Disclaimers: I don't own any of the Gundam Wing Universe. I'm not making any money off this story. It's written out of love, so please don't sue me.

Written: March-May, 2001
Overall Rating: R
Pairings: (3+5) (1x2x1)
Category: Angst Yaoi Shonen ai Friendship Sap WAFF Lime AU {Beware: Darkness Descending!}
Enigma Story Category: G-Boys High Adventure!
Warnings: Angst, yaoi, shonen ai, language, friendship, sap, WAFF, limey hints, dark themes taking control, plus "AU-OOC" for those who can’t cope

Notes: The priceless gifts of love and friendship that were exchanged by the Gundam pilots brought them closer together, but two of the team will soon be "hidden" as Trowa and Heero must infiltrate an OZ base. Wufei, Duo, and Quatre must share an apartment while the others are gone, creating a potentially explosive mixture. Are these new bonds strong enough to unite the circle in the face of the unexpected crises which arise as well as the approaching darkness?

//someone's thoughts//

<<flashback>>


Hidden Gifts
Part 9


The next morning, the personnel at the local OZ base went about their daily routines wholly unaware of the two Gundam pilots in their midst.

As Trowa left the junior officer's quarters in search of Heero, he thought about a few of the things that were distracting him. The past week with Wufei had been a time he would always remember with mixed emotions.

Trowa hated the fact that the other boy had been injured in such a fashion, yet it *had* given the pair a chance to realize what they shared. So, he was happy that they had discovered their shared interest in each other, but he was sad that even now, the boy his heart called "koibito" was in pain and alone again for all intents and purposes.

As he walked down the corridor doing his best to look unnoticeable to the typical OZ flunky, he considered these things and more. [ click here to see the image ]

//I wonder how Fei is getting along? It was a lot to ask him to stay with Quatre like that, but he seemed to be more than willing to give it a try. He's damned brave, but we all knew that already, didn't we? Then again...//

His thoughts turned dark as he did his best to blend in as an OZ captain walked past, demanding a salute simply due to rank and not due to his being truly worthy of respect. His thoughts re-set themselves when he was free of the officer's presence once more.

//Then again, my dragon has always been brave. Bold in the face of danger, he was like a shining light to the rest of us at New Edward's, wasn't he? At least, I know that I felt like a complete fool after he pointed out that we were being manipulated there. Hell, OZ used us then and now we're using them. Would you call this poetic justice, Fei?//

At no point did Trowa even wonder where the nickname "dragon" had come from and since he never said it aloud he'd never been asked for an explanation. He vaguely recalled something that Wufei had once told him about his family supposedly being descendents of actual dragons, but it was more than that.

The Chinese teen was fiercely loyal to his friends as well as a true force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, so the term seemed to fit the one he loved too well to not use it. Trowa felt a little better after thinking about him, though, and that would have indeed pleased Wufei considerably.

Walking down the seemingly endless corridors, Trowa continued his internal monologue.

//Ah, koi, I wonder what you and Duo will be up to today? I know those stitches were bothering you, maybe "Dr. Maxwell" will agree to take them out soon?//

The slender teen chuckled to himself at the mental image this granted him, but he sobered all too quickly as he pondered the slow healing injuries the Chinese teen had yet to recover from.

//Broken ribs do usually take awhile, and I know that infection slowed things down, but why is it taking so long? Maybe I'm just impatient about wanting to see you healthy again, love. There's so little time to just relax and be ourselves during this damned war. It would be nice if you and I could spend some time alone without everyone else around, they don't seem to appreciate the quiet times the way that you and I do, koi. There's so much I'd like for us to get a chance to do together but you could get an assignment while I'm stuck in here and *then* where would we be?//

Trowa had to stifle a chuckle at that thought.

//No, that won't be a problem. Duo'd be in touch with Doctor J in a heartbeat if Master O tried to pull you away for anything. It doesn't matter that Duo works for G at times like this! Heero's contact seems to be calling the shots and Duo isn't about to let anyone or anything mess up Heero's plans for us all. Well, that's one less thing to worry about. Guess I should just be grateful for it.//

Far more relaxed than he had been, Trowa approached Heero who was sitting looking at a computer console as if he really cared and as if he could possibly correct its current non-functional state. They'd chosen to rendezvous here and now all that was needed was an exchange of codenames to indicate the time for action was at hand and they could begin.

Emerald eyes twinkled with mischief as Trowa addressed the Wing pilot, "Yamamoto, did you figure out what's wrong with their key server domains, yet?"

Silently both teens laughed at the anime reference, but a space battleship seemed an appropriate thing for Heero of all people to have been temporarily renamed after.

"No, sir," Heero remarked smoothly. "I'm afraid, Ensign Bloom, that without getting to a main terminal port I'll never be able to get this back on-line."

Trowa took his cue smoothly with a brief nod. "Very well, then. Why don't we try to get this glitch worked out down in one of the research labs? They've got direct up-links there, I believe."

"Yes, sir," Heero rose to his feet and saluted as a lieutenant passed by, demanding a salute from each before he made his way down the corridor.

Trowa cast a glance over one shoulder at the officer, a slight frown on his face. Heero muttered in annoyance, "You know it's a low risk facility when all the minor officers expect you to stop what you're doing to salute them, don't you?"

"I was thinking that exact thing myself," Trowa answered with a half-smile.

The lower the risk, the easier it would be to achieve their mission and get away, so this was good news, but it was annoying just the same. He added under his breath, "As I recall, when we were at the OZ headquarters in Berlin about four months ago, not even Treize Khushrenada expected us to stop and salute him. We *were* very nearly captured on that one but it was easier to get through the day without remembering every single little detail of officer-identification, right?"

"True," Heero muttered in annoyance as they stopped to salute a petty officer who gave them a haughty look before going on his way.

They then made their way to the research labs in silence never realizing the mission in Germany might come back to haunt them in the worst possible way in the near future.

on to part 10

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