Author: Zazu
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Kids
Pairings: 1+2+1, 3+4+3, 5+R
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, nor do I own the characters. I have borrowed them here for some fun and creativity, and this is not for profit. I do, however, own the plot mentioned here, and any instances that you may find similar to real life events are purely a coincidence.
Notes: Not beta-read. This is a part of the babysiting adventures universe, inspired by Sharon's prompt "Babysitting adventures for uncles Heero, Duo, Trowa and Quatre. Wufei and Relena are the parents, of course". I should state now that the little drabbles in this universe will not be chronological at all!
Little Dancing Princess
The last thing he expected to hear through the front door was a classical waltz. And yet, standing there with his key in his hand, Heero closed his eyes to listen and confirmed that the waltz was, indeed, filtering out from behind his door.
Entering his apartment, he closed the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms as he observed what was going on in the living room.
Duo had pushed the coffee table aside, and Heero smiled softly to see his lover bent at the waist and guiding little Leila into a slow waltz. Quietly, his lover was counting the one-two-threes, emphasizing the first count as he led the dance.
Leila was giggling. One of her hands gripped Duo's; the other rest on his bicep since she couldn't reach his shoulder. Duo's hand was braced against her back, for Leila stood on top of his feet as he waltzed them around the small space.
A moment later, Duo looked up and winked at Heero, straightening with flushed cheeks. Heero toed off his shoes as Leila noticed him.
"Uncle Heero!" she beckoned. "Uncle Duo is teaching me how to waltz!"
"Why the waltz?" he asked curiously.
"Because Uncle Quatre has a ball that Mommy and Baba are going to and Mommy said they do waltzes at balls."
"That, and this little girl needs a little change in style if she ever wants to dance at a ball. She boogies like no one else!" Duo said. He raised his fists up by his head, stuck out his bum and wiggled like Leila had shown him earlier, eliciting laughs from the little girl who promptly followed him, adding a little turn and twist.
Heero laughed at their antics, loosening his tie a little. "Did you ever show your Baba and Mommy how you dance?"
Leila nodded enthusiastically. "It makes them laugh!"
"Well," Duo said, lifting Leila up into his arms. "Why don't you ask Uncle Heero the question now?"
"Question?" Heero asked.
Leila twisted around and reached for Heero, who promptly took her into his arms. She looked shy all of a sudden, and gazed up at him from under her eyelashes. "Uncle Heero," she said shyly. "Will you waltz with me?"
Heero couldn't help but smile. "May I have this dance, Miss Chang?"
She giggled and nodded, accidentally knocking their foreheads together. Heero opted to keep Leila in his arms, so he took one of her hands and held it out before telling her to put her other hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he noticed Duo by the music player and watched as he started the waltz once more.
It didn't seem as silly without the counted one-two-threes, and Heero was better at waltzing than Duo was. He turned the little girl around the room, moving to the sound of the music before whispering to Leila, who nodded with a grin. A minute into the dance, Heero paused in front of Duo.
"Uncle Duo, will you dance with me and Uncle Heero?"
Duo smiled at them. "I would love to, my dancing princess." He clasped his hand over Leila's and set his other arm over the one draped along Heero's arm. Sandwiching the girl close between them, Duo allowed Heero to lead the waltz once more. The three of them moved gracefully around the living room, until the waltz ended and Leila informed them she needed to go to the bathroom.
As she skipped off humming the waltz, Heero pulled Duo into his arms once more. "When was the last time we danced?"
"I can't remember," Duo admitted. "We should do it more often, shouldn't we?"
Heero kissed Duo softly, something he'd been wanting to do since he arrived home. "We should," he agreed. "Provided it isn't the strange...what did you call it? Boogie? That Leila does."
"Why not?" Duo asked with a grin. "You don't like to see my bum wiggling at you?"
Heero laughed and tapped Duo's forehead. "No, I'm merely pointing out that if I do see it wiggling at me, dancing of the vertical variety wouldn't last very long."
Duo laughed and was about to retort when Leila returned. "What's so funny?" she asked.
"Nothing," Duo said smoothly, bending down once more. "Your Uncle Heero sometimes has a silly sense of humour, that's all."
~*~
Leila hadn't been invited to the ball, although Quatre had invited her for a private party upstairs. Complete with her favourite snacks, a movie and a coloring book, he had intended for Leila to stay over that evening with her nanny, Grace, so she wouldn't feel lonely at home. Then, they would have a lunch party the next day.
When Grace checked on the girl in the evening, she was surprised to see her out of bed and waltzing around with her teddy bear in the dimly lit room. Easing the door shut again, she had just decided to let the girl dance a little longer when she noticed Trowa, Wufei and Relena coming down the hall.
"Grace? Is everything all right?" Relena asked.
"Yes," Grace said softly. "Leila isn't sleeping yet, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind her staying up late just this once."
Curiously, the three of them gathered by the door, easing it open slowly.
Leila was still turning around with her teddy bear, a dreamy look on her face. Relena's hand slipped into Wufei's and squeezed it, silently reminding her husband that the cute little girl was their daughter.
Trowa tapped the door quietly, gaining Leila's attention. "May I have this dance?" he asked, entering the room and turning the lights on a little brighter.
"Uncle Trowa!" Leila raced to the bed to set her bear down before running back to grab Trowa's hand. "Will you dance with me?"
"It would be my pleasure, little dancing princess," Trowa said.
"Uncle Duo called me that, too! Mommy, Baba, watch me!" Leila held her hands out in the waltz position; Trowa bent and stepped into place with a smile. Humming the same waltz Leila had been humming, he guided her slowly at the pace she had been dancing at, turning her around in place to change the dance a little.
"Dance with us," Trowa said as he guided Leila past Wufei and Relena. They immediately obliged; Wufei pulled Relena into his embrace, kissing her cheek quickly before following along with Trowa's song and pace.
"Who taught you to waltz, Leila?" Relena asked.
"Uncle Duo and Uncle Heero!" Leila said excitedly. "I wanted to learn what you and Baba were going to do at this ball." She let go of Trowa and approached her parents. Relena knelt, uncaring of her dress as the bottom pooled on the carpet. "Mommy," Leila whispered. "You are the beautifulest tonight!"
"Aw, thank you, Leila," Relena said, caressing her daughter's cheek. "One day, Leila will be even more beautiful than Mommy."
Leila shook her head. "Mommy is the beautifulest!" she proclaimed again before looking up at Wufei. "Baba, can you dance with Mommy and me like Uncle Heero did with me and Uncle Duo?"
"How did he dance with you and Uncle Duo?"
"He picked me up and then Uncle Duo danced behind me."
Wufei immediately picked her up, kissing his daughter as she settled on his hip. "Okay, but after this dance you have to go to bed. Uncle Quatre and Uncle Trowa planned a lunch party for you, and you don't want to be tired for it, do you?" Leila shook her head, agreeing to go to bed after the dance.
Looking past Leila, Wufei reached for his wife; Relena stepped into place, sandwiching their daughter with ease. It reminded her immediately of how they used to cradle Leila as an infant when she cried at night; Wufei would hold them both as they gently swayed to lull the baby girl to sleep.
Leila smiled as her parents began to waltz with her. She began to hum, but Wufei shushed her, humming a different waltz as he gazed into Relena's eyes. It was the first song they had ever danced to and Relena smiled at the memories it brought.
They didn't notice Trowa slip from the room, and a couple of minutes later, Wufei brought them to a stop.
"One day, Leila will be just as beautiful as Mommy," he whispered.
She smiled brilliantly and wrapped her arms around Wufei's neck. "I will stay with Baba and Mommy forever!"
Her parents smiled, both knowing that it wouldn't be true. But it would be a long while yet before anyone took their little daughter from them and there was no need to tell her that just yet.
"Yes," Relena said, snuggling up behind her. "Leila will be with Mommy and Baba. But now, it's time for you to go to sleep. Baba and I have to go back downstairs. It's rude to leave the party for a long time."
"Okay." Leila agreed. Wufei lay her down on the bed, tucking her and her teddy under the covers and kissing her forehead. "Baba, sing the waltz a little longer? Please?"
Wufei sat down by the bed, leaning close to hum the waltz. Leila hummed with him until he tapped her lips to quiet her. She obediently closed her eyes, and was fast asleep a minute later.
Dimming the lights once more, Wufei and Relena left the room, shutting the door quietly. For a moment, Wufei stood in front of it, gazing into Relena's eyes.
"What is it?" Relena asked softly as she straightened his tie and smoothed his suit jacket.
"Thank you, Relena," Wufei said. "For being with me and giving me the most beautiful dancing princess."
Relena smiled and cupped her husband's cheek. "You had a part in that too, my sappy husband."
He made a small sound at her choice of words but ignored it otherwise, turning her and tucking her hand at his elbow. "Let's go thank the two uncles for being such wonderful dance teachers."
Relena paused, making a face of mock horror. "Wonderful dance teachers? Did you see her missteps and her posture? We have to scold them and tell them that if they're going to teach her something, they should teach it properly!"
Wufei laughed at her teasing. "Be careful, my love. You'll regret those words when she comes home one day, having been taught properly about..." he whispered something into her ear.
"They wouldn't dare!" Relena gasped, hitting Wufei's arm lightly in exasperation.
Wufei simply laughed as he led his wife back to the great hall.
OWARI
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