Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Devil's Due ❯ - 37 - ( Chapter 37 )

— 37 —

February 11, A.C. 205. Fuzhou, China. 2 pm

Xane stood behind Chao with vague interest, wondering about who would be named ‘Juan Tsai’. The guy was bringing two people with him, but their names hadn’t been passed over, so it was going to be an introduction thing. Chao had noted that he and Juan were old friends, so that was why Xane had been brought along…

Xane was bored, and not looking forward to meeting whatever jackass it was coming off his own little private plane.

“I told you I could fly it!” an oriental man crowed as he bounced from the machine. “You never believed me!”

“I still don’t think you did it,” Chao retorted happily, watching the guy move down the stairs. “You just sat there and let the co-pilot do the dirty work.”

“You’re an asshole,” the guy informed Chao happily, almost breezing into his arms.

Chao didn’t return the offered kiss, though he did hug the guy.

The man blinked at him in confusion.

“This is Chris Torwin,” Chao noted, indicating Xane. “He’s my boyfriend.”

The man’s expression changed from confused to angry in a heartbeat, then settled back into a cheerful apathy that was a bit too feigned. “Hi, Chris. I’m Juan Tsai.”

Xane shook his hand easily, staring directly back into his eyes as he realized he was going to have a little more fun than he thought…but then his attention was pulled to the plane itself…and Raul.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Xane forced quickly, being careful not to let the slip be known.

“Not if you knew what your man has done to me,” he whispered in English.

“What?” Chao asked blankly. “Don’t do that, Juan…”

“No worries,” Xane consoled just as quietly. “I’m sure he does it to me every night.”

The guy’s cheeks flushed very slightly as Xane smiled sweetly around and indicated Raul and David Shire. “Who are these?”

Juan gave Chao a dirty look, then turned back to the pair of them. “You should know David,” he snapped. “This is Kodiak Dervan.”

Raul’s eyes were smirking as he offered his hand to Xane. “Hello…”

“I’m Chris Torwin,” Xane informed him in return. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m sorry,” Raul said hesitantly in Chinese. “I don’t…speak Chinese.”

“I’m Chris,” Xane repeated in English. “Nice to meet you.”

“You speak English?” David asked blankly.

“Nhean,” Juan added in annoyance, “get out here.”

“I’m coming,” another Asian man retorted, climbing out of the plane carefully with a bag. “Don’t snap at me.”

“You’re taking your sweet time,” the guy snapped.

“I was getting the bags,” the guy retorted, rolling his eyes as he passed them to Raul. “I’ve got to go park this. I’ll meet you guys by the main,” he pointed toward the building, then moved to close the door and head toward the people of the airport.

“Such a sweet greeting,” Junjie muttered sidelong to Xane as he passed to pull the fuming rich-boy into a hug.

“You sure can piss them off,” Alvaro noted, also moving around Xane in that same way–they were both too close to him as they did it.

“What’s going on?” Raul asked, blinking after the other.

“You can play translator,” Bryn noted to Xane. “None of our English is really that great.”

“He’s parking the plane,” Xane explained, fighting his urge to join his friend. “We’re meeting back with him there,” he pointed at the main building as well.

“Oh, thanks,” Raul nodded slightly.

“Don’t mind him,” Chao whispered in Xane’s ear. “We usually play together when he comes by.”

“I thought so,” Xane reassured him, hugging him in response to the closeness.

“What did he say to you?”

“I wouldn’t be so happy to meet him if I knew what you did to him,” Xane flashed him a slightly naughty grin. “I suggested it’s what you do to me every night.”

“Chris,” Chao muttered, laughing wickedly as he moved into that hug. “You’re horrible.”

“I am,” Xane reassured him. “Shall we?”

“Of course, lover,” the man returned, then straightened and pretended not to notice Juan’s very jealous glare.

…and no one but Xane saw Raul’s ‘oh my god’ sort of smirk.

Xane wrapped his hand in Chao’s, and followed along like the good little boyfriend he was supposed to be.

- -

February 11, A.C. 205. Base. 8 am

"You already look like nothing happened," Jordan congratulated Richard as the younger male followed after his uncle. "You actually awake yet?"

"Yeah," Richard smiled at him a bit distantly.

Quatre flashed a slight smile at his friend, reaching an arm out to catch the boy before he could walk past. "You want to hit the canteen?"

"In a bit," Jordan returned. "I'm waiting for my three."

"Oh," Quatre hesitated a moment, then nodded. "I'll get out of here or she'll distract me."

"Hm?" Richard asked, looking back to his uncle.

"Simone is one of his three," Quatre explained. "Simone is my girlfriend."

"Don't I get to meet her?" Richard asked.

"Not while she's on duty," Quatre retorted. "You're the one who was sleeping when she came last night."

"Oh, like that was my fault!" Richard protested, laughing happily.

He looked stoned.

Jordan grinned at the boy. "I'll call you when I get them going," he reassured them. "I'm pushing them off on Trowa until lunch. After that I'll have a good hour or two before any of them decide to come back...you gonna make it, blondie?" he asked, ruffling the nineteen-year-old's hair.

"I'm just a little tired," Richard returned, smiling more. "The doctor said that it's because of my dose...I guess it'll wear off as I wake up more."

"I told him just to sleep it off," Quatre noted, looking to his comrade. "He told me to do something inappropriate."

Richard started laughing.

"How did he even wake up?" Jor muttered almost covertly.

"My alarm," Quatre rolled his eyes.

"Maxwell!" Trent called from down the hall. "Winner!"

The pair looked up the hall to see Trent bouncing ahead of Max and Simone. He was waving at the trio in a pleasant sort of manner.

"They always travel together," Jordan mused somewhat quietly to Quatre. "The others didn't travel together..."

"The others work well alone," Quatre reminded him.

"Damn," Richard whispered, studying Simone before looking back to Quatre. "That's her?"

"Wow, you look stoned," Simone returned, studying him with interest.

Richard flashed her a grin, then leaned against his uncle, looking away.

"Later," Quatre muttered, leaning over to kiss her.

"Bye," she half-whispered to him as he led his nephew by her.

"So," Jordan muttered, pulling their attention back to him. "I have nothing to do with you for the day, so I'm giving you to Trowa...and he's going to use you to take over the world."

- -

February 11, A.C. 205. Base. 8:10 am

"Take over the world?" Trowa asked Trent blankly, looking to Max uncertainly.

"That's what he said," Simone agreed happily. "He said that we're here to help you take over the world."

"Huh," Trowa considered the machines a moment and shrugged. "I'm thinking more long term. We could take the world over by supper-time, but it'd only last until one country got their shit together...so we'll start with maneuvers..." he looked between the three of them with a grin. "Pick a machine, my dears. Let's fly."

Simone looked to Max with large eyes, then they both looked to Trent.

"Come on," Trowa added, turning and waving up at Doug, who was on a machine. He made a sharp little circle in front of himself, then gestured back at the three.

Doug considered the three of them a moment, then nodded and turned to start closing up the machine he was working on.

"Move," Trowa ordered sharply, turning back to three of them.

"Sir!" Max agreed excitedly, then turned and darted for the machine directly to their left.

"Of course he picks that one," Trowa muttered as Trent and Simone moved to follow. He grinned to himself, turning to the machine directly behind himself. He couldn't help but wonder what Jordan would say. He wasn't overly worried about it, but he did want to hear.

- -

February 12, A.C. 205. Fuzhou, China. 12:30 am

"Yeah, there's nothing really interesting going on," Raul summed, thinking. "The guy I'm going through in Vladivostok hooked me up with Shire...your guy really pissed him off. He was ranting about his wallet being raped."

Xane smirked at that and shook his head. "So far as I've gathered, there's no one in this area that will go against them. Actually, it's an issue I'm having, because Jor is only letting me stay until Wednesday...unless I can really come up with something," he frowned. "I've got names and shit, but he hasn't recanted yet."

"I doubt he will; I saw how Chao was looking at you. He's really fallen for you."

Xane lost his good humor, looking away and shaking his head.

"I don't see how you're going to get out of it," Raul pressed, studying him. "If no one will go against him, what are you going to do, really? I mean..."

"I know," Xane snapped, still not meeting his eyes. "I know..."

"Have you thought about it?" Raul pressed. "I'm not just leaving this because you're uncomfortable with it. We have Riley on hand..."

Xane met his eyes sharply.

Raul grinned. "Jor freaked out, thinking this was a set-up. Riley's running around somewhere to pull us out."

"I thought he didn't want them around."

"Danielle is the one he's worried about. He immediately sent Rile here as soon as he realized I was coming. I'm sure she has us an evac plan already."

"I haven't seen her," Xane half-whispered, thinking.

"Are you paying attention?" Raul teased. "I saw the way you looked with that boy of yours."

Xane frowned at him.

"Okay...okay," Raul soothed quickly. "I won't press you on it...but...I mean…I'm only here until Monday."

Xane sighed and shrugged, nodding.

There was noise in the hall, and Xane sighed, pulling his weight off the couch to head toward the door. He'd been sitting with Raul, happy to be in that safety...but it didn't work. Chao didn't know they knew each other, so if Xane was sitting with some guy he didn't know it'd look bad.

"Hey," Chao muttered happily, sliding through the door to kiss Xane happily. "How are you?"

"I'm getting tired," Xane admitted, kissing him again with a small smile. It was partially forced, though, because he was actually happy to see the guy...and Raul had just pointed out that it really was almost over.

"It's getting late," Chao agreed, considering his watch a moment. "You work tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Xane agreed, moving out of Juan's way with the blond. "Not until ten, though."

"Call in," Chao suggested in a half-whisper, kissing him again. "I want to take you tomorrow."

"Okay," Xane smiled slightly at him.

Juan gave Xane a dirty look as he passed by. "Hey," he greeted Raul, moving around to sit with him. "You're not too bored, are you?"

"No," Raul returned easily. "We were keeping entertained."

"That's good, are you ready to leave, yet?"

"I have some tea on," Xane noted, pulling away from Chao and heading for the kitchen. "You want a glass?"

"What?" Chao asked, frowning.

"I have tea on," Xane repeated in Russian. "I asked of Juan wanted any."

"Oh, yeah, you should stay a bit more," Chao agreed, then tilted his head at Raul. "You speak Russian?"

"It's not that bad," Raul agreed. "Not my best, though."

"I didn't know you spoke Russian," Chao added, looking back to Xane.

Xane smiled slightly in return, starting to pull cups out. "I speak German, too."

"Really?" Chao was impressed.

"And Spanish," Xane agreed happily. "I want to learn more."

"Linguist," Chao accused, moving around to stand near him and watch as he started pouring the liquid. "You wanna take a class?"

"I'll think about it," Xane noted, reminding himself again that he was leaving Wednesday.

Chao grinned and kissed him again, taking two of the cups to give to their guests. "So," he added in Russian. "Where are you from?"

- -

February 11, A.C. 205. Base. 12 pm

Jordan was nervous.

Chance blinked as he realized it, considering his friend without letting it become obvious. Quatre was normal, and Richard looked a tad bright-eyed as he listened to their conversation with intense interest.

Granted, Jordan had disappeared with Riley to the airport before the Rest had been shot at, so maybe whatever plot he’d been hatching was coming to fruition. He seemed calm and cool enough, really, but his fingers kept twitching over his thigh, and occasionally his eyes would stray away from the table...

The three former pilots froze, all looking toward the windows as the unmistakable rumble of a mobile suit met their ears.

"What's that?" Richard asked, following their attention a moment or two later.

"Suits," Chance returned, listening intently. "I've been hearing them off and on all day."

"Isn't that Trowa's thing?"

"Yeah," Jordan returned, still watching the window himself. "You don't think..." he started, looking back to Chance.

"I try not to," Chance noted wryly.

"We've noticed," Quatre muttered just as dryly. He shook his head and looked back to Jor. "You sent them to him today, didn't you? Paris was saying that he was nearly finished with those suits. If he did fix that lot he'd want to test them."

"On untrained pilots," Jordan noted, rolling his eyes.

"Of course, it's what he always does," Chance dismissed it with a wave of the hand. "If a layman can make it go there aren't many problems left."

"Seriously?" Jor looked between them.

"It's what he does," Quatre shrugged. "Granted, between the three of us," he gestured at Chance, "he had enough to do his entire set...extra, really. Wufei's team had to wait a bit before they all got a go, but they did."

"Where is Wufei?" Jordan muttered, looking between them.

"I don't know," Quatre grinned slightly. "He and Morgan have been off doing shit again. I think they're still playing with their toy empath."

"That's not very nice," Chance reprimanded.

Quatre ignored him. "And I think he's getting his guys ready to run mine. Are either of you ready?"

"What?" Richard asked blankly, looking to his uncle.

"Which?" Quatre returned.

"Guys?"

"About ten of them...Paris is my second."

"I can't run yours until my five get back," Jordan noted, considering Quatre a moment.

"I have a retraining day next week," Chance shrugged. "I'm taking them again then..."

There was a general outcry as a mobile suit swooped down low outside the building...but the sound and the suddenness of the appearance had the three former pilots on their feet with their firearms in their hands.

That got even more an outcry.

"Wow, you three are still as psycho as ever," Logan Doll noted happily, bouncing into the building. "Is that Chang and Barton playing?"

"Barton, anyway," Jordan returned, looking around until he noted Richard was staring at them. "Shit, let's go kick his ass."

"Okay," Richard said with a naughty laugh, bouncing to his feet. "Let's go!"

"You just want to see the suits up close," Quatre accused.

"I dunno, watching Maxwell grind Barton into the pavement could be highly highly entertaining," Logan suggested, looking around the Canteen.

People were still watching them.

A second machine made the swoop to more annoyed noise, and Jordan forced himself to put his firearm back in its holster.

A pistol didn't do too much good against a mobile suit.

"Come on," Chance muttered, tossing a large bill on the table and starting for the exit. "I hate being confined when there are mobile suits in the air."

"Maybe...we...could fly?" Logan asked curiously, following Chance with an unobtrusive sort of hope.

"Maybe," Chance returned, shaking his head.

Richard flashed Logan a happy sort of grin.

"Hello...who are you?" Logan muttered, noticing and studying him with interest. "Are you straight?"

Richard laughed and blushed at the same time.

"Logan," Quatre reprimanded, smacking at him. "That's my nephew."

"Oh, the kid who got on the news, huh?" Logan's eyes were bright. "How old are you?"

"Old enough," Richard retorted, looking away.

"Legal?"

Quatre started laughing as they moved into the parking lot. "I'm going to kick your ass..."

Logan started laughing as well, then prudently moved to the far side of Chance.