Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 30 Days of Drabble ❯ Day 25: Party Tricks ( Chapter 25 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: I have been to exactly one block party in my life. It was all courtesy of the neighbor two doors down from us. It was during my senior year in high school and it was fun considering how anti-social my family and I are. Seriously, we are about as recluse as you can get, but at least we never threatened to call the cops. ^_^ (Stupid anti-social Heero.) I'm not entirely sure how "chewing food" turned into "barbeque" but I will blame Duo repeatedly and under torture. This story is your fault, Duo. Yours! [Rules for this challenge are in chapter one.]

Day: 25
Date: March 6, 2010
Prompt: masticate /MAS-tih-kayt/, transitive verb; 1. To grind or crush with or as if with the teeth in preparation for swallowing and digestion; to chew; as, "to masticate food." 2. To crush or knead (rubber, for example) into a pulp. intransitive verb; 1. To chew food.
Fandom: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
Characters: Relena
Disclaimer: Bandai, Sotsu and Sunrise own Gundam Wing. I just use the characters for my own amusement and with any luck at all, your amusement as well.

Warnings: AU, longer than drabble length (but not by too much)

Party Tricks

It was two-thirty in the afternoon and the barbeque was in full swing. The organizer of the block party took a few seconds to enjoy her achievement. This was the first time, out of seven attempts, that everything managed to come together. Everyone had agreed to attend, that had been her first hurdle. Up until this last Christmas there was that man, Heero Yuy, who always refused to participate and, worse still, threatened to call the cops if anything were to "interfere with his peace and quiet." She never really was sure why he had bothered buying a house in a family-oriented sub-division in the first place. Still, she couldn't say that she was sad to see him go. Perhaps his promotion would brighten his outlook on life.

Her next obstacle was finding a date that would agree with everyone. Her strategy had been to plan far enough in advance, and stress the importance of the event, that her neighbors would have plenty of time to request the day off. After that, it was merely organizing the food, drink and entertainment and, though she wasn't one to toot her own horn, she'd say that she excelled in that department. And the few times she might have slipped into doom-saying her own efforts, her husband was always there to encourage her.

She had her husband at her side, friends all around and the daytime sun warming an already pleasant afternoon. Nothing could spoil the bright, joyful occasion.

"Hey, 'Meia?" That was her husband addressing the Khushrenada girl with a wave of a paper napkin. The young child looked up at him curiously, clutching a cherry-flavored popsicle in one hand. It was melting and running down her arm. He knelt down, took her sticky hand in his own and began the process of cleaning her up. Once he was finished, he escorted her to the food-laden picnic table, tossing out her still-dripping treat along the way. "Now, what would you like? Cookie or cake?"

She said nothing, but pointed to the plate of pumpkin cookies. He handed her one and then snatched another for himself, crouching down to her level, so they could enjoy the snacks together. "You don't say much do you?"

She shrugged, nibbling at the cake-like cookie, but giving him a tiny smile.

"Well, how 'bout I teach you a trick? You won't have to say much, but you'll get a reaction out of the whole group. If I show you once, will you try it?"

She stopped nibbling momentarily, cocked her head sideways and then nodded once.

He grinned broadly, a little too broadly for Relena's comfort and then bent over to whisper in the girl's ear. The tiny smile returning to the little girl's lips, she nodded determinedly and then headed off toward the group gathered at the other end of the yard. The unease returned and Relena might have stopped Mariemeia, but she'd never seen the girl so resolute about anything before and it had her curious about what her husband had put the child up to.

Mariemeia tapped the arm of Lucrezia Noin. Lucy turned to the child and Mariemeia began her "trick." "Mr. Maxwell wants to know if you like seafood."

Relena wasn't sure where this was going, as all the food had already been purchased and fish and the like wasn't on the list. She purposely avoided it due to potential food allergies.

"Why, of course, I do," responded the adult smiling at the odd question.

Mariemeia bobbed her head in that stubborn nod again and said, "See food!" and then opened her mouth to display the mushy orange mess in her mouth to the stunned Lucy. Several others in the immediate vicinity gasped in shock at the display, Relena's husband broke into guffaws of laughter and all of the children lucky enough to catch sight, pasted on identical grins of future misdeeds.

That was it. Her life was ruined. "Duo Maxwell, get your bad-influence of a behind over here this instant!"

- End -