Chapter 6: So (To run.)

Quatre crouched and waited. He had never been hunting, but then again he had never until recently snogged anyone silly first thing in the morning, and his new sport combined the best of both worlds in his opinion.

It was a lonely sport, but he didn't want anyone else hunting HIS prey anyway, and if he did well it inherently provided him with company. The very best no less.

If nothing else Duo wasn't stupid, he checked the hiding place that his lover had used yesterday, but unfortunately Quatre had planned for this and managed to sweep his legs out and tumble on top. Duo had few complaints, for one because the Arabian boy used his position to the fullest advantage via tongue and two his mouth was to full to speak.

Not for long. Quatre finished with a quick nip on the tongue and pulled away, wrinkling his nose. "Aaaand you REALLY need to brush your teeth, boy! Did you PLAN to gas me with your breath?" He eyed the braided one suspiciouslly.

"Maaaaaybe," Gasped Duo. "Fair repaymentfor neverbeing on top"

"Not my fault you can't wrestle worth a damn."

"No realyou're goodon top."

Quatre nuzzled close under Duo's chin. "Not as good as you are on the bottomis practice making perfect?"

"As if you needed it"

"Well you needed one kind of practice, but you hardly ever sit down after coffee anyway, and that's not a problem anymore, right?" A subtle hand slid between the floor and Duo's butt and squeezed.

"Eeep! No, it's not! I'm good, I'm good!"

"Nice to hear, love. C'mon, maid's making breakfast, race you for your bacon!" The blonde threw himself down the first flight of stairs, utterly avoiding the stairs themselves in favor of the landing, and made a beeline for the kitchen.

Duo just sat stunned. He liked bacon but

Quatre had used the L-word, and Duo was afraid.

He wasn't totally sur what bothered him about the word 'love', but he broke into a cold sweat whenever he heard it. Love meant a family. Things all his home. Love was something he could never have, because love was home.

Duo didn't have a home, or a family, and no plan to get one was forthcoming. All 'love' could do was tease him, taunt him with what he could never get for himself.

Love was a line that neither him nor Quatre had passed in their relationship yet, and it scared the hell out of him to think about it. So with a typical 'out of sight out of mind' outlook and no visible foes, he slapped on a 'morning antics' grin and went to reclaim his bacon.

So to speak. Snicker.

*

"Heya kitten!"

Duo spun and hissed angrily. "KITTEN!?"

"Well you didn't like 'love'" Duo winced. Again.

"Why kitten?"

"Because, you're so damn cute!"

"I'll show you cute"

"Hah, any time of th-AH! EEEEEE! MMMPH!" Quatre bit his hand to keep the last and loudest cry out.

"I'll show you kitten, too, KITTEN"

*

That night, Duo was still merily ignoring any thought of 'that word', and submitting to a brutal, thorough, and strong massage from Quatre when the trap was sprung.

"Babe?"

"Mmm"

"Babe!" Quatre ended his ministrations abruptly, and Duo cursed feebly.

"Awwwhat do I have to do to get back to that position?"

"Tell me what bothers you about love."

Although in a very techincal way it's totally impossible, Duo's eyes spun in his head. "Ummwha?"

"This morning, I could feel you totally tighten up when I called you love. What's the matter? Does itI meanis it because we'reyou know, guys? Or something?" Quatre closed his eyes and tried to taste his lover's mind, but Duo was drawing inwards and hiding. "Duo?"

"I was just, umm, surprised, Q-man! Not your fault. Not not not. Pleeeeaaaase forget about it and get back to where we left off?" He played his best two cards, Quatre on top and big bambi eyes, in one daring gamble.

Which he lost. "Nope." Quatre sighed, and flipped Duo over so that they could see each others' faces. "Not that easy, lov-babe."

The braided boy dragged Quatre onto him and rubbed noses gently. "Why not?" He whispered, ghosting his lips against Quatre and then pressing them closer when he got a moan.

"Be-because," Quatre struggled out of the seduction. "Because," He said, sitting up and staring Duo straight in the eye. "I love you, Duo."

The person in question did not scream or die, so he plowed ahead.

"I love the way you laugh, and how much you laugh. Whenever you smile I can't help but be happy, and you do it all the time. I love the hair," He pulled the braid from it's coil on the bed above Duo's head to cuddle it close, "and the rest of you too" He ran a finger down Duo's body, tracing wavy lines and a few words, including 'mine' and 'Quatre Winner'.

"Point is, I stuck in deep mad hot love with you, and felt you should be notified. Now tell me if it's mutual and why you feel mentally and physcially tense whenever I even say that word." Quatre leaned in close for the full effect of the baby blue stare of thruth. "Please. For me."

"I lo-I l-I lovvv" Duo slurred and tried again. I love you too dammit! "I lo

"I"

The American's body totally collapsed underneath Quatre, and when he realized that he couldn't curl into a ball while still pinned Duo turned his head and tried to hide it under a pillow. Quatre coud hear sniffs from him, and feel them echoing through both their minds.

"Duosexy, it's alright. Come on, it's no" Quatre bit his lip before he could lie. It WAS a big deal and he knew it. "Just don't worry about it. Come on."

"Mygodamn faultplease, lemme" No more distinguishable words were forthcoming, so Quatre sighed and let Duo out from under him. The braided boy immediately assumed the fetal position facing away from the other, and shoved all the cloth he could between his face and the outside world.

Quatre rubbed his shoulder in what he hoped was an encouraging way. "Duoplease, don't beat yourself up, it's ok. Come on"

About ten minutes later his patience gave. "DUO GET YOUR LANKY ASS OUT FROM UNDER THERE AND STOP BEING AN IDIOT!"

The results were impressive. Duo flew out of bed, and twirled to face away from it, shoulders slumped. "I'm sofucking sorry, Quatre. I'll go-"

"WHAT!? Babe, if I've learned anything from terrible romance novels it's that nobly overreacting is a sure-fire way to screw everything up! Just stay and we'll talk it out!"

Duo's tone was as broken as his dead-on-the-feet posture looked. "Pleaselet me go try and think. Not that it's something I'm any good at."

The blonde boy's face fell. "That's not true you know." He got no response.

"Duoyou will be back. Right?" Please?

"Are you sure you really want me back?" The way he said it nearly made Quatre cry, he sounded so totally hopeless.

Vaulting up after his lover, Quatre threw his arms around him and snuggled up to the back of his neck. Tentative hands touched at his sides, then fell back. Quatre just squeezed harder.

"Yes. And if you don't I'll hunt you down like a dog and follow you to the ends of the earth and drag you back, kicking and screaming if necessary. Because I love you, and even if you can't say it for some reason I know you love me too." Duo stiffened each time the word was said, but he didn't pull away.

Quatre let go eventually, when it became apparent that no make-up scene was forthcoming. "Be good. Come back.

"Please."

Duo nodded and walked away, softly shutting the door behind him.

(I think we've established that I have no soul, which makes this much easier. It was cruel of me to cut off AND write a short chapter, but have no fear, I really am working on the other one. Kind of. Well it's all worked out in my head, it's just a lil short for a chapter, needs some more meatspeaking of which, it's 5:45 AM and I'm starving (Not, as one might assume, TIRED or anything!), so thanks for reading, feedback welcome, love ya Koi', l8r all!)