Duo Maxwell - AC204 February
It took two bites for Duo to put down his fork and look up at Trowa for reaction. His lover didn't look more convinced than he was.
Duo grimaced as green eyes met his.
_ Not good.
_ This is... nutritive." Trowa answered diplomatically.
_ We should go somewhere out.
Duo was about to get up and trow away his pitiful attempt at cooking when a warm arm snuck around his waist.
_ It's okay. Trust me, I can do much worse. Do you have mustard?
Still wondering how sincere Trowa was, Duo put his plate back on his table mat and went to dig his fridge for the aforementioned condiment. There was none there, he did find some in the back of a cupboard.
_ That's the spiky kind of stuff.
_ Fine with me. I've always had a hard time calling the sweet spiced kind 'mustard' anyway.
_ And it will cover the burnt taste better." Duo finished.
_ It's not that burnt.
_ Now, I know you're placating me." Duo admonished, waving a forkful of mashed potatoes and pork roast. And maybe regretted it a bit when Trowa, wet hair sleeked back and fitting blue T-shirt, leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.
_ I've grown up to merc's food, a mining colony's mass, then Catherine's. I'm not picky. And you really don't want to try my cooking. Once, I burned soup.
_ Then how do I fit in your cooking scale?
_ Above me and the mercs, just below Catherine." And Trowa resumed his eating, with a nice helping of the added condiment.
Duo was used to eat, and serve to Hilde, his own cooking without trouble. They learnt together with quite a lot of trials and errors and she was no better at it than him. That's why they had so many delivery flyers. He couldn't help be much more self conscious with Trowa, he really didn't want to make a fool of himself with him. Especially since, according to Heero, Trowa was quite the eater.
_ Guess I'll have to improve a notch till next time you come over." The potatoes really smelled unappetizing.
_ I didn't ask you out for your cooking abilities Duo.
_ You know what they say: 'you get a man with amazing sex, you keep your man with daily good meals'.
At least, it had the fortune to make his lover laugh, it was a soft and quiet laugh that made his shoulder shake a bit.
_ Never heard that one, who says this kind of stuff?
_ Most women, actually. And some guys too. I first heard it in high school." Duo tapped his fork against his lips. "Although it was a much tamer version then.
_ High school?... You mean, when you were hiding in boarding schools with Heero?
Strangely, Trowa seemed thoughtful about that.
_ Something the matter?" Duo asked, concerned. But Trowa chose to ignore the question and Duo rather not insist. He hated too much being backed in a corner to do the same to his lover.
Still, he would have to at least try a little more. If only for his own pride : he wasn't going to loose to the Harpy-mother-knife-thrower Catherine. And he wanted to keep that man.
When Duo finally finished to put away all the dishes, it was to find Trowa staring at the mini Gundams, expression indecipherable, and he wondered if he shouldn't have stored them away. After all, he didn't (yet) know enough about his tall and sweet lover to know how well - or not - he was dealing with their murderous past.
He went to sit on the back rest of the sofa, shoulder to shoulder with his lover. Wondering what the brunet was thinking about.
_ It's not that I was that proud of what I did, or to remember the good times. They were terrible times. I just... I thought I missed my buddy. Now, I guess what I was missing was the friends I made then. Despite the circumstances.
He was still looking at the miniatures, he could feel the green eyes turning toward him.
_ Do you regret, what we did?
_ Nope... not really. Not when you consider that the option was to let either the Barton Foundation destroy Earth or OZ and the Romfeller basically enslave the Colonies.
They stayed silent for a little while, shoulder to shoulder.
_ We've been terrorists. Mass murderers, even if our targets were always military. Sometimes I wonder : how am I still alive. Why am I free to live however I want and be happy. People have been thrown in jail to never see the light again for much less.
_ The winner gets to write history and decide what's war crime, or necessary sacrifice. Ultimately, we won and became the lesser and necessary evil.
Duo nodded silently.
Yeah... guess they did win. It never really felt like though. That probably was why Duo usually did his best to let the past where it was and move forward. Maybe, someday trying would be enough. He quite doubted it, with him choosing to live with a man who went through the same grinder. But honestly, who else could understand?
_ I've been told they are how you started your Doll business." Trowa delicately changed the topic, gently starting Duo on one of his favorite rambling subject.
Maybe Trowa did like Duo's boisterous rambling and not simply bore with it. Knowing them both, Duo suspected Trowa's life with Heero must have been terribly quiet.
_ Why call them Dolls? They seems to be more like robots than actual dolls.
Duo shrugged, because it sounded less scary, more suited for children. It had only occurred to him much later : the Taurus had also been dubbed as Dolls. Maybe it was what was bothering Trowa about his creations.
_ They look like old fashioned dolls most of the time, even if, ultimately it depends on the customer's choice. One of them made me do a Doll looking like a plushie. I had to thin out the whole skeleton to make some room for the stuffing without making it look over inflated.
Making sure the final product was both sturdy and soft to the touch had be a real headache. But it was also one of his proudest achievement.
It was just a bit unnerving, the intense way Trowa was staring at him right now. If they were in a chick flick, he would have called it the girl friend love-struck heart eyes. They weren't and Trowa was far from girly.
_ Erm... Something on my face?" He finally asked, a finger idly finding his way to his cheek as he looked down. My, Duo get your acts together, you're being the shy flower there!
_ No. I like how you light up when you talk about your job. You're passionate, it's... refreshing.
Ah... Duo blushed.
_ Sorry.
It earned him a soft chuckle, in Trowa's deep tone, that went straight downstairs.
_ You're supposed to take the compliment Duo, maybe say 'thank you' if you feel the need. Not apologize.
_ Sorr...
They laughed together. It was a soft, intimate laughter, it made Duo ache and want even more. There was no way he was going to let that relationship go to waste the way he had let the one he had with Hilde. He was going to make it work, no matter what.
Something must have shone through his expression because Trowa frowned in turn. And a finger went to probe between his eyes.
_ Don't please.
Duo blinked, caught off guard. There was way too much fragility in those green eyes. It didn't suit well with the strong, aloof image Duo had of the man. Then he remembered Trowa's kind eye on the world, the similar look he had during that night, two years ago, under the arch with a bottle of champagne. No glasses.
_ Don't what?" He asked, almost too softly to be heard. He couldn't get his voice to work more than that.
_ Don't strain like that. Don't try too much. Don't... tip toe around me so carefully. Trust me, playing a relationship that way is not working.
Meaning he had already tried, with Heero. It hadn't worked out. Still...
_ Aren't we supposed to make some efforts for the other in a relationship? I mean, I haven't made too many with Hilde, because we were getting along, we were seemingly understanding each other so well, I didn't think I needed to. Look where it got us.
Trowa opened his mouth, closed it without uttering any sound then shook his head and raised a hand to rub at his eyes. All the obvious signs of a person who didn't know how to make his message come across. Eventually, he made his mind and took a side approach.
_ I know there is more to you than just a few traits, but during the past few years, what I've come to like the most about you is your honesty, the way you speak your mind and get easily enthusiastic about the subjects you like. I don't want that to change because you're too concerned about... me? Us? Not messing up?
_ Sorry, I... For all intent and purpose, you're my very second relationship. And, Hilde and I, it kind of just... happened. So gradually we just woke up one day and realized we were actually there. I'm not really good with the 'dating' thing.
_ You think I know more?" Trowa's voice held some self-derisive laughter. Well... said like that. Duo shook his head: as far as he knew, the tall man had had only one relevant person in his life : Heero.
Trowa shifted to kneel in frond of Duo, his back to the sideboard holding the mini Gundams.
_ I promise, I'm not going to hold back and I'll tell you straight when you do or say something I don't like. So please, try not to worry yourself too much, keep being your spontaneous self.
Duo nodded, his hands gently wrapped by his earnest, opened, lover's big ones.
_ Please bear with me." He murmured before leaning in to kiss the man softly. Slow and sweet. God... how did Heero manage to loose such a man and let him go to Duo's benefit?
Unlike their previous heated encounters, that night, they made sweet love. And it was delicious. Even if he sometimes had to redirect Trowa's ever wandering hands toward more specific places. No, his ankles were not erogenous.
Duo was pleasantly spend, refreshed from a quick shower, and waiting for his guest to come back from his own ablutions. Trowa's return treated him with a fabulously toned torso, wet and naked. He purposefully let his admiring gaze wander down to the too small towel. Nope, perfectly small enough, he amended as the mattress dipped under a propelled knee.
_ Who made the first step?" Once again, his curiosity got the best of himself and took over his tongue before he caught it.
Trowa paused, then smiled. Impishly.
_ Heero did. He came into the bathroom while I was... showering, he had decided we'd rather do it together.
Duo laughed at the matter-of-fact tone Trowa had taken. Given how blunt and bossy Heero could be, he could really well picture it happening that way.
_ And you had no reason to deny his fancy.
_ His proximity had been very 'distracting' for quite a while at that point. It was very welcome.
Duo couldn't help but giggle at the still straightforward answers. It probably should be awkward, but it was Trowa, it was Heero. And there was nothing not funny about the so 'un-glamorous' pilot hitting hard and forward on his companion.
Trowa shut him up with a warm kiss and they settled down for the remainder of the night. Tomorrow afternoon, Trowa would already go back to Earth and the Circus.
Duo didn't sleep. He'd rather stare at his lover's neatly defined face, now and then moving a stray strand of auburn hair out of his line of sigh. It was striking how soft his features were.
He didn't really felt it growing, so he was caught by surprise when it burnt through his chest. A powerful desire to cherish that man, with all his heart.
_ Please come back soon. You feel good being there.
Despite Trowa's plea, Duo did his best not to let how disheartened he felt about letting him go. Yes, he wasn't going to pretend he didn't care or was chipper about sending his man away. There was no point in making Trowa feel guilty about abandoning him behind like a lonely puppy either.
He was pretty sure he didn't manage as well as he hoped.
It was time to give the car back to Vern, and maybe hit a bookstore and find a cook book for dummies. Trying to not over-think his blooming relationship didn't mean he couldn't make some efforts.
Not to stay a lousy cook who would burn everything was the least he could do. And, no, he also didn't have the objective to become the perfect house-wife. At least, trying to improve his cooking would give him something to do (other than work) and forget a bit about his too empty home.
Trowa Barton - AC195
He heaved a sigh while closing his laptop. No dice, again.
_ Still nothing?" Heero asked from the table he was using to clean their guns.
He shook his head, dejectedly. Didn't even bother to ask Heero how were things from his side, he would have said something if he had news from J.
He mulled over it for little longer, he didn't really want to, but he knew they, all the Gundam pilots, were stranded for now. Their formidable weapons rendered useless by the threat under Lady Une held the colonies. OZ was expanding, free of any hindrance.
They needed to find a new angle, one that did not involve the Gundams, and find out what happened to the professors.
_ I'm going back." He finally let out. "Find out what happened up there.
He was almost certain the clank that resonated when Heero put down his last gun was louder than strictly necessary. It would be the only expression of humor on Heero's side.
_ You be careful. You've met three of us and know enough to find the last one if needed. If they catch you." Heero took back one of the gun and pointed it at his head.
_ I would be disappointed if you didn't." He simply acknowledged. The gun was put back on the table and whatever remained of the evening was spent mapping each other's body to remember for the times to come.
He left with a last kiss and no more words. They rarely needed them anyway. They were of similar breed, they understood.
Nothing.
In the end, he and Heero had split the research area to cover ground faster.
It was the last of Barton's lair he knew. Out of the five Gundam's launching places, none was left standing. Well... technically they were mostly wormholes stuck between the colony's open ground and outer shell. Still not much left behind. No data, no computing devices, none of the components or machinery used to build the Gundams left. The places hadn't simply been trashed or vandalized. They had been raided. Same as Heero's side of investigations.
OZ had the professors. The purpose was easy to guess.
Remained the question : where?
Eleven chapters, and absolutely no feedback.
Should I stop insisting and remove that story?