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windchijmesTitle of work : Chibi Kisses - 9 - Happy Birthday, Heero!
Genre : Gen, Fluff
Rating : G (General)
Warnings : Pure fluff and cutesiness.
Summary : Little Heero is turning 8, and EVERYONE celebrates it with him!
Humming very, very softly under his breath, seven-year-old Heero began to pack away his schoolbooks into his bag. No...not seven anymore. Large cobalt-blue eyes shone with delight, although Heero's young face was still childishly stern. He was turning eight today!
He was a big boy now. And he was old. Heero wanted to be old and big so he could reach for the tallest books on the library shelves without the foot-stool, so the bigger boys at school couldn't tease him because with longer arms, he could pow them, and so he could solve the most difficult Maths problems. Ahh...being eight was nice. He'd have one more candle on his birthday cake than the seven he had last year.
His seventh birthday had been fun! Mummy had baked him the biggest, chocolate-fudge birthday cake he had ever seen. And even Daddy had flown all the way back from work to celebrate his birthday with him. That night, after having the birthday cake, they went to see the fireworks display at the promenade. This year however, Daddy had said he was too busy, but he had called in the morning to wish Heero a happy eighth birthday, so Heero wasn't too disappointed.
A little flare of excitement tickled him deep in his tummy. He found himself wondering what his eighth birthday celebration would be like. As Heero slung his schoolbag around his shoulders, he noticed Trowa also getting ready to go home. The green-eyed boy was so tall, Heero suddenly realised, and he wondered if turning eight meant his height had also shot up. He felt hopeful that he would be as tall as Trowa, and felt a little peeved that the other boy was still taller when he came over to Heero.
"Heero," Trowa greeted quietly. In his hands, he clutched a rather bulky bag.
"Trowa," Heero returned. He felt nervous. It was his birthday. Did Trowa know that? Was Trowa going to wish him a happy birthday? He thought it'd be nice if he could invite Trowa to his house for cake. Making up his mind, Heero opened his mouth. "Tro - "
The green-eyed boy held up the bag. "I have to return these books to the library."
Heero nodded, feeling a little disappointed, but no matter. He still had a birthday cake and mummy waiting for him at home. Brightening up, the newly-eight-year-old boy began walking out of the classroom and then the school. All the way, he just nodded at the other students who greeted him. He still wasn't very good at smiling at everyone.
He knew the way home very well. He had been going home alone since school started this year. Mummy was often too busy to take him home. Just walk past the bus-stop, then follow the little bicycle path that will lead him straight home in about ten minutes. It was easy, even easier than his worst subject in school - art.
As he walked, he began looking out for the big flowery shrubs that stood at the last corner of the path. He'd round the corner and see Mummy standing on the -
Little Heero paused in his tracks, cobalt eyes rounding in surprise, then in disappointment. Mummy wasn't standing there. He wondered why. Maybe she forgot the time...but she had never forgotten before...
Heero was holding his breath by the time he reached the patio. It was so quiet, and he could see it was all dark in the house. Where was Mummy? Heero didn't really know what to do when he reached the front door. He laid his palms against the wood, eyes widening when it gave under his hands and slid inwards.
It was very, very dark inside, like the afternoon sunlight couldn't get into the house.
"Mummy?" Heero called, a little ashamed at how small his voice sounded.
He stepped into the hallway. Hesitating for a while, he finally took off his shoes and placed them on the rack. If there were bad men in the house, at least they couldn't hear him in his socks. He also wished he had his baseball bat with him, but it was tucked away in his bedroom. Shrugging off his schoolbag, he hugged it to his chest instead, trying to feel brave.
He padded along the hallway in his socks. The living room was just several feet away. Taking a deep breath, Heero stepped into the open. "Mumm - "
Light flooded into the room without warning and at the same time, there was a huge chorus of voices all at once. All around him. Shouting and laughing.
The bag slipped from Heero's fingers and to the floor. The boy's mouth opened in a big O as he stared around him, seeing all those bright, grinning faces of his friends...the two teenagers Treize and Zechs...the inseparable little ones Duo and Q-ball...and Trowa...But wasn't Trowa in the school library?
And...Mummy!
The young mother came forward now, her eyes, deep-blue and identical to Heero's, held a certain tender warmth as she embraced her son. "Happy birthday, Heero."
Heero was still staring at everyone with rounded cobalt eyes. With the lights, he finally saw how the whole house had been gaily decorated with rainbow-coloured streamers and balloons and banners painted with the words 'Happy Birthday Heero'. The table in the living room was almost totally covered with trays of snacks and finger foods and huge bowls of candies and chocolates.
Finally realising that this was a surprise birthday party for him, Heero's cheeks turned red and for a moment, he looked like he was ready to burrow into his mother's arms in his shy delight.
He didn't get a chance to, for the next moment, he found himself with an armful of even more delighted little boy. Small, chubby arms curled around Heero's neck and a bright, lark-like voice babbled excitedly into his ear.
"Mameesaiditsyourbirfday, haaaappybirfdayHeero!"
The warm little face lifted from Heero's cheek. "See, see? FeifeipaintthisforHeero!"
Everyone burst into peals of laughter at the furious blush on Heero's face as he tried to respond to little Feifei's boisterous birthday greeting. Very oblivious to the attention on them, Feifei was gleefully waving a rather crumpled roll of paper in one chubby fist.
Managing a smile in spite of his awkwardness, Heero took the paper and pulled it open. Swirls of colours met his eyes, all bearing the trademark bold, proud flourish of Feifei's hand. Heero saw again, two scrawly figures, one bigger than the other, with their hands linked. This time, there was more even, because surrounding the figures of himself and Feifei were the green, brown and blue of a park.
Heero was suddenly aware that Feifei had quieted down in his arms, and was just gazing at him out of huge, adoring black eyes. It was a little bit weird to have the normally irrepressible kid so docile, but then Heero understood that the younger boy was waiting for his approval.
"It's very nice," Heero petted his younger friend on the head fondly. "It's the best painting I've ever seen."
The answering beam on Feifei's face was sunny enough to melt the coldest winter.
The presents came thick and fast after that. Treize and Zechs, both still clad in their respective uniforms which were sweat-dampened like they had rushed all the way there from school, were the second to present their gift. Between them, they handed Heero a package that was wrapped in such a haphazard way it certainly looked like it was the work of male teenaged hands. From Trowa, Heero received the bulky bag he had been carrying earlier and he realised it was really a bag of very interesting books. Last of all, little Duo and Q-ball came sidling shyly up to Heero. They fidgeted, made faces as each other as they tried to get each other to do the presentation. And finally, little hands thrust a thing under Heero's nose. It was a big, rather squashed-looking...chocolate bar.
To all of the gifts, Heero remembered to say his 'thank you's very solemnly.
"Who's hungry?" Zechs' voice suddenly rang above them. "Last one to the food is a -"
Heero didn't actually hear the rest of the sentence when there was a chorus of squeals and shrieks from the three youngest kids and they were suddenly all rushing towards the table. Even the usually quiet Trowa was joining in and Heero found himself tugged along by an insistent Feifei.
They reached the food, momentarily forgetting their hungry tummies as they looked around for the one who had reached the table last. The three little ones were already giggling and pointing to the loser. Heero carefully turned his snicker into a cough. Trowa was much less tactful; he was openly grinning.
And even Zechs was smiling rather sympathetically when a wry-faced Treize strode stiffly to the table. He was obviously a little more than torn between giving into the whole childishness and maintaining his dignity.
But even Treize forgot himself when a dozen hands - all sizes of small, medium and large - dipped into the food.
++++++++++
It turned out the food was just a momentary indulgence for the rest of the afternoon was spent playing games.
The Yuy residence, one of those large houses with a garden and many nooks and crannies and corridors, was a wonderful place for all their games.
They had wanted to start with the traditional hide-and-seek, but true to the unpredictable minds of teenagers, Treize and Zechs suggested changing the game. Now it was a combination of hide-and-seek and tag. The seekers would count to thirty, and the rest of them would scoot off to their hiding places. Once their hiding-places were discovered, they could run to evade the seekers and hide again. They would win if all of them made it to the 'safehouse' - in this case little storeroom tucked away in a corner of the house. But whoever was caught would be made seeker.
Obviously Treize and Zechs had appointed themselves the seekers after realising that with their sizes it was going to be difficult trying to hide themselves properly. The younger boys certainly had little problem with that! Lil' Duo caught on quickly and was good at tucking himself into the smallest crannies, even when he had to make sure a slower Q-ball was safely hidden first. Trowa was more than adept at scoping out the best places to hide himself and moving from hiding-place to hiding-place without anyone noticing him.
Birthday boy Heero might have been as good, if not for Feifei joined at his hip. Not that Heero minded in the least. He thought it was fun as he squeezed himself into a tiny cupboard with Feifei, then cuddling the little one close so they could both fit. The cupboard had slates that weren't spacey enough for them to see too far out of them, but enough to see Treize's feet when the older boy searched the room. It was SO hard to keep Feifei from giggling when they watched the large feet walk past the cupboard several times.
Then they stopped. Right outside the cupboard.
Heero nearly squeaked, and the small, round warmth cradled against Heero jumped in shock. Heero could practically feel Feifei holding his breath. The younger boy had burrowed his head into Heero's neck, with only his eyes peeping out.
The scary large feet stepped towards the cupboard. Then stopped.
Feifei made a soft whimper against Heero's neck and the older boy petted him again.
"Now WHERE can they be?" Treize boomed without warning.
This time Heero himself jumped and the back of his head thumped against the wood. Oh no! Treize would hear them now surely!
"HOH..." Treize's voice was suddenly much, much closer.
Heero held his breath and almost in reply, Feifei sucked in a loud breath.
The door swung open.
"Treize!"
Saved! Heero remembered how to breathe when Treize's feet stepped away as the youth turned towards Zechs, who had just entered the bedroom.
"Treize, come. I found Duo."
The two older boys exchanged just a few more words, before Treize laughed - sounding much nicer than his earlier scary bellowing - and then left the room.
Feifei's head lifted from his neck and the little one peered curiously out of the slates, obviously puzzled as to why they hadn't yet been dragged out and eaten up by Treize. Heero was just going to look out of the slates himself when feet appeared again.
Feifei jerked back with a mewled yelp.
Pale-blue eyes were staring back at them from outside the cupboard. One of those eyes winked, before Zechs stood up and trotted after Treize out of the room.
There was a moment of peace, before the doors of the cupboard inched open and a shaggy head poked out, followed by a smaller, black one. After Heero was sure the two seekers weren't anywhere near, he quickly got out and tugged Feifei after him. The little one was practically bouncing on his heels in excitement, obviously having never been involved in such a scary game of hide-and-seek before.
Heero lifted a finger to his lips, and Feifei nodded obediently, stifling his glee at having escaped Treize.
Then they were off again, ditching their nearly-discovered hiding place for a new one, and grinning when they hear the startled yelps from the others when they were discovered.
The ending to the game...had most of the boys and even the amused watching mothers laughing. The first one to the safehouse was none other...than Q-ball.
The little blonde boy had planted himself into his first hiding-place and never budged from there, until everyone else was wrapped up in a tangle of yells and giggling as the seekers chased their younger targets. Then, very sweetly and innocently, Q-ball had trotted into the storeroom and sat there munching on a chicken nugget while he waited for his friends. Second had been the Heero-Feifei pair, barely making it into safehouse as Heero half-carried, half-towed the whooping younger boy. They had plopped themselves next to a grinning Q-ball, Feifei giggling as he waved at seeker Treize from safety. It had taken Duo a while to join them. The little curly-haired imp had been unable to get past Zechs standing guard near the safehouse, but was eventually victorious after he had taken to brazenly stalking right up to Zechs and demanded to be let in. And honestly, who was Zechs to say no to that?
And, the last one to reach the safehouse was Trowa. It was not so much his slowness as the fact that he couldn't very well wheedle his way through like the others. The poor boy was very much a victim as he found himself the unfortunate target of two grinning teenaged boys. Trowa took all the punishment in rather stoically, until Treize took to bear-hugging him with one arm, while ruffling his hair with the other hand. It was then Trowa reverted to the little boy he was as he fought to wriggle free of his sadistic elder brother.
That very raucous and noisy game had taken up most of the afternoon. It was all too soon when evening came peeping into the house with her brilliant washes of setting sunlight. Heero and Feifei's mothers had retreated to the kitchen where they were setting about preparing the birthday cake. Treize and Zechs had settled down on the floor, each with their littlest brother tucked against them. The two elder boys were trying valiantly to talk to each other above the din their little charges were making. Trowa was regalling an awe-struck Feifei with all the aerial battles he had seen in cartoons, while Heero chipped in now and then when Trowa forgot the details. To all these, Feifei never interrupted once, seeming content to listen with perked ears and rounded eyes.
The birthday cake was brought in when the sky was just beginning to darken. Against the dimness, there was a flood of flickering golden light as the cake appeared with its crown of eight glimmering candles. The two mothers were beaming as they carried the cake between them and set it down on the table.
Large cobalt eyes lit up even more delightedly as they saw how wonderful the cake looked with its space-shuttle shape, generous swatches of toppings, the eight candles and the words 'Happy Birthday Heero' painted across the top in cream. Heero wasn't sure when it started but suddenly everyone was singing the birthday song for him in loud, laughing voices. The little birthday boy's face positively glowed, whether it was from the candle light or his own happiness, it was hard to tell. Possibly both, of course.
"Make a wish, Heero!"
And Heero did. Mummy told him to wish for it with everything he had and it would come true. That was what he did. He bowed his head solemnly, closing his eyes and concentrating fiercely as he made his wish in his heart.
When he opened his eyes, another round of cheers greeted him. He sucked in a deep breath, then blew at the candles. He certainly wasn't alone as six other mouths blew along with him, totally gusting out the candles. Heero felt an odd little twinge in his belly when he saw all the smiles surrounding him. He wanted a happy eighth birthday...but even this made him so...warm. He felt all warm inside.
When Mummy turned on the lights, Feifei's mother had a camera in her hands.
The boys knew what to do next. Quickly gathering together in one noisy, boisterous bunch, Heero was firmly planted in the centre of them all. Feifei was right there with him, back tucked against Heero's chest as they fidgeted and giggled while posing for the camera. There were a lot of noisy arguments as the boys jostled for space while deciding which poses looked best.
"Boys..." Heero's mother said wryly as she lowered the camera.
Finally, several victorious V hand signs, some waving hands, some impish faces pulled at the camera later, the picture was snapped.
+++++++++
Heero bowed his head, then looked up and smiled shyly at the leaving guests. Zechs was the first to leave,
together with a sleepy Q-ball cradled in his arms. True to custom, the tall fair-haired teenager mussed
Heero's head indulgently, before leaving. It took a while before Treize, Trowa and Duo could pick themselves
up to leave. Lil' Duo was demanding to be carried like Q-ball was, but neither Trowa nor Treize were planning to spoil him any further, so the little curly-haired child settled for pestering Heero to do it, much to Feifei's immense displeasure.
"HeerocarryME!" Feifei's round little face was scrunched up as he tugged at Duo's sleeve.
"Idon'chCARE!" Lil' Duo returned petulantly.
In between the little ones, Heero tried to squirm free of the four chubby hands on him.
There came a heavy sigh and Duo was suddenly scooped up into long arms. "This is the last time," Treize was muttering as he glared ineffectually at his youngest brother. Obviously he knew he had fallen for Duo's oldest trick in the book as the little one blinked sweetly back at him.
As Treize politely said his goodbyes and stepped out with a rather smug Trowa in tow, still grudgingly carrying his bundle of utter impetuousness, lil' Duo grinned at them from over his transport's shoulder.
Heero smiled weakly back. Beside him, Feifei made a face at his eternal nemesis. Clearly he was still miffed that any other kid dared to touch his Heero.
Feifei's mother was helping his own mummy to clear up some of the mess, so Heero had a while to be alone with his little friend. As Heero sat himself on the porch, he began thinking of the party he had earlier. It had been SO fun. He stopped thinking for a while as Feifei began climbing into his lap and Heero shifted to hold the boy comfortably. Feifei was quite a fit in his arms, Heero found out. The little one had grown...but so had Heero, right? Heero wondered suddenly if he and Feifei would still be so close when they were...big boys. As in answer, Feifei snuggled his face against Heero's neck as though Heero was a big plushie.
"GooniiightHeeero..." A sleepy little voice murmured at Heero's neck.
Heero looked down in surprise. Then he smiled. "Good night, Feifei." Feifei was so tired out by the party?
Without warning, Feifei lifted his head, and Heero had a brief glimpse of heavy-lidded black eyes, before the little one planted a soft, sloppy, childish kiss on his lips, then his head dropped back down onto Heero's shoulder.
One hand flying to his mouth in shock, the birthday boy blushed to the roots of his hair. But again he was feeling all warm inside. He decided he didn't mind being a plushie at all. Not when there was a cute little person soundly asleep against him. For the second time, Heero found himself humming that wordless little tune under his breath. It had been...a really great day. One of the best days in his life...so far! Daddy wasn't there to celebrate it with him, but he had all his friends with him.
He'd only see the picture days later, but already he knew what they would all looked like in it.
Treize and Zechs, the two tallest boys, stood at the back, their arms touching and smiles firmly in place. Trowa somewhere in front of the two teenagers and sandwiched between an animated Duo and a Q-ball who couldn't stop giggling. Feifei right there, *both* arms thrown wide in his usual hug-the-world pose.
And of course, Heero himself at the centre, his ears ringing from the noise around him, but his usually serious face was bright with a grin as he took that picture. With his friends with him. That was the wish he had made. That they would stay together like this forever.
"HaaappeeebiirfdaaayHeeerooo..."
Still blushing, Heero lowered his face and gently kissed the round black head nestled at his cheek. "Thank you," he said softly.
And he really, really meant it.
~*~ fin ~*~
August 2004