"Paint My Heart Love"

Written By: Zazu

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, nor do I own the characters. I have borrowed them here for some fun and creativity, and this is not for profit. I do, however, own the plot mentioned here, and any instances that you may find similar to real life events are purely a coincidence. All of the characters depicted in this story are adults.

Rating: G

Pairing: 1+2

Summary: Heero takes a different route home from work and becomes captivated by an artist.

Warninigs: Sap

Note: Not beta-read

Written: September 13, 2007

"Paint My Heart Love "

Heero slowed his steps as he walked towards the store he liked to linger a little in front of. Studio, he corrected himself, not a store.

He'd discovered this little art studio about three weeks ago when he'd taken a detour on his way to work; he'd been tired of getting dusty from the construction on his usual route. And every morning, he was gifted with the sight of a young man concentrated on the easel in front of him, painting or drawing on a canvas. His thoughts would leave his mind as he watched the strokes of the utensil the man used as it produced a picture, a bit of something that let him have a glimpse inside the artist's mind. Today was no exception, and he paused outside to watch.

Duo sat back a little as he frowned at his canvas before reaching forward, hesitating to alter the tree he had drawn. Something was missing from it, even though the willow tree seemed complete.

From the corner of his eye, he could see him; The Man who liked to watch him draw for about fifteen minutes every morning. Over the last week, Duo had been trying to gather his own courage to speak to this man. He'd sworn he would do it today, and Duo meant each of his words. Setting his brush aside, he took a deep breath and looked up, making direct eye contact with The Man.

Blue eyes drowned him and he swallowed before offering a smile. Raising a hand, he beckoned, gesturing for The Man to enter.

Heero swallowed hard at the sight of eyes the most unique shade of purple he'd ever seen. He started when Purple Eyes gestured for him to enter. Steeling himself, he hesitated a step, then entered the studio.

"Hi," Duo said.

"Hi," Heero answered stiffly. "My...name is Heero. Heero Yuy."

"Duo Maxwell," Duo said, internally smacking himself for not having introduced his own name. "I've...ah...noticed you at the window a lot. Are you...interested in art?"

"Yes," Heero blurted. "But..."

"If you're not sure, I don't mind giving you a couple of free lessons to try things out first," Duo said quickly. "I notice that you stop by every morning, and briefly in the afternoon when the younger students are here. If you want to stop by after six we can do a couple of lessons."

Heero nodded slowly. "That would be great and I wouldn't mind compensating you for your time."

Duo smiled a little. "We can discuss the wages later on."

The day passed slowly, and too quickly for both men, and all too soon six o'clock had rolled around and Heero was in the studio, dressed in jeans and an old white polo that he didn't mind dirtying.

"What kind of art are you interested in creating?" Duo asked, gesturing about.

"Painting, just...watercolors, maybe?" Heero was finding it hard to think when Duo's eyes gazed at him; he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Anything in particular you want to paint?"

"You," Heero said, then hurriedly continue. "You have any ideas?" he amended.

Duo blinked, then chuckled. "This isn't about producing my vision. It's about producing your own." He paused, then frowned a little. "Are you familiar with art?"

Heero shook his head. "I have an appreciation for art, but no real knowledge," he confessed. But you're a damn fine piece of art, he thought inwardly.

Duo nodded. "Okay. So why don't we start with just...a paintbrush and black paint and see what happens? Think of something you want to paint and go for it."

Heero accepted the idea with a slow nod. "Anything?"

"Anything you want."

Vaguely, Heero had an idea of what he wanted; he wanted to paint the image he saw in the mornings of Duo sitting at the easel, drawing. But that was far too advanced; he didn't have the confidence to draw that. Deciding that he could start of with basics, he drew a frame about the canvas as if it were the studio's window.

"You have a unique way of holding the brush," Duo commented from behind.

Heero turned a little. "I studied calligraphy before."

"Ah," Duo nodded with understanding. "But you hold a paintbrush in a different way..." He demonstrated, touching Heero's hand and guiding the fingers into the correct position. Heero felt his cheeks warm slightly at the touch and he didn't dare to turn around to look at Duo. Instead, he concentrated on keeping his grip without letting the brush slip from his suddenly sweaty hands.

The next four weeks passed quickly as Heero visited the studio thrice a week to complete lessons with Duo. He genuinely enjoyed the presence of the artist along with the art he began to create. They had yet to discuss any terms of payment, but Duo had expressed interest in calligraphy and Heero had tried his best to teach the artist the art of calligraphy.

There was one thing bothering Duo, however, and Heero could see it; he knew what it was. The painting of the willow tree that Duo had done the morning he had asked Heero to enter the studio sat neglected in a corner and Duo had yet to figure out what exactly was missing from the canvas.

His thoughts continually drifted to it; he'd never had so much trouble with a piece of art. He leaned forward to examine Heero's art a little closer, studying the painting of a lighthouse and horizon that Heero was doing from his memory. "Maybe you can try the shading here a little differently?" Duo suggested, taking Heero's hand as he would one of his younger students to guide them. "If you move the brush in this fashion the ripples of the wave become a bit more realistic, but not too much." Duo swallowed as he smelled Heero's cologne, not for the first time. He didn't want to move, and took another deep breath.

Heero nodded. "Thank you," he said. After a moment, when Duo had yet to release his grip, Heero turned, only to brush his nose against Duo's. They both pulled back a little, but Duo's hand remained gripping Heero's. For a long moment, the two stared at each other. Duo licked his lips and they parted slightly; Heero leaned a little closer and sealed their lips together.

Cinnamon. Duo tasted of cinnamon; perhaps it was the cinnamon bun he had finished just as Heero entered the studio not too long ago.

Duo pulled back and quickly released Heero's hand. "I'm sorry-" he straightened, only to have Heero catch his collar to pull him down again.

"I'm not," Heero breathed before sealing their lips gently together again. Duo pulled back after a moment and they leaned their foreheads together. Realizing that Duo was awkwardly bent forward, Heero tugged lightly, guiding the artist sideways into his lap.

"Can't, Heero," Duo whispered.

"Why?" Heero asked, touching his nose to Duo's. "I've been attracted, since the first day I saw you, so concentrated on your art, so focused, so...breathtaking."

Duo shook his head. "I knew you were watching me, even if I was completely focused-"

"What's happening, Duo?" Heero asked. "I don't...I just...those mornings and these nights thrice a week...I want more. I want to be with you every day-"

"Can't, Heero," Duo repeated.

"Why?" Heero implored. "Why not?"

"Teachers...students...can't be involved."

Heero captured Duo's hands in his own, tangling their fingers together and not letting Duo pull away. "Not your student," he murmured. "Haven't paid you anything, you simply volunteered."

Duo sighed. "Gods, Heero...These mornings...I just...paint for you. I've always been someone who painted at night and then that first week I just wondered if I had different inspiration in the morning and then by the end of the first week it became that...I wanted to let you see me paint because...somehow when you were watching me, things just...flowed."

Heero nodded slowly. "Then you should keep me around, right?"

"Heero..."

Heero brushed their lips together lightly. "Would you be opposed to a few dinner dates?"

Duo chuckled weakly, straightening and glancing over to the take-out boxes on the table not too far away. "You mean those haven't been dinner dates?" he joked lightly.

"Don't want to let you go," Heero breathed. "Please...? You...do something to me. I don't know what."

"You too, Heero," Duo answered softly. "You inspire me...you really do."

Heero reached forward and removed the paper, laying it lightly on the floor before bringing a new sheet up. Picking up his paintbrush and dipping it into the paint again, he drew the outline of a heart in the cerulean blue paint he'd been using to paint his sea by the lighthouse. Then, he nudged Duo, who turned to look at the outlined heart.

"Paint my heart, Duo," he whispered.

Duo smiled. "I never knew you were a romantic," he murmured, letting his finger trace over Heero's heart. "But...I can't."

Heero looked away, but Duo tilted his head up by the chin again, taking the initiative to kiss Heero this time. "Do you know why?" he asked softly. "Because I don't know what color love is, so I don't know what color to paint it."

A hopeful light came into Heero's eyes. "You mean..."

"I want more too," Duo clarified. "If you meant-"

Heero's quick kiss confirmed to Duo that Heero did, indeed, mean his previous words.

Two months later, Duo stood in front of the newly framed picture by his apartment door. A clink of glass on glass informed him that the drinks Heero was preparing had been poured into mugs and set on the coffee table. Then, arms came around him as a body pressed warmly against his back. He snuggled down a bit.

Lips kissed his ear. "Love you, my painter."

Duo squeezed the hands around his waist. "Love you too, my inspiration." Filled with a sudden thought, he turned around in the embrace Heero offered. "I know what I want with the willow tree."

Heero smiled and simply reached over to the hooks nearby. Handing Duo his jacket and taking his own, he smiled at Duo as they exited the apartment, leaving behind the two steaming mugs to see the new picture.

The title read 'Paint my heart love'. The simple black frame housed two hearts side by side; a cobalt blue one outlined by a unique purple color, and the same color in the next heart, outlined by the cobalt blue of the first heart.

-End-

 

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