Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Never Say Never ❯ Chapter 1

Title: Never Say Never
Author: Mookie
Pairing: 2x1x2
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: graphic m/m sex
Notes: Written for Deb, who thought I might be able to pull it off, but the blame for this plot bunny is all kebzero's.

Entrant into the Art of Using Sex Toys Competition 2004

Heero opened his pocketknife and slit the tape binding the box, first down the middle, then on both sides. He folded the knife back up and set it on the dresser, then returned to the bed where the package waited.

He glanced at the doorway, listening carefully for any approaching footsteps, then opened the flaps of the box and pulled out the crumpled brown paper, then the bubble wrap.

He wanted to wince at the gaudy display of color that assaulted his vision, but he was determined to take whatever steps were necessary to accomplish his goal.

Ordering them online had been much easier than actually looking at them lying there in their plastic packaging.

He sighed as he picked one up, noticing the hermetic seal that was impossible to open without significant effort. It seemed counterproductive to need to use a sharp object to access the item inside. He supposed it wasn't the sort of thing you'd use without washing it first, but it certainly didn't do anything for his libido.

He could have done without the smiling face painted on the oversized head.

Or the picture of the scantily clad woman on the cardboard insert, cooing to the rubber phallus in a way that he supposed some people might consider seductive.

He frowned. He certainly would have remembered if he'd ordered something like this.

Picking up the enclosed invoice, he scanned the list until he saw it.

Apparently he'd spent enough money for this purchase that, as a first-time buyer, he got the promotional Happy Hampton Wick, absolutely free.

Nothing in life was free, and if Duo ever found out he owned such an item, the embarrassment alone was a price he wasn't willing to pay.

He set it down on the bed and reached in the box for the next one.

Neon pink.

Why were these things so garishly colored? Were people afraid of losing them in their bed sheets?

He looked at the name of another one and wondered why he'd ever thought this was a good idea.

They were all so highly recommended, though.

Cotton candy colored paraphernalia; almost every single one of them named after an animal.

It was like some sort of Crass Menagerie.

Heero wasn't sure which pained him more to look at, the lilac colored Scorpion or the banana-yellow Sexual Safari.

He gingerly lifted another one out, one that didn't resemble rock candy in color.

The logic behind the glittery silver anal probe being named after a member of the genus Phoenicopterus escaped him.

Maybe it was the curved neck.

Seeing the bright blue mermaid up close had him regretting that particular choice. It might imply something he thought he was missing. He'd swear the open mouthed marine creature winked at him.

'This is what happens when you make decisions without all the facts,' he scolded himself.

He was doing this for Duo, after all.

He sat cross-legged on his bed and removed each remaining item, carefully poking and smelling each. His nose crinkled. How could any of these be considered arousing?

Heero looked at the mermaid again. Well, considering the purpose of that one, perhaps it made sense. He was almost tempted to try it himself.

He mentally snorted. Yeah. That would be just perfect, sitting in his room, masturbating, and having Duo walk in on him.

That would go a long way toward convincing Duo he was ready to take this next step.

He ran a hand through his hair. Why couldn't he just come out and ask Duo if that's what he wanted? He'd never had a problem saying what was on his mind before.

He knew Duo felt something for him. Despite what people thought, he wasn't entirely clueless. He was reasonably certain that there was a mutual physical attraction.

He couldn't be the only one who had felt the frisson of excitement when they'd both bent down to pick up the pieces of a plate that had gotten knocked to the floor. Duo had flicked his gaze from eyes to lips to eyes.

It was a clear indication that Duo was thinking of kissing him, Heero was sure of it.

Overhearing Duo murmuring something on the phone about being in a rut hadn't helped.

"Not going anywhere," Duo had said. "Feel like my wheels are spinning uselessly."

He'd also indicated that he'd dropped a few hints but they'd not been taken.

Heero knew he was jumping the gun, and possibly to conclusions as well, but he needed to show that he was willing and receptive to whatever Duo had in mind.

Research on male-male relationships seemed to focus on sex, and it made sense to Heero, on some level. He couldn't deny the occasional urge to masturbate, although he never did it when Duo was in the house. That was just not something you wanted your roommate to overhear. Embarrassing for both parties involved.

He wished sex was the sort of thing he felt comfortable discussing with one of the guys, but it was too personal a thing. Heero had never understood the need for people to brag about their conquests.

The women were just as bad as the men.

Hearing other people talk about it, though, made it seem clinical. Heero didn't want to have emotionless textbook sex.

Hence the toys.

Which seemed to Heero a Very Bad Idea, now that he was seeing them in the flesh, so to speak. He shuddered, very glad that he'd passed on the dildo with the "guaranteed realistic" texture.

They'd even had models with faux foreskin, which apparently were aimed at those with rather bohemian tastes.

After having seen a photo of the overpriced Darth Invader, Heero was mightily glad that circumcision had been a requirement on the colonies.

And equally glad that Duo had a colonial background.

Heero was sure that a look of revulsion would not go very far toward showing Duo he wanted him.

At least, he was pretty sure he did.

~~~~~

Heero studied Duo as they ate supper. Nothing seemed any different. Duo was a bit tired, as was to be expected after a long workday.

Duo noticed the scrutiny. Heero hadn't really expected him not to.

"Something you want to tell me but don't want me to take it the wrong way?"

Duo was grinning at him, and it took Heero a moment to realize Duo expected Heero to point out that he had something hanging from his nose or wedged in his teeth. Duo was the type who preferred to be told those things immediately, rather than going around for hours until he discovered it on his own the next time he was in the washroom.

However, the topic Heero wanted to broach was not exactly good dinner conversation.

How exactly did other people approach it? People went from friends to "more" all the time.

His frown alarmed Duo.

"Heero? Are you pissed at me?"

The note of concern was very real, and Heero shook his head, forcing a smile he didn't mean onto his face.

"Of course not." Duo didn't look convinced, and he added hastily, "you'd know if I was."

"True," Duo replied, the lines of worry smoothing from his face.

"I made that dessert you like," Heero said tentatively. "I even remembered to pick up vanilla ice cream to go with it."

Duo looked at him incredulously.

"You actually made Bananas Foster?"

Heero nodded eagerly. "I found the recipe online and made sure I didn't cook them too long, because the instructions clearly said to avoid making the bananas soft and mushy..."

He trailed off at the warm look on Duo's face.

"You did that for me."

"Yes."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Duo asked, standing up and opening the freezer door. "Get some bowls."

"We haven't finished our meal yet," Heero pointed out, fetching the dishes and spoons nonetheless.

"Some things, Heero, are too good to wait for."

It was an opening.

"I think I'd like you to fuck me," he announced.

The sound of the ice cream carton hitting the floor wasn't exactly what Heero was hoping for as a reaction, but he supposed it had come as a bit of a shock.

He quietly picked up the frozen confection, quietly scooped some into a bowl, and spooned the sweet, glazed fruit combination over it, setting it in front of Duo's chair while his roommate remained standing, his weight supported by the palm pressed against the handle of the freezer.

Heero brought his own bowl back to the table, took a deep breath, and dipped into it with his spoon.

He focused on the contrast of warm brandy sauce and cold ice cream in his mouth, wishing Duo would say something, then deciding perhaps the best thing would be if Duo just assumed he'd imagined the whole thing.

Duo slowly closed the door and sat down heavily. Heero risked a glance at him, unhappy to see the look of shocked surprise on Duo's face.

Shock was not good.

"Tell me that I did not just imagine you said that," Duo finally said, his voice steady as he dug his spoon into a piece of banana in a way that made Heero want to wince.

"You did not just imagine I said that?" Heero volunteered timidly.

He'd meant to make a joke of it, to obediently do just as Duo had commanded, but his voice had lacked the forcefulness that Duo's had.

He smiled again, weakly. Duo laughed softly before taking his first bite.

Some of the melted brown sugar clung to his lips, and Heero's eyes were glued to the corner of Duo's mouth.

His own ice cream was half-melted by the time Duo finished. Heero suspected that Duo was forcing himself to keep eating, just to remain occupied. Unfortunately each lick of his lips, each bob of his throat, entranced Heero.

He wished he hadn't taken so long to stop staring. His eyes finally dropped to his bowl, and he found himself stirring the brown sauce and white ice cream together almost obsessively, watching as the spoon met resistance against the unyielding, "firm, not mushy" fruit that had been warmed in the skillet with infinite care.

"You think," Duo's voice broke the silence. "You think," he repeated, "you'd like me to fuck you."

Heero watched as the mixture in his bowl went from white with brown streaks to a sort of muddy color. The spoon made figure eights next to the banana, leaving little dents in the side of the soft flesh.

"Heero," Duo said, raising his voice slightly.

Maybe they weren't figure eights. Maybe it was the symbol for infinity, flipped on its side.

"What do you mean, you think you would?"

The sound of the spoon scraping the bottom of the bowl as it made its thirtieth trek in the same pattern would have been almost soothing, if not for the fact that the banana reminded him of the Sexual Safari.

That, and Duo was obviously expecting an answer.

Heero couldn't say he blamed him.

He didn't want Duo to know he'd eavesdropped, not that he'd done it intentionally, of course.

Perhaps the best thing would be to let Duo think he felt the same way, because he was pretty sure he did.

"I want to move forward," Heero said, looking up reluctantly. "I don't want us to become stagnant as friends."

Duo frowned at him.

"As friends."

Heero made direct eye contact this time. "Yes."

"You want us to be...fuck buddies."

Heero turned the word over in his head.

"Yes?"

Duo was shaking his head and looking displeased.

"No. No, Heero, that's not..." he stopped, and bit his lip. "Heero, are you...are you attracted to me?"

He sounded so resigned, Heero rushed to reassure him.

"Yes."

Duo's eyebrows disappeared beneath his bangs. "You are."

"Yes."

A moment of silence, then Duo asked, "you made this with real brandy?"

"Of course," Heero said, a slight frown settling on his features. "That's what the instructions said to use."

"Where did you put the rest of it?"

Once Heero had pointed to the cupboard where he'd placed the bottle, Duo got up and opened the door, returning with the brandy and two juice glasses.

He poured a generous amount into each, and set one in front of Heero.

"Drink."

"Duo?"

"Humor me, Heero. I'm thinking it's the next best thing to sodium pentathol we've got."

It didn't take much. Neither of them were heavy drinkers, and although they were both forcing the distilled wine down their gullets at first, it got a bit easier by the time the bottle was nearly empty.

"Might as well," Duo shrugged, shaking the bottle to indicate the last little bit. He tilted the bottle toward his glass, frowning although he was perfectly on target. He closed one eye and shook his head, then sipped directly from the bottle instead. He offered it to Heero, who drained the last of it, dribbling some of it down his chin.

Duo's index finger swiped at that bit of dark liquid and he put his finger in his mouth. Watching Duo's lips close around the digit as he sucked on it made Heero's stomach flip-flop.

Although, he allowed, it could have been the alcohol.

"Still find me attractive, Heero?" Duo asked, his eyes barely visible beneath heavy lids, but his voice not slurred at all.

Heero blinked to keep him in focus, and nodded. "Mmm hmmm."

Duo got to his feet a bit clumsily, but managed to cross the short distance between his chair and Heero's without staggering. He straddled Heero's legs and rested his forearms on Heero's shoulders.

He looked down at Heero, apparently waiting for something.

Heero's eyes were riveted on Duo's lips, and then he remembered what he'd asked Duo earlier.

He put his hands on Duo's hips and leaned forward, nuzzling Duo's neck.

"Bedroom?" he asked, the single word mumbled against the slightly sweaty skin beneath his lips.

Heero missed the slight furrowing of Duo's brows, but he didn't miss the shudder that went through Duo's body.

"'K, fine, if you're sure," Duo said, getting up and walking to Heero's bedroom.

Heero stared after him, wondering what he was waiting for. It seemed as if he was missing something. He got to his feet and followed Duo.

Duo had already removed his shirt by the time Heero got to the doorway, and he was working on dropping his pants. He wrestled with them for a bit before sitting down and removing his shoes first.

Heero might have started laughing, but he was too mesmerized by the sculpted upper body on display.

He'd seen it before, but he couldn't help staring. A lean muscular build, a bit broader than his own, with slightly darker nipples. A faint line of dark hair ran from Duo's navel to the springy curls surrounding his penis.

Heero reached under his own shirt, splaying his hand across his abdomen. The smooth skin there made him wonder if Duo would think him less of a man. His hand dipped lower and he slowly unfastened his jeans.

He forced himself to stop making size comparisons as well, although it wasn't easy.

Heero fell onto the bed next to Duo, who scooted backwards and sat with his shoulders against the headboard. Kicking his foot free of his pants, Heero crawled up next to him and paused, on hands and knees, waiting for a signal from Duo.

Duo touched the fabric of Heero's T-shirt and shook his head, then ran a hand beneath it, trailing his fingers along Heero's spine. Heero hummed in pleasure at the sensation, his entire body feeling ten degrees warmer.

Duo's hand made a return journey from between his shoulder blades downward, slowly tracing each vertebra before slipping between his buttocks. Heero's eyes closed and he shivered, despite the fact that he felt anything but cold.

"You have lube?" Duo asked, his voice sounding a bit raspy.

"Nightstand," Heero said, noting a faint tremor in that word before Duo reached over and pulled open the top drawer.

Heero's eyes flew open as he belatedly remembered what else he'd stored in the nightstand.

"Duo," he said, a touch of panic to his voice.

"Not here," Duo said, rolling to his side to better see the contents of the drawer. He slid it closed, opening the larger bottom drawer.

Heero wanted to disappear in a puff of smoke. He straightened, remaining on his knees and folding his arms over his chest in an unconsciously defensive posture.

Duo cleared his throat.

"Heero," he said slowly. "Do I even want to know what you've been up to in here?"

He sounded, Heero realized, amused.

"I haven't used them..." Heero trailed off.

"Yet," Duo said, taking out a cheery yellow one and waving it at him.

Duo examined the object quickly and reached back into the drawer, pulling out a bullet shaped object attached to a handheld control by a thin cord. He turned on the switch and let the small vibrating cylinder dangle, swinging it like a pendulum.

"What's this one called?" he asked, his face alight with amusement.

Heero licked his lips, his eyes fixed on the way the black cord was wrapped around Duo's fingers rather than on the swinging object itself.

"The Sexual Safari," he croaked.

Duo swung the cord up and caught the bit of silver in his hand, then he turned off the switch and pushed the cylinder into the hole of the jelly-yellow device held in his opposite hand.

"You have batteries in all of these?"

Heero didn't think he liked the way Duo was obviously stifling a chuckle, but he nodded.

Duo sat up and beckoned Heero over with the very source of his embarrassment. Seeing that Heero was not going to cooperate, Duo leaned forward until he, too, was on his knees. He thumbed the switch on and held the ridged vibrator out, letting the tip caress Heero's collarbone.

Heero jerked his body away, unsure if his actions were out anger or discomfort that he'd enjoyed the brief contact.

Undeterred, Duo reached out again, tracing a jagged line down Heero's face. The rubber felt tacky against his cheek, despite having been thoroughly cleansed.

Heero had, after all, wanted to be prepared for immediate use, if necessary.

He cursed that particular tendency. If he had been thinking clearly, he'd have left them all in the box, in their packaging, hidden away in the closet beneath a duffel bag.

"Ever plan on using these, Heero?" Duo asked softly. "I mean, with someone else?"

Heero was sure he was blushing. His entire body felt flushed. He couldn't help wondering if Duo might enjoy the "climaxing anal stroker."

"The what?"

Heero winced, not realizing he'd spoken aloud.

"C'mon, Heero," Duo coaxed. "Lie down." He paused. "Up here, next to me."

Heero slowly reached forward, then leaned onto his palms, again assuming a submissive position, before sliding his hands under one of the pillows and stretching to lie on his stomach.

Duo rummaged a bit in the drawer and pulled out the tube that he'd been searching for earlier. Heero watched him with one eye open as Duo flipped the cap open and squeezed.

Then squeezed harder when nothing came out.

Duo peered into the small opening and unscrewed the cap, revealing the silver foil beneath. He swore under his breath as he set the yellow stimulator down and set to scraping the tiny tab attached to the protective seal.

"I'm certainly glad no one was able to tamper with the lube," he muttered, finally peeling the foil off and flicking it into the wastebasket.

Heero wondered idly if it had indeed landed in the basket and not on the carpet, but then Duo was smearing clear gel on the probe, caressing each knob of its length before turning to Heero with a lopsided grin.

"Bottoms up," he said a bit too cheerily.

He was nervous, Heero, realized, then he flinched as the cold gel made contact with the underside of his balls.

The vibration wasn't unpleasant, although it was hard to relax and enjoy it with Duo looking like he was dissecting a frog rather than indulging in foreplay.

The slick head of the toy ran up and down his cleft before Duo rested his palm on Heero's lower back and began making shorter treks, focusing on the hidden entrance. A sweep past it, then reverse. Repeat.

Duo's braid fell forward, brushing the back of Heero's thighs, and Duo flicked it back over his shoulder impatiently, then returned his hand to Heero's back, lower this time.

The Sexual Safari was moving in small circles around his opening, then Duo probed gently.

Heero sucked in his breath at the sensation.

"That's just the tip," Duo murmured.

"Feels...good," Heero said, folding his arms under his pillow and resting his cheek on the cool linen.

Duo withdrew the toy and ran it along the faint line leading to Heero's scrotum, pausing briefly as Heero whimpered slightly.

He repeated the action twice more before removing it altogether. The buzzing sound stopped and Heero might have looked up in question had Duo not started moving his finger along the same course.

"Have you ever masturbated, Heero?"

His finger was teasing. It was smaller and warmer than the vibrator. Just a hint of penetration, then a tracing of the path to his sac.

It wasn't until Duo's hand gently cupped his testicles that Heero gasped out an affirmative.

"I like that, too," Duo said, his voice a bit thick. "Roll over."

As soon as Heero complied, Duo's hand was back. Heero's balls began to tighten in Duo's palm, the soft skin that Duo's thumb was stroking becoming wrinkled.

"Touch yourself," Duo whispered. "Just like this."

Heero's hand replaced Duo's. It felt different, not just because of the angle, but because he knew exactly what he was doing. With Duo, he didn't know what to expect.

His eyes were closed as he fondled himself.

Whatever Duo had removed from the drawer this time, he used it to tease the tip of Heero's cock.

Heero suddenly knew, without a doubt, which toy it was.

"Stop, Heero."

Heero's eyes flew open, a sense of panic overwhelming him briefly.

Duo smiled at him crookedly. "I don't want you to get fully erect yet," he explained, before dribbling a generous dollop of gel over the lilac ring. He stroked Heero's half-hard length and then slowly slid the wireless vibrator over the head. By the time it came to rest in the thatch of dark curls, Heero's arousal was on full alert status.

Or so he thought, until Duo found the wireless remote.

Heero arched his back as the cock ring pulsated, its tail stimulating both his balls and his ass.

"Duo," he gasped.

"Impressive," Duo said, but his attempt at sounding amused fell flat as his eyes were riveted on Heero's arousal.

"Holy shit," he muttered. "Holy shit."

Heero agreed that was a rather accurate assessment of the situation.

He hesitantly returned his hand to his groin, this time letting his fingers dance over his erection. He could feel the veins, more prominent than they'd ever been when he was alone. The tremors in his cock, too, were new.

Of course, Duo's eyes on him were also something he hadn't experienced before.

"Shit, Heero," Duo said hoarsely. "You look - a lot bigger."

Heero's fingers were joined by Duo's, and together they teased the straining erection.

"Duo," Heero pleaded.

Duo's fingers wrapped around his shaft and his fingers, and stroked him. Once, twice, and it was all over.

Literally.

In the aftermath of climax, Heero wanted to curl up and die. Duo's hand was covered in his seed, as was the still vibrating cock ring. His hips bucked a few more times, and he shivered again, his body coated with a light sheen of perspiration.

Duo recovered first, switching off the remote control and reaching over Heero's body to grab several tissues off the nightstand.

He quickly wiped off his hand with a wad of them, dropping them into the wastebasket before reaching over Heero again.

"In the drawer," Heero whispered. "There are...wipes."

Duo rummaged through with his clean hand and found the foil packets Heero had indicated. He tore open one, used it to cleanse his hand, then returned to his position next to Heero with two more packets and another handful of tissues.

The ring was removed, the sticky residue in his pubic hair wiped off the best as could be managed with the cleansing wipe. The ring itself was quickly rubbed clean as well before Duo tossed it on the top of the nightstand and rolled to his side next to Heero.

"I don't understand you sometimes, Heero," he said quietly into the soft hair beneath his chin. His arm reached over Heero's chest and his hand rested against Heero's side. He nuzzled Heero's head. "But, I thought you should know, I want to."

He said nothing else, and they both lie there together until the combined effects of the brandy and Duo's heartbeat under his ear lulled Heero to sleep.

~~~~~

When he cracked open his eyelids several hours later, it was morning, judging by the light coming through the window. Heero's mouth was dry and his nose itched.

He sucked in a mouthful of Duo's hair, stray wisps that had escaped his braid during the night. Duo groaned and removed his hand from Heero's side, where it had been all night.

"My arm is asleep," he said, his voice gravelly.

"Sorry," Heero said, sitting up. He played with his fingers nervously. "Duo, I am sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Shut up, Heero," Duo said, placing his arm over his forehead. "I don't think I can hear it right now."

"I'll get us some water," Heero offered, sliding out of bed and padding to the bathroom. He decided to relieve his bladder while he was there, then grabbed a washcloth and wet it, briskly rubbing his groin until the hairs looked springy rather than flattened and gummy. He washed his hands and filled the matching drinking glasses with cold water, then slowly returned to the scene of the crime.

He held out one of the glasses to Duo and sat on the edge of the bed as he drank his own, his back to the man he'd just spent the night with.

He sat up quickly as he felt the trickle of water down his back, starting from the top of his head where Duo had dumped the contents of his glass.

He whirled around and saw Duo had plopped back on the bed, the sheet pulled up to his chin. He was on his side, facing away from Heero.

Something twisted inside of Heero, and he reached out a hand to touch Duo's shoulder.

"Duo?"

There was no response, not that he'd expected one. He put a knee on the bed and shook Duo slightly.

"Duo, I'm sorry."

Duo's shoulders hunched in, clearly indicating he was not willing to talk.

Heero shook Duo's shoulder more firmly, pulling him in an attempt to turn him so they were face to face.

Without warning, Duo flung the sheet off and rolled over. His arm shot out and he gripped Heero behind the head, pulling his face down and kissing him.

Duo's lips were dry, and the taste of Duo's tongue in his mouth matched the unpleasantness of his own, but Heero quickly realized he didn't care, and he kissed Duo back.

He was sprawled over Duo, his fingertips digging into his roommate's shoulder as he straddled Duo's prone body. Duo's hands were at his hips, then along his back, then buried in his hair.

Without removing his lips, Duo rolled over, the sheet tangling between them, a thin barrier between their bodies. He ground his hips against Heero once before finally ending the kiss.

Heero felt a sense of loss as he looked up at Duo's lips, glistening from shared saliva and looking damned inviting. He lifted his head, eager for another kiss, before Duo shook his head.

"Do you have to make everything so damned complicated, Heero? If there was one person I thought I could trust, I thought it would be you. What does this make us, Heero?"

"I don't know," Heero admitted. "I just...I want us to be more than what we have been. I think of you and it hurts, here," he said, touching his chest. "It hurts, but I like the way it feels, at the same time. You kiss me, and I can feel it in my whole body. I go to sleep at night, and you're in the next room, and it feels like you're in another country, on a colony, even back in space. I enjoy being your friend, but you think that we're in a rut, and I suppose maybe I think the same, because whenever I think of you moving on, or moving out, it feels a little bit like blowing up in Wing."

Duo blinked at him. He opened and closed his mouth, and then said, "what?"

"I said-"

"No," Duo laughed nervously. "I heard you. I just can't believe it, is all. I mean, you have a way with words, you do realize that?"

Heero gave him a timid smile. "So I've been told."

Duo let his body fall forward, his arms on either side of Heero. He buried his face in the pillow.

"We can't even have normal 'morning after' awkwardness." Duo's voice was muffled by the bedding. He turned his head sideways and then narrowed his eyes at Heero.

"What do you mean, I think we're in a rut?"

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Heero said in a rush, "but I couldn't help overhearing you the other day, when you were on the phone, and you felt like you weren't getting anywhere-"

Duo started laughing.

"If you hadn't just confessed that you love me, Heero, I'd be so pissed at you right now I'd punch you in the face. And this time you wouldn't have to pretend it knocked you unconscious."

"I don't understand."

Duo rubbed his nose in Heero's hair. "I wasn't talking about you," he said, his tongue darting out to flick Heero's earlobe. "I was talking about my job."

"You hate that job," Heero said.

"Yeah. You knew?"

"It's not you," Heero stated, taking a shuddering breath as Duo continued to tease his ear. "I don't know why you ever took that job in the first place."

"I guess I wanted something normal," Duo said, stopping his assault on Heero's lobe. "I got it, too, huh? Just an average Joe, complaining about how much his job sucks. I suppose I should have just confronted my boss and said I wanted to do something else, rather than trying to insinuate that I'd like more challenging projects."

"I never thought you were one for verbal gymnastics," Heero said, toying with the hair at the side of Duo's face.

"And I never thought you were one for a zoo-ful of sexual aids," Duo said, his hands joining Heero's, their fingers intertwining each others among the strands of hair.

"I'm sorry, Duo."

Duo lightly headbutted Heero. "Don't be. I should have trusted that you'd understand how I felt, and not just about the job, either. It's not the way I'd have chosen to tell you I've wanted you for a while, but sometimes the ends do justify the means."

Heero started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

Heero reached over and pulled out the glass Phallus in Wonderland, handing it to Duo and plopping onto his back again.

Duo held it in his hands, then realized what Heero was talking about.

"The 'ends,' huh, Heero?"

"You can use both of them," Heero snickered.

"Maybe some day," Duo laughed. "Listen, Heero, no more pussyfooting around each other, okay?"

"I don't think you or I need to worry about that, considering..."

Duo tapped Heero on the side of the head with the glass dildo. "You are impossible, Yuy." He tossed the toy into the drawer and pulled Heero close to him again.

"I think I'd like to take a shower, have some breakfast, and try that again," he said quietly. "Only maybe next time we can christen my bed."

Heero closed his eyes, a soft smile settling on his features.

"Sounds good to me," he agreed.

Just before he dozed off, Duo nuzzled him on the neck again. His lover's words in his ear had him smiling.

"Me, too, Heero. Me too."

Heero knew Duo wasn't referring to the contents of the nightstand.

He ran his hand up and down Duo's arm. He'd never imagined a sense of peace that had nothing to do with winning a war.

He'd been wrong about a lot of things in his life. For once, he was damned glad he wasn't perfect.

He pressed his lips against Duo's hair.

Damned glad.

~End~