"

"Ayame's 'significant other'" The dark haired woman's tone suggested disgust at even the thought of categorizing that bastard as someone meaningful.

"Again?…this happened before?! Why didn't you tell me!?"

"I tried to before you met her idiot. She use to work at her boyfriend's garage, but he assaulted her, and the scum bag was put away for a while. The police said she refused to press charges and all that legal bull shit so they let him go."

::Fuck… that was who Heero was talkin' about!?::

"Man, I am such a fucktard…" His face was then pressed into his palm, while he pulled at his skin with weak fingers, wishing he could rip a layer off.

"Don't be so hard on yourself…I heard you've been taking care of her…"

Duo stopped himself from continuing the talk about Ayame's boyfriend. It pissed him off to think that someone would hurt her like that.

"What's it ta you if I take care 'a her?"

"Nothing. Shit, don't bite my head off. I was just saying she needs someone like you. You're a good guy Maxwell, don't sell yourself short."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Duo glared at the receiver.

"It means stop PMS-ing and help her get better."

"I'm not a doctor ya know, I don't even know the first step to helping anyone 'recover'…" he rolled his lilac eyes.

"Laughter is the best medicine."

~~~

Ayame had graced the pilots with her presence for over two weeks. Quatre made her meals and talked with her for a while. Heero would sit with his laptop in the room with her, silent as always. Even Wufei tried to help by pulling her out of bed to do some yoga.

And consistently Duo came home and sat with her in the living room for an hour or two watching TV. They'd talk between commercials and always got Ayame to laugh when he made fun of the really bad, over dramatic scenes or the squishy mushy romantic shit. He loved the fact that when he got her to go into hysterics she'd start laughing so hard she'd cry. Ayame looked at him with green hazel eyes that failed to shut out every feeling she felt for him since the first time she'd talked to him. She was falling for him hard and Duo…

"Okay look at that! She shoulda just shot him right there but no they had to have an enlightening conversation!" It was an old movie about some kinda murderous "black widow" woman who killed every guy she met. No sex scenes…AT ALL…Shinigami wanted to rip his balls out. But hey, he'd deal with anything to get Ayame to enjoy herself.

"You know they're gonna fall in love in the end!" Ayame nudged Duo's ribs playfully. "You're just a horny bastard! You only wanna see someone have sex so you can jack off!"

::Geez its only been two weeks and I feel like she's known me forever.::

"DO NOT! You talk to Hilde too much!" Duo pulled her in closer and presses his forehead to hers, scrunching his nose up in a grin.

She replied back in a matter of factly way, "She doesn't tell me much! I can figure you out for myself!"

"Can you really now?" Duo planted a soft peck on her nose.

"Uh huh." She melted into him through that small kiss and smiled the way he would.

Gently, he pulled her to his chest. With a grateful sigh, Ayame nuzzled into the crook of Shinigami's neck. Duo breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with her scent, his senses firing, sending him into a dazed frenzy of emotions. She was so close to him, the first time she'd tired to get close to someone in weeks. It was a special feeling to have someone who wanted just YOU.

It was true, Shinigami HAD gotten around a lot but had never GOTTEN around to that. So many women, so many chances, but every time he tried he put a mental vice over his balls and choked. He couldn't go through with it. There was a recording in his head of all the things, the stories Sister Helen had told him about love and how much commitment two people had to each other, and with those women…the bond felt so…weak. So pathetic. His cock knew what it wanted but his heart was so strong. He'd always listened to it before and it hadn't failed him yet. Maybe this is what he wanted so badly. No matter how hard he couldn't imagine a day without Ayame talking with him or smiling at his dumbass jokes. It was like a drug he could wean himself from.

Ayame was busying herself with the warmth of Duo's body, focusing on his strong arms, the way his skin felt, the way she wanted to feel more of that skin pressed against hers. If he wanted sex, he'd get it. Ayame couldn't be scared around him, she OWED this to him. So drunken in that warmth, her thoughts drifted away from her and all she could focus on was Duo in his black pants, his cute white t-shirt; Duo holding her like she was the only one what mattered in the world; the way he smelled so sweetly of cologne; the simple act of warming her with another blanket the handsome man  pulled over just to cover his Aya-chan with.

"…This is what it feels like to have someone care about you?…" It was a strange question, but it made perfect sense to him in his own intoxicated daze.

"Mm hmm…"

"……..Thank you…for everything…"

"Everything?" Duo pulled his head back slightly, just enough to view the blushed face of the smiling young woman.

"Don't even pretend…" Whispering, she pulled the violet-eyed young man closer to her…almost on top of her. A smile crossed his face.

"So this is what I get in retribution?" he breathed out on to her cheek. The black clad body was now laying on top of the female one holding on so tightly to him.

"All of me…" as Ayame spoke her lips caught his, teasing him with every word, "I know it's not much…"

::Wonder what she means by "it". Geez she's an expert at degrading herself::

Duo took his lower lip into his mouth a tiny incriment, wetting the parched skin. "Are you kidding…"

Pouty cherry red flesh fluttered along the corner of Ayame's mouth, outlining her lips with short little love touches. "How could I pass up an offer like this…" Duo's body cut him off from verbalizing any longer, urging him to continue to assault her lips with playful patters from his own.

"Ya know…" He pulled back from her only a bit once again. "A while ago this co-"  Ayame pulled him back down quickly greeting the flustered wide-eyed face with a full throttle kiss. Mouth already open, Ayame took advantage of Duo's shock by making her way in, enjoying his reaction. After the initial thought processes that involved 'What the fuck' and 'this feels gooooooood', Duo gladly began to participate pushing his bubble-gummy tongue against hers in turn.

"You talk to much Maxwell…" she murmured to him through the kiss with a short giggle.

~~


DEAR CHEESE THAT WAS SQUISHY! *cant take the bad fluff descriptions she came up with *

Duo: *pats her comfortingly * there there its okay….hey wanna go have sex?

Aya: OKAY ^^!