Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Bonded ❯ The Chat, Part I ( Chapter 3 )

Title: Bonded

Author: dkAdeena (mysticalunicorn22712@yahoo.com)

Archive: www.angelfire.com/magic/mysticalkastle (my site) - eventually

Category: Yaoi/Shounen ai

Pairing: JxG, 1x2

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: None

Spoilers: This will eventually follow the series.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I'm just playing around with the characters.

This disclaimer applies to all parts of this story.

Notes: This is a "before they met in the series" type story that will continue with interaction during the series and Endless Waltz, and maybe after that too -- I don't know because my muse hasn't told me yet.

Thank you to ShadowKano, acting PR person. Your comments helped bring this chapter out of its closet.

Feedback: Please! Rhyanthia needs it to survive and continue plotting against the boys.
Thank you to momochan, smilie, and black beauty for the lovely reviews.

Chapter Summary: It's two years before Operation Meteor and G receives an email from J. He's coming to visit. What will G do now?

/~ blah blah ~/ G's thoughts

/* blah blah */ Duo's thoughts

October AC 193

"So you're coming to visit, huh?" G queried softly, studying the email he had received earlier that day. "Your orphan didn't take to any of the others, I guess. So now you bring him here, hoping to bond him and the lad I'm training. I sincerely hope it doesn't work. It would serve you right, you moron!"

G closed the email without replying. /~ Let him wonder what kind of reception he'll get here. ~/ Leaving the computer up, he left the room, intent on finding the boy he was training. After checking the computer lab and the gundam hanger, he entered the flight simulation room and found the boy, who called himself Duo Maxwell, just finishing a high level simulated fight.

"Duo," G spoke quietly. "I have something I need to talk to you about."

"Sure thing Doc," Duo replied, shutting down the simulator and turning to face G; giving him his undivided attention. "So, what's up?"

"Let's take this to my office," G answered. He left the room, heading back to his office, expecting Duo to follow; which he did. Upon reaching his office, G settled in a chair at the table, indicating Duo should as well.

"What'd you want to talk to me about?" Duo asked as he sat down across from G. /* This had better be good. I've got a lot of work to do today, yet again. */

"Have you read your medical file?" G asked, gently tapping the only folder on the table. That folder contained all the information he had on the boy; including the DNA test results that indicated Duo was his missing son. /~ How lucky can a man get? My own son sneaks aboard my ship. He's done well on his own. I just wish I didn't have to have this discussion with you now. ~/

"Yeah," Duo replied, watching his mentor warily. "There's some really strange stuff in there. A lot of it matches the information on humans I've gotten from those medical books I've been studying this past year, but there's also some really weird stuff in there that I think means I can have kids."

"That is correct Duo. You aren't human as those books define it," G answered after a moment's thought. "You and I are of a different race. Quite a few of us exist alongside humans, as we can be mistaken as human. Our race does not have sexes as the humans know them, but there are differences in our race. You and I are what are commonly called bearers, as we can conceive and bear children. But to do so we must bond ourselves – body, heart, mind and soul – to one of the others, known as sires."

"Are you bonded? Did you have kids?"

"Yes, to both of your questions Duo," G replied with a sigh. "Unfortunately, my first four sons died before, or right after, birth. My fifth son disappeared when he was two and a half." /~ Wish I could tell him he's my fifth son. ~/

"I'm sorry," Duo stated, "but that isn't what you came to talk to me about, is it?" /* That'd be just like him, interrupt my training for no good reason. */

"Partially," G smiled, listening to the tone of Duo's reply. "You needed a little background information so that you can understand the rest of what I have to tell you."

"What else is there that you haven't told me? And why now?"

"There's quite a bit more but I'll just give you the basics for now. As for why now, my bonded mate is coming to visit next week. He is bringing an orphaned child of our race with him. They are both sires and my mate has been trying to find someone to become the young one's mate."

"So?" Duo prompted after five minutes of silence on G's part. "Why are you telling me about them?"

"My mate is one of the other scientists involved in Operation Meteor. The child he is bringing here is the one he is training," G continued after another minute. "He had wanted to train our son but … anyway, my mate is hoping his trainee will take to you where he hasn't to any of the other trainees."

"So what do you want me to do?" Duo asked thoughtfully, nervously playing with the end of his braid. /* He can't really expect me to accept all this, can he? He's got something up his sleeve, but what? */

"Be yourself," G answered promptly, "but don't say anything about what I've just told you. You'll be meeting them in the hanger when their ship arrives. Do you think you can handle that?" /~ If he can't, he shouldn't be training to be a gundam pilot. ~/

"Yeah," Duo answered, and then asked, "What if this kid decides he wants to bond with me? And how old is this kid?" /* Guess I can go along with the old man for now. */

"He's around six months older than you," G replied. "As for bonding … if he asks you, you get to decide. If you decide to actually do the bonding at this time, I would suggest you only do a partial bonding."

"Partial? You mean there's different levels to this bonding stuff? What all's involved in this bonding business anyway?"

G sighed. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to explain all this yet. "For a full bonding, you both must commit totally to each other." /~ Not like J did with me. His commitment only went so far. ~/ "A partial bonding only unites the heart and mind of the pair. It's usually done around age ten. This usually gives the pair about eight years to get to know each other and decide if they want to continue. Unfortunately, neither of you were in the appropriate situation at the time …"

"Hmm … Is it possible to break the bond? You said I get to decide if he asks. That means I can say no, right? How long after a partial bonding takes place does the full bonding have to take place? Why do we have to bond in the first place?" Duo asked after absorbing what he'd been told so far. /* That really didn't give me a lot of information. Am I gonna have ta drag the information outta him? */

G's sigh this time was more emphatic but he still answered, knowing the boy needed the information. "A partial bonding can be dissolved, if both parties agree. A full bonding cannot, even by death." G held up his hand, forestalling Duo's outburst. "When one member of a fully bonded pair dies, the other quickly follows, even if there are young children. Sadly, this has caused a lot of orphaned children who do not understand who and what they are. We have people watching for these children. As soon as one is located, no matter what age they are, they are given all the information and support they need."

"I found you last year," Duo stated, confusion clearly written in his eyes. /* What's with this guy? If I was supposed to be given this information at the time we met … */ "Why did it take you so long to tell me?"

"I had hoped that I wouldn't need to say anything about this for another year," G answered, "but my mate is forcing the issue for his trainee." /~ That creep! I wanted to spend more time getting to know my son before this happened. ~/ "You have the right to say no and it cannot be denied. Because of your ages, if you agree to a partial bonding, you will have approximately four to five years to either dissolve the bond or complete it. The younger you are for a partial bonding, the longer you have, up to ten years."

"How do you know when time's running out?"

"A sire gets more withdrawn, from everything while a bearer gets more and more depressed."

"Oh."

"The reason why you have to bond depends on whether you're a sire or a bearer. A sire bonds so he can control his emotions – although sometimes it doesn't work as well as it should. For us, the bearers, we bond so we may have children, but more importantly, to stave off the intolerable depression that leads to suicide. A bearer that is not fully bonded cannot have children. This is a hard thing for us to deal with after we have reached our late teens and many have committed suicide because of it; whether they knew the cause of the depression or not."

"Okay," Duo drawled thoughtfully. "So you're telling me that if I don't bond I can't have kids and I'll eventually grow so depressed that I'll kill myself, right?" At G's nod, Duo continued, "This kid your mate is bringing is a sire and without a bonded mate he will have trouble controlling his emotions. This could cause a serious problem, along the lines of Jack the Ripper, right?" Again G nodded.

"Is there any side effects of this bonding?"

"Well, if both parties are truly committed to each other, even if only partially bonded, they will be able to tell when the other is injured and what the other is feeling. It will not be very strong when you first bond, but the longer you stay bonded the stronger it gets so that when you fully bond you'll be able to talk to each other no matter how far apart you are – or at least that's what I was told."

"Mind if I sleep on this and get back to you in a couple of days?" Duo asked around a yawn.

"Be my guest," G replied. "I will let my mate know that someone will meet them when they arrive, if he gives me his flight schedule that is. I won't tell him it will be you though."

They both stood and Duo left the room, heading for his bunk. G went back to his computer, silently preparing the email message he would be sending. /~ Nothing but acknowledgement of his plan to visit and a request to know when he'll arrive. ~/