Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ My Kinda Fairy Tale ❯ Fleeting Desicions ( Chapter 4 )

GS Note: TO ALL NON-CANADIANS! I call pop, pop. Not soda, k? Just because that's what I call it here.


Chapter 4

Fleeting Decisions

//Duo was silently snickering at the top of the hidden staircase. He couldn't wait to see the young guard's face when he finally arrived. Duo knew there was a young woman housed in the room below him and he knew that the cadet's up-tight attitude would make him believe that the staircase went down to the dungeons. The cadet would go bursting in the room to finish the 'task' quickly and would hopefully jump in on the woman. It happened all the time.

He heard the scrambling at the top of the stairs and pushed back the tapestry to let the grey dusted guard through.

"So," Duo snickered. "See anything interesting?"

"Why yes, Prince Duo, your lady friend was most inviting," Wufei said with a perfectly straight face while he dusted the old grim off one of his shoulders. Duo looked at him in shock then glared.

"Hey! I know you're messing with me!"

Wufei carefully hid his surprise at the common slang. He knew these Westerner's were more lax then his own country to the East but he never knew they conversed with the help so easily. "Messing with you Prince?"

"You know!" Duo flung up his hands. "Screwing with my mind? Yanking my chain?"

Wufei knew perfectly what the slang implicated. He had spent a few weeks retraining with the Western cadets when his country sent him over to join King Solo's guard as a sign of peace but he knew that the Prince was unaware of this fact. "Sir?"

"Damn it," Duo stomped his foot. "Do you have a stick up your ass? What's your name?"

"Cadet Chang Wufei, sir" Wufei mock saluted.

"'Fei? Loosen up. I hate it when the guards around my room are tight asses."

Wufei winced at the nickname. "Sir, I will loosen up if you refrain from using that nickname."

"Why is that?" Duo asked.

"It's a, er, cultural thing sir," Wufei blushed.

"Ok then, Wu," Duo grinned. "Can you show me to-"//

"Duo," a shaking on his shoulder snapped Duo out of his writing daze. "Man, snap out of it!"

"Huh?" Duo looked around. He was on the run-down school bus on the way to school. He was writing again for the first time since the weekend and this story had to be done. His seatmate, Solo, was shaking his shoulder.

"What?" Duo asked confused. "Huh? What's going on?"

"We're at school dude," Solo chuckled. Duo looked out the window in shock as he saw his high school parking lot. "Come on, or you're gonna be late for class. Sister Helen would kill you."

"Right," Duo shut his notebook and jammed it into his bag. "Thanks man."

"It's nothing, but I think you're friend is waiting for you."

Duo stood up and followed Solo down the almost empty bus aisle with a groan. "Which friend?"

"The one that you practically lived with in grade school dork, Dorothy."

"Good," Duo jumped down the three steps to land on the pavement lightly. "Wufei has been on my case all weekend to write. Good thing he hasn't read the story yet."

"Oh, that English assignment you had," Solo asked mildly. They stopped a few feet away from where Dorothy and Merian were standing.

"Yea, I'm still working on it. See ya Solo!"

"Try not to fall asleep in class again Duo!" The waved and Duo hurried up to his two friend. Dorothy had been his best friend wince neither of them knew and Dorothy had included Merian in their little group.

"Duo," Merian greeted politely. "How are you today?"

"I'm alright," Duo grinned as the three of them hurried up the steps. "Where's Wu?"

"His bus is late today," Dorothy replied as they weaved through students. "Construction."

"Ah, Heero here yet?"

"No, I haven't seen his car, but if he's any later he'll miss first period," Merian supplied.

Duo sighed as they turned another corner. "Are you guys doing anything tonight?"

"Not that I know of, why?" Dorothy asked.

"Well, it's my story, I could use some fresh minds and we haven't had a get together in months!"

"My parents are going out tonight, I'm sure they wouldn't mind. I'll call over and ask. How's 6:00?"

"Perfect," Duo smiled. "I'll see if Wu can make it. You in Merian?"

"Yea, sure," Merian nodded as they reached their lockers. Merian and Dorothy's locker was a few meters down from Duo and Trowa's. Duo grabbed his English books and his French.

"See ya in Science Doro!" Duo waved quickly as he ran down a separate hallway. His school was unusual; they had six periods per semester. Duo slid into his seat as the class started to dribble people in. He pulled out his notebook and began to write.

//"Ok then, Wu," Duo grinned. "Can you show me to Prince Trowa's room? I have to talk to him about some peace treaties and stuff."

"Yes, sir, please follow me."

"I thought you were gonna loosen up," Duo complained as he followed Wufei down the steep stone steps.

"Haven't I?"//

"Class," the voice snapped Duo out of his writing trance and innocently placed his notebook on his desk. "Let's begin this lesson by reviewing the chapter study of Hamlet I assigned..."

Duo groaned and opened his binder to the almost finished summary of the chapter Mr. Marquise had assigned. It was going to be a long day.

***

Wufei raised an eyebrow as Duo collapsed in his chair. He frowned as Duo's head hit the table and growled when his arm flopped on Wufei's tray.

"Maxwell!" He grumbled irritably and pushed the limp boy to the other side.

"Sorry Wu," Duo yawned and raised his head. "Whatcha get for lunch? Oh no wait don't tell me, Mystery Meat, Vegetable Surprise and possibly a container of rice from home."

"You felt that when you dropped onto my food," Wufei glowered and picked up a forkful of his Vegetable Surprise.

"No, only the vegetables," Duo grimaced and wiped off his sleeve with a napkin. Wufei replaced the vegetable son his plate and moved on to the lump they called meat.

"How has your day gone Maxwell?" Wufei asked as he poked at his lunch.

"Don't even ask Wu," Duo groaned and pulled his own tray under his face. He mechanically started to shovel the food into his mouth. He grimaced and pulled a brown paper bag from his backpack. He opened it groaned and put it down again. "Damn, leftovers. How many times do I have to have pasta?"

"I'll trade," Wufei said eagerly and held over his rice container. Duo gleefully swapped and dug into the white grains.

"So why were you late?" Duo asked as he swallowed.

"Op-, op-, gr, eye doctor's appointment."

"Optometrist?" Duo supplied. Even though Wufei had improved his english over and over some of the word still slipped his mind.

"Yes. He claims I need glasses. I'll have you know, ten full generations in my family never needed glasses and I don't plan to have them now."

Duo chuckled and scraped his plastic fork around the last of his food. Then he gave one last disappointing look into the empty container and sighed. He picked at his vegetables as he started down a new branch of topic.

"Can you come over to Doro's tonight? I really need help with my English story and she and Merian offered to help me."

"I will see what I can do," Wufei promised as they stood to dump the last of their food into the garbage bins. "How about we go down to the library and you can tell me how far you are?"

"Sounds like a plan," Duo said as they weaved their way out of the café. In the library they found two chairs near the back and away from most people. After settling down, Duo opened his notebook and began to read aloud to the Chinese youth.

//"Haven't I?"//

"Not bad Maxwell," Wufei said grudgingly. "But why am I a cadet? My country sent me over as an ambassador into the army, would they not welcome me and replace my original rank?"

"No, no," Duo shook his head. "You were a cadet in your own country too. There's no way a guy as young as you would be a major or something."

"Why would they send a cadet as an ambassador?"

"Because! Your country sent more then one soldier, duh. You were just top of your class. An your country trains longer then mine so you are technically more advanced in training then the other cadets."

"Where did it say that?" Wufei raised an eyebrow.

"It doesn't! I- oh damn, now I gotta put it in somewhere. Gez, well, Mr Technicality, what did you really think of it?"

"It's only the first draft," Wufei said slowly. "But it has potential. Now, what's going to happen next?"

"Um, I was gonna do a scene where Trowa and Duo talk..."

"Than?"

"Then I make it up as a go along," Duo grinned.

"Maxwell," Wufei groaned. "You can't go in the story with out the ending planned."

"I do have the ending!" Duo protested. "You see, Duo really like both Heero and Doro but he can't choose. Quatre is gonna fall for-"

"Where does Quatre come in?" Wufei asked.

"He just does! I haven't figured that out yet."

"Then maybe you should," Wufei smirked. Duo glared and opened to a page near the back.

"Fine, Wu. We'll do it your way."

***

//"Haven't I?"

"Not to my satisfaction. Now, after we get to Trowa's room, I'm gonna show you the finer points of the castle."

"As you wish, Sir."

"And drop the 'sir' thing, you make me sound like my father."

"Yes Prince."

"Look, my name is Duo Maxwell. D-U-O M-A-X-W-E-L-L. Duo. Maxwell. Got it?"

"Yes Maxwell-sama."

"That's more like it," Duo grinned.//

"Wait a minute," Wufei shook his head and held out his hands in protest. "I thought I was Chinese. Why am I speaking Japanese?"

"It's- Ah, writer license," Duo stick his tongue out.

The four friends were grouped in Dorothy's house. It was The place wasn't as spectacular as the Yuy's estate but it held it's own ne the house market. Chips, pop and a sandwich for Wufei were splatter over the coffee table in the back living room that Dorothy had claimed as a friend room back in grade 9.. Duo traded his chewed out pencil for a chip, nervously nibbling it as he looked over what he wrote.

"No such thing," Wufei scuffed. "You have to make a reasonable explanation for it."

"How about Wufei's country represents the Asian portion of the world? China, Japan, you know," Dorothy suggested.

"Yea, that would work," Duo scribbled out his last line.

//"Yes Maxwell-sama."

"You speak Japanese?" Duo asked as they turned down a long corridor. He nodded to the guard on duty as Wufei answered.

"My country speaks many languages. Japanese and Chinese are my two main languages."

"Ah, but not Maxwell-sama. How bout san? It works right?"

"Very well Maxwell...san," Wufei struggled. He stopped in front of a wooden door. "We have arrived."

Duo knocked on the door, the echoes could be heard for beyond. There was a pause and the sound of the door lock being lifted. It opened a crack and an emerald green eye was visible.

"Who is there?" a quiet voice asked suspiciously.

"My name is Cadet Chang Wufei," Wufei said formally. "Prince Duo Maxwell requires to speak with you."

The eye didn't widen in the least. Instead the door opened more and a slender hand waved the prince acceptance. Duo grinned and walked into the door.

"Prince Trowa," Duo bowed furiously. "Please, call me Duo."

"I have no interest in marrying you," the quiet voice warned. Duo got a good look at the speaker. He was tall, a good head taller then him. His hair was short with the exception of a long bang that hid half of his face and showed only one of his expressionless green eyes-//

"Expressionless?" Dorothy stopped Duo's reading. "No, no, I've seen Trowa before and he seemed capable of displaying his emotions."

"That's because he was with Quatre," Duo winked. "Usually he's very shy and you can't tell a thing of what he's thinking."

"Before you describe him in this manner, perhaps you should ask his permission to be in the story Duo," Merian took a gulp of her soft drink.

"Maxwell never asked for my permission," Wufei scowled as he sulked in the cushion of the couch.

"That's 'cause you're too cute to leave out!" Duo pinched Wufei's nose teasingly as Wufei jumped in surprise.

"Maxwell! If you have forgotten I'm not Yuy!" he glared.

"But Fei-babe," Duo blew Wufei a kiss. "You are so cute! Especially that tight-"

"Duo," Merian interrupted quickly. "I believe you are going to suffer bodily harm if you continue that conversation with my boyfriend."

Wufei smirked in satisfaction. Duo pinched his ribs and stated, "Awe, Wu, you need your girl to stand up for you! How cute!"

Wufei sputtered indignantly while Duo and Dorothy fell off their seat laughing uncontrollably. Merian hid a grin with her hand at Wufei's bright red face.

"Come here Wufei," she held out a hand as she struggled to keep her voice in check. "I'll protect you from Duo."

"I do not need protecting," Wufei stood up and walked over to her. "This is to shield you from Maxwell's hurtful remarks."

"Of course it is," Merian wrapped her arms around Wufei's shoulders as he settled into her embrace scowling. Dorothy finally recovered and stood up. She found her seat beside Merian occupied and settled for dragging Duo to his feet and depositing him and herself on the other vacant couch.

"Ok, enough of that," Dorothy smiled. "Let's get on with the story."

//His hair was short with the exception of a long bang that hid half of his face and showed only one of his expressionless green eyes. He was dressed in a plain green shirt with a high collar and long sleeves. His pants were casual breeches with soft leather boots. Duo decided his could grow to like this southerner.

"No, no," Duo held up his hands in a disarming gesture. "I was already informed of your decision. I am here to talk of future peace treaties we might make between our countries when we take the thrones."

Trowa accepted his proposition and motioned Duo to one of the plain chairs in the centre of the room. Duo smiled and settled down.//