Title: Secretly Loving You 7/?

Author: sanaaki

Warnings: shounen-ai/yaoi, AU, Heero-centric, romance, sap

Pairings: 1+2+1 (main), not a threesome =P

Rated: PG

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me ;_; except the story.

Archives:

Eventually I'll find a spot on my newbie blog ( )

Notes: Switching back and forth between different POVs.

Recap: Duo turns down a blind date with Heero. He sees a guy he thinks he might be interested in. He finds out that that guy is Heero. Problem is Quatre has decided to set Heero and Wufei up now since Duo turned it down. Heero needs a haircut and he has an appointment with the owner. Little does he know it's the gorgeous guy he met in the cab, otherwise known as our Duo. Problem is Heero is still dating possessive Wufei. Will this pair ever get it together?

Feedback much appreciated.

Duo felt tense for the rest of the day. Damn that Zechs, springing Heero on him like this. He tried to concentrate on the flaming red hair in front of him. He bunched it together in his hand trying to figure out what to do with it to make his client look her best. What was he going to say to Heero? Should he even say anything? Heero was with Wufei after all …

"Ow!!" the girl cried. "That hurts …"

"Oh sorry, sorry …" he apologized profusely. He realized he had just yanked her hair hard. He pursed his lips. This was not good. He tried to focus. He looked at her in the mirror raking his fingers through her hair again. To think, in just a few hours he would get to touch him, he would get to brush his hands through those silky russet locks …

"Ow," he exclaimed. Someone had just jabbed him in the side with a hairdryer. He looked over and saw that it was Hilde. "What was that for?" She gestured pointedly at his customer. He looked and saw that he had twisted his hands into her hair and she was looking at him like he had just been released from an insane asylum. He looked back at Hilde and said, "Cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day except for the last one. Have Solo take over this appointment for me. I need a break …" He extracted his hands from the client's hair and apologized to her, grabbed his jacket and as he made his way towards the door he heard Hilde explain to the girl, "You know these temperamental hair stylists, they're all so high strung ... you'll have to excuse him …"

He took the subway a couple of stops and walked over to a familiar building. The concierge waved him in and he took the elevator up. The receptionist smiled at him waving him ahead, quite used to his unscheduled visits and he made his way towards the office. He gave a knock and entered when a muffled voice called out "Come in …"

He entered. "Hey Quatre…"

Quatre looked away from his computer screen and smiled at him. "Duo, what a surprise. You dragged yourself away from work?"

"Well I have some things on my mind so I couldn't work under those conditions…"

"What kind of things?"

"Well that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about …" He had made the split second decision in the salon to finally ask the blond for advice. Usually he would have gone to Wufei but for obvious reasons Wufei was not a good choice right now.

"Well … I have this friend …" he began …

Quatre sat back, folded his arms and laughed. "Go on…"

"It's not like that Quatre!! Anyway, as I was saying, I have this friend who is a very good friend. Problem is I'm attracted to his boyfriend and I don't really know what to do. I can't stop thinking about him. I told myself not to think of that guy anymore but it's getting so difficult, Quatre…"

The blond looked a little stunned. "Duo," he said carefully. "A-are you trying to tell me you're attracted to Trowa?"

"What?!!!!!!! No!!"

"Oh," Quatre responded, looking somewhat relieved. "Who then?"

"I'd rather not say …"

"Someone I know?"

"Quatre!!"

"Ok, ok. Duo, you should just move on. I'll set you up with someone to take your mind off this guy …"

"Quatre!!!" Duo groaned. Quatre was no help. As an afterthought, "Who would you set me up with?"

"Well Trowa has a sister …"

"No thanks!! You already set me up with her last year … She had some weird brother fixation … I have to go … See you later Quatre …" Now he remembered why he didn't come to Quatre for love advice. It always inevitably ended up with Quatre trying to set him up on another blind date.

*****************************************************************

Today had been a long day and he was tired. He had gone to a movie shoot as an extra. It was the constant waiting around that made him feel tired. He really hated doing extras work. He really needed to try harder to get better jobs. Heero looked at the time. It was about time to go over to get his hair cut. After that, he would go home and get dressed for Relena's party. He may be cutting it a bit close but he really wasn't in any rush to get there anyway. They had decided that Wufei would go there separately from him anyway since he hadn't been sure when the cut would get done. He made his way over to the salon. As he entered, he saw that most of the stylists were finishing up. Hilde waved at him. He went over to her.

"Why don't you take off your jacket and go over there to get your hair washed …" He hung up his leather jacket and made his way over to the shampoo area. He lay down on the black lounge chair and stared up at the ceiling. The fluorescent lights were hurting his tired eyes and he decided he might as well close them. After what seemed like minutes, he heard the faucet turned on. He looked up and saw a man with punk-ish black hair, somewhat goth-like, smile at him. The man started to rinse his hair. He closed his eyes again. He heard the murmuring of voices and before long felt the touch of fingers begin to slowly massage his scalp. The cold liquid of shampoo seeping through to his skin felt cathartic. He wasn't used to the feel of hands combing through his hair. It was an unexpectedly heavenly feeling. His eyes remained closed and he really thought he could fall asleep like this. It really felt wonderful. He could quite conceivably stay like this forever.

As some time passed, he became aware of the fingers beginning to take on a more sensuous caressing feel. Hands had taken hold of the sides of his face, thumbs gently slowly massaging his temples. To his amazement, he was growing more uncomfortably aroused by the minute. And even more surprisingly, by the type of guy that he would normally not have given a second glance at. He felt considerably more uneasy now. What was wrong with him? It felt as though this man was coming on to him. Surely not … He had to be imagining it. He only need open his eyes to confirm. Eyes fluttered open, unable to understand this feeling. He stared in mute shock as his eyes fell straight into a violet gaze. He bolted up only to be pushed gently down.

"Where was the man who was here before?" he demanded to know, almost stuttering it out. He felt open, vulnerable and exposed lying there on his back with his neck bent backwards, throat totally bare. The fluorescent lights now sunk into his eyes, the shadow of the man's body bending over him overpowered him, the intense gaze he knew was there focused on him. He felt totally unbalanced and off kilter. He also realized that everyone else had left and that he was alone with him.

"He had to go … do you have any problem with me taking over?" The undercurrents between them flowed powerfully. He should have known. Those eyes had brought instant recognition.

Heero closed his eyes. "No." Fingers reached for him and once again the heavenly massage continued. He wasn't sure what to think. Why was the guy from the cab here? In a city of so many people, what were the chances? He tried to remember what Zechs had told him about him. Was he the owner that was supposed to cut his hair? He tried not to shiver from the sensations coursing through his body as Duo continued his exploration of his hair. He found the experience had intensified even more so now that he knew who was behind those fingers. He couldn't relax as he had before. He fought the temptation to open his eyes and stare into those violet orbs again. What was this feeling? He wasn't sure.

They spoke not a word to each other after their exchange. He knew time was passing by. Washing his hair had never taken so long. He would certainly be late to Relena's party. He said nothing though. He was reluctant to break the mood that had settled down upon them. The quietness of the salon, the few lights that spotlighted them as key players, the darkness that had descended outside the window, the bustle of people and cars passing by, they all served to add to that feeling of being suspended in time in their own little world. He had no inclination to end this heady feeling. Having his hair washed by a gorgeous man had never felt better.

The phone rang startling them both. Heero opened his eyes. They stared at each other for an eternal moment before Duo all of a sudden grinned, shrugged and made his way over to the phone to pick it up. Heero sat up slightly to take in Duo's progression to the receptionist's desk at the front of the salon. His heart pounding, Heero took a deep breath to pull himself together. He felt pretty blindsided in a way he had never been before. He watched Duo's backside, the way the tight jeans hung low on his hips, and inwardly groaned. He looked away. This was definitely not good.

Duo finished up his call and came back to him. "Let me rinse your hair and then we can get started."

Heero nodded. He lay back down and let Duo stream water through his hair, occasionally stroking his fingers through his hair to get rid of any residual shampoo. Duo then put his arms around Heero to wrap a towel around his hair. His breath caressed Heero's face lightly as he leaned over him causing Heero to quiver in reaction. Duo hesitated a moment but then continued wrapping Heero's hair, then motioned for Heero to get up. Heero went and sat in the chair that Duo pointed at. They had so far managed to avoid looking at each other directly as much as possible. Heero didn't quite know what to make of the situation. Duo disposed of the towel and fluffed Heero's hair.

"So your name is Heero …" Their eyes met in the mirror. Heero nodded. The heat between them seemed to convene there.

Duo smiled and then began to cut Heero's hair. The rest of the time was a blur to Heero. He mainly just watched Duo work his magic on his unruly hair. Occasionally their eyes would meet and Duo would smile at him, chatting about random things, which Heero could not for the life of him remember with any clarity.

Each time Duo smiled at him, Heero looked away. Why did he feel like such a shy awkward school boy? Hadn't he gone long past this stage? Actually, he wasn't even sure he had ever been in this state of flux before. He had always been a loner, independent, confident, sure of himself, never needing anyone, or so he thought. He had been forced to be that way at an early age. He was after all suppose to be "perfect". But then why did Duo elicit all these insecurities and feelings that he thought long conquered and buried?

He wondered if Duo thought him attractive? He couldn't remember the last time such a thing had even been important to him. He fought the temptation to once again flirt with Duo, something that was also out of character for him. He was not the one that usually flirted. It was usually others flirting with him. Duo just seemed so easy-going and open. He made it easy for Heero to say things he wouldn't ordinarily say, made him want to do impulsive things. He was certainly attracted to Duo. Those impossibly large eyes, that long silky looking hair, those lips begging to be kissed... Duo smirked at him right then, as though he could read his mind. Heero felt a slow flush rise up his neck towards his face. It suddenly felt hot in here.

His cell phone suddenly vibrated in his pants pocket. He contemplated not answering it. He was flustered and he knew it. What was it about this guy?

"Aren't you going to get that?" Duo asked, amused, as he glanced pointedly at Heero's vibrating crotch.

Heero, mortified, hurriedly dug into his tight jeans for his phone.

"Hello?" his voice grounded out huskily.

"Heero is that you?" It was Wufei… "Where are you Heero?"

"Wufei!" He saw Duo stiffen. And in that instance he remembered the other thing Zechs had informed him about Duo. Duo was in love with Wufei. He frowned.

"Heero?" Wufei prompted, when Heero said nothing further.

"Oh … sorry Wufei. I'm just about done here. I just have to go home first to change and then I'll be there."

"Ok, then I'll see you soon …"

"Ok. Talk to you later." Heero hung up with Wufei and looked up to see Duo studying him. Catching Heero's eyes on him, a mask fell over his face. Duo became all business. He finished up brusquely, gave Heero a mirror to view the back of his head and took it away quickly before he even had much of a chance to look at it. Heero immediately felt as though he had been pushed out into the freezing cold, the door slammed summarily in his face, the perceived heat between them now a distant memory.

"Ok Heero, think you're good to go." Duo scribbled an amount down on the post-it note, handed it to him and walked ahead to the register. Duo waited behind the desk expectantly. Heero looked searchingly at Duo but could read nothing. He paid the amount.

"Thank you."

"Anytime. See you at Relena's," Duo smiled, somewhat forced from what Heero could tell. Duo then handed him his jacket and practically pushed him out the door. Heero stood somewhat stunned outside the glass door, Duo on the other side. They stared at each other for an inexplicable moment before Duo let the blinds roll down and then with one last look, shuttered them abruptly.

Heero stood out there for a few minutes more, not sure what exactly had just happened. He decided then that he probably wouldn't have any epiphanies any time soon so he wouldn't worry about it. He shrugged and walked home to change before a certain black-haired, dark-eyed Chinese man came after his hide and decided to serve him for dinner instead.

TBC?