Disguise the Limit - Part 3
Duo's Friendship Arc 10
by Dyna Dee
At precisely two thirty p.m., they left the house via the back door, erasing all evidence of their stay there. Each boy carried a slightly worn backpack filled with their own and the pilfered clothing and necessities, things taken from the back of the closets so that they wouldn't be discovered missing immediately, plus some jackets and sweaters they deemed necessary. Making sure no one was watching in the neighborhood, Wufei motioned Duo to come out from behind a bush and stand by his side in the driveway.
"It's clear." he whispered.
Duo self-consciously stepped to his side, his cheeks flaming with embarrassment at his state of dress. Together they stepped onto the sidewalk and began to walk casually down the street.
"Remember, keep your toes forward and take smaller steps. Do not swing your arms like that, smaller movements." Wufei instructed Duo as his eyes studied him appreciatively. Though Duo was a very handsome, masculine guy, in drag and makeup with his hair down, he was a stunning girl.
"Stop that!" Duo elbowed him.
"What?"
"Ogling."
"Well, you are my girlfriend." he smiled while uncharacteristically teasing.
Duo rolled his eyes upward, silently asking for help to not kill the only friend he had at the moment.
Wufei looked at the complete picture Duo posed once again. They had pulled part of his hair up into a high ponytail, leaving most of it free, with the exception of ten thin braids from the gathered mass, which they looped them up into the band and tied it with a blue floral ribbon. The finished look was very feminine.
"Wufei!" Duo growled in warning.
"Gomen." Wufei looked forward. "I'm just amazed at the transformation. They will never guess you are a boy in disguise.
"Just don't you forget it." Duo warned with a frown, clearly unhappy.
They caught the bus into the city and found that Oz troops seemed to be everywhere, searching and stopping people randomly. It wasn't long before two soldiers stopped them.
"Where are you going?" one of the uniformed men asked them, his voice harsh.
"To the movies." Wufei answered as he felt Duo tuck his hand into the crook of his arm and pulled himself closer.
"This your girlfriend?" the soldier asked and looking like a hungry wolf at a slab of meat as he gazed at the demure looking girl.
"Yes."
The soldier nearest Duo put a rough finger under his chin to lift it so he could look into his eyes. A small intake of air was his response to the large amethyst eyes that looked innocently up at him. "Beautiful." he whispered and looked to his partner who nodded in agreement. He ran his thumb over the soft lower lip, and Duo pressed his lips together and sharply turned his head away to bury his face into Wufei's shoulder.
"Leave her alone." Wufei said angrily.
The soldier smiled. "She's too young for us anyway." he chuckled and waved them off. "Enjoy the movie." he said dismissing them as they moved aside and walked on.
"This just gets better and better." Duo growled under his breath.
"You did fine and we passed the first inspection. Just remember not to talk, and if forced to, whisper."
"Yeah, yeah." was the caustic reply.
"Toes straight." Wufei reminded him and Duo corrected himself as they walked on.
They were stopped twice more and questioned before they'd had enough and ducked into a busy Pizzeria for a bit of a respite. "Lets get something to eat and then look for shelter." Wufei suggested.
"Good, I'm starving and these shoes are pinching my feet." Duo complained in a small, strained voice.
They ate slowly, enjoying the privacy of a corner booth. Between the both of them, they each ate salad, polished off an extra large combination pizza, and a pitcher of root beer. The girl who had served them put down the check and looked at the two in amazed wonder at the amount of food consumed. With a slight smile exchange, she turned and left them.
"You have sauce on your face." Wufei motioned to the others left cheek. Duo went to wipe it off with his hand. "Wait!" Wufie hissed and handed the other a napkin. "Pat it." he instructed. Duo did as he was told.
"Gone?" he asked smiling.
Wufei nodded looking critically at his face.. "Yes, but you need to reapply your lipstick."
Duo unzipped the small pocket in the front of the backpack and pulled out a small tube and opened it.
"Not here." Wufei hissed in exasperation "in the ladies room."
"No way." Violet eyes widened.
"You can't go into the men's dressed like that. He was trying to be patient, but by Nataku, didn't Maxwell know anything? "A lady doesn't put make up on in public."
"How do you know?" Duo angrily challenged.
"I just do, besides, that root beer has got to be getting to you by now."
Duo lifted his head. "What am I suppose to do? Someone is bound to see I am..... you know..." he gestured to his lower half.
"Restrooms for ladies have stalls with doors that lock. Just sit down and keep covered as much as possible.
Covering his face with his hand, Duo moaned. "This is so humiliating."
"Here," Wufei fished out several coins out of his pocket. "Play some arcade games until it looks empty, then go in."
Grabbing up the coins along with the tube of lipstick, Duo stood up. "Alright." he snapped unhappily and stomped off in the direction of the restrooms. Wufei didn't dare remind him to keep his toes straight.
Taking the required money from out of his wallet to pay the bill, the Shenlong pilot took several glances in the direction of the arcade/restrooms to check on his companion. Duo was aggressively attacking the buttons on the machine. Wufei never noticed just how much his friend moved while playing arcade games. Indeed, with each push of a button his shoulders and hips moved in that direction. Normally it wouldn't have drawn his attention, but in a dress with his hair falling over the white lace sweater, his movements took on a whole different look. He was disconcerted to notice that a table of older guys close by were also watching with appreciation and were obviously commenting, though Duo played on, completely unaware. "He is going to get us into trouble without even trying." he mumbled under his breath. Putting the payment for their dinner down on the table, Wufei grabbed their backpacks and turned to join his friend.
To his surprise, Duo was gone. He looked around seeing everyone and everything was in its place and realized he must have finally gotten the nerve, or was desperate enough, to go into the restroom. He needed to use the men's room also, so he waited by the arcade for the other to return.
A few moments later, Duo came out following a young girl, his lips the same shade of pink as his blushing cheeks. "That was interesting." he whispered aside to the Chinese boy.
"Watch these." Wufei indicated the backpacks on the floor. "I'll be right back, then we'll leave."
With a couple of coins still in his hand, Duo put them in the slot of the game he had just played moments before. With a flick of his hand he pushed his hair back over his shoulder and once again began to play in earnest.
Suddenly, two large hands slapped down on both sides of the game and he felt a large body press up against his back.
"Need a few tips?" a male voice murmured above his head in what he concluded the un-welcomed guy thought to be a seductive voice.
He shook his head in response and tried to push the obviously larger person from off his back with his shoulder. He was grabbed around the waist and pulled closer to the large body behind him.
"Come on, play nice." There now seemed to be a teasing tone to the man's voice.
Duo instinctively folded his arms around his chest. If this guy tried to feel him up, he would discover the socks and his disguise would be blown. In such a defensive position, there was no way he couldn't defend himself.
"Let me go." He whispered as Wufei had instructed. Unfortunately, his tenor voice came out sounding sultry. He felt the guys large hand slide downward along his waist to his posterior and grabbed onto his rounded cheek. Lifting his slightly heeled foot, he shoved it forcefully down onto the top his assailant's foot.
"Wanna play rough, huh?" the voice sneered. He grabbed Duo's hands, and forced them up and clasped them in one beefy hand over his head and flipped him around to face his attacker. His back was now firmly bent back and pressed against the arcade machine, the game continuing to play without him.
'Man this guy is big.' Duo thought as he stared up, dumbfounded, into the large blonde man's face. The thought rushed through his mind that the lug looked big enough to be a construction worker or a college jock.
"You're just too tempting to pass by." the blond giant sneered and lowered his head to kiss the girl he'd pinned firmly between himself and the pinball machine.
Duo winced, the guys breath smelled of garlic and beer. It was rank. His eyes widened in horror as he watched the leering face lower, and realized what was about to happen.
"Let her go." Wufei's voice sounded deadly from the side and Duo felt his knees go weak with relief.
The beefy blond turned his head to look at the smaller Chinese boy. "Are you her little boyfriend?" he chuckled as he scrutinized the smaller, nerdie looking boy in glasses.
"I prefer brain to dumb brawn." Duo said softly, remembering Wufei's earlier comment in front of the mirror.
"Maybe you just don't know the difference." The oaf sneered.
"Let her go, Bill." a voice of reason sounded behind them from one of the other men who was with the bully. "She's really young." He added, trying to calm down the situation.
"No way. I found her, she's mine." his voice slurred a bit.
"Like hell I am." Duo's voice lowered menacingly. He struggled to push away from the arcade game, trying to find some leverage, but found he was just held too tightly.
"Wu-chan?" he called out, nettled that Wufei not responding more quickly.
He couldn't see the other pilot, but he heard and saw the effects of his training come to his aid as he felled the man like a big-ass tree.
Wufei stood in front of Duo, facing the unconscious man's friends as they stood by the table with an assortment of expressions on their faces: anger, shock, surprise, and guilt as they looked at the person sprawled in front of the two teens. One of the men, a dark haired guy who was as big as the assailant and wearing a look of guilt, spoke first. "Go, we'll keep him here as long as we can."
Wufei picked up their packs, handing Duo his, all the while watching the group before him.
"I'm sorry." The dark hair man said again. "He just had too much to drink."
Wufei nodded and taking Duo by the arm, leading him quickly out the door without turning his back on a possible retaliation.
They had put a few blocks between themselves and the Pizzeria when Wufei checked his watch, it was only seven p.m. It was more than apparent to him that Duo's nerves were on edge and wearing thin, he couldn't take much more.
Duo frowned deeply. He had been stopped and accosted by Oz soldiers and any number of young men walking on the city streets. The presence of Wufei and his angry scowl seemed to deter them from taking advantage, but the touches and innuendos were making him ill. "Where are we headed?" he asked his companion, his irritation clearly audible in his voice. He continued to hold onto Wufei's arm tightly for protection from any more unwelcome overtures.
Wufei looked around them. "I was looking for a hotel, centrally located and with several exits for alternative escape routes." he answered. "I think this one will do just fine."
The blinking white and red sign advertising the Country Rose Motel, was near the heart of the city, surrounded by two large buildings and a parking garage behind it. It definitely was not in the four or five star category for hotels, but it looked like an establishment that might not be too suspicious or ask too many questions of a 16 year old guest.
Across the street was an ice cream shop. With Duo on his arm, he led him to the bright and busy business. As they approached, his companion's face broke out into a smile that threatened to split his face when he was told to order whatever ice-cream concoction he desired. They located a newly washed table in the back corner of the shop, and Wufei led Duo there and they both sat, the one in the skirt facing away from the front window. Their adventure in disguises had shown that Duo attracted men both young and old, like bees to honey.
"Stay here, Duo. I think it best if I get the room without you, less questions to answer. I'll return as soon as possible." he assured him
Duo looked up giving his best "You better not leave me here like this." look.
"I Promise." Wufei answered the look with a slight smile, and was pleased to see his friend return it and dig happily into his ice cream.
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