Title: To thine own self be true.
Author: Dubird
Pairings: None
Rating: Right now, G, but that will probally change with future chapters.
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. This is just one of the many fan spawned writings of another crazy person. I also go to college and have lots of loans to pay off, so if you're looking for money, you've come to the wrong place! Oh, and 'Hamlet' was written by Shakespeare. That's where the title is from.
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Author's Note: Yes, the title is from 'Hamlet'. There's a reason. And before you read further, this is not a pairing fic! I simply wanted Duo to have some good conversations with one of the pilots he probally connected to the least. This is a bit of a character study, so bear with me please!
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Wufei took the time to shrug out of his bulky EVA suit he had put on when his shuttle broke down and pulled on a sleeker environment suit, one that was much easier to move around in. Getting dressed in zero-g is itself a feat of acrobatics, and once he zipped his suit up, he felt the thrum of the engines as Duo powered up. Curious about the modifications he had seen on his way over, he then headed up to the con room. As he moved up the ramp, he could hear Duo's voice, talking rather encouragingly.
"That's it baby. See? It's not that much extra weight. I know it'll take us a few extra days to get home. But with the shipment we just did, I have enough for the upgrades I promised you!"
Wufei entered the con room, where Duo was sitting with his back to the door. "Maxwell, who are you talking to?" he asked, wonder if the braided pilot had finally lost it.
"Oh! 'Fei! Hi!" Duo spun his chair around, looking slightly embarrassed. "Won't take us long to get back to L2. With the chunks of engine missing from your shuttle, it doesn't weigh as much as I thought. We can't go full speed towing something, but we might be able to go as high as 3/4."
"Maxwell." Wufei crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yeah?" Duo gave him a very wide-eyed innocent look.
"I asked who you were talking to."
"Well, if you simply must know, I was talking to the shuttle."
"Is there any particular reason I should know about?"
"Or have I finally lost my mind?" Duo finished his question with a smirk. "Well, just to ease your mind, I'm still sane." He paused a beat. "Well, as sane as I've ever been," he continued with a laugh. Wufei simply waited for his explanation. Duo shrugged. "Something I've noticed about machines. The longer you have one and work on it, the more you get to know it. How it handles, how it feels. In time, they can develop their own personality." He patted the console warmly. "Granted this isn't much to look at. But I've been working on her for a lot of years now. I've made a lot of modifications to her. I know ever belt and wire on her." His gaze traveled upward and around the room. "She's gotten me through a lot of stuff, and even saved my life a time or two." He shrugged, a little embarrassed. "I don't really expect anyone else to understand, but you did ask."
Wufei shook his head. "No, I do understand," he replied, remembering the feel of Nataku's controls in his hands. "Even a machine can develop a spirit. It's best to honor it."
Duo's eyes widened a bit at that comment, obviously startled at Wufei's agreement. Wufei felt a flash of amusement, and carefully kept his smile from showing. It was the first time he could remember really surprising the other pilot. Duo grinned at him again, his words a bit warmer. "Well I'll be. We might actually have something in common!"
Wufei rolled his eyes at that. "I'm not sure that's a good thing, Maxwell."
Duo laughed. "Wufei Chang, making a joke?? Let me mark my calendar!"
"I never said I didn't have a sense of humor," he responded, a bit indignantly.
"Only that I had a warped one." Duo snickered at that. "Oh well, if we were all the same, it would be rather dull around here." He unstrapped his belt and bounded to his feet. "You want the grand tour? Now that I've got the course set, I've got a bit of time to show you around."
Wufei shrugged. "I'll admit I am curious about some of your modifications."
Duo's grin widened. "C'mon then, 'Fei! Curiosity killed the cat, and we wouldn't want that to happen to you!" He pushed off down the ramp and Wufei followed him, wondering how he was going to manage to survive three days with the over-eager American pilot. This was defiantly going to be an interesting few days.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author: Dubird
Pairings: None
Rating: Right now, G, but that will probally change with future chapters.
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. This is just one of the many fan spawned writings of another crazy person. I also go to college and have lots of loans to pay off, so if you're looking for money, you've come to the wrong place! Oh, and 'Hamlet' was written by Shakespeare. That's where the title is from.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Note: Yes, the title is from 'Hamlet'. There's a reason. And before you read further, this is not a pairing fic! I simply wanted Duo to have some good conversations with one of the pilots he probally connected to the least. This is a bit of a character study, so bear with me please!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wufei took the time to shrug out of his bulky EVA suit he had put on when his shuttle broke down and pulled on a sleeker environment suit, one that was much easier to move around in. Getting dressed in zero-g is itself a feat of acrobatics, and once he zipped his suit up, he felt the thrum of the engines as Duo powered up. Curious about the modifications he had seen on his way over, he then headed up to the con room. As he moved up the ramp, he could hear Duo's voice, talking rather encouragingly.
"That's it baby. See? It's not that much extra weight. I know it'll take us a few extra days to get home. But with the shipment we just did, I have enough for the upgrades I promised you!"
Wufei entered the con room, where Duo was sitting with his back to the door. "Maxwell, who are you talking to?" he asked, wonder if the braided pilot had finally lost it.
"Oh! 'Fei! Hi!" Duo spun his chair around, looking slightly embarrassed. "Won't take us long to get back to L2. With the chunks of engine missing from your shuttle, it doesn't weigh as much as I thought. We can't go full speed towing something, but we might be able to go as high as 3/4."
"Maxwell." Wufei crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yeah?" Duo gave him a very wide-eyed innocent look.
"I asked who you were talking to."
"Well, if you simply must know, I was talking to the shuttle."
"Is there any particular reason I should know about?"
"Or have I finally lost my mind?" Duo finished his question with a smirk. "Well, just to ease your mind, I'm still sane." He paused a beat. "Well, as sane as I've ever been," he continued with a laugh. Wufei simply waited for his explanation. Duo shrugged. "Something I've noticed about machines. The longer you have one and work on it, the more you get to know it. How it handles, how it feels. In time, they can develop their own personality." He patted the console warmly. "Granted this isn't much to look at. But I've been working on her for a lot of years now. I've made a lot of modifications to her. I know ever belt and wire on her." His gaze traveled upward and around the room. "She's gotten me through a lot of stuff, and even saved my life a time or two." He shrugged, a little embarrassed. "I don't really expect anyone else to understand, but you did ask."
Wufei shook his head. "No, I do understand," he replied, remembering the feel of Nataku's controls in his hands. "Even a machine can develop a spirit. It's best to honor it."
Duo's eyes widened a bit at that comment, obviously startled at Wufei's agreement. Wufei felt a flash of amusement, and carefully kept his smile from showing. It was the first time he could remember really surprising the other pilot. Duo grinned at him again, his words a bit warmer. "Well I'll be. We might actually have something in common!"
Wufei rolled his eyes at that. "I'm not sure that's a good thing, Maxwell."
Duo laughed. "Wufei Chang, making a joke?? Let me mark my calendar!"
"I never said I didn't have a sense of humor," he responded, a bit indignantly.
"Only that I had a warped one." Duo snickered at that. "Oh well, if we were all the same, it would be rather dull around here." He unstrapped his belt and bounded to his feet. "You want the grand tour? Now that I've got the course set, I've got a bit of time to show you around."
Wufei shrugged. "I'll admit I am curious about some of your modifications."
Duo's grin widened. "C'mon then, 'Fei! Curiosity killed the cat, and we wouldn't want that to happen to you!" He pushed off down the ramp and Wufei followed him, wondering how he was going to manage to survive three days with the over-eager American pilot. This was defiantly going to be an interesting few days.
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