Dragon Lady: *sighs* This story took way too long. It was supposed to be out in time for Valentines Day. -_-;;

Ken: Dl, who were you trying to kid? You know you can never get a fic out on time.

Dragon Lady: *rolls eyes* Anyways. HI! ^_^ This is my very first Gundam Wing fic.

Ken: If anyone can't tell from her pen name, she usually writes for Digimon.

Dragon Lady: ^^ But I've recently become seriously addicted to Gundam Wing, so here's my very first fic for it!!! ^_^

Ken: Dragon Lady doesn't own Gundam Wing. So don't sue her.

Dragon Lady: This story is shounen ai. Yes, boy x boy love. Don't like? Too bad. Go jump in a lake. =P

Ken: ^^;;;;

Dragon Lady: This story contains a variety of different pairings, some straight ones as well. The list is enormous. o.O Lets see, we've got 1xR, 3x4, 1x2, 2x5, Rx2, 5xR…and it just keeps getting stranger. ^^;;;;

Ken: Of course, its going to end 1x2, 3x4. Everything else is just a mistake.

Dragon Lady: ^^;;;; Not a mistake. It was planned. *snickers* By a vengeful cupid. ^_^ Read. And hopefully you'll enjoy. See, Kat. I got it posted on Saturday. ^_^ Well…part of it anyway…

Ken: Part of it? *groans*

Dragon Lady: *smiles innocently* What? ^^

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The Trouble With Love

By: DigimonDragonLady

Aphrodite sighed deeply in undisguised disgust. The great goddess was incredibly bored. And it appeared that nothing, no matter what was done and not for lack of trying, could help to alleviate her present situation. She had redone her hair five times already that morning, changed outfits twice, and spent two hours doing nothing more than staring at her reflection in the mirror; all of these being activities in which she usually took great joy and found very settling. But now not even curling her hair was helping.

There was just nothing for a goddess like herself to do these days. There hadn't been anyone to pray in her temples, or put in a plea for her presence in eons. Still, she always tried to stay busy, because without some kind of love the world would simply fall to pieces, wouldn't it? But being an immortal had lost its thrill centuries ago.

She sank wearily down into the plush cushions of her sofa and flicked idly through the channels on the television with her remote; just so she could see what was happening on the earth, for lack of anything better to do.

Aphrodite simply couldn't understand why there was no demand for her, of all gods. She could understand no one wanting Ares around, but Apollo and Athena always seemed to stay busy enough. But people in the world these days just seemed to be more interested in finally filling their divorce papers, rather than falling in love and getting married.

She scowled, a look that she knew was not at all becoming on her, but her mood was as black as Tartarus at the moment. She began viciously clicking through channels with her remote, in hopes of locating a channel that had someone or something that could explain the reasoning behind this pitiful lack of love to her.

The goddess finally settled on a channel that looked mildly promising, after becoming increasingly annoyed over all the commercials and infomercials she had to go through to find it. (Yes, even the gods are plagued by such irksome things as commercials and telemarketers.) She watched intently as the televisions picture was enlarged to zoom in on one tiny house in particular, where various individuals were occupying themselves in a small room.

One of the aforementioned individuals was settled comfortably into a large chair reading a newspaper, one was fixed immovably to a computer screen, his fingers flying over the keys at a steady rate. Another was spread out on a ratty old couch, much like herself, and staring at a television screen, the fourth was seated at an antique looking desk writing something or other.

And the fifth member was jumping around from person to person, bouncing on the couch cushions, hanging over the boy in the chair, reading over the shoulder of the one at the computer and apparently making an all out general nuisance of himself will all of the rooms occupants. Well, with the exception of the blond haired boy seated at the desk, who merely smiled and shook his head at his friends outrageous antics.

Aphrodite was growing more curious with each passing second. As she became aware that there was some kind of conversation going on in the room, centered around the active boy with the long brown braid, she turned up the volume so that she could hear just what it was.

"Valentines day is coming up soon," he announced pointedly. "We should do something fun."

He received noncommittal grunts from the three more silent and reserved of the five, and curious looks from the blond.

"Come on, it'll be fun," he persisted. "Don't you think so Heero?"

Another grunt, this time coming solely from the boy in front of the computer.

"Isn't valentines day for lovers?" the boy on the couch looked up, he was looking at the braided boy standing in the middle of the room, but he let his eyes drift over the others in the room. When the he caught the blonde's eye the smaller fair haired one was the first to look away, a slight flush coloring his cheeks.

"It's a weak holiday, Maxwell," the Chinese boy with the newspaper sneered at the braided boy with contempt. "Valentines day is for weak women."

"Are you trying to insinuate something, Wu-chan?" the brown haired boy smiled sickeningly at the Chinese boy.

"What have I told you about calling me that, Maxwell?" he growled back.

A feral grin spread across the first boy's features mockingly, and "Wu-chan's" eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

"So…no one wants to do anything for Valentines Day then?" the blonde asked softly. "Why not?"

"Apparently not, Quatre," the braided boy, Maxwell, replied. "Yeah, I guess I can understand where Wufei's coming from on this."

"Y-you can?" Wufei blinked.

Quatre and the young man seated on the couch looked at him incredulously. Apparently this "Maxwell" person was not one to easily admit defeat.

"Well, sure. Weak holiday. You're absolutely right. I mean, flowers and chocolate and all those little cutesy Valentines Day things, who needs it? Pathetic really. Love. Does anyone really need something like love? What does it do for 'ya?"

They were all staring at him in open mouthed shock and amazement. Even the boy at the computer had turned his chair around to gape at him.

"What?" he asked. "Well, does love make you stronger?" he persisted, as though unperturbed. What good does it do you in the long run? Only makes you think that you're happier, right? But everyone can live without it, can't they?"

The young man looked completely serious.

The rest just sat in stunned silence.

"Love is an attachment that only goes to prove your weakness to the world," the one called Wufei broke the silence. "The truly strong people don't need another to help them to stay that way."

"Of course," Maxwell agreed, never batting an eyelash.

The goddess Aphrodite seethed. How dare those boys?! Just who did they think they were, criticizing love?! She slammed her fist down on the arm of her couch, and snapped the television off with the angry click of a button.

"Eros!" she screeched.

Her son immediately appeared before her at her calling. "Yes, mother?" he asked.

"Get your arrows," she hissed angrily. "We've got a houseful of mortals who need some lessons in love."

Eros sighed. His mother was in one of her moods again. "…Again?"

"Don't question me!" she ordered. "Just do as I say."

"Yes, mother."

Aphrodite turned her cold eyes toward the black television screen as her son disappeared again. "You foolish mortals will pay for this insult to the goddess of love."

* * *

Then the corner of Duo's mouth twitched upwards as if in hidden amusement and as another moment passed he couldn't take it anymore and burst out into uncontrollable laughter.

"Are you mocking me, Maxwell?!" Wufei snarled, jumping up from his chair in anger. Duo was practically rolling on the floor.

"I can't believe you actually buy that garbage, Wufei," Duo howled in mirth, laughing so hard that he had tears rolling unchecked down his cheeks. "Of course love is important."

Wufei sprang up from his chair with a low snarl.

There was a soft snort and Heero turned his chair back towards the computer. "Love is unnecessary," he commented.

"Well, it really doesn't matter what everyone thinks about the significance of Valentines Day," Duo rolled his eyes. "We don't have to be all mushy and head over heels in love to enjoy ourselves once in awhile, now do we? Of course, we could just stay here like we usually do, and take bets on how long it will take Heero to get screen sickness from staring at that computer all the time. Or we could go out and have ourselves a good time."

Heero growled softly. "I'm not going to get screen sickness, Duo you baka."

Duo's eyes widened in the pretense of amazement. "Wow, Heero!" he exclaimed. "I think that is the longest sentence I have heard you speak for a week at least!"

"So…you don't really believe all those things you said about love…did you, Duo?" Quatre asked softly.

"Of course I didn't," Duo assured him. "I want to find real love some day, just as much as the next guy. What about you, Quatre?"

Quatre noticed Trowa watching the exchange with interest, his eyes fixing on Duo and Quatre. "I…yes. I'd like to think…that by loving someone else, that I'm a better person for it."

Duo smiled.

Quatre, for some strange reason was unable to meet Trowa's intense gaze, and his cheeks flushed a pale pink.

"Well, at least there are a few privileged people, like you and me Quatre, who truly appreciate the day."

"Go tell it to someone who cares, Maxwell," Wufei snapped, and grabbing up his newspaper from his chair, turned to exit the room. "I think I'm going to go read somewhere where I can get a little more peace instead of having my ears filled with such an annoying chatter."

"Your loss, Wu-chan," Duo called out sweetly behind him.

* * *

Eros stared at the small scrap of paper that he held in his hand. Written on it was the address of the unfortunate souls whom he would be taking his mothers vengeance upon. He made certain that the address of the house and the address on the paper matched perfectly, before winging around the building, looking for a way to gain entrance to the inside.

There it was.

He spotted and open window and swooped down, careful to check and see that he was indeed invisible to the mortal eye. Before he entered, he saw a pink limousine pulling up in front of the small house out of the corner of his eye.

* * *

"Maxwell, why do you follow me around just to annoy me?" Wufei groused.

Duo grinned. Wufei torture was a hobby he always indulged in when he was incredibly bored with nothing better to do. "Its because I love you soooooo much, Wufei," he answered, batting his long eyelashes at him.

Eros grinned to himself at the young man's reply. He took careful aim at Duo with his bow. If the braided one didn't already love the Chinese boy, he would soon.

Wufei merely snorted in reply. "Stay out of my way," he ordered.

Duo opened his mouth to make some kind of smart-alecky remark when suddenly, the strangest feeling came over him. It started like a sharp kind of pain, and then grew into a pleasant tingling sensation that spread quickly throughout his entire body.

Wufei frowned at him. "Something wrong, Maxwell?"

Duo raised his head and looked Wufei in the eye. The Chinese pilot had to swallow a sudden lump of nervousness that had risen in his throat. Something about Duo had changed, something about his eyes. The violet orbs seemed to sparkle with some kind of intense emotion. What was it? Admiration?

"Wu-chan!" Duo exclaimed, leaping at him.

Wufei gave a startled yelp as Duo threw himself at him. He had not been expecting that. He struggled valiantly, trying to squirm his way out of the braided boy's grasp. "What the hell?!" he gasped. "Maxwell, stop playing your stupid games and let go of me this instant! What has gotten into you?!"

Eros chuckled softly to himself as he watched the interesting display.

In a minute, however, the bedroom door had opened and Heero Yuy stood there, looking incredibly peeved at having been interrupted in something. "What on Earth is going on up here?" he demanded, glaring at Duo and Wufei. "You're making the whole ceiling creak."

Then he blinked as he observed Duo nuzzling up against Wufei, already having the other boys hands pinioned to his side, and rubbing his cheek against the other pilots chest; looking for all the world like a kitten with catnip. Wufei was turning beat red.

"He's gone crazy," he told Heero, still struggling, but Duo's hold on him never loosened for an instant.

"Do something!" he demanded desperately.

Heero sighed in exasperation. Duo, that baka. There had to be something seriously wrong with that boy. Didn't he know when to quit? "Duo, knock it off," he snapped.

Duo was acting most bizarrely. Usually he listened to Heero when he knew he was angry, as he was then, but at the moment, Duo simply appeared to be ignoring him.

Heero growled in the deepest annoyance at the direct disobedience Duo had shown to his order, and stalked forward, intent on pulling Duo forcefully off of Wufei. First Relena had to come for a visit, and now this. Needless to say, Heero Yuy was NOT in a good mood.

* * *

Quatre and Trowa stood with Relena in the entry hall, looking very unsure as to whether or not they should continue to stand there and keep the girl entertained, or dash up the stairs after Heero to see what all the commotion was about.

There were several loud thumps and thuds, accompanied by many squeaks and muffled yelps, and followed by several loud outbursts of indignation from Wufei.

Relena frowned up at the second floor. Heero had disappeared up those stairs just as she arrived at the door, leaving her with the cheerful blonde Quatre and the silent Trowa.

There was a loud screech from the second level.

"What ARE they doing up there?" she demanded of them. "It sounds like they're killing each other!"

"Among other things," Quatre muttered to himself. Relena didn't hear him, but Trowa did. His eyes widened, and he stared at Quatre in astonishment. The blonde boy blushed when he realized that he had spoken his thoughts aloud.

Trowa cleared his throat with a small cough.

"Honestly, Relena, we have no idea," Quatre informed her in a small voice.

Another thud accompanied his statement.

"Well, Heero's up there, and I for one intend to find out just what is going on around here!"

Quatre and Trowa didn't say or do a thing to keep her from ascending the stairs. Trowa just shrugged and they both stared after her.

* * *

"Maxwell, get a hold of yourself!"

"Duo sit down!" Heero roared.

"But Wufei, I love you!" Duo cried passionately, latching onto Wufei's arm once again.

"Duo!!"

Eros was practically in tears, for all of his laughter. The scene was just too funny to describe. Then, he abruptly stop laughing and aimed his arrow at the Japanese boy attempting to pry the braided one, Duo, from the Chinese boy, Wufei.

The door opened suddenly, and Heero whirled to see who stood there. Just wonderful. Relena. That was all he needed. The day was deteriorating fast. Then, before he could turn his attention back to the still scuffling Duo and Wufei, he felt a sharp, stinging pain, and a strange warmth flooded through him. A wondrously pleasant sensation at that.

"Relena…" he breathed in a soft intake of breath. Why had he never noticed how completely beautiful she was before? Like a goddess. Or an angel. What a fool he had been to never see it before.

"Do you have any idea how much noise you're making up here?" she berated them soundly.

Duo was ignoring her in favor of wrestling with Wufei and Heero was simply standing dumbly, staring at her with a captivated look on his face. Strange…

Suddenly, Wufei shoved Duo off of him with a grunt, and Duo stumbled backwards, blocking Heero's view of Relena as he began to fall.

Eros, acting quickly, shot the girl as the braided boy slammed backwards into her, knocking her into the ground. She had time only for a squeak of surprise before she hit the ground, with Duo over her. The Japanese boy darted forward to help her, as Duo rolled off of her and climbed rather shakily to his feet.

"Relena, are you all right?" Heero asked in concern.

"Yes, yes, of course," she answered absently, with a dismissive wave of her hand in his direction.

Wufei was expecting her to explode at Duo at any second for falling on her, but the young woman merely blinked as if in a dream like daze.

"What about you, Duo?" she asked quickly, sweetly. "Are you all right?"

Oh no…

Wufei watched the way she was staring at Duo. It was the same way Heero was looking at her, which was incredibly unusual as Heero usually threatened to kill her rather than have to stand and talk to her for a whole minute, and the same way Duo had looked at him. What was the cause of all of this insanity?

"Huh?" Duo frowned at her. "Oh…yeah. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Relena pressed agitatedly.

But Duo was no longer listening to her. Wufei muttered a curse under his breath as Duo turned his attention back to him. "Don't even think about it, Maxwell," he growled, backing away quickly, as if Duo carried some infectious disease.

"Duo…" Relena was pouting because he wasn't paying any attention to her. She moved to his side as Duo moved farther into the room after Wufei. And now, Yuy was attaching himself to Relena Peacecraft, something Wufei knew he would never be seeing under normal circumstances.

"Relena, why don't you come downstairs and let me get you something to drink," Heero offered.

Relena ignored him completely.

Duo made as if to jump at Wufei again, but Relena caught onto him and refused to let go, much as Duo had done to Wufei earlier. Wufei gratefully took the opening and quickly fled the room through the doorway that Relena and Duo had vacated, leaving the other three to struggle with each other. At least now Maxwell would see how it felt…

* * *

Trowa and Quatre watched Wufei practically fly down the stairs like his tail was on fire, followed quickly by a hyperactive Duo.

"Help me!" he hissed at them. "They've all gone mad!"

"I don't understand, what's going on?" Quatre asked in obvious confusion.

Wufei was hiding behind him as Duo came towards them.

"I don't have time to explain it right now, and I don't think I could if I did have the time," Wufei panted breathlessly. "Just keep that lunatic away from me!"

"What's wrong with you people?" Trowa asked Duo.

The Deathscythe pilot's violet eyes were unusually bright, and he looked as if he might burst into tears on the spot. "Wufei doesn't love meeeeeee!" he wailed miserably.

"Huh?" Quatre blinked.

"…"

"See, what did I tell you," Wufei muttered. "Completely mad."

Duo made as if to move towards Wufei, but the Chinese pilot was using Quatre and Trowa as his shields, moving around them and always keeping the pair between Duo and himself.

"But…Wufei…" Quatre protested. "I don't think --"

"Just stay right where you are," Wufei instructed Quatre severely. "And don't you dare move."

Eros was now winging down the small hallway, which allowed little room for his wondrous wings, and now down the stairs. That's when he spotted the two boys he had not yet seen, and the one boy whom he hadn't infected with his love arrows as of yet. The Chinese boy and the braided one were racing around the small blond and silent brunette.

Eros smirked. He'd have to thank mother later for providing him such amusing entertainment. He didn't think he had had this much fun in years.

"Lets see now…" he muttered to himself, and pulling another arrow from his quiver he trained it on the brunette, who made the perfect target as he was standing completely still.

The bolt left the bow like gossamer, speeding swiftly and silently toward the intended target and striking home, as Eros had known it would. His mark never missed. Not through fault of his own. And the poison that bleed from even the very tip of the arrow were strong and fast. It was a matter of mere seconds before they began to effect their victim with their deadliness.

Trowa gave a small intake of breath upon taking the bolt; a soft gasp, barely noticeable. The pinprick tip of the arrow would pierce the victims body to the core, though little to no pain would be felt upon its entry. But it would do its job. Instantaneously overriding any other emotions, overlying them with its own strong demands. Infatuation.

He had been staring straight into Quatre's endless blue eyes. Those two fascinating orbs of ever changing beauty. Now they just looked even more magnified in their radiance. Those eyes had always expressed the boys emotions so clearly, and seemed to ripple with endless depths still unexplored. Gorgeous.

Even Eros was surprised at how well the arrow had worked for this one. Had he willingly accepted it? Had he desired to feel nothing stronger than love for the small blond whom he now stared at so adoringly?

"Quatre…" Trowa murmured the boys name deep in his throat, letting its silky sound slip from his lips.

Quatre stared back at him, those endless oceans of blue eyes widening slightly, full of innocence. "…Trowa?" he asked in soft confusion.

Eros himself was lost in the moment. For theirs was completion. They already shared a love. Deep, and kept secretly in both of their hearts. Eros might have enjoyed the mischief he caused with these other mortals, but he reveled in beautifully flowing emotions of this pair. Must he hurt them? His task was to cause these boys misery after all…

He could see what would happen. The boy, Duo, would break through the pair after the one called Wufei. It would happen. Soon. All he had to do was put an arrow through the blonde as the braided one past. That would be the way that his mother would want it.

He drew back the arrow of his bow. Taking aim at the blonde. Now.

Duo had had enough of chasing his love in endless circles around the human obstacles of Trowa and Quatre. He thrust his body through them, giving him an advantage in his battle with Wufei, giving him an upper hand. He moved like lightening.

Eros let fly the bolt from his bow. It seemed to him to happen in such slow motion. The arrow, gathering speed. Duo, moving through the space between the ones Trowa and Quatre. The blonde, Quatre giving a soft outburst of surprise. Duo moving farther forward. The arrow, striking Quatre. The boy, looking up into the darkened emerald eyes of Trowa.

No. His timing had been off. It was not the first time, but it was certainly one of the few. Eros sighed as he watched Trowa and Quatre move closer to one another, so that their foreheads were touching, the brunette whispering soothing words to the smaller boy.

"Quatre…"

"Trowa…"

Eros shook his head sadly. His mother would not condone this happiness for long. He would have to change it…eventually. But for a while…couldn't they be together?

* * *

Duo stopped to blink at Trowa and Quatre, who were not pressed softly together. Their lips barely brushing. Wufei raised an eyebrow as well.

"Not fair!" Duo complained, though Trowa and Quatre were much to wrapped up in themselves to notice. "How come Trowa and Quatre get to be happy?" he pouted childishly.

Wufei turned slightly pale as he watched the two. They were now kissing so hard that it looked as if it hurt. Now he was the only sane person left. That was not at all a comforting thought.

Duo seemed to be getting over his jealousy pretty fast, however. He turned his wide violet eyes on Wufei.

"Wu-chan! Why don't you love me?!!"

Wufei gave a yelp and took off in the opposite direction.

From upstairs there came a thunk, and a shrill voice screeched, "I'm coming, Duo!"

Relena raced down the stairs, followed by Heero.

Trowa and Quatre broke apart, staring after them in the direction which they had all gone. "You know, Trowa, I think you and I are the only sane people left," Quatre commented. "What do you think that was all about?"

"…"

"Well, we've got plenty of time in which to find out."

"…Don't you think we should go after them?"

"No," Quatre shook his head, snuggling up against Trowa. "It's a small house they won't go very far, and there's time to find them later. Much later."

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Dragon Lady: No, that's not the end. ^^;;

Ken: *sighs* Another chapter? -_-;; Wasn't this supposed to be a one-shot?

Dragon Lady: Actually, yeah. But it got a bit too long. ^^;;;;;

Ken: *sighs again*

Dragon Lady: Yes. Well. ^^ Reviews would be really appreciated. And please go easy on me, it is my very first GW fic.

Ken: HELPFUL criticism is appreciated.

Dragon Lady: Note the word helpful. ^^;

Ken: And the next chapter will probably make this Valentines Day fic even more belated, but dl just doesn't know when to quit.

Dragon Lady: ^^;;