Author: pyrzm
see ch. 1 for warnings, notes, disclaimer

Broken Warriors + Chapter 69
Can't a Guy Sleep In?

//Mmmmmm warm//

//Comfy//


Duo fought off waking up. He was good at that and had gotten lots of practice since he'd been sleeping with Heero. Being safe and happy and in love did more for him than any pill from Doc B ever had.

//So nice//

//Warm body under his arm, under his cheek//

//not heero//

He was used to that, too, sleeping with Tro and Kat. Everyone ended up all over each other in the morning and once in a while hands ended up where they shouldn't, but they were all good sports about it. And family. And almost lovers, but not quite . . .


//So comfy . . .//

...

...

//still warm and comfy//

Someone was up. Not quite awake yet, Duo heard them whispering.

//Shut up or take it outside. 'M trying to sleep here//

Too late. Most of his body was still asleep, draped over whoever he was cuddled up to, but something was pressing uncomfortably into the side of his neck, something hard. The warm not-heero he was cuddled up against was moving a little, too, and someting was tickling his nose. He hated it when his hair got loose and in his face. He'd braided it last night, right? Or rather Heero had, in the bathroom, after some brushing . . . That didn't change the fact that it was still tickling in the most annoying way, making him wake up enough to at least rub it away.

The hair didn't feel right. It was too short and coming from the wrong direction, he noted with sleepy annoyance. Tro? Those bangs were a hazard at close range . . .

The not-heero didn't smell right. He could find all the others in the dark with one nostril tied behind his back. This was . . .

"We really should wake him."

Wu?

"Aw, he looks so cute like that."

Quatre?

"I want to see this."

Tro?

"Wait for it."

Heero?

Fuck, were they having a morning mission meeting in here or something, god damn it?

"Mphh!" Duo rubbed at his nose again, then blearily opened one eye. To find himself looking across a tank tee covered expanse of very nice, very chiseled, very not-Heero or even Tro type chest and the shirt had pulled sideways and who the hell had nipples that color?!

Apparently Zechs Merquise did.

In the remaining nanoseconds before he panicked and fell out of bed, he registered that the hard thing digging into his neck was the locking ring on Zechs's left arm, which was currently cradling his head, and that he was wrapped, arms and legs, around the man like he was the best teddy bear in the world. And of course, the world being a brutally unfair place and all, he had a raging hard on shoved up against the guy's hip.

Yep, he still had a Gundam pilot's reflexs and that all took only a couple of nanoseconds to figure out, then he was flailing and squawking and landing on his ass on the hard floor at Heero's feet. At least that took care of the erection problem. And all this time he was wondering how that sneaky bastard had snuck over to his side of the bed and snuck in beside him like this without him knowing it, the big sneak! And without anyone else stopping him, either!

The others didn't look outraged at all! Heero smirked down at him, arms folded across his chest. Trowa was doubled over in silent laughter beside him. Zechs leaned over the edge of the bed, also amused, as were Quatre and Wufei, looking over Zech's shoulder.

"Wha' the *FUCK*?!" Duo demanded indignantly. Well, he'd meant to demand, but it came out more of a screech. The others were laughing themselves sick now, even Wu. This pretty much defined "rude awakening" in Duo Maxwell's book.

Zechs shook his head. "If he were mine, Yuy, I'd wash that mouth out with soap."

"I've considered it, but he'd kill me."

That just made him madder. "Damn fucking straight!" He scrambled up to his feet, about to demand, without screeching, just what the hell Zechs thought he was up to when Duo realized which side of the bed he was standing on.

"You got up to use the bathroom around three," Zechs told him. "You weren't really awake, though. I did try to tell you, when you came back and got in beside me, but you weren't taking no for an answer. Actually, you were quite insistent."

"You more or less fought your way under the covers," Wufei said with a wry grin. "I woke up when you poked me in the eye."

"Happens all the time," Quatre added helpfully.

It did, actually, but Duo wasn't about to admit it. He glanced at the clock. It was almost nine. Six hours. He'd slept with Zechs Merquise for six hours and everyone thought it was the most hilarious fucking thing they'd ever seen. It was very tempting to flip them all off and stomp off to the shower, but Zechs was holding out his hand.

"It's all right, Maxwell. You were a perfect gentleman and so was I. Can't we at least try to be friends?"

He looked concerned and sincere as hell. That, together with the almost pleading look in Wufei's eyes, made Duo loosen up a little. Shit, the guy had been pretty helpful yesterday, and if Wufei trusted him? Well, maybe it was time for a truce.

He shook hands, doing his best to ignore how strong and warm Zechs's hand was in his. "Hope I didn't drool on you too much. Next time make Heero drag me back where I belong, OK?"

"Deal."

And yeah, the guy had a killer smile, and those eyes had always made him feel a little funny inside, when they were looking at him. It was probably safer to hang onto his distrust, but now it was too late. He just couldn't muster up much hate for a guy he'd cuddled with, not when everyone else seemed so damned pleased about it. He grabbed Heero and headed downstairs. "Coffee."

Halfway down the stairs, he looked back at Heero. "So I swear too much?"

Heero shrugged. "Have you heard me complaining?"

"I didn't exactly got to the best finishing schools, ya know, like certain other people!"

"Have you heard me complaining?" Heero asked again, then caught him at the base of the stairs and kissed him with lots of tongue, morning breath and all. "We're going on a mission, Duo. There's no one else I'd rather have at my back or in my bed. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Duo grumbled, trying to pull away.

Heero held him tight and looked him in the eye. "Duo? You're my wingman, right?"

"You know I am."

Heero smiled at him, those dark blue eyes all dark and deep and full of love. "And my mermaid?"

Duo went all gooey inside. "Yeah." He kissed him back. "Always and forever, 01."

"Good. Now, coffee."

Arms around each other, they headed for the kitchen and Duo was ready to let the whole wake up thing go when Heero just had to laugh and ask, "So, whose side of the bed are you sleeping on tonight?" and Duo had to punch him in the arm and chase him into the house. It would have taken a whole bar of soap to handle what he had to say when he caught him.

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