Duo did not look happy when he returned from the grocery run. He dumped the plastic bags on the table, and with as much haste as fury, he started packing the goods away. One of the tin cans got a dent as it missed the shelf - or rather, hit it dead on instead of sliding in on top of it. Duo muttered a curse, and shoved the dented can into place at his second attempt.

Heero was the first to react to the racket. He, Trowa and Hilde had started preparing dinner as Duo had been sent shopping - but Duo's temper upon his return had halted all activity along the counter. All three merely observed him at first. Then, Heero walked over to Duo and caught his wrist. "Duo - stop. What's wrong?"

Duo wrestled free, glared at Heero for a while, then mellowed. He sighed. "Look, I'm in a bad mood, okay? I caught a piece of bad news down at the minimart. Environmental Control just posted a news bulletin - they'll be doing maintenance on the solar mirrors and main lights tomorrow."

Hilde and Heero groaned in unison. Trowa felt decidedly left out. "What does that mean?"

"Heat wave," the other three replied as one disgruntled voice.

Trowa shrugged. "Is that so bad?"

Duo growled. "Hell yeah, it's bad! Whenever Environmental Control starts tampering with their systems, it's us residents who end up suffering."

Heero gave a thin, narrow smile. "When they mess things up is pretty much the only time we have real 'weather'. Perhaps we've grown a bit soft by the regulated climate of the colonies."

Snort. "It varies."

"But not by much, Duo."

Refuted, but refusing to be beaten, Duo continued putting away groceries. "Why the heck they call themselves 'control' is beyond me," he muttered. "Environmental 'Chaos' is more like it..."

"Just how much of a rise in temperature are we talking about here?" Trowa asked, suddenly worried.

Hilde chuckled, patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, Duo's making it sound worse than it really is. It'll probably be a little warmer than usual - not quite 'sunny desert', but more like 'summer day on the beach' - without nearby water and a cool breeze."

"It'll be hell!" Duo argued. "And we're supposed to work out in the yard like that? Hilde, can't we take tomorrow off, and-"

She shook her head. "We're barely keeping our schedule as it is, Duo. We have to work - or at least try."

Heero resumed his work on the chopping block. "Dress light, and don't overdo it. That's all there is to it. Now, let's finish this and eat."

Trowa didn't quite believe them; he almost suspected that this was another practical joke. Of course, he had little reason to believe them. Of the five pilots, he was the one who'd spent the least time in space. His stays on various colonies in the L3 cluster spanned a half dozen years - the others had all spent a lifetime living high in the sky. Also, there had never been any trouble with L3's environmental control systems, not while Trowa was around, anyway. The weather had been noticeable only by its absence. All the colonies he'd been at kept such systems up without any obvious glitches.

In the morning he realized that things were done a little differently on L2. His worn jeans were clammy and his T-shirt short of sleeves had gathered up big sweat spots after just the first hour. Granted, his job of sorting scrap was part of the cause - but it hadn't exhausted him this badly before. His friends were right; it was quite a bit warmer in the air. The very calm air. Perfectly calm. That was probably more annoying than anything else.

The other three had taken their own advice, though. Heero kept his tank top, but had stepped down from jeans to his traditional spandex shorts, both items clinging to him like a second skin by now. It was an eerie blast from the past - but it was also a comfortably familiar image. Like Trowa, he also kept the fingerless leather gloves on, to avoid cuts. Some of the chunks of metal had serrated edges, particularly the bulk scrap.

Duo had reduced his attire to just a pair of cut-offs and the same sort of sandals they were all wearing. Unlike the other two, he'd taken it upon himself to dismantle the old power core of a Leo suit, and laid stretched out on an old skateboard fitted with two pieces of plank and the busted seat of an exercise machine on top under the car ramp the big chunk of mobile suit rested on, picking off small, valuable pieces one at a time.

Trowa and Heero mainly noted that Duo had found task that also provided shade. While a tad jealous, they still had to admire Duo's ingenuity.

Hilde's desk job seemed a sudden blessing. With her air-conditioned office, she had the least problems attending to her work in the extra heat. Even so, she'd chosen to wear shorts and a bikini top, given that she often came out in the yard to lend them a hand - primarily with light, quick work, before she returned to the cool office. She was even gracious enough to bring them water bottles regularly - and that was greatly appreciated. The lemonade she brought out for herself earned her some envious glances - but as Heero commented before any of them - meaning Duo - could start an argument; "Water is better for us anyway - that's what we need to replenish, not sugar levels."

Duo looked ready to argue, but Heero tugged on his braid once to prevent that from happening. The two were exchanging light bickers as they vanished behind one of the junk piles.

Trowa smirked. "Nice cover-up..."

Hilde grinned. "Oh, come on. It's not like they'll use any excuse to sneak off and smooch, or whatever."

Trowa cocked his head.

She laughed. "Okay, fine - so they would use any excuse. Doesn't mean-"

Single wiggle of brows. "Should we go check?"

She rolled her eyes, shoved his shoulder. "No thanks, I've seen that often enough." She paused, watched him take a gulp from his bottle. "How are you holding up, Trowa? Hot enough for you yet?"

He shrugged. "I can manage."

She gave a quick look down. "Bet you're really regretting those jeans right about now..."

Another shrug. "I'm fine."

"It'll get worse..."

Flagged brow. Another gulp.

"Look, just take it easy, okay? Help Duo dismantle that engine. We can deal with the sorting of the large pieces of scrap until tomorrow, or the day after."

Trowa thought it over. "Fine, if he'll let me help. Should I tell Heero to-"

She shook her head. "No point in even bothering. He set himself a goal this morning, I'm sure of it. Remember how he obsessed with missions during the war?"

Nod.

"Well, he's funneled that into something productive now - every day he makes his own little agenda - a list of things he wants to finish. Something like, 'sort scrap pile numbers three and four at the back of the yard, near the gate', or 'dismantle the wrecked Taurus suit out front', or 'separate junk from non-junk in pile sixteen'. That sort of thing. Diverging from that is pretty much a personal failure to him. Duo might have success in making him change his schedule, but I don't think the two of us stand a chance." Grin. "I suppose we can't give him the right incentive..."

Trowa gave a light grunt. "Fine, I won't ask. He's working on pile nine right now - lots of big metal chunks there. He's sorting it out in titanium, steel, aluminium and other alloys." His brows furrowed. "Sure he set that goal this morning? That job requires a lot of heavy lifting, and in this heat-"

"Pretty sure," Hilde answered. "Why, I don't know." Shrug. "His business. Just remember, he's dedicated to the war, not the battle. In that respect, today is the latter." She took Trowa's empty bottle, shook it to ensure it was empty. "I'll be back with another later - go ask Duo, Trowa. Don't forget. Wouldn't want you to collapse from exhaustion."

Curt nod. "I won't."

As expected, he'd interrupted another small moment between his friends. Luckily, it had limited itself to a fairly mild make-out session, and they hadn't been too pissed at the intrusion. Duo was quick to brighten up when Trowa offered to help him work on the Leo power core.

Heero rolled his eyes at Duo's eagerness, and trotted off back to pile nine, soon out of sight.

The day went slowly. Lunch was done in a flurry - and thankfully, in Hilde's office. The cool air there was pure delight compared to the heat outside. Of course, sitting still as opposed to working also contributed. It was with some reluctance the three young men went back to work, ushered back out by their female boss, or dominant co-boss, as the case varied.

Hilde had just provided another round of water and vanished amidst the piles in search of Heero when Duo let out a slight yelp from under the Leo. Trowa abandoned his attempt at loosening a fractured section of charred chassis, relaxing his grip on the monkey wrench. "What is it, Duo?"

Duo rolled out from under the dismantled suit, a small, unidentified mechanism in his hand. He was grinning ear to ear. "Just look at this thing, Trowa - ain't it a beauty?"

Trowa looked at it, took it when Duo offered, studied it intently as Duo got to his feet. "Looks like a power distributor - not a standard mobile suit design, though."

Duo nodded eagerly. "Exactly. This thing was custom - and really well made. Just look at the intake, and the filter! That thing could probably let the engine take in a bunch of gravel with the fuel and keep on going like nothing happened!"

Trowa agreed with that assessment. "It's a nice piece of machining."

"Yeah... I kinda suspected someone had tinkered with this suit, as soon as I started working on the power core. This, though..." He took the piece of hardware out of Trowa's hands. "This is the crown jewel." Duo suddenly took an intense interest in his surroundings, looking first over his shoulder, then scanning the horizon, eyes narrowed. He put his hand on Trowa's shoulder. "Look, pal... I don't think I can wait - this thing has to go into Lazarus right away. Could you..." He bit his lip. "Could you please not tell Hil' or Heero? They get kinda angry when I go work on the car instead of... well, work, and-" He was pretty sure Trowa was about to object. The slight frown indicated as much. Duo dared a weak pout. "Oh, come on, Trowa... It's not like I'm asking all that much - and I'll make up for it afterwards, honest. I'll work twice as hard on the power core, and-"

Trowa looked to the skies, gave Duo a faint smile. "Fine, I won't tell them."

Grand grin. "Great!" Immediately, Duo grabbed a hold of Trowa's wrist and dragged him along to the corner of the yard where rusty, old Lazarus was parked, currently hidden under a great piece of matted green canvas. Only then did Duo let go; he needed the hand to flip the cover aside, revealing the hood and windscreen. The side windows were already rolled down, so he only had to reach inside to pop the hood, getting more eager by the second.

"Uh, Duo?"

Duo reluctantly put the distributor down to secure the hood. "Yeah?"

"Why do you use a car cover? We're on a colony."

Chuckle. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean Environmental Chaos can't mess things up worse than they're doing right now. Besides, it's the only piece of junk here I'd be really sorry if got stolen - so, I cover it up, in case anyone takes a peek over the fence to scout the place."

Soft snort. "L2... a wretched hive of scum and villainy."

Duo paused, then broke out in a big grin. "Hey, didn't know you were into classic movies, Tro'."

Shrug. "Only a little - and there's probably a lot you don't know about me, Duo."

"Yeah, probably..." Direct smile, low mumble. "But I'm learning..." The moment gone, Duo studied the power distributor, then the engine, then tried to think of the best way to combine the two. He grabbed a wrench and leant in over the engine, working on some obscure piece at the back of the engine block. Whatever he was working on, it didn't seem to cooperate, given Duo's intermittent, muttered curses.

Trowa didn't really notice those; he was content watching. Very content. Increasingly so each time Duo leant over further, bending in over the engine, causing the fabric of his cut-off jeans to be taut just a little more, hugging Duo's rear. In pure plumber style, the jeans even slid down some in the process, revealing the top of Duo's-

Duo stood up again. "Damn it! I thought I could work it in right before the fuel intake, but it looks like I'll have to backtrack a bit. Damn thing is too big to fiddle in there, and-" Duo paused, looking vaguely concerned. "Trowa? You okay?"

Trowa nodded - if perhaps a bit too eagerly.

Duo shrugged. "Okay - you look a little sunburned, that's all." He smiled, gave a chuckle. "Didn't know the lights could-"

"Duo," Trowa cut in, wanting to save himself of his embarrassment. Best not that Duo figure out where his focus had been. "What does this car run on, anyway? That power distributor could-"

"On everything!" Duo exclaimed, arms enthusiastically in the air. "I've made Lazarus capable of running on a lot of things. Gas, diesel - any octane, even vapors, if it has to. It has batteries hooked up, so it could go electric for a while... Oh, and hydrogen, too. It's my own, superb engine design." Coming back down to Earth - or rather, the colony floor, he shrugged. "With a few sources of inspiration. Anyway, we usually just pour regular gas on the tank. It's a damn good engine, though. I've tested it with a mix of diesel and sugar, and it kept on ticking like nothing was up. That was really cool."

Trowa had taken a step back at Duo's exhilaration. Now, he had another concern. "You said hydrogen... you mean hydrogen fuel cells, right?"

Nod. "Yeah, that too - 'course, it'd be really cool if I could get the permission to use pure liquid hydrogen - you know, add a damn jetpack to it. That'd be awesome."

Slight smile. "And very dangerous - to you, and everyone else here."

Shrug. "A man can dream, right?"

"Sure." Another thought struck him, smile gone again. "Uh... Duo, you said 'that too'..."

Devilish grin. "Yeah...?"

Disbelief. Trowa glanced at the car, then to Duo and back again. All the while, Duo nodded eagerly, grin ever wider. "You're not serious... You put a-"

"A series four microfusion reactor, yeah. Damn nice piece of work. Pour on a gallon of water and drive on forever. That's what the ad says, at least. That's stretching the truth, but still... Runs beautifully."

"A nuclear-powered car..."

"Hey, did you complain about the engine core or heat sinks when you were piloting Heavyarms? I think not..." Quick shrug. "Besides, it's perfectly legal, I've checked. If it blows up, it'll only take the car and a perhaps a bit of its surrounding area with it in the blast - that's no worse than a regular car blowing up. No massive nuclear waste. Fusion is fun."

Trowa regained his calm. "As long as you didn't test that power source with a bit of sugar, too..."

Duo laughed, grabbed the power distributor and leant in over the engine again, intent on finding a good spot for his latest toy.

Trowa merely observed - the mechanic, not the car. Several minutes went by before he snapped out of it, and offered to help. Duo accepted, but reluctantly. It was all too clear Lazarus was his project; he didn't want anyone to meddle much with it - but he reasoned Trowa would do nicely as a tool fetcher.

It took nearly an hour before Duo had fitted the power distributor from the Leo into his car the way he wanted. All that was missing was a test run - but that, he didn't dare. Heero was sure to pick up on the sound of the engine. It was harder to disguise that than it was to explain away the distant clanking of metals. Duo wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, slammed the hood down and threw the cover back into place. He sat down at the covered hood, looked up at the colony lights above and kicked off his sandals. "Damn... I so hate it when they stress-test the power relays from the solar mirrors - that's why it's so hot. They push it as close to the limit as they dare on mid-day, faking the passing of the sun."

"Except, this sun doesn't pass. It stays put."

Duo chuckled in agreement. "Yeah..." He reached around for the end of his braid, pulled it slightly to the side. "You know... this is the kind of weather that makes me consider cutting my hair short."

Raised brow.

Grin. "Not seriously... just... thinking how much less of a pain it'd be. I mean, long hair is nice when it's cold - but when it's this hot, it just sticks to your back, and-" He pulled at his braid again, moved it over his shoulder. "Well, it ain't nice."

Faint smile. "Heero would probably object."

"Oh, he'd kill me if I did that without consulting him first. Sometimes, I think he is more attached to my braid than I am - and given that it's my head it's sticking out of, that says a lot."

Trowa chuckled.

Duo grabbed the water bottle Hilde had given him earlier. It was nearly full, but by now, the contents weren't particularly cool anymore. It didn't matter; it still helped. He leaned back on the hood, stretched himself over the car cover. At least that didn't stick to his back - it was of coarse fabric, not plastic. He glared at his braid again, now clinging to his chest. With a flip, he spread it out as a third arm, mercifully out of the way from the rest of him, leaving him to drink and sweat in peace.

Trowa had sat down on an empty oil drum, sipping from his own bottle, watching Duo. His closed eyes, slightly parted lips... His slick chest, his slowly heaving belly, the few smudges of oil and other dark spots on his skin... His flimsy cut-off jeans shorts, his lean thighs... Even the occasional toe wiggle got an appraisal. Only when Duo stirred again, opening his eyes and folding his arms behind his head, did Trowa desist from ogling. It didn't matter; the image was before his mind's eye now. He almost jumped when Duo tilted his head in his direction.

"Trowa - thanks for keeping this a secret. Hil' and Heero really don't need to know this." He grinned. "But I'm sure they'll figure it out next time I give it a test drive."

Trowa gulped down the remainder of his water, shifted his seating a little. His pants were getting more uncomfortable by the minute. "Uhm... Duo? Why do you work on the car, if you know Heero and Hilde will be upset about it?"

Duo gave a faint shrug, and let go a slow sigh, still grinning. "Well... I guess..." He pulled one leg up, shifting his hips in the process. "Sometimes, you just..." The top button of the cut-offs slipped open, revealing a bit of treasure trail. Trowa felt his mouth dry up, tried to swallow. "Have to go with the way you feel like, no matter the consequences." Duo looked directly at Trowa. It took a second for Trowa to focus back, eyes having been preoccupied looking elsewhere. "Know what I mean?"

To go with the way you felt... Oh, Trowa knew that craving all too well. The temptation stretched out before him made sure of that. The other phrase ringing in his head was 'don't tell Heero' - but neither remained quite what Duo had meant. Trowa felt his blood surge, yet... Duo was his friend, so was Heero - and they had each other. He did the only thing he could do - flee. He got off the oil drum, and turned his back to Duo as fast as he could, hoping Duo didn't notice the growing hard-on he was now sporting. "Yeah, I know..." Glance over shoulder, face hot. "Uh, I'll go back to the Leo now. Are you coming? Hilde will probably make her rounds soon, and-"

"Yeah, in a minute," Duo answered, looking up at the colony axis. As soon as Trowa started walking, he shifted his eyes to focus on Trowa's backside, though. Damn, he'd been so close... Oh, he'd definitely caught eye of the bigger-than-usual bulge in Trowa's jeans, and felt flattered by that. Trowa was a good-looking guy, and Duo had to admit he'd given Trowa more than one sneak peek as they had worked. He shrugged to himself. There was nothing wrong with looking, right? Nothing wrong with testing Trowa's boundaries a bit?

He sighed, sat up, hugging his knee. He looked down, reached for his waist and buttoned up his cut-offs. So close... The last time he'd struck a pose like that, the very worn top button hole of his jeans being just as cooperative then, he'd gotten the best blow-job of his life. Of course, he'd tried to return the favor afterwards, but he didn't think he'd lived up to the standard Heero had set. Still, his lover had seemed content enough. Now, though... Sure, the thought of Trowa going down on him was nice... It wasn't as if he'd grown tired of Heero, or anything - but as a fantasy, it was really nice. He wasn't sure he could get away with more than that. Duo wasn't sure how he'd react if Trowa had taken the bait, either.

But sometimes, you just throw caution to the wind in favor of instant gratification.

He saw Trowa stretch his arms as he went out of sight behind one of the piles of scrap, and he could almost hear the bones pop. Oh yeah, it would have been worth it, he was sure of that. Heero would understand. Duo didn't object when Heero gave other men a more than casual glance. He knew Heero was equally tolerant - perhaps more so than himself. He wasn't sure how he'd react if he'd walked in on Trowa giving Heero a blowjob. He grinned. Scratch that - yes, he was sure. He'd have asked to join in.

He took another big gulp of water, looked up, closed his eyes and splashed the rest over his face and shoulders. Damn, it was getting hot out here... Reluctantly, he got to his feet and went after Trowa.

Duo found him under the Leo, working to dislodge another component from underneath the car ramp. The sneaky bastard had taken over his position. He grinned. That just wouldn't do. He tapped his foot to Trowa's. Trowa rolled out from under the dismantled suit. "Yeah?"

"You took my spot."

Shrug, thin smile. "Finders, keepers."

Chuckle. "Oh yeah? Wanna fight over it?"

Snort. "You'd lose."

Duo folded his arms, grinning. "Like hell I would... Come on, Trowa - I thought it up. Can I please have my place back?"

"And what's in it for me?"

"My everlasting gratitude?"

Grunt. "That wouldn't last past lunch."

Duo tapped his foot to the skateboard, still grinning. "Hey!"

Trowa shrugged, then sat up. "Fine, you can have it - this bench is giving me back pains anyway." Duo leant him a hand, getting him on his feet. "How the heck do you stand it?"

Quick snicker. "L2 brats are tough bastards."

Snort. "And, what - I'm a softie?"

Duo waited for Trowa to turn and walk over to fetch a monkey wrench, then shuffled after him. "I don't know... maybe?" With that, he reached around Trowa's waist with both arms and immediately attacked Trowa's sides with tickles. "You're not that buff all over..."

Annoyed at first, but unfortunately vulnerable at those particular spots, Trowa's first "Stop..." sounded disgruntled, but his follow-up "Stop that..." came amidst weak chuckles. Duo's close proximity did little to calm him, especially when he tried wrestling free from Duo's grasp.

He was still snickering, still under attack, when Hilde came into view, three more bottles in her hand. She paused, watched their struggle. "What's going on here?"

They both paused for a minute, looking at her. Duo finally let go, grinning like a loon. "Nothing, Hilde. Just forget it."

She frowned, shifted her eyes to Trowa, getting only a smile and a shrug in return. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, doing her best to do as Duo had told her. Once calm, she handed each of them a new bottle of cool water. "Here. How's the suit coming? Will you be done today?"

Duo rubbed his chin. "Don't know yet. Probably. We'll just have to work a little harder over the next hour or two. I'll be able to tell you then."

She nodded, watched as Duo lay down on the modified skateboard and wheeled in under the mobile suit again. "Fine. I'll be back later. Keep up the good work, boys." With that, she went in the direction of pile nine, searching for Heero.

Duo made good on his promise to work harder as penance for tinkering with his car. He and Trowa even finished earlier than expected. They were acting like nothing happened. They both remembered, though.

Trowa had offered Duo first dibs on the shower, leaving him with the mostly cold water afterwards. He didn't mind; he both wanted and needed it. His mind's eye kept visualizing Duo stretched out on the hood, tempting to the brink of what loyalty and reason could withstand. He ducked his head under the shower head, soaked his large, clustered bangs. It took a few minutes underneath the icy water for his blood to calm down again.

Hilde wrapped up her office work early too, stating she had a date later that night. She didn't specify with whom. As soon as she was out the door, Duo offered his suggestion that it was probably a first date - a new potential boyfriend she wanted to test out before introducing him to her friends. Trowa got the feeling meeting Heero and Duo was probably the final crucible Hilde's boyfriends-to-be had to endure. From little bits and pieces he'd picked up here and there, it sounded as if fairly few made it that far. He wondered what had happened between one such prospect and Heero - but suspected he'd learn of it soon enough. Secrets can be remarkably hard to keep when they're known to more than one.

Heero kept working for a few hours more. With Hilde gone, Duo took it upon himself to supply his lover with water. Trowa could but smile a little at how each water trip dragged on. At the third return, Duo sagged down in the couch next to Trowa, then reached for the remote to the stereo. "Heero's almost done with pile nine. Stubborn bastard just couldn't quit before he was done, no matter what I told him."

Trowa looked up from the paperback thriller he was reading, smiled softly, but said nothing.

Just as Heero came through the kitchen door, shoulders slouched, dragging his feet, did the stereo burst out in a cacophony of sound. Retro-rock. Loud, heavy on electric guitars and drums, yet not so noisy it drowned out the vocals - but the lyrics made as little sense as the average love song. Duo grinned, flipped through to one of his favorite tracks.

Both Trowa and Heero pretended not to notice the assault on their eardrums. Trowa focused on his book, Heero shuffled his way to the bathroom for a shower.

A good fifteen minutes later, he was back, with a large, white towel precariously wrapped around his waist, skin still looking wet. The chocolate brown mop on his head was definitely soaked through.

Duo's thunderous music still blasted throughout the living room. Trowa snuck a peek or five at Heero with great interest. He closed his eyes, tried to calm his libido. Perhaps agreeing to live with two very attractive young men who were 'off-limits' and beyond all approach wasn't the best plan.

Heero leant in over the couch, tapped Duo's shoulder.

Duo was preoccupied playing air guitar along with the solo currently rattling the room. "Yeah, 'ro?"

"You forgot to buy more milk and orange juice this morning. There isn't much coffee left, either - I opened the last bag this morning. We're short on a few other things, too."

Shrug. "So?"

Sigh. "Duo, could you please make another run to the grocery store?"

"What, now?"

"Yes, now!" Heero insisted, a little flustered. "Look, the store closes soon, and if we're going to have anything besides water to drink for breakfast tomorrow..."

"Why don't you go?" Duo regretted saying it the instant he did. The quick getaway phrase came out before he could stop it.

"I've been slaving away on the yard all day, sorting the big chunks of scrap that was in pile nine. My feet are killing me." Heero tugged at the side of his towel. "And unless you want me to run errands naked..."

Duo's leer was a clear indication he wasn't all that opposed to the idea - but then again, he didn't want to share Heero with the world like that - and he'd like for Heero to be allowed back into the grocery store at a later time. He didn't want to be forced to run errands forever.

"Please?"

Heero's near-pout was more than enough for Duo to concede just this time, though. He sighed and got to his feet. "Fine..." He gave Heero a quick peck on the cheek.

Faint smile. "Thanks, Duo - the list is on the counter. Hilde started writing one earlier, and I added a few things."

"What, more stuff already? Didn't I go to the store just this morning?"

Heero shrugged. "There's three of us now - four, if Hilde is around. We will have to start stocking up a bit more than usual, that's all."

"Okay," Duo said, already on his way to the kitchen.

Heero watched him leave, and kept watching the empty doorway, waiting...

The outer door slammed. Immediately, Heero walked over to the living room table, reached for the remote and cut the retro-rock down to nothing with the push of a button. He proceeded to slump down on the couch, sighing contently. He noticed Trowa's amused expression from the corner of his eye. He flashed a tired smirk. "I love him, I really do - but sometimes, I just need a break from him."

Trowa could agree with that sentiment. Love is looking past the flaws of each other - but it helps not to have them shoved in your face all the time. "And his music?"

Slow chuckle. "Yeah, that too..." Heero stretched his arms, groaned.

Trowa knew it was obvious, but it seemed the polite thing to ask. "Tired?"

Heero nodded. "Yeah..." He rotated one shoulder, then the other. "My muscles ache - managed to loosen up most of the tension in the shower, but my feet still hurt." He raised his left ankle over his right knee, rubbed the foot, sighed again. "Those sandals were really uncomfortable..."

Trowa closed his book, gulped once. Heero was so close, and wearing so little. He was growing just a bit nervous. Still... "I can give you a foot rub, if you want."

Heero looked at him, a little surprised at the offer. "Really?"

Nod. "Yeah, sure." Trowa put his book away, scooted closer to the end of the couch - not that it moved him more than a few inches. "Just lie down and put your feet in my lap."

Heero immediately accepted, and did as he was told, shifting to lie belly-down on the couch, his feet in Trowa's lap. The towel clung precariously to his waist; laying down had slid it just a tad further up his legs, revealing the back of his knees and a teeny bit of thighs.

Trowa took a deep breath, and started working on Heero's feet, being careful to roll his thumbs as he moved from heels to toes, working the ankles as well as the digits, not just the flat sole. It didn't take long before the first soft moan came from Heero. The sound did absolutely nothing to calm Trowa's nerves. When Heero made a low, deep whisper of "Feels great, Trowa...", it went straight to his fingertips - among other places. Pausing for a few seconds, he recovered and shifted his attention to Heero's Achilles tendons, cautiously rubbing them, venturing onwards to Heero's lower shins and calves. Again, Heero made that throaty sound of pleasure - and again, Trowa felt his heart beat just a little faster.

As Trowa worked, Heero moved his legs slightly apart, for comfort. Trowa hesitated for a moment, but got back to work.

"Move up a bit..." Heero whispered through a content sigh. Trowa did so, moving on to massage the flesh of Heero's upper calves, occasionally shifting his hands to rub circles at Heero's shins. "Up," Heero pleaded softly.

Trowa worked the back of Heero's knees, seeking out tense areas to treat, moving around to soothe the kneecaps, fingertips once or twice daring to push onwards to Heero's lower thighs, touching the end of the towel.

Heero's legs parted a bit more, the towel forced to tension, riding up one more inch. "Up," the husky voice requested.

At that point, Trowa's hands froze, unlike his face, which felt like it was on fire. If he went further, it'd be only a very short matter of time before he'd see - no, touch- The shadows trapped in the room between Heero's thighs and the towel were already playing dirty tricks with him. He mentally shook his head. Oh, there was nothing truly sexual about this... yet... but it certainly felt that way already, and it sounded off any number of alarms in Trowa's mind. Even so, he made his fingers dance again, making cautious probes into Heero's lower thighs.

At the next moan, Trowa could no longer deny what his body was thinking. Like much of his rushing blood, he trekked south, giving shins and calves, ankles, feet and toes one more quick loosening. "All done," he said, heart still pounding furiously. He tried to maintain a calm, unfazed expression, though. Judging from Heero's soft and sincere smile as he sat up, Trowa reasoned he had achieved it.

Heero tugged at his towel, straightening it out a little, then put his hand on Trowa's shoulder. Trowa nearly jumped at the touch. "Thank you, Trowa. I really loved that..."

"Y-you're welcome," Trowa finally managed to croak out, still bothered by his own dirty imagination. It had been a favor for a friend, not-

Heero's hand wandered a bit, clasping at the back of Trowa's shoulder blade, then moving in on the neck.

It didn't calm Trowa's uneasiness. "W-what-"

Heero paused, smirked at him. "Your shoulders are tense, Trowa. Really tense."

"Oh..."

With a shrug, Heero stood up. "If you want, I can try to help - only fair to return the favor."

"Uh, that's okay, I-"

"It's not a problem, Trowa." Heero patted the place he'd just sat on. "Here, just lie down on your stomach."

Trowa stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out what Heero had in mind. He wouldn't have to lie down for a shoulder rub, and-

Heero's voice turned almost pleading. "Please? I don't like being indebted." Quick chuckle. "Bad enough I owe you my life..."

"You're very welcome..." Trowa said, smiling faintly. He relented, but did his best to avoid showing the slight bulge that had built up in his pants.

"Why don't you grab that pillow," Heero suggested, pointing at the fluffy, squared thing at one end of the sofa. "I'd like for you to be comfortable."

Trowa did so, resting his chest and chin against the pillow. That's when the thought struck him. If Heero wanted him in this position, it would mean-

The weight on his rear meant only one thing; Heero had just straddled him, leaving them butt to butt. Moreover, given the way he felt the sofa cushions sag down, Heero had planted one leg on each side, no doubt keeping the towel taut across his thighs - and Trowa's back. Trowa gulped. If he made one little glance over his shoulder- Another gulp. His heart pounded again. If Heero meant to ease his tension, he was doing it all wrong. Trowa felt the hard-on return fully. He tried to imagine cold showers, but all he got from that was a reminder he had a wet, mostly naked Heero on his back, Heero's barely clothed ass rubbing against his own rear. Just a glance, a straight line of sight-

The cushion pushed back up against his sides, and just before he instinctively looked over his shoulder to see where Heero's feet had gone, the impact of Heero's heels to his shoulder blades answered that question. He kept his eyes straight forward, letting go a surprised gasp. Surprise, not pain, ego tried to convince him.

"Try to relax," Heero said, with what Trowa imagined to be just a touch of wickedness. Heero's heels made rough circles against his shoulder blades, straying in towards his spine, up towards his neck. Heero rolled his feet, attacked the tension again, this time with his toes, flexing just enough to dig at Trowa's T-shirt, ruffling the cotton fabric.

Despite everything, it was working. Trowa had heard about that sort of massages - though it generally was a being-stood-upon affair. Heero had evidently come up with a halfway technique - but Trowa had no complaints, not now. The initial pain was gone, and the warmth of friction was remarkably soothing. He moaned softly before he could stop himself. As Heero's treatment continued, his next faint sound-off barely even registered with him. Heero's feet, and the way Heero's butt softly rocked against his own was more than a sufficient distraction.

He was just about to throw caution to the winds and tilt his head for a peek when the kitchen door opened.

"Okay, 'ro, I got-" Duo stopped in mid-step, staring at the two of them, Heero in particular. Heero had paused also, his feet planted against Trowa's shoulders. Trowa felt his face flame up again. Duo's eyes hardened. "What the heck is going on here?!"

Trowa's heartbeat shifted slightly out of rhythm, still going at high gear. He thought about how strange this had to like from Duo's angle. His eyes widened with alarm. Surely, Duo didn't think - Duo couldn't possibly think that he and Heero - that they were cheat-

He felt Heero dismount him, though he spun the wrong way, seating himself over the back of the couch, and getting up on that side to stand behind the sofa. Heero turned around, put his pinkie in his ear to dig out some mushy mix of residue water and earwax. "Did you get everything on the list?"

There was some relief in noticing Duo's angry look was directed at Heero, not himself. Trowa sat up straight - though he shifted the pillow to rest in his lap, for cover. He planned to bid his time; surely, Duo's rage would reach him soon enough.

"Yeah, I got everything," Duo spat back, then quickly glanced at the stereo. "I thought you said you were dead tired, you bastard!"

Heero dared half a smirk, nodded. "I was."

"Then what the heck were you doing giving Trowa your special backrub? Thought you told me doing that required a lot more of you than it looked like, and-"

"I was tired, but Trowa helped me first. He did a great job on my legs - my feet don't hurt anymore."

Duo approached, eyes narrow, albeit the fury did not seem to be in his step. "You tricked me, so you could turn of my music and just sit on your ass, didn't you?" Quick glance to Trowa. "Well, sit on Trowa's ass." He rounded the corner of the couch long before Heero could come up with a reply.

Heero didn't, either. He gave Duo a cold shoulder instead, and looked over it, still smirking - though there was a slight flush to his face. "So what if I did?"

The anger on Duo's face fractured, and a mischievous leer replaced it. "I'll get you for that, you-" He reached out for Heero's towel, the attack barely avoided. Heero was forced to turn, took a step backwards, put one hand to cover his crotch, the other to hold on to his side where the towel was fastened in a wrap over itself.

"Duo, don't you dare-"

Another assault, gasp, narrow evasion.

"Oh, I'm gonna get your towel for this, Heero," Duo growled, making another fruitless attack. "I'm gonna take it, and then I'm gonna spank your ass silly with it, and-"

Duo got a hold of the towel, but Heero wrestled it out of Duo's grasp again - however, he needed both hands, and-

Duo stopped, and merely stared in bafflement at first, before the leer returned.

Heero's flush was complete now, and he once again made for a cover-up with his hand. It was much too late, though. Both Duo and Trowa had noticed the not-so-slight hard-on he was sporting. Unlike Duo, however, Trowa remained at mild surprise. Heero made a quick glance in his direction, then looked away, into the floor, greatly embarrassed.

With a chuckle, Duo was upon his lover, leaning in to look him in the eye. "Well, if you're feeling that refreshed already, maybe we should take advantage of that..." Long before Heero could reply, Duo was kissing him soundly, one hand snaking around Heero's waist, the other further up his back, the two hands trekking apart from each other; the latter moving into the still soggy chocolate-colored hair, the former slipping in under the towel. Lips still firmly attached, they made a slow, joint shuffle toward their bedroom.

Trowa looked away, a bit embarrassed himself. He felt horribly left out - but that was the way it was; they were the couple, he was just a house guest.

...but why had Heero gotten a- Trowa gently shook his head as he heard the door close. He looked in that general direction, noticed the towel discarded on the floor just outside it. He stumbled to stand, legs still shaky. At least his private little circus was dying down now.

The thought lingered, though. Had Heero been turned on by that small session, too? If he'd just dared to steal that glance before Duo had burst in, would he have seen...?

The audience clamored for an encore, mood rising under the big top. Once more, thinking of cold showers did not help the slightest.

Trowa dragged his feet along, moving towards his own room - Hilde's old room. Unfortunately, this brought him past the bedroom of his two other bosses, and the door was far from soundproof, leaving just enough for the imagination to fill in the blanks. Trowa looked down at the discarded towel, bent down and pick it up. He lingered by the door for a moment, leaning against the wall with one hand, Heero's towel in the other.

"O-o-oh, yeah," came through the door, Heero's gritty voice going straight for Trowa's groin. The crowd cheered. "Just like that," Heero hissed, before drawing another short breath. Trowa felt his legs go weak again, brought the towel closer, felt the slight musk coming off of it, mixing with the scent of shampoo and wet terry cloth. He believed he recognized the shampoo as the same Duo usually used, but the musk was definitely Heero's own scent.

At the next moan, he buried his nose in the towel, inhaling deeply.

Trowa had made a run for the bathroom, locked the door and worked out his problems in a hurry. Well, one of them, at least. It was his turn to do the laundry next time, so he was pretty sure the other two wouldn't notice the extra stains on the towel before they were long gone.

By the time he reached his bed, things seemed to have quieted down.

Halfway into sleep, the creaking bedsprings attacked his eardrums again.

Breakfast was a somewhat charged affair. Duo was as chipper as could be, and prepared breakfast for the three of them without as much as a protest, but in place of rants was a soft yet rather grating whistled tune. Heero and Trowa were having trouble making eye contact. In addition, Heero occasionally shifted in his seat, evidently suffering some minor discomfort following the night's events.

Duo noticed, chuckled to himself, patted Heero's shoulders and gave his lover a quick peck on the cheek before flashing Trowa a grin.

His cheeks warming up again, Trowa looked away. It was best not to let the two of them know what he'd been thinking of last night - much less what he did.

Then again, while they didn't know what had been on his mind, they definitely knew what had been in it, playing before his mind's eye. Unlike him, they had been there to experience rather than imagine, after all.

Duo put the jug of orange juice on the table and sat down, pouring up a glass for Heero first. "Oh, forgot to tell you - when I was at the grocers last night, I heard the last news from Environmental Chaos."

Heero flagged an eyebrow, but nodded in thanks for the orange juice.

"Anyway, the heat wave will continue for most of today. They'll finish the work sometime around noon. Probably a bit after."

Quick gulp, nod. "Meaning, it'll get chilly again fast."

Duo chuckled. "As if you'd notice... Trowa, is it true that tough-guy here walked around in Antarctica with just his customary tank top and the bike shorts?"

A bit taken aback at being drawn into the conversation, Trowa slowly tugged on a faint smile, nod just as vague. "Yes..." He shot a glance Heero's way, got a mild glare in return. Oddly enough, it didn't make him uneasy; it made him feel better. Perhaps yesterday had just been a fluke, then. Nothing to be ashamed or troubled by. Life goes on, and all that.

Duo was still grinning as he helped himself from the table, filling his plate. "Well, can't get beaten by that, can I? Guess I'll drop the T-shirt today too, then."

Heero gave a soft grunt, his mouth engaged in demolishing a sandwich.

The mood grew steadily lighter from there on, and by the time Hilde showed up, Trowa's spirits were fairly high again.

Duo had recruited Trowa's aid in picking apart the last pieces of the Leo power core. Trowa suspected it was partly because Duo knew he would cover for him, should they stumble across another must-install-in-car-now category of spare part.

They didn't, though. They had taken out most of the small, light pieces the day before, and what remained was mostly heavy armor plating, radiation shielding and pieces of the frame itself. Some of it could be screwed loose, but most of it needed welding. Trowa handled that; he had at least some more clothing than Duo had, and he'd done a fair bit of spot welding when he helped build Heavyarms - not that cutting the chassis to shreds required much finesse.

By the time lunch was approaching, Trowa was almost done with that part, and together with Duo he'd carried away several of the larger chunks of metal. They would certainly be done with the suit today, if they kept this pace up. Trowa flipped the welder's mask up, put the acetylene torch away, got to his feet and wiped his brow. He was just about ready to move on when Duo called out to him, just back from depositing one of the smaller pieces of carved-up armor plating.

"Hey, Trowa - time for a break. It's almost lunch."

"Yeah, just a minute..."

Mild frown and accompanying whine. "Trowa, I'm starving. Let's stop now. It's your turn to fetch food, too."

Trowa sent a deep breath into his bangs, trying to keep the few wayward strands from drooping down in his eyes. Without looking back he reached for the torch again. "Look, I'm just going to make a cut over there, and-"

Strong arms embraced his waist. Through his sweat-soaked T-shirt, he felt Duo's bare torso against his back only too well. Duo placed his chin against Trowa's shoulder. "Food.... now...." he whispered, taking a few steps back, trying to pull Trowa along.

Trowa took off his welder's mask and put it aside. As nice as the near skin contact was, Duo's much too close proximity was not good for his blood pressure - or for his temper. He started to wrestle free, but Duo wouldn't let go, dragged him back another step, and another, until Duo's heel touched only air, and Trowa's struggles made sure he couldn't regain a foothold. He clung on tight to Trowa, but it was already too late; the end result was that they both fell off the platform. Both shouted-

Trowa had closed his eyes, expecting the impact to hurt. A lot. Even if the drop wasn't more than four or five feet, he spun around in the fall and landed on his back - and to make matters worse; Duo crashing on top of him. Yet, his back didn't break. First glaring up into Duo's face, wide eyes and matching grin, he then tilted his head, and in the corner of his eye, he noticed they'd landed on the torn-away backside of a mobile suit seat - presumably that from the Leo they were picking apart.

Duo let go a small whoop, and laughed. "Damn, that was great. You're one lucky son of a bitch, Trowa."

Trowa merely frowned at him. While angry for being pulled over the edge, he had a hard time ignoring what every nerve in his body was reporting - which was pretty much as far away from a painful experience as it could get. Duo's soft belly moving against his own with each breath they made, the barely perceptible shift of hips - which was already provoking something Trowa immediately tried to block out with a series of mental images, including but not limited to a pole-dancing Tsubarov. Even that was not enough, though.

If this went on, he was surely doomed.

And Duo was showing no sign of getting off, either. Or perhaps he was, in a different sense. "Duo..."

"Yeah...?"

"Get off," Trowa all but growled, then started to blush as he heard his own words. Enough was enough, both of good and bad things.

"In a minute..." Duo leant in, closer, closer- their noses almost touched. Trowa felt his heart beat faster. Just a small tilt of the head, an inch or two forward... The only reason he held back was to consider if stealing a kiss was worth risking the ire of someone who could bend steel bars with his bare hands.

Duo took a whiff or two, wrinkled his nose, still grinning. "You stink."

That broke the mood, despite how one of Duo's thighs had somehow slipped in between his own, inching steadily forward. "You - You don't exactly smell of roses, either," Trowa countered.

Duo laughed at that, and pulled back, getting up on his knees. "At least it's an honest smell. We've certainly earned it the hard way."

Trowa started getting up, only to feel Duo's hands on his shoulders, pushing him back down.

"Now, promise. We take lunch now - and you go get the food right away."

Trowa had had enough; he had to say something about- "Duo, I-"

"Promise me," Duo cut in. "And I'll make some lemonade for when you get back. Deal?"

Trowa sighed to himself. If food was the only thing on Duo's mind right now, it wasn't the best of times to clear the air a bit. Just as well, a part of his mind offered. To come clean would only lead to a bigger mess. "Okay. I promise. Just need to get my wallet."

Duo grinned, slammed his hands together once and gave them a quick rub. "Great! Thanks, Trowa." He got to his feet, and offered Trowa a hand. Tentatively, Trowa accepted. Once upright, he dusted himself off as best he could. At least the deli halfway down the block didn't have anything remotely resembling a dress code - or scent code, for that matter.

He had taken two steps back towards the house when he felt a quick pat to his butt. "Off you go, houseboy."

Trowa scowled over his shoulder. Duo's wide grin deflected it fully. Arms akimbo, Duo stood, watching Trowa's retreat. Once Trowa was out of sight, he allowed himself a sigh. Damn, that had felt good... Trowa's muscles weren't limited to his arms, that he was sure of now.

Once more, he mentally cursed Heero for having found an inconspicuous way to paw at Trowa first - even if with his feet - to most appearances. Under that treatment, Trowa probably hadn't noticed where Heero's hands went. He had probably thought the touches to his thighs and sides were Heero seeking out support with his hands, not some tentative feel-up.

If only he hadn't burst through the door... It would have been a nice show.

Duo smirked to himself, though. He'd come up with a plan of his own. The seat had been easy enough to get. Finding the right placement for it was worse. He'd cleared the ground around it of anything sharp, just in case they'd miss it. Pulling Trowa with him in just the right way had been damn tricky, especially since Trowa had resisted. Still, luck had been on his side.

If he could get away with a good grope, Duo had no objections in doing it. Heero had started it, after all. Besides, Trowa was a damn attractive guy - and just as fun to tease. Heero was slowly growing immune - and worse; learning to return it. Having a new target was fun. Duo was certain he'd felt a few choice reactions from Trowa before he'd given the guy a break - the slight blush was among the least of those responses.

He'd gotten a decent feel of Trowa's body, but he wouldn't mind a lot more. That pat had been a risk, but Duo hadn't been able to help himself. Or rather, he helped himself to it. Not quite pronounced buns of steel, but then again, he preferred them that way. Even Heero had softened a bit around the edges, courtesy of the complacencies of peace. Of course, there were other places he wanted to grope Trowa, but he wasn't sure a rub where he wanted to would be welcomed. Duo smirked at the thought. At least not at first...

Duo sighed again. Trowa had been so close... If he'd waited a few seconds more, he was sure they'd have kissed. He wasn't sure which of them would have broken down first. Still, a friendly grope was one thing. A kiss... He shook his head. No, he wasn't quite ready for that yet - not without talking to Heero about it first. He took a few more deep, calming breaths, and lingered for a few more minutes before assuming - correctly - that the path to the kitchen was clear.

He definitely needed something to cool down on now.

And damn, how small those cut-off jeans could feel.

He made another smirk to himself as he walked up the path to the house. At least he knew Trowa appreciated the outfit.

Trowa kept mostly to himself for the rest of the day. It was remarkably easy, as long as he brought one of his boss-men to the other, and discretely stepped aside. It was almost as if they were more worked up than usual, more quick to engage in a grope or fervent kissing.

Avoiding Hilde was worse. She could tell something was up, and judging from the mischievous winks she gave him every now and then, Trowa guessed she had suspicions that were rather accurate. Yet, she didn't ask - and he had no desire to volunteer the information.

The end of the workday was a mixed blessing. It provided an escape from Hilde's knowing look, but made evading Heero and Duo much harder. Fortunately, they were preoccupied with each other, most of the time. Trowa took the shower first, and got started on dinner. Hilde didn't join them; she was off with her date again. Evidently, the new guy was a success... so far. They had all asked, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, but Hilde refused to provide details yet.

Trowa was pretty sure he saw both his co-residents enter the bathroom together.

They barely finished their extended shower in time for dinner.

The meal was lost in jokes and idle conversation, for which Trowa was glad. He wasn't quite up to explaining to either of the other two what they were stirring up inside him, inadvertently... or not... While he had nothing to back up his suspicion, he was beginning to wonder if that fall with Duo hadn't been entirely accidental - and Heero's body did betray him somewhat the day before.

Not that Trowa's own hadn't done the same.

The evening was spent on the couch, watching TV. Heero and Duo were snuggling at one end, while Trowa had scooted as far as he could to the other side, pretending not to notice, despite the occasional soft kick or footsie played against his thigh.

Trowa wasn't really able to focus on the movie, despite his best efforts. He kept sneaking glances out of the corner of his eye, having at least two deadly sins affect him. A third hit Duo, and he broke away from giving Heero yet another hickey, getting to his feet. "I'm gonna go get some snacks, or something. You guys want anything?"

Heero shrugged. "Whatever you'll have." Hastily, he added "But orange juice, not soda."

Chuckle. "What makes you think I wasn't going to get juice this time?"

Grunt through smirk. "Because I know you."

Duo snorted, and turned to Trowa.

Trowa shook his head. "I'm fine, thanks..."

"Sure? It wouldn't be much trouble, and-"

"No, it's okay."

Heero was looking at him too, now. "Just bring him a glass of juice, Duo. I'm sure he'll change his mind while you're out there."

"Roger that," said Duo with a grin, and headed for the kitchen before Trowa could complain.

Trowa turned on Heero, instead. "Look, I don't need-"

Kick to thigh. "You want some, and you know it. All you have to do is ask, Trowa..."

Even if he knew - well, he was pretty sure - that Heero hadn't meant... that, but actually the orange juice, Trowa had a bit of trouble closing his jaw again.

Heero bent his legs up, rubbed his left foot, wincing slightly.

"Tense muscles again?"

Heero nodded. "Yeah... was fine when we got back, but then there was the shower, and-" He grew a mild leer, looked away for a second. "Anyway... Yeah."

Trowa had a fairly good idea what Heero was angling for. He didn't really have a problem with that - this time, it'd be fairly innocent. They were both fully clothed, after all. "Want me to give you another foot rub?"

"Would you? That'd be great..."

Trowa nodded, sat up in the couch, crossed his legs Indian-style and took Heero's feet into his lap. He wrestled them free of their socks, and started working Heero's soles, shifting down to the ankles, back up to toes, across the top...

He wasn't able to provoke the same sounds as the day before, but that was just as well. The few sighs and faint moans of satisfaction Heero let go was more than enough to trigger memories. Trowa thought of ice cubes sliding down his back. That helped a little. It also reminded him of a prank Duo pulled on him years ago.

Another deep sigh from the other end of the couch. "Damn, Trowa... You're good at this..."

Trowa dared a lopsided smile. "What can I say? I know lots of people with hurting feet. That has earned me some practice."

Soft laughter. "I could really get used to you taking care of me, Trowa..."

Trowa had worked his ways up to the toes again, massaging each with care. "You know, Duo tagged me your houseboy earlier today."

Heero smirked widely at that. "Well, if you want the job..."

With a vindictive snort, Trowa pulled Heero's big toe apart from its neighbor to the point of pain, simultaneously twisting one finger to tickle the gap.

Amidst the continuing 'owowow' yelp of mild pain, Heero had trouble suppressing his laughter.

Trowa let go, honor restored - after a fashion. He lifted the offending foot, blew gently against the sore spot. Heero flexed his toes apart to grant better air flow, sighing contently. Trowa used his thumb to rub the top of the sole, grazing the slit. On impulse, he leant down the little distance remaining, and kissed the spot.

Thinking again, he caught eye of Heero's baffled look. He let Heero's leg down, glancing at the kitchen door, just in case Duo was back already. He was not. Feet shifted out of his lap. Tentatively, he faced Heero again, grinning sheepishly, reaching over his shoulder to scratch the sudden itching at the back of his neck. "Uh... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Heero scooted down the couch and made a successful grab for Trowa's wrist, coaxing him closer. "No, Trowa... That's... okay..."

Trowa made a half-hearted attempt at breaking away from Heero's eyes, but couldn't. He felt paralysed, unable to even think, much less move. It didn't matter; Heero was willing to take the initiative, tilting his head, moving closer, parting his lips just so... The initial touch was so light, barely more than a brush of lips. The second immediately following was more forceful, the third even more daring.

Trowa didn't resist, and cautiously he even dared respond. He closed his eyes, parted his lips at the touch of Heero's tongue...

It felt like it was over before it ever began, as if it had all been some twisted sort of daydream. Trowa couldn't face Heero; he shirked back and looked away, first to glance at the half-open kitchen door - which was thankfully still empty - then to the far wall, the TV, anywhere but Heero. What had he just done? No, what had he just let happen? Not even standing at Catherine's dagger board had he ever felt such a fear of knives. Probably a black switchblade, stabbing at his heart, perhaps taking a detour to his groin first. "I'm sorry, I-" He wrestled his wrist free, got to his feet, and with a final glance to the kitchen door, he set out for his room. If Heero called out after him, Trowa never registered it. He locked the door behind him, and lay down on the bed, for a moment burying his head in the pillow.

He turned around, listened to the sound of the TV set in the living room while he stared into the ceiling. Duo had to have come back by now... What did Heero tell him? Probably nothing; Heero had been the one to kiss him, after all. He wasn't at fault, not really. Duo couldn't blame him, if-

But he had responded. He hadn't pulled away as soon as he knew where they were going. He wanted it to happen, had let it happen. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying not to think of anything. He'd have to talk it over with Heero in the morning - and depending on that, confess to Duo. Better to plead for your case right away than to get stabbed in the back - or front - when you're not being attentive later.

Sleep came remarkably easy.

When he woke up again, it was all slow in coming back to him. He changed out of the rumpled clothes he'd slept in and snuck into the bathroom. Only after a great deal of hesitation did he dare walk over to the kitchen.

Duo and Heero were already seated, and they greeted him politely. Trowa reciprocated, sat down, and they ate, drank, talked, nothing out of the ordinary compared to the many other breakfasts they had shared. It was as if nothing at all had happened the day before. For just the briefest of moments, Trowa wondered if it had all been a dream; that he'd simply crashed on his bed the night before and had a mild fantasy fling with a good friend.

Duo reached for the juice carton, shook it twice to confirm it was empty. He stood up and walked to fetch another in the fridge - and as soon as Duo's back was turned to them, Trowa felt Heero's fingers brush over the back of his hand. Startled, he glanced first at the swipe site, then up at Heero, taking in the cocky smirk, as well as the follow-up wink.

It sent shivers down his spine; not all of them good ones. What the heck had he gotten himself into?

Duo sat down again. Trowa avoided looking at either of them.

Remarkably enough, he got through the day working at the yard without looking overly suspicious - Duo was his chipper self, Heero delivered a few sarcasms... Hilde, on the other hand... Trowa thought about it. She didn't bother hiding she knew something was up, but she didn't push him for it, either. Still, if he had to talk to someone, maybe she would be the best choice.

And she was right; Heero was a damn good kisser.

Dinner would have been a tense affair, but fortunately for Trowa, Hilde stayed for that at least, limiting his jitters somewhat. When she left in pursuit of another date from the remarkably successful candidate still veiled in mystery, Trowa felt a lot more ill at ease.

He and his hosts settled before the TV again, and events began unfolding in a similar fashion as the night before - though, the movie was obviously much less interesting this time, and not once did Duo seem to consider refreshments. He appeared quite content sucking lightly on Heero's earlobe, or tasting his lips, or-

Trowa looked away, tried not to notice how Duo's hand was riding up under Heero's shirt. He suppressed the sound of pants buttons being undone, or the soft moans coming from the other end of the couch. It was much too obvious where Heero and Duo were going; the only question was if they'd go for it right there on the sofa, ignoring the third party.

Trowa couldn't deny the display at the corner of his eye was turning him on - which was probably why he lingered.

Then, Heero caught him unawares with a wink. Trowa's cheeks flushed. Enough was enough; he couldn't stay. He got to his feet, mumbled something about going to bed early, and headed in that general direction. As soon as he was around the corner, he made a detour to the bathroom. He locked the door behind him, sat down at the porcelain throne and undid his pants to ease the pressure.

Doubts - and worse, guilt - were roaming his mind. What the heck had he gotten into? True, his friends were very attractive, both together and separate, and he knew he wanted to be with both of them, if he could. Alas, he had no idea how to achieve that. The kiss he and Heero had shared only made matters worse. If nothing else, it meant that Heero desired him. That was a very satisfying thought - but it only led to more guilt. Heero was still Duo's boyfriend; his lover. Trowa couldn't help but wonder if he was turning into the stereotypical 'other man'.

The door didn't manage to fully block the sounds from the living room; moans, shifting of limbs, the rustle of clothes being shed, the soft squeaking of sofa springs, gentle coaxes... Supplementary images formed before his mind's eye, egging him on. His hard-on had softened under doubt, but was back with a vengeance now.

Trowa pulled his pants and briefs down and reached to deal with it, closing his eyes, using his free hand to sneak up under his T-shirt, caressing his own chest, brushing pert nipples, imagining it wasn't his hand, but Heero's, or Duo's, or better yet, both...

The sounds built up, as did the pace of his hand. In Trowa's fantasies, they were kissing. Him and Heero, him and Duo, friendly gropes and touches all around, soft flesh perused by fingertips, and lips, and tongues... Trowa moved his hand away from the chest, around to his buttocks, fingertips brushing down the cleft. In his fantasy, Duo was preparing him, wanting to give him a ride much like the one he'd seen Heero get. In his fantasy, Heero was even helping, coaxing him down on Duo while taking his breath away with another mind numbing kiss, four hands caressing his body, no place off limits, no place-

Lost in his own rapture, Trowa hadn't registered the cease in sounds outside, hadn't heard how his two hosts had made a sudden split-up; Heero grabbing the discarded clothing before walking hurriedly back to their bedroom, Duo making a beeline for the kitchen in search of playtime accessories.

The first sign that reached Trowa to tell him something was wrong, was right after he'd let slip another moan, imagining being sandwiched between two lovers.

"Hey, 'ro - you in there?"

It shattered the screen before his mind's eye in an instant. Trowa snapped out of it and froze, hands still in conspicuous positions. With a slight panic, he stared at the bathroom door, then breathed a little easier when the handle simply rattled, reminding him he'd remembered to lock it.

But hadn't Hilde mentioned something about-

The lock made another sharp jingle as Duo worked his magic on the handle. The door burst open, and Duo stepped in, dressed down to his boxers and an undone shirt, both barely clinging to him, a bottle of chocolate sauce in one hand, a can of instant whipped cream in the other. "Okay, 'ro, what should we use? I know the sauce is sticky, but-"

Duo froze, matching Trowa's paralysis. If anything, Trowa's grip on his erection tightened just a little. He'd rather not think of where the other set of fingers were, much less what it looked like to Duo.

Jaw loose, and brain suddenly working again, Duo turned around. All in all, it happened in seconds. "Whoa - So sorry, Trowa - didn't see a thing, honest. Uh, I'll just-" he practically ran out the door, making quick grabs at the door handle, almost dropping the can of cream in the process. "You just, uh, finish what you were doing." He closed it, but not before giving Trowa one more glance - a rather appreciative one.

Not that Trowa noticed. He was far too busy dying of embarrassment. His erection, still firmly throttled, was wilting faster than a parched flower at high noon. His fingers finally grew lax, his head lowered - both of them, by now. Only their recent placements stopped him from hiding his face in his hands. Instead, he took a deep sigh and reached for the toilet paper. He wanted nothing more than clean up the worst mess, wash his hands and hide deep under the blankets of his bed. He'd rather not know what Duo was thinking of the spectacle he'd walked in on - much less what jokes Duo might make of it by morning.

Duo was thinking any number of things about Trowa as he shuffled back towards the bedroom. Oh, he knew it hadn't been Heero in there - his lover was waiting for him in their bed, and had probably already dug out the furry handcuffs from the nightstand. It'd been a while since they'd had a kink night, and-

Well, anyway - as he'd passed the bathroom, Duo had heard the moan, and pausing to eavesdrop a bit better, he'd picked up soft, sloppy sounds that were almost unmistakable. It had been a mad thought of inspiration - and selfish lecherousness - that had made him come up with an improvised emergency plan to take a peek.

Trowa was... commendable. For a brief moment, Duo had been tempted to do more than just look - but it passed quickly, once his brain kicked in again. Trowa might not feel the same way... at least not yet... and then there was the matter of Heero. Duo wasn't sure if Heero would take kindly on him wanting to take on another lover - much less him actually doing so.

Duo grinned to himself, eyeing the items in his hands, deciding on the cream. It was easier to clean up anyway, and Heero liked the whipped cream better than the thick, sweet chocolate. Perhaps it was time to find out what Heero's opinion on Trowa was...

He didn't work further on that thought that night, though. Other activities kept him preoccupied the minute he entered their bedroom.

Trowa was considering running back to the circus. Living with Heero and Duo seemed a worse idea by the day. Getting caught jerking off was an absolute low point, so far.

Then again... He'd watched Duo and Heero in action on the couch the other night, and as the saying goes, what goes around, comes around - including peeping.

He still got the distinct impression both Heero and Duo showed interest in him - not necessarily as a potential lover, but certainly appreciation of his physique and looks, if not personality.

He understood Hilde's decision to move out better now than ever before. If she'd been subjected to this kind of mild torment for as long as she had stayed here...

Trowa pulled the blanket up to his chin, rolled over on his side and closed his eyes again, hoping he'd fall asleep soon.

From another corner of the house, soft thumps and other assorted noises crept in on him. Trowa sighed to himself. Maybe Hilde would be willing to let him crash at her place for a while. That lumpy, old couch she'd taken with her didn't seem so bad anymore.

Heero's panting was erratic. He lay on his back, looking up to the ceiling, a sated leer on his face. He heard Duo shift next to him, a bit restless, rubbing his wrists, breath as irregular as his own. Still, Duo was nowhere near as tired as Heero was. That wasn't so strange, really. When you have your hands cuffed together through the headboard, your ability to move is somewhat limited. Everything had pretty much been left in Heero's control - which he'd enjoyed greatly. Of course, that also meant he'd done most of the work involved, leading to his exhaustion.

From the corner of his eye he caught sight of Duo's wide grin, obviously up to something. He tilted his head, returned a glare. "If you're thinking seconds right away..."

Chuckle. "No thanks, I'm full..." His eyes drifted. "And by the looks of it, so are you."

Smirk, snort.

Duo reconsidered for a moment, but concluded now was the best time to ask. Heero's guard was probably not raised, so maybe he could get his suggestion through without too much trouble. "Uh, Heero..."

Heero took a deep breath, trying to calm his heartbeat again. "Yeah?"

"I was wondering... you've noticed the way Trowa looks at us, right?"

That pulled Heero rather abruptly out of his fading rapture. He tried not to stare, tried to keep his voice casual. "Sure - what about it?"

"Well... I guess he's feeling lonely, or something. Can't blame him, given how things worked out for him and Quatre, but... I was thinking, maybe we could try to cheer him up a bit, make him know that he's still an attractive guy - I mean, nothing really serious, but-"

Heero had long since raised a brow, wondering what plan of madness his lover had embraced this time. "Duo - just what is on your mind?"

Wide grin. "Well, I was thinking, what if we..."

Trowa had had a rough night. It had taken much too long for him to fall asleep, and when he did, he ended up with the naughtier kind of dream. He didn't remember any of it, but the mess his briefs were in when he woke up was a clear indication. He'd grabbed clean clothes and headed for the bathroom, fortunately getting there without running into his hosts. It was a good thing today was laundry day, and that he had the duty. His underpants would be just as inconspicuously clean as Heero's towel from two days ago before lights-out.

He made it to the breakfast table without incident as well, yet... he felt something was up. Briefly, he wondered if Duo had told Heero of the little 'caught in the act' moment of the day before, but judged against it. Still, Heero had this faint smirk about him, too.

They didn't talk; their meal was conducted in silence - at least as far as words were concerned. Trowa couldn't help but notice the shifty glances Heero and Duo were giving each other, and he had a hunch they were playing footsie under the table to boot. The slight movements of their torsos suggested as much.

Duo pointed out nobody had taken out the orange juice, and got up to retrieve it from the fridge. Moments later, Heero stood up and went to check on the coffee maker. Trowa ate two more spoonfulls of his cereal before he felt them both hovering closer, approaching him in a classical pincer movement. He chewed twice more, gulped down the bit left in his mouth and put down the spoon. His eyes went from one corner of his eyes to the other, heart beating faster. Just what were they-

Suddenly, they were both at his side, both bending down, leaning in, planting a light kiss to either of Trowa's cheeks.

And it was over.

Trowa was left utterly baffled, gaping, staring blankly ahead, trying to figure out just what was going on here. By the time he got control of his jaw again, his two housemates had already gotten seated again. He glanced from one to the other, getting grins in return. What-

"We know you've been watching us, Trowa. Figured you wanted... a taste," Duo told him, ending the statement with a wink. "And so did we."

Trowa turned to Heero, as if he expected an answer there. He didn't find one, other than a curt nod.

Watching... The color of Trowa's face drained away. Had they noticed that he- Trowa got to his feet, almost so quickly he toppled his chair. "I - I'll get started a bit early. See you outside." He ran, figuratively as well as literally. He wanted to get away. The double kiss had been embarrassing enough; if they also knew he'd done the peeping Tom routine on them, moreover what he'd fantasized about in the bathroom last night-

Trowa didn't want to think about it. Instead, he wanted to find a nice, big pile of scrap to vent his frustration on, preferably one that couldn't be ruined any more than it already was.

Back at the kitchen, Heero and Duo were clearing the table. Duo was very content; Heero had been surprisingly easy to persuade - perhaps he wasn't the only one a bit attracted to Trowa. Perhaps... perhaps he could convince Heero to far more than just a teasing, meaningless kiss.

But of course, it hadn't been meaningless at all. It had shown that Heero was flexible, and it had certainly sparked a reaction with Trowa... Duo was sure he hadn't been wrong there, either; Trowa had a crush on both of them. That, more than anything, made him feel guilty. Perhaps Trowa had taken the kiss as a cruel joke of some sort; a slap in the face reminding him what he could not have.

Well, that would change soon enough...

...if he could only figure out how to break the news to Heero. Duo was far from certain his lover would accept his attraction to a third person - or better yet, accept the third person.

Heero was also uneasy. He'd kissed Trowa far more intimately than on the cheek just two nights prior, so he was pretty sure Trowa knew how he felt about him, at least. When Duo had suggested this double-kiss, Heero had first wondered if his pretty much one-sided mini-fling had been discovered. He didn't think so, though. It wasn't a plan of jealousy or malice, but more of a tease; a hint it was okay to give in to your desires - a hint to all three of them. Heero was almost sure Duo was smitten with Trowa as well. While Duo got started the dishes, his back turned, Heero smirked to himself. Maybe he could make this work out, after all - if only he could lure Duo out in the open about his feelings.

Experience told him that wouldn't be easy. He'd shown his interest in Duo during the war, even dared ask for a date on occasion. They had gone out for a while, but Duo had always been a bit skittish about the whole affair. Thus, when the wars ended, Heero decided to take off, try to find out who he was, where he was going - figure out what he really wanted.

He already knew, though. As luck would have it, his absence had been just what was needed to trigger the truth from Duo, and one night as Heero was about to check into another third-rate motel, Duo had found him, all but assaulted him with a fiery kiss and more than a friendly grope, and pretty much hauled his ass back to the salvage yard. Not that Heero had resisted much.

Heero was determined to figure out what the trigger could be this time. He loved Duo - but now, his feelings for Trowa were getting ever stronger - perhaps even bordering on love. He nodded to himself. Yes, it was true - and the first step to live with something is to acknowledge it, accept it - embrace it.

Trowa running off was a problem, though. Perhaps it would be harder to convince Trowa than it would be to make Duo show his true feelings.

Trowa had sought out pile twenty-six. It was hidden away in the far corner of the backyard, halfway sagging up against the palisade. They had been meaning to deal with it for some time, as the wooden boards of the wall were beginning to buckle under the pressure. Most of it was junk, but they still needed to haul what they couldn't profit on over to the dumpster near the gate.

The task suited Trowa just fine. It was monotonous enough for his mind to dull over, and put enough stress on his body to make even thinking hard. The satisfying sounds of shattering glass, splintering wood and groaning metal as he tossed the various artifacts into the huge dumpster was a great bonus. So was the fact the job left him entirely alone. He was pretty sure Heero was going to finish yesterday's goal, working on pile six. Given that the pile contained a fair bit of small engine parts, he had a suspicion Duo was going to help out, just in case he found something useful for his car.

He'd just heaved an antiquated TV set into the dumpster when the sound of the old hinges of the gate mixed with the smashing of glass and cathode ray tubes. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, trying to lift his bangs up a little, sagging with sweat as they were.

"Hi, Trowa," Hilde greeted him in a rather chipper tone. Trowa took that to mean her boyfriend had done good the day before. The thought only stoked up under his envy; why should her love life go swell when his own was... a joke? Thus, his reply was nowhere near as cheerful.

"Hi..." he mumbled, turning his back to walk away.

"Something wrong, Trowa?" she called after him, then lay in a pursuit. "And aren't you at it a bit early? I mean, it isn't even-"

"I thought I'd make up for lost time," Trowa lied. Already back at pile twenty-six, he searched for something big and heavy, preferably something that'd break easily. Before he could do that, however, Hilde had grabbed his wrist and started pulling him along. The smile was gone, and she looked frighteningly determined. Thus, after having resisted on the first two steps, Trowa decided to come along freely.

"Okay, I know something is up, Trowa," she said, weaving them through the various piles of salvage, heading for their lunch nook. It was even more secluded than pile twenty-six, mainly because it had been built as somewhat of a patio to the house, walls of junk stretching out from a windowless wall. "And I want to know what." From well across one of the junk walls, they heard the back door of the house slam, two voices fading fast, then out of earshot. They had both looked in the direction of the sound, waiting. She turned on him the instant things grew quiet. "Now, would you please tell me what's up?"

"It's nothing," Trowa answered irritably.

"Like hell it isn't," Hilde retorted. "Look, I know you've got a crush on them - if not both of them, then at least one of them. It's not like I can't understand that, I was in a situation like yours before, and-"

"It's not... like that," Trowa muttered. Damn, he needed to talk to someone about it, and Hilde was right; she was the logical choice.

"Okay..." Hilde calmly answered. She sat down on an torn car seat mounted on an old crate.

Trowa sought out an oil barrel with a piece of Styrofoam on top for himself. "This morning... they kissed me."

Hilde's expression fell for a moment, and all she could come back with, was "Huh?"

"Both of them," Trowa continued, before adding, pointing "On the cheeks, at the same time. One on each."

She stared at him with disbelief. "Seriously?"

Trowa thought about that for a moment, then sighed, looking away, still surly. "That's the question, isn't it..." he mumbled. "I don't know why they did it, but they were all smirks afterwards, so I have to assume it was all some kind of joke - their way of teasing me."

Hilde frowned. "That's just mean..."

Nod of agreement. "Yeah... and it gets worse."

"Oh?"

Trowa bit his lip. He was in for a penny - he might as well toss in the rest of the pound. "Two nights ago, Heero kissed me."

"On the cheek?"

Trowa shook his head. "No. A real kiss - even a little tongue, I think." He saw Hilde was trying to mount a reply, chewing air for a few seconds. He decided to press on. "And earlier that day, Duo fell on top of me. At first, I thought it was an accident, but when I think about it, there were just too many coincidences - oh, and he patted my butt afterwards. Had the feeling he wanted to do more, but-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Hilde finally replied, both palms to Trowa. "Are you saying... You think both of them have the hots for you?"

Sigh. "That'd be the daydream, I think. No. It feels more like the two of them has struck a bet on which of them can lead me on first - which of them can tempt me to become the fifth wheel, or something."

Hilde was still trying to grasp events based on Trowa's tale as well as her own experience. Still, it didn't quite compute. "Heero kissed you? He initiated the kiss, not you?"

Affirmative nod.

"And you say Duo staged that fall, just so he could get some inconspicuous body contact with you?"

"I... I'm not sure, but I think so. I noticed the car seat we fell on was gone again yesterday morning." He growled a little in frustration. "It's not fair... I like them both, but what am I supposed to do when I don't know if they want to be more than friends - if they want a third party in their relationship. And I don't want to hurt anyone."

Hilde listened intently to him, but left him with a bit of silence once his last tirade was past. She was considering something, and after some thought on the subject, she decided to share. "You know.... They never did things like that with me, Trowa. That breakfast kiss, I mean - or Heero kissing you outright, or that overly friendly pat of Duo's - I don't think anything like that ever happened between the three of us, other than that time we got plastered."

Trowa looked up at her from the ground again, a bit taken aback by that, considering what that could imply. Perhaps there was hope. Still, how was he going to find out? Just come out and ask them?

"Trowa?"

"Yeah?"

"So, you're saying Heero deliberately participated in that kiss this morning? It wasn't just a jest on Duo's part?"

Trowa shook his head. "They did it simultaneously. They had to get up to do it. No, there's no way that happened spontaneously - they planned this, together. I'm just not sure about the reason behind it."

"Ah-huh," she replied nodding sagely. "Look, Trowa... if they really wanted to embarrass you, I'm sure-"

"That... brings me to another thing," Trowa cut in.

"Oh?"

Nod. "Remember how you warned me about the broken lock to the bathroom?"

"Yeah, I remember. There's something wrong with the bolt, so if you lock it, it can still-" She paused, gaping. "You're kidding..."

Negative headshake, averted eyes, faint flush to cheeks and ears.

"They walked in on you?"

"Duo did. He probably thought I was Heero, or something. See, the two of them were getting serious on the couch last night, and they kinda... got to me."

She smiled now, bordering on a smirk.

"Anyway, I... had to deal with my problem, so I went to the bathroom and locked the door, figuring they'd be preoccupied at least for as long as I'd use to-" Nervous smile. "You know."

Soft chuckle. "Yeah... And then what?"

"Duo burst in, with a can of chocolate sauce in one hand and instant whipped cream in the other."

Laughter. "Are you serious?"

Curt nod. "I... had fantasized about the two of them - I'm not sure if I moaned their names out loud, though - but since Duo came in, thinking I was Heero..."

Hilde snickered, put her hand on Trowa's knee. "Oh, you never know... I think Duo always knows exactly where he has Heero. He was probably trying to sneak a peek at you, Trowa."

Trowa's jaw went loose for a bit, but he recovered. "No, Duo wouldn't..."

She shrugged, smile still wide. "Maybe not... Perhaps he just wanted to embarrass you some more."

Disgruntled snort. "He definitely managed that..."

Silence fell for a few minutes. Trowa swung his leg lazily, occasionally banging his heel against the empty oil drum. Hilde leaned in a bit closer. "You know," she said in a low, conspiratorial tone of voice, "I've always thought getting even was better than getting mad..."

One-eyed glance. "And?"

Grin. "Well... Since Duo and Heero obviously have some stories to embarrass you with now, it'd only be fair for you to have some dirt on them, too."

"And where am I supposed to-"

"Me, scatterbrain. Well, I don't have any really good stories when it comes to Duo. He likes to tell all of those himself - he doesn't mind being the fool. I think he even likes it." Borderline sinister smirk. "Heero, on the other hand... Heero is much more easily embarrassed - even if he has lightened up a bit in the last few years." She pursed her lips. "You know, since he was willingly participating in that tease of a kiss this morning - I'm pretty sure it was Duo's idea, it doesn't sound like something Heero would suggest. Anyway, since he played along on such a bad joke, I see no reason to honor my promise of secrecy for him any longer." Big grin. "Do you want to know what happened between my ex-boyfriend and Heero?"

Biting down the urge to say 'Hell, yes', Trowa nodded as calmly as he could. "Sure."

"Okay," Hilde said, straightening up a bit. "It happened... oh, about a month before I moved out, I think. It was kind of the last straw - I figured I had to move if I was to have a life at least a little separate from the two of them. Anyway, what happened was that I had my latest boyfriend with me - his name was David. Dark blond, deep brown eyes, a bit skinny, about Heero's height. Fairly cute. He was a real keeper, but..." She sighed. "Anyway, we'd been dating for a while, and I mentioned I was shacking up with the same two guys I worked with. I quickly added that he shouldn't worry about it, because there was nothing between me and either of them - that we were friends, but that was it. David wasn't entirely convinced, but didn't push it. That was all he knew of Heero and Duo, really - that I lived and worked with them. I kinda... left out a few other facts."

Trowa broke out in a smile. "Like telling him they were... involved."

Chuckle. "Yeah, details like that. Well, it was our... fifth or sixth date, I think. That night, He walked me home, and we kissed on the porch - I had intended it as a goodnight kiss; I couldn't really invite him in for coffee. I mean, I didn't know where Heero and Duo were, and more importantly, what they were doing. If they were snuggling on the couch, that alone would probably have caused enough trouble. David was persistent, though. I told him I had to check with my housemates first, so I carefully opened the front door, walked in and peered inside the living room. I figured the coast was clear - the TV and stereo was off, and only a few lights were on - and I didn't hear any muffled sounds, either. I thought that they'd either gone out or gone to bed - either way worked."

"So, you invited him in?"

Hilde shook her head. "I never got that far. David kinda invited himself in, and started kissing me again, and..." Her face gained a wistful look. "Well, he was good - almost as good as Heero, to give you a point of reference."

Soft snort. "Thanks..."

"So... we kinda stumbled our way to the couch. The house was so quiet, so I settled for Heero and Duo being out. I didn't mind the prospect of them walking in on me, for a change, even if Duo would never let me hear the end of it if it happened. Of course, David occupied most of my attention. He only tried groping me once. I liked the fact he could take a no for a no - if you repeated it a few times." A sigh. "Like I said, a keeper..."

"Then what happened?"

She paused to think for a moment. "Have you ever been in the living room when all the lights are off? Especially that big, glaring three-headed spotlight thing Duo set up?"

Trowa shook his head.

"Well, it gets damn dark - especially when the doors to the kitchen and the entrance are closed. You can barely see as far as your nose. I don't know if you've noticed, but Duo rigged up a master switch right next to the couch - it's set up on one of the legs of the coffee table. Press that, and everything goes off. They like to play in the dark, sometimes, and- well, that's another story. I kinda... pushed it. Like I said, I wouldn't mind it if Heero or Duo walked in on me making out with my boyfriend for a change."

"And they did?"

Grin. "After a fashion... I thought I heard soft footsteps, but I was more concerned with David spread out over me, kissing my breath away. That's... when it happened."

Trowa waited for her to continue. Her ears were reddening. "Go on."

"Yeah... Well, that's when I felt the couch dip again, felt David let go of my lips, heard his slight gasp, felt him just... freeze up. Something brushed against my stomach, and I heard a slow moan, then Heero's voice, practically purring 'So... there you are... Clothes off, I need a good fuck, now...' At that point, I was already fumbling for the light switch, and hit it just as he uttered the last word. I caught a glimpse of him rocking his hips against David's backside."

Trowa was gaping at that point, still smiling.

"It gets better. So there I was, pinned down on the couch, my boyfriend spread out over me, and Heero plastered along his back - stark naked, I might add, and with one hand up under David's shirt, nibbling at his earlobe, and dangling a condom before his - and my - eyes." She grinned. "You should have seen the look on his face - the way his smirk just died on the spot. Heck, you should have seen David's face - because he definitely seemed to have figured out it was a guy fondling him from behind."

Trowa was chortling by that point, smile well into a leer.

"We held that pose for a few seconds. Then we heard the toilet flush, and right after that Duo rounded the corner, his shirt already unbuttoned and his boxers hanging a bit crooked on his hips, saying 'Okay, I'm done now. Where's my little piece of ass?' - Well, he stopped halfway through that last word, because that's when he spotted us - me underneath, my boyfriend over me and Heero humping him again. That's what it took for Heero to gain control of himself, quickly untangle himself from David and run for cover behind Duo, who was pretty much paralysed too, not knowing what to make of the scene. I only caught a glance, but that was enough to know that David had definitely felt Heero's libido." She made a leer, gave Trowa a wink. "Heero was... impressive."

Trowa gave a nod - he already knew that. You can't live for several weeks in the Maxwell-Yuy household and don't pick up on such things. He vividly remembered the night in the kitchen doorway. "Then what happened?"

"Well... David stared at them, at me, and pretty much panicked. He got to his feet and halfway ran to the door, at first mumbling something like 'not into that sort of thing,' then just as he ducked out into the hallway, he turned and told me he'd call me."

Trowa raised his eyebrows, as if to ask the question.

Hilde shook her head. "No, he never did. Duo broke out howling in laughter as soon as the main door slammed. Heero looked ready to die on the spot. As for me, I was just pissed... I mean, David was a good guy." Sigh. "I guess I could have called him, try to explain, but... I didn't quite feel up to saying something like, 'Hi. I'm sorry one of my horny best friends assaulted you. He only thought you were my other horny best friend. They are both guys, they shag like rabbits, and if you're going to date me, and especially if you're going to spend the night, you'd better get used to the prospect of running into them in the buff. Next time, let's just leave the lights on. They probably won't try to shag you then.'"

Snicker.

Hilde joined him briefly. "Anyway... Duo thought it was hilarious. I slammed one of the cushions over his head repeatedly, telling him in so many words that it was not funny. Heero remained eerily quiet, before he suddenly realized he was still buck naked. He ran off to their bedroom while Duo and I fought. When he came back, pants on, he did everything he could to swear us to secrecy. It was easy enough with Duo - all he had to do there, was first threaten with violence - which just bounced off of Duo - and then with no nookie for a long time." She shrugged. "Whenever they fight, that's always the last threat - and it's damn effective. Problem is, it applies both ways." Smirk. "Not that I think they've ever tried to go through with that threat..."

"...and what about you?"

"Well, I agreed from the kindness of my heart - and a solemn promise that the two of them would behave - or better yet, not be there, if I ever invited another boyfriend home. I would have to warn them, of course, but still..." She stretched her arms, gave a minor yawn. "Not that it mattered. I moved out soon after. They helped me out financially, but I've paid most of that back now - Heero has nothing to make me keep that promise of secrecy anymore." She got to her feet, put her hand on Trowa's shoulder. "Besides, with all the dirty little things he and Duo have done to you, I see no reason to keep that story to myself anymore." Chuckle. "Plus, you seem to have gotten a kick out of it."

Trowa broke out in a grin. "Yeah... Thanks, Hilde."

"Anytime." She looked over at the house. "Well, we should probably get back to work..." She glanced at him again. "Trowa, Duo and Heero can be some real big jerks sometimes, but they're not the kind who toy with people's emotions like that..."

The grin faded as he studied her eyes.

She patted his shoulder. "All I'm saying is... Don't be so sure they're only kidding with you - teasing you. Like I said, they never did that much with me - and Heero kissed you, and he wasn't even drunk out of his mind. My advice - just hang around for a bit, see how things turn out - stay cool. Okay?"

He thought it over for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Good," Hilde said, and took a few steps back. "Then let's get to work."

Another curt nod later, Trowa followed her.

Hilde's face contorted into a mild frown the minute her back was turned to him, and her fists balled up just a little. Oh, she was definitely going to have a chat with her two other co-workers soon...

-End Part #6-