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"The Miracle Maker"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: R Warnings: Fluff, angst, mention of lemon, mild
alcohol abuse (not alcoholism), prissy Relena Pairings: 3x4, eventual 1x2, Rx1 (unrequited) Summary: The discovery of a deep space refugee sets the universe abuzz with whispers of angels but for the people closest to him the truth is much more divine. "The Miracle Maker" Part 4
“Quatre,” Quinze greeted when he floated into the main office where he’d set up shop. “Come in, I want you to meet Wufei. His family owns the theater and has generously agreed to…” but his rambling stalled when Quatre floated right up to Wufei and graced him with a warm hug. For a moment Wufei’s eyes simply went round while his hands flailed about then his expression softened and he cradled him gently while he softly intoned, “You’re welcome.” Quatre pulled away and beamed so brightly everyone in the room laughed then he was flitting around excitedly and Wufei asked, “Have you seen the reception area yet?” “We’ve only just arrived,” Trowa informed him sounding somewhat put out. “Come,” Wufei smiled taking Quatre’s hand. “We’ll give you a tour,” he offered drawing Hiiro to his side with a glance while Trowa joined Quatre who settled in his arms and walked happily by his side. The building had been cleaned of cobwebs and dust leaving it resembling its glory days with dark, maroon carpet and mint green walls but Duo noticed that though Quatre walked along beside his lover his feet didn’t actually touch the highly saturated, deep color of the rug and smiled. The main auditorium provided ample seating for the masses and upon the small stage that was under a massive curtain that hid the movie screen was a large chair that had been draped in an old curtain and surrounded by large pillows and poofs. “It’s a little…theatrical don’t you think?” Duo observed having visions of ancient scenes involving heavenly hosts. “It is a theater,” Wufei commented inviting Quatre with a hand to join him on the stage. “And it’s what was available,” Hiiro elaborated making way for Duo to climb the steps but his face didn’t pink until he saw Trowa smirking at him. They watched while Wufei showed Quatre his station and situated him in the chair while he explained the esthetics of their plan. “…realize it’s a bit exposed up here but it should help placate those who are waiting for an audience,” he was saying. “He means that if people can see you they won’t be so anxious to get closer,” Hiiro explained. They set up the first session the next day with the help of Quinze who provided a number of young soldiers to help with crowd control. There were a multitude of people who came running the moment they heard Quatre would be receiving visitors but it became clear within the first fifty granted entry they had no other purpose than greed or the desire for power. ‘I only need ten thousand!” a man was saying where he knelt before the young blond who stared at him blankly. “Please! If I don’t get that money back in the till they’ll break my legs! NO! Please!” he begged while Hiiro dragged him off and tossed him out an exit. “Perhaps I can help,” Quinze offered that night. “Do you have some way of injecting decency into them?” Duo grumbled. “No,” Quinze chuckled. “But we could prescreen them.” “And who decides who gets help and who doesn’t?” Trowa wondered. “It would be better than spending all our time patronizing those without just cause,” Wufei interjected. “There were some who asked for larger vid screens or longer hair!” he groused. “At least this way more of the people who actually need help will get through,” Hiiro reasoned easing Trowa’s mind. It was decided that a prescreening booth would be set up in the lobby and announced to the public that anyone seeking material gain would not be allowed an audience which sent a great number of the hopeful home. Those who remained were carefully screened and admitted where Quatre heard their plea’s and answered their prayers one by one while his friends stood by and watched the blind cry tears of joy when their eyes opened on a bright new world, the sick healed and the miraculous regeneration of a young man’s amputated leg. By the end of the first day the people had set up camps in the streets where fires burned and they sang songs glorifying Quatre’s name. “It’s a freaking zoo out there,” Duo sighed peeking out an upper story window. “They just can’t believe in anything without a divine connection.” “It doesn’t really matter what they believe,” Hiiro observed while Duo’s gaze shifted to where Wufei was tending to Quatre and Trowa’s tea. “Why’re you so agreeable anyway?” Duo wondered amiably. “He’s not a celestial being you know.” Wufei snorted softly and set the teapot down. “Angels are a fabrication of the west,” he stated succinctly. “But one would have to be utterly disconnected with reality to not see his gift.” “You believe in miracles,” Duo wondered but Wufei would offer only… “I believe in him.” They turned to the young man in question and, noting that Trowa was holding him gently while he traced little patterns on his back where they cuddled in their bed, silently agreed to give the couple some private time and vacated the room. “Where are you going?” Wufei asked when Duo headed down the hall. “I need a drink,” he grumbled and Wufei noticed the slight roll of Hiiro’s eyes before they followed. “You’re a little young for this aren’t you?” Wufei observed sometime later while Duo turned up the bottle he snuck out to procure. “I’ve never been young,” Duo snorted offering the bottle to Hiiro. Wufei considered them while Hiiro took a moderate swallow then asked, “Have you known each other long?” “Forever,” Duo chuckled reclaiming the bottle when Hiiro tried to set it aside. “Not long enough,” he grumbled taking a deep draught of the amber liquid. “Quinze said you lead the Zodiac Knights on the outer frontier,” Wufei commented taking a cautious turn at the bottle. “We don’t lead them,” Hiiro countered patting his back while he choked. “They follow us,” Duo explained hitting the bottle hard. “Those morons are just like everyone else. They couldn’t find their ass unless their mama showed’em where it was.” Wufei’s brow creased in concern when he teetered but he managed to stay in his chair. “Enough,” Hiiro stated trying to take the bottle but Duo snatched it out of reach and hit it again before he managed to take it away. “Party poop,” Duo sulked. “We have a job to do,” Hiiro reminded him but he scoffed so hard he almost soiled himself before he countered drunkenly… “Can’t do shit till they’re done playing pong.” Wufei looked to Hiiro when Duo passed out who sighed heavily and took another hit off the bottle before setting it aside. “Then Trowa and Quatre really are…?” but the question went unspoken when Hiiro nodded. “I don’t understand,” Wufei commented while he studied how the lines on Duo’s brow eased with sleep. “What could upset him so much he’d do this to himself?” Hiiro took the bottle to the sink where he poured the remainder down the drain before he set it aside and walked out with the simple explanation, “Me.” Duo was his usual, cheerful self the next day though he sported a pair of dark sunglasses even inside the building. Quatre had attempted to aid his ailing head but he avoided any direct contact with him professing a desire to suffer the pain he had inflicted upon himself and Wufei cut another notch of respect in the friendship stick for him. He also avoided Hiiro though he gratefully accepted a glass of something thick and green he set beside him later in the day that seemed to help. There was curiosity over the incident particularly on Wufei’s part but they were soon interacting with each other just as they always had and so the days pressed on. However, no matter how smoothly things ran there seemed to be more people begging entry everyday. It was impossible to see everyone who desired an audience and came to a point where those outside the walls were becoming frustrated with the wait and demanded their pleas be heard. “What’s going on?” Hiiro asked while he made his way toward a commotion at the theater entrance. “Not him again,” one of the young soldiers sighed when he saw a man carrying on outside the doors. “Who is he?” Hiiro inquired pausing to assess the situation while the man shouted and raged at the group of soldiers who where steadfastly barring his path. “What’s up?” Duo asked coming to see what the problem was. “Just some nutcase,” the soldier sighed. “He’s been coming around every day but he doesn’t meet the criteria so they won’t let him in.” “What does he want?” Duo wondered. “Money,” the soldier scoffed but their attention shifted when Relena stormed from the prescreening booth and glared at the man. “You again!” she growled. “I’ve told you over and over again this temple is not for monetary gain!” “Temple?” Duo gasped. “I need that money!” the man growled hatefully. “Please! You have to let me in!” “You’ve gone too far this time!” she snapped. “Have him arrested for public disturbance and…” but she suddenly gasped and stepped back when he lunged at her. The soldiers were able to protect her but the man fought free of them only to find himself facing Hiiro and Duo. However, he’d had enough foresight to plan his assault and drew a pistol from his pants. “Stay away!” he demanded brandishing the weapon at anything that moved. “Okay,” Duo soothed stepping forward cautiously. “Just calm down,” but a moment later he was being strangled by the big mans arm where he’d snatched him to his chest and pressed the gun to his head. “Let me through!” he shouted with wild eyed determination just before Hiiro flinched and he crumbled to the ground moaning in pain. “Damn it,” Duo sighed stepping in front of his irate partner. “Did you have to break him?” he asked going tense when the man moved and Hiiro bowed up for another strike. “Alright,” Duo soothed pushing him back. “He can’t hurt anyone anymore,” he observed noting that the assailant had a broken arm, a dislocated knee and a cut over his left eye that was bleeding freely. “Hiiro!” Relena gasped rushing forward but one hard ass glare from her intended stopped her in her tracks. “What are you doing here?” he demanded seizing Duo’s arm when he tried to move away. She gaped at him for a moment then replied indignantly, “Overseeing the organization of this madhouse!” “Shit,” Duo sighed while he rolled his eyes but the venom on Relena’s tongue stagnated when Quatre appeared in the doorway. “Get him out of here!” she hissed but the soldiers refused to move while Quatre came forward. “What did he want?” Wufei wondered while the man was tended to. “Money,” Relena snipped. “He’s been coming here demanding funds for some fictitious woman he claims is too sick to come here herself.” “I brought…a proper offering,” the man sobbed to Quatre when he approached. “Offering?” Duo echoed angrily. “The people often bring offerings when they visit,” Quinze smoothly intoned as he joined them and smiled cleverly, “It would be an insult to refuse their good will.” “You son of a…” Duo growled heading his way but his attention was stolen away with everyone else’s when the injured man began to wail. “They said she won’t live without the medicine!” he sobbed falling in front of Quatre who dropped to the ground to listen. “But it’s so much money,” he cried. “And she can barely breathe! Please, she’ll die if I try to bring her here!” Quatre smiled and touched his face whereupon the tears stopped flowing then twisted his hand and held out a red vial that appeared in his fingers. The man’s eyes went as big as saucers as he breathed, “Will this cure her?” Quatre’s smile seemed to be answer enough and a moment later he had the vial in his hand while he kissed Quatre’s fingers and thanked him profusely. “You should hurry to her side,” Wufei advised but he didn’t realize his wounds had been healed until he helped him up whereupon he fell the floor again and kissed Quatre’s feet before rushing out with the vial clasped preciously to his chest. “This isn’t working,” Duo observed the moment he was gone. “Perhaps we should retire to my office,” Quinze suggested. They agreed more to keep the happenings between them discreet than to be agreeable and once behind closed doors the true nature of their relationship came to light. “You’ve been charging them,” Duo growled. “On the contrary,” Quinze countered. “They bring the gifts entirely of their accord.” “And only the people with the best gifts get in,” Hiiro surmised. “It only seems fair,” Quinze smiled then howled when Duo hit him and proceeded to punch him in the face until Hiiro pulled him off. Duo glanced at Quatre shamefully but he was still bowed up and ready to resume the punishment in spite of his mild disapproval when he declared, “We’re leaving.” “You can’t,” Quinze laughed while he pulled himself from the floor. “Watch us,” Duo growled and he decided to stay down but refused to give in. “If you leave,” he told them as they headed for the door, “it is the people who will suffer.” Duo whirled on him intent on another lesson in blood but Hiiro pulled him up short with a hand on his arm as he asked, “What do you mean?” “You don’t honestly think those fools will simply wander off and go home?” he asked daring to stand. “They will remain in the hope of receiving a miracle, each eager to bestow their gifts but without him all they’ll get for their trouble is lost treasures and bitter disappointment.” “They won’t come without him,” Duo insisted. “Oh, but they will,” Quinze smiled. “Just as they line up along the prayer wall in Jerusalem.” Duo thought it over quickly coming to the conclusion that people did not require proof to believe in the supernatural before his eyes set angrily and he headed for the suddenly terrified man but before he could reach him Quatre began to glow. When he turned he saw in the shadows behind his head the image of a mountain that was burned irrevocably into his mind before the illumination softly faded away. “Wait!” Quinze shouted when they rushed down the hall. “You’ll never find peace! You’ll be hunted by all of humanity for the rest of your lives!” “Can’t I just wound him?” Duo grumbled to Quatre when they ducked into their room. “Where are we going?” Wufei inquired. “To find that mountain,” Duo replied but stilled when he asked… “What mountain?” Duo stopped to question them with a glance but no one seemed to understand. “The mountain,” he insisted speaking directly to Trowa but he appeared as clueless as the rest of them. His gaze lighted on Quatre but he was busy playing with the hem of Trowa’s shirt while he stuffed a bag full of their things. “I saw a mountain,” he breathed. “I think it’s where he wants to go.” “We’ll look for it once we’re safe,” Hiiro told them hurrying them out of the room but it wasn’t fast enough to avoid the soldiers Quinze had sent to stop them. However, when they saw Quatre they simply lowered their weapons and stepped aside each blushing furiously while they tried not to look his guardians in the eye as they passed. “This way,” Wufei instructed taking them out a back door that led to a small alley behind the theater. “What now?” Duo wondered then stopped suddenly when he saw a big, snow white land cruiser parked nearby. “What’s that doing here?” Wufei wondered as the vehicle barely fit between the walls. “Did you do that?” Duo asked then grinned widely when Quatre smiled. “Come on!”
~ * ~ tbc... |
