Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Matchmaker ❯ Travelling Plans ( Chapter 16 )

Title: The Matchmaker 16/20?
Author: Makoto Sagara
Series: Gundam Wing
Archive: the usual suspects (ffnet, affnet, Foreverfandom, my site, mediaminer, my update LJ, and the D&DML on yahoo); anywhere else, please ask first.
Category: Supernatural, Angst, Romance, Sap

Pairings: Eventual 2x5x2, 3x4x3, and 1xRx1
Rating: T
Warnings: Shonen ai, language, angst, sap, het, supernatural dealings
Disclaimers: Yeah, like I own Gundam Wing. (Goes off to cry, but not before turning out pockets) I am poor as well. Flames will be used to amuse my muses. They are easily entertained, but highly obnoxious.

A/N: Sorry that my updating has taken so long. I've been really distracted lately. I promise to try and balance my obligations better. Thanks to Jokes for helping me get over a bit of writer's block.

Chapter Sixteen - Travelling Plans

Wufei stifled a groan as Duo pulled him on top of the braided man's body, rubbing a very obvious erection against his leg and making his own trapped cock twitch in anticipation. Long fingers made their way into his hair, pulling out the tie and letting the dark locks fall forward as Wufei was determined to have the man underneath him panting in desire. He'd just managed to maneuver his strong hands under Duo's shirt to begin stroking the soft skin of his ribs when a very loud knock on the door interrupted them. “Tsao,” he cursed against Duo's kiss-bruised lips.

“Don't answer it, `Fei,” Duo whispered hoarsely before leaning up to kiss the other man once more.

“Wufei! Duo!” Quatre's sharp voice cut through any thoughts Wufei had been harboring about what the American looked like without any clothes on. “We know you're both there.”

“This better be damned important,” Duo yelled as Wufei pulled reluctantly away from him with one last sweet kiss. “Otherwise, I think I will kill all four of you.”

“All four,” Wufei mouthed, feeling rather mortified. He really didn't relish the thought of being teased by any of his former comrades, but he liked less the thought that Relena Peacecraft knew what he and Duo had been this close to doing. His arousal died instantly, and only a quick rearrangement of his clothes and tying his hair back was necessary before he felt equal to opening the door to their `friends'.

Not that he did so with any sort of grace or welcome. However, his death glare must have had some impact on the others, for Quatre and Relena at least had the decency to look embarrassed as he moved aside to let them into the suite, and only the brief smiles he received from both Heero and Trowa brought to his attention that they might have felt sorry for him.

“So sorry to interrupt you both,” Quatre said calmly as his blush began to fade. “However, Heero received information about Noventa.”

“He's currently on his way to Paris, as far as my informant can tell,” Heero cut across the blond, sitting down in one of the chairs at the small dining table.

`Is this divine intervention that this stupid idiot is on his way to the city where I reside?' Wufei thought viciously. A look at Duo was enough to know that the braided man had heard his thoughts and agreed. “Well, luckily for him, Duo and I were leaving tomorrow afternoon for Paris. Lady Une was quite adamant about my return to Preventers Headquarters since Duo is as well as we can safely wish for the time being.”

“This doesn't feel right though,” Relena said as she moved to sit at the table with Heero. “Perhaps he's aware that we caught his would-be assassin?”

“That's a logical assumption,” Trowa said from his position of leaning against the door. “There's no way we can truly know, however.”

“I still don't feel right letting Grumman run free, even if it is Nigel Noventa that is the instigator of this whole situation,” Quatre added.

“Actually,” Duo said with a wicked smile. “Wufei was only too happy to let the name of our friend's employer. Une was delighted with the information.” He shuddered in mock terror. “In fact, she was sounding a bit like her old self when she heard that, and it was only Sally's shout for her to remember herself that made it any easier to continue the conversation.”

“She does have those moments where she forgets herself,” Wufei acknowledged with a grimace. “That is neither here nor there. The point is that Grumman will be taken care of soon. She's sending in a team of Preventers made up of predominately the Maguanacs that joined, led by Auda and Abdul, to take out Grumman's little ring of criminal activity.”

“That's a relief,” Relena said, letting herself smile widely. “I would feel sorry for him, if I didn't find everything he did repugnant. No one is ever ready for meeting any of the Maguanacs.”

Quatre shook his head in amusement. “Oh, when Auda and Abdul told me that they, Hakim, Jamal, and Kasimir were joining the Preventers, I had to warn Lady Une. She seems quite taken with them.”

“That is beside the point,” Heero said, obviously annoyed at the change in the direction of the conversation. “What are we going to do about Noventa?”

“Make him come to us,” Duo said, earning him looks from the rest of the room. “It's obvious that he was after me because I was the least protected, yes?” He cut a brief glance at Wufei with a warm smile before turning back to address their friends. “Well, I'm not anymore.”

“True,” Trowa responded. “So, who is the easiest of us to take out now? Relena and Quatre are very public faces, and, once we leave the hotel, are bound to be pursued by the press. Heero and I are with them for security purposes. That only leaves Wufei, who is trained in hand-to-hand and the best shot in the Preventer ranks.”

“I believe that he'd still try to take out Duo,” Heero said emotionlessly. “He's injured and on painkillers. His reflexes are slowed down because of his condition, and it's impossible that he and Wufei can be together twenty-four hours a day, no matter how much we would all prefer it.” He gave his friend a small shrug, who only shook his head in answer.

“So,” Quatre said coolly, his mind racing behind his bright eyes. “Duo and Wufei return to Paris, and the rest of us? Relena, you have to go back to Geneva, yes?”

She sighed heavily. “Yes, but I don't want to. This is the first vacation in two years that I've had, and I have to add that it's much better now that Duo is awake.”

“Quatre, would you be willing to lend a few of the Maguanacs that are in the WEI security section to watch Relena in Geneva?” Heero asked, ignoring the glare from his girlfriend and earning him a punch from the girl.

“You are not sending me to Geneva by myself and going after Noventa alone,” she yelled.

“I'm not,” he answered calmly. “I am hoping to have Rashid and two others escort you to your meetings while the rest of us deal with Noventa.” He turned to the Arab man, who'd watched the exchange with a smirk. “So, your answer is?”

“Of course, Heero,” Quatre responded. “I couldn't leave Relena unprotected, and you're right that Rashid is a good choice as the team leader. I'll call him when we're done here.”

“So, when are we leaving?” Duo asked. Wufei carefully looked over his friend, and only saw that he was tired, hungry and angry about the entire situation. “I know that the rest of you are targets, but he's come after me at least three times that we know about. I'd like to have some kind of peace of mind soon.”

“In two days,” Wufei said, placing a hand on Duo's thigh, earning him a warm expression that left him anxious to be alone. “Une wants me back to work by the end of the week, especially with the Grumman and Noventa situation.”

“Great,” Trowa said, moving away from the door and grabbing the back of Quatre's shirt to pull him towards the hallway. “We'll talk to you later about the rest of the plans.” He turned his green eyes on Wufei carefully. “And don't think that you and Duo are travelling alone until this is over. Heero, Quatre and I will be on the plane as well.”

“Yes,” the blond added. “And I think you're both going to be staying at my smaller house outside the city until this is all over.”

“Meaning that the house that only has ten bedrooms, a pool, and twenty car garage,” Duo whispered into Wufei's ear, making him snort in amusement. It was a valid assessment of the Arab's sense of scale. “I'm hungry, so either feed me or get the hell out,” he said to the others. They all chuckled and made their way to the door. “And don't come back without calling first, dammit!”

When they were alone again, the American turned to Wufei with a predatory look in his violet eyes that made his stomach flip. “Now, where were we?” he purred before crashing their lips together again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He knew he was in trouble. Relena had been quiet throughout all of lunch with Quatre and Trowa, her face set into lines of annoyance and anger. He understood why she was upset as well, but there was no changing his mind from the plan he and the other men had hammered out while they ate. She didn't want to be sent to Geneva when the rest of them were still in danger from a man who was rich enough to purchase a hit-man on one of their closest friends, not when Heero himself could be in just as much danger as Duo and Wufei. She was also aware of the danger of her prolonged exposure to the others put her in. Until it was all over, he'd be happier if she was as far away from Noventa as she could get.

Part of him wished he could call back Zechs and Noin to watch over her, but he recognized it as beyond even his power. And she'd only put up with so much of his paranoia.

When they returned to the hotel, she dragged into one of the bedrooms and slammed the door behind them. He didn't resist and waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts. He owed her at least that much. “I should fire you,” Relena said stately as she sat down on one of the beds. “It would be fitting, considering the fact that you are leaving me to go handle some dangerous mission, instead of doing the job you were hired to do.”

“You can,” he answered. “I can have the name of some capable people who could take over your security detail, if you like.”

“Don't be stupid, Heero!” She jumped up and was in his face before he could blink. He didn't even bother to reach for his gun, even though every instinct was screaming that it was a hostile situation and he needed to be ready to defend himself. It wouldn't scare her, and it wasn't truly necessary. “I don't want anyone else to head my security detail, you great moron!”

“Then what?” he asked.

“I don't want you to go!”

“I have to, or else you'd be in greater danger than you are at this moment.” He raised a hand slowly to rest on her pale cheek, wiping away an angry tear that had escaped her tight control. “Do you think Noventa will rest after Duo and Wufei are taken care of?”

“No, I know better. You, Quatre and Trowa would all be next,” she whispered sadly, resting her head against his chest. “I… I just… I'm scared, Heero.”

“I know,” he responded, placing a kiss to the top of her head. “That's why I asked Quatre for Rashid. He'll keep you safe, but he won't lie to you. Besides, he admires you greatly, and would rip any person stupid enough to try to get to you into tiny pieces.”

She lifted her head up and he could see a small, sad smile on her face. “He would, wouldn't he?”

“Yes, he would. Aside from the other pilots, your brother, Noin and myself, he's the only person I would trust to guard you,” he said gently, kissing her lips briefly. “Don't think I do this lightly.”

“I know you don't, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.”

“Understood,” he said, gathering her into a tight hug. “What would make you feel better, aside from me not going?”

“Promise me that you'll get him.”

“Ryokai,” he joked, cutting their argument short by giving her a very passionate kiss. He couldn't help but smile as she melted into him and returned the embrace. Now, he just had to make sure that he did what he'd promised her. Or else…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Rashid was only too happy to agree to help watch Relena,” Quatre told Heero the next morning. “He said that he's bringing Akil and Shariff with him. I don't know if you met them before, but they went through some pretty extensive training specifically geared towards protection.”

“Those three are the ones that I have watch Quatre when he's out and about,” Trowa answered, stroking the blond's thigh under the breakfast table while calmly sipping at his coffee. “Relena will be safe as she can be when you're not around.”

“Thank you,” Heero said, ignoring the scowl on his girlfriend's face. “She'll thank you later, once she's over being mad at me.”

“Relena,” Quatre started, moving a hand to rest comfortably on one of her own. “I know that you don't want any of us to go. It doesn't take an empath or telepath to know that you're worried, but the five of us will be safer together, especially if we don't have to worry about protecting you as well.”

“I know that, Quatre,” Relena snapped, jerking her hand back as if burned by his touch. “I just don't like this. Any of it. I told Heero as much last night, and I thought that I'd come to terms with it, but this man is trying to kill you. All of you. And you're just walking up to him, saying `come and get me', for fuck's sake. You can't expect me to be thrilled with it.”

Trowa raised an eyebrow at the woman, who flushed in embarrassment, while Heero and Quatre traded mildly shocked looks. Relena didn't curse often (not at all, really), and the fact that she had brought home just how upset she was. “Relena, no one's asking you to like this plan. However, it is the best, and if you're safe, Heero will be able to concentrate on our objective,” the blond man finally said after a few moments of reflection.

“I know,” she replied quietly. “When will Rashid and the others be here?”

“In a few hours, I'd guess. They're only in Morocco. Are you already packed?” Heero asked.

“No, I'll go do that now,” she said, leaving before anyone could stop her.

“She's really upset, Heero,” Quatre said after an uncomfortable silence settled between the three men.

“I've noticed, Quatre,” Heero shot back, obviously testy. “She threatened to fire me last night.”

“Hm, she must be really upset if she's channeling Duo's lack of proper language and threatening to fire you,” Trowa mused. “But she knows that this is for the best, so she'll put up with it. You'll have to do something to get back on her good side, though, Heero.”

“Yeah, but it'll be worth it to have her safe,” the Japanese man said.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Four hours later found the five former Gundam pilots getting off of an express bullet train from Victoria Station in London to Calais, France on the other side of the English Channel. Duo stretched a bit, wincing as the top of one of his crutches dug into his armpit. The Calais station was packed with men, women, teens, and children, all speaking quickly and loudly. After the relative quiet of the hospital and the hotel, the swarm of human minds all going at the same time was like being dumped in the middle of a foghorn.

“Are you alright, Duo?” Wufei asked anxiously. The braided man turned and shook his head with a grimace.

“Too loud,” he managed through clenched teeth. “Head feels like it's going to explode.”

“Lady Une provided a car outside of the station,” the Chinese man whispered directly into his ear, his hot, teasing breath doing distracting things that were making his headache take a backburner to his lust. “If we can get you out there, it'll be quieter.”

Duo nodded, trying to make his brain actually put some meaning into Wufei's words, aside from the fact of how he sounded during their mutual wank-off the night before. “Please,” he said thickly.

The five men walked quickly, Duo abandoning his crutches to Quatre's care while Heero and Wufei helped him move fast through the station. They had just made it to the relatively quieter street where a black SUV was indeed waiting when a nondescript man came up behind them, quickly joined by two other men, who were obviously hired muscle.

“No one makes any stupid moves, and we can all avoid a very public scene,” he growled. “Get in the car and keep your hands where I can see them. 04, drop the crutches. 02 won't need them. 05, carry 02 since you're so fond of him. And remember, if any of you do anything stupid, I will just shoot 01 and 03.” The man's gun dug into Heero's back while another was shoved into Quatre's and the third was shoved into Trowa's back.

Slowly and carefully, the five pilots got into the car, where the driver turned around with an impressive automatic weapon that he pointed directly between Duo's eyes. “Good afternoon, gentlemen,” he said smoothly. “I'm sorry if my men were abrupt with you. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Nigel Noventa, and I believe that we have some unfinished business.”

TBC