Heero woke on the couch to find Duo sitting on the coffee table and watching him, a bowl of grapes on his lap. Rubbing his eyes, he stretched. It was Friday afternoon. He'd come home from class and taken a nap in the living room, relishing the quiet. Everyone else was in class. Heero enjoyed the time alone, stretching out on the couch and staring out the window as he slowly drifted off to sleep. Covering his mouth, he sat up, brow furrowing as he noticed the grape on the couch. And the other on the floor. He looked up at Duo.

"Hey 'Ro," Duo gave him an innocent smile, popping a grape in his mouth. Heero's eyes narrowed.

"Duo," he tilted his head slowly, collecting the grapes in his hand. "Why are there grapes over here?"

"Oh. Uh, Oops?" Duo's face remained innocent. And then he threw a grape. It hit Heero right on the nose, drawing a surprised grunt from him as it fell to his lap. The Japanese man looked down, then up at Duo. Giving him a cheshire grin, Duo began to scoot back on the table, holding the bowl of grapes firmly. "I'll, uh. Just head to my-shit!"

Heero growled, moving to lunge at Duo. The braided man squeaked. As a last ditch effort of self defense, he threw the bowl of grapes at Heero, scrambling over the wooden surface in an attempt at retreat. Looking over his shoulder, Duo stiffled a giggle. Heero looked shocked, staring at him with wide eyes, grapes scattered around him. And then he pounced, knocking Duo off the table and on to the floor. The grappled, Duo giggling wildly as he tried to break Heero's hold on his wrists. There were grapes under them, and Heero could feel them squished against his back as Duo finally hooked a leg around his waist, rolling them and pinning his wrists to the floor.

"Ha," Duo panted out, cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling. Heero felt his lips twitch. Schooling his expression, he glared up at him, then lunged again. The move put Duo flat against the ground, his face scrunching at the feeling of grapes against his back. With a vicious grin, Heero reached for a grape, grabbing it placing it on Duo's forehead. And then he pressed down, squishing it with the palm of his hand. Duo cringed, wiggling under him.

"Oh shit," he whined. "Fuck. Heero, I'm covered in fucking grapes."

"You started it," Heero reminded him, sitting back against Duo's hips. "And I'm covered too." He stood fluidly, offering a hand to Duo. It was taken with a smile, a mischievous twinkly still lurking in those violet eyes. They cleaned up the grapes in companionable silence. Heero watched as Duo set the bowl in the sink, dumping the grapes into the trash and then leaning his hip against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. Duo didn't look like he'd changed much. His hair was still long, and he was still short. He had the same eyes, the same upturned nose. But there was a tenseness to him now that Heero didn't recognize. A set to his jaw that was new.

"How long did you watch me sleep?" Heero asked, grinning a little. Duo rolled his eyes.

"Like five minutes," he snorted. "You're pretty when you sleep, but not that pretty."

"Everyone else at class?" Heero ignored Duo's comment, the back of his neck flushing.

"Yeah, I guess. They aren't here, anyway."

"It's weird to have everyone together again."

"You're telling me," Duo huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Heero frowned.

"Quatre's an ass, Duo. I missed you-and I know Trowa did."

"Yeah," Dropping his arms, Duo sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I know, 'Ro. I know you did. And I'm glad to see you." He smiled crookedly. Taking a step forward, Heero wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly. He could feel Duo stiffen, but held on. After a few minutes, a pair of wiry arms wrapped around his waist, Duo nuzzling against his chest. Setting his chin on Duo's head, Heero sighed. Quatre and Duo had never been close. Not really. But there had still been a measure of respect. A measure that was gone now, and it clearly upset Duo.

"Thanks Ro," Duo pulled away, the corner of his mouth turned up. Heero smiled back.

"Anytime. Now," he pulled away, giving Duo a look. "I need to change my shirt." That earned him a laugh, a sharp, surprised bubble of it spilling from Duo's lips. Grinning, Heero turned, walking away from Duo with warmth in his chest. He'd missed all of the pilots. But he'd missed Duo the most. And seeing him again, bringing laughter and smiles to his face, gave Heero more peace than five years of therapy had.

It was a good feeling.

Quatre was surprised to see Wufei in the cafe, tucked in to a corner with a book on the table. According to the schedules he'd memorized, his last class of the day had ended a couple of hours ago. With an interested hum, Quatre crossed the bustling cafe quickly, dropping his bag in the seat next to Wufei's. The Chinese man looked up suddenly, eyes narrowed, mouth opened to speak. It closed when he caught sight of Quatre. Smiling a little, Quatre slipped into the seat opposite him.

"Wufei," Quatre greeted. "Aren't you done for the day?"

"I am," Wufei crossed his arms over his chest. "What's your point?"

"You've been here a while," the blond shrugged, looking away from Wufei and towards the cafe counter, his blue eyes twinkling. Zechs was there, taking orders at the register, a bright smile on his face. Quatre smirked, looking back at Wufei with a raised , Wufei shook his head, leaning forward in his seat and touching Quatre's arm. He wanted to make sure the blond's attention was completely on him.

"Yes," he hissed out softly. "Because I am studying." Quatre blinked, the smirk on his face disappearing. Wufei snorted, turning back to his book and reaching for his cup of tea.

"I see," with a sigh, Quatre stood. "I apologize for assuming. I'm going to get something. Would you like anything?"

"No," Wufei watched Quatre go through his lashes, his face still turned towards his book. And then he sighed heavily, running a hand over his face. He couldn't blame Quatre for his assumption. There had been a time during the war when he had confessed his attraction to Zechs to the blond-a time he regretted. Giving Quatre a secret was giving him power, and Wufei did not like what he thought he might do with it. Especially not after the meeting on Tuesday. Wufei frowned, his hand closed around the mug of his tea. Setting it back on the table, he looked up, watching the two blonds at the counter with a speculative expression.

He had been surprised by their behavior. It wasn't something he took joy in admitting. Zechs had never been close to any of the pilots, but Quatre. Wufei was sure that Quatre and Duo had been close during the war. Quatre had seemed to make it his goal to befriend all of them, and while Wufei recognized it now as a political strategy, at the time he had been touched. Naively flattered that the Winner heir had wanted to befriend the only remaining survivor of a backwater clan. He'd had few friends growing up, and the charming blond had likely seen him as easy prey, but, politics or no, Quatre had always been an attentive friend.

Wufei wondered what had been in that file to make him turn on Duo.

"Earl grey," Quatre sat across from him with a smile. "What are you studying?"

"History of Conflict," shutting his book, he gave Quatre a direct look, his lips quirking. "Although if you're going to continue to talk, studying will be difficult."

"Sorry," it was chuckled. Quatre did not sound sorry at all. "I'm just glad I caught you. It's good to catch up."

"We share a dorm, Quatre. This is hardly the first time we've seen each other."

"True. But there are-others, in the dorm. It's nice to have time one on one."

"What do you want, Quatre," Wufei sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. The implication was not lost on him. "Others" clearly meant Duo, and while Wufei had a small measure of distrust towards all of his companions, he did not appreciate Quatre's continued antagonism. He especially did not appreciate the blond's attempt to drag him into whatever was happening between them. Across from him, Quatre sighed, setting down his cup and looking in to it with a furrow between his brows.

"So you don't know either," Quatre frowned, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.

"Know what?"

"Nothing. I-shouldn't have said anything," it was vague, Quatre's gaze locked on the swirls of tea and milk.

"Is this about Duo?" Wufei asked bluntly. The response he received was extreme. It was like a flip switching. Quatre went stiff, his face jerking up, eyes hardening in an instant, lip curling in disgust. Wufei drew back slightly, eyebrows raised in alarm. "Quatre?"

"Don't talk to me about him," Quatre growled out. "It appears none of you know, and I-can't give you classified information. But don't talk to me about him."

"If he's done something that could compromise this mission-" Wufei started, eyes narrowing.

"No," Quatre cut him off. "Une sent him for a reason. She knows what she's doing."

"Did she give you the file?"

"I can't talk about it," Quatre stood, leaving his mug of half-finished tea on the table. "You know what classified means, Wufei. I thought you all knew-but I was wrong. I won't bring it up again." His expression of anger was smoothed over almost immediately, an apologetic smile blooming on Quatre's lips. "I'm sorry. I should go, before I take my anger out on someone who's been a good friend."

Wufei watched Quatre go with pursed lips, tapping his finger on the table. Looking across the cafe, he found Zechs staring at their table. He looked as baffled as Wufei felt. Quatre had access to information the rest of them did not. That much was clear. And whatever that information was, it was enough to set Quatre against Duo. He wondered if it would set him against others as well. Quatre had called him a friend as he left, but Wufei had seen the glimmer of distrust in his eyes. But how did he get the information? Who had given it to him?

Standing, Wufei packed his things. It was time to head back to the dorm. He could study there. And talk to Heero. If any of the pilots had information on Duo, he thought, it would be Heero. The two had been partners during the war, practically joined at the hip. There had been a time...well. It didn't matter. Stacking the cups, Wufei carried them to the counter. He set them down with a nod to Zechs, then adjusted the bag on his shoulder. Heero first, and then Trowa. Whatever had happened between Quatre and Duo needed to be fixed before the entire mission was jeopardized. Wufei just hoped it would be easy.