"Remade and Remodeled "

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: Alternate reality, hurt/comfort, angst

Pairings: 6x2

Summary: The challenge of an outlandish bet brings unforeseen consequences

"Remade and Remodeled "

An hour later, Lieutenant Po was gone and the evening was winding down. Even though neither of them said anything about it, Duo was sure that the conversation between Zechs and Sally had not been cordial. The air had been tense between them, and Duo wondered what could have made their meeting so disagreeable.

With Po’s interrogation over, Zechs had fallen back into his role as Duo’s shadow. A six-foot shadow was difficult to ignore, but Zechs made sure that the spotlight fell squarely on Duo’s shoulders. The compliments kept coming and Duo could see why celebrities got such big egos. It was easy to gobble up the attention and let people fawn over you and tell you you’re the next Jackson Pollock or Charlie Brennan. He didn’t believe half of what they said, but it was fun nonetheless.

It was nearly eleven o’clock, and Duo was ready for the night to end. It had been a very long day, not to mention week.

Corrine Carmel noticed his fatigue. “Don’t worry, darling. This happens all the time at successful openings… Watch this.” She caught the barman’s eye and signaled for him to close up shop, and send the remaining guests packing. “My dogs are screaming and I need a good night’s sleep.” Then she whispered to Duo, “But I’d prefer a good lay.”

For a second he wondered if she meant with him, but then realized she was only teasing.

Within ten minutes, the guests were mostly gone, and Zechs put his hand to Duo’s elbow. The touch that signaled he was about to offer some direction. “How about we celebrate—just the two of us? I have something special in mind for dinner.”

The intimacy conveyed in Zechs’s ultra smooth voice made Duo shiver. A man like this could have anyone—and probably did—and now he wanted to be alone with Duo.

“God, yeah,” Duo said, trying to maintain his composure. “Nothing too special, I hope. I could eat my boot laces right now and be happy.”

“Then let’s wrap things up here and be on our way.”

“Yeah, give me a minute to look around one more time.”

“Of course.”

With all his apparent success, Duo knew he should be elated and he was… to a point. He walked around the room looking at his creations, knowing that this was the last time he’d see many of them. This was the toughest part and he’d known that going in, but now that the moment was here he wasn’t sure he could say goodbye. He stared at each of the sculptures and paintings that had sold and remembered the work that had gone into them. Emotions welled up inside of him. Mixed with the exhaustion was a fear of loss. He had created these to express himself, but also to build a world around him—a fortress to protect him—and now he had to let them go. He never imagined the show would dredge up feelings he had worked hard to bury deep inside himself, feelings tied to the loss of his parents years ago.

He looked around the gallery and saw Zechs speaking to Corrine in a far corner. Zechs had become an unlikely fixture in his life. It was no secret that Zechs Merquise was a powerful man which made his unwavering persistence to get Duo to sign-on to this venture all the more perplexing. It wasn’t as if Duo had gone along easily, but he had gone. He looked back on that moment in his apartment when he’d given Eve to Zechs as the most spontaneous thing he’d ever done in his life—aside from his petty crimes.

Did Zechs understand what it had meant to hand over Eve? Did he sense the tug-of-war that was going on inside Duo? He was drawn to Zechs, compelled to be as close to the man as he possibly could, and yet he didn’t understand why that desire came so naturally. It was like Zechs had scrambled the radio frequency to his brain. All the years, Duo had spent learning to be suspicious of people’s motives and guarding his inner sanctum were eroded by Zechs’s very presence. Maybe that meant he could trust the man, completely trust him with his career and his heart.

Hilde came up to Duo, standing next to him in companionable silence. The stillness was unusual for them, since each was more of a talker than the other, but it felt nice to stand with their shoulders touching and not speak for moments on end.

At last, Hilde bent forward to get a closer look at the label on this particular piece. “Eve, on loan from a private collector.”

Even though she had read the label without the hint of a question mark at the end, Duo knew he needed to give her an answer. He hadn’t told her that he’d given Zechs this statue. Maybe he didn’t need to tell her now, but he had never hidden anything from her before.

“I gave it to Zechs. To thank him.”

It was more than that, of course. He had felt a connection between him and Zechs, and Zechs and the art like tendrils of energy tying them to each other. Looking on Eve now, Duo could almost see that invisible thread stretching from Eve to him and across the room to Zechs.

“I never felt comfortable sharing my work, but for some reason I let Zechs see it… He took one look at Eve and the rest is history. She got the ball rolling for me.”

Hilde nodded, seeming to understand that these works weren’t simply inanimate objects, but a part of Duo.

“I’m not surprised you gave her to Zechs,” Hilde said, touching his arm. “You haven’t stopped talking about him since you met.”

“Annoying, huh?”

“Only a little, since I’m used to having you all to myself.”

He hadn’t thought about it that way, but his social circle mainly revolved around Hilde and his appointments with Lieutenant Po, and acquaintances along the way. Pathetic did not begin to describe his life before Zechs waltzed in with his grand scheme.

“If this art thing works out my schedule will be more flexible and we can see each other more.”

“I hope so,” she said with a smile.

“You know it, girlfriend!” He put his arm around her shoulder and drew her in for a hug. “Mmm, you smell good.”

“Duo,” she said in a chiding tone. “Don’t flirt with me!”

He laughed and held up his arms in surrender. “Okay, okay!”

“How about we get a burger at Tommy’s? Wouldn’t they just die seeing us pull up in that limo!”

Duo’s grin faded. “Gee, I’m real sorry, but Zechs just asked me to go to dinner with him.”

“Oh.” Her smile became a little shaky.

“God, I’m sorry,” he said, taking her hands. “I didn’t think…”

“No, it’s okay. I should’ve realized that Zechs would want to celebrate your success with you. We can do something over the weekend.”

“You sure?”

She nodded. “Sure I’m sure. Just don’t get all high and mighty and forget to call me now that you’re a star.”

“As if,” he said with a snort. “Hey, let me walk you out to the limo.”

It took a moment, but he confirmed that the limo was parked in the alley behind the stores. Corrine Carmel stopped him from rushing out there. It had just started to rain and she fussed that Hilde did not have an umbrella. Corrine’s assistant called the limo driver’s cell phone, and in a couple of minutes the black, stretch limousine pulled up to the gallery’s back door.

Standing at the staff entrance, Hilde and Duo waited for the driver to open the passenger door. Hilde put her pink sweater over her head and with Duo beside her, made a run for it. She ducked into the limo, out of breath and laughing.

“I didn’t know it was supposed to rain.”

“Yeah,” Duo said, standing beside the vehicle with his head tucked inside. She smiled up at him, and he didn’t know why, but it seemed like they were saying goodbye and not just good night. He laughed to cover the uneasy feeling and brushed a raindrop from her cheek. “It meant a lot to have you here tonight. Thanks, Hil.”

“You’re welcome, hon. I’m gonna try to get Mom over here to see your show.”

“If you do, let me know and I’ll meet you.”

“Okay. Now you’d better get going or you’ll be soaked!”

The rain was beginning to come down harder. Cold, heavy drops splashed on his hands as he held himself from tumbling into the back of the limo with his friend.

“Again, I’m sorry about the burger…”

“Never mind it. Have fun with what’s his face.”

“Oh, it’s ‘what’s his face’ now, huh?”

She laughed. “Go on!”

He smiled and stepped back, giving a wave before he closed the door. When he turned to run back into the gallery, Zechs was leaning in the open doorway. His hands were tucked inside his pants pockets and his legs were crossed casually at the ankles. He’d been watching the scene, waiting for Duo like a man with a vested interest.

~ ~ ~

Zechs stepped back, giving Duo room to come in from the rain. Duo shook off the drops like a pup shakes off water from a bath. There was something refreshing about this young man, so much so that Zechs had hardly taken his eyes from him all night. Certainly it had been his job to ensure that Duo spoke to everyone, and receive guidance when needed, but tonight, Zechs’s fascination had more do with Duo’s ever changing persona. One moment, Duo was brash and full of himself, and the next self-conscious and unsure of the value of his work.

Might success ruin him? Zechs wondered.

The solitude of the narrow vestibule was pleasing after the contained chaos in the gallery. It was quiet here, and they were alone. Finally.

“If you’re ready, we can go.”

Duo’s eyes widened slightly. He wondered if Duo was aware of how much his eyes revealed his emotions. Like right now, his nervousness was showing.

“We can share some wine and have a quiet dinner together,” Zechs said. “It’ll be a good way to unwind after an exciting evening.”

Duo smiled and slouched a bit, as though he was finally free to relax. He was clearly exhausted. “God, it’d be nice to sit down and eat. I didn’t get any of the hors d’oeuvres.”

“A good indication of how popular you were tonight.” Zechs smiled and reached past Duo to open the door again. It was raining much harder now. “Mind getting wet?”

“It hasn’t melted me yet.” Duo stepped to the threshold, scanning the parked cars shimmering in the rain and the street lights. There were several expensive luxury sedans, and a number of more economical cars belonging to the gallery’s staff, but only one stood out from the crowd—the liquid silver Porsche 911 parked in the tow away zone.

“Do you ever park legally?” Duo asked with a laugh.

“Not if it can be helped.” Zechs fished the key from his suit pocket and pointed it at the Porsche. The car beeped and blinked its yellow signal lights letting them know the doors were unlocked.

Duo bolted first, leaping from the doorway and over the steps. His boots splashed on the pavement and he gave a quick glance over his shoulder to see that Zechs was following. It took only seconds to reach the car, but long enough for them both to get drenched. They slid into the driver’s and passenger’s seats respectively, closing the doors and sealing out the rain.

Zechs combed his wet hair back with his fingers and then leaned toward Duo. He wanted to swoop in for a kiss, but rested his arm on the back of the leather passenger seat instead. Despite his hopes for the remainder of their evening, he wasn’t in a hurry. He wanted to enjoy each moment with Duo.

“We’ve come full circle,” he said, brushing Duo’s wet bangs from his eyes. “It was raining the night I met you.”

The Porsche’s windows were quickly fogging from their wet clothes and the warmth of their bodies.

“What made you get involved?” Duo asked, suddenly, perhaps as a delay tactic. “I mean… most people wouldn’t have bothered.”

Zechs understood why Duo wanted to know, but it wasn’t something he had entirely answered for himself yet. The bet had not been in his thoughts when he’d come to Duo’s aid at the scene of the accident. Not that he was a bad person, but Zechs had never reacted so instinctively and selflessly before. He had never put someone else’s needs before his own.

“It is remarkable to me as well, but it was as though I was being drawn to you.”

Duo snorted. “Oh, come on.”

“Don’t dismiss it. There’s been something between us from the start.” He looked into Duo’s vibrant blue eyes and felt as though everything had been leading to this. They needed to be together. His fingers caressed Duo’s cheek, wet with raindrops, and he had the urge to lick them away. “Remember last night? You felt it, too.”

“Yeah,” Duo said, breathlessly. He leaned forward, his eyes locked on Zechs’s and his chin lifting for a kiss.

Zechs grinned as he quickly closed the distance between them, taking Duo’s lips in a burning kiss. It felt like they were picking up where they had left off the night before, letting themselves fall into a hungry, exploring kiss. Duo’s mouth was hot against his, and Zechs’s nostrils filled with the heady mix of rain and pheromones on Duo’s skin. He had to pull back now or things would go too far too fast.

He breathed out heavily. “All good things to those who wait.”

Duo had his hand fisted in Zechs’s silk shirt, and was releasing it now, smoothing out the fabric. “Sounds like a load of bull.”

Zechs liked Duo’s cockiness, but wanted to be sure he understood he wasn’t being put off again. “I told you last night that I wanted things to be perfect, and tonight they will be. Let me show you a night you’ll never forget.”

Duo searched his face and then leaned in giving Zechs the most sensual kiss of his life. Where had Duo learned to kiss like that?! When Duo pulled back, his lips and his hands slowly withdrew from Zechs. He resettled in the passenger seat with a huge grin on his face.

“Pleased with yourself?” Zechs asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Damn right, I am.”

“Good. Now buckle up. I’m going to show you what this car was designed to do.”

Everything from that moment on was about sex. He inserted the key into the ignition and could practically feel his cock sliding into Duo. He was rock hard from that kiss, rock hard and ready to roll from the way that Duo had let him know that he was ready, too.

He pulled out of the alley and onto the street and knew it would take all of his self-control and skill as a driver to get them to his estate in one piece. He wanted to show Duo what his control—his hands—were capable of doing. To show how he could control the Porsche like a lover, take her onto the highway and shift her smoothly into high gear, all the while letting the power of the engine represent his raging libido.

For his part, Duo laughed and urged Zechs on, telling him not to hold back. At one point, Duo rolled down the window and whooped and hollered like a college boy out for a joy ride. It was brilliant and Zechs knew the sex would be brilliant, too.

Chapter 15

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