Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Games ❯ Games ( One-Shot )

Title: Games

Author: mao

Disclaimer: GundamW characters, likenesses, and plotlines belong to Sotsu Agency, Sunrise, T.V. Asahi, Bandai, and the Cartoon Network. The song "To Have and Not to Hold" belongs to Madonna, and appears on her album 'Ray of Light.' They are being used without permission of their owners. The following story is entirely mine, and may only be reproduced with my express permission (which you can get if you would just email me!).

Author's Notes: This just popped into my head while I was washing the car. Don't ask. Please, just don't ask. Oh, and Pamela Eaton? This one is for you. :P

Warnings: Unusual, freakishly bizarre pairing. Adultery (a common theme in my writing, I suppose), murder, suicide, and language.

So I'm loud. Okay, I admit it. I'm the Gundam pilot voted 'Most Likely to Die by Being Discovered by the Enemy'. After all, who else is there? Trowa, I'm not sure even knows how to talk. There's a strong possibility he's a deaf mute. And Heero is always so damn cautious, he never even has any fun. Quatre...he's the one most like me. He would be next in line for that award, I suppose. Of course, from what I've seen, he only talks about as much as Wufei. Wufei...we're not even going to go there.

And I'm clumsy. I guess that's how I knew it would never happen.

What, you may ask. Me and the Ice Maiden.

Yes, that's what I call her. That or 'Valkyrie'. She reminds me of the maidens from Norse literature. You know, the ones that took men back up to Valhalla, where they could feast forever. I came up with 'Ice Maiden' shortly after the incident with the Brat from Hell. Hilde and I had been living together for over a year. We both worked in the garage, and she cooked for me. I did the laundry...which is perhaps why we had to go out and buy new clothes every few months.

It was at a party. I was mildly surprised to see her on Quatre's arm, smiling at every dignitary that passed. Hilde giggled at me, murmering something that sounded like 'bitch.' I nodded in agreement, but somehow I couldn't tear my eyes from her, bitch though she was and always had been. Quatre saw us immediately and hailed us over. I was proud to show off my pixie bride, clad in her fancy silver and violet gown, the diamond ring I'd scraped and pinched to buy her sparkling on her finger. But she looked gaudy next to the Ice Maiden.

To offset her pale hair, which was neatly swept up in a pearl comb, she wore a dark green dress with a train. The dress had no ornamentation, but she wore with it ivory gloves that hid her pale skin, and a simple pearl necklace. Quatre seemed unable to take his eyes from her, and she smiled at both of us, though it was obvious she thought we were scum. It was then that two dignitaries from the Colonies swept in, and took both our women for a dance.

"The Ice Maiden?" I asked Quatre as soon as they had twirled out of earshot. Quatre took a sip of his punch, then laughed at the new nickname. "She stabbed you, Quatre. You were in the E.R. for a fucking month."

"I know," he said mildly. We turned to watch the dancers, the men dashing in black and the women's wide skirts sweeping out like bells. Not so her's; it was form fitting enough to stay close to her when she twirled. Quatre smiled at me. "Mind if I dance with Hilde next time around? I have something to ask her." He was always so damned polite. I laughed at him as I replied.

"Of course you may, so long as I can have a turn with the Valkyrie." I was just full of puns tonight.

Quatre was cheerful from drink, something he was unaccustomed to. "Of course you can," he said. "I'm sure she won't mind."

When the next song began, Quatre swept off with Hilde, the two of them smiling as they turned about the floor. I took the Ice Maiden into my arms. Her form was lithe beneath my hands, strong. And yet...she slid like water inside my embrace, as we twirled around and around. I told a joke and she laughed, but the expression didn't reach her eyes.

"Why are you with him?" I asked finally. A desparate part of my brain, one I suppose driven by lust, wanted her to say that she wouldn't be, not after tonight. The thoughts flashing into my mind were wrong, I knew. I had a fianceé I adored, and she belonged to Quatre. Her response caught my entirely offguard.

"Business arrangement. I sleep with him, and he provides me with everything I need. I attend functions with him, and I have a home to go to. Some day I will marry him and give him children, and in exchange I will have money and security. Unlike my Grandfather, he will not beat me. He will not rape me. He will not pimp me out to other dignitaries just so he can have the deals he desires. He truly cares for me." She shocked me, I'll admit it. There are precious few who can do that. It wasn't so much the words; I'd heard stories of rape, of incest, of girls being used by their families to get what politicians desired. It was the frank way she presented everything, as if none of it mattered. The whole time she spoke, she looked me straight in the eye - not a difficult feat for so tall a woman in heels - and said it all in an unwavering, calm voice.

I felt a chill spreading inside me, from my toes on up. We did not speak for the rest of the dance, then we separated. I spent the rest of the night with my pixie bride. Hilde and I made love that night; it was the night our son was conceived. But for the first time, there was no joy in our love-making for me. I was far too preoccupied.

She could not know the affect she had upon me that night. However close Quatre and I were though, I didn't think I'd ever see her again. At least, not before my wedding. So I was surprised again when less than a week later, she showed up at Preventer H.Q. She stopped in Lady Une's office for a few minutes, then was in conference with Milliardo for over an hour. Finally, she arrived at my office.

She was stunning when she walked through the door. As beautiful as she had been when at the ball several days earlier, she was all the more overwhelming here, in my small office. She was so...red.

Yes, seriously. From her shoes, to her skirt-suit, to her hat, everything but the pearls and the black and white scarf she wore around her neck was brilliantly carmine in color. Her hair was hidden from sight, and a pair of sunlasses dangled from the strap of her purse. But it wasn't so much her brilliance that transfixed me. It was more the confidence she wore, that fit like a glove. She strode in like a queen, like she owned the place. She strode in and sat down in front of my desk, and immediately began speaking.

"Quatre is leaving for four months. I refuse to be left alone with all that is currently going on." This made sense. She was working in politics again, campaining for the illegalization of mobile suits and fire arms except by the military. It had stirred up quite a controversy, and people were protesting everywhere she went. Right then even, people stood outside Preventer H.Q., with signs and megaphones, trampling the tulips that had been carefully planted a few months ago. "Heero and Trowa are going with him, and Wufei and Sally are out on L5-78444 trying to quell a rebellion. Milliardo-sama and Noin are on Mars working on the Terraforming project, and I refuse to have a stranger stay in Quatre's home. In short, Duo Maxwell, Lady Une has asked me to inform you on my way out to pack your things and prepare to move into my home by 0600 hours tomorrow." She stood again. "Thank you and have a-

"What?" I turned and looked at her. I had a life to lead. I was supposed to get married in six months...there was planning to do. I couldn't be on assignment-not now! It was rare that I came to Earth to work at H.Q. period. I was usually at work at the garage, several hours away, on L2. I did this once a month, and stayed three days before going home. Besides, looking at her, I knew there was nothing I could do. Not if I was to stay with her for four months.

"You heard me," she was frowning now, rouged lips pulled down unattractively.

"Yes, I did." I was enraged, and I knew it. I left the room, slamming the door behind myself as I went. Lady Une would answer for this.

Of course, I ended up taking the assingment. Lady Une gave me a bonus for doing it, and I was pleased enough with that to take the job for that reason, despite the fact that initially I would have prefered to pluck out my left eye with a spoon over living four months with Quatre's Ice Maiden.

I arrived at 0545 hours the next morning. Dorothy and Quatre were on the steps having what appeared to be tender farewell. She leaned down to him, a few steps below. Two well-dressed, immaculately groomed servants carried matching luggage into a black car. Dorothy leaned over the pale marble steps, leaning on a gold railing. Quatre held his jacket between one arm and his side, and a briefcase in his hand. His other hand stroked her face. A maid watched out of the corner of her eye from behind Dorothy, nearly hidden by the voluminous layers of white lace the lady of the house wore. Her hair was loosely braided and falling over one shoulder. Quatre kissed her once more, then climbed into the car, which sped away.

Dorothy looked up then and saw me, near the bushes. I held a shabby bag in one hand, and my coat was battered. She smiled slightly at me as I wandered over, reaching a pale hand up to brush a strand out of her face. I realized, looking at such elegance, that I could never compare. I don't know why the thought occured to me. Hilde. I had Hilde. I didn't need to worry about Miss Catalonia leaving Quatre for me.

I was able to think that way right until the middle of the third month. Everytime I found myself unconciously tempted by Dorothy's body or her wealth or anything else, I reminded myself of Hilde. I barely had time to speak to her though, as Dorothy attended so many meetings, functions, so many parties, so many homes of those who had lost people in the war and might support her campaign...it seemed endless. Indeed, in some ways I barely noticed time flying by. Within the first two weeks, her chauffeur had taken me shopping for clothing that she deemed 'more suitable'. I had good food to eat, a soft bed and a luxurious room...it was a very nice set-up.

The middle of the third month. That was when it all hit the fan.

We were attending the biggest function yet. Apparently, it was being given in Relena's honor, though at this point, I'm not entirely sure why it was being given. Don't get me wrong, Lena's a great person and she deserves all she gets, but gets an awful lot. It was black tie. But it was when Dorothy came to the foot of the stairs in something shimmering and ivory that I lost it. Her hair was partly pulled back in a mess of tiny braids, and all I could feel was the need to run my fingers through it all. The mass of golden strands were calling me. I restrained myself as best I could and offered her my arm.

Curiously enough, Heero had returned early from his mission with Quatre and Trowa. Some trouble was spewing up around Lena now, and Lady Une had reassigned him to helping her. Both girls had disappeared to the ladies' room when Heero offered. "Relena and I could just take in Dorothy if you want to get back to Hilde, you know. I can handle both of them." In a way, I was touched. I'd been trying for four years to open him up to the point where he'd offer things like that, just to make someone else's lives easier. In another way entirely, I felt a wrenching at my gut at the thought of being taken away now...when I was so close...

So close to what? To being done, I amended in my mind. And that was all.

"Nah," I told him, as casually as I knew how. "I only get my bonus if I finish this. I'm planning on getting Hilde a little something with it. Besides, I don't know if you could handle the Ice Maiden, Heero." Time to brag. "I have enough trouble keeping up with her, and she listens to me." I was insulted by the snort he gave me in response.

The two women returned then, and everything went back to the slightly strained way it had been moments before. Nothing else happened until that evening.

I don't know why we did it. I don't know how, more than anything. But that night was when the insanity began.

I was beyond exhaused when we returned to her home. It was late winter, and her home was located in a place that 'enjoyed' all four seasons. Coming from L2, our season was single; we had summer, all the time. A constant way to produce foods and goods; it never became too warm or too cool. On top of this, I had been suffering from insomnia since I had begun staying with the Ice Maiden. A part of me knew why it was, but the rest of me denied my attraction to her; she was the Ice Maiden, and I was the God of Death. Whenever I was tempted, I reminded myself of that, and realized anything between us would kill us both. A Goddess of War...a Valkyrie, even, could not love a God of Death without a tragic end to the tale, and vice versa. There was simply no way.

I attempted to hand my coat to the butler, but it fell into a crumpled heap by the door. She snapped at me when I bent over to pick it up.

"Don't do that," she said, oh so snobbishly. "That's what he's for," and she gestured at the butler, who had by now picked up the coat himself and put it away. The butler disappeared down a hall. For a moment, I stood there, staring at the ground and attempting to remember what I was doing, why I was there.

"Duo?" She was glaring at me from the landing of the vast staircase in the front hall. Her alabaster hands, planted on the dark red marble, ivory gloves tossed casually over the gold banister...her hair was coming undone from the tiny silvery gold plaits, and again I felt my hands reaching up of their own accord to run through it. "Duo? What the hell is wrong with you?"

And then I was furious. Always speaking to me as if I were of lesser intelligence, as if I wasn't as good as her. I don't know what flashed through my mind, but suddenly I was tearing up the shiny burgundy steps, intent on...I wasn't sure what. She turned towards me with an amused expression, eyes flashing lavendar fire, but they widened with anger and shock when I grasped her arms. My hands, so tan compared to her pale arms, made red marks in her skin. She looked up at me, lips parted, eyes narrowed.

"Why do you speak to me like that? Why do you behave as if I am less than you? I am the God of Death, do you understand? You wanted war, didn't you? I gave that to you. You owe me," I cried, shaking her violently. Her eyes widened again, and I sensed fear from her, as a dog might. "Do you understand? You've taunted me, you've played with me...it ends now, Dorothy. The games, the deception...no more toying with me."

She still seemed terrified. I could see the tip of her pink tongue behind her white teeth and scarlet lips, and she was shaking in my arms.

We made love on the landing. For me, it was love. I don't know why I fell in love with her; to this day she is a decietful, conniving bitch, and she cares only for what she can get for herself. But there was something in that moment...I pulled off the tuxedo jacket while she worked the tie loose. Moments later, we had tossed our shoes over the railing, and my jacket, shirt, and tie followed.

It continued for the rest of my stay with her. Tension all day, outright rudeness at functions, then frantic sex in some unusual part of her home. It was the last night that this bizarre engagement reached its climax.

I'd fallen in love with her. I'm not sure how. I know it wasn't just the sex. There was something endearing in the way she refused to be told what to do, something wonderful in the way she would as soon tell you to fuck yourself as to help you out of a tight spot.

This evening there was no function. She gave all her servants the evening off, and though they had an idea why, I suppose they would never say anything to their master about it. I heard a bell go off in the house, one that she usually used to summon a servant. I went to her room instead.

t was a sexual wonderland. Raspberries and champagne, candles on the windowsill, and lace on the bed. She sat there, stroking a pale orange cat. The scent of tiger lillies came from flowers littered around the room. We made love, and drank liquor and ate berries. We took a bath and repeated the whole thing. Eventually, we ended up in her bed, sweaty and exhausted from all the expended effort.

"I love you," I barely knew I'd murmered it until I saw her face. The face itself was expressionless, but not her eyes. They had a tenseness to them, and a mixture of emotions I couldn't read. She climbed out of the bed, her nude form lit by the moonlight.

I swear there were tears in her voice when she answered me. "You shouldn't have said that."

I waited until after the wedding to talk to her. She and Quatre were married a week after he returned, and I waited until the reception to talk to her. I separated myself from Hilde and followed her to the ladies' room, waiting until shereappeared to catch her by the arm and hold her against the wall.

"What did you mean?"

"What are you talking about?" She sneered. Her eyes were cold. I could feel myself faltering for a moment, but I repeated the question. "Oh, you mean that? You'll see, Duo. I told you once that no one could love me. Now you can find out why." She left.

As she walked back down the hall, the lace train on her designer wedding gown trailing, I felt goosebumps trail up my spine. I didn't think I could figure out what the Ice Queen had meant, and that frightened me.

It was less than a week later when I found out what Dorothy had meant. I was returning home after a long day at the garage. I knew Hilde had been working on planning our own wedding. I'd spent the whole day thinking about how I was going to put my tiny indiscretion behind me. I was going to love Hilde for who and what she was, I was going to be a good father to our children, I was going to forget Dorothy -

"What the fuck is this? You and your whore? You thought I wouldn't ever know? You thought no one would tell me?" I had entered the living room. Hilde sat there, a glossy color photo in her hand. She handed it to me. Me and Dorothy. In bed. Limbs tangled...

"Hilde..." I looked up. Her eyes were red, rimmed in new tears. She looked like she hadn't been ok for days. "Hilde, she didn't mean anything to me."

"Like hell." Her voice was quiet, like her anger. "Dorothy told me everything. She called me. Faxed the photos over. Said she just couldn't say no to you...you were just too kind, too sweet. Too helpful with Quatre being gone and everything. God dammit, Duo. I can't believe you." I couldn't believe this. Dorothy had informed her? Why? Why?

"Look, she seduced me."

"I don't believe you. Why would she lie to me. You're the one who's really been unfaithful. You bastard. You get the fuck out of my house, ok?"

"Hilde, babe...just put it behind us, ok?" I put my hands out, trying to calm her down. That was when she pulled out the gun.

"No, Duo. I don't want to fucking calm down. I...I don't believe you." She was pointing it at me, her hand shaking so badly I didn't think she would be able to aim well. Finally, she put it down, though it remained in her hand. She ran out the door onto the front yard. "God dammit, Duo. You shit. You fucking shit."

"Whoa, Hilde. Honey, put the gun down. Put it down." Who was she planning on killing? Me, or Dorothy?

Her tears finally spilled over. "I loved you Duo. All you had to do was tell the truth." And before I could reach her, she had put the barrell in her mouth.

"Hilde!" I wasn't sure if I said it, the sound of the blast was so loud. And then, it might have been my eyes spilling over, or I might have blacked out. I'm not sure.

She was dead a month before I did anything. Quatre and Dorothy came to the funeral, but I didn't speak to any of them. That was when it was really born in my mind. What I could do. What I had to do. Revenge. Revenge...

I couldn't transport weapons onto the Winner grounds, I knew that. They would search me at the gate. What if it didn't look like a weapon? Or what if I used something already in the house...?

I arrived on an evening when I knew Quatre would be working late. Une hadn't asked me to come in yet, in light of Hilde's death. It was the perfect evening. The guards were new; if I signed in at the gate under another name, they'd never know the difference.

I let my hair down when I went to the gate. It was winter still, and the bulkiness of my coat hid the fact that I am not a woman. The books would say that the last visitor was Hilde Schbeiker. Fitting, I thought.

Dorothy was pleased to see me. "Like my joke?" She asked, laughing as if the whole thing were a lovely game. Indeed, to her, it was. And so it had become to me.

"Yes, my dear, it was marvelous," I told her, hanging my jacket up. "I especially like the next part." Her eyebrows rose.

"What next part? Since when does this involve you?" She took a sip of her champagne. I took a glass as well, downing it quickly. It tasted a bit funny, but perhaps it was only the bubbles clouding my brain.

"The part where you are found dead, and the only visitor recorded for the evening is a dead woman," I said, advancing upon her. She did nothing but giggle delightedly and clap her hands.

"How clever! Someone has learned the rules," she said.

"Yes, I have," I wrenched her up by a wrist and hauled her over to the staircase. It was three flights down to the hard marble floor. She smiled as I backed her up against the railing.

"Do I at least get a kiss goodbye?" She was so beautiful for a moment, my Valkyrie, and my heart went out to the woman I was about to kill. I leaned forward to kiss her. Our lips met, and then she had twisted me, so my back was to the railing. I began to feel dizzy, probably from the height. Four of her danced in front of me, then merged back into a sole woman. As she pushed me back, she began speaking.

"You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting," she whispered as I bent back over the abcess. If she leaned forward just a bit more...

And I'd flipped her. She fell gracefully to the ground, her pale hair and dress spreading out on the white marble. A brilliant scarlet flower of blood blossomed from her head, and her eyes blinked. A bit came from her pale lips. "Dorothy's had an accident..." she murmered, then giggled. "So may you..." And then she was gone.

I began to feel dizzy then. I collapsed on the landing. I don't know how long it was, but I heard the front door open, and Quatre's voice cry out. "Dorothy!" And then he'd seen me. "Duo..." He raced up the stairs to me. Why are there four of him...and why is he getting farther away the more I look at him? Quatre, come back! Hilde...sorry...

Finis.