"Robot Lover"

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: Romance, Angst, Humor

Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4, 13x6, 5xR

Note: My initial inspiration for this story came from the live drama series "Zettai Kareshi" (Absolute Boyfriend) based on the manga by Yuu Watase.

Summary: Heero Yuy risks his job for a chance at love when Duo Maxwell orders an Ideal Lover robot from his company.

First place winner in the 2010 Moments of Rapture long fic category!

"Robot Lover"

Level Seven

Wednesday evening, Duo was working late at his office downtown. The long hours had never bothered him, but since Heero came into his life he had been less willing to put in the time. Thankfully, Hilde had taken up some of the slack. She was all toothy grins whenever he fed her a morsel about his new lover. She thought Heero was the bomb, and the few times he'd come around the office, she had nearly broken her neck to see him.

Duo had to admit that Heero was a spectacular sight. His intense good looks made it difficult to concentrate on anything but him when they were together. They were fast approaching their third week anniversary and things just kept getting better. Even with all the sex they were having, Duo was getting the best sleep of his life. He was more relaxed, refreshed, chipper. He was a happy guy to begin with, but with Heero at his side his world had blossomed in a thousand ways.

He hadn't entirely believed that falling in love with a robot could be like this. He had thought their love would be about attraction and companionship, but nothing as deep and connected as he experienced with Heero.

He checked the clock on the wall. It was ten minutes 'til eight o'clock, and Heero was meeting him at eight sharp. They were going to an exclusive event at Giorgio Armani's held once a year for their very best customers. Duo had worn a steel gray Armani suit, lavender dress shirt and black leather loafers to work for the occasion, but hung the jacket on the coat rack to keep his appearance casual for the day.

Quatre and Trowa would also be attending. That relationship had taken off nicely after the day of the art festival. Quatre blushed whenever he spoke about Trowa, which was often, and he'd confessed that Trowa liked to play on the wild side. So, Quatre had gotten out the whips and chains already? Duo would be sure to remind Quatre that if he hadn't gotten a robot lover, Quatre wouldn't be getting anything now either.

Logging off his computer, Duo decided to close the office and wait outside for Heero. It was a beautiful, clear night and the city's downtown remained active until late with its restaurants, boutiques and clubs. He input the security code and stepped outside to lock the front door. As he turned toward the street, he was startled by one of his clients, Frank Nick, who was standing behind him as if in wait.

"I'm closing up for the night, Frank. Is there something you wanted?"

"I need you to get that stupid bitch out of my life."

"Didn't you call the divorce attorney I recommended?"

"Yeah, yeah… but what about getting her claws off my money?"

Even the streetlight could not diffuse the agitation on Frank's pudgy face. This client had been a bother since day one, but Duo thought they were making progress.

"I filed that brief last week—"

"You mean that other attorney did."

"Well, yes, Ms. Schiebker went down to the courthouse for me, but I wrote the brief outlining the pertinent facts of your case against your wife." Just then, Duo caught Heero's silhouette approaching. This conversation could now end and his evening out with his lover and friends could begin. Heero came up and stood next to Duo, giving a simple nod. "If you have questions, Frank, give me a call in the morning."

Frank's face pinched, but he didn't say a word as Duo headed down the block with Heero on his arm.

"What was that about?" Heero asked when they were well away.

"Just a client who's not happy with the slow wheels of justice." He eyed Heero carefully and smiled. "You look incredible."

Heero grinned. He was wearing a black Armani tuxedo jacket over a silk-cotton blend white pullover, Calvin Klein stonewashed jeans, and black leather Armani dress shoes.

At the Giorgio Armani store, they showed their embossed invitation and were greeted with smiles and champagne. It was a veritable who's who of guests from the mayor to local television personalities, and rich business types such as Quatre Raberba Winner.

Duo walked up to his best friend, while Heero took a detour to speak with Trowa. "I thought you were arriving later," Duo said to Quatre, kissing his cheek.

"We changed our dinner plans," Quatre said, smiling as he looked across the room to where Trowa was sampling cologne. "He's such a dream, Duo. He's a real thinker, you know?"

"Like Rodin's statue?" Duo asked with a laugh.

Quatre pursed his lips in a little frown. "I mean that he's intelligent, of course."

"Is that what turns you on? I thought it was because you like 'em taller than you and carrying a whip."

Quatre's frown continued to grow. "I'm not as shallow as you think."

Duo started to chuckle at Quatre's seriousness, but he suspected it was a sign that Trowa Barton was the one. Quatre had never been that defensive about any of his other lovers.

"Shopping or just browsing tonight?" Quatre asked, swiftly changing the subject.

"I'm sure I'll buy something, but Heero doesn't want to stay long."

"Hurrying back to your love nest?"

"No, we're going out after, but he's worried Treize will show up."

"Worried? Whatever for?"

"I'm not sure. He was weirded out when we ran into him at the festival. Maybe it's part of his programming to demur in the face of his creator."

Quatre rubbed his chin as he observed Heero speaking with Trowa. "They get along just fine. Like old friends, in fact."

Duo shrugged. "Trowa mentioned something about that yesterday. He called to ask me about letting Heero work with him at AR Industries. He said that all the robots have different personalities, and Heero's would be just right to be an assistant."

"Would he get a paycheck?"

"Yeah." Duo laughed. "When I told Heero, he seemed pleased. He said that would mean he could buy his own clothes, pay for groceries, and buy me gifts."

"He's a bit eager to be more independent."

"I don't think it's that, he just wants to contribute equally to the relationship and that includes paying bills and such."

"Who would ever think that a robot would want those things?"

"I know. Sometimes I can't get over how humanlike he is. It's remarkable."

Quatre raised his hand. "No details, please. You know it makes me squeamish."

Duo rolled his eyes. "You've got to stop thinking about him as just a bundle of wires."

"I'm trying, but sometimes I wonder…" Quatre's eyes were fixed on Heero.

Duo tilted his head waiting for the rest of the sentence. "Wonder, what?"

Quatre blinked and looked at Duo. "Oh, like you said, just wondering about his humanness."

"You're not like that Marjorie are you? Thinking they're all soulless and the ones who buy them are perverts?"

"Duo, you know me better than that. My initial objection was merely that I felt you deserved better."

"I couldn't do better than Heero." It was as sincere a statement as he had ever made. He gazed across the store and just then Heero looked up and met his eyes. Duo smiled. Heero was everything to him. He could no longer imagine a life without Heero at his side.

Heero and Trowa came over to join them, and the conversation shifted to clothes. They ate hors d'oeuvres from silver trays presented by wait staff as they watched models walk an imaginary runway through the store in the latest Armani collections.

Duo selected a wool-and-silk vest and silk-wool-and-cashmere trousers from the fall line, and a silk scarf in gray that coordinated perfectly with the suit he was wearing. Heero pretended not to be interested in any of the new fashions, but Duo knew better and bought him a wool-and-silk cardigan in the color of the deepest red wine.

As they were leaving the store, Heero took the two bags from Duo's hands. He pulled the scarf out of the tissue the clerk had wrapped it in. "This is perfect for dinner out," Heero said, slipping the scarf around Duo's neck.

They paused in front of the store's window, Duo grinning from ear-to-ear. He leaned in and kissed Heero. "Thank you."

Heero caressed Duo's cheek with his hand. He was about to speak when they heard someone shout Duo's name. They turned toward the street to see Frank Nick getting out of a car and walking towards them. Duo was not happy.

"Frank, I told you, we can talk tomorrow."

"I see why you don't have time to take care of your clients." Frank hissed.

Duo glanced at Heero and then back at Frank. "It's after hours. I have a life, too."

"And what about my life? You've been telling me for over a month that you'll fix things!"

"I don't have a magic wand, but things might move faster if you'd bring your wife in to negotiate—"

"I don't want that bitch to get one dime from me!"

"You should've thought of that before you put her name on the company's incorporation papers!" Duo was at his limit of patience. He grabbed Heero by the hand and turned away, but just as he did he saw the glint of something reflecting off the store's window. He looked back as Frank raised his arm. "Shit!"

He barely had time to hold up his left arm in defense as the knife slashed downward. Pain like fire spread across his forearm. He stared in disbelief as blood spread over his jacket's sleeve. In the next instant, Heero was pushing Duo back and stepping in front of him. Their bags dropped in haste and the contents spread across the sidewalk.

Duo felt dizzy from pain, but grasped Heero's jacket to pull him back, but in that moment Heero doubled over with Frank's weapon hand at Heero's gut.

"No!" Duo shouted, lunging forward and striking Frank in the side of his head with his fist.

Their attacker stumbled back and a second later was tackled to the cement sidewalk by Trowa. The knife went clattering to the ground.

Duo took Heero by the shoulders and guided him to lean against the storefront. Heero sank to the sidewalk, holding his stomach and grimacing in pain.

"Heero," Duo said. His heart hammered as he looked into his lover's face. Heero didn't look right. Why was he in so much pain?

Quatre was at Duo's side, saying something about calling for an ambulance.

"Get the police!" Duo said with a growl. He couldn't believe one of his clients had gone psycho on him.

Heero looked up at him. "Duo… I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. That nut attacked us!"

"No, Duo…" Heero grimaced.

Duo looked down at Heero's hands clutching his stomach, and for the first time noticed the blood. "God... you're bleeding." He grabbed his scarf and wadded it.

"Not your new scarf," Heero said. His voice was fading, and his eyes were looking unfocused.

"Who cares about a silly scarf when you're bleeding!"

He pressed the scarf to Heero's stomach. Heero grasped his hand and Duo couldn't comprehend the dark sticky matter covering it.

"You shouldn't be bleeding." Duo couldn't make sense of it. He had seen how robots were made with steel infrastructures, circuitry, wires, and synthetic skin. They didn't have blood and guts. What was this stuff?

Sirens blared in the distance, and Quatre said something about everything being all right. Duo slumped to the ground, lightheaded and confused. He watched, somewhat detached, as the emergency responders arrived. They all came at once, the police, the paramedics, the curiosity seekers.

Frank Nick was cuffed with his face to the ground and the policeman's knee to his back. Duo gave a derisive snort. "Now your wife will get everything you stupid son-of-a-bitch." His voice didn't carry over the commotion. If he had the strength, he would've kicked Nick's balls up through his ass.

The paramedics tended to Heero first, putting him on a stretcher and taking him to an ambulance. Another medic turned to Duo then.

"You'll definitely need stitches," she said as she wrapped his arm with gauze.

A police officer spoke with him briefly to get his name and a few facts. "Come down to the station to give your statement once you're discharged from the hospital."

Duo nodded and the medic got him to his feet, walking him to a second ambulance.

"That's my boyfriend." He nodded toward Heero being loaded onto the other ambulance.

"We're going to the same hospital. You'll see him there."

He was told to lie down on a stretcher inside the ambulance, and the paramedic proceeded to hook him up to an IV and give him pain medication. The meds eased the pain, but Duo still felt cool and clammy. He remembered their dinner plans and tried to sit up and reach for his phone to cancel their reservation, but the medic push him back down and told him no calls.

At last they arrived at the emergency room. Quatre and Trowa were there to meet him. He wanted to see Heero and find out what was wrong, but he was taken into a little recessed room with a curtain where a nurse helped him into a bed and hooked the IV fluid bag onto a freestanding pole. Quatre stayed with him while Trowa went to make sure things were fine with Heero.

There was some paperwork to fill out before he got stitches, and luckily Quatre was there to help, because Duo was distracted with worry. After the nurse left for a moment, Duo hopped off the bed and pulled the IV pole with him over to the curtains. He peeked outside to see if he could locate Heero.

"Let's get your arm tended to first," Quatre said. "Trowa will make sure Heero's okay."

"I can't wait, Quatre. I'm scared that something's seriously wrong." Duo removed the IV fluid bag from the pole to carry it himself and headed out.

"Duo, please," Quatre said, as he followed him through the ER.

Across the emergency room, they noticed a flurry of activity. Trowa was standing well back as doctors and nurses converged around a single point. Duo's heart felt like it stopped beating as he rushed towards the scene. Trowa held out his arm to prevent Duo from getting closer.

"How is he?" Duo asked, breathless.

"They're attending to him now."

That was a non-answer, so Duo pushed past Trowa and found a spot with a clear view. Heero was lying on the stretcher unconscious with an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth. There were two, maybe three doctors surrounding him, and as many nurses, and they were pumping blood into him.

"Why are you giving him blood?" Duo asked.

"Who are you?" One of the doctors asked, impatiently.

"I'm his boyfriend. We were attacked."

"Then you know that he's lost a lot of blood."

"No, it's not possible." Duo turned back to Trowa, and saw Quatre standing beside him. "Tell them, Trowa. You can get your equipment and run a diagnostic."

Trowa came over to Duo and grasped his shoulder, trying to encourage him to leave the area. "Let them do their job."

"We need to get him to the operating room now!" a doctor said.

There was more activity as equipment was readied for the move. Then Duo caught a glimpse of the bloodied silk scarf lying in a silver pan. Panic ripped through him. "You can't do surgery on him! He's a robot!"

Everyone froze. The doctors, the nurses, they all looked at Duo like he was a mad man.

"I know it sounds crazy, but you've seen those ads on TV, haven't you?" Duo asked, desperately. "Well, he's one of those robots!"

Trowa's grip tightened and he pulled Duo back.

"Get him out of here," one of the nurses said. She held out her arm, clearing a path as the stretcher was moved.

"No, Trowa. Tell them they're making a mistake."

"It's no mistake," Trowa said, sadly.

"What?" Duo watched helpless as Heero was wheeled towards the operating room. He tried to pull away, but it was no use with Trowa and now Quatre holding him back.

As the doctors began to leave, one turned to Duo. "Be sure you're checked for a severe head wound."

"You think I hit my head!"

"Son," the doctor said, calmly placing his hand on Duo's shoulder. "I may not know about robots, but I've been a doctor for many years. That young man is human. He has a pulse, blood, veins and his condition is very serious. Get yourself looked after, and I'll talk to you after surgery."

Duo watched dumbfounded as the doctor walked away and Heero disappeared from sight. "He's… human?" he mumbled, dazed.

It felt like he stood there for minutes, unmoving, without hearing a sound, except for the blood rushing in his ears. Hot, red blood coursed through his veins, oozing onto the city sidewalk, soaking into his silk scarf.

"Duo." Quatre was standing in front of him, looking into his face with concern as he shook Duo's shoulders. "Duo, are you listening to me?"

He shook his head. He didn't want to be bothered. He wanted to stand there and pretend this was not happening.

"We need to get your arm checked," Quatre said.

Duo pushed Quatre away gently and turned to Trowa who was now leaning against a support column. "He's human," Duo said. It was no longer a question. It was an accusation.

Trowa gave a small nod.

Before Duo could react, Quatre breezed past him and slapped his lover across the cheek. A pink imprint of Quatre's hand flared on Trowa's face. Quatre turned back and held out his hand to Duo, who took it automatically. They walked away from the trauma area, and Quatre found a nurse to remove the IV tube from Duo.

"You're refusing treatment?" she asked.

"Yes," Quatre said, raising his chin. He took Duo's hand again and led him out of the emergency room, and didn't stop until they were in Quatre's black Mercedes.

Duo slumped forward in the seat, burying his head in his hands. "Oh, God, oh, God."

He didn't know what to think or how to feel. Angry? Used? Betrayed? Made a fool? Heartbroken? He felt everything at once and nothing at all. It was like being numb with a twist of lime.

Quatre sat quietly in the driver's seat for several minutes before speaking. "What do you want to do?"

Tears spilled from Duo's eyes and he squeezed them shut trying to stop them. "I'd slash his tires if he had a car. But he probably does have a car, huh?" Duo snorted. The smart remark only made him feel worse. The piercing weight of this revelation shot through him. "Mother fucking bastard!" He struck his fist against the car door.

"Duo." Quatre caressed his shoulder.

"How could he do this to me? How could Heero lie to me like that? Make me believe… make me fall in love with him." He convulsed at the words, at the terrible truth, and quick-thinking Quatre reached past him to open the passenger door. Duo leaned out and vomited on the asphalt parking lot.

Quatre waited for Duo to calm down, and then drove him to an emergency medical clinic. There his wound was cleaned again, and stitched, but he felt so hollow that he was hardly aware of anything happening around him.

Some time later, they arrived at Quatre's penthouse. Duo was glad that Quatre had brought him here. He didn't think he could go home just now… with everything to remind him. Quatre guided him to the living room couch and made him hot tea.

"Drink that. It'll relax you." Quatre settled at the opposite end of the couch.

"Is there brandy in this?"

"You don't need alcohol."

"I need something."

Quatre didn't respond, and for a long while neither one of them spoke. Duo appreciated the silence as he stared at the steam rising from the mug of tea on the glass coffee table. He was almost afraid to speak, fearing that it would open the dam on the emotions he was trying to contain. But it was hard to keep that amount of rage and pain bottled up. It was gnawing in his belly like a caged beast.

"He kept apologizing," Duo said at last, his voice cracking. "I thought it was because he didn't want me to worry, but it was because he knew… I'd find out." He shook his head as the tears welled in his eyes. "I can't believe it's happened again. I must have sucker tattooed on my forehead!"

"We need to find out who he is. Some sort of con man, I imagine."

"If he's a con man, then is Trowa, too?" Duo looked across the sofa at his friend and suddenly realized the implication of this situation on him. "I swore this shit wouldn't happen again, and this time I took you down with me."

"Don't think like that." Quatre was shaking his head emphatically as he scooted closer and took Duo's hand. "We'll get to the bottom of this."

Duo sighed heavily. That sounded like a lot of work, and right now all he wanted was to sleep into oblivion and forget everything. "You mind if I head to bed?"

"That's fine. Why don't you take the coral and sea foam guest room at the end of the hall."

"Thanks." Duo couldn't muster his normal cheer, but he was certain Quatre understood why.

Like every room, this one was impeccably clean and tastefully decorated in ultra-modern chic. It was almost like staying in a five star hotel, except that Quatre's personal touches always reminded you this was his home.

Duo closed the door behind him and couldn't quite decide what to do. Go to bed or shower? Either way he was beginning to think that this would be a long night.

He opted for bed, and stripped down to his briefs and climbed under the covers. The bed was enormous and absorbed his body like a giant pillow. He closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion wash over him. It felt good for about one minute and then his mind started to play back scenes from the night in random order—the attack, the blood, the tingle of champagne on his tongue, the look on the doctor's face when Duo told him about the robot… Heero's kiss.

A sob escaped Duo's lips.

Only hours before he couldn't conceive of a life without Heero, and now he couldn't think of him without experiencing immeasurable pain. Why hadn't he seen the signs, the little clues that told him that Heero was a man and not a robot? But truly, he hadn't suspected, not even when blood covered Heero's hands. His mind had told him it was something else, some substance they put inside the robots to lubricate their metallic joints.

Even now, he couldn't fully believe in Heero's humanness. All he knew was Robot Heero, who cooked and cleaned, and made love to him like no one ever had. Yet, it was just a scam for easy sex and to bilk him out of money and expensive clothes. But how had he done it? How had that man known that Duo was ordering a robot and substituted himself? Was Trowa the mastermind of this big con game? Were they targeting Quatre as well?

Duo tossed and turned for hours until at last his anger and his tears gave way to his fatigue. Around 6 a.m. he dragged himself from bed and showered. He put on the thick, terrycloth guest bathrobe and shuffled into the kitchen to make coffee. Quatre was up and dressed and speaking to someone on the phone. He nodded a good morning and walked out onto his balcony to finish the call. Minutes later, he returned and Duo handed him a cup of strong, black coffee.

"You look exhausted," Quatre said. "I had hoped you would get a good night's sleep."

"Got a couple of hours," Duo said, taking a sip.

"How are you?"

"Like you said, exhausted."

Quatre was dressed in navy pinstripe slacks and vest, a white long-sleeved buttoned shirt, a fuchsia pinstriped tie (his version of a power tie), and slippers.

"You headed into work early?" Duo asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Actually, I thought I'd help you sort through this mess."

"Really? Well, I was planning on going into work."

"Duo, you cannot be serious."

"Why not?"

"You've had a very big upset—"

"I'm working through it."

"In one night? I don't think so."

Duo's brow furrowed. He had hoped to escape from this new reality for awhile longer, but it seemed that Quatre wasn't working off the same itinerary. His friend stared at him, and Duo knew he had to face his feelings, but it was so damn hard.

"You know the expression about having the rug pulled out from under you?"

"Yes," Quatre said, softly.

"Well, that's me about now." He looked up at the kitchen's skylight and tried to form the right words to explain how it felt to have his heart carved out of his chest. Tears sprang to his eyes, stinging and embarrassing him. He wiped them away with the sleeve of his robe, but Quatre was already at his side, giving him a fierce hug.

"Duo, I'm so sorry."

He reluctantly put his arms around his friend. He wanted to be stronger than this. He wanted to fight back, to hurt Heero in equal measure, but it was so damn confusing. It was like his heart and his head were waging a tug o' war between what had happened last night and what had happened the previous three weeks.

"I just don't get it, Q," Duo said, putting his chin on his friend's shoulder. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"Because you wanted to believe in love."

Duo nodded. He had desperately wanted to believe, and he thought he had found it… at last. Heero had been so perfect in so many ways that he should've known it was too good to be true.

Quatre released him from the embrace, and then took Duo's face in his hands. "I've been doing some investigating this morning." Quatre's eyes twinkled. He spun around and grabbed his cup of coffee as he settled on one of the aqua, leather upholstered chairs in the breakfast nook. "That phone call was to a friend who's a director at the hospital."

Duo gulped. "Yeah?"

"He's going to have the admissions paperwork faxed to me."

"Is that legal?"

Quatre raised an eyebrow. "We're playing their game now, Duo. Once we get the admission form we'll know who we're dealing with." He took a long sip of his coffee as he gazed off towards the floor to ceiling windows that lent a spectacular view of the city.

"Shouldn't we talk to the police?"

"Well, you still need to give your statement about the attack, but I think we should do a bit of our own digging before we involve the authorities in this matter."

Quatre seemed quite pleased with himself, but Duo wondered where this path might lead. How far might they fall to uncover the truth? Right now it seemed like it lay at the bottom of a very deep, snake infested pit.

Duo's mind flashed on the image of the blood-soaked scarf and Heero being carted off for surgery. "For all we know… he's dead."

"No, he's not," Quatre said, matter-of-factly. "My contact said he's in ICU, but doing well. Lucky as hell, I think she said."

An unbidden relief swelled in Duo's stomach, confusing him. Why should he care that Heero had survived? He had used and betrayed Duo in the worst way.

"I'm sorry if you don't want to talk about this now," Quatre said. "Why don't you sit down and I'll make us breakfast?"

Duo nodded and shuffled over to the table with his coffee. The emptiness he had felt in bed last night came back to him. It had threatened to swallow him whole. He should've slept on the couch, instead of that vast, lonely bed.

He stared at his coffee, remembering the touch of Heero's hands. They were able to warm him, excite him, and soothe him if need be. Heero had the perfect touch, but then he had had all the answers, too, hadn't he?

"That son-of-a-bitch."

~ * ~

Chapter 8

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