lavendarlizard

~*~ Z

At 1415 the following afternoon, they were being shown into their suite at the Baroque Bay Hotel. The rooms were an eclectic mixture of styles, but it all worked well in a beachfront hotel on an island in the Caribbean. Quatre tipped the bellboy and hustled him out of the room as quickly as he could. The door had barely closed behind him before they were in each other’s arms. Much thrashing and tossing of clothing items ensued before they relaxed against the pillows on the enormous bed.

“What shall we do first?” asked Wufei. He reached over to the bedside table to retrieve a brochure. “They have boat tours of the bay, swimming with the dolphins and fish, historical tours, bicycle tours, walking tours. In short, many, many tours of all sorts. Hm… Shopping, restaurants… You know, I believe I’m hungry. Why don’t we have an early dinner?”

“Hmm…? Oh, that sounds good. Thinking about it now, I am hungry. Let’s start with that. Maybe we can do some shopping afterwards.”

“Sounds good. Shower?”

“Together? Of course!”

~*~

“I have no idea what I’m eating but it’s all delicious!” Quatre took a sip of his iced tea. “I am so going to send the kingdom chef here to taste all of this and make it at home! Oh. I’ll have to find a diplomatic way to phrase it, though. Don’t want to piss him off.”

“Gods no! The kingdom chef is amazing and I would hate to have him feel like he’s not good enough. He might start feeding us fast food.” He shuddered.

lavendarlizard

~*~ Y

Quatre’s dish came out looking almost perfect. He had decided to color it predominantly purple and the wash of purple, blue and green was bright, soft and glowing all at once. When he showed it to Wufei, the dragon gasped, then hugged his husband.

“It’s beautiful! Where are you going to display it?”

“Well… I thought I’d give it to Duo. He can use it as a fruit bowl or just display it.” He smoothed his fingers over the glossy surface. “I feel like I owe him something. He stepped in and Spoke for me against Trowa and his crap, and I feel that warrants some kind of acknowledgement or even reward. The whole mess with Trowa could have continued indefinitely, could have drawn you into it; now it’s done. I could have asked the Elder for remedy, but he wasn’t here to hear that call. To see Trowa snarl and rage at me.

“He was there to see Trowa draw a wand on me. That is inexcusable, and conduct unbecoming a Magician. Mages and Wizards are forbidden from drawing a wand against a non-magical person unless directly threatened, like with a knife or gun. Technically, because I am a Healer and not a Mage or Wizard, let alone a Sorcerer, I am considered a non-combatant. If I wanted to make a formal complaint, he could lose his magic. I don’t want to do that, I just want him to stop harassing me. Duo accomplished that. I didn’t even know that Kewpies could do that. But I am so glad they can!”

lavendarlizard

~*~ X

Life went on unstressed for many months. Little Argent grew like a weed. Heero accumulated several hundred billion Yen for the collective and for the kingdom. Quatre spent extra time in the kingdom, coming up with ideas to make his citizens’ lives better. And shopping. There was always shopping.

There were urgent healings in the kingdom, but nothing out of the ordinary. Quatre made the most of his time there by trying to educate patients to prevent urgent and emergency healings. He understood that only about half his patients would actually follow instructions. Making life changes was hard, he knew that, but he would continue to try. In the meantime, he made copious notes for the staff Healers.

Wufei talked Heero out of portaling to New York City to immolate the obnoxious businessmen that he had decided against working with. Apparently, they did not understand the word “no” and he so wanted to teach them. He was heartily sick of mirror calls, owl and pigeon messages, and those new annoyances the humans called “telegrams”. Wufei had to work to restrain his friend, when even he wanted to smack the crap out of the humans.

lavendarlizard

~*~ W

“Like name Silver or Giniro, but baby not,” sighed Duo after dinner. “Thinks girl name.” He and Quatre were having tea on the sofa, sharing about their new hobbies. Wufei and Heero were talking collective business at the game table.

“Oh, horrors!” cried Quatre. “The agony of having a gendered name! What about the Greek or Latin? Silver is Argyros in Greek and Argentum in Latin. You could call him Argyr or Argent. Those do sound more masculine.” He gave Wufei a look that clearly said, why is this even a conversation? Wufei returned a minute shrug.

But Duo brightened. “Like Argent or Argyr.” He retrieved his son from halfway up a drapery where he was chasing a moth. “Come on little shit; like Argent or Argyr? Quatre says masculine boy names.” He set the little dragon on the table and sketched out both names. “Pick one.” The baby huffed, sounding very much like his father, but pedaled across to the written names. He stared at first one then the other, huffed again and put his paw on Argent. He looked up at his parent and nodded. Duo sighed. “Likes Argent! Finally! Will call Argent.” He gathered up the baby and carried him to Heero. “Son has chosen name. Will be Argent.”

“Finally!” laughed Heero. He lifted his little dragon to look him in the eye. “Good choice. Argent is a strong name for a dragon.” Argent flicked his tongue at Heero. “Little shit,” Heero said affectionately.

lavendarlizard

~*~ V

“Dragons don’t do ‘weddings’ like Iria means,” said Wufei that night, as they readied themselves for bed. “We claim a Chosen publicly and that’s that. No officiants, no guests, no religious trappings. I think I’m getting worried about what our wedding would consist of…” He shrugged nervously. “Religion doesn’t figure in our lives.”

“Nor in mine. I’m a Healer and an empath and a minor magician; I don’t have the spell width for religion. The kingdom is not particularly religious anyway.”

“Um… Good..?”

Quatre laughed. “Yes, good.” He pulled Wufei to him, and kissed him deeply. “How about if we just speak out the words and then do the ceremony for the kingdom and be done with it all?”

“Oh, that sounds excellent! But when? And what is an auspicious date?”

“It’s whatever I want it to be,” Quatre grinned. “Since I am, you know, the king.”

“What does a human wedding consist of?”

“Hm… we need someone to ask a few formal questions, then we answer, then they pronounce us married.”

“That seems simple enough for me.”

“Cheek!” laughed Quatre. “If I can figure it out, I know you can! Let's do yours first. That'll give us confidence.”

“Good idea. I can always use confidence.” He took Quatre’s hand. “Tomorrow?”

“ Mm… What about the day after? Tomorrow is shopping day, remember. I'll throw a dart at the calendar and we'll have our auspicious date for the kingdom wedding.”

~*~

lavendarlizard

~*~ U

“Regardless, Trowa, we’re coming. This is a curse that was set on Duo that’s now bled over to his child. That is totally unacceptable! You can help or not; I think we have things in hand. Sorcerer Meisal will find the curse setter. We will deal with the remaining Filofields and their friends and enablers. Rive Bartonn will be Filofields-free when we’ve finished, one way or another. Now, I have to go. The Sorcerer is coming in three minutes. Goodbye.”

Portals began popping up all over the grand hall, and people began gathering. Heero spent a few minutes with his Chosen and his son, before joining the “war party”. He reserved the right to take out whoever the ringleader of the Filofields faction was. Someone, he promised Quatre, was going up in flames. Apparently, the vanishment was not lesson enough.

When they arrived in Rive Bartonn, they found Trowa and the Kewpie elder, Solo, waiting for them. Once again, the discovery and the conclusion was gone over. The Kewpie agreed that there was cause to ferret out the curse setter and to get the name of who had paid for the curse.

“Behavior unacceptable. Filofields lost, Deal over. Lost,” he said firmly. “This behavior wrong. Dragging out, turning into feud. Not good behavior. Feuds not allowed in Kewpie world. Poor… poor…”

He looked at Trowa. “Sportsmanship,” said Trowa. “Poor sportsmanship. Unfair, unethical.”

“Yes. Unethical behavior. Put an end to. Gone on too long. Duo is well? And child?”

lavendarlizard

~*~ T

Duo and Heero soon found their equilibrium as parents. They had the usual experiences, as well as some not-so-usual experiences. Diaper blowouts were fortunately not common, though they did happen. The new parents took turns dealing with them. Duo was forced to remove his Chosen earring, as the baby found it fascinating and nearly tore Duo’s ear trying to pull it out. He also had to begin braiding his long hair as the baby liked to grab loose handfuls and pull.

Heero wasn’t immune from such attacks. Both his communications sapphire and his Chosen earring had to be removed. He usually wore a platinum chain that was a gift from Duo, and that also had to go into the jewelry box. The buttons on his shirts were fair game as well to a shiny-seeking little dragon.

The baby loved bath time and nearly gave Duo a heart attack the day he tried to swim underwater. Wufei found Duo hyperventilating and clutching a squalling infant who clearly wanted to go back to his watery playtime. Being a wise dragon, Wufei called Quatre. The Healer settled Duo, admonished the pouting dragon-child and explained that most children loved water for whatever reason, and that the “swimming” problem could be solved by reducing the water level to a centimeter, and being vigilant whenever the baby was in the bath. In other words, he said, never take your eyes off him, not even for a second. And swimming lessons would begin when the little shit was a year old.

lavendarlizard

~*~ T

Duo and Heero soon found their equilibrium as parents. They had the usual experiences, as well as some not-so-usual experiences. Diaper blowouts were fortunately not common, though they did happen. The new parents took turns dealing with them. Duo was forced to remove his Chosen earring, as the baby found it fascinating and nearly tore Duo’s ear trying to pull it out. He also had to begin braiding his long hair as the baby liked to grab loose handfuls and pull.

Heero wasn’t immune from such attacks. Both his communications sapphire and his Chosen earring had to be removed. He usually wore a platinum chain that was a gift from Duo, and that also had to go into the jewelry box. The buttons on his shirts were fair game as well to a shiny-seeking little dragon.

The baby loved bathtime and nearly gave Duo a heart attack the day he tried to swim underwater. Wufei found Duo hyperventilating and clutching a squalling infant who clearly wanted to go back to his watery playtime. Being a wise dragon, Wufei called Quatre. The Healer settled Duo, admonished the pouting dragon-child and explained that most children loved water for whatever reason, and that the “swimming” problem could be solved by reducing the water level to a centimeter, and being vigilant whenever the baby was in the bath. In other words, he said, never take your eyes off him, not even for a second. And swimming lessons would begin when the little shit was a year old.

lavendarlizard

~*~ S

Two and a half weeks later, the contractions were not a test. Duo followed instructions well. Heero did hyperventilate. Wufei waited outside the birth suite, fingers crossed for a safe and easy delivery. Whether the fingers worked or not, the delivery was indeed, safe and easy. Duo was still exhausted from pushing, but insisted on holding his little dragon-child - with wings! - after he was cleaned up. Heero was able to stop breathing into a bag and relaxed almost to the point of jelly. Wufei offered congratulations all round.

Quatre checked everyone over, declared everyone healthy and normal, and retired to his own quarters to write up his notes - in his lovely new journal - and to get a shower and some fresh clothing. Birth of any species tended to be messy and he now had a whole basket of laundry for Midori, the laundry lady. He left a good tip as compensation. The hot shower loosened everything and relaxed his muscles. Once dry, he changed into a caftan and lay down on his bed to have a short nap. Somehow, the short nap extended itself to several hours, until an apprentice knocked on his door.

“Healer Quatre, come quick. Duo is freaking out.”

Couldn’t have Duo freaking out; he might set the drapes on fire - figuratively speaking.

“Coming! Where is he?”

“In the residence with Heero.”

“Tell them I’ll be there directly.”

lavendarlizard

~*~ R

For a few days after that first trip, Quatre didn't realize he was being courted, but he could hardly miss it a week later in Tokyo. Little gifts began appearing on his work table. Indulgences that Quatre enjoyed, but thought frivolous. Tea late at night while he worked on potions. A fat,  beautifully-made journal, with a painted leather cover. Flowers for the sitting room. Frequent invitations to lunch or dinner. The offer of an arm while out on the town. After a week, Quatre finally got a clue, thanks to Duo.

“Quatre likes Wufei?” asked the Kewpie during his regular checkup.

“I do like Wufei. He's been very kind and helpful to me.”

“Wufei asked permission to court.”

“Wait. What?”

“Wufei asked Quatre sister permission to court. Sister said yes.”

“Wait. He- I- Iria?!”

“Yes. Wufei falling in love. Maybe Quatre fall in love?” he asked hopefully. “Quatre deserves good Chosen. Wufei good honorable dragon.”

Quatre stared at him in astonishment. “Wufei asked my sister for permission to court me..? And she said yes..? And all this week he's been courting me? And I didn’t realize… Well, I am certainly a clueless idiot! I told myself I was imagining things.” He sat back in his chair. “How should I respond? I know nothing about dragons courting behaviors…”

“Like Wufei? Agree to court? Just accept. Please like Wufei. Both are alone. Deserve happiness, Chosen.”