Gundams and Roses
Chapter Four
To see the household at the breakfast table the next morning, one would have thought that nothing had happened. Destiny and Duo alternately poked fun at their comrades and each other, Heero stodgily worked his way through his cereal, Wufei hid behind a newspaper, occasionally retorting to some of Duo's more obscene comments and Quatre attempted to keep some semblance of peace with Trowa silently backing him up. The newcomers kept quietly to themselves and it was barely noticeable that Destiny was going out of her way to ignore them.
"So," Quatre asked, during a rare moment of silence when both Duo and Des had paused for a breath, "what are everyone's plans for today?"
"Well," Destiny began, "now that you mention it, I did want to take a look at Selenatron. Her reaction time was down last battle. I've got the bruises to prove it," she added ruefully. Duo spoke up after her, claiming that he had some shopping to do. Heero.well.. grunted.
"And what about you, Wufei?"
The Chinese man looked over his newspaper.
"Avoiding those two," he gestured toward the braided ones of the group, "as much as possible."
* * *
"God damned possessed electrical systems! Who in their right minds would wire a machine like this? I swear those old geezers really DO have it out for me! OW!"
Destiny, nicely tangled in a pile of wires, was busily sorting out different wiring systems, attempting to find the loose wire that she knew was in there somewhere. She uttered a few more choice phrases as she cut herself on an uncovered cable.
"Enjoying yourself, woman?"
Looking up, her eyes met with Wufei, a large smirk on his face.
"I thought you were avoiding me at all costs."
He gestured back towards the house.
"Too many people."
"You mean too many girls. What'd they do? Try to plait your hair?"
"You don't know the half of it, woman."
"You know, Wufei, I'm well aware of what my gender is."
"I know, but it can't hurt to remind you."
Destiny grinned. Oh, he had a sense of humor. An odd one, yes, but it was there. And he was most definitely enjoying himself right now. It had taken her months to learn how to read his moods, but then again, she was a quick study, as Quatre had put it. She watched amused, as he stood and began to detangle her. She didn't bother to thank him, knowing full well that if she tried, she'd probably end up flat on her back. That was another oddity of his. He hated to have people running about, thanking him for this and that. 'Guess it doesn't fit in well with the justice spiel'.
"So, what do you think of them?" Destiny asked as Wufei settled down next to her to sort wires. He didn't need to ask whom she spoke of.
"They're strong."
"Hn. High praise indeed."
"Watch what you say, Destiny. You're starting to sound like Heero."
"God forbid!" she managed to get out between giggles.
He glared at her, good-naturedly. They had an odd relationship that was for sure. It was based somewhere in respect, and extended into a sort of loyalty. It worked, she mused. I annoy him, he beats me up, and the next day, we've forgotten about it. Still, she wondered why he respected her. Trowa said it had something to do with the fact that she was able to bounce back from complete amnesia to become a competent pilot or something along those lines. She was just glad to have his friendship, not an easy thing to come by at any means.
"What do you think of them?"
Destiny shook herself out of her thoughts at the sound of his voice.
"Me? I think they're.confused."
"How so?"
"They think I'm something I'm not."
He nodded, not saying anything else. It wasn't time, he sensed, and she needed to do some more thinking before he gave any advice. They settled back into sorting, a companionable silence falling over them.
* * *
Darien, after being hustled out of his room by the house staff (they claimed they needed to clean the room, though why was beyond him. You could perform a surgery in there, it was so clean.), wandered about the house. Soon, he found himself following a pair of voices, which led him to the hangar. He stood at the doorway, watching Wufei untangle Serena.Destiny.before they went back to the wires. His insides flip flopped as she laughed. Why was it like this? The question came back for the hundredth time that morning. His eyes took her in, memorizing how she tucked her hair behind her ears, the glitter in her eyes as she joked around with her companion. Things he knew far too well. Was this what it had been like for her when his memories were missing? Had she felt like this every time he brushed her off, or saw him talking to another girl? He jumped at the feel of a hand on his shoulder. Whirling around, he faced Quatre. How was it this kid always seemed to show up at just the right time? It was as if he could read minds or something. Quatre moved up next to him, leaning against the doorframe. Darien, after another cursory glance, settled his gaze back into the hangar.
"You love her, don't you?"
The dark haired man paused for a moment.
"Very much."
"I thought so. So why don't you tell her?"
"She's not speaking to me."
"That doesn't mean she's not listening to you." Quatre replied, turning and beginning to walk away.
"Wait," Darien called after him. Quatre stopped and looked back. "How did you know?"
The blonde grinned.
"Trade secret."
* * *
About a week and a half later, Destiny could be found walking up the path to the house, when she was jumped and blinded by a masculine pair of hands and hearing a very familiar, very American sounding voice.
"Guess who, Des?"
"Um.. Zechs Marquise?"
"Nah.my hair looks better."
"Ever sure of yourself. Are you going to restore my vision to me anytime soon?"
"In just a minute." He teased, leading her toward the house, "first I have a few questions."
"Oh?"
"Yep. Firstly, what's today?"
"Um.Monday?"
"Actually, it's Friday, but that's not what I meant. What's today's date?"
" Somewhere in the summer months in the year 196 AC?"
"That's a little vague, Des. Could you be more specific?" She could tell they were inside now, the coolness of the air-conditioned house contrasting sharply with her warm skin.
"Uh.nope."
Sighing, Duo, released her, and dragged her over to a calendar.
"Today," he pointed at the calendar, "Is July 15." Destiny's eyes widened for a moment, before a gigantic smile broke across her face. July 15 was the day they had chosen to celebrate her birthday, since it was also the same day that they had found her.
"Oh my god! I'd forgotten completely!"
"Well, we haven't. Everyone else is waiting for us at the restaurant and after that.remembered that promise I made a couple weeks ago?"
"How could I forget? You promised we'd go clubbing, just the two of us!"
"Yep, but.well.we need to have a look at your wardrobe."
Destiny looked down at the old T-shirt that nearly stuck to her from the excessive heat and her faded pair of jeans, before looking back up with a grin.
"Well then.let's get started!"
*~*45 min later~*~
Heero looked at his watch for the third time that minute, noting that Darien was doing the same. He was about to call Duo when the door to the restaurant opened, and the two absentees entered. Duo, resplendent in his customary color walked Destiny over to the table. Heero looked over her outfit.
"It suits you."
Destiny blushed slightly, a triumphant grin on her face. She didn't know how Duo had talked her into the black pants or the silver shirt with the black lace over shirt, but now she was glad he had.
Everyone settled back as a troupe of waiters headed for the table. Destiny looked around the table, marveling at the mixture of people. The newcomers.though they really couldn't be called that any more, were starting to mix in quite well, though things were still a bit tense between her and Darien. The girls chattered with each other and the guys, even prompting an occasional response out of Trowa.
"So Duo," Quatre asked while the drinks were being passed around, "where do you and Des plan on going for your "date"?" He smiled at the last word, knowing full well that the two were nothing more than friends. However, a little voice in his head quipped, Darien doesn't know that. He'd seen right through Duo's ploy from day one, knowing that he was purposely flirting with Destiny to annoy the dark haired man and now he decided that it was his turn to play. (AN. The masses are complaining about how I've twisted their 'angel'. Angel my foot! That boy's got a mischievous streak a mile wide!) After all, a little push in the right direction couldn't hurt.
"Ya know, we're not really sure, Quat. Any suggestions?"
"Hm..well, there is that new club downtown. It's supposed to be really nice."
"Oh yeah," Destiny quipped up, "I've heard about that place! It's got the newest in lighting and sound tech! Um.oh, what's it called?" She frowned in concentration, biting her lower lip.
"Darkstone." Heero supplied.
"Oh, yeah, that's it. Thanks Heero."
Just then, the waiters reappeared.
"You folks ready to order?"
"Umm.we'll need a few more minutes," Quatre replied with a sympathetic smile. Heero chose that moment to notice Duo's outfit. He almost choked on his Coke.
Heero growled, "Duo, *what* is *that*?", indicating the semi- transparent black-and-silver mesh shirt he was wearing. The poor waiter was caught in the path of the Ice Glare .
"Eep.I-I'll be b-b-b-back i-in a few minutes." With that, the poor, terrified young man ran off.
Duo was grinning at Heero. He'd worn the shirt specifically to get a rise out of him. "What? This old thing? It's club gear, baby!" He winked at Des, who stifled a giggle.
"Club gear?" Darien was once again looking hurt and glaring at Duo. Because of that, Heero had given up glaring at Duo about the shirt and was glaring at Darien. None of the others were even fazed. This was an every- day occurrence. Well, sort of. Not necessarily Heero glaring at Darien in particular, but Heero glaring in general.
"Duo's taking me out dancing for my birthday! He's been promising that we'd go out, just the two of us, for *weeks*!" She could have sworn that Darien's ears literally started smoking at that statement. 'This is too much fun. I think I finally understand why Duo loves teasing Wufei so much.um.why *am * I teasing him? Ah, who cares?'
Duo was torn between wondering why Heero kept glaring at that Darien guy and completely cracking up at Des's act. He had to admit, he'd taught her well.
"So, Des-chan, wanna try that Darkstone place? Or hit Scarlet Moon?" Duo took care to put emphasis on "chan".
"Both! Let's try the new place first then if it turns out lame, we can go to Moon."
"Sounds good, hon."
Now she was *sure* his ears were smoking. And it was starting too look as if Heero's were too.
At this rather inopportune time, the waiters reappeared.well, most of them.
"Are you.ready to order.? Um, wecouldwaitifyoulikeit'snoproblemreally!"
"S'ok" Des replied, "I think we're ready."
45 minutes , a sushi dish, pork chop flambé, a varied assortment of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, several drinks(possibly spiked), and one Fed echini Alfredo later, Quatre paid the bill and left a generous tip for the waiters (most of whom were still cowering in the corner),and they all headed out. At the doors, Duo and Des split from the group and headed for Duo's motorcycle to begin their evening of club hopping. Darien stood glaring at Duo and looking massively hurt at Des. (AN. You can do both of those at once? Well, well, well, he certainly is a man of many talents.uh, interpret that however you like.:::runs off carrying her hentai little mind with her:::) 'A motorcycle? Life's just not fair. I want my Serena.' he whimpered mentally to himself. (Quick author's note: Yes, we're being cruel to poor Dare-bear. We'll make it up to him later. Promise. huggles Dare)
"C'mon Dare, we're heading back." Lita called.
Rei walked up to him and took him by the arm to lead him to the car.
"It's ok, Darien. We'll figure something out. We'll get her back."
'Yes, we will,' he thought, ' but will we get her back in time?'
Sighing, Darien followed the others to the limo.
~*~30 min later~*~
"Here we are!"
"Holy shit Duo! This place looks awesome!"
"Tsk, tsk, Des, such language!"
"Oh yeah, like you're any better!" She replied, climbing off the back of the bike.
"So, Duo, you planning on wiring the motorcycle with explosives to deter any thieves?"
"I don't need too. It's Heero's bike too. He'll personally track down anyone stupid enough to take it." Destiny laughed and just to emphasize Duo's point, Destiny pulled out a sticky note from her purse, scrawled "Heero Yuy's bike" on it, and stuck it to the motorcycle.
"You are going to remember to take that off, right? Otherwise, it'll be you who Heero tracks down and kills."
"Good point." They were now headed towards the front doors, and already, they could feel the music pulsing.
~*~Back at the safe house~*~
For once, Darien and Heero were in the same room and not glaring.. they were pacing instead.and shouting.loudly.
"Did you see what she was wearing?!"
" Her! What about Duo!"
"I could care less about what Duo has on! She's MY girlfriend!"
Heero stopped dead in his tracks.
"You're what?"
"MY GIRLFRIEND! Do I need to spell it out!"
Heero simply stared for a moment. Slowly, a smile grew on his face, followed by a light chuckle (AN. Which is about as close as a real laugh Heero Yuy gets this far along in the story. Don't ya worry folks, he's gonna be VERY happy by the end of this thing!)
"What's so funny?" Darien all but growled.
"The thought of Destiny with a boyfriend. She's.she's."
"Scared." A new voice put in. Both men looked up as Quatre walked into the room.
"Scared?" Darien echoed. Heero only nodded slightly, turning the idea over in his head a few times.
~*~At the club~*~
"Alright, where are you Duo Maxwell! GET YOUR CUTE LITTLE BUTT BACK HERE! I KNOW IT WAS YOU WHO SIGNED ME UP FOR THAT KAROKE! YOU ARE SO DEAD MISTER!"
Duo laughed and continued to weave his way through the crowd. Destiny began to follow him, before a devilish grin spread over her face.
Duo returned to their table some fifteen odd minutes later, curious as to why Des hadn't bothered chasing him. He gave her a questioning look, which she returned with a smug glance of her own.
"Well, ladies and gents, it looks like we have two new singers to welcome tonight!" the MC's voice blasted over the crowd.
"Right on time." Destiny said, more to herself, rubbing her fingernails on her shirt. Duo warily sat down, waiting to see what would happen next.
"One of them," the MC continued, "is a girl with a name that says it all. Let's have a round of applause for Destiny! But first, her partner in crime is gonna give us all a warm up act. Give it up for Duo Maxwell!"
Duo paled and glared across the table.
"You didn't."
"I did." Destiny answered, meeting his eyes.
Shaking his head, Duo slowly stood up, making his way towards the stage. Oh, she was gonna get it. She was REALLY gonna get it. He stalked up to the MC.
"What am I singing?" he growled.
"Uh.Duo, right? Let's see.you're down for .RESPECT by Arethra Franklin. Here's your mike. Thanks for volunteering and have a great time!" the man finished with a big grin. It could be worse, Duo mused. It could be Spice Girls or something along those lines. He stepped onto the stage. Through the smoky haze he could see Destiny. She gave him a cheery wave, a thumbs up and settled back with a drink.
By the end of the first verse, Duo was relaxed, by the second, he was enjoying himself and by the third he had forgiven Des for doing this to him. Finishing up, he grinned and sent a "look" to Des. She grimaced and stood up, making her way toward the front.
"So Mr. Shinigami, what delightful torture do we have planned for my poor and defenseless soul today? The rack, the Chinese water torture or the stage?"
"Well, Miss Destiny, as the first two were getting rather old, I've decided for the third."
"Cocky bastard" Destiny muttered.
"You know it." Duo replied with a wink, handing her the mike.
"So, what am I singing?"
Duo, who had been on his way back to their table, stopped and looked at her over his shoulder, gremlins dancing in his eyes.
"I'm a survivor, by Destiny's Child."
******************************safehouse**********************************
"Scared." Quatre repeated.
Darien sat down, burying his hands in his hair.
"Of what?"
"Oh, quite a few things. Some things I can tell you. Others I can't. For starters, she terrified of you and your friends."
"He has a point," Wufei interrupted, as he entered the room, "I wouldn't call her a loner, but she's ."
"In a shell." Heero finished, "She's in a shell and scared to come out." Wufei and Quatre looked at Heero, surprised by the insightful comment and the fact that it contained multiple clauses, but wisely, said nothing.
"But why?" Darien groaned, sounding frustrated, "Was it something I did? Did I say something, do something?"
"No, not really," Quatre put in quietly, "Well, you did actually, but it wasn't anything you could help. You were just doing what came naturally to you. Loving her. The problem is, I'm not sure why, but that scares her. Did she tell you how she was found?"
"By a roadside."
"Alone, half unconscious, battered.we still don't know why she was so beat up.to all appearances, left to die. How must that feel? To think that the whole world has given up on you and no one cares anymore? And if the whole world has given up on you, why should one person care? That's why she's scared. She doesn't think it's real. You'll leave too, leaving her behind, cold and battered, just like everyone else did."
Darien surged to his feet, anger thrumming through his veins.
"I would never leave her behind." He hissed in a deadly soft voice, "Don't you ever say I would do that."
"I never said you did," Quatre answered, more than a little unnerved by the larger man's unexpected response, " I was just trying to get inside her head, so to speak. Think what she thinks."
Slowly, Darien sat back down, visibly controlling himself.
"If you want to get anywhere with her, you have to regain her trust." Wufei said, "then she'll listen to you, not before."
Trowa walked into the room, breaking the tension.
"Do any of you have Destiny's beeper number?"
"I do, Trowa." Heero replied, "Why?"
"She has a mission."
"With?"
"Solitary."
"Since when do they send her on her own?" Wufei asked with a scowl.(AN. AWWW!!!! Wufei almost sounds.protective.:::gasp::: What is the world coming to?)
"Since now." Trowa answered with a shrug.
*************************Club*************************************
"Hey, nice job on that song Des!"
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say Duo. Just you wait till I.."
"Till you what?"
"Hold on." Des said with a frown, pulling out her beeper, "It's from Heero."
"Really? What's up?"
"What's this thing look like? A cell phone? How am I suppose to know?"
"Well, go find a phone."
Ten minutes later, Destiny returned, looking disturbed.
"I've got a mission. Solitary. There's a base being constructed and it's making whatever the Hell group we're fighting for antsy. So guess who gets to blow it up? God, I'm sorry Duo. I really wanted to do this with you."
"It's ok, Des. C'mon, let's get back to the safehouse."
"Ok. But why did they choose me? Why not one of you guys?"
"Who knows what runs through the minds of those old nutcases? Hey, you'll be back within a few hours and we can always go clubbing next weekend."
"Duo, there are times when you can be annoyingly cheerful."
"And that's."
"Why I love you, yes I know smart ass. Now let's get this show on the road."
Chapter Four
To see the household at the breakfast table the next morning, one would have thought that nothing had happened. Destiny and Duo alternately poked fun at their comrades and each other, Heero stodgily worked his way through his cereal, Wufei hid behind a newspaper, occasionally retorting to some of Duo's more obscene comments and Quatre attempted to keep some semblance of peace with Trowa silently backing him up. The newcomers kept quietly to themselves and it was barely noticeable that Destiny was going out of her way to ignore them.
"So," Quatre asked, during a rare moment of silence when both Duo and Des had paused for a breath, "what are everyone's plans for today?"
"Well," Destiny began, "now that you mention it, I did want to take a look at Selenatron. Her reaction time was down last battle. I've got the bruises to prove it," she added ruefully. Duo spoke up after her, claiming that he had some shopping to do. Heero.well.. grunted.
"And what about you, Wufei?"
The Chinese man looked over his newspaper.
"Avoiding those two," he gestured toward the braided ones of the group, "as much as possible."
* * *
"God damned possessed electrical systems! Who in their right minds would wire a machine like this? I swear those old geezers really DO have it out for me! OW!"
Destiny, nicely tangled in a pile of wires, was busily sorting out different wiring systems, attempting to find the loose wire that she knew was in there somewhere. She uttered a few more choice phrases as she cut herself on an uncovered cable.
"Enjoying yourself, woman?"
Looking up, her eyes met with Wufei, a large smirk on his face.
"I thought you were avoiding me at all costs."
He gestured back towards the house.
"Too many people."
"You mean too many girls. What'd they do? Try to plait your hair?"
"You don't know the half of it, woman."
"You know, Wufei, I'm well aware of what my gender is."
"I know, but it can't hurt to remind you."
Destiny grinned. Oh, he had a sense of humor. An odd one, yes, but it was there. And he was most definitely enjoying himself right now. It had taken her months to learn how to read his moods, but then again, she was a quick study, as Quatre had put it. She watched amused, as he stood and began to detangle her. She didn't bother to thank him, knowing full well that if she tried, she'd probably end up flat on her back. That was another oddity of his. He hated to have people running about, thanking him for this and that. 'Guess it doesn't fit in well with the justice spiel'.
"So, what do you think of them?" Destiny asked as Wufei settled down next to her to sort wires. He didn't need to ask whom she spoke of.
"They're strong."
"Hn. High praise indeed."
"Watch what you say, Destiny. You're starting to sound like Heero."
"God forbid!" she managed to get out between giggles.
He glared at her, good-naturedly. They had an odd relationship that was for sure. It was based somewhere in respect, and extended into a sort of loyalty. It worked, she mused. I annoy him, he beats me up, and the next day, we've forgotten about it. Still, she wondered why he respected her. Trowa said it had something to do with the fact that she was able to bounce back from complete amnesia to become a competent pilot or something along those lines. She was just glad to have his friendship, not an easy thing to come by at any means.
"What do you think of them?"
Destiny shook herself out of her thoughts at the sound of his voice.
"Me? I think they're.confused."
"How so?"
"They think I'm something I'm not."
He nodded, not saying anything else. It wasn't time, he sensed, and she needed to do some more thinking before he gave any advice. They settled back into sorting, a companionable silence falling over them.
* * *
Darien, after being hustled out of his room by the house staff (they claimed they needed to clean the room, though why was beyond him. You could perform a surgery in there, it was so clean.), wandered about the house. Soon, he found himself following a pair of voices, which led him to the hangar. He stood at the doorway, watching Wufei untangle Serena.Destiny.before they went back to the wires. His insides flip flopped as she laughed. Why was it like this? The question came back for the hundredth time that morning. His eyes took her in, memorizing how she tucked her hair behind her ears, the glitter in her eyes as she joked around with her companion. Things he knew far too well. Was this what it had been like for her when his memories were missing? Had she felt like this every time he brushed her off, or saw him talking to another girl? He jumped at the feel of a hand on his shoulder. Whirling around, he faced Quatre. How was it this kid always seemed to show up at just the right time? It was as if he could read minds or something. Quatre moved up next to him, leaning against the doorframe. Darien, after another cursory glance, settled his gaze back into the hangar.
"You love her, don't you?"
The dark haired man paused for a moment.
"Very much."
"I thought so. So why don't you tell her?"
"She's not speaking to me."
"That doesn't mean she's not listening to you." Quatre replied, turning and beginning to walk away.
"Wait," Darien called after him. Quatre stopped and looked back. "How did you know?"
The blonde grinned.
"Trade secret."
* * *
About a week and a half later, Destiny could be found walking up the path to the house, when she was jumped and blinded by a masculine pair of hands and hearing a very familiar, very American sounding voice.
"Guess who, Des?"
"Um.. Zechs Marquise?"
"Nah.my hair looks better."
"Ever sure of yourself. Are you going to restore my vision to me anytime soon?"
"In just a minute." He teased, leading her toward the house, "first I have a few questions."
"Oh?"
"Yep. Firstly, what's today?"
"Um.Monday?"
"Actually, it's Friday, but that's not what I meant. What's today's date?"
" Somewhere in the summer months in the year 196 AC?"
"That's a little vague, Des. Could you be more specific?" She could tell they were inside now, the coolness of the air-conditioned house contrasting sharply with her warm skin.
"Uh.nope."
Sighing, Duo, released her, and dragged her over to a calendar.
"Today," he pointed at the calendar, "Is July 15." Destiny's eyes widened for a moment, before a gigantic smile broke across her face. July 15 was the day they had chosen to celebrate her birthday, since it was also the same day that they had found her.
"Oh my god! I'd forgotten completely!"
"Well, we haven't. Everyone else is waiting for us at the restaurant and after that.remembered that promise I made a couple weeks ago?"
"How could I forget? You promised we'd go clubbing, just the two of us!"
"Yep, but.well.we need to have a look at your wardrobe."
Destiny looked down at the old T-shirt that nearly stuck to her from the excessive heat and her faded pair of jeans, before looking back up with a grin.
"Well then.let's get started!"
*~*45 min later~*~
Heero looked at his watch for the third time that minute, noting that Darien was doing the same. He was about to call Duo when the door to the restaurant opened, and the two absentees entered. Duo, resplendent in his customary color walked Destiny over to the table. Heero looked over her outfit.
"It suits you."
Destiny blushed slightly, a triumphant grin on her face. She didn't know how Duo had talked her into the black pants or the silver shirt with the black lace over shirt, but now she was glad he had.
Everyone settled back as a troupe of waiters headed for the table. Destiny looked around the table, marveling at the mixture of people. The newcomers.though they really couldn't be called that any more, were starting to mix in quite well, though things were still a bit tense between her and Darien. The girls chattered with each other and the guys, even prompting an occasional response out of Trowa.
"So Duo," Quatre asked while the drinks were being passed around, "where do you and Des plan on going for your "date"?" He smiled at the last word, knowing full well that the two were nothing more than friends. However, a little voice in his head quipped, Darien doesn't know that. He'd seen right through Duo's ploy from day one, knowing that he was purposely flirting with Destiny to annoy the dark haired man and now he decided that it was his turn to play. (AN. The masses are complaining about how I've twisted their 'angel'. Angel my foot! That boy's got a mischievous streak a mile wide!) After all, a little push in the right direction couldn't hurt.
"Ya know, we're not really sure, Quat. Any suggestions?"
"Hm..well, there is that new club downtown. It's supposed to be really nice."
"Oh yeah," Destiny quipped up, "I've heard about that place! It's got the newest in lighting and sound tech! Um.oh, what's it called?" She frowned in concentration, biting her lower lip.
"Darkstone." Heero supplied.
"Oh, yeah, that's it. Thanks Heero."
Just then, the waiters reappeared.
"You folks ready to order?"
"Umm.we'll need a few more minutes," Quatre replied with a sympathetic smile. Heero chose that moment to notice Duo's outfit. He almost choked on his Coke.
Heero growled, "Duo, *what* is *that*?", indicating the semi- transparent black-and-silver mesh shirt he was wearing. The poor waiter was caught in the path of the Ice Glare .
"Eep.I-I'll be b-b-b-back i-in a few minutes." With that, the poor, terrified young man ran off.
Duo was grinning at Heero. He'd worn the shirt specifically to get a rise out of him. "What? This old thing? It's club gear, baby!" He winked at Des, who stifled a giggle.
"Club gear?" Darien was once again looking hurt and glaring at Duo. Because of that, Heero had given up glaring at Duo about the shirt and was glaring at Darien. None of the others were even fazed. This was an every- day occurrence. Well, sort of. Not necessarily Heero glaring at Darien in particular, but Heero glaring in general.
"Duo's taking me out dancing for my birthday! He's been promising that we'd go out, just the two of us, for *weeks*!" She could have sworn that Darien's ears literally started smoking at that statement. 'This is too much fun. I think I finally understand why Duo loves teasing Wufei so much.um.why *am * I teasing him? Ah, who cares?'
Duo was torn between wondering why Heero kept glaring at that Darien guy and completely cracking up at Des's act. He had to admit, he'd taught her well.
"So, Des-chan, wanna try that Darkstone place? Or hit Scarlet Moon?" Duo took care to put emphasis on "chan".
"Both! Let's try the new place first then if it turns out lame, we can go to Moon."
"Sounds good, hon."
Now she was *sure* his ears were smoking. And it was starting too look as if Heero's were too.
At this rather inopportune time, the waiters reappeared.well, most of them.
"Are you.ready to order.? Um, wecouldwaitifyoulikeit'snoproblemreally!"
"S'ok" Des replied, "I think we're ready."
45 minutes , a sushi dish, pork chop flambé, a varied assortment of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, several drinks(possibly spiked), and one Fed echini Alfredo later, Quatre paid the bill and left a generous tip for the waiters (most of whom were still cowering in the corner),and they all headed out. At the doors, Duo and Des split from the group and headed for Duo's motorcycle to begin their evening of club hopping. Darien stood glaring at Duo and looking massively hurt at Des. (AN. You can do both of those at once? Well, well, well, he certainly is a man of many talents.uh, interpret that however you like.:::runs off carrying her hentai little mind with her:::) 'A motorcycle? Life's just not fair. I want my Serena.' he whimpered mentally to himself. (Quick author's note: Yes, we're being cruel to poor Dare-bear. We'll make it up to him later. Promise. huggles Dare)
"C'mon Dare, we're heading back." Lita called.
Rei walked up to him and took him by the arm to lead him to the car.
"It's ok, Darien. We'll figure something out. We'll get her back."
'Yes, we will,' he thought, ' but will we get her back in time?'
Sighing, Darien followed the others to the limo.
~*~30 min later~*~
"Here we are!"
"Holy shit Duo! This place looks awesome!"
"Tsk, tsk, Des, such language!"
"Oh yeah, like you're any better!" She replied, climbing off the back of the bike.
"So, Duo, you planning on wiring the motorcycle with explosives to deter any thieves?"
"I don't need too. It's Heero's bike too. He'll personally track down anyone stupid enough to take it." Destiny laughed and just to emphasize Duo's point, Destiny pulled out a sticky note from her purse, scrawled "Heero Yuy's bike" on it, and stuck it to the motorcycle.
"You are going to remember to take that off, right? Otherwise, it'll be you who Heero tracks down and kills."
"Good point." They were now headed towards the front doors, and already, they could feel the music pulsing.
~*~Back at the safe house~*~
For once, Darien and Heero were in the same room and not glaring.. they were pacing instead.and shouting.loudly.
"Did you see what she was wearing?!"
" Her! What about Duo!"
"I could care less about what Duo has on! She's MY girlfriend!"
Heero stopped dead in his tracks.
"You're what?"
"MY GIRLFRIEND! Do I need to spell it out!"
Heero simply stared for a moment. Slowly, a smile grew on his face, followed by a light chuckle (AN. Which is about as close as a real laugh Heero Yuy gets this far along in the story. Don't ya worry folks, he's gonna be VERY happy by the end of this thing!)
"What's so funny?" Darien all but growled.
"The thought of Destiny with a boyfriend. She's.she's."
"Scared." A new voice put in. Both men looked up as Quatre walked into the room.
"Scared?" Darien echoed. Heero only nodded slightly, turning the idea over in his head a few times.
~*~At the club~*~
"Alright, where are you Duo Maxwell! GET YOUR CUTE LITTLE BUTT BACK HERE! I KNOW IT WAS YOU WHO SIGNED ME UP FOR THAT KAROKE! YOU ARE SO DEAD MISTER!"
Duo laughed and continued to weave his way through the crowd. Destiny began to follow him, before a devilish grin spread over her face.
Duo returned to their table some fifteen odd minutes later, curious as to why Des hadn't bothered chasing him. He gave her a questioning look, which she returned with a smug glance of her own.
"Well, ladies and gents, it looks like we have two new singers to welcome tonight!" the MC's voice blasted over the crowd.
"Right on time." Destiny said, more to herself, rubbing her fingernails on her shirt. Duo warily sat down, waiting to see what would happen next.
"One of them," the MC continued, "is a girl with a name that says it all. Let's have a round of applause for Destiny! But first, her partner in crime is gonna give us all a warm up act. Give it up for Duo Maxwell!"
Duo paled and glared across the table.
"You didn't."
"I did." Destiny answered, meeting his eyes.
Shaking his head, Duo slowly stood up, making his way towards the stage. Oh, she was gonna get it. She was REALLY gonna get it. He stalked up to the MC.
"What am I singing?" he growled.
"Uh.Duo, right? Let's see.you're down for .RESPECT by Arethra Franklin. Here's your mike. Thanks for volunteering and have a great time!" the man finished with a big grin. It could be worse, Duo mused. It could be Spice Girls or something along those lines. He stepped onto the stage. Through the smoky haze he could see Destiny. She gave him a cheery wave, a thumbs up and settled back with a drink.
By the end of the first verse, Duo was relaxed, by the second, he was enjoying himself and by the third he had forgiven Des for doing this to him. Finishing up, he grinned and sent a "look" to Des. She grimaced and stood up, making her way toward the front.
"So Mr. Shinigami, what delightful torture do we have planned for my poor and defenseless soul today? The rack, the Chinese water torture or the stage?"
"Well, Miss Destiny, as the first two were getting rather old, I've decided for the third."
"Cocky bastard" Destiny muttered.
"You know it." Duo replied with a wink, handing her the mike.
"So, what am I singing?"
Duo, who had been on his way back to their table, stopped and looked at her over his shoulder, gremlins dancing in his eyes.
"I'm a survivor, by Destiny's Child."
******************************safehouse**********************************
"Scared." Quatre repeated.
Darien sat down, burying his hands in his hair.
"Of what?"
"Oh, quite a few things. Some things I can tell you. Others I can't. For starters, she terrified of you and your friends."
"He has a point," Wufei interrupted, as he entered the room, "I wouldn't call her a loner, but she's ."
"In a shell." Heero finished, "She's in a shell and scared to come out." Wufei and Quatre looked at Heero, surprised by the insightful comment and the fact that it contained multiple clauses, but wisely, said nothing.
"But why?" Darien groaned, sounding frustrated, "Was it something I did? Did I say something, do something?"
"No, not really," Quatre put in quietly, "Well, you did actually, but it wasn't anything you could help. You were just doing what came naturally to you. Loving her. The problem is, I'm not sure why, but that scares her. Did she tell you how she was found?"
"By a roadside."
"Alone, half unconscious, battered.we still don't know why she was so beat up.to all appearances, left to die. How must that feel? To think that the whole world has given up on you and no one cares anymore? And if the whole world has given up on you, why should one person care? That's why she's scared. She doesn't think it's real. You'll leave too, leaving her behind, cold and battered, just like everyone else did."
Darien surged to his feet, anger thrumming through his veins.
"I would never leave her behind." He hissed in a deadly soft voice, "Don't you ever say I would do that."
"I never said you did," Quatre answered, more than a little unnerved by the larger man's unexpected response, " I was just trying to get inside her head, so to speak. Think what she thinks."
Slowly, Darien sat back down, visibly controlling himself.
"If you want to get anywhere with her, you have to regain her trust." Wufei said, "then she'll listen to you, not before."
Trowa walked into the room, breaking the tension.
"Do any of you have Destiny's beeper number?"
"I do, Trowa." Heero replied, "Why?"
"She has a mission."
"With?"
"Solitary."
"Since when do they send her on her own?" Wufei asked with a scowl.(AN. AWWW!!!! Wufei almost sounds.protective.:::gasp::: What is the world coming to?)
"Since now." Trowa answered with a shrug.
*************************Club*************************************
"Hey, nice job on that song Des!"
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say Duo. Just you wait till I.."
"Till you what?"
"Hold on." Des said with a frown, pulling out her beeper, "It's from Heero."
"Really? What's up?"
"What's this thing look like? A cell phone? How am I suppose to know?"
"Well, go find a phone."
Ten minutes later, Destiny returned, looking disturbed.
"I've got a mission. Solitary. There's a base being constructed and it's making whatever the Hell group we're fighting for antsy. So guess who gets to blow it up? God, I'm sorry Duo. I really wanted to do this with you."
"It's ok, Des. C'mon, let's get back to the safehouse."
"Ok. But why did they choose me? Why not one of you guys?"
"Who knows what runs through the minds of those old nutcases? Hey, you'll be back within a few hours and we can always go clubbing next weekend."
"Duo, there are times when you can be annoyingly cheerful."
"And that's."
"Why I love you, yes I know smart ass. Now let's get this show on the road."