Squee! Thank you for everyone who's reading this, who read this before and came back and most of all THANK YOU TO THE REVIEWERS!! I LOVE YOU GUYS! glomps and bishis for all

Chapter 7

"Should we go after him?" Worried Quatre looked out the door Heero had exited. "I mean...you can help track Duo down right? You have a good nose."

"Duo doesn't want to be found love." Trowa sighed and shut the door. "Heero will realize that soon enough. We should go, last thing Heero will want to see when he gets back will be us." As he spoke Trowa carefully gathered all their things and steered Quatre towards the door. Sadly the blonde kept glancing toards the back door as he was escorted out.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Quatre slipped his coat on before walking out to his Volkswagon Beetle parked on the side of the road. Unlocking the door he slipped in, waiting for Trowa to climb in the passenged side. Instead the brunette climbed in the back. Smiling Quatre looked over his shoulder at his lounging lover. "Tired?"

"Mm-hmm. Do you mind?"

"Course not, make yourself comfortable." Chuckling he started the car and carefully manuevered back on the road. Behind him were some rather interesting sounds and a bundled up set of clothes found themselves on the passenger seat. Quatre looked over at the jeans and turtleneck and swallowed hard. "That's really distracting you know Trowa."

A throaty purr was his only reply as the brown velvet lion stretched out, being careful not to claw the upholstery. Quatre squealed cheerfully as the tuft of Trowa's tail tickled his ear. "Bad kitty!"

For a while there was warm comfortable silence broken only by low rumbling purring inside the little bug. Then Quatre heard a different rumbling and grinned. "Hey let's stop for dinner somewhere, anyone for sushi?" He only giggled more as he was whapped upside the head with Trowa's tail.



I made him mad, he was so angry. Duo was whimpering curled up in his haven that even Trowa couldn't find. I didn't mean to! With a pained mewl he clutched the beloved white fur to his chest. Sniffling he dabbed his tears away with with the soft rabbit pelt. "Why do I make everyone want to leave?" Pulling his unraveling braid -he lost the tie running through the tangle- he hugged it and the pelt close.

A sudden prickling in his skin made him gasp and sit up. "Oh no!" He'd completely forgotten this was the last day. Normally he'd be looking forward to this but now...

As the burning itching sensation rippled down his back he struggled to kick off the clingy jeans so they wouldn't rip. Naked he hugged his knees and sobbed, for the first time in his life fighting the change. "I don't, I don't want..." Another ripple seared across his skin making his throat tighten and the words cute off. Nonono NO! Tears ran down his face hot and wet as he tensed every muscle, refusing to let himself fade back into the body of a cat.

Panting under the strain he knew he was losing; the moon was waning, taking his human form with it until next month. It HURT, normally there was a mild discomfort, enjoyable in a way but this...horrible pain laced through his muscle, intolerable ache took residence in his joints, hurt so terrible he could feel the scream in his throat but he couldn't sound it.

Joints popped and rearranged, bones contracted and enlongated in different locations. It was too much for Duo, with a little whimper he simply passed out. Without him fighting the moon's change finished quickly leaving an adolescent panther unconscious in it's wake.



"Duo! Duo!" It was very dark now, Heero could hardly see the bending trunks of trees around him. In his haste he hadn't grabbed anything important, like a coat, or a flash light. Plants grabbed his legs and slowed his progress, his voice was hoarse from his constant calling but he still had gotten no response. "Duo!"

An unseen something got in his way and Heero tripped, slamming into a tree heavily. With a grunt he pushed away and kept stumbling forward. He HAD to find him! Stopping for a moment he panted and leaned against a tree.

Something caught his attention and he froze, looking down at the reb dot sliding up his chest. Gasping he ducked behind the tree he had been resting against, yelling out in panic. "DON'T SHOOT!"

Back pressed into the smooth birch bark he fought to make his breath not sound so loud so he could listen. A twig snapped and leaves rustled in quiet footsteps. Eyes darting around Heero noticed a rusted knife jammed into a branch near his head and pulled it out. If worse came to worst he'd go down with a fight.

The footsteps were close, right on the other side of the tree. Drawing in a deep breath Heero clenched the slick hilt of his sorry weapon and swung around the tree only to fall back in shock. "RELENA??"

Indeed before him was the most fearsome creature Relena wearing bright pink camouflage and toting a .22. "Heero? HEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOO!!!!" As the pink terror howled and wrapped itself around his neck Heero looked down at the rusted knife in his hand. Oh so very Very tempting.

"Heero baby what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?" Relena fluttered her eyes at him in a supposedly charming manner, Heero thought she looked like a sick cow when she did that.

Jaw clenched Heero forced his hand open finger by finger until he dropped the knife. Last thing he needed was a murder on his hands. "Looking for a friend. I'm afraid he's lost."

"Oh I hope he's okay!" Relena trilled far higher pitched than should be humanly possible. "I'm out here hunting down a Panther to add to my collection, you haven't seen it have you?"

"A panther?" Heero gasped and looked around in panic. What if that thing got Duo? "I need to find Duo!" Pulling away from Relena he stumbled forward yelling as loudly as he could. "DUO!! DUO!!!"

"Hey!" Pouting Relena clapped a hand over his mouth. "You'll scare away my quarry! Oh never mind, I'll come back tomorrow. Have fun looking for you friend. Here." Digging around in the pack Heero hadn't noticed Relena handed him a revolver and flashlight. "Tell me if you see the panther. Bye lover!" Standing on her tip toes she caught Heero unaware and stole a kiss.

As she skipped off Heero suddenly felt quite violently ill. Spiting and wiping his mouth he stuffed the gun in a pocket and staggered off into the brush, hoping he wouldn't throw up.



At the butt crack o' dawn Heero collapsed on his couch, exhausted from the fruitless night of searching, wandering around in the woods. It was hopeless, there was miles of trees and brush out there, and only one Duo. One little 5'4" slim beautiful heart-faced crystal-eyed long chestnut haired angel lost and alone out there. Near tears in frustration and exhaustion he set the gun and flashlight down on the end table next to the phone. Face down in the cushion he groaned fingering one of many rips on its side. He really needed to get a new couch.

Those tears looked like they had been caused by claws. Oh, the cat! How did I forget about it? Sighing Heero dragged himself off the couch, peeled off his sweat stained shirt and stumbled to the kitchen. After dropping the shirt in the basket he sorted through his meticulously organized--if understocked-- cupboard. Seizing and opening a can of tuna he stepped to the back porch and called hoarsely. "Here kitty kitty." With a yawn he set the can down, before sitting on the floor next to it, resting against the doorway. "Kitty kat c'mere."

Surprisingly the cat answered, meowing quietly and poking a red brown head out of the scraggle of weeds. "C'mere cat, bet you're hungry." Stretching his arms over his head Heero watched the little cat slink closer like it was scared. Attempting to purr and only half succeding Heero coaxed the kitty on with softly spoken baby talk. "I won't hurt ya kitty. C'mon. Good kitty."

Hesitantly Duo approached the can, spitting and swiping when Heero's hand darted forward and caught him by the scruff. "Hey, calm down cat. I could use some company, I'm depressed. Don't worry, I won't hurt ya." One arm squishing little Duo against his chest Heero picked up the can and stood up, nudging the door closed with a foot. Crushed in warmth and the ever present smell of Heero Duo slowly relaxed as they weaved through the house to the bedroom.

Once inside Heero set down the can then Duo, doing a quick check that all exits were blocked. Kicking out his sleeping bag he practically fell onto, too tired to climb inside. With a depressed sigh he clenched his pillow to his chest and he was off to dream guiltily of the charming man he hadn't been able to find.

"Duo..."

I'm right here Heero. Ears flat against his head Duo watched the japanese man fall asleep. Can't believe he's not mad at me... Shyly nibbling the condensed fish he kept sneaking glances over. When it was half gone and he felt quite full he softly padded over to watch him sleep.

"Nyar!" Suddenly Heero rolled over and seized Duo, pulling him close in his sleep, earning a startled yelp from the cat. Violet eyes wide he panted, trying to calm down. Heero was obviously a very grabby person in his sleep. Growling he squirmed a little until he was comfortable, his head tucked under the japanese man's chin and the rest of his little body stretched and twisted within Heero's grip. Once he was comfortable he let himself start obsessing about how he was going to work out this situation.

Even through his worry he couldn't help but think, this was the most comfortable he'd been in years.









Another chapter, sorry sorry sorry that it's short but eh, I've been updating a lot lately, don't you think it's okay? And ooh, a plot is vaguely starting to develop. shrug Thank you for all the reviews, I love getting them they make me feel like mold! Warm and fuzzy. Keep 'em up please!