Duo Pair Preventer timeline. At night, Une thinks about her life. Then Duo drops by for a chat... Romance fict.
2+Une (side pairings, 2+Hirde, 13+Une).

By DSA

She knew they whispered about her. She knew about the fear they had of her. All was good. That was fine since it did not interfere with the carrying out of Preventer business. In fact, it accelerated the process, and keep the organisation free of the crass burden of unnecessary internal politics. She was the inhumane leader of peace. Lady like, but not a lady. She had no outer weakness because she could not risk it. But she had plenty of inner weakness she kept hidden.

It was night. Before her, rose a mass of shining skyscrapers, reaching to the skies between two forked highways. The largest was almost equal to the size of the building she was in. The Preventer headquarters. She not only worked inside it, but she lived inside the glassy walls. Work was her life. It was all that remained from Treize.

Her eyes clouded, as always at the memory of him. If there was any tears in her eyes at all, she refused to admit to them. They never fell anyway. He had gone splendidly. Away from the turmoiling world in the midst of chaos, as he had truly desired. Peace was not for him. It was what she lived in now, but Treize lived in her heart, along with his war.

She placed her left hand on the window, and looked past her reflection at the tiny lights of the rapidly moving cars below. Her hand, as always, was positioned above the area before the giant highway before her split up into two. If she followed either of the small highways up towards the horizon with her fingers, the ends of it would disappear into distant darkness. But she never moved her hand from the fork.

'Just as I thought, you never leave this place.'

The voice startled her out of her daze. She looked at the window's reflection of a lounging youth by the doorway. A lazy hand waved at her.

'Yo. I hope I'm not intruding or anything? You look kind of gloomy.'

'Duo Maxwell...'

'Yep. That's my name.' The boy uncurled himself from his position as Une turned.

'Why are you here?' She questioned.

Maxwell rose an eyebrow. 'Well, Lady, I should really ask that of you too. But hey? Let's just say we both really had important business to do.'

'What's so important to bring you here at night?'

'Well... I was wondering if you would have dinner with me perhaps.' He brought out a plastic bag from behind his back and pulled out two white paper bags. 'MAB burgers. Trust me, they're really delicious.'

He threw one at Une. Surprised, Une caught it.

'Huh?'

Maxwell waved a hand. 'Oh don't thank me. Please, have a seat instead and give me the pleasure of your company.'

He flopped himself down onto a side couch nearby the entry. He withdrew out two drinks from the bag, empting it out and placing one drink on the small desk before him. He opened the other. Hesitantly, Une made her way from behind her large desk and walked towards Maxwell. She sat down before him on a leather seat, and crossed her legs elegantly. She did not open Maxwell's offering.

Instead, she placed the packet neatly beside her and watched as Maxwell opened his after gulping from his can. The braided youth looked up, a question in his eyes. She smiled and took the drink from the table. Une opened it. She sipped at it politely before placing down the soft drink again. It was too sweet and bubbly. The teenager grinned and rose own his can.

'Cream Soda. Gotta love the stuff. Not wine, but good as.'

She sat, watching the long hair ex-pilot scarf down the giant sized burger in his hands. It was amazing to see how quickly he demolished it. Une reached over to the discarded plastic bag as he finished, and handed the youth a napkin from it.

'Thanks.' He wiped his mouth and fingers. She waited for him to finish. Maxwell closed his eyes and rested himself against the couch. 'I wanted to tell you that me and Hirde are getting married.'

'Oh really? That's good. I'm happy for you.'

'Yes, I guessed you would be.'

She looked sharply at the youth. She could have sworn there had been almost a edge of bitterness to his words.

'Is that strange, Maxwell?'

'Gah, call me Duo. Heck Lady, it's not like we're enemies anymore.' He opened one eye and peered out from underneath his bangs. 'We can get a little friendly here, you know. Man, you can be almost as bad as Heero or Wufei.'

He then snorted and stood up.

'Well, that all I wanted to say. Thanks for joining me for dinner.'

He tossed the left over garbage inside the dust bin next to the couch before he walked towards the door. Confused, Une also stood up. She followed him to the door.

'You're welcomed... Duo.'

The name sounded strange on her tongue. But it was not unpleasant. Duo suddenly stopped.

'Hey Lady...'

The youth sounded strange. It was as if he was speaking from somewhere deep inside himself. She tilted her head in puzzlement. It was almost as if Duo was being serious. She dismissed the thought immediately. There was never a time she had ever seen the ex-pilot serious. Not even after he had destroyed his precious Gundam he had rode, all in the name of Peace. It was just not Duo.

'Yes?'

He turned. His face was relaxed and smiling. A flush of relief rushed through her. She had not even known she had tensed.

'Don't you ever get lonely? Living with just a ghost?'

For a second, she did not comprehend his question. Then it sunk in. Her hand flew up and slapped the tall youth on his cheek before she realised what she had done.

'Ouch...'

'You deserved it.' She said coolly. Une resisted the urge to slap the boy again. Instead, she brought her hand back and held it still with her other.

'Say... I guess I did.' Duo touched the reddening area and looked down at her.

They looked at each other in silence. Then a speculative glint appeared in his eyes. Une took a wary step back. There was something about his pose that spelt danger. Emotional danger. Slowly, Duo smiled again. He removed his hand from his left cheek and touched her own. Une froze as he began tracing her lips with his finger tips. What was he doing?

'Maxwell...'

He stepped close towards her.

'It's Duo.' Duo pulled Une against him and kissed her.

Une's eyes flew open as she tasted the drink flavoured sweetness of Duo's tongue probing into her mouth. Duo licked the sides of her mouth, digging in deep inside her. She was feeling dizzy. Somehow Duo had managed to suck the very air out of her lungs. She felt herself weakening.

'Mmph.'

She clasped her hand into a fist and punched Duo in the stomach.

'Ooff.'

Duo broke the kiss. He grabbed both of Une's wrist before she could punch him again and twisted it behind her.

'Damnit Lady, you're a feisty one.' He muttered softly. 'I could have sworn you were getting into it too.'

Une blushed, but she kept her glare on Duo.

'I thought you proposed to Hirde.'

'I did.'

'So why are you holding me?'

Duo smiled widely. 'You mean, why did I kissed you? It is a bit odd, isn't it? After all, I did ask Hirde to marry me.'

Une's eyes narrowed.

'So?'

'She said yes.'

Suddenly, the smile dropped from Duo's face. Une saw for the first time, seriousness in the normally happy youth's face.

'But then she asked me if I loved her.'

'And?'

'I couldn't lie.'

Surprise widened Une's eyes as realisation hit.

'Surely Duo, you are-'

'I am not joking. With you, nothing is ever a joke.'

The grip on her arms tightened painfully. She winched before she could stop herself. A flicker of pain crossed her face. Suddenly, Duo released her.

'Sorry, I don't mean to hurt you. Or force you, or anything.' He looked down at his feet as he stepped back. 'I guess I over stepped things a bit.'

She rubbed her wrists.

A minute passed.

'You're forgiven.'

He looked up again. A smile appeared on his face again. It looked natural but Une suspected the smile was anything but a natural smile. She could not see though him. The replacement of his mask threw her, as had the unexpected dropping of it.

'Thanks Lady.'

'Duo...' A finger silenced her lips. 'I know already. There's only one man in your heart, and death will never win over him.'

The mask cracked briefly on Duo's face. Une's heart stopped as she saw a flicker of sheer longing and agony inside Duo. He loved her.

'I just wanted to say...'

She stared at Duo, unable to move. She was trapped by his intense blue eyes. It was like electricity, powerful and attractive. She had only felt that way once before.

'... goodbye to a loved one.'

His finger traced her parted lips wistfully, and Duo's smile tilted into a sad smile.

'You're truly his Lady, do you know that?' Then he turned away.

'Duo! Stop right there.'

Duo froze. He looked over his shoulder.

'Lady?' Not knowing exactly what she was doing, but knowing she could not leave it as it was, Une stepped forward. She was taking a huge chance but... Une swallowed then spoke, her voice husky as she spoke coolly with the practiced tone of a politician. It was only due to her experience was she able to feign her self-confident look.

'Don't call me "Lady". It will be either "Madam" to you or...' She crossed her arms nervously against her chest as she met Duo's incredulous gaze.

'You may call me Une.' And she smiled, hesitantly. Duo's expression changed. With it, Une suddenly felt she had made the right choice.

For warmth filled her life again with his smile.

Fin.