Title: 5 Dates With Duo - Part 1
Author: Lady Archer
Pairing: 1 + 2
Warnings: Fluff that is sometimes deep fluff and climaxes into limey fluff and then fades off into sap/aw-inducing fluff. Post-war
Disclaimer: They ain't mine.
Feedback: I'd love it. Pretty please?
Notes: I don't know what's the matter with me. Lately I just can't seem to stop writing. This idea came to me (like most of my ideas) when I was in a place where I had NO ACCESS to a computer, and so I had to wait all day to type it out. Sniff...Oh well. A few more babbling notes can be found at the end.
Enjoy. ^_^

5 Dates With Duo: Date One - On the Court

"This is stupid," Heero commented to his reflection, scowling slightly, unease present in his blue eyes. He looked down at himself with a critical eye and fingered his green button-down shirt and blue jeans. After a few minutes of inspection he turned away with a frustrated sigh and refused to look in a mirror again.

He looked around his room, trying not to look at the vidphone and utterly failing. Heero hesitated for just a second more, and then desire won out and he went to his vidphone and played the message that he had been obsessively watching for close to two weeks now.

He waited a second and then a picture of a sunny Duo popped up. Heero had noticed the changes the first time he had watched the message, but he couldn't help but see them every time. Duo's face was sharper, more mature and more defined than the round, heart-shape Heero had remembered. His eyes were slightly wiser, and his hair was a lighter shade of chestnut. Light freckles splayed across his nose and cheeks, and Heero hungrily drank up those and other miniscule details.

It had been three years...

Heero had heard even more changes as Duo spoke. He still spoke faster than was humanly possible, but Heero noticed a distinct difference. Whereas before each of his words had wrestled to come out faster than the one before, now, though he spoke just as fast, each word was crisp and recognized. Heero had no trouble whatsoever hearing every word in the message, while before he had had to spend a few seconds to decipher and separate the words every time Duo spoke.

The words were a sweet melody to his ear, the tone just deep enough that Heero knew Duo was long past his awkward puberty.

"Hey Heero," Duo spoke, and Heero closed his eyes, just reveling in the voice. "I bet you're surprised, ne? Can't say I wasn't a little shocked myself when I realized I dialed up your number. But, I'm kind of glad I did. It's been a while, ne? Guess you're not here. I kind of want to chicken out now, but I don't think either of us would be too pleased if I did, I guess. I was just thinking...how about you and me get together? A Saturday sometime, if you're not busy? I don't know if you are any more, but last time I checked you were with the Preventers, so maybe you're busy with work, or maybe with someone or something. But if not, how about we do something? And I was just wondering...maybe if you were free for a couple more Saturdays, we could get together more than once. Don't forget, five's the lucky number, Yuy." Heero opened his eyes just in time to see the Duo-image grin. "Get back to me, 'k?"

Heero had been so unsure what to do after he had first gotten the message, what to think. He had given up two years ago...had been sure Duo had forgotten all about him. To be given this hope was almost too much.

He had been thankful that he had had the wits to get back to Duo and agree to meet. Now, however, he wasn't sure if this was such a good idea.

He wondered where Duo was going to take him. He wondered if it was too late to back down.

A knock on his door told him otherwise. He opened the door and was faced with a grinning Duo.

"Hello, can Heero come out and play?"

Heero lips twitched, threatening to smile, but instead he snorted. God, had it been three years? Or was his laptop going to beep any minute and inform him of a new mission as he slammed the door shut on Duo?

"Where are we going?" he asked instead of the million other things he had wanted and intended to say.

Duo smirked before raising his eyebrows. "Not telling, but don't you think you're dressed a bit inappropriately?" he asked, his tone reprimanding.

Heero looked down at his own clothing, and then up at Duo, and slowly took in Duo's shorts, sneakers, white undershirt, and the basketball nestled in the crook of his arm.

"Come on Heero, where's the detective I know and love? Where are we going?"

Shaking his head slightly, Heero motioned Duo inside, and went to change while Duo inspected every inch of his apartment.

"Nice," Duo commented absently, looking at a picture of the earth and colonies he found hanging up. Heero took that moment to admire Duo from behind.

Duo was in incredible shape, and Heero didn't miss the well-defined muscles under the revealing clothing. Though Duo obviously had quite a tan now, Heero bet that his skin was still as soft...

Heero blinked, and deliberately looked away. Where had this desire come from? He had been fine a year ago, had been fine a month ago, even. One message from and two minutes in a room with Duo and now all he could think about was sex!

"This has got to stop," he muttered to himself.

Duo turned to look at Heero and raised his eyebrows. "Hm?"

Heero looked at him blankly. "What?"

Duo blinked. "Thought you said something." His eyes raked over Heero. "Much better," he said in reference to Heero's tank top, shorts, and sneakers.

Together they walked out of Heero's small apartment and outside the building, and Duo led them to a park where there were several courts outside.

"Ready for a few rounds, Heero?" Duo asked, a smug grin on his face.

"This was pretty out of your way to go to for just a basketball game," Heero felt compelled to point out.

"Maybe I just want the satisfaction of pounding your face into the pavement, Yuy," Duo said.

Heero smirked, and didn't ask Duo any more questions.

Facing each other, Duo threw the ball into the air, and then they played. For a long time there were no sounds but the scuffle of sneakers on pavement, the thud of a basketball hitting the ground, and a sudden simultaneous cascade of cheers and curses when the ball made its way through a hoop.

After about three hours, they both paused for a bit, breathing hard. Bent over, hands on his knees, Duo looked up at Heero, a grin on his face. "What's the score?" he asked, voice a little hoarse.

"Tied."

Duo's stood up straight and put his fists on his hips, a pleased glint in his eyes.

"This is it, Yuy. This is going to decide the winner of the All- Important Earthsphere Wide 1x2 Basketball Competition! Any last words before I pound you into the ground in an utterly humiliating defeat?"

"1x2? Does it have to be our code names?"

"Duh. The Heero and Duo Competition sounds lame."

"And 1x2 doesn't...?"

"Would you prefer 2x1?"

"Should that make a difference to me?"

"No appreciation!" Duo snorted. "Does this mean you're backing out?"

Heero shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't matter."

"Damn right."

"...Seeing as how I'm going to wipe that smirk off your face in two seconds flat."

"Oh, is that a challenge, I hear, Yuy?"

"Challenge? It was a statement of fact."

Duo laughed. "God, that was so childish! But for the sake of continuing this immaturity, I believe the last laugh will be mine."

They stared at each other, breathing heavy, and then by mutual agreement burst into action.

For fifteen minutes they passed the ball, dribbled, shoved each other, shot and missed. There were no rules suddenly, if there were ever any at all, as they pulled no punches so to speak. They tripped each other, elbowed ribs, and at one point Duo kicked Heero in the stomach when Heero almost scored and Heero retaliated by shoving Duo just as he was about to steal the ball so he fell on the pavement, hard. Neither complained.

They continued playing, and then seeing a sudden opening, Duo threw the ball in a sure arc for the hoop, but just before he let it go Heero slid on the pavement knocking his feet out from under him causing the ball to change course slightly. Absolute silence reigned as they watched the ball...

...Soaring...

...Higher...

...Higher...

...Farther...

...And into the hoop...

...Of the basket two courts over.

"I win!" Duo cried.

"What? It has to be on this court!"

"Says who?"

"That was not your win."

"Heero is a sore loser, Heero is a sore loser," Duo happily sang, jumping to his feet and pumping his hands into the air triumphantly.

"I am a sore loser," Heero acknowledged. "But you're a proud cheater."

Duo paused in his reckless cheering to stare at Heero, obviously debating how much offense he should take from that comment. Apparently making up his mind, he retrieved the ball and twirled it on his index finger, saying, "Only sore losers would make such lame excuses."

Heero shrugged, and his eyes glinted. "I don't like to associate with cheaters, they're too tainted. I guess that means I'm not going to associate with you anymore." Duo looked mildly worried, trying to decide how serious Heero was being. "Though honest cheaters...I don't have a problem with that."

"The goal is to get the ball in the hoop, Heero. Who says which one? I got the ball into a hoop, didn't I?" He was trying for nonchalance, but Heero could see an edge of anxiety in him.

"Of course, clever, loop-hole-finding cheaters I don't have a problem with, either. I suppose that means I can still hang out with you. Disappointed?"

Duo smirked. "Devastated."

Heero snorted. "So, what now?"

"What do you mean, what now? That's it. We go our separate ways, say good-bye and I love ya, and maybe, if you're up to it, make plans for next Saturday."

Heero stared at Duo. "That's it?"

"Yup."

"Just a basketball game."

"Uh, yeah."

"You came from wherever the hell you came from to play a game of basketball."

"It was one hell of a game, you know."

"And now you're leaving?"

"What do you want me to do? Go back to your apartment and shower with you or something?"

"Yes," Heero replied without thinking, and then immediately blushed red. He stammered incoherently for a few seconds, unable to find a way to smoothly recover from the slip.

Duo cast a sidelong glance at Heero, and he was silent for a long moment, his eyes searching Heero. "Damn, Heero," he said softly. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

Heero said nothing.

"Not today," Duo said at last. "But, we can make plans for next Saturday. That is, of course, if you want to."

Heero smiled slightly. "Yes. Same time?"

Duo nodded.

"Dress code?"

Duo grinned. "You get to guess."

"What? Tell me where we're going."

"There's no fun in that! You have to guess. We played basketball today. Where's the next logical place I'd take you?"

"There's no logic in dating!" And then Heero fell abruptly silent as he realized what he just said, bringing his total of mistakes in the last five minutes up to two.

"This was a date?" Duo asked, eyes glinting slightly.

"Well, wasn't it?" Heero retorted defensively.

"If you want it to be..." Duo trailed off, and looked at Heero expectantly.

"It was," Heero said firmly after a seconds thought.

"Then I guess you do want to try for number two, then?"

Heero nodded, and Duo smiled softly. "See you in a week, Heero." He walked Heero back to his apartment in silence, and then with an informal type salute walked away. It wasn't until he was completely out of sight that Heero realized not only did he not know where Duo was heading or where he was staying, but also that Duo had never answered his question.

Shaking his head slightly he walked inside his apartment. He took a long hot shower and thought about next week. Getting dressed, he paused beside the bathroom mirror.

"This is so stupid," he remarked to his reflection, but this time his reflection smiled slightly in answer and his eyes held a certain anticipation.

+

A/N: That thing about the competition title being 1x2 or 2x1? Yeah, that was just for me ^_^;;;. I couldn't resist.

[part 2] [back to the Singles page]