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"Braid"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. 3x4. 5x6 Summary: The interlaced stories of the GW pilots
mirror their entwined friendships as they romance their way through
life. "Braid " Chapter Two (o) Heero's POV Winter in the mountains, where Duo and I were working, brought snow. Holiday celebrations and the weather consorted to put a halt to all field and construction work. It was too cold for us in that tiny cabin—as good as an excuse as any—so we closed up and moved into town. For reasons unclear to me, Duo decided to start a few classes at the university. He knew that had been my plan, so he probably just followed suit for lack of anything better to do. Trowa had already put in some university time, which may have contributed to Duo's decision as well. He didn't really say. I wanted an engineering degree. Outdoor work was fine, while I was young, but I knew I could do better. Duo probably thought he could, too. I mean, he could do better for himself than manual labor, if he wanted it enough. "Computer shit is right up my alley and there's a job at the end of it," he reasoned, ever practical. "You don't have to convince me," I told him. "The engineering program allows for computer classes as well." "Oh, yeah? So, we might have a class together, you think?" "Maybe." I doubted it, though. We both began as late-starts in winter. The conservation work would be waiting for us in summer, if we still wanted it. By mutual agreement, we chose to live separately. I knew that in order to think straight I couldn't have Duo residing with me. I had found it hard enough to concentrate with him around and that was when I had nothing important to think about. I couldn't risk failing classes due to him and his distractibility. What I didn't get was what was going on inside Duo's head. Had I asked, he wouldn't have told me or even been able to understand it himself, I assumed, or I would have asked. We had evolved back to being "good friends". This was just as well. I decided that he probably had been looking for some sexual relief and experimentation and hadn't been interested in me as a boyfriend, after all, and I wasn't going to push it. It was for the best. It really was, and I knew it. Probably it was for the best, but I had this nasty feeling to cope with and I didn't like it one bit. I couldn't understand why I didn't feel satisfied with my not-so-well thought-out decision not to explore my attraction to Duo. What was it that I wanted, beyond the obvious sexual release my body craved? I was about to be consumed by self-doubt, if I wasn't careful. I knew that I treasured our friendship and didn't want to spoil it just to mess around. Sex and Duo—what a super-nova of distractions that would be! Confusing, disturbing, and bewitching, er, bewildering—he was all those things already without the added sexual component! I'd run into Trowa Barton a few times on campus and renewed our casual friendship. He suggested getting sex off the table just might help, so I decided that I needed to pursue someone else to gain some experience, that maybe Duo wasn't suitable for fumbling research. Finding someone for a one night stand was not easy for me. I had little free time to devote to "hooking up." I visited a few bars, which I hated, and coffee shops, which would have been fine if I were trying to pick up women. A bit of Duo, total confusion, course work, and failed social development best described my life. Sadly, this would last forever, if I didn't take action. (o) Quatre's POV Trowa and I almost slept together in that mountain hideaway, but something stopped us, most likely me. I was terrified of homosexual encounters at the time. Of being caught. Of what others would say. Of how it would effect my position in the corporate world. Of liking it, even! All kinds of important and unimportant fears. Trowa was wonderfully understanding. I don't know what I'd done to deserve a patient man like him for a boyfriend. I was thrilled for him. He'd chosen to aim high and go to college. I took a class or two as needed, but for the most part I learned by doing in the family business. Every break in classes he had, I made it my number one priority to take off from work and travel with him, or, if I had pressing work to do, he'd join me and visit corporate plants and companies. On those occasions, we'd be invited to dinner parties and I'd arrange "dates" for us- women dates. The dancing was nice, but I could tell he only tolerated the setups for my benefit, so I tried to limit them as much as possible. After traveling and attending dinner parties under those conditions for what amounted to several years, I became weary of it all. He must have loved me very, very much to abide by my wishes and put up with every restriction I inflicted on him. Well, I knew he did. I won't describe those years—so humdrum—because it's more exciting to write about when that changed for us. I had been thinking about changing our arrangement since we'd started it. I wanted him, and I could feel (Oh! How I could feel!) that he wanted me! So, after persevering through a particularly lengthy travel spree, we arrived at our hotel in Cologne, the last on our agenda. I had decided I was a grown man and it was time to live my life to the fullest. No more pretending. Trowa, I knew, would be relieved and pleased. "You want me to call and arrange the dates this time?" he asked, tolerant and accommodating as always. "Don't bother, Trowa," I stammered nervously. Me! Nervous! I redoubled my efforts to put into words what I was feeling. "We can go together. Just you and me. We do make a damned fine-looking couple." That sounded cool and collected- and indomitable, too. "Okay," he agreed. He sounded calm, but I could feel his elation and see the pride in the set of his shoulders. Shoulders... yum. That was the moment we dropped the facade. We cared for one another, we were attracted to one another, and we didn't need any others to interfere with our good times. His eyes searched mine for confirmation of what he hoped I had meant and that I was on the level. "Just for tonight?" he asked, probing. "I think I'm done with the miss-matchmaking. I just want...what I want." That pleased him. And shocked him. I was reading him, whether I wanted to or not, he was broadcasting his feelings on a wide bandwidth, loud and clear. His eyes widened and he stepped back. "Quatre...this is dangerous. You know what I want and I can't give you all you need. It could cost us our friendship." I had him backed to the wall. "I don't want to analyze this," I told him as I moved so close I could feel the heat radiating from him. I pinned him to the wall with a hand to his chest. "I want to enjoy it." I could feel his heartbeat. It was racing. It meant "I want you." I swear, he gulped. I was being aggressive, and knew he desired me; he was at a distinct disadvantage. I jerked out his shirttails from his pants, and he gasped. "Quatre!" escaped his lips. "You've been in this long enough for one day," I told him and unbuttoned the shirt, beginning at the hemline. "Hmm...nice skin." "Yesss," he hissed in a quick intake of air, his teeth bared. I watched as his eyes closed; my fingers slid over his smooth, hairless chest, down a lean side, around to his muscled back, back around his side, and over his firm belly. He grinned and flinched, "Tickles..." That gave me an idea. Pausing in my tactile stimulation of his belly, my hands were free to massage his shoulders a moment before I shoved the shirt off. Down his back, along his arms it slid, catching at the wrists where the cuffs remained clasped. His arms were behind his back. "You forgot the cufflinks," he smiled. But his smile faded as mine grew, and I whispered slyly, "Did I?" Then I started tickling him in earnest. I only had him trapped momentarily. He twisted away amid soft chuckles and tore the shirt off. "Now, it is my turn," he smiled and his eyes narrowed dangerously. I couldn't believe how quickly he had moved! "Oh!" I cried out, surprised. I couldn't hold on to him; he was slippery like a fish. Now it was I who was wrapped in his strong grasp. Again, we studied one another's eyes. "Quatre, I know you know what you are doing, but," his eyes opened wider, dark and mysterious in the low bedroom light, "do you know what you are doing...to me?" I had a damned good idea. His breathing was ragged, his eyes luminous, and his smile tense. He wanted me bad. I nodded. He swallowed. "What will you have me do?" He was asking, but his fingers were slowly lowering the zipper on my slacks. "I can stop at any time." "Can you?" My voice was weak as his face nuzzled my hair, finding my ear. His warm breath teased along the outer edge of my ear and down my neck where my hair had parted and exposed it to his lips. "Yesssss, I can, no matter what." "You mean," I paused, distracted when I felt him trailing wet kisses along my neck and shoulder as he began to peal my shirt away. "If I ask, you'll stop...anytime?" His face raised and our eyes met in the middle, then dove past my reserve. I felt as if he could see my innermost thoughts, if he couldn't actually read them, like I could his. "Of course, but-" His hands moved and my slacks were affixed together again. "I don't believe we are going to make it to that party tonight, do you?" I shook my head to the negative. "No? Then we have no reason to rush anything. Okay, then here's my idea." He leaned in and pressed our foreheads together. "You, go back to your room, take a shower, change into something casual, and then come back. In fact, here's my room key in case I take longer to shower than you." I wasn't sure that he wasn't just trying to get rid of me, so I asked, "What about dinner then?" "I will take care of that, too. Hey, don't look like that! God, Quatre. I'm not pushing you away here, just slowing us down- me down." His hands squeezed my shoulders and he smiled so kindly, I had to nod. "I'll make it fun, I promise, okay? You'll come back, right?" "Half an hour," I clipped off as I attempted to mask my nerves and grabbed his keys out of his hand. "Be ready." My heart was pounding. My God! I just propositioned my friend! I felt a little light-headed, but I had no regrets whatsoever. The man had to know how to have fun, and I had a lot of catching up to do. I tossed the dress clothes aside and rushed through a shower, lingering only to make sure my hair was well-rinsed and my face shaved smooth. What to wear...? I wished then that I had packed a sexy pair of silk boxers. The cotton ones were clean, though, so I put them on, covered them with my overcoat, and rubbed at my damp hair with a dry towel and stood thinking. I jammed my keys and his keys and a toothbrush into the pockets and left, avoiding a parting glance into the mirror. I looked about as sexy as a well-worn slipper, I was certain of that. "Trowa?" "I'll be right out. Oh, there's a twenty on the desk in case room service comes." "Room-?" I was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Oh, it's here!" A young man rolled in a cart of covered dishes and chilling bottle of wine. "Good evening," we greeted each other. I watched while he snapped a clean white tablecloth over the small table by the window, then set out the food, leaving the lids, and lit a candle. "Shall I open the wine?" "Yes, please." I said, then handed him the crisp bill and he left. Trowa emerged drying his hair. "Oh, good. It's here already. I thought we should fortify ourselves first. Why don't you take off your coat and stay awhile?" he grinned. He took my coat and hung it up after I removed my things from the pockets. I could see him looking over the items, especially the toothbrush, and I blushed. Me, blushing, already! He said nothing, but pointed to a chair. "Shall we eat?" "Yes, thank you." I combed my fingers through my damp bangs, pushing them off to the side, and took the seat he had pulled out for me. He poured a small amount of wine and held up his glass in salute. "To us; two good friends about to become closer." I know I blushed again. "Trowa!" "Well, I hope so!" he chuckled. "Me, too," I admitted and took a sip. "Oh, before I forget everything I was planning to tell you before you started removing my clothes and distracting me," he said, "I sent Heero a notice that we will be back for his graduation next week. Just to keep you informed," he smiled more, and then served me some of the salad. More blood rushed to my already scarlet face. I was burning up and pretty damn sick of my out-of-control blushing response. "Thanks for remembering." We ate the simple meal of a salad with bread and baked brie. I sliced a pear and apple to share for dessert. Then we were done. He was resting his head in his hand and gazing unabashedly at me. I thought he looked adorable. "What?" I asked. "I wouldn't have believed that you could be any more beautiful than before, but sitting there, your hair... just shining, clean, un-gelled, like when we were kids, and smiling. You are like a dream come true, Quat." His hushed tone and worshipful expression convinced me that he was sincere. I didn't need to read his emotions at all. I chuckled a little and admonished him, "You are the only man I know who can pull off such corny things to say." "Comes with the circus nonsense, I guess." From that instant on that night, he made it clear that I was at the center of his universe. He had a nifty little- and horribly expensive- Beolit Portable, which I'd gifted him, and started some soft music. He took me in his arms and we danced- slow and romantic. He whispered sweet things and made me smile, warmed my heart, and healed my ego damaged by years and years of denial. I was falling in love for real and there was no stopping it. "Can I kiss you?" he asked. "Me? Yes, of course! I mean, it's just that you never asked before." "No, I guess not," he managed to say before kissing me gently. "It's different now, though. I want you to be an equal participant all the way with this. Start to finish, stop-go, yes-no, give and take." I didn't know what to say. I never imagined being with Trowa this way, that he could be this way. He was completely open, vulnerable, real. He was real. "Kiss me again," I begged. We stood by the window and kissed lightly, nose-to-nose. It was the only time I'd notice he was taller than me. He was well-built, but slender, his face still youthful. Expressive green eyes closed with long, dark lashes feathering his high cheekbones. His silky, soft bangs brushed at my cheeks and along my arms, which wrapped around his neck. I wanted to feel it tickle more of my bare skin. I felt his knees bend and one arm slide beneath my knees, as he scooped me up and carried me across the room. How strong he was! We stretched out on his wide bed and found our way to each other's mouth and kissed deeply. "I could do this all night," he said in a low voice. "Okay," I agreed. "You mean that? You want this?" "This is nice; you feel good," I assured him. He rolled on one side and smiled down at me lying on my back. He fingered my hair. "Like the finest silk. I always wanted to touch it, but I was afraid you'd think I was some kind of pervert." That made me laugh, "Well, I hate to think what that makes me with all my fantasizing over yours." That made him grin. His eyes winked out. "You are a very handsome man, Trowa." I poked the end of his nose to make his eyes open again. He groaned and covered his face with a pillow. "God, Quatre...what difference does it make?" "I am an honest person." He chuckled. I noticed that with his arms up, his bellybutton was exposed. I wondered what he'd do if I kissed him there. As I dropped closer, I could see a fine line of hair brown against his light skin, darker than that on his head, disappear into his silk pants. "Quat, love?" came his muffled voice. "You're being very quiet... AH!" That was where I ran my tongue, ending with a kiss to his bellybutton. "You are a seducer." He went limp when I stopped. "You liked that? I thought I was making you tell me stuff." "Torture me more with your lips," he begged, grinning. We hugged and rolled back and forth and laughed. We were happy and the air felt taut, tightening with the anticipation between us. "Why don't we brush our teeth now, just in case we fall asleep, okay?" he asked. I nodded and sat up. I was new at all this. "Me first?" He smiled and nodded. "I'll wait." We took turns, and then when he returned to the bed, he pulled back the covers and paused expectantly. I wasn't sure what he meant, so I just lay there. "Do you want to go back to your room? You can if you want, Quatre. Or move over." "Ah, no. I wasn't sure what to do, that's all." I'd become insecure about everything I thought we were about to do. He moved in beside me and pulled the covers over us both. "Ummm, nice." His arms encircled me and we adjusted to one another's curves, and I felt the tension bleed out of me. "Let's just say good night and sleep like this, okay?" he asked. That surprised me at first. Actually, it sounded wonderful, but not what I had come to expect from him. I wondered if he actually could read my feelings like I could his? "Okay." He turned my face to look at him. "Quatre, is sex all you want from me?" I swallowed. That was direct. "No." "Good, because it's not going to happen tonight. Not until you...we... are ready. Really ready. I want to show you how I've come to feel about you, but first we need to get used to being this close. Just touching you is...too much for me." I wanted to know what he meant by that. "Too much?" He smiled. "Yes." "Nonsense. I'm just a bit overwhelmed by you. I'll better in no time." "What a romantic you are," he chuckled. I wanted to hear more. I loved the sound of his voice. I didn't want this closeness to end. "You know, I'm not romantic by nature, but I am trying here." "Oh, I noticed, can't you tell?" I could feel his interest press up against my thigh and then pull away. "You are very exciting," he said. "But we have time to get used to being intimate." I didn't want to resist his charm and tender kisses. He wanted me; I knew it, even though he was willing to wait. He fondled me gently and wrapped me in strength. I wanted more at the same time I was glad he wasn't expecting more. I had become muddle-brained, but I felt immensely happy. "Now that I've taken all the fight out of you, it's time to pounce," he whispered with a chuckle at the end. "No, actually, I'm ready to sleep. So don't move. Just let me listen to you breathe." I could have asked for more, but found that I was so warm and comfortable and...tired, mentally and physically- tired from the hard day and emotional turmoil we had gone through-that I just closed my eyes. "Umm, 'kay." He curled around my back with an arm draped over me. I was at peace. I knew I'd met the real Trowa and reveled in the feeling that I really adored him and that he held me until I fell asleep. I didn't sleep especially well. I awoke numerous times only to feel a strange limb heavy across a leg or an arm wrapped possessively about my waist. I wasn't used to sharing a bed with a man, not a little brother as a child, and rarely even with one of the other pilots on a mission. Lying there, though, was not a bad thing; it was really reassuring to have him there, it simply was something that would take getting used to. When I woke up the last time, it was to the sound of his voice muted at a distance. He was standing in front of the window, wearing his kimono open loosely over his pajama bottoms, speaking into his cell phone with a smile. It had to be a friend he was talking to. I loved just watching him, how he moved. So self-assured. I so wanted to appear as carefree as Trowa did, and often tried to copy his sly smile, but, when I was honest with myself, I would have to admit that it was his often dubious conduct that I really wished I dared adopt. I know he slept around, had fun with other men, the kind of behavior I could never, ever engage in. I could never be the "bad boy". But I thought about it. "Who?" I wondered aloud. "Heero," he mouthed. I attempted to put on that knowing, cool smile he'd just shot my way. I did my best and he chuckled. "Say, hi!" I sent to his mind. (o) Heero's POV I completed three years of study and entered the graduate engineering program early. Whether or not this was an achievement worth noting, I use it here to mark time. Duo, meanwhile, ground his way through the computer major, taking internships, and visiting Howard in space to "change things up a bit". Totally by accident one day, I ran into Milliardo Peacecraft at the campus bookstore. He was "back in town, dabbling in a few graduate level philosophy classes and cruising the avenue." I was "combing the shelves for used versions of my required text books." In no way were we friends, Mill and I. We'd both been soldiers in the past and had some level of mutual respect for each other, but we'd fought on opposite sides for different reasons and different goals. Still, here we were and he seemed genuinely happy to see me. He invited me to dinner and I told him I had food at home to eat, which must have stunned him to think I cooked, so we ended up there. We caught up on life while I prepared stir-fry with rice. He had no qualms bringing me up to date on what he'd been doing since the war. "For the safety of earth," he chuckled without humor, "I agreed to take a job on Mars. I'm sure you heard about that sojourn?" "I know Noin accompanied you, and then I'd heard she'd joined Preventers back on earth." "Yes, well, Mars never materialized. Lucrezia and I had a monumental fight on the eve of the first day out. The flight landed, prematurely, on L1, where I was held with others of the captured White Fang gang for several years." I did recall something about a trial. "Oh, no, I was held without trial. That important fact was grounds enough to get me released." He scrubbed his face and looked up at me, smiling. His last five or so years had taken a toll. While I'd been finding myself as a college student, he'd been jailed and partying afterward. He'd lost the holier-than-thou attitude and the delicate refinement of an aristocratic lay-about. "The Pro-monarchy powers in Sanc— led, not surprisingly, by my sister, Relena- applied pressure and, without doubt a regal payoff to the L1 colonial crooks. Whatever it all entailed, L1 authorities gleefully handed me over and my homeland generously granted asylum to their lost child, Milliardo Peacecraft." His smiled turned apologetic when he said that. "That all led to amnesty and my eventual freedom to be re-instated as an agent for the Preventers." "Don't forget becoming the notorious playboy you'd always strived for. Apparently." He laughed aloud at my comment. "So, you do follow the scandal sheets! Not something I would have expected of Heero Yuy, earth's savior." So we both got in some digs, but all-in-all the meal and the company proved surprisingly pleasant. Nice enough that we planned to meet again later in the week. When that lunch proved agreeable, we continued, off and on, to get together for lunch or dinner occasionally. He was never up in time for breakfast, he told me. To be clear, these were friendly meetings, not romantic liaisons. At the outset.
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