Hi! Another chapter is here ^_^ sorry for the shortness of the last chapter!
This one is short too, but the next one is like twice this size! So bare with me?
Thanks for all the very nice feedback ^_^ it was much appreciated!

Love-ness!
-Nikki :-P

Name: Story Time With Trowa or Once Upon a Cross Dresser
Author: Nikki :-P or Nataku's Child
Archive: Nikki's Realm http://www.geocities.com/mageofthewinds/
Feedback: Please!! ^___^ Nataku@linkline.com
Couples: 1+5, implied 2+3+4
Warning: Shounen-ai...wow...that's it for this chapter I think ^_^;;
Disclaimer: ...is long -_- I dun own anything. See first chapter for the full thingy.

Story Time With Trowa or Once Upon a Cross Dresser
Chapter Two

A half awake and groggy Trowa Barton was standing by the coffee maker, staring blankly at the dark drops as they fell into the coffee pot. Drop by drop...The coffee scent that always smelled better then the actual beverage was slowly waking Trowa up as he waited for his caffeine...er...coffee to finish brewing.

Trowa was still watching the coffee maker with eyes more closed then open, when an even less awake Duo stumbled into the kitchen. Trowa looked over and smiled slightly in greeting, inwardly laughing at Duo's mussed sleep clothes - an old band shirt and boxers.

"Coffee should be done soon." Trowa informed him.

Duo made a sound that may or may not have been an actual word, and slumped into a chair. With a thunk, his head met the table. "I hate Mondays..." he mumbled.

Trowa smiled softly and looked back to the coffee pot.

"Gooooood morning!" Quatre walked in, sounding and looking more cheerful then any mortal should be at 6:30 Monday morning. He smiled brightly at his two roommates, rubbing his head with a towel, having just come from a shower, being the first awake...and the first coherent of the house's occupants.

Duo rolled his head to the side to throw a miffed look at Quatre. "mumph..." he grumbled.

Quatre smiled at him. "I'll take that as 'good morning Quatre! It's a fine day isn't it?'"

Duo rolled his head back to face the table again. "mumph."

Trowa shook his head and poured a cup of coffee for Duo and himself, ignoring the disgusted looks from Quatre as the blonde got some juice.

"Drink." Trowa said softly, sliding the mug at Duo.

Duo looked up, saw the mug and immediately brightened. "You're a life saver! I love you!!" These words would have been sweet and endearing, had they been said to Trowa and not the Kumagoro coffee mug. [1]

The three sat in silence at the table, Trowa and Duo waiting for their coffee to cool, and Quatre waiting for his breakfast to toast.

Until...

"OH!!"

Duo and Trowa jumped.

"What??" Duo asked before sticking his finger in his mouth. He'd spilt some coffee on it when Quatre had shouted.

"Trowa!" The blonde turned to the confused brunette. "You never finished your story!"

Trowa sighed in relief. "Oh..."

"Hey yeah..." Duo said slowly. "Yeah! I wanna know what happens to Wufei! And where the yaoi comes in!"

Quatre bounced in his chair. "Yeah! Tell us now!"

Duo was grinning now. "Yeah! Come on Tro'!"

Trowa was frowning. "But...we have work..."

Quatre stopped bouncing and pouted. "B-b-but..."

"You just left it!" Duo whined, pouting too.

"With poor Meiran being sick!"

"And no yaoi!"

Trowa sighed and tried again. "But we have to leave. We have work."

Silence.

"And?" Duo asked.

"This is more important." Quatre said sternly.

Duo nodded enthusiastically before sipping at his coffee.

Trowa sighed. "Fine, but only a little, then we leave."

Encouraged by bright smiles and Duo and Quatre's full attention, Trowa picked up the story from where he left off.

~()~

Let's see...

Wufei tucked Meiran into bed and sat by her side until the girl's eyes slowly closed and she slept. Wufei sighed and left her room, his forehead wrinkled in worry. Distracted, he made his way into the larger part of the house.

His thoughts clouded by worries about his sister, Wufei didn't notice his parents sitting and quietly talking until they addressed him.

"Wufei."

Wufei looked to his father, who had just spoken.

His father was a small man, Wufei being almost a hand's span taller then him. He was strong, quiet, very wise and deeply devoted to his religion and values. His mother was kind and loving with a love for beauty and literature. As children, Wufei and Meiran were taught the physical arts by their father, and the creative and spiritual arts by their mother.

Wufei bowed slightly and then sat in front of his parents. "Yes, Father?"

"Wufei..." Wufei's father started, looking very troubled.

Wufei's mother smiled softly. "How is Meiran?"

Wufei noted the obvious change in conversation. "She's sleeping." He said cautiously.

His mother nodded and smiled sadly.

Silence followed, and Wufei grew uneasy. "Was there something you needed?" he asked softly.

"My son...this isn't easy..." Wufei's father started.

"Your father has brought news from the village." His mother cut in.

"Oh?" Wufei asked, turning to his father.

"Yes..." His father said with great difficulty. "The...Royal Family is having a...ball...for their daughter...it's her birthday."

Wufei vaguely remembered learning about the Royal Family. If memory served him right, the oldest son was a around his age.

"It is said that the girl is very fond of such things, and has invited any one who wishes to come." His mother added.

Wufei looked from his father to his mother, wondering why they were telling him this. "You...wish to go?" he asked.

Wufei's father shook his head. "No."

"Wufei..." his mother said softly. "Meiran grows weaker every day, she needs proper care, I can't do all a real doctor can...but we can't afford one... this ball, will have many rich, noble people to meet...to marry into such a family..."

Wufei's mouth fell open. "You want Meiran to go? In her condition!" he said angrily.

"Quiet!" his mother whispered. "You'll wake her." When Wufei closed his mouth and bowed his head, she continued. "No, we don't want her to go." She said softly.

"Then who?" Wufei asked, raising his head again.

"My son..." Wufei's father spoke up again. "I don't like the idea, and I don't feel I have the right to ask this of you-"

"Me?!" Wufei hissed, keeping his voice low.

Wufei's mother put a hand on his shoulder to sooth him. "We will not push you, if you don't want to, we wont make you."

Wufei looked down, trying to let go of his anger and think clearly. "You want me to find a rich woman to marry, just for her money? But-"

"It is against everything I've ever taught you." Wufei's father finished, fixing his son with a stern look. "Which tells you exactly how much we need you to do this."

Wufei looked down again.

Meiran was dying. Though none of them said it, all of them knew it. Without proper care...

"I'll do it." Wufei said, looking up. "I understand."

"Not so quickly, Wufei." His mother said softly. "We have some...complications."

"What?" Wufei asked.

"Because of our need, it is assumed you will be looking for someone elderly." Wufei's father said.

Wufei nodded. He had already thought of that.

"However," his mother said. "When your...spouse passes away, we can't have you in a role of power."

Wufei looked down. They were right. While the villagers knew and trusted them, despite their differences, strangers could be different.

"Then what do we do?" Wufei asked.

"If a woman is widowed..." his mother said slowly. "The land and title go to the first son..."

Wufei blinked. "Well, yes..."

"Which would leave the wife to live quietly..." his mother said softly, holding her son's eye.

Wufei stared at his mother for a moment, unsure of what she was getting at. Suddenly, the pieces fell into place.

"What?!" he hissed, his eyes wide.

Wufei's father frowned. "It is a low and dishonorable path, but sometimes the best way isn't the easiest."

"I can't believe you're asking me to do this!" Wufei was struggling to keep his voice down. He started to stand, but his mother caught his hand.

"Wufei!" She whispered sharply, bringing her son's movement to quick stop. "Sit." Wufei sat, still looking angry. "I know that this is...almost an impossible thing to ask. And you must know, that under any other circumstance, we would never even think to ask. We love you, and we love Meiran. Please Wufei, think about it."

Wufei sat back down and frowned in thought. Eventually he sighed and spoke again. "So your plan...is for me to go to this ball and find a...husband?"

~()~

Trowa stopped and looked at the clock.

Duo and Quatre were leaning in, watching Trowa intently. When he opened his mouth, they held their breath, anticipating more of the story.

"It's time to go." Trowa said, scooting back his chair and standing.

Duo and Quatre blinked.

"W-what?" Duo asked standing too.

"It's time to go...I don't even have time for a shower..." he said softly to himself as he started to leave the kitchen.

"But the story!" Duo and Quatre cried out in unison.

"Has made us late and Duo, you're still in your boxers." Trowa said.

"But Trowa!!" Duo and Quatre cried, running over to cling to their storyteller.

"'Fei's gonna cross dress!"

"Meiran's dying!"

"You left it in the middle!"

"There's going to be a ball!"

"And you still haven't gotten to the yaoi!"

Trowa sighed. "I shouldn't have let you talk me into this..."

To Be Continued!

Next chapter:
In which Wufei goes to the ball and runs into some unexpected trouble.

[1] Kumagoro is Ryuichi's bunny ^_^ (Gravitation)

Lemme know what ya think! Sorry for the short-ness ^_^;;;;
-Nikki :-P