30-Apr-2002
Title: Promise of the Rings
Series: A Matter of Heart
Arc: Dance of the Heart #4
By: Andrea Readwolf
Email: andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com or andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com
Rating: YA-Adult
Pairings: 3+4 (4x3/3x4), 1+2+5 (2x1/2x1, 5x2/2x5, 1x5/5x1), 6+9, 6+13, R+D, 11+S
Archive: This fic and others in this Series are hosted at these wonderful sites:
P-Chan's Heaven: http://yheaven.tripod.com/fic/andreareadwolf.html
Eos's Fan Fic Archive: http://www.geocities.com/The_Eos/fanfic.html
GW Addiction! http://www.gwadditction.com
Warnings: The following fic contains scenes that are humorous, sap, and angst; slightly AU with Incoherence and random POV switching. Original Characters are presented; all characters are IC according to the author's interpretation of them.
Lemon-goodness. YAOI, YURI, and HETERO.
Spoilers: Gundam Wing and its OVA: Endless Waltz.
Feedback: C&C is always welcomed and adored. Constructive Criticism is... digestible. ^_~
Acknowledgements go out to the wonderful people who have made my sojourn in GW-fanfiction more than just enjoyable: Thank You!
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 the author either.
Notes: This is the Sequel to "In the Pale Moonlight" and represents Part 4 in the DANCE OF THE HEART Arc. The action picks up hours after Heero blows up the Mariemeia's fortified castle and continues up through the following Christmas. Original characters will be appearing throughout the fic: the Behr siblings, the Winner Clan, the Raberbas, etc.
Additional Note: It would be impossible to embark on the next leg of this journey without giving credit where credit is due. My 1+2+5 obsession is heavily due to Bonnejeanne, Vonceia, RavynFyre, and KeelyWolfe. It's unthinkable to me to precede with "Promie of the Rings" without acknowledging those ladies who have paved the way for me with this grouping. As a result, my opinions and writings may seem very similar to theirs'. This fic is not an attempt to steal their words-only an attempt to finalize what was set in motion in "Have You Ever...".
This fic and the ideas contained within are copyright of the author and may not be reprinted without permission.
Open Arms (Journey) and Something's Coming (West Side Story)
December 198 AC
Lying beside you, here in the dark
Feeling your heartbeat with mine,
Softly you whisper, you're so sincere.
How can our love be so blind?
We sailed on together,
We drifted apart,
I'm here, you're here by my side.
Trowa lay on his side; Quatre snuggled up against his chest, curled into him, sound asleep. It was late-already 4am. In another hour and a half, his shining prince would be waking... They had stayed up late; Quatre reviewing business papers, Trowa reading a book of philosophy Wufei had lent him. It had been late when the blond young executive of the Earth Sphere's largest company had finally sighed and agreed to retire to bed... it had been later still before he had exhausted himself into sleep.
Trowa could not sleep.
He laid awake, watching Quatre sleep; his heart swelled his throat. Fingers brushed through blond bangs, fanning them away from that angelic face, tracing the delicate curve of his face... that smooth extent of that deceiving body. So strong for one so small.... Strong in body and in spirit...
He could feel the rhythmic thudding of Quatre's heart, beating against his chest, resonating, repeating, and answering in Trowa's chest. Whimsically, he thought it was like their two hearts beating as one... or, better still, that Quatre /was/ his heart... the entity that kept him alive.
In the silent darkness of predawn there was nothing to distract him from his love. The soft skin; the slopes, valleys, and plateaus of toned muscles; the fine, blond hairs that covered his pale, golden body.... In his arms, Quatre slept, unconscious or else unbothered by his lover's scrutiny.
And the soft murmur that fell so innocently from Quatre's sleeping lips... "Love you."
Trowa smiled, closing his eyes and burying his face into Quatre's soft hair. "Love you, too," he replied to the sleeping form, wondering what had possessed him to ever leave this boy.
It was so easy to remember-to remember how they had been, during the war. It was crazy; it was horrible timing. Everything should have been so terrible-the fighting, the killing, the dying, the hiding, the hunting, the hunted... never knowing if you were going to be alive at the end of the day... tomorrow... the day after that?
In all that was horrible... he had found something so good. Too good. Quatre made him remember there was still good in the world...
His smiles... his laughter... his kisses... his sweet touches... and the sex. The sex was definitely good. Better than good. Sex with Quatre hadn't been just sex... it had been love. Love....
A tear slipped free, rolling down Trowa's cheek and falling into Quatre's hair.
Love... he hadn't understood it then. He hadn't understood it even when he'd left... he'd understood the pain. He knew pain.... But never...
His arms tightened around the blond boy, holding on to his lifesaver...
Lifesaver... yes, Quatre was his lifesaver. He wasn't alive without Quatre... just some body, a husk walking around, filling up space. Quatre made him feel alive. Quatre's love made him feel alive...
And then Trowa had realized... he loved Quatre....
He loved Quatre... and wanted to be with him... Even if he wasn't worthy of the other boy. Even if the other boy didn't care for him like he said he did... but then... Quatre did. Quatre said he loved Trowa... and he meant it... and he wanted to be with him, too...
Quatre wanted Trowa.... Out of everyone, anyone... he wanted Trowa...
"Love you, too," he whispered, finally too exhausted to remain awake.
So now I come to you, with open arms
Nothing to hid, believe what I say
So here I am, with open arms,
Hoping you'll see, what you love means to me,
Open arms.
Quatre kissed him, lips pressing against his, lips opening, teeth nipping at his lower lip, sucking at it. "I missed you so much," the blond man groaned, arms wrapping around Trowa and holding him close.
"I missed you, too," the cinnamon haired youth admitted, willingly melting into Quatre's arms. This was where he wanted to be... this is what was missing during the long, lonely year... Quatre. "I'm sorry."
Gently, callused hands cupped his face, forcing him to look down into bright, shining, teal eyes. "I'm sorry, too. I was prideful. I didn't want you to leave; I didn't try to stop you because I was too proud. I'm sorry," Quatre whispered, staring up at Trowa sincerely.
"I was afraid..." Trowa admitted softly. "I was afraid of loving you... I didn't understand..."
"Love you..." Quatre breathed against his lips.
"Love you, too," Trowa answered, kissing him.
Living without you, living alone
This empty house seemed so cold
Wanting to hold you, wanting you near
How much I wanted you home
But now that you've come back
Tonight into day, I need you stay.
Quatre woke naturally at a quarter to six-the time he got up to go to work. But today was Saturday, and there was no place he needed to be. At least, not for another three hours.
Smiling, he stared up at his lover, thinking about how nice it was to wake up in Trowa's arms. The past year had been horrible... sleeping alone... waking up alone... Not that he didn't have plenty of opportunities to change that fact... They... They just weren't Trowa. He had hated it. Hated that feeling of isolation.
He'd been surrounded by employees and sisters.... By socials and officials... and he'd been utterly alone.
If only once, during those twelve months... Only once, if he'd been able to hold Trowa... see him... But, no. he'd let his pride get in the way. If Trowa hadn't wanted him, then he wasn't going to go begging for the other pilot to come back. Gundam pilots didn't beg... well, most of the time, anyway, Quatre thought, smiling again as he pressed his cheek against Trowa's well-toned chest.
He was glad he'd gotten over that. Glad he'd decided that he didn't want to live without Trowa-and relieved beyond belief that Trowa felt the same about him. And now, they were together again... they were home, with each other.
And Quatre intended for them to stay that way; together, forever... it was only a matter of 'when'.
So now I come to you, with open arms
Nothing to hid, believe what I say
So here I am, with open arms
Hoping you'll see, what you love means to me,
Open arms.
Trowa smiled at him, as his lover bowed and asked him to dance. He normally felt silly, dancing at one of these socials that Quatre was required to attend, but he would do anything the blond man asked of him, and smiling graciously, he accepted. They turned out onto the dance floor, both graceful and talented-the dance one Quatre had been trained in many years ago and Trowa had picked up on easily. Together they made a stunning couple, despite of or perhaps because of the lack of skirts that hid either partner's legs throughout the dance.
Trowa was somewhat breathless before the dance was over-more because of the look Quatre was giving him... those aqua-like eyes twinkling with devilment. Trowa almost laughed-a deep laugh rolling up from his stomach and chest-when the blond twirled him off the dance floor and out of the room onto the terrace without missing a beat. They walked hand-in-hand, silently through the December-chilled English-style garden, smiling as they danced with their own thoughts.
It was several minutes before Quatre stopped them near a fountain. Turning the other man to look at him, Quatre smiled and squeezed Trowa's hand.
"Trowa?" he began, his voice soft and lovely-the voice Trowa had come to love as much as the man to whom it belonged. "I love you."
Trowa smiled, leaning forward to kiss Quatre as he replied, "Love you, too."
But Quatre smiled and ducked away from Trowa's approaching lips-the taller man presented a mock-pout, but obediently did not try to kiss him. Quatre couldn't help but be thrilled-they knew each other so well. They had come such a long way in three years...
"I know," Quatre answered, brushing Trowa's lips with his thumbs. "I always want us to be together."
"I'm not going anywhere," Trowa returned, grinning now, as well, wrapping his arms loosely around Quatre's waist, as well aware of where this type of conversation tended to lead as his lover was. Absently, he wondered what the chances were of any person wandering out into the gardens and just what their response would be to finding two men going at it in the bushes.
"Care to make that official?"
Trowa's thoughts came to a blinding halt and the smile melted away from his face as stunned surprise took over. "Ex-cuse me?" he stuttered.
Quatre smiled, leaning up to press his lips to Trowa's. "I love you, Trowa Barton, and I want us to be together always, officially." His hands slid around Trowa's face to clasp lightly around his neck. "I would like us to be married... I want you to be my husband."
Trowa didn't know what to say or do or how he could say or do it even if he did know. His body reacted on its own, swiftly moving around Quatre's, his lips sealing over Quatre's mouth, his tongue diving into its moist recesses as he squeezed the shorter man to him.
When they finally broke apart, both men were smiling radiantly. "I'm offering you love, and passion... and co-ownership of one of the largest companies in the Earth Sphere."
"Well, how can I say no to that?" Trowa responded, cheekily, before leaning back down to kiss Quatre again.
So now I come to you, with open arms
Nothing to hid, believe what I say
So here I am, with open arms
Hoping you'll see, what you love means to me,
Open arms.
Could be! Who knows?
There's something due any day;
I will know right away,
Soon as it shows.
The air was tingling with anticipation-and it was more than just the servants' anxious excitement to have everything ready for the party that night. After all, it was the day before Christmas! And something was coming-something good. He didn't know what it was, but he knew it was going to be great. If only he could wait.
He stretched, smile etched firmly in place-only mildly deterred that out of five, he was the only one left in the bed. He rolled out of bed, bare feet slapping against the cold floor as he padded his way downstairs in search of his lovers.
It may come cannon-balling down thru the sky,
Gleam in its eye,
Bright as a rose!
The door was thrown open and Duo Maxwell came barreling into the house office. "Hey, Q-man! Ready for the party tonight? Lots of people coming, huh? Gonna tell me what you got everybody? Gonna be lots of good food, too, I can smell it already. Boy, won't this be a bash!"
The blond man laughed and pulled Duo off his desk and into his lap, wrapping arms around the braided man's waist. "Yes, I'm ready for the party, and no, I'm not going to tell you-you have to wait your turn like everyone else."
"Sure I can't change your mind?" Duo teased, leaning in close to his long time friend and more recent lover.
Quatre laughed again, this time slapping Duo's thigh and pushing the braided man back out of his lap. "Why don't you go get dressed? The guests will start arriving soon and I still have a few more things to take care of here."
"What?" Duo asked with mock indignation. "You mean I can't show up like this?" He pulled at the blue-red plaid flannel pants that looked to be at least two sizes too big-but they were comfy. Quatre should know; they were his.
"While I'm rather fond of you in flannel, I don't think the President and his wife will be, Duo. Now, be a good little kept boy and run upstairs and get dressed," Quatre teased.
"Auh, shucks," Duo grinned at him. "Maybe I can convince 'Fei or Heero to give me a bath first, whaddaya think?"
More light laughter followed Duo as he practically danced back out of the office and through the house, tempting each of his other lovers with a little distraction. He couldn't help it-he was in a very good mood!
I got a feeling there's a miracle due,
Gonna come true,
Coming to me!
Quatre sighed a bit with relief when his energetic lover left-relieved he hadn't seen...
He opened his desk's top drawer again-for about the fiftieth time that morning-and a radiant smile spread across his face. He took the five somethings out and slipped them into his coat pocket. Tonight... tonight...
Could it be? Yes it could.
Something's coming, something good,
If I can wait!
Something's coming,
I don't know what it is,
But it is
Gonna be great!
He was bouncing with excitement. And why shouldn't he be?
It was their first real Christmas-and *nothing* had better happen to ruin it for them! All five of them. A 3 year anniversary of sorts. Only 3 Christmases ago... was it possible? It seemed like so much longer. The war, the fighting, the gundams.... A part of the past now.
This year was going to be special-he could *feel* it!
Something's coming, don't know when--
but it's soon;
Heero smiled and pulled his lover close, growling as he took his mouth. "Behave and get dressed," he told the breathless Duo.
The braided man laughed and turned around the room, holding onto his Japanese lover and forcing him to 'dance', too. "What cha get me, Hee-chan? Huh? Huh? Something good?"
"A stocking full of coal," the coffee-haired man answered, deadpan.
Duo stuck his tongue out at his lover-who captured it with his teeth, sucking it back into his mouth. Duo moaned and melted back into Heero's arms.
Around the corner,
Or whistling down the river,
Come on, deliver
To me.
Trowa caught him before he could turn the corner. Laughing, Duo kicked out at him, half-heartedly struggling to get free. "No! No!" he laughed. "I don't want to!"
He was trapped though. Trowa hifted him up over one shoulder and carried the braided man back to his room where his white tux waited. "Too bad," the cinnamon-haired ten replied calmly-as if he hadn't just indulged the braided-man in a five-room chase, but the corners of his lips were turned suspiciously upwards.
"But it's WHITE! That's *so* not my color, Tro!" Duo protested, stilling laughing-hey! It *was* a rather nice view of the taller man's ass from this position!
"Quatre specified the color personally," the other man said, still not letting go of Duo-although he'd stopped wiggling around-until he could deposit the longhaired man onto his bed. "Now get dressed."
Will it be? Yes, it will.
Maybe just by holding still,
It'll be there!
"I know you're there."
Duo laughed and finally gave up his hiding place, standing up and grinning irreproachably at his Chinese lover. "You're not *really* gonna drag me down there dressed like *this* are ya, Wu-bear?" He turned up the 'large-poor-me' eyes and tried for a pitiful pout-but it was a pitiful attempt considering he couldn't stop smiling.
Wufei eyed his lover admiringly top to bottom. "You look like a devilish angel," he told Duo, snatching up the end of his braid and pulling Duo closer to him. "Lovely," he breathed, lightly kissing the man in his arms.
"Mmm... warrior poet mine," Duo sighed.
Wufei's fingers playing in the end of the braid. "Are you going to leave your hair up tonight?" he asked, imagining how breathtaking Duo looked when his hair was all clean and shiny and loose...
"Yeah, I don't want to deal with it," Duo said, shaking his head so the braid jumped free from Wufei's hand.
"I will," the Chinese man offered, reaching for the rope of chestnut hair again and quickly slipping the elastic band from the end. "Leave it loose, please?" Dark eyes looked into amethyst, and Duo knew his hair would remain loose tonight. "We can put a ribbon in it if you like? Put it in a loose ponytail, but leave it loose..."
Duo smiled lazily and kissed Wufei again, heavy eyes falling shut as he felt the other man's fingers playing through his hair, unraveling the braid and finger-combing it into waves. "Wo ai ni... whatever you want..."
Come on something, come on in,
don't be shy,
Meet a guy,
Pull up a chair!
"Duo!"
"Hi-ya, Marie!" he laughed, scooping the little girl up and twirling her around. "I haven't seen you in a while, been good?"
"Tolerably," the redheaded child replied, grinning up at him when he set her down. "You didn't come to my birthday party last month-I was really hoping you would."
"Ye gawds! Was that *last* month?" Duo looked appropriately horrified, winning a small giggle from the girl. "I thought that was *next* month!"
"No!" Mariemeia laughed, shaking her head. "It was the third of November. Mother had a special cake made, and Miss Dorothy and Miss Relena came over for dinner. And, isn't my dress pretty? Miss Dorothy gave it too me! And Miss Relena gave me this locket, see?"
Duo dutifully commented her on the pretty indigo velvet dress and the golden locket, and when she asked, he even agreed to share a turn or two out on the dance floor.
The air is humming,
And something great is coming!
He'd managed to find a secluded spot to waylay his Japanese lover-it was so easy to distract him when the man was busy trying to hide from the ladies, and Wufei was caught in a heated debate with Sally Po while Quatre was entertaining some delegates with Trowa looking pretty on the blond's arm.
"What's with you today?" Heero murmured, fingers combing lazily through the loose hair over Duo's back.
"Mmm, something good is coming," Duo answered, nibbling at Heero's throat.
"Hai," the shorter-haired man squeezed Duo's backside. "But it can wait a few more hours, can't it?"
Duo laughed, pressing harder into Heero against the wall. "Oh, that most definitely will be coming...later..." He grinned. "No, I mean something *else* is going to happen; something really, really great. Can't you feel it? It's like the air is humming with excitement!" he whispered fiercely.
"I have you and Wufei and Quatre and Trowa... what more great things could happen?" Heero returned, kissing him again.
Who knows?
Maybe tonight....
"Duo?"
He turned and saw Quatre approaching them, Trowa and Wufei in tow. "Can you meet me in the office, please? There's something I need to talk to you all about."
Laughing, Duo led the troupe into the quite possibly ONLY empty room in the house. "Okay, Quatre, spill it!" he demanded, walking straight to the center of the room before turning to face the four other men who were his friends, his family, his lovers, his life. "You asked us in here; what's the scoop?"
The blond young man was last to file into the room, right behind Heero-who immediately took up space in one of the armchairs, pulling Wufei into his lap before the Chinese man could protest. Heero wrapped his arms around Wufei's middle, threading his fingers together to lock them, and propped his chin up on the other man's shoulder. Wufei, for his part, didn't complain-only leaned back into the overly friendly handling.
Trowa walked past Duo and hopped up to sit on top of the large desk in the room. He folded his arms and crossed his legs, waiting for his love to explain.
Quatre leaned back against the door, locking it behind his back, and looked at them. Each one. They looked incredible in their white tuxes-each suit different to conform to the man in it. Wufei and Duo already had their jackets off-duo's waistcoat was open. Both had elected to wear their hair down for the occasion. Beautiful. That's what they were. Beautiful. Heero and Trowa were no less stunning, of course. No indeed. Their beauty was more masculine-that was not to say Duo and Wufei weren't masculine. He smiled. The two were definitely *all* male...
"You're stalling," Duo chastised. "And while normally you know I wouldn't mind, being that I *highly* dislike these parties and all, but they were *just* coming around with the crab cakes, Q-man, and you *know* how much I love crab cakes!"
Quatre continued to smile-he couldn't help it, the excitement he was already feeling seemed to come bouncing back at him from Duo, along with high levels of interest from the other three men-and he pushed off from the door and began crossing the room, his hands in his pockets. "Yes, I know," he answered softly. He turned before reached the desk, standing near Trowa, but far enough away so that he could see him with the others.
"It's been a year." He waited for any reaction, there was none. Even Duo was quiet. "By agreement, you are all free to leave if you like."
Again, silence.
"Are you trying to say you want us out, Q-man?" Duo ran a hand into his hair and scratched his neck-this definitely wasn't the something good he'd been expecting for the last couple of days now.
"No, actually," Quatre replied, turning and leaning against the desk. He pulled his hands from his pockets. In his hands were four small black velvet jewelry boxes. "I'm asking," he continued, tossing two of the boxes towards Heero and Wufei, and a third to Duo. He handed the fourth to Trowa, "to renew the contract, if you will." He paused. "For life."
They stared at the boxes, wearily, looking back up at him.
"Are you... *proposing* to us, Quatre?" Duo asked, turning the box over in his fingers, almost afraid to open it.
Quatre hopped up onto the desk next to Trowa, still smiling. "Yes."
Beside him, Trowa opened the box and looked in. Elsewhere in the room, three other boxes opened. Grunts and 'hmphfs' that Quatre interpreted as appreciation of fine craftsmanship sounded.
" 'Five... We... Are... One Heart... Have We,'" Duo read, turning the golden-silver ring over.
Heero looked over at him with question and Quatre nodded. "Gundanium, from the five suits. I had a crew ship me some from each before they... took the gundams away."
"So this is what you've been up to." Quatre smiled over at Trowa. "Partially," he admitted.
"You mean there's more?" Wufei asked, his voice filled with stunned disbelief.
"What I'm suggesting is not very conventional, I know," Quatre answered, standing up and walking to the center of the room. "In fact, I've never heard of a man having more than one male mate before." He smiled shyly at them from under his bangs. "But we've never been very conventional, have we?"
Duo flipped the gold band into the air and then caught it again. "So what's the proposition you have for us, Mr. Winner?"
Quatre clasped his hands behind his back. "Simply this: marriage. Five as One. There will be no divorce. If for some reason, one or more of you wish to be separated from me, then you may live in any one my family's residences, or, if you want, one of your own." He swallowed and lifted his chin, realizing that just because they were all lovers now didn't guarantee the three other men would want to remain with him on such terms indefinitely.
"Well, that's not very romantic," Duo quipped. "But, then again, I always figured I'd be the one doing the asking!"
Quatre smiled and brushed his bangs back away from his eyes. "Then how's this: You are all a piece of me. Without you, I feel lost, empty. With you, I feel whole." He looked at Heero and Wufei on the chair. Heero was looking at him, but Wufei was still looking at the ring in its case. "You are my Protector." He looked over at Duo, standing across from him. "My Friend." Trowa was looking at him, watching him with that one visible green-colored eye. "My Equal. My Lover." He looked back at Heero and Wufei. The Chinese man was looking back at him now. "And My Defender. You are my Soul, My Power, My Body, My Heart, and My Mind. I don't want to live without you."
Silence. And then Duo let out a low whistle. "Knew you had it in you."
"I realize this is sudden," Quatre continued after another moment, "but you don't have to answer right away-"
"I accept."
Quatre turned back to look at Trowa. "I wasn't about to take 'no' as an answer from you. Especially since you already said yes," he teased, crossing the short distance between them. He took the ring from Trowa's hands and slipped it onto his finger before wrapping the taller man up in his arms. "I don't plan on letting *you* go, *ever*."
"I don't plan on leaving, *ever*," the graceful pilot replied, burying his face in the clean-buttery-biscuit-scent of his Love, wrapping his arms around Quatre and pulling him closer.
Behind Quatre's back, the three remaining pilots were busy sending looks at one another.
"So... what's the catch?" Duo asked, breaking into the moment.
"No catch," Quatre answered, turning in Trowa's arms and leaning back against him. "Just that we five will be legally bonded to each other, wedded." He lifted Trowa's hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "Otherwise, everything will be exactly the same as it has been these last couple of months."
"And all we have to do is put on this little ring and make a promise, huh?" Duo looked back at Heero and Wufei. He shrugged. "It sounds like a good deal to me." He slid the ring home on his left hand, surprised at the perfect fit. He tossed a glance towards Quatre and Trowa before watching Heero and Wufei.
"Fei?" The dark-haired man had returned to staring at the gold band in the black box.
"You are my family now," he replied lowly. "I have no intention, nor desire, to leave." He slipped the ring from the box and closed it. "My Protector, My Friend, My Equal, My Lover; My Soul, My Power, My Body, and My Heart."
Quatre's smile increased as he watched a third man slide the ring home. Wufei looked up at him.
"I accept," the proud heir to the dead dragon clan announced.
They looked next to Heero-only to discover he'd already placed the ring on. "My home is with Duo and Wufei," he explained when questioning looks were shot his way. "Our home is with you and Trowa. I accept as well."
Quatre beamed at all of them. "Then it's agreed. We are wedded."
"What about your ring, Quatre?" Wufei asked.
"Oh!" Excited, the blond man pulled a fifth black box from his pocket and handed it to Trowa before he began pulling at the large signet ring on his left hand. He moved it onto his right and then turned to Trowa, smiling. The other man already had the fifth golden ring free from its case and slid it onto Quatre's finger. "There!"
"I've never heard of anyone having five husbands before," Wufei muttered, now that the event was over.
"Only four," Quatre corrected, grinning. "And polygamy isn't very common, it's true, but it's not illegal anymore, either. As long as the mate and any children can be provided for, and I really don't think that's a problem, do you?"
"So, what? Do we have to say any words or anything?" Duo asked, twisting the ring. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable, it was just something new.
"If you would like," the blond conceded. "But it isn't really necessary, no. All that's needed is your signature now on this contract so it can be recognized as a legal contract in the eyes of the government." He twisted around to pick up a document and held it out to them. 'Quatre Raberba Winner' was already scrolled proudly at the bottom of each sheet.
Trowa took up a pen and added his name underneath Quatre's. Violet eyes narrowed accusingly. "Is this going public? I mean, with you being all important and all, what with WEI and all the work you do with Relena-"
"No," Quatre shook his head for emphasis. "I don't plan on making a press release on the matter or even telling many people." He frowned, looking over at Trowa who was finishing up signing his name to the last page. "Trowa's already recognized as my boyfriend, so, I suppose, if you want, you and I can make an announcement," he offered. "But I'd rather not have any unnecessary attention drawn to yourselves."
Heero frowned. Duo and Wufei looked thoughtful. Trowa leaned over to nuzzle at Quatre's neck.
"This *does* mean, however, that my sisters are now your sisters." Groans met with that announcement-from all four men. Quatre just smiled and first Duo and then Heero and Wufei added their names to the document.
This was the best Christmas present ever, and they had the rest of their lives to enjoy it.
End Dance of the Heart arc
Andrea Readwolf
Please send comments to: andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com