|
"On the Wings of an Eagle"Written By: Kaeru Shisho Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing
or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, male/male pairings, language Pairings: several Summary: When Trowa Barton and Duo Maxwell pay Quatre Winner a visit, he coerces them into archeological site destruction and matchmaking A/N: My deepest thanks go to the kindness of Snowdragon and WaterLily for editing and encouraging me to complete this. Sequel to For a Lark "On the Wings of an Eagle " Chapter Fourteen I'm Flying Again "What does Catherine think about all this?" Winner asked. We were on our way to the condominium. "She must be proud of you." "You're assuming I told her anything." "You haven't? She's your sister, Trowa! I would think you'd keep her informed of what was going on in your life." I guess his family did that sort of thing. Problem was, I'd never had family like that. "Maybe you do that, but not me," I said and as a result, he looked hurt. The truth hurts. "Listen, Catherine's not my sister, okay? She just lost her family, including a younger brother, in the war. It was just a coincidence that I showed up when I did and had enough of a family resemblance to make her believe it was possible." He blinked. I guess I did rant on a bit. "But it is possible?" he asked. I shrugged indifference. "As much as I could be related to Duo or Heero for that matter." Duo, who had been sharing hair tips (don't tell him I said that) with Zechs, of course, heard that part and entered the conversation. "Eww! No way." Winner smiled and shook his head. "I wouldn't worry." He turned his frown back to me. "But Catherine is probably worried about you, then, if she hasn't heard a word--." "I called her," Duo said as casually as he'd say "I ordered a soda." "You did?" I was more surprised than upset. He hadn't told me any of this. Not that it mattered. Everyone else had stopped talking and now they were looking at us, mostly at him for his explanation. "I wanted to know if she wanted any of the furniture back and she said no and asked why and I said we were Earth-bound and she asked how 'Trowie' was and I said walking and that's the way I was going to keep him so no more lions thank you very much and she said okay and I said you were going to college and—" he paused to catch his breath, "—she asked who? And I said Tro' and then I had to go and said bye and that was that." "Well, fine then," Winner said with a look of relief, his sunny smile in place again. "It's important to keep in touch with family, even adopted family." "Trowie?" Yuy asked, but I settled that question with a stern look. It didn't hurt that I silently mouthed "Hee-Hee", Duo's pet name for him, which I had heard only once during the war. The limo parked in the unloading zone of the condo complex owned and operated by the Winner Corporation. "Why?" was on all of our lips. "We own many properties," Winner explained, " especially around universities where we trade experts from the field with university researchers and need nice accommodations available on short notice. There are apartments, but if you are going to be here for four years, a condo is a better investment." Winner smiled. "And, Duo, I know you can afford the terms I can offer you." "You know a lot about my finances," Duo said in his low "I'm getting testy" voice. I noticed even Yuy ducked for cover, either that or he was checking out the electrical box at the security station. Probably that. Or possibly not. "I wouldn't be offering you a place you couldn't easily afford," Winner said airily. Zechs nudged him. "Not to mention his ex-partner's information." I don't think Winner had any intention of mentioning Hilde Schbeiker or her information, from the look on his face. I could feel Duo giving off sparks and nearly joined both Chang and Yuy off grilling the security officer. Duo's eyes flickered, his lip curled and he growled. "Hilde told you how much she paid me off with? Damnit, don't I get any secrets or privacy?" "Not when it comes to money. Your line of credit, taxes, your assets-- it is all an open book," Zechs said, "in the hands of an avid reader." "To him!" Duo pointed at Winner. His hand flashing out so fast that if he'd had gun, Winner would have been a goner. "Do you want to take a look at the place before you have a fit?" Winner snapped. Duo looked at me and I nodded to him. I could see him compose himself as quickly as he'd been set off. "Wasn't a fit—just saying—" And so we concluded our financial discussion and walked to the desk flanked by the ashen-faced security man and another employee, whose name badge proclaimed her title as the concierge. "Hi, I'm Pam," she said to us automatically then turned slightly and said, "Good afternoon, Mr. Winner. I'm so honored by your personal visit." Uh, huh. Scared shitless, more likely. She couldn't even choose between formal and informal introductions. Zechs looked amused, so I bet "caretaker training camp for the rich and famous" was in her future. Winner was all business, moving things along with his effortless grace. Guess that's what breeding does for a person. "Thank you, Pam. Would you show us the available units I called about?" Of course she would she'd be "thrilled". Pointing out the security station and postal storage along the way, we filled an elevator uncomfortably and flew upwards. Duo grinned. He loved speed. She showed us a two bedroom, a three bedroom and a one bedroom, which were available. It was becoming one big blur to me. Duo liked the view and the price-tag of the one-bedroom. I couldn't tell you one defining thing about any of the rooms. "If you'd like, I can show you the garage, storage facility and the gymnasium?" Pam, the concierge, offered. Wufei perked up again. "Gym? Yes, show us that next," he demanded in a way that sounded as if he meant to add, "You should have begun with that, woman!" No, it wasn't what he expected, Chang confided to me. I hadn't expected a thing so I just nodded, while he said, "Not a gold star establishment, but to have a laundry in your own house and a gym in the basement seems too good to be true." I agreed, sorta. I would have agreed had I been cognizant of everything going on around me. Things were happening so fast. The university was huge. I had no idea how I'd fit into that ancient establishment. A house, condo, with Duo? One room, Two? I hadn't any money, big money, to contribute, so why should I even have any input? My head was spinning with too many decisions. I just let Duo and Winner handle it all. I know that was rather stupid of me. I'd have nobody to blame but myself if I didn't like how things turned out, but then it was nice letting someone else take charge, someone I trusted, and I hadn't any choice. My brain simply refused to focus. I nodded and signed my name when asked, but otherwise I was too overwhelmed to say a thing. On the ride back to Winner's estate, I realized I'd co-signed papers making Duo and me co-owners of a condo, a one bedroom with a view of the university I'd be attending in a matter of weeks. I was in a daze. Contented in an anxious way. Happy excited. About to collapse. "Security needs an upgrade," Yuy was telling Winner when I tuned in. "I'll see to it. Passkeys should be reissued monthly and the garage is completely unprotected. A few surveillance cameras and another guard to start." Go, Heero! How about electronic searches at the doors for weapons? Oops! I nearly said that aloud. Chang rifled noisily through a backpack of pamphlets, brochures, and applications which he'd accumulated. He chose one that looked like a list of majors. "How did you pick one?" he asked me. "Duo did it." "Hey, you made the final choice, buddy," Duo said. He tightened his arm over my shoulders. "I helped narrow the possibilities." I felt his smile against my cheek and a kiss to my prickly chin line. That was true. If I blew it, it would be all my fault. "That's right." Chang's eyes slid over to Duo, then Yuy then back to the listing. "Chinese culture or world history?" "You can do both." That was Yuy's input. "If you want to do this," Yuy told him, barely about a whisper, "then do it." I recognized that raw, exposed look on his face. Heero Yuy couldn't hide his feelings for the other man. Lucky Chang, indeed. He seems to have found, and exposed, a very supportive man under that cold bastard exterior. It appeared that Yuy totally believed in Chang's abilities. Chang's face lit up at his words. "I think I might. I liked the condo idea as well. I'm throwing away money on rent and have nothing else to spend my money on." The two exchanged nervous glances. Making life decisions in the company of four other people probably felt like a strange thing to do, I know, because I'd just done the same thing. "I have money for a down payment," Yuy said. "I could put in for a transfer, if you get placed in a program." Chang's eyes glittered. "That would work. We could afford the two bedroom condo—" "Yes, I, ah, was thinking that too," Yuy broke in with an undisguised excited hitch in his voice. "If I worked, we could afford to share, um, like that. If you wanted." "Of course." I nearly laughed at Chang, who could hardly spit out how much he wanted to have the other man be a part of this new adventure. Nearly. But then I got to thinking about my own arrangement and wondered if Duo had paid for our condo or had I contributed anything at all to it? What were our financial arrangements? Asking these questions was a good sign; it meant I was coming out of my semi-coma state. I hoped. Talk moved on to other topics, including our love of piloting and the fate of our Gundams. Duo usually became glum when their destruction was mentioned; we all had been close to our alter egos, but I think he bonded especially close because it was the only thing he'd ever considered his, aside from his braid—oh, and that cross of his which he no longer wore, but kept in a pocket. But this time things were different. "The Gundams!" he shouted. "They still exist." "Absolutely not," Chang said, firm as granite. "I'll show you when we get back," Duo assured us all, but he wouldn't give away any more of his secret. The minute we got home Duo took off for our room. The rest of us stood around feeling stupid. "I don't know," I said again and again. I didn't know what Duo was talking about. I really wasn't an appendage to Duo. Really, guys! "Okay, this'll be really cool; at least, I think so!" Duo yelled from the hallway, his boots pounding on the hardwood floors. Winner winced either at the damage being done to the finish or because of the unconventional noise in his house. Duo skidded to a stop and we circled around as he lifted the lid on a box which seemed familiar to me. Oh, yeah. I remembered what those were now; I'd just forgotten. Leave it to Duo to make the connections. Inside were the toy-candy Gundams. Heavyarms and Deathscythe were on top because those were the last we'd looked at, but the next layer had Sandrock and Shenlong and the last held Tallgeese and Wing. "No Zero," Winner noted with a touch of melancholy, maybe, or perhaps he was a stickler for complete sets. "Um, there was but Tro' and I ate that one," Duo said. No good had ever come of that Zero, until they made it a candy. There was a murmur of "injustice" but mostly noises of the "good riddance" variety. I guess my quiet nature was quieter than usual, because after I noticed Winner and Zechs whispering together and sneaking peeks my way. Then Winner approached me. "Trowa, can we talk a minute, alone?" "Sure," I said, looking for Duo. "Duo!" he shouted. "I'm borrowing Trowa for a minute!" Winner grabbed my arm. "This way, so we can talk." "You've been very quiet today." Just as I said, or didn't say. "I'm always quiet." "But not confused-quiet, and I can understand. So much is happening at once. That can be terribly difficult. And I don't want to contribute to your problems or unhappiness. You know that, don't you?" Um... "I want you to think about all this. Look over the papers, feel free to talk about it, ask questions, even opt out of the commitment if you feel uncomfortable. I don't want you thinking I've rushed you into something that's wrong for you. Okay?" Yeah. Suddenly I felt better. I gave him the shock of his life and hugged him. "Thanks." We were both blushing roses when I released him. "Did you know I had a little crush on you, when we first met?" he asked me. Um... I had had by share of infatuations with nearly any attractive male, too, but I wouldn't admit mine with Winner, not now. "I knew I'd blown it big time after nearly killing you under the influence of that awful 'Zero' system." Yep. "That put the kibosh on anything that might have been, yeah." I was relieved when he laughed a big hearty laugh. He wiped at eyes to clear away a stray tear or two. "I felt so bad for Duo when Heero turned him down, but I'd been crushing on him, ah Duo, at the time, so I was hurt, as well. I was a mess emotionally." Um, yeah... I'd had no idea Quatre was so fickle in his teen years. That alone made me feel better about my numerous lust-filled obsessions, especially since I'd narrowed them down to one, and that one had become the love of my life, whom I needed to talk to-- about much now. When Quatre-- I had to call him Quatre and not Winner "now that we had rebuilt our friendship," as he put it—and I rejoined the others, it was Yuy and Chang who pounced on us, drawing Duo into the pow-wow. "Just so you know--" Yuy began. "We know you all were in cahoots!" Chang completed neatly. Yuy dangled a bit of rope in my face. "You left it behind the first night. I know it's yours. I spent long enough at that circus of yours to recognize the kind of rope you used." Um... Chang displayed a nib of explosive, waving it in Duo's face. "I know Duo set the explosives. It's his signature tie off of the wire attached to the plastic." "Heh, heh," Duo chuckled rubbing the back of his head. "I'm surprised that big a piece survived." "It's not their fault!" Quatre cried out. Ah, the champion taking the blame. Way to step up! "We know that," Yuy said. "It had your fingerprints all over it," Chang said. "Early Japanese island tribal effigies mass produced in China for sale on EBAY. We know you love to shop there, Winner." "It's just that—" he started to say. "You've got a big heart, Quat," Duo said. "Hey, we aren't stupid, ignorant, stubborn kids any more. We're all making these huge life decisions. Sure we make mistakes. Even me!" He got a chuckle from that remark. "There's no wrong choices, just choices we gotta live with." Duo stopped and grinned. Yuy sighed. There really wasn't anything left for him to say. Chang reached for his hand. "We would have worked things out without your 'help'." Right as always to the last drop of sarcasm. C'mon, Chang, the help didn't hurt, did it? "I'm so happy for you," Quatre cried out, this time subjecting Chang, and then Yuy, to one of his encompassing embraces. They both deserved that indignity and I smiled. Zechs, and I can say now that I consider him to be a real friend and a man worth my limited admiration, stepped forward to have put in his word. "From what I understand, you all have Duo Maxwell to thank. His coming out paved the way for all of you to come to terms with your sexual orientations. I, for one, thank him." Nice bow. Very aristocratic. And this was followed by a rush of murmured 'thanks' to Duo and Quatre both. Very touching. Too much touching, normally, but as Quatre called for champagne, the whole touching thing was all right. "Hey, Sweetlips." I spun into Duo. He hadn't used that endearment for awhile, and even then he'd saved it for bedtime activities. "Got your attention," Duo smiled. "Yeah, you did, but you can do that easily." I let him draw me apart from the others, while drinks and glasses were being sorted out. "Yeah?" His smile stretched wider. "Well, I just wanted to sound you out, about the condo and all. That happened pretty fast, didn't it?" Maybe he was unsure, too? I nodded, not certain where he was taking this. "Yeah, the place was cool," he went on, perfectly capable of holding up my side of the conversation when I couldn't, "but the whole process... so much change at once, you know?" Uh, huh. "I want this. I just want to know you are right there along with me, okay?" Uh, huh. "Yeah." His hands were on my shoulders. He'd pulled me closer so our foreheads touched. "Talk to me, Tro'. I want to be there for you, but right now I'm feeling like I'm doing this on my own, ya know, babe?" "I'm sorry. It's been so much so fast." What if I failed? At everything? "I don't know if I can do the school part." "You'll give it your best, I know, and if it's not the right thing for you, there's a dozen other majors you can switch to." "It's just... so much." A lot to get my head around. "It was just the apartment and you and me. Now it's—" I was a loss for words, again. "That's why I'm handling the house. I can do that for you, so you can concentrate on the school stuff, okay?" And it was okay. I felt a weight lifting off my shoulders. "Yeah." That all made sense. We were sharing the future, each taking on what we could. "Seems like I got the easy part." He laughed. "You've never been in a classroom." How had he known that? "Good guess. I'm right, huh? Between being in a circus and with mercenaries, I couldn't figure how a school house could fit in." I smiled and shook my head. "Not very well." I hadn't been in a school. Ever. That had been part of the hitch and just bringing it up really helped. "So you'll have your hands full with school. You'll see. You'll be thinking my job, whatever it that turns out to be, is the easy road." "I'm not convinced, but I'm feeling better," I told him. "You can do this, Tro'. You can do anything if you can train lions and pilot a Gundam and... put up with me." "Not so hard that," I said, accepting a kiss and returning it with meaning. I wouldn't send him running by admitting I'd still be in that apartment, moldering on that satellite if he hadn't come along. Put up with him? I'd put up with him forever and be grateful for the honor. "Here's your glass!" Quatre chortled, sticking champagne flutes in our hands. "Enjoy! And, yeah, everything was all right. As the buzz from the alcohol restored my equanimity, I felt I had made the right decisions today; that Duo had made the right decisions and I'd gone along with them. I could accept my lot-in-life balanced with the joy of having the love of my life there reassuring me that the feeling was mutual. The hard edges had worn off, and I felt pretty mellow. I'd made friends with the enemy, literally, and mended a friendship and possibly opened a door to another friendship or two, potentially, coming up on the horizon. I won't say all was going to be fine, because the minute you say that you know life makes a fool of you, but I was certainly feeling good about the future. Yeah, my job here was done and it was time to go, dare I say it, to my new home. The End
On to the sequel: "Just Ducky" |
