Disclaimers: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing nor its characters. Merely borrowing them for a little torture.
Warnings: Shounen-ai 6x2, other het pairings, possible mpreg but very minor, angst??
Notes: Yup, I'm back. There is just this little story left that I had in my hard drive which I refused to complete. I shall try now. Beta'ed by Annie Maxwell. Thank very much hon.
Faith Has Its Reasons
Chapter One
Everyone was happy, Duo groused silently to himself. Everyone was happy and content. Everyone but him.
Duo berated himself for the fifth time in an hour for coming to this party. He could be at home sitting on his couch, nursing a beer and feeling thoroughly sorry for himself. But instead, he was here, sitting on someone else's couch, nursing a beer and feeling thoroughly sorry for himself. Small difference but big enough to wish he were away from all this… happiness. He slouched further into his seat, gnawing at a snack he picked up from the bowl on the table in front of him and glared at the myriad of couples laughing and mingling in the dining area.
Heero and Relena. No surprise there. Queenie had been stalking Heero from the start. Heero had reciprocated in his own brand of stoicism. He didn't kill her.
Wu Fei and Sally. A bit of a surprise but there was a healthy dose of respect Wu Fei held for Sally. And working in the Preventors with her probably enhanced that respect to attraction.
Quatre and Dorothy. Two of conflicting natures, but through conflict, love sparked. They were an odd couple but a mix that worked.
Trowa and Hilde. Now that was a huge surprise. The normally silent man had managed to woo his little sister successfully and under his very nose. Threats had been issued when he found out and Trowa had manfully promised never to do anything that might get his genitals physically removed by way of Duo's bare hands through a painful ripping, tugging, twisting, tearing motion.
Zechs and Noin. That was a foregone conclusion that they would end up together. They looked so comfortable in each other's presence.
And that left little old Duo, tucked up in his corner of the room. He thought he should be used to being alone after all this time but to his utter surprise it hurt more than it should. He also knew he should stop feeling sorry for himself. After all, it did no good to sit there and wallow in self-pity and angst about his misfortune without doing anything about it. But he was just too tired of working through relationships that obviously wouldn't work. He couldn't even count the number of failed relationships he had had since the end of the Mariemaia incident.
While he knew he was glad to take a step back and remain single for once in four years, he also knew he was damn lonely. However, he wasn't ready to take the next step and get hurt again. Sure he was wimp, he knew that. But it was safer being a wimp then going through another bothersome heartache.
"Hey, what are you doing here all alone?"
Duo's head snapped up at the intrusion into his personal world of angst. He gaped as he recognized the head full of long golden hair with piercing blue eyes. Eyes very much like his sister's. He fidgeted on the couch as Zechs Marquise, no, Milliardo Peacecraft took a spot opposite him. Duo hadn't really met Peacecraft during the war, and there was even more limited contact after it. He didn't particularly like the man. After all, he nearly killed Heero although the Japanese man didn't hold a grudge where Peacecraft was concerned.
He couldn't really, Duo mused. Heero was dating his sister.
"Musing," Duo answered after Peacecraft's sharp gaze focused on him for a tad too long.
Peacecraft smiled, taking a small sip from his wine glass. "I guess this year, there is a lot to muse about, isn't there?" He looked contemplative, a little sad even.
"Excuse me?" Duo asked, frowning in confusion. There was something underneath what Peacecraft was saying but it flew over his head.
Peacecraft shook his head. "So, what are you doing now? Your work seems pretty hush hush, but everyone else believes you are gainfully unemployed." It was clear from the older man's expression he didn't believe Duo was unemployed, despite what his other friends think.
Duo had firmly refused to join the Preventors, despite pressure from Heero and Wu Fei in this matter. Even Sally and Commander Une had tried to force him to accept a contract, stating his services were 'needful in a time of chaos'. But Duo had enough of fighting and taking lives. He knew he could still probably protect himself and innocents when push came to shove but why should he when there were experienced and qualified people within the Preventors organization?
So he had firmly rejected them time and time again when the offer arose, especially when he didn't have any formal employment as the years rolled by. He had some part time work as far as his friends knew, which included being a pool cleaner, boat sitting, waiting tables and other similar profession. Quatre went so far as to create a position for him within his organization but Duo had turned him down as well. He knew Trowa had been annoyed with him for being so 'ungrateful' but none of his friends knew of his real profession. Since he didn't come to them to borrow money, they tend to respect his need to drift around for a while. Duo knew they secretly hoped that he would grow up and settle down some day.
"My work?" Duo grinned. "I picked up my last pay check distributing newspapers. There is nothing secretive about my work."
Peacecraft leaned back, eyeing him speculatively. "I see," he said shortly.
Duo shifted, feeling increasingly uncomfortable at the calm gaze the other man was exuding. It was as if the man was reading him, looking straight into him and picking on all his deepest secrets. An awkward silence descended and Duo just had this overwhelming desire to get out of there. He could do his own wallowing at home. He stood abruptly, brushing crumbs off his jeans. He grimaced at the gentle scolding he had coming his way for the little mess he created, but Quatre had ample servants to do a little clean up.
"Well," Duo forced a smile, sticking his hand out at Peacecraft. "This was nice, we should probably do this again," he quipped.
Peacecraft started as Duo shot to his feet but stared at the extended hand before lazily moving his eyes up to meet Duo's. "Going somewhere?" He asked, taking Duo's hand.
An involuntary shudder shot through Duo as he touched the rough skin on Peacecraft's hands. The man's got a good strong grip. But appreciation for his grip wasn't the reason frissons were running up and down Duo's back.
Get. A. Grip. Maxwell, he warned himself. After all, he was semi-lusting after a taken man. Whoa… wait, back up brain. Lusting? When did Duo ever find arrogant, near-killed-his-best-friend-in-the-war Peacecraft attractive?
Two seconds ago, when he took your hand, a small voice giggled and faded away.
There's no way I would fall for someone in two seconds, after he took my hand, Duo yelled at that giggling voice.
It could happen if you are desperate and horny.
Unable to believe Duo was arguing with the voices in his head and losing, he snapped back to the here and now. He found himself staring down at Peacecraft's cold blue eyes, their hands still clasped and not knowing what was the question asked.
"Huh?" He said rather intelligently.
Peacecraft's normally cold demeanor cracked a little as a small smile curved his rather sensuous lips.
Alright, Duo thought to himself, I so need to get laid. He was starting to lust after an arrogant, prissy prince who thought that a mask was actually an intelligent fashion statement. He found himself staring at an expectant Peacecraft again and realized he had missed the question once again.
"Uh… Huh?" Duo smiled sheepishly.
Peacecraft frowned in concern. "Are you alright, Duo?" He moved closer, peering into Duo's face, searching almost anxiously.
Duo backed up a little, not really comfortable with a nearly total stranger invading his personal space. While he found Peacecraft attractive; he wasn't dead after all, who wouldn't find the aristocratic cast of that face and build unattractive; he wasn't familiar with him enough for the former prince to be within a foot of him and still holding his hand.
"I'm fine," Duo hurriedly assured, a little shocked to hear his given name flowing over Peacecraft's tongue. "Just a little distracted."
Peacecraft was nothing if not astute and he took a step back as well. A flicker of something ran across his expression and disappeared as soon as it appeared. "I see. As I was saying, it was nice meeting you here again."
Duo nodded. Somehow, he knew that was not what Peacecraft had said. Oh well, he could only blame his own inattentiveness.
And raging hormones.
"Good bye, Peace – " Duo started.
"Milliardo," the older man interjected.
"Either way, it's a mouthful," Duo smiled, suddenly not so willing to leave. Or escape the den of everyone-is-freaking-happy-and-sappy quite so soon.
A lazy grin worked its way across Milliardo's face and had a devastating effect on Duo's peace of mind. This was getting serious. There was no way Duo could have fallen for someone he had had no prior contact with, no prior interest with and a lot of prior hatred with in two minutes! But that's what happened in a heartbeat. If Duo wasn't too old to believe in fairy tales, he would have been inclined to believe some sort of magic had taken place.
"Then you can call me whatever you wish," Milliardo shot back, enjoying the banter.
Duo made sounds of contemplation. "Milliardo, Milliardo," he tested the name on his tongue. "Sounds like Mallard… I know, I shall hence forth call you Duck!"
Laughter exploded from Milliardo like a bullet from a gun, though sounding a whole lot more pleasant. "I have never been liken to a water treading, feathered fowl for so long as I lived."
"Oh?" Duo raised an eyebrow at him.
"Hmm," Milliardo smiled. "A panther, perhaps, even a sleek little hunting cat."
At that suggestive tone, Duo couldn't resist raking his gaze down the length of Milliardo's taller body.
"Having fun?" Noin's unmistakable voice sounded behind him and the two of them jumped. Milliardo from shock, Duo partially from guilt.
Duo turned and shot Noin an apologetic smile. He had after been caught flirting with the woman's boyfriend. He was taken aback at the venomous, bitter glare Noin threw at him.
"Lucrezia," Milliardo greet with a distinct air of resignation.
"Zechs," Noin reciprocated, ignoring the wince from her partner.
Feeling like he was stepping into the war path, Duo wisely back out of the room. He missed the wistfulness from Milliardo.
"Duck," Duo muttered to himself, flaming with embarrassment. That had to be the stupidest joke he had ever thought of. "Duck," he repeated, snorting at himself.
"And so you should," Wu Fei warned candidly, coming out from one of the rooms. "Relena wants your head."
Duo's eyes bugged out. "What? Why?" He was quickly pulled into a room that consisted of all his war time partners. They seemed to be taking cover. The girls were off somewhere else.
"Flirting with my brother-in-law?" Heero admonished.
"What were you thinking, Duo Maxwell?" Quatre drawled, his hands crossed in front of him.
"Hey!" Duo protested. "I didn't start it!" He raked his messy bangs back and flopped into a chair.
Trowa snorted. "Stop teasing him, you know it isn't his fault."
Duo rolled his eyes. "Finally, a voice of reason. I mean, what's that about?" He waved toward the direction where Noin and Milliardo were probably biting chunks off each other right now. "And Milliardo, he was actually flirting with me. I thought those two were together."
The silence in that room was palpable.
"What?" Duo asked sourly. It was like everyone was privy to a secret that he didn't know about and it annoyed the living shit out of him.
"They are not together anymore," Wu Fei said slowly, reluctantly.
"Huh?" There went Duo's witty repartee out the window yet again.
Quatre was shaking his head in amazement. "I cannot believe you have not heard anything about it! It's not like you have anything to do anyway!"
That stung. It stung a lot. Sure, Duo expected comments such as these from his friends for his apparently inability to find and keep permanent employment but that was a hit below the belt. That was enough for Duo today.
"Yeah, well. . ." was all Duo said. He turned and exited the room.
"What. . . ?" Quatre's confused voice followed him out of the room.
"Duo. . ." His other friends called for him, but he had had enough. There was so much condescending teasing a person could take.
He hastened his steps toward the entrance when he heard his friends coming after him. He really didn't want to explain himself.
…and faced Relena Peacecraft.
"You!" She descended on him like an avenging angel.
It was just too bad that Duo was at the end of his patience. He raised a hand to forestall her. "I've had enough from everyone today. If you want to kick Duo Maxwell in the balls, take a number and get back to me tomorrow."
He marched out of Quatre's home with his head held high, leaving behind a rather pole axed Relena and a few guiltily confused friends.
Tbc..
