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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 Five Heero POV The antics of the others provided Heero with ample entertainment. Wufei's snobbery and short fuse were set off by Duo's lack of respect and crude charm. Quatre surprised him with his kindness and compassionate intelligence as he adeptly steered the conversation onto safer topics before Duo's teasing pushed Wufei too far; he also kept the liquor flowing. Duo had monopolized most the conversation up to that point. "I say that having any kind of a friend's better'n having one's ass in a sling... and for another thing-- I do not lie, remember that." "Can't you speak in a normal tone of voice?" Wufei asked. "We all have excellent hearing. "'Fei, you are such a kvetch, know that?" "Oh, stop with the lingua franca, would you?" Wufei drawled. He looked where his own empty glass rested, shifted his eyes to stare at the untouched brandy an arm's length away, Heero's, reached, snapped it up, and drained four ounces of Sanc's finest in one fiery gulp. It was his third. Duo arrested the delivery of the brandy snifter to his lips, the golden liquor slopping dangerously close to overflowing the brim. "Huh?" "He means," Heero translated, "tone down urban the lingo." "It is a little outré'." Quatre bent over his brandy and hid is smile. "Outre? Winner, he's goes far beyond the limits of--" "'Fei, you are such a menche." "Fiat Justitia, which for the under-educated means," Wufei poured another couple fingers of brandy into his glass, "Let justice be done." "L'chaim!" Duo offered as a toast, and then he and Wufei tossed back the remainder of the brandy. "This conversation has deteriorated. What we need is an after dinner walk," Quatre announced. "Fine with me," Duo agreed. "Before it's dark, I'd like to see the improvements Heero and Duo have made to the cabin," Quatre said. Heero was already standing. Wufei impressed him by how well he could stand and walk after consuming so much alcohol. He told him so. "I had no wine at dinner," Wufei said with a sly smile, "so I am quite sober." He would have been more convincing if he hadn't swayed, but Heero didn't argue and led the way outside. "The goats," Duo reminded Heero. "We oughta take'em home. I'll go fetch'em." He was about to take off in the wrong direction, when Quatre grabbed Duo's coat sleeve. "Wait up. Why not leave the goats here? Todd can care for them more easily since he lives on the property. There are other animals to keep them company and a safe barn for lodging." "Thank you," Heero said, relieved to be rid of the animals. "Yeah, that's really nice of ya, Quat, but yuh see, Ruggles is kinda attached to them." "Ack!" Heero nearly strangled Duo at that moment. "Then the dog can stay, too. Duo, this is perfect and very generous. You were concerned about wild animals attacking the goats. They'll be safe here." And in case logic didn't move Duo, Heero imbued his blue glare with hopeful pleading, and it worked. Duo kind of melted, or at least his resolve did. "Okay, goats stay. It'll be better all around. You'll tell Todd about the change?" "Yes, in the morning," Quatre said. "You can collect everything on your way to the market on Saturday. I'd join you, but I have a standing appointment that takes me out of town." "You're a hellava stellar, class act, Quat-man," Duo said. He wavered on his feet unsure of which direction was home. "Thank you, Duo." Quatre's arm snaked around Duo's waist to steer him on the right path, and Duo looked triumphantly over his shoulder at Wufei. He got a blistered glance in return. "I thought so," Heero heard Chang mutter as he, too, passed him up. Did Chang think Quatre and Duo were forming an "attachment", Heero wondered. Quatre continued chatting as they led the way off the slate walkway to a rougher gravel one, although just as even-surfaced. Heero didn't like Quatre's arm still holding Duo, but he couldn't say anything. Duo wasn't "his" and the arm was connected to the land's richest guy and a good soul who had opened his home to them. So, he just watched as Duo reciprocated with a friendly arm over Quatre's shoulders. Heero fervently wished that he could be as casual and drape an arm about Duo that way. Why shouldn't he? He was living with the man, closer than Winner-why not? He knew the answer, though. He was waiting, probably stupidly and he knew that too, for Duo to make the first move that suggested theirs was something more than a deep friendship. Well, that was, apparently, a dim-witted thing to do. Still, he didn't know what moves he should make and not jeopardize their special camaraderie with too intimate a gesture. He wasn't even sure what intimate gesture Duo would like or even permit, if any! Well, Winner seems to know what's all right! He could see that Duo liked the contact from Quatre, which was to be expected, if... Duo was homosexual-- maybe. Or... Duo was touchy-feelly type, except around him. Heero didn't like that conclusion. He decided he should be open and tell Duo how he felt about him, but could he do that? Who was he trying to convince? The last person he had opened up to was Relena, and she never spoke to him again! Not... yet. Heero moaned at his ineptitude. He had never before sought out personal contact. Or even thought he wanted it. Until now. And now he lacked the words, the timing, and to be honest the courage to say anything. Even testing the words out in his own head made him cringe. Oh, by the way, since Winner brought it up and all, I'm attracted to men- you in particular. Is that all right with you? His mouth dried as his spit and will power were wicked away by his fear and the summer heat. There just had to be a better way, he decided. Heero kept to the rear guard position, ever mindful of ruffians and thieves prowling the forested avenues, even in the still-light summer evenings, and pondered the situation. They followed the winding path past a line of hawthorns just out of flower and into a glade of maple trees newly leafed out in fresh bright greens. The carefully manicured path deteriorated into a narrow trail down through the back property, a mixed forest of hardwoods and fur trees. Heero felt a wave of relief roll over him when the other two young men had to part and walk single file. "I haven't gone this way since I was a little boy," Quatre told them. "I wasn't sure if it was overgrown and gone." "Where does this end up?" Heero asked. "Boathouse, right?" Duo asked. "I got a good sense of direction, plus I've seen a couple worn paths around there." "A couple? I only knew of the one. Are you sure it isn't a deer path?" Duo shrugged. "I'm no tracker, but it looks like human foot prints." Quatre smiled. "I'm sure it's just the games keeper then, tracking poachers or wildcats." Heero thought back to the "creature" he'd not chased out of Duo's orchard. It had fled into the forest back of the cabin. Heero decided to go hunting soon before the animal started hunting one of them. In another moment, the cabin was sighted. In light of the grandness of the Winner Watergardens estate, the tiny fishing hut looked shabbier than ever. Still, when they reached the front porch, Quatre applauded the color choices, his, and admired the repair work. "Heero's great at repair and you chose the paint, Quat, so no wonder you like it!" Duo said with a laugh. Quatre and Heero ended up in the pantry where Heero proved all the pests were gone. "There were mice everywhere," Quatre said with a shiver. "I can't believe how much nicer the place is now. You've done a wonderful job fixing it up." Wufei followed Duo into the house, counting the rooms, and examining the interior carefully. "Small. If two people enjoyed living out of each other's pockets, it would be a pleasant arrangement-- and with the right companion, the right woman, if you are so drawn. Wonderfully cozy." "Guess so," Duo said, stringing out the sound, Heero thought, to buy him thinking time. "But you are sharing this with Yuy." "That's right." "You say you don't lie, so tell me the truth." Heero could hear the belligerence, could feel the Chang's eyes boring into Duo even though the two men were at the door to the bedroom and he and Quatre were in the kitchen. Those eyes reminded him of the shiny button eyes on a teddy bear he'd once found-a sad memory. His thoughts were torn back to the present by Chang's next question. "Are you attracted to men?" The question stopped him cold. He hadn't expected him to make a direct attack, especially since Chang was such a women-hater or possibly, Heero believed, partial to men over women himself. Duo's answer was oblique and defensive. "I like all kinds of people. I like animals, too. What'sit to you?" "I like to know what kind of men Winner's befriending. Gold diggers abound. So, are you homosexual and making a play for Winner or--?" "Man, am I crazy, or did you just insult me with a very personal question?" Wufei tipped his chin up. "Which question do you want me to answer first?" Heero made a move to contain the fight he imagined about to begin, but Quatre stopped him. "I think they are getting along splendidly," Quatre whispered to Heero from the kitchen. "Wufei can be a little prickly." Like barbed wire around a post, Heero thought, but said nothing because wanted to hear Duo's answer to Wufei's question. He craned his neck and just grunted, "Hn." "Don't worry. Wufei is over-protective," Winner told Heero. "He won't try to damage anyone's reputation." "Hn." Heero leaned further towards the opening to the front room. "So you're a teacher and a comedian," he heard Duo say, chuckling. "I'm a scholar, forced to do...penance in this...backwash country," Wufei said defensively. "But this isn't about me. I'm asking about you." "Oooh, whatcha do? Leave a pretty little thing in the lurch?" "Just the opposite." "You knocked up some rich old hag?" "Of course not! You are deliberately missing the point. I was only fourteen at the time and... uninterested. And... Meiran was quite pretty and stronger than most women. Most are weak, stupid, manipulative, and marrying one is pointless." "Fourteen? That is young to have your ass in a crack. Still, outcasting you for that seems a bit stiff." "I said it was a penance; I was not 'outcasted.' I can go back, someday. Under different circumstances." "Like marrying the girl of their dreams. That's harsh, man. 'Course there's no telling what the future may bring, right?" "In a manner of speaking, there is." "Oh, yeah? Any way you say that sounds meshuga." "Perhaps we should ask Mr. Winner to tell you your fortune?" Wufei said. "Huh?" Duo could hardly wait. "You know he's clairvoyant. A seventh sense he says he has." "Seven? Not even six are enough for Quatre Winner? Heh, heh, heh... I'll bet he can fly off roofs, too." "Don't be stupid. Being clairvoyant has nothing to do with flying and everything to do about perceiving things beyond the range of normal people." "So does flying off roofs," Duo maintained and skipped off to join the others. "But I'm not the one 'half a bubble off plumb' here," he chortled, leaving Wufei to parse that. "I know Wufei comes off sounding a bit misogynistic," Quatre told Heero. "He actually does have a woman friend." "Just a bit? I'm sure he has his reasons." Heero thought back to Relena and how she'd abandoned him when he most needed a friend. He could identify with any number of grounds for Chang's disinterest and distrust in women. "He's all right. You'll see as you get to know him." "Like you," Heero said. "Me? You think I'm all right? That's gratifying and refreshing. I've been curious about you for a long time. I was too afraid to approach you." "I'm approachable." Quatre laughed. "So is a cougar, I'm told, but that doesn't mean I'm going to offer one my hand to gnaw on." The corner of Heero's mouth twitched and he sniffed. "I don't bite." "Then that gun you carry at all times is just for decoration?" Heero drew in a stiff breath of air and felt the tension in his shoulders pull his vest taut across his back. When had Winner seen that, he wondered? He kept the gun well hidden. "No." "Point made, then," Quatre said with a slick smile. Duo and Wufei joined them in the front room, filling the space. "So we wanna update the outhouse and laundry. I'll show ya." Wufei listened, paced off the dimensions, and performed a few mental calculations. "What about plumbing? Certainly the kitchen drains into a sewer or septic system." Duo shrugged. Heero entered the lean-to and examined the laundry tub. "This drains into a pipe, probably the same one. We'll investigate later. Why is it important?" "The outhouse can be converted to an indoor toilet. I would have to consult some house design books," Wufei said. "We were thinking of checking out the library in town," Duo said. "Quatre has a better library than the town." Wufei shot Quatre an inquiring look. "Yes, I'll gather all the architecture books I can and bring them over," Quatre said. "No, no, don't bother," Wufei waved him off. "I'll need to study them anyway. We'll go back together tonight. I know what I'm looking for." There was no way they could dissuade Wufei from pursuing this new cause, not that Heero wanted to lose his valuable expertise. Chang had the mathematics background and schooling to make sense of the plans and scholarly texts. Duo offered their guests coffee, but they politely turned him down. The next day was a working day for them all, and, besides, Wufei wanted to dive into the project immediately. He and Quatre said their goodbyes and left. When Quatre and Wufei had disappeared down the path, Duo leaned against the door jam and exhaled loudly. "Man." "Enjoy yourself?" "Yeah. Ya know what?" "What?" "I am so glad we bought those new clothes and bathed before going over there." Heero agreed, but wasn't sure if he understood the great significance it seemed to have for Duo. "Why?" "Well, normally I'd go pretty long without a bath." Heero understood what living on the run or in group camps meant for personal hygiene. "Yeah." "So when we walked into Quatre's place, you know, he's so clean-'Fei, too. Squeaky. They smelled like flowers and spices!" Relena wore floral scents, too, Heero remembered. "Rich people wear perfume," he concluded. "No shit." "You'd expect them both to be clean. They don't even get their hands dirty at the kind of work they do." Heero reached for Duo's hand before thinking of reasons not to, and turned it over. "This is a hand that knows tools and weight. It might not be groomed and soft, but it's an honest hand." When he looked up, Duo's violet blues eyes were wide, searching his, and possibly in awe. A tingle of excitement made the hair on his arms stand up. He was rubbing his thumb over a calloused knuckle and couldn't quit. He liked the feel of Duo's warm hand. He liked the feel of it in his. Maybe I should give him a hug? In a minute. When it looks like he might reach for me. He didn't know how long they stood there, his racing heart not keeping regular time at all and his body frozen in still another time frame, before Duo jerked his hand free. "Ah, guess I'll take my turn outside. You can use the sink." Duo dashed toward the door then stopped. "Would be cool if it were indoors... and heated, too!" That was uncomfortable. Duo was talking bathrooms and he was lusting over his hand. Why had he done that? No, he knew why. His need was growing out of his control, but then after taking so long to make contact, why had he let Duo get away? Idiot. Heero had started the day thinking Duo was not only his to cultivate, but his for the taking-if Duo was looking for a male lover, which wasn't a done deal from Heero's perspective-and he had all the time in the world to gather the courage to do something, once he figured out what to do. Sure, he had a lot to offer the new, friendless boy in town, but now he wasn't so confident of his merits. Winner had mountains more going for him-- literally a mansion on top of a hill over-looking all of Sublimity. Since Heero had last admired him, Quatre's jaw had strengthened and shoulders broadened giving him a more manly presence. Who was he kidding? The guy had money, looks, connections, and - not to forget- a winning personality. Heero wondered why would Duo choose him over Winner, and couldn't come up with a single substantial reason, except that he was sharing a job, roof, and bed with him, and that might prove to be more of a problem than asset if close proximity grated on his nerves. And Winner wasn't the only competition. When had either Chang Wufei or Quatre winner sought out Heero Yuy's company-ever? Never! Duo hadn't been in town a week and he had had dinner with them both! Would Chang have offered to look up remodeling plans for him? Heero didn't think so. Chang represented rivalry from that corner of the town, too. He might be serving a penance now, but the man had his own money, power, and a title, too, as head of his clan. Heero groaned as he lay back onto the pillows. What had seemed so possible that morning now appeared completely unlikely. "You okay?" Duo asked as he climbed over Heero to claim his favorite side of the bed. "Yeah." Can't you tell? "Well, I'm bushed. I didn't think it would be so hard holdin' back my awesome personality for the dinner party, but now I'm flat drained." Heero smiled slightly. "You'd have thought you were the one putting on the dinner." "Yeah, like you say. I mean, I had to work my ass off to keep the conversation going and carry all the weight..." Duo hesitated. He twisted over on his side so he could look Heero in the face. It was dark, but Heero could see Duo staring at him. "You meant that sarcastically, didn't you?" Heero promptly turned away and attempted to stifle his chuckles by rolling over and burying his face in the pillows. "Uh, hn." "Uh,huh, you mean. Okay, so you didn't appreciate my ass-kicking wit, but my point was... ah... it's good to be back home where I can be just plain ole me, the me that ain't got diddly-shit, but you don't have much more, which makes us equals, ya know? Like, I may not know shit from shinola when it comes to fish forks and butter knives, but I can hold my own with what I do for you, right? Right?" It came without warning. Heero heard the uncertainty in Duo's voice, as if Duo needed to know that Heero needed him and wanted him as a friend and as a partner on the job. Heero thought a moment before he answered, in order not to give away how much he valued Duo's friendship, but he couldn't keep all the warmth from his answer. "You are exactly what I needed." He could hear Duo's smile in his voice. "You're a real mensch, 'Ro. I'm glad I met you first." "You met Winner first, actually." His face broke out in an honest smile. "'Kay, second then, asshole." "Is that better or worse than a mensch?" Heero choked on his erupting laugh. "Well, excuse my French." "Yiddish, I think. Mensch is Yiddish." Heero held back his laugh a moment longer and his trembling sent the mattress to vibrating. "Yuy, forget what I said and go to sleep." Heero continued to shake as he lost his fight with his need to laugh. Heero exploded, laughing so hard tears streamed from his eyes. He hadn't laughed so hard in all his life. All the day's stockpiled-anxiety bled from his body. He was hemorrhaging on the edge of hysterics, when he felt a pair of warm arms encircle his shoulders. He sobered instantly. It must have been on impulse; Duo had avoided physical contact with for the most part. Duo nudged him to see if he was okay. "You busting a gut or something?" "N-no," he managed to spit out. "Happy." That's all. And that really was all. He felt Duo release him as if he were a burning hot coal. "Oh, ah, okay, then. Um, just so you're okay. Happy's okay. Happy's great, actually. Really, really-" "Duo, shut up." "Ah, okay." "Good night, Duo." "Sure, g'nite, 'Ro." (o) Two exhausting work days and dead-to-the-world nights later, Wufei showed up on their porch. "I'm inviting myself over and showing you what I've come up with. I've been studying house plans." "Looks like you've lived and breathed plumbing and remodeling," Duo said, pointing out the stack of books and diagrams Wufei carted over. "Where's Yuy?" Wufei asked without answering. "Just step inside," Duo said with dramatic flourish. "He's slaving over dinner." "Chang?" Heero stirred the rice once as bubbles formed on the surface. "Hand me the lid." Wufei passed him the heavy top for the cast iron pot, and Heero pushed the rice pot to a spot on the grate where it could steam slowly. Heero thanked him and dove into the drawings with a murmured, "This was unexpected." The three of them redesigned the "bathhouse, laundry, and WC" facilities according to the excellent plans Wufei had discovered, while Heero proceeded to prepare a vegetable stir-fry meal over the lot coals. This process fascinated Wufei, and when Heero declared the dish "done", Wufei gladly accepted a bowl of rice and vegetables. "I haven't had anything like this in...ages." He drank in the steamy fragrance like a man starved for his culture. "Nearly a year," Heero said. "You've been here a year and-" "I know the date," Wufei snapped. He wasn't particularly easy to warm up to, on the other hand, Wufei turned out to be clever with designs with a good grasp of the math to alter the plans to fit the usage. "Proper drainage away from the house is critical," Wufei pointed out. Duo was all for digging up thee existing pipes to discover where they led. "We'll get to that," Wufei told him, "for confirmation, but I believe I'm correct with my determination that the kitchen and laundry tubs drain into the same lines as those from the Watergardens. With my knowledge of the public records office, I was discovered where they ran and how to access them." "Does that mean the outhouse is as good as gone?" Duo asked, grinning. "Yes and a new modern water closet will replace it." Wufei smiled. "I recommend adding another room for guests while expanding the laundry facilities and tying it all together with the new bathroom under one roof." "Won't that be too pricey?" Duo asked. "Not after I talk to Winner," Wufei said. "He understands a good investment when it's explained to him." "What's this?" Heero poked at a folded scrap of paper. Duo opened it. "Oh, a note from Hilde. Musta fallen out of my pocket." There was another note inside that. "Ho! Howard broke down and...I didn't think he could write." "Howard is the leader of the Sweepers, ah... salvagers in Serendipity," he explained to Wufei. "Whoa, baby." "Trouble?" Heero asked. "River pirates are back. Howard doesn't need that on top of the other bad times." "When people stand up to brigands," Wufei put in, "the problem is driven away." Heero grunted. "Hn." "Sweepers are armed, but no one wants to risk getting killed for a few scraps of metal," Duo said. "You must outsmart them." Wufei stood. "Winner has expertise in dealing with all manner of crooks. I recommend you bring this problem up with him. Now, I must go. Thank you for the delicious meal, Yuy." When they offered to walk him part way back to his home above the school, he rejected them outright. "I can find my own way home, thank you," he said abruptly and marched away. Heero thought Wufei was lonely. Duo was sure he suffering from an unrequited love, but wouldn't explain why he was an expert in recognizing that. "I think he likes us, but is afraid to be friends," Duo mused. "Yes, if we turn out to be the wrong sort, we would become a source of embarrassment to him." "We're river rats. How's that the wrong sort?" "Ones with a past." "Who hasn't got a past they wanna forget?" "I don't know," Heero admitted. Not even Winner. (o) And so, a pattern of life developed that summer. Weekdays, Heero and Duo worked the river, hauling beer kegs, scrap metal, grain for milling, and other goods the towns along their route required. Any day might bring a note or letter for Duo, but never any mail for Heero. Heero patrolled the property each night, shooting once at a large dog, which never again returned, and taking down a sick raccoon. Wufei taught the school children of Sublimity their letters, and Quatre managed his family's businesses. Saturday was market day, and Heero, Duo, and Ruggles always visited the market vendors for supplies, collecting the goats and cart from the Watergardens along the way. They often ran into Wufei in the market and picnicked together. Sometimes, the afternoon and evening found the three of them building the "bathhouse, laundry, and WC" facilities, bringing in experts from town when needed, like for the plumbing. There was only one Saturday Heero recalled with any clarity, and that was because he needed to. Heero remembered Duo's hands fondling a chestnut silk shirt in the marketplace and how he thought it was the color of his hair. Buy it. Duo hadn't even checked the price, but moved on to a fine blue-violet one in the next stall, which matched Duo's eyes. Buy that one, too. Ever money conscious, Duo purchased nothing they couldn't eat that afternoon, but Heero made a note to himself to buy them himself and surprise Duo with a present, when they could afford the extravagance. Fall, sometime. "When is your birthday?" Heero asked as casual-sounding as possible. Duo shrugged. "Dunno. Orphaned too young. You?" Heero matched his shrug with one of his own. "Odin celebrated mine to remember the day he found me. He, ah, wasn't my birth father. I don't know if I made that clear before. Um, anyway, in fall. Want to, ah, share it?" When Heero could once again look him in the eye, Duo smiled with his head cocked to the side as if he knew Heero was fabricating part of his story. "Like the house? I don't think it works that way, but we can celebrate at the same time. I'd like that." Heero made another mental note that day not to forget to make up a birthday for the two of them. It would be interesting, never actually having celebrated one at all. He'd made that part up. Winner would have a few ideas what to do, he hoped, and he also hoped Duo would forgive him for the white lie, if he ever discovered it. In the meantime, Todd had deposited a cat on their doorstep, a black tom with an excellent hunting instinct and torn ears shaped like horns, giving him a diabolical look. His name was appropriately Lucifer, and he wasn't friendly to them or to Ruggles, but at least he earned his keep, and importantly, he wasn't a she. After Lucifer's arrival, Duo and Heero were greeted most mornings by at least one tail, mouse, shrew, or lizard, on the porch steps as proof of his skill. Sunday continued to be their standing dinner date with Quatre. What bothered Heero was that he and Duo had lost that special closeness they'd shared that first night in the hot tub. Not completely lost it, but he was no longer the-new-guy-in-town's exclusive friend, but one of three or four, five counting Todd. That was when Heero determined he had been vacillating long enough. If he wanted Duo for a lover and companion, he would have to summon his courage and act. Soon. Before summer had gone and fall brought the end to Duo's time in Sublimity, or he'd fallen for Winner or Chang. "Hey, wouldya lookit this," Duo called out one morning. "Lucifer caught a 'possum, or something big, from the size of this tail." Heero tied his pants and yanked on his shirt, last to dress that morning. "Tail?" He examined the long string. "That's leather cording, not a tail." "Like lacing?" "Yeah, old one, though." "Wonder where he found that?" "Who knows. One of the fishermen probably lost it years ago." "But wouldn't it be rotted up more?" Heero didn't know. "Are you ready to tackle the laundry? We don't have much time before we are expected at Winner's for dinner." "No, but since we kept the goats and cart from yesterday, we might as well haul the crap to Dorothy." "It saves us money. She can either clean clothes or deliver clothes, but not both at the same time. I'd rather not pay her to do a job I can." "I'm happy if I never have to wash again. Even when the tub's back in action, I'd rather pay her than waste my afternoons doing the wash." "I agree, if our money holds up. Now, let's go. Just think how nice the bed will feel tonight with clean sheets." "Okay. I'm motivated. Got it." Duo rolled their towels and clothes inside the bedding and tied the corners over the top, making a loose bundle. When they arrived at the laundry-woman's house, it was almost noon. Thankfully, Dorothy was too busy to answer the door, but her husband wasn't. The woman could chat up a storm and Heero had no patience to pretend interest. The man gladly accepted the load, promising that his Dorothy-dear would have the goods clean, dried, and folded by nightfall. "That'll do. We'll stop by after visiting Quatre." Dorothy made a face. "That guy! He turned down my best friend when they should have been married. As if Miss Relena could be anything but faultless!" Her husband closed the door on the rest of her tirade. "Shit, what's her problem?" Duo asked. Heero turned away in an effort to hide his surely blanched complexion, but it was too late. Duo chased him in a circle. "Hey, man, you don't look so hot." "I'll be... all right," Heero muttered. Duo's searching eyes and the cool palm testing the temperature of his forehead would ordinarialy drive him mad with desire, but Dorothy's words had shocked him. He hadn't expected to be so unnerved by his memories of Relena. "Let's just get to Winner's." (o) "We're heading down to Serendipity tomorrow. We'll have to wait to load up, so we'll stay on the boat overnight. If you'd like, Duo, you can look up your Sweeper friends," Heero said at the table. Heero introduced the topic to Duo at the conclusion of the meal, hoping the gregarious Winner would encourage the meeting. Why Duo was avoiding his past friends, he didn't understand. To his surprise, Wufei provided the nudge. "Have you mentioned the Sweepers' pirate problem to Winner?" Wufei asked. "Pirates?" Winner's eyes glittered like sapphires in a pirate hoard. "I hadn't," Heero said. Duo nudged away a black cat who was targeting his lap for its next sleeping place. "This looks a lot like Lucifer." "Do you want her?" Quatre asked hopefully, but the cat slipped silently away, perhaps fearing a change in venue to Lucifer's place. "No." Heero wanted to return to the pirate topic. "River pirates have been robbing Sweeper boats." "Zechs was complaining the other night about how thieves ransacked his country house. He believed they came ashore, because of the numerous tidal creeks nearby. He was terribly upset," Quatre explained. "Several gangs used to prey on travelers, but Odin Lowe kept them away from this area. Some moved south and others north. Now that he's been gone awhile, they must be emboldened." "Tumult," Heero said, keeping his voice under control and his eyes level. He wouldn't reveal how hearing Odin's name still affected him. "Further north of that, Devine is a popular harbor for pirates. It's at the border." "But you say they are in Serendipity? That is bad news." Duo spoke up. "So far they're just fuckin' up trade and leaving the smaller boats alone. That's the first I've heard of any going a'shore. Who's Zechs?" "We have thieves in the businesses I engage in," Quatre said. "They may dress well and conceal their true nature, but they are criminals at heart." He sat forward, placing his hands on the table and folded them as if he was leading a business meeting right then and there. "Zechs Merquise the war hero? You must have heard of him. He is the half-brother to Relena Darlian, princess of the Kingdom of Sanc-" "Yeah, yeah... I know who ya mean now," Duo said. "So, to defeat the river pirates, you need-" "'Ro and I are gonna go bung'em out," Duo announced. "And I'm sure tactically, you are the experts," Quatre said ever the diplomat. "What I can deliver, is a strategic plan that won't fail." "Hn," Heero grunted in disbelief. "First, we need the latest map of the area, and then I need to know everything you know." While Duo continued to jabber, trying to convince Quatre that he and Heero didn't need any help, Wufei returned from Winner's library with maps. One was selected and they bent over the table examining the Rogue River in detail. Quatre jabbed the paper with a neatly manicured finger. "If we assume they find harborage on the other side of these cliffs, then we need to lure them out." "A shitload of gold would lure the dead from the river bottom," Duo said, misquoting an old folk song. "I have gold," Quatre said. "Now, I must start some rumors." "I was just kiddin', Quat," Duo piped up. "We haven't weapons to resist an attack," Heero said. "I have," Quatre said. Duo, now gung-ho to get started, nearly chortled with glee. "No, shit! I'll need guns. I'll I got is my knife and I haven't had my guns inna year!" "Come this way. I could stock a fair sized army!" Quatre thought this was funny and laughed. An hour later, with borrowed guns and ammunition, a plan, and a promise to send word out that Winner's company was about to make a large purchase, and paying with gold bullion, the friends parted. "Just leave the goats," Quatre told them. "I'll have the carriage take Wufei home, and then it can take you around to collect your laundry and drop you off. No arguments! You have a difficult day tomorrow, let me help." The steel in his voice told them he wasn't a man to be denied, and suddenly, Quatre Winner didn't seem to be such a pussy-cat any more.
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