Thirty

Wufei's Game

      They really shouldn’t have let her come...or at least, talk to Relena.
      Her sarcasm and biting remarks seemed to be lost on everyone.
      I talked quietly with Trowa, not wanting to get involved.
      Not that it was hard. She was busy and Trowa was very interesting. His voice had a...mesmerizing quality about it. I was enthralled...He was so sweet...His eyes were glowing as we spoke in low tones about the circus.
      Once in a while, Nikki would look at me and smile. Which took a whole of three seconds to get annoying.
      Sam and Kris also did this...Heero and Duo were no help. What were they all smiling at? Nothing was happening. We were just talking and enjoying ourselves...well, I was, Trowa seemed to be...
      Suddenly, Nikki’s tone became harsher, the bite deeper, and the word choice cold.
      Trowa looked at her, shocked.
      “What’d she say?” I murmured to him.
      “Shh...just a second...” was his whispered reply.
      “Am I mistaken, Miss Nicole, or was that a shaded insult?” Relena’s voice was no longer false cheery.
      “How would I insult you, Miss Relena?” Nikki’s voice was deceptively calm, “How could I, a simple communications expert insult the one and only queen of the world?”
      “Miss Nicole,” Relena’s voice was firmer, “I am no longer...fitting for that title...”
      “Silly me...” Nikki smiled, placing the fingertips of one hand on her chest and looking to Sam, “I beg pardon, Princess.” she cut Relena off.
      Relena had lost some of her cool, “If you insist on using titles, then use the proper one. I am the Vice Foreign Minister...”
      “Dorlain or Peacecraft?” Nikki was darkly amused.
      “Either or. Do not patronize me, Miss Kaze. I will not tolerate it.”
      Nikki smiled, “Exactly what would you do?”
      “Nikki.” Heero’s voice was firm.
      “Yes, Ai?” she didn’t look away from the angered minister. She also didn’t seem to notice her term of endearment.
      “Can you not do this, please?”
      Slowly, her head swiveled to him, “Do what, Angel?”
      “Please?”
      Her eyes were angered and she took a breath, not looking away from his cold seeming eyes. She closed hers momentarily, then turned to Relena again.
      Heero had been tolerating her attitude all evening, but I could tell it was starting to wear on his nerves.
      Her voice took on a false ring that only few would notice, “What exactly is the summit about? The one the Earthsphere wants you to attend?”
      Heero squeezed her left forearm gently, silently thanking her.
      Relena was confused as the tension seemed to drain, “I can not discuss that without authorization...”
      “Who’s?” Nikki’s tone went frigid.
      She and Relena glared at each other.
      “So...” Sally’s voice broke the uncomfortable silence, “Who started calling you Kitty, Miss Katie?”
      With some effort, I pulled my gaze away from the ice queens to the former guerrilla soldier.
      “Trowa started it when I gave him the sun glasses...”
      I hadn’t realized they called me that enough to be noticed...
      “But it fits.” Now Nikki’s voice had lost it’s falsity. She was sincerely smiling at me.
      Duo winked, “Here kitty, kitty, kitty...”
      I wrinkled my nose at him, “Oh hush...”
      “You were never very good with kitties...” Heero noted to his comrade, acting thoughtful.
      There were assorted snickers.
      I couldn’t believe he’d said that...well, actually...
      “Trowa, however, seems very good with kitties...at least one...” Duo was grinning.
      More snickering.
      I met Duo’s eyes, amused.
      “I prefer some kitties to others.” Trowa informed him, eyes sparkling, “Some kitties...” he trailed off as I turned to look at him.
      Duo started laughing, so did Sally and Zechs. Nikki looked down to her plate, trying to hide her smile. Heero met my eyes and winked.
      Before I could finish looking around, everyone had managed their reactions.
      “Some kitties what?” Sam asked, grinning.
      He returned her look, amused, pointing at her with one hand, “That’s a very good question.”
      “Some kitties have claws, you know.” she informed him helpfully.
      He was still amused, “Hmm...” he glanced at me quickly, “I’ll keep that in mind...”
      Well, if they were going to play...my turn...
      I studied my nails a moment. Then met eyes with Sam, trying not to smile.
      Very gently, I drug my nails down the length of his forearm.
      He looked at me, then grinned slightly, “Here kitty, kitty, kitty...”
      The purring sound Nikki and Sam exchanged before their games passed through my mind and I smiled. They were very good teachers...
      I echoed it.
      The silence that followed was shocked and amused. My friends were holding their reaction to see what everyone else, mainly Trowa, would do.
      “She learns well...” Nikki noted to Sam and Kris after a time.
      They nodded their agreement...
      Heero gave me a searching look for a second, leaning back, “Next time, get his back.”
      Trowa looked at him sharply.
      Heero shrugged, “That might be interesting...just be sure you’re alone...”


      Nikki and Sam were bickering.
      It seemed completely real, and I wasn’t so sure it was fake...except for the subject matter.
      Me.
      They’d plotted something, and were refusing to tell me.
      Sam turned and smiled at me, “Wufei...can I get something?” she winked, swirling her cup around.
      No matter what was going on, I really didn’t want to be drug into this.
      “What do you want?” I asked carefully, hoping that she wouldn’t...
      “You...” she smiled as Nikki went rigid.
      Shit.
      I smiled at her, making it like I was trying not to...
      I really shouldn’t encourage this...
      “To drink.” I clarified, glancing guiltily at Nikki.
      Heero was right, these games could get fun...
      Nikki’s smiled...a very naughty smile, “Don’t be so sure that’s not what she was talking about...” she looked at Sam, “Protein shake...”
      Sam turned to her, eyes wide.
      Nikki smiled innocently.
      “A honeybee.” Sam clarified for me, still glaring at her friend.
      I mixed the drink, wondering what else was going to happen tonight. Nikki matched Heero, so that took away some of the believability...and damn she looked good...of course, Sam looked just as good...but Sam didn’t seem to have any inclination to have sex with me, whereas Nikki...did...at least she seemed to the night before...but Heero...
      Kris came up behind them and said something as I set the drink in front of Sam, they both turned on her, Sam snapped at her.
      Both Kris’s eyebrows rose and she looked back and forth between them, then up at me.
      For some reason I suddenly had a pit in my stomach.
      “You know what,” she told me a bit louder than was probably necessary...but she had been in the room when they wouldn’t answer me... “I’m getting sick of this. It’s you’re turn, Wufei. You need to make your decision, you can’t have both of them...”
      I looked at her, incredulous...couldn’t they have at least warned me?
      “I...I...” I couldn’t think of anything fast enough...partially because there was nothing really riding on this...it would have been easier if they’d both made me think they were serious, I’d had more luck with quick replies when this type of thing happened...I generally wasn’t foolish enough to get caught...but a man can only do so much.
      “Wufei...” Nikki’s voice was weedling.
      I looked down at her, she was somehow managing to convey to me a grin...I wondered who else could see it.
      “It’s just...” Damn those eyes...
      “Wufei...” Sam’s voice was very similar, only she was managing to control her grin.
      “Choose, Wufei.” Kris said firmly, “We’re sick of this...”
      I finally got completely annoyed, they weren’t giving me any inkling of what to do. Was I actually supposed to choose? That would hardly be fair, it would be an obvious choice. Were they trying to let me know in some way I didn’t know about?
      I glanced up and looked around until I met Heero’s eyes.
      He was positioned strategically to stop any fights...so was Quatre...and Duo...
      How come I was the only one they didn’t say anything to?
      He gave me a non-committal look, ‘Choose.’ he mouthed to me with a grin, then lost it, refocusing on the simpering courtesan in front of him, laughing at whatever she’d said.
      I looked back at the girls in front of me, they were dressed like day to night. Nikki was in a black satin backless, her hair down, it was also fairly low-cut...a lot of skin. Sam was wearing a pale green version of that pink thing she had worn the other night...not so much skin, and her hair was up.
      “Wufei...” Nikki made her tone meek and I focused on her, feeling my heart start to race, was I right?
      “Wufei...” Sam.
      I looked at her too.
      They actually wanted me to choose.
      How could they put me in this position? After everything that was going on...
      I set the bottle of rum on the counter with a thud, looking at them in turn, then glancing up to Kris, “I’m sick of this too.”
      They gave me identical confused looks.
      “I can’t stand it anymore...”
      Noticing the tension, a hush had fallen over the area.
      “I can’t be alone with either of them without the other being mentioned...when they’re together they bicker like an old married couple...and if I’m in the area I’m drug into the middle of it...”
      “You are the middle of it.” Nikki told me coldly...for the crowd. She looked highly amused otherwise.
      “No. I just...” I decided not to say that I had just wanted to get layed, that would reflect badly on them, which would piss them both off.
      “Just what?” Sam asked.
      “I just got sick of it. I’m done. Through with both of you...go find some other guy to squabble over...” that was close enough to the truth anyway. Neither of them talked to me unless we were in public.
      They gasped, eyes going wide and tears surfacing...Nikki with the tears, Sam with the eyes.
      “I thought you said...”
      “You told me...”
      I shook my head, “I said a lot of stuff. But I’m done. I’m sick of it. I make my choice. Neither of you.”
      With that I turned and walked to the other end of the bar.


      Wufei shook his head, “I said a lot of stuff.”
      I didn’t let myself grin at his near slip..he’d almost said shit.
      “But I’m done. I’m sick of it. I make my choice. Neither of you.”
      It was really hard not to laugh at that. He was sincere, he was sick of our games, he’d let us know earlier when I was going down the hall to show Sam what Heero’d talked me into wearing...I knew the guys liked it, but I wanted to make sure it wasn’t too slutty. Kris had been in there and Sam had been filling her in on the plan...he’d followed me.
      We had been highly amused with it: make him choose with no warning.
      When we wouldn’t tell him, he’d went off on us and said he was done and he was sick of it...we’d started laughing, of course, and he’d stormed off.
      Fighting my laughter, I turned to Sam, making tears come, “It’s your fault!” I yelled at her, “We were fine until you had to push yourself onto him!”
      “My fault?” she demanded in return, her look similar, “It’s not my fault! If you hadn’t been flaunting yourself...” She didn’t have the tears.
      “Flaunting myself?” I returned, nearly losing my battle to not laugh.
      “Yes...dancing like some whore with him...giving him ideas...”
      Wufei barely glanced back at that.
      “I was not! I...”
      “Just stop!” Wufei yelled, turning to us, “Just stop.”
      That was sincere, he was really disgusted with us.
      I made myself break down into tears and stood, “You can have him, I don’t want him anymore...”
      He glanced at me, he looked like he would have went off on me again...also a bit hurt, but I turned and sprinted to the door, making a pretense of balling, hearing Heero follow me as well as Duo...and...Trowa? Did he know what was going on?
      I broke into the hall with Heero on my heels, Duo on his, and Trowa an instant back.
      The doors closed and I died laughing...along with Duo...as Heero looked around, watching for signs of...something...I wasn’t sure what exactly, though.
      Trowa’s eyes were wide and he was staring at me like I’d grown horns and a tail.
      “Oh my God! That had to be the hardest...” Duo tried to talk, but he was laughing too hard, “Did you see his face?”
      I couldn’t do anything but nod.
      “What’s going on?” Trowa demanded, shocked.
      I laughed even harder at that...and the door opened...
      I instantly went back to the crying as Duo moved to hold me, controlling his laughter just as quickly.
      It was...what had he said his name was? Sean? Stephan? Chris?
      I really couldn’t remember his name...it was one of the fancy butterfly ones...
      “Are you all right?” he asked me gently, coming up, looking as if he’d grab me from Duo if he hadn’t been scared of him...which he was.
      I nodded, wiping my eyes and pulling away, this was an unexpected...and potentially fun...twist, “It’s just...”
      Duo was managing to look concerned quite efficiently, even though he was trying not to laugh.
      “Just...” I made myself sob some more and he moved to hold me...the peacock...I still couldn’t tell if it were Chris or Sean...
            He held me to him, comforting me. He hadn’t seemed to notice Heero, who was standing behind him giving me a look, ‘Who?’ he mouthed clearly.
      I shook my head with the pretense of burying my face into his neck.
      ‘You don’t even remember his name?’ he demanded, trying as hard as Duo not to laugh.
      “Would you like me to talk to him?” he asked me, pulling back slightly.
      I shook my head...that was sweet... “No, that’s all right...”
      “I will if you want me to...”
      I shook my head, “He’s not worth the trouble...”
      ‘Bad connotation.’ Heero mouthed quickly, meaning not to put his friend down.
      I wiped my tears away, “I mean...she’s right...I was flaunting...”
      Heero gave me a look...which seemed to entail a ‘to say the least’...
      I made my laughter sound like sobs and Heero came around him to hold me.
      “She’ll be all right. We’ll take care of her...” he muttered politely, “Go ahead and go back into the party, we’ll put her to bed...”
      “Does she really need three...”
      “No.” I broke in before Heero could finish, pulling back, not seeming to hear... what’s his name, “I want to go back into the party...”
      I was wondering what he’d intended with that...
      “Are you sure?” the peacock asked gently.
      I nodded, “I’ll be fine...I just...we...”
      The peacock hesitated, then nodded and returned to the party, realizing he wasn’t needed.
      I laughed after the door shut.
      “Who was that?” Heero asked without letting me go.
      “Sean, Stephan, or Chris...I’m not sure anymore...”
      Duo started laughing again.
      Trowa cleared his throat, “What’s going on?” he repeated firmly.
      “I’m so sorry, Trowa!” I told him, pulling away from Heero and flinging my arms around his neck, “We should have told you...”
      “Told me what?”
      I laughed, “You remember our cat fight, right?”
      He nodded.
      “You remember the reason for it, don’t you?”
      “You both wanted the same guy, wasn’t it?”
      I nodded, “No matter if it’s true or not, we can’t leave that just lying. We need a resolution...it gives the media time to come up with stories...we use to do it all the time on Libra...so Sam and I talked Kris into making Wufei choose...”
      “Without telling Wufei.” Heero added, grinning.
      I turned on him, “You should have told him.” I gestured to Trowa with my head as I pulled back, then looked at him, “Forgive me?”
      He sighed and shook his head, “How can you be like this?”
      I shrugged, “I just am...”
      He looked to Duo in exasperation.
      Duo only grinned, “You love her anyways, don’t ya?” he asked before I could, then turned to grin at me.
      I stuck my tongue out at him and gave Trowa puppy-dog eyes.
      He sighed, “So that was a game?”
      I nodded, continuing the puppy-dog eyes.
      “And you’re done, aren’t you?”
      I shook my head, opening my eyes wider...he looked away, “Sam will probably seduce him away from the party...and we might have another fight about it...”
      “No more fights.” Heero said clearly.
      I smiled at him, “But if...”
      He shook his head, “No, you said you were done with him, now let’s prove it.”
      I smiled slightly, “Prove it?”
      He grinned, “We all want to dance with you...right, Trowa?”
      Trowa glanced at me then back at Heero, then away.
      Heero frowned slightly, then laughed, “...Oh, the eyes, that’s right...tell her you love her anyways.”
      Trowa met his eyes, shocked, “What?”
      “You love me anyways, don’t you?” I asked meekly.
      Heero flinched slightly, looking away quickly.
      Why did he do that?
      Trowa looked back and forth between us and I opened my eyes wider again.
      He glanced away, “Yes...”
      I smiled, kissing him soundly.
      “Tcch...” Heero rolled his eyes.
      I laughed, “Positive reinforcement, Angel...want to see?” I stepped up and kissed him too, avoiding the cut on his lip.
      He laughed as I pulled away, “I see...”
      Trowa shook his head, “What was that all about?”
      I smiled sweetly at him, then made myself look upset, “You didn’t like it?”
      Duo snickered, “Tell her no...”
      Trowa looked at him.
      “Tell her no...” Heero agreed with a smirk.
      I looked at them and they both smirked at me. I looked at Trowa.
      “No?” he muttered, obviously unsure.
      “Oh...” I leaned up and kissed him again, knowing he had no idea what was going on or why the boys were encouraging him to say no...he started to get into the kiss...
      “Do it...” Heero hissed quietly.
      “Do it...” Duo agreed, they both sounded like smug children or something...I wasn’t sure what exactly...
      “Do what?” Trowa tried to ask, trying to pull away...
      Oh well, this could get fun...I started the tongue job.
      He was too shocked at first, to do anything but react to it...then he tried to pull away. Remembering his spot, I reached around and caressed the small of his back...he pushed further into me, the kiss intensifying as I continued the gesture...
      Wow...Wufei wasn’t the only one who could kiss...I moved slightly, starting on his pants as Heero and Duo un-obtrusively started to shift to the door.
      No guy had ever broke away so fast.
      Duo and Heero noticed, then died laughing.
      I gave Trowa a raised-eyebrow look as he re-did his jeans.
      He blushed...bad.
      “What’s the matter?” Heero asked, chuckling.
      “You’re as white as a sheet...” Duo added.
      “You’d think that after all the times she got him before he’d be ready for this...” Heero told Duo, acting like we weren’t here.
      “Maybe it’s because he’s being watched...” Duo agreed, “Or maybe because he’s never been so close to...”
      “You guys are bad.” I interrupted before they could go on, they died laughing again, I turned to Trowa, shaking my head, “I’m sorry...”
      He blushed deeply, refusing to meet my eyes, then almost ran back through the doors into the party.
      I turned to my two smirking friends, “Shame on you.”
      Heero grinned, “You didn’t have to listen.”
      “You could have said no.” Duo agreed.
      I rolled my eyes, “So who dances with me first?”

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Kyeian