1 Thou Jests Four
The morning dawned brightly, and Mei was smiling as she rolled out of bed. She stood, stretched, and slid on her slippers, then headed out into the restaurant.
"Morning," she called to Louie O'Malley. He was her 'father' while she was in England on an exchange program. He also owned the restaurant O'Malley's, which she resided in along with Louie and his wife, Elizabeth.
"Mornin' darlin'," he replied in his thick English brogue.
"You're up early," came another voice. Startled, Mei whirled. Sitting at a booth beside the front window was Angel, sipping breakfast tea and skimming the newspaper.
"What're you doing here?" Mei asked, willing her heart to stop thumping so hard. Angel glanced up from the headlines, smiling.
"Getting some tea."
"And a wee bit of free breakfast," Louie threw in, setting down a steaming plate of bacon, scrambled eggs, and biscuits and gravy in front of her.
"That too," she agreed with a nonchalant shrug. Mei slid into the booth as Louie went back to fix her a plate of the same.
"You English," she said, watching Angel set aside the paper and dig into the biscuits and gravy, "eat the weirdest food."
"Us English?" Angel laughed. "What about you and your raw fish and white rice, hmmm?"
"Aye! Or the French and their escargot and caviar?" Louie agreed, setting down Mei's plate and sliding into the booth next to Angel. He sipped at a mug of hot coffee. "Raw fish eggs and snails. I never will understand French food. Snails, a delicacy!" He laughed. "If I wanted snail, I'd just go pluck them off the neighbor's fence."
Mei gave into the laughter bubbling up inside of her, seeing Angel do the same. Then the older girl sobered and nailed Meilin with a look.
"What?" she asked innocently.
"How serious are you about Quatre?" Angel managed.
"Uhm…why?"
Angel shook her head. "He's been burnt badly before," she explained. "At least from what Duo was telling me. So be serious."
"Angel, I wasn't…I mean, I don't even know him, and…and…"
"She likes Eric," Louie finished, eyes lit with laughter as he sipped his coffee again.
"Well, yeah…" Mei agreed, and blushed.
Angel relaxed and went back to eating her breakfast. "Just checking."
"Why…why does it matter to you?"
Angel glanced at Mei and shrugged. "Just don't want to see the poor guy get hurt. He's one of Duo's best friends, so naturally I know a lot about him. He sounds like a really good guy."
"And she thinks he's 'hot'," Louie added mischievously.
"Is that so wrong?"
Mei laughed. "Don't worry. I think he's cute, too."
~*~
Duo was singing in the shower again. Quatre wondered whether or not it would be profitable to buy the man voice-lessons. Then he smiled.
In fact, he hadn't stopped smiling since his delightful dinner the night before. He rapped on the door to the bathroom, humming along with the song Duo was belting out.
"Whaaaaaaattt?" came the indignant yell from the bathroom.
"Time's up! My turn!"
Duo appeared a minute later, a towel wrapped around his hair. He'd yanked on a pair of pants and was lightly grumbling. He tossed Quatre a mock glare, but it was clear he was still on cloud nine from dinner as well.
"Mornin'!"
"Good morning, Duo. Got another shoot today?"
"Yup, all day."
"Tell Angel I said hello. Feel like O'Malley's tonight?"
"Sure. Bring Eric, too." With that, Duo walked down the hall toward his room, still humming. Quatre smiled and stepped into the bathroom. He shucked off his jeans and stepped into the shower, quietly singing an Arabian love song to himself. His smile turned into a grin as he secretly hoped the girls would be at O'Malley's that night.
~*~
Duo's mouth was grazing her ear, and Angel forced down a shudder at the contact. Their bodies were close, tense, sweaty. Tension crackled in the air as she tried to concentrate on what the god of a man beside her was saying.
"There's ten of them. That's five each. Think you can handle them without killing?" he asked softly. Angel's eyes met his and she nodded, all serious. Her hands fell on her daggers.
"Of course I can. You know that." The flash of silver in her eyes was reflected by the flash of light on medal as she drew her deadly weapons.
"Hope you're a good shot," Duo muttered under his breath.
"The best," she replied, and they dove from the safety of their cover.
Duo's guns blazed, knocking the guns from the hands of the men down the darkened hall. Angel flicked her wrists, and two volleys of daggers flew through the air, pinning a couple of men to the wall. The next to volleys got the rest, grazing their skin. Duo quickly finished off the others, grazing their hands with bullets. Then he turned to Angel.
"You are the best," he said with a grin, and yanked her against him. His mouth came down on hers. Angel found herself melting against his chest.
"Aaaaaannnddd…cut!" the director yelled. Angel and Duo pulled away from each other. Duo flashed her a lecherous wink and a devilish smile.
"You liked that."
Angel laughed in response. "Who wouldn't? You're a good kisser."
"So're you." He twirled the gun and then holstered it, grinning. "You've been kissed by the best, you know."
Angel shook her head, still laughing. "Oh really? Well…maybe I'll just have to kiss all the guys I know and find out."
Immediately, a line formed. The director was at the front. Angel burst out laughing again. Duo chuckled and tossed her a look.
"I think they like that idea," he commented. Angel beamed at her co- workers.
"I think so, too."
~*~
A few hours later Duo was stepping out of his prized viper. He grinned at the sight of Quatre's convertible Corvette. He strutted toward the door, pleased with himself. He and Angel worked magic on the screen, and she was so much fun. And her friend Aisha was really sweet, too…he made a mental note to get to know Aisha better and to treat Angel to dinner when the movie was done.
Louie was, as usual, shouting orders to the other cooks as he flipped steaks on the grill. Lizzy, his wife, was greeting people at the door. Someday, he decided, he wanted a life similar to theirs. Simple, full of love, and comfortable. One day…one day he'd have that.
He winked at Liz, who flicked a menu his way expertly. She pointed to a table, and Duo turned to see Quatre and Eric locked in a conversation.
"Thanks, Liz! You're the best!" he called over the heads of guests, and walked over to the table.
"Duo!" Quatre got to his feet. "Glad you could make it. You're late," he added.
"Sorry. Had to stop for gas. Man, you won't believe what a good kisser Angel is!" he reported. Quatre and Eric both looked at him in surprise.
"You mean you…" Eric trailed off.
"Yeah, today at the set. For a scene in a movie." Duo grinned arrogantly. "She's sweet."
I bet, Quatre thought, his mood darkening slightly.
"So…did she like it?" Eric was asking.
"Melted like butter on a hot day," Duo answered.
"Hey, my ears are burning. What're you saying about me?" came a female voice. A second later Angel slid into the booth next to Quatre. Duo flashed her a sly, sensual smile.
"Oh, just about how sweet and sexy you are, especially in those leather pants."
Angel grinned. "Well, in that case." She turned. "Good evening Quatre, Eric."
Quatre smiled and slid his lips over Angel's hand. "Evening."
Eric quickly repeated the gesture.
"'Ey! Hands off! She's mine!" Louie called as he walked over, placing a possessive hand on Angel's shoulder. She laughed.
"Hey, Lou. How's business?"
"Booming!" he replied with a laugh. "I came to let you know Mei's on her way out. She was particularly glad to hear you two are here." He nodded toward Quatre and Eric. They both smiled.
"Send her on over," Duo agreed, laughing. "The more the merrier!"
~*~
What an amusing evening, Mei reflected, sliding into bed. She had flirted shamelessly with the three men all night. They were all so handsome…especially Quatre and Eric…
She smiled and let her lashes slip shut. Eric…gorgeous, sweet Eric…handsome Eric…
My Eric…
And sleep claimed her.
~*~
Angel on the other hand, flopped down on her bed. She wasn't used to such blatant attention from men. Duo AND Quatre were flirting with her.
"And I like them both…" she groaned. She burried her face in her pillow. "Ugh…this is a problem."
The morning dawned brightly, and Mei was smiling as she rolled out of bed. She stood, stretched, and slid on her slippers, then headed out into the restaurant.
"Morning," she called to Louie O'Malley. He was her 'father' while she was in England on an exchange program. He also owned the restaurant O'Malley's, which she resided in along with Louie and his wife, Elizabeth.
"Mornin' darlin'," he replied in his thick English brogue.
"You're up early," came another voice. Startled, Mei whirled. Sitting at a booth beside the front window was Angel, sipping breakfast tea and skimming the newspaper.
"What're you doing here?" Mei asked, willing her heart to stop thumping so hard. Angel glanced up from the headlines, smiling.
"Getting some tea."
"And a wee bit of free breakfast," Louie threw in, setting down a steaming plate of bacon, scrambled eggs, and biscuits and gravy in front of her.
"That too," she agreed with a nonchalant shrug. Mei slid into the booth as Louie went back to fix her a plate of the same.
"You English," she said, watching Angel set aside the paper and dig into the biscuits and gravy, "eat the weirdest food."
"Us English?" Angel laughed. "What about you and your raw fish and white rice, hmmm?"
"Aye! Or the French and their escargot and caviar?" Louie agreed, setting down Mei's plate and sliding into the booth next to Angel. He sipped at a mug of hot coffee. "Raw fish eggs and snails. I never will understand French food. Snails, a delicacy!" He laughed. "If I wanted snail, I'd just go pluck them off the neighbor's fence."
Mei gave into the laughter bubbling up inside of her, seeing Angel do the same. Then the older girl sobered and nailed Meilin with a look.
"What?" she asked innocently.
"How serious are you about Quatre?" Angel managed.
"Uhm…why?"
Angel shook her head. "He's been burnt badly before," she explained. "At least from what Duo was telling me. So be serious."
"Angel, I wasn't…I mean, I don't even know him, and…and…"
"She likes Eric," Louie finished, eyes lit with laughter as he sipped his coffee again.
"Well, yeah…" Mei agreed, and blushed.
Angel relaxed and went back to eating her breakfast. "Just checking."
"Why…why does it matter to you?"
Angel glanced at Mei and shrugged. "Just don't want to see the poor guy get hurt. He's one of Duo's best friends, so naturally I know a lot about him. He sounds like a really good guy."
"And she thinks he's 'hot'," Louie added mischievously.
"Is that so wrong?"
Mei laughed. "Don't worry. I think he's cute, too."
~*~
Duo was singing in the shower again. Quatre wondered whether or not it would be profitable to buy the man voice-lessons. Then he smiled.
In fact, he hadn't stopped smiling since his delightful dinner the night before. He rapped on the door to the bathroom, humming along with the song Duo was belting out.
"Whaaaaaaattt?" came the indignant yell from the bathroom.
"Time's up! My turn!"
Duo appeared a minute later, a towel wrapped around his hair. He'd yanked on a pair of pants and was lightly grumbling. He tossed Quatre a mock glare, but it was clear he was still on cloud nine from dinner as well.
"Mornin'!"
"Good morning, Duo. Got another shoot today?"
"Yup, all day."
"Tell Angel I said hello. Feel like O'Malley's tonight?"
"Sure. Bring Eric, too." With that, Duo walked down the hall toward his room, still humming. Quatre smiled and stepped into the bathroom. He shucked off his jeans and stepped into the shower, quietly singing an Arabian love song to himself. His smile turned into a grin as he secretly hoped the girls would be at O'Malley's that night.
~*~
Duo's mouth was grazing her ear, and Angel forced down a shudder at the contact. Their bodies were close, tense, sweaty. Tension crackled in the air as she tried to concentrate on what the god of a man beside her was saying.
"There's ten of them. That's five each. Think you can handle them without killing?" he asked softly. Angel's eyes met his and she nodded, all serious. Her hands fell on her daggers.
"Of course I can. You know that." The flash of silver in her eyes was reflected by the flash of light on medal as she drew her deadly weapons.
"Hope you're a good shot," Duo muttered under his breath.
"The best," she replied, and they dove from the safety of their cover.
Duo's guns blazed, knocking the guns from the hands of the men down the darkened hall. Angel flicked her wrists, and two volleys of daggers flew through the air, pinning a couple of men to the wall. The next to volleys got the rest, grazing their skin. Duo quickly finished off the others, grazing their hands with bullets. Then he turned to Angel.
"You are the best," he said with a grin, and yanked her against him. His mouth came down on hers. Angel found herself melting against his chest.
"Aaaaaannnddd…cut!" the director yelled. Angel and Duo pulled away from each other. Duo flashed her a lecherous wink and a devilish smile.
"You liked that."
Angel laughed in response. "Who wouldn't? You're a good kisser."
"So're you." He twirled the gun and then holstered it, grinning. "You've been kissed by the best, you know."
Angel shook her head, still laughing. "Oh really? Well…maybe I'll just have to kiss all the guys I know and find out."
Immediately, a line formed. The director was at the front. Angel burst out laughing again. Duo chuckled and tossed her a look.
"I think they like that idea," he commented. Angel beamed at her co- workers.
"I think so, too."
~*~
A few hours later Duo was stepping out of his prized viper. He grinned at the sight of Quatre's convertible Corvette. He strutted toward the door, pleased with himself. He and Angel worked magic on the screen, and she was so much fun. And her friend Aisha was really sweet, too…he made a mental note to get to know Aisha better and to treat Angel to dinner when the movie was done.
Louie was, as usual, shouting orders to the other cooks as he flipped steaks on the grill. Lizzy, his wife, was greeting people at the door. Someday, he decided, he wanted a life similar to theirs. Simple, full of love, and comfortable. One day…one day he'd have that.
He winked at Liz, who flicked a menu his way expertly. She pointed to a table, and Duo turned to see Quatre and Eric locked in a conversation.
"Thanks, Liz! You're the best!" he called over the heads of guests, and walked over to the table.
"Duo!" Quatre got to his feet. "Glad you could make it. You're late," he added.
"Sorry. Had to stop for gas. Man, you won't believe what a good kisser Angel is!" he reported. Quatre and Eric both looked at him in surprise.
"You mean you…" Eric trailed off.
"Yeah, today at the set. For a scene in a movie." Duo grinned arrogantly. "She's sweet."
I bet, Quatre thought, his mood darkening slightly.
"So…did she like it?" Eric was asking.
"Melted like butter on a hot day," Duo answered.
"Hey, my ears are burning. What're you saying about me?" came a female voice. A second later Angel slid into the booth next to Quatre. Duo flashed her a sly, sensual smile.
"Oh, just about how sweet and sexy you are, especially in those leather pants."
Angel grinned. "Well, in that case." She turned. "Good evening Quatre, Eric."
Quatre smiled and slid his lips over Angel's hand. "Evening."
Eric quickly repeated the gesture.
"'Ey! Hands off! She's mine!" Louie called as he walked over, placing a possessive hand on Angel's shoulder. She laughed.
"Hey, Lou. How's business?"
"Booming!" he replied with a laugh. "I came to let you know Mei's on her way out. She was particularly glad to hear you two are here." He nodded toward Quatre and Eric. They both smiled.
"Send her on over," Duo agreed, laughing. "The more the merrier!"
~*~
What an amusing evening, Mei reflected, sliding into bed. She had flirted shamelessly with the three men all night. They were all so handsome…especially Quatre and Eric…
She smiled and let her lashes slip shut. Eric…gorgeous, sweet Eric…handsome Eric…
My Eric…
And sleep claimed her.
~*~
Angel on the other hand, flopped down on her bed. She wasn't used to such blatant attention from men. Duo AND Quatre were flirting with her.
"And I like them both…" she groaned. She burried her face in her pillow. "Ugh…this is a problem."