Title: Obeying Murphy's Law
Author: WickedGame
Archive: "No Rest For the Wicked" http/wickedgame. ffnet, mediaminerorg, my LJ
Category: angst, fluff, a little humor, one-shot
Rating: PG-13 or T
Pairing: 1+2+1 (or 12)
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.
Warnings: foul language, maybe a bit OOC, AU, shounen ai.
Notes: Written for tshirt1x2, and inspired by their sketch that can be found at http/usera. why didn't you bring the map?"
"I do not need a map, Duo."
"You obviously do need a map. We're lost."
"We're not lost."
"Yes we are. We should be on highway twenty-four, coming up on exit forty-two. We are currently on," Duo paused and looked at the signs on the side of the road through the pounding rain, "highway fourteen coming up on exit one hundred and seven."
Heero bit the inside of his cheek to keep from yelling. He took a deep breath, "We are not lost. I just have gotten kind of off course."
"Off course? Is that what we are calling lost these days?" Duo asked snidely.
Heero pulled over and put the car in park, "Damn it Duo! I am trying as hard as I can here." Heero took another deep breath and closed his eyes. He tried to remember what the map at home looked like while calming himself.
This was not Duo's fault, and Heero needed to stop yelling at him for it. He had been responsible for the map, and he had forgotten it. He highly suspected it was sitting next to the sink, where he had been looking at it before they had left some hours ago now.
They were on their way to a cabin in the woods. It was supposed to be their anniversary. It was supposed to be their holiday. They both worked long hours and also almost every day of the week, and had decided that some time away was just the thing they needed. Brochure after brochure and internet site after internet site had been searched until they had found this little cabin in the middle of nowhere.
But, that was just the problem now. It was in the middle of nowhere. So in the middle of nowhere that they could not seem to find it. Duo was not surprised Heero was upset either. Heero tended to be his worst critic, and probably was taking full responsibility for this mission failure.
They stopped for gas at the next town, and purchased another map. Duo sipped a cup of coffee while Heero poured over the crooked lines that signified this state's highways.
"Looks like we are only about one point five hours off course," Heero told Duo as he sipped his own coffee.
"Great. Should be there by dark," Duo commented.
"Yeah, provided nothing else goes wrong," Heero smirked wryly and bit into the candy bar Duo had purchased for him.
They started the car and proceeded down the highway.
&&&
They had been on the road for all of five minutes when something else, in fact, did go wrong.
They had been behind the same eighteen-wheeler for at least thirty minutes when it happened. Rain-soaked roads and heavy traffic made for a tense situation, as proved by the fact that without warning the eighteen-wheeler suddenly fishtailed and turned sideways, blocking the entire road.
"Damn it!" Heero shouted, pulling to the side of the road just in time. At the same time, his cup of coffee rebelled, spilling the dark brown liquid all over his shirt and pants.
"Fuck!" he shouted as he opened his door. He stepped outside, even though it was pouring, and threw the cup as hard as he could. Duo didn't have the heart to remind him of the law against littering.
Heero kicked one of the tires of the car and walked away. Duo watched silently as Heero walked into the bushes. Two minutes later, according to the watch on his wrist, Heero returned, soaked to the bone but calmer.
"Heero?" Duo tentatively reached out to his husband and laid a hand on his wet shoulder, "You all right?"
"Super," was the short reply.
Duo decided to leave it at that. The authorities and tow trucks showed up almost immediately, ready to remedy the eighteen-wheeler situation. Heero stayed quiet for the most part. Duo took out a book of crosswords and worked on them while humming quietly.
An hour later the mess was cleared and they were free to go after giving short statements.
&&&
Duo was humming along with the radio about thirty minutes later when Heero cursed and pulled over again.
"What?" Duo asked. When he looked out the front window he saw what was wrong.
"Fucking piece of shit no good mother ass fucking car!" Heero yelled. Duo flinched. He was usually the foul-mouthed one, not Heero.
The reason for Heero's ire was evident when one saw the steam pouring from the hood of his car. Heero stomped out once again into the rain and threw open the hood of the car. Steam billowed out, and Duo could barely hear Heero's ranting:
"Cars overheat in the summer! You got that? The summer! Not in the middle of the fucking rainy season! Damned temp gauge must be broken," Heero had fallen into muttering.
Duo opened his door and stepped out into the rain with Heero, "Can I help?"
"Pop the trunk and get the water jug," Heero instructed him. Duo did as he was told and brought the full jug and a rag to Heero.
Heero waited in the rain until the steam had stopped, for the most part. Then he opened the radiator cap with the aid of the rag Duo had found and poured water into the still-hot radiator. Steam and rain mixed to make them even wetter, if that was possible. They replaced the cap and got back into the car.
Some twenty minutes later, Heero started the car again, "We will only be able to make it to the next town, and then we will have to make sure we are okay to drive; as well as buying a new radiator cap."
Duo nodded and watched the rain out the window. It had grown a little heavier in the last thirty minutes, and now a severe thunderstorm warning was playing over the radio.
"Hey Heero, have I ever told you how much I like lightning?" Duo asked, looking fondly at Heero.
"Once or twice, yes," Heero said shortly. Duo rolled his eyes and settled down in his seat.
&&&
Murphy's Law is what they called it. And on this day Heero and Duo certainly had a bad case of it. They were about five minutes out from the nearest town when all of a sudden a huge bang and a swerve of the car interrupted the silence.
"Shit!" Heero yelled. Duo echoed the sentiment as Heero held on tight to the wheel until he had enough control to get them to the side of the road.
When they had stopped Heero looked immediately at Duo, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Duo assured him. They both exited the car and walked around to the driver-side front.
Sure enough, there was a blown tire there.
Heero threw his arms up in the air and walked around to the passenger side. With a wild laugh he plopped himself on the dirty ground.
"Heero?" Duo asked carefully as Heero cackled with glee.
"Heero?" he repeated. Heero did not spare him a look.
Duo wiped his bangs away from his eyes and noted that his braid was starting to come undone. Heero's legs were straight out in front of him, and the man was now laughing so hard Duo was sure he was crying.
"Heero!" Duo shouted, trying to reach him. Heero looked up at him, soaked to the bone and eyes red.
"Yes?" Heero asked calmly, as if nothing was wrong.
"Are you okay?" Duo asked cautiously.
"I am functional," Heero conceded.
Duo looked down at the man he loved and saw a man utterly frustrated. So frustrated in fact that he was prepared to just give up.
He also saw the dark hair he loved to run his fingers through, and the pale skin he adored tasting. He admired the bluest of blue eyes that he had spent years gazing into and the fit body that had always been so attractive to him.
Heero started when Duo moved quickly to sit on his lap. Duo grabbed the back of Heero's head and pressed their dripping foreheads together.
"Heero, you always try to make everything so perfect. And when those things fail you always take the blame. Sometimes shit happens babe. Sometimes tires blow, radiators overheat, and eighteen-wheelers crash. Sometimes the weather is sunny, and sometimes it is thunder and lightning," as if to illustrate his point the sky chose that moment to emit a huge amount of forked lightning and roaring thunder.
Duo kissed Heero's nose, "I love you. I love everything about you and everything you do. I think it is adorable that you forgot something for once, and I think you look great stained with coffee and dripping with water. This is our anniversary, and you have spent it brooding and cursing. Sometimes you just have to roll with what dice life hands you," Duo stroked the water away from Heero's cheeks and looked into those unfathomable eyes.
Heero placed his hands on Duo's hips and moved his head forward. Duo ran his hands up Heero's soaked arms and into the dripping hair at the nape of his neck. Their mouths met in a melding kiss that tasted of water and each other. Their tongues danced together, seeking and exploring crevices each knew so well. It was if the lightning, thunder, and rain had all gone away, leaving only them to enjoy what life was giving them.
When they finally pulled apart Duo laid his chin on Heero's shoulder, "Don't you think we should call someone?"
"For what?" Heero asked a little dazed.
"Blown tire. Side of highway. Dripping wet. Remember?" Duo teased.
"Sure," Heero got up off the pavement and got back in the car with Duo. After they had called a tow truck Heero leaned back in his seat.
"I think we should get a hotel room in the next town," Duo suggested. Heero shot up and looked at Duo with alarm.
"Absolutely not. We will proceed to our destination as soon as the tire is fixed," Heero demanded.
"Why?" Duo asked.
"I'm on a mission, and I aim to be successful."
"Don't you think it is a little late for that?" Duo asked, confused.
"No. Besides," Heero looked at Duo, "sometimes the journey is more important than the destination."
-The End-