Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Working construction hadn’t been terrible. Heero just didn’t know how long he could bring himself to continue showing up and drifting along with the work.

It wasn’t the other men who were a problem; no, they actually didn’t seem to mind him or his silences. They’d accepted his strength and skill without much issue, and didn’t fuss about making things work with his lesser reach. They weren't even bothered by him having a type presentation rarely represented in the field of hard labor; most of the workers were alpha-beta types, after all. Omegas like himself were rare.

There’d been that impromptu lifting competition, though, a few weeks ago. He’d taken part, without entirely knowing why, but it hadn’t exactly been complicated. Grab the bar, back up, do as many squats with the weight as possible, then put it back on the bulldozer bucket without faltering. There’d been one person at his back acting as spotter and others at each end of the bar, ready to grab it if he struggled. Just like for everyone else. Only, he’d won and the entire work site had erupted into ecstatic cheers and hands had reached out to pound enthusiastically at his back and shoulders after he set the bar back into place with wobbling, aching muscles.

And no one minded when he flinched and stepped out of reach.

The work - and the other workers - hadn’t been bad. And yet, Heero continued to sit a little ways away from everyone for lunch. Just like he was now as he frowned at his phone.

Out of nowhere, the foreman appeared and dropped down beside him with his own food, eyeing him out of the corner of his eye. “So, do you think you’ll come back? You’ve got a spot on this crew, but I won’t be able to guarantee you’d return to the same team.”

Heero paused, not shifting even the slightest while the message from Quatre continued to glow on his phone. He knew for a fact he didn’t give anything away, but…

“You’ve got that same distant look in your eye,” the foreman explained. “The same one you had the first day you wandered over here. The same look other drifters get. I’ve seen it before. Big trip planned? Or just a short walkabout?”

He’d been invited to Toulouse to meet back up with the others. Quatre was traveling to Earth as a guest to the latest inaugural session of the world government. He’d purchased a house and thought it would be a good time to catch up. Heero hadn’t… decided…

The foreman just nodded at his silence. “Be sure to drop by the office to pick up your pay. I hope we see you again, Lowe, but it’s alright if we don’t.” Then he left and no one took his place. Everyone here knew he preferred solitude and didn’t try to force their way into his personal space. It was… nice. Exactly what he wanted.

Only, some days he found himself feeling hollow and numb by the time he went to bed. Something was missing. But maybe…

Heero eyed his phone. It wouldn’t hurt to go. They’d never done a peacetime gathering before, after all. It might be nice.

The house Quatre had purchased was excessively large, Heero thought disapprovingly. It was set on an entire estate, actually, with a modest sized main building set closer to the front fence line than he thought sensible. The building had two wings, one of which Heero suspected to be currently inhabited by the Maganac Corps. He could see their distinctive red fezzes flashing in a few of the windows. That meant the other wing would be for them - the Gundam pilots and whomever else Quatre had decided should have access to such an intimate space.

A flicker of tension lit up in Heero’s stomach as he continued to surveil the property. He’d thought… Something smaller would have been, well, comfier… And that was a lot more space to worry about. Even with the aid of the Maganacs, who were more than trustworthy and kept a tight perimeter.

Heero glared at his computer monitor and continued paging through the different camera feeds surrounding the house. Toulouse was well-surveyed and monitored, and security had only increased since the government had been moved here from Brussels after the Eves Wars. Quatre also seemed to have a tight network surrounding the new property; getting in wasn’t going to be easy.

The very idea of just walking up, though, and knocking on the door to gain admission…

Ugh. He didn’t want to beg. Or let himself seem so incredibly incompetent. Breaching the property was going to be a challenge, but it wasn’t impossible. He just needed a plan.

And that he immediately set himself to developing.

It took almost a full day’s work to create the right opening at the right moment to make his way into the house. His duffle back thumped against his hip as he swung himself into the second story window while his thin backpack scraped softly against the top of the narrow opening, but he dropped into the waiting room just fine. He quickly eased the window closed once more then slid out of sight, pausing as he continued his silent countdown.

Three… two… one…

Now.

He checked his phone and nodded in satisfaction as he confirmed the exterior surveillance system was back to normal. Good. He was in and now knew exactly what to work on first once he'd gotten settled in.

After putting his phone away, Heero stuck his hands in his pockets as he left the room behind. It was a guest room in the central part of the house, but still quite far from where he wanted to be. But if he kept going this way, he should find the stairwell that would lead him to his target.

Heero made note of the various architectural details as he continued onwards, mentally comparing them to the blueprints he studied. He appreciated them even more now, actually, after having worked so long in construction. The discrepancies seemed minor so far - mostly things relating to the placement of control panels and power outlets (they were either off by a few centimeters or slightly crooked). He wondered how many changes Quatre had made to the property after purchasing it. And how many could he find before being briefed about them?

It was a fun little game. Relatively low stakes, but interesting enough to be entertaining on its own.

He kept up a steady pace as he made his way deeper into the building, counting silently to himself again. If he’d managed the second phase of his work correctly, he shouldn’t be showing up on any of the cameras peering down at the hallway. He very much wanted to make it all the way to the private residence before anyone spotted him. It was a matter of personal pride. And it would be very amusing if he could pull it off. The further he got, the more startled everyone would be.

Hm. That was quite an enjoyable thought.

Heero eyed the pieces of art decorating the walls, silently doing his best to identify the artist, or at least the culture of origin and style for the works he didn't recognize. He’d dutifully learned the basics of the great eras before Operation Meteor as part of his social and educational training. Then, while enrolled in the various schools during the early days of Operation M, he’d ended up enrolled in a number of art classes. He didn’t have any technically impressive skill with the various tools that had been pressed into his hands, but-

The art they’d studied, something about it-

… he’d always found the studies… satisfying. In a way that he couldn’t quite articulate. There’d been moments, here and there, where looking at new pieces awakened something deep inside him, something that throbbed and thrummed like an open wound. He’d damn near had a panic attack the first time it had happened, but there’d been no actual medical issue whatsoever. It kept happening, too, though he still didn’t fully understand what caused the various reactions.

Visiting art museums could be quite harrowing, but he didn't let that stop him from going. He simply made a point to document what he saw and what caused a reaction. He'd eventually have sufficient data to work out the pattern and solve this mystery. And in the meantime…

He almost paused as his eyes fell on another piece. It was all abstract lines and curves, but as he looked at it, his heart began to pound and his mind suddenly began stirring up memories of outer space. The colonies. And the moments right after battles when he just looked out at the stars and-

Heero forced himself to continue onwards, picking up speed again as he began working to re-regulate his pounding heart rate and rapid breathing. If he stopped, he’d be spotted far too early. How embarrassing that would be.

(But he did note down the location of the painting and the small information placard set beside it. He'd return to inspect it when he had the time.)

Onwards he went, slipping in and out of rooms as needed to dodge people as they went about their various duties. He bypassed the main entrance by utilizing one of the servants' corridors, then found the door leading to the private residence. It clicked open moments after he waved his phone over the security panel and Heero stepped confidently through it, feeling privately triumphant at his success. There'd been some necessary guess work required, after all.

What mattered, though, was that he was in. He wouldn’t be disgraced if he was found now. Obviously, he wanted to get settled before anyone spotted him, but…

If he ran into one of the others, he’d proven himself just as capable as ever by making it this far. His clenching stomach finally begin to relax. It did… matter… that the others continued to see him as capable. He needed to be that for them. And for himself.

Heero had to assume he was on camera now; he hadn’t been able to penetrate this system from outside, after all. No matter what work Quatre might have left for later, this area absolutely would have gotten a full upgrade once he’d taken possession of this estate. And that actually provided an interesting opportunity for him. There were some new security algorithms under development he hadn’t gotten to interact with yet and there was a very good chance Quatre had employed some of them. The digital presentations he’d snuck into and bits of code he’d managed to steal from those high-end security firms looked fascinating and he very much wanted to get a proper look at them.

The private wing, thankfully, was even less populated than the public-facing areas. It might even be possible that even virtually none of the housekeeping staff were allowed in here (a security measure he thoroughly approved of). Heero didn’t catch even a hint of anyone else’s presence until he passed near one of the larger rooms and heard the faint sound of music drifting through the door - specifically, a violin and a flute.

Zero-Three and Zero-Four confirmed. That left Zero-Two and Zero-Five as unknowns. There was a library nearby that would no doubt be tempting for Wufei, but Duo was the true wild card.

He continued on, noting more architectural discrepancies as he sought out the bedrooms and identified which ones were unoccupied. (Amusingly, Quatre and Trowa seemed to be sharing a room now, as evidenced both by the items left out here and there as well as the lingering scents of both men on the bed linens.)

Of the unoccupied rooms, he ended up selecting one of the smaller ones for himself. He almost - almost - chose one near Quatre and Trowa, as it had two paintings inside that triggered a pleasing tingle inside him. The smaller room two doors down, however, immediately felt far more right to him. It had fewer and smaller windows, generally less space, and yet…

His eyes lingered on an alcove near the bed. It was a place of architectural awkwardness, a spot where several elements were forced to meet up. Some greater care at the planning stage could have smoothed it out, but it had been missed and the alcove had been constructed to make do. It was too large to be a simple bench seat or reading nook. Several bodies (especially if small) could have fit on the padded cushion and there was also a curtain that could be drawn across the opening. It was wired with a discrete reading light, there were a few small shelves, and only a sharp eye would catch the subtle issues. (The number of cuts to the trim work, for instance, was outright appalling and Heero knew the foreman at his last job would never have let it stand.)

Tactically, it was terrible. There was only way in or out without breaching a wall, drawing the curtain closed would cut off all sight lines…

But that pleasant feeling tingle returned with even greater force when he saw it, so Heero set his bags down and resolved to discretely investigate it later. First, he needed to make a full evaluation of the security measures and complete the necessary socialization.

An hour or so later, Heero heard footsteps approaching as he continued working away at his computer. The steps were soft, the approaching person wearing a soft set of slippers instead of harder soled shoes. That wasn’t Trowa’s long-legged stride nor Quatre’s measured stride. The person was moving at a fast clip, too, favoring speed and efficiency over everything else.

The footsteps paused as he was finally spotted. Heero didn’t look up.

“Wufei.”

“... Heero. I didn’t realize you’d arrived.”

He grunted softly in response, smirking internally at the irritated glare Wufei aimed at him before he continued on towards the preparation area of the kitchen. Silence fell on the room as Wufei made a pot of tea, putting all his focus on warming up the water and steeping his chosen brew. Heero gave him a small nod of thanks as a cup was set down by his elbow before the other pilot departed with enough loaded onto a tray to suggest to Heero he was planning to serve the tea to the others.

He’d no doubt inform Quatre and Trowa of his arrival once he returned to them. Which meant they’d be here soon.

Heero picked up the tea and took a sip, letting himself savor the light floral fragrance for a few moments. If he pushed, he could have the report ready for Quatre about how to improve his new residence’s surveillance system.

After all, Heero had made it all the way in before being spotted. That just wouldn’t do.

Wufie had tea cups ready for them when Quatre and Trowa finished their duet, and Quatre couldn’t help but smile warmly in appreciation. He got an arch look in response, one faintly echoed in his space heart with a feeling of amusement-exasperation.

“Heero’s here,” Wufei announced in his usual blunt manner.

Quatre froze, cup half-way to his lips. He tried to listen, straining against a sense that had only recently started making sense to him. It was hard to direct it, to tell when people arrived, but if he knew what to listen for…

And sure enough, he could suddenly make out Heero’s presence close by.

Smiling, Quatre let that feeling slip away. Trying to intuit more would take a fair amount of work, but suddenly having Heero humming within his heart again was enough. ”I didn’t hear him knock. I’m glad he decided to join us.”

Trowa let out a soft snort. “Knowing him, I’d be surprised if he did knock. Where is he?”

”In the kitchen looking like he’s been there all day.” That made Wufei shake his head. “Even if he did come in the normal way, he’s had enough time to erase all signs of it. I doubt we’d spot him on the security recordings if we checked.”

Quatre could help but laugh at that. “I bet you’re right. Still, I was half-expecting him to avoid us entirely. He doesn’t really socialize, after all.”

”He does tend to keep to himself when he can,” Trowa agreed. He drank his tea slowly, carefully considering the matter. His steady, thoughtful presence hummed sweetly to Quatre, radiating a strength and solidity that made everything else seem just… better. More stable. Which was invaluable in this new era for Earth and Space. Finally, Trowa lowered his cup once more. “It would be good to find out if he actually accepted the invitation or if this is mere happenstance. There is a chance he's here because something's gone wrong."

"I think he came here to see us," Quatre said with quiet confidence. "And that would be quite a significant step forwards for him. He's always done better when he's with others. If we can work to make this a pleasant experience, he might be willing to visit again."

Wufie raised an eyebrow. “Sorry if I don't feel confident in that. You know he doesn't like to stick around. He's also better at disappearing than just about all the rest of us put together."

”That’s an interesting statement to hear from you.” Trowa’s dry comment sent a scowl across Wufei’s face.

“I answer messages.”

”We appreciate that a lot,” Quatra said, jumping in before Trowa could respond with more snark or sarcasm. With Duo still en route, Trowa had seemingly decided to take on some of their missing friend’s habit of needling others. And Trowa usually proved much more devastating with his comments. “We’re all still learning how to navigate things now that the wars truly do seem to be over. We’ve all had a chance to breathe again and… I think this would be a good time to really start focusing on living, not just surviving.”

And that wasn’t easy. Quatre had his business, sure, but finding time and space to exist outside of meetings and business dinners and paperwork continued to be a struggle. Duo was dealing with his own versions of those issues (on a much smaller scale, of course) while Wufei journey towards balancing his work as a Preventer with his other responsibilities and personal interests continued onwards.

In contrast to them was Trowa, who seemed quietly content with his life with Catherine and the circus. His adopted sister continued to look at all of them with disapproving wariness, but she at least didn’t try to keep Trowa from visiting. Which he did, on a steady cycle to see each of them that helped them stay in touch outside of the messages they traded back and forth.

And then there was Heero, who had vanished out the window of the hospital two days after Wing Zero was destroyed and Dekim Barton slain. The only sign of life they’d had from him were the automated “Message Read/Viewed” receipts that were dutifully delivered to them from time to time. And they all knew there was a chance Heero had automated those messages going out, which meant they really didn’t have any sure way of knowing if he was alive.

Quatre held onto that spark he’d felt after Heero destroyed the final piece of Libre. In that moment, Heero had fully embraced the idea of surviving. Of living. That his life had worth and value outside of missions and battle. His heart was still very, very wounded, but… he wanted to live. In that moment, he’d chosen life and nothing since then had seemed to change that decision.

He was so very glad about that. And surely Heero coming to visit now was another positive sign for how he was doing, right? They had so little to go on with him… It was hard not to worry.

They finished their tea. Quatre and Trowa tidied up the music room while Wufei stacked their cups back on the tea tray, then they left the room behind to head to the kitchen… and Heero.

Trowa’s hand slipped down to gently hold his as they walked and Quatre smiled with quiet happiness. He knew he and Trowa seemed to be… heading towards something. Something more. But they were taking their time and not trying to rush into anything. Quatre knew how well they fit together in a very physical sense - they’d passed a few of Trowa's heats together now in sizzling, sensual delight. But they weren’t in a hurry. And having time to work on themselves and their relationship made for a good backdrop as they enjoyed being in more immediate proximity. It was still hard, after all, living in the aftermath of the war to end all wars. Especially with the role they’d all played in it.

The sound of keys clattering like quiet gunfire greeted them as they reached the living area. Heero didn’t look up from his computer screen as they entered, looking just as focused and diligent as he ever did. Trowa's pace slowed as he took a few moments to look Heero over while Wufei rolled his eyes and carried the tray to the sink for cleaning. Quatre, meanwhile, just listened. It was much easier when face to face, after all.

Despite his lack of seeming attention, Quatre could tell Heero was actually tracking them all quite closely. He seemed smugly proud of having slipped into the house without anyone noticing but also oddly… apprehensive?

It was hard to tell. Heero kept things buried deep and his seeming confusion and uncertainty about his own feelings somehow flavored everything Quatre could sense sometimes, giving it all a strange flavor. At least he wasn't as muted feeling as he'd once been. Their first meeting had been a painful one, coming right on the heels of murdering the Alliance's pacifists. Heero had grown since then, gradually emerging from that frozen place into someone Quatre considered a dear friend.

Just… a friend who's background was both mysterious and defined by tragedy. Heero hadn't ended up as the supposed titular "Perfect Soldier" after a childhood spent surrounded by love and toys, after all. It was sad. And wrong. But they couldn't change the past. The best they could they could for Heero remained the same as always: they needed to be his friend.

Quatre's beaming smile was genuine as he sat down at the table. "I'm so glad you decided to come! With so many of us already on Earth, it seemed like a really the perfect opportunity to have a visit. I know we haven't really done that before, so this should be nice."

"Duo's having to travel the farthest," Trowa added as he lowered himself into the chair next to Quatre's. "Unless you came from further out than L2?"

Heero just let out a noncommittal hum. "I wasn't too far away."

Which could mean anything, honestly, but Quatre would take it. Heero was here, he really had been reading their messages, and he'd decided to come join them once an invitation had been made.

That did make him wonder, though… Was that all that Heero had needed? A clear indication his presence was welcomed and desired? Should they have been more explicit in inviting him to visit or asking if they could come see him? Had they truly been doing enough? Quatre suddenly wasn't so sure.

"Have you been here long?" Trowa asked.

"Long enough to find the holes in your security system," Heero said with a grunt. His eyes flickered up, sparkling blue pinning Quatre in place. "I can fix some of the technical ones from here. The rest I'll need direct access to your security system to address."

"Are the other issues ones people who aren't Gundam pilots could make use of?" Quatre asked, cocking his head to the side in curiosity. "We are in the process of addressing a few issues, I'll admit, so I'm curious what else you've found."

Heero gave a small shrug. "We'll see. They'll all need to be fixed no matter how small the exploit. There's no reason to be sloppy."

"We'll take care of it. I'm just glad you're here! I've been worrying that we've been bothering you with all the messages going back and forth."

The steady clack of keystrokes paused briefly. There was a moment of stillness before Heero looked up again. "Those have been… fine." He started typing again, but also eased up just enough…

Truth. His scent suddenly seemed to flare, distinctively lacking the pungent notes that typically emerged when someone told lies. Even more tellingly, the aura of rigid self-control relaxed; Heero had better scent control than even Trowa, but even he couldn't create false scent markers. Not ones that didn't also radiate being false. For a few moments, they could all properly smell him and Quatre unashamedly took a deep draw of it into his lungs.

Omega-truth teller-comfortable-safe-

The freshness of that scent suddenly began to fade as Heero re-exerted his impressive self-control. The notes hanging in the air remained, of course, and would until the ventilation system cleared them out… but still. It was good to have Heero thoroughly mixed through all their senses now. And that he cared enough about the rest of them to offer that unspoken confirmation, letting his scent offer up the reassurance he couldn't quite bring himself to voice.

Wufei dropped into the seat next to Heero and blatantly leaned in to peer at his screen. "I already know about the broken sensors on the roof. What else did you find?"

Heero obligingly rotated his laptop slightly so he could see better and started to go through the various issues, outages, and flaws he'd located. Quatre and Trowa listened attentively, though Quatre found himself puzzling slightly about one tiny little note buried in Heero's scent. It had been… oddly sweet smelling.

Chapter Text

Heero lowered himself down onto his bed, long-practiced control keeping him from just sagging limply onto the soft surface. He felt like he'd passed a grueling benchmark test. He'd socialized, as best he could, and more importantly, the others had seemingly approved of his security report. The other pilots had even contributed to it, bringing up issues they'd observed while dwelling within the house (Quatre had been here for almost a full week, Trowa had arrived five days ago, and this would be Wufei's second night here) while also brainstorming possible solutions. The finalized report had been sent to the necessary persons - including Rashid of the Maganac Corps - and Quatre had taken Heero directly to the main security room and made certain the team there knew he had both full access to the entire system and the authority to give orders and make changes.

He'd proven himself useful, even without having the option to provide potential lethal force.

That wasn't necessary, of course. It wasn't, not in a world without war. And there weren't any issues brewing that could spiral that far out of control. Wufei was literally a Preventer, he knew about the smaller, simmering threats out there and hadn't mentioned anything. What's more, Heero's own monitoring systems hadn't turned up anything alarming.

The feeling of not having a purpose began to press down on him again. He stared at the duffle bag sitting on the table nearby with his handful of meager possessions and the backpack that he carried electronics in, and...

And he just…

What was he supposed to be doing with himself? The others traveled lightly, none of them could escape the need to have a go-bag at the ready, to not have anything on them they couldn't afford to lose… But they all still had more. Heero had ordered some supplies and some other clothes for this social event, they'd arrive tomorrow, but he still felt-

He FELT-

But he shouldn't simply feel lesser. By any quantitative measure, that was simply a fact that he'd long since accepted, and yet, it bothered him. It clung to him, the feeling somehow metamorphosing to have proverbial teeth that it chewed on him with. He could see the purpose and clarity the others carried, while all he had was a bag of generic clothes, a laptop he'd picked up two months ago, and a growing list of apartments he paid for by the week trailing after him.

Other people stayed put, or at least had a centralized hub they circulated around. The only time Heero could recall having that lay in the years between Odin's death and the start of Operation Meteor. Those memories were unpleasant. But did, at least, carry a sense of reason. There'd been a point to it all, a goal he'd been striving towards, no matter how painful the journey had been.

It had been so painful, the only moments of reprieve had been with Dr. J himself, who'd insisted he manage Heero's cultural instruction so he could better evade detection while undercover-

The only times he'd felt remotely safe had been with the doctor, but even then, he knew the mission came first. It overruled everything else, even Dr. J's casual ways. The doctor hadn't been allowed to remain lenient for long, he'd always been ordered to tighten the leash once more until Heero felt like he was choking all over again.

And they'd choked him so many times. Choked him, strangled him, broke his bones, beat him and cut him, then measured how long it took him to heal-

Heero cut that train of thought off and surged back to his feet. He spun in place, rotating until he was parallel with the bed before dropping down to do push-ups. He counted steadily, shaping the work and his breaths in a particular way. He'd seen former soldiers having breakdowns during his aimless travels, he'd watched them (and the others helping them) use different techniques to interrupt spiraling thoughts, to silence intrusive voices, and to anchor them back to the present.

He didn't like all of those techniques, but Heero had cribbed a few together that did seem to help. And made certain to bury them in something else so no one would notice if he suddenly had a moment of panic while out in public.

It didn't happen often; mostly, he went around with a distinct lack of noise in his head as he focused on the here and now. But some memories broke through that quiet. Others were triggered by something he saw, heard, felt, or smelled. And then, he had to deal with them, trying to find some way of soothing the involuntary trips into his long, miserable life.

Maybe someday they'd stop. Or he'd accumulate enough new memories to outweigh well over a decade of suffering and torment. Until then, though, he'd just have to keep pushing forward. To work out for himself what life could be outside of war. After all, the end of the Eves War had also seen the end of his watchful vigil. He actually felt… safe… leaving most of the surveillance work to the Preventers now. Relena's peace was holding now that the people had actively chosen to protect it.

He didn't have to kill anymore. So maybe he didn't need to keep lingering outside of humanity as its silent protector. But that did leave him with a concerning question: what did he do now?

Heero paused, then drew his legs up so he could turn himself over and stretch. There was a nagging tightness building up inside him, a hint of tension he couldn't seem to shake. He leaned forward and down, focusing on the satisfying feeling that followed. After that, he spread his legs wide and repeated the stretch, allowing a new set of muscles to enjoy that same sense of elongation and brief tension.

After that, and several other stretches, Heero decided it had helped… but only some. Perhaps a run would do the trick; he hadn't been overly physically active today, after all, and he did need to get his eyes on the estate grounds. Doing a perimeter check could prove helpful in several ways.

He grabbed his phone and stuffed it into a secured pocket, then looked his room over one more time. There were no sounds in the hallway, but he didn't feel particularly interested in speaking with anyone. And this was only the third floor…

Bypassing the window's security alarm was easy; it was on a delayed timer so inhabitants could keep the window open for a brief period of time. But he didn't want it going off if he stayed out for more than an hour so he settled for creating a bypass he could access from his phone when the time came to return. (He couldn't just leave it turned off after all.) From there, it was easy to vault over the window ledge and go plummeting towards the ground. His ankles registered an immediate complaint as he landed, but he ignored it as he let his momentum carry him forwards into a smooth roll. He came up balanced on his toes and looked around cautiously.

Nothing.

He slowly straightened up and turned back towards the house so he could confirm where he'd just come from-

Then froze at the sight of the figure staring down at him from another window.

Quatre glanced over curiously as Trowa let out a soft laugh and turned back towards him. "Did you see something?"

"Hm. Heero just flipped me off."

The sentence didn't immediately process. Quatre stared back at him for several long moments with a furrowed brow. "Heero did what?"

"I think he's going for a walk. He jumped out the window, of course, instead of using one of the exterior doors but I don't think he was expecting to be spotted." Trowa's lips were curled into a small smile of amusement. "Hence the rude gesture."

"Heero flipped you off. That's new," Quatre said with a laugh of his own.

"It is. In the past, he simply would have glared or brandished a weapon before stalking away. So, I suppose this counts as growth?"

"I think it does. He seems better in general. And he did come."

"He did," agreed Trowa. He moved across the room with his usual silent grace, hands moving so he could begin disrobing. "I hope doing a security check helps him settle. It did for the rest of us, after all… Quatre…"

"Hm?" Quatre blinked at Trowa, wondering what had caused that odd note in his voice.

Trowa arched an eyebrow at him. "Did you leave holes in the security for Heero to find and use?"

Oops. Furrowing his brow, Quatre did his best to look mildly confused. "What do you mean?"

"A few broken sensors here and there are one thing. But Heero managed to make it all the way into your private wing of the house without anyone spotting him. Even for a Gundam pilot, that's impressive."

"I would never put anyone at risk for no reason," Quatre sincerely said, which made Trowa shake his head. The sheepish smile he'd been suppressing finally broke free and spread across his face. "Besides, Heero would never come knocking on the door. Not with us."

"And now he feels like he has reason to be here beyond just being social," Trowa said.

Heero just liked to be busy, they'd all seen it. Addressing some minor security concerns would help Heero feel useful - and he was because he really had found some exploits they'd all missed. Quatre wouldn't be able to use this trick again, but… he hoped getting Heero here once would provide enough buy-in for him to be willing to make more appearances after this visit ended.

Trowa was smiling as he reached for him and Quatre gladly caught his hand and let himself be drawn in close. He tilted his head back as Trowa leaned down, but the hand that came up and curled around the back of Trowa's neck was anything but submissive. And the way Trowa relaxed under that touch didn't carry even a hint of dominance.

People had the wrong idea, sometimes, when they looked at them. Trowa was so tall and Quatre small and slender. And they both maintained effective enough control over their scents that few could tell at a glance which of them was alpha and which omega. And when they did guess…

Well, they usually got it backwards.

Quatre didn't need to use force or any kind of alpha push to usher Trowa over to the bed. They enjoyed each other's company and it felt perfectly natural and normal to drift over that way once they'd finished helping each other undress. Worries about the others were set aside so that, for the rest of the night, they could simply focus on each other. And honestly, they needed some time to relax and enjoy each other before they dug fully into the endless puzzles and challenges presented by Heero.

Trowa truly was tall, long and lean in ways Quatre never would be. But that just meant there was plenty for Quatre to touch and enjoy as they settled into bed together, and that helped them both warm up and feel properly ready to consider enjoying even more.

Which they didn't always do. Quatre was often tired and there were days Trowa felt less inclined towards certain things. So spending time just enjoying being close always proved to be a pleasing, and effective, way to feel out how they wanted to spend their time together.

Quatre's hand drifted along Trowa's arm, then settled down at his waist as their lips came together. Trowa sighed softly into his mouth as he returned the kiss and slid his arm around Quatre. Heat radiated between them as their bodies lingered close together, not quite touching, but still feeling comfortably near each other. Everything seemed to slow, then grow still around them as they shared slow, gentle touches. Their mouths moved with steady affection and yearning, each kiss intensifying a lit bit more than the last. Finally, Trowa's arm shifted, his elbow dropping down to nudge at Quatre's arm in a silent signal. And with an appreciative hum, Quatre followed the implicit request.

Trowa's hip felt sharp under his palm as Quatre let his hand drift lower down. An immediate shiver passed through the taller pilot; Quatre paused at once and let his hand just rest instead of continuing to stroke and explore And that made Trowa sigh, his breath puffing softly against Quatre's mouth. Their energies washed against each other, drifting in and out like ocean waves lapping at the beach. Only in this instance, Quatre's alpha strength was washing over Trowa's omega nature.

He didn't press. Quatre could sense how he could turn those soft waves into a veritable tsunami, to override Trowa's meager defenses until he had nothing left but the most fundamental of weapons they all had. And he knew that had happened in the past to him; it was a pain Quatre didn't want anyone he loved to suffer through again.

The pause gave Trowa time to breathe and settle, and to truly feel and savor the depth of Quatre's love and respect for him. Even here and now, wound together with the promise of even deeper intimacy, Quatre had stopped.

Somehow, Trowa's spine seemed to soften even further. A low purr-like rumble sounded from his chest, but Quatre continued to hold until Trowa leaned in for another kiss.

Permission to continue was granted, and so Quatre's fingers stroked gently at that sharp hip bone before drifting down to explore Trowa's muscular thighs.

Gradually, their bodies shifted closer together until they were properly touching. Their kisses deepened and grew even hungrier, the intensity surging until Trowa's hand was cradling Quatre's jaw as he eager sought to taste him more and more. Their hips rocked together, letting them steadily grind against each other while Quatre's fingers squeezed at Trowa's backside; it was taut and muscular, and something he thoroughly enjoyed getting his hands on. Finally, Trowa let out a pleading whine, groaning as his back arched in a cat-like fashion.

Quatre let himself be pushed onto his back and ran adoring hands along the legs that shifted to straddle his hips. Trowa settled comfortably on top of him, looking down at Quatre with a sultry, heated gaze. Alpha and omega… they fit so well together it almost seemed like a fairy tale - even if Trowa was simply far too tall and Quatre so short that they didn't necessarily fit easily together in the more common, expected arrangements. (For one, Quatre preferred to be able to see Trowa's face more often than not instead of being stuck staring squarely at his chest the whole time.) It simply worked out better for Quatre to be lying down instead of sitting upright with Trowa in his lap, for one. And the challenge of finding proper leverage was only further exasperated whenever they tried to play around with that position again.

Still, they did still very much enjoy the sense of harmony that hummed between them. Quatre, alpha, strong and ready to press and fill. Trowa, flexible and enduring, and pleased in this moment to be claimed and adored the way stories said omegas adored. They didn't limit themselves to this - and didn't stick sternly to those roles, either - but sometimes, it felt just right.

Trowa's hips began to rock teasingly against him, letting his wet opening glide against Quatre's eager cock. Further evidence of his desire stood erect in front of him, the swollen and enlarged shaft of an omega showcasing his own excitement. Omegas did, after all, neatly blend the features of male and female into their own beautiful presentation. Seeing Trowa so obviously hard and eager made Quatre shiver in delight; he rather liked the thought of turning over after they were done and seeing if Trowa wanted to take a turn at being the one to claim and fill.

That was for later, though. Right now, Quatre's main focus lay on running his hands up the insides of Trowa's thighs so he could better watch as Trowa shifted back just enough to search out Quatre's waiting cock and slowly begin to impale himself upon it.

A low moan floated out of Trowa as he slowly eased himself down. Quatre's cockhead breached him gently, spreading his wet passage open as it slid inside him. Feeling those soft walls squeezing around him made Quatre suck in a slow breath; his eyes kept drifting back and forth between watching himself disappear inside Trowa and the look of such obvious raw feeling on the other man's face.

Trowa's hips rock slowly and his thighs remained firm and tense under Quatre's hands as he carefully worked himself up and down on top of him. His breathing grew increasingly ragged as he filled himself more and more, and his hands flailed some here and there, clenching and relaxing before he settled them on top of Quatre's. He held onto him as he continued to work himself on top of him, repeatedly rising and falling until he was fully impaled, filled all the way until all that remained outside of his body was Quatre's half-swollen knot.

Quatre squeezed at Trowa's thighs as his own chest heaved. The urge to snap his hips upwards buzzed inside him, but he restrained himself with as much furious intent. "Is that… alright?" he asked in a panting voice.

"Mm." Trowa didn't initially answer. His expression had gone tight as he lingered there on Quatre. His inner walls squeezed experimentally around the weapon buried inside him as his hips began to rock slightly once more. A moan floated out of him and his face went slack once more. "Yeah, yeah, that's good," he breathed.

His hands moved as Trowa shifted his weight forwards, settling on Quatre's shoulders. A satisfied smile spread over his face. "It's very good," he assured him, then began to slowly move on top of him, giving them both the satisfaction they'd been craving.

"I'm glad…" Then Quatre groaned and moved his own hands back to those bony hips. "Trowa…"

A panting laugh answered him before Trowa began to properly ride.

Quatre rocked up to meet Trowa each time he came down on him, giving him a little extra snap that caused a sharp cry to come tumbling out of Trowa's throat. His passage clenched tight each time, squeezing hungrily around Quatre as their bodies came together again and again. Trowa's head hung down between his arms as he moved himself; his expression was slack, his mouth hanging open as he desperately panted each time Quatre filled him. Sensual pleasure continued to burn inside them, stirring itself hotter and hotter the longer they moved together.

"Ah- ah- Quatre-" tumbled out of Trowa's mouth.

Moaning in reply, Quatre simply squeezed Trowa's hips harder and did his best to help pull their bodies together. "It'll be soon- if you want it-" Quatre gasped out.

Trowa let out a desperate whine and shoved his hips down harder. He was squeezing so insanely tightly around him now, his body eagerly anticipating the promised end of this furious mating.

A familiar warning burn suddenly lit up in Quatre's gut, causing his hands to spasm on Trowa's hips. Without thinking, he levered himself up hard, driving furiously against Trowa's body. His partner immediately keened and his fingers stabbed hard into Quatre's shoulders. His nails bit into skin even as Trowa shoved himself down to meet Quatre's thrusts. Their bodies strained together, battling for that final moment-

And then Trowa's body suddenly yielded, responding to Quatre's craving for satisfaction and Trowa's eager assent. The swelling knot plunged inside Trowa, driving through his wet opening and tying itself off nice and deep inside him. Trowa let out a sharp cry as he strained himself, angling his hips down as much as he could to ensure Quatre fitted himself deep inside him. Come began to flood Trowa's body, filling his well-used passage as they settled together.

For a brief moment, Trowa stared down at Quatre, teeth bared as his cutting blades descended into view. The fang-like extra teeth, a vestigial remnant of more primitive days, never failed to make Quatre's gut clench in reaction. It was a furious reminder that even when tied onto a thick knot, omegas weren't helpless. Not without harsh measures being taken to secure the ability to violate another. Pure, raw instinct had Trowa showing them off now and they hid themselves moments later as Trowa sighed and let his upper body collapse downwards.

Quatre wrapped his arms around Trowa's waist as the other man nuzzled fondly at his head, relaxing into the slow, sensual haze of knotting. Trowa's passage squeezed repeatedly around Quatre, stimulating his knot to ensure as much come was spilled as possible while Quatre's hips twitched minute, giving Trowa little teasing bits of extra friction to make being stuffed and filled even more enjoyable.

They drifted for a short, faint purrs rumbling out of each of them as they savored the moment. Quatre's thumbs kept stroking at Trowa's skin, sharing his quiet delight. Lips, meanwhile, kept drifting over his head as Trowa remained settled on top of him.

Eventually, he stirred, signaling the end of that leisurely lethargy by pressing a firmer kiss to Quatre's head.

"You're too good at that," Trowa murmured into his ear.

Quatre let out a soft laugh. "Me? You did most of the work-" His knot suddenly dropped, going slack and freeing them both. There was an immediate gush as the come that had been steadily filling Trowa up suddenly had a way to escape.

Trowa leveraged himself up and off of him, smoothly rotating so he could grab one of their bath towels from where they lay draped over a nearby chair. He wiped himself clean, tending to the last of the leaking mess, before tossing the towel onto Quatre in a messy heap. Quatre, of course, let out a startled laugh and began to obligingly clean himself off before balling the towel up as best he could and pitching it in the direction of the clothes hamper just as Trowa flipped the lights off.

They sprawled out together after that, Trowa's long limbs taking up far too much space while Quatre's more compact form tucked up against his side. They took a moment to just breathe, enjoying the pleasant energy swimming inside each of them and flowing back and forth between each other. Lips grazed Quatre's shoulder, then slid up to his neck, causing his breath to suddenly stutter in wonder-

But the cutting blades remained tucked away and no sharp mating bite followed. The instinct was there, the urge for the omega to stake their claim on their preferred mate after such a pleasing encounter and thus granting their mate permission to do the same…

They really weren't ready for that. And even Quatre's immediate flash of disappointment quieted as moments later. Soon, probably, but… Good grief, there was just so much else going on. They lived in the real world where happily ever afters weren't the end of the story, but rather, a new beginning. Trowa did nip at his skin, right at that oh-so important spot, and Quatre immediately turned his head to kiss him, showing his appreciation for the implicit promise.

Something in Quatre's alpha instincts rumbled, wanting to turn and wrap Trowa up. To hold him close and keep him sheltered and protected, to feel Trowa pressed against his chest, face tucked securely against his neck…

And he told those instincts to shove off because they didn't fit together that way, not with Trowa's height and how he was filling out across the chest and shoulders.

Besides, Quatre rather liked pressing himself back against Trowa. It felt right, even with those unhelpful instincts petulantly kicking a rock across the road, so to speak. They were more than their presentations and bare instincts, after all.

Trowa let out a soft, pleased hum from behind him and Quatre responded by threading their fingers together as they lay settled around his waist. He belatedly remembered that Heero was out roaming the property somewhere… and there'd been that odd smell…

But sleep called.

He'd worry about all that tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Morning dawned slowly and Heero felt downright drowsy as he woke up. The urge to just stay curled up and keep dozing was so strong he actually found himself drifting off again before he realized it. He jerked himself back awake with a startled gasp, stared about himself in confusion… then groaned as he felt the subtle ache radiating through him.

Vague memories from the night before drifted through his mind, reminding him how he'd been unable to settle in the waiting bed. He'd decamped to the alcove and had drawn the curtain closed instead, then promptly fell into one of the deepest sleeps of his life. The alcove was on the warm side, but he didn't mind that. He preferred it, actually, to being cold.

Cold was the unforgiving void of outer space. It haunted half-frozen rooms on spinning space stations that didn't have enough insulation to keep exposed metal from burning his skin. He shuddered to remember the feeling of icy dread spreading throughout his body as he bled out, hurting and desperately searching for medical supplies before it was too late.

He didn't like… cold. Which made the alcove's gentle warmth quite comforting. Now, if only his lower back would stop aching…

It had to be the padded, cushiony surface he'd slept on. Sure, he'd slept in worse places before, and for longer. While usually in worse shape, too. But sometimes, a surface was just off in a way that left him bizarrely sore. It was probably too soft, he decided. He was used to roll-out futons and the kinds of old, thin mattresses that every boarding school he'd ever been to seemed to have. Sleeping in a place of actual luxury was just too different.

Achy muscles notwithstanding, though, he'd slept… well. Quite deeply, actually, and he hadn't actually… gotten up…

Heero tried to make himself sit up, but again he felt that strangely lazy urge to just stay put. The alcove felt comfortable, even if it had left him sore. He rolled onto his back and found himself just lying there, sprawled out and enjoying feeling enclosed. Cozy but not trapped. He couldn't see for shit right now, but he also just… couldn't bring himself to care.

Perhaps it was because he didn't actually have any responsibilities right now? That was rare, but true. His threat assessment system was almost entirely automated, he didn't actually have any pressing financial needs, and he wasn't currently signed on with any kind of work crew or special assignment. Moreover, he knew the other Gundam pilots were close. If he couldn't be safe here, then there was no place in then entire Earth Sphere and beyond where that was possible. He could actually just rest.

… of course, he'd never been good at enforced idleness. And he wasn't so worn out from missions that he'd collapsed into a blank kind of stupor. Heero slowly stretched his legs out a bit more, trying to work out that subtle ache plaguing him. For some reason, thoughts of the others ran through his mind, skimming past Trowa and Quatre before lingering briefly on Wufei… then sprang ahead and locked onto the fact that Duo was supposed to arrive later today.

At that, a sudden rush of heat swept through him and that got Heero scrambling past the drawn curtain like a scalded cat. He didn't- That wasn't-

… he needed a distraction. Something to fixate on that wasn't Duo's voice and open, cheerful demeanor. That ignored his unique scent and the confidence with which he-

The ache only seemed to grow longer as Heero remained crouched on the ground, flustered and still filled with that fluttering heat. It had never been this bad before, this strange draw he felt that made him- made him want to do more than just monitor Duo's business over in the L2 cluster from afar and linger over the messages he traded with the others.

Heero scrubbed at his face, feeling far too discombobulated. That damned alcove… He'd slept too well and too deep. He was fixating on Duo again, his back and hips hurt, and he'd slept past dawn. Just barely, sure, but the sun almost entirely above the horizon, and-

He looked at the table and felt another wave of dismay. There was a package there. And he hadn't noticed it being delivered!

No more alcove. Never again.

Glaring at the package, Heero needed a few moments to decide how to proceed. Things were screened before coming in, so it had already been cleared of easily detectable threats. And he had ordered some extra supplies for this visit. More clothes and a few odds and ends to make himself look less like the homeless vagabond he was.

… and for some reason that thought left him feeling a bit more pitiful than usual.

Annoyed, Heero pulled out his knife and carefully approached the package. After a thorough inspection and study of the delivery label, he used the blade-tip to lift open the box. It had been opened, of course, and inspected by the security team before being passed along to him. The contents were accurate, at least, he found when he checked them against the order confirmation. But he still felt both annoyed and embarrassed as he tore tags off the new clothing items and dumped them into the designated laundry container.

(He appreciated that Quatre had cleared certain persons to prepare and deliver food, and others to handle laundry for him and his guests. Heero could deal with all that himself, of course, but it was convenient not having to fuss about it. And he felt confident in the background checks the other pilot had done when selecting who would handle those tasks. His new clothes would be returned to him by tomorrow morning, freshly cleaned and folded, and free from any chemicals from either the manufacturing or delivery process.)

With that done, Heero signed softly as he reached for his phone and computer. He was so far behind.

And still so sore.

It took everything Wufei had not to roll his eyes when he spotted Heero with his laptop once again. First thing in the morning and he had already buried himself in work. Wufei appreciated efficiency and dedication, but Heero took it to a whole different level.

Although… this could just be Heero trying to get things done before Duo arrived. They had a few hours yet, after all, and their missing pilot wouldn't be content to play second-fiddle to the electronic device. He could practically see Duo's dramatic slump as Heero ignored him in favor of the glowing screen and the endless digital issues and assets Heero played around with. Even last night when they'd all been bringing Heero up to speed on more mundane personal matters, Heero had sat with his phone out, fingers moving steadily across the screen as he listened.

It was a bit of a backslide, actually, from previous days. Heero had spent a good amount of their time together on Peacemillion buried in his own head, but he'd managed to directly engage with them more. Hmm, but that had usually been relating to matters concerning tactics and their Gundams. Heero might not have been willing to look at them, but he'd at least spoken back and forth with them about the different updates they had to share.

So, perhaps less a backslide and more of a sidestep. Or it oculd be simple social anxiety, even. It had been almost a full year since any of them had seen Heero in person or done more than exchange a brief message here and there. Heero could simply be out of practice dealing with people who knew him. Well, parts of him. All their pasts were fairly shadowy, after all.

Wufei found himself pausing his pursuit of breakfast for a moment as a thought struck him. Heero was diligent about alerting the Preventers about potential threats he detected and Wufei typically handled the business of getting additional details from him. The messages were always electronic, but it could very well be that he had more contact with Heero than anyone else did.

That was interesting to think about. He wondered what Duo would have to report. Heero favored him more, after all, even if neither pilot seemed willing to admit it.

"Did you ever dig up anything more on that hacker cell in Buenos Aires?" Wufei asked aloud.

Heero glanced up at him. "They weren't all that interesting. They were mostly cribbing different bot scripts together in flashy ways. It was easy enough to disrupt their actions and give them a scare. You should be able to keep tabs on them now, assuming they ever decide to go after government systems again."

"Thanks for that," Wufei said, giving him a grateful nod. "Somehow, jurisdiction's still a bitch to deal with and no one who actually had pre-existing authorization to go after them was willing to do so."

"It happens. It made for an interesting afternoon's work, at least. And I found some amusing things in the process, so..." Heero gave him a one-shouldered shrug.

"What kind of amusing things?"

There was a pause before Heero's fingers tapped out a new rhythm on his computer. Then he rotated the screen around, displaying a video featuring a strange cartoon avatar gesticulating alongside the capture from a computer showing both a programmer's text box and a truly, truly ancient computer game. The video unfolded, sound muted, and Wufei gradually realized it had something to do with writing an automated script to try and beat the game in the shortest amount of time possible. Slowly, Wufei lifted his head to stare at Heero.

The other man's face actually bore a faint look of amusement as he turned his laptop back around.

"I suppose there really is content for everyone out there these days," Wufei said with a sigh. And for Heero, that apparently included watching people doing ridiculous things with programming so they could get themselves to the top of meaningless leaderboards.

"It's an interesting way to manipulate some new algorithms," Heero said, and-

Oh no, please don't explain it. He only did programming work by grudging necessity, not out of any kind of genuine interest or passion.

He was thankfully saved from further details by Trowa, who calmly passed Wufei a smartphone as he went by to join him in the kitchen. It definitely wasn't his, which made Quatre's hurried arrival a few moments later quite telling.

"Trowa, I- Wait, Wufei, is that my phone?"

Wufei gave him a considering look, glanced at the phone in his hand, then blatantly slid it into his pocket. "What phone?"

"You're on vacation," Trowa called out. "You don't need to be connected to your board of directors at every moment. That's why you have them, after all. You can put the device away for a while."

"I- It was just going to be a short call-"

That earned Quatre a long look. Trowa's eyes fell closed as he bowed his head slightly. "If it's truly important, I would never want to interfere with your work, of course."

Quatre hesitated, torn between the constant demands on a CEO's time and their shared desire for a period of peace and relaxation together. Slowly, a sheepish smile spread across his face. "I guess it can wait until later. I will need to make that call, but… Yeah, there'll be time later."

"I'm glad," Trowa said, smiling. Sap was thick in the air, enough to have Wufei wanting to roll his eyes all over again. But then Trowa glanced at Heero with a far more neutral look, something more considering…

Heero returned that look for a moment, flicked his eyes towards his screen… then sighed softly as he closed the lid. It would wait, just like Quatre's phone call. And he didn't immediately pull his phone out as a substitute distraction.

Well, that was a small miracle.

"Well, I guess… would you all like a tour after breakfast?" Quatre asked, looking from one person to the next. "I know we've all seen different parts of the house here, but we really haven't gone through the whole thing properly. I just don't want to get into too much while we're still waiting for Duo."

"Sure, why not," Wufei said. "It sounds like we all have work to ignore and I can't say that I'm especially excited at the idea of reviewing my case files. A distraction would be fine."

"Heero?" Quatre asked.

"Sure."

Such enthusiasm. But still, Heero was continuing to be attentive to the rest of them. That had to be a good sign, right? It was hard to tell, but then, Wufei had never been able to get a proper handle on what made the other man tick. Every time he thought he had him figured out, he threw a curveball at him out of nowhere.

"How many times do I have to kill that little girl and her dog? Tell me, Wufei. Zero won't answer me-" And then… complete collapse, the steel that normally made up Heero's spine crumbling after Wufei unknowingly drove him straight back into the arms of some old moment of horror.

Quatre beamed at them as he started to eagerly explain the history of the estate and property, but Wufei suddenly felt oddly somber. They all had their nightmares but he hadn't truly considered the fact that, unlike the rest of them, Heero didn't have anyone to help him through his own moments of suffering. How often did he think about that little girl and her dog?

And did anyone besides him even know about them? It was a disquieting thought for sure.

Trowa listened attentively as Quatre led them through the house, sharing interesting little details about various features or art pieces that had accompanied his purchase. But he also followed along with the unspoken conversation happening around him, the one shared with small movements and subtle gestures.

Wufei's posture had stiffened slightly, a hint of a frown creeping onto his face whenever he glanced towards Heero. Quatre also seemed to feel something had gone amiss, what with how his eyes flickered between the two other pilots. It wasn't a conflict, but perhaps… concern?

For his part, Heero seemed unbothered. His eyes lingered on their surroundings and he only really spoke when he felt he needed to mention something - a potential issue with a control panel, a note regarding one of the nearby security sensors, or other such small matters. His head tilted to the side at times as he studied various architectural features, and he even gave a small nod of satisfaction when Quatre mentioned a boarded-up dumbwaiter he planned on having uncovered.

What Trowa found the most interesting was how Heero reacted to the paintings and portraits adorning the walls. He looked at the sculptures and plants scattered here and there, but it was the pieces of art hanging on the walls that truly seemed to hold his attention.

How interesting.

"The estate came with a fair amount of art in it," Trowa said aloud as they paused in front of a small cluster of framed prints.

"It did! I don't know a lot about it all. I'm going to need to find someone who does to go over everything," Quatre said. "I know there's a mix of original and reproductions. It's one of the things I really liked about this place, actually," he added with a laugh. "Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to share this with people? Especially up on the colonies. Museums here on Earth really don't do like sending things into outer space."

Wufei let out a little grunt of annoyance. "There's a museum on L3 that's currently hosting an exhibit of Chinese art that is quite disappointing. Anything would improve matters at this point."

"What do you think, Heero?" Quatre asked.

The other pilot was studying the pictures prints with narrowed eyes, scrutinizing them quite closely. They all featured somewhat flat looking depictions of women carrying out everyday matters - sealing an envelope, being fitted for a dress, washing in a wash basin, and others.

Heero nodded at the pieces. "The information placards are incomplete."

Quatre started and turned to look at them. "Are you certain?"

"These are prints by Mary Cassast," Heero said, nodding. "Done in a style to imitate Japanese woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e. These works aren't as well known." Heero spoke the way he did about most things - calmly and authoritatively. Only, none of them would have expected him to be so confident about centuries old art.

Trowa took a moment to study the placards along with the others. Each piece bore its own title, but sure enough, the artist was listed as 'Unknown'. Well, mistakes happened. Especially with private collections and displays.

Though he still looked surprised, Quatre ended up laughing nonetheless. "I'm glad you caught that! I don't think I would have. I didn't know you studied art!"

That closing comment was Quatre making a sweet attempt to draw Heero in, perhaps even encourage him to expand further on this area of obvious interest. But, since it was Heero, all it got them was Heero's eyes going wide and a subtle shifting that put to mind someone trying not to shuffle their feet.

"It's more… It was mentioned in an exhibit I saw once," Heero said, then seemed to brace himself some against further interrogation.

Thankfully, for Heero's sake, Quatre followed along with those unspoken cues and just smiled. "Well, I'm glad you remembered that detail. I'll have to ask someone to add a sign here - or just replace the placards entirely so they're correct!"

Heero's little sigh of relief as Quatre gestured for them to keep going went almost completely unnoticed. Trowa managed to keep from smiling at the little display of humanity and simply fell into step beside Heero as they trailed after the others. It was good Heero didn't feel quite the same need to project an unbreakable aura of confidence like he once had. That aura had even managed to fool Trowa once, causing him to believe Heero's actions after self-detonating was a complex, multi-layered plan instead of what it had actually been: active suicidality mixed with a sense of guilt for assassinating Field Marshal Noventa so strong that Heero seemingly felt he'd lost the right to take his own life, no matter how much he wanted to. That had been a long time ago, though, and Heero had come a long way from being that hurt, haunted boy.

As Quatre cheerfully suggested they head out to the gardens next, Trowa let his elbow reach out and brush against Heero's arm. "If the circus is ever near you, I would enjoy going to a museum or doing something similar with you."

That got him a startled look… then something almost shy as Heero nodded in acknowledgement. He didn't speak, but that was fine. His eyes were already seeking out the next piece of art on display and studying it with obvious enjoyment.

He was going to need to pick up a book or two about art, it seemed. That was fine, though. Trowa had always enjoyed the arts. He'd gladly follow Heero into learning about this new hobby. And perhaps he could guide Heero towards the performing arts at the same time. Art provided enrichment for the soul, after all, and for people like them, with their painful, brutal personal histories, that was exactly what they needed to help them remember how to be human.

Chapter Text

Duo erupted through the front door radiating a loud, manic energy and zeroed in on the person who'd let him in: Quatre.

"Dude, what the hell, this place is too big," he said, the words flying out of his mouth before he could stop them. "It took me ages to walk all the way around to the front. You could put, like… I dunno, fifteen L2-sized houses in your backyard. This is nuts."

Quatre just laughed and gladly pulled him in for a hug. "If it helps, think of this as mostly for business. The only part of this that's really just mine is one small area - and I want to share that with all of you. Everything else is for the Maganac Corp and Winner Enterprises!"

"That's because you're ridiculous," Duo said, pulling back so he could squish Quatre's face between his hands. Which earned him a startled giggle, but Duo didn't mind. Quatre's outpouring of love for everyone around him continued to be never-ending. If he decided to drop terrifying amounts of cash on something the size of a small amusement park, then so be it. It was going to a good cause.

"Right! I'm here now, the space pilot who flew us in from L2 sucked and I can't believe it's illegal to commandeer a shuttle due to incompetent. What matters is that I'm here now, so who is where in your stupidly sized house?"

"Everyone's in the library," Quatre said as he waved for Duo to follow him. "Trowa's looking through the books, Wufei's reviewing case files, and…" he grinned, cheeks going round with joy, "Heero's also here! I think he's watching a presentation from a security firm in New York. And judging by how hard Wufei is trying to not notice, I'm pretty sure Heero isn't supposed to have access to whatever it is."

"Heero's doing crime, that checks out," Duo said, nodding along. It did make sense. It did, he just- "He actually came?"

"Yup. Snuck into the house and everything. The first any of us knew about it was when Wufei found him in the kitchen."

"That sounds about right… How is he? And everyone else? Is Wufei still wanting to firebomb L3's main security office due to the sheer scale of their incompetence?"

"Wufei seems to have… a lot of feelings about L3 right now," Quatre admitted. "He mentioned something earlier about a poorly done exhibit on Chinese art happening there, too. He hasn't talked a lot about his Preventers work, though. Or at least, not to me or Trowa. Heero seems to know about at least half of it."

"Uh huh. And how much of that did Wufei expect him to know about?"

"Not much of it." Quatre gave Duo a long look before they both started snickering. Of course Heero was sticking his nose in Wufei's work. That made as much sense as him hacking into a restricted presentation. (Which is to say, it wouldn't make sense for anyone but Heero because for Heero, it was actually expected behavior.)

Duo's bag bounced against his back as they continued on. He committed the route to memory out of sheer habit even as his eyes roamed around Quatre's new, overly elaborate digs. It was big, with tall ceilings and fancy details that felt like they'd been added to ensure everyone remembered how important this place was. The walls were decorated with fancy cloth hangings and fancy works of art, none of which Duo felt smart enough to be looking at. Sure, he could go, 'Yup, looks nice!' but then he'd be taking off to look at the next piece. He didn't know the names of the artists, nor much about the different styles or stuff used to make all of it. And L2 wasn't exactly crawling with fine art. Not that street rats or junk dealers had access to, at least.

"You know how Trowa and I are," Quatre said as he made use of an access panel. "There are no real updates there. We don't know much about what Heero's been up to, of course, but he's been… well, he's working on being social. He's glad to be here, even if he isn't showing it all that much."

Nodding understandingly, Duo kept following Quatre along as he was given a quick tour of the private wing of the house. That pretty much fit Heero to a T. After all, Heero was an absolute mess of a person. That aura of superior invincibility Duo remembered from their early days had been gutted by the Noventa assassination and Heero's self-detonation. Afterwards, he'd started rebuilding himself into a humbler, quieter person who forced himself to accept that he had flaws and limitations. Especially in the realm of "interacting with human beings".

Duo didn't mind. He wasn't at Trowa's level with it, but he wasn't bad at dialing into what Heero was thinking. And they were riding the same brain wave pretty often, actually. Look back at the Eves War; he and Heero had both been surprised to find Trowa commanding X-18999's control room after busting their way in. Of course, Heero and Trowa had synced right back up afterwards, but still.

He treasured that moment of shared confusion and stupidity. And he knew that sucker punch Heero had landed on him was just Heero's weird way of trying to protect him. He'd known Duo wouldn't have let himself be captured without a fight, no matter the circumstances.

Heero was simply a living, breathing wreck. His past was a twisted, haunted mess of pain and suffering, he continued to pour out endless waves of love and compassion for humanity writ large, and also felt a degree of self-hatred that was outright staggering to contemplate. How Heero managed to get up every day and choose to keep living was quite shocking, actually. But it was also hopeful; Heero wouldn't keep facing tomorrow if he didn't think it wouldn't eventually get better. He just needed some help along the way.

Or maybe Duo was wrong and it was all just one big cultural misunderstanding. After all, Duo was just a random street kid by way of the L2 colony cluster while Heero was the mostly-failed product of an L1-driven effort to turn him into a mindless robotic killing machine. There was room for mis-communication.

Quatre showed him the available rooms and told him which ones had been picked. He blushed when he shared that he and Trowa were sharing as though this was a sudden and shocking revelation, then giggled softly when Duo chose a room that meant he'd be sharing a bathroom with both Heero and Wufei.

"There go our nice quiet mornings," Quatre said in a cheeky voice, then laughed when Duo retaliated with a sharp jab aimed at his ribs.

"Oy! Wufei just needs to learn some patience," Duo declared.

"And Heero?"

"Does not give a shit. Literally, or like, the opposite of that." Duo pulled a face. "Man, he didn't think twice about busting into the bathroom to take care of business while I was showering. You know, back when we were both at that same school that one time?"

"Somehow, that's never come up before," Quatre said, trying not to laugh.

"It wasn't like I hated the guy or anything! But we were very firmly still in the 'getting to know you' phase and he would just zoom in and out, no thoughts given to what anyone else might be doing at the time."

"… were you doing something besides bathing while in the shower?"

Whoops. Duo hastily put some extra power into his step. "Oh look, there's the library!"

And wasn't Quatre nice? He waited until Duo was pushing his way inside before he started laughing at him.

Trowa gave him a nod of greeting as he continued to page through a book about art or something else fancy. Duo waved as he zoomed past, aiming for the faint tinny sound coming from deeper into the small, fancy library. (It had ROLLING LADDERS, which immediately demanded to be ridden. Duo restrained himself, though, and made a mental note to come back later.) He made his way past a long shelf of books and grinned as he found the other remaining pilots sitting at a table by a window.

Wufei had a small stack of folders and a computer set before him, each bearing the Preventers' logo and big stamps saying things like "Restricted" and "Classified". Heero was, of course, helping himself to the folders and adding notes here and there as he skimmed through their contents. Wufei sighed softly when he picked up a new one, but also immediately snatched up the one Heero set down so he could see what additions had been made. And all the while, Heero's attention lingered on his computer screen as he focused on whatever was unfolding there.

Heero's crime presentation, Duo noted with amusement. The irony of Heero breaking into a presentation about security was not lost on him.

Duo wiggled his fingers at Wufei, then moved his hands though a series of quick gesticulations:

Duck position, with his rigid fingers and thumb opening and closing.

His left hand, alternating between a thumbs-up and a thumbs-down, before-

Pointing, directly at Heero, before a final flourish of both hands spreading wide.

Wufei stared. As the stare prolonged, Duo felt himself wilting. Oh god, please don't make him have to actually dredge up the proper hand signs, he hadn't used those in ages and he thought he was being perfectly clear, himself-

"You can talk," Wufei finally said in a quiet voice as he rolled his eyes.

"Excuse me for trying to be polite." Duo let out a dismissive little snort and made his way over to Heero… whose eyes had already slid over to watch him approach.

The lingering look he got sent a pleasant heat sliding through his gut and, the moment he was in range, Duo didn't hesitate to drape himself over Heero's chairback so he could take a peek at what he had up. His arms technically came to rest on the back of his chair, but leaning in caused him to press against the back of Heero's shoulders and neck. He dipped his head down so he could see better - the screen was actually pretty boring, with the camera mostly fixed on a projector screen with people seated in a line of chairs below it - into a position that coincidentally brought their faces close together.

Heero's head turned slightly and the faint puff of Heero's breath against his cheek made him shiver-

Only for Heero to turn back a moment later once he'd swapped out another one of Wufei's very official and definitely super secret Preventers' files. Some little knot of tension seemed to burst inside him once Heero's gaze was fixed on his computer screen again and Duo almost found himself melting down to the floor into a little puddle of patheticness.

Hoo boy.

Duo did his best to rally, stubbornly refusing to budge from his current spot, and instead murmured a question at Heero. "Why is it that when you do crime it isn't for fun things like infinite money or stealing video games? Why do you do crime to listen to executives talk about profit margins and market share?"

That earned him a soft laugh. "Infinite money gets you Preventers. Stealing games is easy. Market share isn't as interesting, but can be suggestive about how quickly industries are likely to adopt new security standards. Also, they have an open Q&A submission form for the final segment of this shareholder presentation if you know where to look. I want them to talk more about a few things."

"Yeah, but you aren't gonna make them read out a question about butts or anything funny, you're going to ask about the tech and code stuff," Duo replied, wrinkling his nose.

"It takes work to stay up to date with all these things."

"I'm pretty sure Director Une would happily pay you to do this as an official thing."

Heero grunted. Wufei snorted. "The Director would be very happy to discuss bringing Heero on as an analyst. Especially since it would get you to stop stealing my files."

"I can stop if you want."

Wufei immediately looked so displeased at the idea that Duo found himself snickering - and then laughing outright when Wufei could only grumble while conducting a metaphorical retreat.

Heero just smirked, of course, and continued to skim through the case document in his hands. But then he suddenly turned his head again and did not scoop up more official government secrets. "It wouldn't hurt for you to watch some of these," Heero murmured straight into Duo's ear. "They're getting close to releasing the new control software for the L4 colony cluster. It would be better if you knew how it worked." His voice was deep, it rumbled, and shivers seemed to go up and down Duo's spine at the same time, stirring that heat in his gut whilst also making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

Evil, evil, evil man-

"I'll do the training when it's ready," Duo replied. "I don't find all the code permutations and adjustments they go through during the development process as interesting as you do."

"Hm."

Getting Heero to drop that point was a petty victory at best because that little sound hit him like pure sin and he…

Well, he wasn't going to be moving from this spot for a little while. Damn it, he couldn't even tell if Heero was doing that on purpose!

At least Heero was comfortably warm. And didn't mind Duo continuing to linger over him. Duo eventually pushed himself upright a little more to take some of the strain off his back, but didn't bother trying to shift his arms off Heero's shoulders. And the other pilot was holding himself carefully still so Duo didn't slip. It was a small, but considerate gesture.

Now, if the others would all stop smirking at him…

Traitors, the lot of them, watching his innocent chat with Heero and acting like there was something salacious about it.

Duo eventually calmed down to the point where he could move away from Heero without disgracing himself. Heero had finished with all of Wufei's files by then and was sitting with his arms folded across his chest as he continued attending to the presentation on his screen, so Duo simply wandered off to see what else he could find. Unsurprisingly, Trowa intercepted him near the other end of the room and gave him a sly look.

"In case you were wondering, that's the most animated and cheerful Heero's been since he arrived yesterday," Trowa said with a low murmur.

Huffing softly, Duo let out a soft sniff. "Your lack of social skills are not my problem."

Instead of feeling properly wounded by Duo's cutting remark, Trowa just laughed quietly. "Yes, I'm sure that's it and not Heero reacting to your presence. He was disappointed you weren't already here, you know, though I don't know if he realizes it showed."

"Hmph. Wouldn't know it from how little he reaches out," Duo muttered. He couldn't deny feeling some lingering frustrations with Wing Zero's pilot. He hadn't seen Heero in person in forever and even his electronic communications had been sparse. Being near him, though, set off the same excitement as it used to, and Duo very much had the impression Heero hadn't really moved on in a way that might…

Well, things between them hadn't changed. It was a point of stability Duo both appreciated and found irritating. He didn't know if he wanted to necessarily push for things to change between them, but as for everything else… Actually, it was probably time to treat Heero kind of like a physics problem; he needed a push to end up in motion. And who knows, maybe there'd be some other changes along the way.

For a brief moment, Duo found himself imagining some of the simple cartoon drawings Pestilence used to whip up to help him learn physics. The simple drawings of balls and ramps and things suddenly had all sorts of helpful labels - including one that put Heero's name on the waiting soccer ball.

"Heh." Duo grinned as he stretched his arms into the air, then folded them behind his head. "We'll just have to work on that," he declared. And in his mind's eye, a shoe-wearing foot gave that soccer ball a nice, firm kick.

"Do I want to know?" Trowa asked, giving him an amused, if also wary look.

"Oh, I'm just pondering some physics problems," Duo said in a cheerful voice. "So, what's the plan? Heero's still sticking it out in corporate hell for some reason, but even that'll finish at some point."

"Quatre's gone to take a call with his board of directors, but he promised to try and keep it short. Beyond that, we don't really have any specific plans," Trowa said with a shrug. "We didn't want to commit to anything before you got here."

“Aw, I’m touched! But I’m seriously chill, so we can do whatever. Maybe a movie night tonight or something? Then see about actually doing something tomorrow once we have everyone firmly pried away from their tech and stuff.”

“That could be fun. Especially if it’s an action movie,” Trowa noted with a grin.

“Yeah, like that one we watched on Peacemillion! How many days did it take us to get through that one again?”

“A few, given that Heero and Wufei each felt compelled to offer lengthy critiques of the action scenes.”

“And Heero got concerningly picky about how they portrayed the sniper, I remember that now.” Duo hummed happily to himself at the memory. That movie had gotten Heero more emotive and expressive than they’d ever seen him before. Mostly because he’d taken such an issue with how the movie had handled their lead bad guy. “We’ll have to see what Quatre’s got squirreled away!”

“Hmm… I’ll have to go see if I can find them. I’ll pull some possibilities,” Trowa said. He lifted his chosen book in farewell and left the library behind, and Duo ended up strolling back over to where Heero was still sitting. Wufei was tidying up his things and looking ready to depart the library as well, which meant Duo could drop into the chair next to Heero and lean in to watch the screen.

They'd gotten to the Q&A, at least, and some of the questions were so mind-numbingly stupid even Heero was rolling his eyes at them.

Propping his chin on Heero's shoulder, Duo took an obvious, and shameless, draw of the other pilots' scent. Heero must have loosened up that rigid control he usually exerted over himself because the more emotive scent markers and the sweet underlying notes of omega were much easier to pick than usual. They made for a heavenly, heady mix that had Duo's alpha instincts rumbling happily inside him. For a few seconds, he even let himself just sort of revel in the urge to issue a crooning invitation for sex or hop up to do… something… to impress him.

What Duo did not do was try to kiss him or lick his neck or just flat-out ask if he wanted to bang. Mostly because Heero had never once showed any interest or inclination towards those kinds of things, but also because Heero was wearing a t-shirt today. Which was a blessing, honestly. Duo's self-control might have evaporated entirely if Heero'd been in one of his usual green tank tops, a garment which - he was convinced - Heero wore as a vague, grudging concession to humanity's preference for its members to be clothed.

Duo both loved and hated those tank tops. They made it far, far too easy to ogle at Heero's chest and Duo had found those firm pectoral muscles fixed pretty far in the forefront of his brain more than once while taking care of himself. Not being able to see them now did suck… but at least he wasn't having to struggle to pretend he wasn't looking.

He drifted some, not outright dozing, but instead letting the sounds coming out of Heero's computer wash over him. He felt quite relaxed, in fact, with Heero's scent buffeting his nose and the heat coming off him radiating against Duo's own body. He didn't initially notice when the presentation ended and definitely didn't stir until Heero pushed something into his hand, which was…

Huh, a smartphone. It wasn't a huge surprise to discover Heero was an early adopter of the new tech.

Heero simply tapped on the glass screen when he saw Duo had a firm hold of it and a video started playing, showcasing a cartoon figure with a TV for a head gesticulating wildly as he talked about coding stuff. And while Duo didn't normally find super interesting, this one did turn out to be kind of funny. Enough so that Duo carefully tapped on another video made by the same person to watch next.

Of course, trying to lean on Heero and watch videos on the other pilot's phone didn't prove super comfortable after a while, but Heero didn't fuss about being dragged over to a small loveseat shoved up against a nearby wall. It was easier to stretch out there, after all, and Duo could just lean back against Heero's shoulder instead of having to awkwardly angled himself over some armrests.

They were just hanging out, Duo firmly reminded himself. Then he tapped on another video, desperately seeking out a distraction from the vague tugging feeling that accompanied Heero running his fingers along his long, braided hair.

Whatever you do, don't stop…

Chapter Text

A subtle hum of energy seemed to linger between Heero and Duo, and it took everything Quatre had to keep from cooing aloud. Duo might not mind (well, he wouldn't get upset, at least, though he would likely immediately start firing back with all sorts of comments) but Heero… Quatre worried he might. Heero was sensitive to perceived criticism. Not to the same extremes he'd been prone to back in the early days of Operation Meteor, but he worried what other people thought of him and his capabilities. He still struggled with letting go of the idea that relationships were transactional and that he needed to constantly prove himself good enough to be with them.

So he kept his desire to coo and fuss and celebrate that gentle feeling of shy intimacy and focused instead on just existing with the others.

Heero's laptop remained closed. Trowa set down his book. Wufei had his case files locked away. And Quatre had temporarily blocked calls from his board. They were all together now, with no pressure, no weight of expectations, and no crisis taking up literally all of their focus and strength. They could just have fun.

Assuming, of course, they survived movie night.

Duo was grinning from ear to ear as he waved a box in the air. "I'm just saying, I think we'd have a lot of fun with this one!"

"They aren't holding their guns correctly on the box," Wufei said in a flat voice. "I refuse to partake in that putrid excuse for entertainment if they can't even be bothered to learn the most basic of facts about weapons."

"Aw, come on! I'm not saying we should watch it because it's good, I'm saying we should watch it 'cause it's BAD!"

Heero's eyes flickered up from his mobile phone for a moment before dropping back down. "They inserted the magazines backwards."

"Exactly! Don't you want to see just how much stupid shit they got up to in this? It'll be great!"

"I dunno, Duo," Quatre said, pulling his feet up beneath himself. "I'm not sure ready to process the ranting."

That made Duo sigh. "The ranting is the best part. And when that little vein starts going? On Wufei's temple-"

"I am not here to be entertainment!"

"But I learn so much from you when you start correcting the movies! You don't want to deprive me of a chance to learn, do you?" Duo seemed so wholly earnest that Wufei actually faltered for a few moments. But then Duo started to giggle and Wufei sucked in a sharp breath, ready to deliver a blistering retort-

"Third one from the bottom."

Heero's voice cut through the room like a knife and there was an immediate pause as they all blinked, surprised at his sudden interjection. Then, slowly, Duo leaned forwards and started sifting through the stack of movies Trowa had discovered and pulled out (quite literally - he'd lifted the whole stack out of a drawer and brought it out for their perusal). When he reached the one Heero had suggested, he cocked his head to the side as he looked at it.

"Scaramouche? This is… old. Super old," Duo said, blinking. "Pre-colonies old. Have you watched this?" He tossed it over to Wufei, who frowned at the sight of the flamboyant costumes and romance book cover style art that decorated the case.

"No. But Trowa will like it." Heero glanced up again, his expression more considering. "Wufei will like parts of it. And you and Quatre won't mind it."

"Well… I guess that's as good a recommendation as we're going to get," Trowa murmured. He looked intrigued, though, that Heero thought the movie would specifically appeal to him.

Wufei wordlessly offered him the box and sat back in his chair while Trowa got everything set up. He gave Heero a side-eye as the TV screen flickered to life. "If you've never watched this movie, how do you know about it?"

"I've seen some things about it." The statement was dry but one corner of Heero's mouth twitched as he spoke. Clearly, he was enjoying being mysterious about this.

Quatre couldn't hold back a laugh as Wufei let out a sound of lowkey annoyance when Heero failed to expand any further. There was no real heat behind that grumble, after all. There was no true irritation from anyone right now. The waves of feeling coming from his friends felt light and peaceful, and there was a true sense that they were all glad to be sharing this moment with each other. They really hadn't gotten to experience anything like this before, after all.

Sure, they'd watched movies while on Peacemillion, but their options there had been limited to what Howard and his crew had thought to load into the ship's computer. And the turmoil unfolding around them meant they usually ended up pausing the movie to go fight in a battle. Or, if no fight occurred, at least one person ended up falling asleep part of the way through it. There were several movies Quatre kept meaning to go back and watch, actually, because he’d missed so many different parts of them.

Trowa sat back down just as the movie started, flashing through various logos and legal declarations before the movie properly began. Rich, if also slightly tinny-sounding, music filled the air as the washed-out colors of a pre-colony era film appeared on the screen. And Quatre watched as he briefly glanced at Heero, still sitting quietly on the couch opposite them.

Unlike the rest of them, the other pilot wasn’t looking at the screen; Heero’s eyes remained fixed on his phone, but he’d at least adjusted the angle at which he was sitting so he could glance up at the movie from time to time.

He could be so odd about movies. Or spending time with them in general. He’d lurk close but rarely directly engaged with things, choosing to distract himself with work or just disappearing into his own head. Napping wasn’t uncommon, either, which was an indirect compliment, actually - a sign of how much he trusted them.

The most reliable way to get him to truly focus, historically speaking, was to put on an action movie. Those he paid attention to. Mostly for the same reasons Wufei did: they both found the fight scenes unbelievable, the gun handling atrocious, and the plots flat out ridiculous.

The complaints both men ended up unleashing really were entertaining! But it took a lot of attention to follow them sometimes, especially when Wufei really got going; he tended to take an almost Socratic approach to ripping the movies apart and expected the rest of them to fully engage in a dialog with him about the myriad flaws he wanted to tear apart.

At least with this movie, Wufei seemed ready to give it a chance. He’d claimed the chair set between the two couches that directly faced the screen and sat with his elbows on the arm rests and his fingers steepled in front of him. He was as still as a stone, and his eyes focused and sharp as they made their way through the pre-movie credits.

In contrast to Wufei’s steady tranquility, meanwhile, Duo had already started to twitch from his spot near Heero. His eyes were on the screen, but he was surrounded by a feeling of motion. He fiddled with the end of his braid and quietly tapped his fingers on his leg. His feet were starting to rock against the floor while his hips wiggled with repressed energy. The entire other couch looked like it was starting to shake along with him and Quatre just hoped Heero’s steady patience would help him endure the endless vibrating.

Ultimately, though, what mattered was that they were all here. They were together and trying something new. Smiling happily to himself, Quatre adjusted his position on the couch so he, too, was facing more towards the screen.

It was time to see what this was all about. And keep pushing them all forwards into a life that didn't revolve around war.

Duo was trying his best. The movie was interesting! There was a lot happening - there were sword fights and fancy costumes, murders disguised as honorable duels, revenge plots, dramatic flourishes with the blades, political maneuverings he wasn't quite following but seemed vastly important to the plot…

It was just sort of taking a while. And that made it hard to remain focused.

No one else seemed to be having trouble following along. At least, no one who was paying attention. Wufei rolled his eyes whenever a romantic scene started, but perked up whenever swords came out (which was often, as it turned out). Trowa, meanwhile, had stretched himself out on the couch with his head pillowed on Quatre's legs, helping to form a cozy little picture. Quatre's fingers were rubbing idly at Trowa's head as they watched together. He didn't seem quite as taken by the movie as Trowa but - as Heero had said - he definitely didn't mind it.

The movie progressed. The hero continued his journey to become a true swordsman so he could defeat the man who'd killed his foster brother. And Duo found himself leaning more and more against Heero's shoulder as his attention kept slipping from the TV.

(He'd come to the depressing conclusion that there wouldn't even be any explosions in the movie, what with it being set in pre-revolution France.)

There was an upside to loosing focus, though. Namely, thanks to his slow, careful, and diligent efforts, he'd managed to wedge himself up against Heero at such an angle that he could see what Heero had been distracted with this whole time. And the answer was glorious.

Heero was playing shitty mobile games.

The revelation was positively delightful and Duo grinned as he watched Heero's fingers dance across the screen, steering various characters here and there on small tasks in one game, then switching to another that seemed more focused on building and defending various structures. Heero bounced between the two games with steady patience, grinding away at both and using the time spent in one to wait out whatever in-game timer that got started up in the other.

On the TV, a dramatic fight started up suddenly and Heero's eyes flicked up-

And then he started when he found Duo grinning at him and very clearly watching him play. A hint of color appeared on his cheeks, but after Duo gave him a quick wink, he returned to his games. He even went so far as to angle his screen a little more towards Duo so it wasn't as much a challenge to make out what was happening.

God, but it was fascinating watching Heero's fingers dance across the screen. He obviously knew the games well - he maneuvered through menus and the tasks each game demanded with the same smooth precision he'd once flown Wing Zero. Duo had played around with Hilde's smart phone some, but the new tech didn't have nearly as much utility on the colonies as they did on Earth. And wouldn't for years, probably. (Also, Hilde absolutely preferred slower paced games that these far more fiddly ones Heero was working away on. Most of which involved finding hidden objects or bewildering murder mysteries packed in around strange mini-games.)

But the clamshell phone in Duo's pocket suddenly felt so incredibly weak and inefficient. He'd been waiting for the technology to really settle and establish itself, for Earth's global network to build enough connections to the colonies so they weren't running separate, parallel systems…

There were… bugs and things… the technology was so new…

Heero's fingers moved again, dismissing both games as longer timers took over both. And then he pulled up a third game, a puzzle game setting differently shaped pieces down on a board to try and clear special blocks and things.

That looked really satisfying…

Damn it all… Now he really wanted one for himself.

Duo gave Heero's shoulder a quick pat before he straightened himself up and hopped off the couch. Wufei began reaching for the remote, only for Duo to give him a small wave of assurance; keep going, the gesture said, and Duo dashed confidently off as Wufei sat back again. He only needed a minute or two, after all…

And sure enough, he was back not long after with his own much more creaky-looking laptop computer.

This time, it was Heero who started to lean in when Duo opened it up and began prodding the device into behaving itself. Heero reached over after a few minutes of watching, brushing aside Duo's own hands with one of his own as he pulled up the command prompt and began to work his magic. Naturally, the laptop seemed much faster and more responsive to him, so it didn't take long before Heero's efforts connected the computer to the house network. It was unfair how much technology seemed to prefer Heero over just about anyone else, but Duo was shameless in taking advantage of how much better behaved his machine was with Heero close-by. It didn't take long at all before he was able to start pulling up information about some of the shining new world of so-called smart phones.

That process took Duo all the way up to the final fight scene of the movie, which was a delightful spectacle featuring the lead actors engaged in a thrilling duel set in a literal theater, complete with absurd costumes, balancing on balcony railings, dramatic leaps and falls, and enough scene changes that the fight never really got boring. And… yeah, Duo could see why Heero had thought Trowa would like the movie. The way Trowa slowly sat up as the fight progressed with a look of growing delight on his face had Duo thinking the circus would be getting some new routines soon, all of them inspired by this very movie.

Snickering quickly to himself, Duo made a mental note to drop by in, like, six months. That should give Trowa plenty of time to script and choreograph the new show.

The movie dragged its way to the end after that fight, vaguely wrapping up the final dangling plot lines. And as Duo lost interest again and brought his eyes back to his computer, he discovered Heero had rotated his laptop around on his lap just enough to work more comfortably on it. He'd actually gone so far as to close out several of the browser windows Duo had opened, culling several of the potential phones Duo had discovered and then replacing them with alternative options.

The presumption could have been annoying, but Duo honestly didn't mind. He hadn't been looking forward to crawling through specs and operating system notes to figure out which ones were actually good versus the ones that just had slick marketing behind them. Heero, meanwhile, had surely done all the research himself, and probably fairly recently, to boot. Leaning on his knowledge just made sense-

Ka-click

Looking up at the strange sound, he found Quatre grinning at them with his own phone in his hand. Duo blinked owlishly at him, trying to work out what that had been. It had almost sounded like… Oh! Quatre had taken a picture of them.

Wait, Quatre had taken a picture of them? Well, to be fair, it wasn't exactly common for Heero to be the one stretched out across the couch. He had most of his weight propped up on one arm while his other hand stretched out towards Duo's lap… top.

(Heh.)

Duo found himself fighting back a laugh. Yeah, he needed a copy of that picture. Heero, meanwhile, aimed a scowl at Quatre whilst slowly straightening himself back up. The glare did nothing to Quatre, of course, so Heero found himself with nothing else to do but pick his phone back up and retreat back to his terrible mobile games. Which no one else knew he was playing. A startled giggle bubbled up in Duo's throat but he determinedly shoved it back down.

It could be their little secret. (Especially since Heero didn't seem to want anyone else to know.)

"Movie! Fight scenes were good, right?" Duo said in a bright voice as Trowa rose to eject the movie from its player.

"The actors seemed to actually know what they were doing," Wufei said with grudging approval. "They were using actual Western fencing techniques instead of simply flailing about like incompetent children who've never held a blade before."

"I think they also did the entire final fight on their own," Trowa added. He closed the box with a decisive snap, the film safely stored inside, then set it back down on the table. "There was nothing to suggest the use of body doubles or stunt men for the more dangerous parts. The whole movie was quite well done, actually. Thank you for recommending it, Heero, I did like it."

Heero glanced up again at Trowa's soft, pleased laugh and his stern expression softened. He let out a little hum and nodded, his whole body relaxing.

Quatre's expression turned thoughtful. "You know, I think that's the first time we've ever made it all the way through a movie without having to pause it or having someone fall asleep. That’s fun!"

"The lack of an ongoing war helps with that," Duo agreed, nodding firmly. "We could- Ooo, we should do another one. With snacks!"

"I'm honestly not sure what we have in the way of snacks," Quatre noted with obvious amusement.

"We shall find out!

Duo bounded excitedly to his feet, ready to race off to the kitchen. Snacks mattered more than picking a movie; besides, Wufei's look of calculation suggested he was ready to pounce on the stack of movies the moment Duo was out of sight. Which meant they were likely in for another historical piece or something with fifteen thousand side-plots and interweaving storylines.

Ugh.

But tolerable with snacks. And his laptop. Which Heero was now actively stealing from him-

Wait-

Duo dithered, hands twitching towards his computer even while his stomach continued to feel cavernous and hollow. Get snacks or save his computer. Snacks? Or pray Heero didn't hack into his browser history and see the porn. (There wasn't a ton of it, honestly, but… some things were just private.)

His stomach let out a warning rumble and Duo felt himself collapsing under the weight of the choice laid out before him.

Then Heero let out a quiet 'hmm' and dragged the curser over to the main browser menu.

"Hey, don't go poking at things," Duo cautioned Heero as he aimed a punch at his arm.

"Then don't use your computer for salacious things without taking measures to hide your tracks," Heero retorted. Clear amusement shone in his eyes as he tapped on the menu, then paused as options appeared for him to potentially click-thru. Options which included his browser history, fuck.

"I DO take measures, you just always get AROUND all that!"

Heero gave him a long, considering look… then suddenly opened up a new browser window. In mere moments, he had a new video loaded up. It was (a) very clearly some kind of online security training video and (b) DEFINITELY not one he should have been able to access, what with the world government logo and watermark in the corner.

Duo swatted at Heero's shoulder. "Stop using my computer for crimes! You know Wufei will laugh when he ends up arresting me for your crimes!"

"Then you should actually do the training course and make certain it doesn't look like you're the one doing… crime."

Wufei just looked pained. "Could you both please stop talking about doing crime right in front of me? Or at least pretend you respect my work with the Preventers?"

"We do respect your work," Heero immediately insisted, frowning slightly.

"Yeah, we're teasing you, not your work." Duo grinned widely. "We all know Sally would come kick our asses if she thought we were disrespecting the Preventers."

That earned them a flat stare. A few moments later, Wufei pushed himself to his feet and stalked towards the stack of movies. "Right, I know one of these was only in Chinese…"

"Wh- Wait, hang on-"

"You did this to yourself, Maxwell."

"Jerk! You know I always fall asleep watching subtitled movies!"

"It wouldn't hurt for you to get a little culture, you know."

"I’m plenty cultured!"

"He is," Heero agreed. "He's watching porn in at least three different languages."

"Stop looking at my browser history! I- Wait, that's not- I haven't- HEY!”

Things spiraled from there. And ended with Duo soundly defeated on all sides and left to sulkily eat ice cream while impatiently waiting for the actors on the screen to get to the next bit of dialog, would they just hurry up, he'd already read the subtitles, why was this taking so long-

Heero's laughter was almost entirely inaudible; Duo felt it more than he heard it, his entire back vibrating as Heero chuckled silently at his suffering.

At least his laptop had been put safely away. It sat serenely on the table with its browser history safely intact and unsullied by others' eyes. Magically, Heero had also set his phone aside as he let himself indulge in a rare treat - in every sense of the word. Quatre's freezer had turned out to be full of strange, bougie items, and Heero had, oddly enough, swerved straight towards the cinnamon flavored ice cream after Duo had set it out so he could stare at it in fascinated confusion.

Oh well. At least Heero's shoulder didn't make for a bad headrest.

Now he just needed to finish his own bowl of ice cream before he fell asleep…

Chapter Text

A warm body resting against his, a familiar scent flooding his nose. Long hair that tickled as it trailed down around him, hanging down in disheveled waves…

Everything inside him felt so hot, there was an ache he couldn't even properly describe or explain, he'd felt it before if, perhaps, never this strongly, but for once it didn't leave him shaking with fear. Why would it when Duo was right there, smiling and leaning in even closer? The hands that gripped his waist made him shudder in delight and Heero found himself surging forwards to follow that light tug. Duo's hair fell around him as he settled in the other man's lap and he couldn't help but moan at how perfectly they fit together. This was right, this was how it should be, all that was left now was-

Heero gasped as he woke up. His fingers were digging into the bedding beneath him, his back was arching, and his entire body seemed to pulse in time with the horde of conflicting signals and impulses running rampant through him.

That dream… oh god, he'd dreamed-

His face flushed beat red, the heat and pressure unmistakable as it exploded across his face. Heero pressed his palms to his cheeks, his fingers covering his eyes, and he found himself letting out the most pathetic of whines as a wave of pure embarrassment rushed through him. All he could think about was feeling Duo's hands on him, the unmistakable need to be as close as possible, how bizarrely safe he'd felt sitting on his lap with his legs spread wide so they could fit together-

What… what had he… what did that even…

And he was in the fucking alcove again even though he'd sworn to himself he'd sleep in the actual fucking bed- all while his body felt tight and hot and there was a sense of need and pressure inside him- That damned dream-

It took far too long for Heero to calm himself down. The pulsing waves of want simply didn't want to burn off and their eventual retreat felt grudging at best. Like they were implementing a tactical retreat so they could set up an ambush for later.

… he hated having a corporeal form sometimes. The signals he got from his own body were insanely confusing and he hated, hated, hated how they sometimes only made sense when he compared them to the descriptions etched across the pages of the most ridiculous of texts-

Fucking literature classes… They'd been the absolute bane of his existence back in the day. Math and science (well, physics and some of the chemistry) had been easy. Art was confusing but enjoyable. Meanwhile, literature had always left him wanting to claw his eyes out. The teachers had always insisted there was no wrong way to interpret everything but he'd always fucked it up somehow. And he'd also always managed to join a new school at just the wrong time and found himself being put on the spot and asked to explain the symbolism in centuries-old texts…

There was one use for literary analysis, at least, and that was driving him into a seething rage when he thought about it. Rage enough to finally clear his head and let him slide out of the alcove and leave his shame behind him.

It was past dawn. Again. The sun had actually fully risen this time, proving that sleeping in the little nook was wrecking absolute havoc on all sense of order and reason. Because it was the nook, it couldn't be anything else causing him to be in such a state-

And it definitely wasn't because Duo had been right beside him during the previous' night's movies, leaning on him for long stretches of time as he watched Heero play those stupid mobile games that gave him something to do when his stomach felt knotted and tight.

(It would have been fine if the others hadn't liked the movie last night, but Heero had worried the whole way through that he'd gotten it wrong about Trowa enjoying the movie or thinking Wufei would actually appreciate the quality of the fight scenes. He hadn't seen the full thing, after all, just watched a stage actor's discussion about the fight scenes one long, lonely night a few months earlier. And so, he'd buried himself in his phone and focused on spending most of the time grinding for ridiculous in-game currency because he refused to partake in the games' pay-to-win schemes. Duo had been entertained, at least, with watching him play during the more meandering plot segments.)

He was fine. Absolutely fine, there was nothing wrong with Duo dozing off against his shoulder and how Heero's fingers inevitably sought out the silky-smooth strands of his braided hair. There was nothing wrong with acknowledging that sliding his fingers along Duo's hair made his brain buzz happily, he simply enjoyed feeling the slip of well-cared for hair passing along his fingers and the structure of the braid provided him with set lengths of hair to work with at a time.

No matter what, though he was NOT out of sorts because of Duo. It was fine that he'd sprawled out against his side with that cascading length of hair spilling down his shoulder and crossing his torso while Duo's unique scent filled his nose-

Another pathetic, helpless little whine slipped out of him because that pulsing heat from before suddenly seemed to be feeding off that memory instead of properly consigning itself to the furthest recesses of his body and mind.

Despairing, Heero quickly gathered up a change of clothes and slipped out of his room, heading for the bathroom. Maybe he'd feel less completely scattered and turned upside down if he showered…

Duo continued to lay sprawled out on his bed, humming softly to himself. His arms were folded behind his head, he had one leg bent, and the other propped up on his knee while his foot bounced mindlessly in time with his humming. By the sound of it, Heero had finished his shower. Which was odd because it was so relatively late in the morning. Not by any normal person's clock, of course, but this was downright nuts by Heero's usual standards.

It was possible Heero had been told that he was on vacation and sleeping in was required for vacations. Unlikely, but crazier things had happened. He still intended to go check up on him soon, though. Heero was definitely off-routine and that meant something was going on.

Maybe, for once, that something was good. Whatever it was, though, Duo planned to investigate and see how he could help. For now, though, he waited. He hummed. And he counted, patiently trying to give Heero enough time to return to his room and get dressed. He heard his door swing open and closed, he did a pretty damned good job of not letting himself get too worked up thinking about Heero changing clothes…

There was a sudden thump from the other room, and the groan of the bed as something fell on it. Then nothing.

… now that was odd.

Duo rolled off his own bed in a single fluid motion and headed for the door. Off-schedule and having now seemingly collapsed onto his bed? Yeah, definitely time to intervene.

There was no answer when Duo knocked on the door. Humming softly, he tried the handle and found it unlocked. "Hey, I'm coming in, okay?" he called out. "Just holler if you want to be left alone…"

Nothing. And so, Duo shrugged and pushed the door open.

The room Heero had chosen was one of the smaller ones that Duo had seen. A little funky in how it was shaped. And it definitely looked a little more like an afterthought compared to the others. There was a table near the door with some folded laundry resting on top of it. A laundry hamper by the dresser. A small nightstand next to the bed set against the far wall. And it was on this bed Duo found Heero.

And what a pathetic sight he made.

His legs were bent at the knee and hanging off the end while the rest of him looked like he'd simply collapsed backwards. His arms lay splayed out beside him with his phone lying near his hand, the screen still glowing brightly. The most telling sign that Heero was in a State, though, was the distinct lack of Looking and Glaring that greeted Duo's entrance.

"Hey, bud, how’re you doing today? We had kind of a late night! But ice cream is the best way compliment for movie night, even if Wufei probably spent half the night in one of the other bathrooms suffering for it. Man, him and dairy, am I right? But he made his own choices there, I refuse to feel guilty for that, especially after the movie he put on just to spite me."

Heero didn't react. Well, nothing beyond simply closing his eyes. Which wasn't great.

Duo continued forward and only paused when his foot kicked something. Glancing down, he saw Heero's boots lying on the ground. They were the same pair of sturdy work boots Heero always wore when he wasn't forced into alternative clothing - old, yellow, and quite battered looking. And they looked a little…

Ooh. Suppressing the urge to whistle, Duo crouched down and poked at one of the boots, causing it to spin on its side. As it rotated, a little trail of rubbery dust appeared, each piece coming off the now visibly crumbling boot heel. And when Duo reached out to tap at the sole, more of it gave way; one entire chunk of battered rubber actually fell off and joined the smaller pieces on the floor.

"Well, that sucks," Duo muttered. These boots were well, and truly, dead.

The next thing he checked was Heero's phone, which he picked up and examined without even a single glower greeting his presumptuous act. Another soft sigh slipped out of Duo. The open browser window - and Heero's search history - all showed the same thing: the boots Heero had been wearing for years now were no longer being made.

It seemed like an inconsequential thing - alright, so Heero would have to pick a new daily work boot to wear - but Duo found himself nodding in quiet sympathy nonetheless. Losing the small, reliable touchstones in life were often what pushed someone over the edge. And given Heero's general state of being in constant, muted distress, it wasn't all that surprising that he'd ended up collapsing into a puddle of misery.

Duo turned off the device's screen and set it down on the bedside table, then climbed up to sit near the other man. For a moment, Duo felt truly lost for words and ended up settling for just reaching out and petting Heero's hair - a liberty he'd normally never take, but he had to do something.

"Rough morning, huh? It sucks when everything seems to be going wrong right from the outset." Heero didn't react beyond the faintest of twitches. Sighing, Duo shifted to the side, then grabbed at Heero's shoulders. "Come on, at least get your whole body up here. You're gonna be half-numb before noon if you stay like this."

An irate little grunt answered him, but Duo eventually managed to drag Heero all the way up onto the bed. He flopped again, this time on his side, while Duo stretched himself out beside him and carefully turned so they were facing each other. He reached out to pet his hair again, fingers carefully running through Heero's messy locks, then along his brow. He could feel heat coming off Heero and let out a quiet little croon of comfort.

Dead boots and he was getting sick? No wonder Heero had ended up just flopping down onto the bed.

Duo ran his fingers along Heero's brow again, then cupped his hand over one hot, flushed cheek. A soft, pleading little whine greeted the action and an immediate jolt of energy ran through him. Without thinking, he scooted closer until he could rest his forehead against Heero's.

"We'll figure out what to do about your boots later," he murmured, feeling unusually fierce and protective. He could fix this. He could. Heero just… He needed to know there was a plan. "I'm sure Quatre or someone else here's got something here we can use to measure your feet. We'll get you new boots and take care of it right away. We can fix this…"

In response, Heero shifted closer and Duo's breath hitched as Heero pressed in close against him, fitting their bodies together. Duo's arm immediately wrapped around Heero's shoulders and his fingers dove into his hair, combing through the brown locks as his nose was suddenly flooded with a strange blend of scents. Duo was purring before he knew it, hunching his shoulder and pressing forwards so he could curl protectively around Heero.

Omega-hurting-misery-hothothothothot-

The notes that pinged as HEAT curled deliciously through Duo's stomach, but the strength of the others - Heero's distress and discomfort, as well as the presentation markers - hit him even harder.

"I've got you," Duo insisted. Hurting, Heero was hurting- Duo couldn't leave him alone while he was hurting. "Just rest. I've got you. I'll keep you safe."

There was a moment of resistance. Heero went tense, clearly fully prepared to rise in defiance of the order, but Duo just repeated himself… and pushed. Not with his hand or by growling or snapping, but with forceful, dominating alpha energy. He pushed, all his energy focused on that singular order:

"REST."

Heero's entire body sagged and went limp. Instead of snarling and shrugging off the command like he usually did, Duo's push left him flat and helpless. The distressed notes only grew stronger - the misery, the heat, and even the revealing presentation tones - as the other man let out another whine. Only, instead of being small and pathetic sounding, it was raw and plaintive, a desperate plea for comfort.

The blend of sounds and scents cut straight through Duo, completely bypassing conscious thought. In an instant, he found himself shoving Heero closer to the wall and grabbing at the bedding. The blankets, sheets, and every pillow scattered across the bed ended up piled next to Heero to form a plush barricade. Duo then twisted around and issued a threatening snarl at the room, glowering warningly at anyone who might dare approach while Heero was feeling so poorly.

It took a few seconds for his conscious brain to catch up. Duo's rumbling threats tapered off as he realized there was literally no one else in the room. Slowly, he turned back around and found himself staring red-faced at a very confused and disoriented Heero Yuy.

Oh boy… how to explain an alpha brain moment… Especially with Heero getting sick…

Gulping, Duo pasted a weak smile onto his face and flashed the other man a thumbs-up. They stared at each other for several long moments before Heero sighed softly and let his head drop back down onto the bed. The heap of bedding that lay between them made for a shitty nest, but was at least sufficient in providing Heero with some semblance of perceived safety. Which was hopefully further reinforced by Duo's presence. And the fact that Heero's breathing soon slowed and evened out did a lot to reassure Duo's heightened instincts that his omega-

… fuck-

That his friend was alright. Or would be, once he got some sleep.

Sucking in a slow breath (and oh boy, but the scents coming off Heero made him shiver), Duo dug into his pocket until he found his phone. He flipped it open and quickly navigated to his messaging program, then began to type with fast presses on the numb-pad.

=====

Heeros sick

Convinced him to take a nap

Gonna camp up here for a spell

Also his boots died

He was a splat when I came in

Just feeling shitty

Send rescue in a few hours

=====

What?! Heero's sick? :frowning_face:

I'll tell the others. I hope a nap helps him feel better, but I do have medicine if it doesn't.

Well, I have some medicine in general. What are his symptoms? We can put Sally on alert and call her later to get things that might help him. I know there's a lot of stuff that doesn't work for him :sob_face:

:thinking_face: So Heero needs new boots, huh? Do you know what size he wears?

I can ask the Maganacs if they have any extra pairs he can borrow until he has replacements

=====

Duo sighed softly as he diligently scrolled through Quatre's lengthy replies. They weren't the easiest things to read on his flip phone, but at least Quatre was on top of everything. He'd make certain they had everything they might need, including meds. Yeesh, they all knew from the Eve Wars how much of an issue common pain meds and shit were for Heero; most of them didn't do anything for him while the handful that did work just went through his system too fast to really count. Sally kept a list of heavier drugs for Heero but was understandably leery about just handing them out. One slip-up with them and even Heero's abused and over-engineered system could crash and burn in spectacular fashion.

Speaking of… Snapping his phone closed, Duo turned over so he could check on the other man. His omega was slumbering peacefully, more or less, curled up on his side and slotted comfortably inside the makeshift nest Duo had made.

It needed work, honestly. It kind of surprised Duo that Heero hadn't rearranged any of it to better suit his preferences, but…

Man, had this guy ever even been in a nest before? Duo remembered Sister Helen making one to share when he first found his way to Maxwell Church with the other kids. She'd worked hard to help them all feel safe and comfortable as she and Father Maxwell tried to find homes for them all. And she'd continued making them for him when Duo had been sent back to the church. He'd learned to do it himself, too, and had returned to the concept a lot over the years. Which some people might not think cool given his age and presentation, but whatever. They were cozy.

But Heero… A wave of displeasure passed through him as he started fussing with the arrangement of everything, redoing a few elements here and there before he pulled the top sheet free so he could lay it over Heero. Who sighed softly in his sleep and seemed to uncoil some.

There really was next to no chance Heero had ever been in a nest. Not in a long, long time, at least. They were probably a foreign concept for him and that pissed him off. God, but Heero had been fucked over right and left his whole life. Duo didn't need to know the details to see the damage that had been done to him.

They'd hurt him… They'd hurt him-

And that thought made the God of Death stir unhappily inside him, urging him to find those responsible and end their lives.

For a few moments, Duo let himself revel in that impulse. In the burning flames and angry snarls that roared through his mind. Then, with a slow, purposeful exhale, he pushed it all down. He smothered the fires and silenced the growls because there was no one to actually hunt down… and no way to do so even if he did decide to give in to those dark impulses. Heero didn't like to share details about his past and the Barton Foundation had excelled at keeping its Operation Meteor cells separated. Hell, Duo knew that some of the cells on L2 helping to train him hadn't all known about each other. It had probably been even more intense on L1, what with its greater wealth and more expansive resources. And that didn't even begin to address how the mad scientists had destroyed as many records as they could before OZ captured them.

… besides, it wasn't his place. That mattered even more, actually. It might not occur to Heero to bring the people who'd hurt him to justice, but maybe they could talk about it some day.

Duo leaned down and deliberately rubbed his face against Heero's; the urge to scent him was too strong to ignore. His omega shifted beneath him, not stirring, but letting out a soft sound of pleasure as their faces lingered together. More of the stress scent surrounding him eased off and Duo's lips curled into a happy smile at how much more relaxed Heero looked when Duo sat back up.

He wanted to climb into the nest with him. To curl himself around his omega and hold him close. To get his scent properly all over him instead of just in one spot. He wanted… wanted…

The strange blend of scents coming off Heero suddenly seemed to roar and a jolt of energy like lightning suddenly passed through Duo's entire being. He wanted to taste his omega's skin and feel his heartbeat, he wanted Heero marked as his and to carry his mark as well, the whole Earth Sphere and beyond needed to know Heero was his-his-his-his-his-

Duo all but flung himself down on the bed as raw heat surged inside him, loudly clamoring for him to ensure Heero was properly marked as his. He suddenly felt achingly grateful for the nest he'd thrown together because he wasn't certain he'd be able to behave himself if it hadn't been there. Lust and a base, raw need he'd never felt before surged inside him, forcing him to grit his teeth as he tried to shove it all back down again.

Holy hell…

In a single, smooth maneuver, Duo rotated onto his front and buried his face in the crook of his arm, trying to overload himself with his own scent. He gripped the sheet next to his head as well and held himself rigid to ensure he didn't start grinding off against the bed.

Heero felt like shit, the last thing he needed was to wake up to a horny bedmate or the scent of sex. Jerking off would just be a dick move right now.

Ugh… maybe he was coming down with something too. Hornyiites or something else that sounded made-up. He didn't… where the fuck was this coming from-

Nap. He should take a nap. He could let his blood cool off as he slept. That would- would probably do the trick…

With practiced determination, Duo quieted the noisier parts of his mind down and slipped into a light doze. And as he slept, new sweet notes began to fill the air, heralding something else growing in strength… and need.

Chapter Text

It truly was rubbish luck that Heero had gotten sick. Trowa tapped absentmindedly at the phone in his pocket as he continued on towards the bedrooms. He'd already loaded the messaging app so he could send Quatre updates; he was fretting, of course, about having everything they might need to take care of Heero, as well as despairing over Duo's lack of response to his earlier messages. Presumably, the other pilot had fallen asleep as well, which was just so fascinating given the gray area Heero and Duo continued to hover in. Heero was grudging about intimacy, after all, something Trowa knew all too well thanks to the months he’d spent helping him recover from self-detonating.

So for Heero to allow Duo to see him in such a miserable state as he’d apparently been in earlier, and let him stay and rest with him? It was telling. And truly emphasized that they really needed to do something to help nudge Heero along towards a relationship he truly did seem interested in. Duo was being more than patient, but he wouldn’t wait forever.

Of course, leaving the darkness behind couldn't be done all at once. It was a slow process, a journey taken one step at a time. But being able to see the light waiting up ahead… that helped. Trowa himself felt like he was nearly out of it. He might never be able to fully step into that light, but it would be enough to linger in the shadows beside it. He could still reach the light from there. And he'd also be able to turn back around and stretch his hand out to those still lost in the darkness. Show them there was a path leading away from pain and despair.

Heero was still very much caught up in that murky darkness. At the same time, though, he’d progressed farther in journeying out of it than Trowa had expected. His mere presence here showed that. He was seeking out the light. It was incumbent on them, then, to do what they could to help him continue on his long journey.

Companionship, a sense of safety, and, of course, nourishment for the soul were the key things Heero needed. And oddly enough, being sick might actually provide them with an excellent opportunity to help share all three of those things with him. They could try to offer Heero the same kind of steady care he’d received once upon a time at the circus, only without horrendous guilt hanging over him the whole time.

The events at New Edwards Base had weighed Heero down like a boat anchor back then. His back had bowed under it all the way through his attempts to pay down the blood debt he’d felt he owed. Trowa just hoped Heero hadn’t found some new guilt to suffer under this time. It seemed unlikely; he'd been downright playful the night before, after all, and Trowa hadn't missed the subtle signs of delight he'd showed at Duo's close proximity. Being sick might put a bit of a damper on all of that, but the general opportunity here…

Well, they hadn't won the Eve Wars by ignoring tactical opportunities.

Chuckling softly to himself, Trowa continued onwards with the art book he'd found the day before resting securely in his hand. Trowa didn't have quite the right background to be able to place the information it contained in its proper context, but he thought Heero might be able to expand on some of it. Or, if that seemed like too much, perhaps Heero wouldn’t mind taking some time to look at the pieces that had caught Trowa’s eye as he flipped through the text.

That might be a better way to lead into the conversation, actually… It placed the onus of presentation onto Trowa while quietly creating opportunities for discussion Heero could choose to engage with how or if he wished. There weren’t any real downsides to that approach, either. The worst possible outcome was spending a pleasant afternoon looking at art, after all.

The door to the bathroom clicked and Wufei emerged, visibly damp and with his hair hanging loose around his head. Trowa received an arch look as Wufei casually used a hand towel to squeeze a bit more water out of his hair.

“Running errands for Quatre?” he asked.

"Checking on Heero and Duo," Trowa said. "It's been a few hours now, after all."

"Mm. If Heero's still asleep, then we may need to consider malicious action," Wufei said in a dry voice. He draped his towel over his shoulders as he fell into step beside Trowa. "Either that, or Duo's managed to get him pinned."

Trowa laughed softly. "You don't think Heero wouldn't simply break out of that?"

"Not if it isn't painfully clear he could get away," Wufei said with a snort. "Those two are ridiculous."

"Quatre thinks they're sweet."

"Good for him. If they ever actually manage to sort themselves out, it'll be by accident and the shock of it might take them both out." Wufei looked on with amusement as Trowa laughed again. "You know I'm right."

"I will simply note Heero's knack for doing the impossible and leave it at that," Trowa said as they reached the door. He was still smiling as he knocked, then reached for the knob when there was no answer.

It took a second or two for the scent to register. Trowa had just enough time to step into the room before the weight of several hours of accumulated heat scent abruptly flooded his system. The distinctive notes were strong - insanely strong, actually, and carrying the sharpness that heralded a heat kicking off. In nature, the scent was intended to attract strong potential mates; heat instinct, after all, didn't always necessarily run along neat, tidy social lines. A strong mate bond usually helped corral a fertile omega's interest but it wasn't as certain a guarantee as many thought.

And Heero definitely wasn't bonded.

He vaguely heard Wufei choking on the raw scent of heat and fertility in the doorway. Vaguely, because Trowa's own omega instincts were suddenly flaring.

The room's inhabitants were still asleep and Trowa was moving before he realized it, tossing his book aside as he slipped across the room and grabbed Duo by the shoulder. Then, without any hesitation, he dragged him straight off the bed and away from the feeble barrier that had been built up between him and Heero.

Duo let out a shocked squawk as he was awakened by being ignobly dumped onto the floor. A snarl followed, accompanied by a threatening display of his cutting blades - smaller than an omega's, of course, but of a respectable size.

Trowa wasn't intimidated. His foot shoved Duo back (kindly, he didn't kick him, flaring instinct didn't overall all conscious thought) before Trowa lowered himself down onto the bed and assumed a protective position.

Instinct could be a funny thing. If Heero had ever shown even a hint of interest in Quatre - or if he'd displayed a tad less focus on Duo - Trowa knew very well Heero might have registered as a threat to his own instincts. He hadn't properly secured Quatre to himself as his mate yet, after all. But he knew he was close to that point and that, moreover, Heero didn't look at Quatre as anything more than a friend. It was Duo he was interested in and, potentially, Wufei. After all, Heero messaged him on a semi-regular basis about Preventer's work; he'd also shown special consideration for him the night before as they watched movies.

And Wufei was also here, stooped over Duo to check on him… and ensure he didn't lunge forward and try to bite Trowa's ankles.

Both were good potential choices, Trowa knew, though he'd never evaluated them with heat scent filling him and giving them such… new and interesting dimensions.

They were physiologically similar - strong and fit, healthy, and close in size to Heero. And there was no real biological or functional difference between alpha and beta, after all, no matter what pop culture and stereotypes claimed. No, alpha and beta differed more in… other areas.

Alphas tended more towards aggression when properly aroused and wielded a metaphysical hammer intended to further their ability to safeguard their reproductive line. A strong, confident alpha could swing that hammer and send a room full of people running if they wanted… or force them to stop in their tracks. It took great strength of will to throw off an alpha's commands.

Betas, meanwhile, ran on a more even keel but also felt far less driven towards securing steadfast social bonds. They were deeply devoted to their mates… if driven to find one. Which many did not, as the urge to form and receive mate bonds didn't push as urgently at them as it did alphas and omegas. The strength of a beta's metaphysical influence, too, tended to be lesser than that of an alpha's; in a conflict, alpha strength typically won out.

Of course, such things ran on a spectrum, and Trowa knew full well that Wufei's strength and will easily outmatched many alphas. And he was ruthless in using the difference between reality and expectation to his full advantage.

Still, nothing about Heero's heat was certain. Duo had never truly tested his alpha strength against them all. Wufei's independent beta nature might create distance between himself and Heero. And as far as Trowa knew, neither of them had ever been intimate with Heero either, let alone passed a heat with him. There was also no telling what kind of posturing might spark up once Heero woke up and instinct became very loud indeed.

At the same time, there also existed the possibility that Heero might consign one or both of them to simple reproductive utility and focus on Trowa instead. It wasn't unheard of, after all, though Trowa didn't know for certain if he felt inclined to reciprocate that interest.

Not when he had Quatre…

Thought of Trowa's soon-to-be mate sent a pleasing curl through him, one that then wiggled excitedly inside him thanks to the influence of Heero's heat scent. Trowa smiled as he dropped down to laze on the bed, watching the others with an air of seeming boredom. (Duo's eyes had gone huge while Wufei's glittered with sharp, intense focus as he murmured quietly into Duo's ear. How interesting… what in the world was Wufei saying, Trowa wondered.)

But actually, they needed Quatre here. In fact…

A scenario suddenly flashed through Trowa's mind that was most pleasing to consider. He didn't want to share Quatre, of course, but he savored the thought of having him close and feeling Quatre grinding up against him while Heero took turns with Duo and Wufei. After all, why pick just one when he could have them both? They could lounge back together, Heero's head nestled against Trowa's shoulder as they received their proper due from the others… and he could keep an eye on Heero, as well, as was only proper as the more experience of the two of them.

This had to be Heero's first heat, after all. A late start, but he'd been through a lot. More than enough to explain something interfering with the more typical schedule for such things. If Heero had had heats before, he'd have recognized his own pre-heat symptoms - which included several behaviors and scents Trowa had done a poor job of noticing, actually.

Mm. He'd need to make that up to him…

Perhaps a bit of play wouldn't be amiss as a means of apologizing… and it could be such great fun to tease given that Heero had a choice in partners. They could put on a bit of a show, maybe…

(Before Quatre, the last person Trowa had ever been with for heats had been… Well, Trowa Barton. The original. He'd been passable, if also ultimately disappointing. Picking him had gotten Trowa several additional privileges, though, and ultimately led him to the path he was on now, which he certainly didn't regret. And Quatre was an upgrade in every possible way. (Except, perhaps, height.))

Heero's potential suitors were keeping their distance for now, Trowa noted with approval. Wufei continued to lean against Duo's shoulder, which would normally come off as being more aggressive and dominant, but in this instance… No, they looked quite neat together, actually, and simply as though they were on watch, eagerly hunting for a sign their attentions were desired.

And so, with that potential concern buttoned up for the time being, Trowa rolled over to check on Heero himself.

The other omega's eyelids were starting to twitch. He wouldn't be able to remain asleep too much longer; the need to mate had to be burning inside him by now. He was certainly wet enough already - Trowa could smell the slick, though he knew even the increased amount leaking out of the other man paled in comparison to what it would surge to once he mounted his first suitor. He'd need to undress first, though…

Ugh, jeans. Another sign this was Heero's first heat. Slick-soaked jeans were a nightmare to get on and off. Heero would need something else to wear if he felt the need to wander out of the room or travel somewhere that wasn't the bathroom. Something loose and flowing, perhaps… with easy access because they could be indulgent given the security of having their own private wing of the house and this being Heero's first heat; he hadn't known what he'd need, obviously.

That was a concern for later, though, after this had come to an end.

In hindsight, Trowa's approach when Heero's eyes started to flutter open was entirely wrong. He let instinct and his own surprising fortune in passing heats with acceptable (if boring or what proved to be irritating) company before he met Quatre override common sense. And he didn't dwell even for a moment on how challenging his first heats had been thanks to certain liberties taken with his person over the years.

Namely, he forgot to factor in Heero's rather appalling personal history and the fact that he'd started Operation Meteor suicidal, even if the other omega didn't seem to realize it.

He forgot… that there was so much he didn't know about Heero.

An enticing mewl slipped out of Heero as he awoke and rolled onto his back, stretching in a way that emphasized his impressive musculature and flexibility. His hips rocked while his back arched, and oh, perhaps Trowa would see if Heero would be interested in some play after all…

Hazy blue eyes blinked as they met Trowa's and Heero just… stared. He looked vaguely baffled, he was absolutely feeling the burn of his heat, but didn't seem to have quite put all the pieces together.

His first heat. Ah, of course he was confused.

"Good morning," Trowa said with a low laugh. "I know how you must be feeling right now… Heats can be rather intense, can't they? But there's plenty of company here for you. Who would you like first?"

What Trowa expected was for Heero to grumble or roll his eyes. To peer past him with a considering or sly look, then began to twist on the bed as he shed the clothes that were very much in the way. Or perhaps, if he was feeling contrary, he'd bare his teeth in challenge and surge out of the nest, a rumble emerging from his throat as he shoved Trowa onto his back, determined to make it absolutely clear this was his nest and that Trowa needed to submit.

What actually happened was different. Much different.

It took several seconds for Heero to sort through Trowa's words. To parse through them and hone in on the meaning of them as he also took stock of his own state of being. The delay had Trowa leaning in towards him, teasingly intruding on Heero's meager nest, a move which sent his scent wafting forwards, a factor that pushed Heero from waffling and feeling confused… into action.

"Omega…" Heero's eyes were dilated with arousal.

And in a split-second, Trowa abruptly remembered that arousal… didn't strictly refer to just sexual arousal. But rather, it described a rather wide range of feelings.

Heero's howl was one of pure, raw noise and Trowa threw himself backwards with a yelp as the other man lunged forwards. Deadly cutting blades flashed and it was only thanks to Trowa's experience working with the circus animals (who did sometimes grow irate even with him) that made it possible for him to deflect the attack enough to not have his jugular ripped out. Heero's teeth sank into his forearm and he immediately began to whip his head back and forth, trying to rend and tear.

"Whoa, no! Heero, stop! STOP!"

Duo's roar blasted over Trowa's yell of pain and the push behind it actually knocked Heero back. He swayed uncertainly, then skittered backwards as Wufei leapt up onto the bed, rapidly ripping a pillow case off one of the pillows so he could begin applying pressure to Trowa's wounds. There was a thump as Heero toppled off the end of the bed, then Duo yelped again as Heero began to scramble towards the window.

"Stop! You can't go out, not like this! Jesus, Heero, you're reeking of heat scent, that isn't safe-"

Trowa tried to master his breathing, but… it wasn't easy. The shock of suddenly being attacked and bitten like that- For it to be Heero, of all people. Pain radiated through him and it was taking everything he had not to cry out again. Wufei's steely focus helped, though, as did the quick, confident movements of his hands as he got the pillow case properly packed against his wounds.

"That'll keep. He didn't get you as badly as it probably feels," Wufei said. His eyes flicked up then, taking in what was happening beyond Trowa and the bed. And the sight had him swearing softly under his breath.

Trowa gritted his teeth and determinedly began to push himself upright. It hurt, he still could hardly believe that Heero had…

But he couldn't dwell on it, this was a crisis situation.

Wufei's jaw was clenched as he helped Trowa sit up so he could see the stand-off occurring. And the sight of it was so shocking Trowa temporarily forgot about the agony radiating from his arm.

Duo still stood near the window. His alpha push had ensured Heero didn't go diving out to get away from them all, but that strength had fizzled out as dismay took over.

Heat scent still permeated the room, fresh blasts of raw pheromones flooding the air without any hint of weakening. And the desire to mate was still very clearly burning inside Heero. It echoed in every sway of his hips, in the way his back arched, and how his legs kept twitching open in what would normally be an alluring display.

It wasn't, though. It couldn't, not when Heero had backed himself as far away from them as he could. He couldn't stop the small twitches or keep himself from starting to settle into those preening postures.

It wouldn't have mattered if he'd stripped naked and blatantly bared himself to them, though.

Not when he was staring back at them all with a look of pure, raw terror.

Chapter Text

The scent of heat had sunk into the walls, the plush carpeting, and the every soft surface in the room. It rolled over them, loudly heralding the presence of a fertile omega waiting so close by…

And Wufei really kind of hated it. The pheromones dug deep inside him, they set his blood on fire, and sent his blood coursing precisely in the wrong direction for dealing with this… this mess. Trowa was breathing heavily beside him, his own eyes dilated as he stared back at Heero. It was one part arousal, one part confusion, and one part pain. The pillowcase pressed firmly against his arm was a temporary measure only - the bite Heero had inflicted needed proper cleaning and treatment before an infection set in thanks to the absolute cesspool that was the human mouth.

Duo, meanwhile, started edging closer to Heero. A low croon was rumbling out of him, the sound was no doubt intended to be comforting, but Heero wasn't having it. If anything, it was having the exact opposite effect. The closer Duo drew, more the scent of fear pulsed through the air and the more Heero seemed to draw into himself. His teeth were bared, cutting blades on full display while something absolutely feral and primal seemed to burn in his eyes.

And exactly none of it carried the kind of energy that would bring this to a peaceful resolution.

Wufei had to force himself to uncoil; his limbs had locked up as he looked back at Heero. He didn't understand what was going on in his head and that made him stop. He needed to think. He had to think and find clarity because he always fucked things up when he let himself simply assume things.

It was just so hard to think right now, though. But he persevered nonetheless.

"Stay," he hissed as he climbed past Trowa and dropped down to the floor. They needed…

Fuck, what did they need…

A fresh snarl tore its way out of Heero and that immediately clarified what the greatest issue at hand was.

Duo spun around with a threatening snarl of his own when Wufei grabbed his shoulder. A pulse of aggressive energy immediately rolled out of him that Wufei had to brace himself against… but it helped some, actually. Mostly because having alphas try to roll him always pissed him off.

Heero didn't react well to the threat display, which wasn't great. They were probably about two minutes away from a full-on attack.

"Trowa needs help," Wufei said in a flat voice.

"Heero needs my help," Duo snapped back at him. He shifted closer, sliding into a more aggressive stance as he moved. Everything in his body language screamed possessiveness. The ongoing 'will-they, won't-they' energy that had been sizzling between Heero and Duo for years was gone, leaving (on Duo's part, at least) nothing else but pure, raw desire.

Wufei didn't think Duo was an actual threat to Heero, but he wasn't thinking. He wasn't looking. The unique way he could look at Heero and figure out what was happening inside his head had been, for the moment, turned off. Instinct was driving him forwards - the desire to soothe Heero's distress, to shower him in affection, and shield him from harm. And mate with him as well, of course, but Wufei felt fairly confident that mattered less than everything else.

But if Duo actually tried to touch him, Wufei was convinced Heero would rip his throat out.

Something was wrong. They could all feel it. They couldn't lean solely on instinct right now to address this, not when Heero's own instincts were currently on fire.

They couldn't risk making a mistake. Heero was too strong and too lost in fear right now. He was absolutely terrified of them and that… That could get them all killed if they made the wrong move.

So Wufei stood his ground and simply glared back at Duo as the other man - an aroused, territorial alpha aching with worry for his desired mate - took a threatening step towards him.

"Heero does need your help. And so does Trowa," Wufei said. Duo snarled, lunging forwards - and the thrill of battle immediately sang in Wufei's veins. He felt himself reacting to the sizzling pheromone bath they'd all been plunged into and the feeling of being challenged by another suitor for the sweet smelling omega so very close by.

But he had not spent years learning to master himself to simply give in.

Even with every nerve rejoicing at the prospect of a fight, of getting to put this alpha in his place, Wufei refused to surrender to crude instinct. He dodged Duo's attack and yanked him close instead, then snarled directly into his ear before Duo could react. "This room is secure but nothing else is! The Maganacs can come over here, as can members of the household staff. How can you linger here, ready to fight, when dozens of other people could be smelling him right now?"

And that brought Duo to a screeching halt.

Good. Good, that… He needed Duo to go away. Heero always reacted to Duo, always, and this moment was no different. Until they knew what to do, how best to proceed, they needed to stop provoking Heero so he didn't end up ripping them apart with hands and teeth both. That hyper-sensitivity Heero had for the other man could lead to a disaster right now.

And perhaps with distance and time away from this- this-

Oh Gods, but Heero smelled good…

… he had to get Duo away from him. And ensure he stayed away long enough to start thinking again.

"Take Trowa to Quatre and tell him what's happening," Wufei urged him. "Secure the building so no one even gets close to him. Seeing to it yourself is the only way to be certain he remains safe. I will stand guard here."

Duo pulled back, visibly hesitating. His eyes - dilated and hazy - jerked back and forth as he stared at him. Then he turned, checking on Heero.

The other man - their friend, who was currently drenched in the scent of slick and fertility - wasn't looking at them. He'd collapsed to the floor and wobbled back and forth on shaking knees while his head ground against the arms he'd folded against the floor. His entire body shook with repressed tension… with repressed need. He was fighting it, fighting against a drive to mate that was just-

"Every moment you go without feels like you're drawing closer to death."

Her voice spoke softly in Wufei's memories, though the flat affect of her voice remained. She'd been stating fact, after all.

And that was grounding, even if it wasn't all that comforting. The facts of reproductive biology (and how not mating was not, in fact, a death sentence) didn't exactly matter right now; Heero currently felt like he was dying and every fiber of his being radiated the fact that he preferred that to doing anything to relieve that sensation.

(A nasty little corner of Wufei's mind piped up, snarkily noting this was familiar territory for Heero.)

Fortunately, Duo didn't seem to pick up on any of that. Which was another sign of how off-kilter he was, honestly. He looked thoroughly unhappy when he looked at Heero, a miserable little whine escaped him, but also… slowly… he nodded.

"Get Trowa to Quatre… secure the perimeter… No one else comes in here, do you hear me?"

"Understood," Wufei acknowledged.

Duo's eyes remained locked on Heero as he lurched over to the bed where Trowa awaited. And he kept looking as he helped the other man down and gave him a shoulder to lean as they started for the door.

Trowa was the one who hesitated. He drifted forwards suddenly, taking a step towards Heero-

And the other omega's head snapped up as a rippling snarl tore its way free. Heero's teeth were bared as he wound himself up, tensing, he was ready to lunge forwards-

Even Duo jerked back in shock, dragging Trowa with him. Wufei found himself stumbling away as a thread of fear shot through him. That-

That wasn't a simple territorial display. Or a grudge. Or jealousy. Or one of the many issues that could pop up when two non-bonded omegas shared a heat.

It was hate. And an earnest, heartfelt desire to kill.

"Omega…"

The warning hiss chased Duo and Trowa out of the room. The only thing comforting about it was the vague implication that Heero wasn't responding to Trowa specifically, but rather his presentation. It was still a serious problem but at least it wasn't something horribly personal.

The room went still as the door slid shut once more. The only sound was Heero's ragged breathing and the soft whines undercutting absolutely everything. Slowly, Heero's head turned towards Wufei and it was striking, actually, how he glared from behind his long, messy fringe of brown hair.

It really was a way to hide, wasn't it…

With no other distractions, Wufei suddenly felt keenly aware of his own self. Nothing had truly managed to put a dent in the very real state of arousal he was in. His thoughts felt far too muddled and slow, and he felt himself just…

Yearning.

Yearning to press himself close to the other man. To taste his skin and draw that lush scent deep into his lungs. Without Duo here, he could feel his pride stirring, instinctive confidence surging inside him that he would definitely be the one to…

He was not… a being of mere flesh.

Wufei let out a huffing breath, one that exploded out of him so suddenly that Heero jerked back in shock and alarm. Oh, but this was even worse than when Nataku had…

He'd waited out a heat before, he'd demonstrated the strength of his mind and will to another sweet smelling omega, and he would not falter now.

As he stared back at Heero, Wufei lowered himself to the ground and settled himself into a meditative pose. He went through a simple exercise first, focusing on trying to shed some of the tension and heat burning inside him. There was no denying how he was being physically affected. He could accept that, and the side-effects that accompanied it. But he was more than some simple beast seeking to reproduce with a fertile partner. And by regaining control over himself, he could do more for a friend in dire need of help.

Nataku, lend me your strength. But more importantly… I need your wisdom. Please, guide me.

It was hard… to think…

Heero fell back against the ground as his arms and legs gave way. Everything inside him felt like it was on fire. Trying to pull his thoughts together… He couldn't…

Why was it so hard?

His clothes chafed against his skin. He wanted to strip them off, to cast aside the confining layers and be free of the irritation of seams and textures that suddenly felt so insanely wrong- And they were tight, they squeezed at him, especially his jeans which were simply wet and clinging horribly to his skin-

But he couldn't do that, he didn't dare, that wasn't SAFE-

The fire inside him writhed, feeling hot and cold all at the same time. His body was a battlefield right now as two wildly divergent forces raged inside him.

On the one hand… he was wet, he ached, he wanted nothing more than to draw someone(DUO) close and drown himself in everything that defined him. His mouth was dry, he wanted to drag his tongue over hot skin and overload himself with his(DUO's) taste/scent/feel, he knew-knew-knEW that awful yearning inside him would be soothed if he just-

On the other hand…

No no no no no, not THAT-

The latter force was winning. He wanted to cry. He might already be crying. He just wanted all of it to stop.

He tried pulling at his hair, trying to find something else to focus on, but it didn't help. It didn't do anything but fill him with anguish because he was ALONE-

It was killing him. It was killing him, his body couldn't possibly hold up under the weight of all this, he didn't want to die but he couldn't-

He COULDN'T-

A loan grumble suddenly hit his ears. That wasn't him, that wasn't-

NOT ALONE, NOT ALONE, NOT ALONE-

HE'D FORGOTTEN, HOW COULD HE-

His eyes snapped up and saw the figure sitting on the ground on the other side of the room, watching him with dark, steely eyes and unflinching confidence.

If not Duo, then maybe… He didn't want to die-

He couldn't. He couldn't, but-

It had never been his…

"Hmm, you're in quite the state, aren't you?"

Heero was sitting bolt upright before he knew it. That-

Clackclackclack-

The knock against the wall panel sounded again and the soldier knew he could hide no longer.

Dr. J stared dispassionately at him when he came crawling out. "Hmm, you're in quite the state, aren't you?"

The soldier redid the screws that hid the small gap in the wall then silently obeyed the doctor's gesture for him to follow. No further comment was made in reference to the stains on his skin, or the smell, or his torn clothing, or-

Or any of it.

He blinked. The memory faded. A sense of familiarity sank into him, it didn't temper the awful firestorm that had overtaken his whole being, but…

"Wufei…" His voice was raspy and weak. His throat hurt, he felt like he'd been screaming. The flat taste of blood lingered in his mouth, which was… worrying. Given the haze unwelcomely occupying his mind.

The other man continued to stare at him, his gaze so stern, his expression so tight. His cheeks were flushed, though, and his breathing was rough. Why…

Heat. He was in heat, that fact slid home as it somehow shook its way free from the terror waiting to overtake him again. The symptoms were ebbing some, but Heero had the horrible feeling it would surge again to absolutely overwhelm him. But he could think right now. He was in heat, and that meant… meant…

He was in heat and Wufei was sitting here with him drowning in the pheromones Heero's stupid, awful, traitorous body was putting out. Embarrassment swamped through him as he realized how Wufei was being affected, what he must have seen-

A thread of unwelcome excitement and (worse) arousal cut through him, causing Heero to whimper and drop his head down again. The fear was creeping up on him again, his thoughts started to swirl and spin because- because-

He wasn't- He wasn't in control- If he wasn't in control, then someone else was-

"Heero."

No, no, no-

"Heero, can you hear me?"

Why couldn't it just stop!

"Zero One, report."

Everything… paused. The tormenting firestorm wavered uncertainly. Years and years of training tried to take charge, but-

No. No, he was more that just-

"Not… not zero one. Not anymore," he panted.

"No, you're not. Heero? How are you? I need to know what you're feeling."

Hysterical laughter exploded out of him, just for a moment. Then he whimpered. "It's… hot. Tight. Don't like it."

"Have you ever experienced a heat before? Were you expecting this?"

"God, no."

There was a moment of quiet before the next question came.

"Heero, do you feel safe right now?"

Safe? What even was safe? He'd spent most of his life not feeling safe. The moments where he'd actually felt safe… there weren't many of those. There'd been moments of quiet where death seemed to hang further back, but to actually feel safe…

Some sliver of thought slid through his mind. And he remembered… that he had felt safe. Before the heat took over, before the firestorm had started, he'd actually felt… safe…

But now…

That was so far away…

A sob tore its way free before he could stop it. "Going… to burn alive," he gasped. "I don't- don't want to. I don't-"

"But it isn't safe? To soothe the fire, I mean. You don't think it would be safe to calm the fires."

The question… statement… was so odd that Heero found himself peeking up. And found Wufei sitting across the room watching him. He was far away. He was far, far enough that Heero could ready himself to fight if he had to. If Wufei tried to put the firestorm out.

Didn't he know, though?

"It isn't safe. It hurts. It isn't safe, it hurts. It always hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it HURT- I'd rather die than-"

A shudder ran through him and Heero found himself curling into a tight ball, squeezing and clenching every muscle he had. He tried to turn himself into stone, into a lump of useless metal. It never worked but it was more effective than wanting to peel his own skin off if he could. It was better than battling the urge to take a knife to his own flesh or step in the way of some of the manufacturing units in the production factory. He'd spent a long time wanting to render himself utterly repugnant and repulsive to behold.

He'd never done it, though. It wouldn't have been tolerated. It wouldn't have worked, either, not with how well he healed.

The fever inside him pulsed confusedly. Clenching did something to affect it, in a vague sort of way. It wasn't enough, though. It didn't do anything about the clothes scraping against his skin and the awful, desperate yearning to find someone(DUO) and press himself as close to him as he could.

He… when he'd felt safe… someone(DUO)… Duo, it had been Duo, he'd made him feel safe. He just… he wanted that. He wanted that, why couldn't he have it? He was slowly burning alive, he wanted it to stop, but he couldn't…

Even with Duo, he couldn't bear the thought of trading his life for that pain. He didn't want Duo anywhere near that.

"Heero? I need you to listen to me." Wufei's voice was strange and Heero heard him groaning softly. When he peeked up, he saw Wufei pressing his hands to his eyes. The way he breathed was peculiar and oddly rhythmic. After a few moments, he lowered his hands and stared back at him with a shockingly fierce look.

"No one is going to hurt you. I will not let that happen. I give you my word that for the duration of this heat, for as long as you feel… muddled and hazy or confused… no one will hurt you. You have… survived so much. Endured great evil. You will survive this as well, I swear it. Whatever touch or contact you desire, you may freely seek out without fear. No one will press for more without being stopped. You will not be hurt, not like that. It will never happen again."

Wufei almost sounded upset. Which didn't make any sense, much like his words. What he'd said was too much. The promise was too sweeping, too grand, too impossible. Heero could only stare at him with wide eyes, so utterly confounded that even the firestorm eating away at his life seemed to quiet down for a while.

Oddly enough, though, for a brief moment Heero could have sworn his mouth was fully of a spicy cinnamon flavor. And the fierce, sweeping, and precise way Wufei had spoken… it reminded him of…

"-hurry along now. This is no time to ruminate on the past. There is still much to do and learn before Operation Meteor begins."