Just a Shadow

by Clarobell

5 years passed without incident until one of the pilots lives is affected after an accident, it been 2 yrs since then and the others must gather to get through. Find out how it happened and what became of the boys after the war. Epilogue up!

18. Birthday Party and Dress Up

Just a Shadow

Disclaimer: - I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters!

Chapter 18: Birthday Party and Dress Up

Thank you to everyone that reviewed, but I'm a bit cut short for time today so I can't write any comments. Only shout outs!

Thanks to: -

Calli Maxwell

Muchacha

Spunky the Hamster

Shinigami-Heero

10-Midnight-01

Silver Mirror

DevylZangyl

KentouKurige

Ms Son

Silvertwighlight

Scythewing

TKM

Arabian

Safaia-kurome

Kira May Maxwell

EquineAngel

Nikkler

El Terrible Fizzy

Now on with the fic!

The pilots had just finished talking about the little girl that Heero had been looking for the previous day. They had found out that the girl was 6 years old and that her name was Becky. She apparently lived on a farm not to far from Heero's hme and would often bring him gifts and visit him.

Heero had found her washed up beside a lake nearby. Her parents had come to him and asked for his help in the search when she had gone missing. Apparently one of her parents' ducks from the farm had gone missing and she had wanted help and so had gone looking for it. It was assumed that she had fallen in the lake and drowned.

Heero sighed as he finished explaining what had happened and sat back in the chair. All of the pilots seemed quite upset by what they had heard and were all looking either a the floor or at the wall.

Heero allowed a small smile to creep onto his face. Wufei noticed this and looked angrily at Heero.

"What could you possibly find amusing about the death of a child Yuy?" he spat

"I … I wasn't thinking of that" Heero whispered and lowered his head.

Wufei instantly regretted scolding his friend as he remembered the fragile state Heero's emotions were in at the moment.

"I'm sorry Heero" he apologised as he moved to sit next to the Japanese youth "It's just … not fair … when something like this happens … it's … it's …"

"Injustice?" Heero offered with a small smile

Duo couldn't help it. He burst out laughing and quickly tried to smother it which resulted in him snorting and gagging which then resulting in Quatre laughing causing Trowa to smile. Wufei smirked and gently punched Heero on the arm.

"Idiot" he muttered and walked back to his own corner of the room "I never thought I'd be calling Yuy that"

Heero smiled sadly and the room quietened again. Al of a sudden Heero jumped up from the sofa wide eyed and looked at Duo.

"I just had the best idea for how we could celebrate our birthday's guys!"

"But I though we already agreed on a small party that we'd record and send to the others?"

"Well, what if it was a dress up party?" Heero asked

All of the pilots grinned and Heero took that as a yes. That day found the out and about the town choosing costumes r materials for costumes that they would make themselves.

Heero frowned as he felt the material in yet another shop rmemebering what Duo had said.

"It has to be original" Duo informed "Something that is completely unexpected"

"And if it isn't?" Wufei asked

"I'll prank you until your hair is pink, your clothes are glued to your body, you eat nothing but dirt for a week and you're begging to be put into an insane asylum"

Nobody spoke, but all of them gulped in fear at that threat.

"I suggest you pick your costume wisely guys!" Duo laughed

Heero cringed as he imagined those threats being made a reality. He knew Duo wouldn't really do things as bad as that t them, but he would come pretty close! This had to be the best and most unexpected costume EVER

Duo grinned as he ran from store to store, looking for what he would need. He had been trying to squeeze I information out of the other pilots as to what they would be wearing to their mini party, but so far he had had no luck.

He was out shopping with Quatre and Trowa, getting the materials for the costumes they were going to make. Before long, everybody had their materials and were o their way home to work on their costumes.

As they walked through the door, Heero and Wufei ran upstairs with their materials and into Heero's room before slamming the door behind them. The other pilots stared dumbly after them.

"What's up with those two?" Duo asked

"I think they said something about working on their costumes together" Quatre said smiling "I think they had a great idea"

Duo and Trowa smiled as childish laughter came from behind the door.

"Would you listen to those two?" Duo laughed "They sound like teen girls getting ready for a date!"

Quatre laughed and Trowa smirked at the comment. Duo smiled slightly as he caught Trowa giving Quatre a meaningful look out of the corner of his eye, but quickly turned away when he saw the two turn in his direction. The braided pilot whistled innocently and slowly walked out of the room.

Hours passed and soon it was time for the party to start. All of the pilot had agreed to wait in different locations of the house so that they wouldn't be able to see each others costumes until they were together. Duo, Trowa and Quatre were still waiting for the other two to finish.

"Are you two ready yet?" Duo called impatiently

"You three start the party and tell us what you're dressed as – we'll be down in a minute!"

Duo sighed with a smile.

"You heard them!" he shouted to Trowa and Quatre "Let's get this party started!"

Wufei and Heero listened as the other pilots laughed at each other costumes and described what they were wearing. Duo was dressed as an angel with wings and halo intact. He even had a light attached to his back to give him a 'heavenly glow'.

Trowa was dressed as a baby with an all in one pyjama set and a bib. When Duo had joked about him wearing a nappy, he had been quite shocked and disturbed to find that the silent man was wearing a towel diaper.

Quatre was dressed all in leather with a jacket to complete the suit. He also had a whip and chain to finish the 'bad boy' look. Now all they were waiting for was Heero and Wufei. When the bedroom door opened and more laughs filled the air, the three waiting pilots turned their attention to the stairs.

Slow footsteps could be heard as one person walked down the stairs and before long Wufei could be seen. The pilots jaws hit the floor as soon as they saw him, or rather, her.

Wufei was dressed in a pink, silk kimono with matching slippers and make up. His hair had been styled in a tight bun and if he hadn't spoke the boys could have sworn he was a woman.

"What are you looking?" Wufei smirked "No pranks for me I suppose"

Duo's shocked expression melted into one of pure delight as he watched his friend strut over to them.

"Wufei!" Quatre shouted as he ran to his friend "I can't believe you're wearing this!"

"I can't believe you're wearing that" Wufei retorted

Quatre blushed a deep crimson and backed away from his Chinese friend and to the wall, pressing against it in hopes that he could somehow disappear.

"You know we're recording this right Wu-man?" Duo suddenly burst out laughing and pointed at Wufei "Wu-man sounds like woman!"

Wufei rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest, which had been stuffed to make it seem more realistic.

"Yes Maxwell" he replied "And I don't really care … ah, I think that's Yuy coming down, you'll love his costume"

All eyes turned to the stairs as Heero descended them, and once again when he came into sight, three jaws hit the floor. Wufei remained smirking.

Heero was dressed up as his former instructor, Doctor J. He had ever detail done perfectly with electronic claw, leg braces, lab coat, clothes and eye goggles. The only thing missing from the costume was the long hair, but Heero had opted to Dye his hair grey rather than wear a wig.

"I-Is that you Heero?" Duo asked

"It's me" Heero replied "But that sure as hell isn't you!"

Duo looked over his angel costume and laughed at Heero's comment. He had to admit it though, he was no angel.

"So what do we do now?" Wufei asked

Nobody answered as they looked around the room. They had set up the kitchen table in the dojo, where they had decided to hold their mini party. On the table lay all sorts of food, but right in the middle was a large order of take away Chinese from the Chinese restaurant they had eaten at before.

"I don't know" Duo admitted "None of us dance!"

After a short pause, the braided pilot started laughing which spread to the other pilots. Heero slowly edged away from the group so as not to attract any attention. He crept toward the food and over to the chowmein. He grabbed a fist full and pulled his arm back ready to throw.

His aim was at Trowa this time. He pulled his arm back further and was about to launch…

SPLAT!

Heero blinked as sauce from one of the other dishes slowly from his head, down his face and onto his costume. He turned around slowly to find a smirking Quatre.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Quatre whispered "Trowa's all mine Heero"

Heero's facial expression was one of pure surprise. He had expected something like this from Duo, Wufei or possibly even Trowa, but never, NEVER Quatre! Slowly a smile crept onto his face and he turned around to face the smirking Arabian. He pulled his arm back ready to retaliate when…

SPLAT!

Yet again, Heero's facial expression twisted into shock. Wufei stood behind Heero with yet another dish in his hand. He had tipped half of it over Heero's head first of course though!

"Sorry Heero" Trowa whispered "Quatre's mine"

Heero couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face. He grabbed another handful of chowmein and…

SPLAT!

Heero's face scrunched up as it was ht with a mound of curry rice. When he managed to clear some away, he saw Wufei standing in front of him smirking with th bowl of curry rice in his hand.

"What's your reason?" he asked

"You dressed me up like a woman"

"You asked me to!"

"Yeah, but you should've talked me out of it"

Heero sighed and turned to Duo.

"Okay, I'm read and waiting, what would you like to throw at me?"

"I can't" Duo said as he walked over to him "I'm an angel"

The other pilots busted up into fits of laughter as Duo wiped a finger full of food from Heero's costume.

"Mmm!" Duo stated "This stuff's great!"

Heero smiled and turned around, trying to brush some stray pieces of food from his lab coat. When nobody was looking he grabbed a handful of…

SPLAT!

Heero sighed and turned to face Duo who had a handful of cake.

"I thought you were an angel" he stated

"Since when am I an angel?" Duo retorted

Heero started laughing with the rest of the pilots and spent the rest of the night sharing the food rather than wearing the food. As he watched the pilots sleeping later that night he smiled. They had been together for 2 weeks now and in 2 more weeks they would be leaving for a year.

His smile wavered as it fell on Duo. He was going to miss him the most. It's not that he liked the others less, it's just he liked Duo a little bit more. It was going to be hard saying goodbye, but at least he knew they would e back in a year, and even if things didn't work out and they couldn't come and live with him, at least the ice had been broken and they could see each other again.

Heero sighed as he stealthily walked back to his room. The walls were still bare and the furniture was still plain. Maybe they could do something about that before the guys left? The wing pilot slipped into bed and beckoned sleep to claim him, but no such luck tonight.

He was afraid when they left him for a day, so what would he be like when they left him for a year? Heero sighed again and shifted in the quilt. He knew he's be getting no sleep tonight.

Okay, so there's chapter 18! I hope you guys liked it. The votes so far are as follows…

Heero/Duo – 10

Heero/Duo/Wufei – 4

Wufei/Relena – 2

Duo/Wufei – 2

Trowa/Quatre/Wufei – 1

Wufei/Sally – 3

Relena/Heero – 2

Duo/Hilde – 2

I'm sorry if I missed anyone's vote, I don't think I did, but I'm a bit all over the place. The vote swill be open until ch 20 which is when (I think) I will be making the final decision.

Oh, and by the way, I'm a bit too busy to search for all your email addresses, so if you want the hamster pic I drew, you'll have to find my email address and email me asking for it. It should be in my bio. I would also be very grateful if people could send me their drawings!

Until Next Time!

Clarobell