Self-aggrandizement
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing
-...- Indicates what Duo is reading
The Message-
Wufei left the chuckling Zechs at the door and entered the house, immediately coming under the scrutiny of four curious gazes. Seeing him alone and obviously angry they all sagged slightly, assuming he had been unable to convince Zechs and that they had a new enemy.
"What happened 'fei?," Duo asked wondering what, exactly, Zechs said or done, "You look extremely pissed."
His answer was little more than a growl, "Dorothy's here."
Trowa's previously blank expression turned angry at the mention of Dorothy, Quatre still had a scar from his fight with her in the first war. "What does she want here?"
Quatre laid a calming hand on his shoulder knowing exactly what he was thinking, "Cool down, we can't afford to scare her away if she wants to help, and getting angry certainly won't help if she's dangerous."
Trying to calm himself down as well, Wufei took a deep breath and said in a more human voice, "She says she's here under a truce to deliver a message from Relena."
"You don't seem to believe it."Quatre said, "You think it's a trap?"
Wufei nodded, "I've been keeping up on Relena and everywhere she is Dorothy is. If Relena needs information, she sends Dorothy in to find it, if she needs to convince someone of the worthiness of an issue she uses Dorothy to find a weakness to be played against them. She's turned Dorothy into an over grown lapdog. She'd do anything for Relena's approval and praise."
Heero raised an eyebrow, "A suicide mission?"
Wufei nodded hesitantly after a moment's thought, "If Relena asked her I believe she would."
"Then we should take all precautions, I want everybody armed."Quatre said the strategist in him taking over. "I've got guns for anyone who needs one."
"Thanks, Q-man, but I'm covered," Duo said smirking as he pulled a knife out of his boot.
Heero answered the question by removing a gun from one of the boxes they had brought in. Trowa and Wufei both said they needed weapons though and retreated to the bedroom to get them, Trowa putting his shirt on in the process.
"You sure you can use that?" Heero asked glancing dubiously at the knife in Duo's hand.
"You sure you can handle that gun Heero?" Duo asked sweetly in response.
"Hn"
"Still Mr. Personality I see."
Their conversation was cut short as the others returned.
Quatre took a moment to think then clicking the safety off his gun he began to wrap out orders, "Trowa, I want you by that window," He pointed to the left front window, "Watch for reinforcements, don't make it obvious if you see them though we'll need the element of surprise if they attack. Wufei you're there," He gestured towards a couch that separated the sitting room from the kitchen, make sure she doesn't try anything. Heero, you'll guard the door after she comes in."
As he had been talking they all moved to their appointed positions without complaint knowing his strategy was well thought out. Trowa's observant eyes would catch any motion outside and his impassive face would show nothing about anything he saw. Wufei's position give Heero a way to communicate anything he might notice to the other pilots without words and Heero's strength would allow him to stop Dorothy should she try to escape. It was well mapped out only one thing was missing.
"What about me, where am I gonna be?" Duo asked, glancing curiously at him.
"I want you to wait in the bedroom, it'll probably prove unnecessary but it's better to be safe than sorry."
"Okay, Cat, whatever you say." Duo said shrugging he may not understand them sometimes but Quatre always had his reasons and he wasn't about to question the boy now.
"And you?" Heero asked as confused as Duo.
"I", Quatre said smiling and tucking away his gun as he sat in a chair to the left of Wufei's couch, "am going to play the ever polite, would-never-hurt-a-fly-host everyone believes me to be."
"Hn, only a fool would believe you harmless."
"Now Heero, you shouldn't insult our guest like that." Quatre said with mock severity
"I'd say it's the fool who's insulted in that comparison, but perhaps we should let her in and see." Wufei broke in impatient for the meeting to begin.
"I think that's a brilliant idea Wufei, after all I'd hate to unjustly insult a fool."
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Outside (during the end of the above conversation)
Zech's watched, as Dorothy grew, in turns, increasingly agitated or eerily calm. During an agitated moment she began pacing and muttering to herself one hand constantly straying to the left-side seam in her skirt as if for reassurance. "What's taking them so long? What are they planning? Not that it matters of course; I've got my orders. But still..." Once again her hand strayed to the seam but had barely touched it when she jerked her hand away as if shocked. Only Zech's close observation allowed him to note the small slash of crimson on her finger before she wiped it away under the pretence of scratching her arm. Curious he looked at her seam once again and was startled to note a quick glint of metal before she turned and paced the other way. He stepped forward to confront her, but was cut off by Heero who had opened the door, "Come in."
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Waiting until Dorothy was entering Zechs tried to think of a way to tell Heero about the metal in Dorothy's skirt without her knowledge knowing it would not been seen under the soft lighting in the cabin. He caught Heero's eyes then looked purposefully at Dorothy's skirt, and then making sure her back was turned, made a slight stabbing motion with his hand. He continued this until Heero's eyes lit with understanding and the boy gave an almost imperceptible nod before returning his gaze to the others. Satisfied that he had done his part Zechs looked around and noticed that everyone seemed to be set in a specific place, not wanting to disrupt their strategy, yet not sure where to go he looked at the person most likely to have set this up-Quatre. He was not disappointed.
Having felt someone's eyes on him, Quatre looked away from his close scrutiny of Dorothy and met Zech's questioning gaze. Smiling slightly, he gestured towards the kitchen table then made to turn back to Dorothy only to be caught by Heero's gaze. Reading warning there, he followed to boys gaze to Dorothy's skirt. Confused he looked back at Heero, who after checking that Dorothy was still turned around looking at the rest of the cabin copied Zech's stabbing motions. Realization dawned on him and he glanced at the others to tell Heero to inform them of the possible threat then turned to Dorothy to play his part as the gracious and oblivious host.
"I'm terribly sorry we kept you waiting so long Dorothy, it took some time to convince the others that you weren't here on some suicide mission." He said smiling politely.
Dorothy was confused. She couldn't match this polite, trusting boy, to the quick-witted strategist who had out thought her in the first war. Surely peace hadn't changed him that much. "I thank you for the trust, and assure you it's well placed as I come in peace on this visit, but I can't help wonder at the wisdom of giving it away so easily. You can't always be sure of your friends in war time." Was he just playing with her?
Her statement seemed to hit a sore spot with Quatre, "I am sick of constantly being told that I can't trust long-time friends simply because there's a war. Such distrust invades the mind a twists ones perspective until they see every mundane action as a threat." He said fists clenching on the chair's arms.
"You speak as if from experience." Dorothy said, startled by his ferocity.
"I recently made the mistake of not trusting a friend on the word of another. It turned out that I trusted the wrong man. I do not plan to repeat the mistake."
So, Dorothy thought, something has happened since the war to change him, but what could have been that bad? She suddenly realized that she hadn't seen Duo anywhere. Surely Quatre hadn't... But then, Quatre had said it was a friend... "But I am not a friend am I? I work for Miss Relena and though I come in peace on this mission, I may not on the next" Dorothy said.
"You are of course correct. I shall try to remember your wise words upon our next meeting. But for now I shall trust you. Now I was told you came with a message and would no doubt like to deliver it so please proceed."
"Forgive me for being rude, but I was told to deliver the message to all of the pilots."
"We are all here." Quatre said in a subdued voice, eyes darkening with something akin regret, "you may proceed."
"Once again I beg your forgiveness, but I do not see Duo Maxwell." She looked around as if to assure herself she had not simply overlooked him, "Is he not in attendance?"
Quatre once again clenched his hands and took a somewhat ragged breath, "I mentioned early that I made the mistake of trusting the wrong man, Duo paid the unfortunate consequences of my folly." He closed his eyes as if in pain. "Now please, deliver your message."
Dorothy was shocked at this hint to Duo's end, but elated to have figured out the cause for the change in him. Faking shame at having caused him pain, she obediently turned so that she more or less faced them all. Did they really have to spread out so damn much? "You all know Miss Relena plans to declare war soon, that much was made obvious by this meeting and Wufei's reception of me." She paused to glare at him for a moment, "What you do not know are Miss Relena's motives. She wishes to be given a chance to explain them to you in a meeting at the Sanq Kingdom two days hence. You will be treated with all politeness and allowed to leave no matter what the outcome of the meeting. If you agree I am too take your answer back then return in two days to escort you there."
"And, for arguments sake, if we do not agree to this meeting?" Quatre asked having recovered his self-control slightly, although his self-loathing still rang clear in his voice.
"Then I am to try to convince you otherwise." Dorothy said, recalling the reason for her hidden blade.
"And if you fail?"
"Then I return to Miss Relena and inform her of your decision." And your deaths.
Quatre nodded, "Then you may inform Miss Relena that we will meet her in two days."
"Then I shall be on my way. At what time should I return to escort you?"
"Noon shall be fine Dorothy, but before you leave, do allow Heero to relieve you of that knife in your skirt, it must be terribly uncomfortable." He smiled as her face paled. He knew he should have let her leave with it but couldn't bear to be thought a total idiot.
Dorothy nodded as she handed the knife to Heero with shaky hands, perhaps she underestimated him, but then she looked back and saw him watching her with worry and concern and changed her mind. One of the others had undoubtedly noticed it and informed him. There was no way he had noticed it himself, Duo's death had made him too trusting.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Inside the Bedroom (at the same time as above conversation)
Duo paced around the room impatiently, he had tried listening to the conversation at the door but it was too thick. Shows how loud Cat and Tro' were being if I heard them from the sitting room he thought with a smirk. Looking around for a chair he spotted one next to a small coffee table on the far wall, complete with computer, stereo, lamp, and small T.V. Duo shook his head; trust Quatre to have the world's largest coffee table complete with every possible accessory in the bedroom of his summer retreat cabin. Walking over he saw a slim book with a yellow sticky note on it sitting on the table. Curious he picked up the book and read the note, -Remember to return to Heero-. Still more curious, after all when did Heero ever forget something, he opened it to the middle page, half expecting it to be Heero's diary. He was disappointed, however to discover that it was nothing more than an ordinary book. Shaking his head at his own foolishness he sat down and flipped the book over, finding the summary he had expected he read it: -Childhood friends Odin and Max risk everything on a quest to save their town from an unknown tyrant. But what will happen when feelings of friendship turn to love? Will their newly discovered feelings be strong enough to withstand the pains of betrayal? -
Intrigued despite himself, Duo opened the book and began to read, in his hurry though, he failed to notice the author's name. A name that would have greatly interested him.
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Back in the sitting room
Quatre smirked at the surprised gazes that met his eyes when Dorothy had gone, well Heero looked more amused than surprised but then it took a lot to surprise him, "Do you think Duo will be to terribly made at me for killing him off?"
Wufei smirked, "He's gonna throw a fit."
Trowa nodded, "He'll hate it all right."
"You should probably watch out for that knife of his"
Trowa agreed, enjoying the sight of Quatre's pale face "He looked pretty good with it."
"We'd hate to see you loose a limb."
Quatre paled further under their continued predictions of violence.
Heero took pity on the boy and interrupted the others, "He'll love it."
They all stared at him, startled, "What are you talking about Yuy, Duo hates being left of missions and being dead he can't exactly come to the meeting." Wufei said.
Heero just shook his head, "Think about it, everyone now thinks Duo's dead, that means he can go anywhere at anytime without worrying about being missed. Which means, while we're chatting with Relena Duo can be searching the mansion for any interesting bits of data and when Relena either a) tries to capture us or b) tries to kill us, Duo will be there to help out."
"So in reality," Wufei broke in now grinning himself, "Duo will be out having all kinds of fun playing spy while we're stuck listening to Relena try to convince us that she really does mean well."
Quatre shook his head regretfully, "I should have killed myself off and let Duo play the diplomat while I had fun."
"Speaking of Duo, we should bring him out." Trowa said, thinking that the braided boy was probably bouncing off the walls with curiosity about what was going on.
"I'll get him," Heero said standing and walking the way, "Maybe one of you should talk to Zechs though, he seems rather upset."
Quatre looked towards the kitchen rather startled at the sight of a furious Zechs staring at his clenched fists, "I'll take care of him."
Satisfied on that score, Heero headed towards Duo. Not bothering to knock he opened the door loudly, startling Duo out of the book he had been reading, the distance preventing him from recognizing it. "Come on Duo, she's gone."
Duo pouted, "Already, this book was really good." He lay it down regretfully, "Ah, well, there's always later. What'd I miss?"
Heero smirked, "Not much, Dorothy was hiding a knife which Zechs told us about, Relena invited us to a "peaceful" meeting to discuss her motives, Zechs discovered our reasons for wanting to kill Relena and is more than slightly pissed and, oh yeh, apparently Quatre thought you were a traitor and murdered you, so I do hope you rest in peace."
Duo smiled, "Poor Zechs, tha-QUATRE WHAT!?
Laughing at the delayed reaction Heero turned to leave unprepared for the site that met his eyes.
Furious at the callous way Heero had treated his recent death and then ignored him Duo followed him out only to have his anger evaporate at the site that met his eyes. Falling to his knees, he managed to choke out a question between rounds of laughter, "Wh-what, hahaha, H-ha-happened, hahaha, out here? hahaha! God Quatre, what'd you do, insult Relena in front of him? haha"
Quatre just picked himself up off the floor and glared at him, his rapidly blackening eye promising revenge. On Zechs and Duo.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing
-...- Indicates what Duo is reading
The Message-
Wufei left the chuckling Zechs at the door and entered the house, immediately coming under the scrutiny of four curious gazes. Seeing him alone and obviously angry they all sagged slightly, assuming he had been unable to convince Zechs and that they had a new enemy.
"What happened 'fei?," Duo asked wondering what, exactly, Zechs said or done, "You look extremely pissed."
His answer was little more than a growl, "Dorothy's here."
Trowa's previously blank expression turned angry at the mention of Dorothy, Quatre still had a scar from his fight with her in the first war. "What does she want here?"
Quatre laid a calming hand on his shoulder knowing exactly what he was thinking, "Cool down, we can't afford to scare her away if she wants to help, and getting angry certainly won't help if she's dangerous."
Trying to calm himself down as well, Wufei took a deep breath and said in a more human voice, "She says she's here under a truce to deliver a message from Relena."
"You don't seem to believe it."Quatre said, "You think it's a trap?"
Wufei nodded, "I've been keeping up on Relena and everywhere she is Dorothy is. If Relena needs information, she sends Dorothy in to find it, if she needs to convince someone of the worthiness of an issue she uses Dorothy to find a weakness to be played against them. She's turned Dorothy into an over grown lapdog. She'd do anything for Relena's approval and praise."
Heero raised an eyebrow, "A suicide mission?"
Wufei nodded hesitantly after a moment's thought, "If Relena asked her I believe she would."
"Then we should take all precautions, I want everybody armed."Quatre said the strategist in him taking over. "I've got guns for anyone who needs one."
"Thanks, Q-man, but I'm covered," Duo said smirking as he pulled a knife out of his boot.
Heero answered the question by removing a gun from one of the boxes they had brought in. Trowa and Wufei both said they needed weapons though and retreated to the bedroom to get them, Trowa putting his shirt on in the process.
"You sure you can use that?" Heero asked glancing dubiously at the knife in Duo's hand.
"You sure you can handle that gun Heero?" Duo asked sweetly in response.
"Hn"
"Still Mr. Personality I see."
Their conversation was cut short as the others returned.
Quatre took a moment to think then clicking the safety off his gun he began to wrap out orders, "Trowa, I want you by that window," He pointed to the left front window, "Watch for reinforcements, don't make it obvious if you see them though we'll need the element of surprise if they attack. Wufei you're there," He gestured towards a couch that separated the sitting room from the kitchen, make sure she doesn't try anything. Heero, you'll guard the door after she comes in."
As he had been talking they all moved to their appointed positions without complaint knowing his strategy was well thought out. Trowa's observant eyes would catch any motion outside and his impassive face would show nothing about anything he saw. Wufei's position give Heero a way to communicate anything he might notice to the other pilots without words and Heero's strength would allow him to stop Dorothy should she try to escape. It was well mapped out only one thing was missing.
"What about me, where am I gonna be?" Duo asked, glancing curiously at him.
"I want you to wait in the bedroom, it'll probably prove unnecessary but it's better to be safe than sorry."
"Okay, Cat, whatever you say." Duo said shrugging he may not understand them sometimes but Quatre always had his reasons and he wasn't about to question the boy now.
"And you?" Heero asked as confused as Duo.
"I", Quatre said smiling and tucking away his gun as he sat in a chair to the left of Wufei's couch, "am going to play the ever polite, would-never-hurt-a-fly-host everyone believes me to be."
"Hn, only a fool would believe you harmless."
"Now Heero, you shouldn't insult our guest like that." Quatre said with mock severity
"I'd say it's the fool who's insulted in that comparison, but perhaps we should let her in and see." Wufei broke in impatient for the meeting to begin.
"I think that's a brilliant idea Wufei, after all I'd hate to unjustly insult a fool."
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Outside (during the end of the above conversation)
Zech's watched, as Dorothy grew, in turns, increasingly agitated or eerily calm. During an agitated moment she began pacing and muttering to herself one hand constantly straying to the left-side seam in her skirt as if for reassurance. "What's taking them so long? What are they planning? Not that it matters of course; I've got my orders. But still..." Once again her hand strayed to the seam but had barely touched it when she jerked her hand away as if shocked. Only Zech's close observation allowed him to note the small slash of crimson on her finger before she wiped it away under the pretence of scratching her arm. Curious he looked at her seam once again and was startled to note a quick glint of metal before she turned and paced the other way. He stepped forward to confront her, but was cut off by Heero who had opened the door, "Come in."
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Waiting until Dorothy was entering Zechs tried to think of a way to tell Heero about the metal in Dorothy's skirt without her knowledge knowing it would not been seen under the soft lighting in the cabin. He caught Heero's eyes then looked purposefully at Dorothy's skirt, and then making sure her back was turned, made a slight stabbing motion with his hand. He continued this until Heero's eyes lit with understanding and the boy gave an almost imperceptible nod before returning his gaze to the others. Satisfied that he had done his part Zechs looked around and noticed that everyone seemed to be set in a specific place, not wanting to disrupt their strategy, yet not sure where to go he looked at the person most likely to have set this up-Quatre. He was not disappointed.
Having felt someone's eyes on him, Quatre looked away from his close scrutiny of Dorothy and met Zech's questioning gaze. Smiling slightly, he gestured towards the kitchen table then made to turn back to Dorothy only to be caught by Heero's gaze. Reading warning there, he followed to boys gaze to Dorothy's skirt. Confused he looked back at Heero, who after checking that Dorothy was still turned around looking at the rest of the cabin copied Zech's stabbing motions. Realization dawned on him and he glanced at the others to tell Heero to inform them of the possible threat then turned to Dorothy to play his part as the gracious and oblivious host.
"I'm terribly sorry we kept you waiting so long Dorothy, it took some time to convince the others that you weren't here on some suicide mission." He said smiling politely.
Dorothy was confused. She couldn't match this polite, trusting boy, to the quick-witted strategist who had out thought her in the first war. Surely peace hadn't changed him that much. "I thank you for the trust, and assure you it's well placed as I come in peace on this visit, but I can't help wonder at the wisdom of giving it away so easily. You can't always be sure of your friends in war time." Was he just playing with her?
Her statement seemed to hit a sore spot with Quatre, "I am sick of constantly being told that I can't trust long-time friends simply because there's a war. Such distrust invades the mind a twists ones perspective until they see every mundane action as a threat." He said fists clenching on the chair's arms.
"You speak as if from experience." Dorothy said, startled by his ferocity.
"I recently made the mistake of not trusting a friend on the word of another. It turned out that I trusted the wrong man. I do not plan to repeat the mistake."
So, Dorothy thought, something has happened since the war to change him, but what could have been that bad? She suddenly realized that she hadn't seen Duo anywhere. Surely Quatre hadn't... But then, Quatre had said it was a friend... "But I am not a friend am I? I work for Miss Relena and though I come in peace on this mission, I may not on the next" Dorothy said.
"You are of course correct. I shall try to remember your wise words upon our next meeting. But for now I shall trust you. Now I was told you came with a message and would no doubt like to deliver it so please proceed."
"Forgive me for being rude, but I was told to deliver the message to all of the pilots."
"We are all here." Quatre said in a subdued voice, eyes darkening with something akin regret, "you may proceed."
"Once again I beg your forgiveness, but I do not see Duo Maxwell." She looked around as if to assure herself she had not simply overlooked him, "Is he not in attendance?"
Quatre once again clenched his hands and took a somewhat ragged breath, "I mentioned early that I made the mistake of trusting the wrong man, Duo paid the unfortunate consequences of my folly." He closed his eyes as if in pain. "Now please, deliver your message."
Dorothy was shocked at this hint to Duo's end, but elated to have figured out the cause for the change in him. Faking shame at having caused him pain, she obediently turned so that she more or less faced them all. Did they really have to spread out so damn much? "You all know Miss Relena plans to declare war soon, that much was made obvious by this meeting and Wufei's reception of me." She paused to glare at him for a moment, "What you do not know are Miss Relena's motives. She wishes to be given a chance to explain them to you in a meeting at the Sanq Kingdom two days hence. You will be treated with all politeness and allowed to leave no matter what the outcome of the meeting. If you agree I am too take your answer back then return in two days to escort you there."
"And, for arguments sake, if we do not agree to this meeting?" Quatre asked having recovered his self-control slightly, although his self-loathing still rang clear in his voice.
"Then I am to try to convince you otherwise." Dorothy said, recalling the reason for her hidden blade.
"And if you fail?"
"Then I return to Miss Relena and inform her of your decision." And your deaths.
Quatre nodded, "Then you may inform Miss Relena that we will meet her in two days."
"Then I shall be on my way. At what time should I return to escort you?"
"Noon shall be fine Dorothy, but before you leave, do allow Heero to relieve you of that knife in your skirt, it must be terribly uncomfortable." He smiled as her face paled. He knew he should have let her leave with it but couldn't bear to be thought a total idiot.
Dorothy nodded as she handed the knife to Heero with shaky hands, perhaps she underestimated him, but then she looked back and saw him watching her with worry and concern and changed her mind. One of the others had undoubtedly noticed it and informed him. There was no way he had noticed it himself, Duo's death had made him too trusting.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Inside the Bedroom (at the same time as above conversation)
Duo paced around the room impatiently, he had tried listening to the conversation at the door but it was too thick. Shows how loud Cat and Tro' were being if I heard them from the sitting room he thought with a smirk. Looking around for a chair he spotted one next to a small coffee table on the far wall, complete with computer, stereo, lamp, and small T.V. Duo shook his head; trust Quatre to have the world's largest coffee table complete with every possible accessory in the bedroom of his summer retreat cabin. Walking over he saw a slim book with a yellow sticky note on it sitting on the table. Curious he picked up the book and read the note, -Remember to return to Heero-. Still more curious, after all when did Heero ever forget something, he opened it to the middle page, half expecting it to be Heero's diary. He was disappointed, however to discover that it was nothing more than an ordinary book. Shaking his head at his own foolishness he sat down and flipped the book over, finding the summary he had expected he read it: -Childhood friends Odin and Max risk everything on a quest to save their town from an unknown tyrant. But what will happen when feelings of friendship turn to love? Will their newly discovered feelings be strong enough to withstand the pains of betrayal? -
Intrigued despite himself, Duo opened the book and began to read, in his hurry though, he failed to notice the author's name. A name that would have greatly interested him.
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Back in the sitting room
Quatre smirked at the surprised gazes that met his eyes when Dorothy had gone, well Heero looked more amused than surprised but then it took a lot to surprise him, "Do you think Duo will be to terribly made at me for killing him off?"
Wufei smirked, "He's gonna throw a fit."
Trowa nodded, "He'll hate it all right."
"You should probably watch out for that knife of his"
Trowa agreed, enjoying the sight of Quatre's pale face "He looked pretty good with it."
"We'd hate to see you loose a limb."
Quatre paled further under their continued predictions of violence.
Heero took pity on the boy and interrupted the others, "He'll love it."
They all stared at him, startled, "What are you talking about Yuy, Duo hates being left of missions and being dead he can't exactly come to the meeting." Wufei said.
Heero just shook his head, "Think about it, everyone now thinks Duo's dead, that means he can go anywhere at anytime without worrying about being missed. Which means, while we're chatting with Relena Duo can be searching the mansion for any interesting bits of data and when Relena either a) tries to capture us or b) tries to kill us, Duo will be there to help out."
"So in reality," Wufei broke in now grinning himself, "Duo will be out having all kinds of fun playing spy while we're stuck listening to Relena try to convince us that she really does mean well."
Quatre shook his head regretfully, "I should have killed myself off and let Duo play the diplomat while I had fun."
"Speaking of Duo, we should bring him out." Trowa said, thinking that the braided boy was probably bouncing off the walls with curiosity about what was going on.
"I'll get him," Heero said standing and walking the way, "Maybe one of you should talk to Zechs though, he seems rather upset."
Quatre looked towards the kitchen rather startled at the sight of a furious Zechs staring at his clenched fists, "I'll take care of him."
Satisfied on that score, Heero headed towards Duo. Not bothering to knock he opened the door loudly, startling Duo out of the book he had been reading, the distance preventing him from recognizing it. "Come on Duo, she's gone."
Duo pouted, "Already, this book was really good." He lay it down regretfully, "Ah, well, there's always later. What'd I miss?"
Heero smirked, "Not much, Dorothy was hiding a knife which Zechs told us about, Relena invited us to a "peaceful" meeting to discuss her motives, Zechs discovered our reasons for wanting to kill Relena and is more than slightly pissed and, oh yeh, apparently Quatre thought you were a traitor and murdered you, so I do hope you rest in peace."
Duo smiled, "Poor Zechs, tha-QUATRE WHAT!?
Laughing at the delayed reaction Heero turned to leave unprepared for the site that met his eyes.
Furious at the callous way Heero had treated his recent death and then ignored him Duo followed him out only to have his anger evaporate at the site that met his eyes. Falling to his knees, he managed to choke out a question between rounds of laughter, "Wh-what, hahaha, H-ha-happened, hahaha, out here? hahaha! God Quatre, what'd you do, insult Relena in front of him? haha"
Quatre just picked himself up off the floor and glared at him, his rapidly blackening eye promising revenge. On Zechs and Duo.
