One Mess After Another
Part 2

 "Heero! Duo!" Quatre ran out to greet them, "You're home!"

 "Yep!" Duo laughed and jumped down then looked up, waiting for Heero. The Wing pilot followed lithely.

 "How did you escape?" WuFei asked, "And with your Gundam too."

 "Lets just say we owe Trieze and Zechs our thanks."

 The Chinese boy seemed to blanch, "They helped you?"

 "Hai." Heero confirmed.

 The boy nodded and left.

 "What's wrong with Wu-man?"

 Trowa shrugged.

 "Any new missions?"

 "A few solo flights came in, one was for you especially Heero."

 "I'll take it." He nodded and went into one of the three bedrooms to set up his laptop.

 Quatre looked at Duo with worried eyes, "You look different." He said softly. "What is
wrong Duo?"

 Duo said one word that explained it all, "Heero." then ran after his partner.
 
 

 "There, now I feel human again!" He grinned after he had exited the shower and sat on the bed towel drying his hair. "So what is the mission?"

 Heero fought to keep his eyes away from the towel clad body. ". . . "

 Duo read the mission report and snickered, "Is this Relena's idea of a trap. For you?"

 "Hai." He sighed.

 "She wants you to look into an Oz base across from a certain school, Let me guess," Duo
sighed and slid into some boxers and jeans, "Relena is one of the students."

 "Hn." Heero frowned.

 "Well. . ." Duo grinned and walked up behind the boy putting a hand on his shoulder.
"You never go on a mission that dangerous without your partner for back up. Right?"

 "She thought of that." He frowned.

 "Nani? What do you mean?" He slid a long sleeve shirt over his head and Heero almost
cried out in relief, those smooth, lithe muscles had been slowly killing him with need.

 "The school has a strict male hair code. If you went with me you'd have to cut your
braid."

 Duo grabbed his braid protectively.

 Heero nodded knowingly. "Well, before I leave, I think I need a shower as well."

 The American grinned, "It'll take more than that to make you feel human again Heero."
He quipped playfully.

 "Baka."
 

 When he walked back into their room, Heero found Wufei and Duo there arguing over
something Duo had done in a moment of insanity. Hn, that could be most any given time of his
life.

 "Duo if you ever try to paint my Nataku again. . ."

 "Don't say ‘Omae o kuruso' that's Heero's line." Duo grinned and pounced on Wufie,
"And hot pink is a good color to worship. . . What do you do when you ‘worship' Nataku anyway?"

 "Have you no honor?!"

 "Wh~~at?!"

 "It is a sacred moment."

 "To do what?"

 "You wouldn't understand, it is a profound release from. . ."

 "Release! Awe man! You're jacking off aren't you?"

 "What!!??!!" Wufei roared.

 "You ‘worship' Nataku so you can masturbate!"

 "Maxwell you have no honor!" Wufei's face was deep red. And his nose had started to
bleed a little.

 "Masturbation!" Duo laughed and ran around the room as an enraged Wufei chased after
him, "J-A-C-K - I-N-G - O~-F-F!" Duo sang to the tune of an old them song for Mickey Mouse, "Masturbation! WuFei worships Nataku with his. . ."

 The Chinese boy pounced, leaping over the bed and slamming Duo to the floor.

 "OWWWW!" Duo yelled when he grabbed a handful of hair.

 "Take it back!"

 "No way man!  Gack. . . !" WuFei grabbed his neck.

 Heero was disappointed to have to share their last alone time together for who knows
how long, but he managed to hide it well. He aimed his gun at WuFei, "Get up."

 "Yuy." WuFei greeted him as he obeyed, when it came to Duo no one had found Heero's
breaking point and WuFei wasn't about to be the one to do it.

 "Chang." Heero sat down and started to type at his laptop, searching for Duo's latest
assignment when he knew he should be checking mission statistics.

 "We are departing tomorrow morning."

 "Who is we?"

 "Quatre, Trowa and I have been called to special assignment elsewhere, you and Duo are
to wrap your solo missions up by the end of the month and then meet us at the new rendevous."

 WuFei leaned back against the wall to relax back into his reading and left Heero alone to his thoughts.
He was well aware that those thoughts would be of a certain American pilot with violet eyes and
chestnut hair. The whole team knew and had been silently cheering Duo on. They all noticed the
difference he made in Heero.

 Duo tried valiently to keep his dignity as he got up and tried to get his ragged old brush
through the still wet tresses, and the Chinese pilot watched above his book as Heero grabbed the
brush from the other boy and started to carefully work through the tangles. Duo was chattering on
a mile a minute and Heero was just listening, like he always did. Come to think of it, Heero
showed greater patience around Duo than with any of them. Keep this up Duo. You two are made
for each other.

 He fingered the ring he kept hidden on a chain round his neck. He couldn't remember
who had given it to him but it wasn't Nataku. He didn't know why he couldn't recall, but he felt
a deep connection to it. He was sure that whoever had given it to him, he had loved her. But why
can I not remember?! [1]
 
 

 After the first day of his ‘mission' Heero was tight as a strung guitar string! He had not
seen Duo in a week! Not since the other pilot set off for his own solo battle. Their missions had
kept them apart. At times Heero felt he and Duo each toned the other down. Around Duo he was
less angry and Duo was less insane around Heero. Each made the other a whole person in a
sense.

 Now he would have to stay at this new school with Relena. Heero shuddered. He had
received an Email that said Duo was ok and that he was coming to see him. That was welcome
news to the Gundam pilot. After a week of nothing but Relena and her attitude, he was more than
ready for a taste of his playful American companion.

 The school, he had discovered,  was a cover for an Oz recruiting camp, and he was
scheduled to blow up the Oz base across the way from it as well as hack into the school files, he
should have been going over strategy and such but Heero could think of nothing but seeing Duo
again.

 Around midnight Heero cursed and shut the computer down. No sign of Duo in the
banks. He wasn't here. Why would he not be here? He said. . .  Could he have. . . No! He was
still alive. Heero had recieved no notices of deaths to the team. Then where. . .? The question
haunted him as he slept in the cold bed he had longed to share with his warm bodied companion.
 
 

 The next day Heero sat in class ignoring all of the students who spoke to him. Duo where
are you? The lecture hall seemed too quiet without the Deathscythe pilot beside him, no matter
how many students there were talking.

 Relena sat down beside him and smiled. "Ohayo Heero."

 ". . ."

 "Do you have a partner for the science lab coming up?"

 ". . ."

 "Class." The teacher called for their attention.

 Heero looked up and his breath hitched in his throat. Duo? He ran his eyes over the new
‘girl' from the perfect legs up the slim hips and tiny waist, the artificially filled out chest and
slender neck, to her beautiful cherub-like face and flashing violet eyes. A waterfall of chestnut
brown hair fell gracefully around her, tied back in a loose pony tail at her nape. Duo! Damn he
looks good in that uniform! He almost got a nosebleed eyeing the smooth black tights, the black
uniform skirt that clung to his hips then flowed out around his calves, and the white button up
shirt that didn't quite hide the black bra underneath.

 Relena looked less than thrilled at the arrival of the American.

 "We have a new student today, this is miss Maxwell."

 "Ohayo." The girl blushed and smiled shyly. "And you can call me Duo."

 "Miss Maxwell please take a seat up there beside Grace."

 "Hai." She said softly.

 Heero could only stare as the vision swayed toward him and slid lightly into the vacant
seat one row ahead of him. He felt a flush run up to his face when Duo tripped and caught him. . .
herself. . .  on Heero's thigh. "Oh! Sorry!"

 Heero smiled at Duo and the class started whispering amongst themselves. Duo blushed
and moved on to sit by the smiling girl. "Ohayo." ‘She' smiled.

 "Ohayo Duo-san. I am Becky."

 Duo smiled and started doing what she did best, talking. By lunch time she had wriggled
into the hearts of every boy and girl in the school but for a choice few who were envious. Relena
was one of them.

 Heero watched all of this covertly. He didn't like all the attention Duo was getting. It
wasn't good for the mission! It isn't good for me! What does he think he's doing flirting with all
of those girls?

 When it was finally lunch Duo sat with Becky, her best friend Grace, and their little group. Heero sat across the lunch room alone. He was watching Duo smile and socialize so easily with everyone. Friends just seemed to gravitate toward the braided fool. Heero frowned. He's my best friend! He should be sitting with me!

<<Apart is better, less chance of being caught>>

<But I want him to smile at ME like that!>

<<Shut up and behave!>>

<Admit it! You like him.>

<<He's my partner.>>

<No you R~E~A~L~L~Y like him>

<<Baka.>>

Heero stuffed his mouth full of fries and tried to consentrate on anything but the braided American sitting not even twenty feet from him.
 

 "Do you know him?" Grace asked softly.

 "Who?" Duo glanced up from her plate.

 "Heero Yuy. The new guy over there." She said quietly, "He's been eyeing you since you
entered the classroom this morning."

 Duo smiled wistfully, "He's my bestfriend, sort of my boyfriend."

 "What?!" They all asked in shock. "That cold, unfeeling rock?"

 Duo looked at them sternly. "Hai, we were transferred here together, I just had to tie up
some loose ends before I came. And he isn't unfeeling at all, he is gentle and kind, you just need
to know him."

 "I don't believe it." A girl named Melissa objected. "Besides he isn't at all the type who
would go for you."

 "Oh no?" Duo grinned and Becky shot a look to Grace, they already knew that grin meant
trouble.

 "Duo, what are you going to do?"

 Duo ignored them and picked up her tray, walking to slide into a chair almost touching
Heero's. "Ohayo." She greeted him..

 "Duo." Heero licked his lower lip, "I missed you." His heart sped faster and faster, remembering Duo's admittion of love even when Duo couldn't remember.

 A full and blossoming smile crept over Duo's face and she hugged Heero to her and
burried her face in his neck, "‘missed you to."

 "Aa?" Heero asked.

 Duo snickered, "I found a perfect cover for us."

 "Hai?"

"You are now my boyfriend."

 "Aa." smoothed the chestnut waves and pulled Duo back a little, "Why are you dressed
like a girl in the first place?" He murmered into the boy's ear.

 "I didn't want to cut the braid, there's a strict hair code here, remember? And this way I
can be close to you all day long, no problem."

 "As a boy we could have shared a room."

 Duo chuckled, "But as a girl we can be together in public and no one will bat an eye if I
did this." She pressed her lips to Heero's cheek and the pilot inhaled sharply as Duo continued,
"And whisper a . . . secret or two. You see?"

 "Aa." Heero replied dreamily, not really hearing what Duo said, he just focused on the feel of the pilot's breath on his sensitive lobe.

 Duo giggled and pulled away from Heero's arms to sit beside him again. "We can meet
for missions much easier that way. Hey, You want my pie?" She offered.

 Heero chuckled, "You sure you don't want to inhale that too?"

 "Hee~ro!" Duo slapped his arm playfully and they both grinned, Heero's was only a
twitching of his lips, but Duo saw it. Duo noticed everything about Heero Yuy.

 Relena glarred at them as she took a seat at the table.

 "Ohayo Relena!" Duo smiled. "What's up?"

 She tried to ignore ‘him'. "Ohayo Heero." She smiled, "Are we still on for that study
session?"

 "Hn." He agreed reluctantly.

 "Oi Heero." Duo smiled and hung onto the boy's arm, trying to give Relena a hint that
they were on an undercover mission. Yeah, right, as if you don't want her to know Heero is yours.  "Are you going to the school carnival this weekend?"

 The boy held his hand and smiled, "If you go."

 "Will you be my date then?"

 "Hai."

 Relena had had enough, "Duo Maxwell what kind of perverted creature are you?!"

 The whole cafeteria turned to stare at her.

 "Huh?"

 "You are a sick creature Maxwell! Heero is mine! You. . .  you stay away from him!"

 Duo smiled at Relena and Heero frowned at her outburst. She was going to get them
caught at this rate!

 "You're not even a girl!"

 Whispers and questions reguarding Relena's sanity were tossed back and forth around the
room. "Duo not a girl? Did Relena hit her head or something?"

 "Of course Duo's a girl."

 "That was a stupid accusation."

 Relena fairly growled, "But it's true!"

 Duo wore a blank look to match Heero's and they both stood at the same time. "Lets go
sit with Becky.

 "Aa." Heero agreed.

 When they sat down Becky began to question Heero, "So where did you meet?"

 "By the ocean."

 "How romantic!" Grace smiled.

 If you call exploding mobile suits and being shot twice romance.

 "How long have you been together?"

 "A couple years."

 Duo smiled, "But we only got to be closer these last few months."

 "Friendship first." Melissa smiled.

 "What about Relena? She seemed a little upset. . ."

 "She is obsessive." Heero growled and stood, "I have to go."

 "You were right Duo." Becky giggled, "He is kinda cute when you give him a chance."

 "Just remember he's mine." Duo grinned and they all giggled and started talking about
fashion and how the keep wet hair from tangling.  All conversation stopped when Relena
approached the table and grabbed Duo by the collar.

 Duo turned around and pushed the hand away, "You are wrinkling my blouse." Then she
looked up at her face, "Relena? I thought you were gone."

 "No."

 "What is it?"

 "Stay away from him Duo." She warned, "He is vulnerable, new to feeling. You are
taking advantage of him and his emotion."

 "What?" Duo almost laughed.

 "Does he love you? Has he ever said he loved you?"

 "Well. . ."

 "I could give him everything he ever desired. I could give him anything he'll even need. I
could give him children, I could give him the peace he fights for. What could you give him?"

 "Everything I am!"

 "Is that enough?"

 The other girls tried to shut Relena up but she kept right on. Finally Duo stood up.
"Goodbye Relena." The pilot frowned and walked away.

 "Is that enough, Duo?! Will it ever be enough?!"

 Becky and Grace walked away from the mean hearted girl who had hurt Duo, "Get a life
Relena." Becky hissed.

 "What?"

 "You heard her." Grace spoke up although softly, "That was mean of you."

 Relena just stood staring after the three, all eyes in the cafeteria were on her. Whispers of
"Mean." and "How could she?" floated around her and she ran outside, unable to stand it. She
had never been truly wicked in her life! She was only trying to make Duo stay away from her
Heero! What was wrong with that?"

 <They are best friends.>

 <<No, more than that!>>

 <How do you know? You are blinded by jealousy.>

 <<I can see well enough to know what that cheep slut is doing!>>

 <Can you?>

 <<Yes!>>

 <Like you saw well enough to know Heero loved you?>

 <<Yes!>>

 <What if you are wrong on both counts?>

 <<Leave me alone!>>

 Relena grabbed her head and shook it, trembling, "Leave me alone!"
 
 

 The sun was setting. Duo watched it fall from the grounds outside the school behind a curtain of falling rain. He didn'twant to go inside. To face reality. Relena had a point. He had craved Heero's respect since the first time he had seen him, it blossomed, though, into something much more than that after the first couple of months. He had always thought Heero was the most beautiful thing he had everseen. Sure he was crazy, suicidal, but still beautiful. He could admit that now. I was never
interested in guys in the least, but Heero. . . Heero is my other half. His heart had ached as the
bullets ripped his flesh but Duo had purposely aimed not to kill. Watching Relena tending to his
wounds had been agonizing, That look on Heero's face, the tender surprise. And when he hadn't
opened his parachute after jumping. Relena calling his name had made him try to save himself.
Relena, not me. He didn't trust me then. . . does he now? Really?

 Is my love enough? She could give him so much more, and I am sure Heero would make a
good daddy. How can I tell him how I feel if it will end up hurting him later?  Duo punched the
brick wall and closed her eyes as the pain hit. Pain was good. It was sharp and it was real.
Nothing complicated about it. It hurt you bled, you died. Simple. Nothing about Heero was
simple. Layer upon layer of complex emotion was hidden in gauze, barely visible, but there.

 God! I really love him! Duo sobbed and clutched her bloodied hand to her face, "I love
him!"

 "Duo." A voice said.

 Duo cringed, Oh great. It's that big guy from class who can't keep his hands to himself.

 "What are you doing out at night, all alone?"

 "I was just going in for dinner." Duo started to turn away but he followed

 "I think I want dinner too." The boy smiled.

 "Well then. . ." Duo rambled, "You better get in there quick because the good food gets
taken like snap man."

 "Like snap?"

 "Yeah like," Duo snapped her fingers to illustrate, "Snap."

 "I think the good stuff is right here."  He grinned and tried to kiss her.

 Duo walked faster, "Hey! This good stuff is taken already too."

 "By who, Heero Yuy? You're to sweet for his tastes." He moved his hand close to Duo's, "Come on sweet thing."

 Duo broke out into a run, followed close behind by the boy. "Leave me alone!"

 He wouldn't let up.

The chase led them to the tall steps outside the front doors of the school. Duo slid on a wet spot and fell hard, tumbling to the bottom of the steps where he remained unmoving.

The would-be assalent's eyes widened. He ran inside and far from the scene as possible, thinking he had killed her.

Duo groaned softly then let darkness overtake him with one last thought, Heero.
 
 
 
 

~tbc~