Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Contemplation Indigo ❯ Dispur Shale ( Chapter 21 )

 

Dispur Shale

 

By DRL

 

“Heero, you're insane!” Duo ejaculated as he handed his husband a pile of dirty dishes. “'Citizen Kane' is the best movie ever made? How can you possibly say that? It's not even in colour.” He added with an air of finality, as if that decided the matter.

 

“Philistine!” Heero murmured as he took the dishes and proceeded to stack them into the dishwasher. Duo clicked his tongue in irritation.

 

“How many times have I gotta tell ya Heero, you're supposed to rinse then off first.” Heero expelled a heavy, exasperated breath.

 

“And how many times do Ihave to tell youthat I flatly refuse to wash dishes before I put them into a DISHWASHSER. Why keep a dog and bark yourself?” With that, Heero firmly closed the door of the machine.

 

With a heavy sigh and another click of his tongue, Duo re-opened the door of the dishwasher. Utilising the hose-extension of the kitchen sink tap, he switched the water flow from jet to shower and proceeded to `hose down' the crockery in situ.

 

“I told you,” He grumbled as he showered the dishes, “The bits of food block up the drain if you don't wash them off first.”

 

“Then the machine is inefficient and inadequate in its design.” Heero stated flatly. “It is supposed to be a labour-saving device, but if you end up having to do more labour...”

 

“Shut-up and let's get dessert.” Duo closed the door of the dishwasher and opened the door of an enormous, upright freezer. After rummaging around for a moment or two, he emerged carrying his prize - a large tub of triple-choc ice-cream. Pausing only to collect a spoon and to grab Heero by the hand, he carried it to the dining table and resumed his seat.

 

“So,” He said as he removed the lid from the tub and proceeded to tuck into the sweetmeat with a will, “What movie did we decide on?”

 

“Why don't we let Quatre choose, since he is our guest?” Heero suggested.

 

“Yeah babe, good idea.” Duo licked melting ice-cream from his spoon with a practised tongue and turned to the blond seated across the table. “Any ideas Q?” Quatre shrugged.

 

“Oh I don't know, anything really.” He said morosely.

 

“Oh come on Cat, “Duo said imploringly, “I know you're missing Tro and I know that me and Heero are a pretty poor substitute, but we are trying. You gotta meet us halfway here.”

 

“I'm sorry Duo, but I did warn you that I would be poor company, today of all days.” Quatre replied, somewhat defensively.

 

“I've got a news flash for you Q,” Duo said dryly, “You've been poor company for a week and a half, ever since Tro left for L2 in fact.”

 

“Duo!” Heero hissed sharply. He shot his husband a menacing glare.

 

“It's okay Heero,” Quatre's features softened into a smile. “Duo's right. I know that the both of you are only trying to help and I am grateful, really I am.”

 

He reached out, covered Heero's hand with his as it rested on the tabletop, and gave it a gentle squeeze. Heero sat at the head of the rectangular table, with Duo and Quatre on either side. He looked up and met the blond's eyes, smiling shyly at the display of affection.

 

“Duo, perhaps Quatre would like some dessert.” He said, turning admonishing eyes to his husband who was still consuming the ice-cream with considerable relish.

 

Duo made a small sound in his throat as if to indicate that he would at least entertain the notion, and held a spoonful of triple-choc out to the blond, eyebrows raised in enquiry.

 

“No thanks Duo, I'm good.” Quatre replied with a shake of his head. Heero shot his husband a menacing glance, then turned to his guest with an apologetic smile. Quatre's hand still covered Heero's, and he gave it another gentle squeeze. “I know,” He said with an airiness he far from felt, “As its Valentine's Day, let's watch a romantic movie.”

 

Duo readily agreed and he and Quatre hastened to the living room and proceeded to sort through the Maxwell-Yuy movie collection to find the most romantic offering. Having placed the selected disc into the Maxwell-Yuy's state-of-the-art home cinema system, they settled themselves on the sofa. Duo and Quatre immersed themselves in the movie and Heero, after finishing clearing up in the kitchen, kept them copiously supplied with chips and popcorn (despite the fact that they had just finished dinner) and Kleenex.

 

“That was lovely,” Quatre sniffed, dabbing at his eyes with a tissue as he watched the closing credits roll across the screen, “but I guess I ought to be getting home. It was very good of you both to offer to entertain me on Valentine's Day, but I think you need some time to yourselves now. I'll phone Hansen to come and pick me up.”

 

“Are you expecting a call or something babe?” Duo asked as he lounged comfortably against Heero's chest, “That must be the 100th time you've looked at your watch this evening.”

 

“No er, yes, I am actually.” Heero stammered uncharacteristically. “It's nothing, just a bit of business.” He released Duo from his embrace and rose. “I'll phone your driver for you Quatre.” He disappeared into his study, which was one of the few areas in his and Duo's large, loft-style apartment that actually had a door, and this he closed firmly behind him.

 

Duo made a wry face and shrugged, as if to indicate that he had no idea what was going on and not much real concern either. Heero's business affairs were something that he gave a very wide berth indeed.

 

“So Cat, tell me,” He said, turning back to his guest, “What's the most romantic thing Tro's ever done?” Quatre sighed wistfully and cast his eyes up to the ceiling, high above.

 

“Where to start...?” He said. He proceeded to regale Duo with tales of his husband's romantic endeavours, each one more tender and sappy than the one before. Heero rejoined them and resumed his comfortable sprawl on the sofa, Duo resettling himself between his parted legs. He smiled as he realised that Duo had been most artful in picking the one topic of conversation that the blond would be a willing and enthusiastic participant in. “And the best one,” Quatre continued, “Was when he hired `Les Trois Maisons' for my 30th birthday. The whole restaurant, just for the two of us, can you imagine? With a sting quartet playing all of my favourite pieces and the staff waiting on us hand and foot. We had a wonderful meal, then we danced all night, just the two of us. It was lovely.”

 

Heero and Duo were quite sure that it had been. This event had happened only a matter of months ago, so it was still very fresh in their minds, but they let him tell it again. Suddenly he smiled sheepishly. “I'm sorry, I'm rather monopolising the conversation. I got a little carried away. Duo, now you tell me, what is the most romantic thing that Heero has ever done?”

 

“Now let's see,” Duo tapped his chin with a contemplative finger, paying no heed at all to Heero's cautionary growl, “When he got down on one knee to propose to me is way up there, but I think the most romantic thing he has ever done was when I threw my wedding ring into the river `cos I was mad at him, and he went to so much trouble and expense to get it back for me, just `cos I wanted it. That was soooo sweet.” He turned and patted a scowling Heero's flaming cheek. “He even applied to City Hall to have the river dammed up so that he could look for it. Now is that love or isn't it?” Duo looked round and blew his husband a kiss.

 

“Yes, it certainly is, and...” Quatre's words were interrupted by a loud rapping on the Maxwell-Yuy's front door. Duo stiffened immediately.

 

“Who the hell can that be at this time of night?” He asked with a worried frown, “And how come they got up here without pressing the buzzer first so that we could see them on the vid screen?”

 

“It's okay, “Heero said dismissively, “It's probably one of the neighbours, or maybe even Hansen. Quatre, would you mind?”

 

“Not at all.” Quatre replied and went immediately to answer the door.

 

“Heero, no...” Duo exclaimed and attempted to get to his feet. He knew, equally as well as did Heero, that their apartment, being the Penthouse, had such tight security that not even their neighbours could ascend to the Penthouse level without declaring themselves and being vetted by means of a surveillance video loop. Hansen definitely could not have, even if he could have reached them so quickly, which was highly unlikely.

 

“Shhh!” Heero hissed, and tightened his hold on Duo, keeping him in place. Duo, realising that whatever was in the wind Heero was fully aware of it, stopped struggling and listened. He was just in time to hear Quatre give a squeal of delight.

 

“Trowa!” They heard him cry. The resonant timbre of the responding voice was definitely Trowa's, but his words were inaudible to the listening couple. Duo turned to Heero and saw him give small smile and a nod of satisfaction.

 

“You knew all about this?” He asked. Heero nodded.

 

“I've seen how miserable Quatre has been since Trowa has been away on L2, and sap that I think he is, I felt sorry for him. After all, he only stayed behind because of Wufei and Treize, and as terrible as their situation is, at least they get to be together on Valentine's Day, albeit in the hospital. It hardly seemed fair.

 

As you know, the situation on L2 is quite dire because of the disaster. Communications are poor and commercial transport is virtually non-existent, so it was extremely difficult for Trowa to even communicate with Quatre, and even more difficult for him to come back home. To cheer our poor, dejected blond up a bit I spoke to a few associates and I managed to circumvent the proper channels so that Trowa could come home in time for Valentine's Day. He's very late though; he only just made it.”

 

Duo scrambled to his feet, took Heero by the hand and led him to the front door. As they stood, arms about each other's waists and watching Quatre and Trowa as they kissed passionately in the doorway, Duo turned to Heero.

 

“Forget what I said earlier,” He said, “This is the most romantic thing you have ever done.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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