Mission One
Chapter 3: Something to Celebrate
.
"Ouch! Goddamn stupid piece of..." Duo sighs. Rubbing his skinned knuckles, he glances up at Heero. "Heero, why is it that even though both of us are working on the same engine, I'm the only one cursing at it?"
Heero's mouth twitches. "Just lucky, I guess."
"Hn. I'll show you luck..." Duo grumbles, bending back down to the engine block.
Heero turns to select a different sized attachment for his socket wrench, but hesitates before actually getting back to work. His gaze follows Duo's tense movements and he wonders what is on the other man's mind. For the past few days he hasn't been as focused as he usually is. Had something happened the day Yokaze came home? Or is Duo just thinking about Bisho? Heero watches the morning colony light catch the oil and dust streaks in Duo's hair before turning back to the engine block himself.
A second clang and scrape of skin against metal precedes a second wave of choice swearing from Duo. Heero looks up from his task.
"Duo..."
The other man stops glaring at the engine and looks up. "Yeah?"
"What's distracting you?"
"What makes you think I'm distracted?"
Heero levels a long, hard stare on him.
"Okay, okay. So I've been distracted. It's just..." Duo hesitates. Dare he mention what Taki had said a few days ago? "It's just..." No, he hadn't better. C'mon, Maxwell, think of something else. Think. Think... "I'm a little nervous about Bisho."
"What do you mean?"
Duo sighs and wipes the back of his hand across his forehead. "Well... She's growing up and moving on and somehow I feel like she's not... like she and I can't relate anymore. I mean, what are we going to talk about? Fixing air conditioning units and spaceport trucks?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Well, nothing. Everything. Didn't you see her last Christmas? She has more in common with Quatre than with me." He sighs yet again. "At least it seems that way."
"You're worried about losing her."
Duo stares at Heero, stunned by his friend's astute observation. "Yeah. Funny how that works. I didn't even want a sister when Yokaze found her. And now I start to panic when I think about her growing away from me. Is that messed up, or what?"
"I worry about Yokaze," Heero quietly admits.
"Yeah?"
Silently, Heero wonders why he'd just said that. Had it been for the sole purpose of trying to bring some relief to the anxiety he senses in Duo's tense body language? "Yeah. I think she's..." Heero swallows and stares down at the engine block. Why is this so hard to say? "She and Trowa..."
"No! Seriously?" Duo's eyes had widened. He leans closer to Heero, both hands splayed on the engine block.
Heero nods once, not trusting himself to speak.
"Aw, man. I'm sorry. Look, she's always going to be your sister, you know? You've got to focus on that." And Duo thought he had problems. Now he sees things could be so much worse. At least he doesn't have to worry about beating up prospective suitors.
Heero nods again and forces himself to breathe. This is the first time he has voiced his suspicions aloud. "I've... suspected it for a long time... Yokaze and Trowa..."
"So that's why you keep offering her that spare bedroom we have?"
Mute, Heero nods.
"Just to get her out of Trowa's place when she's home?"
Nod.
"But, now... something's changed?"
Heero takes a deep breath. "I thought that Trowa cared for her, but I never thought he'd actually... tell her."
"What makes you think he told her?"
Heero swallows. Duo has a point. How long had he known about his sister's feelings for Trowa? How long has he felt like he's been competing with Trowa for his sister's attention and affection?
"Hey, boys. What's shakin'?"
Both men turn as Yokaze crosses the threshold. She heads for Heero, pulling out a clean rag from her overalls' pocket. She gives Heero a hug, wipes a clean spot on his cheek, and kisses him. "Hey, Duo," she says, turning. "What do we have here?"
Every day thus far since her return, Yokaze has spent her mornings helping Duo and Heero at the garage. Her presence has been a godsend. Not only is Heero more relaxed when she's here (no doubt because she can't be here and with Trowa at the same time) but they are back on schedule now that several old, stubborn projects are out of the way due to a third pair of hands.
Duo grins and explains the project while Yokaze inspects the engine. On more than one occasion she'd discovered something—a bolt or a part—that, once removed, would make their task much easier.
"Alright," she says as Duo wraps up his instructional speech. "I'll grab another socket wrench and start on this end."
The morning melts away as the three of them disassemble the engine block. "Hey, Yokaze," Duo says several hours later, "you staying for lunch again?"
"Yeah. Is that alright?"
"Sure. It's Heero's turn to make lunch, anyway."
Heero glares at the air filter casing he's attempting to wrestle free from a jumble of hoses.
"You know, domestic skills are very important, Heero," she says, spying his new wave of disgruntlement.
"Grrr."
"That's what I'm always saying to Heero," Duo agrees, hiding a smile. "But maybe he'll listen to you. Everything I say goes in one ear and out the other."
"Maybe you should find him an apron. Something with cute animals and lace on it."
Duo sighs. "I've already tried that. But nothing seems to work. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do about your brother..."
After a good ten more minutes of ripping on Heero, he decides to start lunch early and stalks off to the house. Yokaze and Duo share a grin.
"I wasn't sure how much more I could take," she confides. "I'm absolutely famished."
Duo chuckles and starts to clean up his tools. He watches Yokaze do the same and wonders if he dares mention what's on his mind to her. Yes, he decides, Yokaze is safe; she will keep his secret.
"Hey, ah, I was wondering if I, ah..."
"Yeah?" she says, looking up.
"Taki said something to me the other day..."
"Oh, no."
"Oh, yeah." Duo sighs. "Do you... do you think Heero stays here because I'm here?"
Yokaze blinks. "Sure. You're his best friend. Possibly his only friend, Duo. He doesn't show it very well, but he cares about you and..." She shrugs. "And after being alone for so long, he needs companionship."
"Oh. Um, can I, can I ask you something a little weird?"
"Shoot."
"Did you ever think that Heero and I might... might get... get together?" he whispers.
"Honestly, Duo?" she whispers back.
"Honestly."
"I'm surprised you haven't already. Either being with another man doesn't float your boats, or you two have been doing some pretty serious avoidance tactics for the past five years. I mean, you are attracted to him, aren't you?"
Duo stares at her. "How... how did you...?"
"It's the way you look at him when he's not looking at you. You think he's pretty damn special, right?"
Duo bites his lip and pushes his bangs out of his eyes.
"And I think you should know that my priority here is to see both of you happy. So, maybe you get together and maybe you don't. I don't really care one way or the other. I just want you to be happy, Duo. Don't stress about it. But if it's bothering you, and I think it is, why don't you ask Heero how he feels about it? Maybe he's never let himself consider it before. Maybe you've got to bring it up so he can think about it." She shrugs. "That's the best I can do for advice," she tells him.
"No. Thanks. It's good advice, Yokaze. I think I'd convinced myself I didn't really think about Heero in... that way. But now, since Taki said something..."
"Taki is out looking to make some romance," Yokaze says. "It's one of her few faults."
Duo laughs.
"Just be honest," she continues. "And everything will work out."
He nods. "Well, I wonder if Heero's finished butchering our lunch."
"I hope so. I don't fancy trying to catch it before I eat it."
.
Trowa looks up from the book he's reading in bed as Yokaze enters the room. Unceremoniously, she plops down next to him and arranges herself comfortably. Trowa automatically opens his arm so she can put her head on his bare shoulder.
"Did you have fun today?" he says against her hair.
"I sure did."
"Surrounded by ten and eleven-year-olds playing out-of-tune?"
"It was a blast."
"Literally."
She chuckles. "I was impressed. They're working really hard for the concert. Shall I visit again on Friday to help with their solos?"
"If you like."
"I like." She smiles as his fingers begin to comb absently through her hair. "I like that you play with my hair, too."
"Yeah?"
"Oh, yeah."
Trowa smiles. "You want to come by and help out with the self defense class tomorrow?"
"Sure. Shall we ask Wufei, too?"
"Can't hurt."
She grins, thinking of Wufei surrounded by adorable children. If they have the effect on him she's hoping for, Taki will be facing a determined Wufei regarding the "child issue" this week. That should be enough of a payback for her devious Duo and Heero romance plotting. The wench.
"Whatcha got there?" she asks, nodding to his book.
"'For Whom the Bell Tolls.'"
"Do you mind reading out loud for a bit?"
Trowa smiles, plays with her hair for a moment, then resumes his reading. Yokaze closes her eyes, listening to his low, mellow voice. One-handed, Trowa turns the page and is half-way down it when he notices Yokaze's slow, measured breaths. She is asleep. He reaches across her and places his book on the night stand. His fingers brush the lamp chain, but he hesitates. Instead of turning off the light, he examines the shadows it creates on Yokaze's face. Very softly, he leans closer, touching his lips to her temple, to the corner of her eye, to the edge of her mouth.
"Good night," he tells her before reaching over and turning off the light.
.
The remaining weekdays fly past. Yokaze keeps to her schedule: the garage until lunch and then back to the academy for a lesson or two in the afternoon: Chorus with George, Self Defense with Trowa and Wufei, Band with Trowa and George, Gymnastics with Kathy and Trowa. She loves them all. And the children are always a breath of fresh air. She'd even heard one of them refer to Trowa as "The Unibang" behind his back. Many a smile Yokaze has gleaned from that memory.
Wufei and Taki seem to be having an ongoing argument about—as Yokaze had predicted—having children. Yokaze has always respected Taki's insistence that children and motherhood is not for her. But it is a choice that Yokaze has been denied. She stares down into her coffee and wonders what Trowa and Heero would say if they knew the truth. If they knew about all that the organization had stolen from Yokaze. She shakes her head. It is better to not mention it. Better not to stoke the hatred.
"What is it?"
She glances up as Trowa slides into the seat next to hers, a fresh coffee in hand. "Hm? Oh, I was wondering when Quatre and Bisho are going to get here."
Trowa smiles at her over his mug. "No you weren't." Under the table, he finds her hand and gives it a small squeeze.
Yokaze smiles back, liking that Trowa doesn't mind if she keeps her secrets. At least for now.
Taki noisily plops down into the chair opposite Yokaze and huffs. "Can you believe that guy?" she grits out, blind to the affection between her old friend and Trowa.
Yokaze glances up in time to see Wufei disappear into the kitchen. "What?" Yokaze asks, trying to look innocent and a little concerned.
"He wants kids. I told him years ago that he'd have no luck with me." She turns in her seat and glares at Trowa. "This is all your fault. It's all those self defense munchkins that've got him thinking about it."
Yokaze clears her throat, desperately attempting to keep a satisfied grin at bay. "Actually, it was my idea to invite him along."
Taki snorts. "I should have known."
"Yes, you should have. Especially after that little matchmaking stunt you tried to pull on Duo."
"I've only got his best interests in mind."
Yokaze laughs. "You're lethal."
"Ah, finally someone else sees it." Wufei had rejoined them. He sends a wry look in Taki's direction before sipping his oolong tea.
"Have I no friends?" Taki laments.
"Don't look at it like that," Yokaze replies.
"And just how should I look at it?"
"Well, with friends like yours-"
"Who needs enemies," Wufei and Trowa chorus with Yokaze.
Taki groans.
"Nice to see you, too, Taki."
"Oh," Taki says, opening her eyes. "Sorry, Quatre. I didn't see you. Honestly." She motions to the others. "They've been making fun of me. You'll make them stop, won't you?"
"What's she done now?" Quatre replies with a grin.
"Oh, I see how it is," she grouches. "Guilty until proven innocent."
Wufei leans closer and says in and undertone, "Only in your case, love."
With a huff, she flounces off in search of some serious chocolate.
Wufei returns Quatre's grin. "How are you, Quatre?"
"Have a seat," Yokaze says.
Quatre sits. "Thank you, Yokaze. You know, I'm really happy to see the two of you together."
Yokaze and Trowa grin.
Across the table, Wufei pauses in mid-sip, "What did you say?"
Quatre gestures to Trowa and Yokaze. "I said it's nice to see they've finally gotten together. It's been frustrating as hell with you two sniffing at each other through a fence for the last five years."
"You're frustrated?" Yokaze says.
"When did this happen?" Wufei muses. "And how did Taki miss it?"
"Just don't say anything to Heero, alright Quatre? Although, I think he already knows. Brotherly intuition or something," Yokaze tells him.
"Or something," Trowa mumbles behind his coffee mug. Yokaze catches his gaze and, wearing identical secret smiles, they both remember the night Heero had interrupted them.
Quatre promises, "Mum's the word."
"And you—" Yokaze points to Wufei. "—better not tell her." She nods toward the kitchen door. "I want her to figure this out for herself."
Grinning, he replies, "No problem." Then Wufei looks up at Trowa. "Just don't get yourself shot."
Yokaze rolls her eyes. "Heero'd never..."
"Never... what?"
Yokaze turns in her seat. "Heero. Hey." She forces an innocent expression. "You came over."
"Never... what?" he insists.
"Never pull a gun on your only sister," she improvises.
"And why would I do that?"
She grins. "If I said you were the cutest little brother in the whole colony."
A tiny grin twitches at his mouth. "Stop that. You're embarrassing me."
"Care for a coffee Heero, Quatre?"
"Thank you, Trowa," Quatre replies.
Heero simply nods and takes Trowa's seat after he disappears into the kitchen. Yokaze hides a grin at Heero's protective streak. "I can't believe they let you off the colony, Quatre," she says. "How long can we keep you?"
Quatre grins. "Oh, it took some serious arm-twisting, but I've got a whole week."
"Hot damn! Let's have some coffee to celebrate."
"Celebrate? Did I hear someone say 'celebrate'?"
Duo and Bisho had arrived.
"Down, boy," Heero replies, deadpan.
"Hey, Bisho!" Yokaze says, standing up to give her a hug. "Tell me about your internship."
"It's for Aerospace Engineering students. And it turns out I won't be there alone. Quatre's sister, Althea, has just accepted a research job there."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Quatre says. "Genetic engineering. Sounds like she'll be researching genetic therapy methods. You know, to rid the world of inherited diseases."
"Intense."
"Yeah," says Duo. "This new colony sounds like quite the hot spot."
Trowa reappears with four more cups of coffee. He takes a seat near Quatre and sips at his own mug. "There have been a lot of interesting things going around about that privately owned colony. Some of the students were talking about it. Apparently, they will pay for orphans from other colonies to come and live there. Housing and everything included."
"That sounds a little too good to be true," Duo muses.
Trowa sends him a wry smile as if to say: It does, doesn't it?
"Why would they want orphans in particular?" Yokaze muses. "Unless it has something to do with your sister's work?" She turns to Quatre who shrugs.
She looks over her shoulder at Heero. His expression is as suspicious and closed as her own. Something passes between them in that moment, some hidden message. In that moment, Trowa can see the old Yokaze—the soldier—seated at the table.
"So, Bisho flies out the day after tomorrow," Duo says with an eye on Heero and Yokaze. "It looks like we've got a party to plan."
"We'll leave you in charge of it, Duo," Heero says, his mind on other things.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Wufei replies.
Duo, meanwhile, looks victorious.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Yokaze responds with a shrug.
Duo chuckles.
All at the table stare in his direction with no small amount of apprehension.
.
Taki grumbles incoherently as she sketches feverishly in her diary. Most of the images include medieval instruments of torture and interrogation. She sips on her chocolate fudge milk shake and contemplates her drawings, wondering which would be most effective for Yokaze's payback.
Behind her, the kitchen door bangs open and Duo dances in.
Turning in her seat, Taki scowls. "Why the hell are you so damn happy?" she demands.
Duo grins before pulling open the fridge door and selecting a plum. "Everyone has decided to leave me in charge of the party plans."
"Party? What party?"
"The Quatre-finally-got-a-week-of-vacation-time and Bisho-got-her-first-internship party," he informs her.
Taki taps her sketchbook and thinks. "Will there be games at this party?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Games meant to humiliate and mortify?"
"Without a doubt."
She turns back to her book and folds the page over. Slowly a grin forms on Taki's face as she begins to make notes.
.
~End of Chapter 3~