Author's Note: This chapter ended up long...and I couldn't seem to whittle it down...so here y'go.
Heero's POV
The Wedding Planner Part 21
Twenty Questions
I should have known better than to mention my dinner plans to Wufei. But since he already knew I was staying at the penthouse for a few days while Relena cooled off, he'd invited me to eat at his house. And when I declined the offer, I had to tell him why.
I never dreamed he'd insist on coming along. He said he wanted to see the "gorgeous" wedding planner firsthand so he could decide how badly I'd overreacted. And he felt he owed Maxwell something of an apology for prying into his past. I'd told him how much it had affected the man the previous day, and he wanted to express his remorse.
I don't think he appreciated my curt suggestion to "send a card." And he kept hounding me until I broke down and called Maxwell, hoping he'd refuse to allow the "dirt-digging backstabber" along. Sadly, he didn't...damn him for being understanding and kind at heart.
When we walked in the door, I spotted Duo right away, up at the bar with a blonde I recognized from numerous newspaper stories...Quatre Winner himself. And while normally, I'd have been impressed by meeting the famous billionaire, I was too busy gawking at Duo.
If I'd felt threatened by him before, I now thanked God he hadn't dressed like this in front of Relena. She'd have peeled him out of those clothes and fucked him right in front of me if he'd looked that sexy.
"I see what you meant," Wufei murmured quietly, shaking his head.
I've rarely seen an "awed" expression on Wufei's imperturbable face, but I saw it now. "What'd I tell you?" I asked. "Gorgeous."
"Admittedly."
Duo walked over to us--or perhaps I should say "slunk" over, because sure as shit he moved differently when he was dressed in tight black leather pants. There was a difference in his stride, a sinuous grace, and while he didn't move exactly with the music playing in the bar, he had a rhythm all his own.
"Hey there--you must be Wuffers, the Snoop," he said with a cheeky grin, holding his hand out to Wufei.
"Wufei Chang," replied my friend stiffly.
They shook hands, and I suspected a bit of the same kind of power struggle I'd had with Duo ensued. But at last Wufei gave a grudging nod, and Duo gave a charming smile. "Pleased to meet you, Wufei."
I had to admit, Wufei was nothing if not classy. He looked Duo right in the eye and said "I'm sorry for intruding into your personal life, Mister Maxwell. It was a regrettable mistake."
And then Duo proved he was equally classy, by shrugging nonchalantly. "You were trying to help a friend--albeit a misguided one. And please, call me Duo." He looked at me then and winked. "Thanks for bringing more eye candy, Yuy."
I could feel that all-too familiar blush on my cheeks. "He's married," I said flatly.
"I know," Duo smirked back. "But he still serves a decorative purpose."
He didn't say "like you do," but I could almost hear it in his voice. "Are we sitting at the bar, Maxwell? Or would a booth be more comfortable?"
"It'd be more private," he said slyly. "For 'twenty questions.'"
While we'd exchanged greetings at the door, the man I'd recognized as Quatre Winner walked over, coming up beside Duo. "Would you care to introduce me to our client?"
"Oh--Quatre Winner--this is Heero Yuy, and his friend Wufei Chang."
Quatre shook my hand, his aquamarine eyes meeting mine squarely, and I thought I saw the steely glint of shrewd business sense in those deceptively wide eyes. "I am very pleased to meet you. And I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of wedding arrangements Duo's made for you and Miss Peacecraft."
"They're completely satisfactory so far," I said noncommittally. There were still issues that needed hashing out...but that was up to Relena and me. All Duo could do was offer us suggestions and options. He couldn't make the final decisions for us.
I thought I saw Quatre sigh in relief, as he turned away to shake Wufei's hand as well.
"There's a table open in the corner over there," Duo pointed out. He glanced at Wufei and then back at me. "Y'gonna let him listen in?" He jerked his head towards Wufei.
"He knows all the answers already," I pointed out.
"Not to the questions I'm gonna ask," came the ominous reply. Duo smiled sweetly.
I felt a twinge of unease, wondering what sort of embarrassing questions Maxwell might have concocted. But I'd promised. And after digging into his past, I did owe him a little payback.
Wufei caught our little exchange, and raised one eyebrow, a positively wicked gleam in his eyes. "Oh, I'm sure it'll be educational for all of us." He gave a charming smile to Quatre. "Perhaps Mister Winner would join us as well."
"I'm sure he's--" I began.
"I'd love to," Quatre replied quickly, ignoring the glare Duo threw his way.
"What about Trowa?" Duo asked through gritted teeth.
"He's working," replied Quatre. "I have to wait for his shift to end."
"Wonderful," Wufei said, enjoying my discomfort at the thought of spilling my life's secrets in front of yet another person.
I gave him my most deadly glare. "Just remember, Chang, I know what closets all your skeletons are hidden in, too."
That seemed to settle him down a bit as we made our way to a corner table. I was relieved that it was large enough, and close enough to the band that I'd have to raise my voice slightly to be heard. Perhaps I could ensure that only Duo was near enough to catch my responses to his questions. And maybe with his boss there, he'd tone them down enough to allow me a little dignity.
Yeah, right.
The bartender came over then to see if we wanted drinks, and Duo grinned up at him slyly. "Hey, Trowa. Come to deliver that drink Quatre wanted? What was it called--?"
"Say it and die!" Quatre said quickly, turning a vicious glare on Duo.
The braided man laughed aloud, indigo eyes glimmering. "You're no fun."
"Sure he is," said the bartender, perfectly straight-faced.
"Oh," Duo said in a knowing voice that made me wonder what the three of them were talking about.
"Now, can I take your drink orders?" Trowa asked, looking at Wufei and me.
Duo leaned over and stage-whispered in my ear. "Know any dirty drink names? Y'can make him blush! That's how Quat picked him up in the first place."
Oh. Apparently Quatre and the bartender were--dating?
"A gin and tonic, please," I told the green-eyed man, who gave me a grateful smile.
Wufei ordered a glass of wine, and Duo another of whatever concoction he'd been drinking. Trowa seemed to already know what Quatre wanted...in more ways than one.
I looked at Duo, again taking in the sight of him in those tight black pants and a snug blue shirt that clung alluringly to his slim torso and muscular arms. "You--look nice," I said, nearly wincing after the fact, as it occurred to me that it could be construed as the kind of comment you'd make to a girl. "I mean, you usually--this isn't like what you wear to work," I stammered out lamely.
Duo smirked a little. "Flattery won't get you out of answering questions, Yuy." His grin widened. "But it's still nice to hear."
Goddamnit! If he made me blush one more time, I swore I'd dig myself a hole to hide in. What was up with me anyway? This was just a friendly night out, to help even the score, and I couldn't help feeling as awkward as if I were on a first date.
Wufei was eyeing me from across the table, a faint smile playing at the edges of his lips, and a slight crease between his eyebrows.
"What?" I demanded sharply.
He raised his hands slightly in a gesture of surrender. "Nothing, Yuy. You're perfectly right. He does look--nice."
God, I fucking hated Wufei for an instant. "Y'know, Chang, we're scheduled for sparring time tomorrow night. You sure you want to antagonize me?"
He chuckled. "Certainly. You make more mistakes when you're rattled."
"Tomorrow?" Duo piped up. "Y'mind spectators?"
Shit. Just what I needed...Duo watching while I was trying to concentrate on Wufei's lightning-fast strikes. "I'd rather not have any," I said firmly. "It's difficult enough to whip Chang's ass without any distractions."
Duo smiled slyly. "I'm a distraction?"
I glared at him. "Don't flatter yourself. I just don't like to be watched while I'm sparring."
He gave me a wounded look, and sat back in his chair, nearly pouting. "Fine. Have it your way."
I gratefully accepted the drink Trowa handed me at that point, and took a long sip.
"Didn't you have some questions to ask Yuy?" Wufei prompted helpfully.
Duo brightened. "Why yes, I did." He fixed those amused indigo eyes on me once again. "We'll start off with the easy ones. What's your favorite color?"
I blinked. "What?"
"Favorite color," he repeated.
"I thought you wanted background information," I said in confusion.
"No. You were the one who had a background check done. And, by the way, it was you who suggested this!" Duo gestured with his arms to include me, Wufei, Quatre, and the bar at large. "You said we should get together socially, and give me a chance to learn about you." He took a long swig of whatever he was drinking, and then fixed a mischievous gaze on me. "Just 'cause I'm not interested in trivial stuff like where you were born or how many speeding tickets you've gotten, doesn't mean you get out of answering whatever I ask."
"Purple," I said quickly.
He grinned. "That's more like it. Favorite food."
"Grilled salmon."
He leaned back slightly, glancing across at Wufei. "How'd you meet the hot Asian guy?"
"Maxwell, you may not refer to me as 'the hot Asian guy,'" Wufei snarled. "I have a name."
Duo smirked at him. "Whatever you say, Wuffers." The gleam from Wufei's eyes would have warned me to back off. It had no discernible effect on Duo. But he moved on before Wufei could get worked up to the point of ranting. "Anyhow, 'Ro. How'd you two meet?"
I launched into my story of being housed with Wufei in college, and how poorly we'd hit it off. And by the time we'd ordered meals, we were into my most embarrassing moment, which was the time I fell into a swimming pool at one of the elegant events Relena and I had attended. She had not been amused, though everyone else there seemed to get a huge laugh out of it.
When the food arrived, Duo had moved on to whether or not I played pool, what my favorite game was, and by the end of the meal, if I'd ever had sex on a beach.
"What?"
He eyed me with obvious amusement. "Have you ever had sex on a beach?"
Quatre spoke up then, having listened raptly to most of my dialogue. "The drink, or actual sex?"
"Sex," Duo said, looking me straight in the eye.
Damn it to Hell, I was blushing again! "No."
He shook his head sadly. "You're missing out, Yuy. You get together a blanket, some candles, and wine, and you an' Relena would have the time of your life."
"I'll keep that in mind," I said coolly, thinking of asking Trowa for a refill of my drink. The way the questions were going, I was afraid I'd need it.
"Okay...so you haven't done it on the beach. Where's the craziest place you've ever had sex?"
"What the hell kind of question is that?" I demanded.
"The kind that makes you blush," he smirked. Giving me a moment's reprieve, he looked over at Quatre. "Hey, Quat...help the man out. Where's the craziest place you've ever had sex?"
Quatre got just a little pink, but he grinned rather tipsily, and I wondered how many of the little fruity cocktails he'd had that evening. "Um...it'd have to be..." He leaned over and whispered it in Duo's ear.
Duo burst out laughing, coughing and choking on a sip of his drink. "Fuck, Quat! You've gotta stop doing that t'me!" His friend pounded helpfully on his back until he caught his breath, and then the blonde got up and went to the bar to get some extra napkins.
Wufei had raised an eyebrow at the line of questioning. "Maxwell, I think there should be limits to what you can ask."
"Uh-uh. Heero said anything I wanted to know," insisted the braided man. He smiled at me in a conspiratorial way. "Right, 'Ro?"
"I guess I did say I'd answer anything you wanted to know," I sighed. "But I didn't think you'd get quite so...personal."
He gave me a surprisingly serious look. "You said you wanted to be friends. I'm not asking you anything I wouldn't ask my friends. And by that, I mean even ones that aren't as close to me as Quatre is."
I stared back at him, struck by the sincerity in his expression. He had a point. Wufei knew all of the answers to the questions Duo had asked, except the last two. And if he thought about it, he probably could have come up with the answers to those.
"Why d'you want to be friends?" Duo asked quietly, for only my ears.
I glanced at Wufei, who very suddenly announced he needed to visit the rest room, and slipped away, leaving me alone with Duo.
"Well, Yuy?" he asked, waiting for my reply.
"I told you before," I said with a scowl.
"So, you want to be able to hang out together? Socialize? Share stupid secrets? Because that's what I do with my friends, Heero. And if you really want to be one, that's what it would entail." He looked searchingly at me. "Still interested?"
I nodded without thinking, and then wondered why my brain kept ending up several seconds behind my body when it came to Duo.
"Then answer me this," Duo said. "Do you want the horse and carriage for the wedding?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you marrying Relena?"
My jaw dropped and I sat back in amazement, staring at him. I couldn't believe he'd just asked that.
"Seriously, man," he said earnestly, leaning forward slightly. "You need to take a hard look at what you and she want out of this wedding, and the subsequent marriage. Because at least as far as the wedding arrangements go, it ain't the same thing."
I must've looked like a fish, gaping for a response. But I couldn't seem to force the words past my throat.
He seemed to pick up on my discomfort, and he backpedaled rapidly. "Okay. That's none of my business," he admitted. "I just wanted you to be straight with me about the horse thing, because I'm still working on getting Relena to agree to it. I needed to know you really want it." He shook his head slightly. "It's important that this is your wedding, too, y'know."
"I know," I agreed. "And if you noticed, I've taken a more active role in the decisions lately."
"That's a start," he shrugged. "Frankly, I was hoping you'd start expressing your opinions. The best weddings I've done, both the bride and the groom helped with the planning. It shouldn't be a unilateral thing." He sat back, shaking his head, as Wufei came out of the rest room and headed back towards us. "I'm sorry, 'Ro. I didn't mean to start talking shop. Got off on a tangent there. And I didn't mean to tell you how to handle your engagement, either."
"That's okay," I assured him. "Like I told you before, Wufei disagrees with me on a daily basis, which only makes our friendship that much more valuable to me."
Duo laughed. "Then I oughta be worth a million bucks!"
Even Wufei chuckled at that, as he settled back into his seat, giving me an almost searching look.
It was getting late by then, and Duo glanced at his watch. "Well, crap. I suppose I should get going." He gave me a grin, tapping the face of the watch. "You, too, Yuy. Miss Relena wanted an early start tomorrow."
"Ah, yeah," I said, trying not to grimace. "About that. I won't be going with you two."
He looked surprised. Here I'd told him I was going to be more assertive about the wedding, and in the next breath I said I wouldn't be there at the next planning session.
"Why not?"
"Relena's a little--annoyed with me."
Wufei spoke up with an irritating little smirk. "She's pissed off, Yuy. Just say it like it is." He fixed an amused gaze on Duo. "Relena thinks Heero browbeat you into acting differently around her, and she's banished him from the estate until he apologizes and you go back to flirting outrageously with her."
I gaped in horror. "Wufei! That's not the way it is!"
"How would you explain it then?" he asked maddeningly.
"She just thought I should leave them alone to do the planning," I said, knowing I sounded "whipped" again.
Duo eyed me with a vague frown. "Did she really throw you out? Over me?"
"No--not exactly," I lied. "She just didn't entirely believe me when I told her you and I had settled our differences amicably, and I didn't feel like arguing pointlessly. This isn't the first time we've kept a little distance to cool off a disagreement." God, why was I telling him so much?
"D'you need a place to stay?" he asked, giving me such a sincere look of sympathy that I wanted to take him up on the offer. It was so generous and spontaneous, that I couldn't help but admire him for making the gesture.
I shook my head. "I have a penthouse apartment here in the city. I lived there before the engagement, and haven't given up the lease. It's still more convenient to stay there when I have to work late, or when I've got an early flight to catch."
"Or when you're in the doghouse?" he added.
"Uh, yeah...I suppose so."
"A penthouse, hm?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like a pretty ritzy 'doghouse.'" He nodded his head towards Quatre, who was still over at the bar, talking quietly with the bartender, their hands just barely touching across the counter. "Quat's got a penthouse place...it doubles as an office and apartment. Nice."
"What about you?" I asked, delighted to turn the subject away from myself.
He gave a wry smile. "I live in a big old apartment building near the water. In case you haven't noticed, I kinda have a thing for the ocean."
I recalled the way he'd stared dreamily off at the view from the balcony at Romefeller, and the carriage ride along the seaside...not to mention our ice cream sundaes on the beach and his obsession with sex on the beach. "Well, now that you point it out, yeah."
"Seriously, though, if you ever need a place to stay, you're welcome," he insisted. "I-I'm sorry Relena's mad at you because of the way I behaved yesterday. I was just a little distracted."
"Again, because of the prying I'd done."
He shrugged. "Water under the bridge, Yuy." He leaned forward, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Want me to straighten her out? I can tell her you had nothing to do with yesterday, and that I don't want her mad at you because I'm behaving myself."
"That won't help," I sighed. "She'll only think I coerced you into telling her that. Relena's very--stubborn. When she gets an idea in her head, it's hard to dissuade her."
"No shit," he grinned. "But I'm a master of the art of persuasion."
I eyed him carefully, feeling a wisp of residual jealousy at the thought that he could persuade Relena to do just about anything. But that wasn't his fault; again, it was hers. "No, Duo."
"Well then, how d'you expect to 'make up' with her? Flowers? Candy? Or the tried and true 'falling to your knees and begging forgiveness?'"
"Usually we just eventually slip back into getting along," I shrugged.
"Usually? This happens a lot?"
Wufei snorted expressively. "It happens on a more or less weekly basis."
"It does not!" I snarled. "And she gets over our little disagreements very quickly, most times. She's probably just about forgotten her annoyance already."
"No big apology?" Duo asked.
I shook my head.
"No make-up sex?"
I rolled my eyes and shook my head.
"That sucks. The best part about fighting with Alex was always the make-up sex."
I gave a reluctant grin. "Is that all you ever think about, Maxwell?"
He grinned back. "Haven't had a fiancé in awhile, Yuy. You start to miss certain things."
"Too much information!" Wufei snapped curtly, putting his fingers on the bridge of his nose as if in pain.
Duo laughed in delight. "I'm glad you brought Mister Straight-Laced there, Yuy. He's a lot of fun."
"You're very welcome," I replied, relishing Wufei's discomfort. He had, after all, invited himself along, and therefore deserved whatever he got.
We finished up shortly thereafter, and went our separate ways. I was actually glad Wufei and I had brought separate vehicles, because I had a nagging feeling he'd have more to say on the subject of Duo Maxwell, Gorgeous Wedding Planner. And I was in no hurry to hear it.
TBC...
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