Impossible

A Gundam Wing Fan Fiction

Rambled Off by The Manwell

Book Three: PARTNERS

Heero Yuy

When Duo's not complaining about something I've done, am planning to do, or am in all probability considering doing, his snarky griping is actually damn amusing. Either I'd completely forgotten this little personality quirk of his or it's been a hell of a long time since someone who isn't me has managed to light the fire of Peevedom under his ass. It doesn't take much deliberation for me to reconcile myself to the latter... but I wonder if I ought to feel jealous at having been usurped so suddenly. Hell, I almost don't know what to do with myself now that Duo has chosen another recipient for his passionate and derogatory pontification.

Still, for all the novelty of this new target, he makes it quite clear that I'm not completely blameless for his somewhat less-than-amiable mood.

"Geez, Rupe. Why the hell didn't you mention this guy before?"

I know Duo's pretty wound up, but I'm almost one hundred per cent sure that it's mostly for show. I know I could growl at him or glare or, hell, even kick him under the table, but I don't. I trust him to maintain our cover in his own unique ways. Even if those methods are a raving mystery to me.

I shrug and stab at the congealing remains of today's re-heated dinner special. My enthusiasm for food is not particularly vigorous at the best of times. In fact, it rarely goes beyond a grudging appreciation for it as something with instrumental value only insofar as it can supply me with necessary nutrients in an efficient manner. Antonia's is the one exception, it seems. But staring at the lukewarm lump of calories on my indestructible resin tray is causing some serious setbacks to that tiny bit of progress, I think.

I reply, "He wouldn't be that bad if you'd stop encouraging him."

"Encourage him!" Duo fairly explodes. "I was this close–" At this point Duo provides a very helpful gesture to illustrate his meaning. "–to passing out from total sensory deprivation in the middle of his little infomercial!"

"You weren't the only one," I grumble. But then a corner of my mouth quirks up as something else occurs to me.

I tell him, "You know, as your supervisor, I really ought to report your nearly falling asleep on the job to home base." I give him a long look of warning in an attempt to remind him of the fact that he really shouldn't be admitting these sorts of details to me. And yes, it's all for show... but sometimes it's fun to indulge in the details.

"Oh, for the love of microprocessors!" He huffs and throws me a glare I can see straight through. "Rupe, just listen to yourself. First you tell me not to bore the clients but here you are practically admitting to passing out right along with me!"

"I admit to nothing," I inform him stoically. "But, if I were to say something like that, it would be perfectly acceptable because, unlike you, I'm not undergoing probationary work experience."

He disregards this with a snort I've developed an odd fondness for over the years. "Whatever, man. Still... at least you didn't have him on your case about your most cherished pipe dream..."

Duo's derisive reference to Adamsson's assistant and his completely left-field inquisition into one Felix MacGyver's life's ambitions shifts something in my memory. It kind of feels like an old, moldering rug has just been jostled in its grimy and dust-coated room to reveal a gleaming wood floor beneath.

"Actually," I reply slowly, trying to discern exactly what it is I'm almost remembering. "he did ask me something similar."

"Hm..." Duo muses, those dark eyes of his recording everything that may or may not be showing in my expression. "Let's hope it's not part of some obscure geek mating ritual..."

A strange sound that's not a laugh but not a strangled cough grinds in my throat. "But, if that were the case, you would have immediately recognized it, MacGeek."

"Oh, you are sooo funny! Did you think that up all by yourself?"

"Why would I bother?" I toss back. "Especially when I can use the character references you supplied to get all the details I need to keep you in line."

Duo gifts me with a look that travels the length of his nose before diving right for my ego. "You are such a jerk, Takahashi."

I hum noncommittally. "Keeps your vocabulary of derogative terms well-exercised, though."

He shakes his head on an amused sigh. "I still can't picture you putting up with that kind of... interrogation," he muses.

Ah, we're back to talking about the assistant again. I summon up a cocky grin and counter, "Who says I did?" And with that, I collect my tray/garbage scow and stand.

"Oi! Where do you think you're going?" His demand is punctuated by the scrape of chair legs against the metal floor.

Although I don't glance in his direction, I arc a brow. "I've decided I'm done staring at today's... special and it's time to get some sleep." I aim a pointed glance at the main clock, with the help of which I determine that I've been awake for over twenty-one hours.

"Woah... sleep?" Duo stutters with wide-eyed innocence. "What's that?"

I hold back my snort long enough to reply, "The only other thing aside from food that manages to shut you up for any appreciable length of time, I believe."

"Oh... that."

I release the snort I'd been saving and happily deposit my tray in the waste disposal unit. Abandoning the lingering syllables of our conversation to fend for themselves as they echo in the empty, cavernous employee cafeteria I pivot on my heel and make a beeline for the door. Behind me, I can hear Duo dumping his tray into the slot with a satisfying crash.

"Tell me something, man. Why do they call it the day's special if it looks just like every other 'special' they offer?"

"It's special in its inconspicuousness."

"Dude... is that, like, even a word? Inconspicuousness?"

"Does it matter? You understood my intention, didn't you?"

"Unfortunately..." he mumbles and jogs the last step to come up even with me as we meander down the unremarkable halls.

I listen as Duo rambles on about one day's special in particular that had turned into quite the gastrointestinal adventure. I'm aware that he's performing that singular feat of distraction that comes so easily to him. And I'm so damn tired that I don't really care that we're in the semi-public hallway of a potential enemy organization. I toss in the occasional grunt to demonstrate that I'm still moving under my own conscious power and he doesn't nettle me about it.

But then, suddenly, as we come abreast of the door to my rooms, Duo steps in front of me and blocks my access to the door's keypad. "So, what did you tell him?" he demands with an almost feral light in his eyes. I blink at him once before he elaborates: "Super Nerd? When he asked?"

Dear God, but this man is tenacious. I place both of my hands on his shoulders and bodily maneuver him away from the keypad. When I've relocated him to my satisfaction, I say, "The same thing I'm going to tell you, MacGyver." I punch in my access code, not bothering to hide the number sequence from Duo. "Not a damn thing. Good night."

Then I shoulder open the door and shrug it shut behind me. Alone at last.

It's weird as hell to be shut away in a room away from Duo. I don't think I've been out of his sight for a significant period of time since we'd returned to Earth. Hell, even that bit of creepy me-time I'd had after that, uh, elevator... um... scene hadn't lasted for more than an hour or so. I suppose. I mean, it's not like I'd been watching the clock or anything.

With a deep breath, I force myself to derail that train of thought. I step into the bathroom and collect my toothbrush and tell myself that I do not need to invite Duo over here to spend the night curled up with me. I am an adult. I can handle sleeping alone in the dark. I tell myself I'm looking forward to crawling into bed and closing my eyes. And when I finally find myself cocooned in the blankets on the more or less comfortable mattress, I think that I really might have been telling myself the truth for once.

And with that thought, I close my eyes.