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Chapter Seven
Sigh...
"I'm going to tell you one thing, thought, if you're not at that wedding… I'm going to have to retract the Winner Corporation's financial support from half of Sanq's industrial enterprises and The Preventers Unit."
Quatre Winner crossed his arms and legs and starred down the man sitting across the sturdy oak desk.
"… It's not like you to involve your private with your public relations."
"I have to when it comes to him."
A cigarette was lighted.
Nice long drag. Perfect smoke ring.
"…After all he's done...to you."
Heero Yuy took another drag off his cigarette, exhaled, and crossed his arms and legs. His hair fell into empty blue eyes, messier than ever. His face, a beautiful, but blank canvas, was fixated on the man sitting across from him.
"I have read his records."
"Ah…now can you at least come…I mean, don't you even feel a little pity for what's been happening to him?" Quatre said, quietly.
The cold office was unnaturally quiet and somber too. The shades were drawn, and not a single sunray came through…the only light in the room came from a blue computer screen, casting shadows across Heero and Quatre's faces.
"…No."
"Don't bullshit me. I know you were the one who had him released out of jail after he killed his wife." Quatre said, with a smirk on his face.
"I-" Heero started but was quickly interrupted by Quatre.
"I could care less about your motives. I gave up trying to understand you a long time ago. Now, here is the deal. You come to the wedding, act amicable, and congratulate him. As for the guys who are after him, I have your brother in law looking into it...We both know that Duo has always needed someone to support him and I think that's why you dumped him but wait..."
He raised his had when it looked like Heero was about to speak.
"Wufei gave me bad news on his fiancé. I'm afraid he's barely got two months before the disease kills him. I doubt after his death Duo would be in a right state of mind so I have arranged for him to be placed in one of my properties in Sanq."
"You're not giving me much of a choice."
"I am not asking much."
"No, you're not."
"Are you jealous?"
"...Of Duo? No. Why would I be?"
Silence.
"Unlike all of us, he's easily able to conceive a child."
A nerve ticked in Heero's forehead, but he did not respond.
"Just so you know, having children is all Relena's idea...to create a stronger bond between the two of us."
"Why do you let her think she's in control, then?"
Heero's answer almost knocked him off his seat.
"I find it... rather cute and adorable."
Let's hope I don't have to do anything like that again, he thought, as he walked down the Preventers' main Hall. How can he be so...sinister?
Now that he was done intimidating the only man he has never been able to read, nor understand, he had a shuttle to catch heading towards Earth, and a wedding to supervise. The ride to the airport was short, thank Allah. And he didn't have to go through any security check lines, being who he is. Some days, being a famous entrepreneur have its benefits.
A man in a non-descript uniform soon joined him, and Quatre recognized him as being one of his ship's engineer.
" Mister Quatre, the fuel tank has been replenished. We are ready for take-off."
Good.
"Ok. Just remember to tell one of the pilots to put Tallgeese on the line has soon as I get on board. Please."
The man mumbled a quiet 'yes, sir' but was already forgotten by Quatre, who had more important matters on his mind, like what he was going to wear and how Duo was going to look, whether he would let his air down...or maybe put that lavender silk shirt he had bought a couple of days ago... Those thoughts clouded his mind as he absent mindedly boarded the ship, took his place in one of the spacious window chairs and turned the com unit on, waiting for the transmission.
It wasn't long before a platinum blond-haired man appeared and flashed a handsome grin.
"Zechs here." He said with a slightly British accent, and nodded.
"Ah, hello! How are you doing?"
Zechs laughed.
"I should be asking you that question. How did the meeting with my 'brother in law' go?"
"He's as irritating as ever. But like he said, I didn't give him any choice. So, report."
"Oh, no time for chit-chats? That's not like you, Winner. Nor is it normal for anyone to go through such extreme lengths to make sure Duo Maxwell has a good wedding. Mind telling me what's behind all of this?"
Quatre twitched under the intensity of Zech's glare, barely diminished by the fact that they were about half a million light years apart.
"He's had... a hard life after he broke contact with us. I just want to make him feel safe...with us."
Zechs grinned.
"As far as my experience goes, when you're trying to be involved in someone's life...that way...there is usually a lit-tle guilt involved in the mix. Don't you think so too?" Quatre's hesitance quickly switched to annoyance.
"...I don't think I have to explain myself to you, Tallgeese...the report, please."
Zechs shook his head and made a sound between his teeth, an annoying smile on his face.
"I would figure your motives out."
Quatre sighed. Knowing him, he thought, the man probably would. "So what are they after?"
"This is not a terrorist group. It's not even ex-OZ members, seeing they would be the only ones to go after him, unless he has gotten involved into some shady business after disappearing."
No, I doubt that. "He was locked up in a padded cell at the time."
"Ah... The only one we were able to capture self-destructed before we could question him." He started typing on something and soon another window opened on Quatre's screen. The face of a gaunt, middle aged man stared back with dead-fish eyes. Below the picture file was some information.
"His name and face, do you recognize him?"
Quatre shook his head. "I don't think so... Non... I've never seen him before."
"You should have. He used to work for you."
Quatre stared.
"Marcus Labelle. On one of your house staff, he used to work...for about a couple of years." Quatre frowned. "When..."
"Starting a little after the end of the war to about a month after Duo moved out of your estate."
Quatre looked out of the window. He hadn't realized that they had already taken off and were now crossing the stratosphere. The blue clouds were slowly darkening, and his ship was fast approaching the cold envelope of space.
"That is all the information I have been able to gather. I ...would contact you." Zechs said, as he signed off, knowing the young man on the other side of the screen was no longer paying attention to him.
"Trowa... Do you love me?"
Trowa shifted then stilled under the covers. His back was to Quatre. The latter had arrived early that evening, barely able to walk, he had seemed so tired. Yet he had insisted on making love to him, not that he minded, but such behavior was not normal from his lover. And they went to bed as soon as they had eaten.
He had noticed the man was now constantly irritated, had even snapped at a maid during their short dinner. He now constantly wore a frown on his young face, was slightly unkempt (he had not shaved his face in a week, and the golden stubble stood against his recently tanned face) and his language was suddenly very colorful (after stubbing his toe on one dresser he had cursed in both English, French, Spanish and some language he presumed to be Arabic) and now, this.
"You want to tell me what's going on?"
Quatre groaned and shifted. Trowa did not turn around. "It is about Duo." He said.
A statement.
As if he knew it was true.
"It is." Silence and even breaths emitted from Trowa. Quatre admired his sinewy back, sculpted even as he was lying there, slightly tense. He ran a finger along his spine, and Trowa shivered.
Even after all these years...
"I'm the reason why he's that way." At that moment, Trowa sat up and turned his head towards him.
Quatre did the same, sensing the tension flare up between their naked bodies.
"We are not having this conversation-" again...
"I need to tell you why-" I hurt him...
"I told you it is not your fau-" Stop thinking about him!
"Trowa! Do - you - love - me? Please answer me..." Please understand.
A murderous look marred Trowa's face, and he roughly grabbed Quatre's arm, twisting his torso against his.
"You still want him?"
"I don't know. And you have no reason to be jealous of him! We've all shared the same bed before."
"I HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE JEALOUS OF HIM! Ever since he called, you have been fussing over him and that wedding of his! You went away for three weeks just to convince Heero to come to HIS wedding, but you won't even answer my calls when I tried to check up on you! Every time you open your mouth is Duo this, Duo that! Frankly I am sick of your enamored behavior!"
All Quatre had to say to that was:
"...that is the longest I have heard you scream about anything."
Trowa let out a disgusted sound and got off the bed. He grabbed a robe out of his dresser and slipped it on, his arms jerking in angry movements, fumbling with the belt.
The silence was thick in the large bedroom. Quatre wrapped his arms around him, sensing a sudden chill. His thoughts were floating around, until he found himself looking out of the large window he had left open that night.
The soft moonlight streamed in, like a ray of fairie dust on the crimson carpet. The bed sheets and the large comforter, ordinarily a cerulean blue, appeared to be ink black, and made his pale torso seem ghostly white.
He had only tanned his arms and face, during his brief stay on Sanq. Besides, his body was still not accustomed to the Earthy sun.
"I was the one who had him committed the first time."
"After we fought over Heero's wedding...he wasn't mentally stable. I feared he might hurt himself...so I had him...taken...against his will..."
He looked at Trowa, who was strangely composed.
"Please understand that I only had the best intentions. I didn't think it was going to mess him up- I mean, I thought the doctors in a particular institute on L2 could help him. When he was found, he was a complete mess. He was slaughtering anyone who dared fuck with him. And it's my entire fault that he has suffered so much. The least I can do is bend over backwards to make sure he is happy again. And I miss the five of us, together."
I did not look at Trowa, but realized that his struggle with the dressing gown had ceased.
"You shouldn't be so idealistic." Trowa said, in a hushed voice. Quatre sank his head between his knees.
"I soon heard that he had been released by another one of us. I believe it is Wufei, although he denies it. He...needs me. Duo may seem strong, but he's not. We both know that. He always needs someone to lean on, and it is my...obligation to be the one he relies on. We all deserted him at a time when he was very unstable, and because of me, he has had a very bad experience. He needs me, whether you like...or not. I love you, Trowa, and I always would. But Duo has always held a special place in my heart. Please don't force me to choose between the two of you."
Quatre heard footsteps and raised his head. Trowa stood, in front of him, his arms holding the bed frame.
They stared at each other. A myriad of emotions seemed to cross on Trowa's face. Quatre was exhausted.
Then Trowa spoke.
"So when his fiancé dies I guess you're going to run to the rescue and console him with your body, right? Do you truly expect me to stand by and watch you kiss and cajole him like you used to when we were pilots? Have you ever stopped for one second and thought that my feelings might be hurt? I was able to share you before, but I've outgrown that phase of my life."
"I have not made any plan of the sort."
"Admit it, Quatre, you have wanted the both of us, and you did have us, for a while. But you fucked Yuy, didn't you? That's what poor Duo found out, but the fool forgave you, didn't he?"
"Trowa, you are misreading things. We all were caring for Duo in one way or the other after he went berserk. "
"I AM NOT MISREADING SHIT! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED, that your dear DUO is not aware of: In the beginning you FUCKED YUY, TRIED TO STEAL DUO FROM HIM! But you didn't have to, since Heero himself fucked things up between the two of them and then Duo was yours. That's why you supported his marriage to Relena!"
On the other side of the bed, Quatre started trembling. Trowa's grip grew tighter.
"Duo was pissed off, and let you know it, by beating the shit out of you. He might have not known about your underhanded attempts at keeping him from Heero-"
"You know at the time I did not think Heero was suitable for Duo. He was way too rough for him. And I had not realized my feelings for you either.
"Duo knew your selfish desire, more than I did at the time. And I also learn that day not to interfere in fights between the two of you." He pointed at a deep scar running from his collarbone to his sternum. "But you knew he didn't want to anyone but Yuy. And that killed you inside, didn't it? Whatever happened to sharing? Is that why you had him committed? Caged him like a pretty bird-"
"NO! That is not true! ONLY RELENA is capable of that kind of crime! You yourself knew Duo was sick! He needed help, more than any of us! HE nearly killed you!"
"But you wanted to keep him away from Yuy. Because you were jealous of the love he had for him. The love we could have had, if you still weren't obsessed with him. Well guess what? You are going to have to choose. I am tired of this. Either you love me, or you love Duo Maxwell."
Trowa sighed. "I am aware all these issues are from the past. But they are unresolved issues. I would give you time and space to resolve them. Good night, Angel."
"Good night, Trowa."
Quatre whispered to the closed door.
A tear slipped from his eye and he wiped it away. He had known the time for them to separate would come. What he had not expected, was for it to hurt so much.