Whoops, kinda took me a while to get this chapter out, didn't it? Heh heh heh, sorry… I kind of lost my steam for writing for a little bit, plus the fact that I was disappointed that not a lot of people really seemed all that interested in this fic, but…

Then I remembered that I don't write to get popular or have millions of reviews, I write because it's what I love to do, and there were in fact a bunch of nice people who contributed absolutely wonderful reviews, so to anyone who read/reviewed this story, this is for you! I wrote nonstop for the past two days to get this out for you, and although I'm sure there's bound to be some typos and mistakes, I hope you like it! It's the last chapter, and everything gets wrapped up pretty nicely I think.

So thank you so much to anyone who enjoyed this story! Thanks for reading!

.o.O.o

To Seek An Arabian Treasure

Chapter 3

.o.O.o.

After a careful inspection of the oryx called Malik (at Quatre's insistence. Trowa had never been one to look a gift horse… or rather, oryx in the mouth.) the two young males headed back to the palace. Quatre led Trowa around on a grand tour, personally showing him all of the places that had yet to be seen by any of the visitors. Although awed and appreciative, Trowa found his heart heavy at following Quatre through all of the beautiful places. The blonde was so beautiful and perfect, just like the setting. Trowa had no place in such an environment. The way the prince moved through the various chambers and rooms and corridors… it was as casual as if Trowa had been walking through the circus's animal cages. Two worlds, completely separate.

Trowa decided that he ought to be leaving soon. Very soon. He had gotten what he had come for with Quatre bestowing Malik into his ownership, and already the brunet could feel himself getting attached to this place, and everything it held. Especially Quatre. He wasn't used to staying in any one place for very long, and he found the pangs of longing that he had to stay in Arabia with Quatre to be more than a little troubling. It certainly wouldn't do to get overly fond of a place that he could never come back to, a place that he would never belong to or have a place in, even if he tried.

And tried he had. All day long Trowa had been attempting to endear himself to the blonde. To try and gauge a reaction to close proximity, or teasingly phrased hints at attraction. And every time Quatre would smile and let a pretty blush steal over his cheeks as he delicately avoided returning the gestures and words. It was disheartening, and furthered Trowa's decision to get out of Arabia as soon as he could. No doubt Duo would be sad to loose his elaborate playground, but…

Wait a second…

"Quatre?" Trowa suddenly spoke up, looking to his side. The two boys were sitting in an open, indoor courtyard. Glass panels served as the ceiling to encase the space from above, and streams of late afternoon light poured into the area, filtering through lush potted plants and trickling fountains. They had lapsed into silence for the past quarter of an hour, but with thoughts of the American boy, Trowa couldn't help but wonder about something.

"Yes, Trowa?"

"I hate to disturb the peace, but have you seen Duo or Heero all day? I know the palace is huge, but I would have expected that we would see or hear them tearing around sometime during our wandering…"

Quatre looked quizzically thoughtful. "You know, you're right. That is rather odd. Did they mention to you any plans for the day the last time you saw them?"

"Well… no." Trowa replied. "But I can't imagine they would simply be sitting around in their room all day; not with Duo itching to go exploring and poking around where he probably shouldn't…"

A bubbling laugh escaped Quatre's lips, and his clear blue eyes scrunched closed in mirth. "I don't think I've seen Wufei's pants so twisted since I tried to smuggle a kit fox into a royal meeting a few years back. He hates disorder and chaos. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I haven't had so much disorder and chaos around the palace since that incident."

"I'm sorry." Trowa supplied, but it was with an amused smile. He could tell that Quatre really didn't mind.

"No, it's quite alright." The blonde affirmed. "I actually rather like it. It can get… rather dull around here. Having visitors is a welcome affair, especially when they are all as exciting and unique as all of you." Trowa inclined his head in thanks for the compliment.

For another few minutes, the trickling sound of the fountains was all that filled the otherwise silent room, and Quatre leaned back on his hands, bumping shoulders with Trowa. The brunet stiffened at the contact, but didn't otherwise react, trying to gauge if the move had been purposeful or not. When the blonde made mo move to retract the contact, Trowa settled into it, stomache shifting uneasily at how… companionable the whole situation was. He really didn't ever want it to end, but he knew that of he stayed much longer, it would only make the inevitable departure that much more difficult. Figuring he ought to inform their host of the impending removal of visitors, Trowa turned his head to speak, only to find crystal blue eyes meeting his at very close range.

Choking a bit on his own mouth, Trowa's green eyes widened in surprise at the close proximity. Swallowing reflexively, Trowa parted his lips to attempt some sort of stammered apology or explanation, or maybe just some random topic of conversation, but he found himself unable to form words. Quatre was just… just looking at him, so intently and so focused, that Trowa found it impossible to break whatever sort of connection had formed between them in that moment. Dragging his focus away from the other boy's crystal blue eyes, Trowa shifted his attention lower, to the blonde's lips. They were parted slightly as well, and a pink tongue swept across them, wetting them, before Quatre nervously bit down on his lower lip. Trowa was sure the other male heard his breath hitch, and he looked back up to meet Quatre's eyes, to try and figure out what the other was thinking.

Shakily pulling in a breath, the blonde's eyes fluttered closed, and Trowa was sure that in that moment, the world stopped. But it couldn't have, he realized a second later, because Quatre was tentatively parting his lips once more, and Trowa switched to autopilot, letting his own eyelids close as he slowly moved forward. Everything was completely still apart from the trickling of the fountains and the ruffling of feathers as a few of the room's live inhabitants stirred from their perches in the foliage. It was perfect. Absolutely, utterly, wondrously…

"HOLY CRAP, TROWA, YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT ME AND HEERO FOUND!"

ruined.

Snapping out of the daze that he had fallen into, Trowa looked up to see Duo charging into the room, scaring the tethered birds by the door. Heero was not far behind him, and a jangling bell could be heard, although Trowa couldn't identify what it's source was. Certainly Heero of all people didn't jingle.

"What did you find?" Trowa inquired in response to Duo's outburst, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. What he had been about to do was probably very foolish and the result of misinterpreting a situation, but damn if he hadn't been close to getting a taste of what he had been longing to experience all day.

"I'd say they found the tomb." Quatre supplied with a quirked smile. The unibanged brunet cast a sideways glance at him. Well then. Quatre certainly was doing a good job of acting like nothing had been about to happen. Maybe Trowa had simply imagined the whole thing after all.

"Uh… why do you say that?" Duo evasively asked, apparently not having registered Quatre's presence in the room. No doubt he was worried that he had gotten himself somewhere that he didn't belong… again. Quatre's light laugh eased the tension, and Duo smiled in relief as the prince explained his reasoning.

"Well you're covered in dust, look rather guilty about something, and it seems as though you've brought the cat." The sound of a tinkling bell clipped through the air, and Trowa saw that it was attached to a cat that had been trotting at Heero's heels. "She usually slinks around there during the day, to look for mice and bugs to prey on. She's quite the little hunter." Affectionately scratching the feline behind the ears, Trowa fondly sighed. Quatre was such a patient, amazing person, and his palace was so full of life. Even in the musty old tombs there were beautiful living things creeping around.

"Oh." Duo replied, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, uh… yeah. We found the tomb. AND TROWA!" It seemed as though the braided boy had regained his previous enthusiasm as he returned his attention to his friend. "Trowa, there was all sorts of cool stuff in there, but then the door closed and we got locking in and it was so freaking dark and the cat was creeping around but we didn't know what it was, and then Heero saved the day!"

"Idiot, there was nothing to be saved from." Heero put in with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, but it was dark!" Duo indignantly retorted, insisting on sticking by his version of the events. "So Heero got us back to the door and it was like… stuck or something! And so we were fumbling around, and one of us must have hit something, because the next thing you know this other door opens up and light is coming out of it so we check it out and guess what! It leads out into the back gardens, isn't that freaking sweet?! It's like a secret escape!"

Quatre was laughing by the end of the recounted tale, and Trowa shook his head in amusement. "You guys didn't break too much, fumbling around in there, right?"

"Uh…"

"No." Heero supplied. "I kept hold of him after the lights went out, and I made sure he didn't crash into anything."

"Yeah, Heero held on reeeeeal good." Duo concurred with a grin that looked far too mischievous for it's own good. Trowa was about to ask what the American meant by that, but before he could, Heero was shutting the shorter boy up with an irritated glower.

"ANYways, it was really cool." Duo concluded. "You should check it out tomorrow, Trowa, because I think you'd really –"

"Actually, I was thinking we would be leaving tomorrow." Trowa suddenly announced, surprising even himself. He certainly hadn't meant to be so blunt in raising the suggestion, but he had suddenly not wanted to hear about any more future plans on things to do around the palace, as if being there was something to grow used to.

"Wha… but… but why!" Duo questioned, looking shocked and hurt. "This place is so great!" Trowa honestly didn't know how to respond to that, but luckily Heero stepped in for him.

"Trowa's right, Duo, we need to be leaving soon. We're needed back at home, I'm sure, and we wouldn't want to overstay our welcome."

At the last bit of Heero's reasoning, all eyes turned to Quatre, who had an understanding smile in place, although it looked a little strained. "I assure you, your continued presence here is a delight and no bother, but I certainly understand that you have your own home and your own lives to go back to. I can talk to Wufei tonight and if you all get to bed early I can arrange an early morning departure for you."

"Awwwww…" Duo whined, head downcast. "All right…"

"Thank you, Quatre." Trowa stiffly replied, and Heero added in a confirming nod. All of a sudden everything was so final, so abruptly coming to an end. Standing, Trowa cleared his throat and smoothed out the front of his pants. "Well then, uh, it's getting late, we should probably get packing up."

"This totally sucks." Duo put in, and Heero elbowed him in reprimand.

"Come on, Duo, let's go get out room sorted out."

Trowa watched his two friends leave the room, and even after they left he couldn't bring himself to tear his gaze away from the empty doorway. To do so would mean facing Quatre, and at the moment he was too confused to even know how to approach the situation.

"So then I suppose –"

"I better go pack my things." Trowa cut in, not wanting to hear Quatre out. He couldn't excuse his rude behaviour, but he knew enough to attribute it to the torn feelings he had about what leaving would bring him. On the one hand, he had his home to go back to, where he could try and forget about all that he had discovered in Arabia. But on the other hand… he really didn't want to leave at all, even if staying here was beginning to hurt more with every passing day.

So in his own selfish, childish way, Trowa was cutting himself off from Quatre, and every feeling he had attached to the palace. Because really, if he was to be honest with himself, he never wanted to leave. It was irrational, yes, but he couldn't help it. And so, striding purposefully from the room, Trowa went to gather his belongings.

Dinner that night was a quiet affair. Duo was still sulking about leaving, Quatre was making attempts at polite conversation, but since neither Trowa was doing his own version of sulking, and Heero and Wufei were never the most enthusiastic conversationalists anyways, for the most part the large dining room was filled with only the sounds of clattering plates, drinking glasses, and eating utensils.

After their last meal in the palace was over with, Trowa stopped by Duo and Heero's room to make sure they had gotten themselves ready to leave.

"You guys all packed up and ready to go?" he asked, peeking in the door. Duo was shoving articles of clothing into a bag, while Heero was neatly folding and organizing his own belongings, packing them precisely and efficiently.

"Yeah, we're getting' there." Duo dejectedly replied. Trowa was sympathetic to the braided boy's disappointment at leaving, but refused to show his own. Nodding his approval to the both of them, he headed up to his own room, intent on getting his things put away in preparation for the next day's departure.

It was a lonely trip up to his room, and Trowa took a final look through the hallways and corridors that led to his temporary residence. Lost in thought as he made his way through the deserted halls, Trowa nearly jumped out of his skin when Quatre suddenly appeared before him, illuminated in the flickering light coming from the torches fixed onto the walls.

"Shit!" Trowa swore, hand clutching his chest. "Quatre, you scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry." The small blonde apologized, slinking forward. "I just wanted to catch you before you settled in for the night…"

"Ah." Was Trowa's less-than-eloquent response. After the afternoon's almost-kiss which he wasn't sure had even actually transpired or had been a figment of his imagination, Trowa wasn't sure how to act around the prince. Quatre was certainly doing a good job of acting as though nothing had happened, and Trowa was attempting to do the same, although it was having a taxing affect on his sanity.

"So, you… enjoyed your stay?" Quatre asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

"…yes." Trowa carefully answered. "It was… above and beyond what I was expecting. Thank you for having us."

Quatre nodded, taking another step forward. "It was my pleasure. Really."

They were only about a foot apart now, Quatre looking straight up into Towa's eyes, searching. Trowa awkwardly cleared his throat, shifting his eyes to glance aside. What was Quatre playing at?

"It was wonderful getting to know you." The blonde was continuing. "I don't have visitors very often, let alone ones my own age, so to have you here was a rare pleasure. I'm honoured to send my Oryx home with you. Thank you, Trowa."

"Uh, yes. You're welcome."

They stood there awkwardly for another minute or so, before Quatre stepped back, looking contemplative and not nearly as cheerful as Trowa had grown accustomed to. "Alright then." Quatre concluded. "Have… have a nice evening, I guess…"

The small prince turned to walk away, but before he could even think about what he was doing, Trowa's hand shot out, latching onto Quatre's wrist and keeping him from leaving.

"Trowa…?"

Tugging the blonde back with a harsh jerk, Trowa could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest. What was he doing? His brain was having a hard time catching up to his actions, and Quatre's eyes were so wide and blue as they stared up to him. Surprise and questioning was written all over the smaller boy's features, and before Trowa had a chance to second guess what he was doing, he tugged Quatre flush against himself, leaning down to crush his lips to those of the prince.

"Mmnff!"

Ignoring Quatre's startled, muffled sound, Trowa smoothly meshed their lips together, tilting his head to get the best possible angle. Nudging Quatre up against the wall, Trowa pressed forward, enjoying the feeling of their bodies pressed so closely against eachother. Sighing into the kiss, Trowa carefully smoothed his thumb over the sensitive skin on the inside of Quatre's wrist. Panting heavily, Trowa nudged a knee between the blonde's legs, and a muffled whimper escaped Quatre's lips. The sound broke Trowa out of his haze, and with shock he moved back, marveling in horror at what he was doing.

"I… I… goodnight."

Trowa hastily retreated into his room, slamming the door and collapsing back against it with a sigh, sliding down it's polished surface as his legs gave out underneath him.

What. Had. He. Done?

In numb shock, Trowa went through the movements of packing his belongings, his mind completely unfocused on the task at hand as his mind whirled in a million different directions. As soon as he had double and triple checked to make sure he was packed and ready to leave, he collapsed in an exhausted heap into the plush, warm bed. He was left with a million doubts and worries and regrets, but with the relief of knowledge that this whole place would be left behind come the following morning, Trowa managed to calm himself into a state of being able at least minimally control his panicked thoughts enough to relax into a state that was conducive for falling asleep.

As he drifted off, he reflected on what this journey had held for him. At first it had all been so new and almost overwhelming, but the longer he had stayed, the more familiar and comfortable it had become. And yet… there was still always a part of him that was not completely integrated into the palace life, and most likely never would be. And Quatre… beautiful, kind, mysterious Quatre. What a mess Trowa had made of that situation. No doubt the prince would never want to see him again, and he would never again be welcome back into Arabia, let alone the prince's palace.

Oddly enough, he was glad he had created that break, because it wouldn't due to become attached. Trowa's life was all about swift, constant movement and acclimation, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. It probably wasn't healthy to sabotage feelings of stability and attachment, but it was the only way Trowa knew how to deal with the imminence of leaving. He just wished he'd had been able to put it off a little longer; wished he'd had some way to delay the inevitable…

As he slipped into sleep, Trowa wondered what ever happened to the girl at the end of the 1001 Arabian Nights, and the brunet lamented the fact that he would never be able to hear Quatre tell it to him.

...o.O.o…

"Come on, come on, let's get moving."

It was barely even light out, and Wufei's commanding voice sliced through the clear morning air, sounding authoritative and slightly irritated by the incompetence of his charges. Heero was doing well with getting their packs tied up to the camels, but Trowa was fidgety and distracted, and Duo was a yawning mess, alternating between falling asleep on his feet and complaining about having to leave.

"Yeah, yeah, we're moving." Duo grumbled, hoisting a pack up to his saddle, allowing Heero to help him tie it.

Trowa desperately looked around, keeping an eye out for Quatre. Surely the prince would come out to see them off… wouldn't he?

"Barton."

Trowa looked up at the clipped use of his last name. "Yes, Wufei?"

He had thought he was going to get reprimanded by the prince's right hand man for not getting everything hitched up fast enough, but instead the Asian boy was standing there holding a fine lead which had been fastened to an elaborate harness that adorned the gift oryx's head.

"We must tie him to your saddle, he will be walking beside us for the journey." Wufei informed him, and Trowa nodded.

"Oh right, of course."

Moving out of the way, Trowa watched as the dark haired male expertly tied the creature to the saddle of Trowa's camel. Stepping back after he was done, he looked the oryx over before turning to Trowa.

"This is a very fine selection from the prince's herd. Did he happen to mention to you which oryx was chosen to be your gift?"

"Uh…" Trowa nervously replied, trying to come up with the name under Wufei's sharp scrutiny. "I believe he said this was Malik."

Wufei's eyes widened a fraction, almost imperceptibly. "Malik." He repeated. "And did the prince happen to tell you the significance of this name, given to this specific creature?"

Trowa was a little thrown by the attention Wufei was paying to this matter. "No… he didn't."

"Malik." Wufei began "Means 'servant of the master.' This oryx was hand raised by the prince, nearly to the point of being a housepet. This creature is very loyal and well trained, he is the prince's favourite animal."

Trowa was taken aback. Quatre's favourite? But then why would he just give it away?

"This is a great honour." Wufei informed him. "By the giving of this oryx, the prince has deemed you the master of his most prized possession. This creature will serve you just as it served him, with loyalty and trust and excellence. Take care of this beast as you would the prince's own heart."

And with that he left, going back to his own fine Arabian steed and leaving Trowa standing in shock, one hand loosely holding the pack he had been about to strap onto his camel. Why on earth would Quatre…

With a low bray, the oryx nuzzled Trowa with its soft nose, breaking him out of his daze. Continuing to pack, lost in thought, Trowa puzzled over why someone who barely knew him would entrust him with something of such importance.

But by some means they managed to get everything together in under an hour, and hoisting themselves up onto their humped beasts of travel, all four of them headed out into the open desert, seeking the nearest city of commerce that would contain an airport that could get Trowa, Heero, and Duo back where they belonged.

Somehow Trowa had managed to forget how long and boring the journey over the sands was. And after experiencing the luxury of the palace the sands only seemed impossibly more barren, more desolate, more infuriatingly devoid of colour and life than ever before. Trowa's thoughts drifted back to Quatre, and he wondered over the blonde's absence that morning when they had been leaving. No doubt it was in direct correlation with the unibanged boy's actions the previous night. Trowa completely understood why the prince would not want to be in his presence, and thus didn't come see them off, but Duo loudly questioned the lack of the blonde. Heero had seen Trowa look uncomfortable at the inquiry and had thankfully shut him up, and that along with Wufei's explanation that the prince was a busy man and had many other obligations to attend to cleared suspicion, but Trowa still felt his stomache twist in unease. He felt like he needed some sort of closure, to just see Quatre one last time before he left that world forever.

Instead, Trowa had forlornly looked back at the palace walls as they grew smaller and smaller in the distance. The little oasis already seemed like such a distant illusion, and after a while Trowa couldn't take it anymore, and he faced forward on his camel, leaving the palace and it's prince behind.

Glancing down to the side, Trowa looked over the young oryx that was tied to his mount's saddle with a silken lead. It was almost a source of amusement how well the creature went along with their little procession. It was hard to fathom a leash-trained oryx, but of anyone would have done it, Trowa was sure it would have been Quatre. The young creature dutifully kept up with their convoy, occasionally shaking its horns or snuffling as it flicked its tail. Despite his current qualms with thoughts that dwelled on Quatre for too long, Trowa couldn't help but be reminded of the boy while looking at the generous gift.

Quatre… Trowa's chest clenched at the remembrance of how quickly attached he had become in so little time, and how much he had wound up screwing things over in the end.

In his dreams the previous night, Trowa could remember sheer silks and dim lighting and expanses of smooth, bare skin. It was all a jumble of visuals and sounds, but Trowa understood what it amounted to, and he would be an idiot to not understand what it meant. He wanted Quatre. Badly. The Oryx at his side paled in comparison to the raw beauty and quiet power of the blonde prince.

Aforementioned oryx chose that moment to let out a long bay, making sure no one forgot about its presence. Trowa let himself smile fondly at the creature. It was young and full of personality, and it reminded him very strongly of the prince himself.

Before long the sun was fully risen, the rays reflecting off of the golden sand and creating nearly unbearable heat and light. It didn't take very long for the three comrades to shuck off their shirts, tying them around their heads in a makeshift headdress of some sort, in an attempt to battle the heat. Wufei, still in the traditional garb of the culture, rode silently at the head of their caravan, looking unaffected in the least by the intense sun and endless stretches of sand and sky. Trowa kept to the back, lost in his own thoughts. Occasionally he would glance down to his side to see how the oryx was fairing, but this was its natural environment, and the sun and continuous walking seemed to have little effect on it. The more Trowa observed the creature, the harder it became to not associate it with what he had left behind, and with a sudden jerk Trowa forced himself to look away, not wanting to take out his negative feelings on the gift that he had been lucky enough to receive, and which he would be seeing every day for quite a while as a part of circus life.

"Trowa!"

Glancing up, Trowa saw that the rest of the group was quite a distance ahead, and Duo was waving him forward. Urging his camel forward, Trowa caught up to the group.

"Yo, Tro!" Duo greeted with a grin as Trowa pulled up alongside the pair. "Me an' Heero were starting to wonder if you were running low on gas or something back there. Need to stop in at the next station and fill 'er up?"

"Ha ha ha." Trowa replied in perfect monotone, unable to help the slight upwards quirking of lips that Duo always seemed to have the power to bring about, no matter how dire the situation. "Very funny, Duo." Heero let out a snort of complete unamusement at the banter, urging his mount forward to escape from the idiocy which was Duo. The braided boy rolled his eyes, still grinning, and watched the slight bounce to Heero's retreating figure before turning his attention back to Trowa, his expression sobering slightly.

"But really, Trowa… you alright? Cause like… I know you've gotta be pretty hurting right now, but it's not showing and it's no good to keep everything bottled up inside until it explodes, you know?"

Trowa looked away, unable to keep his eyes locked on to Duo's searching gaze. He wasn't… he wasn't brooding exactly, he was just… keeping it to himself. He had hoped that the braided boy wouldn't notice, because he certainly wasn't ready to answer any questions on the subject. In fact, he wasn't even sure what made Duo so confident in his analysis of 'you've gotta be pretty hurting right now' even though it apparently wasn't showing. How much did Duo know, and how had he gone about finding it out?

"I'm fine, Duo." Trowa assured his friend, and although the younger male didn't look convinced, he let the subject drop and left Trowa to his thoughts by catching up to Heero, who didn't look pleased at the arrival of company.

The Latin male chose to lag behind again. Risking another tentative glance at the Oryx, looking gentle and cooperative even with its rope harness tugging it along whether it wanted to go or not, Trowa couldn't help but let his thoughts wander back to how this whole fiasco had begun, and how he never in a million years would have expected it to play out the way it did. He was torn between wishing it had never even happened, and staying firm in the decision that he wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world.

The reason he was being so very bitter and dwelling so much, he reasoned, was because he had never realized before what it was to get so attached to something stable, something you couldn't just pack up and bring with you wherever you went. As well, being at the palace was the first time he had ever truly felt like he had found somewhere that he wouldn't want to leave. It was beautiful and exotic and fascinating and mysterious… much like it's young prince. Trowa had given it his best shot, but the sad truth was that he and Quatre came from two completely different kinds of lives. Quatre was a prince in a palace in an exotic, faraway land, and Trowa was a circie, living day to day, location to location, playing with knives which should have been so dangerous, if not for the fact that it was all rehearsed, fake, an act…

"Hey Trowa."

Surprised, Trowa looked up to find that Duo had pulled his mount around, and was lagging up to wait for Trowa. The brunet urged his camel forward, and pulled alongside the braided boy once more. Heero and Duo were a ways ahead, riding silently. Duo fidgeted in his saddle, eager to have someone to talk to, Trowa guessed.

"What is it, Duo?"

"Man, Heero's got some sand stuck in his vagina or something, cause he told me to stop talking his ear off and go see what was up with you again. What an ass, that guy." It was said fondly, though, so Trowa couldn't help but smile at Duo's way of talking about their friend. "Anyways, are you still back here moping? Little Mr. Short Blonde and Princely not put out for your going away party or something?"

Eyes widening to the size of saucers, Trowa would have stopped where he was, had they been walking together on foot rather than mounted on camels. As it was, he stayed alongside of Duo, unable to workup a response to that. Did Duo know what had happened last night? Had his fixation with Quatre been too obvious during their stay? Or had Duo just made some random teasing joke to put out there, and now Trowa's shocked response was giving him away?

Duo's grin fell. "Oh geeze, man, crap… Tro, I'm sorry." He quickly apologized. "I, uh, shit man, I thought you knew, I was just joking around…"

"Knew?" Trowa vaguely replied, his mind whirling with confusion. What was Duo getting at? "Thought I knew what?"

"I…" Duo started to look suspiciously confused, as though he thought Trowa was being deliberately difficult. "Trowa, come on, I thought it was obvious, right?"

"What was?"

"Well… well shit man, Blondie totally had the hots for you! Me and Heero noticed it almost right from the start… I, uh… assumed you'd noticed too, what with all the time you were spending with him…"

Trowa's mind was reeling, and this time he really did pull his camel to a stop, the oryx pausing alongside it and giving a low call across the sands at the change in pace. Wufei looked back at the sound, and Heero as well. Sensing that something was going on, they turned their mounts around, heading back to re-form the group. Trowa noticed none of this though, his focus half on Duo beside him, and half lost in a whirl of thoughts and emotions.

"I… Duo, are you sure about this?"

"Of course I'm sure." Duo answered carefully. "Me and Heero thought you knew, that's why we gave you so much space…" Here Duo paused, looking carefully at his brunet companion. "Trowa… we thought last night when we all turned in early… we saw him head upstairs when you came to check in on us… Didn't he meet you at your room?"

Trowa nodded fuzzily, feeling light headed.

"Well we thought… me and Heero… we thought it was because, you know, he wanted to sleep with you. Because it was your last night there… Trowa… what happened last night?"

Just as Duo asked that, Wufei and Heero pulled up to create a group huddle, trying to figure out what was wrong. All of the blood had drained from Trowa's face, and a look of complete and utter shock was etched upon his features. He didn't say anything for a moment, couldn't bring himself to form words, but finally, gaze unfocused and unseeing, he made a decision.

"I have to go back."

For a moment no one responded, but inevitably Duo just had to be the one to speak up and put in his two cents. "Go back? Trowa, what do you mean? We can't just… I mean you were the one who wanted to… I mean, I wanna go back too, but the arrangements have already been ma–"

"I've gotta go back." Trowa repeated, quickly snapping into action and untying the oryx's lead from his saddle, handing it to Heero. "You guys… you guys go ahead, make sure this gets to Cathy, but I just… I have to…"

"Wait."

All action paused as Wufei guided his Arabian steed alongside Trowa's camel, searching the unibanged boy with an intense gaze. Trowa was sure he was about to be told that he couldn't go back, that it was forbidden and unreasonable, but instead Wufei merely nodded, seeming to come to a decision of some sort.

Slipping off of his mount and motioning for Trowa to do the same, Wufei extended the reins of his stallion to Trowa. "Take him." He said. "He is swift and has the endurance to get you back at the pace you are desiring."

Trowa was shocked, and for a moment even forgot the reason why he needed to get back to the palace. Why would Wufei, who barely even knew him, entrust him with his own –

"I trust you," Wufei said, as if he could read Trowa's thoughts. "Because Prince Quatre trusts you. Go."

With a nod, Trowa accepted the reins, quickly mounting his new steed. The Arabian Stallion had no bags or packs weighing it down, so Trowa was able to spur the horse into action quite quickly, it's hooves pounding over the desert sand. Only once did he look back, to see his friends watching him off, Wufei merely mounting Trowa's camel and resuming his role as group leader on a different beast of transport. The brunet felt a slight pang of guilt for leaving them on such a whim, especially when even Heero waved him a goodbye, but more than his guilt, a strong need to get back to the palace drove him onward, back to where he had departed from.

Since leaving the castle in the early hours of morning, they had traveled for several hours. The Arabian mount got Trowa back in a fraction of that time, the sounds of rushing air and pounding hooves providing a steady background to Trowa's thoughts. What was he going to do upon arriving back at the castle? Would he even still be welcome? Had Duo and Heero been right in their suspicions that Quatre wanted him? It was all up in the air, but with a drive and longing and determination that he had not experienced in quite some time, Trowa pushed forward, acting on instinct and the desire to get back to where he felt his heart belonged.

He was lucky that the palace guards recognized him as well as Wufei's steed, for it meant that he was let right in with no questions. The blonde male that Wufei had been working with took the horse from him as soon as Trowa had clattered into the courtyard and dismounted, and Trowa was grateful for that, for he was sure he wouldn't have had the patience to see the animal properly to the stables himself.

Dashing into the grand palace, all of the fine things rushed by him in a blur. He saw none of the treasures and wonders along the walls or propped on pedestals; his mind was focused on only one thing, and his eyes were unseeing as he sprinted on autopilot through the corridors and up the stairs to the prince's chambers. He didn't know how he knew that was where he would find the prince, but it was calling to him, and not questioning it, he made quick work of getting to his destination.

Flinging open the doors, Trowa entered the royal chambers with a bang. Glancing around the entry room where he had taken brunch with the blonde, Trowa could see no sign of the prince. His heart sank, and he was on the verge of calling out when a slight movement to his side caught his eye.

There on a plush silken sofa surrounded by draperies sat Quatre. He was wearing garments that so perfectly matched his surroundings, it was no wonder Trowa hadn't spotted him. Stepping further into the room, Trowa never once took his eyes off of the prince as he made his way over to the place where Quatre sat.

"T-Trowa?" came the quiet, startled query. Quatre's blue eyes were wide and full of swirling emotions, and although he looked almost trapped as Trowa approached him, he made no move to get away. "What… what are you doing here? I thought you and your friends had left hours ago…"

"I came back." Trowa replied, not stopping, even as the distance between him and the blonde lessened to mere feet.

"Well I… I must say I'm quite surprised. What brings you ba–"

Before Quatre could so much as finish his sentence, Trowa had dropped into his lap, straddling the prince, and crashed his lips onto the parted ones of the blonde. With a muffled sound of surprise, Quatre quickly brought his hands up to Trowa's upper arms, grabbing on with shaking fingers. Trowa weaved his own through soft blonde locks, tilting Quatre's head back a bit to take full advantage of the kiss. When Quatre whimpered into their exchange, Trowa pulled back, not wanting to have hurt or scared the smaller boy.

"I… Quatre, I…" he belatedly began, attempting to explain his actions.

"I'm so glad you came back, Trowa." Quatre whispered, making the need for apology dissipate. "I… didn't think I was ever going to see you again. I couldn't bring myself to come down to see you off this morning, because I thought… maybe you didn't… that last night hadn't really meant…"

"Quatre, I think I love you."

The blonde's eyes filled with indescribable emotion as he looked back to Trowa, who was still situation on his lap. "Trowa, I… I think I love you too."

In a flurry of movement, Trowa pushed forward, pulling the smaller male up against himself and holding them so close together that they could feel the other's heartbeat. Lips crashed together in a desperate attempt to be closer, feel more, explore every bit of the other person that was physically possible. Quatre began struggling beneath Trowa, and the brunet moved off, only to be frantically tugged up. Standing now, Quatre pulled Trowa back into a kiss as he began to move backwards, leaving Trowa no choice but to follow. And Trowa did so, happily. Everything was happening so fast, but it was all so good that he couldn't think to question it.

Suddenly they were in a darkened room, illuminated only by a few decoratively placed candles. Trowa only had time to register thick silks and sheer draperies before he was getting pushed back onto a plush surface that was more comfortable than anything he had ever before experienced. Quatre clambered right on top of him, laying himself across the taller boy and greedily pressing every inch of their bodies together. Trowa groaned, arching up and grabbing into what he assumed was Quatre's bedding, as he vaguely took the time to register that they must be in the blonde's room.

Quatre sealed their lips together but moved off of Trowa enough that he could have room to start divesting clothing. Starting with the shirt Trowa had wrapped around his head, the article was cast aside before small hands began working on the buckle of the lanky male's pants. Groaning, Trowa pressed his hips upward at the touch, and to allow for better access, even as his own hands moved to divest Quatre of his own garments which, sheer as they were, suddenly seemed like much too frustratingly obstructing.

It didn't take long for all clothing to be removed, and Quatre spread himself over Trowa, clinging tightly and shivering from emotion. Trowa was too overwhelmed to immediately respond with anything more than a moan of appreciation of the skin-to-skin contact, but before he could bring himself to do anything more, Quatre was acting for the both of them, rolling over onto his back next to Trowa and tugging the older boy over on top of him.

With a low groan of appreciation of Quatre's enthusiasm and assertion, Trowa fit their bodies together, aligning their hips and giving an experimental push. Crying out with a keening whimper of pleasure, Quatre eagerly rocked back up, eyes scrunched closed at the intensity of the feeling. A rhythm built up as both boys writhed against eachother, Trowa slipping a leg between Quatre's own and prompting the blonde to enthusiastically push up against it in a frantic pumping movement. Slick skin slid wonderfully as they rutted together in mindless passion, and their frantic moans and cries filled the room, occasionally muffled or silenced during their wet, heated kisses.

Neither of them lasted very long. Quatre came first, desperately crying out as he jerkily pushed himself against Trowa's leg, and his spasming pleasure, along with the burst of wet heat that splattered against Trowa's hip, was enough to send the unibanged boy over the edge as well. They collapsed against eachother, panting heavily and weakly continuing to press their hips together, but before long all they could manage to do was lie together in a tangle of slick, intertwined limbs, breaths mingling as they came down from their high.

"Trowa…" Quatre was the first to speak, laboured breathing making his words light and airy.

"Quatre." Trowa replied, overwhelmed at how wonderful it felt to simply say the other boy's name, lying entangled like this.

"I'm glad you came back." The blonde told him.

"I'm glad too." Trowa replied. "I'm glad you wanted me to come back." They lay in silence for another minute before Trowa was the one to speak up again, suddenly realizing something. "Quatre, I left your oryx with the others. I… I'm sorry, I know you gave it to me, but I came back here so fast that I didn't think… I – I'm sure the other's are keeping it safe, but I know you wanted me to be the one to keep it… And now I have no way of telling Wufei and the others to bring it back here, and –"

"Trowa." Quatre cut in, effectively ending Trowa's tirade, which had started to become slightly panicked. "It's fine. I told Wufei that if there were any complications, that he would make sure that Malik got back to you no matter what."

"But then what –"

"I'm sure everyone will be back here in a few hours, and then we can all figure out what to do."

Trowa pulled back, propping himself up on his elbows over Quatre. "So… they're coming back here? To the palace?" Quatre nodded.

"Malik is to stay with you, and since Wufei knows that you are here, this is where he will bring him."

"I… so…" Trowa was lost in his own thoughts for a moment before he began to chuckle. "So we're all going to be back here again?"

Quatre smiled back up at him, sweetly. "Yes, you'll all be back here again."

"I…" Trowa frowned. "Quatre, I don't want to leave."

The prince's smile didn't falter as he reached up to cup the side of Trowa's face, planting a brief kiss to the brunet's lips. "I don't want you to leave either."

A million thoughts of complications whirled through Trowa's mind, but after a moment he shook his head, clearing them. They could be dealt with later. For now he simply wanted to enjoy laying with Quatre and basking in their afterglow. Resting his head on a pillow beside the blonde's face, he closed his eyes and marveled over the simplicity of their chests rising and falling against eachother for a few minutes before speaking up again.

"Quatre, how does the story end?"

"The story?"

"The story of the 1001 Arabian Nights."

Opening his eyes, Quatre was only a few inches away, looking right back at him. "You sure you want me to tell you right now, instead of listening to the whole thing?"

"I… I still want to hear the whole thing." Trowa clarified. "But I just… I want to know how it ended… for the girl."

Quatre smiled, snuggling up to Trowa and tucking his head under the brunet's chin and sighing happily. "I'll tell you the rest of it some other time, then. But as for the end…" Here Trowa took a sharp inhale of breath in anticipation. "She was pardoned."

Trowa let out his breath in a long sigh, glad to hear so. "Then that means… she lived? Her stories kept her alive?"

The two boys shifted into a more comfortable position, and Quatre continued, nodding into Trowa's neck. "She lived. She endeared herself to her captor, and he not only granted her pardon, but gained a whole new outlook on his life."

Trowa smiled, wrapping his arms tightly around Quatre, never wanting to let go. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Mmmn… me too." Quatre sleepily murmured, nuzzling into the dip in Trowa's neck and cuddling into his embrace. "I like happily ever afters."

At that Trowa opened his eyes, looking down at the boy so perfectly entangled with him. He pressed a kiss into the mop of blonde hair before closing his eyes again, utterly content with the world.

"Me too, Quatre." He murmured. "Me too."

The End