Crossing Paths Arc: Part 30

Part 30: Weightless
by Kracken

Disclaimer: Don't own them and Don't make any money off of this. If anyone is selling these fanfiction stories, I don't have any knowledge of it, really I don't.
Warnings: Male/Male sex, graphic, Violence, language. Ass kicking.


Crossing Paths
Sequel to Wings

Weightless

Duo shivered and hunched into his coat as he sat and stared at nothing. The colony stretched before him, bland buildings with a narrow traffic road that ran the length of the hub. It was a fringe colony, not even on the maps yet, a project started by Quatre's father before his death and never completed. With funds dried up, it had never reached it's potential. It supported life, but it was a chill, sterile kind of life. A metal bubble of air and nothing more. It was a good place for ex Gundam pilots to disappear.

"Hard day at work ?" Heero wondered as he sat down beside Duo. The bench was in front of the two bedroom housing unit that they shared, a unit that was a perfect clone of the thousand other units in the hub.

Duo grimaced and hid behind his bangs. "Well... things didn't exactly work out today... I got fired."

Heero raised eyebrows in disbelief and then he frowned suspiciously. "Quatre Winner owns this station. If you sat and threw paper spaceships all day, no one would dare fire you. What really happened, Duo?"

Duo scowled and ducked his head. "I fired myself, okay?"

Heero loosened his tie. He was part of the security forces on the hub, still a soldier, still fighting the good fight. Even in that place, in exile, he couldn't put his gun down. "What really happened?" he asked.

Duo shrugged and sunk low, thin legs and oversized work boots stretched out before him. "I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me, okay? If I can't do the work, I don't want to be there."

Heero looked at his slight companion. Duo hadn't changed much since they had escaped to that colony. He was still painfully thin and still had a frailness about him that was worrisome to them both. They had expected a miracle, for Duo's young body to rebound from his years of taking a growth inhibiter, but that miracle hadn't materialized and Duo was finding it hard to accept that. More and more, he was becoming self conscious again.

"You should apply for a desk job," Heero said in a clipped tone, his first advice to Duo when the subject of employment had first been broached. Duo gave the same answer he had back then.

"I don't want to push papers, Heero, so forget that." He nodded towards the faint signs of construction off in the distance and the main airlocks. "I want to be out there. That's what I came back to space for."

Duo's job had been to pilot a construction bot, moving material back and forth between storage and the work sites inside and outside of the hub. It had seemed like an easy job, but he had been required to swing the large arms and pinchers of the bot constantly and the controls had been ancient. What should have been a smooth operation, was, instead, a sweating strain on arms and back muscles as he operated the large switches and levers in the cockpit. If it had ever had servos to make the operation easier and smoother, they weren't working.

"I need a different job," Duo said sourly. "One where being a stick is helpful; maybe as a vent stack cleaner, or a q-tip, or-"

Heero inched closer and slid a strong arm around Duo's narrow waist. "If you're going to suggest being a supply pilot or a Courier, I will have to quit my job. I don't want to be apart from you while you take things around the solar system."

"Actually...," Duo began guiltily.

Heero eyed him, realizing that Duo had been thinking of just that line of work. He went thoughtful and Duo knew that his mind was working it all out with cool efficiency. Duo kept quiet, so as not to disturb him. Finally, Heero said, "We won't need to pack much. We've never really unpacked."

Duo looked sheepish, "Yeah, well, I guess I hoped that we wouldn't need to hide out here for long. We were given permission to leave Earth."

" We didn't break the law," Heero agreed, "but we still have to be cautious of enemies."

Duo snorted. "What's new about that?" he wondered bitterly, but then asked, "What about you? You want to save everyone. You can't do that from the cockpit of a Courier ship."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "Are you set on being a Courier? We could find a line of work that satisfies us both."

Duo looked skeptical. "They don't have traffic cops in space Heero. How's that going to work?"

Heero smiled and pulled Duo against him, saying in his ear, "Are you doubting me and my ability to make you happy?"

Duo frowned darkly. "I'm doubting that I deserve it."

Heero cupped his chin and made Duo look at him. His intense, cobalt blue eyes seemed to bore into Duo. "Don't," he said sternly.

Duo raised hands and smoothed them over Heero's broad chest, over his muscular shoulders, and down his muscled arms. The difference in their bodies was marked. Sometimes, like just then, Duo felt the need to curl up and hide from Heero's appraising scrutiny. He felt very lacking.

"Don't!" Heero told him sternly again, guessing his thoughts. "I wish... I wish you could see how very beautiful you are. "

Heero sighed and pulled Duo into his arms completely, not caring who saw them. Duo felt a hot blush, hating how needy he was for that embrace and Heero's reassurances that he wasn't ugly, that Heero wasn't secretly hiding a distaste for his body. He thought that he would always, deep down, believe that it was true, but just then, under the loving, passionate gaze of his lover, he felt anxious to believe Heero's words.

"So, what now?" Duo asked huskily, his body telling him about its own plans, plans that involved going inside and making use of the bed.

Heero showed that he was thinking along the same lines. He stood and pulled Duo up with him. His broad hand slid under Duo's shirt and smoothed over his lean waist. It was rock hard, not an ounce of fat, and thin... too thin. Duo felt his skin automatically move away from that touch even as he craved it. It was ridiculous. Heero had seen him, touched him, fucked him, and loved him for months now. He had never shown the slightest hesitation or been critical in any way. Even now, Heero's face was on fire with rising passion, his deep blue eyes moving over Duo as if he were good to eat and he was starving.

It was Heero who led Duo into their apartment, locked the door behind them, and then used both hands to slide under Duo's shirt and pull it off over his head. His lips caught at Duo's lips: nipped, pulled, and suckled. Duo was bent back under that attack and he felt breathless, out of control, and in Heero's power. It was always this way between them, Heero taking control, his desire wanting Duo quickly, hotly, and beneath him. It was both erotic and, though Duo would never tell Heero, something that never failed to highlight Duo's shortcomings. He always felt weak, a child in Heero's powerful arms, a too slim collection of arms and legs that couldn't stop the man from doing as he pleased even if he had wanted to. Heero could crush him easily, both mentally and physically. That he didn't, that he kept that power tightly leashed as he lifted Duo up and carried him into bedroom, licking a hot trail along his neck, was always a constant wonder and proof of Heero's love for him.

Clothing was lost. The tiger tattoo clawing it's way from front to back on Heero's torso; a beautiful, live, thing, that rippled as Heero pushed Duo onto his back, tossed the lube down beside him, and then stalked after him onto the bed. On all fours over Duo, his length was rigid and his eyes were full of his need and love for Duo.

It was almost like an attack. Heero devoured Duo. His hands smoothed, stroked, and gripped. Bodies clashed together, Heero always so careful, yet managing to be forceful at the same time. Duo did his best to keep up, to give as much pleasure as he received, but, like always, Heero's passion rolled over him and overwhelmed him. They consummated that passion and lust in a sweaty, thrusting, tangle. Heero was on top, arched and pounding into Duo, and Duo was curled underneath, knees caught in Heero's arms, body bearing his weight on his shoulders as Heero sheathed himself again and again into Duo's hot tightness.

Duo reached between them and grasped his own erection. He held tightly and pumped hard, hissing and groaning as his body stretched and took Heero completely inside. Heero groaned like an animal in pain and then bore down, his body convulsing in powerful, jerking thrusts as he came. The sudden, hot slickness and Heero shoving in as deeply as he could manage, sent Duo over the edge as well.

"Shit!" Duo shouted. "Fuck me!!!" It was a long drawn out wail and Heero responded by thrusting in and out rapidly again until Duo's orgasm crested and receded, leaving Duo limp, sweating, and panting like a bellows.

"I'm having a heart attack," Duo managed to gasp as he felt his blood rushing in his veins and his ears ringing.

Heero rolled off of him with a deep chuckle and lay beside him with a contented smile. "It would give the neighbors something to talk about."

Duo eyed him. "The notorious Duo Maxwell, taken to the hospital after being thoroughly screwed by Heero Yuy, news at six."

Duo traced a finger along Heero's waist and Heero shivered and smiled languidly at him. Duo wrinkled his nose. "Bath."

"Bath?" Heero raised an eyebrow.

"I need to soak after work and... that..." Duo told him with a smirk. "And you can join me."

Heero looked intrigued and he was first off the bed and padding to the small bedroom. Duo watched his firm, rounded ass as he disappeared into the bathroom. He couldn't help touching his own narrow flank and the sharp protrusion of his hip bone. Heero had given up everything and followed him into space, Duo reminded himself. Heero had started a new life for love of him, and he was about to embark on yet another new life at Duo's say so.

"You love me," Duo murmured, "and you love this," he added as he touched his narrow chest. "You have got to be a completely crazy pervert, Heero Yuy."

"Change your mind?" Heero called and Duo heard the water start to run in the tub.

"Just trying to find the strength to get there, love," Duo called back with a laugh.

Heero came back for him, lifted him from the bed with a soft smile, and then carried him towards the bathroom. "So, where do you think we should go first?"

Duo shrugged as he wrapped his arms around Heero's neck. "Somewhere where a ship courier and a cop can work together."
_________________________________

"I could kick your ass some more," Duo growled as he ground his large boot heel into the man's back. The man moaned something. Duo shrugged and walked away, then, grinning at Heero, who was standing aside with arms crossed over his chest. "They always make the mistake of thinking that little equals easy, don't they, Heero?"

Heero grunted and followed Duo into the docking bays. "That's the fourth one in little over a month."

Duo shrugged as he made his way through rusted doors, with rusted seals, to where their ship was berthed. "They keep giving us these grunge jobs to these out of the way posts, what do you expect? It's our own fault. Who else would they send to a rough area, but two guys who can handle it?"

Heero still frowned as they entered their ship and closed the hatch behind them. Only when Duo had settled in the pilot's seat and gained them clearance, did he finally relax. He went to the narrow galley and began making coffee, a sealed container affair that was necessary as gravity was left behind with the station.

Duo sighed in relief. "I will always hate gravity."

"We need it," Heero said in all seriousness. "Our bodies can't survive long periods of-"

"I know! I know!" Duo chuckle, "but it's still good when I can get it." He looked back at Heero, braid floating about him like a snake. "Can I have some of that coffee?"

"Yes." Heero finished with the preparation and then carried two sealed containers to the cockpit. He settled in the copilot's chair, nestled in an array of instruments, and handed one container to Duo. Duo took it and warmed his hands with it.

"It was cold there," Heero said worriedly. "Their temperature controls were malfunctioning."

Duo patted his jacket. "That's what these are for, Heero. A little cold and a little fight didn't hurt me."

Heero's frown wasn't leaving him.

"Okay," Duo asked irritably. "Out with it. What's on your mind?"

"You won't listen," Heero said and then sipped at his coffee.

Duo frowned then, too. "You wanna quit? I know it's been rough, but, once everyone knows what we can do, they'll leave us alone." Heero began to speak, but Duo added, "If you want some steady, peaceful job, we can open a bistro on L1."

Heero snorted. "We are what we are," he replied and took another sip of his coffee.

Duo regarded him for a moment and then replied, "Yeah.... okay... am I suppose to know what that means? We don't have to be stuck where we are, fighting and scrabbling along. We can settle down and do all of that happy, couple stuff."

"We don't know how," Heero said very softly and then he put his coffee into a holder and turned to Duo fully. "I meant that we like what we do, and we both don't want a quiet life."

Duo smiled tentatively. "So... finish the rest."

Heero quirked an eyebrow and snorted, "I've told you, it's not something you'll want to believe."

Duo crossed arms over his chest and glared. "Try me."

"I think that we are being targeted," Heero told him.

Duo kissed the back of his knuckles. Two were raw. "If that's so, then they aren't very serious about it if even I can take them out. Besides, I have Relena's permission to be in space," Duo reminded him, "and we haven't seen any trouble since we dropped ourselves on Quatre's space station. I think they were just regular thieves and thugs."

"Hn," Heero said and paid far too much attention to an instrument panel.

Duo sighed. "Why don't you just tell me that you want, Heero? " Heero raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. "You're bored and making up conspiracy theories to make things interesting." He reached out and took Heero's calloused hand in his slim one. "You forget, I'm the expert on conspiracies."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dredge up bad memories for you," Heero told him
guiltily.

"Not so bad," Duo snorted, "I got you in the end."

Heero pulled his hand in close and kissed Duo's raw knuckles as well. "All right, I admit that running payments and courier packages to disreputable areas in space has been lacking in fulfillment."

"God! You are bored!" Duo groaned. He pulled his hand back to make a course correction. "Okay, so, new plan, right? I just picked a job I thought I could do that would keep me on a ship. If you have a better idea..."

"You won't like it," Heero replied in a small voice.

Duo growled, "Stop trying to guess what I think, Heero. Just say it and I'll properly shoot it down in flames if I don't like it."

Heero stared out into space through a view port for a very long moment and then he said, "I want to make a difference, you know that. When I worked for Sally Po, it felt... good. l think I can do that again and keep you in space."

"Okay," Duo prodded. "Keep talking..."

"I don't want to live a life where I am sent on missions and you are sent on assignments apart from each other," Heero replied.

"We already agreed on that," Duo said uncertainly.

"I would like..." Heero paused.

"Yes," Duo prompted in frustration.

"I would like us to join the Preventers together," Heero finally said. "Special forces. Not part of the regular field agent system. We would be partners."

"Sally Po agreed with this?" Duo asked with an arched cinnamon eyebrow. When Heero started and looked at him hard, Duo waggled a finger at him. "I know you. You wouldn't have even spent a moment thinking about it without completely researching it and talking to Po about it first. You already know that she wants us."

"Yes, I do," Heero admitted.

Duo sighed and sank down in his seat. "You like turning my life upside down, don't you, Heero?" Heero smiled. Duo smiled back. "Okay, okay!" Duo exclaimed. "Set the wheels in motion and I'll give it a try. I'm not promising anything, though. I'm not exactly law enforcement material."

Heero was relieved. He had wanted it that much. Duo considered the profile of his lover and thought about the tattoo that was engraved on his skin. The Tiger. It said a lot about Heero. It expressed a personality that couldn't be caged and put into a menial job. He was a weapon, would always be one. He wanted to be used, not put in mothballs.

Duo thought about putting on a gun again, about facing danger and risking his life for other people, just as he had in the war. There was a thrill inside of him that wanted that, wanted, like Heero, to matter, to make a difference. He hadn't been confident enough, even after escaping his jailers, to hope for more than being able to do something simple and safe. He thought of how he had competently taken out their attacker back at the base. His training at Heero's hands had been intense and successful. He could handle himself despite his body's lack. If he couldn't cage Heero, then he had to follow him where ever he led.

Back to chapter 29

on to Chapter 31



This page last updated: