[drabble, GW] One Step Sideways

[makotosagara]

Title: One Step Sideways
Author: Makoto Sagara
Series: Gundam Wing
Archive: the normal suspects; anywhere else, ask first
Pairing/Characters: 2x5
Rating: G
Category: yaoi, drabble, romance
Warnings: yaoi/slash, drabble, romance, angst, ooc, post-EW, language
Words: 616
Summary: Duo wasn’t looking for guests from his past, especially not him.
Disclaimers: I don’t own Gundam Wing. This piece of fanfiction was written for fun, not profit. No money is made.

Author’s Notes: Another of the drabble prompts, this time from Bluesake: the couple duoxwufei. The plot a chance meeting/fate or sudden attraction.

~ * * * ~

It had been a couple of years since Duo had seen any of the pilots. In fact, as soon as the Eve War had ended, he’d moved back to L2 and the scrap yard he’d opened with Hilde almost before Quatre blew up Deathscythe Hell. When he’d been asked if he wanted to watch the “funeral,” he’d declined. Duo Maxwell was determined to put his life as a terrorist and Gundam pilot as far behind him as humanly possible.

So, imagine his surprise when the kid he’d hired off the streets—Jay, if he remembered correctly—came tearing down the lanes of the yard, screaming his head off about some chink waiting outside the gate for him.

Duo blinked. The only Chinese people he knew were Preventers now—lapdogs for Une’s little paramilitary effort—and he hadn’t talked to either of them in two years. The fact that either Chang Wufei or Po Sally had come to L2 meant trouble.

Wiping his hands on his dirty, oil-spattered coveralls, Duo made his way through the many piles of scrap and junk to the front gate, his braid swaying softly behind him as he walked. After Jay’s announcement, it wasn’t so surprising to see Chang Wufei standing in front of the yard’s office.

What he hadn’t expected was to see a fond, teasing smile gracing the lips of his former comrade. It was a look he’d never seen before, and it made the lump of muscle and blood in the chestnut-haired man’s chest race.

He’d never told the others he was gay. Hell, he hadn’t realised it until the war was over. Hilde had kissed him, and it had been all right, but when she’d put her hands on his belt to undress him, he’d reared back in horror. And it wasn’t just her, either. He’d tried to kiss a few other girls, but it all ended up with strained silence and angry women.

However, looking at Wufei’s handsome face told Duo that a kiss with him wouldn’t end up that way. Well, at least not on Duo’s part.

Shaking his head at the unimportant nonsense, he stood up straight and stared at the other man with a hard gleam in his eyes. “I hadn’t thought I’d see you again, Chang.”

“Maxwell, you look well,” the other man said, his voice having matured into a deep, soothing baritone that did naughty things to Duo’s brain. Unsure of how to behave, the American refrained from speaking and just watched the other man. It was then that Duo noticed that Wufei, while in a decidedly casual outfit of tight khaki pants and short-sleeved, white cotton button-up—extremely appropriate for the sweltering artificial summer heat of L2—he looked nervous. Almost, out of place. “Well, this was hardly the greeting I expected.”

“You wanted me to act like an idiot and try to hug the life out of you while babbling a mile a second?” Duo asked wryly.

“Truthfully?” Wufei asked. “Yes.”

Duo gave a soft snort through his nose. There was no point in feeling pained that the other man had thought he was still the same kid he’d known for a few brief months during a very troubling time during the Earth Sphere’s history. “What can I do for you?”

“Actually, I’d like to talk to you about something.” Duo raised one eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. “In private,” Wufei added, his voice carrying the snap that Duo remembered all too well.

“Follow me,” the American said, feeling better now that they were on familiar ground. However, as he walked, he could feel those black eyes watch him as he led the way.

Now isn’t that interesting?