Gundam Seiyuu Part 7
I stepped out dressed in the priest's outfit to join the others, standing near the booth advertising loads and loads of Gundam Wing merchandise. Quatre was already leaning over the table drooling, trying to figure out how much of the stuff she could buy.
"So... umm how exactly does this work?" I asked her.
Quatre looked up and smiled. "We're just supposed to mingle with everyone at the con... though we need to stay near this display so the stuff gets sold as well."
I frowned. "Quatre, you do realize we are going to get tackled as soon as those crazy fangirls come through the doors."
Quatre nodded. "Which is why we can mingle or we can stay behind the table. If we're behind the table we might be safer."
Milliardo strolled over dressed in the Emerald Empire uniform. "Come on you two, we will ruin all their fun if we don't walk among them. Besides, an actor has a duty to know his fans."
I frowned again, thinking of the people who wrote some of the strange fanfic I'd run across. Nope, I didn't agree with Milliardo, I didn't need to know the fans that well.
I glanced over to the large glass doors of the hotel. Already I could see the large lines of people dressed in costumes for various anime characters and in shirts advertising numerous shows. This place was going to be packed as soon as the doors opened and let people in. And if what was going on was any indication... Currently the other booths were putting up their finishing touches, setting out things to be sold and shown off. A lot of the other people who worked at the con were glancing at us in the costumes, they knew that we were the seiyuu cast of Gundam Wing, you could tell in the way they looked at us. If they were any indication then as soon as those doors opened we would all be tackled and suffocated by crazy fangirls. I quickly stepped behind the table and took a place next to Heero and Wufei.
Wufei glanced out to where Milliardo strolled the currently empty convention floor. "That man has a death wish," he snorted.
I grinned. "You should join him, Fei-chan. He said it'd be fun."
Wufei glared sideways at me. "I don't see you out there Maxwell. I have no desire to be attacked by that horde of onnas." He jerked his head toward the growing crowd outside the doors; I had to force myself not to cringe as I saw all the people dressed up as our characters from the show. I groaned loudly.
"Tell me again why I agreed to this?"
Heero raised an eyebrow at me, was he amused? But he didn't say anything else.
Trowa and Quatre joined us behind the table just as the doors were opened. We watched from behind our feeble barricade of Gundam Wing models and artbooks. The majority of the table was empty in the center to allow for pictures and signing, so there was really nothing between us and them. If they wanted to ambush us they could so easily. Wait a minute? Anyone else notice that I keep describing this scene as if it were a war or something? That thought also gave me the creeps. Because if it was the infamous Gundam Pilots against their adoring public...?
We didn't stand a chance!
That last thought sent me into a small fit of giggles as I watched the hordes of people filtering through the doors and pausing at various booths. Almost immediately Milliardo was surrounded by crazy girls squealing and crying out. They pushed books and pens toward him to sign things, camera snapped and you could see them literally swoon each time he even blinked his eye. He was enjoying every second of it, showing off and catering to his fans' wishes by striking poses from the show for their pictures and signing large amounts of merchandise from the show. He was truly in his element and didn't look a single bit out of place.
Me on the other hand, I grew considerably more nervous by the second. Our table was already being surrounded by people and they were ecstatic as they found out we were the actual seiyuu and not just people paid to dress up. People kept asking me to sign their artbooks and manga magazines, not to mention show posters and whatever else ink would stick to.
As I was signing one of the artbooks with the name "Solo Reaper, Duo Maxwell" Quatre appeared beside me and yanked on my arm. I finished signing and stood up quickly as Quatre pulled me to the other end of the table where a group of girls held a camera. I grinned and struck the patented pose from Hilde's shirt while Quatre gave an innocent yet determined look that Miki Karou always wore on the show. The girls squealed and snapped several shots.
"Now one with Solo and Odin!" One of the girls cried pulling out her own camera.
I glanced to my side and found Heero was already standing up from his chair to join us. Quatre politely bowed out of the way as more pictures were snapped in excitement. If this kept up I was going to blind in an hour from all of the camera flashes. I barely made it back to my seat when an action figure was set down carefully in front of me with a permanent marker.
"Come on cuz, please sign it."
I glanced up, surprised to find Hilde, Catherine and Dorothy. I'd completely forgotten they were coming to the con. With a soft chuckle I picked up the permanent marker and signed the action figure.
"You know, you could have just asked me to do this at home." I joked as I handed the figurine box back to her. Hilde's eyes widened as if I'd just suggested she jump into the beam gun of a gundam.
"And miss you out of your element? At home you're Duo, my cuz. Here you're Solo Reaper," she smirked. "No matter how much you deny it."
I struggled to keep my grin in place as I realized exactly what she meant. She was referring to me being the Solo Reaper from the show and the Solo Reaper mentioned in countless fanfictions around the internet. The one who was in love with Odin Lowe... that thought was a creepy one but I had to admit she was right. I had agreed, for one day, to become Solo Reaper, and now I couldn't help but wonder if that had been such a good idea.
"Anou... can I ask you a favor please? Odin-san?"
I looked up to see a young girl clutching a fancy new digital camera in her hands. She was watching Heero with shacking hands, obviously very nervous. Heero nodded slowly and she glanced warily at me then leaned over the counter toward him. Heero raised an eyebrow and leaned forward so she could whisper in his ear.
I couldn't hear what she was saying and that bugged me. What they heck was she asking Heero to do? Why had all the other girls around the table suddenly gone quiet with their cameras at ready? I had this nagging feeling I should run but that was just silly! Why would I need to run, after all what could they all do?
The girls stopped whispering in Heero's ear and leaned back, waiting silently for his response. I watched him as he seemed to mull over whatever she'd said then finally gave a short nod.
"Ninmu Ryoukai." He said shortly and the silence and tension in the air seemed to grow. Now they were definitely all ready with their camera. Heero stood up from his chair and walked over to me, yanking lightly on the end of my long braid.
"Hey!" I cried out in surprise.
"Come on, baka. They want a picture." He pulled me toward the end of the table which had been reserved for picture taking by now and I followed quickly so his grip on my braid wouldn't cause me more pain. I stopped where we usually stood for the pictures and glanced at Heero.
"Are we supposed to pose?" I muttered.
"Just stand like you are, baka." Was that a smirk I saw on his face?!
The girl stood in front of us, her camera poised and ready. Heero and I were standing next to each other and the girl lowered her camera slowly. "Anou... Solo-san, could you... could you put your arms around Odin's shoulders?"
I shrugged and did so, grinning the whole time as Solo would have, but inside I knew there was something wrong with all of this. What were they planning and why the hell was Heero Yuy smirking?! The girl raised her camera once again and nodded slowly.
Just before she clicked the picture I felt something warm and soft on the side of my face and I froze, my eyes going wide with surprise. That's when the flash snapped. It seemed like thousands of other pictures were taken also at that exact same moment and all I could do was stand there in shock. Heero was... Heero was...
HEERO WAS KISSING ME!!
The pictures died down and Heero stepped away from me, gracefully ducking out from under my arm which was still draped over his shoulder. I staggered and grabbed the table to catch my balance as the girls surrounding us giggled. The young girl who had asked looked like the happiest person on earth. Heero smiled at her then grabbed his jacket and walked away from the booth into the back hallway. All I could do was stand there, staring after him.
He'd kissed me?! What the hell? I regained my mental footing and took off after him, completely ignoring the cheers as I disappeared down the hallway.
"Yeah! Go after him Solo!" some of the girls yelled.
"I'll go after him, all right," I muttered. But to be honest I had no idea what I was going to do when I caught up to him. Hmmm.... Maybe ask him to punch me or something so I would know whether or not this was all a dream? I stopped in the empty hallway and leaned against the wall, catching my breath.
Stupid, stupid me! Why did it matter if this was a dream or not? If Heero found out I'd chased after him he might actually think I like him or something. And I certainly didn't! I mean we were two guys and stuff like that just didn't happen in real life. Not to mention that it was obvious Relena liked him and if I was chasing after my boss' boyfriend... I could kiss my job goodbye. Besides, I liked girls... didn't I?
I sighed heavily. "Get a grip on yourself Maxwell, you've been reading WAY too much fanfiction." I shook my head and tried to pass away the thoughts. But I found myself lightly touching the cheek where he'd kissed me. No, I was just being stupid. The girl had asked him to kiss me for a picture for her website, that's all it was. It couldn't be anything else. There was no way it could be.
Sighing again I turned down the hall and headed for the lunchroom. I found it completely empty save for Quatre, sitting by herself. I stopped in the doorway, half-shocked to see her there and half relieved to find out she hadn't seen the scene from a few minutes ago.
"Quatre? What are you doing here?"
Quatre looked up in surprise and sweat-dropped slightly. "I needed a break from all the people. Do you know how many of them are up there? Don't tell ok?"
I walked over and pulled up a chair, straddling it backward. I nodded. "Secret's safe, no worries." It may have been rude to just sit down but I needed something to occupy my mind from Heero, just something to talk about, anything mindless would help.
Quatre smiled in relief and relaxed. She glanced down at the cup of tea in her hands. "So... how is it out there?"
I groaned and shook my head. "They are crazy, completely crazy. Do you know what they just did to me and Heero? They asked for a picture and then didn't warn me that the girl had asked Heero to kiss me for the picture!"
Quatre's eyes went wide. "Did he do it?"
I nodded.
"Honto? I would never have pegged Heero to have a mischievous streak... but then again you haven't seen him on stage..." Quatre trailed off.
"On stage?" I asked. I remembered Quatre mentioning something about that a long time ago but I couldn't remember her giving me any more details about it. So I had to ask.
Quatre glanced toward the door of the empty lunchroom, most likely to make sure Heero wouldn't walk by at the wrong time and strangle her for giving out information. When she seemed convinced he wouldn't walk in she nodded to herself. "Heero's one of the most popular jpop singers in Japan right now. People just don't realize he's the same person. It's hard to explain, you really have to see one of his concerts to see how different he acts. Wait, I have an idea!"
Quatre stood up and pulled two pieces of thick paper from her pocket, she dropped one in front of me and I picked it up. A ticket? "Is this a ticket?"
Quatre nodded happily. "I got them for Trowa and myself but it turns out that Trowa just got hired on to do another voice along with this one. So he has to work the night of the concert. You want to come with me instead?"
I grinned. "You sure you can actually invite me? Wouldn't that be a date or something?"
Quatre giggled. "Silly, I know it's not a date. It's just us as co-workers. Besides, the fact that I got tickets is amazing. Heero usually likes to keep it real quiet that he's a jpop artist." Quatre leaned across the table as if we were in a room of people and she was going to pass me some super-secret information. "Besides, there is supposed to be a extra-special guest who will perform with him on this night. We can't miss it! Please Duo, say you'll use the other ticket. It'd be no fun to go by myself."
I grinned. After all, who was I to say no to a cute face? Even if she was engaged. Besides, seeing Heero in concert? Seeing Heero be anything besides silent and brooding over stuff? It sounded interesting. (Though hopefully it wouldn't be as strange as that... kiss.)
"All right, I'll go." I glanced at the ticket. "Tomorrow night?"
"Yo kata! Yeah, tomorrow night!" Quatre stood up and put her ticket back in the pocket of her outfit. "Now we better get upstairs. We're getting paid for these people to see us, if we're not up there when Relena stops by she's going to have a fit."
I nodded and hurried with Quatre back to the table. It occurred to me to bug Heero if I saw him there but I didn't get a chance to talk to him for the rest of the day. Besides, there was no way I was going to join him and Milliardo as they 'mingled' with the fans.
TBC...
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