16-Nov-2000
Title: Mini's Trick or Treat - an Extended Family Fic
Writer Credits:
Duo Maxwell - RavynFyre
Heero Yuy - Kateri Marie
Sallah - Diane V Davis *(new addition to the group!)
Duan, Wufan, Tryan - von
Kenny, Carter, Wufei & Special Guests - bonnejeanne
Category: yaoi, AU
Rating: G for now
Pairings: 1x2
Spoilers: Series, Endless Waltz
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing characters and universe are the property of the copyright owners. Our stuff is ours. No money being made here.
Feedback: Any and all comments, feedback, critiques welcome, be they short or long.
Please feel free to direct feedback to any or all of the authors!
ravynfyre@hotmail.com, fenwyck@radiks.net,
sablexo1@yahoo.com,
bonnejeanne@yahoo.com.
WARNINGS: AU, Original Characters, LEMON in some sections.
This takes place after the events in Mission: Arcadia. Where it fits into the new storyline for the upcoming Chasing the Crown, we have no idea!
"I vote we follow," Sallah said, already heading in the direction she saw Wufan take. This was one time she didn't want him too far out of her sight.
"Hn." Heero responded, motioning for Duo to go next.
Duo nodded, wandering back through the door they'd entered from and carefully setting his wooden sandals beside the doorway before starting up the stairs after the miniature whirlwind.
As Duo went up the stairs, the greenish glow off to the right suddenly disappeared into darkness.
Duo thought he could hear the sounds of light, fast feet from the second floor.
Duo paused, sparing the now darkened room a quick glance, then shifting his gaze back up the stairs again. Trusting Heero to handle the first floor, Duo finally continued up the stairs, fishing a small flashlight out of the voluminous sleeves of his kimono just in case. Nice thing about kimonos... Functional and fun. He grinned to himself at the thought and slunk off in search of the dynamic duo.
Sallah, following Wufan, found herself going through a door into a large, empty and unused kitchen. A single candle flickered there, but no small dragon could be seen.
"Strange," she whispered to herself, scanning the room for other potential exits.
In the limited light, she could see a door that seemed to lead off deeper into the house. Before she could go very far in that direction, however, a breeze seemed to come from nowhere and the single candle guttered and died, leaving her in darkness.
"Oh... bother," she muttered, avoiding worse epithets out of motherly force of habit. "Why am I not surprised?" She waited for a moment until her eyes adjusted to the darkness, then began to go back the way she came. Perhaps one of the others had an extra flashlight or matches for the candle.
She backed up a step and suddenly her body impacted something solid. And something was suddenly placed over her mouth.
With a panicked, but thoroughly muffled, yelp, Sallah instinctively tried to stumble away. She grabbed at the costume chakram hanging from her belt to have something, anything, with which to defend herself.
Her movements, though swift, were just fractionally too late. Another arm wrapped around her... whoever it was seemed remarkably strong. She could not move or cry out...
Heero had waited long enough to make sure Duo was up the stairs clear and then debated for a half a second which munchkin to follow: Kenny or Duan. Eventually he just shrugged and moved to the right.
To the right where they had seen a greenish glow before, now there was only darkness. As his eyes adjusted, Heero saw a room of about the same size as the one with the treats, also with covered furniture and other doors out of it. There were no signs of any small boys. But the organ music was much louder here.
His hand flexed as he moved further in, trying to discern the source of the music and more importantly, the player.
Whoever was playing seemed tireless. They had been listening to intricate if melancholy tunes since approaching the house, and the music had not paused nor slackened. A door seemed to lead in a direction that might take him in nearer to the organ.
With a resigned 'Hn', Heero moved toward the door curiously, his muscles ready and his eyes scanning for anything.
As Heero approached the door, Duo had made it to the second floor landing. He had a choice of directions, right or left. His flashlight showed the marks of small feet going off to the right... and other small feet going to the left...
With a small shrug to himself, he followed the tracks off to his right.
Duo found himself in a hallway with doors at intervals on each side. The footprints went down the hall and then seemed to fade off into nothingness...
Even though the tracks didn't indicate that whoever it was seemed to have entered any of the earlier rooms along the hallway, the strategic part of his brain balked at leaving such gaping unknowns at his back. He cautiously crept down the hall, pausing to listen carefully at the first door he came to. Detecting only silence beyond the door, he carefully opened it up a crack and peeked inside.
His flashlight revealed a bedroom with cloth-covered furniture. For a second the flash hit a mirror, throwing the light back into Duo's eyes.
Instinct took over as soon as the light flashed across his face. He shifted, keeping his grip on the doorknob, while putting the solid door against his back until his sight could readjust.
Just a flash from a mirror - nothing more. But he did suddenly hear a little scraping noise from further down the hall.
With a silent chuckle to himself, he closed the door again with a soft click and peered once more down the hallway. Many other doors to check.
The next door Duo opened showed something quite different. This room was lit, not a great deal of light, but the soft illumination came from hanging paper lanterns. The room itself was furnished and decorated with a Japanese motif, including a lovely painted screen and lacquered pieces.
Cocking his head in curiosity, Duo edged into the room, gaze darting about to take in every corner as he made his way cautiously over to peer behind the screen. A curious corner of his brain mused about Heero's reaction to Duo in his costume ensconced in this room. With a soft shake of his head, he dragged his attention back to his search.
As Duo peered behind the screen, seeing only a large potted bamboo plant, the door he had entered through closed softly.
He turned, tightening his grip on his flashlight, and cast a suspicious glance over the entire room again. Of course the door shut. On its own. Happened all the time. He calmly wandered back towards the door.
The door, when he tried it, was locked.
Unsurprised, he shook his head. How typical. Self-styled stealth expert and ex-thief took the bait. Heero would never let him live this one down. Turning another suspicious glance over the room, Duo knelt down to examine the lock.
As he did so, he heard a soft sound behind him and felt a hand drop onto his shoulder.
Heero moved to the door, which opened easily. Beyond was a short hallway at the end of which was a stairway leading up. This stair was narrower than the main one - probably a servants back stairway. The music now seemed to be funneled from above, magnifying in the stairwell.
Heero shifted and his hands stopped flexing as they closed around the comforting metal of one of his old guns. He went through the door quickly, in a half crouch, like he'd been trained and followed the strains of music to the stairs.
The music led him up the stairs to the second floor. He could see a short hallway with doors along either wall. But the stairs continued up and the music now seemed to be coming from still further up...
Despite the obvious lead on, Heero continued to let the music lead the way, absently thinking with one part of his brain that maybe the kids had done the same.
The stairs went up to the attic, and ended in a small door, which was partly ajar. There was a sliver of light coming from around the edges. As Heero moved towards it cautiously he heard, above the music, the soft sound of a child's laugh.
In the kitchen, Sallah struggled against the strong arms around her. The tussle went on for a few moments, then a voice in her ear said, "Be still, onna! You will scare the others!"
Sallah froze in recognition, a relieved smile spreading across her face. There was only one person she knew that called her 'onna'. Nodding her understanding, she stilled, ignoring the sudden flush of warmth that spread though her body as she realized how close he was, and how very tightly he was holding her.
The strong hands held her for a second longer, then relaxed. "That's better," Wufei said. "Some boys came by the house and said they saw a group of foolhardies going into the haunted house. I suspected it was you."
"Not a bad guess, knowing this group." Sallah sagged back against him, just for a moment...then pulled away as she reminded herself there were still children to look for. "Nice way to let me know you were there," she whispered, one eyebrow raised.
"I was not certain it was you," he replied. "This *is* supposed to be a haunted house after all."
"Ah, true. So I've been told," Sallah agreed. She peered out into the darkness of the kitchen, remembering what she had intended to seek before all the excitement. "You... um... wouldn't happen to have brought a flashlight or matches, did you?"
Sallah felt rather than heard a near-silent chuckle and the candle was lit.
"I believe Wufan went up those stairs," he said, pointing to a small set of servants' stairs going up from the back of the kitchen.
"Right. Shall we go then?" She waited for him to lead with the candle.
Wufei bowed slightly, and proceeded up the narrow stairs.
Sallah followed close behind, smiling slyly as she allowed her gaze to roam over his back and legs...and all the other interesting places in-between.
The hand on Duo's shoulder gave him a slightly familiar squeeze. "It's a little early for you to be on your knees isn't it?" an all too familiar voice drawled from behind.
"Depends on whom you ask," Duo replied flippantly as he turned and grinned up at his favorite knife-toting maniac, "Hiya, Rip. How's tricks?"
"Almost as good as treats," Rip said, looking down with a wide grin. The tall redhead was dressed in the robes of a Mandarin lord, scarlet silk with gold trim.
"Nice," Duo said appraisingly as he eyed Rip's costume.
"Lovely," Ripper returned, surveying the kneeling geisha. He licked his lips, which were painted as red as Duo's.
"Hah. Get that Cheshire cat grin off your face. You may enjoy the danger, but I have a healthy survival instinct," Duo quipped as he climbed to his feet.
Rip chuckled, and the Cheshire grin stayed.
"Heh. It's like telling water not to be wet," Duo muttered, "I take it you're one of the masterminds behind this little... orchestration?"
"Orchestration?" Rip said, blinking innocently. "No, no, that would be Jack. I'm simply trick or treating..."
"I don't think I'll fit into your bag," Duo observed dryly.
"I might fit into yours..." Rip said lazily.
"Hn. Don't 'spose you happened to see a pair of minis running around up here, did you?" Duo asked.
"I believe they are in the attic," Rip answered. "Nice and safe. So no hurry to run..."
"Run? In this thing? Heh," Duo snorted mirthfully, "How 'bout the others?"
"You can take it off," Rip suggested reasonably. "The others... yes, yes... the others as well."
"Persistent, aincha?"
"You have no conception," Rip grinned.
Poised on the attic stairs, Heero heard a second sound similar to the first. Another childish laugh.
Heero smiled slightly at the sounds and moved to the door.
With a nudge of the gun muzzle, he pushed on the door and peered expectantly.
The room beyond took up the length of the attic. It was well lit by candles and a couple of hurricane lamps, and furnished as a children's playroom. A thick rug covered the wooden floor. The five boys were gathered on the rug, with an antique-looking board game, several bowls of popcorn and a set of very modern-looking monitors that showed every room, indeed every nook and cranny of the house.
Jack sat in a large fan-backed chair, playing on the keyboard across his knees, which rendered the full sound of a pipe organ, vibrating the floor and walls slightly.
"Oh there you are," he said, glancing at the door.
Heero nodded briefly, glancing around the room once more and, not seeing Rip, vanished the gun.
His eyes flickered back to the monitors and an eyebrow rose sharply at one of the images there. Heero moved to a better view as he caught his lover in the screen.
Heero saw the lovely geisha rise from a kneeling position while conversing with the Mandarin-robed redhead.
It took Heero a minute to realize his fingernails were digging into his palms, but he forced a breath into his lungs and released it slowly, attempting to calm down. Something about that sight...
He watched for a moment and more and then resolutely turned away - that he would deal with later. Tonight was for the kids.
Jack smiled slightly and said, "Duan, go fetch Duo from the second floor."
"Sure thing," Duan said and darted out the door.
As Duan darted away, Heero moved over to the small group and leaned against the wall, ordering his muscles to unknot. His eyes drifted down to the kids and he focused on them as he summoned control.
Jack watched Heero focus on the kids' game. He smiled slightly and continued to play the keyboard, filling the room and the house with the sound of a full-blown pipe organ.
Kenny glanced up and noticed the expression, or non-expression, on Heero's face. He frowned slightly, glanced at the monitor.
"Hn," he remarked. The older boys were kinda weird sometimes...
Heero met the younger boy's eyes but his expression didn't change. "Hn," he responded succinctly.
Carter looked over his shoulder at Heero, blinking. His teal eyes were wide. He wasn't sure he had ever sensed emotions quite like the ones coming from the Japanese boy before. Instinctively, he opened his mouth, then just as instinctively, closed it and returned his gaze to the game board.
Tryan looked up and over at Heero. He decided that no comment would be appreciated, so he went back to the game. Older boys were weird sometimes.
Duan ran down to the room on the second floor. He knocked on the door to the room where Geisha Duo and Ripper were and yelled, "Hey! Jack says come on!"
Duo spun around and faced the door as he heard the young boy's voice.
"Damn. Well, if nothing else, it's been a successful Halloween in the heart palpitations department," he muttered.
Rip grinned. "After you, Lotus-san," he said with a gesture.
Duo shook his head and gave the redhead a small grin as he reached for the door. Somehow he wasn't surprised when it turned out to be unlocked. Swinging it open, he peered down at Duan with a grin.
"Thanks, short-stuff. Having fun?"
Duan nodded a lot. "Yeah!" he said, enthusiastically. "I think we even got it on tape! Hi Rip!"
Rip laughed. "Boo!" he said, and a knife materialized next to Duan's foot.
Duan's head swiveled in the direction of the knife. Then, he looked up at Rip and yelped, and took off for the upstairs like a shot.
"Heh heh."
Duo blinked after the small braided blur with comic confusion. Opting not to comment for once, he shook his head and followed Duan at a more sedate pace.
Rip retrieved his knife deftly and followed at a leisurely stroll.
Meanwhile...
Wufei led Sallah up the stairs. When they got to the second floor, he paused and got very still, listening intently. The stairs continued up.
The music, which at first had sounded like it was coming from the back of the house, now sounded as if it were coming from above.
Wufei glanced back at Sallah to see if she had strong feelings about checking the second floor or following the music up.
Sallah gazed up the stairs, nibbling her lower lip slightly as she pondered. "I wonder if Wufan would have followed the music.... I imagine so. Should we try upstairs first?"
In answer to Sallah's comment about would Wufan have followed the music, Wufei muttered softly, "I would..."
He nodded to her question. "Hn." Upstairs it was.
Sallah followed Wufei as he continued to lead them up the stairs, their shadows flickering in the candle's dim light. To be honest, even she was dying to know what the source of the music was. Curiosity did run in the family, it seemed.
Duan stopped just short of the doorway and walked through, breathing hard. He looked up and saw Heero. "You ok?" he asked.
Heero looked over and a 'Hn' almost escaped him. But he caught it at the last second and changed it to a slight nod, softening his features just slightly.
"Ok," Duan said, patting him on the arm. "Duo and Ripper are on the way, Jack. I think that dress is slowin' him down."
Jack nodded. "I believe it is called a kimono, hmm, Heero?"
Heero nodded. "Hai."
"Kee-mo-no," Duan repeated storing the word away for future reference. "Good."
Heero nodded in approval but didn't leave his position on the wall.
"It's a party!" a cheerful voice commented from the doorway. Duo wandered into the room, grinning at the circle of kids on the floor before looking around.
Carter beamed cheerfully and waved enthusiastically at Duo. "We found the treats!"
"Yes!" Wufan chimed in. "This was very, very clever, don't you think, Duo?!"
Duo grinned down at the kids, nodding at their obvious enjoyment.
"Gotta love any holiday that not only encourages ya to act silly, but rewards you with sugar for it too!"
"Oh," Duan said, "So the sugar snacks are what make it Halloween? I thought it was about ghosts or spirits and stuff."
"It's about a lot of different things, kiddo. Ghosts, spirits, honoring the dead... the candy and the fun stuff are just kinda perks," Duo replied cheerfully.
"Ok," Duan said, bringing Duo over a piece of candy. "Here... there's more where that came from."
Heero's 'Hn' was lost in a slight groan as he realized the amount of sugar being consumed. This was not good. Definitely a tactical error.
Duo stifled a snicker. His partner's response hadn't been lost on him. He accepted the candy with solemn thanks and a mischievous wink and then glanced up at Heero with a soft smile.
"It's not all that bad, is it?" he asked softly.
"Hn." Heero replied, his voice softening against his will. "Baka."
Duo cocked his head and peered at his lover. The makeup obscured much of his expression, but it seemed faintly puzzled. He opened his mouth to say something, then glanced back down at the kids.
As Duo looked down he saw Duan nod slightly to Wufan, who nodded back.
Duo peered at Wufan, then glanced at Duan, and then glanced back at Wufan.
"Yes?"
"Uh... it is nothing to concern yourself, Duo," Wufan said and then looked back down.
"It's ok, Duo." Duan said, then he sighed. "We were just working out how to take care of the sugar snacks. That's all."
"Ah," Duo said, nodding seriously. "Very important stuff," he finished with a grin as he carefully made his way across the room towards Heero.
Heero watched Duo advance with an eyebrow raised.
"It's ok, guys! We can feed 'em to him a little at a time, like we planned," Duan said, returning to the group.
Duo paused before he reached Heero, turning back to glance at the kids again.
"Feed what to who?" he asked brilliantly.
"Sugar snacks... to you. You like 'em a lot," Duan explained.
Duo grinned in response, "Who doesn't?" He turned back to Heero, unwrapping the piece Duan had just given to him, and offered it to the Japanese youth.
"Bet I could get even you to like this stuff if I try hard enough," he said impishly.
A second eyebrow joined the other and Heero set his lips stubbornly. "Hn."
"So... does anyone know where Sallah is?" Duo asked, sidling up to Heero.
Kenny nodded and pointed at one of the monitors, showing the two figures coming up a dark stairway. Duo also noticed that there were monitors of what was probably every room in the house.
Duo glanced over all the monitors, pausing a moment as he noted Wufei's sudden appearance, before perusing the screens again. As he saw the striking oriental room, he stopped and shot a glance at Heero. A long moment passed as he contemplated the monitors, Heero, and the sullen expression on his partner's face. The proverbial light bulb blinked to life above his head as the epiphany struck him.
"Ah. Cool," he said weakly to the room at large.
On the other side of the attic room, a door opened and Wufei cautiously surveyed the room. Recognizing the other people there, he came in, blowing out the candle and making way for Sallah.
"Bingo," he said succinctly.
"Bingo?" Sallah asked as she entered the room, blinking in the brighter light. Surprise flickered over her face as she saw the others already there. "Hm... we must have taken the long stairway."
Jack glanced up and his lips curved. "Very perceptive, Miss Po... Parts of this house can be very far away from other parts at times."
He finished the last chord with a slight flourish.
Wufei glance around. "The answer to the haunted house mystery. Hn," he said, noting the kids on the floor.
"The answer to many mysteries, it seems," Sallah responded, looking at Jack and the many monitors. "Lovely music...very appropriate."
"Thank you," Jack inclined his head graciously. "We like this holiday. It reminds us of our youth... growing up where every night was Halloween... trick or treat!" He smiled.
Rip, who was leaning on the doorframe, chuckled reminiscently.
Tryan and Duan looked up at the same time, glancing at Jack.
"Oh," Tryan said, finally, then went back to the game board.
"Sounds like fun," Duo commented.
Both Jack and Rip smiled at the geisha-boy. "You might think so... not everyone would. And now you have all solved the riddle of the haunted house.... you are free to stay and play, refresh yourselves, or retire to your life of domestic bliss," Jack said. "Most of the colony kiddies are being tucked away in bed now..."
Heero pushed himself off the wall easily and looked down at the kids in question, obviously asking opinions.
Kenny looked up and shrugged. Once it had been determined that the house was inhabited by friendly spirits, he'd gone back into neutral.
Duan stood up and walked over to Ripper and Jack. "This was fun. Thanks!" he said.
Rip grinned back. "No problem, mate," he said. "You make a good kidnap victim... and you move very quickly... I like that in a kidling."
Duan's eyes fairly twinkled at the compliment. "Sugoi!" he exclaimed. Then, he got a tad bit serious. "You guys gotta go back now? Cause if you do, be careful."
Rip reached out and messed up Duan's bangs. "We don't have to do anything, kiddo," he said. "And being careful is just against my personal code of conduct. But thanks for the thought."
Duan nodded. "It's ok. None of us are really that careful, anyway!" Turning he scooted back to his mates.
Kenny reached out and captured the braid. He looked at Duan. "Better *be* careful," he said in a soft voice, his eyes serious.
Duan looked at his friend and then he nodded. "Ok," he said.
Wufan ran over to Sallah and gave her a hug. "Hi, Ma! We saw you on the vid!" he said.
"Hey there!" Grinning, Sallah knelt and hugged Wufan back. "You saw me? Really? Bet I looked silly, stumbling around in the dark like that."
Wufan shook his head, then smiled up at Wufei. "No, you looked like Xena," he said, "I can show you! Both of you did really well."
Wufei scowled slightly, his lip curling. Then his expression smoothed out. He placed his hands together and bowed a la Cain.
Laughing softly, Sallah shook her head. "No, I trust your opinion. If you think we did well, that's fine." She wondered to herself exactly how much Wufan and the others had seen, but decided it was safer not to ask.
Carter looked around at the other kids. "Did I... did I win?" he asked, blinking at the board.
Kenny nodded.
Tryan nodded. "Yep, looks like a winner to me, podnah," he said.
"What were you guys playing, anyway?" Duo asked.
"It's called Pyramids and Mummies!" Carter explained. "You have to find all the relics and not get eaten by the undead!"
"I got eaten in the fifth round," Duan said.
"Yeah but we brought you back with the Amulet of Ra!" Carter reminded him.
Duan nodded. "That was cool," he said.
Wufei glanced at Geisha Duo and the sulking Heero. "Gather your treats," he said to the kids. "Xena and I will walk you home."
"There's just something so surreal about Cain and Xena herding a bunch of kids around," Duo muttered.
Wufei glanced at Duo in the geisha makeup and hairdo, kimono etc., and thought but did not express something about 'surreal'.
The kids did as asked and gathered everything together.
Carter enthusiastically hugged Jack and Rip, who both looked quite comfortable with the process. No one went unhugged back in Arcadia for more than 10 minutes...
Duan took Kenny's hand and placed his braid in it. He then went over to Rip and Jack and hugged them as well.
Duan got patted on the head for his trouble.
Wufei glanced at Heero, making sure the plan was approved of.
Heero inclined his head in a slight nod. "Arigato," he said in a low tone.
That was sufficient for Wufei. He began herding kids out the door and down the stairs.
Smiling at Rip and Jack, Sallah said, "Thank you again. This was indeed very fun."
A pair of brown and a pair of jewel green eyes traveled up and down Sallah appreciatively. Jack inclined his head. Rip leered.
She grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes, then waved and followed Wufei and the kids out.
"Immigrant... but still one of ours," Rip said.
Duo watched the group of smaller kids and their two older chaperones file out the door and down the stairs at the far end of the attic, trying to ignore the rather ominous silence from his partner. Heero was normally quiet, but this silence was uncannily... different. Once the kids were out of sight, he turned to their hosts and gave them an easy grin.
"Thanks for all the fun, guys. The kids had a blast."
Jack stood up and the keyboard disappeared into the air. "We're glad you enjoyed yourselves. Local customs can be so amusing," he said in his usual, slightly bored drawl.
Rip continued to smile, leaning against the doorframe, but he said nothing and he let his partner do the polite.
"Last thing in the world we need is you guys being bored. One of these days you'll have to tell us what you guys do for amusement in Arcadia," Duo said, pausing as he considered what he'd just said, before turning a quick, rueful glance at Rip, "Not a word, smartass."
Rip's expressive face was the very picture of wounded.
"We have done many things for amusement, in Arcadia and elsewhere," Jack said, watching Duo. "You've seen some of my... talents. How do you imagine I keep them honed?"
"Heh. I don't imagine. I'd like to keep what scraps of sanity I have, thank you," Duo said.
Jack shrugged with one shoulder, smiling slightly.
"Too bad," Rip said, his smile not quite the full-blown grin. "Some kinds of control can be so liberating." His deep brown eyes flickered briefly from one of the boys to the other.
Heero snorted softly but refused to comment.
Duo seemed to ponder that for a moment before he, too, shrugged.
"Well, thanks again for the haunted house. It's gettin' late though, so we should head back. You coming, Heero?"
"Hn." Heero said neutrally, off the wall with his shoulder blades.
"See you guys later," Duo said, waving as he headed back the way he and Rip had come.
Heero inclined his head in thanks at the two men before moving towards the stairs as well, his face still solidly neutral.
A last glance into the attic room revealed no signs that it had ever been inhabited. The two travelers were gone.
Duo sighed and shook his head.
"Those two are positively spooky sometimes, ne, Heero?"
"Hn." Heero responded, making his way to the stairs and starting down them without looking back again.
"I mean, that whole teleportation thing... It's cool. Gotta see if I can convince them to teach it to me someday," Duo continued blithely, trying to egg Heero into responding with a real word.
It had the opposite effect. Heero didn't even give a hn that time.
Duo sighed and gathered up his wooden sandals as they reached the front door. Opting not to put them back on, he simply carried then and followed Heero out onto the street.
"So," Duo said conversationally.
"Hn." Heero replied as he walked at a brisk pace, unzipping the EMT jumper just a bit to feel the touch of the chill air.
"So. You gonna tell me what's eatin' ya, or do I have to start guessing?" Duo asked, trying to keep his tone light as he hurried his pace to keep up with Heero.
"I'm fine." Heero said flatly, not slowing down but moderating his gait just slightly.
"Actually, I'd say you're lying... but that's just me. Wanna try again? Or should I just switch feet? The left one's starting to taste a little soggy."
Heero huffed exasperatedly and lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. "Sure it's not the wood you're tasting?"
"Wood?" Duo replied, cocking his head in curiosity.
"Hn." Heero grunted, shaking his head slightly.
"Heero, will you please slow down and talk to me? Yer killin' me here... This thing isn't meant for speed walking," Duo sighed, indicating the kimono he wore with a wave of his hand.
Heero slowed, reluctantly, and glanced over at Duo with a strange almost pained light in his blue eyes. "Better?" he asked after a moment.
"Speed wise? Yes. Now will you tell me what's going on up there?" Duo replied, pointing to Heero's forehead.
"Nothing." Heero said stubbornly. His hand grabbed at the case he carried just a little tighter, the knuckles turning white.
"You don't trust me," Duo said flatly, his eyes narrowing before he looked away.
Heero started and then stopped completely where he stood. His brows drew together as he looked at his lover. "Nani?"
"That's the only thing I can think of. I mean, you've been pissed off about something since Rip and I showed up in the attic, and now you won't tell me what you're thinking about?" Duo said, forcing his tone to stay light with nonchalance it was obvious that he wasn't feeling.
Heero blinked a few times then sighed imperceptibly. He didn't want to do this out here. Blue eyes glanced up the street slightly, seeing the outline of their new house in the night and jerked his head towards it. "Let's take this inside," he said in a low voice.
Duo nodded quickly before starting off once more at as brisk a pace as he could manage in the kimono.
"Sure. Fine."
Heero opened his mouth to say something but the word got stuck in his throat and he ended up exhaling in a slight whoosh. "Hn," he commented to himself. Not the way he'd wanted to end the evening.
Meanwhile, Wufei had managed to escort the small troupe of goblins back to the house, along with the Warrior Princess Xena.
Upon arriving they discovered some enterprising young neighbor had soaped their windows.
Once in the house, Wufei waved his slouch hat in the general direction of the small fry. "Bathe. Bed. Now."
Without hesitation, little legs marched to the bathrooms, obeying the commands in order. All were too tired to think, let alone raise objection.
Almost all. Carter managed once last swoop down the hall in his cape, chasing the Grim Reaper and the cowboy. Even he seemed to realize his body was about to take his brain out of the equation soon. After cleaning and dressing for bed, he pulled the black cape back on and dived into his bed, crying, "I feel the approach of dawn! The sun!!! The sun!!!" and pulled the covers over his head. A few minutes later, soft snoring was heard.
Kenny spent the longest getting cleaned up and then took extra time to make sure all the green stuff was washed out of the tub. He checked on everyone before ducking into the room he shared with Duan and climbing into the top bunk. He covered a sigh with his pillow.
Downstairs, 'Cain' walked into the kitchen and heated water for tea. He looked at 'Xena'.
"Tea, Princess?"
"That sounds wonderful," Sallah responded with a smile. "I could use something to wind down after all the excitement of the evening."
Reaching up into a corner of a cabinet reserved for himself, Wufei pulled down a small ceramic pot, decorated in a traditional 'happiness and prosperity' pattern, and poured green tea leaves into it, then the heated water. He set the pot on the table and pulled down two matching cups, placing one in front of Sallah.
Five minutes would be enough time for the tea to steep. Meanwhile Wufei leaned over the kitchen sink and began washing the reddish "tattoos" off his inner forearms.
"Ah, too bad. I rather liked those." Sallah sat at the kitchen table, leaning her chin on one hand as she watched Wufei. She pondered a moment, then said, "Thank you, by the way, for coming to look for us. It's nice that you were concerned..."
Wufei glanced over, drying his arms. "Backup. I suppose it's ingrained in all of us by now," he said simply. He sat down at the table. He looked at Sallah for a few moments, the longest and closest he'd done so, that she was aware of.
"I know someone... a lot like you. At least to look at. And you seem... alike in other ways," he said finally.
Sallah blinked, flushing slightly under Wufei's scrutiny. "I do hope that's a good thing," she said with a wry smile. "But ingrained or otherwise, I do appreciate it."
Wufei returned her gaze without smiling. "She was very important to me at one time," he said quietly. Then he broke eye contact and poured the steaming tea into their cups.
Sallah took the cup of tea, growing thoughtful as she blew on the liquid to cool it, then took a sip. "Thank you again, then. I am...honored that you see similarities between someone you consider that important and myself."
Wufei blew lightly across his cup to cool the tea. Then he set the cup down. "I'm not sure honor has anything to do with it," he said. He reached into the bag he still had slung over his shoulder as part of his costume. He removed a small object, which turned out to be a holo-picture. He handed it to Sallah silently.
She saw the face of a woman who looked almost exactly like herself. As close as a twin. There were differences but they were hard to spot.
Amazement widened her eyes as she stared at the holo-picture. She gulped slightly, repressing the urge to shiver. So this must have been how Duo and Heero felt when they first met Duan and Kenny. "Oh my," she whispered.
Wufei retrieved the picture and put it away. "I hadn't planned to tell you this at first. But I realized not to do so would not be honorable. I'm sorry if it makes you feel uncomfortable. It doesn't matter."
Sallah shook her head. "Not uncomfortable...just...it's startling to see someone who looks so similar. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, after seeing the children and you all." She paused, taking another sip of tea. "Thank you for telling me."
Wufei nodded slightly. He drank his tea quietly. Then he stood and placed his cup next to the sink. "I'd better take care of the windows. If you need anything, I'll be just outside." He bowed slightly, and then smiled even more slightly. "...Princess."
Sallah laughed softly. "Thank you... Cain. I guess it's back to normal tomorrow, though...Sallah, Warrior Mother."
Wufei inclined his head, and then bowed more fully, placing one fist in the other palm. His mouth twitched. Then he turned and left the kitchen, going out to give the soapy windows a quick hosing down.
Finishing her tea, Sallah rinsed her cup and set it in the sink. Bath... bed... now -- sounded like good advice.
TBC
End of Part 2
Check out RavynFyre's illustration of Duo in Geisha costume for Halloween!
The Extended Family Writers Team - ExFam!!!
bonnejeanne & von
RavynFyre, Kateri Marie and Diane Davis
Please feel free to direct feedback to any or all of the authors!
ravynfyre@hotmail.com, fenwyck@radiks.net,
sablexo1@yahoo.com,
bonnejeanne@yahoo.com.