FicWad

TITLE: CAPTAINS
FANDOM: Gundam Wing
PAIRING: 1x2 and some het pairings in the background
RATING: R (will eventually be NC-17)
GENRE: AU, Adventure, Historical, Romance
WARNING: yaoi, crossdressing, swearing
DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything save for the story, so please don't sue poor little me
SUMMARY: The Caribbean in the time of pirates. Duo Maxwell is an infamous captain pirate bored with easy lays. His life will get much more interesting when he meets the dark Navy Captain Heero Yuy in the most unusual circumstances.

Chapter 13 : The Gossiping Pirates

Three days into their ailment, all four sick members of Shinigami's crew were dimmed fit to survive. It was pure relief for everyone concerned even if they weren't out of the woods yet. The Lady Doctor looked harassed as she should be with all the crap she had to put up with from both Wufei and O once the latter had regained consciousness. The endless care of four critical patients didn't allow for much sleep but more than that the constant watching and jibe at her competence had taken their toll. She looked almost as bad as her patients. She had been hindered in her care every step of the way by Wufei's deprecating comments and later forced to give way for the particularities of the Oriental medicine her colleague forced upon her. Apart she could be heard calling the full-smelling incense sticks, the colored candles, the various herbal teas and the cleansing-aura stones disseminated around the beds "ritualistic crap" which surprised a snort out of Duo who refused to explain when pressed by Quatre. He and Sally had just exchanged a knowing smile and she had won his unending respect when she managed to diagnose and heal her patients in spite of all the interference. The woman should have been canonised for patience alone.

When she had learned that all her patients had been recently ill and just recovered when they were attacked by the seagulls, she'd come up to the conclusion they'd been infected by a benign disease birds sometimes transmitted to humans and which had been dangerous only to those who already had a weakened system. That had been worsened by their festering wounds and they had developed a nasty fever. Once the problem had been identified, it had been a simple matter. Everyone had been cooled off to lower the fever. She had cleaned and redressed the scraps while thanking God most had been far from the patient's heads, thus diminishing the risk of brain's infection, gave everyone Jesuit's Bark among other medicines and had them drink plenty of fluids. Not to mean the sick crewmembers weren't the worse for wear even after those first frantic days, but at least they were still breathing and should continue to do so, bar new unexpected complications. They were still weak, a little feverish and would need weeks of bed rest but they were on the way to recovery.

In the end Doc O had grudgingly admitted the woman knew what she was doing and they were now chummy enough to exchange tips about their respective fields of expertise. Her quiet acceptance of his belief in healing the spirit along with the body despite her earlier reservations had gone a way in granting her this truce. Even Wufei had slowed down on the barbs against her sex. That could have been because she gave as good as she got or maybe simply because excess worrying and his constant watching over Meiran had exhausted him enough that he didn't care anymore to taunt her. Or it might have something to do with the little admiring spark lighting in his black eyes each time he glanced Sally's way now that he was too tired to keep all his feelings behind the stern walls of his cumbersome dignity.

It was also intriguing to know that one of the first thing he did, once Meiran had woken up, was to ask her to confirm to Sally that they were just childhood friends and not the lovers the Lady Doctor was convinced they were thanks to the Wufei's devotion she kept teasing him about. Pity he didn't see the spike of hurt in Meiran's eyes after his untimely demand, busy how he was fending Sally's mock-flirting after the "soul-healing" news that "such a fine specimen of insane male arrogance" was free of attachments, as exclaimed in her own dramatic words. The wary witnesses of this impromptu drama didn't know what to do with it, thus they were grateful when the Lady Doctor shooed them away insisting that she couldn't deal with more patients right now and didn't want to see any of them collapse at her feet.

They were honest enough not to protest... much as she obviously had a point. They were all worn-off, running mostly on will and tension. Rashid had been the only one farsighted enough to go back to the Sandrock and take a preemptive rest earlier in the afternoon. He offered thus to stay at the clinic, reluctant to leave part of the crew unprotected. He also had to keep an eye on Wufei who wouldn't budge either but made for a poor protector in his own exhaustion. In the end, Hernan went back to the ship alone with the implied mission to inform Gene of the crew's whereabouts. Duo, Quatre, Auda and Abdul were paradoxically too tired to sleep. Still tense in spite of the recent good news, they went to a nearby tavern to relax. The former bodyguards abandoned their charge once reassured he was relatively safe with their Captain and went in search of a warm body in which to bury their worries. Meanwhile, Quatre and Duo set about to get drunk... Well Duo set about to get drunk and Quatre soaked the joyous atmosphere of the tavern while sipping his tea.

Given the late hour, The Barking Parrot was packed as were most places serving rum. The two friends didn't garner any special attention. Some people knew them, others didn't but regardless everyone stayed clear of their table without more than vague nods of acknowledgment. It was easy to make friends in Port-Royal and even easier to have privacy if that's what you wanted. Nobody cared who you were nor what you did and if you wanted to be left alone, it was generally understood that you should be. Those who recognized Shinigami didn't gossip and those who wondered didn't ask. Celebrities were often encountered there. Formidable buccaneers such as John Davis or Roche Brasilliano had been known to roam the town, even the privateer Henry Morgan in more recent times. It was no novelty and pirates were no squealers. The unsaid rule was not to nose about someone else's business at the risk of having it bashed in or cut off.

Quatre was the first to break their weary silence. "I'm relieved they're going to be fine, I was afraid."

"Know what you mean. I wasn't thrilled either. To be honest I even feared Wufei was going to take it out on me..."

"Put yourself in his place. He feels responsible of Meiran. I don't know how he would deal if something happened to her."

"Yeah, because you're any better?"

Duo snorted and Quatre stared at him uncomprehending. "I don't know what you're driving at Duo. Sure Meiran's my friend but that's not the same."

"Huh? That's weird. I had gotten the impression that you were a lot more than just friends..."

The Prince startled and almost toppled his chair in his surprise. "What? Me and Meiran? Where did you get such a stupid idea?"

"Dunno... You're always together, laughing, plotting, making 'Fei miserable. What else could I think? You're saying you don't have the hots for our little China doll?"

"Yes Duo, that's exactly what I'm saying... without the colorful language of course." Duo snorted but Quatre carried on before he could say more. "Seriously though, you're the only person silly enough to think I was after Meiran."

"Wufei thinks so too. He even told me he was okay with it, that you were a good man and worthy of her."

"You're kidding?" Duo's shrug was answer enough. "Darn! What will I do now?"

"I don't see what the problem is. If you like Meiran, you already have Big Bro's benediction and if you don't he shouldn't hurt you unless you made her promises you didn't intend to keep."

"You don't understand Duo. Meiran's in love with Wufei. I was helping her get his attention."

The Captain looked stunned for all of ten seconds then began ranting as he was prone to when confronted with idiots.

"Fuck! What were the two of you thinking? Getting his attention by making fun of him! How is that supposed to work? You're not twelve anymore. For that matter what was Meiran doing asking you for advice? For all you know about relationships, you could as well be a monk."

"Well sorry if I don't have your expertise, but somehow I doubt you know more than me about romance. When she needs to learn how to sleep her way through the Caribbean in under a year, rest assured I'll know in whose direction to point her."

"Are we at the name-calling point already? Real mature that."

"You're the one who started."

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

Duo stuck out his tongue in a childish move and Quatre was about to retaliate when he realized what he was doing. He grimaced at his friend and they both burst out of laughing. They laughed for a while and when they finally stopped, gulping in huge breaths, they exchanged a conspiratorial smile. They needed that.

Once they had regained their respiratory functions, they got back to the matter at hand, trying this time to deal with it in an adult way. It was harder than one would think when they couldn't help but picture a piggy-tailed Meiran pulling on a pouting Wufei's ever tight ponytail. Suffice to say there were giggles involved and valiant but unsuccessful severe looks in-between.

"What I don't understand is why Meiran rejected Wufei if she was in love with him. She's the one who didn't want the wedding if I'm not mistaken."

"Yeah sure, but it was a while ago. People change Duo."

A painful expression crossed Shinigami's features but it disappeared so fast that Quatre wondered if he had imagined it. The mumbled "some people don't," seemed to testify of its reality and left the Prince pondering what it could all mean. Alas, as with everything personal, Duo wasn't exactly forthcoming with explanation and Quatre had no choice but to let it slide.

"I don't know where you grew up Duo..." he knew the earnest pause was useless because they had played this game a thousand times before and as every other one of them his Captain would ignore it and fail to answer. Disappointed still, he followed on his thoughts: "It's probably very different from what you know in China. Meiran described to me what it meant to be a woman there and I can relate somehow because it wasn't that different in Sandrock for all that my father pretended we lived as Europeans."

Quatre had a faraway look, remembering living in a Palace in the desert, remembering belonging to the only family of blonds among people with dark skin and darker hair, remembering being the only boy amidst a swarm of sisters, every one of them bitter that he would inherit all their father's wealth just because he was male. He had been nurtured, spoiled even, treated as something precious and all the while he could witness how everyone else suffered unjustly for things as stupid as not being white enough or just the wrong sex. He could have lived all his life abusing everyone but he had the misfortune to be cursed with the ability to care and couldn't accept a life of that. He had tried to change things and ran away when he saw he was centuries too early for such a colossal task. It was ironic in a way that he had had everything but the very thing he had wanted. Quatre shook himself, dispelling the sad remembrance and used the resulting stirrings of his tired soul to argue Meiran's case. Perhaps he could help her where he had failed his sisters and the women of his country.

"Imagine growing up in a wealthy family where the only other child your age is a little boy from another clan. For years you're kept together with the same caretakers and later the same teachers. You learn exactly the same things: to read, to fight, to think by yourself, to be that child's equal. Then suddenly, one day you wake up and someone tells you that because you're a girl that can't continue like that. That you're going to become his wife, obey him in everything and not worry your pretty head -understand empty- with anything more important than mending his clothes, tidying his house and if you're good watching over his babies. That's not so much Wufei she rejected but the life their clans wanted to impose on her. I don't blame her for running away."

Duo had a contemplative look on his face. It was unusual to see him weigh all options with that level of seriousness before making a decision. He was more the sort to act first and think later, if any thinking was involved. That might mean he empathized with Meiran. That's what Quatre chose to believe because for all Duo wasn't a compassionate being by nature, no one could accuse him of being a bad captain and he was fiercely protective of his crew, especially of Meiran, Wufei and Quatre as they were the youngest, all barely above twenty, thus mere children in his eyes.

"I guess I can see where she's coming from and yeah, I probably would have done the same. Still, Wufei won't see it that way."

"What do you mean? He can't begrudge her for a decision she made when she was fifteen. He has to like her anyway or he wouldn't have followed her when she left China."

"Come on Quatre! That's Wufei we're talking about. Of course he can begrudge her. That man could fault the ocean for being wet, that's just how he is. As for liking Meiran, I'm sure he does, but I think it's more in a big brother sort of way than as a lover would."

"He must have liked her enough for he was okay with the wedding..."

"My point exactly. What does Wufei value above all?" As Quatre stayed mute, Duo arched an eyebrow. "It's not a trick question. What comes to mind first? Don't think just say it!"

"His honour I guess."

"Precisely, whether he wanted to marry Meiran or not he would have done it because that's what his clan ordered. Then, from the very moment he said yes, he would have considered Meiran his responsibility even before their vows were exchanged. I'm pretty sure that's why he followed her when she ran away; she was his to protect. That he loves her though, I don't think so. He might have at some point but when she refused him the first time, she offended his sense of honour and he won't give her another chance. That's sad, stupid but it's how Wufei is. End of story."

"We have to do something! They could be happy together..."

"Yeah, they could... and you'd be surprised to know how many people aren't ready to take that kind of risk." It was said in just that mix of wistful and indulgent Quatre hated. That always made him feel like a little kid who didn't know any better. It wasn't like Duo was all that older than him after all, but he sometimes acted like an old man, it was annoying.

"No need to be condescending, I'm not that young!"

The strange violet eyes homed in on him and the prince noticed once again how ancient they seemed at times. He felt uneasy and was the first to break eye-contact, he heard Duo sigh quietly.

"Some things are relative Quatre. Anyway, be it we're too young or too old, I think we should both be in bed. Let's get back to 'Scythe."

Shinigami rose without waiting for an answer. He threw a handful of gold coins on the table to pay princely for their tab, largely for Abdul and Auda's girlfriends and possibly enough for a substantial raise for everyone working at the Barking Parrot. Quatre glossed over the proceedings with a tired snort and a slight shake of his blond head. He might have been the Prince but it was Duo who threw his money away on a regular basis. It was like his Captain had no understanding of how much things cost, he didn't seem to care either. Sometimes he wondered if maybe Shinigami hadn't discovered the secret of Alchemy. He was already rumored to have found the Holy Grail, the Fountain of Youth and Excalibur, so why not the mean to turn straw into gold. At least there were some circumstantial evidence that could account for that last one and not only wild conjectures as for all that other rubbish.

When they finally exited the tavern, it was long past midnight and the streets were dark. Duo didn't seem impaired by the lack of light and Quatre latched on his arm. Shinigami always found his way to his Deathscythe even in the deadest of nights or the heaviest of fogs; there were yet more fantastic theories as to why it was but as he never answered questions on this matter with anymore than his maddening smirk people could only keep guessing.

While trekking in the seediest part of Port-Royal, Duo halted his course without apparent reason and dragged his friend behind the corner of a house. He made an imperious gesture to shush his stuttering protests. Shinigami was deathly still and watching intently further along the street as if there was something there of the utmost interest. Quatre didn't like to be manhandled and no matter how much he squinted he couldn't see anything. He would have ranted but he didn't believe his Captain was quite that insane. He tried harder, looking over Duo's shoulder to what or whom had captured his attention. Discouraged, he asked in a murmur: "What is it Duo?"

"Do you see that figure at the corner of the goldsmith? I know that blond hair."

Once Duo said it, Quatre had his first look of the person in question and let out a long-suffering sigh. "What? Don't tell me you dragged me here to avoid one of your girlfriends?"

Duo chortled quietly. "Of course not dummy. First of all that's a man and if you looked harder you'd see who I think he is."

Quatre did as told and understood what his Captain was driving at. If it was indeed a man, it was easy to guess who it was. There weren't all that much men running around with blond hair to their waist.

"Are you sure it's him? Because I don't see what the "Gentleman Pirate" would be doing in this neighborhood. He's always whining that Port-Royal isn't refined enough for his tastes."

"Hmm... He's moving. Let's follow him!"

Quatre grabbed his friend's shirt in a desperate move, thankfully missing the braid in the dark. That would have been painful... and not so much for Duo than for himself. "Captain, we're dead-tired, you said yourself it was bed-time."

Shinigami gave him a broad smirk and his eyes twinkled with mischief, all fatigue seemingly forgotten. "Come on Quatre! That is so much more fun than going to bed. Don't be a party-pooper!"

The challenge was plain enough and as the blond couldn't find his way in the dark anyway, he didn't have that much of a choice but to stay at his Captain's heels. Thus began a silent chase amidst the dark town. The vague silhouette ahead seemed to take turns at random and retraced his steps so many times that even in the day, Quatre would have been helplessly lost. Duo didn't look worried however and Quatre let it reassured him. The sure thing was that the man was definitely up to something.

They were following at a distance and after what appeared like hours of aimless wandering, ducked behind an alcove when their prey stopped to speak with someone. They were a little closer than before and Quatre whispered a confirmation to his Captain.

"That is Merquise alright but I wonder what is he doing here."

"Well... meeting with someone obviously."

When the second silhouette moved away from the wall they could distinguished a few of its features. It was a tall man dressed with elegance. A mischievous ray of light came to play in luscious red hair and Quatre breathed sharply.

"Isn't that Kushrenada?"

"It is."

"But... he's a privateer. What business could Merquise have with his kind?"

Duo grimaced with disgust. As most pirates, he had no love lost for privateers.

"Huh huh. There are no honest pirates anymore."

Quatre gave him a disbelieving glance. He might have disliked privateers too but he was under no illusion that pirate was any more honorable a profession as Duo seemed to think. He weighed the value of commenting than gave up. Like in most matters it was pointless to argue with Shinigami. The pirate had his own interpretation of right and wrong and nobody could make him change his mind.

Duo was apparently contemplating getting closer to hear the conversation when there was an unidentifiable ruckus behind them. Merquise and Kushrenada looked in their direction and only Shinigami's quick reflexes saved them from discovery. Soon, they were running in another direction and Quatre soon began to recognize the neighborhood nearest the docks. When they arrived at the Sandrock, both were breathless and with their minds working on overdrive.

"What was that all about?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't like it. We can't do much more tonight anyway so bed for now. Tomorrow we'll search information on Merquise and Kushrenada at the same time than on the cross."

"Do you think they have something to do with the curse?"

"I don't know but the Epyon was one of the ships conveniently placed to attack us when we found the blasted thing and you know what they say: if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck..."

"/...it's probably a duck! /Okay, let's...."

"I said "bed" and I meant it. You're barely able to stand. Go to bed, now! That's an order."

Quatre went to his cabin dragging his feet all the way, sulking like a child and Duo snorted. The Prince could sulk all he wanted, he knew very well that once in his bed he would fall asleep as soon as his blond head hit the pillow. He'd like for it to be as easy for himself, but past experiences had taught him that insomnia was far more likely in his state of nerves. Especially when he hadn't yet managed to shake this feeling of being watched that plagued him since Sank.

Bone-tired and edgy, he went to his own cabin relieved to be alone at last. He liked Quatre but many things had happened lately and he needed to be on his own. Keeping the cheerful mask in place could grow tiring after a while, especially when there wasn't much to rejoice about. He undressed, then put on an old shirt. He was brushing his hair just before bed when he realized his unease had worsened during his mindless nightly rituals. He grew very still, the brush arrested in mid air. There was someone in his room...