With a whir and a click, it began.
Inside the Gundams, dormant circuitry suddenly snapped to life. Old programming resurfaced--everything for the mission. All other outside influences were of little import. New orders.
05/override.
Chang="trefac9675" reconfig="8>9"
Data input: complete.
04/override.
Winner="trefac9676" reconfig="4>5"
Data input: complete.
03/override.
Barton="trefac9677" reconfig="7>12"
Data input: complete.
02/override.
Maxwell="seanddestr34511" reconfig="100>2"
Data input: complete.
01/override.
Yuy="selfdetonate3451" reconfig="1000>1900"
Data input:
Data input:
Data input:
Data000010101010100011111010101000101
M i s s i o n A c c e p t e d .
With an inaudible click, the Gundams slowly shut down. In the darkness, their eyes still seemed to glow...
They’d been fighting for over five hours. Trowa had no ammunition left; the Gundam was destroying mobile suits with its hands, ripping the arms and legs off the enemy suits.
Quatre’s Gundam wasn’t in the best of shape either. It had sustained a major blow to its right arm early in the battle, and now the blonde pilot’s arm hung uselessly at his side, his shoulder dislocated . He’d only survived because Trowa and Wufei, who seemed distracted, were watching his back, cutting down the pilots if they got too close to his Gundam.
And Duo?
Duo was having the time of his life. For some reason, every shot he fired, every swipe with his scythe, seemed to connect with a mobile suit. It was amazing, it was beyond rational reason. He was "in the zone". He didn’t understand it, and didn’t try to. Yet even for him, there were too many.
The mission had been relatively easy for all the pilots--Quatre and Wufei were supposed to take out the base, while Trowa would guard their backs. Duo was on his own little search and destroy mission; and Heero...
Heero hadn’t received any orders. It was a good thing he’d been staying with Trowa and Quatre, or else he would never have known about the mission.
As it was, he almost regretted coming, because now it would be the death of him.
Almost. He was still a soldier, and he could have no regrets about his life, or the end thereof.
"Everyone, get out!" Heero yelled, motioning towards the sky. "Trowa! Duo! Quatre! Chang! Get the hell out of here!"
Duo paled as the words came in over the comm-link. "What are you going to do, Heero?" he asked, violet eyes wide with exhaustion. "Don’t think about self-detonating! You won’t make it, Yuy!"
Heero just shook his head silently.
"Get out now, or you’ll all be killed!" he cried angrily, and slammed a panel on his left side hard. The self-destruct device popped out, that little red button seeming to mock him. "I’m warning you!"
Wufei waited for no other warning, and, nodding at the pilot of 03, swooped down and caught Sandrock’s legs, as Trowa grabbed the head of the Gundam. They flew off into the distance, towards a cliff where they would be able to see if their friend lived.
Duo was stubborn, as always. "Go to hell, man!" he yelled, making a face at Heero. "I’m not going to leave you by yourself with all these enemy pilots here!"
"You’ll only make things worse for yourself," was the calm, calculated answer.
"Heero..." Duo closed his eyes, battling against himself. He was a Gundam pilot, and he was expendable. So was Heero; there was no way around that fact. And yet a part of him didn’t want to leave, didn’t want Heero to leave him. But he made his choice.
As soon as Deathscythe was out of range, Heero pressed down on the button, a soft smile on his face as his fingers lightly traced a photo of Duo, grinning madly. He’d taped it to the dashboard a long time ago--now it seemed Duo’s smiling face would be the last thing he ever saw. Carefully keeping his eyes trained on Duo, he waited.
"Mission...accomplished."
Duo winced, waiting for the sound of metal crackling, sliding against the ground. He waited for the big explosion, the sound that meant Heero Yuy was once and for all, dead.
It never came.
The Gundam just stood there.
"Heero!" Duo screamed as Leos swarmed down onto the suit. "What are you doing?"
"What the--!" There was a cry of pain, and then the comm-link went dead.
A few seconds later, the Leos ripped Wing Zero apart, tossing its wings to the ground, followed by random parts, a few guns. Duo could only watch in horror as they ripped the cockpit right out of the Gundam, bearing their prize like a trophy. He saw a familiar mop of dark brown hair, and a slender form slumped over inside. Duo sneered and got ready to attack--he’d be damned if he’d let them take Heero!
And suddenly, a large hand swooped down and pinned him to the ground. Trowa!
"What are you doing?" he cried, pulling frantically at the controls. "Lemme go, you bastard!"
"You’ll only get yourself killed," he replied. Choking back a sob of helplessness, he pressed his face against the glass, trying to get closer to Heero, trying to save him; it was useless, all turned to shit. And now Heero was gone.
"HEE~ERO!"
Dominic Vanguard sighed, ruffling through various papers on his desk. If only Joshua hadn’t been so reckless--! Now he had four empty rooms, no new prospects... Life at the Palazzio was hard...
He chuckled to himself at the irony of the statement. The rich and famous paid millions of dollars for a single night’s stay at the Palazzio. It was decadent, it was luxurious...
It was hell. His entire staff was a lot of vicious, gossiping backstabbers; the few Keys that remained at the resort were all getting older. He had to find new Keys.
A short tone rang out, and Dominic sighed. He never got any time to himself, he complained silently. "Come in!"
A tall, broad-shouldered man stepped into the room. OZ uniform; four stars, he noted with some discomfort. OZ soldiers at the Palazzio were rare--officers even more so.
"What can I do for you today?" he asked, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.
The young man seated himself, his brilliant blue eyes sweeping over Dominic like raking over sand. "I have something you may be interested in," he said simply.
"You are...?"
"Treize Khushrenada. Leader of OZ. My greatest enemies are the infamous Gundam pilots," he added as a look of confusion passed over Dominic’s pretty face. For the owner of the world’s largest pleasure resort, he was a sheltered man...
"Ah!" he said, understanding. "Something I may be interested in?"
Treize nodded, and snapped his fingers. The tone sounded again, and before Dominic could speak, two soldiers dragged a slight figure into the room, his head bowed. Dominic could see several large bruises where he’d been beaten into submission; his clothes weren’t so much clothes as scraps of material that clung to his body.
"This is Heero Yuy, Pilot of 01. We managed to capture him a few days ago. It would be...beneficial to us if you could keep him here. For a very long time," he said diplomatically.
Dominic slowly leaned forward and placed his hand beneath Heero’s chin, lifting his head. His jaw dropped; this pilot was nothing more than a slip of a boy. "He’s very young," he said, his heart pounding faster. Yes; if he could get the pilots...
Treize shrugged. "War makes children into soldiers," he said coolly. Heero growled at him, his blue eyes blazing with anger. Dominic hid a smile. This boy was so pretty; his skin was softer than the finest silk, and he had a nice bone structure. His eyes and cheekbones had Asiatic curves, but the brilliant blue was far and above his best feature.
"We’ll take him." He dug around into his wallet. "How much do you want for him?"
Treize laughed. "You can have him for nothing, if you’ll swear to keep him here." Dominic licked his lips eagerly as his gaze strayed to the gentle curve of Heero’s buttocks; it wasn’t often he got to play with the Keys before they entered the Palazzio. After that, they were off limits.
"Fine with me," he replied, distracted.
Treize chuckled. "Until you can...train him properly, you’ll need this." He handed him a small box with two buttons, one red and one green. "He’s had a microchip inserted into his neck--you can remove it or not as you see fit. This chip sends an electronic signal to the brain, giving him pain. Press the green button to begin the current, and the red to end it. Be careful. Too much use can permanently damage him." Dominic nodded, setting the box on his desk.
"I’ll leave you to...introduce Heero to the Palazzio," Treize said, a small smirk on his thin lips. Heero shivered at the connotation of those words, but remained silent. With that, Treize stalked out, graceful as a cat, the two guards flanking him.
"So, your name’s Heero?" The boy did not look up, but his fists clenched and unclenched rhythmically with contained anger. "Look at me when I speak to you, boy!" He slapped his across his face hard, leaving a large red handprint.
"You’ll obey me," he said simply, reaching into one of the drawers in his desk. "You’ll beg me to command you, when I’m finished." Heero snorted, showing exactly what he thought of that statement.
"You’ll break," he said softly, a strange gleam in his black eyes. "They all do." He smiled as Heero tried to force his face into neutrality. "You’re a Key now. You obviously don’t know what that entails--they never do..." He paused, and pressed a button on his phone. "Kelley? Yes, I’ve got good news. Prepare the red room." Dominic smiled wolfishly at Heero. "He’s a bit...reluctant. Yes, tell the trainers we’ve got a new...toy."
He looked back at Heero, his eyes running over his form. He could see the strength in his wiry body--he had to be broken, or else he could injure his master. "Strip," he commanded.
Heero glared at him. "I don’t think so," he said coolly.
Dominic’s hand strayed towards the box, and Heero started, his eyes wide. He’d obviously been felt the pain before, he noted with some satisfaction. "Then strip. I don’t have all day to play with little boys," he sneered.
Hesitantly, Heero reached for the shoulder of his tanktop. Dominic’s eyes devoured the creamy skin of his shoulder; he shivered, wanting to touch him. Behind the desk, he could feel his cock stiffening, and hid a smile.
He slid his spandex off, biting his lip to keep from blushing with shame. He was now clad in only his boxers, black silk that clung to his hips and thighs like a second skin. "Beautiful," Dominic murmured.
"Come here," he said, motioning to the desk. Heero moved to him obediently, but inside he was seething. Stupid hentai! He’d kill him as soon as he could get free...
Dominic reached a hand down the front of his boxers, fingers searching. Heero jerked back, Prussian blue eyes wide with shock. Dominic stared at him appraisingly. Surely, he’d...? Heero blushed furiously as Dominic’s hand wandered to his buttocks, stroking the ample curves. He was a virgin? This pretty, graceful, doe-eyed boy was a virgin?
Inside his head, the gears began turning. He could make a huge amount of money, marketing him as new, sexually unaware... Most of his clients paid extra if the Key would pretend to be a virgin so they could ravish them, playing out unfulfilled fantasies in their heads... And here he had a boy who outstripped all the other Keys in beauty, and he was unused. New. Dominic stifled a groan as he allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to plunge into those hot, tight, depths...
He called his secretary back. "Cancel the trainers--I want Yalith and Sandalith on this one. Treat him carefully, he’s worth quite a bit of money. Under no circumstances is he to be left alone! Ever!" Thee were many in the Palazzio that wouldn’t think twice about drugging Heero and taking him back to their rooms for a tumble.
"All right, sir," Kelley said, obviously confused. Dominic didn’t care. The stupid bitch was beautiful, but not the brightest crayon in the box.
As soon as he hung up, he grabbed Heero’s wrist in his large paw, tightening his hold so it was painful. Heero made a small sound of pain, then pressed his lips together to hold in his cry. "You’re a soldier. Have you ever been raped?" Heero shook his head, struggling to keep the detached soldier facade from slipping. "Ever been taken by one of your fellow pilots?" Again, no.
"Good." He released his wrist, noting a red ring indicating that there would be a bruise there in the morning. A few seconds later, Yalith and Sandalith, both long-legged girls with long blonde hair that hung over their breasts. "Get him cleaned up," he ordered. The two girls nodded and bowed. "Don’t change his hair, though," he called as an afterthought. The messy mop of dark hair was a large part of his attraction.
Yalith nodded and winked, then disappeared with a seductive wriggle of her hips. Dominic sighed. That girl drove him crazy...
Pleased with the day’s results, he decided to take a nap. Preferably a long one, with one of the Keys...
Wufei frowned. "Hold on--just one more--yes!" He let out a whoop of joy as he finally cracked the passcode for OZ’s mainframe database. Beside him, Duo jumped to his feet, eyes alight. Heero had to be okay; he had to. He and Chang were alone in Heero’s room; his computer was the only one with a system sophisticated enough to hack into OZ. Trowa and Quatre were gone on another mission in Siberia. But Duo refused to budge--they had to rescue Heero. He wasn’t sure why--it wasn’t like Heero tried to or even pretended to be his friend. But there was a lonely ache inside of him that insisted on being filled by the Japanese pilot of Gundam 01.
"What are you doing now?" Duo demanded. Wufei snorted.
"I’m looking for the records on the prisoners taken a few days ago--with any luck, it should tell us where Heero is." Suddenly, a screen popped up with Heero’s picture. Duo gasped.
He looked terrible. His face was drawn--it was easy to tell that he had been beaten, and yet his eyes still gleamed with the fanatic fervor of the devoted. While Duo was busy staring at the picture, Wufei was skimming the record. He froze as his dark eyes passed over a small sentence, in the same small black font, as if unimportant.
...scheduled to be terminated this afternoon...
Heero shivered as they led him through a long marble corridor, lit by torchlight. It was almost medieval, very primitive and very seductive. The shadows the fire cast on Yalith and Sandalith’s faces made them seem almost bird-like, angular and harsh.
They reached a wooden chestnut door, and stopped. Heero stared at them expectantly.
"You’re a Key, now," Yalith began, as if she’d given the speech a thousand times before. "It is a great honor to be chosen as a Key. Your beauty is unsurpassed. We will attend you during your stay here. Anything you need will be provided. If you should desire anything else, ask and you will receive."
She opened the door, and a rush of steam hit him in the face, stinging his eyes. He coughed for a moment, wiping his streaming eyes. When the steam dissipated, he could see a large hot bath.
"You will diverge yourself of all possessions from the outside world. You belong to the Palazzio, now." In a single swift movement, she whipped out an ivory-hilted knife and cut off his boxers, tearing them to shreds. They fell down in a pile of scrap silk at his feet.
Sandalith took over from there. "As a Key, you have several responsibilities. You must please your Master in every way possible. You must not complain or displease your Master. You may not leave the Palazzio at any time, for any reason."
Heero raised a single eyebrow. "I never agreed to become a Key," he snapped. "It was forced upon me." The lighter haired girl ignored him and continued speaking.
"You belong to the Palazzio. Property must be marked, in order to keep it safe within these walls." He turned around to see Yalith, holding a burning iron in the shape of a key. "We brand you as ours, forever. Body and soul." He screamed as the brand was applied to his hip, twisting, trying to get away, but Sandalith held him still until Yalith removed the brand.
Heero collapsed, breath sobbing between his lips in pain, a high whistling sound. It burned, like white-hot fire licking at his nerves; the smell of burnt flesh hung in the air. Gods, if he only could have self-destructed...!
"Please step into the first bath," Sandalith said emotionlessly, gesturing to a small pool of water. Heero trembled visibly, and her expression softened. "Heero," she whispered, her tongue darting out to lick his ear, "it will be worse later. Much worse." Then, she slipped an arm beneath his knees and waded into the pool.
Heero winced as the water, which was almost freezing, met his burn. Yet as it chilled him to the bones, the water soothed the brand, making it less red. Yalith watched him impassively.
"You belong to the Palazzio," Yalith began again. "Step into the bath, please." She gestured towards the second bath, which looked much hotter. Steam rose in billowy clouds from the surface. Shivering, he stepped into the bath, and yipped in surprise. It was very hot... He was glad he’d taken the ice bath first, or else the key branded onto his hip would hurt more. The water was clouded with some kind of herbs and oils.
Yalith knelt down behind him, her hands beginning a tender ministration on his aches and bruises. Heero simply sniffed, pointedly ignoring her presence though her hands were quickly and easily massaging away the pains of sleeping on a cold, cement floor. She smoothed some strange oil on his back that smelled like flowers and the rain--like Duo...
Duo...
He felt a strong urge to yawn and instead sat up straight as he felt something wet touch the arch of his throat. He sat up, shoulders tense again, and stared straight into Sandalith’s deep, pupiless eyes.
"Do you know what a Key is?" she asked, and for once, he felt certain that she wasn’t followed a proscribed course of action. He shook his head. She smiled, and leaned forward to kiss him. "You’re a sex slave, Heero. The rich will pay millions of dollars to lie with you at night, and wake up to the dawn with you. Can’t you see how beautiful you are?" she whispered, tracing the outline of his mouth with her tongue, a little pink fish. "Anyone in their right mind would fall for you..."
The hands on his shoulders never ceased, even as Sandalith rose up from the water, her dark eyes mischievous, and stripped off her now saturated tunic, exposing two perfect pink nipples the color of her tongue...
Moaning softly, he shivered as she began to stroke his hardened cock, filling it with blood, making him so hard... She didn’t stop until he arched his back, coming with a soft sigh of fulfillment, making the water slosh up against the sides of the in-ground stone tub. She captured his lips again, showing him the many tastes of love, sliding her tongue against his... He was only vaguely aware of Yalith moving behind him, leaving the water...
Duo shivered. The cool night air licked at his face as he crouched behind some bushes, heart beating wildly in his chest like a herd of mustangs, his violet eyes shimmering in the dark. Wufei smiled in spite of himself--he could see how someone could fall in love with those eyes, and that perpetually grinning face.
Catching his eyes, Wufei nodded sharply. Swallowing, Duo ran out into the open, his gun ready.
When there were no gunshots, he screwed his courage together and peeked up. He saw Maxwell, arm waving frantically, signaling him to come forward. He stepped lightly, his movements as graceful as a cat’s, barely discernable from the dark of the cement walls.
They entered the complex together, sliding along the walls, freezing as a spotlight passed by, searching for intruders. Wufei let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding, and pointed silently towards the door. The pilot of 02 nodded fiercely and had the lock picked within seconds.
They were in. Now, how to find Heero? Questioningly, Duo pointed down one side of a fork in the hallway. Wufei paused, then shook his head emphatically, pointing in the other direction. ‘I’ll meet you back here,’ he mouthed silently, and took off down one corridor. Duo shook his head, and headed down the other, never seeing the silent figure watching them, emerging from the shadows only to follow one of the pilots down a long hall.
Duo ran as fast as he could, sticking his head into every cell, reading every name tag. Yael, Yankovic, Yomi, Yuy...! He stopped at the small cell, trying to peer in through the small window, but all he saw was darkness. He was sleeping, Duo thought with a small smile as he knelt down beside the keypad. Fancy that. Mr. Heero Who Needs a Doctor I’ll Set My Own Damn Leg Yuy was sleeping on the job.
He heard footsteps and froze, then relaxed as they passed by, not turning down the hallway where the prisoners were kept. "Close one," he muttered, the first words he’d spoken all night, and plugged the neat little decoding device into the keypad. Five seconds later, he was in.
"Heero...?"
Wufei looked down both ways, and, seeing no one coming, quickly ducked into Treize’s office.
Once inside, he locked the door behind him. No sense in getting this far and then getting caught... It took him a few minutes to hack into Treize’s personal files, but it was worth it.
Transference?
:/Prisoner Yuy, Cell A6.
Transference complete.
:/I escorted Yuy personally to his new home. He should be very...comfortable there. It is only a matter of time before the other pilots come to rescue him, and then the threat to OZ world domination will be over. False computer records were planted yesterday upon my arrival to the Palazzio. Dominic Vanguard really is such an insolent little prick... He was practically fondling the boy before my very eyes. I should want to kill this pilot, but instead all I feel is pity...
At least the best of them is out of commission now. He won’t be leaving soon...
Log out: tkhushrenada at 15:09
Wufei shivered. So, Heero was alive...at the Palazzio? He shook his head; it didn’t make any sense. Why hadn’t Treize simply killed Heero?
He rummaged around in Treize’s desk for a moment, then froze as the door creaked open, throwing a dagger of light at his feet. Shit!
No one! Duo was furious, his brilliant eyes slanted with his anger. Heero wasn’t there! Had they taken him earlier? He pushed that thought away--no, Heero still was alive. He had to be. It was the only possibility Duo would accept.
The long-haired American found himself back at the junction, and ran down the hallways Wufei had taken, careful not to make any noise. He almost ran by Treize’s office, then stopped as the gold crest that was hung over his door registered in his mind. Timidly, he pushed the door open, only to find Wufei standing in front of Treize’s desk, looking guiltier than a cat with feathers threaded through its whiskers.
"Shit!" Wufei cursed, closing the gap between them in seconds. "Duo! You scared the shit out of me!"
"Wufei?" His muffled voice wavered slightly. "Heero’s not in his cell..."
The implication lay between them for a moment, then Wufei spoke.
"How could he be in his cell? He’s in the Palazzio." Duo stared at the Chinese pilot, struck dumb for once in his life.
"The Palazzio?"
Wufei nodded. "I’ve never heard of it either. But apparently, that’s where Treize left Heero. So we find Treize and then--" Duo interrupted him with a loud click and a familiar monotone. His back was towards him, facing a large portrait of Treize, holding a single thornless rose.
"Omae o korosu," Duo whispered, and Wufei believed him.
Heero woke early the next morning naked on satin sheets and a large canopy bed, the sunlight filtering in through sheer black shades. Turning over, he gasped in pain as his branded hip came in contact with the sheets. All at once the day came rushing back to him; first being captured and brought here, and then being branded... He shivered, remembering the cold water and then the pleasures of the hot bath... Sandalith had a very talented mouth...
He took a closer look at his room. It was the size of a gymnasium from one of those boarding schools; a large section was partitioned off with wavy glass. The rest was a bedroom; his bed was at least king-sized, with scarlet sheets. Next to the bed was a large glass case of various sex toys, including dildos, whips, velvet and real, several cock rings, and other tools Heero had never seen before. He shivered, hoping that whoever his Master was wouldn’t be of a mind to use them on him. Dominic still had the pain-box, and so he still controlled him...
He decided to scout out the Palazzio; find its weaknesses, a possible escape route... The thought brightened his mien as much as a bright and happy Heero was possible. Sliding off the bed, he found a trunk full of silk and sheer fabrics, obviously designed to show off select parts of his body...or hide others. Finally, he found a pair of black silk pants and a dark olive green shirt with no sleeves, close enough to his usual outfit.
With that settled, he tiptoed out of his room, walking briskly along the hall. Heero diplomatically ignored the looks he received from various men, some Keys, some not. It wasn’t until he found himself pressed up against the wall, arms pinned above his head, that he realized going out alone might not have been such a good idea. He struggled, trying to break the person’s grip, but could not.
"What are you doing out alone?" a nasal voice demanded. Heero looked up to see Dominic, his eyes narrowed, glaring balefully at him. "See how easily I took advantage of you? You need to be careful, and protect that cute little ass of yours." With that, he ran his hands languorously over Heero’s buttocks, then pinched viciously. Heero tossed his head away from his searching eyes, not trusting himself. He wanted to kill this fucker, to crush his windpipe, or stab his eyes out...
"Just in case, I thought I’d introduce you to some of the boys. This is Ashura," Dominic said, drawing away long enough to let Heero see who was behind him. He snaked an arm around Ashura’s waist, rubbing the other hand against the boy’s cheek. He was striking, with short blonde hair pulled back from his eyes with a thin silver metal headband. He gave Heero a cheeky grin, one that reminded him of Duo...
"Hi," Ashura said, reaching for Heero’s hand. He was about to shake the taller boy’s hand when suddenly Ashura brought his hand up to his lips, caressing the knuckle with his mouth. Heero swallowed, and pulled his hand away.
"Heero’s a bit...skittish," Dominic said, eyes glittering as he reached into his pocket, "but he’ll be good? Right, Heero?" He pulled the small remote control out of his pocket just enough to let Heero see that he was in control of him.
He tried to speak, but found his throat suddenly very dry. "Right," he said weakly, his eyes glaring daggers at the older man. Dominic contented himself with a quick feel of Heero’s crotch before skipping merrily on his way...
Heero snarled as soon as he was out of his sight. "I hate him," Ashura sighed softly. "I really do." Heero looked at him sharply, and then felt his hostility melt away at the sight of his smile. It was a sweet, unassuming grin that was not calculated in the slightest bit. Thoughts of a certain violet-eyed pilot were pushed aside for the moment.
"Welcome to the Palazzio," he said dryly. "I guess you’re going to be here a long time..." Heero nodded dully. They stood there in silence for a moment before Ashura reached down and tugged on Heero’s hand, trying to get him to follow. The two boys walked around the palace for a few minutes, just chatting.
"What did you do before?" Ashura asked hesitantly as he saw Heero involuntarily stiffen. "If you don’t mind me asking," he added quickly.
"I was a Gundam pilot," he said softly, looking down at the floor.
"I thought you were some kind of soldier--you’re too thin and you’re too grumpy," he teased. "I was born on the streets of L2, a few years before the war broke out. So in a way..." he said, trailing off. "I guess we’re both war children."
Heero nodded absently, carefully examining the schematics of the building. High roof; he wouldn’t be able to escape over the walls, either. It looked like the only way out was--
"The front door," Ashura said, gesturing towards the large gate Heero had entered through. "Don’t touch--if you do, you’ll be burned. Trust me," he added, a wicked grin playing at his eyes, "I know from experience." Heero resisted the urge to roll his eyes--what a melodramatic, annoying little baka. Just like Duo.
"Omae o korosu," Duo whispered, and Wufei believed him.
"What are you going to do, Duo?" Wufei asked suspiciously, crossing his long, slender arms over his chest. The American pilot turned and looked at the Chinese pilot with such an intensity that Wufei was surprised that he wasn’t on fire already.
Duo shrugged. "I’m going to find Heero." He looked away, his violet eyes hollow and smudged from the exhaustion and stress of the past few days. Living without Heero, as much of a conversationalist as he was, was not easy for him. He wasn’t sure how, but Heero had become very important to him.
"How, Duo?" Wufei moved to block his path. "How are you going to find the Palazzio? I’ve never heard of it before, and I sure as hell don’t know where it is--do you?" Duo didn’t reply. "Are you just going to march in there and start waving your gun around, demanding that they release Yuy?" The braided boy bowed his head, guilt scrawled all over his face. "We need a plan, Duo."
Out of the shadows, a tall, slim young woman stepped forward, her blond hair glinting in the sparse light. In seconds, Duo had his gun trained on her.
"Hands up. Get down on the floor. Now," he said, his voice cold, his eyes glittering maniacally.
There was a white blur, and then Duo suddenly found himself skidding across the room on his butt, his gun somewhere on the floor. "I have a proposition to make," she said softly.
Wufei reached down to pull Maxwell up, then froze as he heard her speak. He stood up; Duo fell over with a loud ‘thunk’. "A proposition?"
The woman nodded. "I know where Heero Yuy is. I can take you to him." Beside Wufei, Duo, grumbling loudly about Chinese bakas, pulled himself to his feet. "All you need..." She reached behind her back and pulled out a plain wooden box the size of a woman’s wallet. Of its own accord, the top flipped open, revealing a key glittering with some kind of stones.
"The Diamond Key," she said simply. "Call the number inscribed on the handle of the key, and you’ll find your way to the Palazzio." With that, she simply disappeared into thin air.
Wufei’s trained eyes darted around the room, but saw no sign of her. "We don’t even know your name!" he called out. She had to still be in the room. There was no way...
The window, previously locked and shut, was a wide open, white lace curtain billowing ominously in the wind.
"You’re too cute when you squirm," the blue-eyed Key teased, running a hand through his hair. "Come. We’ve got to give you a tour of the grounds so you won’t get lost." Heero simply shrugged. It would give him an opportunity to scout out the security around the Palazzio. He started to slide off the bed, then winced as his hip scraped against the intricate beading of the coverlet.
"Are you okay?" Ashura asked, concerned, quickly bending down beside him. Heero nodded, then jumped as he felt the Emerald Key’s hand on the burn. "I can help you, if you like," he said softly, smiling almost shyly. As if he hadn’t been allowed to smile by his own Master, Heero mused.
Heero nodded his assent, and Ashura bent over, examining the burn carefully with cool fingers, tracing the edges of the Key. Heero’s attention began to wander; the feel of his hand on his skin seemed only natural, for some reason.
He thought about Duo, the braided baka. He knew he felt...something...for Maxwell. He just wasn’t sure what exactly it was. He knew he didn’t love him; well, not yet. And he wasn’t attracted to him that way; the only thing Heero felt when Duo was around was annoyance and a strange tug at his heart that felt as if someone was squeezing it spasmodically.
Either way, he was a continual distraction. He would have to remedy that if...when...he finally escaped. Not that being at the Palazzio was terrible. On the contrary, the accommodations were luxurious, the people were somewhat helpful and he had warm food in his belly. It was better than some nights he’d spent in alleyways being nibbled on by mice.
Heero suddenly froze as he felt Ashura’s lips on his hip, moving gently over the bone, passing back and forth lightly, not applying any pressure, suckling the wound carefully. His body began to tingle in a pleasurable way, soft curls of heat unfurling in his hips. "What...what are you doing?" he asked, then gasped as the light suction was suddenly taken away, the pain along with it. Ashura sat up and wiped his eyes, which were streaming...blood?
"Are you okay?" he asked, letting one hand rest on his shoulder. The blonde-haired Key jerked as if his touch pained him.
"I’m fine," Ashura said dismissively. Heero gingerly reached down and touched the brand, and was surprised. It felt like normal skin, not even scar tissue.
"What did you do?" he asked.
"I’m a healer," Ashura explained. "Dominic captured me when I was fifteen. I had a little herbery on L2 until the war broke out...You know," he said, blinking back tears, "my mother told me that a gift shouldn’t be wasted on those who will not use it to help others. When I was thirteen, a middle-aged man stumbled into our shop, bloody and beaten raw by a mob of war-mongrels chasing him through the streets. He was a representative of the Sanc Kingdom, coming to try and negotiate before the war broke out. I turned him away," he whispered, his voice choked.
"I sent him away into the streets, batting at him with my broom and he died the next day. There were no more attempts by the Sanc Kingdom to save L2." The Emerald Key took a deep breath and wiped the last of his tears away.
"It doesn’t matter anymore," he said softly. "Nothing matters. I’m a Key now; I’m going to live here until I’m old and gray. You see those servants?" He pointed out the window to the courtyard, where several men in gray rags were busy carrying trays and several indescript heavy bundles.
"They’re older Keys. When you’re no longer attractive to customers, they send you downstairs to work under Jael. He’s the slave driver." A shiver passed through the pale boy. "He’s terrible. Has a mean limp and a wooden leg. Some people say he used to be a Key." Ashura’s tone told Heero exactly what he thought of that statement. "His face is scarred from a fire in the Palazzio years ago, before I came here."
Heero simply shook his head. "That can’t be," he stated flatly. "That will not be me."
Ashura laughed. "Deny it all you want," he said sadly. "That’s what I thought at first. But there’s no way out of here. It’s all warded; if you even tried to set foot out of here your Key--" He gestured to Heero’s hip. "You Key would start to burn you. The longer you stayed outside the wards, the hotter it would get until it burned through you."
Heero shivered, and closed his eyes. No.
No.
This was not how he was to spend the rest of his life!
It couldn’t be. There had to be another way.
No!
Heero didn’t even realize he was trembling slightly until he felt a hand rest gingerly on his shoulder, not trying to embrace him, just there, the weight comforting.
"The Diamond Key," Duo mused out loud. "It’s so pretty!" It glittered maliciously in his hand, as if it were a dangerous toy about to jump up and bite his fingers off. Wufei snorted.
"You would think so," he laughed, shaking his head as they waited for the plane to arrive. Wufei had called the number on the handle, and was surprised to hear that it wasn’t just a joke, that the Palazzio really existed. And that a boy fitting Heero’s description was the slave attached to the Diamond Key.
Duo had been up the entire night, unable to sleep. Heero was alive! He’d known it all along; no one could kill Heero Yuy. Not falling from a thirty-story building without using his parachute. Not all the Gundams in the world. Hell, the guy was probably immortal.
"Do you think he’ll be happy to see us?" Duo asked, his eyes wide with happiness. Wufei smothered a smile and ‘hmmphed’ gruffly. In truth, he was as eager to see Yuy as Duo was, if only to get the loud-mouthed baka to shut up for a few moments.
"I think he’ll be happy to see us," Duo said finally. "Do you think they’ll let him go?"
"I doubt it."
Duo beamed. "Good, then we’ll get to blow the place up!" The Chinese pilot refrained from slapping himself a few times, just to make sure it all wasn’t a terrible nightmare...
"OW!" Heero jumped as the needle passed through his nipple, unable to do more since Sandalith was holding him down onto his bed, his shirt torn somewhere on the floor. Dominic sighed, testing the point of the needle carefully before jabbing it through his other nipple. Yalith, her face unreadable, stepped forward, bearing two small gold hoops decorated with long blue feathers that looked as if they were from a peacock. The eye of the feather glared at him, and Heero shivered as he felt the blonde slave’s cold hands on his chest, pulling out the nipples so she could pass the rings through cleanly. Dominic chuckled at the look of anger on the Key’s face, and caressed the red button on the remote. He immediately froze.
Dominic stood back and reveled in Yalith and Sandalith’s work. He was magnificent in blue silk pants and a loose, open mesh vest that fell somewhere at the knee and was lined with blue satin ribbon. The two nipple rings adorned with feathers only added to his fierce beauty.
Though it had taken a long time to make him submit. When he’d found out that his Master was coming, Heero had been apprehensive at best. When he found out that Dominic had sold him by offering his virginity to the highest bidder and he was going to be taken that very night, he nearly went berserk, forgetting about the chip implanted inside of him...
They’d had to douse him with cold water to wake him, and even then his vision was still blurry and he had a terrible headache. Yet, as soon as Heero had recovered, he’d attacked Dominic again.
Yalith had sent for many buckets of cold water before the night was out...
Sandalith stepped forward bearing two gold bracelets, about two inches thick and shiny enough that he could see his own tear-streaked face in the reflections. He hissed as the bracelets slid onto his thin wrists, feeling a rising sense of panic as they snapped shut with a mournful ‘click’, like a door closing...
"Perfect," Dominic said, eyes glittering with desire as he looked upon the Diamond Key. "That will be all," he said sharply to the blonde girls as they exited swiftly. Then he turned his attention back to Heero.
"The person who bought you is coming soon," he said, eyes laughing at the disgust written all over his face. "You’d best behave." He mentally undressed him, looking Heero up and down a few times with a sleazy smile on his face. Heero had no doubt that if Dominic hadn’t sold his virginity he would have him on the floor, knees spread, in two seconds flat.
With that, Dominic stalked out of Heero’s room, leaving him with the feeling of being dirty, unclean. Heero shivered and laid down onto the bed. There was nothing else he could do but wait.
But the bed was so soft and the smell of wisteria wafted through the air, and the lamps had been dimmed as the sun set. He soon fell asleep, not even hearing the door open and shut softly.
He slept through the whole night, never seeing the flash of blonde hair in the light, nor the intense blue eyes that gazed upon his body like an offering.
"Man!" Duo gawked openly at the large entrance, a stone arch in the Greco-Roman style with a small cherub guarding the way. "Look at this place, man!"
Wufei rolled his eyes. "Get a grip on yourself," he told Duo, only to find that Duo had already disappeared.
"Great," he sighed, throwing his hands up. "And Duo disappeared with the Key!" Turning around, he ran into a wall that hadn’t been there before.
"My Dragon!" Treize said teasingly. "What are you doing here at the Palazzio? Enjoying the food, wine, young boys?" Wufei blushed, and batted at Treize’s wandering hands. He’d been taken by Treize once; it had been more than enough for the Chinese boy! He would die of shame if the other pilots ever discovered...
"Come," Treize said encouragingly, pressing him to the wall, his warm flesh pressed against his. "Let’s go back to my chambers and get to know each other all over again. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you." Wufei could tell that his intentions were less than innocent, and started to move away. Treize suddenly whipped out a pair of handcuffs and cuffed him to his own hand. Wufei stared at the handcuffs in disbelief, then began to kick and yell.
"Dishonor!" he shouted, struggling as the stronger man dragged him across the Palazzio, heading towards the more luxurious rooms. "Dishonor on your family!" Treize only chuckled; he was close, just a few more yards...
Duo sighed, looking at the huge castle that was Heero’s home. "Damn, he’s got it good," he said aloud, then blushed as a young man with short blonde hair shot him an odd look.
"Can I help you?" he asked politely. Duo nodded.
"Yeah, I’m lookin’ for Heero," he said. "Short guy? Prussian blue eyes? Messy brown hair? Know him?" Ashura’s eyes narrowed.
"I do," he replied coolly.
Duo shifted his weight uncomfortably from foot to foot under the boy’s intense glare. "Um, do you know where he’s staying?"
"You can’t get in unless you have the Diamond Key anyway," Ashura said.
Duo reached behind his back and pulled out the Key, the sharp diamonds cutting into his palm. "I have the Key," he said, equally cold.
"Well then. I’ll show you to his room," Ashura sniffed, and spun on his heel. Duo had to run to keep up with him. What an asshole, Duo thought angrily at Ashura’s back. He reminded him too much of himself; calm and self-assured to a fault.
"This is Heero’s room," Ashura snapped, insinuating with a slight wriggle of his eyebrows that he knew him intimately. The thought made Duo seethe--Heero was trapped here with this oversexed monster?
Yech, Duo thought, disgusted, and had to clap a hand over his mouth as he saw Wufei being dragged off by a familiar looking leader of OZ... Duo smirked. There was something there...
Ashura glared at this interruption to his seduction of Heero. This braided baka dared challenge him? Every infinitesimal sway of his hips, every flutter of his eyelashes was charming, but Heero needed a real man to take him, not just a little boy playing at being grown up. Yet deep inside, he was worried by this Master. Usually the Masters were terribly old or ugly, unable to get a fuck anywhere else. They were also rich as all hell, and were too old to treat their Keys with disrespect. Ashura’s fondest memories were of his elderly Masters who demanded nothing from him, only drinking in his devotion like a sip of water from the mystical fountain of proverbial youth.
But this Master was not ugly. He was kinda cute, actually, if one tilted his head just so and the light hit his chestnut hair in a way that gave him golden highlights. Nothing spectacular, nothing like Heero. Now he was a beautiful specimen of the awkward transition from childhood to manhood. He remembered the way Heero had easily submitted beneath him, legs splayed out in an endearingly young way. He remembered the way Heero had shuddered beneath him as Ashura’s mouth worked over his cock. Of course, they hadn’t gone all the way--if Dominic had found out, he would have had Ashura flogged for taking something that was not his.
Duo watched the young Key battle with his emotions, eventually losing. "He’s inside," he said softly, his face softening in the soft shadows, then he disappeared down the hall, his steps a quick roll against the marble.
Trembling, Duo fit the Key inside the door. It popped ajar, but did not open.
This is it, he told himself, and closed his eyes, reaching out with one hand to push the heavy door all the way open.
Duo felt a fine tremor run up his arm, starting in his hands, which were still pressed against the large oak door, up to his elbow, making it wobble a bit, and then into his shoulder, where it wreaked havoc on the long nerve there, making his entire body tremble.
He couldn’t make himself look. He couldn’t make himself want to look; what if the boy he saw on the bed wasn’t actually Heero? More importantly, *what if it was*? He swallowed hard, resolving his courage, and slipped in through the body size crack now evident between the wall and the bolt.
He was greeted with a sight that was somewhat overwhelming at best. The entire room was looped with long bolts of fine blue silk of the brightest coloring; Duo whistled under his breath. Most definitely not cheap.
The entire room was centered around one huge four-poster bed, where a slight figure was nestled in the center of a large mound of blue coverlet. Not completely aware of what he was doing, Duo took a few steps forward, then paused, blinking at the loudness of his footsteps in the quiet room. He sniffed the air, catching a vague scent like wisteria or juniper; something delicate and heady.
Duo stopped at the foot of the bed, eyes wide as he glimpsed a tanned ankle emerging from the blue, only to dive back down deeper into the blankets. Deep in sleep, the figure writhed beneath the covers, wriggling in a way that was both tantalizing and extremely erotic. Daring to draw back the covers, a small smile appeared on his lips as he saw Heero’s face, lips slightly parted in an exhausted ‘o’, his long lashes brushing delicately against his cheek. His eyes had been outlined in some kind of blue pencil; Heero should have looked like, well, Heero in drag, except he looked more like some kind of exotic and sensual creature of the Seelie court, one of those virgin sacrifices given to Pagan gods. His ears were both pierced with diamond studs, sparkling in the low light of the room.
Duo bit his lip, a fine trickle of sweat coursing down his face, and pulled back the covers a bit farther, just enough to expose tanned broad shoulders and two caramel-colored nipples, pierced with silver hoops adorned with blue feathers. He probably stood there for several hours, just watching Heero sleep. He was always surprised at how well Heero slept; it seemed that though he had his own personal ghosts to haunt him, they stayed away from him at night. Duo envied him that.
But the moment was fated to end swiftly, it seemed, for suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Heero’s eyes immediately snapped open, and Duo found himself staring into those dark sapphire depths because of his close proximity. He could feel the fear rolling off Heero in great waves, and reached out a hand to touch his former partner. Heero winced and slid away from him, off the high bed and onto the floor. He wore a pair of blue silk pants that clung to his body in ways that Duo had never imagined, proving just how much he had previously unappreciated the fabric...
"Heero?" The young boy paused in his path to the door, and turned around, eyes slanted. "Duo." It was an acknowledgement, nothing more. Yet it was more than Duo had hoped for, in many ways. Usually Heero simply pretended that Duo didn’t exist--their contact was so sporadic that neither of them had gotten to know the other very well. The mere fact that Heero felt it necessary to speak to Duo was an accomplishment in itself.
"Do you have to get that?" Duo was surprised at the evenness of his voice; the sight of Heero padding around half-naked in front of him was doing very little to curb his teenaged hormones, even with the hormone suppressants that Howard had been secretly buying him off the black market. Damn if he would let a sudden growth spurt ruin his abilities to pilot the Deathscythe. It was made exactly for him; anyone even an inch taller or shorter would have severe problems piloting the Gundam.
Heero shifted uneasily. "Not if you don’t want me to," he replied, his eyes glaring at Duo, but his voice heavy with forced nonchalance. Duo watched him carefully, seeing his stiff movements, so unlike his usual fluid grace.
"Is there something wrong?" Duo asked, taking a step closer to Heero. The banging on the door resumed, and Heero moved to answer it.
Heero was fast, but Duo was faster, and he quickly slid in front of the ex-Gundam pilot, arms extended. "Why are you talking to me?" he demanded, now positive that something was up.
Heero snarled at him, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest. "Why do you think?" he snapped. "You own my Key, so you own me."
Duo blinked twice.
He opened his mouth to speak, but found that his voice had been mysteriously choked off.
"What?" he finally managed to say. Heero rolled his eyes in irritation, but deigned to reply.
"I’m a Key; I’m a *slave*," he said, slowly, as if speaking to a mentally deficient child. "You own my Key; I’m your slave. Got it?" He poked Duo firmly in the chest to reiterate.
Duo laughed. "I knew that! I’m not stupid--I know what the Palazzio’s all about." He laughed nervously, putting the lie to his show of bravado. "Besides," he added, shaking a finger at the Japanese boy, "you’re my slave, and you’re bossing me around? Get down on your knees and give me twenty, soldier!" Heero glared at him for a moment; the tension was palpable. Then, slowly, as if it pained him, he slid down to his knees and was about to start doing pushups when Duo stopped him with a firm shake.
"Stop, stop," he said hastily, drunk on his power trip. "I don’t understand. Why the clothes, then? Where’s your bed?" Heero’s eyes widened momentarily, and then he laughed.
The soldier who had known no joy in his entire existence threw back his head and laughed. It was a sweet sound, like the rich chords of a violin or a harp. "Keys are sex slaves, Duo."
Duo was again struck speechless. Then he blushed furiously from root to chin. "Oh," was all he managed to say, before a breathless Ashura burst into the room.
"Heero!" he cried, and suddenly Duo experienced a strange case of deja vu as the blonde boy ran over to the Japanese Key and gave him a quick hug and a pat on the butt. "I was so worried when you didn’t answer the door." Behind Heero’s back, Ashura made a face at Duo.
"I’m fine," Heero said dryly, and removed himself from Ashura’s tentacle-like grip. "Ash..." The blonde boy looked up so suddenly his metal headband slipped forward into his eyes. Blushing, he pushed it back up and then resumed his non-stop mental undressing of the Diamond Key.
"Would you mind?" he asked, just bordering on rudeness. The American smirked. "Duo and I have business to discuss." Ashura gaped at him; Heero suddenly realized what he’d said and tried to rephrase it so that the Key would understand. "My Master and I have some business to attend to," he said, his eyes wide. Ashura smiled, but it was thin-lipped, and the skin around his eyes tightened momentarily.
"Well," he finally said after making a great show of adjusting his shirt, "I’ll leave you two alone. Heero, the first time is always the most painful. Use the sunseed oil, it’ll help numb the pain. I’ll see you around," he added with a suggestive wink.
When the Emerald Key was finally gone, Duo breathed a sigh of relief. "Who the hell is that?"
Heero just shrugged. "Doesn’t matter. We’ve got to get out of here." His eyes focused suddenly on Duo and he ‘eeped’ softly. "*You’ve* got to get me out of here."
"Wait," Duo said, holding up a hand, "what was that business with the first--aah. Hehe..." He giggled nervously as the meaning set in slowly. "So you’ve never...?" Heero sniffed delicately.
"The war started before I was born," he said, as if it were an explanation all by itself. Seeing Duo’s mildly confused expression, he continued. "Who would I do it with, Duo? Relena?" They both snorted at the same time, and froze, tiny smiles starting on both of their lips.
"Well," Duo finally said, "let’s go get Wufei so we can get out of here." Heero nodded, letting his hands fall from being crossed at his chest to his side and winced as they hit the nipple rings. Duo leaned over and peered closely at them, eyes alight with discovery. "Don’t they hurt?" he asked, reaching out to touch one.
"Duo..."
The American pilot smiled. This was what he missed most about Heero. He knew the words that Heero would speak before Heero probably did.
"Omae o korosu."
"You go right ahead," Duo replied, and with that, they set out to find the missing pilot of Shenlong.
"Harder!" Wufei screamed, face red from exertion, as Treize made a grunting sound. "Hurry up, Treize! Oh, I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you!"
Treize made a face. "Please--don’t," he mumbled, gasping for breath as he loomed over the Chinese boy.
"I swear to God," Wufei shrieked, "if you can’t get these damn handcuffs off, I’ll kill you! Now hit them harder, dammit!" Treize began to strike the metal cuffs with a hammer again, sweatdropping. It probably hadn’t been very smart to leave the key in the box; how was he to know an overzealous servant would do some impromptu cleaning and the key would get thrown away?
"I’ll kill you? Hey, isn’t that your line, Heero?" Wufei looked up to see Heero, dressed like a...like a... He skipped trying to describe what Heero looked like in his mind and concentrated on the baka that was currently laughing at his situation.
"Hey, Wufei, never thought you’d be in this position, didja?" Duo fell over laughing, as if he’d just made a really funny joke. Heero and Wufei exchanged glances; whole colonies had bonded together in the face of the sick boy that was Duo Maxwell, let alone two Gundam pilots.
"Let’s go," Heero said, eyes boring holes into Duo’s head. "We need to get out of here, now before someone realizes that there’s two unauthorized Gundam pilots running around the Palazzio." Duo shrugged.
"But I’ve got the Diamond Key. Doesn’t that count for something?" he asked the ceiling. Wufei rolled his eyes.
"I would, except that this idiot here has handcuffed us together with no key." Wufei glared at Treize, who simply smiled serenely as if it were all part of his great plan.
"Well, we’ll just have to get them off," Duo decided, and suddenly Wufei found himself stuck beneath three young men, all trying to make him hold still, assuring him it wouldn’t hurt a bit--
"Well, well, well. Heero, I always thought you were the more private, one-on-one type." Ashura stood in the doorway, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Mind if I join the four-some?"
Duo and Heero both groaned silently. Ashura looked miffed at the non-response. He sniffed at Heero, as if to say, "Some friend you are!"; turning to face Duo, he stuck his tongue out at him and stalked off down the hallway.
"Well," Treize said after a moment. "That boy does not like you, 02."
"I have a name," Duo said sharply, rather annoyed at being referred to as a number. Treize smiled bemusedly. "It’s Duo Maxwell, and I don’t answer to any other." Wufei snickered; the light-haired leader of OZ yanked firmly on the chain holding them together and smirked as the Chinese pilot gave a cry of pain.
"Sadistic bastard," Wufei grumbled.
They all froze as heavy footsteps thundered down the hall, coming to a rest in front of the door. Treize’s eyes met Duo’s, and the two young men nodded at each other. Treize leaned down and kissed his captive, prying his lips open with his tongue, even as Duo was forcing Heero onto the bed, plying his mouth with soft kisses.
The door swung open, and Dominic froze at the sight of a gorgeous boy straddling Heero, the Key he lusted after. When Ashura had come running to him, angered at not being invited to join their little foursome, he’d been suspicious. But it seemed that with the once reticent Key had come to enjoy his Master’s attentions very much.
Dominic forced a grin. "Enjoy him, sir. He’s a beautiful thing, isn’t he?" Duo stopped ravaging Heero’s mouth long enough to mutter a yes and then went back to kissing Heero, who was spread-eagled beneath him, his wrists pinned tightly to the bed. Dominic allowed his gaze to linger a few moments before leaving in a hurry.
As soon as the door was shut, Duo and Treize let their reluctant partners up. Wufei lay in a pleasure-induced haze, his chest moving up and down rapidly with his quick breath. Heero leaned onto his elbows and stared at Duo. The baka American had enjoyed doing that to him, trying to annoy him again like he always did. And yet...
He’d enjoyed it too. Heero was always honest with himself, even if it was painful or embarrassing. He’d liked the feel of Duo’s mouth on his, the way he forced his mouth open so he could explore the deepest recesses of the darkness with his tongue.
Duo and Heero sat there, looking at each other for a very long moment. Then, almost hesitantly, Duo reached out and picked Heero’s hand up from the bed, cradling it in his own strong hands. Heero stared at the strange image, white intertwined with wiry tan, his hand in Duo’s.
As if waking up from a dream, he quickly tugged his hand from Duo’s and stomped out the door. Duo watched him go with a mixture of delight and fear, and turned a grinning face to Wufei and Treize.
"Well?" Duo said at last. Wufei shrugged, occupied with the general who was currently kissing a path down to his navel.
"Go after him," he suggested, and then his mouth too was occupied.
"You talk too much," the general of OZ said, and nipped lightly at his shoulder. Duo shivered and ran from the room; he liked Wufei, but that was *too* much...
The braided pilot felt the same apprehension he had before as he stepped up to the door, left ajar for him, presumably by Heero, and entered the room.
The lights had been dimmed low, and at first it was hard to navigate his way around the many decorative marble tables and other such hard objects that met painfully with his shins. After a few minutes, his eyes began to adjust and he saw the faint outline of Heero, lying on the bed.
"What was that?" Heero’s voice stopped him before he reached the bed. Duo swallowed; he’d thought Heero just wanted to...
Honesty is always best, Duo thought. "I like you," he said simply, reaching forward to touch Heero’s shoulder. He jerked away, eyes darkening.
"I don’t know if I like you," Heero said softly. Duo sat down beside him on the bed, just as he rose, staring off into the distance through the rose-colored glass panes of his windows. Without warning, strong hands pulled Heero onto the bed. The American smiled to himself in the warm dark and leaned down, kissing Heero gently. He kept it closed mouth at first, because he knew that Heero was probably too shy to take it further.
He could feel the heat rising off Heero’s body, bathing him in warmth like a thousand suns. Duo rolled over so that he laid on his side, touching but not smothering the silent Japanese teenager. His fingers longed to run over his bare arms, to caress the indentations of muscle and bone, to trace tiny circles onto the bare skin and feel him shiver. But they would have time later. Now, it was only about Heero’s mouth and the feel of his hands, sliding naturally along Duo’s back, making the American’s eyes clench shut in pleasure. His back had always been super-sensitive to touch, and combined with the fact that it was the boy he’d fantasized about for months doing it to him, Duo almost came right there as Heero groaned faintly into his mouth.
A knock at the door brought them both back to their senses. Heero rolled out from beneath Duo, who toppled face down onto the bed, huffing slightly as the air from his lungs was pushed out suddenly. Heero smoothed over his wild hair, which always looked like he’d just had sex, and pulled the door open. Duo snickered; he could tell from Heero’s non-expression exactly who it was...
"But you have to come to dinner," Ashura insisted. "You’ll meet the other Keys. Stick with me, there’s some of them that you don’t want to mess with..." Heero shot a look that seemed almost slightly apologetic at Duo and allowed himself to be led away by the blonde Key. He watched with a mixed feeling of horror and hysteria as Heero walked out of the room, leaving him alone, aroused, and unsatisfied.
Duo buried his face in one of the heavy feather pillows and screamed.
End Part One
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Ariana
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