"A Christmas Story" Chapter 6

Trowa shook his head. "So you actually talked him into going."

"Yes but you have to come," Duo answered filling a glass of tea. "That was one of the stipulations."

"What he doesn't want to be alone with you?"

"He does," Duo said before walking away to return the glass to a gentleman. Coming back he smiled at Trowa. "It was one of mine so that he would feel more comfortable there. Please Trowa"

"All right I'll go," Trowa finally agreed.

"Thanks so much, bud!"

Duo had been afraid his plan would crumble, after the two hours he had spent finally getting Heero to agree to go. He had believed Trowa would have agreed readily, but that wasn't quite how it went. Nothing in his life seemed to be easy no matter what it was.

He remembered that long drawn out conversation with the cute withdrawn young man. He had made a surprise appearance at the large home, which seemed to brighten Relena's spirits. Going straight to Heero's room he saw the quiet young man in his window sill. Duo began to really wonder why he sat there so much. Plopping down across from him Duo saw Heero flinch back.

"Heero can I ask you why you are always sitting here?" Duo asked with a smile.

Heero looked at him his blue eyes barring down on Duo. "Why do you care? Why do you keep coming back? Just go away!"

Duo had almost been ready for that; he should have known what Heero was going to say. "Why do you push everyone away? We only want to help."

"Shut up! Leave me alone and just get the hell out!" Heero shouted suddenly flinging himself at Duo his fist raised.

Duo wrapped his arms around Heero feeling the young man's fists beat his chest. His arms tighten as Heero collapses against him his anger spent rapidly. He was starting to get used to these sudden outbursts, in the few weeks he'd been coming there.

Heero's breathing was shallow as he laid his forehead against Duo's chest his entire body shaking almost violently at the release. Duo seemed to cause a reaction in him just by stepping into the room. "Why?" His voice asked weak and shaky.

"Heero you can't see it can you?" Duo asked resting his chin on the top of Heero's bowed head.

"What?" Heero asked pulling his head back out from under Duo's chin.

"Don't laugh when I say this, but you've seem to really find a way into my heart," Duo answered seeing Heero's eyes widen at the response. "I didn't really expect you to laugh but those big eyes were something I should have seen coming."

"How... how is that?" Heero mumbled shaking his head as if Duo's words had been all jumbled together.

"Don't be silly," Duo said before ruffling Heero's messy hair. "Hey lets go to the Winter Festival this weekend."

"What? No way," Heero answered finally pulling back from Duo's embrace.

"Oh come on what harm would it do? I'll even drag Trowa along with us," Duo reasoned with a smile.

Heero shook his head drawing a frown out of Duo. "I think those things are a waste of time."

"Have you ever been?"

"Well... no but still."

"Then how can you say that, this weekend I'm going to show you what fun it can be," Duo said. "Right?"

Heero nodded his head slowly causing Duo to grin like an idiot, "Great, Trowa and I will pick you up on Saturday," Duo replied with a wide smile. "So when's dinner?"

Duo laughed as he lean on the counter remembering Heero's reaction to that question. He felt a finger poke his arm drawing his attention to the poker. Trowa was watching him with a strange look in his emerald eyes. Duo shrugged broad shoulders and just smiled wider then before.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Heero wondered how Duo had talked him into this. He wasn't sure how it had happened and now he was starting to regret it.

"Heero wear the black one," Relena's voice called up the stairs surprising him.

Looking down at his bed between the two outfits he had laid out, one a pair of jeans and a black shirt while the other a pair of khakis and a blue shirt. He slips the jeans on over his hips, as they hugged his body. Pulling the black shirt over his head he messed his already messy hair up even more. Running his shaking fingers through it he tried to comb it back under control.

"Heero they are here," Relena called up again making him jump slightly.

He sat on the bed, pulling his tennis shoes on and tying them quickly. He couldn't understand what this fluttering in his stomach was. He stood in front of the mirror a moment before sighing; he didn't have a clue what was going on with him.

"Heero!" Relena called again drawing him from his thoughts and room

He slowly walked down the hall his stomach twisting and tightening. Going down the stairs he heard Relena laughing, it had been so long since he'd last heard that sound from his older sister. Peering into the hall he saw Relena, Duo, and a taller man standing there. He guessed that must be Duo's friend Trowa.

"Hey slowpoke!" Duo said his violet eyes catching Heero's blue.

Relena turned to see him standing just outside the doorway. "Hey, don't be shy you've got places to go," she said holding out his jacket.

Heero stepped out into the hall taking the coat from her and slipping it over his slender frame. He looked over at Duo and the green eyed man still unsure.

"Oh silly me," Duo said with a grin. "Heero this is Trowa, and Trowa this is Heero."

They both looked at each other but didn't say anything. Duo sighed realizing in some ways the two were very much alike. He grabbed Heero's hand before waving to Relena and pulling the young man out the door. Heero was forced to walk beside the braided man while the taller one followed behind them.

Heading in the opposite direction of the diner they spot several large tents, blue and white stripped, less then a mile ahead of them. Duo tugged at Heero's hand a little harder to get him to speed up. Heero grunted but kept up with Duo's quickened pace.

They stopped outside the gate as a man approached them in a large snowman costume. "If you want you can buy tickets here to ride the rides."

"Oh great," Duo answered letting go of Heero's hand to reach for his wallet. "I'll need enough for three people to ride each."

"What?" Heero asked surprised. "I can pay for my own."

"Too bad," was Duo's reply as he hand the money over and took the tickets. Heero reached into his pocket when Duo snatched his arm free. "No, I'm paying cause I invited you."

Heero was about to protest again but Duo shook his head cutting his words off. He grunted again and pulled his arm from Duo's grip.

"Come on lets go have some fun," Duo said cheerfully grabbing Heero's wrist and pulling the young man inside the gate.

Heero's eyes widen at everything around him. He saw large booths with all kinds of good for sale on one side, while several rides were nestled together on the other. Small children were pulling adults here and there wanting to see everything. Heero felt a twist in his stomach hearing the youthful laughter and seeing their smiling faces. He felt Duo's hand squeeze his drawing his attention to the braided man. Duo smiles at him tilting his head toward the rides to which Heero nod his head with a slight smile.

After cleaning Duo's pocket of tickets they decided to just walk around the booths of sellers. Heero stopped in front of one of the booths drawing the other two's attention. Duo stepped up beside him noticing the long chains, most with some kind of pendant hanging off them.

"See something you like?" He asked Heero seeing the young man jump slightly.

Crystal blue eyes jumped from the table to Duo's face and then back to the table again. Duo thought the silver chain with a flat silver charm, a white feather etched in it, would have been perfect for Heero. Deciding on that thought he reached over and picked it up from the table.

Heero stared at him a moment before diverting his attention away quickly. He hadn't noticed Duo behind him until he felt a weight against his collar bone. Looking down he saw the single feather before looking at Duo in surprise.

"We'll take it,' he told the man watching them.

"That's genuine silver, my wife etched the feather," he told them with some pride. "It'll be twenty dollars, discount for ya."

"Thanks," Duo said handing the money over with a smile. "And tell your wife she does beautiful work."

"I will, and thank you," he replied before Duo turned away.

Duo looked over to see Heero fingering the charm before speaking hesitantly. "I can't accept this..." his words died off just as Duo heard an 'oof' behind him.

He turned to see Trowa regaining his balance as a blonde, he seemed to recognize, was sitting on the ground refusing to look up. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Heero's hands reaching toward the back of his neck. He snatched one wrist in his hand surprising Heero who went rigid at the action. Duo ran his thumb along the wrist trying to calm the youth out of his shell. His muscles relaxed slightly but not enough. Both Heero and Duo's attention was diverted by a quiet apology.

"I'm sorry," the blonde Duo now remembered from the diner said. "I wasn't paying attention and well I'm looking for my sister. I'm terribly sorry."

Duo had to rescue him, "Ah Trowa don't mind being bumped into, especially when it is such a cute man doing the bumping."

Three things seem to happen at once, the short blonde blushed, while Trowa shot him an evil glare, and Heero tried to jerk free. Only the third surprised Duo but he only tightened his grip.

The blonde's voice almost squeaked when he spoke again, "I better... get going."

"Nonsense, you can hang with us until you find your sis, likely to bump into her that way," Duo said shaking his head slightly with a tiny smile. He could feel Trowa's eyes on him but the tall man said nothing. "My name's Duo, that's Trowa, and this is Heero."

"Um my name's Quatre Winner," the blonde replied seeing Duo's hand holding Heero's thin wrist. "Are you two together?"

Heero shook his head venomously as he tried even harder to break free and just escape. This had been a huge mistake, and all he wanted was to get away, only Duo didn't seem to be letting go. Why couldn't he get free, he was able to break anyone else's grip but Duo's was like iron? Before he realized it he was being pulled forward as they continued walking.

He remained silent as Duo and Quatre animatedly spoke, with Trowa throwing in a few comments here and there. Finally it was over as Quatre found his sister and went his own way.

"So Trowa, I take it you like the little blonde?" Duo asked as they walked back toward Heero's home.

"What?" Trowa replied his voice heavy with shock.

"Oh come on, I remember that look at the diner, and just then when he walked away. Took long enough!"

"Duo, shut up, you are absolutely clueless," Trowa snapped even as a blush touched his cheeks.

"Am not, you're blushing!" Duo bounced happily.

Trowa went to punch him but Duo moved out of the way. "Shut up!" He hissed his eyes suddenly catching Heero's, which looked scared beyond thought. He calmed himself down and gave Duo his 'pay attention' look.

Duo looked over toward Heero, seeing the same eyes Trowa had. What happened, Duo wondered stopping. "Heero?" He asked quietly.

Heero suddenly jerked his wrist free feeling Duo's grip loosen. He took off for his home at a dead run. Pushing inside he ran up to his room, slamming the door and locking it.