"Channel your energy into the baton, and then flick it this way to activate the light sword." Trowa stood back at a safe distance as Duo held his baton up. He raised his hand and flicked his wrist in a sideways motion, demonstrating how to turn the baton into a weapon.

"I can't believe you're lending him your baton." Wufei stood next to Trowa, arms folded across his chest as he watched the clumsy User attempt to activate the light sword. Duo flicked his wrist and the baton went flying, hitting the ground a few feet away. "You're supposed to hold onto it!" Wufei shouted out.

Trowa chuckled. "He won't break it… Besides, we don't have a spare baton laying around."

Heero watched the trio with an amused smirk from a safe distance away. He had found a high stack of storage crates to perch himself on and was sitting with his legs dangling over the sides, leaning forward with his elbows rested on his knees. From his spot he could see everything going on below him; from the tension in Wufei's shoulders to the frustrated frown on the User's face as he scrambled across the ground to pick up the fallen baton.

Duo held the baton aloft again and this time clutched onto it with a firm grip, bit the corner of his lip and focused as best he could. With a flick of his wrist Trowa's purple, glowing light sword came to life in his hand. He bounced on his toes with excitement. "Shit, dude, this is like Mace Windu's lightsaber! Wwwwuuurrrrhhnnnnnn, wwwuuurrrhhhnn!" He swung the sword in a high arc and began making strange noises to accompany the motion.

Wufei took a few steps back from the wildly flailing User and scowled. "Hey, be careful!"

"Who's Mace Windu?" Trowa shared a look with Wufei and watched as his friend shrugged.

"I don't understand half the stuff that comes out of his mouth." Wufei yanked his baton from his side and channeled his energy. He flicked his wrist down and the baton transformed into a staff with bits of green glowing energy crawling along the sides. "Do you know how to fight, User?"

Duo's grin widened so far that it threatened to split his face in two. "Hey, guy, you're lookin' at the nerf sword champion of Dorm 3B, okay. Do I know how to fight?" He got in a goofy stance and held Trowa's sword tightly in both hands, holding it up parallel to his face like a Samurai. "Pssshhh, bring it."

Heero shook his head and resisted the urge to laugh at the User's ridiculous-looking battle stance. The way his feet were positioned his weight could easily be put off center. Sure enough Wufei had seen the flaw, and as they came together for a friendly spar it took the experienced fighter merely seconds to knock Duo onto his ass.

"Hahaha, okay you got lucky there," Duo said with a groan as he pulled himself up to his feet. He tried another, less fantastical stance and grinned. "Come at me!"

Wufei snorted loudly, swung his staff expertly over his head, twisted his body and within seconds knocked Duo's ankles out from under him, landing him on his back.

"How the hell are you doing that?!" Duo yelled, more excitedly than angrily, and scrambled up to his feet again. "Dude, show me!"

Wufei smiled. "First of all, stop putting your feet all awkward like that. Here, like me." He showed Duo a solid, wide stance with his feet.

Heero's gaze shifted from the pair sparring to Trowa, who was standing out of the way with his arms over his chest watching the proceedings with a handsome smirk. He slid off of the crates, landing lightly on his toes, and casually made his way over to stand beside him. He fell into a natural posture, unintentionally matching Trowa's, and crossed his own arms over his chest, his dark blue eyes watching Duo and Wufei as they chattered back and forth about stances. "Purple your favorite color?" he asked with amusement as he eyed the glistening light sword in Duo's hand. It wasn't a color many people used on a weapon.

"It's the color my energy channeled when I first received the baton." Trowa answered without looking away from the two sparring programs. Despite the light blue glow of his bodylines, his output of energy always glowed purple. It was a rare color on the Grid and he often got teased for it. Trowa didn't care. Elios thought the other programs were just jealous.

"I like it," Heero replied honestly. "It's different." He glanced over at the taller program. "I am no good with the sword. Can you fight well with your disc?" He raised an eyebrow at him, the corner of his mouth activating a playful smirk.

Trowa hadn't seen that expression on Heero before and the sheer handsomeness of the other caught him off guard for a second. If programs were able to breathe, he would have lost his breath at the sight. It caused his lips to turn up in a matching smirk and his left brow to arch questioningly. "I'm not half bad. You want to fight me?"

"Yeah, I do." Heero's grabbed his disc deftly from between his shoulder blades and walked to the opposite side of the clearing that Duo and Wufei were currently using as a sparring area. He waited for Trowa to meet him before pulling his left leg back and swiveling his body into a traditional disc wielding battle stance. He looked over the edge of his upraised blade, eyes glistening with amusement, and with a flick of his index finger activated it into battle mode. The black disc erupted with bright, cyan light and it began to hum loudly in his hand. "I'll take it easy on you, since you're injured," he said flatly, though from his expression it was clearly intended to be a taunt.

"Thanks." Trowa said sarcastically, pulling his disc off his back and getting into a matching stance. Even though they were just playing around, he was very much aware of the risks that came with disc battle. The weapon had a lethal sharp edge that could instantly derez an opponent.

It seemed Heero was letting him take the first move. Trowa pulled his arm back and then swung it forward with force, releasing the disc from his fingers with precise timing. The disc flew to the right, ricocheting off a tall obsidian rock before changing it's course for Heero's head.

As Trowa's disc whizzed at him Heero managed to raise his own disc up to block its trajectory. The other program's weapon bounced off of his disc with a sharp, loud crack. As Trowa's returned to him Heero ran at him, ducking low, moving at amazing speed. Just as Trowa's disc returned to his hand Heero was upon him, swinging and slicing his own brightly glowing disc at his arms and torso, disc slamming into disc, forcing Trowa to step back beneath his attacks.

Duo and Wufei stopped their little lesson at the sound of light discs clanging and buzzing together, watching side by side from the sidelines with stunned expressions. Heero was going insane, at least it appeared that way. The shorter program was dancing around Trowa, barely visible behind the blurs and arcs of light his disc left in its wake. Trowa was on the defensive, blocking every quick attack Heero was throwing at him.

Trowa could barely get an attack move in, he was too busy using his disc as a shield. He figured he could tire Heero out if the other program kept up at this pace, and so he waited for the slightest lag in the other's movement before he made his strike.

When it was clear that Heero's energy wasn't going anywhere Trowa tried another tactic. He blocked a strike aimed at the side of his face, grunting and grinding his teeth as his eyes locked onto his partner's. While Heero was momentarily distracted Trowa slid his foot out and tripped the other.

Heero couldn't believe that Trowa had used his gorgeous face as a weapon against him. He landed hard on his back and dropped his disc. He watched as it clattered across the dark ground just out of reach. Trowa had stopped attacking him, perhaps assuming that he had won, but Heero wasn't ready to give him his victory. He wouldn't win against him so easily. If Trowa wanted to play dirty, Heero would give it to him. As Trowa deactivated his disc Heero looked up at him from his laying position on the ground, grinned and swung his legs, knocking Trowa's feet out from under him. As the taller program fell Heero rolled onto his side, pushed himself up to a crouch and launched himself at him, grappling him to the ground and knocking his disc out of his hand.

Duo snickered and gave Wufei a sideways glance before muttering, "those two will do anything to have an excuse to fuckin' touch each other."

Trowa hit the ground hard but didn't let that stop him from retaliating. He wrapped his long legs around Heero's waist and attempted to roll them over so he could take the dominant position. He twisted his hips and arched his back against the cool ground to help pivot his body, managing to get the shorter program on his side. Their hands fought against each other, each trying to grab hold of the other's wrists and pin them.

Trowa was strong, but Heero was stubborn. He wasn't going to let him win. Or, at least, he was going to go down fighting. Trowa's muscular thighs were crushing him as he tried to pull out from beneath them, the other program's long fingers fighting to pin his arms. He smiled at the challenge and, using his smaller stature, managed to wriggle his body to the side despite the hard grip of the other program's legs, lunged his upper body against Trowa's torso and knocked him away and onto his back. With the taller program's long, constrictive legs still wrapped around his waist, he grabbed Trowa's arms and tried to hold them over his head, pinning the long, lean torso beneath him with his own body. The sight of Trowa's green eyes wide with surprise made him laugh. He hadn't sparred with anyone before, aside from simulation dummies at D-FILE, and he was thoroughly enjoying the challenge of battling a real program.

With his wrists pinned above his head and the other's body looming over him, Trowa realized he was in a rather submissive position and doubted he'd be able to roll Heero over again and regain dominance. He looked up at the other, lips parted as he contemplated defeat. Trowa hated defeat. His back flattened out against the ground and he could feel Heero's body slide down against him. "You win." He murmured, legs still firmly wrapped around his captor.

For some reason those words coming from the other program were the sexiest thing Heero had heard in his existence. His face grew uncomfortably warm and he suddenly became very aware of the compromising position they were in. Trowa's legs were so tight around his waist that it forced his hips hard against him, and as his mind went to the place they were pressed together his hips moved forward involuntarily forcing his light suit clad semi-conscious arousal against the parted cleft of Trowa's ass. His fingers twitched against the his wrists and his eyes shifted focus down to a mouth that he suddenly felt an urgent need to cover with his own. As he leaned forward to kiss him his hips shoved deeper into him, his shorter torso forcing Trowa's to bend and curve beneath his. His lips were a hair's breadth away from making contact-

"GET A ROOM!"

His eyes snapped to his left and the chilliest of glares locked onto the User, who was watching from nearby with his hands on his hips, a smug look on his face. Wufei was in full face-palm.

His back painfully arched off the hard ground while his hips pushed up into Heero's. Trowa's voice was soft but forceful. "Heero..." He ignored the User's comment, already lost in his sudden lust-filled state. When their hips rubbed again Trowa moaned seductively. If his hands weren't still restrained he would have taken hold of the other's chin. "Kiss me…"

Oh my fucking User… Heero gawked down at the program under him as the Runner's normally stoic expression transformed into a lusty, sensual and almost pleading face. The face, the moan and the hard shift of Trowa's hips sent his mind into a furious frenzy. He froze, unsure what to do. He knew he couldn't deny the request, but the fact they had an audience was a distraction. He grit his teeth in frustration, growled through them and powered through his discomfort at being watched. He wanted to claim those lips, and he wasn't going to let the antics of the User stop him.

He released Trowa's arms and wrapped his own around the sides of the other program's face so that his bicep and shoulder effectively blocked the rough, open-mouthed kiss he dropped onto the other's waiting mouth. As their lips came in contact a shock of energy blasted up his spine, forcing a pins and needles sensation to cover his entire body.

"OW! Shit! What the hell?!" Duo's voice yelled irritably as he was being roughly dragged into Wufei's yurt by the braid.

The same sensation was happening to Trowa's body and it caused him to moan into Heero's mouth. He felt his control quickly dissolve, unable to stop himself from reacting in a sultry way. His hips started to move in slow, tantalizing circular motions against Heero's, brushing their covered arousals together. Now that his hands were free they wasted no time in attaching themselves to the other program's back, fingers gently running up and down the lean frame until a hand came to rest at the base of Heero's head, tugging on the soft hair there.

Heero's eyes rolled back and fluttered as he warred with himself, trying to find the resolve within himself not to fuck the other program into the grid matter under them right there and then. Trowa had him wrapped around his finger, and he was trying desperately to grab hold of his self-control. It was slipping through his fingers, however, as he firmly and rather suggestively dug his hips into the other program's.

Tonight… he tried to reason with and promise himself in an attempt to rein himself in. I am going to fuck him tonight , he decided as he broke the seal of their mouths and pulled away from him, shoulders trembling. "Later…" he said through gritted teeth. "I'll make you mine."

"Hey, our target practice got cut short thanks to you two." Duo was lounging in a chair, feet propped up on the table when a bemused Trowa and Heero entered the yurt.

Trowa ran a shaky hand through his hair and averted the User's annoyed gaze. The realization of what had just happened out on the practice field made his face heat with embarrassment. But I still want him… He decided putting some distance between them would help him cool down. Trowa moved to the other side of the room, giving Heero some space.

Heero scowled at the User but didn't dignify his statement with a response. Instead he took a seat beside Wufei at the table and tried to appear interested in the pile of metal and wires that he was tinkering with. "Get that bit working yet?" Heero tried to change the subject.

Wufei shrugged a shoulder and tossed down his screwdriver in frustration. "No, I'm starting to think it's fried and irreparable."

Duo was still smirking at Trowa. He raised an eyebrow at the fact that Trowa was blatantly avoiding Heero. He felt sort of bad for giving them a hard time, it was clear they were both struggling with something when it came to one another, but he didn't know how else to deal with their awkwardness aside from to poke fun at it. He unhooked Trowa's baton from his hip and held it out to him. "Thanks for lettin' me borrow this. When I get back to the island I'm definitely going to try to replicate that thing. I could corner the market if I could make a real life lightsaber, ya know?"

"I don't know." Trowa attached his baton back at his side. And took a seat next to Duo. He leaned over and grabbed one of the energy bars off the table. The fight with Heero had taken a lot out of him, and he wanted to make sure to regain some strength by hibernation time, especially if Heero kept his promise to 'claim him'. His face heated again at the thought and he looked down at his lap while he ate quietly.

"Island?" Wufei looked over at Duo while he set the uncooperative bit down.

"Yeah, little floaty bit of land on a giant ocean of water! Well, okay, so it isn't TECHNICALLY floating, but that's more geology than I wanna talk about…" Duo blew his messy bangs from his eyes and smiled as he recalled home. "As much as I like hangin' out with you cool bros, I really can't wait to get home. Cool waves, hot sand, a margarita in my hand," he said the last part in a cheerful, sing-song voice. "Yo, 'Fei, you wanna come?"

"It's 'Wufei'… and I don't think that is possible." Wufei didn't know what a margarita was, but the way the User voiced it made it sound alluring. "If your home is so great, why did you come here?" If Users lead such great lives, why visit the grid?

Trowa reached out and grabbed the discarded bit off the table, examining it. He wasn't the best at fixing up scraps, but he was curious.

Duo shrugged and gave Wufei a devious look. "Why does anyone go anywhere new? To explore. To seek out the great unknown, right?" He gestured grandly with both hands and laughed. "Little did I know that fucking everything here is absolutely miserable. I shoulda went to Australia instead. I'd rather sleep with the dingos than stay here longer than I have to. I mean, how can any of you be happy living here? It's not like you're … ya know, free."

Heero stared at the User as he ranted on about User knows what.

Trowa looked up at Duo. They really weren't free, were they? The concept of being completely free was foreign to him. He'd always belonged to someone else, his life's directive programmed into him at creation. That's how it was for all programs. That's how it was for all life on the Grid… What would he do if his life was his own and he truly was free?

"You're not making any sense," Wufei said irritably as he rubbed the back of his head and narrowed his eyes at Duo. "I'm free. I was originally a system's maintenance program, and because of Elios I quit and came to answer my own calling. It is possible to be free to choose here, but unfortunately if you do you are outcasted."

Heero frowned at this conversation as it began to mirror his recent thoughts concerning his purpose and his future. He ran his tongue across his lower lip, still catching the slightly sweet flavor left behind from Trowa's mouth, and shrugged the tension out of his shoulders as he crossed his arms over his chest. What was he going to do now? He glanced over at Trowa as he toyed with the broken bit and wondered what would happen once he destroyed the Gate. It was clear that Trowa was dedicated to his Master Controller. Heero knew that derezzing Elios would be inevitable. He was, in essence, the Gate. What would happen to Trowa once Elios was gone? What would happen to this - the connection he was forming with the other program?

"Yeah, but that's what I mean," Duo said as he shifted his weight in his chair. "You guys don't have real freedom. Sure, you can decide not to do the job you were made for, right? But what kinda life is living out here, in the dark by yourself, with nobody and nothin' to do but doodlin' shit you'll never see?"

Wufei snarled, clearly feeling attacked. "Then what would you suggest, mister Wikipedia?"

Duo grinned at the reference and scratched the side of his nose with his index finger. "I dunno, why don't ya all come with me? Like… to the User world?"

"No way." Wufei said sternly.

"I cannot leave Elios." Trowa set the bit down and frowned at the thought of leaving his Master Controller. He couldn't and wouldn't do that. His entire life had been dedicated to protecting Elios and carrying out his wishes. Life without the other would be pointless. Am I just thinking this because I am programed to do so?

Duo frowned at the seriousness in Trowa's voice, and watched as Heero narrowed his eyes from across the table but said nothing. "Nobody is sayin' you gotta leave anyone. He can come, too."

"He can't leave… The Gate can only be stabilized from within. Elios is stuck here and I must stay with him." He is the Gatekeeper , he is part of the Gate. Trowa's voice was calm but his mind was racing at the thought of leaving the Grid.

"You might as well give up." Ellios owned Trowa. Wufei shot Duo a look that said not to press too much further on the topic, but he saw the curiosity bloom in the User's violet eyes and had a feeling more questions were to follow.

Duo was surprised at the tension that was building in the room. The way Heero was looking at Trowa was making him feel like he struck a chord in the formerly glitchy program. "Hey, you look better than you did before," he said as he projected his thoughts aloud. "You haven't been stutterin' or anything," he added as he eyed Heero curiously.

Wufei was watching him with his keen, analytical eyes and Heero shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "I do feel better," he admitted. It was true. He hadn't felt this strong, clear-headed or energized since his compilation.

"What was the problem before?" Wufei asked, his eyes locking with Heero's.

"He was all twitchy and shit," Duo supplied. "Dude passed out in the jet."

"He had a system overload." Trowa pointed out. "Like me, he has trouble resetting." Why did Duo keep bringing this up?

Wufei looked from Heero to Trowa and back again. Something seemed fishy.

Heero didn't enjoy being the topic of conversation and he quickly sought to change the subject, "When are we leaving from here? And how long before we make it to the Gate?"

"We can't leave for two nights." Trowa sighed. "We have to wait for the storms to pass. And then we have one more day's trek to the hideout. It won't take long since we'll be traveling with a light runner."

Heero nodded at Trowa's information while Duo grinned at them. "So what is the Gate supposed to be, anyway?" Duo asked, being nosy. "Is this Elios fella like the Wizard of Oz or something? Does he just wave his hands around and like a portal shows up? Or it is like that Stargate shit, with like a giant structure?"

Wufei's eyebrow twitched.

"I don't have any idea what you are talking about." As usual, Trowa wasn't getting the references. He didn't bother answering Duo's question. He wasn't going to give details out about the Gate. The tall program stretched his left leg out and leaned back in the chair. "Do you have any other questions or are you done?"

Duo sighed. "Man, you guys sure are grouchy today, I was just tryin' to make small talk," he said, his expression almost hurt. "Forget about it, huh? I'm beat. Where am I sleepin', or are you gonna make me sleep outside in a doghouse or somethin'?"

"I only have two beds." Wufei stated. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this, but you're sleeping with me tonight." He pushed his chair back and stood up. "Trowa, you and Heero can take the spare room. But if the User starts acting strange, I'm sending him over to you."

Trowa nodded. "Understood." He got up out of his seat as well, glad the Q&A session was over.

"Oh, God, don't send me over there," Duo said quickly as he watched Heero get up and wordlessly head for the door of the yurt. "I don't wanna get in the middle of that action, someone's bound to get hurt." He chuckled to himself before waggling his eyebrows at Wufei.

"So, you wanna be the big spoon, or the little spoon?" he asked with a wink. Wufei groaned with irritation and cast a 'you owe me big time' glance at Trowa before pointing a finger at the User.

"You will stay on your side of the bed, and you will not cross the pillow barrier, is that understood?" Wufei said coldly, his jaw set tightly. Duo snickered and shrugged a shoulder.

"Yeah, well, we'll see. I've been known to BREACH a few barriers…"

Heero was happy to get out of there, having avoided any more questions about his condition and his origins. He thought the User was too nosy for his own good. He followed Trowa out of the yurt and through the shadows to the one diagonally right of Wufei's. It was clear that Trowa knew this tent well, and he watched as the taller program deftly unhitched the latches that kept the tent's stiff flap closed without even looking at them before he slid inside.

The inside of the structure was similar to Wufei's, but lacked the personal touch the other yurt had with images on the wall and Wufei's personal effects strewn over was a twin-sized bed with dark grey sheets in the center of the room and a simple nightstand to the right of it. Two windows lay directly across, the view looking out onto the dark horizon of the Outlands.

Trowa walked over and started to untie the curtains. Once they were down he headed over to the docking station on the nightstand and took his identity disc off. His stomach was in knots now that he was alone with the other program, and he silently tried to still his anxiety. Flipping his disc on its side, Trowa selected his light suit code and with the flick of his finger disabled it for the evening. The dark second skin pixelated off his body.

As Trowa's light suit gradually vanished from his body Heero saw the long, lean musculature of the other program's fully exposed back and felt his fingertips itch with anticipation. He slowly approached him from behind, taking notice of the occasional faint bruising on the other program's arms and the insides of his legs as he drew closer. He pressed both of his index fingers to the parallel, illuminated cyan lines on his shoulder blades and ran his fingertips lightly across the smooth flesh, watching as the other program's tight muscles squirmed under his touch.

"Don't be nervous," he said softly, noting the tension in Trowa's shoulders.

The light touches on his back sent electric shivers down his spine. "I'm not." Trowa lied, putting his disc on the dock and snapping it into place. He looked over his bare shoulder at Heero and noticed his slick light suit was still covering his body. "Are you leaving that on?"

"No," Heero replied plainly. He pressed the entire front of his body against Trowa's back, the light suit's thin membrane forming a barrier between them. He reached back to unclip the identity disc from his back and reached around to offer it to Trowa. He saw the other program hesitate before taking it and turning it over in his hands. "You do it…" he murmured before dropping a light kiss against the warm flesh of Trowa's bare shoulder.

Trowa closed his eyes when he felt those soft lips on his skin. He mentally prepared himself for what was to come, knowing fully well that he'd lose control and have to be ok with that. The blue lines on his body pulsated slowly in response to Heero's closeness.

Trowa took a few moments to gather his thoughts, before opening his eyes again and flipping Heero's disc over. He made quick work of finding his partner's light suit code and disabling it. As the pixels moved down the shorter form, removing the final barrier from between their bodies, an indescribable sensation washed over Trowa's system. He leaned his head back against Heero's and slowly reached out to put the blue and black disc on the dock next to his own.

As his suit vanished from his body Heero felt Trowa's skin warm against his own, and found himself leaning further into the taller body in front of him, his body melding to the angular lines of Trowa's back, and the soft, firm curve of his tight ass. He shuddered involuntarily as a wave of golden energy swept over his body. His hands glided around Trowa's sides to begin exploring the now exposed front of his torso. The rough, flat pads of his fingers rubbed across his stomach, raced up to his chest and found his taut, hard nipples. He ran his thumbs softly across their tips before pressing his palms hard against Trowa's chest, pushing him backward into himself.

"I've wanted this… ever since I saw you at that bar," Heero admitted, his voice trembling. He was already hard, and his hips rocked his newly formed erection firmly against his body. He tilted his head and breathed into his ear, "tell me you want this."

Trowa could feel Heero's thick erection against his upper thigh and the curve of his ass. He grabbed one of the roaming hands from his chest and slowly moved it down his body, past his abdomen and down to his eager arousal. "I want this… I want you."

Every fiber within him ached for Heero, every nerve begged for his attention. Trowa had never been on the receiving end during sex, but he couldn't stop thinking about Heero fucking him hard and rough, pushing in to the hilt and truly claiming him as his own. He wanted his partner to mark him up. It was like his body automatically became submissive whenever the other touched him and it was maddening. This was dangerous. He was becoming distracted again…

Trowa pushed the nagging voice to the back of his head, not caring anymore if this was a distraction. He needed this, he'd never felt this way before. It wouldn't be fair to not explore these feelings, this connection with Heero. And right now he wanted to be fucked so badly that every logical thought in his mind was silenced.

Heero took Trowa's admission as words of permission, and now he would no longer hesitate to do as he pleased. His hand grasped the other program's arousal with firm pressure and he gave it a slow, careful caress. He felt it grow and harden against his palm, it's length curving up towards Trowa's navel. Heero pulled Trowa into his own body, his lips pressing softly against his ear before traveling down the side of his neck, pressing warm kisses around the repair code patch. The hand on Trowa's chest slid up his to neck and grabbed hold of his chin, continuing to pull him backwards until the other program's entire weight rested against him, his long and lean back arched and flexed back to allow him access to his handsome mouth. He kissed him roughly as he continued his slow exploration of his cock with his nimble fingers.

I'm starting to lose control, already. Trowa moaned against the rough kiss and bucked his hips forward, creating sweet friction with the warm fingers wrapped around his shaft. He brought a hand back behind his body to grasp Heero's firm ass and gave it a hard squeeze. Trowa pushed his tongue into his partner's inviting mouth, coxing Heero's out to play.

"Hmmmnnnn…." Heero groaned into Trowa's mouth as his partner's tongue teased his lips. He lapped his own tongue against the intruder, the corners of his mouth perking playfully at the sound of the other program's frustrated moans. He sparred Trowa's tongue, forcing it back into it's owner's mouth, and abruptly broke their kiss.

"Bed," he managed through a tight throat. He swiveled both their bodies around and pushed the other program roughly over and onto the bed, knelt beside it and pinned his new lover's hips down to keep him from moving. He used the palm of his free hand to slide up the back of Trowa's thigh, his eyes studying the embedded cyan light lines as they went up his legs, tracing their path. He leaned down and began to lick straight edge of the line that plunged down Trowa's back with the tip of his tongue, following it's path across the dips at the small of his back and downward, slowly dragging across the fine curve of his ass.

"Heero…" Trowa shuddered, digging his hands into the sheets as the hot tongue ran along his skin, awakening every nerve it massaged. He wanted so badly to touch the other, to explore his body and burn every detail into his mind. His fingers pulled at the soft fabric, nails scratching along each thread impatiently. "Let me touch you. Let me look at you." Trowa commanded. Up to this point, Heero had been getting a lovely view of his backside. Trowa desperately wanted to turn around so his eyes could drink in the sight of that perfectly compact body. His lips longed to touch every inch of Heero's flesh.

It occurred to Heero that until he had met Trowa nobody had ever called him by his name. D-FILE only referred to him by his ID code. The sound of his name purred so seductively by the other program finalized his arousal. He would do anything for him, follow any command, as long as he called him by name.

The thought of D-FILE brought his directive back to the forefront of his thoughts. It sobered him for a moment, overriding the wash of intense and confusing feelings he had been experiencing since their initial meeting.

If he did this now, would he be going against his directive? Was this just another way for him to get Trowa to do as he pleased? It was now clear that he had complete control over the Runner, and the thought was unsettling. For the first time he was starting to feel guilty for using him.

Trowa is the Runner, he's not my target, Heero reminded himself. What I am about to do here has nothing to do with my directive, he reasoned. This was personal. This wasn't work. He was going to finally allow himself to have personal connections, despite the warnings by his creators not to. Those warnings were not orders, and they hadn't been encoded into him. He was free to do as he pleased.

He pushed himself to a stand and carefully grasped Trowa's shoulder to roll him onto his back, being careful not to come in contact with any of the residual damage left behind from their encounter with the Outlanders. After the taller program's body was situated he crawled on his hands and knees up the length of him until they were nose to nose. The closeness forced the light lines that traced his torso to begin to glow brighter, as if illuminated by the very presence of the other program. His erection dragged against Trowa's stomach as he settled over him.

"Okay, then. Touch me," Heero replied.

They could rush this or they could take the rare opportunity to fully enjoy their alone time. Trowa's body ached to be fucked, but he wanted to slow down and savor this. He brought his hands up to Heero's shoulders and ran them down his chest and torso, noticing how the bright bodylines reacted. He studied them closely, fingers and eyes trailing over each glowing mark. And then it suddenly dawned on him. His light lines perfectly mirrored Heero's. "We have the same pattern."

Heero's eyebrow raised at the statement and his eyes snapped down to inspect Trowa's torso, and then his own. He was right. The shining lines of cyan light across their arms, torsos and legs were mirror images, perfectly aligned.

"How is this possible?" he murmured, his confusion dripping from his voice. Light lines were individual signatures, much like a fingerprint. It was unheard of to have two programs with the same pattern. Unless… his head began to ache before he could completely form the thought. His eyes squinted against the sharp stab of pain that formed behind his eyes. "It feels like there is something missing. Something else… " he knew he wasn't making any sense.

Trowa felt it too, unable to explain the matching light lines or the intense feelings for one another. He kept telling himself that he'd talk to Elios. Maybe Elios would know what was going on. He moved his warm hands down to Heero's hips and gave them a light squeeze. "It's like we're the same… but different. My body knows you, but my mind doesn't."

Trowa had described it perfectly. Heero had been immediately drawn to the other program from the moment he had seen him. Having no prior experience with lust or physical attraction to that degree, Heero had assumed that the magnetism between them had been only that. Now he knew better. Clearly there was more. He could feel his anxiety, his pain, and sense his energy when he was near. The matching lines on their bodies, while surprising, weren't really that shocking a revelation. It was just another clue among a growing list of shared peculiarities.

Heero wanted answers, but the need for them wasn't urgent. Regardless of the reasons why - he still wanted Trowa for himself. The fact that they were perfectly matched only fueled this need.

"Who is Elios to you?" he asked suddenly. He hadn't meant to bring it up now, but if he was going to commit himself to exploring Trowa, he wanted to know what the other's connections were. It was clear that the Runner was loyal to his master, but how deep did that commitment run? "What… is he to you?" Heero rephrased.

Their bodies were so close that he couldn't fight the sucking, gravitational pull Trowa's being had on him. He dropped the length of his body against the lean, muscular form beneath him, his own weight sinking the firm muscles and taut sinew deeply into the bed. The now familiar tingling warmth of the other's energy began to seep through his skin and spread across his body.

"He's my Master Controller. I live to protect and serve him." Trowa looked up at the other, reciting the words that had been programed into him. He watched Heero's expression sour, and knew the other wasn't pleased with that vague answer.

Trowa ran his fingertips up Heero's arm and bit his bottom lip before giving it another try. "My relationship with Elios is complicated. I serve him… in any way that he wants." He wasn't sure if that was the answer Heero was looking for. "He's very special to me. But we're not… committed."

Heero's expression had indeed soured, but not for the reasons Trowa may have assumed. The fact that Trowa was so attached to the Gatekeeper was posing a complication that he hadn't anticipated. If he allowed himself to care for Trowa, he knew that he would have to inevitably hurt him. His directive involved him killing someone important to him.

This is why they told me not to form attachments, Heero thought with frustration. For a moment he considered stopping this now before it got any more complicated. Is this worth the trouble? His eyes locked with Trowa's. Is HE worth the trouble? He felt a sharp ache banging at the inside of his ribcage, and to his surprise the soothing tingle that emanated from Trowa's body became more intense. It felt like an invisible hand was running over his chest, massaging the pain away.

I need him. He's worth everything.

His wants and needs overrode the questions stirring up his confusion. He decided that for once in his existence he was going to be selfish and do as he wanted. He didn't want to think about the risks anymore. He didn't want to consider the consequences.

"You're very loyal," he murmured, his face closing the gap between them to cover Trowa's tense lips with his own. But I'll make you loyal to me…

Fingers tangled in the messy brown locks at the back of Heero's head as Trowa deepened the kiss, opening his mouth obediently and letting his partner's tongue slide in to spar with his own. His entire body seemed to welcome the shorter frame laying on top, arms and legs wrapping tightly around Heero and pulling him as close as he could. The tingling sensation that grew the longer they touched helped relax his nerves, and soon Trowa was kissing and touching his partner eagerly. He hooked his ankles over Heero's lower back and leveraged himself against the mattress before pushing up to rub their hips together in a slow, repetitive motion.

Trowa was losing his sense of control again, letting himself go as the warm feeling spread through his body like a wildfire. Elios quickly slipped from his mind and all he could think about was the mysterious program hovering over him. Heero filled his senses and commanded his full attention. Being close to the other was like a drug, and Trowa was addicted.

Is this what love feels like? Am I… in love?

Every caress and sensuous rocking motion up into his body only strengthened Heero's resolve. He had never felt this aroused in his existence, and he wanted nothing more than to be as close as possible to this other program. He returned Trowa's grinding of hips with his own rough push, rubbing his now searing hot arousal against his, firmly signalling to him in a lusty pantomime just what he intended to to do him. He steadied his body with a hand planted into the mattress beside Trowa's head while the other explored and mapped every dent, curve and perfect line of the other program's body.

His tongue slid over the top of Trowa's, teasing and encouraging him to come deeper into his own mouth. He closed his eyes, no longer able to look at his new partner. There was something reflecting in Trowa's eyes just then that made him feel like the other was seeing right through him. He didn't want him to see what was really inside. He didn't want him to know how dishonest he was.

He broke their kiss with a gasp and hung his head to avoid his gaze, his dark hair blocking his expression. "Please…" he gasped, his voice low and hoarse. "Let me feel you … from inside."

Trowa reached up and ran his knuckles gently down Heero's cheek, looking at him with a smirk on his swollen lips. "I've never bottomed before." He returned his hips to the mattress and spread his legs out wide as he spoke, letting Heero's arousal settle between his thighs. "Are you sure you can handle me?"

Heero felt him shifting beneath him, saw his legs prop open and found himself staring down at the pink, lush smirk that had illuminated Trowa's mouth. His body was tense, his shoulders quivering with anticipation. Was he serious? But didn't he say…

So his relationship with Elios didn't include him being dominated in this way?

"I… this is my first time with all of this," Heero replied, his voice hesitant. He slid his hand down to cup Trowa's ass with a firm grip, is index finger seeking the place he would enter him. He found it quickly and slowly forced the tip of his finger against him, slowly, excruciatingly breaking the tight barrier. "I'll try my best," he murmured, his dark blue eyes locking with his. The cyan lines on his body began to pulse and glow brightly, flickering and pulsing with his building anticipation. "You're… so tight. Tell me if I'm hurting you," he added. "Unless… you want me to hurt you."

Trowa closed his eyes and tried to relax his muscles as Heero's finger intimately explored the inside of his body. He ran his trembling hand up and down the other's spin and moaned. "Hurt me… Don't hold back." It felt like they had waited so long for this moment. Trowa wanted Heero to give it his all and do as he pleased with his body.

Heero paused in his insertion at the mention of hurting him, and something within him balked at the idea. I could never hurt you… his mind supplied automatically. He scrunched his nose in confusion, wondering what had prompted that thought. It felt as if there was an echo in his mind, instructing him, informing him and prompting him on what to do.

He realized his finger was halfway in Trowa's body, feeling the intense tightness and heat of the other program. How did he even know to do this? It was like his body moved on it's own.

Just… I don't want to think anymore, he scolded himself. Why was he so self-aware around him? Trowa's moans, his tensing, his hand on his spine seemed to aid in his direction. He twisted his finger inside him slowly, feeling the other program's body respond by gradually loosening. He started adding his second finger, slipping it slowly to accompany the first, pausing to plant encouraging kisses along Trowa's slightly bruised jaw as he waited for him to become accustomed to the feeling. His own arousal, impatient and throbbing, rubbed slowly against the hard muscle of his inner thigh.

"I don't want to hurt you," he whispered against his skin, his mind racing, repeating the sentiment over and over again. "To hurt you is to hurt myself," he reminded him.

Trowa tilt his head back on the sheets, exposing his neck and jawline to Heero's fevered kisses. He let out a soft moan as the fingers moved gently inside of him, his hips starting to rock upwards to meet them. "I think I'm ready for you…"

Heero was more than ready. Trowa's voice and the lilt of his moaning was beginning to put him into a frenzy. His entire body was hot and aching with tension. He carefully removed his fingers and grabbed the insides of Trowa's thighs with both palms, pushing his legs further apart and up to tilt his pelvis at a more accessible angle, and held him there, marveling at how unbelievably flexible his body was.

He's perfect, the thought accompanied the fact that no matter what compromising or awkward position he happened to force Trowa's body into, he still looked stunning, composed, and uncannily seductive. His stomach was curled, his impressive and thick erection lying flushed and frustrated against the creases of his abdomen. He was the most beautiful thing Heero had ever seen. Trowa's eyes were half-lidded, lips parted and bright emerald eyes were locked onto him while his sleek eyebrow raised slightly, waiting for him to act.

He couldn't make him wait any longer. He reverently guided his own aching arousal down against the upraised curve of his ass and entered his prepared body, forcing his eager erection down into his enticing heat with a steady thrust until he was buried deeply inside him.

He couldn't move. His fingers clenched hard against the backs of Trowa's thighs as his body tried to adjust to the almost painful tightness and searing heat of the other program's body. The lines on Heero's body were blinking and pulsating in a wild series of flashes and flickers, and his shoulders trembled as a shock wave coursed through his torso, and sharp, stabbing pains erupted across his chest. It was like he had a raging thunderstorm brewing within him.

He bit his lower lip and moaned, eyes staring down at the point where they were so intimately connected as if in disbelief. He had never felt this kind of pleasure before, and yet everything about this exchange felt strangely familiar. It was like a dream. He frantically looked up at Trowa, caught his gaze and felt as if his new lover shared the same thought.

He leaned hard against his body, clutched his thighs to keep them pushed up and widely parted, and started the arduous task of showing Trowa just how he felt about him.

The feeling of being stretched and completely filled overwhelmed all of his senses, and at first Trowa couldn't decipher between the pain and the pleasure. He grunted at the intrusion and pushed the side of his face against the sheets, hands dropping to the mattress with a thud as he clenched and unclenched them into fists. His knees shook and he struggled to keep his legs wrapped around Heero's waist while the other pushed firmly into his body over and over again.

Slowly, with each powerful thrust, the pain ebbed away and an intense wave of pleasure coursed through his veins, rushing straight to his fully aroused cock. Trowa threw his head back and cried out loudly, unable to control himself. The sensation of flesh sliding against flesh was electric and hot as Heero's near-bruising grip firmly held his thighs apart so he could slam into him with accelerating speed.

This is what it feels like to be claimed… I don't want it to stop.

Heero's body was on fire. He no longer had any doubts, any hesitation about what he was doing. His previous concerns were buried deep beneath the roiling waves of intense, electric pleasure that now consumed him.

Each thrust into the tense, quivering body under him forced Trowa's voice from his throat. Its gradual crescendo only served to fuel Heero's actions, spurring him on, making him want more of it. It wasn't enough. Just seeing him and feeling him from inside wasn't completely satisfying him. He wanted more. He needed to kiss him, bite him, taste him. He lunged forward and devoured his mouth, mixing his lover's moans with his own, continuing his steady, firm rhythm as he continued to glide in and out, hips moving on their own accord. Trowa's arousal was pinned against his stomach, he could feel it's heat nudge against his stomach. He propped himself up with his left hand and plunged his right between their twisting, writhing bodies to grasp his hard length with a firm but gentle grip. He began stroking him slowly at first before increasing his attentions until his manipulations perfectly matched each inward thrust.

Heero was incredibly close to climax. He could feel his thoughts beginning to clarify, his mind began race. He felt like he was overclocked, hyperaware of every detail around them. The cool air in the yurt against his back, the comforting warmth of Trowa's body stretched out beneath his own. The pulse of pleasure with each pump into the tightness of the program under him. The faint twitch and throb of Trowa's cock in his hand. The vibrations of Trowa's moans as they settled into his own throat. He was processing it all.

Each moan was swallowed up by the heated kiss until Heero's wet mouth pulled away and moved to Trowa's neck, attaching itself with a sharp bite. Trowa's lips, red and swollen from their assault, were no longer being held captive. They parted to let out a series of loud whimpers and frenzied cries of ecstasy, piercing the cool night air.

"Unnn…UUH! AH!"

His motions were frantic as his hands clawed at Heero's back and shoulders, the muscles in his legs, ass, and abdomen were starting to tighten and tremble. It felt like they were elastic bands being tugged in the same direction, towards his core. He whimpered as the build of anxiety made his entire body shake with anticipation for release. The tip of Heero's engorged cock suddenly hit a spot within that sent Trowa's body jolting off the sheets, electricity crackling against his skin. The darkness behind his eyelids exploded with bright neon light, every thrust, and every pump of the hand setting off an explosion of stars.

Trowa was practically jumping from the bed as he came in contact with a spot deep within him. Each thrust forced his lover to jolt, cry out and inch away from him across the mattress. He could feel small, pinching shocks exploding between their bodies as built up static electricity began to discharge against both their skins.

As Trowa jumped with each thrust Heero lost contact, so he grabbed his lover roughly by the shoulders and, without breaking their connection, yanked him up to quickly reposition him straddling his waist. He wrapped his arms tightly around his body and pinned him against his torso to keep him from recoiling as he continued to enter him as deeply as he could, seeking the spot within him that made his lover's voice jump from his throat so beautifully.

He was losing control. He hugged onto him as tightly as he could, trapping Trowa's cock between their bodies, and buried his face against his collarbone, lips brushing his chest, moaning softly through gritted teeth. He couldn't hold back any longer. His eyes burned, his muscles ached, and his spine tingled as electricity zapped up and down his back, illuminating his normally cyan body lines with white, hot light.

"Tr… trowa, I'm… " he didn't get a chance to finish that sentiment. He crushed him within his arms and buried his face in his chest, slammed his hips up into him and groaned. His thoughts cleared, his previous worries and concerns deleted as he lapsed into a hard reset.

Trowa's body fell limp as he followed his partner into a hard reset. While his mind cleared and his energy reserves started to fuel up, his system wasn't used to this and it took him a second to regain consciousness. His head rolled forward, lying against Heero's shoulder. Sticky warm ejaculation slid down his thighs and Trowa made no move to get off Heero's lap. His eyes were closed and his swollen lips parted to say something, but nothing came out.

Heero felt reborn. It was the only way he could describe it. Despite the fatigue from their impassioned exchange he felt completely renewed, as if his internal slate had been completely wiped clean. He couldn't remember a time when he felt this good.

His palms slid down Trowa's back, his eyes closed and he nuzzled the slight indentation in the center of his chest, reveling in the warmth he felt there. He was happy. He felt that positivity without any guilt. He didn't care, this was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him. Trowa was the most amazing program he had ever met. He pulled him closer, tightening his arms around his waist and tilted his head to kiss his jaw, his cheek, his shoulder.

"You're amazing," he whispered.

Trowa blinked and lifted his head, suddenly snapping out of it. He looked down at his new lover, eyes wide as he let the warmth spread into his body. "What just happened?" His nerves still tingled and he noticed that his system was feeling better than it ever had, fully alert and functioning smoothly.

"I don't know," Heero admitted with a quiet murmur, his eyes tilting up to regard him with deep affection. "I think I reset. Do you feel … clearer?" He didn't know how else to put it.

Trowa leaned in to press their foreheads together. "Yes…" He felt more connected to the other program in a way he couldn't explain. There was a second digital pulse beating within his body, and it quickly synced up with his own, matching its rhythm perfectly like they were one. A smile spread on his lips and for the first time in a long time he felt happy and content.

Trowa had the most stunning smile Heero had ever seen. His eyes widened at the sight of it, drinking the image in and searing it into his memory. He lifted a hand to caress the side of his face, ran his fingers through his hair to move his bangs from his eyes so he could really look at him.

"You're mine… " he said, his lips betraying him and speaking his thoughts aloud.

Trowa laughed and pressed their lips together in a quick kiss. "Maybe..." His hand snuck down and stole one of Heero's from off his hips, entwining their fingers together. "We'll see." His tone was teasing, but deep down Trowa knew that yes, he belonged to the other. There was no denying it anymore.

Heero frowned against the kiss and stared at him with a stern expression. He gripped his hand with his own. "You laugh… but I'm serious…" the corner of his mouth perked into a half-smile and he playfully grabbed Trowa's hips, pinned him against his body to keep him from moving and tipped onto his side, his softening erection still inside him. He laughed and nudged his hips against him, his cock slipping deeply into his cum slick insides. "You can deny me all you want," thrust, nudge. "But now I've claimed you."

"You better stop before you start me up again." Trowa bit back a moan and kept his eyes focused on the dark prussian blue ones in front of him. "We should … hibernate…" The smallest of moans escaped as Heero thrust into him again.

"When I get you back to Aether… what will you do? Will you stay?" Trowa's expression was serious this time.

Heero frowned and resisted the urge to bite his lip at the question as he was suddenly reminded of his directive. For a moment he wanted to tell him everything. Tell him his directive, why he was created, what he was planning to do. Maybe he could run away with him after he destroyed the Gate?

… no. He answered his own question. Trowa had more than once expressed his loyalty to Elios. He couldn't tell him. He knew Trowa would try and stop him. What am I going to do…

"Do you want me to stay?" he asked, avoiding his gaze.

Trowa hooked his finger under Heero's chin and lifted it gently so he could look in the other's eyes once again. "Yes. You can… stay with me. With Elios." He searched those blue eyes, wondering what Heero was thinking. It was clear something was on his mind. "Stay with me…"

"We'll see," Heero repeated Trowa's previous statement back to him and resisted the urge to frown at the sight of the other program's curious gaze. What little peace and emptiness of thought he had experienced right after his reset was now beginning to fill with memories of his directive. I can't lie to him and say yes, he thought sadly. Because it won't be possible. Not after I destroy the Gate.

He carefully disengaged himself from Trowa's body and when the other gave him a concerned look he leaned in to kiss his downturned mouth reassuringly. "Thank you for helping me. I've never had a friend before…" he confided, his voice forced flat. "Thank you."

"Yea. No problem." Trowa noticed the change in Heero's mood. Did I do something wrong? Maybe I misunderstood his intentions… He stretched his long body out on his side of the bed, giving the other some space. "We should hibernate." Grabbing one of the pillows, Trowa pushed it under his head and closed his eyes.

Heero frowned as Trowa pulled away from him, but didn't try to stop him. He felt the familiar guilt and inner turmoil that accompanied any positivity about the other program slowly seeping into his thoughts, forcing its way into any optimism he had for his future.

I'm a weapon , he reminded himself. I need to stop playing games. Pretending like I can have any of this. He didn't say anything else, instead turned to face away from him on his side and curled his body as he grabbed the covers and pulled them up to his shoulder. He closed his eyes and tried to hibernate, but his mind was racing, his chest was throbbing. Don't touch him. You're just leading him on. He felt like shit.