Video Boys (parts 4 - 7)
Tigress Pern
The alarm went off at 6:30 AM. Heero rolled over and reached for the snooze button. Not finding his clock, he reached further and nearly fell off the bed onto Duo. Growling, he sat up.
"What is that horrible beeping noise?" Duo mumbled snuggling down further in the sleeping bag. Heero finally found the offending alarm clock and turned it off. A small sigh escaped from his lips. It was time to get up and get ready for school.
"Oi, Heero. What are you doing?" Duo asked as Heero slipped out of bed, tripped over Duo's leg and caught himself on his bureau.
"I have school."
"School? That's where Relena will be right?" Heero didn't answer. "I should come with you! You might freeze like last night."
"No." Heero stated. Duo frowned.
"Why not?"
"Because." Heero growled. Duo relented and watched Heero undress. Light forced itself through the slats of the tan vertical blinds making turning on the lights unnecessary. Heero threw off the white tank top that he'd worn to bed revealing a taunt chest. The light played with the shadows on Heero's exposed torso displaying strong muscles beneath smooth skin. Duo sat cross-legged in his sleeping bag watching, elbows propped on his knees. As Heero pulled out his school uniform, Duo found himself thinking something he'd never thought possible. Heero looked scrumptious. The thought startled Duo and he shook it from his mind. Instead he got up and began to undress too. He was wearing a shirt and shorts that Heero had loaned him for the night.
As he pulled off the cotton shirt and draped it over the computer chair, Heero watched him out of the corner of his dark blue eyes. The Video Boy had smooth skin disguising well-toned muscles. He was probably fairly strong despite his appearance; Heero mused as he tied his tie. The uniforms at his school were awful. He hated tying ties and wearing polished shoes.
Duo put on the clothes he'd been wearing yesterday. A white undershirt with a mock turtleneck, black pants, over shirt and boots. He looked like a renegade priest with his long chestnut hair locked in a tight braid that fell down the length of his back. "Stay in my room until we're gone." Heero told Duo before he left for the kitchen. "You can watch us leave through that window. Just stay low."
"Okay. Then I can do whatever I want until you two get back." Heero nodded. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
"No." Heero replied. Then he turned and left the room. Duo sat on Heero's bed swinging his legs back and forth absently.
"How am I supposed to be a proper Video Boy if he won't let me help him?" Duo asked himself. "He was a total disaster last night. At least I know what the girl looks like." Suddenly an idea hit him. "I also know her name. Maybe I can find out where she lives. At least then I'd have some clue as to the type of girl she is. God, he doesn't know anything important about her. Like favorite color, flower, where she likes to hang out. Argh! It's so frustrating!" He flopped backwards. He lay like that for a few minutes staring at the ceiling in the ever-increasing daylight. Images of Heero topless floated to the forefront of his mind. Duo smiled, then sat bolt upright. "Where the hell did that thought come from?"
Growling at himself for the absurd emotion that had crossed his mind, he got up and began pacing about. Presently he heard a door slam. Sneaking a peek through the blinds, he saw Heero and another boy walk down the sidewalk together. The other was taller with light brown hair swept forward over his face. He wore a uniform like Heero and carried a bookbag. Duo made sure they were gone before he ventured out.
The house consisted of two upper stories and a basement. The kitchen, Heero's room, a bathroom, living room made up the majority of the ground floor. Duo wasn't too interested in going upstairs, but guessed that it held Trowa and their parent's rooms. Instead he made his way back to the kitchen. For some reason he had the oddest sensation in his stomach. He had set himself up finding sliced bread, jam, and peanut butter when he felt a presence. Turning about he found himself face to face with a surprised blond boy about his age and height. They stared at each other in shock.
Quatre had waited for both Trowa and Heero to leave.
Trowa had said he could have the run of the house once he and his brother were gone. He'd watched them leave from Trowa's window, waited another ten minutes to make sure neither were coming back before sneaking downstairs. He knew Video Boys didn't eat or drink, but for some reason he had the urge for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Cautiously he'd descended the stairs, turned the corner to enter the kitchen and came face to face with a boy with long braided chestnut hair dressed in black. They stared at each other for a minute before Quatre recovered.
"I didn't realize that Heero had anyone over. Hi, I'm Quatre Raberba Winner."
Duo snapped himself out of shock.
"I'm Duo Maxwell. You're a friend of Trowa's?" The boy nodded. Something about this boy was familiar, but Duo couldn't place it.
"Sort of." He looked as nervous as Duo did.
"Well, would you like something to eat?" Duo asked in an attempt to break the awkwardness. Quatre nodded. "I have the weirdest craving for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." Duo laughed.
"Me too. It probably comes from the peanut butter in the VCR." Duo's mouth snapped shut when he realized what he'd said. He had practically just told this stranger that he was a Video Boy. Quatre smiled.
"Yeah, Trowa's got the same problem with his VCR too." Quatre's eyes widened. Oh, great now I've done it, he thought. For some reason Quatre felt he could trust Duo. He didn't know why, it was just a feeling.
"Are you by any chance a Video Boy?" he asked tentatively. Duo nodded numbly. "And there was a slight accident and you are now outside your video too?" Again Duo nodded. Quatre clapped his hands together. "Can I ask what type of video you were in?"
"How to Date Girls."
"Me too! Actually the title was How to Woo Girls."
"Heero has a mission to get this girl named Relena to date him."
"Trowa has a mission to get a girl named Dorothy to date him." Suddenly the two realized that they were kindred spirits in a crazy world. Duo hugged Quatre and they hopped up and down happy to know that they weren't alone. That if they had problems with either Heero or Trowa that they could talk to each other.
They spent the morning talking and eating sandwiches. Duo discovered milk and poured both he and Quatre a glass. After breakfast, they chatted on their next course of action. Once that was decided, they went to see if there was anything on either Trowa or Heero's computers that might be useful.
"This must be the place." Duo said confidently. "Oi, Quatre what's the address say?"
Quatre looked from the piece of paper in his hand to the numbers on the side of the building.
"Yep, this is it."
"Good. Now, all we have to do is find out more about Relena and Dorothy. Then we can relay it to Heero and Trowa."
"It should help both of them with their missions and us with ours." Quatre took out photos of both Relena and Dorothy that he and Duo had printed out. They'd used the computers to download information regarding the two girls, but had decided that they needed some that was more pertinent to their assignment. So they had come to the school, during lunch, to find out more about them.
"Okay, now I think I see Relena and I bet that one with the long blond hair and funny eyebrows is Dorothy hanging out with some other girls." Duo said glancing at the picture, then up to the group of girls. "Now, remember our cover stories. We're doing articles about what girls like for a teen magazine."
"Right." Quatre replied. He pulled out two small notepads and pens from his back pocket. Handing one set to Duo, they confidently strode over to the girls.
The girls were immediately charmed by the two boys and happily accepted their requests for interviews. As the girls rattled off their likes and dislikes to both Duo and Quatre, Heero and Trowa came around the corner. Glancing up, they wondered what the entire hubbub was about. By that point a large group of excited schoolgirls had surrounded the Video Boys and the brothers completely missed them.
Eventually Duo managed to single Relena out and lead her off to a more private area to continue his interview.
"Now, let's see. I don't seem to have your favorite color down."
"It's pink." Relena said. She smiled at Duo, recognizing him as the person with Heero last night in the fast food restaurant. "Although, I also like white and green. Not many people know I like green. You see my mother adores the color pink and insists that every proper young lady should like it too. So most of my wardrobe is pink. I don't mind, but I'd like to see some other colors too. Maybe a green or blue shirt here and there. Oh, I like blue too."
"Check." Duo said scribbling furiously on his pad. He'd filled up most of it with frivolous chatter from the other girls. He hoped he had enough room for Relena. "How about favorite flower?" Relena thought about it for a moment.
"Lilies or maybe carnations."
"What, no roses? Come on, every girl likes roses." Relena shook her head.
"Roses are overrated. Romantic, but if you don't have anyone then they don't mean anything."
"You mean to tell me a cute girl like you doesn't have anyone?" Relena shook her head again.
"No." She leaned against the wall of the school. "There is this guy I sort of like, but he doesn't seem to like me at all. All he does is stare with those cold blue eyes." Relena pushed herself off the wall. "That's okay." She smiled. "I'll get by." Somehow Duo didn't quite believe her. Just as he was about to say something to that effect, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Hello Heero." Relena said smiling warmly. Duo cringed.
"Relena." Heero's fingers squeezed tighter. Duo quickly spun around.
"Hello!" he said brightly hoping that Heero didn't detect his sudden nervousness. "I'm a . . . ACK!" Heero grabbed Duo and began marching him towards the entrance. "Oi, Heero! You're ruining my information gathering mission." Duo hissed. Relena followed.
"Heero, isn't that your friend from last night. It looks like you're hurting him." Heero didn't answer. "I don't think he's happy about me doing my interviews at his school, Ojosan." Duo squeaked as Heero hauled him out of the gates. Relena sighed and went back to her friends. Once outside of the gates, Heero released Duo.
"I thought I told you to stay home." He growled.
"No, you said I could do as I pleased." Duo retorted feeling the first flushes of anger creeping into his body. "I was attempting to get information that is necessary for you to get a date with Relena. You didn't have to throw me out. I would have left once I'd got what I'd come for."
"Go home."
"No. I'm not done."
"You are now." Heero snarled and stormed back inside the schoolyard. Duo stuck his tongue out, as he couldn't think of anything better at the time. "BAKA."
Somehow Quatre had managed to separate himself and Dorothy away from the remaining pack of girls. Once alone she was more than willing to talk to him.
"My favorite colors are purple, blue, and red."
Dorothy stated, twirling around dramatically so that her skirt billowed out around her. "My favorite food is anything I don't have to cook. My favorite movie is 'Unforgiven'. My favorite flower is the red rose."
Quatre wrote quickly to keep up with her.
"What are you looking for in a man?" he asked. She looked at him with piercing ice blue eyes.
"What am I looking for. Well, he'd have to be strong, a fighter, quiet, and.." She paused as she thought of what else. Quatre waited patiently as she mulled it over in her head. "Independent. He definitely needs to be independent. He should be like Relena-sama. If I could find a man like her I'd be happy."
"A man with Relena's characteristics?" Quatre asked making sure he'd heard her right. Dorothy nodded.
"Relena-sama is one of the finest people I know. She is very noble. Ah! He must be noble too."
"I see." Quatre dutifully took notes. Suddenly he felt as if he were being watched. Half expecting Duo, he instead found Trowa approaching him. He swallowed hard. Forcing a smile on his face, Quatre greeted him.
"Hello." Trowa didn't answer, he simply glared.
"Hello Trowa." Dorothy said with a small smile. "I was just giving an interview to this young man. I'm done." She turned back to Quatre. "If you need anything else. Here is my number and you can call me." She scribbled down her personal phone number and left. Trowa continued to glare.
"Anou, Trowa. I can explain." Trowa grabbed a hold of his arm and dragged Quatre off the school property. Setting him outside the gate he told Quatre to go home.
"But I was only trying to help you. You need to know the girl you're going to woo. You need to know what she's like." Quatre said plaintively.
"Please go home. We can talk later.
"But Trowa." Trowa turned and went back inside.
"You struck out too, ne?" Duo asked. Quatre glanced over his shoulder and noticed him leaning against the outer wall of the school.
"Looks that way."
"Yeah, Heero was pretty upset with me. I'm probably going to bruise. He's got a good grip."
"We might as well go home." Quatre said. Duo nodded and they slowly made their way back.
Heero and Trowa walked home in silence. Each was still angered by the appearance of Duo and Quatre. As they opened the front door, they could smell something cooking.
"I mean he'd probably freeze again." Duo exclaimed. Trowa stopped when he heard the unfamiliar voice. Heero narrowed his eyes and strode through the open door heading for the kitchen.
"You're probably right." Quatre said. Heero halted mid-stride. He didn't recognize that voice. Trowa on the other hand was heading past him. Both boys entered the kitchen at the same time to find Quatre stirring a pot on the stove and Duo with his head down on the table. Heero and Trowa just stared.
"And you know they're still mad at us for showing up today." Duo mumbled.
"At least we got information. They can't complete their missions without it." Quatre told him. He glanced over at the cookbook and then added some salt. "And we can't complete our missions unless they complete theirs." They were totally oblivious to the two brothers standing in the doorway. Heero wanted to strangle Duo. Trowa recovering first coughed. Quatre looked up.
"Oh, welcome home Trowa." He said smiling. "This must be your brother Heero." Heero was still staring at Duo, who was now staring back. "This is Heero's friend Duo Maxwell." Quatre continued introducing Duo.
Trowa nodded, then looked at his brother. Duo got up out of the chair and came over to shake Trowa's hand firmly.
"Duo Maxwell, Instructor of the Heart. Quatre tells me that you have a similar mission to Heero's." Trowa didn't blink. He wasn't sure of what to make of this.
"Heero, did you rent a tape from OZ rentals by any chance?" he asked slowly.
"Hai, how did you know?"
"Lucky guess." Trowa replied. He sighed and stared at what he was sure were two video boys. "Did you have problems with your VCR too?"
"Hai." Heero suddenly realized where this was going and focused his attention on Quatre. "He came out of your video." He pointed indicating Quatre. Trowa nodded. "Now what are we going to do?"
"I don't know." Trowa answered watching Duo lean over Quatre to study the cookbook. "I really don't know."
Heero sat down at his computer. Dinner hadn't been at all as he'd expected. Normally, when they were home, he and Trowa would each fix their own dinner. Then they'd eat in silence, do the dishes and go to their rooms. With Duo and Quatre, there had actually been conversation at the table. Unfortunately, that meant Heero had to reply whenever he was addressed.
Duo had dominated most of the dialogue, with Quatre adding his two cents here and there. Even Trowa had spoken occasionally. To Heero that was somewhat of a miracle because, like himself, Trowa rarely spoke unless he had something to say. For a moment Heero leaned back in the chair. He closed his eyes and wondered what it would have been like if he and Trowa chatted with the ease Duo and Quatre did.
Someone knocked on his door. Heero opened one eye. "Hai." He demanded, his voice held its normal cold tone.
"Um, Heero-kun." Quatre opened the door a bit. "Is it all right if I talk to you?" Heero grunted and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the still turned off computer.
"Hn." He said. Quatre took it as a "yes" and came in. He walked over and sat himself on the edge of Heero's neatly made bed.
"Heero-kun. I wanted to ask you something." Not receiving an answer either positive or negative, he continued. "How often do you and Trowa perform missions for these scientists?" There was a moment of silence before Heero answered.
"We've been working for them since we were eight. Originally, we simply helped out with experiments or would plant bugs in boardrooms. Our father is an associate of theirs and doesn't mind if they use us."
"That sounds terrible." Quatre muttered, his eyes softened, as he looked saddened.
"I doesn't matter. Trowa and I were orphans until our parents adopted us."
"Still your parents should have given you better lives."
"We have lives."
"Yes, you do, but not the kind that are full of love. You and Trowa barely speak to each other and your parents are in, what? Mongolia? That is no kind of life. Both of you deserve more than living from mission to mission, barely knowing the person who is supposed to be your brother."
"I know what I need to about Trowa." Heero stated growing bored with the way this was turning out. Quatre was Trowa's problem, not his. He shouldn't have to deal with this video boy, just his own.
"I bet you've never had a close relationship in your life." Quatre snapped, growing angry. "If you had, you wouldn't need Duo to help you get Relena to go on a date with you! If you can't have a relationship with your own brother, how do you expect to have a romantic relationship with Relena! It'll take more effort than you're dishing out right now to have a date with her!"
With that, Quatre stood and stormed out of Heero's room. Thumping up the stairs to Trowa's room, he thought better and turned to the guestroom. He threw open the door and slammed it behind him.
"Baka." Growled Quatre as he thought about Trowa and Heero. "They'll never get it!" Suddenly his temperature dropped from boiling mad to ice cold fear. "What am I doing? I don't get mad. I'm a Video Boy. We're supposed to be kind, friendly and uplifting. I was." he gasped in horror. He wandered over to one of the twin beds in the room and collapsed on it. He'd just made another discovery. "That VCR has screwed with my personality too. I have to warn Duo."
Duo stalked into the guestroom that he and Quatre were sharing only to come face to face with a very frightened Quatre.
"What's wrong?" he asked immediately.
"I . . .I got angry at Heero when I asked about him and Trowa." His voice was void of emotion. "Video Boys don't get angry."
"Well, you're not the only one cranked off right now." Duo growled.
"Duo!" Quatre cried coming off the bed and grabbing Duo by the shirt. "We DON'T GET ANGRY! We're not supposed to! But I did and so did you. Our tapes, something happened when we came out of them."
"Whoa! Settle down. I know. God I know. Quatre, we're both in serious trouble here. I know I'm doing things I normally don't do." Duo said in an attempt to calm his friend down. He'd already realized he was different than what he was normally, but he didn't have the same fear Quatre had. "Listen, I've . . .I've gotten angry too. I was talking with Trowa and found out he and Heero barely know each other." Duo prayed that the change in subject would help. Quatre slowly released Duo's shirt.
"Same here." He moved back to the bed. "What are we going to do? They can't date these girls if they can't even communicate with each other." Duo sat down next to him.
"Then we'll just have to do something about that won't we?"
"Yeah. But what?"
"I don't know. Maybe we should continue having meals together. Make them talk more. I mean I can't do all the talking."
"You weren't."
"All right, you and me do all the talking. So let's get up early and make them breakfast."
"Sounds good and after that we'll call the florist." Duo looked puzzled.
"The florist, why?" he asked. Quatre smiled.
"We need to get the ball rolling for those two. I've got Dorothy's favorite flower and address." Duo grinned.
"I've got Relena's. Let's do it!"
"YES!"
Part Seven
The door to Trowa's room creaked open. Trowa opened one eye and watched the intruder. Quatre snuck across his room wearing only a pair of boxers. He made a beeline for Trowa's book bag and stuffed a piece of paper into his notebook. The sun had barely risen, but already was throwing light into the room. Trowa realized that he hadn't shut his shades and therefore in a few more minutes, would be getting the brunt of the light in his eyes. Until then, it was casting its warm glow on Quatre's body. He looked so gentle and strong. His form easing back across the room as silent and graceful as a cat. As he passed by Trowa's bed, he cast a wondering look at Trowa then slipped out. Trowa closed his eye and counted to three before getting up. Sneaking over to his book bag, he took out the notebook and rifled through it until he found the note.
It simply read;
"Trowa,Say nice things to her. Be a gentleman and hold the door for her when she comes into the room. Pull out her seat and let her do all the talking when in a conversation. She likes to talk.
Quatre"
Trowa smiled. Quatre was giving him advice with Dorothy. He didn't know why the thought of Quatre helping him made him smile. It just did. The gesture was so simple, yet held so much meaning. Quatre had fast become Trowa's friend and he'd never had a friend before. The nature of his missions kept him from having a normal life. He remembered the argument that he and Duo had had the night before and wondered if the Video Boy was right. Maybe he needed to get to know Heero better in order to have some sort of foundation when he got romantically involved with Dorothy. Talk to each other, Duo had told him. Trowa reread the note and sighed. He at least had some idea how to start wooing Dorothy. Be a gentleman, Quatre had said, so a gentleman Trowa would be.
"Heero!" Relena called waving her hand. Heero glanced up from his desk as Relena entered the classroom. She was holding a small envelope in her hands. With a smile she set it in front of him. He stared down at it blankly, then looked up into her bright blue eyes.
"I want to thank you for the flowers. They were waiting for me when I got home from the school council meeting last night. That was very sweet."
"Flowers?" Heero asked. Relena winked.
"I understand. You don't want anyone to know you've got a crush on me. You'll loose your reputation as the silent tough guy with the ice heart." She leaned closer and whispered. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. By the way, how did you know I liked lilies?" Heero didn't know what to say. Relena must have him confused with someone else. He'd never sent flowers. As he tried to think of someway to tell her she'd made a huge mistake without blowing his chances at a date with her later, the teacher walked in.
"All right class, take your seats." he said. Relena gave Heero another wink and skipped to her seat. Heero could feel the gaze of the girls in the class on him. They knew something was up between he and Relena. Several boys were giving him dirty looks. Heero treated them to his patented gaze-o-death, and they quit.
While the teacher rattled on about functions and other mathematics concepts, Heero tried to think of who could have sent Relena flowers. Suddenly he remembered that Duo had been talking to Relena two days earlier just before Heero had hauled his butt off school property. He needed to call Duo. Right now. Heero waited until lunch to make his phone call. He headed for the only pay phone in his building and found Trowa dialing their home number when he arrived.
"Hello, Duo? Yes, this is Trowa." Trowa said calmly. "Is Quatre about? Good, may a speak to him?"
"Matai." Heero muttered. "I need to speak with Duo."
Trowa covered the receiver with his hand. "After I talk to Quatre." He turned back to the phone and Heero was forced to wait as his brother spoke. "Quatre, did you send Dorothy a dozen roses and sign my name?" There was silence on the other end. "You did. Hmmh. I see. Oh and you made reservations where? For tonight? Quatre. I haven't even asked Dorothy. What note? I don't think I can go through with . . .No, you don't need to come down here. I'll be fine. Yes, I do own a suit. Yes, it is clean. Okay. Fine. Heero needs to talk to Duo, put him back on. I'll see you when I get home." Trowa sighed deeply and handed the phone over to a slightly surprised Heero. Gingerly taking it from Trowa's hands, Heero put the phone to his ear just in time to hear Quatre yelling at Duo not to burn the quiche.
Trowa leaned back against the wall next to the phone. He had a feeling that after his brother dealt with Duo, he was going to need someone to commiserate with. Still not believing that Quatre had not only sent Dorothy flowers in his name, but had also asked her to dinner, Trowa sighed. No wonder Dorothy had been friendly with him this morning. She'd made a special effort to locate him in front of the school and thank him for the flowers and say yes that she'd love to go out to dinner. At first Trowa had thought it was because he'd been nice to her and pulled out her chair for her to sit all of yesterday, but he hadn't sent flowers nor asked her out. That's why he'd called Quatre.
"You sent Relena lilies, white and pale pink lilies tied with a blue ribbon with a note written in prose." Heero growled into the phone. Trowa glanced over at him. "And it asked if she would go out with me to dinner tonight. Duo. When I get home... What! What do you mean the quiche is done, you have to go? Duo. Duo. Duo!" Heero slammed down the phone in frustration. Trowa patted him on the shoulder.
"I see he pulled the same stunt Quatre did with Dorothy and I. What restaurant are you going to?"
"Chez Sanq." Heero replied in a tired tone.
"Me too."
"6:30 reservations?"
"6:35 reservations."
"Hn."
"Aa."
They went to lunch to talk about their Video Boys and how to shoot, stab, or poison them. No, they couldn't kill them. They had to talk to them, calmly, rationally. Then shoot, stab, or poison them.
By the end of the day both Heero and Trowa had gotten over their initial shock and irritation. They were now fully committed to their missions once again. And those missions were to date with Relena and Dorothy no matter what. So they didn't technically ask the girls out, they weren't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. With that decided, they marched home. Upon unlocking the door they were greeted by two excited Video Boys. Duo grabbed Heero and dragged him into his room while Quatre lead Trowa upstairs.
"You two don't have much time. Now we made the reservations for 6:30 and 6:35. Trowa you need to pick Dorothy up by 5:45 at the latest, Duo make sure Heero makes it to Relena's by 5:30 because it takes longer to drive from her house to the restaurant." Quatre called.
"HAI!" Duo yelled back as he shoved Heero into his room. Quatre stuffed Trowa in the upstairs bathroom.
"Now, you have exactly one hour and fifteen minutes to take a shower, get dressed, pick up the roses from the florist. No, wait. Duo and I will run down to the florists and pick up the flowers. You and Heero stay here and get ready. Now, I want you to be clean, hair dry, cologne on, clothes on and tie straight by the time we get back. Don't worry, the limos will be here at 5:00. I've made a detailed map of how to get to Dorothy's house. Duo has one for Heero on how to get to Relena's. We'll give copies to the limo drivers." Quatre rattled on as Trowa began to strip in order to take his shower. He took off the school jacket and hung it on a hanger that was in the bathroom. Then he started unbuttoning his shirt.
Trowa noticed Quatre was staring directly at him and was still talking. As he reached the fourth button from the top of his shirt, Quatre's voice faltered.
It was a brief pause, but Trowa caught it. A sudden redness was creeping into the blonde's cheeks. Trowa had an evil thought. A way to repay Quatre for his "help".
Trowa slowly removed the button from its place setting another part of his shirt free. Quatre's eyes had moved from Trowa's face to his hands. Trowa undid another button and listened as Quatre choked on another set of instructions for that night. He quickly recovered, but it was slower than the last time. Trowa tried to hide an impish smile as Quatre began to turn even redder. He unfastened the last couple and shrugged out of his shirt. It dropped to the floor and Trowa purposely bent over knowing exactly how tight his school uniform trousers fit him and picked up the shirt. Hanging it next to his jacket, Trowa began to undo his belt. His eyes lit to Quatre's face. The Video Boy was completely red from ear tip to ear tip. Swallowing hard, Quatre closed his eyes muttered something about the flowers and hurriedly left. Trowa was smiled and closed the door so he could take his shower in peace.
Turning on the water, he removed his trousers and folded them as the water heated up. Stepping into the shower, he closed his eyes and let the water run over him. That had been evil to taunt Quatre like that. Trowa turned so the water was hitting his back instead. What had possessed him to do that to Quatre? He didn't know. Had he really expected Quatre to react? He actually hadn't thought about whether Video Boys swung one way or the other. He hadn't thought about it himself like that either. With the missions and school, there wasn't much time to think about his personal preferences. Still, he'd gotten a thrill out of stripping in front of Quatre. That had to mean something, didn't it? No, he couldn't debate such things; he had a mission to complete. He had to date Dorothy and get her to influence her father into giving grant money to the scientists.
