Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Grown-up Christmas List ❯ Grown-up Christmas List ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimers : I don't own Gundam Wing or any of the character. Don't sue. Teachers aren't paid enough in this country to get you anything anyway! Grown-Up Christmas List Music by David Foster Lyric by Linda Thompson Foster. I could never write any song this poignant.









Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies


Duo gazed longingly into the department store window, pondering over what he'd like and what the others might like. Just like when he was a poor street child on L2, here he was standing the snow, shivering and peering into the store window. Any second, he thought, a clerk would come out and shoo him away, but it hadn't happened yet. Of course, he was no longer a scrawny 10 year old in rags looking for anything he could get his hands on, but an adult. (OK, so he was still a bit scrawny, but at least he was dressed better.) Finally he decided to go in.



Well I'm all grown-up now
Can you still help somehow
I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream


He meandered through out the store for a bit, taking the sights, sounds and smells of a store just before Christmas. It was almost overwhelming and something he'd dreamed of doing. Being normal, if people only knew the truth. All around him shoppers scurried carrying packages and lugging children while overhead Christmas songs wafted down from the speakers. He smiled as he thought how accurate the tune of Silver Bells was.
He continued on his quest, hunting for the perfect gift. The money in pocket he'd skimmed off an OZ account he'd hacked into, so he could afford what ever he wanted. Duo walked around through clothing, toys, electronics and jewelry, but nothing seemed right. Geeze, he was a guy, how difficult could it be to buy gifts for four other guys.
As he wandered aimlessly around, feeling a bit defeated in his search, Duo found himself in the middle of the store staring at the towering 15 ft. tree, gleaming under the golden skylight in front of the escalators. It was magnificent, covered in bows, garlands of golden beads, white lights and thousands of ornaments. Below it laid immense boxes wrapped in beautiful shiny paper. Even though he knew they were empty boxes wrapped to look like gifts, Duo was still in awe. He started inspecting some of the lower ornaments; old fashioned Santa Claus, Disney characters, nutcrackers and toys...suddenly he saw it! The perfect ornament!


So here's my lifelong wish
My Grown-up Christmas List
Not for myself
But for a world in need


A gleaming white angel made of fine porcelain. A gold painted halo adorned it's head and it held a gilded sword in one hand. It was just perfect.


No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
As he stared he noticed just above it a delicate pair of white doves holding a holding a holly bough between them. His smile widened.
And time would heal all hearts
Every [one] would have a friend


A little higher up was another porcelain ornament painted with a serene winterscape in China. Perfect! Perfect! Perfect!

That right would always win
And love would never end

He was so excited...but wait... were they even for sale? He didn't see any tags. His sudden elation faded as quickly as it came.
May I help you? a polite feminine voice asked.
Duo turned around to see a pretty young clerk looking at him. Uh..uh... yes. Are theses ornaments for sale? The one on the tree? He asked.
Not really, sometime you can find them in the Christmas section, but we're pretty sold out this time of year, she replied.
Oh.., Duo was disappointed.
Well, being Christmas Eve and all, I supposed we could make an exception, she beamed back, noticing Duo's sad expression.
Really? Duo perked up.
Sure, pick out what you want, I'll take care of it, She smiled back happily.
Thank you so much! He almost hugged her as he picked out his ornaments. He had them gift wrapped in the same beautiful paper he had admired under the tree. Humming Pretty Paper as he headed out towards the exit, he felt a bit light headed.

This is my Grown-up Christmas List

On his way out the door Duo separated out a little cash for a quick bit to eat, then dropped the rest of the rather large wad of cash into a Salvation Army pot on the way out the door. Boy was that tired bell ringer gonna have a surprise when he counted out the pot at the end of the night. The weary woman only smiled back, not realizing exactly how much had been dropped in.
On the ride home Duo thought contentedly about the one last thing he had to do. His Christmas list. Forever a kid at heart and a devoted traditionalist, Duo always wrote his Christmas list and left Santa some milk and cookies.
It was late when he got home. Trowa and Quatre had already called it a night and Wufei was on his way to bed when he walked in the door. Heero was working at his lap top.
Your late, he chided as Duo placed his gifts under the tree he'd convinced Quatre to put up. It was much, but it was more than he'd had in the past.
You know me Hee-chan, always doing things at the last minute, he replied back with a wink.
Heero closed up his laptop. Are you coming to bed?
Hmm.. in a just a bit, Duo replied back with a sexy smile, in just a bit, I've got a few things to finish up here.
All right, don't take too long, Heero replied as he walked up the stairs.

As children we believe
The grandest sight to see
Is something lovely wrapped beneath our tree

With that Duo turned with a dreamy look towards his paper and started to write his list. He thought about all the wonderful things he'd like to have. He'd always written the list ever since he had been taken in by Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. All the kids usually got one small item off their list. Something so simple as a Christmas list to keep their hopes alive.

Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal a hurting human soul

A small wet, spot appeared on his paper. Oh, how he missed them all. Damn war! More wet spots appeared. They were all gone because of this idiotic war. Soon he'd be heading up to space to finish it all. The past few days would all be another happy yet painful memory just like the rest of his life; torn apart by this war.
With a sniff, he wiped his eyes and looked down at his tear-stained paper, wadded it up and tossed it in the fire. He couldn't wish for any of those things, nothing material, not now. With a determined look he put pen to paper and started writing. At 1:00 a.m., Duo blearily climbed up the stairs and crawled into bed next to Heero, snuggling up next to his koi.
Earlier than usual, Heero woke up to find Duo snoring obliviously next to him.
'The baka' he thought, 'stayed up to late again.'
He quietly climbed out of bed, donned a robe and headed to the bathroom. While in the bathroom, curiosity got the better of him. He decided to head downstairs to see what his baka had done. Nothing looked different as he entered the living room. Duo had at least remembered to unplug the tree and damp the fire before he went to bed. Over on the small table, Heero noticed a small glass of milk and a plate of cookies.
'Geeze! Can't even pick up after himself,' scolded Duo.
As he bent down to pick up the plate he noticed the cookies were uneaten and the glass was full.
'Hmm...why would he not eat his snack?' Heero thought.
Then he noticed the carefully folded paper under the edge of the plate. It had Santa written on it. Heero picked up the paper and with a slight twinge of guild started to read.

Dear Santa,
I know I'm getting a bit old to write to you. I'm almost an adult. I guess just one last time can't hurt. I really only have a few simple wishes. Well... maybe not simple, but it's not entirely for me this time. Could you please try.

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start

1.) Peace for all of us. I'm so tired of this war. I feel like I have so little left. This war has taken so much from me and I want to keep what little I have left.



And time would heal all hearts
Every [one] would have a friend

2.) Life. I want us all to live. So many have died and my friends are all I have left. Perhaps a fairy tale ending is too much to ask for, but in my heart I know they exist.
That right would always win
And love would never end

3.) Happiness. I want all my friends to have something to live for after this is all over. They've had so little happiness so far in their lives. There's got to be something we've all been fighting for.
This is my Grown-up Christmas List
This is all Santa, a bit grown-up I guess and perhaps impossible. I can only hope.
Thank you for my dream,
Duo
Heero gazed at the paper, astounded, and noticed a fresh wet spot on the already spotted paper.
What is this illusion called
The innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief
Can we ever find the truth
'His beautiful baka,' he thought, 'Even with all the bad going on around him and all he'd been through, Duo was still a bit of an innocent child. Maybe they all still were.'
With a small sniff he folded the paper and tucked it in his pocket as Quatre padded down the stairs to start breakfast.
Are you OK Heero? You're up early, Quatre questioned.
Yeah... I'll go wake Duo, he replied a bit distant.
Quatre shrugged and continued on into the kitchen.
As Heero entered the bedroom, he smiled down at Duo, still snoring soundly. Though Santa and Christmas were still extremely foreign to him, he understood Duo's wish and would make it come true.
You'll have your wish, he whispered as he gently ruffled Duo's hair. Wake up Sleepy Head.
Duo faintly smiled up. It's Christmas, Hee-chan, he mumbled.
I know. Now get up, Heero replied.
Christmas was wonderful. The five pilots forgot everything else for the day. The war didn't exist for them, only their friendship, love and happiness.
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
Duo was thrilled that everyone loved their gifts. He gave Heero the angel, since to Duo that's what he was. To Trowa and Quatre he gave the doves and to Wufei the winterscape. The watery look in their eyes said more that thank you.
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
Of course Trowa and Quatre had gifts for them all and even Wufei had picked up a few things.
Don't you have anything for me Heero? Duo asked.
With a wistful look Heero replied Later [1]
'That right would always win
And love would never end

Duo giggled, but suddenly noticed Heero's distant expression as he stood near the table where Duo had written his letter. Heero placed the letter back on the table and placed his hand near it. Duo gasped a bit, then wrapped his arms around Heero from behind.
For you, Heero spoke solemnly.
Be careful, Heero, Duo whispered, hugging him tighter.
Heero nodded.
Thank you. I love you so much, Duo whispered again in his ear.
This is my Grown-up Christmas List
This is my only lifelong wish
This is my Grown-up Christmas List



A few days later they left for space and the Eve Wars began. Heero fulfilled Duo's wish.


Notes
1 Nothing hentai was meant by that statement. I can't bring my self to do a Christmas lemon.
Sorry!

2 Wanna download the midi and lyrics? Try here!

http://heavenlywebs.net/midis/christmas/