Just a Shadow
Disclaimer: - I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters!
Chapter 13: More Pets and Arguments
Okay, I have made a decision. There will be both couples and friendships in this fic. It will not revolve around the couples, but more the aspect of Heero's operation and the past as it has always done. The couples will be both yaoi AND normal. I have reviewed the results of the voting, and the couples will not necessarily reflect it. I only had the vote to get an idea of what reviewers wanted, it's not necessarily what I will be using. You'll just have to wait and see.
Please don't flame for me using a yaoi couple, or a normal couple, or whatever because as I stated, this fic is still mainly FRIENDSHIP and WILL NOT revolve around the couples. A couple or two will be revealed in the upcoming chapters.
Please don't flame if you don't get what you want, because that would just be childish. Flames are meant to be criticism, and criticism is meant for people who have errors in their writing or write pointless things. I do neither. Okay, my little rant is over. I hope you enjoy the fic.
KentouKurige: I know what you mean, I didn't want to adjust the votes like that, but there was a complaint that the vote was unfair and the last thing I want to be is unfair. As you can see, the yaoi couples are still in the lead anyway. You will see more pets in this chapter and more are still to come, you can even ask me to feature a et if you like. I'm going to put my recently deceased :sob: guinea pig Shady somewhere in there! I also don't favour Wufei/Sally that much for the same reason as you, but we'll just have to see what I decide. I hope you enjoy the chapter! There's a nice little bit of Fei in this one!
Nolwe the Lady Dragon: It's okay that you didn't review the other chapters, you didn't know I had updated. I'll send you a message each time I do so that you know from now on. I couldn't help myself with the hamsters, I just had to put something cute and fluffy into Heero's life! Just wait until you read this chapter! I'm not 100 percent sure about Wufei/Sally, as I said, the final total doesn't mean that those are the couples to win. It is my choice after all. You kick those girls away! Kick them I say!
Keefy: I'm glad your open minded about this. I hope there are more people like you. I mean some couples probably won't sprout until the end or near the end. Most people seem to like my transitions between present and past and I never get tired of hearing it! Thanks so much for your review!
Sky: I love the hamsters too! They just popped into my head as I was writing! I think you're absolutely right about developing some principal couples. We have Noin and Zechs of course, but you may be happy with this chapter::wink:
Kira May Maxwell: Thanks for your vote. You may not get all your couples, but then again you might, I haven't decided yet. The major couples might not come around for a while, but hopefully they will come!
TKM: It flatters me that you think so highly of my story! I really mean that! Don't get me wrong on the whole cutting the yaoi votes in half thing, I love to read both yaoi and the normal pairings, it's just that I had a complaint that the vote wasn't fair because of the majority of fanfic readers of Gundam wing liking yaoi. Thanks for your review – I think you might like this chapter!
El Terrible Fizzy: Though I don't think I will be giving you your request of the couples, I might just write an alternate ending for you when the fic is done if you can wait. I would like to give it a try. Thought people would like the hamsters, I just made them too cute! I personally loved the bit where little Heero ran from little Relena.
Arabiansunflower: I've added you to my contacts on my email list and I'll send you an email whenever I update any of my fics. I hope you enjoy the rest of the fic! You might like this chapter…
Ms Son: Thanks so much for your review! I hoped you would like the hamsters! Little Heero running away was my favourite bit too!
The whole houses occupants were now awake and laughing at the retelling of all the fun the boys had had two yeas earlier with Heero.
"Do you still have that video we sent you?" Wufei asked
"As a matter of fact I do!" Relena replied "We all passed it around to each other and it ended up with me"
"We had so much fun making that" Trowa stated smiling slightly
"We were all fighting for a spot in the limelight!" Duo grinned
"I bet you were surprised when you saw it hmm?" Quatre asked the others
"I was more surprised at how much Yuy had changed!"
"I wonder if he'll be different after the op?" Duo thought out loud.
The room fell quiet as its occupants thought about the question. An awkward silence filled the air.
"Well" Quatre said clearing his throat and looking at Trowa nervously as all eyes turned on him, Trowa nodded and the young Arab smiled "I love Trowa"
The room was deathly silent as the others gawked at Quatre. The blonde smiled and walked over to Trowa taking his hand.
"And he's my boyfriend" he stated proudly "Anybody for a cup of tea?"
"…I'll have one" Wufei muttered, blinking several times
Duo's expression went from solemn, to shock, to happiness in a matter of seconds.
"That's great Quat!" he cheered "Way to go Tro!"
Trowa blushed slightly and Duo's outburst seemed to bring things to life again. Quatre walked out of the room to make drinks as the others congratulated Trowa. The mood had lightened considerably, but a depressive feeling still lingered in the air. Wufei cleared his throat loudly and all eyes turned to the Chinese youth. It was up to him to get rid of the funk.
"Since Quatre has told his secret, I might as well tell mine!" Wufei smirked "I love the colour pink and scream when beetles come too near me"
The room was silent until Duo and Zechs burst out laughing. Wufei grinned and the rest followed their example and before they knew it they were all laughing again. Zechs fell to his knees holding his sides as the image of Wufei in a pink gee running from a beetle screaming entered his head.
"Oh … oh my God!" cried Sally "Somebody call an ambulance!"
"Someone call the loony bin!" Duo laughed "He's finally snapped!"
"I knew I could lighten the mood!" Wufei smirked and everybody laughed
"You never fail to amaze Wu!"
"Yeah" Wufei smiled, looking at Heero "Like someone else I know"
"You're thinking about when he bought you the-"
"Maxwell" Wufei warned "Stop there or die"
"When he bought you the-"
"Maxwell!"
"The-"
"MAXWELL!"
Wufei sighed as he sat on the sofa with a blindfold. Today was his real birthday and the pilots had been out all morning buying him presents. He hadn't been allowed to join them so he had trained all day in the dojo downstairs.
They had arrived back home around 10 minutes ago and had blindfolded him telling him that they had to wrap his presents and until they were done, he wasn't to move. So there he was sitting bored, waiting for his presents to come.
"This is injustice you know!" Wufei shouted in the direction of the stairs, but got no reply
He waited another five minutes before starting to remove the blindfold. He had just laid a finger on the cloth when a voice interrupted his escape.
"Don't even think about it Fei!" Heero shouted from upstairs "We'll be down in a minute!"
"You said that 10 minutes ago!" Wufei protested grumpily, but then smirked as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs "About time!"
Heero removed the blind fold and Wufei grinned as four presents were placed around him. He tugged at the first and undid the wrapping to reveal a new training gi.
"Thank you Quatre, this is just what I needed!"
Quatre smiled and Wufei moved onto his next present. It contained several weapons and a new sword. Wufei looked awed at the sword before turning to it's buyer.
"Duo" he whispered, running a finger along the swords edge "You shouldn't have!"
"I know! But what are friends for eh?"
Wufei gently placed the weapons down and started to unwrap the next present. A smile spread across his face as it was unveiled.
"You know me better than I thought Trowa" Wufei smirked, lifting the books from their box "You have all of my favourite authors here!"
Trowa smiled and gestured towards Heero's present. Wufei set it on his lap and all of the pilots grinned. The Chinese man eyes them warily as he unwrapped the paper and lifted off the lid.
"Chess!" Wufei grinned
Heero sniggered a little and the pilots were quick to hush him. Wufei stared at them for a second or two before lifting the chess set out of the box only to find…
"A KITTEN!" Wufei practically shrieked
The little black fluff ball yawned and stood up on wobbly legs. It tried to jump out of the box but tripped landing straight into the Chinese mans lap. It looked up at him with big black eyes before mewing quietly, snuggling down and purring contently on the Netaku pilot.
"It's … cute" Wufei smirked "Thanks … I guess"
"He bought you a … kitten …?" Zechs asked with an eyebrow raised "Where is it now"
"Most likely in the garden" Wufei replied "Jasmine likes her freedom"
"And a girl cat at that!" Sally laughed "Can I see her?"
"Sure" Wufei replied "I'll call her"
"You guys are gonna love this!" Duo grinned "The way Fei Fei calls his kitty cat!"
Wufei glared at Duo for a moment before turning towards the garden and poking his head out of an open window.
"Jasmine my little angel!" Wufei called "Daddy's home! Come see your daddy!"
Less than five seconds later, a short furred black cat leapt n the window and began circling Wufei's feet as he walked back to the sofa he was sitting on. He sat down and opened his arms. The black cat mewed happily and jumped into his waiting arms. Wufei pet the cat's fur lovingly and the others watched the sight in disbelief, all except the pilots that is.
"Daddy loves his Jasmine" Wufei cooed quietly
"Daddy?" Sally asked sceptically "When did that come around?"
"Fei's weakness is his kitty cat" Duo grinned "He loves that thing more than he loves any of us!"
"Too true!" Wufei smirked "Forget about dogs! Cat's are man's best friend and give unconditional love"
"Bullshit!" Duo protested "My Scythe is way better than your stupid Jasmine"
"He's also a coward!" the Chinese man retorted smugly
"So?" Duo moaned "At least he learned some tricks, unlike that useless fur ball!"
"Your mutt is weak … it whined when you punished it and is too weak to even think about protesting against learning tricks, whereas my Jasmine is strong and refused to be trained!"
"What are we talking about?" Noin asked Quatre as Wufei and Duo continued their argument
"Heero's present to Duo was a dog, and he named it Scythe" Quatre answered "they're argued over who's pet is better ever since"
"Oh"
"A PUPPY!" Duo screamed excitedly "Oh my God! Thank you Heero!"
Heero smiled as Duo played with his new puppy. It was mongrel he had found on the way home, but it seemed friendly enough, so he had taken it home and given it to Duo. The braided boy had been more than happy to take the puppy from his friend.
The puppy strayed away from Duo and wandered over to Wufei's kitten. The little kitten hissed at the approaching threat and swiped a paw at its nose. The puppy lurched back, yelped and ran back to Duo as it was smacked on the nose.
"Weakling" Wufei muttered
"Take that back" Duo growled
Wufei glanced at him nonchalantly before replying calmly "No"
"Take it back!" Duo shouted as his puppy yipped frantically, sensing its master's anger.
"No" Wufei replied standing up
Duo also stood and they stared each other down. Quatre watched them with worry.
"Please guys" he begged "Don't do this … this is Heero's house … you might break something!"
Heero chose this moment to walk. He took one look at the two pilots and glared at them.
"02! 05!"
Both pilots turned to attention and Heero stared them down.
"You want to fight? Do it in the dojo – got that?"
"Yes sir" Both ground out through gritted teeth and made their way to the dojo where they could work out, have a spar and calm down.
That night, all tensions had disappeared and things were back to normal.
"Okay Heero" Duo whispered as his eyelids drooped tiredly "How did you learn to grin that way you did when you saw the painting we did for you in the lounge?"
Heero smiled and closed his eyes. The others were all half asleep already.
"Well, you see" Heero replied as he drifted of to sleep "I had learnt grin like that when these great friends of mine did some painting in my lounge…"
The others peeked an eye open to look at Heero, but the Japanese man was already pretty much asleep.
A small smile spread across their faces as they all too fell asleep.
"Oof!" Heero muttered as he fell to the floor
Everybody was on their feet in seconds, but Duo was the quickest to move and with a blur of his braid he was at the Japanese mans side. Heero lay face down on the carpet. He had been trying to walk around some more and had lost his footing.
"It's okay Heero" Duo soothed "I'll get you up!"
"NYA!" Heero shouted, batting Duo's hands away
Duo backed away from his friend and Heero calmed. He rolled onto his back in the middle of the room and laid spread eagle staring at the ceiling. Duo smiled and sat back down. Since Heero had been allowed more freedom to move and experiment with things such as holding and trying to use things, he had become far more aware than ever before. He also seemed happier and more content. With more people to interact with, he was becoming a little more like his old self every day, but without the operation, he would never be fully restored.
In the last few days he had been waking earlier and sleeping less. Duo was ecstatic at his friend's progress and continued to encourage him. One question still plagued their minds though. How was Heero doing it? The doctors said he shouldn't be able to! They were going to find out tomorrow when Heero went for his last check up with his doctor before the operation.
Okay, we have a couple! Ii know I didn't write much about them right now, but there will be more, I promise! Does anyone draw fanart or know anybody who does? If so, could you maybe draw the hamster pilots for me? I'm not really good at drawing but I'd love to see them! If you contact me, I'll give you a full description of them. Thanks so much to anyone that gives it a go!
Votes for couples are closed for a while, as I'd like to focus a little more on the friendship for now.
Until Next Time