Bring it On

Demeter

Warnings: 2+D, 5XS, 2XH, 1XR, 4XD. The blanket Scenario originally thought up by Chelsea. This is something of a controversial pairing, so please, keep an open mind when reading.

Disclaimer: All rights and privileges to Shin Kidousenki Gundam Wing are trademarks and property of Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties. All characters belong to them, and all stories, relationships, ideas are fiction, in no way related to the original storyline. The story, the relationships and original characters within the fic are copyright of the author Demeter.

It's so fucking cold.

Dorothy tried to remember exactly what happened to get her into such a predicament...

Lady Une gave a crooked smile at the two that were so studiously ignoring each other. They hardly seemed the types to use in such a mission, but apparently they were the only two possible choices. Sally was pregnant and Wufei had set his foot down in allowing her on such a mission. He himself had surprisingly backed out of the assignment, citing personal reasons.

Personal reasons my ass. Sally just didn't want some woman fawning over him on this mission.

Which led to the assignment of getting the two most maniacal of the group to take the mission.

Only problem was that Dorothy Catalonia and Duo Maxwell seemed to dislike each other a mighty bit. Lady Une could barely hold in the rising tide of laughter that threatened to burst out any second. Pressing her lips together, she handed the mission folder to the two.

Duo took it first and flipped through it. Without another word, he passed it to Dorothy. She looked through it also and handed it back to Lady Une. She eyed the two of them and asked, "Well, any problems?"

"None at all, milady."

"Of course not."

She only looked at them skeptically. "Really? Then why is it that both of you are avoiding looking at each other?"

"Er..."

"Out of curiosity Lady Une, why is it that you ask Maxwell and myself in taking on such a task?"

"Sally won't do it. Neither will Wufei. The other Preventers are raw recruits. Duo's our best Preventer next to Wufei. And you were the only female that wouldn't blush in his presence."

"Ah."

"Hey! I resent that!"

Dorothy turned her eyes on him and stared at him quite steadily. He stood back defensively, before she returned to Lady Une and replied calmly, "We'll do our best."

Famous last words.

Dorothy trudged in the blinding snow, trying her hardest to not pass out from the utter coldness that seemed to penetrate every fiber within her. All she could see was the dim figure of Duo Maxwell ahead of her, walking blindly in the storm that had come up so suddenly.

Stumbling, Dorothy barely caught herself from going headfirst into the icy snow. Hauling herself up, she called out, "Maxwell! Slow down!"

He either didn't hear her or was ignoring her. Either way, there was no sign that he was slowing down. Dorothy shook her head as hard as she could. There seemed to be stars flickering in and out of her vision... they were flying. Shit, I'm going insane.

She nearly tripped over a large piece of rock.

Catching herself, she looked down and realized that the "rock" was actually Duo Maxwell, unconscious from the utter cold. Muttering, she bent over and slapped him in the face. There was no response. Now alarmed, she repeatedly screamed his name to be heard over the howling wind.

Still no response.

"Son of a bitch!" Dorothy grabbed his waist and using all her strength, she heaved him over her shoulders. She could barely make out anything in the swirling ice and wind. Shaking her head, she tried to recall a map of the area they currently were trying to get out of.

A cabin.

There was a cabin here somewhere. Close to where the blizzard had first struck. If she could only remember where.

But it's useless. How in the world am I going to find something in this blinding snow?

Ignoring that little voice in her head, she continued to hike along, the weight of the fallen Gundam Pilot heavy on her shoulders. She snorted into the wind. This was an amazing turnabout wasn't it? Her carrying the weight of one of the most obnoxious of all the pilots.

Her foot connected with something hard.

Dorothy looked straight ahead and could barely make out the outline of a house right in front of her. Nearly crowing with relief, she hurried as much as she could with the dead weight chaining her down. Upon reaching the door, she slammed on the wood and it gave away easily, resulting in her and Duo spilling inside and falling to the dry, dusty ground.

Relieving herself of her burden, she wearily stood back up and took a quick assessment of the room. She groaned on seeing that there was a single bed, covered with a single blanket in a single-roomed shack.

Damn. At least it's away from the snow and wind.

Half-dragging, half-carrying Duo, she managed to bring him to the bed and dump him onto it. She surveyed his state, took in the wet clothing, the slightly bluish lips, and swore before bending over and stripping him to his underwear. She had no qualms about seeing him so displayed before her, as she was not attracted to idiots who thought that suicidal spandex boys were attractive.

Rubbing his arms, legs, and chest briskly, she remembered that cold and hypothermia was best kept away with body heat. Arching one eye, Dorothy examined her own state of dress. She had only a coat that was rapidly turning into water, and her boots were coming unglued. It was a surprise that she hadn't collapsed either.

A wry smile suddenly graced her features. "I suppose the rumor I'm made of ice is true."

Speaking to the empty room, "I suppose I've got no choice." She undressed rapidly, allowing herself to shiver in the cold room. Taking her time, she slid next to Duo and wrapped her arms firmly around the longhaired pilot. Continuing to rub his skin as hard as she could, she was slightly perturbed to find herself actually tired.

Tucking the blanket tightly around the two of them, she snuggled into the warmth and drowsily promised herself that she wouldn't go to sleep.

I'll be damned if I nod off.

In a few moments, her regular breathing joined Duo's snoring.

Duo cracked one eye open sleepily. His nose felt icy. Other than that, he was pretty warm. He muttered, "Hilde, quit hogging the pillow." He burrowed deeper into the blanket and the pillow, wrapping his arms around the warm, supple body so near him. He snorted to get the blonde hair out his face.

Blonde hair?!

His eyes flew open only to see the face of Dorothy Catalonia so close to his that he could see every single hair in her eyebrows that had been made as the epitome of strangeness. Though personally, he thought that they were cool. A little out of the ordinary, but cool all the same.

I'm getting off track.

Shifting slightly, he moved to try and get Dorothy out of his arms without waking her, when he realized that he was bare to his underwear. And that his body was responding to the heat of a body so close to him. Groaning, he moved away as much as he could and then lay on his back, watching her.

Her face, due to the sleep and exhaustion, was now smooth and without the normal sneer that usually came with the Dorothy Catalonia package. Duo discovered that she was actually very pretty, her porcelain features resembling those of a doll.

Wait a second... I remember hiking through that fucking snow and then...

Duo stared at Dorothy in wonderment. She had carried him to the cabin? A soft smile tugged at his lips. So the Ice Queen was not as cold as everyone made her out to be.

Dorothy stirred.

Throwing an arm out, blue eyes fluttered open and stared straight into violet. She blinked once, twice, three times, and then yawned. Rubbing her eyes, she murmured, "Good morning, Maxwell."

He stretched and replied lazily, "G'morning, Dorothy sweetheart."

A muffled snort came out of her and she sat up, no qualms about displaying her nude body to his eyes. She turned steely eyes to him and asked, "What time is it?"

He blinked. Duo had completely forgotten that he owned a watch. Glancing at his wrist, he said, "I think it's three in the afternoon."

"Ah."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, Maxwell, what time were we supposed to be back?"

"Twelve... Damn it."

"Correct."

Duo glanced at the dirty window and remarked, "The blizzard's still going on strong. There's no way we can get out of here in one piece." He flopped back onto the bed. "And not that I want to either." He leered at her, his eyes taking in her entire body.

"Very funny." Dorothy snuggled back into bed and said, "If you wish. I just want to sleep."

Duo stared at her incredulously. "Hey, Dottie. You're in bed with me. Naked."

"Yes. And?"

"Er..."

Duo gave up and buried himself back into bed too. Stretching, he placed his arms below his head, resulting in a hard cushion for his head, as it seemed that Dottie didn't want to share the pillow. He gazed at the ceiling and his thoughts started centering on his love, Hilde.

Ah, the incredible, edible girl.

Snickering, he glanced over at Dorothy and saw that her back was to him. The pale skin seemed to glow in the dusky darkness and her hair was draped over the bed and her body, almost like silk on a stone statue.

Duo loved long hair. No matter whose hair it was, he loved it if it was long. That was why Zechsy, Sally, Lady Une and Rel were so damn fascinating. They had the longest hair next to his mane of burnished locks. He grabbed the end of his braid and smiled wryly at it.

His crowning glory.

Duo reached a hand out, stealing toward the length of hair that was so blonde that it seemed white in the darkness. The icy color glowed and cast a eerie light onto the bed and her skin. He took a lock and he marveled at how strong it seemed, yet at the same time, it was so soft and cuddly.

"Maxwell, what are you doing?"

He grinned and said, "Sorry Dottie. I just had to touch your hair."

"Well, if you're finished pulling on it, please leave me alone."

Duo huffed and out of the want of being annoying, he continued tugging on it. With a heavy sigh, Dorothy turned over to look at him. "What is it with your little obsession with hair anyway?"

He looked up at her in surprise. "Uh..."

"Please. Even someone of your limited intelligence should know their own state of mind, right?"

Duo pursed his lips and wrinkled his nose. Turning to lie on his back, he stared at the ceiling. Something akin to sorrow flashed in his eyes. Dorothy gazed at it. Her own eyes narrowed. Putting one hand out, she covered his wither hers and asked quietly, "Is there something wrong?"

Duo gave Dorothy a doubtful glance. "Gee, I never knew you cared."

Dorothy smirked. "I don't. But sometimes it's better to talk to a blank wall then to someone you care for."

"Maybe."

"So?"

"What?"

"I could kill you right now and no one would ever find the body. I could just say that you were lost in the blizzard."

"Ice bitch."

"Gundam Pilot Freak."

"Snowblower."

"Willy Wonka."

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

Duo snorted and was about to turn over to go back to sleep when Dorothy asked, "Are you going to tell me or not?"

He glanced at her and saw that she was being completely serious. Sighing, he asked, "Do you really desperately, achingly, truly, really must, truly must, absolutely, have to know?"

"Er... all those words and YES."

"I guess... I suppose I started growing it just because everyone was telling me to cut it. L2 was a nasty place to grow up in those days. Even worse as an orphan. Never enough food, never enough clean water, never enough anything. Sister Helen and Father Maxwell took us all in and cared deeply for us. Even street rats that didn't know anything better than to steal." He paused.

Dorothy cocked her head. This was a Duo Maxwell she had never met before.

"The two of them never asked me to cut my hair. In fact, Sister Helen even encouraged it. She thought it was beautiful." Duo faltered. "She said it was like an angels."

She laughed at that. But it was different from her normal mocking laugh. This time it came from genuine amusement. The lines of cynicism smoothed away and her lips were no longer curved so unbecomingly.

He grinned back at her. "Thanks. Anyway, Sister Helen and Father Maxwell took care of us for a long time... well, for as long as I can remember. And then there was Solo. He... he was someone who really took care of the rest of us kids."

"He did?"

"Yeah. I remember that really well. Nothing like a good cup of hot chocolate to really make someone appreciate that we had more than a lot of other kids."

"Aa."

Duo suddenly laughed out loud, the tinkle echoing in the icy stillness. "Once, some kid from the "them" part was making fun of me about my "sissy" hair. He apologized for it after Solo pushed his head into the mud and made him eat an ant and dirt. Sister Helen scolded Solo for that, but she forgave him because he was doing what she had asked him to do; stick up for us."

"Solo must be wonderful."

"Yeah. He was."

"Where is he now? Still on the L2 colony?"

Duo's voice was flat and emotionless. "He's dead."

Dorothy froze. What could she say? A lame, "I'm sorry" would only make it worse. And she certainly didn't have experience in dealing with this sort of shit. She hated emotional confrontations. She hated anything that would result her feeling uncomfortable. And she hated when she actually did feel guilty for feeling that way. Stupid emotions.

And the faint memory of smelling gardenias at her father's funeral came back.

"So is my father."

"I know. Quatre told me."

"I knew he would."

"He's a smart guy you know."

"Albeit a little naive."

"I know."

They smirked at each other and then both burst into peals of laughter. The bed shook with the force of their giggles and when they finally calmed down, Dorothy said, "You're not so bad, Maxwell."

Duo arced his fist into the air. With a whoop of joy, he said. "Finally! I was waiting all night for 'ya to say that!" Doing a little dance with his fingers, he grabbed her delicate hand with his work-roughened ones. "You know, Dottie, you have the smallest hands I have ever seen. It's even smaller than Hildey's and I always thought hers was pretty damn small."

"Inherited trait along with the eyebrows."

"Cool. Treize has the same ones you know. Only not as spiky"

"He is my cousin after all."

"That's weird, to be related to Treize Kusherenada."

"You forget about it after seventeen years."

"Heh heh, sorry."

Dorothy flexed her fingers in his hand. "And you have amazingly calloused hands. I bet Hilde just loves you using those fingers of yours on her... how do I say, special spots? Hm?" The last part was said with a leering grin.

Duo only guffawed loudly before jerking her toward him all the sudden. With barely enough time to react, Dorothy found herself situated VEERRYY close to Duo Maxwell. Close enough to feel his heartbeat. "And would little Miss Dottie like to try those special pads of mine?"

She smirked as their eyes and lips were only a couple inches apart. A snarling grin took the place of the playful one he had before. Using a single finger, he angled her soft lips toward his and gently, so very gently, brushed his lips against hers. The feather light brush that was supposed to ignite fires within the both of them and allow them to enjoy each other to their hearts content did...

Absolutely.

Nothing.

They pulled back and stared for a few seconds, before Dorothy broke out softly, "No one has ever, ever kissed me without me either killing them or bashing their head in."

"Then I guess I'm the first."

"The very first."

"Feel anything?"

"Not a spark."

Duo blinked. "Gee, I guess my charm's fading."

"Not really. You have someone you love. And I..." She trailed off as she searched for the appropriate word. "And I have someone I care deeply for."

"Q-man?"

"Perhaps."

"I'll tell you a secret. He's completely obsessed with you."

Dorothy jerked a bit in surprise. "What? I had always thought that he was in love with that boy Trowa?"

"Nah, they're just good friends. The two of 'em cleared it with us a few months ago. They did have a fling of some sort back during the war, but it was more out of the damn tension and stress than real love or something like that. Same with me and Heero."

A hopeful smile of sorts broke out on her face. "That is something I would never have figured out on my own. Even as someone as perspective as me."

"Well, I don't really blame ya. I mean, Relena and Heero nearly ended it all 'cause of the whole mess he and me had. The idiot didn't come clean with him and when Hilde darling accidentally let it slip, let me tell you, she went hog-crazy. Man, I thought another war would break on in that mansion then and there. First she screamed at Heero for betraying her. Then she started yelling at me for hurting Hilde. And then she started crying and sobbing and all that girly stuff."

"Girly stuff?"

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, of course."

"Anyway, it took Hilde forever to explain what had really happened. She wouldn't talk to me or Heero or even Quatre. She thought all of us guys were in on it and that we were playing her for a fool. Poor Little Lady. Heero had to sneak into her room at night to get his fill of his Princess-Obsession."

"His what?"

"Ah, you know Hee-man. He has to see Relena at least a certain number of hours a day or he goes insane. Literally. Well, maybe not insane, but damn near. I swear, the last time we were stuck on a shuttle without a vidcam, I swear, he was about to tear his fingernails out in twitchiness. Geez, I had to practically sit on him to make him stop chewing. And when he finally saw her at the airport, whoo boy. First he tackled her to the ground, then he started his "I'm looking at Relena so don't bother me" thing, then he carried her out in front of all the people in the airport."

The image of the pilot of 01 picking Relena up bodily in front of so many people made Dorothy shake with laughter.

"I knew you would think it was funny!"

Dorothy smiled at him. "Thanks for telling me."

"No problem."

There was a comfortable silence between the two of them. Dorothy nestled closer to Duo and Duo instinctively wrapped his arms around her tighter. It wasn't anything like a lover's caress or a husband's touch.

It was like an embrace between kindred spirits, two souls that understood each other perfectly and two who would never change, no matter how much time would pass.

And they both liked it that way.

"You know, Duo, they'll be looking for us soon."

"Yeah."

"It wouldn't be good to be found this way."

"Too tired to get up. We'll change when we get back in the morning... er, or when we get up. "

"Aa."

So snuggled together like bugs in a rug, Duo and Dorothy slept peacefully, both forgetting one thing.

The legendary tracking powers of one, Heero Yuy.

Heero scanned the map with Wufei. Tracing the path that the two currently missing friends would have taken, he said, "The only single place of shelter is this cabin here. Otherwise, there is no other accessible place for them to hide the storm out. Hopefully, they got there before the blizzard hit them."

Wufei snorted. "Or they're lying dead, buried below ten feet of snow."

Heero glared at him. "You're not helping."

"I'm not trying."

"It was your fucking fault that they're out there."

"And was it better for me and Sally to get stuck out here?"

Heero shook his head and continued perusing the area. The land was covered with a thick blanket of fresh snow, making it both hard to determine direction and to navigate, even in their snowshoes. Many of the smaller trees had been either buried or knocked over by the sheer force of the winds and besides the evergreens, there was little life to be seen.

"Anyway, Yuy. First place to look is the cabin. Then we backtrack through the mountains."

"Aa."

Trekking through the less-than-friendly landscape, they discovered that the sun cast a startling bright light onto the snow, reflecting right into their eyes, almost blinding them. Tying scarves around their faces and angling them up effectively solved the problem, but it only served to aggravate Wufei even more.

Heero was first to see the cabin. It was half-buried but still standing. Quickening his pace, he reached the door and knocked on it.

No answer.

Next, he pulled on the handle. But so deeply mired was the ice, that it wouldn't even rattle. Noticing the window, he trudged over and peered in.

Due to the darkness, he couldn't see a blessed thing. Growling, he debated on cracking the window open and slipping in. He didn't care whether Wufei was going to piss off to hell about that. He was worried about Duo and by god, he wasn't about to sit around and wait for the snow to melt.

Stepping back, he took a running leap and covered himself. He rolled into the room amid crashing glass and heard the shriek of two decidedly familiar voices. Heero looked cautiously up only to see the two nude figures of Duo Maxwell and Dorothy Catalonia staring at him.

Nude figures.

Heero blinked.

Very slowly, he got up and backed toward the only way in or out.

And went leaping back out the window.

Wufei stood there staring at him. "What in the hell are you doing? An ambush?" He hurried to the window and peered in. His face turned bright red before backing out hurriedly. Then it paled to a sickening white. "Did I see what I think I just saw?"

"I think you did."

"Then I'm not hallucinating?"

"If you are, then I am too."

"Maxwell and Catalonia?"

"Yes."

They stared at each other, in astonishment. Then a wicked grin broke out between them. The chorused at the same time, "Blackmail."

Inside, Duo overheard their gleeful assignment to his predicament and groaned.

Dorothy burst into laughter before getting out of bed and slipping on her now-dry clothing. Tapping him on the head, she said, "You better make plans for your funeral."

"Dottie! Aren't you going to help me?"

"Hell no!"

He whimpered as he dressed and when they both emerged, they were looking into the maniacally grinning twosome that were spelling DOOM for Maxwell. Struggling to control themselves, they put their faces back into the iron masks and solemnly said, "Dorothy and Duo sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-"

They didn't get any further when Dorothy said with all sweetness. "Remember I have those pictures."

Both of them froze in mid-letter.

Continuing in a saccharine voice, her words dripping with poisoned honey, "And I know exactly WHO would just love those photos!"

They glanced at each other and then Heero said, "Trade?"

"Trade."

The three of them shook hands with Duo looking on with bewilderment. "What photos?"

Dorothy gave him a coy look and said, "I didn't throw ALL my files away when the war ended."

Duo stared at her. Then he broke into a wide grin. "Man, am I glad you were a spy in those days!"

The other two grumbled. Wufei said curtly, "We have to get back to headquarters. Everyone's out looking for the two of you."

"Gee, I didn't know you cared so much Wu-pie!"

"Don't call me that!"

"Wu-pie!"

Wufei gave a snarl and pulled his katana out and started chasing Duo across the snow. Heero glanced curiously at Dorothy, his normally stone-cut face filled with morbid questions. "Well?"

"We merely bonded."

"Bonded?"

"As corny as it sounds, it was only spiritual. Don't worry your pretty little head Hee-man. Nothing happened. Relena won't come biting your head off."

He choked as she merrily started walking back toward the helicopter that was now landing for them.

"Hee-man? Only Duo calls me that..." He trailed off.

"DUO! YOU BASTARD!"

"Hee-man! Ack! Leave the braid alone!"

And off they went to find the wizard. No, it was actually to find Lady Une.

- FIN -