Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

Tina-Chan 0 – Bunny bunny bunny! Love it! And thank you for stopping by to read my little story.

Karina – I wasn't sure how I was going to make Heero "talkative" and still keep him relatively in character. I guess it's working so far, huh? And as far as Rose is concerned…I love her. I'm glad somebody mentioned her. Thank you!

Rascal

Chapter 5

"I'm not sure why you're upset about this, Heero."

Wufei frowned at the phone in his hand. Heero had called only moments ago to immediately accuse Wufei of keeping secrets from him. Apparently, he had no idea that Milliardo Peacecraft was a Preventor but Wufei really wasn't sure why that mattered.

"It just would have been nice to know so that when he walked into my shop I wouldn't have been taken by surprise!"

Wufei wasn't sure what was going on with Heero. He'd heard Heero get angry and yell. He'd heard him when he was happy and laughing. He'd even heard sadness in the man's voice before. But never in all their years had he ever heard Heero's voice rise in pitch and sound exasperated.

"I….apologize."

Heero sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He hadn't meant to sound so….crazed and he surely didn't want Wufei to apologize. The problem was he really didn't know what he wanted. Or expected. And the fact that even he didn't understand why this was such a big deal to him……

"No…..it's not your fault. I'm sorry. It's just that we were talking last night and when he said he was a Preventor something just…I don't know….."

"Wait. You and Peacecraft were out together last night?"

"Oh…yeah…sort of."

Heero cursed his stupidity in revealing his weekly rendezvous with the blonde.

"Keep going, Heero."

Heero winced at the commanding tone that held just enough of a reprimand to make him feel like a guilty child who was caught stealing a cookie. He didn't know how Wufei had acquired this power but he was jealous.

"We've been meeting for drinks once a week for…..about six weeks now. Although he wasn't there for two. And I left early one week because he pissed me off."

Wufei scoffed and shook his head. They've been speaking for six weeks and now he calls to yell at me? And he's rambling. Since when does Heero Yuy ramble? What the hell is going on with him?

"And you failed to mention this to me before because….?"

"I….don't know."

"Hmph. Well, it sounds to me like we're even on the 'not sharing information' point. So tell me, Heero….how did these little clandestine meetings begin?"

Heero's cheeks were burning and he was thankful he'd waited until getting home to call Wufei instead of calling from work. Clandestine? He makes it sound like we're having some sort of affair!

"Don't make it sound like that. He came to my shop to get his car fixed. Then he tracked me down at a bar thanks to somebody's big mouth at work. And he's been showing up ever since then."

So he won't contact his own friends but he'll meet Peacecraft for drinks? Wufei felt his anger rising but he held it in check, determined to get a better explanation before turning his anger loose on Heero.

"So you and Peacecraft are friends now?" The other line was silent with the exception of a barely audible sigh. "Heero?"

"I don't know. I...think so…maybe."

"He hasn't mentioned you to anybody at the office. You must have said something to him."

"Yeah."

And suddenly the dragon was let loose and Wufei stood up in the middle of his living room, his free hand clenched into a fist, yelling into the phone.

"And yet you refuse to reveal your whereabouts to the others?!"

"Wufei----"

"What's so gods damned special about him that you would invite him into your life but not us?!"

"Would you calm down?! It's not like I asked for him to show up!"

Both men were silent for a few moments and then Heero spoke up again, his voice much more calm and sounding a bit mollified.

"I know I need to stop hiding. I want to be with my friends again. I just don't know where to start."

"Just pick up the phone, Heero."

A bitter chuckle sounded in Wufei's ear and he frowned.

"What if they don't want to hear from me?"

"They do, Heero. You need to trust in their friendship."

Heero nodded, not thinking he was on the phone and he sat there staring at a picture of Wufei, Duo and himself. It was taken over six years ago and Heero was trying to block Wufei from strangling Duo because of his most recent prank. Quatre had taken the picture with a huge grin on his face. Nobody looked happy in the picture. Wufei was pissed, Heero was aggravated and Duo rightfully feared for his safety. But the picture never failed to make him smile.

"You're right, Wufei. Thanks."

"No problem. Now tell me more about this blossoming relationship with Milliardo."

"Goodnight, Wufei."

Heero smiled and shook his head at the slightly malevolent chuckle in his ear.

"Goodnight, Heero."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Milliardo, you busy tonight?"

Wufei's ears perked up at the sound of Milliardo's name and he gave no indication of his activities as he sat and eavesdropped on the conversation a few tables away.

"Yeah, why?"

"I need a few more guys for poker tonight. Crap. Oh! By the way, how'd it go with that blonde the other night?"

Wufei let his gaze shift just momentarily to get a look at Milliardo's face, but he saw nothing other than a calm exterior.

"Fine. She really wasn't my type though."

"Are you kidding me? She was hot! So unless she's dumb as a brick or laughs like a donkey, she's every man's type."

Wufei heard Milliardo chuckle but he himself couldn't help the disgusted look on his face. Is that how low some people's standards really are? These people have no morals.

"I have a few more requirements than that, thank you."

"Well if it's not the blonde, what's so important that you can't play poker?"

"I'm meeting a friend for a few drinks."

"That's it? Bring him along."

"He doesn't like card games." Wufei heard the sound of a chair scrapping the ground and knew Milliardo was leaving. "But I appreciate the offer, Charlie. Have fun tonight."

And with that Milliardo left the lunchroom. Wufei sat there and finished his lunch, not returning to his book as he thought about Milliardo's and Heero's relationship. Is it a relationship? Heero said they were friends. Sort of.

Wufei had planned to confront Milliardo about Heero, but thought better of it after considering Heero's current state of anonymity. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. But he better call the others soon or I won't talk to him either.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So you told Wufei about me, huh?"

Heero practically choked on his drink before facing Milliardo with questioning eyes. Milliardo just chuckled.

"I've noticed him watching me lately. What did you tell him?"

Heero just scoffed.

"Stop making it sound like more than it is. So he knows we meet for drinks. Big deal."

Milliardo shrugged his shoulders and took a drink.

"True. But thank you just the same."

"Why are you thanking me?"

"You wouldn't have mentioned me to Wufei if I didn't matter."

Heero felt his cheeks warm at Milliardo's words and knowing smile. He quickly took a sip of his beer, welcoming the cool liquid into his warming body. My horoscope warned me about discussing private matters. I should have listened.

To be continued…