My Ride Home

Thanks to all those who reviewed!
____________________________

The day passed without event other than a minor cramp in Trowa’s leg. The noises of the city in full swing didn’t effect Duo this time as he slept peacefully, regaining what had been lost over the long months of tentative sleep.

The twitches and jerks of normal sleep were absent for hours as his body completely shut down; he must have been exhausted to his absolute limit. Trowa was glad he stayed to help him sleep; he obviously needed it.

As dusk approached, there were signs of his approaching consciousness, small gentle movements and soft sounds. Then Duo turned his head and tucked his nose into the crease where Trowa’s chin met his neck.

The Heavyarms pilot tried but couldn’t hold back the chuckle that escaped him when he realized Duo, self-proclaimed Shinigami himself, was a snuggler. The movement and sound brought the sleeping man into full awareness, and he froze, rigid.

Trowa was sad at the loss but unwilling to pass up the opportunity. “Imagine that, Shinigami, master of death and destruction, is a snuggle fiend.” His body calmed and the smile faded.

Duo’s narrowed eyes entered Trowa’s field of vision. “Fuck you.”

There was still laughter shining in his eyes, but all other traces had vanished until a smirk curled his lips with his reply. “Anytime.” He made the tone joking, laughter still reflected in his eyes as Maxwell started pushing against to sit up, but Trowa’s arms didn’t fall away, holding him in place. “You don’t have to move, Duo, I don’t mind. I just found it funny.”

He tucked his head back where it was, voice mumbled as he spoke. “Figures, the one time I make you smile, I don’t even get to see it.”

The words were garbled, and Trowa had trouble registering what words were spoken. By the time he realized what Maxwell had actually said, he had effectively changed the subject with a groan. “I have to pee, but I don’t want to move.”

“Don’t you dare.”

A burst of laughter escaped Duo. “Oww, don’t make me laugh, that only makes it worse.” He lifted himself gingerly off the other pilot, but stopped about half-way up, a tentative, wanting expression on his face that was quickly replaced by a joker’s smile. “Can I reserve this spot for later? You’re the best mattress I’ve had in years.”

Trowa smirked. “We might be able to work something out.”

Duo’s smile was instantaneous and then gone as he raced to the restroom.

It seemed as if his joints were creaking as Trowa stood, the usually graceful gymnast almost fell over with the first step, expecting his legs to respond as quickly as they usually do, but he caught his balance before landing on his face.

He made his way to the bed to pick up the steel Duo had dropped amongst the sheets to prevent any potential disasters. He set the blades on the nightstand knowing Duo would put them in their proper place when he was alone. Trowa then spread the blanket they had been using back across the bed.

As he finished, Duo exited the bathroom, one of the towels from earlier draped around his waist again and his hair pulled back in a messy wad at the nape of his neck. He came back into the bedroom, eyes flicking over to the dresser that, Trowa assumed, held his clothes.

He seemed cheeky and bashful simultaneously which didn’t make any sense to the reserved man, but somehow Duo made it work. “Heh, sorry about the dress, I guess my birthday suit is the only one clean right now.” He forced a chuckle out, trying to use humor to ease the tension somewhat.

But Trowa felt his tension, was feeling it the second Duo left the comfort of his chest. It was time to go, but he wanted to make sure of one thing first. “I should go.”

The smile left Duo’s face. “Yeah, I figured you were on you’re way out. That’s cool; we’ve both got things to do today.”

The sun was setting, and Trowa almost called him on it, but pressed what he wanted to say instead. “I meant what I said earlier.”

“Huh?” He cocked his head to the side, curious, hand reaching back to scratch the nape of his neck.

“Call me whenever.” His voice was just as firm as it always was, but there was a plea behind the words that he wondered if Duo could hear.

“Yeah, ok, sure thing.” Duo was vibrating with the tension, wondering why it felt so awkward all of a sudden.

“Yeah, sure.” Unsure what to say, Trowa caught himself simply repeating what Duo had said, babbling like a schoolgirl. The tension had grown to its boiling point, so Trowa turned to go, hearing Duo take a few steps to follow behind him. But something itched at his mind, refusing to let himself walk out without an answer.

As he reached the door, Trowa turned. “Duo, what did you mean, about making me smile?”

Caught off guard, Duo’s eyes went wide, and his mouth worked open before snapping shut. A resigned smile took his face hostage. “Heard that, did ya? It was…It didn’t really mean anything, really. I just…you know me, always trying to make you guys smile. Quatre is easy; Wufei is rougher but manageable, and I’ve gotten Heero several times, too. But you, all I can get is a smirk, despite how hard I try.” He said it with a smile, like it was all some kind of joke.

But he was stuttering before he caught his composure, and Trowa wondered how much was being kept hidden beneath the surface. “Why would you try so hard?”

“Oh…I…” He spluttered. “Did I say that?”

“It always seemed like I bored you; I didn’t know you tried.” Trowa let his face tip down, hair hiding one eye; the other trying but not quite able to keep contact with Duo’s.

“What?!” Neither of the two could really catch their breath; neither knowing what to expect or exactly what to say, struggling through a murky conversation. “Why wouldn’t I try?”

“The others are so much more interesting; it seems like you never even look at me.” He brought both eyes to lock on to Duo’s reading confusion and frustration in those violet irises.

“I…I didn’t…” He was grasping at thin air trying to find a satisfying answer that wouldn’t reveal too much, but couldn’t get anything out before Trowa continued.

“And you never talk to me directly; I’m one of the group at our get-togethers, and you never say anything in the hallways.” Trowa was beginning to see a pattern; maybe he dismissed things as hopeless too soon, and he hoped he wasn’t wrong.

“I…” The always talkative Duo Maxwell was silent, waiting for words to come, and Trowa wasn’t helping, giving him nothing of what he was feeling, waiting for Duo to crack. Frustration sped the process. “Dammit, Trowa, you make me nervous!”

A smirk curved the stoic pilot’s lips as he took a step forward, pressing. “Why?”

Duo looked nervous all of a sudden, the frustration leaving his manner. “What do you mean why?”

He was stalling, trying to find a way to hedge the truth without outright lying. Trowa’s smirk grew as he slipped his arm around that thin body, fingertips gliding across the bare skin of his back. “Why, Duo?”

He shivered at the touch, arms coming up to Trowa’s chest to push away as the circus performer pulled him closer and closer. “I think you already know.”

“Tell me.” Trowa’s mouth moved against the skin of his Duo’s ear.

“No.” Duo didn’t move, but he wasn’t pushing away either.

“Stubborn. Why won’t you tell me?” Trowa pulled back slightly after speaking, lips following the line of his unshaven chin, centimeters from the skin. Trowa’s breath diffused across the Deathscythe pilot’s chin as he stopped, mouths lined up, just waiting.

“Because I don’t trust you, yet.” His eyes were closed, and he was breathing hard.

That brought the acrobat up short, and he pulled back far enough to let his eyes scan the entirety of Duo’s face. Was he wrong in his assumptions? Did Duo want nothing to do with him?

But he wasn’t pulling away.

“You trust me with your life.” Trowa defended himself. Green eyes were intense, trying to find any nuance of a hint on Duo’s face, but he was revealing nothing, eyes closed, face smooth as glass.

“There are several people I trust with my life.”

Nothing, Duo was a blank wall, no hint of what he was talking about, but it hit Trowa like a ton of bricks. Maxwell trusted him with his life, but the heart is a different matter…

All of a sudden, Trowa couldn’t breathe, heart pounding in his chest, and he couldn’t wait any longer. He leaned forward and skimmed his lips across Duo’s, just the barest hint of flesh against his.

Duo followed his movement as Trowa pulled away, slight sound muffled in his throat.

“Should I stop?” He didn’t want to ask, was afraid of what the answer might be, but he couldn’t bear the thought of screwing this up by rushing in.

“No.” Violet eyes opened, and Duo came alive in his arms. His mouth found Trowa’s, one arm reaching around his back to pull him closer, the other hand slipping down to grasp his hip.

Trowa felt his mouth invaded as Duo ground his hips against his, making his desires known. Hands roughened by ropes and riggings of the circus life dug into the flesh of Duo’s back, one slid up to grip that messy mass of hair at the base of his neck. He used that grip on his hair to tilt Duo’s head back and take more control of the kiss, pushing his tongue against the braided man’s and fighting his way into that always laughing mouth.

Duo groaned his approval into Trowa’s mouth and started walking forward, forcing the taller pilot into the very door he was planning on walking out of only moments before. Maxwell must have been thinking something very similar because he pulled back, breathing heavily but forcing air through his vocal cords to speak. “Still want to leave?” Duo pressed his rapidly hardening groin into Trowa’s.

Shaking his head, Trowa replied. “I never wanted to leave in the first place, but you seemed so uncomfortable with me here.”

“I am uncomfortable, damn uncomfortable; you planning on helping me with that?” The expert thief slid his hands down into the pockets of Trowa’s jeans, grasping his ass and grinding against him. He obviously had recovered enough of his wit.

Trowa’s hands returned the favor, gripping those cheeks, but he took it further, lifting Duo up by his ass. Duo wrapped his legs around Trowa’s waist as the acrobat reversed their positions, pressing that bare skin against the cool wood of the door. His mouth found its way to Duo’s collar bone, nipping against that sensitive skin.

Duo hissed and arched up, his towel bunched, draped, and no longer covering his modesty. “Is that how its gonna be, then? You want me to bottom?”

Mouth still busy against Duo’s neck, Trowa’s response was muffled, but the Deathscythe pilot heard Trowa’s hand loud and clear as it took hold of his cock when he spoke. “If you want to, but I wasn’t planning anything past sucking on this until you forgot your own name.”

Duo shuddered. “Sounds good.” He released his legs from around Trowa’s waist, bringing them underneath him to support his weight as soft auburn bangs trailed down his chest. As Trowa came to his knees, he took the towel that haphazardly clung to Duo’s hips and tossed it behind them before running his fingertips along the shaft in front of him.

Violet eyes followed every move as Trowa’s hand slipped down to run lightly over his balls, fingers skimming along the fine hairs at the crease of his thigh and back. The muscles of his legs and stomach were trembling as Trowa’s mouth moved forward, and Duo watched as the Heavyarms pilot extended his tongue, curling it around his balls then dragging it up and up and up.

Duo couldn’t breathe, and as that tongue ran over the head of his cock, Trowa’s head tipped back, brilliant green eyes locked onto his. Duo groaned and let his head fall back, hair acting as a cushion between him and the door; he closed his eyes and just concentrated on the sensations of that mouth on his groin.

He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and it echoed throughout his body as Trowa’s mouth slid back and forth on his length, now sucking, now curling his tongue around the ridge. He slipped his tongue into the slit, lips stiff as the head forced its way into his mouth, mimicking another form of penetration, as his hand gripped the base and pumped.

His hands weren’t still either, fingernails digging into the tender skin of his thighs, now gripping Duo’s ass and pulling that cock further and further into his mouth until the blunt head hit the back of his throat and further still.

The thief’s hands clutched at Trowa’s head, needing something to hold onto as his cock was forced into the acrobat’s throat. Trowa swallowed, the smooth skin of his esophagus clenching and spasming, undulating against his shaft, and Duo cried out as his knees buckled, caught and steadied by Trowa’s hands on his hips.

Duo’s hands fisted, pulling Trowa’s hair hard. “Stop.” He was breathless and panting, but he forced it out.

Trowa groaned at the sensation, that spike of pain on his scalp mixed with the pleasure that came with the knowledge of what he had reduced Duo to in this moment. The vibrations of his vocal cords against his length caused Duo’s stomach to clench and his hips to thrust deeper into Trowa’s mouth, almost spilling his control across that talented tongue.

“Stop, Trowa, please.” He was still pulling. “Too close, stop.”

Trowa allowed himself to be pulled away from his ministrations. “What do you want, Duo?”

He was still pulling, but more determined now, forcing Trowa to stand then attacking those lips, rosy and swollen from sucking his cock. The performer allowed Duo to plunder his mouth, seeking out the taste of himself in Trowa’s mouth.

Duo’s arms were wrapped around Trowa’s head and neck, a convoluted pattern that ended with his hands still gripping his hair, and his legs came up to wrap around Trowa’s waist again. “Take me, I want all of you.”

Trowa would have laughed if he hadn’t been so turned on at the prospect. The fact that Maxwell seemed so defensive of being bottom earlier only to turn around and demand it of him was amusing, but not enough so to risk pissing him off and losing this chance. Trowa wanted this joining so badly it felt like his balls were turning blue, but he feared what would happen if Duo changed his mind.

As an expert pickpocket, Duo’s hands were almost too fast for Trowa to stop as he began stripping him of his shirt and popping the button on his jeans, wanting to even things out between the naked 02 and the fully clothed 03.

Trowa’s hands slid down his back, one stopping at his ass to support his weight, the other ran across the cleft, rubbing over his opening, pressuring, teasing penetration, but nothing deep.

Duo swore at the sensation, grinding his groin into Trowa’s now exposed cock. The catch of the zipper warned him not to do it again until those jeans had been removed, but Duo desperately wanted the stimulation.

“There’s lube in the nightstand.” He spoke as his mouth came up to wreak havoc on Trowa’s nerves, nipping his collar bone, sucking on his neck, teeth dragging along his ear.

And Trowa obeyed, supporting Duo against him as he walked over to the bed then dropped that gangly body unceremoniously into the messy sheets. He opened the nightstand drawer as Duo yanked his jeans down around his knees and began pumping his cock. The acrobat fumbled around for the needed materials as laughter bubbled out of Duo’s throat.

“I guess you’re better with your mouth than you are with your hands.” That smart mouth was laughing at him, but Trowa had retrieved what he was looking for and quickly rid himself of the hampering material around his legs.

He pushed the laughing man back onto the bed and crawled over him. “Maybe you just need to clean out your drawers.” Trowa pinned him to the mattress, mouth attacking Duo’s lips as his hands went south. The gel was cold, and Trowa didn’t bother warming it as he slathered it across Duo’s opening.

He hissed at the surprise then groaned as Trowa pressed his long fingers one at a time, slowly into him. Two fingers entered, stretching, scissoring, and probing, still slowly in, slowly out. Duo was panting, thrusting backwards, trying to hurry the other man, but Trowa refused. This was punishment, pleasurable torture for Duo’s smartass comment.

“Are you ready, yet?” Trowa asked as he pushed three fingers into his companion.

“Yes.” Duo’s voice was strained, and his eyes were shut, knees pulled up to tip his hips back for better access to his entrance.

Green eyes were glued to the body beneath him, his fingers being sucked in, that ass clutching as he pulled them out. “Are you sure?” His mouth quirked, completely amused by the surrender of the obstinate man.

“Yes!” The pitch of his voice went high, pleading.

“I don’t think you are.” Trowa continued with his manual torture, the smile entering his voice as he teased.

“Dammit, Trowa!” Duo’s eyes snapped open, and he tried to sit up but Trowa stopped him.

The acrobat does laugh then as he climbs up the bed and settles himself over the most talkative of the pilots, one hand supporting his weight on the mattress, the other wrapped around his slick cock, steadying it against Duo’s ass.

Trowa began to push forward, feeling that tight opening resist, then give, then surround his length. Duo’s mouth opened, no sound emerging, a silent cry, as his eyes rolled backwards. Trowa’s head dropped, the pressure and heat of Duo causing him to concentrate fully on containing himself before he ended this too soon.

He wanted this to last.

Duo felt his body invaded, Trowa’s cock forcing its way in and out several times, further coating his channel with the oil. He could feel Trowa’s balls pressed against his ass with every forward push; it was amazing, the sensation of their joining sparkled along every nerve, a frission of feeling throughout his entire body. And he never wanted it to stop; he wished it could just continue like this forever.

Then Trowa slammed home, rocking the Deathscythe pilot, and he felt like he was racing, pleading, sprinting towards something more in a desperate hurry. Forever was far too long then, he needed something now. Duo was panting, incoherent sounds filtering through his throat as the force of his partner’s thrusts echoed up his body and spilled out of his mouth.

Grasping Duo’s hips, Trowa rocked backwards coming to his knees and lifting the bottom half of him off the mattress, only those bony shoulders, his neck, and his head remained lying down. Both pilots gasped as the change in position brought more intense sensations.

In this position, Duo’s prostate was assaulted, and the world went black and white. It was like looking into an explosion and watching the color drain from the earth for those precious instants and nothing exists but the lightning in his spine, the static in his ears, and the shaft of pure pleasure forcing its way into and out of him over and over again.

Then the brilliant green of Trowa’s eyes caught and held Duo’s attention, and the world had color once again. The acrobat was shoving his body into Duo’s hips thrusting back and forth, but Duo was no longer willing to be still. His legs wrapped around Trowa’s waist, found leverage on the swell of that ass, and began pumping up and down.

Trowa groaned and Duo’s body changed the feel of everything; that lean torso undulated beneath him, rocking up for every forward thrust and down for every draw back. Trowa could feel his cock shift, the top assaulted on the way out and more sensation along the bottom as he thrust in.

It was something neither of them had felt before, and neither could stand it very long. Trowa’s ass burned, and Duo’s abs were screaming at him as they both reached for the angry red cock caught between them.

Trowa’s long fingers reached it first, fisting around it, and the thief groaned at the sensation as he closed his hand around Trowa’s. Not able to hold back any longer, the circus performer groaned Duo’s name as he fell over the edge, thrusts rapid and frantic as his body exploded with the sensation of that channel clamping and spasming around him.

The grip on his cock caused Duo’s ass to clench and grind against Trowa’s shaft, the two-front assault on his ass and groin brought him close and closer to ecstasy, but it was Trowa calling out his name as he climaxed that tipped Duo over, his body vibrating and trembling as his seed pumped out in time with Trowa’s last few thrusts.

As Duo came back to himself, he realized all of his body was laid out on the mattress and Trowa was hovering above him, watching him intently. His arms were trembling, but will refused to let him fall.

His eyes were intense, but Duo had never seen him look so nervous before. Nervous, but there was determination shining through his eyes as well. “Tell me.” Normally so sure of himself, Duo was surprised at the hesitancy in his words.

Still dazed from all that had just happened, he wasn’t sure what the stoic pilot was talking about, but Trowa clarified. “Why do I make you nervous, Duo?”

“No.” It seems their roles had switched as Duo answered in one word.

Sadness filled green eyes as he pushed his body over, landing in the sheets beside the L2 pilot, but he didn’t stay there. He rolled his exhausted body off the edge of the bed and began picking up his clothes. “I should go.”

“What?” Duo sat up quickly, his muscles screaming, but ignoring it, concentrating on the unease that filled his chest. The resigned phrase, the sadness in his voice screamed how wrong this situation was. “You don’t have to; you’re welcome to stay.”

Trowa refused to look at him as he dressed himself, and the unease in Duo’s chest exploded into panic. “Trowa?”

He pulled his shirt on, and checked his pockets for his keys. “I guess I’ll see you around, Duo.” And he began walking toward the door.

Duo stood and launched himself into action, slamming the door by throwing his body into it, standing between Trowa and the hallway. “Unacceptable.” He was still breathing hard, unsure what was going on, but he knew it was really important.

Trowa had looked absolutely defeated for that short instant, but his face was completely smooth now, giving nothing away. He raised a brow, questioning.

Duo was angry now. “Why do you think you have any right to ask?”

Green eyes narrowed, he was irritated, frustrated, and beginning to loose the hope he held earlier. “I don’t have any, Maxwell, but what right do you have to keep me here?”

“Shit. How did this get so fucked up?” His voice echoed the sadness. “Look, I…” He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “Trowa, I don’t want you to leave like this. I don’t think I could forgive myself if either of us had any regrets.”

Such a serious tone and solemn words from the normally joyous pilot. Trowa reached out and took Duo’s hand in his, gently. “I would have given you the response you wanted if you answered my question.”

Duo’s head snapped up. “How did you…?”

Trowa’s unoccupied hand reached up to comb through the messy fringe of hair surrounding his face. “You can trust me with your heart, Duo, if for no other reason than you already hold mine hostage.”

Undisguised want melted away any trace of hostility that was on Duo’s face, and Trowa pulled their faces together in a heart wrenching kiss, it was full of the sweetness both of them had been looking for in their previous joining. Both stripped bare, no more guises of a one time thing, the two fully committed themselves into that kiss.

The thief’s hands fisted in Trowa’s shirt and pulled him back towards the bed. “Its late. Stay.” Duo’s voice was soft, pleading.

Trowa refused to break away long enough to respond, simply hummed his agreement as he followed the long-haired pilot back across the room. As they reached the mattress, Duo stripped the acrobat’s clothes from his body, and they climbed back into the sheets. Their hands roamed each other’s bodies, pulling each other closer and closer as their mouths continued to pull at each other.

They fell asleep hopelessly tangled together. There was much to talk about, and a lot of air to clear between them, but they both knew that they wanted the other. They both knew they were willing to work to keep each other; they would make it work.

It would just take some work, and they were fully committed to doing whatever it took.

_______________________________


Hope you liked it. Kinda bittersweet, but I have to say, I like the realism. I may write an epilogue sometime in the future for more fluff, but for now, I'm satisfied.

Review responses for both this ficcy and Break Me Down are posted on my author's page. Thanks to all my reviewers! I hope you liked my exploration into 02+03.

Aestas