Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Gundam Girls ❯ Part 2: The Joys of Being a Girl ( Chapter 3 )
Gundam Girls
Part 2: The Joys of Being a Girl
"Dammit!" Duo threw the mascara brush onto the makeshift make-up table. Snagging a tissue, he rubbed at the latest smear. "Ugh! At this rate, it will take me a week to do my make-up!"
It had been one week since they started, one week and hormonal levels were bouncing of the walls. The fact that they all progressed at different rates made things all the more maddening. Stress levels rose as they each attempted to accomplish what seemed impossible tasks.
Heero studied Duo's make-up job with a critic's eye. "You probably shouldn't use mascara, Duet."
"Eh? Why not?" Duo looked up at him quizzically.
"Because right now you look like a whore." Duo's jaw literally dropped. Was straight-faced, humorless Heero actually making a joke? Or was he serious? Duo backed away from the mirror to get a better look at himself. Damn, he's right!
"How would you know what a whore looks like anyway, Helen? Use them often, do you?" Duo sneered.
"Duet!" Normally, the shocked expression on Quatre's face would have made him laugh. Today, however, it made guilt churn in his stomach.
"Sorry, Kat. I didn't mean to snap."
"It's not me you should be apologizing to, Duet." Quatre looked at him pointedly. Duo cringed. Swallowing his pride, which wasn't easy, he turned his attention fully on Heero.
"I'm sorry, Helen. I shouldn't have said that. Please forgive me." Duo averted his eyes with the last, not wanting to look Heero in the eye.
Heero nodded briefly. "You're forgiven." Duo sighed with relief and muttered his thanks, turning back to the mirror to make a second attempt. "For what it's worth . . . " Heero started, taking a seat by Duo, "I should have put it more . . . delicately. I must work on my tact."
Duo grinned. "So the perfect soldier isn't really perfect after all!"
"I never said I was." The corner of Heero's mouth twitched in an upward angle . . . it could have been a smile. "Despite my obvious imperfection, would you be object to my helping you with your make-up? With the two of us, we may be able to cut your make-up time in half."
Duo couldn't help himself. He laughed. "You're alright, Helen! You're alright." He clapped Heero on the back. "So, what am I doing wrong? And don't tell me you don't know, 'cause I know you know!" Not two days after they had started their make-up training, Heero had somehow managed to perfect his technic. Duo had suspected that he had stayed up all night working on it.
"Subtlety is the key. You want a natural look, not that of a painted doll. Clean your face and I'll show you."
Quatre smiled and sighed with relief. The last few days had been hellish as tempers flared and control was lost. This time they managed to resolve things without throwing any punches. They just might survive this after all.
"Katrina . . ." Quatre startled at the hand on his shoulder, "Sorry, but you were lost in thought and didn't hear me the first time." Trowa smiled apologetically.
"Oh! I'm sorry, what did you say?" Quatre turned back to his friend, blushing slightly from embarrassment. The two had been working on clothing coordination, leaving the make-up counter for the others to use.
"I asked you whether or not you think this blouse goes with this skirt." Trowa held the two garments up to his body so Quatre could see.
"No, that blouse is a touch too orange for this skirt. Try . . ." Quatre rummaged around in the stack of clothing in Trowa's size, ". . . this one." He held up a similar blouse with a light floral print. Quatre held it up against Trowa and the skirt to see if it would work. "Yes, this one will do nicely. Why don't you try them on?"
Trowa took the clothes and walked behind the changing screen. It offered more of a semblance of privacy rather than hiding anything. The paper screening was so old and thin, it was nearly see-through and there were several small holes from water damage and bugs. They mended as many holes as they could, but the paper was fragile and could only hold up so much tape. Nevertheless, each of them had the decency to look elsewhere when one of the others was changing behind it.
Still, Quatre found himself blushing as he listened to the sound of clothing being exchanged, the rustle of fabric moving over bare skin caused a chill to run up and down his spine. These new feelings perplexed Quatre, as they only seem to appear when Trowa was involved.
He knew what Rose would say about that. The youngest of his sisters, she was also the most brazen and outspoken. She was also a die-hard "yaoi" fan. (She once tried to explain to him what yaoi was, but all he could gather from her endless babbling was that it involved two men in a romantic relationship. He was too afraid to ask about "shounen ai" after that.) After meeting Trowa for the first time, Rose would go on an on about how he and Quatre would make "such a cute couple!" Never in Trowa's presence, of course, but she would pester Quatre to no end that he should "snatch up that tall, hot, hunk before someone else does!"
"Oh, hell . . . Kat? Can you help me? I'm . . . stuck." Quatre could hear Trowa's embarrassment as he struggled.
"Stuck? How?" Quatre asked as he timidly moved around the screen. What he saw was quite humorous . . . and a little arousing. There stood Trowa, wearing naught but pale green panties and matching strapless, lace bra, which showed the top of his breasts (already up a B cup), with his arms somehow tied up behind his head with the blouse Quatre had given him to try on. He was sweating slightly from struggling and blushing from his predicament, which only added to the allure.
"I, uh . . . the blouse got caught on my bra, so I tried to take it off, but that only made it worse . . . I . . . I can't move my arms." Trowa explained. He avoided looking at Quatre, but if he had, he would have seen how alarmingly red his face was.
"Turn around and, uh, I'll see what I can . . . do." Trowa turned around obediently, then knelt, giving Quatre better access.
"So . . . just how does an acrobat get himself stuck like this?" Quatre teased as he tried to remove the stubborn garment.
"Shut up, Kat." Trowa smiled.
Meanwhile, Wufei had locked himself up in the (only) bathroom, as he did every morning the past week. None of the others knew what did in there, but ideas were running wild. The fact of the matter was he had several things to accomplish.
First, check bust size for growth. The idea of having breasts had appalled him, at first, but once they began coming in, they had fascinated him. He had been that last to "bloom" and was still astonished by them. So much so, he felt it necessary to study them. He had to do this in private, figuring the others wouldn't understand and just think he was some kind of pervert. What had astonished him the most was how sensitive his nipples had become. The slightest touch and . . .
Next, practice putting on and removing bra. He wanted to make it look like he had used one for years. Not that he planned on dressing or undressing in front of anyone, but a soldier's got to be prepared for any contingency.
After that, practice "tucking" and sitting. This was one of the most important, yet humiliating tasks. A bad tuck could cost him dearly. And when you tuck, you've got to learn how to sit all over again! Even with a good tuck, sit the wrong way and you're in for a lot of pain. Wufei learned that the hard way.
Then a shower. A nice, hot shower spent scrubbing off all the dirt and grime that had a tendency to accumulate all too quickly in that grimy townhouse they called "home". Christina (another of Quatre's sisters) supplied them with a generous amount of bath soap that's suppose to help make their skin soft and supple and smell "pretty". All liquid. The kind you need this kind of plastic loofa-type-thing to use. Wufei was starting to get use to it, but he still felt silly using the poof-y thing. Fortunately, she sent a large variety of soap for them to choose from. Wufei was partial to the chamomile/lavender mix, but he insisted he hated them all. Christina also sent a large variety of shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and other toiletries. Wufei wondered where Quatre had hidden them all, but he suspected that they were ferreted away in various rooms of the house. Wufei was fond of this one herbal shampoo/conditioner combo which left his hair soft, silky smooth, and smelling like strawberries.
After that came a difficult task, indeed. Shaving. They had hair removal cream, but for some reason it burned Wufei's skin too much to use, so he was stuck with using a razor. He shaved his legs, pits, and pubes when needed. Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about facial hair, except for plucking his eyebrows when necessary. (which was too often for his tastes) Wufei thought shaving one's pubic hair is an indignity, for a man anyway, but it was regretfully necessary. Besides the demographics showing that most teenage girls in their (supposed) age range shave their pubes, Wufei was . . . a bit too hairy. It seems his body was making up for the lack of facial hair by adding more elsewhere. And to add to the insult, he had to trim what was left. Otherwise it added a bulge of it's own, especially when "tucking".
Next, lotion application. After wrapping his hair up in a towel securely, Wufei would work lotion into his skin from head to toe. The lotion not only soothed his shaved areas, but increased his skin's softness and smoothness as well. The light floral scent added to his "feminine aura," mixing with the others to create a scent the others recognize as "Wanda".
Then came the dreaded "prevent shrinkage" task. The others he had gotten fairly used to, but not this. This he hated the most, which is something, considering that he had yet to actually complete the "task." He always put it off, waiting till the last minute. It would have made more sense to do it sooner, in the shower, for instance, but the very thought made him cringe and he didn't want to ruin a good shower. One week and he had yet to go through with it. Shrinking had begun to show.
Now he sat on the toilet, which he had covered with a towel, and tried to think of a way out of it, but he kept thinking of reasons why he should get it over with already. I've waited this long, what's one more day? But they said once a day, and it's been a week! I'll do it later . . . It's already shrinking . . . What's a little shrinking going to hurt? It's no big deal . . . Now, but what about later? Just how far will it shrink? I don't think I want to find out . . . Damn . . .
Sighing, Wufei picked up a tube of lube that someone had left behind and put a little in his hand. Taking a deep breath, he gently took a hold of his . . .
**BANG-BANG-BANG**
"Hey, Wandie! You die in there?!?"
"Aaah! Damn you, Maxwell!! Leave me alone!" Wufei shouted and threw a bottle at the door, causing Duo to jump away on the other side.
"Alright, alright! Geez!" Duo walked back to the make-shift make-up counter and plopped down on the stool, his skirt flying up briefly, and crossed his arms in a huff. "Looks like we won't be getting the use of the bathroom anytime soon."
"What was that, Duet?" Quatre called out from behind the screen.
"Nothing, Wufei's just hogging the bathroom yet again!"
"Wanda, Duet!" Heero pinched Duo for his slip up. They had all agreed to this method to reduce the risk of a slip when they're in the thick of it. Such a mistake could be fatal. A painful pinch would remind them of that.
"Ooowwoo!! Did you have to pinch me there?!?" Duo cringed.
"If it would help you remember, then I will pinch you wherever necessary." Duo just didn't know how to respond to that, so he let it drop. However, his slacked jaw, wide eyes, and red face spoke more than words.
"Hold still, Tracy. I think I've just about got it. I just have to unhook your bra and . . ." Quatre released the last hook, freeing the trapped material. The bra slid to the floor as Trowa took off the blouse. Standing, he stretched his arms, groaning as stressed muscles began to relax.
"Thanks, Kat." Trowa hugged Quatre, regardless of his state of un-dress, or perhaps he just forgot. Quatre blushed brightly.
"S-sure thing, Tracy. What are friends for, right?" Quatre hugged back gingerly. "I'll, uh, I'll let you get dressed now." Quatre reluctantly pulled out of the hug, "Unless you don't think you can handle it by yourself?" he teased.
Trowa chuckled. "I think I can handle it." His cheeks reddened as he realized he was wearing nothing but a pair of panties. Quatre discretely moved around the screen, giving Trowa back his privacy. Once on the other side, Quatre was presented with a startling image. Duo was painting Heero's nails . . . pink. Not just pink, but a subtle shade that particularly complimented Heero's complection and clothes. Quatre smiled. It seemed Duo had a knack for color coordination. But what made Quatre really smile, was how the two pilots were getting along just now. Duo, as he held Heero's right hand in his, and concentrated fully on painting his nails perfectly and Heero, as he sat still and watched Duo work intently . . . It was a rather touching scene. Heero looked up at that moment, briefly locking eyes with Quatre. He quickly turned back to Duo, but the blush creeping across Heero's cheeks didn't escape Quatre's notice.
Quatre started a little when he felt a hand land on his shoulder. He looked up at the taller boy behind him and smiled. The two stood there enjoying the moment. Duo all the while oblivious while Heero continued to blush a the unnecessary attention he and Duo were garnering. He didn't say anything, though, for he didn't want to ruin Duo's concentration.
After putting the finishing touches on Heero's pinkie, Duo lifted Heero's hand and blew softly on the nails to help them dry. Satisfied, he looked up to ask for Heero's other hand, but the words died in his throat as their eyes locked briefly. Heero turned away quickly, pretending to find interest in the make-up counter, his blush reaching his ears.
Duo blinked. Man, I've never seen him blush like that . . . He seems more human every day! These hormone shots really are something to melt *his* cold facade! . . . Still . . . I wonder how he's handling the change? He was never an open book to begin with, only now his cover changes color. . . . What makes Heero Yuy blush from ear to ear like that? I mean, all I'm doing is . . . A blush crept across Duo's on features as he realized that he was still holding Heero's hand. It was slightly damp, but steady. Duo's own hand had begun to sweat and his heart leapt into his throat.
Heero noted the sudden change in Duo's demeanor and risked a glance. Their eyes locked again, but it was Duo who looked away this time. Heero saw Quatre and Trowa watching them with interest, both with the same, idiotic grin on their faces. Before he could tell them to mind their own business, or something a little more befitting his mood, a strangled cry came from the bathroom.
"WANDA!!" the four shouted in unison as they raced for bathroom door. The door was locked, as Wufei had left it, causing the others to resort to banging on the door and shouting for Wufei to open it.
The noise woke Wufei from his stupor. He was just nearing "completion" of his last "task", when an overwhelming sensation overtook him, causing him to cry out. The experience had left him weak, tired, and gasping for breath. He was beginning to doze when the raucous started.
"Wha-what? What's going on?" Wufei couldn't hear what they were trying to say, but he could see that the door wasn't handling the abuse well. "Hey! Stop that before you break the-"
*CRASH!*
The door caved in, literally shattering to pieces. Wufei quickly grabbed the towel he had been sitting on and tried desperately to cover himself as the other pilots spilled through the doorway, fury and embarrassment warring over his face.
"Wuf-Wanda! Are you alright?"
"We heard a scream!"
"We were worried."
". . ."
"GET OUT!!!" Wufei snapped, his face bright red and seething with anger. The others reeled back from the unexpected outburst.
"But . . ."
"Just get out!" Wufei cut Quatre off and turned away, too embarrassed to look at them further. He didn't see the hurt in Quatre's eyes, nor did he see Trowa walk him out, the other two already gone. Moments later, he heard someone move the changing screen in front of the doorway. Releasing his captive breath, Wufei sat back down on the toilet, wrapping the towel tightly around himself. The humiliation . . . the lost control . . . the hurt he knew he caused his . . . friends . . . the shame . . . He lost their respect, he was certain. There was no honor in what he had done. He was not deserving of their friendship nor respect.
He continued thinking in this vein, barely registering the fact that someone, Duo probably, had told him they were going out to find another door. He heard the door close and the house settle into quiet. It was then that Wufei began to cry.
On the couch was another boy with tears in his eyes, though he cried for other, yet similar, reasons. He was mad at himself for jumping to conclusions when he had not sensed that Wufei was in danger. He had just assumed . . . So had the others, but they're not empaths. Now he was feeling the pain they had caused Wufei. The pain that could have been avoided if he had just kept a clear head and let them know he was alright.
Right now, his own feelings of regret and self-loathing clouded those he could feel from Wufei. However, when he heard a choked sob emit from the bathroom, his head snapped up, his entire focus on Wufei. Everything became clear.
Wufei's head snapped up at the sound of the soft knocking. It was too soon for them to be back yet and he hadn't thought anyone had stayed behind.
"Wufei? May I . . . may I come in?"
"Quatre? What are you still *sniff* doing here? I thought you had left with the others."
"I didn't feel up to going." Quatre paused. "Please, may I come in? This is . . . awkward."
". . . Okay." Wufei adjusted his towel and wiped his face as Quatre parted the screen and let himself in. He had a blanket with him and his eyes were slightly puffy from crying. A small smile greeted Wufei as Quatre walked over to him and draped the blanket around him.
"Thanks." Wufei offered weakly, his own eyes red and swollen. Quatre sat on the floor in front of him, drawing his knees to his chest.
"I'm sorry, we all are, for . . . barging in on you like that." Quatre started.
"It's okay . . ."
"No, it's not! We reacted emotionally instead of logically and looked what happened! We shouldn't have . . ."
"Quatre, stop that! We're all emotionally high-strung, right now. Don't beat yourself up over it. We're all still adjusting . . ." Wufei felt himself blushing, remembering how he had been "adjusting" moments before the incident. "I . . . I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I'm sorry."
Quatre chuckled. "Why are you apologizing? You had ever right to yell at us! After all, we barged in on you!"
"But . . ."
"No buts! I tell you what, I'll stop beating myself up for overreacting if you'll do the same about yelling at us. Deal?" Quatre extended his hand towards Wufei. After a moment's hesitation, he took it.
"Deal." Wufei found Quatre's warm smile contagious, a smile spreading across his own face. Quatre gave his hand a quick squeeze before letting go.
"Come on, let's get out of this depressing bathroom and pretty our faces." Quatre winked as he struggled to get off the floor in the cramped space. Wufei decided to help him and pinched him on the rump . . . hard.
"Yeow!" Quatre shot up. "What was that for?!?" he asked, rubbing his sore rear.
"You called me Wufei." Wufei replied as he stood up and walked past Quatre and out the door.
"I did, didn't I?" Quatre pondered a moment as he followed Wufei out.. "Wait a minute . . ."
"What?"
"You called me Quatre!" Wufei's face paled at the evil glint in Quatre's eyes. A moment passed, then the hunt was on! Quatre pounced in Wufei's direction, barely missing due to an artful dodge by Wufei. Not waiting a moment, Wufei ran around the room, Quatre hot on his tail.
"You know the rule, Wanda! You broke it, now suffer the consequences!"
"Come on! Haven't I suffered enough?!?"
"Hey! I've suffered, too, ya know! And you still pinched me!"
"Yeah, well, you needed the help up!"
"Now it's time for me to repay the favor!"
"Ack! But I'm already up!" Wufei stammered just seconds before losing his grip on the towel, causing him to trip and land face up on the floor, the blanket flying open.
"Now I've got you!" Panicked, Wufei turned over, losing the blanket, and tried to crawl away from the apparently psychotic blonde.
"Oh no you don't!" Quatre pounced on him, straddling his hips. "You're not going to get away from me that easily!"
"A-hem." Both boys turned to look behind them. There they saw Duo, Heero, and Trowa standing in the doorway with the most interesting looks on their faces.
"Are we . . . interrupting something?" Duo teased, a devilish grin covering his face.
"It's, uh, not what it looks like." Quatre stammered, blushing bright red, realizing how it must look and hoping that that's not what they were thinking was going on. Wufei had other ideas.
"Yes it is."
"WHAT?!? Wufei, how can you say that?!?" Quatre was flummoxed.
"Tsk, you did it again!" Wufei reached back and pinched Quatre inside his thigh. Quatre yelped, falling off of Wufei. Wufei grabbed the blanket he lost, managing to cover himself and regain some of his dignity. "Did you get another door?"
"Yup! It's not much to look at, but it's hell a of lot sturdier than the last one." Duo answered, not one to miss the much needed subject change. Heero and Trowa took the cue and hauled the door inside. Several layers of paint were flaking off in patches and some spots were boarded up where holes had been. The top coat was day-glo orange with dark, dark green showing through beneath. Before that was hot pink, then baby blue, then black, then white . . . Either this door had many owners with diverse tastes, or someone couldn't make up their mind. But sturdy it was. Aside from the few holes, it was a solid piece of wood, two to three inches thick, depending on where one measured. Duo theorized that it was actually just a thin piece of ply-wood under all that paint, but Heero interjected that paint could not make up for the firmness nor apparent strength of the door.
The three spent the next half hour putting the "new" door up. Heero and Trowa held the door as Duo fixed it in place. The width was perfect, but it came short two inches, leaving a one-inch gap at the top and bottom.
"There ya go, Wanda! Your new door! It's an eye-sore and doesn't quite fit, but it's all yours!" Duo wrapped an arm around Wufei's shoulders and grinned their accomplishment. The glare Wufei attempted to give him was ruined by the small smile on his face. The thought they went through all that trouble for him was heartening. Of course, Wufei knew they needed a new door anyway, but the fact that they needed one in the first place was because of their concern for him. He was getting misty-eyed.
"Hey, don't cry! It's just a door!" Duo squeezed his arm, afraid he had upset him.
"To you, maybe." To Wufei, it had become a symbol of their friendship and for some reason, that made him want to cry. He couldn't help it, tears slipped down his cheeks, making tracks in his recently applied make-up.
"Whoa, hey now. Don't . . . don't do that. Uh . . ." Duo looked around for help. Instead, ,he found Heero.
"What did you do?" Heero asked accusingly.
"Nothing! I . . . I didn't . . ." Duo looked back at Wufei, who was crying more freely, "Oh, hell! Here." Duo gave him a hanky that was in his pocket, then pulled him into a hug and rubbed his back, all the while giving Heero a nasty glare.
"Helen, didn't you say that one of us started taking menstrual shots yesterday?" Trowa asked, taking a seat on the couch beside Quatre.
"Wanda did, as did I." Heero stated matter-of-factly.
"Well, that does explain a few things." Duo muttered. "Hey, Wanda, you okay now?"
"Yeah," Wufei pulled away, sniffing, "thanks."
"Good." Duo smiled. "Besides, there's one more question I'd like answered and you're the only one who can do that."
"Hm? What?" Wufei looked at him puzzled.
"Just what were you doing in there, anyway?" The others coughed, trying not to laugh, as Wufei's face turned red and his eyes widened.
"None of your business and if you know what's good for you, you'll let it drop." Wufei threatened, poking Duo's chest for emphasis.
"So that's what you were doing! Man, Wanda, I didn't think you had it in you!" Duo winked, insistent on tease Wufei to no end.
"Wha-what makes you think that?"
"Oh, come on! If it were anything else, would you be so reluctant to tell us?"
". . ."
"HA! You were jacking off! Admit it! It's written all over your face!"
"Then there is no reason for me to say . . ."
"That's as good as a confession!"
"What is wrong with you? Why do you have to hound me about this? It's something we all have to do!"
"True, but you were the only one I wasn't sure was actually doing it. The others I over heard at least once, but you . . . you eluded me. I was beginning to think you weren't doing it at all!" Wufei blushed brighter at that, as if he'd been found out.
". . . It's still none of your business!"
"Oh, come on! It's no big deal!"
As the two continued to bicker, the others watched, glad for a little entertainment. A moment later, Quatre remembered that he still owed Wufei a pinch. So, when no one was looking, he got up and pretended to head for the bathroom. Once past Wufei . . .
"YEOWCH!"
A/N: This one ran away with me. -.-;; I was planning to end it on page FIVE! But NO~O it just HAD to keep going! -.-;; Anyway . . . I may have exaggerated Q's empathy, I'm not sure. But it works well for my purposes, so *pfft* to anyone who can't like it! ^_~ I also wanted to show how emotionally imbalanced they've become and show some of the hurdles they'll have to leap to regain enough control to pull off their mission. If it looks like I'm going out of my way to torment Wufei, you're wrong. It's not necessary to out of my way, I can torture him right here! ^^ Hey, it's not like it's all sunshine and lollipops for the others, ya know! Wufei's just easier to torment, is all. ^_~ Am I going out of my way to torment the boys? Yes, of course, silly! Why else would I write about them? ^_~ The next part? Well, I plan to have them start school in part 3. ^^ But first! Interlude 2! It could be awhile. ^^;; Don't hold your breath.