Life Goes On Part 3
Removing her glasses, Lady Une stepped a bit closer to the painting before her. Brown eyes wide with awe, she whispered, "Brilliant." Back at her private office's desk, Heero mentally breathed a deep sigh of relief. Like all of his works, he put all of his efforts into the display. It never ceased to flatter him when someone truly appreciated what he made out of some canvas, paints, pencils and oils.
Slowly turning around to meet her pupil's gaze, the brunette teacher smiled widely, "Simply brilliant, Heero. Few students manage to grasp the concept making a painting like this so early on in their studies. I was not expecting to have anyone in class come up with anything like this." She gazed back to the canvas and shook her head in amusement.
Glad that she turned away just as a blush colored his cheeks, Heero shrugged, "I just did more research on making something that doesn't seem to be there and got lucky, I guess." He remained silently grateful that the presentations were being made one-on-one as opposed to before the whole of his class. He knew he'd never hear the end of his blushing.
With a loud laugh, Lady Une turned back to him and smirked, "Lucky? No, no dear boy, something like this does not come simply out of luck.
"It takes a great amount of talent for someone like yourself, with no prior teachings of art concepts, to consistently come up with the brilliant pieces of work that you have created over the last two years here. You really do not give yourself the credit you deserve."
Lowering his gaze a bit, the boy's unruly bangs fell over his eyes as he replied, "Thank you, Lady Une." He shifted uncomfortable on his feet, causing the young woman to chuckle deeply as she finally moved back to her desk.
When she took her seat, the professor opened her top drawer and removed a small card. "Tell me, Heero," Lady Une began while holding up the piece of paper before her, "Have you ever heard of the Stellar Gala?"
Quickly, Heero nodded, "I actually attended it last year for the first time. All I really know of it is that it runs annually for the entirety of the summer. It was quite remarkable to see the works that were displayed there."
Just the mention of the fair brought a smile to his face. Surrounded by The lively music, delicious food and other entertainment that came with the fair were some of the most breathtaking creations that he had ever seen. To be around such great artistry, he felt strived to be any bit as good those talented souls that had their offerings spread out to be gazed on in awe by countless people.
Nodding, the young woman replied, "Well, the man that runs the gala is a good friend of mine. Millions of people travel throughout space to visit the displays of those twenty lucky artists that his esteemed team of judges chose to be entered into his esteemed festival. Those few lucky artists that have their works displayed there earn quite prestigious notoriety and never have to live as 'starving artists'."
Her brown eyes glancing from the boy to the card in her hand and back, Lady Une ginned, "I would like to call him, to have him look at what you've done to see if you could be one of those twenty for the upcoming gala."
Unable to breathe, Heero's eyes widened and his back stiffened. To have one of his works displayed at the entrance of one of the most well-known museums was one thing. This was entirely another. "W-what?" he breathed, his knees buckling a bit. "But I'm not nearly good enough to-"
"My boy," the professor cut him off, shaking her head. "Do you really believe that I would risk my own reputation as a teacher in one of the most prestigious art schools in space?
"Friend or not, Jeffrey would have me committed if I bothered him to meet with you if I thought your artworks were anything less than a moment of his valuable time for a glance over. Granted, you'd be the youngest candidate to be considered, but I truly believe that you're good enough."
Swallowing hard, the Japanese boy's mouth opened and closed a couple times before he finally found his voice and nodded with a wide smile, "A-all right. I would be honored if you would talk to him."
At that, Lady Une smiled warmly, "Excellent." She sat back in her leather chair, checked her watch announced, "Well, my next presentation is scheduled in a couple minutes, so that would conclude our meeting." Rising from her chair, she gave a firm nod. "I certainly hope that you have a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving break."
His head nodding excitedly, Heero took her offered hand and replied, "Yes, thank you. You have a nice break, too." That said, he spun on his heels and quickly headed for the door with his heart pounding out of his chest.
Laughing, the young woman called after him, "I expect your final project of the semester to be finished in the next two weeks!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" the youth cried back just as he left the room. Shaking her head in amusement, Lady Une returned to her seat, folding her hands to prop her head up to further admire the painting across from her.
On his way through the main hallway and to the front doors of the large facility, Heero froze the moment he was outside. Panting, he gazed up to the millions of softly falling flakes. Blinking his cobalt eyes, he grinned widely at the sight of the surroundings quickly blanketing in white.
Quickly zippering his leather coat closed, the Japanese boy chuckled deeply to himself. He could already image his stir-crazy lover bouncing with excitement back at their shared apartment at the sight of the snow. having been cooped up indoors for over a week now, he could understand the neko's ever growing frustration as the days went by.
A plan already forming in his mind, Heero ran to the facility parking lot, grinning widely all the way.
* * * * * *
This can't be happening. Not now.
It was all that Duo could repeat over like a broken record as he almost violently filed his nails down. Knowing the bullet that he'd narrowly missed during his stay at the hospital, the braided neko sighed and continued to work the last remaining nails on his right hand down.
He spotted the look on Heero's face when he'd spotted the long things that he'd used to cut himself in a panic. Duo had been sure that his lover would ask him about them, if he'd noticed them, himself.
Luckily, between the Heero's relief that all was all right, along with his responsibilities with his remaining classes, it seemed as though he'd completely forgotten. The fact that the braided teenager had disappeared into the bathroom to file down his nails the instant they were back home also helped.
But hiding the fact hat his nails were growing was only going to work for so long. Duo was well aware of that. But if it prolonged having to tell the boy that he'd fallen in love what was to come... he just wasn't about to do that to him.
There had to be something that he could do to keep it from having to come to that. As he had ever since he's discovered the near claws a month prior, the cat-tailed youth wracked his brain for a solution.
Finally having finished with his nails, Duo lightly blew on his fingers to remove the fine remains of the near claws he'd cut down. Rising from his perch on the sink ledge, he carefully disposed of the file by seeing that it sunk to the bottom of the items already in the small wastebasket.
As he headed out into the living room, his violet eyes widened with a sharp gasp. Quickly recovering from his shock, Duo shouted excitedly, "Snow!" Running to the windows, he peered out to the lightly falling flakes that were already covering the branches of the evergreen that flanked the right side of the building.
Hands on the window ledge, the neko's tail swished rapidly and his ears perked. Smiling from ear-to-ear, he breathed hard on the cold glass and began to write over the large fog that appeared. 'Duo loves Heero' was surrounded by a large heart as he chuckled deeply to himself.
When the door opened, Duo spun on his heels. Just as his partner stepped into the room, he pointed outside while bouncing on his feet and shouted, "Heero, look! It's snowing!"
Laughing lightly, Heero brushed off the dusting from his shoulders and nodded, "Yes, I see." Before he could take another step into the apartment to close the door, he found his arms filled with his ecstatic, cat-tailed lover.
Soundly kissing his best friend, Duo pulled back and smiled warmly, "Missed you." A smile tugging his own lips, Heero replied the same in a small whisper before kissing his partner lightly. Moving from the embrace only to allow the other boy to step inside so that he could close the door, the braided teenager asked, "How was the presentation with Lady Une?"
Unable to help the wide grin on his face, Heero answered, "Better than I could have hoped. She wants to contact the man in charge of the Stellar Gala to see my work for possible consideration to be entered for the next event."
Duo gasped sharply, his violet eyes widening like saucers. "Heero," he breathed, "That's wonderful news." Throwing himself forward, he wrapped his arms tightly around his lover's neck and kissed the sides of his face rapidly. "I'm so proud of you!" he cheered.
Gently pulling his partner back, Heero grinned, "Now, now, this is just a meeting. There's no guarantee that I'll be selected to participate in the event." Shrugging, he commented with a smirk, "Though, I admit, it's quite an honor that my mentor would set up such a meeting."
"Of course it is!" Duo shouted, his face as brilliant as his smile. Calming down a bit, his grin faded and his ears drooped. "Too bad I'm stuck here. We can't celebrate properly with dinner or something."
Mischief glistened in Heero's eyes as he hummed, "Mmm, well, you have been very good at taking it easy for more than a week now. And we are leaving for home tomorrow to start our break. So, I think that you've earned some reprieve."
Just as Duo was about to hug him for all he was worth, Heero held up his hand and said, "But before we go to dinner, I have an idea."
* * * * * *
"Yaaaaahhhhooooo!" Duo shrieked all the way down the tall hill, Heero joining in as he held onto him from behind. When they came to a stop at the bottom of the hill when they hit a small snow drift, the pair rolled off their sled and along the snow-covered ground, laughing loudly along.
When they finally came to a halt, the neko was lying on his back with Heero close by in the same position. The braided boy chuckled deeply as he swiped at his cat ears to brush out the bit of snow that got into them.
Still laughing, the Japanese youth moved over so that he was propped over his lover as the smaller boy readjusted his red, wool hat. When they calmed, Duo's violet eyes sparkled with love and appreciation as he gazed up into the cobalt oceans echoing his own emotions.
Lowering himself slowly, Heero captured the full lips beneath him in a sheering kiss. When they finally parted, he pulled his flushed partner to his feet before gathering their sled again. hand-in-hand, the couple made their way back up the steep hill behind their apartment complex.
"Heero? Duo? Is that you?" a familiar voice called when they reached the top. A handful of their classmates and 'dorm mates' were gathered in a tight group, watching the pair in shock. The blonde young woman at the front of the group smirked, "Aren't you both a little too old to be out sledding?"
The two boys shared a smirk and Duo grinned, "Gee, Joann, I'm not sure. That would mean I'm too old to do this, too, huh?" Just then, his tail whirled forward, tossing a large snowball in its wake and hitting the blonde in the shoulder.
As she fell back, Joann and laughed, "Hey! I'll get you for that!" The gathered group quickly armed themselves and before long, the lot was engaged in an energetic snowball fight.
Within fifteen minutes, the new arrivals ran into their own apartments for trays and such to serve as sleds as responsibility and 'maturity' were thrown out the window for the afternoon.
* * * * * *
"So we'll see you after Thanksgiving break."
"You sure you don't need any help packing up before you head out?"
"Nah, but thanks for the offer. You guys take care."
As he waved good-bye to his fraternity brothers pulling out of the parting lot, Solo headed back to his dorm room to finish packing his own belongings. Slow in his steps, leaving footprints in the snow behind him, he sighed deeply to himself.
While everyone else had been looking forward to the long weekend at home, this weekend had been one that he was dreading. Readjusting his backwards, red ball cap, the blonde teenager climbed the stairs to his now empty dorm.
Solo moved down the dimply lit halls, his hands remained in the pockets of his blue jeans until he opened the door to his room. Closing the door after him, he removed his coat and gazed around the nearly barren space. In the corner, his bags were nearly packed.
God, but he hated the sight of them. It only served as further proof that he would be heading back.
When his telephone rang, screaming through the silence, the blonde boy jumped before quickly grabbing the received. "Hello," he greeted quietly.
"I'm on my way. Will you have good news when I pick you up?"
Swallowing hard, Solo answered, "No. He never left his room ever since the incident."
A deep growl filled his ear. "Well, you best improve your efforts when the break is over. He won't be cooped up forever. I'll be there soon."
Taking a deep breath, Solo bit his lip and replied, "Yes, sir." Lightly lowering the receiver, the blonde boy sighed deeply in a brief relief.
On unsteady legs, he moved to the tall mirror on the back on his closed door. Staring at his reflection for a moment, he pulled his grey sweater up, allowing his long, white tail to curl up into the air. A deep frown on his face, he removed his ball cap and his white cat ears perked up, stretching after their long afternoon of confinement.
Gazing into his eyes, he asked softly, "What have I gotten myself into?"
TBC...
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