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"Declaration"Written By: Artemis Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: R Warnings: Get Together, Post-War, angst, sap Pairings: 1x2x1 Summary: Duo's unrequited feelings for Heero are
reignited at a conference organized by Relena "Declaration " AC206, Bremen, Earth
"That'll be 50 marks," the driver said, impatiently. Duo reached inside his leather jacket for his wallet and handed over the fare, and a tip. "You here for that conference?" "Yeah," Duo said. "I heard those kids will be here... the Gundam pilots." "Kids?" Duo chuckled. "They're not kids anymore." The cab driver gave Duo an inquisitive look, and for a split second he thought the man recognized him. "Right," the driver said, finally. "They'd be in their twenties now." Duo nodded and grabbed his duffel bag and got out of the cab. As a rule, he avoided conversations about the war with strangers. Despite the peace and prosperity they now enjoyed, bad blood still gurgled in the consciousness of many, which was exactly why he shouldn't be here. Several months back, Relena Peacecraft had called to personally invite Duo to the ESUN Governmental Conference. "This year I'm the chairperson," she had said. "One of the highlights will be to mark the 10th anniversary of the end of the wars and the beginning of peace." "People like celebrating anniversaries," Duo had said. "That's part of it, but people and their governments are taking the peace for granted, so I want the conference to be about how we made peace and how we can keep it." "But why do you want us there when Operation Meteor started the war." "I don't condone war, but the Eve Wars created a united Earthsphere. It's important to remember that. Historians and citizens alike are curious about the Gundam pilots and the role you played." Duo had laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. It made him uncomfortable to think about himself as part of history. Relena had kept talking in that tenacious way of hers until he agreed to attend. He had expressed his commitment to peace, but didn't mention the thing that had swayed him most -- reuniting with his fellow Gundam pilots. Well, one in particular. After the last Eve War, the sixteen-year olds needed time to get their bearings in a peaceful, grown-up world. Who would've guessed it'd be the last time all five pilots would be in the same room together? Quatre had stayed in touch and by default so had Trowa. Duo had even seen Wufei once when he was visiting the Preventers office on L2. But Heero had gone off to university and then sort of disappeared. They knew he was alive, but no one ever heard from him directly, just fragments of information from three and four sources removed. If it had been anyone else, Duo might've worried, but lack of communication from Heero Yuy was nothing new. Duo grinned at the thought of seeing Heero again. With a decade of living behind them, would he recognize Heero? Heaving his duffel bag over his shoulder, Duo headed inside the convention center to register. He felt unusually anxious to be back on Earth and in such restrictive surroundings, preferring the stress of running his salvage and shipping operation on L2. He got in line behind eight other people to check into his hotel room, and almost immediately heard his name. He turned to see a familiar face. "Hey, Wufei," Duo said with a smile. His friend looked impeccable in his Preventers uniform. "It's been a long time, Maxwell," Wufei said, holding out his hand. "Six years." Duo shook his hand, knowing Wufei preferred that to a hug. "I see Preventers has been good to you." Duo nodded to the captain's bars on Wufei's sleeve. "You would've done well had you stayed. And you still have that braid?" Duo laughed. "Sentimental, I guess." Wufei looked at the line and back at Duo. "Did Miss Peacecraft inform you of your VIP status?" "She might have, but we spoke months ago..." "You don't need to wait in this line. Come with me." Duo followed Wufei to the hotel's VIP guest check-in counter. A clerk promptly started the registration process. "There's a private reception for us this evening," Wufei said as they waited for Duo's room key. "There will be the Gundam pilots, Miss Peacecraft and a few select conference attendees. You'll find a packet of information in your suite." "Have the others arrived?" "Not yet. You should relax before this evening." "Wanna get a coffee?" "I wish I could, but I'm working. I'm head of security for the conference." "I'll sleep snug tonight." Duo laughed. Wufei shook his head, disapprovingly, but before he turned away, Duo thought he saw a hint of a smile in those dark eyes. With the key to his suite in hand, Duo went directly to his room on the 10th floor to unwind. He opened the door to find a ridiculously large space for one person to occupy, but what the hell, this was the closest to a vacation he'd had in years. His eyes were immediately drawn to the seating area facing the floor to ceiling windows. He sat down in one of the sage-colored upholstered chairs and marveled at the view of the City of Bremen on his left and the remnants of an ancient forest that stretched as far as the eye could see on his right. It was starting to feel good to be back on Earth, and he was amazed at how the memories of his time here came flooding back. Too bad those memories were of war, but there had been bright spots amidst the desperate fight against OZ. He reached for an apple in the basket of fruit left on the coffee table. There was a note in Relena's elegant hand: Thank you for your dedication to peace. Relena. Duo frowned as he bit into the sweet apple. What had he done for peace lately, other than not start another war? An embossed folder lay next to the basket, and he opened it to see this was the information Wufei had mentioned. The conference packet included his VIP badge, and details about tonight's reception at 7:30 p.m. The list of conference sessions tomorrow looked interesting, but his participation was only required at the panel on the Eve Wars at 2 p.m.. He glanced at his watch. In a few hours he would see Heero. Just the thought made his pulse quicken. "Guess it's true, I still got a crush on you." Duo laughed, but it was no joke. He had held a flame for Heero all these years. Maybe he should've done something about it, but starting a business and keeping it profitable took most of Duo's time. He could hardly believe ten years had passed. With a heavy sigh, Duo pushed himself out of the chair and headed for the shower. The master bath was a spiritual experience with crisp white tiles, chrome fixtures, and shower jets that pulsed over his body like the hands of a masseuse. After wrapping himself in the complementary bathrobe, and towel drying his hair, he flopped on the enormous bed and stared at the mural of a cloudless blue sky on the ceiling. His eyelids were heavy, and the fatigue of his shuttle flight dragged him into sleep. Several hours later, Duo woke with a start. The room was bathed in deep golden hues. He lifted his head to check the time on the clock. "Seven o'clock! Son of a bitch!" He shot out of the bed like a mad man, scrambling for his duffel bag in the other room. Though he had folded everything neatly when he'd packed, his suit was now creased by those folds. Remembering his VIP status, he picked up the hotel phone and dialed the attendant. "How fast can I get a suit pressed?" "Are you attending the reception, Mr. Maxwell?" "Yeah, and I'm going to be late." "Understood, sir. I'll send someone immediately." Surprisingly, the suite's door chime rang in under a minute. A young valet took the jacket and slacks and informed Duo he'd be back before 7:30 p.m. The kid took off running down the hall. Duo retreated to the bathroom to brush his teeth, and about fell over when he saw himself in the mirror. His hair was a disaster. He hadn't re-braided it after his shower and it had grown in volume with the Earth's humidity. He looked like a half-crazed forest nymph. Definitely not the look he wanted for his first impression on a certain someone. He dug through his duffel and found his brush and dealt with his unruly locks a section at a time. Once tamed, he braided his hair and heard the door chime. It was 7:25 p.m. His dark gray suit looked as good as new. He paired the suit with a pale blue shirt open at the collar, and lace-up black leather dress shoes. His heart was pounding in his ears as he took off down the hall for the elevator. It was 7:37 p.m., and he swore at himself for being late. He swiped his VIP pass card and selected "P" on the elevator panel for penthouse lounge where the reception was to be held. There were so many images and feelings swirling inside him that he almost didn't notice when the elevator doors opened. An attractive middle-aged woman in a plain suit greeted him. He didn't hear a thing she said. His eyes were already scanning the room, large as it was, for that signature shock of chocolate brown hair. The sun was setting, casting the dozen guests in silhouette, and making it difficult to recognize anyone. A waiter offered him a glass of champagne, but Duo waved him off, trying to concentrate. Just as he did, he spotted Quatre coming towards him. "Duo!" Quatre rushed him like a linebacker, and threw his arms around him. "It's so good to see you!" Duo laughed and embraced Quatre in return. "It's only been three months." "Still!" Quatre pulled back, his face bright with a smile. "Can you believe this? We're finally all together again." Duo swallowed hard. Did that mean that Heero was in this room? Quatre smirked, seeming to read Duo's thoughts. He tilted his head toward a window where a lone figure stood with his hands in his pockets. "Heero," Duo said, barely louder than a whisper. "Go on. I know you're dying to see him." "Yeah..." But so much time had passed. "Is he the same?" Quatre chuckled. "He's grown-up like the rest of us, and he asked about you." "He did?" Quatre gave him a shove, and Duo took a couple of quick steps before recovering his balance. As he walked toward the window, Heero came into better focus. His back was to the room, giving Duo a chance to admire the fine line he cut in that dark navy suit. Heero had grown taller and broader, and was as trim and athletic as Duo remembered. He turned when Duo was just a few feet away, and Duo almost tripped over his own feet. Damn, if Heero hadn't become a handsome young man. Nervous, Duo punched Heero in the arm playfully. "Hey, look at you!" Heero gave him a questioning grin. "That's it? You hugged Quatre." Duo laughed. Watching our reflection in the window, were you? "Quatre's a huggy guy." "And I'm not?" Duo laughed again. "You're funny as ever." Heero's eyes brightened. "It's good to see you, too, Duo." Duo self-consciously smoothed the front of his jacket, and noticed Heero appraising him. "Like the suit? I wear it to all the formal occasions I attend." "Have a lot of those, do you?" "Well, not really." Duo snickered, beginning to feel more at ease. "But business has been good." "Quatre said something about your shipping business. You're not in salvage anymore?" "Well, the big money in war clean-up has dried up, so I expanded the shipping operation. I'm working on a deal to do relay shipments from Earth to Mars." "Mars? Are you still piloting?" "Oh, yeah. If I get this contract, I'll fly the first run. How about you? Last I heard you were working at a space observatory in the Himalayas." "That was years ago." "So, fill me in." "Fill us all in," Wufei said, as he, Trowa and Quatre joined them. The five young men smiled at each other, the magnitude of the moment visible on their faces. "It's been ten years, since we stood together," Quatre said. He was smiling, but his eyes glistened with tears. Trowa put his hand on Quatre's shoulder and squeezed. "I never imagined it'd be this long." "Nor did I," Relena said, stepping into their circle with a glass of champagne in hand. She lifted her glass to them. "I hold such dear memories of all of you. Thank you for accepting my invitation." "More like an arm twisting," Duo said, joking. Everyone laughed, including Relena. She had matured into a lovely young woman, her youthfulness still evident through her polished demeanor. She wore a burgundy slip dress and heels, and a sparkling floral brooch. Her blond hair was smoothed back into a sophisticated ponytail. "There are a few people I'd like you to meet this evening," she said. "But everyone is aware this is a special occasion for you. After dinner there will be time for you to get re-acquainted and reminisce." Duo grinned at her diplomacy. She was letting them know she needed their attention for a couple of hours, and then they could do as they pleased. Relena turned to the room and lifted her glass. "Everyone," she said in a clear, confident tone. The conversations in the room hushed and all turned toward her and the Gundam pilots standing around her. "These are the young men we've come to celebrate this evening. Please join me in a toast." Relena turned and looked at each pilot, and then back to the room. "To the Gundam pilots!" "To the Gundam pilots!" the guests repeated. Duo looked at the other guys and saw their mutual embarrassment, but it did feel good to be honored. Not surprisingly, Relena snatched Heero away. She personally escorted him about the lounge, introducing him to the government officials she had specially invited. Duo wandered off to mingle, but found his gaze continually seeking Heero. He followed his movement in the expansive penthouse, while trying to appear interested in the conversations around him. From the moment he had seen Heero again, he knew that his feelings hadn't changed, those adolescent feelings he had shuttered away when he was sixteen. But now he was twenty-six, and Heero still had a full head of hair! Damn, Duo's fingers twitched to run his hands through that hair. Dinner was grilled wild salmon, brazed Portobello mushrooms, vegetable kabobs, and curried rice. Relena was in her glory and the center of attention. She looked poised and prepared for her role as the conference's youngest chairperson. After dessert, she tapped her glass with her spoon and stood. "I'd like to thank the staff for a lovely meal." The guests applauded in agreement. "Here's to a successful conference and the continuation of this era of peace." Everyone raised their glasses and drank to peace. It was a nice way to end the formal portion of the evening. The guests enjoyed after-dinner aperitifs and split into smaller groups to speak more intimately. As Duo got up from the table, he overheard someone say that Heero now went by the name Hirosuke Katami. Apparently, there was a lot he didn't know about Heero, but maybe that could change over the next few days. Duo joined Quatre and Heero near the grand piano, where a young woman was playing classical jazz. "Trowa getting you another drink?" Duo asked with a laugh. "Mm-hmm," Quatre said, nodding, and seeming a little drunk. Duo followed Quatre's line of vision. Sure enough, it was firmly affixed to Trowa's derriere. "You've been together ten years now?" "Oh, a little more than that," Quatre said, contentedly. "That's very impressive," Heero said. Quatre smiled brightly. "Is there anyone special in your life, Heero?" Duo's mouth dropped open, horrified at Quatre's inebriated audacity. "There has only ever been one person," Heero said. The sound of glass breaking turned their attention away from this revelation. A waiter had dropped a tray of empty stemware, and Relena had rushed to the scene. Duo looked back at Heero, anticipating the rest of his statement, but found Heero's attention squarely focused on Relena. Duo's heart sank. I guess nothing's changed in ten years. Trowa returned with shot glasses of lingonberry liquer, giving one to each of them. Duo took his and drank it in one gulp with the toss of his head. "Duo!" Quatre said. "That's quite strong." He shrugged, but felt the warmth spreading in his chest. Or was that heartbreak? "Gee, look at the time," Duo said, checking his watch. "I'd best turn in if I'm going to be fresh for our fans." "It's only 10:30," Trowa said. "We've got that early breakfast meeting with Her Highness." Duo tapped his watch, but knew he sounded snarky. "Well, see you in the morning." Duo headed for the elevator as fast as his legs would carry him without breaking into a full run. "Duo!" Duo stopped mid-step, and pinned a grin on his face before turning to face Heero. "Yeah?" "Are you okay?" He tilted his head to act confused. "Why wouldn't I be?" "I probably don't know you like I used to, but --" "It has been ten years, Hirosuke. I don't think any of us knows each other anymore." Heero furrowed his brow. "So, you heard I'm going by an alias." "It's none of my business. I'll see you at breakfast." Duo turned for the elevator before Heero could respond. By the time the elevator doors opened on the 10th floor, Duo regretted leaving the party. He stood with his hand holding the elevator's doors open, thinking he should've stayed with the others and talked until dawn, instead of running away. Ten years ago he'd been able to conceal his feelings and get on with business. They'd fought a war together, hadn't they? He swiped his VIP pass card and hit "P" with his fist, and was back at the penthouse lounge in a flash. Heero and Wufei were standing at the bar and noticed Duo's return. Heero smiled as Duo approached them. "Can't sleep?" "Not a wink." It'd been less than four minutes, since his rushed departure. Relena trotted over, swinging her ponytail and grasping Duo by the arm. "There you are. I've got a private room..." "Whoa, sister, I'm not that easy!" Duo laughed. Relena tsked him, but smiled good-naturedly. "You really must let me finish. You know I'm fond of making speeches." The guys chuckled. "As I was saying... I've arranged for a private room where you can relax and catch up with each other. Tomorrow's going to be a crazy day, so I don't want you up all night, but you do need time together. Relive some of those war memories and be thinking about the panel." "Right, war memories," Wufei said, sounding grim. "Let's not pretend. There will be questions about it. Now remember, we're having breakfast at 8 a.m. sharp." She looked each boy in the eyes and smiled. "It's so good to see you." Then she leaned over and kissed Heero on the cheek. Heero blinked. "It's especially good to see you, Heero." With that Relena bid them a goodnight. "Looks like someone still has a crush on you," Wufei said, jabbing Heero with his elbow. Heero exhaled deeply, but made no comment. One of the waiters escorted them to the designated room, which was actually a large balcony with cozy furniture and a fire pit. Quatre and Trowa were already there, snuggling on a couch near the fire. The waiter pointed to a phone. "Staff is on call should you need anything... food, drinks, blankets." It was chilly on the rooftop balcony, but Duo scooted a chair close to the fire and found the cool night more than tolerable. He was envious of the way Quatre nestled into Trowa, envious of that kind of relationship. That was the big thing missing from his life, contact of the human kind. But then, the only person he'd ever considered doing that with... He lifted his eyes from the fire, and sitting directly across from him was Heero. Duo's breath caught, remembering a moment like this years ago. They were on the run from OZ and holed up in a forest. Against his better judgment, Heero had let Duo build a fire. Duo had been mesmerized by the way the flames had danced in Heero's eyes. "I'm glad you came back," Heero said. Duo shook off the memory and focused on present-day Heero. "Me, too." "Let's talk about the first time each of us met," Quatre said, enthusiastically. "Maybe we shouldn't," Duo said, suppressing a grin. "That's a painful memory for Heero." "Nice, Maxwell," Heero said. "Oh, that's right," Quatre said. "You shot him!" "Twice," Duo said, flashing an evil grin. And so their evening of reminiscing began. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The alarm clock sounded at a ridiculously early hour. With only a few hours of sleep, Duo was on his way to the breakfast meeting with Relena and the guys. He dressed in business casual, wearing a khaki blazer over a snug-fitting navy dress shirt, and blue jeans tucked inside his favorite black combat boots. He was fashionable and comfortable, and liked the grin he got from Heero when they crossed paths in the lobby. "Good morning," Heero said. "It will be once I get some caffeine." Heero chuckled. He looked amazing in a black dress shirt, gray slacks and black leather belt and shoes. The shirt wasn't overly snug, but it did accentuate his muscles. They continued to the restaurant where they were ushered into a private dining room. Relena, Quatre and Trowa were already there, though it wasn't quite eight o'clock. Relena came over to greet them. She was wearing a gray satin suit jacket and matching short skirt that was fitted so snug, Duo was surprised she could sit. Her hair was again pulled back into a ponytail. "Good morning!" she said. Duo almost flinched at her exuberance. "Yeah... coffee?" She nodded towards the buffet, and then took Heero by the arm, propelling him into the chair next to hers. She was telling him about the roses in bloom at the Sanc palace. Duo tuned her out and focused on fueling up for the day. As he stood at the buffet, filling his plate with a chocolate croissant, cheesy hashbrowns, sausage links and a slice of melon, Quatre came up alongside him. "Shouldn't you have your coffee first?" Duo nearly growled. "Even if I had my coffee, it's too early to be perky." He shuffled over to the coffee pot and set his plate down to pour a big cup. He stood sipping it as he let his gaze slip back to where Heero and Relena sat talking quietly. "I'd hoped I'd get some time alone to talk," Duo said from behind the cup. "You will." Quatre was spreading orange marmalade on his toast. He looked every bit the gentleman in his tweed suit and brown loafers. "Did you notice that Heero never said anything personal last night?" Duo asked in a whisper. "We were talking about the war." "Yeah, but you think he'd tell us what he's been doing." "He'll open up. He's probably nervous like the rest of us." "What are you nervous about?" "Oh, just wanting to put my best foot forward. There are going to be a lot of people scrutinizing us today." Duo nodded. Their careers and businesses could be impacted if people got the wrong impression of them. Wufei arrived then, wearing his Preventers uniform. "My apologies for being late," he said to the group. Duo checked his watch. It was only a few minutes after eight. Wufei went through the buffet and chose a crusty roll, soft-boiled egg and cup of tea, and then took a seat next to Trowa. Quatre wandered back to the table, but Duo remained by the coffee. At last, Heero came over to make his breakfast selection. "What was that about?" Duo asked. Heero glanced back at Relena. "Just glad to see me, I guess." "You guess?" Duo snorted. Heero furrowed his brow. "There won't be much time to catch up because of her duties at the conference." Duo watched as Heero toasted a slice of whole grain bread, and scooped scrambled eggs onto his plate. After Heero got a cup of coffee they returned to the table, and Relena began to explain more about the panel. "Staff will meet you in room 123 at 1:30 p.m. They'll escort you to the ballroom just before 2 p.m. for the panel session." "How many people does the ballroom sit?" Trowa asked. "There is seating for 500. Expect conference attendees and some press. They've been given passes for the conference as well." "Will there be a moderator?" Quatre asked. "I will introduce you, then it'll be up to you to talk." "Just talk?" Duo asked with a laugh. "Yes, I'd like you to speak specifically about the Eve Wars for at least 20-30 minutes," Relena said. "Then we'll open it up to questions. I hope you refreshed your memories last night." The guys threw glances at each other, and seemed to be silently questioning their sanity. Why had they agreed to this? "Should we expect a hostile environment?" Heero asked. Relena smiled sweetly. "I certainly don't expect any government officials to be hostile, but journalists like to throw curveballs." "I've scheduled extra security for the panel," Wufei said. "Merely a precaution," he added, seeing the wide-eyed looks on their faces. "They will be in plain clothes to not arouse anxiety in the attendees." "What about our anxiety?" Duo asked with a laugh. Relena clasped her hands together and smiled. "I'm so very grateful to all of you for coming. I know the panel will be the highlight of the conference." "Not the keynote speaker?" Trowa asked. "Professor Schwartz has a very compelling presentation on the nature of treatises in the post-war era, but this is the first time the Gundam pilots have been together in public since the end of the war." She was right it would be the conference's highlight. Even Duo was aware of the buzz their presence was generating. "Feel free to attend any session you like today, just don't lose track of time," she said, and then looked at her watch. "Oh, dear, I must dash. I'll see you before the panel." Wufei got up and exited the room with her. Trowa sighed. "If we wanted to see each other, why couldn't we have gone on vacation together, instead of doing this conference?" "The panel is a good idea," Quatre said. "Relena is right about people wanting to examine the recent past." "You mean examine us," Duo said, only half joking. The four remaining pilots finished their breakfasts and then blended into the conference. Unless someone looked closely at their lanyard, they would think they were a regular government worker. Duo was surprised when Heero went with him to a session on inter-colony trade. They chatted briefly before and after the session, and then went separate ways for the next session. Duo selected a roundtable discussion on government regulations regarding shipping. He interjected a couple of comments, introducing himself as "Maxwell." After the second session it was the lunch break and Duo decided to get a sandwich at the patio bistro. As the hostess was seating him, he caught sight of Heero and went over to his table to join him. "Hey," Duo said, sitting down. "How was the last session?" "Good. And yours?" "I ended up walking through the vendor hall." The waitress came up and took Duo's order, and refilled Heero's iced tea. When she left, Duo decided it was a good time to ask Heero some questions. "Want to tell me about the alias?" "I knew you wouldn't let that go." "Should I let it go?" "I'd be disappointed if you did." Heero chuckled. "So what happened?" "I needed to clear my head after the war, like we all did, but at university my name was a distraction. People would hear 'Heero Yuy' and immediately have an impression of me, good or bad. I couldn't put the war behind me with that name. That's why I became Hirosuke Katami." "And here you are at a conference to speak about the war as Heero Yuy." "Relena can be very persuasive." "I'll say. How'd she track you down?" "Preventers. They've kept track of each of us." The waitress returned with their sandwiches, cutting their conservation off. They were quiet for a few minutes as they ate. "But you knew where to find me," Duo said, finally. "L2, of course," Heero said, nodding. "I've been on Mars for the last two years." Duo swallowed his mouthful of turkey sandwich. "Why didn't you mention it yesterday when I told you about my new shipping route?" "The reception wasn't the place to discuss it." "You really are concerned about your privacy. Is that why you're on Mars?" "I'm there to set up a deep space observatory, but the remoteness helps with privacy. This conference coincided with coming to Earth to check on a mirror we ordered for the telescope's new lens." "PhD in astrophysics, right?" Duo asked. "That's right." Heero grinned. "It's taken time for me to get traction in my life. How about you?" "Traction is a good word for it. I was pretty damn young when I started that salvage operation. Luckily, I had Hilde as a partner." "Hilde Schbeiker?" "That woman is one hell of a dealer in scrap metal. I'm not sure what I would've done without her." "I see," Heero said, sounding disappointed. "You know she's married? A few years back, she hooked up with a guy who manufactures heavy equipment." Heero's expression relaxed. "I hadn't heard that." Duo stared at his friend. Was he reading this correctly? Had Heero seemed jealous about Hilde? "Duo, there is something I want to tell you..." "There is?" Duo's heart thumped and he leaned forward over his plate of food. "I'm all ears." Heero took a breath and then said, "I don't want to do the panel." Duo felt his head spin as he tried to align what Heero had said with what he thought Heero would say. "What do you mean?" "I've worked hard to put the war behind me. This will only open a can of worms." Duo shrugged and held his hands up. "Maybe it will and maybe it won't. I've run into my share of knuckleheads over the years, but this time none of us will be going it alone. It'll be like when we joined forces against OZ." "Like old times?" "Old times." Duo smiled. They hung out at the bistro a while longer, Duo explaining how his hobby of hydroponics had turned into a side business as a master gardener. "Fresh produce and flowers are expensive in the colonies, so people want to grow their own, but there's an art to it." "And you've got the touch?" Heero smiled. "Yeah," Duo said, gulping. Something about the way Heero said that gave him butterflies. I've got it bad, man. At last it was 1:30 p.m., and Duo did his best to keep Heero's spirits up. He could see the tenseness forming in Heero's shoulders as they walked down the hall. "You gotta relax," Duo said, giving Heero's shoulders a squeeze. Heero tensed and turned to Duo. "What are you doing?" Duo held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry... I thought it would help." Heero gave a small nod of understanding and they continued to room 123. There was a security officer at the door, who casually let them into the room. Inside, Quatre, Trowa and Wufei were already present, along with several staffers. "This is the holding room? What a downer. I thought there'd be snacks," Duo said. Quatre laughed, but the others seemed too nervous to respond. They didn't see themselves in situations like this every day. Heero remained standing as Duo sat next to Quatre. He kept an eye on Heero wondering if he might bolt. "Who wants to talk first in the panel?" Duo asked. "I can," Quatre said. "We could each tell how we became Gundam pilots." They all agreed that was a good way to start, and before they knew it two o'clock had rolled around. "It's time," one of the staff members said. "Follow me." The five Gundam pilots went along with the staff down the wide corridor to the ballroom, the security detail walking a short distance behind them. They were escorted inside from a side entrance with Wufei first, then Trowa and Quatre. Duo turned to be certain Heero was still with them. The hesitation was clear in his eyes. Duo hung back before going into the ballroom, the applause had started the moment the others had walked onto the stage. "Hear that? That's the sound of a warm reception," Duo said with a big smile. Heero took a deep breath and nodded for Duo to go in. Duo headed through the side door with Heero close behind him. The applause started again and they took their seats at the table on the stage. Each one had a microphone and a bottle of water. Duo marveled as he looked over the large ballroom. It was standing room only. Every one of the 500 chairs was taken, and people were standing three deep at the back of the room. Relena came on stage and took a microphone. "Welcome to our featured panel discussion, marking the 10th anniversary of the end of the last Eve War and the continuation of our efforts to maintain peace. The wars are behind us, but the analysis and lessons we can learn from that time continue. I invited the Gundam pilots to discuss their involvement in the wars and to answer your questions." She turned to the pilots and smiled. "Please introduce yourselves." Beginning with Heero, each pilot leaned into his mic and said his name. There was more applause. "Thank you for generously agreeing to be here. We look forward to the discussion," Relena said, and stepped down from the stage. As agreed, Quatre began the panel. He spoke about his father, the pacifist, and their painful split when he made the decision to fight. By the time each pilot explained his motivation, circumstances and details about his Gundam, 25 minutes had past. The questions came fast and furious. "How did their allegiances change during the war?" "What did you think when you discovered there were other Gundams?" "Did you get along?" "What were your first impressions of Miss Peacecraft?" Relena scrambled to her feet. "You don't have to answer that." When the audience's laughter subsided, the guys described their early interactions with the princess. "At first, I thought she was a silly girl," Duo said. There were some chuckles, but the look on Relena's face was not happy. "Hey, I was only 15! But I figured out she was quite the firecracker." Relena seemed pleased after that. "She was naive," Heero said, bluntly. "But very determined... and brave." Relena's face brightened. "Thank you, Heero." Duo looked between them, and for a brief second considered saying something about her puppy infatuation with the pilot of Wing Gundam, but then Quatre was talking. "I thought she was lovely," Quatre said, which got a nice round of applause. "Her commitment to peace reminded me of my father." The next person came up to the microphone, a woman in a business suit. "I don't have a question, but I was wondering if Mr. Barton and Mr. Winner could trade seats." Trowa and Quatre looked at each other, confused. "You're out of order," she said, blushing. "If you could sit numerically by your home colony: L1, L2, L3 --" "Okay, okay!" Trowa said, laughing. The pilots laughed as Trowa and Quatre got up and switched seats, so that they were now sitting Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei. A huge round of applause erupted in the ballroom. "Better?" Quatre asked, chuckling. "Much better. Thank you," the woman said. She hurried back to her seat with people patting her on the back. Apparently, their seating order or rather mis-order had been on the minds of many. Duo laughed and nudged Heero with his arm. "This wasn't so bad after all, huh?" Heero grinned, and seemed considerably more relaxed than when the panel had started. With the laughter and enthusiasm over the last commenter dwindling, another person came up to the microphone. "I'm Tory Nix with the Daily Sphere. I have a question for Heero Yuy." Duo instinctively tensed and looked to Heero, whose focus was solely on the journalist. "At the end of the war you were touted as the hero of the Earth," Nix said. "But there was no war with the colonies until you killed the Alliance's pacifists at New Edwards Base. Isn't that right, Mr. Yuy?" "Hey!" Duo shouted, rising out of his chair. Heero held his arm out to ease Duo back into his seat. "That's right," Heero said, leaning into his microphone. "No, Heero," Duo said. The journalist grinned. "Marshal Noventa was leading peace talks and you assassinated him." There were murmurs from the audience, but everyone's eyes were fixed on Heero. How would he respond? Heero gave a small nod. "I was the instrument of his death." The murmurs grew louder, and Duo couldn't believe that Heero would agree. "Remind them what really happened," Duo said. "It was an OZ trap," Wufei said into his mic. "Heero tried to make amends," Trowa added, but the conversations in the room had become a roar. "You wiped out the Alliance pacifists in one blow," Tory Nix said, staring at Heero. He then turned from the microphone. Relena rushed onto stage. "That's all the time we have. Thank you for attending. Please join me in thanking the Gundam pilots for this look at the Eve Wars." There was a healthy applause from the attendees and the ballroom began to clear out. The guys left the stage. Duo followed Heero into the corridor and grabbed him by the arm. "What was that?" "He was right. My actions escalated the war." "That's not the whole story and you know it," Duo said. "It doesn't change what I did." The other pilots gathered around. "Forget what he said," Trowa said, patting Heero's shoulder. "I was there. I know how you tried to make amends." Relena rushed toward them. "I am so sorry." She took Heero's hand. "There's always one in the crowd --" "It's all right, Relena," Heero said. "No, it's not," Duo said, frustrated. Why wasn't Heero defending himself? Just then, Duo caught sight of the journalist. He was lingering outside the main door to the ballroom with a small group around him. "Hey, you!" Duo said, and stormed toward him. The journalist looked up as Duo approached. "Yes?" "What are you after giving half the story?" "I was completing the story, Mr. Maxwell. Or do you think those pathetic questions about whether you boys got along during the war and can you sit in numeric order are meaningful to the discussion?" The guy had a point, but Duo still didn't like that he had attacked Heero. "Listen," Duo said, pointing a finger at him. "Next time you open your trap about New Edwards Base make sure you mention Treize Khushrenada, the puppet master himself." Nix smirked. "That's the half of the story you'd prefer to hear?" "We all made mistakes in that war, but no one tried as hard as Heero to make things right. There's no excuse for grandstanding in front of a crowd just to make him look bad." "I'm sorry if I tarnished your hero's image," Nix said, sarcastically. Duo curled his fists at his side, wanting to punch the guy's lights out. "What did you do in the war, Nix? Hide in your mommy's basement?" Nix took a swing at Duo, but Duo was faster. He pulled back, feeling only a whoosh of air as the man's fist passed in front of his face. "You wanna fight, huh?" Duo asked, sneering. He brought his fist up, but before he could throw a punch his arm was held back. "Don't," Heero said, his grip tightening around Duo's forearm. Duo looked over his shoulder at Heero and tugged on his arm, wanting desperately to re-arrange Nix's face. The journalist was being held back, too, and the crowd around them was trying to get everyone to calm down. Duo relaxed his fighting stance and Heero let go of his arm. He watched as Nix shook off the people holding him and turned away without another word. "What a jerk," Duo said, turning to Heero. "Are you trying to embarrass Relena?" "What?" Heero looked around, waiting for the crowd to disperse. "How do you think this looks?" "I admit it got out of hand, but that guy --" "Got exactly what he wanted." "Oh, come on, Heero. If you knew he was looking for an angle for a story why didn't you speak up for yourself?" "It doesn't matter, Duo." "Like hell it doesn't!" Heero sighed, but before he said anything more, a staffer came running up to them. "Mr. Yuy, Miss Peacecraft is looking for you. Would you come with me please?" "I better go," Heero said to Duo. "I'll talk to you later." "Yeah... later." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was half past eight o'clock when Duo wandered into the hotel's lobby. It was too early to call it a night, and he was still hoping he'd run into Heero. The guy had gone missing after the incident with the journalist that afternoon. It had been strange to watch Heero take the crap that guy had been spewing. Maybe the journalist had baited them. Was this the bullshit Heero wanted to avoid by taking an alias? Duo was about to take a seat where he could watch the elevators when he spotted Relena coming out of one of the hotel's restaurants. Heero was right behind her. He started in their direction and then saw Relena take Heero's hand and pull him aside into an alcove. Duo's breath caught as he watched. Relena was standing so close to Heero, leaning into his chest, and then Heero wrapped his arms around her. Duo looked away. He must have been standing there a couple of minutes, because suddenly Heero was at his side. "I thought you'd be out with Quatre," Heero said. Duo turned sharp eyes on his friend. "Where's Relena?" "She had to make a call... Do you want to get a drink?" "Not really." Duo's insides were in a knot. He might never see Heero again after this weekend. Heero had done such a good job being scarce all these years that he would certainly evaporate into thin air. I can't let this chance pass me by, Duo thought. "You wanna take a walk outside?" Heero blinked. "Sure. There's a garden." "Yeah." Duo started for the door that led to the garden path. Outside, the cool night air felt refreshing on Duo's face. Had it been that warm inside or were his emotions just boiling over? They walked a good distance from the hotel and the other guests, who were also enjoying the mild evening. The path was lighted by low accent lights, but it was still too dark to make out the different plants along the way. He could smell their sweet aroma, and guessed they were roses. Relena had talked to Heero about roses. Maybe they had come for a walk out here, too. They reached a large pond, and Duo took a seat on one of the stone benches. When Heero sat down on the same bench, Duo shot up. "You're acting strange," Heero said. "What's up with you?" "Nothing," Duo said, moving several steps back. "Everything." "Nothing and everything?" Heero was looking up at him, and Duo thought he'd jump out of his skin. They were alone. They had been alone plenty of times, but tonight was different. "You're bothered that I didn't fight that guy?" Heero asked. "No." "Oh? Sure looked like you were going to fight him for me." "He had it coming," Duo said. "He did." "Then why didn't you tell your side of the story?" "Anyone can look up the facts about New Edwards Base, but in that panel it would've been his word against mine. People believe what they want to believe." Duo sighed. "It's good that you're still passionate about the war, Duo, but I just want to live an ordinary life." "As Hirosuke Katami?" "A name doesn't change who I am, but it does give me a chance to breathe. I have regrets about the war, but I'm also proud of some things. It's just that I couldn't escape any of it as Heero Yuy." Duo stared at Heero in the darkness. Had things been so bad? He and Heero had always handled things differently. "I'm sorry if I've disappointed you." Duo furrowed his brow. "That's not possible." "It isn't?" Duo exhaled deeply. "Actually, there is something..." Heero got up and faced Duo. He was silent as he waited for Duo to speak. "I don't know where to begin," Duo said. "How about at the start?" Duo chuckled. "Then you might want to sit down." "Just tell me what's going on. Is your business in trouble?" He shook his head. Could he do this? He had to tell Heero how he felt or he'd regret it the rest of his life. "If you really wanna know..." "Duo?" Heero's voice was laced with curiosity and concern. With a deep breath, Duo let it out. "You know what's going on? I love you, Heero. I've loved you for a long time. Sure things were crazy during the war, but even then I felt something strong for you." "Y-you love me?" Heero asked in disbelief. "Damn it, yes!" Duo could no longer resist his feelings. He rushed Heero, taking his face in his hands and planted a hard kiss on his lips. When they pulled back, Heero stumbled and landed on his rump on the bench. "You okay?" Duo's heart was racing like wild horses, but he had the sense to crouch next to Heero and stroke his arm. "I don't blame you if you're angry --" Before he could finish, Heero grabbed Duo's jacket and pulled him in for another kiss. It was deeper than the first, and sensual the way Heero's tongue rolled around his. "Holy fuck," Duo gasped. Now he was the one off balance, hanging onto Heero's legs and the bench. "You kissed me." "I feel exactly the same as you, Duo. I love you." "Y-you do?" Duo's heart pounded in his chest. "You're the only one I've ever loved. I nearly said as much the night of the reception." The rush of warmth to Duo's cheeks and the tingle of lust and adrenaline made him tipsy. "All this time..." "Was not wasted," Heero said. "We both needed to get our bearings." "Yeah," Duo said, so happy he'd agree to just about anything. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed, the feeling of their lips together was simply the most natural and perfect sensation in the world. "We should probably take this inside," Duo said. "Your place or mine?" "Oh, man... whichever we can get to first." Heero took Duo by the hand and double-timed it into the hotel. At the last second, Heero detoured away from the elevator and landed them at the hotel's gift shop. "What are we doing here?" Duo asked. "Just a sec," Heero said, holding up his index finger, and disappearing down one of the aisles. Duo looked around nervously, placing his hands over the front of his pants. What could be so important that Heero would delay screwing for even one minute when they were most certainly on their way to getting naked? When Heero met up with Duo again at the shop's entrance, he handed him the bag. "Don't say I never bought you anything." His curiosity piqued, Duo looked inside. "Lotion? Oh!" Warmth instantly spread across Duo's face and a jolt of excitement surged in his pants. Heero chuckled and grabbed Duo's hand, this time making a beeline for the elevator. As it happened, Duo's suite was closest. Once the door closed behind them, they were in each other's arms -- groping, kissing and pulling clothes off. They made their way into the bedroom, pausing only to remove shoes and socks, leaving a trail of clothes from the door to the bed. "This is really happening, right?" Duo asked as they stood naked beside the bed. "It better be." Heero's hands settled on Duo's hips and he leaned in taking Duo's lips in a full kiss. Then firmly and entirely in control, Heero guided Duo onto the bed. Feeling Heero's full weight on him sent a profoundly sensual shiver across Duo's skin. "Oh, man..." The ride got wilder from that point on. Heero was like his war-self -- aggressive and completely in mission mode. It was fucking fantastic. Consequences be damned. Duo didn't care if sitting would be impossible for a week. Heero wanted to top, and that was fine for now, because Duo wanted every inch of Heero... deeper, faster and harder. It was remarkable how creative they could be in the throes of passion. Duo hadn't read the Kama Sutra, but he was sure as hell that they had come up with a few new positions. Just after 2 a.m., Duo woke from a long, post coital sleep. Heero was sprawled on the bed next to him, one arm comfortably draped over Duo's stomach. This wasn't a dream, but Duo had wanted this for so long that it would take time for this new reality to sink in. Then he started thinking. How could they manage a relationship with Duo's business on L2 and Heero's career on Mars? Heero stretched and opened his eyes. "You're awake?" "Yeah, just now." There was a short pause, and then Heero turned on his side and leaned up on his elbow. He gave Duo a long look, and brushed Duo's bangs from his eyes. "What are you thinking?" "That this feels great." "But?" Duo blinked. "What makes you think there's a but?" "It may be ten years since we partnered, excepting for tonight, of course," Heero said with a grin, "but I still know when something's bothering you." That felt nice, having someone look after him. "You caught me wondering how we're going to manage this. We're not even on the same planet." "I don't know, Duo. How do we manage it?" Duo blew out a heavy breath. "Damn it. We finally get together and we live a galaxy apart!" "Well, not quite --" "It might as well be." "Hey," Heero said softly and placed his hand on Duo's chest. "We're smart guys and we love each other, we'll find a way." Duo nodded, but he was afraid that one of them would have to make a big sacrifice to make this work. Heero leaned in and kissed Duo on the temple. It was so sweet it made Duo regret having doubts. They would work this out, they'd been through tougher times -- life and death -- and a little thing like outerspace was not going to keep them apart! Duo slid his arm around Heero's shoulder and threaded his fingers into his gorgeous, thick hair. He pulled him down into a proper kiss. "Thanks for reminding me that we're good together." "You know I'd do anything for you, Duo." "Oh, yeah?" Duo asked in a playful tone. Heero smiled. "Yes, even that... I'd bottom for you." "Hot damn, you are the perfect guy!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The room was cast in the deep rose light of early dawn when Duo began to wake. His body yearned to sleep longer, but it seemed natural to come awake just as the sun was about to appear on the horizon, the dawn of their first full day as lovers. Duo snuggled closer to Heero. "Sleep well?" Heero asked. "Mmm-hmm," Duo said, contentedly. It had been a perfect night. Then he stretched his legs... "Ow." Heero sat up and reached for Duo's legs. "Did I hurt you?" "Nothing a long hot soak can't fix." "I was overly enthusiastic last night." "If you hadn't been, then we would've had a problem," Duo said, snickering. "Duo..." Heero leaned down and brushed his lips across Duo's. "I had no idea I'd be like that... like I couldn't get enough of you." Duo wrapped his arms around Heero and smiled. "Ditto." "Is that all you can say?" "Do you wanna talk or bonk?" "What do you think?" Heero chuckled, and the sound of his laughter was swallowed by Duo's kiss. When they finally got out of bed, they wandered into the living room, Duo wearing a bathrobe, and Heero wearing only pants. They nestled on the couch to enjoy the view of Bremen and the forest. Heero leaned over and snatched an orange from the fruit basket. He peeled it and then handed Duo a slice. "When did you know that I liked you?" Duo said while chewing. "Last night when you told me." "Oh, come on!" "I could ask you the same thing." "And I'd say, last night when you told me!" Duo laughed. "You're open and friendly with everyone," Heero said. "So I was never sure if you were just being a friend or if you liked me. But things changed yesterday when you got into fist-a-cuffs with Tory Nix." "Why'd you have to bring him up?" "No one's ever defended me like that." "Yeah? But you didn't seem happy about it." "I didn't know what to make of it... and then I had a long talk with Relena." Duo felt a little queasy having her brought into the conversation, but after last night he knew he had nothing to fear. "You two looked cozy when I saw you coming out of the restaurant." Heero turned to him on the couch. "I told her how I felt about you, Duo." "Did she make a scene?" Heero shook his head. "No, but she admitted she had hoped for something to develop this weekend." "Oh, really?" Duo asked, raising an eyebrow. Heero took his hand. "She knew she didn't have a chance when she saw you and me together at the reception. It was the same electricity she'd seen between us during the war." "Electricity?" "Apparently, it's obvious to everyone but us," Heero said, and then planted a kiss on Duo's lips. The kiss lingered with the laziness of a tired morning. When it ended, they settled comfortably next to each other and finished sharing the orange. "Geez, I just remembered I'm supposed to meet Quatre for breakfast," Duo said. "You don't sound very excited." "Well... I had hoped we'd spend the day in bed." Heero grinned. "Looks like you were hoping for the same thing!" "Yes, but maybe we should get showered and dressed, and tell our friends." "And then come back to bed?" They laughed, and agreed that the showering needed to be done separately. Heero went back to his suite, and they met at the elevator at 9 o'clock sharp. The conference was still in full swing, but their participation was officially over. With that in mind, Duo dressed in denim jeans, a white t-shirt, his dark gray suit jacket, and black combat boots. Heero wore faded blue jeans, a navy dress shirt, and black leather shoes. They walked side by side, brushing shoulders all the way to the restaurant. There was something very powerful in the knowledge that they were now a couple, not just a team, but together in life and love. Duo couldn't help but take Heero's hand as they walked onto the bistro's patio to join Quatre and Trowa. Quatre looked up first, his eyes widening. "Oh, sweet, Allah!" He jumped up from his chair and rushed to greet them. "You're together!" "What gave us away?" Duo joked. Quatre looked at their joined hands and then to Duo and laughed. "When did this happen?" "Hey, I don't kiss and tell." Heero nudged Duo. "Last night." "Maybe we should sit down," Trowa said, as he came up to them. "We've drawn quite the audience." Duo glanced around and sure enough a lot of eyeballs were on them. They took their seats and Quatre ordered a round of mimosas. "So you guys finally figured things out?" Trowa asked. "Turns out we've been crackling with electricity for a long time," Duo said with a laugh. Quatre fanned himself. "That's one way of putting it." "It was the Tory Nix thing, wasn't it?" Trowa asked Heero. "That got me to thinking, yes." Trowa chuckled. "I guess we should be grateful to the prick." "I'll show you grateful," Duo said, holding up his fist. Heero put a hand on Duo's thigh. "We all know you could take him out." "How romantic!" Quatre said, beaming. "Although I don't condone violence." Everyone laughed, and when their drinks arrived they laughed even more, and spent the next couple of hours talking. As they got up from the table, Quatre invited Duo and Heero to spend a long weekend on L4 with him and Trowa. "We would love to have you visit." "Thank you," Heero said, holding out his hand to Quatre. "We'll be sure to take you up on that offer." They shook hands, and then of course, Quatre had to give Heero a hug. It was an amazing feeling to be standing here with Heero, as a couple, and seeing the acceptance and joy on their friends' faces. Heero and Duo went back upstairs, this time going to Heero's suite. It was nearly identical to Duo's, though the color palette and layout were slightly different. It was late morning, and they stepped out onto the balcony. The sun was warm on their faces, and they watched transfixed as a pair of ravens glided and spiraled downward then upwards again in an elaborate courtship flight. "I wonder how that'd look with a pair of Gundams," Duo said as he set his elbows on the railing. "Like one of our space battles?" Duo nodded. "Hard to believe that was ten years ago." Heero stepped closer and put his arm around Duo's waist. "I leave for Mars in three days." Duo nodded again. "Let's spend the next three days together," Heero said. "Go somewhere..." "Okay." Heero stroked Duo's braid. "I meant what I said... I'd do anything for you." Duo turned to face him. "Heero..." "I'm going to look into transferring to L2." "What?" "There's a small research facility there --" "Damn it, Heero. Don't you dare." "I don't understand. Your business is there. How else can we be together?" "I'm not sure, but this is definitely not a decision you should be making on your own." Heero's eyes narrowed on him, and for a moment Duo thought he'd messed things up. Then Heero smiled. "You okay?" Duo asked. "Come here." Heero opened his arms, and Duo's heart began to pound. He accepted Heero's embrace, and the warmth and strength of those arms around him. They stood there a long while, just holding one another and listening to the excited caws of the ravens. "This is a different world for us," Duo said with his chin on Heero's shoulder. "We're a team again." Duo stepped back and looked into Heero's eyes. They were so very blue in the sun's light. "Right, we're together in this." "Right." Heero nodded. "Mark that on your calendar. Duo was right today." Heero chuckled. "I'll do that." "Pinky swear?" "Duo..." "Okay, okay." Heero closed the distance between them, and gently took Duo's face in his hands. He was intense like this, looking into Duo's eyes as if to convey something without words. Man, we both got it bad, Duo thought. "Here's to the next ten years with you by my side... wherever we choose to settle," Heero said. Duo breathed a happy sigh, and leaned in for a blissful kiss. "To the next ten years and beyond." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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