sweetestsurrender | { The AU meme }

Current Music: Hand of Sorrow - Within Temptation

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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

"Hah I like it. Cheap booze and a good movie. This is a plan I can get behind." He laughed lightly, smiling down at Wufei until she finally pulled away from him. And he let her, dropping his arms so she could move away. They immediately felt a little colder, but he didn't pay it any mind. Instead he just watched what she did next.

If course he didn't stop her. This was clearly something she needed to do and Duo stayed close by and let her get it out of her system. He watched and followed the trail down... And he saw those two pieces of paper at the bottom. Seeing them made that cold feeling reach into his heart.

Were those actually options she had considered?

He didn't think with his next move. Duo stepped forward, he reached out to lightly touch her arm, letting her know he was there, before he hooked her with the other and pulled her back against his chest. Then he hugged her. "Wu..." He started and had to stop to clear his throat. Did it sound a little rough? Damn. Fix that quick. "You wouldn't have... Would you?"

She glanced up when he touched her arm, blinking as she found himself in his arms. There was no tension, only a little confusion as she leaned into the embrace, gaze drifting over what was left of her decision board as he spoke. It took a few seconds, but when she realized... she let out a soft sigh, leaning against him a little more.

"It's always an option for us," she replied quietly, laying her arms over his to return the hug as much as she could. "I tried to, once. Right after Libra was destroyed I activated the self-detonation sequence, but Master O had removed it during the upgrades. It took me six months to wire it back in." And by then her intense desire for it all to be over had passed. "But over this? No, I wouldn't have. I would sooner tell the elders that I'd been..." she couldn't get the word out, but she was sure he could piece it together.

"It used to, sure..." But now?

His arms tightened at the mention of her having tried to before. When it was explained, Duo went a little pale. His head lowered to press against her shoulder.

He hated those thrice damned self-destruct buttons. And yes, he'd tried it himself when he believed that it was his last option, but had failed in that. And he was glad it had failed. He wouldn't have seen the end of the war, of the peace they had arrived for, if he had died.

"Wu..." He wanted to say something but the words just wouldn't come. He wanted to ask if that even mattered. Was her being a virgin or not really that big of a deal, or would it be how she lost it that would be the big deal? Either way the Elders needed to get the duck out of her head. "... It doesn't matter now. They don't need to know a damn thing. That can leave you the hell alone."

"It's been a very long time since I've wanted to die," she said softly, squeezing his arms gently and closing her eyes. "It's just... it's always been an option. I had to look at all of them, even the ones I knew I wouldn't take. And you're right, the elders don't need to know, and they won't. Many things were taken from me that day, but I get to choose who knows, how widely it's shared." And that, that had been a comfort. To hold it as a secret, to know that it wasn't something people would think about when looking at her.

She could just imagine the things people would think, and that alone had her heart rate spiking. "Duo," she said softly. "Talk to me about that truck. What did you say you'd done to the engine again?" She needed a distraction, badly.

Duo didn't mention the truck though. Again he moved on instinct. Hearing her voice he felt he had no choice. So he turned her within his arms to face him. When he did he held her close again with one arm, the other lifted to gently cup her cheek. And there he kissed her other cheek.

"I want a house." He said then, quietly. "This apartment is fine for now. But I want us to get a house. A real one. With a garden where you can plant flowers. With a garage so I can make a mess with engines and you scold me for tracking on oil. I want a big kitchen. One where we can cook meals together." With each want he punctured it with a soft kiss to her cheek, then to the corner of her lips. "Maybe one day we can even get a dog? Take it out on hikes with us. We'll do that more often. Every other weekend, just take that time for us." Duo pulled away then, eyes shining, a gentle smile on his lips. "Whatcha think?"

She moved with him, closing her eyes as she leaned into the kiss, focusing on his words. On the picture he painted for her, of what their future would look like, and she couldn't help smiling as he kissed her. She imagined it; A house, a picket fence, a garden and a big kitchen and... she opened her eyes, nodding as she met his gaze. "That sounds like heaven," she replied softly. "With a little picket fence, and our very own patio to throw parties on in the summers. Maybe I'll try my hand at growing wisteria, have it crawl over a trellis tunnel in the back, so the whole place just feels like a magical other-world, where we can enjoy the peace we worked so hard for."

It was exactly what she'd needed, and he'd just... known. She slid her hands onto his cheeks, leaned in to kiss him again, chaste and sweet. "Thank you."

"Hey, maybe I'll embrace the stereotype and get a bbq out there on the patio." He chuckled, real happy that she was playing along with his his vision of the future and adding her own parts. "A fence works. I love the idea of makin the garden a magical other world. Somewhere we can relax after work and de-stress." and be knew if anyone could do that it would be Wufei. Though he'd help. He'd make the trellis.

He was kissed then, softly and lightly and he returned it with a happy smile.

"No problem, Wu. I'm here for you." No matter what and for what. Especially to bring her down when she was about to spiral.

"Don't forget that I'm here for you, too," she replied warmly, giving him a gentle squeeze, and letting her head fill with thoughts of bbq parties and lemonade and. Hell, why not throw in a frilly apron for good measure? The whole thing was one big, beautiful cliche. "If we're going all-in on these stereotypes, the only thing I'll be wearing on our anniversary is an apron and some cake batter," she grinned, just to see how much that mental image would trip him up. "If we get a place with enough property, we could even get some horses of our own. Maybe a goat or some chickens. Really make ourselves into something straight out of a movie."

"I know you are." Duo answered warmly and happily, laughing when she added more toward their stereotypical dream.

"Holdin you to that promise." his tone remained warm, it was a year from now, and the change. The chances of her remembering were slim, but in the little bubble of silliness they were enjoying right now, it was nice to think about. "So you're sayin you'd wanna straight up live on a farm?"

She hummed happily in agreement. "It sounds like a nice little dream, doesn't it? I suppose we'll find out if we're suited to it with all the tours and the honeymoon," she replied with a little shrug. "A nice little farm on the edge of the city, far enough where cars backfiring won't be so much of a thing, and close enough that the commute to work isn't too much of a pain. Our own little bubble, far away from all the demands the world puts on us," as veterans, as former Gundam pilots, as a grown-up street rat and a so-called empress. She let out a long, happy sigh. "A place for us to shed all those stupid expectations and just be ourselves. I can't imagine anything better."

"I think we can make it work." Duo assured smoothly. He'd work his damn hardest to do it too. He wanted to make this work with Wufei. He wanted that dream to be a reality one day.

Because it was the dream he'd never dared to allow himself. But now he could think about all of those things he had wanted.

"All of that, Wufei. We'll have all of that and more. A place where we can just be ourselves and happy." Duo, grinning, began walking away from that wall and away from the kitchen. He'd dropped his hands to her hips and, walking backwards drew her with him. "Think you can sleep now? "

She walked with him, her arms curling around his neck as she hummed in agreement. "I think so," she agreed softly. "With dreams of dogs and horses and wisteria. And you, working hard in the garage because the tractor's broken down three times that month, while I make sure you'll have something hearty and tasty for dinner. Maybe I'll even learn to make pizza," she was warm and happy and relaxed. Comfortable in a way she couldn't ever remember being.

It wasn't a long walk to the bedroom, even though they were going relatively slow, her hand pulling away to turn out the lights as they passed. "We'll forge our own happiness out of this peace. Together."

"If it's broken three times already it's time to get a new damn tractor." Duo laughed lightly. "But you'd wanna learn to make pizza? Could you get more amazing?" As he came up to the bedroom he nudged it open with his ass and brought her along with him.

"Yeah, together. One way or another we'll be happy. But right now?" He grinned and finally let go of Wufei, laughing. "You can get into your jammies yourself. I... might've left my stuff in my truck. I'll run down and grab it and be back before you know it." He hadn't been entirely sure what the plan would be on living or sleeping arrangements. Duo had at least kept enough clothes in his truck to last him a week or two.

"And deprive you of all that tinkering? Never," she grinned, and nodded in agreement as they passed into the bedroom.

And then he mentioned leaving his things in the truck, and she couldn't help laughing, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Well, you'd better go get it," she agreed, giving him one more squeeze before letting go. "I'll get changed and settle in for the night. Do you mind if I set some incense to burn?"

"Don't mind at all. There a reason you like that stuff?" Duo had to ask, wondering if there was a particular reason for it. Cultural or just for ease of sleeping. He tended to use music for that, but he had a feeling with someone at his side he won't need the music so much.

He patted down his pockets and pulled out the keys to his truck. "I'll be back before you know it." A grin. "Won't even have time to miss me." And then he headed out and down to the front to fetch at least one of his packs from the truck. He could sort out the rest in the morning. Or just keep them as they were since they'd be heading out to see Quatre. Duo laughed to himself. He was technically already packed and ready to go.

Once he returned the apartment he dropped his pack on the sofa and rifled within it to grab a shirt and shorts and went ahead and changed into them right there in the living room.

She shrugged. "It's typically used for things like prayer and meditation, so I associate it with a sense of calm and safety. I just have to be careful what scents I buy, there are a few that have the opposite effect, smelling a little too much like a fresh battlefield. But the sandalwood has always been a safe one for me," and she hoped it would be for him, too.

She nodded when he pulled out his keys, and went to light a cone of incense before changing into a nightgown; another one of her new purchases that week. She didn't have to worry about what would happen if there was a fire and she had to run out in the middle of the night anymore. It was liberating in a way she hadn't expected, and pondered on it while she brushed her teeth, spitting in the sink when she heard him return from the truck, rinsing her mouth and pulling out the ponytail. She pulled an old jade comb through her hair, watching the stone slip through the strands easily, and set it on the sink when she was done.

"Bathroom's all yours," she called into the hall, and went to slide into the bed, snuggling herself down into her usual spot with a soft sigh.

When he was done and he'd folded his clothes beside his pack, he looked up and smiled hearing Wufei's call. Alright, good thing he'd brought the pack with his toiletries in it.

It didn't take him long to head into and then finish up in the bathroom. The thing that took the longest amount of time was brushing out his hair. When he left had his braid over his shoulder and was just finishing plaiting it when he joined Wufei in the bedroom.

"Ready for me to turn out the light?"

She was already drowsy, smiling when he came into the bedroom and nodded her head. "Alarms are all set, don't worry that they're a little late, we're skipping the security line," she stretched herself out with a contented sigh. "One of the few perks of having a badge. The only downside is that if anyone on the flight makes trouble, I get to deal with it," but that was a small price to pay, and it's not like she'd refrain from stepping in even if no one knew she was law enforcement.

After tying the end of his hair, Duo hit the light switch and moved toward the other side of the bed. There was only the smallest moment of uncertainty before he pulled the blanket back and slipped under and into the bed.

"The hell're you talking about, Wu? Don't say stuff like that. You're just askin for trouble! Just get some sleep, we'll deal with tomorrow when it gets here." And the flight would be fine. Nothing would happen. And if it did, if anyone tried to make trouble, he'd punch them in the damn throat. Simple.

She chuckled warmly. "I don't know, the last time I tried to convince myself it would be smooth sailing and I ended up diffusing a bomb," she yawned. "I'll take a drunken idiot over a terrorist any day. Night," she sounded half asleep already, and really was. Between the sparring and the emotional upheaval of the day, she was exhausted. Add a little incense and a melatonin tablet, and she was dropping off to sleep quickly. Having a warm body next to her, a man that she trusted with her life? That only helped.

There were nightmares, of course, but that was pretty normal these days, and she slept through them for the most part, until the last one hit just twenty minutes before their alarm. It had her waking with a gasp, body tense and sweaty, mind scrambling to figure out where she was, if she was safe.

He really hoped there were no bombs or terrorists on their flight. He just wanted a nice, easy time without incident. But knowing his luck... how could it possibly end up a simple flight?

Duo fell asleep beside Wufei with a smile upon his lips, and remained asleep until Wufei shot up beside him. His mind still hazy with sleep, he still managed to ease himself up beside her and called out to her. "Wu? Wufei, are you..." He rubbed his eyes with one hand and reached out to lightly touch her arm with the other. "You alright?"

She jolted slightly when he spoke, but reached out to meet his hand with her own. "I'm okay," she agreed, glancing over at the clock. "Just a nightmare. Go back to sleep if you can, we still have twenty minutes," she knew she wouldn't be getting back to sleep, herself, but she laid back down anyway, rubbing her free hand over her face and settling on her side to face him.

There was no way he was going back to sleep now. But he laid down when she did and sleepily moved his arm lower so he could pull Wufei in closer, just holding her and slowly rubbing circles upon her back. "You wanna talk about it?" He asked even as his eyes fell closed. Not sleeping, just not fully awake yet. "Or just cuddle and forget it until the alarm goes off and we're forced to get up?"

She hummed softly, shifting in closer when he pulled her, settling her cheek against his chest with a little smile. "It wasn't too bad," she murmured softly. "Just stuck in a cell, back during the war. Trying to find a way out and panicking when I started hearing his footsteps." They'd been distinct. Different shoe leather, a longer stride and more confident gait. A man who knew what he wanted. She swallowed hard. "These days it tends to end when the door opens." Which was a fucking blessing if ever she'd received one.

He shifted more onto his back to let Wufei tuck herself into his side and changed from slow circles to just running up and down her back as she spoke.

"Glad it ends there." Duo replied quietly. "But yeah, as far as nightmares go, not too bad." While they'd both had different life experiences, they each had a whole catalogue of nightmare fuel that could ruin a perfectly good night. Trapped in a cell tended to be at the bottom of the list. Though the impending appearance of a monster did rank it a bit higher. It was just lucky the monster never reached the cell. "... I'm sorry you had to think about that yesterday. You never have to think about him again, Wu."

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