29-Apr-2001
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Bandai, Sotsu Agency and Sunrise and I bet they are sitting back smugly in their fancy executive office chairs (you know, the ones with the built-in everything) and sticking their tongues out at us.
Pairings: 2 + 3 for now (I know, I know but just wait – they'll get there).
Rating: R (just to be on the safe side – no one under 17 admitted without parent or guardian)
Warnings: Things start to heat up a little
The first two chapters are done, so those of you who have been reading are aware that this will eventually be a lemon. I thought I'd write a fic where a friendship is formed first before any other emotions blossom between them.
After we returned from the circus, things got pretty crazy. Oz had stepped up their mobile suit and munitions manufacturing as well as escalating their ‘police actions' against the last vestiges of the Alliance rebels. We had our hands full trying to take out as many of their factories, bases and fleets that we could. Not only was there no time for fishing, Trowa and I hadn't even seen each other for weeks.
Whoever it was that said war is hell, had no idea what an understatement that was.
Trowa and I kept tabs on each other as best we could through occasional e-mails. If Oz or Romefeller were trying to find any of us through internet servers, the only thing they would find would be innocent communiqués between a couple of die hard fishermen amongst all the millions of innocuous e-mails sent on a daily basis.
Things did get quiet for a while, allowing us to take a break. Some more R & R was definitely in order. Trowa e-mailed me to meet him at the lakeside cabin where he first taught me how to fish.
This time I got dibs on the bigger bed. You know, the one with the nice fluffy down comforter and pillows. Trowa just smiled and took his things to the other room, and promptly walked right back out with them.
"That's weird, there's no bed in there," he said, "it looks like the room is being redone."
"I don't mind sharing," I grinned, "as long as you are comfortable with it. Go put your gear in the room, there's still some empty drawers in the dresser." I'd rather share a bed with Trowa than with any other person I know.
"I'm ok with it, when I was with the mercenaries, we sometimes had ten men sharing a four man tent. Now that was uncomfortable."
I didn't make a comment back, I'd already heard the stories. Until Trowa told me about his life, I thought no one could have had it as miserable as I did. I found out I was dead wrong. Some people have it worse.
I changed the subject instead, "You take the gear and I'll make the sandwiches and we'll meet down at the lake."
"Deal," he answered, "and remember, mustard not mayonnaise."
"On cheese sandwiches?" I asked.
"Yeah."
So I made his cheese sandwiches with mustard while I pondered over his aversion to mayonnaise.
"I've missed this," Trowa said as he stretched out on the old blanket I had found in the bedroom closet. I didn't think the cabin's owners would mind too much if we used it outside, especially if I washed it and put it back where I found it.
"Me too, looking forward to this is what's kept me going, I think," I sighed as I laid on the blanket, next to him.
We had pushed the handles of our poles into the soft, wet ground and leaned them against an old fallen tree trunk for support. All we had to do was relax and wait for the fish to start biting.
"Have you thought about what you're going to do, once this is all over with?" I asked him.
"I guess that depends on whether we win or lose," he responded, always the pragmatist, "but I guess I'll stay with the circus, it's the only other thing besides being a soldier that seems to suit me. What about you?"
Trowa saying he would return to the circus made me feel suddenly lost and lonely for some reason that I didn't understand at the time.
"Most likely I'll return to L2, not sure just yet what I'll do there though," not knowing what else to say.
"What about Heero?" Trowa rolled over from his back to his stomach and propped himself up on his elbows.
"I have no idea," I chuckled, "he hasn't let me in on his plans."
"I was referring to Operation Seduce Heero," he grinned, "but I take it from your wiseass comment that there is still no progress to report."
"No, nothing to report. He and I have spent a lot of time alone these last few weeks. In a variety of safe houses, under variable circumstances and absolutely nothing happened. I'm just going to have to accept the fact that he isn't interested."
"You've said that before, as I recall," he pointed out to me.
"But this time I mean it," I said, "I need to just accept the fact he is not attracted to me. He's never given me one reason to keep hoping anyway. It's just my wishful thinking that's kept it alive."
"It sounds like you're ready to move on," his voice held an odd tone.
"I hope so," I sighed, "I'm tired of feeling this way about someone who doesn't return that feeling."
"I know how you feel," he said, the green of his eyes was sharp from the intensity of the look he was giving me. There was something in that look I couldn't quite fathom. It had given me an odd twinge in my belly, and I had to look away. I nervously changed the subject.
"I think we got a nibble," I said, getting up and grabbing my pole. Something was obviously biting, so I gave the line a quick jerk setting the hook and began to reel it in.
For some reason Trowa never lets me near the stove when we go on these fishing trips. He insists on doing all the cooking, which I don't mind one bit. He creates delicious dishes. All I make is slop that I don't even like to eat. If it weren't for sandwiches, I'd have starved to death long ago.
We played some gin after I washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. I could sense an odd tension between us after our conversation that afternoon. I decided the atmosphere in the room needed to be lightened a bit.
"You know, I was thinking . . ." I said, "maybe we should open up a restaurant. With your cooking, we'd have people lined up around the block to get in."
"I'm flattered you'd think so, but when would we have time to run a restaurant? Are you forgetting we're just a little busy right now?" he had a big grin on his face, he was teasing me. He knew I meant after the war.
"Just for that, I'm afraid I'm going to have to GIN!" I yelled as I laid my cards on the table, "no, I think I'm serious about this, how about Catherine, you and me starting a restaurant?"
"Don't you think it would be a good idea to learn how to run a business first?" he answered, "you know, it's not as easy as it looks." He gathered the cards together and began shuffling for the next game.
"Quatre's family has all kinds of people working for them that could help us. Maybe he'd ask one of them show us what's what."
"That is something to think about, but I'd have to ask Cathy what she thinks, what if she prefers to stay with the circus?"
"Then it's just you and me," I said.
"I'll still have to think about it."
"Cool, that's all I ask."
Odd, what had started out as an ice breaker had turned into a real idea, the more I thought about it the more I liked it. Trowa and I going into business together after the war. I am a genius, don't you agree?
I don't know why, but I woke with a start the next morning. I found myself snuggled tightly against Trowa, my head buried in his shoulder, our arms were twined around each other and our legs were interlocked. Needless to say, this is a very embarrassing position to find yourself in when you are merely sharing a bed with someone else.
Luckily, Trowa was still sound asleep so I carefully unwrapped our limbs from around us and slowly crept out of the bed. I had a feeling he would have been way more embarrassed than I was, if he had awakened first.
My face was as red as a beet as it was.
I went into the kitchen and put on some coffee. I sat at the table, thinking about the position I found myself in this morning. I realized that my initial embarrassment was because I was afraid Trowa would wake up and wonder what was going on. I also realized that I had liked waking up with him wrapped around me.
I kept thinking how great it felt, how comfortable it felt, and how right it felt. I began to imagine how his lips would feel on mine, and shoved the idea out of my head as fast as I could, but the image of us kissing kept sneaking back into my mind.
"Are you going to stand there and hold that cup all day, or are you going to get some coffee?"
I jumped at the sound of Trowa's voice, feeling guilty about the thoughts I was just having, almost afraid he could see them.
"Oh . . . uh . . . here, let me pour you a cup," I stammered.
"Duo, is there something wrong?" His eyes were full of concern . . . and what looked like disappointment.
"N-no, I'm fine," for some reason I couldn't look at him and turned away.
"Duo, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said very matter-of-factly.
"Wha . . . you were awake?" I didn't know whether to laugh or be even more embarrassed than I already was, or maybe even a little angry with him. I was so confused I didn't know how I should feel.
"Yes, I was awake," he admitted.
"If you were awake, why did you just lay there? Why didn't you tell me to roll over or something? I mean, I'm sorry Trowa, I didn't realize I was such a bed hog." I could feel a lump raising in my throat.
He lifted a hand and laid it on my cheek, his thumb stroking my skin, "because I liked the way you felt pressed against me. I liked having your arms and legs wrapped around me.I loved having your head snuggled against my chest. I have something to confess, Duo. Why do you think I've been asking you how things are going with Heero?"
"I don't know," it wasn't a lie, well not exactly.
"It's because I've been waiting for the day you'd say you've given up on him. You finally said it yesterday."
"Why?" I asked, I wasn't being dense, I wanted to hear him say it.
"Because I didn't want your feelings for anyone else to get in the way of us. I love you and I have for quite some time now."
He wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips to mine. The reality of that kiss was better than the fantasy I'd held in my mind a few minutes earlier.
It was at the moment our lips touched that I understood that I've been in love with him too.
TBC
End of Part 3
KwyckSylver
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