Disclaimer: Don't own it . . . sorry . . . no money made from this . . . it's a gift . . .

Authors note: Wow! Chapter 3! I'm on a roll!

Wait and See.

By Bubblegum Thai.

Chapter Three: Post-it notes and coffee cups.

Saturday dragged by slowly, and by the evening, both Trowa and Areia were silent. It was at 6pm that Trowa decided to turn to her,

"Want to go out?" He asked his face serious.

After taking a double take, Areia blinked,

"YOU, Mr Unsociable to the extreme, wants to go . . . go out?" She stammered,

"Yes. A movie and dinner?"

"Are you joking?"

"No."

"Are you stoned?"

"No."

"Drunk?"

"I hope not."

"Have you cheated on me and trying to find a way to tell me?"

Trowa sighed,

"No, look, do you want to or not?"

"Alright." She smirked, "Is what I'm wearing alright?" She asked, pointing at her white turtle-neck jumper and black trousers,

"Yes." He said with a smile.

He stood and took her hand, kissing it gently,

"Are you feeling alright? I think I'm worried." She whispered,

"What you were saying this morning, it, it got to me." He admitted, letting her stand before hugging her tightly, "I don't want us to become an old married couple before we hit 25!"

"Hmmmm." She mused happily, closing her eyes, "We won't, not if you keep this up . . . but, if we don't let go, we're going to grow old standing here."

"Alright with me, as long as I don't have to let go."

Areia's eyes snapped open . . .

* * *

"Duo . . ." She chuckled, "Duo." She continued, poking him in the back, "Duo! You've been holding on to me forever! I'm going to be collecting my pension soon and then I'll be all old and ugly!"

"Alright with me, as long as I don't have to let go . . ." He sighed happily, snuggling into her neck.

* * *

"You've been really quiet for the last few minutes, are you OK?"

"Yeah . . . I'm fine . . ." The phrase was a litany; everyone seemed to be 'fine' these days . . . "The prayer, a question of normality?" She whispered,

"Pardon?"

"Nothing Tro' . . ." She whispered, resting her head against his chest, "I was just thinking aloud . . ."

"Alright then." He chuckled, pulling her closer as they walked towards the restaurant.

Stepping in, their cold faces were hit with a sudden blast of warmth, blinking as the light over powered them for a brief minute,

"Duo!" Areia exclaimed happily.

- - - Earlier that evening. . .

"I can't believe it man! I told Quatre!"

"What's so wrong with that?" Heero asked, "He's not going to say anything, is he?"

"You don't understand! It's the principle!"

Heero rolled his eyes,

"Duo, you're over reacting! Honestly! Anyone would think that you'd told Trowa! For heavens sake! Get over it!"

"I can't! What if she finds out?"

Heero raised his eyebrow in a questioning manor,

"Look . . . if they find out, they find out! I hardly think that she's going to exile you for that!" Heero coughed slightly, "Anyway, come on . . . let's go get some dinner."

"Fine." Duo sulked, grabbing his jacket and following the stoic former pilot out.

The pair found themselves at a pretty nice restaurant, except, Duo was getting increasingly wound up by the second, as the waiter refused to seat them,

"I'm sorry, but there are no tables for 2 people at the moment . . . I'm afraid it'll be at least a 30 minute wait."

"What?!" Duo exclaimed,

"Duo!"

Duo whirled around to see Areia and Trowa standing behind him, both looking very flushed, but none the less, happy,

"Oh . . . Areia . . ." He chuckled, "And Trowa . . . what a nice surprise."

"Duo. Heero." Trowa said with a nod before looking around the restaurant.

Areia stepped forwards, tugging off her gloves,

"Hello guys. Heero, I don't believe that I caught you at the party earlier."

"No. I wasn't able to attend."

"Oh, that's a shame. Quatre gave a great speech!"

"So I hear." Heero smiled, "How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Still with Trowa, I see." He said, feigning ignorance,

"Yeah . . ." Areia replied as Trowa went into a deep discussion with the waiter,

"No pairs?" She sulked, bottom lip quivering, "How about a 4 then?" She asked looking around,

"Excuse me, madam?" The waiter questioned,

"4 . . . y'know . . . before 5, after 3?"

"I'm sorry madam, yes, of course, right this way . . ."

"Woo! Go Areia!"

"What can I say? He couldn't resist a gorgeous woman!"

"Who can?" Trowa chuckled, walking beside her to the table.

* * *

He slumped against the chain-link fence, his face in his hands,

"Phew!" He panted, "We made it . . ."

"We?" Wufei questioned, "Look, Duo, if you're somehow inherited an invisible friend or a sea-monkey farm within the last couple of hours, you're talking to yourself!"

"What?!" Duo snapped, turning his head to Areia, who wasn't beside him.

He turned sharply, standing and pressing his face against the fence, spotting a small shape, moving against a larger shape, shouting could be heard, but not clear enough for words to be made out. The larger figure hit its captive rather brutally over the head, and it flopped to the floor. Duo felt tears trickle down his cheeks, following the curve of his face. A bright light shot out of a building as the ground began to shake,

"Duo! Down!" Heero yelled, but Duo ignored, his eyes fixed on the figure that lay sprawled across the floor, "DUO!" Heero grabbed him, forcing him to the floor.

* * *

Duo leant back in his seat, in between Trowa and Heero, opposite Areia. He sighed slightly, ordering his meal,

"Steak please." Areia said to the young male waiter,

"And, how would you like your steak?"

"Dead." Duo snorted,

"Medium rare, please."

"Very well." The waiter bowed before disappearing into the kitchen,

"So, Areia, Trowa, how long have you guys been together now?"

"3 years."

Duo kicked Heero under the table for that question,

"Hmmm . . . 3 years . . ." Heero mused, tapping his chin,

"Uh . . . Wufei and Sally, their engaged now, are they not?" Areia broke in,

"Yeah." Duo nodded slightly, happy to get off of the topic of Areia and Trowa,

"Hmmmm . . . Poor Sally . . . she has no idea . . . does she . . .?"

"I dunno, Wu-man's changed a lot."

"I guess." Areia shrugged, smirking slightly, "Eh . . . do you guys ever miss living together?"

"Kinda . . ." Duo murmured,

"No." Heero stated calmly, "I like my privacy."

Areia glanced at Trowa, who was sat with his arms folded, shaking his head,

"Why not, Tro'?"

"Because I'm happy now." He answered quietly,

"Really?"

Trowa looked up, her eyes wide and a look, a mixture of happiness and pure disbelief was on her face,

"Of course. Despite the sticky notes all over my things, AND all your empty coffee mugs in our room!" He scoffed, "I still love my life how it is."

Areia smiled shyly, blinking back tears. She grinned widely, but didn't say anything,

"Excuse me . . ." Heero murmured,

"Yeah . . . Me too!" Duo bounced up also, the pair walking to the bar,

"Do you mean it?"

"Yes."

"Great!" She beamed, throwing her arms around him, "I've never been happier either!"

Trowa chuckled,

"Ok . . . back in your seat though, people are staring!" He chuckled, kissing her forehead softly,

"Trowa . . ."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too . . ." He trailed off, reaching into his pocket before retracting his hand quickly,

"What're you up to?"

"Nothing . . ." He said slyly, placing his hand back on the table.

She narrowed her eyes at him and smirked.

The meal went by too quickly and standing outside, the group bid their farewells,

"Areia . . . I'll see you at Christmas, alright?"

"Christmas? Why Christmas?"

"Because I'm not going to be back on Earth until then."

"Oh . . . well . . . I'll miss you . . ." She whimpered, hugging him tight, "See you soon, alright buddy?"

"Alright. Buh bye."

"Bye . . ."

Areia sighed as she watched Heero and Duo walk off before turning back to Trowa, linking arms with him; she closed her eyes, walking towards their car.

- - - To be continued . . .

Woohoo!