30-Jan-2002
Title: The Crocodile Pool
Author: Ebonydove
Pairings: 1+2/3+4 later
Warnings: OOC, language
Disclaimer: More money being made. If it was I'd be sending it to charity
anyway. I don't own 'em, just abuse 'em.
Spoilers: Not really. It's a thriller so I'm trying to keep things
interesting without letting the plot comes screaming through.
Author's note: takes place at the end of the wars. About two years after
defeating Dermail's plot to go through with OM.
"Are you sure you want to go?" Heero was assessing him very carefully as he fixed his tie. He looked stunning in his black tuxedo. But then again, Heero thought Duo looked stunning wearing anything or nothing at all.
"For the tenth time, Heero. I'm fine." He shot the dark haired boy a mock scowl as he took one last look in the mirror.
"Because if you're not up to it, we can stay in. Order some food, make our own evening." Heero gave him a shy smile as he wrapped his arms around Duo from behind and began nibbling on his left ear.
"Hee... ro, I'm already dressed. And besides, Quatre would never forgive me if I missed this. It's really important to he and Trowa that we make it there tonight. Every art critic from L4 to Paris is going to be there for Trowa's first unveiling, and they'd never forgive us for blowin' them off, so stop procrastinating, and come on." Duo cleverly ducked under Heero's hold and shimmied away from his grasping fingers, grabbing his coat and their keys.
"Duo. Wait." Heero caught his hand and held it firmly for a minute, looking into the deep pools of violet-blue seriously. "Tonight will be the first time you've been out since... " He paused looking for the right words but Duo cut him off.
"Since I freaked out at Relena's."
"Yes. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." Heero dropped his gaze and stroked Duo's hand with his thumb lovingly.
Duo gently ran his fingers through Heero's hair, trying in vain to smooth out the restless locks and smiled warmly. "That was a while ago, and I'm better now." Duo's eyes were distant for an instant until Heero squeezed his hand affectionately. "I'll be surrounded by friends and family. I have you by my side. Why would I feel uncomfortable?"
"I know. Nevermind. Let's go." Heero gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek and they were on their way. "We don't want to be late."
They arrived at the Art Studio De'laMode shortly after eight, seeing the rows of limousines pulling up front and all the people 'in the know', stepping out in high style. The studio was decked out sparing no expense with waiters who wore white gloves, carrying trays of sparkling champagne. Beautiful women, wearing all their finery, strolled gracefully admiring the paintings on the walls on either side of the hall, and the men were dressed to the nines in black tuxedos.
Duo stood dumbstruck at the main doors that were glittering with hundreds of tiny white twinkling lights that led the guests down the hall into the main gallery. "Wow. Quatre really went all out. Did you see those chandeliers?" It was the most glamorous thing he'd ever seen.
Quatre rushed up to them the instant he had spotted them. "Heero, Duo, I'm so very glad you were able to come! Trowa's a bit nervous, he thinks I went to too much fuss over his work, but I'm so proud of him. He never let any of us know how talented he was during the wars."
Heero flashed him a warning look that was instantly recognized for what it was. A threat. Duo noticed it too but chose not to say anything at the time.
"So where is the man of the hour, anyway?" Duo asked cheerfully, breaking the building tension between Quatre and Heero. Heero didn't like anyone to talk about their involvement in the wars anymore, but in the environment they were in, he found it pretty doubtful that it would be a topic to avoid. They were surrounded my ex-military types, rich politicians, businessmen and the like. Not to mention Relena and her whole entourage. They were 'heroes' after all, and Heero was the best known of the five of them.
Quatre seemed to regain himself from Heero's glare and glanced to a large group of people to the far side of the room. Trowa was in the middle of them as they talked at him from all sides. "He's in the main gallery. Come on, he'll be so relieved you made it."
Duo jabbed Heero in the side as they moved through the crowd. "He's been trained to disappear in a blink, you would think he would have after the first five minutes of being in this kind of lion's den. No pun intended."
Heero nodded in agreement. But love does strange things to people. He was living proof of that. This was for Quatre as much as it was for Trowa.
They approached and exchanged pleasantries with the other guests, sipped champagne and chatted until they could excuse themselves from the larger group and talk more like themselves. Duo hugged both Quatre and Trowa affectionately and talked a mile a minute on Trowa's unknown talent. It was good to be together. They were only missing Wufei, who was running late with some last minute Preventer's business, and would be arriving later.
Across the room...
"Who is that guy with Heero Yuy?" A young man asked, watching Heero make his way across the floor with the other man in tow.
"You mean the guy with the long braid?"
"Yeah. Who is that? He looks so familiar."
"He should be. That's Duo Maxwell, the pilot of the Deathscythe Hell. He fought in both wars, starting when he was only fifteen." He watched as Duo hugged Quatre and Trowa. "It's really a shame."
"What's a shame?" The young man asked.
"He and Heero Yuy had joined the Preventers about a year ago. Rumors say that they were on a routine surveillance for illegal shipping of gundamium parts between L1 and earth, when they were ambushed. Trying to get out of an exploding cargo shuttle, Heero got trapped and was almost killed. Duo got him to their shuttle, but was practically electrocuted by a malfunction in the shuttle's emergency hatch as he tried to close the bay doors. I guess he was out for almost six weeks. After that, he went through some kind of post traumatic war syndrome, and freaked out at a political function, claiming Treize was there and out for Relena."
"No shit? What happened?" The young man watched as Duo talked with the two other ex-Gundam pilots and made their way into the gallery.
"He tackled her to the ground in front of most of the dignitaries from L3, and was dragged out ranting and raving about conspiracies. He was put off active duty from the Preventers, and Heero Yuy pretty much stopped showing up after that, so he could take care of Duo."
"That incredible."
"Yeah. What a loss, ya know? This is the first time he's been out in public since then. A complete basket case I hear."
"Well, I guess those guys were a few eggs short of a dozen in the first place to be Gundam pilots." The young man laughed.
"No, they were the most honorable and heroic men who have ever lived." Wufei strode past the two young officers and gave them a glare that left them shaking in its wake.
"Was that who I thought it was?"
"Yeah. That was Col. Wufei Chang. Pilot of the Shenlong and the Altron and our commanding officer second only to Une herself."
"Shit."
"Yeah."
"Gentlemen, my apologizes for being late. Trowa, congratulations." Wufei took a glass of champagne as a waiter passed by and gave each of his comrades a nod in greeting. He gave Duo a pleasant smile. "And as for you Maxwell, it's good to see you up and about. Do you have any plans to returning to work anytime soon?"
"He's not returning Wufei, and you know that." Heero growled, his voice raising in volume causing a few other guests to look at them.
"Heero, don't make a scene, please. It's all right." Duo tugged on his arm and darted his eyes to the small group of people whispering nearby. Flashing them a brilliant smile, and after getting no response from Heero, he walked off in a huff to the other side of the gallery.
"Heero, I apologize. I thought he had spoken to you about returning to work." Wufei spoke with genuine concern and no little bit of discomfort.
"It's okay. I just don't think he's ready yet. He's still having crazy nightmares, and I catch him staring off into space all the time. When you look at his eyes it's like he's watching something, but nothing's there." Heero finished his glass and grabbed another downing its contents in two quick gulps. "I asked him to go back and see the psychologist and he stopped speaking to me for three days."
"Do you think it's serious?" Trowa asked calmly. "Maybe he just needs some more time. He's gone through some pretty stressful stuff and a near death experience last year."
"And he almost lost you." Quatre added pointedly stressing the words to Heero.
Heero sighed and shook his head. "You're right. I have to stop babying him."
"Love does strange things to people, Heero." Trowa said with a small smile.
"We're proof of that, ne Trowa?" Heero smiled back and looked to see where Duo had gone. "I better go talk to him, or I may be sleeping on the couch tonight. I'll see you in a bit."
Heero may his way through the crowd seeing Duo across the gallery looking at some of Trowa's paintings. He made a beeline for him, but stopped when he felt a small tug on his arm. Turning he scowled as he came to face to face with Relena.
End Part 1
(:./ebony/pool1)
