Holiday Series #12 - "Christmas Presents" - Part 2

[calic0cat]

***

Actions were always more effective than words where Heero was concerned. Duo had figured that out a long time ago. Tackling Heero had been a calculated risk. If something had gone wrong and he'd overstressed either injury, Heero would have gone straight into worrywart mode and he'd have probably spent the rest of the holiday season stuck in bed, being waited on hand and foot. But Duo had a pretty good idea of his still-recovering body's limits by now and he'd had the element of surprise on his side. He'd tackled Heero without putting undue stress on either injured limb and he was pretty sure he'd thoroughly derailed any notion Heero might have had regarding him being an invalid. Granted, he'd probably sleep the rest of the day away once they were done but it would be a small price to pay.

Duo couldn't help smirking as he gazed down into Heero's shocked face. He'd very definitely taken his lover by surprise. "Well? I'm waiting..." he urged. "We gonna make love or argue?"

Heero's hands came up to frame Duo's face. Duo leaned into the touch as fingers stroked gently over his cheeks. "You're sure about this? That you want to and that you won't get hurt?" Heero asked hesitantly.

"I'm sure," Duo assured him with a soft smile. "There's lots of things that I can't do yet and I know it. But there's lots of others that I can." Very seriously, he continued, "Heero, I really want this. Want to feel like your partner, not an invalid." His voice dropped low and sultry, "Want you inside me, lover."

Heero still looked very uncertain. Duo leaned down and kissed him hungrily, letting his mouth do the persuading with something other than words. He nipped at Heero's lips, demanding rather than requesting entrance. When Heero's mouth opened, he invaded it forcefully, plunging deeply into the kiss. One hand worked its way between their bodies, sliding up under Heero's shirt. Grinding his hips down against Heero's, he finally - *finally* - felt Heero give in, hips thrusting up to meet his, hand sliding behind his head to hold him in place, tongue and teeth pressing against his own. Duo gentled the kiss immediately, knowing that he couldn't sustain the energy and force that he'd started out with. He'd proved his point anyway - he wasn't weak or fragile.

Of course, he wasn't exactly in peak condition either...

Feeling his leg twinge in protest at the demands being placed on it by the hip grinding, Duo stilled. Lifting his lips from Heero's, he breathed, "Make love to me."

***

Gazing up at Duo's face, at eyes bright and cheeks flushed with passion instead of fever, feeling the weight of solid bone and sinewy muscle pressing him into the mattress, Heero couldn't deny either of them any longer. He wanted to make love just as badly as Duo did. Wanted the reassurance that their lives were getting back to normal, that Duo was recovering. 'I have to trust that he knows his own limits...'

Instead of answering Duo's demand verbally, Heero rolled them both over, resting most of his own weight on Duo but careful to avoid the still-tender injury sites. He kissed Duo tenderly, then pushed himself up to kneel straddling his lover. Grasping the bottom of his T-shirt, he locked his gaze with Duo's. "You'll tell me if you start to hurt," he stated flatly.

Duo blinked, then smiled, slow and sensual and very self-satisfied. "Yes."

Heero nodded sharply, then shucked the shirt over his head, tossing it away carelessly. Duo's hands were already busy at his waist, loosening the drawstring of his sweatpants. Heero rolled clear of Duo before sliding both pants and boxers over his hips and attempting to kick them off. They wadded up around his ankles, stubbornly clinging until, exasperated, Heero sat up and impatiently yanked them the rest of the way off, flinging them across the room. He pounced on his snickering bedmate, silencing his amusement with a deep kiss.

Stroking, squeezing, teasing, groping, their hands explored, becoming reacquainted with familiar territory. Heero hesitated, fingers hovering over the still-livid knife scar on Duo's arm. "It's more sensitive than sore, really," Duo volunteered quietly, lying very still under that careful scrutiny. "Touching it won't hurt me, Ro."

Taking Duo at his word, Heero lightly traced over the scar, first with his fingers, then with his lips, pressing butterfly kisses along the mark's length. Duo shivered and complained, "Hey, that tickles..."

Heero chuckled and ran teasing fingers over Duo's ribs. Duo squirmed and wriggled, laughingly protesting. As Heero ran his fingers back up again, the scarred arm caught his eye, reminding him that Duo probably wasn't really fit for their usual horseplay. All of this tensing and twisting of muscles was likely to set off a cramp in one of the injured areas. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid...' he berated himself silently. Immediately, he firmed his touch, switching from feathery tickles to tender strokes. "Easy, shh, easy Duo..." he soothed. "Relax, take it easy..." He brushed an apologetic kiss across Duo's lips as his partner stilled beneath him. "Sorry, shouldn't have done that," he murmured. "Wasn't thinking. Could've set off a cramp..."

"Wasn't thinkin' about it either," Duo admitted. He made a face. "Leg's twinging a little..."

"Damn." Heero shifted off of Duo and moved down to kneel beside his legs. He lifted the wounded one into his lap and rubbed it carefully. Pressure at the injury site itself had to be very light but the area around it could be massaged more deeply. Heero could feel the muscles quivering; they'd barely avoided triggering a spasm.

"Feels better now, Ro," Duo said after a few minutes. "I think it's okay. C'mere, let's try this again."

Heero stretched out on his side beside Duo. "We have to be more careful if we're going to make love. I don't want to hurt you," he stated flatly. "I don't like seeing you in pain."


***

Cautiously, Duo rolled from his back to his side. "Believe me, I don't much like *being* in pain," he assured Heero dryly. Leaning forward, he kissed Heero and coaxed, "I'm okay now; let's try again."

Well, "okay" was probably a bit of an exaggeration - there was a slight but deep-seated residual ache in his calf and his arm was giving a few warning twinges of its own - but Duo was far from ready to give up. He wasn't about to let a couple of minor aches prevent him from finally making love with Heero.

Heero gave him a long, searching look.

"I'm *okay*," Duo repeated firmly. "C'mon, Ro, I'm not all *that* fragile. I can handle this."

Wrapping one hand around the back of Duo's neck, Heero shifted closer. He kissed Duo once, long and lingering. By the time he drew back, Duo was lightheaded and gasping for air. 'Okay, so my stamina's not quite what it should be...' he admitted ruefully to himself, struggling to get his breath back. 'Heero's not even breathing hard, dammit!'

Heero propped himself up on one elbow and stated calmly and firmly, "Not fragile, no. But not 'okay' either. If we're going to do this, these are the terms:

"One. You just relax and enjoy; leave all the work up to me.

"Two. You want me in you - okay, I want that too. But it'll have to be spoon-style; I know that's not your favourite but anything face-to-face is too strenuous for either your arm or your leg or both.

"Three. You take it easy for the rest of the day; just rest and let me look after you.

"Deal?"

Much as he wanted to bristle at Heero's flatly stated terms, Duo had to admit that they were reasonable and based on cold, hard facts. The fact that Heero wasn't simply informing him that he wasn't ready for this was a big concession in and of itself; evidence that Heero understood just how important this was to him. His lover wouldn't hesitate to deny his own wishes but Duo's were another matter entirely.

Smiling affectionately up at Heero, Duo agreed, "Deal."

***

Heero smiled softly in return and bent to seal the agreement with a loving kiss. "Deal," he murmured against Duo's lips, then brushed their mouths together lightly before moving on to shower the rest of Duo's face with butterfly caresses.

Heero still had a few reservations regarding Duo's degree of fitness but he set them aside. Realistically speaking, there was little chance of causing a serious setback to Duo's recovery. His injuries were long past the stage where the possibility of tearing stitches was a concern. Muscle cramps were painful but far from life-threatening. Exhaustion would be easily remedied with sleep. The only real danger would be that of infection and that would only be a concern if they were careless enough to cause a tear. Since Heero intended to make love to his partner slowly and tenderly that should *not* be an issue. 'Slow, gentle, and tender... But not *too* slowly; he doesn't have the stamina for a prolonged session right now...'

Kisses were interspersed with tiny nips and licks. When he reached Duo's ear, Heero sucked on the lobe gently before tracing its whorls with the tip of his tongue. He blew softly across the damp skin; Duo shivered and moaned in response.

Moving down Duo's bared neck, Heero ignored the thick braid. If he let it out, the hair would end up tangled and soiled. That would necessitate washing it - Duo hated being dirty, especially when his hair was involved - and he doubted that Duo would have the energy for that. 'Besides, leaving the braid in makes his neck so much more readily accessible...' Heero thought as he latched on, sucking hard enough to create a distinctly visible mark. Ordinarily, he would restrict love bites to less visible areas - they looked extremely unprofessional - but Duo would be off work on sick leave for at least a couple more weeks. More than enough time for the mark to fade.

Heero's hands were just as busy as his mouth. They stroked, squeezed, traced random patterns over Duo's skin. Sounds of wordless pleasure expressed Duo's appreciation of Heero's touch. Gently, he pressed Duo over onto his back to gain better access as he worked his way down Duo's body. He licked, stroked, nibbled, and kissed, determined to cover every inch of Duo's skin with loving caresses.

As he reacquainted himself with his lover's body, Heero took note of the changes wrought by Duo's injuries and his battle with blood poisoning. The ribs that were a little more visible, the collarbone that was a bit more pronounced, the puckered and drawn skin of scars that would fade in time but were now so vivid. He kissed each reminder tenderly, silently vowing to do everything in his power to help restore Duo to his sturdy, healthy self.

***

Gentle and careful though Heero was, there was an intensity to their lovemaking that was nearly overwhelming. Duo surrendered willingly to the sensual tide sweeping over him at his lover's hands.

At Heero's tender, clever, oh-so-loving hands...

And his warm, mobile mouth, his lips and teeth and tongue that moved so knowingly over Duo's body, over face and neck, arms and chest, steadily working their way lower...

Duo gasped and moaned, reduced to a preverbal state by his lover's attentions. A single attempt at movement, an overwhelming urge to thrust, was stilled immediately by gentle but firm hands at his hips. Strong, sure fingers and a confident mouth aroused him, opened him, prepared him. And when those hands urged him over onto his side, Duo moved eagerly, crooking his top leg as he settled into position. A pillow was tucked against his chest and Duo gratefully settled his injured arm on its support, a lump filling his throat at the evidence of Heero's loving care for him even in the midst of passion. He turned his head, glancing awkwardly over his shoulder as Heero moved behind him. "Love you, Ro..." he said urgently.

Heero leaned forward and kissed him, deeply and so tenderly that Duo was left aching with yearning as it ended. "Love you too," Heero murmured huskily. "So much..."

Turning his face forward again, Duo swallowed that persistent lump as he felt a kiss pressed to the bared nape of his neck. Comforting kisses showered his neck and shoulder as Heero slowly - oh, so very slowly - slid inside him. The stretching was a bit uncomfortable at first - it *had* been a month, after all - but the discomfort soon faded, lost and forgotten in more pleasurable sensations. Heero's hips thrust one more time and his groin pressed against Duo's buttocks. An arm wrapped around Duo, pulling Heero's chest snug against Duo's back. Heero's breath puffed, warm and moist, against Duo's neck and for a few long, wonderful, moments they remained still, wrapped in the most intimate of embraces. 'This is the one thing that I love about spooning up...' Duo thought, revelling in the full-body skin-to-skin contact. 'I miss being able to see Heero's face, to kiss him easily, to touch him as freely as he touches me. But being wrapped in his arms like this, held so close that it feels as if we really are one body... it almost makes up for missing those other things...'

***

Closing his eyes and resting his cheek against Duo's shoulder, Heero savoured the sweet feeling of connection. Of being both wrapped around Duo and buried deeply within him. Of holding his lover close and being very aware, despite the fact that he was a bit thinner than before, of his sheer, undeniable *solidity*. There was nothing frail about the body in his arms. 'Duo's not back to his full strength and stamina yet but he really is on the mend...' he acknowledged silently, finally daring to believe.

With a certain reluctance to relinquish the moment, Heero finally asked softly, "Ready?"

Duo's arm shifted off of the pillow, hand gliding down Heero's arm and lacing with his fingers. A gentle squeeze and a murmured, "Mmm-hmm," served as answer. Heero returned the pressure before lifting Duo's arm back to its resting place. Softly, he kissed the nape of Duo's neck. Then he began to move, his strokes easy and languorous. His hand slid down Duo's abdomen to curl around Duo's cock, pumping, teasing, encouraging. Duo's still-recovering body was lagging behind Heero's state of arousal; Heero wanted to make sure that Duo wasn't left behind when he achieved his own release.

Duo's incoherent murmurs, gasps, and soft cries of passion urged Heero on and increased his own arousal. He struggled to hold onto his control, determined to see to his lover's completion before his own. "Come for me, koi," he urged huskily. "Need to feel you come..." Murmuring broken words of encouragement, Heero firmed his grip, striving to push Duo over the edge.

Finally, a keening cry of "Heero!" followed by Duo's entire body shuddering in his arms and clenching around him signalled his success. Heero managed two more thrusts before his own climax overtook him just as Duo went completely limp in his embrace.

***

Duo struggled slowly back to consciousness, vaguely aware that Heero was calling him in a rather anxious voice. Prying heavy eyelids open, he blinked in surprise as he found himself lying face-to-face with Heero. Considering that his last memory was of Heero spooned up behind him... 'Oh shit... Must've blacked out... Only did that once before, one of those times we were using a blindfold... Considering how worried Heero was about doin' this at all, he's probably freaking...' In the probably vain hope of defusing his lover's worry, Duo gave him a slow smile. "Mmm, hey there lover." He reached out to stroke his fingers over Heero's cheek and sighed, "God, that was great, Ro."

"Great?"

"Yeah, *great*." The hand that came up to hold his in place against Heero's face trembled ever-so-slightly. "Hey, I'm okay..." Duo murmured reassuringly. Scooching closer, he kissed Heero softly. "Better than okay, in fact. *Way* better."

"But you passed out..."

"Yeah, just like I did one time before, remember?" Grinning, he teased gently, "Guess that's what happens when you love me into a boneless puddle of goo..."

Heero gave a snort of laughter, the worry fading from his face. "I'd forgotten about that other time," he admitted. "You're sure you're okay?"

Tucking his head under Heero's chin, Duo nodded. "Yeah. Just kinda..." he yawned, "...tired. That just-got-loved-into-a-puddle-of-goo-but-god-I-feel-good kinda tired, not the sick-and-achy-and-god-I-feel-like-shit kinda tired." Duo grinned against Heero's bare chest as his remark provoked a chuckle and the rest of the anxious tension drained from Heero's body. 'And an appearance of my-lover-the-worrywart is successfully averted...' he thought with relief. 'Thank god...' He squirmed a little, getting more comfortable. Heero's arm draped over him, hand gliding up and down his back in long, soothing strokes. "Mmm... nice..." he mumbled in sleepy contentment.

"Mmm-hmm..."

"Y'know, you give great post-coital cuddle, Ro..."

***

Heero chuckled softly, the last of his lingering concern over Duo's brief blackout easing. A half-asleep, satiated Duo - unlike a tired, sick Duo - had a tendency to be talkative. In particular, he seemed to feel the need to compliment his partner. Repeatedly. Fondly, he dropped a kiss on top of Duo's head and murmured, "Go to sleep, Duo. You're babbling..."

"Not babblin', s'true..."

Smothering the urge to laugh at the indignation conveyed in that muzzy protest, Heero rested his cheek against Duo's head and soothed, "Okay, okay. If you say so. Thank you. You give great cuddle too." Rubbing Duo's back gently, his words were acknowledged with an incoherent murmur. A few minutes later, Duo's breathing indicated that he had drifted off to sleep.

Sighing in contentment, Heero closed his eyes and prepared for a nap of his own. It had been a long, rough month since Thanksgiving; he could use the extra sleep. Especially with Duo back where he belonged, wrapped securely in his arms.

A none-too-quiet "skronk" and whistle added itself to the soft sounds of Duo's breathing. Heero snickered quietly and grinned. He could already feel the damp trickle making its way down his chest. 'God, it's good to have him home...'

Having his snoring, drooling, cover-stealing, bed-hogging lover home and on the road to recovery was the best Christmas present Heero could ever imagine.

#################################################

Comments

[amejisuto.livejournal.com]

Aww! Very cute! I'm glad to see Duo feeling better, and I know Heero is!

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it! Duo's *definitely* feeling better after that. *smirk* Heero too.

Next up - New Year's, I think...

[bloodywingz.livejournal.com]

Obviously one doesn't necessarily need sex of their own to turn into a puddle of goo. I am sludge right now.

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Well, in that case - mission accomplished! *grin*

[merula31]

Really great story as always! I love the interaction between Duo and Heero and how they both work at the relationship.
The last sentence of this segment really shows how much Heero cares for Duo- a great way to end it!

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Thanks! This series is very much about the relationship between the two of them and the ongoing effort that they both put in to making it work. I was originally going to make the fic a little bit longer but that particular spot was just too perfect an ending to pass up so I changed my mind and ended it there.

[arielhime.livejournal.com]

Wonderful as always, calic0 *huggles* I love it!

~ Ariel

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!

[mmariep2.livejournal.com]

i don't know how you do it, but you just do! this is wonderful and the last line just really did it for me. i'm all goo and sap now! :D

thank tou!

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I really wanted something very sweet and tender for this installment in the series and judging by reader response, I succeeded.

[sunhawk16.livejournal.com]

Skronk? *rolls on floor and dies* :P
So sweet... nothing quite like a slow, tender love scene. ^___^ I absolutely adore the part where Heero is noticing all the changes in Duo's body and vowing to help him recover. *melts right along with everybody else*

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Skronk? *rolls on floor and dies* :P

*grin* Yep, "skronk". That's the sound that my dad makes when he's just getting started, a "skronk" and a whistle. As for once he really gets going - well, there are no words to describe it.

*melts right along with everybody else*

*snicker* Hmm, guess I've got a few gooey puddles to clean up, huh?

[kitana-bradford.livejournal.com]

::sniffle:: It's so luvly!
And so sweet! I'm afraid to go outside for a while lest I carmelize! <3
I admire you greatly. It's so hard to get this kind of a warm fuzzy going during a lemon.
...
Okay, I would write more but I can't resist the urge to go back and re-read it any longer. X3
Chu! <3
::runs off to indulge in sap::

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed it! I wanted this to be very warm and tender so it's nice to know I succeeded.

I can't resist the urge to go back and re-read it any longer.

*grin* Good! That's the kind of compliment that's it's always a huge pleasure to receive!

[thekittywolf.livejournal.com]

umm.. hi! May I delurk and befriend you?

*returns to puddle of goo state* awwww.... Your holiday series gets cuter and cuter.

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

May I delurk and befriend you?
Sure!

*returns to puddle of goo state*

Oh dear. I seem to have created quite a few of those gooey puddles this time... *grin*

[thekittywolf.livejournal.com]

worry not. We fangirls are used to puddle-state. It's almost our natural state of being... XD

[klingonpoo.livejournal.com]

*melts* Wonderful as always! So far, this story is my favorite in the series. I adore a tender, caring Heero and the love scene was very sweet. I'm glad Duo is on the mend. I can't wait for the next story. Thanks Calic0cat! I love it!

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it so much. It was a challenging lemon to write; it needed to be very gentle and tender in order to take Duo's semi-convalescent (though improving!) state yet at the same time it had to help Heero realize that Duo really is recovering.

Next up should, if all goes well, be New Year's. Hopefully before I get too much further behind in holidays!