Author: FancyFigures
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, wish I did, just enjoy writing about 'em for free etc
Pairings: 1x2
Category: Pocky fluff, romance
Warnings: Yaoi, lime
Spoilers: None
Notes: The Muse be with you... or not, as the case may be!
Feedback: If you liked it, PLEASE let me know!

Happy (early) Christmas, to sintari!

The Elusive Muse

"What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

Duo scowled. A chewed pencil fell out of his mouth, bouncing amongst the crushed paper on the floor. "So I bow to your superior interrogation techniques!"

Heero drew in a deep breath. "Is it the article?"

"Is it the article?, he says," grumbled Duo. "So damned pragmatic! Of course it's the damned article! You're as bad as the other guy, with your seemingly-innocent comments. Under 1,000 words, he says. "Just a few thoughts on what Christmas means to you!, then he tightens up that belt, runs stubby fingers through that mangy beard, and swoops away on that sleigh. Well, Jingle fucking bells!"

"Santa?"

Duo grunted. The man in question deserved no better.

"There's a deadline?"

"Isn't there always? Copy has to be at the printers by 7am tomorrow. Santa's Annual Newsletter, Circulation of Millions, Every FanGirl's preferred Reading, from South to North Pole etc ..."

"He only needs some brief, amusing note --"

"So laugh at this!" A ball of scrunched paper missed Heero's ear by inches.

"Is this my fault?" Heero's voice was rather cool. "You volunteered, as I remember..."

Duo groaned. "OK, sorry, don't get all icy on me. Shouldn't take it out on you, I guess. I just thought that writing would be fun! My Muse was smiling so encouragingly. You can write so well, Duo! she said, sweetly. You have a lovely way with words! And there's all that time over Christmas to pen some elegant, poignant, witty prose..."

"Your Muse is a 'she'...?" Heero grinned.

"My Muse is a traitorous, thoughtless, tormenting Bitch!" snapped Duo. "My Muse is now as elusive as orange Pocky, and appears to have gone elsewhere for the holidays. She ain't here, that's for certain!"

"Do you --" Heero paused, then continued very carefully. "Do you want some help?"

Duo's mouth opened to snap a reply, then closed again. "From you?"

Heero took another deep breath. "Is the idea so abhorrent?"

"No! Hell -- that's not what I meant! I mean -- I know we've been getting on each other's nerves while I've been doing this stuff --"

"Do I distract you that badly?" A self-conscious laugh from Heero.

Duo stared -- and flushed. "No. It's not you that's the trouble. Yet again, I fuck up a witty reply. You see how poor it is, my way with words?"

Heero smiled, gently. "You are perfectly articulate, Duo. You express yourself clearly, and richly, and --"

"And?"

"And most passionately."

Silence for a while. The pencil rolled a couple of times on the floor, nudged by an embarrassed toe.

"Well -- thanks for that vote of confidence, Heero."

"No problem." Heero bent and picked up the pencil; held it out like a peace offering. "You should just jot down the things that characterise Christmas for you. Things you've described to me, plenty of times. The bright lights of the shops, reflecting in icy puddles; the coloured scarves round people's necks. The snow -- the ribbons and tinsel. The sound of Carols, albeit sung enthusiastically out of tune; the smell of boozy Christmas parties."

Duo was staring again. And flushing again. "You've been listening to me?"

"Sure."

"But what about the other Christmas sights? The beggars huddled even deeper into the shop doorways; the soup kitchens; neglected kids. The wasted money; rapacious commercialism. Strained family arguments; the solitary turkey dinners for one..."

Heero's eyes were exceptionally bright. "Those as well. That's what you must write about. The things you love -- and the things you hate! That's what you are, Duo. A delicious mixture of all your thoughts, and feelings, and opinions, and passions --"

Duo cleared a tight throat. "And I should be exposing all that on paper? Sounds kinda painful, the way you describe it."

It looked like a smirk, the unusual twist to Heero's mouth. "Painful -- yes. Delightful -- also yes."

Another brief silence. Duo twirled the pencil in his fingers and coughed too loudly.

"This is kinda weird, Heero. You want to help me... you've been listening to me, when I ramble on. You've used some vocabulary about me that I would say is alien to the Heero Yuy that we all know and fear retribution from..."

"Alien?"

Duo was very red now; he stared fixedly down at the volcanic eruption of discarded paper around his ankles. "You know... passionate... delicious... delightful..."

"Matches the alien words you use for me," said Heero, quietly. "Icy... pragmatic... fearful of retribution from..."

Duo lifted his eyes and looked into steady blue pools of emotion. Not icy, at all.

He laughed softly. "And I remember saying seemingly-innocent, too!"

Heero most definitely smirked this time. He took the pencil out of Duo's slightly numb fingers. "Right. I admit it's not often I hear that phrase in the same context as my own name."

Duo looked at the hand that still lay on his own; it felt just right. The numbness in his fingers was definitely thawing. "What kinda stupid prick am I, Heero?"

"Hopefully a willing stupid prick..."

Duo didn't reply directly; he just reached his other hand round Heero's neck and tugged his face in close.

Happy, greedy, caressing noises...

When they broke for other refreshments, over two hours later, they were dressed in next to nothing, Heero's bedroom was comfortably dark around them, and Duo had 999 words drafted and sent up the chimney to Santa.

"Duo..."

"Huh?" Duo peered blearily at the man who might just possibly be the best damned Christmas present he'd ever dreamed of. He wondered where he'd left his pants...

"It was a fluent performance; very lyrical. Your writing, I mean."

"Seemingly-innocent, right?" grinned Duo. "Well, I had a little inspiration from other sources, of course --"

"Little?" provoked Heero, with a most unexpected pout to his lips.

Duo growled and rolled over to kiss him again. Thoroughly. "Maybe the Muse has returned..." A mischievous mumble.

"Then she can sleep in your room," muttered Heero, hands and mouth full. "You're not leaving here this side of New Year's Day!"

End

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