Author: Merula
Pairings: 6+5
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.
For Mechante. The Maggie verse- pre-Maggie. A continuation from this ficbit here.... Zechs/Wufei.
Drabble 72
The screen was starting to blur. Wufei lifted his glasses just enough to rub at his eyes. It did nothing to ease the blur or the pounding in his head. The practical thing to do would be to send an email asking for a short extension. But, damn it... he wasn't that far from finished, and he'd never asked for an extension. He still had three hours- he could do this.
If only the damn ancient vending machine down the hall hadn't finally given up the ghost. The next nearest one was two buildings away and was probably already locked up for the night. Sure, the student union was open still- and they had water, aspirin and food- but they were a good twenty minute walk away from his office and he couldn't take the time to walk there and back.
He told himself that he just had to put all the connections in, write the conclusion, edit, make sure all was in order, and send this damn thing off. It wasn't a hard thing to do, even with a headache, not like back in the war, putting his life on the line with Shenlong...
Though really, stomping the hell out of an Oz base sounded a lot more appealing at the moment...
The bottle of water that suddenly appeared on his desk seemed for a moment to be heaven-sent, until he realized how it had gotten there.
"Working hard, Dr. Chang?"
"What are you doing here, Merquise?"
"The dedication party was tonight. I wondered why you weren't there." Zechs dropped down onto the shabby couch in the corner of Wufei's office and smiled. "As I was leaving I noticed your light was on."
He looked incredibly out of place, tailored and exquisite on the battered orange monstrosity that Wufei had rescued from one of the student lounges.
"I'm finishing up a grant proposal."
"Can't it wait? You look awful. Headache, right?"
"Yes," Wufei conceded. "But I can't stop. I have a deadline to meet."
"When is it?"
"Midnight."
Zechs raised an eyebrow. "It's not like you to be late. What happened?"
"It's a group proposal. The others were behind schedule." This was the last time he was going to agree to work as a group if this was what happened.
Much to his surprise, Zechs got to his feet and pushed Wufei's chair away from the desk.
"What are you...?"
"I read these things all the time. Let me have a look. Drink that," Zechs handed him the water bottle, "and close your eyes for a few minutes."
Wufei considered arguing for a moment, but the water tasted fantastic, and his head did hurt...
He heard the soft click of keys and hoped he wouldn't regret letting Zechs help out. It had been about four months since he'd taken Zechs for that tour of the library. Since then his former enemy had periodically stopped by the campus, dropping into Wufei's lectures, stopping by his office and once demanding that Wufei had to go to a new museum exhibit with him.
"I have to go with you?"
"Yes," Zechs gestured at the brochure he'd tossed on Wufei's desk. "Read that. Don't you want to go? It's only here for a month."
Wufei blinked and picked up the brochure, eyes widening as he scanned it. "How did you even get tickets? It sold out months ago."
Shrugging, Zechs had picked up his coat and tossed it at him. "Does it matter? It's something I knew you'd want to see. Let's go."
He still wasn't sure why Zechs was hanging around him so much, but he'd kind of gotten used to it. The bastard could be good company...
"Finished," Zechs said in a triumphant tone. Wufei opened his eyes startled- and blinked at the clock. He'd had his eyes closed for a while. "Want to read it before I send it?"
"Of course," Wufei snapped edging his chair back in front of his computer. "We want this grant to be accepted after all."
"Oh it will be." Zechs leaned on the corner of the desk as Wufei read through the proposal. He had to admit, Zechs had done a good job of polishing and completing it.
"Well, we won't know that until it gets approved, but thank you." Wufei sent the file and closed his computer down with a sigh of relief. "I do appreciate your help."
"Enough to let me take you home?"
"I haven't missed the last train..."
"You still have a headache. My car is quieter and faster than the train." Zechs managed to sweep up Wufei's briefcase and get a hand under his elbow before Wufei could formulate a protest. "Come on, Dr. Chang. Let me help you a little more."
"I don't know why you insist on continuing this- acquaintance- with me," Wufei muttered as Zechs led him down towards the elevators.
"You don't?" Zechs' eyes widened in surprise. "And here I thought I was being fairly obvious."
Wufei leaned against the back of the elevator car and pulled his glasses off, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. The lights were brighter in here than in his office, making his head hurt more.
"No idea at all."
His glasses were plucked from his fingers, placed in their case and neatly dropped back in his pocket. Warm lips found his for a moment and then Zechs had stepped back, resettling his tie, a faint smile curving the corner of his mouth.
"That blatant enough for you?" He drawled and Wufei shook his head.
"Are you insane?"
"Not at the moment. Or so my doctor assures me."
"Maybe I should take the train home."
"After I helped you get your grant? That's not very kind. I only want to make sure you get home safe."
"I haven't gotten the grant yet."
"Oh yes you have." Zechs' smile widened as the elevator doors slid open. "That was written to one of my foundations."
"Your foundations? But-"
"Yes, one of mine. Not everyone is... comfortable approaching me after all, even after my rehabilitation. It's easier to be anonymous at times."
The tone of his voice sparked something in Wufei's chest. "I can understand that."
"I rather thought you could." They had reached the outside of the building and Zechs paused on the steps. Before he could speak again, Wufei made up his mind.
"Where are you parked?"
"Right over there." Zechs smiled flashed out. "So you are going to let me drive you home and tuck you in?"
"Drive me home, yes. More than that- no. I have a headache."
Zechs chuckled softly and headed down the steps. "Ah well, maybe next time."
No, Wufei thought to himself. Not next time either. But maybe the time after that...?
OWARI
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