Warnings: [Eventual] mild violence, fictitious animal poaching/death, mild language, M/M lime/lemon, and general adult situations.

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is a product of Sunrise & Bandai Entertainment, I do not claim ownership to these characters, only to my own words.

A/N: Thank you for leaving your reviews so I can hear your feedback! Things are about to heat up- literally. Let me know what you think.


Down In Africa

Chapter 9: In The Heat Of The Moment

When Trowa awoke the next morning he was happy to have found that his mind had afforded him at least a small amount of sleep the night before. He stretched his muscles upwards, feeling their tightness from having literally jumped off a cliff the day before. He wondered briefly to check on the small wound Duo had received on his forearm, when the object of his thoughts leapt down from the bunk above as if he were just falling to earth.

Trowa could not stop the sensation of his mouth running completely dry as his eyes became glued to the slightly pallid skin of his roommate's ass, the muscles moving in a pleasing way beneath the surface as the man stretched his body upwards with a soft groan of satisfaction.

Last night Duo had not been so completely- naked. Trowa found his thoughts racing to imagine when and why such a turn of events had taken place when his fingers were thrusting forward, coming to wrap around the end of the man's mussed braid and pulling softly to request his attention.

Duo reached back at the sensation and when he turned his eyes were narrowed, but there was something shining from within the indigo depths. He gave a wry smile and in a flash the entirety of his naked body was atop Trowa like a wild cat pouncing on its prey.

"Hey," he purred, his fingers wrapped around Trowa's wrists like they'd been the day before, though this time in a much more playful and arousing manner.

He sat down sharply against the top of Trowa's thighs, effectively pinning him to the bed, Duo's bare cock resting against the other man's with only a thin layer of cotton separating them.

Upon seeing his roommate's exposed form Trowa had felt an apparent arousal well up at the bottom of his stomach, but now with this new contact and that smirking gaze staring down at him like he was a piece of soon to be enjoyed meat, he felt himself grow almost instantly hard.

Duo leaned forward, creating even more friction between them, and played his lips against Trowa's own for only a second before his tongue began to trail its way from mouth, to ear, to neck, to chest, causing Trowa's muscles to stiffen in a needy manner.

Just last night Duo's kiss had been so tentative and tender, a good-night gesture that Trowa had never experienced before but often saw in movies or read about in books. Not something he ever would have thought himself worthy of. But now, with Duo's naked body grinding down against him, all sense of domesticated affection seemed to have gone out the window.

Teeth bit down against his left nipple and a sound he'd never heard before emanated from the back of his throat. Duo gave a throaty chuckle at the response, but just as he was lifting his head in preparation to verbally tease, there came a loud pounding on their door.

Both men startled so violently that their erections ground together almost painfully as the sound of Wufei's sharp voice filtered through their- thankfully locked- door.

"Maxwell! Bloom! You better be awake in there, we've got prep to do before Raza's reintroduction," he yelled, sounding rather impatient probably due to the stress and excitement of the day's imminent task.

"Yeah, yeah, we're on it, Chang!" Duo snapped back, his lips forming somewhat of a snarl at having been so rudely interrupted.

They heard what sounded like an annoyed sigh and then footsteps stomping back down the hallway. Duo turned back to Trowa and gave a somewhat sheepish look. "Well, you heard the man."

Trowa let out a groan, this time one of a different type of emotion. His teeth ground as the thought of pain he knew would visit them both shortly if they weren't able to complete the amorous task they'd so impulsively started.

He thrust his hips upwards to meet Duo's own arousal, but the man was already releasing him from his forceful grip. "Sorry, no time," he breathed. "We'll pick this up later- it'll be even better tonight."

Duo did not sound convinced by his own lackluster promise and Trowa couldn't help but feel a certain hatred towards Chang Wufei, even if the man had no idea or intention as to causing the two any- discomfort.

After they'd both showered, separately and with as cold of water as they could stand, Trowa and Duo made their way from the dorms towards Raza's enclosure.

"She's been at the Compound for a while, right?" Trowa wondered as they walked, trying desperately to force his mind to switch gears. "Will the herd accept her that easily?"

Duo gave a small shrug accompanied by a knowing smile. "It's usually not as difficult as it sounds. And we're hoping Raza will be easy since one of the other elephants from the herd was also raised by Sally a few years back."

Trowa nodded. "They take care of their own."

Duo's shoulder found its way into the other man's arm, his eyes sparkling in the ever-rising sun. "Just like us humans, eh?"

They neared the enclosure and were met with a few greetings from fellow workers and the bustle and commotion of preparation. Sally was busy giving Raza one final bath, the hose spraying water violently on anyone in close proximity. The elephant gave a rather excited trumpet as Sally managed to strike Wufei's backside with a cool blast of liquid as he tried his best to make his way towards Duo and Trowa.

His face was flushed in annoyance as he pawed at the now soaking shirt sticking to his back. "Nice of you to make it," he bit out.

Duo's eyes rolled. "Chill, 'Fei. Everything's going to be great."

Wufei blinked, the words somehow seeming to placate the Chinese man rather than continue to ruffle his feathers. He wrung some excess water from the hair trapped at the back of his neck and turned to Trowa. "If everything goes as planned, you're in for one hell of an educational day."

Trowa was just glad to see that the man's obviously angered demeanor seemed to definitely be riding on his current stress level. It was still curious to him how Duo's teasing manor was somehow able to provide a sort of odd comfort for the man, their banter perhaps a well-appreciated outlet. But of course, Duo did seem to have that effect on most everyone around here.

"I'm here to help in any way you need," Trowa responded, keeping his voice a friendly as possible. He was also glad to see that Wufei had apparently decided not to dwell on the slightly awkward conversation they'd previously had at the restaurant in Arusha.

He realized that even if his investigation was once again being hindered by his duties at the Compound, both he and Duo had managed to make some semblance of progress what with their new lead in regards to Oz Corp. He was just going to have to let it go for the day and try his best to stay focussed on the task at hand. Wufei was probably right, it would hopefully be an interesting experience for him, if nothing else.

They all made their way towards the enclosure, Duo's smile widening with every step, and Raza greeted them with a misting of water spraying from her trunk as she held it playfully over their heads. Trowa wiped at the back of his neck, already feeling the sun beating down on his skin, his eyes vaguely following Duo's swaying braid, his mind wondering how the man managed to stay cool with such a cumbersome amount of hair. The plated locks decided rather abruptly to pull him back to their amorous activities less than an hour before and Trowa cringed inwardly, realizing it had been a dangerous path to travel back down.

Duo turned to him, his lips pulled wide. "Damn, I'm gonna miss this elephant, even all the times she's decided to give me an impromptu bath."

Wufei snorted a laugh. "I'm sure you can find someone else to help you with that."

Trowa watched as Duo's face froze and his cheeks turned pink, but Wufei was already walking away back towards Sally, some sort of triumph in his step. Duo whipped his head around. "You don't think-"

"No." Trowa's brows furrowed as he contemplated a bit painfully. "I don't think so, no."

The two men didn't have much time to think more on what their companion had implied however as Sally was now directing people, giving orders and waving her hands accordingly, a determined expression stuck to her features.

Trowa and Duo were about to make their way towards a waiting truck that Wufei was hauling himself into, when a rough trunk made its way to rest heavily against Trowa's shoulder. He turned to stare up at the large animal, a rarely genuine smile coming across his face.

Duo chuckled at the obvious affection Raza was showing when Sally strode up next to them. "You guys ready?" she wondered, patting against the trunk swaying lightly over Trowa's chest.

Sally pulled the elephant's nimble appendage away so Trowa could make his escape next to Duo. The braided man sighed outwardly, but the smile never left his lips. "You bet, doc."

The woman met both of their eyes, stroking at the animal's trunk. "Don't worry, I don't think she'll be forgetting us anytime soon. It's true what they say about their incredible memories. Elephants truly are conscious, intelligent, and emotional beings."

Staring at the way Raza seemed to caress Sally's shoulder like she'd done his own, Trowa couldn't argue with that.


The day was hotter than normal, the temperature climbing upwards with each passing minute as the sun rose higher and higher in the cloudless sky. Trowa wasn't sure he'd ever seen such a brilliant, unobscured blue in all his travels, even if it did mean the heat of the day would be near unbearable.

Wufei drove the truck towards a watering hole that had been previously scouted as the elephant herd's main gathering place. It was smaller than the one Quatre had pointed out to them days before, but the fact that it had a plentiful water supply made it the ideal spot for the large beasts in the apparent drought that the NCA seemed to be facing.

Trowa found himself in the passenger seat at Duo's request, while the braided man hung against his head rest the entire drive, though he hardly said a word. It was an odd occurrence to be sure, but Trowa figured by the way his body seemed to radiate nervous energy, that he was excited for what lay ahead of them.

They parked a good twenty yards from the actual watering hole, but the distance did nothing to hide the massive, gray-skinned animals looming before them. There were at least fifteen elephants of all sizes and ages, some smaller ones splashing in the water, a few more rolling their massive backs against the ground creating great clouds of dirt to billow around their bodies. There were a few that seemed older, surveying the others like elders watching over their family with a fierce loyalty that Trowa could almost sense filtering through the hot air.

He again found himself wondering just how easy this task was going to be, when another vehicle pulled up to join the several already there from the Compound. Trowa and his companions hopped down from their truck in time to be greeted with the beaming smile of Ranger Winner.

"I hope you don't mind my intruding, but the NCAA wanted a representative here. I'm sure Heero would have done it himself, but he's bogged down with paperwork," Quatre explained, his hands moving rapidly about in the air in front of him as if the movements were naturally linked to his words.

Wufei gave the blond a wry smile. "And I'm sure it didn't take much convincing on your part."

Quatre's cheeks seemed to glow. "You know I wouldn't miss Raza's big day for the world."

Trowa had happily found himself as an impassive observer to the conversation until Duo's hand came to rest against his shoulder blade, the sensation jarring him for only a second before he realized it was simply a casual gesture to grab his attention and nothing more.

"Did I tell you Quat used to work at the Compound?" Duo wondered off-handedly.

Trowa found himself shaking his head. "You hadn't mentioned it."

The Ranger almost looked a bit embarrassed by the fact that the three men were now all so suddenly focussed on him. Quatre shrugged. "I think perhaps you were my replacement, Trowa."

For some unknown reason this news somehow discomposed Trowa. Why should it matter- certainly none of this had anything to do with him or the investigation, it was all happenstance that he was truthfully not a party to in his undercover state. But then Duo's fingers were dancing lightly along his back and he felt his muscle quiver.

"Your old roommate?" Trowa wondered, his head turning to find Duo's eyes. He kept his voice even and conversational.

Duo nodded. "I thought I had told you that."

Trowa was sure he had and Trowa was also sure he hadn't been paying attention at the time, distracted perhaps by something else. But suddenly he was remembering the vague conversation, the affectionate air Duo took on around the young Ranger, the girl, Hilde, telling him how lonely Duo had been lately. Trowa was Quatre's- replacement?

He shook his head, trying not to allow the movement to be seen. Nonsense, this was all nonsense. When had he ever been one to jump to conclusions? When had he ever been one to feel the emotion of- jealousy?

An elephant trumpeted and the haze in his mind broke away in an instant. Duo's fingers were still resting on his back, though their tickling movements had since ceased. For a moment Trowa feared that the man had noticed his odd reaction to the simple conversation that had just transpired, but then he realized that everyone's attentions were now primarily directed towards the lumbering frame of Raza, walking happily through the grass between the men and the elephants on the other side.

Sally was there with her, patting her and bribing her along with a few treats. She was cooing something in the elephants ear, but the distance made it impossible to make out. Trowa felt his body being pulled to the ground so that he could view the scene through the tall stalks of golden grass.

From the corner of his eye he watched Duo watching Raza with that glowing expression he'd come to appreciate from the man. Trowa shook his head once more, inwardly chastising himself for thinking so wildly out-of-character just moments before.

From next to him Quatre was murmuring something in Wufei's ear which was acknowledged by a quick nod, some soft whispers, and a pointing finger out towards the watering hole. Now Trowa realized with a sense of understanding where the ease of the Compound's relation with this particular Ranger had spawned from. As an agent that should have been his reaction earlier, his only reaction.

Trowa turned his vision back towards Raza, watching as she seemed to completely ignore the herd not more than a few yards away, her eyes apparently only for Sally. The doctor did not seem surprised by this as she continued to play and slowly lead the elephant further and further away from the expanse of Compound workers and towards the herd.

A few more minutes passed and something surprising happened. A large elephant, several feet taller than Raza, was making its way towards Sally without any sense of hesitation or fear. Stopping a yard from the doctor, the large animal raised its trunk in the air and let out a loud trumpet. Trowa watched Sally step towards the elephant, her hand stretched outwards until her fingers came to rest on the previously sounding trunk.

"That's Cora," Duo whispered close to his ear.

"The elephant Dr. Po raised previously?" Trowa guessed, though it wasn't hard to see that he was correct by the way the animal allowed Sally to pet its rough skin and speak into its large, flapping ears.

Duo nodded and then gestured towards Raza. "Think she's jealous?"

Trowa felt some sort of odd heat burn just underneath his cheeks, but then he became distracted by the way the smaller elephant seemed suddenly curious as to why Sally had chosen to ignore her. The woman reached out a hand to Raza so that she was simultaneously showing affection to both animals now.

It was an incredible sight and Trowa couldn't help but realize that he had never, and probably would never again, experience something so oddly gratifying.

The other elephant, Cora, reached out her trunk tentatively, tapping at Raza's own before lifting back up to release another loud trumpet. Then Sally was moving backwards, giving Raza some encouraging pats until she reached the animal's backside and with all her strength began to push the elephant forward.

Duo let out a soft chuckle at the sight, but the gesture seemed to be working as Raza began to move slowly but surely towards the older elephant. Cora raised her trunk again and seemed to wave it in the air in the direction of the rest of the herd as if she were signaling for her new friend to join them. A few moments later Raza was surrounded as the herd closed protectively around her.

Trowa had not imagined elephants to be so tolerant and kind. He turned to Duo. "You were right."

Shrugging, Duo grinned. "That's why Sally's the best."

He was going to agree, but then suddenly something filtered into his nose, a smell Trowa was all too familiar with coursing its way into his mind. "Smoke," he said quickly, brows knitting.

Duo sniffed the air, but before he could respond, Wufei's head was rising above the grass to their left, his wide eyes scanning the area just as the sound of elephants trumpeting in a frantic manner began to echo around them.

Trowa's own head lifted then, his vision coming to rest on black, billowing smoke rising from the right of the watering hole, red and orange flames licking just above the dry grasses, eating away at the natural fuel with a frightening speed.

"Fire!" Wufei's voice was rough as he bellowed out the warning. Sally whirled around, her eyes rimmed with panic as she headed swiftly back towards her jeep just as the ground beneath them began to reverberate.

Instantly the image of the blazing fire became somewhat less terrifying as the sensation beneath them only grew. Trowa's gaze flicked towards the watering hole as he and Duo scrambled to their feet. The elephants were barreling towards them, the twenty-ton animals panicking and looking for an escape from the oncoming flames. Their sudden speed and alarm seemed inescapable as their pounding feet grew closer and closer with each passing second.

"The herd is stampeding!" came the frantic voice of Ranger Winner.

Trowa found his arm clenched in a vice grip, Duo's expression growing cold as the smokey air began to surround them. He spat out a curse, his eyes darting around frantically. "We've got to get out of their path before we're trampled to death!"