For jilltanith- Am older uni- Californication Christmas... Uh, the icon cause it's Heero in a tie...closest thing I had to this story?
Californication Drabble 9
It wasn't something he was ever going to admit to Duo, but Christmastime in LA always seemed wrong to Heero. There were lights, and trees and all of those sorts of things, but it was still too warm. Even when it was cold or rainy or windy- it was still warmer than what Heero expected. Sure, there was snow- up in the mountains- and sure there was the occasional hail storm and all, but it just didn't seem like Christmas.
Well, except for having Duo with him. Duo was all those things that Christmas was supposed to be- bright and warm, welcoming and happy- and well, he was Heero's home and Heero could put up with all the wrongness of an LA Christmas if it meant Duo was there with him.
"Was that really a lit up pink flamingo?" He asked as they drove down their street. Duo laughed merrily.
"Yep- and a few streets up there is a guy with some light-up palm trees and pink reindeer."
"Seriously?" Heero shook his head. "Please tell me you didn't decorate that way?"
"Of course not." Duo poked him in the ribs and grinned. "Just a string of lights so that the neighbors don't lynch me for not showing any spirit. Oh, and Bob of course."
"Bob?" Heero asked as they rounded the corner. He was relieved to see that Duo had indeed just stuck to a string of blue icicle lights- but there was something glowing white in the front yard.
"The snowman," Duo gestured toward the inflatable snowman staked out in their yard. "I had to put him out."
"Duo, it never snows here."
"That's why he's there. Otherwise I'd never have the chance to have a snowman in the yard here."
Heero didn't answer. They could easily have a snowman in the East Coast yard, but Duo had been very insistent on having Christmas in LA this year. It was true that they hadn't spent a lot of time in this house in the last year or two. Maybe Duo was a little homesick for LA?
He'd been expecting to have a quiet Christmas Eve at home. He'd just finished a book tour and Duo had just finished writing one of his, while doing a small promotional tour for the TV. series that was being made for his first novel.
But Duo had other ideas. Once Heero had finished unpacking, Duo had told him to 'suit up' because they were going out to dinner. Heero had done so, only mildly protesting, and then let Duo drag him out of the house.
"Where are we headed?"
"You'll see," Duo smiled at him as he headed towards the freeway. "It's sort of a Christmas party."
Heero groaned inside. "Not... a Hollywood Christmas party?"
"No, a family Christmas party- at Quatre's. He's got a lot of family there right now and he invited us too."
Well, that was a relief. Heero knew the studio head did have a large family and a Christmas party like that would be better than the Hollywood sort. "Does he have something else on the burner?"
"Well, I think he does want to talk you into another movie deal or two, since the last ones did so well- you are sort of popular and all, you know."
Heero snorted. "Especially since the hearing and all."
Duo reached out and caught Heero's hand with his. "I've been waiting for you to bring it up. How did it go? I wanted to be there, but there was no time to catch a flight..."
"I know, but it was probably better that you weren't. I didn't want to be there, but Jay's doctor called me at the last minute and insisted- and I wasn't too far away."
"Was it bad?"
"No. I didn't even see him. Just talked to the doctors and all that. He's going to get the help he needs, so that's all that matters." And he was never ever going to be able to get out... that's all Heero had wanted.
Duo kissed Heero's knuckles. "I'm still sorry I couldn't be there for you."
"It's thanks to you that I even got to this place at all. Don't worry about it." Heero returned the kiss gently before changing the subject. "Do you want to stay in LA through New Year's?"
"Nah," Duo grinned at him. "I have some plans for us. Doro promised us a break and I talked her into three weeks."
"How the hell did you do that?"
"Well, I sort of told her that we'd be researching."
"Are we?"
"Aren't we always?"
"Good point."
The conversation turned to plots and discussions of things to see and then they were at Quatre's.
"I'm glad to see that he doesn't have anything too weird lit up in his yard." Heero said as they got out of the car.
"Nah, in this neighborhood it's all understated elegance," Duo gestured at the white lights everywhere.
"Beats pink reindeer."
"Anything beats pink reindeer."
They were ushered in by Quatre's secretary and led back to a large room in the back of the house. Heero's mouth dropped open in surprise. Around the enormous Christmas tree were not just Quatre, his staff and all of his family- but Une, Doro, Sally and her family as well.
"What?" He managed as his sister and her children greeted him with hugs and kisses.
"Surprised?" Sally laughed at him as Doro came to drop a cool kiss on his cheek.
"Why are you- I mean, don't get me wrong, but-"
"Duo invited us."
"And I invited Duo to use my place- since I knew we all wanted to see this," Quatre added as he joined them.
"See what?" Heero turned to find Duo grinning widely at him. "What are you up to?"
"Just this," Duo reached out and pulled him close, fishing a small box out of his pocket. "Considering all that we've already done together- I thought it was time to see if you wanted this."
Heero opened the box, a little dazed, as Duo continued: "Heero, I love you and-"
Before he could finish the sentence, Heero leaned over and kissed him hard. "Yes."
"You didn't let me finish-"
"You don't have to- the answer is yes. It will always be yes."
OWARI
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