Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam. Any version, any time.
Just a little something that came to me while trying to fall asleep. And before you ask, Quatre isn't on this mission because he's too busy being cute, running the family business and settling arguments between his thousands of sisters. He's not locked in my closet, I swear.
What's In A Name?
"George."
"Thomas."
"Oh! Siegfried!"
"David."
"Steven."
"Mortimer."
"James."
"Martin."
"Roberto."
"What are you doing?"
Wufei stood with his arms crossed over his chest giving his three friends a stern look. The shadows cast by the fire gave him a menacing look and for a few moments only the sound of the crackling fire could be heard. That is, until the dragon lost his patience.
"Well?"
Duo ducked his head at the demand even as his lips curved in a grin and Heero continued cleaning his gun as he had been doing during their discussion so it was left to Trowa to answer their glowering friend.
"We were suggesting names for each other."
"We don't need aliases for this mission."
"True. These names are for us, personally."
"What are you talking about? You have names already."
"But they're not ours, 'Fei! All three of us have names that belonged to dead guys. So we were just sitting here guessing at what our real names were."
Wufei stood there and thought about Duo's words. It had never occurred to him that all three had been living under assumed names most of their lives. It just wasn't something that crossed his mind. They were Trowa Barton, Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy. They don't know about their families or their parents.
He thought about how much his name, his family, his heritage meant to him and suddenly he felt sad for the three men sitting around the campfire. He looked at each of his friends in turn and then scoffed as he sat down, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the fire. His voice sounded irritated, as if he thought their conversation meaningless, frivolous.
"What difference does it make what your name is? As long as you are living the life you wish to lead it doesn't matter. I personally don't care what the hell your names are. What I do care about are your fighting ability and integrity. Those things are what keep me, and you, alive. And that, you fools, is what's important."
Wufei looked up and fixed each with a glare, daring them to argue his logic, before getting up and stalking off into the woods. Three sets of eyes followed Wufei's retreat and then questioned each other for a few silent moments before Trowa once again spoke up for the group.
"He's right."
"Yeah, I guess, but….jeez, did he have to put it that way?"
"That's his way, Duo. And regardless of how he said it, you understood what he was trying to say."
Duo smiled at Trowa and leaned back against the fallen tree with a sigh.
"That I do. 'Fei loves us. He just doesn't know how to say it."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Wufei turned to see a figure moving towards him in the shadows. He knew immediately who it was and didn't flinch when a gun was pulled and placed at his temple.
"Is that all I am to you? A 'fool' who can keep you alive?"
"What were you expecting me to say?"
The shadowed figure heard the mocking playfulness in Wufei's voice and it only ignited his desire even more. He pressed the gun barrel into his flesh a little harder and he delighted in hearing the hissed intake of breath.
"Say it now."
"No. It holds no meaning if forced."
"Am I really forcing you to say it?"
"There is the matter of a gun being pointed at my head."
A click sounded in the dark, quiet of the forest and the gun was removed, only to be replaced by a pair of soft lips, kissing the cold spot where the gun barrel had once rested. The voice sounded again and this time it was husky and Wufei shivered from its touch.
"Better?"
"Hmmmm."
"Say it……please."
"I love you…."
The End.
4
12/9/2006
