Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Chimera of Life: Story 1: Mutual Conquest ❯ Story 1: Mutual Conquest Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

- Chimera of Life -
Story One: Mutual Conquest
Chapter Five
By Heartfire

~*~

"Yo! Maxwell here." Duo greeted whoever just called him on his private line while he rifled through his papers.

"Er… Yo. Dorlian here."

Relena's teasing voice made him drop his papers and turn to the compact vid-o-phone. "Hey! My favorite ambassador of peace. What could I do for you today?"

Relena grinned. "Well, for starters, I want to see you. Today is my last day on your colony, so I was wondering if I could possibly pass by?"

"Hey, whoa! Time out and back track a bit." Duo motioned with his hands while his face drew near to the monitor. "You tellin' me that you're here?"

Relena nodded, happy that she was able to surprise him. "Yes. Since yesterday, in fact."

"Holy-! And no one knew?!" A whistle left him when he saw her nod. "Well, I must say that Wufei is definitely improving."

Relena laughed at that comment. "Well anyway, I was wondering if half past twelve is alright? My flight is at three."

"Fine with me, gorgeous. You know that I'll always make any adjustments just for you." Duo gave her his drop-dead smile.

"Save your flirtations on your women, Duo… or better yet… Hilde." Her sharp eyes took in his surprised look before he was able to hide it. 'Hmmm… Improvement…'

"Whatcha talkin' 'bout? I don't flirt with Hilde."

He tried to school his face to show indifference but Relena saw right through it. "Fine. Did you wake up early enough to go to work with Hilde, or did you have to walk by yourself again?"

Hilde's image, clad in sky blue two piece- skirt instead of trousers- business attire, entered his mind and he could already feel himself drool. Oh he woke up early this morning all right… For reasons unknown to him, it seemed as if his circadian clock was working again. He even surprised Hilde when he knocked on her door to wake her up, instead of the other way around! He was even able to make breakfast, for Pete's sake! And then when she walked into the kitchen, he nearly dropped the plateful of bacon…!

"I think I got the answer to that question." She gave a quick chuckle. Duo's expression was exactly what she had wanted to see. "How did you like the dresses we bought?"

Duo shook his head as those words seeped in his numb mind. "Er… huh? You were with Hilde?

"Yes. She was pretty… upset with you yesterday and I was free." Relena was having a hard time trying not to laugh. Poor Duo!

If Relena was with Hilde… then- "Hey! Do you know who took her out last-"

"Duo, I'm sorry. I have to go." She knew exactly what he was going to ask her, but she's going to let him suffer a little while longer, and it looked like he just bit the bait. "Talk to you later now. Bye."

His monitor turned black and he nearly broke his pencil in frustration. He almost- almost!- got the information! Ah well…

Duo slumped into his chair then eyed his door. Slowly, his frustrations disappeared as he remembered those good ol' days with his other friends… Nowadays, he could only keep in touch with Quatre, and Wufei. Heero, he could never find and Trowa was always on the go.

His mischievous streak started to come out. "Where there's Relena… there's Wufei… And I'm due for a prank…" All work no play makes Duo a dull boy, after all…

"I think I'm craving for…" A slow smile appeared on his lips. "Ice cream…"

…

"Wufei, you're going to behave yourself, right?" Relena reminded her bodyguard. Of course, she knew that he wouldn't do anything. Duo and Wufei always threaten each other but they were very good friends.

"Sure." Wufei mumbled as he stomped beside her. They entered Duo's building from the back, the route Duo and he planned a long time ago. Nobody had ever given them trouble, and Duo's and Hilde's floor staff were already used to Relena's visits.

They stopped just in front of Duo's door.

"Go on inside and I'll check the conference room." Wufei ordered as he waited for her to move.

"As usual." Relena brought her large handbag between them and opened it. "Deposit your guns here, please."

"Onna, I'm not going to use it on that baka! It's going to be a waste of bullets."

Relena just smiled at his sarcastic tone. "Please, Wufei."

With a grumble, Wufei took off his guns and dropped them in the bag.

"One more…" Relena tapped her foot as she waited. "I only counted six in there."

Another low growl came from Wufei. "Fine! There!" He dropped his last gun inside her purse. "Happy?!"

"Very." Relena placed a hand on Wufei's shoulder and gave another smile. "Thank you."

He hates it when she's being so nice… and she's usually nice, darn it! Wufei watched her enter the room then stomped into the conference room.

"Hey Relena. No trouble, right?" Duo walked around his desk then gave her a hug.

"Nope. No trouble at all. How have you been?" They let go of each other and Relena had this sudden sinking feeling that he was up to something.

"Oh I'm going to be just fine… in a short while." Duo answered with that grin.

"No… Not another prank Duo! You're going to get him mad! I'm going to sit with him for ten hours in the shuttle. Please don't tell me that it's another-"

"All clear in th-"

A thud akin to the sound from a volleyball when hit, made Relena turn around and face the entrance to the conference room where Wufei was… standing covered- dripping!- with ice cream and cherries!!! Slowly… a cherry rolled down from his ice cream covered hair, to his nose then onto the floor.

"Oh no…" That was all she could say within those few minutes when even Wufei was stunned then-

"MA-MA-MAAAAAAAXXXXWWWWWEEEELLLLL!!!!!" He was so angry he could barely speak.

The hum of barely contained laughter came from behind Relena and she knew that Duo was enjoying the show. She could see murder in Wufei's eyes!

"What's happening in… here…" Hilde came inside the room and her eyes fell on… Wufei, then on the bewildered Relena, and, finally, laughing Duo. She looked up at the ceiling and rolled her eyes. "Thank God I asked for marble flooring instead of carpet!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Wufei vaulted to Duo's direction.

Duo quickly grabbed Relena's shoulder and made her his shield while he laughed. He could barely stand! "You… You won't…! You'll… harm Relena if… you do…"

Relena, being pushed hither and thither, had enough. "Alright both of you! Stop this at once!"

Wufei and Duo stopped, even Hilde's eyebrow rose. Relena rarely uses this tone of voice!

She moved away from Duo and instantly saw the lethal glimmer in Wufei's eyes. "Wufei, don't move." She faced Duo. "You better have spare clothing for Wufei or else."

Hilde grinned. Now that's telling them to behave!

Duo nodded, surprised at Relena's anger, then pointed to the other door, east of his office. "I bought extra clothes just for Wufei. It's in my bathroom."

Relena turned to her bodyguard. "Wufei, go on and change." Her eyes showed her other message as well and Wufei grumbled as he left a trail of ice cream on the floor. But he'd be damned if he goes down without a fight! Before he walked inside the bathroom, he turned and-

Hilde's eyes widened as she watched Wufei throw a handful of slightly solid ice cream at the back of Duo's head!

Duo felt the ice cream slide down his nape and promptly cried out his surprise just as Wufei closed the door behind him. "YUCK!" Quickly, he grabbed his hanky to wipe the cold, icky stuff from his hair.

"Yuck is right. You deserved that." Hilde scolded as she walked to him and started to help while Relena just shook her head.

"Really, Duo. You have to stop teasing Wufei like that."

"Hey, he knows I'm just joking. Besides, that man is too serious for his own good… Him, Heero and Trowa all need to lighten up a bit. I'm just here to remind 'em." He slightly turned to Hilde. "Is it gone, angel?"

"Not quite." She was taking her time because… well… because it was a rare treat to hold his hair.

Relena grinned. With the way Duo had stilled, and with that faint smile playing on his lips, she could tell that he liked what Hilde was doing. "So, Hilde. Did you enjoy last night?"

Duo's content smile disappeared as his eyes slanted.

Hilde innocently answered. "Yes. He was quite a charmer."

"I told you he would be nice." Relena goaded while Duo's lips turned into a line.

"Yes. He was. Handsome and charming… whoever will catch his attention would find quite a guy."

Duo was having a hard time controlling his anger. How could they talk as if he wasn't in the room?! Irritated, he jerked away from Hilde instead. "I'll finish it."

Hilde shook her head. "No. It's done." She frowned at his cold voice.

"Fine. Thanks." Duo stalked off to his desk, miserably sat on his chair, and then glared at the two women.

'This is better than a movie!' Relena almost clapped and cheered at Duo's reaction. She should ask Charlie to take Hilde out some more!

Hilde looked from Duo to Relena with an inquiring frown. Relena just gave a calculated bewildered look while Duo kept his glare.

'Time to change tactics.' Relena grabbed Hilde's arm and pulled her near Duo's desk. "Guess what! I think I found the house I want!" She dropped her purse on Duo's table then started to take out Wufei's guns.

Duo's eyes widened, his initial anger gone as he stared at Relena in confusion. "Hell, Relena! I thought you promote peace!"

Hilde sighed. The answer was obvious. "Those are Wufei's, Duo. Just be happy that Relena had enough sense to ask for them before Wufei came in here or you'd be dead."

"Ah! Here it is!" Relena finally pulled out a magazine then dropped it in the middle of Duo's already cluttered desk. "Turn to page 75." She started to put the guns back inside her bag while the two looked for the number.

"Whoa gurl! That's some house!"

"Relena! Are you sure you want to buy… that?"

Relena nodded as she sat into one of the chairs. "It's in a wonderful countryside! And by the time I retire, it's going to be all mine."

"And… er… Who's going to live with you in that mansion?" Duo leaned over and rapped her head. "That's a big house for one person."

Hilde nodded her agreement.

"Well… I want to have children." Relena blushed. "If I have to adopt to get one, I will."

"Yeah. That's 'coz you're picky. You could have any guy you want and you chose to stay faithful to our ghostly pilot."

The three laughed. It was reality but the way Duo had said it… funny. Besides, they would rather laugh than cry, anyway.

"Well, the thing is, I already gave my down payment and I'm moving in right after my farewell to arms!"

"Hear ye! Hear ye!" Duo added as he stood up and saluted. The trio laughed again. Just then, Wufei walked out of the bathroom, fully dressed in- thankfully- clothes that fit him, without the hint of ice cream, or cherry, on his wet hair.

He gave one withering glare at Duo then stalked off out the door. "I'm going to wait for you out there." He was a bit mad at Duo, but he knew a good trick when played… Duo's going to get his end of the joke soon, though… very, very soon…

Relena shook her head. "You're in trouble, Bozo."

"I second that." Hilde looked from the ice cream spots to the pail on top of the conference room door. "I think I better call in the cleaners. I don't want ants in the building." With that said, she left the two. The moment the door closed behind her, she searched for Wufei, found, and walked to him. "Hey."

Wufei nodded.

"Do me a favor."

Wufei glared at her. She might not have been in on the joke, but one could never be too sure.

"When you make him pay, hit him really hard, okay?"

Wufei blinked a couple of times in confusion then his eyes followed her as she walked into her own office and closed the door. 'Hmm… I knew I liked her…' Anyone who wants to get Duo as badly as he does is an ace in his book.

Inside the office, Relena observed Duo as he stared at his closed door. "Duo? Still with me…?" These two… if it weren't for their cheerfulness, who knew how she would have ended up? She was just glad that Duo took the initiative to become friends.

Duo shook his head. "Huh? Yeah… Of course. Where else could I be?" Was he staring at Hilde's butt back there?

Relena bit back a grin as she tapped one corner of her lips. "Er… Duo… how about you wipe that… uh… drool from your lips…"

Duo's eyes widened as his right hand instantly moved to his lips and felt… nothing.

Laughter left Relena and almost made her fall from her chair. "I wish I had a camera with me! That look was just precious!"

He felt the initial anger, instantly replaced with merriment as he willingly accepted the joke. He looked away, playfully pouted, and performed his part. "Yeah… yeah… Laughing at my demise… What kind of a friend are you?"

With an amused smile still on her lips, Relena answered. "The one who cares about you a lot… and you know what…?" She decided it was time for her to leave.

Duo shook his head, wondering what was going on inside Relena's head. "What?"

She leaned over his desk, reached out for him, and then pressed her palm on his forehead. "Hmm… you're stuttering, your eyes are dilated and you're flushed." She dropped back on her seat and Duo looked at her in amusement.

"Well? What's my prognosis?"

"A clear case of blind-side-strike." Relena nodded, her face schooled in utter seriousness.

Duo's eyebrow shot up as if shocked. "Blind-side-strike, eh? What is it?"

Relena checked her watch quickly. "That means you have to talk to yourself." She checked her watch, showed the calculated 'Uh oh! I'm late!' look, and stood. "I have to go... My flight…"

Duo nodded as moved his chair, preparing to walk her out of the building when she shook her head.

"No, don't worry. I've got Wufei with me." She took her bag and inserted the magazine inside. "Alright. See you soon. I'll say good bye to Hilde on my way out."

"Okay… Take care, Rel." It was the only think he could say as he watched her walk to the door, stop, and suddenly turn around.

"Duo…" She looked at the floor then at his face. "One more thing before I leave…"

"Yeah?" Why does it feel as if it this was a crucial moment?

"At least…" Relena breathed in deeply, sweet pain encompassing her chest. "At least I know how I feel about Heero…" She decided not to tell him… He needs to figure this out by himself.

Duo's eyes popped wide but before he utter a single syllable, Relena had already closed his door… ''At least I know what I feel …'?' His head tilted to one side as he stared at the door in complete loss. "What the hell do you mean?"

His life was dominated by confusion, but right now… it's as if he was on the very peak of it all.

"I need something to do…" He glanced down on his papers and started to work.

…

His hand went up to knock on her door when giggles caught his attention.

"You sure?"

Duo frowned, a bit bewildered. That was Hilde's voice…

"I'm definitely sure…"

Duo nearly crushed the papers in his hand. That low, radio voice grated at his nerves. It was that limo guy!!! Anger propelled him to opened the door and finally meet his adversary.

His eyes fell on starched white polo shirt and neatly trimmed sandy brown hair, hunched over Hilde's desk… obviously kissing her…

Wide violet eyes dominated his face… His braid lay limply on his back just as his hands nearly dropped the papers onto the floor… Pain like none he had ever felt sliced through him like a scythe.

The couple languidly turned to look at their intruder then quickly scrambled away from each other.

"Duo… this isn't what you think it is." She didn't even know why she was trying to explain!

Duo couldn't speak… The way he saw him… her… Them… Those two… Him! That… that ass he considered a friend!!! That back stabber!!! Why did it hurt so much?

"Duo, I can explain." The man to Hilde's left started. He could see what's going on in Duo's head right now, and he does not want to create trouble for these two… Duo and Hilde were meant for each other.

He still couldn't move. 'How could he?! I thought he was my friend…! Double crossing ass!' He just couldn't believe it… Of all people, why did it have to be- "Charlie." Relena's Charlie… Duo croaked out the name like a ragged tune.

Hilde finally got enough strength to stand up with her Jell-O knees. She knew why she was like this… It was because she didn't want Duo to think that she and Charlie were… And… and… it's not as if Duo would ever look at her, but… "Duo, really…" When he didn't acknowledge her, she knew that he wouldn't listen. With a sigh, she resigned the case to the inevitable.

"Duo, I was just trying to take out something in her eyes, that's all." Charlie brought his hands up in a surrendering stance with a shrug. "We weren't doing anything! Really!"

Duo didn't listen. He glanced at Hilde's face. Was that guilt? Why was she squinting her eyes like that?

"It's still there…" Hilde's hand went up to her eyes then pressed just underneath it. "Darn it!"

Duo looked at the event with disbelief and distrust, but decided to play along with it. "What is it?"

Charlie moved forward, ready to be of assistance. "Here, let me help."

Hilde quickly shook her head. "No thanks. The last time you did that, you said it wasn't there anymore and it's still there." With one squinted eye, she started to walk to her private bathroom. "Wait here you two."

It was the last thing she said before the door closed. Charlie looked at Duo just as murderous violet eyes glared at him.

"Uhm…" Charlie cleared his throat. "Duo, I-"

"You were the one Hilde went out with the other night, huh?"

Charlie quickly nodded. "I was in town for a client. Relena called me up to be their escort and she wanted to get a man's opinion about Hilde's new look."

Duo's eyes slanted to dangerous slits. "You and Hilde were with Relena the whole time?" Why was he even questioning that event?! It shouldn't concern him this much!

"Yes. I was just their chaperon." He had the sudden urge to pull at his collar and fidget! Damn! The last time he felt like this, it was during his first court appearance as a junior partner!!!

Duo's eyebrow rose in disbelief. "Yeah… Chaperon." He could still remember that low voiced compliment. The mere thought made Duo walk to Charlie in lightning speed and the next thing the sandy haired man knew, Duo's hands were clutching his collar. "You didn't touch her, did you?"

Charlie quickly shook his head. He was almost the same built as Duo… but aside from courtroom brawls, and occasional boxing challenges, he was not an expert fighter. "No! Honest, man! Why would I touch your woman?! Relena would kill me!" Of course Relena wouldn't, but she could make his life a miserable hell…

Something he said grabbed Duo… 'Your woman'… "Hilde's not my woman." The words came out weak and without any conviction at all, not to mention that it left a twinge of sickly feeling at the base of his stomach…

"Sure… sure. Whatever you say, Duo." Charlie hid a smirk. Duo's still denying it… Relena was so right. He shouldn't have bet against her. The grip on his collar lightened while he watched the tumult of emotion rush over Duo's face.

"It's finally out!" Hilde walked into the room with a victorious smile. Charlie grinned as he faced Hilde while Duo, looked at her with a frown as if he was seeing her for the first time. "So, what did you want to see me for, Duo?" She walked to the back of her table and sat in her seat while she waited for his answer.

Duo gulped. "I… you… uh…" What was he going to tell her? "You know… I'll… I'll get back to you on that."

Hilde frowned while Charlie started choking in laughter as he watched Duo crab-walk to the door.

"Uh… Bye Hilde."

…

Life went on like the usual for the next few days- except for the fact that Duo had kept on waking up early enough to cook breakfast and be the one to rouse Hilde and… actually clean the house! One morning, he was dusting, the next, he was mopping.

She looked around their small home and shook her head in amazement. Duo even took time to polish some of their varnished tables!

'I wonder what had gotten into him…' He helped her with dishes and cleaning the house before, so she couldn't say that he's lazy, but these past few days… he seemed unlike himself and the non-stop cleaning was freaking her out!

She tried to ask him if there was anything wrong, but he never said anything except for that- 'I'm just in the mood' answer of his.

"Honestly…" She turned the papers in her hand then checked the clock over the kitchen doorway. He said he was just going to the gym… "Oh Hilde… stop worrying about him. He's a big boy." Once again, she reprimanded herself.

Her eyes were tired. She was tired but she would like to go through two more stacks of papers before calls it a day. With a sigh, she walked to the couch, papers tucked in the crook of her arm, then laid down in it and tried to finish…

…

He opened the door as quietly as he could. The dim, yellow light from their living room made him smile a little bit. Hilde had told him, a long time ago, that she didn't want him stumbling around the house for the light switch when he comes home from… well… wherever he came from. A warm feeling rushed through him as he remembered that day. She had always cared for him. The best friend anyone could ever have…

He was refreshed from the heavy workout tonight. He felt peaceful and calm, not to mention clear headed- a first in these past couple of weeks.

A frown appeared on his face as he stopped just outside their living room. 'She fell asleep on the couch again.' Duo shook his head as he headed for her. There were papers on her chest, and some were on the floor.

"You overwork yourself too much, angel." He collected the papers on the floor then slowly picked the ones littered over her chest. He did not want to disturb her. She really did need sleep with the way projects just mushroomed out from here and there.

At that moment, she turned and placed her hands under her cheek while a small smile played on her lips as if she was dreaming of something so wonderful… Right then and there, he remembered why he started calling her angel. That one night, a few weeks after the first war… Hilde had taken him in, gave him a place to stay. He had a nightmare and when he woke up, she was there, beside him. She held his hand while she whispered soothing sounds to him, while she talked to him. The way her bangs fell down her eyes… the way her white, cotton nightgown seemed to glow against the stark darkness of the room…

"Why are you so good to me?" Duo leaned down to tenderly brush her bangs away from her sweet face. "Why did you ever took me in?" He was forever grateful to her… Funny… he has enough money to buy his own house, but he couldn't seem to stay away from this place.

He didn't know how long he sat on his heels and stared at her, but when his muscles started cramping up, he finally decided to carry her into her room. With the papers, neatly stacked on the table, he gently, effortlessly scooped her up from the couch.

She moved in his embrace and it just felt so good to have her there. "Don't wake up on me, now…" He had never broken his record with her- his record in getting Hilde to bed, undisturbed, whenever she falls asleep on the couch. As if she heard him, she stilled and he enjoyed the feel of her weight against his chest.

Slowly, he walked to her room. Affectionately, he deposited her on her bed and tucked her in. She didn't wake up. Another point.

He sat on her bed and stared at her some more. A hand rubbed over his face and already, he could feel the start of his stubble against his palm. The artificial moonlight from her window fell hauntingly on the bed and softened her fragile face.

The urge to kiss her engulfed him. Her lips beckoned. It was a moment he could steal… and he leaned down to her face to do as his heart whispered for him to do so… Then… he stopped just a breath away and closed his eyes. Conscience warred with need… with want… and conscience won. Instead, he angled his head a little higher and lovingly kissed her cute little nose instead.

The peace and tranquility he had felt shattered to a million pieces, then he was engulfed in the darkness of confusion. Before he could lose control of his actions, Duo stood up and walked out of her room. Questions pestered him like dogs nipping at his heels but at the moment, he didn't have any answer, nor did he have the energy to block them out…

He reached the lamp and turned it off. Darkness surrounded him, and darkness he accepted. His feet slowly took him back in that small hallway, just two-arm lengths away from each other's door… He stopped outside her room.

Her friendship mattered more than his life to him … He's not about to throw it away just because his body started craving for her. Duo nodded. 'I'll just have to act as if nothing ever happened…' He could do that… He turned away from her door and continued on into his own room…

Inside Hilde's room, she opened her eyes. She woke up in his arms like the many times in the past. The first time, she kept herself still because she didn't know what else to do. The second time, she let herself enjoy his warmth and so did the next after that, and the next… Sometimes she would consciously sleep in the couch with the knowledge that he would bring her into her room. Always, she would wake up in his arms, as if her body was attuned to his.

Slowly, her hand went up to her nose and rubbed it. Why did he kiss her on the nose? She had felt his breath over her lips and had almost tilted her face to close that small gap between them… He asked her those questions again…

A sigh escaped her. "Duo… you're so stupid…" Stupid man to not even notice that she loves him so… That was her only reason. "Why did I have to fall in love with you, anyway?"

With a frustrated groan, she turned to her other side, burrowed deeper inside her covers, and tried to go back to sleep…

Authoress: Heartfire