Title: To Fly On Broken Wings - 3/?
Author: tkmaxwell777
Category: Shonen Ai/Yaoi
Pairings: 1+2, 3x4x3 (implied throughout fic), OC's+OC's
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I wished I owned them, but alas, poor heart, I do not... Bandai, Sotsu, and Sunrise do. Def Leppard owns the song 'Let's Get Rocked'
Warnings: Angst, Angst, and more Angst
Archived: You betcha! Thanks Lev... Love Ya!
The 'Crew' was met with loud cheers as they entered the club, and Heero felt a rush of excitement at the response they received just by walking in. It was amazing how he felt like he was part of it just because he was with the others; it felt good, even if he was a little embarrassed by the attention. Duo turned around beaming at them.
"Let's get a table in back."
"We don't normally need a table, D," Kyle yelled over the music.
"We will tonight," Duo shouted back then motioned to Heero. "Rhymin' 'Ro here doesn't do much dancing."
Heero raised an eyebrow. "And just how do know that hasn't changed?" he said loudly.
Duo gave him another searching look that Heero didn't know how to take. 'Come on, Duo. Give me a chance here,' Heero thought as Duo quickly turned to lead the way. He saw Kyle look at Duo. Then Kyle turned to give Heero a questioning glance. Heero shrugged to indicate that he didn't know what was going on either.
Kyle still didn't understand what was up with Duo. Heero hadn't done anything that Kyle could see to make Duo act like he was. For some reason, Kyle had a feeling there was some miscommunication going on here and that Duo was being stupid about something. He'd been friends with the longhaired boy long enough to know when Duo was upset about something and trying to hide it.
They found an open circular booth table, the music low enough in the back area that they could hear each other better. They all sat down, Heero by Kyle, Kyle by Jesse, Jesse by Cara, Cara by Toby, and Toby by Duo. Almost as soon as they were seated, Duo slid back out of his place and headed off for the bar. Apparently, the legal drinking age had been lowered to sixteen in Japan. Heero sat there feeling a little out of place for the first time since meeting all of them.
"So, Heero, how did you and Duo meet?"
Heero turned to Cara who was smiling brightly at him. It made him feel more at ease, and he found himself talking before he could stop himself. "We were in the war together. The first time we met, he shot me. Twice."
"Whoa!" Jesse exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "That's some way to become friends."
Kyle chuckled. "Sounds like love at first sight to me." Heero gave him a look that said 'don't go there', but Kyle only smiled. "All's fair in love and war, ne, Heero?"
"Weren't you guys a little young to be fighting?" Toby asked, rescuing Heero from Kyle's teasing. He was more interesting in finding out about Duo's past than his love life. Duo had never spoken of this to them, and it was intriguing to know that there was more to Duo than met the eye. They had all sensed that already. It was nice to know that they had been right.
"That's what made it so easy for us to fight," Heero explained, noticing how all four of them were giving him their undivided attention as he spoke. "OZ never would have suspected that teenagers would be so deadly. They sure as hell wouldn't have thought we could be Gundam pilots."
"You were Gundam pilots?" Kyle asked excitedly, no longer interested in the romantic side of the story. "You and Duo piloted those things?"
Heero nodded, suddenly confused. "I figured he would have regaled you with all of his deeds as 'Shinigami', the God of Death. You mean he never told you about it?"
Cara shook her head. "No. He never talks about his past."
"Maybe he just wants to forget about it, yanno?" Toby said sadly.
"I can understand that," Heero admitted, "but still, it's a part of our lives, something we have to accept and live with. We fought for peace. We should be proud of that." It had taken Heero a long time to be able to feel that way about it, but he'd figured Duo had done it a long time ago.
Everyone nodded in agreement. The conversation died when Duo reappeared with a tray full of drinks.
"So, what did I miss?"
"Heero was telling us about how you guys met," Kyle supplied helpfully, noting the other boy's reaction.
Duo's face went pale. "Oh." He looked over at Heero questioningly.
Heero was getting more and more frustrated at Duo's behavior. It was one thing for the pilot to be standoffish about their romantic involvement; it was another for him to hide how their friendship began.
"I told them that you shot me. I told them we were Gundam pilots. I was just getting ready to tell them about Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei... unless you're ashamed to call them friends, too."
Duo stiffened at Heero's words. He saw the anger blazing in those cobalt blue eyes...and maybe a little hurt? Duo suddenly realized what he had been doing ever since they'd arrived at the club. 'I wanted one more evening with Heero as my friend, but I'm letting my feelings get in the way. Even if he doesn't want a relationship, his friendship is something I want to keep, isn't it? I shouldn't ruin that unless I absolutely have to, right?' Duo sighed.
"I'm not ashamed, Heero. I just didn't tell them because I wanted everyone to accept me for who I am now, not hang around me because of what I used to be. It would be so easy to make friends that way, but then they wouldn't really be friends, would they? Do you understand?"
Heero calmed at the other boy's words. It did make sense. "I'm sorry, Duo. I guess you didn't think that I'd want anyone to know either, but you have to understand that I'm not who I used to be, any more than you are. We've both changed, and even though we've been friends for a long time, we have to get to know each other all over again when it comes to some things."
Duo shook his head and smiled a real smile. "I guess we both have changed. Since when did you start talking so much? I can't seem to get a word in edge-wise since you got here." He winked at Heero, and both of them relaxed for the first time since Heero had arrived at Duo's apartment.
Heero smiled back. "Baka. Don't make me 'Omae O Korosu' you."
"What does that mean?" Jesse asked curiously.
"It means 'I'm going to kill you', a favorite phrase of his," Duo replied happily. "It's something he used to say to me all the time when I wouldn't shut up and quit bothering him. Like I would do that."
"Oh no, not you, Duo," came Toby's voice coolly, making everyone laugh. Duo sat down, finally enjoying himself. He looked over at Heero and saw that the other boy was smiling too.
"Did he tell you that my Gundam was the most bad-assed piece of gundanium in the colonies?"
When everyone shook their heads, Duo began relating the specifications of Deathscythe Hell. Heero listened intently, letting Duo's enthusiastic voice wash over him. He had missed him so much. As he sat there and watched the animated boy tell about all of the pilots and their Gundams, he realized that he wouldn't ever be happy without Duo; Duo made his world complete. He laughed along with everyone when Duo began telling how he'd painted Wufei's Shenlong with bright yellow smiley faces one April Fool's Day, how he'd put a 'L1 or Bust' sign on Wing's back before one of the missions, and how he'd talked Quatre into letting him rewire Sandrock to accommodate a karaoke machine. By the time he had finished the last story, Cara and Toby were in tears.
"Man, sounds like you guys had a blast!" Toby said as he wiped his eyes.
Duo looked at Heero, and Heero saw something flicker in Duo's eyes as he spoke. "We had our moments, but there was more pain than fun, Toby. Death is not something that's easy to inflict on others, no matter what cause you're fighting for. Even though I'd do it all over again if I had to, I still regret every life I had to take. It's not about glory or fame, but about doing it so no one else had to do it. I did it so you guys would never have to know what it was like, even though I didn't know you yet."
"And we love ya for it, D," Kyle said solemnly. "The sacrifices you made gives us the freedom we have, and I think we should live everyday like it might be taken away the next, yanno? Live life with no regrets."
Duo looked around the table and saw each head nod in agreement, including Heero's. He felt free for the first time in a long time. "Don't get me wrong. They were the best days of my life. Even with all of the bad stuff, I met Heero and the guys, which more than made up for it." He looked at Heero and smiled.
Heero could read what Duo was trying to say in those violet depths; Duo still cared for him, even loved him, regardless of how he was behaving. Heero didn't understand why Duo was being so distant, but he vowed to get past it and make Duo understand that he loved him too. He tried to convey it back to Duo with his own cobalt blues, willing Duo to see the truth there.
Duo felt his heart constrict at the emotion that was shining in Heero's eyes back at him. He wanted to believe what he saw, wanted to more than anything he'd ever wanted before. He gave Heero a blinding smile that tried to make up for how he been acting before. Heero seemed to understand, for he smiled back and nodded slightly. Duo suddenly felt like everything was going to be okay.
"Come on, Duo, let's dance!" Cara exclaimed happily. Duo found his self being pushed out of his seat then pulled along by Cara through the crowd toward the dance floor.
Heero watched them go. Toby and Jesse soon joined them, leaving Heero alone with Kyle. He watched the other boy as he looked toward the others. "You don't have to stay here with me, Kyle. Go out there and dance if you want to."
Kyle looked back at Heero intently. "Actually, I want to talk to you now that the others aren't here."
"Okay."
Kyle smiled at the one word answer. He liked Heero and could see exactly what Duo saw in him. "What's going on with you and Duo? Are you staying with him? I know it's none of my business, but he's my friend, and he's been acting different tonight."
Heero looked into cool green eyes that reminded him of another boy he'd trusted with his life. Somehow he knew he could trust this boy too. "When the war ended, Duo told me he loved me. I couldn't accept it then, but I've come to realize recently that I love him too. He gave me a letter to open when I did believe in his feelings for me. It told me to come and see him if I wanted a life with him."
"Is that why you were here last night? Why didn't you tell him it was you dancing with him then?"
Heero felt his face flush. "I came here last night to catch a glimpse of him, to sort of give me the courage to see him. I couldn't help myself when I saw him dancing. I just had to be near him, even if he didn't know I was the one dancing with him. I wanted to talk to him first. I wanted to surprise him with the changes in me. I was really cold to him during the war. I had to be in order to survive."
Kyle nodded. "I understand. And you wanted it to be more than just a possible coincidence. You wanted him to know you were coming to see him just because you love him."
"Yes, but for some reason, he keeps pushing me away. I don't know what's going on either, and I don't know what to do about it. I'm not staying with him. I'm at the Regent Hotel, but I was hoping..." Heero let the rest of the sentence go unspoken.
Kyle furrowed his brows. He could hear the frustration in Heero's voice, and he couldn't blame him for it; Duo was infuriating when he was being stubborn about something. Kyle could tell that Duo loved Heero; he could see it in Duo's eyes. So what was the problem?
"I don't know what to say, Heero. I've never seen him act like this." Kyle suddenly chuckled. "Of course, that could be a good thing. I've never seen him in love either, and this might be how he acts when he is."
Heero smiled in spite of himself. "Thanks, Kyle. I don't know what for, but thanks anyway."
They laughed softly, both of them feeling a friendship forming. Both their gazes traveled to take in the forms of their friends. Toby and Jesse had joined Duo and Cara, and they were all dancing together. Heero let his eyes roam over the boy he loved. Duo's lithe body flowed with the music, moving in time with the others. Cara had turned to face Jesse, and Toby was now facing Duo. Heero felt a slight twinge of jealousy at the sight.
"I swear, if he gets any sexier, I don't think I'll be able to take it," Kyle whispered softly.
Heero looked at him, puzzled as he noticed that the other boy was looking in Duo's direction. "I think you'd better find a way, because I'd hate to kill you over him."
Kyle gave Heero a confused look then laughed when he realized what Heero was talking about. "I didn't mean Duo."
Heero relaxed, feeling stupid for assuming he'd meant Duo. "Sorry. Guess I'm a little insecure right now. It makes me jealous just seeing Toby out there with him."
"Me too, only for a different reason."
Knowing looks passed between the two boys, and Heero nodded. "How long have you loved him?"
Kyle sighed, looking at the redhead dancing. "I don't know. We grew up together, but somewhere along the line, friendship changed to something else." He snorted. "Of course, I should just give that up."
"Why?"
"Look at him!" the green-eyed boy motioned with his hand toward the dance floor. Toby's shoulder length curly red hair was flying around him as he moved in time with Duo, his body sleek and toned. "He's so hot, he makes fire seem cold. How could he ever want me?"
Heero smiled. "I used to think the same way about Duo. During the war, he would tease me and try to get me to open up to him, but I was afraid because I thought once he knew me, he wouldn't want me anymore. I thought he was too alive for me. I was wrong, Kyle. I think you are too."
"Yeah, right. I mean, it's not like he can't get any guy in here."
"But he's here with us. Don't you think that says something? I haven't seen him go up to anyone else tonight, have you?" Heero asked, trying to give Kyle some hope.
Kyle shook his head. "No, but he does sometimes. He loves attention."
"Sounds like someone else I know," Heero chuckled. "Why don't you just go dance with him?"
Kyle gave him an unsure look, then smiled. "I will, if you'll dance with Duo."
Heero sighed heavily. He'd seen that coming, but for some reason, he was still nervous. He looked at Duo again out on the floor and felt his pulse quicken. It was time to enlighten the other boy. "Okay, let's go."
They made their way to the floor, both giving the other looks of encouragement along the way. By the time they reached their intended partners, the music had changed once again. 'Let's Get Rocked' pounded over the speakers, providing a driving beat and guttural vocals by Def Leppard.
Heero touched Duo's shoulder. The longhaired boy turned, surprise evident on his face when he realized who was cutting in. He smiled and began moving in front of Heero to the beat. Heero looked over to see that Kyle had successfully maneuvered Toby to dancing with him too. He turned his attention back to Duo and began moving with him to the music.
Duo didn't know what to think. Heero was dancing with him! 'And he's damn good at it too,' he observed silently as he watched the dark haired boy gyrate in sync with him. Duo felt his heartbeat speed up as Heero moved closer to him.
//Seven day weekend, up all night, in at the deep in, hang on tight, won't take a minute, won't take long, so get on with it, come on, come on, come on//
Heero felt his self being pulled by an unseen force to Duo. He was soon brushing up against the other boy, relishing in the little shocks of excitement each touch caused. He noticed that Duo was looking at him with something in his eyes that Heero had never seen before for what it was...pure desire. It made him harden just seeing it in those violet depths. He wanted Duo so badly; he didn't know how much longer he could hold out. He reached out his hands and grasped Duo's hips, pulling the other boy the rest of the way against him. It felt so right. He could feel Duo's answering arousal pressing against his leg as he ground against the longhaired boy.
//Let's go all the way, get it night and day, come on, let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked//
Duo could barely breathe. Heero was fully against him, and he felt Heero's rock hard erection as they moved against each other. His body responded happily, and he felt his determination from earlier evaporate as his hormones evicted his brain. He moaned as Heero leaned forward and claimed his lips in a scorching kiss. He melted against Heero, his arms going around the dark haired boys shoulders as Heero pulled him completely into his arms. It felt better than anything Duo had ever felt before. The kiss they had shared months ago paled in comparison with what Heero was doing to his mouth now. When Heero licked his bottom lip, Duo could only groan and open his mouth to welcome the other boy's tongue inside. They explored each other's mouths as their bodies continued to 'bump and grind'.
Kyle watched Heero tap Duo to get his attention. He hesitantly did the same to Toby. When Toby turned to give him a puzzled look, he smiled invitingly. "I think Heero just stole your partner. Wanna slide with me?" He watched the surprise register on Toby's face and felt like kicking himself. This was a bad idea.
Toby looked at his best friend and felt his heart leap. They used to dance together all the time, but that had changed when Toby had told everyone that he had discovered that he preferred guys. Kyle had been so distant since then, and Toby had been afraid that the other boy was avoiding him. He was afraid that Kyle was uncomfortable around him now, but that didn't make any sense to him since Kyle accepted Duo completely and was at ease around him. The fact that Kyle was asking him to dance made him smile.
"Only if you think you can keep up. It's been a while. You may be rusty."
Kyle's smile broke out like the sun from behind the clouds. "Are you kidding? I think you'd better be worried about keeping up with me."
Kyle stepped closer to the red haired boy, placing his hands on his hips as he began moving in time with him. Soft brown eyes twinkled at him as they began the intricate dance steps they had taught each other. It had been a long time, but neither one faltered as they gracefully performed what they called 'the easy slide'. It was a mixture of mambo, techno, and bump and grind. They smiled at each other as they fell into the old rhythm, delighting in the fact that they could so easily.
Toby hadn't felt so alive in so long. He loved how Kyle danced with him; he had missed it a lot. As he felt Kyle's body brush up against him, he was suddenly aware of two things: one, Kyle had only gotten better looking in the past couple of years, his dark brown hair falling into his eyes, but shorter in back, his eyes shining with mischief; and two, his body was responding in a sexual way to his best friend because he found Kyle so attractive. He looked into dark green depths and felt like he was being pulled into a deep forest where he would never escape. He was shocked to realize he didn't care if he didn't.
Kyle felt the change in Toby's movements. He looked questioningly into the other boy's eyes and couldn't believe what he saw in them...attraction. He was sure of it. Toby was looking at him like he was a drowning man and Kyle was the only glass of water on earth. He held his breath as Toby seemed to lean towards him, but before he got any closer, Kyle saw abrupt movement out of the corner of his eye that made him turn away. He saw Duo pull away from Heero, say something heated, and then storm out of the club. Heero was standing there, a stunned expression on his face until he too stalked off the floor and left. Kyle was so focused on the other boys, he didn't see the look of rejection flash in Toby's brown eyes nor see the other boy disappear into the crowd.
Heero felt like he was in heaven. He reluctantly pulled his mouth away from Duo's to let them breathe for a moment. Duo's eyes opened to reveal shining violet, glittering with passion. Heero couldn't believe how it made him feel. He began a seductive sway, sliding against Duo, running his hands over the longhaired boy's body. He then moved behind him, grabbing hold of Duo's hips again like he had the night before, grinding himself into Duo's ass as he pressed completely against him. He laid his head on Duo's shoulder as he thrust against him with the beat.
Duo watched Heero move and was amazed. If someone had told him, he never would have believed it until he saw it with his own eyes. Heero was the epitome of sensuality on the dance floor. Duo could have just watched him forever. When Heero pressed his body against him, Duo quickly amended that thought; he wanted to do a lot more than watch. He felt a little warning bell ring in his head, but as he watched Heero move behind him, he disconnected it mentally and let his body take over again.
Heero kissed Duo's neck as he danced with him from behind. Duo leaned back into him, placing his hands on Heero's thighs like he had the night before. Heero felt himself get even harder, if it were possible, and groaned as Duo moved his hands up to squeeze his ass. He felt like he was on fire wherever Duo touched him, and being burned had never felt so good. He moved his hands under Duo's shirt to rub the other boy's chest, gaining moans from Duo as he did. Suddenly, Duo tensed, and Heero felt a sense of foreboding. Had he gone too far? When Duo pulled away he could see the anger clearly on the other boy's face and instantly knew why.
Duo was lost in sensation. Heero felt so good, and what the dark haired boy was doing to his body made him feel even better. It was at that moment that Duo's brain decided to reconnect. The warning bell from earlier rang out loud and clear, and Duo suddenly became aware of the reason. This was too familiar. In fact, if he didn't know better, he would have sworn that he had just done this with Heero...last night? The shock of realization made Duo stiffen in Heero's arms. 'Son of a bitch! It was him...it was him all along...' Duo pulled away and turned to look at Heero and saw the confirmation in the other boy's eyes.
"It was you last night!" Duo shouted furiously. He watched as Heero closed his eyes briefly then nodded as he stared back at him. Duo felt betrayed, but the anger he felt was directed more at himself than at Heero. He had forgotten what mattered. Heero still hadn't mentioned the letter, or told him he loved him, but here he was dancing with him like some slut in heat. Duo felt his heart break. "You fucking bastard!" he screamed, tears threatening. "Damn you, Heero. Damn you!" He knew he had to get away. Before Heero had a chance to say anything, Duo ran out.
Heero stood there, knowing that he had just lost the only person he ever loved. With a heavy heart, he walked away... away from the club... away from the crew... away from life. He would never truly live it again. He would never be able to without Duo.
End Part 3
(:./tk/fly3)
