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"Bona Fide"Written By: ExecutiveShrimp Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, it belongs
to Bandai, Sotsu and associated parties. Written for pleasure not
profit. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Romance, drama, family Pairings: 1x2x1 Summary: Heero is being deported. Duo suggests (or proposes, if you will) marriage, to get Heero a Green Card. All they have to do is convince Immigration that their love is 'bona fide'. The problem is… they hate each other. Bona Fide is part of the GWCU: The Gundam Wing Cinematic Universe A GWCU fanfiction based on The Proposal (2009) This series of stories places our two (or more) favorite Gundam Wing characters in movie "universes". Not following the original story of the movies, but borrowing their worlds, events and/or premises. For a comprehensive introduction to the concept of the GWCU - as well as an up-to-date list of movie adaptations that are completed, in progress or planned - view my profile page.
"Bona Fide" PART FOUR The car service that Duo had arranged would take them to his parental home. By the time they pulled into the street where he grew up, it was three AM. He still had a key, but he knew his parents would have set an alarm to welcome him. They had both retired early and were aware that he 'and someone special' were coming and they had insisted that they stay in the guest bedroom, not in a hotel. The street was exactly as he remembered. They really didn't have that much money growing up, but his father's local business did pretty well and there wasn't exactly a shortage of space in Montana, so the prices of real-estate were a joke compared to Manhattan. Home was a large two story house, nestled at the top of a slight incline, with a large lawn and long driveway out front and forest out back. The paneling was freshly painted white. Large windows overlooked the friendly neighborhood. The door was a sea green, a color his mother had decided was most welcoming. The porchlight was on. His dad's truck was in the driveway because they still kept Duo's old pick-up in the garage. Everything was exactly the way he remembered it, except for that hand drawn 'Welcome home' sign in the front lawn. He got out of the car apprehensively. The driver got the luggage out of the trunk and put the suitcases on the sidewalk, then promptly left. "Are you just going to stand there?" Heero's remark pulled him out of the nostalgic moment. He grabbed his one suitcase and walked up the pathway to the front door. Behind him he heard Heero moan about the younger man not helping him with his suitcases. Before he reached the door, it opened and his mother appeared. And she looked absolutely… huggable, in pajamas and a robe. She didn't say anything. The petite woman took larger than life strides to close the distance between them and she did exactly what he had wanted her to do. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, swaying him ever so slightly. "Mom." He pressed his nose into the crook of her shoulder and smelled her perfume and the fabric softener in her clothes. He felt her stroke a hand through his hair. He hadn't been back home in nearly three years and he hadn't even realized how much he had missed her until that moment. He resented himself for having come home now, for the sole purpose of lying to this kind woman and his father as well. "I've missed you." She pulled back and cupped his face. "I've missed you too, sweetheart." The grating sound of Heero's suitcases dragging along the pathway quieted, mere steps behind Duo. The artist bit his lip, knowing it was time to bite the bullet. He had never brought a boyfriend home, those few holidays that he returned for after college. It was wrong on so many levels that Heero was the man his parents would meet. He also had no idea how they would react. His mother let go of him and looked at the Japanese man standing a little further back. Her smile never wavered. "Mom, this…" He gestured at his boss. "This is Heero." She recognized the name instantly, from long phone calls during which Duo complained about his awful boss. She was certainly confused, but no less welcoming when she approached him. It was clear she was moving in for a hug, but Heero extended his hand out in front of him, preventing her from getting too close. They awkwardly shook hands. "Heero, I've heard a lot about you." She looked over her shoulder at her son and winked at him. "Mom," he warned, but he couldn't help but chuckle bemusedly. It surprised him how well the middle-aged, registered Republican, catholic, white woman was handling the situation of him bringing home a same-sex immigrant as his boyfriend. "Come inside, it's freezing and you must be exhausted. The guest bedroom is all ready for you." "Mom, you really didn't have to go through any trouble. We could have stayed in a hotel." The one hotel they had in town. "Nonsense. Family doesn't stay in a hotel. I have to take good care of my boys," she said dotingly. Then she linked her arm with Heero's, oblivious to how tense the closeness made him, and she walked him into the house, instructing Duo to take care of the luggage. He tucked his own suitcase under one arm, Heero's briefcase under the other and dragged Heero's twin suitcases into the house by the handles. In the hallway, he was met with his father, who emerged from the downstairs bedroom in striped pajamas with a striped robe on top. The older, taller man pulled his son into an embrace and clapped him hard on the back a couple of times before letting go. There they stood, the four of them, in the hallway. With pictures on the walls of Duo growing up in that very house. He became aware that his father was looking at him expectantly. Duo cleared his throat. "Dad, this is Heero." The man's white eyebrows raised high, surprised by the familiar name, but he said nothing. He slowly stretched his hand out to shake Heero's. "Heero, these are my parents, Norman and Cecilia." "Call me C.C.," she was quick to say. Heero nodded in greeting. After the shortest exchange of formalities, it was agreed upon that they should all get some sleep for the rest of the night. Duo's father shuffled back to the bedroom down the hall and his mother guided the two men upstairs. They walked past Duo's childhood bedroom, to the large guest bedroom with en suite bathroom. C.C. flicked on the lights and stepped aside to let them through the doorway. Duo could tell she had spent time preparing the bedroom for them. The bed was tightly made with sheets that smelled brand new – the scent filled the room. There was a second lounge chair under the window overlooking the back yard, that he recognized from his father's downstairs den. There were two bouquets of fresh flowers and a copper plate of assorted, unlit candles – if they wanted to 'set the mood'. It was as endearing as it was unsettling. What had his stomach twist was the sight of one of his old paintings hanging over the headboard of the bed. He knew his old works were on display throughout the house, courtesy of his mother's blind admiration, but to have it right there where Heero would sleep, where he would see it every time they came in here, felt like an odd invasion of his own privacy; like he was vulnerable and exposed. Suddenly, it was all too personal. Too wrong. The vibrant colors drew attention in the otherwise calmly neutral space. He just hoped Heero wouldn't recognize it as his work. It was from ages ago, after all. He had made it as an assignment in college. "You boys get settled in. I'll wake you in the morning, when breakfast is ready." C.C. said sweetly, her gaze lingering on her son, and then she excused herself and closed the door behind her ever so softly. Duo thought to release the suitcases he had been carrying and he let out an exasperated sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "We're not sharing a bed." The American turned around and cocked his head at his boss. "Seriously? That's what you're worried about right now? Didn't you hear what she said? You're family now, for fuck sake." Heero just blinked at him. He scoffed. "That might mean shit to you, but that means something here." He gestured around himself wildly. "She doesn't even know you and already you're one of her 'boys'. Fuck. Fuck!" "Calm down," Heero hissed. But he couldn't. He started pacing. "This is going to kill them. It's going to kill them when they find out." "Then they better not find out, so keep your voice down." Duo stilled and eventually nodded. He wiped his sweaty palms on the front of his shirt. He looked around the room again and his eyes settled on the bed. Yeah, they were definitely not going to share that queen. Decisively he pulled extra sheets from the closet and stole a pillow from the bed. "I'll sleep on the floor. I'm younger, after all." Heero's jaw clenched at the poorly veiled insult, but he wasn't about to object to the solution. "Let's get changed and try to get some sleep." "I have to unpack first." Duo quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously?" "I'm not living out of a suitcase." "It's just two days!" Heero steeled his gaze. "I'm not living out of a suitcase." His tone dipped. Duo raised his hands in surrender. "Fine. Whatever. I guess I'll get dressed in the bathroom." He unzipped his suitcase and plucked out his toiletries, a fresh pair of underwear, sweatpants and a shirt and headed for the privacy of the en suite. Being away from Heero, even if it was only one door that separated them, was a relief. So he took his time getting ready for bed, even though he was deathly tired in spite of the couple of hours of sleep he had gotten on the plane. When he came out, Heero had finished unpacking and was seated on the edge of the bed, clutching clothes and a Luis Vuitton toiletry bag. Without a word he got up and claimed the bathroom for himself. A minute later, Duo heard the shower running and, as childish as it was, he felt a little uncomfortable knowing Heero was naked behind a door that didn't even have a lock. "Okay, brain, don't get weird now," he said, but he wasn't talking to his brain. His makeshift bed on the floor wasn't comfortable, but it would have to do. It was only for three – more like two and a half – nights anyway. "Could you get the lights?" Duo made a face at the request coming from behind the door. "No. I'm already on the floor. You get them on the way." There was a long silence. "Don't look." "Weren't you older than me? Stop acting like you're twelve and get out here." Another long silence. Duo stared up at the ceiling and waited. When the bathroom door finally opened, his curiosity was piqued and from the corner of his eyes he watched Heero tiptoe through the room, to the light switch by the other door. He was only wearing black boxer briefs and a long-sleeved silk nightshirt. When the long, golden legs registered in Duo's 'brain' he turned his head to watch unabashedly until Heero flicked the switch and the room went black. He listened to Heero carefully making his way to the bed and crawling under the sheets. After a minute, Duo said with a grin: "No pajama bottoms, huh?" "You said you wouldn't look," Heero scolded. "Nah… nooo… I actually didn't say that." His grin widened. "You're fired." Duo chuckled. "That's fine. I wasn't going to be your assistant for much longer anyway, lover," he purred the last word. "Go to sleep." "Hmm, yes dear. Dreaming of you." During the night he had rolled off his mattress of folded up sheets and lay on the carpet entangled in his blanket. There was an ache in his shoulders that spread to his neck and it made him feel old. He didn't know what had woken him up, because he could hardly open his eyes that was how tired he still was. But then he heard the voice of his mother behind the door. "Boys? Are you up?" Panicking at the thought that she might innocently let herself into the room, he leapt up from the floor, bundled the sheets in his arms and scurried over to the bed where Heero was just rolling over onto his back and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "May I come in?" She asked. He tossed the excess sheets on the floor, out of sight, taking a moment to kick them under the bed, just to be sure. Then he slipped into the bed uninvited, making Heero reel back. "Uhm, yeah… uhh… okay, you can come in, Mom." He hoped he didn't look as flustered as he felt. The door opened and his mother popped her head in. She smiled at them both. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" "Yeah, fantastic. As long as we can snuggle, we're good," Duo forced himself to say. "If you boys are hungry, breakfast is about ready. I didn't know what you'd be in the mood for, so I made everything I could think of." "Thanks, mom. You really didn't have to." He cast a glance at Heero who lay as far away from him as the expanse of the bed allowed, with the sheets pulled up all the way to his chin. "We'll, uh… We'll be down in a couple of minutes." "Okay. No rush." She backed out of the room and closed the door. Duo scrubbed his face. "Oh God." At Heero's insistence he got out of bed as quickly as he had climbed into it. Heero wanted to get dressed, but Duo didn't bother and instead just threw on a hoodie and put on a pair of socks to keep his feet warm before heading downstairs. The smells wafting from the kitchen lured him. He rounded the corner and paused in the archway to observe his mother shuttling food from the counter to the table in the breakfast nook. Omelets, croissants, French toast, fruit, yoghurt, cereal, scrambled eggs and bacon… She hadn't been exaggerating when she said 'everything'. "Mom, you're insane," he said and then he intercepted her to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you, it all smells delicious." "Of course I made your favorite, but I didn't know what Heero likes." Neither did Duo. "Anything would have been fine, mom." "Oh, really?" She challenged with a smirk. "The way you talked about him over the phone made me think he is quite particular in what he does and does not like." Duo couldn't help but laugh at her euphemism for the way he regularly bitched about Heero, that he never did anything right according to his boss, no matter how hard he tried. "Look at this feast!" Norman remarked as he filled the kitchen with his tall frame and demanding energy. "Whatever did we do to deserve it?" "It's a special occasion," C.C. argued, playfully swatting at her husband. "Speaking of special. Will Heero be joining us?" He made an act of looking around the room for comedic effect. Duo nodded. "He'll be down in a minute." "Well, he's a little older than you. Probably doesn't bounce out of bed as easily." Duo wasn't sure if it was a harmless joke or something he should take offense at as Heero's fiancé. But he wasn't about to act like a knight in shining armor to find out if he needed to come to the defense of his 'love'. The three took a seat at the table by the bay window and thankfully didn't have to wait long for Heero to stride into the kitchen, dressed to the nines in black slacks and a silk, turtleneck shirt with small buttons down the spine. Not quite the kind of attire Duo would have recommended. C.C. leaned in and said: "That's a beautiful shirt, dear." "Yes, very unique." When Duo caught his mom shooting his father a look for that remark, he knew there was definitely something going on under the surface. Of cource it couldn't be quite so easy as it had seemed last night… Then she wordlessly poured everyone a tall glass of fresh orange juice and the moment was gone. Of all the foods in front of him, Heero just served himself a modest bowl of yoghurt with some fruit and couldn't be convinced of eating anything else, in spite of Cecilia's best efforts. Halfway through breakfast, Norman addressed the elephant in the room. Looking directly at Heero, he said: "We weren't expecting… you. I'm assuming there is only one 'Heero' in Duo's life and, frankly, we haven't heard many great things about this 'Heero'." "He's a tough boss," Duo said. After all, they had agreed on the plane that Duo would take the lead. It was what he was most comfortable with. "I stand by everything I've said about him, as my boss. But there is another side to him. As my boyfriend, he is different. I love him." He reached out, with the intention of laying a hand on Heero's shoulder to sell the romance, but at the last second it felt too weird – too intimate - and he planted his hand on the back of the chair instead. This wasn't going well. "Well, we're very glad that we get to meet him, as your boyfriend." His mother's smile was beaming, it burned a hole right through Duo's heart. "I hope you don't mind, but we've invited some friends and family over for tonight." Duo's heart dropped into his stomach, making it difficult to swallow the bite of French toast he had been chewing. He didn't want to involve more people into this plot. Honestly, it would have been better if his parents rejected being introduced to his gay lover, at least then the extent of this lie would be limited. "Mom…-" "Don't speak with your mouth full, dear," she lightly chastised. "Besides, I know what you're going to say. But everyone is excited to see you. It's been so long! And who knows when we are all going to get the chance again?" Great, doubling down on the guilt trip. Now there was nothing he could do but consent to this 'small get-together'. After breakfast, he went upstairs to shower and get dressed. Heero trailed after him, not wanting to be alone with Duo's parents. He was busy toweling his hair dry, when he heard Heero's voice, coming from right outside the door. Making him self-conscious standing there butt-naked, bent over so his hair fell away from his body to properly rub it dry. "When are you going to tell them?" Was Heero's question. "… When the time is right." "I don't have to tell you that there is never a right time to lie." "Thank you for your wisdom," he bit. He jumped into a pair of jeans and a sweater. When he ripped the door open, he startled Heero, who had been standing right there. The two looked at each other. Too close for comfort. "I'll tell them. Okay? I'll find a way." He stepped around him and reached into his suitcase to rummage around for two matching socks. "They're oddly accepting. For… Montanians." He was appropriately unsure of the term. "Montanans." "They're oddly accepting." Duo sighed. It was a surprise to him too. He hadn't been expecting pitchforks either, but if not for the fact that it was all a scam, it was almost too easy. His mother was probably just so happy he was finally home again, she would have accepted anything. And his dad… well, after thirty years of marriage, his dad knew that whatever made his wife happy, would be good for him too. Those odd moments at breakfast he could brush off, so long as they didn't evolve into anything more uncomfortable. "Why don't you come home more often?" Duo straightened up, holding mismatched socks. He frowned at his boss. Why was he asking him that? Did he think it would come up during the interview? "My boss is such a dick that I never dared to ask for time off." It wasn't a lie, but not the entire truth either. He rarely flew out here even before starting his work as Heero's assistant, although he had plenty of opportunities and his parents always offered to fund the ticket if money was tight for him. "You mean you were a coward." He didn't respond to that. He sat on the edge of the bed. One sock was black and the other was dark blue, but he didn't care. "But I'm pretty sure it's not me you were afraid of." He muttered something under his breath. Where was all this insight coming from? Was he supposed to believe Heero cared now? What was he trying to achieve? "For the record, if I had known your family was in Montana, not in Manhattan, I would have made you take time off so you could come visit." He paused to aim a frown at him. He couldn't tell what the other man was thinking or what his intentions were. But the man was right. Duo hadn't been afraid of Heero firing him for asking for a couple of days off to see his family. Duo had been afraid of coming home, ever since he first left. He disappointed them when he came out. He disappointed them when he refused to take over the family business. He disappointed them when he moved across the country. He disappointed them when he said he wanted to be an artist, of all things. He disappointed them by failing. He didn't want to come back as a disappointment. But now… now on top of everything he would disappoint them as a liar… and a fraud.
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