Mix 'n' Match - Prologue

Duo stifled a frustrated sigh as he caught Quatre looking at him from the corner of his eye - AGAIN. The gentle blond had been giving him funny looks for most of the last week, ever since they'd finished the last mission and been informed by the scientists that they had some - well-deserved, HE thought - time off to rest and recover. They'd retired to yet another of the Winner family's massive hidden estates - how many of these damn mansions did Quatre OWN, anyway? - for the vacation. Only Wufei had declined Quatre's generous invitation, saying that he'd been meaning to visit his ancestral homeland in China. Quatre had beamed and waved him off - and then had begun this odd stalking ritual with Duo.

Wherever the braided boy was, the Arabian was not far behind, following Duo around until the American was ready to scream with frustration. Heero was no help - when Duo had begged him to intervene, the Japanese pilot had scowled and remarked that he thought Duo LIKED spending time with the other pilots. Duo couldn't seem to make him see the difference between hanging out with friends and this endless LURKING that Quatre was doing.

Trowa was no better - though, as always, most of his attention was taken up with his precious blond angel, he could often be seen following Quatre's looks towards the American with a thoughtful gaze of his own. Duo was ready to climb the walls, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Finally, frustrated beyond measure, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

He waited for days for the right moment, his long, hungry days in the streets of L2 having taught him endless patience. Finally, in one of the rare moments when Quatre WASN'T following him, he turned the tables on the blond boy and stalked him to the rose garden.

He found Quatre sipping his usual cup of tea, wandering the paths of the rose garden, enjoying the warm spring sunlight. Every so often, the Arabian would pause to lean close to one bush or another, burying his nose in the fragrant blossoms and inhaling the heavy scent joyfully. The beaming smile on his face was that of an innocent boy who hadn't a care in the world - never mind that this particular 'innocent boy' was a Gundam Pilot, and one of the five most wanted men in the world.

Duo crept up behind his friend, staying perfectly silent with the ease of a cat until the very last minute. The hand he clapped on Quatre's shoulder startled the smaller boy so badly that he spilled most of his tea.

"OH!" Quatre spun around, then relaxed when he realized who had caught him unaware. "Oh, Duo! You shouldn't sneak up on me like that," the Arabian scolded softly, wiping at the stain on his pink shirt with a napkin.

Duo let a rather predatory grin spread across his face, making the other boy eye him somewhat nervously. "Sorry 'bout that, buddy," he said, somewhat insincerely. Quatre, however, took him at face value, as usual.

"Oh, that's okay. My servants won't have any trouble getting this out," he chirped. "Did you want something in particular, or were you just trying to startle me for the fun of it?"  

Duo's smile widened another notch - and so did Quatre's eyes. "Actually, Q, I was kinda wonderin' about what's been up with you lately?"

Quatre's sunny smile took on a slightly nervous quality. "Going on? With me? I'm not sure what you..."

"You've been following me around, watchin' me all the time!" Duo cut him off, gesturing expansively. "Everywhere I go, you're right behind me, staring! You're drivin' me crazy, buddy! What the hell is up, do I have a 'kick me' sign on my back, or what?"  

Quatre giggled slightly, but Duo's penetrating stare told him he wasn't going to get out of this easily. "Well, ah..." he temporized, glancing around as if hoping help would come from the skies. Unaccountably, his fair skin flushed brightly. "The truth is... uh... Trowa and I... well, we'd been wondering..."

Duo shifted from foot to foot impatiently as the other boy seemed to search for words. "Well? Spit it out, Q!" Quatre just blushed and stammered.

"We'd been wondering if you and Heero would be interested in a trade," Trowa's soft voice replied from behind him.

"NANI?" Duo spun around, his braid flying wildly, to face the tall pilot of HeavyArms. The European pilot's one visible green eye regarded him solemnly, his face, as usual, expressionless. "What kind of trade?" Duo thought he had an idea what they were talking about, but he wanted to be sure.

"Of partners," the tall boy elaborated, crossing his arms across his chest and looking for all the world as if he were talking about the weather, or something equally innocuous. "For a night."

Duo backed up a bit so he could see both of the others at once, and eyed them as if he wasn't quite certain of what he was hearing. "Lemme get this straight. You..." he pointed at Quatre, who gulped a little, "Have been following me around, driving me crazy, 'cause you were trying to work up the nerve to ask if I'd be willing to sleep with either you or him" he jerked his thumb at Trowa, who watched impassively, "And let Heero sleep with the other one?"

Quatre nodded, somewhat nervously. "H-hai. So desu."

Duo started to smile, then to chuckle, and then to laugh outright. Soon he was howling, bent over and clutching at his sides for support. Trowa made no comment, but Quatre was clearly bewildered.

"Duo? Duo, are you all right? Have we offended you? Duo!"

Duo gasped for air, looked like he might manage a coherent sentence - then took one look at Quatre's worried expression and broke into laughter again. Quatre flashed a confused look at Trowa, who shrugged slightly and shook his head.

"What's going on?" Heero's flat monotone broke into Duo's howls, bringing the American upright again. With great glee, and more than a few blushes on Quatre's part, he filled his lover in on the situation.

"Aa." Was all Heero said, but he was now eyeing the other couple with a new look in his eyes. "And what did you tell them?"

Quatre gaped at the Japanese boy, unable to quite believe his ears. He'd gone after Duo first, because he'd rather expected the somewhat psychotic pilot of Wing to be violently opposed to the idea, and he'd counted on Duo charming his lover into it. But Heero was not only objecting, he actually seemed to be - supportive?

Duo shook his head as if in disgust. "Geez. Quatre," and he chuckled again, turning a much more friendly smile on the blond. "Heero and I talked about the same thing a while back, but we scrapped the idea, 'cause you two were so absorbed in each other. We didn't want to come between ya."

Quatre's eyes widened until they took up most of his face, and his jaw hung open in surprise. Trowa just gave a smug little smile. "You... really?" Quatre finally managed, setting Duo off into spasms of laughter again. Heero just nodded slightly in confirmation. "Well... well, great!" Quatre recovered his aplomb and beamed at them both. He clapped his hands together beneath his chin. "I'm glad this all worked out so well!" Duo snorted at his obvious enthusiasm, but his grin got wider.

"Just so ya know, Q," he began, then leaned over to whisper into Quatre's ear at some length. Quatre's eyes widened again in surprise - then abruptly he laughed in delight.

"Hontou?" he exclaimed, eyeing Heero with more than a little lust in his expression. "This will be fun, then!"

Heero glared at his madly grinning lover. "Duo..."

"I just gave him a few tips, Hee-chan," Duo said, then ducked behind Trowa when Heero threatened him with a fist. "Ack! Trowa, you'd better save me if you don't want me to be too sore for anything fun. He hits hard!" Trowa just smirked a little more as Duo wrapped his arms around the taller boy from behind, nuzzling into his back.

Quatre latched onto Heero's upraised arm, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Don't hit him, Heero... there're much better things we can do with that energy..." and he laughed lightly as Heero turned to him with a contemplative look.

"Hmmm. Never thought you'd be the aggressive one," Heero murmured, eyeing the diminutive, innocent-looking blond. Quatre grinned at him.

"It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for, Heero," Quatre informed him sweetly, tugging him away from the rose garden towards the house. Heero followed willingly enough, casting a single glance over his shoulder to see Duo and Trowa already locked in an embrace.

"Hn," was all Heero said, before sliding his arm around the blond's waist. Quatre giggled and clung to him, and Heero absently reflected that it was likely to be a wild night.

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