And the story is plunging! Yes, the beginning is sucky, but it will get better! Much better! I don't know just how far I'm gonna go with the two yet...But when I get there, you'll find out!

Oh yeah, and I couldn't help myself. OBVIOUS 3x4 insinuations in this chapter. I find Quatre and Trowa adorable together. So kill me. ^^;; I find giving Trowa a sense of humor as highly entertaining as his finding Wufei chasing Duo with a katana highly entertaining. *sweatdrop* Yes, your author is a retard.

Slight OOCness again, too. Gomen ne! And thanks all you guys for reviewing!



***

Duo's violet eyes went wide and he sprang backwards, blushing furiously and stuttering numerous apologies. Too dazed to do anything, Wufei just stood there stupidly and before he could regain his senses, Duo was gone as fast as lightning. He shook his head vaguely and went back through the kitchen to the garage again.

***

The seventh day came and still neither Duo nor Wufei had shown themselves to the others, or at least that they had known of. Their midnight encounter had gone unobserved and not heard in the least.

So, inevitably, Quatre was the one stuck with the job, though without a doubt, it didn't take much to persuade him into the job in the first place since Trowa and Heero obviously weren't nearly as qualified for this 'mission' as he was.

Quatre didn't even bother with knocking; he slipped in as quietly as a mouse into Duo's room and stood beside his bed. Duo had a tattered old comic book laid over his face, appearing to be asleep, but he didn't even bother with that either. Quatre picked up the comic book and idly tossed it aside, being met with the very much awake American's scowl, though once he recognized who it was, it immediately converted into a big grin.

"What brings you in here, Q-man?" Duo asked brightly.

"We need to talk." He looked him square in the eyes and he finally sat up in defeat.

"Fine.what do you wanna know?"

"Why you and Wufei have been avoiding each other and everyone else since you two returned."

"Damn- er- umm- how about I get back to you on that one?"

"How about not?"

"You're really stubborn sometimes, you know that?" Duo said evasively, tucking his legs underneath himself restlessly and keeping his gaze trained on the worn comic book, a red tinge slowly creeping up from his neck to his cheeks.

"Only when I want something, now don't try to change the subject." Quatre replied firmly.

"All right..." Duo trailed off. "...Well, we just don't get along. And I've been in here 'cause...I dunno why on that one, I just have."

He sighed, he had come in there knowing that he wouldn't get anywhere, but he had to at least try. "Okay Duo, will you come out later? Nothing against Trowa or Heero, but they aren't exactly the best of company, if you get my drift," Quatre's bright smile was somewhat strained as he got up and started to leave.

"Yeah, sure."

Now it was time for Wufei. Fun.

Quatre went past Heero and Trowa without saying anything and continued on through the garage determinedly. In the far corner there was another door that opened up to the woods behind their safe house and was were four of the five Gundams were stowed, Wing had been transported to another place because Heero was going out on another mission within the next day or so. Shenlong was the furthest away from the safe house and it was a good ten minute walk before Quatre was able to find it stooping under the tree branches, poised to fly right away if needed for battle. The cockpit airlock was open and he could see Wufei sitting out with his back against the hatchway, his head tilted upward towards the sky that was barely visible between the thick tree limbs. He didn't seem to have noticed him coming.

As Quatre got right up to the Gundam, he was able to discern the pensive expression on the Chinese pilot's face. "Wufei?" he called tentatively.

He jumped at the sound of his name and looked down at Quatre in poorly masked surprise, as if he were the last person he expected to see. "What do you want?" he asked, disgruntled.

"Can we talk?"

Wufei blinked but shrugged stiffly. "I guess, if it's so important that you had to come all the way out here for it." Quatre nimbly climbed up to the hatchway and sat across from him. "So what did you come all the way out here to talk to me about?"

"Duo."

Now if either of them was more caught off guard by the other's response, it was Quatre. For a fleeting second, Wufei's eyes went wide and his sudden change from reflective to extremely uneasy was very apparent. His steady gaze on Quatre returned to the shady trees and the spots enamel blue sky that managed to make it through the dense boughs. "What about Duo?" No 'Maxwell'. Duo. His curiosity piqued more.

"What happened between you two during the mission?"

"Nothing happened."

"Then why are you two acting so weird?" Quatre persisted.

"How are we acting weird?" Wufei countered suspiciously, looking at him again now.

He shifted impatiently. It was difficult to figure out anything with him contradicting himself with every other reply. "Avoiding each other entirely, Trowa's actually mentioned something about it."

His discomfiture was clearly evident then, but Wufei was going to be as obstinate as Duo because he didn't try to defend that remark, he only turned his eyes up again.

Quatre got to his feet. "Will you at least go and talk to him? It's too quiet without you and Duo."

Wufei watched as he slid down to the ground and headed back to the house, his face clouded once more with deliberation.

***

When Quatre came into the living room, Trowa glanced up questionably. "Well, did your little 'plan' work?"

He shrugged calmly. "I don't know."

"It's not like you to be uncertain, Quatre."

"I did my best, it's up to them now. All we can do is sit back and see how it goes," he shrugged again. "If neither of them make a move, then neither of them make a move. It's out of my hands."

"You know..." Trowa paused.

"What?" Quatre asked inquisitively, curling up beside him on the couch.

"...Those two kind of remind me of when you and I- er- 'came to terms', to put it discreetly..."

"You think so?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I mean, Duo- well, maybe- but Wufei?...I don't know...Do you really think so, Trowa?"

"Yes."

"Am I going to get more than a 'yes' any time soon?"

"Of course." Trowa's lips quirked slightly.

"Oh now, come on, you know what I meant," Quatre berated lightly, though he smiled at the unibanged boy.

***

Night had settled itself heavily by the time Wufei came to a decision. Quatre had been right in a way, he couldn't just run, and he had to tell Duo about what was bothering him so much. It was at that exact time three night before when he had found Duo in the kitchen and their little moment of closeness. The thought of just -how- close they had been sent an odd quiver through him.

All Wufei would do was ease his conscience of what he had discovered during their prolonged stay at the cabin and that was it. Then everything could go back to normal.

Or at least as back to normal as it could get.

He didn't want to know how -Duo- would react to this. What if he took it badly?

Then again, why exactly was he worrying about what he thought, he wasn't supposed to do that.

Get the mission done and over with, that's it, never too much thinking involved. But he was letting it get too involved.

Wufei refused to acknowledge that he was afraid of hurting Duo, though deep down he really was.

Again he stole in through the garage to the kitchen and paused in the living room, staring nervously at the stairs to the left.

'Get it done and over with. Then you don't have to worry about it anymore.' Wufei thought sternly and began walking up the staircase slowly. Duo's room was the first door on the right. He went over and stood at the threshold but didn't knock yet. What if he was asleep? Perfectly good excuse to go right back downstairs and out to Shenlong. Oh well.

Wufei rapped his knuckles softly on the door so as not to disturb the others. "Duo? May I come in?"

***