UNDERLYING AGENDA

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The apartment was no longer quiet when Duo bustled through the front door, his arms so overloaded that he had to nudge the door shut with his booted heel. Setting the goody bags on the counter, Duo tossed his jacket aside and enthusiastically began unpacking them. "Zechs Merquise," he called. "Are you here?"

After Duo's departure, Zechs spent the whole of the day trying to convince himself that he wasn't the least bit concerned of the younger man's whereabouts. Duo was street smart, he told himself as jogged on the treadmill. He can handle anyone or anything, he decided later while catching up with the day's news and sport. By the time he crawled into bed and picked up his nightly read, he was worried shitless. It was a blessing to hear the clamor of his presence again. "In here, Duo!" Zechs abandoned his book of poetry on the end table and propped himself up against the pillows, chuckling as Duo pressed his face stupidly against the glass. "Come in, you goof."

Popping his head in, Duo lit up his boyish good looks with a charming grin. "Guess who's got a surprise for you?" he asked in an enthusiastic sing-song voice.

"Duo… what the hell…?"

"Uh-uh!" Duo returned after changing into more comfortable clothes. "No peeking!"

"How could I? You've practically mummified my face with this tie."

"Can you breathe?"

"Yes."

"Then quit your bellyaching."

Zechs would have rolled his eyes if he was able.

The bed gave beneath Duo's weight and Zechs turned in his general direction, a steady surge of adrenaline pumping through his body. He heard a rustle of what sounded like butcher paper, and Zechs instinctively licked his lips as he caught the smell of freshly grilled beef. He began salivating profusely and suddenly realized he'd been so all-consumed with Duo that he hadn't eaten.

Partially unwrapping the gourmet burger, Duo sat up on his knees in front of the patiently sitting Zechs and poised the burger just beneath his nose. "Smell good?"

"God, yes." Zechs nodded, parted his lips and Duo watched him intently as he took a tentative bite, chewed, and caught a stray dab of spicy mustard from the corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue. Unable to see and the silence awkward, he began to laugh.

The sound was dark and smoky and already a favorite of Duo's. "Well, what's the verdict?"

"It's divine," he whispered. He caught something else in the air. "What else have you brought me?"

"What makes you think that?" Duo teased, fishing out a small carton from the bag and munching rather loudly on the goody inside.

It was Zechs's turn to grin, "A great burger is never without its delectably starchy sidekick. Come on…let me have one."

"Open up, then." Touching the delicate sweet potato fry against the crease of his lips, Zechs captured it and drew it in, the sensual ease of the gesture making Duo's cock stir in appreciation. Sitting on the nightstand were two glasses of red wine. Duo carefully grabbed one and gave it a gentle swirl before offering it to him, quickly downing his own in vain attempt to cool down the incessant heat of arousal. "Try this." Zechs brought the glass to his own lips but the beauty of his mannerisms never faltered.

Savoring the vintage, Duo watched as Zechs's lips receded in a genuine smile, the beautiful teeth and pink gums startlingly beautiful to see. "Is this my..?"

"Some people take towels. I prefer bottles of truly exquisite wine."

"You like wine? "

"I like your wine," Duo said, touching his empty crystal glass against Zechs's. "I could drink it with anything."

"That includes dessert," Zechs responded matter-of-factly, smiling behind his wineglass.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?"

"I wasn't appointed second to General Kushrenada for nothing, Mr. Maxwell." Zechs felt Duo shift again and readied himself with a slight part of his lips. Zechs had a secret sweet tooth not easily quieted that always left him madly anticipating the dessert course like a fat kid loves cake. Noin was the only one who caught on, lovingly emptying the candy wrappers and melted chocolates from the pockets of his OZ jacket every chance she got.

Duo quietly unveiled the dark chocolate truffle from its wrapper with nervous fingers. "Can't argue with that," he said. He got up on his knees and leant forward to touch the melting chocolate round to Zechs's lips, and whether it was an act of fate or innate clumsiness, it almost immediately fell from between his oily fingers to land on the pristine white fabric of Zechs's draw string pants.

Through the tiny gap in his blindfold, Zechs saw it all. He watched the young American debate between giving him the truffle or planting one on him with increasing hope that he'd take a chance and choose the latter. When it looked like he'd been relying on false hope, the truffle fell and plopped on the leg of his pants, and Zechs found himself taking his own chances as Duo became temporarily sidetracked with the newly made mess.

It was now or never.
"Cra'ap!" Duo looked around frantically for something. "I'm so freakin' stu-!"

Grabbing him firmly by the hips, Zechs pulled him into his arms and kissed him.

A/N: Hello readers! I do apologize for taking forever to update. I've recently started pursuing my second degree and have a lot of projects in the making, but I'll do my best to update AT LEAST once per month. I have a definitive direction for this fic, just not enough time to put it all down on paper. Thank you for staying tuned! As always, please take a moment to write a short review/flame/what have you. All feedback is welcome!