Title: Strawberry Swirl (P/P+5)
Author: Bronze Tigress
Pairings: 2+5/5+2; mention of past 5xM
Genre: get-together?
Rating: PG13, maybe...

WARNINGS: barely shounen ai, some minor language and angst, implied
minor violence; spoilers for Episode Zero

Disclaimer: Not my characters, and most of the past events they're
talking about? Weren't my ideas either... The research, however, is all
mine. So are assorted members of Wufei's extended family, and this
story itself.

Continuity Notes and Spoiler Warnings: *all three* intermediate manga
and Endless Waltz happened. There are *spoilers* here for Wufei's and
Duo's Episode Zero's; in fact, it's highly recommended that you read,
or reread, Wufei's first if at all possible. There are also *spoilers*
for Preventers 5.

Timeline Notes: This story begins a few hours after the point where
the Preventers 5 manga leaves off, and shares a timeline with "Orange
Sherbet".

Flavour Notes: Foxy is the one who suggested strawberry as Duo's
flavour, and I think it suits him admirably. While several suggested the
dark chocolate "Men's Pocky" for Wufei, I disagree. In this series,
Wufei is vanilla, for several reasons, not the least of which is a study I
came across on ice cream flavour preferences and what they reveal about
people...

//thoughts//
*emphasis*

* * *
flashback
* * *

~*~*~*~*~

Apr. 9, AC197; approximately 1900hrs
Sanq Palace environs
[the day after Relena's interrupted 17th birthday party]

And that was it. All the hostages were safely freed, the terrorists
had all been cuffed and lead away. The 'atomic' had been safely
disarmed. Best of all, there were no injuries to speak of. Depositions had
been taken from nearly all the witnesses already, and all of those not
actually living in the palace (which still houses the residential
pacifist school), were being sent home, if feasible, or offered temporary
lodgings there until they could arrange transport.

Wufei had taken Sally and Duo to the Preventers' Headquarters clinic to
have their injuries checked, driving the official jeep back to its
garage at the same time. Sally was cleared through with an ice pack for
minor bruising and sent home. Duo has had his wrist X-rayed, diagnosed
as slightly cracked, and strapped into a light, nearly invisible brace -
with very firm instructions to leave the splint in place for at least a
week lest something small shift, break loose, and cause havoc in his
system. Wufei was given the bag with a pair of prescription bottles to
carry. Then, since Une had requested it, he took himself and Duo back
to the palace to speak with her.

Duo stayed as silent on the way back as he had been on the drive to HQ,
once again mulling over the events of the past few hours. The long
shuttle flight with Sally - during which he had managed to snatch perhaps
an hour's uncomfortable sleep - and then the adrenaline rush of the
mission itself, on top of nearly a full day's work and the spacewalk
beforehand, were tiring. The reconnaissance with Trowa had gone smoothly,
and the mission itself had gone very nearly as Quatre had planned it.
Sneaking in disguised as one of the terrorists had been no problem at
all, and of course, his shot at Sally had been perfect - right in the
hollow where the "blood" was. But then that *bastard* Epyon de Teros had
taken the butt of his rifle to Duo's wrist to make him drop his gun.
Their tall blond leader - who turned out to be Zechs Marquise of all
people! - had sworn softly at that and taken his right arm himself. He'd
been careful enough with it, under the circumstances, putting the ropes
only around his upper arms and holding him by that bicep rather than
tying his wrists and shoving him around by the elbow. Duo supposed he
owed Zechs one now.

And then the bomb. That had been a real treat to work on
lefthanded(1), although it was just as well that he'd been the one to find it. None
of the others had any training on the old precolony-style types. He
had managed to get the cover plate unscrewed and had been looking at the
wiring - or, *trying* to look at it; the top wires kept slipping back
into his line of sight - when Wufei had appeared. It had been out of
the blue and at the last minute, as usual. Okay, maybe not really
either, since Duo had at least known he was in the vicinity beforehand, and
there had been a good hour left on the timer - but that was close
enough, right? His arrival had been a godsend, though, and for once, Wufei
had skipped the surly, sarcastic remarks and gone straight to the point.
The conversation replays in his mind, complete with his own new mental
commentary, as he stares out the window at the passing scenery.

* * * [an hour and a half earlier]

"Ah, Maxwell, I see you found it. How is the wrist?"

"What?" //Oh, that sounded intelligent.//

"Merquise said it had been hit; you said there were no hostage
injuries. How bad is it?" //Well, that had explained it, at least.//

"Not good; can't close the fingers or twist. Did you come to help or
chat?" //Oh, that wasn't very nice...//

"Tcheh. Bomb first, then I check that wrist. What do you need me to
hold?" //Although he didn't sound too put out by it...//

* * *

And then, *finally*, once Wufei was holding that damned top bunch of
wires out of the way, Duo could see the set he needed to see. //Kinda
weird to have him reaching around me like that. He smelled nice, though;
sort of like incense and vanilla.// He isn't quite sure if the fact
that he'd been holding the wire cutters between his knees at the time had
been a good or bad thing, though. //I wonder if he brushed his hand
against my thigh on purpose or not? Or if he even noticed?// A small
grimace crosses his face. //Do I *want* it to have been on purpose?//
The jeep pulls to a stop as he is still pondering this. //I've sure
been putting enough energy into keeping tabs on him... So what *do* I
want with him?//

Duo gathers his thoughts back together, wondering once again just what
it is that Une wants to speak to him about. He's pretty sure Wufei's
going to hear something about bringing in the lot of them, seeing as the
pilots aren't exactly regular Preventers forces... He opens the door,
//thank goodness the passenger side is on the left in this part of the
world// and hops out of the jeep, narrowly missing a puddle. Then the
pair walk up the main stairs, and are soon directed to where Une was
last sighted. Having found her in the middle of the last bits of the
confusion, Wufei clears his throat as Duo taps on her shoulder for her
attention.

Une turns around, then, and smiles when she sees who is standing there.
"Gentlemen, good to see you back; I would have waited to talk to the
others but I didn't know how long you'd be," she begins, before making
Duo the same offer she had already extended to Heero, Trowa, and Quatre -
that of a permanent position with the Preventers, probably as part of a
special unit, along with those of the other three who joined, Wufei,
and Zechs. She notes, as a matter of information, that Trowa has already
tentatively accepted her offer, and that the other two have asked for
some time to think about it, as well as conclude their other business.

Duo looks at Une as if she has gone mad for a moment, then blinks.
Finally, wary of making any permanent decisions in his current
lightly-drugged condition, and not quite sure he should be doing this anyway, he
tells her that it has been a very, very long day for him already, and
the pain medicine is not helping his sleepiness, and could he talk to her
in the morning about it? She agrees, and suggests that he come by just
before lunch. Wufei just looks at Duo, a peculiar expression in his
eyes, but says nothing.

At that moment, Heero and Quatre come up to speak to their friends, and
to pass along Trowa's goodbyes - and what Duo suspects are Quatre's
regrets that Trowa couldn't bid them farewell in person. Heero notes that
he had been talking to Relena, saying that she had commented about the
"my woman" remark he had broadcast over Wing's speakers, that obviously
hadn't meant her in the context, and that he would welcome any advice.
Duo points out that that *was* all Quatre's idea, but none of the four
thinks that will help matters much. Heero mentions Relena's offer of a
place to stay for the night, if he has not accepted Une's offer, almost
in passing. Duo looks vaguely uncomfortable at that idea, however, and
deftly turns the conversation back to Une's offer - asking the opinions
of the other three about the seriousness of the offer and the
advisability of taking it.

Eventually, Heero and Quatre spot Relena and head over to speak with
her, and Duo excuses himself, pleading weariness. Before he's quite sure
what happened, Wufei is leading him gently but firmly by his good elbow
towards one of the window seats, far enough away from the small crowd
still milling about the room to be quiet. "Are you well, Maxwell?"

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine, Wufei. Just tired and sore and hungry, and I've
got just enough of those pain meds they shot me up with in me to make my
brain fuzzy, and not enough to make my wrist stop throbbing, and damn
if I didn't twist something in my back squirming through the perimeter.
Nothing a quiet night's sleep wouldn't cure, although with the action
we saw today I'm not likely to get that, either." //And I seem to have
started telling all; it's a damned good thing nobody ever interrogated
me with whatever I'm on right now.//

"Maxwell... I do have my own quarters back at HQ - not very big and
certainly not fancy - but you are welcome to stay with me tonight, as it
is clear you do not wish to stay here."

Duo blinks, then peers closely at his friend, who lifts an eyebrow in
enquiry. "I'm trying to decide if my ears just took a holiday, or if
the pod people have replaced you with a clone, Wufei. Did you just offer
to take me back to your place tonight?"

Wufei smiles just a little, then says, "your ears are working fine,
Maxwell - and I have no idea what a pod person is. You would not speak
about staying here - and I do not think you feel very comfortable with
all the finery here, do you?" Duo shakes his head somewhat ruefully. "I
thought as much. Come, you have not eaten; nor have I. Shall we go
find some dinner, and you can decide what you want to do about sleeping
after that?"

Duo nods, and gets to his feet. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Wufei rises as well, then waves towards the main doors. "I will meet
you at the front steps in a moment; I should speak with Lady Une and
Miss Relena before we disappear." He glides off in search of those two
worthies, and is at the steps less than a minute after Duo arrives there
himself. The two are making their way down the steps when a cheerful
voice hails them.

"Hey, Duo! Wufei! Are you leaving us already?"

"Hai, Winner. Maxwell and I have some catching up to do; you two go on
inside and visit with your princess. We will see you tomorrow, yes?"

"Okay! See you later! Have a good evening!" And with one cheery wave
and a quiet salute, Quatre and Heero turn inside to find their own
dinners, just as Une begins shooing the last people who are not actually
remaining at the palace that evening out the doors.

~*~*~*~*~

(1) Duo is, as far as I can tell, right handed, so that makes this his
off hand.

 

Next---> Strawberry Swirl 1

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