A Snowy Day Off
Not surprisingly Wufei woke first, always the early riser even when he was on vacation. Unlike Noin he never needed an alarm clock and so as always he came awake at nearly seven on the dot, his eyes opening then clearing quickly, a soldier's habit. By the same token it was a soldier's habit to take in everything around them quickly and accurately, in other words he noticed that he wasn't alone before he remembered why. Turning his head to the side he was greeted by Lucrezia's sleeping face, her warm body curled up against his side with one of her arms across his chest as if to hold him there. His own left arm was wrapped around her waist, immobile for the moment though he was far from complaining. She was so beautiful, Wufei marveled, staring at her face as he studied every curve and feature on her face, memorizing it really as she continued to sleep on. So this was what it was like to wake up beside someone, Wufei thought as he watched her sleep, her breathing slow and even with a hint of a smile on her face that gave her face a touch of mischief. When he'd been married they'd simply had bedrooms side by side, neither ever having the urge to visit the other's room even to simply talk. He'd never shared a bed with anyone in his whole life, especially not after sharing much more before sleeping. Cheeks going a little pink as the memories kicked in Wufei lifted his free hand and shifting slightly carefully brushed her bangs back, smiling at the way they stubbornly shifted back into their former position. He now understood why the French referred to love making as a small death, it really was like dying and going to heaven for a short time before being called back to the real world. While he'd been in her arms there had been no world, no people in existence but them, all that he'd thought about had been her, being with her, pleasuring her. Being in love with her.
)I
"I've gone and done it, haven't I, Onna?" Wufei said softly, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. He hadn't gone looking for it or particularly wanted it for that matter. He'd even denied its existence for a long time but now it had caught him, pulled him into depths where it held him captive. Truth be told, he was a willing hostage. "Wo ai ni....Lucrezia. I love you." Wufei whispered gently as he leaned over to kiss her forehead. "And somehow..someday I'll figure out how to tell you that when you're awake." Wufei added ruefully. Turning his head to the other side again Wufei checked the clock then carefully got out of bed, doing his best not to wake her as he slid from her grasp. Tucking her back in Wufei put on a pair of pajama bottoms then headed downstairs, nearly tripping over Patch who'd decided to sleep on the steps again. "You really are an idiot, you know that, don't you?" Wufei said as he picked the dog up before heading into the kitchen to see what was up on the radio weather wise. Listening to the report Wufei raised an eyebrow then called into work, only to find himself sent to an automated message informing him that due to weather conditions Preventers was closed for the day. For the first time in his life Wufei was actually pleased to be snowed in somewhere. Feeding Patch first Wufei then went about making some coffee.
)I
Noin slowly woke up, her mind still cloudy as her eyes slowly opened, lashed fluttering open as she absently took in her surroundings before closing again. Brain beginning to function again her eyes opened a little quicker as she looked around the familiar bedroom though it wasn't her own. Looking over beside her Noin saw that he was gone though the pillow still carried the indent from his head. Sitting up Noin held one of the sheets up to her shoulders for cover then looked around her, taking everything in. Hearing foot steps Noin turned her head just in time to see the door opening and Wufei coming walking in holding a tray with two cups of coffee on it, the steam rising merrily.
"You're awake." Wufei said simply, covering his nerves well enough as he walked over and set the tray on his bedside table. "I thought you might sleep a while longer."
"Uhm ya." Noin said with a slightly nervous smile on her face, seeing nerves in his own which helped settle her own. This was new territory for both of them, Noin thought as she reached out and set her free hand on top of his. "Good morning." Noin said with a smile as she shifted over in the bed to get closer, laying a kiss on his cheek, pleased when he smiled at her. "Smells good."
"To make it an even better morning then I should tell you we're snowed in which means we don't have to go into work today. Preventers is closed for the day due to the weather." Wufei said with a small smile at the look of delight on her face, his own nerves settling down as he glanced down at the hand she'd set on top of his. It was okay, in fact everything couldn't be more perfect now. "As it is we'd have never gotten out of the driveway."
)I
"Now that's good news if I ever heard it." Noin said with a grin as she shifted slightly so that she could lay her head on his shoulder, cuddling against his side. "And since I know it was packing snow last night that means we have to make a snowman."
"A what?"
"A snowman."
"Why?"
"Because we have to and I'll make you help me so you might as well admit surrender now." Noin said with a laugh as she wrapped her arms around his waist, careful not to send his coffee flying as she nuzzled against his neck affectionately, laughing when he squirmed slightly. "Please?" Noin added, sounding like a little girl asking for a new toy as she took his coffee away and set it on the night table before slipping into his lap. "Pretty please with a cherry on top? I haven't made one in like forever."
"Why on earth would we want to make a snowman though. We're not children and no one is even going to see it way out here." Wufei asked in exasperation, looking down at her in amusement as she snuggled against him, trying to con him into it. Doing a good job too.
"Ya I know but you haven't made one in a while no doubt and neither have I." Noin pointed out reasonably, yawning slightly as she tried not to fall back asleep in her current, very comfortable position in Wufei's lap. She could definitely stay here all day and sleep. But first they had to make a snowman. For some reason it seemed important that they do something like that together. Something fun and...something that he wouldn't do with just anyone. Something that he'd only lower himself to doing for someone really important to him. It was stupid and lowering but she wanted to do something with just the two of them that normal, everyday couples did. That her parents did. Well that and she wanted to think about some things and nothing cleared your head better then fun labor. "And if you do then after I'll give you a back massage to make up for all the muscles you'll pull rolling the snowballs around."
"I wouldn't be the one pulling things considering I'm in better shape then you are." Wufei pointed out with a smirk though that massage sounded pretty good. Almost good enough to be worth trekking around in freezing temperatures, surrounded by huge snow banks and all to build a stupid snowman which was liable to either melt or get buried in more snow soon after. "And I suppose, if the banks are too deep...we could go out and see about making your snowman."
)I
"You're nuts, Onna." Wufei said as he watched her jump off the porch and into the snow, Patch following at her heels though he sunk a little less since he wasn't that big. As it was his poor puppy had a scarf around it's neck that Lucrezia had insisted on that was humiliating to see. His dog looked... only sissy dogs wore..well dogs weren't supposed to wear scarves. Standing there in his winter coat, mitts and hat Wufei crossed his arms in front of him defensively having already stated that the snow was too deep. "There is no way I'm doing this."
"But it's packing snow, Wufei!" Noin said with a laugh, facing him with cheeks already bright pink from the wintery air as she gestured around them. "It's a law that you have to make a snowman when it's packing snow. As peace keepers we'd be going against our duties if we didn't!" Noin added with a serious look on her face that was spoiled by the sparkle in her eyes.
"Where exactly does it say that in the rule book?" Wufei wanted to know then turned his head when he heard loud whimpering coming from one of the snow banks. Rolling his eyes Wufei slowly made his way through snow almost to his knee as he leaned down and fished out his puppy who greeted him with lots of cold kisses of thanks for the rescue. "You're a disgrace to all dogs, you know that, don't you?" Wufei said to the wiggling bundle of fur before setting the dog on the porch, the little idiot jumping right back into another bank.
"It's right after the law that says you need to make snow angels too!" Noin said with a laugh as she watched Wufei retrieve Patch a couple more times before giving up and coming over to where she was already starting the first ball for their snowman with Patch in his arms.
"Sure it is and I'm not making either." Wufei said even as he caught the glint in her eye just as she tackled him into one of the snow banks, squishing Patch between them though the puppy didn't mind overly since she rolled off to lay beside Wufei quickly enough.
"You remember how to do them right?"
)I
"I have never made a snow angel in my life and I don't see why I need to start now." Wufei said dryly as he turned his head to look at her, barely holding in the slight smile that threatened to surface as he looked at her. Even bundled up in winter wear she was still the most stunningly complex woman he'd ever known, especially when she was covered in snow and being licked to death by his puppy, Wufei thought dryly as he watched Lucrezia laugh as Patch bathed her face with his wet tongue. And she was his now, Wufei thought as he let that small smile cross his features. And he was going to do whatever it took to keep it that way.
"You keep looking at me like that and we're never going to get anything done out here." Noin said with a smile, laughing when Patch jumped off of her and into another snow bank with a happy bark. The puppy really had no sense when it came to snow and getting out of it. "And since you've never made a snow angel I'll just have to teach you."
"Because aster all it's in the rule book." Wufei commented dryly.
"Exactly."
)I
Later that afternoon, resting comfortably after a nice long nap to recover from snow angels and snowmen, Noin and Wufei were surprised to hear noises coming from downstairs which couldn't be Patch because the puppy had snuck into the room and onto the bed sometime while they'd slept and was still there. "Maybe someone got stuck in the snow and thought the place was empty?" Noin asked even as she rose to slip on one of Wufei's shirts while Wufei slipped into boxers and his pants from earlier.
"Last time I checked the doorbell still worked." Wufei said grimly as he retrieved his gun from the top drawer of the night stand then walked over to the bedroom door, opening it cautiously and was just in time to hear a female voice call out his name. "Wait a minute...Sally?"
"What on earth?" Noin said from behind him, even as she distinctively heard Sally's voice again calling for Wufei.
"Stay here and I'll check it out." Wufei said as he handed her the gun and making sure she wasn't following headed downstairs and found Sally in the living room. "What are you doing here, Onna?"
"Oh, there you are. I was so freaked when no one answered." Sally said with a relieved look as she smiled at him, glad that he was okay. "I kept envisioning you trying to get to work this morning or something and getting stuck along the way to freeze to death. Were you sleeping? You never sleep more then seven hours." Sally said with a concerned look on her face. "Are you sick? This is certainly the weather for it. Where's Patch by the way? You didn't let him outside in this weather, did you?"
"He's sleeping on my bed and I 'm not sick. And if the weather is so bad what are you doing here?" Wufei wanted to know, trying not to think about the fact that Lucrezia was right upstairs and what would happen if Sally found that out. She was liable to lock him out of his own house even in this weather for not telling her.
)I
"Well I left nearly ten messages on your machine and when you didn't answer one of them I got worried about you out here alone. Anyway the main road that goes past your house is cleared now so I just left my car off to the side and walked up your driveway." Sally said with a good natured shrug. "And before you go off on a tangent about being able to take care of yourself I now already. Plus I brought you food so you aren't allowed to lecture me."
"Food?" Wufei repeated dumbly.
"Yup, I stopped and got us some KFC on the way here." Sally said with a grin. "I figured we could maybe watch a movie or something and pig out on junk food."
"Uhm..well...I would but...I..I have company, Sally." Wufei said stiffly, his cheeks going pink as he studied his floor rather intently.
"Company....as in...female company? ...As in that's why you're not wearing a shirt and look like you just got out of bed female company?" Sally said slowly, her jaw dropping as she gapped at her partner as he got increasingly red in the face. "Wufei...do you have a girlfriend?" Watching her partner nearly die of embarrassment as he nodded Sally gave a war whoop as she pulled him in for a great, big hug. "That is so great! I am so happy for you, Wufei! I had no idea you were interested in someone." Letting go Sally nearly clapped her hands in delight at the look on his face. Oh ya but this was serious. Wait a minute..uh oh. "Uhm..does she know I'm here?"
"It was kinda hard to miss." Wufei commented dryly then seeing the horrified look on her face had to raise an eyebrow. "What?"
)I
"You have to go up there right now and explain that I'm just a friend, your partner and that we've never even been on a date." Sally said as she set her hands on his shoulders, all serious business now. The stupid idiot didn't even realize so she'd have to educate him.
"Why?"
"Because, you knothead I got in without having to break in which means she knows I have a key. Added to that I came in without permission and brought food and stuff like this was a date or something! She's going to get the wrong idea and then she's going to dump you and it's going to be all my fault!"
"What wrong idea? She knows you're my partner and stuff." Wufei protested, utterly confused now.
"True but she might get the wrong idea about us and the fact that I have the keys to your house. I'll head out now and you guys can enjoy the food AFTER you explain to her that I'm just a friend." Sally said as she gave him a don't you dare disobey me look. "And you make sure she understands that I only have this key so that I can get to your office if I need to pick something up or to look things over if you're away."
"But ....."
"No buts. Now I'm going so good luck and don't blow it. I want all the dets on Monday." Sally said as she leaned over to kiss his cheek then had to laugh at the look on his face. "Not those dets, idiot. I want to know all about her, Ciao!" Sally said then was out of the room and out the door before Wufei could think enough to say good bye.
)I
"Now what was that all about?" Wufei said as he scratched his head then hearing noise from the next room headed there only to find Lucrezia sitting on the stairs, laughing her head off. One hand on the banister for support the other was wrapped around her waist as she laughed so hard tears were streaming down her face. "What?"
"God...that was so..priceless!" Noin gasped out as she choked on more laughter. If only Sally had known what and in this case who she was talking about. "Oh my God but that was..the funniest thing ever."
"I still don't...." Wufei started then stopped as he looked at the situation. Sally had been all hyped out about him getting a girlfriend who was actually one of her best friends, doing that speech about explaining out like that. Starting to laugh too Wufei joined her in the stairs as they had a good laugh over the whole thing and the irony of it. "Shall we go have some KFC?" Wufei asked once they'd stopped and were contently sitting on the steps side by side.
"And watch a movie or something?" Noin said cheekily, quoting Sally. "Sounds like a plan to me."