Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. The following is an intellectual exercise with no intention of profit. That said, these characterizations, words, and situations are mine. Please ask before reprinting.
A/N: This fic will feature several different pairings - and probably not the ones that you expect after a first glance. This is told in third person POV, but it will switch to different characters with each chapter. While not a crossover, I definitely want to acknowledge that the TV series, "Dirty Sexy Money" and the movie Two Weeks Notice both influenced me to write this. I would appreciate any feedback, whether it be negative or positive, criticism or lavish praise. Lavish praise preferred.
A/N #2: Sorry that this chapter is still Trowa's POV. This used to be part of Chapter 3, but it got too long, and I had to split it into chapters.
A Little Less Normal: Chapter IV
"Hee –er, Trowa? What are you doing here?" Duo looked completely confused, and Trowa was sure that his own face mirrored that same confusion.
"What are you doing here?" Trowa shot back.
"I live here." Duo said with a frown.
Trowa arched an eyebrow.
"I mean, I used to live here –"
"Finally. Now that you are here, we can get started." Wufei had left the library and was now standing behind Trowa, startling both men.
"Er. Yeah, okay." Duo said, still focused on Trowa.
Trowa tore his gaze away from the other man and followed Wufei back into the library, he heard Duo follow a moment later.
Trowa resumed his seat beside Heero and watched in curiosity as Duo greeted Celia with a kiss on the cheek, which she frostily accepted.
"Heero," Duo said with a nod before sitting on the settee by the window.
Wufei resumed his place behind Odin's desk, and shuffled the papers in front of him.
"Now that Mr. Maxwell has joined us at last, we can begin." Wufei said after giving Duo a meaningful glare.
Trowa's mind finally caught up with what had transpired. Duo was Heero's reprobate brother?
" Today –"
"Wait, sorry, I guess I missed the introductions. Who is he, exactly?" Duo asked, pointing at Trowa.
"My lawyer," Heero said.
"Your lawyer? What happened to Old Man Richards?" Duo asked with a frown.
"Technically, he's the family's lawyer. And I didn't want Odin's lawyer. I wanted someone new."
"So he works for us," Duo clarified.
"Unfortunately, that is what he said. Duo, can we please move on now?" Wufei jumped in.
"When, where – why him?" Duo continued, as if Wufei hadn't spoken.
Trowa frowned and looked at Duo, wondering why he was pursuing this line of questioning when there were other matters at hand.
"I interviewed him and he was the best for the position," Heero practically growled.
"A little young, isn't he?"
"Would you like my resume and references? I can provide you with them after the reading." Trowa ground out, irritated himself now.
"Yeah, I'd appreciate that," Duo responded, sounding a little irritated as well.
"If that's settled?" Wufei asked loudly.
Duo nodded and looked away from Trowa.
"Then we will now, finally, begin."
Trowa made notes on all of the bequests that Wufei proceeded to detail. He knew that the important bequests would be towards the end, those involving the close family and the corporation. All the same, it was important to be aware of all aspects of Odin's will.
"…and all jointly owned residences and bank accounts will revert solely to Celia Yuy. In addition, the residences in Tahiti, Marseilles, Alexandria, Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro, and the Berkshires. To Heero Yuy, the following properties will be deeded – the residences in Seattle, Tokyo, Beijing, Macau, Madrid, Rome, London, and Paris. And the apartment building on the East Side. And to Duo Maxwell the following residences have been deeded – the Brooklyn Brownstones, and the residences in Kona and Toronto."
Trowa frowned as he made the notes, wondering why Duo had received significantly fewer properties than his brother. He also circled the Brownstones – making note of the fact that Wufei had pluralized it. He also wondered how many properties had been jointly owned by Odin and Celia – the list of properties that Odin had owned himself was impressive.
"All commercial properties will be owned and controlled by Yuy Inc. with the exception of the Third Avenue commercial spaces, which will remain under Duo's stewardship and will be deeded over to him. Likewise with the commercial properties in the Bronx."
"In reference to Odin's personal investments in Yuy Inc., his shares are to be divided as –" Wufei paused, scowled, and looked up from his papers to glare at Duo.
"Um? Fei? You kind of stopped reading," Duo said with an anxious look.
Wufei cleared his throat and looked back down. "-Odin's stock shares are to be split fifty-fifty between Heero and Duo. Heero is hereby appointed the Chairman and President of Yuy Inc. and Duo Maxwell is appointed as Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer."
There was an explosion of noise from Darlian, his daughter, and the cadre of lawyers seated behind them and Celia Yuy.
Trowa thought back to Heero's statement that he didn't need to worry about his brother forming a coup. It looked like Duo had done precisely that.
"Will you explain to me how my husband managed to appoint senior board positions without votes from the board?" Celia asked in a voice so frosty that Trowa had to fight back a shudder.
"Odin secured Heero's appointments through board voting at the last meeting," Darlian said. "But there was never ANY mention of Duo's involvement in the company, outside of inheriting nominal stocks. This can't be legal –"
"Actually," Trowa interrupted reluctantly, "the late Mr. Yuy organized the board as a supportive structure that was subordinate to any appointments and decisions he made as President and Chairman. Even demotions – such as presumably removing Blair Edwards as the Chief Executive Officer and appointing Duo, er, Mr. Maxwell in his place."
His interruption earned him glares from the majority of the room. Duo merely looked incredulous, and Heero's face was blank and unreadable.
"Really?" Darlian asked. "And you know this…?"
"Because Mr. Yuy, Heero Yuy, hired me to protect himself, his family, and Yuy Inc. I do my homework."
Darlian sneered.
"If what you say is the case, then it should be a simple matter of convening the board and voting to elect a new Chief Executive Officer. And Heero can remove Duo's status as a Senior Vice President."
"Actually," Wufei spoke up, "I wasn't finished reading." He waited until he had everyone's attention focused back on him. "Odin has also stipulated that the current leadership structure, as of the reading of this will and including all appointments made through this reading, remain intact for the next year. If any changes to the structure are made, for any reason other than dire emergency or incapacitation, all stocks and previously private holdings of Yuy Inc. will come under the management of Treize Khushrenada."
Now there was complete silence.
Trowa searched his memory for any mention of Treize Khushrenada. For some reason the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it.
"You did this," Relena spoke up suddenly, directing her angry words at Duo.
"What do you mean, I did this? " Duo demanded.
"You used Heero's absence to worm your way into Odin's good graces! You've ruined the legacy that was meant for Heero alone!"
Duo ran a hand through his hair. "I'm so sorry this throws a wrench in your obsessive plans for my brother, princess, but I had nothing to do with this. I asked Odin for the properties in the Bronx, and that was all. The rest – especially this corporate crap – was not my doing."
"Duo – "
"Mother. I had nothing to do with this. The last time we talked, Dad said that Heero was getting everything."
"He worked for it, at least," Wufei muttered.
Trowa noticed that Heero had been curiously quiet throughout this debate.
"I know that! Have I said anything about him not deserving to inherit the whole damn company?" Duo demanded, exploding out of his chair and advancing on the Chinese man.
"You sure haven't been complaining," Wufei barked. "And this whole thing – Odin changing his will, giving you such high stakes in the company – none of it makes sense."
"I agree with you! That's what I just said!" Duo threw his hands up in exasperation.
"Then why are you –"
"Stop," Heero suddenly commanded. "Everyone, just stop."
Both Wufei and Duo turned to look at Heero.
"There has to be a logical way to…unravel these events and correct this situation."
"Correct it, huh?" Duo echoed. He practically collapsed back onto the settee.
Heero arched an eyebrow at him.
"You, yourself, said that you didn't want this."
"Well, no. It's not what we had talked about."
"Then you agree that it isn't the ideal situation?" Heero continued in a reasonable tone of voice, devoid of emotion.
"I think Dad being alive would be the ideal situation," Duo muttered.
"Duo, I've been working in the company since I was eighteen. For thirteen years I've worked as an intern, an assistant, a legal advisor, an investment manager, and a vice president. I've been training to take over this company for almost half my life."
"I know all of this. And so did Dad. That's why he appointed you as President and Chairman!"
"Duo, you have no experience in this. You're a math teacher!"
"Heero, you aren't the only one in this family with an MBA and you aren't the only one who interned with the company. It's true that I don't have your experience, or your expertise. But I've got a head for numbers, strangely enough. And Dad gave both of us this legacy. The least I can do is try to honor his wishes."
"So now you decide to be the dutiful son? Now you decide to do what Odin wanted?" There was definite emotion in Heero's voice now, and Trowa was taken about by the raw hurt in the other man.
"You're right. I never went to law school – hell, I didn't even want to go to Columbia and get my MBA, but I did and I tried, damnit! And I loved him. He was my Dad too, Heero!"
"No he was –" Heero abruptly snapped his jaw shut.
Duo's face drained of all color.
"So that's what this is really about?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper.
Heero shook his head.
"I shouldn't have said that. I just – I think that you need to really think about this, Duo, and decide what's best for everyone."
Duo's eyes narrowed.
"I think you should do the same," he said in a quiet voice.
Heero nodded after a moment's hesitation.
"I'd like a copy of the will," Trowa said into the silence that followed.
Wufei looked at him. "I'll have copies faxed over to you tonight."
"Thank you."
Celia stood.
"Dinner will be served in half an hour. Perhaps we should all take some time to ourselves."
"Yeah, I'm not going to be able to stay for dinner tonight," Duo said and stood as well.
Celia shrugged elegantly.
"If you insist, darling, I'm sure you have other things on your mind right now."
"Yeah. I'll, uh, see you for Sunday brunch." He lifted a hand in a vague gesture of farewell, and then he practically fled the library.
There was a tense, awkward moment, and then everyone else started to file from the room. Heero remained in his chair, and Trowa behind stayed as well.
Once they had the room to themselves, Trowa closed the doors and then sat across from Heero.
"Well, that went even worse than you predicted," he said.
Heero gave a startled laugh.
"Yes, well, sometimes even I can be wrong." Heero looked up at Trowa. "You seemed to take everything in stride."
Trowa shrugged. "I admit… there was certainly more drama than I had anticipated, but this was nothing compared to the reading of Abdul Winner's will." Trowa shuddered theatrically. "That still gives me nightmares."
Heero's lips twisted into a mocking grin.
"Yes, well, I think the nightmares have only just begun for me."
"What relationship does Treize Khushrenada have to Yuy Inc.?" Trowa asked, thinking that now was not the best time to ask questions about Duo.
"A former associate of my father's. He…he's the enemy, essentially."
"So your father planned to give his company to his enemy?"
Heero frowned. "No, of course not. My father simply wanted to ensure cooperation with his plans." Heero sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. "I can't believe he did this to me."
Now it was Trowa's turn to frown. "Duo? Mr. Maxwell?"
Heero looked up. "No, my father. He's still punishing me, even from the grave. I knew he wouldn't be able to pass up this opportunity." Heero shook his head. "And he's using Duo to do his dirty work. It's classic Odin. Pitting us against each other."
Trowa heard the anger in Heero's voice, and he felt compelled do to or say something to comfort the man.
"It doesn't seem as though Duo has any intention of antagonizing you, at least."
"No, he never does, but then he goes and does it anyway." Heero stood up. "You're welcome to stay for the dinner, or I can have a car take you back into the City. I don't imagine it's going to be a very pleasant evening here, even without Duo."
Trowa momentarily debated whether or not he should stay. On one hand, it would be useful to gather more evidence about the complicated relationships of this family. On the other, he thought he was likely to strangle Wufei Chang if he was forced to endure any more of his snide remarks about Trowa's lack of qualifications or offensive appearance.
"I'd rather go back and start reviewing the will. There seem to be more issues than we anticipated. Would you like me to come in tomorrow so we can begin discussing things?"
Heero shook his head. "No. I need time to process this. And I'll see Duo again on Sunday, at brunch. Actually, it would be a good idea if you were present for that. Do you have any plans?"
"No, I can be here – or wherever."
"Excellent. I will have a car collect you at ten on Sunday morning. Thank you for your work today. All of our plans are ruined, of course, but… we'll manage."
"We'll do more than manage, Heero." Trowa removed his glasses and put them back into their case. "We will succeed. We just need to adjust our tactics."
Heero smiled slightly.
"Take care," he said to Trowa as he left the room.
Trowa took a moment to reflect on the last two days. His new job as legal counsel for Heero Yuy had grown enormously complicated, very, very quickly. Not only was the board of Yuy Inc. a viper's nest, but the Yuy family was filled with angst and bitterness. And then, of course, there were Trowa's relationships with the two sons of Odin Lowe Yuy. One, his boss, was for all intents a decent and honorable man. A man that appeared to be attracted to Trowa. The other, a man he knew almost nothing about, may or may not be a despicable human being. A man that Trowa was currently dating.
Trowa resisted the urge to call Quatre and beg for his job back and instead packed up his briefcase and left the house. He had Heero's driver take him back to the Yuy Inc. headquarters and once there, Trowa worked until 8:45, going over the will and highlighting points of interest for later research.
He arrived at McClaren's just before nine, and surveyed the bar from the door before walking further in. For all intents and purposes it appeared to be a standard, Irish-American pub. There was a diverse mix of people at the bar, booths, and tables scattered around the large space.
After a moment, Trowa spotted Duo at a circular booth in the back, alone and with a half empty pitcher of beer and an empty glass in front of him.
Trowa approached cautiously and waited for Duo to look up and acknowledge him before he spoke.
"Oh. 'S'you. Didn't think you'd show." Duo said and gestured to the space beside him.
"I'm starting to run out of suits, I thought I should try to ransom back my second best one." Trowa tried for a joke, unsurprised when he failed to illicit a reaction.
"You must have laughed your ass off when I walked in that door," Duo said.
"No, actually, I was incredibly confused. How is it that your last name is Maxwell and yet you're a Yuy?"
"Ah-ah-ah. That would be telling. 'Sides, I'm not in the mood to talk about it. How do you like working for my brother, anyway?"
"Apart from tonight, I've enjoyed it very much."
Duo grinned. "Family too much for you?"
"No. Wufei Chang is."
Duo chuckled. "He give you a hard time cuz you aren't royalty like the rest of us?"
"Something like that," Trowa gestured to a passing waiter and requested two glasses of water, as well as an empty glass for himself. He wasn't about to let Duo finish that pitcher on his own, especially since he doubted that it was Duo's first.
Duo was silent as Trowa poured himself a glass and watched him as he took a few sips from it.
"So you work for me, huh?" Duo mused.
"Technically I work for your brother. My contract states that the immediate members of the Yuy family – meaning yourself and your mother – may avail themselves to my legal expertise if needed."
"Yeah, well, Mother has her own lawyer, so you won't be getting any requests for help from her."
Trowa frowned. "Why wasn't your lawyer present today?"
Duo grinned. "Don't have one. Never trusted 'em."
Trowa rolled his eyes. "Well, you have one now."
"I share one now. With my brother." Duo's gaze lost focus and he stared off into the distance for a moment.
"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" Trowa asked after a moment.
"You didn't tell me who you interviewed with – or who you worked for."
"I'm paid quite well to keep my mouth shut and not discuss my clients. Besides, my work and your identity are two separate things."
Duo snorted. "Yeah, okay. So – what would have happened if I'd introduced myself as the profligate other son of Odin Lowe Yuy? You would have been thrilled to go out with me then, right?"
"No," Trowa admitted. "You're my client, so all of this… that information changes everything."
"Exactly. And even if you weren't working for us – me being a Yuy always fucks with people's heads."
Trowa frowned. "I think you're exaggerating that."
"Yeah, well, try living as a Yuy for twenty-five years and then get back to me on that, will ya?" Duo looked bitter as he took a large gulp of beer from his glass.
"You have an MBA for Columbia? And you teach at a charter school in the Bronx?" Trowa tired to change the topic of conversation.
Duo shrugged. "Dad was determined to get me to work for the company, just like he roped Heero into doing. I fought it for years – ever since I was in high school and Dad forced us to do those damn internships. I tried so hard to prove to him that I was complete crap at it. But… everything came so easily to Heero, ya know? He was so good at all of it. And I've always been a little competitive… anyway, when I got my BA in education instead of pre-law or business or even political science – Dad hit the roof! I mean he was furious! I wanted to go to grad school and get my MAT – Masters in Teaching. And Dad flat refused. Told me that he'd indulged me enough in undergrad and I needed to do my duty. Like Heero. So I went to Columbia, got an MBA, and used Grandma's money to go to night school and get my MAT at the same time."
"So why don't you work for Yuy Inc. now?"
"I did. For a year. Without Heero around to compete with, I didn't need to worry about impressing Dad or anyone, so I just did my absolute worst. I had us invest in a slew of public works projects and non-profit organizations. Anything I could do that gave us a profit loss, I did it."
"So he… fired you?"
Duo laughed. "Naw. No way. No, if Heero hadn't gone and fucked up, I'd still be stuck working for Dad. But… well, after Heero… Dad realized that he couldn't make me do something that I hated so much. So he let me go. And I've been teaching ever since."
Trowa frowned as a thought occurred to him. "You aren't just a teacher, are you?"
"Whaddya mean? I already told you that I coach the baseball team, too."
"No – this school is in the Bronx. Any chance it's on Yuy Inc. controlled property?"
Duo held his hands up in surrender. "It might have been one of those non-profit organizations I threw millions of dollars at while I still worked for the company."
Trowa chuckled.
"Hey, it's a good cause. At the time, I invested the money because I was jealous – I met the administrator and some of the teachers and it was like, the perfect idea. This school. If I'd had my way, that was what I wanted to be doing with my life. It was only some crazy twist of fate that they needed a math teacher right when Dad let me go."
"So you got your dream job at the expense of your relationship with Odin."
"No, actually. We get along – er, got along – great. Always did. If anything, after I stopped working for the company, we were closer. I got to be who I was, and he didn't have to work so hard to mold me into being a Heero clone. It was just better for everyone."
"Why did he leave you the stock stares and the senior board positions?" Trowa asked the question that had been bothering him for hours.
Duo's gaze sharpened. "So now we get back to your client's personal assets, huh? That why you came here tonight, to figure out what I did and get back Heero's precious legacy?"
Trowa sighed. "No, that isn't why I'm here."
"Then why?"
Trowa frowned as he considered the answer. In all honesty, part of him was deeply curious about the relationship between Heero and Duo, and he did want to find out more. Part of him was genuinely concerned for Duo – he had looked absolutely devastated when he fled the reading hours ago, and Trowa hadn't even been sure he would find him at the bar. And another part of him had actually been looking forward to sitting down with Duo again and trying to recapture the casual flirtation of their previous date.
Eventually Trowa shrugged. "My day also hit world record shitty and I was looking forward to spending time with you," he finally said.
It was definitely the right answer. After a moment, Duo relaxed and he took another sip of his beer.
"Yeah, well, meeting Fei will do that," he muttered and Trowa smiled in appreciation of that statement.
They drank the rest of the pitcher in silence, and Duo ordered another. They were halfway through that before Duo spoke again.
"As a kid, Heero had trouble adjusting to school. He had private tutors up until first grade, and then Dad thought he should be sent to a school – a very elite, very private, very expensive school – so that he could be socialized and get used to interacting with his peers. Didn't work out so well. Heero was so used to being on his own, or at least being the only kid, that he kind of freaked out. That first year he found himself in the headmaster's office at least once a week and he was doing horribly in all of his classes. So, Dad took him to see a shrink. The shrink advised that the different situations – populated school and empty, isolated home life – were wrecking havoc on Heero's psyche and he just couldn't adapt. So Dad had the brilliant idea to give Heero a sibling. Mother refused to have more children, so for Heero's sixth birthday, he got me as a present."
"You're adopted?"
"Yep. You do realize that I look nothing like any of them, right? I mean, my hair is almost the same shade as Mother's before she decided to go blonde. But…"
"Why didn't you take their name?"
"I like my own just fine," Duo said with enough force that Trowa guessed this to be a sore subject.
"How old were you?"
"Five. Dad thought that a younger brother – but still close in age – would teach Heero responsibility and camaraderie. Two for the price of one! So, I was quite the bargain."
Trowa really didn't know what to say after that, so he remained silent and finished off his beer.
"So are you… good at your job?" Duo eventually asked.
Trowa couldn't help but smirk.
"Would you like to see my references?" He asked, only half in amusement.
"Nah, I trust Heero's judgment. Well, to an extent. Just... tell me a little about yourself."
"I graduated at the top of my class from Harvard Law, spent a few years in Paris working for the Merquise Group, then I worked as Quatre Winner's personal asset manager for two years."
Duo blinked. "Oh. Okay then. I guess you ah… know what you're doing."
"I wish Wufei was so easy to convince," Trowa muttered.
"Yeah, well, he's immune to handsome, intelligent men so – actually, I think he hates handsome, intelligent men. But he hates women even more." Duo shrugged. "He basically hates everyone except for Heero. Don't take it personally."
"I'll try not to," Trowa responded.
"So… as my employee, you've got to do what I tell you, right?"
Trowa's eyes narrowed.
"I'm your brother's employee. I'm available to you for legal expertise," he repeated.
Duo waved a hand. "Sure, sure. Whatever. So, say that I had important legal documents back at my place – you'd have to come over and go through them with me if I asked, right?" Duo was grinning smugly.
"What happened to not falling into bed with some guy?"
"You aren't some guy, you're, ah, invested." Duo decided with a wink.
"This complicates everything. A relationship with you would be an incredibly bad idea."
Duo frowned. "Sure, things are complicated, but that doesn't make this a bad idea. We're the same people we were a few nights ago – and this didn't seem like a bad idea to you then."
Trowa shook his head. "I can't. It's not professional."
"No, it's personal. It's completely separate from your professional life. I promise. I won't even flirt with you when you're on the clock." Duo put a hand over his heart and winked.
"And what about Heero?"
Duo scowled. "What about him?"
"If he found out –he would assume that I would take your side in any legal disputes. And trust me, the way things ended today, there are bound to be legal disputes."
"Right, because following Dad's last wishes would end in such disaster! I can't believe that you –"
Duo swept his hand to the side, knocking over the pitcher of beer on the table between them. Trowa closed his eyes and forced himself to remain calm as the cold beer poured into his lap.
"Shit. I'm sorry. That was an accident. I'm –" Duo started to pat Trowa's crotch with a napkin, trying ineffectually to mop up the spilled beer.
Trowa's eyes snapped open.
"Duo, stop."
"I'm sorry. Seriously. I'm a clumsy moron and I –" Duo didn't stop, and Trowa felt himself begin to respond to the hand brushing against his cock.
"Duo. Stop." Duo's eyes jerked up to Trowa's and then his face turned red as he felt movement under his hand.
"Er. Sorry. I didn't mean – ah. Okay." Duo pulled his hand away and put both of his hands on the table and looked sheepish. "Sorry."
Trowa grabbed the linen napkin from the table, dumping out the rolled up silverware, and used it to cover the stain and his erection as he stood and left the booth in search of the men's restroom.
Once inside, he wet the napkin in the sink and tried to rub out the beer. It only made things worse and the dampness spread.
Cursing, Trowa threw the napkin in the sink. This was such a mess – everything was a mess. Here he was, less than a week at a new job, and he was contemplating a relationship with his boss. His sort-of boss. Who happened to be completely irresistible and even more exasperating.
Trowa gripped the sink and glared at his reflection in the mirror. He couldn't let this happen. He couldn't let anything develop between himself and Duo.
The door banged open and Trowa looked up to see Duo. The long haired man ran a hand through his hair in what Trowa realized was a nervous gesture.
"Look, I'm sorry. About everything. I'm an idiot, I know that, and I –"Trowa crossed the space and forced Duo backwards until he bumped into the door. "Um –" Trowa covered Duo's mouth with his own, silencing him.
Duo responded almost instantly, opening his mouth and darting his tongue out to taste Trowa's lips. Trowa groaned, opened his own mouth, and let his tongue duel with Duo's.
By the time they pulled apart, both men were breathing hard, and one of Duo's hands had a death grip on Trowa's ass, while one of Trowa's hands was cupping Duo's jaw and the other buried in his hair.
Duo looked as shell shocked as Trowa felt.
"Yeah, I'm not going to be able to not flirt with you at work," Duo said and launched himself back at Trowa.
After they broke apart for a second time, Trowa rested his forehead against Duo's and waited for his speeding heart rate to slow.
"This is such a bad idea," he said again.
"Yeah, well, I'm known for being full of bad ideas," Duo said.
"We can't," Trowa tried to reason.
"Says the guy who practically jumped me in a public bathroom." Duo leaned into Trowa, grinding their pelvises together. Trowa groaned at the contact. "'Sides, I think all evidence says that we can."
Duo smirked and Trowa had to kiss him again.
"My place or yours?" Duo asked when they broke apart a third time.
It took Trowa almost a solid minute to make himself shake his head.
"No, this cannot happen. If Heero found out – he would not… be inclined to let it go."
"Right. Right." Duo's hands fell away from Trowa. "Can't go upsetting Heero, now can we?"
Trowa took a step back and frowned at the bitterness in Duo's voice.
"Duo –"
"No, no. You're right. He's the boss, after all. Yeah." Duo nodded and then straightened his clothes.
He took a deep breath and gave Trowa a smile that looked forced.
" Well. I'll uh… be seeing you, I guess." Duo reached behind him and pulled open the door, forcing Trowa to take a few more steps backwards to avoid being hit in the face.
"Way to go Trowa," he muttered and, a few minutes later, left the bathroom. He noticed that the booth was empty save for the empty pitchers, glasses, and a few twenty dollar bills.
Trowa left the pub and walked to the nearest subway station.
As he rode home, sandwiched between a junkie and an elderly woman knitting, Trowa mentally cursed himself.
So much for his resolve to not become involved with his boss. Again.
Next up: Finally a Duo POV!
