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"Entanglement"Written By: Clara Barton Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. The following
is an intellectual exercise with no intention of profit. That said,
these characterizations, words, and situations are mine. Please ask
before reprinting. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Angst, language, sex Pairings: 2x3, 1x2x3, past 1x4, past 1x5 Summary: It was supposed to be one night, a threesome with a complete stranger to celebrate their anniversary, but things got complicated. Sequel to: King of Hearts, Defeated and Brand New Day A/N: I wrote Defeated as a one shot, but then
I wrote King of Hearts (actually a prequel to Defeated) for the 2014
Smut Off with Miss-Murdered and I've just fallen in love with these
characters so I wrote Brand New Day. Entanglement is a multi-chapter
fic of the events taking place after Brand New Day. You definitely
need to read those three one shots before reading this. "Entanglement" Chapter Twelve "I figured we should take advantage of Trowa being in Miami tonight and order some Mexican and watch the Jets-Patriots game." They were in a taxi on their way to the courthouse, and Heero glanced up from his notes on the witnesses that YSI had already called to their defense. Duo had a hesitant, somewhat hopeful expression on his face and Heero hesitated. He wanted to say yes - he could think of no better way of spending the night than on Duo's couch, watching the game, eating Mexican and then sharing Duo's bed. But he also knew how dangerous that kind of night would be. Heero was struggling to keep some corner of his heart free from Duo and Trowa, and the more time he spent with either or both men the harder it got to keep his distance, to remind himself that one day soon all of this was going to end. "I've got some files I need to look over before tomorrow," Heero said, not quite lying. Duo arched an eyebrow and then shrugged. "Sure - you can still do that with me? I'm not always trying to get in your pants," he added with a smirk. "You say things like that, but every time you get home the first thing you do is start to strip," Heero reminded him. Duo chuckled. "Okay. I promise not to strip right away. And... with Trowa in Miami I'm not sure we'd be doing anything more than fighting over the comforter in bed anyway." And of course there was that. The fact that - with the exception of Trowa's birthday - Heero and Trowa avoided intimacy without Duo's presence and Duo and Heero avoided it without Trowa there. Heero understood - and he could sure as hell sympathize with the jealousy and loneliness both men no doubt felt when thinking of Heero with their partner because Heero felt it all the damn time. He didn't have the right to demand time or attention from either man, and he didn't have the right to express or even think about Duo and Trowa together, in their home, fucking and flirting and existing for each other the way they had since they had first met. Heero was the interloper, the one who had to settle for the crumbs thrown his way and hope they kept coming. He drew a deep breath and forced himself to put aside his anger. It wasn't going to help anything. "I think I'd better just focus on work tonight," Heero told him and Duo's face betrayed his disappointment for a moment before his features smoothed out and he nodded in acceptance. "Of course. And you've got a key if you change your mind," Duo reminded him. That damn key. It was such a tease - a taunt and Heero wished Duo had never given it to him. Heero knew Duo meant well, knew Duo had thought it would mean something to Heero - and it did. It meant that whenever Heero used the key, whenever he entered their apartment and discovered them - cooking, sitting, kissing, cleaning - Duo and Trowa stopped what they were doing and looked at him with guilty expressions. It meant that Heero was reminded every time he came over that, despite what Duo said about this being more than sex, that was primarily what this arrangement was about. And the sex was good - amazing really, the best Heero had ever had - but he needed to be more than an accessory to Trowa and Duo's lives, and that damn key only seemed to emphasize the fact that that was all he was. They arrived at the courthouse after several minutes of tense, awkward silence, and Heero passed the files he had been reading over to Duo, who put them in his briefcase without looking at them. Heero was willing to bet he had already memorized them that morning or last night. "Hey," Duo stopped him from getting out of the taxi. Heero looked back at him, at the earnest expression on his face, and he hated how much it affected him. Duo sighed, swallowed back whatever he had been about to say, and let go of Heero. "Sorry. Let's focus on the case and proving what a fraud Zechs' witnesses are today." For the past month the case had been dragging on, as Zechs threw one expert witness after another onto the stand and Duo and Heero worked to discredit each other them. Thus far Heero felt they had been successful, but it seemed like Zechs was going for a war of attrition - trying to drown the jury in the opinions of law enforcement officials, medical doctors, wardens, and - today - psychologists. As they took their seats in the courtroom, Heero tried his best to put aside his anxiety over his relationship with Duo and Trowa and just focus on the case. With Zechs leading the defense they both needed to be focused. "Your honor, I would like to present a new witness. Dr. Marks, the expert witness I had previously planned to question today, has an urgent professional matter to deal with and is unable to attend this court for the foreseeable future," Zechs stated as soon as the court was called in session. Heero frowned. It wasn't like Zechs to call unreliable witnesses - and it wasn't like Judge Amerson to allow those kinds of substitutions. "Mr. Merquise, it is highly unorthodox to -" "I know," Zechs interrupted him. "And if it didn't provide critical insight into this case, I wouldn't pursue this matter, but I feel that in order to accurately present the mental state of these juvenile delinquents, we need to have an expert present their testimony." Amerson sighed. "Very well. I will allow it." "Thank you. The defense calls Dr. Giovani to the stand." Beside Heero, Duo's entire body went rigid. Heero frowned and turned to see a thin man, likely in his fifties, rise and approach the witness stand. His gray hair was cut in an unfortunate bowl cut and his long nose gave him a slightly sinister appearance. As he passed by their table he looked directly at Duo, his dark eyes unreadable. "Do you know him?" Heero leaned over to whisper in Duo's ear as Giovani was sworn in. Duo remained silent, his body still tense and his knuckles were white from how tightly his hands were clenched together. "Dr. Giovani, you have been a practicing psychologist for how many years?" "Twenty five years," Giovani responded. "And what is your primary field?" "My practice deals with children and juveniles, and I have worked with the New York legal system in the capacity of a court appointed counselor for twenty years." "So you have experience dealing with juvenile delinquents?" Zechs asked. "Oh yes indeed," Giovani said, and cast his dark gaze towards Duo again. "And in your opinion, do these delinquents often suffer maltreatment while serving their sentences?" Heero waited for Duo to object to the question - there was no way Giovani could speak to that with any real authority - but Duo remained silent. "Objection," Heero spoke up. "The witness cannot possibly attest to what the victims are likely to have experienced without breaching patient confidentiality." "Sustained," Amerson agreed. "Very well," Zechs said. "Dr. Giovani. Do you find that your patients ever feel targeted by individuals in positions of authority?" "Oh yes, many suffer from the irrational belief that the judicial system is unfairly prosecuting or punishing them." "Hm. And do you find that they have ever exaggerated any wrong-doing by those individuals? Perhaps as an extension of this irrational belief?" "Objection," Heero jumped in again, wondering what the hell was wrong with Duo. He was sitting there, staring at the table in front of him, letting Zechs paint their clients as irrational, lying delinquents who - Heero looked at Giovani again, assessed the way his gaze was still fixed on Duo, who refused to look up from the table in front of him, who looked on the verge of breaking his own fingers because of how hard he had them clenched, who hadn't said a single word since Giovani was sworn in despite the fact that Duo tried to object as frequently as possible to every question Zechs asked his expert witnesses. "Sustained," Amerson said. "Perhaps if we address a more specific issue? Dr. Giovani, have you ever had a patient claim any kind of impropriety - from you or other individuals working with the New York penal system - in an attempt to commute their sentence?" "Oh yes," Giovani chuckled and Duo flinched beside Heero. "Hmm and do you find that in this case such actions were likely -" "Objection. Conjecture." "Sustained." Heero wondered what the hell was wrong with Duo. Why wasn't he reacting to any of this? He sat there, pale and nonresponsive, looking as though he had seen a ghost. Son of a bitch. Giovani. Heero looked up to see Zechs regarding Duo with a faint, pleased smirk on his face. This wasn't even about the case - it was about Duo. And the man who had raped him as a child was sitting on the witness stand. "Do you find that victims of traumatic events often struggle to return to normal lives?" "Oh yes," Giovani said again, and Heero felt his skin crawl. "And the facilities that YSI runs - do you believe they in any way help these delinquents?" "Unquestionably." "Your witness," Zechs announced abruptly. It had been an impossibly short line of questioning - clearly Zechs had only called Giovani because of his relationship to Duo, and not in relation to the damn case at all. Heero scrambled to come up with a reason to delay the cross-examination. "I'd like to request a recess. We need time to check into Dr. Giovani's credentials and -" "No," Duo interrupted him, his voice as cold and jagged as ice. "We'll cross examine the witness now." He stood up, buttoned his jacket, and crossed the room to stand in front of the witness stand, his eyes anywhere but on Giovani. "You've worked as a psychologist for the last twenty five years?" "Yes. I already said that when -" "And in that time how many patients have you seen?" Duo interrupted him, drowning out Giovani's voice. "Several hundred, I imagine." "You imagine," Duo echoed. He turned away from Giovani and paced in front of the jury, his movements slow, measured, and it was clear to Heero that Duo was just barely holding himself together. "How many times did your patients bring allegations of impropriety against you?" "Objection," Zechs spoke up, his satisfied smirk faltering at Duo's line of questioning. "Your honor, the witness spoke earlier of this matter, and it pertains to this case," Duo spoke up before Amerson could say anything. "I'll allow it," Amerson conceded. "Well?" Duo prompted Giovani. "In twenty years of practice, how many times did the children entrusted in your care tell their parents you abused them or molested them?" Heero had no idea what Duo was doing, no idea how this pertained to their case at all and he didn't see how Giovani would say anything that could ever satisfy Duo. "I don't have the exact figures," Giovani murmured. Duo nodded, still not looking at the man. "No, you've got other things on your mind, I'm sure. Does twenty-eight sound about right, though?" There was no way Duo had pulled the number out of thin air, especially considering the way Giovani's entire body stiffened. "Hm. Guess that is about right," Duo decided, still not looking at him. "I won't ask you if any of the allegations had any merit," Duo continued. "Since obviously as an instrument of the state - as a court appointed counselor who has the sole task of helping children recover and become productive individuals in soceity- you are above such impropriety." Duo finally turned to look at Giovani, and Heero could see the glimmer of tears in his blue eyes, his face pale and skin taunt as he struggled. "But I will ask you this - do you regret it?" "Regret what?" Giovani sneered. Oh Duo. Heero wanted to call an end to this, wanted to get Duo out of this room and away from this man and - "The abuse that the children sentenced to serve terms in YSI controlled facilities suffered. Do you regret it?" "Objection," Zechs growled. "We haven't established any abuse actually occurred and this witness -" "We have stacks of medical documents and testimonies from the victims and the perpetrators," Duo snapped. "And this witness -" "Had nothing to do with those incidents," Zechs interrupted. "True," Duo conceded. "He had nothing to do with the YSI children. No interaction with them - no way of knowing how honest they are or how ethical the YSI employees are. But I still want an answer to my question. Imagine you were involved in this case. Do you regret it?" Giovani stared at Duo for a long time, but he finally snarled in anger. "No." Duo continued to look at him, clearly searching for something, but then he nodded and turned away. "I'm done with him," he announced and walked back towards the tables, stopping to glare down at Zechs. "Try some cheap shit like that on me again and I'll fucking bury you," he said between clenched teeth. "Court is adjourned for the day. Court will not be in session next week due to the holiday and we will reconvene the following Monday to hear closing statements." Duo threw his things into his briefcase and left the courtroom before Heero had a chance to even speak to him, and he was left alone at the table to watch Giovani and Zechs speak together in low voices and to wonder just how the hell Zechs even knew about Duo and Giovani. -o- "My client would like to settle." "Really?" "Oh fuck off, Yuy. After what happened today in court, of course they want to settle." Heero couldn't help but feel grim satisfaction from the anger in Zechs voice. He sat back in his office chair and cradled the phone between his shoulder and neck. He wondered where Duo was and why Zechs hadn't been put through to him. Maybe Zechs had wanted to speak with Heero instead? Considering the underhanded move he had pulled in court and the spectacular way it had backfired. "True," Heero agreed. "Amazing how you picked an expert witness to throw off Duo and instead... he ripped your entire case to pieces and made the jury realize just how little you and your clients really care for the children in their custody." "Will you take our offer or not?" Zechs sounded furious. "We'll need time to consider it," Heero said. "You have twenty-four hours." "Forty-eight. You and I both know you need this more than we do." "Fine." Heero held the phone away from his ear, anticipating Zechs slamming down the receiver on his end, and he wasn't disappointed. He allowed himself a moment to gloat. Zechs had always treated him as an annoyance - even in bed, Zechs had made it clear that he was irritated with Heero's entire existence. It felt good to finally have done something to earn Zechs' anger and irritation. Of course, it was really Duo who had done this - Duo who had miraculously pulled himself together and turned the tables on Zechs to save the day. Heero left his office and walked towards Duo's, but as he approached he saw that it was empty. Allison didn't even bother to look up from her work when Heero stopped in front of her. "Where is he?" "Out for the rest of the day," she said. Heero frowned. "YSI just offered to settle and -" "I know. That's why I put the call through to your office. Duo isn't taking any calls." That made Heero arch an eyebrow. More than once while Heero had been at their apartment Duo had answered calls in the middle of the night or early in the morning from his clients. He always took calls, even in the middle of a blowjob. "Where is he?" Allison gave him a look. "I don't tell Trowa where Duo is when he doesn't want me to - why am I going to tell you?" But that was all Heero needed to know - Duo didn't want Heero to know where he was. Heero sighed and started to walk away. "What happened this morning?" Allison asked him, her voice low. "We went to court," Heero said. If Allison wanted to play the game of who could keep Duo's life more private, he would certainly play it with her. "When he called me... I've never heard his voice sound like that before." Heero nodded in agreement, remembering Duo's voice in court, his brittle determination. "I'd like to speak to him," he told Allison. "You and me both," she muttered. "He isn't taking your calls either?" She shook her head. That was more than a little troubling. Heero wondered if he should consider calling Trowa- but what would he say? Duo had disappeared and not even Allison knew where he was and it was probably because he had had to face his rapist on the witness stand today. He couldn't see any of that going over well with Trowa- or with Duo when he found out Heero had said something to Trowa. Heero sighed. He should at least try calling Duo first- maybe he was only avoiding Allison. Three hours and five unanswered calls later, Heero had to concede that Duo was indeed avoiding him. He went by the Red Sox bar Duo frequented first, and then a handful of other bars he had been to with Duo and Trowa. Eventually, when all of the bartenders confirmed that Duo hadn't been in at all, Heero headed for Duo and Trowa's apartment. He had never been there without at least Duo or Trowa present as well, and he couldn't help but feel like an intruder. He put his briefcase down by the coffee table and noticed that the book Trowa had been reading was still there - he must have forgotten to take it with him to Miami. Heero could only imagine how frustrated Trowa was about that - he hated to start reading a new book while still working on another, but he hated even more not having something to read. Heero sat down on the couch and picked it up. Stardust. Outside it started to rain and Heero decided that, since he couldn't do anything at this point except wait for Duo, he might as well read. -o- Two hours later the door to the apartment opened and Duo walked in. He had been running, and while his black shorts were already skin tight, his t-shirt was also plastered to his skin from the rain and his own sweat. His hair was a mess, bangs soaked and pushed to the side and the long braid of hair down his back heavy and dark. His chest was heaving, his skin was pale, and his eyes were red rimmed. Heero set down the book and stood up, startling Duo. "Great," Duo muttered. He tossed his key onto the kitchen counter and opened the fridge. Heero watched him pour a glass of water and gulp it down. He wondered just how long Duo had been running. "Great?" He echoed. He hadn't missed the irritation in Duo's voice. "You won't use your key to come over when I want you here but you have no problem letting yourself in to ambush me when I don't want you here." Heero was shocked by how much Duo's words and tone cut into him. He drew in a deep breath and reminded himself what Duo had faced today -and how Duo coped with things. He had been running - hell, he had been figuratively and literally trying to run away from this, as he tried to run from anything he couldn't deal with, and of course he was pissed that Heero was here, not letting him run anymore. Of course, that didn't change the fact that it hurt to hear Duo say that. "You said you wanted this to be more than sex," Heero reminded him, trying to keep his voice level and his emotions out of this. Duo arched an eyebrow. "Yeah, maybe I did, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't want -" "That you don't want me here?" Heero finished for him. He couldn't listen to Duo say it again. "Or that you don't want to want me here?" Duo swallowed hard and looked away. He was still breathing heavily, and Heero knew it wasn't because of his run. "How many miles did you run today?" Heero asked. "Not fucking enough," Duo muttered and drank more water. "thirteen," he added when Heero continued to look at him. Duo had run a fucking half-marathon to try to avoid thinking about what had happened to him. And judging by his face, it clearly hadn't worked. "I would have run it with you." Duo started to sneer, but he took in Heero's expression, his sincerity and Heero hoped he saw just how much it killed Heero to see him like this. "I prefer to run alone," Duo said, repeating his excuse the last time Heero had offered, but his voice sounded tired and lonely. "I won't hold your hand while we run," Heero said. Duo's lips twitched slightly at the joke, but then he shook his head. "No. You and Trowa have your workout thing. I - I'm fine on my own." "No, you aren't." Heero walked into the kitchen, stopping within arm's reach of Duo, not wanting to crowd him but wanting to be close. Duo shook his head, and his eyes grew dark and wet as he struggled. "Don't," he begged Heero. "Duo -" "I can't think about it. I can't -" Heero closed the space between them and pulled Duo against him. Duo was stiff, his lean body all sharp angles and tense muscles. "Don't run away from me," Heero told him, whispering the words into Duo's wet hair. Duo's body melted into him, his arms wrapping around Heero's waist in a tight embrace. "I'm so fucking pathetic," Duo murmured, his voice raw. "No, you aren't," Heero assured him. Duo shook his head and his fingers dug into the material of Heero's suit jacket. "I fucking froze. I saw him and I couldn't - I couldn't think. I just remembered everything - his hands, his mouth, his - fucking hell. I couldn't do anything. It just like before. I'm so fucking powerless." "No." Heero pulled away enough to look into Duo's eyes. "You won the case today. Zechs called - YSI wants to settle. They're offering double what we thought they would if it came to a settlement." Duo stared at him, uncomprehending. "Duo. You just gave each of these kids a future - you helped them. You were amazing today." But Duo shook his head. "He was there, in my courtroom. He sat there in front of me and -" Heero finally started to understand why Duo had become a lawyer in the first place. Justice was blind - but it was still justice, and it had rules and a level playing field. It was supposed to be the place where Duo didn't have to be scared, where he knew what he was doing and he could fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves - where he could try to save twelve year old boys from their nightmares. And today he had had to face his own nightmare in the one place that he felt safe and in control. "And you defeated him - Duo, you took him apart." "He doesn't regret it, 'Ro. He'd do it again - he's probably still doing it to -" "No," Heero decided. "I'm going to stop him. I'm going to get his license revoked and I'm going to make sure he doesn't touch anyone ever again." Duo looked at him, blue eyes searching. "I -" "Please. Let me do this. You don't need to face him again - not after today." Duo's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "I couldn't do it anyway. I was so fucking close to breaking down and -" "But you didn't," Heero reminded him. "Duo - you're the most incredible man I've ever met." Duo gave a short, dark laugh. "Cut the bullshit, Heero, I'm not -" "Yes. you are." Heero held Duo's jaw, forcing him to maintain eye contact until Duo saw just how much he meant it. Duo's eyes widened. "Heero," his voice still slightly disbelieving. So Heero kissed him - putting all of his emotions, all of his desire and awe into it, worshipping Duo's mouth with his own until Duo pulled him close and deepened the kiss. Heero backed him up against the counter, and lifted his soaked t-shirt, pulling off his body and breaking their kiss long enough to pull it free. He returned to Duo's mouth hungrily, idly wondering if this was such a good idea considering how dehydrated Duo likely was after running for that long, but the electric press of Duo's tongue against his own had him putting aside all rational thought. All that mattered was the feel of Duo's skin, his wet, hot, firm body pressed against Heero's and the need to show him just how amazing, how strong, how perfect he was. Heero ran his hands over Duo's torso, keeping his touch firm but light, circling around Duo's nipples before softly pinching them and Duo moaned into his mouth, his own hands going for Heero's ass and squeezing in approval. Reluctant to leave Duo's mouth, but wanting to taste more of him, Heero broke away from the kiss and started to lick and nip at Duo's flesh, down his neck, across his chest, and laved at his nipples. Duo shuddered against him, hands trailing up Heero's back and tangling in his hair. "That feels so good," Duo moaned and then hissed when Heero bit down. "Oh God yes." Heero kept his lips occupied teasing Duo's right and left nipples while his hands worked to pull down Duo's running shorts. Duo was already hard, a bead of precum on the tip that Heero smoothed back over the head, earning a shuddery gasp of pleasure from Duo. Heero kissed his way down Duo's abdomen and then knelt down to lick his cock. "Mhmm - yes," Duo sighed when Heero opened his mouth and slowly started to swallow his cock. He used one hand to pump the shaft while he held onto Duo's right hip with his other, steadying both of them as he worked his mouth over Duo's length, swirling his tongue around it as he sucked. It wasn't long before he felt Duo's hips shudder and he started to thrust into Heero's mouth, always a sure sign he was close, and Heero held onto him tightly, wrapping both arms around him as Duo came with a relieved sigh. "Oh God - Heero I love you," the last was said in a near whisper, so quiet Heero almost missed it. -o-
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