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"Love Thy Neighbor"Written By: ExecutiveShrimp Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, it belongs
to Bandai, Sotsu and associated parties. Written for pleasure not
profit. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, angst, fluff, citrus Pairings: 2x1 Summary: Duo's life gets turned upside down when
the house next to his is sold. The new neighbor exposes Duo to a lot
of new feelings but Duo's strict, religious upbringing makes him resist
them. He stubbornly denies that what he is feeling could be love. "Love Thy Neighbor" Chapter Fifteen He drove back home after the sermon, listening to songs on the radio and not trying to force a deep, philosophical discussion with himself. He knew he needed to give it time. The answers were out there, he trusted that, and he didn't have to know them yet, he didn't have to rush to reach out and touch them and pull them apart like a fortune cookie. He wouldn't be ready for everything to make sense to him right away anyway. He decided he needed to give himself a break. He wasn't going to stop being a Christian, he couldn't, not even if he wanted to. He realized he was a Christian as much as he was a gay man and neither were a choice, both were an integral part of him but, importantly, neither was the only part of him. He was more than just a Christian and more than just a gay man, so it was okay to stop focusing on the two for a while, to stop pondering the consequences of what these two - seemingly opposite - aspects of him; the impact they had on his life and the lives of those around him. The reason those parts of him had always been at war with each other was because he himself was responsibility for pitting them against each other. It was time to hold fire and wander in the no-man's-land in search of himself, somewhere in between those two camps. Trowa's car was still in the driveway but Duo didn't let that stop him from going around back and going to see Heero. He rounded the corner of the house, pushing the squeaky wooden gate open with his knee and he found the two men sitting on the back porch of the house, with their feet propped up on the table. Each was nursing a bottle of beer. "Hey," He greeted and he skipped a step when he climbed up onto the porch and nonchalantly sat down next to his lover. Heero eyed him quizzically. He hadn't expected him to return in such high spirits. "Hey. How was the sermon?" "Pretty good. Yeah, I feel good about it." Heero chuckled. "O-okay." He shot a look at Trowa. The tall friend merely shrugged but he shared a knowing look with the older man. "Would you like a beer, Duo?" It was a little early in the day for beer for Duo, yet he accepted the offer and thanked Trowa when the man handed him an ice-cold bottle with the cap already popped off. "Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat," Heero said, casting an apologetic look at the left-overs of his lunch with Trowa. "No, that's fine. Don't worry about it." He took a swig from the bottle. "Are you guys almost done with the attic?" "We've finished," Trowa stated proudly. "I'm going to get a head-start on the banister of the staircase in the foyer. My work will probably be done here in a day or two." "Oh, you're staying another night?" Duo was a little disappointed, he was looking forward to being alone with Heero again after he had to share his company with no less than two other men that weekend. "No, I'm heading home later this afternoon and I'll come back to finish up..." He paused in contemplation. "I think I'm free next Saturday actually. I'd have to check my schedule and check with Quatre to be sure." "He could come too," Heero suggested. "We could have another barbeque." The two of them looked at Duo for permission, since his previous experience didn't end so positively. "Yeah, cool. I'd like to see Quatre again." "Great. I'll let you guys know as soon as I get home." Trowa excused himself and headed back to work. Once the tall, handsome man had disappeared into the house and Duo could hear the whine of the electric sanding machine in the distance, he scooted his chair closer to Heero's and shared a mischievous look with him. Heero let out a laugh, a little embarrassed and unsure, but he fell silent when Duo lay a hand on his denim-clad thigh. He stared at the long fingers spread out on his leg, lightly resting on the muscle. "That must have been some sermon," He remarked and took another drink of his beer. "I had a good talk with Djimon. He made me realize something pretty important." The Japanese male quirked his eyebrow. With apparent curiosity, he inquired: "And what's that?" "That I still have a lot to figure out." His brows knitted into a frown. "That's a good thing?" "Yeah. I used to think that I knew - for certain - that being gay was wrong. But I realize now that I don't know that. Nobody really knows that, no matter what they claim. I get to figure out, for myself, if being gay, if touching you like this," He suggestively moved his hand a little further up Heero's thigh, "is really wrong. I get to decide that, no one else can decide that for me." Heero smiled brightly, but he was right to wonder: "And what if you decide that it is a bad thing?" Duo smirked. "That's not the way I'm leaning," He replied candidly. "Hmmm." The younger man chuckled but then quieted and bit his lip and Duo knew what he wanted of him. "Lean a little further." Doing as requested, Duo leaned in and their lips melted together in a soft touch, until Duo inched his hand up further and boldly placed it over the bulge between Heero's legs. "Jesus!- Oh, sorry..." Heero mumbled against his lips and then proceeded to kiss him fiercely. "I just want to live my life, Heero," He said once they parted. "And right now I want to live it with you. I want to judge right from wrong by the way I'm feeling. I don't want to think anymore, it hasn't been doing me any favors. And this feels so... right." "Yeah," Heero readily agreed and with his hands on the back of Duo's neck he forced their mouths together again. "I don't want to run away from my feelings anymore," Duo continued in between kisses. "Hmhm." "Do you think Trowa can spare you for a couple more minutes?" Heero chuckled and leaned his head back to look into the house through the kitchen window. They could still hear Trowa working. "I'm sure he'll be fine on his own for a while," He said cheekily and he let Duo pull him up from his chair and let the older man guide him to the neighboring house, through the opening in the hedge. They burst through the kitchen door all over each other, kissing and groping. Duo fell back against the door, slamming it shut and Heero pressed his body against his. When Duo ran his hands through Heero's wild hair sawdust fell and landed on his shoulders and the raw texture and the manly scent set him alight in a way no womanly curve or delicate, flowery perfume ever could. "I want you to fuck me the way you almost fucked the first time." Duo's memory performed a quick search and he surmised with a grin: "On the kitchen table?" He remembered the night well; watching Heero's slim hand disappear deep into his pants to finger himself. He had wanted to replace that finger with his own throbbing length so badly but neither of them were really ready at the time. It excited him to get a do-over. Heero sauntered backwards until his behind connected with the edge of the table and he hoisted himself up onto the surface. He spread his legs wide, making room for Duo, and beckoned him closer with the curl of his index finger. The American leaped forward and settled between the wantonly spread thighs. They shared a savage kiss before Duo pushed Heero's upper body down to the table and he hiked the grey, cotton shirt up to his collarbone. Leaning forward he kissed the chest and fluttering abdomen, while his fingers worked on the button-fly of Heero's cut-off jeans. Once the jeans were unfastened he yanked the denim down his legs only to have it be caught on his chunky, mustard yellow Timberlands. With a growl he untied the laces of each boots and threw the shoes across the room. One of them hit something and it sounded like a wave of books crashed to the hardwood floor, but he didn't care. He took off the socks and then finally the jeans and the black underwear. "Do you have condoms nearby?" Duo paused. "Shit!" He exclaimed as he remembered putting away the package in the drawer of his nightstand. He would have to go upstairs to the bedroom to fetch them. Heero let out a smooth laugh. "Go get them! Hurry!" He whined. "This time it's your fault," Duo said, pointing an accusing finger at the younger man while he dug his other hand into the front of his pants to adjust his throbbing erection in preparation of climbing the stairs. "This time it's your fault that we didn't make it to the bedroom." He didn't wait for a response and hurried up to his bedroom to retrieve the pack of condoms and the bottle of lube. When he returned to the kitchen he took a moment to gawk at his lover, who still lay on his back on the kitchen table, jerking himself off. Heero threw his head back in a soundless moan and spotted him standing in the doorway, spying on him. "Come here," He breathed. The writer was quick to close the distance between them. He took off his dress shirt because he didn't want it to get all sweaty and then he undid his pants and pushed them down as far as was necessary. Heero wrapped his legs around him and his heels dug into his exposed ass cheeks. With the condom and the lube applied Duo thrust into him and hooked his arms under Heero's knees and clawed at his thighs as he rutted into his lover. He grabbed Heero's erection and stroked it in time with the rhythm of his hips. After only a few minutes the Japanese male grunted: "You're getting too good at this. I'm close... Seriously! I'm close." Duo smirked down at him and made his fist a little tighter and his thrusts a little more powerful. "Come. Come for me," He urged. Heero cried out sharply and did as he was told. His breath came out with a tremble as the last of his passion spilled onto his belly. Pleased that he was able to make his lover come so swiftly and that he himself was no longer at the mercy of his pleasure like a teenage boy but instead had more control and stamina, he rocked against him for a little while longer, waiting for the pressure in his lower abdomen to build. When he felt he was close, he pulled out, rid himself of the condom and helped Heero sit upright. The younger man was eager to kiss him and take his arousal into his hand. Duo found his release with a deep groan and his forehead fell to Heero's shoulder while the coarse but skillful hand milked him. The American let out a low chuckle. For him, being with Heero wasn't about him being gay, it was about enjoying someone else's touch and intimate company for the first time in his life. It made him feel alive. It made him feel like more than a mere being of flesh and blood; a being of love and lust and joy and fulfillment. In a very strange and unexpected way, it made him feel more like a man created by God, a man who was capable of more than living out his days, sustaining his body with nourishment and his mind with books. With Heero he felt complete, the way he imagined God intended him to be. The time he spent with Heero was not about finding answers or being gay, it was about being himself, for the first time in all his life and discovering himself. "What's that silly smile?" Heero teased. Duo shook his head. He didn't want to talk about it, he didn't even want to think it over too much. He was happy to experience. He detached himself from the other and got paper towels to wipe themselves off with. Heero moved to the sink to wash his hands and exclaimed: "Oh fuck, I hope Trowa didn't get an eyeful of that through the window." He nodded at the window above the sink with a clear view of his house and its curtain-less windows. Duo laughed but he wasn't embarrassed by the possibility. Even though he knew Trowa wasn't a threat to his relationship with Heero, knowing that the two of them had shared sexual encounters in the past did expose him to an irrational jealousy. The more primal part of him wanted Trowa to fully understand that Heero was his now. "I'm sure he kept himself busy." Heero pulled up his pants and Duo enjoyed watching him reach into the front to make himself comfortable before buttoning-up the fly. "The renovation is going really fast now, huh?" "Yeah, in spite of all the... distractions," Heero shot the taller man a mischievous look, "I'm actually going to finish ahead of schedule." "Oh?" Duo swallowed and hoped the other didn't hear the effort with which his throat worked. "How much longer do you think you'll need?" Heero contemplated his answer before giving an estimate. "Three weeks?" "Wow!" Duo made a face at his apparent shock. "That's uh, really fast. I remember you mentioning something about finishing around Thanksgiving when we first met." He didn't know why he was arguing, as if that would change how much longer the renovation would take, by reminding him of his previous estimated timetable. Heero nodded. "But that was based on a miscalculation of the structural work. Turns out the place looked worse for wear on the outside than it was on the inside. The foundation was still good, most walls were still good and the floor, of course, I thought I would have to rip everything out and start anew but there was a beautiful hardwood floor under the old carpets that just needed a facelift." "Why-" He stopped himself to amend his offended tone and he scratched the back of his neck. "Why didn't you tell me things were going so much faster?" The younger man stared at him, not sure what he was getting at. "Does this mean you're leaving in three weeks?" "What? No, of course not!" He took a step closer. "I'm not leaving right away." "But you are leaving?" He asserted and took a step back. He wrapped his arms around himself. "And much sooner than Thanksgiving?" "I don't know yet. Maybe. It depends..." "On what?" Heero chuckled uncomfortably. "On you! On us." "I thought we would have at least until Thanksgiving," Duo muttered. "I can stay till Thanksgiving!" "And after that?" Heero was speechless for a moment. He didn't understand how the mood had changed so quickly. Duo nodded. He had no right to expect differently. He shouldn't have forgotten that there was a deadline. He thought he could take his time, relax, not worry about all the questions in his head and focus on his feelings instead; follow his heart. But he couldn't idle for too long, before Heero would get the itch to move on and seek the beauty in another condemned house, he had to figure out what he wanted and the possibilities were daunting. If he decided he could commit to his relationship with Heero without fearing the judgment of God, would he ask him to stay with him, face their hateful neighbors every day, or would he uproot his life, abandon his sanctuary, and follow him from place to place? A weight fell onto his shoulders, grounding him after the lightness he had enjoyed since his talk with Djimon. "Duo, I don't want to pressure you." He walked up to him and tentatively embraced him, nuzzling his nose against his lover's broad chest. "I'm not going anywhere. We have to time to just 'do what feels right' and see where that leads us. Okay?" Duo nodded and returned the embrace. "Heero?" He started cautiously. "Hm?" "Would you stay here with me, if that was the only thing that would ever feel right to me?" Heero looked up at him with honest eyes, a sparkle of happiness within the cobalt blue and he answered poignantly: "Yes. I would. All you'd have to do is ask." Duo let a relieved smile spread across his lips and tightened his arms around him. "I should get back to work. See if Trowa needs an extra set of hands. I'll make us my famous grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner tonight." Duo chuckled and shook his head. "Just because those are the only edible things you can make doesn't make them famous." Heero grinned and rose up on the tips of his toes to place a kiss on Duo's lips before heading out the kitchen door and going back to his own house. Sticking to his earlier idea he made the conscious decision not to fret. During the week Heero confirmed that Trowa would be coming over again next Saturday to finish his work on the staircase and his boyfriend Quatre would join them for dinner. He suggested that Duo should invite WuFei and Sally too and Duo agreed. It would be good for their lives to merge, to see if they really did fit together as well as their bodies fitted together. Duo lazily helped roll a second coat of paint on the walls in the master bedroom and helped him clear away equipment and clean the dust and the mess in the finished rooms. The only big chores that remained were the kitchen - the new kitchen was being installed the following week, by professionals -, and the study that had functioned as Heero's living quarters during the renovation. He still had to do the floor, the mantel of the fireplace and paint the walls and ceiling. On Friday Heero took Duo furniture shopping. Whether he would stay in the house or not, he explained that having some pieces of furniture in the main rooms of the house helped potential buyers get an accurate feel for the size and atmosphere of the place. The furniture was not bought, but rented, or else it would be too big of an investment. Together, they picked out a large dining table that would showcase the massive size of the dining room, they settled on a plush, white couch that resembled Duo's at home and they paired it with a very large, very colorful oriental rug. Duo liked shopping with the younger man and he took notice of what Marc had already pointed out to him; that Heero had adopted his aesthetic. However, he couldn't decide if that was a good thing - a flattering thing - or a bad thing. He didn't want Heero to unknowingly sacrifice too much of himself to convince Duo that they were right for each other. He knew Heero wasn't like any other twenty-five year old he had ever met, he had an older soul, his past hurts had aged him, but he was reminded of the age gap between them and what that would mean should they move forward together. He took Heero home and cooked him a nice dinner and then read Shakespearian passages to him while the younger man nodded off on his couch, with his head in Duo's lap. As he gently stroked the soft hair and lay away the book to free his other hand to draw circles on the back of Heero's hand, resting on his stomach that rose and fall calmly with his breaths. He had been so preoccupied with his own struggles to open up to the relationship, that he mostly forgot to worry if being with him was the best thing for Heero. He wondered if maybe it would be better for the younger man to be with someone his own age, to be with someone who would take him dancing, rather than lulling him to sleep early on a Friday night. He knew Heero's past of partying, drugs and casual sex and the negative consequences he had experienced in the wake of that, namely his HIV-scare, had probably turned him off from that lifestyle, but the thought occurred to him that maybe Heero was using him as an excuse not to back to that life and he wasn't sure if that was healthy. Heero was so young, so young! Too young to settle down, especially with an older man like Duo. Duo was reminded of his own youth, when he too settled at too young an age, before he really knew who he was and who he would end up hurting, beyond himself, by adjusting to please others. "Why did you stop reading?" Heero asked in low voice. Duo smiled. "I thought you had fallen asleep." "Hmm, I was just listening." Duo chuckled at the lie. "Wouldn't you rather go dancing?" He asked, trying to sound casual. Heero grimaced. "I'm a horrible dancer." The American laughed. "I'm sure that's not true." "Trust me. I've only ever danced when I've been too high or too drunk to be embarrassed." "So you don't miss it?" For the first time Heero opened his eyes and he looked up at him. His answer was simple. "No." "So this is your idea of a Friday-night well spent? Lying on the couch having an old man read to you?" "My idea of a Friday-night well spent is being with the person I love, without having to worry about anything; about appearances, about judgment, about assholes coming on to me, about if my ass looks good in my jeans-" "Your ass makes jeans look good, not the other way around," Duo corrected cheekily. "Well sure, that's what you think, because you're old." Heero mocked, sitting up. He continued seriously: "You have no idea what it's like to be on the dancefloor of a gay club. I never felt at ease, not unless I was on something. Everyone judges you like a piece of meat and put their hands on you because they think all boundaries are checked at the door and everyone there just wants to be publically jerked off surrounded by two hundred shirtless men." "So you didn't like it, huh?" He summed up. "No. Not while sober, at least." He looked hesitant before he asked: "Is that something you want? Do you want to go dancing on Friday nights?" Duo shook his head. "I regret that I missed out on a lot of things in my youth because I wasn't free to be myself and maybe my younger self would have enjoyed something like that, if everything had been different. But now, no, I do not wish to be on a dancefloor amidst two hundred half-naked men." He grinned and jumped up from the couch and reached for the remote of his sound system that he barely ever used for anything other than background music. "That being said. I am curious about your dance moves." A CD that happened to still be in there started playing. He turned up the volume on the synth hook and staccato guitar, so loud that it nearly drowned out Heero's rumbling laugh. "You are so old!" He teased. "And so gay!" He resisted at first when Duo tried to pull him up from the couch but then he followed Duo's lead and started jumping to the beat and moving his arms. They both sang along: "So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999!" As expected Heero wasn't as bad of a dancer as he said but he hammed it up with campy old-school dance moves that Duo happily copied. "You do realize I wasn't even born when this song came out!" Heero shouted, followed by a laugh. "For me, partying like it's 1999 means partying like an awkward, insecure sixteen year old!" Duo laughed and nodded at his moves. "That explains it then!" "I told you I was bad!" He punched his shoulder but never stopped moving to the beat. "You're not!" He moved in closer connecting their hips. "How old were you when this song was released?" Duo had to think for a moment and gasped at the answer. "Eleven! But I wasn't even allowed to listen to a song like this, from such a salacious artist like Prince, let alone dance to it like this!" He grabbed Heero's hips and ground their pelvises together and brought his face close to the other's. They danced to three more funk and disco tracks before their arousals demanded attention and Heero pushed Duo back onto the couch and straddled his lap. They opened up their jeans and jerked each other off to "I want your love" by Chic. For Duo it was a strange high, reliving a youth he never got to experience, exploring sexuality with your crush in the backseat of a parked car on a bluff. Trowa arrived early in the morning and with Duo and Heero both assisting him, he finished up in the late afternoon, earlier than expected, even as he paused his work to teach the two untrained men some techniques. It wasn't much of a challenge to understand why Heero had been attracted to the tall man with his piercing, emerald eyes. His short-sleeved shirt exposed the bulge of his biceps and the tendons of his wiry lower arms as he worked. His eyes were squinted in concentration behind safety goggles and fine dust particles clung to his skin. Sweat trailed down his temples and darkened the front and back of his shirt. And there was something about a man handling power tools with such ease and finesse that must be quite a turn-on. But Duo never caught Heero staring at the handsome man, he only ever felt those blue eyes looking at him. When they were done Trowa took a shower upstairs and Duo and Heero shared at shower at his house. By the time they were done - for obvious reasons they took a little longer - Trowa had already made himself comfortable on the back porch and he had two bottles of beer waiting for them. The heat was sweltering, especially in the late afternoon after an entire day of every surface baking in the sun. Heat radiated from the house, from the wood of the porch, from the chairs and from the cushions. The cold beer was a welcome relief. They didn't talk much. They simply sipped their drinks and watched the garden. The leaves and blades of grass were motionless in the absence of a much-needed breeze. "Hey guys!" Quatre greeted cheerfully when his blonde head appeared around the corner. He carried two plastic bags with groceries. Trowa got up to welcome him with a kiss. "Hey baby." He took the bags from him and went into the kitchen to put everything away in the fridge. "Hey," Quatre leaned in to give Heero a friendly peck on his cheek and he reached over to shake Duo's hand. "Quat, you remember Duo." "I certainly do." He stared at the long-haired man for a moment and Duo found it unnerving. He couldn't tell what the innocent-looking man was thinking. "I read your book." He said. His tone betrayed his disproval. "Oh. Okay. Cool." Duo knew better than to ask him what he thought of it. "You weren't kidding with all that fire-and-brimstone stuff, huh?" Quatre went on. Heero touched his arm, wordlessly urging him to stop. Duo answered diplomatically: "At the time I believed every word I wrote." He understood that his book was offensive to anyone who understood right away that it hadn't been satirical, especially to those the book explicitly condemned; gay people. Quatre was nice to him the last time they had met, but he knew things would be different after he had read the book. "Did you read it, Heero?" Heero's reply was stone-cold. "Yeah, I read it." Quatre nodded. "I'm gonna-... I'm gonna help Trowa put away the groceries." He walked into the kitchen, leaving the two lovers alone on the porch. "I'm sorry," Heero muttered. "I forgot what he had said, that he was going to read the book. I think he might have the wrong impression." "It's fine. It's my book. It's my fault." Quatre called from the kitchen. "Heero! The place looks great already! Come give me a tour!" Heero shot Duo a look but got up and showed his friend around the house before the four of them reunited on the back porch. Luckily, it didn't take long for more familiar and friendly faces to arrive. Sally announced their arrival with a cheery 'Yoohoo!' and she held the gate open for WuFei as he steered his wheelchair into the backyard. Duo felt like an ass for not bringing the improvised wheelchair-ramp he kept on his front porch. He knew how much WuFei hated needing help. WuFei was even adamantly against his wife pushing him around. To get it over with as quickly as possible Duo asked Trowa to help him lift his friend - wheelchair and all - up onto the porch. Once the awkward moment had passed, he introduced his friends. It was amusing to see WuFei's and Sally's reactions to being kissed on both cheeks by each of the men as a way of greeting. WuFei was slightly horrified and uncomfortable, but Sally was loving the attention. "Hi, Sally, it's so great to finally meet you," Said Heero, who was last to introduce himself, probably because he was a little nervous. He leaned in for a kiss and when he pulled back he remarked genuinely: "You're gorgeous!" Sally looked at Duo over her shoulder. "Ugh. Love. Him." Duo smiled and stopped himself before he would whole-heartedly agree. It was hardly the time to drop the L-bomb. Heero busied himself fetching drinks, refusing help from anybody and then everybody got settled around the table. The conversation was easy and comfortable, much to Duo's relief. After a while Heero and Trowa fired up the barbeque and the feeding frenzy began. Everything was perfect and Duo experienced a previously unknown sense of happiness, until Sally's nosiness stalled the lighthearted chitchat. "So, you two are boyfriends now, right?" It was a loaded question because they had never discussed what kind of label suited their relationship and what they were both comfortable with. Sally realized she had made a mistake but didn't know what the mistake was, so she wondered: "What do the kids call it these days? Or is he your 'manfriend' because Duo's too old to be called a boy?" To diffuse the unexpected awkwardness, Heero deflected with a joke: "He's my inamorato." "Ooohhh. Nice. Fancy. You've hooked yourself quite the eloquent young man, Duo. Do you also read a lot of books, Heero?" "Actually, the only book I've read this year is Duo's." "You've been missing out, honey! You should read my husband's books. He's a far superior author." Everyone laughed at the jab and the conversation steered back to comfortable, superficial topics. Heero threw a couple more steaks on the barbeque and at his request Duo went into the kitchen to prepare more fresh green salad with feta, blueberries and walnuts. As he was mixing everything together, Quatre joined him in the kitchen and busied himself cutting the second loaf of French bread. Out of the blue, the blond man asked bluntly: "Do you know why I let Trowa continue to have sex with Heero even though I didn't want us to sleep around anymore?" Duo stilled and looked at him with a frown. He was certain Quatre didn't really expect him to answer that, so he waited for the other to elaborate. "Because Heero is my friend, I love him, and I want him to be happy. He's been so lonely all his life, since his mom and dad died at least, he needed someone and I knew he had the habit of seeking out the wrong kind of company. I knew he liked Trowa, I knew he was in love with him at some point, and I didn't want to take away that little bit of happiness that he had. Even though it made me insanely jealous sometimes." "Alright..." "My point is: I've known Heero for a very long time and I've seen him upset and heartbroken so often that I can't stand anymore and I'd rather risk my own relationship with Trowa to keep him from..." He made a dismissive gesture. "I don't want to see him get hurt." Duo nodded and he completely agreed. "He loves you. And Heero deserves to be loved back wholly and intensely. I'm not convinced you are the person who can give him the kind of love he deserves. All he's ever done is compromise at the expense of himself. I don't want him to make that same mistake." Although he shared his fears, he had to trust that Heero could and would make that judgment for himself. However, wanting to assure him that he wasn't a bad guy, he expressed: "I'm not the same person as the guy who wrote that book that you read." "I hope so. Because that guy really scared me." He grabbed the basket of sliced bread. "Anyway. Trowa told me to come in here and apologize for my catty attitude, but I just can't do that... but I'll try to behave from now on. And I do hope that you'll prove me wrong, I really do." With a curt, conclusive nod he walked out of the kitchen. Duo waited a minute before joining the others outside. Everyone ate their fill and enjoyed the evening and each other's company. But Duo could not shake the weight of his little talk with Quatre. Trowa and Quatre left earlier than WuFei and Sally because they still had a long drive ahead of them. When the other couple decided, much later in the evening, that they should head home as well, Duo got the ramp so WuFei could save his own ego and get himself down from the porch. While Heero started clearing away the wine glasses Duo escorted his friends to their van. Once she was sure she was out of earshot, Sally concluded: "He is lovely, Duo. And I've never seen you like this. I'm so happy for you." Her eyes were welling up with emotion. "Thanks," Duo with a shy smile. "Don't fuck it up." He chuckled at her warning. "I'll try." WuFei climbed into the driver's seat and Sally sat beside him. Duo loaded the wheelchair into the back and waved them off. "You and Heero are really good friends, huh?" Duo looked around and spotted Carlton on the driveway of the house across the street, leaning back against the trunk of his car, smoking a cigarette in the dark. Duo scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and walked over to him. Carlton wasn't so bad, in fact, he was a pretty cool guy, too bad he was married to Relena and not someone sufferable. "Is he the reason why we haven't been playing basketball for months now?" "Yeah. I- I just got totally caught up in the renovation. It's been keeping me busy. It's actually a lot of fun." "Really? You don't seem like the hard, dirty, manual labor type." The American frowned at his neighbor, wondering if he was making some kind of reference to a lacking masculinity and implying he was gay. Instead of becoming defensive, he simply repeated: "It's a lot of fun." He nodded at the house. "Well, it looks good. Even Relena admitted it. Reluctantly, but still. She's very much looking forward to Heero moving out and for a nice family to come live there. She said something about the neighborhood needing new, young energy." "Heero is new and young." "Heero's a fag." Carlton said, but his voice lacked malice as he was merely using Relena's words. "You'd better teach your wife patience, because she might have to wait a while for someone new to move in." "What are you talking about? If he keeps the price decent a place like that will sell in a jiffy." He snapped his fingers to illustrate his point. "But Heero might not move out as soon as the renovation is done." Carlton's eyebrows raised high. "Oh?" "Yeah, he's actually thinking of staying a while." Carlton chuckled. "She is going to hate that." The thought amused him. He looked at Duo meaningfully and mused: "I wondered what makes him want to stick around." Duo regretted what he had said because he got a feeling he had said too much. He shrugged and looked down at his feet. "I'm gonna," He pointed his thumb back at the house, "help Heero clean up. We had a barbeque with friends." Carlton nodded and dropped the butt of his cigarette to the poured concrete driveway. He dug his heel into it to kill the flame and then picked up the butt to properly dispose of it. "I'll see you around." "Yeah." He gave a halfhearted wave and jogged back to Heero's backyard. He noticed the younger man was almost done cleaning up and he felt guilty. "Shit! Let me help with that," He took the stack of dirty plates from him and quietly washed them in the sink. He smiled when he felt hands on his back and then a forehead and the tip of a nose. "Hmm. Only three more days and then I'll have a dishwasher." Duo chuckled. Heero wrapped his arms around him and rested his weight against his back. He sighed contently. "I had fun tonight." "I did too." "I'm sorry about Quatre," He offered. "He's usually so mild-mannered." The author shook his head. "He was fine. I deserved worse than what he gave me." "We should do it more often. I like your friends. I love Sally." He laughed again. "She was pretty enamored with you as well." "She's so interesting. What an amazing life. The peace corps. Doctors without borders. And how she's dealt with WuFei's injury." "Funny you should say that. WuFei is actually working on writing a biography about her." "That's so sweet. They really love each other." "They do." With the plates clean and set aside in the drying rack he turned around in Heero's embrace and brought his arms around him. "She told you what happened to WuFei?" "Yeah. When she joined me by the barbeque. She said he hates telling the story himself, so she takes it upon herself to tell people when she feels they should know." "It's a hard story for WuFei to tell because he had made a mistake. He was the one 'responsible for his own destruction', those are the words he used with me." "It was an accident." "Well, yeah, but that's not how he sees it. He sees it as a result of his own reckless behavior. He was tired and he had had a beer or two that night. What hurts him the most was that Sally was right there in the car with him. It kills him knowing that she could have gotten hurt. And he feels guilty because she had to suffer too, due to his injury. He thinks that he failed her and that maybe she would be better off without him. Sometimes I suspect that's why he still isn't ready to have kids with her. It's not that he can't commit to her, it's that he is afraid what it will mean for her life if she committed that way to him." Heero looked up at him. "He shouldn't hold back because he mistakenly thinks he's doing her a favor by leaving her an out. She knows what she wants. She wants to be with him." Duo chuckled as he realized the poignant sentiment applied to them as well, but he didn't say anything. He kissed the top of Heero's head and rocked him from side to side to slow rhythm of the music playing softly in the background. On the day that the kitchen was installed, Duo stayed out of the way of the burly, middle-aged workmen, who only grunted a greeting at him when they met in the driveway in the morning. But they seemed to adore Heero by the start of the afternoon, judging by the laughter he heard waft from the backyard. Heero had that effect on people because he managed to surprise everyone he met. He defied all biases, he subverted all stereotypes. People must have all kinds of ideas first laying eyes on him, jumping to conclusions based on his slight built, his ethnicity, his age, his sexuality, his messy hair, his cut-off jeans and the charity-bracelets crowding his wrist and he would prove them wrong on all accounts. He was strong, as American as anyone, mature, manly and confidant but approachable, well-put-together and open minded and unforceful. The way his smile would evolve from reluctant to enthusiastic endeared and disarmed anyone. Duo made a trip to the store to prepare a surprise for Heero to commemorate the day. That day he would get to cross the last big thing off his to-do-list - the kitchen - and it marked the end of a successful renovation. He wanted to celebrate that with him. He was going to make them pasta with spicy shrimp and garlic bread, just like the had the first time he invited him over for dinner. Back then he had chosen the meal because the garlic was so not sexy, but they would both end up reeking of it so it didn't matter much. He also took special care preparing the bedroom and he had every intention of them making it upstairs that time. When the workmen left Duo snuck over to the house and knocked on the kitchen door. Heero opened with a big smile. "This might be my favorite kitchen yet." He stepped aside to let Duo in. The American inspected the brand new kitchen with slack jaw. It was spacious, with a cooking island at the center and it was a beautiful blend of country and contemporary with modern, stainless steel equipment contrasting with the dark, petrol blue of the cabinets and the wooden countertop. "It's amazing..." "I know! Ugh, I'm so glad I went with color with once." Heero ran his hand over the surface of the countertop as he appreciated his own choices. "A neutral color scheme appeals to more potential buyers, but for once I just didn't want a white or taupe kitchen." "Someone is going to really fall in love with this place." "I'm so excited about the furniture coming in next week." Duo took a moment to kiss him and then revealed: "I have a surprise for you. To celebrate." Heero's eyes lit up. "Oh?" "Yeah. You go take a shower and dress up. Then come over to my place." "Okay." The Japanese man eagerly went upstairs to get ready and Duo went home for a quick shower and a change of clothes as well, while the oven pre-heated. He was in his own, old, familiar kitchen preparing dinner when the doorbell rang and he was a little surprised that Heero hadn't come through the backdoor like he normally did. His concerns about which neighbors might be watching and what they would be thinking vanished when he opened the door and he was greeted by the freshly showered sight of his lover, dressed in those slim black slacks and the fitted blue button-up shirt that was electric yet dull in comparison to his eyes. Interestingly it was the same blue shirt he had worn when Duo had first cooked him dinner. In a way it was a shame he didn't pair it with his leather pants this time. "Come in." "Are you cooking me something special?" Heero wondered when he stepped through the door, not entirely able to hide the fact that he was expecting them to go out to a restaurant since Duo had instructed him to dress up. "I hope so. But at least I know for sure it's something you like." He shut the door and took Heero by his hand and guided him to the kitchen after a kiss and a bold grope. He sat Heero down at the dinner table and poured him a glass of wine. "So what's cooking, good-looking?' He asked with a wink. Duo didn't answer him and instead kept silent for a few more minutes until he was ready to serve him his plate. Heero looked up at him with sparkling eyes, recognizing the dish. "You're so sweet. I had no idea you were so sentimental," He teased. Duo sat down across from him. "Not 'sentimental'. Nostalgic," He corrected mockingly, "It comes with the age." "Well, I love it. It's romantic." Duo felt relieved. "Yeah?" "Yeah." They ate their meals, mostly in silence, and shared saucy looks over the table. Duo enjoyed the way Heero extended his leg, inserting his foot between Duo's, letting his calf casually and comfortably rest against Duo's leg. There was no sexual urgency in the simple move, only an evident need to be close and to be in contact. After dinner they talked quietly while they finished the bottle of wine. Duo had exchanged his seat across from Heero with the chair right next to his. They set shoulder to shoulder and with their knees apart so they would touch. Duo's arm was around Heero's shoulder and Heero's hand was on his thigh. He sipped the last of his wine and watched with a mischievous twinkle as Heero put away his own glass and then took his glass away as well, also setting it aside. The Japanese man slowly leaned in. He stilled with their noses lined up and his mouth a mere inch removed from Duo. He had a 'come-and-get-it' look in his eyes and Duo greedily accepted the challenge. He closed the distance between them and merged their lips together. Heero breathed a sigh against his face and then parted his lips to allow Duo to deepen the kiss. With his hand on the back of the other's neck, Duo tilted his head and plundered his mouth, exploring it as if it was the first time. Every time he kissed him it was just as intense as the very first time and Duo could not imagine ever growing tired of the taste of him and the engaging and generous way in which Heero returned his kisses. "Wait. Wait," He breathed against that luscious mouth. "I have another surprise for you." "Yes, you do," Heero asserted and he moved his hand up Duo's leg to cup the swollen bulge in the front of his pants. Duo chuckled. "No, not that. Actually, yeah, maybe. But that's not all there is to it." He placed one last peck on his lips and then got up from his chair. "Hold on for a minute. I'll be right back." He rushed upstairs to get the bedroom ready as planned. When it was as he had imagined, he went back downstairs where Heero was still waiting for him. With a smirk he took him by the hand and guided him to the stairs. "Are we finally going to do it in the bed again?" "Yes. I'm going to properly make love to you." He could tell Heero was excited to have him refer to it as 'making love'. He stood in the doorway of his bedroom and let Heero go ahead. Heero's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the dozens of lit candles scattered throughout the room, softly illuminating the shape of the freshly made bed and the bouquet of red roses that lay atop the white sheets. He turned around and settled grateful eyes on Duo's face. "I love you." He took a moment to calm his nerves and steady his voice before he replied: "I love you too." Heero let out a shaky breath. "You do?" "Yes. I was afraid to say it but I feel it and... you deserve to hear it." He gasped when Heero silenced him with a kiss. He brought his arms up and encircled Heero's waist. One of his hands moved up to cup the back of his neck and the other inched down to grab at his behind. He pushed his fingers between the legs, between the ass cheeks, feeling the warmth. Their matching erections pressed into the other's hip. But Duo was in no hurry for them to find their release. He wanted it to last. He kissed him leisurely and continued to explore the shapes of his body, resisting the temptation to slip his hands underneath the fabric of Heero's clothes. He enjoyed letting the pressure built, knowing the inevitable climax would be all the more intense. He ended the kiss so they could both catch their breath. He lifted Heero up and carried him to the bed where he gently laid him down. Heero's right arm stretched out and he found the bouquet of roses and pulled it towards him. Duo was content to watch him. He stood by the bed, leaning forward, his hands stroking up and down Heero's thighs. "Did you pluck these from Relena's prized rose bushes?" Duo laughed heartily. The younger man chuckled and tugged one of the red roses out of the bundle. He put the bouquet aside and sat up. He touched his forehead against Duo's and put the soft petals of the rose against Duo's cheek and dragged the flower across his skin, down the side of his neck. Goosebumps appeared on his forearm, yet his entire body succumbed to a white hot flash that left him heated, like he had been out in the sun for too long. He teased Heero's lips with his own, never deepening the kiss or responding to the searching tongue that touched his bottom lip in an effort to tempt him to ravage that mouth. He denied himself the satisfaction and instead splayed his hand against Heero's chest and pushed his upper body back down to the mattress. He knelt by the bed and waited for Heero to look down his body at him before he started undoing Heero's pants and he recognized the lust and anticipation on his golden, exotic face. He had never been completely comfortable with performing oral sex on another man and even though he had made some attempts he never developed any skill, but Heero was always grateful whenever he was willing to try and seemed to enjoy it more than he should, given that Duo never did much more than take the tip of the arousal into his mouth to suck on it lightly. With the pants down to mid-thigh Duo nuzzled his nose against the outline of Heero's manhood in his briefs. He slowly peeled away the underwear and took him into his hand, smiling at the pleasant sigh that escaped Heero's mouth. He licked up the shaft and teased the tip and then, before his bravery could fade away, took him into his mouth and slid his lips down as much of the length as he could manage; only a little bit short of swallowing him entirely. "Ah!" The fingers of Heero's right hand dug into Duo's thick hair. "Nnn. Oh, yeah..." He bobbed his head up and down, keeping his lips tight and his tongue pressed against him. Sometimes, on the upward stroke, when he only had the end in his mouth, he paid extra attention to crown, teasing it with his tongue and alternating the suction the way Heero always did on him. He managed to draw sounds from Heero's lips that evaporated all his uneasiness and he was only left feeling happy and proud that he could finally give Heero that pleasure. Heero ground out between pants and moans: "Don't make me come yet. Not like this." Duo could tell from his gravelly voice that Heero was too close to continue to tease him. He released his manhood from his mouth and crawled up his body to kiss him, noticing, with a smile, that Heero was still holding the flower in his left hand. He straddled his hips and quickly popped the buttons of Heero's shirt and paused to take off his own sweater. Then he took the rose from Heero's hand and with a light touch he used the soft petals of the flower to caress his lover's exposed torso. He dragged it down his sternum, circled the pert nipples and tickled the muscles of his abdomen. Heero's eyes were dark with passion, appearing nearly black in the low, soft light of the candles. He put his hands on Duo's strong thighs, kneading the muscles momentarily before focusing his attention on the fly of his pants. With his own erection freed from the constriction of his pants and underwear Duo let out a sigh of relief, but the breath hitched in his throat when Heero wrapped a tight fist around him. He let him jerk him off until he was no longer confident he would be able to stay his orgasm. With a simple touch to he urged the other man to release him, then he grabbed the slim wrists and raised them up over Heero's head, pinning them to the mattress. He stroked the bud of the rose up from Heero's bare thigh, along his side where ribs appeared like dusted shadows with each deep breath, through the dark hairs of his armpit and up the arm to the open palm where he placed the flower. Both hands free to touch, he thumbed the pink nipples while he kissed Heero deeply and then used his mouth to worship his entire body. When neither of them could handle much more, evidence by their red, weeping arousals, Duo rid them of the last of their clothing and brought condoms and lube with him as he crawled up the prone body and settled between his legs. They both sighed when their naked bodies touched. He ripped the packet open and expertly rolled the condom down the length of his shaft with one hand, while the other popped the cap of the bottle of lube. Heero smiled at him, noting how good he had gotten at that. Duo smirked in return. Once done with it he tossed the bottle and empty wrapper aside and maneuvered Heero's legs around him , tilting the younger man's hips so he had better access. Heero couldn't keep himself from bringing his arms up around Duo's shoulder and the long-haired man felt the stem of the rose scratch his back but he didn't care. They moaned in unison and maintained eye-contact while Duo united their bodies in a single, smooth thrust. Taking a moment so he could revel at the hot pressure around him and Heero could enjoy the stretch, he stilled and studied Heero's features closely. He marveled at the trust and love that were apparent in his serene eyes and tender curl of the corners of his mouth. "We should get tested," Heero whispered. "I want to feel you inside me without a condom." Duo nodded. He understood that was a serious step for Heero. The younger man didn't even perform oral sex without a condom even though the risks of contracting HIV - his main concern - were extremely slim. They started moving together, quickly building up to a fast, powerful rhythm. Whenever Duo felt either of them were too close to the edge, he slowed them down, sometimes not moving at all. Heero chuckled the first few times and enjoyed that the coupling was stretched out, but the fourth time Duo slowed the pace down to a full stop Heero whined, desperate for release. His body trembled at being denied the climax when he was so close. When he couldn't deny either of them any longer he reached one hand between their bodies to pay attention to Heero's neglected arousal and he finished them off with strong, deep thrusts. He collapsed on top of his lover, burying his nose in the crook of his neck, breathing in the scent of sweat and the faded perfume of vanilla shampoo and a fruity soap. "Duo, the condom," Heero mewled. "Right. Shit." He pulled out carefully and reached down to get the condom off him. He twisted the end and then carelessly discarded his, he couldn't be bothered with the mess. With a satisfied grin he appraised Heero. His eyes followed the trail of milky white drops that led up to his neck. "I take it you enjoyed yourself?" Heero let out a breathy chuckle and then grimaced. "I didn't get it in my hair, did I?" "No, not quite." He lapped up a single droplet that was just underneath Heero's chin. "I'll get you a towel." With a grunt he climbed off Heero's relaxed body and he headed into the bathroom. He brought a moist hand towel back into the bedroom and lay down next to Heero and cleaned him off. "Do you ever want to top?" "Sometimes. But rarely." He put away the towel and rested his head on his bicep. "You don't like it?" Heero laughed. "It's not that. It feels great." "Hmm," Duo grinned, he was in total agreement. "But most of the time I like it better this way. I wasn't always comfortable admitting that, but now..." He shrugged. Following a pause, he wondered: "If I ever wanted to top with you, would you be okay with that?" "Yes," He said, without needing time to think about it. It wasn't that he particularly liked the idea of being in the other position, but he wanted to make Heero happy, there was never a question about that. Anything he could do to be the person Heero deserved, he would do. And he didn't doubt that he would end up enjoying it. Heero smiled and leaned in for a kiss. "Thank you for tonight." "You're welcome." He grinned sloppily. He rolled onto his back and pulled Heero flush against him. He stared up at the ceiling and hoped to lose himself to sleep, but instead thoughts and concerns swarmed his mind once the soft haze he had been lost in was lifted. "Heero?" "Yeah." "If I asked you to stay here, with me," He bit his lip. "What would you do?" "I would stay." "No, I mean, what would you do here? Every day? I'm not sure if a twenty-five year old should be living in a cul-de-sac." "I don't know," Was his honest reply. "But what about you? What is your reason for staying here? You liked helping me with the renovation, right? You could come with me, we could do projects together." "But all my books are here," He said dumbly. Heero chuckled. "Okay. But books can be fed-exed." "Yeah, to end up on a deserted island with Wilson." Heero let out a hearty laugh. "I guess... I guess moving out of this place would be good for me in the long run, see more of life... Do something with my life other than waiting until I can write again. But I don't know when I would be ready for that, if ever. This is my home, I feel safe here." "I feel safe here too. We can stay here for as long as you need." Duo blinked at him. "Really? You would honestly be okay with that?" "I just want to be with you, Duo. No renovation I have ever done has made me happier than being with you does, so it's a simple decision." "Aren't you afraid you'd get bored?" "I might get bored," He conceded, "But I'm sure I'll find something. Maybe I can find a project in the area, to keep me busy. Or, you know, if you want, we could spruce up this place a little," Heero suggested carefully. "I promise I'll be careful with your books." Duo scoffed. "Thanks, but I think that will be a little too suspicious." Heero shifted and propped his head up. "Suspicious?" "The fact that you're staying here is already making people wonder. We should be careful or else they'll definitely figure out something is going on. I don't think we should be renovating my house," He realized he had said something wrong when Heero was silent for too long and then the young man detached himself from him and sat upright. He watched him run his hand through his wild hair and struggle to speak. Without looking back at him, Heero asked: "You intend to stay in the closet? You want to keep doing this sneaking-around thing?" "Uhm. Yeah, I mean... I thought you'd understand." "When you asked me if I would stay here to be with you, I thought you meant-" He cleared his throat. "I thought you meant move in with you. Not immediately, but eventually. And really be with you, no more pretending" He emphasized, while still refusing to look at him. "Heero..." He pushed himself upright and placed a hand on Heero's back. He could feel the younger man tense up, his touch did nothing to soothe him. "If people around here knew about us, this would not be a fun place to live. In fact, I don't think I'd still feel so safe here." "People might surprise you." "Some people, yeah, but not these people. They wouldn't leave us in peace. They'd probably drum up all the members of the Neighborhood Association and force us both to move." "If that is their reaction, if that is really the case, shouldn't you take that as a sign and move out of here?" Finally he glanced over his shoulder at him. "Why would you want to stay someplace where you can't be yourself, where you won't be respected or accepted?" "I told you, this is my home." He knew it was a childish, invalid argument but it felt true for him. "So as long as you would live here, we can't be open about our relationship? You want me to sneak out through the backdoor every night?" "That's no different from what we've been doing now." "Exactly!" Heero exclaimed. "It's no different. And I thought-... I had hoped things would finally be different!" "I still have a lot to figure out!" Duo responded, getting a little heated. "How are you ever going to figure things out if you are never going to try anything? If you are just going to do the same thing you've been doing all this time?" Duo didn't really have an answer for that. "I'm scared, okay? If I change things there will be no going back." "Do you seriously think you would ever want to go back? To how your life was before?" "Maybe... I don't know! That's the point!" Heero shook his head and scoffed. "So what you are really asking me is to live next door to you, hide my feelings for you, sneak in and out of your house like I'm doing something irreprehensible, be hated by all our neighbors because I'm the only gay guy here and they're all prejudiced against me because they don't know any other gays to change their minds about who gay people are - like you could, for example-," He rambled in an accusing tone, "And you want me to wait around an indefinite amount of time for you to decide if you even want to try to really be with me and can let go of this place?" Duo stared at him. Hearing him say it like that made it sound worse than it had sounded in his head. "That's-..." He chuckled bitterly. "That's quite a change from what I thought you were offering." "It's also for your own protection," Duo argued. "Do you really want us to jump head-first into this thing, be together, commit to each other and even move in together knowing that I have a lot of stuff that I still need to deal with? Stuff that might break us apart anyway, regardless of how much I want to be with you and how hard I try. Not to mention how we'll be treated if we stay here." "Oh come on! Don't twist it around and make it seem like you're doing me a favor!" He got up from the bed and retrieved his boxer briefs and pants from the floor. As he slipped into them, he continued: "Don't hurt my feelings and then claim that you're doing it because you don't want to hurt my feelings. Do you understand how stupid that is?" He searched the bedroom for his shirt, a search not made easy by the low light of the candles. Duo blinked. He had not anticipated the night to evolve along these lines. He felt horrible and he wanted to make it okay, but he didn't know how. Even if he took back everything he said and offered to give Heero what he wanted after all, it would be insincere and meaningless. Besides, he genuinely wasn't sure if either of them were ready for such a huge leap. He realized he had failed to make clear what he was offering when he was talking about Heero staying 'here', and telling him that he loved him. He found his shirt and was working on the buttons. "Do you have any idea how I feel when you make me sneak out of here so the neighbors won't know about us?" "I do! Heero, I feel the same way about slinking in and out of your house." "You don't," He asserted and when Heero looked up at him Duo noticed his distraught, tearful eyes. "If you did, you wouldn't be asking me to keep doing it while you weigh the pros and cons of being with me." He let out a deep breath and stared at Duo in the candle light. He cursed when a tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a glistening trail. He angrily wiped it away. Duo knew he was waiting for him to say something, to make it better, something that would make him want to stay and not storm out. But the author was speechless. Duo's heart was breaking but he couldn't find the words that Heero needed him to say. "I'm ready to throw my entire life upside down - settle down, give up renovating - to be with you. But as a gay man who had to fight to come to accept himself, just like you are doing, I can't go back to that place of self-loathing and shame while you figure out if you are ready to turn your life upside down for me." A single sob escaped him and he promptly pivoted on his heels and headed for the door, hiding his trembling bottom lip behind his hand. "Heero, I'm sorry!" He tried. "I'm sorry too," He said and then he headed downstairs. Duo didn't know what Heero had apologized for until he heard the front door open and slam shut. He had apologized in advance for not being able to stand one more humiliating exit through the back door. Duo knew there was a chance Relena would rush to the window of her home and see Heero leave his house around midnight, in tears. But he didn't care about what she might think and what she might tell the other neighbors, not after seeing the person he loved upset like that, knowing that he was responsible and not knowing how to make things right without taking a huge leap of faith.
Chapter 16 |
