14-Aug-2002
Heero looked again to the small blinking green light on his screen. He couldn't keep his heart from hammering painfully in his chest as he watched it. The link was well coded and had several layers of encryption. There was only one person he knew that would attach a music file to load while waiting for the recipient to enter the proper passcode to beginning downloading the message...
Duo.
He cursed himself for the way that name made his palms start to sweat and his face flush hotter. He had to stop this. Duo didn't want him anymore. And the Deathscythe pilot most certainly didn't require his imput on any mission objectives. He was more than capable of doing things without Heero's help. Still... what if he had been injured? Or worse yet, trapped somewhere? Ambushed?
His mind began to race with improbable scenarios, filled with gruesome pictures of blood and bits of bone that his imagination conjured up while the music played on in the background. His hands began to type despite how badly they were shaking and without his brain's consent.
>Shinigami
>>Access Denied...
>Godofdeath
>>Access Denied...
He paused for several long moments before typing the next passcode. They had used it in the past, but... He shook his head and held his breath.
>koibito
>>Access Denied...
"Damn it! I can't do this!" He yelled at no one in particular and ran his fingers through his wild hair. When he glanced back to the screen the cursor was still blinking back at him happily. The song was naggingly familiar... it rattled in the back of his mind... on the tip of his tongue... He really hadn't been paying attention to the song that had been playing on a continuous loop until a certain phrase struck him like lightning. It was one of his favorites.
The sudden wave of nostalgia that hit him threatened to cause tears to swell in his eyes, but he quickly stuffed the rising flood of emotions back down into the dark recesses from whence they came and typed in the next phrase next to the green cursor. They had gone to see the film together and it was one of Heero's favorites. He didn't like neat and happy endings the way Duo did, and the movie that Duo had dragged him to was poetic, sad, and very beautiful. But it definitely didn't have a happy ending.
He typed in the words and waited.
>pushingthesky[1]
>>Screening passcode...
>>Verifying user...
>>Access confirmed...
>>Downloading...
His screen lit up with a digital map of the area he was currently in and flashed coordinates to where Deathscythe was racing towards him on an intercept course. For what reason Heero couldn't figure. There was also an attached file with schematics and maps of the inside structure he was on his way to. Duo must have been assigned as back up he deduced. It was the only way he'd have the same mission Intel. He quickly scanned his communications programs double-checking that everything was secure before opening a line and typing an instant message.
* What is your directive?*
^Hey 01, nice to see you too. I have some information that may deviate you from your current course. ^
* Improbable. But send your Intel and then leave.*
Duo chuckled to himself as he switched the music he had been playing in his cockpit. [2] "I told Howard that this guy wasn't going to change his mission plans, but did he listen to me? Nooo. Duo the dumb street kid didn't call this one or anything." He frowned when he typed the next phrase, knowing it would have the right affect, but unsure it was a route he wanted to go with Heero. He wanted to be friends after all. With a gusty sigh he hit send.
^I came to talk to you about something personal. Meet me at the coordinates I sent along with the maps and we can talk live. ^
He waited for several moments listening to the soft music as it flowed through the small space. The line was still open but he hadn't received a response and was just about to add a 'please' when his own screen flashed with a new rondezvue point. He smiled and reprogrammed his navcom to accept the route and destination coordinates, then hit the autopilot. With the new course laid in, he quickly unbuckled himself and crept around the back of the seat where his duffel was stashed and brought it out of the small metal box bolted to the floor.
It took him several minutes to find what he was looking for and when he did he felt a pang in his heart. He wouldn't deny that the longer he went, the more he had to accept that he felt drawn to Heero. He knew they had a history shrouded somewhere in the dark recesses of his mind. Quatre and Wufei had filled him in on some of it, but he still had nothing but blackness where memories of those times should be. Did he want it back?
If he allowed himself to think about it...
He shook his head and smiled clutching the small object to his chest. The beeping of his navcom brought his attention back to his panels. He tucked it into his pocket and strapped himself back in as Deathscythe began to go through landing sequences. It was an odd place to touch down, but he had long ago stopped trying to figure out what drove Heero to do the things he did.
It was the last stop where ships could restock themselves with supplies between the resource satellites and the actual colonies before going into the deeper part of the quadrant. Known as jump posts, they were small little hovels in space he had been familiar with while working with the mining groups in space and were barely inhabited once Oz came into power. But this one seemed to be safe enough and he landed Deathscythe with ease. Once he locked down everything, he grabbed the helmet to his astrosuit and made his way to the hatch. It only took him four minutes to secure the lines and float over to the small access door to the inside of the port, and even less time to locate Heero who was already inside.
He removed the helmet only after checking the pressure and air, not entirely sure if the GCM and O2 levels were still within normal parameters, seeing that the post had long ago been abandoned. And probably raided by Oz troops, he deduced by the old scorch marks from the discharge of weapons on the walls and floors.
He made his way down a short corridor and into a large room probably used for storage, and found Heero waiting near another exit hatch and to where Wing was docked outside. He couldn't help smiling at the familiar scowl on Heero's face. "You don't look happy to see me."
"What is it that you wanted to discuss that couldn't be said over IM or the vid?" Heero asked quietly and without making eye contact with him.
"Right to the heart of the matter, huh?" Duo laughed back trying not to be fazed by the way Heero looked. His hair was stuck up a bit more than usual from being in the helmet and the black suit was tight in all the right places, making Duo's libido stir with forgotten appreciation of the Wing pilot's solid frame. He could feel the prickle of sweat start at the base of his neck underneath his rope of hair and found himself grinning hugely at the thoughts he was having. The way his mind was distracted by Heero confirmed to him that he was indeed attracted to him. He supposed he always had been and despite what had happened in the past between them, he was being given a second chance. But he needed to do it right this time around.
"Heart... has nothing to do with it."
Duo found himself frowning at the icy tone Heero used. Only days before they had almost kissed in the bay before he told Heero that he didn't remember loving him. Shit. "Heero, I wanted to tell you that... well... I wanted... I'm here to work with you on something."
Heero tried to still his heart as Duo smiled at him. He could feel the weight of Duo's eyes on him as he looked him over from top to bottom, but he couldn't bring himself to meet his eyes yet. "Did G send you?"
"No. It's something I promised to do for Howard." He shrugged and began to walk forward.
Heero brought cold eyes up to Duo at last freezing him in place by the bitterness in his voice. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep."
Duo frowned but held his ground. "You're right, that's why I don't intend on breaking this one. But I need your help to do it." Heero just shrugged and tucked his helmet underneath under his arm waiting for Duo to continue. "Well, the mission that you've been sent on, it involves an old resource satellite in L5, correct?"
Heero frowned, not at all pleased that his mission had been somehow leaked to any other pilot, even if it was Duo. He would have to recheck all his systems and contact J about that little detail. "How... ?"
"Howard."
"Ah." He rolled his eyes. That was one person he couldn't pick off just yet. Besides Howard seemed to have kept the conversation they had had between the two of them like he had hoped.
"Anyway, he needs those parts and wanted me to try to convince you in letting me tag along so I could grab some before you blow the place to shit. You have a problem with that?"
"That is not my mission." Heero turned away from the intense indigo eyes and the disarming smile before his heart melted in the spot where he stood.
"I know, but... " Duo began walking towards him again.
He was not in the right frame of mind to be dealing with Duo anyway, especially in such close proximity. And he felt a prick of anger rising that Duo was using his personal turmoil to bait him into allowing for the deviation of his objectives. "Unacceptable."
"Heero, I know you're upset with me, but that shouldn't get in the way of doing some good for our side. The mecha parts that Howard's after could come in very handy to us. I think you understand after your last stay on his ship how vital spare parts can be." Duo quirked an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest defiantly and smiled. "Even though we are even after all that."
Heero spun and fixed him with a fierce glare; causing Duo to once again stop his forward motion; the smile disappearing instantly. "That's when you told me to give up and stop pretending to be human."
"I remember." Duo whispered.
He laughed a bitter laugh. "I'm glad that you finally remember something. But, I have given up. It hurts too much to be human."
Duo was dumbstruck as to what to say next. He knew bringing up their rocky past was a risky way to get him to go along with Howard's request, but he knew the conversation could go this way and was prepared for it.
He had made a decision the moment he saw those dark prussian eyes again. It didn't matter that he couldn't remember what had happened before. And if he wanted to be honest with himself, all he needed to do was look deep within his heart to know that he never stopped loving Heero, not since that very first night on the docks, despite what G had done to his memory. It was worth the risk of getting hurt. Heero was worth the risk. Now if only he could convince Heero that his intentions were sincere.
"Heero what can I do to get you to try to trust me again? I'd like for us to be friends at least."
Heero looked at him for a long time. Duo was watching him with a wary expression as he waited to hear what he had to say. He tried to will himself not to feel hope clawing at him from somewhere deep down inside. He felt as if he was standing on the edge of a high summit and one wrong move could mean his destruction. How was it possible to love someone so much, and be so afraid to take that risk? "I will allow you to acquire the parts you promised to retrieve for Howard. After you get them I will proceed with my objectives and destroy the rest, along with the satellite." Duo's smile was radiant, and Heero found himself looking away before his body overruled his mind and he rushed over to him to take him in his arms and kiss him breathless.
"Thanks, Heero. I appreciate it."
Heero nodded curtly and turned towards the hatch.
"Hey Heero, one more thing!" Duo thought he heard Heero growl in aggravation as he ran up to him and placed a hand on his arm to get him to turn and face him. "I meant to give this to you when I first saw you, but well... things didn't turn out that way, huh? Anyway, I found it when I was going through some of my things before I left G's lab, and well... it has your name on the back, so I must have borrowed it from you, or meant to give it to you... " He opened Heero's tightly closed fingers and placed a small silver compass in the palm of Heero's hand with a warm smile. "I'm sorry I don't remember how I came to have it." [3]
Heero closed his fingers around it and turned abruptly away walking purposely to the hatch that would lead him to Wing. He secured his helmet and just before he slipped through the door and hit the retract button for his zip line, he spoke. "I will meet you at the site. Don't be late."
Duo secured his helmet as well and watched Heero disappear into the blackness of space. Racing back to Deathscythe he couldn't help but feel like a weight had been lifted from him. This was a second chance and he wasn't going to waste it.
End Part 8
On to 'Sidestory: North Star'
Notes:
[1] 'Pushing the Sky' is from the Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack
[2] Duo was listening to 'Gravity of Love' is by Enigma in his cockpit while waiting for Heero to answer him. One of my favorites. ><
[3] Refers to: North Star. A Death & the Phoenix Arc Side Story.
(:./ebony/red8)
