O is for.....

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"I´m going now. Don´t wait up, guys."

Mumbles of recognition and a "I don´t care" from Boomer followed.

James looked over the back of the couch, equipped with his smug-grin. "Who is she?

Piper appeared honestly perplexed. "Who?"

James turned around fully, draped his arms on the couch and spoke in his singy-songy voice: "Piper, you´re every day on a date. You receive a lot of calls, you call someone a lot - and face it, right now you´re grinning like an idiot. Do I know her?" It sounded remarkably close to "Piper and XXX are sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Piper answered deadpan ":...I´m pretty sure you don´t know her.!

"Aha! Wrong emphasis! I do know her!

"Tricks-"

"Don´t change the subject now, Piper. Who is she? Why are you keeping her a secret?"

"I´m not keeping anyone a secret." He stretched the secret. "You´re just...is there an euphemism of idiot?

"Come on-" James´ tone was the one of a really brattish child who wouldn´t give up and torture you with the same question over and over again. And Piper believed James to be so immature to pull that through.

Piper sighed in recognition. "Fine. The name´s Earl Povich"

The grin turned down a notch. James thought for a moment. "No, doesn´t ring a bell."

...

Then it made click "Wait...you´re gay?!"

"Yeah."

James looked surprised. "Why, how - why didn´t you tell us?"

"Come on, Tricks." Piper arched his eyebrows.

Trickster was short of stuttering now. "Don´t you think we should know that?" he crossed his arms, "I thought we were friends!"

Piper rolled his eyes. "One, no big deal, two, not your business. If you excuse me, I want to leave now.

The door slammed and gone he was.

James turned back to the TV and his Errol Flynn movie. "Huh...Did you guys know Piper was gay?

Cold peeked over the pages of his newspaper. "You didn´t?"

James was stunned: "He told you?" It was hard to judge if the emphasis was on told or you.

"Wait, It was a secret?" said Mark (who was hanging upside down under the ceiling).

Mick came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel. "No it´s not. I´d call it rather pretty much obvious"

James asked: "It´s not bothering you?"

"Nope." Mark said.

"Nope." Mick agreed.

"Who?" Boomer asked.

Len put his newspaper down and spoke in his leader-tone: "JJ, Piper is still the same wuss who can´t hold his liquor and fails at playing poker; nothing has changed." He thought for a moment. "Wait,actually, that gay things explains a lot."

Mark chimed in from under the ceiling: "How come YOU didn´t know?"

Mick said: "Yeah, I mean - he´s dating Fury for god´s sake, that´s pretty hard not to notice. He is trying to be sneaky about it, not hurting the Rogues-Code by playing Bonnie&Clyde with someone else, but that´s a thing you just can´t deny for long."

"Fury´s gay? You mean Fury-Fury? As in "I ride on a cool motorbike and have those blazing guns" Fury?"

"Yep." Mark said nonchalantly.

"His name is Earl??"

"Yep." Mick said before returning to his steaks in the kitchen.

"And you´re absolutely sure he´s dating-?"

"What" Boomer asked.

"Yep." Mark repeated.

"Huh...didn´t see that one coming."

"Aren´t you supposed to be a conman or something?"

"...shut up, Cold."