Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, and am making no money off of this fic.

AN: Written for the October 26th Cocktail Party prompt found here: gwcocktailfriday . tumblr .com(/)post/179243955364/cocktail-friday-post-responses-on-friday-october. (Without the spaces and parentheses.)

Also, the first person who guesses correctly what the pun is in having this fic told from Une's POV will get a fic (2k-5k words long) of their choice!

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A Flavor That Lingers by luvsanime02

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Une has to stop herself from laughing several times during the party.

Everyone's looking at the drinks table, eyeing the black-filled glasses, and then looking over at her, as though trying to judge whether or not she'd really poison her guests. Maybe Une should feel offended that none of them seem sure enough that she wouldn't to risk taking a drink poured from a bottle labeled as poison, but Une is far too amused to be upset.

She sips from her own martini glass casually, the black liquid slowly being tilted towards her lips as she drinks, and Une watches everyone's reactions from under her lowered eyelashes. Everyone's staring, and trying not to stare, and this is the most entertainment that she's had in years.

Une wonders who will be the first to try one. Maybe Sally. She's been slowly inching her way closer to the drinks table for several minutes now. She's surprisingly reckless sometimes for someone who's so level-headed.

Then again, maybe the first person to try one is going to be Wufei. He looks wary, but also irritated that he's so nervous. Like he knows intellectually that there's nothing to fear, but he just can't quite help being careful, anyway.

Maybe Duo. He's even more cautious around her than Wufei is, but he also has a fascination with death, and Une can see him watching her intently as she takes another drink from her glass. He's waiting for the trick, though, certain that there must be something more to the drinks, and that's enough to hold him back for now.

Really, Une isn't too sure that she wants anyone to try one of the drinks at all. She's enjoying the mystery, and she's still absolutely delighted by everyone's uncertainty. It probably doesn't help matters that Une would absolutely poison a crowd of people's drinks if she decided that was the best course of action. Really, she's flattered that everyone here knows her so well.

Eventually, though, someone does step forward, and Une isn't really surprised at all to meet Heero's challenging stare as he picks up one of the glasses and takes a drink. He immediately pulls the most hilarious face right after, scrunched-up and disgusted, and all but sticking out his tongue. Une sees Duo jerk forward an inch out of the corner of her eye, like he's ready to sprint to Heero's aid at any second.

"A little warning would have been nice," Heero says, once he gets his expression back under control.

Une smiles behind her raised glass, even though she knows Heero can tell that she's amused anyway. "Not a fan of anise flavor?" she asks.

"Not really," Heero answers, his voice dry. "That wasn't worth all of the commotion." He's looking down at his drink like he's contemplating where he can dump the rest of it, like a child being told to eat all of his broccoli, and Une can't help it. She finally starts laughing.

Heero actually pouts at her, just a little, and Une laughs harder. If everyone wasn't looking this way before, they definitely are now.

"You can just leave it on the table," she says once she gets her breathing back under control, gesturing at all of the other drinks. Heero shrugs, and follows her suggestion. "Thank you, Heero."

Heero raises an eyebrow at her. "For what?" he asks.

Une smiles. "For trusting me," she says simply.

"Maybe I shouldn't have," Heero mutters quietly, and Une snickers again. "You're welcome," he says, more seriously this time.

Une salutes Heero with her glass and takes another drink, and almost chokes laughing when Heero actually does stick his tongue out in disgust at her. She'll have to make it up to him later. In the meantime, some of the others are finally cautiously walking over, and Une watches their reactions with keen interest, hiding another smirk.

She can't wait to see who gets the drink with the fake spider in it.