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"Halfway to Sublimity"Written By: Kaeru Shisho Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing
or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, male/male pairings, language Pairings: 1x2x1 Summary: When Duo moves to a new town on the river,
he meets a young man running the river and a rich boy who seems nice.
Maybe he'll settle down for awhile, or maybe not. "Halfway to Sublimity" Chapter Twenty A/N: I did not make up the "old bridge across the ocean" joke, but I modified it to death. Thanks go to 'Snow' and 'Water' for all the suggestions which improved this story. Duo and Heero's (POV) Duo took a lungful of crisp autumn air and tasted the wood smoke. He might have been a city boy, but he adored the out-of-doors, now that Heero was in his life. But this morning, thinking of Heero wasn't as pleasurable as usual. Duo had his reasons. For one, the least important reason, the day had begun with Commander Captain Yuy barking orders, while Duo-- reduced to Little Skipper Duo-- carried them out. Before they could leave the house, Heero insisted that Duo help him in the garden. Heero also stocked the fire for the tub. Love the hot soak; hate the garden. Duo debated whether the one warranted hours toiling in the other. That nice bath afterwards with an attentive boyfriend should have been the decisive factor for Duo. He was not in the mood for attentive Heero, or, to be more precise, a sex-starved, "must be on top" Heero, which was another reason, the more important one. Duo considered those grounds enough to explain his sentiments. He was not in the mood to get dirty either, and hung back, arms crossed, watching Heero work instead. It was a tantalizing view, despite his current locked-down libido. Lock in down, tie it up, drown it in the river or else be prepared to flop on his back and spread his legs-again. "Get to work, Duo and keep your eyes on task," Heero told him. "Then put your shirt back on!" Heero chuckled and fired off a tomato at him, plastering Duo's tattered shirt with a mushy blob. Duo scrambled about for a retaliatory dirt clod, braid flying and snapping in the air as he whipped about, but Heero leaped to action, snatched Duo's wrist, and hauled him into an embrace. Duo felt the slap of Heero's bare skin against his thin shirt a second before his unexpectedly playful boyfriend pushed a hand between them, unbuttoning as he went, and smearing the tomato onto his own skin. Then he rubbed and mashed their bodies together. "'Ro!" Duo growled. His body betrayed him by proudly responding to the sexual moves. Duo's protests turned to whimpers as Heero's tongue lapped off the remainder of the vegetable with more attention to pleasuring his lover's nipples than cleaning him. "God, 'Ro, if you don't stop we're gonna make a mess of the garden." "Oh, I've stopped. I just wanted to give you a sampling of what's yet to come." "Incentive?" "To finish, yes." "Got it. It, ah, works, sorta." "Hn," Heero grunted in what Duo thought was a far too self-satisfied manner. "I guess you can be lured into ripping out weeds for hours, and possibly anything, with a steamy soak as a promised reward." "Maybe I'm not that easy anymore." Duo knew he sounded petulant. His ass was still sore from the work out the night before and again first thing in the morning. Another round on the bottom was not settling well with him. Heero kissed his lips, very gently. "I'm sorry." "Yeah." Heero had announced the night before that he could not "bottom" for a while because he had injured his lower extremities in a fall while shooting the bad guys. Hearing that had been a disappointment. Duo liked switching positions, but he had not doubted Heero's word. Duo knew he was not making up the injury. Heero had to be in pain even to mention a disability, since he never complained about minor wounds. Duo understood, he had told Heero. Yes, he really did. It was okay. Heero had managed to keep his composure then; Duo had to give him that. He had not smirked knowingly at Duo's "tough luck," but Heero had not cried in his soup over having to be "the man" for an indeterminable amount of time either. Duo had accepted the situation as best as he could. He had flubbed breakfast, burning the eggs, and had snubbed the yard work, so far, but he had not complained. Not vocally. Not a word. Still, it was not fair. Duo liked trading off sex roles. He also had a niggling dread of becoming the "girl" in the relationship. "I'll let you 'top', sort of," Heero whispered. "I thought of a way." Oh, Heero, always with the contingency plan, Duo mused."You have? Really?" "Yes, really." This turn of events sparked Duo's curiosity and gave him the final enticement to finish with haste. "Well, what's holding things up here? Let's get this over with!" "Good. There's lots to do. Hoe between the rows, and look for the bugs eating the holes in the bean leaves." "Can do!" He let Heero handle the harvesting. He had snatched peeks at Heero selecting particular vegetables and fruits and placing them in a basket "for Hilde and Wufei." "No matter what other gifts they get, they'll both appreciate fresh food," he said. "Yeah. Are you done with that row yet?" "I'd rather watch you." "Hn." Duo took care to make the rest of his observations less obvious. Most of Heero's other pickings filled wooden boxes from the Watergardens. He and Heero had no time and even less skill for "putting up" food, but Rashid had assured them all the food would be properly stored or preserved for them. Quatre was awfully generous, Duo thought. He wouldn't mind learning to dry and can fruit and vegetables. It had always seemed like magic, opening a jar of summer peaches in the dead of winter. But, they had plenty of work demanding their attention and they were waiting for the invitation from governor Treize at any time. A call to his residence was their call to action, to steal the steam engine plans and get out safely. By the time that was all over, who knew what the fall out would be? The garden would be over and done with, though, and he just knew Heero would expect him out here again, breaking his back tearing it all up. Unless...? "You know, end of fall when this is all over and done with, we oughta tip-off Sheriff Trant about the bodies buried out here." "What are you talking about, Duo?" "Just think how fast he'd send out some of his boys to dig it all up! All that work done for us." "Duo..." "Okay, okay! I'll get to bug hunting for you." The work went fast, the undressing faster, and the slipping into the deep tub to soak even faster. "Hard work looks good on you," Duo told the bronzed God sharing his water. He felt Heero's dark lusty gaze rake over his own sturdy torso before submerging most of it under water. When Heero's voice cracked, Duo met his eyes. "You, t-too." "Oh, man," Duo groaned. "C'mere-" "This first." Heero closed the distance between them then turned Duo around and with careful tugs, loosened the braid, and released the streams of hair into the water. This was better than any dream Duo had ever had. Never, ever, ever, could he have imagined being loved by a man like Heero, living a life so perfect. "I'm the luckiest fucker alive," Duo said in a gasp as hands massaged his shoulders. A hard chest rubbed up against his back. "Yes, you are." A nose nuzzled his neck. "And you are going to get luckier because I can't sit in here. Too hard on my tailbone." "Oh, yeah." Duo rotated around and slid Heero onto his lap. "Better?" Heero parted his legs and wrapped them around Duo. The kiss in reply said "yes." "Hmm... new position." Duo said. Heero gripped both erections in one hand. Duo gasped at the unexpected sensation and nearly lost his hold on Heero. "That's real good, 'Ro." "Yeah. We look good together." Duo nearly lost it when he looked down to confirm what his excited nerve endings were signaling him. "Open me, Duo." His husky voice sent shivers down Duo's spine. When he guided Duo's hand to his opening, Duo understood what he had in mind. "This won't hurt you?" "I can ride you this way. As long as I keep my weight off the tailbone, I'm fine. Better than...fine...oh!" He wasn't actually "on the top," but Duo wasn't about to complain how things were turning out. "Duo! So...good." Duo's fingers were long and able to reach far inside his lover. He loved this. He loved making Heero squirm with pleasure, and cry out his name. "Now, fuck me now!" Heero ground out between clenched teeth. "God you're so hot inside," Duo said. In the privacy of their own home, the two lovers could fully express everything they suppressed when in public. They longed to touch, to kiss, and to share lingering looks. Sex was the final release of all that tension. They bathed again after their playtime then rushed to dress. "Take this shirt; it's cleaner." "Thanks, 'Ro, but it isn't my best color." "Best color?" Heero straightened his shoulders and stared Duo down. "That sounds just plain stupid." "Not really. Dark blue really looks better on you. Green for me-- or brown." He would have explained his color-skin tone theory further, but Heero was rolling his eyes and they were late. He just gave up and gave in. "Oh, okay. I'll wear it." Heero shook his head. "You have some odd notions." "Argh! My hair! It's dripping and... is that the door?" "I'll get it. You get dressed and," he reached for Duo's shoulders and lost his hands in waves of loose, sodden chestnut-colored hair, "calm down." "Yeah, yeah-" Duo grumbled. "It's just a party." Heero freed him, chuckling as he walked out of the bedroom. Duo yanked on pants and buttoned up the blue shirt all the while attempting to towel dry his hair. "No socks!" He heard Heero at the door exchanging words with a deep voiced man. Dropping to his hands and knees, he crawled about pairing up socks until an alarming voice boomed over his head. "Master Yuy is loading the carriage with packages. He asked if I might assist Master Maxwell." "A-ah! Oh, Rashid. It's you. Help me? Ah, well, no. Not unless you can fix hair. I'm okay putting on my own shoes and socks." "If you would sit, sir. I am an accomplished plaiter." Duo sat. "I don't know what that it, but I trust you not to make me look like a girl. Simple three part, low at the back of my neck... oh, that feels good." "Master Quatre finds a scalp massage relaxing. You seem tense." "Ummm. Do you think this color's good for me? I don't think so. I told Heero it's better on him, and I think he thinks I'm crazy of something, but I really look good in greens and browns, gold, too, but I haven't got a gold shirt. I did try on one of Quatre's yellow ones once, and it wasn't bad. He looks good in blue, but lighter blue than Heero, don't you think?" "You have a good eye for colors, sir." "Hey, thanks. You think you can explain that to Yuy?" "I don't believe so. What would like me to tie this off with, sir?" "I guess it's just a special talent I've got. It's a good thing 'Ro has me to keep him looking put together." Duo handed Rashid a thin strip of black leather just as Heero stuck his head in the room. "Duo, are you ready? That's a nice job, Rashid." "Thank you, sir. Is... Ruggles... accompanying us to Watergardens tonight?" "No, he's staying here to guard the pumpkins and corn from raccoons," Heero said. "Very good, sir." Rashid ferried them, their produce, and their wedding gift basket to the Watergardens, where they were late to the reception for Wufei and Hilde and Duo's braid wet, but beautifully braided. Both men arrived feeling relaxed, confident, and hand-in-hand. (o) Duo noted the positions of all the party goers. Relena was there, but this time without the homophobe, the Marquis Weiridge, who had accompanied her at the previous 'family' bash. With a sigh of relief, he led Heero on a weaving path by the "noshes" and then onward through the crowd to a tight knot of well-dressed people. Relena, Quatre, Trowa, and Colonel Merquise stood drinks in hand, talking. Duo parked himself near Heero, not quite touching, and listened. Bridge building topped the discussion, and Zechs was relating something of interest, from the looks on everyone's faces. "My biggest decision concerned materials. Apparently, the local white spruce is subject to decay-not recommended for piers or bridges. For an additional 30,000, I could use the long lasting yellow cedar, which was naturally resistant to decay. This comes from the far north where trade is rather dicey currently; making it too expensive for something that is not being built to last." Zechs Merquise caught Duo's eye. "Maxwell, you didn't leave with the circus? Rumor is they offered you a job." Duo smiled and shook his head, avoiding the topic. Trowa felt the need to speak, however. "Dey'll take juss 'bout anyone to muck out de cages." "Hey! They said I'd get to be a lion tamer!" "Dey tell dat tot all de clowns," Trowa said, laughing. Relena sailed over, jostling Heero's elbow and getting him to turn his way. "Hello, Mr. Yuy." "Miss Relena." "I hear you all went to the circus. How quaint! I heard the bareback riding was charming." Trowa nodded solemnly and silently. Duo, too, refrained from sounding off, letting Heero and Zechs handle the young woman. "There was some excitement over a few men shooting guns?" she asked. "A little," Heero said. "If that is something that interests you, I could shoot you?" Relena laughed. "You are so droll and far handsomer than a man should be. I wonder, could I persuade you to refresh my punch?" Heero did the unexpected, at least to Duo's mind, and dutifully went to the table to get her a cup of fruity drink. Without Heero to hold her attention, Duo watched Relena turn on Zechs. "Brother-dear? Are you back in town for awhile now?" "Only for the weekend. I have my ... project to see to. Oh, did I tell you, I'll be working with Dorothy Masson? You might remember her as Dorothy Catalonia; that was her maiden name before she married. You do remember her?" Zechs said. Relena forced a smile, as if she suffered from a mouthful of broken glass. "The laundry woman? Is that why she's here today? You want her working with you?" "Yes. So?" "So, what?" she shot back. "Nothing." "Plenty." "Really--?" "Shut up!" she shouted and stomped off in the direction of Heero. Had the bullet-spray of these responses been real ammunition, Zechs would have died where he stood. "Dere's two viewpoints to arguin' wit a woman. Neider one works," Trowa muttered. Duo checked his own laughter with the approach of Dorothy herself. "You shouldn't try and make her accept me." Dorothy warned Zechs of her presence with a touch to his elbow. "You heard? My apologies." "Okay," Duo put in, "I'm the new guy on the block so I'm not in on your soap opera. Wanna fill me in?" Dorothy spoke more to Zechs than to Duo. "Relena and I were the best of friends, but she has never forgiven me, you know." "For what? I have wondered what drove you two apart." "Hurting you." "Me? Impossible!" Zechs looked as if it were indeed impossible. "Didn't you know what happened?" "No, I was oblivious to anything not of the army. I was a dedicated young man." He reached out and touched her chin, tilting it up slightly. "Tell me." "Relena thought you and I were... more than friends. She was so certain our friendship had grown into something more." "She always was a romantic dreamer," Zechs said, smiling faintly. "It was a nothing short of an insult to the state when I left you to marry Tom Masson. She new nothing of my family's loss at the time or what that meant to my life; and Tom was a good man. There was a time when money and position didn't matter to her." "It doesn't, unless you haven't either," Zechs commented softly. "You always had that down-to-earth side to you. Relena did too, but then-" Dorothy sighed. "Of course, she is only your half-sister. It could have been worse." With that chilling pronouncement, Dorothy Catalonia-Masson turned and left. Zechs sighed and turned to Duo. "Ah, here comes your better half back, unscathed." He ignored Duo's nervous look. Same-sex-lovers was not a safe party conversation point, and Duo certainly didn't want to be at the hub of this one. Thankfully, Zechs had not meant for him to be either, and in his artful way changed the subject. "Now, you must have a good joke to tell." "Yeah, okay." Duo caught Heero's interested but unconcerned expression, and knew that he had parted from Relena without a scratch. Reassured that all was well, Duo launched into his treasure-trove of jokes. "So, this poor kid asks this rich dude to do him a favor and he'll grant him a wish." "This isn't going to be autobiographical, is it?" Quatre asked, arching an eyebrow in question. "Auto-what?" "About your life," Heero said. "Like real? Naw, made up stuff. Want me to tell this or not?" "Please, go on," Zechs encouraged. "Yeah, well this poor kid says he'll grant the rich dude a wish if he does him a favor first. The rich dude has nothing to lose so he agrees. The kid asks him to build a bridge over the ocean to the land on the other side. The rich dude laughs and says, 'That's impossible. Think of the logistics of that! How would the supports ever reach the bottom of the ocean? Think of how much wood it would take! The danger! Really, that's quite impossible.'" "De rich dude, he has a point." "Shh, Trowa, Duo looks put out. We shouldn't interrupt him." Duo paused to glare at them both before continuing. "The kid, being tough and used to adversity all the time, just shrugged it off. You get used to deprivation after awhile." "You said it wasn't 'bout you," Trowa insisted. "Maybe it's about you. Ever think of that, doofus?" Duo said. "Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. 'Don't be that way,' the rich dude said. 'Ask for something else that maybe I can do for you.'" "Not even a bad rich dude, see?" Trowa whispered as he made room for Wufei and Hilde to join the group. "Who's rich?" Hilde piped up. "Shh," Quatre warned her. "Duo's telling a story, er, joke." Hilde sent a smile Duo's way. "By all means don't let us interrupt." "And the poor kid, he said, 'Well, okay. My wife always says that I don't care and that I'm insensitive. So, could you come over for dinner and talk to her? Help me understand her, how she feels inside and what she's thinking when she's giving me the silent treatment or she's crying. I'd really need to know what she wants when she says "nothing" so I can make her happy.'" "What would you know about women, Duo Maxwell?" Hilde asked. "Don't matter," Trowa said. "He said it ain't auto-bio-graphical." "I know plenty!" Duo insisted. "I lived with you for years, Hilde." "Oh, no... dis is bad, now." "Oh for goodness sake," Wufei huffed. "You don't think I'd worry about Hilde and him, do you?" Duo laughed. Hilde flung back her head and cackled in a most unladylike, but joyful manner. They all joined in, laughed, and diffused any tension that might have been building in the group. Quatre was the first to speak. "Duo, please, I want to know how the story turns out." "Absolutely," Zechs agreed. "Enlighten us, please." "Well, twist my arm, heh, heh... Anyways, while the poor kid was explaining his problem, the rich dude was getting all red in the face and flustered like. When the kid was finished, the rich dude just blurted out, 'You want that bridge two lanes or four?'" "Oh, ho!" Zechs laughed aloud. "My bridge building woes pale when compared to your everyday problems. Thank you ... Lord Maxwell, for putting this all into perspective for me." "Hey, Duo!" Hilde jabbed him in the ribs to get 'his lordship's' attention. "What's that, Mrs. Chang?" her claw-like fingers gripped his arm and he found himself being dragged off to the side. "Where we going?" "Not far. Oooh, say that again, sweetie. It's so smart-sounding." "What's that?" Duo said, teasing her. "Silly boy. I just wanted to talk to you alone for a second. Oh, lemme give you a big hug. There, now. Just look at us old crazy Sweepers at this fancy party!" "You are glowing, Hilde. And married. Man, it's hard to believe how things have changed in just six months." "Amazing, yes. You were so lost and scrawny." "I'm fat now?" "You're built, honey. You've got shoulders most men would weep for. You're all tan and filled out and handsome. Look at you blush! And you have that someone special, too, don't you?" "Yeah, 'Ro's the best. I couldn't have dreamed up a more perfect man to come into my life." "Why, that was the most romantic thing I've ever heard you say. My, my, your man must be good for you. Mine sure is." "'Fei? He's a character all right. But you can trust him. He'll never dishonor you. A square shooter." "Straight arrow." "Straight and hard-assed." "What do you know about my man's ass?" "Nothing! Nothing!" Duo nearly wrenched his neck in his mad scramble to see if Wufei was standing nearby, sharpening his sword. "Ha, hahaha! Honey, he didn't hear us, but here he comes now to remove me from your clutches." She leaned in and whispered. "He doesn't trust you with me, you know. I told him I once had a little crush on you and-" "You told him that? Man, no wonder he gives me those 'I'm gonna gut you in your sleep someday' looks." "Oh, you always have been a sensationalist, dear. He'd do nothing of the sort, unless you gave him cause, which you wouldn't. So don't worry. Let's go join the others." "Geez... fine." He wore his most innocent look as they approached Wufei, and in return, he received a look that would curdle cream. Hilde, unconcerned, continued talking to him as they entered the circle of their little group of friends. "Duo, I got to thinking; remember that old Sweeper's joke, about the bridge in the desert?" "Shit, yeah. Mostly, anyway. Wanna share the telling of it?" "Please, do," Zechs put in. "The real thing is threatening to bury me in scaffolding. I need something to think of to lighten the load." "I suggest an improved support structure," Quatre said. Smiling, Zechs asked, "Are we still talking about construction or have you moved on to personal issues?" "Both. The latter. Your choice. I had a lesson to learn of my own about who to trust and how to build a circle of friends I could count on." "You question my judgment choosing friendships?" "Treize Khushrenada for one." "Whatever could you mean? I thought I explained that one. I'm a principled man of quixotic nature, haven't you noticed?" "Colonel Merquise, You're good at impersonating rarefied intellectuals. I don't know where you get it." Zechs studied Quatre a moment. "That wasn't really a compliment, was it?" "That's why I use you." "I'd rather hear 'That's why I pay you.'" "Oh, come on. You're too rich already." "Sometimes I wish I weren't." "Rich?" "Yes." "No, you don't." "You're right; I don't." "Are you two done already?" Hilde squawked with impatience. Wufei chuckled at the clever repartee. It seemed that with Hilde glowing on his arm, nothing could bother Chang Wufei, so Duo smiled, too. Zechs and Quatre obviously had a history together and yet maintained an uneasy camaraderie. "Forgive me again, my lady," Zechs said. He added a gracious bow, which smoothed her ruffled feathers. "All right, then, ah, it starts with the folks from L2 being upset because of their bad reputation," Duo started. "A group of them got together and approached a conference of other folks from L3, L4, and L5, and asked for help," Hilde said, trading off. "They didn't ask the dudes from L1 because their reputation wasn't so hot either." "Worse, even," Heero grumbled and exchanged insolent smiles with Duo. Hilde took over, "The L3'er replied, 'You must do something so the world will respect you'-succinct and to the point, you see. And, the L4 representative said, being very polite and sensitive. 'I'm so sorry! We are known for our technology and the L3'ers are known for their resourcefulness. We have the world's respect. The must be some way for you--'" "The L5 dude said that they had everyone's respect because of their big swords," he met Wufei's widening eyes with a wink, "and because they housed the greatest libraries, or something." "What he told the man from L2 was that they needed to do something world-famous to gain respect. Tell it right, Duo-dear." "Sure thing, Mrs. Chang. Okay, so, the L4'er had more to say and was great with plans, naturally, so he said, 'Yes, he's right. Why don't you find a place in this world in need of a bridge that no one has dared build, build it, build it big and bad, and then come back to us, and we will help publicize it.'" Duo had pitched his voice higher and said the lines in an over-dramatic voice that set Quatre to laughing hard. "With that, the L2'er set off to build his bridge. He designed it, worked six months, and finally completed it. He then dutifully returned to report it to the conference. The bridge was a beautiful bridge but it had one flaw: it had been erected in the middle of the L4 desert." "Dat's one hellova flaw." "No shit!" Duo chuckled. "Anyway, the know-it-all L5'er said, 'No, no. See, that is why you have your bad reputation. There is no need for a bridge in the middle of the desert. Now go and dismantle it, and find a more strategic spot to erect it.'" "Well educated," Wufei said under his breath. "Eggheads," Duo repeated with emphasis. Hilde raised her voice over the others. "The L2 dude left, but then returned to the conference only two weeks later. The L3'er said, 'Two weeks! It only took you two weeks to dismantle that bridge and build a new one? That is amazing!'" "To which the L2 dude replied, 'Well, not exactly. When we returned to the bridge we couldn't dismantle it because there were all these Sanq officials fishing off it.'" That set off another roar of laughter, Zechs the loudest. "I had a question." Heero cleared his throat to get his attention. "At the circus, just before we went home, the circus manager said something. I wonder what you know about the L3 border wars." "Those occurred before he was in the army, certainly," Wufei cut in. "According to the history books-" "Pardon me, but whatever the books say, it is wrong. Treize told me about it. There was a local revolt due to a sudden rise in taxes. Mercenaries were called in." "Dekim Barton." "Yes, Heero. He was the leader. Treize hired him to carry out orders where the Sanq army wouldn't go." "You mean where it was expedient but didn't look good politically to go in and kill demonstrators against the state," Quatre said. "It could be looked at in that manner. I wasn't there at the time, being five years old at best, possibly as old as eight, and he didn't tell me everything behind all his decisions." "So," Heero said. Duo watched as he and Trowa communicated with their eyes. "Approximately sixteen years ago, Treize Khushrenada hired Dekim Barton and his mercenaries to put down an insurgence along an L3 border, a bloody one most likely." "Many civilians of L3 were killed, yes." Trowa spoke up. "I would have been about de right age fo when Dekim got me. Cat'rine says she was juss a chil' o'seven or so when she remembered an attack and her folks killed and baby bro' taken away. Dat was in de L3 sector, or so de tale she spun went." "That shouldn't be too hard to investigate," Wufei said. "There are court records of births and marriages. If you and Catharine are related, or not, you can find your true name and heritage." Trowa shrugged uncaring. "I am who I am." "But don't you see? You may have other family, a home to go back to," Quatre cried out. "Wouldn't you like to know?" "I have a home, now, and dis is it." Duo's knees weakened at the heated gazes shared between Trowa and his lover. "I figured you understood dat when I gave up smoking." "For you" was insinuated, but not said aloud. "Yes." Quatre's smile lit up the room. "But it is so good to hear you say that. Now, then, I ought to be a proper host and propose a toast to the newly wed couple! Does everyone have a glass? Rashid, please see that there's champagne to go around." His was the first of the toasts. Many more followed. Matrimony was a joyous occasion and it was time to surround Wufei and Hilde with warm wishes from dear friends and supporters. Duo thought that Quatre over his drink limit and was a little tipsy. He kept leaning on Trowa, giggling and pawing him. Trowa took it well, smiling and providing his boyfriend a firm support. When Quatre called for another round of drinks, Duo wondered if he should chance getting smashed. "I have an announcement!" Quatre chortled. Oh God, no... don't say anything you'll regret! "Trowa, stop him," Duo begged, but the Cajun shrugged his shoulders resigned to deal with whatever fall out there might be. "Not everyone here's as tolerant as Wufei or Zechs if he's gonna say something about you guys, you know?" "Juss chill, mom ami." "Chill?" "I can't use yer L2 slang?" Before Duo could reply to that, Quatre was bubbling over with his news. "It is my duty to tell you all that my former engagement to Miss Claire is formally dissolved. Now, no need for sorrow. She was just another in a long line of failures. Why, I could fill a ballroom with my rejects!" "Speaking as one, you have had this very room overflowing with your castoffs before, haven't you?" That Relena was the one to say this, shocked Duo, but that she laughed, really laughed as she said it just plain amazed him. The mood lightened as everyone joined in the joke, teasing Quatre a little about his "tough luck" even though the adoring look on his face whenever he looked into Trowa's eyes made it plain that he would "pull through" just fine. They were into another round of toasts and listening to one of Duo's longer stories, when a messenger arrived for Master Winner. "What is it?" Wufei asked. "I recognize the governor's crest on the paper." "You are right," Quatre said. "Looks like this is it, Duo; you and Wufei are cordially invited to a dinner party. We have only one week to prepare and then you have a two-day trip by horseback." After that pronouncement, the tone of the festivities changed. Serious business ahead meant there was little time for parties, so they made the best of what little they had. The significance of the invitation passed over Relena's head and Dorothy was not at all sure why a summons to the governor's residence resulted in such solemnity. "I'll need more champagne after hearing that," Wufei said, summarizing most everyone else's feelings. The next time Duo felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Quatre and not Hilde. "What's up, Quat?" "I just wanted you to know how much I admire your courage. Going up against Khushrenada..." "Damnit, Quat, I'm not doing this all alone." "I know, and I want you to know, ahhh..." Quatre faltered, " Oh! Yes, I want you to know that I'll get you out no matter what. A-and don't take any chances. Nothing is worth your life." "You're not just saying that because you think 'Ro would shoot you if I didn't make it back?" Duo tacked on a smile to show he meant it as a joke, sorta. Quatre swayed, and Duo wondered how much champagne Quatre had swigged back. "Oh, of course not." Quatre's blush covered his face and Duo could feel the heat of it from where he stood. "I-I really like you, Duo." "Well, ah..." Duo wasn't sure what to say to that, especially when Quatre followed that up with a chaste kiss to his cheek. When Duo wasn't fast enough with a snappy retort, Quatre blasted him with the cornflower blue of his eyes. "Don't you love me?" "Ah, sure, Quat. You're close as a bro." "Oh, good. I really care about you and want you to be happy. That's just soooo much more important in the long run, don't you agree?" "Um, yeah. Friends and family, if you've got one, that just can't be beat." "It's just that I've been so lonely and now I have all these friends and a lover. Did you know I have a lover?" "O-kay. I can see you've had way to much to drink. Let's get you up to your room." "Yes. I should go to bed. Will you take me?" Not on your life! Duo called for help and Trowa was at his elbow in an instant. Zechs Merquise, a practiced party closer, called an end to the party and helped shuttle everyone out the door. Wufei, Trowa, and Heero had set the time and agenda for their upcoming departure, so the couples sorted themselves out and parted, pleasantly intoxicated. (o) For Heero and Duo, the next few days meant many bittersweet moments. They planned to work, to haul freight, earning more cash, spending time together, and gathering what they would need for the trip ahead. Who knew when the next stretch of peaceful time together would be? "Duo, we bought Ruggles a dog collar so we could leash him properly to the boat and take him with us sometime. Let's do it." "Fine by me, Cap'n. C'mere you mangy dog. No, don't bite the collar. Hold still. Grr." "Is that you or the dog growling?" "Both. I'm lettin' him know who's boss." "Oh? And that is...?" "Me. There! Got. It. On. Now, don't you look sharp, Rug-face?" "You are talking to the dog." Heero smiled and packed another bag of food into the wooden crate If they didn't eat out, they'd save money. "You talk to him, too, when you don't think I'm listening." Heero shook his head and continued packing and cleaning the kitchen. "Yeah, you do. And that's okay. No one knows how smart Ruggles is. Ruggles is too smart by half, smarter than the goats he watches over, but then that only takes half." "Duo, shut up, get his leash on, and help me load the boat." "Aye, aye, Cap'n!" The river wound through miles of pretty scenery, neither grand nor majestic, but just pretty. The hills billowed. They were all wooded, and as autumn had set in, the larch and the birch were only green in sheltered hollows. On the crests they were a mass of burnished gold, with here and there a splash of deep crimson, as though the sun had given them a hurried kiss in passing. Sometimes, when there was depth, the water swirled beneath scarped and grey rock, with mosses and flowers in the crevices. Ruggles barked at the rushing water, at the birds flitting overhead, and at the fish visible but out of reach. Heero and Duo overtook great rifts of tied timber, a hundred yards along, floating on the stream, and kept in mid-channel by three giant oars at each end. Duo raised a hand in greeting, recognizing one of the Sweepers at an oar. The wood was allocated for building the superstructure and wooden trusses for the Peacecraft bridge over the Rogue River. Six giant piers, spaced equally apart, segmented the river. Rude words and curses had already been carved into several of the uprights. The bridge project was not adding to the colonel's popularity. Currents and eddies flowed around the timbers as they sailed past. "Six spans built already!" Duo shouted. "It will be more than halfway done before we go to Khushrenada's." "We? Quatre doesn't want you involved. Too many cooks and all that." "I know and it doesn't matter. Trowa's going and I'll bet Quatre watches his back. I sure as hell won't let you walk into the lion's den with a scholar and a clown as protection." "So you're the lion tamer now, eh?" Duo's smile spread. "You know that's the job I wanted, don't you?" "Why else would I have mentioned it?" "Tease." "Sexy." "Hot." "Beautiful." "Mine." "Mine, too," Heero agreed. "Ugh, Ruggles, stop licking me! Dogs have no business on boats. Whose idea was it to bring him along?" "That would be yours, Cap'n, sir. And we'd better take it to shore or we'll need to scrub the desks of doggy-doo." "Idiot... and I meant myself." This time when they passed the inlet at the southern terminus of Serendipity, they noticed a Sweepers craft quartering the river, guarding the entrance. Quatre Winner's steamboat company appeared well protected. Heero and Duo waved as they passed. "We should stop into the White Fang. We haven't in ages and it's got that pale ale we like. Would you like that?" Heero asked. "Yip!" "He wasn't asking you, you smelly, ratty little dog," Duo said to the dog sweeping the deck with his wagging tail. "You stay on board and guard the fur." "Yip!" "Yeah, thought you'd like that." "Yeah, that would be a great way to cool off, 'Ro." After that, the day was short because they worked constantly without a break loading and unloading pelts and tobacco for transport back to Sublimity. Whenever Duo looked up, Heero had at least one eye on him. He would smile and look away, but his eyes would be back moments later. Heero never let him out of his sight, Duo noticed. Duo thought Heero was still afraid he would run off to join the Sweepers or the circus or just leave him. He did not know how to undo that assumption; Heero probably did not either. Maybe with time he would prove his reliability. They had packed their dinner and later they slept on the boat. The Sweepers would have put them up, but Duo wanted to sleep with Heero in his arms. He knew their easy days working the river together were numbered. He could count them on one hand, the days before he and Wufei left. Oh, and Duo knew Trowa, Heero and Quatre would follow, but it would not be like this. "Put your arms around me and hold me, 'Ro." "Always. We'll find a way for it to be always. I promise." (o) Late the next morning they headed back north, pausing only for a quick midday bite and for a brief stopover at Tumbletown. Before this trip, Heero had spoken to Quatre and Wufei, but it had been Hilde who gave him the best ideas as to what to do for Duo. If he was lucky, Quatre had the biggest surprise built and installed. If he was luckier, Hilde and Wufei had made the other purchases and stowed them in the house. And fed the cat. "In a hurry?" Duo asked Heero. "Woof!" "Ruggles, sit!" "He wants to give to kisses. Like me, that way." "I like yours. His are all tongue and smell like rotten fish." "You are in a hurry, aren't you?" "Yes. Remember when I asked you about your birthday?" Heero asked. "Not really. Oh, yeah, I don't have one and you said you'd share yours with me." "Duo, don't look so, I don't know, wary." "I don't not want to look too interested in case it was just a joke." "I wouldn't joke about a thing like that. I know you hate disappointments." "So, you're serious? Is that today? Is today your birthday? You didn't think to tell me earlier so I could get you a surprise?" "I said it would be in fall. Don't worry. You'll have plenty more birthdays to surprise me. This one's for you, since you never had one. All right?" "Jeez, 'Ro. Yeah, I guess." "When we get home we will celebrate our birthdays." "It'll be dark before we get home," Duo said. "I miss that about summer. The long days." The sun set in a purple haze, making the river a sheet of claret. Then a biting chillness sent Heero and Duo to hunt out their heavy coats. Night was born with a rich blueness, and the pale crescent of a moon came up from behind the Sanq Kingdom hills, but sank in an hour, just as they poled into the cove and their boathouse. Heero's nervous energy transferred to Duo and Ruggles. The instant the familiar dock appeared. Ruggles started whining and biting his rope. Heero untied him and the dog leaped to shore, dashing into the gloom on the path to their house. "Yip, yip!" "Heero grabbed one bag of clothes and threw it over his shoulder. Duo hefted the leftover food bag and joined hands. They ran to the house, lanterns swinging, flames flickering, dimming cautioning them to slow down. Duo's winked out, but not before he reached the front porch. There hanging from thick chains was a wood swing. Brightly colored pillow cushioned the seat, a fine, wool blanket strewn over the back offered the final, warm touch. "Heero! Look! Is this--? Did you--? Wow! This is so cool!" "You like it?" "You got us a porch swing for our birthday! I love it! "Almost too late." "But it'll be here for next summer and we can use it then. And the one after that and the one after that and-" "Forever." "Yeah." "So, you like it, huh?" Heero grinned. "Well, if you like this, then I think you'll like what's inside." Duo fumbled with the doorknob. "You got me more?" "Us." Duo gave the door a final shove and pulled Heero and his lantern inside. "Where?" "Look in the bedroom." Duo took the lantern and rushed through the front room. Ruggles danced around Heero's feet then darted past him, following Duo and barking in excitement. Lucifer hissed from the comfort of the barely glowing fireplace. Wufei must have added a few logs that morning when he dropped off the gifts, Heero thought. He would have to thank him for all the kindnesses he had done for him over time-something very special. Duo shouted and Ruggles barked form the room, and then Duo appeared holding up his arms to display the gifts. "How cool is this? Matching black leather pants!" Heero was not sure which he wanted to see first: Duo in them or out of them. Duo made his mind up for him. "Let's try them on!" "How about let's strip?" "Yeah, then try'em on." "Then take them off, really, really fast...." "Yeah? You'll have to rip them off my dead-'Ro! Hands off!"
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