Light rain padded against the windows of Quatre's country cottage. The deep gray stone of the three bedroom cottage stood out against the brilliant green of the surrounding forest. Smoke issued from the chimney giving the scene an air of warmth and life. It was perfect in its secluded area, unknown to the outside world. The ideal place to plan their next mission.

"NO! You can't do this to me," cried the braided pilot. "It's inhuman. HE'S INHUMAN!" Duo glanced toward the Japanese pilot who stood leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and eyes closed.

"It's only for a week Duo...," reasoned Quatre as he tried to calm the eccentric American.

"But... but..." Duo stammered as he paced the room.

"Besides," continued Quatre calmly, with a look of understanding, "we only have three rooms and Wufei has already demanded his own room. It won't be so bad..."

Duo looked toward the raven haired Chinese pilot who was sitting in a recliner across the room watching the scene. Duo sent him a look that would have curdled milk, if it hadn't been Duo giving it. Silently he cursed Wufei to hell.

Wufei just stared back, his eyes remaining dark and unreadable, it might have been just Duo's imagination but he thought he caught the faintest twitch of a smug smile curve the Chinese pilot's lips.

He was outnumbered... The TRAITORS! How could they?

"Ugh!," Duo grunted as he turned around, throwing his arms in the air dramatically, his chestnut brown braid whipping around with him. It was no use. He let his arms go limp and fall to his sides in defeat.

What was the use? Did they all want him dead?

Duo folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. "Hai... " he mumbled as he leaned against the wall.

"Great!," exclaimed the Arab as he smiled at everyone with his innocent grin. "It's settled, Wufei will bed in the guest room on the first floor just down the hall, Trowa and I will sleep in the room on the opposite end of the hall," he said with a faint blush. " And Heero and Duo will sleep in the room upstairs."

With that Duo hefted his red and black duffle bag and headed up the stairs. "I'll be in my- our - room. Might as well make the best of this." After a moment he added, "If you wake up and find me dead... well then you know the cause." He cast a glare at the silent Japanese pilot.

"You wouldn't shut the fuck up..." offered Wufei.

Quatre stifled a giggle as Trowa shot him a warning glance. Trowa knew scrapped male pride as he watched Duo disappear behind the upstairs door.

After a few moments of silence Heero stood up from the wall and, taking up his laptop and the small black bag he had brought with him, began up the stairs. "I have some business to take care of." He said motioning to his laptop.

Duo took a quick glance around the room and smiled with satisfaction. It was large enough that him and Heero wouldn't have to come in to much contact. He sighed in relief when he noticed that there was two separate beds. That was good. He chose the one under the window, furthest from the door and closer to the bathroom.

It might give him a few more seconds of life if Heero went psycho...

The though made him smile as he tossed his duffle bag onto his bed and began rummaging through it. A shower of clothes followed as he sought out what he was looking for. He brought out a pair of dark blue jean pants and a red tank top and set them on the bed and moving the bag over sat down beside them.

"These black priest clothes are too hot in this humidity", the American pilot commented to himself as he raised the black shirt over his head.

That was the first thing Heero saw when he walked into the room...

Cobalt eyes grew wide as he assessed the situation. It would have been hilarious if his eyes hadn't tracked down the thin, well built frame that was exposed. The tightened and well defined muscles held his eyes in awed fascination.

Where had that been hiding?

Almost reluctantly Heero turned away and shook the image from his thoughts. Luckily Duo's shirt had been covering his face so he hadn't seen Heero's gaze raking over his exposed midsection. Heero's features returned to their withdrawn and distant look. Whatever had been in that moment was gone like a whiff of smoke.

Duo stood frozen as he heard someone enter the room, he would have found the situation almost laughable if he hadn't known the cold icy stare of Heero was looking at him. His face was engulfed in the blackness of his shirt as he waited...

"Is that you Heero?" Duo asked, his voice muffled from the fact he hadn't finish removing his shirt.

"Hai", Heero mumbled as he shut the door and walked over to the desk beside what, he assumed, was his bed. "You would have known that if your shirt wasn't covering your face. Baka."

Duo quickly shrugged out of the shirt and tossed it to the floor. "I have a right to change in my room don't I?" He said, sarcastically emphasizing the word 'my' as he began removing his jeans.

Heero knelt down and busily occupied his attention by setting his laptop up in the middle of his desk. He was ducking beneath the desk to plug a cord into an electrical outlet when his control slipped slightly and his gaze wondered over to Duo. His jaw dropped as he took in the scene: Duo was sitting on the edge of his bed, eyes closed in thought while he lazily removed his black pants...

Does he have no modesty?!?!

Quickly Heero raised up from his position, intent on engulfing himself in the life line of his laptop when...

SMACK!!! @%#^$*#^#

... his head met the edge of the desk in an explosion of pain.

"Itai!", Heero hissed as he fell backward onto the floor.

Duo sighed and tossing his pants on to the bed walked over to Heero and knelt beside him a smile shadowing the corners of his lips.

"Baka", he commented as he sat down beside Heero in his black silk boxers.

Heero closed his eyes against the throbbing pain vibrating in his forehead. When he tried to stand up he found himself restrained by a hand on his shoulder and another holding the front strands of his hair back. His eyes snapped open immediately as his soldier's responses kicked in. Heero looked up and found Duo leaning over him, examining the reddening knot on his head.

What next...?

Duo's eyes closed as he blew on the enlarged area and was unaware of Heero's roaming gaze as it took him in. Heero's eyes wandered along Duo's firm, smooth stomach to the soft, sensual curves of his hips. The silk boxers hung low on his hips and.... Heero quickly looked away before his gaze could go any lower than the hem of the dark silk. The look of him and the feel of his breath on his forehead stirred something he had locked up in the depth of his mind...

"Iie!", he murmered to himself in an softly audible tone... Heero snapped into a sitting position startling Duo.

Frustrated at himself he roughly brushed away Duo's hands and stood up. It was a close call and Heero hated to admit it so he tucked it away. Emotions were shoved back into place. It wouldn't happen again...

It couldn't happen again...

Duo watched as Heero lept up and away from him. It was as if his' life had been in danger by Duo's touch. Sighing, Duo shrugged and stood back up. The boy was so jumpy and complicated just thinking about it wore him out. Duo walked back over to his bed and sat down to resume changing.

"Jesus Christ, Heero", Duo exclaimed raising a hand to rub the back of his neck. "You act as though a little kindness would kill you."

Violet eyes watched as the Japanese pilot avoided his gaze and sat down in front of his laptop. A grin illuminated the American's face as he began to pull on the pair of dark blue jeans he had set out. Curious thoughts opened up new questions as Duo contemplated Heero's behavior...

So the perfect souldier can react to an emotion, his mind isn't based completely on military tactics and missions...

Heero dutifully kept his eyes focused on the illuminated screen rather than the dressing pilot on the other side of the room. He knew from the sound of rustling cloth he knew that Duo was pullin on the red tank top he had spotted beside Duo earlier. A war raged within Heero's mind for a few minutes before his curiousity won out and his eyes crept from his laptop screen. His gaze wondered over in Duo's direction in time to see Duo bending over, tying a pair of red and black hi-tops.

Duo sat up after tying the last of the shoe laces and Heero quickly averted his attention back to the words on the screen. It was a futile effort though, as he didn't see the smiled that curved Duo's mouth as he caught Heero's glance.

"I'm gonna take a nap", Duo yawned as he laid down. "See you in about 30 minutes, Heero."

Heero focused on the laptop mumbling, "hai" as his assent.

Duo's eyelids slowly closed he fell asleep with one thought resonating in his mind...

Perhaps this arrangement might not be so bad...