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"The Meaning of Life"Written By: SkyLark Warnings: AU, Neko, male pregnancy, sap, angst Rating: R Archives: http://www.gundam-wing-diaries.150m.com/gw/SkyLark/gwSkyLark.htm
and http://www.mizunoamy.bravepages.com/skylark/skylarkfics.html DISCLAIMER: I do not own Gundam Wing, or its characters. I just love playing with them. Third fic in the Neko series
"The Meaning of Life" “Pickles?” Snickering over the line, Duo replied, “I know, it’s weird. I’m just… really craving pickles right now. Do you think you can do me a huge favor and pick up a jar or two while you’re at the store?” Heero smiled as he pushed the full cart down the isles with one hand and his cell phone in the other. “Not a problem, love,” he answered. “I’m just about finished with my run here, so I’ll be home soon.” The grin could be heard in the neko’s voice as he said, “Thanks, love.” After their farewells were exchanged, the call was disconnected. Closing his cell phone, the artist chuckled and shook his head in amusement. Just ahead of him with a packed cart of his own, Trowa smirked over his shoulder, “It sounds like he’s doing quite well.” “Yea,” Heero sighed in relief. “It was a rough few days for the both of us, but we've both pretty much let it go. We know how we feel, and there is nothing that’s about to change that.” Gripping the handle of his cart with both hands, he followed his tall friend around the corner to the refrigerated products. Strange as Duo’s craving for pickles was, considering the neko could take them or leave them before, Heero was just relieved that he was craving anything at all. Since their talk the morning after the trial, his lover’s appetite had finally returned. Knowing how badly his lover and their babies needed the nourishment, Heero would gladly see that he had whatever his heart desired. Once he picked up his promised jars of pickles, the Japanese youth led the way to the checkout counters. Their orders bagged and paid for, the two childhood friends made their way out to the parking lot. Careful to scan the area for any ears that may be around when they reached their cars parked side-by-side, Heero opened the trunk to his two-seater vehicle as he asked, “So did Dorothy have any strange cravings when she was pregnant?” Loading a couple of bags into the back seat of his family van, Trowa grinned, “Fruit and cottage cheese at first. And lots of it. She could polish off an eight-ounce container in a couple of hours. Then it changed into other cravings. Marshmallows, strawberry decaffeinated lattes, peppermint patties. Just to name a few. It’s interesting what the body suddenly needs when there’s a little one on the way.” Wincing, the tall young man commented, “Though making the runs for those things was a lot better than dealing with a hormonal wife.” An eyebrow raised, he turned to face Heero and warned, “You know you are going to have to deal with some mood swings over the next… how ever many months Duo will be expecting.” “It’s already starting a bit,” Heero informed as he finished packing away his bags of groceries. Closing the trunk, he said, “Now that he’s home on demanded rest, I’ve come in to find him crying watching a touching television commercial then in the next moment ready to pull his hair out because his fur is molting.” Trowa slid the back door to his van closed with a smirked, “All of those things are perfectly normal.” Head tilting, he shrugged, “Well, as normal as that added molting detail can be since he is a neko.” Gesturing to the sporty car his friend owned, the Latin young man inquired, “Think you’ll be able to say goodbye to your sporty car for a utility family wagon like mine?” Heero smiled brightly, “Actually, I’m looking forward to it.” Peering around the lot once more, he stated, “We just need to wait until the time gets closer, considering how it seems every move we make is being watched. It would look pretty strange for us to be purchasing a van out of the blue.” “Very good point,” Trowa nodded. Extending a hand, he grinned, “Good running into you. We’ll have to have you and Duo over for dinner one of these nights. I’m giving Dorothy a run at being the whiz in the kitchen.” As he neared, the artist shook his friend’s hand with a sincere, “That’d be great. I’ll be sure to let Duo know so we can work out a night. Thanks, Trowa.” Waving, the tall youth moved for the front seat of his van and drove off. Left alone, Heero looked to his sports car that he had owned for over three years. “Lots of changes are about to come,” he thought out loud. Just the thought of having a van of his own filled with three of his children had him smiling, “But it’ll all be worth it.” That dream of a family was more than worth any sacrifice and change that came. Having set aside the jars of pickles, he placed them in the passenger seat for safe keeping so that he could get them to Duo as soon as he returned home. * * * * Gently knocking on the door to their bedroom, Heero peeked inside just in time to see Duo in their bed wiping his eyes and turning the television off with his free hand. “Aw, baby,” he greeted with a small grin. “Did another program get to you?” Sniffling, the neko’s emotional state switched to half-hearted frustration as his eyes narrowed at the blank screen across from him. “I’m crying over a made up soap opera,” he sighed. “What’s wrong with me?” Jar in hand, the artist closed the door behind him and moved to the bed. Sitting on the edge beside his lover, he lowered his offering to the floor and smiled lovingly, “Nothing is wrong with you. This is all part of the fun of pregnancy, so we can only go along with the ride.” Gently cupping the braided teenager’s face, Heero wiped the last stray tear from his cheek and leaned in to kiss his lips gently. When they pulled away, Duo pouted, “I’m growing a paunch.” Looking down at himself, he gently poked his slightly expanding abdomen. “It’s not going to be too long before I’ll be as big as a house at this rate.” “And I will not love you any less than I do right now,” his partner reassured. Kissing the neko once more, he reached down for the jar he had brought in. “In the mean time, I have something for you,” he announced. Gasping at the sight of the pickles he had been craving, Duo instantly brightened as he exclaimed, “God, I love you!” In a rush, he reached for the offering and easily twisted the top open. Pulling out one of the treats, he crunched happily on it, his mood perfectly content as all was right with the world once again. Quickly finishing off a second pickle, the neko’s tail swayed behind him as Heero informed, “I have a bit of exciting news to share.” Chewing and swallowing a third stick of his snack, the braided youth sat up in attention. His cobalt eyes brightening, Heero said, “As a matter of fact, I got a call from the builder on the way back that all will be in order for the ground to be broken first thing next week. They said at this rate, providing all goes well, the home will be finished by the last week of September.” Biting his lip, Duo replaced the lid to the jar and set it on the table beside him. Tears of joy in his eyes, he leaned forward to wrap his arms tightly around his lover’s neck. “It’s all really happening, then? ” he whispered brokenly. “We’re going to be a real family with a real home of our own? ” Slowly enfolding his trembling partner in his arms, the artist turned his head to kiss his cheek. “It’s all going to work out,” he promised. “The construction will be finished before the babies come, so we’ll be more than ready for them.” “Thanks to you,” the neko commented as he pulled back, his face damp but glowing with a warm smile. “I know it wasn’t easy for you to have to pull the strings you did to move everything up by nearly a year, but you did it.” Winking, Heero kissed the tip of his nose and dried the wet trails away from the heart-shaped face watching him. “It was all worth it. And it really was not as much a pain as you think.” He took hold of the light blanket to peel it back and curled up beside his lover. Duo purred deeply as he snuggled close, resting his head on the artist’s shoulder. A sudden thought running through his mind, he asked, “Does my breath smell like pickles? I could brush my teeth if you want.” Just holding the other youth all the closer to him, the artist reassured, “Don’t worry about it. I still love you, even with pickle breath.” Closing his eyes, the braided teenager hummed quietly and drifted off for a much-needed nap feeling completely safe. * * * * Isis gasped as she looked up from the paperwork she
had been filling out at the front counter of her store. Smiling brightly,
she made her way around the little island and opened her arms to her
new customer. "It's so good to see you again, Duo," she
greeted with a tight embrace. Huddling together close, the couple looked over the images of the three babies taking such distinct forms. Tiny heads, arms and legs were distinguishable. And along with that, there were several other physical traits that had been spotted- namely a pair of tiny, folded cat ears and a couple of tails. All in all, so long as everything went accordingly, there would be one full-fledged neko like Duo. That baby’s siblings would only have either his ears or his tail. With a deep breath, Heero wrapped his arms around his lover’s shoulders. “They’re going to be beautiful,” he breathed into Duo’s hair. Small tears in his violet eyes, the studying lawyer leaned against him and nodded. Taking his lover’s hand, the artist gently tugged him from the table onto his feet to lead the way from the room. “So maybe we should really start discussing names,” he suggested. “Even if we don’t know the genders, we should have some options for each.” His face glowing with a radiant smile, the neko protectively held the pictures against his chest with his free arm with a quiet, “I like that idea. Let’s start with girls’ names.” * * * * Duo decided to make a private dinner for not long after
he had the ring that Isis in the end gifted to him. He had patiently
waited for the right opportunity to have the time to have everything
just right. Heero deserved no less. Cobalt eyes wide when he entered, the artist let out
a low whistle. Noting the only two settings, he turned his head to
meet the nervous violet gaze on him. "You did all of this for
us?" he asked softly.
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