The young couple considered it a great blessing when they became pregnant with their first child. Yes, I know that’s an odd way to phrase it, but Mr. and Mrs. Lowe were open-minded about such things and, needless to say, Mr. Lowe was very happy.

They intended to call their first child Solo, whether or not it was a boy or a girl. To their surprise, however, after one of the several doctor appointments, they found that instead of one child, they would be having two, twins.

The two boys were born in January, after hours of labor. The first was named Solo, as the original plan dictated. The second born was named Heero, after Mrs. Lowe’s father. Solo was born at 6 pounds, 7:49 am, while Heero was 5 pounds, 10 ounces, 8:17 am.

The two were identical twins. Both had cute little sleep wrinkles and red chubby faces. Soft, black, baby down hair had already started to grow on top of their heads. Their tiny hands were clenched into tiny fists and their cute little bodies were tucked nicely into matching blue blankets and blue caps.

Their mother and father loved the pair equally, and considered their birth to be a blessing doubly given.

The boys grew up, of course, and for their second birthday, their open-minded parents got them something that they could both share: a large chestnut-colored teddy bear with a big grin and soft, thick ‘fur’.

The two boys immediately fell in love with their big gift. They had never had a teddy bear that big before. It was so big, the two would joke that the soft teddy was almost as big as Daddy!

They loved that teddy so much, but soon it became apparent to Mr. and Mrs. Lowe that the two boys could not share. Fights broke out between the twins when one saw the other playing with the bear. Tantrums became almost second nature when the two fought over who would get to sleep with it, among other things.

One day the fights became so bad that the bear came out of it torn in half. Its arms were no longer attached to its body. Stuffing was scattered all over the floor, and in the middle of all the carnage were the two brothers, crying.

Mrs. Lowe thought that there was still a possibility of fixing the poor innocent toy, as she had several times already, when the bear became torn or shredded as a result of the fighting. Mr. Lowe, however, did not see the possibility of repairing it. After the two boys were finally calmed down and sent to bed, Mr. Lowe cleaned up the mess and, although it bothered him greatly to do so, threw the bear away.

Though the boys were heartbroken over the loss of their big, chestnut-brown bear, their Daddy and Mommy got them new gifts to help them forget all about their big, hurt friend…

“You’re such a punk-ass, Heero.” Solo ran a hand through his short hair as he eyed his younger brother’s brand-new black eye. The round, blue-black circle gave the blue eyes an almost alluring, pathetic appearance. Solo should try getting himself beat up for real some time soon. Maybe it would give him an advantage…

Heero glared at his brother, but that only made Solo laugh. He returned his attention to his reflection in the mirror as he tried to figure out how exactly those two morons did that to him. “Whatever, Solo. If I need your fucking advice, I’ll fucking ask for it.”

“Ooh, testy, aren’t we…” Solo’s half-smile grew a bit more sympathetic. “Well, at least we know that Relena’s brother can hold his own in a fist fight.”

Heero snorted as he splashed cold water on his face. “Stupid bitch,” he muttered, his voice tainted with irritation. “I told her…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know…” Solo grabbed a towel and tossed it in the general direction of Heero’s head. It landed beautifully on top of Heero’s equally short, messy hair. Downstairs, the front door opened.

“Guys, are you home?” their mother called out into the house.

“We’re upstairs, Mom!” Solo yelled back. His grin turned a bit mischievous. “Wait till you check out Heero’s black-eye!”

Michiko looked at her teenage son’s eye with an upset look on her face. “God, you two. What did I tell you about messing with that girl?” She signed as she placed a bag of frozen peas on his face.

“Don’t bother with stupid people,” Heero muttered in reply underneath the bag.

“Well, I hope you learned your lesson.” She sent a glare at Solo’s direction. “Both of you.” Mrs. Lowe looked over to the living room where her husband was busy watching the evening news. “Do you want to add anything, Odin?”

“Yes,” Odin replied, his voice a rumbling sort as it echoed its way to the kitchen. “Did you give them each a black eye in return?”

Solo laughed from his spot by the kitchen table. “He tried, but he was too busy holding his nuts after Relena kicked him to even *try* blocking Milliardo’s punch. What was is, Heero?” Solo looked at his brother with that familiar mischievous look in his eyes. “A right hook? An uppercut? A jab?”

Heero scowled at his brother.

Solo sighed, dropping his head in mock defeat. “Well, now you can’t ask Milli-Vanilli out, since he branded you a punk-ass.”

Michiko looked at her son. “Now, Solo,” she scolded, “Heero is not a ‘punk-ass’, just…” She looked at her seventeen-year-old, appearing all the more pitiful with a bag of peas on his left eye. “Well, maybe you *are* a punk-ass Heero.” She kissed his forehead. “But at least you’re *our* punk-ass.”

“Here-here!” Odin cheered from the living room. Solo grinned from the kitchen table.

“Thanks, mom,” Heero replied, suppressing the urge to run far, far away.

Odin and Michiko Lowe were, perhaps, two of the most open-minded people a child could hope for. They have made some mistakes, of course, but are, for the most part, loving and sincere.

When their two boys, barely thirteen at the time, told them that they were gay, the Lowes were not harsh nor did they reprimand the two. They accepted the reality and lived with it. It was a testimony to their personalities and their nature that the twins were able to inform them of this preference at all, much less at such a young age.

They were so open and sincere in their ways they seem almost child-like in their manner…

Only recently did they consider the idea of opening up the spare room in the back of the house for boarders. Though there was no need for money, considering both Odin and Michiko worked and Michiko’s a genius when it came to the family’s budget, they came to the decision rather quickly and unanimously.

Neither of the Lowes could say how exactly that decision came about, but it came nonetheless, like a bolt of inspired thought…

There was a hum in the classroom as Solo and Heero entered. It was not an angry buzz, nor a mutinous drone, but rather a hum of excitement. Something has happened. Hopefully, for the twins’ sake, it didn’t have anything to do with his little fight with the Peacecrafts a couple of days ago.

“Stupid bitch,” he muttered underneath his breath as he caught sight of the blonde-haired girl leaning on the teacher’s desk, chatting happily away with a few of her friends. Spotting the twins, Relena turned and gave them a light smile and half-hearted hand wave.

“Looks like she forgot what she called you, Heero,” Solo whispered to his brother while waving back. His grin turned feral momentarily as Relena’s eyes iced up at the sight of him.

Heero glared at the girl before heading to his seat in the back. Solo was right behind him.

It was during third period American Lit class that he noticed him. He glanced at Solo to confirm, but it looked like Solo was already acquainted with the sight. He was always a bit quicker in spotting new faces than Heero.

He was a new face. A light, heart-shaped face with a chestnut frame… a rather handsome face…

“What’s his name?” Heero whispered to Solo, still looking at the young man who was settling into a seat by the window. He shifted his long hair braid around a bit to avoid sitting on it.

“His name is Duo Maxwell,” Solo whispered back. “If you were actually paying attention in homeroom instead of mentally stabbing Relena in the back, you would have known that already.” The older Lowe sibling grinned. “And it’s too late. I already asked for his number.”

“What?” Heero looked at his brother as Solo leaned back in his seat. “You sure work fast. Couldn’t you at least cut me a break, after all the shit I went through for you the other day!”

“Please…” Solo placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. “Your nuts survived. I’ll pay you back later.”

Heero glanced over to where the new face, Duo, was before. Surprisingly, he was gone.

There was a knock on the door. “Ah yes, come in.”

A slow, timid hand moved the door inch by inch, revealing a composed Mr. and Mrs. Lowe, each strikingly dressed in business clothes. “Father Martin?” Mr. Lowe called in, his voice lifting up in a question.

“Come in, come in,” the elderly principal said, beckoning the couple in with an easy, light-skinned hand. The black of his clothes was stark against his Roman collar and the pallor of his skin. His smile was easy as he settled into his cushioned chair.

The couple came in with newly found ease, the click of their heels unheard as they stepped on the thick burgundy carpet. They sat side by side in the soft seats in front of the large polished desk. They smiled at their sons’ principal, hoping it had nothing to with that little fight with the Peacecrafts.

“The reason I called for a meeting with you,” Father Andrew Martin said as he put on his pair of reading glasses, “is that I have something to ask of you.” His hands began shuffling around some papers on his desk. “Word in the PTA is that you’re looking for a boarder.”

Odin nodded, though Father Martin was still looking down at his papers. “Yes, that’s right, Father. It’s an odd topic of discussion for a PTA meeting, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

“Yes, it is,” the priest said with a grin. He found the file he was looking for. “But, as of last night, we have had a bit of a problem, and I was hoping that your sudden decision of renting out some space could be our solution.”

“Um, excuse me Father,” Mrs. Lowe said, running her hand through her wavy black hair, “but what is this ‘problem’.”

At that moment, there was a series of firm knocks on the office door. Without waiting for a response, the person behind the door opened it.

“Ah yes, here we are.” The priest stood up and walked to the doorway. He reached out and, by the shoulder, gently lead the young man there inside with a wide, hopeful smile.

“Let me introduce to you…” The young man gave the couple a hesitant smile. The Lowes found themselves smiling in return.

“Duo Maxwell.”

"Duo," Father Martin said with a bit of a wave of his hand in the Lowes' direction, "I want you to meet Odin and Michiko Lowe."

Duo Maxwell extended his hand to the Lowes. He gave them a flashier smile as he became more at ease. The Lowes smiled in return as they shook the young man's hand.

"Their boys go to this school," the father continued as he made his way to his chair behind his desk. "Solo and Heero. I think they're in your homeroom class."

Duo's face showed his surprise as he settled into a chair beside the couple. "The twins?" He turned his head took a good, long look at the Lowes. "They look like you."

The pair blinked, surprised at the statement so quickly made.

Father Martin sat behind his desk, grinning as if he had just presented his own son to the Pope. "Duo here, Mr. and Mrs. Lowe, comes from North Jersey and needs a place to stay this school year. I was wondering if the two of you would allow him to take the room you're renting out."

Mr. Lowe raised his hands up in protest. "Father, I don't think that's a good idea, particularly for Duo's sake…"

At the same moment, Duo's face went pale. "Father, I don't think that's such a good idea, I mean, you know…"

Odin's and Duo's voices died out in unison as they lowered their hands and slowly turned their heads. Their eyes locked, both confused was to what the other's reason to refuse would be.

Duo lowered his eyes first. "Mr. Lowe, um, I don't think Father Martin told you, but… um…"

Father Martin's hand flew up to cover his grin. "Oh dear, I forgot completely," he said, his voice lacking all the humor he found in the situation.

"Forgot what, Father?" Michiko asked as her hands clenched slightly on her lap.

"Really, I should have remembered things like this. How terrible of me. Duo, do you mind if I tell them?"

Duo, not bothering to raise his eyes, only nodded his head once.

Father Martin smiled compassionately at the young man. "Mr. and Mrs. Lowe, Duo's gay, just like your own boys."

All three individuals sitting in front of the principle's desk stared at the elderly priest, shocked as the words sank in.

Michiko turned her head and took a good look at the young man sitting next to her. "You're gay?"

"Um… yeah…" Duo scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I guess we can forget all about that whole 'corruption of young men' thing if your kids are too, huh…" He smiled brilliantly. "Hopefully that's the only problem… if I move in."

"When you move in," Michiko corrected. "Right, Odin?"

Odin took a good look at the young man, uncertain for a moment. "Just as long as you don't start seducing them into your bed, I'm fine."

Duo flashed him a grin. "Don't worry. I have some manners, and I know sleeping with your host's kid is not kosher."

Father Martin rested clasped hand on his desk and smiled at the three. "So, how about we start making all the arrangements, if there's no more objections."

Heero looked just as bad as the mush said to be lentil soup the cafeteria ladies serve on Ash Wednesday, but not nearly as warm. He glared at the pizza slices on his tray as if each pepperoni slice was a perfect replica of Relena's heart-sickening face. The soda and wrapped butterscotch krimpets fared no better.

Solo watched his brother's expression, his own face lined with worry. "If you don't like the grease, Heero, get the chocolate cookies instead," he half-joked, trying to bring his twin into some sort of conversation, but Heero continued to ignore him.

Solo sighed as he took a bite out his own lunch: ice cream and butter cookies. There had to be something to cheer Heero up, he thought. That cute Maxwell guy wasn't even around to distract him.

He grinned, coming up with an answer rather quickly.

"He was sure cute, wasn't he, Heero?" Solo watched his twin as he plucked out the pepperoni.

"Who?" Heero placed a pepperoni on one side of the paper plate.

Solo took the pepperoni Heero had sent aside and ate it. "Oh, you know who. Maxwell." He took another slice of pepperoni and ate that one as well. "Wonder if he's gay…"

Heero's hand paused above the last piece of pepperoni and glared at his brother. "Didn't you say in English class that you got his number?"

"No." His voice was sharp, as if Heero should have known better than to assume that. "I only said I asked for it."

"From him?" Heero took a bite out of his now pepperoni-free pizza.

"Of course not. I asked Ms. Bednar. Homeroom teachers should know little things like that, right?" He ate the rest of his ice cream. "She wouldn't give to me, though…"

"I wonder why…" Heero opened the pack of krimpets and ate one of the spongy, greasy-sweet cakes.

There was a rustle in the mood around the twins for a split moment. It was long enough to distract the boys from their lunch, but not enough to warn them of what was going to happen. They raised their eyes from their collective lunches and watched as Relena approached.

Most would never call Relena 'ugly' or 'ungainly'. She was one of the best-dressed, soft-spoken people in the school. She was both the lead of the school play and an active member of the choir, thus insuring her popularity. She moved easily through crowds and was always polite to both teachers and underclassmen. Students and teachers had always counted on her to be the top student, the perfect model of what a young, bright, proper lady should be.

She was the queen of vanity, if not the school.

Unfortunately for her, her little stunt against the Lowe twins the other day did nothing to keep up her appearance as the Pretty Pink Princess. She felt the surge of disapproval from the student body since then, and had decided to set things straight with her future husband…

She smiled with all the captivating allure she could muster as she stood across from the twins. People were watching. She had to make it good.

"Heero," she said softly. "I just want to apologize for what I did to your brother the other day. You should have known how silly I felt when I realized what I have done."

Heero's eyes were hard as he looked right at her. He shifted his gaze for a moment and saw his brother was not amused, and a bit too tense.

"If you want to apologize for that, then apologize to him." Heero lifted his slice, preparing to take another bite. "Just remember to apologize for everything, not just for kicking my balls in when really you wanted to kick his."

Solo grinned, flashing his canines maliciously. "Go ahead Relena. I'm all ears."

Relena's body tensed slightly. She mumbled something.

Solo cupped one of his ears. "What?"

"…m sor…"

"Come on, Relena," Solo egged on. "I don't think the people in the back heard you."

"I'm sorry! Jesus, alright!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, frustrated. "There, I said it, you stupid fag. You happy now!"

A loud, sharp gasp rose from the surface of the dirty linoleum floor through the mouths of all the students in attendance, from the frosh to the seniors, on up to the ceiling. Only a few days passed since the last time they heard Relena Peacecraft use that word with such anger behind it. It still hadn't sunk in that the perfect student could loose her cool so easily and so publicly.

Anticipation buzzed in the air as everyone peered at the three seniors.

Relena covered her mouth, surprised and completely embarrassed. Everyone was looking at her, but not with the reverence that she deserved. They were mocking her, seeing the real 'her'. She needed to escape and regroup, hopefully with the chance to later spin the situation to her advantage.

Heero and Solo both gave Relena their harshest, most satisfied smirks as they watched her squirm. "Thanks, Relena," Solo winked. "We really appreciate your honesty."

It was odd seeing their parents were already at home when they came from school. Operatic music was being played inside, loud and cheerfully. Their cars, the Camry and the Civic, were already there, the Camry in the garage and the Civic parked out in front.

Heero and Solo looked at each other, confused at to why, before hesitantly locking the doors to their own Escort and making their way to the door.

Heero pocketed the car keys as Solo fished out his copy of the house key, neither sharing a word as the voices of their parents rose with the melody being played.

"It's probably that raise Mom kept hinting at," Solo figured as he reached the door. Heero only nodded.

Solo turned the knob and opened the door, allowing the full blast of the music and their parents' voices to seep out into the driveway.

It wasn't too unusual for the Lowes, when celebrating, to do things differently. They were an unusual pair to begin with. They have their quirks and their little problems, as most people in the world do. They like tangoing in the rain, to the charinge of their twin boys and their neighbors. They sing operas off-key to each other when sharing a brandy. They play footsie underneath the table even as they push forty, and they were never apologetic.

As they sipped their brandy and snacked on microwaved pizza bits, they looked at their new boarder from across the expanse of the kitchen table.

The boy was rather appealing to look at, with long hair pulled back in a braid and wide eyes. As the rainbow necklace he wore peeked out of the polo top and caught a bit of sunlight, the pair immediately felt that they may have some trouble in their hands soon enough…

Solo and Heero stood, slack-jawed, in the threshold between the living room and the kitchen, unable to make any sense out of the scene in front of them. There, at their kitchen table, drinking some of their Hawaiian Punch and eating some of their Pizza Bites, was the new guy.

Duo Maxwell.

Their bookbags slipped unnoticed onto the tiled kitchen floor as they both tried to understand what was going on. As the bookbags landed on the floor, they made a soft thud, almost inaudible above the din of the stereo.

Michiko, hearing something off in the bass, lifted her head and smiled brightly. "Hey, boys! I want to tell you some great news!" she cried out over the music.

Odin and Duo turned their heads and caught sight of the twins as they stood there, frozen somewhat where they stood. As Duo gave them a friendly, open smile, they were frozen completely.

Some people say that love at first sight does not exist.

When Solo and Heero both took in the vision of Duo smiling at them, their hearts stopped. It was a lovely image for both of them, the thought of such a handsome person smiling for him alone, just because he had returned home…

“Goodness, you two,” Michiko joked as her hand thumbed a button on the stereo’s remote control. The volume of the operatic music lessened significantly. “Stop being so rude and say hello to our new boarder.”

Heero and Solo blinked in unison. “Boarder?” Solo was able to vocalize.

“Weird, isn’t it?” Odin said as he sipped more brandy. “Your principal asked us if we had a room, and we did. Duo here is going to be staying in the spare room.” He clasped Duo’s shoulder and shook the young man in an almost fatherly manner.

The twins looked at the young man sitting at the table with different eyes. Solo’s mind quickly went off into a thousand and one thoughts, many of them of the adult variety, as the very idea of having that guy under the same roof with him sunk in. How to keep quiet during ‘it’… how to seduce him… how exactly to go about doing it… not in that particular order…

Heero was not as capable as his brother when it came to such raunchy, naughty thoughts. His mind moved from the clear face to his eyes… how the light made them deeper and darker than the ocean at the shore. No, more like the waters of a quarry, where one wasn’t sure what was underneath…

“Come now, don’t look so shocked,” Michiko lightheartedly joked as she took another pizza bit and took a bite. “You *do* know Duo, right?”

Both boys nodded their heads as they took their seats around the table; Solo at Duo’s immediate right and Heero next to his brother. “He’s in our homeroom.” Solo leaned back and gave Duo a confident, boastful grin. “And if he needs anything, he knows who to turn to.”

Michiko smiled indulgently at her sons as she poured out Hawaiian Punch for them.

Heero leaned forward. “But… I’m confused. Don’t you have a home to go to? I mean, why do you have to move in with us?” Solo gave him a glare. “Not that I’m complaining,” he was quick to amend.

“Well, my uncle called in a favor from Father Martin. They were in a seminary in Rome together,” Duo said, hoping to get rid of some of the odd looks he was getting. The word ‘seminary’ only confused the twins more. “He thought Newark was too dangerous, so he sent me down here. Kinda like ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’.”

Michiko and Odin sipped their brandy, both already acquainted with the tale after speaking with Father Martin and the boy earlier. Their kids, however, looked as if Duo told them he was a cast member of the current production of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ that was showing in Philly.

“Wait,” Solo said, raising his hand slightly. “Your uncle is a priest!”

“Hey, priests have family, too.” Duo frowned at Solo before sipping from his cup of Hawaiian Punch. “Really, you think they’re robots manufactured in Italy or something?” He smirked at Solo as he said those words.

Heero eyed the edge of the table, trying to focus some of his thoughts before he speaks. “But… what about your parents? Are they okay with all this?”

Duo’s smirk dimmed away as his face formed a closed, more internal expression. “Well, you know,” Duo hesitated as his hands wrapped around his cup and his thumbs rubbed against the cold glass.

“Heero, Solo, why don’t you show Duo what games you have for the Playstation or something. You, too, Odin,” Michiko interfered as she began to shoo the four men out of her kitchen so that she could cook dinner. The foursome stood up and slowly made their way towards the living room.

“Oh, and Duo?” she called out to her new guest as she pulled out an apron and put it on. Duo stopped walking and turned to face Michiko. “Just remember that, while you’re with us, this is your home. Treat it as such, okay?”

Duo nodded. “Of course.” He turned to leave.

“Oh, Duo?”

Duo turned back around. “Yes?”

“Tonight is your turn to do the dishes and take out the trash, okay, hun?” Michiko informed as she gave her new ‘son’ a wink.

“So,” Solo started as he selected the cute high school girl to fight with, “have you heard any of the rumors at school about us?”

Duo bit down on the tiny toothpick he was chewing on so that it wouldn’t fall out of his mouth as he talked. “Not really, although there was this one blonde girl whining about you in particular, Solo.” He selected the Chinese girl and leaned back against the sofa he was sitting in front of. He looked up at Solo, who was seated on the cushion right behind him. “She really didn’t like you.”

Heero snorted from his spot right next to Duo, an appropriate audio accompaniment to Solo’s darkening expression. “If it’s who I think it is, then she has no reason to like me,” Solo said.

The match started, and the two three-dimensional beauties began to duke it out.

“What was the girl saying?” Heero ventured as he watched the match and waited for his turn.

“Something about Solo being a bad influence and gays being scum of the unholy earth,” he said as his fingers smashed the buttons of his controller over and over. “Couldn’t listen to her after that.” He glanced over at Heero and gave him a brief conspiring look. “Hurts my ears and all that.”

The first round ended with Solo finishing off Duo in a super combo. The second round started immediately.

“You know, after everyone finds out you live with us,” Solo said as he tried to execute as few special moves, “people at school will think you’re gay…”

“Or tricked by us to become gay, at least.” Heero continued as the Chinese girl grabbed the schoolgirl and tossed her around like a rag doll. “Nice move, Duo.”

“Stop flirting,” Solo countered as the schoolgirl bounced back and dealt a storm of kicks and uppercuts.

“Although being seduced sounds nice,” Duo said as he high-kicked Solo as the knock-out blow, “I think it’ll be all for nothing. I’m already gay.”

Solo and Heero stared, jaws wide and completely distracted as Duo gave them both a majestic grin as he fished out and displayed his colors with one hand while his other pressed a button or two and executed a super combo on the little schoolgirl.

Solo blanched as he watched his girl get manhandled before taking control of the battle. Duo quickly grabbed his control with both hands and opened a couple more cans of whoop ass.

“Hey, Duo,” Solo said as he tried to pull a tricky combo and becoming more and more frustrated as his schoolgirl did not respond correctly. “Wanna go on a date tomorrow?”

“Don’t you think it’s too soon for all that?” Duo countered with a super combo.

“Hey, it never hurts to ask.”

The round ended with an air combo from the Chinese girl on the schoolgirl.

The Lowes live as any middle-class American family would. They own a lovely two-story, four-bedroom, two-bathroom house in the suburbs, completely with a basement and a garage attached on the side. Their large backyard leads into the woods while their front yard leads to a dead-end street.

Their walls are covered with framed photographs full of memories. Their carpeting goes from wall to wall. Their kitchen is three steps from the dining set and a few feet more to the living room in the back of the house and the den in the front.

The family sleeps upstairs, with the boys in their own separate rooms.

There is a fourth bedroom… of sorts… in the back of the house. At first, when the Lowes first moved in with their newborn sons, they didn’t know what to do with it. It quickly became just another storing place for all the various things they accumulated over the years.

It was as the couple went about one day to get rid of a few things to give to charity that the inspiration dawned on them. As they cleared things off the iron bed frame and made some space, it hit them… like a bolt of inspired thought from heaven…

Heero felt the silence of the suburbs settle outside his four walls. It was reassuring in its own way: the belief that nothing could go wrong out there. The belief that one can leave their doors unlocked and the neighbors will always be decent, even if they’re distant… The yards were wide and the houses familiar.

There was a noise just outside his door, somewhere near the kitchen downstairs. The scent of hot chocolate made its way upstairs, making him feel nostalgic and suddenly thirsty.

The digital alarm clock on his dresser marked the hour to be 12:49, hardly a time for hot chocolate.

Without a creak or a groan, he pushed the blankets off of his body and got out of bed. He moved towards the stairs, as silent as the dark air.

As he reached the banister, the front door was being open. He leaned forward and downward, hoping to catch a glimpse of whom it was heading outside.

In the light of the single streetlight in front of their home, he caught a tail of long hair…

Heero smiled lightly as Duo closed the door behind himself. He walked quietly down the stairs and headed to the kitchen, hoping for some of the hot chocolate.

Duo had the funniest ‘startled’ expression on his face when Heero opened the front door to join him.

He was in a green T-shirt and plaid boxers, both faded somewhat and neither of which were proper attire to leave the house with. His hair was in the same braid it was in when he headed to bed, only messier, as if he was tossing in his sleep… but, of course, everyone gets bed-head…

In his hands was one of Mom’s mugs, a white one with pink and teal seashells around the base that she got at Wildwood. He cupped the mug with both hands, as if he was trying to warm them with the hot chocolate inside the ceramic souvenir.

He sat on the front steps, his pale legs close to his chest. His bare feet half-dangled, half-rested on the step right underneath the one he was sitting on… unusual compared to how others would have sat, with their feet two steps away…

The orange streetlight shed its light to all this, and gave his fresh, quickly shown and quickly shed expression an odd, treasured feel. Heero felt the need to buy a souvenir for the expression.

The ‘startled’ look was instantly replaced by a faint, thankful smile. “Guess I’m not the only one that can’t sleep, huh?” He turned his head away stared down the walkway and towards the house across the street as Heero settled beside him.

“Hn. Perhaps.” He sipped some of the leftover hot chocolate he found in a pot on the stove. “I suddenly wanted some chocolate.”

Duo swirled the chocolate in his cup rhythmically. “Do you like it?”

Heero nodded. “It’s good. Is it real chocolate?”

Duo bobbed his head up and down. “Nestle’s Toll House semi-sweet chocolate. The only thing you should make chocolate from, really.” He took a sip from his own. “It really helps when you can’t sleep, I think. Better than warm milk.”

Heero sipped some of his own chocolate. “Why can’t you fall asleep? Is the bed lumpy or something?”

Duo’s face went blank for a moment. “What? No…” His hands shifted around his mug. “It’s just that… it’s so quiet out here. I’m so used to hearing people talking around me, of having people sleeping in the same room with me that…” He yawned, completely stretching his face into a strangely familiar distortion of fatigue. Heero tried to stifle his own yawn with some success. “That I can’t fall asleep… and I’m so tired.” He yawned again, causing the ‘so’ to elongate briefly.

Heero leaned forward as he watched Duo’s face as he wiped away some tears from his eyes.

Duo looked at Heero. “What is it?”

Heero gave him a ghost of a smile. “How about I give you some company until you fall asleep?”

Duo gave him a look, narrowing his eyes even as his lips formed a smile. “You’re not going to try anything funny, are you?” his voice teased flirtatiously.

Heero blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”

It was now Duo’s turn to blink in confusion, but that expression soon fell away as well as the now-familiar smile graced his lips once more. “Nothing,” he said softly before taking another sip of hot chocolate.

Heero watched as Duo’s lips parted and the rim of the mug rested on the lower lip. He took a sip from his own mug almost through reflex.

To Be continued...