As you can see, I've had a lot of time to putter around Quatre's library. I'm not puttering now, 'cause I just found out it's the Americans' fault.

Yup, sometime around the millennial turn, somebody or somebodies added a twist to the old masculine repertoire. Some think it was from politics, others from all the corporate mergers going on. Or maybe the sports teams, still mostly men back then, celebrating their victories. In any case, a new gesture of friendship, acceptance, and acknowledgement entered the male-bonding scene: the hug.

I'm not talking embraces. Embraces are quick, and they start and end at the upper chest. What I mean are the full-contact, body-to-body hugs. I've watched the old footage. It was already okay for baseball players to fall all over each other in celebration. It was okay for leaders to hug after peace treaties. Or before they signed. It was even okay to win an acting award and pick your co-star off the floor in your thousand dollar tux.

I stopped watching the vids when I got to the sweaty, middle-aged corporate CEOs throwing their arms around each other and bumping bellies.

Definitely the Americans' fault.

Figures I'd be predisposed.

I love staying at Q's. They make the best hot cocoa, and they don't fuss when I tell 'em it's my dinner. I guess the 'doing important research' line worked.

And to me, it is important research. Because I'm starting to see where I went wrong.

There're lots of reasons why the hug wasn't in fashion before then. In ancient times, you hugged family, and friends, and probably brothers-in-arms, except when the armor got in the way. Plus it's hard to draw swords when you've got your arms wrapped around the other guy. After that... well, besides all the obstructive fashions between the loincloth and the power tie, there was the homophobia factor.

But like all things, that barrier fell to American ingenuity.

See, the Americans had hit the big time around then. They needed something bigger than a handshake. Somehow the Eskimo kiss was not it. So they invented the power hug. Ostentatious. Seemingly intimate. And as fake as the big screen they showed it on. That's the thing about hugs; you may not be able to draw swords, but you can hide the plastic smile on your face.

It's tricky, of course. There have to be rules for this kind of thing to work. Rule number one: Know when the time is right.

If there's a world record for breaking that rule, then I've surpassed it a dozen times over.

You'd think I'd learn. You'd think! I've been trailing this guy from the very beginning. Only Trowa spent more time with him, and for most of that he was unconscious. Heero Yuy. Not just trained to be the Perfect Soldier, but Japanese, for holy fucking sakes! The personal space of a minefield.

At the time, I hadn't thought of a better reason not to. We'd won a major battle against Romefeller, with the odds incredibly against us. We all should have been dead. Instead, we'd dealt the bad guys a crippling blow that laid them out for weeks.

So the five of us tumbled out of our Gundams, riding the high. Shenlong was on my right. I could see even Wufei looked exhilarated. He was immediately glomped by Quatre, so I looked to my left, where Wing had landed, with similar ideas.

I should have known better. None of us mind being glomped by Quatre. Q's all business on the battlefield, but he's a cute kid outside his Gundam. It's like getting a hug from your little brother. Well, Trowa may not think in those terms... but that's another story.

As soon as Lean, Mean, 'n' Spandexed hit the ground, I skipped over to him. Okay, sprinted. Battle-adrenaline adds another 10 kph to my speed. I took a flying leap -- and found myself in a chokehold, about five centimeters off the ground.

Battle-adrenaline adds another 10 kg/cm² to his grip. I'm good at math when I start running out of air.

"Heero?" That wasn't me, that was Trowa. I couldn't talk, I was too busy choking.

Slowly -- a little too slowly -- he lowered me. My Heero-to-Standard dictionary finally kicked in, and I recognized the smug way he set me down like a blubbering infant.

So I did what I usually do when Heero Yuy gets smug and homicidal at the same time. I bitched. Long and loud. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Quatre blushing, so the swear words must have been choice. Heero just stood there, the sarcasm melting into his usual stern frown.

Finally I got in his face and yelled, "Holy shit, man, all I wanted to do was hug you!"

His cobalt eyes narrowed. Like he was evaluating a tactical situation, he said, "You read wrong."

I didn't have an answer to that. Maybe I had read wrong. At that point Quatre ushered us inside, promising something about Trowa cooking tonight, so we all forgot about it.

Except I couldn't shake it. I guess part of me didn't like getting called out on something like that in front of the other guys. I pride myself on reading people right. In this business there's no margin for error.

And, I think part of me was really freaked out by the iceberg I ran into. Nobody should be that cold, I reasoned. I mean, even Wu, who likes to be left alone, comes back to the group and acts like a human being every now and then.

So I took it upon myself to hug him as much as possible.

Hugging Heero is like hugging a teddy bear... that's packed with C-4 and short fuse. You've got to surprise him, and get out of the blast zone fast. Heh. I've still got a few bruises from when I was perfecting my approach. It's next to impossible to steal a hug from Heero Yuy. Good thing I'm the best sneak-thief in the world.

There were a lot of pluses, believe it or not. It was far from boring -- boredom slows me down more than a battalion of Aries. It kept things light in the safehouses. Even Trowa started giving me strategic advice. And I did learn to curse in Japanese.

Heero must have gained something too. His personal space shrank dramatically. Well, mostly because he couldn't guard the usual two meter radius from my assaults, but it was a start.

That was when I started breaking rule number two.

Rule two: See rules for handshakes -- keep it firm and fast, no longer than necessary.

Around the time when Heero and I started having the safehouse to ourselves, my war of attrition began showing signs of success. Heero got annoyed, omae-o-korosu annoyed, but he saw that it wasn't worth his energy to dodge Shinigami all day long. After a while, the sucker punches turned to shoves, the shoves turned to powerful shrugs (and I mean powerful -- have you seen the triceps on this guy?) Finally, like everything else about him, it came down to a routine. I'd ambush him, after a half a second he'd omae-o-korosu me, and I'd skip away snickering madly.

Don't get me wrong, he didn't go down without a fight. He always kept an eye on me, especially when he was brushing his teeth, coming out of the shower, changing clothes, washing dishes, or eating. All prime times to get the jump on him. Well... now that I think about it, he watched me practically all the time. I kept him on his toes, I guess.

It was getting to be a routine for me too. The war, for us, was going into a stage of intense battles with long spells of waiting in-between. And while we waited, I got bored. Did I mention boredom's my greatest enemy? Thinking of new ways to annoy Heero killed time pretty effectively.

I had been rather bored that night. We couldn't leave the safehouse because there was a bounty on our heads. So no wandering out into the woods to look at the full moon, or take a breath of the crisp air. Heero's orders. Not that there was anybody out there in the middle of nowhere, but apparently he didn't want me out of his sight.

Except now I couldn't find Heero. If he wasn't outside, there was only one other place he could be. I donned a jacket and went down to the subterranean hangar where Deathscythe and Wing were parked. It was a neat complex, carved out of the natural caverns in these hills. A constant 16 degrees C all year long.

Sure enough, Heero was fixing up his Gundam. I'd already done my repairs, but I figured I'd stick around just in case he decided to start stealing parts again. It was fascinating, actually. You can tell a lot from the way a pilot treats his machine. We've all got personal ties to our Gundams -- most of us have trained with them since childhood.

What Heero was doing wasn't that far off from what I'd done that afternoon. How he did it... I can hardly describe it. He's always so intense in battle, but with Wing he quieted down, went real slow and careful. As though if he didn't, he might break the Gundam with his bare hands. Oh, he was his usual meticulous self. Definitely. Double-checks turned into triple-checks, and every time he found something else to adjust. But I hadn't figured on that look of... fondness?

If I had a nickel for every time Heero showed genuine emotion, I couldn't buy a loaf of bread.

Then Heero did something a little odd. He perched up on his Gundam's wings, around the shoulderblades. Lots of machinery and circuitry there. But he put down his tools, wedged himself between the wing and the shoulder, and stared at Deathscythe.

I scratched my head. My first thought was, 'What the hell are you gawking at, Yuy? That's my Gundam and it's a helluva lot better than yours!' My next thought was, 'What's so damn interesting about my Shinigami?'

All that boredom and defensiveness and confusion fused into a great idea. At least I thought it was hot shit at the time. I scrambled up Wing's length, grabbed a hold on the back of its helmet, and prepared to pounce. This way I could get in a hug (another tally for the 500 hug campaign) and rib Heero about getting mushy.

The sight of Heero made me pause. His back was to me, and it was rigid as a steel pole. It occurred to me that he must have heard me on the way up; he's got Perfect hearing, after all. On the other hand... whatever he was thinking about, he seemed to have shut everything out. I bit my lip. Maybe I should save the ambush for when he got back to the safehouse.

Then his arm raised, elbow slightly bent, like he was reaching for something between Wing and Deathscythe. My combat instincts kicked in. Perfect for a sneak attack, if one hand was in mid-air and the other was holding on to Wing -- I pounced. Each arm around his chest, shoulders pressed to his back, and another tally for the scoreboard.

At first I was jubilant. 'Cause you know what? Heero squeaked! I swear it on Shinigami's scythe! Well, a squeak for Heero, anyway. It was more like a deep, surprised rumble. Then I noticed how fast Heero's heart was beating. I've seen him half-dead and in excruciating pain, and still able to slow his heartbeat to almost nil. And not just that... Heero's got a pretty hard body as it is, but now I could tell every muscle was rippling with tension.

Half a moment later, I realized Heero hadn't said anything yet.

I was so in shock I think I settled into the hug a bit more. I didn't mean to, I swear! I'd meant it to be a quick hug, as usual, so it started to get uncomfortable in my position. Plus, Heero was really warm in the cool air of the cave. My shoulders sagged into his, my face that much closer to his sweat-drenched neck, breathing in his scent. But my mind was not paying attention. Actually it was replaying all the weird things I'd noticed since I entered the hangar. Like I said, I'm good at reading people, but this time Heero had me stumped.

The same time my internal clock kicked in, Heero spoke.

"Baka."

I gasped. You know how I'm good at math when I run out of air? Forty-two seconds. Almost exactly. I know 'cause that's the number flashing in my mind when I jumped back, ran into Wing's helmet, and fell over on its shoulder. It was a miracle I didn't take a dive the way Heero usually exits his cockpit.

My face must have been beet-red. "Ah, Heero, sumimasen... won't happen again. Hehe, I'll just get going, 'kay?"

With that I scrambled back down. I think Heero said my name, but I was too mortified to answer. I wasn't too worried he'd actually kill me this time. Just really embarrassed. When you're friends (at least, I think we're friends) and you depend on each other in battle, moments of awkwardness like that can dog you.

I was halfway across the hangar when I felt his gaze on my back. Not wanting to add to the weirdness, I turned to face him. He seemed really small, standing on his Gundam's shoulder. Right then I got a sudden I-kicked-a-puppy feeling. To reassure Heero that everything was cool between us, I flashed him a V-sign and my widest grin.

He stared at me a moment more, and nodded.

That morning, I found a note on my bed, in Heero's cramped handwriting.

It's okay. Just not around the others.

I breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't going to hate me forever.

Then my eyes widened. He was going to let me hug him! I barely restrained myself from bouncing on the mattress. (Bunk beds. Gotta love 'em.) You don't know what a victory it is when the Perfect Soldier shows signs of humanity. I was really happy for Heero. So happy that I forgot all about his strange behavior.

Long story short, I broke rule number two whenever I could. Soon after, the war started heating up again, so it was rare that any of us hid out with the same people twice. If we could hide out at all. Lots of nights reviewing battle data with just me, Shinigami, and the stars. Then we had to go up to space, and then get back to Earth... anyway, it was a mess, and it was just nice to have someone around whom you trusted.

The routine itself didn't change much, actually. I'd sneak up, hug him, "omae-o-korosu" in that even voice of his, and then I'd go about my business. The only differences were, I never did it in front of the others, and it lasted three seconds instead of one. Small things, I know, but when you're guys that means a lot.

I was starting to notice more things about Heero too. He was real startled the first few times I went back to hugging him again. Then he relaxed into it. Well, as much as Heero relaxes into anything. He'd threaten me with a little less force, or just let me sneak up on him. I wasn't even sneaking that much; most days I could make a big racket and he'd still be fair game. Mostly I got him while he was at the computer. He'd keep typing of course. If I really wanted to surprise him, I'd get him coming out of the shower. Heh. That never failed to get his attention.

The other thing I noticed was Heero himself.

When you hug somebody once or twice, you don't really think about what it feels like. You're too busy transmitting what it means. But after about five hundred hugs, you start to learn the body you're hugging. Heero is actually thinner than I am. He has more muscle, sure, but it's all compacted into a small frame. And he has the tiniest waist! It's kinda weird. I thought Quatre looks like a little kid -- Heero is actually younger looking. He has a little babyfat on his cheeks, and his tousled hair looks like it hasn't changed styles since he was five. Nobody notices, of course, because of the eyes. And he has a really strong neck. Really! It's no wonder he keeps surviving getting thrown out of his Gundam. There are some major muscle groups on his neck and shoulders.

The rest marks him as a Gundam pilot. He really does smell of cordite. He has calluses on his hands -- I know, he's pushed away my bare arms enough times -- but they're soft. I think he uses lotion, like me, to improve the sensitivity in the fingertips. He conserves energy when he moves. He scans rooms without swiveling his head much. And you know what? He listens to everything. Even me, when I babble! I can tell, 'cause when I rail at him, he winces just a bit, and when I compliment him, his eyes light up a little.

Ah. Yeah. Those things have nothing to do with hugs. That would bring me to the biggest mistake I've ever made in my short life. Breaking rule number three.

Don't make eye contact.

It was a tough battle. We were not supposed to be so far away from Quatre's resource satellite, but the mobile dolls had managed to cut us off. Running out of bullets, fuel, sleep, sanity. Space battles usually don't last more than a few hours, given the relatively short range of the weapons. But the dolls had driven us into an asteroid field. Suddenly it was a game of hide-and-seek the way I remembered it from L2 -- get caught, get dead. And nobody stops looking.

Finally Heero and Quatre figured out a way to punch through their defenses. It was some complicated thing about jamming their sensors while using the asteroids like a net, and us Gundams like bait... anyway, it got our butts out of the fire and the dolls on the run.

It didn't dawn on us till we were halfway back to the satellite. Heero suddenly came on the comm and said our tying up the dolls in the asteroids had allowed the rebels to attack the defenseless lunar base. In our own half-assed way we'd managed to shut down Oz's presence in space. Completely.

We were all too tired to be excited. Trowa wondered aloud why the mobile dolls hadn't been called back to defend the lunar base. Wufei pointed out that we still had White Fang and several colony forces to deal with. Then the transmissions started coming in, confirming what we hadn't dared to hope for. Top officials leaving Romefeller. Oz forces scattered and weakened. Key figures going into hiding. Coups in the battleground states. Just like a pack of dominoes.

The tide had turned. We were winning. We had a lot of work left to do, but we were winning.

Everything was just wrung out of me. I felt like crying. Quatre was babbling in Standard and Arabic, and there was a smile in Trowa's voice. Like some hideous replay of that first time, we jumped out of our Gundams and hugged each other. Even Trowa.

So that's how I faced Heero in that eerily silent bay. Sweaty, hungry, groggy, sore, living on that last bit of adrenaline from the news of our victory. I think I fell on him rather than hugged him.

Heero caught me. His arms wrapped around me, half keeping me on my feet, half pulling me close. Suddenly... the world solidified. Dim shapes coalesced into our towering Gundams. Sterile air filled with his scent, cordite and salt and warm skin. Muffled sounds became his speeding pulse next to my ear. I must have started shaking, because his hold on me tightened.

Then the disastrous turn. The breakaway. Natural instincts conditioned away by scores of hugs in every possible setting. I straightened, our cheeks brushing, but still leaning my arms on his shoulders. Way too close. I was suddenly nose to nose with him, automatically focusing on his softened cobalt eyes. His lashes were very long. His breath ghosted on my parted lips. Sweat weighed down my eyelids, so they fluttered shut. My neck hurt, so I leaned forward.

My mouth was dry, so I moistened them on his lips.

That's what happens when my brain takes a vacation and doesn't send postcards.

I didn't think there was an auto-pilot mode for kissing someone, but I guess I thought wrong. Didn't even bump noses. Just pressed my face to his and started tasting, smelling, touching. This sounds terrible, but I didn't even know where I stopped and he began. Somebody's hand ended up in somebody's hair. Somebody's tongue ended up teasing somebody's lips. Somebody's hard-on --

It crashed down on me then. The silence turned oppressive in the bay, like the whole world was watching us. It was just Trowa, Wufei, and Quatre, but that's close enough. I yanked my face away from his, blinking madly as the data whizzed in front of me -- Heero Yuy, Japanese, Pilot 01, best friend, you're kissing him and that ache between your legs isn't a cramp.

They don't call me Shinigami for nothing. I raced out of there like a bat out of hell.

I've managed to avoid the others for 36 hours. The satellite's understaffed, so Trowa and Wufei have been overseeing the Gundam repairs. Quatre is putting his business contacts into motion. Heero has been conferencing with Relena Peacecraft, to try to balance things out in Earth and Space. I've been helping too, of course. There's a lot of hacking work to do, as well as a ton of research on the current leaders of White Fang and their ties to the former heads of Operation Meteor, the group which built the Gundams.

Lots of time to think about the whys and hows of men hugging men.

"So that's how I screwed up," I've told myself. Thought I could read people. Thought I knew what I was doing. No, I know a set-up when I see one... it's just that it was me doing the betraying. I wasn't paying attention. I let it happen. Apologies are not going to cut it this time. And not only that, it isn't something we can settle in private. When the war started I could've thumbed my nose at the other guys and said "None of your fucking business," but now we're a unit, we're friends, and it's everybody's business.

I've got to face him sometime. No way will I delay this till after the next battle. Hard reality, one of us may not make it out of the next battle. But what can I tell him? I don't know what to tell myself.

I really don't want to remember it anymore. That moment. Partly because it was just so stupid. If there's anything I hate more than being had, it's being played a fool by my own body. Partly because I keep getting this warm feeling just thinking about it. Let me be specific. Starts at the top of my spine, travels down and fills my belly like no banquet ever could. Like the whole war's a dream, and Heero's the only solid thing --

"EEEP!"

Um. That's me. Rapidly running out of air because I've forgotten how to breathe. Three seconds. Four seconds... panic...

"Are you mad at me?"

Recap. Heero just sneaked up on me. I think I jumped ten centimeters into the air. Currently he's got his arms, no, his whole body draped over mine, his mouth next to my ear. This is definitely not an embrace. This is a full-contact -- body-to-body -- hug. There's some priceless book crumpled up on the floor, but I can't pick it up. I can't move. I can't think.

Heero's lips are tickling my earlobe. "Baka. Are you mad at me?" His voice is really low and soft.

Focus on the question, Maxwell! "No."

"Then why are you avoiding us?"

He's learned all my tricks. Already I'm leaning into him, melting into the ready cradle of his body. "I don't know."

Ow! He's got my braid. Shit, he could break my spine this way... but he's yanking gently. I can feel his quick, steady breath on my neck. Shivering, I close my eyes against his thick brown hair. "I was afraid you'd be mad at me, okay?"

"Hn." I didn't think my whole body could twitch like that. I felt that sound coming out of his chest, explode next to my ear. I grip his arm. "Well, you're right. I'm mad at you," he says.

The need to look at him while he's saying this... I have to see what's in his eyes. I already broke all three rules. Heero Yuy could kill me right here, if he wants to. So I have nothing to lose. Slowly, I wriggle and turn so that we're facing each other.

Four centimeters between my nose and his nose.

He continues, not-quite meeting my eyes. "I'm mad that you drove me crazy for nearly two months. Then you finally..." His grip tightens to at least 15 kg/cm². "And you bolted."

What can I say to that? I swallow hard. He really does have amazing muscles on his shoulders. "I just wanted to give you a hug," I whisper.

His eyes blaze blue as a copper flame. "You read wrong." Slowly, deliberately, he presses against me... oh sweet mother, he's like solid gundanium...!

Three centimeters and closing... two...

And our bodies lock together perfectly, arms along necks along hair along cheeks along lips. It takes another six seconds before I drop out of auto-pilot... one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, many-Mississippi, lots-Mississippi... At last I snap awake, in the middle of the kiss. Two things occur to me now. For one thing, he's doing it too! Smelling, tasting, pulling gently on my lips like he's sipping from a glass of Q's favorite '76 vintage.

The other thing is... we aren't locked together perfectly. Our clothes are in the way.

He grinds our erections together -- neither of us is wearing underwear -- and as I hiss into his mouth I catch that smug look on his face. Just to get even, I start sucking on his neck till he whimpers. We're kind of rocking together now. You couldn't slip a sheet of paper between us. We could fall over at any moment. What a lovely thought.

"Ah... Duo... I was going to tell you... we still have to fight White Fang..."

"Uh-huh...?" I try to crush him to myself, trapping an earlobe between my teeth. Balance be damned. Did I ever want to do this? I must have, it's turning me on like nothing else. Oh well. Like any good soldier, I can turn an ambush to my advantage.

"But... um... Relena says she's got Romefeller under control. Earth's at peace."

The blood rushes back into my brain. "What?!"

I was so busy grousing I didn't notice. Well, I knew about it, but you saw what happened at the celebration. We changed the world. We fuckin' changed the world!

It's all picking up where we left off. I surge up and throw my weight against him, bouncing and laughing like a madman. I'm yelling something, Shinigami knows what. Shit, shit, shit, this is great! All that thankless, muck-ridden, bloody, soul-draining fighting is starting to pay off! Yeah!

"...stop screaming in my ear, baka."

"Aaa, sorry, Heero." I bounce a few more times, still locked around Heero's neck. Suddenly our legs get tangled up and we crash to the floor. My arms are wrapping around him in a horizontal hug. I babble incoherently for a bit longer. Wow. Shit. Can't get over it.

Um, it's been almost a minute. So I clap him a couple of times on the shoulder, plant my knees, brush past his cheek to disengage... the hand on the small of my back reminds me.

I don't have to follow those rules anymore.

There's a moment of disorientation, then Heero draws me back close. God, he does look young that way, his brow smoothed of worry, small amused smile reaching his eyes. We bump noses as he homes in for another kiss. Rough, excited now, a challenge to reach for the tonsils and get the neediest sound out of each other. Where is it... there it is. Wing Jr. still at attention.

"Got you," I murmur.

Yowwaawhoa! What the hell? Heero looms over me, pinning my arms to the floor.

"Got you," he answers, in that unmistakable omae-o-korosu voice. Damn, I am an idiot. All that time, 'I wanna kill you' was a come-on! Should've upgraded my Heero-to-Standard dictionary...

The grip on my arms loosens. I'm still stunned. Now he looks... uncertain? "Duo... I..."

"What do you want?"

His cobalt blue gaze, which I swear could cut through gundanium, travels down my body. It settles on my erection, which promptly hardens while he looks at it. Yes, I know my jaw is hanging.

Eyes flick back up at me.

"You."

I expected that, I did, but I'm blushing to the tips of my ears. I lean up on my elbows, grateful for Quatre's expensive carpet. I'm no novice, don't get me wrong. But this is Heero Yuy we're talking about! You know... Japanese... Pilot 01... sexiest thing I've ever seen...

He's waiting for my answer. As usual I say the first thing that pops into my head.

"You're wearing too many clothes."

Efficient, Heero is. He sits up and pulls his tanktop off. I groan at the sight of his chest. Hey, you would too, if you saw this six-pack and knew it was all yours. Who needs a strip tease? The boy just strips. He's got his thumbs along the waistband of his spandex.

I lick my lips. He's having a little trouble getting it off that... hurdle. Still on his knees, straddling me, and somehow manages to scoot it down to mid-thigh. He looks at me, nervous. I nod dumbly, hoping he caught the nervous?-nothing-to-be-nervous-about expression. Sweet fucking hell. On one knee, he stretches and twists and gets free of one leg of the shorts. Then the other leg. All the while I'm riveted by the, the large, moist, engorged... oh sweet fuckin' hell. Just thinking about all that, rubbing on this carpet while his mouth works on me...

"Are you going to take your clothes off, or do I have to help you?"

The question is wholly practical, but Heero's voice has gone husky, almost sultry. "Y-you," I stammer.

Suddenly my shirt is over my head, untangled from my arms, freed from my braid. Heero kisses the hollow above my collarbone, then all over my chest, mapping out the terrain with his tongue. Aw shit! He's got a nipple... ow ow owie... getting me back for that hickey on his neck. Damn it... he needs to get my pants off now!

As though he reads minds. A bit of maneuvering, and my pants are around my knees.

My knees?! "Yuy..." I growl.

Heero makes eye contact, not looking at my hard-on at all, oh no, even though it's right under his nose.

I take it back. I suck at math when I'm breathless.

"What?" I feel the word rather than hear it, breezing over my aching cock. Heero continues, that damned smug look on his face. "Is there..." he's drawing out every breath, the bastard... "anything... you want me to do?"

I try for a coherent word. "Nnnnnhhnn..." comes out instead.

Still staring at me, his tongue swipes at the slit. Whole body trembles.

Damn you, Yuy. Got me speechless, huh? Well it would serve you right if I came right now all over your arrogant face. I will, too, if you keep staring at me like that with those searing blue eyes, mussed hair, babycheeks flushed with blood...

No warning, I finish kicking off the pants, lean back on my elbows, and swing my legs over his shoulders. Now-or-never, my eyes say. Finish what you started.

Heero glares at me one last time, which I translate as You're-asking-for-it-now, then slides the whole length into his mouth.

Ooooh.....shit.

His hands slide over my ass to support me, 'cause I can't move anything except my hips. He's moving around experimentally at first, teeth grazing, tongue caressing the underside, tip nudging the back of his throat, but I can see him shift gears, read every response like it's a tactical display. I can truly say Heero Yuy has got me beat. When I remember to keep my eyes open, I watch him, now licking its length like a popsicle, now teasing the crown, and now, now, oh fuck he's pulling at me like there's no tomorrow, my cock moving in and out of that incredible mouth, his eyes flickering up at mine to show how much he likes it and if he has his way he'll get even more---

....oh. OH, holy shit! If the world was solid before, it's melted into white now. My ears are ringing. He's still swallowing... oh god, I didn't think I had that much in me. I lie back, heart thumping through the floor. He lowers me, still lapping at the excess. Damned smug look.

Heero crawls up and flops all over me. As if on cue, the room solidifies. Shelves of books and vidfiles. The library. Heh. I just got sucked off by Heero Yuy on the floor of Quatre's library. Shit.

"You talk all the time, don't you?"

I blink. "I was talking?"

Heero nods somberly, but his eyes are laughing at me. "Screaming, more like."

I try to glare at him while he kisses me, my own cum still warm in his mouth. Hah... I know exactly how to wipe that look off his face. Something occurs to me. "Hey. Heero. You haven't..."

He assesses me thoroughly. Damage report. "I'll be all right. You wouldn't last."

Oh is that so? But he's partly right... I'm all shagged out. Heh heh. Right here on the carpet. I close my eyes, and curl up against his chest. "I'm gonna screw your brains out," I promise.

"You're in no condition." A hand lazily travels down my spine and settles on the small of my back. I realize we're hugging again. Mmm... I could get used to this.

Some part of me (which really does know how to read people) identifies something... from Heero's stance, the look in his eyes, I don't know.

"This isn't just physical, is it?"

There's a long pause before he answers. "...no."

I'm tempted to answer, 'What do you mean, no it's not physical or no it is physical?' but I do know what he means. That's all I need to know right now. We'll deal with the complications later.

Later, because he just moved and there's one hot slab of gundanium lying on my thigh. Go figure, I'd never last through a case of blue balls like this, but I guess it's no problem for Heero.

I rub against him. He barely covers up a moan. Aha, I guess it is a problem for him. I shift again, pretending to get my circulation going while I jump-start his. Heero nips at my throat to get me to stop. I just stick my tongue out -- and barely get it back in before he snaps at it. Note to self: we're both biters.

"I'm gonna make good on that promise, Yuy."

"Hn." He's got a good grip on my balls. Our limbs are moving all over, shifting weight, brushing skin to skin. Mostly me trying to kick him every time he squeezes too much. "I think you're skipping some steps."

"I'm workin' on it!" Truthfully, I'm stiffening again, but not enough for what I want to do to that lovely ass.

"Work on it harder." Suddenly his eyes pin me down. He's got a hold around my upper arms, and a leg, among other things, thrown over my stomach. "Touch yourself."

I stare at him in disbelief, even as his hands guide mine over my cock.

As if in answer to the challenge, it stiffens at the thought. Never in a million wet dreams... well, okay, maybe once or twice, but still! I feel lightheaded.

"Heero... aa... let me sit up."

"Daijobu?" He sounds so concerned as he hoists me up. I lean back on his chest, my hands obediently working.

"Hai." I lick my lips. Heero plants his chin on my shoulder, seemingly fascinated with the way I beat my meat. Speaking of... ooh, yeah, time to speed up. Usually this takes me a while -- not that any of that Church doctrine rubbed off on me, but I've never been able to take masturbation seriously. I've got a good imagination and you've seen my libido, it's just that I always end up in a giggling fit.

Silly me, I forgot the Heero.

He's making these, these delicious animal noises, and his arms are like steel vises, and aaah, every time my hips twitch it rubs against his erection. Musn't... do that, shit...

"Hhaahuun..." What? Oh, that's me. Heero's got his hands on my pelvis to immobilize me, his full strength controlling me. I shiver just thinking about all that power beneath me, slipping out of its leash and plunging into a frenzy.

Did he ask a question?

"...do you always do it this way?"

I look down to figure out what he's seeing. Both hands, slippery with saliva and cum, sliding along the tip and pumping the base, a couple of fingers teasing the balls. And oh yeah, Heero bruising my hips, his short breaths tickling my ear, and my mind turning to jello in re-entry. Nope, definitely not my usual M.O.

Ah damn. Too far, too fast, I'm not gonna be able to hold on -- "Heero!"

He moves pretty fast, even for a Gundam pilot. Heero's grabbed my hands, and a painful jolt down there tells me what else he's grabbed. It does the job though. I'm back in control. Barely.

Just when I realize I've screamed, Heero kisses my mouth. "Gomen, Duo..."

"S'okay, okay, okay," I mumble, scrambling to my knees. I turn around to look at Heero.

"This way?" He's on his hands and knees. His erection dripping and hard against his stomach. He looks over his shoulder, trying to look seductive, but the boy just comes off as eager and aroused and completely inexperienced.

I kiss the small of his back. "No. No, I want to see your face." He shakes his head at that, his sweat-drenched hair waving. "Heero, I've got to -- "

"Under the chair."

Confused, I feel beneath the wing chair behind us... and come up with a fresh pack of lube. Several things click together.

"You've been talking to Quatre, haven't you?" I punctuate this with a slap on his butt. Heero gasps and almost flinches, but I soothe the reddened skin with a kiss.

"Hn."

"That little hentai. Bet he was pissed I took over his fucking spot."

"He found other places."

Something about the way he said that strikes me as funny and sad at the same time. I lean over him, one hand carefully probing his firm ass, the other twining with his fingers. Nestle against him, scattering kisses on his shoulder to distract him. "Sorry..." And I am. I'm sorry he's been cooped up for almost two days watching Trowa and Quatre get lovey-dovey with each other. I'm sorry I was too wrapped up in my own personal mission to notice what was happening between us.

Heero groans as I make it past that ring of muscle.

I'm sorry it hurts, koi. "Sshh, just relax. I'll make you feel good." Damn it, he's resisting too much. His training. I crawl a bit closer, squeezing his hand. I lay my head on his chest. His heart is thumping next to my ear. Then with my free hand I hold him close.

Like any good program, training can be overwritten. Heero knows it too. Instantly his heartrate slows, and I slip a couple of fingers in. Silence descends as I prepare him, gauging my movements by the tension in his body. This is going to be tougher than expected. Heero's definitely willing -- he looks over his shoulder with a desperate look on his face. It's his body that's reacting to being in a submissive position.

I withdraw each finger. Don't think I should go for the spot, it'll startle him too much. I catch his lips. Mmm... amazing how natural this feels already. Keeping contact with his mouth, I gently roll him on his side. His arms are around me. Skin to skin...

Back to work. Quickly I get a throw pillow and nudge it under him. He glares at me for the amenity, but I'm in control here so I get to make him comfy. While I lube up, Heero raises his legs. As I hook them over my shoulders, it occurs to me that Quatre must have briefed him well. Far more than I'd expect little Master Winner to divulge. I'll have to ask Heero how he threatened Quatre without getting Trowa on his case.

"You ready, Heero?"

"Aa."

...wow. You haven't lived till eyes like Heero's have stared you down to your marrow. Watching him carefully, I push in just a little. ...oh God! Both our breaths catch. His eyes widen a bit, his mouth half-open and making these moaning, whimpering sounds. No, no, not yet. Gotta hold out. Damn it, he's still resisting. Breathing too fast.

"No," he says. For a sinking instant, I think he's not ready, we can't do it. Instead he growls, "All the way. Now."

The command shoots straight to my brain stem. I jam myself forward into the tight, waiting heat. He cries out, I'm shivering from the pure pleasure of being buried so deep...

Shit. I've hurt him. He's gone completely silent, biting his lip, fighting the training, managing the pain like he's setting a broken bone or taking a bullet. I could just start moving. Just fuck him mindless till the pleasure overrides the pain. Not to mention he's squeezing me like crazy.

Maybe later. I have a thing about first times, they should be at least above average. I grit my teeth and think of Relena naked. (Nice girl, scary attitude.)

"You did your stretches?" I ask. Dumb question, I know. He never deviates from his morning regimen. But I have to be sure. His morning regimen never used to include getting naked and sticky with me. Though it might be a nice addition.

He nods fractionally. Gingerly I move his legs off my shoulders. Gotta be careful 'cause every little movement brings me closer to the edge. His legs part to accommodate me, which does make it easier. Now. Real slow. Catch one fist. Then the other. Uncurl fists. Heero looks confused. It's when I place a hand on my shoulder that he understands.

Trying to avoid setting off either of our erections, I settle against his warm, sweaty chest. Heero hooks his legs on my waist. Shaking fingers tangle in my hair. The hug doesn't last long. There. Heartbeat slows. Muscles relax. He still sounds frantic, but at least he's stopped hyperventilating.

Last step. "Now where were we? Oh yeah." I grin, do a push-up till he gasps. Ha, found it! "I was gonna screw you senseless."

Surprise attacks are my specialty. Before he can react I've pulled out halfway and slammed him back a few inches. Oh... oh... fuck, yesssss... yes, yes, yes... Yeah, who's screaming now?

Holy fuck, he's a natural. Only a few thrusts and he's matching my rhythm. His hands are clamped on my upper arms, hanging on for dear life as I pound him across the carpet. I make sure to hit the spot, make sure to rub against his engorged, glistening member on every thrust. Sweet fucking hell! What the fuck did Quatre tell him?! It's like his whole body's trying to milk it out of me. I can hear myself yelling with every explosion of pleasure. Heero's crying out under me, and half-crazed I'm speeding up oh shit oh shit oh my god ...!

With a grunt, Heero grabs my shoulders, his blue eyes fluttering like a flame, and suddenly the world explodes into stars. Ohhhhhh.... I struggle to get my eyes open, to watch him cum, shaking wildly, lips parted and chanting my name. Releasing.

Minutes later I wake next to him on the floor, loose-boned and sated. We're both messy, so I kind of flail around till I get a shirt and wipe us up. A tug on my half-dismantled braid. Grimacing, I lean over and kiss Heero. I'm thrilled as I read the emotions flitting across his face... no, I won't tell you, that's private business between me and Heero.

Shit. We got away from the pillow I put under Heero -- about a meter. I must have been tanked on adrenaline! "Hey, we really got moving, ne? You okay?"

"Stings."

Apologetically I kiss his reddened shoulder. His back's gotta look terrible. Fair enough, though... I think he's left bruises all over me. "Um... you wanna get up?"

He closes his eyes. "No. Carpet's soft."

With my toes I drag the convenient throw afghan hanging from the chair. I settle down beside him. He makes sure it covers both of us, either really tired or really gentle whenever he touches me.

I'm half asleep already when something else nags at me. Heero's dozed off on his back, with one hand tangled in my hair. I'm lying partly on my side.

It's kind of unmanly to ask someone to hold you.

"Oi, Heero?"

"...Aa."

"Gimme a hug."