The Greatest of These

Disclaimer: I don\'t own anything at all to do with Gundam Wing. I just borrow the characters from time to time.

Author\'s Note: This is just a reposting because the other was lost, but new chapters will be coming soon.

Duo Maxwell woke groggy, blinking and sitting up. He rubbed his eyes, attempting to shake the sleep from his clouded mind and figure out what had jerked him so rudely from his pleasant dreams. A small smile crossed his face as he thought about the dream that was more than a dream. It was memory. Hot, desperate kisses shared as he was pushed harshly up against the cold metal wall. Blazing caresses that left a fire burning on his skin as clothes were recklessly tossed aside. The black eyes of his lover glazed over with passion as their bodies melded and strained toward each other. The one time he had coupled with the strong man with the soul of a dragon had left him more satisfied and needy than he’d ever been in his life. Even now, almost ten years after that one perfect night, he could feel himself becoming aroused at the thought of it. He laid down again, willing to attempt sleep one more time. Sighing, he rolled over onto his stomach to attempt to curb his growing desire. One night when he was still a kid and he hadn’t been satisfied with any other lover since. Not for lack of trying. Duo was a man who enjoyed sex. Sex of all kinds. Men, women, it didn’t matter. Sex was sex. But, just once with his dragon and he’d never felt a connection the same way. Every person he fucked now seemed to be an attempt to erase the memory from his mind so that he could move on, perhaps some day find a partner he could share his life with. He couldn’t help, though, that every time he climaxed he saw his face. He called out his name sometimes, too. He had ruined more potential relationships that way than he cared to think about.

They saw each other occasionally, at the get-togethers that Quatre always seemed to put together when he felt that they’d all been apart for far too long. Every time Duo would follow him out of the room at some point in the gathering. In a bathroom, a closet, behind a large tree, they would share deep, hot kisses that always promised more, but neither was comfortable going further in the light. It was how Duo knew that one night had meant as much to the man who still held his heart as it meant to him. “For old times sake,” they would whisper before separating to calm themselves and head back to where the others had gathered. God, he loved him. Duo had realized it years before. He was seriously, head over heels, take you any way I can get you, in love with the man. It was why no other could satisfy him the way he had been satisfied once. He just . . . couldn’t take the chance of that rejection. He’d had rejection once before when he’d thought he’d been in love and that love wasn’t reciprocated. He’d long gotten over that, but his love for his beautiful dragon had not dimmed over the years as he’d expected it to. Instead, it had just intensified until the thought of a few kisses in a bathroom once every couple of years was all that really kept him going. He just wouldn’t be able to handle it if he was rejected. He didn’t know what he’d do, but it was better to remember and look forward to a few precious moments than think about any other alternatives.

Cowardly? Yes. Survival tactic? Yes. Regrettable? God, yes. Duo shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts and closed his eyes, praying sleep would come soon and let him lie peacefully in the arms of his dreams.

His eyes snapped open as a small noise echoed in the silence. He rolled over, sat up, his eyebrows furrowing in concentration. There it was again! His hand slipped under his pillow and touched the cool metal of the gun he kept there. He pulled it out, checked it in the moonlight and flipped the safety. It wasn’t really loaded. Usually the sight of a gun was enough to deter anyone. But, he slipped a couple of bullets into his pajama pockets just in case. Quiet as a cat, he slipped from his bed, opened the door, and melted into the shadows of the hallway. He slipped down the hall, staying close to the wall. The noise, a cross between a small scratch and a knock, was coming from his front door. He slipped the lock quietly, took a deep breath, and threw the door open, his gun aimed directly at the head of the person he had least expected to see at his front door. He was shocked enough into lowering his gun.

“Wu Fei?”

The Chinese man offered a small, exhausted half smile as he looked in at the shocked American. He looked horrible. His clothes were in utter disarray, so completely opposite from the meticulous look he normally had in regards to his appearance. The clothes themselves, his Preventer’s uniform, looked as if they hadn’t been washed in days. His hair, longer than when they were pilots, was held loosely in a sloppy ponytail with wisps of hair protruding everywhere. The back eyes were rimmed with dark, bruised colored circles. The last time he had washed his clothes was the last time he had slept, Duo surmised. The appearance of his friend, so usually put together was shocking enough, but when Duo saw what he was holding he thought his heart might stop.

In Wu Fei’s arms, a small infant with dark curly hair rested quietly, oblivious to her surroundings in sleep. She was obviously Asian in descent, her eyes almond shaped. Opposite of Wu Fei, she seemed very well contented and taken care of. She was clean, looked well-fed. The bag thrown over Wu Fei’s shoulder appeared to be full of things meant for the care of the infant. Duo rushed forward and took her in his own arms, tucking his gun in his waistband, as Wu Fei exhaustedly held her out to him and almost fell against the door frame. A deep cough racked his body, but he smiled to see the dark skin and darker curls resting against Duo’s milky white chest.

“Sorry,” he forced between coughs, “Apologies . . . Maxwell. I . . . I couldn’t think of . . . any other place . . . to go.”

“No apologies needed,” Duo said softly, so as not to wake the baby, “Come inside, Wu. It’s cold.”

Wu Fei took a step and his legs almost gave out beneath him. Duo quickly reached out with his free arm and wrapped it supportingly around the Chinese man’s waist.

“We need to get you to a hospital,” Duo murmured quietly.

“No,” Wu Fei adamantly shook his head, “No hospital. Just need some sleep. Just sleep.”

“Okay, Wu. Whatever you say.” Duo led him to the nearest place to rest. Wu Fei fell on the couch as if it were the most luxurious bed. He closed his eyes as if to sleep, but they snapped open almost immediately.

“Is Sheira all right?”

“She’s fine, Wu Fei. You’ve taken excellent care of her. You just sleep now and let me take care of her.”

“Let me see her. Just for a moment.” Duo knelt next to the couch and displayed the baby to his exhausted friend.

“See, all tuckered out. Just like you. Now take her hint and sleep.”

“Good night, sweet girl,” Wu Fei leaned forward and kissed the child’s curls, “Papa loves
you so much. Duo?”

Duo’s eyes snapped up to meet with Wu Fei’s at the use of his first name, “You will take care of her if anything should happen to me, won’t you?”

“Don\'t talk like that.”

Wu Fei grabbed Duo’s shoulder with surprising strength and pulled him closer, “Won’t you?”

“Yeah, Wu. I’ll take care of her. But, you just sleep now. You’ll see her in the morning.”

“Thank you.” Wu Fei leaned up, and pressed his lips harshly to Duo’s, “Thank you,” he repeated, before collapsing back onto the couch. Duo, still in shock, covered him with a heavy blanket and took the baby into his room to sleep in the center of his bed. Then, he went and watched over Wu Fei until the sun rose.