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"25 Days of Gundam Wing"Written By: The Plotting Housewife Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to Bandai, Sotsu
and associated Parties. This work is written for pleasure not profit. Rating: R Warnings: humor Pairings: None Summary: Duo finally discovers what “Wassailing” means and recruits their ragtag group of friends to partake in this traditional custom. Prompt: Wassailing "25 Days of Gundam Wing " Chapter 7: Wassailing “Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green. Here we come a-wand'ring so fair to be seen…” “What the hell does "a-wassailing” even mean?“ Duo stared at the singing quartet of carolers as he and Quatre strolled through Sanq’s quaint shopping district. Christmas fever had hit like an epidemic and the entire kingdom looked as if Santa Claus barfed all over it. Twinkle lights were wound around absolutely everything that stood still and even some things that didn’t. Pine and holly evergreens hung over every door and window, wrapped around every post, hung from every eave and awning. Men in Santa costumes stood on every corner ringing old fashioned bells, their ho-ho-ho’s echoing off the buildings while passersby dropped coins into the little buckets at their feet. In the center of town was a giant tree, decked to the nines with lights, tinsel and giant silver and gold ornaments. A Winter Wonderland play area was designated for children, bordered with tall candy canes. Cotton covered the ground in giant mounds, masquerading as snow. The village children ran around screaming and shouting excitedly, climbing up onto plastic play structures, and flying down big red slides. At one end, another Santa perched on an ornate golden throne. Little ones were lined up as far as the eye could see for the opportunity to sit on his knee and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Women dressed as elves ushered them to Santa’s lap, took a photo, and then brought them back to their mothers after handing them a candy cane which they clutched in mitten’d hands. Parents gathered around snapping pictures of their little Billys and Sallys, coaching them from the sidelines. "Sit still!” “Stop crying!” “Smile!” Duo, who usually loved this time of year, seemed uncharacteristically glum, so Quatre decided to make an effort to cheer his friend up. He suggested a walk through town to take in the sights followed by lunch at one of the cafes. “Well, it has two meanings actually. In this context, it means to carol. You know, walk around singing Christmas carols.” “So then why the hell don’t they just say "caroling”? Here we come a-caroling…has a better ring to it and then people aren’t asking what it means all the time.“ The blond sighed, exasperated. "I don’t know, Duo. I didn’t write the song.” “Hmmm. So what’s the other meaning?” “Wassailing also refers to an old English custom of visiting apple orchards and singing to the trees to promote a good harvest.” He threw his head back and cackled. “Are you serious?” “Duo,” Quatre admonished gently. “Yes, I’m serious. It was a very common practice a long time ago. People were much more superstitious back then.” “I guess in that case, "wassailing” sounds better than, “I’m singing to the trees so they won’t be mad at me and give me bad apples.” “Yes, I suppose it does,” Quatre chuckled. “How the hell do you know all this crap anyway?” He lifted his shoulder in a shrug. “I have an eidetic memory. My tutors were always pumping me full of information. I remember everything I read, so all that stuff, trivial, or not, sticks with me.” Duo’s eyes widened. “Wow, really? That’s interesting, but somehow not surprising.” They veered off into a coffee shop and ordered couple of sugary coffees topped with dollops of whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate and caramel. “Hey, Quat. You think you can help me get everyone together tonight?” “Uh, sure. Why?” “‘Cause you’re really good at that sort of thing.” “No, I mean, why do you want to get everyone together?” Duo’s eyes twinkled, though Quatre couldn't be sure if it was just the Christmas lights strung through the shop’s rafters, or if it was because his brain was formulating some harebrained idea. “I have an idea.” Quatre groaned and dropped his head into his hands. “Allah, I hope this isn’t something I’m going to regret.” “Now, when have you ever regretted implementing my ideas?” Quatre’s head shot up, leveling a narrow-eyed gaze on his friend. “Oh, let’s see…” He stuck his gloved index finger into the air. “What about the time I helped you play that Halloween prank on Wufei that nearly got us both thrown off that bridge?” He uncurled his middle finger. “Or how about the time you talked me into skinny dipping in Salt Lake City and we were arrested for Public Indecency? Or, the time -” “Okay! Okay, so…maybe not all my ideas are well thought out, but…I promise you this is not one of them. Okay?” Quatre stared at him suspiciously, scowling at Duo’s guileless expression. “Pleeeaaase?” “Oh, alright. But if this goes badly, I’m never helping you again.” “Fair enough.”
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“You’d better have a damn good reason for bringing me out here in this cold, Maxwell.” Wufei was huddled on a corner bench in the park where Duo and Quatre had gathered their friends and acquaintances. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself and glowered at Treize who stood ten feet away, glaring right back. “Well, okay guys,” Quatre began cheerfully, clapping his hands to get their wandering attention. “We’re going to do something fun. We’re all going to go a-wass - uh, we’re going to go Christmas caroling,” he informed them, grinning from ear to ear. Duo, who stood beside him, mirrored his hopeful enthusiasm. Silence. Somewhere, a cricket chirped. Which should have been impossible considering it was winter. Quatre wondered if it was an omen of some kind. ”…What?“ Une, who’d appeared to be sleeping on a nearby bench only moments ago, lifted her head up and glowered at them with bleary, baleful eyes. "You woke me up for this?” “Oh, c'mon, guys! It’ll be fun!” Duo clapped his hands and jumped on the balls of his feet, trying to wrangle some good cheer from the grumbling group. Zechs sniffed, looking down the long, regal slope of his nose. “I do not see the humor in this.” Quatre tried a different tactic. “Alright, look. I think it’s time we all settled our differences. We should be setting a shining example of burying the hatchet for the sake of peace. What better way than to share the spirit of Christmas with the people of Sanq?” Treize sneered, “I don’t think getting stabbed qualifies as a 'difference’,” he hissed, his fingers curling in a gesture of air quotes. Wufei groaned, throwing up his hands in frustration. "It was three years ago! Catalonia stabbed Winner! Do you hear him complaining?” Dorothy jerked upright, affronted and pointed an accusing finger at Quatre. “He blew up a colony!” Quatre turned on her. “Hey! It was evacuated. Excuuuse me for being a little upset about my own colony killing my father right in front of me.” The group dissolved into a senseless free-for-all of hollering and finger-pointing. Duo watched helplessly, his heart plummeting in his chest. Heero, who was silently watching all of this, finally snapped. “Everybody, shut the fuck up!” Shocked silence settled upon the bickering group. “We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. Nothing is going to change that and none of us is better than the other. I don’t care what hang-ups any of you are still harboring. For the sake of this evening, we’re all going to suck it up, and go sing some fucking Christmas carols and we’re going to fucking smile and enjoy it. Are we clear?” Mollified by the once Perfect Soldier’s signature death glare, they shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot. Heero’s expression darkened even more which prompted them to nod their heads and petulantly mumble affirmations. “Good. Now, let’s put on our best happy faces and go wassail, or whatever the fuck it’s called. Move it, people!”
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