August 7, 2000
Rating: Mature audience only, please...
Pairings: 3+4, 1+2+5, 6+N, R+D, S+11
Warnings: Yaoi and Yuri themes. Sappy in some areas (blame it on the romantic). Angst in other areas.
Spoilers: Episodes from the series and Endless Waltz...
Feedback: C&C is always welcomed and adored. Flames may be met with hexes and curses though! ^_^
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu Agency and are only being used for non-profit entertainment purposes. References to printed texts, films, sitcoms, musical pieces, and/or other fanfictions don't belong to me either. Sometimes they just get stuck in my brain and refuse to get out. ^_^
Notes: This story takes our favorite boys and subjects them to the worse horrors known to men. For time-line purposes, "Oh Baby, Baby" is approximately 8 years after "Have You Ever..." (203 AC), placing the boys at ~23-24 years of age.
The boys and company have gathered at a Winner Estate for a 'picnic'. Zechs and Noin are married with a two-year old daughter, 'Kit'. Trowa and Quatre have announced that they are planning on having a child.
"So I understand that you are Trowa are planning to adopt," Zechs Marquise was saying pleasantly as he selected a slice of honeydew from a plate.
Beside him, the young man known to the world as the head of the largest enterprise in space, started. "Well, actually, no," Quatre said after a moment, selecting some honeydew and cantaloupe for himself.
"But," the taller man frowned. "Noin mentioned something about you and Trowa and a child."
Quatre smiled, passing by the strawberries and whipped cream in favor of some grapes and blue berries. "Yes," he said simply.
Zechs continued to frown, coming to the end of one table and proceeding to the next. "Then how--" but the young Winner had not followed him. He shook his head and continued to scoop food onto his plate. He'd only have a short time to eat anyway before Noin started in on him--not that he was complaining.
Quatre set his plate down at the small five-person round table on the patio deck overlooking the manicured lawns and gardens and the pool deck below. Trowa and Wufei were already at the table, plates filled with an assortment of fresh fruits before them. Heero had been in the buffet line behind him. Duo was probably still asleep in his bed. Trowa looked up at him as he sat down, smiling, nodding towards the pool below.
Marine eyes followed to where they were directed. And lit with a loving amusement. On the ground floor below, the Maguanac children were playing in the large paradise-like pool, screaming, shouting, splashing, laughing... being children. And in the midst of all those little children was a big, twenty-three year old child-at-heart: Duo Maxwell.
The ex-gundam pilot had a squealing two-year old in his arms; midnight curls plastered to head, ice-blue eyes shining brightly, rosy little lips spread wide in a large grin. Duo lifted her up out of the water--like a little mermaid surging up out of the ocean, her hot pink and teal swimsuit sparkling like tiny scales--and then dunked her completely under, jumping back up with his prized possession. The little girl was loving every minute of it.
"He really is a natural with children," Quatre said, slipping a cool piece of honeydew between his lips and swallowing the sweet juices.
"Hn," Heero replied, setting his plate down at the table. Unlike the other three plates, his had a healthy helping of pancakes, waffles, eggs...
Quatre's eyes bugged. "Are you really going to eat all that?"
Beside him, Wufei snorted. "You should try shopping for the two of them," the Chinese boy said, eating a piece of kiwi. "Twice a week--just to keep some food in the kitchen."
"It's the baka's fault," the Japanese boy mumbled, cutting his pancakes in eighths and then eating two pieces as once.
Wufei snorted again. "You just got too used to eating off his plate." He shot a wink towards the other two boys. "It's terrible the amount of junk food we have at the house."
"Hn."
Trowa chuckled. "Junk food, huh?" He eyed his own plate of fresh fruits. "That doesn't sound like such a bad idea." He reached over and speared a piece of waffle, darting back before the oozing syrup or it's intended owner could stop him.
"Trowa! That's bad for you!" Quatre admonished. Trowa smiled and leaned over, kissing the blond man.
"Mmm, maybe," the unibanged man replied. "But it was delicious."
The blond hmphfed as both the Chinese and the uni-banged young men laughed.
"What's so funny?" a certain dripping wet man with a long braid asked as he leaned over Heero's shoulder, snatched up Wufei's fork and proceeded to shovel half of the food on Heero's plate into his own mouth.
"Hey!" the Japanese boy protested as--suddenly--half his selected breakfast disappeared. "You *could* make your own plate, you know..." he grumbled.
Duo flashed him a smile and kissed his cheek. "Yeah, but then it wouldn't taste as good!" He sent the others a wink. A tug on his scalp caught his attention and he grinned.
"Oh ho! What have we here?" he asked, scooping up the insistent 2-year-old. "You follow me up the stairs, did ya? Hungry?" He broke off a small piece of waffle and handed it to the child. She grinned at him and began gnawing on the bread.
"Careful," a voice said behind them. "Feeding the wild animals may be hazardous to your sanity," Noin continued with a smile.
"What sanity?" Duo asked, winking at her. "Why Ms. Noin, you look pretty as a picture in that get-up."
"Careful, Maxwell," Zechs said with a grin as he came up beside his wife. "That *is* my wife you're flattering here."
Noin play-punched his arm. "Hush you! It's nice to get compliments from *someone*." Before Zechs could defend himself, Noin was continuing. "Duo, would you mind watching Kit for us a little bit longer? Marie was giong to watch her today, but Sally and Une had to leave and they took Marie back with them and we've got to leave soon or we're going to be late and--"
"Sure," Duo replied with a grin. "I can watch her, huh?" he turned to the child--who grinning up at him adoringly. "We'll have *lots* of fun, won't we?"
Zechs groaned. "I don't know who to be more concerned about." He shot the braided young man a warning look. "Careful Duo, she has *endless* energy... even for someone like you."
Duo laughed. "Never fear! I think I can keep up with one little rugrat." He winked at the couple. "I'm not as old as some people here."
Zechs rolled his eyes. "Hn. Wait till *you* start inching towards thirty *boy*."
Duo grinned up at him. "Who? Me?" he shot Noin a conspirator look. "I'm still waiting to pass six!"
"If that was a six year old in bed this morning then they're being taught a whole lot more than---" Heero found a slice of cantaloupe shoved into his mouth. He blinked, shocked, and then began to chew the fruit, glaring up at Duo--who just smiled down at him and batted his eyelashes innocent-like.
"Where are you off to so early?" Quatre stepped in, host-ingrained pleasantries coming to the fore.
"Church," Noin replied happily. "And then maybe some shopping in town." To which Zechs rolled his ice-blue eyes and the others laughed.
"Well, have fun," Quatre told them. "Dinner will be served around seven--nothing special. Just another buffet."
"Yes," Trowa picked up. "Mostly just leftovers since there will be less people here by then."
"Oh? More are leaving already?" Zechs queried.
"I saw Hilde heading out last night," Noin frowned. "She said something about getting back to home and work."
Quatre nodded. "Yes. Unfortunately the Maguanac have their own homes to return to, too, and even the preventer agents who were able to come have already begun to return to their own lives."
Noin sighed. "Well, that does happen, Quatre." She smiled at him. "People do have to get back to their own lives."
"Yes, I know," he smiled at her. "It's just nice to see everyone have such a great time--I hate to see it end."
"You mean you hate to see this big old house go back to being empty again," Trowa said, reaching out to clasp his love's hand.
Quatre smiled and nodded. "That too."
By afternoon, everyone's favorite braided-baka was conked out on the sofa in the study. Trowa and Quatre were leading their guests in an amateur game of football, a.k.a. soccer, in one of the many fields surrounding the Winner Estate. Heero Yuy was by the poolside playing lifeguard, watching the children who were too enthralled by the idea of sitting water you could play in that they refused to get out of the pool.
And where was the little one Duo was supposed to be watching?
Curled up against a certain Chinese man's chest, fighting off the sleep that tugged at her slowly drooping eyes as the young man cradled her and read to her from the book he held open in his lap. His voice was deep--not too deep. Just deep enough to be soothing, lulling... relaxing. And the scent that surrounded him was one that promoted safety--like her daddy's...
And before she knew it, the little girl was caught in the world of dreams where a gentle dragon carried her over to a beautiful white kingdom...
Wufei smiled down at the child's head that was pillowed against him. So sweet, so innocent, so trusting. He debated on taking the child up to her bed so she could sleep more comfortably, but then decided moving would probably be a bad idea. And so he continued to lounge there in his favorite chair by the bay window, reading from the book of Chinese lore.
He didn't notice the cornflower blue eyes that spied upon him from a tiny crack in the door; or hear the dreamy sigh that fell from coral lips. But that doesn't mean they weren't there.
"Would you look at that?" a sweet voice cooed as the blond man leaned up against his love.
"I warned him," the tall platinum blond replied, also grinning.
"I'm just amazed they got her to take her nap," another sweet voice murmured--female, belonging to the dark haired woman who leaned close to the tall blond.
"Hn."
Four pairs of eyes turned to the Japanese man.
"Oh, c'mon, Heero," Quatre said, his eyes giving him that *look*--that annoying 'puppy-dog' look that could melt ice... and, unfortunately, Heero wasn't made of ice anymore. "Can you honestly tell me that isn't the most adorable thing you've ever seen?"
Heero didn't answer--because he couldn't deny it. They had begun to worry when the trio had turned up missing half an hour ago. Questioning had affirmed the fact that no one had seen either the braided-baka or the Chinese man since earlier that day. A quick search had brought the five people to the same study they had gathered in the night before. And this.
Duo was stretched out on the sofa that had been dubbed as 'his' some odd years ago. One arm and leg on, one arm and leg off, as he snored away, his braid wrapped around him like a silky tail.
Off in the corner, in 'his' chair, Wufei was sound asleep as well, the book he'd been reading was on his lap as another sleeping little body curled itself against his chest.
The sight was too... homey, Heero thought, something in his chest clenching. It looked too... *right* even... And it scared the bejesus out of him.
"You know," Noin said softly, leaning into the crook of her husband's arm. "I was telling Wufei yesterday that he was a natural with kids. He'd make a really great dad."
Heero shot her a look--an unidentifiable look on his face. He looked back at the trio. And then, without saying a word, turned and walked away.
Noin stared after him, shocked. "Damn if that wasn't the same thing Wufei did," she murmured.
"What's that they say about time breeding familiarity?" Zechs asked, nibbling at his wife's throat. Noin wasn't paying any attention to him though and was instead, looking over to Quatre and Trowa. The couple looked somewhat sad.
"Heero doesn't want children," the blond man said softly. "Duo..." he shrugged. "Duo's a natural with children, and Wufei's... well, he's so kind-hearted when he allows himself to be..." Aquamarine eyes turned down to catch hers--it was strange, having to look up to meet 'little' Quatre in the eye, now. "Heero's afraid, though."
"Afraid?" Zechs repeated before Noin could, frowning at the young man.
Quatre nodded, but it was Trowa who answered. "He knows he can't hurt us, but he still doesn't feel secure enough in his own abilities."
Noin was frowning now too. "That doesn't make sense..."
"It doesn't have to," Quatre told him. "It's still how he feels."
"Well, someone should knock him over the head and show him he'd make a great dad, too!" Noin said, turning to leave the room. "C'mon. Let's let them rest. When she wakes up, Kit'll be like a little hellion... they'll need all the energy they can get."
They turned to leave--unaware of the onyx eye that cracked open to follow them out.
"Hn," Chang Wufei snuffed before resettling in his favorite chair. "We were not meant to be parents. Heero knows and understands that. The same as I," he mumbled before slipping back to sleep.
********** End of "Oh Baby, Baby" Part Three **********
Andrea Readwolf
Please send comments to: andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com