Warm with a mystery

I may reveal to you

In Time (Time holds the heart’s key)

Key to everything is love

(Love makes the heart flower)

Flowers into a deep desire

(Passion in the heart’s fire)

Passion and desire…

- Riverdance

Six:

Heero barely lifted his head as the shadow fell over him. He casually flipped to another page of his book, allowing the cool evening breeze to caress his skin as he sat quietly on the lounger. He was sitting on his patio, the view below and around giving him access to the beautiful man-made lake and breathtaking mountains in the background. The guesthouses could be seen in the distance and without a doubt the one that belonged to a certain teacher was carefully hidden amongst the many trees that surrounded the premises. But Heero could tell exactly which one belonged to Duo Maxwell. After all, the man had only been in his thoughts for the past week.

“Yuzuki says that you have not been attending classes, Heero,” came the softly spoken words that broke through the silence.

The bespectacled boy gave no indication of having heard the comment, but then again, his visitor had not been expecting an answer. The newcomer settled down on an empty lounger and slipped sunglasses over his eyes before sighing softly.

“It’s been one week, Heero. How long do you intend to keep on doing this?”

When no answer was forthcoming, again, the boy made an exasperated sound and leaned over to place a hand over the pages of the book. With a stern frown on his features, he eyed his silent companion. “You cannot keep hiding, Heero and you know it. Just give him a chance to teach you, damn it.”

“Why should it be of any concern to you?” came the bland reply that held little or no inflection in its tone. “You are not my father, Trowa. So please mind your own business.”

“Don’t you think that your father or mother are bound to find out about this sooner or later? He can only keep silent for so long…”

“So why hasn’t he reported me to them yet, hmm?” Heero retorted sharply as he finally lifted his gaze. “Why does he just keep pretending like everything is going so well?!”

Trowa eyed the almost desperate look in the dark-haired boy’s eyes with a small smile. “Perhaps it is because he understands what you might be going through. Did you ever think about that, Heero? Maybe, just maybe, he wants to help you…”

“Well, he can help me by going away,” Heero bit back almost childishly as he slapped Trowa’s hand away to focus on his reading. “And why aren’t you with your boyfriend hanging out with him, since it’s what you all do these days anyway.”

Trowa snorted and leaned back upon his chair. “It’s not our fault, Heero. You are no fun to spend time with nowadays and besides, Duo has some funny stories and makes very good barbecue.”

Heero slid a look of disbelief at his friend. “Bar…barbeque?!” So that was the mouthwatering smell that had been filling his senses all this time.

“He has mock luaus and decorates his place to look like an Hawaiian paradise, Heero. You should come sometime…when you aren’t busy sulking.” The Barton heir got to his feet and stretched lightly. “Relena dropped by and the last time I checked they are still there. If you want to come, I am extending an invitation to you…”

“I am not coming,” Heero replied sullenly as he turned back to face his book again. “Have fun with him if you so wish to.”

Trowa stared at his friend with a puzzled and worried look on his features before shrugging lightly and turning away. If Heero wanted to pout for the rest of his life, then so be it.

As soon as he heard the bedroom door shut behind his friend, Heero dropped the book and stared longingly at the house that had the telltale smoke of something cooking rising from the tops of the trees. The smell of well-cooked meat tantalized his senses and even though Heero knew that it couldn’t compare to the exquisite cuisines he had tasted over the years, there was something so…rich about Duo’s cooking. But being the stubborn mule he was, he was determined to sit there and not go.

Raising his knees to his chest, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine what could be going on there right now. In his mind, he could see his friends all dressed in their beach shorts (as Trowa had been in) all laughing and talking with the lively teacher. Duo, of course, would be dressed in something similar and at the thought of seeing the older man in just a pair of swim trunks or shorts sent the heat flooding through his body and right down to his nether regions again. He clamped his thighs together and groaned weakly. He had avoided classes throughout the week, thinking, hoping and praying that this weakness would have died down, but to no avail. If anything, it became so much worse. The feeling of longing, need and desire only grew with every passing day.

He wanted nothing more than to talk to Duo – to tell him everything. His hopes, his dreams…his sickness. But no…he was too cowardly and too ashamed of his disposition to do anything about it.

Another stray tear fell down his cheek and just as he was about to go back into his room to mope around some more, a familiar voice froze him in his tracks.

“Yo! Heero! You sure you don’t wanna join us for the luau?! We’ve got lots and lots of ribs and hamburgers!”

What the…?! It…it can’t be…

He got to his feet with legs that were unsteady and walked towards the balustrades. Leaning over it, he found himself staring down into amused amethyst depths and a wide grin. Duo was dressed in a pair of jeans that looked rather worn out, a black t-shirt and a white apron with the words ‘Kiss the Cook’ on it. But, how and why would the teacher be here inviting him after all he had done this week? Why wouldn’t he just leave him alone? The young heir swallowed tightly and opened up his mouth to say something, when Duo interrupted again.

“Trowa told me that you were busy reading, but I figured that everyone needs a break every now and then, eh? Come on! Relena, Quatre and Trowa are all here! Hey! Even my friends are there! It’s gonna be great!”

Heero was already shaking his head slowly, fighting the stubborn lump that had now filled his throat as he whispered hoarsely. “No…no, I can’t…”

“Oh, no you don’t!” came the persistent reply. “Since you have been working so hard this week, I say you need time for some R and R! So come on down, or I’m coming up to get you!”

Heero gripped the edge of the balustrade, his face flushing in embarrassment at the obvious sarcasm. He hadn’t been working so hard this week and another thing…he was sure that Duo wouldn’t come up there to drag him to some stupid party. “You wouldn’t dare do that!” he replied with a confidence he did not really feel inside. “You are bluffing!” But even he could see the wicked glint in the older man’s eyes and for a moment, he wondered why no one was coming out to stop the teacher from doing this.

As if reading Heero’s mind, Duo snickered and began to move towards the house. “Don’t worry; I got your parent’s permission to drag your ass out here, so there’s no hope of you thinking I’m doing this without their consent!”

The young heir’s face darkened with even more color as his heart rate quickened in anticipation and another emotion he couldn’t define. He began to shuffle backwards away from the mesmerizing mauve depths, muttering weakly. “You…you can’t. I don’t want to…you can’t make me!”

Duo laughed and nodded curtly. “Oh yes, I can, Heero Yuy and I will. In fact, I think we have some things to discuss, hmm? I’m coming up!”

“No! Duo! Don’t you dare!!” Heero cried out desperately, but he found that he was talking to thin air as the man in question was no longer in sight. Swallowing tightly, Heero remained frozen on the patio with his heart pounding even faster and harder than before. He didn’t know what to do. Should he hide or should he stand his ground and confront Duo, telling him that he was not going to the party? He ran now damp palms against his dark pants and tried to even his breathing.

“I will…I will just tell him that I can’t come, that’s all. He has to listen to me. I am his employer for Kami’s sake. He just can’t…”

“Hello?! I’m here!”

The bedroom door was opened gently and the familiar shock of chestnut poked its way through it, before curious eyes clashed with a pair of panicked cobalt. Duo grinned good-naturedly and stepped further into the room as he eyed the décor with a pleased nod.

“Nice place you’ve got here, Heero. So, are you ready to go to the party with me now?”

Heero licked his lips and shook his head rapidly, trying hard not to show just how much Duo being in his bedroom was doing a number on his nerves. He gripped the edge of his work desk and replied a bit unsteadily. “I told you that I am not coming, Duo and you cannot force me.”

“Hmmm….well let’s see,” Duo began with a look of contemplation on his features. “You haven’t shown up for classes for almost a week now and being the nice guy that I am, I didn’t tell your parents about it because I figured you were just going through some private issues that you needed to deal with on your own. So, you are going to come with me and have some fun with your friends tonight, Heero or I’m going to walk out of that door and call your parents and perhaps disturb their night out with a wonderful story of just how cooperative you have been.”

An image of his mother’s face filled with misery came to Heero’s mind and wincing inwardly, he lowered his lashes and cursed softly. “You are blackmailing me again, Mr. Maxwell.”

“Yes, I am, Heero,” Duo replied matter-of-factly. “And I will continue to do so until you get that head stuck out of your ass and take the time to enjoy the things around you for once.”

Heero gasped at the rude words and lifted his gaze to glare at the teacher angrily, only to suck in a harsh breath as he noticed that the usual smile on the older man’s face had now been replaced with a look of irritation and annoyance that sent a chill down Heero’s spine. So, this was the way Duo looked when he was angry. Those beautiful violet eyes seemed to darken and Heero was sure that the teacher would look the same way in the throes of passion. With an inward groan, he squeezed his eyes shut and halted the brakes on where his errant mind was about to take him.

“Why…?” he finally asked softly. “Why don’t you just give up and quit? Or are you just remaining here for the money? You can’t help me. Nobody can help me…”

“And do you want to know why, Heero?” Duo interrupted just as quietly, the fight in him gone now. At this moment, he could care less if Heero wanted to come or not. He didn’t even know what had possessed him to actually come all this way to get the petulant kid. Or was it just because of what Mrs. Yuy had revealed to him the other day?

He sighed and rubbed a hand against his forehead. The last thing Heero needed was his pity, but he still couldn’t help feeling as if things were coming to a head around the young man. And Duo, for one, was not just going to be a bystander and watch it all come crashing down. Heero didn’t need any more trauma in his young life, and now Duo realized that he was making it a point of duty to be there for the young man whether he liked it or not.

The big revelation? Mrs. Yuy had discovered that her husband was cheating on her.

She had been on her way to the gym that morning as promised, but had decided to drop by to pay her husband a surprise visit at work. And oh what a surprise it had been, for the billionaire had been involved in something more than just a casual business meeting with a vivacious red head. Hikari had always suspected something, but had been determined not to believe all the rumors she had been hearing from her close knit friends. And then to actually see it for herself – it had sent her walls of defiance and denial crashing down in one fell swoop. Needing someone, anyone to talk to, she had come back home and as fate would have it, Duo was the only one around to listen to her woes.

The teacher couldn’t understand it. Hikari was a stunning woman and it was clear that Heero had gotten most of his handsome features from her, so why in God’s name would Odin wish to cheat on her? But then again, what did he know about the lives of the rich and famous? One thing was for sure, not everything was rosy in this world of glam and wealth. Hearts were ruined and broken just like anywhere else.

He stared at the morose-looking boy before him and felt something ache within his heart. Was it just pity? No, it had to be more than pity…

/Are you in love with him?/

Damn you, Wufei! He thought with a soft curse as he fought the urge to pull Heero into his arms and to reassure the boy that everything was going to be alright. But how could he? Heero didn’t like to be touched and there was no way he could communicate with the boy without sounding as if he was going to start a pity party. He was sure that Heero would not appreciate it.

“You don’t give people a chance, Heero,” he said softly. “Look, I’m not here to lecture or preach to you because I know that it’s the last thing you need right now. All I ask…” He took a deep breath and tried to catch the other’s gaze. “All I ask is that you allow me to be a friend to you. At least feel as if you can talk to me…about anything. That’s what I’m here for…”

“That’s what the psychiatrists say as well,” Heero replied with a quirk of his lips.

Duo caught the movement and gave a small smile of his own. He had never seen Heero smile before and even if it wasn’t a real one, it still gave the boy a look that was breathtaking. Knowing that he was bound to make a fool of himself if he remained in this room much longer, he placed hands on his hips and chuckled. “Yeah, well…at least I get to have a luau and a barbecue and none of your other shrinks can say that, right? So, what do you say? Are you coming? Your friends are missing you.”

Heero shook his head. “I doubt that. They are already having too much fun with you.” Why did it sound as if he was jealous?

But to his embarrassment and yet delight and surprise, he found his chin being tipped up gently and helplessly staring into sincere and warm eyes filled with understanding – something he thought he would never get to see in an adult’s gaze. With his heart pounding so loudly that he was sure Duo could hear it, he barely heard the soft words that spilled from the other’s lips.

“I want you to have as much fun as they are, Heero. We are not complete without you, understand?”

Heero could only nod numbly, not trusting himself to speak as his mind and senses became filled with the scent and feel of the man that he realized he needed more than anything else in the world. He didn’t want to sway like he did the last time, but it was becoming incredibly hard to just look and not want to touch. A small sigh escaped his lips as he felt Duo’s thumb begin to caress his chin, the wandering digit slowly made its way towards parted lips and powerless to stop him, Heero could only close his eyes as he finally tasted the slightly salty flesh.

Duo felt as if he was watching someone else do this to Heero. His entire body hummed with an emotion that he had never thought he would feel for anyone else for a long time. The warning bells at the back of his mind told him to stop this - that this was the last thing he needed to be doing, but Heero wasn’t helping matters by responding to his touch. Duo heard a low moan from someone before realizing that it had come from him. He was beginning to feel the heat rise within him and with a small cry, he pulled away quickly and spun around, slapping a hand over his mouth and squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to get his bearings together. For one moment…he had actually wanted to kiss…

Oh God! What am I doing?!

In a voice that sounded too strained and rough, he said quickly. “I will be waiting for you downstairs. All you need to bring is your swimwear…if you want to that is.” He didn’t wait for Heero’s reply before leaving the room as quickly as his legs could carry him.

Heero remained gaping at the door for several seconds before sitting down heavily on the bed with a hand placed upon his chest in dawning comprehension.

Duo…Duo was just like him!

He couldn’t tell for sure yet, but just this alone was enough to make Heero’s heart leap with a little hope. It hadn’t been his imagination. The older man had moved closer to him. Duo had touched him in such an intimate way and those eyes…he was sure that those eyes had darkened again, but not with anger this time. They were the eyes of someone who needed something.

And that something was clearly him! Duo needed him!

Unable to stop the small smile that came to his features, Heero jumped to his feet and raced towards his large closet to pick out suitable swim wear for his first foray into Duo’s world and as he changed into it quickly, his mind raced with thoughts for a reverse in plans.

If his theory was correct and Duo did have those kinds of feelings for him, then Heero was determined to make the older man see just how grown-up and ready he was for a relationship.

And who knows…he might actually make Duo fall in love with him in the long run.

Wufei chuckled softly at something Merian said and was just about to reply when he noticed his friend walk back to the party with a look of irritation on his features. Excusing himself from the young woman, he made his way towards Duo and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“He didn’t want to come?” he asked quietly.

Duo stiffened at the touch, but relaxed when he saw who it was. Shaking his head lightly, he sighed and ran trembling fingers through his hair. “He’s coming. I managed to convince him…”

“Well, congratulations! You should be patting yourself on the back!” Wufei enthused as the screams of happy laughter reached their ears. Both men spun around to see that Trowa and Merian had just pushed Relena and Quatre into the pool. The kids were obviously having fun.

“Okay, spit it out. What happened?” Wufei asked impatiently.

Duo frowned and turned his attention to the ribs being grilled over the fire. “What do you mean?”

“What do you think I mean? You come back here looking like you just found out that you have been screwed royally. Did he do something to you?”

Duo gave an exasperated sigh and bit back angrily. “There is nothing…”

“HEERO!!! You came!!” came Quatre’s squeal of delight as he jumped out of the pool to grab the stoic boy who had just made an appearance in a fierce hug. The looks of surprises on both Relena and Trowa’s faces were quickly erased as they walked up to meet their friend with welcome smiles.

“I can’t believe you actually showed up, Heero,” Relena gushed with a light blush dusting her cheeks as she twirled around in her black and white polka-dotted swimsuit. It was conservative and very pretty and did more to bring out the sharp blue of her eyes. She eyed her fiancée in his dark blue swim shorts that draped lean hips on the slender frame. Trying not to stare at him too much, she gave a shy smile and wrapped her arm around his. “Come. I will do the introductions.”

Heero willingly followed, managing to give a small nod to both Quatre and Trowa as Relena began to lead him towards the curious gazes from the two people he had never met before. Figuring that they were Duo’s friends, he tried not to show his uneasiness as Relena introduced the pretty bikini-clad Chinese girl as Merian, and the man who looked about Duo’s age as Wufei.

“A pleasure to finally meet the elusive Heero Yuy,” the Chinese man commented with a light bow, before wincing as Duo nudged him rather roughly.

Heero stole a quick glance at Duo, who was still busy with his cooking, and bit his lower lip before managing a wan smile at the taunt. “I am a very busy person, Mr. Chang…”

“The name’s Wufei. If you want a Mr. Chang…I don’t know where he is,” came the tease that was completely lost on Heero.

Duo explained quietly. “His father is dead, so whenever he says that, it means that he doesn’t want to be compared with a guy he didn’t even know.”

“Oh…”

An awkward silence fell before Relena gave a forced smile and said a bit too cheerfully. “Would you like to try some of the burgers, Heero? Duo is very good at making them.”

Heero had been hoping that Duo would have at least given him a glance to acknowledge his presence, but it seemed as if the teacher was doing a good job of ignoring him. He sighed inwardly and gave a small nod to Relena’s request while allowing himself to be led away.

Once out of hearing distance, Wufei eyed his silent friend, noticing how tightly the braided man was holding onto the grill fork in his hand. Taking another bite of his burger, Wufei remarked casually. “He is kind of cute. Young, handsome…rich…and clearly into you…”

“Shut up, Wufei,” Duo hissed back angrily, even though he felt his face heat up with embarrassment.

“He wants you, Duo.”

“Would you please just shut up? I’m having a hard time enough as it is.”

“Ah ha!”

Duo suddenly wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. He couldn’t hide anything from Wufei, no matter how good his lies were…which were never that good anyway. Wufei snickered and placed an arm upon his friend’s slumped shoulders and whispered into his ear.

“Don’t worry, Duo. Just keep pretending you are straight and maybe, just maybe, he will stop lusting after you. Christ, he has been stealing glances here every other minute hoping you would just look at him. Give the poor kid a break, will you?”

Duo groaned weakly and closed his eyes. Wufei must have had one too many beers tonight, for he was sure that the other man did not know what he was saying. He couldn’t do anything to Heero, even if he wanted to. And now stealing a quick glance of his own, he suddenly wished he hadn’t for the boy in question was doing a few warm up exercises in preparation to enter the pool.

Like a man mesmerized, Duo watched each muscle ripple off the smooth body with an ache deep within him that felt as if it would rip him apart. Heero was smiling softly now at some joke that Quatre had made. And without realizing that he had given a small gasp at how beautiful the boy looked at that moment, he was stumped to find himself staring into piercing cobalt that left him feeling breathless.

For what seemed like eons, their gazes remained locked as some unspoken message flowed between them. And with dawning realization, Duo knew that he was already breaking a cardinal rule that was bound to make things even more complicated than before.

He was about to become involved with his student.