Touch
Joyce W.
It was two in the morning when Duo woke up and heard Heero slip in. Heero turned on his desk lamp and took off his jacket and shoes. Damn, Duo thought sleepily, how does he get everything done? Then he noticed something a little odd. Heero was tilting his neck to one side than the other, then rubbing the small of his back. He frowned that must've been one mission if he feels stiff.
Heero then turned and saw him awake. "Go back to sleep," he said.
Duo said, "You look like you have a stiff neck."
Heero ignored him and sat at his desk, his back to Duo. But he still continued to tilt his head from side to side.
"Heero, what you need is a good massage."
"I'm fine."
"You keep tilting your freaking head like it's about to fall off. Now let me help you relax," said Duo. "I'm going to start with your neck. Tell me if it hurts and I'll ease up, OK?"
Heero turned his back to him and said, "Go ahead."
Duo then used his hands to alternately press and rub up and down his neck. God, he thought, it's like massaging a telephone poll. "I can feel all that tension just in your neck. You're so tense and wound up, your muscles don't get a chance to relax. I'm going to do your temples next." With that he shifted his hands to Heero's temples, and used his thumbs to create slow, lazy circles on each side of his head.
Then he started to massage the shoulders. Damn, they're stiff. I'm going to really have to use some muscle on this. They're stretched tight. Alternately pressing down and kneading, he slowly felt the muscles slowly soften and loosen up. No wonder he's in such a sour mood all the time . . . I bet nobody's ever given him a massage in his life. I bet his body's filled with a lifetime of tension. His muscles are tough, but his skin's not, he thought. And his hair's soft. I wouldn't have noticed it otherwise.
It's strange, he thought, It's almost like I'm molding a statue into flesh and blood. Even though he felt cold the minute I put my hands on him, it's warm now. "Feel any better?"
There was a pause, then Heero said, "Ah."
I wonder what the expression on his face is right now, thought Duo. He stopped and was about to lean over to see when Heero said, "Why did you stop?"
"I was thinking that if you wanted your back done, you should take off your shirt." Then he added quickly. "It's up to you."
Heero didn't say anything for a moment but didn't turn around.
"Ah, never mind . . ."
Duo was about to step back when Heero just took off his shirt.
A little hiss escaped between Duo's teeth. His back . . . his back has so many scars, he thought. What the hell happened to create these? They were thin, white lines that had been healed for years with a few new ones overlaying them. They were hard to see, but not invisible. His fingers traced the course of one of the scars gently. It extended for about six inches. There were others, both shorter and longer.
Heero looked over his shoulder, throwing him an impatient glare. Duo then said, "Ok, Ok." While he was using the knuckles of his hand to push into the area between Heero's shoulder blade and spine, he said, "Anywhere else it hurts?"
Heero gestured towards the small of his back.
Duo then began to push his thumbs into the small of Heero’s back, then slowly began moving up, taking care to push along his spine. Then he went back down and started all over again. He looked at Heero’s shoulders and saw how relaxed they were. It’s kinda sad, he thought. This might be the only way I get to touch him.
After a few more minutes of sliding his hands over the rest of his back, he then stopped and said in Heero’s ears., “So, what do you think?”
“Hn.”
Duo sighed. He may think he knows everything, but he sure doesn’t know how to say thank you, he thought. Then he put his hands on Heero’s shoulders, then give him a goodnight kiss on his cheek. “Go to sleep.” I don’t care what he thinks about that kiss, he thought. I’m just going to bed and sleep.
“Duo?”
“What?” said Duo, not bothering to turn around, about to slide underneath the covers. .
“I’ll give you a massage.”
Duo turned around to see Heero only in his shorts. He sat up and said, “Well, just don’t break my bones.”
Heero scowled then hopped up on top of the bed. Duo pulled his braid in front of him and turned his back to him. Half expecting either a bone-crushing squeeze or a very severe poke in the side, he was surprised to find those calloused hands loosening the muscles of his shoulders and back gently. “Hey, you’re a quick study, murmured Duo. Then he half turned around and said, “Oi, my stomach muscles don’t need a massage.”
He put his hands on top of Heero’s, which then firmly and gently interlaced with his. They sat there quietly for a few seconds, then Duo said, “Do you know what you’re doing, Heero?”
Heero leaned over so Duo could see his face. “Ah.” Then he kissed him to show that he knew what Duo was really asking.
“Then let me show you a few problem areas that need extra attention.”
THE END
