Trowa sat in the midst of a pile of sticky tickets and receipts. It didn't matter if they traveled to the Colonies, Earth or Mars, the end of the night was the same. Since the manager had retired and named Trowa his successor, the circus had not only sustained, but had flourished with the new operational structure he had been able to implement. Still, some things remained as a reminder of the circus' long and proud history. Though they didn't need to anymore, paper tickets were handed out and counted at the close of every performance.

Emerald green eyes, glanced over the figures for the final count and he nodded to himself. "Another night down," he said, softly to himself as he finished up. "All that's left is the Midway." Glancing up, he caught sight of a framed picture of Quatre and smiled.

"Need to call you, sometime," he said softly.

Settling back in his chair, Trowa smiled to himself as he remembered the last time Quatre had visited. A small frown creased his forehead as he became aware of the fact that it had been a full three years ago. A lot had changed since then and since the wars. Quatre had married Relena Dorlan and ended months of speculation in the press. Together they were nearly invincible in the cause of interplanetary peace. The timetable for the Mars Terraforming Project had been escalated with the backing of The Master Winner Memorial Fund.

Duo Maxwell had returned to the L2 colony and opened up an orphange with the most unlikely help of Wufei Chang.

Lucrezia Noin and Zechs Merquise ran the Mars Terraforming Project and still remained close friends.

Trowa couldn't help a small sigh that escaped his lips when he thought of Gundam pilot he'd most admired... Heero Yuy. After the Gundams had been destroyed, Heero vanished. Trowa remembered that the hero who had saved the Earth and peace itself, simply turned in certain notoriety and fame and had not been heard from since. None of the pilots had gone into war desiring the spotlight, but of them all, Heero Yuy seemed not to need anything beyond the accomplishment of his goal. "Mission Accomplished, eh Heero?" Trowa said, softly to himself. Yet, he knew that the surface was not all there was to Heero. He had seen the Japanese pilot at his darkest moment and watched as he fought back to life. There were things in Heero's deep blue eyes that only hinted at the depth of his character and emotions. Maybe he just had too many to deal with, Trowa thought.

A loud knock interrupted his thoughts and Trowa looked up. "Come in," he said, clearly.

"Boss!" Joey, one of the roustabouts said urgently, "You gotta come, now! There's some guy bankrupting us at the Midway!"

Trowa stood, shrugging on his protective gear. Martian nights were not to be trifled with. Even with much of the planet now terraformed, it still got very cold.

"Let's go," Trowa replied, following the man out of the door.

The Midway was the last part of the circus grounds still illuminated, the colored lights twinkling and flashing around the stalls to the various games. Most of the games were empty of people, however, as the remaining patrons had gathered in a small crowd around one stall. It was a marksman's game, with various targets of different point values, some stationary, some moving, fast or slow, some popping up at irregular intervals. The harder the target was to hit, the higher the point value.

There was only one person standing at the shooting mark, and the ground at his feet was heaped with a pile of prizes of all kinds, from plushie animals to dolls, toys, costume jewelry, framed mirror-pictures, holographs, music players, and small video game players. The point value on the score was about to turn over on a number which the board did not have enough digits to display.

The young man who stood in a balanced, but relaxed stance was dressed like a drifter or wildcat prospector. His boots were stained with black chlorophyll from the engineered lichens and plants that were slowly covering areas of Mars around the project factory sites. His clothes were faded, strips of cloth wrapped around the tops of his boots, between sleeves and gloved hands, and around his neck, red dust in the creases of his garments showing that he'd been far out from the inhabited areas, to where Mars was still red desert. An oxygen mask hung from straps around his neck, pulled down here, inside the dome where it wasn't needed, but still blocking a clear view of the lower part of his face, and a faded bandana covered his head, with only a few thick locks of dark brown hair escaping its confinement. His eyes were masked by sandrat goggles that made it impossible to see anything of their color, shape or expression.

The game gun did not shoot actual projectiles, but a light beam, which was recorded by sensors on the targets. Each time a target was hit, a bell or siren went off to add to the game's excitement, and the sounds were going off so frequently that the roustabout running the game was being drowned out as he waved futilely at the marksman, attempting to persuade him to take a rest.

Trowa frowned as he walked up to the scene. Taking in the situation, he noticed his employee first and the calm marksman next. Pushing through the small crowd, he moved behind the counter and tapped his roustabout on the shoulder. "I'll handle this. Clear out the crowd. I'm shutting it down," he said over the loud din.

Without waiting for a reply, he then looked up at the marksman, sizing him up. He noted that the man seemed at ease and focused. He seemed more interested in the game, rather than the prizes. There was something about him that was familiar, but the eyes were difficult to see behind the goggles. Trowa folded his arms and leaned back to watch for a moment.

The roustabout nodded with relief and went around, with some of the other guys, in cheerfully persuading the crowd in small groups to leave, since the circus was closing down for the night.

The score on the display rolled over the highest number possible, gave a little squeal, and went dead, a few sparks coming out of the back.

Trowa leaned over and cut the power to the game, then stepped forward. "Congratulations, friend," he said, "I think you wiped us out here. Good shooting."

The marksman turned his head slightly, and glanced down at the game gun in his hand, then tossed it onto the booth counter. "Hn," he remarked. He looked down at the mound of prizes. "You owe me for the last round." His voice sounded low and a little rusty, as if he rarely used it out in the red lands. It was partially muffled as well, but there was something oddly familiar that slid along Trowa's nerves.

Trowa frowned again. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled a card with a number of credits on it, then moved towards the marksman, slowly. By the time he stood before the man, his expression was cool and not so nice as his words had been previously. "Here," he said, "A little something for your trouble. Take your toys. This is your last visit to the Midway."

The man did not turn to face Trowa, or reach out to take the money. "Do something, a favor," he said, in his unused-sounding but oddly familiar voice. "Make a package. Send these," he gestured vaguely at the pile, "to an orphanage on L2... I'll give you the address..."

The frown re-appeared on Trowa's face for an instant. It was replaced by a slight widening of his emerald green eyes, then a small smile appeared on his features. "So, Heero Yuy lives after all," he said, feeling a sense of calm and excitement that he hadn't felt in years. "Consider it done. Buy you a drink?"

The young man turned finally, reaching up to push the goggles up onto his forehead. Deep blue eyes stared back at Trowa with mild surprise.

"Trowa," he said. Then he smiled. It was a surprisingly sweet expression, making him look suddenly very young indeed. "So you're the boss now?"

"Yes," Trowa answered, feeling his heart stir as the expression brought back memories. "The manager retired and left me in charge. You've been out here all this time?"

Heero shrugged. "Explains why I didn't see a clown act with knives. Thought maybe you'd left the circus." He was evading the question, almost as if it were a reflex. "A drink? Yeah," he said. "Something with no sand in it would be nice."

"I got just the thing," Trowa said, noticing the evasion and letting it slide. "Hey Ren!" he called out to one of his men. "Take these and ship 'em to Maxwell's!" Turning back to Heero, he smiled again, pleased that the former Gundam pilot had not disappeared like a mirage. "Let's go," he said, leading the way back to his quarters.

Once inside, Heero looked around the room curiously, without commenting. He found the familiar furnishings and belongings of the circus life oddly comforting, reminding him of a brief time when he'd stayed in such surroundings. These were nicer, of course. Trowa seemed to be doing well for himself. Reaching up absently, he pulled the goggles and bandana off his head, freeing the unruly mop of irrepressible hair, now streaked here and there from exposure to the desert winds and sun. He found a straight-backed chair not covered with ledgers or props and sat down quietly.

Trowa dropped the gear on the table near his desk, then unbuttoned the top of his shirt. Moving to a cabinet, he took out two glasses and bottle of sake. Pouring the liquid into the glasses, he then took one and handed it to Heero. "Here," he said. "It'll warm you up."

Heero's eyebrows lifted fractionally. Then he took the small glass and drank its contents. The sake burned down his throat so smoothly it was almost deceptive. Probably not a good idea to have too many of those.

Trowa downed his drink, placing the bottle on a table nearby. He took a seat next to Heero's and put his feet up. "I guess it's time to upgrade the shooting gallery. You killed it," he said.

Heero looked up. He frowned. "Sorry," he said, shrugging. He hadn't really planned to get quite so involved in the game, and wasn't exactly sure how it happened. He'd just... been out in the desert for... well a while, anyway. Coming back in the dome for supplies, he'd seen the circus, wandered over, curious, but feeling uncomfortable in the crowd. The shooting game... something he knew...

"I'll fix it," he offered, leaning forward to get up.

Seeing Heero move, Trowa stretched out a hand and gently pushed him back. "That's a kind offer. Let me take you up on it tomorrow. You're tired," he said.

Heero sat back, going with the push, and blinked up at Trowa. "No I'm not," he said automatically. To Heero, tired meant no sleep for a week and physically dropping. His eye was caught by the pile of tickets. "Uh... you have things to do..."

"You're not taking care of it," Trowa said, recalling a time that seemed a million years ago.

"Hn?"

"Your body, Heero," Trowa said, patting Heero on the shoulder. "When was the last time you slept?"

"37 hours, twenty-eight minutes ago," Heero answered automatically. "Why?"

Trowa looked down and shook his head. "Some things don't change, do they?" he said, quietly. "Okay, I don't have any of Katherine's soup to give you, but I do have a bed. You need one. You're staying here tonight. Tomorrow, we take a look at the game."

Heero looked at Trowa. He felt a little puzzled. He wasn't *that* tired. He'd traveled the last day to reach the dome, then spent several hours collecting supplies, then a few more wandering around the circus. He'd planned to head back out almost immediately. But he admitted he *could* rest. And it was pleasant to see Trowa, hear his voice. He hadn't seen any of the other pilots in some time, and hadn't been seen by them in longer. The familiar smell of the circus quarters was soothing. The sake was relaxing his muscles. There wasn't any real urgent reason to leave, except for a vague, unnamed fear of becoming entangled in interaction with *people* again...

Trowa wasn't people, though. "Ok," he said.

Trowa nodded. Frankly, he was a bit surprised, but soon found himself pleased. "Fine, then," he said.

Trowa felt a little awkward at first as he led Heero to his quarters. It had been quite some time since he had shared space with the former Gundam pilot and the circumstances were somewhat different as well. As he moved to the makeshift bath and turned on the recycler, most of the hesitance gave way in favor of mutual exhaustion.

Turning to Heero, he removed his jacket. "When was the last time you had a shower?" he asked, quietly.

Heero looked up at Trowa and blinked. "A while," he said, thinking it over. He'd considered a bath when picking up his supplies, knowing that once he left the dome it might be months before he was back in the human inhabited areas, but the cost of a real water bath was more than he wanted to pay for something that was still a bit of a luxury here on Mars. He tilted his head. "You offering one?"

Emerald green eyes looked down at Heero and Trowa smiled. "Yes, I am," he said, holding his left hand out towards the now cascading warm water. "But, you might want to take those things off, first," he added, opening his own shirt.

One arched eyebrow lifted. "It hasn't been *that* long," he murmured, not sure if Trowa was being funny or not. Duo's humor was always right up front but the former mercenary could occasionally say something with a straight face that would trip you up if you took it seriously.

He began unwrapping the strips of material from around his wrists and the tops of his boots, and methodically dismantled his effectively intricate layers of desert outerwear. He didn't pause until he was naked, his skin still remarkably pale in some places, oddly tanned in others. The white faded marks of scars old and new weren't that noticeable in the dimmer light of Trowa's inner rooms. The floor beneath where he'd been disrobing did collect a fine layer of red dust and sand, a little of which could be seen in his hair, despite the bandana he'd removed earlier.

He'd grown a little, not more than a couple of inches in height, but his body had become more solid, though it would always be compact.

Trowa chuckled at Heero's last comment as he removed the rest of his clothing as well. Once or twice his eyes drifted over towards Heero, noting the differences in his body, but he made an active effort not to stare. What the hell is up with me? he thought, feeling his hands flex with the sudden desire to touch. Looking down to cover a sudden sense of embarrassment, Trowa blinked as he saw and felt his manhood move and rise in a perpendicular angle to the rest of his body. Frowning, he moved into the shower and under the blast of water quickly, leaving room for Heero.

A tiny smile curved Heero's mouth as he observed Trowa from under the fringe of his bangs. He stepped into the small shower behind the taller young man... *right* behind him. Trowa's body blocked most of the spray, but he felt the warm sprinkles that made it through and the warm water that swirled around his feet. The smooth surface of the ceramic floor was slippery. Heero settled a hand on Trowa's hip - for balance, of course.

Trowa combed the wet hair back from his face with his fingers as he felt Heero move behind him. This time there was no mistaking the reaction of his body. It was instantaneous and strong. As the water beat against his wide chest, he gasped slightly. The touch of Heero's hand on his hip sent a wave of pleasure through his long frame that threatened to buckle his knees. He paused a second or two, then looked back over his shoulder. "Umm, here," he said, angling slightly so that the water moved past him and onto Heero. This time, he found it harder to look away.

Heero closed his eyes in pleasure as more of the spray hit his body. He turned his face up and into it, feeling the luxury of water move along his skin. He lifted one hand and rubbed it across his face, and pushed his hair back out of his eyes as it slowly soaked up the spray and began to drip down his face, neck and back. For long moments he simply stood, feeling the water. His hand did not leave Trowa's hip, however, resting there quite naturally somehow. And his own manhood wasn't dormant. Was he reacting to the sensual play of the shower?

Trowa watched Heero intently. He felt that odd sense of excitement again that he had attributed to hero-worship a long time ago. This time, it was something far more, something that was just out of Trowa's reach. Silently, he congratulated himself on having the idea to invite Heero to stay. It felt like the right thing to do.

A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he watched Heero interact with the water. The expression on Heero's face was one of pure pleasure and the water pouring over the blue-eyed young man's body was like art in motion. I'm losing it, Trowa thought, as he reached out and touched Heero's cheek. "You needed it," he heard his voice say.

Heero's eyes opened, looking into Trowa's without surprise. "Hn? No... but it feels nice." He shook his head slightly and drops flew from the thick locks. He tilted his head and studied Trowa. "Seems like you needed something, though."

Trowa looked down at Heero for a long moment, then silently nodded. "Yes, I suppose I did," he said. "Maybe it's something I've needed for long time, Heero," he added, sliding his hand down to Heero's neck.

It was a little like caressing a small mountain - solid, nothing moved. Heero continued to look into his eyes with, Trowa could now see, a combination of interest and curiosity. "Like what?" he said, watching the water play across Trowa's shoulder and side.

Without breaking eye contact, Trowa moved forward blocking the shower once again. He could feel the warmth of Heero's body close to his own. "Not to be alone," he said. "Like you, Heero."

The Japanese boy noticed Trowa move closer. "Hn," he remarked. "I thought it was something else," he added, the corner of his mouth threatening to twitch.

Trowa shook his head, closing the narrow distance between the two of them. The hand at Heero's neck slid around and into the Perfect Soldier's wet hair. "Fuck you, Heero," he said, "I was trying to be... sensitive." Bending, Trowa pressed his mouth to Heero's, kissing him savagely.

Heero's mouth opened, though it wasn't immediately apparent whether it was more than a reflex, perhaps even an attempted protest, though if that, it was quickly stifled. Heero's mouth was warm and clean-tasting. He submitted to Trowa's kiss as though curious, the hand on Trowa's hip never loosing its place. His fingers flexed, mouth opened deeper, stance as still as a rock, never yielding an inch to the press, only surrendering his mouth.

A short while later, Trowa lifted his head. He looked down at Heero, his chest rising and falling with quick, short breaths. He could almost hear his heart tripping like a hammer in his chest as his eyes drank in the beautiful face close to his own. "So, what *else* did you think it was?" he asked, as his eyes falling to Heero's mouth.

Heero smiled, licking his lips, tasting Trowa. "Sex," he replied, then shrugged. "But I could have been mistaken." His hand unfastened from Trowa's hip, stroking it twice.

Trowa's hand darted out, catching Heero's wrist. "Don't think so," he said, putting Heero's hand back on his hip. Cupping Heero's face with his other hand, Trowa bent his head again, taking Heero's mouth with his own.

Heero's eyelids dropped, leaning forward a little into the kiss. His tongue slid along the underside of Trowa's, testing, and found its way into Trowa's mouth, returning the open-mouthed caress. His fingers tightened, feeling the muscle and flesh, squeezing it. As he leaned closer, his cock, erect and weeping a little under the warm spray of the water, nudged Trowa's body and slid along its counterpart. The sensation caused a muffled gasp to come from the blue-eyed boy.

Trowa pressed his hips forward, moving against Heero in small, grinding circles allowing him to feel as much of his desire as possible. He sucked at Heero's tongue, taking it deep into his mouth and feasting on it in time with his moving hips. Heero tasted sweet, felt good against his body and Trowa wanted more.

Heero slid his other hand around Trowa's waist, bracing his body against Trowa so he could feel the friction fully. He lost himself in the kiss until, breathless, his head fell back, allowing him to gasp for air. His eyes opened slowly, and only a little, gazing up at Trowa under dark-fringed lids. "That feels...good," he murmured, his voice dropping into a husky tone.

Trowa looked down, his mouth slightly ajar as panted against Heero. He moved both of his hands down and around Heero's hips, cupping them in his hands. Moving forward, he slowly pressed Heero back against the wall of the recycler, leaning the full length of his long body against him. Bending his head once again, he kissed Heero's bare shoulder, then moved his mouth around the soft flesh at Heero's neck. "You taste good," Trowa murmured, licking the back of Heero's ear, then capturing the small lobe of flesh into his mouth.

Heero held tightly to Trowa and squirmed a little under the oral assault. Squirming might not seem a very Heero-ish thing to do, but he hadn't felt any sensations like these in a long time, in fact he wasn't sure if he'd ever felt anything exactly like this. It teased at nerves already soothed by the drink of sake. The spray of water added more stimulation. His cock felt so tight and excited he almost felt he might come, feeling Trowa's well-built torso pressing against his. It was oddly exciting. "Unh," he started to speak but only managed a low moan. His hands fell to Trowa's rear, mirroring the strong grip on his own body, and his fingers kneaded the firm flesh.

Trowa felt the tension in Heero's body through his fingertips. Slowly, he moved back, allowing the spray of the shower to separate their bodies. Leaning his head back, Trowa shook water out of his hair, his eyes never leaving Heero. "Not too fast," he said, quietly as he looked down the length of Heero's body. A small smile lifted his lips in appreciation. Placing a his hands on Heero's chest, Trowa moved his fingertips down, grazing the Japanese boy's nipples, and moving downward.

Heero leaned back against the wall of the recycler, feeling the water run over his body. Trowa's words seem to seep into him as a kind of order, and he took deep breaths to get a little control over himself. Then Trowa's fingers rubbed against his nipples and he gasped. The flesh engorged and peaked, and Heero shuddered slightly. He tried to concentrate on the feel of the water, but his eyes were roaming over Trowa, falling unerringly to his groin. His hands had fallen to his sides and one of them moved around, encircling his own cock and giving it a little pressure to relieve the growing ache. He licked his lips, watching water run along Trowa's erection and drip off of it.

Trowa watched Heero's movements, feeling his cock sway a little in the air. The water felt good, but it was no match for what he knew would feel better. He waited patiently for a few moments, then reached out and placed his hands on Heero's waist. "Turn around a second," Trowa instructed, his hands guiding the Japanese boy's movements. "There's more to feel."

Heero tilted his head curiously, and let Trowa guide him to face the wall of the refresher. The water felt good on his back. He placed his hands against the wall and looked back over his shoulder. "Hn?"

Trowa's green eyes widened as he watched Heero turn. The sight of the water falling on Heero's back and cascading over his hips was one that he would remember forever. Looking up at Heero's inquiry, he nodded once. "Perfect," he said, softly. He then took a few steps forward and placed his hands on Heero's shoulders. Moving them down, Trowa massaged the well-formed muscles of Heero's back and hips. His strong fingers squeezed the soft flesh of Heero's rear, parting the Japanese man with each long stroke. He watched as the fall of water was diverted between Heero's legs each time he was parted, until finally, he simply held Heero open and allowed the water to bathe the valley of his rear.

Heero blinked, feeling the pleasant sensations of Trowa's hands moving over him. When his hands began to focus on Heero's hips, he closed his eyes, fingers trying to dig into the recycler wall. He took a deep breath to calm himself, but as the stroking was repeated, spreading his cheeks apart over and over to let the water trickle down there, he felt an intense welling of excitement. Without conscious thought, his hips tilted a little, canting back and up. As the water moved along the cleft, he bit his lip. His heartbeat increased rapidly.

Trowa licked his lips as he saw Heero tilt a little. This was another sight that he committed to memory. Without warning, he began sliding his fingers down and into the cleft of Heero's rear. He felt the puckered opening and massaged it, circling it with the water. Trowa could feel the tension in Heero's body as he carefully slipped one of his fingers into the opening, closing his eyes at the sensation.

Heero's back arched as he felt Trowa's fingers circle his entrance. He swallowed, sensing what was about to happen. His muscles tightened, trying to keep the invader out, but the water was warm and slippery and Trowa's touch was insistent. With a little shudder, he felt himself give, and felt the invasion of his body. It was uncomfortable, but more than that, it was intensely arousing. His mind skipped ahead and then he tried not to think about what it had skipped to. He made a sound in his throat, hips tilting further, as if offering himself, though his mind hadn't made the decision to do that.

"Yes, that's it," Trowa said, "Just relax." He then moved fingers in and out of Heero's body, feeling the Japanese man move in time with him. After a few moments, he moved closer to Heero, removing his hand and rubbing his aching erection against Heero's rear.

Heero swallowed a low moan, as the sensation of Trowa's finger moving in him brushed something, just barely, hinting at a suddenly possible pleasure. As Heero found himself pushing back, seeking that contact again, Trowa pulled back, and then Heero felt something hard and heated, and velvet-textured rubbing against his body. He knew what that something was, and knew what Trowa was telling him silently. His heart pounded in his chest. His cock throbbed as Trowa rocked against him, tantalizing him with the feeling of his cock outside his entrance. He felt Trowa's balls brush against him, and they felt heavy and full, causing his own to ache even more than before. He wanted it to happen. His hand balled into fists against the wall. Licking his lips, he pushed back against the other boy.

Trowa felt Heero rock back against him and took a deep breath. Reaching down between them, he took a step back, grasping his cock in his hand and guided it upwards towards Heero's entrance. Licking his lips again, he felt the slight resistance as he moved his hips forward. At the first contact of Heero's body, Trowa swallowed hard, feeling desire steal his breath away. He was as careful as he could be at first, then his body took over and he sank into Heero deeply. Gasping at the contact, Trowa slid and arm around Heero's waist to steady them both.

Biting his lip, Heero felt the protest of his body as Trowa pushed inside, the stretch and the pain - it felt as if Trowa's cock was splitting him slowly. The shower spray washed away drops of salt perspiration that formed on his skin. He felt Trowa's arm lock around his waist. His fingers tried to dig into the wall, but as the sensation became almost unbearable, he felt something shift and adjust. Somehow, Trowa moved deeper, and he felt the edge of that sensation again, the one that hinted at something good. He pushed back, trying to reach it, as his muscles tensed. "Trowa!" he cried, his voice low and intense, half demand, half supplication.

Trowa heard Heero's cry reverberate throughout his being. His body reacted, moving back and then plunging into Heero from behind. His hands slid around Heero's waist, holding the Japanese man as he rocked into his beautiful body. His hips moved of their own accord returning waves of pleasure back to him even as he gave. "Oh Heero," he heard his voice say, as he moved faster and deeper inside.

The impact of Trowa's body into his own cause a shock of pleasure to shudder through his body. Heero wanted to feel it again, and welcomed each thrust, arching his back. Each time, the pleasure spiraled, filling him with heat. Throwing his head back, Heero abandoned himself to the sensations, a low moan coming from his throat. As the spiral increased, he felt a sudden explosion inside and shuddered with a wordless cry, releasing his essence with hard jerks, spattering the wall.

Trowa wrapped his arms around Heero's body, feeling him surrender to pleasure. His own acquiescence came a few moments later as his body shuddered and released its seed deeply into Heero. For a moment, he held on to the Japanese boy as though they were the only two beings on the red planet. Finally, he moved back and out of Heero, feeling the spray of water hit his face and body. He turned Heero around and kissed him. "Come on, let's get out of here before we drown," Trowa said, smiling.

Heero sighed, his legs feeling like they wanted to give so he could rest on the floor. Stepping out of the recycler, he felt Trowa wrap a large towel around him and managed to stay on his feet. He held the towel and watched the green-eyed young man dry himself and then pull Heero over to a large, wide bed. For a moment, Heero tried to remember when he had slept in an actual bed, and gave up, feeling too sleepy. He crawled onto the bed and circled Trowa with his arms. Yawning, he settled back. His rear felt sore, but he was already thinking of when he could experience that pleasure again. His hand drifted along Trowa's body and settled over his lap, and a slight smile curved his mouth as he closed his eyes.

Trowa woke up the next morning with the same small smile on his lips. The bed was still warm as his eyes opened, but the other side was empty. Frowning, he sat up, then relaxed a bit as he heard movement nearby. Yawning, he stood up and moved to the bath area. Leaning in the doorway, he watched Heero move around the room. "Hi," he said, "You going somewhere before breakfast?"

Heero looked up, finishing the quick running through of his hair with a large-toothed comb. His eyes rested on Trowa for a moment without replying, his expression flickering into an almost secretive pleasure. Then he shrugged. "Was leaving," he said. "I'm glad you woke up. I can thank you for the... drink."

A small flash of disappointment and sadness passed through the emerald depths of Trowa's eyes. He stepped closer to Heero and cupped his face with his hands. Bending his head, he kissed Heero deeply, taking his time.

Heero stilled, the comb dangling from his hand. He leaned into the kiss a little. When Trowa finally moved back, Heero watched him, the beginnings of a question in his eyes. He seemed almost puzzled, or starting to reconsider some assumption. Reaching up, he brushed his fingers over Trowa's cheek.

Trowa's eyes closed at the contact, then opened slowly to study Heero's face. "I want you to stay, Heero," he said. "I want it more than I can explain." Leaning down, he kissed Heero's mouth again and slid his arms around the Japanese boy's body. "Of course, I know you have your work, but I think I can come up with some pretty compelling reasons." he added, kissing Heero's neck and nipping at the warm flesh.

Deep blue eyes widened. Trowa's words seemed to surprise the former Perfect Soldier. His neck stretched a little as he pondered the unexpected request. "How long?" he murmured finally, settling on a practical question. He let go of the comb and placed his arms around Trowa's waist almost reflexively.

Trowa smiled a little, licking Heero's ear before answering. "I'll take whatever you give me, but I was thinking forever," he said against Heero's ear, as his hands moved over the curves of his rear, squeezing Heero hard.

Heero growled softly, feeling the touch on his body having a definite inciting effect. Trowa's words were still puzzling. But Heero found something awakening along with his libido. Curiosity. He thought it over.

Relaxing a little, he said, "Okay... don't know about forever," there was a sense almost of humor, with a touch of that curiosity, "but how about a month?"

Trowa chuckled, hugging Heero tightly. "I'll take it," he said, then pressed Heero's body against his again as he pressed his hips forward. Biting his lower lip, Trowa felt his cock harden more at the contact.

Mentally, Heero began to adjust his thoughts about immediate activity, even as his body answered the contact with a quick surge of a purely physical agenda. Leaning up, he ran his tongue along Trowa's lower lip where he'd bitten it lightly. "Hn," he murmured. "Back... to bed?"

Trowa looked down at Heero through his bangs and nodded. "I promised you breakfast, didn't I?" he said. "We'll have food later."

Heero looked back, mouth curving at one corner. "That was... an innuendo?"

"Big one," Trowa replied, patting Heero on the bottom. Taking Heero's wrist, he then pulled him back into the warmth of the big bed.

Heero crawled onto the bed and stretched out luxuriously. "Trowa?"

"Yeah?"

"This is... people do this, don't they?"

"With alarming frequency, if you mean having sex," Trowa said, sliding his hand along Heero's stomach. "If you mean sleeping in beds, the same goes."

Heero's stomach rippled a little under the touch and his manhood rose steadily to attention. "Sex," he answered. "And... staying together. Like... Duo and Wufei. Relena and Quatre. Wondered why you hadn't."

Trowa's hand moved down to curl around Heero's prominent erection. He looked into the deep blue depths of Heero's eyes. "Yes, again," he said, "People stay together, have sex, build families, partnerships. I guess I never did because I've only found one person that I can be around for long periods at a time. I'm not an easy person to get along with, Heero."

Heero's eyes closed for a moment as he enjoyed the feeling of Trowa's fingers around his now slightly aching flesh. He opened them again to look up. "Hn? Of course you are."

Trowa shook his head. "Not according to Quatre, Catherine or Duo. I'm too quiet. I don't think I'm quiet. I just don't have a lot to say all the time," he said with a shrug. Slowly, he began stroking Heero with long, smooth movements.

Heero shifted and an expression of pleasure moved across his features. "Not quiet," he managed. He reached up and slid his hand around Trowa's neck, pulling him down to a kiss.

Trowa returned the kiss, feeling himself relax into it. His hand on Heero's swollen organ did not stop. Moments later, he moved back, looking into Heero's eyes. "That one person I mentioned was you, of course," he said.

"Oh," Heero remarked, sliding his hand into Trowa's lap to claim his prize. He explored Trowa's manhood with caressing fingers still roughened here and there with calluses. Then he blinked. "Couldn't have left anyway," he said with mild surprise. "I forgot to fix the shooting game."

"Huh?" Trowa remarked, suddenly taken to another planet by Heero's touch. He licked his lips, then nodded as the words formed a coherent pattern in his head. "Oh, yeah." Leaning back down, he kissed Heero again, thrusting his tongue into his lover's mouth.

Heero sank into the kiss with a combination of deep relaxation and growing sexual tension. It occurred to him, in the form of one of the rare jokes he told himself and no one else, that he had actually managed to win a substantial prize by beating the shooting game. He seemed to have won the circus master.