Another Chance

You know the name

Cursing, adult themes and some angst

'Oh man, oh man, oh man...' was the mantra running through Heero's head as he stared at his ex-love. 'What the hell is he doing here?' He questioned harshly. Duo was definitely not supposed to be standing in his older brother's car shop looking like he had stepped right out of a GQ magazine.

The years had been too good to Duo Maxwell.

He had aviator sunglasses sitting atop a mass of chestnut locks that traveled past his waist in a tight braid. He had a rugged look about him that hadn't diminished over the years. He was wearing a body hugging white t-shirt with short sleeves that showed every plane on his body: from the broad shoulders, to the tight protruding pecs and down the washboard abs. He remember those abs, quite vividly; outlining each bulge of muscle with the very tip of his finger in the back of his Dad's '69 Blue RS/Z28 Chevy Camaro. His slim hips were encased in a pair of tight Levi's that hid absolutely nothing from the imagination. He looked at the natural bulge at the juncture of his thighs and remembered a time when he...

Oh dear. Heero fought hard to contain the blush that was traveling from his neck to spread over his face. 'Dear Lord, how can he still have the same effect on me after all these years?'

"...doing here?"

Heero caught the tail end of Akira's one-sided conversation and couldn't fight the blush this time. He looked up at him with an apologetic smile across his face.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

Akira smiled and shook his head. He gently rapped against Heero's skull. "I see you haven't changed too much. Is anyone in there?" He chuckled before repeating. "I said..."

Heero tuned Akira out again as he stared at the handsome man behind him. He felt himself, once again, lost in the sea of purple.

"Heero!"

Heero jumped, "What?" Geez, can't he just stare a little while. 'No, what am I doing? This is Duo Maxwell! The boy who dumped you and didn't think twice about it. He is no one to even think about let alone stare at! Have you lost your mind?' He chided himself and...

"Heero Kiyoshi Yuy!"

"Yes," he cried as he stared at a scowling Akira, if he turned his head a bit he could catch a glimpse of smirking violet eyes.

"What is your problem? You haven't been here for more than an hour and already you're ignoring me. And it," Akira paused as he caught sight of Heero's far away look, "it looks like you're ignoring me again. Heero!"

Heero mentally and physically shook himself from the hypnotic gaze. He saw Miri hide her smile and felt his face warm.

Akira noticed his little brother's attention focused behind him and turned. "Just what is so...oh." He felt a smile creep onto his face as he turned back to look at Heero. 'So that's what has got your attention...or should I say who...' He smirked to himself and grabbed Heero's hand.

"Akira, what're you doing?" Heero whispered harshly as Akira pulled him into the direction of his childhood sweetheart.

"To introduce you to an old friend," he said glibly.

Heero scowled at his older brother's back and tried to get his hand back. "I know just who that is," he said yanking all the way.

"Well, reintroduce you," he corrected before stopping in front Miri and Duo. He smiled pleasantly, as if nothing was wrong and winked at Miri who was giggling openly.

"Duo," he noticed his friend's attention on his little brother who was, for all he was worth, staring at anything and everything but him.

"Yo," he said smoothly and Heero's head, without his permission, swivelled towards the sound. Duo's voice, oh man... Back when they were younger an utter from his heavenly mouth could make his knees weak but now...now he felt his whole body turn to jelly.

"You remember Heero, don't you? Well, of course you do. You both had a little," he stopped short by a dainty elbow hitting him rather viciously in the ribs. He turned to look at the prime suspect with question in his eyes but she just shook her head. 'Later,' she mouthed and turned back to the two young men who were having a staring contest.

He coughed, "Well, uh you remember the details. And Heero," he placed a hand against his back to push him forward. Duo and Heero were about a foot apart. "I just know you remember Duo."

Heero vowed to get his brother back, by any means necessary, nothing would hold him back. But that would be later. Right now, he was silently commanding his arm to come up so he could shake hands with Duo who was looking at him a bit too intimately. He cleared his throat and shook his head. His arm finally decided to listen to him and struck out with his palm open.

"I remember. It's been a long time, Duo." His voice came out steady and he patten himself on the back mentally. 'Good boy.' He noted, with a smirk, that a frown appeared on Duo's handsome features and confusion was swimming in his unique eyes.

"Uh," damn that sexy voice, "it has been a long time." Duo shook away the shock and let a smile slip onto his face. He grabbed onto Heero's hand, and took his time returning the physical greeting.

'God damn that smile.' Heero thought as he wrestled his hand from Duo's firm yet gentle grasp.

"You look," beautiful eyes swept over him and he felt his insides turn to mush, "good."

"As do you," he replied indifferently. Silence reigned between them and, he noted for the first time, the whole garage.

Heero looked back to see everybody, no exaggeration, in the garage watching them unite-again. He even saw some holding various snacks in hand, seeming enraptured in the event. Their eyes were glued to them as if they were a soap opera. 'Someone save me,' he thought.

"So...why don't we take this little, uh...let's just go into your office," Miri smiled referring to Akira's office.

'Thank you!'

"I agree, let's move this into the office," Heero sidestepped Akira and Duo, grabbed Miri's hand and led her into the office.

Akira and Duo looked at each other before sharing a smile.

Akira watched as Duo went to catch up with his siblings and he turned back to his workers. "Okay guys! Shows over. Get back to work!" He heard various moans and groans, the usual, and watched them get back to their work stations.

He turned and walked into the office, closing the door behind him to see Miri and Duo sitting comfortably in the chairs while Heero was staring outside the window. He shook his head as he sat on the corner of his desk.

"So, I gotta ask," he said to Heero, "what are you doing here?"

Heero sighed, not quite ready to spill his reasons. Plus Duo was here and he really didn't want to say anything personal around him. Not that he thought Duo would run and tell but...actually, that's exactly the reason. 'The snake,' he thought in reference to Duo. 'Another time,' he could curse Duo and call him all the names in the book but now wasn't the time.

"It's been too long," he finally said as he looked at the man walking his dog on the sidewalk. "It's been eight years and that's eight too many." He turned around and felt Duo's eyes on him but refrained from looking. If he did, he'd be lost and wouldn't be able to look away. 5 minutes ago was perfect proof of that.

"You got that right, I was wondering when you were going to find your way back." Akira smiled, "It's real good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Heero smiled. A sniffle was heard through the room and Heero didn't even need to look to see who it was.

Duo handed Miri a box of tissues and patted her back softly.

"Thanks Duo. You're a doll," she cried into her saturated tissue.

"Ah, Miri." Akira cried as he shifted on the desk, "Don't you ever stop crying?" He joked.

Miri set a glare on him and replied, "Shut up."

He held his hands in mock surrender.

"I just think she's hungry. She always starts bawling when she's hungry," Duo put in and laughed at Miri's expression.

"Not you too!" She fought the smile that was appearing despite her best efforts.

"Just stating the truth," Duo jumped from his chair to avoid being knocked out by Miri's purse. "Keep that up and I'll be sure to tell Collin what you've been doing," he teased.

"Oh yeah, and I'll definitely vouch for it." Akira supported.

Heero laughed as he saw his sister's face transform from sad, to shock and settling on mad as hell.

Tears long gone, she stared at Duo and Akira. "And just what have I been doing?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," they smiled simultaneously.

She huffed and folded her arms over her chest.

"Don't worry Miri," Heero to the rescue, "you got me on your side."

"And whose to say you're safe too," Duo asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Heero teased back. "Who's going to come after me, huh?"

"The big bad wolf, that's who." A delicious wink.

Heero decided to ignore the ambiguous answer and settled on, "I'm shaking in my shorts."

A feral grin broke out on Duo's face. "You should be."

Heero felt his breath come short, not just from Duo's oh so sexy smile but from his words too. He had a feeling that they were no longer talking about saving Miri from some big bad wolf.

"Uh, yeah," Akira spoke.

Miri looked at Akira, noting the confusion in his eyes-he was no doubt trying to keep up with their conversation. 'Well he's hopeless,' she said to herself. A plan was forming in her mind and she almost cackled with glee at the greatness of it. Maybe later she could run it through Akira...probably when he was more coherent.

"Actually," Duo shook himself from Heero's capturing gaze, "food does sound pretty good right now. That's why I came here, to get Akira to go have lunch with me. Yall wanna join?" Miri had started to decline earlier but she didn't get a chance to explain so he figured he'd throw it back onto the table once more.

Heero's heart jumped at the thought of being in Duo's presence an extended period of time. 'Damn my hormones and damn my...,' Heero stopped himself from saying the dreaded 'H' word, 'if I keep away from him, I won't possibly be able to get hurt again.'

"Sorry Duo, but Heero and I were gonna go see Haru once we finished up here. You understand," Miri answered looking at Duo. She'd have to start her plan at another time. She could see that Heero was having a war within himself and she really wanted to get his view on a few things.

Duo nodded, "Of course, I understand." He looked to Heero, "How about a rain check?"

"We'll see," Heero said simply. "We better get going," he walked to Akira and hugged him tight.

"After Haru's where are yall going?"

"To see Mom and then back home. I'm not sure what we'll do after that."

"Okay, maybe we can set something up. Family wise tonight and tomorrow, some old friends. Whaddya say?" Akira let Heero go and looked at him.

"We'll see how things go." He made his way to the door as Miri hugged Akira and Duo. "Bye Akira." He waved and looked back to Duo who was smiling something wicked at him. "Bye Duo," he whispered and walked out the office door to say goodbye to Johnny, Tommy Lee and a few other old friends.

Miri came out to join him, calling out to various people along the way. Once she'd caught up with him, he gave her his arm and they walked back to the car.

'One brother down, one to go.' Was his thought as they sped off down the road.

Well, there's that chapter. Short I know. Sorry, the other one should have a little more oomph to it. Review me. Lemme know whatcha thought!

I must say BrainyPsycho that you look way too sexy in drag. I've updated now! Sing for me more? Do a little dance? I want it all!