Impossible

A Gundam Wing Fan Fiction

Rambled Off by The Manwell

Book Two: PREVENTERS

A.C. 200

Duo Maxwell

I think of the weirdest shit sometimes. For example, here I am, standing in the Preventers HQ break room with a pot of coffee in my hand and my favorite mug in the other and I'm wondering how exactly this beverage is made. I mean, I know you run hot water over ground-up, roasted coffee beans and all that but... how exactly does hot water and bean bits turn into this powerful legal stimulant I'm holding aloft in my hand? I can run water over sand or cracker crumbs or feta cheese and not get nearly as satisfying a result. But then I think of this morning's Lucky Charms flavored milk.

Hm. Obviously this taste transference isn't an isolated incident.

"What are you doing, Maxwell?"

I blink and, looking to my left, find myself greeted by Wufei's amused expression. "Contemplating the chemical and physical aspects of the phenomenon known as taste transference," I quip. There's nothin' like the truth to really freak someone out.

Wufei bravely plucks the pot from my hand.

"Hey!" I protest. I'm not finished with my thought experiment yet.

"You can finish your contemplation after I've gotten my share," he tells me with amusement. Wufei is far too amused at eight o' clock in the morning.

I grumble, "I'm gonna need a chain of custody voucher for that, Wu."

"I'm drinking evidence?" he inquires casually, taking a sip.

"Hm," I agree. "You never know what they hide in this stuff. I mean, it's almost black anyway so you'd never know it if someone –"

Wufei abruptly raises a hand and warns me, "Do not ruin this for me, Maxwell, or you will regret it."

I smirk. I've heard that particular threat almost as often as I've heard Heero swear to kill someone. After working with both of them for a good two years now, I've been desensitized.

"Speaking of," I reply wickedly, "I brought some Jell-O in my lunch today..." I don't get any further. Wufei scowls, turns, and marches off to his office. I lean back against the counter and chuckle. It's been over four months since Wufei asked me what the stuff was made of. That had been priceless. After my factual explanation, he'd paused, eyes wide with a spoonful of green Jell-O quivering on his fork halfway to his mouth. I'll never forget the look of revulsion on his face as he'd deliberately abandoned his dessert. I shake my head and promise to get some homemade head cheese at the Scandinavian market next weekend for my lunch. Wufei has no idea that there are so many foodstuffs out there that are far worse than lime Jell-O.

"What is it?"

This time the intruder is Heero. He's probably one of the few agents here who would dare to ask me what's on my mind when I'm grinning evilly to myself at eight o'clock in the morning. I chuckle, still holding my empty mug as he approaches the abandoned pot with his own cup in hand. "Just thinking about that time I told Wufei where Jell-O comes from."

Heero smirks as he pours himself his usual half-serving of coffee. "No sense of adventure," he replies drolly.

I continue grinning in silent agreement. Spotting the empty mug in my grasp, Heero holds up the coffee pot in silent question. With a shrug, I hold out my cup and he fills it for me to the imaginary two-thirds mark. Then, replacing the pot, he opens the fridge, plucks the Half & Half from the shelf and sloshes exactly one and a half ounces into my mug. I arc a brow at him. He'd managed to fix my coffee for me precisely the way I drink it. Hm. I suppose there's an advantage to working with people who investigate stuff for a living.

In fact, lately, Heero's been making all these odd, little gestures like this one. I can't quite figure it out.

I take a sip of my flesh-tone beverage. It's perfect. Of course.

Heero absently runs the dish rag around the counter before chucking it back in the basin. "Une wants to see us," he reminds me.

I snort. As if I'd forgotten. "If you're ready, then lead the way, dude."