It was Friday night, and Duo wanted to go out. "I'm bored. Can we go out and do something?"
Zechs smiled. "Anything you want, dear."
Feel me- I crawl inside your veins
Give in- Consuming what remains
"Cool!" Duo ran into the bedroom to change. "Let's go to the club," he called from the bedroom.
"Sounds like fun," Zechs called back. I've waited so long for this. I can't believe this is actually happening. When I first saw him last term, I never thought he'd like me. Even if this only started out as a fling, I don't care. I'm happy.
Duo's voice broke through his thoughts. "Hey, uh, Zechs, are you planning to go out in your uniform, or are you gonna change?"
"Oh, yes, I'm changing. You look splendid." He looked the boy over. He had put on black jeans and a deep burgundy shirt that accentuated every muscle in his chest. That boy turns heads everywhere he goes. It's a wonder we don't have hordes of young girls breaking down our door. "What should I wear? I want you to pick something out."
Duo grinned and went back into the bedroom. He opened Zechs' closet and found a few pairs of jeans and a few shirts. "I always knew you were the conservative type. It's gonna be hard to get something cool for you to wear." With that, a devilish grin spread across his face. "You're a lot bigger than me, but maybe, just maybe..." He went to his closet and looked around.
What is he doing?
Duo popped out of the closet holding a dark green poet's shirt. "Try this on. It's the biggest shirt I own."
Zechs looked at it skeptically. "You want me to wear this?"
"At least try it on. Please?"
"Oh, all right." He unbuttoned his uniform top, took it off, and lay it carefully on the bed. Then he took the shirt from Duo's hands. There's no way I'll even fit in this. But I'll humor him, I guess. He pulled it over his head, but he couldn't get his arms in the holes. "I don't want to rip this," he said, pulling it off again. "Let's go tomorrow to buy me something you like. Does that sound good?"
Duo nodded. "Yeah. So what're you gonna wear tonight?"
"Oh, I guess I'll have to go with one of my boring old shirts, then."
I am the one that you adore
You know that you've been here before
Duo grinned, giving Zechs a big hug. "You're great. Now get dressed, and let's go."
At the nightclub, Duo went over to the bar to get himself and his lover some drinks. Zechs was sitting at their table, waiting for the boy to return with his rum and coke. He watched the boy disappear into the crowd. He heard a familiar voice say his name and turned his head. "Treize. What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to have fun with a friend."
A friend, huh? Is that what you call it? He scanned the dance floor and saw Wufei. "Him?" My replacement. I was never good enough for you, was I?
"Are you here with someone, old friend?"
Zechs was pained at that. Old friend. We are friends no longer. Not since you betrayed me. "I am. He's gone to get us drinks."
"I see. Is this the same boy from the parking lot the other day?"
You saw. Good. "Yes. And this is none of your business, Treize. Our friendship ended when you betrayed me with that boy." He glared in Wufei's direction. "I have nothing more to say to you." Where's Duo? I hope he gets back soon. He looked toward the bar and saw the familiar face returning. He smiled.
"As you wish, old friend." Treize didn't leave until Duo returned.
Stop calling me that. I'm not your friend. What are you waiting for? Leave, damn you.
You have a gun up to your head
You think you're hearing what's been said
"What did he want?" Duo asked when Treize had gone.
"Nothing." Really.
"You look upset. What did he say?"
"Nothing much. He just dredged up some painful memories." He took the glass Duo offered him and took a large drink.
"Is that it? It looks like there's more to it than that."
Zechs shook his head.
"If you say so." Duo shrugged. "Let's have some fun, huh?" Duo knocked back the rest of his White Russian.
Zechs smiled, taking another long swig of his drink. "I promised. Let's dance."
You know that I'll be back again
Feel me beneath your skin
Zechs could practically hear Treize taunting him as he left with Wufei. Dammit, Treize. I don't want to have anything more to do with you. Leave me alone, damn you.
Duo noticed his lover's attention focused elsewhere briefly. "Zechs? What's wrong, man?"
"Nothing."
"No, really, Zechs. I can tell something's bugging you. Do you want to tell me about it, or do I have to beat it out of you?"
The blond man sighed. "We're here to have fun, right?" he said, the melancholy expression in his eyes belying the light-hearted tone he tried to use.
Duo looked at him, slightly puzzled. "Yeah, we are. But you look so down."
Zechs turned to the boy. "Don't worry about it, okay? Let's just have fun while we're here."
"But I do worry, Zechs. I love you."
I'm all you never wanted
I'm all you never needed
I'm all you never wanted
I'm all you never ever needed
You shouldn't love me. I don't deserve love. But I think I love you, too. "Duo... you love me?"
A bit of discoloration rose in his cheeks. "I said it, didn't I?" He grinned. "And I never say things I don't mean."
"Thank you. I promised we'd have fun out tonight. So let's dance."
"Only if you promise to tell me what's bothering you when we get home."
"I promise."
"Great," he grinned, pulling the tall blond out to the dance floor.
After a little while, they grew tired and left. When they arrived at their apartment, Duo flopped onto the couch, dragging Zechs with him.
"Now, tell me what's been bothering you since that guy was talking to you."
Where should I begin? Zechs started talking, not entirely sure what words would start coming from his mouth. "When I was a freshman, my father insisted that I have a tutor from someone in an upper class. The person who was assigned to help me was Treize. I didn't feel that I needed a tutor, but my father insisted, so we met twice a week in the library, and he would review my assignments, correcting me where I had made mistakes. One evening, he did something different. He touched me, on my thigh. I marveled that anyone would find me attractive. Then he kissed me. That evening began almost two years in which we were lovers. We talked about our futures, our dreams. I thought I loved him, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Then this new freshman caught his eye. Treize was a student hall monitor, and he went out of his way to make this boy comfortable. One evening, I went over to visit him, and he wasn't in his room. So I was leaving, and I swore I heard soft, quiet moans coming from that boy's room. So I stood outside the door, listening. Then I heard a voice unmistakably Treize's say a name that certainly wasn't mine. When I saw him the next day, I told him it was over. I spent the next several months in miserable anguish, until one day, when my trigonometry instructor introduced a new student in the class." Zechs paused a moment to look at Duo, who looked astonished.
"You don't mean... me? Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
"I never thought someone as perfect as you would care for someone as flawed as myself."
"I'm no more perfect than you are, Zechs."
I tell you what to feel inside
You know it's all a fucking lie
"No, you are far more perfect than I. I am flawed."
Duo sighed. "Listen. You are not flawed any more than other people. I love you, Zechs. I don't care if you're not perfect. Nobody is. Not even me."
I am the one that you adore
Feel me beneath your skin
He loves me. I should be happy. I think I am.
"So that guy who was bugging you tonight was this Treize guy? And he upset you by dragging up all these memories of you and him together? Is this the reason you keep saying you're imperfect? It doesn't matter to me. I swear."
Zechs looked up at him. "You mean that?"
Duo nodded. "I mean it. Now it's my turn for confession."
What?
"When I first moved here, I was looking for friends. I didn't have many friends in my old school. The guys all thought I was queer, and the girls didn't talk to me. Well, I can't say the guys were wrong in their assessment, but I wasn't about to tell them, because I didn't want to get my ass kicked. Then my father noticed I was doing very well in my courses. Well enough, in fact, that he asked if there were a school I could go to and be challenged. So he sent me here. He had to save every penny and take a second job, and my mom had to start working, too, but they were determined to send me here. I got a little scholarship, but my folks still gotta pay. My dad was happy, if a little confused, to hear he no longer needed to pay my boarding fees. Anyway. I started in that trigonometry class, and I saw this absolutely gorgeous blond man. I determined to get to know him. I did. Do you remember how I asked you for help? I didn't need it. But then my roommate and I got kind of involved... Well, you know the rest of it."
I'm all you never wanted
I'm all you never needed
I'm all you never wanted
I'm all you never ever needed
I don't deserve you, Duo Maxwell. He smiled and drew the braided boy into his arms. "I do. And I don't regret a minute of our relationship." He kissed the soft lips gently. "Let's go to bed."
Duo grinned. "I like that idea..."
Zechs woke up to bright sunlight and singing birds... and Duo offering him a tray of food. "You didn't have to."
I crawl inside your veins
"I did, and I wanted to. You looked so peaceful sleeping there. I didn't want to wake you. So I made you breakfast. Now don't complain."
Zechs sat up. "Thank you. It looks wonderful." It did. Duo had made him eggs, toast, bacon, and hot tea. I don't deserve you. He smiled, took the tray thankfully, and began eating. "This is wonderful. Aren't you eating?"
"I already did. Don't worry about me. I've been up for a while."
Zechs ate the breakfast Duo had prepared for him. "Thank you. It was good."
"No problem. I figured I should do something nice for you, for a change, since you're always doing stuff for me."
After moving the tray away from the bed, Zechs grabbed Duo and pulled him close for a kiss. "Let's go shower."
After cleaning himself and getting dressed, Duo cleaned the dishes. He had to do some work for a project. While he sat at the table doing his work, he heard Zechs place a phone call.
Consuming what remains
A gun up to your head
You're hearing what's been said
"Treize? It's me, Zechs."
"Zechs? What do you want?"
He could hear Treize smile through the phone. "I wanted to let you know there is never going to be anything between us again. I realized that last night."
"Is that so? How can you be so certain?"
"I love someone else. I realized how much I love him last night."
"That's too bad, old friend."
"I guess it is. Goodbye, Treize. I shan't miss you." Not very much, anyway. He hung up the phone and sighed.
You want to feel inside
It's all a fucking lie
I crawl inside your veins
He looked up and saw Duo looking at him. The boy blushed slightly, then walked over to him. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I was just sitting over here, and I thought I heard you say you loved someone."
"I did. I do. Duo, I love you."
The boy grinned and tackled his lover. "I love you, too," he said, covering him with kisses.
I'm all you never wanted
I'm all you never needed
I'm all you never wanted
I'm all you never ever needed
And I've been here before
I don't deserve to be this happy. Zechs smiled weakly, allowing himself to be overtaken by the boy's ravenous kisses.