Disclaimer: - I don't own Gundam Wing. Hell, I haven't even seen all of GW. It belongs to Sunrise or Beez or someone like that.
Although I've been writing fan fics for a while now this is my first GW fic. I've only seen the first ten episodes so I apologise if some of the characterisation is off. I'd very much like it if you'd not only review, but also offer criticism on characterisation. I know that Heero, Trowa and Wufei are very talkative in this, but if you take out Duo and Quatre I think silence would happen.
I see no need to define 'Onna', (This is GW after all) but an 'uke' is the submissive partner of a homosexual relationship.
This is the result of me thinking too much about Duo's hair. I'd like to point out that I don't really write much humour, and that drama is much more my thing, k?
The Dangers of Eavesdropping
Heero's instincts were screaming at him. Something was horribly, desperately wrong. He knew that one didn't stay alive in his line of business without listening to instincts. He decided to chance contact.
"Something's wrong."
Quatre looked up from his coffee. "What was that Heero?"
"Something is wrong," reaffirmed the youth, his hand twitching in preparation to pluck the handgun from behind his back at a moment's notice.
Wufei snorted and continued to butter his toast. "I'll admit that the toast is burnt, but it's edible." He finished with the butter and reached for the jam. "But that's not my fault. I told you we needed a new toaster."
"Not the toast." Heero scanned the room. "Something is wrong. Something here." He heard something behind him on the stair and he spun, drawing his gun in one smooth and practiced motion levelling it at…
"…..."
"Oh." Heero lowered the gun away from the face of Trowa.
Trowa nodded to Heero, then gracefully slipped into one of the empty chairs at the table and reached for the thermos of coffee in the centre of the table.
Quatre put his cup down carefully. "You seem awfully jumpy this morning Heero. What's wrong?"
Heero shook his head and picked up his plate. He unceremonially dumped it in the sink.
Trowa leaned over to Wufei. "You know it's your turn this morning."
Wufei choked on his toast, spattering crumbs over the table.
Quatre surreptitiously pushed his coffee, crumbs and all, away.
Wufei recovered quickly. "That's not work for a warrior."
Quatre rolled his eyes. "We have this argument every time. Just do the washing up."
"That's work for an onna!"
"Well unless Sally visits," said Heero, "It'll never get done."
"And don't think of just scooping it up and hiding it in the bath," scolded Quatre. "We had enough of the 'Bath Tub O'Doom' last time from Duo."
Heero suddenly straightened. "That's it!"
"What's it?" asked Quatre, sounding vaguely amused.
"Duo!" Heero saw the other pilots look blankly at him, or rather Quatre and Wufei did. Trowa's expression always looked rather blank. "Duo's not here!" explained Heero. "I haven't seen him all morning."
"I've seen him," supplied Trowa. "He seemed fine coming out of the bathroom earlier."
Quatre shrugged and got up from his chair. "I'll go check up on him."
Oh man, oh man, this is SO not happening. Duo sat on his bed, wrapped in a thick bathrobe. He reached his hand up to where the brush was tangled at the back of his head and pulled gently. "OW!" He let go of the brush and let fire with a choice expletive or two before calming down. Detangling shampoo my ASS. I'll sue that company for false advertising. His head jerked round as a gentle tap came from the door, causing fresh waves of agony to rip across his scalp. "Who is it?"
"It's Quatre." Quatre's voiced sounded concerned. "Are you okay? It's not like you to skip breakfast."
Quatre. Well it could be worse; it could be Heero, or Wufei. Like either of them would pass up mocking me in this state. Duo considered his options for a moment. "Quatre? Buddy?"
"Duo?"
Damn, does he have to sound so patient? "Er…. I need a little help here?" Duo immediately winced. He was pretty sure Quatre would misinterpret that innocent remark.
"Hold on, I'll get the others."
Yup, trust Quatre to assume the worst. "No, no, no!" Duo moved to the door. "It's nothing like that, really. I just need you." He opened the door a crack and peeked round.
Quatre looked thoroughly confused. "Then what's wrong?"
"You have sisters right? You know about women stuff?"
Quatre could feel himself starting to blush. Is Duo asking me for dating advice or something? DUO? "Yeah I know about women."
"Women's problems?"
What the hell is he talking about? Quatre couldn't make heads or tails of Duo's line of questioning. "I suppose so. Why?"
Duo's response was to reach out and grab Quatre's arm, physically dragging Quatre into his room. Once Quatre had caught his balance Duo pointed up to the offending object lodged in his hair. "This thing is why! It's stuck and no matter what I do it won't come out."
Quatre tried very hard not to laugh.
He failed miserably.
Duo pouted. "Gee, thanks a lot Quatre. Here I was thinking that you'd be mature enough to help me with this."
"No, no, it's just…" Quatre broke off and started to laugh again. After a while he realised that Duo looked genuinely hurt. "I'm sorry Duo, it's just… well… I never expected anything like this."
"If I could fix it myself I would," said Duo. "That's why I'm asking for your help. Somehow I don't think Heero's skills go as far as hairdressing."
Quatre moved around behind Duo. "How on Earth did you manage this?" He reached out and took hold of the handle of the brush and pulled gently.
"OW!" Duo jerked away. "Don't do that!"
Quatre whistled. "You sure got it stuck. I don't think my sisters ever got it this bad." He moved towards the bed. "You better sit. This tangle will take a while."
Duo sat on the corner of the bed. "I know you guys think this is silly."
Quatre bit his lip. He did think that Duo's decision to keep his hair that long was silly, but he was sure there was a reason behind it.
"No really," continued Duo. "A guy having long hair seems odd."
Quatre started to carefully separate Duo's hair out into the part trapped by the brush and the part that was free. "On some people, maybe." He smiled, even though he knew Duo couldn't see it. "On you, it seems a part of you." He carefully pushed the cleared sections over Duo's shoulders, where they could be out of the way. "You know, I used to be jealous of my sisters hair. They'd spend hours just combing. Their hair, each other's hair, it didn't matter. It was like a ritual, one I couldn't join in."
Duo nodded, then cursed as the motion pulled on his hair again. "You shouldn't be. Have you any idea how much trouble long hair can be?" Duo's fingers started to absentmindedly play with the ends hanging over his shoulder. "It takes forever to wash and style. And it costs. I get through triple the shampoo you guys do."
"So why not cut it?" asked Quatre.
"Blasphemer!" said Duo jokingly. He then sobered. "It stays, and will always stay."
Quatre nodded, sensing that Duo didn't really want to explain. "So what went wrong?"
Duo shrugged. "The store was out of my normal brand. Picked up another, and it didn't de-tangle too well."
"That much is obvious." Quatre gently picked at a few strands of hair. "You know, long fingers come in useful for all sorts of things. Musical instruments, knots…"
"And a few other, more enjoyable things too, I'll bet."
Quatre could almost hear Duo's knowing wink. "Yeah, that too… Not that I… um…" He could feel the blush creeping up from his neck.
"Never?" asked Duo, a little too knowingly.
Quatre answered by tugging the hairbrush.
"OW!"
"That answer your question?"
"Oh yeah."
Wufei pulled the plug from the sink. "Done."
Trowa flicked out the tea towel and put it back on its rail. "Didn't hurt you, did it."
Wufei scowled back. "I still say this is woman's work." He flicked his hands over the sink, dislodging the last few drops of water from them.
Heero looked around, before opening his mouth. "Well you are the Wu-man."
Trowa and Wufei turned to stare at Heero.
Heero shrugged. "Duo would never forgive me if I didn't say that. It was a very easy target." He turned back to his laptop.
Trowa shrugged. "That is true."
Wufei spluttered a little. "He's a bad influence." He turned his eyes to the ceiling. "Wonder what's taking Quatre so long."
Trowa started for the stairs. "I'll check." He slowly climbed the stairs, then walked towards Duo's bedroom door.
"You know, long fingers come in useful for all sorts of things. Musical instruments, knots…"
"And a few other, more enjoyable things too, I'll bet."
Trowa stopped and blinked. Was he hearing things or were Duo and Quatre…
"OW!" Trowa recognised Duo's shout, and that it was more a protest than a cry of pain. Is Quatre…?
"That answer your question?"
"Oh yeah."
Trowa turned and made his way back down the stairs.
"Well?" asked Duo, not looking up from his laptop.
Trowa made it to the sofa before his legs gave out. Quatre… My Quatre… and Duo… "Guh…"
Heero looked up from the screen. "Is it serious? I heard Duo yelling."
Trowa tilted his head forward, knowing that the angle caused his fringe to hide his face. "Quatre and Duo are together."
Heero nodded. "And?"
"Together." Trowa drew the word out to add significance.
Heero blinked a few times. He then rose and made for the stairs himself.
"Mmmmm…... that feels good."
Heero stopped as Duo's voice drifted down.
"You like that?" asked Quatre's voice.
"Uh-huh."
Heero was unsure, but Duo sounded almost euphoric. He crept the rest of the way to Duo's bedroom door.
"That feel good?" asked Quatre.
Heero held his breath.
"Not so fast." Duo sounded slightly breathy, and Heero could hear bedsprings creaking. "Oooooo…. yes, that's it."
"Some of my sisters liked it faster and harder than that."
Sisters? wondered Heero. He can't be… That's seriously twisted!
"Well I don't."
"Okay, okay." Quatre sounded very apologetic. Silence reigned for a while before Quatre spoke again. "It's so long! And smooth!"
"It's a gift." Duo sounded pleased with himself.
"My fingers just glide over it!"
Okay… I'm outta here. Heero moved gently away from the door, careful not to make a sound. He made it to beside Trowa before his legs gave out.
"You heard?" asked Trowa.
Heero nodded. "Said he used to do it for his sisters too." Heero felt Trowa stiffen beside him.
Wufei looked between them. "What are you talking about?"
"Duo and Quatre are engaging in some form of sexual gratification," said Heero, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Du… Quat… Wha?" Wufei gibbered. He then shook his head. "They can't be! I can see Quatre as an uke, but…" He trailed off as Heero shook his head. "Duo was the uke?" asked Wufei in disbelief.
"That's what it sounded like," said Heero.
Wufei collapsed into the nearest chair, the sofa already being full with Heero and Trowa.
Trowa shook his head. "We must be happy for them. True love is rare, precious…"
Wufei shook his head. "But this is Duo and Quatre! Those two couldn't…" He trailed off.
Quatre quickly managed to remove the worst of the tangle. "I've almost got it."
"Good," replied Duo. "I'd hate to think that I'd be stuck with this for life." He winced as Quatre's deft movements pulled on his hair again. He felt a weight move from the back of his head.
"I got it," said Quatre.
Duo moved his hand to where the brush had been caught. Only the familiar feel of slightly damp hair greeted his fingers. He dropped his hand to his lap and twisted to half face Quatre. "Thanks man. I don't know what I'd've done without you."
"Asked Heero?" quipped Quatre. He held up the brush. "Do you want me to finish brushing it out for you?"
"I don't want to bother you," said Duo.
Quatre smiled. "It's no bother. Turn back around."
Duo complied, and almost instantly felt the gentle pull on his hair caused by the passage of the brush. "Mmmmm… that feels good." The tension lifted, then resumed as Quatre moved the brush and began another stroke.
"You like that?" asked Quatre.
"Uh-huh," agreed Duo, nodding slightly, which only increased the pleasure.
Quatre altered his grip on the brush before starting a new stroke. "That feel good?" he asked, starting to pick up speed.
Duo winced as the brush momentarily caught on a tangle, before pulling it free and continuing its path. He felt Quatre picking up greater speed, causing the brush to start to pull. "Not so fast." He found his voice was slightly breathy, caught up in the sensory memory connected to this event. He shifted slightly, and Quatre slowed his strokes, causing a shiver of pleasure to run down Duo's spine. "Oooooo… yes that's it."
Quatre was caught in his own memory. Of sitting watching Anise briskly brush out her hair, bringing large tufts of it away. "Some of my sisters liked it faster and harder than that."
"Well I don't," protested Duo.
"Okay, okay," apologised Quatre. He finished brushing in silence, making sure all the tangles and knots were gone. Once the brush started to pass through Duo's hair without catching he felt compelled to comment. "It's so long! And smooth!"
"It's a gift." Duo smiled to himself as he felt the long body of the brush exchange for the rougher feel of finger combing. He'd forgotten the joy of someone else doing this for him.
"My fingers just glide over it!" exclaimed Quatre, still alternately stroking and finger combing his hair.
Duo gently stood, then shook his head, feeling the light touch of his loose hair against his back through his robe. He then turned back to Quatre. "Thanks a lot," he said. "And I'd really appreciate it if you didn't mention this to the other guys. Got my image to think of and all." He reached up behind his head and deftly took a handful of hair in each hand, expertly separating it into three equal parts. He then started flicking his fingers in and out in the graceful ballet that braided his hair.
Quatre watched. "I don't think I've ever seen you do that before."
Duo reached the level of his shoulder blades and flipped his hair over his shoulder to finish braiding. "What? This?" Duo shrugged. "It's not that interesting really. It just gets it out of my way." He moved to his desk while still braiding. "You should've seen the messes I used to make while I was learning how to do this." He finished braiding and clamped the end between two fingers. With his free hand he dug in a drawer. "One time I got it so it hung over one ear. Aha!" He withdrew his hand from the drawer, an elastic band between his thumb and forefinger. He deftly looped it once, twice, three times around the loose end of the braid then released it, causally knocking it back over his shoulder. He then turned to put his back to Quatre. "Tada!"
Quatre applauded. "Very impressive, but I don't think I'll do my hair that way."
"Better not." Duo turned back to Quatre grinning. "Otherwise I'd have to take up the violin."
Quatre got up from the bed. "Well I'll leave you to get dressed." He moved to the door. "If it ever happens again, you know who to ask."
Duo smiled. "Thanks pal, I owe you big time."
Duo bounced down the stairs, only to find Wufei staring at him. Trowa and Heero seemed determined to look anywhere but at him. "What?" he asked, totally confused. "Have I got my pants on back to front or something?"
The silence continued.
Duo fetched the thermos from the table and poured the last of the coffee into a cup. "Geeze, anyone would think you were dead."
Trowa raised his head. "How long?"
"Huh?"
"You and Quatre. How long?" Trowa said, his voice completely devoid of feeling.
Duo shrugged. "Not more than ten minutes." He tried the coffee and found it was cold. He threw it down the sink and started to refill the kettle.
"Not that," said Wufei, looking disgusted. "How you have you and he…" He tailed off, raising his eyebrows suggestively.
"How long have we what?" asked Quatre from the stairs.
"…Been close," finished Wufei lamely.
Duo finished filling the kettle, then plugged it in. "Dunno."
"A month," guessed Quatre, finishing descending the stairs. "Certainly for a while. Why do you ask?"
Heero smiled. "And you didn't think to tell us because…?"
Duo's eyes widened. Uh-oh. Heero smiling is a bad, BAD thing. "We thought you guys could see that…"
"Well we didn't," said Heero, the smile still on his face. "And some of us don't appreciate being strung along."
"Look, buddy," reasoned Duo, "We didn't think us being friends was that big of a deal."
"I'm not talking about friendship!" snapped Heero.
Quatre joined them. "Then what were you talking about?"
"Your physical relationship," said Trowa.
"WHAT?" exclaimed Duo and Quatre together.
"What the hell are you talking about?" continued Duo. "Quatre and I don't have a physical relationship!"
"Well that's not what it sounded like just now," said Heero.
"We heard you in Duo's room," added Trowa.
"You were eavesdropping on me?" asked Duo.
Quatre moved closer to Trowa. "On us?" Trowa nodded and Quatre could see how hurt the other boy was by this. While there was nothing concrete between them, Quatre could tell that the seeds were there, awaiting the right conditions. "Oh Trowa, nothing happened."
"Heero heard him," Wufei jerked his head towards Duo, "moaning in pleasure, so don't lie."
Duo shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe that you guys think… That we'd…" He shook his head again. "Quatre was just giving me a hand."
"I'll bet," muttered Wufei.
Duo speared Wufei with a nasty glare. "If you must know he was helping me with my hair."
"Hair?" asked Heero.
Wufei snorted. "I don't believe that you get that much pleasure from hair."
Duo shrugged. "Well excuse me, but I don't think you've much experience with long hair." He moved back into the kitchen and dumped several spoonfuls of dehydrated coffee into the thermos. He filled it with water from the kettle, then returned to the main room with the thermos and a mug. "I may hide, and I may steal, but I don't lie." He poured a mug of steaming coffee. "It was hair. That's all." He lent against the wall and waited for anyone to refute him.
Heero nodded. "Okay. Hair." He moved back to his laptop and started to type.
Trowa nodded to Quatre. "I believe you."
Quatre's face seemed to light up with his smile. "You do?"
Trowa nodded, then sat and picked up a novel and started to read.
Duo glanced at Wufei.
Wufei met his gaze. "I didn't do anything. I have nothing to be sorry for."
"Except assuming," said Duo. "And assumptions are something a weak soldier relies on."
Wufei cursed at Duo in Chinese. Duo felt that while the meaning was lost in translation, the vehemence was not.
Duo raised his mug of coffee in mock salute. "And the same to you buddy."
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