Stealing Home

~#~#~flashbacks~#~#~

/Emphasis/


\"We\'re going to sleep.\" Trowa said, as he stood in the doorway of the living room. I glanced up from my book and nodded.

Trowa frowned at me. I could tell by the way his eyebrows drew together that he wanted to say something but he didn\'t. He just gave me that rather exasperated look he had been shooting in my direction all day and left me alone. I hated it alone. But I was doing this intentionally. I suppose it was stupid and I suppose I came across as a rather spoiled brat today, but I was angry.

That feeling that something was going to change proved to be a complete falsehood. Today had passed much in the same fashion as the day before, and the day before that, and every other day we had spent together over the past two weeks.

Breakfast was accompanied by rather casual conversations rattling on about nothing in particular on subjects that really didn\'t matter. Then we would split up. Wufei would practice his martial arts forms outside (weather permitting), Trowa would find something to quietly amuse himself with and I would take a book and perch myself near a window where I could conveniently spy on Wufei. Lunch would be accompanied by the same type of conversation as breakfast although a little more lively. Wufei tended to have even /more/ energy after working out then he did before he began. Trowa would be a little more animated thus proving my theory he was in no way, shape or form a morning person. I was nearly positive his thought processes before noon were \"yes\", \"no\" and \"muh\". From lunch we would break off again, the pair of them would go do something within the same vicinity though not necessarily together and I would find somewhere to read where I could see them come and go. At dinner we would talk about something with substance, poetry, art, music but never politics. Politics I had enough of in my life. I didn\'t need them on my vacation. Then we would all congregate somewhere and relax by whatever means struck our own personal fancy. But it would always be together.

All right, then something did change. It was of my own making. I was purposely putting distance between them and myself. Creating that very clear whe where they were and where I was not. I felt like a child, shunning them for hurting me and not knowing how. I was angry at them for not knowing why I was angry. More to the point, I was mad at myself for not bearing my soul to them instead of playing at being their friend when I felt more like a snake in the grass.

I had kept to myself all day. Hiding from them, or maybe I was hiding from myself, or my disappointment or a hundred other things but I was still hiding. Cowering in my loneliness almost reveling in it. I was being a spoiled child and I knew it. It chaffed, even more so because I knew it was hurting Trowa and Wufei. That might have been what I wanted, what I had planned, but the more I did it, the more I didn\'t like it.

I tossed my book on the desk growling. I stomped to the front door and jammed my feet into my shoes. I left the house slamming the door shut behind me. I broke out into an almost desperate run. My feet pounded on the pavement. I ran as fast as I could. I ran and ran and ran, until I felt like my lungs were going to burst. I slowed down slightly so I could breathe more evenly but I didn\'t stop running. I ran until my legs started to shake. I came to a stop and leaned heavily on a tree. I dug my fingers cruelly into the bark and kicked the tree. I slammed my foot into it repeatedly, cursing in a flurry of languages I knew and then in those which I only knew those few /choice/ words. I finally calmed down, taking deep ragged breaths and slumped against the tree.

\"I\'m sorry.\" I muttered and rested my temple against the tree trunk. I blinked slowly and pulled back from the tree.

\"Well, you are alive so I suppose I don\'t have to feel quite so ridiculous about apologizing to you, although I don\'t believe trees have pain receptors. Pardon me, do trees have pain receptors?\"

The only answer I received was the wind rustling through leaves.

\"I hope you don\'t mind, but I needed that. And I need someone to lean on for the moment.\"

The tree stood tall and mocked me in silence. I sighed and flopped down gracelessly at the foot of my tre lea leaned back and lifted my head slightly so the wind could catch my bangs, letting the wisps of hair tickle my face. It was a soft breeze. It was cooling, and nice since I was still quite sweaty and probably stunk. I tugged at the parts of my shirt that sweat made cling to my body. I waited to cool down and relax a little so I could return home after my /grand/ exit.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

\"Well my dear tree, I must leave you now.\" I said as I stood. I gave a bow to the tree with a good deal of flourish before turning and making my way home.

I jammed my hands into my pockets, then kicked at a small stone and watched it skip away. The way I left the house made me look like even more of a spoiled brat than I felt. Trowa and Wufei would be worried I knew. I decided to stop dawdling and make my way home, so at least they could sleep.

The more spoiled aspect of my personality was something I usually kept in check. The part of me that so desperately wanted to throw itself on the ground and have a right good temper tantrum was kept in /very/ careful check. But there were instances, had been instances. Oh yes, there had been instances.

I don\'t remember what it was that set me off but Duo had seen it all. He had stopped by to visit, something that I was unaware of at the time that I flew off the handle. I kicked the hotel door that separated the bathroom from the bedroom so hard I put my foot through it. I can remember Duo\'s words so clearly.

~#~#~\"Well, I guess everyone is entitled to a hissy fit. But you are probably the last person I thought I\'d ever see.....\" Duo had muttered from behind me.

I turned my head to snarl at him, my leg still through the door.

\"I /never/ have a bad day ..........and I shit sunshine as well I suppose?\"

The face Duo had maad bad been so utterly flabbergasted I broke out into a fit of laughter. I laughed so hard I fell to the floor, my leg in the door. I had tears in my eyes as I tried to tug my foot free.

\"I think I might be a little burnt out.\" I admitted, still laughing and trying not to snort.

\"You know /most/ people take things called holidays. They don\'t ram their feet through doors.\" Duo replied, helping me free my leg.

\"I\'ll take holidays when I\'m dead?\" I said, slightly modifying one of Duo\'s favourite sayings.

\"No dice. That only works for sleep. Amendment: only for sleep you miss due to excessive fun, not work.\" Duo said and grinned as we freed my leg.~#~#~

I missed Duo. I missed Heero. I had missed Trowa and Wufei all day and we were in the samoodyoody house. I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to ease the knot that had formed there and looked up at the house.

I sighed, exasperated with myself, and went in. It was eerily quiet in the house. I made my way upstairs and was nearly at my bedroom door when Trowa joined me in the hall from their room. His eyes raked over me from head to toe but he didn\'t say anything. It rattled me straight to my bones. I knew he caught my disheveled state. It was hard to miss. He had to notice that my knuckles were bruised and scabbed from where I had been cut on the tree bark. I turned away abruptly, feeling flustered and quite ridiculous. Trowa stood and watched as I fumbled with the doorknob. All pretense of coordination, let alone grace, had deserted me.

That feeling of anticipation was back. That eerie feeling that something was about to change if only I\'d take the bull by the horns. I started to wave Trowa off again, just like last night, shaking my head and muttering that I was fine, when every thought I ever had was suddenly obliterated by Wufei\'s voice.

\"Quatre, just come to bed. We\'re both tired and we were worried. We had no idea where you were.\"

I stood frozen for a moment before I blinked rapidly and swallowed a few times. It could not have been meant the way I thought it was. The way I wanted it to be. Trowa took the hand that dangled at my side and pulled me to the bedroom. Their bedroom. Wufei was basically stretched out in the position he had been every night, on his back with his hair cascading over the pillow. Wufei rolled his head to the side so he could see us better from the bed.

\"Can we just go to sleep and sort it out in the morning?\" he grumbled.

I glanced to the bedside clock and saw the glare of 3:45 AM.

\"It is morning.\" I couldn\'t stop the words from falling from my lips. I nearly clapped my hand over my mouth like a child caught saying a bad word. Wufei groaned.

\"Just strip down and save the smart arse remarks.\" Trowa muttered from behind me. I turned to look at him like he had grown a second head but shed my clothes as I was told.

I crawled into the bed in nothing but my boxers. I wiggled into place untilouldould feel the heat radiating off Wufei\'s body. Impulsively I caught Wufei\'s ankle between my own and I settled on my side tucking my hand under my cheek. Wufei snatched at the bottom of my boxers before twining some of the material around his fingers. He shifted on the bed until he found a spot he liked and sighed happily.

His breath ticklhe bhe back of my neck. It was nearly enough to make me shiver. Trowa settled down on his stomach once again. He pressed his face into the pillow once more but not before giving me a soft smile. He slipped a hand up my arm and tugged my hand free from beneath my chin so he could interlace our fingers.

\"Goodnight.\" Wufei sighed.

\"Good night.\" Trowa murm let letting his eyes drift shut.

\"G-goodnight.\" I stuttered.

I would have thought that I\'d feel nervous but I actuactually tired. We would talk about it in the morning like Wufei suggested. Yes, in the morning. I fell asleep surrounded by body heat and rhythmic breathing.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Seven months later.....

I stared at Trowa\'s back and thought about the last few months. A tight gray T-shirt stretched across his shoulders and a pair of whboxeboxers clung to his ass. Artificial sunlight streamed in from the kitchen window making all the highlights in Trowa\'s hair come to life. I planted my elbows on the kitchen table and propped my chin up with both hands, fully prepared to enjoy watching him. Trowa was currently making crepes. He was wandering around the kitchen humming to himself. For some odd reason he always hummed while he cooked. It made the process of him cooking twice as entertaining for me to watch. Wufei called it dinner and the side show.

Wufei was currently reading the morning news from a text pad. One hand hit the button to scroll up or down as was needed, the other one massaged at the back of my neck, which always lead to our morning \"argument\". I turned my head to watch Wufei for a moment before I spoke. He leaned over the text pad, frowning at the bits of news he didn\'t like, snorting at things he thought were stupid and muttered choice words under his breath about bureaucrats, heads and orifices. I just smiled and waited for my favourite part of the morning.

Wufei\'s hair slipped from behind his ear and fell into his face. Instead of stopping his ministrations to my neck and using the closer hand to correct the source of the irritation, he reached over his head and tucked the strands of hair back in their place. My morning nearly complete, I was ready to engage Wufei.

\"You know, if you keep doing that I /will/ fall back asleep.\" I murmur, waiting for Wufei to say his part.

\"Don\'t worry. I\'ll be happy to wake you up again.\" Wufei said.

I snorted. Wufei\'s version of waking me up might have been construed as torture if argued by the right lawyer. Having my nose plugged was my least favourite, although ice in my shorts and tickling my feet were not high on my list of experiences I wanted repeated.

\"You want to be kneed in the chin again?\" Trowa murmured as he poured a dollop of batter into the pan.

Wufei ly gly grinned and rubbed his chin. I found that, in the same bed as Trowa and Wufei, I slept very heavily. I was also extremely difficult to wake up, hence Wufei\'s creative and slightly vindictive ways of disturbing my slumber. If all he got was a knee to face for it when I had next to no motor coordination, he got off fairly easily. I smiled as I raised my teacup to my lips and watched as Trowa put a plate of crepes on the table. He sat down and we started to eat.

I had imagined ending up where I was a hundred different ways. A dozen different scenarios, favourites that I ran through my brain, that might have played out. A screaming match and me blurting out my feelings in a fit of anger. Maybe some sort of sobbing admission or other over dramatized rendition of things that never happen in real life. But what really happened was so understated. Like we all simply acknowledged something and moved towards another stage in our lives without missing a beat. Wufei told me to come to bed, so I did. The three of us seemed to decide that was the way it should be now and I had slept there..... with them.

This wasn\'t to say that everything went perfectly, far from it. We had our arguments, we had our fights, we had our domestic altercations where dishes flew and more was said in anger than should have been but we were still happy. We had managed to work through a good deal of problems. We would probably have to work through a lot more. Our relationship was still growing and changing but I suppose that would never stop. Actually, I hope it never will. I hoped to stay where I was forever. A flurry of change and growing with people I love.

Really I hoped ........ for us.

~~End~O~~