Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Time, Fault and Out ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time to play with and return them a whole lot happier, ne? No money being made here.

 

Rating: NC 17

 

 

Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4

 

Warnings: AU, OOC, Lemon, Yaoi, Angst, Fluff, Sap, Vet themes.

 

Summary: Set 2 years after Equinity. Heero is now riding for the Kushrenada stable as well as attempting to qualify Zero for the Nations Cup team and ultimately his dream of riding at the Olympic games. But life is never an easy ride.

 

Notes: All the information on showjumping, horses, etc is taken from my own knowledge of the sport having been a competitor and now judge for many years and is written from an Australian perspective. The rules and regulations are courtesy of the E.F.A Handbook. (Equestrian Federation of Australia) Should you have any questions just e-mail me.

 

Fic 2 in the "Equine Intervention" Arc.

 

Dedication: To Klingonpoodle who gave me the plot bunny for the first fic and has since supplied my muse with its own plot bunny farm, and to 'Teddy Bear' my own courageous little showjumper whom Zero is based upon.

 

 

"Time, Fault and Out"

 

November. 2005 ShenLong

 

Chapter 3

 

"What did you tell Mrs. Marx?" Hilde asked Duo as they prepared to move the cat to the operating theater and get ready for surgery.

 

"The truth," replied Duo. "I explained the injuries and what would be involved in attempting to put the cat back together; without the gory details," he hastily added. "I gave her a rough estimate of the cost and also that there is no guarantee that the surgery will work. I explained that the chances that Blackie will recover are very slim but if she wished for us to try and save him we would do our best."

 

"Then we had better make sure we do our best," smiled Hilde. "It's going to be a challenge to put this jigsaw of a jaw back together but I'm willing to give it a shot."

 

"Would I be able to help with the surgery in any way?" asked Cathy who had been stroking the cat's fur.

 

Duo studied the girl intently. "I was going to buzz Heero and ask him to come and assist, he usually acts as a vet nurse on occasions like this, but..." Duo looked at Hilde and the other vet nodded. "If you're sure you can stomach it and put up with being ordered around by Hilde and me, then I have no objection."

 

"Thanks. I've done a little bit of animal nursing with the circus animals on the rare occasion one of them got sick so I'm familiar with some of the instruments and basic procedures," replied Cathy.

 

"Right. Let's get started then. Hilde, could you take Cathy through to the theater and find her some scrubs? I'll bring Blackie through. There should be clean instruments in the autoclave. Once you two are scrubbed you can set up the tray and prep Blackie while I get scrubbed and let Heero know what's happening."

 

"Will do, boss man," replied Hilde with a grin, then turning to the young woman she continued, "this way to the theater and all things surgical."

 

Catherine laughed and followed the female vet out of the consulting room and to the theater.

 

Duo went through to the reception area and turned the sign around to read 'closed'. Once that was done he locked the door and went to the intercom. Pushing the small button, he waited for Heero to acknowledge and answer but no reply came. Duo tried again, still no luck. He frowned and happened to glance at the clock on the wall. "Shit!" Duo smacked his hand against his head. "Of course, Heero will be bringing the horses in. Damn! Oh well, nothing I can do about it. I'll just have to wait until he comes up here," Duo said out loud to himself. With the thoughts of the cat and the time he was going to be spending in surgery, Duo headed back to the consulting room to take the patient through to the theater.

 

***

 

Heero opened the large, sliding door to the stable block and stepped inside, Trowa and Quatre were right behind him. Walking over to Zero's stable, Heero went inside to check that the horse's feed was in the feed bin. It was and Heero smiled to himself.

 

"What can we do to help, Heero?" Quatre asked as he leaned over the stable door.

 

"Duo's put all the feeds in and the water buckets are full so we can go fetch the horses in from the paddocks," replied Heero as he stepped out of the stable.

 

"Can I lead Scythe?"

 

"Of course you can. Would you like to lead Shini? Or would you prefer Zero, Trowa?" Heero asked as the three set out for the paddocks and the waiting horses.

 

"I'll take Shini if that's okay," replied Trowa.

 

"That's fine. Just watch him though, he leads all right but he can get a little pushy and try to drag you along. If he does that just give him a sharp tug on the lead rope and growl at him," Heero advised.

 

"Okay," said Trowa.

 

Quatre found Scythe waiting at the gate and easily clipped the lead rope to her halter. The mare stood patiently while Quatre opened the gate and then followed happily at the blonde's side as she was led to the stables for her dinner.

 

Zero watched the mare's tail as it disappeared along the path back to the stables and he gave an impatient whinny. Heero clipped the lead rope on and brought him out of the paddock. He waited for Trowa who had managed to catch Shini okay and was now persuading the colt to lead quietly by his side. Unfortunately Shini didn't want to listen.

 

Trowa knew that animals could sense when you didn't have a lot of experience with them, and Trowa was sadly lacking in the equine department. Dogs and cats were more his line. Consequently Shini was snatching at the lead rope and trying to bulldoze his way through Trowa in an attempt to get to his dinner quicker.

 

"Give him a sharp tug and growl at him," repeated Heero as he watched the little drama playing out. Shini was a smart animal and had figured Trowa out in two seconds flat.

 

Trowa pulled sharply on the lead rope as Heero had told him. "Behave yourself," he chastised.

 

Shini gave a snort and nearly knocked Trowa flat on his back.

 

"I said growl at him, not whisper sweet nothings to him," said Heero as he tried to hide his amusement.

 

"I was growling at him," huffed Trowa. "Quit it!" he snapped to the colt as if trying to show Heero he was reprimanding the colt.

 

Shini didn't take any notice.

 

"I'm not the one you have to convince," said Heero calmly. "He is, and if you're not more forceful, he's going to walk all over you. You have to show him who's boss."

 

"I don't want to hurt him," defended Trowa.

 

Heero resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Trust me, Trowa, you won't hurt him. Look at the size and strength difference."

 

"You do have a point."

 

"My money's on Shini," snickered Heero.

 

"Thanks a lot, Hee... OW! FUCK! Why you son of a bitch!" Trowa's demeanor suddenly changed as the colt snuck forward and nipped him on the arm. "Bite me, would you?!" Trowa gave the colt a resounding smack to the neck and a sharp tug on the lead rope. "You will behave and you will walk quietly to the stables and if you bite me again I will personally bite you BACK!" Trowa growled out fiercely.

 

Shini ducked his head and looked meekly at Trowa.

 

"Good. That's much better. Now, let's proceed." Trowa took a firm hold on the lead rope and began to march towards the stable block with as much dignity as he could muster; Shini walked docilely beside him as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.

 

Heero followed behind, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I guess there's hope for Trowa yet. What do you think, Zero?"

 

Zero gave his master a nudge in the ribs.

 

* * *

 

There was no happy bantering in the theater of the small veterinary practice, just the tinkling of instruments as they were dropped into trays, a soft grunt and occasional order barked out. Hilde swabbed at a wound, cleaning the grit and grime of the asphalt from inside before flooding the area with a saline wash and then dabbing it dry.

 

"Sutures."

 

Catherine was proving to be an asset to the two vets as they worked, anticipating some of the instruments they needed before they asked and having them ready. It wasn't easy to keep her emotions under control as she watched those nimble fingers at work. Hilde was suturing the scrapes and cuts the cat had sustained before setting the broken legs in plaster. Duo had taken the more intricate surgery and was busy at the cat's head.

 

"You almost finished back there, Hilde?" asked Duo as he wiped the sweat from his forehead onto the back of his sleeve.

 

"Yeah. Putting the last plaster bandage on now," came the reply.

 

"Good. I'm going to need your help up here in a moment."

 

"Be right with you." Hilde finished applying the last of the bandages and then removing her gloves, she went to wash up again before donning a fresh pair that Catherine had ready for her. "Thanks," she said to the young girl as she pulled the latex gloves on. Hilde also placed a pair of magnifying glasses onto her head, similar to the ones Duo wore. They would need them for the intricate surgery ahead.

 

"This is the tricky bit," said Duo as he shifted slightly to let Hilde get in beside him. "I've cleaned up all the area and reattached the skin to the skull. Now it's a case of getting this jaw back together."

 

Hilde looked closely at the cat's face. Duo had done an excellent job so far. The broken pieces of jaw were cleaned up and it was clear to see where they needed to be pinned and plated. "Have you got plates small enough?" asked Hilde as she studied the minute fragments of bone they would be working with.

 

"Yeah, I do. I have a stock of small stuff I ordered in when I first opened the practice. Never thought I would ever use it though."

 

"Then thank heavens you have a tendency to be a boy scout."

 

"Huh?"

 

"Always prepared," snickered Hilde.

 

Duo gave her a friendly poke to the ribs. "I'll get the plates and pins, could you fetch the small drill?"

 

The two vets collected the items they would need and set them out on a kidney dish. Catherine looked on in interest. The items were certainly tiny.

 

Duo gently poked around the cat's jaw with a pair of forceps. "I think we should put a pin in here then a plate on this bit here. Another plate on this part with a couple of pins should secure that. A couple of pins to this part and the whole thing should be back together.""Sounds good to me," responded Hilde as she watched intently.

 

"Then all we have to do is secure the muscles, tendons and ligaments, stitch up the skin and the rest is up to Blackie."

 

"Then let's get started," said Hilde as she tugged the glasses down and activated the light atop of them.

 

Catherine took up position by the instrument tray and the two vets swung into action.

 

* * *

 

Heero finished doing up the leg straps on Zero's rug and then checked that the rug was sitting neatly in place. With a pat to Zero's rump, Heero exited the gray's stable and bolted the door.

 

"Damn friggin' thing!"

 

Heero walked over to Scythe's stable where the cursing was coming from, and laughed.

 

"It's not funny, Heero," huffed Quatre from inside the stable where he was attempting to put the rug on Scythe. The mare had her face buried in the feed bin and couldn't give a hoot about anything else other than her dinner. Quatre had had three goes now at getting the rug on the horse. And still hadn't succeeded.

 

The first attempt had seen the rug go on back to front. Quatre hadn't checked which way the rug was folded when he'd picked it up and gone to put it on. He'd dragged it back off and tried again. This time he'd tossed it over Scythe's back with such force that it kept on going and slid off the other side. Picking it up and dusting the shavings [1] from the lining, he'd tried again. He'd managed to get the rug on the mare's back in a sort of fashion but the buckles from the leg straps had swung around and hit him in the shins; hence the language.

 

"Want a hand?" asked Heero.

 

"It wouldn't go astray," replied Quatre as he rubbed his bruised shins.

 

Heero let himself into the stable and quickly had the rug straight on the mare's back. The leg straps were passed between Scythe's hind legs and clipped up, the chest strap was buckled a moment later and then Heero checked that the rug was sitting snug and not likely to rub.

 

"You make it look so easy," sighed Quatre.

 

"I've had a lot of practice," replied Heero as they exited the mare's stable.

 

"Who's been practicing?" asked Trowa as he came out of Shini's stable and bolted the door the behind him. Heero leaned over the door to run a practiced eye over the colt and his rug, satisfied with the job Trowa had done.

 

"Just talking about how easy and naturally it seems to be for Heero when handling these equines and all the stuff that goes with them." Quatre sat down on an upturned bucket to roll up his trouser leg and check out the damage. A large bruise was appearing on his shin.

 

"I'll put some ice on that when we get back up to the house," offered Heero as he studied the bruise.

 

"Thanks, Heero."

 

Trowa looked at the bruise. "What happened?"

 

"Slight argument with the buckle on the leg strap," replied Quatre and then began to roll down the trouser leg. He looked up to see Trowa removing his shirt and checking a place on his biceps. Quatre's eyes widened when he saw the livid red mark. "You?" he asked.

 

"Minor altercation with Shinigami's teeth." There was the distinct pattern of teeth marks on Trowa's arm but fortunately the skin wasn't broken.

 

"I thought horses were herbivores, not carnivores."

 

"They are, but Shini is going through that 'I don't want to do as I'm told' stage and testing the limits," replied Heero as he looked at Trowa's arm and the bite mark. "I'll get you some ice for that too."

 

"A bit like a naughty toddler?" snickered Quatre.

 

"I guess you could say he's going through the terrible two's stage," replied Heero with a touch of sarcasm and roll of his eyes.

 

"If this is what he's like at the 'toddler' stage, you have my full sympathy when he reaches the 'rebellious teenager' level. Let me know when that happens," Trowa responded with amusement.

 

"Why?"

 

"So I can make sure I'm not around to witness it."

 

Heero snorted and shook his head. "I'm going to get the haynets."

 

* * *

 

"Drill."

 

The fine drill was passed over.

 

"Thanks. Hilde, hold these steady will you?" Duo handed over the forceps to Hilde who took them and kept the small jaw fragment they were clamped upon in place. The drill whined for a second and then fell silent. Duo repositioned and drilled again.

 

Catherine stepped forwards and took the drill from Duo's hand. With her other hand she passed over another pair of forceps, these ones were clamped onto a tiny plate. Setting the drill down she quickly picked up a tiny screw and held it in the forceps ready for the vet.

 

They had been in theater for two hours. The strain was beginning to show in tired faces and cramped muscles. Duo blew a bead of sweat from the tip of his nose and then smiled as Catherine wiped his brow with a cloth. "Thanks."

 

Hilde took the forceps and tiny screw from Catherine and poised the screw over the plate. Duo positioned the plate along the tiny jaw fragments and lined up the holes he'd drilled earlier on the plate with the holes he'd just drilled into the jaw. "Nice and easy now," he muttered as he took the forceps and tiny screw from Hilde and began to put it into place. The process was repeated again along with a couple of pins and finally the cat's jaw began to look like a jaw again.

 

"Now to attach it back to the skull," breathed Duo.

 

A few minutes later, Duo was inserting the last pin into place. Dropping the forceps back into the tray he straightened his aching back for a moment. "Looks better than it did," he said with a grin.

 

"Would you like me to stitch up the muscles and tendons?" asked Hilde as she noted the weariness in Duo's stance.

 

"If you don't mind," replied Duo as he rubbed his weary eyes. "I'll do the skin when you're finished, I should be able to see straight again by that time."

 

"No problem," chuckled Hilde and set to work.

 

***

 

Heero, Quatre and Trowa had returned from putting the horses to bed and enjoyed another cup of coffee in the comfort of the lounge room. Heero's eyes kept drifting to the clock and he couldn't help thinking about how long Duo had been gone. His gaze drifted to the intercom but he decided against 'calling' the surgery just in case Duo couldn't answer. It was Trowa who broke into Heero's thoughts.

 

"We really should be going," he said quietly. "Would it be all right if we went up to the surgery and fetched Cathy?"

 

Heero looked over and registered the words. "I think we should go up there anyway and check on them all, they've been gone quite a while." Standing up, Heero collected the coffee mugs and took them out to the kitchen where he put them into the sink. He grabbed his old sneakers and slipped them on. Quatre and Trowa were waiting for him when he returned. "Let's go."

 

The three walked out of the house and along the path that connected the house to the surgery.

 

Duo was inserting the last stitch when Heero appeared in the doorway of the operating theater. He looked up as he finished tying off the tiny suture. "Hey," he said softly.

 

Heero smiled. "Looks like you've been busy."

 

Trowa and Quatre appeared in the doorway just behind Heero.

 

"That was good timing," said Duo. "We've just about finished." Duo turned to Hilde. "Could you set up a saline drip for me please? One of the ones with the extra attachment so we can administer antibiotics intravenously."

 

"Will do," replied Hilde and fetched the necessary equipment.

 

"I've come to pinch my sister back if you've finished with her," said Trowa with a smile.

 

Duo laughed. "Yeah, sorry about that, time sorta slipped away from us. She was a great help though." Duo turned to where the young woman was blushing with the praise. "Thanks, Catherine."

 

"It was my pleasure," replied Cathy. "I enjoyed being useful. You have a good set up here, Duo, and it was interesting to watch you work, both of you. I hope this cat pulls through all right." Cathy ran a hand over the sleeping animal.

 

"Well, we've done all we can, the rest is up to Blackie and Mother Nature now," replied Duo.

 

"I'll go settle him into a cat cage in the kennels," said Hilde as she slipped her hands underneath the anesthetized animal.

 

"I'll help," said Cathy and turned to her brother. "You don't mind waiting for another couple of minutes, do you?"

 

"Go ahead," replied Trowa and watched as his sister carried the drip apparatus and saline bag, following Hilde out of the theater. Once the two women were out of earshot, Trowa turned to Duo. "Thanks again for letting her help. It seems to have done her the world of good. She's been miserable since the circus accident, not only with the grief of the loss, but as you can appreciate her life was tied up in the game and now... well, she's sort of adrift in a sense. She doesn't know what she's going to do with herself, the circus was all she's ever known and done."

 

"Trowa, it was my pleasure to have her help. She was an asset and I know Hilde appreciated her being here as well." Duo gave the tall man's arm a squeeze.

 

"We'd better get going then," said Quatre as the two women returned. "Thanks again for dinner, it was lovely and I'll be in touch during the week, Duo."

 

"No problem. Look forward to it." Duo peeled off his gloves and shook hands with the blonde Inspector.

 

"See you later, Heero, thanks for dinner," said Trowa as he shook hands with the vet and accountant.

 

The goodbyes were repeated a few more times as everyone was thanked and shaken hands with. Finally there was only Duo, Heero and Hilde left in the small theater. Duo looked down at his blood stained scrubs and wrinkled his nose. Hilde wasn't much better. "Suppose we'd better get this lot cleaned up so you can go home and I can take a shower," said Duo as he began to collect the used instruments and dump them in the sink to wash before putting them into the autoclave.

 

Hilde began the task of scrubbing down the operating table while Heero emptied the rubbish and then swept and mopped the floor. It didn't take long before the theater was sparkling clean again.

 

"I'll check Blackie and give Mrs. Marx a ring to let her know how the cat is doing," said Duo and disappeared to the kennels.

 

Hilde went to get changed out of her scrubs and met up with Heero in the corridor. She quickly filled the rider in on what had happened while Duo was making his 'phone call. "I'll be off then," said Hilde as Duo reappeared.

 

"Okay, Hilde. See you tomorrow."

 

"You right to deal with the morning consults?" she asked as she paused at the door.

 

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll give you a call and let you know how Blackie is in the morning," replied Duo.

 

"Thanks." Hilde closed the door after herself, Heero stepped up to lock it while Duo turned out the lights in the reception area.

 

"You look tired and stressed," said Heero softly as he stepped up behind Duo and placed his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders, massaging lightly.

 

Duo raised a hand and placed it over one of Heero's, leaning back and closing his eyes briefly as a soft moan escaped his mouth. "That feels good."

 

"Come on, I'm taking you back to the house so you can have a hot shower."

 

"Don't think I can stand up long enough," replied Duo wearily.

 

"I'll help you."

 

* * *

 

The hot water felt good against his aching muscles. Duo had his back to the spray, forehead resting on the glass screen of the shower while the hot water coursed down his back. The shower curtain rustled and Duo cracked open an eye.

 

"Got room in there for me?" Heero stood completely naked, waiting for permission to enter.

 

Duo smiled. "Always got room for you, Heero."

 

Stepping into the stall, Heero picked up the wash cloth and soap, lathering it in the cloth and then proceeding to wash Duo's back. He soaped over arms, shoulders and then Duo's lower back before crouching down and washing his lover's feet and starting a trek upwards over calves and thighs. Reaching Duo's buttocks, Heero gently spread the cheeks and soaped around. He discarded the cloth momentarily to run his fingers along the cleft and tease at the tight ring of muscle.

 

Duo's skin shivered at the gentle ministrations. When Heero's fingers began to tease lightly along his cleft and anal ring, he moaned. His nerves were sensitive and despite his exhausted state, his body began to respond. He could feel the heat intensifying between his legs and his hips shifted a little.

 

Heero picked up the wash cloth again and removed his fingers from Duo's rear end. Gently he turned the vet around and began to wash his front. He smiled as he noted the flushed state of Duo's skin and the way the braided man let his head fall back against the screen, giving Heero complete access to his body. He couldn't miss the half hard cock either. Heero began to run the wash cloth over Duo's chest, paying particular attention to those dusky nipples. Another moan told Heero his attentions were welcomed. The cloth moved down over the flat belly, skimmed around the groin and continued along the upper thigh. Next came the knees and then the shins and ankles before returning upwards and pausing for a moment then brushing over the inner thigh and to the patch of skin behind Duo's balls.

 

"Ahhh... Nice," groaned Duo.

 

With a soft chuckle, Heero ran the wash cloth over Duo's balls and then along the hardening shaft, pushing the foreskin back and cleaning around the ridge of the flared head. By the time he'd finished, Duo's cock was rock hard.

 

Heero's wasn't far behind.

 

Tossing the cloth to the floor of the shower stall, Heero took Duo's shaft in his hand and began to stroke, running his thumb over the swollen head from time to time and adding to his lover's pleasure. His other hand moved between Duo's legs to cup the sac and roll Duo's balls in his hand.

 

Eyes closed and head tilted back to rest on the screen, Duo's mouth opened and soft pants came out as his body was stimulated. His hips began to move, thrusting up into the warm tunnel of Heero's hand as he was slowly drawn to completion. Nerves came alive, blood thundered in his ears and all weariness left him as he strove to reach his climax.

 

Heero continued to stroke, alternating the pressure and speed as Duo's body responded. He gently squeezed Duo's balls and then left them to rub against that sensitive patch of skin. He smiled as Duo's legs opened further to him, the body sliding down the glass screen a little as thighs parted. Heero managed to wriggle his finger further back and found that puckered entrance once more. This time he gently worked his finger inside, still keeping up a rhythmic stroking of Duo's cock and distracting the vet. Pushing forwards, inch by inch, Heero buried his finger completely in Duo's passage and then searched for that sweet spot.

 

"Nnnn," groaned Duo and then fell into a series of gargled moans as his world exploded in pleasure. His hips moved of their own volition, seeking further stimulus to bring him to his peak.

 

Pushing the finger in again, Heero's other hand sped up in its stroking, determined to bring his lover off. Duo's prostate was caressed again and Heero felt the body jerking against him as Duo reached his end. Thick, creamy seed erupted from the tiny slit, coating Heero's hand and being washed away by the water. Heero continued to stroke the softening organ, milking every last drop from his lover as he slipped his finger out.

 

As his orgasm tore through him so Duo was lost in a sea of roiling heat and pleasure. He shook and tingled to the tips of his toes with the intensity of it, feeling spasm after spasm pass though him. As the pleasure abated so he slumped against the screen, totally spent and tried to regain control of his breathing. He felt Heero's hand leave him and the wash cloth return to wipe away the last of the evidence that the water hadn't. Somehow he managed to crack open an eye and smiled. "Thanks," he breathed out.

 

"My pleasure," replied Heero as he began to wash himself.

 

Duo noticed that Heero was still sporting a hard on and licked his lips. Before Heero could register what was happening, Duo had sunk to his knees and taken the head of Heero's cock into his mouth.

 

"Ah, oh shit!" Heero cried out as he was suddenly enveloped in warm, wet heat; heat that sucked and teased him. He didn't get a chance to protest, that talented mouth and tongue were working their own magic on his cock and Heero closed his eyes. The wash cloth fell from nerveless fingers to land with a wet splat on the tiled floor; hands buried themselves in a wet, soggy braid and held the vet's mouth still as hips thrust and began to fuck the mouth that tormented and teased.

 

Duo let Heero use his mouth, he kept his teeth out of the way and breathed through his nose as best he could. He applied suction from time to time, hollowing his cheeks as he increased the pressure on the thick organ in his mouth. Occasionally he let his tongue roam along the pulsing vein, enjoying the whimpers that came from Heero's mouth as he stimulated his partner further.

 

It was heaven and it was hell; and Heero was lost to it all. Everything narrowed to his cock and that hot mouth. His hips thrust, eagerly seeking the orgasm that hovered just out of reach. He felt Duo's mouth increase the suction on him and then hands to his hips slowed his thrusting. He growled softly in frustration and then mewled in delight as Duo swallowed him completely. When Duo began to hum around his shaft it triggered the end for Heero. He felt his balls tighten and then he plunged over the edge and into oblivion.

 

Thick seed shot down Duo's throat and the vet swallowed it all. As the rage of Heero's climax began to abate so Duo let the softening shaft slide free, licking up any stray drops from the slit. When he was satisfied that Heero wasn't going to give him anymore of the bitter sweet liquid, Duo pulled himself to his feet and grinned at his lover. Heero looked completely sated.

 

"That was intense," Heero managed to huff out as his breathing rate took its time to return to normal.

 

"Tasted pretty good too," snickered Duo as he licked his lips in appreciation.

 

Heero laughed and then crushed his lips to Duo's in an intense kiss. "You look like the cat that got the cream," he said softly.

 

"Yup, I'd say I got all of the cream," replied Duo with a grin.

 

"I think we had better get out of here before we start to prune," said Heero and turned the faucet off. They both stepped out of the stall and Heero grabbed the fluffy towels he'd placed nearby. Wrapping Duo up in one, Heero quickly toweled himself off and then gave Duo a hand. Another towel was pressed into service, wrapping around Duo's braid and absorbing as much water as possible.

 

Dry and naked, the pair stumbled along the hall and into Duo's bedroom where Heero had pulled the covers of the bed back before joining Duo in the shower. They tumbled into the bed, both exhausted from the day's events and their romp in the shower. Heero tugged the blankets up and then set his alarm clock. Flicking the switch to the bedside lamp, the room was plunged into darkness.

 

Duo snuggled down into the mattress and Heero's warmth. He wormed a hand over Heero's hip and then spooned up behind his lover. "Love you, Heero."

 

"Love you too, Duo. Goodnight."

 

"Night," came the sleepy reply.

 

Heero pressed back a little and smiled as he heard the breathing even out and the gentle snore from his partner. Moments later, he followed Duo into the land of nod.

 

~ * ~

 

tbc....

 

[1] Shavings: These are the most common form of bedding used in horse stables here in Aussie, usually pine wood shavings as they are less dusty and very absorbent. They also stick like glue to the lining of rugs or your socks!