Retraining Arc: 3. A Farewell

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. Especially when they are like in this story. All rights with their original owners.
Spoilers: Gives away some of the ending of Endless Waltz.

Summary: Having completed his retraining, Duo has started work on the Terraforming Project, returning home only once in a while. Heero works for Preventers on Earth. He mopes every time Duo has to leave again, and needs treatment for brooding and bad temper.

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Got warm and fuzzy? Let me know what you think! Thanks.

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"I don't like it." Heero's tone was level, he did not stop typing, or look up from his laptop, but Duo knew the signs of Heero heading for a storm: hunched shoulders, a blank expression, hard lips. An unmistakable kiss-my-ass attitude.

Duo drew a deep breath. Perching on the corner of the low table, he kept deftly lacing his boots. He wore jeans and one of Heero's tank tops that flapped loosely about his skinny body, his hair was carelessly gathered with an elastic band and still dripping from the shower he had taken earlier that evening.

Heero stole fleeting glances. He could not help it; Duo always had this effect on him – and the brat knew, he could tell from the way he looked at Heero sideways with a small smile and a suggestive flick of his tongue, catching a droplet of water that hung off the tip of his nose. He looked so young and slight, and so damn knowing.

"It's only another job," he almost pleaded as he tied a firm bow and turned his attention to the other boot, crossing one leg over the thigh of the other to reach. Heero watched him, counting the scars that seemed to come to life with the play of wiry muscles under pale skin. Scars on his shoulders, chest, the inside of his arms; not all of them battle marks.

"With a certain kind of bonus for the looks of it," Heero pointed out unwillingly. "You sure you're doing engineering works?"

Duo stiffened. Had Heero ferreted through the hidden Preventer archives? Zechs had assured Duo that only Une and he had security clearance to access a handful of top secret files, but then, Heero with his uncanny sense for things gone iffy only needed to watch him, and Duo felt as transparent as a glass doll.

Heero scowled. "I don't understand you."

Duo paused, dusky eyes shining from behind soggy bangs. "We are both in this, ne?"

Heero seemed to consider the possible interpretations of this, before shaking his head. "No. Not like that."

"Whatcha mean?" Duo plonked his feet to the floor, threw back his head and stretched, with his arms up in the air, hands clenching, mouth gaping with a big yawn.

Like an animal, Heero thought angrily, hacking at his keyboard, it's always all or nothing, total bliss or raging pain. Can't he be a bit more restrained? "You know what."

"Ah, THAT." Duo made a point of sounding bored and a tad annoyed. "Look, we've been over it so many times. Can't you just let it be now?" Argue that he could fend for himself, that he was certainly more streetwise than Heero ever would be, that not every job involved him getting into bed with someone? He had tried that, but it was like talking to a wall because Heero had made up his mind, and that was it.

"No," Heero squeezed through his teeth as he attempted to punch the keys through the keyboard. "I cannot. Not while you insist on wallowing in filth."

Duo hopped off the table and pressed against Heero's back, water dripping onto the computer as he leaned over his shoulder, arms wrapping round Heero's waist in a tight hug. "I love you too." He laughed, mouth and eyes and all, radiating plain, bottomless affection, and Heero felt deflated and angrier than before. Baka.

"It's no bloody sport," he snapped, only to be silenced by a kiss, wet and deep.

"Hey, I know that. It's building sites, and I'm no baby." Duo teased a soaking strand of hair over Heero's nose, his eyes glittering with something Heero could not define; therefore it made him wary. Duo brushed the lock over Heero's cheekbone and mouth. "And don't you start swearing, partner – someone's gotta uphold good manners here."

Irritation mounting, Heero tried to swat him off, but Duo slipped his hands from Heero's shoulders down to his wrists and clasped them firmly. Heero could not keep typing and crossly tried to twist away, only to be held harder, thin fingers pressing into his flesh in a grip that would leave marks. "I AM your partner, ne?" The tiniest flicker of insecurity trembled in Duo's voice, and his eyes widened in this wounded gaze that never failed to melt Heero.

Who stubbornly stared at the screen even though he could not focus anymore, what with his 'partner' breathing down his neck and rubbing longingly against his back with thighs, groin and stomach. In spite of himself, his limbs began to tingle and his breathing deepened as Duo pulled his hands away from the keyboard, joining them behind his body, and sought another kiss. Resignedly, Heero closed his eyes and let his head drop back, against Duo's crotch. "Stop it," he mumbled into Duo's mouth.

"Yeah, yeah, you're busy, it can't wait, you got a deadline, blah-di-blah." Duo nudged him down onto the sofa and was over him in a flash, pinning his hands above his head as he deftly shoved a knee between Heero's thighs. "Why do I have to wait all the time? I gotta go or I'll miss the bloody shuttle. How's that for a deadline, huh?" He sounded rather querulous, but with Duo even this translated into anxious touches that screamed 'like me, love me, tell me you do.'

Heero turned his face away, barely suppressing a groan of pleasure as he drank in the sensation of Duo breathing in soft puffs against his throat, the small weight of his body, his warmth. Duo made him feel things he had never thought possible: closeness, security, and a kind of peace he had not known before thawing in their first timid embrace. He had been hooked then, though now he sometimes felt trapped for Duo did not belong to him alone; Duo could walk away from him and was so easy to spook. "Who's handling? Zechs?"

"He's the manager," came the cranky retort, deliberately misreading the question, "so what? Jealous?" Duo fumbled at the fly of Heero's pants.

Heero tensed. He had tried a few times to catch Duo out, to no avail – the baka was uncharacteristically guarded. "Tell him to stuff it," he growled, "or find someone else for his dirty work, whatever. Now, let off, I'm not in the mood."

"Oh? Let me get you into the mood then," Duo murmured undeterred, licking over the shell of Heero's ear and smiling as Heero flushed and squirmed beneath him. "Does this tickle?"

It damn well did, and the baka knew it. "No. Get off me."

"But you feel good." The sultry murmur sent shivers down Heero's spine, but he ground his teeth and clung to his self-control for dear life.

"Get. Off." And before he knew it, Duo crashed with his back onto the floor. Heero knelt on his upper arms, staring down at him with angry dark eyes. "I hate you."

"Not when I fuck you," Duo wheezed, tugging at his trapped arms.

Insolent little monster. Heero clawed into Duo's dank hair and yanked, thudding Duo's head against the floorboards once, twice. Dusky eyes squeezed shut in pain, then flew open again, glaring a challenge. "So? Ya back to hittin' me?" Duo rasped, hands coming up for Heero's neck but Heero knocked him back easily. Still struggling, Duo bared his teeth in a soft snarl. "C'mon, Hee-man, tell me you don't like it."

"I don't."

"Liar!"

"Sucker."

"Yeah. Want some suckin' then?"

Heero hovered over Duo, their noses almost touching, their breath mingling. "Save it for your mission," he hissed and jumped up.

Duo gave him a dark glance as he scrambled to his feet and shook back the heavy mass of his hair, droplets flying everywhere. With a grimace, he rubbed his hurting arms. "I'm only trying to work, dammit. Why can't you let me be?"

Heero picked up the laptop and turned away. "'Cos I have to mend you idiot when you come back."

"I'll be fine!"

Head lowered, Heero stood still, cradling the computer. "Like after the Hollow?"

Duo had nearly died on that one. He stared at Heero's broad back wondering whether he was waiting for something. A word, a touch perhaps? Only to fight it all back again? Hesitantly, Duo reached out, but before his fingers could alight on Heero's arm, Heero twisted out of his reach and stalked towards the bedroom.

"I'd hoped you'd kiss me goodbye," Duo said swiftly.

Heero paused; a flash of deep blue glinting from behind dark bangs, then he shook his head once in a tight, sparse gesture. "I don't want you to go." Heero logic: if he refused a farewell, Duo could not possibly leave.

"It's just a job," Duo reasoned wearily, unhappy eyes belying his smile.

Heero bit his lip, pushed open the door and slipped out. "Remember what you used to tell me? You run, you hide... ah, whatever."

xxx

Perhaps he had a point after all, Duo mused wearily. It cost a lot of effort to lie to Heero, and it did not work. Not really, because Duo hated lies and Heero could see right through them even though he could not quite figure out what was going on. The Hollow mission had been a success: posing as the corrupt chief engineer of a sub-project, Duo had helped unravel a network of sham firms in the trade, used for money laundering on a big scale. Zechs never forced those missions upon him, but when he had offered Duo to work for the Preventer Specials, Duo had seized upon a chance to prove himself. He needed the edge.

He had hoped it would not come to the worst on that particular mission, yet when given a opportunity to get out unscathed, or give everything and finish, he had chosen to finish the job. Afterwards, he debriefed without trouble, but then nightmares crept up on him and would not let off until he tried to drain them from his mind by cutting his arms open. The paramedics arrived in time, but his mind plummeted so deeply into darkness that not even Heero could reach him. After some excruciatingly painful months of pretending that everything was fine, they had broken up. Only after Trowa and Quatre decided to intervene did they manage to cobble their life back together. The whole affair left Heero bruised, strangely frail, and way too touchy about Duo's 'work'.

Duo pushed the bedroom door open a little and peered through the gap. Heero slouched cross-legged on their bed, the computer on his knees, his fingers resting on the keys. He did not move but stared vacantly at the screen, his expression sullen and listless.

Duo cautiously went to sit down beside him. As the mattress dipped slightly, Heero sunk against him and stayed like that, close and warm. With a sigh, Duo wound one arm round his shoulders and pressed his lips into thick dark hair. "Let me make love to you before I go."

Heero tensed, muscles hardening under cloth, but he merely set the computer down on the floor and began to unbutton the uniform shirt he wore over his tank top. Duo seized his hand. "Leave this to me." He bent to kiss the knuckles of each finger while he continued to undo the buttons where Heero had let off until he could slip the shirt down over Heero's shoulders. "Know the difference between sex and love?" he murmured, pushing Heero onto his back. Heero closed his eyes as Duo crawled over him, touching his lips with his own as he spoke. "I do."

"You always give too much," Heero said, his voice suddenly raw.

"Maybe." Duo kissed him softly. "Like this?" One hand buried in Heero's hair, he let the other one wander down his flank and over his hip in a deft caress, briefly cupped a firm buttock before sliding between his thighs. "Is this too much?"

Heero let out a tiny groan.

"I take that's a no," Duo breathed, a smile in his tone. "How… 'bout… oh… this?"

He ground his hardness against Heero's hip, while gripping him and pumping slowly through the thick fabric of his denims. The blush that stained Heero's cheeks deepened, fanning out over his neck and chest.

Duo leaned down to kiss him in a slow, systematic way that he knew would drive Heero crazy: hair, brow, eyelids, cheeks. He went on to lick the sheen of sweat from Heero's downy upper lip and flicked his tongue between Heero's lips. He smiled as he watched Heero open his mouth eagerly while keeping his eyes firmly shut. The Perfect Soldier trying to pretend this was not happening; how could it if he did not see it? Duo briefly licked over the rim of his ears, dipped his tongue in and chuckled when Heero jerked – he was ticklish and did not like it because it meant him losing control.

And though he was still fighting it, his body responded forcefully to every one of Duo's touches until he thrust his head back into the pillow and raised his hips. "Damn you, Duo," he grated, seeking pressure and finding it against Duo's thigh between his legs.

"What, baby?" Duo husked in between trailing kisses over Heero's jaw and down his throat, to the hollow of his collarbone, and then to his nipples, first one, then the other. Nice and slowly. The baka could be thorough if he wanted something bad enough, and right now, Heero had his undivided attention, like it or not. Heero's arms flexed as he tried to get out of Duo's grip, but Duo pinned him down, arms up over his head, and bit his nipple for good measure. "Stay put, or I'll leave you high 'n dry."

"Just you… ah… get it… hnnn… ov-" A gurgling sound deep in his throat cut off Heero's demands as Duo's hand delved into his jeans.

"What is it, baby? Will you stay put, hm?" Duo sighed, dizzy at the sight, the feel, the smell of Heero squirming beneath him. He gave the tip of his nose a small lick for emphasis, and Heero managed a hasty nod, teeth gnashing in a last ditch attempt to keep his control.

Fat chance, it crossed Duo's fogged brain as he gazed down at him with hooded eyes. "Yes you will, 'cos you're mine, soldierboy, wherever I go, whatever I do, right?"

No answer. Duo's hand stilled and he shifted backwards, leaving Heero's hips with no purchase. Heero moaned, writhing restlessly, seeking more. "Mine, right?" Duo repeated, giving a quick, hard squeeze with his hand down Heero's pants.

Heero's eyes flew open, round with shock and a stab of pain, and he sucked in a sharp gasp. "Ouch!"

Duo kissed him silent. Heero yanked one arm free and before Duo knew it, snapped the elastic off his braid. Duo's hair fell in a messy cascade around his pale face and bony shoulders. Heero stared up at him, his mind hazed with Duo's scent, his taste, his heat, an expression of awe entering his gaze. "Mine?" he breathed.

Duo smiled, eyes shining as he leaned down to Heero, the cloak of his hair shutting out the world. He knew he had won this skirmish, as always; he was in control now that the Perfect Soldier had lost another battle against himself, otherwise this would not be happening. "No," he skimmed his lips over Heero's chest, "tell me I own you."

Heero reached up, and Duo let him angle one muscular arm round his neck and the other one round his waist. "You don't, baka."

Duo's face darkened. "Don't call me that."

Heero arched up for a kiss – he could not bear Duo sulking, at least not for long, and the little nutter knew it. Well, he was easy to soothe, something that never ceased to amaze Heero who tended to nurture his grudges. Duo was quick to snap and just as ready to forgive insult and worse. "I'll call you what I like, Max- hah!"

"Now you bloody asked for this," Duo drawled, clawing firmly into Heero's soft parts. "Say it!"

"Ah! No!"

"Nooo?"

"Hnn… ouch… fuck… you…"

"Be good first."

"I… I'm… ah… I'm yours." Heero felt himself turn crimson with this weird mixture of hunger, shame and anger that drove him mad at Duo and his own weakness.

"Say sorry," Duo persisted.

He was trying it on. Heero glared up at Duo who still smiled sweetly, albeit with a wicked gleam in his eyes as he rocked his denim-clad groin against Heero's thigh. He was as hard as anything, and Heero let his head fall back with a groan.

"Huh? I didn't get that," Duo all but laughed, rubbing slowly up and down Heero's length.

"To hell with your teasing! Get it on already!"

"Then say it." Duo's voice sunk to a throaty whisper somewhere between command and chuckle, very needy but also extremely, inconveniently stubborn. "I want to hear it from you. Say. Sorry."

"What for?" Heero tried to resist.

"Everything," Duo snapped irrationally, shoving his hand further down, touching Heero where it made him see starbursts.

Heero moaned, eyes clamping shut. "You're nuts!"

"Hell, yeah – so what, should I stop now?"

"No! I'm sorry! I'm damn bloody sorry for whatever! Now, get started, or else-"

"Now, that's a good boy." Without much ado, Duo withdrew his hand and tugged Heero's jeans off him before sitting back. What he saw took his breath away. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he raked his gaze over Heero's naked glory, a pale shadow in the dusky room, muscles and scars and a tuft of darkness from where his hard manhood rose. Heero lay still, panting, eyes smouldering. Duo pulled his lips between his teeth and let his hands wander up Heero's legs, from firm ankles over drawn-up knees to long, well-muscled thighs, to savour the smoothness of pale golden skin. Heero was hot and damp with sweat, and a trail of goosebumps followed Duo's touch until Heero's entire body shivered.

"Whatcha want?" Duo murmured, lowering himself between Heero's legs to cover him with his own bony frame. He still wore his clothes, and having Heero naked beneath him, so apparently defenceless, wanton and open, almost robbed him of his senses.

Predictably, he only received a grunt for an answer and a tentative thrust of slim hips against his groin. He kissed Heero's lips and was sucked into a greedy mouth with a demanding tongue. "Oh no," he gasped when they had to come up for air, "you'll have to tell me, baby, and I'll do whatever you like. As always, ne? You give the orders, I obey?"

They both began to chuckle – Duo was not good at listening, though he would make an effort to stick to discipline when it mattered. Still, Heero would not get off the hook now, they both knew that as well, and so he did that rare thing only Duo could coax him into doing: he yielded, rather gladly, out of breath from pleasure and wanting more. All of it. Oblivion. "Orders?" he puffed, reddening even more but meeting Duo's laughing eyes unflinchingly. "Here we go then, loverboy." And leaned up to breathe softly into Duo's ear, "Kiss me blue, suck me off, fuck me senseless. Got it?"

"In that order?" Duo yapped, breath almost stalling in his lungs.

"And all of it, now."

"Yessir." Duo slithered down and was silent for once; Heero grabbed the pillow and bit down on it to muffle the cries that wrenched from his throat; his eyes turned up and his groin dissolved into fire under Duo's mouth and hands. They tussled briefly, heftily and in silence when Duo wanted to apply some lube and Heero tried to break his wrist to prevent him, but when Duo suddenly stopped and sat back on his haunches, a plaintive look in his eyes, Heero let him have his way with this as well.

It was so sweet, and he hated it. He wanted to be hurt, really hard, but that was about the only thing Duo would refuse him, so it was lube, kiss, stretch and enter, ever so slowly unless he managed to catch Duo unawares and shove himself all the way up on him in one hefty stroke. Not this time though, for Duo held down his hips in a hard grip, thin arms straining with the effort, his face covered in scarlet flecks, sweat dripping from the tip of his nose, mouth half-open with a smile Heero thought silly and tender. 'Like a kid with a surprise present. Does it never stop being a surprise for him?'

Whatever. He had no choice but to be patient and brace himself for a slow burn. Seeing Duo open the tab of his own denims to free his manhood and lube up his weeping flesh drove Heero nearly mad. Duo watched him, the smile never wavering, eyes alight with passion and happiness as he stroked himself until his shaft was slick and glossy. When he was done, he leaned down for a kiss. Heero flung his arms round him to try and drag him in, but Duo stiffened and pressed one hand against Heero's stomach, forcing him into the mattress even as his flesh touched Heero's softness. "Still," he commanded, rather out of breath. He was done teasing. His finger went in first, gently, inserting the lube deeply, before he pushed carefully into the wet heat.

Heero's world drowned in a sea of flames that blinded him, raced through his body and pooled in his groin. He was burning alive while being filled to bursting, completed even as he was hungry for more, deeper, harder, for the pain to offset the waves of ecstasy, for the price to pay for too much bliss, so much unadulterated lust, the fire of life that seared his very soul.

Yet Duo would not allow him to hurt, and Heero all but yelped in frustration while he was splitting with blazing pleasure as Duo stroked his hot spot time and again, in slow, deep, firm thrusts. "Faster," Heero barked, "damn you, now finish me already!"

"So it's over an' done with quickly, hm?" Duo gasped, moving in and staying there for a mindblasting moment, before tilting his hips a little and repeating the whole thing. Heero thrust back, but Duo caught him out and lifted his rear so that he shoved up but not in. With a furious sob, Heero tried again, to no avail, and began to struggle, nails cutting into Duo's waist. "I know what you want," Duo grated, eyes half-closed, wiry body taut as a bow string, "and you're not gettin' it from me."

"To hell with you, why not? I can take it. I want it!"

"No!"

"Coward!"

"Whatever."

"That's... aaah... my line."

Duo bared his teeth in a grin that veered between tortured and blissful. "Hell, yeah, gorgeous." Another slow thrust hitting home. The sound Heero made was almost a wail, but suddenly Duo, still sheathed deeply inside, lay down over him, grasped his wrists and pressed a wild kiss onto his lips. "I cannot hurt you," he snapped hoarsely. "I've tried 'cos you asked me for it. I can't do it." More kisses as Heero let out furious little whimpers; he bucked and writhed in fruitless attempts to force the pace while Duo tried to hold him back. "Stop this! Why d'you want it to hurt? Why can't you just enjoy?"

"But you... you've lived through it, ne?" Heero spat.

Duo gasped and yanked him into a hard hug. Heero trying to share his pain? "You any idea how that feels?" He kissed him, thumbing sweat from his temples. "I wanna make love to you, not shred you until you tear an' bleed. There's no price; you can buy sex, but no one ever bought love from me, gettit? It's my gift to you, it's all I CAN give. I love you. So just fuckin' take it, enjoy, an' stop bloody tormentin' yourself." He shook Heero slightly who clamped arms and legs round him, desperate to hold on, burn up and lose himself in this mind-busting fire Duo stoked in him.

"Why," a harsh gasp, a droplet of sweat sliding down Heero's cheek, or was it a tear, "d'you always go back for more?"

Duo squeezed him even closer, sitting up with Heero riding his lap, and was rewarded with another breathless cry as he pushed deeper still. "I don't," he moaned, trying to hold back while Heero rocked against him, his dark head pressed into the crook of Duo's shoulder, his arms round his neck, his knees up in Duo's armpits and ankles crossed behind Duo's back. 'As though he was clinging on for dear life,' it flashed through Duo's lust-addled brain as he adjusted the angle of his thrusts to make Heero howl softly with every one. The heat in his groin grew knotty and heavy, his legs began to go numb and tingle at the same time, the stiff denim creased uncomfortably against the back of his knees. He brushed a few sweaty bangs from Heero's brow – he wanted to watch him come, the fascinating spectacle of the Perfect Soldier becoming human as he surrendered to the passionate oblivion of a small death.

"Close," Heero groaned helplessly. Duo kissed him, closed his hand round his shaft and thrust once more, sending them both spinning into a blaze of fire. He pressed Heero's trembling, pulsing body close, warm slickness spreading between them, until the last small waves ebbed away. Only then did he allow himself to slacken and slumped back onto the bed with Heero warm and boneless in his arms.

"Thank you." Duo caressed the mop of dark hair.

"Hate it," Heero bit out, right back to what was bothering him. "I'm gonna kill that dumb blond. Shoulda done that when I had a chance, goddammit."

Duo kissed his jaw. "I'll let him know. Now, my shuttle's due in half an hour."

"You kept track of the time?" Heero sounded miffed, but too lazy to get really worked up about this.

Duo smiled, lacing through shiny strands with his fingers. "Hell, yeah. Old habits die hard, ne?"

Heero opened his eyes, probing and wistful. "You just had my ass, and you still wanna leave?"

"Wouldn't you do the same?" Duo sat up and began to rake through his long hair in an attempt to untangle it enough for pleating a braid. Heero watched him for a moment, then he rose and padded into the bathroom. He returned with a damp towel to clean them both up, and a hairbrush. Without another word, he sat down on the edge of the bed, drew Duo against him and began to do his hair. He was finished in record time, and Duo straightened out his clothes – which smelled of sex, he noted with a contented little grin – grabbed his holdall from underneath the bed and was ready to storm off. "Is your ass sore?" he whispered as he bent down to Heero for a quick hug.

Before Heero could think of a fitting retort, Duo laughed and ran for the door. "I'll be back when it's good again!" The door slammed shut behind him, and his steps faded quickly as he bounded down the stairwell.

Heero stared at the brush, a few long hairs caught between the bristles, and sighed. One day, he swore to himself, as always when Duo had steamrollered him, this had to end.

Though it had become rather difficult to fix a date.

xxx

The End