Author: Keiran

Title: To Watch or to See 1/1

Rating: None.

Pairings: 1+2+1 if you look for it. If you're really want there might be some 5+2.

Warnings: Truly minor RFO. If you really look for it. Wufei pov.

This fic has been betaed by Sundaire. waves a Go Sundaire!' flag

***

There is no justice in the world.

I would be the first to admit I am not good with social relationships. So what if I was married, once. So what if there is someone, or even a few people, I respect deeply.

It has been brought to my attention, rather forcibly today, that I am presumptuous. Not that anybody said that to my face, because nobody would, expect Maxwell, but that's another story entirely.

I justify my actions basing them on assumptions. For example, as I mentioned, I am not good at socializing. But what of it, I used to think, since compared to Yuy I'm nearly as good as Maxwell compared to Barton.

I know what you think, and you are wrong. Barton is very much a people person. A perfect listener. Sure, the difference is great, it's Maxwell's company people seek, but people who get to know Barton learn just how sociable he is in friend-to-friend interactions.

My presumptuousness was proven by a faulty catwalk. You see, once in a blue moon, we have a shared mission. Afterwards, we usually go to a safe house. This time it was an old Sweepers' base, where lots of them have come to help us with repairs.

Somehow, Relena Peacecraft followed. She has this notion that Yuy needs saving from himself.

I used to agree.

Back to the problem at hand. Deathscythe was the first to land, followed closely by Wing. Maxwell took some really serious blows during the mission. From what I heard, he had a broken arm and some minor, but exhausting, wounds. There was only one 'fuck' and two 'don't-scratch-the-paint-you-motherfuckers' which indicated serious weariness. But I'm digressing.

Watching Maxwell land a mecha is an unforgettable sight – compared roughly to watching him practice katas (which he talked me into teaching him, by the way). He puts his whole soul into whatever he is doing. Anyway. So he landed and got out onto the catwalk, Yuy following suit. All of us managed to cram our suits into the tiny hangar, when the Sweepers and Lady Peacecraft showed up, Howard and the Lady on our level. Maxwell waved to Howard enthusiastically, before clutching his bad arm again with a hiss.

The hangar and the equipment was old and rusty. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the walkway gave way under Maxwell's slight weight. If it wasn't for the broken arm, it wouldn't have been much of a problem. But he was exhausted. All of us were. Even 'Superhuman Yuy' as Maxwell refers to him sometimes.

That didn't stop him, Yuy I mean, from jumping onto the faulty piece of metal and sliding down just in time to grab Maxwell's good arm.

The outcome shocked everybody into silence for a few seconds. It was just like a suspense movie – I was mesmerized with the sight of single blood beads falling from Maxwell's hand roughly 20 meters down, one level lower than our suits were standing. I could almost hear the splash the drops made.

"And to think I washed my hair last night," Maxwell smiled disarmingly at Yuy. "You should have shot me when you had the chance. Howard wouldn't have to pay the cleaning lady."

"Shut up, idiot." I heard Yuy growl. That shook us from the trance. The Lady started screaming, predictably. I was standing nearest to the broken footpath, so I launched myself into trying to prevent further breakage. The Lady joined me soon enough, no doubt trying to give Yuy some moral support.

Which was of no use, since he ignored her completely. I have never seen him so focused on a person before. Even if he had their life in his hands, literally. I had to smirk at that. Maxwell rubs off on people. I could vaguely make out Winner racing back to his Gundam, which was the only one with any chances of reaching the two in time. Both Wing and Deathscythe were on the other side of the lower level, Nataku was behind them, and Barton's stood at the gates.

Yuy's and Maxwell's fate depended on how fast and how well Winner could manoeuvre Sandrock in a limited space. I could only watch. With all the limited materials I had, I secured the pieces of the catwalk that were still holding, but there was no guarantee that it wouldn't break in other places.

"Heero…" A whisper caught my attention. I looked down to see Maxwell smiling softly. "I'm going to pass out." Indeed, I could see the fatigue in his eyes and in the lines of his body. He, Yuy and I knew what it meant.

"You do that, I kill you. Get it?"

It meant that his grip on Yuy's arm would loosen, and with Yuy's hand being slick with sweat and Maxwell's blood, even the perfect soldier wouldn't be able to hold on.

Yuy's statement confused me, however. It was something I'd picture Maxwell saying in the situation. Yuy had no sense of humor that I knew of. But then he was speaking again.

"If I have to drag my ass into the afterlife, just to kick yours, you are going to be in trouble Duo. You hear me? You are going to be in serious trouble." I heard a gasp from the Lady.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Another grin. "You'd have to get in line."

"Hn. I don't do lines."

And the ramp broke.

I nearly started screaming. Or at least I think I did, the Lady was screeching my ear off, so I couldn't even be sure of my name. Fortunately Winner somehow managed to make it at the very last moment. When we all calmed down enough I noticed Yuy lying on Sandrock's palm, shielding Maxwell's unconscious body from falling pieces of scaffolding.
 
The incident got me thinking. And observing. And brought me to a conclusion, finally. Maxwell liked being with people, and people liked being with Maxwell. He was the very personification of what everyone calls 'a people person'. Barton, on the other hand, treated people as if they didn't exist, until they made an effort and got to know him, but once they did he cherished them. Yuy treated everybody as a potential danger, with a sole exception of Maxwell, who managed somehow to earn his trust and respect. Ever since that, Yuy treated him as something special.

So… Barton is friends-orientated Maxwell. Yuy is Maxwell-orientated Barton.

I get the feeling that if I actually want to keep a friendship with Maxwell going, I'll need to put some effort into it, because Yuy looks just about ready to shield him from the rest of the world.

And frankly, I don't blame him.

~The End~