"Only a Moment..."
Chapter 10
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"Snow war"
Wufei pulled the key out of the door and went in. His apartment was quiet as usual. He hung up his coat and turned the thermostat on half way. Reaching out into the darkness, he felt the side of the wall until his fingers ran over the cold plastic cover of the light
switch. He snapped it on and the room filled with light. There his small simple apartment with only the basics to survival greeted him. A thirteen inch television set stood against the far wall; in front of it was a couch, two chairs and a coffee table. The kitchen
consisted of appliances, a counter top and a full fridge of food. The bed room had bare walls and a wood floor with a green mat leading to the single bed in the middle of the room. Off to the side of the living room was a small door concealing a bathroom.
Wufei put his paper work down on the kiction counter and opened the fridge door. He had skipped lunch trying to catch up with all his work and now was in need of a snack. Something soft and furry brushed against his legs. He looked down to find his cat Ottis gazing back at him hungrily. He sat back on his haunches and reached up his pant
leg.
"All right, all right. I'll get you some food. Get down." Wufei gently unhooked Ottis's claws from his thigh and picked up the cat food can. Scraping some into a dish he placed it on the drier and turned away. The cat just sat there on the floor watching him.
"No." Wufei said not even turning his back. He would not let him win again!
Wufei grabbed a half eaten honeydew melon from the well packed fridge and a spoon, and sank down in front of the television on the couch. Flicking it on the channels changed for a few minutes before stopping finally on the day news. The reporter was talking about one thing or another; Wufei really didn't care too much. Not even when she started talking about the former Queen of the world Relena Peacecraft.
The juice liquid from the sweet melon ran to his chin before a hand brushed it off. He was so into his meal that Wufei almost did not hear the name of his ally former gundam pilot Heero Yuy. He raised his eyes to the screen in time to see both Heero and Relena holding hands in front of what appeared to be Relena's mansion home. He was even more shocked when he witnessed the unthinkable in his eyes. He watched in horror as the perfect solder leaned over to the women next to him and brush her cheek with his lips! The reporter's voice came into focus as she spoke the next few words that make him choke.
".. The former Queen of the world has announced her engagement to he alleged secret lover Heero Yuy. Apparently the two have been seeing each other since A.C. 196 and are expected to tie the knot some time this summer..."
Wufei sat down his meal and stared dumbfounded at the t.v. "My god... Heero. I would have expected you to be the last person to do something like this. Is there anyone else in the world that's not married besides me? I can't believe it... I'm the last one that is still alone."
He went and put the rest of his melon back in the fridge and slumped against the closed door.` Duo, Quatre, Trowa, Zechs, and now Heero too. Everyone one of them has put the past behind them and has started a future with someone, but me.. Everyone seems to know what they want in life, so how come I'm not sure? It seems simple enough,
find someone start a family. How hard could it be? It's not that I don't want to have a child or two of my own. I would love to have a little version of me I could train and teach him everything I know to become a great warrior. And to continue the clan name. Or even someone I could come home too each night and have waiting for me in bed to entertain me. Yes that definitely would be a nice thing to have, but I couldn't do that with just anyone. She would have to be someone who is strong. Yes she would deffently have to be strong enough to help me train. A few good curves would be a plus. She would have to be able to handle children, but she would also have to be someone who is kind... Sally is kind, and I do feel very strongly about her. I would like to marry her and have a family with her too, but she does not have much time left. But I do not believe she sees me in that light, and to start something now would be stupid! I mean it will be hard enough to say goodbye to her as it is, if I get any closer I don't know what I will do.`
"Damn it Onna! Why are you always on my mind?"
A loud meow turn him around. Ottis sat there on the floor waiting for him. Wufei stared at it for a moment, "fine you win.." He walked over and picked him up. He rubbed his head lovingly against Wufei's sticky chin. Wufei placed him on the top of the dryer and watched him eat for a moment.
" One of these days cat I'm going to get a ladder for you so I don't have to lift you up every single time."
He strayed back into the living room and sank to the floor. Flicking off the t.v. he enjoyed the quiet. Then his mind began to drift away from him into the dark thoughts he tried to ignore whispering in his head. What if Sally did love him and he had let her down for all these years? Maybe if he had asked her to marry him a long time ago she would not have become sick. Maybe it was really all his fault. Maybe the whole reasons Sally became sick is because of thestress he was to her. It was all his fault she was suffering so much! He was the reason for all her pain and suffering! He shouldn't even be alive! He should be the one suffering a slow death much worse then hers! Much worse! He didn't even have the right to be near her, let alone partners with her! He should be dead! He should die! Die! Die! Horribly and painfully to make up for what he had done to his own partner! Be tortured in a hideous way... Wufei's chest began to ache again more painfully than before. Holding himself, he lay down on the floor. He knew these thoughts were not good to have, he had to fight them somehow.
"Maybe medicating will help?" he crossed his legs and took a deep breath. He toned out the fridge, dripping faucet, munching cat and everything else. The room soon vanished around him as he settled into the void of solitude which his years of training as a boy had taken him. A sense of peace washed over him, freeing his mind from problems and separating his body from soul. He floated ina deep ocean of calm unable to see the light of reality above him, or the dark pain of guilt in the inky depths below. Serene calm filled
his every being of existence, entrancing him.
There he stayed in the gentle calm for as long as he could. But eventually the long arms of guilt reached up into his sea of calm and clamped a dark hand on his foot and pulled him down.. `It's all my fault, it's all my fault. If it weren't for me she would still be alive....` And the reality of his surroundings collapsed on top of him.
Wufei opened his eyes and found the room the same as he left it; cold and empty. The clock read midnight, it was time to go to bed, `no point in driving yourself crazy over something out of reach.` He went to get up and found that Ottis had curled up on his lap and had gone to sleep. He gazed at the sleeping creature for a minute thinking.
`Such a simple creature you are.. Just eat and sleep that is all you seem to do these days. Not a care in the world on your mind..`
"And you never reply to anything I say. Yet somehow just by doing what you do you provide company for me when I feel alone." He picked up the sleeping fur-ball and took him into the bedroom placing him at the foot of the bed.
"Thank you my friend."
He got in bed and went to sleep.
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Early the next morning Wufei sipped down the rest of the hot caffeine liquid in his cup. Thursday morning at a snowed-in HQ. Wufei had to leave home early in order to be on time for work and in doing so skipped breakfast. In front of him sat a small mound of paperwork about the size of his quickly growing migraine. He looked over to the next desk where his partner worked quietly.
As Sally finished typing up her report for Lady Une she took a quick glance at her schedule for the day. It showed that she was free till about five when she and Wufei had to take some of the recruits outside for a short run through of snow survival tactics.`Great! After being stuck inside this stuffy room for most of the day, I have to go play in the snow. Well at least it will be a change.`
She saved the report to a disk and took it to Lady Une's first thing.
Sally knocked on the door in front of her and waited for a signal to enter. From inside came a voice, "Come in."
Sally entered the office and approached the desk where her commander sat in front of a computer screen."I have that report you wanted Lady Une. Would you like to see it now?" She handed it to Lady Une.
"Thank you Sally. Tell me how have you been?" Lady Une asked before Sally had a chance to escape from the room.
"Fine."If there is anything you would like Sally, please don't hesitate to ask. You've been here as long as anyone and...."Please Une." Sally cut her off. "I don't want anything! I don't need special treatment.... it only reminds me okay?"I'm sorry Sally. I just want to help you somehow."
She could hear the concern in her friend's voice. "It's all right. It's not you, it's me. I'm just touchy today that's all." Then an idea developed in her mind which made a smile play on her lips. "Actually lady. There is something I would like.."
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The bus pulled into the empty parking lot of the city Park. A white blanket lay draped over everything in sight; tree branches bent under its weight, and bushes became undefinable from ordinary snow drifts. The untouched snow on the ground was evidence that no-one had been there recently.
"Why did Une demand we go here to have this class? Why couldn't we have just stayed at head quarters?..." Wufei's mumbled curses came through the frigid winter air to Sally's covered ears. She hid a smile behind her gloved hand.
"I guess because Lady Une thought the exercise would be good for us?" Sally replied, but Wufei only stared back at her.
"All right everyone! This is what's happening; we are dividing you up into two groups for this survival training. Half of you will go with Commander Chang. The rest will come with me. Understood?"Sir. Yes sir." They replied to commander Po's information with less then joyful cheers. Half the group went off with Wufei into the thick part of the park, tugging off through the deep snow while the rest stayed with Sally next to the bus. A few minutes went by with nothing happening. Sally stood there leaning against the side of the bus while Wufei and his group moved further out of sight. Finally one of the recruits couldn't stand there in the cold any longer.
"Commander Po sir.. Umm. What are we going to do?" he asked. He shifted his weight to his other foot uneasily when he saw the look in her eyes. The gleam in them sent shivers up his already cold spine, making him wish he had stayed home. It was as if you could see her thinking up something.
"So you want to do something do you?" she asked not really looking at any of them in particular. The cadets shuffled there for a moment before one of them responded.
"I guess.."
Sally walked over to a snow covered picnic table and scooped up a hand full of wet sticky snow. She began to move it around in her gloved hands and began to talk.
"Does anyone know what I'm trying to do?" Sally asked.
The cadets looked at each other and then back at Sally. A few even took a step back.
"No, I haven't lost my mind yet. What does this look like to you?" she held up the snow now in a perfectly round shape for them too see.
"A snow ball?" one guessed.
"Correct! Now what does one do after making a snow ball?" Sally
smiled evilly, "lets play a game."
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"I can't wait till this is over." Wufei grumbled again marching up another hill. He hated hiking in cold weather, and winter snow was very cold weather to him. It crunched under his boots and almost came over the top of them as he walked on. It clung to the slim tree branched giving them a skeleton like appearance through out the park. Chickadees jumped and hopped from branch to branch chasing each other around the white postcard park as loose snow flakes floated around.
A yelp came from the front of the group and everyone came to a halt. Grumbling he went to the top of the hill and looked down. There at the bottom was one of the cadets stuck waist deep in snow after apparently sliding down the other side of the hill. Someone stretched out a tree branch to the stranded cadet in a sad attempt to assist
him. Wufei stood at the top of the hill shaking his head.
Tromping footsteps came from behind him and he turned to find Sally running up alone. She was out of breathe by the time she reached his side. She grabbed onto his arm for support as she tried to catch her breath. He stopped and assisted her.
"Sally what are you doing here, and where is the rest of your group?" Wufei demanded. Sally was another few moments getting her breath before she was able to talk again.
"Wufei... I.. I wanted to tell you something.." she began.
"Where are the other?" he asked again becoming annoyed. By now the rest of Wufei's group had come back to see what the commotion was. They gathered around them listening intently to the breathless commander.
"What is it onna? I haven't got all day out here in the cold!"I wanted to tell you something very important, but I'm not sure I should tell you now or later?"Damn it Sally! What the hell is it?" he roared.
Sally stood up straight for a moment, smiled sweetly at him and winked. A gleam in her eye made Wufei pause. `What is she doing?`
Sally leaned forward and whispered into his ear. Her breath warm on his cold cheek, she whispered to him something very strange.
"Tag, you're it."
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The air was filled with battle cries as falling snow balls rained down on them from the dense brush around. Someone shouted attack and as Wufei turned to see where from, got a snowball in the face.
Laughing, Sally covered her head and ran for cover from the attack. Wufei's recruits were bewildered and confused from the sudden onslaught but after a moment to distinguish the situation returned fire.
Wufei was hit in the back of the head and cursed. He saw Sally running and gave chase. She made it to the edge of the path when his arms wrapped around her waist and threw her to the ground. She landed in the deep snow in a fit of laughter, but before she was able to stand up he picked her up and swung he over his shoulder.
Sally hung there stunned that her winter wonderland had suddenly turned upside down. Wufei stared up back up the hill with Sally.
"All right onna! If it's a war you want! It's a war you're going to get!" He announced.
"Wufei! What!? Hey! Put me down! I'm only kidding Wufei! Hey! Ahhh! WUFEI!!!" She screeched as she was flung into the deep snow at the bottom of the hill. Sally landed head first in it. She struggled to get her face above the cold white stuff and found it was almost too deep to move in. It forced its way down her jacket collar and onto her neck. Bending her neck back she was able to get her face high enough to see around her. Wufei stood at the edge of the snowdrift smiling.
"You brought this on yourself Sally, so don't go getting all whiny about it now because you had to eat a little snow."
As he said this someone behind him slipped on ice and slid down the hill knocking Wufei into the drift. He put his hands forward to stop his fall but his hands sunk into the snow so far he was face first in it anyway. Sally took this moment to attack. Using all her strength she threw herself at him in an attempt to pin him down. But only managed to get within a few feet. So she did the next best thing. As Wufei raised his head up, she started throwing snow in his face. He lashed out in defense with his arm sending up a flurry of white. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Sally landed against his
chest with a thud, and was astonished when in one swift movement, he pulled open the back of her jacket and sweater and dumped snow down her back.
"Ahh!!!!!"
Wufei burst out laughing right then. Sally was frozen from the snow
melting in her shirt. She wished she could move to strangle that
laughing jackass.`Damn it! Ahh! F*&K that is so cold! Oh I'm going to get you for this!` She turned and saw Wufei next to her.
She realised this was one of his rare moments. He had let down all his walls and taken off his resistant mask of emotion. This laughing fool in front of her was the real Wufei Chang. The one she knew had existed sense they had first met in the mountains when he had seemed so lost and alone. This was the person she had been digging for in
that hard gundam pilot shell for all these years. She had often seen glimpses of his true self after he had grown to trust her more,and on long missions where they had been alone for a long time. Like the lastmission when they had to check out that plant, and had gotten swept down stream.
His dying laugher brought her back to her surroundings. They were in the middle of a snow war, and the last attack from him was now running down her back. Sally took a hand full of snow and before he knew what she was going to do; pulled his shirt up and shoved the cold snow against his stomach.
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Wufei picked up his jacket from the hook and started out the door.
"You can't tell me you didn't have fun?" Sally said as he left the office for the day.
Wufei gave Sally another cold stare. "Good night Sally," he said and left. He hide his smile till he was safely in the elevator. Wufei had to admit to himself that he had, had fun today despite the cold. He had forgotten how good it felt just to relax and not worry about anything once in a while. Today's romp through the park with Sally
had reminded him.
The doors opened and he exited still smiling to himself. He passed Zechs on his way to his car. On any other occasion they might have passed by without so much as acknowledging the other's presence; however Zechs caught sight of the smile on the other gundam pilot's
lips.
He paused, turned, and watched him disappear down the corridor. Zechs had rarely seen Wufei in a pleasant mood, and to see him smile was even rarer. His mind wondered what could have happened to make his mask crack so much in just one day?
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Wufei put the last dish in the cupboard and shut the door. Another quiet night at home after work, but not a usual day of work. The trip to the park with Sally and the recruits had turned out to be the funniest thing Wufei had done in a long time. He had actually
loosened up for a while and let his mask break, however he did not like the fact that afterwards he found it difficult to put back on. No mater how hard he tried to keep a straight face. He was sure Zechs had seen it, along with the lady in the apartment next to him that he met on the stares with an arm load of Christmas wrapping paper and supplies.
"Time for bed Ottis, come on." He picked him up and placed him at the foot of his bed, just like every night. Moonlight shone in the window giving the room just enough light for Wufei to see his way around. He turned off the light and got into bed, and within minutes was asleep.
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Later that night in the next apartment, sparks from an outlet lands on Christmas wrapping paper. It soon became flames, and the room filled with smoke.
TBC. . .
Chapter 10
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"Snow war"
Wufei pulled the key out of the door and went in. His apartment was quiet as usual. He hung up his coat and turned the thermostat on half way. Reaching out into the darkness, he felt the side of the wall until his fingers ran over the cold plastic cover of the light
switch. He snapped it on and the room filled with light. There his small simple apartment with only the basics to survival greeted him. A thirteen inch television set stood against the far wall; in front of it was a couch, two chairs and a coffee table. The kitchen
consisted of appliances, a counter top and a full fridge of food. The bed room had bare walls and a wood floor with a green mat leading to the single bed in the middle of the room. Off to the side of the living room was a small door concealing a bathroom.
Wufei put his paper work down on the kiction counter and opened the fridge door. He had skipped lunch trying to catch up with all his work and now was in need of a snack. Something soft and furry brushed against his legs. He looked down to find his cat Ottis gazing back at him hungrily. He sat back on his haunches and reached up his pant
leg.
"All right, all right. I'll get you some food. Get down." Wufei gently unhooked Ottis's claws from his thigh and picked up the cat food can. Scraping some into a dish he placed it on the drier and turned away. The cat just sat there on the floor watching him.
"No." Wufei said not even turning his back. He would not let him win again!
Wufei grabbed a half eaten honeydew melon from the well packed fridge and a spoon, and sank down in front of the television on the couch. Flicking it on the channels changed for a few minutes before stopping finally on the day news. The reporter was talking about one thing or another; Wufei really didn't care too much. Not even when she started talking about the former Queen of the world Relena Peacecraft.
The juice liquid from the sweet melon ran to his chin before a hand brushed it off. He was so into his meal that Wufei almost did not hear the name of his ally former gundam pilot Heero Yuy. He raised his eyes to the screen in time to see both Heero and Relena holding hands in front of what appeared to be Relena's mansion home. He was even more shocked when he witnessed the unthinkable in his eyes. He watched in horror as the perfect solder leaned over to the women next to him and brush her cheek with his lips! The reporter's voice came into focus as she spoke the next few words that make him choke.
".. The former Queen of the world has announced her engagement to he alleged secret lover Heero Yuy. Apparently the two have been seeing each other since A.C. 196 and are expected to tie the knot some time this summer..."
Wufei sat down his meal and stared dumbfounded at the t.v. "My god... Heero. I would have expected you to be the last person to do something like this. Is there anyone else in the world that's not married besides me? I can't believe it... I'm the last one that is still alone."
He went and put the rest of his melon back in the fridge and slumped against the closed door.` Duo, Quatre, Trowa, Zechs, and now Heero too. Everyone one of them has put the past behind them and has started a future with someone, but me.. Everyone seems to know what they want in life, so how come I'm not sure? It seems simple enough,
find someone start a family. How hard could it be? It's not that I don't want to have a child or two of my own. I would love to have a little version of me I could train and teach him everything I know to become a great warrior. And to continue the clan name. Or even someone I could come home too each night and have waiting for me in bed to entertain me. Yes that definitely would be a nice thing to have, but I couldn't do that with just anyone. She would have to be someone who is strong. Yes she would deffently have to be strong enough to help me train. A few good curves would be a plus. She would have to be able to handle children, but she would also have to be someone who is kind... Sally is kind, and I do feel very strongly about her. I would like to marry her and have a family with her too, but she does not have much time left. But I do not believe she sees me in that light, and to start something now would be stupid! I mean it will be hard enough to say goodbye to her as it is, if I get any closer I don't know what I will do.`
"Damn it Onna! Why are you always on my mind?"
A loud meow turn him around. Ottis sat there on the floor waiting for him. Wufei stared at it for a moment, "fine you win.." He walked over and picked him up. He rubbed his head lovingly against Wufei's sticky chin. Wufei placed him on the top of the dryer and watched him eat for a moment.
" One of these days cat I'm going to get a ladder for you so I don't have to lift you up every single time."
He strayed back into the living room and sank to the floor. Flicking off the t.v. he enjoyed the quiet. Then his mind began to drift away from him into the dark thoughts he tried to ignore whispering in his head. What if Sally did love him and he had let her down for all these years? Maybe if he had asked her to marry him a long time ago she would not have become sick. Maybe it was really all his fault. Maybe the whole reasons Sally became sick is because of thestress he was to her. It was all his fault she was suffering so much! He was the reason for all her pain and suffering! He shouldn't even be alive! He should be the one suffering a slow death much worse then hers! Much worse! He didn't even have the right to be near her, let alone partners with her! He should be dead! He should die! Die! Die! Horribly and painfully to make up for what he had done to his own partner! Be tortured in a hideous way... Wufei's chest began to ache again more painfully than before. Holding himself, he lay down on the floor. He knew these thoughts were not good to have, he had to fight them somehow.
"Maybe medicating will help?" he crossed his legs and took a deep breath. He toned out the fridge, dripping faucet, munching cat and everything else. The room soon vanished around him as he settled into the void of solitude which his years of training as a boy had taken him. A sense of peace washed over him, freeing his mind from problems and separating his body from soul. He floated ina deep ocean of calm unable to see the light of reality above him, or the dark pain of guilt in the inky depths below. Serene calm filled
his every being of existence, entrancing him.
There he stayed in the gentle calm for as long as he could. But eventually the long arms of guilt reached up into his sea of calm and clamped a dark hand on his foot and pulled him down.. `It's all my fault, it's all my fault. If it weren't for me she would still be alive....` And the reality of his surroundings collapsed on top of him.
Wufei opened his eyes and found the room the same as he left it; cold and empty. The clock read midnight, it was time to go to bed, `no point in driving yourself crazy over something out of reach.` He went to get up and found that Ottis had curled up on his lap and had gone to sleep. He gazed at the sleeping creature for a minute thinking.
`Such a simple creature you are.. Just eat and sleep that is all you seem to do these days. Not a care in the world on your mind..`
"And you never reply to anything I say. Yet somehow just by doing what you do you provide company for me when I feel alone." He picked up the sleeping fur-ball and took him into the bedroom placing him at the foot of the bed.
"Thank you my friend."
He got in bed and went to sleep.
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Early the next morning Wufei sipped down the rest of the hot caffeine liquid in his cup. Thursday morning at a snowed-in HQ. Wufei had to leave home early in order to be on time for work and in doing so skipped breakfast. In front of him sat a small mound of paperwork about the size of his quickly growing migraine. He looked over to the next desk where his partner worked quietly.
As Sally finished typing up her report for Lady Une she took a quick glance at her schedule for the day. It showed that she was free till about five when she and Wufei had to take some of the recruits outside for a short run through of snow survival tactics.`Great! After being stuck inside this stuffy room for most of the day, I have to go play in the snow. Well at least it will be a change.`
She saved the report to a disk and took it to Lady Une's first thing.
Sally knocked on the door in front of her and waited for a signal to enter. From inside came a voice, "Come in."
Sally entered the office and approached the desk where her commander sat in front of a computer screen."I have that report you wanted Lady Une. Would you like to see it now?" She handed it to Lady Une.
"Thank you Sally. Tell me how have you been?" Lady Une asked before Sally had a chance to escape from the room.
"Fine."If there is anything you would like Sally, please don't hesitate to ask. You've been here as long as anyone and...."Please Une." Sally cut her off. "I don't want anything! I don't need special treatment.... it only reminds me okay?"I'm sorry Sally. I just want to help you somehow."
She could hear the concern in her friend's voice. "It's all right. It's not you, it's me. I'm just touchy today that's all." Then an idea developed in her mind which made a smile play on her lips. "Actually lady. There is something I would like.."
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~
The bus pulled into the empty parking lot of the city Park. A white blanket lay draped over everything in sight; tree branches bent under its weight, and bushes became undefinable from ordinary snow drifts. The untouched snow on the ground was evidence that no-one had been there recently.
"Why did Une demand we go here to have this class? Why couldn't we have just stayed at head quarters?..." Wufei's mumbled curses came through the frigid winter air to Sally's covered ears. She hid a smile behind her gloved hand.
"I guess because Lady Une thought the exercise would be good for us?" Sally replied, but Wufei only stared back at her.
"All right everyone! This is what's happening; we are dividing you up into two groups for this survival training. Half of you will go with Commander Chang. The rest will come with me. Understood?"Sir. Yes sir." They replied to commander Po's information with less then joyful cheers. Half the group went off with Wufei into the thick part of the park, tugging off through the deep snow while the rest stayed with Sally next to the bus. A few minutes went by with nothing happening. Sally stood there leaning against the side of the bus while Wufei and his group moved further out of sight. Finally one of the recruits couldn't stand there in the cold any longer.
"Commander Po sir.. Umm. What are we going to do?" he asked. He shifted his weight to his other foot uneasily when he saw the look in her eyes. The gleam in them sent shivers up his already cold spine, making him wish he had stayed home. It was as if you could see her thinking up something.
"So you want to do something do you?" she asked not really looking at any of them in particular. The cadets shuffled there for a moment before one of them responded.
"I guess.."
Sally walked over to a snow covered picnic table and scooped up a hand full of wet sticky snow. She began to move it around in her gloved hands and began to talk.
"Does anyone know what I'm trying to do?" Sally asked.
The cadets looked at each other and then back at Sally. A few even took a step back.
"No, I haven't lost my mind yet. What does this look like to you?" she held up the snow now in a perfectly round shape for them too see.
"A snow ball?" one guessed.
"Correct! Now what does one do after making a snow ball?" Sally
smiled evilly, "lets play a game."
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~
"I can't wait till this is over." Wufei grumbled again marching up another hill. He hated hiking in cold weather, and winter snow was very cold weather to him. It crunched under his boots and almost came over the top of them as he walked on. It clung to the slim tree branched giving them a skeleton like appearance through out the park. Chickadees jumped and hopped from branch to branch chasing each other around the white postcard park as loose snow flakes floated around.
A yelp came from the front of the group and everyone came to a halt. Grumbling he went to the top of the hill and looked down. There at the bottom was one of the cadets stuck waist deep in snow after apparently sliding down the other side of the hill. Someone stretched out a tree branch to the stranded cadet in a sad attempt to assist
him. Wufei stood at the top of the hill shaking his head.
Tromping footsteps came from behind him and he turned to find Sally running up alone. She was out of breathe by the time she reached his side. She grabbed onto his arm for support as she tried to catch her breath. He stopped and assisted her.
"Sally what are you doing here, and where is the rest of your group?" Wufei demanded. Sally was another few moments getting her breath before she was able to talk again.
"Wufei... I.. I wanted to tell you something.." she began.
"Where are the other?" he asked again becoming annoyed. By now the rest of Wufei's group had come back to see what the commotion was. They gathered around them listening intently to the breathless commander.
"What is it onna? I haven't got all day out here in the cold!"I wanted to tell you something very important, but I'm not sure I should tell you now or later?"Damn it Sally! What the hell is it?" he roared.
Sally stood up straight for a moment, smiled sweetly at him and winked. A gleam in her eye made Wufei pause. `What is she doing?`
Sally leaned forward and whispered into his ear. Her breath warm on his cold cheek, she whispered to him something very strange.
"Tag, you're it."
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~
The air was filled with battle cries as falling snow balls rained down on them from the dense brush around. Someone shouted attack and as Wufei turned to see where from, got a snowball in the face.
Laughing, Sally covered her head and ran for cover from the attack. Wufei's recruits were bewildered and confused from the sudden onslaught but after a moment to distinguish the situation returned fire.
Wufei was hit in the back of the head and cursed. He saw Sally running and gave chase. She made it to the edge of the path when his arms wrapped around her waist and threw her to the ground. She landed in the deep snow in a fit of laughter, but before she was able to stand up he picked her up and swung he over his shoulder.
Sally hung there stunned that her winter wonderland had suddenly turned upside down. Wufei stared up back up the hill with Sally.
"All right onna! If it's a war you want! It's a war you're going to get!" He announced.
"Wufei! What!? Hey! Put me down! I'm only kidding Wufei! Hey! Ahhh! WUFEI!!!" She screeched as she was flung into the deep snow at the bottom of the hill. Sally landed head first in it. She struggled to get her face above the cold white stuff and found it was almost too deep to move in. It forced its way down her jacket collar and onto her neck. Bending her neck back she was able to get her face high enough to see around her. Wufei stood at the edge of the snowdrift smiling.
"You brought this on yourself Sally, so don't go getting all whiny about it now because you had to eat a little snow."
As he said this someone behind him slipped on ice and slid down the hill knocking Wufei into the drift. He put his hands forward to stop his fall but his hands sunk into the snow so far he was face first in it anyway. Sally took this moment to attack. Using all her strength she threw herself at him in an attempt to pin him down. But only managed to get within a few feet. So she did the next best thing. As Wufei raised his head up, she started throwing snow in his face. He lashed out in defense with his arm sending up a flurry of white. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Sally landed against his
chest with a thud, and was astonished when in one swift movement, he pulled open the back of her jacket and sweater and dumped snow down her back.
"Ahh!!!!!"
Wufei burst out laughing right then. Sally was frozen from the snow
melting in her shirt. She wished she could move to strangle that
laughing jackass.`Damn it! Ahh! F*&K that is so cold! Oh I'm going to get you for this!` She turned and saw Wufei next to her.
She realised this was one of his rare moments. He had let down all his walls and taken off his resistant mask of emotion. This laughing fool in front of her was the real Wufei Chang. The one she knew had existed sense they had first met in the mountains when he had seemed so lost and alone. This was the person she had been digging for in
that hard gundam pilot shell for all these years. She had often seen glimpses of his true self after he had grown to trust her more,and on long missions where they had been alone for a long time. Like the lastmission when they had to check out that plant, and had gotten swept down stream.
His dying laugher brought her back to her surroundings. They were in the middle of a snow war, and the last attack from him was now running down her back. Sally took a hand full of snow and before he knew what she was going to do; pulled his shirt up and shoved the cold snow against his stomach.
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~
Wufei picked up his jacket from the hook and started out the door.
"You can't tell me you didn't have fun?" Sally said as he left the office for the day.
Wufei gave Sally another cold stare. "Good night Sally," he said and left. He hide his smile till he was safely in the elevator. Wufei had to admit to himself that he had, had fun today despite the cold. He had forgotten how good it felt just to relax and not worry about anything once in a while. Today's romp through the park with Sally
had reminded him.
The doors opened and he exited still smiling to himself. He passed Zechs on his way to his car. On any other occasion they might have passed by without so much as acknowledging the other's presence; however Zechs caught sight of the smile on the other gundam pilot's
lips.
He paused, turned, and watched him disappear down the corridor. Zechs had rarely seen Wufei in a pleasant mood, and to see him smile was even rarer. His mind wondered what could have happened to make his mask crack so much in just one day?
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~
Wufei put the last dish in the cupboard and shut the door. Another quiet night at home after work, but not a usual day of work. The trip to the park with Sally and the recruits had turned out to be the funniest thing Wufei had done in a long time. He had actually
loosened up for a while and let his mask break, however he did not like the fact that afterwards he found it difficult to put back on. No mater how hard he tried to keep a straight face. He was sure Zechs had seen it, along with the lady in the apartment next to him that he met on the stares with an arm load of Christmas wrapping paper and supplies.
"Time for bed Ottis, come on." He picked him up and placed him at the foot of his bed, just like every night. Moonlight shone in the window giving the room just enough light for Wufei to see his way around. He turned off the light and got into bed, and within minutes was asleep.
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **~~
Later that night in the next apartment, sparks from an outlet lands on Christmas wrapping paper. It soon became flames, and the room filled with smoke.
TBC. . .