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"Summer Time"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU/Romance, Fluff. WAFF *grin*, angst,
attempted rape of a minor (but Hiiro kicks his ass!), mention of lemon Pairings: 1x2, bg 3x4, mention of 5xM Summary: A young man takes a step into his past
only to discover his future. "Summer Time"
Ch 2 The mess hall was smaller than he remembered but then he’d been several inches shorter last time he’d sat at the long tables. Duo folded his long legs under him, curling into a corner and looking entirely too delicious as he sipped at this coffee and smiled. “You showing up sure makes me nostalgic,” he chuckled. “Remember when Relena started the food fight?” Hiiro chuckled, recalling very well. “I thought you were responsible for that,” he smiled. “Me?” Duo snorted. “She’s the one that hit me upside the head with a Brussels sprout.” “Because you called her a cow,” Hiiro snickered. “She shouldn’t have tried to take my seat.” “If you hadn’t tricked her into thinking I was Prince Charming she probably wouldn’t have,” Hiiro snickered. “I did no such thing,” Duo smiled, sipping his coffee. “She had it bad for you long before I had anything to do with it. I just gave her an excuse.” “And I spent the whole summer trying to fend her off,” Hiiro laughed. “Too bad she turned out to be so stuck up,” Duo sighed, sobering. “It’s been lonely around here without you.” “Mr. Duo! Sally wants you down by the lake!” “Thanks, Betty!” Duo replied. “Duty calls,” he smiled, untangling himself. “Zechs will probably be a while. You want to come along?” “Sure.” The trail to the lake hadn’t changed at all and there was the old, floating dock tethered right where it always had been but the on shore dock was new and they had added a buoy net around the swimming area. “You’ve made improvements,” Hiiro observed. “The dock was donated by the people down in Rockledge,” Duo explained. “The residents even came up and helped build it when they found out our funding had been cut.” Hiiro was well aware of the camp’s dependence on financial aid. Many of the children that attended were wards of the state or underprivileged kids that would otherwise never experience such things. “Duo!” “Hey, Sally!” the longhaired boy beamed, stepping aside to reveal his prize as he grinned, “Look what the cat dragged in!” “Hiiro?” the woman gasped softly, stopping in her tracks before a slow smile spread over her lips. “Well, I’ll be damned.” “Hello, Miss Sally,” Hiiro smirked. “You’re too big for the ‘Miss’ now,” she scolded. “What on earth are you doing up here?” “The restrictions ended last month,” Hiiro reminded her. “Has it been three years already?” she chuckled. “I’m really sorry about what happened,” she added in a more somber tone. Hiiro shrugged, knowing very well it couldn’t have gone any other way. He’d known before it happened and felt no regret for his actions other than they had resulted in his separation from… “Mickey! Don’t throw rocks!” Duo suddenly shouted, jogging toward the children frolicking in the water. Hiiro smiled warmly as he watched him go, recalling the days when it had been Noin shouting at Duo to keep the other kids from getting pelted in the noggin. “He’s come a long way,” Sally commented, turning to chuckle at Duo when he was inadvertently pulled into the water. “Who’d have thought a renegade like him would end up in charge.” “He was never a renegade,” Hiiro countered, unable to hold his affection inside as he watched Duo toss kids this way and that. Sally’s mouth curled on one side. “You staying the day?” “Possibly longer,” Hiiro replied absently. The woman’s brow knit but she could tell it wasn’t a time for the questions she wanted to ask and her duties were calling her away. “Duo!” “Yeah!” the braided boy laughed, pausing in his efforts to drown the kids to haul himself toward the shore. “Can you stay with them for a while? Noin is covering for Zechs!” “No problem!” Duo grinned, pulling his soggy jeans back up when they tried to slither off his hips. Hiiro swallowed, turning his eyes away until the savory expanse of Duo’s lower stomach had been covered. “You can borrow my suit if you want,” Duo offered as Sally strode away. “I wouldn’t want to impose…” “Ah, come on!” Duo laughed, shaking his bangs all over him as he reasoned, “You’re already wet.” The suit was in Duo’s cabin which was now one of the counselor’s cabins meaning he had his own, private quarters where Hiiro discovered he hadn’t learned anything about how to be tidy. He shook his head as he waded through the clutter, recalling how annoyed he’d been when he discovered Duo’s lack of enthusiasm for cleaning but now, somehow it made him feel right at home. He found the suit right where Duo had indicated it would be, in the bottom drawer of the rustic dresser but before he could extract it he was confronted with the necessity to dig through the braided boy’s unmentionables. It was so stupid but he couldn’t bring himself to put his hand in the drawer with the silken skivvies. Just the thought of touching Duo’s underwear left him feeling oddly as if he’d violated the young man but considering the way he’d come to feel about him it was no wonder. He took a deep breath and once again reprimanded himself for something he knew he couldn’t help and forced the issue, dragging the suit out and staring at it as he realized Duo had worn it over and over again. “Shit,” he chuckled, throwing caution to the wind and unzipping his jeans. It was just a swim suit and he’d be damned if he’d let it get the better of him. Duo was waiting and odd as it seemed, having gotten the chance to be with him again he wasn’t about to miss it. Duo’s presence had been unexpected but served to strengthen his resolve in his original purpose so he pushed the heated elation pulling on Duo’s suit caused inside him aside and headed for the lake. “Jose! No bucket diving outside the net!” Duo shouted, making Hiiro pause to chuckle while the braided boy relieved the child of his make shift diving bell. “You coming in or just gonna stand there and put on a show?” the longhaired boy hollered when he spotted his Japanese friend. Hiiro pinked involuntarily but waded into the chilly lake anyway, whereupon Duo tossed the ball that had landed beside him back to the boys who had been playing with it and went to meet him. “You ok?” he chuckled as Hiiro shivered. “I don’t remember it being this cold,” he stuttered, laughing at the absurdity of his predicament. “It isn’t once you’re in and moving around,” Duo explained as an impish light sparkled in his eyes. “All you have to do is… get moving!” he growled, suddenly springing upward and trying to dunk Hiiro but he was as solid as ever, turning the attack to his advantage and pushing Duo head first under the water. “No fair!” the longhaired boy laughed when he burst from the water. “What’s fair?” Hiiro giggled, backing quickly away. “You tried to drown me!” “Just for that…” Duo grinned demonically, suddenly disappearing. Hiiro went instantly on guard but it didn’t save him from getting his suit pulled down under the surface around his knees which not only made it impossible to swim with any grace but turned his entire head flaming red considering who had just disrobed him. But it had always been this way; somehow Duo always got the better of him no matter how hard he tried. ** “Woooooow,” Kelly cooed adoringly. “You never miss!” “Do it again!” Colton urged, handing Hiiro another stone. The Japanese boy glanced once at Duo’s back where he sat sulkily on the ground nearby and smirked before he let fly. “Direct hit!” James crowed. “You’re even better than Duo!” “Is not!” the braided boy snapped, jumping to his feet. “He hits dead center every time,” Relena stated haughtily. “So?” Duo grumbled. “He’s not so hot.” “Oh?” the blond girl smiled cleverly. “Ok, then. Let’s have a contest.” “Looser buys ice cream!” Kelly sang. “Duo doesn’t have the money for that,” Relena pointed out. “I can pay my due,” the braided boy snipped. “As long as he owns up when he loses,” he grinned arrogantly. “All right,” Hiiro agreed. James, Colton and Shelly set about gathering stones while the others set the soda cans back on the fence some fifty feet away. When all was ready the two boys squared off, Duo with his head held high and Hiiro smirking his ass off. “Bull’s-eye!” Colton crowed when Hiiro’s first throw rang true. However, Duo’s can flew just as far. At first the kids had all been cheering for Hiiro but by the time the cans had been set back up three times and neither had taken a lead the support had evened out. “Yes!” Shelly hissed, dancing about when Duo landed another blow. “You’ll slip up sooner or later,” Hiiro reasoned, tossing his next rock which flew unerringly into its target. “I’ll bet you your next shot misses,” Duo grinned. Hiiro snorted but rose to the challenge. “All right, what’s the bet?” “Looser has to take first dance at the Moonlight ball,” Duo smirked. Hiiro balked, glancing unwittingly to see Relena’s simpering expression of adoration then squared his shoulders. “You’re on.” Duo smiled, stepping up and flinging his stone, successfully knocking the can from its perch. “Alllll yours,” he grinned, bowing at the waist as he made way for Hiiro. There was only one can left but it hardly matter to Hiiro. He’d been targeting things much more interesting than soda cans for most of his life; however he hadn’t counted on the distraction of Duo’s naked ass when he mooned him, sending his shot so wide it never even came close. “That’s cheating!” Colton exclaimed. “I win!” Duo laughed, pulling his pants back up. “You can’t do that!” Relena objected. “No one ever said so!” Duo insisted. “Right, Hiiro!? You’re not gonna renege are you?” Hiiro stood perfectly still, staring at the can still standing on the fence as his face bled ghostly pale. ** “Wait!” Duo screeched but too late to stop Hiiro and two of the young boys from dunking him. “No fair!” the braided boy laughed, coming up spitting and sputtering and Hiiro froze when he promised, “Oh, you’re gonna pay for that!” “Run!” the Japanese boy barked too late to save one of his young accomplices from getting dragged under but he and the other made it safely to shore. “Traitors!” the boy being hauled from the water shouted just before he was tossed to plunk in the lake. “Better you than us,” the other boy laughed, high fiving Hiiro. “Ok,” Duo shouted in a completely different tone that got everyone’s attention at once. “Lunch is in thirty. Hit the showers!” “Fooood!” several of the kids crowed at once as they climbed from the water and dashed off. “Little vermin owe me a new pair of sneakers,” Duo laughed, shaking the water out of the ones he still had on. “What?” he asked as Hiiro laughed softly while he was trying to get the water out of his ears. “Nothing,” Hiiro chuckled. “Just… some things never change I guess.” “Some things never should,” Duo smiled, grimacing when he took a step and his jeans squeaked. “But this isn’t one of them,” he laughed. “Let’s go change before lunch.” Hiiro fell into step beside him, glad that he’d put aside his misgivings and opted for the swim suit as Duo waddled through the camp bowlegged in his effort to keep his wet pants from squeaking until they reached Duo’s cabin and he realized he meant for them to go inside and change their clothes. Both of them. Together. At the same time. “Uh… Are the outhouses still in the same place?” he asked, stopping as Duo climbed the three steps to the door. “Yeah,” the braided boy nodded, grinning cleverly. “If you can remember which one is the boys’?” “I’ll figure it out,” Hiiro chuckled, taking a deep breath as he turned to leave. They were indeed right where they had always been but he wasn’t at all sure if the signs hadn’t been switched when he got there. Fortunately, there was a young man coming out of the one marked ‘boys’ so he choose to use that one. It wasn’t as if he really needed to go anyway but he’d had no idea how he would have reacted to seeing Duo naked. If it was anything like he reacted when he thought about Duo naked it was definitely not something he wanted him to see. He did need to change though and was still at a loss as to how he could accomplish that without embarrassing himself when he returned to Duo’s cabin. The longhaired boy was wearing a fresh pair of jeans and camp t-shirt when he arrived but his feet were still bare and his hair was only half braided. “Come on in,” Duo smiled, kicking the door open for him. “I left your things over there,” he commented, continuing with the task of weaving his long tresses. Hiiro’s throat had gone a little bit dry seeing it dangle in wet tendrils along the ends and though it was only one of the devastatingly attractive things he admired about Duo there had been a time when he didn’t understand. ** “Ow! Will you stop pulling!” “If you didn’t let it grow so long this wouldn’t happen,” Quatre grumbled, trying vainly to untangle Duo’s braid from a bush. “OW!” “Just cut it.” “NO!” Duo growled, shoving Quatre away so violently Trowa was forced to catch him so he wouldn’t fall to the ground. “He was only trying to help!” the taller boy snapped, holding the blond protectively. “You shouldn’t say things like that to him,” Quatre reasoned with his emerald eyed friend. “You upset him.” “No one’s cutting my hair!” Duo growled, standing protectively with his precious braid behind him in the bush. “Get loose yourself then!” Trowa grumbled crossly. “Duo?” Quatre questioned as he was led way. “Go on!” the braided boy cried, holding back tears of anger and frustration. “Who needs ya!” However, try as he might he couldn’t see the part that was tangled and all his efforts to free himself seemed to do was entangle him more. “What are you doing?” Duo jerked around to find Hiiro standing calmly beside him, his hands in his pockets and no expression whatsoever on his face. “What does it look like?” Duo grumbled, forcing his tired arms to try again. “Want some help?” “It’s hopeless,” the longhaired boy groaned, plopping down on his butt. “I’m stuck here for life.” “At least let me try,” Hiiro chuckled, coming closer to get a better look. “How’d you get tangled in a bush?” “Running from Trowa.” “Is Quatre ok?” Hiiro asked, inspecting the snare more closely. “Yeah,” Duo sighed. “He wasn’t mad, we were playing tag.” “And they just left you here?” “Who needs’em,” Duo grumbled. “I can look after myself.” “Well,” Hiiro replied, taking hold of the two inch thick branch that had a hold of Duo’s hair. “We’ll never get you out like this,” he said snapping it in half. “What’dyu do!?” Duo gasped. “Be still,” Hiiro scolded. “I can’t get to you like that. Here, now we can sit down so I can reach.” Duo gaped at the broken tree branch, then smiled at his Japanese friend whose ears crisped before he dragged him to a nearby bolder and bade him sit. It took some time but after awhile Duo’s spirits lifted when he started to see bits of the limb being tossed on the ground. “Is it ok?” he asked anxiously. “It’ll need to be washed,” Hiiro informed him, tossing another bit of twig into the grass. “And some of it’s broken but not too much.” Duo picked up a piece of the branch and inspected it, finding only a couple of hairs in it and nodding. “Just don’t cut it.” “Why not?” “’Cause it’s mine,” Duo stated firmly. “It would still be yours if it were short,” Hiiro reasoned. “Yeah,” Duo nodded. “But then I’d look just like everyone else and I’m not.” Hiiro couldn’t argue there so he went back to his task, managing to break up what wouldn’t come out until there was nothing but mulch left that could be picked clean. “It needs to be brushed,” he said, running his fingers through the warm, chestnut tresses. “Mmmm,” Duo moaned softly, leaning back into his touch. Hiiro’s lips curled softly as he ran his fingers through the hair again, liking the way Duo sighed and tilted his head so much that he did it again and again until the entire mass was thoroughly combed and the dinner bell cut through the air. ** “I’ve still never cut it.” “What?” Hiiro started, coming back to the present. “My hair,” Duo smiled, showing him the tasseled end of the new braid. “You were looking at the length.” “Oh,” Hiiro smiled. “It’s really gotten long,” he commented, turning around to hide the color on his face and pull his shirt on. “It seems to like this length,” Duo nodded. “It stopped there last year. I have to trim it now and then now when it gets thin on…the…ends.” “Do you have a towel?” Hiiro asked, feeling suddenly uncomfortable with letting the swim suit fall the rest of the way to the floor. “Right,” Duo replied, hastily finding him one on the foot of his bunk. Hiiro tucked it around his waist before slipping the shorts off and pulling his jeans on, then laid it over the back of a chair. “How long have you been a councilor?” “This is my first year on the payroll,” Duo replied as he milled about tidying up. “But I did the Jr. councilor thing last year and the year before. “I guess after what happened they figured I wasn’t as big a screw up as they thought.” “I’m glad they listened,” Hiiro smiled. “Well,” Duo shrugged, leaving off his fidgeting for a moment. “You sort of made it hard for them not to.” “It wasn’t like I had a choice,” Hiiro replied. “Sure you did,” Duo smiled. They stood quietly regarding one another for a moment before Hiiro stated quite clearly, “I’d do it again.” The smile that blossomed on Duo’s lips sent a fevered chill racing down Hiiro’s spine but any response the braided boy might have had was lost when two young girls banged on the cabin door. “Duo! You coming!?” “Be right there!” the braided boy chuckled but the sound of it was off somehow. “Hungry?” “Starving,” Hiiro laughed. “I’d forgotten how swimming can affect your appetite.” “Well, come on,” Duo smiled, clapping him on the shoulder. “I’ve got just the thing for you.” Hiiro eyed him sideways as they gained the path outside. “It’s not that slop they used to pass off as sloppy-joe’s is it?” “Naw,” Duo grinned impishly as he asked, “Remember the mystery meat?” Hiiro shivered. “I finally found out what it really is.” As it turned out the mystery meat was a beef patty drowned in brown gravy which Duo had banished from the menu the moment he’d been given a say in the matter. Hiiro was delighted to find a salad bar along one wall had been added and took great pleasure in the shepherd’s pie that actually had real corn buried beneath the mash potato crust. “This place is much classier than it used to be,” Hiiro observed, helping himself to another big bite of his meal. “The vegetables are actually less expensive than the mystery meat,” Duo explained. “Leaves more funds for real food but it’s Clara’s volunteer staff that make the difference.” “Clara?” “She’s owns a diner in Rockledge. When she found out we were in danger of shutting down she offered to help restructure kitchen expenses. We get most of our paper goods donated by vendors because of her and half the young girls that work for her also put in volunteer time cooking and helping clean up.” “Sounds like a remarkable woman,” Hiiro commented, finishing off his tasty lunch. “She spent her summers here as a child,” Duo nodded. “I guess she just didn’t want to see the camp close either.” “The place is so lively,” Hiiro observed, noting the mess hall was packed with energetic kids. “That’s because we don’t turn kids away just because they can’t pay,” Duo smiled. “Making money was never what this place was about,” Hiiro agreed, smiling softly at the huge grin that brightened Duo’s face. “Hey, Noin!” Duo suddenly shouted, waving at the door. Hiiro turned to see the short haired woman who had so often stood guard over them during their summer activities and smiled. “Who’s your frien…? Hiiro?” she gasped, recognizing him when she came closer. “Hi, Noin,” he smiled, rising to greet her. “You look great.” “Thanks,” she smiled, taking a seat. “I can’t believe it. Has it really been three years?” “Last month,” Duo smiled. “You know,” the young woman stated. “I always thought it was totally unfair of them to ban you from camp.” “The judgment was fair considering,” Hiiro assured her. “Well, I still think it was harsh,” she replied. “You were only protecting a friend.” “Is Zechs back yet?” Duo asked, changing the subject when Hiiro began to fidget. “Not yet,” she sighed. “Didn’t you hear?” “What?” “They didn’t have Tatima’s medicine in town. I guess it’s something uncommon so he has to stay with her until some is brought in tomorrow.” “She can’t be in the woods without it,” Duo explained when Hiiro blinked curiously. “Can you stay or would you rather go into town and speak with him there?” “You came to see Zechs?” Noin asked, flashing a glance at Duo. “I’m not in any hurry,” Hiiro evaded, smiling at his longhaired companion. “Great!” Duo grinned. “Then you can help out with Tell-a-Tale tonight.” “Oh gods,” Hiiro groaned, making Noin laugh. “Do I have to?” “Too late to back out now,” Duo chuckled, catching a spit ball that was sailing at Hiiro’s head.
~ * ~ tbc... |
