Chapter 9
As they sped through the corridors, Duo flung the woollen blanket over the boy in Treize's arms before running beside him.
"Zechs!" Treize called to the man just behind them.
"Sir?"
"Get in front of us and get the car ready. I'm going to want to be able to leave yesterday. Move it!"
"Right on, sir." The Lightning Count replied and sped past them, disappearing up the halls. Duo swore, as did Treize, as an alarm sounded. They ran through a red door and proceeded to sprint up a long, straight passage going up. They came out a secret door and then sped through right angled corridors, Duo's breath coming in gasps as he wore out. They shot out of the door, the guard lying in a pool of blood beside it, and sprinted out of the alleyway.
Zechs was sitting in the drivers seat of a truck. Duo sprinted ahead and pulled the large sliding door in the side open. Treize leapt in with Heero followed by the others. After Lady Une had leapt in, Duo jumped up and closed the door behind him. The truck sped off and all was dark, the only sound being the panting of the runners. Duo, listening as hard as he could, distinguished Heero from the pained gasps. He made his way blindly over to the other side, producing a few cries of pain but he didn't care.
"Heero?" he asked as he put out his hand. Cold, shaking fingers gripped it and he gripped it back, following the arm until he could rest his other hand protectively on Heero's chest. "You're out, man. We did it."
"We're not out yet." A deep voice reminded them.
"Right on it." Noin's voice said, and she started having a conversation with the space port officials. Duo just kept holding Heero, no words needing to be said right now, only touch needed.
After a few minutes, broken by trying to stay upright as Zechs dodged the crowds, Noin put her phone away.
"Alright, our private plane is ready and we have permission to take off as soon as we get there. The others are being held back because of "technical difficulties" according the population."
"Great. Well done, Lu." Treize said, and then the truck came to a halt.
"Get out!" came the voice of the driver and they did so, blinking in the light as they leapt out of the truck. Duo stayed close to Treize as they darted through the disgruntled crowds.
"Sorry!"
"Pardon me!"
"Coming through!"
"Excuse me!"
"Outta the way!"
Their voices echoed over the empty hall and there were a few overly dramatic howls of pain as people were run into. They had just reached the exit when the entrance doors slammed open as a dozen lab guards came in.
"Shit!" Dou exclaimed.
"Everybody get down!" one the guards shouted and the whole room went into panic mode, apart from the nine people dashing out of the building.
They sprinted over to the ship, Zechs already halfway in it. By the time Duo had made sure they were all in and the door was secure, the plane was half taking off. He ran to the window to join the other pilots and swore heavily. He laid a hand on Trowa's shoulder and the Heavyarms pilot nodded gravely before they sprinted out of the room.
They ran to opposite ends of the ship and climbed up into the two turrets at the back where the engines and hidden weaponry was. Duo climbed into the seat and turned on the target lock. The heavy armoured and armed vehicles coming toward them would distract Zechs from piloting as well as damage the ship. He shoved headphones on.
"Trowa man, you there?"
"Loud and clear, Duo."
"You boys be careful, do not hit the port." Zechs told them through his own headphones.
"No worries, Count L." Duo shouted and drew out the firing device. "Let's do this."
"For Heero." Trowa said, and laughed as a sudden flurry of machine gun activity burst from the other turret. "Calm down, Maxwell or they'll be none left for me!" he cried, laughing and heard an almost manic whoop of success as the first of the eight vehicles blew up spectacularly.
"Oh yeah!" Duo shouted and then the plane started moving. "Come on Barton you gotta get one too!" he yelled and Trowa was only too happy to oblige. By the time the ship had taken off, there were only four vans left. The floor dropped from beneath them and soon the sky turned dark as they got into space.
Duo sighed, totally at peace now and took the headphones off his head. He clambered down and went back to the room, giving Trowa a high five as they entered.
"Well done boys. Now all we need to do is let auto pilot take us home." Zechs said as they entered.
"Where's Heero?" Duo asked.
"Noin has him in the sick room. Go see him." Treize said, warmly and Duo actually had time to stare at him this time.
"Since when do you care so much?" he asked. Treize shrugged, smiling a little. Duo looked down and then back up, his face deadly serious but warm. "Thanks man. I mean it." He said before walking out of the room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"He's in there." He heard Noin say. He was sitting on a bed, loose black trouser covering his lower body, his upper body still bare. He was totally healed physically, thanks to the doctors, but was still shaking, just. The room was quite dark and had no windows, the only light coming from the door which was ajar. The light got brighter as it opened and dimmed as it closed again. He looked up, and blue met violet once again. They stayed there for a long while, just staring at each other, their eyes never leaving the other's.
Duo took a timid step forward. Suddenly it was all tense between them, awkward and he knew why. He hadn't meant to kiss Heero like he had done and he knew Heero knew it, but what did Heero think it was? Heero on the other hand, was thinking the same but reversing the roles. He broke the eye contact and stared at the floor, the silence continuing.
"You ok?" Duo asked, finally, for the sake of saying something. Heero nodded. "Really?" he nodded again. "Truly?"
"Duo." He said suddenly and saw the boy jerk a little. "Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Ask questions you already know the answer to. Ask questions you know I can't answer."
There was silence. Duo frowned a little, surprised at this sudden burst of wisdom.
"What do you mean, can't answer? Do you mean, can't answer full stop, or do you mean can't answer with words?"
Heero looked up at him, startled at how the boy could read his mind. His slightly pleading blue eyes met Duo's shaking violet ones. He couldn't hold it and looked down again, taking a deep breath as he tried to keep calm. He jumped as he felt Duo sneak up so he was sitting right beside him and looked up, those beautiful violet eyes too close for comfort. "If I told you that you had to answer me," Duo asked, his voice a breathless whisper that sent shivers all along Heero's body. "If you had to, but not in words, what would you do?"
Heero froze, knowing what Duo was asking him to do and with those violet eyes blazing with emotion into his own, it was simple to close the tiny distance between their lips so that they met. Duo's lips were warm and soft, yielding to Heero's own touch. But they were also impassive and Heero drew away, frightened he had done something wrong
Duo caught the guilty and embarrassed gleam in the bright blue eyes before Heero turned his head away and immediately caught his face in his hands. He turned the slightly trembling boy's head back to his own and gazed into Heero's deep blue eyes, losing himself in them finally. "I was so hoping you'd do that." He breathed hurriedly, before giving in and pulling Heero towards him. Heero's firm lips met his own and he kissed him gently.
They repeated what had happened in the lab, but slower, more gentle, more loving than before. Duo's lips travelled softly over Heero's face, his hands on either side of it, holding it to him. Heero's hands rested on Duo's arms and he let himself be kissed, let himself fall slowly into somewhere he had no comprehension of. When Duo's lips came back to his own he caught them and held them there, caressing them. He felt Duo shudder and smiled inside at his own affect. When Duo's tongue suddenly found its way through his lips though, he froze, totally incapable of doing anything. He heard Duo chuckle, but there was no mockery in his laugh.
Duo explored Heero's mouth with his tongue, his taste nearly driving him crazy. He had dreamt unknowingly of doing this for so long it was almost impossible that he as actually doing it. He felt Hero's hands slip from his arms and wrap around his waist, pulling him closer in as he caught Duo's tongue gently between his teeth, holding it still while he mercilessly teased it. Despite himself, Duo let out a small grunt of pleasure and felt Heero smile under his lips. Gently, his tongue was released and Heero explored his own mouth. He felt so good it wasn't true, Heero was kissing him and letting him kiss him back. Life could not get any better.
His stomach disappeared as he felt Heero push down gently and they lowered each other down so they were lying side by side on the bed. Duo's hands came down from Heero's face and wrapped them selves around the boy, pulling him closer as he once again took control. Heero simply let Duo take his mouth trusting him entirely, the fact of which made Duo nearly cry with joy as the boy surrendered himself to him. They stayed that way for a long time, just kissing and being kissed by each other. Now that they had found it out they didn't want it to stop and feared losing it but deep down there was a warmth, a glow that told hem that they wouldn't. They worked together, were with each other every day and they had their whole lives to explore each other. Neither of them could carry down that road for too long, it was too much for either of them to handle.
They both knew they weren't ready for words, even Duo couldn't use them right now but it wasn't needed. Even when they finally stopped and Heero nuzzled deep into Duo's chest they said nothing, simply content to hold or be held, the horrors of the past week making them shudder but then fading into nothing.
Heero, though, needed something. He had to make sure that this wasn't just a comfort thing for Duo because he didn't think he could handle it if it was. Yet he wasn't good with words, he didn't know how to use them so it was a good five minutes before he plucked up the courage to say anything.
"St…Stay with me, Duo?" he asked, timidly. Duo tightened his grip, knowing what that question really meant and melting with pleasure as he heard him say it. It was a stark contrast to the proud Heero he knew and he almost shivered with the knowledge of the pleasure he would give to Heero through his answer.
"Always." He replied softly and felt the Wing pilot tighten his grip on his chest. "I wouldn't go anywhere if a Gundam tried to drag me away."
Heero looked up at him, a slight smile on his face before it went serious.
"You really mean that?" he asked and Duo smiled before he too went serious.
"Listen, I'm not ready for the stuff that makes the world go round, but then again, neither are you. So, I guess, that means that we get to explore everything else and see if we get to that stuff someday. If I ever get to that stage, Heero, I want it to be with you." He ended, finally and matter of factly, the order-like quality of his voice forcing a rare smile from Heero's face, his blue eyes lighting up. "God, you know you really should smile more often." Duo said. "Just not in a briefing." He added, after a moment of thought. Heero frowned.
"Why?"
"Well, when you smile it means I just have to kiss you and I don't think Treize will be too happy about me suddenly jumping you when he's trying to brief us on a mission." Duo replied. Heero smiled again and chuckled. Duo pulled away from him, mock surprised. "Was that laughter I just heard there, Mr. Yuy? Really, I'm all of a flutter!" he cried an a fake falsetto.
"Shut up, baka." Heero growled, sending excited shivers up Duo's spine before rolling so he was on top of him and kissing him firmly and swiftly on the mouth. He pulled away and Duo's breath caught at the mischievous look in his eyes. "I've just found another way to shut you up." he said, matter of factly and Duo laughed, loving the smile it brought.
They simply smiled at each other for a few moments before the smiles faded and the chilled memories came back. Heero opened his mouth to say something but Duo pulled him roughly down onto him so that his head was on Duo's chest.
"Shut up and don't say anything." He breathed.
"Yes sir." He heard Heero mutter, muffled a little. Still, they held on to each other tightly for a while, neither of them wanting to stir at all.
Suddenly there was a crackling from the intercom.
"…Maxwell and Yuy this is Treize. If you could drag yourselves away from….whatever you are doing then please do so. Briefing, now…." there was a sound like the microphone being handed over and then Trowa's amused voice came over the intercom.
"That generally means "Get out of bed."" He said and they heard the others chuckle before the microphone was put down. Heero's head came up and their eyes met, both blue and violet highly amused before Duo burst out with laughter, Heero quietly laughing on top of him.
"How do they know?" he asked, smiling.
"Oh, well, the fact that I burst in, busted the doctor's ass and then kissed you might have been a give away." Duo said, and Heero rolled his eyes. "No, really. I think Trowa knew anyway." he said and Heero frowned at him , demanding an explanation Duo simply shrugged and then reluctantly sat up, making Heero get up as well.
They stood up and went out of the room, blinking in the light. Heero shivered, and Duo read the signs better than even Heero did himself. An arm slipped about his waist and Heero gave him a small gratified smile before leaning into him and letting Duo's arms encircle him as they walked.
They came into the room and they all looked over. At exactly the same time they all smiled exactly the same smile, but it was Quatre who broke the silence.
"Oh, finally!" he cried, leaping up and running over to them. He wrapped an arm round both of them and hugged them tightly. "Heero you gave us all such a scare!" he added as he turned away.
"Well, thanks for getting us out of there." Heero replied and Duo smiled at the impressed look the four generals gave him. They had never heard him thank anyone before. Trowa now stood up, his emerald eyes saying more than words could as he smiled at them. Quatre ran back into his arms and he sat on the sofa, Duo and Heero doing them same, their heads resting on each others.
"Well, we still don't actually know if they were up to anything in the way we wanted." Treize said. "But, Quatre did manage to get the disk so we can find out. Mission accomplished. I have to say now that I think you all should be very proud of yourselves. That place looked like hell and I think that one person in particular needs to be congratulated on his keeping sane abilities."
"Go Heero." Noin said, voicing all their opinions. Duo looked down and saw Heero's blue eyes gleaming as Treize brown eyes nodded an approval at him. Duo smiled knowingly at Trowa who returned it. The respect of a friend was satisfactory for Heero, but the respect of a commanding officer who usually takes every opportunity to put him down must mean something a whole lot more. Duo found himself chuckling and kissed Heero on the head. When he got a questioning look he laughed even more.
"You know, you're so unpredictably predictable it's cute." He said. Heero frowned and then smiled a little as the others laughed. The two boys snuggled up to each other even more. They had done it, Heero had dealt with the past and they had each other now, finally, after all they had been through. Arms tightened around each other privately as the whole group talked and laughed, the two pilots alone in their own little world, happy and content with each other at last. They may not be ready for the big stuff, but they were closer than seemed possible to it, even if they tried to deny it. It wasn't going to go away and they were not going to fight it.