Author: Merula
Pairing: 1x2
Warnings: Yaoi, AU, Angst
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own GW.
So this fic has a wee bit of a story behind it. But I'm not going to go into the huge details of it, because it's still early here and I'm tired. Let's just say Sunny and I were talking about 'love-child' fics. So, this would be the 'love-child' of Ion and Deliveryman (yes, okay, there is some Road Trip in here too....). Course, there is no way in hell I can imitate Sunny's awesome style, so it's not a perfect 'love-child' by any means. It's more 'heavily influenced'.
She pointed out this morning that if I do this in true Ion (lots of parts) and Deliveryman (the fic that never ends) style that there must be more of this. And so there will be. Just be warned. *grin*
Love-child fic Part 1
The bar was dimly lit, a relief after the glare of the outside 'sun'. Why they felt the need to turn the darn lights up so brightly on a colony, I had no idea. I've heard that some people miss the sun, that during the winter days they actually get depressed because they don't get enough time in the sun.
On Earth, I might be able to believe it- but in the colonies? In our artificial environments? How can you miss what you've never had?
Dumb question I know. People do it all the time. Even me.
Despite the lack of light, I was hailed by name the moment I stepped in the door. I have a favorite place on every colony- several on Earth- and each one is like a mini-home. Maybe even better than that since a visit is welcomed, gossip is exchanged, and you're gone before people can get tired of you.
Course, it's not like I have much of a home in the first place, so I really wouldn't know the difference, but I make do.
"Duo!" The bartender greeted me with a wave of his hand and I dropped into the seat in front of him. "Long time no see. Thought for sure you'd finally settled someplace!"
"You know that's not my thing, Sommers!" I laughed back and accepted the mug he handed me.
"Maxwell," said the spacer next to me and we slapped palms.
"Banner. How's trade?"
"Not too bad."
"Still running all those toxins around?"
He snorted. "It's all perfectly safe, Maxwell. You should do it too- it's good money."
"Right- the batch I'd take would be the one with problems."
"It's better than being a deliveryman."
"Ah, I like it."
"One of the best pilots in the sphere and you're a deliveryman." Banner shook his head. "Maybe someday you'll wise up."
I wasn't offended. It was just a variation on a theme I'd heard a hundred times. Why would a former gundam pilot become a deliveryman of all things?
No one believed me when I told them it was the freedom. I set my schedule. I took the jobs I wanted to take. I had my own ship. And I didn't have to kill people anymore. It worked for me.
"Hey," Sommers leaned over the bar and whispered. "Speaking of other ace pilots, we got two in here today."
I didn't know what he was talking about, but Banner frowned. "Ah, not Grumpy?"
Sommers tilted his head to the side, indicating the pilot was in the booth in the far corner. "The very same."
I was interested. I had heard of 'Grumpy'. Supposedly the guy was a fantastic pilot, but he never stayed with a crew long. Usually personality differences were blamed- apparently he didn't like anyone. But he was a good pilot, so he always found someone willing to put up with him for a bit.
Picking up my mug, I took a sip and turned casually, trying to get a glimpse.
And nearly choked.
Heero Yuy, Pilot 01 and my former teammate, was hunched over his mug in the corner, staring at the table, apparently oblivious to our conversation.
I doubted it. The man had probably been listening to us since I came in.
Before I even thought, I was on my feet and halfway to his table. "Heero! What are you doing here?" It was a good question. Last I'd heard he'd been working as a bodyguard for Relena in Sanq.
He looked up, one eyebrow arching up in that familiar wry look of his. My heart skipped a beat and I firmly told it to stop being an idiot. The war was a long time ago- and I was over that torch I'd carried for this guy.
Though it was a hard thing to keep in mind when faced with those killer blue eyes of his.
"I'm having a drink," he said, completely deadpan. "Isn't it obvious?"
I rolled my eyes at him and sat down without waiting for an invitation. I knew I'd never get one. "I got that part- but I didn't know you were piloting, I mean last I heard-" Ah, damn, this was awkward.
"I was working for Relena."
"Right." I should've remembered. Heero didn't do awkward.
"I was let go. Injury in the line of duty."
Injury in the line of duty? What kind of injury would sideline him from bodyguard duty, but still let him pilot? And I couldn't imagine Relena letting him quit unless it was serious- and even then why hadn't she found him some other job? Unless he'd got stubborn about it- but that just didn't make sense.
His lips curved in a faint smile. "Still the same Duo I see. Why not just ask?"
I felt my face warm slightly as I realized that he had been sitting there watching me as I tried to puzzle out his situation. "Don't want to be rude?" Well, any ruder than I apparently already was.
He shrugged and lifted his left hand up in the air. He was wearing black gloves, the same kind a lot of spacers wear. He pulled off the glove, revealing his hand, and I bit back a small gasp.
"What happened?"
"I lost it in a firefight during a Preventers mission."
"You joined?"
He shook his head. "No- just did the occasional job when they needed someone with my skills. Sometimes I still do." His mouth tightened and his eyes narrowed. He didn't like working for the Preventers, I realized, and wondered why. I turned my attention to his hand.
The digits were a shiny silver color, and as he flexed the hand it made a soft ringing sound as the metal touched.
"Is that gundanium?"
Heero smiled a little more. "Yes. Quatre designed it when I kept breaking the other hands they had for me. This is the best model so far."
"May I?" I extended my hand across the table, fascinated. Heero paused for a second- but before I could think of an apology, he placed his hand in mine. I examined it as he flexed it for me.
Quatre had designed this? Funny that he never mentioned it to me- but then again I hadn't ever really encouraged him to talk about Heero. I had thought things were going well for him in Sanq- and I didn't want to hear about that.
I should've asked. I turned Heero's hand over, poked at the palm, watched as his fingers twitched. Fascinating. The joints bent when I pressed them, the hand acted as if it was flesh and bone still.
"The pressure you can exert with this is pretty high isn't it? He's taken the basic bone structure and modified it..." I cut myself off. I was sure Heero knew all the details already. No need to babble.
"I had forgotten what an engineer you are," he said in a soft tone. "Yes," he added. "Quatre thought it would help me out a bit."
"This is an amazing piece," I told him and released his hand. "But I don't understand- that shouldn't sideline you from anything."
"I wasn't sidelined," he said shortly and yanked his glove back on. "Relena- well, let's just say that I wasn't perfect enough anymore."
"Just because you lost a hand?" I growled. Heero gave me a wide-eyed look of surprise.
"It wasn't just this." He made a fist and released it. I couldn't read his expression at all. He looked up from his hand and smiled. "Don't be mad at her just cause she didn't want a Skywalker."
I blinked at the term. "You remember that?"
"You made me watch it six times in a row Duo. It was hard to forget."
"It wasn't six times- it was five and a half. You hid the player, remember?"
He nodded. "It was sheer self-defense."
That made me laugh. I glanced at my watch. "How much longer you going to be on this piece of metal?" If I was lucky maybe he'd be willing to have a meal with me. It had been so long since I had been in his company- I wasn't willing to give it up so soon. Especially not this Heero, who if not warm and welcoming, seemed at least more approachable than I remembered.
He shrugged. "Just until I can find a ship to crew on."
The offer was out before I truly thought about the consequences. "Mind being a co-pilot?" What the hell was I doing? Not that I couldn't use another hand on my ship, because I could- I just hadn't found anyone I was willing to ship with for a long period of time. I did enjoy Heero's company- which was the problem. I enjoyed it too much. Should I take back the offer? Volunteer to ask around for him?
Then I saw the flash of hope in his eyes and I wondered how long he'd been out of work. "No, as long as the other pilot knows what he's doing."
Ah, damn. "Well, I'm the other pilot. Mind being a deliveryman?"
A flash of a smile. "We don't have to kill anything do we?"
"Not ever."
"Sounds perfect to me."
I couldn't help smiling. "Well, you may not think it's perfect once you've tasted my cooking, but if you want the job it's yours."
"I can cook," he replied, apparently not worried. "When do we leave?"
I checked my watch again. "I have to meet a client at the ship in a few hours. If we leave now we can get you settled, get the ship stocked and eat before we have to leave."
Heero swung up out of his seat, pulling a duffle out from under the table. "Then let's go."
Banner turned as we stood up. "Duo- you aren't making the other best pilot in the Sphere a deliveryman are you?"
"Best job there is," I retorted. "At least he won't have to worry about turning all green from towing around those toxins!" Banner snorted and rolled his eyes. Sommers just grinned.
"Are you all right?" Heero asked me once we were out on the street.
"Sure," I replied, wondering why he'd asked.
"You're limping a little." He frowned at my right leg. "Are you injured?"
"Oh that." It shouldn't have surprised me that he noticed, though not many did. The limp was pretty slight- not like it used to be. "Yeah. About two years ago. I was with the Sweepers on a cleanup and I got caught between some debris and the hull. Smashed the hell out of my knee- I was damn lucky it didn't tear my suit."
Heero frowned. "Damn lucky you didn't lose it too."
"Well," I paused and bit my lip. "I sort of did. Had to have the knee replaced."
Heero sighed. "Bet Howard wasn't thrilled about that."
I laughed, surprised that Heero would even think of that aspect. "No, he sure as hell wasn't happy about it." I remembered the lecture he gave me in the hospital all too well. "He called me an idiot and gave me the riot act about being in the wrong place during the job."
Heero shook his head a little. "Is that when you became a deliveryman?"
"Yeah, the insurance money got me started. I'd been wanting my own ship anyway, and the money was an extra boost. Howard had a few contacts and got me set up. Said it was a safer place for me than mucking around with his cleanup operations."
"He always was pretty protective of you."
"Well," I felt that heat rising up in my face again. "Yeah. Guess he was." Before Heero could reply I opened the door to the hanger and gestured him inside. "Well, here she is."
He stopped dead in his tracks and blinked at my ship. I followed his gaze and knew what he was thinking.
"Hey- she may not look like much- but she's got it where it counts." I grabbed his elbow and tugged him forward. "I made a lot of special modifications myself. She's fast and she handles like a dream."
He followed me toward the ramp, looking even more amused. "Well, it won't be the first time my life was in your hands I guess. So- tell me all about her quirks."
I wanted to protest that she didn't have many, but I knew better. So as I took Heero down the hallway to the spare cabin, I gave him the list.
I had forgotten how spare the darn place was- I hardly ever went in the room and when Heero tossed his duffle on the small cot I felt guilty. "Sorry it's kind of bare..." I started and he shook his head.
"It's a room to myself," he gave me a half smile over his shoulder and opened his duffle. "I haven't had privacy in ages."
I took the hint and after pointing out the bathroom, left him to settle in. I headed toward the main cabin to curl myself up in the pilot's chair to wonder what the hell I had just gotten myself into.
TBC...
Back to Merula's Fanfictions Page