04-Nov-2003
Title: Meeting Beatrice
Author: Sol (archived as Zefyr on FF & MM)
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.
"Alright, Noin, you've got your orders." Zechs followed the statement with a quick kiss, then had to dodge fast to miss his wife's replying light smack.
"Aye, aye," she retorted smartly. She grinned past the tall man at Duo, who was chuckling, and at Sally, who looked like she was still trying to figure out which end was up. Noin poked her old partner as she brushed past, laughing as Sally gave up and grinned back ruefully. "It's for a good cause, Sal," Noin whispered.
The three took their positions on the deck, staying close to the open kitchen window. Most of the party was down at the beach, and the four had volunteered for kitchen duty for an excuse to stay at the house a little longer. Noin would be back with Relena, on pretense of needing to know that she was the subject of gossip. Noin had always had an older-sister relationship with the young woman, and Quatre had determined Relena would least suspect Noin of ulterior motives.
Zechs set down his drink on the deck railing, which was the sign that Noin had twitched the living room curtains. Relena would be in place, by the open kitchen window, in a minute.
"She there yet?" Sally hissed, fidgeting with her shorts and bikini top as she lay back on the deck chair.
"Get my back?" Duo handed Sally a bottle of suntan lotion and turned around, moving his braid out of the way.
"This is killing me," Sally whispered as she poured lotion out on her hand and began to slather it across the young man's shoulder blades. "I still can't believe I let you talk me into this."
"Geez, Sally," Duo grumbled good-naturedly. "You admitted yourself that Wufei's been in love with Relena for years now."
Zechs grinned and picked the glass up again. A minute had passed, and Relena was now in position. "But are you positive Wufei is still in love with Relena?" Zechs asked, loudly.
"Absolutely," Sally replied easily, continuing to slather lotion down Duo's back. She frowned, certain that he was already getting pink from the time he'd spent on the deck earlier, even though he'd been wearing a tank top.
"Then we should tell Relena," Zechs said.
"No," Duo told them both. "Wufei is my best friend, and while I'd love for him to be happy, I've told him repeatedly that the best course of action is to keep it to himself."
"Not tell Relena?" Zechs sounded shocked. "Wufei deserves a chance at happiness, too."
"Sure he does, but with Relena?" Duo shook his head and turned around as Sally patted his back to indicate she was done. Taking the lotion, he pointed at Zechs with the bottle. "I know she's your sister, but she's not only hard-headed, but pretty hard-hearted, too."
"Duo's right," Sally said, and her tone was regretful. "Relena's got a lot of good qualities, but she's pretty wrapped up in herself. She'd only drag Wufei over more coals, delighted to find he had a weakness."
"You're right." Zechs sighed and leaned against the railing, watching as Duo began spreading suntan lotion across Sally's back. "I've never seen or heard my sister speak well of any potential suitors. Every single one has a problem of some sort. Too tall, too short, too skinny, too fat... "
"Too hairy, or not hairy enough," Duo added.
"Guess no one ever told her that being so critical was hardly the way to win friends and influence enemies," Sally observed dryly.
"I know I've been remiss as a brother," Zechs said, and his tone was pensive. "But maybe I should say something to her."
"No, don't," Sally said. "Wufei is an honorable man, and he's fought hard, on his own, to do what's right. He doesn't deserve having his love brutalized in front of everyone. I don't want to see him hurt."
"Me neither," Duo told her, as he poured more lotion on his hand to cover the small of Sally's back. The long-haired man wiped at his forehead with the back of his hand and sighed. "Look, I'll just talk to Wufei. I'll give him a list of things about Relena that aren't as complimentary. Maybe hearing about her flaws will cure him of this starry-eyed nonsense."
"There's certainly enough things to go on that list," Zechs said.
"Don't do her wrong," Sally warned. "Relena has plenty of good points. I wish I could say something to her, but unless she cleaned up her act, she really doesn't deserve Wufei. He's a good man."
"And one of the best Preventers," Duo agreed. He grinned. "Excepting Heero, of course."
"Of course," Zechs said, amused. "Speaking of which, when's the wedding?"
"Tomorrow," Duo said, blushing as Sally rounded on him, her eyes wide.
"What?" The woman gaped, then looked at Zechs, who could only shrug as he chuckled at Duo's embarrassment. Sally poked Duo in the chest. "You sure work fast."
"Well, it was a little confusing getting there," Duo admitted. "We hit a few road bumps, but things couldn't be better now. One of the local Preventers knows a Justice of the Peace, who'll be here in the morning. Nothing big, just our vows on the beach."
"Beautiful," Sally said. "Show me where," she prompted, standing.
"Right this way," Duo replied, leading the two others down to the beach where the rest of the group was frolicking in the water and relaxing on the sand.
Back in the house, Relena was standing wide-eyed by the kitchen window. Blindly she groped for the countertop and hauled herself up from where she'd been crouching under the window to hear more clearly. A few minutes passed, and she could only blink, staring at the cabinets across from her.
He still loves me, she thought, stunned. And all this time I've been doing nothing but making his every minute an absolute hell. Relena groaned, and turned around to lean her forehead against the upper cabinets. I'm such an idiot. I've been so proud, so cruel, and completely ignorant that everyone around me could see a side of me that I couldn't or wouldn't admit. I call myself a good person, she berated herself, and I'd treat someone like this...
She pushed away from the cabinet and stood up straight, squaring her shoulders with a deep breath.
Not anymore, she decided. The fact that I was young and stupid and infatuated with Heero, those years ago, doesn't mean I'm still stupid. I'm not going to waste this chance. Everything they said about Wufei is true. He 's honorable, a hard worker, intelligent... and handsome. She sighed, thinking of the way his black hair brushed his shoulders when he'd let it down to redo his ponytail. Grinning a little goofily, she nodded to herself.
Bring it on, Wufei, she announced silently. I'm not going to screw it up, if you'll give me a second chance.
Pleased with her new resolution, she grabbed her towel from the countertop, her chin up as she headed down to the beach to join everyone.
"I think I got sunburnt," Quatre muttered as he followed Trowa and Heero down the hall. The Arabian rubbed his nose, and winced as it stung a little. His voice was plaintive. "Is my nose red?"
"Yes," Trowa said. He grinned at Quatre's responding scowl.
His skin, like Heero's, was already darkening into a deep tan. Trowa's skin was light brown, and would probably be darker with only another day of sun. Heero's tan was golden, and beside them, Quatre's light hue was more pink than gold. The blond Preventer was busy trying to focus his eyes on his nose, and didn't realize the other two had stopped. He walked into Trowa's back with a muffled curse.
"Shh," Heero said, grinning slyly as he pointed.
Quatre poked his head around from behind Trowa to see, glancing sideways into Wufei's room. The door was open, and the three men could see Wufei holding up one t-shirt against his chest, and staring at himself in the mirror. He seemed to study his reflection for a minute, and then frowned, picking up a white long-sleeved shirt that was a little dressier. There was a pause, and he put the shirt down, reaching up to undo the ponytail holder. Letting his hair fall onto his shoulders, he made a face as he pondered the results.
When the three watching men simultaneously started laughing, Wufei nearly jumped straight up in the air. His face was a cross between annoyance and utter embarrassment.
"What are you doing?" He nearly shouted, grabbing the shirts and shoving them back into his suitcase. "Can't a person get dressed in peace around here?"
"Are you feeling okay, Wufei?" Quatre leaned against the doorjamb, feeling Trowa's body still shaking in laughter behind him. "You seem a little... off."
"Not himself," Heero said, grinning lazily.
"I'm fine," the Chinese Preventer retorted. He frowned. "I' m... uh... better, now. Than I was," he added hastily, and glowered at the three men. "You wouldn't understand."
"Oh, I think we would," Trowa said. "Looks like you've got a fever, Wufei. Need some aspirin?"
"I don't think aspirin would cure what he's got," Heero replied. "Looks to me like he's in love."
"Love?" Wufei drew himself up to his full height. "No... uh... a headache."
"Or a heartache," Heero observed. "But a good one."
"Or a stutter," Trowa added. "Could be a symptom."
Heero sniffed, with a puzzled expression, and then leaned farther into the room as he sniffed a few more times. "Wufei... are you wearing cologne?"
"I was burning incense," the Chinese Preventer replied stiffly. He pulled his hair back, situating the ponytail holder with a ferocious snap.
"Right," Trowa drawled, propping himself up behind Quatre, who was rolling his eyes. Trowa grinned, his green eyes settling on the bottle on Wufei's dresser. "Incense that just happens to smell like the KL we gave you at New Year's."
"It could happen!" Wufei retorted hotly, stepping quickly in front of the dresser to block Trowa's view. Heero fell back into the hallway, laughing softly with a hand over his mouth. Wufei grimaced as Trowa joined the dark-haired man in chuckles, and looked at Quatre, who just shrugged helplessly. Wufei pointed at him. "Quatre, I need to talk to you." He glowered at the other two men, striding from the room and grabbing Quatre by the arm as he passed. "Alone!"
Duo had just thrown away his dinner plate, scraped clean, and turned to find Zechs and Noin behind him in the kitchen. They were laughing softly over the way Relena and Wufei had kept throwing each other glances during the dinner meal.
"Most peaceful meal yet," Noin cracked. "Even if it's hard to eat and keep a straight face at the same time."
The longhaired man grinned as he washed his hands. The fried chicken was greasy, but it was perfect for the large group that was gathering in the living room and out on the deck. Relena had snagged Heero after dinner, requesting a moment with him, and Duo suspected it was to discuss what she'd overheard after lunch. Zechs was chuckling as he pulled out beers for each of them, but he fell silent as someone else entered the kitchen.
"Zechs," Dorothy said quietly. "I need to speak with you."
"What's up?" The tall Preventer popped the top off his wife's beer. "Something wrong?" All three could see her subdued expression, and the unease she demonstrated as she hovered in the doorway.
"Yeah," she said. "It's... " Dorothy glanced at Duo and Noin. "It concerns, Duo, too... "
"Anything you have to say," Duo assured her, "you can say in front of Noin and Zechs."
"Well, then, I think you should come with me," Dorothy replied. She paused, thinking, and sighed as she canted her head at Duo. "I am terribly sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but... you're a good man. You should know what's going on."
Duo frowned, confused, and followed Dorothy. Behind him, Noin and Zechs exchanged a bewildered look as they followed Duo and Dorothy. The walk from the house was silent, past the various local Preventers laughing and joking with Quatre, Trowa, and Sally on the deck. Wufei was chatting with Conrad and two other Preventers, and the Chinese man waved as they passed.
Twenty yards from the deck, Dorothy came to a stop, turning to Duo. In the early evening light, he could see her solemn expression, and those large gray eyes measuring him up.
"Duo, you can still go back," she said.
When he didn't say anything, she sighed and turned him around, directing his attention to the rocks. There were two people leaning against the rocks. A broad-shouldered man with unruly dark brown hair was pressed up against a blonde girl. The young woman's golden brown hair whipped out with the wind, wrapping around the man's shoulders as he lifted her up onto the rock. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he ground himself against her as they kissed deeply.
Duo froze.
Noin gasped, and Zechs could only stare. His wife was the first to react, about to bolt forward, but Duo's sharp gesture halted her immediately. He turned to Dorothy, anguish flashing across his face, raw and unmasked.
His voice was barely audible. "Is that... "
"Yes," she said. "I thought you should see for yourself."
"How long... " Duo started to ask, then shook his head. He didn't want to know. Beside him, Noin was trembling with restrained anger, and he shook his head at her. "Please, don't."
"I'm sorry," Dorothy said, as she turned and slipped away.
Duo watched her go, then jerked his head towards the beach. Noin and Zechs followed, their shared glances worried and angry.
"Duo, I... " Zechs started to say, but the longhaired man shook his head.
"Don't. Just... don't." Duo stared out at the ocean. His fists were clenched at his side.
Noin gave Zechs an anxious look. "Please, Duo... we're your friends. If there's anything we can do... please tell us."
"I... " He sighed, and his face crumpled, but he managed to regain his composure after a minute. His voice was a rasp, fraught with barely concealed agony. "I... I'll decide what I want to do. But right now, I just want to run and hide." He laughed, a coarse bark.
"I understand," Zechs murmured.
"Will you go with me?" Duo turned, then, his face twisted as he struggled to keep from crying. His chest felt like someone had impaled him on his own scythe, and he rubbed angrily at his eyes with the back of his hand. "Stay in a hotel, somewhere? Just... I don't think I want to be alone."
"Fine," Zechs said, anger seeping into his own voice as he glanced over his shoulder. The three could just make out the couple on the rocks, dark shapes against the rock as the sun set behind the house. The two were separating, and heading back into the house. Zechs turned back to Duo. "We' ll keep you company, and whatever you need, that we can do, we will."
Noin nodded, and silently the three headed back to the house. Without discussion, she went with Duo to help him get his stuff, while Zechs told Quatre they'd be staying at a hotel. When pressed, Zechs only replied that Duo was holding to the tradition of sleeping separately the night before the wedding. Heero was nowhere to be seen, nor was Relena, and Zechs could only be relieved. His own heart ached for the young man.
Outside, next to the rental cars, Duo seemed to stumble. Noin turned to him, immediately, as Zechs threw their luggage in the back of the car. The young woman's eyes were large with unshed tears. "I'm sorry," she said, and started to hug Duo, but the young man stepped back with a warning glance.
"You do that," he said, laughing harshly, "and I will cry. And I'm not going to give anyone that satisfaction."
"Duo, are you going to say anything to him?" Noin cocked her head, uncertain about leaving so abruptly, even if she understood the emotional reasons for it. "You've got to say something. The JP is going to be here in the morning."
"So will I," Duo said, his voice harsh. "And believe me, I'll say something then."
End Part 5
(:./sol/meeting5)
