D.D.: Hey people! I'm so sorry for not updating for so long but…school, among other things, so without much further ado, part nine!
Chirenwolf: *clears throat* Um…excuse me?
D.D.: *smacks forehead* Sorry 'bout that ChirenWolf, everybody, meet my sorta unofficial beta reader ChirenWolf!
ChirenWolf: Hey there everyone, nice to meet you all!
D.D.: Right…*rolls up sleeves and conjures up a scythe, handing it to ChirenWolf* Take your pick of a pilot, we have Quatre left, Trowa or…*evil grin* Duo…
Duo: *cowers slightly* oh no…
Chirenwolf: Oh yes…*chases Duo offstage, closely followed by Nanashi and Wufei, and Nightshadow and Heero.*
D.D.: Now, to continue with the story…but first, a little message to Wufei from a couple of people. *clears throat* GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE DAMN GUTTER! Hope you can hear me Wufei.
Wufei: it would be very hard not to, considering you just yelled in my ear. Injustice…
Now…where to continue from? Oh yes, I remember now…*clears throat*Wufei leapt up, binoculars dropping to the floor unheeded as he glared at the figure behind him, "Barton! What the hell did you do that for!" he yelled, before stooping to pick up his glasses.
"Sorry Wufei." Trowa shrugged, "But we saw someone crouching in the bushes near the house and thought it could be an Oz spy. Quatre's around somewhere with his gun."
Before Wufei could utter a curse however, a loud war cry issued from off to one side and a figure hurtled through the undergrowth, promptly knocking Wufei on the head so he fell to the floor…unconscious.
"Did I get him?" Quatre panted, "Did I get the Oz spy?"
"Uh…" Trowa paused and got out his torch, "Not exactly…you see…" He clicked it on, "You got Wufei."
"Oh."
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Duo blinked sleepily, one arm still around Heero's neck, as the thumb of his other hand was in his mouth. "Heero?"
"Mmm?" Heero turned his head slightly to look at the sleepy five year old clinging to his neck, "What is it Duo?"
"Thank you…"
"For what?"
Duo cuddled closer to the normally stoic pilot, "For protecting me from whatever was out there…and for looking after me…" he blinked again, sticking his thumb back into his mouth as his eyes drooped closed.
"That's perfectly alright Duo. I've had fun looking after you." Heero looked down to see the angel of a five year old had fallen asleep, one arm still clutching his neck…again.
Smiling slightly the perfect soldier let his own eyes droop closed, but just as he was falling into a deep sleep, an impatient knock sounded on the front door. Snapping awake again Heero tried to get up to answer the door.
First he tried removing Duo's arm from around his neck. This didn't work; Duo merely snuggled closer, tightening his hold. Then he tried standing up and placing the child back on the sofa, again…it didn't work; Duo clung to his neck like a monkey, still fast asleep.
Growling softly, Heero shifted the small child to his hip, and, supporting him with one hand, walked down the hallway to answer the door.
"Quatre?" he asked, slightly surprised to find himself face to face with the blonde Arabian, "What's the matter? I thought you were out shopping…and who the hell is that?"
"Wufei." Quatre replied grimly, "Trowa and I were just returning from our expedition when Trowa heard as noise, he told me to wait while he went and checked it out, well, I waited for ages, and finally got impatient, came to a clearing, saw him talking to an unknown person and…well, you can guess the rest."
"Ah." Heero nodded slightly and moved aside, opening the door wider for Quatre and an irate Trowa (who had Wufei slung over one shoulder) to come in. "Put him upstairs to bed then."
"Roger that." Quatre muttered, and then caught sight of Duo balanced on Heero's hip. "Aw, how cute! He doesn't want to be parted from his mummy!"
This received him a Heero Yuy Death glare™. "No, he's just tired that's all. I'm not the baka's mother." However the sight of the boy and infant argued in Quatre's defence. Duo was clinging to Heero's neck, one arm wrapped around it, thumb in his mouth as he slept.
Heero looked down at the small boy and realised that the picture did indeed betray his stout denial. "Hn. Just take Chang upstairs Winner." And with that the perfect soldier stalked upstairs towards the room where he and Duo slept.
As soon as they had both disappeared Wufei groaned slightly and sat up. "I knew it! Those two are in love! I am never wrong, the spirit of Nataku guides me…"
Quatre tried to stifle a giggle as he listened to the justice crazed pilot, but the blonde's efforts were thwarted when he looked over at Trowa, and noted that the banged boy was hitting his head repeatedly against the wall. Muttering every time his head thumped the plaster. "Why. Do. I. Bother. To. Stay. With. These. Maniacs!"
Quatre snorted as he desperately tried to contain the giggles, he even tried stuffing a handkerchief in his mouth…but nothing worked. Once you start laughing and try to stop it's impossible.
Wufei's head snapped up. "Is something the matter Winner?" He glared at the red Arabian, "Because if you are laughing at me, then you are putting my honour to shame and must pay for it!"
And with that he drew his katana (from god knows where) and began chasing poor Quatre around the room. Screaming at the top of his lungs. "INJUUUSTIICE!"
"Will you keep it down?" A voice snapped from the doorway, "I was trying to sleep." Wufei stopped chasing Quatre and Trowa stopped giving himself what was turning into the biggest headache of all time.
"Sorry Heero." They all chorused meekly under the super death glare.
"I'll try to be quiet when I scream." Wufei offered, putting his katana down at his side.
"And I'll stop thumping the plaster with my head." Trowa remarked helpfully.
"And I promise not to giggle anymore." Three surprised pairs of eyes met light blue one's. "Well I will." Quatre added, sounding a little defensive and dangerous.
"Thankyou." Heero was just about to head back to the nice warm bed when a thought occurred to him. "Will you lay Duo's presents out under the tree please? Don't bother with a stocking."
"Why not?" Quatre asked, won't he be disappointed?"
"No. I've made him one."
"WHAT!" Wufei blinked in astonishment, "Heero Yuy…the Heero Yuy actually going out of his way to buy Christmas presents for people? I don't believe it."
Heero snorted, turning away again, "Believe it Wu Wu." And with that he left the room. Leaving behind two quiet pilots and one spluttering one.
"Injustice, he called me 'Wu Wu' I always wondered how long it would take for him to pick up Maxwell's habits. I'm shocked that Yuy called me that…such an injustice…" Wufei continued ranting to himself as he stalked out of the room, heading towards his own.
Shaking his head Quatre turned to Trowa. "Well, we'd better get wrapping the presents then hadn't we?"
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Heero padded back into the bedroom he shared with Duo and sighed slightly at the sight in front of him.
Two minutes before the shouts and thumping had been heard downstairs, he had managed to pry Duo's arms away from his neck and place the small child in his own bed. Now however, the younger one was still in bed…just not his own.
Frowning Heero walked forward with all intention of chucking the five year old back into his own bed, but stopped when he saw the little smile of contentment on Duo's face. With an expression of resignation he pulled the covers back and climbed in next to the warm body.
Immediately a small arm clasped around his neck, and, upon looking down he found himself staring into a twin pair of sleepy violet orbs. The eyes blinked muzzily before the little boy smiled up at his protector.
"Hello Heero." The words came out a bit slurred, not only because of sleep, but also the thumb that was in Duo's mouth.
"Duo, why can't you sleep in your own bed?"
The child frowned for a minute before burying his face in Heero's neck. Mumbling, "Because you'll protect me from the monsters."
Heero was surprised by this one, monsters? Since when did Duo worry about monsters? "Duo, there are no monsters, they do not exist." He stated, trying to reassure the smaller boy.
A shaking of the head indicated that Duo disagreed with this sentence. "Yes there are Heero…"
"Is."
"Is. They come and try and eat me, but only when I'm asleep on my own. They're afraid of you." The braided boy said emphatically as he moved his head to look up at the stoic soldier. "And when you're here they can't hurt me."
"…" Heero didn't really know what to say to this one, Duo seemed so sure about these 'monsters.'
"Hey Heero?"
"What?"
"Do you believe in Father Christmas?"
"Uh…" Heero looked down into the innocent eyes and suddenly felt the need to lie. "Yes?" he ventured.
"Good." Duo snuggled back down again, laying his head on the pillow next to Heero's. "Heero?"
"Mmm?" Heero was starting to drift off to sleep already as the warmth under the blanket made him drowsy.
"Do you think Father Christmas will bring me what I want?"
"Duo?"
"What?"
"I'm sure he will…now go to sleep."
"Okay then."
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Downstairs Quatre stuck the last piece of sellotape on the wrapping paper and admired the presents stacked under the Christmas tree.
"We did a pretty good job ne Trowa?"
"Yes, I hope Duo likes these."
"He should do. After all, this sort of stuff is right up his alley, he'll probably love the pink paint…and especially…" Quatre trailed off grinning secretively.
"You didn't!"
"Uh huh." Quatre smiled smugly, looking at the slightly taller boy. "I did."
"How did you convince him…?"
"It was easy, you just have to know what to say."
"You mean…you blackmailed him?" Trowa's one visible eye widened in shock. "With what, he's so…so…straight!"
D.D.: Uh…not in that sense…in the normal sense, not going against the law etc…I really should work on my wording though.
"Weeeell, let's just say he's not as straight forward as he seems." Quatre's smug smile turned into an evil grin, "And I managed to find out about a little something he didn't want anyone else to know."
"Well what is it?"
"It's a secret."
"Well at least tell me what it was!"
"If I told you it wouldn't be a secret would it?" Quatre said, evil grin returning to his normal smile. "Now I think it's time we were in bed, despite the fact it's Christmas tomorrow we'll want plenty of rest to have the energy to look after Duo, give Heero a rest."
"Agreed."
Two minutes later the house lay silent and still under the starless night, unbeknownst to most of the sleeping boys however, a silent figure was creeping silently through the corridors…
To Be Continued…
D.D.: *looks at running readers* Oh come on! It wasn't that bad…right? Hello?
