Break time

Several months later, the five Gundam pilots were recuperating at one of the Winner homes. The modest brick house was one of the smaller homes Quatre's family owned, but it was ideal for the five pilots.

Heero was in the bedroom he shared with Duo, where else, but on his precious laptop. Trowa and Quatre were strolling around the garden behind the house. Duo was watching one of many endless animes on video and Wufei was outside engaged in practicing for his imagined katas.

After ten straight videos Duo decided to go bother Heero. "Whacha doin' Heero?"

Heero moved defensively to prevent his loquacious partner from seeing the screen. Of course this peaked Duo's curiosity. "C'mon, Heero, lemme see. What are ya lookin' at, porn or somethin'?"

"Duo, go away," he growled. Duo was still trying to look over Heero's shoulder. Frustrated he gave up. "Fine, I'll go talk to Wu-man." He stalked off, grumbling.

Heero sighed. He didn't want Duo to know that he was searching for a particular gift for him for his birthday.

The sun was shining brightly. They were experiencing a heat wave and because Quatre's house was in Georgia, it was becoming quite humid as well.

Wufei was perched at one end of the covered porch, limbs poised perfectly in a judo stance when he began to twitch violently. Suddenly his entire body was overtaken by a swarm of itches and the hapless Shenlong pilot scratched madly, his warrior frame now shifting in silly and dishonorable poses. "k'so!" he shouted. "What is wrong with me?" In the middle of all his scratching and wriggling Wufei caught sight of Duo. The baka! Somehow this must be his doing.

Trowa was seated at the kitchen table serenely sipping at a cup of coffee when a ruckus broke out. Heero had just entered the room when Duo ran in, squealing and crying out, "I didn't mean it, Wu-man! It was an accident! Help!" Duo flung himself behind Heero who apparently was willing to shield him. Wufei entered the room, his limbs flailing as he squirmed and scratched and danced in itchy discomfort. Trowa's eyebrow arched; as close to amusement as he would show in front of anyone but Quatre. "What's happened, Wufei?" He asked the jiggling pilot calmly. Wufei pointed a trembling finger at Duo. "He, he sabotaged my clothes!"

"Hn," Heero said.

Trowa's eyebrow arched a speck higher. "Uh-come again?"

"Omae wo korosu!" Wufei shouted at Duo. They all looked blankly at Wufei, slightly disoriented because the death threat was usually issued by Heero. Trowa sensed he wasn't going to get a more coherent answer from Wufei. "Duo? What happened?"

Duo's slightly muffled voice spoke up from behind Heero. "I was checking out the stuff from my new joke kit......."

Trowa suddenly understood. "Did this joke kit have itching powder in it?"

Before Duo could answer Wufei groaned loudly as he rifled through the utensil drawer desperate to find something to scratch his unreachable itches with. "Oh, Wu-man," Duo intoned as they watched him scratch his back with a pasta spoon, "Quatre will have a fit if he sees you doing that."

Wufei's eyes went large and murderous. He lunged for Duo. "Omae wo korosu! Kisama!"

Heero held the enraged pilot back. "Wufei, it was an accident."

"Yeah, man, I'm really sorry." Duo tried a contrite smile. Wufei glared at him.

"Wufei, why don't you try showering? The residue of the itching powder should come out with water, ne Duo?" Trowa suggested logically.

"I think so."

Wufei did an itchy dance up to his room, muttering something about having to do laundry and injustice. Trowa and Heero looked at Duo. "I guess I shouldn't have been checking out my stuff in the laundry room, huh?" Duo bolted from the room. Heero and Trowa looked at each other. Then, though they each would deny it later, given their stoic natures, they burst out laughing-a rip roaring, gut aching laughter.

Later that night Duo wandered into the kitchen as appetizing smells wafted through the house. "What's for dinner, Q?"

"Fettucini Quatre."

"Eep!"

"Duo, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing Quat, er...sorryIcan'tstayfordinnerbutIhaveanimportantmeetingtogoto..bye!"

Quatre looked over at the other three pilots confused, holding a pasta spoon. "What got into him?"

"Hn. Dunno.....gottogobye!" Heero said, quickly exiting the kitchen. Quatre scratched his head completely stupefied, while Wufei and Trowa smiled innocently.

In the garage where all the vehicles were kept, Duo was hiding in Deathscythe. "Duo!"

Duo came out to find Heero seated on a motorcycle. "Sushi sound good?"

"Yep," Duo smiled, grabbed the helmet Heero held out to him and climbed on back of the bike.