In The Lap of Luxurious Love

After that day, no matter how much I searched, I couldn't find Heero anywhere around campus. He never came to eat lunch at the cafe anymore, even though that was the one place he'd always been known to eat between classes. Finally a few weeks later, in speaking to Trowa Barton and Quatre Winner, I found out that he'd been getting training from a local Shinto shrine's young priest and priestess.

It just so happened that I had been invited to a wedding ceremony and reception at that very same shrine, so I used it as an excuse to go and visit him. All during the ceremony, I watched him working, and was surprisingly amazed at how truly hansom he was, and I knew that I really was in love. From time to time, he would look at me and smile sweetly, the same smile that he had greeted me with a few weeks before. As soon as the ceremony was over and I had greeted Kairi and her new husband, I walked over to the bottom of the steps on top of which Heero stood.

"Well, Duo, this certainly has been a surprising day," Heero said before I could speak. "I had no idea that Kairi was a friend of yours. It's good to see you."

"You too, Heero," I said. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't meant to," he said. "Not really, at least. The first few days, I did, but then I realized how foolish I'd been, and wanted to come see you and apologize. But things got so busy between school and two jobs that I just didn't seem to have time." He walked down the stairs and I froze when he put his hand on my cheek. It wasn't that I was scared of him, I was just so surprised by how different he was acting. "To tell you the truth, I was scared when you told me how you felt."

"You were scared?" I cried. "Of me? Why?"

"Because I was scared of getting hurt," he said. "I'd exposed my heart to different guys that I liked, only to get rejected flat out. I'd distanced myself from even trying to attract anyone, man or woman because I didn't want to end up standing there with my mouth hanging open with another guy walking away. And then just like an idiot I do the exact same thing to the one man who actually cares."

"I can understand how much of a shock it must've been," I said. "We've never really been more than friends, and when I broke ranks and told you how I felt, it must've come as a real surprise."

"It was, and I froze up," Heero said. He took my hand and looked me square in the eyes. "But now I have another chance to tell you how I really feel. I love you, Duo, and I don't want to be away from you ever again. I want to be able to see you sleeping before I go to sleep at night, and wake up to your arms around me in the morning." When I didn't do or say anything, he repeated himself. "Did you hear me, Duo? I said that I love you!"

"Heero..." I said, embracing him tightly. "I love you with all my heart and all my soul." We stood there for a few minutes, just enjoying the feeling of being so close. I relished in his arms wrapped around me, his hand running through my ponytail (which I had unbraided to change up my look just a bit for the wedding), the scent of oil and blackberries in his hair. (yes, blackberries! Blackberry shampoo smells divine!) After a few minutes, we walked over to where the young owner of the shrine stood, and regrettingly informed her of his resignation from the apprentice position.

"I wish you luck, both of you," she said. "I hate to lose such a hard worker as your, Heero, but I can see where this could be for the best."

"Thank you for understanding, Miss," he said. After changing into a deliciously well-fitting black tufted Tuxedo, Heero took my arm and we walked out of the shrine, arm in arm. I looked back at Kairi, and we waved to each other, both with the hugest grins on our faces.

We walked and talked for about half an hour, and then I realized where we were. We were on the outskirts of one of the ritzyest neighborhoods in the city, often referred to as the "Rich Outcast" district. All of the mansions looked like castles in themselves, and I knew this was hardly in Heero's budget. I stopped for a minute, and Heero looked back and smiled.

"Don't tell me you live here!" I said in amazement. He laughed that hearty laugh that I'd only heard a few times, and then looked at me with a cute grin. "But how?"

"This is my work as well," he said. "The owner of Kurama Estates has hired me, in exchange for room and board, to bring in young men and women into the estates who have been made homeless by various circumstances, mostly by their sexual preferences. Many of them have not fully experienced the homosexual lifestyle yet, and they are often invited to the bed of one of the owners to begin the learning process." I suddenly became nervous, the thought that I might not be allowed to have my first time with my Heero, but with a complete stranger, was very unsettling.

"Is that why you brought me here?" I queried carefully.

"What do you take me for, a pimp?" he laughed. "I wouldn't just give the man I love to someone, unless you wanted to share yourself with more than one person. I guarantee you, though, that Master Kurama is one of those kinds of lovers that you don't forget easily. You see, he gave me my first time."

"And did you enjoy it, my boy?" came the soft, strong voice of a fox behind us. Heero and I turned around, and Heero gestured for me to kneel as he did so himself. Next to the silver-haired fox stood his partner, a demon who I had met by the name of Hiei Jaganshi. "Rise, both of you, and then answer the question, if you please, Heero."

"Yes, Master, I did enjoy it," came the contrite voice of Heero. Kurama's smile then fell upon me, and I felt weak in the knees. He was beautiful! "Master Kurama, I would like you to meet my new partner, Duo Maxwell."

"Pleased to meet you, Master," I said. "And Master Hiei, it is good to see you again."

"Charmed, I'm sure," Kurama said.

"It's very good to see you again, old friend," Hiei said.

"Congratulations, both of you, for finding new love," Kurama said. "I just hope that you won't forget about me, Heero. And perhaps, if Duo doesn't find it too uncomfortable, he would care to join us." I couldn't speak, I was so enraptured by his charms.

"Perhaps, Master," he said. "Please excuse us, though. I have somewhere we need to be."

"See you this evening at dinner, then," Kurama said. 'Duo, I know you more than you think I do.' I resisted the urge to jump when I heard his voice in my head, and when I looked at him, he simply nodded his head. 'Our spirits are in some way connected, and I wish to be your confidante, if you'll allow me to be...' My breathing quickened, and Heero immediately noticed that I was staring at Kurama.

'It is my honor to serve you, Master,' I said to him in our minds. 'And I would be honored if you would be my confidante.' Kurama looked at me with respect, and I could see Hiei and Heero smiling at the display.

"See you later, then," Kurama said. We both bowed as they walked away, and then looked at each other.

"I've never met a man like him," I said. "He's beautiful. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was a she."

"That's our master for you," Heero said. "He's intoxicating, to say the least. He wants you. Do you think you will accept his offer?"

"Not until I have you," I said, looking at him with intensity. "Heero, show me where you live." Without a word, he gestured me to follow him, and we raced to his room. The adrenaline in my body helped me catch up with him easily, and we nearly knocked down a few people in our race to get into privacy. We ran up several flights of stairs and then down a very long hallway, finally arriving at a door which held Heero's picture.

"Duo Maxwell," Heero said softly, trying to catch his breath as he opened the door. As he did so, my name and picture appeared on the other picture screen. When he closed the door behind us, he looked at me in that sultry, seductive way that I had only imagined he would ever look at me. "Prepare yourself, my love, because this will hurt a little."

"I know, and I don't care..." I said before he pressed his lips to mine.

(Author's Note: I know it took me a long time to finish the chapter, and I'm sorry. Please take the time to rate and review my fic. Will get another chapter up ASAP, and it WILL be a LEMON!)