22-June-2001
Title: Chasing the Crown, an Extended Family Fic
ExFam Authors:
RavynFyre - ravynfyre@hotmail.com
Diane Davis - fenwyck@radiks.net
von - sablexo1@yahoo.com
bonnejeanne - bonnejeanne@yahoo.com
*Special Guest Writer! Nixie the Pixie!*
Nixers - Nixerchan@aol.com
Category: yaoi, AU
Rating: NC-17 for now, that will change
Pairings: 1x2, 3+4
Spoilers: Series, Endless Waltz, Mission: Arcadia
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing characters and universe are the property of the copyright owners.
Kenny, Duan, Wufan, Tryan, Carter, Jack and the Ripper, and everything relating to Rip & Jack's universe are ours. No money being made here.
Feedback: Any and all comments, feedback, critiques welcome, be they short or long.
Please feel free to direct feedback to any or all of the authors!
WARNINGS: AU (Alternate Universe), Original Characters, LEMON in some sections. Kiddie-Angst.
Heero looked around and noticed that the kids had scattered to the four winds again. The ceremony was over and it had been a little more than he had first thought. He glanced over at his partner. "How are you holding up?" he asked.
"'Bout the same thing I was going to ask you," Duo said with a grin before glancing around and noticing the lack of children. "Looks like they're having fun. Think we should head back to the room in case they decide to wander back that way soonish?"
"Yes," Heero replied. "That sounds good."
Walking back, Heero realized that he was actually looking for the little ones along the way. "They have changed everything, haven't they?" he asked Duo.
Duo's eyes warmed, crinkling a bit at the corners as he smiled. "Everything," he agreed, before cocking his head and reconsidering. "Well... not quite everything. I'd love you no matter what. But everything else..."
Heero found himself smiling a little as they came to the main corridor of the mansion. "I'll remember that, koi," he said, quietly as they moved to the top of the stairs.
"Hmm... I'm not sure if that sounds ominous, or not," Duo quipped back, taking a detour down the passage that led past Dorothy's room. "Which should I hope for?"
"In this case... the 'or not' would be most correct. The other, about the blindfold matter, is a totally different case altogether," Heero said, noticing the detour, but not commenting at first.
Duo's step faltered for the briefest of moments as his lips curled into a wicked, anticipatory smile. "Ah. Duly noted," he murmured, reaching for Heero's hand. As they turned the last corner, he paused again, frowning slightly as he looked around. "Well hot damn. Whaddaya know? Not a guard in sight..."
Heero reached out a hand and took Duo's arm. "Okay," he said, "The time is optimum. Just whatever you do, don't come down too hard on her."
Cocking his head, Duo peered at his partner curiously. "Deal," he said quietly before leaning in for a quick, stolen kiss. "Will you explain later?" he asked.
"I can explain now. I was kind of rude to her yesterday morning when we arrived," Heero replied, testing the door. "I figure this can make up for some..." he added, then stopped.
Looking up at Duo, Heero frowned. "Someone's in there," he said, quietly.
Duo mentally reviewed the latest copy of the events itinerary that Relena had given them, a frown crossing his features as well. "She's supposed to be wrapping up the broadcast production now," he whispered, slipping into familiar 'enemy territory' habits.
"It's not her," Heero whispered back and reached up, deftly removing a lockpick from Duo's hair. Moments later, he pushed the door open very carefully.
There was a brief soft shuffle and then silence.
Looking inside, Heero saw that the room appeared to be empty. But the closet was open and there was a camera on a tripod laying on the bed along with a laptop and some wires.
Duo glanced at Heero, jerking his chin at the closet as the familiar weight of his gun settled into his hand. With his free hand, he stabbed a finger at his chest, and then nodded towards the bed, and the large space under it.
Heero nodded, then shut the door. He heard the lock click back in place and focused his attention on the closet.
Behind him, he heard a soft, familiar voice.
"What are ya gonna do, Duo, shoot us?" Kenny said, stepping out of the blind spot behind the now closed door.
Duo exhaled sharply and shook his head with faint self-recrimination. The gun vanished as he ducked his head to glance over at the boy. "Damn. Losin' my touch. Nicely done, short stuff. Now, whatcha doing here? Olly olly oxen free, Duan."
There was a small shuffle underneath the bed and Duan's face appeared. He had a purple tam tilted rakishly to one side on his head and black feathered boa wrapped several times around his neck. "Hi Duo! Hi Heero! What are you guys doin' here?" he asked, saucily.
Kenny smirked.
Duo was still shaking his head softly from side to side, fighting off a grin. "The color suits you, but the feathers don't do a thing for your hair, kiddo. And I asked you guys first," he retorted wryly as he glanced over at Heero for his reaction.
Heero looked from Kenny to Duan with his arms folded over his chest. He tried very hard not to smile, but found himself failing in light of the boa around Duan's neck. "He's right about the feathers," he said. "So, what gives?"
Kenny slipped over to the bed and started to finish attaching the wires to the laptop. "We were helping you guys out, of course," he said. "We were just about to see what the camera recorded when you came in, so you timed it just right."
Heero walked over to the bed and placed himself in between the kids and the equipment. "Not until you're thirty," he said. "And then, you'll have to get permission. It's stuff not meant for little ones."
Kenny looked extremely indignant at the little ones remark. He scowled. Then he smirked. "Uh huh," he said. "So we can hear but not see. Got it. Or maybe you guys need some lessons in stealth mode?"
Heero looked to Duo, feeling a faint flush creep into his cheeks.
"Yeah, you guys are gonna scare the neighbors," Duan added. "And we're not little! We're almost eight!"
Kenny reached out and high-fived Duan on the neighbors comment.
Duo, meanwhile, had buried his face in his hand, darting out an occasional glance between his fingers at the two boys, and the spot he'd been neatly 'ambushed' from. "Forty," he corrected Heero dryly.
"Then you can't do it until you are sixty!" Kenny mentioned and then grinned at Duan, pushed a bit further by the sight of his two guardians in this state of acute... embarrassment?
Duan nodded and the tam fell off his head. "Sixty-five!" he added.
"Ya know... I could always keep the camera and grab some footage of you just hopping out of the bath, Duan... and mail it off to 'Bruiser Brody'," Duo said with a smirk.
Heero lowered his head.
Kenny scowled. "I'd just have ta deck her again," he muttered.
Duan frowned, mulling the threat over. He felt a little bit comforted by his partner's assertion that he'd be protected, but the thought of the girl... any girl seeing him without clothes was a frightening prospect.
Duo sighed, lowering his hands back to his sides, since it was obviously doing nothing to hide his own flushed cheeks. "Good work with the break-in. Though, right behind main entry doors are only good spots to hide if you're making a break for it, or planning on knocking out whoever's coming through them after you... or you know they're friendly..." he said, glancing between the two, "Heero and I will work on our stealth. Now... can he and I gather the last remaining shreds of our dignity and trust you won't pester us about seeing it for a while?" he asked wistfully.
Kenny sighed and made a peace offering. "We were just trying to help ya out, Duo," he said, looking up completely unconsciously with appealing deep blue eyes. "We won't look if you don't want us to. Don't be mad...?"
Heero moved to where Kenny was and knelt down beside him. He gave the little boy a hug. "We're not mad at you," he said.
Duan walked over to Duo and raised his arms to be lifted up.
Obligingly, Duo hefted the boy into his arms and hugged him close. "Not mad at all. I know you guys were trying to help, and you really did do good... It's just... weird for me, ya know? Yer smart but yer still... younger than you let yourselves be. I'm just being weird."
"You wouldn't really send pictures of me with no clothes on to girls, would you, Duo?" Duan asked, seriously.
Duo's arms tightened around the boy. "Oh god, no, kiddo! Never. That was mean of me to say. I'm sorry!"
"Wasn't mean. Was a threat.. A good threat too," Duan said and hugged Duo's neck. "I just wanted to know you were jokin' and not for real," he added, then smiled a big smile.
Kenny sighed. "You're right," he said to Duo. "We aren't as big as we think, I guess. Is this what the teachers at school would call a scrape?"
"A scrape?" Duo asked, cocking his head.
Kenny filed through his mental vocabulary. "A... an escapade?"
"Escapade," Duo said, chuckling, "Yes, that's it exactly. But a funny one, if you think about it... I mean, you guys got the drop on us good... and getting us both to blush at the same time? That takes talent, pure and simple."
Kenny smiled. "Okay, well... I guess this is where we turn it over to the professionals," he said, jerking his head at Duan with a world-weary sigh.
Duan nodded and squirmed in Duo's arms until he shimmied to the ground.
"We're all professionals," Heero added. "We also owe you guys a talk about... what we do and stealth mode and scaring the neighbors and stuff."
"Um, that's ok, Heero," Kenny said, and his cheeks got slightly darker.
"Is this the birds and bees talk?" Duan asked, looking from Heero to Duo.
"Something like that... Birds and bees... Birds and birds... Bees and bees..." Duo paused, shrugging at them.
"Oh," Duan said, moving close to Kenny. "It's like some of that stuff we saw on the vid in Arcadia," he said.
"I'll ask later when we're not standing in some other woman's bedroom getting ready to steal back recordings of intimate moments," Duo muttered, shaking his head.
"Ok," Duan said, then looked at Kenny. "Door or window?" he asked.
"Door," Kenny answered. He tapped Heero on the shoulder. "Second shift in, carry on."
Heero saluted.
"And the guards won't be back for another hour or so. We took care of 'em," Duan said, heading for the door.
"That I *gotta* hear later," Duo said.
Kenny snagged the black feather boa from around Duan's neck and stuffed it under the bed. Then he tossed a devil-may-care salute at the older boys and made to vanish.
After the boys had left, Heero looked up at Duo. "Let's get this over with," he said, not quite believing the former conversation.
Duo finally gave in to the snicker that had been plaguing the back of his throat for the last few minutes. After a moment, it evolved into a much louder chuckle, which became a near hysterical laugh that he found he had to stifle in one of Dorothy's pillows, lest he bring the guards back early. When he could finally control himself again, he wiped the tears streaming from his eyes away and blinked innocently at Heero. "My. That was something."
Heero's stern expression melted into a smile, then a chuckle. "That's not funny, Duo," he said, feeling the color rush to his cheeks once again. "It was ... undignified."
Duo smirked evilly. "Hm. I'll just have to think of something even more undignified to do to you later to put it into perspective, Hee-koi," he purred.
"Hn," Heero remarked. "I guess being recorded naked on a balcony, blindfolded, wasn't enough..."
"Well, once we get this equipment back home, you can pay me back," Duo replied with a saucy wink as he set about searching the room. "Oi, Hee-chan? Can you run back to our room and get me that small dark blue bag I packed in with my stuff? Speaking of undignified, I'm getting some wonderfully inventive ideas that require... equipment..."
Deciding that it would be in his best interest not to know what some of his partner's ideas were, Heero nodded. "I'll get you your bag," he said, walking to the door.
As he reached it, Heero stopped. "Duo, doesn't this raise an interesting question on the ... habits of Dorothy Catalonia, though?"
"What? That she had this stuff ready to go?" Duo asked, continuing his search.
"Hai," Heero replied. "I'll be back," he said, then slipped out of the door.
A bit later, as Duo and Heero returned to the west wing, they heard a light step behind them and a clearing of the throat.
Heero stopped, then looked over his shoulder.
He saw Wufei behind them, his dark eyes intense with an expression of masked urgency.
"What's wrong, 'Fei?" Duo asked, frowning with concern at the other pilot's expression.
Wufei blinked slightly at the new nickname, shrugged it off and said in a low clear voice, "I have been looking for you two. We need to talk, quickly."
Heero nodded. "Our room," he said and turned to go.
A moment later the three entered the suite, and four heads turned as they did so. Kenny, Duan, Tryan and Carter were sitting around, snacking on a tray that Relena had sent to both suites.
Duo smiled at Kenny and Duan, holding up the camera tucked under his arm. "Hi guys. Mission accomplished."
Kenny smiled slightly and looked at Duan.
"Good stuff, Duo. You want something to eat? They sent a lot," Duan said.
"Hn," Heero remarked, acknowledging Duan. His attention, however, returned to Wufei. "In a minute," he said.
The door then opened and Wufan and Mariemeia stepped inside the suite, and behind them was Sallah.
Wufei looked up as the door opened, and Heero and Duo could see his mind running through something, perhaps surveying who was present and considering how much to say.
Crossing his arms over his chest he nodded to Sallah and the two kids coming in, then said, "One of our mission parameters seems to be changing slightly."
"Again?" Duo asked, pausing at the door to the bedroom where he was going to drop off the camera and other equipment.
"What's changed?" Heero asked, quietly.
"I was approached a little while ago by Zechs, with an offer to give coordinates, although, he said, they wouldn't be of use, and an offer to help 'resolve what is going on'," Wufei said, choosing his words carefully to convey as much information as possible without going into greater detail.
Heero glanced at Duo, then back to Wufei as he mind ran through the new information. "How much does he know?" he asked.
"Our conversation was too brief to ascertain that," Wufei answered. He paused for a moment, and then his attention was drawn by Carter. The little blond was smiling warmly. Wufei tilted his head.
Duan looked from Kenny to Carter and then to the older boys. Glancing once more to Carter, he said, "We should tell 'em."
Carter smiled. "It sounds like he is," he said softly.
"Tell us what?" Duo asked, glancing from each of them to the other.
"Zechs has bad dreams," Duan said. "He doesn't know it's not his fault. It's the Crown's fault."
Duo frowned at the mention of the Artifact, his gaze darting up to bounce off of Mariemeia quickly. "Maybe we'd better save this for-"
She stepped forward as he started speaking. "I know about it. Dekim had it too, during the war," she said quickly, trying to forestall her impending expulsion from the room.
"She's helping us," Wufan said.
Wufei's eyes flared at the mention of Dekim Barton having the Serpent Crown and he suddenly cursed, softly but with great vehemence in Cantonese.
Heero's head turned at the Chinese pilot's soft curse. He understood it. "So, we should talk to Zechs," he said, glancing back at Duo.
Duo, meanwhile, was looking around the slowly crowding room with an expression of pensive amusement. "Next thing we know, Relena will be in on it too," he muttered, shaking his head, "The mission keeps getting bigger and bigger."
"It was always this big, Duo," Carter said. "It's as big as the whole world. It's just now coming out."
Duo sighed and nodded at the boy.
Mariemeia slipped up beside Wufei, touching him on the arm gently. "I'm sorry," she said softly, "I didn't know it was that important at the time, Wufei. I would have told you, if I had..."
Wufei looked down, and then unexpectedly scooped the redheaded girl up in his arms so he could look at her eye to eye. "I know. It's something I should have guessed. But it makes me want to resurrect him so I can kill him myself this time."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Once is enough. Even for him."
Wufei leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded, and set her down gently, but his hand rested lightly on her shoulder.
"Besides," Tryan said. "That's the kinda stuff that It likes."
Wufei scowled slightly but did not contradict the boy.
Duo shook his head again, hiding his pleased smile at Wufei's quiet words to Mariemeia before looking around at everyone again. "Well, then... Should we go to Zechs, or shall we send for him?"
Heero, who had been paying close attention to the conversation between the kids and Wufei, nodded to himself. He glanced around the room and his eyes fell on Mariemeia for a moment. "Duo, Wufei, let's go talk to him. All of us together might make him nervous. Is that okay with you guys?" he said.
Carter nodded. "It's okay, Heero."
"Hn," Kenny acknowledged affirmatively.
"I'm good," Tryan said.
"It's a good plan, Heero," Wufan added.
"Yeah, we can finish eating," Duan piped up. "We'll try and save you guys some."
Looking up at Sallah, Wufan asked, "Would you like for me to make you a plate, Ma?"
Sallah nodded. "That would be great, thank you. I could use a snack."
Wufan smiled, then ran over to make his mother up a snack.
Heero glanced around the room again, then to Duo and Wufei. Turning, he headed out of the door.
Wufei gave Mariemeia's shoulder a light pat and then followed.
Duo slipped into the bedroom long enough to finally unburden himself, before jogging after the retreating Asian pilots. "Back in a while, guys!" he called with a wave.
A little ways down the hall, Heero looked at his companions. "I didn't want to upset Mariemeia either," he said.
Wufei nodded curtly.
Duo frowned at his partner for a moment, before a dawning look of shock crossed his features and he bit off a soft curse of his own. "Duo no baka," he muttered. "That's what you were talking about this morning, wasn't it, Wu?"
The Chinese pilot glanced at Duo and then he nodded. "That is what I was talking about. It's not enough to fight evil. You must fight for what is good. He needs to come back. For her."
"Hai," Heero said, affirmatively.
"He did not want anyone to know because he does not plan to be alive when this is over," Wufei muttered softly. "That is what I meant when I said plans must change. I've accepted it for long enough. I've been... perhaps I, too, have been influenced."
Heero's eyebrow arched. "Maybe not influenced enough," he said. "That particular plan has been tried before. I know. I tried it."
Wufei glanced at Heero and then his mouth twitched. "Hai," he said.
He stopped in front of Zechs' door and pressed the intercom chime to signal their presence.
An answer didn't come from the small intercom itself but as the door opening a few moments later. Zechs nodded once to the three he found standing there and stepped back, allowing them entrance.
Wufei stepped inside and moved to a clear area as he waited for the others and the door to shut.
Duo trailed in after Heero, oddly subdued, with a thoughtful look tossed towards the Chinese pilot as the door clicked closed.
"I apologize. There's not much room for company," Zechs began, more as a courtesy.
"That's all right," Heero said, watching the tall blonde man.
"Pull up a chair, have a seat on the floor," Duo joked as was his wont, "Relax, Zechs. We're all pilots here."
The blond man's lips twitched slightly at that.
"And we do not have a great deal of time before we are all expected elsewhere," Wufei said. "You told me that you've put something together, and you want to help resolve it. If you will tell us what you have put together, we will tell you what we are doing here, besides attending your sister's function."
"Mostly a series of incongruencies. Not enough for a clear picture. What I can gather is that it has, had, something to do with Epyon, and destroying something that was within it," Zechs said. "There's more I suspect, but that is what I am interested in. I believe it already involves me remotely. I would just like to finish what was started."
Wufei glanced at Duo and then Heero. "How long have you known that there was something in Epyon?"
"All of an hour," Zechs responded with a half smile at that.
"What happened within the last hour, then, that clued you in?" Duo asked.
"Some further research into Epyon, mostly as to its whereabouts," Zechs replied.
Wufei regarded the blond ex-soldier. His first impulse was to jump to the conclusion that Zechs was going back slightly on the conversation in the hall. He stopped himself with some conscious effort. After a moment he said, "You are protecting someone. I can understand that but it makes things harder. In this matter it is very... difficult to trust."
Glancing over at Wufei, Zechs regarded the Chinese man a moment before nodding slightly and letting out what seemed more of a release of air than a sigh. "Understood. Then I have to ask for some discretion, as the matter was no small favor to myself."
"Consider it done," Heero said, looking directly into the ice-blue eyes before him.
Returning the affirmation with a nod and a ghost of gratitude visible, Zechs continued. "I didn't quite mislead you in our previous conversation, that Epyon was not where I left it," he said, looking this time briefly at Wufei. "Almost immediately after the final battle, I had Epyon moved." He paused for a moment, choosing his words. "I couldn't do it myself, but didn't want it to be taken by accident by any of the scavengers hunting for scrap. As a requirement, it was done without my knowledge as to where its final resting place was to be. Thinking to give Wufei what he had asked for today, I enquired as to where it was. Dorothy has informed me that something important within it is missing. I assume this is what you are looking for as well?"
Wufei's eyes widened at the name of Dorothy Catalonia but he managed to keep from making any outburst. He did not however restrain himself from looking quickly at Heero and Duo.
"Well, she certainly seems to have her fingers in a lot of pies today, huh?" Duo muttered.
Heero nodded. "Yes," he said to Zechs. "Your assumption is correct. Do you have any idea how much she knows about all of this?" he asked, sparing a small smile to Duo in acknowledgment of his comment.
A more unreadable look slid towards the braided pilot, but Zechs made no return comment. Instead, he gave Heero a small nod. "She had spoken of doing some research on the Artifact. She has also mentioned some notes of Treize's, but if it is not too much, I would like to go over those first. I will, however pass on any pertinent parts when they are in my possession."
Heero turned to look at Wufei.
Wufei frowned slightly, but nodded to Heero.
"It would be interesting to know what Dorothy has discovered," Wufei said, and then made an unconscious gesture towards his face and away, before he cleared his throat slightly and continued. "The Artifact, as you call it, is very ancient. It was once, several centuries ago, and on and off for more than two millennia, in the keeping of my Clan. It passed from their hands, but the knowledge of it did not. I believe that it has been in the keeping of persons connected with Romefeller since close to the time of the first colony's construction."
Heero's brow furrowed. "Then if Romefeller knew about it, there is a good chance that Treize knew as well," he said, then looked up at Zechs. "I take it that your family didn't know about this thing, or did they?"
Zechs shook his head. "The Peacecrafts were excluded from Romefeller for reasons of a political differences. If it was known, I was never told. And yes, Treize, I believe to some degree knew, enough to create some record of it."
"It is said to have an influence over whomever possesses it," Wufei said carefully. "It is said... that this influence can at times extend over great distances, and touch the motivations of those susceptible to it."
Zechs smirked slightly, giving a slightly self-reproachful glance. "Is that another way of asking 'why the sudden change?'"
"No," Wufei said directly. "It is a way of saying that this thing influences the will of those it touches. That the influence is evil. There was a writing in the library of my colony that was ancient - no copy left still exists - that stated that this object could perhaps have been the source of almost every large-scale conflict in recorded history. It is not a coincidence that it was in your possession, even if unknowing, when you attempted to destroy this planet."
For a moment, the impulse was there to deny that the goal stated was his intend. With a frown, Zechs swallowed the objections, finding them tasting too much like a lie. "As you say," he said, accepting the analysis at face value.
Heero looked up at the tall man and felt an understanding that he'd experienced once long ago. "I asked Treize if he thought he'd created a god with Epyon. He didn't deny it. He asked me to pilot it first before I gave it to you. Do you remember me telling you I didn't understand how Treize's mind worked when I traded it to you?" he said.
Zechs nodded once, watching the Japanese boy with pronounced curiosity. "You do now?"
A smile tugged at the corners of Heero's mouth. He shook his head in the negative. "No," he said, "But I don't think it was Treize's mind I was trying to comprehend. If he built the artifact into Epyon, then it was something that no one understands. A pilot could master the machine, but not the influence. We both piloted the machine. We were both influenced by it."
With a canny look, Zechs returned the slight smile. "And are still?" he asked as it occurred to him, though the direct question held the undertones of a statement.
"That is what I believed of you," Wufei said quietly. "We are trying to find it, to destroy it. If you were influenced, you might attempt to hinder or stop us."
"Even if, influence does not equate control." Zechs said mildly. "But that is why I came to you. I want this over with."
Wufei looked at Heero, then Duo, then back, directly, to Zechs. "I will need to speak to someone else about this," he said. "If he agrees, I will attempt to bring you together. With each day, perhaps each hour, I believe more that this is what must be done to finish the job and complete the mission. And I do believe that our time to do so is not limitless."
"This 'someone else' again," Zechs murmured to himself thoughtfully. More audibly he said, "Regardless of what... his decision may be, I will do what I can to help."
Wufei bowed formally and looked to each of his partners.
"Let us know if any of those notes turn out to be useful," Duo said.
"Hn," Heero remarked, moving closer to Duo.
With a nod to Duo Zechs replied, "It's my intent."
"Then this is perhaps all we can do for now, with the evening's scheduled events ahead," Wufei remarked. He met Zechs' eyes for a long, direct moment, and then bowed once more, perhaps a slight degree deeper than anything the Chinese boy had ever accorded the former Oz soldier. Then he turned towards the door.
"One question, before you go," Zechs began, catching the other's ear before he made it to the portal way. A wisp of a conversation in the dead of the night brought something immediate to mind. "You mentioned that the Artifact is ancient, but is it the only one?"
Wufei glanced at Duo and Heero as he paused. "The only one in *this* world," he said slowly, with a certain amount of reluctance.
Zechs nodded almost to himself. "Thank you. That explains a lot."
Wufei's eyebrows shot upwards. He watched Zechs for a moment, then cast another look at the other two as if to say, leave it there?
Heero looked to Duo to see if he had any further questions.
The braided pilot was uncharacteristically quiet and thoughtful as he shook his head slightly before turning towards the door.
Heero looked back at Zechs and nodded once. He then followed Duo out of the door.
Wufei closed the door behind them and then looked at the two, but moved back towards their rooms without a word.
Duo stopped when he was a few steps away from the door, his arms down at his sides, and body on the verge of getting tense. "Tell me something, Wufei," he said quietly.
The Chinese pilot stopped and faced the other boy immediately. "Yes?"
"You said yesterday that Treize wanted to send it to the sun," Duo said, looking up to meet Wufei's eyes evenly, watching the Chinese pilot's face very closely, "Tell me... What would have stopped him from following when you took his place on that ride?"
Wufei froze for a few seconds and his face lost some color. Then he took a breath and gave his head a slight shake. He did not drop his eyes at any point, however. "The thought of his daughter, I hoped," he said simply. He shrugged. "I realize now that things have changed. I am not... I do not regret that fact. I would do what had to be done, if it were necessary, but I am not blind to the fact that the original plan would most likely have failed."
Duo nodded once, though his expression did not change. "So long as you know that it's no longer an option."
"It is still an option," Wufei said calmly. Then a slight, almost youthful smile curved his lips slightly. "Just not a very good one. I accept..." he paused, unable to find the word he wanted for a moment, then recognizing it with perceptible wonder, "....hope. I won't make the mistakes I did before. Not this time."
"Neither will I, Wufei," Duo replied softly, "That's a promise."
Wufei cocked his head slightly, glancing at Heero perhaps for some clue to the workings of a mind he was still learning about. He settled for a slight nod, an implied bow, commenting, "I have never known you to fail, Maxwell."
Duo's brow furrowed in a self-depreciating scowl before he started walking again, passing them both on his way back to their room. "Obviously, I already had. Never again."
Wufei glanced at Heero, openly mystified and then followed the braided boy with a shrug.
Heero watched as Duo and Wufei moved past him and towards the suite. He, too, was mystified over his lover's words, but decided to seek him out in private. As he walked to the room, Heero made a pledge to himself of an entirely personal nature. He pledged never to bother Zechs about blowing a hole in the Earth again, as he found himself partially to blame.
Returning to the two doors across the hall from each other, Wufei nodded to the two pilots and entered the suite he shared with Sallah and Wufan, intent on a shower and a change of clothes before any mandatory appearance at the party downstairs.
The timing was good - Sallah had just finished her own visit to the bathing facilities and was in her room getting dressed.
Wufan had walked Mariemeia back to the rooms she shared with Lady Une in order to change as well and then returned to do the same himself.
When Duo and Heero entered their suite, Carter and Tryan were on the balcony from their room, enjoying the pleasant view of sunset.
Duan and Kenny were closeted in their room, heads together, planning strategies for the evening.
Heero took Duo by the arm. Turning to face him, he looked into Duo's eyes. "Let's talk," he said.
Duo's expression smoothed out as he nodded in agreement, glancing towards the door to their own bedroom.
Heero nodded and moved into their room. He closed the door behind Duo, then took his hand and pulled him to a corner of the bed. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.
Duo sighed, looking away, out towards the balcony for a moment before glancing back. "I still have nightmares of when you self-destructed, ya know," he said quietly, "Now am I gonna start having them about Wufei taking a one-way trip to the sun?"
Heero sighed deeply. Reaching up, he smoothed Duo's bangs back, watching as they flipped back into place. "That's not going to happen," he said, softly. "Wufei understands that that is not a good idea."
Duo shook his had sharply, looking away again. "He said they've been looking for it for months before we even knew. Why didn't he ask for help? Why didn't he at least tell us? I'll tell you why. Because I screwed up. We were supposed to have been a team, Heero," he said, squirming away to stand and start pacing. "I didn't try hard enough and he..." he stopped, shaking his head.
Heero looked down at the pattern of the bed cover. "Who do you think you are, Duo?" he said, softly. Then he looked up to the braided pilot.
Violet eyes blinking in confusion for a moment, Duo swallowed painfully and then stepped over to kneel on the floor between Heero's legs. Laying his head on one muscular thigh, he sighed. "I'm the guy who's tired of not making a difference... The one who's tired of losing the important stuff."
Heero placed his hands around Duo's face and leaned over to kiss his lover deeply. Moving back, he looked into the violet eyes with a warm expression in his own. "You've made a difference in *my* life Duo. You've been the one, the center of our family. You made it a family."
Duo frowned slightly. "It already was a family, koibito," he said with faint puzzlement.
Heero shook his head. "It was the promise of a family, Duo. You've been keeping it together," he said. Looking down a moment, Heero said, "Wufei and I are a lot alike. He's not going to do something stupid. What's happened has happened. He's a Gundam pilot, like you and me. Trust him to do the right thing."
Duo looked down, laying his cheek upon Heero's thigh once more for a long moment. Finally, he nodded and looked back up. "I'm sorry, Hee-koi. Sorry to get like this. Just... the thought of losing him before we ever even really got to know him... It scares me," he said quietly, rubbing his head against Heero's leg to feel the soft rasp of the denim over his skin. "You had that frown again, back in Zechs' room, and the hallway. The one I don't like. What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that I shouldn't bother Zechs anymore about blowing a hole in the Earth when I gave him Epyon. If it was engineered with the Artifact on board, then I had a direct impact on the event," Heero replied.
Duo's hands tightened on Heero's calves, fingers digging into the muscles there and kneading gently. "We still don't know how long Treize had that thing," he observed, "It may have started influencing him back then, if Treize had it then. Besides which... Zechs set himself up as the head of one of the major militaristic opposing forces. I'm betting that even if you hadn't given him Epyon, It still would have gotten to him. You can't blame yourself, koi."
Heero caressed Duo's hair, feeling a slight smile form on his lips. "It doesn't work that way, koi," he said. "I share responsibility because I made myself involved. Even if the Artifact influenced Zechs, it doesn't change what I did." Looking down at Duo, Heero frowned slightly. "Are you angry with Zechs?"
Duo blinked in surprise, his head coming up off Heero's lap as he peered at his partner. "Mad at Zechs? No... Should I be?" he asked, cocking his head.
Heero shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I know how you feel about Wufei. I can see that. Frankly, I think Wufei was correct when he said that the Artifact might be the cause of every war we've had."
Duo's eyes unfocused, violet pools of stillness, as he pondered Heero's words. Slowly, he lowered his head until he was resting his cheek on Heero's leg again, settling in to press comfortingly against his partner. "What are you feeling, Heero?" he whispered.
"It's hard to say," Heero said. "Right now, I'm feeling more focused than lately. I'm thinking about what Carter said... the whole world. It makes sense to me, Duo. I'm trying to figure out how It works."
"It twists things, and hurts them," Duo replied, "And I don't want any of you to hurt anymore."
"Hn," Heero said, taking Duo's words and considering them as a part of the whole. "I don't think It will go quietly, Duo. It might come down to how..." Heero began, then stopped himself. He looked down at Duo again, but this time more intently. "Maybe we won't have to hurt like we've been, koi. In the meantime, you just stay the same as you are. Okay?" Heero said as a genuine smile etched itself across his features.
"What?" Duo asked, a slight grin lighting up on his face, "Moody and psychotic?"
Heero moved down to the floor next to Duo and took the braided pilot in his arms. Pulling him against his chest, Heero nodded, feeling a suspicion turn into a reality. "Yes," he answered. "If that is what you are, then don't change it. It works, koibito."
"Love you, know that?" Duo asked, "Dunno what I'd do without you..."
"Love you back," Heero said, squeezing Duo tightly. Moving back, he looked at Duo with a new perspective. "And you won't have to do without me. You'll have to scrape me off."
Duo smiled, pressing his lips to Heero's for a chaste kiss. "Man, is it just me, or are we getting sappier as the week progresses?" he asked with a snort of amusement.
"Is that a bad thing?" Heero asked.
Duo's arms tightened around Heero fiercely as the braided pilot shook his head. "No. Course, the kids may laugh..." he said, before turning his head so he could toss a mischievous glance at Heero. "Wonder what Dot and Relena would pay for a video of this?" he asked.
"Maybe I'll ask them the next time we see them," Heero replied. Then, his expression shifted to something a little more serious. "Dorothy's involvement didn't quite surprise me too much. What do you think about it?"
"I wasn't expecting it, but it doesn't shock me. She always seems to end up in ground zero of whatever's going on, ya know?" Duo replied.
"Hai," Heero replied. "She was a part of Romefeller as well. I knew that Relena didn't know. I'm sure she would have told me about it."
Duo nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, but didn't she manage to maneuver Romefeller out of power, and Relena in?"
Heero nodded. "I think she likes Relena," he said.
"One would imagine, if she's stuck around this..." Duo's voice trailed off and he pulled away a little to peer into Heero's eyes. "No way... That thing we left for them... it was just a joke."
Heero's eyebrow arched. "Why not?" the cobalt eyed pilot replied.
A bemused smile playing across his lips, Duo shook his head. "No reason, I guess. Makes sense, I guess." Duo frowned slightly. "Seems like she's setting herself up for a lonely life, then..."
"Who, Dorothy or Relena?" Heero asked.
"Well, I meant Dot, but from the way Zechs was talking about her chasing off suitors, I guess both of them," Duo answered wryly.
"Dorothy cares about Relena a lot. She wouldn't want her to go off with just anyone. Actually, Zechs should be grateful someone's looking out for Relena, too."
"I suppose," Duo agreed. He shifted in Heero's arms, nuzzling the Japanese pilot's throat for a moment. "We're still on a schedule, aren't we?" he sighed.
"Hai," Heero replied. "We'd better get dressed."
The braided pilot nodded, cheek brushing against the dark fabric of Heero's turtleneck, although he made no effort to move immediately. "Hee-chan?"
"Yes?"
"I... I'm still not entirely sure... what I feel for Wufei myself..." Duo murmured hesitantly.
"I believe you care about him a lot and that you love him, but what that means, you're going to have to figure out," Heero replied. "He does look good in a bath towel, though."
Duo snorted with amusement, quickly dissolving into a brief fit of giggles. "No fair," he complained when he could speak again, "When'd you get to see him in a bath towel?"
"That afternoon when you went to your old neighborhood and I went ballistic. Wufei took a shower and I knocked on his door," Heero explained. "Now come and get dressed or do you want me to dress you myself?"
Duo smiled wickedly as he glanced up. "Hmm.... that has possibilities," he mused, "Course, you'd probably put me in plaid and stripes or something."
"No," Heero said, moving. "I'd put you in that clear plastic wrap and a robe," he said.
"Forget being a Jedi master... I've created a Sith Lord," Duo snickered, rising with Heero and joining him in a search for clothes.
"Hn," Heero replied.
TBC
End of Part 29
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