Title: Company 2/?
Author: Mistress Tsunami
Rating: R
Pairings: 3x4, 1x2
Warnings: Heero angst! Major major! Umm...death, but not of a main character. X-mas depression. AU. OOC, but it's AU, so that's a given.
" I am perfectly content to sit here and wallow in my misery."
"And I am not content to let you. Heero, meet Quatre Winner, Duo's brother and my boyfriend."
"Whatever," Heero answered listlessly. He didn't really care who they were, they could have been the Crowned Prince and his brother, and Heero would have treated them the same. He just wanted Trowa to do whatever he felt he had to and then leave. 'It paints you with indifference like a lady paints with rouge...'
"Alright Mr. Humbug, sit there and wallow in misery. We, however, are going to have fun, and we're going to do it right here, and you're going to open those presents we brought all the way up here," Duo stated boldly.
"Enjoy yourselves. Don't mind me," Heero answered. Maybe they were only looking for a place to celebrate the holidays, but he seriously doubted it.
"You used to love Christmas, Heero," Trowa protested.
"Yeah, until my gift two years ago. Merry Christmas, Heero; your parents are dead."
"Couldn't you at least try to be happy?" Duo asked, hands on his hips and leaning towards Heero with a gleam in his eyes, not that the other noticed.
"Give me one good reason why I should, and 'because it's Christmas' is not a good reason."
The three visitors looked at each other, and nodded. They knew that it might come to this, that was one of the reasons that they had brought Duo along. Duo knew something that might bring him out of his depression, and so the braided boy set to work.
"Come on Heero," he urged, pulling on the dark-haired boy's arm, "let's go for a walk."
Heero took a moment to study the creature that was urging him on. Pale skin; dark clothes; long, brown, braided hair; stunning violet eyes. If Heero had been in a good mood, he might have even said that the other was attractive, as it was he merely served to piss Heero off more. "And why the hell would I want to go out in the cold and snow?"
"Because I want to show you something, and it's not inside," Duo answered reasonably, handing the boy a pair of shoes he had found and searching for socks.
"Second drawer. I repeat: why?"
Duo opened the drawer and found the socks. "Please?" he asked, sweetly and softly, as he handed Heero the clothing.
Heero sighed. "I hate my life," he said, to no one in particular, and pulled on the socks before putting on his shoes and taking the coat that Trowa was handing him. "Well," he snapped, "don't wait around all day. The sooner we get out there, the sooner you can leave."
Duo smiled, and walked on, hanging shamelessly on Heero's arm. He waved bye to his brother and his brother's boyfriend before the elevator doors closed, taking both boys down to the main floor.
The journey was made in silence, and Heero, believe it or not, had no idea where they were heading. He hadn't ventured off of campus grounds much, and, even though it was his home city, didn't much care for visiting anyone or anywhere.
He noticed that they had stopped, but couldn't perceive why Duo had brought him to an orphanage.
The place was pretty run-down. It was obvious that the roof leaked, and some of the windows looked broken, and appeared to be fixed with duct tape. The lights were low, and the scrawny, artificial tree in the window looked to have seen better years.
"Why did you bring me here?" Heero asked in his own unique monotone.
"Because this is where I grew up," Duo answered, and that seemed to be his queue, for he then pulled Heero inside, and he didn't bother to knock. "Sister Helen?" he called.
"DUO!" what seemed to be a million little voices called out. Boys and girls of all ages rushed forward to squeeze the braided man in a group hug, and a few were fearless enough to hug Heero as well.
"Merry Christmas, Duo," a nun greeted gently. "What brings you here at this time of year?"
"Wanted to bring a friend over," Duo answered. "Heero, this is Sister Helen, the nun who raised me before I was adopted by the Winners."
Heero nodded, and took the hand she offered, but didn't speak.
"It's good to have you here, Heero. I'm afraid the place isn't at it's cleanest right now, but I hope you don't mind."
Heero remained silent.
A little girl tugged at his coat sleeve, and he looked down at her, his gaze stern. "Are you Mr. Duo's boyfriend?" she asked shamelessly.
"Katie, now, don't go bugging Heero now," Duo interrupted, picking the girl up. "Why don't we all sit down for a while. It's story-time, isn't it?"
Sister Helen nodded, and the children cheered.
"Will you tell us the story, Duo?" one of the little boys asked. Heero had a feeling the braided man knew all their names by heart.
"Sure. Come on Heero, story time."
All the children gathered around the Christmas tree, and, by unanimous vote, Duo was to sing Christmas songs in place of their usual story.
Heero listened with interest when he heard the first lines, taken in by both the messages, and the voice.
"It's in the singing of a street-corner choir; it's going home and getting warm by the fire; it's true wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas..."
"Momma! Pappa! Wake up! It's Christmas!" A small Heero Yuy shouted, jumping up on his parents bed, narrowly missing their legs in the process.
"Why don't you go downstairs and see what Santa brought you, sweetie?" his mother asked, voice slurred with sleep.
Heero looked confused. "But didn't he bring you stuff, too?"
"Of course, sweetheart," his mother answered. "He brought us you."
His father kissed him on the forehead. "We love you, never forget that. Now go see what Santa brought you, and see if maybe there's a gift for your momma as well."
Heero, faith in Santa restored, grinned widely and jumped down, gone from the room in an instant, and the sounds of ripping paper could soon be heard.
"A cup of kindness that we share with another, a sweet reunion with a friend or a brother - in all the places you find love, it feels like Christmas!"
Heero frowned. 'I used to have that...' he thought to himself. He accepted the warm cup of cocoa that the Sister handed him, absently noting that it tasted mostly like heated water. Duo put his mug on the table, continuing to sing to the children, and, Heero noted, to him.
"It is the season of the heart, a special time of caring, the ways of love made clear. It is the season of the sprit, the message - if we hear it – yes, make it last all year. It's in the giving of a gift to another; a pair of mittens that were made by your mother." Heero winced. His mother had made him mittens – several times, and not all were Christmas gifts."It's all the ways that we show love that feel like Christmas. A part of childhood that you'll always remember; it is the summer of the soul in December. Yes, it's when you do your best for love, it feels like Christmas."
Heero was beginning to understand why Duo had brought him here, but that didn't mean that he had to like it, or accept it.
It wasn't until Duo launched into another song that Heero refocused on the present and searched for the message.
"Come, they told me, pa-rump-a-pa-pum, Our new-born king to see, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. Our finest gifts we bring, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. So to offer him pa-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum, come, they told me, pa-rump-a-pa-pum, when we come. Baby Jesus, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. I am a poor boy too, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. I have no give to give, pa-rump-a-pa-pum, that's fit to give a king pa-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum. Shall I play for you, pa-rump-a-pa-pum, on my drum? Mary nodded, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. The ox and lamb kept time, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. I played my drum for him, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. I played my best for him, pa-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum-rump-a-pa-pum. Then he smiled at me, pa-rump-a-pa-pum. Me and my drum."
Heero smiled to himself, hidden by his mug of cocoa. He liked this boy. His message came across clear, unpressured, and he had a good voice. Plus the fact that he was attractive. He was poor, obviously. Heero could spoil him if he wanted to. He was indirectly related to the Winners. Trowa would become his brother in truth, if things worked out for both of them.
If they didn't, oh well. Heero never did put much faith in anything anymore, truth be told.
Trowa was bound to seek him out next year anyway, and no doubt would bring this boy with him. If not, he was sure to visit the orphanage again anyway.
Heero had an idea.
"...The best gift given is a gift that can be shared..."
"...Isn't there a present for you, too?..."
"...I love you, mommy..."
"...I love you..."
"...love you..."
SONGS USED: From Muppet Cristmas Carol: Scrooge
And 'The Little Drummer Boy'