Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / Twilight Of Dark Master Fan Fiction / X/1999 Fan Fiction / Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction / Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Tournament ❯ First Round: Duo vs. Heero ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Category: Anime/Game crossover, Yaoi, TWT
Characters: Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei and Zechs from Gundam Wing; Sephiroth and Vincent from FF7; Kenshin and Sano from Rurouni Kenshin; Kamui from X; Tsunami from Twilight of the Dark Master; Van from Escaflowne; Shin, Trunks and Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z; Clef, Eagle and Lantis from Magic Knights Rayearth; Irvine and Squall from FF8; Kuja from FF9; Glenn and Serge from Chrono Cross; Albert and Lloyd from Legend of Dragoon.
Main Pairings: Pairings will change for each part, but the main pairings are: 1+2, 3+4, 6+5, SephirothxVincent, Lantis+Eagle, SanoxKenshin
Pairing: HeeroxDuo (1x2)
Warnings: slight violence, lemon, shonen ai
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com
Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina

Dark Tournament

Part 3

First Round: Duo vs. Heero

"The next battle will begin now," Shin said, "the combatants; Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy." The two boys looked at each other, then they were on the rocky battleground. Watching them, he took a sharp step forward when Duo's eyes latched onto Wing Zero. "As I have mentioned," he said slowly, "many of you fighters were taken from different times. Things have changed since you were taken," he told Duo. The boy continued to stare at the suit that stood behind him and Shin finally turned to Heero. That pilot was looking much calmer, but not at all happy. "The suit that is disabled loses. If either of you is taken out of your suit, he loses. All damage will be repaired immediately after the battle."

Duo tried not to let the suit get to him, but he could swear it looked even worse. Before, it had been a flight model. Now, it had long, gundanium wings that had to make it even quicker than he remembered. He'd had enough trouble fighting the suit when Trent piloted it. He couldn't imagine trying to fight Heero in it. His own suit was standing next to Heero's and he blinked when he saw the cable was already hanging down for his ascent. There was no point postponing it, so he looked at Shin, not letting the short man's appearance bother him. He could see how it must have shocked Wufei, but he was much more resilient than that pilot.

"Enter your suits," Shin said, waving behind him. He turned and watched them go to their Gundams, noting that neither *looked* worried. But Heero was very angry and Duo was afraid. They both hid the emotions on the outside, but they couldn't hide anything from him. Green eyes lit up as the Gundams straightened and Shin held still until they stood with him between them. It was very odd, looking from one set of glowing eyes to the other, and he caught their attention quickly. "Begin."

Silence filled the cockpit as Duo watched the white suit, waiting for Heero to say something. There was a soft beep, then the boy appeared on his view screen, taking up a small corner of it. Those calm eyes were a relief to him, but he knew they would *have* to fight. He just didn't particularly want to. "Heero, you know something?"

Heero wasn't sure what to do, but he couldn't just attack the boy without any warning. Seeing him on the screen inside his cockpit proved to undo some of his determination, though, and he shook his head slowly at the question. He'd known Duo long enough to realize it was a rhetorical question. "What?"

"I hate that suit." The Japanese pilot looked surprised and Duo nodded adamantly. "I can't stand the thing. I guess that's why I don't feel so bad about fighting you. At least I get to tear that suit up."

"Duo," Heero said slowly, "you must know that you can't beat me." Violet eyes blinked at him, then narrowed in anger. Heero continued before the American could begin railing at him. "It will be a fast fight."

The picture blinked off suddenly and Duo grabbed his scythe, green thermal energy radiating out to form two blades. He barely moved fast enough; a light saber hit the blade in a spot near the Gundam's cockpit. It was a forward thrust, as if he'd meant to pierce the suit. Gundanium was an incredible metal, but Duo knew it could be cut by thermal energy if he didn't deflect the blows. Pushing forward, Deathscythe threw the saber off, Duo manipulating the controls to land a sharp strike against Heero's blade.

Firing the boosters briefly, Heero moved his suit back, shoulder plates lifting as he unloaded a series of bullets at the suit. It dodged and he lifted the saber again, blocking Duo this time. He'd promised a quick fight, knowing he'd pay for defeating the boy, but the American wasn't going to make it easy. Holding the scythe as if he couldn't throw it off, he aimed the beam cannon to the side of Duo's suit, the edge of the thick beam nearly taking off Deathscythe's arm. Hopefully, Shin hadn't lied about repairing the suits. A click sounded and Heero winced at Duo's voice, glad he couldn't see the boy's face.

"What the *hell* are you thinking?!" Duo cried, Deathscythe leaning to the side. Sensors were going off all over the place, reporting the damage and he swung his scythe, digging a groove in Wing Zero's shoulder when Heero didn't react to the unexpected retaliation. "You can't use that! You'll kill me!"

"Not if you stand still," Heero stated. He could tell Duo wasn't inhibited anymore and he didn't want to drag the battle out. Wide wings spread behind his Gundam and he lifted suddenly, rising until he was out of the black suit's range. Putting the saber away, he locked the cannon onto Duo's suit before moving it to the side again. A direct hit would obliterate it and he didn't trust Shin enough to try that. The red markings that located his target disappeared suddenly and his eyes narrowed. "Duo..."

There was no way he'd answer and give away his location. His cloaking device hid him well enough that the Japanese pilot couldn't find him and that was his only defense. He was grounded, but not out of options, not yet. The arm of his Gundam lifted and Duo glared up at the suit, a dark smirk curving his lips when he saw that Heero wasn't moving. The shield on his Gundam's arm was made for times like this and it fired suddenly.

"Damn it, Duo." The Gundanium piece dug into the chest of his suit, having successfully knocked the beam cannon to the ground. Wing Zero reeled back a bit and he caught a flicker on his view screen when Duo moved. He couldn't actually see the suit, not well. It was as if a blurry spot was imprinted over the screen. Then his sensors screamed and he flew to the side, a hot beam nearly catching one wing. The black suit appeared again and his lips twitched despite himself. He could practically see the grin that must have been on Duo's face as the beam cannon locked onto him again. "I hadn't planned on this," he admitted.

"Fuck your plan," Duo muttered, firing again. Those wings shifted and the suit dodged again, still keeping to the air. "I can't believe you used this thing on me, asshole..."

"Duo, Deathscythe can't sustain a long burst from that cannon. You do realize that, don't you?" Another shot had him diving to the ground before lifting again and Heero gave an irritated sigh.

"Who said I was going to use a long burst?" Duo asked, his anger cooling a bit as he started to enjoy himself. The cannon was nice and he felt as if he were merely firing a regular gun at a bird. But Heero was smarter than any bird. And his radar was shot. His fellow pilot didn't seem to realize he'd done that much damage with his shot earlier, though, and Duo wasn't about to admit it. He was going by sight alone. Following Wing Zero when it suddenly flew to the left, Duo fired another quick burst. And he clipped one wing.

Wing Zero crashed rather ungracefully, but Heero was quick to get the suit to its feet again. His left wing was sizzling with currents, but the rest of the Gundam was undamaged from the fall. Turning before Duo could catch him in the back, he was surprised to see the black suit toss the beam rifle aside.

"That's better," Duo said, clicking on visuals so Heero could see him. The Japanese pilot looked confused and he smirked at the unusual expression. "What? Did you think I would hit you while you're down? What kind of friend would do that...I just evened the playing field is all."

"You shouldn't have," Heero answered. Clicking off visuals, he drew the saber again and made a feint at the other suit. Duo met the attack and he pushed the other suit back and to the side, not loosing focus on his target. As he drew close enough, he dove for the discarded rifle, metal digging into rocky earth as his Gundam hit down. He earned himself a deep cut in the left arm of his Gundam, but he caught the rifle and turned it on the other suit.

Duo's eyes widened, too surprised to be angry just yet, then the cannon fired on him in point blank range. He didn't feel the impact or anything else. His body seemed to go numb at the screaming sound of the beam eating through his suit and he was out before he hit the ground.

* * *

There was no silence during the fight this time; questions were thrown out before it even began. Shin was still on the battlefield, so Tsunami was the one to address the fighters.

"What are they?" Albert asked, not looking away from the suits. The two boys showed how large the suits were and he couldn't decide if they were magic or machines. The green glow in those eyes made him think magic, but Wufei had told him their world didn't *have* magic.

"Mobile suits," Wufei said, nodding to the man. "I told you we used suits."

"Yes," Tsunami explained, "they fight inside the suits. Their technology is more advanced than most of your worlds." He caught Irvine's eyes and nodded. "The closest would probably be your Galbadia Garden and its flight models."

"No comparison," Squall said quickly. "Those suits are larger, and they fight inside of them. The models Garden uses are just to gain access into facilities, to carry people. They weren't designed to fight in."

He'd planned to say something, but Tsunami stopped himself as he remembered what time the teens had been taken from. They didn't know the Gardens were mobile and it wasn't his place to tell them. Besides, it didn't really matter. "The suits are made of an alloy called Gundanium that is resistant to extreme heat and most other metals. In view of this, we've used the alloy on most of your swords, as well."

"You know how to manipulate Gundanium?" Zechs asked, his eyes wide. "Are you saying you used our technology to improve the other fighters' weapons? Doesn't that counter your purpose? How can you decide anything if you are changing things like that?"

"Some changes had to be made in order to allow the other fighters to use their abilities," Tsunami said, his expression patient.

"Then it's not a real fight," Van said, frowning at the man.

"In a real fight, the loser would die. No, it's not a real fight by any means. What this is, is a tournament designed to test each of you against fighters of different types. If you were being placed in a fight where the loser would face death, I don't think any of you would complain if we gave you an unfair advantage." Tsunami glanced at Kuja, noting the fact that the short teen was watching with a surprising lack of enjoyment. "We cannot make these matches equal, but we can add things to make them *less* unequal."

"We're doing things the way we see fit," Kuja said suddenly, glaring at the group of fighters. Their complaints were irritating to listen to, and he found his glare met by pale blue eyes as Sephiroth stepped forward. "There's no point arguing with the methods."

"You are so confident, aren't you. So far, the only thing keeping us from attacking you is the display of magic you've shown. But I don't see that you've done anything that difficult. What? You teleported people out there." Sephiroth waved a hand at the screen, his eyes flashing a bit when he saw that the boys were climbing into the suits. Shin would be coming back, then. "And he claims to be able to immobilize us. But we haven't seen it. Why don't you four give us a display of this strength that is supposed to keep us from attacking you?"

"After the match," Shin said calmly, frowning as he was brought back to the room. Tsunami gave him a significant look, and he knew what the man was thinking. Sephiroth was getting bored, it was obvious. The man had enjoyed his match, and he'd watched the first battle with interest. For some reason, though, he was uninterested in seeing the two suits fight. No matter what he said, that boredom was the real reason the man had spoken up. "Once they are finished, we will take a sojourn and move to the field. I'll prove my power to whoever wishes to challenge me. Until then, watch the battle. You shouldn't discredit them until you see their fight."

"Machines don't bleed," Sephiroth murmured, stepping back to lean against the wall again. "They don't feel pain. Why would I want to watch two machines fight?" The lavender-skinned male sighed, but he waved a hand at him. "I'll wait."

The battle started and complaints were raised immediately, sounding from the pilots who knew the boys fighting. Wufei was the first to speak up and he glared at Shin as if he were to blame. "A beam rifle in an air model suit against a close-range combat suit?" The man glanced at him but didn't speak.

"How could Heero use that?" Quatre asked, his voice wavering, just a bit. It was bad enough just seeing Heero pilot that suit again, he couldn't forget the last time. The normally controlled pilot had nearly killed him and destroyed the entire lunar base. That he would turn the beam rifle on Duo was as unforgivable as his own past history with the suit. His eyes turned to Trowa and he flinched, looking away quickly.

"It's the quickest way to finish the battle," Trowa said, nodding to where Heero had fired the rifle. "And he aimed to the side, just enough to clip Deathscythe."

"That's a rifle?" Albert asked, his eyes dropping to Wufei. "I've seen something like that once, on a dragon."

"Ah, the king of dragons, the Divine Dragon." Lloyd smirked when Albert shot him a glare, but he shrugged it aside. "I doubt it's the same thing, though. Armor was enough to withstand the dragon's cannon. That mechanical one looks much stronger."

"Strong enough to destroy a colony," Zechs put in, his eyes somber. He was wondering if he'd made the right choice, taking Epyon in exchange for Wing Zero. But there was no turning back now, and he didn't know if he'd have been willing to use the cannon so heartlessly.

Irvine blinked at them, then tapped Squall on the shoulder, nodding his head toward the screen. "Eden maybe?" The teen nodded and he relaxed, watching with a bit less apprehension. It was nice to know they had something to compare with what was obviously the two boys' strongest attack.

Sanosuke was still leaning against the wall across from the screen, and he glanced at Kenshin, raising an eyebrow. "So? Do we have a chance in hell against *these* two?" Narrow violet eyes flicked back to him.

"Maybe. The suits are large targets, we're faster. And if our blades are made of the same material as their suits, our chances are increased."

"Damn, but you're positive." Sano smirked when Kenshin's expression softened with a quick smile. "But what about the flying suit?"

"How high can *you* jump?" Kenshin asked, an innocent expression on his face. The tall teen glared at him and he closed his eyes, still smiling for a second before he turned back to the screen. The winged suit *was* flying at the moment, but that just meant it would have trouble with a small target on the ground, especially one that moved fast. The black suit disappeared suddenly, and Kenshin blinked, squinting at the screen.

"Where'd he go?" Van looked at the men standing near him, reassured when he saw that he wasn't the only one confused. He understood the suits, though they were obviously much more advanced than Escaflowne. But the black one wasn't on the screen anymore.

"Look close," Sephiroth murmured, turning lazy eyes on the youth. "He's there, it's just blurry."

"I don't-" Van closed his mouth when a hand moved over his shoulder and he followed the pointed finger, his eyes widening when he did make out a spot that seemed blurred somehow. Blinking, he glanced back at Trunks. "How did he do that?" He'd seen something similar in the past, but the black suit hadn't moved before disappearing.

Shrugging, Trunks turned to Tsunami, the closest of the four men. "Well? You've told us everything else."

"A cloaking device," Tsunami nodded. "It works best against other Gundams, but it does mar general vision unless you get used to picking out the signs. The suit takes on the appearance of the land around it. But it only works if there is a solid or consistent background."

"Just more technology, then?" The white-haired man nodded and Trunks glanced to the other pilots. "Do you have this also?"

"No," Wufei answered shortly, not taking his eyes off the screen. "That's Duo's specialty." He could pick out the blur of Duo's suit, but only because their view was of sky and ground. He doubted if Heero could see it as well and he smirked when something struck the flying suit, tearing the beam rifle away. "That's more like it." But his smirk faded when Duo immediately turned the same weapon on Heero and he let out an irritated growl. "They're both doing it."

"Do you blame him?" Trowa asked, raising an eyebrow at the black-haired boy.

"Not really." Despite his words, he appreciated it when Duo tossed the cannon aside after clipping Wing Zero. The boy's words were ones he might have used himself, evening out the battle, less unfair advantages. But that didn't last either and he turned away when Heero suddenly gained the rifle again. There was no point watching.

Quatre's face went white when Heero lined the beam rifle directly with the Deathscythe. "He can't!"

"Just watch," Kuja called, smiling at the boy's wide eyes. "He won't die, remember, no one dies."

* * *

Before he opened his eyes, Duo was aware of two things, the sound of currents sizzling, and the smell of smoke mixed with wafts of fresh, cool air. Then hands were tugging on his shoulders and he blinked dazed eyes, frowning when Heero pulled him out of his seat. He didn't feel hurt, but Heero drew him up until he was standing outside of the cockpit. Only then did he understand and his eyes narrowed suddenly, a curse leaving his lips when Shin announced Heero as the winner. He promptly shoved Heero off his Gundam.

"Duo-" Heero closed his mouth, looking up from the ground at the furious boy who scowled at him.

"Asshole. Jerk. Bastard. What the *hell* kind of fight was that?!" Glaring, Duo clenched his fists, kicking Wing Zero's arm where it rested near the crumpled door of his cockpit. Even if Shin *did* somehow fix his Gundam, that didn't forgive Heero.

"The quickest I could think of," Heero admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "I saw no reason to draw the fight out."

"Fuck that, you didn't even give me a chance." Duo scowled when Heero climbed back onto Deathscythe's scarred leg. The boy walked to him and he folded his arms over his chest, his glare darkening.

"I didn't mean to," Heero said slowly, "but I did give you an opportunity. You could have used the beam rifle on me when I landed. The fact that you didn't shows you're too lenient. I don't want you fighting in the next round of this tournament." That was the real point of his cruel tactics. He didn't know who would fight next, but he had no intentions of allowing someone else to battle Duo, even if the boy was guaranteed to win. He wasn't one to share.

Not having thought any further than the current battle, Duo frowned suddenly. He had been too lenient; if it had been an enemy he'd have shot the suit without blinking. But it was Heero, that was the only reason he wanted a fair fight. "If it were anyone else I would have done it," he argued, glaring when Heero raised an eyebrow at him. The dark-haired boy didn't look like he believed him, but Duo was thinking about Heero's last comment, how he didn't want him fighting in the next round. He suddenly had a suspicion that his leniency had nothing to do with it. The boy had almost sounded possessive, rather than worried. It reminded him that the battle was over, winner's rights were supposed to commence now. He took a sharp step back.

Heero glared, his brows lowering at Duo's expression. If he hadn't known better, he'd swear the boy looked ready to panic. "Duo. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I know that!" Duo snapped, glaring at the boy's calm tone. Heero gave a sharp nod before taking a step toward him and his hands curled into fists. "You don't have to look so damn eager, though." Dark blue eyes blinked at him and he looked away, suddenly wishing he'd paid attention to the previous fighters. He'd been tempted to, but it felt wrong to take advantage of the twisted rules of the tournament. Now he wondered if any had resisted. They'd heard the words clearly as the previous combatants fought, but afterward only images were given. At least he didn't have to worry about anyone listening in, just watching. That was bad enough.

"It isn't like I haven't done this before," Heero said, ignoring the angry look Duo shot him. The boy wasn't as easy as he'd been the first time they'd been together, but Heero doubted if he was as worried as he looked. Duo'd told him before that he noticed him right away. It was just that he hadn't the time to do anything about his feelings until the war was over. That year of peace had been wonderful for them and he'd learned that the longhaired boy wasn't as confident as he liked to act. He didn't know what time Duo had been taken from, but he saw from Deathscythe's improvements that it was after they'd gone to space. That was enough. "Has Hilde asked you yet?" Wide eyes snapped to him and he waited, knowing the girl had. "You told her you weren't interested. Duo, you already have feelings toward me, it isn't like we're strangers."

"I told you about Hilde?" Duo asked, ignoring the rest of Heero's sentence. The girl had only confessed a day ago that she liked him *that* way. She'd been so embarrassed he couldn't believe he'd actually tell anyone about it, let alone Heero. The rest of the boy's comment filtered in and he snorted at the idea of him having feelings for his comrade. That wasn't the right word. He had fantasies, sure, and good ones at that, but he didn't have time to waste pining after the serious pilot. In Heero's time, things were obviously different, though. "When were you taken?"

"A year after we defeated OZ," Heero told him, his eyes narrowing. He remembered that Shin had said they wouldn't remember anything when they were returned to their own times again, but he didn't like the idea of telling Duo his future. There was something wrong about that. "We've been together for that year, lovers since the beginning of the peace." The boy was staring at him and he relaxed when a light tint showed on Duo's cheeks.

It was the emotionless tone that made Duo so slow to react, Heero's flat statement that they were lovers not quite making an impact immediately. A second passed with him staring into patient dark-blue eyes, then he smirked suddenly, a twinge of his edginess disappearing. "So I finally got you into the sack, eh? I was wondering where I went after the war, if I lived, of course."

"You weren't the one," Heero said, shaking his head at the boy's confused expression. "After the war you went to work with Hilde. She was the one who told me where you were."

"You got *me* in the sack?" Duo drawled, one eyebrow raised. "I don't see it. I'm the outgoing one."

"You're just standing there," Heero reminded him, his eyes glinting as he matched Duo's expression. "I doubt if they will wait long before enforcing the rules of this thing."

"No time for small talk," Duo translated, lifting his chin so he could look upward. For a moment he imagined himself as a martyr, then he smiled, meeting Heero's cautious gaze. "Well? I'm waiting to see if you're as good as I imagined." The boy's eyes widened abruptly and he snickered, gaining some more of his confidence. He stepped forward until he could have reached out and touched Heero. "After a year, I'd expect you to be used to me." He was referring to his bold words, and Heero blinked suddenly.

"Sex is the one time you usually don't say much," Heero told him, solemnly, only the slightest spark in his eyes betraying his good humor. "At least nothing understandable."

Raising an eyebrow, Duo looked at the boy closely before letting out a small laugh. "You're *teasing* me! Heero Yuy, teasing? I wouldn't expect that after *five* years. Much different from your fighting attitude, I'm not sure I like it."

The boy was smirking, but Heero didn't pay his words much mind. He could tell Duo was using his humor to lighten the mood and he went along with it. With a blank expression, Heero frowned. "I've always had a sense of humor, you know. I found it hilarious when we fought on that base and you nearly fell over." Violet eyes blinked for a second before Duo knew what he was referring to, then the boy laughed again.

"Insane laughter doesn't count!" Duo said, his eyes widening when Heero frowned. The dark-haired pilot folded his arms and actually managed to look miffed, without looking unapproachably angry, his usual expression. He gave Heero a measuring look and relaxed his smile, nodding slowly. "I think I like you like this."

Nodding, Heero's expression relaxed. "You always enjoy matching wits, even with me." It came easily now, but he could remember the lessons he'd gone through. He didn't plan to tell Duo how long it had taken him to relax enough to actually *play* rather than argue. He was just glad he'd learned. His partner looked almost as comfortable as he did in his time, before the new revolution. His eyes sparked again and he turned suddenly, glancing back at Wing Zero before looking at Duo. "Your Gundam...or mine?"

"What?!" His face fell for a second before he laughed, staring at Heero's smirk with something akin to shock. "I thought you didn't *like* people touching your Gundam!"

"Things change," Heero murmured, reaching a hand out to fold it in Duo's shirt. He gave a quick sneer at the ugly outfit the boy wore, hiding his distaste quickly enough that the boy didn't notice. "Do you know why I was so shocked to see you in this again?" he asked, not lifting his eyes from the white collar. He didn't give Duo time to answer, pulling the boy close suddenly and looking him in the eye. "It implies celibacy."

"Uh..." Duo stared at Heero, not resisting as the boy's face moved closer to him and a bout of nervousness spurted through him. Those blue eyes looked clouded suddenly, but he didn't freeze when the boy kissed him, their gazes locked. He had to give himself a mental slap to get his hands working, but he moved his arms around Heero's waist quickly. It was so odd to be doing something he'd only imagined, but it felt natural somehow, and Heero was a better kisser than he'd hoped.

Pulling back after a moment, Heero licked his lips, enjoying the taste as his fingers curled in Duo's shirt. Then he jerked roughly, splitting the thick fabric down the middle. The boy gave a cry of disbelief, but he shook his head, splitting the material down to the waist. "If they can repair a Gundam, I'm sure they can fix this. It's in my way."

"I could have taken it off," Duo muttered, his eyes still looking dazedly at the remainder of his shirt. The fabric was thick enough that he rarely tore it at all. To see Heero split it so easily reminded him of the boy's strength. "I hope you're right, though, I don't want to stand around in a torn shirt for the rest of the tournament."

"You worry too much," Heero told him, licking his lips again as he lowered his head to the boy's revealed neck. His tongue pressed the small indention at the base of Duo's neck, teasing the skin as his hands pulled the rest of the cloth off the boy's arms. It hung limp from his waist, but Heero would take care of that in due time, his mouth moving over Duo's shoulder. The boy's arms were on his back again and he gave a low sound against the moist skin, brushing his teeth over Duo's neck. After a minute or so, he pulled back, looking at Duo's expression. He took in the way the boy's dark eyebrows were drawn together, but he knew Duo liked that. He'd been told so before, multiple times in the past, Duo's future. It was too distracting to think of and he kissed the boy's down-turned lips, erasing the slight frown.

Kissing was fine and Duo put himself into it, not pausing too long on the odd caress Heero had given him. That had sent a shiver down his back, but a good one and he wasn't sure what to make of it. He felt as if the boy knew exactly what buttons to press, but then he would, considering they'd been lovers for a year. He didn't doubt what Heero'd told him, but he simply couldn't picture it. Sure, there was chemistry between them, there had been since they'd met, but lovers? That was something else, especially since Heero hadn't used the word in a way that would denote a casual relationship. It sounded more as if they were a couple, established. Heero pulled away again and Duo's eyes snapped open when the boy lifted him off his feet. That he could be carried so easily was no surprise to him, but he was stumped for a minute, wondering where the pilot was taking him. Glancing over his shoulder, he grinned when he saw that they were, in fact, headed toward Wing Zero's cockpit. He didn't know if that would be in compliance with the rules, but he was still stunned to think Heero would actually *take* him into his Gundam, and for such a reason. It wasn't something Heero-I-don't-want-anyone-touching-my-suit-Yuy would do. "I don't believe we're going to have sex in the Wing Zero," he said softly, his voice faint. "I never wanted to see that suit again."

Heero paused, frowning at the boy. "You never wanted to do anything in Deathscythe," he said, "I didn't think you would now." The uniqueness of doing it in a Gundam wasn't the only reason they'd done so in the past, though the instances had been rather interesting. Rather, it was a way to prove that he wasn't attached to the suit anymore. That was the reason for their first experience, after that is was different. "We don't have to, if you'd rather not." He'd asked Duo once, in the past, why he absolutely rejected the idea of doing anything in his own suit. The boy had felt uncomfortable with the thought and he hadn't pushed. Now, he stopped, about ready to simply settle for the ground. He was sure they didn't have any more time to waste talking. The last thing he wanted was for the others to remind them that they were being watched. "Duo?"

With a quick shake of his head, Duo knocked away his hesitation, giving the dark-haired boy a quick smile. "Don't mind me. It's just a shock, you know? You have to think, I haven't seen you in over a month and now you're talking about us being lovers. I'm about to have sex in your Gundam with a room full of people watching, *including* Wufei, who's probably having a conniption fit right now. I guess I'm having a little trouble coping, that's all."

"It's easier if you don't think about it," Heero answered, continuing abruptly. There wasn't anything he could say that would help the boy get past those shocks, but he could certainly distract him. He was good at focusing on a goal to the point of excluding everything else. With any luck, he could make Duo forget everything, at least for a little while. He'd knelt Wing Zero close to Deathscythe and he hopped onto the open platform without breaking stride. Duo shook his head when he set the boy on his feet and Heero caught the swinging braid, holding him for a quick kiss. "Trust me."

"Trust you?" Duo asked, his voice catching a bit as he grinned. "What are you planning to do?" Hands touched his waist and he caught Heero's wrists, giving the boy a wry look. "I can undress myself, thank you."

"You just don't want me to rip them off you," Heero muttered, his hands dropping.

"You really don't like this outfit," Duo commented, his eyes gleaming as Heero pulled off his tank-top. "But it's actually quicker to just take the pants off, you know." He blinked when the boy pushed him backward abruptly, but he landed in the seat, looking down to see Heero removing his shoes for him. "Are we in a hurry?"

"Yes." The boy smiled at him and Heero gave a slight nod at the cheerful expression. Duo was in a playful mood, good. Now, he just had to keep him loose and there wouldn't be any problems. "Remember the night I stole parts from your suit? You were wearing a gray tank-top. I told myself I'd see you without that damned priest suit eventually."

"No way! You can't say you were thinking about me back then, the only thing on *your* mind was the mission and we both know it." The boy had straightened and was removing his black shorts, but those dark blue eyes met his as Heero nodded sharply.

"I was dedicated, but not dead. Of course I noticed you." Reaching out, he tugged on Duo's braid, smirking at the boy. "Who wouldn't?" A pleased smile rewarded the compliment and he dropped his eyes, his gaze sliding over the boy's chest. "Are you going to take those off?"

His face heated a bit, but Duo undressed quickly enough, shaking his head at Heero. "You're like a completely different person."

The smirk left his face and Heero gave the boy a sharp look, making him pause briefly. "Only with you." Those violet eyes widened and he put his hands over Duo's moving the pants down and getting the boy back into motion. "I haven't changed, Duo, not really."

"You did fight the same as ever," Duo admitted, his eyes downcast, face hot as he found himself without a scrap of clothing. A tug pulled his braid down and he frowned when Heero moved close to him.

"One thing at a time," Heero murmured, gaze dropping to the boy's frowning lips, "we're not fighting now." He leaned forward, pressing their mouths together as his free hand trailed down the boy's arm. Duo's hands tightened on his shoulders and he curved his hand, stroking his fingers down the boy's side. A frown marred his face when he pulled back and he gave the boy a disapproving look before dropping his eyes to gaze at his hand. "You're much too thin," he murmured, pressing Duo's knees apart so he could kneel between the boy's legs. Leaning forward, he touched his mouth to the boy's stomach, fingers brushing the slender waist. He'd spent months fattening the boy up, it was disappointing to see how slight he was. Not that he wasn't just as attractive, but it made him feel as if the boy needed someone to take care of him and didn't have anyone. As if he hadn't done his job. Nuzzling Duo's navel, he nipped the soft skin, his eyes bright when the boy flinched with a soft gasp. He glanced up, noting the light flush on Duo's face, the wide eyes that snapped to him. "Hard to believe you eat everything you get your hands on."

"Hey! I don't--" Fingers brushed his thigh, grazing his length and Duo gasped, closing his mouth quickly. Those dark blue eyes held him for a moment, then he saw the boy give a slow smile unlike any he'd seen on the pilot. If he hadn't known better, he'd have sworn Heero knew exactly how sexy that smile was. The touch came again and he barely held still, suddenly at a loss as to what he should be doing with his own hands. Heero's gaze dropped and Duo took another breath, holding it with anticipation. He could feel warm breath on him and he sighed, hands closing over the boy's shoulders as those fingers gave way to a hot tongue. Tilting his head back, he marveled briefly at the fact that the seat was softer than the one in Deathscythe. Then Heero's mouth moved over him and he groaned, wondering how the boy could be so good at it.

There was something to be said for self-taught skills, and Heero could tell from the sound Duo gave that the boy appreciated his knowledge as much now as ever. And rightfully so, considering he'd modeled his technique according to Duo's reaction. Moving his mouth over the hard length, he applied a gentle pressure, his hands rubbing lightly muscled thighs. He pulled back slowly, his tongue delving against the tip of Duo's erection before swirling around it and taking it in again. A low moan met with his ears and he closed his eyes, hands lifting Duo's legs onto his shoulders. Not ceasing his slow assault, he moved a hand down, stroking the inside of the boy's thigh. There were so many pressure points he'd learned of in that long year and he touched one with his thumb, playing briefly before trailing onward.

He could feel Heero's fingers seeking entrance, and he did his best not to tense up. His eyes were closed, head tilted against the seat as he clenched his fists, and he blinked when something brushed his cheek. The hand caressed his cheek lightly, fingers trailing his bottom lip and he felt his face heat as he opened his mouth, tongue moving against skin. Heero made a deep sound around him as he sucked on the fingers in his mouth, then the hand pulled away and he closed his eyes again, barely wincing when the boy's damp hand prodded him again.

Sucking on the tip of Duo's erection, Heero pushed two fingers into the boy, immediately going for the prostate. His hand twitched as he moved against the spot and he pulled his mouth away slowly, lapping his way up Duo's stomach, the boy's legs sliding down until the knees hooked at his shoulders. The longhaired boy was bent, his back curved against the seat and he knew it wasn't a position to make him keep for too long, but Duo was nothing if not flexible, he'd learned that over time. Those violet eyes were closed, but he slipped his tongue into the boy's open mouth, interrupting the soft gasp as his fingers continued to massage his insides.

Duo's eyes flicked open and he stared at Heero, still awed by how dark the boy's blue eyes were, almost simmering with a shadow of gray. Passion? A tongue twined with his and he breathed into Heero's mouth, knowing it was passion at the least. The slow assault was much too slow for him, and he let his eyes speak for his occupied lips, pleading for more. Those eyes glinted abruptly and he gave a smile to the boy when Heero pulled away, fingers leaving him to curl around his still-damp erection. "You're so good," he whispered, his voice a husky drawl. "I don't have to do anything."

"You do," Heero murmured, tilting his head so he could brush his mouth over the boy's neck again. "You have to look like that and let me do this." His teeth rubbed Duo's skin lightly as he moved to press himself against the damp entrance, the boy shivering in reaction to the caress rather than the impending penetration. Smiling against Duo's neck, he repeated the caress before running his tongue along the boy's jaw, lifting to brush Duo's soft bottom lip. He stared into bright violet eyes for a moment before taking the boy's mouth, silencing the moan as he pushed into the boy. There was so little resistance he gave himself kudos for preparing his lover well before falling into the motions, Duo's arms wrapping around his neck.

The Japanese boy was still going too slowly and Duo finally tore his mouth away. Moving his head to the side, he jerked on Heero's earlobe, his tongue flicking out immediately afterward and arousing a slight shiver from the boy. "Heero," he growled, closing his eyes as the boy continued to move inside him, "Speed it up or I'll take control, I mean it."

"Rotten American," Heero muttered, his lips curving in another small smile as he licked the boy's neck. "I haven't touched you in days, and you still won't let me take my time. It never changes." The boy stilled briefly, but he pushed Duo back, smirking at his curious expression as he paused inside him. "You just don't have the patience." His hands tightened a bit on Duo's legs and he suddenly moved again, thrusting into him at a much quicker pace that elicited a sharp cry and a wide smile that begged to be kissed. Those violet eyes closed tightly and his gaze dropped to the boy's mouth as he dove for it again. Fingers dug into his hair, holding him and his tongue shoved against Duo's, the boy's kiss almost as roughly eager as his own movements. There was no option left for a slow assault and he shut his eyes, his face pressing Duo's neck when the boy gasped for air. They came much too soon for him, but there was nothing lacking in the pleasure of it. Still, it was with reluctance that he disengaged from the boy, plucking the ripped black shirt up to wipe away the evidence.

Duo gave a long sigh, not so much as wincing at the stiffness of his legs as he shifted against the seat. Cracking an eye, he grinned at Heero's raised eyebrow and caught the pants the boy handed him. "Much better than I expected," he said quickly, laughing when the boy glared.

"Is that a complaint?" Heero asked, bending to pull on his shorts. Duo dressed more slowly, but the boy's grin stayed when he stood.

"No, just a comment." Fingering the damp pieces of his shirt, Duo shrugged and lifted sparkling eyes to his former partner and new lover. "You were good."

"It would have been better if I hadn't been so rushed," Heero commented, turning to step out of the cockpit. He heard a snort behind him and smirked, waiting till the boy reached him. Bare seconds passed before they were back in the large room. His eyes immediately moved to the place where the other three pilots stood and he glared briefly, his back stiffening when he saw that Zechs looked away quickly. Whether it was encouraged or not, he wouldn't forget that the man had watched them, wouldn't forgive it either. But the others had their eyes on the floor and that was good. With a glance to Duo, he joined them.

"As I said earlier," Shin said, his eyes on the two boys, "we're taking a sojourn for a demonstration. This will prove our ability to control this tournament, and enforce participation." His eyes flicked to Tsunami and he nodded to the man before looking to Clef and Kuja. The four of them moved toward the screen, nearness increasing their powers as they teleported the entire group onto the battlefield.

* * *
TBC
--notes--
The next contest will be Irvine vs. Squall, but it may not be in the next part, not sure yet.