Jess: wow Nuri... that last chapter was... something else...((blushes))

Heero: Hn. ((blushes too))

Duo: Did you have to be so mean to me at the end of that last one there, Nuri?

Jess: yes. For this story (or any story for that matter) to be a good story, there has to be conflict. You know how they taught us in school that every plot has a sort of sequence?

Duo: I never went to school

Jess: Well it does! Setting, Primary conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion.

Duo/Nuri: I like the "climax" part ((snicker))

Jess: ((Stomps foot and glares with all the ferocity of a kitten)) you two are so bad!!

Heero: Hn.

Nuri: You know you love us.

Jess/Heero: Hn.

Lunar Symphony

Chapter Six: Heero POV

I left what was soon to be the local Preventer Headquarters after receiving a call from Relena. My lunch break was over and I was glad that Duo at least didn't hate me for what we'd done. I felt relaxed and content again after being with Duo. I never knew I'd need him this much.

I walked down the street, looking like any other punk vandal to meet Trowa. After Duo had given me his list, I asked Une if she could give me some backup and since I don't really work well with others, she sent Trowa. It seems that he's the only one immune to my glares and prickly personality. Yes, I do know I'm not the most socially inclined person. Yes, I do know I'm anal retentive about having things my way. Yes, I know I take getting used to.

I turned down another street and into an ally where I'd meet Trowa. We were supposed to stake out this area and wait until the person we were after to show himself. We couldn't just arrest him because he was on Duo's list... we needed to entrap him.

Trowa was standing nonchalantly in the ally, cleaning his nails with the point of a knife when I came up to him.

"Yo," I called.

"Yo," he answered.

I walked up to him and leaned against the brick wall as well. "Been here long?"

"No, just got here five minutes ago."

"Hn"

"You and Maxwell patched things up?" He asked. I had told him that I had found Duo and that he was helping me with the halfway house/orphanage.

I couldn't help but smile a little, "Hai. I think so. We had an... eventful lunch hour."

Trowa peered at me from under his long auburn bangs that covered half his face, "You mean to tell me that you and Duo had a lunch-hour quickie when he's been avoiding you these past three days?" I nodded. "Well... how did it happen? Did you guys talk?"

"For someone so quiet, you sure are a gossip." I snorted, then answered him, "I went to HQ where he was working on a wall and told him we had to talk. I led him to my room, then we just... you know..."

Trowa stared at me for a second before asking, "Then what?"

"Well, Relena called and told me that you were waiting for me so I left."

"And what did you tell Duo?"

"That I had to go back to work."

Trowa shook his head, covering his eyes and sighing in exasperation, "You, Yui, are an asshole! How could you do that to the baka?"

I was confused, something I don't like to be. "What are you talking about, Barton?"

"You don't just go in there, wham-bam-thank-you-man, and expect things to be good between you! You told me yourself that Duo was a prostitute when you found him again, right?" I nodded and he continued, "Well, genius, what do you think is going on in that twisted little mind of his?" I shrugged and he smacked the back of my head, "THINK! He probably thinks you just want a body to take out your frustrations on."

I was horrified. Duo wouldn't think I just wanted a prostitute would he? Of course not... we were partners before the war...that has to count for something. On second thought, I was convinced that he probably thought of me as another customer... but he said... he said that I was what he wanted, or at least I think he did.

"Duo wouldn't think that," I said firmly.

Trowa sighed, "Be that as it may, that's not how you treat someone you want to be with. There's what Quatre calls 'rules of engagement' when it comes to courting. You have to be nice to him, buy him presents, hug him, tell him you love him... assuming that you do, of course... you have to let him know that he's special to you. You know, flowers, dinner, dancing, movies, chocolates... that sort of thing. You need to learn how to be a gentleman and treat Duo like a... well... lady."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you serious?" At his nod, I had to wonder, "And you did all this with Quatre?"

Trowa had the decency to blush but shook his head, "No, but we were in a war at the time. We didn't have a chance to go through the courting rituals, but Quatre made sure that we more than made up for it when peace was declared. Now, things couldn't be better."

"And you treat him like a lady?" I couldn't help but smirk.

"Well, obviously I let him be himself and since he's not female, it'd be a blow to his pride to treat him like one all the time, but little things like opening doors, holding doors open and letting him pass first, pulling out his chair, and winning him stuffed animals at the carnival make all the difference. You have to let Duo know you care, Heero... you don't even have to go to the extreme, but for god's sake! Don't treat him like a hooker!"

"Hn."

I let that sink in for the rest of the day. We caught the guy we were tailing along with his little gang and sniffed out some rats in the process. I didn't think I was treating Duo like a hooker and that was that...

---------------

I walked into our building and noticed that the office had been finished. Those kids sure do work fast under Duo's guidance. I just hoped there was no child labor infringement going on. I looked around the building, but no one seemed to be there so I went next door to the orphanage... or rather, what would soon be an orphanage. Sitting just outside the doors to the building was little Mei. She was petting her cat, Bruce and seemed to be waiting for something when I walked up.

"Why are you sitting here all alone, Mei-mei?" I asked.

The child looked at me and stood up, letting Bruce off her lap. "I was waiting fo you, Heewo," she said. "Can we talk?"

I nodded and she led me back to the building I had come from and marched up the stairs to the third floor. She made her way to the room I now shared with her, produced her pass card, and went in. Once inside, she closed and locked the door, pulled up a little stool to stand on, and set the alarm system so that we'd know if someone was coming. Smart kid.

Mei hopped off her little stool and glared at me. "Sit down, Heewo. We need to talk." I did as I was told and sat down on the low couch in my room. "Now," she began, "I know you did somethin to Duo and I don like it. I don like the way you tweat him and I don like the way he looked when you left. I know that adults do things togetha and that we 'kids' shouldn know about it." She glared harder at me, "Duo desewves betta than that. We all know what goes on with gwown ups because we have to gwow up too soon. Evewyone knows what Duo used to do and I thought you were above tweating him like that."

I was stunned. The kids knew that Duo and I had been intimate? They thought I was hurting Duo? "Mei...Did Duo say something? Did I hurt him?"

I suppose she could see I was genuinely concerned because she answered, her glare softened, "Duo didn say nothin'. I saw the look on his face when he came out of yo woom tho. He looked like he wanted to cwy but he didn't let hisself. He put on a smile and went back to wook. I see what goes on in this place and I see what goes on between you two. Stop huwting Duo or I'll sick my Bruce-face on you!"

I wanted to laugh at her little childish threat, but I kept my face serious. "Understood Mei-mei. Do you think I should talk to Duo now and get things straightened out?"

Mei nodded at me and took my hand as I disarmed the alarm and led us out of the room. Yeah, I was an idiot... it only took a lecture from a friend and a scolding from a child to let me see that. I'd fix things with Duo no matter what it took. Now that I knew how much I cared about him, nothing was going to hold me back.

Jess: ((tosses ficcie back to Nuri)) Ever feel like we're playing hot Potato?

Nuri: ((catches it and smirks)) Now that you mention it, yes.

Duo: You two have too much fun tampering with our love lives, you do realize that, don't you?

Jess/Nuri: Yes ((grin))

Heero: Why do you fight it, Duo? Sure, they put us in tight spots sometimes, give us angst and whatnot, but they always manage to make a happy ending out of it all. Don't jinx it!

Duo: ... I guess you're right, Hee-chan.

Jess: AWW!! I love watching those two agree with each other. Until next time!

Nuri: Ja matta ne!

Jess: HEY! This is MY chapter, I get the last line!

Duo/Nuri: Bye everyone!!

Jess: Grr...