Quatre nearly bounced around the Christmas tree, throwing handfuls of rainbow glitter onto it. Heero had tried to explain to him over and over that Christmas trees didn't have glitter on them generally, only to be met with a pair of pouting blue eyes and a mournful 'Why not?'. There were things in this world that even the Perfect Soldier couldn't stand up to. So, for now, he sat in a comfortable chair before the fireplace, watching his own angel decorate the tree. The mix of bulbs, tinsel, snow, and now glitter that was being heaped on those branches worried him a bit if they could stand the strain. He wasn't going to get into how Quatre had somehow defied the laws of physics and space to pack that many gifts in that small of an area. A jumble of brightly wrapped presents (some in birthday wrapping instead of Christmas) were jammed helter-skelter beneath the weighed down tree.
"But Wuuufffers! Turkey is much better when well done!" came Duo's wail from the kitchen.
"Well done does not mean dry like sandpaper, and do not call me 'Wuffers'. My name is Wufei, you onna," was the calm reply.
Heero restrained the grin that tried to surface, listening to what sounded like every utensil in the kitchen now being hurtled towards Wufei by an enraged Duo. The mix of Chinese and English curses barely fazed the blonde he was watching still decorating the tree. A garishly bright star was held between his lover's hands as Quatre kept studying the tower of evergreen, evidentially not sure how someone of his slight stature could get up there to put it atop. Resting his chin on his hand, Heero enjoyed the show for now. It was relaxing, a break from all the events of the past few weeks that had rushed past him.
Quatre had been admitted to the hospital and kept overnight against his wishes. Once he'd been given a counteragent to the sedative Catherine had injected him with, every single Gundam pilot had the rare treat of listen to Quatre whine, shout, growl, threaten (well, a little), demand, and finally try to beg his way out of the hospital. He hated them and the weakness they made a person display in being in another's hands.... a secret he generally kept hidden. Duo had been howling with laughter until a nurse reminded him to be quiet after listening to Quatre wheedling his doctor into letting him go home by suggesting that Heero might do more than just glare at him.
Catherine's funeral had been well attended and remembered. The events of her attempted kidnapping and murders were never brought to light by any of the five. As Wufei had put it, Justice had been done. There had been no need to drag her name or life through the dirt. Everything had been paid and broken even. Watching Trowa deliver the eulogy had been hard. Normally, Heero would have thought himself and Trowa the most stoic of all of them, but even he had seen the glitter of unshed tears in the other's eyes as the first shovelful of dirt thudded down on her casket.
Then... life had returned to somewhat normal...
"AAHHHH!" *thump*
Coming out of his thoughts, Heero finally did grin at the sight of a faux snow Quatre, having fallen from his ladder finally, atop a real snow covered Trowa who had been carrying yet another armload of presents. Rising from his chair with a feline grace, he offered the two his hands. "Need help?"
Trowa groaned dramatically. "Get Quatre off of me! He's been eating too many Twinkies again!"
Quatre sputtered.
"That's not what you said last night," Heero commented in a deadpan as he helped the blonde to his feet, neither his voice nor face showing any humour. He did make a good retreat back to his chair with Trowa in tow as the Arabian's face turned a bright red. Quatre might look like a cute fuzzy kitten, but he had a right hook that could drop a man if it landed. The two watched Quatre stomp off to the kitchen contentedly. They'd make it up to him tonight. With a lazy yawn, Heero leaned back in his chair, Trowa perching on the arm as he pulled off his jacket, scarf, and knitted cap that their lover insisted he wear.
"I got them."
Prussian blue eyes met those of jade as Trowa dug a small box out of his pocket, opening it slowly. Within rested three identical bands, each one made of white gold, yellow gold, and rose gold wound in a braid. The white was for Quatre, the yellow gold for Trowa, and the rose one for Heero... white for an angel, yellow for the sad clown who found happiness, and rose for the one who walked through blood. They were simple in design, but melded together as the three of them had become. After Catherine's death, Quatre and Heero hadn't left Trowa's side. By no means had it been easy. Everyone is jealous or wary of losing that which they love best, especially with two men like Trowa and Heero who had lost it all only to find everything in one person. For a time, Trowa had shut himself off again, the thing that had ruined his and Quatre's relationship before. This time, he hadn't been allowed to turn away when presented with the united front of two instead of one. For Heero, it had been him wanting to slip away, feeling as if he were intruding on something deep between Quatre and Trowa until both had sat him down and done the same. They had finally reached a point where all three were content together, both in bed and out.
"Beautiful..." Heero murmured laying his hands over Trowa's storm chilled ones as they closed the box together. "Maybe these will get us back in his good graces."
Trowa arched a brow. "Heero, if I didn't know any better, I would swear you just made a second joke in one evening. I am impressed. Perhaps there is hope for you yet."
Pffting, the two set the star atop the tree and headed for the kitchen to help Quatre save Wufei from the still raving Duo and his Deadly Spatula.
"But Wuuufffers! Turkey is much better when well done!" came Duo's wail from the kitchen.
"Well done does not mean dry like sandpaper, and do not call me 'Wuffers'. My name is Wufei, you onna," was the calm reply.
Heero restrained the grin that tried to surface, listening to what sounded like every utensil in the kitchen now being hurtled towards Wufei by an enraged Duo. The mix of Chinese and English curses barely fazed the blonde he was watching still decorating the tree. A garishly bright star was held between his lover's hands as Quatre kept studying the tower of evergreen, evidentially not sure how someone of his slight stature could get up there to put it atop. Resting his chin on his hand, Heero enjoyed the show for now. It was relaxing, a break from all the events of the past few weeks that had rushed past him.
Quatre had been admitted to the hospital and kept overnight against his wishes. Once he'd been given a counteragent to the sedative Catherine had injected him with, every single Gundam pilot had the rare treat of listen to Quatre whine, shout, growl, threaten (well, a little), demand, and finally try to beg his way out of the hospital. He hated them and the weakness they made a person display in being in another's hands.... a secret he generally kept hidden. Duo had been howling with laughter until a nurse reminded him to be quiet after listening to Quatre wheedling his doctor into letting him go home by suggesting that Heero might do more than just glare at him.
Catherine's funeral had been well attended and remembered. The events of her attempted kidnapping and murders were never brought to light by any of the five. As Wufei had put it, Justice had been done. There had been no need to drag her name or life through the dirt. Everything had been paid and broken even. Watching Trowa deliver the eulogy had been hard. Normally, Heero would have thought himself and Trowa the most stoic of all of them, but even he had seen the glitter of unshed tears in the other's eyes as the first shovelful of dirt thudded down on her casket.
Then... life had returned to somewhat normal...
"AAHHHH!" *thump*
Coming out of his thoughts, Heero finally did grin at the sight of a faux snow Quatre, having fallen from his ladder finally, atop a real snow covered Trowa who had been carrying yet another armload of presents. Rising from his chair with a feline grace, he offered the two his hands. "Need help?"
Trowa groaned dramatically. "Get Quatre off of me! He's been eating too many Twinkies again!"
Quatre sputtered.
"That's not what you said last night," Heero commented in a deadpan as he helped the blonde to his feet, neither his voice nor face showing any humour. He did make a good retreat back to his chair with Trowa in tow as the Arabian's face turned a bright red. Quatre might look like a cute fuzzy kitten, but he had a right hook that could drop a man if it landed. The two watched Quatre stomp off to the kitchen contentedly. They'd make it up to him tonight. With a lazy yawn, Heero leaned back in his chair, Trowa perching on the arm as he pulled off his jacket, scarf, and knitted cap that their lover insisted he wear.
"I got them."
Prussian blue eyes met those of jade as Trowa dug a small box out of his pocket, opening it slowly. Within rested three identical bands, each one made of white gold, yellow gold, and rose gold wound in a braid. The white was for Quatre, the yellow gold for Trowa, and the rose one for Heero... white for an angel, yellow for the sad clown who found happiness, and rose for the one who walked through blood. They were simple in design, but melded together as the three of them had become. After Catherine's death, Quatre and Heero hadn't left Trowa's side. By no means had it been easy. Everyone is jealous or wary of losing that which they love best, especially with two men like Trowa and Heero who had lost it all only to find everything in one person. For a time, Trowa had shut himself off again, the thing that had ruined his and Quatre's relationship before. This time, he hadn't been allowed to turn away when presented with the united front of two instead of one. For Heero, it had been him wanting to slip away, feeling as if he were intruding on something deep between Quatre and Trowa until both had sat him down and done the same. They had finally reached a point where all three were content together, both in bed and out.
"Beautiful..." Heero murmured laying his hands over Trowa's storm chilled ones as they closed the box together. "Maybe these will get us back in his good graces."
Trowa arched a brow. "Heero, if I didn't know any better, I would swear you just made a second joke in one evening. I am impressed. Perhaps there is hope for you yet."
Pffting, the two set the star atop the tree and headed for the kitchen to help Quatre save Wufei from the still raving Duo and his Deadly Spatula.