Heero walked into the small apartment, his backpack falling off one shoulder and hitting the floor hard. It was full of guns, ammo, and a few small grade explosives, but they weren't sensitive enough to go off with a simple impact. He kicked it behind the sofa, hoping Duo wouldn't see it for awhile. His braided koi didn't know what hobbies Heero filled his free time with, and while he trusted him to understand, Duo couldn't keep a secret for very long. At least, not from friends, and once he let it slip to Quatre, Trowa would know, Rashid, the entire Maganac corps, and then who knew from there?

Besides, it wasn't like Heero was blowing up innocents or terrorizing the weak. Just the occasional IRS office, high school and local Democratic party headquarters. When no one was in them, of course, but he knew the Preventers might get upset if they found out he was the cause of all the talk. But what did they expect a former terrorist to do for fun? Strip poker got old after awhile, as did playing naked oiled Twister and naked bacon cooking.

Suppressing a shudder at the memory of that last one, he locked the front door and headed to the bathroom, intending to take a long, hot shower when he halted suddenly. The shower was already on. Which meant Duo was in there already. Which meant Duo's shed hair would probably be clogging the drain already. Which meant Draino and hours before he could take a shower safely.

At least I can get the dirt and gunpowder off my hands, he grumbled to himself. Knowing Duo never locked the bathroom door, he pushed his way in.

"Gah! Heero, 'zat you?" Duo gasped, his silhouette cringing behind the dark violet shower curtain. "Close the door, the draft is murder!"

Replying only in an irritated grunt, Heero complied. "You leave any hot water for me today?" he asked, kicking his sneakers off.

"Huh? Oh, I only just started." Duo popped his face out from the shower stall and smiled at him, pushing a heavy lock of hair from his eyes. "Watch out for my brush, okay? I brushed my hair out before I got in."

Heero blinked as Duo ducked back in. Water...dripping down his face...along his hair as it conformed to his sides and stuck indecently to his shoulder...gathering in droplets along his lips... "Does that mean the drain won't clog again?" he said flatly, pushing the thought from his mind. Doing his best to ignore the brush full of hair on the counter, he pulled his tank top off and tossed it a corner, quickly followed by his jeans. The spandex shorts (which very few people knew he still wore beneath the jeans) joined the small pile of clothing.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" Heero asked, trying to keep the sullen note out of his voice. "I wasn't gone long."

"Ah, I can never tell how long you'll be out when you're blowing things up," Duo said nonchalantly. "I thought you might be back around two, since you were hitting that nest of philatelists."

"Philharmonics," Heero corrected, masking his surprise that Duo knew. "Luxembourg Official Philharmonics."

"You're just upset they insisted on playing three encores," Duo giggled.

"Three long encores," Heero defended himself. "And we couldn't leave until they finished." And Duo looked so good in that tux, every minute we weren't in bed was torture.

"I told you we could just make out while they were playing," Duo smiled. "Would've spiced up the ceremony."

"A bomb would have, too, but you wouldn't let me bring any," Heero said.

"A bomb at an end-of-war celebration? You like blowing things up too much."

Heero scowled, grabbed the soap, and turned on the hot water.

"Yow!! Heero! Stop that!" Duo screamed as the hot shower abruptly became ice. Instead of jumping back or slapping the shower nozzle aside, though, he leaped out of the shower entirely, tripping on the low tub edge and falling against Heero.

Before Duo could slam his head against the sink, fortunately, Heero wrapped his arms around Duo's body and held him halfway up off the floor. Heero stared in shock at his unexpected armful, dripping wet and warm, while Duo gazed into Heero's eyes, surprised that Heero was completely naked.

"Um...hi..." Duo smiled cheerfully. "Help a guy back in the shower?"

Heero smirked. With one hand he turned off the sink, then gently pulled Duo back to his feet. "Just started the shower, hmm?"

Duo grinned and tugged on Heero's hand, leading him into the shower and pulling the curtain closed again. Dark violet light covered them, highlighting Duo's eyes and cutting them off from the rest of the world, secluded in their steamy world.

"How long have you known about my...hobby?" Heero asked.

Duo laughed and stole a kiss. "You're my psychotic boyfriend. I have to know these things."

Heero gave him a look.

Duo shrugged. "Okay, I found your backpack a few weeks ago. It's okay, I don't mind as long as you don't hit the comic book shops."

"Have you told anyone?"

Duo shook his head and put his arms around Heero's neck. "Nope...but I might..."

Heero didn't bother to ask what the bribe would be. It was always the same with Duo. The braided boy loved having a Perfect Love Slave at his beck and call, and a Perfect Psychotic Love Slave was good enough. Heero gathered all of Duo's hair and pushed it out of the way, grabbing a scented bar of soap as he did. With a faint smile, he began to lather up his lover's shoulders. Being a love slave had some advantages.

Rubbing soap over Duo never gets old.

The End