A SUDDEN CHANGE OF PLANS:

 

Brrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnngggggg!!!

 

A cursed moan and a pillow being yanked over chestnut locks and a head.

 

Brrrrrrriiiiiiiiiinnnngggggg!!!

 

Another stifled groan and a reluctant hand snaking out from beneath pale blue cotton sheets to knock the annoying little pest to the floor.

 

~ Ah…silence…~

 

Brrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnngggggg!!!

 

“Goddammit!!! What kind of a clock are you?!”

 

Mr. Clock was in no mood for replying it seemed, for it continued its incessant noise, that was, until the fed-up listener jumped off the bed and stomped on it. Which in turn, turned out to be a really bad idea, for his precious foot had now begun to throb with a vengeance. Muttering curses beneath his breath, he hopped on his good foot around the small bedroom, his long locks flying into his face not helping matters as he ended up colliding face first into his bathroom door.

 

“Damn you! I told you not to close the bathroom door, Heero!!!”

 

“Uuum…Heero??”

 

The silence of the room finally sunk into his head as he realized that his partner was probably not home. He bent down to pick up the clock, noticing the time with a faint grimace.

 

No wonder.

 

Tossing it aside again, he hopped/limped into the bathroom towards his side. Yes, Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy, partners at the Preventers Headquarters and all around good ol’ buddies, were sharing an apartment…and yet not sharing an apartment. For starters, the damn place was too small, thanks to Heero and his creepy urge to stay in relatively tight spaces. Duo had complained and bitched about the place from the get-go, but Mr. Perfect had other intentions.

 

Case in point:

 

~ Flashback ~

“But Heero…the place can’t even contain my own stuff! I will die of suffocation in here!”

 

“You didn’t complain in your Gundam, Duo.”

 

“My Gundam?! My Gundam?! You are comparing an apartment to a Gundam?!”

 

“I like small spaces.”

 

“I don’t!”

 

“Fine. Then move someplace else.”

 

Silence. A reeeeeeally heavy silence.

 

“Well?”

 

“Damn it!”

 

“I knew you would see it my way.”

 

~ Flashback end. ~

 

He always won their arguments. By some unwritten law, Duo had discovered that arguing with Heero Yuy was a lesson in futility.

 

Toilette done, Duo walked back into the bedroom and began to dress silently. He sat in his side of the room and glared a bit hatefully at the other side. Everything had to be this way. The bedroom was small enough as it was, but yet, Heero had insisted that each retain his own space. Naturally, Heero’s section was a textbook on cleanliness, while his was…

 

~ Gah…why do I even bother? ~

He winced as he stuck his injured foot into his boots. He would just have to manage it for now. Still limping, he walked towards his closet and whipped out the uniform jacket, and slipping into it, he walked out of the bedroom, just in time to hear the front door opening up.

 

“Hey, Heero.” He greeted automatically, as he walked into the kitchen and straight to the coffee machine. “Nice jog, today?”

 

“Hn.”

 

“Cool. I guess no dogs chased you today, huh?”

 

“I didn’t run towards that way today.”

 

“Oh, yeah?” Boy, but Duo had to congratulate himself on being so calm and collected to this point. He had carefully turned away from Heero, hiding his trembling hands as the overwhelming scent of sweat and earth from his friend filled his nostrils. He almost spilled his coffee, as Heero walked by him to reach for a glass cup from the cabinet above his head. Heero was practically standing behind him now and Duo didn’t need to turn around to know that the other boy was now topless and clad only in his spandex shorts. That was Heero’s ritual every morning. Wake up early, take a quick morning jog and strip out of the sweaty shirt right at the front door.

 

~ I am only human. ~ Duo wailed inside, as his hands gripped the coffee mug for dear life. Unfortunately, Heero brushed against him and he choked out a whimper as the bare skin touched his. Eyes widened in slight shock before the sound of breaking ceramic filled his ears.

 

“Kuso, Duo! What are you doing?”

 

Dazed amethyst depths stared at the slightly irritated handsome face before him for several seconds, before realizing what had happened.

 

“Shit! Heero, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to break it…”

 

“You should concentrate more on what you are doing. Stop being such a clumsy fool.”

 

Duo, who by this time had bent down to pick up the broken pieces of his mug, stiffened at the insult and growled. Getting to his feet abruptly, he ignored the shards of ceramic digging into his palms as he retorted back coldly.

 

“Gee…Heero. Didn’t mean to be such a clumsy bastard. But, I will tell you this. I have had it with your attitude! It’s about time you saw and treated me with respect!! You…you….selfish, coldhearted…moron!!”

 

“You are staining the floor with your blood, Duo.” Came the dry comment.

 

Duo couldn’t believe his ears. “You son of a bitch!! Is that all you can say?! That’s it! I am leaving! And I mean it this time!! By the time you come back from work, I will be gone and out of your hair! You hear me?!”

 

The Japanese boy nodded in agreement and crossed his arms across his chest. “I think that would be a wonderful plan, Duo. The sooner you leave the better for both of us, ne?”

 

“Oh, you got that part right, Mister!!”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Fine!!”

 

And spinning around sharply, he stuck his hands under the tap in the sink and washed his bleeding hands. He could vaguely hear the sound of a door banging closed and with a heavy sigh, he sank his shoulders in misery and defeat.

 

~ There was no way it would have worked anyway. How could I have even thought… ~

He turned off the tap and wrapped his hands with a paper napkin, quickly picking up the remaining pieces and wiping the mess up. And picking up his laptop and paperwork, he made his way out of the apartment without looking back.

 

Maybe he could crash with Wufei until things cooled down.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Things were definitely not cool for the normally coolness-personified boy by the name of Heero Yuy. If he was known for his ferocity at typing, well…one could call him a stark raving lunatic at this point. With fingers flying across the keyboard at an alarming rate, jaw clenched tightly in determination, cobalt blue eyes blazing with some hidden emotion, Heero Yuy could very well be homicidal at the moment.

 

And it was all thanks to his wonderful partner and…friend?

 

He was supposed to be at work by 0900 hours and yet here he was mulling over their latest fight. He didn’t care about the stupid baka and his problems. He didn’t care about insulting him. He didn’t care about how he felt. He didn’t care about the warmth that flowed through him at receiving the baka’s cheerful greeting every morning. He didn’t care about the heady scent that came from being in close proximity to him. He didn’t care about the midnight peeking that he had the tendency to do, when he thought the other boy was sleeping. He didn’t care that they had been living together in an enclosed space for the past few months, dying each day, torturing himself, needing, wanting, longing to touch the boy that drove him crazy with his stupid little chitchat and his nonsensical jokes and his off-key singing and his tasteless choice in music.

 

He just didn’t care!!!

 

“ARGH!!” His laptop protested the abuse it received from the fingers banging upon it as it crashed to the floor.

 

“He is nothing but a complete and total baka!! And I…I…”

 

He sighed and collapsed upon the table in defeat. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to hold onto the only one that could make him happy. And to make matters worse, Duo had looked like he was really going to move his stuff out this time.

 

~ Hn… ~

Cobalt eyes narrowed in determination. Not if he could help it.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Wufei stuck his head into Duo’s cubicle and shook his head in disbelief. “Goodness, Maxwell. For the first time in your life, I think you are actually working overtime.”

 

Duo smiled wanly. “I guess I have a lot of things to catch up with.”

 

“You really don’t need to do those today. You should leave those till tomorrow. Come on, it’s almost one o’clock in the morning. You are usually the one who leaves here before everyone else. What’s the matter with you today?”

 

~ I have a selfish bastard…that I am hopelessly in love with…living with me, that’s what. ~

“Uh…nothing, really, Wufkins.”

 

The responding growl brought a smile to his lips again. “Sure. Whatever you say. So, are you still staying over at my place?”

 

Duo nodded. “Yeah, I will meet you later. I just need to get these done. I should be finished really soon.”

 

“All right. See you in an hour latest, Maxwell or I am coming back here to drag you myself.”

 

“Will do, Wu. I owe you one.”

 

He waited until the door was closed before he sank his fingers into his hair and ran them down his face in weariness. He was tired. His eyes ached and his head was beginning to pound mercilessly. He had told Heero that he would be leaving today, but yet, he had stalled going back to the apartment. Some inner, silly romantic notion had figured that maybe Heero would call him and beg him not to go. But then again, another notion had told him that Heero would not have given a damn.

 

He stared sadly out of his office window, his heart breaking yet again at the remembrance of the coldly thrown insult earlier in the day.

 

~ Nothing but a clumsy baka…~

A sudden crash caused him to jerk his head around. Reaching automatically for his gun, he cocked it and rose slowly to his feet. He was supposed to be the only one on the floor right now. The janitor had come in earlier. No one else should have been here. Sliding against the walls he walked stealthily across the long hallway, the shadows created a haunting almost scary feeling in the air. With his heart pounding with adrenaline, he pointed the gun ahead of him and with a loud cry, kicked down the door that the noise had come from.

 

“Hands up or I will blow your fucking brains out…Heero?!”

 

The brown-haired Preventer, whose hands were dutifully raised in surrender, raised an eyebrow in question. “Hai, Duo. That is my name.”

 

Duo blinked for several seconds before shaking his head in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing in the copy room at this hour?! You are not supposed to be here!”

 

“Stop shouting, Duo. I work here as well remember? And besides, I should be asking you the same thing.”

 

Hands trembled slightly on the gun. “Wha…What do you mean?” He squeaked out a bit breathlessly as he noticed the dark look that had come over the other boy’s face.

 

Heero smirked and put his hands down. “I mean you were running away again.”

 

“I was not!! I had work to do!!”

 

“Liar.”

 

Duo sputtered indignantly and pointed the gun straight at Heero’s forehead. “I told you I had and have work to do. Now, if you are quite finished, maybe you had better leave. I will get my stuff in the morning, don’t worry. You don’t have to rush me or anything.”

 

“You are not going anywhere.”

 

“What the fuck do you mean by that?! I am leaving and you are not stopping me!”

 

“I can’t let you go.”

 

“Oh, yeah and why not?!”

 

Something flickered behind the cool blue depths before he replied quietly. “You haven’t paid your share of the rent for the month.”

 

Duo could have wept for the way things were going. Was that all he really cared about? His rent?! “I will send it in the mail, Heero. That the only reason?!”

 

Heero seemed to mull it over a bit before speaking up again. “You have yet to…to…”

 

~ Damn it! Think, Heero. ~

“You have yet to pick up your clothes from the drycleaners, and besides you can’t leave tomorrow. The Rental Service doesn’t open on Sundays.”

 

Duo snorted. “I will just have to borrow a truck from someone. I know a lot of people with trucks, Heero. And I am sure that the drycleaner’s will not close on Monday. I can always pick it up myself…later.”

 

“Where would you find a good apartment? There aren’t many or affordable ones at the moment…”

 

“I will be staying with Wufei and I am sure I will find something…cheap, eventually. Anything else you want to tell me, Heero? I am getting a bit tired of your reasons.”

 

Heero clenched his hands into tight fists and bit his lower lip. Why couldn’t he just say it? Why couldn’t he just admit his true emotions? Why was it so damn hard?!

 

Duo sighed and put down his gun. “I am going back to work, Heero.” He said quietly. “I think I have had enough excitement for one night. Don’t worry. Trust me, leaving will be the best for both us.” He spun around and was about to make his way out of the office when the strangled ‘No’ was heard.

 

He turned back around to stare at the other boy. “Did…did you say something, Heero?”

 

“I said ‘No’.”

 

“I thought so. Look, Heero…”

 

“You can’t leave because…because…I need someone to be there! I need to see you and your stupid grin in the morning. I need to listen to your incessant chatter and noise. I need to hear your stupid music and your stupid singing. I need to see your bed across from mine filled with all sorts of rubbish that I would never be able to comprehend. I want to see your left over breakfast on the table before I go to work. I want to see your toothbrush in the sink again instead of being in the correct holder. I need to see the way your lashes brush against your cheek when you sleep. I need to see, feel, hear, taste and touch you, Duo! I. Want. You. To. Want. Me. The. Way. I. Want. You!”

 

Duo’s gun clattered to the floor as he listened to the vehement words of need spill out from the usually silent boy. His heart raced with growing excitement as each word reached his ears. Feeling ridiculously close to tears, he could barely contain the grin that threatened to split his face into two and listening to the final plea from his friend, he leapt across the room and wrapped his arms around the surprised boy’s neck, sending them crashing amongst the boxes of paper that were on the floor. The white sheets floated around them like oversized snowflakes, as amethyst gazed deeply into cobalt depths.

 

“Do you really mean that, Heero?” He asked in a trembling voice. “Do you really want us to be…together?”

 

His answer came in the form of those amazing lips covering his in the beginnings of a kiss. With twin moans of delight, tongues sought for each other as they pressed feverish bodies together. Duo gasped as Heero thrust up sharply against him, their groins rubbing together in the process. With a responding growl, Duo returned the favor, a light chuckle escaping his mouth as Heero’s hiss of delightful agony filled his ears. Running nimble fingers through the long braid, Heero unraveled the long locks and groaned at the sight before him. With hands that trembled now, he allowed the silky tresses to run through his fingers, as he seized Duo’s lips in another bruising kiss.

 

Arousals now throbbing for release, Duo reached for Heero’s pants and unbuckled it quickly. Deft fingers reached into the clothing and brushed gently against the solid heat, sending its owner thrusting blindly into his hand. Tongues now warring with each other fervently, Duo stroked faster and faster, Heero’s harsh pants filling his mouth now as they withdrew to stare into glazed depths.

 

“I want…want to…”

 

Duo nodded and raised himself a bit, giving Heero access to his own need. In mere seconds, both boys had begun to work their frustrations and hidden desires into completion. Unable to barely keep their lips together in a kiss, they groaned and whimpered or mewled at each new sensation. Fingertips brushed against dripping pre-cum slits. Heavy and sensitive sacs were caressed gently sending each into a world of colors that couldn’t be described. Erections now slick with sweat and semen, were rubbed and stroked with increased intensity. Necks arched and eyes squeezed shut as the oncoming orgasm they were both about to experience sent them crying out in fulfillment.

 

“Oh, God!! Heero!!”

 

“Duo!!”

 

And with final grunts of satiation they collapsed onto each other, their sticky evidence coating their thighs and effectively staining their pants. Hanging onto each other for dear life, sucking in much needed air, they smiled a bit shyly at each other. And as if on cue, they spoke simultaneously,

 

“I am sorry…”

 

Duo grinned and placed his forehead against his friend’s. “No need to be sorry about anything, ne, Heero? We were a bit clumsy this time, but next time…”

 

“I get to be on top.”

 

Duo blinked at the calm statement before realizing that Heero was kidding…he hoped.

 

“Heero…I…” ~ I love you. ~

“Maxwell? Maxwell? Where are you?!”

 

“Oh, shit, Wufei!”

 

Heero watched in consternation as Duo scrambled up to his feet, hastily trying to fix himself up the best he could. Smirking at the way the American looked, with his hair all messed up, shirt hanging loose and pants with stains and all, Heero got to his feet and followed him to the door.

 

“Heero, I think you had better…”

 

“Maxwell? Are you in the copy room?”

 

Wufei stopped short as the longhaired boy stuck his head out of said room with a silly grin on his face. “Oh, hey, Wufei. What are you doing here…so early?”

 

The Chinese boy raised an eyebrow. “Um…you were supposed to be at my place half an hour ago, remember?”

 

“Oh, yeah…that.” Duo said a bit sheepishly as he suddenly yelped in surprise. He spun around to glare at someone or something as Wufei walked back towards him with a puzzled frown on his face.

 

“What is the matter, Maxwell?”

 

“Matter?? What matter?” Came the surprised reply as Duo stuck his head back out again, this time with his face as red as a Christmas bow.

 

“You yelped.”

 

“So, I did.”

 

“Is there someone in there, Maxwell?”

 

“Uumm…someone…”

 

The door was suddenly thrust open as Heero stepped forward to wrap his arms around the blushing American’s waist.

 

“Yuy? What are you…?”

 

Heero smirked and lowered his lips to place a light kiss on his love’s neck. “It’s okay, Wufei. I think what Duo was trying to tell you is that…”

 

The two boys shared a silent look of understanding between them, before Heero turned back to face the bewildered ex-pilot.

 

“What Duo was trying to say is that…there has been a sudden change of plans. So, he won’t be needing you tonight. See you later.”

 

And with an apologetic smile from Duo and a smug look of satisfaction on Heero’s face, the door to the copy room was closed shut with a resounding slam leaving Wufei blinking in disbelief in the hallway.

 

Seconds later, Duo’s head popped out again with a mischievous grin on his face. “Hey…you wouldn’t want to join us now, would you?”

 

“MAXWELL!!” Came the indignant bellow, as the poor Chinese boy was left to run out of the office with his hands over his nose.

 

Duo shrugged amiably. “Hey, at least I invited him…whoa!! Heero!! Watch the goddamn shirt!! I paid seven….oomphff!!”

 

“You talk too much, Duo.”

 

“And I love you too, Heero.”

 

~ Owari ~