Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Eyes Cold As Stone ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

Eyes Cold As Stone

Chapter 8

"Mission?" Quatre's voice shook. Not another one. He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling rough hands on him. He started and jerked away at Duo's touch. He glanced quickly around them room, daring it to be that interrogation chamber, but it didn't live up to the bet. Lady Une gazed at him, concerned as Duo began to talk loudly, covering up Quatre's unease.

"No problem. Me and Quat will do whatever you need us to." Quatre slowly pulled himself back together.

"Quatre?" Lady Une kept her attention on him.

"Sure, whatever you need." Une gazed at him a fraction longer before continuing on.

"We believe, from Wufei's data, that they have a Node base about 1,500 miles from here. We need you to study the Node's weaknesses, what exactly its used for, get any other information you can get on the Node, destroy it and come home."

"Node base?" Quatre raked his memory for the reference.

"The bases that will be used to control the MS dolls."

"Ah, yes. Okay. When do we leave." Quatre looked at Duo to see him nodding enthusiastically. Obviously the hangover had wore off. Duo turned eager eyes to him and he realized that Duo was just excited about getting to blow shit up.

"Tomorrow afternoon. I have two suits being prepped for you both, now. You can gather whatever weapons you think you'll need. The transport will also be prepped and waiting for you by three-tomorrow afternoon. Questions?"

"How long is this supposed to take?" Duo asked, probably thinking of infiltration.

`No infiltration, no extended stay. If you can be out of there within a few hours, that would be best. Anything else, gentlemen?" He and Duo shook their heads, no. "Good luck, and Godspeed, gentlemen. Get a good nights rest, and I'll see you here at three in the afternoon." They stood up and wished her a good night and left the relative safety of Lady Une's office.

"Nallen's?"

"Duo, haven't you better wait until your hangover is gone?" Duo shrugged. "Dumbass. Anyway, we have a mission tomorrow."

"Not `til three."

"True."

"Come on. I promise I won't keep you out too late, Trowa should get back tonight."

"Okay."

"Rock on!" Duo spun around and grabbed at the wall for support. "I, on the other hand, will be the designated driver."

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Trowa relaxed when he saw the familiar lights of home. He dropped his injured arm from the steering wheel, and rested it on his lap as he continued to speed toward HQ. He glanced quickly to the passenger seat at the safely hidden disc and thought once more of Quatre.

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"To Trowa coming home tonight." Duo raised his glass prompting a slightly drunk Quatre to do the same.

"Didn't we already toast to that?"

"No. We toasted to Trowa returning to you."

"Same difference."

"Nu'uh."

"Whatever. To Trowa coming home." Quatre tilted his drink to his lips and threw the drink into his throat. "Mm, good. What was that?"

"Black Russian."

"Like Vodka drinks."

"I know, Quatre." Quatre began to sway on his stool. "Shit, man. I've got to get you home before you pass out and Trowa kills me." Quatre just giggled. "Man, I've got to stop letting you do this."

"What? It's always your idea."

"True, but that's not the point." Duo hauled Quatre to his feet after paying the tab and guided Quatre to the car.

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Wufei sat up in bed. Damnit. He rubbed his face in his hands before standing up to go to the kitchen. This was becoming too much. He resolved to himself to talk to Sally tomorrow. No longer soon-tomorrow.

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Duo led Quatre up to Trowa's door. If I leave Quatre all snuggly warm in Trowa's bed, it will be a pleasant surprise for Trowa when he gets back. You are a smooth one, Duo, if I don't say so myself-which I am saying myself…oh fuckin' well.

"Quatre, where are your keys?" Quatre dangled his keys in front of Duo's face. He made a grab at them, trying to decide which key to try first. The third key proved to be the jackpot. Trowa's door opened, and Duo carried an almost unconscious Quatre inside. Dumping Quatre in the bed, Duo stopped to take off Quatre's shoes, socks, shirt and pants, just like he knew Quatre had done for him millions of times. He tucked Quatre snugly into Trowa's bed and decided that he would drive Quatre's car to his apartment, so he would just pick Quatre up tomorrow. He locked Trowa's door and returned to the silver Mercedes. He smiled at his ingenious and started the car to head for home.

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Trowa pulled up to Quatre's apartment. Hmm, his car wasn't out front. He parked his car and gingerly got out. He stumbled up to the door, and slipped his key into the lock. He dropped his coat on the floor and carefully probed his stitches. The medics had done a good job-but it still hurt. He had driven straight to HQ to drop off the disc and get patched up. Luckily, Sally was still there-she had been worrying over Wufei. Trowa smiled in the darkness. She had it bad for Wufei and couldn't see that Wufei had it bad for her, too. Trowa stumbled along the hall toward Quatre's bedroom, desperately wishing to be holding his angel. He striped out of his clothes and crawled wearily into Quatre's bed-with no Quatre. Trowa sat up alarmed. Where was Quatre? Trowa swore fluidly. Fuck, Duo probably had Quatre out all night again. Trowa decided to hang out until Quatre got home. For now, he was just going to take a small nap.

Trowa jerked awake. What was it with these midnight thunderstorms? Trowa glanced at the clock: 12:48. He sighed and checked the other side of the bed for Quatre. It was unlike him to be out this late on a weekday. Trowa crawled out of bed and pulled his clothes on. He left Quatre's apartment intending to go to Nallen's to hunt him down, but he was too damn tired. He stifled a yawn and decided, regretfully, to head to his apartment. He turned into his development and parked under the carport. He ran inside to avoid getting soaked by the pouring rain. Dropping his wet coat on the floor, he flipped on the light in the kitchen. He took off his wet shoes and turned to head for bed. He stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes thankfully gazed over every square centimeter of the image in front of him. He admired the way the sheets clung to Quatre's legs. He ached to touch the creamy flesh of Quatre's exposed back-every centimeter down to where the tantalizing curve of his ass began. God, his sheets sure knew how to torment him. He approached the side of the bed where Quatre's arm hung off, fingers brushing the floor. He sat on the floor and watched Quatre's peaceful face until Quatre opened his eyes. Trowa blushed as Quatre raised his head to look at Trowa more closely.

"Trowa? That you?" Trowa leaned forward to brush his fingers along Quatre's shoulder.

"Yeah." He hadn't realized until he saw Quatre sleeping in his bed how worried he had been-and now he was that relieved. "I missed you." Quatre smiled brilliantly.

"Missed you, too." Trowa finished shedding his clothing and crawled over Quatre into bed. He turned and gathered up the blonde in his arms and fell contently asleep.

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This time, Duo made his coffee the way normal people like it. Only, instead of drinking out of mug, Duo was sipping gracefully out of the pot. He leaned on the railing of his balcony and gazed solemnly over the city. He raised the coffeepot to his lips and sipped delicately at the steaming brew. Turning his back on the scenery, he returned to the kitchen only to stare at the pantry. Unable to decide on breakfast, he wandered into his bedroom to braid his still damp hair and slip on fresh clothes. He dumped the rest of the coffee in the sink and grabbed Quatre's keys.

He sat in the comfortable interior of Quatre's Mercedes, staring at nothing. He passed through seemingly endless intersections-stopping if only by instinct or luck. He felt dead inside. This mission was already starting out badly-and it wasn't the alcohol. Duo knew the difference between a bad feeling and a hangover. He opened the driver-side window and turned up the volume on the stereo. Strains of U2's "If God Would Send His Angels" drifted from the speakers. Duo cranked the volume even more.

You see his mother dealin' in a doorway / See Father Christmas with a bag and bow / Jesus' sister's eyes are blistered / The high street never looked so low

Duo turned around a corner, listening intently to the words. They were so true. What had this world come to? We fought so hard for peace and then Marameia comes along and screws it all up. We fight again, and then this shit happens. Why can't we win?

It's the blind, leading the blind / It's the cops, collecting for the crimes / So where is the hope, and where is the faith / And the love?

Stopped at a red light, Duo gazed sadly at HQ, looming proudly in the distance. The world must not have any more faith. He could feel his own wavering.

What's that you say to me, what's love? / Light up your Christmas tree the next minute / You're blowing a fuse / And he Cartoon Network turns into the news

Duo laughed. The Cartoon Network could never turn into the news-and if it did, Duo would be long gone by then. He couldn't live in a world with no `toons. After all, Tom and Jerry were required viewing. Maybe things weren't so bad. After all, they had been worse.

If God would send His angels / And if God would send a sign / And if God would send His angels / Where do we go?

Duo grinned, turning off the engine in front of Trowa's apartment. Maybe the Gundam pilots were "God's angels". After all, we fight only to gain peace and justice, and we are only there when we're needed. He looked up at the sun blazing happily in the sky, things were definitely looking up. He strolled to Trowa's door and knocked. He waited a bit and raised his hand to knock again when a bedraggled Trowa opened the door.

"Trowa! When did you get back?"

"What the fuck do you want?"

"Good morning to you, too." Duo pushed his way inside. "I can to drag Quatre out of bed and shove breakfast and water down his throat."

"Gee, Duo, you make it sound so lovely."

"Thanks!" Duo grinned. "So, did you like my surprise?"

"Huh?" Duo pointed to the bed where Quatre still slept. "Oh, I almost didn't get it."

"Why not?"

"I went to Quatre's place."

"Oh."

"Thanks, though. I love the gift." Duo grinned again.

"Good." Duo sat down on a stool by the kitchen counter. "Wanna come to breakfast? It might be wise." Trowa raised an eyebrow. "We have a mission."

`When?" Trowa's face turned white.

"Sorry, dude, but Une wants us to leave at three."

"I just got back." Trowa turned to gaze at Quatre, who was beginning to stir. "Us?" He turned back to Duo.

"Quat and I have been assigned to go to one of the Node bases." He reached out a hand to Trowa. "Don't worry, we'll come back safe and sound." Trowa turned to look at him with haunted eyes.

"Do you really believe that?" Duo searched those haunted eyes and found that Trowa felt the same way that he did.

"No." He looked at Quatre. "Neither does he." Trowa walked over to Quatre and kissed a bare shoulder. Quatre stirred and opened his eyes and smiled at Trowa. Duo watched, a pang of regret forming in his chest. He watched as Trowa helped Quatre from bed and gave him a good morning kiss. Duo wasn't jealous of Quatre, he was angry at himself. He was angry that he didn't have the courage to tell Heero how he felt. Duo gazed at his shoes. It was strange, Heero had been so concerned about him lately-coming to his apartment to drive him to work, stopping in middle of his work to ask if Duo needed any food, even getting that food. Duo felt tears stinging his eyes, and the song on the radio came back to him: And where is the faith / And the love? He turned from the loving scene and fiddled with his braid.

"Quat? Wanna go to breakfast?" Duo called over his shoulder.

"Duo? Um…sure." Duo turned back around to see Quatre look at Trowa quizzically.

"Trowa's coming too, even if I have to drag his ass with us." He chuckled at Trowa's mock-offended expression.

"Trust, me, you won't have to drag my ass anywhere." Quatre got up and headed toward the bathroom.

"Mind if I take a quick shower?" Both he and Trowa shook their heads negatively.

"I want you smellin' good for our mission, Quat" Quatre grinned and disappeared into the bathroom. Duo turned to Trowa again. "I want to come home…and I want Quat to come home, too."

"I know."

"Good." Trowa approached him.

"Duo, you might want to talk to Heero before you leave." Duo glanced up startled. Heero? Did Trowa know?

"Why?"

"He…cares." Duo gazed down at the counter under his hands and barely nodded his head. He looked back up at Trowa, noticing for the first time a fresh bandage wrapped around his arm.

"What happened?" Trowa glanced down at his arm and back up to Duo.

"Ran into some trouble. Got shot. You know, the usual." Duo snorted.

"Yeah, the usual. Does Quat know?" Trowa shook his head.

"When I got back last night, we just fell asleep. I'm surprised he even woke up." Quatre came out of the bathroom.

"I'm glad that I have a duffel packed at the office for missions. I'd hate to have to wear this several days in a row." Trowa moved over to plant a kiss on Quatre's lips before slipping into the bathroom himself. Duo grinned at his friend.

"Shmoe." Quatre laughed.

"Why'd you bring me here?" Duo grinned his evil grin.

"You were my gift to Trowa." Quatre blushed.

"Did he like it?" Duo grinned even more wickedly.

"Oh, yeah. He loved it." Quatre turned several shades of red, and grinned back. "Quat?"

"Yeah?" Quatre rummaged through the refrigerator.

"Do you think Heero likes me?" Quatre stopped and stood up to look at him.

"If I didn't know Heero, and I hadn't known him since the war-I would say: no." Duo looked down again. "However, I have known him since the war, and I know how he used to be, and I know how he is now. I think that he cares deeply for you."

"Why hasn't he said anything?"

"Why haven't you?"

"Heero's not chicken."

"Neither are you." Duo threw his hands up.

"Damnit, Quatre!" Duo stopped. "Sorry, Quat, but I'm just so frustrated."

"Duo, Heero has shown you that he cares. It's the only way he knows how."

"How?"

"You've told me yourself that he's shown up at your apartment to drive you to work. You've told me that he checks up on you at work, and makes you eat at least somewhat healthy. And, he's called me up at my house before asking if you were there, because he couldn't reach you at your house." Duo looked up at Quatre.

"He did?"

"Not did-does."

"He's done that several times?"

"Almost every time that you've passed out on my couch." Quatre smiled at him. "He does care for you-deeply. But I don't think he realizes exactly how much." Duo turned to look at the front door and absorbed the information. It seemed plausible, but could he actually tell Heero how he felt? He felt Quatre place a hand on his arm. "Duo, just talk to him. You don't have to tell him how you feel. Just talk. Before we leave." Duo nodded.