Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
A/N: First and foremost, To everyone who is NOT reading one-hep-cat's 'unstable' and 'replaced'... you're missing out!! Go read it!
Secondly: uh... okay there's no secondly.
Thirdly: I have written this chapter up in between physics and chemistry and so it might not be good at all... read at your own risk :)
Posted on June 26, 2007
I watched Relena step out of her study and head into her bedroom. I nodded to Duo who followed her to her room and waited outside to keep watch, looking distinctly bored. He knew, just as I did, that this mission was bogus. She wasn’t in any real danger… for some reason she was faking it.
This knowledge had removed any sense of urgency that we may have felt in the beginning of the mission. After all, having one’s guards picked out one by one is a dangerous situation.
Relena was not talking to me and it was fine with me. She had been down since she found out about Duo and me. I felt a little guilty about how Duo had handled the situation but there was no helping it. I tried to make Duo see how he had been too harsh on her but he feels justified for his words and so he won’t listen to me.
So I took the coward’s way out. I appear indifferent to the obvious and cutting tension between the two. I pretend everything is fine and normal even though Relena shoots Duo looks of contempt and Duo answers back with his own glares… can’t say that’s too out of the ordinary.
This past week has tired me out more than the whole mission put together.
Seeing my opportunity present itself I slipped into Relena’s study and went through the piles of paper on her desk. I knew Relena’s routine by heart now. She’ll take exactly twenty minutes to shower, change, and then head to bed… at which point I had better be there between Duo and her or there would be a fight.
I went through her drawers next when I couldn’t find anything illegal. I didn’t even know what I was looking for… its not like she’ll keep a post-it or something with the information about the missing guards…
I came across a pile of paychecks… six to be exact, each paying a handsome amount of money to the families of the guards.
I frowned in thought. She may just be guilty about the fact that her guards disappeared and may be compensating the families for their loss… right? It doesn’t prove that she’s offing her guards.
I pulled out a small camera from my pocket and took snaps of the checks as proof and then put them back in their original place.
Looking at the clock I realized that Relena must be almost out so I headed to her room to avoid leaving Duo and her alone for too long.
“What do you think this means?” I asked, holding the cell phone slightly away from my ear and near Duo’s so that we could both hear Quatre’s answer. Relena was currently taking a nap so Duo and I had come to the kitchen to call Quatre.
“This is big Heero. Relena doesn’t do charity… at least unless it gets publicity. She’s not one of the people who like being anonymous donors. If she was compensating the families it would have been a bigger deal… and to pay that much…”
That made sense… “A bribe?” Duo spoke.
“Could be. But why bribe the families? It would make more sense for her to be paying an assassin or something. Maybe for their silence?”
“Doesn’t make sense.” I said. “I doubt the families know Relena’s responsible for the disappearances.”
Duo grunted in affirmation to my statement. I could almost hear Quatre nodding on the other side.
“And you say that nothing out of the ordinary has occurred?” He asked me.
“No… at least not to my knowledge.” I answered and Duo nodded. “Duo thinks so too.”
“Oh… hold on for a second.” He said and then his voice faded somewhat. We could hear Trowa and Quatre talking and then there was Wufei saying something. We heard the phone shuffling around a bit and then Quatre spoke to us again, “Trowa says that he’s sending Wufei and Yin to assist you in the investigation.”
Duo jumped at that, “No way! She’ll get suspicious!”
We heard Quatre talking to the both of them again, then he said, “Okay Wufei agrees. We’ll contact you again in a few days. Wufei says he’ll go talk to the families.”
“Ya know what’ll be really funny?” Duo asked and I looked at him questioningly while Quatre grew quiet to listen to Duo. “It’ll be really funny if she just bribed the guards to stay away from her so that she could have Heero… come on think about it! Every time something happens she comes running trying to get Heero assigned to her.”
We were silent for a few minutes. Then Quatre said, “I wouldn't put it past her...”
“If she’s doing that…” I started getting angry, “She has no right… we were being manipulated? The whole of Preventeers?”
“Now Heero, it’s all just speculation.” Quatre soothed.
“But it fits.” Duo said looking at me pointedly. I could read him perfectly. I knew he was trying to get me angry at Relena so that for once I’ll be on his side. “And we know Relena’s the kind of spoiled brat that will do anything to get what she wants. We both know how she tries to buy people.”
I knew he was talking about the time she tried to bribe him to throw me out… I felt myself burn just thinking of that incident.
I didn’t answer him but he knew that he had sown the seed of doubt in my mind and that was good enough for him.
“Is that all Quat?” Duo asked.
“Yes, yes… oh and one more thing! Wufei’s gotten engaged!” He gushed, his voice just lightening with happiness.
Wow… I was so separated from the other pilots… I felt strange hearing one of my friends had gotten engaged to a girl I hadn’t even met yet… made me feel strangely isolated.
“And I haven’t even met her yet.” I said as Duo grinned goofily at me.
“Oh she’s amazing! She’s beautiful and she can tolerate Duo!” Quatre said excitedly.
“Hey!” Duo said faking insult.
I laughed, “She’s perfect then.” I looked over at Duo and he was smiling widely. Seems like he liked her a lot. “When is the wedding?”
“Soon it seems! Wufei tries to act like he doesn’t care but I’ve seen him smuggling wedding magazines.” Quatre said, his voice conspiratorially low but I heard Wufei sputter ‘I do not!’ in the back just the same.
Duo laughed and slung an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. I shifted my grip on the cell phone to keep it between us.
“All right Quat. We’ll go check up on warrior princess. See ya!” Duo said and I said my goodbyes as well before switching the phone off.
I stayed for a moment waiting for Duo to remove his arm but when he didn’t I looked up at him to see what was up. He had a small frown on his face and his eyes were distant.
“What’s wrong Duo?” I asked him wondering what he was thinking so hard about.
His arm tensed but he didn’t look at me. Then a few moments later he said, “I was just wondering would you… uh… if I…” He grew quiet and then tried again, “What if I… umm…”
“What is it?” Curiosity was killing me now.
“Uh… you see… well what if… ya know… that.” He was blushing now.
“That?” I asked in the same tone. He couldn’t even finish one sentence? What could he have done now?
“Ah… nevermind.” He said quickly and removed his arm. Before I had a chance to ask what had gotten into him he ran off muttering, “Gotta check up on princess brat.”
I stayed staring at the door long after Duo had dashed out of it. Wonder what that was about…
“Do you realize what the consequences of your actions can be Relena?” Quatre asked her. She was standing in front of her desk shocked beyond all measure. The investigation concerning her had come to a close and Trowa, Wufei and Quatre had shown up with some other trusted agents to confront her. Duo and I was standing in the back watching the whole thing since we didn’t know what exactly had been uncovered. All I knew was that whatever she had been doing had backfired and she was in trouble now.
Agent White was there as well and he was standing to the side watching as well as a young female agent I didn’t recognize. My first thought upon seeing her was that she was beautiful with delicately slanted eyes and a petite frame, and upon seeing how Wufei tended to hover around her I assumed she was Yin.
I smiled. Those two looked like they belonged together.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! How dare you barge in here and accuse me of some crime I have not committed!” She huffed, but all of us could see the wild panic in her eyes. “Heero! You’re my bodyguard! Protect me!”
“They’re not going to hurt you.” I said in my ‘shut up now’ voice and she seemed to gape at me. “You have nothing to worry about if you’ve done nothing wrong.”
“I’ve done nothing wrong! I don’t even know what this is about!” She looked about ready to screech.
“We know that you’ve been ‘disposing’ of your guards.” Trowa said quietly, not perturbed by her yelling at all.
“WHAT?!” This time she screeched. “Who told you that?! I have done no such thing!”
“We found checks for the guards’ families in your possession. Wufei tracked your account and found out that those checks were being deducted from your personal account. I wonder why you would feel the need to compensate the families of the guards personally and as quietly as possible.” Duo said snidely and she paled.
“You! You went snooping through my things!”
“Actually, that was me.” I broke in but she only shot me a venomous glare and then returned her attention to Duo.
“That’s hardly the issue here.” Quatre said. “The question is: Why?”
“I didn’t do anything! The guards are safe! I didn’t hurt them!”
“Where are they?” Yin asked then.
“I don’t know! I told them to take a vacation somewhere and make themselves scarce until Heero and I get married!” She blurted and I gaped. Duo opened and closed his mouth several times, Wufei slapped his forehead, even Trowa looked surprised and Quatre looked shocked.
“I didn’t think Duo would actually be right…” He whispered to himself but in the sudden silence that had befallen in the room it was loud and clear. The silence prevailed again and someone coughed.
“Oh my god… I was right…” Duo muttered to himself.
“This… is ridiculous.” White said looking embarrassed for Relena. Suddenly Yin giggled and all the attention centered on her.
“What?” She said trying to look serious but failing miserably, “I just thought that Wufei had been exaggerating Ms. Darlain’s infatuation with Yuy all this time.” She said unable to keep a smile off her face.
“Umm… I don’t know how to file this…” White said looking around for someone to give him ideas.
“This was a stupid idea Relena.” I said trying to keep my anger in check. Just how manipulative was this girl?
“No! It was not stupid! It was a perfectly legit plan. Nobody was hurt and no laws were broken.” She said in her political, no nonsense voice but Trowa didn’t look convinced.
“Filing a false case is considered fraud Relena. That’s breaking laws.” Trowa said.
“You led the entire Preventeer’s Agency on a wild goose chase. This was a waste of time and money for everyone. You also forced us to put two of our best agents on a bogus case when they could have been working on real ones.” Quatre added.
Relena paled again. “I was compensating the families! I didn’t break any laws!”
“Do you know how this can damage your reputation if this comes out?” Quatre asked.
“In that case this doesn’t need to leave this room then.” She said strictly but I could hear the tenor of nervousness in her voice.
“You know we can’t do that.” Trowa said.
“You just say that the threat to my person has been removed quietly and efficiently. I’ll handle the press. Label the file confidential.”
“But…” White started saying something but stopped when Relena shot him a glare.
“If you refuse to cooperate I will treat the agency as a threat.”
Trowa frowned in thought and Quatre grew quiet thinking. I decided that I didn’t know what to do. It really was a bad idea to make the Queen of the World your enemy but to let her go would only feed her egoism.
At this moment I was glad that I was not Trowa.
“We will do as you suggested.” Trowa answered after a long while of pondering. “But should you attempt to pull something similar I will file a case against you which will include this incident. Agreed?”
Relena nodded relieved. “Yes, yes that’s fine. It won’t happen again. I trust you will handle the loose ends?”
Trowa and Quatre exchanged looks and then Quatre nodded. “We’ll handle it.”
Orange juice spurted out of Duo’s nose as he burst out laughing and then started coughing as the juice went into his lungs. I rubbed Duo’s back as he recovered from the coughing fit.
“Ow, ow, ow… my nose… ow my nose… it burns… damn orange juice!” He said holding his nose.
His antics made the rest of the table laugh as well. All the pilots and Yin had gathered together to have lunch at a local cafe. Currently Yin was telling everyone rather amusing stories of Wufei flustered and trying to propose to her. Wufei was trying to look insulted but the quirk of his lips every now and then betrayed him.
“And then he shoved the ring in my hand and said, ‘Just take the damn ring onna!’ all frustrated and everything and I was this close to shoving the ring up his --”
“Woman!” Wufei interrupted her, blushing.
“Oh come of it, darling.” She said batting her eyelashes at him and he sputtered. I saw Quatre trying to smother his giggles ineffectively so he held a hand delicately to his lips hiding his smile. Duo was grinning like a madman enjoying someone else attacking Wufei in his stead for once.
“So what made you say yes?” I asked paying with the lettuce leaves in my plate.
She sobered up for a moment, “I love him. I can’t ever say no to him, no matter how stupid he gets.” Then she smiled at me. “I’m sure you know how I feel.” She said glancing at Duo and my arm that was still rubbing his back even though he was fine now.
I pulled my arm away, blushing slightly, but nodded anyway. The inability to say no… it got me thinking.
“So what happens now?” Duo asked. His question was simple enough but there were so many ways to answer it.
“Relena is off the hook… at the moment at least.” Trowa answered.
“I’ve taken care of the paperwork and filed it away under ‘confidential’ only the top officials of Preventeers may have access to it.” Quatre continued.
“Derosia’s apartment got sold two days ago. The money has been sent to his account. When he gets out he’ll have restricted and tracked access to his account. We’ll know where he’s going and what he’s doing.” Wufei said. At the mention of Derosia I fingered my GPS watch around my wrist. The presence of that watch calmed me, it was like a link between me and Duo and the other pilots.
Yin looked a little confused about Derosia which told me that the rest hadn’t told her about the ‘incident’. I was glad for that.
Duo nodded and I speared a tomato on my plate with a fork. I had no intention of eating it, I just needed something to do. “When is the wedding?” I asked.
Wufei smiled softly. “Soon.” And at his words Yin blushed prettily and looked away.
“Oh you two are too cute!” Duo gushed and Yin’s blush intensified while Wufei retorted with an indignant ‘I am not cute.’
I laughed.
The inability to say no…
“Duo! Turn that racket down!” I said to him as he blasted heavy metal on the stereo. I was in the bedroom trying to read an article detailing the Relena incident and he was in the living room. The music was so loud I could feel the bed vibrating to the music. I knew from his lack of answer that he had not heard me.
Throwing the newspaper aside I stormed into the living room to give him a piece of my mind. He was dancing in the middle of the room in such strong, jerking movements that I, for a moment, thought he was having a seizure. Then he threw his head back and let out a loud maniacal laugh along with the music.
I clamped my hands over my ears as I felt my stomach drop with the beat of the music. “Duo!” I yelled but he didn’t hear me and continued throwing his body around. “Duo!” I screamed louder but he didn’t hear me this time either. “DUO!!” I hollered and at that he cracked his one eye open, saw me, grinned and then grabbed me, moving me back and forth. I realized a moment later that he wasn’t attacking me but rather dancing with me.
“Dance with me Heero!” He screamed in my ear. I was worried the neighbors would file a noise complaint but Duo wouldn’t let me turn the music down.
I ignored his thrashing about and as soon as I got a chance I reduced the volume down to a bearable level.
“Heeerrroooo…” He whined but the sudden reduction in volume had my ears ringing.
“Don’t play the music so loud! You’ll go deaf in your middle age and then I’ll have to scream at you all the time.” I told him and for some reason his eyes lit up at my statement. I don’t even know what I said. “Try sitting down calmly and doing something that doesn’t involve splitting eardrums and thrashing around.” I led him to the couch and pushed down on his shoulders to get him to sit down. He sat down but just as I started leaving he grabbed my arm with an evil glint in his eye and swung me around so fast that I lost my balance and landed half on the couch and half on the floor. Then he pulled my legs up and hooked them behind his waist as he leaned on top of me, pushing me down into the couch with his weight.
“Sorry Hee-chan, I have a lot of thrashing planned for us.” He said slyly. I worried a little, does he want to… do that…
My fears were alleviated though when he reached down to my sides and then started tickling me mercilessly. Laugh after laugh was ripped from me as he bared his teeth at me and continued tickling. I tried to grab his hands trying to keep him from tickling me further but he was in a dominant position and I couldn’t get a solid grip. I wheezed trying to breathe through my fits of laughter but he didn’t stop. “Duo… Duo! Stop! Stop please!” I begged but he didn’t listen. I twisted this way and that trying to get away from him but he wouldn’t relent. “Please! Please!” I begged again but he didn’t stop. My sides were starting to hurt and I think I was getting a stitch. Instead of trying to grab him I then wrapped my arms around my stomach trying to protect myself from his assault.
Suddenly he pulled up my shirt and blew a loud, wet raspberry on my stomach. The feeling of the air blowing across my stomach pulled another round of laughter from me.
“Duo! That’s disgusting!” I said to him through my laughter. He rested his chin on my stomach and looked at me, grinning in answer.
“I love your laugh. Laugh more often for me?” He asked and I felt warmth swelling in my heart. I reached down and ran my fingers through his bangs.
I nodded in answer. And then seeing my opportunity I flipped him over, effectively making us fall off the couch, so that I was now straddling his waist. “Your turn now.” I said in my dangerous voice but he smirked in answer.
“Try your hardest Yuy! I am not ticklish!” He announced with a manic grin on his face. I felt a little disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to dish out my own punishment for his attack but he suddenly grabbed my face and pulled me down, placing a soft, barely there kiss on my lips. “Don’t stop smiling okay?” He said to me and I smiled for him. In answer he kissed me again. “And remember Hee-chan,” He added with a smirk, “Tickling is not the only way to make me beg.”
I laughed at him and pulled his braid, “That’s true.” And I pulled his braid again, harder.
“That is not what I meant!” He said as I pulled his braid again, “Stop it!” I pulled harder, “Heero stop!” Then I started pulling on individual strands knowing that it drives him insane. “No! Heero! You evil bastard! Leggo of my braid! Heero! I will kill you! Let go! Pleeeaaaseee leggo!” I smirked at him and he flushed. “Fine! You win this round! But I’ll get you for this Yuy!”
I let go of his braid and got off him and attempted to mimic his saunter as I left the room. It didn’t last long before he barreled into me from behind and attacked me again.
We spent the rest of the evening tickling, punching and wrestling each other. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed that hard in my life.
The weather was odd today. It was technically in the middle of winter but instead of snowing it was raining. Actually, it was not raining… it was pouring. Every now and then the silence in the apartment would be broken by the loud clap of thunder. I loved watching thunderstorms so I was standing in front of the balcony watching the rain pounding on the glass. Duo was lounging on the couch reading a novel by lamplight. He seemed to be enjoying the sounds of the rainstorm too.
“It’s peaceful right now, isn’t it?” I said not expecting an answer but I heard him shuffling around just the same. A moment later my back was pressed against his chest as he hugged me from behind, watching the rain with me.
“Very.” He said and kissed my cheek. “I like the quiet.”
I turned around to look at him, leaning against the glass door. “But you hate the quiet…” I shivered slightly feeling the chill of the cold glass seep into my shirt and cool my back.
He shook his head and then looked outside again. “I like the quiet. I hate the silence.”
Strangely it made sense to me. Like right now, we could be quiet in each other’s company but there was no silence. The apartment was quiet… not silent.
I decided I liked the quiet more than silence too. “I agree.” I said to him and he smiled at me.
Lightning crashed outside and the white blue light made Duo’s violet eyes glow. The shadows of the raindrops pelting against the glass door reflected on Duo’s porcelain skin and made him look ethereal. I realized then just how beautiful he really was. He was perfect.
I placed a hand softly on his cheek and he looked at me. “Yes.” I whispered to him and he frowned in confusion.
“What?”
“My answer is yes.”
His frown deepened. “For what?”
“Remember? The day we were talking to Quatre during the mission, you wanted to ask me something?” He blushed slightly and averted his eyes. I stroked his cheek to make him look at me again. “Well, whatever it was… my answer is yes.”
His eyes widened and he looked shocked. Then he started staring at the rain outside for a few moments afterwards as though coming to terms with my answer. I wondered for the hundredth time what I had agreed to. “You don’t even know what I asked.” He whispered and I noticed his eyes were sparkling with moisture but he wouldn’t let the tears fall.
“Not important. Whatever it is, it’s important to you.” I said to him and he sniffled discretely.
“I’ll hold you to that.” He said grinning at me but I knew that his statement was actually a confirmation.
“I know you will.” I smiled at him and he squeezed his eyes shut, one tear falling out and he quickly brushed it off with his sleeve. I pulled at his braid to make him look at me again, “Now… tell me what I just agreed to.” I asked him playfully.
“You’ll find out.” He said before he hugged me and kissed me deeply. I could feel him trying to tell me just how much he loved me through this kiss and I responded just as fiercely. I don’t know what I had just agreed to, but his happiness made me not care at all.
Just as we broke our kiss the room lit up in bright white light and a fraction of a second later there was a crash so loud the building shook. The lights flickered and went out. Duo looked up curiously to the ceiling as though it would bring the light back while I went to flip the light switch on and off.
“The light’s are out.” I said needlessly but he nodded anyway looking out of the windows. The rainstorm made it almost impossible to see too far but all we could see was that it was completely dark outside. Even the streetlights were out. The storm had taken out the entire block at least, if not more.
I sighed. Duo was still watching the storm, and I took the moment to look at him a while longer. I’ve been thinking lately… about him, and about us. We’ve been together almost a year now and Duo has expressed his desire to be with me several times… but I have refused him every time.
But recently… I’ve decided that I do want that… and I don’t want to refuse him anymore.
I looked around. For once, there was nothing to distract us. The rainstorm ensured no one would be dropping in uninvited. The power outage removed any chances of a vid phone call since the machine itself runs on electricity…
No time better than the present right?
Just as I started stepping towards him he turned and headed into the bedroom and started rummaging in the closet.
I watched him curiously and saw him pull out an old radio.
“A radio?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“Yeah… I was curious about the storm.” He said as the radio switch on with a low whine. He then started working hard on it changing channels until he settled on a weather station.
“Duo…” I said exasperated. I had just managed to talk myself into making the first move and he found something to distract himself with.
“Yeah… shh… I found something.” He said absentmindedly, his attention solely on the radio and I huffed. I stalked towards him and pulled the radio out of his hand and threw it under the bed. “Hey…” I silenced him as I kissed him hard and pushed him onto the bed. “Heero… what are you...?”
Please stay indoors, avoid going outside at all costs. Stay off the roads, stay off the roads. The radio continued but we had long since stopped listening to it, its voice drowning out in between the crashes of thunder.
“Shut up.” I straddled him and pulled my shirt off. “Take off your shirt.” I ordered and he quickly pulled it off. I smirked at him to hide my own nervousness, “Good.” I trailed my hands down his chest enjoying the feel of his smooth, warm skin under my finger tips, over his ribs and down his abdomen. Leaning forward I kissed the corner of his mouth and then bit his jaw lightly. He gasped and grabbed my waist, trailing his fingers up my sides and then down my back. I shivered at the contact and he slipped his hands under the waistband of my jeans. “Duo!”
He flipped us over so that he was on top and then smirked at me. “This time, you’re not getting away.” He said his voice thick with lust as he reached down and cupped my rising erection.
This storm has taken out the power lines! Please stay indoors! The streets are dark and several accidents have been reported already!
The radio’s broadcasts when unheeded as the rest of our clothes came off and we met again in a frenzy of kisses and burning touches.
The whole city is in darkness. I repeat, do not leave your homes!
I kissed every part of him, wanting him, needing him with every part of me. I pulled his hair tie out letting his long hair flow over us as he prepared to enter me.
I kneaded my fingers into his hair to calm myself as he pushed in. He was incredibly gentle and slow, letting me adjust before moving. There was no pain, only a little discomfort but nothing like when Derosia had…
I refused to think about him. I brought my attention to Duo again by pulling him down and kissing him strongly as he pushed all the way in. I moaned loudly at the feel of him filling me entirely and he was sweating from keeping himself in check.
“Move…” I grunted out, my voice sounding very different to me but he obeyed anyway, moving slowly at first.
This is a severe weather warning. This storm is being experienced across the country. Half the country has lost power!
Our bodies seemed to mold into one as we moved, getting faster and faster as we both came closer and closer to our climax.
“Ah!” I cried out as white hot pleasure wracked my body and I came in spurts between us. Duo grunted before coming warm and deep inside me. His back arched as he orgasmed and then fell on me, his head on my chest, sweating and panting.
I placed on hand on his back, my fingers tangling in his long strands as I kissed his hair.
“I love you Hee-chan.” He breathed out.
“I love you too.” I said to him and he tilted his face up to kiss me.
The power is out. I repeat, the power is out!
A/N: Ooooh boy this one was hard to write... I hate writing lemon scenes (as most of you have probably noticed by my attempts to finish it off as quickly as possible). I'm just glad it's done.
YAY!! Two chapters more + and epilogue! So technically three more chaps!
Hope u liked the new chapter!
Persephone
PS: See that little thing that Heero agreed to but doesn't know what he agreed to? What do u think it is? I'm just curious about what some readers' guesses might be :D. I'll list everyone who got it right in the next chapter coz you'll find out then anyway . Of course if you don't wanna play it's cool :)