Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Edulcoration of Duo Maxwell ❯ Inertial Guidance ( Chapter 37 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

The Edulcoration of Duo Maxwell - Chapter 37

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Warnings: AU, yaoi, coarse language, violence, angst, cliffhangers, red herrings, mention of various vices, random bits of useless knowledge, occasionally explicit sex.

Rating: NC-17

Spoilers: None for GW, and I'm now quite convinced almost nada for Pretty Woman.

Disclaimer: I don't really need to be Captain Obvious here, do I? No ownership, no money being made, yadda yadda. Written for fun, not profit.

Archived at:
http://www.atsui.org
http://www.gundam-wing-diaries.150m.com/gw /Mookie/gwmookie.htm

Edulcorate (verb) - To free from harshness (as of attitude); to soften

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Chapter 37 - Inertial Guidance

Duo gave his next question some thought. Should he charge ahead with both barrels blazing, or should he use his finesse to get what he wanted?

What did he want to know about Heero?

"Explain rimming to me," he heard himself say. Where the hell had that come from?

"Anilingus?" Heero was just as surprised by the question. "Kissing or licking the anus. Tongue fucking the ass," he added, and that mischievous look was back.

Duo felt all the blood rush to his groin and his hand started to drift south before he caught himself. From the cat-who-ate-the-cream look on Heero's face, an analogy which brought yet another arousing image to mind, it was obvious Heero was fully aware of Duo's sudden discomfort.

"It would seem that there are certain health risks inherent in such a practice," he said, in an obvious attempt to divert attention away from his erection. If Heero even LOOKED at his crotch, he didn't think he'd be able to carry on much of a conversation, considering what happened the last time Heero had noticed he was sporting a hard-on, just that morning. He should call the front desk and let them know there was a problem with the air conditioning, because it seemed awfully hot in there all of a sudden.

"Of course," Heero said with that half shrug of his. It took Duo a moment to remember what that was in response to.

"Would you say more so or less than cunnilingus?" He was really hurting for conversational fodder now.

"Neither, really. Depends on where your concerns lie. Some STDs can be passed via either activity. Others aren't a concern with rimming, but, considering where all the action is taking place," he actually smirked at Duo, "there are risks that are rather unique to the activity."

Duo closed his eyes, trying very hard NOT to imagine Heero illustrating why anyone would want to engage in such a thing.

"The skin around that part of the body is rich in sensory nerves," Heero continued, and Duo had to open his eyes lest the visual image combined with that husky voice cause him to require a change of pants.

"You offered to do that the first night."

Heero shrugged. "It would have cost extra."

"Why?"

"Dental dams can be used to reduce the risks. As you pointed out, there are a few inherent in the act."

"You carry dental dams around with you? I thought you refused to use them."

"A condom can be used instead, if you unroll it first and then cut along its length," Heero said. "And I'm sure you would have made it worth my while."

Duo wanted to get angry at the assumption that he would indeed have paid whatever Heero had asked, but he couldn't. It was true, after all. He'd even waved a pile of money at Heero to insure that all bases would be covered.

Then he played Heero's choice of words over in his mind. He was sure the ambiguity in the last statement had been completely deliberate on Heero's part.

"Is rimming included in this contract of ours? Or is it one of those infernal unnegotiated codicils again?"

Heero seemed to think about it for a moment, although Duo was pretty damn sure he'd made up his mind about it from the moment Duo had tried to clear up all the unknowns in their arrangement earlier in the week.

Duo almost fell out of the chair when Heero said, "of course." And then what had started out as a smirk on Heero's lips evolved into that heart stopping, sexy-as-hell half-smile.

~~~~~

Wufei rolled onto his back, his skin glistening with sweat, listening to Meiran gasping in bed next to him.

If she wasn't exhausted, he sure was, but from the sounds of her breathing, he expected she wouldn't be ready for another round anytime soon.

He'd just spent a half the night, and a good portion of the morning, which was rapidly bleeding into the afternoon, doing nothing more than making love to his wife.

Not just having sex. Touching, kissing, holding. Talking. Reassuring.

She could have asked him for the moon at that moment, and he'd have been on the phone with NASA to make all the necessary arrangements.

Or at least purchased a cherry picker to see how close he could get to it on his own.

His hand drifted to hers and their fingers laced together. He brought their hands to his lips and kissed each knuckle, then nibbled all the fingertips, before returning them to their previous position between their bodies.

"Hey, Chang," she said quietly.

"Yes, Long," he returned.

She snickered. "Hmm, maybe I should call YOU that," she mused. She was quiet a moment.

"Remember how you said you'd get rid of the car for me?"

"I meant it. I will."

Silence reigned for a moment.

"I'll kill you if you do that. I love that car."

He couldn't help it. He started laughing. When she freed her hand and reached back as if to hit him, he grabbed her elbow and pulled, bringing her body on top of his.

He kissed the tip of her nose.

"If you call me cute," she growled. "I'll make sure you're singing soprano in the shower."

"I don't think you will," he said smugly, thrusting his hips against hers.

She laughed. "Race you to the bathroom." And she did.

She won, too, but he didn't care.

~~~~~

There were so many things Duo wanted to ask Heero, but he didn't want to spend the entire day interrogating him, either. Not that he was off to a very good start. Seemed his mouth was divorced from his brain today.

Perhaps he'd learn just as much if he stopped trying so hard, just as he had earlier with that fat lady comment. It seemed Heero was suddenly inclined to release random bits of information with only the slightest bit of provocation.

Maybe if he allowed himself to do no more than spending this last day together enjoying Heero's company, he'd walk away with a much clearer picture of who Heero really was.

And if that didn't work, well, there was more than one way to skin a cat, although those methods didn't seem as desirable as they might have been earlier in the week.

Heero recognized the look on Duo's face. He was planning something. Heero's senses went on full alert, but he ignored them.

It wouldn't matter come tomorrow, anyway. He'd already made up his mind what he was going to do, and he doubted anything was going to happen to change it at this point.

~~~~~

Wufei insisted on preparing lunch for them after they'd showered. Meiran looked like he'd just gifted her with the world, and he again marveled at how lucky he was to have her.

"Duo hasn't called," she commented as he puttered about, gathering the necessary supplies for their meal.

"I know."

Her eyes narrowed, although he was facing the stove and couldn't see it.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"I turned off my cell phone last night." He turned around and actually grinned at her. The last time he'd grinned like that, he'd just finished speaking with Duo, and was practically dancing at the news that Milliardo Peacecraft was backed into a corner. A situation that seemed to change daily.

She was glad she was already sitting down.

Wufei had turned off his cell phone. Hadn't spared more than a single glance at the clock all morning.

It felt like they were on their second honeymoon. She'd make sure to visit that bar every time they were in LA. It held nothing but fond memories for her.

"What do you think about relocating?" she blurted out.

He lowered the heat on the burner and covered the pan before turning around.

"You want to live here?"

"Maybe."

Instead of dismissing the idea out of hand, as she'd expected him to, he actually seemed to consider it.

"That would leave Duo in charge of the East Coast operations."

"You'd both be 'in charge,'" she reminded him, picking up her fork and turning it end over end a few times before holding the end and letting it swing like a pendulum. "It's just that he'd be the physical presence over there, and you'd do the same on this side of the country."

He said nothing, but she knew he was weighing the pros and cons. He finished making lunch and served them both, then sat down and started eating.

The ensuing silence was comfortable, despite the question Meiran had sprung on him, and she took the opportunity to watch him as he ate.

The lines around his eyes weren't quite so pronounced this morning. Despite what they'd spent the last twelve hours doing, with a few breaks for sleep and the call of nature in between, followed by a hasty shower that had almost led back to the bedroom...he still managed to look damn sexy when he had that meditative expression on his face.

~~~~~

Quatre finally made his way back to the apartment. He didn't return to the bar because he hadn't been able to stomach watching the two of them, Trowa and That Woman, heads bent together in conversation. He also had to admit, her presence made him nervous, and the uniform she wore seemed to say, 'I know all about you, Quatre, and when the time is right, I'm going to make sure everyone else does, too.'

It was ridiculous to feel that way, but he had to admit, it was dangerous to be in a bar with an officer of the law present. For both him and for Trowa. Despite whatever was between Trowa and That Woman, he had no reason to trust that she wouldn't decide to make sure only Quatre paid for the crime, and he didn't want to drag Trowa into this mess. The thing was, he was no longer certain that Trowa hadn't known from that first day when he let him use the phone what he was getting into. Things would have been far different if That Woman had been there the day he'd walked through that door for the first time.

No point doing the time if you weren't going to do the crime, he thought bitterly, picking up the bottle that he'd left on the kitchen table the previous evening and heading for his bedroom. He paused at the doorway, then, with a look of determination, went into Heero's instead, seating himself on the bed with his back against the wall.

If he was going to act like a spoiled rotten brat, he was going to go all out and wallow in it.

He uncapped the bottle and took a swig, wincing as the bourbon burned its way down his throat. The taste didn't do much for him, but he wasn't drinking it to cater to his taste buds. In fact, he wanted to dull his senses as much as possible. Too bad he didn't have a forty of Camo to go with it. It had seemed to work well enough for his would-be assailant.

You're making a mistake, Quatre, one of his inner voices chastised.

I thought I told you to fuck off, he growled back, and took another sip.

He picked up Heero's pillow and sniffed it. The Bulleit wasn't working yet, because the scent of Heero was still capable of making him feel all gooey inside.

He tilted his head back and took a much longer draw from the bottle.

Although it made him sputter and his eyes tear up, it somehow made him feel better at the same time.

Do the crime if you're going to do the time, a voice laughed, and he realized sometime between his fifth and sixth swigs that it had been his, and that he'd spoken out loud.

Quatre, another voice warned, this one exhibiting a familiar deadly calm. Don't do anything stupid.

Should have told me that before I fucked you, Heero, he said, closing his eyes and chugging as much as he could. So why don't you fuck off, too.

He slouched on Heero's bed, already starting to feel a bit boneless, but his grip on the bottle didn't waver.

While I'm at it, fuck you, too, Trowa. Or fuck That Woman. See if I care what either you or Heero do or where you put your dicks. Maybe the two of you should fuck each other and let That Woman watch while Heero's Daddy Warbucks beats himself off and sells tickets. Maybe I can play torch songs on the baby grand. One big happy fucking family.

The bottle was becoming dangerously empty, but Quatre maintained the death grip on its neck as he let his hurt and anger fester.

~~~~~

Milliardo Peacecraft stared at the cell phone in his hand and shook his head. The things he did for his sister's future, he grimaced, then dialed the number he'd sworn never to dial again.

"Khushrenada."

His sometimes friend and erstwhile comrade had an amazing network of people willing to do his bidding at the snap of his fingers. There was little that Treize couldn't get done, given enough time. Sometimes Milliardo doubted it was all legal, but since Treize seemed to have a finger in almost every pie, he was sure that there were people looking the other way more often than not. He was an excellent ally, and a dangerous foe, but sometimes the man's rather twisted sense of honor seemed to leave his friends, mainly himself, hanging out to dry, while perfect strangers reaped the benefits of his contacts in the business world and most likely the underground as well.

He would not be surprised to find out that, should he want to put a contract out on someone, Treize would be able to steer him in the right direction for that as well. But he probably wouldn't, citing some personal code of ethics.

"Treize," he greeted, his voice calm.

"Milliardo! What a pleasant surprise."

"Spare me the niceties, Treize," he said. "I need to speak with you. On a professional basis. Assuming, of course, that this doesn't violate some personal code of yours."

"Give me the particulars, and I'll let you know."

"And then you'll give me the info I need?"

"Tell me what you're looking for; then we'll talk."

So Milliardo explained the three companies he wanted background information on. Nothing illegal, just a straightforward check into the histories of the corporations.

He could obtain the information himself, or have Relena do it, but he wanted to make a decision before the weekend was out, and in order to do that, he had to tap into the resources at his disposal. Or at Treize's disposal, assuming the man didn't think it violated the 'no partnerships between friends' rule of his. Sometimes Treize had a different set of rules than most people.

Sometimes? Hell, the man wrote his own book on rules.

~~~~~

Now that Duo had decided to treat the day as something other than a fact finding mission, at least an intentional one, the question was what did Heero normally do in his spare time?

The only way to find out was to ask, so he did.

"What do you do when you're not working, Heero?"

"Technically, I'm working now." Was he being facetious, or putting things back into perspective? Duo couldn't tell.

"Let's just say that since I have the day off, you do, too," he replied. "So what did you do when you had weekends off?"

Heero really couldn't remember a time when weekends meant days off. There was either work to be done or there wasn't, and breaks of hours or days were scattered throughout, occurring when the workload was conducive to some well-deserved downtime.

"You can tell me," Duo teased. "Chess tournaments, perhaps? Broadway shows? Hmmm," he closed one eye and tilted his head to the side as if appraising a used car. "Monster truck rallies. Philately. Yoga." He eyed Heero up and down, picturing the man's body bent in almost impossible angles and struggled for a less stimulating mental image. "Or maybe you're one of those Bingo regulars who has no qualms about fighting with a blue-haired senior citizen over the lucky seat."

His serious tone of voice was belied by the humor in his eyes, and Heero was struck by how captivating they were. It wasn't just that Duo's eyes were one of his most striking features, although perhaps that was arguable, considering other physical attributes that Heero was much better acquainted with. It was the light in those eyes he found particularly attractive, as if Duo was glowing from within.

He didn't want to snuff out that light if he could help it.

"Sometimes I'd read. Or play Solitaire on the computer, or Mahjongg."

Ah, so that game's inclusion had been a personal choice. He wondered how many of the other games installed on Heero's computer were there because Heero actually liked them.

"Once in a while, I'd just go outside and sit under the tree in my parents backyard," he said softly, and Duo got the feeling that there was a lot more to it than that from the wistful look in his eye.

And then, Heero thought, without fail, Kitty would find a reason to go out back and launch into a round of twenty questions. I'd say something she didn't like, and she'd throw a shoe or a lump of grass or a spoiled apple at my head, and the whole time I'd do my best to pretend those visits weren't the highlight of my day, when we both knew they were.

Duo felt the seed of an idea plant itself in the back of his mind, and while Heero was temporarily lost in memories, it germinated, rapidly taking root and growing toward the front of his brain.

He smiled, and for a split second, Heero feared that expression, when he hadn't felt that way about any of the cold, angry looks he'd been the recipient of all week.

tbc

~~~~~

(Clears throat)...I am going to wax philosophic on the chapter title for a bit, but chances are it will make LESS sense by the time I'm through.

inertial guidance - Inertial guidance systems were originally developed for ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles). It's a hybrid of an inertial navigation system (INS) and control mechanisms. I don't want to get all science geeky here, because although I find it fascinating, the physics makes my head hurt. Things that struck me the most were the fact that INSs tend to be immune to jamming.

Modern-day ICBMs typically carry "multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles" (MIRVs), enabling a single launched missile to hit several targets.

Merriam Webster's defintion of "internal guidance" is synonymous with internal navigation: " guidance (as of a missile or aircraft) by means of self-contained automatically controlling devices that respond to inertial forces."

Inertial forces! An inertial force is one "opposite in direction to an accelerating force acting on a body and equal to the product of the accelerating force and the mass of the body."

Why the chapter title? I just like the concept of inertia...a body in uniform motion - in a straight line - tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force. Some sort of action must be taken in order to get a moving body to change direction or to stop.

Inertia also refers to resistance to change.

You could probably waste an entire day trying to figure out why certain things flip a switch in my brain, so if you plan on trying to figure out the aptness of the chapter title, you might want your own forty-ounce bottle of Camo nearby.

forty - a forty-ounce bottle

baby grand - a small grand piano five to six feet in length

philately - stamp collecting

Yes, a condom can be used as a dental dam, in a pinch. Most sexual partners tend to eschew the use of dental dams as they prefer the feeling of mouth and tongue unencumbered by a square of latex.