tantrys - ffiction - stop the world - 2
Stop The World
2
Shounen ai Gundam Wing
Warnings: A.U. Shounen ai, 1x2, 3x4... The rest is unforseen. This [as of this chapter] is unfinished. Will be finished. Slight cursing. Suspense? I dunno. I doubt angst. Sap. I'm good at that. I'll admit I was inspired by another angel fic, one where wings were shorn. Who wrote it? Dunno. Title is from 'Peace', by the Eurythmics.
PART 2 "I'm so sorry about your sister's death-- it's so tragic! And in this neighborhood--"
Quatre smiled painfully. The woman just wouldn't shut up. She was trying to be sympathetic, while milking details from the grieving brother, whose sister had just days ago been murdered. He kept his smile up somehow as he poked frantically at the cash register. I'd just tell her to buzz off if she didn't come in every week and spend hundreds on paper fortunes. Damn.
"Will that be all Mrs. Davis?" He squeaked patiently. Mrs. Davis smiled hugely, and patted Quatre's pale, slender hand on the counter.
"Yes dear. You take care now."
Quatre's smile faded before Mrs. Davis' stout figure had gotten halfway across the shop. She meant well... But it was still so hard to even think about.... The police were roaming Iria's apartment upstairs now, searching for clues-- he could hear their footsteps if he listened closely.
"Hey Muriel!" A pleasantly loud voice erupted suddenly into the quiet of the shop. It was tight from the cold and ringing with laughter that chimed along with the bells above the door. Mrs. Muriel Davis giggled loudly and Quatre looked up from the register to watch his partner in business flirt.
Duo leaned closer to the small woman to whisper something in her ear. She giggled loudly and blushed like a school girl. With her brown eyes sparkling she leaned forward and planted a firm, loud kiss on Duo's slender cheek, marring its golden surface with a large red lipstick smudge. Duo laughed happily and waved to Mrs. Davis as she skipped out the door.
"Sweet little lady." He rubbed his cheek with cold fingers and laughed again at the sight of bright red makeup on his hand. "Wears a little too much lipstick, but sweet nonetheless." His smile swiveled around to light upon Quatre's small form behind the counter. Angel-Boy was quite a sight to walk into. One of many reasons Horizons got so many customers. Eye candy.
Duo quirked up his mouth in a sympathetic, knowing smirk. By the depressed look on Quatre's face he could tell Little Muriel had dug her lacquer nails into some fresh wounds. Prying into the lives of her favorite shop boys as usual.
"Muriel get her fill of the world news today, buddy?" Duo sauntered up to the counter and plopped down the white, lightly grease spotted bag he'd been hefting for the last three blocks. It smelled of tantalizing, artery clogging dinner. Also known as hamburgers and fries.
"Of course," Quatre sighed. He confiscated the white bag and opened it with a skeptical look. "Did you order grease, or French fries, because I can't tell what this is."
Duo took the bag out from underneath Quatre's wary inspection and glanced into it. "Hm. Me neither. Looks edible enough." He picked out a drooping, glistening object-- assumedly a French fry-- and crammed it into his mouth. One quick munch made him smile, and reach in for more. "I do believe it's a fry!"
Quatre watched Duo cram and swallow for a few seconds, shaking his head slowly. Then he too began to eat. The food was thick, and tasteless as he chewed... Because he heard the footsteps of the investigators upstairs. They were coming down; stomping the way investigators could, with suspense and suspicion. Quatre turned to watch as they descended, and parted the dividing curtains between the shop and the apartments. The first one through was a tall, dark haired man; an Asian with sharp, calculating black eyes. Lieutenant Wufei Chang. He was handsome and trenchant. Quatre had no doubt that Iria's apartment would be thoroughly searched by this man, from closet to box springs. This lieutenant would find the killer... It was in his eyes, and his heart.
Following him was the second lead man assigned to the investigation. As tall as Lieutenant Chang, and as sharp-eyed. Or as sharp-eyed as one could discern from the single emerald orb that was visible. His burnt umber hair was flipped boldly across the other in a stylish, but uncommon fashion. He wore a trench coat as did his partner, and walked with cat like grace, as if permanently crossing a high wire at a circus. Smooth balanced and tensed, ready for anything.
They're both dedicated to their jobs, Quatre deliberated. He took another bite from his hamburger and nodded to the Lieutenants as they approached. ... I just hope they can tell me why...
Lieutenant Chang spoke first. His partner rarely did. In fact, he'd never spoken. Duo waved to them as he shoved the last of his meal into his mouth and chewed. Lieutenant Chang's nose wrinkled, but he didn't comment. His gaze fell on Quatre and shifted expertly into its empathetic yet all business tone.
"We've gathered some evidence from your sister's quarters. No one is to enter that room unless they're from our team." He paused to give Duo another disgusted look, but by now Duo had finished and was listening attentively. His dark blue eyes were wide and innocent... A deceiving statement, Quatre knew.
"Of course," Quatre replied. He licked off some ketchup from his finger nervously, and caved in to the insatiable desire to *ask*. His crystal eyes flickered from Chang to Lieutenant Barton. "Did you find anything?"
Duo and Quatre watched as the officers' expressions closed up, more so than they already were. Quatre nodded in reluctant acceptance.
"We can't reveal anything about the case as of yet. You'll be one of the first to know of any developments, Mr. Winner." Wufei nodded curtly, and continued. "It would be best if neither you, nor Mr. Maxwell here, left town. We'll need to be in contact with both of you, and our team will need free access to Ms. Winner's apartment."
"Aw," Duo sighed. He propped his elbow on the counter and perched his chin in his palm. His statement was disappointed, as well as mocking. "Now we'll have to cancel our plans for Malibu, Quatre! You know how we can afford it..." He trailed off meaningfully, giving Chang a simple look that said 'we're not leaving, don't worry bud.'
"Duo," Quatre sighed. But it was more of a habit than a reprimand. He offered a tiny smile to the Lieutenants. "We understand...." His eyes locked on the quiet background officer who met them with a divided, dim green gaze. "Thank you."
Duo noted Quatre's ardent and appreciative gaze. I'll have to tease him about this later... But at least he has good taste. Duo grinned. Pick 'em tall dark and handsome, I say!
As Lieutenant Chang nodded in parting, and Lieutenant Barton followed in his flowing way, Duo watched Quatre angle his head to watch-- and Duo couldn't help but laugh, and join him. "They must work out," he offered aloud. Quatre's delighted snort was his only audible concordance.
The bells over the door jingled noisily once, and twice as each man passed, and they continued to jingle as the door propped open. Lieutenant Barton held it for an incoming shopper. The ringing stilled as the door eased closed, and Duo focused with a smile on the potential money spender... It faltered, as he got a good look at the guy. Then rose again from habit.
"Can we help you?"