-In Our Dreams-
Two months later.
Duo stared in amusement as the creature stalked him, watching the fluffy and pudgy black tail weave through the high strands of ocean grass that surrounded this area and their home. He pretended to look away when a little black and white spotted head emerged to watch him pensively, then looked back as it lowered and the creature continued on. The beast dropped down low and wiggled it's haunches, preparing to pounce and apparently destroy the innocent life of Duo's left hand.
Right as the creature sprung, the brunette reached up and caught it around it's middle, flipping it into his lap and playfully roughing up the fur over it's stomach. "Thought ya had me that time, didn't you, Miramoor?"
The kitten let out an indignant mewl and struggled to right itself and then stalked off Duo's lap with his nose up. He watched the kitten's wobbly walk as it moved to sit a few feet from him and start prissily bathing itself and scowled at how it could hardly reach it's back paws because of all the extra layers of fat that surrounded it's little body.
"Spoiled you, hasn't he? Gone and ruined a perfectly good cat by turning it into a contented little ball of lard, that's what he's done."
The cat looked up at him curiously at the voice, stared for a bit, then let out another cry and apparently having forgiven him (or perhaps just hoping that Duo had some tasty tidbit to share) plowed it's way back over.
As the young braided male lightly stroked his companion, he looked around the beautiful meadow with a soft smile. Things had gone all right. Despite his worries, everything was moving along. Maybe it wasn't as well as he'd -dreamed-, but it was still better then he'd dared to voice out loud… Violet eyes lit on the cottage several yards off and at the thin trendle of smoke creeping up into the afternoon sky. Uh oh, he thought, he's trying to cook again… The prince had displayed a natural interest in the art of cooking, and although his talent was still a little lacking and Duo had eaten many slightly crispy and burnt meals with a big smile on his face, he had passion and would probably get better. And it wasn't as if Miramoor complained when a plate of seared bacon was kindly deposited before his fat little form.
It wasn't a house, certainly not the sweeping mansion of a rich man or the castle of a king, but it was nice and it suit them. The three bedrooms were more then they needed, though in his wildest daydreams Duo thought they could only needed one if he could only get the nerve up to approach the blonde on that level, but they were nice rooms and between him talking of Wufei and Heero eventually popping in and Quatre's fleeting hop that one day Trowa would show up at their door, they kept the extra room between them well cared for. It was cute too… In all his life on the road Duo had never imagined himself living in a 'cute' anything, but here he was now. It had it's own little garden out back, surrounded with a nice short picket white fence, and Quatre had developed some pretty protective green thumb issues. Not that Duo minded of course, there was just something about seeing the former prince seeing there surrounded by dirt, waving a hand shovel and talking to the carrots.
Each of the little shuttered windows had it's own flowerbox too, and that was something he discovered he really didn't mind at all. It was kind of nice to lean out the window in the early morning to check the weather and have the fresh scent of daisies right there to inhale. Water came from a hand pump in the back that was a pain in the early mornings. The whole thing was kept warm by a little iron stove right in the middle of the den area, and very quickly he'd learned that was his task. Finding wood wasn't a problem, not with the young forest that surrounded and cut off this peak from the rest of the land, but it had taken him a bit to get used to all the work. The first time he'd come home with a stack a wood (Quatre in tow of course, he had found the prince didn't much like him out of his sight) he'd collapsed on his bed and woken up the next morning to discover he could hardly move anything without wanting to cry out in pain. … But it was a life, and it was his and he wouldn't trade it in for anything.
Plus, it was easier in a lot of ways then the life he'd begun with. When they'd stopped in that town the first night and Quatre had finally woken, that had been tough. He'd spent the countless hours before dawn holding the small shaking form and trying to calm him down. And for the first week after that, every time Quatre had dozed it had been uneasily, often waking Duo with his screams and being unable to drift off again until he hand at least one hand resting somewhere on Duo's body like an anchor to this world… And on those nights he was chilled to find he could smell a hint of something burning in the air, something that had once been alive. But that first morning he'd told Quatre his plans, about wanting to get a house somewhere and wanting to start some kind of new, sane existence. The boy's reaction had surprised him-- Quatre had burst into tears.
It had taken Duo nearly an hour to calm him down, and when he had he finally got something out of the prince that both alarmed and amused him. Quatre had thought he meant by himself and that they were parting ways right then. He did his best to reassure the blonde, stroking his back and saying of course not, they were stuck together now, weren't they? And when the tears were entirely gone, the boy'd looked up at him and asked the strangest question he could right then.
'Do you love me?'
It wasn't something he was sure how to answer. After a few seconds he could only nod into Quatre's baby soft hair and then the night just went on with neither of them speaking about it or about anyone going anywhere.
The next day Duo had told him about the box of gems and jewelry, and although he showed it too Quatre, he was somewhat relieved that the boy really showed no interest in them. Quatre looked up from where he had been sitting on the inn bed, frowned and told him to sell it all… And together the had. They got more money then Duo'd ever earned in all the rest of his life for that box of small trinkets, enough to live off provided they were carefully. And then Quatre asked for the box too. He sold that and with Duo laughing in the background, decided he was going to buy 'their' baby cat something too. He ended up getting the now fat cat a tiny bell like collar, one that he'd already grown out of, and the rest of that money from the box alone had gone to buying them food for a month and a half, and having a stable built (for the black horse Quatre had immediately dubbed 'Sir Rags') out back of the cottage they'd bought.
Those first few weeks were something he knew he'd never forget. Wufei had been right and there were many times he ran himself ragged just to stop an overly curious Quatre from stumbling into some dangerous circumstance. But all in all he couldn't have been happier. Watching that shy little prince adapt to the world was like learning to see everything all over again himself. It had taken away some of his cynicism and had given him hope in return. Duo thought he had received the better end of that deal.
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And speaking (or thinking) of the little klutz of an angel, Duo glanced up in time to see the door of their home burst open and Quatre come running out. Each time he saw the blonde he couldn't help but feel a little proud. The beautiful creature that was jogging through the tall grass and already babbling something at him and wearing an apron over his normal clothes was miles from the weak and frail boy he'd carried out of the ruin of the kingdom.
Through all the food Duo'd introduced him to and just being able to move around and be in the light, Quatre had filled out and blossomed better then he could have hoped for. He wasn't the angel Duo'd thought he loved at first, but he was glad for that. He never wanted to see that empty look he had only noticed at the last second in this boy's lovely eyes. Quatre was utterly his own person, and that was a person Duo thought he'd never see the equal too if he lived to be a thousand and traveled to a million different worlds.
"Duo!! Loooook!!"
He was shaken out of his thoughts as the blonde plowed up to him and thrust a still steaming iron tray of something under his nose. He managed to tear his eyes off the beaming face of the blonde only by effort, though he realized it was getting harder and harder to do and he was going on borrowed time now, in order to look down at… A loaf of bread. He blinked at it then looked up at Quatre and grinned. "Finally got one, huh?"
The blonde plopped down in front of him and in a flash Miramoor was off Duo and scrambling up the prince's leg, little nose sniffing a mile a minute at the scent of food and mouth opening in a whine up at Quatre. "Uh huh! I kept wanting to check but I managed to let it stay in there the whole time, and when I finally opened it it had risen and it didn't collapse or anything!" Absently the boy plucked a steaming bit of the crust off and blew on it, then offered it down to the black and white blob sitting on his knee.
Duo frowned and poked a finger at the beast's belly playfully. "You're cat is fat."
"Duo! No he's not! He's just big boned, and he's healthy for his age!"
"He's fat."
"He isn't he's just still growing!"
"He's fat."
"Duo! He's… He's just…" Quatre sighed and stopped, watching the kitten gobble up the bread then look expectantly up at him for more. "He is, isn't he? Well, that's not so bad. He doesn't need to be anything but my pet so I don't care if he's fat, or bald, or if he only had three legs! I love him and that's all that matters, isn't it?"
He couldn't really argue with logic like that. The brunette smiled and reached out to grab Quatre by the waist, pulling him willingly into his lap and resting his chin on his shoulder as they both watched the cat. After a few minutes Quatre picked the tray up again and set the cooling thing in the grass with a little smile, laughing joyfully when the kitten literally pounced the loaf of bread and began trying to wolf down something larger then him. Duo thought it was a battle the loaf of bread was going to lose. "I don't mind if he's fat as long as he's happy."
That brought a question flooding into the braided boy's mind. He reached a hand around Quatre's slender (but thankfully no longer gaunt) frame and nabbed the boy's chin to turn his face towards him. "Are you happy now, Quatre?"
Wide eyes stared into Duo's, eyes that were nearly the exact same color as the untamable waves crashing against the shore just at the bottom of the small cliff on which their house rested. Then a sunny smile blossomed on his lips and Quatre leaned in to nuzzle his face against Duo's cheek. "I'm happy."
It was the brushes like this that made Duo feel like his control was going to snap. Quatre was one of the most naturally cuddly people he'd met, and it made his anti-pounce efforts harder then he could stand. He took a shaky breath, shivering as he felt the boy's warm breath brush over his ear and nearly feeling his eyes cross as Quatre started talking again right into that little alcove of sensitive flesh. "I can barely even remember what my old room looked like now, isn't that strange? I'm sure I could if I really wanted too, but I don't. I don't think I care if I lose that memory now. I have you, don't I? We can make our own things to remember, right?"
"Mm, we can do anything you want too, Quatre." Raising a hand, Duo lightly stroked the boy's back. It was about all he allowed himself to do most of the time, that and touching that hair… But he probably couldn't stop that if Quatre whined about it. It was like the golden locks just begged to be fondled. Like falling into a dream, that's what he felt like whenever he held the little ex-prince.
"Anything?"
If he'd been more alert he probably would have caught some of the curiosity and anxiousness just under the surface of that one word, as it was he just nodded contentedly against the blonde's cheek. "Anything at all."
The silence that followed was long enough that eventually Duo drew back to look at Quatre's face and see if he'd done or said something wrong. What he saw there surprised him. The blonde was looking off towards the ledge of the cliff and nibbling at his lower lip in heavy thought, cheeks flushed slightly. Duo raised a hand and let his long pale fingers play over that rosy color as he carefully asked- "Quatre? What's wrong?"
Those sea storm eyes slowly turned back to him and Quatre stole Duo's breath away with his answer. "Duo… Do you love me?"
"I love you." He nodded and answered without hesitation, looking over the boy's pale face fondly and realizing he'd never spoken truer words.
Some of the worried weight left Quatre eyes and boy gave him a slow and timid smile, squirming around in Duo's lap (and earning a rather bothered hiss for his motions) until he could loop his arms around the brunette's shoulders. "Then… W-will you… Love me?"
"I just told you I did, didn't--" Duo blinked and stared at Quatre's flushed face with huge eyes, watching the boy look to the side slightly and nod his head in confirmation of the unspoken question. "Oh…"
"Quatre… Are you sure? I mean… That's…" He watched Quatre's expression closely, damning himself for his own questions when all he really wanted was to just lay the boy back and take him up on the sweet offer. He was amazed he could even think clearly with it now in the air and an actual possibility instead of just a dream. "It's a big step. And an important one. I don't want to do something like that to you if you aren't sure. … That's because I do love you, and I couldn't stand to do that and hurt you, or to do that when you aren't ready. I'm willing to wait for you…"
"I'm sure." The blonde looked back to the other boy and nibbled his lip shyly. "I can feel it… What you want and what you think of when I'm near. I know what you've been feeling, Duo… It scared me a little at first, just like I got scared when Trowa felt it too. But with you--" He shrugged softly, then leaned in to lightly let his lips brush against Duo's pale cheek. "I like what I feel from you, and it makes me want to know. Your dreams… I want to do what you dream about after everything is still."
At first he felt sure he could just die of shock that as much as he'd been trying to hide it, the poor blonde had been having to deal with his advances anyway, only in a way he didn't know about and wasn't sure he -could- have stopped. Then the truth of the situation clicked in his mind and that didn't seem to matter so much.
Duo shifted around on the grass for a moment, then looped his arms gently around Quatre's lower back. He leaned forward and allowed gravity to gently pull the boy towards the soft grass, laying him back and watching the way he looked framed in the natural environment. Blonde hair clung to some of the strands as he descended, and now with that flushed and watchful face, with his arms releasing Duo and coming to rest carelessly amongst the summer plants, Quatre looked like every artists' flawless interpretation of an angel on earth.
As the boy watched him trustingly, Duo slowly rested a hand near Quatre's throat, then let it trace down the boy's slender chest and come to a stop at his waist. His heart soared a little at the surprised gasp that action got him from the blonde and at the way he seemed helplessly not to squirm a little under the contact. Looping his fingers into the white straps of the apron, Duo traced it along to the back and urged him with touches to lift his waist a bit so he could get at the floppy knot in the back.
Once his nimble fingers had picked apart that first barrier, Duo pulled the straps out from around Quatre and pulled the other loop from around his head, tossing the bundle of white cloth aside carelessly. He took a moment then just to look down on the beautiful image the boy made, then bent his head down to ever so lightly kiss Quatre's mouth.
He couldn't have prayed for a better reaction in all of the untold dreams he'd had. At first Quatre's mouth was still beneath his, soft and pliant as a rose bud, and then he began to kiss him back slowly. Those first returned presses of Quatre's lips were like the questioning brushes of a butterfly landing on a flower, and then he felt the small hand stroking his cheek and heard the low purring sound the boy was making. If being free had changed him so much and made him all the more stunning, this moment was doing that tenfold.
Caught in the growing current of pleasure, Quatre didn't even notice or care when Duo's hand lowered and started toying with the ties on his white shirt. He went along with it as those leather strands came undone and as Duo's hand pulled the fabric away from his chest, pushing it off to the side then almost tentatively stroking his fingers along the bottom of Quatre's smooth stomach. When that flawless cream flesh twitched instinctively away from his questing fingers, he smiled against the blonde's mouth and finally broke away. Nuzzling the side of Quatre's panting mouth, he murmured- "Are you still sure?"
"Y-yes! I'm sure, Duo… T-that just tickles!" Quatre wiggled under his hand and gave the braided boy a pleading look with his eyes.
"Just… Tell me if it goes too far and you feel uncomfortable, okay?" Not waiting for a response, Duo dipped his head down and to the gentle incline of the angelic youth's throat. He kissed along his collar bone, taking a second here and there to nip at that lovely skin before moving on and each time feeling absurdly pleased when he got a startled gasp from the blonde.
As he lightly bit the spot just under Quatre's ear and held on there sucking lightly, his hands slide along from Quatre's waist to his sides, letting his fingers claw gently down the ribs he still thought were just a bit too prominent. They moved down and then he let his fingers work between Quatre's flesh and the fabric of his pants, just brushing the skin beneath in warning as he worked them slowly to the front and the next obstacle of ties, all the while making a mental note to avoid string anything next time they went clothes shopping.
Quatre was letting out a steady stream of whimpering cries as Duo continued to suckle onto his throat and when the brunette at last got his pants undone and started slipping them done his legs, he slide his hands around Duo's neck and wrapped them possessively around the chestnut braid that draped down Duo's back and swayed just above the grass beside them. Arching himself up to help, Quatre took the opportunity to apply feather light kisses all along Duo's shoulders wherever he could reach.
Finally the breaches came free of Quatre's gracefully legs, and Duo balled them up and threw them to join the apron as he regretfully released the boy's neck. He left the shirt hanging open around Quatre's shoulders, loving the way the excess cloth pooled around his waist and slipped childishly down one nearly white and deliciously round shoulder. A blush rose quickly to the small angel's cheeks as Duo obviously glanced over and admired his otherwise bare, and now noticeably pleased, body. Then the half-blood raised his hands to begin quickly undoing his own clothing. Quatre's small hand stopped him on the first bow.
"Let me?"
With a smile Duo let his hands fall away. He tipped his head up and watched the blue summer skies and pillowy white clouds shift over head as the prince pulled free the ties then slowly removed the shirt from his upper body altogether. He didn't look down when the boy stopped, and didn't try to hide the soft moan that came when Quatre's little fingers made a slow trail over his abdomen.
When warm lips pressed to the center of his pecs though he couldn't help but glance down. Quatre's eyes were closed, the dark soot of his lashes bold against the marble of his cheeks. He was mostly kneeling before Duo, like some strange worshipper at an alter of flesh. His hands slowly worked at the ties of Duo's pants as he just kissed that area reverently.
The image was enough to make Duo feel the hot passion he'd been hiding in his blood for two months now come to a boil and shoot straight to his loins. With a soft sound of apology he nudged Quatre back, smiling in reassurance when that young face turned up to his in worry. Duo lightly pressed on the center of Quatre's chest. "It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong… J-just… Lay back, okay?"
"Okay." The blonde scooted back a ways, then slowly laid himself down again. He rested unselfconsciously on his back with his hands folded peacefully over his stomach, his eyes fixed on Duo keenly as the other boy quickly undid the fastenings and rid himself of that last article.
He barely managed to hold himself still as Quatre's eyes swept over his now uncovered body, noting with some satisfaction the way the blonde's eyes dropped to his arousal and widened, and then shivering uncontrollably when Quatre licked his lips nervously with a flash of baby pink tongue. Then those cerulean orbs were on his and he saw first hand the infinite trust in them. It was all the answer he ever needed.
Duo gently lowered himself to stretch over Quatre, the first contact between them both sending surprised hisses of breath into the sweet summer air. Their lips met and though they started slow, soon Duo was pressing insistently and moaning into the heated meeting, and Quatre was kissing back with just as much desire. The brunette shifted carefully and rubbed the aching strain of his erection against the smooth silk of Quatre's inner thighs, and when those legs moved apart with an honest groan of pleasure from the blonde he thought he was glimpsing into the only heaven mortals can ever know. He broke their kiss to slide a hand up against Quatre's cheek, keeping himself in some state of control only by rocking himself slowly against the boy's leg. "Quatre… I need… Here."
He brushed a pair of fingers over the boy's rosy lips and sighed in relief when Quatre didn't ask but just did the natural thing of pulling the digits into his mouth and sucking lightly. That pulling sensation and the way the dark lashes fluttered while Quatre did so, not to mention the low moans he could feel humming through his fingers like shockwaves, did little to help his heavily aroused state.
Quickly he pulled his fingers free of that teasing mouth, smiling at Quatre when his eyes flashed open and his lips pulled into an adorable pout. That expression was gone in a flash when Duo moved himself slightly to the side and slowly traced one finger across the tense bud of Quatre's opening though. The boy let out a breathy cry and started to sit up, mouth already moving to form questions. Duo just used his other hand to brace it on his chest and hold him down, shaking his head lightly and looking down at the prince with serious violet eyes. "Just trust me…"
Quatre stilled immediately. Eyes that were still wide and just a little apprehensive stayed on Duo's caring orbs as the brunette again brushed his opening. This time when he bit back a stunned moan, the demon slowly pressed a finger into the tight clench of Quatre's body. He held Quatre's shaking form steady as he gently worked that digit in and out of him, and when the boy's moans had shifted from guarded cries of pleasure to nearly pleading whimpers, he withdrew and added another finger. He worked these in and out of that small form, knowing no matter how long he spent it was probably going to be a little rough on Quatre anyway, the boy was just a little too small still and neither of them had anywhere near the patience now to just wait or the supplies to ensure no pain at all. The only thing he could hope for was to get past the hurting part quickly and draw Quatre into the waves of passion before his petite love could regret his sweet offer. He felt inside of Quatre for that small bundle of nerves that had made all the difference with the people he'd been with in the past, and knew when he'd struck it because of the way Quatre suddenly arched off the ground and broke into little goose bumps of excitement. "Oooh! D-duo! Wha-?"
Smiling secretively at Quatre frantic and questioning eyes, he scissored his fingers within the inner warmth for another moment, carefully nudging that little area every so often and sending Quatre into a squawk of adorable pleas. "Duo please! That feels--" Even those begging calls were cut in half by the blonde's gasps and moans. When Quatre was so riled he actually looked ready to just get up and find his own way to relieve his distressed state, Duo finally removed his fingers and laid his hand in the grass beside Quatre's trembling waist.
The blonde peered up at him with dazed eyes, rocking in his senseless state of delirium. Duo laid a hand on one cheek and held his attention long enough to speak with him. "Quatre… It'll hurt at first, I can't help that. But then it'll feel better, I promise. I love you and I'd never do anything to you that would leave you feeling bad, you know that, don't you?"
He blinked through the hazy fog Duo's touch had given him, then managed a small smile and nodded, lifting his head to kiss the side of his mouth. "I know."
With that admission still in his ears, Duo braced himself and pushed himself lightly against Quatre's stretched entrance. He watched the boy's expression as he started to slowly apply pressure and enter Quatre's tight form, frowning at the slight shimmer of tears that appeared in his eyes but being reassured when Quatre saw him looking and gave a tiny smile. The blonde made his hands release the grass they were tightly holding and brought them to wrap lovingly around Duo's shoulders.
It was a slow and careful process, but one Duo wasn't willing to make any mistakes with. When at last he was fully inside Quatre and nearly fainting himself with the way that incredibly hot orifice clenched around him, he paused and brought a hand up to wipe the now damp locks away from Quatre's crimson kissed face. I love you… I have since before I knew it was you and I will until the day I know no more…
Quatre opened his eyes, his panting breaths slowing a little as he stared up at Duo's face and smiled softly. "I know. I started loving you in my dreams years before you came."
There was the proof of something Duo'd wondered about, right before him and clear as day, and right now it just didn't mean much more then something else that made Quatre more special to him. Here was a boy that didn't feel what the rest of the world felt when with him, and here was someone who'd been ripped apart from all he knew and didn't care as long as they were together and he was never left behind. Duo had found his place in the world and he found it in Quatre's innocently knowing gaze.
When they started to move together it was like music. Everything fit and made sense for that brief period of time and the world stopped around them to sigh in happiness. He rocked within Quatre's slender frame and the blonde arched up to meet him each time. As the passion built between them and threatened to either take them over or destroy them completely, they fell into it willingly and together. Duo closed his eyes against a wave of unexpectedly grateful tears as he felt himself spill within his lover's body, and Quatre clung to the body above him desperately as his own release exploded hotly between them.
It was several moments before Duo even had the strength to lift his head from where it had fallen to rest on the blonde's shoulder, and when he did he found Quatre's eyes open and his mouth formed into the most blissful smile as he stared upwards. He couldn't bring himself to pull away just yet, he just turned his head to the side and lay there with the angel he'd freed from it's cage, watching the clouds move over head on that forever sleepy road that rested in what mortal men foolishly call the heavens. Around their joined forms the meadow grass sang and danced, and the forest swayed with a warm breeze that carried on it hints of a summer storm…
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((Fin... Though it sounds like it should continue in a way, doesn't it? In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading it, and would love to hear any comments or suggestions. Much thanks always. - Rayvn.))