All's Fair at the Fair
"Lets go!"
A braided blur flew by, accompanied by a blond streak. Two boys ran out the door, ready for the day's adventure.
Duo turned around and looked in the doorway he just flew out of. "Are you guys coming or what?!" Behind him Quatre stood, also anxious to go.
"Don't worry," Heero said as he walked out the door. "It's not like we're going to miss it." Trowa sauntered out behind him, followed by Wufei, who took a second to lock the door of their current hideout and shut it firmly.
"It's only going to be open for another eleven hours!" Duo pointed out. "If we don't get there now there won't be enough time to have any fun."
Heero almost smiled at the other boy. Almost. "Baka."
The group piled into their quite stolen mini-van, with Wufei at the wheel, and started off on their trip.
It was an unusual lull in the battle, and the boys were given time off for some much needed, and much deserved, rest and relaxation. Of course, so much for relaxation when Quatre found out there was going to be a carnival in town. His eyes had lit up like a child's and, with a little cooing to Trowa, plans to go were made (because, after all, who can resist a puppy-dog eyed Quatre?).
When Duo found out, he insisted on going too, but his methods of persuading Heero were a bit different. Two hours of "please, please, please, please, Heero, come on, please, please, please?" convinced the Japanese pilot to go, if only to shut his partner up. Wufei got much the same treatment and it was turned into a group affair.
The ride to the fairgrounds proved to be . . . interesting. Duo bounced up and down, rambling on about all the rides he was going to ride on and all the junk foods he was going to eat. "I want cotton candy and elephant ears and corn dogs, and more cotton candy . . ." Heero gave a sideways glance, but said nothing.
"Trowa," Quatre said, his blue eyes sparkling, "we can go on the Ferris wheel, right?"
"Of course."
The little blond blushed a bit. "That one's a bit romantic, ne?" he said quietly, to himself.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing!"
Duo rested his head on the shoulder in front of him. "And you'll ride the Ferris wheel with me. Right . . ." he batted his eyelashes, "Woofy?"
"Ahh! No!"
"Why not? Don't you like me anymore?"
Wufei's face turned bright red. "I . . . I . . ." He could feel Heero's glare burn into the back of his head.
"Aww, come on Wu-chan," Duo continued to tease.
"Don't make me drive us into a pole! I'll do it!"
"We could snuggle up all nice an- ack!" Duo cut off when his head suddenly jerked violently and he was pulled back to his seat by his long braid. "Heero!"
"Omae o korosu."
Duo rolled his eyes. "I bet you say that to all the girls."
"He does, actually," a voice said from behind them. Heero turned quickly, pulling a gun out of *someplace* and pointing it at Trowa, who just stared back impassively.
"Do you have a problem?" Heero growled.
"No, of course not." Cool as always.
Quatre threw himself in front of his lover. Or rather, attempted to but their vehicle had hit a large bump in the road at that precise moment, so he ended up in the other boy's lap, which suited them both just fine. "I won't let you hurt him!" Not as intimidating as he'd hoped.
Wufei gripped the wheel tightly. "Almost there, don't drive off cliff. Almost there, don't drive off cliff . . ."
Catching sight of the carnival rides, Duo grabbed Heero's arm, yelling, "I see it! I see it!" The movement made the gun fire, but luckily Heero's arm had moved when Duo grabbed it, causing the roof of the mini-van to gain a new hole. A woman's scream was heard when the shot went off.
"Jeez, Wu. You're awful jumpy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arriving at the fair, less then completely safely, the boys each got all-day wrist bands, so they could go on all the rides, all they wanted, all day. But they all had different ideas on where to start. Quatre wanted to ride on the Ferris wheel with Trowa, but was easily convinced to put it off when his koibito suggested they wait until night, when the park would be lit up with colorful lights. Heero was eyeing the shooting gallery, mentally going over how easy it would be to win the biggest prize for a certain violet-eyed someone. Wufei looked like he didn't want to be there at all. He was still a bit shaky from the drive there. And Duo was eagerly gesturing to a large roller coaster.
Of course, Duo won out. Mostly by grabbing Heero and Wufei by the wrists and physically dragging them to the ride of his choice, with Quatre and Trowa following. They got in line, and when it was their turn Duo grabbed Wufei's hand and pulled him to the front. "Come on, Wu, the front's the best!" They sat in the front seat and Heero sat behind them, by himself, and the remaining two pilots were behind him. Wufei once again felt the sensation of a death glare boring into the back of his skull and he had been a slight shade of pink ever since the braided one had grabbed his hand; all in all, he was a tad on the uncomfortable side. Then there was the fact that he didn't really care for roller coasters. When the coaster took off his yelp could be heard for miles.
Anyone standing outside, watching the ride, would have seen quite a sight; that of a boy whooping and hollering, having the time of his life waving his arms, with his braid smacking the Chinese boy next to him, who was terrified beyond belief, screaming at the top of his lungs. They'd see a lone boy glaring ahead of him, looking more pissed than one would think possible for someone at a carnival. And there would be a blond boy, with his arms in the air and the happiest of smiles on his face, and next to him a stoic looking boy who glanced around as though he didn't notice or didn't care that he was going upside down at high speed.
After what seemed like an eternity, to some people, or minutes to others, the ride pulled in to a stop. Duo hopped out, eager for the next thrill. "That was great! Ne, Heero?"
A "hn" was his only response.
Wufei climbed out of the cart, his hand on his chest like he'd had a heart attack. "No more . . ." he gasped.
"Sorry, Wu, but the day has just begun!" Duo cackled wickedly as Wufei's stomach churned.
"Where to next?" Quatre asked, stepping up to the others. His eyes were shining in excitement and he had his arm linked through Trowa's.
"Hmm . . ." Duo looked around, then his eyes lit up and he pointed to another large ride. "There!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Step right up," the man who ran the booth said. "For $4 you can test your skill and maybe win a prize!"
Heero smirked and set a few bills on the counter. The man handed him a gun (which in itself wasn't a safe thing to do), and before he could blink three consecutive shots were fired off, each one hitting the targets on the bull's-eye. "No problem."
The man sputtered "not bad," and handed the Wing pilot a small stuffed prize. Heero just looked at it for a moment, then looked off to the side, then back to the little prize. He looked up and pointed to a large stuffed black panther.
"I want that one."
"To get that one you have to hit this target," the man gestured to a small, tiny little target at the far back of the booth, "on the bull's eye. With all three shots." He felt doubtful that the young boy before him could meet the challenge. The regular targets were quite a bit larger than this one, and nobody can be that lucky twice. Right?
Heero stared at the target. "Ninmu ryokai." He slapped a few more dollars on the counter and the man handed him the gun again (he'll never learn, ne?), and once again three straight shots were fired. Sure enough, each bullet hit the target perfectly. "Ninmu kanryu."
"Damn . . . Err . . . ::ahem:: Good job! You win!" He pulled down the large prize and handed it to the Japanese boy, who had to wrap both arms around it to hold it. He saw the boy glance to the side again at a braided figure who was waiting in the snack line and winked. "I hope your girlfriend likes it."
"Hn."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few booths down, one customer wasn't faring so well.
"Kisama!" Wufei yelled when he missed once again. Well, he hadn't actually missed; he hit right, but the ball didn't quite go in like it was supposed to. "It's rigged! The hole is smaller than the softball! It's a scam, I want my money back!"
"The game is not rigged," the man who ran the booth insisted. "You just have no aim, that's all." With this statement he was promptly hit square in the face with the ball.
"I'd say my aim is just fine," Wufei seethed. "Now you either refund the money I wasted on this travesty or I'll show you just how precise my aim can be." The man noticed another ball was aimed, but not at his face, just a bit below the waist. He decided to do to right thing and give the Chinese boy his money back.
Wufei snatched the money from the man and stormed off. Damnit, he thought to himself, now I'll have to try to get a different prize for Duo. And I've got to do it before Yuy does. He looked around just in time to see Heero hand over the large panther and receive a bone-crushing hug from the giddy Deathscythe pilot.
"KISAMA!!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heero and Duo had gotten a ton of food (actually, Duo got it all, Heero just carried it) and found a picnic table to sit at. Duo sat his plush animal next to him and Heero sat on his other side. A moment later Wufei joined them, sitting across from the braided pilot. He scowled at the panther, then at Heero, then at the world, and folded his arms across his chest. "Dig in," Duo said, as he shoved half a hot-dog into his mouth, took a few bites, then added a few french fries.
They had been there for hours, making their way through half the park, riding most of the rides and playing a few of the games. Sometimes they stayed together, sometimes they broke off in pairs or on their own, but they had all agreed to meet up for lunch.
Heero started working on his own hot-dog, while Wufei eyed the greasy food, unsure if he could stomach it or not and worried about what would happen if he was forced onto another whirly-go-pukey ride after eating. Just the thought made him feel queasy. "I'm not very hungry."
Duo grabbed a hot-dog from out of it's bun and started waving it in front of the boy across from him. "Oh, come on, you know you want it." It was almost . . . provocative . . . or obscene. "It'd taste so gooood. Mmm mmm mmm..."
That reoccurring pink color came to Wufei's face again. "Stop it," he said, slightly irritated and more than a bit embarrassed.
"Go ahead," the braided boy continued. "Stick it in your mouth and-"
"No! Enough! I'm not hungry!" the other yelled. Duo giggled and Heero mumbled something about not being man enough to take a few little carnival rides. "What was that?" Wufei glared.
"Nothing." Heero glared right back. One could almost see the lightning crackling between their stares.
"Did we come at a bad time?" Quatre and Trowa wandered up, the little blond carrying a stuffed camel that his partner had won for him at the knife-throwing booth.
"Not at all, Q," Duo said through a mouth full of food. "Help yourself."
They sat down, Trowa in the middle next to Wufei and Quatre next to him, and each selected their own hot-dogs and other assorted goodies to make their lunch.
The Heavyarms pilot had grabbed a large handful of ketchup packets and began emptying them onto his food until there was more condiment than there was meat (or non-meat, nobody really knows), earning him odd looks from his friends. He just shrugged and began to eat. Of course, the minute he attempted to take a bite, half of the red substance dropped off the end and landed in his lap. He looked down, then up, then down again.
"I'll get that," Quatre offered, grabbing a napkin. As he started wiping up the mess, the Chinese pilot on the other side of his love turned his back to them, threatening a nosebleed and a rant about indecency in public. "It's a good thing you're wearing black shorts, so it won't be noticeable," he continued, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be pawing at another boy's . . . lap.
Heero snuck a glance at Duo, then tilted his hot-dog, encouraging the condiments to drip. When a glob slipped off onto his thigh he widened his eyes in fake surprise. "Oh look," he commented softly, "I dropped some too." He looked at his partner expectantly.
"So clean it up," Duo replied. "Slob."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quatre wandered around the Haunted House, trying not to show his fear, but unable to keep from feeling a bit timid. He knew perfectly well that the spooky sound effects were fake and that the fog covering the floor was man-made. But still . . .
Somehow he had lost track of the others. He had been distracted, looking into a mirror that distorted his fine features into something less pleasant to the eye, and when he turned around he found himself alone. Lost in the mist. He turned in a circle and noticed that the room he was in didn't have any doors or windows in it. There was no way out.
He began walking along the walls of the room, poking and feeling for any kind of secret passage or lever to make a door open. He cursed softly when he tripped over something, then stooped to see what it was. Picking it up, he saw it was longish and white, then dropped it with a gasp when he realized what it was. The bone (which looked almost human) landed on a pile of other bones, along with a humanoid skull. The pilot's clear blue eyes grew wide and he slowly stepped backwards to the other side of the room.
Not watching where he was going, he backed into another being. Long arms wrapped around him and he would have screamed, but a hand clamped over his small mouth. He was held tight and, despite his squirming, couldn't break free. So he did the only thing he could think of to do; he moved his arm back and elbowed his attacker in the groin. Hard. Immediately he was released and he turned on the other person, ready to defend himself if necessary. The figure groaned and fell over.
"Trowa!" He recognized his lover and kneeled by the other boy, "I'm so sorry! What were you doing?"
"Looking . . . for you . . ." the brown-haired boy managed to gasp out through the pain. "Wanted to . . . surprise . . . you . . ."
"Well, you did. Are you hurt?"
" . . . Dying . . ."
Quatre scowled at his partner. "You're not dying."
There was a sparkle in the green eyes that those who knew him well would recognize as mischief. "You'll have to... kiss it and make it better..."
The blond blushed. "Trowa!"
"Quatre!"
"Duo?!?"
"Barton!"
"Wufei!"
"Hn."
"Heero . . ."
"Damn it!"
"Trowa."
"Quaaaatraaaa!!"
"Duo! We're here, Duo!"
A panel in the wall, the same one Trowa had slipped in through, opened to reveal Duo (who had ran his large stuffed panther to the mini-van earlier), Wufei, and Heero. They each smirked, turned around, and . . . did nothing, respectively upon seeing the other two pilots alone, on the floor, together.
"Ohh!" Duo started teasing, "sorry, hope we didn't interrupt anything!"
Wufei had far less tact. "Can the two of you stop making out for even a minute?!"
"Don't wanna."
"Trowa, don't pout."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You're going to make yourself sick."
Heero looked at the braided pilot who had just started on his third caramel apple while at the same time maintained a death-grip on a half-empty bag of cotton candy. Duo was *very* possessive of his junk food.
"Nonsense, I've got a stomach of steel." He puffed out his chest, attempting to look manly.
"Well your stomach of steel isn't going to fit in your Gundam if you keep eating like that."
Like a balloon, Duo deflated, and his round eyes filled with dew. "You . . . ::sniffle:: You think I'm fat?"
"No. I . . . I was just saying-"
"You do! You think I'm a blimp!" he wailed, tears spilling over his cheeks.
"Now look what you did," Wufei accused. "You made him cry."
"All I said was-"
"That I'm the size of a Gundam!" the sobbing boy wailed even louder.
Shenlong's pilot shyly put an arm around his comrade, who in turn pressed his face into the welcoming shoulder to cry on. Where Duo couldn't see, Wufei sneered at Heero over the prize in his arms. With a growl, Heero stormed away, punching a tin garbage can as he passed it. Duo looked over his shoulder to see a retreating back. "What's his problem?" He had forgotten all about crying.
The Chinese boy gently tugged on the braid beneath his hands. "Are you alright?" He wasn't used to this comforting thing, and even that simple question was unusual for him.
Brilliant violet looked up; "I'd feel better if I had some popcorn."
"Popcorn?" Wufei blinked at him.
Duo nodded. "With extra artificial butter flavoring."
"Ugh, I can just hear your arteries hardening."
Those violet eyes became moist again and the soft lower lip quivered.
Sniffle.
"Fine, fine. Popcorn it is. Would you like fries with that?"
"Why would I want fries with popcorn?" [1]
"Never mind."
"You've got cotton candy on your nose."
"Where?"
"Never mind."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dusk had fallen and the carnival was lit up with brightly colored lights. It was the perfect time for Ferris wheel riding with a loved one. Quatre pushed up his sleeves, determined to have his way. With balled fists he stomped up to the figure of Trowa and tapped him on the shoulder. The taller pilot turned to see his sweet looking koibito, standing like an angel.
"Now?"
Trowa smiled his special Quatre-smile. "Now."
They got in line and waited their turn. As they stood Quatre noticed people staring at the two boys who had their arms around each other; he made it a point to snuggle closer and kiss the taller boy's chin, then giggled at the watchers' dumbfounded expression. The line moved and they chose a small, green (Quatre picked green because it reminded him of Trowa's eyes) seat to ride in. Slowly, they were risen higher and higher as each cart was filled with happy couples, each wanting to create a small memory with someone they cared for.
The view was beautiful. From the top of the large wheel one could see the whole park, with the many colored lights and crowds of people. Beyond that the city sparkled in the night, not quite yet having gone to sleep.
Quatre leaned out of the cart, first on one side, then to the front, then stretched to the other side. He wanted to see everything from every angle, and his eyes glittered with the deep happiness of being able to share it with his love. When he'd had his fill of the view he settled back into his koibito's arms and made himself comfortable. The ride was smooth and soothing, lulling the small pilot as he sighed contentedly.
The wheel turned gently for several minutes, then eventually slowed to a stop to let passengers off. When they reached the bottom Quatre didn't make an attempt to get off; Trowa looked down to see the blond sleeping against his chest. He took him up into his arms and carried him away from the ride, holding the small body close to his own. He could swear he heard "aww" and "cute" coming from the same people who were staring earlier.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heero approached the black-clad figure, who sat on a picnic table hunched over. "Duo . . .?" No response. "Duo, look. I didn't mean to offend you. I just . . . I didn't want you to be . . . pigging out like that." The other boy's shoulders shook with a sob. "It's not healthy and I . . . I didn't want you to get sick."
Duo looked up at him with watery eyes. "Heero . . ." he gasped. His face looked pained and had a greenish tinge to it.
The Wing pilot knew what was coming. "It's too late, isn't it?" His partner nodded and he moved out of the way just in time before the braided one leaned over the garbage can next to him and heaved up the sugary, greasy foods he had consumed throughout the day. Heero just stood, unsure of what to do. It's not that he was repulsed; in his war-torn lifetime he'd seen far more disgusting things than someone getting sick. He simply didn't know how to make the boy feel better, no matter how much he wanted to.
Gripping the rim of the can, Duo continued to lose his lunch as he felt gentle hands pulling his hair out of his face. Without looking, he knew it was the Japanese pilot who held his jagged bangs and long braid away from the mess. When he was finished he looked up into cobalt blue eyes full of . . . could that be concern?
Wufei stood a few paces behind, holding a cup of water to rinse with and a handful of napkins. He'd witnessed what happened and took the initiative, getting the items without having to be asked and making a temporary truce with his rival in order to care for their mutual crush.
"Feeling better?" Heero asked softly, with a hint of emotion, which was a lot for the normally cold pilot.
The sick boy cast his eyes downward; "I'm so embarrassed I could die." He graciously accepted the water offered to him, swishing it around in his mouth, then spitting it out. They all sat in an uneasy silence for a moment, then Duo noticed something. "You can let go of my hair now, Heero."
He hadn't even realized he was still holding the chestnut strands. He let go, taking a step back, and immediately missed the feel of the soft hair in his hands.
As another lingering silence was about to begin, Trowa walked up holding a sleeping bundle of Sandrock pilot in his arms. "Tro'a . . ." the little blond sighed as he snuggled in closer to the warm body, clutching the stuffed camel that he'd carried around all day. "Luv . . . oou . . ."
Green eyes held more softness and warmth then anyone knew was possible and, without looking up from the sleeping boy in his arms, he quietly suggested that they head home.
The others agreed and carefully helped Duo from his perch on the picnic table, then headed to the parking lot in silence . . .
A short-lived silence.
"So, you don't think I'm fat?"
"You weigh 95 pounds. You're thinner than most girls your age."
"How about my figure? Do you think I have a nice figure?"
"I thought you were too sick to talk."
"My butt isn't too big, is it?"
"....."
"Or maybe I'm too skinny. Maybe I should put on some weight."
"Duo."
"I mean, check out these chicken thighs."
"Duo."
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
~Owari~
Notes:
[1] Anyone know where this is from?? ^_^
"Lets go!"
A braided blur flew by, accompanied by a blond streak. Two boys ran out the door, ready for the day's adventure.
Duo turned around and looked in the doorway he just flew out of. "Are you guys coming or what?!" Behind him Quatre stood, also anxious to go.
"Don't worry," Heero said as he walked out the door. "It's not like we're going to miss it." Trowa sauntered out behind him, followed by Wufei, who took a second to lock the door of their current hideout and shut it firmly.
"It's only going to be open for another eleven hours!" Duo pointed out. "If we don't get there now there won't be enough time to have any fun."
Heero almost smiled at the other boy. Almost. "Baka."
The group piled into their quite stolen mini-van, with Wufei at the wheel, and started off on their trip.
It was an unusual lull in the battle, and the boys were given time off for some much needed, and much deserved, rest and relaxation. Of course, so much for relaxation when Quatre found out there was going to be a carnival in town. His eyes had lit up like a child's and, with a little cooing to Trowa, plans to go were made (because, after all, who can resist a puppy-dog eyed Quatre?).
When Duo found out, he insisted on going too, but his methods of persuading Heero were a bit different. Two hours of "please, please, please, please, Heero, come on, please, please, please?" convinced the Japanese pilot to go, if only to shut his partner up. Wufei got much the same treatment and it was turned into a group affair.
The ride to the fairgrounds proved to be . . . interesting. Duo bounced up and down, rambling on about all the rides he was going to ride on and all the junk foods he was going to eat. "I want cotton candy and elephant ears and corn dogs, and more cotton candy . . ." Heero gave a sideways glance, but said nothing.
"Trowa," Quatre said, his blue eyes sparkling, "we can go on the Ferris wheel, right?"
"Of course."
The little blond blushed a bit. "That one's a bit romantic, ne?" he said quietly, to himself.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing!"
Duo rested his head on the shoulder in front of him. "And you'll ride the Ferris wheel with me. Right . . ." he batted his eyelashes, "Woofy?"
"Ahh! No!"
"Why not? Don't you like me anymore?"
Wufei's face turned bright red. "I . . . I . . ." He could feel Heero's glare burn into the back of his head.
"Aww, come on Wu-chan," Duo continued to tease.
"Don't make me drive us into a pole! I'll do it!"
"We could snuggle up all nice an- ack!" Duo cut off when his head suddenly jerked violently and he was pulled back to his seat by his long braid. "Heero!"
"Omae o korosu."
Duo rolled his eyes. "I bet you say that to all the girls."
"He does, actually," a voice said from behind them. Heero turned quickly, pulling a gun out of *someplace* and pointing it at Trowa, who just stared back impassively.
"Do you have a problem?" Heero growled.
"No, of course not." Cool as always.
Quatre threw himself in front of his lover. Or rather, attempted to but their vehicle had hit a large bump in the road at that precise moment, so he ended up in the other boy's lap, which suited them both just fine. "I won't let you hurt him!" Not as intimidating as he'd hoped.
Wufei gripped the wheel tightly. "Almost there, don't drive off cliff. Almost there, don't drive off cliff . . ."
Catching sight of the carnival rides, Duo grabbed Heero's arm, yelling, "I see it! I see it!" The movement made the gun fire, but luckily Heero's arm had moved when Duo grabbed it, causing the roof of the mini-van to gain a new hole. A woman's scream was heard when the shot went off.
"Jeez, Wu. You're awful jumpy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arriving at the fair, less then completely safely, the boys each got all-day wrist bands, so they could go on all the rides, all they wanted, all day. But they all had different ideas on where to start. Quatre wanted to ride on the Ferris wheel with Trowa, but was easily convinced to put it off when his koibito suggested they wait until night, when the park would be lit up with colorful lights. Heero was eyeing the shooting gallery, mentally going over how easy it would be to win the biggest prize for a certain violet-eyed someone. Wufei looked like he didn't want to be there at all. He was still a bit shaky from the drive there. And Duo was eagerly gesturing to a large roller coaster.
Of course, Duo won out. Mostly by grabbing Heero and Wufei by the wrists and physically dragging them to the ride of his choice, with Quatre and Trowa following. They got in line, and when it was their turn Duo grabbed Wufei's hand and pulled him to the front. "Come on, Wu, the front's the best!" They sat in the front seat and Heero sat behind them, by himself, and the remaining two pilots were behind him. Wufei once again felt the sensation of a death glare boring into the back of his skull and he had been a slight shade of pink ever since the braided one had grabbed his hand; all in all, he was a tad on the uncomfortable side. Then there was the fact that he didn't really care for roller coasters. When the coaster took off his yelp could be heard for miles.
Anyone standing outside, watching the ride, would have seen quite a sight; that of a boy whooping and hollering, having the time of his life waving his arms, with his braid smacking the Chinese boy next to him, who was terrified beyond belief, screaming at the top of his lungs. They'd see a lone boy glaring ahead of him, looking more pissed than one would think possible for someone at a carnival. And there would be a blond boy, with his arms in the air and the happiest of smiles on his face, and next to him a stoic looking boy who glanced around as though he didn't notice or didn't care that he was going upside down at high speed.
After what seemed like an eternity, to some people, or minutes to others, the ride pulled in to a stop. Duo hopped out, eager for the next thrill. "That was great! Ne, Heero?"
A "hn" was his only response.
Wufei climbed out of the cart, his hand on his chest like he'd had a heart attack. "No more . . ." he gasped.
"Sorry, Wu, but the day has just begun!" Duo cackled wickedly as Wufei's stomach churned.
"Where to next?" Quatre asked, stepping up to the others. His eyes were shining in excitement and he had his arm linked through Trowa's.
"Hmm . . ." Duo looked around, then his eyes lit up and he pointed to another large ride. "There!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Step right up," the man who ran the booth said. "For $4 you can test your skill and maybe win a prize!"
Heero smirked and set a few bills on the counter. The man handed him a gun (which in itself wasn't a safe thing to do), and before he could blink three consecutive shots were fired off, each one hitting the targets on the bull's-eye. "No problem."
The man sputtered "not bad," and handed the Wing pilot a small stuffed prize. Heero just looked at it for a moment, then looked off to the side, then back to the little prize. He looked up and pointed to a large stuffed black panther.
"I want that one."
"To get that one you have to hit this target," the man gestured to a small, tiny little target at the far back of the booth, "on the bull's eye. With all three shots." He felt doubtful that the young boy before him could meet the challenge. The regular targets were quite a bit larger than this one, and nobody can be that lucky twice. Right?
Heero stared at the target. "Ninmu ryokai." He slapped a few more dollars on the counter and the man handed him the gun again (he'll never learn, ne?), and once again three straight shots were fired. Sure enough, each bullet hit the target perfectly. "Ninmu kanryu."
"Damn . . . Err . . . ::ahem:: Good job! You win!" He pulled down the large prize and handed it to the Japanese boy, who had to wrap both arms around it to hold it. He saw the boy glance to the side again at a braided figure who was waiting in the snack line and winked. "I hope your girlfriend likes it."
"Hn."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few booths down, one customer wasn't faring so well.
"Kisama!" Wufei yelled when he missed once again. Well, he hadn't actually missed; he hit right, but the ball didn't quite go in like it was supposed to. "It's rigged! The hole is smaller than the softball! It's a scam, I want my money back!"
"The game is not rigged," the man who ran the booth insisted. "You just have no aim, that's all." With this statement he was promptly hit square in the face with the ball.
"I'd say my aim is just fine," Wufei seethed. "Now you either refund the money I wasted on this travesty or I'll show you just how precise my aim can be." The man noticed another ball was aimed, but not at his face, just a bit below the waist. He decided to do to right thing and give the Chinese boy his money back.
Wufei snatched the money from the man and stormed off. Damnit, he thought to himself, now I'll have to try to get a different prize for Duo. And I've got to do it before Yuy does. He looked around just in time to see Heero hand over the large panther and receive a bone-crushing hug from the giddy Deathscythe pilot.
"KISAMA!!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heero and Duo had gotten a ton of food (actually, Duo got it all, Heero just carried it) and found a picnic table to sit at. Duo sat his plush animal next to him and Heero sat on his other side. A moment later Wufei joined them, sitting across from the braided pilot. He scowled at the panther, then at Heero, then at the world, and folded his arms across his chest. "Dig in," Duo said, as he shoved half a hot-dog into his mouth, took a few bites, then added a few french fries.
They had been there for hours, making their way through half the park, riding most of the rides and playing a few of the games. Sometimes they stayed together, sometimes they broke off in pairs or on their own, but they had all agreed to meet up for lunch.
Heero started working on his own hot-dog, while Wufei eyed the greasy food, unsure if he could stomach it or not and worried about what would happen if he was forced onto another whirly-go-pukey ride after eating. Just the thought made him feel queasy. "I'm not very hungry."
Duo grabbed a hot-dog from out of it's bun and started waving it in front of the boy across from him. "Oh, come on, you know you want it." It was almost . . . provocative . . . or obscene. "It'd taste so gooood. Mmm mmm mmm..."
That reoccurring pink color came to Wufei's face again. "Stop it," he said, slightly irritated and more than a bit embarrassed.
"Go ahead," the braided boy continued. "Stick it in your mouth and-"
"No! Enough! I'm not hungry!" the other yelled. Duo giggled and Heero mumbled something about not being man enough to take a few little carnival rides. "What was that?" Wufei glared.
"Nothing." Heero glared right back. One could almost see the lightning crackling between their stares.
"Did we come at a bad time?" Quatre and Trowa wandered up, the little blond carrying a stuffed camel that his partner had won for him at the knife-throwing booth.
"Not at all, Q," Duo said through a mouth full of food. "Help yourself."
They sat down, Trowa in the middle next to Wufei and Quatre next to him, and each selected their own hot-dogs and other assorted goodies to make their lunch.
The Heavyarms pilot had grabbed a large handful of ketchup packets and began emptying them onto his food until there was more condiment than there was meat (or non-meat, nobody really knows), earning him odd looks from his friends. He just shrugged and began to eat. Of course, the minute he attempted to take a bite, half of the red substance dropped off the end and landed in his lap. He looked down, then up, then down again.
"I'll get that," Quatre offered, grabbing a napkin. As he started wiping up the mess, the Chinese pilot on the other side of his love turned his back to them, threatening a nosebleed and a rant about indecency in public. "It's a good thing you're wearing black shorts, so it won't be noticeable," he continued, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be pawing at another boy's . . . lap.
Heero snuck a glance at Duo, then tilted his hot-dog, encouraging the condiments to drip. When a glob slipped off onto his thigh he widened his eyes in fake surprise. "Oh look," he commented softly, "I dropped some too." He looked at his partner expectantly.
"So clean it up," Duo replied. "Slob."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quatre wandered around the Haunted House, trying not to show his fear, but unable to keep from feeling a bit timid. He knew perfectly well that the spooky sound effects were fake and that the fog covering the floor was man-made. But still . . .
Somehow he had lost track of the others. He had been distracted, looking into a mirror that distorted his fine features into something less pleasant to the eye, and when he turned around he found himself alone. Lost in the mist. He turned in a circle and noticed that the room he was in didn't have any doors or windows in it. There was no way out.
He began walking along the walls of the room, poking and feeling for any kind of secret passage or lever to make a door open. He cursed softly when he tripped over something, then stooped to see what it was. Picking it up, he saw it was longish and white, then dropped it with a gasp when he realized what it was. The bone (which looked almost human) landed on a pile of other bones, along with a humanoid skull. The pilot's clear blue eyes grew wide and he slowly stepped backwards to the other side of the room.
Not watching where he was going, he backed into another being. Long arms wrapped around him and he would have screamed, but a hand clamped over his small mouth. He was held tight and, despite his squirming, couldn't break free. So he did the only thing he could think of to do; he moved his arm back and elbowed his attacker in the groin. Hard. Immediately he was released and he turned on the other person, ready to defend himself if necessary. The figure groaned and fell over.
"Trowa!" He recognized his lover and kneeled by the other boy, "I'm so sorry! What were you doing?"
"Looking . . . for you . . ." the brown-haired boy managed to gasp out through the pain. "Wanted to . . . surprise . . . you . . ."
"Well, you did. Are you hurt?"
" . . . Dying . . ."
Quatre scowled at his partner. "You're not dying."
There was a sparkle in the green eyes that those who knew him well would recognize as mischief. "You'll have to... kiss it and make it better..."
The blond blushed. "Trowa!"
"Quatre!"
"Duo?!?"
"Barton!"
"Wufei!"
"Hn."
"Heero . . ."
"Damn it!"
"Trowa."
"Quaaaatraaaa!!"
"Duo! We're here, Duo!"
A panel in the wall, the same one Trowa had slipped in through, opened to reveal Duo (who had ran his large stuffed panther to the mini-van earlier), Wufei, and Heero. They each smirked, turned around, and . . . did nothing, respectively upon seeing the other two pilots alone, on the floor, together.
"Ohh!" Duo started teasing, "sorry, hope we didn't interrupt anything!"
Wufei had far less tact. "Can the two of you stop making out for even a minute?!"
"Don't wanna."
"Trowa, don't pout."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You're going to make yourself sick."
Heero looked at the braided pilot who had just started on his third caramel apple while at the same time maintained a death-grip on a half-empty bag of cotton candy. Duo was *very* possessive of his junk food.
"Nonsense, I've got a stomach of steel." He puffed out his chest, attempting to look manly.
"Well your stomach of steel isn't going to fit in your Gundam if you keep eating like that."
Like a balloon, Duo deflated, and his round eyes filled with dew. "You . . . ::sniffle:: You think I'm fat?"
"No. I . . . I was just saying-"
"You do! You think I'm a blimp!" he wailed, tears spilling over his cheeks.
"Now look what you did," Wufei accused. "You made him cry."
"All I said was-"
"That I'm the size of a Gundam!" the sobbing boy wailed even louder.
Shenlong's pilot shyly put an arm around his comrade, who in turn pressed his face into the welcoming shoulder to cry on. Where Duo couldn't see, Wufei sneered at Heero over the prize in his arms. With a growl, Heero stormed away, punching a tin garbage can as he passed it. Duo looked over his shoulder to see a retreating back. "What's his problem?" He had forgotten all about crying.
The Chinese boy gently tugged on the braid beneath his hands. "Are you alright?" He wasn't used to this comforting thing, and even that simple question was unusual for him.
Brilliant violet looked up; "I'd feel better if I had some popcorn."
"Popcorn?" Wufei blinked at him.
Duo nodded. "With extra artificial butter flavoring."
"Ugh, I can just hear your arteries hardening."
Those violet eyes became moist again and the soft lower lip quivered.
Sniffle.
"Fine, fine. Popcorn it is. Would you like fries with that?"
"Why would I want fries with popcorn?" [1]
"Never mind."
"You've got cotton candy on your nose."
"Where?"
"Never mind."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dusk had fallen and the carnival was lit up with brightly colored lights. It was the perfect time for Ferris wheel riding with a loved one. Quatre pushed up his sleeves, determined to have his way. With balled fists he stomped up to the figure of Trowa and tapped him on the shoulder. The taller pilot turned to see his sweet looking koibito, standing like an angel.
"Now?"
Trowa smiled his special Quatre-smile. "Now."
They got in line and waited their turn. As they stood Quatre noticed people staring at the two boys who had their arms around each other; he made it a point to snuggle closer and kiss the taller boy's chin, then giggled at the watchers' dumbfounded expression. The line moved and they chose a small, green (Quatre picked green because it reminded him of Trowa's eyes) seat to ride in. Slowly, they were risen higher and higher as each cart was filled with happy couples, each wanting to create a small memory with someone they cared for.
The view was beautiful. From the top of the large wheel one could see the whole park, with the many colored lights and crowds of people. Beyond that the city sparkled in the night, not quite yet having gone to sleep.
Quatre leaned out of the cart, first on one side, then to the front, then stretched to the other side. He wanted to see everything from every angle, and his eyes glittered with the deep happiness of being able to share it with his love. When he'd had his fill of the view he settled back into his koibito's arms and made himself comfortable. The ride was smooth and soothing, lulling the small pilot as he sighed contentedly.
The wheel turned gently for several minutes, then eventually slowed to a stop to let passengers off. When they reached the bottom Quatre didn't make an attempt to get off; Trowa looked down to see the blond sleeping against his chest. He took him up into his arms and carried him away from the ride, holding the small body close to his own. He could swear he heard "aww" and "cute" coming from the same people who were staring earlier.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heero approached the black-clad figure, who sat on a picnic table hunched over. "Duo . . .?" No response. "Duo, look. I didn't mean to offend you. I just . . . I didn't want you to be . . . pigging out like that." The other boy's shoulders shook with a sob. "It's not healthy and I . . . I didn't want you to get sick."
Duo looked up at him with watery eyes. "Heero . . ." he gasped. His face looked pained and had a greenish tinge to it.
The Wing pilot knew what was coming. "It's too late, isn't it?" His partner nodded and he moved out of the way just in time before the braided one leaned over the garbage can next to him and heaved up the sugary, greasy foods he had consumed throughout the day. Heero just stood, unsure of what to do. It's not that he was repulsed; in his war-torn lifetime he'd seen far more disgusting things than someone getting sick. He simply didn't know how to make the boy feel better, no matter how much he wanted to.
Gripping the rim of the can, Duo continued to lose his lunch as he felt gentle hands pulling his hair out of his face. Without looking, he knew it was the Japanese pilot who held his jagged bangs and long braid away from the mess. When he was finished he looked up into cobalt blue eyes full of . . . could that be concern?
Wufei stood a few paces behind, holding a cup of water to rinse with and a handful of napkins. He'd witnessed what happened and took the initiative, getting the items without having to be asked and making a temporary truce with his rival in order to care for their mutual crush.
"Feeling better?" Heero asked softly, with a hint of emotion, which was a lot for the normally cold pilot.
The sick boy cast his eyes downward; "I'm so embarrassed I could die." He graciously accepted the water offered to him, swishing it around in his mouth, then spitting it out. They all sat in an uneasy silence for a moment, then Duo noticed something. "You can let go of my hair now, Heero."
He hadn't even realized he was still holding the chestnut strands. He let go, taking a step back, and immediately missed the feel of the soft hair in his hands.
As another lingering silence was about to begin, Trowa walked up holding a sleeping bundle of Sandrock pilot in his arms. "Tro'a . . ." the little blond sighed as he snuggled in closer to the warm body, clutching the stuffed camel that he'd carried around all day. "Luv . . . oou . . ."
Green eyes held more softness and warmth then anyone knew was possible and, without looking up from the sleeping boy in his arms, he quietly suggested that they head home.
The others agreed and carefully helped Duo from his perch on the picnic table, then headed to the parking lot in silence . . .
A short-lived silence.
"So, you don't think I'm fat?"
"You weigh 95 pounds. You're thinner than most girls your age."
"How about my figure? Do you think I have a nice figure?"
"I thought you were too sick to talk."
"My butt isn't too big, is it?"
"....."
"Or maybe I'm too skinny. Maybe I should put on some weight."
"Duo."
"I mean, check out these chicken thighs."
"Duo."
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
~Owari~
Notes:
[1] Anyone know where this is from?? ^_^