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"High Rolling"Written By: ShenLong Disclaimer: I don't own the Gundam boys, they belong to Bandai, Sotsu and associated parties. I just borrow them from time to time and return them a whole lot happier. I have also used inspiration from the Cirque Du Soleil show 'Zumanity' for this fic without permission; also several of the hotels that will feature in this fic are real. No disrespect is intended to the show or the hotels. Written for pleasure not profit. Rating: NC 17 Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3 Warnings: Yaoi, Lemons, limes, angst, sap, OOC, AU, gambling Summary: Duo is a multi millionaire having made his money in computer games and is working himself into the ground. Hilde, his secretary and best friend convinces him to take a vacation – to Las Vegas. Dedication: To Leslie, not only for giving me the plot bunny and breeding said plot bunny by taking me to see the show but for also being a wonderful friend and excellent 'tour guide'. Hope you enjoy what Fred did with the idea, Les! *hugs* Betaed by the ever patient Karina *snugs* Archive: www.gundam-wing-diaries.foreverfandom.net Anyone else please ask.
"High Rolling" August. 2015 ShenLong Chapter 19 “What a charming place,” Wufei stated as they entered Gladstones and were escorted to a table. “It's a cool place to eat and has gorgeous views of the bay,” Hilde said as she took her seat. Seeing Wufei looking out of one of the large windows with a frown on his face, she added, “The view is obviously better during the day.” “One would hope so, although it's not too bad for the evening,” Wufei replied. Although it was dark, there were several lights scattered around the bay area that gave it a warm feel. The smell of the salt air and the gentle breeze along with the occasional gull cry and wave crashing against the beach added to the atmosphere. “Welcome to Gladstones. I'm Joanie and I'll be your waitress for this evening,” the young girl said as she poured them each a glass of water and then handed out menus. “Ill give you a few minutes to take a look through the menu and decide what you would like to eat this evening. Whilst you're doing that, can I get you anything to drink?” Duo and Heero both ordered a beer whilst Wufei and Hilde opted to share a bottle of white wine. With the waitress off filling their drink order, the four studied their menus. By the time the waitress returned with their drinks, the four were ready to order. Hilde and Wufei had both decided to go with the fish and chips, Duo and Heero decided to be a little more adventurous and ordered the medium platter to share. When Hilde had pointed out that given Duo's appetite, Heero would be lucky to get any of the platter at all, Duo had retorted by telling the woman he was making sure he would have room for dessert. “Oh man, you have to try the hot fudge sundae,” Duo told Heero, his eyes glazing and almost drooling at the thought of the sweet treat. “I'll have to see if I have room for it,” Heero replied in an amused tone. “We can always share one,” Duo smiled. “You. Share?” Hilde snorted. When both men looked at her, she fixed her gaze on Heero. “Last time he had one of those, I tried to get just a spoonful to taste. I almost lost my fingers.” “A man's hot fudge sundae is sacred,” Duo growled, “Unlike my linen closet or underwear drawer.” “Your linen closet?” Wufei questioned. “Your underwear drawer?” Heero asked at the same time. Both men were clearly lost by the turn in the conversation. “Yeah, seems that someone likes to go snooping through my linen closet, and if that's not bad enough, she poked around in my underwear drawer too,” Duo stated with a huff. “ Ohh... Now that's a low blow,” Heero agreed. “You went through his underwear drawer?” Wufei asked, turning to look at Hilde who was beet red by this time. “It's not what you're thinking,” she managed to squeak out. “Really?” Duo quirked an eyebrow. “You mean you weren't fossicking through just to check out what wonderfully, sexy underwear I have?” “You don't have any sexy underwear, Duo. All you have is plain boxers in neutral colors,” Hilde huffed. “Should I be worried?” Wufei asked, amused by the conversation. “Not unless she has a fetish for my underwear,” Duo said with a cheeky grin. “No one gets to see or play with your underwear unless it's me,” Heero growled possessively. Hilde held her hands up in surrender. “I was only putting his laundry away, I swear. It's a bit hard not to see what's in a drawer when you have to open it to put away clean laundry.” “That's your excuse and you're sticking to it, I presume?” Duo teased. Just as Hilde was about to come back with something scathing, Joanie appeared at their table with their order and the four began to eat. During their meal the four discussed everyday, mundane things such as what they'd been up to that week. Wufei and Heero's week had been pretty much the same as always; practice, shows, sleeping and eating. Hilde helped Duo with his description of his week, enlightening the other two men to Duo's foul mood after his meeting with the company directors that made and marketed his games. “It is a shame you can't strike out on your own,” Wufei stated after Hilde had filled them in on the aftermath of the meeting. “Believe me, Wufei, if I could afford to do it all and knew what I was doing, then I wouldn't hesitate to put together my own company. I'm afraid that when it comes to the business side of things I'm pretty much a fish out of water.” “A good accountant would be able to help you with that. Also a business adviser would be a good idea,” Heero offered. “I know, and trust me when I say I have done a little research into it all,” Duo replied glumly. “Surely there wouldn't be that much involved in setting up your own company?” Heero questioned. Duo sighed and wiped his mouth with his napkin. Taking a drink of his beer, he looked to the other two men. “It's actually a lot more involved than you'd think. I can dream up the games, plan them out and do the basic outline of all the characters, plot lines, scenes, background and such. Once that's done I need a team of tech savvy people to assist in refining the design and drawing of the characters and then putting all the graphics together. That requires some very sophisticated computer equipment and programs. Once the game is put together in its rough form it has to be tested, refined and any glitches dealt with. When that is completed the final graphics are added, the effects and soundtrack goes in and the final product tested several times to make sure it all works. If everything comes together okay a few master copies are made and then it's off to the production team for the game to be 'mass' produced. The marketing team then comes on line to set a release date, push and promote the new game, take the orders and distribute it to the various outlets for sale to the public.” Wufei gave a low whistle, even Heero looked impressed at the amount of time and effort that went into the making of a simple computer game. “Yes, I have enough money to purchase the sophisticated computer systems and software to create the games, but then I would need to hire more people to cover all the other aspects and that means a payroll. Granted the games usually do very well and I make a comfortable living from them, but to get such a venture off the ground, sustain it and keep it running until the first, so called 'pay check' comes in from the first round of sales means I need to have quite a bit of capital that I can access and use. I'm afraid I don't have that sort of funding,” Duo said and sat back, letting his words sink in. “If you really want to go it alone, I have some money put away, I can -” “No, Heero,” Duo quickly said, cutting his boyfriend off. “I appreciate the offer, really I do, but I won't take your money. No, I guess I'll just have to come up with a couple of lousy sequels to appease Khushrenada for now and think about what I want to do in the future.” “It's certainly a lot more involved and complicated than I thought,” Wufei said, his eyes showing a lot more admiration for Duo and his career choice. “There is more to it than what I've told you, but that's the basic outline,” Duo grinned. “Well, I don't know about you three, but I've had enough of the depressing, shop talk for tonight. How about we get some dessert and discuss what we're doing tomorrow?” Hilde chipped in. “Sounds good to me,” Duo said with a smile and turned to Heero. “You wanna share a hot fudge sundae with me?” “Oh, god, it must be real love if Duo's going to share a hot fudge sundae,” Hilde said with a fake swoon. “Usually if anyone so much as looks at his dessert, Duo will send them murderous glares. If that doesn't work, the threat of death by dessert spoon is usually enough to have them running for the hills.” “Surely you jest,” Heero said with a raise of his eyebrow in the direction of the woman. “I jest you not,” Hilde replied and folded her arms across her chest. Heero turned to look at his boyfriend, Duo did his best to give an innocent look in return. Heero narrowed his eyes in askance. Duo just shrugged. “What can I say? I like my hot fudge sundae.” * Dessert had been eaten and the group were now sitting back with full stomachs and enjoying a coffee, or in Wufei's case, a strong tea. “I still can't believe he shared his dessert with you,” Hilde muttered. “He even fed you!” Heero looked smug. “I guess you either have it or you don't,” he stated. Hilde rolled her eyes and decided to change the subject. “So, tomorrow. What time do you want to meet up to go to the pier?” she asked. “What time does it open?” Heero questioned. Duo snorted and when a pair of blue eyes looked in question at him, he spoke. “The pier itself is always open, it's the various attractions on the pier that have opening and closing times,” he stated. “I see,” Heero replied, feeling a little on the dumb side. “It all depends on what you want to do. There's several restaurants, the fun park, lots of shops, the walking tour, aquarium and other things, all of which have their own opening hours. Most things are open by around ten, some of the restaurants don't open until eleven and the walking tours are at eleven and noon and they take roughly an hour,” Duo said and turned to Hilde. “What say we meet for ten and head to the pier for ten-thirty?” “That's good for me,” Hilde responded. “Is that okay with you, Wufei?” “That would be perfect,” Wufei said with a smile. “How much is it to get on the pier and for the historical tour?” “It's free entry to the pier and the guided tours are also free, but a donation to the pier fund is always welcome,” Hilde advised. “It's just the restaurants, fun park and those types of things that cost money,” Duo said and placed his now empty coffee mug on the table. “You'd actually be surprised by the amount of free stuff there is to do there.” “I'm looking forward to it,” Heero said with a smile. “Excuse me if I sound ignorant, but don't they have a restaurant called Bubba Gump on the pier?” Wufei said. Duo grinned. “Yeah, they do.” “Bubba Gump, isn't that from the movie Forest Gump?” Heero asked. “Sure is,” Duo replied. “After the movie was so successful, someone came up with the bright idea of making the fictitious Bubba Gump shrimp factory into a reality in the form of a restaurant. I've not eaten there myself, but I have heard it's quite good. If you don't mind seafood again, we can always eat there tomorrow, although I'm sure they would have other things on the menu besides seafood.” “I don't mind,” Heero stated with a smile. “Wufei? What about you?” Wufei had a dreamy look on his face. “I would really enjoy that,” he said. Hilde gave her boyfriend a strange look along with Heero and Duo. Turning slightly, she whispered to the other two men, “I'll find out later what the deal is with Wufei and Bubba Gump.” Duo and Heero nodded in reply before Duo glanced at his watch. “Wow, I didn't realize it's getting so late. If we're all meeting up for ten in the morning I think we should be heading back home for some beauty sleep.” “And let's face it, you need all the beauty sleep you can get,” Hilde quipped. “You saying I'm not gorgeous?” Duo asked, tilting his head slightly, a dangerous look in his eye. “No, I didn't say that, you did,” Hide teased back. “But I know you, Duo. If you don't get enough sleep you're cranky, irritable and have shadows under your eyes.” “Well I happen to think you're hot regardless of how much sleep you do or don't get,” Heero chipped in with a hungry look at his new lover. Duo's cheeks pinked a little. “Thank you, Heero,” he said before turning his attention back to Hilde. “Beauty sleep is overrated. You might need it, but I don't, not when I have a god like Heero sharing my bed. Do you honestly think I'd be sleeping when I have an Adonis next to me?” “Adonis?” Heero blinked. Hilde gave Heero the once over. “Good point.” “Adonis?” Heero questioned again. “Uh, yeah,” Duo grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Umm, come on guys, I think it's time we split.” Having successfully gotten himself out of an awkward situation, Duo stood up and led the way out of the restaurant after paying the bill. * “Very nice,” Heero complimented when he joined Duo in the bedroom to find Duo in a pair of satin boxers turning back the covers of the bed. “Ah, you talking about the view or the choice of sheets?” Duo cheekily asked, turning to face his partner. “Both,” Heero replied and dove in for a kiss. The kiss soon deepened until Duo was squirming and pressing his now hard groin against his boyfriend's. Breaking for air, Heero quickly picked up his slender lover and marched over to the bed. With an evil grin, he tossed Duo to the bed... ...only to have Duo slide across the surface of the sheets and off the other side of the bed and onto his ass on the floor. “Ow! Shit!” Duo exclaimed when his backside hit the floor. “Shit! Duo? Duo, I'm so sorry, are you alright?” Heero scrambled around to the other side of the bed to assist his lover to rise. Getting up slowly, Duo took the offered hand, running the other over his abused backside. “Yeah, I'm fine, Heero. Just wasn't expecting that.” “Me either,” Heero replied and helped Duo back onto the mattress, a little slower this time. “Here, let me check the damage.” Heero slid onto the bed next to his lover, Duo pushing himself slightly across... ...and sliding a lot quicker than he'd anticipated. If it hadn't been for Heero's quick reflexes, he would have shot off the other side of the bed. “God dammit!” Duo swore. Heero dissolved into fits of laughter. “What's so funny?” Duo asked as he clawed his way back across the sheets to Heero, backside still throbbing and sliding all over the sheets. “We are,” Heero chuckled out. Seeing his lover cock his head in question, Heero elaborated. “It's the sheets, Duo.” “Eh?” Duo scratched his head, grabbing hold of the bed head with his free hand to stop his rear end from sliding down and putting him flat on his back – not that he would have any objection to being flat on his back, especially if Heero were to be looming over him. Heero shifted slightly to try and hug his boyfriend, and went sliding down the bed. “Fuck!” It was Duo's turn to laugh hysterically. Hauling himself back up, Heero elaborated on his earlier words. “The sheets are satin, correct?” “Yup.” “We're both wearing satin boxers, correct?” “Yup. But I don't... Ah, now I get it.” The light went off in Duo's head. “Exactly. Satin on satin equates out to no friction, just a slide.” “Well, that can be easily remedied.” Duo carefully slid to the side of the bed, swung his legs over and gingerly stood up. Hooking his thumbs under the elastic waistband, he pushed his boxers down his legs and off, stepping out of them and turning around in all his glory to face his lover. “Ohhh, nice,” Heero commented. Duo grinned and crawled back onto the bed. “Come here,” he murmured and grabbed for his lover. Heero slid easily across the sheets and into his arms. Unfortunately, as soon as Duo tried to grope his partner, the satin of his boxers, slid against the sheets and Heero was continuously mobile. “Talk about a slippery little sucker,” Duo muttered as he tried yet again to grope his boyfriend. Heero wasn't much help; he was laughing so hard he was adding to the slip slide around the mattress. “Those boxers have got to go,” Duo growled. “Either them or the sheets.” He also made a mental note NOT to put satin sheets on the bed again when Heero was visiting. Eventually Heero managed to calm down and the pair removed his boxers. “Much better,” Duo stated and proceeded to ravish every inch of Heero's delicious body. * * * “So this is the famous Santa Monica pier?” Wufei said, taking in the sight ahead of him. “Yes, it is,” Hilde replied, taking her boyfriend's hand in hers and leading him forward to set foot on the pier. “It's quite long,” Heero commented as they walked down towards the actual start of the pier itself. “It's not that long,” Duo replied with a smile. “If you want to go on the tour we should stop by the Visitors shop, it's by the historical carousel.” Wufei glanced at his watch. “It's ten-thirty, I believe you said the tours are at eleven and noon?” “That's right.” “Then I would suggest that those of us that wish to partake of the tour, head there now to ensure we get a spot.” “No problem, Wufei. This way.” Hilde tugged on her boyfriend's hand and pulled him along towards the pier's visitor center. “It's highly unlikely the tour will be booked out,” Duo muttered to Heero. “They don't mind how many are wanting the tour, they just take you all and split you up into smaller groups with a guide.” [1] “It sounds like fun,” Heero replied with a smile, wanting nothing ore than to hold Duo's hand but unsure of how that would go down not only with the braided man, but the general public too. They arrived at the visitors center, Hilde going inside and putting them all down for the tour. Stepping back out a few minutes later, she addressed the three men. “Okay, we're down for the tour. We have about twenty minutes to kill before we need to be back here for the tour. Want to take a look at the carousel?” “Sure,” Heero nodded for himself and Duo, the pair following Hilde and Wufei across the pier and into the Hippodrome. “The carousel is home to a wooden family of animals consisting of 44 horses, 1 rabbit, 2 sleighs, and 1 goat. The carousel was built sometime in the 1920s by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company and has been housed in the Hippodrome since 1947. The Hippodrome was built in 1916 and is the oldest building on the pier,” Wufei read off the small plaque to the side of the impressive carousel. “It sure is beautiful,” Heero commented as he gazed upon the wooden horses, all lovingly restored to their former glory. “It's certainly a unique piece of history and I'm am glad to see that the local county has the sense to recognize that fact too and preserved it,” Wufei stated as he looked in admiration at the carousel. “There is such workmanship gone into it, it would be sacrilege to let it decay and be forgotten.” “I didn't realize you were into history so much, Wufei,” Duo said with a curious look at the Chinese man. “History is a weakness of mine,” Wufei replied. “I do enjoy seeing and reading about all manner of things in the historical realm.” Duo nodded. “That's a good thing,” he agreed. “There is far too much of our history being lost in the advance of today's world and it would be a shame to have so many significant things disappear completely. Fortunately there are many people that also recognize this fact and are doing their best to try and preserve the history and past cultures of our country and society.” Feeling the mood turning a little somber, Hilde stepped in. “Okay, boys, it's time we headed back to the center for our tour. I'm sure the tour guide will be more than happy to enlighten us all with the history of the pier.” As they filed out, Duo couldn't help but think if Wufei started to question the tour guide in relation to the pier's history, he would suddenly find himself with a new best friend. The tour guides were a wealth of information and loved nothing more than to talk endlessly about the pier and the transformations it had undergone over the years. * * * The rest of the day passed fairly quickly and enjoyably for the group. The tour was most enlightening, Wufei pleasing the tour guide to no end with his respectful questions and obvious interest in the pier. Duo thought the tour guide was going to cry when they finally managed to drag Wufei away such was the depth of the discussion between the two. They walked around the pier, checking out Pacific park and enjoying a couple of rides. The aquarium had been visited and a return to the carousel saw the four have a ball riding the historical merry-go-round. A late lunch come early dinner was had at the promised Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant on the pier itself. Neither Hilde or Duo had been there before and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and service, not to mention the selection. When questioned about his interest in the restaurant, Wufei had sheepishly admitted that he loved the movie Forest Gump and once he'd heard that the restaurants based on the movie company were going to become an actual reality, he'd dreamed of dining at one. Now he'd gotten his wish and hadn't been disappointed. With their trip to the pier over the four made their way off the pier and back towards the apartment block. Discussions were held as to what to do the following day and after much back and forth suggestions, they finally settled on going to visit Universal Studios. Heero and Wufei's flight back to Vegas wasn't until late evening on the Sunday so the pair would be able to enjoy a full day at the Studios. With all the arrangements made, the two couples split at Hilde's door to enjoy the evening with their respective partners. Stepping inside his apartment behind Heero, Duo turned to lock the door when a pair of arms snaked around his waist and he felt himself pulled against a hard chest. “I've been wanting to hold you and kiss you all day,” Heero murmured into the long haired man's ear. “You have no idea how much I've wanted the same,” Duo replied before stealing a deep kiss. By the time the pair broke for air, they were flushed and half way aroused. “Bedroom?” Duo asked with a sly grin. “Of course,” came the needy reply. “I changed the sheets,” Duo snickered. “Thank goodness for that,” Heero whispered. The pair began a slow walk towards the bedroom, kissing and groping as they moved when Duo's cell suddenly went off. Duo groaned and fished in his pocket for the contraption. “Whoever it is, get rid of them quick,” Heero murmured with a lick to Duo's neck as he released his lover. Duo groaned. “I'll do my best,” he replied and groaned again as Heero let him go and with an enticing sway to his hips, made his way inside the bedroom. Pressing the button, Duo put the
cell to his ear. “Maxwell speaking. Ah, Mr. Winner, what can
I do for you?” tbc... [1] I'm not sure if the tour guide company actually splits the tours into smaller groups if there are a lot of people so I'm claiming poetic license here. All information on the Santa Monica Pier and Gladstones Restaurant is taken from my own memories of visiting the places a few years ago and from the following web sites:
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