Raindrops

By: Spooks

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Rain falls on everyone

Duo walked silently a few paces behind Heero, a little afraid to get any closer. He had once again pissed off the Japanese pilot, this time by merely relishing in the lightly smattering rain. He had accidentally splashed Heero when he had jumped into the center of a particularly large and inviting puddle. Heero had glared at him and pushed him down right into the small pool of water, thoroughly soaking his backside. Then the Wing pilot had turned sharply away and started walking again.

All Duo had wanted was for Heero to enjoy the rain with him. Another attempt at prying past Heero's hard shell foiled. It was frustrating.

'Don't know why I bother. Oh, wait, yes I do. But he'll never know, will he?'

'Damnit, Heero, why can't you lighten up?' Duo thought furiously, staring twin lasers at the back of Heero's head as the boy marched studiously ahead of him. 'Screw it, I'm going to enjoy the rain. I'm not going to let him spoil it.'

Duo stopped abruptly and tilted his face up, eyes squinting to stare up at the light gray clouds while he scanned the horizon. He gazed at the rapidly darkening thunderheads in the distance. A storm was coming. Soon it would be dangerous to be outside. But it also meant lots of lovely thunder and lightening. Great weather for snuggling up under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and another warm body.

'Who am I kidding? Get off of that train of thought! Heero barely acknowledges my presence when I talk to him, he'd probably kill me if he thought I was flirting. Then again,' Duo thoughts turned a wicked direction as he spun around slowly, basking in the warm wetness of the raindrops. 'Hell, Heero's already pissed at me, why not go for it? Maybe...'

Duo's musings were interrupted when he noticed that Heero had stopped walking and was staring icy bullets at him. Duo returned the glare with his very own heated gaze, although it was colored with a mischievous glint that sparkled in his intense violet eyes.

"Hurry up, baka. We're getting wet out here," Heero said stoically, hands jammed in his jean pockets. He had slicked his wet bangs back out of his face, and the soaked and dripping hair was plastered to his head. Water was running down his chiseled face, dripping tantalizing trails down his neck and collarbone, the tracks of moisture disappearing under the fabric of his tank top. The garment was soaked and clinging to Heero's well muscled chest and flat stomach, accentuating the compact strength and showing off the smooth skin. His body almost shined wetly in the twilight, smooth and firm. He looked positively luscious in Duo's humble opinion.

"Why? I'm enjoying the rain. It's great stuff, and I'm not used to it. It's not as though you're not soaked already," Duo glared, a smirk slowly crossing his features. He tilted his head to the side, tossing his wet bangs back out of his eyes, droplets of water sparkling as they flew from the short fringe of hair. Duo felt his braid swish behind him in the increasing wind. "Besides, Yuy, you look pretty damn good wet."

Heero's face remained impassive, save for a slight widening of his deep Prussian eyes and a faint reddening splashing over his ears and cheeks. He didn't move.

Duo snickered.

"You know, Yuy, it wouldn't hurt for you have some fun every once and a while. You didn't have to push me when I splashed you earlier. Both of us were already soaking wet," Duo let the last word roll off of his tongue in a seductive growl as he licked his lips. He couldn't believe it, Heero looked absolutely confused. Well, as confused as Heero ever looked. And could it be? Was the Wing pilot actually blushing?

Duo decided to go for broke, removing his outer black top and letting the white fabric of his undershirt get soaked in the now heavily falling rain. It was getting darker; the streetlights had just flickered on. Duo held his top in one hand and closed his eyes, leaning back into the deluge, his arms outstretched as breathed deeply the damp air. He could feel water plastering his shirt to his chest, his cross glinting cold against his chest, reflecting in the cool streetlight.

"I didn't mean to knock you down," Heero said quietly, still staring. "I just didn't want to be splashed."

"Why not? A little splashing never hurt anybody," Duo answered, opening his eyes and fixing his vivid gaze on Heero's face. He took a deep breath, licked his lips again slowly, and continued in a soft tone. "You'd think I had hit you the way you reacted. Are you afraid to be splashed by me? Huh, Heero? Can't you just have some fun?" Duo's voice trailed off in a low sigh, and he noted with satisfaction that Heero's gaze had traveled all over Duo's clinging white shirt the whole time he had been talking.

Duo decided to take this a step further, the storm was coming, and they really shouldn't get caught without reaching shelter.

Heero looked positively lost, his slicked back hair making him look less fearsome and more innocent in the gathering twilight. Duo abandoned his previous spot on the deserted sidewalk and quickly walked over to where the other boy had stopped. Duo tied the sleeves of his top around his waist to free his hands. Then the American gently reached up and grasped the side of Heero's face with both hands, carefully tilting the Japanese boy's head back in the rain.

"Close your eyes, Heero, enjoy it. Who knows if the rain will be here tomorrow," Duo whispered, suddenly taken with the need to make Heero perceive at least a little bit of the joy found in such a simple pleasure. Game forgotten for the moment, he just wanted Heero to understand.

In response, Heero let Duo tilt his head back, closed his eyes, and stood there, trying to divine exactly what the braided American meant about this rain. Heero tried not to move, nervous about exactly what Duo's intentions were. Despite his cold temperament, Heero had lately started to feel a definite fondness for his comrade and friend. This was all new territory to Heero. Maybe Duo could teach him about it.

Duo sighed and removed his hands from the sides of Heero's face, stepping back. "Gomen, Heero, I guess I got carried away there. Just wanted you to try and enjoy it," Duo looked down at the puddle he was standing in. His boots were soaked through and his socks were wet.

"Duo, I'm sorry I pushed you down. And I'm beginning to see what you mean about this rain," Heero said quietly, all traces of anger gone from his face, as though washed away in the downpour. "Show me how you enjoy it, I'm not sure how to on my own." The last part was whispered, almost unheard in the splattering of water surrounding them.

Duo's eyes widened and he smiled, hitching his black outer-shirt up on his waist and slinging an arm around Heero's shoulders. The two began to walk again, together.

They stopped before a large, deep puddle on the side of the street. Duo guided Heero to it, removed his arm from around Heero's shoulders and pointed down at it. "Splash," he stated simply.

Heero looked at Duo silently, eyebrows raised. Duo tapped his foot and crossed his arms, grinning. He nodded towards the puddle again. "Go on, the water won't bite you. It's fun. Just try it. Splash!"

Heero looked back down at the puddle, then back at Duo, then at the puddle again. Heero jumped down from the curb right into the center of the small pool, splashing Duo all the way up to the neck. He stood there, ankle deep in water, and smirked at the American. Duo's look of shock was positively priceless.

The expression transformed into a look of pure joy as Duo whooped loudly and jumped, landing both feet in the puddle, right next to Heero, returning the splash. Heero stepped back and kicked water back in retaliation, starting a splash war that lasted a good five minutes and ended with Duo landing on his butt in the middle of the puddle; both boys were laughing.

Heero's laughter was music to Duo's ears.

Duo sat in the deep puddle and stared up at Heero, realizing once again exactly why he pushed Heero so hard. Heero's humanity was so deeply buried, but it was still there, and it was beautiful. Just for a rare glimpse of Heero's inner self, Duo would die a thousand times over. Sitting soaking wet in a puddle of rain, braid trailing in the muddied water, Duo realized that he was in love with his best friend. He gasped to himself, the discovery of the depth of his feelings shocking him to the core.

He noticed Heero had stopped laughing and was looking down at Duo questioningly. Duo blinked and smiled up at the Wing pilot, hoping his grin wasn't too goofy and lovesick. His heart skipped a beat when Heero reached down, offering Duo a hand. Duo grinned and took it, but pulled Heero down into the puddle with him instead of allowing himself to be helped up.

Heero looked surprised, but not angry as he landed with a small plop beside Duo in the puddle. Their hands didn't part.

"Thank you Duo," Heero whispered, almost too softly to be heard over the now driving rain. He squeezed Duo's hand gently, unsure of what to do next.

Duo, for his part, was positive about what he wanted to do next. He scooted closer to the Japanese boy, sliding his arm back and around the Japanese boy's waist, other hand further intertwining with the other's fingers. Heero responded in kind, pulling himself closer by instinct towards the braided bundle of warm next to him in the rain puddle.

Their faces came together, their lips seeking gently for each other. For a breathless moment, neither moved, and they just letting their lips rest against each other lightly, warm breath mingling and cooling the water on the each other's face. Then they leaned closer, lips molding together in a warm slick dance of passion. Opening their mouths, the kiss deepened as their tongues touched, timidly at first, then with increasing intensity. Their arms tightened, and they rocked closer together, pulling their embrace tighter to ward off the rapidly cooling night.

The pair became oblivious to their surroundings. Time became relative to the depth of their passion. Their worlds had merged and shrank down to the warm body they held close and the kiss they were sharing. Nothing existed for either boy except for the other. Their mutual world only consisted of each other, and the sweet warmth they shared in a puddle of collected raindrops.

They were safe. They had each other. The storm had arrived, but it didn't matter anymore.

The sun would shine again.

They would survive the war.

Together.

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End. Feedback craved like chocolate.