Phantom
By Wolf Girl
Disclaimer: I do not have any sort of ownership over the characters or the premise of Gundam Wing. I do not make any sort of profit off of this story.
Warnings: AU, Sci-fi, Yaoi, minor Relena bastardization, slightly OOC Heero (as per series, but since this is AU I can do what I want with him.) 40's slang usage.
AN Warning: Unfortunately, my grammar and punctuation usage is a weird mix of American and British styles... Enough said.
Pairings: 1+2, 1x2x1, 3x4, others...
Italics thought (unless obviously otherwise).
Author's notes: There's a lot of slang in this one. If you notice, he getsemotional and slips into using the slang. Thanks so much for all the reviews, and all the people who read it!
--+--
Five
"He's still here, and he's changing," Trowa murmured, shutting the door. "He didn't try to leave again."
"Good. Thanks, Heero,for 'tolerating' him so much. I'm sure he really felt welcomed when youwent and drug him back here." Quatre's voice was acidic.
"I would have shot him for groping me if he wasn't needed," Heero stated blankly, ignoring the raised eyebrow from Quatre.
"Injustice! Just because you are a-sexual doesn't mean you can discriminate against gays!" Wufei slurred, sloshing some beer down his front.
"And you need to drink less. Things will work out."
"I'm slightly worried about the mission specs. I think Duo might object to—" Quatre was cut off as Duo stuck his head around the door.
"Object to what?"
"Nice to see you up and about. Please don't run off again, Heero nearly tripped over himself running after you," Wufei snickered, still somewhat drunk. Relena glowered first at him, then at Duo.
"There might be some problems with the mission specifications, but we'll get them worked out." Quatre said placatingly. Duo held out his hand. Quatre handed him the enveloped hesitatingly.
"I might talk a lot, but I ain't no clicker(1)." Duo opened the envelope impatiently. He read it once over then shook his head.
Name: Dulce Marisol
Age: 17
Gender: Female
…
"What do you mean I'm a girl?" Duo asked. "I'm not some girl!" The others didn't say anything. "Well you can get Miss Bobby Socks to do it then," Duo pointed at Relena.
"She's going on the mission also, as another girl. Your childhood friend in fact." Quatre told him.
"There's no way I'm gonna come off as firm and round and fully packed (2)"
"You could wear a corset," Quatre suggested mildly. Duo sighed and went back to the documents.
Name: Rhian Pierce
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Place of Origin: England
Background: Wealthy family, old roots. Childhood friends with Dulce.
Has invited Dulce to accompany her to the party.
…
"And where does our darling Heero come in?" Duo asked. Quatre gestured to the last set of papers, so Duo continued to read.
Name: Hirochika Yukio
Age: 23
Gender: Male
…
"Okay, fine. I'll take it. But it doesn't mean I want to dress up like some chick."
"That will be satisfactory." Heero stated.
"We'll need to get you fitted for some clothing. I guess we'll have to go to a drag shop." Relena looked down her nose at Duo. "Regular women's clothes won't make you look like you have a figure.
"I'm sure we'll find something," Duo said stiffly, glancing at the others. No one looked at him.
--+--
Duo had always thought himself a charmer. It was just a given. He could worm his way out of any situation by smiling and commenting on the copper's tie. He would run and hide, but he would never tell a lie.
But this man… Duo couldn't see what was going on. He couldn't tell what compliment to give, or what to say. Should he flirt? Even if he did, Duo could tell there wasn't going to be a change in the mask that Heero wore. He thought he had gotten to him, but now there was nothing.
And it was rubbing him the wrong way. And in the right way. Duo couldn't help but be attracted to this man who was so strong and handsome. He had charisma that just oozed off him, but it made no sense since the man was about as social as a viper. All the same there was something that made him think that Heero was attracted to him as well. This man was full of contradictions.
He snuck out of his room dressed in his normal black attire, planning on sneaking into Heero's room while he was out. He glanced up and down the hallway, then peeked carefully around the corner.
He stopped. Suddenly. Heero and Relena were locked in a passionate embrace. Duo blinked once, twice, then decided that maybe he had been imagining things. The man was interested, just not in him. After all, surely he could have misread Heero. He crept down the hallway to the kitchen.
Quatre sat at the kitchen table, reviewing a building plan. A bottle of whiskey sat on the table in front of him. Quatre looked up when he entered. He waved to the chair in front of him. Duo sank down onto it.
"I see you saw Relena and Heero?" Quatre asked mildly. Duo's face made its own reply. "Duo, don't get too disappointed. They have an—interesting relationship. He tries to give her things she wants so she'll be quiet and happy, and she wants everything she can get from him." Quatre didn't elaborate to make this clearer.
Duo sat in silence for a moment. "How'd you get into this line of work? You seem to be a grounded guy." Duo slugged down his drink. "And you handle yourself well. You could be in business and make lots of money."
"I do make lots of money. And I am rich." Quatre smiled a secret smile. "And I'm happy."
"Rich people don't go out and kill people personally. Don't you have to be a Face(3) to be rich?" Duo quipped.
"And don't you have to be religious to be a religious man?" Quatre shot back.
Duo looked away, his hand playing with the end of his braid nervously. His cross hung conspicuously out of the neck of his half buttoned shirt and unbuttoned preacher's collar.
"Sometimes it wouldn't seem to make too much of a difference. People can be religious in all sorts of ways." Duo said finally. The blonde man appeared relaxed, as if this was a normal topic. "So that's our religion... Killing people? I like that. It fits."
Only one eyebrow quirked at this. "Shinigami. It's you, isn't it? What makes you call yourself that?"
Duo laughed self-consciously. "Yeah, that's me, Jackson, and I ain't gonna fish(4) about that one. I've got the past to support it. Seen so many people fogged(5)... You have no idea..." He took a lick of salt off his wrist, then a shot of tequila. "Strange how we can sit here talking like this." He sucked on his lime thoughtfully. "What's with the cogs(6), Jackson? We're inside."
"It's a habit. If I wear them, no one can recognize me for sure. If someone asks, all they can say is 'About this tall, blonde hair, but well, I couldn't see his eyes, they were covered up'."
"I see. Are you really that committed to your work?" Duo asked.
"Yes and no. I believe my work has become my life, and the people I work with are most important to me. I'd do anything to make these missions go well and to bring everybody back safely." Quatre smiled slightly. "I'm assuming you feel the same way about your profession."
"Well, me and Solo, we did alright for awhile, then he got too old for this. It's an up and down profession." Duo shrugged, then looked sideways at Quatre. "So if this action(7) works, we'll be mostly home free?"
"With only one other mission, yes."
"Okay. I'll be there."
--+--
Duo fanned himself slowly, scanning the room. He sipped at a glass of punch daintily, then dabbed at his mouth. He caught a few people's eyes and fanned himself gently with his left hand. Supposedly there was a language to fans, but to most it meant nothing. Duo reveled in his knowledge that he was now sending a come-hither message to a man in the corner, but the man knew nothing about it.
Relena prodded him with her fan. He looked over at her and saw that he had been neglecting the conversation. He smiled brightly and made a witty remark which made all the young ladies laugh.
"May I have this dance?"
Duo looked up and saw Heero standing in front of him with his hand extended.
"Well, I do believe my dance card is full, but I could make an exception." Duo giggled in a high-pitched manner. He allowed himself to be lead to the dance floor.
Heero pulled him close to dance along with the slow music playing. "Are you scared? You are once again the bait for this mission." Heero asked, his voice a rumble against Duo's chest.
"Yes." Duo whispered, still waltzing around the room. Heero's grasp held him painfully upright.
"I thought that death wasn't afraid of anything," Heero's voice was deep and mocking. Duo shivered involuntarily at the inflection in Heero's voice.
"Even Shinigami is afraid sometimes. I'm afraid of people finding out, of this plan not working, I'm afraid of not going home again, I'm afraid of…" Duo trailed off.
"Afraid of what? Afraid of me? Afraid of what we're doing now?" Heero's eyes glinted strangely, making Duo feel slightly hunted. The hand that gripped him became less painful and instead seemed to hold Duo close with need.
"Just… afraid." Duo wondered what it would feel like to hold Heero so close without all the impeding clothing in the way. Duo shook his head to get those thoughts away, causing one thin strand of hair to break loose from the elaborate hairstyle. Heero made a slightly strangled noise and brushed the hair aside. "The target is moving into position. I think it's time we switched dance partners," Duo whispered, leaning his head close in to Heero's.
"Hn." Heero spun Duo and quickly grabbed Relena who had been standing by. Heero said something to her and she laughed shrilly. Duo felt his heart clench.
"Excuse me, may I have this dance?" The gentleman asked politely, holding out his hand. Duo curtsied and took it. They swept onto the dance floor, doing a complicated step Duo barely caught on to.
"Miss—"
"Dulce Marisol."
"Miss Marisol you look stunningly lovely tonight. I feel honored to have the most beautiful young lady on my arm. You truly suit your namesake of sweetness." The man's oily voice stuck to Duo like filth. Duo forced himself not to deck the man right there.
"I am very flattered by your attentions, Sir," He murmured sweetly.
"Would you join me out on the veranda?" The man asked after the dance ended.
"Certainly," Duo replied, making sure he caught Heero's eye as he left the room.
--+--
Four hours later, the door shut behind Relena and she looked at Heero anxiously one last time. Duo stared at Heero resolutely, still leaning on the wall. He took a few steps away from it, facing Heero.
"You almost got yourself killed! Why did you stoop so low as to allow the man to do that!" Heero yelled, loosing his composure completely. "You were letting him touch you!"
"I'm alive now, aren't I?" Duo said, smirking slightly. "And he couldn't have been touching me much if he hadn't figured out I wasn't a woman yet."
"You endangered the mission with your change in the course of action."
"We got the tip-off, and we didn't have to kill anyone. Since when is that endangerment of the mission!" Duo asked haughtily.
"Omae o korosu!" Heero growled, slamming Duo into the nearest wall. Heero smelled of nervousness and cinnamon and something sweet like toffee. He held Duo against the wall with one arm, pressing his chest back, just staring at him with a ferocious look in his eye.
"Let go." Duo said icily, eyes narrowing. Heero didn't respond in any way. "Let me go now!" Duo ordered. "What's wrong, Heero? Did I scare you? Did you think you were going to loose your advantage, your way to save your stupid operative!" Duo spat out, causing Heero to flinch.
"I—" Heero stopped. His grip on Duo's shirt loosened. Duo used that opportunity to shove away.
"Good-bye. I'm going home."
"You can't, Duo. Your home isn't your home anymore. We're not in the 1940s." Heero said quietly. "We have your way home locked up in a safe where you can't get it."
"Go to hell you goddamned tease and your goddamned missons! You ain't some dirty cookie! You think you class(8) me? Well, you're wrong! I'm not even in your organization! There is no safe I can't crack, and let me lay out the racket(9) for you. I never caught a fall(10). I'm leaving!" Duo yelled, his hair coming completely out of its bun and tumbling down his back as he ripped the rose out of it. He threw it at Heero.
Heero's eyes widened as the rose hit him in the face. He lurched forward and grabbed Duo's arm. "I—" He looked at Duo longingly, the flushed cheeks, the chestnut hair spilling down across Duo's chest and back. The lips parted slightly, panting with suppressed rage. He reached a hand up to Duo's cheek and touched it gently. Duo jerked away, but was unable to go anywhere because of Heero's strong grip on his arm.
"Here's the bible(11) of it. If you want me, you can take me. I'm not strong enough to stop you. I can't do anything about it, and I won't stoop to saying anything about it." Duo whispered maliciously. Heero's eyes locked with his. Heero realized that anything he did now would be wrong. But he couldn't stop himself.
Heero jerked Duo toward him and held him close. Duo struggled but was unable to break free. Heero tipped Duo's head up and took his lips in his own. Duo stood perfectly still, not moving as Heero kissed him gently. "Please, don't leave."
Heero finally released him, and Duo stood there, leaning heavily on Heero's body. Then suddenly, there was a resounding crack as Duo slapped Heero across the cheek. Duo turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard that pictures rattled.
Heero stood shell-shocked for a moment, then stooped to pick up the rose. He carried it with him out into the hallway, where Relena, Wufei, Trowa and Quatre stared at the handprint on his cheek as he walked by without saying a word.
--+--
End notes: Hope you all liked that. It was a bit longer this time, and the next chapter should be out soon, too.
Here's the 40s slang words I used and what they mean:
(1)Clicker: A jerk who talks too much.
(2)Firm and round and fully packed: an attractive female (as if you can't tell by the description)
(3)Face: A Caucasian
(4)Fish: to lie
(5)To fog: to kill
(6)Cogs: sunglasses
(7)Action: proposition
(8)Class: out-class or out-rank
(9)Lay out the racket: to explain something
(10)Fall: To be convicted of a crime
(11)Bible: The true facts of a situation
As always, R&R si vous plait!