Forty-Three

Making Up

      It was noon almost exactly two days after they left. I was unhappy at their delays, to say the least. As yet unexplained. That wouldn’t last long if I had anything to say about it.
      The five of them stepped off of the shuttle looking smug.
      Their eyes searched the hangar and quickly landed on the five of us.
      I had insisted that Nikki call Sally to join us before we came down here, and by Wufei’s expression, I was right.
      Each of the boys had a shopping bag in hand, and they all looked a little too proud of themselves.
      I stepped forward to meet Quatre as he set down his shopping bag a few feet in front of me.
      I reached up and slid my fingers into his hair, pulling his face down for a passionate kiss.
      After only a moment, I pulled away from him to glare into his eyes, my hand itching to slap him across that beautiful face...
      No!
      I was angry. I wanted to hit him, not kiss him...Didn’t I? I stood there bristling.
      “I...got you...something...” Quatre stammered.
      He handed me a big fluffy white teddy bear from the shopping bag. I stood there staring at the toy in my arms and was surprised o feel tears stinging my eyes.
      I clutched the bear to me and turned away from him and everyone else, started back toward the house.
      “Sam...”
      I stopped at the sound of his voice. I had walked away from men before, but this time I couldn’t...
      His hands grasped my shoulders lightly, and his lips brushed my ear.
      “I’m sorry I was gone so long,” he whispered, “I just wanted to surprise you...”
      “I was just...” I wasn’t quite crying, but close enough. “I...”
      “I’m sorry.” he wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my neck.
      I turned around in his arms and we clung to each other.
      After a moment he smiled down at me. “There are more presents, but if you don’t want them...”
      I crossed my arms and stomped a foot, pointing at him, “Gimme!”
      “They aren’t much...” he shrugged deprecatingly.
      He handed me two little packages, and I made a valiant effort to open them while still holding the bear, but I finally handed it to Quatre, “Hold this.”
      The first package revealed a pair of socks. They were toe socks, and pink leopard print at that. The second present was a book of poetry, ancient poetry by Shakespeare.
      I loved it. I started quoting one of the poems before I even opened the book.
      “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun...”
      “...if snow be white...” Quatre knew the sonnet as well, “That doesn’t really fit, you know.”
      “What?”
      “The next line. Your skin really is almost that light...”
      I huffed at him, then suddenly laughed as I realized how silly he looked holding a teddy bear and quoting Shakespearean sonnets.
      I kissed him.
      Holding the bear by one leg, he wrapped his arms around me and murmured in my ear, “We went and got your stuff. From you apartment, I mean.”
      “You what?” I stepped out of his arms.
      “I...we...”
      “I heard you. I just don’t understand why. Don’t you think I should have some say in whether or not I move out of my own apartment? Just because you’re Quatre Winner, don’t mean that you can order me around like that...”
      “I thought you’d be happy.” he was very quiet, his face very still, very set. Very dangerous. I was suddenly afraid.
      I wasn’t afraid of him. I was afraid I’d lose him. And I realized I was happy that he’d brought my things. And that he was home. And that he was mine. I was also pissed that the five of them had taken so freaking long, and unfortunately, that was all I was managing to express.
      “I’m sorry.”
      Quatre still looked dangerous.
      “I am happy,” I added quietly, “Too happy, and it’s pissing me off that I can’t stay mad at you. You were supposed to be home yesterday.”
      “You’d better be happy,” he growled. He dropped the teddy bear and took the other presents from me, tossing them beside the bear.
      I raised an eyebrow when he turned to the others. I had almost forgotten they were there.
      “Can someone see that these get to my room, please?” he asked them, pointing at the bear and books.
      Turning back to me, he said, “I think we need some privacy...” and picked me up, “Oh, Duo, could you hand me that sack?”
      Duo handed Quatre the sack, giving me a naughty grin, and Quatre carried me off toward the house.


      God did he ever look proud of himself...
      “Where the hell have you been?” I demanded under my breath as I wrapped my arms around him.
      All the anger and worry that had built up after noon had passed...all the confusion and fear...I nearly sobbed as I held him to me.
      “Where have you been...I was so worried...”
      He picked me up and swirled around in a circle, “I was out.” he replied, setting me back down and studying me. His grin reminded me of a small child...
      “You were out...Heero...” I couldn’t muster the appropriate anger.
      Before I could go on, he reached into the bag he carried and pulled out my red tank top. He offered it to me. “I thought you might want this...”
      “My...shirt...” I was confused.
      He held up one hand in a ‘wait’ gesture, “But, before you scold me...” he reached into the bag again and pulled out a small box, “I also picked this...umm...these...up...for... you...” he studied the box momentarily as he handed it to me.
      Still confused, I accepted the elegantly wrapped thing. The tag said, ‘To Nikki From Heero’ in elegant scripty hand writing.
      He pulled the tank top from my grasp and dropped it into the bag, now on the floor, as I unwrapped it.
      I studied the delicate dragonfly earrings in wonderment. They were beautiful.
      I looked up to Heero.
      “Now you can scold me.” he said, his grin slightly smug.
      “You ass...” I muttered, “You knew...”
      “I don’t like to be scolded in public, Omaesan...” he watched me a moment, “You like them?” he had the childish aire about him again as he watched me hopefully.
      I smiled at him, “Of course...” I hugged him to me again and he nuzzled my neck.
      “God I missed you...” he whispered, pulling me closer.
      “What happened?” I demanded, pulling back and removing the earrings in my ears. “Hold these.” I commanded, setting them in his now out-stretched palm and putting the new set in.
      “Well...I called and...well...Duo said we should stop somewhere and pick something up for you...” he put the other set of earrings in his pocket, I could tell he felt bad for not calling.
      “And you didn’t call back why...exactly?”
      He smiled sheepishly, “We decided to surprise you...”
      “Oh...” I put on a brief show of understanding, “So you decided to not call,” he almost seemed to believe me...almost...he was hoping, “And let us think you’d been killed when you didn’t show up for two days..” Now he felt bad again, “That makes sense...”
      “Well...”
      “Well what, Heero? You could have made something up.”
      He bit his lip, studying me, “I’m sorry...” he brightened a little, “I brought your perfume...” his tone was hopeful. He didn’t want me to stay upset.
      I let out my breath, disgusted, I really couldn’t keep it up...I’d been so scared...and he was home...and...here...safe...warm...alive...
      Suddenly he was holding me to him again. Feeling safe finally, I nuzzled his chest.
      “You have no idea how bad I felt when I realized how long we were gone...”
      Before he could finish, the sound of things hitting the floor caught our attention and we turned.
      “Can someone make sure these,” Quatre pointed to a teddy bear, book, and pink leopard print socks on the floor, “Get to my room, please?” he turned back to Sam, “I think we need some privacy...” he lifted her, beginning to turn, then stopped, “Oh, Duo, could you hand me that sack?”
      Grinning naughtily, Duo handed Quatre the bag and they headed for the house.
      I turned back to Heero, “Do I want to know?”
      He smiled slightly, “You already do. We cleared out your apartment. He,” he gestured with his head to the door Quatre and Sam had just used to re-enter the house, “Was especially interested in that row of bottles under the mirror in the bathroom.”
      I grinned, “Oh dear...” I thought about what he’d said a second, “Cleared out our apartment?”
      He nodded, looking away, then back, “Sorry I didn’t ask first...we just were going to get some of your stuff, but Quatre thought you guys could move here...” I took a breath, “He said he’d pay first months rent and co-sign if we wanted our own apartment...or we could stay here and he could outfit some other rooms to be the guest suites...”
      I sighed, realizing he was hoping I’d be pleased, I smiled at him, “We’ll see.”
      He grinned, getting that happy child look again, he barely glanced as Kris and Duo started for the house hand in hand, “Privacy does seem to be in order, however...”
      I smiled as Kat kissed Trowa on the cheek and started for the house.
      He looked at them, then suspiciously at me.
      “I thought you wanted privacy...” I murmured, looking at him coyly from under my lashes, toying with his shirt buttons.
      He rolled his eyes, looking upwards a moment, then bent over and picked up his bag.
      Smiling, I waited for him to be a step ahead of me, then jumped at him.
      He chuckled and settled me more comfortably on his back. Carefully, I reached down and pulled the bag from his hands and leaned close to his ear, nipping gently.
      He was watching me from the corner of his eye, “Shall I run?”
      “Not so much.” I murmured, nuzzling his neck and kissing it gently. Curious, I looked into the bag. Seeing a floral print one...What had he gotten at an adult shop? I opened the nondescript bag, “Three boxes?” I demanded, not sure what to make of it. He laughed, but didn’t reply.
      The pace of his walk may as well have been considered a run.
      Giving up, I focused on his neck again.
      “You’re cruel...” he mumbled as I continued to kiss him gently.
      I grinned at him, barely brushing my lips over the skin.
      He shivered slightly, “You’re so cruel...”


      Krystal looked great. I mean, she looked like she hadn’t slept in a while, and she sort of seemed pissed, but she was still absolutely gorgeous.
      I pulled out the gift wrapped bubble bath and held it out as I approached her.
      She just raised an eyebrow at me.
      “It’s for you...” I said, offering it again.
      She sighed and took it. Her gaze softened a little when she opened it.
      “Thank you.” she finally smiled and it lit up her face like someone had turned on a switch, “But why were you gone so long?”
      “I’m sorry...it was my idea...I wanted to surprise you...” I suddenly felt really bad about not calling sooner.
      I hadn’t really thought about it before.
      Before she could move away, I leaned down and kissed her. I fully expected her to punch me. To my surprise, she didn’t even try to end the kiss. She was surprised a moment, then leaned against me and I wrapped my arms around her.
      After a moment, I broke off the kiss and smiled down at her. Sort of down. She was only two inches shorter than me.
      Sam yelped, I turned to see, Quatre had picked her up.
      Noticing I was watching, Quatre got this naughty look...one I was almost positive no one else noticed, “Oh, Duo, could you hand me that sack?” he looked to his purchase from the adult shop.
      I handed it to him, smirking as I met Sam’s eyes a moment. He carried her off toward the house.
      “I got you something else,” I told Kris, picking up my own bag, “But maybe you shouldn’t open it in front of everyone...” I took her hand and we started back to the house.


      Kat was waiting for me when I stepped off of the shuttle, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect...then I was holding her. Her own arms were wrapped tightly around me.
      I just held her for a moment, then kissed her forehead.
      Holding the shopping bag behind her back, I pulled out her present, “Surprise.” I whispered in her, handing her the box.
      “Oh!” she tore into the paper and gasped when she saw the necklace. “Put it on me...” her voice was questioning, as she pulled her hair out of the way.
      I smiled and kissed the nape of her neck as I latched the gold chain. “Do you like it?”
      “Like it? I love it!” she was staring up at me with those big eyes...
      “We brought your stuff from L-1, too.” I said. I figured I’d better tell her about that before I lost track of anything but those eyes...
      “Really? Would you help me put it away, please?”
      She accepted that nicely...I’d expected she might be upset with me for it.
      “Sure.” How could I refuse?
      “Thank you!” she kissed my cheek and pulled me toward the house.


      I waited patiently while the others met their lovers and left.
      When everyone was gone except Wufei and I, I glanced at him coolly and turned to leave. Alone.
      “Sally...” Wufei’s voice was...longing? Of course. For sex. I understood the man better than he thought.
      “I’m not in the mood, Wufei.” I answered flatly.
      “But...”
      “No.” I started walking.
      “I found this...and...thought you might like it...” he sounded unsure.
      I turned to look at him. He was staring at a box in his hands.
      It occurred to me that I’d mis-interpreted this...
      “Wufei...” I went to him and kissed him on the cheek, taking the box from him, “That’s sweet.”
      I opened the box to find an exquisite jade bracelet. It was carved with roses, complete with thorns.
      “It’s gorgeous. But...why?”
      He put a hand up and brushed it against my cheek, “I...forget it.” he snatched his hand back as if burned, refusing to meet my eyes...he seemed very interested in something on the floor, actually.
      I thrust my hand through the bracelet, letting the box fall.
      “Chang Wufei,” I whispered, grabbing the hand he had touched my face with, running my other hand through his hair at his nape. I brushed my lips against his, “I do believe you care.”
      He laced his fingers with mine and squeezed my hand, meeting my eyes again. His own were deep...like dark seas... “I do...”
      He kissed me then, not like before, when it was just physical. He kissed me softly. And lingeringly. I slipped my hand out of his to wrap my arms around his neck. He put his arms around my waist and we clung to each other for the longest time...just holding each other and breathing each other in...
      “You know...” I began cautiously after a while, “The others seem to have had a good idea...” I ran my hands down his chest to the fly of his pants. He slid his hands down my arms to my wrists.
      “Goddamn geniuses...” he pulled my hands away from his pants and kissed me again, pushing me toward the house.


      Kat led me to the pile of boxes that had been unloaded from one of the shuttles.
      I picked up her trunk and followed her into the house. We went through my room to hers and I set the trunk down.
      “I’m going to go take a shower, Kitty.” I told her.
      “You aren’t going to help me unpack?”
      “Do you know how long it’s been since I showered?” I countered.
      “You have a point there,” she replied. She thought it over for a moment, “Do you want some help?” she offered.
      “I...I...” I tried to protest, really, but by then she was already advancing on me.
      “I’ll take that as a yes.”
      “No!”
      She was about half an inch away from me at that point, and she wrapped her arms around my waist.
      There went that half an inch.
      “Kat, you sh-mmm...” I was trying to tell her not to do that, but she started kissing me.
      I gave up and wrapped my arms around her. She started running her fingers across the small of my back. I responded before I could think about it, kissing her harder and pulling her even closer.
      I realized what she was doing and pulled her arms from around my waist, still kissing her. “Kat,” I said firmly, breaking off the kiss, “What do you want?”
      She was so young...I had to be sure this was what she wanted.
      She was staring up at me with those eyes again...
      “You...” she whispered.
      “Why?”
      “Because I love you...I want you to be mine...”
      “Didn’t you realize?” I asked gently, “I’m already yours...but I’m going to take my shower now.”
      It was hard to leave her standing there, watching me with those eyes...


      “What’d you get me?” Kris asked as we headed toward her room.
      I slipped an arm around her waist, “Me.”
      “And I couldn’t open that in front of people? Are you afraid the others would be jealous?”
      I grinned at her and winked, “I know they would...”
      She wrinkled her nose a bit and smiled at me.
      “Well, there’s this, too.” I added, dangling the floral bag just out of her reach as she made a grab for it.
      We reached her room and I closed the door behind us.
      “Well?” she demanded. I tossed her the bag.
      She looked in the bag and raised an eyebrow. A slow smile spread across her face. She kicked off her shoes and sat down on the bed. She pulled the furry handcuffs out of the bag, “Duo, come here...”
      How could I resist?
      That was a mistake. Before I could react, she had me cuffed to the bed.
      She kissed me once, lingeringly, and then sauntered out the door.

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Kyeian