28-Nov-2003
Title: Meeting Beatrice --- COMPLETE
Author: Sol (archived as Zefyr on FF & MM)
Chapter 10: Wufei Asks, Duo Vows, and Everyone Else Celebrates...
Story Started: 28 Oct 2003
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Pairings: 1+R (past), 1+2, 3+4...
Rated: PG or PG-13 for mild cussing (maybe).
Warnings: Silliness and fun, mostly at the expense of two canon characters.
Archiving: Sure, just write me at zefyr@hereticstudios.com
Critiques: Always welcome, especially constructive.
Disclaimer: I just like to take them out and play with them. I promise to
put them back where I found them.
Spoilers: Takes place 3 years after EW, and may reference some events/past
history.
I also know some reviewers have complained that it's not as funny as the
original... well, I also didn't want to warp the characters into the total
nitwits some of them are *cough*Claudio*cough* in the original, either. But
let's face it, no one can wend a line as well as Shakespeare, and for all
the fun it was in writing, the original still has some wonderful lines that
just can't be translated without losing their grace. Oh, well, it was just
an experiment!
And I have been corrected: Britain has, at least once, experienced
hurricane-like storms, if not technically hurricanes due to the fact that
hurricanes grow out of tropical storms and tropical storms don't usually
hang out in the north Atlantic ocean. So I guess it's Nor'easters, but if it's
80 mph-plus winds, hey, that's good enough for meeeee!
"Which way to Room 347?" Wufei glared at the piece of paper in his hand, then returned his attention to the young man at the nursing station.
"Down the hall, take a left, and it's the second door on your right," the man replied. He pushed up his glasses and peered at the paper in Wufei's hand. "Something wrong?"
"No," Wufei said, then scowled. "I'm just no good at poetry."
Shoving the paper in his pocket, he headed swiftly down the hallway. A few minutes later he was rounding the corner to see Relena leaning against the wall. Her head was down, and her arms were crossed. Her long hair was hanging down, covering her face, and her entire body spoke of exhaustion. Wufei slowed, drinking in the sight of her, and approached her soundlessly on the hospital's carpet.
"Relena?" He asked softly, reaching out a hand, hesitantly.
"Wufei," she said, and opened her arms.
The next thing he knew, she was embracing him, and he nearly stepped back in shock. After a heartbeat, when she didn't pull away, he slowly wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. They remained like that for a minute, and then she pulled back, looking up at him. Her cheeks were tinted pink, and he could only smile at her.
"How are you holding up?" His voice was soft.
"As well as can be expected," she said, ducking her head. "I'm trying to be strong..."
Wufei chuckled quietly. "You're one of the strongest women I know," he told her, remembering another young woman who'd had no problems telling him off. Perhaps it's my fate, he thought, to be partnered with women who tell me what they think. There could be worse fates, he told himself, not too surprised that he was finding the notion rather pleasant. Then he remembered what he'd come to tell her. "Duo accepted my challenge," he told her gravely, then smiled. "But first, I had a question for you."
"Oh?" She smiled shyly as he played with a lock of her hair.
"Mm-hmm," he said, dropping her hair to slip his arms around her waist again. "So...just what was it that made you fall in love with me? I've done so many things, and I know I'm not always the best I can be..."
Relena paused, surprised, then blushed. "I know you aren't," she whispered. "But even when you're at your worst, you're the best, most honorable worst a person can be." She poked him in the chest. "What about me? Which of my wonderful attributes made you suffer love for me?"
Wufei blinked, then smiled, hugging her tightly to him. "Suffer is right, you minx," he growled softly. "I'm suffering, most definitely. I never chose to fall in love with you, then or now, but here I am."
"Gracious," she replied saucily. "If it's that much trouble, as a friend, I should counsel you against going further. I wouldn't want to see a friend be in pain, you know." Relena winked at him, and snuggled closer. "We pacifists aren't big on pain."
He gave her a small smile, remembering her fury at Duo, and sighed. "I suppose not... How is Heero?"
Relena's face fell almost instantly, and she shuddered. "They think he's stable, but... it's not good, Wufei."
The Chinese Preventer nodded, and cocked his head at her, a serious but gentle expression on his face. "And how are you doing?"
She let her head fall, resting it on Wufei's chest. "I'm scared. He's my best friend."
Wufei wrapped his arms around Relena, and the two rocked together for a second as he comforted her wordlessly. Finally he sighed, pulling away from her, but with his hands still on her arms as he looked down into her huge blue eyes. "Keep your chin up, Relena, and remember that I love you."
Before she could respond, there were footsteps in the hallway behind them, and the couple immediately parted. Relena straightened her shirt self-consciously, while Wufei moved around to stand at her shoulder. When she looked up, she realized it was because Duo had approached, with Quatre and Trowa behind him. The two Preventers were watching the longhaired man with anxious faces.
"Relena," Duo said. He raised his eyes long enough to look at her, then dropped his chin again, giving her a strange little half-bow. "I am sorry for all that I said and did that hurt you," he intoned softly. "I just now found out... " His voice cracked, and he looked away. "I'm sorry," he added simply.
The young woman hesitated for a minute, watching the emotions playing across Duo's face. Gone was his manic smile, or his serious working look, and in its place was a frightened, hurt, embarrassed young man. Biting her lower lip, she contemplated the scene, and then decided to take Heero's constant and best advice. Opening her arms, she threw herself at Duo, wrapping her arms around him as she hugged him tightly. He stiffened at first, and she could feel him sag against her. She heard what might've been a stifled sob, and then he was holding her just as closely. The two clung to each other, and when they separated, Relena was certain there were tears caught on her eyelashes.
"I heard the story," she said. "And I'm sorry, too."
"I should have trusted you," he whispered, his eyes not meeting hers. "I shouldn't have just assumed either of you... I let my insecurities run away with me."
"It happens," she replied, not sure what else to say, and hugged him again.
Zechs came up behind the rest, registering Relena and Duo just as Wufei stepped in the way, intercepting the taller man.
"If I could have a word with you," Wufei said. His tone was formal, and his shoulders seemed a little stiff.
The older Preventer sighed. "Wufei, if this is about---"
"No," Wufei said, cutting him off. "It's about... Relena."
Zechs gave Wufei a closer look. The younger man seemed to be slightly flushed, and he pondered the possible reasons. Duo and Relena had separated again, and were talking softly. Zechs pursed his lips, watching Wufei, but the Chinese Preventer didn't seem to be disturbed by the reconciliation happening a few feet away. Finally, Zechs shrugged mentally and decided to dive in. "What about her?"
"I know you're her only living male relative," Wufei started.
Oh, no, Zechs thought, with something akin to horror and a little bit of flattered pleasure at the same time. He managed to suppress the reaction long enough to focus on the rest of Wufei's words.
" ...her hand in marriage," the younger man concluded.
Zechs blinked.
Wufei didn't move, but a muscle in his jaw twitched.
Zechs blinked again, and cleared his throat. "Ah... have you discussed this with Relena?"
"What?" Wufei looked puzzled. "I'm trying to do this the proper way."
"Right," the taller man replied, bemused but doing his best to appear solemn. "In that case, you both have my blessing. But I still recommend you ask her first." Wufei nodded, and Zechs held up a hand. "And I also suggest you don't tell her you asked me first, or she'll have your head."
"She's welcome to it," Wufei replied sagely. "After all, she's already got my heart."
As Une and Noin walked up, Une noticed immediately that Relena seemed more at ease around Duo, and she guessed the two had made their peace. Smiling tightly at Quatre and Trowa, she nodded to Zechs and Wufei. "Is it possible to see Heero?" She directed the question at Relena.
"Only for short periods of time," the younger woman replied. "They're not letting anyone in for very long."
"Then we should probably all go in," Une declared. She pushed the door open, leading the way, and watching in satisfaction as the rest of the group followed dutifully in behind. While she was aware that a large number of people in the ICU was probably against the rules, she had already made up her mind that any reunion between Duo and Heero should be as public as the original wedding catastrophe. While it wasn't as large as group as the wedding audience had been, it would have to do.
Her first sight of Heero nearly brought her to a standstill, but it was with a surge of self-control that she continued around the bed to stand on the side farthest from the door. The young man's arm was wrapped and bound tightly in a cast, holding the arm straight out from the shoulder at a seemingly awkward angle. If his shoulder was crushed, Une thought, most of his upper body is probably immobilized under that sheet, as well. She sighed, registering that now Heero would need sick leave, as well as vacation time for the honeymoon he wouldn't be getting while he recuperated. Une watched as the rest filed in, followed at last by Relena and Duo.
The longhaired man's eyes went wide at the sight of Heero, lying still and silent on the bed. The Preventer's short dark hair stood out at all angles around his face, the only color against the white sheets and the young man's pale face. There were tubes running from his nose, and an IV in one arm, with more cords running from his forehead and his chest to machines that hung over the head of the bed. Duo made a choking sound and pushed past the group to perch on the side of the bed, holding himself over Heero as he bent down to whisper in the other man's ear.
The room was silent for several minutes, and Une strained to hear what Duo was saying, but she couldn't make it out. Glancing around at the rest of the group, she noticed Zechs giving Relena an awkward one-way hug. Noin was standing on Relena's other side, and every few seconds she would give the girl a sympathetic sideways glance. Wufei, Quatre and Trowa were shoulder-to-shoulder along the foot of the bed, watching closely as Duo continued his near-silent monologue into the ear of the injured and unconscious young man.
Une looked down at Duo again, and was startled to see tears on his cheeks. A single drop hovered for a second, then splashed down onto Heero's face. The man's eyes opened nearly instantly, and he frowned for a second, but then his entire expression melted. Une sucked her breath in through her teeth, finally seeing the side of Heero that normally only Duo and Relena would ever see: a gentle, kind smile.
"Thought you said boys don't cry," Heero whispered, but loud enough for everyone to hear.
Duo laughed, but it sounded like a sob at the same time. "I thought I'd make an exception for you," he replied.
"Idiot," Heero told him. "I'm never going to be interested in some---"
The longhaired man laid a finger across Heero's lips. "I know. I'm sorry." Then something seemed to occur to Duo, and he pulled back a little ways. "Wait... you know? About Dorothy, and---"
"Just because the drugs made my heart go crazy didn't mean they affected my hearing," Heero retorted, a little of his natural crankiness reasserting itself. "The district supervisor was standing right over there when he was talking to Quatre and Trowa."
Duo started to glare, and then laughed, clearly despite himself. "Love you," he said, leaning down for a quick kiss. "Marry me?"
"Duo, you idiot," Heero said, latching onto Duo's braid with his good hand. "The answer is still yes."
"How soon can we get that Judge to the hospital?" Duo shot a mischievous look at Une, from where he was still leaning over Heero. "I've only got another week of vacation, and I've got to make up for lost time on my honeymoon."
"Our honeymoon," came the soft reply from the bed.
"That, too." Duo grinned, then yelped as Heero tugged on the braid. "Hey, not a leash, damn it."
"I wonder if you save money if you do a two-for-one," Une said, testing the waters.
She did her best to not stare at Wufei and Relena as she said it. Noin had filled her in on many of the recent details, and Une was curious to see how far the plot had succeeded. Her statement was met with surprised silence, and Une looked across the room to see Zechs surreptitiously move away from Relena to stand by his wife. Relena was now standing only a foot away from Wufei, who looked like a stunned sparrow, caught in the high beams of an oncoming jumbo jet.
Wufei mumbled something under his breath, and turned to Relena. Squaring his shoulders, he swallowed hard and looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you love me?"
Relena looked surprised, and tossed her head. "No more than is reasonable, really."
"What?" The Chinese Preventer frowned. "Heero, Sally and Zechs swore you did!"
"Do you love me?" Relena raised an eyebrow.
"No more than is reasonable, really," Wufei replied smartly.
"Then Quatre, Trowa and Duo were smoking something," the young woman said hotly. "They swore you did, too!"
"They said you were crying yourself to sleep every night over me," Wufei insisted.
"They said you were pining away to nothing for me," Relena shot back at him.
Wufei exhaled abruptly. "So... you don't love me?"
"Only as a friend," Relena said.
"A friend," he said, nodding. "Well, then---"
"Enough already," Heero interrupted. "I have it on good authority that Relena really is in love with Wufei."
"What?" Wufei and Relena asked, simultaneously.
Heero reached over to the bedside table, pulling open the top drawer and bringing out a piece of paper. Relena gasped angrily, but the dark-haired man merely waved it at Wufei, who snatched it before Relena could intercept.
"That's a list of songs she's dedicating at the local radio station," Heero informed the rest of the group. Relena could only sputter, while Wufei read over the list, chuckling softly at some points, and blushing furiously at a few other lines.
Duo grinned, and tugged a folded piece of paper out of his back pocket. "Knew those skills still came in handy," he announced, waving the paper. "Relena, you might enjoy this. Seems there's a man in love with you... who's only mediocre at poetry. Stick to haiku, Wufei, less room to do damage."
Wufei looked up in time to see Relena grab the paper from Duo's hand, nearly ripping it as she unfolded it. Her eyes moved furiously across the paper, and she sighed a few points, her eyes going a little distant. Wufei realized what the paper was, and one of his hands immediately snaked to his back pocket. He dug around in that pocket, then checked the rest, finally settling for glaring at Duo.
"Maxwell," Wufei sputtered. "Theft! That is a dishonorable---"
"Geez, Chang," Duo replied, leaning back across Heero but careful not to put any weight on his husband-to-be. "We're doing you a favor."
"Still, it's theft, and I cannot believe you would---"
"Someone do something," Quatre muttered. "I've been through enough today, I don't need a patented Chang lecture."
"---as to commit an act of such injustice, using my own---"
Relena shoved the paper in her pocket, slapped her hands on Wufei's chest, grabbed a hold of his shirt, and dragged him down to her, kissing him soundly. Wufei's eyes didn't even close. She let go, and he reeled back, his mouth still moving.
"---trust among good friends who are expected to---"
"Try again," Trowa told her. Relena nodded, her expression firm, and she yanked Wufei down to press her lips against his.
After a second, Noin nodded. "Eyes are closed."
Wufei didn't respond, too busy dropping the paper and putting his arms around Relena.
Zechs coughed.
Relena flipped her brother off, and kept kissing Wufei.
Duo grinned.
Finally Wufei and Relena broke apart, and both blushed deeply to realize seven pairs of curious eyes were watching them. Une watched as Zechs struggled to make his expression suitably grave before he spoke.
"So, Wufei, how does it feel... now that you're going to be a married man?"
Wufei sighed, and then smiled as Relena slipped her arm around his waist. "I'll tell you what, Zechs, you can say whatever you want to me, but my mind is made up. Since I've decided I want to marry Relena... if she'll have me," he added softly, "... then that's that, and there's nothing you can say to change my mind." Wufei's tone took on a distinctly haughty air, but the crinkles around his eyes belied his good humor. "So don't give me any grief about what I said in the past, because when we're children, we think childish things, but the time comes you have to put that away and get on with the good things in life."
Relena kissed him again.
Une raised her eyebrows, and realized she was smiling, too. There were footsteps in the doorway, and Wufei and Relena broke apart long enough to join the rest of the group in staring at Murray.
"Director Une, everyone," he said apologetically. "Sorry to... ah... interrupt, but you wanted to know immediately. We've located Miss Catalonia, and several officers are bringing her to the local station right now."
"Good," Une replied. Duo had immediately come to his feet at the words, but Wufei held out a hand.
"Leave it to until tomorrow," Wufei said softly. "Together, we'll come up with a punishment that will fit the crime. For now, however, I think we have a judge to locate."
Duo paused, and then yelped as Heero tugged on his braid. Giving Heero a mock-glare, Duo turned to Wufei with a grin. "So much for getting cake with the wedding."
"The hospital cafeteria has cake," Trowa offered helpfully.
"It's going to take the Judge at least a half-hour to get here," Zechs commented.
"Cake before!" Duo cried, and Heero rolled his eyes.
"Cake comes after the wedding," Quatre chided.
"Screw that, cake first, wedding second," Duo said.
Relena laughed, and Wufei looked thoughtful, then grinned.
"I agree," Wufei said. "Cake for everyone!"
~ fini ~
(:./sol/meeting10)
