12-21-2005

Title: Loyalty
Author: Aureus
Pairings: 1x2
Rating: NC-17 for lemon
Warnings: yaoi, language, and lemon
Feedback: Please, praise and constructive criticism and favorite/unfavorite parts. Help a new author out!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or its characters

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The little-known fact about the Deathscythe pilot was that he was as loyal as he was dangerous. He had changed his name as to honor those people of his past that he cared so much about. He had nearly sacrificed himself hundreds of times during the war to stay true to the colonies and to his missions.

Duo Maxwell was loyal. Loyal and stubborn. And he refused to let anyone change his mind about anything. He made up his own rules, and he saw things the way he wanted to see them.

He saw a lot of things differently than the other pilots. He saw battles as conversations, he saw graveyards as playgrounds, he saw friendship as a necessity.

He saw Heero Yuy as stunning.

To Duo, Heero was a combination of things he could never hope to find elsewhere. The dark-haired Japanese boy was as strong, skilled, and attractive as anyone could ever dream to be. But more than that, Duo and Heero knew each other. They had been in battle together, they had destroyed countless OZ soldiers side by side, they had both seen the horrifyingly sadistic side of each other and knew there was more to both of them than merciless killing. They knew they could never hope to find anyone else to understand the incredible ordeal of their training, the war itself, and the consequences of its aftermath.

This left the American pilot in a rather awkward situation, for Duo was not the kind to fall hopelessly in love with anyone, and he certainly was not the kind to throw himself carelessly at the feet of the boy he secretly craved. He was not the kind to grovel or plead or compromise.

He was, however, the kind to fall for a well-thought out scheme.

Although the war was over and no mission was left to keep the Gundam pilots together, they were unable to merely forget the ties they had forged in battle. They had become irreplaceable parts in each others' lives and while they all retained some idea of independence, they often found themselves together. Three times a year, they spent a week or two together at one of Quatre's vast estates, catching up with each other and sharing between them what only the five of them could share: the bond of knowing.

Winter was ebbing away as Duo approached the modest two-story house, located in the rounded hills of the Vermont countryside. His braid swayed playfully as he made his way up the driveway and looked around, taking in the scenery, the sun slowly sinking behind the mellowed white knolls.

"Old Quatre sure knows how to pick 'em" he thought to himself, "I can't wait to take a week off from work. Seeing Heero again won't be so bad, either. That is, if he's even here."

A smirk crossed the pilots lips as he thought of Heero, who had been absent from the last two little get-togethers Quatre had arranged.

Knocking on the front door, Duo was surprised when Trowa answered.

"Oh, you're here. We thought you weren't coming," His hair rendered one eye invisible.

"What? What do you mean?"

"We all got here yesterday. Didn't you read Quatre's invitation?" Trowa said with an air of annoyance.

"What! Yesterday?" Duo erupted, "What's going on?"

Trowa quickly grabbed the braided pilot and dragged him into the front hallway, preventing more hot air from escaping through the open doorway.

"Quatre's invitation says Saturday the 15th, right? Same as last year?" Duo asked confused as he dropped his suitcase down in the foyer with a satisfying thud. He pulled the invitation out of his coat pocket and began to open it.

"The 15th was a Friday last year. Quatre always starts on a Friday. See?" Trowa grabbed the card out of Duo's hands and pointed to the date. The American pilot stared at the overly embroidered and flowery font, amazed how anyone could read it as English, let alone distinguish between a 4 and a 5.

"Well, you're just lucky I showed up at all!" Duo said, taking his coat off and leaving it on a chair. "Everyone else all here, then?" He asked cheerfully as they made their way through the warmly lit kitchen into the living room, where two chairs sat occupied.

"Duo! I'm so glad you could make it!" Quatre's voice rang out as the blond stood up in order to properly greet his friend with an enthusiastic hug. "I was beginning to worry you weren't coming at all!"

"Nah, I guess I'm still just a little thick when it comes to your invitations, Kat. There isn't a way for you to print mine in big block letters next time, is there?" Duo's eyes were alight with his old sense of humor.

Quatre chuckled politely, "I wonder if Wufei ran into similar difficulties. He is usually a reliable guest."

Duo hadn't noticed the fourth guest sitting in the chair closest to the fireplace. He had been too distracted by Quatre's joyful greeting and overcome with the feeling of being back home. Quatre's place always felt like home.

"Hello, Duo."

The words ran smooth through the air and landed on Duo's ears, causing the hairs on his neck to stand and a tickling, pleasurable itch to run down his spine. Heero stood and walked towards the braided pilot, extending his hand.

"Heero, old pal! It sure has been a while, hasn't it?" Duo masked his reaction and took Heero's hand in his own. After a second of awkward shaking, Duo looked down and said skeptically, "I thought you didn't do the handshake thing, Yuy."

"The war's over, Duo." Heero said with his usual impatience.

"Oh MAN!" Duo exploded, "It hasn't even been five minutes! Nearly first words out of his mouth!" The energetic pilot dissolved in laughter and began to prod the increasingly confused Heero with playful jabs.

"Oh, Heero!" Quatre sounded dismayed as he noticed Heero's confused expression. "You haven't been here since we started the game; I should have explained it to you. The first one to mention anything about the war has to cook breakfast for everyone else for the rest of the week."

"I like my French toast with lots of syrup, Heero!" Duo joked, poking the Japanese pilot in the ribs.

"He wasn't aware of the game or the rules, Quatre," Trowa took a step forward, "I don't think it's fair to hold him to the consequences without a fair understanding…"

"And lots of bacon, too!" Duo's teasing was approaching dangerously obnoxious levels.

"I know Trowa, I wasn't suggesting he follow the rules yet. I was just apologizing and explaining to him what I should have…" Quatre was interrupted by Heero's curt response.

"I'll do it."

"And sausage and powdered sugar and…" the muffled sound of Duo being trapped in a headlock finished out the list.

"I'll do it if this idiot cleans up after me," Heero bargained.

Quatre and Trowa looked first at each other and then at Duo's headless body and flailing limbs, trying to suppress their own amusement.

"Sure, go ahead," came the synchronized reply.

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