by Hex
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. And the GW boys thank God for that every day! ^_~
Warnings: For this part none except Chibi pilots, Trowa with a lisp, the general mayhem five eight-year-olds can cause and the appearance and abuse of river monsters^_^.
Credits: Inspired by the picture "Bribing Kisses" by Fablespinner.
Pity: For Neri who had to read this with the screwy {th} thingee. And K for having to wait for me to actually get my crap together and finish this.
Send comments to hexadecimalrebooted@yahoo.ca
"YAY!!" Trowa crowed as the station wagon pulled up into the front drive of the Winner home. "We're finally here."
"Finally is right" Monique muttered.
"All right grumpy mommy. Let's go in and say hi to Hareem. He's probably ready to go nuts by now. I'm sure Quatre has been just as wound up if not more so then Trowa." David said teasingly as he took the Quatre's gift out of the back seat.
"HA! At least someone will share my pain." Monique grumbled an got out of the station wagon as Trowa grabbed his backpack and bound up to the front door.
"Hello Master Trowa. Are you ready for games, cakes and too much junk food?" Rashid asked after he pulled open the door and stooped down to be at eye level with Trowa.
"I'm always ready for junk food Mr.. Rashid." Trowa replied proudly.
"Of course but you better make sure you get some before Master Duo arrives." Rashid said a twinkle in his eye as he winked at the young boy.
"It's OK I'll tell Heero to get Duo to leave some for everybody else." Trowa replied. "That way Duo won't eat it all."
"Oh so Duo listens to Heero?" Monique inquired.
"Duh! Heero is his best friend. And 'sides Duo has always listened to Heero. Duo thinks Heero is the coolest so he does what Heero says most of the time unless he wants to bug Heero." Trowa told them firmly as Rashid lead into the house and helped put away Trowa's jacket and shoes.
"Ah the internal politics revealed." David murmured in Monique's ear. Monique shook her head.
"Mister Rashid where's Quatre?" Trowa asked.
"Downstairs in the TV room." Rashid replied.
"Cool. I'm going down there too. Steppy can I have the present now?" Trowa asked turning big green eyes on his stepfather.
"Nice try kiddo Quatre has to wait to open his presents." David said ruffling Trowa's hair.
"Awww but I really really want to give it to him!" Trowa wailed.
"Later. You have to wait for everyone else to get here. Do you want Duo, Heero and Wufei to miss it when you give it to him?" David asked.
"No." Trowa replied sullenly.
"Then you'll have to wait until later." David said gently.
"Oh fine. Blah!" Trowa said and stomped towards the basement. "Quatre I'm heeeeeeeeere!"
"WAHOOO! " Came the reply from the basement. There was the sound of an elephant stomping up the stairs followed by a door banging open.
"Hi Trowa! Hi Auntie Monique and Uncle David!" Quatre said bouncing where he stood. The now officially eight year old boy jabbed his thick black rimmed glasses up his nose and grinned.
"Happy birthday little one." Monique said crouching down as Quatre flew at her for a hug. "How is my handsome little one today?"
"Good. I'm excited about my party. But I went to the dentist yesterday and he says I have to get braces when I'm bigger. Iria says braces suck so I don't want any." Quatre said pouting.
"Well honey braces aren't forever they're just for a while and then they come off." Monique replied.
"Oh. That's OK I guess." Quatre said digging his toe into the floor.
"You know what Quatre. I think you're taller." David said.
"Really? Cool!" Quatre squealed. "Trowa let's go downstairs. You gotta see it. Me and Rashid decorated!"
"Can I go see it now mommy?" Trowa asked eyes wide.
"Yes go ahead." Monique relented and the boys took off together at full tilt down the stairs.
"One of them is going to fall down those stairs one day." David muttered.
"Too late. They've all had a turn at taking a spill down there I think." A new voice said from behind the three adults near the front door.
"Hello Hareem. How are you holding up?" Monique asked smiling gently.
"I'm in one piece so far. Unfortunately my hair isn't." Harem said looking up at his expanding forehead.
"Oh Pishposh. Quatre isn't doing that to you. If anything it's Iria. Besides you were losing your hair when you and Adibah married and you were 25, so don't give me that." Monique retorted smiling at her old friend.
"Yes well I'm sure that child isn't helping. I've never met a kid so excited about having a sleep over in my life. I guess it's probably because Iria has had so many and this is his first time. But if Rashid wasn't here to help I would go nuts." Hareem declared. "Let's go have some coffee in the living room."
"Sounds good to me." David answered Monique's questioning gaze.
"Those two make such and odd looking pair." Hareem mused.
"I know Quatre's so short and slightly chubby with those thick glasses that make his eyes look huge and his crooked teeth. Meanwhile Trowa is so tall and gawky with his ridiculous hair that he won't let me cut. Sometimes I really don't know what to make of the pair of them." Monique said.
"All five of them look like an odd set to me." David returned. "I mean there's Quatre and Trowa then there's Duo who no matter what has a smudge of dirt somewhere on his face and that damn sassy grin. The kid is more sassy then most teenagers. Then Wufei who's always pristine with his well-kept hair and his dirt repellent clothing. He looks annoyed or bored when his nose isn't in a book that's bigger than him. And Heero's hair is always messy but he hardly ever looks anything but serious. And he is almost always quite serious. He's eight for god's sake! Throw all of them together it's like the oddball convention."
"That's true. They are going to grow into quite the characters aren't they." Hareem said.
"Yes that's unavoidable." Monique sighed
"Hmmmm?" Hareem asked arching an eyebrow.
"They grow up. I like them when they're little. They're hugable." Monique stated. "I'm going to miss that when Trowa grows up."
"You can't keep them little forever Moni." Hareem said.
"I can hope can't I?" Monique asked smiling warmly.
"That's true." David said
"Come on Trowa! You gots to see it!" Quatre squealed and bounced down the stairs.
"Oh. Ummm that's cool." Trowa said as he entered. Nothing looked that different. The couch and chair were where they had always been in front of the big TV. The open area where the train set and ping pong table usually were was bare to make room for sleeping bags and sleeping bodies. The basement walls ceilings and furniture however were covered in pale yellow star stickers.
"No!no!no! Wait. I'll show you!" Quatre said exasperated as he clicked off the lights.
"THAT'S THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!" Trowa burst out as all the stickers began to glow. [2.5](Neri's footnote)
"I know. Iria bought them for me as part of my presents! I thought it would be fun if we could sleep down here with them! We have to leave the lights on so they'll glow for a looooong time." Quatre said turning his huge grin on Trowa after he turned on the lights.
"I hope you like your birthday present." Trowa said twisting his shirt over in his hands. "I picked it out."
"Really? What is it?" Quatre asked excitedly taking Trowa's arm.
"Not telling! You have to wait." Trowa replied happily.
"Awwwww Trowa that's not fair! Now I really want to know what it is." Quatre whined and turned luminous blue pools on his friend.
"Tooooooo bad." Trowa said as he stuck out his tongue.
"Well thhbbbtttttttttthhhhhhhhhh!!!" Quatre raspberried at Trowa.
"hah-hah!" Trowa sang pointing at Quatre.
"YO! Q-BALL! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" Duo bellowed as he ran down the stairs at full tilt. Duo had long brown hair he kept in a braid that fell a few inches past his shoulders. The dirt smudge was on his cheek today. Duo's father couldn't convince the boy to cut his hair. He would rather spend half and hour brushing his own hair every day then ten to twenty minutes getting it cut once in a while. Duo had a few inches on Quatre and was well muscled for a boy his age. He had a sassy grin and a sassier attitude. He was fearless and energetic.
"Hi Duo" Quatre called as the braided boy bounced down the stairs and flung himself into the arms of the boy waiting at the bottom. The pair toppled onto the ground with a very excitable braided boy on top and a giggling blond on the bottom.
"Duo. You're a doofus." A voice from the bottom step said quite blandly and in all seriousness.
"Hi Heero!" Quatre chirped. Suddenly Duo was lifted by arms and legs and hauled off of Quatre.
"Why do you always have to cream him by running and jumping off the stairs? He's gonna get hurted." Heero asked in exasperation as he and Trowa set the braided boy down half a foot from his victim. Heero had short messy brown hair that no amount of brushing could fix. Within five minutes it was in tangles. His mother was in torment no mater which shampoo or conditioner she tried it always ended up the same. Messy and hanging in his eyes. Heero's hair didn't distract from the serious look in his eyes that were direct and piercing. His face was usually bland but not unhappy looking. Just intense for a boy so young. He and Duo matched in height in a way they didn't match in disposition.
"Cause he likes it DUH!" Duo replied and looked to the still snickering blond who grinned at him.
"I'm okee. See he didn't hurts me." Quatre said springing up from his prone position on the floor.
"Are you guys fighting again?" Another voice asked from the stairs.
"No. Heero's just bein' a worrywart!" Duo chirped "Hi Wufei. You didn't bring books did you? It's a sleep over you're supposed to have fun not read!"
"Reading is fun!" Wufei declared pointedly and stuck his tongue out at Duo. Wufei had short neatly combed and gelled black hair. He was only an inch shorted then Trowa being tall for his age as well. Wufei was thin but not quite so noticeably as Trowa. Wufei loved to wear white and always stayed clean - much to his mother's pride - but was often found with his nose in a book so had no more friends then the ones in the room with him.
"Yeah uhhuh. You're weird Wufei." Duo said rolling his eyes.
"No he's not! I like reading too." Quatre said folding his arms in front of his chest.
"But it's a sleep over and it's so lame to be reading." Duo whined.
"No. The book I brought isn't lame." Wufei retorted looking superior.
"Yes it is." Duo countered.
"No it's NOT!" Wufei declared.
"Is too." Duo taunted.
"Is not." Wufei returned coolly.
"Prove it." Duo said throwing down the gauntlet.
"FINE!" Wufei said dumping the backpack he had been carrying onto the floor and hauled out the disputed book. "See! It's cool."
"Scary Ghost Stories and Other Frightening Fiction? That is soooo cool Wufei. I knew you had it in you!" Duo said snatching up the book.
"I brought a flashlight too so it can be dark and scary in the room when we read it." Wufei said producing his piece de resistance, a small black flashlight.
"I hope the stories aren't too scary." Quatre said softly as an arm fell over his shoulder.
"It'll be Kay Quatre I'll sleep next to you." Trowa said softly into Quatre's ear. "Sides ghost stories are all made up. Catherine says so."
"Oh OK. Catherine knows lots." Quatre said even if he sounded like he really didn't believe it.
"Who thinks it's time for cake?" Hareem's voice called down the stairs.
"ME!" Five voices chorused back.
"Last one upstairs is a rotten egg with a moldy shell and stinky shoes!" Duo declared as he sprang to leap up the stairs but was hauled backwards by his hair. Just in time for a blond to scoot in front and scramble up the stairs. "OW!"
"Duo..." Heero began.
"I woulda let him win neeway Heero! It's his birthday. He can't be the stinky one!." Duo replied and bounced up the stairs as Heero Wufei and Trowa scrambled to follow. "But one of you can. HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
"OH MAN!" Wufei whined as they came to the top of the stairs Wufei last in line.
"HAHA! Wufei is the stinky one!" Duo chorused.
"Oh well I guess that means he just needs a bigger piece of cake." Hareem Winner said.
"HEY!" Duo wailed. All the other boys snickered.
"Papa Hareem did my parents already leaved?" Trowa asked.
"Yes they did. They put your sleeping bag and pillow by the door so you can take it down later." Hareem said.
It didn't take long for the boys to get tangled into their party hats and make horrible noises with the Rashid supplied noise makers. The cake was eventually cut after several eardrum-shattering renditions of 'happy birthday to you'. Noise makers going full blast. Sugar, sugar and more sugar aside the presents came and went. Duo's gift of a set of Transformers [3] PJ's received a 'They've got Optimus Prime on them!!!!'. Heero's young explorer kit got a 'now we can search the forbidden forest.' Which was actually a clump of trees close to the river the boys were not allowed to enter. Wufei's copy of the first three Chronicles of Narnia got a 'Is this the one where they go through the closet that you were telling me about? That's so neat!' Finally it was time to open Trowa's. Trowa held his breath a little as Quatre absolutely destroyed the colourful paper that covered his box. Quatre squealed with delight as he opened that box.
"He's got a blue ribbon!" Quatre cried as he pulled the bear from his box. " And he's smiling!" Quatre crushed the bear to his chest and grinned at Trowa who smiled back.
"Ok everyone it's time to crawl into the basement for movies." Hareem said turning to the man behind him. "Rashid it's your turn."
"Come everyone it's time for..." Rashid trailed off knowing at least one of them couldn't resist the bait.
"Time for what mister Rashid?" Duo asked eyes wide and earnest.
"For the Transformers movie of course." Rashid said happily.
"YAY!" The five boys cheered. Sometimes they didn't agree but they all loved Transformers. The five boys scrambled down the stairs to set up to watch Optimus1, Jazz, and the Dinobots.
Optimus, Jazz and the Dinobots provided the boys with a good hour and a half of solid entertainment peppered with chips and pop. The boys began to wind down and set up their sleeping bags for the night.
"Hey Quatre." Duo said leaning in to whisper. "After Rashid and your dad think we've gone to bed we should go out to the forbidden forest."
"I don't know if that's a good idea Duo." Quatre whispered back.
"Come on Quatre. We have the kit and it'll be so cool in the dark!" Duo replied.
"Ummmm.... Only if Trowa, Wufei and Heero wanna do it." Quatre stated firmly.
"Yeah. This is gonna be awesome." Duo squealed and bounced over to Heero. It wasn't long before the boys were sent to their sleeping bags. Hareem and Rashid could be heard shuffling off to bed.
"Is the coast clear do ya think?" Duo whispered.
"I don't know. I'm going to go look." Heero said crawling from his sleeping bag and heading for the stairs. "Duo stay down here until I say so."
"Why?" Duo demanded.
"Because you have a loudmouth." Wufei whispered " And SHHhhhhhhh they'll here you."
"I do not!" Duo declared. Quatre pounced on the unsuspecting boy.
"Duo ShhhhhhhhH!" Quatre hissed his hand over Duo's mouth. "We'll be in sooooooo much troubles if my dad catches us. And I know you can be quiet 'cause you always manage to sneak out to the walkie talkies in the tree house at night. Heero just doesn't want to caughted. K?" Duo nodded his agreement and Quatre moved his hand. He pointedly stuck his tongue out at Heero then turned his back on him.
"Duo...." Heero said in exasperation.
"I don't wanna talk to you. Go upstairs and make sure Papa Hareem and Mister Rashid are sleeping." Duo said pointedly.
"Fine." Heero muttered and stalked up the stairs. The boy returned a few minutes later. They made their preparations and left. Wufei held the flashlight and his book. Heero held the flashlight and the map from the junior explorers set. Duo wore the junior explorers helmet. Trowa had Quatre's hand and Quatre had his bear. All five boys stole stealthily outside in their boxers and giggled madly at their success as they ran across the lawn until the tree line. They all stopped and stared at the trees with foreboding. It was a partially cloudy night so moonlight ducked in and out.
"Ok Let's go." Duo declared mustering his courage.
"Oh crud." Heero muttered.
"What's wrong Heero?" Quatre asked as they walked through the trees.
"The flashlight isn't working right. It keeps flicking." Heero grouched as he hit the flashlight. "Work stupid!"
"Not everything will work if you call it stupid all the time." Duo snapped. "'Sides the batteries probably just don't work no more so leave it alone."
"Duo.. ..." Heero began but trailed off to look behind him. "Did you guys hear something?"
"Huh?" Wufei said as he turned to scan the trees with the flashlight. "I can't see anything Heero."
"He's just being Mister Paranade." Duo said mockingly.
"Well for one thing it's paranoid Duo and I thought I heard it too." Wufei replied scanning the surrounding trees.
"I don't like this Trowa it's creepy." Quatre whispered into Trowa's ear.
"It's all right Quatre. I won't let nothing happen to you. I promise." Trowa said squeezing Quatre's hand. Just then Heero let out an ear-shattering scream.
"It's got me! Something's got me!" He wailed at the top of his lungs. Wufei whipped around to find Heero dangling with his feet off the ground and something entirely black with mud and twigs all over it holding Heero's wrist. The boys could only stare in horror as Heero continued to scream. "Duo help me!"
"Let him the hell GO!" Duo said grabbing Heero by the waist pulling. The creature wouldn't budge. The other boys ran to help all grabbing onto Heero and pulling. Duo pounced on the creature punching and kicking. It shouted hoarsely and Heero fell to the ground at the same time as it did. Duo grabbed him by the waist and they all ran as fast as they could.
"Oh no!" Quatre squealed stopping dead. "Teddy!" Quatre immediately turned right back around to be grabbed by Wufei.
"Are you a nut bar Quatre? You saw that thing. You can't go back there." Wufei declared.
"But Teddy is back there I can't leave him with that thing!" Quatre wailed turning luminous eyes on Wufei.
"If you go back we all go back." Wufei stated flatly.
"No. Heero is so not going back in there. I won't let him. It might have a taste for him or something. You never know with swamp monsters." Duo said in his expert opinion.
"Swamp monsters?" Wufei asked incredulous.
"Well what else could it have been? You saw all the leaves and branches and stuff." Duo replied.
"Well, there's not a swamp though." Wufei replied.
"Fine! River monster! Whatever. Heero's not going back." Duo stated slipping his arm over the sniffling Heero's shoulder.
"Duo take Heero into the house and be extra quiet." Trowa began. "Quatre and me will go back for Teddy. Wufei if me and Quatre don't come back in twenty minutes wake up Papa Hareem and Mister Rashid and tell them about the river monster and tell them were we wented, K?"
"I don't know Trowa." Wufei began.
"Look Quatre will go by himself if I don't go with him. He doesn't want to leave Teddy so nothing will make him stop. I'll go with him you have to look after Heero and Duo." Trowa whispered into Wufei's ear.
"Fine." Wufei sighed handing Trowa his flashlight. "But be careful."
"I'm really scared Trowa but I haves to get Teddy back." Quatre said softly. " And I really do need your help. I don't have my glasses."
"It's OK Quatre, I'll go with you." Trowa said firmly, taking Quatre's hand. The pair walked back towards the forest as the trio entered the house. It was clouding over completely now making it a good deal darker then it had been when the boys had initially set out. Trowa picked the path that he believed they had gone before and kept his eyes peeled for any sign of the teddy bear with the blue ribbon. Trowa spotted it not far from the tree line. Most likely where Heero had been attacked. He snatched up the bear just as they heard a rustling in the bushes and the river monster appeared again. It began to move towards them and Trowa could only stand completely still and watch it. Finally Trowa snapped out of it when Quatre stomped on his foot and they turned to run. They only got a few steps when Trowa realized in his shock he had dropped the bear. Trowa rounded and snatched up the bear. He tore away from the river monster grabbing Quatre's hand and hauling him along a fast as he could go. Finally they made it to the steps to Quatre's home and stood gasping for breath. Trowa handed Quatre the teddy bear and smiled weakly.
"Thanks Trowa. I was so scared I thought it was going to get you when it started to come get us." Quatre said voice trembling as tears formed at the corner of his eyes.
"I'm OK. You're OK too right? And Teddy?" Trowa said looking Quatre over carefully.
"Uhhuh. I'm K!" Quatre said happily despite the tears still clinging to his lashes.
"Since I rescued Teddy I think I should get a kiss." Trowa said puckering up and pointing to his lips. Quatre almost caught Trowa off guard with the quick press of lips on his own. He had asked for it but was still a little dumb founded over it. Quatre grabbed Trowa by the hand and lead him into the house.
[2.5] ~Added by Neri, The Beta~ This is what I did with my room! It's damned cool when you can block out the streetlamp! It's almost like staring at the real sky ^_^
[3] It was the only boys cartoon show I could think of and I didn't want to use GI Joe. It's bad enough I used the mech show let alone the soldier one:p
[4] Something that you might not know and probably don't want to but I'm going to tell you anyway. In Japan Optimus was called Convoy. Things that sound cool when you don't speak English:)