Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Past Meets Present ❯ Chapter 15 ( Chapter 16 )

Wufei found himself standing out in the hall, waiting for Meiran to finish dressing. Just moments before, he had walked in on her changing. She had been almost naked, just putting on her panties when he had barged in. She yelled at him to get out, and he did, hoping that his nose wouldn’t start to bleed like it was threatening to.

He had only wanted to get his glasses and yet, had been greeted with that. Not that he minded. She had a nice body, he admitted, his face turning red.

“Thinking naughty thoughts?” Duo’s voice suddenly said in his ear. The American startled his friend. This caused Wufei to drop one of his crutches, which hit Duo in the face. But, this also left Wufei unbalanced and he started to fall. But, he didn’t hit the floor. Something soft had landed between him and it.

“Can you get off of me?” An annoyed female voice requested. He held back a groan. He had landed on Meiran who must have come out of the room at just that moment.

“If I could, I would,” he answered. He was able to shift slightly, giving her enough room to stand up. But, trying to get himself up, now that was another thing entirely. He looked at his friend and wife for a moment, not saying a word.

“You can’t get up, can you?” Meiran asked, a smirk on her face. Duo laughed and said, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

The two burst out laughing while Wufei glared at them. By this time, Trowa had appeared, wondering why they were being so loud. Seeing Wufei on the floor, the clown helped his friend up.

“Thank you,” Wufei told his friend. He glared at the other two and hobbled off, glasses forgotten.

“So, what was wrong with him?” Trowa wondered. Duo replied between laughs, “Just a bruised ego.”

“I’m bored,” Xin Xin’s voice announced. She had been watching Duo play video games with Heero for an hour now. Her mother was talking to Hilde about grown-up things. And everyone else was reading.

And then she got an idea. Walking over to her father, she asked him a question.

“In two days. Why?” Wufei answered, not looking up from his book. “I was just wond’ring,” the girl replied. She scampered off to the room that she had been staying in.

Sitting on her bed, she looked at the small dragon she had gotten as a young child. She didn’t know where it came from or who gave it to her, but the thing was her favorite. “Guess what Mr. Dragon, my Die’s birthday is in two days.”

The thing didn’t answer, but she must have heard something because the young girl continued. “Yeah, I don’t know what I’m going to get him.”

Again, there was silence as both the child and dragon thought. A little while later, her mother walked in.

“Dinner’s ready, Xin Xin.”

“Okay, Niáng,” the girl replied, following her mother out of the room. The girl saw an empty spot next to her father and took it. Across from Xin Xin, Hilde sat. Next to Hilde was Niáng. And then Trowa and Quatre were sitting at one end. At the other end were Duo and Heero.

“Pass the potatoes, please,” Quatre requested.

“Well, did you have fun today, Wufei?” Duo asked. Wufei’s face started to turn red. “What happened?” Hilde interjected.

“Oh, Mr. Stick Up His Ass fell on to the floor and couldn’t get up,” Duo answered.

“Niáng, what’s an ass?” Xin Xin wondered.

“Maxwell, watch your language,” Wufei yelled at his friend.

“Can someone,” Quatre began but was drowned out.

“Like you’re any better,” Duo snorted.

“You sound like a pig when you do that,” Heero informed the man sitting next to him. This caused a few smiles to crack.

“At least I don’t have a stalker,” the American shot back.

“She’s not my stalker. Not anymore,” Heero calmly answered, taking a bite of his dinner.

“Yes, know it’s the other way around,” Wufei smirked. This caused Heero to glare at the Chinese man.

“Potatoes,” Quatre finished, unheard by the others.

“At least I’m not suicidal;” Heero answered after a few moments. Trowa, Wufei, and Duo all looked at him surprised.

“I thought Heero Yuy and suicide were synonyms,” Trowa supplied. “Damn, he’s got that right,” Duo said as he laughed.

“Niáng, what’s damn?” Xin Xin’s voice cut through.

“Duo, please watch your language,” Meiran requested. “Yes, listen to the woman, Maxwell,” Wufei put in.

“Will someone please,” Quatre began. No one was listening, just bickering amongst themselves. The Arabian had had enough.

“Everyone shut up!” He hollered over them. Each person looked at him, not used to such a sweet and quiet person to burst out yelling like that.

“Much better,” Quatre sighed. “Now, will someone please pass me the potatoes?”

“Night, Xin Xin,” Meiran told her daughter, giving the girl a kiss on the forehead. “‘Night, Niáng,” Meiran heard as she left the room.

Heading down to the game room, Meiran found Heero, Trowa, Duo, and Hilde currently participating in a foosball game. Quatre was watching them. Joining the large group, she watched. Not quite getting what was happening, she asked the Arabian to explain the game to her. This got her a few odd stares from the rest of the people but the Arabian obliged. After Hilde and Duo had beaten the other two, Meiran noticed that she hadn’t seen her husband since dinner.

“Where’s Wufei at?” She asked them.

“The Wu-man didn’t say. He just kind of went off on his own,” Duo informed her from where he lay on the couch. He started laughing at just that moment. Hilde had started to tickle him and the man, as the others found out, was very ticklish.

Meiran nodded and sat down in one of the room’s chairs. It was hard to keep from yawning. Looking at the clock, she found it to be almost eleven-thirty. She realized Heero had left already. Quatre and Trowa were snuggling and didn’t look like they’d be leaving anytime soon.
“Listen, I’m going to bed. See you guys tomorrow,” Meiran told her friends. Duo and Hilde didn’t say word, a tickle fight going on between the two. And the other two men in the room could have been on Jupiter for all they were doing.

“So tired,” she said to herself, walking down the hall. Stopping to check on her daughter who was sleeping peacefully, Meiran was now ready to just drop off and sleep. She noted that her husband was already asleep. Not bothering to change, she slipped into bed next to him.

The smell of something burning hit her nose. Skin, she thought, her body feeling hot and cold all at once. And then, the sweet smell of flowers. Someone was there though. Their presence was comforting, but then, gone.

“We can’t let him know,” a voice said as she passed off into darkness. And then, she was alone. Pain was everywhere. And then, those horrible words. She screamed.

“Shh,” Meiran heard someone whisper in her ear. She was being held from behind but unlike in her dream, she knew that this comforting presence would not disappear. “It was just a dream,” he told her.

The woman didn’t reply, just melted into him, tears falling down her face.

“Wufei, don’t go,” she muttered, holding onto his arms with her hands. “Don’t leave.”

He shifted, uncomfortable. Wufei could deal with the teasing, unmerciful Meiran. He could deal her acting the way she did during the day. But this, this new Meiran he had no idea what to do with. He was used to her being strong, never letting anyone see her pain. Proud and arrogant, that’s what his wife was.

Not having a clue what to do, he just held her. After awhile, she feel asleep. It took him a few minutes to adjust himself comfortably. He tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn’t.

Not after what had just happened. What could have caused her to act like she had? Meiran must have gone to bed after him because one minute he was asleep, the next being attacked. Well, not quite attacked, more like on the receiving end of a very violent dream. It had taken him about ten minutes to calm her down and then she’d just broken down right in his arms. It was unnerving.

But, he was able to fall asleep after a while. Wufei opened his eyes, seeing Meiran staring at him, face unreadable. She was just looking at him. “You stayed,” she muttered to herself.

He smirked and answered, “Looks like.”

“Thank you,” Meiran whispered, burying her head into his chest. He looked at her, feeling uncomfortable. He had no idea what to do to comfort her. So, instead of thinking, he acted impulsively and pulled her closer.

“Listen, woman,” he began. Meiran stopped him. “My name is not woman. It’s Meiran.”

“Woman,” he continued. “I’m not listening. Call me by my name,” she protested, starting to pull away from him. Somehow, Wufei found himself disliking this. Her moving away from him that is.

He sighed, not wanting to argue right when he was waking up and began again. “Okay, Meiran. I’m not going away. You and I are stuck together, got that?”

This caused her to smile. “Yeah, I got that,” she told him, poking him in the ribs. “Good, now that that’s settled, do you think I could get up now?” Wufei asked. She let him up and watched as he took some clothes to the bathroom down the hall.

Getting out of bed, she locked the door and began to change clothes. About halfway through, a knock on the door interrupted her. “Yes?” She called out.

“It’s me, woman. I need to get back into the room;” she heard her husband’s voice say. “In a minute,” she answered. As she finished, she walked over to the door and opened it. His body was moist, she realized as he went by. He must have just come out of the shower. And his hair was down like he had worn in when they were younger.

She headed out of the room. She didn’t check on her daughter, knowing the young girl would still be asleep. After all, it was only six in the morning. Meiran went into the kitchen and saw Quatre making something at the stove. She didn’t know what it was, but it sure smelled good.

“So, I’m not the only one up,” Quatre turned and smiled. “No one else was up so I decided to make breakfast,” he went on.

“Anything I could do to help?” Meiran asked. He thought for a moment and replied, “Yeah, you could start a pot of coffee. I’ve only got a small kettle of tea going right now. That happens when you’re the only one who seems to like the stuff.”

“What kind of tea?” She asked as she made the coffee. “Chamomile.”

“I might have a cup then, if it’s okay with you,” Meiran told him. “That’s fine by me,” she heard the Arabian reply. While she helped him finish up, the other adults migrated towards the kitchen. It wasn’t long before the group was sitting and eating. With it being so early, most of them weren’t up to conversation. Afterwards, when the adults were done and Xin Xin was eating, Meiran decided to speak to Duo about something that had been bugging her.

“What’s the matter?” He asked.

“Well, tomorrow’s Wufei’s birthday,” she began, not knowing how to say what she wanted to.

“And you don’t know what to get him,” Duo finished. She nodded. “Well, I’m not sure what you could give him. But, hey, remember this,” Duo went on. “You’re special to him. You can tell just by looking at him whenever he’s around you.”

The American stopped for a moment and then waved his hand towards Quatre and Trowa who were watching a movie together. “You two are kinda like those guys. Made for each other.”

Meiran felt her face become red. After a few moments of embarrassment, she decided to ask him a question.

“Me? Well, there’s a person I like, that’s true. But you see, he’s kind of a bastard and probably doesn’t even like me,” Duo replied. “I mean, the guy’s threatened to kill me on a few different occasions.”

“Then why do you like him?” She asked.

“I really have no clue,” Duo snorted. “Not a clue.”

A/N: Just so you know I am a Ken Akamatsu fan. I read Negima! 2 recently, so I was kind of influenced by that. If you know his work at all, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Though, really, that’s more of a Love Hina thing.

Oh, three guesses on whom Duo likes. I think it’s obvious but then again, it may be just because I know whom he does like. I own nothing in this fic but Xin Xin whose starting to fade in the background.

One last thing, Wufei’s birthday next chapter!