Duo wiggled his nose a little, eyes widening slightly. There was a smell of blood, along with a scent he didn't notice before that didn't belong here with the rest. "Quatre, could you come here?"

*Oh shit! They caught me!* "What is it?" Quatre called from inside the house, shaking nervously.

"Who'd you bring into the safe house?" Duo moved towards Quatre's voice with annoyance over finding out Quatre brought someone there, someone hurt no less, and that he didn't *say* anything.

*What?* Quatre got up and peered out the door to the yard. *He doesn't know that I was peeping? Oh thank Allah!* "Huh?" His brain switched gears when he finally realized what Duo was asking him.

"Who'd you bring into this safe house Quatre? Yes they may have been hurt, but who the hell is it?" Duo sounded a lot closer to Quatre's location, and he sounded bitchy.

Wufei suddenly became very nervous as he heard Duo's tone and wrapped his arms around the aggravated boy's waist.

"Umm... A friend of mine?" Quatre offered the excuse lamely, realizing he hadn't gotten enough information.

"Who? Give me a name Quatre." Duo was entirely focused on Quatre, only giving a glance to Wufei at he got cuddled. It wasn't like he minded, but he had someone else to deal with currently.

Zechs, hearing the shouting, rolled out of bed, and answered for himself. "Milliardo Peacecraft, now, may I go back to sleep?"

"Yeah! That's his name!" Quatre yelled before beginning to back up once he registered the name. *Well that explained how he knew him... Wait, didn't I shoot Relena?*

"What? Quatre, have you lost your mind?" Duo yanked open the door that separated him from the pair on the other side, voice rising.

Zechs' mutter was incredibly quiet, but audible to Duo's sensitive ears and Quatre nearby. "Well, living was good while it lasted."

"I haven't lost my mind!" Quatre yelled defensive. He wasn't thinking quite straight, still a little more caught up in the afterglow from Wufei and Duo than *they* were.

Duo halted abruptly, his gaze turning to Zechs, and then his eyes narrowed as he picked up another smell that was underlying the rest. One that washed his anger away as a forcibly removed memory surfaced. "I know that scent. Where did you just come from?" Duo's gaze was a laser focus on Zechs as he paced closer.

Zechs shuffled back a step instinctively and nearly sent himself crashing to the floor as he nailed his foot on the bed frame. This, in turn, sent his foot back around to be grabbed, throwing off his currently horrible balance. "Someplace that a good sleep apparently didn't get rid of."

*What the hell is going here? What the fuck is he doing here? And acting drunk as well?* Wufei's eyes narrowed on Zechs, suspicion clear in his eyes.

Duo leaned forward, taking a few steps as his eyes, having slowly gained a reflective sheen like that of a feline over the last few days, focused on Zechs. "Little Birdie, show me the broken wing." Duo's voice was a soft command, and he looked for all the world like he was a cat playing with a mouse.

Zechs moved his arms behind him on reflex, taking a couple steps back and keeping his eyes firmly on Duo even though his balance was easily ruined. "Little Birdie? I'm far taller than you."

"But you are definitely a bird. A hunting bird maybe, but a bird. Show me your wing, I want to see how they snapped it." Duo moved closer, not giving Zechs time to back away at the pace he needed and sent the taller blonde to the floor with a little push of his hand.

"What in the hell..." Wufei looked over at Quatre only to see he was also staring in bafflement at the situation unfolding before their eyes.

Zechs finally relented once he hit the floor, wincing as he felt his bones give slightly more then they used to be able. He extended one puncture marked arm. "You tell me then. I was only aware that it was broken. Did they snap it, or shatter it?" It was also clear that the two longhaired men were sharing some sort of secret code, though neither seemed to realize they were doing it.

"Excuse me..." Quatre put in, lifting up a finger to get their attention. He wanted to know what was going on.

Duo grinned widely, kneeling over the fallen figure and taking the arm in his hand. He wasn't exactly nice, twisting it around in a manner that, strangely enough, didn't hurt Zechs, though looked like it should, while he examined the needle marks. Duo's gaze turned from the blonde to the marks as he dipped his head, studying them closely. "Shattered, little Birdie. You'll always be a little bird now."

Wufei watched quietly then sat down; something about this seemed oddly familiar, causing him to twitch slightly from his place on the floor.

"You were there too." Zechs ran his gaze to the blue stripes forming on Duo, then took in the hair flicking behind him like a tail. "Am I afraid to be eaten then?"

"Always be afraid of the kitties, little bird. I believe I was there. Do you remember it?" Duo's final question had an air of urgency and he pulled at Zechs' arm, making the larger man wince.

"Yes. I was only there for a few days... I got away. Please, that is starting to hurt." Zechs moved his other hand, pushing himself up just a little to relieve the pressure. When Duo met his eyes, refusing to let up, Zechs looked away. "I get it, you win."

Wufei came and stood next to Duo suddenly jealous of the attention that Duo was paying to Zechs. He placed a hand on Duo's shoulder possessively.

"Just remember it." Duo released Zechs' arm, though didn't move from his crouch over the other man as he turned his gaze up to Wufei with a small grin on his face. "He remembers it. We don't remember Fei, but he was there and it wasn't washed away!" Zechs didn't move, aware that could be a very bad idea. Wufei looked more than a little angry over the fact that Duo was crouched on his chest, and he saw no reason to further the flame.

"Hmm." Wufei simply sat down and just crossed his arms over his chest looking displeased.

"Fei. He's not gonna be normal anymore either. He's a bird, I'm a cat, and you're dependent. But he *remembers*." Duo turned, moving from a crouch to outright sitting on Zechs as he looked at Wufei. Apparently he found a perch he liked.

"I'm not dependent." Wufei growled and his eyes narrowed. Rage was building up in side of him with the display.

Zechs closed his eyes on a faint sigh. "Wonderful. No wonder I've become such a horrible klutz." He still didn't move, if Duo wanted to sit on his chest, he had no way to defend himself until he managed to get used to the way his body had changed.

"Does this have to do with when you went missing?" Quatre suddenly spoke up, looking from one to the other.

"Yes! He has the smell of those scientists all over him. I remember now, me an Fei had the same thing the night we came back, but I didn't remember it until I got a whiff of him. Wufei, c'mere, I wanna hug you!"

"Get off of him." Wufei snarled, suddenly rising to his feet.

"Wufei, calm down" Quatre moved towards Wufei, trying to quell his anger.

Duo simply got up, bounding over to Wufei and hugging him tightly. "I think we just got a break! It's just what we needed, now we have a way to recognize the bastards." Duo cuddled up against Wufei, clinging with his sudden happiness.

Having Duo removed from his person allowed Zechs to sit up. He leaned against the wall, watching Wufei unblinkingly. Though he was muttering to himself. "Hollow bones. How the hell did they manage that in five damn days?"

"Hn." Wufei gripped Duo, squeezing him tightly as he glared at Zechs over his shoulder.

"Stop being so grouchy Wu babe, there's no reason for it. You're my lover, he's just a fun play toy cause he can't defend himself." The second sentence was hissed so quietly only Wufei had a chance to hear it.

"You'll keep that *play toy* out of our bed." Wufei grumbled lowly, jealousy over Duo's easy manner in touching the blonde still on his mind.

"He's pretty an all, but how did you get that conclusion so fast? I wouldn't do somethin like that if you weren't right there with me Fei." Duo nuzzled Wufei's neck, nipping at him softly to try and get him to calm down. Wufei didn't care that Zechs couldn't defend himself, he was a stranger in the house and for that Wufei didn't trust him.

Zechs watched the pair with obvious consideration, then turned his attention away to look at Quatre, his gaze still unblinking. "None of you are like I thought you would be like so far."

This sentence caused Wufei to growl as he wrapped his arms tighter around Duo.

"What do you mean?" Quatre decided it was time for some cookies to calm *everyone* down. He didn't like the anger coming from Wufei, nor the panic coming from Zechs, while the odd feeling of possessiveness radiating from Duo disturbed him.

Duo made a small eep sound as he was squished, and drew his head back to glare at Wufei. "Enough Chang! I'm not about to run away, so knock off the protectiveness for a bit!"

"I don't like you touching him. Or vice versa for that matter." Wufei's voice dropped a few decibels and he rested his chin on Duo's shoulder suddenly shivering. "Bad things happen when they touch you..." The whispered sentence was almost dragged out of Wufei's mind.

"He's been in the place of the bad things Wufei. Not the giver. He's broke like we are, just a little different." Duo whispered the words quietly, running his hands over Wufei's back. "I can remember that. Look at his arm, they shot him up Fei." He kept his voice that same quiet note, trying to calm the Chinese boy. Wufei said nothing, only wincing slightly in understanding. He did not want to move from his position right now, just wanting to be held. "Don't you go telling me what to do Fei, hear? It'll just make me mad at you. I appreciate that you feel protective, but don't you dare tell me what to do when there is no reason to." Duo was continuing to talk in that barely audible whisper as he drew Wufei closer, hugging him.

Wufei sighed loudly. He decided to keep his mouth shut, even though his brain was screaming at him to show this Zechs who was boss, and to do it quick. "I'm tired. Let's go to bed." It was a lie, but Wufei didn't care.

"Food first. It's what we came in for." Duo pulled back, forcibly turning Wufei around to break his attention from the tall blond. He then marched him back out the door, ignoring any possibility that he might protest the manhandling entirely. Wufei suddenly realized that his stomach was rumbling and decided that food was okay. This was a chance to be alone with Duo so he could try to get him to tell him more about what he had done earlier. Wufei didn't hide the slight smile the idea brought. Duo simply nodded in pleasure over the fact that he was being obeyed as they disappeared from both of the blonde's sights.