"A Christmas Story" Chapter 3


Duo stood behind the counter while Trowa and Wufei sat before him. Wufei lifted his glass of ice tea but didn't take a drink. "I can't believe you actually went over there."

"Of course I did, I don't do things halfway," Duo replied wiping the same spot on counter for the twelfth time in just over a minute. "Not to mention his sister makes the best food."

"They must have an old wealth," Trowa observed.

"So I guess there's more to this crush?" Wufei said brushing Trowa's comment aside.

"I don't know really, but I feel like if he opened up we would really connect," Duo replied putting the rag back under the counter. Reaching to pick up an order he heard the bell on the door ring telling him about a new customer. Duo looked up to see a tall man in a business suit walk in. Long blonde hair fell over his shoulders as he took a seat at an empty table.

Taking the order where it belongs, Duo sidetracked his trip back to help the new customer. "What can I get for you sir?"

Bright piercing blue eyes looked up at him from the small open menu. "A break," he finally said.

Duo laughed softly. "Hard day at work huh?"

"You could say that," the long haired man answered. "But I'll have a ham sandwich with a bit of mayo and an ice tea to drink."

"All right, no problem," Duo said smiling as he wrote it down on his small notepad. Going behind the counter he called the order back before preparing the drink, and setting it at the man's table. He finally came to stand by his friends again with a soft sigh.

"Does everyone do that?" Wufei asked looking over like he was sneaking a glance.

"I'm used to it," Duo answered. "Guess people just find me easy to talk to. That and I'm a stranger they will probably never see again, so what does it matter."

"I don't know, I just thought it odd that's all," Wufei replied glancing over again when his dark eyes met bright blue.

The blue eyes turn away several heartbeats later breaking the gaze. Wufei turned back to his friends to seeing them both silently smiling. "What?"

"Oh nothing," Duo replied shrugging his shoulder but the smile remain in place.

"I know you're thinking something, and whatever it is, is probably way off base," Wufei snapped a light blush coming to his cheeks.

"Right," Duo said reaching for the plate of food the blonde man was waiting on. Setting the plate down before the long haired man he leaned in close. "My friend over there thinks you look good."

This brought a red glow to the man's cheeks his eyes widening a moment. "Uh, tell him thanks."

Duo winked before he walked back over to the counter. Wufei was in his face immediately, "Just what did you say?"

"Well I told him you thought he was sexy," Duo replied ducking behind the counter.

"What!?" Wufei cried enraged by his friend's actions. "How dare you Maxwell! Maybe I should go talk to this Heero boy."

"Maybe you should stop drawing attention to yourself," Trowa noted dryly.

Wufei sat down his body slumping forward when Duo's head reappeared. "He told me to tell you thanks."

"Seriously?" Wufei asked quietly.

"Yep, I'd say you have a chance there you should go over and talk to him."

"No way! No after what you told him, I would feel awkward."

"Like you don't already," Trowa observed receiving a glare from the Chinese man.

"I think I'm going to leave now," Wufei said getting up from the stool he had occupied for the last hour. He was suddenly pushed toward the tall man's table, his feet tripping him up. He more or less found himself falling against the table, his hands gripping the edge to keep standing.

He turned back to see Duo suppressing a laugh, Wufei swore he was going to cut that braid off the next chance he got.

"Can I help you?" A quiet voice asked drawing his attention back to the table he was leaning against.

Wufei noted that Duo was actually right the older man was indeed sexy. He wore a half surprised half embarrassed expression. It almost made Wufei want to laugh at the look. Well since Duo had put him in the position he might as well take advantage of it.

"May I sit here?" Wufei asked standing up fully.

The blonde looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Uh... all right, I guess."

Wufei sat down pushing a strand of loose black hair from his face. He realized this had been a bad idea, before he noticed the other man staring at him. The same pesky strand fell forward, but before he could remove it a larger paler hand came up and tucked it behind his ear.

"You have soft hair," the man replied absently pulling his hand away just before a bright flush covered his cheeks.

"Uh, thanks," Wufei replied knowing Duo was probably laughing at his response. "So what's your name?"

"Milliardo, my name is Milliardo," the blonde replied. "What might yours be?"

Well at least he's interested, Wufei thought. "Wufei Chang."

"It's nice to meet you, I've never had anyone more or less fall into my lap as a way of meeting," Milliardo said before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Uh, yeah about that, we'll that really wasn't my fault," Wufei replied looking at the table. "I'm... I'm sorry about that." Wufei looking around wondering just what the hell he had been thinking to go along with this. He refused to get involved with anyone, for the trouble he would bring them.

Standing up quickly he muttered an apology and fled from the diner. Duo watched him go a disappointed glint in his violet eyes.

"You owe me ten bucks," Trowa said beside him.

"Oh shut up! I really thought he would have stopped trying to push people away this time." He pushed himself from the counter and approached the now alone man. "I'm sorry about that... he just..."

"Could you give him this?" the blonde asked interrupting Duo's apology while handing him a folded napkin.

"Uh sure," Duo replied putting the napkin in his back pocket. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No, I think I'm done."

"Okay let me get your check," Duo said flipping through his notepad.

"Here this should cover it and the rest is your tip," the man said handing Duo a twenty before leaving.

Duo watched him go feeling like he had accomplished something there even though Wufei had run away. Looking out the window his thoughts were sidetracked as familiar messy hair stormed by.

Shoving the money into the large pockets of his sash he ran out to catch the boy. "Hey Heero, how about a cup of hot chocolate?"

The young man turned back as if surprised someone was calling out his name on the street. Only when he saw who it was, he walked away even faster then before.

"Heero wait!" Duo heard Relena's voice call behind him. Turning he saw the woman walking quickly toward him.

"Relena, what's going on?"

She stopped in front of Duo a bit breathless, "I was just trying to help him shop for Christmas. Only he told me, there wasn't any point and Christmas was a stupid holiday."

"What, why would he think that?"

"Because he was betrayed and hurt last Christmas, he blames himself but it wasn't his fault. He won't listen or believe me! I just don't know what to do anymore," she said large tears rolling down her cheeks.

Duo wished there was something he could do but to leave early again when he was the only server there was out of the question. Damn Harry you need to hire more people here. "Relena I'll come talk to him after work okay?"

Relena looked at him a moment before nodding. "All right, you can stay for dinner too."

Duo smiled before turning to go back inside when her voice stopped him again. "Thanks a lot Duo, you've been so nice to him, even when he isn't," she said moving past him to continue down the street.

"You're welcome," Duo whispered his words carried on the cold breeze.

The evening went by quickly as Duo wondered just how he was going to get Heero to talk about the reason he feels so alone in this world. Finally he was free to get to the one place he knew he needed to be.

Ringing the bell he waited only about a minute before Relena opened the door. He smiled at her as he stepped inside she returned it with a slight nod answering his silent question.

Duo approached the partly open door that hid Heero's room away from the world. Pushing it open he peered inside when he heard a soft whimper in the dim light. His eyes instantly jumped to the window sill only it lay empty and alone. They darted around the room in search of the source when he saw a glow of light.

Violet eyes were instantly attracted to it, but they widen at the sight before them.