Gundam Wing: Angel and the Dragon

Part 9

Quatre got off the phone with the Maguarnacs and let out a whoop of joy. Trowa rose from the desk where the computer was flashing the notice that the data of where Wufei was located had been successfully transferred to the helicopter's navigational computer. He was smiling.

Quatre grabbed him around the neck and danced him around in a circle, laughing madly. "Trowa! Wufei's okay! We have a chance again!"

"Not to mention that we can use Treize to get Heero and Duo back," Trowa replied, his smile widening. Quatre was infectious.

The blonde boy let out another shout of joy and hugged his lover again. Trowa kissed him enthusiastically. Quatre leaned into the kiss, reaching up to tangle his hands in Trowa's hair. When they separated, Quatre looked at him with shining eyes. "Yokatta," he whispered.

Duo woke up to Zechs leaning over him, worry etched on his beautiful features.

Not to mention a splitting headache.

He groaned and clutched his head, trying to keep it from cracking and falling apart. That would probably be messy, and Zechs probably wouldn't appreciate him staining his white sheets.

"How are you feeling?" Zechs asked foolishly.

"Like there's a thousand barbarians banging on drums in my head. Baka, how do you think I feel?"

"Gomen, Duo. I didn't expect him to get violent like that."

"Maa maa, not your fault. I was stupid to provoke him, anyway."

Zechs dropped to his knees beside the bed and tenderly brushed Duo's bangs out of his eyes. "This is not your fault. That bastard hit you hard enough to give you a concussion. You cannot take the blame for his immaturity."

Duo laughed weakly. "Yeah, whatever."

"Duo!" Zechs hugged him and Duo felt a tear fall onto his neck and trace its cold, wet way around to the nape of his neck.

"O-Oi!" Duo said in surprise. "What're you *crying* for, Milliard?" His headache had faded and he struggled into a sitting position, forcing Zechs to look at him. Zechs moved up to sit on the bed and kissed him tenderly. His lips were soft and pliant against Duo's, and he found himself reeling from the passion in them.

:Wow, Heero's never kissed me like that!:

Zechs withdrew slowly and Duo gaped at him.

"M-Milliard..."

"No one who loves you could ever hurt you like that, not for any reason. Remember that, angel."

Duo snorted, cynicism burning away the ache in his heart. "Listen, Milliard. Maybe that's the way it works in your rich-boy fantasy world, but that's not the way it works in the real world. When you've had a past like mine, you take love where you can get it, 'cause it hurts less than the alternative."

"Does it? Does it really?" Zechs caressed Duo's face. "And can you really look at me and claim that being with me would be no better than being with Heero?"

Duo looked down. "But, but I don't *love* you, Milliard. I love Heero."

Zechs pulled his hand back as if stung. "I never thought I'd have to call you a fool, but you're acting like one."

Duo looked up, his eyes flashing. "Why, because I'm not in love with perfect, beautiful you?"

"No, because you insist on clinging onto that bastard, Heero, despite how much he hurts you, because of some fantasy that if you break through his shell you'll find a kind, gentle, loving soul. Who's really living in the real world, Duo? You or me?"

Duo winced as if struck again and hung his head. "He fits me better. He's a part of my world."

"Why? Because he gives you violence and pain?"

Duo twitched, but nodded slowly. Zechs' breath caught in his throat and he reached out to touch Duo again, but the boy flinched away and he dropped his hand. The tableau held for a moment, then Duo spoke hesitantly.

"Could I talk to him again, please? I didn't get to tell him everything I wanted to."

"No!"

Duo looked up sharply. "Why not?"

"I'm not letting him get anywhere near you again. I won't let him hurt you!"

"Demo, Milliard-" Duo was cut off by the sudden beeping of Zechs' wristcom. He made an irritated sound and tapped a button.

"What?"

"Sir, there's a very important communication from Nepal. I think you should see this, sir."

Zechs rose and shot a determined look at Duo. "We'll continue this discussion later." Duo hung his head and didn't answer. When the door closed again he clenched his fists and trembled. :Heero, kisama! I'm trying to love you, but it's so hard. Why did you have to be such an idiot, Heero? No matter how hard I try to look at it, Milliard is getting to me.:

:Heero no baka!:

Treize sat on the bed, his face impassive. He had been placed in a bedroom and his hands securely chained to the headboard. He had managed thereafter to maneuver himself into a reasonably comfortable sitting position. The room was immaculate, but he suspected that it had been either Heero's or Duo's. A laptop had been sitting on the desk when he'd arrived, but had been promptly removed.

He turned a small smile on the room's other occupant, sitting on a chair beside the bed. "You would be pilot 03?"

The pilot nodded, once.

"Do you have a name, if I might ask?"

"No," he replied softly, after a pause. "But you may call me Trowa."

"Doumo."

With a small sigh, he lay back against the wall, again. Carrying a one-sided conversation with a green-eyed, wild-haired wall might turn on that blonde angel who'd turned loving cerulean eyes upon this pilot when bringing him tea, but it did nothing for him.

The door opened slowly, to reveal Wufei. His gaze passed blankly over Treize and landed on Trowa. "Quatre has served dinner. Go eat. I'll relieve you for the night."

Trowa nodded, flicked briefly from Treize, to the Chinese pilot, and back. "You going to be all right, here?"

Wufei's eyes narrowed. "Of course."

Trowa transfixed him with a penetrating look, then swept past him and out the door. Wufei approached and sat down on the chair.

"He suspects you of something," Treize remarked.

"What was your first clue?" Wufei growled. "Well, he has nothing to accuse me of. I've done nothing, and bringing you here proves it."

"Indeed." They sat in silence for a while. The faint sounds of a conversation drifted up from the kitchen and Wufei seemed to visibly relax.

"Kisama! I keep expecting him to listen at the door. What have I done?"

"I believe he may have been present when you were captured. A dead guard was found a short distance away, and he'd been shot. I don't believe you got that one, dragon."

"Kuso!"

Treize chuckled. "Well, dragon, what are you going to do? I've confessed to Zechs, perhaps you should confess to your friends."

"Bakayarou! They'd never believe I'm not a spy or something. They'll think you brainwashed me or something and shoot me!"

Treize wished he could rub his chin thoughtfully. "Yes, they may, at that."

Wufei produced a book and began reading, pointedly ignoring Treize's attempts to engage him in conversation. When the light outside had dimmed far enough to make it impossible to read, he put the book aside and stretched. *That* sight caused Treize to start salivating and he regretted intensely the fact that he would never be able to touch that body again, or hold it against him as the boy slept.

As if that was a cue, there was a quiet knock at the door, and the aforementioned blonde angel entered. "Uh, Wufei, we're going to bed. Are you going to be all right for the night? Do you need anything?"

Wufei reacted without thinking. "Kuso, Quatre! I said I'll be fine!"

Quatre started, his eyes opening wide. "Gomen, Wufei, I was just asking..."

Wufei looked contrite and frustrated, about equal parts. "No, Quatre, gomen. I'm just a little on edge, that's all."

Quatre nodded, breaking into a smile that lit up his whole face. "That's okay, Wufei, I understand. We're contacting Oz in the morning, don't worry. I'll see you then."

"Oyasumi." The door closed and Wufei closed his eyes, clenching his fists on the arms of the chair. "Kuso, I'm such an idiot."

"You *do* tend to speak before you think, dragon."

"Urusai!"

"Only the truth, dragon."

Wufei snorted. He lit the desklamp, then got up and went over to the dresser. He opened the top drawer and fished out a small key. He turned back to Treize and walked back to him, holding the key up.

"Promise me you'll be good, and let me put these back on as soon as I say."

Treize's eyes widened, but he put his shock away for a moment. "Depends on your definition of 'good', I think, dragon," he said lecherously.

"Kisama!"

Treize chuckled. "I can see you're still not in the mood for humour, dragon. A pity. Very well, I promise."

Wufei acknowledged that with a nod, then leaned down and unlocked the handcuffs. He placed them carefully on the bedside table as Treize rubbed his wrists. Then, the pilot did something even more unexpected.

He sat down on the bed and put his arms around Treize. He buried his head in the General's shoulder.

"Gomen, Treize. I didn't want to do this, but I had to," his voice was muffled by fabric, but Treize could hear the agony in his voice.

"Wufei..." was all he could say.

"Onegai, don't hate me. I had to do this, for Duo and Heero."

Treize returned the hug, still in shock, but recovering. "I could never hate you, dragon. Have you forgotten everything I've told you, already?" He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. "But, you could have told me this sooner. I would have been a little less anxious. I've had the most disquieting thoughts about you, dragon."

"No, I couldn't have said anything sooner. I would have lost my nerve."

"Why?"

"Because I..." he trailed off, his throat onstricting. He shot a glance at the door as if he could divine whether or not Trowa was listening just by looking. Then, he turned back, his black eyes meeting Treize's with the same intensity they'd had before he'd stolen his sidearm and taken him hostage. "I love you, Treize Khushrenada."

Treize reeled for a moment, then. "Ai shiteru, dragon." He leaned forward and crushed Wufei's lips with his. Wufei undid the buttons of his uniform jacket with ease and slid it off his shoulders, tossing it onto the ground without once breaking their liplock. Treize broke it once to pull Wufei's tanktop over his head, but their tongues were warring again immediately. Wufei had undone the first three buttons of the uniform shirt when the doorknob quietly clicked and the door swung open.

Trowa stood framed in the doorway, his green eyes blank. He held a gun in his hand, though it was pointed at the floor. He took in their state of half-undress without changing the expression on his face.

"Wufei. I thought I should interrupt before things went any further."

"Trowa-"

He raised the gun and cocked it. "Cuff him again, Wufei, then come with me."

Meekly, the Chinese pilot complied, handcuffing the General to the bed again. He slowly picked up his tank top, watching for Trowa's nod of allowance, and slipped it over his head again. He raised his hands and approached him, still moving slowly.

"Trowa!" Treize called out sharply. "What are you going to do?"

Trowa ignored him. He moved out of the doorway so Wufei could precede him, then shut the door behind him.

When Zechs returned, his face was serious. He laid his mask down on the desk reverently, caressing it once with his hand. When he looked back at Duo, his eyes were haunted.

"T-Treize..." he stuttered. He sank down to his knees beside the bed and Duo leapt to his feet, rushing to kneel beside him.

"Milliard!"

"Treize has been captured. Wufei took him hostage and forced him out of the base. We have no idea where he is."

Part of Duo wanted to leap up and cheer. :Yes! Wufei's out! One down, two more to go, and now we have the *ultimate* bargaining chip!: And part of him wanted to weep for how it was obviously affecting Zechs. For now, the latter won. He put his arms around the other man.

"Oh, Milliard."

Zechs looked at him with those desperate eyes that made Duo want to cry. "Please, Duo. What will they do to him?"

Duo sat back on his heels and thought. "Well, I can see Wufei being a little rough if he's let to himself and thinks it'll accomplish something. He's a little hot-headed. Quatre will probably treat him to tea and apologize for not being a good enough host. And Trowa..." He thought some more. "Well, to be honest, I don't really know what Trowa would do, but he wouldn't do anything to hurt Quatre, so mistreating Treize is out."

"Honto?"

"Honto, honto, Milliard! He runs, he hides, but Shinigami never lies."

"Yokatta," Zechs said, looking away again. His arms snaked around Duo and they held each other for a moment. "I realize this isn't such a tragedy to you, angel."

"Yeah, well, maybe it bothers me on your behalf. I know how much you love him."

Zechs squeezed him gratefully. "Arigatou gozaimashita."

"No problem."

A few minutes of silence reigned and then Zechs reluctantly disentangled himself. "I have to go. I have a lot to do. If you want, I can come back tonight."

"Sure. Uh, about-"

Zechs nodded, placed his mask over his face and strode toward the door. "Yoshi, I'll see you later." And he was gone.

Duo sighed and leaned against the bed. "Hrm, so much for continuing the discussion later. Should I really be surprised?" he muttered.

Heero sat in the corner of the cabin, on the floor. His arms were wrapped tightly around his knees, which were drawn up to his chest. He'd switched off the lights soon after regaining consciousness, and the darkness surrounded him like a cold fog.

After he'd hit Duo, four guards had rushed him, holding him down and giving him some kind of tranquilizer. As Zechs picked up Duo and bore him away, Heero had been vaguely aware that he'd been shouting something, but he couldn't remember what it was. Part of him wondered worriedly if he'd killed the other pilot.

:Serves him right, he pursued me, made me vulnerable, and then betrayed me. He never loved me at all. I was just a game to him. 'Subvert the Perfect Solder' 'How good is his training, really?'. He just wanted to see how far he could push me.:

:What if he's dead?:

:I don't care! He got me captured in the first place. It's because of him that this situation has occurred. He deserves this!:

He noted detachedly that his body was trembling and there was a tightness in his throat that made it difficult to breathe.

:Control! Control!:

He lowered his head to his knees and shook uncontrollably.

:Isn't he going to come back? He has to come back so we can pretend this never happened. I ignore him while he chatters at me inanely, and then everything is all right again. That's how it's supposed to happen.:

:Won't they let me see him, again?:

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