Heero and his roommate, a hardly conspicuous man whose name he immediately forgot and didn’t esteem important, were to report themselves for mobile suit class. Heero had opted to keep a low profile, to research and find out what was really living amongst the soldiers. It wouldn’t be wise to show off his mobile suit piloting skills – people could get suspicious, and if he proved to be even better than Trowa, he’d endanger his cover. Lady Une had specifically ordered Trowa to blow up Deathscythe to test him – with two of the same extraordinary pilots, both their covers would be on the line. Heero positioned himself in the line with nine other men, waiting for instructions. The door swung open and the instructor was announced.
“Attention! Officer on deck!”
They all saluted, neatly in chorus.
“All right, at ease.”
Heero recognized that voice: it belonged to the young officer he bumped into yesterday. He tried to hide his surprise when he saw Lieutenant Maxwell standing in front of the line, holding a clipboard. It would be logical for him to be an instructor, if he really was an ace mobile suit pilot for the Specials, as his rank indicated.
He started with a roll call and he lingered when he called for “Odin Lowe” and saw Heero putting up his hand. Then he smiled and went on with the list.
“All right, everybody’s present. My name is Maxwell, Lieutenant Duo Maxwell.”
A ripple of excitement went through the line. Most of the privates had heard of his name before. He had, indeed, quite the reputation.
“You can earn the privilege of calling me by the first name if you do your best and keep up with the goals,” he said, followed by: “But I’m not that difficult. Not that easy either. Most of you come quite commended from Lake Victoria, but there are some of you I hardly know of.”
Heero tried to look as neutral as possible, ignoring that Duo was looking at him.
I’m imagining things.
Duo approached the first person of the line and Heero’s roommate leaned a bit over to whisper in his ears. “Maxwell’s training with the mobile dolls and is next in command of them, right after Tubarov. Even Nichol doesn’t hold the responsibility of commanding them.”
Nichol? Heero quickly gathered that was probably the name of the man who reacted so badly when he bumped into them.
“Is that what’s so special about him?” Heero gave back. His roommate looked horrified at him.
“What? Don’t you know anything about him? He survived a Gundam attack, for Christ’ sakes! He’s been clearing up the space mines, and he’s personally favoured by Khushrenada himself!” He quickly shut up after several ‘Sh’s!’
Heero filed that information immediately away for future use. Personally favoured by Treize Khushrenada, the man who had set him up at New Edwards! Maybe that’s why Lieutenant Maxwell was walking around with special insignia, and a chestnut braid as long as his backside. A long, chestnut, braid to his backside... his... Heero blinked with his eyes.
Focus! Not on that! Mission!
Duo moved from private to private, taking them one at the time to a reconstructed Aries cockpit, where he hooked them up to a simulated mobile suit control system. Heero had to restrain himself from snorting out loud. An Aries! The privates were discussing their test results as Duo was slowly working his way through the line. When he finally came back for him, Heero answered that he was ready.
“You’re quite eager, aren’t you?” Duo chuckled. “Well, if you show the same enthusiasm as when you did when you bumped into me, I don’t think there’s any trouble.”
He smiled and Heero was almost blinded by it. How can someone be that beautiful? He was wondering about it while he climbed into the cockpit. The simulated Aries joysticks and controls were child’s play compared to the ones of his Wing Gundam, and he closed his fingers around the joystick.
“Lower,” Duo said.
“Huh?”
“Lo-wer,” Duo repeated, and Heero heard the privates snicker. At the same moment, Duo leaned in, took Heero’s thumb off the upper button, and pushed it downward.
“You don’t have to launch missiles yet. Here’s the one for acceleration.”
Heero flushed furiously, and not only because Duo was so close and he touched him and he talked to him and… Heero steered his thoughts away. What’s wrong with me? Focus! He could’ve slapped himself mentally for grabbing the controls in the same way as he did with his Gundam controls. Which idiot designed the activation device for weapons on the bottom of the joystick? Once used to the controls, he had to remind himself not to show off his capacities. He winced when he missed some targets. That wasn’t even on purpose. Thinking of Duo standing close and monitoring him distracted him. He’s just someone. Someone I once meet and I soon forget. Somehow, he doubted that. A mechanic voice announced that the test was over and Heero let go of the controls. He stepped out of the cockpit and looked expectantly at Duo.
“Impressive scores,” he said, while printing out the test results. “You’re doing well. Okay, back in line with you, private Lowe.”
Heero took his place again and winced when he heard Duo read out the results of the test.
He held the high score and saw the other privates looking at him, envious. Heero knew how much better he could’ve done, but he wasn’t here to achieve results for OZ. He was here for a mission. He had to forget about Duo Maxwell. There was only the mission.
Heero’s days were filled with attending mobile suit piloting classes, field training and operation tactics. He hadn’t as much free time as he wanted to; he often had to do errands for higher ranked officers, as he was only a private. It was usually Trowa who gave him chores to do, meanwhile slipping notes to keep him up to date about the scientists, the upgrade of the Gundams and the progress of the new mobile suits that OZ wanted the doctors to build: the Mercurius suit was almost at 90 % complete, while the Vayeate suit was at a mere 30%.
He had seen Chang Wufei too, who had calmly accepted his temporary defeat. There would be a time that the dragon would roam the universe again, and he was exercising the patience needed until the Altron Gundam was completed. Normal mobile suit production still took place at the Lunar Base, but Heero didn’t learn anything else but that those were called “Mobile Dolls” and that Lieutenant Duo Maxwell was the man in charge of them. Duo. He’s OZ. He’s not on my side. I have to forget about him. Despite these thoughts, the lieutenant worked his way into Heero’s mind more often than not.
Heero started thinking more and more about him, fascinated as he was with Duo’s character and demeanor, gregarious, out-going, and pure. People adored him, felt at ease with him, and wanted to be with him. I want to be with him. God, why did he have to be on OZ’s side? All the other pilots would kill me, not to mention Dr. J. He pondered if Duo could be attracted to him the same way. People, somehow wanting his attention or approval, always surrounded Duo; it was difficult to get close to him. One day, Heero had managed to leave class at the same time Duo did and he had smiled brightly at him. Heero imagined that Duo was stealing glances at him, but every time he looked Duo’s way, he would look somewhere else. In class, Duo wasn’t always the teacher, though – sometimes he ended up with Nichol.
For some reason, Heero didn’t doubt it had to do something with the one time he bumped into him, Nichol disliked him. The man couldn’t hide his frustration that he wasn’t the one in charge, and the third man to learn about the mobile dolls. To Duo, he was perfectly polite and composed, but Heero had seen the underlying frustration and anger.
It wasn’t time for class yet. Heero tapped with a pencil on his notebook. The Gundam scientists still alive and working for OZ, the colonies who had openly turned against them, reducing them to outcasts. Wufei imprisoned and the whereabouts of Quatre still unknown. Wing Gundam again on the bottom of the sea to avoid detection; like an encaged bird with broken wings. They had nowhere to go, no way to fight. Why am I still fighting? To achieve peace for a world that’ll probably reject it?
“Private Lowe, report for duty on Taurus Deck immediately for mobile suit simulation!” He was snapped out of his reverie. His roommate, who was studying on the bed, wailed.
“Why not me? I deserve a chance too!”
Heero rose from his chair. “As long as you’re not in the top five of the pilots, you’re not going to be called.”
“Jerk,” the other private replied, though without any menace to his voice. Heero didn’t give him any more attention and left the room. Two other privates scrambled towards the Taurus Deck-- he recognized them, they were number two and three on the list. He smirked. A simulation, wasn’t it? Well, he was up for any challenge they’d throw at him.
“Welcome, gentlemen,” Duo welcomed them when they arrived at the deck. Nichol stood next to him, looking very sullen; he carried three padded space helmets.
“Reporting for duty, sir!” Heero saluted.
“You’re all coming with me for an exercise in mine sweeping,” Duo explained. “This is a serious drill, gentlemen. We’re shooting with real weapons at real mines. A test to push yourself to your limits. Don’t disappoint me- you’re the best pilots of this batch, and I want to be proud of you!”
“Yes sir!” The three privates saluted again and Nichol stepped forward to hand over their helmet. He looked very grim at Heero; he immediately gathered that it had been Nichol’s job to accompany Duo on the minesweeping job. He pulled the helmet out of Nichol’s hands and scowled back at him.
The two other pilots were on their edge, exited about their first real-life mission in outer space. Heero followed them to the hall where the Taurus were waiting for them; he snorted at the suit that paled in every comparison to his Wing Gundam. He walked towards his designated suit, ignoring the rows of other suits awaiting commands.
“Lowe?” He almost skidded to a halt and turned around. It was Duo, standing behind him. His look was hard to determine; a bit sullen, expectant, and something more… Heero couldn’t describe it. The young lieutenant approached him, almost swaggering.
“Sir?”
“I expect much from my top pilot,” Duo answered him, flashing a wide grin. Still, his eyes didn’t smile; instead, they seemed to linger on him before he averted his gaze.
“Keep an eye out for the others. They’re not as good as you, and I expect them to make mistakes. It’s just a minesweeping operation, but they won’t hold out very long in a real battle.”
“What do you know about real battles?” Heero could’ve bitten his tongue, especially because he was answered with a fierce look.
“Enough to know who survives or not, Private Lowe,” Duo said, sounding irritated. “Don’t make the mistake to assume I’m an easy one. I thought you were different and better than that.”
They faced each other, and Heero could’ve sworn Duo was about to say something more, but he didn’t. He walked away with the same swagger, shouting a few words to a mechanic who waved at him. The sound of roaring engines was deafening and Heero made haste to enter his own cockpit. While he was punching in the codes and bringing his own suit to life, it dawned him that this was the first time Duo had addressed him with only his surname.
The airlock closed behind them and they were in outer space. Soothing, Duo thought while he was entering the coordinates in his onboard computer system. Space was something like a comforting blanket; it could cover you with stars, wrapping you tightly with darkness. He checked the input and leaned backwards in his pilot seat. On Tubarov’s orders, Duo brought a squadron of Mobile Dolls with him. The command console was blinking. It would take them fifteen minutes to reach their destination, enough time to ponder a little about private Odin Lowe. Duo grinned. He wasn’t interested in the test results of the private, as they were excellent from the beginning. Nichol was whining about the remarkable resemblance to Trowa Barton’s skills, and had voiced his suspicion rather loudly when Lowe even surpassed those skills.
“He’s too good to be true,” Nichol had said before leaving. Duo grinned again. Indeed, too good to be true. Top pilot, handsome, intelligent… blue eyes to drown in… ‘and probably spoken for,’ Duo mussed. He couldn’t believe a guy like Odin Lowe to be on his own, even though he was under the impression that Lowe didn’t care much for the presence of others. As long as there is no significant other, I can always try. There was the problem with his phenomenal skills, though. Officer Trowa Barton was thoroughly tested by blowing up that Gundam suit. Duo had followed the test on the screens, displayed all over the Lunar Base. He couldn’t understand why he felt a strange urge to scream when the enemy suit was blown to pieces. As if, he lost something… something dear. Duo hadn’t been his usual self for almost three days, before he settled back in his daily routine, dismissing his mixed emotions about the blow up of the Gundam.
Odin Lowe showed the same skills as Trowa Barton, and he hadn’t been submitted to a similar loyalty test. Duo shifted in his seat. He shouldn’t have listened to Nichol’s paranoid rambling. But two of the same skilled pilots could hardly be a coincidence… had Odin Lowe something to do with the Gundams? And why did he think of that, when he only wanted to think about him in a totally other…
“Sir, we’ve arrived,” his communication link flared to life.
“Excellent Peters, assume line-up position,” Duo answered. He gripped the controls. The ring of floating mines came into sight. Another colony was about to be freed of the last remains of the Alliance… and to be replaced with OZ’s rule.
Quit it! You’re here for the peace of the colonies. It was all lies! How does your revenge feel now, little Shinigami?
“Wha… what?” Duo’s finger slipped. What did he himself refer to?
“Sir? Awaiting your orders, sir!”
“In position?” Duo flicked the cameras on. The three pilots were lined up, and the mobile dolls were in the same line, awaiting orders.
“Alright, focus on the mines. They’ll be automatically triggered when we’re in reach. Think about it, this is not a simulation. Grab your beam rifles, gentlemen!”
The pilots equipped themselves with the beam rifles, one suit steadily drifting off to the left.
“Peters, you’re too close! Wait for my…” His proximity alarm went off.
Heero saw his fellow pilot approach the mines too fast and engaged his own suit. Within seconds, the mines broke free from their formation and, gaining speed fast, hurled themselves at the suits.
“Mobile Dolls, engage!” Duo was quick to respond and the suits immediately obeyed his command. The unmanned mobile suits were equipped with the same beam rifles and started tearing through the swirling mines. Heero made sure none of the mines came even close to him, keeping an eye on the other two pilots, apparently taken aback by the events. Peters didn’t move with his suit and started firing randomly; Heero heard Duo yell over the communication link. The lieutenant’s Taurus was speeding towards Peters, cutting through the defensive line, avoiding the swift space mines.
Impressive piloting. Heero noticed the outer line of space mines, about to be triggered from Duo’s speed. Heero couldn’t determine whether Duo had noticed-- with his back turned, he’d probably rely on the mobile dolls. He quickly checked his radar panel to see where the mobile dolls were moving to. What the… they’re way to far ahead! They’d never made it in time if Duo really needed help, and obviously he wouldn’t notice when it was too late- his attention was focused on Peters.
“What are you doing, Peters?” Heero cut in. “Move that suit away! Stolk, you too! Get away from here if you can’t handle it! Lieutenant--”
“Mind your own business, Private Lowe! You’re not in the position to give out orders,” Duo’s voice came through the link, rather aggravated. “Concentrate on your own work.”
“Sir! Peters’ suit’s too slow! He’ll get hit by the mines if he stays in that position! There’s a line of--”
“Move your suit away, Lowe,” Duo snapped. “You’re in the line of fire! Follow my orders, now!”
“Sir,” Heero answered and moved away to tackle another batch of floating mines. He targeted them with his beam rifle, and was about to blast them away, while he heard Duo calling the other pilots, followed by a scream from-- who? Peters? Stolk? It didn’t sound like Duo… Heero wished he had Wing under his control instead of the Taurus suit, which didn’t have all surround camera feed. Something was wrong; the communication line seemed dead.
“Peters? Stolk? Lieutenant?” He tried different frequencies and when he got no answer, he turned his suit around to give the outer cameras the chance to pick up images. Two Taurus suits were slumped together, guarded by a few mobile doll suits, beam rifles casually in hand. Where was the third Taurus? Where was Duo? A blinding light gulfed over his cockpit. Beam rifle! So close?
“Never turn your back when you haven’t finished, Private Lowe,” Duo sounded rather strained. “We return back to base. I’ll set the mobile dolls to guard our retreat. Mission accomplished.”
Heero followed meekly, wondering what really happened.
It would take time for the suits on board computers to accumulate and process the battle data, and Heero wasn’t going to wait for it. He released his buckles, took off his helmet and gave the command to open the chest hatch. He used the winch to descend, and looked around in the main hangar. Colleagues and two men from the medical services surrounded Peters. Stolk stood next to Duo, looking relieved. Heero started to approach them, but halted when Duo turned around.
“Report to my quarters immediately, Private Lowe.” He’d never heard Duo so... menacing. He was about to get chewed out, and dutifully followed the lieutenant.
For some reason, he noticed Duo walking rather stiffly. He had noticed it before, especially after a long day of training. Heero couldn’t wonder about it, as he saw Trowa in the hallway with a clipboard in his hands. He made the intention to come over and talk to Heero, but Duo interrupted him.
“After me, officer Barton. I’ll send you to him.”
Heero saw Trowa lift his eyebrow in a questioning matter, but he didn’t have the time to answer him. He followed Duo to his quarters-- in a wing of the Lunar Base clearly reserved for high ranks, very high ranks.
Duo keyed in his access code and the door slid open. He motioned Heero to follow him and when they were in the room, he spun around on his heels.
“What’s this, private Lowe?” He barked. “What were you thinking? I thought you could follow orders, that you were eager to learn and work your way up the ranks, not that you were an arrogant prick who thinks he can order my people around!”
“I’m sorry, Lieutenant Maxwell,” Heero apologized, “but neither you nor the others seem to notice the second batch of mines. They were triggered by your speed and since you were busy helping Peters…”
“I saw Peters freeze, and I knew I had to get him out of there before casualties would fall. I also saw the second batch, Private Lowe. I had a back-up line of mobile dolls waiting for them. Are you questioning my methods? Did you think I couldn’t handle the situation?”
“No, not at all,” Heero had to defend himself. Idiot! He wondered for a brief moment if he meant himself or Duo.
Duo crossed his arms over his chest. “I really thought you were different, Private Lowe. I thought you saw past my so-called fame and reputation, and I thought you were mature enough to value me on my own merits. I told you I’m not an easy one-- I’m not someone who lives only by reputation, but comes through for that reputation.”
“Sir,” Heero said, not knowing what else to say.
“Now, why didn’t you show that before?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re used to giving orders, and quite naturally, I might say. You’ve got good insight. Why didn’t you show that before, when you were with the land troops?”
Heero reminded himself of his fake resume he filled out to be accepted into OZ.
“I didn’t feel it was very appropriate at the time,” he answered. Duo chuckled. Something caught Heero’s attention; a silver sparkle in Duo’s neck. A necklace?
“Yeah, the 121 platoon can be difficult sometimes,” Duo mussed. He shook his head absent mindedly.
“Sir?”
Duo seemed to blush. “I studied your resume. Quite impressive. You’re just as good an officer as Barton.”
Heero shuffled his feet. I have to do something about the comparison between Trowa and me. It would be too conspicuous if we’re almost the same.
“I haven’t even thanked you properly.”
“Huh?” Duo lifted his head. “Thank me for what?”
“For taking out the mine behind me, when I had my back turned.”
“Yes, that was pretty careless,” Duo said. “Something distracted you?”
“I..” I was afraid that you were getting hit. “I was worried about the situation, sir.”
“Don’t underestimate me, Private Lowe.” Duo narrowed his eyes and took a step forward. Close. “I can take care of myself.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it,” Heero answered, almost out of breath. Duo was a few inches smaller than him and looked him right in the eye.
“Can you?”
“Sir,” Heero didn’t know what to say. God, so close. He decided to change the subject. “You’re walking limp.”
Whatever trance there was, it was broken. Duo averted his eyes and the thick braid shifted over his shoulder. Chestnut, red, and golden colors.
“It was an accident. I was shot down by a Gundam.”
Heero gasped.
“I wouldn’t have survived if I were the weaker person you’re keeping me for. I don’t depend on Treize’s influence, I can take care of myself,” Duo repeated, quite angered. “You’re on extra duty for ignoring my orders, Lowe. And... make sure you pay attention next time.”
“Yes sir, thank you sir,” Heero answered and saluted. It was his cue to leave and he walked towards the door-- before he left, he looked back on a sudden whim. Duo was staring at him, deep blue eyes observing him. Deep blue eyes, as deep and blue as the ocean. That wasn’t quite correct. Duo Maxwell’s eyes had a hint of black in them; a dark drop in the ocean. The door slid open.
The extra duty implied, to Heero’s annoyance, more kitchen shifts. He hated working in the barely ventilated kitchen with all those other privates around him; he’d rather have extra guard duty. It was, however, a good opportunity to brush up on gossip, and Heero tried to gather extra information on Duo. He even asked Trowa about him, the one time they were able to talk- Trowa promised to ‘look into it’, but Heero hadn’t heard from him yet. He was eager for some action. Stuck in the hot kitchen and dragging dishes around, he wasn’t able to do something about the scientists and with each passing day, the Vayeate and the Mercurius were more and more complete. OZ still kept a fairly low profile, with Lady Une offering peace and prosperity to every colony she visited; the clever, shrewd disguise of cooperation didn’t elude Heero.
With the kitchen duties finished, Heero had to hurry to be on time for this class – it was a lecture on piloting techniques by Duo. He plopped his notebook and pencils on a desk and glared at the other students who dared to even look at him; he reeked of dishwasher detergent. Heero sat a bit to the right side, so no one would pay attention to him. He found listening to Duo’s voice soothing. He feigned his attention – no one needed to tell him how to handle a mobile suit. Heero ached to pilot his Wing again, but he had to be patient. Now was not the time. He drifted off on the calm tone of Duo’s voice. He was called back to Earth when he heard a loud noise at his ear. He winced.
“Do you think you don’t need to pay attention, Private Lowe?”
Heero rose from his chair. “No, sir!”
“Then tell me, Private Lowe, am I that boring to listen to, or don’t you want to learn about mobile suit piloting? Do I have to remind you that you were almost launching missiles if I hadn’t corrected you before?”
“No, sir!” Heero answered. He didn’t imagine the snickering from the class.
“No sir what? I don’t have to remind you?” Duo waved with the clipboard in his face.
“No, sir, I was referring to the boring lect-” he could’ve bitten of his tongue. Fuck! What a moment to choose to wrong word! “Sir, you’re not boring to listen to! I want to learn to from you, sir!”
Heero found himself sweating under Duo’s stern gaze. He didn’t want to get unwanted attention, and now he had screwed up in front of the Specials officer. For the third time in a row. What’s the matter with me?
He repeated, more softly: “I would like very much to learn from you, sir.”
“Don’t make me come up to you again,” Duo said, blue eyes twinkling with... amusement?
Heero was confused. Duo turned brusquely around and went back to the front of the class.
“I sincerely hope that the rest of you are nothing like Private Lowe here, or I’ll resort to equally childish manners. I’ll see you after class.” He shot at Heero, who ignored the glares he was receiving. He didn’t care about the students and the students didn’t care about him; his aloof attitude made him impossible to approach.
The bell rang. Heero closed his notebook and remained seated, while the other privates left the classroom, talking and snickering. Duo was gathering his own papers and looked up at Heero.
“You’ve been slacking, private. Not paying attention to my orders, not paying attention to my class. Is there something bothering you?”
“No, sir,” Heero said. He gritted his teeth. He didn’t want all this attention, and certainly not from Duo Maxwell. You’re distracting me. I have to focus on the mission, not on you!
“Are you sure I’m not bothering you?”
“Never,” Heero blurted out. He could mentally slap himself.
Duo chuckled. He came up to Heero, turned a chair around and sat across him at the desk.
“You’ve been looking at me, Odin Lowe. Watching me. Observing me. I wonder if you bumped into me on purpose or on accident?”
“It was truly an accident, sir,” Heero said. He felt his face flush. The prickles under his hair intensified. Duo was so close to him; he could touch him. He called onto every ounce of willpower not to take him into his arms and kiss him. Kiss him? Since when did I start thinking about kissing him? He’s a distraction- and an OZ officer! I can’t…
“I see,” Duo simply said. He crossed his arms. “You’re very fascinating, you know. So tell me, why haven’t you applied for the Specials before? You could’ve made an excellent member of the team, instead of rotting away with the land troops.”
“I...” Heero’s mind worked at top speed. He had to be careful with his answers; if they didn’t match with the resume he filled out, he was in trouble. “I developed an interest for space, sir.”
“How come?” Duo leaned a bit forward.
“I wanted to see the beautiful… beautiful stars,” Heero said. Duo smiled.
“And, did you see them?”
“I see a lot of them, but only one in particular.”
“Cheesy,” Duo answered but he kept smiling. He was so close. He smelled of… cinnamon? Heero maintained a neutral expression on his face, but he wasn’t prepared for Duo’s next words.
“I see,” Duo, answered. “Is there something else you want to ask me?”
Oh God oh God he’s so close.
“Ask you?”
“Ask me,” Duo repeated. They were so close their noses almost touched each other. The classroom was empty; there was no one in the hall. It was silent, deadly silent but their breathing.
“Ask me if I like you,” Duo whispered. Strands of chestnut hair mingled with Heero’s own dark brown hair. So close.
It was one fluent movement, when they both moved even closer and nudged their heads for a first, tentative kiss. They only brushed their lips, a small, and feather light taste.
“I don’t have to ask,” Heero whispered back. He closed his hand over Duo’s. “The answer is already clear to me.”
“Poetic,” Duo mumbled. “You’re really an enigma, Odin.” He closed his thumbs over Heero’s palms and started rubbing gently. Heero’s stomach clenched together. Odin. I’m all lies, Duo. This isn’t good. I had better end this before it goes all out of hand…
“There is so much to tell,” were his only words. Duo smiled again.
“Where do we begin?” He suddenly shivered. The empty classroom had gone stone cold and dark; they both had lost track of time.
“Why don’t you sit next to me at dinner,” Duo suggested. Heero shook his head.
“It won’t do any good for us, a private with an officer. Duo...” It was the first time he addressed him with his first name, and it felt… familiar. Heero and Duo.
“Is there somewhere else we can meet?”
“You know where my quarters are,” Duo said, eyes tingling with exuberance. “Odin, come visit me tonight.”
“I will,” Heero said. Duo looked at his watch, while still holding Heero’s hand and wailed.
“Oh crap! I’m supposed to meet Tubarov! That impatient geezer’s going to have my head!”
“Tubarov?” The mobile doll engineer, Heero’s mind provided. He’d overheard Trowa talking about him; an unpopular elder man who only answered to the Romefeller Foundation. Heero didn’t know a thing about the Foundation, and he suddenly realized that he could pump Duo for information.
“Yes, he’s teaching me how to control and program the suits. I must say I’ve almost mastered their program language, but there are still some bits and pieces left.”
“You handled the Taurus’ suits pretty well.”
“These are Virgos,” Duo said, looking at Heero a bit quizzically. “Romefeller wants to deploy them to solve skirmishes on Earth. They need competent men to be at the controls, because we can’t have them running rampant.”
Heero forced himself to unclench his fist and to keep him from flinging when Duo tentatively pulled back his hand. How could I forget? He’s OZ!
“Something wrong, Odin? Don’t tell me… you’re regretting this?”
Heero grabbed his hands. “No! Never!”
“I have to go,” Duo answered, but didn’t move. Heero squeezed his hands, but Duo didn’t squeeze back.
“We’ll see each other again.”
“Tonight…” He heard the question in Duo’s voice.
“Tonight.”
“We’ll see each other again.” Duo rose and left the classroom, without as much as a look at Heero. He remained seated behind his desk, thoughts tumbling around in his head and his heart pounding in his chest.
Chapter 4 | Chapter 6 |