As Heaven Is Wide
Part 3
by KM
The next morning, Heero awoke to a towel-clad Duo hopping on his bed.
"Morning, sunshine! School starts in twenty minutes, so you'd better get a move on. Not to mention some clothes..." Tugging at the sheets, he continued urging Heero to get up. "Come on, man, you don't have much time. It takes ten minutes to get to the school from here, and I don't want to be late for that calc test."
The still-bleary-eyed Japanese boy jerked the sheets away from his insistent friend. "I'm awake, dammit! Now go away, I can get to the bathroom by myself." He desperately hoped that Duo would leave him alone, because he was fully aroused by the sight of his friend, tiny rivulets of water still dripping down his bare chest, his hair unbound and wet, and clothed only in a tiny towel that left very little to the imagination. //Oh, the perils of external genitalia.//
Thankfully, Duo backed off. "I'm going, I'm going. Don't bite my head off. But you still need to hurry up." Walking out the door, he called, "And here I thought you'd like to see me half naked..."
Heero blushed a deep red at the comment. //Is it that obvious?// Rubbing at his eyes, he looked at the clock on his bedside table. It read 7:13.
"Shit! I only have seven minutes to get ready!"
Forgetting about his erection, he leapt from the bed and ran to the bathroom that joined his room and the guest room that Duo occupied. He tried to ignore the sound of Duo's voice singing along to the radio in the next room, knowing that it would not help his situation, but decided that he could take care of his "problem" in the shower.
Stripping himself of his underwear, Heero stepped under the hot spray. After taking thirty seconds to wash his hair, he grabbed the soap, lathering up his body with the thick suds, but he saved the part he wanted to touch the most for last.
Finally giving in to temptation, he reached a soapy hand between his legs, wrapped his fingers around his stiff length, and began to pump in a fast rhythm. He imagined Duo positioned behind him in the shower, pressing him against the cold tile as he drove into him in hard, deliberate thrusts. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out, but a soft moan escaped as he came, covering his hand in milky fluid.
Heero cleaned himself off and turned off the water, feeling around for the towel he had left on the rack. It was not there.
"Duo! Give me my fucking towel!"
A deep laugh answered him. "Towel? What towel? I don't know what you're talking about."
Suppressing a growl, Heero poked his head out from behind the shower curtain and yelled, "I'm serious! Give it back!"
"Oh, you're serious? Well, what if I don't want to give it back? Are you gonna come out of that shower to take it from me?" Duo asked teasingly, standing in the doorway, fully clothed in his school uniform.
Heero decided to take a new approach, changing his scowl to a pleading look. "Please, Duo. You can do this again some other time, but I'm already running late, and this little game is only taking up more time."
Unfortunately for him, Duo was not swayed. "Those puppy dog eyes aren't going to work with me, buddy. Either you come out here and get it from me," he smirked, holding up the towel in question, "or you don't get it at all."
//Why does he have to be so difficult?// Taking a deep breath, Heero pushed back the shower curtain and stepped out of the shower, trying not to think about his state of undress. He could feel Duo's eyes on him, raking over his naked form, and he somehow managed to keep his body in check, despite the attention.
As Heero walked toward him, Duo felt his breath catch in his throat. Never had anyone looked so sexy, so desirable as Heero did in that moment. Fresh from the shower, his body was still dripping, leaving wet footprints on the floor with each step he took. The younger boy moved with confidence, though Duo knew it was not genuine, his well-defined muscles shifting under smooth skin. //I'm so glad I made him start working out...// He barely kept himself from drooling.
After journeying the longest eight feet of his life, Heero stopped in front of Duo, his heart pounding. He reached to grab the towel away, but the older boy pulled it out of his reach.
"Please," he said softly, his voice strained, "allow me."
Unfolding the towel, Duo slowly wrapped it around Heero's narrow waist, his fingers skimming over the boy's warm, damp skin. He tucked the corner of the towel into what was already encircling Heero's waist, but his hands lingered against the soft flesh.
"That wasn't so hard, now was it?"
Dark blue eyes that had been slightly glazed over cleared and glared at Duo. "Let me go. I don't have time to be fucking around with you."
In a quick motion, the longhaired boy pressed Heero against the wall, his face scant centimeters away from the Japanese boy's startled countenance. "Then you should make time," he grinned, his breath warm on Heero's face. "Fucking around with Duo Maxwell is one of the few great pleasures in life, I can assure you."
Heero rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Duo, I'm going to be late to school if you don't let me go."
"Fine," relented the American with a shrug. "Your loss."
As Heero walked into his room, he heard Duo's voice again. "One question."
Irritated, the younger boy snapped, "What?"
"Who were you moaning for in the shower?"
Heero stopped in his tracks, horrified beyond measure. //Oh, God. I can't believe he heard me. Shitshitshit...// His only consolation was that Duo could not see his face, because he knew that he was blushing crimson from embarrassment.
Fortunately, Duo changed the subject himself. "Heero! It's 7:25. What are you standing around for? Get dressed."
Sighing in relief, but still inwardly mortified, Heero rushed to get his school clothes on, and the two departed at 7:28, running for the train station.
**********
The boys arrived at their calculus class ten minutes late, both out of breath from running from the train station to the school.
"Amazing!" exclaimed their aged instructor, Mrs. Stankovich. "Duo Maxwell has decided to grace us with his presence."
Grinning at the old woman, Duo gave a deep, theatrical bow. "Thank you, thank you. I do aim to please."
"Yes, yes, we know." She motioned for them to be seated. "Now if you two would please take your seats like your classmates did ten minutes ago, we could begin class. And Mr. Yuy, I'll see you in detention for your tardiness."
Once he reached his desk in the back of the class, Duo sat down and raised his hand, confused. "Mrs. Stankovich, uh, why don't _I_ have detention? I was just as late as Heero was."
She gave him a tired look. "Because, Mr. Maxwell, due to the infrequency in which you attend class, some of the teachers have decided that it would be disadvantageous for us to punish you on those days that you do deign to come to school. Negative reinforcement is not the best strategy to use in your case. Mr. Yuy, on the other hand, is a regular student, despite his association with you, and detention will remind him to make it to class on time from now on."
Duo smirked. "And here I thought I'd been getting by on just my looks."
The old woman rolled her eyes at her most frequently absent pupil, and then addressed the entire class. "Please remove everything from your desks except pencil, paper, and calculator. No talking once I pass out the tests. After you finish, start on the assignment on the board. It will be turned in for a grade tomorrow."
As the rest of the students sat bent over their desks, diligently working, Duo daydreamed, occasionally concentrating to mark a few answers, but soon drifting off again, bored. //I was around before calculus was even invented, and yet here I am, taking this stupid test. If I didn't already know everything they're teaching here, I would come to class more, but seeing as how I *do*, my presence is rather pointless. If it weren't for Heero, I wouldn't be here at all.//
Thinking of his friend and the object of his affection, Duo focused on the seat in front of him. Heero was hard at work, scribbling down equations and punching them into his calculator. He was working so industriously that the Duo almost resisted the urge to pester him.
Almost.
Poking Heero in the back of the head with his pencil, Duo whispered, "Hey, Heero."
Startled, the Japanese boy jumped in his seat. "I'm busy, Duo, leave me alone," he whispered in response, not turning around.
Seemingly heeding Heero's admonition, Duo sat back in his seat, marking down a few more answers. But the urge to harass Heero was too great, and before long, Duo poked him in the head again.
"What's the answer to number seventeen?"
Wishing for once that he was not so close to Duo, Heero whispered back, annoyance evident in his voice, "It's 22.5, now stop bothering me!"
Duo traced a pattern on the back of Heero's head with his fingertip. "But it's so amusing. Infinitely more entertaining than this stupid test. Besides," he added, trailing his finger down the nape of the younger boy's neck, making Heero shiver, "you're a lot more fun to play with."
Heero's ears burned at his friend's words. "I can't concentrate with you doing that. I'll get a bad grade," he murmured, unconsciously leaning into Duo's touch.
"Oh, I doubt that..." the longhaired boy replied, walking his fingers up the side of Heero's neck. "You're a good student." He traced along the shell of the boy's ear, being gifted with a nearly inaudible sigh in return.
"Please..."
With a light chuckle, Duo acquiesced and removed his hands. "Alright, whatever you want. I'll let you finish your test in peace."
"Thank you," Heero responded, though he had not really wanted Duo to stop. He missed those tormenting hands as soon as they were removed, but he did have a test to finish, and thanks to Duo, not much time to complete it.
Fortunately, the American was true to his word, as always, and did not bother Heero again until they were out of class.
"So," Duo asked, loosening his tie and pulling at his vest, "are you going to PE now?"
Heero raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "Yes. Why do you ask? You don't have that class, and like you said last night, you haven't been in three years."
His older classmate shrugged. "Well, I'm scheduled for word processing, or some stupid shit like that, and since I already know how to type, I didn't plan on going." He flashed Heero a grin. "I think I'll go with you."
"But you don't have any gym clothes-"
"Never mind that," interrupted Duo, waving his hand. "Just needless details. I'll manage. So will you wear those little shorts I like so much, or do I have to beg?"
Heero stopped walking and stared at his companion, amused, if slightly embarrassed. "You are the strangest person I've ever met." He stared a second longer, then shook his head and resumed walking, leaving Duo behind.
Duo quickly caught up. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? I was just asking you a question."
"It means," replied the younger boy, "that you don't make any sense sometimes. You confuse me." He looked away, hoping his answer would appease Duo.
It did not. "I confuse you? And that makes me strange?"
"You say it like it's a bad thing," Heero admonished.
"Isn't it?"
"No."
"...Oh." A pause. "So are you gonna wear those shorts or not?"
***********
Duo sat on the gym bleachers during Heero's PE class, still dressed in his uniform as the coach had insisted that they were "fresh out of gym clothes."
//It's just as well. At least this way I get to watch him undisturbed. Heero always was a good basketball player.// He followed the boy with his eyes, watching as he moved past opponents with graceful speed, the small gym shorts clinging nicely to his tight bottom. //And I've seen him naked. Life is good.// Leaning back against the row of bleachers behind him, Duo did his best to tune out the young student teacher that was chatting him up. She was cute; short red hair, freckles, well proportioned, but she was not his type. He smiled at her, making her face redden, and then tried to keep from rolling his eyes when she erupted in a fit of giggles. //Oh, the things I do for you, Heero...//
Heero, meanwhile, tried to ignore Duo's apparent flirtations with the student teacher and keep his mind on the game. Dribbling past a member of the opposing team, he faked once, twice, before executing a textbook fall-away jumper that fell through the hoop with a gentle /swish/ of the net. He smirked as another two points were added to his team's score, giving them an eight-point lead. As soon as the other team regained possession of the ball, Heero forced a turnover and passed it to a teammate, who added another two points with a lay-up. After the next play, in which the opposing team finally scored, the ball was passed to Heero. He was just about to take a shot when he spared a glance to the sidelines, spying Duo leaning over to the student teacher, whispering something in her ear. His blue eyes narrowed, and he pivoted, throwing the ball in their direction instead of toward the basket.
The air rushed out of Duo in a loud "Oof!" as the basketball hit him squarely in the stomach. He had not seen the ball coming, and it took him a moment to regain his breath, gasping. Looking up, he saw Heero glaring darkly at him. He quickly put two and two together and asked, his ribs still sore, "What the fuck was that for?"
The glare only intensified. "It slipped."
"The hell it did," retorted Duo angrily, standing up. The student teacher put a placating hand on his arm, but the braided boy shook her off. He stalked up to Heero, shoving the ball into his chest as the other students watched on, eyes wide in shock. "Don't test me, boy; I'm way out of your league."
Hurt sparked in Heero's eyes, but before he could reply, the coach pulled the two boys apart.
"Alright, Maxwell, I think you'd better go find your class." Turning to Heero, he commanded, "Hit the showers. Now."
Turning on his heel, Duo stormed off, slamming the door against the wall as he left the building. Still fuming, he walked to the courtyard, knowing that he would find Solo there.
He was not disappointed. His friend was reclining against the tree in the center of the quad, smoking a joint. "Hey, man," Duo called out twirling a cigarette between his fingers, "you got a light?"
Solo looked up with a smile, brushing his shoulder-length blonde hair out of his eyes. "Depends on what I get in return."
Duo smirked and plopped down beside the boy, their shoulders touching. "Come on," he whined, his hand slowly creeping up Solo's thigh, "I really need a smoke. You'll get your payment later," he whispered, squeezing the heat between the boy's legs, drawing a low moan, "I promise." Releasing his hold on Solo, he dug around in the blonde boy's pocket, finally finding the lighter. After he took a deep drag from his cigarette, he breathed, "Thanks."
Speechless, Solo blinked at Duo. "You..." Without warning, he pounced, pushing the American to the ground, almost knocking the cigarette out of his hand. Taking advantage of Duo's gasp, the blonde boy swooped in for a kiss, thrusting his tongue into Duo's mouth before the other boy could protest. Solo settled between his friend's legs, roughly pressing his hips into Duo's. Violet eyes fell closed and he moaned into Solo's mouth. With his free hand, Duo grasped the back of the other boy's head, forcing their kiss to deepen.
The two wrestled around on the grass until Solo's wandering hands pushed down too hard against Duo's injured ribs. As the pain flared in his chest, Duo broke away, gasping for breath.
Solo raised himself up on his elbows and looked down at his friend, confused. Taking note of Duo's pained expression, he asked, "What happened? Vest too tight?" With a leer, he added, "I can take it off for you if you like."
Duo grinned up at his classmate. "It's not the vest that's the problem. I had a run-in with a stray basketball a few minutes ago."
"Let me guess: Heero." When Duo looked away in silent confirmation, Solo rolled his eyes. "Listen to me, you need to stop obsessing over this kid. He's not important, he's just a little brat, and he's not worth your time. And I *know* he can't give you what I can offer," he said lustfully, rocking his hips forward in emphasis.
"But-"
Shaking his head, Solo interrupted. "No 'buts.' You should take my advice every once in a while, you know? Just because he's got a pretty face and a nice ass doesn't mean you have to be his shadow." When Duo opened his mouth to argue, the blonde swooped down and captured his lips in another kiss, silencing him for the moment.
At the sound of the bell, the two pried themselves apart, stood, and dusted off their clothes. But before Duo could head off to his physics class, Solo grabbed him and pressed him against the tree trunk, giving him one last kiss, leaving the boy breathless.
"I'll see you later, gorgeous. And I'm holding you to your word. I think I'll be taking my payment this afternoon." With a feral grin, the blonde boy released him and headed off, swaggering away to parts unknown.
**********
After refusing to speak to Duo in physics, even though the two were lab partners, Heero continued giving his friend the silent treatment at lunch.
Finally fed up with Heero's behavior, Duo threw up his hands. "Christ... I'm sorry, okay? Are you happy now?" The boy did not respond. "Why can't you just get over it? It's not a big deal-"
"Not a big deal?" the Japanese boy asked, incredulous. "I guess I see it differently. Maybe that's because you're 'out of my league,' huh?"
Duo's heart sank. "Heero, I... I didn't mean it like that."
"Well that's how I took it. Perhaps you should be more careful with your words in the future." Without looking at Duo, Heero got up, took his tray, and moved to another table.
//Damn it.// Duo cast his friend a dejected glance before pushing his chair back and walking away.
Heero heard Duo's departure and heaved a sigh, both out of relief and frustration. //Duo, why do you have to be so... Why can't you see how much I-//
His thoughts were interrupted as another tray was set down across the table from his.
"Do you mind if we join you?"
Dark blue eyes looked up to see Relena Peacecraft standing before him, a sweet smile on her face. He shrugged his shoulders and motioned for her to sit. "Go ahead."
Pulling out a chair, she sat down in front of Heero. Sitting beside her was a girl with long, platinum blonde hair and oddly forked eyebrows. Heero recognized her immediately.
"You were at the rave last night."
The girl looked startled. "I beg your pardon?" She raised one of her strange eyebrows. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Heero shook his head. "I saw you. You were dancing with Duo." He was sure that this was the same girl; it had to be.
Relena turned to her friend, confused. "Dorothy? What's he talking about?"
"He must be mistaken." Then, cocking her head at Heero, "I wasn't at any rave last night; that's not my scene. Maybe you're thinking of someone else. I'm sure I'm not the only girl in town with long blonde hair." She smiled, but the sight was strangely unsettling.
Heero eyed her suspiciously. "Perhaps you're right. It was pretty dark in there."
"There you go!" smiled Relena looking from Dorothy to Heero. "Problem solved." She snapped a bite out of a carrot stick before continuing. "You know, Heero," she said, her tone conspiratorial, "I couldn't help but notice that little scene between you and Duo just now, and I heard that you two had a nasty confrontation in gym class. Is everything okay? Anything you'd like to talk about?" She reached across the table and touched his hand gently with her own. "I'm your friend; you can talk to me."
He looked at her hand, thinking that if he stared at it long enough, she would remove it. "It's really nothing, Relena. Just an argument between friends is all." He smiled slightly. "Nothing for you to worry about."
Dorothy smirked. "'Between friends?' It wasn't a lover's quarrel?"
Heero narrowed his eyes. "No," he spat out. "Duo and I are not ...lovers. We're just friends, that's all."
"Really now? Just friends?" Dorothy chuckled. "That's not what I heard..."
Relena elbowed the other girl in the side. "Dorothy!"
The Japanese boy gave her a look. "Wait! I want to know what she's talking about." He turned to the platinum-haired girl. "What have you heard?"
Dorothy gave him an innocent look. "Oh, nothing much. It's just interesting how you always have this doe-eyed expression whenever he's around, and how he's so protective of you all the time. You stand too close to each other; you're around each other too much. Too much to be just friends. I mean, Duo's not even in your PE class, but he followed you there today. Isn't that a little strange?"
"So what if we're close? That doesn't mean anything." Heero gave her a hostile glare. "Even if we _were_ more than friends, it's nobody's business." He looked out the window, seeing Duo smoking in the courtyard with his friends. "Besides, Duo's not interested in me. I'm just a kid."
Relena followed his gaze out the window. //Oh, Heero...// She gave him a sorrowful look. "Well, whatever the case, I'm sure everything will work out for the best."
Heero did not look away from Duo, watching the other boy smiling and laughing outside while he sat inside, gloomy and disheartened. He distantly heard Relena's words, and replied softly, "Yeah... Thanks."
"You know," she added, "maybe you shouldn't hang around Duo so much; he's a bad influence. He drinks, he smokes, he sleeps around, he skips class, and God knows what else he does! That's not the kind of friend you need to have."
He turned his head and met Relena's concerned eyes. "Maybe you're right."
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