Author: Merula
Pairings: 1x2
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yaoi
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.
This was one of the drabbles that I started and abandoned for another scenario. This one, tho rather cheesy, kept bugging me. *sigh*
Drabble 63
"I'm here to see Howard- he should be expecting me."
The lady manning the desk blinked at him for a moment. "Name?"
"Heero Yuy. I was sent by Quatre Winner?"
Picking up the phone, she nodded towards a group of plain wooden chairs. "Have a seat, please. I'll see if he's available."
Heero did as he was told, carefully studying the area around him. The receptionist's desk sat in a tiny alcove- out of the way of the rest of the huge space. There were several pieces of things that looked like mobile dolls, some old satellites, and what looked like a shuttle of some kind towards the back. Swarming over them were a few dozen Sweepers- fixing, salvaging and yelling at each other as they worked.
There was a lot of energy here- good energy- no wonder Quatre was willing to do business with Howard's group. Well, that and the fact that one of their own worked here. Heero took a deep breath- chances were good that at some point, today or tomorrow, he was going to see-
"Heero? Is that you? I'll be damned-"
He got to his feet quickly. "Duo?" His old partner stood there, his coveralls grease-stained, his hair in the familiar braid down his back, his grin nearly splitting his face. "It's good to see you-"
Duo's handclasp was warm, his eyes narrowing as he studied Heero. "It's good to see you too- unless-" the grin faded a little. "There's not another- problem- heating up somewhere?"
Heero shook his head. "Not at all. I'm here to see Howard- Quatre sent me-"
"I heard you were working for Quatre, but I thought you were headed into the Preventers?"
"Tried that. It wasn't really for me."
Duo nodded, accepting the statement for the moment- though Heero knew he'd ask for details later. "So, you're here to see the old man? Stacy- did Howard say to send him back?"
"Howard's not answering," she replied, making a slight face and Duo laughed.
"He's probably hip-deep back there," Tilting his head a little, Duo focused back on Heero. "Come on- I'll take you back to see him. He's got this new project- he gets a little involved- you know how it is."
"I do," Heero followed Duo through the warehouse towards the shuttle he'd seen earlier. "You guys seem really busy."
"We are- since Howard decided to expand the salvage into restoring services too. We're doing pretty well." He tossed a glance at Heero over his shoulder. "You said Quatre sent you? We aren't quite finished with that shuttle of his- it's a few days away from completion."
Heero nodded. "I know. Quatre wanted me out here for the end- the test flights? If all goes well, I suspect he'll be ordering a few more."
"Howard said something about that- but we were expecting a young executive type for an inspection- not someone who actually knew how to fly the thing." Heero heard the amusement in Duo's voice.
"Well, I was sort of a last minute substitution, but I had finished my current assignment- so Quatre sent me."
Duo gave him another look, but by this time they had reached one of the mobile dolls. Howard was standing near it, reeling off a list of instructions to a group of Sweepers. Heero listened, wondering what sort of plans Howard had for the thing- and if it was something to be worried about.
"Howard wants to reprogram them to act as security systems for some of the colonies- not the huge swarms of them that we fought- just sort of mobile watchers." Duo explained and Heero nodded, making a mental note to tell Quatre about it. If they worked- Quatre would want some.
When Howard had finally waved his group off, he turned a smile on the waiting young men. "Heero? What are you doing here? Looking for a job?"
"Actually, I'm here on one- Quatre sent me."
"You're our inspector? That's the best news I've heard today! Duo- why don't you take him over and show him the shuttle? We'll be starting the test flight tomorrow- he can get comfortable with it all."
"Thanks Howard- I appreciate it-"
"Don't thank me! I'm just glad Winner sent someone with some expertise!" Howard turned back to his work as Heero followed Duo out towards a rather beaten looking shuttle.
"Quatre said he wanted something that wasn't flashy on the outside-" Duo said as they got closer.
"That's what he told me too- all that is solid-?"
"Very much so- it just looks aged- but it's all new really- and reinforced. She should be able to withstand quite a bit." Duo stepped onto the ramp and grinned at him. "Wait until you see the inside-"
Heero let out a low whistle of appreciation when they stepped into the shuttle. "What a difference- elegant overstatement at it's best."
"Well, that's what he wanted. Engine room first and then the tour?"
"Lead the way."
Once in the engine room, the talk turned technical for a bit as Duo explained the way they had rebuilt and tweaked the engine- as well as some of the quirks that had turned up in the process.
"What do you think so far?" Duo asked when they finally left the engine room.
"I can't wait to take her out for a spin tomorrow- you're coming too, right?"
"Hey, you'll need a copilot." Duo smiled as they entered the main cabin. "You can see that it's meant for a full crew- but you don't really need one- in a pinch one person can fly her- but-"
"It's always better to have at least two," Heero finished as he sat down in one of the seats and studied the control panel. "Good set up here-"
"Are you going to be flying her often for Quatre?"
"Don't think so. I don't usually travel with him- that's what Barton and Chang are for."
"That's right- I had heard that Chang left the Preventers-"
Heero smirked. "Yeah, we both- had a problem with authority."
That made Duo laugh out loud. "Somehow I can so see it. Let me show you the rest-" He led the way down the short hallway, letting Heero inspect the kitchen, the bathroom and the two crew rooms.
"This one is Quatre's suite- he wanted a work area here-"
"I can tell," Heero stood in the middle of the room, making note of the huge desk, the even larger bed and the private bathroom. "He should like this."
"So," Duo drawled as Heero wandered over to get a closer look at the desk. "Are you sure you won't be sharing this with him?"
Heero gave Duo a sharp look over his shoulder. Did he dare hope that Duo sounded- jealous? "If that's your way of asking if I've joined Quatre's harem, the answer is no."
"Harem?" Duo echoed, blinking. "Does he know you call it that?"
"He calls it that." Heero laughed. After a moment of consideration, he added: "And yes- the topic of joining did come up."
"What did you say?"
"The same thing that you told me the last time I saw you."
Duo was suddenly there, leaning against Heero, pinning him to the desk, his breath warm against Heero's ear. "That your ass belonged to me-?"
It took a moment for him to remember how to speak. "And I wasn't to forget it." Heero turned his head enough to brush Duo's lips with his.
"You remembered- all this time?" He heard the slight catch in Duo's voice over those last three words.
"Never forgot it."
"You know," Duo purred against his jawline, "that really makes me want to lock the door and break in this fancy new bed- but-" he stepped back and grinned wickedly, "that wouldn't be very professional of me."
"Tease." Heero turned around and leaned against the desk, a smile curving his lips. "Or are you just trying to get me to beg?"
Duo's grin widened. "Well, to be honest, I always did like you on your knees-"
Even as Heero took a step towards him, a voice called down the hallway. "Duo? Are you in there? Howard needs you!"
"Damn it," Duo cursed softly, then called back: "Tell him I'll be right there!" He gave Heero a rueful look. "Sorry- talk about bad timing-"
"Not to worry- I'll finish giving myself the tour-"
"Do that- and then meet me in my office- south west corner- I'll be there as soon as I can." He stepped forward and grabbed Heero by the shoulders, claiming a brief forceful kiss. "We're not finished with this conversation-"
Heero kissed him back, just as hard. "I agree. I'll be waiting in your office."
Duo dashed off and Heero finished his tour, trying hard to keep his focus and make notes for his report for Quatre. Duo's office was easy to find; he let himself in, and leaving the door open, sat down on a non-cluttered corner of the battered sofa that was across from a surprisingly tidy desk. Quickly texting a short report to Quatre, he wasn't surprised to get a reply in a matter of minutes.
Contact me after the test flight tomorrow. Seen Duo around?
Heero supressed the urge to tell Quatre that he was losing his much-vaunted subtlety. Instead, he simply texted back: Yes. That should drive his boss crazy.
"Sorry about that," Duo stepped into the office, closing the door behind him, and Heero put his phone away.
"Not a problem. Everything looked great."
Duo sat down behind the desk, propping his legs on the desktop and folding his hands across his waist. "I'm glad you think so. We should be able to get through the test flights in about five days. Did you rent a close hotel room?"
"I haven't yet- I came straight here from the shuttleport."
"Even better," Duo grinned and crooked an eyebrow at him. "If you ask nicely, I'll happily take you home to bunk with me."
It didn't take a moment for Heero to cross the space between them and straddle Duo's lap. "How nice do I need to be?" He asked, leaning down to press his lips to Duo's. They welcomed him warmly, and it took a few minutes before Duo could reply.
"That works for me. Unless you'd rather be in a hotel-"
"I'd rather be with you."
Duo reached up and caught his collar, fingers digging in tight. "Heero- I don't understand- if you waited for me- all this time- why didn't you show up here? Why go to the Preventers- and then Quatre-?"
"I wasn't sure- you'd said I was yours- but- I didn't know if you were mine. And there was Hilde-"
"Idiot," Duo pushed him upwards until Heero was on the edge of the desk and Duo was leaning into his space, nose to nose. "I've always been yours-"
Another kiss, and then it was Heero's turn. "Why didn't you come to me-?"
Duo laughed softly against his mouth. "First Relena- and then Quatre- I wasn't sure either."
"So we were both idiots."
A longer wordless moment and then Heero managed to free his mouth. "Duo, if we don't stop now-"
"I'm not stopping. Door's locked. Office's soundproofed." Duo's hips rocked against his and Heero shivered in reaction. "Is that okay with you?"
Kicking off his shoes, Heero settled himself firmly on the desk. "More than okay. Come here."
OWARI
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