The Wedding Date Part 5
Heero was halfway to the pickup area, when he glimpsed Duo talking to the clerk at the car rental booth. And almost of their own volition, his feet carried him in that direction.
"-- has to be some kind of car available. Just a sub-compact, or something," Duo was pleading.
"Sorry -- but between the convention and the Peacecraft wedding -- we're completely wiped out."
Duo sighed, turning away and coming face to face with Heero.
Heero picked up the small carry on bag Duo had set down, and started walking towards the door.
"Yuy!" Duo ran to catch up, tugging at his luggage. "C'mon, Heero. I can manage. I told ya. I'll fend for myself. It's only a coupla days."
Heero stopped and turned to look him squarely in the eyes. "I'm not going to leave my date to fend for himself in Sanc -- or sleep on an airport bench. Not when there's a perfectly good room waiting for us at the palace."
Duo grimaced slightly, not quite meeting his gaze. "Not a good idea, Yuy," he cautioned. "I mighta played around before and not come right out an' said it, but yeah, I'm gay. I don't think you wanna share a room with me for a whole weekend."
"I'm not talking about sharing a bed," Heero pointed out. "I'm sure there'll be a couch or futon available." He gave a hopeful, if weak, smile. "We can flip a coin for the bed."
"And have everyone thinking you're gay?"
Heero shrugged. "First off, I'll probably never see most of these people again. Secondly, you were right that it would discourage Relena for good. And thirdly, I'm not so sure I'm not anymore."
Duo's eyes widened, and then narrowed warily. "You think you can experiment on me -- is that it? Try a guy on for size?"
"No!" Heero asserted. "You told me you're not a prostitute. Was that not true?"
"It was true," Duo insisted. "But --"
"Just because I didn't find that kiss objectionable doesn't mean I'm going to try anything. But it convinced me that it would be no more of a lie to let Relena think I might be gay than it'd be to let her think I had a steady girlfriend -- since both are theoretically possible." Heero tried his most persuasive smile, and saw Duo's expression soften.
"Damn it, 'Ro --"
"Please."
Duo's shoulders slumped and he sighed deeply. "Fine," he conceded. "I know I'm gonna kick myself later, but -- fine."
Heero gave a satisfied nod, and resumed his walk towards the exit of the airport.
Outside by the curb, there was a long, elegant limo, and a man holding a sign that said "Yuy," so they headed his way.
"Pargan?" Heero said in amazement. "Are you still driving for the Peacecrafts?"
The elderly man smiled and gave a small bow. "Of course. I'm still Miss Relena's personal valet, as I have been since she was a child."
"It's good to see you again," Heero said with a smile.
"You as well, young sir. And may I ask who your guest is?"
"Duo Maxwell," the braided man spoke up, stepping closer and holding out a hand, which Pargan shook. "Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise," replied the valet, only a quick flicker of a glance between the two men betraying his curiosity. He held out a hand towards Heero. "May I take your bags, sir?"
Heero shook his head, still smiling. "Just pop the trunk open and I'll put them in."
"But sir --"
"I know it's your job," Heero acknowledged. "And should anyone ask, I'll certainly say you wrestled the bags away from me and did it yourself. But I was taught to respect my elders, and if that means I'd rather lift my own suitcase into the trunk to spare you, well then that's what I'll do."
The grey-haired man sighed and nodded. "Very well, young sir." He opened the trunk, and let Heero stow his and Duo's bags inside, and then went around to open a back door for the two.
They slid inside and Pargan closed the door and took his place as driver, pulling smoothly away from the curb and onto the road.
"That was nice," Duo spoke up, his calculating gaze not having left Heero since they got into the limo.
"What was?"
"What you did for that old man." Duo gave a sort of bemused smile. "I was gonna offer, myself, but you beat me to it."
"He's nearly seventy," Heero said with a shrug. "He doesn't need to be manhandling suitcases at that age. He frowned slightly. "Relena should know better. She should have sent someone along to help."
"So tell her that," Duo suggested. "Maybe she's known him so long, it hasn't occurred to her that he's not the same capable valet who took care of her as a kid."
"You have a point," Heero conceded, looking a bit surprised. He turned a more studious look towards his companion. "Very perceptive of you."
Duo smirked a raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Being perceptive is part of my job. Have to be able to read people and respond, or I'd be a lousy excuse for an escort."
"Ah." Heero looked out the window for a moment, and then back at Duo. "So are you 'reading' me?"
"Trying," Duo conceded. "But you're -- not easy to 'get.' I mean, back on the plane, those first couple of minutes, I'd have thought you didn't have any sense of humor at all. But you just teased and joked with that old man like you were buddies, instead of a friend of his employer."
"I've known him a long time."
"Uh-huh." Duo cocked his head, looking speculative. "So, you only loosen up around people you've known a long time." He gave a little shake of his head. "I've got my work cut out for me."
Heero scowled at that. "No, you don't," he said firmly. "I'll make this simple for you. You don't need to entertain me, or charm me, or be 'good company.' You merely have to be polite to Relena and family, and accompany me to a few social interactions and the wedding. Other than that, you can enjoy the luxuries at the palace -- maybe stroll in the gardens, or avail yourself of the gaming room."
Duo blinked a few times. "There you go saying 'palace' again. Exactly where are we staying?"
Heero blinked back. "Why -- the palace belonging to the royal family of Sanc, of course," he said, as if Duo should have known. "Relena is a princess, and her brother, the one who's getting married, is Prince Milliardo Peacecraft."
Duo's jaw dropped. "You're shitting me!" he blurted in shock.
Heero scowled more deeply than before. "No, I'm not. And I hope you can refrain from language like that around the royal family."
"Royal family --" Duo echoed in disbelief. "What the f--" He caught himself sharply. "What have I gotten myself into?"
"I thought you realized when I told you Relena's name -- Don't you read the social papers at all? I thought you were an escort -- and supposed to be able to attend fancy society events."
"I am! But this is Sanc we're talking about. And since I don't generally go out of the country for work -- no, I wouldn't know about social news on another continent!"
Heero rolled his eyes. "Great. Will I have to show you which fork to use at dinner?"
Duo glared back, his indigo eyes turning stony. "No you will not," he said flatly. "I was trained in proper etiquette, Yuy."
Heero gave a skeptical snort. "You haven't shown me much indication of that yet. You're glib, cocky and irreverent, as far as I can tell. And that will not go over well in royal company."
"I'll have you know, Sally sent me to Royal's Academy," Duo snapped back. "It's the best escort training available. I know how to address kings and queens, which side to stand on, in what order to acknowledge lords and ladies! Don't worry about my ability to act classy around high society types."
Fortunately, Heero chose to back off, realizing he'd insulted Duo a bit more than necessary. "I won't worry about it," he said in a dismissive tone. "I plan to minimize our contact with others at the palace anyway."
"Fine." Duo looked outside at the passing landscape for a moment, and then back at his companion. "Exactly how much contact do you expect us to have?"
"What?" Heero asked sharply, misunderstanding.
Duo caught on at once, and smirked. "With other people?" he clarified. "I assume since we're arriving on a Thursday afternoon that there are pre-wedding activities. How many of them involve us?"
Heero sighed. "Tonight I expect to have to have dinner with Relena, Milliardo, and other members of the wedding party -- Then tomorrow --"
"Wait! Wedding party?" Duo demanded. "You're in the wedding party?"
"Mill asked me to be a groomsman," admitted the Japanese man.
Duo's eyes narrowed. "So you'll be paired off with some chick for the bulk of the wedding and reception, while I stand around trying to look like I belong, eh?"
"I -- hadn't thought of that," Heero mused. "I suppose I'll be occupied during the ceremony and picture taking."
"Yes, and at the reception, you'll be sitting at the main table, while I'm hanging around with Aunt Bertha and Uncle Marvin, or something."
Heero found himself fighting a smirk. "Don't worry. I'm sure that since I accepted the invitation for two, they'll put my guest with my friends, Quatre and Trowa."
"Quatre -- You mentioned him on the plane."
"Yes. He'll be flying out Saturday, to attend the wedding on Sunday. I had to come early because of being in the wedding party."
Duo shook his head. "Great. You know that means we'll have to do dinner tonight, you'll need to be fitted for your groomsman's suit tomorrow, and probably attend some sort of bachelor party tomorrow night, and then on Saturday they'll be a rehearsal and a rehearsal dinner."
Heero's eyes widened. "All that?"
"Yes, all that," Duo scoffed. "And most of it probably will not require my attendance."
"As I said, you can enjoy the palace grounds."
"I'm not going to go wandering around the Peacecraft Palace by myself," Duo grumbled.
"I'll ask Relena to arrange company for you, if you like."
"No!" Duo squirmed on the plush seat of the limo. "This is just way more complicated than a typical escort gig." He fixed a rather timid gaze on his companion. "I need to know more about you and Relena and Prince what's his name."
"Milliardo."
"Yeah, whatever." Duo frowned at Heero. "How d'you know these people?"
"As I told you back on the plane, I went to school with them. I'm originally from Sanc."
"And you went to school with princes and princesses?"
"Obviously."
Duo rubbed the bridge of his nose restlessly. "Geeze, I dunno how I let Sally talk me into this gigĄ"
Heero raised an eyebrow. "Talk you into it --? I thought you worked for her."
"Yes, but like I said, I don't usually do any traveling for the job. She knows Howard can't spare me too much of the time. This was a favor I was doing for her --" He scowled slightly. "Last time I let myself get suckered like that."
Heero couldn't help but smile at his chagrined tone. "Don't knock it," he suggested. "You'll have the finest of accommodations, lavish meals, and if I'm not mistaken, there's a Jacuzzi in every room."
Duo perked up appreciably. "No shit? A Jacuzzi?"
"Yes, and if you can keep the word 'shit' out of your vocabulary for an entire evening, I promise to let you have dibs on it," Heero sighed.
"Deal!" Duo said enthusiastically. He rubbed his hands briskly together. "Now -- how 'bout we figure out our cover story for how we met --?"
TBC...
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