Part 56
You know that twitchy/squirmy feeling you get when people are having silent conversations over and around you? The kind of conversations that are all eyes and eyebrows, tilted heads and curled lips, and significant sniffs, snorts and growls.
Yeah.
That was the conversation Wufei and my Wyvern were having for most of lunch. I tried asking pointed questions, offering ridiculous opinions, whining and complaining about everything I could think of, generally doing all I could to annoy someone enough to get their attention.
It didn't work.
I even, for about three seconds, considered throwing my body onto the table and yelling, "fuck me!" but figured that probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had. Are you kidding; with three guys who currently or formerly had the hots for me? I kicked my nosy nature solidly in the head and stuffed it away in a trunk for the duration.
Focusing on Trowa was like stepping into another dimension. He was pleasant, serene and the perfect luncheon companion.
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between "lunch" and "luncheon?" Neither had I until that day. I huffed and sulked my way through my salad and my fajitas (which were terrific), skipping around in my head wondering stupid things like that.
After lunch, we looked around the town, with Trowa as tour guide. It's a nice town, mixed Human and Magical population with businesses catering to either and both. It's a lot like the town near the Castle. Trowa said they had great skiing in the winter, but the road to the Clanhold is closed by snow.
He even showed us (well, me really; Heero and Wufei already knew about it) his Clan's business enterprise. The Puma Clan runs a moving and storage company. They have a huge warehouse for storage and at least a dozen tractor-trailer rigs. I had a hard time picturing Pumas driving moving vans, and an even harder time wrapping my head around the idea of a Magical Clan operating a business that catered to Humans.
My Clan supported itself by making things to sell, but the idea of operating a structured business, having a location within a Human or even Human/Magical settlement just would not stick in my head. If anyone had ever raised such a possibility, I'm positive the Matriarch would have had them for lunch.
I mentioned both of those things to Trowa, and he actually grinned. "Not everyone is as xenophobic as Banshees." I snorted, and he continued. "And not all Banshees are as xenophobic as your Clan." I couldn't argue with that.
I managed, while he was showing me around the warehouse and the offices, to get us away from Heero and Wufei for a couple of minutes, long enough to ask what the hell was going on between them, and should we pick up some first aid supplies.
The only thing he had time to say was, "I'll tell you later." I didn't like it, but it wasn't like I had a choice.
I gave the box full of my curiosity another warning kick, and forced myself to be a proper tourist for the rest of the tour of the town. I made the usual noises over the quaint buildings and the beautiful scenery and nodded thoughtfully at Trowa's running commentary, all the while ignoring -- while my traitorous mind recorded every glare and growl -- whatever was going on between Heero and Wufei.
I don't know how I got to be so curious; usually Banshees are the last to exhibit any interest in others. And I couldn't quite convince myself that Death, in any form, was a people watcher. I could not picture the smoky swirling mist cloud that I knew to be my sire as having any interest in the souls he... assisted. Maybe I'm more of a wanderer than I thought.
^*^*^*^*^
Eventually, we returned to the Clanhold. Heero drove because I just didn't feel like it. I was more upset than I cared to admit at being so easily ignored. I felt like I didn't exist for Heero and Wufei that afternoon, and that is one of my hot buttons. I know it's irrational and childish, but I have nightmares of being some kind of wraith or ghost, unseen and unnoticed, and unable to touch or be touched. It's all tangled up with my mother's death and the Clan's betrayal, I guess; probably Caz's death and Shar's brush with the same, also. I try to notice when I'm drifting toward that cold place in my mind, and to take steps to head it off, but sometimes it just slips by. Then I become a whiny, needy, frightened bundle of anxieties.
I'll bet you never would have guessed.
We were walking into our room when Heero finally seemed to notice that I was there. I considered giving him the silent treatment, but dammit, I was glad that he was back with me. I did decide to call him on his behavior and even had my mouth in gear, when he brought his hand from behind his back and held out a bouquet. My mouth dropped open and my brain ground to a halt for a few seconds.
Before I could recover, Heero spoke.
"I know I was a shit today," he said quietly. "I'm very sorry, Duo."
I took the flowers automatically. Two deep red roses, two red tulips and half a dozen white carnations nestled among delicate ferns. They were just beautiful. My eyes started to burn and I turned sharply before he could see me cry.
"Geez... Heero..." I wiped my eyes quickly. "Dammit, I was all revved up to rip you a new one, and then you go and... and... Crap!" I spun around and threw both arms around him, nearly knocking him over. His arms came up around my ribs and hugged me tightly.
"I really am sorry, baby," he whispered. "Sometimes I just get stupid. I don't know why."
I felt so warm and so safe in his arms; the afternoon's hurt was just draining away. The little voice in my head was giggling "I do exist! I do exist!" Sometimes I make myself sick.
"Heero," I mumbled against his neck, "if you ever do that to me again..."
"I know."
"You damn well better know," I growled. Yeah, the Banshee can growl. I drew back from his embrace; my tears were dry by then. "What the hell was going on between you and Wufei?"
Heero blinked. Twice. His face colored. He looked away from me, embarrassed. "It's a long story. Kind of boring. Pretty silly, really," he muttered.
"Hey, boyfriend, if it's big enough to make you ignore me, it's not boring or silly. Not to me!" I said sharply.
He sighed. "No, it is stupid." He looked even more embarrassed, if such was possible. "It's a... a Dragon thing..." he said finally.
I stared at him, clutching my flowers.
My mind is a very strange thing. Sometimes it grasps whatever is thrown at it, no problem. Sometimes it exhibits the most abysmal stupidity about the most ordinary things. Sometimes it can't take the simple step from "A" to "B". Sometimes it makes the quantum leap from "A" to "Z". I have no idea if this is normal for Banshees, or just me.
I stared at Heero, my mind sailing through the ether, heading unerringly for "Z".
"Wufei is jealous."
"What?" said Heero, obviously not expecting that.
"That what's wrong between you. Wufei is jealous of you."