Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Shikanenai ❯ Conflicting Missions Suck ( Chapter 4 )

Title: Shikanenai - Part 4

Series: Gundam Wing

Standard Disclaimers:

Yes, yes, the rules are still the same . . . we may write fanfiction as long as we don't claim ownership of Gundam Wing or those kawaii little bishounen. To quote from our own Justice Boy's official battlecry (coming soon to a ficlet near you . . . maybe), "Futou!!" No, he didn't just say what you think he did!! Sheesh, you friggin' potty mouths! *audience sweatdrops* But I did, however, write this story. It is born of my own insanity, my views on life, and, of course, those dopey li'l romance novel induced ice-cream urges.

Spoilers: Up to Ep 25, I think.

Rating: for reasons below . . . PG-13

Warnings:

It's a slight AU(ok, alt-timeline), fluff, angst, drama - Duo-chained-up - ( not like that you hentais ;), some violence, lime content (some characters have sex but it's not described play for play), and some swearing.

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*><*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*><*~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *>

Shikanenai

- capable of anything

By Duo no Tsuin

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

PART FOUR

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

Heero had slipped out while Duo was dressing, though tearing himself away from the sight was difficult. Duo had gotten up, went to his dresser, pulled out a pair of boxers, and began dropping his towel with his back to Heero, when Heero turned his head and left. He's so unashamed of his body. And it's no wonder why. Heero shook off the thought as he sat down at his computer. Can't think about that now. Think only of missions.

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

Duo found that he had little appetite for food. As he continued to stare blankly at the contents of the fridge, his mind drifted once again to the dark haired pilot.

If I didn't know Heero, then I'd say that he was disappointed. Baka, you just had to bring up food and then he brought up missions. Damn, Heero, I'm sorry. You just had to spoil the mood, Duo. Now, who knows what will happen. You might never have an opportunity like that again. You had it and you blew it. You never even told him. Now what are you going to do? Whatever it is, think of it fast before it's too late, if it's not already.

The moments he had spent with Heero earlier were some of the best of his life. And he had just thrown it away because . . . because of what? It was true. He had felt an ache deep within his stomach . . . but it wasn't for food. He had wanted the events to be different. He hadn't wanted it to end. He wanted more. He wanted to go back and do it over again. Man, I really screwed up this one. But I'm not giving up now. I know what I need to do.

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

As Heero continued decoding the mission profile, he tried to ignore Duo's half-clad form entering the room. Duo stopped next to Heero's side.

"Any new missions?"

Heero did not answer.

"Heero, I'm sorry."

"Your appetite appeased now?" Heero said with a taste of bitterness in his voice.

Duo sighed. "No. It's as strong as it ever was. Maybe even stronger . . . than the day I met you."

Heero's fingers paused on the keyboard. "Is that so?"

"You know it is."

"You shot me."

Duo winced. "Oh, well, yeah, I did. Okay, so sue me. It was later when you had been taken to that Alliance Military hospital. I felt guilty for having put you there. So, I broke you out."

"I remember."

"Yeah? Well, I remember all the blood. I remember thinking that you might die, and I couldn't accept that. Also, I remembered you jumping . . ." Duo gulped regretfully. "And I knew that there was nothing I could do. Then she came. And when she called your name and you responded by pulling your parachute cord . . . I remember wishing that it had been me . . . instead of her. I wanted that power. And, later, I realized I wanted you.

"That day you were working on Wing and wouldn't accept any of my help, I kept telling myself that you . . . weren't worth my time. There was so much that I disliked of you even then. And now, those are all the qualities that draw me to you. You and I are so different. But when we are together, there's some kind of force between us that seems to pull us closer together. Maybe it's hunger, but it's there. Don't you ever feel it?" When Heero did not answer, Duo continued, "Well, I do." Determination with him, Duo stepped between the silent Heero and the humming computer. "And I'm not going to let it go unnoticed."

Duo covered Heero's mouth with his gently, unsure of himself and his actions. Slowly, he quickened his pace. His hands moved to Heero's face and held it. "I need you, Heero," he breathed against Heero's lips. Again, he moved to Heero's mouth. "Please say you need me too." Duo waited. Heero's face was composed and unreadable. Duo looked down. "Well, I guess I must have made a mistake."

"Duo . . ." Heero breathed as he pulled Duo to him once more. "I need you, too." He covered Duo's lips insistently, taking all Duo would give and vice versa. Unnoticed to either pilot, Duo somehow ended up straddling Heero's lap. As their arms wrapped around each other, the kisses grew deeper. Neither knew what was happening. But neither wanted it to stop.

* BUZZ-UUP! *

"What the . . ." Heero frustratedly looked around Duo. "Incoming transmission form Trowa," he said.

Slowly, Duo stood and went around the desk to face Heero.

Trowa's face blinked onto the screen.

"What is it, Trowa?" Heero spit out.

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

Huh? Heero impatient and openly showing it? What had he interrupted. "The situation here is worse than we thought. We will need the Gundams."

After a moment of silent deliberation, Heero spoke. "Understood."

"I'm sending the details now. We'll expect your arrival at the appropriated time."

"Wufei and I will be there."

And not Duo. Trowa nodded. "Over and out."

The screen darkened once more.

"Are they coming, Trowa?" Quatre asked.

"Wufei and Heero are . . ."

"But not Duo." Quatre sighed.

"I'm sure he would like to come, but Heero won't let him if he thinks he'd endanger the mission . . ."

"Or himself."

"Don't worry, Quatre. I am sure Heero has his reasons."

"I know, Trowa, it's just . . ."

"Just what, Quatre?" Trowa said as he crossed the room to Quatre's side.

"I have a bad feeling . . . that's all."

"About the mission?"

"I don't know. Something's just not right."

"Let's not think about it now. We still have time before Heero and Wufei arrive. All we need is them and the Gundams, and the mission is as good as done. But until then . . ." Trowa's lips began curving into a smile.

"What did you have in mind?" Quatre smiled. He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it.

"What do you think? I love you, my little Quatre. I will never love anyone more," Trowa whispered as he moved closer to Quatre.

Quatre's smile brightened. "I love you too, Trowa." He wanted to say more, but, like a magnet, he was drawn to Trowa's waiting arms and expectant lips for a tender and loving embrace before the fire.

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

All during the communication from Trowa, Duo had stared silently with his big, bright blue eyes on Heero. Heero could hardly control himself from shutting off the machine, crossing the distance between them, and taking Duo in his arms. But somehow, he knew that Duo would no longer accept those arms around him. At least, for the moment. And he was right.

Duo stood with his arms crossed, glaring impassively at Heero. "How could you, Heero? You know I'm well enough to go, so why didn't you say so?"

"As far as they know, you're not."

"Well, I heal quickly. Not as quick as you, but quicker than most."

"You're not going."

"Why not? Afraid I'll screw up again and botch the mission?"

"Duo . . ."

"Yeah, I'll bet that's what it is. Better not take Duo along. Why? Because he's a weak link in the mission and Heero Yuy's missions never fail." Heero couldn't speak and he didn't. Duo started to leave. "Oh, and don't worry. I won't follow you when you leave," Duo said with bitterness rampant in his voice as he stalked out of the room.

Heero wanted to follow, but he knew there was little he could say. Duo's better off being alone now . . . and so am I. We can't be close . . . closer than we've already become. It's for the best. Caring for others only makes you weak. It's a weakness that I can't afford to have. The mission is all there is. I must not fail. Not for anything . . . or anyone.

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

Duo entered his room and closed the door. Alone again. "Dammit, Heero. Why couldn't you just let me go with you?" Trowa said he needed all the Gundams. I thought I was one of them. I thought Heero believed that. I guess I was wrong. I'm not one of them. Without me, they would be better off. Death follows me, endangering all those around me. . .especially those which I care about. Care about . . . yes, I do care for them. All of them . . . but especially Heero. "Just don't get killed out there, Heero. If you did, then I'd be responsible . . . whether I was there or not. Please, God . . . let them come back alive. All of them."

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

After Duo had eaten, braided his hair, and dressed, he found himself facing Heero's computer. It occurred to him that he had never asked Heero what he had been doing when he walked in. The computer was still on. That was unlike Heero. Duo sat down in Heero's chair. "Heero . . . what were you looking at?"

He wasn't as fluent with computers as Heero was, but he had learned a few things from watching Heero. A few keystrokes later, he found what he was looking for. "Trowa and Quatre's mission profile . . ." He read it and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He found the information Trowa had sent Heero. Both had referred to Heero's earlier mission. Skimming the brief, carefully not reading past the point where Heero's mission actually ended, it all started to come together. He compared the documents, switching back and forth repeatedly. "Was that right? No, it couldn't be. But it's right here. Did Heero miss it? How could he . . . oh, no! It's all my fault!"

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

"So, Heero, why didn't Duo come?" Wufei asked in the cockpit of the cargo plane.

"He wasn't ready to. In his state, he would endanger the mission," Heero said as he walked out of the cockpit.

"Hm." I thought he was doing better. What state exactly could prevent Duo from piloting his Deathscythe? Whatever reason, it sure agitated Heero. Did something about the mission influence Heero's decision? "Nataku, guide me in the best way to win this battle. We will need all that we can have aiding us. This I am sure of."

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

"Damn! What the hell happened to you, Deathscythe? Last time I saw you, you were almost reduced to the status of junk. Whatever they did . . . it was short of a miracle. Remind me to thank them later." Duo climbed into the cockpit. He did a quick system check. "Fuel . . . full. Weapons . . . repaired and replenished. Suit integrity . . . optimal. Configuration . . . good enough!" Duo loaded Deathscythe onto a truck. He climbed in and slammed the door. "Now all I need is a little long range transportation."

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

"It's a Gundam! Don't let it get to the hangar!"

"I have no fight with you, but if you get in my way . . . you will learn the true nature of Shinigami!"

The leo's fired upon the lone intruder.

"I have no time for this!" Deathscythe erupted toward them, and in one graceful swing of his scythe all were exploding scrap metal. "I'm coming for you, Heero! Just hold on!"

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

"I don't understand? What happened? It wasn't supposed to be like this!" Quatre said in a panic stricken voice. "How could we have overlooked it? How could we . . . how could I have made such a mistake?" He froze in Sandrock's cockpit and would not fight back.

"Quatre? Quatre, snap out of it!"

Amidst all the turmoil, he thought he heard Trowa's voice. "Trowa . . ."

"Quatre!" As a mobile doll raised it's gun on Sandrock, multiple shot's fired from the sidelines, shook the suit, and caused it to explode.

"Trowa!" Quatre looked at the worried face on his view-screen.

"Quatre, it is not your fault. If it is anyone's fault, then it is mine. I never should have let you come . . . but since you're here now, then you may as well be of some use."

Quatre smiled weakly. "Yeah. Yeah! Let's get them, Trowa!"

The battle continued. But it seemed that for every mobile doll lost, ten more appeared straight off the assembly line.

"There are too many of them! We'll never get out of here!" Quatre cried.

"You are doing fine. Just do not stop," Trowa encouraged

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

Elsewhere on the battlefield, the Shenlong Gundam speared the hull of a mobile doll. "The numbers are amazing. They've been planning this one for awhile," Wufei observed.

"We'll get them," Heero said.

"There's no end to them. How can you win a war for humans when an endless supply of mobile dolls lies at the command of your enemy? Where is the justice? Cowards! Why don't you come out and fight! Quit hiding behind these empty machines!" Wufei and Nataku plowed through the doll, impaling and destroying it.

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

The battle raged on, but the numbers never appeared to shrink. "Doll reinforcements present the illusion of real soldiers risking their own lives for their cause. But they are nothing but empty, soulless machines. And humans, unlike machines, can adapt to the way the battle needs to be won," Wufei said needlessly.

"Must you always continue on like this," Heero's grim voice chimed in.

"Just because Duo is not here is no reason that you have to listen to me."

"Keep your mind on the mission."

He says this after comparing me to Duo. That boy is worse off than I thought.

<*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*>

I've got to get to the control tower. It's the only way to stop them, Heero thought.

Wing raised his gun and fired, clearing his path of three mobile dolls . . . momentarily. He dropped his spent gun. As Wing flew in a leap toward the control tower, five more dolls surrounded him. Wing attempted to draw his beam saber, but the dolls moved close around Wing, suffocating him.

Heero strained against the crushing force. "Let me go!" Try as he might, he could not move.

The dolls would not yield to words.

Wing's body began to buckle under the combined force of the dolls. "No! I can't die like this!" He tried harder and harder, but he was becoming exhausted. His grip slackened. Duo . . . I never "Duo!" The lone Wing pilot screamed.

White-- or rather, green-- hot energy sliced through the air . . . as well as the tower.

An explosion! The control tower?

"Did somebody call for backup!"

"Duo . . ." No, it can't be! I left him back home . . . with his Gundam.

A familiar, blue eyed, cheerful face greeted his vision on screen. "You bet, buddy. You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?" Twisting his energy scythe behind him, Deathscythe brought one final, crushing blow down onto the tower.

Explosions rocked the battlefield, gathering the remaining Gundam pilots' attention.

"It's Duo!" Quatre cried.

"Imagine that," Trowa marveled.

"Well, I'll be the son of a . . . Gundam," Wufei joked with a smile.

Joked!? All the pilots gasped in unified amazement.

"Hey! That's my line!" A dumbfounded Duo countered.

"No time for that, now. Let's finish them!" Heero ordered. The remaining mobile dolls were sluggish, if moving at all. "Our objective is to destroy them all."

The clack of Heavyarms' empty gun barrels signaled the need for a new plan and greater firepower. "Enemy mobile suits are entering the battlefield," Trowa warned.

"I will handle them," Wufei said.

"I'm with you, Wufei," Quatre offered.

"Me too," said Duo cheerfully.

"Heero, Trowa, find something to blow this base up with. We're running out of options and weapons," Quatre advised.

"Understood," Heero answered as he turned Wing away.

"Right behind you, Heero."

"Heero, the building over there is the munitions storage site. Start there," Duo suggested.

Heero looked at the cheerful face on the screen. "Thanks, Duo."

"Hey, anytime. Now, there are a few hunks of metal that need my dividing attention," he said with a smirk.

That's Duo. He jokes when faced by . . . Death. Heero gulped, an act not like his perfect soldier persona. Please be okay, Duo. There's so much that I . . . that we have yet to do.

To be continued.

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Grrr, didn't you just hate Heero? I know how Duo felt. It's such a &$#@!! And what was up with that "action" scene. It was all dialogue. What's gonna happen? What exactly did Duo find that wasn't right? Well . . . send all C&C to: duonotsuin@yahoo.com