Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 2 Reign ❯ Game Start ( Chapter 1 )

Game Start -

It was one thing to have a bad day-the kind of day where it was a mistake to get up and you knew it, but it was something else all together to have a bad day that wouldn't end. The kind of day where you're pulled into a fight and fight back without thinking on it and get lectured for it. The kind of day where you hurt yourself doing stupid things and get lectured for that as well. It was one of those days where you wake up late and stay up too long before collapsing onto your bed, too tired to sleep.

I sighed rubbing my face as I stared at myself in the mirror. My hair was too long. I'd had it about shoulder length for years and that worked marvelously. It was falling a few inches down my back now. My eyes had bags under them, the dark kind that people don't miss-nearly bad enough to wonder if I'd gotten into a fight. I had gotten into two fights, but neither of them had given me a black eye. The results of those were on my arms and legs.

There was a rustle sound from the living room and I turned sharply to the door, listening intently. Miguel wasn't due back for another three hours, and none of the others would bother me after I'd bawled them all out.

The thought crossed my mind that maybe Duo had come back.

I shook my head, deciding I was being paranoid again-and that this was completely acceptable. I knew for a fact that anyone who'd nearly been kidnapped twice would be.

My ring shone briefly as I moved my left hand, and blinked at the sapphire blankly. The simple diamond ring Miguel had given me rested neatly above it, both shining in the light.

I sighed, running the water in the sink and rinsing my face with it as the day's events crossed my mind again. Not only had Relena lectured me, but Trowa and I had nearly gotten into another fight. Trowa was in charge of the recruits and I'd fought with one of them twice. Not only that, but I'd taken his two cohorts down in the second round. Of course, Trowa wouldn't have been so annoyed if both of my nieces hadn't been at Quatre's side when Quatre found us. Quatre himself was furious at me…as if I could help that he'd brought his and Trowa's daughters along.

Honestly, the two of them were intent on causing me a mental break down.

I sighed and turned to the tub, running the water a moment before pulling the lever to start the shower and straightening up, pulling off my shirt.

My heart nearly stopped as I turned sharply to the door, stepping into my bedroom and flicking the light on as I looked around.

Nothing had changed; no one was in there. I hadn't actually heard anyone that time, but I'd thought I'd seen someone move past the bathroom door.

I turned the light off, moving to the dresser next to the door to the bathroom and pulling out an extra firearm from the thing. I had them stashed all over my apartments…

Nothing moved, nothing stirred…I moved slowly back into the bathroom, setting the weapon on the counter-top and pausing. I didn't want to strip if someone were in the room, even if it was my fiancé.

I ran the water again, rinsing my face quickly before raising the towel up and patting it dry…and staring into the mirror.

It had finally happened. I'd finally snapped.

Duo stared back at me, his head slightly tilted. His throat was covered in hickies and I thought I could see scratches on his biceps-which also seemed larger than my memory could really account for.

He blinked.

I turned instantly, blinking at him as my hand rested on the weapon.

"I didn't piss you off that bad, did I?" he asked, his eyes landing on the thing.

"Duo?" I demanded, shifting forward slightly.

"Fei?" he asked, his expression troubled.

It was him.

"Oh my god, Duo!" I threw myself into his arms, holding him tightly as his familiar scent encircled me. I could feel his heartbeat, his breathing…I nuzzled his throat before pressing my cheek against his. He was holding me as well, laughing slightly as one of his arms supported me and the other moved along my back, "You're here!" I muttered, kissing his jaw line, "You're really here!"

I was startled when he was kissing me back, his tongue pushing almost gently at mine in his mouth.

I blushed slightly, pulling away from that and smiling a bit sheepishly, "Sorry."

"No harm done," he muttered, pulling me to him again and laughing that same laugh, "How have you been?"

I pulled away from him violently, my irritation flaring, "How have I been?" I demanded of him, "How have I been? Where the fuck have you been? Why don't you tell me that instead of asking me shit? Why don't you explain to me how two fucking years can pass without a damned word from you!"

He blinked at me, frowning slightly, "Didn't the girls get my presents?"

I shoved him hard so he stumbled backwards against the wrought-iron frame of my bed, "Where the fuck do you get off?"

"Generally in a bed." he replied, gesturing at mine, a strange expression flickering across his face. It was almost mocking. He straightened, studying me, "If you want me to stay around, I suggest you watch your fucking ass before you piss me off and I do something about it."

"Does Heero know you're back yet?" I snapped.

"No, and he won't until I go find him." Duo studied me, moving closer to me again, "No one but you knows I'm back yet."

I took a deep and calming breath, raising my hand to message my temple-then blinked at him when he caught my wrist and pulled it into view.

"What?"

"What's this?" he demanded, fingering the rings.

I stared at him in amazement, "I don't know, Duo…a diamond ring on my left hand…what do you think it is?" I snatched my hand from his grip.

A grin passed briefly over his face as he caught my hand again, fingering…the ring he'd given me.

I snatched my hand from him again, turning away from him as I tried to think.

"Fei?" he asked quietly.

I turned to meet his eyes.

He had his arms open again.

I sighed and moved back to him, collapsing against him and pulling him tightly to me as he wrapped his arms around me again.

"I missed you." he added.

"You did?" I muttered into his chest, not sure I believed that.

"I wrote you some letters." he added, "I never managed to send them, but I have them in my shit. I assume the apartment across the hall is mine? Because I've already dumped my bag in there."

"It is." I muttered, taking another deep breath.

"You taking a shower?" he asked, a strange note in his voice.

"I was about to." I replied, pulling slightly away to meet his eyes, "I'll just…"

"Go ahead." he muttered, following me to the door, "I'll wait."

"Why did you leave again?" I demanded of him, thinking back to him saying those same words to me before Heero and Relena got married.

"Because I was only needed in the ceremony." he replied quietly, "I did stay for the reception, if you recall."

"And then disappeared in the middle of the night like a thief!" I snapped at him.

He didn't respond to that, studying my eyes again.

I sighed in exasperation, dropping my jeans before making sure the water hadn't gone cold or something, dropping my boxers-and turning to blink at Duo, who was still watching me.

He blinked at me.

I blinked back at him, then ducked into the water, wondering if it was just my nerves that made his look seem more than it was. I could see him at the counter now, studying my gun…

"Did you kill him?" I asked finally as the hot water warmed my skin.

"Hm." he replied, which was not confirmation or denial.

I heard a click, blinking as he aimed out the door.

"This is a nice piece." he informed me.

"I do know how to choose a weapon." I muttered darkly.

He chuckled, setting it back on the counter and turning to look at me through the shower curtain again.

"Are you all right?" I demanded, tugging the curtain aside.

"It has been a year since you talked to me last." he noted, running one hand over his throat.

I wasn't sure what he meant by that, deciding to move along with my shower.

"You're still wearing my ring…under your engagement ring." again, he sounded amused.

"Just leave it." I replied darkly.

He laughed again, pulling the curtain aside to stare directly into my eyes, then moved and disappeared out of the bathroom.

One thing I really missed was sleeping next to him, lying in his arms. I could really have used that after waking up from a chloroform induced blackout and fighting off six guys with guns in a van. I could have used that after being forced to walk down an alley with a gun to my head…I could have used it when a second shot intended for my head went awry…

I jumped awake violently as a light suddenly flicked on, blinking at Duo's chest.

He, however, was staring across the room at the door to the room. His expression was almost mocking again, more amused this time. There was something smug about him…

I turned, blinking at Miguel. He was staring at me with a slightly disbelieving expression-and it only took me a half a second to note that I was on top of Duo, and that neither of us had shirts on. Add to this that the blankets were pulled nearly to my chest and Duo's throat was covered in hickies…

I tossed the blanket off instantly, allowing my fiancé to see that Duo was wearing jeans and I was in my pajama pants.

"You're back." Miguel said quietly, focusing on Duo again.

Duo was actually smirking at the guy, his head tilted slightly, "I am."

Miguel moved slowly across the room, studying my face as I slid off of Duo, though he was holding me so I couldn't actually move away.

"How have you been?"

"Tolerable." Miguel replied, leaning against the bed as he stared at Duo, "You?"

"I've been having the time of my life." Duo replied, smirking as he tilted his chin back, then sat up, stretching.

The scratches down his sides that would normally be hidden from view were very evident with his arms in the air.

Miguel focused on me again, studying my throat.

"You know, if he had hickies," Duo muttered, throwing his legs off the bed, "That wouldn't necessarily mean we fucked."

Miguel met my eyes a moment, then looked back up to Duo, "Why are you back?"

"Because I don't have to pay rent here." Duo replied easily.

Miguel stared at him.

"Because Wufei is here." Duo added, the smirk returning to his bearing.

I frowned at him.

He smiled at me, running his hands over my face before looking back to Miguel, his expression softening, "Because I missed my friends."

By this time, he'd moved to the end of the bed near Miguel, and he offered his arms to the man the same as he'd done me.

Miguel looked startled as he moved into the hug.

Duo chuckled, nuzzling his ear, "You need to stop taking me so seriously, Miguel." he muttered, "You know I like to fuck with you."

Miguel's laughter at this sounded slightly sheepish.

Duo sighed, pulling out of that and meeting my eyes with a slight smile, "I need to go to Heero." he informed me, "I didn't really mean to fall asleep."

I smiled back at him, nodding.

He smiled at Miguel, then disappeared from our bedroom.

Miguel waited for the door to our apartment to close before meeting my eyes again, "Sorry about that." he muttered.

I smiled at him, opening my arms to him so he crawled across the bed and hugged me, kissing me.

"I don't mean to be jealous of him…and…" he trailed off, his eyes going distant a moment before he met mine again, "Holy shit…he's really back, isn't he?"

.

I stared at the door to my and Relena's room in disbelief-when the knock had come, I'd assumed it was a servant or something, but…

"You mad at me?" Duo asked, his tone strangely submissive.

I moved across the room, staring into his eyes in disbelief.

A smirk lit up his face, "Are you gonna hurt me?"

When I moved my hand to touch his face, he closed his eyes tightly like he was expecting a blow. When I paused at this, he opened them to blink at me.

"You mother fucker!" I snapped at him, shoving him hard so he stumbled against the door behind him. I started laughing as Duo jumped back at me and knocked me to the floor, flipping him forcefully so I could pin him to the floor and stare at him again. He pressed slightly at my arms, testing my grip as he studied my expression, then shoved me back and pinned me to the floor, I didn't react, not believing that he was really here.

"Not exactly the greeting I'd expected." he noted, using one hand to hold my arms as he ran his fingers down my cheek.

"I'll hurt you if you really want me to." I replied, pulling my face away from him.

"As your majesty wishes." he replied.

I laughed, sitting up and forcing him off of me, staring at him as I caught my breath from our tussle, not believing…

He smiled back at me, pulling me into a hug before I could react.

"Jesus…" I muttered, pushing him away slightly so I could look him over, "You've been working out."

"Not really." he replied, studying my eyes, "Just…been doing a lot."

I frowned at him, then focused on his throat. The hickies there startled me-almost as much as the ruby ring he wore around his ring-finger.

He sighed, disengaging my arms from his shoulders and rising to his feet, offering his hands to me.

"Who all knows you're back?"

"Wufei and Miguel." he replied, rubbing his neck slightly, "I…went to Wufei first."

I gave him a slight dirty look, "Of course you did."

He ignored that, looking around the room, "And where's our lady queen?"

"In the shower." I returned.

"Good." he replied, pulling me to him again, "I'm not looking forward to what she may have to say to me."

"She's not all that pissed at you," I assured him, "She just wants your balls."

He laughed evilly, "Anything your majesties wish…"

I punched him in the arm.

He laughed, slapping me lightly on the face before pulling his hand slowly away, studying my eyes, "How have you been?"

"In regards to you," I returned, "I've been pissed. In regards to my personal life, I've been fairly happy-discounting the fact that my best friend didn't even bother talking to me. In regards to my station, I've been fucking annoyed because I'm the head of our little army."

"Little army?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, "You mean the task-force?"

I nodded at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh my god…" Relena sounded utterly awed. Before I could turn and look at her, she was moving past me into Duo's arms, starting to sob.

Duo bore with this, his expression slightly amused. He petted her head and smiled whenever she met his eyes-and when she did come to her senses, he placed one finger on her lips, meeting my eyes, "Is this going to be painful?"

"I don't know."

"You want to leave the room before she gets started?"

"Knock it off!" Relena snapped at him, forcing his hand away from her face.

"Not particularly." I replied, grinning at my friend.

Duo smirked at me, "You like to watch?"

"Where the hell have you been?" Relena demanded of him before I could even acknowledge his question.

"Egypt…Rome…Athens is lovely…Italy…Japan…Switzerland…America. We were in America for a long time." he added to me, "Then he hopped into Canada before running down the old I-5 corridor to Mexico."

I stared at him.

Relena was also struck dumb.

"For the most part, we left South America alone. We ended up back in Asia before I found him."

"Did you kill him?" I asked quietly, knowing that he'd been chasing an assassin named Ace. The man had made the mistake of killing Duo's fiancé.

He studied my expression for a long moment, then looked back to Relena, "You're not pregnant yet."

I stared at him.

"I wanted to get us established as firm leaders before I started popping out heirs." she replied quietly.

"Hm." Duo smiled at her, touching her face before meeting my eyes, "How pissed are Quatre and Trowa?"

"Trowa's likely to kick your ass." I replied, still studying him, "I suggest you approach Quatre first."

"Any chance the girls are awake?"

"Not likely, but if they hear you, they'll wake back up." I studied him a moment longer, "They really missed you."

He studied me a long time in silence, then smiled slightly at me, "I missed you."

I smiled slightly back, "I didn't miss you."

He smirked.

"Heero!" Relena muttered.

Duo rested his hand on her forearm to comfort her, meeting her eyes a moment before looking back to me, "I need to go let them know I'm back."

I nodded.

"He didn't answer you." Relena noted after the door had shut.

"I noticed." I muttered, pulling her to me and meeting her eyes, "How long do you think he'll be here for?"

"I don't know." she admitted, looking to the door again, "I guess we'll find out."

.

Marlea gasped, her blue eyes widening almost as large as her mouth. I turned instantly to the door, my hand reaching for my hip and the firearm that was now laying on my bed.

"Duo!" Marlea squealed, out of her bed faster than I could really understand that Duo was in fact standing at the door to her bedroom.

"Holy shit, you're still alive?" Jacob's voice came from down the hall.

"What would have killed me?" Duo returned, looking down the hall as he hugged my daughter, focusing on her.

I blinked, trying to decide if this were some sort of strange dream.

After a few minutes of being squished by my eight year old, Duo set her down gently and looked to me.

I wanted to demand of him why the hell he'd bothered coming back, I wanted to demand of him what he'd thought he was doing or what he was going to accomplish. I wanted to shout at him for the grief his absence had caused his fiancé's parents when they'd arrived for her funeral. I wanted to shout and rant at him, maybe even throw a punch at the grief he'd caused my daughter when I couldn't explain to her that her uncle had ran away.

I wanted to do a lot of things.

But I couldn't move.

Duo crossed the room slowly to me, his deep-brown eyes intent on mine.

I still couldn't move.

"I missed you." he whispered in my ear.

I collapsed against him, digging my nails into his back as I forced him to take my weight, pressing my face into his throat as tears of anger and joy tried to force me to cry.

His laughter sounded slightly disbelieving as he lifted me so I wasn't hanging on him, holding me tightly to him.

"Uncle," Marlea muttered, moving around so she could see his face, "Uncle, are you staying?"

"I am." he agreed, shifting our position slightly so he could see her better or something. I couldn't make myself move to look.

"You've been gone a long time, Mr. Maxwell," Jacob muttered from somewhere beyond us.

"You've been around a long time, Mr. Elehm." Duo replied.

"Have I really?" Jacob asked curiously, "Because it's only been two years."

"Only two years?" Duo returned, his arms tightening around me, "And you say I've been gone a long time?"

"Your absence took longer than my presence."

"I don't know why…but that makes sense to me." Duo muttered.

"You've always been one for insanity."

"Jacob, please." I muttered, wanting Duo's full attention.

"Sorry, Q." Jacob muttered, then, "Come on, Lea. Let your daddy talk to your uncle…or something." that was thrown over his shoulder at us.

I laughed slightly, pulling way from Duo to study his eyes.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." he muttered, running one hand over my cheek.

"You made me angry." I returned.

He sighed, studying me for a long moment in silence before looking away, toward the window, "I don't think I could have stayed with you guys." he muttered, "I think I had to leave."

"Would it have hurt you to call us?" I demanded, "To let us know what you were doing?"

He met my eyes again, his own considerate, "Heero knew exactly what I was doing the minute he lost sight of me."

I thought about that a moment, then shoved him hard away from me.

He smirked, "You'd be amazed at how many times that's happened tonight." he informed me.

"I'd imagine that these…" I ran my fingers over the hickies on his throat, "Were from Fei?"

"No…I had a friend last night." he flashed me a dirty smirk, then shrugged, "Wufei was more impressed with the novelty of my presence."

I blinked at him.

He smiled at me, "Heero was the same way."

"I'd imagine Trowa was fair-pissed?"

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" he returned, pulling me into another hug, "I need to go to him now."

"All right." I followed Duo from my daughter's room to the living room, where he hugged Lea again before kissing her cheek and informing her he was going to talk to Trowa.

"Hey," Jacob muttered as he pulled the door open, "What about me?"

The look Duo returned at this spoke volumes, though he glanced at Lea and crossed the room to hug Jacob, "I'm glad you're still here."

"I'm glad you're still here." Jacob returned.

Duo laughed, then disappeared out the door.

Jacob turned to look at me, his eyes flashing slightly.

"Daddy," Lea muttered, coming up to grab my hand, "Uncle Duo looks different."

"Yeah…he's been gone a long time." I muttered-though I knew she meant what she'd said in a different way than his physical presence.

"I guess." she agreed, moving to lean against my side and stare at the door with a sigh, "He should have stayed in here longer."

"He hasn't talked to Lexia."

"So?" she muttered, grinning impishly up at me.

I tweaked her nose, then shoved her toward her room, "Bed time."

"But, Daddy!" she protested.

"No buts. Your uncle won't come back in here tonight, so you need to go to sleep. I'm sure he'll stick with you all day tomorrow." …or I'll spear him with Wufei's sword and roast him over a slow fire.

She pouted at me.

"Lea," Jacob muttered, "We'll tell him if you're being naughty."

She blinked as that worked its way through her mind, then her eyes widened and she ran for the bedroom.

I smiled at Jacob, then followed her into the room.

.

"How dare you come back here!" I shouted, jumping at Duo before it really occurred to me that he was there to jump at

Whatever my intent had been, it was quickly changed when I was suddenly pinned to the floor underneath Duo, who was grinning down at me, "I missed you too."

"Where the fuck have you been!" I snapped, shoving him off of me as I tried to remain angry instead of relieved or happy.

"Here and there," he replied dismissively, rising to his feet to stare directly into my eyes, "You gonna hit me?"

"The thought crossed my mind several times since the wedding."

"Then do it."

"It won't be any fun if you don't try to defend yourself," I replied, noting the hickies that covered his throat, suddenly amused by the entire situation.

"Who said I wouldn't defend myself?" he replied, his eyes flashing, "I'll take your ass down."

"Tio?" Alexia's voice was disbelieving.

Duo turned and looked into the door.

"Duo!" Alexia squealed, running from the hall and jumping at Duo, who caught her and spun her around, kissing her cheek.

"Hey, baby!" he muttered, holding her tightly-though it looked like he could let her go and she'd still be attached to him.

She started squeaking at him in partial Spanish-which I'd kept up with her.

"I know!" he replied, laughing slightly, "Did you like the presents I sent?"

This sent her into another rant, and I was amused by my own jealousy. I knew that it was nothing and that he would focus on me again shortly, but the only attention he'd spared me had been violent.

"You guys are…noisy…" Hilde's voice trailed off a moment.

Before anything else could register, Duo had passed Alexia into my arms and was engulfed by my fiancé. She was laughing and crying at the same time, babbling at him in something distinctly feminine.

Duo smiled at her, pulling her into a tight hug…

Hilde slapped him, "Why the hell didn't you call?"

Duo started laughing.

"I'm serious!" Hilde snapped, "You can't just disappear on us and expect us to instantly forgive you!"

Duo moved suddenly, pinning her to the wall, "You forgave me the moment you saw me." he said in an almost menacing voice.

I straightened, not liking the way he sounded or looked, starting to pull Alex away from me.

Hilde drew in a deep breath.

"I'm not going to argue with you that I was right," Duo added in a completely different tone, "I'm not going to pretend that what I did was even remotely forgivable."

Hilde frowned.

Duo moved away from her, meeting my eyes again, "I'm back, though. I don't intend to go anywhere any time soon."

I let out a slightly relieved breath, not sure why his reassurance actually reassured me.

Hilde pulled away from the wall, studying Duo a moment before touching his cheek so he looked at her again, "Did you do it?"

Duo stared at her silently for a long moment before turning and taking Alex from me, "Can Trowa and I have a moment, please?" he asked, setting my daughter down.

Hilde stared at him, then looked down to my daughter and nodded, moving her inside and shutting the door behind them.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" I asked him.

He smiled, meeting my eyes, "I missed you."

I frowned, trying to stay annoyed again.

He offered his arms, "I missed you a lot."

I snorted, giving up. I could get angry at him after the fact that the was back passed, "I am going to kick your ass on the practice field, you realize that, don't you?"

He scoffed, pulling me into a tight hug, "Just be careful," he muttered, "Cause and effect and all that…"

"You saying you'll go berserk on me?" I demanded sarcastically, pulling back to meet his eyes.

"Or something." he agreed.

.

E/N: I wanted to give Niko a huge thank you on this one! She's being a muse/beta thingy, which is helpful *nodnods* anywho, ja ne!