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"The Bottle Painter"Written By: Kaeru Shisho Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing
or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, male/male pairings, language Pairings: 1x2 Summary: Heero Yuy’s life as a winery artist takes an abrupt turn when he meets a lowly delivery boy. A/N: My deepest thanks go to the kindness of WaterLily
for painstaking editing and Snowdragon for encouraging me. "The Bottle Painter " Chapter 3 Blocking the entrance to the restaurant, frozen in place, brain firmly stuck on "numb", I couldn't think of what to do. I didn't want Duo to think I was unwilling to be seen with him. I also didn't want to have to explain all my insecurities or past boyfriends, so I just said, "I didn't think it over." "Trouble with you, 'Ro, is that you over think most stuff. I promise not to dance on the table, if that's what's worrying you." "No, no! It's not you at all. It's just," I'm a wimp, "there might be some people I don't want to see in there." "Which people?" "Trowa Barton or Chang Wufei." "Barton, huh? Familiar name. So? Should I know them? I'm not impressed." Much. I thought Duo looked a bit paler. "I didn't want to get into this. Not so soon." "Start with Barton. He's got a rather prominent last name--?" "The son of our winery owner," I said. Duo cleverly connected the dots and drew the conclusion. "Oh, so you two grew up together?" "Yes." How was I to put it? "Close. Closer as we got to be older." "I get it. He was your first lover." "Yes." Thank God he was quick. I couldn't bring myself to say it, and yet we weren't done. "And the Chinese dude?" "I took Wufei's place as the winery's top bottle painter when he...became affianced to Zechs Merquise-and left." "The prince? Must have been hot stuff. So, Wufei, he was a friend of yours?" "Yes, him, too." "He was one of your conquests, too?" "In a manner of speaking." "As in it was the other way around, huh?" "Duo, I don't want you to feel judged or uncomfortable here. And I'm sorry--that wasn't put well. I don't know how I feel." "Are you going in?" Strangers wanted past us. What was I to do? I hadn't the chance to explain anything properly to Duo. I guess I didn't need to. "Whaddya think?" he asked me. "Stay or leave. Your call. I'm good any way." I felt like a great champion, supported by my squire, well, more than that, but the warmth swelling in my chest was real and all because of Duo. The situation took on a different feeling. I wanted to stay. I leaned into his ear and whispered, "I'd like to show you off. Would that be okay?" I finally said something right. He just glowed. "Sure." I grabbed the door handle and gestured for Duo and the waiting couple to enter. The head waiter floated our way to seat us. "Excuse me, sirs. Is that you, Mr. Yuy? I have your table ready." The secluded window seat I had reserved. "Yes, thank you." "Very good, sir. If you'd follow me." My eyes swept the room for unwelcome faces. "Coast clear?" Duo whispered. I nodded. "Good. The table tea lights are enough old flames for me." Duo winked, gorgeous, and real, nothing artificial. I let out a nervous chuckle, and let him draw my icy hand into his warm one. He paired that with an adoring smile, making no attempt to hide our relationship. My pounding heart nearly burst through my ribcage. I could have sung for the utter and overwhelming bliss I felt. "Me, too," I agreed smoothly, and let Duo guide me to our table. The candle light flickered as menus passed into our hands and water glasses were filled. "Everything okay?" he asked me. "You are spectacular. Thank you for getting us past that potentially awkward situation." "Not a problem, though, you coulda warned me before we came. I might have worn my hair down." "I rarely have been to town and this is one of the only places I've ever been. It wasn't until we got here that it occurred to me who we might run into." I was imagining him with his hair down; I would continue to throughout our meal. "Your hair loose-is it so much trouble?" "You have no idea. Gets into food, gets sat on, caught in buttons, and folks stare." And it attacks people at night and tries to strangle them-- no, that had been in my dream and I kept the thought securely lodged in my head. He shook his head, loosening his braid from where he'd tucked it between his back and his chair. The braid uncoiled, snaked out, and swung with a 'thuck' against the table leg. I could count the eyes on him just as he was. "It's okay, 'Ro. Relax. It's different seeing you so completely insecure, though." "I always feel unsure of myself around you. You have turned my world upside down." "I'll take that as a compliment. Now, help me out with this incomprehensible menu." I did the ordering, including wine. I'd never done that and I felt like the man. Not that Duo wasn't one, too, but I liked feeling some control for a change. And that helped calm my nerves. I even stopped looking over my shoulder every time I heard the voice of a new patron. "I'm going to like buffalo?" "Smothered in mushrooms. It's a specialty." "You're getting lamb." "We'll share. How about that? Then you'll know which you like best." "Yeah, okay. Sounds good. Oh, man, they are quick delivering the wine." He was so incredibly charming I just let him talk and delight me. Salads of fresh herbs and baby greens appeared with a basket to share of aromatic bread, sliced and oven-warmed. He ate and I picked, unable to bring myself to eat and miss a moment of his conversation and animated expressions. "You have an intense stare," he told me. "Nice eyes, but intense. Something wrong?" "No, go on. You were telling me about escaping the plague." "Combination of strong constitution and luck. Believe me, there wasn't any magic involved. Lost my best friend and he was only eight or so." "I wish there wasn't so much pain growing up." "Yeah, I hear ya." I learned about the world outside the confines of the winery and the nearby town. I wanted to see more of it myself and Duo repeated a promise he'd made. "This summer we'll take a trip, just you and me, okay? You gotta have a vacation. Everybody gets one sometime and I'll bet Ole Barton will grant you a few weeks off." "He might. I don't know why he wouldn't as long as I assure him of my return." "That's the spirit. Whoa, here comes the main course. Did you order me the whole buffalo?" The waiter even smiled. "If you'd like, I can wrap anything you are unable to finish so you can save it for later. You won't want to miss out on dessert." "Dessert? I love sweet stuff." "Try this." I loaded a fork with a bite of lamb and sampling of scalloped potatoes. His lips slid off my fork with a hum, and, when he peeked up at me through his fringe of bangs, I knew he had intentionally teased me. My body reacted predictably so I adjusted the placement of my napkin. "Don't do that." "You don't mean that," he said. We both knew he was right, too. "That is good. What's in the potatoes?" "Cream and cheese." "Creeeeam," he drawled and licked his lips. "Duo!" I didn't shout. I pitched my voice low so only he could hear. He just grinned and carved a bit off his roast and then stabbed at green bean. "I don't like those." "Too bad. Beans come with the dinner. I tried yours. Open up. O-pen. It's not so hard, unlike other things." I opened my mouth to offer a differing opinion, and he popped the fork past my teeth. "The menu called them 'haricots verts'. Think that's got anything to do with harlots?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and chewed. Drenched in butter sauce, they weren't so bad. "You understood more of the menu than you let on, didn't you?" "Not so much. My French is limited to wine labels currently, but I figured out those had to be the green beans after eliminating the rest. This is really good, 'Ro. Thanks for bringing me here." His shining eyes met mine and all the embarrassment I'd felt over his suggestive talk got replaced with heat of another kind. I don't know how I made it through the dinner without attacking him. Honestly, I'd never been so close to losing control as I did at that table. The waiter rolled over a cart of desserts and Duo's face lit into a brilliant smile. "How do I choose?" he asked. Not that I worried a moment that he couldn't or wouldn't. The way the candlelight flickered gave him an impish look. I watched entranced as the waiter named the treats and Duo's eyes followed the waiter's finger point to each one. For a second, I was sure my boyfriend would order one of each. When the man said "peanut" something, I heard Duo muttering "pea-nut budder, browner dan my mudder" to a tune I didn't recognize, causing the serious-faced waiter to smile. I adored Duo's idiosyncrasies and the way he tinted my world in sunshine. In the end, Duo chose the plate closest to him. I picked one at random. "You told me you didn't eat dessert," he reminded me. "I don't. I just didn't want you to eat alone." "Sacrificing for me? I'm touched." He mock-stabbed at his heart and rolled his eyes. He made me laugh. I couldn't get enough of him. "Hn." I finished my glass of wine and settled deeper into my chair to watch him eat. "What's with the dopy look on your face?" he asked carving off the tip of his cheesecake. "I can't take my eyes off of you." "Heh. I haven't even let the hair down yet. Wait till you see that." "How long do I have to wait?" "Depends." Oh, he looked coyly at his slice of cheesecake and pretended absolute interest in the luscious sweet. I would have traded my mousse for a kiss, easily. "Depends? On what?" I had to wait while he teased a bite past his lips and slowly withdrew the fork. I wanted to be that fork. I wanted him so badly. "On when we get back." I checked the time. We had an hour before Howard was due to return, with or without us. An hour would feel like eternity now. Knowing that, I settled on enjoying the company of Duo. He licked the blueberry topping off his dessert and it was all I could do not to beg him to do that to me. Not in the restaurant. "So, tell me about your painting. What's your inspiration?" he asked. "You." "Before me," he said with a laugh, clearly pleased I said it. "There were no bottles before you where I worked alone and chose the subject matter." "You musta painted pictures or something, right?" "Yes. All right. Things." He gave me a perturbed "don't give me a one word answer" look, so I extracted something from my head. "Say, I'd see a bird and I'd use the colors of the bird or the curve of its wing to start. At art school, I'd be given assignments, but when I had a choice, I'd start with a thing and go from there." Throughout this discussion, Duo listened, his eyes mostly on me, reading my face for clues about what I was feeling. I wasn't foolish enough to think his attraction for me couldn't be crushed, that our young relationship could withstand much adversity. Not yet. I knew now was the time to assure him I was not mentally unstable or nursing a broken heart. "I like the out-of-doors for inspiration and the fresh air," I said in conclusion. His expression took on a dreamy wistfulness I'd seen before when he thought about the future. "Wait until I show you the ocean. You'll go nuts." He proceeded to describe the moving expanse of water against the sky and shore. The birds, the sounds and smells and little shells and smooth pebbles and colored glass we'd collect. Catching a glimpse of Duo's sweet profile reminded me of the treasure I'd found already. "Sounds fantastic. We'll go there first, when I secure my vacation." Duo chuckled. "I wanna go now. Summer's a long way off." "Not so long. Really only a few weeks." "Months!" He halfway hopped out of his seat. "Sit down." A keyed up Duo in bed, yes, sometime, but in a fine restaurant-- no. "Eat your cake." "Cheese cake," he hummed as he settled again, "is so good." I was fuzzy happy to have him, and -- I wanted to get home and have Duo all to myself, if he'd have me. I stirred my mousse cup while Duo moaned in ecstasy over his cheesecake, bite by bite. His eyes darted up. Duo looked up over my shoulder and sat back. "Here comes the waiter dude. Get the bill so we can take off." I did, rushing the man a bit more than his usual rhythm called for, but I planned to leave him a tip to compensate. I pulled out some notes and folded them under the bill and stood to go. "We can walk about town awhile until Howard shows up." Outside the restaurant, I took up his hand and walked close enough our shoulders bumped. "Thank you for saying yes tonight. I can't recall having as good a time out-ever." Duo moved to my side. "Such a sweet talker you are." Maybe I'd sounded flirtatious, but I'd actually meant every word. I even surprised myself at the intensity of the feeling. That Duo wanted to go home with me at the end of the night was what mattered. He cocked his head to the side, saying, "I think you might deserve me." "I think I might," I said, feeling for an instant as if I did. He laughed and led us along the avenue. "Which way?" "This way is fine. There are some shops." Window shopping turned out to be strange. Neither of us owned many things, had much space to store them, or had the appetite for accumulating "things". We admired beautiful objects and questioned the rest. "Why would ya want fake fruit on a table? The real thing is pretty and you can eat it." "Marble ones won't rot?" I suggested. "I guess. So explain the fake books?" "Ah, that's more difficult," I admitted. I examined what I could see closely and thought about books without pages. "To make you look smarter than you are while giving you a place to stash your gold?" "They're hollow? That would actually be... naw, even that's pretty stupid. Let's look at the hats over there. I've been thinking of getting me a hat. Whaddya think of that one? Like a cool detective." I laughed when he turned up his collar like a trench coat. "Or the black beret... Now that would do for you. Kinda French artist?" "Not with my hair." "You're probably right. Maybe they have those knit caps you could pull way down and hold it flat?" I stared at his reflection in the glass window front, overlaid with street lights like stars in his hair. And his smile. What a fabulous painting that would make! "I got lettuce in my teeth?" he asked. "Let me check." I pushed him into the shadows of the darkened doorway and clamped my mouth over his. My tongue pushed past his lips and scrubbed his mouth clean. I could feel his chest heaving and fingers digging into my back where they'd slipped beneath my jacket. I could hear Howard's truck rattling a block away, so I let up and stepped away. "Man," he huffed, wiping off his mouth with the back of his hand. "And we haven't even gotten started yet." "Howard's here." "Yeah, I heard'im." Duo stood at the curb and flagged the man down. "You kids wandering the street? Having a good time?" "Yes, thank you for the ride. We're ready to go home now." "Yeah," Duo agreed and scrunched close. The ride home was painless. Duo slumped against me all the way. Howard asked polite and proper questions. "So, how did you two meet?" "I delivered crates of empty wine bottles to his studio and inspired his newest paintings. Didn't I, 'Ro?" "Yes." "How romantic." Howard smiled, sighed, and shook his head, but kept his eyes on the road ahead, for which I was thankful. "Want me to drive around? Tour the town?" "Thanks, but not tonight. Another time, maybe. We have... plans." I stared at my hands until Duo squeezed one hard enough to make me meet his eyes. "That's right," he said. I brushed a loose strand of hair away from his lips. I wanted to touch him so bad. I couldn't keep my hands off him, and yet I had to a while longer. I loved Duo more and more with every passing minute. The van slowed near the winery and stopped by the door to the quarters. "Here you go." "Thanks, Howard!" We harmonized. Duo and I took the stairs to the main entrance, me in the lead. "Hey," he called out. "Hold up." I hung back and let his hand slip into mine. "I had a good time," he said. "Me, too." "That's nice to know. I'm wondering if you're okay, though." "I'm fine. It was good. I'm just excited to... move on...with you." "Oh, yeah? Heh, heh... I'd ask 'your place or mine?' but mine's a bit crowded," Duo said. Even at the time I thought he was a bit nervous and trying to cover it. "This way." I gripped his hand in mine and walked fast. "I just ate way too much. Slow down." I did. I unlocked the door to my room, pulled him inside, and locked it again. "Mine," I declared, claiming a kiss. He pushed me back a little ways and removed his coat and shoes. "I, ah, just take it slow, okay? I had a not-so-great experience and I'm a bit gun shy, so to speak." "Shh, don't worry," I told him. I helped him with his tie and shirt. "I just want to see you naked-- with your hair down." "Just? Heh, heh... no you don't. I mean, not just that." "Yes, I want more. I want it all, but tonight I promise to just look." "Ahh, 'Ro, you are just too cute right now." Off came the slacks, socks, and lastly, his underwear. He was so incredible. "Oh, God." My breath hitched in my throat, so what I said came out in a strangled voice. "Let me." I unbraided his hair and combed out the strands. It was every bit as marvelous as I'd dreamed. "I'm feeling way over-dressed." He could make me laugh whenever he wanted. I let him help me remove clothing, which was embarrassing and exciting at the same time. "You are hot, 'Ro. Hard as rock. Painting bottles sure keeps you in shape." "I promised just to look, but I want to touch you so bad." "Yeah, I can't wait to rub my hands over those abs. Touching's good." So we migrated to my bed and lay down side by side, facing one another. "Just like I dreamed." "Dreamed? What you told me was really true, 'bout me being your inspiration?" "Yes. I dreamed I was chasing you in a meadow. The grass was tall and we fell and rolled around and you got flowers in your hair." "Which wasn't braided, just flying around?" he asked. "Yes. I woke up with that vision." I didn't mention how in the dream I was all wrapped up in his hair, while actually being strangled by my sheets. That sounded weird, even to me. "Huh. So, how does the real me compare?" I could not find the words to answer him, so I buried my hands in his hair, drew his face to mine, and pressed my mouth to his. He'd understand. He was so perceptive that way. (o) Anything "Duo-esque" was automatically extraordinary, wasn't it? Apparently, not. I didn't win the contest with my beautiful "Gypsy" bottles that year, which disappointed me. Nor did Wufei. He and I tied for second place, and first went to an old codger from across the valley with a rather lurid nude-not at all attractive. The wine inside was fantastic, though, so maybe the award was for that. Wufei and I were not the judges; we were just the bottle painters. Duo kept my mind off the disappointment. All winter and into spring we made love in my room on my narrow bed. It was marvelous. At the end of spring, I told Mr. Barton that I needed a vacation to gather inspiration for the next fall's entry. He generously agreed and gifted me with a work-free month and a pocketful of money to take on the road. And Duo. As my official assistant, he had to accompany me. "That should do it," he said after examining the contents of our backpacks. "We'll just make do and buy what we gotta. Ready?" "Yes." Anticipation oozed from my pores, or maybe sweat. It was hot that day when we finally set out on our adventure. "I figured to go back the way I came. That way you can meet my Sweeper friends. They'll give us a place to hang, which'll be better than the ground. You'll see. A couple nights in the wild and you'll be cryin' out for the city." "Okay." I was a country boy and loved the out-of-doors, so I knew he meant that he would be craving the city. Probably had been for some time. Everything was going to be new for me once we left the vineyard gates. Everything would be fine, because I had Duo with me. Everything. And we found a meadow, studded with flowers like a star field. "Here, this is it." He wasn't convinced. "It? You mean this is as far as we go? Hell, 'Ro, we just got started. I betcha I can still see the vineyard property line if I squint hard enough!" "No, idiot. This is where we stop for lunch." "Oh? Didn't we just eat? Well, that's okay. Sure. Over by that tree's some shade." "We'd just met and I dreamed I was chasing you in a meadow. The grass was tall and we fell and rolled around and you got flowers in your hair." "Oh, yeah, I remember you telling me about that. I inspired your hairy bottles." I must have looked particularly scary, because he backed away. "Oh, no! You are not getting me to let down my hair and tangle it in the weeds. No, sirree! Noooo-" He could run and hide. He was fast and agile. But I was persistent and determined. One flying leap and I'd tackled him to the ground. A flick of the wrist and the braid came free. I contained his kicking and screaming with a full-body attack, legs on legs, chest to chest, and a spectacular kiss. I really laid it on him. My tongue probed and had sex with his mouth. My hands gripped his wrists until he settled down, wrapped his tongue around mine, and moaned deliciously. I sat back, pinning his hips to the earth, and gazed into his eyes. I had to pick a few flowers and place them to get the perfect effect, but it was there. I had it at last; my dream come true. And our holiday had just begun. The End.
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