((Warning: Yaoi. Don't know what it is, don't read it. : ) Thanks!
Disclaimer: As much as I would love to have them in my living room, I don't. And I don't think I ever will. I simply do not own even the smallest of hairs on Duo's head.
EarthGurl: Coming from you, one of the most lyrical writers I've ever met, that is one heck of a huge compliment, sweets! Thank you SOOO much for backing me on this. You're awesome, you know this. And I adore you!
T-Bear: Heh heh. Hee-angst... nummy stuff. I was thinking of doing a one-faced, two-dimensional Heero fic. We'll see if I can ever pull it off. He's kinda sorta that way in Sea Folk, but you have to wade through words to get to it. (Loquacious, wot wot?) Thanks for reviewing! My gosh, I just live off of these things. It's my inner child going "Loooovvvee meeee" [snicker]
Enough with the author junk. On with the fic, ne?))
The Gift Exchange (or, What the Hell is This?)
Gillian Welch's voice crooned (or yodeled in her smooth way) in the background, 'Mah mo'phine be th'death of me..' and the young men talked over her music sliding svelte and soothing from the speakers set into the wall. Around them candles were lit on mantles, the cheap two cred kinds you could get at the nick-knack store, set into cheaper Santas made on L1, each one doing a type of frozen tumbling over themselves. Duo had managed to get the last three where the candle was coming out of Santa's butt and had giggled during the entire process of lighting them and setting them up around the room among their fellows who laid on their backs, did the splits, and tried to do handstands (these didn't stand very well).
The tree had not been given its regularly themed treatment that Quatre would have wished. No matter their party was at the Winner mansion, Duo insisted on doing it all his self. Well, and dragging Heero along, because it was supposed to be the pair of them. But anyone with half a brain could see that Heero was there in the capacity of pack animal only. Most of the ideas came from Duo's half crazed mind. Including the glass baubles covering the tree, the two strings of blinky lights which made Quat cringe, the popcorn strings (a project and a half, taking Duo three days to accomplish - something he stuck to but grumbled about the entire time) and cranberry strings (a little less time because cranberries were less likely to break once you got them on the string, but still worth a grumbling corner set up at Duo's desk), as well as some of their personal objects no one had known were missing. Some of Trowa's clown ruffles, Wufei's small jade dragons, both tied around the middle and hanging securely from a thick branch, Quat's pink stuffed elephant from his shelf, a clear plastic orb filled with green fabric which Duo proudly announced was, in fact, Heero's very old, very worn out, tank top, and a golden ornamental cross from Maxwell Church hanging and glittering over a yellow light. It was, Duo explained, the way to make the tree "right." Because in any family, so he'd been told, people had those special family ornaments that they would put up every year, homemade popsicle kindergarten frames, 25th anniversary gold snowflakes, grandma's glass icicle, brother's small bike he got when mom and dad got him the real thing but gave him the ornament first. The reason had to be hastily given to prevent from Wufei attacking the tree, trying to get his dragons back. But once given, the rest of the pilots were left strangely touched. It wasn't that Duo was very big on Christmas. But he did manage to make a cheap tree covered with so much tinsel that it looked like a waterfall, something special. And thus things remained as they were.
Duo asked that they have the small sitting room with the fireplace and that they all come in and remain just there. Because, he'd said, it wasn't as if they were having a grand party. It was supposed to be in their dorm, and the sitting room was twice the size of the dorm room, but it was still small enough so that they could pretend. He'd hidden some sleeping bags and had the rest of the boys put their bags beside the door leading in. A hot plate in the corner bubbled cheap apple juice with cinnamon sticks (cider was far too expensive) and a bunch of paper plates sat on the central coffee table, covered in crackers and cheese, baked apples, some popcorn balls dyed pink and green, chocolate truffles (these were Quatre's, each of them were asked to bring one treat), Wufei's rice balls, Trowa's chocolate chip cookies, and some vegetables with humus in a small dish.
Quatre was allowed the rest of the house and it took him a moment or two to accept that the work he and his staff had put into decorating would be ignored until the morning after Christmas, but seeing Duo's excitement had managed to soothe his hurt feelings and by the time Trowa and Wufei had arrived, he was happily helping Duo put up some cheap plastic and cloth pine garlands onto the mantle, arranging little antique and chipped ceramic cherubs with trumpets and painted in a gaudy gold paint into the greenery while Heero obediently put the finishing touches on the tree with more tinsel as directed by the enthusiastic Duo.
There even was a piece of dried up mistletoe in a plastic bag (or so Duo claimed it was, waving it about and kissing people on the cheeks as well as holding it over Trowa and Wufei and laughing wildly at the blush that stained Wuffie's cheeks each time his love bent to kiss his brow or his cheek or once (to the amazement and amusement of the others) his lips) which ended up in the end tied above the door leading to the kitchen.
As the evening wore on and snowmen had been made out of flour and water (a failed attempt of Duo's that led to a bigger mess than expected), half of the crackers and cheese were gone, the baked apples too cold to eat anymore, and half of the cheap fake cider was drunk, the five of them situated themselves about the room, leaning on chairs or in sleeping bags. Trowa and Wufei took up the love seat, curled up against one another. Quatre gave up acting prim and instead, lounged in sweats and an overly large white tee shirt, his lanky legs sprawled across the sides of the recliner. Duo had commandeered the divan and was curled under the afghan and Heero leaned against the fireplace hearth, his head bent as he quietly read Dickens' Christmas Carol to the rest of them.
Duo lazily let his eyes roam over the scene and he smiled, a peaceful feeling of pure content rolled about in his belly and left him drowsy. They all had stockings Trowa had gotten for them the first Christmas. And it was Duo's and Heero's job to fill them. Under the tree a few gifts sat, waiting. Each one of them were given a small gift, or a trinket for Christmas Eve, then they distributed the gifts the next day. The trinkets weren't a for sure thing. Someone often got something, sometimes more than one of them got something for all. A box of chocolates and a puzzle as well as tiny wrapped bottles of bubbles had been the year before. It was never said really, who would bring something and it depended much on how much time someone had the few days before. Those smaller gifts were laid into a basket by the tree while the rest laid under it in gold and red and green paper with various colors of bows and tags with names on them or names written in indelible ink on the wrapping paper.
The soft tones of Heero's voice eased him into a half awake state. It was getting late, near onto midnight. And with his stomach full, Duo stretched like a cat before sighing softly and finally settling on watching his roommate.
Things had, in their strange way, come back to an almost common way of being between the pair of them. Heero had not mentioned the kiss and therefore, neither had Duo. Nor had it bothered Duo much, not after Heero had told him that they were okay and had tugged on his hair. Duo did act more carefully when his roommate was changing or himself for that matter, but it was a fleeting thought that Heero might feel uncomfortable and it didn't stick. They'd lived around one another too long, had known one another too long, to let something as simple as a kiss from a half drunk, emotionally distraught Duo to upset them, really.
Of course, finding that he was in love with Heero was a tad upsetting, actually. But despite his worried, half joking messages to the internet "friend," Howe, Duo really could not even let that affect the strong and stable base of their friendship. It was as simple as this. They were friends and they cared deeply about one another. They always had, they always would. And something like feeling as if he could jump Heero at a moment's notice, would fade in it's own time and they'd still be friends. It was this sense that left Duo more stable than he would have been otherwise. He didn't worry, didn't fear any longer, that the strong bond between them could be broken by something so childish as his love for his roommate.
But it wasn't childish, really. It went far deeper than childish. If he was honest with himself he could see that he had loved Heero for a very, very long time. It was just that there had been no bells, no whistles, no shocking displays of lust to knock his breath from him and let him know. This was a quiet creeping, slowly growing thing. Much like a plant, a flower, unfurling it's glorious colors to be noticed only days later by some straying passer-by. It had colored and warmed his world and he'd simply thought it to be friendship. Only it was friendship, deepened and made more beautiful. It had the same flavor, the same scent as friendship. But there was, underneath it, a deeper sense that he recognized finally. The intimacy that he had with Heero, that he felt toward Heero, was matched only by the intimacy that he saw visible in Trowa's and Wufei's relationship. And it scared him, but it also left him feeling - special. Special enough to love someone as amazing as Heero. He was loved back. Maybe not as deeply, but he never considered that Heero did not care for him. And now, Heero had shown it in a million other ways, caring for him, showing himself able to rise above Duo's mistake, reassuring him on a physical level as it was one of the basic levels of Duo and sometimes the only one that Duo understood. The touch and nearness and quiet presence reaffirmed everything.
And also gave him the courage to get prepared to do what he was going to do. He flushed, watching Heero lick his lips as he turned a page and continued reading. What a beautiful man. Truly. And Duo had touched those lips. Just once. But once was enough. He would never forget. And maybe, if some Heavenly Being, thought it appropriate and wise, he'd taste them again.
Damn, lust could be a real pain sometimes. He rolled onto his stomach and buried his face into the pillow, groaning softly so that no one else could hear him. Then with a grin, lifted his head to notice that Heero's eyes were locked on his even as his friend continued with the story, some part of his mind having read ahead far enough that he could take a moment to notice his roommate and not lose the story.
It was momentary, Heero returned before he lost his place and continued without a break in the tale and Duo blushed even further. Caught while struggling with wanting Heero. That was, well, somewhat embarrassing, yes.
But not embarrassing enough, apparently, for he kept on watching Heero after that, until the story was done and with a flip of his braid over his shoulder, he grinned at them all and ran to the basket. "Okay! Santa's coming soon and I'm gonna fall asleep if you guys don't do it soon and you'll have nothing in your stockings, so we'd better get these opened.." he knelt before the small conglomeration of things.
A rustling behind him as the various pilots readjusted themselves, wakening from the same quiet that Duo had lapsed into. One thing about Heero, his voice soothed. When they'd discovered that, the Christmas story had become his job. It was a perfect way to end things.
"Ahh right.." Duo laughed and lifted up a white and purple wrapped object. "'To The Guys', and you know what it is.." he turned around and tossed the bottle toward Trowa who caught it with a deft flick of his fingers around it's body. "Can we have glasses, Quat?" Duo smiled at the half asleep Arabian.
"Mm? Oh.. course.." Quat stood and went to the kitchen and Duo passed out the remaining packages, two more "For-the-Guys" packages were given, one to Wufei and one to Heero, to open, while everyone got two small boxes as well. Seating himself cross legged, Duo took a small glass from Quat and they all cheered when Trowa's unwrapping revealed a bottle of malt whiskey. It had remained a rather nonalcoholic evening so far, but not one of them was averse to going to bed a bit warmer than they were right now.
The other two main packages were unwrapped while the bottle was passed around. One was a trivia game that they set aside to play and the other happened to be a box of chocolates. Everyone laughed about Quatre's fascination with the sweet and the young man blushed but stated that he was starting a tradition. "Yeah, but we can still tease you about it, Kitty," Duo grinned and leaned over, where he plucked a sweet from the box and winked. "You'll get fat if you keep this up!"
Quatre only stuck out his tongue. "Quatre will never gain another ounce, I'm afraid," Trowa miserably complained, staring at Quatre's skinny frame. The young man had shot up unexpectedly and was still growing apparently. The doctors were not surprised, for he wasn't yet twenty four, but he definitely showed signs of being a slender man for the rest of his life and having a metabolism which would never quit.
"While Tro has to watch his weight," Quatre laughed, knowing it to not be true.
"Oh..." Duo smirked knowingly at his blonde companion, "I'm sure Wufei works hard to keep him extra lean.."
"Why you!" Wufei's cry came right before a pillow flew across the space and hit Duo in the face.
"Gah!" Duo's laughter rang out, tangled with that of the others and then finally died. He tucked the pillow under his arm.
"So how do you keep so slender, Trowa?" Heero asked uncharacteristically, but not so much so that anyone was startled.
"Run.." Trowa stated and from there, the conversation went into the various ways the young men kept fit still. Duo of course, did none of these, merely kept busy, and went hiking and climbing with Heero a couple of times a week, but it didn't count as a regular exercise regime and so he remained out of it for the most part.
The chocolate box slowly devoured, the five young men opened the game and played it for another hour, then took a moment to drink some cider, set up beds, and then open up the last of the gifts. One of the boxes that each of them had received was nothing more than some herbal lotion for muscle aches and they all got a good laugh out of that one, considering what they'd been talking about, while the other was an ornament for the tree. One for each of them. Including the one Duo had chosen for himself. Each was a different object, a dragon (predictably) for Wufei, kitten for Duo, eagle for Heero, a lion for Trowa, and a joker's mask for Duo. And each had the year and their name printed on the bottom in gold paint. They hung up the ornaments when they could find a way to get through the veil of tinsel on the tree, and with a murmured conversation about nothing in particular, each found his way into dreams.
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"MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!" the herald call caused Heero to groan, Quatre to scream, Wufei to curse roundly in chinese, and Trowa to chuckle as the very awake and rumpled looking Duo bounded out of his bag and toddled around, over bodies lumped over the floor like too many pupae. Tro and Wufei had zipped theirs together but behaved (more for fear of Duo's teasing than anything) well enough, Quatre was curled on the couch, Duo had managed to nab the recliner but had had to move to the floor later in the night because it wasn't comfortable enough, and Heero kept close to the fireplace, enjoying the last of the night's fire. With grumbles and waking yawns, they slowly came out of their warm places. Heero began the fire and Quatre went to get some more of the apple juice and the plates Duo had stashed in the fridge the day before, cold cuts and fruits, then put some bread into the oven to warm and came back.
"Can't he just sleep in? Just once!" Wufei grumbled into Trowa's shoulder as the pair cuddled.
"Awe, Wuffers! Tro-baby, can't you make him happy? OH! How about some mistletoe?" Duo cried and a moment later the two lovers were beset with a grin leering over them while a package of greenery (no longer green) crinkled overhead. "Smooooch smoochers! I'll bet that'll make him happy, Tro."
"Duo, go away before I cut you into pieces... and feed you to Quat's dogs," Wufei growled.
Trowa only laughed, enjoying the other tradition of Christmas morning.
"Heeeerooooo! He threatened meeee!" Duo looked at Heero's bent over back as the japanese man leaned into the fireplace and blew on the coals, trying to begin a fire once more.
"Didn't threaten.. promised.." Wufei's mumble was distinct enough to make Duo squeal in mock fear.
"Does he treat you like this, Tro?" Duo's innocent smile at Trowa was swept away a moment later as he ran to the fireplace. "You know, billows would work.. these things.." and helpfully cheerful, Duo lifted the red handled things and gave a good gust which only managed to kick up ash into Heero's face.
Quatre reentered then onto the scene of Duo chaos. Trowa and Wufei slowly extricated themselves, Wufei still keeping close to Trowa like a petulant and half asleep child, while Heero worked at clearing his lungs while simultaneously sitting on Duo.
"Ack! No! I mean.. help! Quat! Quat where are youuuu?" Duo's cry burst out and Heero grinned at the rest of them.
"Right here, Duo... Can I help, Heero?" Quat asked innocently, though everyone knew what was coming next.
"No nono nononononoooooo!" was the wail and all four piled on their friend.
It was another strange custom. It was odd how so many of them began. This one being the Great Tickle War, as Duo called it, had begun on the first Christmas after they had begun the morning at Trowa's behest, talking over the strange normalcies of life they either missed or wished they had had. For Duo, it was to have rough housed with his family. And in moments, they had ended up doing just that. Of course, the next season, Duo's cheerful morning waking had led to the same conclusion and from then on, it had remained. And while Duo seemed to hate the tickling that he ended up getting (until they turned the tables on one another and shifted it into a wrestling/tickling/pillow fight - food was not allowed - ) he still began it every year with a cheerful delight that could only be matched with his delight in opening presents.
For a guy who wasn't into Christmas, Duo managed to make a great party out of it all.
"Augh! Someone's elbow is in my eye!"
"You are going to die, Quatre.."
"Oh yeah? Come and get me, Blue Eyes"
"Mommmmm! Wuffers bit me!"
"Did not. Did not!"
"What is this? A BITE MARK!"
"Oh fer - that is from the indian burn, you idiot!"
"Trowa, you put that down or you will die"
"Is that all you can say, Yuy? I'd have thought you'd be more creative by now."
"You know, for a guy who rarely talks, you sure are saying too much."
"Fight! Trowa and Hee-chan! Get'im Hee-chan! Get'immm-OOF! WUFEI! The braid!! Not the braid!"
"No way are you as innocent as all that! Take that, Mr. I Am Cute so I Don't Do Anything Wrong!"
"Augh! Put down that pickle!"
"Pickle?"
"Pillow! I meant pillow!"
"You guys are so weird"
Later, laying on the floor in a heaving, breathless mass of arms and legs, Duo laughed a sharp peal of delight and hugged the closest ex pilot next to him which happened to be a disgruntled Wufei, still upset about being accused of biting Duo. "Oh man... I love this holiday.."
"You have the strangest customs, Maxwell.." Wufei groused.
"Yeah? But they all lead to presents.." Quatre's voice piped up from somewhere on the other side of the pile. "I think someone's foot is in my stomach."
"That may be mine," was the apologetic rumble from Heero to Duo's right.
"Anyone hungry?" Mother Hen asked and the young men disentangled themselves and found seats, smiles all around, even a reluctant one on Wufei's angry mouth.
While Quatre got the breakfast, Duo went to passing out gifts, complete with a Santa hat he'd procured from somewhere, a cheap thing of felt and with a bell on top. And while he and Wufei fought over if it was a Santa hat or an elf hat, the piles before each pilot grew.
It wasn't much, compared to what Quatre talked about in his family. Each one of them picked a present for one another. So at most, it wasn't much more than five. Though now and again, two gifts with the same wrapping paper would sit as a set before one of them.
Breakfast was laid out on a quilt in the middle of the room and they helped themselves to donuts and fruit and meat and warm bread and cheese, as well as some of the re-warmed apple juice and some milk Quatre had dragged in and set up at the corner of the blanket. Then, with food balanced on knees, they went around the circle, opening gifts one at a time.
Trowa and Wufei at times had gifts that were matching, and the pair of them began by exchanging gifts and secret smiles. Duo let everyone know that his gifts came in the bright red paper and in this case, they were rather large. Of course, the top present was always opened in Duo's case, for he never failed to give a gag gift. So a pair of knitting needles for Trowa and a kick boxing puppet for Wufei would end up with the rest of the gag gifts, more than likely given to a charity. This did not bother the braided man, however, and now and again, he got it right, like the third year when he'd given Trowa a small set of Ken dolls in matching tuxedos, like grooms. A gift which prompted Trowa to ask Wufei to marry him and thus, was kept next to their obligatory couples picture in the living room. The wedding hadn't happened yet and the photo album Trowa received from Wufei was just perfect. But besides the needles and puppet, the real gifts weren't so bad. The thick picnic blanket, bottle of wine, and two crystal glasses were perfect.
But more embarrassing was the leather bound book Quatre gave them. "It's for... both of you," he murmured and watched them both work together to open it.
Embarrassing not only for them, but for Duo as well. For Quatre had gone online and found his favorite Trowa and Wufei stories (many of which were Duo's and some which were Howe's submissions. Other than Duo, Quatre promised he'd gotten permission) and put them into a leather bound book with a pair of joined hearts tooled into the leather. Trowa smiled his mysterious smile and Wufei blushed and Duo was asked to sign the cover under "author" and he did so through tears of surprise.
Wufei was next (or with, in actuality) and the dragon pajamas from his lover were quickly modeled for everyone and exulted over. Books and tapes of meditation music piled next to his knee alongside the wine and glasses.
After them, Heero opened his and Duo tried not to have a heart attack. Heero saved Duo's for last. Instead, he opened the first four. A book from Trowa on up and coming computer gurus (with Heero cited in chapter Three as someone to keep an eye on), another of Great Expectations from Wufei, a leather bound journal with a silver pen inlaid with dark blue sapphires along it's clip, and then the last.
Duo fiddled with the end of his braid as Heero picked up the soft package and looked at it quizzically. It was small, easy to hold, and with a calm, quiet face, he opened it, pulled out the folded pair of socks and stared at them.
Black with silver criss-crossed over, they were made of a felted surface meant to remain warm. Duo coughed, "Umm... cause yer feet get cold.." his voice seemed small and Heero looked up at him in surprise.
"Aa.." Heero nodded and then looked back at his pile. No more. There was always a gag gift, but Duo seemed so nervous. What was it about the socks that was so.. nerve wracking? "Ummm... that's all.. I guess.." and Heero's voice sounded quieter than normal but he smiled at them all. "Thank you..." then he turned and looked at Quatre. "It's your turn, I believe."
Duo remained antsy during Quatre's unwrapping and now and again, he looked at Heero who grazed a thumb over the surface of the socks and stared down at them with a small crinkle of confusion between his brows.
Quat's ball gag and chocolate flavored lube got a good laugh from all. Though he exclaimed in pleasure over the antique framed butterfly specimen that Duo had discovered by accident on one of the colonies a few months before. He exclaimed just as happily over the books and chocolates and watch he received as well. Then he grinned at Duo. "Okay, you next."
Duo glanced around and met Heero's eyes once more. His roommate was confused. And somewhere, under the terror that he'd done the wrong thing, he exulted that he hadn't been found out yet. Then with a casual grin, he turned to his gifts.
Unlike Heero, he did not save his roommate's gift for last. He grasped the large box like package and with a grunt opened it, revealing instantly the scent of cedar rising off of the light golden surface. Its top was painted with a Celtic knot and Celtic swans at two of the corners, dragons at the other two, and a unicorn tangled into the weave. He whistled low then turned it on its side. Hearing the gentle knocking about of something loose inside, he proceeded to trying to find a way into it.
A minute later he was still searching. "I.. don't get it.." he stared at the box with no seeming door or hinge or music box or... key or anything. "Uhh.." and he looked up at Heero who only smiled and shrugged. "Uhh.. thanks?" his frown growing. How the hell was he supposed to open it? It had something inside and it was a goodly size and heavy, so it wasn't as if it was supposed to remain open.
"You're the thief... you figure it out.." Heero's smile curled the corners of his mouth secretly and Duo wanted to kiss each corner and so he blushed and put the box to the side and glared at his roomie.
"I will... just you wait and see."
"And if not, I'll show you.." Heero assured him.
"Better.." Duo grumbled and then grinned. "I'll get you for this, you know.."
"I hope so.." was Heero's reply and his eyes danced in a way that made Duo want to forget about the rest of the presents and lay out every secret he held (mainly the one about being in love with his best friend) before those beautifully vibrant and alive, blue eyes.
The rest of the gifts were straight forward. A cookbook from Trowa and some of Duo's favorite pb cookies with a touch of ginger and cinnamon and sugar atop them. A Mud Man from Wufei with a small jade fish on the end of his line, and a book of colony maps with a star map inside from Quatre.
Presents scattered, the five of them relaxed into talking about what to do with the rest of their day. Someone mentioned a movie while someone else talked of going to the river and walking down to the quay and back again. Finally it was decided that after lunch they'd do this and break off after dinner to their respective rooms, because, as Duo teased, Trowa and Wufei would be unbearable after they'd read a few of those stories.
And neither of the lovers said otherwise.
((GAH! Can you believe it??? I'm leaving you there! Oh it's so mean and I'm so evil and it's like.. eight pages by now so you'll just have to wait. Mmmuuuuahahhhaaaa! I've figured it out though now. And it IS two more chapters. One epilogue and one ending chap. - I can't believe I'm going to write a flipping epilogue! - Or heck.. maybe two more ending chapters and an epilogue - this muse is MURDER! SAVE ME! - Nevertheless, by the end of next chapter, we shall have resolved things... so don't worry! Everything shall be made clear then. [in her best mystical guru voice] Hope you enjoyed it!))
