The Meaning of Life Part 3

Almost reluctantly, Duo slowly cracked his eyes open when he woke from his less-than-pleasant sleep to the feeling of lips pressing against his forehead. "'Mornin'," Heero's voice whispered into the cat ear that was not pressed against his shoulder.

Sighing, the neko pushed himself up and instantly looked down to the white sheets. His violet eyes widening when he did not find any blood, he sat up and shifted back and forth a bit to find the covers as pristine as they were when they came out of the wash. Instantly, a wave of relief flooded over him as he let out a laugh that bubbled from his chest.

Quickly deducting the reason for his lover's actions, Heero chuckled quietly and rubbed the top of his braided head. "You're fine," he said quietly while the cat-tailed boy purred at his touch. With a kiss to the other youth's temple, he sat up and stretched his arms over his bare torso.

"Any plans today?" Duo asked as he climbed from the bed. Nearly as soon as he was on his feet, he felt a small wave of nausea. Wincing, he wrapped his arms around his abdomen and frowned, "I don't think a big breakfast would be a good idea for me right now."

On his way to his dresser, the artist looked over his shoulder to his partner and asked in a mild concern as to not be too motherly, "That stomach flu's kicking in again?"

Nodding, the studying lawyer was careful to not make any big movements towards his own bureau. "And I still can't believe that you're hanging around me so closely since I've warned you about this yesterday," he commented with a low growl. "Don't go blaming me when you're bent over a toilet after you've caught this."

Heero smirked as he tugged a red T-shirt on to go with his blue jeans before heading over to Duo as he finished dressing. Wrapping his arms around the thin waist of his lover from behind, he kissed the side of his head and smirked, "My immune system hasn't been run down like yours, since I wasn't the one pushing myself beyond my limits for the last couple of weeks of the semester."

Unable to argue that, the car-eared boy made a half-hearted huff but smiled nonetheless. Leaning back against his best friend, he shrugged sheepishly, "Guilty." His tail wrapped behind to hook around Heero's waist in a need for further contact while he folded his arms over the ones around him.

Gently kissing the back of his partner's neck, Heero remarked, "Besides, a little stomach bug isn't going to scare me away from you. If I do get sick, you just won't have to suffer alone."

"You're such a romantic," Duo grinned widely. Much as he wanted to stay there like that, the smell of food from downstairs made its way through the cracks of their closed door and made its way to his nose. Nearly right away, his stomach began to gnaw as the nausea returned.

Having to cover his mouth to fend off the first retch, the neko mumbled an apology before running off. "So much for getting lucky this morning," Heero snickered sarcastically to himself as a way of fending off his initial reaction to become overly worried.

Quickly, the artist followed after the teenager to check up on him.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Mid-afternoon two days later...

Relena greeted her braided friend with a tight embrace as she greeted, "Duo. Let me get a good look at you." Pulling back at arms-length, she kept their hands joined and got a much better look at his face.

She smiled widely, "You are absolutely glowing right now. Did you and Heero get lucky this morning?" The said artist choked on the soda that he was drinking at the time while Quatre shook his head in amusement beside him.

Duo chuckled, "Actually, no. But if you think I look good, maybe it's because I'm finally starting to shake that stomach virus that I've had." Raising an eyebrow, he stated, "You know, the one I've warned you all about but no one pays any attention to. If any one of you gets sick, it's not my fault."

Quatre smirked, "We're not the ones who beat our immunity systems down with the late nights Heero's told us you were putting in at the end of the semester. You really should take better care of yourself." Ducking just in time to avoid the tail swinging to swat him on the back of the head, he laughed.

"Well, I had an important case that I needed to prepare for," the neko defended, his arms folding and a mild glare on his face. "I had to make sure that my team was ready before going in front of the judge to represent our client."

The side of his mouth curling up, Heero lightly nudged him and stated, "Spoken just like the old version of my mother."

Gasping, Duo's violet eyes widened. "Well, I mean," he sputtered, shaking his head. "I didn't mean to be too obsessed with the whole thing, but there were a lot of other things on my plate with the rest of my courses."

Before he allowed his lover to continue defending himself, the artist wrapped an arm around his back and reassured, "I'm just teasing. I know the circumstances are different and the case was important for your internship." Leaning in, he placed an apologetic kiss on the neko's cheek.

A grin spreading on his face at that, Duo turned back to their friends and asked, "So what brings you both here to the mall?"

Relena shrugged, "Just getting some ideas on pricing for wedding stuff. My mother is going to be making and setting all of the decorations, so we're just looking around at fabrics and such. What about you two?"

"We needed an excuse to get out of the house for a while," Heero deadpanned. Wincing, he explained, "My mother is looking into redecorating the upstairs in preparation for when we move out on our own, so she's meeting with an interior designer."

Another laugh rose from Quatre's throat as he replied, "She's certainly not wasting any time, is she? You haven't even graduated yet!"

Nonchalant over the matter, the Japanese student replied, "It's natural for a parent to kind of look forward to their kids leaving the nest. But my mom is also very close to us, so this designing and planning is giving her something to keep her busy from fretting over us moving out. So, I have no problem with it."

Unable to argue the logic there, the other pair nodded their heads. Changing the subject, Heero asked, "So is there anything that we groomsmen can do to help with in your wedding search since we're all here?"

Quatre and Relena shared a look and grinned. Looking back to their friends, the Arab nodded, "Sure, if you wouldn't mind. We both have some shopping to do for each other that we can use someone else's opinion on. Maybe we can split our pairs up and work that way."

His tail swishing excitedly, Duo smiled, "Sounds good to me." No sooner were the words out of his mouth before Relena took his hand and pulled him to her side.

"Great!" the young woman cheered while the neko blinked in shock. "Then you can help me out." Looping their arms together, she led her smirking friend off and looked over her shoulder to the others. With a wink, she called after them, "Have fun, boys."

The moment Duo and Relena were lost in the crowded halls ahead, Quatre turned to Heero and commented, "She'll be able to stall him for hours if we need it." Walking in the opposite direction that their partners had headed, the blonde commented, "Nice cover, by the way, to get us all to meet like this. That was sweet of your mother to come up with a story of her own."

Hands in his jean pockets as they walked, Heero replied, "Well, when I told her my plans, she was happy to help out." Focusing on his friend, he said sincerely, "I really appreciate your helping me out like this. I'm really not all that keen on appreciating things like this, but I know I want the best of the best for Duo."

Kindly waving a hand, the Arab reassured, "No thanks needed. I'm just glad that I can be of assistance. and no one will take care of you better in this field than Isis. She's the best. And it only makes sense to catch her now that she's at this location for the week." Before long, they made their way into the large jewelry story at the end of the hall.

Standing behind one of the many counters that several visitors were peering into, one of the consultants looked up to the new arrivals and smiled widely. Quickly straightening, the tall blonde woman politely excused herself from the clients she had been speaking with to round the counter. Opening her arms wide she greeted, "Quatre. So good to see you, little brother."

It had been some time since Heero laid eyes on the young lady embracing his friend tightly. Isis was every bit as lovely as the last time he had seen her before she went off to buy and run several jewelry stores as her line of business. Now before them in a brown silk blouse, black knee-length skirt and heels, she was clearly keeping up with her sharply attired ways.

When he pulled back from his sister, Quatre patted the artist's back and introduced, "Isis, I'm sure you remember-"

"Heero," she finished for her brother with a wide smile for the cobalt-eyed visitor. "Of course I remember you," the store owner grinned said as she leaned in to peck the young man's cheek in greeting. "And still as handsome as ever."

Chuckling, the Japanese student fought the blush on his cheeks as he nodded, "Thank you. It's good to see you again as well, Isis. Still the charmer I remember."

A bright laugh from her filled the air. Folding her hands behind her back, the store owner eyed her guests and asked, "So how can I help you two? I take it that there is a reason to your stopping here."

With a deep breath, Heero cleared his throat and explained, "Actually, I was hoping to work with you on designing an engagement band. I have a few ideas in mind on what I would like, but I am really not sure how to go about the actual designing process."

Beaming at that, Isis clapped her hands together and exclaimed, "That's wonderful! Congratulations to you and Duo, then! I would love to go over your ideas with you. Do you have some time to spare?"

"Relena is taking Duo shopping," Quatre smirked. "We have all the time we need and then some."

Isis rubbed her hands together with an excited, "Excellent. Let's head back to my office, then. I can draw up some options on whatever it is you have in mind." Turning on her heels, she led them back through the busy store.

*   *   *   *   *   *

For the next few minutes, Heero went over the details of what he had for the ideal engagement ring while Isis worked out what was possible while throwing in her own suggestions. Coming to a conclusive design, the young woman handed over her sketched idea while asking, "Does this fit what you have in mind?"

Quatre looked over his friend's shoulder to peer at the image as the artist's eyes widened when he took the sketchpad. "It... it's better than what I had in mind," he admitted. Grinning widely, he met the shop owner's gaze and told her sincerely, "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Isis smiled back with a nod. Raising her hand when the Japanese youth opened his mouth, she advised, "Now, before you get ready to discuss the cost, there's no need to worry about that. This is on me."

Stunned, Heero's jaw fell open. Quickly recovering, he shook his head, "There's no need for that. I can certainly cover whatever this would cost."

Her smile only growing, she replied, "Nonsense. You have been a friend of the family for years and this is my way of doing something nice for you and Duo in congratulations. I would do no less for any others that I am fond of. This way, you can have more money to save for a reception after your civil union."

With a smirk, Quatre nudged his shocked friend and commented, "I told you she's the best." He flashed his sister a wink

Finally coming out of his stupor, Heero knew that there would be no point in arguing that he take care of the payment for the ring. It did make sense to save up and give Duo the day that he deserved when they were legally joined. "I really don't know how to thank you," was all he could manage.

Isis waved her hand as she responded, "No thanks needed. Like I said, this is one of the few ways I can repay you for looking after my little brother for so long." As she rose from the desk, she was immediately wrapped up in a tight embrace from the artist in appreciation. Chuckling quietly, he patted his back.

Once they pulled back, the store owner took up her sketchpad and informed, "I'll get this off to my design and composition team to work on it right away. Given the details on this, it will take a few days to construct, but I will inform you as soon as it's ready to be picked up. You should most likely hear something the start of next week."

"Perfect," Heero sighed in relief. "It'll be here in time for Duo's birthday, then. That was when I was hoping to propose to him."

The date set aside as the neko's birthday was the same day he had been saved one rainy night.

High school seasons typically ended weeks after a college spring semester. That particular evening, the freshman dance was days away and Heero had just set Quatre and Relena up on a date together for the event. On his way home, he'd found the broken kit lying in the street in a growing puddle after being struck by a car.

When given the choice as to what he wanted for his birthday, Duo had picked that to be when his life really began. And as far as Heero was concerned, there was no better time than that to propose to him as a sign of both their lives truly moving on together.

Her face glowing again, Isis cooed, "How sweet! Well, have no fear that I will have the ring ready by then."

A round of embraces and warm farewells until they all met again were exchanged between the trio. More excited than he had ever been in his life, Heero slapped Quatre on the back and they headed out of the store to go and reunite with Duo and Relena.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Closing the bedroom behind himself later that night, Duo bounded onto the bed where Heero was seated beside the glow of the nearby lamp. Nearly losing the book that he had been reading, the artist turned his wide eyes on his partner.

His tail swishing in that way it would whenever he was up to something, the neko leaned in and removed the book from the other boy's hands to set it aside on the desk. "You know," he purred in a sultry tone, "With your mother and Trent out, we have this half of the estate to ourselves to make all of the noise we want."

Wasting no time, Duo removed his lover's shirt and began trailing kisses along the exposed torso. Heero bit back a small moan and panted, "Well, I suppose that it would be wrong of us to not take advantage of this opportunity." He received an affirmative hum in response through the cat-eared boy's busy mouth.

Before he lost his senses, the artist reached down to cup the sides of the heart-shaped face to force their heated gazes to meet. "But only if you take me this time," he ordered.

If his body was not craving their joining as badly as it was at that moment, Duo knew that he would have argued the issue. He knew that the reason for Heero's condition was because he still believed that he had pushed their most recent lovemaking too far. But, at that moment, all that the neko was concerned with was having their bodies melded together.

Only able to manage a nod, the braided teenager closed their distance between their mouths. From there, the rest of the world fell away from them.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Stirring following morning, Heero sighed and stretched. At noticing an absence of weight on his body, his cobalt eyes snapped open to find himself alone. The white sheets to his side were still warm as a sign that Duo had not slipped away too long prior to his waking.

A sickening pain of concern filled the artist's stomach. Quickly rising from the bed, he reached for his deep green robe in the closet and threw it on. He was out in the hallway and still looping the tie closed when he heard a retching sound from the bathroom.

Not bothering to knock on the door when he reached it, Heero fell to his knees beside his lover to hold his disheveled braid back as he continued to vomit. Biting his lip, he soothingly rubbed the neko's back while damping a rag in the sink beside him with his free hand. Wringing the cold cloth out, he carefully placed it on the exposed neck.

Finally, the heaves stopped when there was nothing to be spilt any longer. Sighing in relief, Duo pushed himself back to lean against his partner. Heero wrapped him up tightly and brushed the damp bangs back from the closed eyes.

Though there had been a break in the cat-eared boy's spells with this stomach virus, it was killing the Japanese student to see him like this. "I think that we should call Howard," he suggested quietly after a long silence.

Blinking open, the violet eyes looked up to Heero as he shrugged, "Just to be safe."

There were few things that Duo hated more than being poked and prodded for any kind of test. But even he had to admit that he needed to see someone. With a deep, shaky breath, he nodded his head in agreement.

Clinging to one another on the floor, their arms tightened in their embrace as they silently fended off their fear.

TBC...

 

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