Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Edulcoration of Duo Maxwell ❯ Epilogue - Reclaiming Freedom ( Chapter 68 )

The Edulcoration of Duo Maxwell - Epilogue

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Warnings: AU, yaoi, coarse language, violence, angst, cliffhangers, red herrings, mention of various vices, random bits of useless knowledge, occasionally explicit sex, enough footnotes to choke an army of horses.

Spoilers: Nah

Disclaimer: I don't really need to be Captain Obvious here, do I? No ownership, no money being made, yadda yadda. Written for fun, not profit.

Pairings to date: 2x1x2, 3+4, 4x3, 5+M/5xM, 9+6, past 2xH, past 4x1

Edulcorate (verb) - To free from harshness (as of attitude); to soften

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Epilogue - Reclaiming Freedom

Duo laid down his last two tiles, an A and an H, next to the A in the word 'thread' and grinned.

"Wanna bother deducting points for those unused letters, Heero, to find out just how much I've beaten you by?"

Heero shook his head. "Your strategy is improving, although I'd say you're showing off your extensive knowledge of two-letter and three-letter words."

"That's because most of the four-letter ones I know aren't allowed."

"'Fuck' is in the dictionary, Duo."

Duo's hand faltered in the process of sweeping tiles off the table and into the box.

They'd been dating for several months, ever since he'd climbed Heero's fire escape and rather inadvertently confessed how he felt. Since then, they'd had many hot and heavy make-out sessions on the couch, in the kitchen, in the front seat of both their cars.

Once their test results for sexually transmitted diseases had come back negative, oral sex was added to hand jobs and dry humping, and Duo had even managed to overcome his initial reluctance and had swallowed once.

Heero didn't seem to mind that it wasn't likely to happen again, but Duo knew how it felt to have tongue and lips against his cock when he came. He wished he could do that for Heero, but he supposed he didn't have as much practice with the act as his boyfriend did.

Boyfriend. It was an odd term for Duo. It seemed to suggest a title a teenaged girl would use, not a man nearing thirty. Had he ever considered himself Hilde's boyfriend?

He supposed his relationship with Hilde was not the best basis for comparison.

"Duo," Heero said, putting his arms around him from behind. Duo hadn't even noticed Heero getting up from his chair.

Duo let his head drop back, enjoying it for just a moment before Heero released him and went into the living room, knowing that Duo needed a few moments alone.

Guilt gnawed at him as he finished putting the game away. He felt inept when it came to a relationship with another man. Physically, he was very turned on by Heero, and he had no trouble in that department.

Philosophically, they got along very well, and their "dates" were enjoyable outings that could have been shared between two very platonic friends.

It was all that lay in between the two that made him uncomfortable.

Heero had been patient, although that didn't surprise Duo one bit. Even in California, while he'd been questioning everything from his sexuality to his emotions, Heero had seemed so infuriatingly self-assured.

He had to take the bull by the horns. He hadn't gotten this far in life by tiptoeing around anything. In fact, he'd been rather reckless a few times where Heero was concerned.

Heero had to know he was on the verge of making a decision.

He'd seated himself on the couch while Duo stalled for time with the game. The television was tuned in to the classic movie channel.

His mind made up, Duo joined him on the sofa. They sat there for a while, watching John Wayne, Glen Campbell, and Kim Darby track down a killer, before Duo slipped his arm around Heero and pulled him closer.

Heero rested his head on Duo's shoulder and Duo turned his head to the side, Heero's hair tickling his nose as he softly kissed the dark bangs.

He still enjoyed the smell of his conditioner in Heero's hair on days when Heero wasn't working undercover.

A sigh of contentment from Heero reminded Duo of how right this felt, and of his earlier decision to take the plunge.

He turned so they were facing each other, put a hand on Heero's cheek, and tilted the expectant face up for a kiss.

Duo had hoped to ignite something, and Heero's response indicated success in the first stage of implementation. He shifted his weight and with a bit of clumsy maneuvering, they were both sprawled on the couch, Heero lying underneath him, hands roaming everywhere.

"Fuck me," Duo groaned. "Oh, GOD, Heero, fuck me." He ground his pelvis against Heero's to show he was serious.

Heero kissed him deeply, his fingers buried in the hair at Duo's neck, still neatly bound. Duo leaned back, removed his shirt with a bit of effort, and then pressed himself against the hard body beneath him.

After a few more heated kisses and some awkward groping, Duo got up and held out his hand. He pulled Heero to his feet and slid his hands into the back of Heero's unfastened jeans.

"Not here," he growled, even as his fingers kneaded Heero's firm buttocks. He continued his massaging as Heero began leading him to the bedroom, enjoying the way Heero's muscles flexed with each backward step.

Once they neared the bed, he pulled his hands free and Heero sat on the mattress. Duo removed his pants and swallowed hard as Heero shimmied back on the mattress, his thumbs hooked in his belt loops.

Heero made it look so easy, Duo thought idly as Heero shucked his pants off and leaned back against the pillows, dressed only in his socks.

Duo climbed onto the bed, then stopped and sat cross-legged in front of him. He removed one of Heero's socks and pulled the bare foot into his lap.

He lightly ran his fingers over the top of Heero's foot and then brought it to his lips and pressed an open mouth kiss near the base of the toes. Encouraged by the hiss Heero made in response, he drew the big toe into his mouth and ran his tongue along the bottom before slowly withdrawing and massaging Heero's instep.

"Duo," Heero groaned.

He slid his grip from foot to ankle. Heero bent his knee as Duo licked and kissed his way along the shin, fingertips teasing calf muscle as he did so. When he heard Heero's breathing become shallow, he repeated the process with the other foot.

He crawled toward Heero, stopping when he was between Heero's legs. Their eyes met and he marveled at the intensity of Heero's gaze. He licked his lips in anticipation, and fumbled in the nightstand drawer in an attempt to remove the tube they needed without losing eye contact.

Heero took it from his trembling fingers and set it near the pillows, then gently reversed their positions so that Duo was on the bottom. He squeezed a bit of gel onto his fingers and positioned Duo so that both of his legs were up over Heero's shoulder, his ass elevated.

Cool, slick fingers ran along the cleft of his ass and this time Duo was the one to emit a groan of pleasure as Heero's mouth engulfed him. Distracted as he was, he could still feel the finger enter him, in one smooth motion.

Heero slid it out just a bit and then back in again and his tongue swirled around the head of Duo's erection, then he took all of Duo in his mouth again.

Then Heero removed his finger and continued to suck and lick Duo's raging hard-on. Duo's eyes were closed, but he could tell Heero was in the process of doing something besides giving him a very satisfying deep throat.

Heero's mouth was replaced by lube covered fingers, and Heero kissed the inside of his thighs before slowly letting Duo's legs drop to either side and leaning forward. Duo's eyes flew open.

"I want this to be good for you, Duo," he said, his expression showing how much it meant to him.

"It will be," Duo said hoarsely.

"Trust me?"

Duo nodded. It took him a moment to realize what Heero was up to.

"Heero," he protested.

Heero reached behind him, stroked Duo's cock one more time, before slowly lowering himself onto it. When Duo was fully sheathed, Heero said, "look at me."

Duo obeyed the subtle command, and Heero raised himself slightly.

"If you don't withdraw entirely," he said, "it's not quite so uncomfortable, once you're already inside. When you're ready, Duo. Not before."

He slid back down onto Duo's length.

Heero's voice was soothing as he explained that this position allowed him greater control, where depth of penetration was concerned, but also that it wasn't particularly the most satisfying for him.

They rolled over, Duo's member still buried deep inside of Heero. Heero wrapped his legs around Duo's torso and gifted him with a passion-filled stare.

"It's not always about the act itself Duo," he said. "Do you understand?"

Duo nodded slowly, biting his lip as Heero clenched his muscles around Duo's shaft.

"Make love to me, Duo."

There was that lump in his throat again, the one Duo felt at the most unexpected times - like the night they'd been watching a movie and Heero had cleared his throat and excused himself to go to the bathroom.

Duo had never understood why Heero didn't just go before watching the movie, until it hit him that it was a bit of a habit of Heero's when they watched something that was rather poignant.

He remembered the day he'd managed to choke down Heero's semen and Heero had looked down at him with the most dazed expression, the corners of his mouth tilting up in the softest of smiles. The lump in his throat then had nothing to do with the fact that the foul taste in his mouth was almost making him retch.

Duo was still kneeling on the bed, still buried to the hilt in Heero, but was completely motionless.

Make love to me, Duo.

He did.

He'd wanted to make it last, wanted to make it special, wanted to do more than drive into Heero hard, fast, and for all of perhaps twenty seconds.

His body had other ideas, however. Duo shouted Heero's name as he came. Heero's legs drew him closer, and he gave in and fell forward, letting Heero's arms come around him as well. One of his hands was still tacky with lubrication, but his other hand moved Duo's hair out of the way.

Heero's erection was trapped between their bodies, and Duo tried to push himself away, to stroke it, but Heero tightened his embrace. He unwrapped his legs from Duo's midsection, and Duo's softening cock slipped out, sticky and messy and embarrassing.

"Duo," Heero breathed into his ear. "You and Hilde were sexually involved."

Duo tensed slightly, wondering if Heero were going to make some profound announcement about his sexual preferences and how they tied to his bedroom performance.

"Did she orgasm every time you had sex?"

"I never left her unsatisfied," Duo said testily, attempting to push away again, to take a shower and try to pretend he was completely unaware of how much he'd failed.

"How many times did you have to satisfy her orally? Manually? Or were you able to get her off each time with simple penetration?"

"Heero..."

"Duo."

"It varied, alright?"

"It's not all that different, Duo. Not all men find penetration the be-all-end-all in the bedroom."

"But you did when we..."

Heero's lips moved against Duo's temple. "You took me by surprise, Duo. It was always about more than the sex. You knew that just as much as I did."

"But..."

Heero rolled to his side, and their foreheads touched as he stroked Duo's neck gently with his thumb.

"Sex would be pretty boring if it were the same every time, wouldn't it?"

Duo realized Heero was no longer aroused, and he sighed in resignation.

"Yeah."

"It's always been about more than sex between us," he repeated.

Duo nodded, then cupped Heero's face and kissed him softly. "Yes," he said, running his hand through Heero's hair.

"It was good for me, Duo. You are good for me." Heero's eyes bored into his own. "It's not about perfection."

"I just feel like..."

"I know," Heero said, his expression one of understanding. "But love and sex are not Olympic sports. No one is keeping score. If that were the case..." a tinge of regret touched Heero's voice.

Duo kissed him again. "I get what you're saying, Heero."

"Well, I do love you for your mind," Heero chuckled softly. "If you don't mind," he added, pulling back from Duo reluctantly. "I should probably take a shower."

"I'll change the sheets," Duo offered, eyeing the rumpled linens that were now attached at only two corners of the bed.

Heero was almost to the bathroom when Duo peeked his head out of the bedroom door.

"Heero!"

When Heero turned around, Duo smiled at him crookedly.

"Me too."

Heero rapidly closed the distance between them and kissed Duo hard, then nipped his lower lip softly before returning to the bathroom.

When Duo heard the water turn on, he touched his lips briefly.

This time, his smile was much wider.

~END~

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You can thank kcgal for planting the idea of writing an epilogue in my head.

Additional thanks to Natea for supporting all the nonsense.

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The idea behind the chapter title comes from this:

To love is to risk not being loved in return...

To hope is to risk despair, and to try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and becomes nothing...

Chained only by his certitudes, he is a slave, he's forfeited his freedom.

Only the person who risks is truly free.

- Janet Rand, although oft quoted by Leo F. Buscaglia

AAH is on the Scrabble three-letter word list, and it is, indeed, in the dictionary.