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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 4 "What you were saying earlier -- do you have plans to change the program again?" "Uh-huh," replied Duo. "I've been thinking of offering something even more different -- I just hadn't decided exactly what that"d be. But tonight...I had an idea. It's partly what you said-" "Me?" Heero was startled. Duo watched the expression on his face. It opened his eyes, lightened that habitual scowl. Damn, he was good looking! He wanted to make him smile again -- wanted to see those eyes open in response to him.... "Yeah -- about people categorising themselves. Don't look so shocked! You've always been a catalyst for me, suggesting things, clarifying things that were just abstracts to me." He seemed to hesitate then. He searched Heero's face for something, but Heero looked as if he had no idea what to offer him in return. Duo took a deep breath. "I'm thinking of dispensing with the gender question. In making the match over all the database -- male or female." "Hn." Silence at the table. Duo toyed with his half empty wine glass. "What do you think about that, Heero?" His voice was low, and Heero felt the tightening in his stomach again. "What does it matter what I think? If you want it done, it'll be done. You know I can do it --" "Yeah, yeah," Duo was impatient. Heero was deliberately misunderstanding him. "I mean, how do you think a potential client would feel if they knew they might turn up a same sex soul mate? Is the market ready for it? Or am I being too fucking bold?" Heero was a long time answering. But he wasn't embarrassed. He was considering it -- taking the appropriate time, to give a serious response. "I think it's an excellent idea. I think you should make people face their prejudices -- they should examine whether there are alternative relationships. They should still have the chance to specify a gender, if they feel more comfortable --" "Yeah, of course --" Duo was leaning forward, eagerly. He could feel the excitement in his chest. And other places. He didn't want to ask himself why the hell it mattered what Heero Yuy thought! About the program, about search parameters - about Duo Maxwell... "But it could open up the whole world for others." "Jesus, Heero -- when you speak, you have a damn fine way with words! I couldn't have phrased it better myself! That's exactly what I want to do. Here, let's drink to it!" They clinked glasses, Heero rather self-consciously. Duo felt the rush of excitement that his ideas always brought him -- it made his tongue rash. He wanted other answers from this man. "What about you, Heero?" he asked, very softly. He held the wine glass very gently, very carefully, and he gazed at Heero over the rim. The muted lighting in the restaurant played shadows over his face. "What would it open up for you? When you put your own data in, how did you state your preferred sexual profile?" Dammit! thought Heero. He felt the chill of misery steal over his body and he knew that the time had come. The time when he started to lose the little control that he kept for social occasions like this. The time that would bring an end to this meeting. And he'd been having a good time, up until now. "This isn't about me." "No -- I -- don't misunderstand me, please." Heero watched Duo's face struggle with something, then rearrange itself into a pleasant enough smile. So this was the famous Maxwell charm -- the Maxwell effect. And it was his honour tonight to be on the receiving end. "So this is your personal touch, is it?" "What?" "You take the details -- just like we did this evening. Then, I understand that you interview every client personally. Like me, now. Will you see all the others later? When I've gone home?" Duo was looking bemused. Heero had seen that look before on other faces. He knew how fast his mood could turn, how harsh he would get. But he couldn't stop it. And rarely had he been so roused, so quickly -- Duo Maxwell seemed to provoke him like no other person could. "I don't understand, Heero. Yes, I see clients individually." "See them? How intimate do you get?" "What the hell -? This isn't an interview! Is this about you having to give your details in as well as the rest of us? I didn't see anyone else getting so uptight -" Heero was breathing fast, trying desperately to bring his temper back under control. "It's not that --" "What, then?" Duo was astonished at how quickly he felt antagonistic. He could feel the sharp edge to his voice. But it didn't deter Heero Yuy. "I don't want to discuss my details with you." "I just -- it was just a frivolous question, Heero. Not for any business reasons, not to pry. It was - for personal reasons." "Hn. Well, I won't discuss it. Also for personal reasons." Duo was suddenly, painfully angry. It had taken a lot for him to broach this. Yeah, he may have warm bodies falling all over him, but he couldn't remember the last time he'd actually approached anyone himself. "You are really pissing me off, Heero, y'know? I don't know what your problem is, but I didn't mean to offend you, and you damn well know it --" All Heero did was shrug. Duo had never seen such an infuriating gesture in his life. He tried one last, pathetic time. "Heero, I - I just thought we might be getting on well, that we might share some interests." "Some interests? Is that what you call it?" Duo saw the closed look in Heero's eyes, and he knew that he'd fucked up. That was rare! he thought wryly. Or so everyone had always led him to believe. And he had no idea what he'd done wrong, except to be friendly as he always did. It had been the worst idea he'd had this year, to try to get to know this fucking man! "I'm pretty sure you're being damn offensive, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." He was almost snarling. "You need to get out more, Heero --" And the man opposite him seemed to snap. Duo saw the flare of fury in his eyes, and was shocked to find that it scared him. "You need to mind your own business! I work for you, that's all. You don't own me, prying into my life like this -- " "You can't talk to me like that!" breathed Duo, rather amazed. Where had this argument come from? "What -- so this is supper with the boss, after all? You want the official company speak that the others give you? That your sycophantic little assistant gives you?" "No, I didn't mean --" "That's not me," said Heero, firmly, pushing out his chair abruptly as he rose. He fumbled in his pockets, pulled out some bills and threw them down on the table. And left. "Tell me more about the matching program, Duo," she purred. Her hand fell on his thigh. He reflected wryly on how much more assertive she'd become since he first knew her. Reverting to type, Cal would have called it. He'd never liked her. "It's not something I discuss," he said, rather curtly. "It's copyrighted to Sparks, Amanda." "I know, I know. But what about the guys who wrote it? Are they working on anything new? I'm in need of an exclusive, sweetie, it's my middle name. You can tell me..." Duo winced at the 'sweetie'. "No, he's not got a new project yet, we've been discussing modifications to the core program, some work I've suggested there..." "He?" "Pardon?" "You said 'he', sweetie. Do you have only one analyst, Duo? Don't you think that a bit dangerous, for such a significant business?" "You're lecturing me on my business risk management now, Amanda?" "Ah, now, don't be so defensive! Perhaps you'll let me interview him, too, some time..." "I think not." "Just a few words, on how it is to be the nerd to the stars..." Her words were slurring slightly, she had leant forward over his lap. "Nerd? You have a very unpleasant turn of phrase sometimes, Amanda." Duo was half off his seat already. Amanda suddenly noticed the hard glint to his eyes. Those fabulous eyes! Damn, she thought, she'd drunk too much in her nervousness, and she'd let her tongue run away with her. How was she to know he'd feel so protective towards one of his damn staff? "Sorry, sorry... Duo, please. Look, I have a room up here, in the hotel. There's some champagne -- it's your favourite brand, I know it is. Remember? Let me apologise properly." She was waving the key fob in front of his face. "No thanks --" But suddenly, the woman had slumped forward on her stool, and he barely had time to catch her. "Amanda? Are you OK? Christ, woman, how much have you drunk?" Duo could see the barman hovering, he waved him away. "I have her, it's OK. She'll be fine." There was nothing he could do except see her safely back to her room. He couldn't let her lie here, embarrassed, abandoned. Even though she was obviously on something a little stronger than whatever was in that wine glass. What was she playing at? With a grunt, he lifted the unconscious Amanda, scooped
up her key, and set off for the hotel lift. "Turn, baby, turn around and come here -- I wanna suck you off --" He turned his body, fingers still fucking her, until his legs were either side of her head. He wondered briefly if he didn't prefer it that way, as it had become a strain to keep the passionate look in his eyes as she'd moaned and wept her way out of her clothes. Then there'd been his clothes coming off as well -- it was about then that he knew for certain that she hadn't been as unconscious as she'd acted. But she'd taken enough drink and probably drugs to give her a determination that wore down his resistance. She'd have him tonight, and who was he to say no? Like -- you've got something better to do? sneered the voice in his head. With someone better? He felt the heat of her mouth around his cock, and he was glad. Now he'd be able to respond, now they could just enjoy themselves; use each other and leave quickly. She was moaning around him, and he was glad he hadn't drunk more himself. He willed himself to full erection -- he needed to move this on. Gotta problem with this scene, Duo? his inner voice wheedled. Not quite the great and willing lover after all? He felt a sad, stealthy chill settle around him. He heard Amanda mumbling with pleasure, he saw the cool linen sheets underneath their naked bodies, creased with sweat and her grasping fists. He smelled her heavy perfume, could still taste the champagne that she'd insisted he drank. And yet every sense he had seemed to be dulled -- to be somewhere else other than this second-rate, expenses-paid hotel room. And somewhere else was -- of course -- where he wanted to be himself. At the last moment, as he groaned and shuddered with a painfully limp climax, there was another voice in his head. A far softer one -- a far more sympathetic one. This has got to stop, Duo Maxwell, it whispered. This
lifestyle has got to stop. Before you go mad with it. "Was there any trace?" "None," said Heero, barely opening his mouth. Duo looked at the way he held himself -- tight and defensive. He really disliked being here. With him, Duo. Had he always felt like that towards him, or was it a recent development? Duo was sure that he remembered a kinder time. He wanted to tell Heero Yuy to go to hell, and at the same time, he wanted to tell him to sit down while he fetched him whatever he wanted. He wanted to slap him, hard -- and he also wanted to take that skilful, thin fingered hand and press it inside his shirt, up against his nipples... Hell, he thought. Where did these thoughts come from? "Heero -- the other evening -- I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't mean to pry." "It's OK," said Heero, in a voice that stated the absolute opposite. Duo bristled. There wasn't much more he could do except apologise, was there? Just 'cos the man was paranoid! "OK, thanks for the update, you can go if you want. When will you be erasing the data on the test system? Cal keeps harassing me, he's sure he's gonna end up with the date from hell. Though 'praps he's actually looking forward to it --" Heero ignored his question. And he wasn't leaving, either. "There was one problem I found. In the system. I think we have a hacker." "Shit!" Duo was shocked it should happen -- it implied a high level of sophistication. He realised how much store he'd placed in Heero's abilities. And from the look on Heero's face, he was thinking the same way. "It's unforgivable, I know. Do you want my resignation?" "What?" Duo's face creased into incredulous laughter. "What for? If you go, who the hell's gonna sort it out?" Heero couldn't help himself -- he blushed at the implied compliment. Duo thought how cute it looked. And mentally slapped himself for inappropriate behaviour at work. "What do you suggest we do? What damage have they done?" "None, particularly. They were interested in interrogating the code, not malicious damage. Or not this time, anyway." "Industrial espionage? One of our competitors?" Heero refused to be drawn. "I don't know. But I'll find out. I will maintain the test system -- it may be required later." "Another firewall? Back up the data more regularly --" Duo was clutching at his IT knowledge, and it was slipping through his fingers like a greasy cable. He had a nasty feeling that he was trying to keep Heero in the office -- was trying to prove his worth to him, to prove he could understand what was at stake. It was, of course, useless. No-one knew systems like Heero Yuy. And Heero Yuy had no need of anyone else to know systems. "There is more work to be done on it. I'm passing my current work on to Keith and Lin. I will work on this full time until I've found out who it is and what they're after." "Thanks, Heero, for your commitment to this --" Heero stared at him as if he were deranged. Duo wondered how often he was gonna see that look this year -- it was too frequent for his liking. "This is my system at risk here, and my reputation. I wouldn't consider any other course." "The gender flag," said Duo, carefully. "Have you had a chance to look at what's involved? I'd hoped to launch the new version just after the stock market announcement, next week. I know it's not necessarily a priority now - " But Heero would not have accepted anything less. "I worked on it at the weekend. It's quite possible to include it as optional. It just dips into the database at an earlier stage. Lin can easily handle the background programming -- I can finish it off later. Will Friday be OK?" "More than OK," replied Duo, just as briskly. "Can we still use the system? Should we? We've had a great response this month, more new clients than usual. I'd like them to be the first batch on the new matching. But equally, I don't want any damn hacker getting too close a look..." "I will find the problem, Duo, or seal it off. The business can continue as usual. It won't affect the launch next week, I assure you." Duo gazed at the blank, harsh expression that Heero did so well, and wondered what control it took to block out emotion like that. Or perhaps the bastard never felt it in the first place... He despised himself for losing his own control, but he felt his mouth open and the words come out regardless. "We can have supper again, talk about it. Hey, things went a little awry last time, didn't they? But I enjoyed the evening a lot. We should do it again." Heero's eyes narrowed, but then they cleared to inscrutable depths. Duo remembered looking into them over the table the other night, marvelling at the hard vibrancy, the intelligence they showed. It was still there, but -- by God - he no longer felt it was welcoming. "Sure." And Duo knew that the single word was the firmest 'no'
he'd ever received. He'd lost any headway he'd gained with this man's
friendship, and he had no idea what to do to make it up. He wished he knew whether the change was a good or bad
sign. He'd left a search program running through the main system, and was casting a careful eye over the test module. Wondering how it might help him in his quest. Idly, he watched the data scrolling across the screen. This wasn't an area he was worried about, in either system -- the basic search worked well. The hacker wanted information at a much earlier stage. He knew what the hacker wanted! He wanted access to the complex matrix that Heero had programmed, that matched the requirements from the client against the profiles held on the database -- not only on a one to one basis, but with a sophisticated set of weightings and balances that he and Duo had developed between them. It was Heero's greatest achievement to date, and one he was rightly proud of. Duo seemed to understand the critical prioritising of the elements of a relationship -- Heero made the system recognise them automatically. Anyone who saw the couplings that Sparks brought together might be surprised -- but so many apparently incompatible pairs had found unexpected happiness that its unique approach couldn't be denied. He saw the lists of data he'd copied across from the live system, and also the data that had been collected from the office staff; the program rolling it all around in its mouth like a fine wine, and then spitting out the matches as each parameter clicked into place. He saw his own name appear and roll out of sight. He saw Patti's, he saw Cal's, he saw many others that he knew. He briefly toyed with the idea of manipulating Cal's to the nightmare match that the other man was dreading, but although it would be amusing, he would never do it. He had perfect respect for this system. It had almost grown into a life of its own as far as he was concerned, and sometimes he felt he was only the guardian, not the master. He saw Duo Maxwell's data spinning across. He saw a hiccup, a re-sorting, a happy enough click as the data slotted in with another's. He saw.... No -- that couldn't be! He tried to call back the data, but it had already scrolled on. He knew the only way to check if what he saw was true was to progress to the end of the program -- to ask it to make its standard Match report. The report that was so eagerly awaited by the real clients. The report that he had no desire to see at all. He groaned, and in an unusual fit of anger towards his
precious system, he abruptly shut it down. ~ * ~ |
