New Haven

Chapter Forty-Nine: Do I hear…
Duo grinned as Sakura snuggled closer in his lap and yawned. It had been a busy day for his little munchkin. She had tried all the games and had an all time blast. Katey, Damian, Angel, and Alex had joined for a few as well. They had all won some sort of prize. You could tell who had provided the prizes for the game by the quality of them.
He looked up as Heero, Trowa, and Quatre were dragged away. “I guess that the auction is starting.” He murmured to Wufei who was leaning back in his chair with Katey snuggled into one side and Duo himself snuggled into the other.
Wufei gave a little smile and watched as Une made her way to the improvised stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” She began, “We are gathered here today for the company picnic as well as raise money for the New Haven project. With this in mind we decided on having a Bachelor/Bachlorette auction. The people on auction will go out on a date with the person who makes the highest bid for the person in question. We had an amazing amount of volunteers and involuntary volunteers as well. We would have had the man who started the New Haven project himself but he managed to get engaged and made himself ineligible for the auction.”
Boos erupted from the crowd.
She glared at the crowd til it quieted. “So let the auction begin!” She called stepping away from the mike.
One of the quick talkers of the Preventers took her place. He was the most adept negotiators in Preventers. “Ladies and gentlemen we are going to start with the gorgeous Agent Zaney. She will be taking the person who bids for her on a picnic and hike for a day in the Cat Skills Mountains. She promises that she will not be the one to make the food otherwise she would be afraid of food poisoning.
“Let us start the biding at fifty credits. Do I hear fifty credits.” The agent in question strutted out onto the stage and modeled and posed for the crowd.
Duo and Wufei watched as bids were made for person after person. They were surprised that almost everyone went for five hundred credits or more. It was a surprising amount of credits considering the amount of people on auction. It seemed that there was at least a hundred people on auction.
Duo laughed and cheered people on as Sakura slept blissfully through the noise of the crowd.
“Well ladies and gentlemen this has been the moment you have been waiting for. Our three most eligible bachelors. We will start with Agent Patriot himself. Agent Patriot promises a day of surprises and wonders with a romantic dinner made by the number one chef in the world. To end the wonderful day.”
“Hey!” Duo shouted in dismay. “I never said I would cook a meal for anyone!” Laughter rang out at what they thought was a joke.
The auctioneer leaned back to hear what someone was whispering. He nodded at what was said. “Agent Life it was thought that since the money was going to a good cause that you would gladly make one small meal.” Stunned silence fell over the crowd. “After all you did provide an amazing amount of food for our wonderful picnic. What is the problem with that?”
“The problem is that I wasn’t asked.” Duo grouched his voice heard easily in the silence. “It would be nice to be asked before someone takes advantage of my wonderful abilities.” More laughter sang out thinking it was an act.
“Now Duo,” Sally called from the opposite end of the table. “Don’t get all pissy about a little thing like this. Everyone at this table knows what a wonderful cook you are. Hell you were awarded the gundanium collection when you graduated from Julliard. There is maybe one in…what…” She paused to think of something. “Every ten to twenty years who get an award like that. And not necessarily in the chef classes either.”
Duo grouched and muttered as he slouched down in his chair. “Alright, alright. I get the point. I’ll make the meal.”
The laughter from before had slowly ebbed as murmurs of amazement filled the crowd. Agent Life was well known as the best reserve agent there was. That he was an amazing cook as well made people think of him with even higher regard in a lot of people’s books.
The auctioneer had thought it a joke as well and stared down in consternation at where Duo sat with his tight knit little family.
A hissed whisper caught his attention and startled him into continuing. He cleared his throat and began again. “Ladies and gentlemen since this is one of the higher ups the biding starts at two hundred credits. Do I hear two hundred credits?
“Two hundred credits to the gentleman in the very back,
“Do I hear two fifty? Two fifty?
“Two hundred and fifty to the lady in red. Do I hear three hundred?”
“One Thousand Credits!” Angel called out purposely.
“We have a bid of one thousand credits from the little brunette in front. Do I hear one thousand one hundred?
“We have one thousand one hundred to the gentleman in the ball cap.
“We have one thousand five hundred to the leggy blond in front.”
Duo choked when Zechs called out a bid and glared at the man in question. He winked at Duo and waited for the next bid.
Suki was coaching Angel and glared at the man.
“Five Thousand Credits!” Angel called out with a glare to the man who made her do so.
“We have a bid of Five Thousand credits. Do I hear five thousand five hundred.”
“Eight Thousand Credits.” A voice called from the back were a girl waved her hand to be acknowledged.
Angel had enough of the out biding. She was going to save her brother’s lover and that was that. “Fifty Thousand Credits!” She roared.
On stage Quatre choked as he stared down at the quiet young lady that he had adopted. He leant over and tried to catch his breath.
The auctioneer stared down at the brunette in confusion. He didn’t know what to do. “Ahh, we have a bid of fifty thousand credits, is there a higher bid?” A pause.
“Going once.”…another pause…“Going twice.”…A final pause…“Sold to the little brunette in the front!” The auctioneer shouted to the cheering crowd.
Duo slid lower in the chair waking Sakura with his laughter.
“Wha’s so funny?” She asked with a yawn.
Wufei rolled his eyes and scooped up his daughter. “Angel just won Uncle Quatre.” A small smile quirked his lips. “For fifty thousand credits.”
“Ohh, okay then.” Sakura murmured before falling back into a deep slumber.
Duo roared with laughter at the words that came from Sakura.
“Next on the agenda ladies and gentlemen we have Agent Silence. He plans on giving the ladies an enjoyable time behind the scenes at Cirque du Colonais. As well as box tickets to the show itself. Again we will start the bid at one hundred and fifty credits.”
“Fifty Thousand Credits.” A woman’s voice called out as Trowa made his way out onto the stage. Then she added, “Did I miss anything interesting?”
Trowa blinked in astonishment at the bid.
Duo slid out of his chair. He rolled under the table with his silent laughs.
The woman had to be Trowa’s sister Catherine. She was wearing a circus costume and looked devastatingly gorgeous to all the men.
A foot nudged Duo under the table. He ignored it as he rolled in the grass with uncontrollable laughter. Between Angel and Catherine the night had been interesting so far. Duo was having a grand old time and loving every minute of the family gathering that it allowed.
“So the guy rolling around under the table is your fiancé, Wufei?” The voice that had called the bid asked.
“Yes, unbelievable as it is.” Wufei’s voice answered.
Duo looked up through tears of laughter and grinned up at the woman peering under the table at him. He held his aching ribs as he gasped for breath.
“I guess I can understand. He has a great smile.” Duo looked up at the auburn haired woman staring at him. “He looks to be a fun loving guy.”
Duo stared up at the woman his laughter slowly dieing. “So you’re the sister Trowa occasionally talks about.”
The face disappeared from Duo’s view. “You only talk about me occasionally!?!” Her voice demanded with outrage.
“I talk about other things as well Cathy. I can’t just talk about you.” Trowa’s voice answered calmly. “By the way the auctioneer had just started the biding.”
“Well ladies and gentlemen we seem to be having an interesting evening. I would like to introduce the last Agent up for bid. He is certainly not the last in our working order. He is the best and our fair lady’s wonderful second hand man. He will take some wonderful woman or man out for tour of the New Haven project then a wonderful dinner by an amazing chef…”
“Hey! Would some one please ask me before they say that I will be cooking dinner?” Duo shouted as he crawled out from under the table he was under.
Laughter greeted he shout. Heero strode out on the stage to stand with his arms crossed over his chest to glare at the crowd.
The auctioneer rolled his eyes and continued his spiel, “…And a night at the theater.
“We will be starting the biding at two hundred credits. Do I hear two hundred credits?”
Voices rang out calling bids.
“Gentlemen, Ladies, please.” The auctioneer shouted out over the noise.
“Eight Thousand Credits!” A woman in the back called out waving her cheque book.
“We have eight thousand credits, do I hear…”
“Twenty-five thousand credits.” Duo called out with a grin.
“Duo!” Wufei hissed as he shifted in his chair. “What are you doing?”
“I want to make sure Suki has a run for her money.” He whispered back. He looked over to see Suki raise her eyebrow at him. “Sounds like a great date to me.” He called to the older woman.
“One Hundred Thousand Credits.” Dr. Sally Po called out with a triumphant grin.
Duo choked and stared at the good doctor. “Whoa. I guess I don’t have to worry about the biding thing.” He whispered to Wufei with a nudge. He saw his lover staring at the woman in question with a frown.
“What is that onna up to this time?” He muttered under his breath, but loud enough for the famous chef sitting beside him to hear.
“I don’t know but Suki does not look pleased.” Duo whispered back watching the two asian women face off at the other end of the table. “I think it is time to leave. Don’t you?”
Wufei narrowed his and nodded. He nudged the girl curled into his side and whispered into her ear as he lifted Sakura securely against his chest.
Duo caught Damian’s eyes and nodded toward the parking area. Damian nodded and stood abruptly to follow the two men out of the park. “What about the bowls and jars and stuff like that?” He asked Duo quietly.
“It’s all disposable.” Duo told him over his shoulder as he kept a firm eye on the cute butt that he was following.
Damian followed his gaze and rolled his eyes. “Is that all you think about anymore?” He hissed in his brother’s ear.
“Nope I think of other things too.” Duo told him as they left behind the rest of their unusual family to fend for themselves.