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"Greeting Cards"Written By: Kaeru Shisho Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing
or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Yaoi, funeral practices, AU, fluff Pairings: 1+4, 1x2x1, 3+H, 5xH, 3x4, 6x9 Summary: Each chapter is based on Heero’s
greeting cards and Duo's mortuary. "Greeting Cards " Chapter 10 -- August Moon part 1 Fixing the morgue's cooler wasted the entire night. The repair man was "like on holiday, dude," and couldn't give a rat's ass about my plight. I had a contract, though, and his boss wanted to remain out of the court system, so repair-dude showed up, eventually. Meanwhile, as well insulated as it was, the crypt wouldn't stay near freezing without ice, so I would have to take the van out to buy bagged ice, leaving Heero alone in a smelly mortuary waiting for repair-dude. He was a trooper. Not repair-dude; Heero. I had this stab of unwarranted fear sudden and sharp enough to ask, "You'll be okay here while I run out for ice?" By which I meant: Will you still be here when I get back? "I'm fine." He wasn't the least bit uncomfortable being left alone in the mortuary. He said he'd just look around, mentioning something about "putting up wards". I had no idea what he was talking about, figuring he meant artwork, and that didn't make any sense either. I had rotting corpses to take care of so I just smiled and wished him luck. "Knock yourself out." "Protection wards." He repeated this, which was thoughtful of him, but damn if I could do more than try to assure him the dead would stay that way and that he had nothing to fear. I mean, how well did I know this guy and here I was leaving him to be the sole possessor of my business? "...tricky business that has more to do with shielding living souls from possession." "Say what?" My thoughts just collided with his lecture and the result was a word jumble. He just smiled. "I'll be fine. You'd best hurry." God, I nearly broke down at that smile and told him I was in love. He would have thought I was crazy, so I didn't. Instead I said something along the lines of "Okay, then I'm out on an ice run. Ring me if ...well... just 'if', 'kay?" "I ring you, 'if'. Oh! Do you have any sticky-notes? Those yellow pads with tacky glue along one edge?" "Yeah, on my desk. Help yourself." On my third run, after loading 17 bags of ice, Heero called with the news that the repair-dude had arrived. "The 'if' moment is now." "Cool. On my way." Adding another element to the story was the ventilation system. I had shut off the fans. The fans shared the circuit with the cooling system, possibly, I didn't know absolutely, but I shut it off for a reason. Heero and I had been outside in the heat all day long and we were none too fresh smelling. Add to that a couple ripening cadavers in the basement where the inoperable refrigeration unit was and the place carried a heady fragrance. Why had I done? Surely not to entice my boyfriend. No. It was to get the repair-dude to see the importance of getting his job done pronto. I think it worked. By the time I rolled up with my ice, he had the cooling unit torn apart and parts scattered on a tarp. "I'll have this done record fast," he promised. "Gawd awful stench." "If you'd come when I first called, it wouldn't be so bad now, and even with this ice, it's only gonna get worse." "Much worse," Heero added, catching my drift, and probably my odoriferous-ness, too. Heero and I moved upstairs to my office, a cubbyhole open to the cadaver keep where I had a desk, chair, and couch. In the past I'd camped out there when I hadn't a place to live—like after Solo's death. I'd lived secretly with Solo so when he died, I lost my lover, my home, and nearly my mind. I didn't want to think about him, though. I wanted to get to know Heero better. Instead, I said the first thing that came to mind. "Trowa said we should have seen Relena's face when you hauled me upstairs to your room." "She knows I'm gay. I've told her repeatedly, but she thinks it's a preventable condition or alterable with enough effort on her part." "She's still attracted to you, then?" Heero shrugged his indifference and did his own change of subject. "Did Trowa tell you if he had achieved anything with the hypnotism?" "He didn't learn anything of interest to me, or so he said. From what he didn't say, I think Quatre loved the challenge." I wanted off the topic of my ex-boyfriend and my employee, which I had inadvertently begun. "They're conducting more investigations this weekend, so maybe they'll make some progress." Heero smile warped wry at that and he commented, "Progress in what, exactly?" But he knew not to go there any deeper, and cast his gaze around the room. "I'm done." And then I noticed the hundreds of sticky notes plastered in my office, and through the open door I could see them hanging like fall leaves all the way down the hallway. "Ah, why are there sticky notes hanging all around the place?" With symbols on them in black magic marker. "O-fuda." Oh, fudge? I waited for more in the way of an explanation, but it was the repair-dude's muffled voice I heard, muttering through a handkerchief filter. "Mr. Maxwell? I found the problem." I was tired, crabby, and wanting to take a shower and to have some quality time with my crazy boyfriend, who had the need to decorate with an art form a bit beyond my reckoning, so I insulted the creepy repair-dude. "I hope you fixed the problem! Even I coulda found it." "Uh, huh, well, I fixed it." He lowered the handkerchief from his mouth. "I'll show ya." He showed me the burned out regulator and the line breaker to keep it from happening the next time the power shut down. I reset the thermostat and flicked on the ventilation. We stood and stared at one another; we understood one another for a second there as the refrigerated air blasted us, blowing our hair and freezing the sweat on my body. I had the power to make his working conditions hell. He had the power to make mine heaven. Lets all work together next time; at least, that was my take on the whole exchange. "It works." I pronounced the repair a success. "That's what I said." He collected his parts and tools, had me sign the work order, and left. Heero slapped a paper on my forehead. "Protection." "Do I have to wear it on my forehead?" "No, you can pocket it, but keep it on you." I looked at what he'd applied to me—another sticky note with an abstract stick figure in black ink. "Whatsit?" "Kanji." The heat rose up his neck contributing to two bright spots on his high cheekbones. "It says: 'Evil one go away' or the equivalent... in Japanese." "Oh yeah? Cool." And then I noticed the new look. All around the cadaver keep yellow sticky notes fluttered in the blowing eddies of cold air like living things, like butterflies. It was very...different. "Okay. Didn't know I needed anything like this, but what the hey? Can't hurt, right?" Well, maybe, maybe not. Trowa wasn't much for surprises or change. He liked things pretty static, which I could appreciate. If I'd lost my memories, I'd like to establish as much consistency in my life as possible. Even without the memory loss, I liked the workplace to remain stable, a constant in my life. Come Monday morning, he was going to be disturbed by the unexpected change, so I scribbled a short explanation (it had to be short since I had practically nothing to say) and pinned it to his coveralls. "Let's give it another few minutes to make sure the temperature stays even then we can go." "To your place?" Man, did he sound eager. I liked eager. I liked him. And I was terrified all of the sudden. He was too beautiful to take into my dismal apartment. We needed showers and mine was... When was the last time I'd cleaned it? Had I ever? Dear God almighty I couldn't take him in there! But I hadn't any alternative, or did I...? I could keep the light off. Did I have any candles? That could be impressive. No, special. Possibly. Certainly different. Well...yeah. It could lend an atmosphere of... yeah. What was left of my romantic inclinations just oozed out of me at that point. "You left your car up at the palace. We could taxi over. I think the buses have stopped for the night." We could. And then he tuned in to my overall mood change. "I know a bar where we could get a drink. I'm thirsty. And I know a place where we can cool off a few blocks away." "That sounds great." And it actually did. I checked the thermostat and all was fine, so I locked the door, while he ran down a cab. I think relief rolled off me with some sweat. I guess I wasn't ready to... What? Jump in the sack with Mr. Incredible? Possibly introduce him to some deadly disease growing in my shower? Stun him with my poverty-stricken existence while he lived in a palace? What in Gods name was I thinking when I invited him to my place? Well, what else? Sex. I was thinking with my mini-mind, Mr. Dickie. While I was losing it, Heero was commandeering a groggy-eyed cabbie. He pushed me into the vehicle and directed the driver to a well-lit street bustling with upscale nightlife. "Are we dressed okay for this place?" Translation: Won't folks notice that we stink like a sewer? "We're going out on the patio. It'll be fine." O-fuda protect me from the bouncer. It worked! We glided in the door and through the packed bar, past the dining room, and to the spacious patio seating area—and not once were we stopped and directed to the nearest exit. The French doors were open wide into the patio. Outside it was still warm. A street light shone in the distance, the light glancing off one glass door a sulfurous gold. There was not the faintest breeze and the garden drowsed in the scented evening air from overhanging arbors of honeysuckle and roses. On the tables, the candle flames glowed palely, striking soft reflections on the glasses. "This is cool. How didya find out about this place?" "It isn't far from the art museum. I walked past it many times and ate inside once. Champagne?" Heero totally blew me away sometimes. "Really, a beer would be fine." "Have some, please." Who was I to deny him? "Oh, okay." "I have a toast." I held my glass out and we clinked gently. "To Duo, my heart, happy birthday." And my heart, which he called his heart, nearly stopped beating. "H-how did you know?" Heero smiled. "Secret." "It's really tomorrow." "Look again." "Oh." It was two in the morning. Tomorrow had come. August first. "I got you a gift." "'Ro, you have absolutely floored me. I need nothing more." "When asked what he wanted for his birthday, the Yogi replied, 'I wish no gifts, only presence'," Heero said and then he smiled. And he handed me another card, this one was attached to the bottle. He must have planned to come here all along. I ripped open the undecorated envelope to find a simple ivory card. No art. Inside, it read: I promise to do everything in my power to bring you A year filled with good fortune in everything you do. A year that sees your wishes and dreams all coming true. A year to find contentment right from the very start. A year for all the special things you hold close to your heart. A year to just enjoy your life with never a regret., A year for making memories that you will not forget. May I be there to share each day's journey and bring you closer to your dreams? I laughed. I was so full of happiness I couldn't help it, especially when I realized that the champagne was wrapped in underwear, dark-red, silk boxers. It was as if I was a bit high, and I guess I was a little-- Heero had gone to my head. I was laughing so hard I cried, but he was looking at me with those earnest blue eyes, waiting for an answer. "God, yes. You couldn't force a separation now. You and me, we're tight." That made him smile and my world shook. If I could see that smile everyday for the rest of my life, I'd be satisfied with whatever else fate smacked me with. I considered just flat out saving a lot of time and asking him to move in and marry me, or whatever we could do to seal the deal, when he saved me from another rash act. "There's more." "There is?" Oh, my car back at the palace, my place, and death by filthy shower. "Ah, about my place-" "Let's go cool off." "Good idea, but--" "I know a place." Sure he did. We walked to a giant fountain. I'd seen it, heard its roar while rushing from one end of town to the other. Nice thing, but I wasn't gonna jump in a municipal fountain, though, I was beginning to wonder if my artist friend would and if he did would I follow him anywhere? I could see tomorrow's paper, my face plastered on page 5, the local news. "Gay sex scandal: formerly solid citizen Maxwell Mortuary owner, Duo Maxwell, found cavorting in downtown fountain with mysterious artist." Oh, jeez... "This way," he said, turning past the fountain, down a few steps, and around the other side of low border. I thought it was just the one fountain, but its outpouring circulated into inter-locking wading pools. I'd never before seen this place. The pools were totally obstructed by plantings and walls, although totally open to the public. Here and there the pools were lit with glowing, green, submerged lights. The waterfalls had a phosphorescent look. As many as a dozen other people, all young from what I could tell, dotted the shallows, dangling feet into water; even a few submerged their bodies in the deeper parts. "Escaping the heat," Heero told me as he stripped off his shirt. I stared. I couldn't rip my eyes away from the most perfect body God created. My favorite kind, too, wide shoulders, long sinewy torso narrowing past a washboard stomach to boney hips and... tighty-whities A/N: white cotton briefs. He took off his shorts and sandals and stood there in his underwear. "Coming?" He smiled and added, "in?" "Yup." If I could drag my body to action, that is. "What do we do with our stuff?" "Roll it up. Carry it. Follow me." "Ummmm." I liked his orders. I liked his ass. I liked him, a lot. I dipped my toes into the water, clothes and red silkies in a bundle under my arm. "Jesus! It's cold!" "Yes. Feels good, doesn't it?" "I can't feel my toes!" "You're not so bothered by the heat either, are you?" "You're so fulla shit." And we laughed together, kicked up a little water, and then he nudged me toward a waterfall. "Oh, no. I'm not going under that." He smiled and slipped around, going behind it! I followed him and ended up in a tiny cave, the water a veil of fluorescing light shielding us from the world. He took my clothes, stuffed them on high, dry ledge, and beckoned me to squeeze in beside him, coiling my braid on his lap. There, our feet chilled and our mouths sought out warmer company. Had the cement steps been softer, I would have been in his lap, as it was, we sat thigh pressed to thigh. I know if there'd been more light, I could've seen through his briefs. I wanted to touch him there, but I didn't, even though I don't think he would have minded. His chest was hard with muscle. His skin so hot it burned. His kisses deep. His tongue penetrating and as strong as the rest of his body. Not a single disappointment. And then we were shivering and had to get out. By the time we re-dressed into our limp, sweaty clothes, we were stifling in the unrelenting, moist heat again, but we'd had fun. Then I thought about the invitation I'd extended for him to come to my place. My awful place. "I don't think—" I began. His eyes met mine and he ran his fingers down my arm. I guess he was having as hard of a time keeping his hands off me as I was keeping my hands to myself. "I know. It will be impossible to find a taxi this time at night over here. I'll walk you to your car," he said. "We can go to your place when we haven't had such a full day. Is that okay with you?" God, I loved him. "Thanks. I wasn't thinking straight. I'd like to be with you more, but my place is kinda..." He silenced me with a fingertip to my lips. "It's all right. I'm glad you wanted me. I, ah, I'd have you come over but there's an event at the palace. I didn't think you'd want to make your entrance..." "God, no! Dressed like this? Good call." "You are welcome." He looked away and I wondered what he was thinking, and then he told me. "I studied you for months, there in the coffee shop, before we met formally. I know your body language well enough to determine when you are uncomfortable." God, he was an artist and no detail passed him by, I'm sure. "Not that I was invading your privacy! I wasn't that...creepy. You are so...stunningly beautiful I couldn't take my eyes off you." He was breathless, practically stuttering, and his expression so earnest-- he desperately needed reassurance from me. "'Ro, I'm not beautiful, but it's okay you think so and it's okay you looked at me. I mean, you were doing portrait of me and all. That's not creepy that's flattering." He looked so relieved. "Thanks. I know I can become a little intense." "You think?" I laughed and his powerful glare softened instantly, and with it spots darkened his high cheek bones. "Um, you know, it was the best birthday I can ever remember, even though..." "Even though it was not the right day?" "You knew..." I could have gazed into those kind eyes forever. "Close enough, though. It's the thought that counts, not thinking 'bout the count." "Yes, and it was fun with the firework show, right?" "Yeah, like that was all for me, in spite of the wrong day thing." And the morgue. "and the job getting in the way." "Working around the emergency at the mortuary was problematic. But I called the bar where I'd set up the table and champagne reservation and told them to push out the time, so that worked. Thanks for playing along." Pretending it was my actual birthday and getting the best birthday celebration ever? "Sure. So, does that mean I get another celebration on my actual birthday?" "Oh yeah. We'll go somewhere. Arrange a couple days off and we'll stay at a lodge or inn," he said, and then ran his fingers lightly down the side of my face. "Would you like that?" "Yeah." That sounded fantastic. My libido surged back at the thought of being alone with Heero, two days vacation, and a lodge in the mountains. I'm sure I was as dreamy-eyed as he was, standing there at the edge of the park in shadows cast by a far off streetlight. And then he had a hand in my hair. Under the August moon, he kissed me again. I flung my arms around his neck and ground my erection into his, making it absolutely certain how I felt about him. I don't think anyone was around to see, but that wasn't the point. (o) I did it. I protected Duo and his workplace. I surprised him and showed him a good time. I felt good. I really needed him to keep me grounded. With him I felt comfortable and my heart safe. The golden opportunity arose and I supplied protection from the dark realm. I hope that some day he will trust me wholly with his heart. I could tell Solo had hurt him. Duo was so open, honest, and affectionate. It was criminal to force him to submerge those wonderful feelings, which were bubbling just on the surface most of the time. I think Solo and Ty would have deserved one another. Maybe someday I'd tell Duo about Ty and then he'd feel like telling me about Solo. And then we'd do an exorcism thing. Do away with them completely, because if we don't and if we let them, Ty and Solo will haunt us forever. Living or dead, bad experiences like them remain in your head. Then we could ditch those guys forever and move on. I might even be able to hold his hand in public, if he wanted to, of course. God, it hurt not to just stay in his arms. He was so alive and kind and excited. I knew... I know he wants me and yet he doesn't make any demands. His body is hot and cut. I should try moving dead bodies for exercise. I think I'll like letting him take over. I can imagine his weight on me... He could have taken me anyplace and pounded my ass tonight, had he wanted to, but he had seemed uncomfortable about taking me home with him. I wanted to tell him I didn't care what his place was like, that I'd only see him, but then we did need to clean up and I hadn't packed a change of clothes. We might have arranged that, but I think he and I understood that we have no reason to rush. He understands everything about me in such a way that I don't have to tell him a thing-- he just knows. And he doesn't hide his feelings, not from me. He's letting me touch him and he trusts me. I adore him. Does he know that? Should I say it aloud? Would that scare him off? I think I can and he'll like hearing about my devotion. I think. I'll find us the perfect inn, the perfect place, then I'll tell him. That's the right setting and he'll appreciate m e waiting for the right moment. Not too soon or too late. Won't he? I guess I can't second-guess him totally. I just don't want to be too pushy and chase him away or too distant and lose his interest. Romance is so hard. No, it isn't. I'm thinking too hard. Just be myself. I should take it slowly, but rushing into things with him is so tempting! Still, there is no race. We have already found each other so we have already won. We can take our time to discover one another, inch by delicious inch. That's what I fell asleep that night thinking about—discovering Duo Maxwell. (o) "Hil'? Pretty late for you to be calling." I rolled over in bed to check the time on my alarm clock. "Been awhile, eh?" "Ages! I've left you dozens of messages and you never call back, which might be forgiven if it's because you're spending time with that hottie of yours." "I have, plus I lost AC at the shop." There was a long pause as my best girlfriend absorbed that, and then she let out a nasally "Eew! I'd lose every customer in two minutes if that happened to me. No one wants to try on clothes in a sweat. But your place, shit, Duo...that's nasty. Too bad that cut your night short." "Not too short. He stayed and put up ... kinda a work of art. More symbolic than anything else." "That's what is called 'conceptual art', you moron. Listen, I got news. Wufei's being recruited by the Preventers!" "The international peace keeping agency?" "Yeah, a big promotion. They do investigations and all and he's been highly successful." "Sounds great. Give him my congrats. Now, I gotta get some sleep so I can do some rescheduling. I'm taking a vacation." "No!" "Yes, a long weekend." "With your artist?" "Yes." "Be careful. You can be such a submissive, and don't deny it!" "I'm not denying anything, but with him it's not that way. It's like we're equal. Balanced." "Uh, huh. You see an equal and I see a a closet psycho. The moment he gets too domineering, scat, you hear me?" "Yeah, I hear you but I don't think he's that much of a chameleon. Whenever he tries to be a little assertive, in the next moment he folds and asks me if that was okay. He reads me like a book. We are so in sync; ya know how that can be? Well, not me. It's a first. Besides, he's stronger than a two-week old cadaver in the sun and has never hurt me." "He smells?" "No, I said... bad comparison, then. He works out, I think." "Hmmm... yummy body then? Promise me you'll call me when you're gone. Let me know things are okay?" "Things will be okay." "Promise!" "Okay, I'll phone ya at regular intervals. I'll even give you a run down of ...no... I'll give you a blow-by-blow description of what's going on." Silence. "Really? Can I record it? No, no, no! Take my laptop. It's gotta videocam. Now, I'll you'll need to do is..." "Forget it! I was joking. I'm not recording my private...affairs for you and you voyeur girlfriends to watch at your so-called book club meetings." "Oh... I know... You are never any fun. But I was serious about the keeping in touch part. Just in case." "I know. Love you too, babe. I'll let you know when and where and call you when I get in, were 'ere we go." "Thanks! Night then." "Night, Hil." And thanks for caring.
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