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

AN: Written for the July 3rd Cocktail Party prompt found here: gwcocktailfriday . tumblr .com(/)post/622085008673456128/red-white-and-boozy-margaritas-ingredients-for. (Without the spaces and parentheses.)

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Patterns by luvsanime02

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The drinks are patterned in red, white, and blue, of course.

Wufei's not surprised, but he also rolls his eyes very pointedly when he sees them. Duo smirks at Sally's put-upon expression.

"I know," she says. "Believe me, I think they're tacky as hell, too, but Noin picked out the catering company."

Duo nods like it's completely understandable that Sally didn't argue with Noin over the catering. Wufei disagrees. The food doesn't look too bad, from what he can see of the buffet being lined up on two long tables, but the drinks?

Wufei picks up one of the margarita glasses and swishes it carefully. Nothing moves inside. "Is there anything even in this but shaved ice and food coloring?" he asks. Honestly, no one is going to want watered down colored ice when the guests start arriving.

Sally shrugs. "They're supposed to have tequila in them," she confides. "Not sure if they really do, though."

That's apparently Duo's cue to take the glass from Wufei. There's no way to drink the contents, because it seriously is just colored shaved ice at this point, but he sticks his tongue into the glass and scoops some ice with his mouth in less time than it takes to blink.

Wufei's startled into a laugh, and Sally lets out a quiet sigh. She's finally smiling, though, so Duo did something right. He always does, somehow, know exactly what to do to get the exact reaction that he's looking for out of people. It's a remarkable talent.

Duo makes a face after he swallows, apparently either too impatient to let the ice all melt first or fond of sharp shards of pain going down his throat. "Okay," he says, "these are either alcohol-free or a really good way to get drunk fast, because I still don't taste anything."

Wufei starts searching the room then, and manages to find Heero after a couple of seconds. He's somehow talking to Noin in the center of a group of people while still being almost completely invisible. Wufei catches his eyes, and he tilts his head towards Duo, trying to warn Heero of the impending danger. Heero's gaze follows his, and Wufei watches as Heero gets a look on his face of a man about to wrestle a fresh kill from a hungry tiger.

Most of the time, Wufei would bet on the tiger. With Heero, though…

Wufei watches as Heero excuses himself from the conversation with Noin and stalks across the room, deliberate intent in every move, until he's standing right next to Duo and snatches the second drink glass out of his hand.

"Hey!" Duo says, even though Wufei is positive that Duo knew Heero was walking over to them. Heero doesn't even say anything, just passes the glass to Sally, who takes it, now looking thoroughly amused, and uses a plastic spoon she found from who knows where to start scooping up some ice for herself.

"Behave," Heero says. It's not an order, or an admonishment. Wufei's not sure how to describe Heero's tone, except that there's a clear expectation that Duo will follow through without actually ordering him to do it.

Which is probably a wise decision, Wufei reflects. He's pretty sure that Duo wouldn't take an order from anyone kindly. To put it lightly.

As it is, Duo only grumbles and starts walking over towards the food, a hand around Heero's elbow to pull him along. Heero could stand in place easily, with his strength, but he goes along anyway. Anything that gets more food into Duo's stomach than alcohol is probably a good choice, they all know.

"Well, I hope Noin saw that," Sally says, smiling. "So she knows who to thank for saving her party."

Wufei snorts. "I have no doubt that someone will make a fuss eventually," he says, because someone always does at a party, without fail. "I just thought that it happening before the guests even arrived was a little too early for Noin to lose her temper."

Sally agrees, and finishes her slushie. Wufei isn't even tempted to try one, and instead wanders over to the food. There are some good choices out now, and Wufei makes a plate. The fact that most of the foods he takes are ones that he knows Duo likes is completely beside the point. And when he sits down next to Duo, he pretends to be aggravated when his friend starts stealing some of his food.

That taken care of, Wufei relaxes and starts to enjoy the party.