Disclaimers: Not mine!!

Pairings: 2+1/1X2
Warnings: AU, shounen-ai, romance, dirt, archaeobabble, ANGST, catholocism, adventure.

Author's Notes: Written for the GWYaoi.org Novella Challenge, but not finished in time for the deadline.

Summary: Duo and Heero meet as teenagers on an archaeological dig in Israel. Raised in the field with a trowel in hand, Heero is slow to see the skills Duo can bring to his work.


Layers
Part II
Chapter 19
by Granate


Duo's face fell just a little.  "We should talk," he said.  He led the way to his room and Heero shut the door behind them.  There was no point in beating around the bush, they both knew what was at stake here.

"Heero, I'm sorry," Duo said.

"Don't be sorry," Heero said firmly.  "This is great news, Duo.  This is your chance.  Of course you should stay."

"I know, it's just…" Duo trailed off but his blue eyes shone with something he didn't seem able to say.  He closed them for a moment and took a deep breath.  "I just don't want you to feel like I brushed you aside.  I meant everything I said before, when we kissed," Duo tried to explain.

Heero grabbed his wrist and pulled him to sit on the foot of the bed.  "I know we made promises, Duo, and I meant them too, but it can wait.  This is important to you, and so it's important to me that you do this.  You deserve it."

Duo studied him carefully but could find no evidence that he was not being honest.   Heero was really behind him on this.  "Thanks for being so understanding," he said, squeezing Heero's hand.

"Don't thank me, just tell me," Heero said as his free hand reached to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Duo's ear, "just promise me we'll be together again."

"We will be, Heero," Duo said, "I'm already telling myself that June isn't so far away."

"June?"

"Yeah, I'll be meeting you in Lepcis Magna in June, right?  Wasn't that the plan?"

"You're still planning on coming to Libya?" Heero asked in surprise.  He would be overjoyed to still have Duo, but he didn't see how Duo could still come on his dig.

"Of course!  I made a promise, didn't I?

Heero quirked an eyebrow at him.  "You're going to decipher an unknown dialect in two months?" he smirked.

Duo grinned dangerously.  "I'm gonna have to, aren't I?" he replied.  "Looks like I've got a deadline."

"I can be flexible about when you're expected to show up," Heero offered.  "I'll be glad to have you."

Duo nodded but didn't say anything.  They looked at each other for a silent moment.

"So, this is really it, huh?  You're really not coming home with me tomorrow," Heero said, trying to get used to the idea.  "It's going to be hard to get that into my head."

"Yeah," Duo agreed, "it's a little sudden.  Say, when you get back to London, could you send me some things?  Some of my - "

"Yes, yes, I'll send you your books," Heero said with an exaggerated eyeroll.

Duo grinned again.  "Thanks."

"Have you told King's yet?" Heero asked.

"It's a little late there, I was going to call tomorrow," Duo explained.

"Oh, that's true," Heero said.

"I called Maxwell's though; asked for a few things," Duo said.

"Oh, yeah?" Heero asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yeah, Helen said everyone is good, the kids have been watching me on the news.  Oh, man, Heero, as soon as she said 'the kids' I about died of guilt," Duo winced.  He flopped back on the bed with a sigh.  "She said no one's angry and they're all happy for me that I'm out traveling and chasing my dreams, but I gotta get back there sometime.  Not to stay, but to say goodbye like I should have."

Heero just nodded.  Duo's eyes shifted to him.

"You know, I think she knew about Father hiding your letters," Duo said.  "I don't know for sure, it's just a feeling.  Maybe he told her, or maybe she found them first."

"Have you come to any conclusions about how you feel about Father?" Heero asked.

Duo nodded thoughtfully.  "A few," he said.  "He lied to me and that was wrong, and it hurts a lot still, but I know he didn't intend for things to end up this way.  I went through a few stages where I was really angry at him, but even then I couldn't imagine he'd have hurt me on purpose.  He loved me the way I was, even when I mouthed off and misbehaved and got in trouble.  What I should have known is that he loved me even after what happened with you, and probably would have loved me no matter how I turned out.  I didn't have to take things to the extreme the way I did, but I was scared, you know?  That's what unconditional love is, but I didn't know what that was back then.  I never had a home before that, I never had parents.  I was scared of being sent away, disapproved of.  I was scared I'd finally crossed the line and no one, not even Father, who loved me most in the world and put with all my hard-headed crap, would love me anymore."

Heero scooted back toward the head of the bed to be closer to Duo as he continued.

"I feel so betrayed by him when I think about how he said in that letter that he knew what was going on with me, but never told me the truth, but I think the fact that we were so close made him not tell me.  He treasured that time as much as I did and I think even if he knew deep down that I was doing everything just because he'd mislead me.  He wanted it so much to be reality that he was in denial about it.  Even at the end, when he was dying, he couldn't tell me.  Maybe it was more about guilt then.  I don't know.  He was right, though, if he'd told me I would have left.  And where would I have gone?  I had no where to go."

Duo's fingers slid over the bed covers to Heero's hand.  "But now I'm here with you and I have this chance to study in Crete for two months and go to Libya after that," Duo mused and looked up at Heero again, "I'm thinking maybe the way it worked out isn't so bad at all."

Heero was lost in thought as he looked down at Duo, mind full of all the things that could have been, the things that would never be, and the things he wanted so much to happen.

"Hey, don't look so glum," Duo pleaded softly and squeezed his hand a little

"I'm sorry, Duo," Heero said, one corner of his mouth turning up in a rueful smile, "you know I'm happy for you, it's just when this was all over I really thought we'd get some time together."

"And now," Duo replied, sitting up, "time is the one thing we don't have."  Duo leaned over and Heero found himself holding his breath, sure that Duo was going to kiss him.

A knock at the door startled them.  They looked at each other.  "Oh, it's my room," Duo realized.  "Uh, just a moment," he mumbled and got up.  Heero huffed to himself and ran a hand through his hair.  If it was Trowa at the door…

It was Trowa at the door.

"Yeah?" Duo asked him.

Trowa opened his mouth and glanced over Duo's shoulder.  From the bed, Heero gave him the evilest glare he could muster.  Trowa blinked and looked back at Duo.  "Uh, it can wait," he said and left.  Duo shrugged and shut the door.  

Heero desperately hoped Duo hadn't gotten shy again.  All of their attempts thus far had been ill-timed or interrupted or both.  Maybe the timing wasn't perfect now, but this was the only chance they were going to have to be together for a long time.

The bed shifted as Duo sat down again.  He looked at Heero.  "Now, where were we?" he asked.

Without answer, Heero leaned over, cradled the nape of his neck and pulled him into a kiss.  Duo kissed back as he crawled closer, showing absolutely no intention of pulling away or ending the kiss.  Heero felt a light fluttery feeling in his chest.  This was all he'd wanted for so long now.  He knew his uncle was safe, he knew Duo returned his feelings, and even though they didn't have much time together, they would make the best of it.

The kiss barely even paused when Duo nudged him a little and they lay down on their sides.  He opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of Duo.  As if he could sense it, Duo's eyes opened half way and held his gaze for a moment.  Duo closed them again and renewed the kiss, pushing his tongue into Heero's mouth to explore.  Heero did the same, moving one knee up slightly to brace himself and tangling his leg in Duo's as he let his fingers remove the tie in Duo's hair.  This was vaguely familiar territory, but it felt nothing like it had before.  No, this was surely not like before.  They were adults now.  Heero had experience and even though Duo didn't, he was mature enough to know what he was doing.  The kisses were not so innocent now.

It had been a long time since Heero just laid around and kissed somebody.  Long make-out sessions were never his favorite, he tended to get bored or impatient to move on, but with Duo he felt like he could do this for hours.  He happily would.  Heero tried to keep his body calm, reminding himself that just because they were on a bed didn't mean they were going to do anything but kiss.  That would be just fine.  He wasn't sure what Duo would be comfortable with, so he was going to let him direct the show.  If kiss was all they did tonight, he would be satisfied because Duo was very satisfying to kiss.  His lack of practice showed, sometimes he could be a little uncoordinated, but it hardly mattered when he was so candidly passionate and so eager.  

Duo's free hand seemed to be every where at once - stroking the side of Heero's neck, then ruffling through his hair, and then squeezing his shoulder.  Heero shifted again, further tangling their legs and before he knew it, his hand was under Duo's shirt, kneading the small of his back.  He covetously ran his palm over that smooth, taut expanse of skin, relishing the warmth and the solidness it covered.  He realized what he was doing, and that he was inching his thigh up between Duo's, and broke the kiss.  Duo's eyes opened.

"Tell me if I'm moving too fast," Heero said and swallowed.  "I don't want to rush you into anything."

Duo's gaze remained a dark, blurry blue.  He did wonder if he was ready for the physical side of a relationship, but he was willing to push it just a bit because they would be apart for so long.  Mentally, he felt ready and he trusted Heero.  "You're not rushing me at all," he said.  He closed the space between them again and whispered, "Give me something to think about while we're apart, Heero."

Duo kissed him again and Heero's arms wrapped around his waist and drew him close.  Hands tugged upward on the hem of his shirt.  He didn't want to stop kissing, but if Duo wanted the shirt off, then the shirt was coming off.  Heero let go and sat up a little so Duo could remove it.  

Where exactly the shirt ended up, he neither knew nor cared.  Duo ran his hands appreciatively over Heero's chest and shoulders and traced a finger down his abs.  "Tae Kwon Do, huh?" he grinned.

Heero groaned and rolled onto his front, pulling the pillow over his head.  Duo laughed as he peeked out from under the pillow.  Heero sighed a little and rolled back over to face Duo, still hiding most of his head under the pillow.

"I'm not some hero or anything," he objected, "that whole time I… I was scared!"

"Yeah, but you still did what you had to do," Duo said.  "Being scared doesn't mean you were any less brave."

Heero grumbled incoherently under the pillow.

"What belt were you?" Duo teased, tickling his sides.  "Come on, tell me!"

Heero flinched under Duo's fingers and tried to squirm away.  Finally, he had to throw the pillow off and grab Duo's arms, holding him close and still against his body and kissing him thoroughly.  

Duo had thought before, when he was adrift, that he knew the sensation of drowning.  He felt like he was drowning again, only this time it was completely different.  What he and Heero were doing was a little overwhelming but it felt much too good to stop.  He didn't know exactly where he wanted this to go, but stopping was out of the question.  Every touch from Heero, the fingers in his hair, the thigh resting on his, the hand on his back, they all spoke to him with a deep sense of urgency, one Duo knew he returned just as strongly.  Although there was a set time and place for them to meet again, they would soon be separated.  Everything they had been looking forward to had to be condensed into a very short time.  One night.  For all the things he'd wanted to tell Heero, there was just tonight.

Lips moved to his jaw and throat and he heard himself moan out loud.  His eyes opened and he looked down at Heero's bare chest and stomach, and lower.  He couldn't help but notice that the front of Heero's jeans were definitely getting tight.  His were tented in much the same way but he didn't even want to look at them.  He reached down and smoothed his fingertips over the bulge in Heero's pants.  Heero exhaled hotly against his neck and made no move whatsoever to stop him.  The harder he pressed, the more clearly he could feel Heero's very stiff erection.  I wasn't difficult at all to rub it just right and get Heero to move into his hand.  

Duo felt like he was losing his mind.  Normally, his thoughts remained very compartmentalized but they were clouding over.  Languages jumbled all together.  Labyrinths, Greece, scripts, tablets, and everything to do with his recent experience diffused into the background but didn't quite disappear.  Most prominent was the man in front of him, the heat he could feel through the denim under his hand, the hot breath on his neck, and of course there was the fact that Heero's sexy little rocking movements rubbed his thigh up between Duo's legs.  Not exactly sure what to do, he did what came naturally to him - that had been his promise to himself, hadn't it?

"Can I?" Duo asked as his fingers slid to the button on Heero's jeans.

Heero pulled away to look him in the eyes.  "Duo, you can do anything you want," he said thickly.

Duo swallowed hard.  Yes, he was a virgin, but hadn't lived under a rock.  Now that he was able, there were countless things he would like to experience.  He didn't have the guts to do half the things he wanted to do with Heero right now.  He didn't even have the words to name them or the voice to speak them.  He definitely had the imagination, but one night with Heero just wasn't enough.  "Anything?" he asked.

"So long as I get to do it back to you," Heero answered with a lusty smirk.  Heero loved the way Duo's eyes sparked at even the slightest hint of a challenge.  Fingers unbuttoned his jeans and pulled the zipper down.  He couldn't stop a moan when that hand made its way inside the slit of his boxers and wrapped around him.  Duo was not uncoordinated or clumsy now.  He might have been a little hesitant but it was clear this was something he wanted to be doing.

Heero made no moves to return the favor just yet.  He knew Duo was very modest and a little shy about some things.  Heero had noticed how he brought his clothes into the bathroom to change.  He thought if he let Duo be in control of the pace he'd feel more comfortable.  Heero had been in Duo's position before, clueless in the face of a more experienced partner.  He understood that Duo would be taking all kinds of subconscious cues from him.  How free and open he was about letting himself be touched and explored would set the tone for Duo's reciprocation.  Duo might feel empowered if Heero was the first one to let himself go.  He wanted Duo to know that it was ok to lose himself, that he shouldn't hold anything back.  To show Duo that, he would have to demonstrate it himself, be more honest than he ever had been with a lover.

He pushed Duo away just enough to sit up a little and throw his pants off.  The shorts followed and then he laid down again on his back.  Duo's eyes traveled slowly up and down his body, fully taking him in.  Such blatant staring made him a little embarrassed so he buried his fingers in the hair at the back of Duo's head and pulled him down for a sloppy kiss.  Their tongues tangled for a moment and then Duo broke away.  

"One more thing," he said.  He unfastened Heero's watch and slid it off.  He grinned briefly at the obvious band of whiter skin underneath before leaning over Heero to set it on the night table.  Heero caught him around the waist and brought him back within kissing range.  Heero knew his kisses must feel as desperate as he did.  He wanted Duo to touch him again so badly.  He kept thinking he couldn't possibly get more aroused, but just being with Duo like this was proving that wrong again and again.  

He bit down gently on Duo's lower lips to stifle a noise when the man's hand caressed his stomach.  That hand finally moved lower and wrapped around his straining cock again.  He made a breathy noise as Duo's lips released his.  He opened his eyes to find that Duo was staring at his hand on Heero's cock.  The sight took Heero's breath away, too.  He gasped when Duo leaned down to kiss his chest.

It astonished him.  In Duo's touch he could feel everything.  How Duo was a naturally sensual person, how he had been starved for so long, how he must savor his own touch now, how he'd been perfecting his hand.  He was in no rush, he didn't jerk at it like this was something he wanted to just get over with.  He took his time to really feel it, squeeze, press, stroke, explore the ridges and veins and spread precome over the head and shaft.  Heero had rarely felt so… appreciated.  He cried out sharply when Duo's hand slipped down to fondle his balls.

Duo was kissing him again and he kissed back savagely, remembering his decision not to hold anything back.  He thrust slowly, shallowly into Duo's hand, just encouraging him for more.  Duo's other hand settled on his abs, feeling as they contracted with his thrusts.  Not holding back was definitely going to make him come faster.  He tossed his head back, panting too hard to keep kissing anyway.

He gave a deep groan as Duo focused his fingers on the head of his cock now.  Duo's hand got heavier, stronger, faster, and his hips moved to match the pace.  Duo was whispering something into his ear, but it didn't register as he called out Duo's name, coming hard in his hand.  He surged once and then again, spattering his stomach and even his chest with come.  He went limp against the blankets and barely noticed Duo kissing the side of his neck just under his ear.

Duo spoke to him again and he opened his eyes.  It took a moment for it to sink in; the words had not been in English.  He turned his head slightly.  Duo was smiling at him.  He had to think harder than he really wanted to at the moment, but it was Latin.  He should be able to understand that.  The words slowly came together.  Beautiful.  Duo had told him he was beautiful.  If he hadn't already been hot and flushed, he might have blushed.  He ran a hand through his tangled hair.  He felt like some kind of porn star, putting himself on display like that, but he decided it was more than worth it to see Duo leaning over him with that dark haze of lust in his indigo eyes.

Heero propped himself up on one elbow.  "Your turn," he said, using the Latin.  One glance at Duo's lap told him Duo was more than ready.  He sat up and pulled Duo's shirt over his head, meeting no resistance.  He ran a finger over the crotch of Duo's jeans and relished the way he shuddered.  He pushed Duo down on his back and kissed him, teasing his nipples and taking revenge for the earlier tickling.  He was going to make sure that Duo was good and wound up before he took those pants off.  Duo squirmed and he stilled him with a kiss.

The kiss successfully frazzled Duo's mind.  Recently, he had been masturbating and learning more about his sexuality, but none of that had prepared him for this.  Heero was stunning in the literal sense of the word.  A lot of the time, Duo worried he couldn't keep up when Heero was kissing him.  He had been absolutely breath-taking when he came, and even now he was like a fantasy, dark hair a hopeless mess, skin lit with a thin layer of sweat.  It was a hundred times better than any Heero dream he'd ever had.  Duo groaned loudly when those sure fingers worked his fly open.  Heero didn't go right for his cock, though, he pushed the pants down and off first, followed by the boxer shorts.  

It embarrassed Duo to be exposed with such an obvious erection, it was not something he'd ever wanted to have been caught with before now.  Heero's hungry look, however, was changing his mind fast.  When his palm came to rest on Duo's chest, the touch was no less hungry than the look.  Duo hummed at Heero's hand gliding over his skin until he was silenced with another kiss.  Heero then shifted and kissed down his neck, across his collar bones.  Duo jerked when he played with a nipple.  He toyed with it until it was hard and then set his mouth to it, tormenting with his teeth and tongue.

Duo moaned pitifully when this was accompanied by Heero lightly petting his cock.   Heero was going slow, doing it just lightly.  Duo knew he was trying to make it last, and Duo hoped that it would.  This was the first foreign hand on him, and it was Heero.  It was mind-blowing to think about.  The touch was so different from his own, the hand an unfamiliar shape, the technique unknown.  Heero had an ease, a confidence that made it pretty clear that he knew what he as doing, or at least that he'd been down this road before.  Duo felt regret creeping up again.  There had been a time when he had been bold and self-confident.  He wanted to be Heero's match, his equal in every way.  He promised himself right then and there that next time they met, he would be the right person for Heero.

Heero's hand was suddenly gone.  Duo blinked and watched speechlessly as Heero wiped what was left of the come on his stomach and used it to slick his already dripping erection.  It had gone cold, but that didn't last long as Heero rubbed it in with a firm stroke.  Duo groaned out his appreciation.  Quickly overcome, he wrapped his arms around Heero's neck and pulled him down so they lay on their sides.  Duo clutched at his shoulders and buried his face in his neck.  

"Please don't think less of me if I come really fast," he said and then gave a breathy, embarrassed laugh.

"You come whenever you feel like it, Duo," Heero replied, lips grazing his ear.  

Duo groaned into his neck as his body responded eagerly to Heero's hand.  Thought fled his mind; he soon forgot to be self-conscious about his out of control movements or the noises he was making.  Heero's hand squeezed just a little tighter and sped up and then he was coming.  He coated Heero's hand, their stomachs and probably a little bit of the bed, too.  There was no stopping the cries that ended up muffled in Heero's shoulder as Duo clung to him.  Heero held him tight around the waist with his free arm until he had spent himself.

The next thing he was aware of was teeth nibbling his neck and a hand stroking his back.  He opened his eyes and released his arms from their strangle hold around the back of Heero's neck.  His heart was still pounding.  Heero moved to kiss his face and gently rolled him onto his back.  He relaxed against the pillows as Heero got up from the bed.

"Don't move," Heero instructed as he went to the bathroom.

"Can't," Duo uttered after him, not sure if he was heard.

Heero was back after a moment with a warm washcloth.  Duo smiled lazily as he was carefully wiped off.  "Thanks," he hummed and Heero gave him a languid kiss before depositing the washcloth back in the bathroom.  Duo glanced around absently, trying to get his brain to a functioning level again.  Somewhere, in some language, maybe there were words to describe what had just happened, but he'd be damned if he was going to be able to think of them at the moment.

Something in the corner by the door caught his eye.  Had Quatre left a bag in the room when he left?  No, it looked familiar.  It looked like Heero's.  

"Is that your bag?" Duo asked when Heero returned and settled on the bed next to him.

Heero glanced over and then smirked back at Duo.  "Oh yeah, I meant to ask you if I could sleep in here tonight.  Jay snores like a freight train," he said.

Duo laughed a little and reached for his hand.  "Well, the answer is yes," he said as he laced their fingers.  He brought their hands to his chest and rested them there.  "Think we would have done this before if we hadn't been split up?" he asked after a moment and gave Heero a lop-sided grin.

Heero shook his head and chuckled, "No.  Not me, not back then.  I would have died first, I think."

"Yeah..." Duo mused.  "Who knows?  Maybe we'd have hated each other by the end of the season!"

Heero smirked again.  "Maybe you would have gotten sick of my attitude problem and my stubbornness," he suggested.

"Maybe you'd have gotten sick of my mania and non stop chatter!" Duo replied.

"I loved your mania," Heero said, only half joking.

"And I loved your attitude problem," Duo declared.

He received a raised eyebrow from Heero and grinned.

"Ok, ok, I put up with the attitude because you were so cute," he admitted.

"Cute?  Me?" Heero snorted.

"Heero, you were probably the cutest boy I'd ever seen," Duo said.

"But I was mean to you!"

Duo laughed.  "No you weren't.  Well, I guess you could be grumpy, but the grump factor failed to overcome the cuteness.  And you were shy too.  Oh, Lordy, I always liked the shy kids," Duo exclaimed.

"Taking advantage of me because I was shy!" Heero admonished and gave his shoulder a playful shove.  Duo laughed again and pulled him down for a short kiss.  He didn't do much reminiscing about the past because it made him sad sometimes, but not right now.  He doubted anything could make him sad when he was lounging around naked with Heero.

"Can I ask you something?" Heero broke into his thoughts.

"Sure," Duo shrugged.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want, it's kind of a stupid question," Heero hesitated, and Heero Yuy almost never hesitated.

"What?" Duo prompted.

"When you were celibate, could you masturbate?" Heero asked.

Duo shook his head.  "It wasn't just the vow of celibacy, which means no sex, but it was the vow of chastity - no sexual pleasure of any kind," he explained.  "I still did it a few times, but I had to confess every time, the guilt was awful."

Heero made a face like he didn't comprehend how a person could live like that.

"I just put it all out of my mind," Duo sighed and played with Heero's fingers.  "I don't know, I just didn't let myself think about it.  I put everything sexual out of my mind.  Father didn't preach so much that sex was bad, just about keeping your promise to god.  Energy could be channeled into other things.  I worked all the time, poured myself into learning.  Language was really the only passion I allowed myself.  If I couldn't sleep, or you know, woke up aroused or something, I'd get up and do something, start reading or work on something.  There were no real 'tricks' to it, just discipline."  

Heero propped his head up on his hand as he listened.

"For me though," Duo continued, "internally, I did feel like my sexuality was bad and shameful, so I avoided anything of a sexual nature, anything that would even make me think sexual thoughts.  There was a lot of fear involved with sexual thoughts or feelings.  Like, if I thought about sex, I would be confronted again that I might be gay, so I just stifled everything."

Duo shrugged a little sheepishly, still playing with Heero's hand, and tried to explain, "I know it seems impossible because sex is a big deal to most young guys, but I was much more concerned about following the rules and trying to please everyone, trying to make up for what I did.  I was so afraid of myself, so afraid of failing Father.  I made my confessions directly to him, so I tried with everything in me not to break my vows.  I broke vows a few times by masturbating and I felt so guilty.  I was way more upset about it that he was!  He just said that sometimes, especially with young men, it just happens and you do penance and learn from it and renew your dedication to the vows.  I was mortified, though, because I didn't believe in god and it was more about my dedication to Father than my vows.  I just had to please him, to live up to everything he thought I could be.  He was so proud of me at the time, I would think maybe I was finally going to be worthy of everything he'd done for me."

He sighed and shook his head to clear it.  "Anyway, it's the past now," he said, flattening Heero's palm on his chest.  "I'm not gonna do what anyone tells me to do anymore.  Nope, done with that.  Never again.  Go ahead, try me," he said and threw a challenging look in Heero's direction.

"Ok," Heero said gamely, "get out of my room, Duo."

"No!" Duo retorted and then elbowed Heero in the ribs, "and this is my room, buster."

"Put your clothes back on, Duo."

"No!"

With a feral smirk, Heero shifted closer.

"Kiss me, Duo," Heero purred into his neck.

"No!"

Heero made a breathy laugh, "Ok, then, don't kiss me, Duo," he amended.  

Duo put his hands on Heero's jaw and kissed him hard and demanding.

Heero rolled him onto his back again and looked at him very seriously.  "Stay away from Heero Yuy because he's a bad influence on you, Duo," he warned jokingly.

"No!"

Heero leaned hard on him, squashing him to the bed.  "Do you really think you're going to get away with disobeying?" he growled and sucked at Duo's throat.

Duo wanted to snap back with a reply, but all he could do was moan.  Heero was just playing around but Duo couldn't help starting to get aroused again with all of Heero's lean, taut body pressing against him like this.  His hands roamed up Heero's chest and shoulders and down his back.

Heero almost couldn't believe it.  Duo was getting hard again already?  As soon as he felt it, his body responded likewise.  He nearly said something about it, but he was afraid it would embarrass Duo.  As if there was anything to be embarrassed about with a turn-around time like that!  "Don't let me stay in your bed tonight, Duo," he entreated as he kissed Duo's ear.

A hum was all he got in response.  Little by little, Duo was losing his mind again.  It was something about the way Heero was rolling his hips.  It was such a small, slight movement, Heero probably didn't even know he was doing it.  Not for the first time tonight, Duo felt a little embarrassed that he was as old as he was and he didn't know how to do anything.  Part of him wished he was more skilled for Heero's sake, but the greater part of him was glad to be having his first experiences with Heero.

Above him, Heero was coming to life again, hardening against him.  He rubbed his thigh into it and Heero pushed back with a breathy grunt.  Duo arched up, seeking friction against his hard, ridged stomach.  He was just rubbing on Heero's body, it was silly, how could it feel this good?  Heero kissed him and delved his tongue deep into Duo's mouth, swallowing the moan on his lips.  It wasn't just Heero's cock in his hand this time, he had all of Heero's body pressed down on his, he could feel every part.  His fingers threaded through that thick, wild hair and then held Heero's shoulders and he rolled them onto their sides so that he could move better.  He braced himself on the mattress and rested his forehead on Heero's shoulder as they continued to thrust and push against each other.

"Duo," Heero breathed as one of his hands unclenched from Duo's hip.  The hand came to rest on Duo's jaw and drew his face up so they were eye to eye.  

Duo had never seen Heero's eyes such a stormy blue.  He kissed him again and it escalated in no time.  All thought seeped away, he was no longer concerned about not knowing what to do, or being so inexperienced.  His body just moved on its own, meeting Heero's increasingly powerful thrusts.  Every time Duo wanted to hide his face, Heero pulled him back again and held his gaze.

Heero groaned out his name and fumbled for his hand.  He brought both their hands down to their cocks and wrapped his around both.  Taking the hint, Duo did the same and felt himself nestled hotly between Heero's cock and hand.  They slid against each other, starting to get slippery from the precome.  He looked down, trying to memorize how their two bodies looked together - the differences in skin tone, the textures of hair, the patterns of flexing muscles.  It was fast and intense this way, and Duo neared the edge all too quickly.

"Let me see your face when you come this time, Duo," Heero moaned and thumbed the slit of Duo's cock.

Duo's entire body shuddered and he threw his head back.  Duo's hand squeezed around them, but Heero tried to stave off his own orgasm so he could watch Duo's.  Duo was soaking his hand in come again, calling out his name and then something Heero didn't understand.  Heero only had his right mind long enough to realize it wasn't English before he was consumed by orgasm.

When his mind cleared again, Duo's arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, holding them close though they were softening and sticky.  Feeling almost giddy, he grinned and nuzzled into the crook of Duo's neck.

Duo stroked his back and realized that Heero was… laughing.  Duo went scarlet instantly.  Of course it made sense that this might seem juvenile to Heero.  He'd probably gotten bored of this kind of fooling around years ago.

Heero sat up on his knees and shook his hair out of his face.  He exhaled in a long puff and grinned down at Duo.  "Never done that before," he said, licking his lips.  "We'll have to do it again sometime."

"Unless you'd rather be doing, uh, other things," Duo spoke up.

The other man seemed to notice his expression for the first time.  "Duo," he said as his grin melted into a real smile.  He traced his fingers along the side of Duo's face.  "Listen to me.  If I've learned one thing, it's that it doesn't matter what you do so much as who you do it with."  He leaned down to kiss Duo.  "Get it?" he asked when he pulled away.  

The truth was, he really didn't mind taking it slow.  He wanted to enjoy every step with Duo.  This was a good place to start, they could save more for later.  Besides, he was merely giving Duo a taste of what was to come.  Duo would have a nice long time to think about it and let his imagination run wild.

"Yeah, ok, I get it," Duo chuckled at himself and nodded his head.  "I just don't want you to think I'm childish or anything," he admitted.

Heero smirked and paused from wiping them off with the corner of the sheet.  He reached down to give his softened cock a gentle squeeze.  "There's nothing childish about this, Duo," he said with a leer.  "You staying celibate and not putting this to good use would have been a crime against nature."

Hitting embarrassment overload, it was Duo's turn to wriggle away and cover his head with a pillow.  He groaned unhappily, burrowing under the blankets and trying to hide completely.  Heero laughed and got under the blankets, too.  He pulled Duo against his chest and pried the pillow from his face.  He hummed as he rested his cheek on Duo's shoulder.  Duo tried to get away but he held him fast.

"I just want to turn out the light," Duo chuckled.  Heero let him do so and Duo came right back to his arms.

"What were you saying when you came?" Heero asked as he kissed Duo's shoulder.

"I said something?" Duo yawned.

"Yeah, I didn't understand.  Another language, I think," Heero murmured.  It could have been three different languages for all he knew.  

Duo chuckled.  "I honestly don't remember," he said.

"Liar," Heero accused and squeezed him.

"I don't!" Duo insisted, trying not to squeak.  "I really have no idea!

Heero just shook his head and hugged him tighter.  He'd never been with anyone who shouted in another language during sex.  With Duo, that was probably something he was just going to have to get used to.

+

When Heero woke the next morning in bed with Duo, he didn't have to pull away this time.  He couldn't have anyway, since Duo was already awake and holding him.

"Good morning," Duo mumbled with a groggy smile.

"'Morning," Heero croaked and blinked his eyes a few times.

"You have about an hour and a half before you should head to the airport," Duo informed him.

Only half paying attention, Heero nodded and pressed his face against Duo's collarbone, inhaling deeply.

Someone rapped sharply at the door.  "Hey guys, we're ordering breakfast," Trowa's voice said.  "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

The two in the bed looked at each other a little regretfully before Duo answered, "Just a second!"  They parted and got up to find pants.  Duo quickly tied his hair back before they went to the door and gave Trowa their breakfast orders.  Heero caught Trowa glancing at his bed hair and glared at him.

"You can get a shower first since you need to go," Duo said when they closed the door.  Heero grabbed his things and went quickly so Duo could have his turn.  He got dressed and packed up his things as Duo used the bathroom.  Duo emerged in a towel and dressed and then went to the table by the bed.

"Don't forget this," he said, handing Heero his watch.

"Thanks," Heero replied, taking it and putting it on.  He was so used to wearing it, he didn't usually have to put it on in the mornings.  He wanted to kiss Duo but he was afraid if he even got too near, they'd never come out for breakfast.

They joined everyone in the sitting room and the food arrived shortly.  Trowa asked about Heero's flight, which he had meant to ask last night.  They discovered that they would be on Heero's flight since they were flying through London on their way back to Connecticut.  Jay said he was going back to the guest house and would be staying there.  He invited Duo along and they agreed to check out of the hotel that afternoon.

When it was almost time to go, Heero went back to the room to grab his bag.  He was not looking forward to the probable battle with the media outside the hotel.  He didn't notice Duo had followed him until he heard the door shut with a soft click.  Duo came right over to Heero and kissed him.  Heero wrapped his arms around Duo's waist, knowing that this was good-bye.  

They finally parted and Heero said, "I expect letters, Maxwell."

Duo smiled.  "Yeah, I guess I owe you some letters, huh?"

"One every week at least, since you're in Greece and I'm stuck in the basement of the Classics building," Heero insisted.

"You got it," Duo said and kissed him again.

"Cab's here!" someone said from the sitting room.  

Heero tore himself away and looked at Duo.  "I guess this is good-bye, then," he said.

"Yeah," Duo said, trying to smile.  Heero turned and to go to the door but Duo grabbed his hand.  "Uh, hold on," he said nervously.

Heero turned back.  Duo was biting his bottom lip.

"Would it sound dumb if... I asked you to wait for me?" Duo asked and then immediately blushed.  He felt so clueless, he didn't even know how these things were negotiated.  Was that the right way to say it?  It sounded dumb.

Heero smiled.  How could explain it?  How could he explain to Duo that it felt like he'd always been waiting?  He brought their hands to his lips and kissed Duo's knuckles, saying to him very plainly, "I'll be waiting, Duo."

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