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"Band of Steel"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, shounen-ai, yaoi in later chapters,
some language, drugs Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3 Summary: With the Sanc battle of the bands contest on the horizon, do the GW boys need the exciting singer from L2 to give them the winning edge? Other credits: Songs are credited in the chapters they are used. Recognition should go to the late Mitch Hedburg for a couple of his wonderful one-liners used. In chapters 7, 11, 12, 15, 17, and 18, dialog from the anime was incorporated directly into the storyline. Acknowledgment goes to someone else for the 'cats are gay', 'knowing color names is gay', and other gay jokes sailing around the Internet. And the New Age affirmations are not mine, but may seen and heard everywhere, even in the GW universe. (Original version 2007 - this is the rewrite version
2009) "Band of Steel " Chapter 2 - Mr. Boombastic After the show, Heero wasted no time waiting for Zechs and the others. He skirted the edge of the stage until he found the stage door, moving swiftly and in silence, avoiding detection. He caught a glimpse of his target walking slowly down the hallway to the dressing rooms. Limping. "Just a minute there!" bellowed a deep voice from behind Heero. "You're not allowed back here." A meaty hand on his collar brought him up roughly. Heero reached around, and with a vise-like grip of his own removed the unwanted hand. "Don't touch me," Heero snarled. "'Sokay, bubba," the singer's raspy voice called out. "He can come back." Heero's head snapped around in time to catch a glimpse of saucy smile and flashing violet eyes. He squared his shoulders and loped off without a second thought to the grumbling bouncer in his wake. Rounding the corner, he was fast enough to see the boy disappear past an unmarked door. The place was a dive, but most venues for music were. A scrawny arm blocked his way past the open door. He recognized the arm belonging to the girl who played on stage, providing the only techno-instrumental background music for the act. Good thing he'd taken the moment to study the arm. He had considered breaking it to get past. "Give him a minute, okay?" the girl asked. Heero watched as the near-naked singer collapsed on a chair, dousing his head with a bottle of water then drinking the rest in a single breath. Heero wanted something, he wasn't sure what, but that singer had it. He wanted to be that bottle. He wanted those lips drinking him in. When he picked up the second bottle, set it down, then lay his head on his arms on the dressing table, Heero stepped aside and let the girl close the door. Clearly, the singer needed a few minutes to rest. He could do that. Heero could wait a few minutes longer. "Gotta smoke," she said and cocked her head for him to follow her to out the door with the EMERGENCY EXIT sign. "Duo disabled it for me," she said providing all the explanation necessary. "Duo? Duo is Shinigami?" "Yeah, that's him. Who are you?" "Heero Yuy." "Heero, huh? Kinda funny, ya know? Your name means like 'one' or something, and his means 'two' in some language." "Hn," Heero grunted. "You know some Japanese." "It's part of the colony lingo on L2. Lots of Japanese stationed there once. I guess the environmental's worked back then...then they left, the technicians did, and things have been falling apart ever since. Kinda sad. But it keeps the elite out of our hair." She shot him a leer revealing slightly crooked teeth and chuckled as she dug through her bag for her pack of cigarettes and lighter. Heero wanted. He wanted to squeeze out every last bit of information about Duo from the girl. When he didn't say anything, she went on. "Um, I'm Hilde, by the way. So, what's you interest in Duo? It had better be music-related, 'cause he didn't come all the way here just to get laid." Heero felt the blood drain from his face. He could want that, now that she mentioned it. "I'm with my band. Our manager wanted us to see the show. I don't know what his purpose was, but our band is missing something and Shinigami, Duo, satisfies the requirements. We are entering the Sanc Kingdom Battle of the Bands, and I want to win. I want to be the best." "Oh? Well, Duo's the best at what he does, only--" She lit up and puffed lightly to get the paper smoldering. "Nobody knew that off-L2, until this weekend." "How was the first show?" "Pretty good. After the break, more kids came in. Guess friends called friends. The next, let's see...that was Thursday night, nearly packed. Real exciting that one. Then tonight. You saw-sold out! He's going places I know." Heero gave her a curt nod of agreement. Duo was star material. The singer could supernova in his universe. Heero did not see the girl fitting into the Cosmos According to Yuy. "Another dude stopped by last night. I didn't like him much. Too...serious in a greedy kind of way. Old guy. Didn't stick around long. A scary-looking woman with him stayed, though, and gave me a card. I thought he'd be back again tonight, but I'm way glad he didn't make it." "Who was it?" "I dunno. Funny name. Lemme see... here it is! Treize Khushrenada." "He's an important man in the recording industry." She grinned. "But you don't like him either." Heero smiled, slightly. "No. He is quick to slap a name on you, pigeon hole you. He can make you money, while killing your creativity." "Oh, bad for Duo. He's all for freedom of expression, as you probably can tell." "Hn." He thought about that, adding another fact to his growing list: Duo was hot and sexy as hell and could sing and dance and was expressive. "He's a pretty cute guy, too, don't you think?" Her tone was teasing and Heero knew that she was only trying to provoke him into revealing his feelings. Heero looked away and shrugged. He could do stoic impressions well. He had plenty to say, but not aloud and not to her. "He draws attention." "Sure does. Sex with a braid! Ha! Some dude put that on the flyer!" If she was expecting a reaction from him, then he was sure to disappoint her, not that she let it show. She held a lungful of tranquilizing smoke then released it into the smoky cloud around her. "If the rest of the guys in your band are as dull as you, no offense, I mean... You gotta grab the audience and wring the applause outta them sometimes. Duo can do that, but also he gives himself. He opens his heart and shares his bad and good stuff. That's what people want. They want the guy up there to entertain them and care, not just take the money and do his thing like it or not. But...you felt that, right?" "Yes. He made me want..." but he didn't finish his thought aloud. He didn't wish to share his innermost and private thoughts with a stranger. He looked at the door, willing himself to be back in close association with the spring of desire. The girl sucked on her cigarette, held the smoke in her lungs then blew it out in a steady stream. "Yeah, he makes me want, too." "Who are you?" Heero asked. "Hilde Schbeiker, like I said. Short memory?" "I meant, what are you to Duo?" "What's left of his band? Oh, you mean... I get it. His girlfriend, maybe?" Again, Heero looked off into the distance, and then turned back to the door. That was not what he had wanted to hear, but what he had sought to discover. Hilde stubbed out her cigarette on the cement step. "We should get back and save him from your friends." "Hn," Heero agreed. (o) The boy called Shinigami collected his voluminous locks, twisted them into a loose braid, and tied it with a strip of denim from his ripped jeans. He was tired, but interest energized him to meet these attractive young men who had been thoughtful enough to request backstage passes ahead of time. No one had ever done that before. Hilde had shaved off the hot dude with the deadly eyes. He smiled. No way was she getting any action from him. He had seen the need in his eyes and the lust. Nope, that guy was not looking up girls' skirts. With a sigh, he hoped he'd be back, but first he needed to collect his wits for his guests, who were entering the room that very moment. "Don't get up, please. Rest. We should introduce ourselves. I am Zechs Merquise, the band's manager." "Holy, shit!" the boy said as he stretched out his smaller hand to shake. A dingy towel fell from his neck to the floor. "Wait'll the gang hears about this." He released the grip and waved his hand in the air. "This hand has touched royalty!" He laughed at his own silliness, but still regarded the man with a touch of awe. Zechs was tall, nearly one foot taller than Duo-- more now because Duo was sitting down-- with an elegant bearing, a sweep of silvery hair past his shoulders, steel-blue eyes, and a long straight nose. His loose pants and poet's shirt were matching unbleached linen, embellished with beads at the cuffs. The man was well-bred and poised-- everything Duo Maxwell felt he was not. It didn't take an inferiority complex to feel second-rate around Zechs. Zechs returned a kind smile. "Well, not any more, not really." He gestured toward Trowa. "This is-" "Lemme guess what they play, all right?" the entertainer begged. "I'm good at this." "Very well, but first, what is your name? I can't possibly keep referring to you as Shinigami," Zechs said. "Oh, yeah, heh, heh. Kinda pretentious, eh? Duo Maxwell. You can call me Duo. The Shinigami thing, that's just a stage name, ya know?" He smiled to hide his nerves and to shut up, another nervous habit. Yack, yack, yack'em to death. He bent over to scrape the towel off the ground then continued to wipe down his chest. "Gotta get up," he said to himself mostly, wincing slightly as he put pressure on his throbbing, sole-beaten feet, and hobbled closer to the boy Zechs had been about to introduce. "Damn, hurts more than usual." "Take it easy," the boy said in a low murmur. "Sure." Duo studied the slightly taller boy with the reddish-amber hair and the dusting of freckles. His eyes dropped to Trowa's left hand and he motioned to touch it. "May I?" Trowa either didn't care or didn't know what Duo meant, but he nodded a fraction anyway, which was enough for Duo to go ahead, reach for the left hand, cradle it and rub it with his fingers. Trowa's eyebrows shot up, but he didn't pull his hand away. Duo dropped it and grinned. "Bass player, right? Oh yeah! Calluses, man. Those heavy strings'll do it every time." "That's cool," he told him. "Name's Trowa. I do flute sometimes, too." "Flute? That's really cool...ah...Trowa. Tro-wa. Got it." Duo smiled again and moved over, examining the boyish-looking blond with the earnest expression. "You know, I don't see guys like you on L2 at all." Off guard, Quatre frowned and retorted, "I'm not soft, if that's what you mean! I'm a smart fighter." "Whoa! Steady there, blondie. Didn't mean any offense, really. It's just that fair hair is quite rare, that's all." He wisely bit back the part about "especially cute ones with gentle blue eyes that are pretty and definitely fuck-bait out on the streets." It was the right thing to do, Duo decided, because in the next moment the sweet-tempered boy smiled back with a faint blush of embarrassment. "Sorry, Duo. I jumped to conclusions. It's just, well, here," he stuck out his hands, palms up. "Guess what I do." Duo grinned and lightly touched the fair skin, noting the manicured nails, and turning the hands over once before looking up. "Keyboards, right? That or synth, techo-something, but sometimes... This hand is very strong with light calluses, but not enough that you play guitar, so I'm not sure where you get those." Quatre grinned, extremely pleased. "Violin! You are very good, Duo. I'm the keyboardist and I play the synthesizer for the band, but I studied violin formally. I'm Quatre Winner." "Quatre." Duo repeated, sounding it out as "cat-tra." "Yes, I'm actually from L4." "Oh yeah? Another colony brat, eh?" "Yes, we all are. Um...Trowa?" Quatre paused waiting for Trowa to give him permission to say more. "He's from L3." While Duo traded colony jabs with Trowa, he noticed Mr. Hot-guy-with-the-intense-stare at the doorway and Hilde right on his heels. No sooner had he started to worry about all the awkward interactions about to take place in his dressing room, than Quatre hurried to include him in the introductions. Oh, man! Duo knew things were about to really cook. Mr. Hot-guy was in the band with them! Cool. "We were letting Duo guess what we do in the band," Quatre told Heero. "Meet Duo Maxwell." "I know. His girlfriend told me." "Girlfriend?" Duo asked. Where had that come from, unless Hilde had said something? He caught Hilde's smug expression and guessed she'd been teasing Mr. Hot-guy. She concentrated on unfolding a gum wrapper and shoved the thin, pink candy into her mouth. She looked up and waved her fingers. "Hilde here." Duo shook his head. "Um, she's not my girlfriend, just a girl- space- friend. What's left of our band." "So, there is no Sweepers band anymore?" Zechs asked. "Just the two of you." "Pretty much, yeah," the girl said. She snapped her gum and twisted the piercing on her eyebrow. Duo thought more could be said and took over. "The others didn't wanna risk losing what real jobs they got just to come Earth-side." "We really do work as space-crap sweepers," Hilde said. "And make okay money, shuttling crap back and forth around the colonies. It leaves time for playin' clubs on base, and as long as you stick to L2, well, that's okay, not too far to go after the show's done. You know, friends put cha up all over, but comin' here-" She paused to work over her gum and give her time to think over what she wanted to say. "There's hotels, food, stuff that all costs more than the gig pays. So, when Duo got this gig, they wished him luck and signed off." "But not you," Heero noted. It wasn't hard to tell that Heero wanted to know conclusively that he and Hilde weren't in some binding relationship, Duo could tell and smiled at that. Obviously, Heero was making such a big deal out of it because he wanted a go at him. Well, that's nice, too, Duo decided. "Well, a promise is a promise, but this is the last time for me. A girl's gotta make a livin', right? And I'm not some whore, for those of you who think L2 girls are only good for one thing." She focused her beady eyes on each of the strangers, challenging them to deny her charge. When no one spoke up, she continued, "I'm licensed to pilot the smaller junkets. Pays lots better'n the band." "But this is the last, you say?" Heero asked. "You're pretty relentless, aren't cha?" Hilda grinned at Heero until he looked away, and then she blew an impressive bubblegum bubble. "Why don't cha introduce yerself to Duo?" "If I do, will you answer my question?" "Sure, you just tell my friend here what you go by and where you hail from." "Heero Yuy. L1." That explained the Asian features, at least to Duo. L1 was largely a Japanese settlement. But the blue eyes? Those were an enigma. "Lead guitar, I'll bet." Duo stuck out his hand, waiting as Heero cautiously moved his own until they touched, then gave him a quick, sharp greeting. His grip was like a steel trap. Duo yelped and waved his fingers in the air, blowing on them dramatically. "Damn! You do weights or something dangerous like that on the side? That's no guitar grip, I can tell ya." "I work out," Heero said with a self-satisfied smile. "So," he lowered his deep blue eyes, casting his cold glare back onto Duo's friend. "This is your last, what--? Gig?" "Yeah, that's right. Couldn't let this pretty boy travel alone to the big city, could I?" "Hilde!" Duo grumbled as he fell back onto his chair. He could defend himself, damnit! "It's true!" She laughed, but Duo could tell the others weren't sure if she meant what she'd implied. On L2 he had his buds, his group, his people that banded together and gave him safe refuge. He wasn't sure how it was other places, but no young men or women should be alone in a strange place, he felt. On the other hand, taken another way, she'd just implied he was rather sexually free. No secret there, he'd already said he was from L2. If L2 was known for anyone thing, it was for its legalized prostitution. Of all the colonized worlds, only that one was unable to crawl back from the downward spiral, which had begun during the war for independence. Gangs roamed the streets, drug lords and pimps ran the economy of the boroughs. Since the rest of the world was happy to have a place for all the vermin to live, nothing was done about it except to construct anti-immigration laws to keep L2 on L2. Of course, the natives of L2 were aware and distrustful of the outside world, Earth-side in particular. "I was hoping he'd hit it big and find a backup band or a venue with a stage band so I could hit the road," Hilde finished, having her say. Duo chuckled and drank more water. "You know, follow your dream, unless it's the one where you're at work in your underwear during a fire drill? Heh, heh... Anyway.... So, you guys here for a purpose? I mean, it's not like you're transparent or anything, but you don't look like gang-bangers or groupies." The other short, Asian-looking boy snorted. "Dear Buddha! I have had enough." The ex-prince turned up his charm a notch, smiled, and cleared his throat. "We were hoping to meet Shinigami, and, if all parties were agreeable, get to know each other with the intention of inviting you into the band. I'd make an offer now, but I know this is all rather sudden. Instead, I was hoping, Duo, that you'd come see where the band lives and practices. Get to know us." "Oh, okay," Duo said. Wow. He hunted for something witty to add and come up blank. "Oh, excuse me for interrupting the introductions," the manager continued, "but are you traveling with one of your parents or a guardian? I was wondering, in case we go any place I will need parental consent, assuming you are less than 18 years of age. We could get that started while we wait." Duo yanked out an ID card from the jacket draped over the back of the chair. "No parents, but that's chill, man. I'm legal." "This is a shuttle pilot's license!" "Yeah, I'm a sweeper, too. Ya don't think I make enough doing this to earn a living, do ya? I got plans, and plans take money to carry out." "You fly a shuttle?" the nameless- yet Asian guy croaked in disbelief. His face turned scornful. "Impossible. It's a fake." Duo looked out from under his long chestnut bangs, chin down, teeth bared in a tense grin. In spite of his exhausted state, he lit out of his chair and landed inches from him, his sudden move causing Wufei to step back. "Fake? You are pretty clueless if you think anyone can fake a shuttle pilot's license. Hold it up, er...ah... Zechs. See the wires, the embedded holographic images? Can't be done. Still don't believe me? Call USLA, that's the Universal Shuttle Licensing Agency, drummer boy. Number's on the back. Or... scan the barcode. Or... look at my hands. These are calluses you get from gripping the controls handles for hours at a time." The other boy's face blanched from gold to butter. His eyes narrowed, seething with barely leashed anger. Duo smiled then, knowing that he probably wanted nothing more than to punch his grin into the back of his head. "Yeah, drummer boy. Gotcha pegged right, don't I? You know what they say about drummers, don't cha?" Wufei nearly burst apart. "I am not stupid! I am taking AP level classes and will be starting college soon. AP, that's Advanced Placement, in academia." Duo shrugged, his smile weakening, his face pale and wan. Exhaustion cut into his power to fight. "What made you think I meant stupid? A good drummer takes tons of practice, hard work, strength, and endurance. So does a being a shuttle pilot. I just figured you and me would share something, that's all. Always wanted a set of drums." The drummer had done nothing but insult him after he'd managed to find a way to compliment him, but with those simple, but carefully chosen words, Duo deflated the Chinese boy like a bubble in the sun. He was surprised, though, when Wufei bowed and mumbled his regrets. "I am humbled. Please accept my apologies." "Hey, it's chill, man. I'm not everybody's friend. What's your name?" "Chang Wufei." "Well, nice to meetcha, 'Fei." Wufei winced at the shortening of his name, but under the circumstances he didn't correct the offense. "From L5." Duo's eyes widened. "No shit. You survived. I'm impressed." Wufei looked away, but not before Duo saw the roiling emotions in his dark eyes. "Yes. I am all that is left of my family, my clan." Too intense! Duo fumbled with his nearly empty water bottle. "So, now that we're on first-name basis, tell me about this invitation, ah, Zechs." "I'd like to invite you to our abode, a combination residence and studio." "We call it Club Sanc," Quatre put in. "You do," muttered Wufei with a cross face. Duo wondered how long the dude would hold a grudge. A furrow formed between Quatre's eyebrows. "Yes, I do." Quatre leaned into Duo and told him, "Don't mind Wufei. He doesn't like nicknames, but he'll get used to you." Duo took a closer look at the nice-looking blonde and decided Quatre could stand his ground any day against a grouchy band mate, but probably didn't very often. He wasn't as delicate as he appeared on first glance. He fell into his chair at his dressing table and checked out his face in the mirror, rubbing off the sweat-smeared eyeliner. His unusual violet-hued eyes contrasted against his peachy-fair skin, nice but sickly, he thought. Zechs entered back into the discussion. "The estate includes acres of land with horses, tennis courts, swimming pools--" "Swimming pool?" Duo's eyes brightened and met Zech's sparkling grey-blue eyes in the mirror. Seeing the sun-kissed, glowing-skinned, Earth-bound guys reminded him how his skin held the tell-tale transparency of someone living in artificial light. "Oh cool, never seen one of those before." "There's two! One indoors and one outdoors," Quatre added. Duo recognized bait tossed in his direction. Tempting. If he told them they didn't have to work so hard, would they think him too desperate? He didn't need anything more to lure him back with them that night. Just give in now. And then his honest streak darted into the foreground and a shadow passed across his face. His eyes darkened as they traveled over the faces of each boy in the band then looked askance at Hilde, and then down. He drew his breath and let it out slowly. "I gotta be a real idiot to do this and blow the greatest thing that's ever come my way, but I gotta say this." "Duo, it can wait," Hilde said, her voice gentle and caring. "No, it can't. I don't lie, especially to people that matter. You all look like a great bunch of guys. I'll bet you got fans hanging all over you, girls in particular. And, I... well, I don't wanna wreck whatcha got going, that's all." "Don't say no!" Quatre cried. He held up a hand, quieting him. "This ain't easy to just blurt out, so let me do it, 'kay? Um, I'm gay. I'm pretty open about it. It's no secret on L2 where folks know me. So, if that's going to be a problem for you, just say so now before we get into this any deeper." Quatre rushed to say, "So am I! I just let it slip out tonight, so no one's said anything to me, yet, but if there's a problem, then I guess you won't be alone." When those beautiful eyes shown with pleasure and lit up his animated face, Duo blew out another arrested breath of air. One down--. "Well, that's great. Um, maybe? I hope so for you. What do you think?" he directed to the manager. "I am twenty-three. I have a girlfriend. I'm perfectly comfortable with my sexuality and I have no problem with yours, Quatre's, or anyone else's. That about cover it?" Zechs asked. "Good enough for me." Duo looked at Wufei straight on, but the Chinese youth refused to meet his eyes. "What about you? Do I disgust you so much you can't give me a civil answer?" Wufei's stone-cold, black eyes snapped forward to meet Duo's. "My upbringing taught me that homosexuality was an evil perversion. However, I am here now, not with my clan on L5. I have learned to make concessions. As long as your behavior does not include me in any way or harm or embarrass the band, then I can be tolerant." "Tolerated? Okay, I can live with that, if you can, Quatre. What do you think?" Quatre nodded. "It's a better reception than I received from home." Duo touched Quatre's arm and smiled with sympathy. "Well, I was an orphan, but I've noticed even in the best homes that a pat on the back is only a few centimeters from a kick in the butt." Quatre laughed, feeling the bond of friendship forming between them already, before Duo dropped his hand and moved on. "And you? What does Trowa from L3 think? Yer awfully quiet." "I'm okay with it. I'm probably bi, but none of us get much of chance at meeting or dating so...," He hesitated and put the rest of what he had to say into his shrug. "I like your dancing." "Yeah?" Duo's eyes twinkled. "I think dancing is the perpendicular expression of your horizontal desires." Quatre and Zechs both laughed aloud, covering the sniffs and grunts from Wufei. Trowa just smiled and said, "I suspect you're right about that. I, ah, I like your voice. We need the energy. They sell that on L2?" "Energy for sale? Not that I heard of. 'Bout the only thing that's not. Hey, thanks, man. You do have a lot to say, when you get going. Bi, huh? Yeah, never could get excited about girls. Lord knows I've tried!" Duo barked out a laugh, ignoring the slap on his back from Hilde, but then sobered instantly under the intensity of Heero's glower. He had noticed Heero studying him since he'd entered the room. Eyes welded to him. It had to be lust-driven, but if not, he wondered what Yuy was thinking. Duo didn't let that wilt his resolve to cross-examine each band member. "Okay, you're last, lead-guitar dude; at least, I figure you for guitar. Have your say." "About what?" "Well, do you like my music? Hate my hair? Consider me as band material or jail bait? Will you murder me in my sleep if I date your boyfriend, or will you and your girlfriend simply tie me up and toss me in the swimming pool to drown?" Heero's face transformed slightly, transitioning through a few mood changes. "Baka." "That mean you like me, or not?" Duo grinned savagely, daring the other boy on. "He means you're an idiot," Wufei translated with what Duo felt was more satisfaction than the slight justified. "He doesn't care what you do, as long as you do your job." "He knows what the word means," Hilda put in. "Duo, he insulted you on purpose." Duo's smile turned wicked as he folded his arms across his chest. "Hey, Hee-row, you're avoiding me. You are not asexual, I hope. Ah, come on, tell me it ain't so." Heero turned his head. "Shut up." "Okay, I'll take that as another 'tolerate'," Duo said. "Then it's decided?" Zechs broke in. "Shall we go? Is there anything you need to do before leaving?" Duo shook his head and handed Hilde an envelope containing the pay for the gig. "Nope." "Miss Hilde," Zechs addressed her politely, which amused Duo, "would you like to join us as well? You are certainly welcome to come along, stay the weekend, the week, however long you want. Duo, would you like that? Would you be more comfortable with your friend along?" Hilda stood shaking her head. "Hell, no he wouldn't. Like I said, I came, I did the gigs, and this was the last. I got'im hooked up, so now with a clear conscience, I go. And, if I go now, I'll catch the next shuttle back to L2 and be sleeping in my own bed tomorrow night." "What about your synthesizer?" "Not mine. Rented. Stays here." The girl swaggered over to Duo and wrapped him in a warm embrace. "You do good and make us all proud, okay?" He nodded, burying his face in her shoulder and nuzzling her a moment. "And if these jerks don't treat you right, you come right home. No defeat in that. No harm in trying, right kid?" she said, reassuringly. "Thanks," he said in a hoarse voice, obviously moved by her show of concern and friendship. He didn't try to hide that from the others. If it disturbed Wufei or Heero, then rough tough cream puff to them. "I'm like family and we Sweepers stick together. We'll be rootin' for ya." Quatre rushed to Hilda and gave her a hug goodbye. Zechs also promised to take care of Duo Maxwell and see that he had shuttle fare to return to L2, should he decide not to join the band. "You must allow me to drop you at the launch base," Zechs said in a tone that allowed for no arguments. Duo stuffed his makeup and other belongings into a soft, worn duffle bag, pulled on a long-sleeved black t-shirt, and jammed his arms into his jacket while whipping his rope of hair free. "These jeans will have to do for now," he muttered mostly to himself as he nabbed his half-empty bottle of water. He followed Zechs out the dressing room door. "Ready. Oh, ah, by the way... what's the name of your band?" Heero was closest, the flying tail of hair skimming over his arm in passing. "Wing Steel." "Steal? As in rob a bank and --?" "No. The metal." "Steel? Ohhhh... Um, so why 'steel' and not 'gold' or 'platinum'?" Heero faltered, and Quatre stepped up with an explanation. "We thought it sounded more masculine, and at the time we were playing mostly hard rock." "But now? What kind of music do you do?" Duo asked as he climbed into the van and found an empty seat next to Quatre. "Alternative, indie...mixture, I'd say." Quatre smiled. "So, why not an off-beat metal, then? Like...." Duo hesitated, brushing the tip of his braid against his chin as he thought. "Gundamium. No, make that shorter, like gundam." "Gundam?" Heero echoed, rolling it over on his tongue and smiling as if he liked the feel and flavor of the word. "It's used in building giant robotics used in manufacturing. It's stronger than steel. It can take the stresses of outer space," Wufei said. "I know," Heero said. He looked slightly irritated at the interruption. "It is used on all the colony structures. I hadn't thought of using that in the band name. Wing Gundam." Hilde laughed. "Guys are so lame at names, I swear! Duo was going to use the stage name of Deathscythe, I mean, that's just so axe-in-the-brain, ya know? Listen, Gun-dam Wing. Better, right? Has a lilt to it and that indie colony culture sound. Gundam Wing, yeah." Heero's serious glower, softened, and he smiled. "Gundam Wing, with the indie colony culture sound. A new genre. I like that idea." "Maybe you should wait until I'm in, before you start making changes," Duo said. "In--?" Heero asked. "Yeah...?" And then an incredible thing happened, although Duo didn't know it at the time. Duo watched as Heero Yuy lost his detachment. A blush flushed his face to the tips of his ears, had they been visible beneath his shaggy brown hair. He opened his mouth to respond then snapped it shut again. "Anybody hungry as I am?" Zechs called out from the front seat. "I have a place in mind along the way. Open 24-7. I'm stopping anyway. Duo, Hilde? I don't imagine you had dinner before the show." "Got that right. Can't perform on a full stomach," Duo agreed. "You didn't have dinner the night before, or breakfast or lunch-" Hilde reminded him. Zechs shot them both a concerned look in the rearview mirror. Duo caught it and smiled in return. "Three-square's an overrated, Earth-side concept. Hey, I haven't slept for ten days either-" "What?" Heero asked, his voice strangled. "That's impossible!" "--because that's just too long," Duo finished. He flashed him a charming smile and sat back, eyes closed. Quatre leaned closer to Duo. "You shouldn't tease him," Quatre whispered. "Wufei either." "Why not?" "They don't like it." Duo chuckled. "Now, that's where you're wrong. Those tight boys need teasing to open up." Quatre opened his mouth to ask what he meant. Duo let him process his words and their meaning more closely, and caught the blonde's eyes roving over his ripped jeans. In the instant Quatre understood the sexual innuendo, he snapped his mouth shut, blushed furiously, and turned away his face to hide it. "Hey, sorry, Quat. I gotta big mouth and that was just the perfect setup, ya know?" Quatre nodded just as the van stopped. Zechs glided about, sliding open the side door where Hilde sat. "Come with me," Zechs said, and offered her a hand out. "The rest of you can stay put." Duo closed his eyes and nearly fell asleep waiting for their return. Quatre nudged him. "Here comes the best food ever." That brought Duo to complete awareness. He saw Hilde and Zechs trailed by two dark-haired men loaded with sacks. "All right!" Hilde climbed into her seat holding her own bag and turned around to toss him a reassuring smile and mouth "Yay!" Zechs commanded the distribution of individual bags of drinks and snacks to the boys in the back. "What is this?" Duo asked as two bags were deposited in his lap. Quatre replied, "Middle Eastern food. Friends of my family... of mine... own the market and small deli." He reached for a small bag. "Thank you, Zechs." Duo noted how polite the blond behaved. Polite and cultured. Classy like the prince. He opened his round container and sniffed at the brown muck inside. He tried not to make a face, but, ugh... "Duo, that's lentil soup," Zechs told him. "It's nutritious and easy on an empty stomach; still, take it slow. I don't want you getting sick." Duo could tell that Zechs meant business by his meaningful stare. "Er, thanks." He tasted it and liked it immediately. "Tastes great." "Good," Zechs said and sat back in his front seat to eat his meal. Duo slid closer to Quatre and whispered, "What's in the drink?" "I don't know. Lassi perhaps? Is it carbonated?" "No. Thick and fruity." "Lassi, then. Mango?" "Never had one, could be. Good, though." "Don't you feel...cold wearing those jeans?" Quatre asked him. "Yeah, I shoulda changed them." "If you'd asked, we would have given you some privacy." "'Sokay. Wasn't about you seeing me butt-ass naked. I simply was too damned tired." He shoveled a few more spoonfuls of soup into his mouth, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and then turned his head. He waited for Quatre's eyes to meet his, when over the blonde's shoulder he noticed that Heero's attention was riveted to him. "Hey, don't get the wrong idea. I don't give shows to just anybody. A little mystery is important." Quatre smiled blank-faced filled his mouth with a bite, and became completely absorbed in his meal; he didn't seem to understand what was being implied. It made Duo wonder if he was a lot younger than the others or just naïve. He was a nice kid, though, so Duo stopped the psycho-analysis. He matched his smile and sipped and slurped his own meal, hands full, in silence the rest of the drive to the shuttle base launch site. The van parked in a loading-zone-only slot. Zechs once again-unnecessarily, Duo thought-- assisted Hilde from the car. "Bye!" she called out. Duo blew her a kiss, which she pretended to catch and lick off her hand. Zechs rolled his eyes as he bend close to her ear and said something. She waved again, and then accompanied the tall, elegant man to the ticket counter. "Oh, she's not going to let him get away with paying for that too," Duo predicted as he peered out the side window. "Don't be so sure. Nobility holds sway over its minions. Just wait and see," Quatre said. He chuckled, making Duo crack up. While he laughed, he heard a shuffling of feet and Wufei appeared, but only to pass to the seat Hilde had vacated up front. Meanwhile outside the van, the man and young lady pantomimed a brief and dignified dispute. In the end, Zechs clearly won, handing over his credit card to the man in the booth. Hilde shyly accepted a quick embrace and a kiss to her cheek, turned to wave to Duo one more time, and skipped away to the waiting room. She was going to ride first class back to L2 with a full tummy and a check to cash. Zechs returned to the van and started the engine. "Next stop, home." "How did you get away with that?" Duo asked Zechs. "I asked her the illuminating question: 'If every year is a marble, how many marbles do you have left?' She understood and accepted her good luck." He tucked a CD into the player, and pulled out into the traffic lane. "Mr.
Boombastic, "Ska?" Wufei asked, eyebrows arching to show his distaste. "Smooth
just like silk "Yes. A little Shaggy for the drive home. Go to sleep if you don't like it," Zechs told him. "I'm
Mr. Boombastic say me fantastic, touch me in my back "I didn't say I didn't like it," Wufei demurred. "She
say I'm Mr. boom boom boom Boombastic Zechs sighed and smiled wearily, but said nothing. Duo thought it must suck to have to be the mature one all the time. He closed his eyes and let the music rock him to sleep. "She
says I'm Mr. Ro...mantic Duo was asleep before Zechs had put the van in gear and he slumbered on for the rest of the ride. "She
says I'm Mr. Ro...mantic
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