Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Manhattan Secrets ❯ Night Out ( Chapter 1 )

Hi everyone! I know I said I'm working on a lot of other stories, but this one just kind of came to me last night around midnight, just like Melancholy Drunk did. What the hell is it with me and drunk fics?? I would like to say though, that this is not any kind of sequel to MD, or even related to it at all. It's not the same thing, and they have nothing to do with each other. <bows> Thank you.

Also, I refuse to tell you what the pairing is, but not for any wish to be annoying or anything like that- it's just that it would ruin the suspense thing I have going in the first scene and make it just sound stupid. Now, who on earth wants that to happen to their fic??

Disclaimer: I now own seven of the Gundam Wing DVDs and the first Gundam Wing artbook, but that's about as close as I'm ever going to get to owning GW. (nyah to all the people who own eight GW DVDs.)

*Manhattan Secrets*

It was a peaceful night, really.

There were few clouds obscuring the bright stars in the sky, and a light breeze wafted though the streets, a cool, refreshing bit of wind for any who felt its soft caress. The street lamps illuminated building fronts and sidewalks, their soft pools of light just barely touching, bathing the city streets in a comforting glow. Couples walked through the parks, quietly enjoying the lingering feeling of a wonderful evening of dinner and a movie, and satisfied businessmen gratefully headed home to their families. College students laughed and joked with each other as they made their way to the second or third club of the night, and friends eagerly discussed "Anna Karenina," a lovely play they had just seen. [1]

Ah, yes. A peaceful night in the city.

Duo Maxwell, however, was feeling anything but peaceful as he strode down the street, occasionally glancing at the street signs and comparing them to a piece of paper he held. He nodded shortly to himself and slipped the paper into the pocket of his long, black trenchcoat, a gift from his friend Quatre. He continued down the sidewalk, now positive of his destination and more than happy to retreat into his roiling thoughts and set his feet on auto-pilot.

He had absolutely no idea how he managed to get himself into these situations. It was completely unnatural and downright freaky, if you asked him. Here he was, in the middle of the night, walking through downtown Manhattan when he could have been sitting at home, eating chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and watching Braveheart on TV. What did I ever do to you? he thought with a glare towards the heavens.

He slowed as he saw blue fluorescent light cascade over his feet, and he glanced up at the large sign announcing the name of the graffiti-covered building to any who cared to look at it.

"Ah. Frenchie's. Damn, you sure know how to pick 'em, buddy," he muttered under his breath.

Walking up to the battered door, he reached for the handle but was stopped by a large hand on his arm. Following the bulky arm up to the hand's owner, Duo raised an eyebrow at the large, broad-shouldered man standing in the doorway.

"You got some ID, kid?"

Duo sighed and ran a hand through his bangs. "Look, I'm just here to pick up a friend. I'll be in and out in no time."

"Sorry. I'll need to see some ID."

"But I just-"

"You can't go in there until you can prove you're twenty-one, ok?"

In the blink of an eye Duo whipped out his gun and tucked it under the startled man's chin, pushing him back against the wall.

"Look," he said conversationally, "I'm really not in the mood for this. Either you let me in to get my friend, or I blow thirty-two teeth into your brain."

"Uh- Go right on in, sir. Enjoy your night at Frenchie's."

Duo smiled and uncocked the gun, slipping it back into his hipholster. "Thank you, Mr...."

The man swallowed. "Davidson. Jerry Davidson."

"Ah. Well, thank you ever so much, Mr. Davidson. I'll be out in a jiffy." Duo nodded to the man and slipped past him into the club, eyes scanning the crowd of people before the door was fully shut behind him. Spotting his quarry sitting at the bar, he glided over to it, navigating the sea of people with practiced ease.

He stopped a few feet from his friend, who had his head resting in his arms on the bar, and put his hands on his hips, regarding the boy in front of him with a mixture of mild disbelief and annoyance.

He shook his head sadly. "Don't hold your alcohol to well, do ya Wu-bear?"

Onyx eyes looked up at him blearily. "I'll have...I'll have you know that I am excellent with alcohol," slurred the Chinese boy. "I've already had four glasses of this...shtuff." He held up five fingers to demonstrate his point.

Duo rolled his eyes. "Oh yes. And that's quite enough for you." He hooked his hands under Wufei's arms to pull him off his stool. "I've got Mel Gibson in a kilt waiting for me at home, so, uh, let's hurry this up." He grunted as he tried to maneuver Wufei into a standing position.

Wufei swung an arm over Duo's shoulders and leered at him. "Ooo, Mel. He's a nice one, ne?"

Duo's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Huh?!"

"Gibson. Giiiiiibson." Wufei rolled the word around his mouth, having forgotten the conversation already. "Gibsssooooon."

Woah...I always figured Fei was as straight as a flagpole. After all, half the time he acts like he's got one stuck up his...

"Allrighty, Fei." he said aloud, "time to get to bed. That sounds good, doesn't it?"

"Mmm." Wufei smiled and snuggled up to Duo's chest, closing his eyes happily. "Beddy-by..."

"Yeah, that's right," muttered Duo as he wrapped an arm around his friend's waist and led him towards the exit. "Beddy-by. Sleepy time."

On their way out the door, Duo tossed a grin to the still stunned-looked bouncer.

"Hey, thanks a bunch, Jerry. See ya 'round!"

"Yeah, you too," said the guard, eyes wide and mouth agape as he watched the two boys walk away.

"All right, Fei," said Duo as he tried to shift the Chinese boy's weight to a more manageable position, "we don't have far to walk, but I need you to stay awake 'til we get to the house, ok? Just...talk to me or something."

"But I don' wanna talk," whined Wufei. "I wanna sleeeeeepp..."

"No no no, sleep is bad. Sleeping right now is a no-no. I don't particularly want to carry you all the way home."

"But I'm tired!" wailed the drunken boy, flailing his arms in the air.

Duo snapped. He grabbed Wufei's waving arms and pinned them to his sides, glaring at the offended-looking boy. "All right, Fei. You win," he growled. "I will carry you aaaall the way back to the house, but now you're in trouble. Your wallpaper is going to be neon pink by the end of this week!"

"Ooookkaaay," agreed Wufei, apparently ignoring the last part of Duo's tirade.

Sighing at his wasted threat, Duo hooked his arms around Wufei's legs and shoulders, scooping him up. As he walked toward their shared apartment building, Duo ranted semi-quietly to himself.

"Oh Duo," he whined in a high voice, doing a not quite accurate imitation of Lady Une, "we just got a call, and we need you to run down to pick up another agent.

"Oh, of course, Une-sama," he said sweetly in his own voice, "I would be delighted to be of service. May I ask what the assignment is?

"I need you to go to this address and pick up Agent Chang, Maxwell-san. You're the only one who can complete this mission!

"All I need to do is pick him up? But couldn't Sally take care of it, Une-sama?

"Absolutely not!" Again in the high voice. "Agent Sally is currently on her own mission.

"What about Heero, or one of the other guys? I was just settling down...

"Are you rejecting the mission? How dishonorable!" His voice oozed with disapproval.

"Oh, of course not, Une-sama, it's not like I have a life anyway. I would love to take my Friday night and go running around Manhattan after another agent who happens to lack any type of social life. What else could I possibly want to do with my time off??" By now his voice was dripping with sarcasm and irritation.

His monologue was brought up short when he heard a muffled sound, and he looked down to see Wufei mumbling into his chest. Jiggling the boy a bit, he watched Wufei's head slowly come up and the boy blinked at him, trying to focus on his bearer's face.

"You're warm."

"Uh...thanks, I think." Duo shook his head and glanced up and down the street before crossing to the other side.

"And you know what else? You're strong, too." Wufei pounded lightly on his shoulder to stress his point.

Duo smirked at the Chinese boy. "I sure hope so. I kind of need to be, what with being a Preventer and all."

Wufei giggled inanely at Duo's half-joke as the American nudged their building's door open with his hip and maneuvered them inside.

"Wufei, you are smashed."

The onyx-eyed boy leered at Duo again as he walked up the stairs towards their apartments.

"I got a secret," he whispered conspiratorially. "You wanna hear it?"

"Um..." Duo glanced around nervously. "I don't think it'd be the best idea to be telling your secrets when you're this drunk."

"Oh don't worry 'bout it," exclaimed Wufei, waving his arms and almost toppling both of them. "Just make sure you don't tell Duo, 'k?"

Duo perked up and looked warily at his friend. "Why shouldn't I tell Duo?"

Wufei giggled again. "'Cause it's 'bout him, silly!"

"Look, Fei," said the braided boy, attempting to get his key into the door's lock without dropping the other boy, "I think that Duo will end up knowing about anything you tell me."

Large, wounded eyes were turned upon him. "You'd...you'd tell my secret?"

Duo shook his head. "No, but...I just...Jesus. How do I get into these messes??"

"So you won't tell me secret? It's reallyreallyreallyreallyreally-"

At this point Duo tuned him out and concentrated on navigating the darkened apartment he hadn't been in recently. Choking on a curse as he walked into a coffee table, he painstakingly made his way back to Wufei's room. Setting his friend on the bed, he was unprepared when Wufei reached out and grabbed his coat and nearly lost his balance. Steadying himself on the headboard, he blinked down at the Asian face mere inches from his own.

"You wanna know my secret?"

Duo watched him expressionlessly, afraid to move lest he upset the other boy.

"But make sure you don't tell Duo. He can't find out."

Duo's eyes widened slightly, and Wufei leaned even closer.

"See, I love him."

Wufei sighed happily and flopped back onto his pillows. Duo carefully removed Wufei's shoes and shirt and tucked him into the blankets, his mind working over Wufei's "secret." Sitting down beside him, Duo sighed sadly and leaned down, placing a small kiss on his forehead.

"He loves you too, Fei. He loves you, too."

Rising, he walked to the door and started to close it as he stepped out. Throwing one last look over his shoulder at the peaceful boy on the bed, he smiled mournfully.

"Too bad you won't remember any of this in the morning," he whispered softly and stepped out of the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

And Wufei slept on peacefully.

*End*

[1] I saw that play and it was really good, but I imagine the book is quite long and boring. Plus, the ending is kind of warped.

*Random Note* I didn't make any tea references! Aren't you proud? (But just in case anyone cares, I'm out of English Breakfast, and I'm about to cry because I have to drink English Teatime instead. <sniffles>)

Ok, they're in Manhattan. Yeah, I know, I know. Manhattan probably doesn't even exist in AC 197, and Preventers HQ are most definitely not located there. Bite me. I just saw 'Kate & Leopold,' (go see it!) and I like the name now. ^_^;

So anyway, I think that was a bit different than I usually do, ne? Tell me what you think!