windandwater | Rhythm Noir... ficsnip (Reply)

"TRAITOR!" Duo yelled, pulling out his pistol and training it unerringly between Trowa's eyes. He was not surprised when the Latin pilot mimicked his movements, holding his gun in the one-handed stance that he favored.

"I could say the same of you," Trowa replied coldly.

The two Gundam pilots stood frozen with their weapons pointed at each other, both unyielding on the stances of their dispute. Then the braided boy grinned over the barrel of his pistol, violet eyes gleaming with amusement and a touch of madness in the fading sunlight.

"Well, well... it looks like we're at a quandary." Trowa didn't answer and Duo continued. "This whole... misunderstanding can be easily rectified. I have something you want and you have something I want. The solution is simple."

Emerald green eyes narrowed and Trowa's hand tightened on the red-edged disk in his free hand. It was obvious that Duo had accessed the information on *his* disk. They both knew each other's secrets now, and there was no turning back. Blackmail was an ugly word, but Trowa had been a mercenary... he could deal. "What are your terms?"

Duo removed his left hand from its grip on his weapon. Making sure Trowa could see what he was doing, Duo flicked his wrist and the disk seemed to magically appear in his hand. Trowa's gaze flickered to the disk quickly -- noting the plain green-edged label -- before focusing on Duo again.

"No tricks," Trowa said.

The American pilot smiled. "Of course! I've got secrets I want to protect, too. What say we put the disks on the side table? We'll pass them to each others and then we can go off on our merry ways."

The Latin pilot couldn't find anything untoward with the solution. "Fine," he muttered, slowly laying his disk on the table, but keeping his hand hovering over it and his aim true. Duo made the same gesture, and at an unspoken signal, the two pilots slid the disks across the tabletop. Within seconds the exchange was completed and the pilots cradled the precious commodities carefully.

Duo grinned once more -- the insane light in his eyes gone -- and slipped his red-edged disk into the portable player strapped to his hip and holstered his weapon. "Pleasure doing business with you, Trowa!"

Trowa actually allowed a small smile to grace his features as he securely tucked the green-edged disk away. His gun went back into its holster and Trowa made to leave the room when Duo continued heedlessly, a wicked glint in his eyes.

"I mean, not everyone can be living 'la vida loca' like you."

Trowa arched a brow at Duo's comment. Well, two could play that game. "At least I'm not saying 'oops, I did it again.'"

Duo cackled as he sauntered from the room, throwing a look over his shoulder at the taller boy. "You don't criticize my taste in music, I don't criticize yours, Tro."

The russet-haired pilot smiled as he followed Duo out of the room.

"Ryoukai."