Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Redemption ❯ Chapter 3
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: deathangel125 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.24.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 389 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.24.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 389 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: Not mine, don’t sue. If you do, I’ll sic my kids on you.
Warnings: Lime, eventual lemon, bitchy Relena, bad language.
Pairings: 3x2 main, possibly some others
Feedback is always welcome! Let me know what you think. Pretty, pretty please?
On with the fic!!
On the drive, Duo asked Trowa questions about his life and his job, trying to get the other man to open up a bit more about himself. Trowa was surprised to learn that, even while sitting in a car that cost more than he would make in ten years, he was relaxed and enjoying the conversation and the company.
He told Duo of growing up in an orphanage with Wufei, the pair often in trouble together. He spoke of trying to fight for the privilege of going to college in order to take his photography classes, while his best friend chose to study business and management. Then he shared the experiences they had had when starting to work together, relating several stories of difficult shoots because the model was a diva or unexperienced.
Eventually, he sat back in his seat, unconsciously stroking the seat, “Speaking of models, Wufei wants to know if you will model for him.”
He wasn’t able to stop the snicker as Duo’s head swiveled toward him, his mouth gaping open. The long haired man stayed that way for several seconds before turning back to the road with a smirk. “You’re joking, of course.”
“Actually, I’m serious, and so is he. You would be an amazing model,” Trowa’s amused manner was gone, realizing that Duo had no idea how attractive he was. “Why don’t you think about it and let me know later?”
“You’re serious?” If the tone hadn’t expressed Duo’s shock, his raised eyebrows would have. “You would want me to model for you?”
Stopping the dirty thoughts that ran through his head was more difficult than it should have been. Trowa had to remind himself that he didn’t want the date to end up that way, but it was becoming more and more difficult all the time to remember. Not only was his date for the evening attractive, he was also charming and fun to be with. “I would like you to pose for me,” he finally nodded, then blushed hearing his words. It seemed that he was doomed to blurt out things that he didn’t want to with this man.
An evil smirk was tossed in his direction, followed by a laugh when Duo saw the blush on Trowa’s face. “Don’t worry, I understand what you mean. I’m not going to take advantage of you that way, at least not yet.”
Ignoring the disappointment at the statement, Trowa was saved from having to reply when Duo pulled the car into a small parking lot off the side of the road. Looking around, Trowa tried to figure out what they were doing at a small diner on the side of the road that resembled something out of a low budget movie. The parking lot was nearly empty; only one car other than Duo’s taking a space in the lot.
Getting out of the car, the long haired man started snickering, gaining Trowa’s attention. “I know it looks like something out of a bad horror flick, but this place has some of the best food I’ve ever had, and I know the owner.”
“Can you read my mind, or what?”
“Huh?”
“I was just thinking that this place looked like it would be used in a movie, then you say the same thing.” Trowa shrugged, surprised at himself for blurting the question in the first place. “I was just wondering if you’re psychic or something that I need to know about.”
“Not psychic. Just very opinionated about some things. Appearances can be deceiving. Come on and I’ll prove it to you.” Duo grabbed his wrist again and started to pull him along. Trowa paused long enough to slide his hand into the others grasp, earning him a pleased smile.
Pondering appearances, Trowa had to agree that they could be deceiving. He had believed that Duo was only a bookstore owner, struggling to stay open, only to learn that he had several cars that most people couldn’t afford in a lifetime. The more telling fact was that Duo seemed embarrassed at the show of wealth, and seemed unwilling to talk about his own life. The vivacious man was more interested in learning all about Trowa, asking questions and drawing him out of his shyness.
Taking a seat at a booth, Trowa’s eyes traveled around the diner for a moment before moving back to his date. Duo’s eyes were sparkling as they watched him, turning away only after a waitress appeared at the table.
The older woman was smiling as she looked at the long-haired man, her face pleasantly wrinkled and her soft green eyes shining with friendliness. “Duo, where ya been lately?”
“Running the store, Marie. You have to get up to the city sometime and come see me. It’s doing really well.” Duo grinned back at her, and then waved his hand at the man sitting across from him. “This is Trowa. He’s a friend of mine, and works next door to the store.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Trowa’s voice was soft, his shyness returning as she reached a hand forward to take his in a firm shake.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Marie smiled kindly at him, as if sensing his reticence. “Duo doesn’t bring many people out here to meet us. You should feel special.” She didn’t give him a chance to reply to that cryptic comment, her attention going back to Duo, who was glaring at her. “What ya gonna eat? Gotta make sure you get some weight back on, Duo, you’re starting to look pretty skinny again.”
“Just give me whatever’s on special, Marie, and some milk to drink. Trowa?”
He debated for only a minute, then nodded decisively, “The same please.” He was glad of his decision when he saw Duo’s face light up.
“All right. Two specials, coming up. I’ll tell Howie you’re here, Duo. He’s missed you.”
As she walked away, Duo turned to Trowa and smiled just a little. “I guess I should explain a few things before Howard comes out here. Both of my parents died when I was little,” Trowa listened intently, eager to learn more about the other man. “Instead of being sent away, Howard raised me. He’s related somehow, at least I think so. One of those father’s- uncle’s- cousin- -by marriage- four times removed things that I don’t understand.”
Trowa couldn’t suppress the snicker at Duo’s pained look. “So he’s related, but you have no idea how?”
“Yeah, something like that. I know he was my dad’s best friend, and I don’t have any other family, so he took care of me when I was growing up, and that couldn’t have been fun. I was a hellion.” Duo winced at the recall, “I think I woke up in the mornings and tried to think of ways to make his life difficult. It’s one of the reasons I named the store ‘Redemption’. I was hoping to find some from all the trouble I caused.”
“Did a damn good job of finding trouble most days, too.”
Duo stood as the man came close, embracing him tightly. Trowa didn’t know what he was expecting, but it wasn’t the man with the wild grey hair, loud Hawaiian shirt, and over-sized sunglasses. He gaped as he looked at the man that had taken care of Duo in his youth, sitting back in his seat as the man suddenly turned toward him with a grin. “I’m Howard, or Howie, or Howe, or whatever someone chooses to call me. It’s not always something I can repeat.” Trowa shook the offered hand, mentally wincing and wondering how many times he could have his arm pumped before it fell off. “So you must be important to Duo for him to bring you all the way out here.”
“Howard…” Duo’s tone was low and warning.
The older man waved it off, unconcerned, then pointed a finger at the braided man, causing Duo to flinch a little. “And what are you doing driving around the Bugatti like it was a regular car? You need to take better care of it, Duo.”
Trowa heard Duo mumble something as he was flashed an apologetic look. Howard must have been able to hear the muttered words because he exploded. “What do you mean, ‘Quatre wrecked the Mercedes’? How many times have I told you to stop letting your friends take advantage of you? Will you never learn?”
“Howard Carter, you leave that boy alone,” Marie scolded, coming to stand beside the ranting man with a tray of food. As she set the various plates and bowls on the table, her kind eyes turned to Duo, dismissing Howard completely. “Is Quatre paying for the repairs?”
“Yeah, sorta. His sister is having it fixed. It’s even getting a new paint job and everything.” Duo’s eyes tracked back to his guardian, cautious but defensive at the same time, “It wasn’t Quatre’s fault, Howard. A drunk driver crossed the line and rammed into him. There was nothing he could do.”
There was a moment of silence before Howard’s eyes softened, placing a hand on Duo’s shoulder. “He’s a pretty good kid. I don’t mean to try and run your life, Duo. Sorry for sticking my nose in where it wasn’t wanted.”
Howard turned away from the table and walked away, his shoulders slumped. They watched him leave the table for a moment, then Trowa felt Duo’s hand cover his. When he turned to look at his date, Duo’s violet eyes were apologetic, “Give me a minute?”
“Of course,” Trowa lifted Duo’s hand to his mouth, brushing his lips across the back of it. “Go talk to him.”
The long haired man looked at him with wide eyes for several seconds before bolting out of the booth to follow Howard. Marie shook her head as she watched him go through the doors into the kitchen, “Those two are stubborn and hard headed,” she informed Trowa with a grim expression. “They argue all the time, but love each other a great deal. If only they could figure out the last part, they would be just fine.”
Not knowing what to say, Trowa remained silent, grabbing his spoon and taking a bite of the soup that had been placed on the table. At the first taste, he gave Marie a surprised look, “What is this?”
“Chicken soup,” she sat in the seat that Duo had vacated. “Don’t you like it?”
“This is the best soup I’ve ever had,” he stated firmly, taking another bite and closing his eyes at the taste. There were pieces of chicken and vegetables mixed in with the noodles, giving the soup substance, the flavor enhanced by the spices that he couldn’t name. “Duo said that this was the best food he had ever had, but I had my doubts. Then after meeting you and Howard…” he trailed off, not sure if he should say anything.
“After you met us, you thought that Duo only wanted to bring you here to meet us, or so we could meet you?” She smiled at him, her eyes gentle and understanding. “How long have you known each other?”
“Ummm, we just met last week, but I guess you could say we’ve known each other for months,” he hedged, not wanting to admit that he had been almost to the point of stalking the attractive man.
She seemed surprised at the admission, her eyes narrowing slightly as her head tilted, “It seems like you two have known each other for a long time.” When he frowned she offered him a smile, “You’re comfortable together, and it shows,” she explained. “I haven’t seen Duo so content in a long time.”
He took a few minutes to concentrate on how he felt and realized that she was right. Other than the first few moments of awkwardness outside the bookstore, he had felt at ease with Duo. That was something that had rarely happened for him, and he found that he enjoyed the feeling as much as he took pleasure when looking through the eyepiece of his camera and seeing the perfect image about to be captured. He tried to burn this moment into his mind, wanting to recall this sensation when he looked back, after the date was over.
Marie sat with him for another minute before getting up. “Promise to take care of him for us when he’s not here?”
“I promise,” he agreed solemnly, knowing that this was not something she asked lightly. “I’ll do my best.”
Apparently satisfied, she nodded and went back to the kitchen, leaving him with his soup. It wasn’t long before Duo returned to his seat, picking up his own spoon. “Sorry about that,” he apologized. “I didn’t want Howard beating himself up because he worries about me.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Duo. It must be nice to have someone that worries about you that way.”
They ate their soup with some bread that Marie brought out a few minutes later. When the soup was gone, the bowls were whisked away and replaced with two plates that held fries and hamburgers. Trowa stared at the huge burgers, prompting laughter from his companion. “There is no way I can eat all of this,” he mused with his eyes wide.
Duo shrugged, still smiling. He picked up his own burger with two hands, holding it up to his face. Trowa smiled when he saw that the sandwich was almost as big as Duo’s head. “They don’t expect you to eat it all,” Duo explained around the burger, “just eat as much as you can, but leave some room for dessert. It’s one way Howard makes sure I eat all that I can when I’m here. This is actually called the ‘Duo Burger’.”
Battling the burger took all of his attention, and he managed to eat half of it before he gave up. Seeing that Duo had nearly demolished his burger and all of his fries, he gaped. “How can you eat all of that?”
“Hollow legs,” was the rapid reply. “I haven’t eaten today,” Duo finally admitted with a blush. “I was too nervous to even think about eating. I don’t eat like this a lot, mainly when I can come out here.”
“If I knew someone that cooked like this, I would have to find a reason to eat with them once a week,” Trowa patted his belly, trying to chew the last fry he could eat. He washed it down with a gulp of milk, “I have never had burgers that tasted better than a steak.”
The braided man was giving him a strange look through his bangs, “If you would like, I could bring you out here once a week. I like spending time with you,” Duo admitted softly, his eyes going to the remainder of his food.
“I would like that,” Trowa moved his hand, resting it atop Duo’s. Silently, he cheered when the other man turned his hand over, touching their palms together. “We would get to eat great food while you got to visit with them, and still be able to spend time together. It sounds like a perfect idea to me.”
After finishing the meal off with large pieces of chocolate cake, Duo and Trowa said their goodbyes to Marie and Howard, promising to come back soon in exchange for the two older people coming to visit Duo’s bookstore. Trowa surprised himself by offering to buy them lunch when they came into the city, an offer that they agreed to quickly.
At the car, Duo lifted an eyebrow at Trowa, “Any idea what you want to do now?”
“Not a clue,” he admitted, not in the least bit embarrassed by his obliviousness any longer.
With a laugh, Duo got into the car and headed even farther out of the city, driving to the edge of the mountains that towered over the surrounding land. Pulling onto the side of the road, they got out of the car, Trowa quickly following as Duo walked to a small path. “Feel like taking a walk and working off some of that food?”
In answer, Trowa took Duo’s hand in his and began to walk. Their conversation was light as they strolled along the path, leaning toward what they liked to do when they had spare time. Trowa learned that they both liked classical music and old movies, along with swimming and hiking when the opportunity presented itself.
It wasn’t long before they reached an overlook, settling down on a large flat rock and looking over the mountains. Trowa was surprised to see the sun getting ready to set, the hours passing by much too quickly for his taste. He looked down at their hands, still entwined, his mind supplying the thought that they fit together. Duo’s hand was slightly smaller than his, the long fingers interlacing with his perfectly. His eyes went back to Duo, who was watching the sun set, and the urge to be closer to the other man was too strong to ignore.
Tugging slightly on the hand in his own, he was pleased when Duo moved closer, sitting so that their bodies were touching from leg to shoulder. He released Duo’s hand in order to put his arm around the lean waist, applying pressure and sighing when Duo scooted closer still until he was flush against him. Leaning down slightly, he nuzzled the thick hair with his nose, inhaling the scent of apples and spices that lingered there. “I’ve had a lot of fun today,” he breathed, knowing his voice would carry to Duo’s ear. “I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”
“Neither have I,” Duo whispered back, his own voice husky. “I haven’t dated much in the last few years, and I was really nervous about tonight,” he admitted.
With a chuckle, Trowa finally shared his own feelings on the subject, “I haven’t had a good date in almost three years. I was so nervous before you showed up today, I was afraid I would either throw up, or not show up at all. The only thing that kept me from chickening out was that I really wanted to see you again, away from work.”
“Does that mean that you were serious about going to Howard’s diner with me once a week?” Trowa was able to hear the hope in Duo’s voice, and sent up a silent thank you to whatever deity happened to be watching over them.
“I would love to,” he stated honestly, resting his head on top of Duo’s and watching the last moments of the sunset. As beautiful as the display was, he felt that Duo’s beauty was greater, and that the man’s scent was as intoxicating as any alcoholic beverage he had ever consumed. “I could get addicted to this, you know,” he whispered. “I could get addicted to you,” he clarified, knowing it was true.
“I feel like I’ve known you forever, Trowa.” Duo sighed and snuggled closer, moving his own arms to wrap around Trowa’s waist. His head turned, causing his warm breath to wash across Trowa’s throat.
Trowa’s own breathing stuttered at the sensation. In that moment, he felt calm and at peace, the man beside him fitting him like lost pieces of a puzzle. He had the thought that he had found his other half, a piece that he had been missing his entire life but had been unaware of until now. At the same time, he felt like his skin had electric currents running all over it, originating from where Duo’s breath ghosted over him.
They sat that way for a while, the remaining light from the sun fading quickly. Not wanting to ruin the moment but knowing it must be done, Trowa sighed, “We better go back, unless you brought a flashlight with you.”
“I know. This just feels so…” Duo paused, his arms holding Trowa even tighter for a moment before letting go and leaning back to look up at him seriously. “You feel right.”
In the dimming light of the passing day, Trowa met Duo’s eyes when the other man turned in his arms, the violet appearing almost black in the approaching darkness. Slowly, he leaned down until his lips met Duo’s softly, a mere whisper of a kiss, a promise of more to come. He moved back to gauge the long-haired mans reaction, his heart stuttering as he read the silent plea.
With his arm still around Duo’s waist, he pulled the other man closer, unwilling to let even a small space come between them. His other hand moved to the base of Duo’s braid, threading his fingers in the silky strands he found there. This time, Duo met him halfway, their mouths meeting softly but with more intent.
When Duo gasped, Trowa took advantage of the opening and slid his tongue inside the warm cavern. If he had believed that Duo’s scent was intoxicating, he knew now that the taste of the other man would remain with him for a long time, overwhelming his senses and making him crave more of the tangy flavor. He didn’t know if the moan he heard came from Duo or himself, and couldn’t bring himself to care which it had been.
Their tongues danced, sliding against each other in an erotic motion, mimicking a much more intimate act. Trowa tightened his hold on Duo, tilting his head a bit more so he could plunder the other man’s mouth. He was vaguely aware of Duo shifting, moving even closer, but he didn’t pay much attention until he realized that Duo had moved into his lap. The slender legs on either side of his own beckoned his hands, and he moved them to grasp either leg, his fingers digging into the dense muscles he found.
Eventually they pulled apart, both men gasping for air. Duo seemed surprised when he found himself in Trowa’s lap, but didn’t move as they tried to catch their breath. Several minutes passed before Trowa could find his voice, trying to control the urge to take Duo’s mouth again, already desperate for another taste of the man sitting astride him. “I was right,” he panted, staring at Duo in the waning light. “You’re addictive.”
Duo moved off of Trowa’s lap and took his hand. “It’s getting dark. If we don’t go to the car now, we might end up spending the night here.”
Trowa ignored the voice in his head telling him that spending the night with Duo wouldn’t be a bad thing and followed Duo back down the path. By the time they reached the car, full dark had settled on the night, and they had to stumble a bit before they made it inside the car, laughing at their attempts to find the doors in the blackness.
Starting the car, Duo looked over at Trowa, his face lit by the glow of the dashboard. “Trowa, I…I don’t…I want…”
Thinking he knew what his date was trying to say, Trowa leaned over and pulled Duo close for another heart-stopping kiss. “I want you, but it’s too soon,” he breathed after releasing those tempting lips.
Nipping at his mouth, Duo’s voice was husky and low, making shivers travel up and down Trowa’s spine, “You taste good. I want you so bad, but you’re right. It’s too soon. That doesn’t mean I have to stop right now, does it?”
“Please don’t,” he replied, bringing them together again. He did his best to ignore the erection that he had had for a while now, choosing instead to focus on the feel of Duo’s mouth against his own. He had to remind himself several times to keep his hands from wandering into areas that would only inflame them more.
It was difficult to restrain his body when they pulled apart, his hands wanting to stay on Duo. He finally settled with leaving his hand on a firm thigh as Duo drove them back to the city. On a mutual decision, they decided to end the date early rather than push their weakening resolve any further.
Trowa gave Duo directions to his apartment in between talking over plans for their next date. After comparing work schedules, it was decided that the next time, Trowa would cook dinner for them the next weekend, and they would drive out to eat at Howard’s the following Tuesday. He was slightly disappointed that he would have to wait a full week before seeing Duo alone again, but kept it to himself, not wanting the other man to feel pressured into anything he wasn’t ready for.
Sitting outside his apartment building, Trowa couldn’t help the words from slipping out of his mouth, “Would you like to come up for a drink before you go home?”
Duo looked at him for several long seconds with an evil smile, “Do you really think if I come up for a drink that I’ll go home?” He pulled Trowa close for a thorough kiss, his fingers a soft pressure on the back of Trowa’s neck. “You’re too tempting, Trowa. I don’t think I’d be able to leave if I went up right now,” he explained softly with his lips still against Trowa’s. “I want this…us…to be more than that.”
Reluctantly, Trowa agreed, but it was many minutes later before he forced himself to leave the car, and Duo, behind as he went into his apartment.
Converting /tmp/phpJVbxgV to /dev/stdout
Warnings: Lime, eventual lemon, bitchy Relena, bad language.
Pairings: 3x2 main, possibly some others
Feedback is always welcome! Let me know what you think. Pretty, pretty please?
On with the fic!!
On the drive, Duo asked Trowa questions about his life and his job, trying to get the other man to open up a bit more about himself. Trowa was surprised to learn that, even while sitting in a car that cost more than he would make in ten years, he was relaxed and enjoying the conversation and the company.
He told Duo of growing up in an orphanage with Wufei, the pair often in trouble together. He spoke of trying to fight for the privilege of going to college in order to take his photography classes, while his best friend chose to study business and management. Then he shared the experiences they had had when starting to work together, relating several stories of difficult shoots because the model was a diva or unexperienced.
Eventually, he sat back in his seat, unconsciously stroking the seat, “Speaking of models, Wufei wants to know if you will model for him.”
He wasn’t able to stop the snicker as Duo’s head swiveled toward him, his mouth gaping open. The long haired man stayed that way for several seconds before turning back to the road with a smirk. “You’re joking, of course.”
“Actually, I’m serious, and so is he. You would be an amazing model,” Trowa’s amused manner was gone, realizing that Duo had no idea how attractive he was. “Why don’t you think about it and let me know later?”
“You’re serious?” If the tone hadn’t expressed Duo’s shock, his raised eyebrows would have. “You would want me to model for you?”
Stopping the dirty thoughts that ran through his head was more difficult than it should have been. Trowa had to remind himself that he didn’t want the date to end up that way, but it was becoming more and more difficult all the time to remember. Not only was his date for the evening attractive, he was also charming and fun to be with. “I would like you to pose for me,” he finally nodded, then blushed hearing his words. It seemed that he was doomed to blurt out things that he didn’t want to with this man.
An evil smirk was tossed in his direction, followed by a laugh when Duo saw the blush on Trowa’s face. “Don’t worry, I understand what you mean. I’m not going to take advantage of you that way, at least not yet.”
Ignoring the disappointment at the statement, Trowa was saved from having to reply when Duo pulled the car into a small parking lot off the side of the road. Looking around, Trowa tried to figure out what they were doing at a small diner on the side of the road that resembled something out of a low budget movie. The parking lot was nearly empty; only one car other than Duo’s taking a space in the lot.
Getting out of the car, the long haired man started snickering, gaining Trowa’s attention. “I know it looks like something out of a bad horror flick, but this place has some of the best food I’ve ever had, and I know the owner.”
“Can you read my mind, or what?”
“Huh?”
“I was just thinking that this place looked like it would be used in a movie, then you say the same thing.” Trowa shrugged, surprised at himself for blurting the question in the first place. “I was just wondering if you’re psychic or something that I need to know about.”
“Not psychic. Just very opinionated about some things. Appearances can be deceiving. Come on and I’ll prove it to you.” Duo grabbed his wrist again and started to pull him along. Trowa paused long enough to slide his hand into the others grasp, earning him a pleased smile.
Pondering appearances, Trowa had to agree that they could be deceiving. He had believed that Duo was only a bookstore owner, struggling to stay open, only to learn that he had several cars that most people couldn’t afford in a lifetime. The more telling fact was that Duo seemed embarrassed at the show of wealth, and seemed unwilling to talk about his own life. The vivacious man was more interested in learning all about Trowa, asking questions and drawing him out of his shyness.
Taking a seat at a booth, Trowa’s eyes traveled around the diner for a moment before moving back to his date. Duo’s eyes were sparkling as they watched him, turning away only after a waitress appeared at the table.
The older woman was smiling as she looked at the long-haired man, her face pleasantly wrinkled and her soft green eyes shining with friendliness. “Duo, where ya been lately?”
“Running the store, Marie. You have to get up to the city sometime and come see me. It’s doing really well.” Duo grinned back at her, and then waved his hand at the man sitting across from him. “This is Trowa. He’s a friend of mine, and works next door to the store.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Trowa’s voice was soft, his shyness returning as she reached a hand forward to take his in a firm shake.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Marie smiled kindly at him, as if sensing his reticence. “Duo doesn’t bring many people out here to meet us. You should feel special.” She didn’t give him a chance to reply to that cryptic comment, her attention going back to Duo, who was glaring at her. “What ya gonna eat? Gotta make sure you get some weight back on, Duo, you’re starting to look pretty skinny again.”
“Just give me whatever’s on special, Marie, and some milk to drink. Trowa?”
He debated for only a minute, then nodded decisively, “The same please.” He was glad of his decision when he saw Duo’s face light up.
“All right. Two specials, coming up. I’ll tell Howie you’re here, Duo. He’s missed you.”
As she walked away, Duo turned to Trowa and smiled just a little. “I guess I should explain a few things before Howard comes out here. Both of my parents died when I was little,” Trowa listened intently, eager to learn more about the other man. “Instead of being sent away, Howard raised me. He’s related somehow, at least I think so. One of those father’s- uncle’s- cousin- -by marriage- four times removed things that I don’t understand.”
Trowa couldn’t suppress the snicker at Duo’s pained look. “So he’s related, but you have no idea how?”
“Yeah, something like that. I know he was my dad’s best friend, and I don’t have any other family, so he took care of me when I was growing up, and that couldn’t have been fun. I was a hellion.” Duo winced at the recall, “I think I woke up in the mornings and tried to think of ways to make his life difficult. It’s one of the reasons I named the store ‘Redemption’. I was hoping to find some from all the trouble I caused.”
“Did a damn good job of finding trouble most days, too.”
Duo stood as the man came close, embracing him tightly. Trowa didn’t know what he was expecting, but it wasn’t the man with the wild grey hair, loud Hawaiian shirt, and over-sized sunglasses. He gaped as he looked at the man that had taken care of Duo in his youth, sitting back in his seat as the man suddenly turned toward him with a grin. “I’m Howard, or Howie, or Howe, or whatever someone chooses to call me. It’s not always something I can repeat.” Trowa shook the offered hand, mentally wincing and wondering how many times he could have his arm pumped before it fell off. “So you must be important to Duo for him to bring you all the way out here.”
“Howard…” Duo’s tone was low and warning.
The older man waved it off, unconcerned, then pointed a finger at the braided man, causing Duo to flinch a little. “And what are you doing driving around the Bugatti like it was a regular car? You need to take better care of it, Duo.”
Trowa heard Duo mumble something as he was flashed an apologetic look. Howard must have been able to hear the muttered words because he exploded. “What do you mean, ‘Quatre wrecked the Mercedes’? How many times have I told you to stop letting your friends take advantage of you? Will you never learn?”
“Howard Carter, you leave that boy alone,” Marie scolded, coming to stand beside the ranting man with a tray of food. As she set the various plates and bowls on the table, her kind eyes turned to Duo, dismissing Howard completely. “Is Quatre paying for the repairs?”
“Yeah, sorta. His sister is having it fixed. It’s even getting a new paint job and everything.” Duo’s eyes tracked back to his guardian, cautious but defensive at the same time, “It wasn’t Quatre’s fault, Howard. A drunk driver crossed the line and rammed into him. There was nothing he could do.”
There was a moment of silence before Howard’s eyes softened, placing a hand on Duo’s shoulder. “He’s a pretty good kid. I don’t mean to try and run your life, Duo. Sorry for sticking my nose in where it wasn’t wanted.”
Howard turned away from the table and walked away, his shoulders slumped. They watched him leave the table for a moment, then Trowa felt Duo’s hand cover his. When he turned to look at his date, Duo’s violet eyes were apologetic, “Give me a minute?”
“Of course,” Trowa lifted Duo’s hand to his mouth, brushing his lips across the back of it. “Go talk to him.”
The long haired man looked at him with wide eyes for several seconds before bolting out of the booth to follow Howard. Marie shook her head as she watched him go through the doors into the kitchen, “Those two are stubborn and hard headed,” she informed Trowa with a grim expression. “They argue all the time, but love each other a great deal. If only they could figure out the last part, they would be just fine.”
Not knowing what to say, Trowa remained silent, grabbing his spoon and taking a bite of the soup that had been placed on the table. At the first taste, he gave Marie a surprised look, “What is this?”
“Chicken soup,” she sat in the seat that Duo had vacated. “Don’t you like it?”
“This is the best soup I’ve ever had,” he stated firmly, taking another bite and closing his eyes at the taste. There were pieces of chicken and vegetables mixed in with the noodles, giving the soup substance, the flavor enhanced by the spices that he couldn’t name. “Duo said that this was the best food he had ever had, but I had my doubts. Then after meeting you and Howard…” he trailed off, not sure if he should say anything.
“After you met us, you thought that Duo only wanted to bring you here to meet us, or so we could meet you?” She smiled at him, her eyes gentle and understanding. “How long have you known each other?”
“Ummm, we just met last week, but I guess you could say we’ve known each other for months,” he hedged, not wanting to admit that he had been almost to the point of stalking the attractive man.
She seemed surprised at the admission, her eyes narrowing slightly as her head tilted, “It seems like you two have known each other for a long time.” When he frowned she offered him a smile, “You’re comfortable together, and it shows,” she explained. “I haven’t seen Duo so content in a long time.”
He took a few minutes to concentrate on how he felt and realized that she was right. Other than the first few moments of awkwardness outside the bookstore, he had felt at ease with Duo. That was something that had rarely happened for him, and he found that he enjoyed the feeling as much as he took pleasure when looking through the eyepiece of his camera and seeing the perfect image about to be captured. He tried to burn this moment into his mind, wanting to recall this sensation when he looked back, after the date was over.
Marie sat with him for another minute before getting up. “Promise to take care of him for us when he’s not here?”
“I promise,” he agreed solemnly, knowing that this was not something she asked lightly. “I’ll do my best.”
Apparently satisfied, she nodded and went back to the kitchen, leaving him with his soup. It wasn’t long before Duo returned to his seat, picking up his own spoon. “Sorry about that,” he apologized. “I didn’t want Howard beating himself up because he worries about me.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Duo. It must be nice to have someone that worries about you that way.”
They ate their soup with some bread that Marie brought out a few minutes later. When the soup was gone, the bowls were whisked away and replaced with two plates that held fries and hamburgers. Trowa stared at the huge burgers, prompting laughter from his companion. “There is no way I can eat all of this,” he mused with his eyes wide.
Duo shrugged, still smiling. He picked up his own burger with two hands, holding it up to his face. Trowa smiled when he saw that the sandwich was almost as big as Duo’s head. “They don’t expect you to eat it all,” Duo explained around the burger, “just eat as much as you can, but leave some room for dessert. It’s one way Howard makes sure I eat all that I can when I’m here. This is actually called the ‘Duo Burger’.”
Battling the burger took all of his attention, and he managed to eat half of it before he gave up. Seeing that Duo had nearly demolished his burger and all of his fries, he gaped. “How can you eat all of that?”
“Hollow legs,” was the rapid reply. “I haven’t eaten today,” Duo finally admitted with a blush. “I was too nervous to even think about eating. I don’t eat like this a lot, mainly when I can come out here.”
“If I knew someone that cooked like this, I would have to find a reason to eat with them once a week,” Trowa patted his belly, trying to chew the last fry he could eat. He washed it down with a gulp of milk, “I have never had burgers that tasted better than a steak.”
The braided man was giving him a strange look through his bangs, “If you would like, I could bring you out here once a week. I like spending time with you,” Duo admitted softly, his eyes going to the remainder of his food.
“I would like that,” Trowa moved his hand, resting it atop Duo’s. Silently, he cheered when the other man turned his hand over, touching their palms together. “We would get to eat great food while you got to visit with them, and still be able to spend time together. It sounds like a perfect idea to me.”
After finishing the meal off with large pieces of chocolate cake, Duo and Trowa said their goodbyes to Marie and Howard, promising to come back soon in exchange for the two older people coming to visit Duo’s bookstore. Trowa surprised himself by offering to buy them lunch when they came into the city, an offer that they agreed to quickly.
At the car, Duo lifted an eyebrow at Trowa, “Any idea what you want to do now?”
“Not a clue,” he admitted, not in the least bit embarrassed by his obliviousness any longer.
With a laugh, Duo got into the car and headed even farther out of the city, driving to the edge of the mountains that towered over the surrounding land. Pulling onto the side of the road, they got out of the car, Trowa quickly following as Duo walked to a small path. “Feel like taking a walk and working off some of that food?”
In answer, Trowa took Duo’s hand in his and began to walk. Their conversation was light as they strolled along the path, leaning toward what they liked to do when they had spare time. Trowa learned that they both liked classical music and old movies, along with swimming and hiking when the opportunity presented itself.
It wasn’t long before they reached an overlook, settling down on a large flat rock and looking over the mountains. Trowa was surprised to see the sun getting ready to set, the hours passing by much too quickly for his taste. He looked down at their hands, still entwined, his mind supplying the thought that they fit together. Duo’s hand was slightly smaller than his, the long fingers interlacing with his perfectly. His eyes went back to Duo, who was watching the sun set, and the urge to be closer to the other man was too strong to ignore.
Tugging slightly on the hand in his own, he was pleased when Duo moved closer, sitting so that their bodies were touching from leg to shoulder. He released Duo’s hand in order to put his arm around the lean waist, applying pressure and sighing when Duo scooted closer still until he was flush against him. Leaning down slightly, he nuzzled the thick hair with his nose, inhaling the scent of apples and spices that lingered there. “I’ve had a lot of fun today,” he breathed, knowing his voice would carry to Duo’s ear. “I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”
“Neither have I,” Duo whispered back, his own voice husky. “I haven’t dated much in the last few years, and I was really nervous about tonight,” he admitted.
With a chuckle, Trowa finally shared his own feelings on the subject, “I haven’t had a good date in almost three years. I was so nervous before you showed up today, I was afraid I would either throw up, or not show up at all. The only thing that kept me from chickening out was that I really wanted to see you again, away from work.”
“Does that mean that you were serious about going to Howard’s diner with me once a week?” Trowa was able to hear the hope in Duo’s voice, and sent up a silent thank you to whatever deity happened to be watching over them.
“I would love to,” he stated honestly, resting his head on top of Duo’s and watching the last moments of the sunset. As beautiful as the display was, he felt that Duo’s beauty was greater, and that the man’s scent was as intoxicating as any alcoholic beverage he had ever consumed. “I could get addicted to this, you know,” he whispered. “I could get addicted to you,” he clarified, knowing it was true.
“I feel like I’ve known you forever, Trowa.” Duo sighed and snuggled closer, moving his own arms to wrap around Trowa’s waist. His head turned, causing his warm breath to wash across Trowa’s throat.
Trowa’s own breathing stuttered at the sensation. In that moment, he felt calm and at peace, the man beside him fitting him like lost pieces of a puzzle. He had the thought that he had found his other half, a piece that he had been missing his entire life but had been unaware of until now. At the same time, he felt like his skin had electric currents running all over it, originating from where Duo’s breath ghosted over him.
They sat that way for a while, the remaining light from the sun fading quickly. Not wanting to ruin the moment but knowing it must be done, Trowa sighed, “We better go back, unless you brought a flashlight with you.”
“I know. This just feels so…” Duo paused, his arms holding Trowa even tighter for a moment before letting go and leaning back to look up at him seriously. “You feel right.”
In the dimming light of the passing day, Trowa met Duo’s eyes when the other man turned in his arms, the violet appearing almost black in the approaching darkness. Slowly, he leaned down until his lips met Duo’s softly, a mere whisper of a kiss, a promise of more to come. He moved back to gauge the long-haired mans reaction, his heart stuttering as he read the silent plea.
With his arm still around Duo’s waist, he pulled the other man closer, unwilling to let even a small space come between them. His other hand moved to the base of Duo’s braid, threading his fingers in the silky strands he found there. This time, Duo met him halfway, their mouths meeting softly but with more intent.
When Duo gasped, Trowa took advantage of the opening and slid his tongue inside the warm cavern. If he had believed that Duo’s scent was intoxicating, he knew now that the taste of the other man would remain with him for a long time, overwhelming his senses and making him crave more of the tangy flavor. He didn’t know if the moan he heard came from Duo or himself, and couldn’t bring himself to care which it had been.
Their tongues danced, sliding against each other in an erotic motion, mimicking a much more intimate act. Trowa tightened his hold on Duo, tilting his head a bit more so he could plunder the other man’s mouth. He was vaguely aware of Duo shifting, moving even closer, but he didn’t pay much attention until he realized that Duo had moved into his lap. The slender legs on either side of his own beckoned his hands, and he moved them to grasp either leg, his fingers digging into the dense muscles he found.
Eventually they pulled apart, both men gasping for air. Duo seemed surprised when he found himself in Trowa’s lap, but didn’t move as they tried to catch their breath. Several minutes passed before Trowa could find his voice, trying to control the urge to take Duo’s mouth again, already desperate for another taste of the man sitting astride him. “I was right,” he panted, staring at Duo in the waning light. “You’re addictive.”
Duo moved off of Trowa’s lap and took his hand. “It’s getting dark. If we don’t go to the car now, we might end up spending the night here.”
Trowa ignored the voice in his head telling him that spending the night with Duo wouldn’t be a bad thing and followed Duo back down the path. By the time they reached the car, full dark had settled on the night, and they had to stumble a bit before they made it inside the car, laughing at their attempts to find the doors in the blackness.
Starting the car, Duo looked over at Trowa, his face lit by the glow of the dashboard. “Trowa, I…I don’t…I want…”
Thinking he knew what his date was trying to say, Trowa leaned over and pulled Duo close for another heart-stopping kiss. “I want you, but it’s too soon,” he breathed after releasing those tempting lips.
Nipping at his mouth, Duo’s voice was husky and low, making shivers travel up and down Trowa’s spine, “You taste good. I want you so bad, but you’re right. It’s too soon. That doesn’t mean I have to stop right now, does it?”
“Please don’t,” he replied, bringing them together again. He did his best to ignore the erection that he had had for a while now, choosing instead to focus on the feel of Duo’s mouth against his own. He had to remind himself several times to keep his hands from wandering into areas that would only inflame them more.
It was difficult to restrain his body when they pulled apart, his hands wanting to stay on Duo. He finally settled with leaving his hand on a firm thigh as Duo drove them back to the city. On a mutual decision, they decided to end the date early rather than push their weakening resolve any further.
Trowa gave Duo directions to his apartment in between talking over plans for their next date. After comparing work schedules, it was decided that the next time, Trowa would cook dinner for them the next weekend, and they would drive out to eat at Howard’s the following Tuesday. He was slightly disappointed that he would have to wait a full week before seeing Duo alone again, but kept it to himself, not wanting the other man to feel pressured into anything he wasn’t ready for.
Sitting outside his apartment building, Trowa couldn’t help the words from slipping out of his mouth, “Would you like to come up for a drink before you go home?”
Duo looked at him for several long seconds with an evil smile, “Do you really think if I come up for a drink that I’ll go home?” He pulled Trowa close for a thorough kiss, his fingers a soft pressure on the back of Trowa’s neck. “You’re too tempting, Trowa. I don’t think I’d be able to leave if I went up right now,” he explained softly with his lips still against Trowa’s. “I want this…us…to be more than that.”
Reluctantly, Trowa agreed, but it was many minutes later before he forced himself to leave the car, and Duo, behind as he went into his apartment.
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