((Well... I certainly wasn't planning on doing this, but I got accused of leaving people on a cliff hanger (mean evil authoress!) with that kiss. Heh heh. SO... here it is. The next few moments. I have a b'day party to go to, so I'll be doing later, what I had planned for an end and all. I'll do an epilogue after this... and dang it, but if they're still nagging me, then I'll be found a liar again and keep on going. But for NOW, there is an epilogue, kay?
SilentOne: Hee! You're catching up to me. I appreciate all the thoughts.. ermm... back there. : ) And I hope you enjoy it!
Gacktosan: : ) I like that when I have an idea of who it might be and it works out to what I expected. I hope the same is for you! It also means I didn't make Howard's Boi so unbelievably Heero that it's not a "What? NO! Heero would NEVER be like that darn it!" Unless you'd have rather been surprised! Ack! Heh.
Anissa: Well my dear! You have certainly lit up my writing life! I really liked writing that. I love Heero all unsure and the tension and yeah... all of that. And so yes, I'm SO SORRY for leaving you hanging and I will most definitely fill in the blanks and not be a meanie. So here is the smooching session. Heh. Just for you!))
The Rest As We Would Have It
:: Duo reached out, taking up the end of the necklace and pulling it lightly from Heero's grasp. A soft muffled sound came from the other man's mouth and he all but bent in half. Duo blinked, shocked at the sudden show of abject misery and then realized what it must seem like. So with a patient smile and tears in his own eyes, he kneeled, taking his hand off of Heero's knee and putting it on Heero's shoulder, and shuffling behind, reached around. Carefully, the cross still warm from Heero's hand but the chain chilly, Duo fastened the pendant around his love's neck and bent with a whisper of breath, and kissed the smooth skin, the light hill of Heero's spine where his neck and shoulder joined.
A soft gasp littered the ground and Heero looked down, hand touching the cross. Then turned to meet the smiling eyes of Duo. No, not just smiling. They were blazing with a million things Heero would have never thought to see, never hoped for, never did anything but dream of. Still, he feared. "I... I should have told you..."
"Yes... you should've.. but enough should'ing on you, hmm?" Duo's beautiful eyes sparkled in laughter. The one time when his eyes were more luminous than in the sunshine was when Duo was sharing something private, some beautiful private joy, and he was so close that you could feel him breathe, you were sharing his air. That was the moment, years before, the same moment when Heero had realized that he loved his best friend, his compatriot, his fellow pilot. That moment when he'd first seen the dance of light in those joy filled eyes, just as he could see them now.
"I just wasn't sure.. and you seemed so scared. And you didn't know... so I thought that if I kept on just being here, that maybe you'd find out on your own. Or maybe I'd know for certain and I could put it aside. I mean, if you weren't interested in m-m-me.." Heero's voice faltered as Duo's fingers slid silken across the skin of his neck and the hot palm of Duo's hand fit to his jawline. "Then... then I could.." he continued breathlessly, staring in shock at the violet perfection that was nearing him all the time, his mind stalling and every single nerve in his skin singing in exultation, "Could, umm... at least back off and be sure that.. that I didn't do anything.. any... thing... st-stupid.. l-l-like I wanted t-hmmmmm..." and the last of his words died, captured and transformed into a sigh as Duo's lips covered his, stopping all further conversation.::
It was a shy kiss, for all of Duo's boldness. Nothing like the shock of lips and arms and body that had assailed Heero in the parking lot two weeks earlier. This was but a brush of lips, a gentle press to his mouth that warmed by simple contact rather than hunger and left nothing swollen, noone panting for air. It was only a silencing and it lasted only a moment. With a soft sound of skin brushing skin, pajamas rustling in the stillness, Duo pulled back and Heero found himself letting his air go in a soft sigh.
"I can't believe I did that.." Duo laughed breathlessly, his violet eyes dancing and a blush rising upon his cheeks.
"Hmm?" Heero managed to open his eyes and find the small smile just a foot from him.
Duo's laughter washed over him. "Kissed you. I mean.." and the stillness swallowed them both. "oh."
It was strange, seeing the sudden bashfulness break in on Duo's expression. The feeling simply did not seem to fit the normal exuberance on that heart shaped face. Heero felt a rise of tenderness and his mouth twitched, curled into a smile. "Not a mistake though. I hope?"
But no, it wasn't a mistake. They both knew it. It was simply - well. New. Or rather, new to Duo. "How long have you... you know.." Duo ventured, the peach of his skin turning closer to lobster and his eyes memorizing Heero's face all over again. Funny. One small kiss and knowing that the next would be welcome suddenly made those kisses feel even further away than they had ever been before. 'Okay, Heero, I made the first move. What will you do now?' he watched Heero's face and felt his body tensing with every passing moment. There was something newly revealed in those dark blue eyes. Or perhaps he simply had never allowed himself to see it before. Something that seemed frighteningly like... love?
'Tch. Of course it's love, you ninny. Not like he wrote all of that for nothing! And all of the others and... oh wow.' Duo blinked, realizing that Heero was speaking.
"... and then I just knew. I forget what you were so happy about, and it has been three years of course, so I guess it doesn't really matter now does it?" Heero tilted his head to one side and biting the corner of his mouth reached out, brushed Duo's bangs out of one eye. "Does it?"
"Three years..." Duo murmured, surprised. "You've loved me for three years?"
"No."
Heero dropped his hand and Duo's skin wept. "I've loved you for far
longer. I've only been in love with you for three years. I love you
all. I just... love you more." He smiled again and Duo melted. That
smile. And it was just for him. Or it was his. Or.. well, he didn't own
Heero, but he could declare a little bit more possession than anyone
else could. Heero's normally calm face pinched in anxiety. "Look, Duo.
I know this is new to you. I'm willing to wait. We'll just wait until
things are comfortable for you. Two weeks really isn't very long to get
used to the idea."
"Kiss me."
"What?" Heero stared.
"Please? I - I kissed you first. It's your turn." Duo's face was the prettiest shade of red and his breath was coming short. He knew his heart was going faster than he'd ever thought possible and he hoped he didn't go and have a heart attack before he got his kiss.
"Are you sure?" the murmured voice was close. Duo looked up to see Heero leaning in. "I can wait. I've waited three years. I can wait if you need time." Heero brushed his hand along Duo's arm in a comforting gesture and Duo felt like he could scream.
"Heero, you know I hate asking more than once. And I've waited two weeks. And that feels enough like three years. Now, before I kill you for making me wait five more minutes, kiss me!"
Heero laughed and felt the fear and concern break free completely, dance past and dart into the sunlight, dissipating into nothing. Three years of hiding. It was almost impossible to believe. "Well, then I'd best get to it, hadn't I?"
Duo could feel no uncertainty in the fitting of Heero's lips over his. He was sure he'd dreamed of it before, imagined it enough within the auspices of the fictions he'd written, but reality shattered all of those.
Heero's lips were warm, softer than he'd ever have dreamed them to be, and there was an insistence, a questioning, no, more like an invitation in their touch. Duo felt himself stumble, 'But I'm sitting down,' and to keep himself from losing his balance, caught Heero around the neck.
Apparently it was all the confirmation Heero needed. With a soft sound much like a groan which made Duo's fingers itch and his body tense, Heero grasped Duo around the waist and pulled him closer, fitting Duo into his lap and curling himself around the long haired man. Not noticing more than the swooned fog he was in, Duo felt Heero nip at his lower lip and opened his mouth, instinctively wanting to taste something besides... beyond himself.
Heero delved into the warmth waiting him with a hunger that could not be satisfied. Everything faded to the background, nothing existed outside of the sensation of Duo's hair caught in his fingertips, the pounding heartbeat against his own, the captured breath, and the taste of Duo, something sweet in that it came from Duo but strangely different from anything he'd read. There was nothing like peaches or cinnamon or cream or spices in this mouth. No, nothing but humanity, Duo, and an aftertaste of alcohol from the wine they'd had a few hours before. But it was better than anything he'd read about. Because this was real, a bit awkward, fumbling, and overpowering, but it fit like nothing else would ever fit again.
When he feared he might be tiring out his love, when his arms shook from holding Duo so close for too long, when he realized in sudden shock that he might very well take this further than either of them were willing to go, Heero drew back. But breaking off the kiss proved to be far more difficult than he'd thought. Duo's arms tightened around his neck and those sweet lips followed his. A groan of delight and frustration broke from Heero as he delved back into a kiss for but a moment and then pulled away, cupping Duo's face and gazing into the shining depths. "I love you," the words drawn from him, as breath is drawn in, necessary for life.
Duo laughed, soft and delighted, tucked himself up against Heero and dropped his head on Heero's shoulder with a contented sigh. "I know."
Heero let his fingers dive into the weight of hair that swept across his arm and shoulder and half covered Duo. He allowed them to run lightly along the nape of Duo's neck and chuckled when a chill rose up on Duo's arms. "Well, just so long as we're clear on that point," he added.
"Mmm.. very clear.." Duo's shy kiss to Heero's jaw stole Heero's breath away. Then, as if sensing that enough had passed that night, Duo grinned upwards, finding something beautiful in the hold that stern, quiet face had over him. "You gonna teach me to play Gotcha?"
"Hn." Heero's lips curled at the corners. "Someone has to."
"Well
then?" With a newfound joy in the meaning of Christmas, Duo scrambled
out of Heero's arms and fell upon the game box, setting the story on
the side with a tender brush over it's surface before finding the cards
and sitting down crosslegged, the blinking of Christmas lights upon his
impish face as he opened the box and shuffled. "So.. what first?"
Heero lifted his knee to his chest and curled an arm around it, set his chin atop and looked at his love. "Anything you want. And then everything after."
Duo's gaze laughed and he resisted stealing a kiss. There was time enough for kisses in forever. "I'll take you up on that."
"I hope you do." Heero loved the promise in those words. "Okay, let's see." He leaned forward and took the cards from slender fingers, relishing the permission he had to enjoy such subtle contact, and began to deal cards.
((Alright! An interlude and the cute kissie scene after. The last two chapters - haven't you discovered ya can't trust me to keep to numbers yet? - will be forthcoming!))
