Author: Merula
Pairings: 2+1
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yaoi, Post-war
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.
Cubes Part 1
Rats in a maze. That's how I thought of it. Not that I wasn't grateful for the job, I was. It wasn't that hard finding someplace that needed a computer programmer- but one that didn't look too closely at my references was a little tougher. Here I was Duo Maxwell- just Duo Maxwell- not Pilot 02, not Shinigami, not one of the war vets. I was too young to have been in the war, right? The work wasn't bad- interesting and challenging enough to keep me from being bored- and I didn't have to kill anyone, which was even better. But the setup of the offices bugged me- we didn't have our own offices, we weren't all in a big room. We had 'cubes'- those flimsy little snap together walls that supposedly gave each of us our own private 'space'.
Private, what a joke that was. Like I couldn't hear the guy behind me argue with his girlfriend on the phone everyday. Or the lady with the bad taste in music on my right. Sure, we could wear headphones, but the damn things are set up so that your back is to the opening and I have a little problem with people sneaking up behind me. Attacking one of my coworkers would've gotten me fired for sure. So I sat sideways in my cube and tried my best to ignore the sounds in the other cubes. It wasn't the best of solutions- but no one could surprise me either.
At least not in that way.
It was a Thursday, one of those waiting-for-Friday sort of Thursdays, where everyone has a crisis and you're lucky if you remember to pull out your lunch and scarf down a few bites. With a million and one things to do spread out over my screens, I did manage to keep an eye on the clock. Only an hour to go- I could do this without killing anyone, really I could...
Someone shuffled their feet outside my cube and I turned to catch my project manager just as she stepped around the wall.
"Duo?" She smiled, "have you got a minute?"
"Depends-" I smiled back cautiously. Not another project crisis...
"We hired a new guy- he's going into the space next to you- come and meet him."
Oh great. I knew what that meant- I was the one designated to show the guy the ropes. I hoped this one at least was somewhat quiet.
I got to my feet as she turned and gestured at someone behind her. "Come and meet Duo- he's going to help you settle in."
A man appeared beside her and had to tighten my jaw to keep it from dropping open. Susan's voice faded to background noise as I stared at my former partner-in-crime.
Heero Yuy. The last man I had ever expected to see in my office. I had kept in touch with the others of course- but after the Mariamaia incident, Heero had dropped out of sight. We had all speculated on where he went and what he might be doing- but showing up to work in my office was never one of them.
Not that I was unhappy to see him- far from it.
He smiled, an expression that I had rarely seen during the war, the corners of his blue eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Nice to meet you, Duo." He said and held out a hand. Crap. Had Susan said his name? Was he using a different one?
"Likewise." His warm hand wrapped around mine and I got that oh-so-familiar shiver that his touch always gave me.
Damn, he still had that effect on me- even after all this time.
Susan was giving me an odd look and I wondered what my expression looked like. Slapping on a grin, I continued lamely: "I'm sure you'll enjoy working here."
"I'm sure I will," he pulled his hand away- did his fingers linger in mine a moment longer than politeness dictated?- and smiled at Susan. "What else do I need before I start settling in?"
"Nothing," she answered, looking a little relieved. "Your desk is in the cube to the left of Duo's. He'll get you all set up before the end of the day and you can start right in tomorrow."
I nodded to show I understood Susan's orders and Heero thanked her. She walked off and I ushered Heero into his cube.
"It's good to see you again," he said softly and I tried not to turn red.
"Ditto." Before I could say more, I heard Jude's voice start to lift in the cube behind us:
"I told you- nothing happened!"
Heero's eyes widened and I realized that he had probably never worked in this sort of environment.
"Welcome to the rat maze- where you can hear all the other rats all day long and the cheese is pretty scarce."
"I can see that. I'll have to be discreet if I don't want everyone knowing what I'm up to." Jude's argument had taken a pretty personal tone and I nodded.
"No kidding. They have a comp in here for you- how do you want to set up?"
Heero frowned at the desk and file cabinets. "I don't want to sit with my back to the opening," he said and I chuckled.
"Know that feeling all too well. We can set you up like mine?"
He raised himself on tiptoe to peek over the top of the wall and into my cube. "That would work- though it looks a little cramped that way."
"It is a little cramped that way- but no one sneaks up on me- even when I break down and wear headphones."
Jude's voice had gone up a little more- and now one of the other cube people had turned up their radio...
"I see I might have to invest in a pair. Can you help me move the comp?"
We moved the comp easily enough and I left Heero to set it up as I went to go and requisition some supplies for him.
I was glad of the small respite. I had forgotten how it felt to be in Heero's company- forgotten how he could ignite my blood without even looking at me... During the war we'd been... well, stress relief was what we called it- those stolen moments in between the horrors. It wasn't until afterwards, when he'd left without a trace, that I'd realized it meant more to me than that. I'd tried to forget him- and now here he was, nearly four years later- and it was exactly the same.
How was I going to manage working only a few feet away from him?
Finding all the supplies he'd need took me a bit, and when I got back, it was nearly time to go home. I was glad- I needed more time to adjust to the idea of Heero in the next cubicle.
Heero welcomed me back with a slightly frustrated smile. "The drawers don't lock."
"Nope- the keys were lost ages ago."
"So how do you keep things safe?"
"Booby traps, of course."
That startled a laugh out of him. "Of course," he echoed. "I'll have to look at yours and get some ideas."
"Anytime," I told him and retreated a few steps. "It's almost quitting time- if you have everything you need- I have a few more things to finish up-"
"I do. Thank you. Oh-" he said and I stopped in the doorway. "I just moved here a few days ago- where in town could I find a good set of headphones?"
"Which section of town do you live in?"
"Old Town."
Damn. That's the section I lived in.
"Henry's- on fifth. That's where I got mine."
"Thanks Duo," his voice warmed as he looked at me. "I appreciate your help."
"No problem," I assured him and escaped to my cube. Once safely back in front of my comp I took a few deep breaths. Focus. That was the key. I finished up a few things and then shut my comp down for the night.
Heero wasn't at his desk when I left and I told myself I was glad. He was just my coworker now- and who knew how long he'd stay? He would just be someone I dealt with at work, just another coworker.
Maybe if I repeated it enough times, I'd believe it.
On my way home I stopped at the nearby noodle house and picked up some food. My fridge was nearly empty, but after my day, I didn't feel like going to the store. I just wanted to go home and crash.
My apartment building was an old one, but I liked it. The whole of 'Old Town' was built in the style of centuries ago- brownstones and apartment buildings- tiny mom and pop businesses in the bottom floors. Reaching my building, I hurried through the lobby to catch the elevator- it was old and slow- if you were in a hurry it was better to take the stairs.
Several of my neighbors were already inside and they smiled in welcome as I stepped in just as the doors closed.
I glanced around, exchanging the polite smiles of neighbors who didn't know each other well, and froze.
Heero was standing in the back corner, looking at me with surprise.
What the hell was he doing here?
The bell dinged as we reached the third floor and several people got off, leaving me, Heero and an older guy who lived up on five.
"You live here?" He asked in an undertone, stepping forward a bit.
"Yeah, on four- apartment 410."
"I'm 412."
That was the one right next to mine. How-?
"I didn't see you move in."
"I moved in during the day- you must've been at work." Heero studied me for a moment. "I can always move-"
"No!" I said, a little too forcefully. What had shown on my face? "I was just- surprised. You know-" my eyes flicked to the older man sharing the elevator and back to Heero, "it's been a long time. It'll be nice having you around again- specially if you want to carpool to work."
The elevator dinged again and we got off. Luckily the corridor was deserted.
"I really am sorry, Duo." Heero said as the doors slid shut. "The last I heard, you were on L2 with Hilde."
"It's nothing to be sorry for, really." I smiled for him. "Like I said- I was just surprised. Guess the skills aren't as good as they used to be- letting people move in around me without me noticing?"
"It was only yesterday, and I don't have much yet." Heero consoled with a flicker of amusement. "I'm sure you would've found me out before the end of the weekend."
We reached our doors and Heero pulled out his keys. "So- carpool tomorrow?"
"Sure. I'll even drive first. Though- I do go in a bit early on Fridays- that way I can leave early-"
"Sounds good. What time?"
"Seven?"
"Seven it is." He unlocked his door and stepped inside. "Good night, Duo."
"Night," I responded, belatedly pulling out my keys. I opened my door, went inside and locked it behind me. Leaning on it for a minute, I reminded myself that I could do this. So Heero was now my neighbor as well as my coworker- no big deal.
Right?
TBC...
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