GW Fic: Where Warriors gathered under the Arabian Moon 1/1
Title: Where Warriors gathered under the Arabian Moon
Notes: G, 1x2, 3x4, 5xS, 6x9. Humour, introspective, romance, spoilers for EW, no beta
Last of the 'Post War Arc'. Years have passed since Quatre had seen his friends. Determined to bring them back together, he had decided to host a reunion party. Have the years strengthen their friendship or had the distance divided them?
~*~
It was cold, it was miserable and it was very wet. The rain had been pouring since dawn broke and there was no sign of it relenting. I had heard that rainfall on the L1 colonies were somewhat of a scheduled event. That way, people could work their life around these sessions. I wished they were too on L4.
I stood by the window and scowled menacingly at the foul weather outside. For all my vaunted fame and power, I couldn't even control the weather. Actually it was Trowa's fault.
One well placed phone call and I knew the environmental settings would be changed. But he wouldn't let me. He said that I shouldn't be tampering with such things. If I was willing to do it once, I would be tempted to do it again and before I knew it, L4 would be perpetually in the sun and the parks and gardens would suffer. I argued that this was a special event. He would not budge. Sometimes I think I'm a pushover.
Eventually, I realised that no amount of scowling would make the rain stop. I often wonder why a colony of descendents of desert dwellers felt that we needed this much rain. Perhaps it was because our ancestors lived in the desert we now felt that we needed to make up for the lack of water. It was ridiculous. Even London didn't rain that much in winter! I promised I wouldn't call but I was certainly going to write to someone about this.
Retreating from the window, I decided to finish up the preparations for our reunion. Towels were the latest addition to the party. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if people turned up looking like drowned rats.
After amassing all the clean towels we had, retrieving pails and buckets for wet umbrellas and dripping coats, I realised that my lover was still missing. The guests were due to turn up in fifteen minutes. In fact, Duo just called, he, Heero and Hilde had just disembarked at the port.
"Trowa?" I called upstairs, "Are you ready yet?"
No reply. I trudged up to our bedroom and looked around. Peeking into the bathroom I found that it was rather steamy.
"Crikey! How long does it take for you to shower? I thought you said you were going to help me!" I complained to the mist.
"There's nothing else to do, love. Come join me," he replied in a seductive, sensual tone, which made me shiver.
"No!" I did have some will power. "Hilde, Heero and Duo are due in ten minutes," I exaggerated their ETA.
"I only need five."
"Yes I know," I retorted cheekily.
"Oi!" He poked his head around the shower curtain, "What exactly are you saying?"
"You started it." I childishly stuck my tongue out at him, "Get dressed!"
"Yes, my lord and master." He chuckled.
"And you'd do well to remember that." I wagged a finger at him before retreating from the bathroom.
We've only been back on L4 for three weeks. We had decided that we wanted a place of our own rather than staying my family home after my graduation. Half of my sisters were still there and we wanted some privacy.
Trowa took frequent trips to L4 while I was in my final year of university education to find us a place. I trusted him implicitly and I was right to do so. It was perfect for us. Situated in the heart of town the penthouse loft overlooked the largest park in the city - very reminiscent of Kensington Park, London. It was larger than our rented apartment in London with three bedrooms and one bathroom on the upper level. With the exception of the second bathroom and several storage cupboards, the rest of the lower level was open plan. My lover had impeccable taste when it came to interior designing and the loft was beautifully furnished. There wasn't a thing I would change about it.
Invitations for our party were sent out the moment Trowa signed the deed to the place. We wanted the party as soon as we moved in and we understood that all invitees needed the time to organise their schedules. Gone were the days that we did anything on impulse. We had too many responsibilities. Growing up can sometimes be a pain.
I checked my appearance as I walked passed the full-length mirror. Dressed casually in a dusty lilac shirt and a pair of dark navy trousers, I had decided to forgo formality. Even shoes were abandoned. This was to be a gathering of friends and it was to be an opportunity to truly let our hair down. No one but members of our elite circle was invited to this and for the first time in years, every member of our circle would be present.
Scurrying down to the dining area, I checked that we had all the food. When we received the RSVP from the others, some of them came with requests. Well, truth to be told, all of those requests came from Duo. He said they were suggestions of what various people might like. I decided to indulge him anyway.
The ring of the doorbell sent me flying to the door. It must be Hilde, Duo and Heero. Heero and Duo were the closest to us, what with them living on an L2 colony, I had had one of our many family jets pick them up. Since her graduation some months ago, Hilde had temporarily moved in with them while she organised herself.
"Quatre!!" Hilde pounced the moment the door swung open, "It's been forever!"
I chuckled as I caught her. "It had been a while. I'm glad you made it."
"I'd be crazy to miss this, besides Duo would've drag me here kicking and screaming, if I had said no!"
"You got that right!" Duo grinned, "Are we late?"
"Hardly, you're the first." I let Hilde down and stepped aside to let the others in, "How are you guys?"
"Just fine, bud!" The braided American gave me a hearty hug.
"Good to hear." I hugged him back then turned to his partner and extended my hand to him instead. Heero doesn't do the hugging thing. There are only two people brave and crazy enough to try - Duo and Relena.
"Quatre." He took my hand and gave it a firm, sturdy shake. "Thank you for the invitation."
"Ye gods!" Duo rolled his eyes. "You can drop your guard, dearest. The whole point of this is for us to have a good time. And Quat here throws the best parties."
"Even better than Relena's twenty first?" I grinned remembering how much fun Duo had at that particular party.
"That doesn't count. She cheated by using a prop. Where's Trowa?" Duo asked as he poked around the penthouse.
"I'm here," I heard my angel's voice from the upper level as he descended the stairs, "I was under strict orders to make myself presentable."
After relieving themselves of their wet jackets and shoes, I lead the trio around the penthouse for the customary tour of our new abode. Hilde was quite impressed with the furnishing, not realising that Trowa had a streak of artistic talent. Heero merely nodded his approval and Duo, predictably, was more interested in the kitchen contents than anything.
He was quite pleased with the varied selection of food we prepared. Loading his plate with a variety of snacks, we retired to the lounge area. While he sat eating and babbling to us, I noticed that Heero was methodically undoing Duo's braid. From their lack of attention to each other's activities, I surmised that the exercise was very much a routine. Seeing Duo's hair out of a braid would be considered an honour. He wore his hair in that fashion since time immemorial and I often wondered if his hair actually grew in a braid.
I was fascinated; watching Heero work his way through the long locks. He worked that russet mane dry with a gentleness that is rarely seen in the stoic youth. I felt almost embarrassed to be in the room witnessing a somewhat intimate exchange, but neither one of them seemed to be bothered.
Suddenly, I leapt some five feet into the air. Trowa had decided to jab me in my ribs, both startling and tickling me. When I landed I was as red as a beetroot and the others were looking at me like I had gone Zero on them again.
Trowa got punched in the arm as retaliation. I scowled at him. "What that for?"
"I was just feeling a little neglected and wanted your attention," he said with a puppy-eyed look. "And there's someone at the door."
Childishly, I stuck my tongue out at him and headed off to answer the door. Lifting the intercom handset I asked who it was.
"It's pissing down with rain, Winner, just open the damned door!" Une growled at me.
If I didn't know that my godson would be with her, I'd have let her stew a few more minutes in the rain just to spite her. Don't get me wrong; I had nothing against the Colonel. Any past transgression against us had been long forgiven, but she could do with some lessons in etiquette. I guessed that she was used to barking orders and getting what she wanted. So far I only know of two people who have tamed the shrew.
I opened the door and waited for my guests to ascend. Une was the first out of the lift and she stomped grumpily towards me. She was thoroughly soaked and didn't look at pleased at all. Diplomacy had been drummed into me since I was a child and that was probably the only reason why I didn't make a smart alec remark.
Wu Fei and Sally followed, with matching smirks and surprisingly not sodden.
"You should do something about the weather, Winner," she snapped as she snatched the towel out of my hand.
"I tried but I was forbidden," I replied.
"Forbidden?" she scoffed. "You're one of the most powerful men in the galaxy! Who would have the audacity to defy you?"
"The one who has the power to banish me from my bedroom," I replied solemnly.
"Men!" she cried. "I assume you won't mind if I use your bathroom to clean up?"
"You assume correctly. Just get Trowa to show you the way and get you anything you need."
She nodded crisply at me and marched into the lounge. I turned to the Changs and looked at them questioningly. "How is that you aren't as wet as she is?"
Wu Fei chuckled as he handed a towel to Sally. " Let just say speeding cars, big puddles and Une don't mix."
"It was all we could do to stop from giggling. Once she's dry she'll be alright," Sally added then handed the contents of her arms to me. "Here you go. I know you've been dying to hold him."
Eagerly I took Zachary and beamed at him. Technically, Trowa was his godfather, but being Trowa's partner, I became Zachary's godfather by proxy. The toddler studied me for a moment, as if trying to ascertain if I was friend or foe. I was glad that he recognised me when he began gurgling happily at me.
"Hey, don't hog the baby!" Duo cried as he bounded up to me.
"I'm his godfather, I have every right to!" I replied.
"Good to see you both, Sally, Wu Fei." Duo gave both of them a sound hug. "Dreadful weather huh? I'm guessing Une doesn't believe in umbrellas?"
Sally giggled.
"I would advise you not to rattle her cage anymore," Wu Fei warned playfully. "The snake has not lost its bite."
"Wu Fei!" Sally chided him.
"What?" he asked innocently.
I laughed. Perhaps the one thing I missed most about being back on the colony was their company. Due to our proximity while Trowa and I were on Earth, the four of us had ended up being best friends. We made it a point to see each other at least once every two months before Zachary arrived. After the new addition to our little clique, the visits grew more frequent.
Sally and Wu Fei's relationship was an inspiration. In most relationships, the bond often occurs between a dominant character and submissive one. They were both headstrong and stubborn to the core but they had learned how to compromise and make a beautiful union. Even as close as we were, I could not remember a time when either one portrayed themselves to be subservient to the other.
Just as I ushered everyone back to the lounge, the doorbell rang again. Duo bounced to the intercom, saying he'd get it.
"The Barton-Winner Citadel. This is Lord Chamberlain Maxwell here. How may I be of service?" he said with a grin.
I heard an amused fairy-like giggle responding to his unique greeting that could only be Relena. To my surprise it was not her voice that responded.
"Her Majesty, the Queen of the World, commands that you raise your portcullis so she may enter to grace your paltry existence with her divine presence."
Duo looked at me with an impressed expression as I chuckled. That haughty disposition denoted that the voice belonging to none other than Dorothy Catalonia. I had not realised that they would be arriving at the same time.
"Certainly, Duchess Catalonia!" Duo replied. "Would be like me to send an escort down?"
"It won't be necessary, Lord Chamberlain. You are dismissed." With that Dorothy hung up.
"Damn, that girl is something else huh?" The braided youth shook his head in wonder. "I guess the Big Apple high life helped to polish her conceit."
"You don't know the half of it. But she's all bark and no bite. I've seen the best and worst of her. Besides, you started it!"
"Trust you to take her side." Duo elbowed me. "You don't still have soft spot for her, do you?"
"Oh, always," I said and then pointed to my belly just below my ribcage where I still bore the scar she gave me. "Right here."
"Baka!" He cried and whacked me on the head.
"Hey! No profanity and violence in front of the baby!"
"Speaking of which, I wanna hold him!"
Without waiting for a response, he plucked Zachary out of my hands and sped away back into the lounge. I knew then that would probably be the last time I held my godson for the day. With so many new aunts and uncles, his attention would be craved. At least I had the fortune of being there at his birth and his first year. I shouldn't really hog him.
I didn't think it was possible but Relena and Dorothy turned up wetter than Une. However, they were in a much fairer mood. They had huge dripping mackintoshes that were far too big for their slim statures and bright yellow Wellington boots. Both smiling contentedly, they greeted me enthusiastically with hugs and kisses - very wet ones at that.
"I've missed you!" Relena cried. "Is anyone besides Duo here?"
"All except your brother, Noin and Cathy."
"Oh, Zechs and Noin are here, downstairs, parking the car," Dorothy replied as she stripped out of her coat and boots. "We saw them pulling in as we were so graciously greeted by your Chamberlain."
"Oh, good." I nodded then eyed them curiously. "Why are you both so wet?"
"We walked," Dorothy said with such enthusiasm it almost seemed like she had been doing something deliciously naughty.
"What? Why?"
"Felt like it." Relena shrugged. "On our way in we heard that it was raining. I knew we were going to get wet anyway. If you're going to do something, you might as well do it properly."
"We bought some more suitable clothes for the escapade at the shuttle port shops and asked Zechs to pick up our luggage."
"Dorothy, it's five miles from the shuttle port."
"Oh, we didn't walk all the way, silly," she replied, towelling Relena's golden locks.
"We took the bus to the nearest stop and walked from there," Relena explained from under her ruffled blonde mane. "May we borrow your hair dryer? You do have one, don't you?"
I smiled at them. I was impressed and amazed at the two blond beauties. It was heartening to see them indulge in such frivolity. Both of them had weighty public roles to play and it was often hard to merely be like the other 'normal' young adults. Believe me, I know how they felt.
What I hadn't realised was that they had built a closer friendship over the years. Neither one of them said anything of it. Of course, I had rarely seen either in the past few years.
I didn't know if it was merely wishful thinking that something, or someone, good had happened to both but I could've sworn that there was more to their friendship that met the eye. Either that or my empathy was going haywire from all the love and affection permeating the penthouse.
"Quatre?" Relena said, snapping me out of my reverie.
"Oh, sorry. Yes. We do. But you might have to fight Une for it. And she's not in a good mood."
"Une's a pushover!" Dorothy scoffed as she wandered into the lounge. "I can sweet talk her into giving up her command if I have to!"
"This I have see!" Relena grinned and bounded off after her friend.
I looked on as I continued to assess if my instincts were correct. They both deserved to be with someone who understood their duties and obligations. Someone who had seen the trials they had to endure and someone who could find the strength and fortitude to help them heal. For, even after all these years, every one of us still bore wounds from the war. Some of us were lucky enough to find lover; others made do with friendship. I only wish there was something I could've done to make it all better with the snap of my fingers.
"Cherub? You okay?" Trowa approached and dipped to give me a quick kiss. "You seemed kinda of distracted."
I smiled radiantly at him. "I'm okay. Just thinking, that's all."
"You think too much. Why are you standing here?"
"Zechs and Noin are parking the car. I thought I'd wait. We're only missing Cathy now."
"She's just called en route. There was some delay at the L1 port. Her take-off schedule was almost bumped to an even later time but she used every big name here to threaten the management."
I chuckled. My sister-in-law was something else. "I'm glad she's finally comfortable enough to take advantage of our varied affiliations. What would I give to see that threat? What with all of us here, she could threaten them militaristically, politically, socially and economically!"
"I know; we have powerful friends. Maybe we can request for a security footage?" Trowa eyes twinkle with delight. I knew how much he had missed his sister. She was the only family he knew and that meant a lot to him.
"Good idea! How are our guests?"
"Fighting for Zachary's attention," he sighed theatrically. "I had about five seconds before Hilde accosted him."
"Well, Zachary's about to have competition," I replied as the buzzer rang again. Letting the Merquises in, I continued, "I hear young Aidan Merquise is quite a stunner."
"Have I got something to worry about?" he asked cheekily.
"Trowa! He's two years old!"
"Oh, you are so easy to wind up!" He chuckled and planted a hearty kiss onto my seemingly perpetual pout. "Don't pout, even though you're so adorable."
"Get off!" I swatted him.
In the past four years, Trowa had developed a rather perverse sense of humour that usually involved winding me up. He knew how to push all my buttons, good and bad. And what annoyed me the most was my inability to do the same. Well, I pushed the 'good' buttons rather well; otherwise the sod's rather unflappable.
"Uh, oh, trouble in paradise?" Noin quipped as she poked her head around the doorway. "We're not interrupting are we?"
Trowa laughed and hugged Noin and the baby. "Of course not. It's been too long, Noin."
"Indeed," she replied as she handed my lover the baby. "Trowa, Quatre, I'd like you to meet Aidan Merquise, the cause of my sleepless nights."
"Liar! You love every moment of it." Zechs beamed at his wife and child then reached out to shake my hand. "Good to see you both."
"Likewise. Come in." I welcomed them. Trowa and I hadn't seen the Merquise since Relena's twenty-first birthday over two years ago.
"Are we all here?" Noin asked as we all made our way back to the others.
"All except Cathy," I replied.
The moment Trowa walked into the lounge with Aidan, Relena practically pounced on him. I assumed that she had not seen her nephew in a while, if at all. Trowa wisely relinquished his hold on yet another babe.
As everyone greeted each other, I stood slightly apart from them, watching. It has certainly been too long since we saw each other. Looking back, I felt nostalgic to the times when we were so often in each other's company. Even if we were all fighting for our lives, we still took the time to live among friends.
Duo once said to me he felt that this new age of peace was far colder than war. I disagreed with him then, but at that moment, I was inclined to agree with him. Granted, Zechs and Une once batted for the opposing team but I still wished that we could re-establish the old ties we had each other. The world seemed so much smaller then.
As the craving for the days of yore surfaced, I also found myself thinking how far each and every one of us had come. We all began the journey alone, today we had bonds that were undeniable and unbreakable. Today we had friends... no, we had family. I wouldn't change that for the world.
Maybe the world seemed cold simply because we weren't trying hard enough. The necessity to know the success of a mission was no longer present, the need to confirm the survival of our comrades gone. There was little urgency in knowing the whereabouts of the others; hence we simply procrastinated in keeping up communications. Wasn't that how we drifted apart when we first attained peace?
It took a lot of effort and coordination to first get us back together. Two years after that, Relena's birthday party was our first success. Two years hence, we managed to gather again.
Are our reunions destined to be an event happening once every two years?
Perhaps I shouldn't be too demanding. The fact that we actually succeed every two years should be hailed an accomplishment. We all had different priorities and responsibilities now.
The Merquise were still overseeing the operation on Mars. Notwithstanding, I had heard that they were looking to return to Earth, as they wanted Aidan to grow up on his native planet. Relena was quite thrilled about their decision. She had only begun to know Zechs before he and Noin relocated to Mars. At least, if they were on the same planet she could reaffirm their waning relationship.
Une stood away from the rest of the group speaking to someone on her phone. In actuality she was commanding. And here I thought I was the workaholic. She had always been about the job. She lived to serve Treize when he was still alive, and it was in his memory that she continued to serve the people he had begun to love and admire.
My heart went out to her when I see her unwavering devotion and love to a man that had long died. Holding onto a memory of the dead did not mean that you had to stop loving the living. Notwithstanding, it was not my place to nudge her in the right direction.
As I continue to look on, my gaze fell upon the two blond beauties. Relena's role in the political arena was expected. She was a capable leader; even at her tender age she had gained respect and awe under her own merits. She bore a legacy fraught with tragedy and sorrow. Unperturbed, she sifted through all the baggage that came with it and held true to her beliefs. To say the least, she was remarkable.
While Relena swept the tables in parliament, Dorothy had become a leading icon in upper class society. I wasn't sure what she actually did to get her face plastered on the cover of magazines but she did it exceedingly well. I supposed her noble heritage, beauty and charisma had a lot to do with it. She achieved the fame and glory that rivalled that of icons of antiquity like Grace Kelly, Jackie Onnasis and Princess Diana combined. Whatever her technique, she did not wield her fame and riches wantonly. Perhaps she was trying to atone for her past sins, but Dorothy had become a champion and patron of myriad charitable organisations from war widows and orphans to the environment to medical research.
My attention then turned to the two new addition of our ragtag cell - Aidan Merquise and Zachary Chang. I couldn't help but think that the Merquises and Changs were most likely the only two couples that would be producing the next generation. Having said that we still had four young ladies to marry off. I chuckled to myself wondering, if some of us weren't gay, would we be up to our eyeballs in diapers by now?
"Penny for your thoughts." Sally's voice startled me from behind. "You seemed rather preoccupied."
I smiled at her and threw my arm around her shoulders. "I was just thinking about us."
"Us? You mean Team Gundam?"
I laughed. "I see Duo has hooked you into using that phrase too."
"It's catchy. Besides, what else did we have in common but the Gundams? We were a mix of Oz, Alliance, Romerfeller and miscellaneous."
"Miscellaneous?"
"It's better than mercenary, no? What were you thinking then? Or is it too private to share?"
"There are precious few things that are too private to share with you, Sally. Just musing about our lives, how we've come and what we did to get there, that all."
"Ooch." She wrinkled her nose in disdain. "That is far too profound for a shindig. Come, eat, drink and be merry! This is your party. If I remember well, you used to throw one hell of a party."
"I'm surprised you can remember. You often drink yourself, and Wu Fei, to a stupor before nine o'clock!"
"And that, my dear, is why your parties are so fantastic."
"Always with the flattery." I laughed as she handed me a glass of red. "A woman after my own heart!"
"Now who's flattering who?"
And thus we made merry with the wine. Sure, there was no bouncy castle this time but the absence of some two hundred guests made up for it. Eventually, Cathy turned up and we had a full roster. The alcohol flowed freely and even though Trowa was certain I had bought too much food, we managed to prove him wrong.
Zechs and Wu Fei had graciously volunteered to stay sober to care for the children. By eight, the two of them had made the upper level of our penthouse a no fly zone. The children were asleep in our bedroom and they weren't taking any chances. In all honestly, we were all too inebriated to mind.
Trowa had to be commended for his foresight as he had somehow procured enough futons, duvets and pillows to accommodate all of us. Before he and Heero got too drunk, they had moved all the furniture against the wall and lined the floor with futons. It felt like was one huge camping trip, especially when Zechs and Wu Fei finally consented to lighting the fireplace.
"No barfing," I warned. "The flooring is new plus it's gross."
Duo snorted. "Quat, if anyone's going to barf, it's you! You're always the first to pop!"
"That's because you always give me a lethal mix of cocktails!" I complained.
"You can always say no," he replied innocently.
"Sheah, like you'd listen. You'd have me tied to a chair with a funnel down my throat if I'd said no."
"If I had you tied to a chair, it won't be a funnel I'd be putting down your throat!" Duo drawled suggestively.
At that I choked and dove under the nearest duvet, my entire face burning. It didn't help that everyone else found it amusing that Duo was being his usual lecherous self.
"Trowa!" I complained.
"What?"
I harrumphed from under the duvet. "Some partner you are! You're supposed to defend my honour from perverts like him. Duo, you suck!"
"Indeed," I heard Heero quipped, "And very well too."
The very atmosphere reverberated with the explosion of laughter. Heero, often accused of having no sense of humour, was by far the most sardonic of us all. His well placed wit and comments were always something to remember.
I peeked from under my duvet and grinned at Duo. Perhaps for the first time since I knew him, he was blushing furiously.
"Get a camera quick," Dorothy piped in, "Duo Maxwell is blushing! We have to record this as a historical moment!"
"You'll pay..." Duo growled at his lover.
"Is that a promise?" the Japanese youth smirked, making us howl with laughter again.
Without warning Duo pounced on Heero, pinning his arms to his side. Duo whispered something into Heero's ear. I couldn't help but wonder what the braided youth had said but it managed to elicit a rather apprehensive look on Heero's face.
"You wouldn't dare!" Heero said, his voice not exactly enforcing his words.
"Wouldn't I?" Duo smirked.
A pillow went soaring into the air to hit Duo in the head. "For crying out loud!" Wu Fei cried, "Get a room!"
"I would but we're not allowed upstairs, remember?"
"Heero, dear," Relena drawled, looking rather inebriated, then leaned over to the Japanese youth. In a little-girl voice she asked, "Do you want me to get this nasty man off you?"
We watched with fascination and abated breath for the next exciting scene to unfold before us.
Heero grunted incoherently and naturally Relena took it as a yes. She grinned at Duo.
"Don't touch what you can't afford, beautiful," Duo said.
Relena tossed her golden mane in condescension. "I can MORE than afford you, Rapunzel. Get him, girls!"
I was unsure if it was an impromptu decision to aid Relena in her rescue attempt or it was an orchestrated attack. Whatever it was, they executed it with precision. How the managed to coordinate it without us guys realising was quite a feat. It was then I made up my mind to NEVER underestimate any of them, individually or collectively.
Dorothy, who had been the closest to Duo's braid, had it firmly twirled around her hands in a flash. Knowing full well that Duo would do anything to accommodate his precious locks, Dorothy pulled. His hands flew up to clutch the base of his braid as he leaned back towards her. Sally and Noin were the next to attack - taking his arms firmly and dragged him off Heero.
It was then Trowa, Zechs, Heero, Wu Fei and I quickly leapt to our feet and scrambled out of the way of these modern day Amazons.
Hilde and Relena seized him by the ankles as Cathy whipped a pillowcase out to tie them together. A second pillowcase went around his knees. The ladies then flipped their struggling victim to his front and tied his hands to his back with his belt that Une had taken off moments ago.
Last but not least, the third pillowcase was slipped over his head. Relena then perched on his back triumphantly.
"Ladies, ladies!" Duo crooned, "If you wanted some bondage all you had to do was ask."
"You talk the talk, Maxwell, but do you walk the walk?" Dorothy asked. "Turn him around, girls."
"Do you think we should help?" I asked Heero.
"Why?" he said with a nonchalant shrug, "He's undoubtedly enjoying this."
I giggled, and then looked over to Zechs and Wu Fei, whose eyes clearly reflected a renewed awe and respect for their wives. No doubt Zechs and Trowa felt the same way about their sisters. Once we knew it was safe, we settled down at the edge of the sea of futons to watch that night's entertainment.
"I can still hear you guys breathing," Duo complained, "You wanna lend a comrade a hand here?"
"What? And defy the Queen of the World?" Trowa quipped, "It's more than our paltry peasant lives are worth. Ask Zechs, he's the Prince around here."
"Me?" he exclaimed, "You forget I am married to the Captain of the Imperial Guard."
"Very wise, Your Highness," Noin said. "It looks like you're on your own, Duo."
"Quatre?" Dorothy turned to look at me sweetly, "Do you have a funnel?"
I gaped at her, too flustered from being embarrasses and wondering if she was serious about what I thought she was being serious about. Before I could answer, the sound of a cry over the baby monitor startled all of us. Wu Fei leapt to his feet instantly and bolted upstairs. Zechs stood more calmly and followed.
We looked at each other guiltily. We had been rather boisterous in our drunken antics.
"This is your fault," Heero said.
"Me?" Duo exclaimed, knowing full well that Heero referred to him even though his lover had not said his name. "How does that work? I am the one tied up here."
"All in favour of blaming Duo say 'aye'."
In unison, every one of us cried out 'aye' enthusiastically.
Duo grunted in annoyance and muttered, "Typical."
"Oh don't pout, gorgeous," Hilde said, removing the pillowcase over his head, then pecked him on the forehead. "We still love you."
"If I'm going to take the fall for this, I want to be compensated. God knows Fei is probably going to flay me alive for waking the kids."
Sally giggled. "You're not wrong there. But I doubt we could compensate you enough for volunteering to face Fei's wrath."
"Don't you worry about that, Sally," Heero replied as he crawled towards Duo to help Hilde free him, "I have more than enough ... resources to placate Mister Maxwell."
Duo grinned foolishly at Heero but said nothing. Heero stooped a little to kiss him tenderly as he undid Duo's belt.
Order resumed. While Heero and Hilde freed Duo, I sidled towards Trowa and laid my head upon his lap. Cathy moved towards us and sank happily into Trowa's embrace. Surprisingly, Dorothy had chosen to snuggle up to me. Obligingly, I wrapped my around her.
I lifted my head slightly to observe the others shifting to get more comfortable. Predictably, Zechs, who had return after confirming Wu Fei did not need help, gathered his wife lovingly. When Duo was freed, Hilde and Relena moved to fill the space within his and Heero's arms respectively. With the absence of Wu Fei and Treize, Une and Sally took to cuddling each other.
I smiled looking at us, finding it rather amusing that the guys had somehow ended up with their female counterparts and even more so when no one protested. It was as if destiny had intended to have enough companionship to be divided equally among us. Unfortunately, life had decided that it was far too cliché and threw us a curve ball instead - one of us had been lost to us on the battlefield, two were probably related to each other, and four of us much preferred a more... diverse relationship.
Nevertheless, I have come to appreciate each moment for what it is and not what it would lead to, not it might have been. It had to be said that when contentment and tranquillity can be found in the hearts and souls of battle-worn warriors, the moment should forever be cherished. Illuminated by the silvery hue of the Arabian moon, the scene was picture perfect. I gazed upon the faces of my family and committed to memory every detail before me.
Sally then reached for the baby monitor with a faint smile on her face. Turning up the volume, she whispered, "Listen."
I could not understand the words but it was unmistakably a lullaby that Wu Fei was singing. In all the years that I've known him, I had never had the honour of listening to him sing. Mister Chang had certainly kept a secret from us. Even through the simply melody, I could hear the rich resonance of his baritone voice.
From the looks of surprise on everyone else's face, I was certain that no one else had known about it.
"Wow," Dorothy breathed. "He should be on Broadway."
"Coming from you." Sally grinned. "That's saying something."
"I give credit where credit is due. Thank you very much," she replied.
"I'm sobering up, someone get me a cocktail!" Hilde suddenly cried.
"Do you think it's wise to continue drinking?" Duo asked.
"You are such a party-pooper." She elbowed him. "Old age is making you boring."
"I think it's past all out bedtimes," Zechs said. I looked over to him and realised that Noin had fallen asleep.
"Zechs is right, besides, if Wu Fei comes back to find us asleep, he won't have a go at us," Trowa said.
"I'm convinced," Duo piped immediately, reaching for the closest duvet and pillows. "Good night, everyone."
Soon we all follow suit, and settling down to sleep pretty much where we had fallen, each lady contentedly snuggled in their gentleman's arms. Wu Fei's dulcet voice continued to saturate the silence around us, lulling us to sleep as it did the babies. Eventually, he returned to us when everyone else had fallen asleep. Silently and gently, he slipped under Sally's duvet.
I smiled to myself as I reached to grasp Trowa's hand. No doubt most of us would wake with a mother of a hangover - as Duo would no doubt say, but it would be well worth it.
We came together in an age where the worst of humanity had reared its ugly head. With scars and wounds that littered our past we were uncertain our future held could hold anything beautiful. Through the strength and tenacity we inspired in each other, we conquered the trials and tribulations that had been laid before us.
Protected by a citadel built upon our mutual trust and friendship, we had fused to become a unit so intimate, so formidable, that no power on earth could rend us apart. It may have taken us years, but finally we had come to realise that there was a place in which we belonged - within the hallowed halls of that citadel.
Secure in the knowledge that we would always be there for each other, in flesh or in spirit, I basked in gentle glow of our love for each other and drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
~Fin~
Notes: G, 1x2, 3x4, 5xS, 6x9. Humour, introspective, romance, spoilers for EW, no beta
Last of the 'Post War Arc'. Years have passed since Quatre had seen his friends. Determined to bring them back together, he had decided to host a reunion party. Have the years strengthen their friendship or had the distance divided them?
~*~
It was cold, it was miserable and it was very wet. The rain had been pouring since dawn broke and there was no sign of it relenting. I had heard that rainfall on the L1 colonies were somewhat of a scheduled event. That way, people could work their life around these sessions. I wished they were too on L4.
I stood by the window and scowled menacingly at the foul weather outside. For all my vaunted fame and power, I couldn't even control the weather. Actually it was Trowa's fault.
One well placed phone call and I knew the environmental settings would be changed. But he wouldn't let me. He said that I shouldn't be tampering with such things. If I was willing to do it once, I would be tempted to do it again and before I knew it, L4 would be perpetually in the sun and the parks and gardens would suffer. I argued that this was a special event. He would not budge. Sometimes I think I'm a pushover.
Eventually, I realised that no amount of scowling would make the rain stop. I often wonder why a colony of descendents of desert dwellers felt that we needed this much rain. Perhaps it was because our ancestors lived in the desert we now felt that we needed to make up for the lack of water. It was ridiculous. Even London didn't rain that much in winter! I promised I wouldn't call but I was certainly going to write to someone about this.
Retreating from the window, I decided to finish up the preparations for our reunion. Towels were the latest addition to the party. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if people turned up looking like drowned rats.
After amassing all the clean towels we had, retrieving pails and buckets for wet umbrellas and dripping coats, I realised that my lover was still missing. The guests were due to turn up in fifteen minutes. In fact, Duo just called, he, Heero and Hilde had just disembarked at the port.
"Trowa?" I called upstairs, "Are you ready yet?"
No reply. I trudged up to our bedroom and looked around. Peeking into the bathroom I found that it was rather steamy.
"Crikey! How long does it take for you to shower? I thought you said you were going to help me!" I complained to the mist.
"There's nothing else to do, love. Come join me," he replied in a seductive, sensual tone, which made me shiver.
"No!" I did have some will power. "Hilde, Heero and Duo are due in ten minutes," I exaggerated their ETA.
"I only need five."
"Yes I know," I retorted cheekily.
"Oi!" He poked his head around the shower curtain, "What exactly are you saying?"
"You started it." I childishly stuck my tongue out at him, "Get dressed!"
"Yes, my lord and master." He chuckled.
"And you'd do well to remember that." I wagged a finger at him before retreating from the bathroom.
We've only been back on L4 for three weeks. We had decided that we wanted a place of our own rather than staying my family home after my graduation. Half of my sisters were still there and we wanted some privacy.
Trowa took frequent trips to L4 while I was in my final year of university education to find us a place. I trusted him implicitly and I was right to do so. It was perfect for us. Situated in the heart of town the penthouse loft overlooked the largest park in the city - very reminiscent of Kensington Park, London. It was larger than our rented apartment in London with three bedrooms and one bathroom on the upper level. With the exception of the second bathroom and several storage cupboards, the rest of the lower level was open plan. My lover had impeccable taste when it came to interior designing and the loft was beautifully furnished. There wasn't a thing I would change about it.
Invitations for our party were sent out the moment Trowa signed the deed to the place. We wanted the party as soon as we moved in and we understood that all invitees needed the time to organise their schedules. Gone were the days that we did anything on impulse. We had too many responsibilities. Growing up can sometimes be a pain.
I checked my appearance as I walked passed the full-length mirror. Dressed casually in a dusty lilac shirt and a pair of dark navy trousers, I had decided to forgo formality. Even shoes were abandoned. This was to be a gathering of friends and it was to be an opportunity to truly let our hair down. No one but members of our elite circle was invited to this and for the first time in years, every member of our circle would be present.
Scurrying down to the dining area, I checked that we had all the food. When we received the RSVP from the others, some of them came with requests. Well, truth to be told, all of those requests came from Duo. He said they were suggestions of what various people might like. I decided to indulge him anyway.
The ring of the doorbell sent me flying to the door. It must be Hilde, Duo and Heero. Heero and Duo were the closest to us, what with them living on an L2 colony, I had had one of our many family jets pick them up. Since her graduation some months ago, Hilde had temporarily moved in with them while she organised herself.
"Quatre!!" Hilde pounced the moment the door swung open, "It's been forever!"
I chuckled as I caught her. "It had been a while. I'm glad you made it."
"I'd be crazy to miss this, besides Duo would've drag me here kicking and screaming, if I had said no!"
"You got that right!" Duo grinned, "Are we late?"
"Hardly, you're the first." I let Hilde down and stepped aside to let the others in, "How are you guys?"
"Just fine, bud!" The braided American gave me a hearty hug.
"Good to hear." I hugged him back then turned to his partner and extended my hand to him instead. Heero doesn't do the hugging thing. There are only two people brave and crazy enough to try - Duo and Relena.
"Quatre." He took my hand and gave it a firm, sturdy shake. "Thank you for the invitation."
"Ye gods!" Duo rolled his eyes. "You can drop your guard, dearest. The whole point of this is for us to have a good time. And Quat here throws the best parties."
"Even better than Relena's twenty first?" I grinned remembering how much fun Duo had at that particular party.
"That doesn't count. She cheated by using a prop. Where's Trowa?" Duo asked as he poked around the penthouse.
"I'm here," I heard my angel's voice from the upper level as he descended the stairs, "I was under strict orders to make myself presentable."
After relieving themselves of their wet jackets and shoes, I lead the trio around the penthouse for the customary tour of our new abode. Hilde was quite impressed with the furnishing, not realising that Trowa had a streak of artistic talent. Heero merely nodded his approval and Duo, predictably, was more interested in the kitchen contents than anything.
He was quite pleased with the varied selection of food we prepared. Loading his plate with a variety of snacks, we retired to the lounge area. While he sat eating and babbling to us, I noticed that Heero was methodically undoing Duo's braid. From their lack of attention to each other's activities, I surmised that the exercise was very much a routine. Seeing Duo's hair out of a braid would be considered an honour. He wore his hair in that fashion since time immemorial and I often wondered if his hair actually grew in a braid.
I was fascinated; watching Heero work his way through the long locks. He worked that russet mane dry with a gentleness that is rarely seen in the stoic youth. I felt almost embarrassed to be in the room witnessing a somewhat intimate exchange, but neither one of them seemed to be bothered.
Suddenly, I leapt some five feet into the air. Trowa had decided to jab me in my ribs, both startling and tickling me. When I landed I was as red as a beetroot and the others were looking at me like I had gone Zero on them again.
Trowa got punched in the arm as retaliation. I scowled at him. "What that for?"
"I was just feeling a little neglected and wanted your attention," he said with a puppy-eyed look. "And there's someone at the door."
Childishly, I stuck my tongue out at him and headed off to answer the door. Lifting the intercom handset I asked who it was.
"It's pissing down with rain, Winner, just open the damned door!" Une growled at me.
If I didn't know that my godson would be with her, I'd have let her stew a few more minutes in the rain just to spite her. Don't get me wrong; I had nothing against the Colonel. Any past transgression against us had been long forgiven, but she could do with some lessons in etiquette. I guessed that she was used to barking orders and getting what she wanted. So far I only know of two people who have tamed the shrew.
I opened the door and waited for my guests to ascend. Une was the first out of the lift and she stomped grumpily towards me. She was thoroughly soaked and didn't look at pleased at all. Diplomacy had been drummed into me since I was a child and that was probably the only reason why I didn't make a smart alec remark.
Wu Fei and Sally followed, with matching smirks and surprisingly not sodden.
"You should do something about the weather, Winner," she snapped as she snatched the towel out of my hand.
"I tried but I was forbidden," I replied.
"Forbidden?" she scoffed. "You're one of the most powerful men in the galaxy! Who would have the audacity to defy you?"
"The one who has the power to banish me from my bedroom," I replied solemnly.
"Men!" she cried. "I assume you won't mind if I use your bathroom to clean up?"
"You assume correctly. Just get Trowa to show you the way and get you anything you need."
She nodded crisply at me and marched into the lounge. I turned to the Changs and looked at them questioningly. "How is that you aren't as wet as she is?"
Wu Fei chuckled as he handed a towel to Sally. " Let just say speeding cars, big puddles and Une don't mix."
"It was all we could do to stop from giggling. Once she's dry she'll be alright," Sally added then handed the contents of her arms to me. "Here you go. I know you've been dying to hold him."
Eagerly I took Zachary and beamed at him. Technically, Trowa was his godfather, but being Trowa's partner, I became Zachary's godfather by proxy. The toddler studied me for a moment, as if trying to ascertain if I was friend or foe. I was glad that he recognised me when he began gurgling happily at me.
"Hey, don't hog the baby!" Duo cried as he bounded up to me.
"I'm his godfather, I have every right to!" I replied.
"Good to see you both, Sally, Wu Fei." Duo gave both of them a sound hug. "Dreadful weather huh? I'm guessing Une doesn't believe in umbrellas?"
Sally giggled.
"I would advise you not to rattle her cage anymore," Wu Fei warned playfully. "The snake has not lost its bite."
"Wu Fei!" Sally chided him.
"What?" he asked innocently.
I laughed. Perhaps the one thing I missed most about being back on the colony was their company. Due to our proximity while Trowa and I were on Earth, the four of us had ended up being best friends. We made it a point to see each other at least once every two months before Zachary arrived. After the new addition to our little clique, the visits grew more frequent.
Sally and Wu Fei's relationship was an inspiration. In most relationships, the bond often occurs between a dominant character and submissive one. They were both headstrong and stubborn to the core but they had learned how to compromise and make a beautiful union. Even as close as we were, I could not remember a time when either one portrayed themselves to be subservient to the other.
Just as I ushered everyone back to the lounge, the doorbell rang again. Duo bounced to the intercom, saying he'd get it.
"The Barton-Winner Citadel. This is Lord Chamberlain Maxwell here. How may I be of service?" he said with a grin.
I heard an amused fairy-like giggle responding to his unique greeting that could only be Relena. To my surprise it was not her voice that responded.
"Her Majesty, the Queen of the World, commands that you raise your portcullis so she may enter to grace your paltry existence with her divine presence."
Duo looked at me with an impressed expression as I chuckled. That haughty disposition denoted that the voice belonging to none other than Dorothy Catalonia. I had not realised that they would be arriving at the same time.
"Certainly, Duchess Catalonia!" Duo replied. "Would be like me to send an escort down?"
"It won't be necessary, Lord Chamberlain. You are dismissed." With that Dorothy hung up.
"Damn, that girl is something else huh?" The braided youth shook his head in wonder. "I guess the Big Apple high life helped to polish her conceit."
"You don't know the half of it. But she's all bark and no bite. I've seen the best and worst of her. Besides, you started it!"
"Trust you to take her side." Duo elbowed me. "You don't still have soft spot for her, do you?"
"Oh, always," I said and then pointed to my belly just below my ribcage where I still bore the scar she gave me. "Right here."
"Baka!" He cried and whacked me on the head.
"Hey! No profanity and violence in front of the baby!"
"Speaking of which, I wanna hold him!"
Without waiting for a response, he plucked Zachary out of my hands and sped away back into the lounge. I knew then that would probably be the last time I held my godson for the day. With so many new aunts and uncles, his attention would be craved. At least I had the fortune of being there at his birth and his first year. I shouldn't really hog him.
I didn't think it was possible but Relena and Dorothy turned up wetter than Une. However, they were in a much fairer mood. They had huge dripping mackintoshes that were far too big for their slim statures and bright yellow Wellington boots. Both smiling contentedly, they greeted me enthusiastically with hugs and kisses - very wet ones at that.
"I've missed you!" Relena cried. "Is anyone besides Duo here?"
"All except your brother, Noin and Cathy."
"Oh, Zechs and Noin are here, downstairs, parking the car," Dorothy replied as she stripped out of her coat and boots. "We saw them pulling in as we were so graciously greeted by your Chamberlain."
"Oh, good." I nodded then eyed them curiously. "Why are you both so wet?"
"We walked," Dorothy said with such enthusiasm it almost seemed like she had been doing something deliciously naughty.
"What? Why?"
"Felt like it." Relena shrugged. "On our way in we heard that it was raining. I knew we were going to get wet anyway. If you're going to do something, you might as well do it properly."
"We bought some more suitable clothes for the escapade at the shuttle port shops and asked Zechs to pick up our luggage."
"Dorothy, it's five miles from the shuttle port."
"Oh, we didn't walk all the way, silly," she replied, towelling Relena's golden locks.
"We took the bus to the nearest stop and walked from there," Relena explained from under her ruffled blonde mane. "May we borrow your hair dryer? You do have one, don't you?"
I smiled at them. I was impressed and amazed at the two blond beauties. It was heartening to see them indulge in such frivolity. Both of them had weighty public roles to play and it was often hard to merely be like the other 'normal' young adults. Believe me, I know how they felt.
What I hadn't realised was that they had built a closer friendship over the years. Neither one of them said anything of it. Of course, I had rarely seen either in the past few years.
I didn't know if it was merely wishful thinking that something, or someone, good had happened to both but I could've sworn that there was more to their friendship that met the eye. Either that or my empathy was going haywire from all the love and affection permeating the penthouse.
"Quatre?" Relena said, snapping me out of my reverie.
"Oh, sorry. Yes. We do. But you might have to fight Une for it. And she's not in a good mood."
"Une's a pushover!" Dorothy scoffed as she wandered into the lounge. "I can sweet talk her into giving up her command if I have to!"
"This I have see!" Relena grinned and bounded off after her friend.
I looked on as I continued to assess if my instincts were correct. They both deserved to be with someone who understood their duties and obligations. Someone who had seen the trials they had to endure and someone who could find the strength and fortitude to help them heal. For, even after all these years, every one of us still bore wounds from the war. Some of us were lucky enough to find lover; others made do with friendship. I only wish there was something I could've done to make it all better with the snap of my fingers.
"Cherub? You okay?" Trowa approached and dipped to give me a quick kiss. "You seemed kinda of distracted."
I smiled radiantly at him. "I'm okay. Just thinking, that's all."
"You think too much. Why are you standing here?"
"Zechs and Noin are parking the car. I thought I'd wait. We're only missing Cathy now."
"She's just called en route. There was some delay at the L1 port. Her take-off schedule was almost bumped to an even later time but she used every big name here to threaten the management."
I chuckled. My sister-in-law was something else. "I'm glad she's finally comfortable enough to take advantage of our varied affiliations. What would I give to see that threat? What with all of us here, she could threaten them militaristically, politically, socially and economically!"
"I know; we have powerful friends. Maybe we can request for a security footage?" Trowa eyes twinkle with delight. I knew how much he had missed his sister. She was the only family he knew and that meant a lot to him.
"Good idea! How are our guests?"
"Fighting for Zachary's attention," he sighed theatrically. "I had about five seconds before Hilde accosted him."
"Well, Zachary's about to have competition," I replied as the buzzer rang again. Letting the Merquises in, I continued, "I hear young Aidan Merquise is quite a stunner."
"Have I got something to worry about?" he asked cheekily.
"Trowa! He's two years old!"
"Oh, you are so easy to wind up!" He chuckled and planted a hearty kiss onto my seemingly perpetual pout. "Don't pout, even though you're so adorable."
"Get off!" I swatted him.
In the past four years, Trowa had developed a rather perverse sense of humour that usually involved winding me up. He knew how to push all my buttons, good and bad. And what annoyed me the most was my inability to do the same. Well, I pushed the 'good' buttons rather well; otherwise the sod's rather unflappable.
"Uh, oh, trouble in paradise?" Noin quipped as she poked her head around the doorway. "We're not interrupting are we?"
Trowa laughed and hugged Noin and the baby. "Of course not. It's been too long, Noin."
"Indeed," she replied as she handed my lover the baby. "Trowa, Quatre, I'd like you to meet Aidan Merquise, the cause of my sleepless nights."
"Liar! You love every moment of it." Zechs beamed at his wife and child then reached out to shake my hand. "Good to see you both."
"Likewise. Come in." I welcomed them. Trowa and I hadn't seen the Merquise since Relena's twenty-first birthday over two years ago.
"Are we all here?" Noin asked as we all made our way back to the others.
"All except Cathy," I replied.
The moment Trowa walked into the lounge with Aidan, Relena practically pounced on him. I assumed that she had not seen her nephew in a while, if at all. Trowa wisely relinquished his hold on yet another babe.
As everyone greeted each other, I stood slightly apart from them, watching. It has certainly been too long since we saw each other. Looking back, I felt nostalgic to the times when we were so often in each other's company. Even if we were all fighting for our lives, we still took the time to live among friends.
Duo once said to me he felt that this new age of peace was far colder than war. I disagreed with him then, but at that moment, I was inclined to agree with him. Granted, Zechs and Une once batted for the opposing team but I still wished that we could re-establish the old ties we had each other. The world seemed so much smaller then.
As the craving for the days of yore surfaced, I also found myself thinking how far each and every one of us had come. We all began the journey alone, today we had bonds that were undeniable and unbreakable. Today we had friends... no, we had family. I wouldn't change that for the world.
Maybe the world seemed cold simply because we weren't trying hard enough. The necessity to know the success of a mission was no longer present, the need to confirm the survival of our comrades gone. There was little urgency in knowing the whereabouts of the others; hence we simply procrastinated in keeping up communications. Wasn't that how we drifted apart when we first attained peace?
It took a lot of effort and coordination to first get us back together. Two years after that, Relena's birthday party was our first success. Two years hence, we managed to gather again.
Are our reunions destined to be an event happening once every two years?
Perhaps I shouldn't be too demanding. The fact that we actually succeed every two years should be hailed an accomplishment. We all had different priorities and responsibilities now.
The Merquise were still overseeing the operation on Mars. Notwithstanding, I had heard that they were looking to return to Earth, as they wanted Aidan to grow up on his native planet. Relena was quite thrilled about their decision. She had only begun to know Zechs before he and Noin relocated to Mars. At least, if they were on the same planet she could reaffirm their waning relationship.
Une stood away from the rest of the group speaking to someone on her phone. In actuality she was commanding. And here I thought I was the workaholic. She had always been about the job. She lived to serve Treize when he was still alive, and it was in his memory that she continued to serve the people he had begun to love and admire.
My heart went out to her when I see her unwavering devotion and love to a man that had long died. Holding onto a memory of the dead did not mean that you had to stop loving the living. Notwithstanding, it was not my place to nudge her in the right direction.
As I continue to look on, my gaze fell upon the two blond beauties. Relena's role in the political arena was expected. She was a capable leader; even at her tender age she had gained respect and awe under her own merits. She bore a legacy fraught with tragedy and sorrow. Unperturbed, she sifted through all the baggage that came with it and held true to her beliefs. To say the least, she was remarkable.
While Relena swept the tables in parliament, Dorothy had become a leading icon in upper class society. I wasn't sure what she actually did to get her face plastered on the cover of magazines but she did it exceedingly well. I supposed her noble heritage, beauty and charisma had a lot to do with it. She achieved the fame and glory that rivalled that of icons of antiquity like Grace Kelly, Jackie Onnasis and Princess Diana combined. Whatever her technique, she did not wield her fame and riches wantonly. Perhaps she was trying to atone for her past sins, but Dorothy had become a champion and patron of myriad charitable organisations from war widows and orphans to the environment to medical research.
My attention then turned to the two new addition of our ragtag cell - Aidan Merquise and Zachary Chang. I couldn't help but think that the Merquises and Changs were most likely the only two couples that would be producing the next generation. Having said that we still had four young ladies to marry off. I chuckled to myself wondering, if some of us weren't gay, would we be up to our eyeballs in diapers by now?
"Penny for your thoughts." Sally's voice startled me from behind. "You seemed rather preoccupied."
I smiled at her and threw my arm around her shoulders. "I was just thinking about us."
"Us? You mean Team Gundam?"
I laughed. "I see Duo has hooked you into using that phrase too."
"It's catchy. Besides, what else did we have in common but the Gundams? We were a mix of Oz, Alliance, Romerfeller and miscellaneous."
"Miscellaneous?"
"It's better than mercenary, no? What were you thinking then? Or is it too private to share?"
"There are precious few things that are too private to share with you, Sally. Just musing about our lives, how we've come and what we did to get there, that all."
"Ooch." She wrinkled her nose in disdain. "That is far too profound for a shindig. Come, eat, drink and be merry! This is your party. If I remember well, you used to throw one hell of a party."
"I'm surprised you can remember. You often drink yourself, and Wu Fei, to a stupor before nine o'clock!"
"And that, my dear, is why your parties are so fantastic."
"Always with the flattery." I laughed as she handed me a glass of red. "A woman after my own heart!"
"Now who's flattering who?"
And thus we made merry with the wine. Sure, there was no bouncy castle this time but the absence of some two hundred guests made up for it. Eventually, Cathy turned up and we had a full roster. The alcohol flowed freely and even though Trowa was certain I had bought too much food, we managed to prove him wrong.
Zechs and Wu Fei had graciously volunteered to stay sober to care for the children. By eight, the two of them had made the upper level of our penthouse a no fly zone. The children were asleep in our bedroom and they weren't taking any chances. In all honestly, we were all too inebriated to mind.
Trowa had to be commended for his foresight as he had somehow procured enough futons, duvets and pillows to accommodate all of us. Before he and Heero got too drunk, they had moved all the furniture against the wall and lined the floor with futons. It felt like was one huge camping trip, especially when Zechs and Wu Fei finally consented to lighting the fireplace.
"No barfing," I warned. "The flooring is new plus it's gross."
Duo snorted. "Quat, if anyone's going to barf, it's you! You're always the first to pop!"
"That's because you always give me a lethal mix of cocktails!" I complained.
"You can always say no," he replied innocently.
"Sheah, like you'd listen. You'd have me tied to a chair with a funnel down my throat if I'd said no."
"If I had you tied to a chair, it won't be a funnel I'd be putting down your throat!" Duo drawled suggestively.
At that I choked and dove under the nearest duvet, my entire face burning. It didn't help that everyone else found it amusing that Duo was being his usual lecherous self.
"Trowa!" I complained.
"What?"
I harrumphed from under the duvet. "Some partner you are! You're supposed to defend my honour from perverts like him. Duo, you suck!"
"Indeed," I heard Heero quipped, "And very well too."
The very atmosphere reverberated with the explosion of laughter. Heero, often accused of having no sense of humour, was by far the most sardonic of us all. His well placed wit and comments were always something to remember.
I peeked from under my duvet and grinned at Duo. Perhaps for the first time since I knew him, he was blushing furiously.
"Get a camera quick," Dorothy piped in, "Duo Maxwell is blushing! We have to record this as a historical moment!"
"You'll pay..." Duo growled at his lover.
"Is that a promise?" the Japanese youth smirked, making us howl with laughter again.
Without warning Duo pounced on Heero, pinning his arms to his side. Duo whispered something into Heero's ear. I couldn't help but wonder what the braided youth had said but it managed to elicit a rather apprehensive look on Heero's face.
"You wouldn't dare!" Heero said, his voice not exactly enforcing his words.
"Wouldn't I?" Duo smirked.
A pillow went soaring into the air to hit Duo in the head. "For crying out loud!" Wu Fei cried, "Get a room!"
"I would but we're not allowed upstairs, remember?"
"Heero, dear," Relena drawled, looking rather inebriated, then leaned over to the Japanese youth. In a little-girl voice she asked, "Do you want me to get this nasty man off you?"
We watched with fascination and abated breath for the next exciting scene to unfold before us.
Heero grunted incoherently and naturally Relena took it as a yes. She grinned at Duo.
"Don't touch what you can't afford, beautiful," Duo said.
Relena tossed her golden mane in condescension. "I can MORE than afford you, Rapunzel. Get him, girls!"
I was unsure if it was an impromptu decision to aid Relena in her rescue attempt or it was an orchestrated attack. Whatever it was, they executed it with precision. How the managed to coordinate it without us guys realising was quite a feat. It was then I made up my mind to NEVER underestimate any of them, individually or collectively.
Dorothy, who had been the closest to Duo's braid, had it firmly twirled around her hands in a flash. Knowing full well that Duo would do anything to accommodate his precious locks, Dorothy pulled. His hands flew up to clutch the base of his braid as he leaned back towards her. Sally and Noin were the next to attack - taking his arms firmly and dragged him off Heero.
It was then Trowa, Zechs, Heero, Wu Fei and I quickly leapt to our feet and scrambled out of the way of these modern day Amazons.
Hilde and Relena seized him by the ankles as Cathy whipped a pillowcase out to tie them together. A second pillowcase went around his knees. The ladies then flipped their struggling victim to his front and tied his hands to his back with his belt that Une had taken off moments ago.
Last but not least, the third pillowcase was slipped over his head. Relena then perched on his back triumphantly.
"Ladies, ladies!" Duo crooned, "If you wanted some bondage all you had to do was ask."
"You talk the talk, Maxwell, but do you walk the walk?" Dorothy asked. "Turn him around, girls."
"Do you think we should help?" I asked Heero.
"Why?" he said with a nonchalant shrug, "He's undoubtedly enjoying this."
I giggled, and then looked over to Zechs and Wu Fei, whose eyes clearly reflected a renewed awe and respect for their wives. No doubt Zechs and Trowa felt the same way about their sisters. Once we knew it was safe, we settled down at the edge of the sea of futons to watch that night's entertainment.
"I can still hear you guys breathing," Duo complained, "You wanna lend a comrade a hand here?"
"What? And defy the Queen of the World?" Trowa quipped, "It's more than our paltry peasant lives are worth. Ask Zechs, he's the Prince around here."
"Me?" he exclaimed, "You forget I am married to the Captain of the Imperial Guard."
"Very wise, Your Highness," Noin said. "It looks like you're on your own, Duo."
"Quatre?" Dorothy turned to look at me sweetly, "Do you have a funnel?"
I gaped at her, too flustered from being embarrasses and wondering if she was serious about what I thought she was being serious about. Before I could answer, the sound of a cry over the baby monitor startled all of us. Wu Fei leapt to his feet instantly and bolted upstairs. Zechs stood more calmly and followed.
We looked at each other guiltily. We had been rather boisterous in our drunken antics.
"This is your fault," Heero said.
"Me?" Duo exclaimed, knowing full well that Heero referred to him even though his lover had not said his name. "How does that work? I am the one tied up here."
"All in favour of blaming Duo say 'aye'."
In unison, every one of us cried out 'aye' enthusiastically.
Duo grunted in annoyance and muttered, "Typical."
"Oh don't pout, gorgeous," Hilde said, removing the pillowcase over his head, then pecked him on the forehead. "We still love you."
"If I'm going to take the fall for this, I want to be compensated. God knows Fei is probably going to flay me alive for waking the kids."
Sally giggled. "You're not wrong there. But I doubt we could compensate you enough for volunteering to face Fei's wrath."
"Don't you worry about that, Sally," Heero replied as he crawled towards Duo to help Hilde free him, "I have more than enough ... resources to placate Mister Maxwell."
Duo grinned foolishly at Heero but said nothing. Heero stooped a little to kiss him tenderly as he undid Duo's belt.
Order resumed. While Heero and Hilde freed Duo, I sidled towards Trowa and laid my head upon his lap. Cathy moved towards us and sank happily into Trowa's embrace. Surprisingly, Dorothy had chosen to snuggle up to me. Obligingly, I wrapped my around her.
I lifted my head slightly to observe the others shifting to get more comfortable. Predictably, Zechs, who had return after confirming Wu Fei did not need help, gathered his wife lovingly. When Duo was freed, Hilde and Relena moved to fill the space within his and Heero's arms respectively. With the absence of Wu Fei and Treize, Une and Sally took to cuddling each other.
I smiled looking at us, finding it rather amusing that the guys had somehow ended up with their female counterparts and even more so when no one protested. It was as if destiny had intended to have enough companionship to be divided equally among us. Unfortunately, life had decided that it was far too cliché and threw us a curve ball instead - one of us had been lost to us on the battlefield, two were probably related to each other, and four of us much preferred a more... diverse relationship.
Nevertheless, I have come to appreciate each moment for what it is and not what it would lead to, not it might have been. It had to be said that when contentment and tranquillity can be found in the hearts and souls of battle-worn warriors, the moment should forever be cherished. Illuminated by the silvery hue of the Arabian moon, the scene was picture perfect. I gazed upon the faces of my family and committed to memory every detail before me.
Sally then reached for the baby monitor with a faint smile on her face. Turning up the volume, she whispered, "Listen."
I could not understand the words but it was unmistakably a lullaby that Wu Fei was singing. In all the years that I've known him, I had never had the honour of listening to him sing. Mister Chang had certainly kept a secret from us. Even through the simply melody, I could hear the rich resonance of his baritone voice.
From the looks of surprise on everyone else's face, I was certain that no one else had known about it.
"Wow," Dorothy breathed. "He should be on Broadway."
"Coming from you." Sally grinned. "That's saying something."
"I give credit where credit is due. Thank you very much," she replied.
"I'm sobering up, someone get me a cocktail!" Hilde suddenly cried.
"Do you think it's wise to continue drinking?" Duo asked.
"You are such a party-pooper." She elbowed him. "Old age is making you boring."
"I think it's past all out bedtimes," Zechs said. I looked over to him and realised that Noin had fallen asleep.
"Zechs is right, besides, if Wu Fei comes back to find us asleep, he won't have a go at us," Trowa said.
"I'm convinced," Duo piped immediately, reaching for the closest duvet and pillows. "Good night, everyone."
Soon we all follow suit, and settling down to sleep pretty much where we had fallen, each lady contentedly snuggled in their gentleman's arms. Wu Fei's dulcet voice continued to saturate the silence around us, lulling us to sleep as it did the babies. Eventually, he returned to us when everyone else had fallen asleep. Silently and gently, he slipped under Sally's duvet.
I smiled to myself as I reached to grasp Trowa's hand. No doubt most of us would wake with a mother of a hangover - as Duo would no doubt say, but it would be well worth it.
We came together in an age where the worst of humanity had reared its ugly head. With scars and wounds that littered our past we were uncertain our future held could hold anything beautiful. Through the strength and tenacity we inspired in each other, we conquered the trials and tribulations that had been laid before us.
Protected by a citadel built upon our mutual trust and friendship, we had fused to become a unit so intimate, so formidable, that no power on earth could rend us apart. It may have taken us years, but finally we had come to realise that there was a place in which we belonged - within the hallowed halls of that citadel.
Secure in the knowledge that we would always be there for each other, in flesh or in spirit, I basked in gentle glow of our love for each other and drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
~Fin~