Disclaimers: The song is Fiona's, the boys belong to some production
company somewhere, not making any money from this,
you know the routine.
Spoilers: none (I hope!)
Notes: As always, thanks for all the support and feedback!
Feedback: Pretty please? With little chibis on top? (You
pick which ones ~_^) Post here, or you can e-mail me at
quelirain@yahoo.com.
by quelirain
| What I need is a good defense
'Cause I'm feeling like a criminal And I need to be redeemed To the one I've sinned against Because he's all I ever knew of love --Fiona Apple, "Criminal" |
Duo was packed in fifteen minutes, and they were at the airport in twenty. Through some well-practiced hacking, Duo had managed to get seats for them--first class, no less--on the next shuttle leaving the colony. It was even a direct flight to New York.
The ease of their trip only underlined the tension that had grown between them since getting off the phone with Wufei.
Relena looked out the window, occasionally glancing at her silent lover and friend. She always had a hard time leaving L-2, but Duo's jokes of borderline taste, tempered by the occasional longing look, helped her get on the shuttle every time. But this time, there had been no lighthearted comments or subtle squeezes to distract her. There had been nothing but the unfamiliar silence since they'd left the orphanage.
Duo's breathed evenly as he sat next to her, his eyes lightly closed and head slung back against the headrest. His braid was tucked loosely behind him, exposing the slender neck she'd kissed many a time. She could see the spot where if she pressed her lips against it, then ran her tongue over it just so--
"Don't."
Relena froze with her back angled forward and twisted slightly for the optimum angle of attack on Duo's neck. "What's wrong?" she asked lightly.
"Something's wrong?"
The words were indifferent in tone yet icy in nature. Smoothing the creases in her jeans, she leaned back against the seat, keeping her eyes on him. "You haven't said a word to me since we left the church. What's wrong? What did I do?"
He opened his eyes at that, the violet-blue orbs dark with something she couldn't quite place. "You should get some rest; it's been a long day."
"Talk to me." She placed her hand over his and squeezed lightly.
He closed his eyes again. "Just go to sleep, okay?"
"No."
"I don't want you passing out. We have enough to worry about as it is."
"No."
"Relena." His voice was low and toneless. "Stop."
Slowly, she released his hand and leaned back into the seat, closing her eyes. Her hands balled into little fists as she pressed her nails into her palms in an attempt to fight the knot tightening in her throat.
A small sigh came from the seat next to her. She felt the armrest that separated their seats lift, then agile fingers reached around to unbuckle her safety belt. He turned her so that she was sitting sideways in his lap, leaning her cheek against his chest. Duo pulled her close, wrapping strong arms around her waist in a wordless apology. She felt his chest rise and fall steeply and his heart slow its steady rhythm. "What is it, Duo?"
"Are you all right with this?" His grip tightened around her. "With us, being together, I mean."
She blinked. "I... I'm fine with us," she said. "Why do you ask?"
"Next time you see Heero, you could tell him that we weren't sleeping together and that it's all been a big misunderstanding. He'd believe you. Should I expect you to do that?"
She suddenly wanted to squirm out of Duo's hold, but she didn't try.
"Do you want to?"
She couldn't move, couldn't place the tone of his voice, couldn't see his face. Not that seeing his face would help her; she was sure his visage was as shuttered as Heero's.
This time she gave into the impulse to twist in his arms, but he held her where she was. "Duo..."
"No squirming," he whispered in her ear. "Not in public."
"But--"
"Later, Relena. Rest."
//Why didn't he just give me a shot of adrenline? Like I'll be able to sleep.// She exacted her revenge with a snuggle back into his arms and a slight swivel that elicted an indrawn breath and a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
"Stop fidgeting and rest."
Obediently, she closed her eyes, but opened them immediately. "Duo?"
"Yes?" The answer was quick, too quick for him to have been resting.
"We should contact Trowa as soon as we reach Earth." She turned her head to press her cheek into Duo's soft shirt.
"Hmmm... why?"
"I think he'd like to know what's going on. Maybe he could help."
"Maybe, though I'm sure he's busy with the circus and all." Duo shifted slightly underneath her, reclining them further.
"Quatre carries a picture of Trowa in his wallet," Relena said.
She could feel Duo's chest heave with supressed laughter. "Oh, does he now?"
"He does. And I bet that Trowa has a picture of Quatre somewhere on his person at all times."
Duo snorted. "Quatre's always carried a picture of Trowa, even during the war. Said it reminded him what we were fighting for. I'll bet he's had that photo since then."
"No, he's older in this one."
"Let me see." Relena felt Duo's hand wander down her back and reach into her hip pocket, but it didn't linger there. He sorted through the wallet, finding everything she'd seen, then it pressed into a hidden fold and extracted a much-worn picture of a much-younger Trowa. Duo held it up in front of her. "This is the photograph I was thinking of, though the newer one is nice too." He replaced the picture where it had come from and handed the wallet back to Relena. "And a tip from an old thief--don't keep your wallet in your back pocket. Too easy to steal."
"You should keep it, Duo. It would probably be safer with you."
"No, you hang onto it." In one swift move, Duo dropped the wallet down Relena's shirt, adjusting it to sit between the strap and her chest, just above the swell of her breast. "See? Much safer. If anyone goes for it there, you can deck them without remorse."
She laughed. "I'm a pacifist, remember?"
"Fine. I'll do the decking. Or Milliardo will." Duo's tone turned serious. "I called him before we left. He was relieved to hear that you were all right."
"Did you tell him we were headed back to Earth?"
"No, it wasn't a secure line. I had to be pretty vague. Luckily, he recognized my voice." Duo chuckled again. "I got to pretend to be a nurse."
"A nurse?"
"Milliardo told the press that you've come down with mono. It'll keep us in the clear for the next couple weeks." Relena laughed. "What, what's so funny?"
Relena covered her mouth with her hands until the worst of her giggles had passed. "Well, it beats that other rumor."
"What rumor?"
Relena sat up just enough to see Duo's face. "That I'm pregnant."
The terrorist formerly known as Shinigami went deathly pale. Relena buried her face in his shirt, muffling her laughter next to his rapidly beating heart.