This is outside the main timeline. BTW, I've had this store in mind since the beginning, I've just never had a chance to use it. *grin*
Something Furry Sidefic 1
Heero blinked at his mate in surprise. "What did you say?"
"I said maybe we should stop on the way home and get Wufei a birthday present." Duo tilted his head to the side and gave Heero a searching look. "I mean- it is his birthday tomorrow, right?"
"Oh yes, it's just... well. Uh, what were you planning on getting him?"
Duo shrugged. "I wasn't really sure. Maybe some of those teas he likes? Or a sweater? He keeps complaining about the cold- which is odd, because isn't he warm inside?"
Heero blinked again. "I never thought about it- I mean, he is a lizard, but... Ah, who knows? I think he just does it to complain, but if you want to get him a sweater or some tea, we could go to the Three Weird Sisters." He gestured down the street. "They're right around the corner and they know Wufei."
"I don't think I've been there yet. What do they sell?"
Heero nodded and started walking again. "All sorts of things really. We should be able to find something for Chang there."
"You don't normally get him anything?" Duo sounded faintly surprised.
"Well- no. Wufei is sort of... well, touchy on the subject of birthdays."
"Should we forget the idea?"
"No, no," Heero assured him. "Sally always gets him something and I'm sure he'll be happy you thought of him too. Just-" He paused for a moment, biting his lip.
"Just..?" Duo prompted.
"It's nothing. What you're thinking of should be safe enough."
"Safe enough?" Duo echoed. "How touchy is he about his birthday?"
"As touchy as a several hundred year old dragon can be." Heero opened the door to a shop and ushered Duo inside.
The shop was cheerily lit, warm and cozy after the outside. Duo wondered if they had come into the wrong place- this looked more like an antique store with old-fashioned table sets and shelves filled with jars.
"Can I help you?" Asked a friendly sounding voice, and a woman appeared from behind one of the shelves. "Oh! Heero- I didn't realize it was you." She pushed her hair out of her eyes and smiled at his mate. "This is Duo, right? Wufei has told us about you!"
"Don't believe anything he says."
Heero smiled. "Hello Merle. Speaking of the lizard, we're here to get Wufei a birthday present."
Merle's eyes widened. "Like taking your life in your hands, hm? What did you have in mind?"
"A sweater- or some tea- or something new?" Duo twisted his fingers together. "Or is it a bad idea?"
Merle smiled. "Not at all. The boy just gets a bit grumpy at times. Let me see what we can do for you. Follow me?"
They followed her as she headed for the back of the shop. Two other ladies sat in comfortable looking chairs, their hands full of needles and woolen yarn. "Ladies," said Merle. "Heero and his mate Duo are here looking for a present for Wufei." She smiled at Duo. "These are my partners- Mauve and Mirlyn."
Mauve raised a eyebrow. "Something warm for him, perhaps?"
"I was thinking a sweater-" Duo started and Mirlyn shook her head.
"Too warm. His torso is where his fire is- he doesn't need a sweater."
That seemed reasonable. He cast a questioning glance at Heero who shrugged back at him.
"So then what should I give him?"
"A scarf," said Mauve decidedly.
"And mittens? No.. a hat, I think," added Mirlyn with a sly smile.
Even as they spoke their needles started to move. A moment later, the needles were moving so fast that Duo's eyes watered trying to keep track of them. Merle smiled. "It will just take a few minutes. Let me go mix up some of Wufei's tea blend for you too."
She was right. A few minutes later, Mauve handed him a scarf. "There you go."
"And you can give him the hat," Mirlyn said, handing it to Heero who examined it with a faint frown.
"Are you trying to get me killed?"
"What's the worst he could do? You get a little injured and your mate gets to comfort you. Doesn't sound that bad to me," she said with a wink.
"Merle is by the front door. She's got your tea."
As they headed for the front, Duo heard one of them ask the other:
"When shall we three meet again?"
"Well, I'm not on shift again til next Thursday..."
Merle did indeed have the tea wrapped up in a nice package. "What sort is it?" Duo asked.
"Oh, just a little something I threw together. Eye of newt and toe of frog..." She grinned at his expression. "I'm kidding. It's one that Wufei orders from me- and I know he's almost out." She wrapped up their purchases, gave them a total and handed them over. "Good luck."
As they left the store, Duo turned to Heero and frowned. "Why do I have the feeling that we should just leave the packages on his doorstep, ring his bell and run for the hills?"
"Actually I think that sounds like the perfect plan..." Heero shifted the packages and froze.
Duo looked down the street, expecting to see his grandmother or some of the lions.
Instead he saw Wufei, hunched over and muttering to himself, headed right for them.
Before he could grab his mate and make good their escape, the dragon looked up and spotted them. "Duo, Heero! What are you two doing here?"
"We could ask you the same," Heero managed. "You said you were headed straight home."
Wufei snorted, and a puff of smoke drifted into the air. "I got all the way home and realized I was out of tea." His nostrils flared again slightly. "You bought some tea? I didn't know you liked that blend, Heero."
Before his mate could react, Duo pushed the packages at Wufei. "Actually we bought you some- and a couple of other things. For tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Wufei echoed, his brows drawing together. "Oh-" He closed his mouth and inhaled sharply as Heero glared at him. "Thank you."
Duo beamed. "You're welcome!"
Wufei sighed heavily. "That reminds me- can you tell Sally I won't be in tomorrow? Though I suppose the woman knows that already?"
"Of course." Heero narrowed his eyes a little in speculation. "Have plans?"
Wufei snorted again. "The Fae insist on seeing the day in with me. Something about keeping me from getting cranky."
The corner of Heero's mouth twitched. "Sounds like they remember last year."
"Last year wasn't that bad- and I apologized to Trowa several times-"
Heero nodded agreeably. "I know you did." He looked at his watch. "Duo and I need to be getting home."
"Indeed you do." Wufei nodded at them both and went on his way.
"Heero," Duo said as they started walking home. "What happened last year?"
"The fae threw him a surprise birthday party." Heero's lips curved into a faint smile. "Let's just say Wufei doesn't like being surprised..."
"Oh..."
OWARI
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