Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Theories of Revolution and Affairs of the Heart ❯ Impossible to Refuse ( Chapter 11 )

"There," Wufei muttered, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "Good as new." He looked up at the newly repaired Shenlong, smiling in satisfaction at the product of his hours of labor. Jumping down from the cockpit, he was about to leave the hangar when he heard a voice cry out in pain.

"Allah take it!" Quatre threw his wrench down in frustration, bringing his throbbing finger to his mouth. Who knew that repairing Sandrock would be so difficult? The Maguanacs never seemed to have any trouble, and Quatre KNEW that he understood the blueprints. This should be working, but so far all he'd managed to successfully complete were the simple tasks. This hydraulics problem was important and he wasn't getting anywhere. He narrowed his eyes as he glared at the joint of Sandrock's arm, obligingly moved close to the open cockpit.

Wufei, with a small sigh, walked down by Sandrock's feet, and called up, "Are you okay?" Obviously Quatre wasn't okay, but it was more a question of whether Quatre needed help or not. It was just a disguised question, to uphold Quatre's pride.

There was a long pause as Quatre debated the issue. On the one hand, he might not live it down if it got out that he couldn't complete repairs on his own Gundam. But on the other, Sandrock needed to be in prime condition, and he didn't know when they'd get another chance for repairs. With a sigh, Quatre called back down, releasing the cable so that Wufei could come up. "Um... I could use some assistance."

Wufei grabbed the lowering cable, and Quatre pushed a button, pulling Wufei up. "What's the problem?" Wufei asked, stepping into the cockpit next to Quatre, peering at the exposed gundanium arm.

"The hydraulics in the elbow joint. I can't seem to make sense of what I remember from the blueprints and what I'm seeing." Quatre remained focused on the arm, not looking at Wufei. He reached out to point at one part. "This one's been giving me a lot of trouble, obviously." Quatre's tone was wry as he used his already bruising finger as evidence.

Wufei studied the arm for a moment, then leaned forward and explained the problem to Quatre, gesturing and demonstrating as he went along. After twenty minutes of lecturing with an occasional question from Quatre, Wufei looked at Quatre with a smile and said, "Do you get it, or did I sound like a textbook?"

"I get it." Quatre grinned. "You're a superior textbook."

Wufei rolled his eyes, but couldn't control his own grin. "Oh yes. I feel ever so superior. Now, you need two things. Ice for your thumb, and something cold to drink. I'm having lemonade; want me to make enough for two?"

"That would be lovely. And thank you." Quatre hoped that Wufei would read all the appropriate levels in that statement. Gratitude not only for the help, but for the manner in which it was given, which was just as important, if not more so.

Lowering himself to the floor, Wufei left the hangar and went into the kitchen, pulling down some lemonade mix and a large pitcher from a cabinet. Sensing that Quatre had come in, he said without turning around, "Did you talk to Trowa?"

Quatre sat down in a chair at the table. "Yes."

"And?" He poured some water into the pitcher and measured out the mix.

"Well..." Quatre looked down at his hands. "He was a little surprised to learn how hurt I was, but I learned how long he'd been pining for Heero. I realized that he and I... well... how well can something work if both people--" Quatre cut off abruptly with a faint blush. That hadn't been what he'd meant to say, but he could feel the truth of it. 'If both people want someone else deep down,' his mind finished, wondering where on earth that had come from.

Wufei stirred the mix in. "If both people...?" he prompted, wondering what Quatre had been about to say.

"If both people aren't being truthful about the relationship," he rallied smoothly, hoping that Wufei wouldn't hear the evasion.

"What are you talking about?" Wufei blinked. "What does truth in relationships have to do with your situation?" He sat down across from Quatre, offering a glass full of ice and the pitcher.

"Well, he would have been lying about where his heart really lay, and I would have been lying to myself about it, because I would have realized eventually." Quatre poured some lemonade to avoid looking at Wufei.

Wufei sighed. "That's not what you were going to say."

Quatre resisted the urge to run from the room. "No, it wasn't," he agreed softly.

"Then what were you going to say?" Wufei drank some of his lemonade, looking at Quatre's fidgety hands on the table.

"I... I don't know where the words came from, but... when both people want someone else." His voice dwindled to a whisper.

Wufei's breath caught in his throat. "Quatre," he said quietly. "Are you sure that's not your wounded heart speaking? Are you sure it's not because your heart wants love from Trowa, and can't get it, so it's seeking love in another, as a second-best? As a replacement?" He finished his lemonade and poured more.

Quatre paused to think, letting Wufei's words sink in. He owed them both that much. Was this just the rebound effect? Was Wufei's kindness just a substitute? Something in him rebelled at the thought. "I cared for Trowa, I still do, and part of me always will. I don't know if it was love, or if I just wanted it to be. But I'm not going to pine and spend the rest of my life mourning the fact that he found happiness."

Quatre looked up and made eye contact for the first time since he'd come into the kitchen, and followed his instincts. "What about you, Wufei? Did you ask so that you could politely get away? Or because it really matters to you what I'm feeling?"

"The latter." Blushing slightly, Wufei dropped his eyes to stare into his lemonade. "I wouldn't want to take advan--" He cut his sentence off short.

"Advantage?" Quatre reached across the table to tilt Wufei's face up, so that he could see the smile. "You wouldn't be."

Wufei rolled his eyes. "That's why I asked."

Quatre leaned back with a laugh. "Now there's the Wufei we all know and love."

"Oh, of course," Wufei said with a snort. "I'm ever-lovable. The infamous, quote, Wu-man, unquote."

"It's just a sign Duo loves you, too, in his own way." Quatre grinned as he reached for his lemonade.

Wufei sighed. "Of course he does." He broke out into a fake Duo-grin. "Hey, man, what is with you and JUSTICE? I mean, you're always yellin' about justice and Nataku! Chill OUT a bit, Wu-man!" he mimicked in his best Duo imitation voice, using mock hand motions as he talked.

Quatre giggled quietly, then set into his best Wufei imitation, with a stern face and frown, his arms crossed over his chest. "With your infantile views of life, Maxwell, you would not begin to be able to understand. Now go annoy someone else."

"Hey!" Wufei protested, glaring half-heartedly at Quatre.

Quatre laughed, nearly tipping his chair over backwards, then he grinned, a challenging grin he might have stolen from Duo, based on sheer wickedness value. "Gotta problem with it?"

Wufei buried his face in his hands. "Maxwell will corrupt us all..." he muttered.

A soft chuckle met his words. Quatre was having fun, but it was time to stop dancing around the issue. He rose to his feet and crossed over to Wufei. "Stand up, Wufei."

Wufei blinked at the commanding tone in Quatre's voice. He'd only heard that tone once or twice since he'd met Quatre, and it had only been used in battle. He stood up, finding the voice impossible to refuse. Not that he'd been planning on refusing it, but it was just an observation. 'Maybe I'm just thinking too much.'

Quatre couldn't stop the slight smirk at Wufei's obedience, though he knew better than to ever expect it. Moving to take advantage of the moment, he quickly pulled on the tie that bound Wufei's hair, releasing it. His hand instantly buried in the dark strands, and he used it to pull Wufei to him for a kiss. Despite his commanding way, the kiss was soft, gentle, a bare brush of sensation, before he drew back and smiled.

The blush stained Wufei's cheeks, no matter how hard he tried to keep it from happening. He *hated* blushing. "Quatre..." he said quietly, offering a weak smile. He really, really, really hated blushing. 'Well, he won't see the blush if you distract him.' With that thought, he leaned forward again and kissed Quatre, more fiercely than the blonde had kissed him, but still fairly gentle.

Quatre smiled into the kiss, returning it in full measure. He wrapped his arms around Wufei's middle, wanting nothing more than to hold him close. Well, maybe a little more, but he wasn't going to rush things.

Wufei put his own arms around Quatre in turn, sliding one hand up the back of Quatre's shirt, feeling the soft skin there. He shyly traced Quatre's lips with the tip of his tongue, ignoring the deepening of the blush that nobody was looking at.

Quatre opened his lips to meet Wufei's tongue with his own, feeling almost like he was going to burst with happiness. Wufei's touch on his back only made it better. He reached out with his uchuu no kokoru to Wufei, and thought he might actually burst at what he felt. Amazement and happiness and a little confusion but nothing negative...it was more than he had hoped for.

Melting into the kiss for a few more moments, Wufei then pulled away for air, and to look into Quatre's eyes. "I..." he said, then trailed off. There was nothing to say.

Quatre smiled, a soft smile brimming with his happiness. The clock chimed a relatively late hour. Making sure to keep his eyes on Wufei's, Quatre made a request that he knew could easily be taken the wrong way, though he hoped not. "Wufei... would you stay the night with me? I... I find I'm not ready to give up on this feeling, and I would like stay near you, hold you..."

Wufei smiled. "Why *would* you give up on this feeling in the first place? Of course you can, Quatre. Now can you walk, or should I carry you?"

"Carry me?!" Quatre giggled, giddy on the happiness of Wufei's affirmative.

"You heard me. Was that a yes or a no?"

"Hmmm... well... I guess that my knees are feeling a bit weak..." Quatre smiled coyly.

Wufei rolled his eyes. "Of course they are." He scooped up Quatre, carrying him up the stairs and into the bedroom. Glaring at the two twin beds on opposite sides of the room, he placed Quatre on one and pushed the other across the room to meet the first.

Quatre giggled from his seat on the bed, waiting until the bed was moved before holding his hand out to Wufei in silent invitation.

"You and your giggling," Wufei said fondly, quickly removing his tank top before taking the offered hand. "I hate sleeping in a shirt," he said in explanation.

Quatre eyed his own shirt before setting to work on the buttons. "It's a good call."

Once Quatre's shirt was discarded, Wufei pulled the covers over both of them, wrapping his arms around the blonde tightly.

Quatre snuggled close to his chest, giving a happy sigh. All was as it should be.

~OWARI~