By: Kracken
Disclaimer:Don't own them Don't make any money off of this.
Warnings:Male/male sex, graphic, violence, language

Princes and Soldiers + Epilogue

The house was very business like, two stories with a no nonsense design; spartan Danish furniture arranged tastefully with mechanical designs of Gundams and other battle machines on the walls. It had three separate bedrooms, though one had a larger bed than the other two, a well outfitted gym, a swimming pool, and a large backyard that was unusual for a home set inside the crowded city. It was an expensive home, but not too expensive for a prince of the Sanq kingdom.

"I'm not used to nature," Duo complained as he shifted nervously and watched a squirrel hop about the yard and then spring into one of the shade trees. Seated on the steps at the back of the house, he looked ruefully at the bigger man sitting next to him. Both of them were dressed casually in jeans and tshirts, but where Milliardo was leaning back on both elbows and relaxed, Duo was a tight bundle of nerves. "You could have saved a lot of money by just getting an apartment. Me and Heero aren't used to much. We would have been right at home."

Milliardo chuckled. He reached out and pulled Duo too him, cushioning Duo on his wide chest, "You'll get used to it, love."

Duo grinned and gave up his vigilant stance against the squirrel, his cheek resting against Milliardo's heart. Looking down Milliardo's long, lean waist, he commented, "Your jeans look kind of tight, Mil."

Milliardo quirked a smile and shifted himself uncomfortably. Their relationship was still so new that Duo's touch could still arouse him instantly. The feel of Duo's wiry strength against him, his masculine scent, and the way his arms held him fiercely, as if Milliardo might contemplate trying to get away, all combined to make his body feel very hot and bothered.

"Ya know," Duo drawled. "We have some pretty high walls around this place and Heero's not due back for awhile.... I could, maybe, take care of that for you." His hand slid down and cupped Milliardo's bulge. He found the head of Milliardo's erection and rubbed it with his thumb.

Milliardo caught Duo's hand and moved it, blushing and feeling uncomfortable. "I don't think so, soldier."

Duo sighed. "You're too self conscious, Mil. Nobody can see us."

Mil smoothed a hand over Duo's hair. "I have an acute sense of what is proper, Duo. Get used to it."

"Oh, really?" Duo laughed. "How 'firm' is your resolve, hm?" He slipped down and rested his cheek on Milliardo's erection. Milliardo caught his bottom lip between his teeth and suddenly found it hard to breathe. Duo turned his head and looked at him, grinning and eyes sparkling. Very slowly, he kissed the front of Milliardo's pants and Milliardo felt a definite sensation of tongue. He couldn't help the shiver and he was putty in Duo's hands when Duo began to unzip his pants with a smirk of triumph.

There was the definite sound of someone in the house. Duo sat up like a shot and reached under his shirt for a weapon. Milliardo hadn't known that he was armed. As he zipped up his pants and turned towards the french doors behind them, wishing that he had his own weapon, he saw Duo relax and take his hand away from whatever weapon was concealed on his person.

"Heero," Duo said gently, knowing somehow that the sounds were coming from his friend. He kissed Milliardo on the lips apologetically and settled against him on the steps once more, both of their passions cooled.

Milliardo wasn't angry at Heero's entrance as the young man came out of the house onto the back steps. He felt grateful instead. He was never going to be an exhibitionist and his young lover needed to learn that. He might have enjoyed Duo's love play, but, afterward, he wouldn't have felt right about it.

Heero looked at them nervously, afraid that he was intruding, but Milliardo gave him an easy smile and Heero gained confidence by that. Milliardo had found Heero a very clean, polite, and tactful house mate. He was quiet, almost comforting in his solid presence, and he seemed to have an uncanny ability to disappear whenever Milliardo or Duo wished to spend time with each other. Milliardo had worried about that at first, worried that Heero was a shadow, living on the borers of their life, but he had found, on the contrary, that Heero did have his own life, his own activities, and his own circle of friends, due to Duo's tenacity in bringing the soldier out of his shell of training. Though it was clear that he and Duo had a very special bond of friendship, it wasn't stifling or exclusive. They needed each other, would probably always have that need, but it didn't cripple them. Milliardo came to understand that need over the short time that they had been living together. He, himself, had grown to appreciate having people around him now who understood the life that he had lead and understood his soldier attitude and way of doing things. Heero and Duo had found life unbearable without each other, Milliardo could easily see himself becoming the same way.

Heero sat down on the steps next to them. Duo lounged in Milliardo's lap, staring at his close friend suspiciously. "What's wrong, Heero?"

Milliardo was startled, but, when he looked at Heero's face, he saw the grim, set _expression that the young man always wore. Heero's hands were clenched in his lap, though, and he seemed very intent on the grass at the foot of the steps.

"Heero?" Milliardo prodded. "If there is something troubling you, please tell us."

"I..." Heero looked even grimmer.

Duo leaned out of Milliardo's lap and grabbed Heero's arm, pinching him sharply. Heero winced and glared. "Out with it!" Duo commanded. "You're wound up like a spring."

Milliardo couldn't see any sign of that, but Heero was obviously reluctant to talk, yet, compelled to all the same as he searched for words. That in itself was unusual. Heero Yuy was not the kind of man to be tongue tied.

"This home is your home," Milliardo reassured him, suspecting that Heero, perhaps, needed something and was reluctant to ask for it. "If there is something that you need, some suggestion that you want to make-"

"Heero, if you got something wrong, just tell us!" Duo interjected impatiently.

"Not... wrong," Heero managed. "Something... something I want."

Duo gave a long suffering sigh. "We've already been over this, Heero! You are allowed to want and have things... well, within reason. If you wanted to say, put a Gundam in the pool, or have a shooting range, I think me and Mil would both lodge a protest."

Heero actually smiled slightly, but it was weak. "I... I'm not sure..."

"Please tell us and we'll discuss it," Milliardo urged gently.

Heero looked at them then, and his cheeks were slightly pink with embarrassment. That was startling enough, but his next words stunned both Duo and Milliardo. "I've found a... " He stopped and then tried again, "There was a man on a street corner today and he said that I could have her for twenty dollars. He told me that she was very friendly, clean, and would give me a lot of love. He told me that twenty dollars was very inexpensive for what she could give me."

Duo's eyes turned into saucers. Milliardo sat up straight, not sure what to say, but feeling damned uncomfortable. Was Heero THAT naive? Duo seemed to think so. "Uh, Heero," Duo began hesitantly, "They don't usually let you KEEP them... uh, yeah they can be friendly, and all, but... jeez! Heero, if you were that hard up for companionship, I could have-" Milliardo cleared his throat and glared. Duo started and then looked sheepish as he amended, "Guess not, but... I'm sure I know some people who could have-"

Heero clenched his hands. "I want to keep her. I know that they are a great deal of responsibility, and that I don't have any right to ask you for this, but... She makes me feel good, Duo... Mil. I like that."

"Heero," Duo sighed. "We need to talk. You just can't bring these kind of girls home and-"

"Duo, "Mil interrupted, suddenly understanding and beginning to laugh. "I don't think Heero is talking about..." and then he trailed off as a large dog, tail wagging and dragging a broken rope, came through the french doors.

She went straight to Heero and tried to climb into his lap. His arms went around her and he looked suddenly very embarrassed. She was part hound, Milliardo saw, and mixed with some sort of sheep dog. Her hair was long and amber and she had one blue eye and one warm brown one. Her tail was a feathery banner.

"A dog?" Duo said and then burst into laughter so hard that he had tears in his eyes. When he was finally able to speak again, he said, "Uh, Heero, I thought... well, never mind what I thought, but... a dog? I never thought of you as a pet kind of guy."

Heero looked down at the dog and a smile Milliardo hadn't seen before tugged at the stoic man's lips. The dog looked back at him just as adoringly. Milliardo was not a 'pet kind of guy' either, but he found himself giving into the young man without a second thought. "We will have to make her a kennel out here. Large dogs can be destructive in a home."

Heero looked completely relieved and his grip tightened on the dog. She wagged her tail even harder. "Thank you," Heero murmured against her fur.

Duo blinked at the lack of argument. "Uh, Mil, about that motorcycle I've been wanting..."

"Spoiled brat!" Milliardo responded promptly. "Work for it, if that's what you wish!"

Duo looked indignant. "Heero gets a dog and I get squat?" He looked like a petulant child just then, but Milliardo saw his eyes dancing with love and a 'thank you' of his own.

"You get enough," Milliardo whispered in his ear as Heero moved off into the yard to play with his new dog.

"More than enough," Duo agreed and kissed him deeply. Just when Milliardo began to heat up under the press of Duo's body, Duo suddenly jumped up and winked at him as he said, "I'll show how much of a wonderful guy I think you are in a more private place, later, okay?" This new show of consideration warmed Milliardo even more as Duo walked towards Heero, calling out, "Heero, my man?! We gotta talk about paying some guy on the street twenty bucks for a mutt that should have been free. You gotta work on your street smarts some more!"

Three men, one dog, and a bundle of past experiences that made them unique in the world, Milliardo thought. Without each other, they were alone and adrift in a sea of people who couldn't ever understand them. Together they were whole, content, and... a family.

end

[part 18] [back to Kracken's fic]