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"Defying Gravity"A Romance in Three PartsWritten 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, yaoi, some language Summary: A multi part story of romance starting
with a turning point vacation, developing throughout a dangerous UC
mission, and moving ahead through the unexpected challenges of a summer
vacation. "Part Two: It's Back to Work"
Chapter 11
This chapter returns to Heero's POV as he strives to revive his Duo. To be honest, I don't know which came more as a surprise to me, Quatre's pleading call or Trowa's desperate one, but my concern for Duo and the mission mounted when Zechs' cell ID illuminated my phone. Calls from all three, deep in undercover was unprecedented; particularly, when I had been ordered unambiguously to stay out of the loop. Notification to act would come through Wufei Chang. "I may have been wrong asking you leave so abruptly," Zechs began. "Hn." "It may have set him off, triggered a defense mechanism in him." "What do you mean?" I asked, my anxiety for Duo's well-being escalating dramatically. "Is he failing to comply with mission parameters?" "No, it's not that," Zechs said quickly. "Maxwell performs his job to perfection." "That's the problem then?" I asked, sarcasm entering my tone as a natural reaction to Zechs' overbearing one. "His dedication can't be faulted?" "I have a degree in psychology, Yuy. The man has let his UC role take over his personality. This isn't just my perception, since I don't know Duo as well as his other teammates. Winner and Barton are in complete agreement." "None of you have ever worked with Duo on a mission like this. He has always worked solo. He insisted on it. I am sure he is aware of his mindset on an undercover, infiltration job and has avoided partnering for that reason." I had defended Duo, and now I would risk undermining his image in order not to forfeit my credibility. "We know he has become more attached to his roles. We have been aware of his growing problem with each new assignment; even he has, because he did not ask for this assignment, if you recall." "It is making my job very difficult. He has fixated on me," Zechs said. "I am not a homosexual. This mission is challenging enough for me without having to fight off his advances in the few minutes of downtime we have. His ability to distinguish real from imaginary is... diminished, I'm afraid." It hurt me to imagine my lover fawning over Zechs Marquise, a man who was once our enemy. It must be killing Duo inside as well, I thought. Still, I had my orders. "It takes work to get into a role. He can't just turn it on when he walks out the door and off the moment he walks back in. He stays UC for the duration. You know that. What do you want me to do?" "Arrange a trade. You and Chang for the other two undercover operatives, and do it immediately." "We are not...suitable for UC. You said so yourself." "Correct. You are not homosexuals nor do you look European, but you can ground Duo Maxwell." I sighed deeply. I did not want to demoralize Duo by making him think we doubted his ability, especially if it was mostly just to alleviate Zechs' discomfort level. That I was gay, well, he'd figure that out sooner or later if I was to be working close with Duo. I would not correct his impression of me now. "If you can't do this, Yuy, I will pull Duo from the operation." "That would be terrible for both Duo and the mission," I said. "I will not continue working with what appears to be a walking, ticking time bomb that might blow at a critical moment." "Duo will not 'blow'," I assured him. "This assurance coming from a man who tried to blow up himself with his Gundam? Yuy, either both you and Chang show, or Maxwell goes. You have two days." "Ludicrous, however, I will make my arrangements immediately. You realize Chang will be left holding together everything we are doing here—alone. He won't be able to train replacements and extricate himself soon." Zechs was not pleased, but he had no choice but agree to give Chang an additional week. None of us had a choice in the matter, it seemed. Forced to make irrational alterations to plans aggravated me, removing my motivation to perform well. Chang would have a temper tantrum. I couldn't wait to call Chang Wufei with the news. I have always had emotions, deep ones. I attempted to control the display of them as much as possible in the past, especially during the war, which was work. As I have grown older, I have better balanced my emotions with my ability to concentrate and make sound judgments, allowing me to empathize with my friends and fellow agents. Still, working intimately with my boyfriend and lover would test my skills to the limit, I feared. I packed my bag, which I had to purchase since Duo had taken mine, for a operation of unknown length and requirements. I had never been less prepared for an assignment in my life. I called Une and told her of the new mission parameters, leaving out the crucial information concerning Zechs' discomfort or doubts about Duo's suitability. She was unhappy, basically, with my explanation, but I was determined to be as uncommunicative as possible. This did not surprise her. She trusted me as usual, but I think she questioned Zechs' leadership. Fine with me. As long as she didn't doubt Duo, I didn't care what conclusions Une drew or excuses she had to make up for herself to be satisfied with the sudden change. Chang, well, ballistic covers his reaction. For a man who considers himself the master of control, Chang Wufei can also be inflexible and unable to take in stride sudden revisions or reversals to the plans. Even Duo could suppress his angry outbursts better than Wufei. I gave him a few minutes to unload without comment or interruption. When he wound down, he agreed to join us as soon as he was certain the extraction plans, for which he and I were jointly responsible, were in place. Nothing substandard would do. Not going in without a clear, detailed, way out. Reinforcements. Transportation. Fully armed. Backup strategies! The man could rant. He was right, though, so I agreed to let him get on with what only he could now do, while I got ready to leave immediately. With a call to Preventer's special ops services, I arranged for an agency rental car fully equipped with sniper gear, med kit, and night vision tools waiting at the airport on my arrival in New Germany. Although I couldn't prepare for the role of a male whore eager to leave the streets and join an army, I could be an army. I thought I could prepare for most anything, but I forgot to safeguard my heart against breakage. The trip lasted several hours. Driving, flying, driving, wrinkling my clothes from the long non-stop traveling, until finally I reached the covert ops house in New Germany, where Zechs, Winner, Barton, and my boyfriend were shacked up. When I stepped into the house, entering the security codes to gain entrance, I could hear Duo's voice. He was easy to locate, however, I couldn't believe my eyes. Duo looked so different with his hair dressed with curls and the eye makeup. His voice and movements had altered from when I seen him last. It was as if the role had absorbed him, just as Zechs had said. I stopped at a threshold and listened. "Easy for you to say, Q-baby. He's not trying to touch your most favorite body parts." Winner was facing the door and spotted me then quickly looked back at Duo and winked. Before he could say anything, I spoke up. "Oh yes, he is." "Heero! I wasn't expecting you for weeks!" Duo cried out. I rushed into his open arms and held him just to make certain he was real. He didn't kiss me, so I assumed it was because of our audience and that he hadn't informed Zechs of our relationship, or didn't feel it was the time and place. When he pushed away I noticed Zechs wasn't in the room. Whatever the reason, I didn't press him for a further show of affection. Not yet. "I arranged for this trip right after my last visit, but after your last phone call leaving Gunter's party, I jumped on a plane and got here ASAP, thinking I could be of more use to you here and now rather than later." "Oh yeah? I'm doing okay," Duo said defensively. "Sounds like you are," I assured him, quickly adding, "I brought a few new toys special ops engineered just for us." "Oh, well, that's okay," he said. I looked him over, but said nothing about the changes in him. I wanted to get Duo alone and talk. Winner and Barton were in the room. "Zechs is resting in his room," Barton told me. "I have to go out and trade cars. I reserved an equipped car at the local Preventer's agency, but I couldn't wait to see you first. Would you like to come along?" I asked Duo. He shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea, me being seen near a Preventer's building." I couldn't help my disappointment showing, I guess, because Winner stepped up to smooth out my homecoming. "Why don't you sit and rest a little first. I'll get you some tea. You can show us what you brought," Winner said brightly. So, I showed off the new tracking devices with microphones and cameras, disguised cleverly as decorative necklaces, or "dog collars" as Barton called them. "Why so many? You aren't going to the club tomorrow to meet Gunter. Just me," Duo said. I didn't want to get into an argument. I was tired, hungry, and my heart was constricting into a raisin. I was bothered that he was going clubbing alone, too. "I didn't bring these to wear anytime soon, although it would be a good idea if we tested them out," I said, cautiously. "These were designed, in particular, for when we all go to the big trading show. There's one for everyone." I demonstrated how to work the collar features: the large, central diamond" pendant was the camera lens; the tag at the closure contained a tracking device specific to that particular wearer; a powerful microphone; and the other decorative details, which were micro-storage devices. Duo reached over suddenly to knock the delicate jewelry out of my hand, shouting, "I'm no goddamned bitch wearing some fucking dog collar!" My arm flew up to block his hands, but he moved so quickly. My elbow connected with his shoulder, sending him spinning off-balance. He crashed into the coffee table, hitting his head and spilling my tea over his shirt. I could tell his injuries were minor, but as a homecoming meeting, it was a major failure. Winner suggested I go take care of car and let Duo cool off. I was relieved not to have to go alone, when Barton accepted the open offer to accompany me and "ditch the bitch-fest." "That wasn't good," Barton said. "No," I agreed. "I wasn't prepared to be the enemy." "You're not. Give him time. He's not like that most of the time. Gunter called him right before you walked in. He's stressed about meeting the perv again." I nodded. "He will not go alone." Barton smiled, "O-kay," meaning that it would my battle to fight, not his. I had fight in me to match Duo and Zechs combined. I turned my airport rental car into a driveway leading to the NG Preventer's garage, hoping they had my specially equipped car ready. I didn't want to wait. I didn't want to find out it was queued up and hours away from ready. "Yes, sir! I made sure they got you the sniper kit under the back seat, just as you asked, Agent Yuy, sir." The novice agent in charge of maintenance greeted me as if I were a commander. "I'd been underneath it changing the oil only a couple of days ago, so I can tell you the car's in good condition. Everything's there, just like you asked for." "Thank you," I said. "Could you do me one more favor?" "For you? Wow, I'm just so honored to meet you! A favor for Heero Yuy the war hero? Ask away!" I blushed. I could feel the heat on my neck and heard Barton chuckle, calling attention to my discomfort. I hated to fall back on my past reputation to get favors, but there were times when I had to. "I need to get the other rental back to the airport." "I can do that! I have packages to deliver to air freight. I'll get a ride back with my buddy there. He drives a cab, so it's really no problem." I thanked him again, traded 'how did a nice Irish boy like you ended up at the New Germany office?' stories, and then I took the keys and returned with Barton to The Hell House. That night I slept on a futon in the guest room, alone. The next morning wasn't any better, nor was the afternoon. I tried to corner Zechs and talk about his urgent phone call which brought me here. He remained sullen and uncommunicative. "You called me, if you recall, asking, no, demanding that Chang and I drop everything, come here UC, jeopardize the mission, in order to ground Duo in reality. Then, when I get here, you brush me off. I thought you were the professional shrink. Summa cum lauda with a B.A. in clinical psych; picked first in your class for admission to the doctoral program at Sanc University. Graduate in the top five." "You've read my resume," he said. "I know a lot more about you after OZ than you think. At only twenty-one, you already published research papers on power dynamics in male relationships, non-verbal communication, and have come up with an interesting theory for your dissertation on something you called the alpha-male personality type," I said, proving I did more than merely read his resume. I memorized it and researched him a little more. "Well, you've done more than read my resume, Agent Yuy, which, all in all, is pretty flattering," he said complacently. "But I still don't quite see how this fits the problem here." "You called me. You tell me how I can help." "Leave. I was just venting. Duo gets a little over zealous, but it's all under control now." "Hn." My runic comment said it all, I thought. My next conversation was with Duo and bordered on surreal. I knocked at the open door to the office where Duo was studying a computer monitor with a stricken look on his face. I walked over to him, but stopped when his raised a hand. "I think it's time for you to pack and go home," he said. "What're you doing?" I whispered. "Making choices," he said. He folded his arms over his chest protectively. "Just go home." I opened my mouth to object and his eyes flashed dangerously, meeting mine pointedly. "I need you to go home now." I shook my head slowly. He stared at me wide-eyed and said, "You don't have to do this." I smiled at him. "I know." The haunted look in his eyes as he tried to object was one I hoped to forget. I left immediately rather than be reduced to an exchange blows, shutting the door behind me. It didn't really matter now what my new orders were. I was going to stay. I'd sealed my own fate, made my own bed, and now I was about to lie in it. The fight began again in the evening as we were preparing to go meet Gunter at the club. "Damn it Heero, why are you in that car?" "We don't all fit in the Jaguar." "You are not, I repeat, NOT going to Club Oz with me tonight. I thought that was understood." "It's just a car." I said casually. "The plates are non-traceable," I added in case Duo would question my sanity or judgment further. He just stared angrily at me. "We're playing a game, Duo. I'm willing to do things that you, Winner, and Barton aren't able or aren't willing to do." I opened the door and started to get out of the car. "Trowa's not coming tonight, is he?" Duo asked. His growing alarm with the changing circumstances worried me. He had always been good at rolling with the punches. "I assume he is," I answered. "He's inside, dressing to go out." "I don't exactly like that statement knowing that you aren't supposed to be involved in this game and he's supposed to be over at Gunter's house. Jimmy better not have been left alone at that house. I'm really starting to get pissed. I hate it when things change right in the middle of the game!" "Stop making a scene. Not here Duo, just look happy," I warned him with a nod to the house across the street. "Name's Scythe, asshole." Duo growled something else, spun around, and headed back into the house, calling for Zechs, or Wind, leaving me to catch up behind him. "Do you know anything about this?" Duo demanded. Zechs shook his head. "If I'd have known, I'd have told you, however—" He stopped me at the front door before we went in. "Heero has never been wrong in what he's decided on his own to do. If he's here, he's here for a reason. Just listen to him before you go off." "Are you suggesting that I go off regularly?" he asked. Zechs smiled and opened the door. "No, honey, I'm not suggesting that at all." I could read Duo's body language pretty well, in spite of the changes, and right now I could see him bristling from what he would have felt was an insult, even though Zechs hadn't actually insulted him. And then he flung himself into Zechs' arms, pulling the older man down for a kiss. My vision shut down as a cold chill froze the blood in my veins. No, I did not see that! For me, time was suspended. I tried to parse the surrealistic scene playing out in full view of my comrades. I could not do it, anything, but especially not "it." "I'm taking a walk. Work this out by the time I get back," I told them both and left. Zechs called Duo "honey," which really irritated me. I knew I was a jealous man, but I couldn't help how I felt! I repeated to myself what I'd told Zechs: he can't just turn it off and on like a tap. Duo is Scythe. Worked shit. I don't know if it had to do with how so much had changed for everyone but me in the time that they'd been here or that it was just that I hadn't started together in this house. I felt like a real outsider, and considered leaving. I knew that leaving here would be one of the hardest things for me to do. I didn't want to leave Duo in this way, hostile against me, while he was in mission mode. The exercise cleared my head, somewhat, but the moment I passed over the threshold, I instantly felt as if I were back in the alternate universe home. As I walked in, I was greeted with seeing Zechs with his arms wrapped around Duo, staring out the window overlooking the backyard, at the rising moon, I guessed. I had certainly not expected something like this. It seemed that all I could do for a few moments was stare. I hadn't known that Zechs was possibly bi. I'd been informed by him that he was heterosexual, married with a child. I had pictured him as the jock who would sleep with the entire cheerleading squad, just because he could. I almost laughed at my own thoughts, thinking that it might have been the football team instead. Duo had some major problems and major hurt in his past and I didn't think a fantasy love affair was going to help him any. Not to mention I was jealous as hell. And hurt. So hurt that it didn't occur to me that Zechs needed help, too. That he couldn't hop in and out of his role instantly either. My being there tampered with his 'master' role. "Duo, can I talk to you for a second?" I asked quietly. They both turned and I could see the nervousness in Duo's eyes. I couldn't believe how clearly I could read him. He looked down and away from me as if he'd done something wrong. Zechs cleared his throat nodded. He kissed Duo softly on the cheek and started towards me. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions," he said as he walked past me. "Talk to me first." "Hn." He was right about that one. The first question I had was about what was going on between him and Duo. "I'll be a moment, Duo. Don't go away." I followed Zechs to the office and shut the door. He sat in the office chair and I leaned against the desk. I wasted no time getting to the point. "What's going on between you and Duo? You act like his lover, encouraging his fantasy. How am I supposed to fight against the two of you?" "Couldn't you start with something easier?" "Look, I'm the last person to talk about relationships and fuck-buddies, but he's in a delicate situation. Whatever you do affects him and your faking and doing things with him will hurt him more than it will hurt anyone else." I crossed my arms over my chest. "Did you pick him for this role because he looked easy?" "I'm not faking it with him, I genuinely care for him," he said quietly. "This is a role and it is difficult to move in and out of it, and he's terribly... persuasive." "In only a few weeks, on a damned UC mission, you care for him?" I asked with a snort. "How the hell can you know him well enough in such a short amount of time, under mission-controlled conditions, to know how you might feel?" "Oh, you're the last one who should be using that as an argument against it. How long was it before you and Duo were on intimate terms?" I inhaled a breath and blew it out slowly. Had he guessed or had Duo told him we were lovers, or was it once lovers and now—what were we? "That's none of your business. It's different." "Why is it different exactly?" Zechs got up from the chair and began to pace. "We were off duty, for one thing, and we're friends, Zechs. Close friends." "Don't give me a bunch of shit here, Yuy. I can smell a jealous man a mile away. Back off. I know enough about his past and what he's been through, that I just want to hold him close and heal those deep wounds. I am his master and he looks up to me. I am all he needs." I should have actually listened to what he was saying. I was talking to Wind. Instead, I laughed. "That's a far cry from what you thought at the agency. It was you yourself that didn't think trusting him was a good idea. Une had to force the partnership on you. And the phone calls to me? What was with that? You pulled me off my work, demanding I come here and save Duo, but it looks like it's you who's gone half-cocked insane." He glared at me. "Need I remind you what you said about him?" I hadn't wanted Duo to ever return to this kind of work. I'd wanted him to quit, be safe. It wasn't a bad want, just not a particularly flattering one to Duo's tender ego. "Maybe you can both tell me what was said about me to my face instead of talking about me behind closed doors. I mean it's only fair right?" Duo's voice floated softly through the room. He stood forlornly in the doorway of the office. I had not heard or noticed that the door had even been opened, but now, a moment later, he then looked pointedly at me. "Let me guess, did it have anything to do with how I can't be trusted not to blow this and lose it or something? Or how about that no matter what happens, Gunter will taint me for the rest of my life? How I'll never really amount to anything? I mean, I've pretty much heard everything that anyone has ever said about me; so it's nothing new. What's new is having it said behind my back. Most people have the balls to tell me to my face that I'm worthless." I suddenly felt such sympathy for him. I knew that I'd not said anything about him that was derogatory in any way, but I still felt like I was guilty of something. "You're not worthless Duo," I said as I stared at him. "You're worth is definitely not calculated by the company you keep. I don't think that Jimmy would think you are worthless. I think that he will feel very lucky to have you there working for his release, when his world has otherwise fallen apart." "Oh yeah, if I were him I'd feel so lucky," he said sarcastically. "After being used by some monster to go back to a place that's more of a prison than a home, only to have a bigger monster waiting for me there. I'd feel so lucky to be owned and passed around with others making a profit off of my tiny little body. Oh, you bet I'd feel so damned lucky." Tears trickled down his cheeks. "If I were him, I would absolutely hate me. It's not like I've exactly done anything to get him out of there." "What can you do Duo? What can you do to get him out and keep him safe?" I asked. "Even you can't get away from Gunter." He sighed and looked away. "I'll see you later guys. I can drive myself to the club. You all know where to find me." "Don't you dare walk out of here," Zechs said as he finally found his voice. "You'll know exactly what was said about you; neither of us has anything to hide." Duo shook his head. "I can't deal with this right now. I have to get out of here." Just as I was about to take Duo into my arms, he flinched. I hesitated and then hugged him tightly against my chest. "Oh, Duo, don't ever think I would hurt you." Zechs looked at me, confused, and shook his head. I knew that Duo had more issues than he could even begin to understand. "Duo?" I called his name out gently and when he looked at me, I tried to give him a reassuring smile. "Do you want to know what I said?" He shook his head. "No, that's okay." He tried to pull away but I tightened my hold. "In a nutshell, what I basically said to Zechs was that you had been through a lot and to go easy on you. I trusted you and what you'd told us about that night at the club with Gunter and without batting an eye, but," I softened my voice to check the strong emotions making me hoarse. "Duo, I was concerned about you being left alone with Gunter again. I... we both care for you so very much. No mission is worth destroying your health or your mind." "You trust me?" "I always have, but I read your body language, too. I know you like working infiltration missions alone and not as a team. You are cutting the rest of us out, and we are here to support you." Duo stared at me for a few moments as if he didn't understand. "I read your actions, the way you moved, even your voice. No matter how much I wanted to think you were still the Duo I loved, I knew you weren't. You've become this Scythe character. The only time you were my Duo was when you greeted me when I first arrived. I'd surprised you. There was something about you that was just off to me, though, and I didn't figure it out until we were at the car waiting. I figured out that you didn't want to invite anyone else into Gunter's world. That you want to carry the weight of this mission alone to protect the rest of us." He shrugged off a single layer of Scythe. "I could have been just trying to get some drugs and sex." I laughed. "Were you?" "What do you think?" He smiled slightly and shrugged off a little more of his UC persona. "I had to know what Gunter was doing and convince him we were all into it, but Quatre...he's not cut out for this. Trowa's barely able to hold it together." "You guys having a secret meeting, or can we join in, too?" Quatre asked, a frown creasing his brow and Trowa looking over his shoulder. "No, come in, both of you," Zechs began. "Quatre, give me your analysis of Duo so far." "Duo is scared and he looks away from our eyes quite a bit. He's avoiding your gaze because he's afraid of confrontation. He looks you in the eye though when it's really important and uses his hands to try to get the point across that he's telling the truth. That showy little bravado that he exudes is his safety zone. He's been hurt badly before, you can tell by the way he watches a person when they walk by him. He's looking to make sure he isn't hit. There's a lot more to him than meets the eye, but I'm sure you already know that." "Damn it, Barton, your boyfriend is a bona fide profiler," Zechs laughed and started walking away. "Quatre's many things," Trowa agreed with a lop-sided smile. "Although 'boyfriend'...you didn't hear that from either of us." "Being able to read people so well, you'd think you'd trust those of us that are truly being sincere with you," Zechs said directly to Quatre, ignoring Trowa's relationship side-step. Quatre's clear blue eyes flashed. "But I do!" Zechs shook his head. "You don't trust me. None of you do, actually, except Duo, and then that's only some of the time." "We've never worked with you before," Quatre said defending us all. "In fact, we once fought against you to the death, Heero in particular. We, on the other hand, have been looking out for one another for years. You can't expect instant good karma." "Didn't I see that in the store along with the soups?" Duo asked. "Nah," Trowa drawled. "Instant Ramen. Not the same thing at all." "Man, I could use something before I go out. I'm starving!" Scythe was gone and Duo was back, for a little while, it seemed.
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