Hello everyone, thanks to all who reviewed, even the less than pleasant. For those who were concerned about the similarity (this is a term I use loosely) to What Nature Screwed Up, by In2lalaland, please worry no more. We have spoken and agreed that after the fact that they are both 2x5 based stories with Wufei as a trans-gendered individual, that is more or less where the similarities end and there is no animosity over this fact. Trans issues are more often than not glazed over in our society and it is important to me to bring them to light whenever possible. That said, What Nature Screwed Up is a fantastic story and I would urge all of you who have not read it to give it a looksie.

Thank you again to all of you who have offered your support.

For fair warning: This is a mature story, set in and Alternate Universe, which will make reference to sex, hold strong language and talk about some serious topics, such as trans-gendered people, homosexuals, sex reassignment surgery, murder and many other things. If any of this isn't your cup of tea, or you are not open-minded enough to handle it, then please, do not waste your time or mine. Thank you and please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or its charries.

Chapter Two

"Thanks, Man, but I think we're good," Duo replied, his smile devastating as it had always been, his teeth perfect and his lips stretched, but not thinned out of existence, like Wufei's often seemed to. Even as Meiran, Wufei had hated his lips. His heart thudded in his chest as he realized that Duo had not recognized him.

He did look different, of course. The testosterone had made his face a bit more angular and his skin didn't have quite the same soft texture that it once had. He had also allowed his hair to grow a bit, no longer feeling the need that he had had as Meiran to try and butch up his appearance. He was certainly all man now, from his flat chest and toned muscles down to that nice sized package tucked lovingly away in his underwear. He'd always wondered if Duo would know him on sight now. His mother liked to joke that he looked 'so different your own mother might not recognize you. Who are you again?' That always got a laugh.

"Ya know... Sorry, but you do look kinda familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?" Duo asked suddenly, making Wufei forget his mental victory party.

Wufei forced a polite smile, "I don't believe so." That was not a lie, was it? Duo had never met Wufei Chang, only Meiran, and he certainly didn't know the real him, five years together or not, so he supposed justice was still being upheld here. Duo seemed to accept this with a slight nod, but still seemed to be considering it.

Recognizing an opportunity to escape, Wufei gave a shallow bow, "Thank you. Please enjoy your meal." He walked away from the table, trying not to show the relief that he felt at getting away unscathed. After checking on his other tables and helping an elderly couple get settled, Wufei left for the kitchen to check on an order.

"Do you know that man?" Treize asked, startling him a bit.

"Which?"

"Brown hair, blue eyes. He's been watching you, trying to be subtle," Treize said, watching Heero Yuy through the porthole in the kitchen door. "I've been trying to decide if he's planning to stalk you or proposition you."

Wufei smirked, "Well, he's not getting me anymore than you are."

"So there's a good chance?"

Wufei couldn't help it and laughed as he left this kitchen with his tray of food.

~!~!~

"Problem, Maxwell?" Heero asked his partner, holding back a smirk. Duo kept occasionally glancing up at Wufei Chang as the other man made his way around the tables. Heero knew for certain that Wufei was Meiran. Or, rather, Meiran had now become Wufei. There were enough differences that Heero could see someone missing the connection, but his sharp eyes caught the similarities between this man and the butch girlfriend Duo had been so very enamored with. This new choice in hair was unexpected, but those eyes and that posturing was all Meiran, one hundred percent certainty.

"Nah... That dude just looked really familiar," Duo said, giving one of his infamous false smiles. Heero wondered if he thought he could still fool the people who made up his closest circle of friends. Not that it mattered, in this case, because Heero was not about to bring Wufei's secret into the light. They were working on what could potentially be the most important case of their careers. The media was in a frenzy over this and they needed to end things as quickly as possible. Hate groups were beginning to publicly announce the killings as the "will of God" and it was a matter of time before one of them began killing in the same manner, trying to hide their misdeeds as those of Pontius Pilate. He couldn't afford to have his partner distracted.

"Hn."

There was a comfortable silence for a bit as they ate their food. Quatre fidgeted in his seat for a moment, drawing Heero's eyes. Finally, the blonde man spoke up, "Well... Um, there actually was a reason I wanted us all to eat out together today."

Ah, so this was the day.

"What's on your mind, Quat?" Duo asked around a mouthful of noodles. Heero kicked his partner in the shin, glaring at him for his poor manners. Duo swallowed his food, "Sorry."

"Um, it's fine," Quatre said, but then hesitated. Trowa looked at Quatre patiently, clearly ready to step in if his blonde partner needed him to. Quatre finally gathered his courage, "Look, there's no easy way to say this, so I'll just come out with it." He blushed at his own subconscious choice of words, "I'm gay."

Heero was silent for a moment, looking to Duo for his reaction. The usually grinning man was surprisingly straight faced. "Quatre... The first time we met, you were wearing a pink shirt under a white Armani suit. Now, seeing as you're a detective and not a member of the Italian Mafia, I think it was a pretty safe assumption that you're gay." Duo grinned at last, "I mean really, you thought that was a secret?"

"That's not all, is it," Heero said, smirking slightly, his confidence sullying the effect of his questioning words.

"No," Trowa answered, placing his hand over Quatre's on in the table. "I am as well. Quatre and I have been seeing each other for almost a year now. We would appreciate if you kept it to yourselves. We make a good team and we do not want the chief to change things around."

Duo looked like he might have swallowed his tongue and Heero just barely managed to keep his chuckle in. Just barely.

~!~!~

'Gay. Together? Gay. Right. Okay. Processing... Yeah, got it,' Duo's mind raced to accept what he had just heard. Quatre, sure, the guy was as close to the stereotype as you could get without a lisp, but Trowa? Trowa was a man's man- Shit, he was, literally, wasn't he?- He was strong, silent and deadly when he needed to be. An ex-marine, Trowa was the kind of guy every woman wanted to be with and every guy wanted to be like. And he was wasting all that to be with a scrawny little guy like Quat? Not that the guy wasn't great, but-

"Duo? Are you alright?"

"He's mourning the loss of his chances with Barton." Was that a joke? From Heero Yuy? Oh, God, the world had to be ending... With everything else, it took a moment to realize what exactly Heero had said.

"I'm not gay," Duo insisted.

"We know you're not," Quatre said, "I always did think you were bisexual though, I mean, I've seen you steal glances before. At Trowa, I mean." Quatre was blushing slightly by the time he finished.

"And at Heero," Trowa supplied.

Duo flushed, "Th-that's just what dudes do! You know, a little comparison!"

Heero raised an eyebrow and Duo knew without a word being spoken that he was thinking 'Not the way you were looking'. He flushed a darker shade. "I'm not gay."

"Okay, Duo."

He wasn't. If he was gay, or even bi, he'd still be with Meiran. And maybe he did check other guys out, but that was normal. It had to be normal. It's not like he ever thought about doing it with a guy, not like he thought about girls. Except maybe that one time... Shit.

He wasn't gay. He just wasn't.

~!~!~

Did anyone not see that coming? No? I didn't think so, heehee. Sorry it's a little shorter this time. I also apologize if Treize seemed OOC... He's many things, but he's not really that funny.