For warnings and disclaimers, please refer previous chapters.

Chapter 7: Body on loan

Okay, his head hurt. He hoped he wasn't concussed. Wait, he was dead, how could he be concussed? But for a deceased person, he felt pretty good. He could feel his lungs working, but wait… where was his heartbeat? He reached for his pulse point, to find the steady rhythm. Right, there it was. But wait, wasn't he dead? How did he manage a heartbeat again?

He got to his feet slowly, spitting out random carpet fibres that must have gotten into his mouth during his 'trip' and brushed off his clothes. He swayed unsteadily, holding onto the bedpost for support.

"I feel like someone rolled a truck over me. Eh," he muttered inching toward the bathroom. He turned the tap on, cupping his hands under the warm running water. He splashed it over his face, letting it drip and trail down his neck, wetting his shirt. He looked into the mirror and gasped.

Duo blinked a few times, trying to make sure his eyes were working right. The reflection didn't change. He had in fact taken over Adrian's abandoned casing, uh, body. It worked! This was easier than he thought it would be.

And Solo made it sound so hard.

He felt good, liberated and freaking hungry. His mouth watered as he thought of downing a large pepperoni pizza with extra garlic. Oh, to have food again. He never thought he would miss eating as second to Heero.

Wait, Heero… A large, almost evil smile curved Duo's lips as he thought of Heero. He would get to see Heero again. He would get to tell him everything he wanted. He would be able to leave Heero without regret, without guilt.

"Ouch," Duo winced, touching the bruise forming on his forehead. It was looking rather impressive and Heero would definitely have a cow when he saw it. Despite the throbbing pain, he smiled, feeling a warm fuzzy that Heero would be caring for him again, as he had all this time.

"Adrian!" A panicked voice thundered through the apartment, coupled with frantic thudding of feet in the living room.

Before Duo could call out where he was, the frightened, panting figure of Heero Yuy appeared behind him. He swung around to face his former lover. Wait, they didn't break up, he died, so technically, they were still together. Perhaps to Heero he was a former lover, since death can make things pretty permanent… in some cases.

"Are you alright?" Heero asked, his worried blue eyes raking over his face searchingly. His expression turned as he noted the large painful looking bruise that Duo knew would have started colouring the left side of his head. "Shit, what happened? Did you hurt yourself?" He reached out and touched the blue black spot tenderly.

Duo couldn't quit staring at Heero. He knew he just saw the other man barely hours ago but something was different. Seeing Heero this way, from the eyes of a warm, flesh-and-blood body, instead of a disembodied ghost, made a whole lot of difference. One big one was the slow pooling of heat in his groin. Something was building up there and he nearly lost it when Heero reached out to touch him. It has only been a few months of missing Heero, how was he supposed to face eternity without him?

Duo leaned eagerly into Heero's calloused palm, the pain in his head forgotten along with the various aches in his body caused by the fall. He inhaled appreciatively, the scent of Heero's favourite cologne filling his senses. He bought Heero that aftershave for their first Valentines.

There was nothing that had changed about his lover, except maybe being a little thinner, a little gaunter, and a lot more haunted. But still, under all that, Heero Yuy still shone through.

And that was the one that prompted Duo into action.

With lightning quick reflexes, Duo curled one hand behind Heero's neck and pulled forward, fusing their lips together.

XXxxXX

Heero Yuy, once Perfect Soldier was shocked to the core. He stood there, silent as a lamb, still as a corpse, the only sound of breathing permeating the air.

He was just standing there.

He was just standing there kissing.

He was just standing there kissing Adrian.

His lips were so soft, so full of love. His body was so firm, so erotic. His hands were so roving where they were not supposed to!

Snapping back to himself, Heero took hold of Adrian's upper arms and pushed him back, staring at the other boy in the eye. The rebuke died on his lips as he looked deep into Adrian's blue eyes. They were so full of pain, so full of regret, so full of hope.

Duo's eyes, Heero thought. Adrian had Duo's eyes.

It was like a slap in the face and Heero thrust Adrian away. How could… how could he have done this? How could he have allowed Adrian to do this? He wiped his lips in self disgust, still unable to get the sweetness of the other boy's lips from his memory. The light touch still lingered there and the loss of contact made him ache.

When had Adrian started feeling something from than familial feelings for him? When had he started losing his phobia of 'people like him'?

"Wha… what are you doing?" Heero stuttered, feeling off balanced. Never had he in his life ever stuttered. But he was doing just that right now.

Adrian was staring at him, his eyes wide with hurt. When did Adrian acquire Duo's imploring look? It was the only look that was able to move Heero Yuy. The other boy also looked thoroughly confused and betrayed!

"I… I…" Adrian began, blinking rapidly as something akin to realisation hit him. He gasped, bringing his fingers to touch his lips. "I don't know why I did that," he said, finally, but from his tone, Heero could see that Adrian did know why he did that.

Heero shook his head. "I took care of you not because I was going to replace Duo. Never that. I did it because… because…" Why did he do it? Because that was the last part of Duo within him? Did that mean he never cared for Adrian? That was wrong as well, he did. The boy had a lovely personality. Endearing too. Was he looking for Duo's replacement?

No! His mind cringed at the thought. But there was something lingering at the back of his mind. Maybe… He was the closest thing to Duo there was. No, no, no, no! He loved Duo and no other.

A parade of emotions ran through his face, mostly he looked ill.

"Heero, are you alright?" Adrian's expression was tight with concern as he reached for the other man.

Heero shrank from the other man's touch. What kind of monster was he? His lover, the love of his life was barely in the grave and here he was thinking of lusting over another man. He deserved to be shot, he deserved to be disembowelled. He wasn't even human. Duo's body wasn't even cold!

Adrian grabbed his shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Heero, what's wrong? Please, answer me," his tone had escalated to worry.

Heero looked in a daze, seeing Adrian's face hovering close by. "Duo's gone, do you know that?" He whispered, not really sure what he was talking about. He just knew he had to make Adrian understand, make Duo understand. "I can't see him anymore."

"Shit," Adrian cursed softly, pulling Heero into a tight hug.

The Japanese man felt arms surrounding him and a pair of warm lips pressed against his temple. Someone was whispering softly in his ear, words of comfort, words of love, words that Duo used to whisper. He wanted so much to bury himself into that chest, whoever it may be that was giving off so much warmth that it was engulfing him. He wanted to imagine that it was Duo and that he had never left. He wanted to just break down. He had never broken down in front of anyone other than his lover, so why did he feel the compulsion to do so now?

"I miss him," Heero choked out, his voice barely a whisper. "I killed him."

Adrian drew in a quick breath and Heero felt the warm body pull away from him. That was it, Heero expected condemnation, he expected to be tossed aside. What he didn't expect was a harsh curse under Adrian's breath, the boy had never cursed so much before, not that he ever did, and…

"Damn it, Heero," Adrian exclaimed. "You did not kill me… Curse everything to hell, I'm… going to throw you onto the bed and ravish your body senseless!"

That was a real bucket of cold water to Heero, as he snapped out of his daze. "What?" He asked incredulously.

Adrian's eyes were impossibly wide and he had both hands clasped over his mouth in complete shock. "Wait, Heero, that's not what I was trying to say. I just wanted to tell you that it's me… that's going to give you the greatest blow job this side of the universe." Another gasp. "No, this isn't fair! What the hell is going on with me?"

Heero sighed, once again resuming the role as the big brother figure in Adrian's life. He shoved whatever niggling doubt there was about their future or their relationship or whatever twisted thoughts he had. What was important now was Adrian's health and his future. Nothing was more important than that. Adrian deserved to be with someone who could love him with all his heart but Heero would never be able to do it, not with Duo's shadow hovering at his every step. Adrian's bumbling attempts at a love confession was rather shocking but Heero knew the other boy's inexperience and instead found them to be endearing.

"Adrian," he rested a hand on the other's shoulder. "You need to get some nice younger… erm… person. I am too old and too jaded. And I will never forget Duo Maxwell." He managed a sad smile for Adrian, who was looking increasingly annoyed. He hoped to God that this wouldn't affect their relationship.

"No, you misunderstand, I just want to tell you that I…" Adrian trailed off, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. "… Am… Your hot gay lover of all time." Blue eyes popped open as another round of cursing ensued. "Shit, shit, shit. Damn you, Steve."

Heero frowned, not perturbed at the weird nonsense Adrian was spewing out. Being rejected must hurt, so it wasn't so surprising that he would try to salvage some of his pride. But he was disturbed at this Steve he was talking about. Heero didn't know Adrian had any friends called Steve. Who was he? Was he the right crowd for this normally shy boy? Would he be the right influence? Was this person the one who turned Adrian away from homophobia? Was this person a love interest? Should he be jealous of this person?

Wait… jealousy, bad. Adrian was his little brother. Nothing more. A small voice in the back of his head mocked him. Heero suddenly felt suffocated. He needed to get out of there. He needed to revaluate their relationship. Just when had Adrian changed from being someone he would take care of to someone he had romantic notions for?

Last month? Last week?

Today, the same voice whispered again. Today when you held him and you thought he was Duo.

Heero blanched at the realisation. While it didn't make him feel any better for betraying Duo's memory, it also didn't make him feel any worse because, once again, it came back to Duo. Would he always live in the shadow of his lover's memory? Would he be able to move on? Would he want to? Those were questions that he had no way of answering, nor was he in the right state of mind to answer them anyway.

"You!" Adrian blurted, causing Heero's eyes to swing back at him.

Heero blinked. Adrian looked like the wrath of God as he stared at a point behind Heero's shoulder. The Japanese man peeked over behind him, half expecting to see some sort of monster standing there. Adrian's expression said nothing less was there. Now he was starting to seriously worry. Did being rejected cause this sort of momentary insanity?

"Adrian?" Heero asked. Suddenly, he needed to get out of there. He needed to just leave this place, where once he felt peace. He shook his head. "Look, I am really not up to this right now. You take care of that bruise alright?" He turned abruptly, trying to make a quick exit. He practically ran out of there but he noted with some pain that Adrian didn't come after him.

He cursed his fickle heart and his fragile emotions. Just what did he want with Adrian? He wanted to get away from him, yet he wished that the boy had come after him. He stopped about two blocks away from Adrian's home, panting for breath.

Perhaps this was for the best. Perhaps this was meant to be.

He would always be alone.

XXxxXX

Solo was freaking pissed.

He was freaking pissed with Duo.

"What. The. Bleeding. Heck. Do. You. Think. You. Are. Doing?" Solo growled at his baby brother.

Duo looked chagrined but still defiant. Deep down, he felt this was due him. After all, it was Adrian's fault that he was in this mess. He wouldn't have tried to steal Adrian's body from him, but right now, the boy was dead and thus this casing was a free for all.

"You have just committed an unauthorised possession of an abandoned husk. That is punishable by divine law," Solo looked absolutely scandalised. "I just left you for barely a day."

"Well, you shouldn't have left me at all!" Duo protested, not really sure what he was protesting. "You didn't tell me Adrian was going to die," he accused.

Solo sighed. "I suspected, but I really couldn't be sure."

Duo merely stared accusingly at Solo.

"Look, if God decides that it is his time, then it is his time."

"I was a mistake," Duo reminded his friend snippily.

Solo jerked as if slapped. "Alright, I deserved that. Okay, I knew that something like that would happen soon. I saw it actually. You were taking over Adrian like a freight train."

"Take… over?" Duo stammered, suddenly feeling sick. So this was his fault after all? Just as Adrian caused his death, he had murdered Adrian in the same manner?

Solo gasped, realising Duo was taking it the wrong way. "Shit, no, Duo, you didn't kill him. He was supposed to have died anyway. He was living on borrowed time anyway. It was just a matter of when." His voice gentled as an arm crept around Duo's shoulder. Duo was surprised that he could feel Solo's touch. Perhaps he wasn't completely alive as he thought he was?

"I don't understand," Duo muttered in a small and confused voice.

"Duo, I told you once that he was living off the soul from your heart remember?" Solo waited until Duo nodded. "Well, there is so much that he can live off. Because, sooner or later, the soul will still fail. When it is your time, it is your time. We always learn that at orientation camps."

Duo leaned into Solo, feeling a little better, but still stinging under Heero's rejection. He knew it wasn't Heero's fault but still.

"Come," Solo coaxed. "Let's get you out of this body."

"But… but… I can't! It will kill Heero to find Adrian dead. It's… it's like this last damn link to me. I can't…" Duo looked imploringly at Solo.

Solo couldn't afford to cave under those puppy eyes. If anyone found out they had been possessing abandoned bodies, there would be Hell to pay, pun not intended. "No, Duo, this is wrong. We will deal with Heero in another way. We can't afford to attract anymore attention to ourselves. You are already missing without leave. If the Archangels look for you for an interview, we could all get into hot soup."

Duo pouted, his expression warring between conceding and worry. "Okay, but I am not going back until I make sure Heero isn't going to jump off any tall structures."

Solo nodded. "Okay, you out of a body is much easier to hide… and you give off less auras."

"Auras?" Duo echoed.

Solo shook his head. "Never mind that. Just get out of there please. Close your eyes and imagine yourself floating out."

Duo nodded, following Solo's instructions. The two stood there frozen for several minutes. Then, a pair of blue eyes now tinges ever so slightly with violet highlights opened.

"Solo…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm stuck."

Tbc…