Sometimes Words Get In the Way
by Obsolete Love
'Okay… here we go… cake numero tres and…'
The top most of the cake popped open and a woman in black lingerie, leaving almost nothing to the men's imagination, came out and started dancing along with the music… erotically… the way the previous two women lounging with the others did.
Duo took a chance to look at the soon to be groom and saw that though he shows enthusiasm to go with the crowd, his eyes shows his indifference.
'Good… I've got half the mind to punch him if he even tries anything with that girl and hurt Claire.'
The sudden blast of catcalls and a jerk forward took Duo back to the present and he stared into seductive green eyes.
"Hey handsome… wanna… dance with… me?"
"WHOOEEE!!! GOO MAXWELL!!!!"
"DUO! You the man!"
'Dear Lord… I hope Hilde won't hear about this…' Duo thought as he flashed the girl one of his mischievous grins. 'The things I do for friends.' He thought as he stood up and plastered his body against hers and they started the 'dance'.
Catcalls became wolf howls.
It wasn't that he wasn't enjoying himself… but he has this guilty feeling at the back of his mind-
"How about we see each other later tonight… sweetheart."
'There it is… the line…' Duo thought expectantly. He shook his head while he whipped up a good 20 credits from his back pocket.
"Sorry, lady, but this sweetheart is taken." Duo whispered as he pulled her skimpy panty garter and inserted the bill inside.
The woman smiled at him as she gave him a hinting bump. "That's too bad."
'For you, maybe.' Duo thought as he gave one last grin and faced his fellow men and gave a victory sign along with a wink.
Another came up the stage to 'dance' with the cake-girl while Duo just walked to the cooler, grabbed another can of beer then walked out to Jeffrey's balcony.
'Heh… who would have thought… Maxwell turning down that offer from a beautiful lady…' Duo thought sarcastically as he sipped his beer and leaned on the railings. 'I must be losing my touch…'
"Hey dude… Mind if I join you?"
Duo turned his head slightly to look at PJ. "Help yourself. Although… shouldn't you be enjoying yourself in there?"
PJ laughed. "Nah… don't want Claire having a case against my ass when the time comes."
Duo grinned. "Yep… women, eh?"
"Yeah… women… As the saying goes- can't live with them… can't live without them…"
A beer can popped open and the sound of air going out replaced their conversation.
Duo tipped his can to his lips.
"So, when are you and your girlfriend going to get hitched?"
"SPFFOOOSSSHHH!!!"
A series of coughs and wheezes could be heard from Duo while PJ slapped his back.
"Hey man… you okay?"
Duo shook his head to clear it, making his long, braided hair sway this way and that. "You know… you're the second man who've asked me that question today."
PJ grinned. "Well? It's obvious that's why… I mean, Hilde is your girlfriend… you've been living with each other for the past few years… I mean, hell! You're like a married couple when you fight! So what are you afraid of?"
A sigh escaped Duo's lips as he stared out into the night. "I don't know…" Hilde's face came into view. Few years? They've known each other for nearly ten years already!
"You know, I never really thought of Hilde as a 'girlfriend'… I mean, have you ever heard me say my girlfriend Hilde?" Duo said, trying to reason why every time he hears the word 'girlfriend' and Hilde, it just doesn't mix.
"Come to think of it…"
"Yep… never…" Duo took a sip of his beer. "I call her-"
"My Hilde." PJ finished for him.
Duo nodded. 'My Hilde'…
"Heh, Duo… Sounds very possessive, man."
Duo shrugged. "Maybe it does but 'girlfriend' is just a term. Hilde is her name… I would rather use the real name than a so called term."
PJ shook his head in slight disbelief at the serious conversation they're having… Not that he thinks that Maxwell doesn't have a serious side, but… "Duo, I think the beer's getting to you too much already… we're starting to talk serious stuff here."
Duo glanced at PJ and grinned. "Yeah… You're right. Too serious! Not at all like me!" He checked his watch, wanting to cover the sudden embarrassment he's feeling at the moment and grimaced at the time. "Geez!!! It's 3 already?!" Duo's mind raced to the load he needs to face tomorrow-
"What? Hilde's curfew?" PJ teased as he took Duo's beer in his other hand.
"Nope! But I've got some major work to do tomorrow." Duo answered as he gave a thankful smile to PJ. "Great party, Patrik. See you at the dump tomorrow."
"Duo! Don't be surprised if nobody shows up! Hang overs and stuff!" Patrik called back, his only response is the bobbing of Duo's long braid.
Grinning at the departing figure, he walked back to the party.
~*~
Duo stopped in front of Hilde's room, his hand pausing in mid-knock. If she's sleeping already, he doesn't want to wake her up…
"Ah well… Good night, my Hilde…" Duo whispered with a soft smile before walking to his own room.
He sighed, slumping against the door to close it while one of his hands went up to his forehead.
'Seems like everyone's expecting us to get married soon…' Duo thought with a slight laugh.
He took off his shirt, revealing a well-toned chest, then flexed his muscles.
"Maybe I should start practicing…" Duo whispered as he plopped down on his bed, crossed his ankles and cradled his head on his hands.
"Hilde… would you marry me…" Duo grimaced. "Hilde, baby, marry me." Duo made gagging noises. "Hilde, darling, I'm asking for your hand in marriage…"
Duo's right eyebrow shot up along with his left upper lip.
"Jezus! Where'd that line come from!" Duo muttered before pulling his blankets over his body. "Hilde'll die laughing before she says yes with that line!"
Duo punched his pillow nervously. "Okay… just relax… let everything flow… the time will come and then it will be perfect…" He breathed in and out, trying to calm his frayed nerves.
'Jeeze!!! If you're this nervous just practicing, Maxwell, wait 'till the real deal hits you!' the unbidden thought came from nowhere.
Duo groaned and buried his head in the pillow.
~*~
'Had to go to Old France for my brother. I'll be back as soon as I can. Sorry for the late notice- Iris.'
Duo crumpled up the piece of stick-note and dropped it in the can. "Well… at least she got the week's job done…" Duo sighed as he took one of the checklists and walked off the lot, passing Hilde's closed office door.
"Gee… someone sure has been tired from last night's partying." He muttered with a mischievous grin before going to the lot.
According to yesterday's results, about 3,000 ton of scrap is profitable in the new pile… Take 25% of his 50% off… Hilde wouldn't notice…
Duo's eyes widened as he calculated the ending balance-
"I MADE IT!" Duo let out a whoop of victory. It's over… By today, just as soon as he delivers these pieces off, it's over!
Joy coursed through his body and he nearly made a stupid dance on top of one of the steel piles when he stopped.
He looked at Hilde's closed office door and bit his lower lip… Nervousness started suffocating him once again. "I hope she doesn't say no…"
~*~
Duo frowned as he stopped in front of Hilde's still closed door. It's past 1500 hours already and she's still not here?
"Er… sorry, I didn't get that last one." Duo mumbled as he heard his name repeated over and over again on the earpiece.
"Okay… That's fine. Send a truck over to my place and ship it off on that day. Thanks Fred." Duo replaced the receiver back on the line, still staring at Hilde's office door…
'It's not like her…' Duo shook his head, accentuating what he knew. 'I mean… sure she oversleeps… but…' he looked at the phone once again. 'It's not as if I'm checking up on her… right?' Duo nodded. 'Right… I'm not checking up on her… She hates it when people check up on her…'
He dialed Hilde's phone number, the phone connected in her bedroom.
No answer…
'Okay… maybe… well…'Duo placed the phone back in place. 'Maybe she spent the night at Claire's… Fixing up after the party…' Duo nodded once again, his worry easing. 'Yeah… it's exactly what Hilde will do… help… of course! Why didn't I think of that before?!'
He grinned, stomping on the last bit of worry that was nagging him at the back of his head and going back to work…
'She'll probably be back tonight… or tomorrow morning… Yeah… that's it…'
~*~
Duo stretched on his bed, not really wanting to get up, but the incessant ringing isn't stopping…
'Heh… maybe Hilde forgot her keys…'
For a moment, he didn't move… then Duo sat bolt up as the thought seeped into his sleep numbed brain and instantly ran out of his room to the front door, opening it.
"Hilde! Man! I missed y-"
The words died on Duo's lips as he stared into ice cold, Prussian blue eyes…
Violet eyes widened.
"Wrong person, Duo."
"Heero…!"
Heero nodded slightly as he took in Duo's ruffled long hair- for once, out of its braid- and sleepy, shocked face. Sleepy, shocked face that at the moment, is developing into … okay… there's that deadly mischievous grin of his…
"Heero! My man, how ya been! I can't say that I didn't miss you! Come in, dude!"
'Why is it that I always feel like he's up to something?' Heero thought guardedly as Duo plopped down on a chair and motioned for Heero to do the same.
Duo took in his friend's plain blue jeans and white shirt ensemble, and the jacket that's hanging over his shoulder… Now where's the… 'Ah! There it is! Heero never leaves home without one.' Duo thought as he caught a glimpse of a black R-79 behind Heero. 'Whoa! New model too!'
"You and Hilde had a fight again?"
Duo blinked for a couple of seconds before shaking his head vigorously. "No! Come on! What gave you that idea?!"
Heero leaned back into the sofa, his face emotionless. "You nearly plowed me to the ground. You were about 5 inches away from my face, considering the velocity you accumulated running from the moment you got out of your room to the moment-"
"Geeze! Stop! You're making my head ache! Too early for this, Heero!" Duo complained with a grimace. 'Trust Heero to make all those numbers… He's almost right anyway…'
"It's already 8:30. How do you expect to run a business if the owners are still in bed?" Heero saw, to his delight, the sudden fire that glowed in Duo's eyes.
"Excuse me, but we're doing perfectly well. It's just that I was…" Duo's voice trailed, not wanting to tell Heero that he'd been awake all night, worrying about where Hilde is… She hasn't called… hadn't even left a message on the answering machine… hasn't-
Heero shook his head… Whenever Duo's not ready, his feelings show too freely through his eyes… and right now, Heero could read him like a book. "Why don't you look for her?"
"She hates it when people check up on her." Duo answered, slumping in his chair then he frowned as he glared at Heero. "HEY!!! How'd you know?!"
Heero didn't answer, just sat there, watching him.
"Ergh… Just like talking to stone. Come on, Heero! Talk to me!" Duo coaxed with a friendly grin. Now what's the best topic of conversation… 'Ah hah!'
'Okay… here we go… what's with that devilish glint in his eyes?' Heero asked himself, readying for battle.
"How's Relena, by the way?"
Heero remained impassive.
Duo didn't show his disappointment at the lack of emotion.
"I don't know. I'm not in charge of her, Wufei is."
Heero saw his friend's nose wrinkle.
"Oh yeah… forgot about that… The unit doing alright?"
"So far. I don't really do much for the main."
Duo nodded. 'Of course… Quatre did mention something about Heero just helping with odds and ends… Ah well… stop with the chit-chat… gotta see what you want, bud.'
"Whadaya need, Heero?" Duo asked as he leaned on his elbow, steadying it over his jogging pants clad legs.
"200 tons of Titanium Alloy. Sheets, plates, foils, strips. Whatever you have, the base will do the melting in the new consumable electrode vacuum. It's for the aerospace link. Une will handle the payment, I'll do the shipping."
Duo nodded, already calculating the transaction. "No Preventer's nomenclature? Plates… CP's?"
Heero shook his head, noticing the sudden seriousness around Duo. "Just whatever you have."
Duo nodded, but there's something nagging him... "Funny… you're just going to do the shipping? I mean, that's a light job for someone with your talents… Where's the destination?"
'Trapped… Duo does have a mind when he uses it…' Heero remained impassive.
Duo tried to shoot a guess. "It wouldn't be that new colony- CT1-452 now, is it? I mean, Ms. Peacecraft is there, giving a speech, if I recall my news correctly."
Duo saw the smallest hint of reaction from Heero and knew he was right…
"Do you have them or not? I need it ASAP." Heero's cutting monotone made Duo smirk.
"Yep, of course… the sooner you get there, the sooner you get to see Relena."
'This man never lets up.' Heero thought almost… cheerfully. Light banters with Duo are always… slightly fun. "Duo, do you have a death wish?"
Duo grinned. "Hey, I'm Shinigami. I'm the one who grants those wishes."
Heero was about to counter when the vid-phone started ringing.
Duo's grin widened. 'Heh! Last word, pardner!' He couldn't help the chuckle that came out. "Just a min, Heero. Gotta answer this."
Heero's eyes turned into a slight glare as he watched Duo reach over the other end of the sofa and turn on the screen.
"Duo! You have to come here right away! I think Hilde's falling in love with the wrong guy!"
by: Obsolete Love