Chapter 2 – Here's my Hello (Between Episodes 8 & 9)
o/ You turn me on
Now don't turn it off
Cause I don't want to fade out tonight.
Your lips are the sweetness,
Your body's the sin.
A single touch and my skin is electrified /o
Heero Yuy swung gracefully down from his Gundam and stalked across the sand with a stony glare. He didn't give the other pilot a chance to breathe before fisting a hand in his shirt, throwing him roughly up against the leg of his Gundam and demanding an answer. "Why did you follow me?"
Out over the ocean, the sun was just sinking beyond the horizon line, casting a last amber glow against the clear and darkening sky. In the sheltered cove where they'd landed, waves sloshed around Duo Maxwell's ankles as he considered how best to answer the boy in front of him. It was the first time they'd been close to really get a good look at his face and Duo was startled to realize that the dark eyes hidden under the mop of messy brown hair were actually an intense shade of midnight blue.
What had possessed him to turn the carrier around and follow this pilot away from the base? The act of disarming the missiles had been a near suicide-mission and it was unlikely any of them would have made it out alive if he hadn't succeeded. That alone was amazing and curious – something he himself hadn't even thought of attempting at the time. Still, Duo was pretty sure his intrigue now went beyond a vague life-debt, even if he couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly it was about this person that had so caught his attention. The only thing he could admit to being sure of was the fact that he wanted to know more.
Unable to ignore the tingling in his fingers or the buzzing in his ears, he tilted his head and offered a grin, deciding that, as always, the best option was the truth. Lifting one hand to casually brush the hair out of his eyes, he shrugged and answered simply. "Intuition."
If it was possible, Heero's eyes narrowed even further with distain as he icily hissed, "Excuse me?" The pilot in front of him certainly didn't see the severity of this infringement on his personal space, and then to answer so flippantly! Heero's blood boiled and he couldn't resist the urge to raise his right fist and take a swing at Duo's ever-cheerful face.
Luckily, Duo had the good sense to have expected that his response might evoke such a reaction after everything that had happened and so he promptly twisted out of Heero's grip to duck the punch. It was an automatic response to try and take a return swing, but he didn't quite bother putting all of his energy into it.
Heero easily caught Duo's offending fist, but stalled to return another of his own as their eyes met and they both realized the futility of it all. Not that Heero was pleased, and his glare remained intense as he finally released his grip on Duo to turn and stalk up the beach. He didn't pause as he turned to call back to other pilot, "If you plan to continue following me, help me hide the Gundams."
Duo took a moment to straighten his clothes as he watched Heero's retreating form, sure that he'd just been given as much invitation as he would probably ever get. He couldn't help but be slightly amused at how antisocial and aggravated Heero appeared to be, as if Duo had gotten far more under his skin now than when they had first met. He's an odd one, that's for sure… but anyone who would reset their own leg or jump off a building and not properly use their parachute has got to have a few screws loose.
As his fellow pilot started to blend into the dusk, Duo started after him, jogging across the beach and into the dunes separating the shore from the forest. He tucked his hands behind his head in a carefree and nonchalant manner as he came up beside him and mirrored his steps. "So… I'm assuming that you already have some sort of plan for what to do next?" He watched as Heero quickly scouted the area, searching for the best place to conceal their Gundams.
Heero nodded as his gaze was focused on the far off landscape. "After we've hidden the Gundams, we'll be infiltrating a civilian boarding school as students. It's just over a mile north of here and we can easily access it from the shoreline," Heero explained plainly. A school was the safest place for them to blend in until things blew over and if anything did go wrong, Heero had to admit, if only to himself, that it would be useful to have another Gundam around. For the most part Duo seemed to be his ally, despite the fact that during their first meeting he'd shot Heero twice.
Still, it annoyed Heero to have a tagalong off the battlefield. Duo wasn't what he'd consider a friend - Heero didn't have friends. It didn't help that this particular braided pilot seemed to make a pastime out of getting under his skin and generally pissing him off.
Heero came out of his thoughts as his eyes settled on a good sized cave nearby. It looked secluded enough and would be difficult to access without proper ropes, which he had, but most students wouldn't if they accidentally stumbled across it. Satisfied he turned to head towards the beach.
Duo followed Heero back to the beach after he'd located the cave, studying his body language and also turning over their earlier meetings in his mind. It was obvious that the other pilot was annoyed with him, and yet, that only made Duo want to get under his skin even more. He couldn't help that he was a tease, for a life on the streets had given him a twisted sense of humor and the habit of making light of times and things that he should probably take more seriously. He wondered if he'd be ducking more punches before the night was through.
When Heero climbed wordlessly back into his Gundam, Duo did the same, following him to the cave and retrieving his duffle bag before they scaled down the rocky wall and started hiking towards the school. He couldn't complain about Heero's plan, since he didn't really have one of his own, but he doubted how well it would work until he saw Heero pull a laptop out of his backpack.
Apparently he's not only an ace pilot, ridiculously strong and impervious to pain, but also some sort of genius hacker… Duo couldn't keep the smirk off of his face as he watched Heero's eyes scanning the screen, his hands typing rapidly, and he made a point of sitting down in the grass right beside him. And as if that wasn't enough of an invasion of personal space, he leaned into Heero to peer at the screen, so close their heads almost bumped. "Ooo… sign me up for marine science and technology!" he enthused.
If Heero noticed how close Duo was sitting to him, he didn't show it as he wordlessly continued clacking away on the laptop taking care of the usual – finances, classes, boarding, uniforms. He already had a layout of the grounds downloaded on his desktop and he scanned it briefly to figure out the best route to their dorm room once on the campus.
Satisfied, he turned to regard Duo, who was still unnervingly close as he calmly explained, "We're now officially students at this school. Tonight we have to slip into the dorm unnoticed and tomorrow it'll be off to marine science," Heero said, almost teasing, a bit amused by Duo's show of interest in such a strange subject. "If things go well, we'll be gone before the administration even figures out we're here."
Heero finally stood, putting distance between himself and the other pilot as he tucked his laptop back in his bag and prepared to hike towards the school. They still had a long night ahead of them and the sooner they got started, the better.
Duo couldn't help but chuckle softly at Heero's response and he slung an arm loosely over his companion's shoulders once he had finished repacking the laptop. "Heeeero," he drawled slowly to make sure that the other boy was aware that he'd finally learned his name. "I wouldn't have guessed you have a sense of humor."
Truthfully, Duo was pleased to see some depth of humanity from the perfect little soldier, even if he tried to hide it, and it gave him hope that they might have real conversations in the near future. He knew that caring about anyone else while on this mission was in some way a liability, but after seeing all of the pilots come together at the base, he couldn't help but want to connect with the only people who had any real idea of what he was going through. "I'll follow your lead," he added as an afterthought, unable to keep the bemusement off of his face or out of his voice.
While Heero wasn't particularly thrilled to have the lanky boy draped all over him, he didn't shove him away either. Duo was turning out to be slightly better company than Heero would have expected, if only because he didn't seem to mind letting Heero take the lead. As long as Duo wasn't jeopardizing their position, Heero wasn't going to argue with him about his odd behavior.
It didn't take the two boys long to reach their new campus, and seeing as it was well after midnight the only people out and about were a few guards. Once in the front gate of the grounds Heero led them to the left to scale around a small set of gardens before they ran into the school's outer wall and followed the perimeter of the building instead.
They had made it around the back by the time Heero paused to pull out his computer to check the map. It only took him a handful of seconds to verify the data he needed, but the light from the screen had attracted attention to them. In the distance a guard's flashlight spun to point in their direction and it was quickly joined by a second and third that began to advance towards them.
Heero swore, but didn't run as he tore through his bag for a grappling gun and a length of rope. He quickly slung his bag over his shoulder and tied one end of rope to the grappling before taking aim. Heero aimed the grappling at the tip of the stone roof, satisfied as he fired it and heard a crunch as it became embedded firmly in the building. He gave it a sharp tug to be sure it was secure before handing the gun to Duo. "If you pull the trigger again, it will reel you up to the roof, so be prepared," he hissed in explanation before swiftly shimmying up the other length of rope still in his hand.
Duo wasn't sure if he should be touched by the fact that Heero seemed to actually care about his safety at all… or insulted by the fact that he also seemed certain that he could climb the rope more quickly and thus leave Duo to the "easy" method. Is he protecting me or just trying to make himself look bad-ass and crazy again? Either way…
The lights were rapidly closing in and Duo made one of his usual impetuous decisions. Kicking his feet against the brick wall for momentum, he pulled the trigger to head upwards. The gun shot him swiftly into the air and he reached to wrap his free arm around Heero's hips, dislodging him from the other rope rather violently in the process. He might get a punch thrown at him again for such a brash move, but wasn't it a hell of a lot faster to go together, no matter the possible blow to the perfect soldier's pride? "Waa-hoo!" he cheered softly, ever-amused by his own antics. Hmm… better hope this thing holds out!
Heero had to resist all urges to yell loudly or punch out his companion, seeing as he wanted to remain undercover, and he managed to keep a level head as they flew effortlessly upwards towards the roof. Heero held Duo's arm unnecessarily tight briefly to keep from falling, but he hoisted himself above the roofline first. He was obviously seething with anger, but chose to ignore Duo as he turned to the edge to quickly hoist up his rope and yank the grappling out of the building. He remained near the edge as he peered over it to spy on the few guards clustered below them who inspected the area but quickly moved on.
It was then that Heero turned to direct his glare upon the reckless pilot in response to his little stunt. He didn't bother to yell, but he made a point of harshly shoving Duo with his shoulder as he passed. He knew the guards wouldn't bother looking for them all the way up here - they had probably thought it was just a few students out of bed. Still, the faster they made it to their room the better.
Duo licked his lips to suppress the laugh, but had no luck with the smirk. Heero's temper had become his newest favorite toy, just one more thing in the list that made him undeniably drawn to the other pilot. He was so different from Duo and yet somehow the same, but also completely unlike anyone he'd ever known. As if that makes any sense…as if he makes any sense…
o/ Can't get a grip now
I'm in too deep.
Give me a taste of your love
Then you're gone
How can I catch you and swallow you whole
With a sway of your hips I lose control /o
Duo watched Heero head towards the door on the roof that surely led inside, his eyes traveling from the dark hair down the rigid back and to the slim hips before he finally stopped staring and hurried to catch up. Heero was stuck with him now - there wasn't any turning back at this point, after all.
Heero struggled with his thoughts as they made their way into the building. On one hand he was annoyed with Duo for acting so brash, but all's well that end's well, isn't it? The braided pilot hadn't blown their cover and in fact he'd helped them get away even faster. And yet Heero still found his skin crawling in annoyance as he thought back on the event. Why was it that everything concerning Duo seemed to annoy and confuse him all at the same time?
By the time they'd reached their dorm room Heero was exasperated with himself as much as with Duo. He made quick work of the lock and was relieved when he was finally able to dump his bag on the ground and shut the door behind them. Now they would be safe for a few hours until it was time to attend classes, and Heero felt some of the tension ease out of his shoulders as he sat down on one of the twin beds. He found his eyes wandering to the other pilot, whom he realized looked as exhausted as he himself felt, and Heero found some of his anger ebbing away. They were stuck in this together for now and they would only make things worse for themselves by fighting constantly. As strange as Duo is, he doesn't deserve the short end of my temper.
Duo dropped his duffel bag the moment they were inside the room, glancing around at the meager surroundings. Two beds, two desks, a closet and a door that probably led to a bathroom. It was probably just like every other boarding school-university-type dormitory. Living on the streets before taking refuge in an orphanage, Duo felt vaguely out of place in his current scholastic surroundings. He covered this awkwardness with his usual brand of humor, flopping down beside Heero on the bed and nudging him with an elbow. "Hey Roomie, what if I decide I want this bed? Do I have to fight you for it?"
He said all of this with a heavy dose of charm and smarm, hoping that it covered up the fact that he was a little out of his element. However, he knew very well how to get along with people of all shapes and sizes thanks to his years on the street, so he was sure tomorrow wouldn't be a problem. Despite that social ease, he was having a lot of trouble reading Heero beyond a surface level and hadn't yet figured out why he couldn't seem to win him over.
Perhaps more importantly, he hadn't yet figured out why it was so important to him to succeed at such a task in the first place.
Heero had to wonder briefly if Duo had some sort of suicide wish or if this was really just his personality. It seemed to him Duo was trying to provoke him, though he couldn't fathom why. Deciding to remain unerringly calm, he replied, "Only if you want to go hungry tonight." A rumbling gurgling sound seemed to emanate from both boys' stomachs at the mention of food and Heero had to hold back a small smirk.
Duo let out a long and dramatic sigh and finally let just a little of his façade slip, his smile softening as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall. "I'll admit to being ill-prepared for this venture. I might have half a candy bar stuffed in my bag somewhere." He shrugged rather ruefully at Heero, waiting to see how the genius had already solved this dilemma too. As much fun as he was having provoking Heero, maybe he ought to lay off for awhile and give them both a small respite to relax a little.
Even if Duo hadn't relinquished the bed, he wasn't about to starve the kid. "We'd best make this quick then," Heero urged as he stood back up, grabbing a few small tools from his bag as he headed to the door. Peeking out into the hall, he motioned for Duo that the coast was clear and silently moved down the hallway. At the end on the right stood their destination – two brightly lit vending machines filled to the brim with cakes, snacks, and sodas. Within fifteen seconds Heero had the locks popped open and swung the door back to allow them to take whatever they wanted.
Being a master lock-picker himself, Duo was deeply impressed by how quickly Heero broke into the machines and he wasn't too proud to not tell him so. "Smooth," he murmured softly into Heero's ear as he leaned forward to peruse the contents of the vending machine. His braid slid over his shoulder and brushed against Heero's arm, but Duo wasn't paying attention to it.
"Mmm… cheese and sugar and starch and sugar. Wholesome goodness." He helped himself to packages of crackers and cheese, some tiny and delicate cakes, more candy, several bottles of juice and water, plus a can of soda. "Please tell me you hacked us into the dining hall program for tomorrow," he whispered.
The combination of Duo's breath on his neck and hair softly caressing his arm had stopped the perfect soldier in his tracks. He felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped unceremoniously over his head and he shivered involuntarily. The sensation only further fueled his internal confusion about his current companion.
Duo's rambling about food brought Heero back to his senses and he replied softly, "Yes, we should be able to have breakfast there in the morning. This is just to hold us over." By then he had selected a few bags of pretzels and some shortbread cookies to go with his water and juice, not wanting to be too hyped on caffeine to sleep when he actually had a bed. Heero shut the machines behind them and followed Duo back to their room, his piercing gaze never leaving the other pilot's back as his thoughts continued to try and analyze what had just happened.
Once they were back in the room, Duo kicked off his boots before flopping on the bed with his stash of junk food. He wasted no time in tearing open a cake and shoving it into his mouth, spraying a few crumbs as he spoke. "Thanks." Now that they were alone and relatively safe, Duo felt his guard finally start to drop a little bit. "It's been awhile since I had the chance for a good night's sleep. S'never really restful with on eye always open, y'know?" He ripped open a package of crackers and crammed two of them into his mouth before cracking open the can of soda, already feeling the sugar from the cake zipping through his system.
After Heero had slipped off his sneakers and placed them neatly next to the door with his socks, he joined Duo on the other end of the bed. With all the snacks between them, Heero popped open a bag of pretzels and nodded his head in agreement to Duo's comment as he watched the other boy eat. For perhaps the first time Heero was forced to stop and really consider the similarity between himself and Duo. He understood the other pilot's situation because it was his own, but he didn't understand why that made him feel less isolated. As he finished swallowing a pretzel, Heero reflected, "We should enjoy it while we can."
As Heero reached for his second bag of pretzels, he noticed he was lagging behind in finishing his snacks. Duo had already torn through one of his cakes and was hastily stuffing a second in his mouth. With the way he was eating them, Heero was surprised the boy was able to breath. He quirked a half eyebrow as he commented, "Ravenous much?"
Duo froze with his hand halfway to his mouth with another cake and colored sharply. He didn't say anything for a moment, since he was still finishing the previous cake, but averted his eyes until he'd swallowed the rest of it, his cocky demeanor fractured just a little. Out of very old habit, he was used to being the observer and trying to go unnoticed, so it always unnerved him just a little when someone studied him as closely as Heero seemed to be doing in that moment.
"I, ah…" he started, finally looking up again, shaking his long bangs out of his eyes with a soft chuckle. "I've been a little too busy to even think about eating lately," he admitted with a shrug. The regretful look disappeared from his face in a moment, though, as he reached for his can of soda, took a gulp and grinned. "It's too bad, really, because I love to eat. The dining hall tomorrow morning is going to be a feast."
Duo's momentary slip in demeanor didn't go unnoticed by Heero, but the stoic pilot chose at first to let it go as he fixed the other boy with a searching gaze. He was perplexed by the braided boy's endearing optimism. It seemed to him that someone in Duo's position would simply be putting up a happy façade, but he only sensed sincerity from his strange companion.
The strangest part of it was that he felt the slightest urge to laugh in response to that enthusiasm and that confused him further. How could someone in the same perilous and admittedly fucked-up situation he was in take it all so lightly? How could he sit there eating cakes and acting like he didn't have a care in the world? Internally, Heero was still tearing himself apart over what had happened earlier that day and in the face of Duo's banter, he found himself growing even more agitated. "I don't know how you can talk like that at a time like this," he muttered sharply, his eyes narrowing. He knew he was contradicting himself, joking around one moment and being snappishly rude in the next, but being around Duo just left him feeling so… jumbled.
Duo recoiled a little from the harsh reply, setting his soda down on the desk beside the bed before turning to face Heero, his hands braced on his thighs as he leaned forward. "I know things are unsettled and confusing right now," he started carefully. "But if it wasn't for you disarming those missiles, none of us would have gotten out alive."
He could handle people who were rude and abrasive, but it pushed his buttons when that extended to someone trying to make him feel stupid or inferior. Not to mention what a hypocrite he's being, making a joke one minute and snapping at me the next. He knew that Heero's behavior probably had more to do with what was going on around them than anything he'd actually said or done, but he couldn't help finally throwing some of Heero's attitude right back at him. "What the hell is your problem anyway?"
Heero was momentarily startled by Duo lashing out at him, even if he knew deep down it was well deserved. But even so, the remark pissed him off, and Heero was instantly on his feet and glaring at the other pilot. "My problem? What the hell is your problem? You're the one who followed me here in the first place, trying to pretend like nothing even fucking happened and now you're asking me what my problem is?" Heero hissed angrily at Duo. He resisted the urge to scream in frustration. This whole day had given him one giant headache.
The perfect solider began pacing wildly, his guilt weighing in on him more every second. His expression was still angry, but he directed his gaze at his feet as he spat, "I totally fucked up! And almost worse than that, I was tricked into doing it. I let OZ use me like a puppet to annihilate our only hope for peace. I should have let myself die in that explosion!" Heero's hands were clenched into fists, but he held back his desire to punch something. The last thing they needed was to attract attention before school even started.
After Heero had finished his initial lashing and begun to pace the tiny room - three steps in one direction, turn and three back in the other – Duo slid carefully off the bed. Worrying his lip as he listened to the other pilot rant, a sense of guilt washed over him. He certainly hadn't meant for any of his teasing to ignite this, but maybe it was better for him to let it out. Guy like this probably doesn't have much of an emotional outlet in his life, anyway… pot, kettle…
As Heero wheeled back towards him, fists clenched and face white as he talked of his own death, Duo let his guilt melt into something closer to empathy. He took a step forward and lifted a hand to touch Heero's arm lightly, trying to make sure he didn't sound anything but sincere. "Hey, Heero… I know it's easier to blame yourself, but it's really not your fault. None of us knew he was in there. Any of us would have made the same call. You need to let it go so that we can figure out what to do next."
Before either one of them could utter another word, Heero had his fist in the front of Duo's shirt and was slamming the other boy into the wall. The commentary had pissed him off, but these last words left him feeling a sort of animalistic fury. What the hell did Duo think he understood so well anyway?
"What the hell do you know? You don't know what call you would have made because I didn't give anybody the time to step back and think the situation through! You don't know how this will impact our society! And you don't know how I feel about any of it so just back off!" Heero angrily grit out, his voice low and his face mere inches from Duo's.
The force of Heero's throw bumped Duo's head lightly against the wall, dazing him momentarily as the fist in his shirt became an arm across his chest and a knee between his legs nearly lifted him off the floor. If he hadn't felt so empathically connected to Heero in that moment, he might have feared for his life. Instead, he forced himself to remain calm in the tide of Heero's anger. "You're right…" he started softly. "I can't possibly know how you felt in that moment or even how you feel about it right now."
Duo paused for a moment, intensely aware of the way Heero's body was pressed so tightly against his that he could feel him shaking slightly. Lifting his head, he met midnight eyes that had gone nearly black and bit his lip so hard it almost bled. He's even more beautiful when he's so righteously, passionately angry… wait… when did I start thinking he was beautiful?
Mentally shaking himself, he tried to finish his thought, even if it might just get him punched. He seemed to worry a lot more about being punched since meeting Heero. "What I do know is how we both probably feel about our entire mission… how we value it more than our own lives! And I'm pretty damn sure any one that was on that aircraft felt the same!" He shook his head sharply, took a deep breath. "You are not alone in this. Maybe most people can't understand the position you're in, but I do… I really do. And that's why I'm here now, why I followed you. I needed to be with someone I didn't have to explain it to… I needed to be with someone who wouldn't fucking pity me either… I… I needed to be with…" Duo trailed off, choking on the last word, glancing first away and then back again.
Deep blue-violet eyes shone with understanding, but also with a need to be understood, as they stared into Heero's. The stoic pilot felt some of his anger ebb at Duo's explanation, though his deep sense of frustration remained. He'd always felt so isolated in his mission, but had assumed such a thing was only natural. His line of work, or rather their line work, didn't often allow for moments of human connection such as this. Heero knew no one would ever fully understand him – hell, he barely understood himself - but some small part of him recognized that Duo could come close. And even though he was still frazzled, as Duo's words really sunk in, Heero let his guard drop and his defeat show. He knew that Duo was right, despite his prolonged self-hatred, and because of that, Heero perhaps understood far more than he had realized about his fellow pilot.
"Duo…" Heero's confusion was evident in his expression as he nearly whispered the other boy's name. No longer shaking with anger, Heero now felt like his skin was tingling with electricity where it touched Duo's. Part of him felt frozen in place, like he had been at the vending machine, but now a much stronger part of the perfect solider felt attracted to the empathic braided boy. Heero's gaze shifted from Duo's eyes to his lips as he worried them between his teeth and then he was acting on his impulses before he even realized he was thinking them. Lips were crushed against lips, and Heero un-fisted the hand in Duo's shirt to clutch at his slim waist instead. The unfamiliar sensations that washed over Heero only made him lean into the other boy more, pressing their bodies even more firmly together.
o/ One kiss, two hearts beat in time /o
The moment Heero kissed him, all thought flew out of Duo's mind. His heart caught in his throat and his stomach dropped into his knees before his instincts kicked in and urged him to reciprocate. Returning the kiss with just as much force, he drew Heero's lower lip into his mouth to suck on it and lifted one hand to curl into the dark hair at the nape of his neck. As the kiss slowly opened up, one tongue darting against the other in a play for dominance, the body pressed hard against his made Duo very aware of the fact that they were both quite obviously turned on. It felt to him as if the temperature in the room had just gone up ten degrees.
When they finally broke with a soft gasp of air, Heero took a step back and Duo slumped a little against the wall, watching him carefully. Was that an accident? Or are we truly that drawn to each other? He had no clue whether he was about to be kissed again or punched again… no idea if Heero would bolt or try to pretend it hadn't happened.Instead of waiting to find out, he took matters into his own hands, crossing his arms lightly over his chest as a small grin played at the corners of his mouth. "Do you want me?" he murmured, his eyes locked on Heero's, purposefully cocky to cover up the nervous adrenaline that was racing through his system.
Never before could Heero remember looking someone directly in the eye and telling a boldface lie that wasn't for the sake of his mission, but he did now as he stubbornly huffed, "No." It pissed him off that Duo could stand there so cocky and calm and ask him such a question! His own insides felt numb and yet his pulse was racing as he stood and glared down the braided pilot. He wasn't sure if he would classify these sensations as 'want', but he knew he felt some magnetism towards Duo. Internally Heero felt very uneasy that he was left so affected when Duo seemed so composed. "Just stay away from me," Heero threatened, but it lacked his usual fervor. Their eyes only broke contact when Heero turned away with an almost defeated slump back in his shoulder as he headed for the door.
Duo wasn't bothered by the hasty "no" – he'd all but expected it, after all – but the second part of Heero's response hit him hard because of how defeated he sounded. That wasn't what I intended… Taking two quick steps forward, he grabbed the obviously uneasy boy sharply by the wrist to stop him from leaving the room. There was a long moment of silence where neither of them spoke and Duo wondered, his eyes traveling slowly over Heero's back, why it was so important to him that the other pilot didn't just walk away from him. Replaying the conversation thus far, he suddenly realized that it was in the moments when he was being least sarcastic, most sincere… that the other pilot had responded. Hoping he wasn't about to be shot down, but well aware of the fact that in some ways he probably deserved it, he tried once more.
Sliding his hand slowly up Heero's arm, he took one final step forward and wrapped both arms around him from behind, his hands splayed on Heero's chest. They were roughly the same height, so that his chin just barely sat on Heero's shoulder if he was on tiptoe. He used this to his advantage, speaking softly into the other boy's ear. "Heero… I…" He didn't feel the need to apologize, so he simply settled for stating the truth of how he felt. "I don't want you to go…please, stay here with me…"
There was no way for Heero to hide the shudder that ran through his entire body as Duo's breath ghosted across his ear, and the stoic boy all but melted into the awkward embrace. He didn't need to see those blue-violet eyes to know that they were shining with sincerity, which made him feel better at the same time that it made him even more uneasy. Despite his earlier assumptions, Duo seemed to need and crave this contact as much as he did, but that went along with the implication that this meant something. Given a second to stand and think about what happening, Heero felt even more panic welling up in his gut.
It would be easiest to walk out the door and pretend this had never happened, much easier than turning around to face whatever it was that was between them, but Heero found himself unable to pull away. Duo's embrace was light enough that he could have easily brushed the other boy off and left, but everything from the hands on his chest to the pleading tone in Duo's voice left him rooted to the spot. "I shouldn't," he mumbled in half-hearted response, still caught between dealing with his emotions and suppressing them.
Duo's pulse jumped at the shudder and began to race at the mumbled response, his mind churning almost frantically now as he let his arms fall away, stepping around Heero so that they were face to face again. Shouldn't isn't can't… or won't… shouldn't means that deep down underneath, you really want to…
Heero sounded as if he wanted Duo to convince him of something, but the braided pilot was at a loss. It wasn't as if he understood these feelings any better than Heero did and he hadn't exactly had a normal life up until now. Hell, neither of them had normal lives now and it would be a surprise if they ever did. He couldn't make any promises about what was going to happen to them or the chaotic world they were living in. He had no idea what the future held, even if some days it seemed to be riding on their shoulders. Really, in the end, about the only thing he had to offer was just himself – his friendship and his loyalty, he refused to put any other name to it yet – and now that he knew that Heero really was feeling the same pull he was...
Duo met Heero's eyes, his expression defiant, terrified, thrilled, all at once. He lifted one hand to rest on Heero's chest and brought the other to run a thumb lightly over his cheek. "You can't deny me," he finally concluded, his voice soft, but certain, and he leaned in to kiss Heero with nothing less than the passionately reckless abandon he'd always been known for.
As lips met lips, Heero knew that what Duo said was true and he made no attempt to deny it or him. Perhaps he should have left when he'd had the chance, because there was no going back now. Heero let the sensations of the other pilot's hands, lips, and body wash away his unease and he found it was all too easy to forget everything when he was focused on Duo. Most thoughts soon ceased to exist, except those pertaining to this moment and Duo. He let their kiss deepen, tongues dueling with need.
Heero could no longer keep his hands to himself, and his fists unfurled long enough to clumsily grab at Duo's waist tightly enough to leave fingerprints. It seemed that acknowledging his desire for the other boy only made it that much stronger. Heero suddenly felt a distinct need to be on top of his companion and the bed seemed like a nice comfortable solution to his dilemma. He wordlessly guided Duo towards their cake-filled comforter, where he was forced to break the kiss as he threw the other boy backwards onto it.
Heero took a moment to appreciate the sight in front of him. Duo was spread-eagled on the bed, unable to hide the surprised and slightly lustful expression plastered across his gorgeous features in place of the usual cheeky grin as Heero loomed above him. "That's better," Heero said, his own lips quirking up slightly at the edges as he knelt over Duo and brought their lips together again.
Duo was surprised and quietly pleased when Heero took the lead again, his confidence returning now that he knew he had not misread the other pilot at all. He folded his arms behind his head, quietly enjoying it as Heero's eyes traveled the length of his body. In his time on the streets, Duo had flirted with and kissed a number of people, but he couldn't recall ever wanting someone the way he was pretty damn sure he wanted Heero Yuy right at that moment. As Heero kissed him breathless yet again, Duo slid his hands under the back of Heero's shirt, tracing feather-light fingers over warm skin and reveling in feeling so close to someone else on so many different levels.
Everything about this experience was new to Heero, who could count on one hand the number of times he'd physically touched another person in any way. Human contact was something Heero had no experience in at all - he had only his instincts to guide him in this situation.
Duo's caress further incited Heero's passion, and his own fingers were soon tugging up the hem of the braided boy's shirt so his hands could snake their way under the fabric. Heero marveled at how pliant and soft Duo's skin was under his fingertips and how the other pilot seemed to arch up into his touch. The thought that he was evoking these reactions out of Duo made Heero's pulse race faster and he found he enjoyed causing the other boy pleasure. Heero's fingers traced lazy patterns across Duo's abdomen until they accidentally ghosted across a pert nipple. As Duo gasped into their kiss, Heero realized he'd found a sensitive spot and proceeded to take the hard bud between his fingertips and massage it gently.
Their kiss was broken by the short gasp Duo let out, arching up into Heero's touch. His eyes snapped open, indigo meeting midnight for a long moment before Duo leaned up to kiss the corner of Heero's mouth. He had forced his mind to shut down all thought of what might happen when this moment was over because he was somehow sure that he could trust Heero. Trust him not to hurt me? Or… just trust him not to die. Duo slid the hands under Heero's shirt up to his shoulders, clutching him tightly for a moment.
Stop it, Duo… As much as he tried to convince himself to push Heero away, he couldn't do it. It was as if he had no control over the way he responded to the other pilot. Duo was so used to holding people at arm's length, but he couldn't resist the pull between them. We've come this far, both of us, haven't we… Loosening his grip, he trailed his lips from Heero's mouth along the edge of his jaw until he hit an ear, drawing the lobe into his mouth to nip it lightly between his teeth. He slid his hands slowly down Heero's back again before trailing his lips open-mouthed down his neck, running his tongue along the curve where neck and shoulder met.
Heero let out his own groan of pleasure. It seemed that Duo had just as much ability to drive him crazy in this way as he did in his every day antics. Something about the other boy really made Heero tick, rendering him that much more irresistible in the stoic pilot's eyes. Heero couldn't control the urge to thrust their hips together, causing a friction that left both boys gasping as their erections rubbed hard against each other through their clothes. The intense heat building beneath Heero's stomach only seemed to intensify as Duo continued sucking at his neck and Heero knew he wasn't going to last much longer. He gave Duo's sensitive nipple a last pinch before he trailed his fingers down soft skin towards the other's slim waist. Heero's fingers shook slightly, but he didn't hesitate as he undid the button on Duo's jeans and slid the zipper down. He didn't bother to push down the other boy's pants, settling for simply slipping his hand past the waistband of Duo's boxers to fully grasp at his throbbing erection.
After the lengthy agony of that moment where he hadn't been sure if Heero was going to walk out on him, time now seemed to be moving so fast that Duo could hardly grasp everything that was happening. All the ships he'd stowed away on, all the objects he'd stolen and the battles he'd fought, nothing had ever been quite the same rush that this was. All of those things, though… they were all moments of that required nothing less than the utmost precision and control. This, on the other hand, this connection with Heero – it was much more about the absence of all control, a complete and total free-fall.
Duo could not help the moan that slipped out of his mouth as Heero's hand wrapped around him and he was sure that his eyes had probably rolled into the back of his head by now. He let go of the other boy's neck to reclaim his mouth again, and not willing to be outdone, he pushed his own hand in between them. A moment of fumbling later and he'd succeeded in slipping his hand into Heero's shorts. Without even trying, his strokes fell in to sync with Heero's and he panted into their kiss as he felt himself break out in a cold sweat, knowing he was close.
Heero kept their rhythm fast and intense, his strokes long and firm. Touching himself in the past had never felt as good as what Duo was doing to him currently, and knew he wanted this to last longer than it was going to. As he felt the oncoming of his climax, Heero's whole body went rigid and he bit down on Duo's lower lip as they kissed. He couldn't stop the involuntary thrust of his hips into talented hands and the pressure building inside him seemed to explode outward all at once. Heero came silently, collapsing on top of Duo as their passion was released.
Duo breathed in sharply as a shudder went through his body. Though his eyes were closed, it felt for a moment as if there was a bright and blinding light on the insides of his eyelids and his free hand gripped Heero's shoulder as if that could anchor him to this moment. He wound loose arms around the other boy's shoulders, not minding the weight of the other body lying mostly-on-top of him. Had they really just gone from near fist-fight to post-orgasmic in the space of an hour?
Exhaling a whispery laugh, Duo ran his fingers through Heero's hair as he felt his mind starting to drift. No, not just an hour… or even a day… but maybe we've been building to this for far longer than I was willing to admit… maybe even since the moment we met… Too exhausted and relaxed to think any further on that idea or on the future in general, Duo was grateful that they didn't seem to need any words. He was content to let sleep claim the both of them.
o/ Here's my hello.
Don't say goodbye.
Do you want me?
Just stay here with me tonight.
Look in my eyes, you can't deny me, no /o
Up Next: Chapter 3 – Someone to Save You (Between Episodes 8 & 9)