Author: Gypsie1201
Pairings: 1x2, mention of 3x4 and 5xS
Warnings: Fluff, Sap, and Reflection. Oh, and unbeta'ed, of course.
Rating: PG
Archive: My livejournal, Debs-Dragon - GW Diaries, Akira_1x2.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters, nor will I make any money from the creation of this story.
Feedback: All is welcome and very much appreciated.
Author's Note: This is a gift fic for my wonderful beta, darkmisstical. I will never be able to thank her enough for all the help she's given me with my fics as well as for dealing with my craziness and all the angst I seem to throw her way.
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Duo is wrapping up the last of the present to be placed under the tree. While he works, he thinks back over the past few years of his life, contemplating those things that really matter.
Gifts Given
It was nearly ten thirty, but still Duo was busy wrapping the last of the Christmas gifts he had purchased within the last few weeks. As always, the flurry and bustle of the Christmas season had him running from one place to another, with very little time for the little things that made the holidays truly special. This was why, on the last night, Christmas Eve, he was once again trying to finish those little things before the strike of midnight.
With an assortment of presents still laid out around him where he was sitting on the floor of the living room, he allowed himself a moment to enjoy the feel of the quiet house around him. A cup of lukewarm cocoa was sitting at his right side and a warm fire burned in the fireplace on his left. Heero, his lover and constant companion for the last year and a half, had called it a night nearly an hour ago with the expectation that Duo join him in their king-sized bed before twelve o'clock. It was an expectation that the braided man intended to keep.
On the mantle above the fireplace, a group of pictures lent a homey atmosphere to the surroundings. In the middle one, he and Heero smiled back at the camera from in front of a beautiful waterfall they had found during their vacation that summer to Hawaii. To its right, Wufei and Sally could be seen on the steps of the church that had hosted their wedding just over six months ago. While on the left, Quatre smiling brilliantly as he cradled his and Trowa's newly adopted daughter in his arms. His tall, auburn-haired husband standing at his side with eyes that brimmed with love and devotion.
All in all, Duo had to admit that his life was truly a happy one. Growing up as he had on the streets of L2, he had not had much hope of being where he was now. In fact, he would never have even dreamed of such a thing. Now though, he sometimes felt he took so much of it for granted. This was one of the reasons he was currently sitting in the living room instead of cuddled beside Heero. He needed this quiet time, so close to the end of yet another year, to reflect on those things he wanted to always keep close to his heart. Of course, one of the most important of those was the man who, by now, was sleeping soundly in their bed.
During the first war, he and Heero had managed to form a tentative friendship that had grown as the war stretched on and somehow even lasted through their separation following the end of the war, mostly through e-mails and letters since he had returned to L2 and Heero had remained on the Earth. It was not until the dark-haired ex-pilot of Wing Zero had come asking for his help in rescuing Relena during the Barton Uprising that he realized just how much Heero meant to him.
This of course, was the main reason why, once they had managed to put Barton and his regime down, he decided to stay on the Earth and join the Preventers. To his utter surprise and delight, Heero joined up with him and since they had always worked so well together, they were immediately paired up as partners. They also began the sometimes tedious work of repairing the distance that had grown between them over their year of separation. A few months later, one thing led to another, and before Duo even realized what was happening, they had become something more than friends, but not quite lovers.
It had taken another three months before they managed to break through their own hang-ups and fears to reach that stage and have been together ever since. Not to say that it has been perfect, actually far from it. With two headstrong individuals like themselves, you have to expect certain differences and clashes of wills. But they were almost always able to talk their way through them, even if the talking started out as shouting. And on those rare occasions when they could not, there was always Quatre and Trowa. Duo could remember many a night spent sleeping in one of the blonde's guestrooms, especially during the first tentative months of their relationship.
He always went home in the morning though and he and Heero would usually spend the day talking and making up. Now, Quatre can usually be heard spouting at least one reference to the 'old married couple' of the group. Yes, it's true that he and Heero had settled down a bit. They had bought their house only about six months ago, closing on the day of their one-year anniversary, and while they still liked going out with the gang now and then, they preferred a nice quite night spend curled together on the couch, eating popcorn and watching a rented moving on the vidscreen. Usually with their cat, a Siamese by the name of Sai Ling, curled at their feet.
As if knowing that his thoughts had strayed to her, Sai Ling chose that moment to come strolling into the room and walked over to rub against him. He found himself smiling softly at the purring feline before picking her up and depositing her in his lap. She immediately settled down and allowed him to stroke along her back as his mind once again began to drift.
They had found the poor little cat, then a kitten, while walking through a park during the winter a year ago. She had been abandoned there, left to die in the cold. All it had taken was one look at those big blue eyes and Duo had been hooked. He knew there was just no way he could leave the little bundle to freeze and had immediately turned to Heero, his own violet eyes pleading. Of course, not able to deny Duo anything that he truly wanted, the dark-haired man had given in, but only with the understanding that the animal was Duo's responsibility. The braided man had immediately agreed and they had whisked the kitten off to their then one bedroom apartment to be cleaned and fed.
Since then, Heero had of course warmed up her. In fact, Duo sometimes believed she preferred his stoic and taciturn lover's attention to his. But that was not something he would ever begrudge the man. Seeing the two of them curled up on the big easy chair in Heero's office on especially rough days was more than worth it.
And then of course there was Rachel, Quatre and Trowa's daughter, who absolutely adored the cat and was adored in return. When the then newly wed couple adopted the little girl from a local orphanage a little over two years ago, she had only been two years old. Now, the almost five-year-old could be found traipsing around their house whenever they were over to visit with Sai Ling following close on her heels.
Smiling softly at the image the two of them brought to his mind, Duo looked down at the grey and brown bundle of fur in his lap, giving her a good scratch behind the ears before picking her up and setting her aside so he could once again start working on the presents. She of course gave a piteous meow of protest before turning, with what the braided man could guess was a disgruntled sniff, and moving to the loveseat only a few feet away. Jumping on the back of the beige-colored piece of furniture, she settled down for a short nap, all the while keeping one eye on him.
Duo chuckled softly at the cat's antics before picking up the next gift and beginning the process of wrapping it tight. After only a few moments, he once again settled into a routine and time seemed to slip away until it was just him and the brightly color paper, ribbons, and bows. It was not until sometime later, as he reached across the space for another gift and came up empty handed that he snap from his trance to find he had finished wrapping all the presents. Giving himself a shake, he stretched his arms over his head, hearing and feeling his back pop nicely, before reaching for his cup of cocoa only to find it unbearably cold. This immediately sent his eyes searching for the wall clock and to his utter astonishment and chagrined, he found that only fifteen minutes remained until midnight.
With nimble fingers, he quickly began cleaning up the remnants of his wrapping spree, tucking it all back in the large green and red box they kept the paper rolls in and sliding the box into the corner to be put away in the morning. Then grabbing the fireplace poker, he stoked the still glowing embers enough to allow them to bank themselves before picking up his cold cup and heading toward the front door to double check the locks.
At the door, he paused a moment to look out the side window and found himself staring in awe at the light covering of snow that blanketed the front lawn and walk. Not five hours earlier, he had bemoaned the lack of whiteness for Christmas to Heero, who had reminded him that winters on earth were fickle things and they did not always have the weather they wanted. Now though, with the flakes still falling heavily outside, he could not help but smile since they were guaranteed at least a few inches by morning.
Unable to withstand the draw of that fluffy down, he reached out and turned the knob on the door, pulling it open before stepping out onto their front porch. It was cold outside, and his light tee-shirt and flannel pajama pants were no defense against it, but still he walked to the edge of the steps and allowed himself a few moments to just enjoy the hush that always came with fallen snow. It was as if the world had put on a damper, every sound, even his footsteps across the wooden beams, seemed muffled. To his utter disappointment, he could not stay outside for very long since being without socks or shoes made for very cold feet and toes. With one last longing look at the wonderland scene lit only by the light of the full moon, he made a promise to enjoy the snow more fully the next morning before turning and heading back inside, locking the door securely behind him.
On his way back down the hall, he was met by Sai Ling, who gave a meow of greeting, undoubtedly wondering what had possess him to go outside in the freezing cold. Mindful of the time, Duo merely smiled at her before continued to the kitchen where he dumped the contents of his mug down the drain and sat it on the counter to be cleaned in the morning. Then flipping lights off as he went, he headed up the stairs to the master bedroom that he shared with Heero.
He entered the room as quietly as possible, on the off chance that Heero really was sleeping, shedding his shirt and pants as he went and leaving only his cotton boxers as he approached the bedside. Then lifting the down comforter, he cautiously slipped between the sheets and scooted toward the warm body occupying the middle of the bed. Finally, he reached over and flipped off the bedside lamp that the dark-haired man had left lit for him and settled onto his side to sleep. Not a second later, Heero's strong arms snaked out and curled around his waist, pulling him back until he was spooned up against the man's chest. Downstairs, the hall clock chimed midnight.
"I think it's a record; you being on time." Heero's sleep-gravely voice breathed across his bare shoulder, sending a shiver through his body.
"I did promise, didn't I?" he retorted in an equally soft voice, not wanting to break the stillness that fell like a warm, comforting blanket over them.
"Yeah, you did." his blue-eyed lover said, the smile plain in his voice as he nuzzled against Duo's neck. "And you always keep your promises."
"Damn straight." Duo chucked.
"Hn, now go to sleep." Heero said with a yawn. "We have a busy day tomorrow."
"Yeah, but one I'm looking forward to."
"Me too."
"Goodnight, Heero."
"Goodnight, Duo." Heero said, his voice dropping as sleep slowly claimed him once again. Before he could slip completely away though, he managed to mumble softly, "Merry Christmas."
Duo could not help the smile that stole over his lips at the softly spoken words. So much had changed in his life over the past years and while it had not been an easy road, he would not change anything that he went through to be where he was now. Having his friends and family by his side on this and every other day was by far the best gift he could ever receive. So, cuddling back into Heero warm body, he allowed his mind to drift toward the next day and the festivities they had planned with those closest to their hearts as he whispered softly, "Merry Christmas."
OWARI
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