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"The Wedding Planner"Written By: Snowdragonct Disclaimer: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing or the characters, more's the pity. This is for fun...no profit involved. Warnings: AU, yaoi, some OOC, angst, potential lemon(s), sickening sappy fluff Pairings: to be announced, or it’d be too easy (but you know who I like) A/N: This idea hit me while I was driving somewhere, and I needed to start it before the inspiration faded. But it will take second place to Boot Camp and the sequel to Boot Camp, so I can’t promise regular or frequent updates. It’s probably totally predictable FLUFF, so you have been warned. And I’m trying out the world of first-person here, with point of view shifting between Heero and Duo (maybe others…not sure yet). Rating: NC 17 Summary: Heero isn't thrilled when Relena hires
someone to plan their wedding, but once he meets the young man, he's
downright unhappy. Duo Maxwell is friendly, good looking, and spending
way too much time with Relena...Heero's jealousy knows no bounds.
"The Wedding Planner"
Chapter Forty: Smooth Sailing? Duo’s Point of View Okay. Maybe the giraffe was a bad idea; but Quatre and I had been pining for the silly thing for ages. Another long story. But in all that time, I’d never seen anyone win the damned thing. I just had to have it. And actually, once we lashed it to the mast with our spare shoelaces, I thought we might have half a chance of getting it home without losing it in the bay. Heero shook his head, eyeing it dubiously. “It’s not going to be enough, Duo.” I frowned, and then on sudden inspiration, grabbed my windbreaker and threw it around the body of the giraffe, looping it around the mast for good measure, and tying it by the sleeves. “There.” “Needs more.” I had already changed back into my cutoffs…so I took my jeans and tied them around the giraffe’s neck, hooking it to the mast securely. Heero was grinning when I turned around. “You’re running out of clothes, Maxwell.” Did he look—hopeful? “Well how about if you contribute some?” I challenged. Oh yes. I am brilliant. Heero pulled off his shirt and tossed it at me, and I almost melted right over the side of the boat. He was fucking gorgeous. And I think he damned well knew it. I tried to act calm, cool, and collected as my shaking hands looped the shirt around the giraffe’s legs holding them against the base of the mast. I heard a chuckle as I fumbled to make a knot, and peeked over my shoulder to see Heero leaning cockily against one of the posts on the dock, his arms crossed over his chest, and the sun gleaming on his golden skin. Fuck! I was tempted to just jump into the ocean to cool off—kinda like a cold shower, only quicker. I swear the bastard knew I wanted him…and he was deliberately baiting me. I mean, shit. He knew I was gay. He had to know he was a stunningly handsome man. Did he think I was fucking made of ice? “Need a hand with that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “I hate you,” I muttered, finally pulling the knot tight and standing back to survey my handiwork. “There! That oughta hold him.” I heard a derisive snort. “You’re driving this time, Maxwell.” “Sailing.” “Trying to sail, you mean.” I studied the tipsy way the boat was bobbing in the gentle waves around the pier. It was gonna be a miracle if we got across the bay without capsizing. And I had a feeling my giraffe would turn into a dead weight if he got wet. Visions of a Coast Guard rescue danced in my head. “We are so fucked,” I sighed. “You could leave him here.” “I could leave you here,” I growled back. It was a total lie. I’d have been more likely to leave my arm behind than the sun-bronzed sex god in front of me. Heero stepped cautiously onto the boat, catching the giraffe’s tail to steady himself as it rocked alarmingly. His deep blue eyes shot me a skeptical look. “We’re going to die,” he predicted flatly. I untied the rope and eased carefully onto our little vessel, giving him a reassuring smirk. “But the company will be great.” He grinned back, settling into position to help balance the tipsy boat. “You got that right,” he agreed warmly. I was so glad I’d made the snap decision to drag him to Fun Land. I know he had a good time, and even when I’d mentioned Relena, he didn’t close up and retreat into his stiff shell of reserve. He was enjoying himself, and for that I was eternally grateful. Speaking of eternity…it seemed to take one for us to fumble our way across that choppy bay. The Sunfish was horribly top heavy, swaying dangerously whenever I tried to change course. And the wind was against us, forcing me to tack back and forth to gain any ground at all. Each time I had to bring the boat about, Heero and I were forced to scramble to counterbalance our too-heavy mast. And the bastard was grinning madly the whole time—as if enjoying my struggle. Not only was I fighting the wind and the clumsiness of our vessel, but my own libido had it in for me. Each time I glanced at Heero’s bare chest, and the way the spray from the waves glistened across the expanse of muscle, I nearly groaned with unadulterated lust. I wanted to push him down on the tossing deck and lick that salty sea foam from every inch of his exposed flesh. “Goddamnit!” I lunged to the side to prevent a very near capsize, and ended up clinging to Heero to keep from going over the side. “Where’s your fucking life jacket now?” I demanded, pushing away from him and from the tantalizing feel of his skin. He gave me an inscrutable look. “Why? Is my bare chest offending you?” He knew. He fucking knew the effect he had on me, I swear it! “I love your bare chest,” I snarled out with a scowl. “I just don’t want you to drown when I fuck up and the boat goes bottom up!” “I can swim just fine,” he assured me, gesturing to his shorts and sneakers. “It’s not like I’m wearing enough to weigh me down.” He grinned ferally, adding, “—if we go ‘bottom up.’” Damn it! He was doing it again. “Asshole,” I muttered, looking away from him and realizing we were actually nearing the shoreline by Howard’s place. I could see Howard’s wild Hawaiian print shirt as the old man stood on the shore watching us with binoculars. And then I saw him double over…no doubt laughing his skinny old ass off. He darted back towards his ice cream stand, and I had a feeling he was going to round up every person he could to watch us try to land the boat with our tall mascot strapped to the mast. I hated that mean old man. “Tell me what to do,” Heero said, leaning in so that I could feel his breath on my cheek. Um…how ‘bout you shove me onto the deck and make mad, passionate love to me? Or just screw me through the floor of the boat…that’d be good too. “Er—when we get into the waves it’s gonna get pretty tricky—but try to pull up the keel before we’re so close to shore that it scrapes bottom.” “We wouldn’t want that to happen,” he smirked, giving me another of those inscrutable looks. The next thing I knew, we were fighting to control the boat as we entered the breakers. Each wave propelled us towards the beach, but simultaneously rocked us precariously from side to side. I was sure we were going over at one point, when we were still in five feet of water. But Heero jumped off the side and literally supported the Sunfish until I caught on and leapt off the opposite edge to help. And then we were dragging the poor thing up onto dry land, with Howard’s hysterical laughter ringing in our ears as he watched our struggles. When at last we’d made it far enough away from the surf to ensure our precious cargo wouldn’t end up in the drink, I collapsed onto the sand, heedless of the way it caked on my wet clothes and braid. Heero sank down beside me, gasping for breath, but smiling in satisfaction. “You fucking won the goddamned giraffe?” Howard exploded, his whiskered face split by a humongous grin. “H—Heero did,” I gasped out, still trying to regain my wind. Howard knelt down and held out his hand. “Nice going, Yuy! The braided wonder’s had his eye on that crazy critter for ages.” “It’s his,” Heero said simply, shaking Howard’s hand and then getting up and starting to untie my prize from the mast. Howard winked at me, and jerked his head towards Heero’s well-muscled back. “Looks like a ‘keeper,’ kid,” he mouthed silently. I rolled my eyes, and gave him a warning glare. “I wish,” I mouthed back. “Taken. Remember?” He just shook his head, and started for his booth again. “Your picnic basket’s waiting, kid. Hurry up and stow the Sunfish so you can make it to the beach house and back before dark.” He leered over his shoulder. “Unless you were planning on staying out later.” I flipped him the finger and stumbled to my feet, joining Heero in unstrapping our prize. “Hey, ‘Ro—thanks a lot—for playing the game until you won—for helping me get him back here safe and sound—.” He graced me with a warm smile. “Any time.” Together we hauled the giant animal to my Jeep, stuffing him in and opening a window just enough to poke his head out so he wasn’t folded in half inside the small vehicle. We changed back into dry clothes in the little bath house behind Howard’s place. (God, how I missed my view of that lovely bare chest!) And then we rolled up the sail and put the boat away before heading up to the ice cream stand. Howard wore that same smug look as he set the basket on the counter. “You want your ice cream now, or after you get back?” “Now,” I said firmly. “Dessert first. Life’s uncertain.” Heero leaned on the counter beside me, shaking his head. “You have a unique outlook. You know that?” I shrugged. “Not really. After losing Solo and Alex, I learned not to put things off. That’s all.” He sobered at that, and I elbowed him firmly. “Stop it! I told you before that talking about them doesn’t hurt any more. Really.” “I know. I just—I’m sorry you didn’t get to enjoy as much time with them as you planned. You deserved to.” “I enjoyed every minute I did have with them,” I assured him. “Even when you were fighting with Solo?” “Even then.” He smiled. “No regrets, eh?” “Not as many as you’d think.” We took the sundaes that Howard set before us, telling us they were “on the house” just because of the entertainment he’d gotten out of watching us fumble our way across the waves with a giant giraffe strapped to the boat. He chuckled happily. “Wait’ll I get the pictures developed.” “You took pictures?” I gasped, recalling rather suddenly that the sly old man had a camera with a telephoto lens. He liked taking long shots of boats and seagulls and stuff. Not to mention idiots with giant stuffed animals about to swamp their boats. He grinned evilly. “I’m gonna have ‘em blown up. BIG.” “I’d like copies,” Heero said with a matching grin, pulling a few crumpled bills from a pocket and shoving them across the counter to Howard. “My business card is in there, too. You can send them to my office.” “Sure thing!” “Howard!” I said plaintively. “The part where you almost went over the side, but caught yourself on the computer guru was especially entertaining,” Howard said matter-of-factly, turning away and stashing Heero’s money and contact information in his pocket. “I hate you both,” I grumped, taking my picnic basket and sundae and stalking away. Heero caught up to me in a few strides, elbowing me gently. “You aren’t really mad.” “A little embarrassed,” I clarified. “What are a few embarrassing pictures among friends?” I dared a sideways glance at his mischievously-sparkling blue eyes. “We’re friends?” “I thought we established that a long time ago.” “Yeah.” I sighed deeply, licking a drip of ice cream off the side of my dish as we walked. I wished like hell that Heero was gay, and that I’d seen him before Relena got her hooks into him. I’d have thrown myself right into those strong, hard-muscled arms and begged him to take me home and keep me forever. Whoa. Where’d that come from? Sure, I’d already acknowledged that he was hot. But even my fevered imagination hadn’t used the word “forever.” The only guys I’d ever thought of in such a permanent way were Solo and Alex…and now Heero? “I thought we weren’t supposed to be thinking today,” Heero said quietly. I glanced over with a quizzical frown. “Hm?” “I can practically hear the wheels turning in there, Duo.” I swallowed, managing a wan smile. “Aw, I just got thinking about how much you’d have liked Solo and Alex…how much you have in common with them.” I decided a drastic change in conversation was overdue, before we really got into the comparison. “I guess that’s why I can’t understand you letting Relena dictate all the details of your wedding.” He scowled at that, looking away, and I thought for a moment he’d shut me out. But he didn’t. “Maybe I’m letting her plan it because it means more to her than it does to me.” Resisting the urge to gape, I kept my eyes straight ahead, keeping my pace steady—unhurried. “Is it just a business arrangement to you, too?” “Is that what she calls it?” he asked wryly. “She said you two are compatible…comfortable…that your lifestyles work well together,” I shrugged. “And I see the sense in that. Really. Security is important to some people.” “But not you.” “I never had it—so I can’t really say for sure.” “Relena and I are about more than security,” he said quietly, taking a spoonful of his sundae as if to allow himself a moment to think. “Yes, our lifestyles are compatible. We’re compatible…most of the time. And my parents adore her.” “Ah. That’s right. You were raised in Japan…respect your elders? Shit like that?” “It’s not ‘shit,’” he said rather stiffly. “I respect my parents a lot. I want to please them. Is that a bad thing?” “It’s just…I saw how much fun you had at the park, and I can’t help but think you’ve missed out in life, ‘Ro. I mean, I may have had a crappy childhood…but at least I had one. All your life you’ve been so busy trying to live up to everyone’s expectations, you’ve missed out on the point. You’ve been the perfect son…the perfect student…the perfect employee…the perfect boyfriend…” I shook my head. “What’s wrong with trying to be perfect?” “I’d rather be—real,” I shrugged, eating faster as my sundae was trying to melt over the edges of the little plastic bowl. “Real,” he echoed thoughtfully. “So what do I have to do to be ‘real?’” “Admit what you want,” I suggested. “Tell Relena you’re going to have a horse-drawn carriage bring you to your reception. Tell her you don’t want snails and caviar…that you’d rather have pigs in blankets or scallops wrapped in bacon. Tell her what you want.” He smiled rather wistfully, his gaze straight ahead as he finished his ice cream. “Honestly, Duo, I’m not sure what I want. At least, when it comes to things like weddings.” He gave me a sidelong glance. “How about you? What’s your idea of a romantic wedding?” Okay. I’d broached the subject. I guess that obligated me to answer. But it didn’t obligate me to want to. “You’ll think it’s stupid.” “No, I won’t,” he said firmly. “I promise.” I looked away, letting my gaze wander across the waves to the distant lighthouse. For a moment, I wasn’t sure I wanted to share something so personal. Then I felt a hand on my arm. “C’mon, Duo. Talk to me.” It was with great effort that I refrained from shivering under the warm touch. “Okay,” I conceded. “I always wanted a wedding on the beach…just me and…my fiancé. And a few close friends.” “Not very formal,” he noted, not removing his hand from my arm. “I don’t really like ‘formal,’” I confessed. “You’ve got to be kidding! You plan weddings that make headlines, and yet you don’t like the fanfare?” “Hate it,” I shrugged, pulling away as we walked. “It’s fine for socialites like Relena. But I came from the streets. And no matter how much polish Quatre has put on me, I’m still a street rat.” “A street rat who’s fixated on the ocean.” I had to laugh at that. “Yeah, I guess I am.” “So…describe your wedding. What would it be like?” I blushed. “It’s silly, Yuy.” “Not to me.” “Fine.” Walking a little faster, so I didn’t have to look at him, and watch his expression, I told him exactly how I pictured it…with my fiancé standing in the waves in jeans rolled up to the knees, and wildflowers for a bouquet. I half-expected him to laugh, and when I glanced back, there was a wide smile on his usually-serious face. “You’re laughing at me,” I accused. “No, I’m smiling,” he corrected gently. “Cuz you think it’s stupid.” “I think it’s—charming,” he assured me. His deep blue eyes caught mine, and I had to force myself to look away and keep walking. “What about you?” he pressed. “Do you have flowers in your perfect wedding?” I nodded. “Just some of those white ones that grow in the dunes.” “White ones,” he said, as if considering and cataloguing the information. “Tied with a blue ribbon,” I added, not even sure why. “Anything else?” I shook my head. “Not really, except, it should be at sunrise.” “Are you up that early?” he joked. “I would be for something that important.” We walked on for a few more minutes, and then he said quietly, “I don’t think it sounds stupid at all, Duo. It sounds perfect.” Well, it would be if you were the one holding the wildflowers. I’d done it now. I’d gone and fallen for the gorgeous, straight, engaged guy. Completely fallen...as in I wanted to spend the rest of my life and maybe a few eternities with him. Well shit, damn, and motherfuck! tbc... |
