A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates the last two weeks but hopefully people weren't too disappointed as I have started posting my short AU series Sharpest Lives which provided my muse with a nice brief distraction from complicated plotting and allowed it to write a ton of smut.

This chapter is un-beta'd due to me sucking at getting it finished in time to send so any mistakes are all mine!

The song for this chapter is the Suffering by Coheed and Cambria. Those people who know the band/song might see where this chapter is going…

Chapter Seven

Listen Well, Will You..?

The flight was scheduled to leave in ten minutes and we were still stood in what constituted a terminal building. We were at the private airfield the Preventers used in Sanc, the private airfield that Relena used and so no one was giving us shit. Well, no one except one grouchy partner. Wufei was literally stalking around the building, looking through the glass at our aircraft and trying not to bitch at me one more time. I wasn't leaving without seeing Heero. It was kinda simple. He could go, fuck if I cared, pilot the thing all by himself and I'd go commercial. I'd told him that we were piloting this damn flight and that meant it could leave a little late. He said we couldn't being that we had a flight path and a set schedule and I wasn't an undercover agent and couldn't do what the hell I wanted anymore.

Ah, the wedded bliss of a civil Preventer partnership had lasted all of three days.

Least I could blame Heero for this as I had no fucking idea why he hadn't arrived to say goodbye and all. It wasn't like I knew when I was coming back and really, now we were being all feelings and talking to each other and shit then it was one of those things you did, I figured. You said goodbye to the man you're fucking. Or the man you're in love with. Or whatever.

I stared down at the shining floor of the terminal and purposefully avoided Wufei's gaze as he walked impatiently and I tried to get some dirt off my boots. I probably should wear something less obnoxious with the Preventer uniform but then I figured, hell, if they are making me wear a shirt and dress pants then I'll wear biker boots. Give and take and all.

"Do you need to see Yuy?" was the question I'd heard ten minutes ago.

Yeah, I did. From the moment we'd stepped foot in Sanc we'd had very few moments together – we'd managed to have sex twice. Once in the mind-blowing "I love you" kinda way, the second time quickly and roughly in the shower kinda way. The rest of the time had been monopolised by the new jobs we'd both undertaken. His seemed to be made up of scaring the shit out of Relena's previous security team and investigating the incompetent staff while mine seemed to be reading a whole lot of nothing and talking to a load of people who hadn't seen anything. It was funny, we didn't do the whole "honey, how was your day?" thing when we met in the hotel, if we met at a damn sociable time but I'd managed to figure out enough that he'd fired some people and I kinda found the boss thing sexy. I meant to exploit it but, you know, so didn't have the time for it.

Interviewing people, while had been my idea, had really been a waste of damn time as I made the great discovery that despite being merely a few feet away from an assassination attempt, most rich people did not notice shit. I'd discovered that the guests didn't think much about the canapés or the quality of the champagne – which apparently might have been sparkling wine which apparently is a big no no but hell, I didn't know anything that was really useful.

Maybe we got something. A couple of people had seen the kid earlier in the evening, that he dropped a tray – shock fucking horror – and had obviously been nervous. Which to me said, he hadn't really wanted to do what he did and then I wondered who the fuck the kid had been, you know, and why the hell did he try and shoot Relena . It seemed like he wasn't cut out for it. But then, the rich folks were probably just irritated by incompetence or something. And his skill had extended to shooting her in the abdomen and missing all internal organs and shit. So yeah, maybe he had something. That's what we were travelling to London to find out, after all.

I could tell Wufei's patience was more than wearing thin. In fact, my own was not doing so well. Heero was punctual and reliable and on time. He was everything I wasn't – really, he should be the one in the Preventer uniform and the one with the officially licensed gun and the official ID badge. But damn, he wasn't and it was me who was the one on time and waiting. I glanced over to our Preventer plane and thought that I should just get on it. That I was kinda looking forward to piloting or co-piloting. I was yet to have that conversation with 'Fei but I figured that as I was generally regarded as the better pilot of the five of us that he could be my co-pilot. Even grudgingly, Heero could admit that when pressed – yeah, he didn't like handing over control a ton but he could occasionally do it when it came to me. Kinda said everything about our relationship.

"Maxwell, we should go."

The words were enough for me to shrug, look towards the doors of the terminal and go fuck it – I'd get my flight. I'd call him when I damn landed and ask him where the fuck he'd been. He'd get the messages I'd left on his cell anyway. I really didn't know what the hell could be keeping him but then figured Relena could be going through another crisis. Another assassination attempt and that would be more important than little old me. I'd known my significance in the scheme of things in Heero's life since I was fifteen. From that moment he accepted the orders to self-destruct. Heero ain't nothing if predictable. Always thinking of the bigger picture.

My duffle was at my feet and I leant down to pick it up and was about to turn and follow Wufei. To be fair on 'Fei, he'd given Heero plenty of time to appear and he'd let me have it. He coulda been an asshole and told me to get my ass on the flight. But he really hadn't. Maybe I was being unfair. Our Preventer partnership hadn't descended into divorce yet. I still thought he had a coupla hour flight for me to irritate him. It could be over before we arrived in London. He hadn't had to spend time with me in a confined space since Peacemillion.

But, finally, there Heero was and I dropped my bag back to the ground. It made me chuckle under my breath. Suppose it was all that better late than never thing. I heard Wufei sigh as now there would be even more delays to our flight and he'd have to call the London Field Office and get them to amend the flight path or something and I was already a pain in the ass to him. But hey, least we could actually do the goodbye thing. Maybe not some mushy shit but at least say a legitimate goodbye.

Heero glanced over to Wufei and then back to me and I saw a single-minded determination thing that I hadn't seen for some time. Usually, it was the sort of face that was accompanied by having a gun in his hand and a mission and some moment of stupidity. Intense eyes. Mouth set straight. Shit.

"You're kinda late," I said, heavily. "I gotta roll."

I looked over to 'Fei who was far enough away and was now discussing something with the ground crew and then turned back to Heero.

"You are piloting your own Preventer plane. You are not on a schedule."

I jerked my thumb in the direction of Wufei. "Tell that to that guy. He's kinda pissy and we have a flight path. We ain't at war."

He dismissed my words with just a little shake of his head that made his bangs fall a little into his eyes. "I have something I need to say and I want you to be silent."

I must've looked puzzled as that's what I was. Heero wasn't a "let's talk" kinda guy and that was one of our major problems as I was like "let's talk about a million inconsequential things and I'll ignore the actual shit I feel" kinda guy. That's why we needed emotional upheaval to say the whole "L" word thing. Something needed to kick us both in the ass and if life could do that, then it worked.

"Orders, 'Ro?" I asked sarcastically. My default button is sarcasm. I seriously cannot help it.

"Please," he said and it was like damn pleading so I relented.

"'Kay, I'll be quiet."

"Duo…" he started and then stalled.

I was really tempted to talk but instead, I put my hands in my pockets and was rocking gently on the balls of my feet. Now I was feeling ever so antsy – Heero didn't do talking, told me to shut up frequently but not because he wanted to say something, more because I was being irritating at that particular moment. As much as I'm a joy to be around, I have an amazing ability to piss him off on a semi-regular basis evidenced by the amount of times I'd ended up at random bars when we were at home. And I wondered what this was – maybe this was a "hey, since we're apart, why don't we take this as our relationship is on a break or something". The game face thing was kinda freaking me out. I'd thought I'd broken through that particular expression.

"I want you to marry me."

"… wha the fuck?"

I said it automatically and got a glare for breaking my promise of silence. But fuck… my brain could not comprehend what he'd just said. It did not make sense. On so many levels. The "M" word was huge. It obliterated the "L" word and that took a few moments to take in.

"I think, logically," he continued, his voice completely level and steady, "that if you are married to me then you are legally obligated to stay with me. That you can't just run and leave, you'd need to seek legal advice. That it would be more difficult. That you couldn't just grab a go bag and leave."

I nodded dumbly. I must've looked pretty idiotic as the words entered my head. Logically. Legally. All very unemotional words but then, I would never want the whole down on one knee thing either. It was a weird ass marriage proposal but then – when had anything about us been normal? We fucked at fifteen because we were soldiers and we scared of dying or something. It had never been a conventional relationship and I sure as shit never wanted that.

"You can say something."

My hand went to the back of my head, scratching underneath my braid. Fuck.

"I don't know what to say."

His brows knitted together and he looked adorably confused for a moment. I could see the logic in his head – that was Heero. That logically, this was a solution but he hadn't entirely thought of it from any other angle.

"I have rings."

"You…have…huh."

He went to a pocket in his jacket and produced a box and I self-consciously glanced to Wufei who was stood talking to a dude with a tablet and ignoring us entirely. I couldn't figure out why it bothered me if he saw this but it did, damn it.

"I understand in a heterosexual relationship that the female wears an engagement ring but I didn't think it was appropriate if one of us wore a ring. My conclusion was we both should. I don't know when we are able to make this legal so it would show our commitment."

"Right…" I managed to say as he opened the box.

They were silvery – could be white gold or platinum or something as I sure didn't know anything about jewellery. I'd only ever really worn my cross and that was probably cheap as hell and fake gold or gold plated. I'd ditched it for tattoos. So my knowledge of this area was seriously lacking.

"You're meant to answer," he said.

I looked between his face and those bands of whatever metal they were and then back again. I gave him a small grin as I could see the whole tension thing in his body and I wanted him to know it was kinda okay even if I did not know how the hell to answer.

"You researched this."

"I had no experience in this area. I needed to discover the relevant details."

I chuckled under my breath, not in a mocking way or anything as I didn't want to hurt him but it was all so… so… big and confusing. We'd said "I love you" a coupla days ago and now – wham! This was not what I expected.

"Fuck… Heero, you've like totally completely blindsided me here. I gotta leave for London and you know…" I trailed off. I didn't really know what to say, me, Mr. Articulate.

"You're saying no?"

"No, I'm not saying no… I'm just saying, like, this is real sudden and I need a moment to process this. Shit… you still kinda manage to keep me on the edge of my seat, babe."

The whole intense emotional moment got broken pretty effectively by the shouting of my name. "Maxwell! Can you stop the heart to heart – we have five minutes!"

"Shut the fuck up, Chang and give me one goddamn minute!"

Wufei blinked at me, must've sounded more harsh than I intended but I figured that I didn't care right now. I turned my attention back to Heero and looked deep into his blue eyes. Marriage, huh? I had a fuck ton of reasons to say no – we were young, really, really damn young. And marriage meant forever, right? Plus the concept of an actual wedding was something that made me want to vomit and yeah, how compatible were we in a forever kinda context? Yeah, we were drawn together, yeah we admitted we loved each other but really it was a totally fucked relationship. But then, really, I'd never wanted anything else. Hey, one thing I'd actually figured out about myself was that I was one reckless son of a bitch and he sure as hell wasn't that much better. So I just stepped forward and wrapped one hand around the back of his neck and just went with it. Jumping into situations without truly thinking about it was kinda my thing.

"Yeah, okay."

I decided that "yeah, okay" was probably not the way you are supposed to answer but I leaned forward and kissed him hard which kinda made up for the lack of romance. I heard coughing that was as subtle as a ton of bricks on Wufei's part. I guess he wasn't all too keen on viewing the huge massive public display of affection and me with my tongue down Heero's throat was kinda on that list. Or maybe he was just still being pissy about us being late and me delaying our arrival into London. Whatever. I broke off the kiss and looked down at the box he was still holding in his hand.

"They're engraved."

As we weren't doing this traditionally, I just went to pick one outta the box and he indicated that I'd gone for the wrong one. So the thing would fit – and then I had a ridiculous image of him measuring my ring finger to figure out what size I'd need while I was asleep or something. It made me want to laugh.

The ring was plain around the outside, thick metal as I guess he'd accounted for the fact that we could damage the thing. Or at least, I was certain I could. And I turned it under the lighting of the terminal building and I saw the words in loopy cursive script "one for one" on the inside. It was sweet in a totally twisted way.

I just smirked up at him through my bangs. I had nothing to say to that but it kinda worked on so many levels. The ring slid onto my finger and it fit like I guessed it would, he put his own on before securing the box in his pocket and I reached for his hand feeling weird with a tiny piece of metal around my finger and weird to see his matching. Yeah, we were not doing this traditionally – but then it was more symbolic like this. That it was a promise or something – that we'd do the legal shit when we could but it didn't matter right now.

"Maxwell," I heard 'Fei say and I released Heero's hand and leant down to grab my duffle bag.

"I gotta go."

He nodded and I leaned forward for a quick kiss before I turned and went to join Wufei to leave the terminal building and fly to London. I glanced back once before I went out of the doors and stepped out onto the tarmac and saw Heero stood there watching me go and my right hand automatically twitched to play with the new ring around my finger. It felt totally wrong on my finger but I guessed I could get used to it.

Yeah, just might take a while.