Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Autumn Coffee ❯ Smoky Bars ( Chapter 7 )

Title: Smoky Bars

Author: Kiarene
Pairings: 5x13, 3x4
Rating: PG
Summary: Duo is an awful gossip.

Published: 17th July 2005
Disclaimer: You know the drill.

 

A/N: Because I'm on a roll. Because I can't seem to crank out anything for Takeover. Sigh. This story is rather fun because it's unconventional. Everyone's probably OOC though.

 

 

Smoky Bars

 

 

When it was time to pay the bill, Quatre waved away Duo's protests and told the waiter to put it on the hotel room tab — the one Quatre was paying for.

 

When Quatre told Duo how he felt about Trowa, and how perhaps he should try again, Duo made his objections known. Vehemently. But Quatre had been firm. He compromised though, and he decided to take things slowly. But he also knew that Trowa would pressure him before he was ready, and he *wanted* to dictate their new relationship at *his* pace. But who could Trowa not intimidate…?

 

Wufei's name immediately came to mind. Quatre initially discarded that option as quickly, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that staying with Wufei was a good idea. For one, Trowa wouldn't dare try anything with Wufei, especially not with Trieze around. Trowa certainly won't be dropping by, not at Wufei's place. It was a good place to hide, even if Quatre felt bad about using Wufei like that. Also, Quatre had this ….masochistic desire to know more about Wufei's and Trieze's seemingly perfect relationship. He was, to put it succinctly, horribly envious.

 

Duo had grumbled and objected and pleaded, but in the end, he followed Quatre to Paris, saying something about at least seeing Quatre safely to Paris. He still refused to contact Wufei though, warning Quatre not to tell Wufei *anything* about him. Quatre had sighed, knowing that he had too many personal problems to be worrying about his friends' relationships. Instead, feeling bad about ditching Duo abruptly, he had insisted on paying for Duo's stay in Paris.

 

“Have you called Trowa yet?” Duo asked brusquely as they left the restaurant and headed for the hotel bar. The lounge was dimly lit; the miasma of expensive cigarettes and cloying perfume hung in the air. They were quickly shown to a small table with two high-winged chairs beside the window. In the corner of the room, a singer sat on a high stool and sang to taped music, her voice throaty and low.

 

Quatre would have loved to eat out at one of Paris' many fine restaurants and perhaps stroll down the charming cobble-stone streets afterwards, but he didn't want to risk being seen. Not just yet. Here in Europe, his chances of being spotted were a lot higher. A quiet dinner in the hotel sufficed.

 

Quatre took a seat, shaking his head. “I left him an email, saying I'll contact him again in a couple of days, so that he wouldn't worry.”

 

Duo looked disapproving but held his tongue. For a while, they perused the wine list. Then Duo spoke up again, “How's Wufei?”

 

“…Happy,” Quatre replied. He shook his head discretely at the waiter, indicating that they were not ready to order just yet. “Very happy.”

 

“I really don't get it. How does he do it?” Duo asked wistfully. “What did he do right?”

 

Quatre was silent for a while. “I think a large part has to do with Trieze.” He remembered how Trieze had hovered protectively and attentively around Wufei. “I get the feeling that he has Trieze wrapped around his little finger.”

 

“Really! So Wufei wears the pants in their relationship?” Duo asked lightly, but Quatre could tell he was extremely curious. He raised a brow and Duo grinned back.

 

“Well, not exactly that.” Quatre was almost definite that Trieze was the top, always. He smirked, recalling the interesting sounds he overheard earlier that afternoon. He had *never* heard Wufei shriek like that before.

 

“Wufei doesn't *order* Trieze around — I don't think he even realizes how *much* Treize dotes on him — but I could tell that Trieze is utterly head over heels for Wufei and that there's nothing he wouldn't do for Wufei.” Quatre laughed in rueful embarrassment. “For example, Trieze wasn't too pleased I was there, but he was obviously trying very hard for Wufei's sake.”

 

“Ooo… Interesting.” Duo processed this little tidbit thoughtfully.

 

Quatre smiled wryly. “When I asked Wufei before, he said that there was no point in constant recrimination about the past. Something about having learnt from his mistake — he spent so long fixated on the idea of vengeance that he almost lost Trieze. He didn't tell me the details though. Just that…” Quatre paused, trying to remember Wufei's exact words, “if he constantly dwells on the past, he would never be able to move on in the future.”

 

Duo fell silent, his gaze looking out onto the street. “He's a lot more mature that we are.”

 

“Aa.” Quatre nodded sadly. “Sometimes, I feel that we — Trowa and I — are no different from the teenagers we were during the war. Constantly stuck in an endless cycle…”

 

“Still, I guess I could understand how he would want to forget and move on, but I know I wouldn't be able to *forgive* like that.” Duo shook his head, baffled. He turned to look back at Quatre, intense and troubled. The dullish apathy that had so worried Quatre when he first visited Duo on L2 had long fallen away, leaving his violet eyes bright and lively again — what Quatre thought was Duo's most beautiful feature.

 

“I mean, avoiding Heero helps and I find myself moving on slowly, but I don't think I would want to face him. It's… awkward.”

 

“To put it mildly.” Quatre agreed, closing the wine list and placing it back on the table. He thought of his own situation and smiled wanly at the other man. “But you can't run and hide forever, Duo.”

 

“Sure I can,” Duo snapped. He flicked his braid back in irritation. “I handle my problems, my way.”

 

“Whatever you say.” The blond shrugged.

 

“It's rather like picking at an open scab, don't you think?” Duo snorted angrily, and shook his head. Catching a waiter's eye, he ordered a Bloody Mary. Quatre selected a dry white.

 

Forcing a fake cheer into his voice, Duo deliberately changed topic. “Enough about depressing stuff. Give me the juicy details.”

 

Quatre opened his eyes wide, innocently. All right — he'll go along with Duo.

 

Duo took a sip and regarded the blond sternly. “I *know* how dirty-minded you can be. Now. Spill.”

 

“I don't think we should be …gossiping like this,” Quatre huffed mock-primly.

 

Duo eyed Quatre. Quatre crossed his legs and leaned back in the plush armchair, lips quirking up in a slight smile.

 

“You're so boring.”

 

Quatre savored his wine. His grin widened.

 

“You know, I had always thought that Wu-man was the most prudish boy I met, always ranting about justice. Some rich, sheltered scholar who probably thought masturbation was taboo. Then I found out that he had been *married* before the war and I thought, the *fuck*? He has had sex even before I had! I also thought he was the paragon of heterosexual-ness… and then I find out that he's with another guy. An older guy. Who also happens to be the enemy. Talk about all the deep waters.” Duo whistled, squinted. “Now I've this image of Wufei as this… this… uh… very deep sex maniac.”

 

Quatre couldn't help it; he bent over, spluttering in laughter. “*Deep* sex maniac?!” The other patrons turned to stare disapprovingly and he tried to lower his volume. “Your …choice of words! My god!”

 

Duo was laughing madly too, almost falling out of his chair. “Oh man, I killed myself. Image, image!”

 

“Shhh….” Quatre waved his hand frantically. “Do you want to be kicked out?”

 

“Ok…. ok….”

 

“Mmmf…. deep ….”

 

“….”

 

“How deep can you go?”

 

“….stoppit!”

 

~

 

Wufei sneezed. And sneezed again.

 

“Are you all right? Are you cold? You're not feeling sick, are you?” Trieze asked in concern. He pulled off his scarf and rapidly wrapped it around his husband's neck, ignoring Wufei's grumbles. The weather was getting colder; he knew he should have insisted that Wufei wear his red coat, which was warmer.

 

“Trieze, stop it!” Wufei hissed, flushing in mortification. To his horror, Trieze's hand actually came up to feel his forehead, as if he was a child! He was sure that the other movie-goers exiting the theatre around them were laughing at him. “This is so embarrassing…”

 

Trieze hurried to catch up and wrapped one arm around Wufei's shoulders. “Why?”

 

Wufei groaned silently. No matter how much he protested, Trieze insisted on fussing over him. Although frankly, a small part of Wufei enjoyed that attention. A very, very small part. Still…

 

“It's nothing. I'm not cold. Just a bit of dust in the air,” Wufei muttered sullenly, cheeks delicately flushed. He dug his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders.

 

Trieze planted a kiss on his temple.

 

Wufei sighed in defeat. And leaned closer.

 

~*~

 

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