Cutting Resistance
by Merith
He let the tub fill with three or four inches of water, tepid rather than hot. At his eyeing estimate, he turned the knobs to 'off', and placed the necessary items on the bathtub edge. The towel he set on the floor next to where he'd sit.
Stepping into the tub, Heero sat on its lip. In no time, his legs were wet and the shaving cream applied in foaming thickness. His nose wrinkled at the scent, the menthol reminding him of sickness and hospitals. He picked up the razor and checked its blade again. It was a new one, fresh from the plastic package, triple bladed with a soothing strip of some sort of aloe gel.
Like most tasks set before him, Heero began in efficient manner, making long upward strokes of the razor, swishing off the shaving cream and hair in the water. His eyes tracked the widening swatch of naked skin... tanned and suddenly bare. Excess shaving cream skimmed the surface of the bath water, scant amounts of dark hair intermixed or floating along side.
"Hey Heero." Duo's voice called from the hall and Heero looked up as Duo entered the bathroom. "They were all out of those pork things you like..." Duo stopped speaking, mouth still forming words, and he stared. Duo came farther into the room, ran a hand into his bangs, and still he stared at Heero's legs in the tub. "Uh, Heero," his eyes flicked up to catch Heero's. "Whatcha doing, man?"
Heero turned his head to look at his legs, the shaving cream still slathered over them. He took in the razor in one hand. It was obvious to him. Looking back up at Duo, he held the razor aloft, giving a slight shrug.
"But..." Duo came farther still into the room, stopping only when he came to the tub. "I mean, why?"
"There's a bike race tomorrow." And he scooted over, giving Duo room to sit.
Duo stretched out his hand, let it hover above the cream on Heero's leg. "I know that." At the odd emphasis on his last word, Heero stopped watching Duo's hand and looked at Duo instead. "Why are you... shaving?"
"It cuts down on wind resistance."
His head shot up and Duo blinked at him. "Ain't nothing going slow you down that much, man!" He started to laugh softly and Heero shrugged.
"We'll see when the times come in tomorrow." He bent back to his task, his razor making another cleared path on his leg. Duo's hand hovered again, but this time, his fingers touched skin and glided up the smooth surface.
Heero tilted his head to the side and watched Duo, felt Duo's fingers continue to touch his leg. Heero's eyes softened at Duo's look. He smiled slightly watching Duo's mouth open to take a long shuddering breath. He was still smiling as his free hand lifted Duo's and moved it to the side. He had a leg to finish shaving.
But, he didn't let go of Duo's hand. His fingers closed a little tighter over Duo's. Maybe wind wasn't the only resistance shaving would cut down on.
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