Author: Zazu
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Fluff
Pairings: 1+2+1, 3+4+3 implied
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 was inspired by Sharon's prompt "Duo avoiding getting caught under the mistletoe. I'm sure eventually he'll give in, for the right person"
Kiss Me Not For Naught
In the past, the two things I hated most about Christmas was the overplaying of Christmas carols and the masses of irritated shoppers I continually ran into.
Okay, I enjoy some Christmas carols, and I also do enjoy some shopping. But too much of something one likes could be bad, right? I've made my point.
So here I was, the third Christmas after the second war. My third year working in Preventers as a trainer and part-time agent. It was only the second week of December, but I was quickly finding something else to dislike.
Mistletoe.
It looked pretty enough, but it was beginning to appear too often around me. The pantry on the floor of my office. The pantry on the floors above and below my office. Briefly over the door of my office.
Moving around quickly became a test of stealth and agility.
I was hiding out in Heero's office, having brought sandwiches and two coffees there for our lunch. It was Heero who managed to enlighten me as to what was going on.
"There's a contest of sorts to be the first to kiss you under the mistletoe."
"Why?" I groaned. "Why me? Don't half of these people have spouses, significant others or just better things to do?"
"The answer is the same as why you received the most valentines each year," Heero pointed out.
I sighed. "I can hardly take a piss without having to look around for mistletoe. The next thing you know it'll be hanging above the urinal."
Heero chuckled. "So just kiss someone. Someone wins the bet and it will all be over."
I glared at him over the rim of my cup, then decided that Heero wouldn't understand what I had against that suggestion.
"What?" Heero asked defensively. "It would get everyone off of your back."
"And it would also start rumours between me and the person I kiss!"
"So?" Heero tilted his head to the side. "Unless you...like someone and you're afraid that that someone would be affected."
I stood, balling up the sandwich wrapper and throwing it at him so he could throw it into the garbage bin under his desk. "Forget it," I grumbled. "Only two more weeks. I can last that long, and then it'll be over."
"Until next year."
"Thanks for pointing that out."
"And don't forget, there is the Christmas dinner coming up this Friday."
Heero had been right. The mistletoe advances continued at the party, even when I borrowed the daughter of agent Nina and kissed the little girl's cheek under the mistletoe. She even kissed my cheek back!
Unfortunately, hadn't counted.
It would be a lie to say that I didn't want the blessings that came with kissing under the mistletoe. It would also be a lie to say that there wasn't someone that I wanted to kiss under the mistletoe either.
I looked at that someone, who was currently talking to another agent. Dressed in a charcoal suit, he looked absolutely delectable. I know for a fact that the suit was not tailor-made, but it sure looked it.
He turned and caught my eye, lifting an eyebrow. Then, his gaze shifted just to my left.
I immediately turned right and stepped away, ignoring the huff of disappointment behind me. There hadn't been mistletoe above me, but a quick glance when I was a safe distance away showed that one of the administrative secretaries was holding a sprig of the plant.
Great. It would appear that they had upped the stakes...or rather, were beginning to play dirty.
I wonder what everyone would think if I spent the night on the roof of the building. I'd be safe there, right?
"Okay?" Heero asked, approaching me.
"Yea," I nodded. "Thanks for the little hint there."
He gave me a small smile. "You're welcome."
"Having a good time?" I asked.
"Somewhat. The food isn't bad this year."
"Yea?" I asked. "Didn't really try much of it yet."
"Why don't you head to the balcony for a break? I'll bring you a plate."
"Thanks man," I said gratefully. Then I watched as he walked off towards the table before turning to step out onto the balcony.
I took a deep breath of the crisp December air. It was cold, but not unbearably so, especially with small heaters situated along the balcony.
Heero returned shortly and I sampled the food selection. "My favourites!" I said as I speared a slice of smoked salmon. "You are entirely too good to me, my friend."
Heero chuckled, stealing a piece of fruit from my plate. "So, have you given any further thought to my suggestion? They're starting to play dirty, aren't they?"
I sighed. "Your suggestion isn't exactly the best. Have you better ones?"
"Still worried about rumours?" Heero asked.
I shook my head. "I...A kiss, to me, is intimate," I admitted. "I don't want to kiss someone for the sake of...getting rid of them."
"You kissed Nina's daughter."
"On the cheek. And she is four, and very adorable. But otherwise...it isn't something I want to do. Especially not for some stupid bet."
Heero nodded slowly. "I understand. I think I feel the same way."
That perked my interest. "Is there someone you wa...someone you're interested in, Heero?" I asked, partially hopeful and partially devastated. Heero was my best friend and it was bad enough that I had a crush on him; the devastation I felt was that a part of me had held on thinking that one day, we could possibly be together. If Heero was interested in someone else, then I'd have no chance.
Heero stole another piece of fruit. "I think?" he mused. "I'm just...not entirely sure what that person thinks or feels. I think I know but sometimes I turn around and I'm not sure."
"So find out," I encouraged him. "If you are interested, shouldn't you try?"
He looked at me and took the plate from my hand. "Wise words, Maxwell, do you practice that advice?"
I flushed a little. "Well, I...I just...I'm different," I finally defended. "I don't know at all what he thinks or feels."
"Is that really true?" he asked softly. "You don't know how he thinks or feels?"
"I know how he thinks most of the time, I guess, but not necessarily on this subject."
"Would you ever ask him about it?"
"I...don't know."
"Why?"
"Because..." I trailed off. How could I explain that it was because I was scared that he'd leave me? That I was scared that I would ruin our friendship? That I was scared to give up the little bit of hope in me that one day it would work out?
He set the plate down on the wide railing of the balcony and faced me. "How do you feel about him?"
"I..." What was that look in Heero's eyes? That sudden...gleam of certainty? It was almost like the look he has when he solves a puzzle, a case, but it was also slightly softer.
"How do you feel about him?" Heero repeated.
"I like him a lot and would like to explore a relationship with him."
"You only like him?" The look in his eye faltered, fading briefly to uncertainty.
"I said a lot," I grumbled. "It's...not that I don't know what it's like to interact with him. I just don't know if it would change things."
Suddenly, I wondered if he had spiked my food; why was I talking in this way? Why was I telling him everything about my feelings without coming out and saying his name, without telling him that it was he I was referring to? I needed to get away.
"I'm thirsty," I said, gesturing to the plate and turning back to the doors. "Let me grab a drink. Would you like something?" I asked over my shoulder.
"Yes," he said firmly. "I would."
I'd almost reached the door when he suddenly grabbed my wrist, turning me.
"I like you a lot too, and would very much like to explore a relationship with you," he said softly. Then, he was kissing me.
It took a few moments for me to understand the words he spoke, and by then he had pulled back. "Duo?" he asked softly, his hand slipping from my wrist to my hand and squeezing it. "Can...Will you try with me?"
I swallowed. "You...You mean it? You're not joking?"
God, what was wrong with me?! By saying that, in that tone, I'd pretty much admitted to him how I felt! I should have just laughed it off or something.
"No," he said. "I would not joke about something as serious as our feelings."
Damn, he was serious.
I glanced up briefly, then pulled him close for a kiss. He kissed me back gently, and then I spoke briefly against those lips. "Look up,"
He pulled away and looked up, then pulled me into his arms with a chuckle. "Well, looks like I killed two birds with one stone; got them off your back with the kissing and got you in my arms."
"Always were efficient," I agreed with him. "So...Merry Christmas?" I said.
"It's not quite Christmas yet," Heero pointed out. "But I'm not averse to some more kissing under some more mistletoe so long as it's only you kissing me, and me kissing you."
I looked at him and chuckled. "Deal," I said, and then, I heard the murmurs not too far from us inside the room. "Let's give them a show and confirm that they all lost their bets on who got to kiss Duo Maxwell under the mistletoe."
"If Trowa were in Preventers and were an active participants in the betting he would have won."
"What?" I remembered lamenting about the work situation to our friends but...
"He bet fifty credits that it would be me."
"Did you ever tell him that you..."
Heero covered my mouth with his fingers. "Less talking, more kissing. We've a show to put on." Then, he replaced his fingers with his mouth.
I had a million questions and things to say to Heero; I wanted to ask him how long it had been since he'd realized his feelings for me, whether he felt like a fool for not having asked sooner. Whether he had told Trowa, because I had only told Quatre out of pure frustration one night.
I wanted to ask him, in sudden epiphany, if he had told Trowa, and whether he thought that the two lovers had planned the whole thing and given the Preventers the little game to play.
But for now, I blocked out the sounds of clapping, murmuring and even a few voices of disappointment coming from the room beyond us...
And simply focused on the intimacy of kissing Heero Yuy.
OWARI
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