Interlude: An Understanding
Sitting quietly in one corner of the darkened room, the computer's soft
electrical hum was overshadowed only by the even breathing coming from
a ragged mattress that was against one wall. The stillness was suddenly
broken as a spat of green lettering scrolled up the screen in a blur
and the computer chirruped a warning, the sound loud in the silence.
One of the bed's occupants jerked upward, jarring the other sleeper,
who murmured grouchily and stirred. A gentle hand stroked the restless
one's back, soothing the boy back to sleep as the other painstakingly
extracted himself from both tangled limbs and hair that were clinging
to him fiercely.
Patiently, Heero eased out of the bed without waking his lover, careful
not to pull even a single strand of the long hair that was spread over
the sheets. Duo shifted over to snuggle in the warm spot that Heero had
just vacated, sighing in his sleep.
Padding over to the computer, unconcerned with his nudity, Heero seated
himself on a low stool and quickly read over the new mission specs. It
was solo mission for him, not too dangerous but still...
Duo was not going to be pleased. There were few things that the other
pilot hated more than being left behind.
He glanced back at Duo, who was as equally wrapped in the blankets as
he was in his own hair, and looking so very young in his sleep, like
the child that he wasn't. Sprawled out like that Duo looked oddly
enticing, all that soft hair binding his lover like some bizarre form
of bondage. They'd fallen asleep after making love the night before and
Duo hadn't had the energy tied it back in its usual braid.
Studying the sleeping boy, Heero briefly debated with waking him up. He
knew he should; past experience had taught him that if Duo slept with
his hair loose it could take over an hour to untangle it the next day.
But if he woke his lover now, Duo would want to know why he was up and
then he'd want to discuss the mission. Or rather, argue about the fact
that Heero was going without him.
Mentally, Hero weighed his options; discussing this with Duo or
spending time the next day combing out his lover's hair, which usually
led to them putting the worn mattress of their borrowed room to good
use.
It wasn't a difficult decision.
Turning back to the screen, he quickly typed his acceptance to the
assignment and sent it, reviewing the mission objectives even as his
mind strayed back to the boy sleeping only a few feet away, who had,
against Heero's better judgment, become his lover, a fact that had been
most unexpected.
Not that his lover was male; that was no surprise, not really. Heero
wasn't really sure if he was homosexual or if it was simply something
about Duo that just attracted him. It didn't really bother him either
way. It wasn't that he didn't like women; he simply didn't understand
them. Frail, fickle creatures, both their skin and their emotions
easily bruised.
A man he could understand. A man wouldn't be afraid of words or a touch
that slightly too rough. You knew what a man wanted and you either gave
it to him or you didn't, end of problem. A man held no mysteries to
him.
Or so Heero had believed. Until he'd met a certain longhaired,
loudmouthed, annoying, obnoxious...beautiful idiot. Until Duo Maxwell.
The loudmouthed American seemed so shallow at first sight; a laughing
joker, the consummate village idiot but Duo had proved to be far more
than he appeared. The boy had depths within him that did justice to
those in the Pacific Ocean, all hidden beneath a teasing smile.
No, he didn't understand Duo Maxwell, wasn't sure if he ever would.
Every time he thought he'd come close it seemed he had only brushed the
surface. And yet, he still tried, because the more he learned, the more
fascinating Duo became.
Besides, Heero Yuy never liked to leave a mission incomplete.
A soft sound behind him gave him pause and Heero glance over to see Duo
shifting in his sleep. He'd kicked off the blankets and now was clothed
in nothing more than his own tangled hair. Heero let his eyes linger
briefly on the nude figure of lover, his own body reacting in a
predictable manner at the sight. Resolutely, he returned his attention
to the screen. Time enough for that later.
That was another thing that had changed, he mused silently as he
continued to type. Sex was something else that he had thought he
understood. Stress relief, driven by adrenaline after a battle,
something to ease tension and nothing more.
Duo had taught him otherwise. To Duo, sex was a challenge, a game and
sometimes...sometimes it was something else entirely. Sometimes it felt
as if the physical pleasure was only incidental, secondary to simply
being with Duo, listening to the soft sounds his lover made when he was
touched, stroked, watching those lovely eyes close, his soft lips part
as he gasped and arched up into Heero's touch. Even more beautiful in
his pleasure than he was in his sleep and it was all part of making
love to the shining creature that was Duo Maxwell.
Making love. It was Duo who had taught him that.
Heero was beginning to wonder if he had ever understood anything.
Abruptly, Heero stopped and frowned at the computer as he realized he'd
accidentally typed the words 'making love' instead of what he'd meant
to type. He really needed to keep his mind on his work and he wondered
briefly if Duo was becoming too much of a distraction to him. He
dismissed to idea instantly. It wasn't like that, it wasn't, because if
it was then he would have to let go of what was interfering in his
mission, never touch Duo again, never be with the boy who had taught
him...
"Thinking about me, eh?"
Arms wound themselves around Heero's waist and he jumped slightly,
heard a sleepy chuckle in response.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Duo buried his face in the bare
skin of Heero's back and inhaled deeply, as if scenting his lover. One
hand drifted up lazily to the keyboard and highlighted the phrase
'making love' that was still glaring out from the screen. "Why, Heero
Yuy, are you writing those letters to Playgirl again?" Duo clicked his
tongue in mock disappointment. "What have I told you about that? You
don't have to try to live up to those letters to the editor. They're
all faked anyway. Except yours," he allowed.
"Idiot," Heero said, smiling slightly. He deleted the phrase, ignoring
Duo's snicker and trying not to squirm as the other boy took a sudden
interest in licking the skin at the small of his back.
"Whatcha doing up anyway? A mission?" Duo's words were muffled against
Heero's back and the seated boy sighed. So much for not discussing this
until the morning. He nodded, stoically continuing his work even as he
felt Duo's arms tighten around him.
"I take it that you're going alone on this one."
He could hear the frown in Duo's voice, and even though it wasn't
really a question, he answered anyway, already steeling himself for the
upcoming battle. Fighting mobile suits he could handle, battling his
lover was something else entirely. "Yes."
"Humph."
Heero frowned slightly, pausing in his typing. Was that it? Usually Duo
kicked up enough of a fuss to let half the continent know that he was
upset. It was rather...unsettling...to not have to argue with the other boy
on this.
"You're all right with that?" he asked, already kicking himself
mentally. Here was Duo, all prepared to let him go without a fuss and
now he was trying to pick a fight. Obviously, he'd tried to self-
destruct one too many times. It was starting to affect his brain.
"Hell, no, I'm not all right with that," Duo retorted sharply. His
hands slid abruptly from around Heero's waist and just as suddenly they
switched directions, sliding down his lover's thighs and stroking
teasingly. He shifted up on his knees, his tongue swiping wetly across
Heero's ear before he whispered softly, "I just have something else on
my mind right now."
Letting his head fall back against Duo's shoulder, Heero sighed,
allowing the touch. Now this was something he understood. He might not
understand Duo Maxwell but there was no doubting that he wanted him.
Turning slightly, he pulled Duo into his lap and captured those smiling
lips with his own. The mission wasn't for two more days and he already
had the objectives memorized. Better to spend the time doing...other
things.
He barely had time to steal a brief kiss before Duo was already
squirming away, sliding down to kneel on the floor between Heero's
knees. A mischievous grin was his only warning and Heero drew in a
sharp breath as a warm hand wrapped around his growing erection,
stroking teasingly soft.
Closing his eyes, Heero gasped softly at the wet flicker of a tongue
against his skin, trailing up his shaft to circle the head and then
abruptly engulfing his cock in liquid heat as Duo's mouth closed over
him.
Once, when he had first met Duo, the pilot had told him, rather
cheekily, that he was an excellent cocksucker. At the time, Heero
hadn't even dignified that little piece of information with a glare.
He had a slightly different perspective on the issue now.
Clutching a double handful of Duo's hair that he had no recollection of
grabbing, Heero arched upward, thrusting into that sweet warmth and Duo
allowed it, easily riding out his lover's movements. It seemed to last
forever, Duo going from only barely holding him in his mouth to sucking
almost painfully hard, until Heero was writhing on the small chair with
only Duo's arms keeping him from toppling off.
Dimly, he could hear himself making the most embarrassing noises,
whimpering loudly as he surrendered to Duo's talented mouth. Pleasure
arced through him and he threw his head back, hands gripping Duo's head
as he shoved himself deeply into the other boy's mouth and came.
He could feel Duo swallowing around him, soft pulses of ecstasy still
shuddering through him as his lover gently released him, pressing
gentle kisses along his softening shaft. Trembling, Heero slid off the
stool and into Duo's arms, the floor wonderfully cool against his
overheated skin.
Duo nuzzled his ear tenderly, the tip of his tongue tracing the whorls
of Heero's ear. "I love you," he said, for once his voice hushed and
serious. Heero closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Duo's
shoulder, saying nothing.
If there was one thing he knew for certain about Duo Maxwell it was
that he never lied. Might not exactly tell the truth, but he didn't
lie. You just had to know which questions to ask.
But there could be no mistaking those words.
Standing, Heero looked at the boy still kneeling on the floor in front
of him. Unabashedly nude, a gentle, half-smile curved his lips, his
emotions shining in his eyes. So many times Duo had said those words,
whispered them, screamed them as he convulsed in pleasure. Never had he
gotten a response and yet he still said them, for reasons that Heero
could not understand.
Frustration flared within him, but he tamped it back firmly. He had a
mission in two days and he didn't need this distraction. He pushed it
aside, as he always did, vowing that they would deal with this later.
Someday.
Holding a hand out, he helped Duo to his feet and abruptly found
himself sprawled out on the mattress with an armful of laughing idiot.
A soft laugh of his own escaped as he rolled quickly, pinning Duo
beneath him. As he tipped the other boy back onto the bed, already lost
in a kiss, Heero suddenly didn't care if he ever understood who or what
Duo Maxwell was, so long as Duo was his.
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