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"Sparks Fly"Written By: Fancy Figures Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, wish I did, just
enjoy writing about 'em for free etc Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, romance, Yaoi, lemon Pairings: 1x2x1 Summary: Duo Maxwell is this year's brightest
young entrepreneur. Heero Yuy is his sharpest and best programmer.
Together they created the successful dating agency, Sparks, with a
new and refreshing approach to matching people. A year on, their lives
are very different -- Duo has all the trappings of success and all
the company he could want; Heero is solitary and disapproving of such
a lifestyle. But they both have secrets to keep, and both are in need
of something -- or someone. When Duo decides to update the agency's
unique matching program, he and Heero are thrown back together again,
and there's a different kind of sparks flying. What with their very
contradictory natures, a malicious hacker, and a crisis at the agency,
it's not surprising they don't find it easy at first to get along. Other notes: Thanks to Suzanne, for suggestions
and inspiration! Written for gwyaoi's AU Novella Challenge
"Sparks Fly" Chapter 2 "It's him, Duo is coming round the general office," breathed one of the girls in the office. Heero looked up, but down again almost immediately -- it was Patti, and she was talking to the guys in the cubicle along from him; he didn't particularly want to catch her eye. She'd been acting kind of strange towards him recently. Kept hanging around him, even when he went for a cup of water! One of the other guys laughed loudly, and there was a babble of noise. "Coming to fire someone..." "No, to do with the launch." "Nah, to catch you surfing for porn!" More laughter, more banter -- Duo ran a relatively relaxed office, though he'd fired people in the past who didn't commit enough to him. Perhaps these guys forgot that, thought Heero. The boss hadn't come around for weeks and there was a certain amount of excitement when he did. Heero didn't know why they should be so hysterical about it. Obviously the visit was to do with the launch. He paid enough attention to business matters to know the importance of the company going public. He watched Duo, greeting some of the staff, laughing with his PA, that dark haired, bossy guy who almost fawned over him. He was looking through some of the ideas from the team, signing some requisitions -- just general stuff. He didn't need to come round that often, he had plenty of managers to run things for him. Or so Heero understood -- anyway, he usually made himself scarce when he knew the royal visit was planned, for he could work remotely from his apartment as well as from here. Today had caught him unawares. The Maxwell effect was a distraction he didn't need. The Maxwell effect! It was a phrase that his colleague, Lin, had coined, with a sly smile. But it was obvious to anyone who had worked in Duo's companies for any length of time, the effect that his physical presence had. The whole office looked that little bit brighter, the staff more motivated, and all because of Duo's company. Heero wondered what it was, that made him so charismatic. That made them all like him so much. There was no envy involved, just curiosity. Duo was very handsome, of course. And there was an inner presence to him -- a restless excitement that showed in the way he moved, in his fast speech, in his very tactile approach to everyone. He shook hands often, put an arm round a shoulder. Heero tried not to imagine the touch of that on his own. He had no time for such nonsense. Then the assistant had pointed over to Heero's cubicle, and Duo came right over to speak to him. "Heero -- uh - hello." "Is there a problem?" Heero couldn't think of anything that was running behind schedule, anything that wasn't being dealt with correctly. He cursed the fact that he felt uneasy. There was no reason for that. "No," smiled Duo. Heero couldn't help but notice the genuine pleasure in that smile. Couldn't look away, in fact. "Does there have to be? I know we haven't had many personal meetings since the initial development, but we're still on the same team, eh? I don't seem to see you often, when I come round. I just wanted to catch up with you. Say thanks for your work." Heero stared at him. They were of a similar height, and both had an innate confidence -- almost arrogance -- that made looking at each other almost a confrontation. Heero didn't know why he should feel so defensive. Everyone said Duo was a charming, regular guy. Too charming, really, because there were plenty of rumours about his sexual appetite, and the trail of discarded lovers he'd left behind him. Heero saw the good-looking man there in front of him, and appreciated his looks in his objective way. It was, of course, of no interest to him. He just worked for the guy, and it suited them both very well. Maxwell let him work on his own ideas, at times to suit himself, which was more than fair. And he always gave credit back where it was due, was always scrupulously honest. Always honest.... "Come and see me next week," said Duo, abruptly, breaking into Heero's thoughts. "OK? I have some more ideas I'd like to discuss with you. For after the launch. OK?" he repeated, as if he were worried Heero would say no. Heero was surprised at the man's insistence. The sharp, vibrant eyes, searching his. The other programmers, watching jealously. The slight increase to his heartbeat -- God knows what that was about! And then Duo had been drawn away, laughing, with only a brief backward glance at Heero, who found himself standing at his chair, temporarily halted from his work. There was an odd look on Duo's face, almost as if he'd been surprised by something Heero had said. Heero -- though he didn't know it -- was the only one to notice. And there was nothing he could think of to cause it - he'd given nothing more than a grunt of agreement. He wasn't employed for his small talk. But he saw a sudden glint, a widening of Duo's eyes. A flash of something that sent out invisible tendrils to Heero, that teased at his inner feelings. He felt Duo's energy as if it had reached out with corporal hands and stroked his body. And he felt an answering reaction. Good, or bad, he couldn't have said, because he didn't do feelings, did he? Baka! he thought, scornfully. It's his company, isn't it? Isn't this walkabout just the thing that they all love about him? It's just his normal practice. Like I said, it's a distraction, he thought, settling back down to his screen. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, paused again. Yes - a distraction. "I don't know for certain," replied Duo. "Just been some odd responses this week, a coupla clients' details lost first time through. Won't you sit, Heero?" Damn man made him feel uncomfortable, pacing like that. He acted like one long, straight rod of tension. With a jolt, he remembered how there'd often been that charge in the room, when they'd worked together. Heero's sharp, concentrated energy. It had been unnerving. Heero continued pacing. "It can't be. I'd know. I check all the time..." "I know," said Duo. "It's only a rumour I heard -- or one of my guys heard." He had several intelligence men -- unofficially -- with their ears open to various walls and with wallets open in various bars. "I'd just like you to check." "It can't be," Heero said again, and looked him full in the face. Duo nearly blanched at the challenge there. "I'd like you to check." "There's no virus." "I said -- check!" Duo had risen from his chair as well, and the two of them were glaring at each other. For a minute, it was debatable which one was the employee. Then Duo took a deep breath. "Heero Yuy," he said. "We're not gonna fall out over this, are we? Wouldn't you want me to do all I could to protect the business? My business?" "Hn." Duo wasn't sure if that was a proper reply or not. Was the man nothing but a nerd? He'd always thought he had more to him than that. Though -- obviously -- not charm aplenty. "Do it. That's an order." Heero's eyes flashed, and for a minute Duo expected more argument. But that wasn't what was worrying the man. "I won't disturb the live system. I'll use the original test system, share some of the data." "Whatever," shrugged Duo. He had a persistent headache today, having come to work early after a party thrown by a women's magazine. He'd been persuaded to take twin models home, then to entertain them in bed -- and out of it -- late into the night. He'd been damned happy to sleep at the end of it! He'd staggered awake in the early hours, peeling himself out from between their entwined arms, and sent a text message to Cal, to come and collect him. He'd not woken them for any insincere farewells, but left a bottle of champagne and a private message, scribbled on a piece of discarded underwear -- not his. And now he had battle with Yuy! He was feeling increasingly like he'd gone a coupla rounds in the boxing ring. He was too used to guys leaping about eagerly to do his will. This one obviously saw no need to give his employer the same respect! "I'll need more data." What? thought Duo. Am I the engineer now? "Can't you make some up?" Heero shook his head, mulishly. "No. It must be realistic." "Use your own," suggested Duo, rather mischievously. For a brief, wild moment, he wondered what Sparks would make of Mr. Yuy's personal data. "Already done," said Heero. "I need more." Duo took another deep breath, trying to keep his temper, and gazed back at this awkward employee. But a gifted one -- he knew that. "OK, Mr Yuy -- we'll get a whole database for you." "Hn?" Duo came around from behind his desk, brushing past Heero as he strode to the door. Heero felt the warmth of his body against his side, and was slightly shocked. For a second, their eyes met at equal level The hostility was fading in Heero's, but Duo's wide, violet irises were sparking with some emotion. He flung open his door, leant down the corridor and called out. "Free champagne in here -- now! But only for the first dozen to get here --" He never finished the sentence, because anyone who was still in the office was crowding round the door. Cal was the very first, and Duo raised an eyebrow at him. "So?" Cal said, defensively. "Mother has expensive tastes -- I've inherited them! And I know any champagne of yours wouldn't be some ten dollar trash. Whatever I have to do for it..." "You're right," replied Duo. "On both counts." He ranged an eye over the others, jostling in the corridor, grinning, puzzled. They'd learned to expect many surprises from their boss in the past months. "OK, the champagne is here, and it's damn good stuff, as Cal expects. But also -- as he suspects -- there's a small favour to be given in return." He studiously avoided Cal's eyes, which were dilating with amusement. "I want you all to complete an application for the Sparks program." There were murmurs all round. "You're not applying in reality," he explained quickly. "Unless you want to, of course --" "Can't afford the fee..." came a grumble from one of the office clerks. "Unlike my mother," murmured Cal, dryly. "She's been registered since Launch Day." Duo continued, regardless. "We need data for a test module. Two conditions to earn the champagne -- we need the data completed now, before you go home tonight, and I need you all to be completely truthful. Else it'll be useless. You know how important that is to me. I assure you, it'll be erased later, after we've checked the processing." Cal was beside him, handing out the forms, and several
people were looking eagerly for a pen. Duo smiled slightly. "Unless,
as I said, you want to join the program for real. In which case, for
helping me out, I'll waive the introduction fee." Heero was confused -- should he apologise? Wasn't it Duo's own idea, to reward the staff for their input? He'd never known an approach like it. Then he realised that Duo was watching him -- and grinning slyly. "It's a joke, Heero! Don't you ever relax and have a laugh? Do something off the wall?" "Of course I do!" protested Heero. Of course he did! Didn't he? "And -- before you ask -- use my data as well. We're all in this together, eh?" Heero watched him reach for a final standard input form
from his desk. He looked a little weary. Rather like a Western gunfighter,
Heero reached down beside him at the same time, and produced his laptop.
"I will input directly. It'll only take fifteen minutes." "Age." "Twenty three." "Preferred age of companion." "Similar." "Preferred nationality --" "None," said Duo, a little impatiently. "Run through all those questions, Heero, I have no restrictions on any of that age/height/hair colour crap. I don't see the point of so much of it -- though the clients like it. They think it enhances their profile. Think it helps to describe their real selves --" "Whilst they're really just categorising themselves," said Heero, without thinking. "Yeah," replied, Duo, surprised at his response. "That's true. All it does is tighten the circle, restrict the field. They're deliberately cutting themselves off from hundreds of potential soul mates. Smart thought, Heero." Heero hoped the warmth on his face wasn't a blush. "Soul mates? Is that what people are looking for?" "You should know," smiled Duo. He ran a hand through the loose fringe, pressed two fingers to his temple. "You're the one helps 'em find it. Don't you think everyone's looking for a soul mate of some kind?" "I haven't thought about it," replied Heero. And, searching his mind, he realised that he spoke the truth. He had never really examined what he was doing, thought about its impact on real people. He just worked on it because he could -- because he could produce what this man had wanted. That's what his particular skill was. Jesus -- was this introspection becoming a habit? It made him very uneasy. Duo was looking at him strangely. And his eyes had travelled away from his face, and down his body. They snapped up almost guiltily. "Back to the questions, eh?" Heero coughed, and tapped again at his keyboard. "Favourite pastime on your own --" Duo grimaced. "Damn, I don't have much time for hobbies. I used to like sailing -- and sports..." "Favourite pastime with friends --" "I like to talk!" laughed Duo, "as if you didn't know! So it's conversation, and comfortable meals, and -- just relaxing." And how long had that been absent? he thought to himself. "Favourite pastime with a companion --" "A leading question," grinned Duo. Now the blush seemed to be on him. "Sharing. Exploring. Touching. Whatever." Heero paused. "I have no option for "whatever"." Duo laughed out loud. "Is that a joke, Heero? Heero started to protest, then he saw that Duo himself was joking. And things started to relax a little. ~ * ~ |
