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"Christmas Shared "Written By: Artemis Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: R Warnings: Preventers, Get Together Pairings: 1x2x1 Summary: Duo confronts Heero about missing the
Preventers' holiday party. (Written for the GW Advent Calendar). " Christmas Shared "
"Hey, Duo," Agent Bernie Baxter said. He was sitting at one of the tables, blowing on his steaming cup of coffee. Duo nodded to Bernie as he sidled up to the coffee maker. "Having a bad day?" "I always need more caffeine when it's cloudy." "Boy, do I hear ya'," Duo said. Just then, Agent Wendy Turner came in swinging a tea bag around her finger. "You still drinking that licorice tea?" Duo asked. "Yes. You have a problem with that?" "Heck no," Duo said, holding up his hands in surrender. No one messed with Wendy. She was a cute girl, and also one of Preventers' best weapons' experts. "Hey, Duo," Bernie said. "How come you didn't get assigned to the Christmas Eve Peace Address?" "Why should I?" "I heard Heero's been slotted to guard Miss Peacecraft when she gives her annual address. It's only natural you'd go with him, right?" Duo blinked. He hadn't heard about the assignment. Maybe word had just come down from Director Une. "Heero's going to miss the holiday party?" Wendy asked with a frown. "I don't see why. The party is the day before the address," Duo said. "That gig takes a lot of prep," Bernie said. "He'll have to leave at least the day before, if not two." There hadn't been a credible threat against the Princess in over a year, so there was no reason Une needed to send a top agent like Heero, unless he was requested. Then Duo remembered that Heero hadn't attended last year's party either. He'd had a solid excuse then, too. If he didn't know better, he'd think that Heero was purposefully avoiding the holiday party and the holiday along with it. "I'm gonna talk to that guy," Duo said, set on giving Heero an earful. "If anyone can give him Hell, it's you, Maxwell!" Bernie said, laughing. A lot of the agents depended on Duo to be the middle man between them and Heero. They were intimidated by him, by his reputation as the Savior of the Earth, and that damn glare he gave them across the conference room table. Duo rather liked that glare. It gave him chills when Heero dug in his heels on matters of mission safety and security. There was something about Heero's focus and intensity that made Duo weak in the knees, but that was another matter entirely. This was about Heero not attending a holiday party that Duo had planned! With a determined gait, Duo headed through the office waving here and there to fellow agents and administrative assistants, but not pausing to chat with anyone. As he rounded the corner onto the Alpha Squad's office, Duo spotted Heero at his desk talking on the phone. He waited for the call to end before descending on his partner. "What's this about missing my party?" Duo asked as he stood in front of Heero's desk with his hands fisted on his hips. "It's your party now?" Heero chuckled as he rolled up his shirt sleeves. "You're damn right it is." Duo was the chairperson of the party committee this year, and he'd gone to great lengths to ensure it would be the best party Preventers had ever seen. It took some talking, but he got Director Une to agree that spending a little more would do wonders for morale. Not that it was low, but he made her see the party as an insurance policy to keeping morale up. Une had been caught off guard by Duo's charm, and what she referred to as "remarkable diplomatic skills." Next thing he knew, she increased the party's budget enough for him to book a banquet hall at one of the nicest hotels in Bremen, including reserving a block of rooms in case anyone wanted to drink… a lot. They worked hard, and risked their lives to keep the Earthsphere safe; it seemed only right to let them have a little fun once a year. "It's nothing personal," Heero said, leaning back in his chair. "I'll be otherwise engaged." "Can't Relena ask someone else to protect her?" Heero shrugged. "Come on, it's Christmas. Wouldn't it be nice to celebrate … together?" Duo heard the pleading tone in his voice and cringed. "Together?" Heero asked, his voice softening slightly. "Uh, yeah—" "You heard him," Bernie said, appearing out of nowhere and throwing his arm around Duo's shoulders. "We're all gonna celebrate at the Grand Lux Hotel!" "The party's at a hotel?" Heero asked. "I got Une to increase the party budget." "This guy got us a hotel," Bernie said, giving Duo a squeeze. "And rooms for the night!" Duo laughed nervously as he wiggled out of Bernie's buddy hug, but by then Heero's attention had returned to work. His blue eyes fastened on the computer screen and his fingers moved at lightspeed across the keyboard. Bernie wandered off and Duo sat down at his desk across from Heero's. He spent the remainder of the day working with barely a word between them. Had he gone too far questioning Heero's choice of assignment? ~ ~ ~ At exactly five o'clock the day before the party, Heero turned off his computer, slipped on his Preventers' jacket and got up from his desk. "Working late?" Duo looked up from the transcription he was reading of a meeting between one of their undercover agents and an armaments smuggler. "I have an appointment …" He decided not to mention that it was about the party. "Are you heading out?" "Hn." "Okay. Be safe," Duo said. Maybe he should've wished him a Merry Christmas, but over the past week every time Duo had brought up the holiday or the party, Heero had retreated more into himself. It was confounding and a little sad. "I hope your party goes well," Heero said. "Thanks." Heero turned and headed out of the office without another word. It was 5:30 before Duo slipped off his necktie to head over to the hotel to review some last minute menu changes. Planning a kick-ass party for several hundred people had taken several months and a lot of work. Even with five other people on the committee, Duo had been saddled with a huge responsibility, but he relished it. He loved everything about this time of year: the soft falling snow, the twinkling lights on trees and in windows, and the general good cheer in the air and on people's faces. It warmed him to see so many people smiling and wishing each other "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Solstice." For a few weeks of the year, it was like everyone was one great big happy family. He wanted the Preventers holiday party to reflect all the goodness and sparkle of the season, and that feeling of unification. "If only Heero was here to share it," Duo thought as he got on the elevator. At the seventh floor, the elevator stopped and Director Une got on. "We're all looking forward to the party tomorrow night," Une said. "Yeah, me, too. I'm heading to the hotel to take care of a few more details." "You've certainly given this party your all." "I hope you don't think I'm neglecting my work." "Of course not," she said, sincerely. "If anything, I understand you've been clocking more hours to be sure everything gets done." "I guess so," Duo said, scratching his head in embarrassment. Brrring. Brrring. "Excuse me," Une said, answering her mobile phone. "Director Une here… Yes, Agents Clover and McGill departed an hour ago for Sanc… Thank you, Relena. I look forward to your Eve Address." She ended the call and Duo couldn't help but stare at her. "Clover and McGill are assigned to Relena?" he asked. "That's right. They did such a good job at the Inter-Colony Conference earlier this year that she requested them to handle the security at the Christmas Eve Peace Address." "What about Heero?" "Agent Yuy was not requested. I believe he's taken a leave of absence for the holiday." Duo's mouth dropped open. "You must've known. You're his partner." "Obviously, we're on a need-to-know basis," Duo said with a snort. He tried to laugh it off, but why had Heero gone to such great lengths to ditch his party? ~ ~ ~ It took every ounce of Duo's holiday cheer to put on a happy face for the caterer as they sat in the lobby of the Grand Lux Hotel. "We're very sorry about the asparagus appetizer, but the chef would like to suggest figs wrapped in bacon as a substitute." "Sounds wonderful," Duo said with a big, plastered on grin. It was after seven o'clock when their meeting ended. He shook the caterer's hand and reminded her that the committee members would be arriving early to decorate and to be certain everything ran smoothly. As he came out of the hotel's revolving door and onto the sidewalk, he was greeted by a winter wonderland. Large snowflakes were falling and beginning to stick to the ground and people's faces and hair. He pulled the collar up on his leather jacket and tucked his hands in his pockets and headed down the block to a sandwich shop. He'd have to remember to get his scarf and gloves out of his winter clothes box. The sidewalk was crowded with shoppers and merry makers, and one woman nearly knocked him to the ground in her holiday rush. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said. Her arms were full of bags bursting with gifts wrapped in silver foil and red bows. "Merry Christmas!" she said brightly. "Merry Christmas," Duo said with a nod, but he sounded less than enthusiastic. He continued along the sidewalk, hunkering further into his jacket as a cold wind swirled the snowflakes around the happy shoppers and carolers. The sound of holiday music and laughter spilled out from the stores. Normally, he'd be smiling and laughing, and sharing the energy of the season with everyone around him, but tonight he just wasn't feeling it. What were Christmas and a stupid party if you couldn't share them with the person who meant the most to you? Damn it, Heero. Duo swiped at his eyes, telling himself it was the sting of the winter air that was causing them to water. But could he blame the cold wind for the tightness in his chest and the lump in his throat? He went into the sandwich shop and stood at the counter waiting his turn. The shop had dozens of sandwiches on its menu and a glass display case filled with homemade desserts. The couple ahead of him was talking about getting a red velvet cheesecake to enjoy later that evening. It sounded kind of romantic. Duo's mind began to drift, thinking of him and Heero sharing a slice of cake at a candlelit table… "Sir? May I help you?" "Huh, me?" Duo asked, coming out of his cozy thoughts. "Yeah, I'd like your roast beef and cheddar on sour dough, and a corned beef and sauerkraut on rye. Oh, and that chocolate fudge cake." "The whole cake?" "Yep," Duo said with a grin. "Do you know where I can get some beer?" "There's a liquor store around the corner." Maybe he could salvage this Christmas thing yet. ~ ~ ~ Heero lived on a busy street lined with small shops and restaurants and apartments on the second and third floors. You could almost call this part of the city quaint if not for all the traffic that rushed through here day and night. It was one of the main streets that led to the heart of Bremen. Duo got out of the cab and looked up at the second floor apartment. The dim, bluish glow of a light, from a TV or a computer, was the only sign that anyone was home. "That's 12.50," the cabbie said. Duo leaned down and handed the man twenty. "Keep the change and Merry Christmas!" "Thanks! Merry Christmas to you and yours!" Duo took a deep breath as he turned toward the building. What was he doing exactly? He shook his head. He didn't want to over think it or he'd skedaddle back to his place without laying eyes on Heero. He'd been here a half dozen times or so, and knew that a resident had to "buzz" you into the upper floors. Tonight, a stealth approach was his best bet. He set his bags down, got a credit card from his wallet and jiggled it between the door and the locking mechanism and… the door opened. "Shazam!" Duo chuckled. On the second floor, he stood in front of door #2A, the flat that faced the street. He gave the door a good rap with his knuckles. "It's Duo." He waited a few seconds and rapped again. There was no response, and he began to feel a hole open up inside him. Was Heero ignoring him? "Come on, man! I ran into Une and she told me Clover and McGill went to Sanc. Just open the door already!" A heartbeat later the deadbolt unlocked and the door opened. Heero stood there in a gray sweatshirt, stonewashed jeans, and white cotton socks. "Hey," Duo said. "I brought dinner." He lifted the bags from the sandwich shop and the six-pack of beer and smiled. "How'd you get up here?" Heero asked, looking into the hallway. Duo laughed, and squeezed past Heero into the apartment. "You should talk to your landlord about the shoddy security." Heero closed the door behind them, and followed Duo into the kitchen where he was setting the bags on the table. "If you're here to talk me into going to the party, don't waste your breath." Duo spun on his heel to face Heero, who was standing in the kitchen doorway. "Okay, I won't ask you, but at least have the decency to tell me why you lied to me. I thought we were partners!" "I didn't lie to you, Duo. I simply didn't correct your assumptions." "Are you serious? Look, I've got a mind to punch you in the face right now." Heero took a step forward. "Do it. If it'll make you feel better." "Oh, no you don't. The last time you told me to hit you, you sucker punched me and left me on X18999." "You're still sore about that?" Duo rolled his eyes. He knew that Heero had a reason for everything he did. The trick was getting him to admit the reason. Duo grabbed a bottle of beer and twisted off the cap. "Want one?" Heero nodded and took the beer. "I got us roast beef and corned beef sandwiches. Want to split 'em?" Heero nodded again. Progress at last! Heero got some plates down from the cupboard and they put half of each sandwich on the plates and took their dinners and beers into the living room. Duo plopped at one end of the sofa and Heero at the other end. "I'm glad you didn't go to Sanc," Duo said, slipping out of his leather jacket. "Oh?" "We wouldn't be hanging out right now if you had." "Do you like hanging out with me?" Heero asked, sounding unusually tentative. "Sure. We should do it more often." Duo gave himself a mental kick. What kind of a response was that? He took a bite of his sandwich and talked around the food in his mouth. "The party's not going to be half as fun without you." "What about Bernie?" "What about him?" Duo asked, swallowing and washing down the roast beef with some beer. "Isn't he the life of the party?" Was Heero jealous of Bernie Baxter? That wasn't possible. Duo must have misheard. "Bernie likes to think he's the life of the party," Duo said with a laugh. "At least I can count on him to dance." "You like the way he dances?" Duo blinked. "I dunno, but he sure has a way with his hips." Heero shot up from the couch, his hands clenched at his sides. "Something wrong, Heero?" "Would you like another beer?" "Uh…" Duo looked at his bottle, still three-quarters full. "Okay." Heero disappeared into the kitchen. When a minute went by, then two, and not a sound came from the kitchen, Duo decided to check on his friend. He walked into the kitchen to find Heero standing at the table with his hands gripping the edge of it as though he was about to flip the table over. "Are you okay?" Heero sighed heavily and looked at Duo. "You're the life of the party, Duo. Everybody wants you." "Huh?" "Bernie wants you, and so does that girl from accounts payable." "What are you talking about? Bernie's not interested in me. And look who's talking? Wendy's been mooning over you for weeks, and half the operations decoding staff falls off their chairs every time you walk by." "How do you know Bernie's not interested? He was all over you last week." "Is that why you're not coming to my party? You're way off about this, Heero. Agent Baxter is a friend, and yeah, he gets a little clingy sometimes, but he does that with a lot of people." Heero stood fully upright and stared long and hard at Duo like he was doing a mental scan of him. "Since I found out you wouldn't be going to the party," Duo said, "it's been hard to keep my enthusiasm up." "But you've spent so much time planning it." "What difference does that make when the person you want…" Duo snapped his mouth shut, and his cheeks turned pink with warmth. He chuckled nervously and tried to deflect the conversation. "Hey, I brought dessert—" "Is it important to you that I go to the party?" Duo gulped. "Yeah." Heero took a step toward him. "Why is it important?" "How am I supposed to know? It just is! I was walking down the street tonight and all I could think about is how nice it would be to share that party with you, and Christmas… and the whole thing!" "What whole thing?" "Life, damn it! I want us to share our lives!" Heero blinked, and Duo's entire face turned bright red. "Wow. Did I just say that?" Heero nodded. "I think I'd better go." Duo started for the door, but Heero grabbed him by the wrist. He turned back and looked into Heero's eyes and saw something there he'd never seen before. "Heero?" Heero reached up and gently caressed Duo's cheek with the back of his hand, the touch taking Duo's breath away. "Since you didn't hit me for doing that," Heero said, "I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you that I want that life, too… the one with you." "I gotta sit down." Duo's hands were shaking as he grabbed one of the kitchen chairs and sat down hard. "Are you okay?" "Is there an echo in here?" Duo asked with a laugh. "I'm okay… I think." "Let me get you some water." "No, no. I'm good." Duo gripped his thighs with his hands, steadying himself. Odd how it felt like the world had turned upside down. It was a little like being in outerspace. "So, to be sure we're on the same page, we're both talking about…?" "Being together." "As in…?" "A relationship." "What kind of a relationship exactly?" "The kind where we're together!" Heero got down on one knee and covered Duo's hands with his. "I'm tired of pretending that all I want is to be your friend." "Heero…" Duo leaned towards him, slowly, their eyes locking. Go for it, he told himself. He grasped the front of Heero's sweatshirt, pulling Heero to him, bringing Heero's lips to him. He had wanted these lips for so long, but had never dared to imagine how they might taste and feel. Now he was lost in their sweetness. In Heero's sweet kiss. When they pulled back, Duo opened his eyes and was pleased to see Heero breathless and his eyes dilated. "Does this mean you're going to the party with me?" Duo asked. "With bells on." Heero grinned. "Well, you sure made me work for it." Duo grabbed Heero by the shoulders and planted another kiss on his lips. "It's nice to be able to do that." Heero placed his hands on Duo's waist and leaned in, nuzzling Duo's ear with his nose and lips. Duo laughed. "That feels good." "I have a feeling we're going to discover a lot of things that feel good." "Oh, man…" ~ ~ ~ The next day, Duo kept glancing at Heero's empty desk, and sighing like a lovesick puppy. He wished Heero had reconsidered the time off, but maybe it was best. Duo doubted he'd get any work done with Heero sitting there. Things had heated up quickly between them the night before. After several minutes of kissing in the kitchen, they moved to the couch for some necking and heavy petting. That's when he discovered that Mr. Yuy was a top. Hopefully that was negotiable, but right now, Duo had more immediate concerns. He couldn't stop thinking about how it felt to have Heero's hands down his pants. Sweet-mother-of-all-things-that-were-holy it had been an experience for the ages. The way Heero had unfastened Duo's belt, unzipped his pants, and slid his hand inside and wrapped it around Duo's… "Duo? Did you hear me?" Duo jumped in his chair, banging his knee on the underside of the desk. He looked up, his lust-fogged brain struggling to form words. "Uh… Miss N-Noin." "Are you alright?" Lucrezia Noin asked. "You're flushed." Duo laughed nervously. Thank the stars the desk was hiding the bulge in his pants! "I was just thinking… about all the things I need to get done for the party." Well, it was partly the truth. "That's why I'm here. I understand you stored the decorations." "Yeah, I locked them in the supply closet." Lucrezia tilted her head. "Locked? You thought someone would steal our decorations?" Duo shrugged and then fished in his messenger bag for the key, tossing it to Miss Noin. "I can help you with that… in a minute." "It's alright, Duo," she said with a little laugh. "I've got Santa's helpers." "You do?" "Zechs and Wufei, of course," Noin said with a wink. ~ ~ ~ Duo shrugged out of his heavy wool pea coat as he entered the lobby of the Grand Lux Hotel. For the party he had dressed in a dark gray suit jacket and slacks, buttoned-up white shirt, complemented by a forest green-colored wool vest, and black leather boots. His heart pounded with anticipation of the night to come. He wanted everything to go perfectly, but most of all he wanted Heero at his side, having a great time. Inside the ballroom, Duo was awed at how the decorations had transformed the beautiful room into an ice palace. Lucrezia had assembled a team of ten volunteers to bring the committee's vision into reality. The hotel had provided a large ice sculpture of a reindeer, which was placed at the entrance to the hall, but the rest of the decorations were the work of Duo's committee. Twinkling strands of white lights were hung about the room, and wrapped around potted evergreens placed in groupings throughout the hall. Duo chuckled thinking that the sparkling cluster of trees would make an ideal place to sneak a kiss from Heero. The dozens of round tables were covered in white tablecloths and topped with pillar candles of differing heights, snowball-shaped candles, and bouquets of pink peonies and greens. Then silver and gold star confetti and fake snow were liberally sprinkled on the tables, creating a shimmering glow. "You outdid yourselves," Duo said to Lucrezia and her team. "Thank you, but you deserve the credit," she said. "You have a gift for leadership." "Just a love for a good party," Duo said, chuckling. Seven o'clock and the start of the party came quickly. Preventers' employees and their dates began arriving, and Duo went to the lobby to wait for Heero, while playing host and greeting a large number of the guests. He didn't know all of them by name, but it was nice that so many thanked him for his work on the committee. At last, Heero arrived. He stepped into the lobby shaking snowflakes off his overcoat and out of his hair. He looked dreamlike, and suddenly Duo thought he had imagined everything that had happened between them. Then their eyes met and Heero smiled, and he knew it was real. "Hey," Duo said, walking over to him. They stood facing one another, just looking into each other's eyes. They couldn't touch, not here, in front of everyone. "You look great," Heero said. "Thanks." Duo coughed nervously. "The coat check is over here…" As Duo turned a little jingle was heard. "What's this?" Heero asked with a small laugh. "You tied a bell to the end of your braid?" Duo smiled brightly. "'Tis the season! You like it?" Heero nodded, and Duo noticed his fingers twitch. "You can touch it… later," Duo said with a wink. He made a quick dash for the coat room accompanied by the sound of more jingles. As Heero removed his coat and handed it to the clerk, Duo was able to ogle him without being too obvious. "Nice suit," Duo said. Heero looked trim and very stylish in a navy suit, navy plaid shirt and green tie, and black leather shoes. Entering the ballroom, they tried to act casual and appear as though nothing had changed between them. Despite their efforts, people smiled and gave them knowing winks. "Are we that obvious?" Heero asked. Duo shrugged, but he was glad of it. Everyone was in a party mood, mingling and drinking champagne. For dinner they enjoyed roasted beet salad, grilled wild duck breast, pork tenderloin, and mushroom risotto. "Are you glad you came?" Duo asked Heero. "Of course." "What kept you from coming last year?" "The same reason I wouldn't have this year," Heero said. "Oh?" Just then, the DJ introduced himself and started the second-half of the night with some rocking holiday music. Dessert had yet to be served, but that didn't stop people from getting up to dance. "You want to?" Duo asked over the music. Before Heero answered, Lucrezia came over and asked Duo to dance. Heero encouraged Duo to accept and the pair went onto the dance floor with dozens of other couples. It was silly fun to be dancing with a superior, but Miss Noin had never flaunted her position in Preventers. "So… you and Heero?" she asked. "Huh?" Duo asked, shocked by her directness. "It took you long enough." She chuckled. "I thought it was against policy…" Lucrezia shook her head. "Discouraged, but not prohibited. You two will make it work." "Thanks, Miss Noin." She patted his cheek and smiled. "May I cut in?" a husky voice asked. Duo turned to see Zechs Merquise standing there, wearing a white tuxedo. The man had a tendency to dress like he was still living in his palace in Sanc. Zechs took Lucrezia's hand and kissed it. Duo stepped back, a little awed by the affection that chaste kiss implied. He turned to make his departure and nearly bumped into Heero. "Would you like to dance?" Heero asked. Duo laughed in delight. "Of course!" A new song started, the classic "White Christmas." It was a slow song and all the couples stepped closer, holding hands or putting their arms around one another. "We don't have to," Duo said, feeling awkward. "I want to," Heero said, holding up his hand for Duo to take. Duo grinned and with his heart beating hard against his chest, he placed a hand in Heero's and the other on Heero's hip. They moved around the dance floor, conscious of the other couples and the glances they were getting. "We're causing a stir," Duo said. "I don't care." "Heero…" Heero pulled Duo closer as if daring anyone to break them apart. They shouldn't have worried. Their colleagues had a great deal of respect for them as former Gundam pilots and as superb agents. As couples glided around them some nodded, others reached out and patted their backs. "They seem glad about us," Duo said. Heero nodded. "May your days be merry and bright… And may all your Christmases be white." The song ended, and the DJ turned up the beat. "Let's skip this one," Duo said. He and Heero left the dance floor to mingle and enjoy a slice of orange and cranberry cake. The rest of the evening was filled with conversation, laughter, more dancing and drinking. Toward midnight, Duo noticed some of the couples leaving the hall, no doubt to snag one of the rooms for the night. "I thought we might get a room," Duo said, taking Heero's hand and leading him toward the lobby. As they passed one of the cluster of evergreens, Heero put the brakes on and pulled Duo behind the lighted greenery. He kissed Duo full on the mouth. "Mmph…" Duo pulled back, his cheeks burning. "Whoa, Heero…" "I've wanted to do that all night." "Why didn't you say so?" Duo asked, chuckling. "Would you mind if we didn't get a room?" A lump formed in Duo's throat. Oh, no. Did I screw something up? "I'd like it if you came to my place tonight." Duo blinked. "You would?" "Can you leave now? I know it's your party…" "Yeah, sure. Miss Noin can handle anything." They snuck away to get their coats, bundled up, and stepped outside into the frigid night air. Heero hailed a taxi and they slid into the backseat. He took Duo's hand, their gloved fingers intertwined. Duo gazed out the taxi's window, then to Heero, and back out the window again. He was a bundle of nerves, bursting with wondrous anticipation. This was all so new. They had known each other how many years now? Four or five? But these feelings had been growing for a very long time. It was surreal to think they were finally acting on them. At last, they arrived at Heero's apartment. Duo looked up at the darkened window as he got out of the cab. Not a single light was on. It was the polar opposite of the shimmering holiday party they had just left, and he thought maybe they should've stayed at the hotel. Duo followed Heero inside the building, watching him unlock the inner door, and then trudged up the stairs behind him. Outside Heero's door, Heero turned to Duo, looking serious in the dim hallway light. "I probably shouldn't have taken you away from that party." "You having regrets about bringing me here?" "Not really," Heero said softly. He placed his hand on Duo's arm. "There's something you need to know about me." Duo gulped, and stared at Heero wide-eyed. "So tell me." "I'm a selfish man." "Huh?" "I knew the party was important to you, but I wasn't planning to attend." "Because you thought my dance card was full?" Heero nodded. "I'm glad we talked last night. I would've missed a very nice party. You should be proud of yourself." "Thanks." Duo smiled. "Now, are you gonna let us in, 'cause I really don't think your neighbors would appreciate us getting it on in the hallway. That's why you brought me up here, right?" "Actually, there was one other thing…" Heero turned to the door and unlocked it. He stepped inside first with Duo close behind. The apartment was dark, almost pitch black. Duo could barely make out shapes as he stood in the front hallway waiting for Heero to turn on a lamp light. Seconds ticked by and then with a click, a brilliant Christmas tree appeared before him. "Oh, wow," Duo said, as he gazed at the hundreds of colored lights and glass ornaments on the tree. "It's for you, Duo." Duo looked to Heero and his heart swelled with joy. "For me?" He could hardly believe it. He walked across the living room to where the tree stood six feet tall in front of the picture window. "It's beautiful." He took a deep breath of the fresh pine scent, and was mesmerized by the thoughtfulness of this surprise. Heero came to stand at Duo's side, putting his arm around Duo's waist. "I know how much this holiday means to you." Duo turned to face him. "You did all this and I didn't get you anything." "Yes, you did. You helped me see the true meaning of the season." "I did?" Heero's gaze softened. "It's about sharing it with the ones you love." Duo gulped. "That's what I've wanted…" Heero leaned in and kissed him. "It's after midnight." Duo glanced at the clock. "Then it's officially Christmas Eve." "We have the next couple of days to celebrate." "Our first Christmas," Duo said. "Together." Duo wrapped his arms around Heero and gave him a sweet lingering kiss. "There's a chocolate cake in the fridge." Heero chuckled as he embraced Duo more passionately. "We'll get to the cake later." ~ the end ~
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