sweetestsurrender | { The AU meme }

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{ The AU meme }

Ever played out something and then later wondered "What if?" Ever wondered what it'd be like to play your character a different way, but didn't feel like making a full thing dedicated to it? Now's your chance to play it out!

Using RNG you'll roll 1-3 for the level of the change, and 1-6 for the change itself, or if you want, pick your own based on what you wanted to do.

1)  Small Change: The flap of a butterfly's wings can cause tsunami's on the other side of the world.

-1: "A minute too late"- What if you missed something by a minute, or more? You missed the big meeting, the girl, helping that person, all because you were too late, what happens next?
-2: "The nick of time"- Just like the first, only that instead of missing something you got, that if you got something you missed because you were either too late, or just messed up? Congratulations! Let's just hope it's what you really wanted.
-3: "A little too early"- One more, what if you showed up early? It's suppose to be a good thing, is it this time?
-4: "The other choice"- You had two choices, left or right, heads or tails, Coke or Pepsi, now you get to see what would have happened with the other choice.
-5: "Oops!"- You slipped up, and made a mistake. Is it bad, or a blessing in disguise?
-6: Wild card/Pick your own- Thought of a slight change that'd make all the difference, or had one you wanted to play? Here's your chance.

2)  Medium Change: Didn't really see that coming, did you?

-1: Turning point change- That one thing that would have turned things in your favor went against you, and vice versa. How will you handle this critical change?
-2: "A Razor's edge"- That one moment that could have went either way has gone the opposite way of before. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?
-3: Crossroads- You reached a point in your life where you had several choices before you, now's the time to go down another road and see where it leads.
-4: The Road less traveled- "Two roads diverged in the woods, and I took the one less traveled" Will it make all the difference?
-5: Interference- Something blocked you from getting something you were going for. What do you do once the moment is gone?
-6: Wild Card/Pick your own-Thought of a medium change that'd make all the difference, or had one you wanted to play? Here's your chance.

3)  Large Change: Why do all the people here have goatee's?

-1: Good/Evil- Use to be a good guy? Welcome to the dark side, here's your cookie. Former bad guy? Hand over the cookie tray and join the side of good. How will the change of moral compass change you?
-2: A different person- You're now a completely different person, literally. Are you taller? Shorter? A robot? A pony? Powers? No powers? Your call.
-3: The other sex- Rule!63 is in effect. Now how does this effect your relationships with the other?
-4: A change in history- Something that happened in the past now has completely change or is now gone. One domino toppling the rest. Now that you've changed your past, how will it effect your future?
-5: Giving up- You walked away from something important to you? Do you regret it? Are you happy?
-6: Wild Card/Pick your own- Thought of a large change that'd make all the difference, or had one you wanted to play? Here's your chance.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She laughed when he swiped her pickles, relaxing a little as she took a bite, too, letting out a long sigh as she enjoyed it. She let herself relax, getting halfway through the burger before she said anything.

"Obviously we have a mountain of things to discuss. Where do you want to start?" she asked, before taking another big bite.

Duo was actually hoping to get through the meal before they started this, because he had a feeling he might lose his appetite, but he'd known it was coming. He set his burger down in it's wrapper and grabbed a napkin to wipe his hands and then his lips.

"... I'm not sure." He said honestly and gave her a serious look, even if his lips were curved in a gentle smile. "I figure the most important thing is you, Wufei. They gave you six months, right? That means you've six months to find a way outta this if... if this isn't actually what you want."

Wufei hummed softly, chewing her bite and swallowing, taking a fry and eating it as she considered his words carefully. "I think you're wrong," she decided when she finished it. "The most important thing is us. This is..." she sighed, carefully thought over her words before she said them.

"There are a lot of things I'm unsure of right now, but one thing that I want to be absolutely certain of, is that you won't be unhappy," she said softly. "You're making an extremely large sacrifice for me, and I..." she dropped her gaze to her food. "I'm not likely to be a very good wife."

Duo was quiet for a little while, just watching her with that same serious expression on his face. He wished he could laugh. Wished he could find his sense of humour to lighten this for the both of them. But knew he couldn't. This was a conversation that was going to take care... and he knew he needed to be careful. So when he finally spoke, it was slow and it was thoughtful.

"Before I tell you why you're wrong... How about you explain why you won't be a good wife?" Duo asked as gently as he could. He wanted to know where Wufei's head was at. And why she thought the way she did.

She nodded a little, glancing up at him and managing a small smile. It told her volumes, that he wasn't trying to lighten the mood, or dismiss her concerns, that he was treating it seriously. It was one of the reasons she wasn't already suggesting giving up the marriage idea and just... running and hiding the rest of her life.

"Well, aside from the cleaning issue," which really wasn't much of one -- she just didn't bother cleaning what she didn't use. "I'm terrible at cooking, I'm not the least bit submissive, I'm stubborn, often say hurtful things without realizing until it's too late..." she took a deep breath, prepared herself for the last item on the list. "And I'm not a virgin. I was sleeping with Treize during the war. The only other person who knows about it is Une." That last one was the part she was really worried about. Duo probably already knew all the other things on the list, after all.

Duo did know all of the other things on the list. But that last one was what made him go rather still. It wasn't even about the fact she wasn't a virgin. That was never a deal breaker. But Treize of all people? Duo had had his fair share of nightmare fuel at the hands of that man's 'grand designs' and his lackies. He harboured a deep hatred for that man and was disappointed that he hadn't been the one to get the kill shot in.

He took a breath and forced a smile.

"Right... So that's your type, huh?" He nodded and, just as he suspected, now found his food looking rather unappetising. "I'd have been fine with everything else, Wufei. But it looks like I'm the one who's gonna be the disappointment here. But hey, like I said, least we've got time to work out what to do from here, right? We can find someone... more your type." Maybe with just without the penchant for megalomania. Duo was nice enough not to say that out loud. It wouldn't do to make disparaging remarks about a friends dead ex.

She looked up at him, blinked a few times as she listened, and then she laughed, clapping a hand over her mouth as she leaned back, giving her head a shake. "More like he was a lesson I learned the hard way," she replied, her face crimson. "I didn't love him, he was... well, he offered and I wanted to know what it was like before I died. As it turned out, I enjoyed it quite a bit, so whenever the opportunity arose..." she shrugged. "He was more enjoyable than my right hand, as the saying goes."

Duo wasn't one to normally judge... But this was Treize that Wufei was laughing about having casual sex with and something about that just made him itch. Or maybe it was less that she'd slept with him and more that he'd known something about her that he, nor their friends, had known...? Maybe it was both. Maybe it was a lot of different things? A lot of things Duo was trying very hard not to think about.

"Makes sense." He replied quietly, though it didn't make a lick of sense to him. Once more he summoned up some of that bullshit cheer he was well known for and found a laugh from somewhere, following it with a wide smile. "Least it narrows the pool down, right? We can work out who'd be a good match for you from what you learned from him. Easy!"

She lifted a brow at that shift, grabbing her cup and taking a long sip. "Considerably," she agreed. "My checklist is a bit long, but you do tick off most of the boxes. All of them, actually, except the ones that would require me to know what you're like in the bedroom. Though the likelihood that you don't check those as well is fairly small, it mostly amounts to being attentive and you've always been very good at that."

He blinked. You could almost hear the gears being stripped as they ground to a halt and attempted to change course to follow what Wufei was saying. Why had things turned to him? He shifted a little in his seat and couldn't quite stop it when his smile faded away into a frown.

"My... ah... my experience isn't as extensive. Not sure I'd measure up. Might just disappoint you there too." Duo said with a rather lame attempt at a joking tone. "Flattered you'd think so highly of me though."

She hid a smile behind her cup. "Why do you think I didn't yank my hand away when you took it, at the space port?" she asked, watching him intently over the rim of her cup. The question was definitely some kind of test.

"No idea. I've been wondering that all day." Duo replied with a sigh. He looked down at his hands only to give an unhappy frown on realising that he'd somehow torn his napkin up into strips. With an annoyed huff he rolled it into a ball and tossed it onto the table.

"I'm walking on eggshells here, Wu. I don't know what the right or wrong thing to say here is. I don't wanna come on too strong but I don't want you thinkin you've boxed me in. This is..." He sighed heavily again and brought a hand up to run through his bangs, then realised his braid was still tucked into his jacket so yanked that out.

"... But here's the thing. I was gonna suggest it. I didn't know what I was doing when I grabbed your hand, but it turned out to be a shortcut to what I was gonna say anyway. Only I'm not stupid enough to think I'm even half the man you deserve... Today kinda proved that to me. If I can do anythin for you though, I can give you time. If that's all I can do to help... Then when the times up I'll think of somethin else." Duo just needed the time. Maybe he could kidnap her or... who knew? Something. Anything.

Edited 2022-01-23 03:47 (UTC)

She hummed softly, nodding a little as she watched him, and all his little nervous habits. She waited, watching as he got it all out, and took a long drink from her cup before setting it on the table.

"I froze," she admitted softly. "Because even though I was aware that you didn't know what it meant, it opened a path I had never imagined I could take. I always thought I would be trapped pretending to be a man, or hiding from my family, or in a marriage I didn't want. I never dared to imagine a future where I could actually be happy. Where I could be myself, with someone I care deeply for, able to do the work that I love," she shrugged. "I didn't pull away because in that moment, I wanted to marry you -- and to be clear, I still do, but only if it won't trap you in a miserable half-existence for the rest of our lives. I failed to consider that part of the equation at the time, and for that I am sorry."

"Here's the other thing..." Duo began, he wasn't looking at Wufei as he spoke but off to the side, toward the window he'd opened earlier. It looked like it might rain...

"... The thing is... I don't have much of a future. Never did. I'm just takin each day as it comes. The idea of getting married wasn't even on my radar. Never was. Who'd be stupid enough to wanna marry me, huh? So if all you need from me is a way outta hell, I can be that. But..." He took a breath here, a deep and ever-so-slightly shaky breath, before he looked at Wufei. He looked like a man who knew he was about to fuck up but there was no way of stopping it now. He just had to hope for the best... and that he'd be able to pull his foot out of his mouth long enough to get his boots back on when he ran out of the apartment.

"Did I ever tell you I was bi?" The words weren't quite what he'd been going for but he rolled with it. "Suppose pansexual'd be more accurate. Honestly I've never put much stock in any of that..." His eyes lowered, looking away from Wufei once more, his voice lowered too. "... Just in case you didn't think there was anything in this for me. Guess just... gettin to be around you more is good enough for me."

She watched him, setting her cup aside so she had nothing to hide behind, and listened. Watched his face carefully, met his gaze when it turned to her. She wasn't sure where he was going when he looked at her, brow furrowing slightly as he spoke.

It took a few seconds for her to piece it together, but when she did it was painted all over her face as her eyebrows went up and tension eased out of her shoulders. She reached over to settle her hand over Duo's and give it a gentle squeeze. "Duo Maxwell," she said softly. "You're a fucking idiot."

She cracked a smile then, and rushed ahead before he could cut her off and get offended. "Setting aside that you're a Gundam Pilot and everything that comes with that, you're handsome, kind, strong, and perhaps most importantly of all, you actually give a shit about what happens to me, which is more than can be said for several of my so-called friends. So yes, I'm stupid enough to want to marry you. Even if I have to watch you shred every napkin we ever come across. In fact, that might be a welcome distraction if we're invited to state dinners, they're horribly boring and I dare say the silk napkins would be a challenge for you."

She got up then, coming to lean against the table next to him and releasing his hand so she could cup his cheek instead. "May I kiss you?"

"Yeah, you're not wrong there." He'd always known he was an idiot. Most everyone else knew too. Now Wufei had confirmation. Though why they meant she had to take his hand was beyond him. Trying to lessen the blow somehow? He didn't get the chance to ask before she was taking again, and taking over him to the point he wondered if she'd even heard what he'd said.

But he listened. Even stupid people could listen. And as he did he had to think back over what he'd said that had caused this reaction.... She was flattering him and... what? Still wanted to go through with this? Duo thought she'd been trying to convince herself, and him, not to do this?

He could feel a headache coming on.

Before he could ask where the aspirin was, Wufei had stood and moved to stand beside him. Surprised, he'd looked up automatically, and was doubly surprised when a warm hand cupped his cheek.

"... Huh?" Oh yes, he was an idiot. A monumental idiot. And what few braincells he had possessed had all either died or were in comas brought about by shock. A warm flush coloured his cheeks and all he could do was nod, not able to trust his voice right then.

She laughed at his 'huh', thumb brushing across his cheek as she leaned in to kiss him, soft and sweet on the lips. "I won't lie to you," she said softly when she pulled back. "I'm not in love with you, but if I do the work to take down the walls I put between us, I believe I will be." It was equal parts terrifying and exciting.

His eyes fell closed at that touch, and very softly he kissed her back. But he wished she hadn't have said anything at all and had just left it at that. Because all Duo could do then was to give her a sad smile.

"Don't... That was the last thing I wanted, Wu. If the feelings aren't there, just... don't, okay? I'll help you out. I'm fine with that. Hell... if you find someone else while we're married, that's fine too..." Maybe. That was a something he'd deal with when he got to it at least. "But don't say stuff like that, yeah? Nothin worse than false hope."

Her cheeks flushed, but she nodded. "Alright," she replied softly, but her smile didn't waver as her thumb brushed over his cheek again. "And likewise, if you ever want to leave, we'll get a divorce. That'll give me considerable time to figure out a new plan," or find someone else to marry, though the thought left her feeling vaguely nauseous.

She leaned in, kissing him again before pulling away to settle into her seat again. "So... I suppose the first thing we should do is pick a date. If we want to invite Quatre or Une, they'll need as much advanced notice as we can give them. If nothing else, I'd like the other three there, even if we take Heero's idea and just go to the courthouse." The words might have been all business, but her tone was still softer, like she was still drifting around in that strange warmth the kiss had given her.

He said nothing. He knew if a divorce was imminent it would have to come from her. Duo didn't have the heart to joke about 'concubines' right then. But he accepted the second kiss, returning it with the same gentleness as before and then nodded once she'd sat back down again.

"Depends how big or small you want it." Duo kind of wished he had another napkin to tear up, but since he didn't he began to lightly drum his fingers upon the table top. "If you wanna get it over and done with or... wait to see if there are any better prospects on the horizon. Having the guys there, yeah, they'd have to be." Though he wondered if they'd even support this at all. He wondered if Trowa and Quatre would think like everyone else, that Wufei was making a big mistake... and that Duo was probably going to hurt her. Even by accident. It was funny, really. The only one really getting hurt here was him. But funnier still was that he didn't care. So long as Wufei could be happy and free, he would take any amount of pain.

She nodded a little, chewing as she thought it over for a few moments. "Well," she murmured. "I think the only people who'd be offended about not getting invited are Sally and Une, aside from the guys," she agreed. "My family is smart enough to know they're going to get is a copy of the marriage certificate and not a scrap more. What about on your side? Hilde? Howard? Other Sweepers?"

Duo's phone gave a little trill -- a text from Heero, accepting the offer of being best man, if it was still extended.

"I've no family, Wu. Maybe Howard and Hilde would wanna come but..." He doubted there was anyone else. He didn't really have any close friends he could speak of. The closest he had were the guys, but even then he couldn't really say they were close. Duo knew it was his own fault for that. He could make a better effort...

His phone sounded and Duo frowned before he reached for it to read the text. The frown deepened for a moment before he gave a little shake of his head and replied with a single emoji. A thumbs up.

"So I guess small's the way to go. Just us and our friends."

"I know," she replied with a little shrug, "but you do seem to make friends everywhere you go, so maybe you had a bunch of them I didn't know about," and it was a shame that people didn't return it more than that, but she couldn't be too upset. It meant he was still there for her, and that something she was grateful for.

"Small then, fourteen people at most if we allow them to bring guests... which I suppose depends on how much it will matter to you if Mariemaia is there," she said, and finished off her fries. "Une adopted her a few months after the incident. She seems very sweet these days, but I don't see her often." It was kind of weird, if she was being honest.

"I do, don't I?" Except not really. Most of it was an act. A dance he'd learned a long time ago, that was oddly good at keeping people at bay, at disarming them and, of course, thinking he was too silly to give a damn about.

Duo was tapping the table top a little quicker now, though his expression was the same as it ever was.

"Mariemaia, huh?" Duo, just like that, was suddenly remembering why kept kept to himself. He didn't quite get how after everything was said and done, everyone was able to just go and make friends with the enemy. Hell, Wufei had been fucking the biggest enemy of them all. Une had been his right hand who had adopted another of their enemies it seemed. If Heero came then Relena would and probably Zechs, who was another person that Duo couldn't stand. But... what could he say? It was a single day. He could deal with it for day. For Wufei's sake. So he nodded. "That's fine with me."

She lifted a brow at him when he agreed to having everyone bring guests, especially with his finger-tapping getting faster. "Duo," she said softly, and held her hand out for his. "This wedding is for us, together. We should both be looking forward to it, not dreading it, least of all because of the people who will be in attendance. Please, be honest with me about what you want."

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