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"Crisis"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: NC 17 Warnings: yaoi lemon including rimming, angst,
violence, language, reference to past NCS involving a minor, death,
angst. Pairings: 6x2, 3x4 Summary: Sequel to Interfacing: Regained. GAIA
prepares to go into space and announce itself to the world; Duo and
Zechs' relationship goes through its own crisis. "Crisis " (35) Finally, Duo spoke up again, feeling as if his apologies had hardly begun. He shook his head. "I assumed a lot about you, Heero," he said, withdrawing his hand from Zechs's and running both hands through his thick hair. He felt a little guilty about Zechs's support now that he was beginning to see how he'd reacted impulsively... and in some instances selfishly. No one had made those claims against him, but he was sure that Heero had at least thought them. [I don't blame him. I was out of control...] "I don't know how I could've acted any different when I first saw you... I mean I thought you were gonna kill Relena... I had to stop you. But you weren't gonna kill her... were you? You were just warning her off. And then I had to go and shoot you. Geez, what a hothead I am!" Duo said, slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand. "I'm real sorry for that... I guess I could've tried negotiating or something, but that's never been my strong suit." "Duo, you don't need..." Heero began to say, but clearly Duo was just as much in need of spilling it all, getting it all out on the table between them as Heero had been. [I was going to kill Relena... I really was...] He didn't like to think about that too much as it represented how far his programming had gone. Killing innocents just because they'd seen his face! That was not only morally wrong, but very impractical... "And then I kept pestering you..." Duo continued as he leaned back into the sofa and put his hands behind his neck. "I guess it bothered me that you wouldn't warm up to me. So it was like my mission to get you to talk or drive you nuts trying," he said and chuckled. "But now I see that I was being kind of snarky to you... You were busy repairing your Gundam or doing whatever and I was always in your face... sorry." Duo shrugged his shoulders, finding this whole process of looking at his actions from another's point of view very revealing, if not a little disconcerting. He'd never thought of himself as particularly self-centered, but then he'd never run into the likes of Heero Yuy before either. [Guess I never considered his feelings much. Just thought my way was the right way... kind of like he thought...] Zechs, his arms crossed over his chest as he listened to Duo, glanced over at Heero. The dark-haired pilot still looked very uncomfortable. [He must feel like all the rules have changed, that he's been uprooted from his very way of viewing the world, and has to figure out now how to put everything back together to fit the new vision. My Duo isn't a gentle person, though. He not only acts on his emotions, he *is* his emotions. Can he care about Heero in a new way?] He glanced at Quatre. [Quatre will help Heero a lot, I think...] Heero was speaking quietly in response to Duo. "I was centered only on the mission then," he explained. "Please, understand that I don't think like that anymore. *That* was a robot. That wasn't... me." [And who am I? I'll be learning that for years, I think...] Duo dropped his arms to his sides and then nervously sat on his hands to keep himself from fidgeting too much. Now that Heero was truly clearing the air Duo knew there was much more he needed to say. [That's what I wanted... to come clean and boy, do I have my work cut out for me now.] He looked over at Zechs and sighed. His sweet Zechs was so patient and thoughtful and he'd really had an impact on Duo, but there was so much more the boy could learn. [I acted pretty childish over you... but God, I love you so much.] Duo turned back to Heero. "There's more," he said, and pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them as if he was trying to make himself very small... too small to be noticed for a change. "That jealousy thing I mentioned before... I'm sorry I thought you were trying to steal Zechs away from me. He's just so damn wonderful and you two were spending so much time together... and he wanted to talk to you and not me..." Duo ducked his head and then peered back up through his long chestnut bangs. "I'm sounding like a total idiot, but I guess I have been one to you. I should've never thrown that joystick, but God I was so angry... I took my frustration out on you... and I'm really sorry about that, Heero... you were my scapegoat. I was having problems with Zechs and instead of finding a way to fix them I turned on you." He lifted his head fully and with wide, pleading eyes asked, "Can you forgive me? I mean, really forgive me for acting like that to you?" Heero stole a swift glance at Quatre beside him; the cheery blond's look of concern and hope bolstered him to continue. He looked back at Duo. "Yes, Duo, I'll forgive you... if you can concentrate on remembering one thing." Heero glanced at Zechs, really allowing himself to look at the blond man for the first time since they'd all come in. "The fact that you and Zechs have this relationship and are still able to fight alongside one another, and do not let it become a vulnerability but a strength for you both... tells me that Dr. J and the others were wrong... and I want them to be very wrong." He looked at Duo once more. "These relationships - yours with Zechs... and Quatre's with Trowa... are important to me." His voice dropped, growing very quiet. "Remember that, Duo... and we can be friends." His heart was pounding. [Can he understand? Can Zechs and Quatre? I don't understand it myself... but those couples must be together...] Duo cocked his head and look curiously at Heero. [Okay, so he's saying it's important that Zechs and I have a relationship... and Trowa and Quatre, too... and he'll never come between us, but there's more to it...] "So, let me get this straight... you'll support our relationships as long as we don't let them get in the way of our mission," Duo said as he unfolded himself and put his feet back on the floor. "And if I can remember that, then we can be buds?" he snorted and then asked through a grin, "And that means I can share jokes with you? Or talk about our Gundams and stuff and you won't look at me like I've got three heads?" Heero's lips parted in surprise at Duo's words, then a pained statement took over his face. "Um, yeah... but I can't promise to get your jokes, Duo. I...I'm not much for humor. And I'll probably still find you bewildering... so I'll try not to look at you like you have three heads and you'll need to remember that..." The glance, nervous now, flicked to Quatre for a second. "...that I won't always understand. I'll... do my best." [It's like they're from two different planets,] Zechs thought, amused, though he wondered how he managed to get along with both of them equally well. But then his soldier-self and intensity matched Heero's while his newfound playfulness and creativity matched Duo's. [Amazing... I can be like them both.] "If he forgets," he offered quietly, "I'll remind Duo." "O-kay," Duo said with a wide grin. "You don't have to get all my jokes... or any of them... and that should about wrap up the negotiations," he snickered. [Hmmm, I wonder if I'll have to do this with Trowa... I owe him an apology, too.] He looked over at Quatre who was grinning and seemed quite pleased that everything was working out. [I'll start by apologizing to Quatre in private for how I treated Trowa...] Bouncing off the sofa, Duo stood before Heero and extended his hand. "Friends," he said, smiling. Quatre winced at Duo's enthusiasm, knowing that the sudden, large movement would make Heero uncomfortable. [I'll have to tell him to be less demonstrative around Heero... if that's possible,] he thought and suppressed a giggle. Before Heero could respond, he teetered back on his chair for a second, then crashed backwards, startled by the abrupt appearance of Duo Maxwell looming over him. "Ahhhhh," was all he could manage to say as he scrambled to his feet, hastily brushing off Quatre's help. "Um..." Heero swallowed once then pulled himself together. "I'm okay, I'm okay!" he insisted. "It's not a problem!" Then Heero drew himself up straight to face a gaping Duo. "Friends," he said firmly, grasping Duo's hand in a strong, almost bruising grip. By now the others were on their feet as well, Quatre grinning widely and Zechs suppressing a smirk. "That's what we like to hear," the latter murmured, laying a hand on Duo's shoulder. [That proves a pet theory of *mine*,] he thought, amused. [Heero has a lot of grace except when he's around chairs...] "Gee, you don't have to break my hand, Heero... just shake it!" Duo said, laughing as his fingers turned numb from the strong grip. It felt awfully good to be making friends and for Duo to know that he still had a way of flustering the great Heero Yuy. [I guess I'm just as scary to him as he is to me. Good... We have a healthy respect for each other now.] "Oh! Sorry," Heero murmured, disengaging his hand hastily. "Thank Allah, we're all friends!" Quatre exclaimed spontaneously. It was an especially happy day for the little Arab who had worked so hard to get Zechs and Duo back together after the incident in Cairo. Now he could sleep well knowing those two were lovers again and Duo had made friends with Heero... "I only wish Trowa was here to share this," he said, a bit sad, but also proud that his Tiger had taken on the first mission of the new alliance. "He'll be back," Zechs assured him with a wink. Then he tugged minutely on Duo's braid. "You guys going to stay friends this time?" "Yes," Heero said immediately, looking at Duo with wonder. [Zechs sure likes that braid...] "I don't want to have to keep doing this, Duo. Really." "Heh, and you think I do?" Duo asked with a snort. "This time it's gonna stick," he said and leaned back into Zechs's tall frame behind him. [Mmm, contact!] Then, winking at his Japanese friend, Duo added, "I'm gonna work real hard to behave myself and so is Heero." [This is going to be hard on my nerves,] Heero thought, but his statement was as determined as Duo's was relaxed. "Yes, we'll both work at it. I'll just look at it as... as... a new mission." "GAIA's second mission in as many days!" Quatre exclaimed and laughed. The cheery response from his best friend immediately prompted Duo into a healthy laugh, too. "Okay!" he said excitedly and then impulsively turned and wrapped his arms around Zechs's middle to give his lover and supporter a big hug. "We did it!" Zechs folded his arms around Duo, also chuckling. "Yes, you did," he replied to Duo, then looked at Heero, who was watching them with wonder. "Knowing how you go about missions, I'm sure this one will be a success," he said to the boy, smiling. "Hn," Heero replied with a terse little bow, embarrassed. His eyes lingered on Duo a moment longer, then he glanced over to the desk. "There's lots of food left if you guys want more... please, help yourself." [When I don't know what else to do, feed Duo - mission directive #1...] "Food, Duo," Zechs playfully murmured to his lover, giving his hair a little kiss. "Don't have to tell me twice!" Duo snorted and then wriggled out of Zechs's arms. He was at the buffet in the blink of an eye and stuffed his face with a piece of smoked ham in two blinks. "Mmm, great!" The word was being sent out from Bremen to all the OZ installations on Earth: General Treize Khushrenada had resigned; Duke Dermail had retired; the new Chief Representatives of the Romefeller Foundation had won a vote of support and had pledged to turn the Foundation away from mobile doll production; Count Townshend was now in command of OZ. His first order was that all of OZ on Earth should stand down from any offensive maneuvers. The collective result of these events and the new commands to OZ was that the Earth held its breath. Rebel groups held their armies and personnel in check; peace-minded nations following the lead of the Sank Kingdom waited to see what the new Romefeller would look like. There was no word from space... but then, space hadn't been told yet. Only the popular media there had news that a power transition had taken place on Earth. No mention was made anywhere that Chief Engineer Tsuberov had been assassinated. The rest of the OZ personnel in Bremen were carefully being brought "into the fold". As Townshend clearly had the implicit blessing of Treize Khushrenada, there was only a mild wariness. None of the OZ soldiers, of course, were going to weep over the loss of the mobile dolls, which had represented the loss of their own jobs. What was more difficult to take among the Earth's OZ forces was the directive to stand down, i.e. cease pursuit of what remained of the Alliance's forces. Alex and Mueller, the blood-thirsty soldiers Zechs had destroyed for their campaign to execute all Alliance personnel, had not been the only ones set on getting rid of their former allies. These had been the ones to cheer when the Alliance leadership had been so effectively eliminated. What Romefeller - and Treize - were counting on, was Count Townshend's own persuasive abilities and his obvious commitment to peace. Of course, the threat by Romefeller to remove financial support from those bases who did not comply with the cease-fire was enough on its own to convince most to let the vendetta with the Alliance go. After all, the former Earthsphere Alliance had little hope of re-establishing itself as a power on Earth. It was highly likely, however, that one or two OZ commanders would challenge the cease-fire, go over orders to attack a rebel base or to subdue a small Alliance facility. This was being discussed on the highest levels in Bremen. Townshend, for all his pacifist ways, would have the mandate - should that challenge occur - to ruthlessly put down those commanders by any means. Townshend had no delusions of becoming "His Excellency" in lieu of Treize's formidable presence. He was well aware of the true power on the Earth - the GAIA forces on Antarctica, led by the Gundams. In the week to come, he hoped, that organization would reveal itself, appealing to the entire Earth to band together in peace, determined to end conflict on their planet. [It is not for me to lead,] he thought to himself in a meeting with his officers that he expected to go far into the night. [But rather to guide the Earth to those who would do far better than I so that I may go back to my own peace-loving nation. May that day come soon...] (tbc)
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