Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story idea and only some of the witty remarks. I own so little; so please don't steal.

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Collecting Heat

"Do you ever collect heat?"

Vash glanced over at the bed, a distance away from where he was buttoning his shirt and checking to see that none of his bedside pistols had been spirited away in the night. Maddox was staring listlessly at the ceiling, sprawling haphazardly in the sheets. It was a strange question, but Vash had heard all sorts of strange questions from the island before. "I would think it would be a fruitless endeavor," the blonde huffed.

"No, not like you catch it or anything…" There was a soft breath as Maddox blew his bangs out of his eyes so he could continue watching the creamy white ceiling in peace. "It's like…one moment, you're just sitting or lying there, then the next moment, like some sort of twisted magnet, you just get all hot. You know what that's like?"

"I don't follow."

"I didn't suppose you did." Maddox ignored the click of the gun in Vash's hands. It would be expensive to replace a bed ridden with bullet holes, and the stingy nation would not waste money like that. "Sometimes you're just minding your own business and you break out in a sweat. You don't have to do anything, you just exist and then it gets so hot…"

The sound of a gun placed gently on a table. "If you could do that, it would solve this planet's problems."

"It's very hot all the time at my house," Maddox ventured.

"It's cooler at mine, is that right?"

"It's hard to have sex at my house," Maddox said bluntly, again ignoring the obvious way Vash winced at the statement. "Things like heat stroke and slipping off the bed…that's why my air conditioner really gives me a run for my money."

"Is it unpleasant?"

"Paying for cold air?"

"No, collecting heat."

Maddox was quiet for a moment before he let out another breath to blow the bangs out of his face. "I don't think I would be very happy to be Earth," he said finally.

"Sounds like hot flashes. You should see a doctor."

Maddox grumbled as he rolled around on the bed. "I hate doctors," he mumbled, wrapping himself like a spring roll in the sheets as Vash watched him with a blank face. "England brought a few doctors with him one time China OD'd centuries ago…" The constant movement was making it hard to tell what sort of expression, what hint of emotion was on Maddox's face.

Vash walked over to his poor abused bed, which was creaking in protest as Maddox continued rolling pinning the mattress. Putting a hand on the roll of stark white sheets (which had been laundered by hand, he wouldn't have little Heidi come up to him and ask him what sort of stain that was), he stopped Maddox, who had started looking like an Asian corndog. "Fine. We won't see a doctor."

Maddox's already messy hair was all over his face. "Good."

"Get up already and we'll go have breakfast."

"Can I come down in this?" His hands trapped at his sides in the sheets, Maddox flailed like a fish out of water. "I think it would be a great costume."

"Put some clothes on. Don't mention anything about last night to Heidi." It had been trouble enough convincing his sister that Maddox was just sleeping over for no good reason, although Heidi and Maddox already got along relatively easily. He did not want his sister to know all sorts of private parts about his life. What Maddox had already told her, he did not want to know, and it was fine pretending she didn't know more than she let on.

"Okay. Thank you." Sometimes Maddox could be overwhelming polite. Culture shock, he supposed. The spring roll bent as the Asian nation leaned up to peck Vash against the cheek.

Flushing, Vash stood immediately, striding quickly toward the door. "Just hurry up and get yourself downstairs." He heard Maddox say something in reply before there was a loud thud as the island rolled himself off the bed and onto the floor. Vash closed his eyes and let out a breath; deciding he did not want to know, he went out of the room and closed the door.

Owari

[=]

Note: H-ha, STWW! I write another one! But it really is hot in Hong Kong. It gets uncomfortable in your own skin. But have any of you had this sort of heat collecting thing? When you suddenly get hot for no good reason? It happens to me occasionally. Thanks for reading!