All disclaimers apply to everything Gundam Wing related. I must make it very clear that the main theme and story line of this fanfic came from Samantha Day's Harlequin Romance novel called "A Love to Last". I own nothing involving those similarities and parallels. Hey, we all need to read trashy romance novels now and then, ne?
The warnings for this fic contain a very, very strong AU. This story does not follow the GW timeline what so ever and it is more plausible to say it's set in our current century, perhaps even this year. There is a slight bit of angst, but more so of sap. I also have to put in an OOC warning for Heero. As the story progresses, I think he will become a little less himself and more the man I need him to be to move the reader and story. Oh, and of course, we couldn't have a trashy romance novel spin-off without a lemon (actually Day's version of this story has nothing more than a slight lime hint).
Eventually Heero became aware of the water mattress rolling underneath him, of another presence in the room with him. His dark fan of lashes opened quickly to reveal his deep blue eyes and Heero inhaled sharply. Duo was sitting on the bed beside him.
Somewhat startled by it, Heero blinked wearily up at him, eyes wide. "W-what?"
There was a smile in Duo's voice as if Heero's weariness amused him... just like every other thing Heero had done since they had met. "Dinner's ready," he said while standing up. Heero tensed as the waves rolled him slightly. "Five minutes," Duo said with his back turned to Heero and walked out the door.
With heavy lids, Heero trudged into the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and cupped his hands, splashing a few handfuls of water upon his weary face. Looking in the mirror, Heero noticed the sickness and fatigue were very visible. With a tiny shrug, he turned from the mirror and headed for the kitchen.
Duo had already set the dining table by the time Heero got into there. The hearty smell of a home cooked meal filled Heero's nostrils and tempted his taste buds. A small fire was warming in the grate. Even the crackling of the wood couldn't muffle the sound of harsh winter wind pelting the windows from outside.
Duo turned away from the counter, an ornate dish of chicken in his hands. "Have a seat," he indicated with a tilt of his head towards the table.
With the dog lying in the archway to the kitchen, Heero skirted by it, making sure not to disturb its slumber. Heero pulled out a chair, not feeling particularly up to a meal, yet still hoping to do some sort of justice to the spread Duo had laid out.
The boneless chicken was roasted in a rich blend of spices. Heero looked over the table to see scallop potatoes, assorted vegetables, and stuffed onions. In the center of the table stood a bottle of red wine open and ready to be served.
"You must be a very good cook. This looks delicious." However, at the moment, Heero's stomach really wasn't up to the challenge.
Duo shrugged, "When you live alone, you get a chance to experiment a lot. It usually depends on how busy I am," Duo said as he served the food onto Heero's plate.
"Are you painting anything right now?" Heero hoped to God not. He would feel even guiltier if he knew he had interrupted not only Duo's privacy, but work as well.
"Lately I've been working on a series of wood owls, but I was forced to take a few days off so that I could tend to some business off the island. That's where I had been when you reached the cabin and Reyn left me a message on the answering machine. Otherwise I would have told her what a bad idea it was for you to try to stay in that cabin." Duo took a sip of the wine.
"I wouldn't have come, but Reyn pestered me into it and assured me it would be alright." After the stiff attitude Duo had given Heero at first, he wasn't quite ready to offer an apology for his intrusion.
"Reyn is always full of great ideas," Duo absently forked at this vegetables, "but she never really stops to think about consequences. Anyone else would have realized that the cabin is in no condition for anyone to recuperate in, especially during this time of year. She's been calling every ten minutes to make sure you're ok." Duo slightly frowned.
Heero slid a chunk of chicken across his plate, suddenly wishing he had kept his resolve and not listened to Reyn's "bright idea" about the cabin. Knowing he had interrupted and annoyed Duo was eating away at him. He didn't want to owe this stranger anything. Duo had felt he must take Heero in due to the standards, and that debt made Heero feel uncomfortable to no limits.
Duo went to refill his glass with wine, "Would you like some?"
Heero didn't really drink, but he thought he needed something to take his mind of the situation. He picked up his glass and tilted it towards the bottle, "I think I would."
Heero took a swallow; it was quite tasteful and delicious.
"It's a nice dinner," Heero commented. Indeed it was. However, with being sick, Heero really had no appetite whatsoever.
"Thanks." Duo's smile was slow and charming, but his sharp amethyst eyes missed nothing. "If you're full, don't try to force yourself to eat. I know you're sick, I won't be offended, you know?" Duo laid down his own fork and knife.
"It's not that," Heero took a sip of whine, "I've found I don't seem to be all that hungry these days." Heero shrugged, "I'm not much of a cook and it's quicker just to make some soup or eat out."
"Isn't there some pretty little thing eager to cook for you?" Duo's voice was light and teasing.
Frowning, Heero sat down his wineglass. He stared at the tiny red ripples as they receded through the wine. "I don't need a woman to look after me, Duo. Believe it or not, I'm a big boy."
"Is that so?" Duo mused with a humored look on his face.
"What about you," he attempted to turn the tides, "why are you alone?" Heero's fingers leisurely ran up and down the stem of his wineglass as he awaited Duo's retort.
Duo's smile briefly faltered at the edges, almost invisible. The usual gleam swirling through the centers of Duo's eyes dissipated. For some reason, Heero thought he resembled broken glass.
"I had someone once," Duo looked down at his plate, his appetite suddenly gone, and took a long swallow from his wine.
Heero realized that was as far as that subject would breach with Duo. The hidden expression said more than what the artist had even thought about voicing. He watched as Duo's throat muscles lethargically moved with the consumption of the flavorful liquid. Duo sat down the empty glass.
"How long have you known my sister?"
Heero looked up from his contemplation of the wine, "About two years now. When she first came on the team, I was the pilot instructed to train her. She's a good pilot," Heero noted absently.
Duo looked off in some far corner of the kitchen, a tiny smirk gracing his mouth, "And you didn't fall head over heels for Reyn?"
Heero propped his elbow up on the table and rested his chin in the crook of his hand, staring down at the still full plate of food in front of him, "Reyn's great and everything... my best friend."
"But...?" Duo finally turned to look straight at Heero.
"She's not my type," Heero said, taking a long swallow of wine.
Duo tilted his head, both corners of his mouth turning up to eliminate the smirk and morph into a smile, "Then what is your type?"
Heero frowned. Just as he opened his mouth to reply, a vision of cascading amethyst velvet clouded his head. He blinked several times, watching the deep colored ripples flow over one another... until finally, the picture faded away and he found himself looking straight into Duo's eyes.
Heero closed his mouth, swallowing hard, and then opened it again. His eyes delved deep into Duo's smiling face.
"I don't know," Heero said, grasping up his glass of wine and drinking the last few drops.
Heero settled himself onto the couch in front of the fire, watching the embers spark against the grate. In the kitchen he could hear plates and silverware clinking as Duo put away the dishes into the washer. Heero's eyes trailed over Saka as she padded quietly into the kitchen, the aftermath sounds of dinner attracting her attention. Heero followed the hypnotic swish of the dog's tail until Saka had turned around the corner and disappeared. The tinkling of glass stopped.
"Leftovers, Saka?" Heero leaned his head back against the armrest, stretching out and listening to Duo baby his pet.
Heero heard the faint scraping of a utensil against a plate, "Here girl- eat up."
Heero rolled onto his side, watching the flames weave an erotic gypsy dance over the logs. Slowly Heero's eyelids began to feel heavy. He shut his eyes, the clank of Duo's cleaning dripping into background clamor until a soft black consumed him.
Heero felt a strong arm slide behind his neck and another in the crook of his knees. Blearily, he opened his eyes as he felt himself being lifted. He blinked up into the shining orbs so very close to his.
"Duo, put me down," he commanded, his voice thick with sleep.
Duo's teeth flashed brilliant white against the dark lighting. "S'ok, Heero," he spoke in a soft soothing tone, "I'll just tuck you in and leave you to sleep."
It was only vaguely surprising to Heero that he wasn't panicking to escape Duo's arms. After all, he was so very tired, too sleepy too struggle. There didn't seem to be any threatening feeling in Duo's strong arms holding him close, or the feel of Duo's cotton shirt rubbing against Heero's cheek.
Must be the wine Heero heard himself say inside his head.
Duo propped Heero's head onto his shoulder and used his now free arm to turn down the covers on the waterbed. Gently he placed Heero on the mattress and pulled the covers tightly around his neck. Duo stared down softly at Heero, his violet-blue eyes luminous in the lamplight.
"In the morning I'm going home," Heero mumbled, pressing his face closer into the warmth of the feather pillow.
"Go back to sleep, Heero. We'll talk about it tomorrow." Duo's lean fingers lightly brushed Heero's cheek as he drew away, turning off the bedside lamp and fading into the shadows. Heero heard the almost inaudible click of the bedroom door shutting.
Maybe he's not as bad as I initially thought. Heero yawned. I could learn to like him...
Heero ran his fingertips over the cheek Duo had brushed, suddenly much too weary to think.
A lot.
In the morning Heero awoke refreshed and revitalized. All the sleep he had got and the warm interior of Duo's house had done him well. Heero showered luxuriously, taking time to let the steam creep over his worn joints and letting the water massage his tight muscles. He dressed in comfortable black slacks and a roll-neck royal blue sweater. Heero was clasping his watch as he walked into the living room. Looking up, he saw Duo was already awake.
Duo was seated on the couch, his long legs propped up on the coffee table and sporting straight-legged loose fitting khakis. His upper body was hidden behind a newspaper, his fingers gripping the sides a little too tightly. A gleam of silver around one finger caught Heero's attention.
A wedding band.
"Good morning, Heero," Duo said without lowering the paper or giving any indication that he had actually heard Heero enter the room.
"Ohayo." Heero stepped completely out of the hallway into the living room. Duo lowered the paper, revealing a very form-fitting black V-neck sweater. Heero's eyes traveled up to Duo's face, noting the black rimmed glasses that somehow managed to make Duo look even more appealing.
Duo stretched forward, lying the glasses and newspaper on top of the coffee table.
"Would you like some coffee?"
"No thanks," Heero said as he made his way across the room, seating himself in the loveseat farthest away from the dog. As Heero sat he could have sworn he heard Duo snicker, but looking up, Duo's face looked strangely neutral.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Duo said, leaning deep into the couch cushions until his chin rested on his chest.
"Better. I'll be able to go home today."
Duo brought his hand up and brushed his bangs away from his face, Heero's eyes were mesmerized by the twinkle of the silver wedding band.
"I wanted to talk to you about that."
Heero looked up from eyeing the ring, "What?"
"Your leaving."
Heero's posture uncoiled a little. For a second he though Duo was referring to the ring... and for some reason the thought of discussing Duo's marital status didn't appeal to him.
"Don't worry, I'm fine now," Heero crossed his legs leisurely, "I'll be catching the twelve o'clock ferry back to the mainland."
"Heero," Duo started, sitting himself upright and on the edge of the couch, "I want you to stay."
Heero blinked, "No really, I'm fine-"
"I want to paint you," Duo interrupted abruptly.
Heero opened and closed his mouth, trying to get something to come out until finally, "You want to... what?"
"Paint you," Duo said while standing up, "I'd like to do a painting of you and Saka together," Heero's eyes darted over to the sleeping dog by the hearth, "There's an uncanny likeness between you two that I would like to bring out on canvas."
Heero's eyebrows knitted together, "You want to paint me because I look like a dog?"
Duo chuckled richly, "I didn't mean it like that," Duo's squinted his eyes, looking deeply into Heero's pupils, "It's the eyes." Duo nodded, "I could make it work. And after all this time of drawing nothing but wildlife, a human should prove quite challenging."
"No, Duo, I really have to be getting back." Heero shook his head.
"I don't see why," Duo began pacing the room, it was only then that Heero realized his hair wasn't in the braid he had seen it in all the times before. Instead, it was in a low ponytail, the loose hair sweeping against his lower thighs as he walked.
"I'm sure you had planned on staying at the cabin more than a few days. And being in that condition, I know you have to have plenty of sick leave."
"About one month," Heero began, "But-"
"I'm serious, Heero," he turned and squared off to Heero, "I want to paint you. Don't you think you owe me one?"
Heero looked down, this was the part he had dreaded... realizing that he did owe Duo something for interrupting his privacy and taking advantage of his hospitality.
Heero didn't want to succumb to the feeling of obligation churning inside of himself, "I thought you only did wildlife."
"Saka is kind of wild," they both looked at the dog flopped on its back with its paws twitching to a dream. Duo grinned, "Sometimes." He looked back to Heero, "And I think you're definitely wild underneath all that ice."
Duo smirked.
Heero frowned.
It was an uneasy thought, to think he would be spending the next few days in the company of no one other than Duo Maxwell. It was even more disturbing to think that he would have to sit for hours under the stare of those intense velvet eyes as Duo painted. All Heero wanted to do was return to the base on the mainland and to his quaint little apartment with Reyn. However, sadly he had to admit that he did owe at least this much to Duo. Heero looked down at his hands in his lap and sighed, eyeing Duo through a sidelong glance.
"As soon as you finish the painting, I'm leaving."
Duo clapped his hands together in front of his chest, "Great! It's settled then. Now what would you like for breakfast?"
Just as he suspected, Heero was very uncomfortable. His senses were very aware of Duo's deep, contemplating stares as he studied every curve and slope of Heero's face. When Duo would draw, his brows would cut down deep, giving him a frigid, distant look. Just when Heero was sure the preliminary sketches were never going to end, Duo crossed the room to stand directly in front of him.
Frowning, Duo took Heero's chin in between his thumb and forefinger, tilting his face towards the light. Heero's muscles jumped, straining not to pull away from Duo's touch. Duo's brows cut deep again, something Heero had identified as his deep-thinking look.
"You have a beautiful face," Duo said, sounding distant and as if he was talking to himself.
"It has a distinct shape," his voice was airy as his fingers traced the curve of Heero's chin and jawbone, "Your eye's like an animal's." Heero frowned, "Dog's," Duo amended, "A grown dog usually shows self-assurance and hides their raging tendencies deep behind their eyes... only to be released when provoked."
Heero raised his chin and stared into Duo's amethyst pools with half-lidded eyes, "Yes- and this doesn't help."
Duo laughed and took a step back, his fingers fleetingly dancing over Heero's cheek as he removed his hand, "You bite, Heero?"
"Only when 'provoked'," Heero said, still looking at Duo with half-mast eyes and a straight face.
Duo shrugged, "Don't worry, you'll get used to the sittings after a few times. It will eventually feel like you're just getting your picture taken. Just think of me as the camera... I'll blend into the background, become part of the furniture." Duo winked, turning to walk over to his sketches and look them over.
Heero decided Duo was too vibrant to ever become "part of the furniture." His every move, breath, unintentionally screamed "notice me." Duo was a hypnotic force, whether he realized it or not. Heero watched with avid eyes as Duo crouched down, lying the sketches out across the floor. He stood, turning to face Heero again.
"I'm feeling a bit stiff, how about you?"
Heero nodded.
"How's a nice walk sound?"
"Sounds good. I'll get our coats," Heero said.
The air outside on the coast of the island was thick and humid. It clung and grasped at Heero's skin, pooling into tiny droplets along his brow and in his hair. His usual fly-this-way-and-that hair was clinging to his crown, dripping down into his eyes and tickling his nose.
Saka ran circles around them as they walked, running ahead every few steps to sniff the air or bark at a gull.
The beach was quiet, yet at the same time loud. There weren't any people for as far as Heero could see, but the waves and calls of the birds made up for the lack of human noise.
They walked side by side, Duo's hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. Heero eyed him off and on with sidelong glances, sneaking casual looks. Duo's sculpted chin was raised up, his eyes soft and hypnotic as he looked out far over the terrain. In Heero's mind, he was sure Duo was painting the landscape or perhaps the overhead birds.
Just then, Saka barked loudly, trailing after a hawk as it swooped down like a spear of color and snatched up a freshly caught fish from a gull on the beach. It glided off into the distance, Saka lazily barking in the air but remaining where she stood.
"Thief," Heero squinted his eyes, watching the bird blur into the horizon.
"Opportunist," Duo tilted his chin, his eyes half closed and a strikingly charming smirk playing over his lips.
"Optimist," Heero huffed, watching his breath coil in the air.
"Yes," Duo said, lifting his chin higher into the air and breathing in deeply. He looked Heero over through his slit eyes, "You're getting soaked."
"So are you," Heero said sounding miffed. The tiny rivulets of water sparkled and glistened on Duo's face and hair, the humidity making waves in his ponytail. Duo shrugged, a bead of water rolling off the tip of his nose and pinging onto the collar of his jacket.
"Let's be heading back then," Duo turned on his heel to face the direction of the house.
"I'm not glass, Duo," Heero said, crossing his arms over his chest, "don't treat me so fragile."
"You've been sick and you're still a recovering patient. We're going back." Before Heero could retort, Duo brought two fingers up to his mouth and whistled. A loud bark was heard and then the thudding of large feet as the husky climbed up the shore to where they waited. Heero stood en
tranced for a few seconds, watching Duo's lips unwrap from his own fingers and the hand become stuffed back into his coat pockets.
The dog ran past them like a streak, making its way back to the house.
Heero blinked as a few moisture drops fell into his eyes. Duo grabbed Heero's arm at the elbow, imploring him to begin the walk back.
"Let's follow Saka's example," Duo said, tugging Heero in step beside him.
Heero frowned, being pulled alongside, "Duo Maxwell, I don't think I like you very much."
Duo smiled, somehow the smile seemed... sad? to Heero, "Then that would make two of us."
Heero's frown deepened, creasing his brows, "I suppose you don't like me much either."
Duo didn't answer.
It wasn't until they reached the back porch that Duo let go of Heero's arm... which Heero had forgotten he was holding. For some reason, it hadn't seemed out of place at all. Heero watched as Duo bent down, untying and slipping out of his shoes. He picked them up and slid the glass door open, murmuring something breathlessly as he reentered the house.
Heero blinked. Why had Duo said "Time." ???
End Part 2
Well that's all for now. I've got to do something to get the song Cure for the Itch by Linkin Park outta my head. Hmph, that sounds a little ironic...
Kirei
Please send comments to: kirei_tenshi@hotmail.com