Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Lord of War ❯ One of THOSE Parties Pt. I ( Chapter 16 )

A/N: Sorry for the BEYOND long delay. Lets start this off with a bang shall we?

The ides of March is, of course the middle of March, the 15th!

Chapter 16: One of THOSE Parties, Part I

Wufei growled to himself as he made his way to Heero’s bed chambers. It had been a long night, watching over those two until they fell asleep. But, he had to admit he was amazed that Heero showed the Aiko his parent’s old room. Ever since Wufei had met him, Heero had never step foot in that room, let alone brought someone else to it. Perhaps he and the Aiko were closer than he thought.

Dismissing the annoying thought, Wufei rounded the corner into the main hall and was surprised to see the Emperor being led by the obviously unwilling Sally, to Heero’s bed chamber. Darting back behind the corner, the monk growled at the man from his hiding spot. He was not in the mood to deal with the lecherous man.

He was about to walk away when a memory hit him. Stopping dead in his tracks, Wufei turned pail as he spun around and headed towards the hidden passage that connected to Heero’s room.

Hopefully he would make it in time…

# # # #

Duo hummed quietly in his half conscious slumber, enjoying the warm feel of the body beside him. He was about to blink open an eye to look at the man when he was suddenly grabbed by the arm and flung off the bed. Not expecting the fall, Duo hit the ground hard, his elbows the only thing saving his head from the ground. The Aiko looked up in bewilderment and met the eyes of a very annoyed monk.

“What the fuck--?!” Duo was cut off as Wufei grabbed his upper arm and began hauling him out towards the balcony. The Aiko began to struggle in confusion. “Wufei, what the…leggo!”

“Balcony. Now.” That was all he got out of him.

Duo turned his head towards the balcony. //What’s he gonna do? Throw me off of it?//

He continued to struggle all the way out to the balcony, where Wufei dumped him. “Stay out here and don’t say a word, or it’s your head.”

Duo looked at his awkwardly. “Wha?”

“Quiet!” The monk hissed as he made his way back into the room.

Staring at the curtains while still on his ass, Duo was dumbstruck. What had he done now? Snore too loud in the Lord’s presence? Duo knit his eyebrows together as he got up and was about to march back into the room when he heard Heero gasp in surprise.

“My Lord Emperor! Why…what…?”

Duo quickly changed his mind and ducked behind one of the pillars to better hide himself, now grateful for the monk’s manhandling. The Emperor? What the hell did he want?

//Heero//

Duo glared at the pillar as if it was the inner voice that had said that. Of course he wanted Heero, but he was protected by that Right of Primary thingy. So, that threat was safe…//for now//. Duo’s glare deepened. He had forgotten how much he really didn’t like that man.

“I thought I would come talk to you personally about what has been going on lately, Heero.”

Duo’s ears perked up. Going on lately? Duo didn’t know anything was going on. At least, Heero had never mentioned anything about it.

“My Lord, it wasn’t ness--” Heero began.

“Perhaps not necessary, but I wanted to speak with you nonetheless.”

Duo took a chance and peered around the pillar. Heero was propped up on his elbows in an attempt to sit up, the sheets just below his navel, but seemed hindered by the proximity of the Emperor. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, close enough to Heero that the man would have to ask the Emperor to move if he wanted to sit up.

As if Duo’s thoughts had reached him, Heero suddenly looked down at himself and, realizing his lack of clothing, pulled the sheet up further to his chest. The Emperor chuckled at his action, causing Heero to blush and Duo to fume.

Heero cleared his throat. “What did you wish to speak with me about, my Lord?”

The Emperor nodded. “I know I was probably a bit of a shock to you for us to ask you to sustain from coming to the general meetings. I can only imagine what must have been running through your head. And I have to admit, you were most likely right in your musings.”

Duo’s eyebrows knit together. Was that why Heero had so much more free time lately? Because they had asked him not to come to the meetings? But why would they…

//…Oh no…//

“It is true that we asked for your absence because we wished to discuss you. More specifically, whether or not any of the problems we were having merited you using your gift.”

Duo’s eyes widened. //Oh please no…not yet. Not this soon.//

“I thought as much, my Lord.” Heero added quietly. The look on his face was too controlled for Duo to read.

“I came here personally this morning to assure you that we have finished the conversation, and your powers are not needed at this point in time.”

The Aiko felt the breath he had been holding in him rush out. Thank the Gods. He didn’t know what he would have done if the Emperor had already set a date for Heero’s death. He had just found out about all this for fucks sake.

“I see.” Heero replied with a nod.

The Emperor smiled down at him. “Made you a bit worried, did we?”

The Lord shook his head. “No, it is not my place to dwell on such thoughts. My fate is your decision, my Lord.”

The Emperor smiled at his answer while Duo gritted his teeth at the level of servitude Heero had been trained to show. //It’s your own goddamn life ‘ro//

The Emperor moved a bit closer to Heero, causing Duo to growl quietly to himself, then placed his hand on the Lord’s shoulder. “I also wished to talk to you about what happened a while ago.”

“My Lord?” Heero asked inquisitively.

“About the time I came to talk to you about marriage to my sister.” The Emperor clarified.

Duo thought back to the day, which in turn deepened his glare. That was when the asshole had Heero pinned to the wall.

Okay maybe not completely pinned to the wall but close enough, by the Gods. That was beside the point. Duo chanced it and inched closer to the room, exposing himself more but putting himself closer to Heero and the Emperor. Now better able to hear, Duo peered around the pillar and focused on the two.

“It occurred to me that, perhaps, my actions towards you were a bit unexpected that day, and even maybe alarming to you.” The Emperor began. “I just wanted to calm your mind about it.”

“Calm my mind, my Lord?” Heero looked almost even more uncomfortable, if possible.

“I know that, though it is close, it is not yet my coronation and therefore you are bound to your duty of chastity, even to me. Though I was disappointed that you turned away from me, I understood why and I was later pleased with your reaction.”

Heero’s face became more relaxed. “You…you were?”

“Yes. It made me smile that you were so pious in your duty to me.”

Duo felt like throwing something at the man. How self centered can you be? Even Heero looked a little surprised by his reasoning.

“You were?”

“Of course.” The Emperor put his other hand on Heero’s vacant shoulder. “I know how you like to dwell on things, so I just wanted to let you know that I was not angry with you about it.”

Heero’s face was once again hard to read as a forced smirk crossed his face. “You do know me well. Thank you for telling me, my Lord.”

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction as Duo restrained himself from attacking the man. “Good.”

Heero kept his smirk, most likely waiting for the Emperor to announce his departure, but the man stayed in place. There were a few seconds of silence until the Emperor spoke once again.

“However…If you would permit me…”

Heero tilted his head slightly. “What, my Lord?”

“Perhaps a kiss to hold me over?”

Now Duo really was looking for something to throw, preferably a hard, blunt object. //By the Gods, if only I was wearing shoes…//

“Of--of course.” Heero stuttered, sounding not only out of character, but severely out of his element as well.

The Emperor smiled then leaned in the extra few inches to capture Heero’s lips. Duo turned away from the sight angry. Angry at the fact that Heero was kissing the man or angry at himself that he even cared that he was doing so, Duo didn’t know; but he could feel his blood boiling.

//I really hate that man//

Time seemed to drag on behind the pillar as Duo glared at every bird that happened to fly by and dare make a sound. When forever had finally passed, Duo heard the Emperor mutter a seductive ‘thank you’ that made his stomach turn, and the bed creek with movement.

“Thank you for visiting me, my Lord Emperor.” He heard Heero say dutifully.

“Of course.”

Duo listened as the footsteps of the Emperor faded, the peered around the pillar once again. The man no longer in sight, Duo made his way back into the Lord’s chambers.

Heero was laying on the bed with his arm thrown over his face as Duo walked up to him. At a loss for how to make his presence known, Duo went with a wimpy “Hey,” then felt like smacking himself for it.

It worked, however, as Heero moved his arm to meet Duo’s eyes. “Hey.”

Duo took his response as a good sign and sat on the bed next to him. “You okay?”

“Yea.” Heero smirked as he sat up. “Though I was rather surprised to wake up with Prisca looking over me instead of you. Where did you run off to?”

“I didn’t exactly run,” Duo grumbled. “I was more like hurled.”

“It was for your own good, Aiko.” Wufei interjected as he entered the room, most likely from whatever hiding place he has been in.

“Not that I didn’t appreciate not being in the room with Him, but what the hell Wu Fu!”

“What do you mean, ‘what the hell’?” Wufei pointed at Duo. “You are the moron who was in the bed chambers of not only the Lord of War, but Lorlia’s Celacent, WITH NO SAI RINGS ON!!!!”

Duo stared at the monk for a while before looking down at his own wrists. They were bare. They had been bare for a while. Ever since he and Heero had gotten into that fight about the Court…the sai rings have been gone. Duo had been free for two whole days and he hadn’t even noticed.

He felt like moron. Even worse, he felt like an animal that had been caged so long that it became domesticated. He had been stuck in the world of Lorlia for so long that he had forgotten his own problems…and his own tribe. He didn’t even recognize himself anymore. He went from a powerful warrior of the Belvomanian tribe to a whiney, pampered Aiko of the Lord of War. He should have ran, he should have taken the chance that Heero had given him and escaped. Instead, he picked a fight even further with the man and ended up sleeping in his bed yet again.

Even in the morning, with all things said and done, he still stayed. What was he thinking! Why was he even in this stupor, he should be running! Running to freedom! He should pull the sword from the monk and make his escape, he should never think of this place again, never think of--of…Heero again.

Duo felt his heart constrict. Why did the thought of that hurt? Was that why he had stayed? //What am I saying? That’s the only reason I would stay//

It was always Heero. For some reason that only the Gods knew, he was there for Heero. Had he really fallen so deep into the man that he forgot of his plan to escape? To cozy up to the man with the goal of losing the accursed sai rings?

They were gone.

His overall plan had worked.

He was free but…his feet wouldn’t move. They couldn’t.

Duo felt like screaming in frustration. He wanted to go home. He wanted to find his tribe. He wanted to get even with the bastards that had done this to him. But at the same time, he wanted to be here…with him. It had been so much simpler to notice that he was falling for the Lord when he was under lock and chain, but now with the weights gone from his wrists…that was a different subject all together.

No.

There was no way he was going to let that man become more important in his mind than his own tribe. They need his help...//you only know their alive because of the information that he had gotten for you…//

The Aiko felt like his head was going to burst with all the confusion that was welling up inside of it. “…I…I…”

“Don’t yell at him Wufei,” Heero broke Duo’s stupor. “It is my fault as well. I just…forgot.”

“FORGOT!! This little mishap could have cost the man’s head! Easy! Especially if the Emperor himself found his Right of Primary in bed with an Aiko with no sai rings involved! By the Gods!”

“It is my fault as well.” Sally added in as she walked into the bed chamber. “I had picked up the sai rings from off the floor a few days ago and had never said anything.”

Sally showed the sai rings like a prop and looked up at Heero with a face Duo couldn’t read.

They all stared at one another in silence until Wufei growled and walked over to Sally. “Give me those.”

Sally raised her eyebrows in confusion, but did as she was told and handed the rings to the monk. Wufei turned away from her and walked over to Duo.

Duo was in too much of a stupor to do anything but stare as Wufei fastened the sai rings back around his wrists.

“Don’t let it happen again, any of you.” Wufei chided and left the three in silence.

# # # #

Heero looked on as Duo stared at his wrists in confusion and shock and was surprised to see tears brimming the Aiko’s eyes.

Nodding to Sally, the woman recognized the gesture and left the room.

“Duo…” Heero began.

“I feel like such a moron.” Duo mumbled.

“Why is that?” The Lord asked sincerely.

“I was free. I was fucking free! The sai rings were off! And yet…and yet I didn’t go.” Duo looked up at the ceiling as if he was hoping gravity would slip the tears back behind his eyes before they fell. “I--I’ve changed.” Duo closed his eyes. “What the hell is wrong with me?”

Heero thought back to when Duo had first come to his home. He had been abrasive, determined, and angry.

He was still determined, but more blunt than abrasive and he was usually only angry when Heero himself pissed the man off. Duo had changed, he knew that. But he had always seen the changes as a good thing. He had never imagined that Duo might feel otherwise. Heero wanted to comment, but he had no idea what to say.

“I…I need to go think or something.” Duo decided. Without a single look in Heero’s direction, the Aiko left the room.

Heero sighed deeply and fell back into bed. He had hoped that Duo had just been staying by his own volition, that he wanted to be here. That maybe, just maybe he was staying because he liked being here…//that he liked being with me…//

But the look Duo had was one of utter shock and surprise. The Aiko had never even noticed that the sai rings were absent from his wrists. He looked beat up by it. Disappointed in himself that he hadn’t taken the chance and ran.

He didn’t want to be here.

Heero threw his arm across his face. //I’m an idiot// As if his limited time and small tokens of friendship would ever replace the family that Duo had been yearning for.

How could it?

Heero rolled over and buried his face into the pillow. He had just woken up fifteen minutes ago and already he couldn’t see how this day could get any worse.

# # # #

Quatre sighed as he entered the house of the Lord of War.

“That bad?” His lover asked him.

All the blonde could do was sigh yet again.

“How do we always manage to come at the very best of times?” Trowa asked him sarcastically.

“I don’t know.” Quatre muttered, feeling the pounding waves of confusion, hurt, anger, and pain coming from two very distinct people in the house. “A gift of mine, I suppose.”

“Hn. Perhaps it’s not as bad as you think?”

“Perhaps…” But he severely doubted it. “I’ll hunt down Duo. Can you talk to Heero?”

“All I was planning on doing was inviting him to my houses banquet.” Trowa stated with his arms folded.

Quatre smacked the man on the arm. “Help me, damn you.”

Trowa smiled quietly. “Teasing, little love. I’ll go talk to Heero. Or at least entertain him for the time being.”

“Thank you.”

Trowa nodded to him and made his way down the hall. Quatre smiled back at him as he turned in the direction of the servant quarters.

It was only a short walk until he was standing outside of Duo’s room. Quatre’s hand hovered over his door for a moment before the man finally knocked. Waiting for a response, Quatre scanned the waves of emotion coming from the man behind the door. He was angry with himself yet again, that he could tell, but it was a little different than usual. It felt more like he was…surprised with himself, instead of angry.

Shaking his thoughts off, Quatre put on a smile as Duo opened the door. “Hello, Duo.”

“Hey, Q.” Duo said with a crooked smile. “What brings you here?”

Quatre shrugged. “What I originally came he to talk to you about can wait, if you would like to…talk?”

Duo lifted an eyebrow at him, but let the blonde in nonetheless. “Talk, Quatre?”

“About whatever has created a storm cloud over both of you.” The Lord clarified, sitting down on the Aiko’s bed.

“Over both of us?”

Quatre nodded as Duo joined him on the bed. “What is going on?”

It didn’t take long for Duo to explain the events of the morning to him, Quatre’s eyebrows knitting in deep thought about how the Emperor was acting in corresponding intervals. Duo seemed pretty okay about everything that had happened //…okay…but not happy…// until he explained what had happened once Wufei and himself had entered the room once again.

“I didn’t even notice, Kat.” Duo sighed to him. “I had the sai rings off for days and I just stayed here like an obedient little dog. What the hell is wrong with me?”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t look at it that way.”

Duo flopped back onto the bed. “Then what way should I look at it?”

“Things have become more complicated for you now. Not only do you now harbor feelings for Heero, but you also know that there was more to the attack on your tribe than you originally thought. That your tribe was not the only one and has not been the last one attacked by these people.”

“So?” Duo grumbled back.

Quatre nudged Duo with his arm. “So, maybe on some level you already knew that your best bet in finding out what the hell is going on out there is to stay here, where Heero gets reports about it every day.”

“He doesn’t really talk to me about them though, so how am I supposed to find anything out?”

“Do you ever ask?”

Duo opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. After a second, Duo sat up once again. “I guess I don’t.”

“Then try asking. You know Heero would share if you asked him to.”

Duo nodded silently as the gears in his head kept turning. Quatre could only watch as the braided man figured things out in his own mind, but smiled in relief as the brightness returned to Duo’s eyes after a while.

“Maybe you’re right, Q.” Duo stood up and stretched. “I can’t change how I responded and I can’t just sit here and rationalize it away. I stayed here for a reason. The Gods only know what exact reason, but I did. Besides, the more I sit here and worry about it the less like myself I feel.”

“Oh?” Quatre chuckled.

“Yea. You might find it hard to believe, but I was never well known in my tribe for my analytical skills or thoughtful planning. I’m a more spontaneous, figure it out once it happens, kind of guy.”

“I would have never guessed.” Quatre smiled sarcastically.

Duo gave Quatre a funny look, making him chuckle. He wasn’t quite sure what had caused the man to change his attitude, but whatever it was, he was happy for it.

“So, what did you originally come for?” Duo smiled.

“Well, I didn’t think you would want to…with how you felt when I came…but, there is a banquet tonight, and I thought it would be good for you and Heero to attend.” Quatre explained, watching as Duo’s face began to sink. “Duo…?”

“I…”

Quatre looked at him for a while before it clicked. The last banquet Duo went to he ended up being dangled off a balcony over a pool of lampreys. Not exactly the best example of their banquets for the Belvomanian. But, he knew one little piece of information that might get Duo to attend. “Lord Primitivus won’t be there.”

Duo looked up at him in surprise. “Really? Why?”

“The banquet is being held by Lady Catherine and my husband and, well, Primitivus can’t stand Cathy.”

“Why does he not like Cathy?” Duo asked, his eyes a lot lighter than before.

“He hates how Cathy refuses to marry until she’s ready and throws wild, lavish parties to display her control over the wealth of the family. That…and he proposed to Cathy and she basically told him to quote ‘fuck off’.”

Duo laughed. “Because of that?”

“What can I say?” Quatre shrugged. “The man is shallow.”

His comment earned a laugh out of the Aiko, causing Quatre to smile. He was happy that he was able to help, though the reason for Duo’s sudden happiness still eluded him.

Recovering from his laughter, Duo cocked his head to the side inquisitively. “Has Heero said that he’s going?”

“I haven’t asked him yet.” Quatre explained. //Speaking of, I wonder what he and Trowa are talking about…//

# # # #

“Honestly, I find it rather cute that you worry about your Aiko so much.” Trowa smiled incredulously, causing the other Lord to fume.

“For the last time, Barton, I am not worried about him, I’m just--”

“Depressed that he still wants to get the hell away from you?”

Heero seethed…Trowa smirked. They had been bating back and forth at one another for about fifteen minutes now, Heero hiding his worries while Trowa streamed out blunt accusations which were, unfortunately, true and therefore, pissing Heero off to no end. One thing was for sure, Heero wasn’t getting anywhere in the argument.

“Why would I be depressed about him?”

“Because you like him. And you like how you are around him.”

“Oh? And how am I around him?”

“More lighthearted, talkative, and you even crack a smile around him if the muse descends. Face it Yuy, you used to barely talk, Quatre and I were your only friends outside of your own house, and you never got a good night’s sleep.” Trowa quipped an evil smile. “Though I’m sure the bed company has nothing to do with your cured insomnia, right?”

Heero felt his cheeks burn red but refused to admit defeat. Heero raised a defensive finger and was about to retort when Quatre made himself known by clearing his throat. The Lord of War turned to complain about Trowa to his husband but instead found amused violet orbs smirking back at him.

“…How long have you two been there?” Heero asked, his burning cheeks moving from red to deep scarlet.

“Long enough.” Duo smiled.

Heero cursed under his breath. Their argument was not meant for other peoples’ ears, let alone Duo’s. “I…”

“See, and you even stumble over your words now. Another new aspect.” Trowa smiled and folded his arms in success.

Duo laughed at, what he could assume, the look on his face while Quatre bit back laughter of his own. //By the Gods I really hate that man…//

“All done with the Aiko, Quatre?” Trowa asked his giggling husband.

Quatre nodded in response, still holding back laughter.

“Good.” The green-eyed lord turned once again to face Heero. “Yuy, my sister is having a banquet tonight and she demands that you and your Aiko come.”

Heero, grabbing the chance to change the subject, gave Trowa an inquisitive look. “Demands, huh?”

Trowa shrugged. “You know her, she never does anything lightly.”

“True.” Heero’s gaze fell upon Duo, who was still smiling from their earlier banter. He wasn’t sure if going to a banquet was the best idea, considering the state of things between Duo and him.

“Duo has already agreed to go.” Quatre informed him, making Heero stare wide eyed at the Aiko.

“You–you did?”

“Well, at least that counts Duo in.” Trowa announced, smirking at Heero.

Heero felt like he was getting the third degree from both of them, how hard they were staring at him. Even Duo raised an eyebrow in question.

“Very well.” Heero sighed in defeat. “What time is she beginning?”

Quatre’s smile brightened and he chatted away with Duo as Trowa gave Heero the information. There was just one question on Heero’s mind, however. “Is it going to be one of…those parties?”

“Again, you know my sister.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Trowa gave him one of his quiet smirks once again and then, grabbing the excited little blonde, excused himself, leaving Heero and Duo alone. He wasn’t sure why Duo’s attitude had changed, though he couldn’t help but be happy for it. It must have been something Quatre had said. Whatever the reason, he was just happy that maybe today didn’t have to be filled by an indifferent air between them.

Heero then rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as he turned to Duo. “Do you…really want to go?”

The Aiko blushed a little and looked away. “Well, it’s Trowa’s sister and all…plus Primitivus doesn’t like her so he’ll most likely not be there…right?”

Heero could tell Duo was looking at him in the hopes of a reassurance. “No, Primitivus won’t be there.” //…Though I’m sure he wishes he could swallow his pride to attend the event…//

Duo smiled. “Then it’s alright with me. Besides, I’ve already told Sally, and you know how much she loves to torture me by playing dress-up.”

Heero smirked at his memory of the last time they had gone to a banquet…then felt his temperature increase a little as he remembered how stunning Duo had looked with ribbon braided through his hair. He had to hand it to Sally, if any artist had a canvas like Duo, how could they stand not to paint on it?

Duo cocked his head to the side. “What time is it at?”

“A bit past sunset.”

The Aiko gave him a funny look. “A bit past sunset?”

Heero shrugged. “What can I say? It’s Cathy. Her parties are a little less…poised than most.”

Duo’s funny look remained, even as they went their separate ways for the day.

# # # #

He knew that his sudden change in attitude must have perplexed the hell out of Heero, but it made sense in his own mind. It wasn’t until he really began to think about the way he had been acting that he realized how unlike himself he had been lately. His old self could have cared less about half of the things he had been getting upset about. True, the fact that he hadn’t ran once the sai rings were off of him was a shock, but then again, he was very well known for doing the unexpected.

And that was it.

Even though he had been acting in ways that were unaccredited for his tribe, in truth, he had always done so. He was known in his tribe as the person who always caused trouble, did the unexpected and lived just enough in the bounds of their culture not to be thrown out of it.

Once he finally thought on it, he really was acting like himself. Irrational, annoying, moody at times…it was all him. He had to admit, if he wasn’t Heero’s ‘slave’ and they had met in different circumstances, he would have been trying to coax Heero into a far more physical relationship a lot quicker. Hell, he would have even been blunt about it, no sense beating around the bush, right?

Duo was more apt to let things slide off his back more than he had been lately as well. Normally he would just roll with the punches, take things as they came, so on and so forth. Instead, he had been letting feelings and thoughts stay bottled up inside of him, brooding on things that won’t change no matter how hard he thought on them.
All this he blamed on one person…and surprisingly it wasn’t himself. It was Heero. The man made him feel different, sometimes in a bad way, but most of the time it felt good to be around him. There, he admitted it. He liked being with Heero. Now if only he could admit his other feelings about him, then he would be set. //Ha! As if that would happen any time soon.//

Feeling a bit better about his reaction, Duo got up off of his bed and changed to go to the outside practice ring. He figured that he might as well get a little workout in before the party. Then later, he would talk to Heero about the attacks.

# # # #

The sun was a few hours away from setting when Sally came to fetch him from the practice ring and threw him into the bath. Literally.

Duo coughed as he came up from the warm water. “What was that for!!”

“That,” Sally chided, “was for getting all sweaty and dirty right before a party.”

The Aiko snorted. “You would have made me bathe anyway, so might as well make it worthwhile.”

“Honesty.” That was all he got out of Sally in response, making him smirk.

Sally grumbled on as she washed Duo’s hair from behind, earning growls of protest whenever she scrubbed his scalp too vigorously for his liking. Once finished with the mass of wavy chestnut hair, Sally ordered him out of the bath and demanded he rub himself with all kinds of sweet smelling oils and lotions. “What are all of these for, anyway?”

“Your skin and such. You have potential Duo, you just need the proper...oh what is the word…”

“Pampering?” Duo supplied.

“Not exactly what I was going for, but close enough. Now, hurry up with the lotions, I need to do your hair.”

The Aiko sighed but did as he was asked nonetheless. One he was deemed polished enough, Sally sat him down and began to braid small pieces of his hair in different ways, making Duo feel more girlish that he liked, though he couldn’t quite see what she was doing.

“Don’t you think this is a little much?” He asked as she continued to decorate small chunks of his hair.

“You have an exotic look about you and I think it’s high time you utilize that fact.”

Duo made a funny face in response that he was sure would have gotten him a slap on the arm from Sally if she could see it.

“Anyway,” Sally smiled. “Believe me, it’s one of Cathy’s parties. You’ll feel like a complete outcast if you don’t go all-out.”

“Oh really,” Duo cocked an eyebrow as he watched Sally move from his hair to the dresser.

“I know I put it in here.” Sally muttered to herself as she tossed clothing out of the drawers, giving the Aiko a chance to inspect his hair. Picking up pieces of his hair, Duo came to the conclusion that most of it was still down, but many sections of it were twisted into different braids, complete with violet ribbons. //At least she spared me any bows…//

“There!” Sally announced, pulling Duo’s attention back to the woman. “Now, this is a little different than what is usually worn around here, but then again you’re different too, so I thought it would look amazing on you.”

Duo leaned his head to the side as he stared at the …slightly small piece of clothing. “Just that?”

Sally smiled, most likely from the look on Duo’s face. “No, there are a few other pieces, this is just the tunic.”

“This is a tunic?” Duo asked as he held up the piece of cloth, his face contorted to mimic his inner confusion. “How?”

Sally pressed her lips together and snagged the tunic away from the Aiko. “Oh, just give me that!”

Duo sighed inwardly…this was going to be even worse than Heero’s birthday. Sally then pulled out the so-called pants and held them up for Duo to see.

//…much worse…//

# # # #

Heero looked on idly at his reflection, adjusting the sash over his shoulder so it would fall right. His mind couldn’t help but wander on what Duo would be dressed in--to the point that he began to care less about his own clothing ritual; which became apparent when he forgot to lace up one of his sandals and promptly tripped over his own feet on the way to the dresser.

“Dammit.” Heero growled to the floor. Not only was the image of what the Aiko might be wearing plaguing his mind, but the reason for his sudden happiness was too. He knew when the Aiko had left his room he had been very angry with himself…then next thing he knew, Duo was fine again. He knew Quatre could work miracles sometimes, but even this was a bit much.

Whatever the reason, Heero got up from the floor determined to not only enjoy Duo’s light mood, but to try his best to keep him there. After all, even he had noticed that he was the main reason for Duo’s anger most of the time.

Tying his sandal finally, the lord walked the rest of the way to the dresser and slipped on his last pieces of jewelry. Though he didn’t usually wear much decoration, even to banquets, he had decided to for this party. After all, he knew what Sally thought of Cathy’s parties and would dress Duo accordingly…which would most likely embarrass the poor man to no end. So, to make the Aiko more comfortable, Heero had decided to dress as Cathy was always griping at him to //I think the word was ‘seductively’//.

Eyeing himself in the mirror, Heero grinned with the hope that maybe this time, Duo would be the one to stutter once he walked into the room.


TBC

And on with the next!