Author: Merula
Pairings: 1x2
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yaoi, drabble
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.
Many apologies for the delay! It's nearly conference time and I had to spend a lot of time these last few days getting ready for that. Plus, and I know, this is dreadful of me- but the last three drabble requests sort of turned into one big ficlet... they were all for One Night and well... they all sort of fit together... so many apologies to the requesters...
Writtenidealist- pumpkins
Ravensilver- pumpkin, key, bones
Sisterofwar- power tools/ "What's he building?"
This is way earlier in the time line- they're still in the Org and Duo is still... working through things.
One Night Halloween Sidefic
There was that noise again- the slight buzz that sounded like a mechanical saw. Heero looked up from his book, frowning slightly. What was Duo doing out there? Shifting slightly, he stopped himself from sliding off the couch. Since Duo had moved in with him, Heero had deemed it best to give Duo his own space- and he tried not to intrude in those spaces unless invited.
Duo invited him often up to the loft- a haven of soft couches, bookshelves- and Duo's desk- a monstrous thing they'd found at an estate sale. The desk was usually stacked with books and papers- research, Duo called it, though what he was researching, Heero had no idea.
The space in the garage was different... Duo never invited him out there, and most of the time Heero was glad not to be invited. He knew the Org scientists hadn't responded well to Duo carrying out some of his 'experiments' there- so he'd partitioned off a section of the garage, installed a window and a door, and given Duo the room.
Many odd shaped parcels and heavy crates had gone into that section. Heero didn't peek, didn't even try the door- but he wondered sometimes what Duo did out there...
Resolutely, he focused on his book, only to look up again when another sound intruded. A drill maybe?
What was Duo doing...?
Heero glanced towards the phone perched on the table beside him. Three days ago, Duo had been called in to HQ- without him. What mission he'd been given- what orders were conveyed- Duo didn't say. He'd come home, kissed Heero on the cheek and gone out to the room in the garage. He'd emerged a few times- to eat, to throw himself down on the sofa for a few hours of sleep- but that was all.
Complaining to Chang that he'd agreed not to send Duo out without him hadn't worked- Chang had insisted it was a mission for both of them- but Duo had to prepare a few things first...
With a sigh, Heero got up from the couch. He'd go into the office and check his email. Maybe something had been sent in the last hour since he'd checked it... maybe something about this mission...?
There was nothing new in his in box. Heero frowned at the screen, wondering what to do next.
Soft chimes sounded, and Heero looked up, faintly startled. Swiftly, he touched the key that brought the house cameras up on his computer screen and saw a small boy standing on the doorstep- the neighbor's kid. Had he kicked another ball into their backyard?
Going quickly to the door, Heero opened it partway. "Can I help you?"
"I'm selling pumpkins for school!" The boy gestured at the red wagon full of the things on the walkway. "Only five dollars and it helps us raise-"
"Okay," Heero agreed, cutting off the kid off mid spiel. It was always better to be kind to the neighbors- it was all a part of blending in. He pulled out his wallet and gave the kid five dollars.
"Thanks! Come and pick-"
"That small one on the end is fine." The pumpkin was handed over and Heero shut the door with a faint sigh of relief.
What the hell was he going to do with this thing?
The sound of footsteps made him turn away from the door. "Who was- oh, bought a pumpkin?" Duo picked up the thing from Heero's hands and lifted an eyebrow. "It's kind of small."
"Did we need a big one?" Was Duo planning on hiding explosives in a jack-o-lantern again?
Duo shook his head and deposited the pumpkin on the table by the door. "No, not at all." He leaned close, sliding his arms around Heero waist. "We have a job tonight."
The tension Heero could feel vibrating through his lover was not a good sign. "A bad one?"
"Maybe," Duo closed his eyes and his arms tightened around Heero's waist.
"Talk to me, love," Heero kissed Duo forehead. "Tell me what we have to do."
"There's a party tonight, east side- we have to go."
"All right." East side meant their target had to be someone important.
"A dealer."
"Drugs?" The Org didn't usually mess with that sort of business.
"People." Duo snarled a little. "Kids mostly...though that's not the reason we've been hired to deal with him."
"Then why?"
"A jilted lover apparently. One with very good connections."
"Hn. So tonight's an auction?"
Duo shook his head. "No. Tonight is a party- a Halloween party." He tugged on Heero, pulling him gently towards the stairs. "The dealer has a big one every year. All his favorite clients..."
"Are we new clients?"
"No," Duo's voice dropped. "We're... entertainment. Sort of..."
Heero's jaw clenched. Duo couldn't handle- he didn't care what the hell the Org said- whatever the hell they claimed Duo had been trained for-
He stopped Duo on the stairs. "You aren't going to do this. I'll tell Chang myself-"
Duo kissed him, stopping his protests. "No.. it's not like that. A private show- just for the dealer and his current lover..."
Heero relaxed a little. "Like our first job?"
"A little," Duo still was wound tight- there had to be more to this. Heero let Duo continue leading him up the stairs, waiting for the key to this mystery.
The costumes were laid out on the bed. Heero could guess which one was Duo's- and looking at his own, he could understand why Duo was so worried.
"I'm for sale?" He asked and Duo nodded against his shoulder.
"Chang insisted. Said the dealer liked your type- he refused to let me do it." Duo's voice lowered, roughening around the edges. "I swear- he'll be dead before he even thinks of touching you." A breath. "We just have to get past the guards- into his room- and the client insisted on doing it this way-"
"Duo, love," Heero kissed his forehead. "I understand. We can do this."
Duo lifted his head, catching Heero's mouth with his own, demanding and fierce. Heero opened his lips willingly, let Duo tip him backwards onto the carpet, slid his hands underneath Duo's shirt.
"We have time," Duo murmured against his mouth. "Can I....?"
"Always."
~*~
Still damp from the shower, Heero examined his costume on the bed, aware of Duo watching him from the bathroom door. Looking up, he smiled at his lover. "A pirate, hm?" He said and saw the corner of Duo's mouth flick up in an unwilling smile.
"Need help?" Duo asked and Heero shook his head.
"I can do it. Though," he tapped a piece of his costume, making sure to keep his tone light, "I do hope you have the key for this?"
"Of course I do. And you don't have to wear that- I just..." Duo's voice trailed of and Heero gave him a reassuring look.
"Extra protection?"
"No one will get that close to you-"
"I know- but I'm not willing to turn down the extra protection either." Heero moved swiftly across the room and gave Duo a gentle push. "Go dry off. The sooner we get dressed, the sooner we can leave and get this over with."
"All right."
Heero turned back to the bed, frowning slightly. Duo was not happy with this job, not that Heero was thrilled either, but that meant he'd have to be extra careful tonight...
Duo came back out of the bathroom as Heero was finishing tying off the laces on his shirt. "Okay?" Heero asked him, pivoting slowly.
Moving closer, Duo scanned him carefully, his fingers skating over the soft linen of the shirt, the leather of the pants. "Uncomfortable?" He said, his fingers brushing the lacings on the sides of the pants.
Heero knew Duo wasn't talking about the pants. "Just fine. Do you need help?"
"No." It took only moments for Duo to pull on his own costume. "I just need to grab two things out of the garage and then we can go."
~*~
Heero spent some of the time on the ride to the job eying the two things Duo had grabbed out of the garage- a bottle of rare wine- and a long black staff. What were they for...? Had the staff been the source of the sounds this afternoon...?
He also kept an eye on his lover, cloaked in black, a death's head glinting under the cowl, bony fingers tapping on the steering wheel...
The party was in full swing when they got there. Heero followed Duo up the path towards the mansion, falling into his role. They were greeted at the door, and Duo produced his invitation. The guards read it, smirking, their eyes wandering over Heero with ill-concealed amusement.
He couldn't see his lover's expression beneath the skull half-mask that Duo wore, but Heero kept his own serene. The guards made a quick phone call, and then pointed them in the direction of the stairs.
The room was smoky and loud. Heero followed Duo, neatly avoiding the hands that reached towards him. Luckily, no one was on the stairs, and they were able to make their way quickly up to the door at the top.
"Enter," called a voice when Duo tapped on the door with his staff.
Seated behind the desk was a man in a suit, looking more like someone's jolly old grandfather than a dealer in human flesh. Perched on the arm of his chair was a slim young man in a tight fitting cat suit.
"A gift," Duo said and stepped forward, laying a card and the bottle of wine on the desk. The older man grunted and the younger one picked up the card and handed it to him, before turning his attention to the bottle of wine.
"So, Monique sent me a gift, hm? No hard feelings?" The older man snorted. "How very... civilized of her. I didn't think she had it in her." He chuckled. "Then again- she's asking an awful lot for this prize here... she must need money badly."
"The bottle hasn't been tampered with," the young man said and slipped down off the chair to fetch two wineglasses.
"Good. Then pour me a glass and let's see what we have here. Move closer."
Duo's staff touched the back of his leg and Heero stepped in front of the desk.
"Lovelier even than you, Michael," the old man chuckled, accepting the glass of wine from the now-frowning Michael. "Show me more."
Duo stepped behind Heero and untied the laces at the top of Heero's shirt, pulling the material to the sides. Michael resumed his perch, sipping sulkily from his glass.
"More."
Duo's hand moved down untying more laces, and Heero repressed a smile at the old man's expression.
"What's that?"
"Monique said you weren't to see everything until the purchase was finalized."
"You have the key?"
"I do."
"Hm.... Monique said he'd been specially trained... I'd like to see..."
Heero didn't react when Duo pushed on his back, bending him over the desk. He put his hands behind his back and closed his eyes. He heard the older man's breathing quicken and was grateful for the mask shielding Duo's expression...
A hand touched his waist and he braced himself.
Suddenly, he was pulled backwards onto the floor. There was a soft snick and a choking gasp.
He opened his eyes to find Duo standing over him, his staff now sporting a glinting blade...
Of course, Heero thought wildly for a moment. Death carries a scythe...
Then his lover leaned down and helped him to his feet. "We'd better get going," he said and wiped his blade clean on the rug.
Heero got to his feet, tied his clothing closed again and followed Duo quickly down the stairs. "I wasn't expecting... I mean...Nice scythe." He said once they were in the car.
Duo sighed. "Well, the scythe was just the backup- I was supposed to just give them the poisoned wine, but it was taking too long." He pushed the skull mask up and off his face, frowning. "I didn't like how they were looking at you."
Heero refrained from pointing out that they were supposed to be looking at him- he was the distraction after all. He also refrained from asking how Duo had managed to poison a bottle of wine and reseal it well enough to pass inspection. He was sure his lover had quite a few skills he didn't know about yet, even after nearly two years together...
"Take me home." He said instead, and was rewarded with Duo's smile.
OWARI
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