Retraining Arc: 2. Exam Scores

Rating: NC-15/M
Pairings: Duo with Heero
Warnings: Male/Male love and references to sex
Disclaimer: I do not own them although I would like that. All rights with their original owners.

Summary: Set some time after 'Grief'. Zechs manages a sub-unit of the Mars Terraforming Project. Duo has enlisted his help to cram for an entry exam: he aims to enrol for an engineering course aimed specifically at volunteers for the project, and now he is returning home after having sat the exam, not sure at all what kind of welcome Heero will dole out to him...

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Duo looked out of the window and felt his heart skip a beat. Hastily he slipped his shades up over his hair and took another look as the train screeched into the station. For a heartstopping moment, he thought he had seen Heero.

Heero loitering about by one of the ornate cast iron pillars that supported the arched glass ceiling. Clad in a scruffy ex-uniform jacket, green tank top, tight, washed-out blue jeans, and boots, he hardly looked his usual correct self. A pair of large, mirrored shades hid most of his face, and – Duo gaped and forgot to close his mouth – he had a cigarette wedged between his lips.

Duo nearly fell over as the train rumbled to a halt. Heero did not smoke!

Maybe, Duo tried to make sense of it, his brain was just having funny visions after this endless journey, on the space shuttle first and then on the train, what will all that shaking and humming through his limbs that always tended to flow into just one specific part of his body. Besides, Heero was supposed to be on some mission, although Quatre... well, Duo had thought it a good idea to ring him and his lover to feel the weather, and the chibi did have a rather odd coughing fit when Trowa mentioned that mission thing.

Something was up.

Duo blew a strand of hair out of his face. He had hoped to get home, showered, rested... and away before Heero showed up to give him the bawling out he regarded as a welcome. Duo could do without that, after having barely scraped through the entry exam for the engineering course. Zechs had turned out to be a really great help during the run-up to the test, but Heero had not provided much in the way of encouragement if one discounted the thinly veiled threats of 'don't you dare fail, or else...' or 'costs a fortune, so don't you waste it.'

Well, he had worked to pay the fees. It was his own money, earned during tough shifts at the garage not far from their apartment block. Although Heero had bought him the ticket for the shuttle to Mars – man, Maxwell, can't you find a college somewhere near – knowing very well that it was the excitement of the Terraforming Project that had attracted his ever-adventurous mate. Duo had offered to pay him back, only to be shot a glare that could have fried a whole panful of eggs. And most irritatingly, this glare was combined with the tiniest twitching of Heero's mouth, as though he was trying very hard not to smile. But that, of course, had only been Duo's vivid imagination, because Heero had slammed the doors and not even bothered to ask whether he needed a lift to the train that would take him to the shuttle port. Heero could have nasty tempers.

No, really, Duo needed some time to brace himself for all that shit Heero would surely throw at him. He had passed with the lowest possible score: half a point less and-

He groaned, closing his eyes for a moment. He had thought about it while waiting for his scores, and decided if that were to happen, he would not even bother to return home. Never, not ever. As it was, he had passed, though he was not sure anymore whether it would have been better for him to fail, if only to have an excuse to stay away.

Heero had checked with the lecturer even before Duo could ring home to tell him he had made it, and sure as hell he was not going to receive his partner with roses for a mere pass. After all, half a point did not really count; it was as good as nothing, a whisper away from a destiny worse than death: to be scorned by the Perfect Soldier. Right. He had picked this course not only for his own benefit, but to finally prove himself to Heero. Half a point surely did not cut it.

Duo swallowed hard as the train doors hissed open. He let people shove past him until the carriage was empty and the conductor peered round the corner. "You ok, young man?"

"Huh? Ah, yeah, fine, goin' already." Duo grabbed the holdall and his cuffed jeans jacket, let the shades drop back into place and drew a deep breath as he scrambled out, his gaze fixed on the man by the pillar. He really looked a damn deal like... but no, it could not be. In any case, he crossly reasoned with himself, he's got bugger all to do with it, and I'm NOT getting all worked up just 'cos he's tryin' to bully me again! Amazing that, the power of someone you love naggin' the hell outta you...

Slowly, he slunk along the platform when the young man in the uniform jacket caught sight of him, dropped the cigarette and ground it down with his heel, all in one smooth motion, before beginning to walk towards Duo.

Who blinked nervously – if he only could have seen the face behind those damn shades – and yes, that WAS Heero, unmistakably, larger than life, filling the place with his incredibly self-assured presence. Damn, but he WAS fucking intimidating – he always had the knack of making a grand entry if he wanted. Duo could not help but grin. In every sense, really. The grin faded as worry kicked back in with a vengeance. How did he do it?

Duo caught his lower lip between his teeth and began to chew intently, his steps slowing down, while Heero kept striding towards him with military precision until he stopped right in front of him. Face blank, he cocked his head a little to look up at Duo and spat, "You look like a tart."

Duo's mouth fell open.

Tart!

Given, the sleeveless, high-necked black top was skin-tight and cropped just above his navel, and it was made of some net type fabric that concealed very little, and yes, he had acquired a piercing for his belly-button, a nifty little ring of stainless steel that had surprised a rare smile out of Zechs, but...

Before he could find a retort, Heero grabbed his braid, dug his fingers into Duo's copper hair to cup the back of his head and tugged him into a hot, possessive kiss. A long one, tongue-in-throat and slobber and all, while he slipped his other arm round Duo's waist, dipping his hand into the waistband of his jeans to press him close and squeeze his bum, his fingers sliding nimbly between firm cheeks.

In public!

Duo found this too much to process, forgot to breathe and went into shock until Heero nudged him away a little, still clawing into his flesh. He shoved up the mirrored shades and gave Duo a small feral grin. "Congrats on passing, soldierboy. Now, let's get home or I'll lay you right here on the concrete."

xxx

Heero Yuy would never cease to surprise him, Duo mused giddily as he flung his bag onto the rear seat of a 4x4 he knew from the kit inside as an unmarked Preventer vehicle. Heero already sat behind the wheel as Duo climbed in and mumbled, "Yanno, regulation number one-four-eight... ah... nine slash forty six... err, wait... paragraph b states we mustn't borrow service vehicles for private use... that means outside a mission?"

"It's d, baka. Paragraph d," Heero corrected, smartass smug, in his most patronising tone. Giving Duo a glare of silvered shades, he turned the ignition key and said into the growling of the diesel engine, "And who says I am?"

Duo could have sworn his mouth twitched just a tiny bit. "What?

"Borrowing the thing outside a mission."

"Oh... but I thought-"

"Thinking," Heero cut in loftily, "never was your best asset."

Haughty bastard! In spite of himself, Duo felt bruised and lapsed into sullen silence as Heero launched the car into the busy street. By the time they got home, Heero had conquered the rush hour traffic in what had to be record time. Duo felt desperately car-sick and had bristled himself into an all-out temper. He stormed off while Heero calmly locked up the vehicle, slung Duo's bag over his shoulder and choose the stairs over the lift.

When he stepped into their apartment, Duo was ready – at least in some ways: naked to the waist, his underpants peeping out of the gaping fly of his jeans, wielding a toothbrush in one hand, braid half undone and a furious gleam in his narrowed eyes, he shot out of the bathroom as soon as the door swung open.

Heero barely had time to drop the bag before Duo flung him by sheer might of impact against the door that banged shut, tipping them both off balance. Heero's knees buckled, Duo used the momentum to shove, and they tumbled to the floor. Heero landed on his back with a loud 'oomph' and looked up at Duo who swiftly pinned his wrists with bony knees, bracing his arms to either side of Heero's face. "So I can't think, huh?" he snarled, leaning close enough for his breath to sweep over Heero's cheek. He stared down at his breathless partner for a moment, then ripped the mirrored shades off him and flung them away. "I had quite my fill of this shit, yanno! So stuff you too sucker!"

"Oh," Heero sighed, eyelids drooping even as his lips parted and he slid the tip of his tongue over them in a slow, deliberate motion.

Stunned, Duo blinked, gaped, licking his own lips without realising. Beneath him, he could feel Heero breathing, became aware of his firm, warm body, the tiny smile, the just noticeable lifting of his hips against Duo's rear. "Damn you, Yuy," he gasped, as a wave of heat washed over him, leaving him suddenly hot and very bothered.

"Tart," Heero mouthed, his smile becoming clearer.

"Wanna taste?" Duo growled. His anger evaporated rapidly as he tentatively rocked his bottom against Heero's groin, and he threw back his head with a long, low moan when he felt the hardness there press against his butt. "Jeez," he yapped, "methinks you need help here, pal!"

An agreeable grunt was the answer.

"Heero?" Duo husked, leaning forward and trying to focus his eyes on Heero again.

Who managed to drag his gaze up to shoot a glare. "Damn you, Maxwell, ravish me already!" he ground out, eliciting a startled gasp from Duo.

"Huh?"

Squeezing his eyes shut, Heero groaned and thrust up against him. "Man, Duo, I got two friggin' hours before... ahh... I have to be back or I'll be in serious trouble with Une! Oh, good... grief... Now, hurry up and get screwing!"

What a speech!

Duo shut up and obliged, unceremoniously ripping off Heero's clothes while kissing and biting and fondling every bit of flesh he could reach, and by the time he should have unlaced Heero's boots, he happily threw his control to the wind and merely tugged Heero's shorts down over his ankles. Leaving him in nothing but said boots. Duo nearly blew it at the sight of amber nipples and golden skin over taut muscles, the line of sparse hair that trailed from Heero's navel to his crotch, and the hard passion that greeted him there.

He felt ready to die when Heero stuck two fingers into Duo's mouth, thrust quickly a couple of times, eyes misted with wantonness – and oh, Heero pushed down between them, curled these fingers round Duo to hastily moisten his length, dipped them into himself just as he drew up his legs, boots to either side of Duo's thighs, and then...

Duo sank into Heaven. Fiery, melting, crazy Heaven in the shape of Heero's body, all motion and fire and lustful little yelps, Heero's hardness wedged between their stomachs, massaged by their hot, sweaty skin.

Too much, too sudden, too wild. Duo gritted his teeth but he had gone too long without, and he came with a sob, crying out into Heero's madly kissing mouth, his own release chased down by Heero's coming.

Leaving his brain in a puddle.
Heero was right again: he really could not think.
Oh my...

xxx

"Duo?" Heero rasped shakily into his ear while his hands combed gently through the wild wavy mane. "You alright?"

Duo pressed his face into the crook of Heero's neck and licked. Heero tasted of salt and steel. "Hmph."

"You crying?"

More pressure, a scrawny arm clamping across Heero's chest to prevent him from moving. "Nah."

Heero rubbed soothing circles over Duo's back. "You were sobbing."

Lazily, Duo wondered whether he should show himself in need for... well, comfort... more often.

A shadow settled on Heero's face. "Duo? What's funny now?"

Ah, an edge of irritation in the deep voice. Duo let out a small chuckle. "Um, you naked and in boots? Sorta... tarty?"

The soothing hands stopped abruptly, growing heavy on his back. "Excuse me?"

"C'mon, Hee-man-"

"Don't-"

"Don't your mom! You were horny as hell – to steal a car from Prevs, go AWOL from a mission – bet Wu doesn't have a clue, right? And without lube... you MUST have done something before collecting me 'cos you were nice 'n slick..." Hey, he COULD think, if only of one thing...

"Duo-"

Duo guffawed; Heero threw him off and flipped him onto his stomach, knelt on his thighs and dug his elbows into Duo's upper back. "Shut up, Maxwell!"

"Can't – uh – if my – life – ouch! – depen- aw! That really – hurt!"

"Your life, huh? Your life, my dripping ass! You're damn lucky I gotta get back or I'd screw you into next week, baka!"

"Oh yeah, baby," Duo laughed, and Heero felt deflated, collapsed over him and added a low grumble which Duo decided should qualify as a chuckle. "So what," he teased, "did you miss me, loverboy?"

Heero grew still, then smoothed away swathes of messy long hair and trailed a calloused finger over Duo's temple, his cheek, down to his neck where he let it pause on the pulse of the big vein. "Yes," he said softly, his eyes shining at his flushed mate, "just how did you guess?"

Duo lay still for a moment, then began to wriggle, and before Heero knew it, he was wrapped up in a flood of hair and warmth, Duo all over him, around him, whispers and frantic kisses, until he lightly bit Heero's ear and muttered, "So that fancy gear, and the fag, what was all that about?"

Heero tensed, splashed crimson and turned his head aside, hiding behind mussed bangs. "I... um, you... I mean, you look kinda good in this stuff... like, ah..."

"Sexy?" Duo supplied helpfully. "Or, lemme think, tarty?" He wriggled his hips.

Heero gasped and blushed even more, and Duo sat up, unable to suppress a smug grin. "Hah! Now I see - you had it all planned!" Heero began to twitch uneasily, but Duo smothered him by fitting the whole length of his lanky body against Heero's shorter, broader one. "Oh, and I think that's so very, very nice," he rasped softly into Heero's ear.

Heero stilled, one dark eye glinting up at Duo mistrustingly. "You mean it?"

The grin brightened. "Well, at least it's a nice way of gettin' a dressing down... though I expected you givin' it to me... and you taste like an ashtray... and this-" Duo stretched out one arm and picked up the jacket Heero had worn, regarding it critically- "is mine I think, oh, and those-" the faded jeans dangled from his fingertips- "are mine too, and I'm having them back right now; you can wear your own ratty stuff down."

"Ratty?" Heero opened both eyes and gave Duo another glare. "MY stuff, if I remember that right, got commandeered and packed while I was out, so you could take it to college, and the rest is in the washing where you left it, along with your own grubby rags, after dragging my gear over your skinny ass to go out. So gimme this!" Fitting his legs around Duo's hips, he sat up, easily scooping Duo up with him and holding him in a tight embrace that might well turn into a crushing clasp.

Duo pondered, then smiled widely. "Or you gonna cancel sex again?"

Heero growled, a scowl darkening his face. "Got thinking after all, Maxwell?"

Duo relented. "'Kay, buddy, have it... but I do wonder, yanno - I mean, would you consider goin' out naked if-"

Heero toppled him over. "Should I?" A quick glance at his watch, then a certain gleam entered his narrowed eyes as they locked with Duo's. "You got half an hour to make up for unwashed rags."

"Or what?" Duo gasped happily.

"Or I WILL go out bare-assed, in boots, and screw whoever wants me, just not you."

That could become quite a job. "You... hey, wait a moment... Heero, that's not fair... oh, wait... dammit, I can't get it up this quickly..."

But Heero shook his head, wiry bangs tickling Duo's face as he gave him a firm, hungry kiss on the mouth. "There are ways and ways," he replied wisely before heading south.

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Next chapter: A Farewell