lavandarlizard2 | ...jump-starting the hamsters...

All right, you fuzzy monsters; get off your butts and get to work!

Sometimes, it flows like a clear mountain stream; other times what we have is the skanky gutter just past the storm drain... Somewhere in the middle right now. (No, no carrots for you either, until you get back to plotting!)

BFB
Part 080a – Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

I woke up feeling lazy and slug-like; wonder why?

I also woke up alone. I didn’t panic, although I was a little confused. Heero doesn’t usually get out of bed without at least kissing me good morning.

But, okay; I have to admit that I was probably comatose whenever he awoke. What a day! I felt like the whole bloody world had been sitting on my shoulders the previous day! And now I knew that his family accepted me and I had no reason to be scared and wibbly.

You think that’ll stop me when I get stressed? Ha!

I pushed the comforter down from where it had been over my head and looked around the room. Looked like morning still; it would be just a little embarrassing to sleep past noon. Everyone would be wondering what the hell was wrong with me.

Except... Hm. Well, I tried to keep it down, but in the heat of the moment... I somehow don’t think anybody in the house missed our little midnight romp. I suppose the best I can hope is that Wyverns aren’t anymore straitlaced than any other Magical Creature.

A sound outside drew me around; the outside wall panel was sliding open. Heero peeked around it and smiled.

“Ah, awake at last!”

I snorted. “What do you mean, ‘at last’? It’s before noon.”

“By half an hour,” he grinned coming into the room.

Even with my jaw dropping, a small part of me recognized how gorgeous he is when he smiles. I’m kind of torn on that smile. On the one hand, he *is* gorgeous when he smiles, but on the other, I’m not sure I want other people noticing that. Right now, it’s kind of exclusive to me. Not sure I could stand to share much...

Man, this guy just conflicts the *hell* out of me, on so many levels!

“Ah, crap! Why did you let me sleep so late, Heero?” I began digging out from under the comforter.

“You were tired; you had a long day.” He sat on the edge of the futon and leaned in to kiss me lightly.

“I can survive a little sleep dep,” I grumbled. “I used to sleep on the streets, remember?”

He growled and that righteous glimmer came into his eyes. It’s the one he always gets when he thinks about my Clan. The one that says he itches to go there and pound on someone.

“And you do not sleep on the streets anymore,” he rumbled. “Therefore, you can afford to sleep in when you need to.”

I gave up on that subject. I’m awake now and arguing the point is silly. I turned instead to what was rapidly becoming my favorite subject among these people. “Food? When is lunch?”

He chuckled and pulled me in close. “Whenever you feel like getting dressed. Giniro and I had breakfast at dawn with Kikai and Tulip.”

Okay, I’d almost forgotten Heero’s half-brother and sister. Shouldn’t they have been at dinner last night? Or was that some kind of parent-child thing? So much to learn about these people! So little time! I really wanted to know why on earth Heero’s mother named Tulip, Tulip.

“Ten minutes?” I kissed him and climbed over him to find my clothes. “Did you have a chance to talk with them without all my nonsense going on?”

He snorted and smacked my bare butt lightly. “Your ‘nonsense’ was pretty much the whole topic. If there is anyone in the Clan who hasn’t seen that coat yet, it’s only because they aren’t here.”

I stopped and turned, mouth hanging open. That just... made my day. Maybe even my whole year; it’s early yet. “She really likes it? And it’s not... painful or anything?” I really don’t know what possessed me to make that coat. It’s light-years more elaborate than anything I’ve made so far. I wasn’t even sure I could manage all the color changes and keep the strands where they belonged. That’s why I knitted a lining for it; so the stranding would be hidden.

“She loves it. Everyone loves it. Kikai almost cried when she saw it, and Kikai cries less than Giniro. Tulip was absolutely speechless. I think Faiesa wants to adopt you. Either that, or chain you in her house and make you knit forever. She was talking commissions last I heard.”

Okay; the hanging-open mouth thing has got to stop. It does nothing for my worldly debonair image. This means that these people have got to stop adoring me quite so openly.

It’s early; I don’t have to make sense yet.

“Heero, you’re about to give me brain-lock,” I pleaded. “Can we forget my alleged perfection for a while?”

He appeared to give it some thought. “Oh, I suppose; if I must...”

At that point, I would take what I could get.

“So, did you have a lot of catching up with Kikai and Tulip?” Even saying that name makes me want to giggle.

“Yes,” he said slowly. “Yes, we did.”

I was pulling on clothing. “You don’t sound all that sure.” I glanced his way.

“I suppose I’m not.”

I turned to look at him, jeans dangling from my fingers. Heero Yuy, Wyvern extraordinaire, is never uncertain. I wondered if I should laugh or take his temperature. “You’re not?” I echoed instead.

“I haven’t seen them in a very long time; you don’t just catch up years in a few minutes.” He turned away to smooth his hand over the decorative kimono hanging on the wall beside him. “It’s hard... to know where to begin... ‘How have you been?’ seems... silly... ‘Why did you go?’ seems childish... And... and ‘do you care about me?’ is just...” He shook his head.

Oh, goddess... He was hurting... And I didn’t have a clue how to help. I just didn’t have any words to take the sting out of abandonment. Believe me, I’ve been there; I know. Instead, I pulled on my jeans and went to wrap my arms around his waist. His arms came up to embrace me.

“I feel... very young, right now,” he murmured.

“That’s... not a bad thing... sometimes,” I replied softly, looking deep into his blue eyes. “You know, I’m not the only one who doesn’t do leaning very well...”

There was a rather lengthy silence, before he said; “You think?”

“I’ll try if you will,” I offered.

“It is not in my nature to lean.”

“Hey! Are you calling me a wimp?”

He snorted and that weird, scary moment was gone.

And I was torn somewhere between relief, because I really have no idea how I could make anything better for him, and indignation that his siblings had first left him for so long and second seemed to have no idea of how much he had needed them. Dragons! I snorted to myself. They’re impossible!

Having known Heero for almost a year now, nothing about the obstinate and innately protective creatures could possibly surprise me.

...tbc...

...I now have square-dancing hamsters...