*Duo*

As soon as I made my proclamation, I grinned insanely, no doubt scaring the crap outta Adam, Pink, and Heero. However, my little 'Ris-chan wasn't as easily daunted. She grinned easily back at me, confident in my sanity and love. Not necessarily in that order, though.

God...Her sunny smile was so beautiful and innocent, childlike...I would fucking kill the bastard that ever hurt her.

I grinned even wider, knowing I would be able to protect her, and that there would never *be* anyone who could hurt her, not like Heero, not like when he...No, never. No one would ever be able to mar her perfect innocence. Not while I was still around anyway.

Adam cleared his throat nervously, breaking my beautiful reverie. "Duo...Ah..."

"Oh, don't worry, Adam! I'll even make it myself, you won't have to do *anything*!" I said, stressing the anything, and pretending not to notice the way his eyes suddenly bulged. Or the way his mouth dropped open. Or the fact that he became paler than a ghost on Halloween - nope, not at all. 

"Duo! Don't you think you should give Iris a chance to make the Gatorade?!" Pink desperately suggested, face white, hands shaking a bit. Aw, darn. Looks like memory of my last little...fiasco with Gatorade had finally kicked in. 

I pretended to think about it, noticing in my peripheral vision the ever-cute couple sweating. Heero was impassive, as usual, though he *had* been a lot nicer lately...

"Nope! I *always* make the Gatorade! Iris just likes to put the water in!" I shouted cheerfully. "It'll only take a few minutes anyway. Why don't you all wait out here, in the living room, and talk a little? Me and Iris 'll be in the kitchen making it." I added, with a cute smile that would have made even the most cold-hearted of Oz bastards melt.

They folded like a stack of cards. Weak, no challenge these days, not like when Heero was around...I was just too damn cute for my own good. Yup, too fucking true...

They three of them sat down quietly and without further protest on my beautiful leather sofa. I shook my head slowly. No challenge at all.

I looked over at Iris. "C'mon girl, let's get to making that Gatorade!" I said enthusiastically to her, making her entire face light up. 

"Really?" She asked happily. 

"Yeah, really, 'Ris-chan!" I said, then raced over to the kitchen in my socked feet, loose hair flowing down my back. I really love my hair...But sometimes it's just a bitch.

I was pretty sure I could feel Heero's stare on my back. Goddamn, what was up with him anyway?

When we got there, I skidded to a stop, and Iris almost plowed into me. 

I patted her on the head again, then quickly pulled out my handy 10 gallon mix of Strawberry Kiwi Instant Gatorade Mix...Yummy.

"Ok!" I announced to Iris, as she stared intently at the container, head cocked to one side. 

"Let's see..." I said, reading aloud. "Four scoops makes one gallon. Huh." I scratched my head, then absentmindedly asked Iris to pull out my gallon pitcher. 

She grabbed it from one of my miscellaneous cupboards, and I silently applauded her. This was obviously one of her better days.

"Alright, Iris, do you want to put the scoops in?" I asked her nicely.

She shook her head however, as always, and stubbornly maintained, "I do the water, Duo! You should know that!"

I sighed and muttered good naturedly, "Can't blame a guy for trying, huh?" 

She giggled and watched me dump in four heaping cupfuls. 

"Ok, Iris, I'll let ya have a crack at her. Just fill the water up to near the top." I said with a slight smile. Iris didn't need any encouragement. 

Right away, she picked up the gallon pitcher - *was* it a gallon? It looked a bit small...She then placed it carefully in the sink and turned the water on. 

I turned away, facing the kitchen entrance, and strained to hear what Heero and the others were discussing. The running water was too loud a static, though. Just as I was turning back to Iris, I thought I saw her dump a little something extra in there...I had to be mistaken. Iris would never do anything like that.

"Perfect!" I exclaimed, grinning at her. 

She blushed at my compliment, then wandered back out to the living room, job done. I didn't mind. It gave me a little bit to think about Heero - how I would handle his obvious intention of getting together again. At least that was what I think he wanted.

I pulled a plastic spoon out of one of my drawers, and lazily stirred the mix. Apparently, he now had an interest in me - I hadn't missed how he'd stared at me as he'd come out of the bathroom. 

He hadn't looked so bad himself, either...I blushed. Dammit, why did I always have to do that? Hell, I was a fucking street rat, nothing should phase me...I growled imperceptibly, stirring the poor Gatorade to death. Damn. Did this mean I was getting more gentle? More refined? Fuck. 

Maybe it was just a stage I was going through, just some fucking...something. Yeah. That was it. Just...something.

But...what would I do about Heero? Did I really want him back? I mean...I loved him three years ago, but...things change, right? Did I hate him? I shook my head quickly. Nope.

Of all the things I felt for Heero Yui, hate was not one of them. But - then. The $60,000 question is...Could I ever take him back? 

Fuck. I didn't know. I stopped stirring the Gatorade, it looked just about done. 

I grabbed five glasses from under the sink, then poured the Gatorade, all the while thinking about what I would do with Heero.

"Iris!" I called into the living room, after I was done. She came running, and I handed her two full glasses. 

"Please take these out there for Adam and Heero, ok?" I asked her gently. She loved doing errands. I watched carefully, to make sure she went at a more sedated pace than she'd come in with...She didn't disappoint me.

I managed to grab the other three, and headed out there myself.

Heero looked up at my entrance, and I briefly cursed myself for giving him a blue shirt. Damn, how could I forget? He looked so fucking good in blue.

His eyes...Damn, I was drowning in his eyes. God, he looked so good...So touchable. Like a teddy bear or something, someone fuzzy and warm and nice and...Fuck. Why do I keep thinking-? He *hurt* me.

"Here's the Gatorades!" I yelled, and everyone winced. Even Iris. Hey, so I have a somewhat high voice? Fuck that.

I handed everyone their glasses, then took a long sip. I immediently spit it out, coughing and choking. Shit.

Pink looked ill, Adam was pale, even Heero looked a bit shaken. Iris was her usual self. Damn. Go Iris.

"Damn." Adam vocalized for all of us.

"What the fuck did you put in there, boy? Pure fucking sugar mixed with fucking alchohol? " Pink asked accusingly, wiping her face on Adam's shirt. Ah, how damn romantic...

"Damned if I know!" I yelled, making a face at the incredibly sweet/sourish taste. "This shit is worse than fucking sticky fucking cotton candy with fucking sour gummy worms on a fucking humid day!" I shouted, waving my arms up and down to illustrate my point. 

Fortunately, I'd previously placed my glass on the coffee table before I'd started my little routine. 

"Hey!" I suddenly thought aloud, startling everyone yet again. "I *like* that kinda shit!" 

"NO!" Pink lunged for my glass, but it was too late. I'd already taken a huge swallow. I made noisy gulping sounds as I drank the entire glass down and Adam started to turn green. 

"I'm scared now..." He whispered to Pink, glancing furtively over in my direction.

Yup, I was totally fucking crazy. This shit wasn't so bad after all, I thought, then put the glass down, wiping my mouth on my hand, and smacking my lips together.

Yup. It really wasn't so bad...Once you got...used to it...

Shit.