Two Sides of a Triangle

Pairings: 2x3x4 or variations therein, 1x5 mentioned

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Duo rolled out of bed bright and shiny Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. and stumbled to the vid unit to answer a call. Normally, he would have ignored it, but this was the third call in a frame of thirty minutes. Apparently, it was important.

He tumbled into the chair, sprawled across it in nothing but his boxers, Duo answered, barely coherent. “Yeah?”

“Duo, the morning is more than half-way over, how do you sleep so late?” Quatre’s voice chimed across the screen as if it was the perfect day. There was no hint of the trauma of last night written across his face.

Duo ran a hand across his face, tousling his disheveled hair. “Talented I guess. What did you need, Quatre?”

Duo realized he was shorter with the blond than usual as cerulean eyes widened. The braided man watched the realization wash over his features as everything that happened between them last night flooded back into his thoughts. “Oh, I…Duo, are you alright? Are we alright? I shouldn’t have been so defensive last night.”

He wondered what happened to make Quatre completely forget when it had kept him up so late. “We’re fine, Q. I just…nevermind. Why did you call?”

“Talk to me, please. What’s going on?” His eyes were pleading, and Duo couldn’t resist that angelic face.

“I just wish I knew what it would take, ya know? You don’t see me, not like you see him.” Duo shook his head, looking off to the side unable to look at the screen in front of him. “I’ve tried to be everything for you; I just don’t know what else to do.”

“Duo…” His voice was sad. “I just don’t look at you that way. You’re my best friend. You’re the person who can always make me smile, the guy who always has a joke, always laughing. You’re the one who is never serious for more than a moment, well, until lately. You’re…well, you’re Duo.”

Duo snorted. “But you see him that way, as a lover. You can’t talk to him, can’t laugh with him, but you want him with an awe that’s almost worship. Its ridiculous, like some spell. What, is he like some sex god or something?”

Quatre blushed to the roots of his hair. “I doubt I’ll be finding that out for some time yet.”

Really? With Trowa? Duo highly doubted that. But then what Quatre said sunk in: ‘I’ll be finding out,’ not ‘we,’ like Quatre alone would be the one with Trowa, just the two. He took a deep breath. “Quatre, what is my role in this relationship?

There was no noise from the screen; Quatre was unable to say what Duo was daring him to say. Duo was there for Trowa’s interest. It wasn’t true, but it was what Quatre believed, and Quatre was willing to go along with it. Duo was bait for Trowa, and the braided man was having a really hard time with this. How far could he stretch himself; how much of himself was he sacrificing for Quatre? And how could someone who was his friend ask so much of him?

It wasn’t so hard for Duo. He had already done the deed with Trowa, was beginning to have some affinity for the stoic man, but Quatre didn’t know that. For all the blond knew, Duo still hated Trowa, but Quatre was pushing them together anyways. But then again, did Quatre expect Duo to be the platonic friend to both? Would Winner resent Duo becoming physical with Trowa?

Shit.

Quatre finally spoke. “I know what you want me to say, Duo, and I can’t honestly say it. I love you in an emotional sense, but as far as physical intimacy, I just have difficulty seeing you in that light.”

But there was only so much that Duo could take. He wanted this to work, and it wouldn’t this way. There would be jealousy and resentment. It wouldn’t last, and nothing would survive the fallout. “Its not going to work like that, Quatre.” He sighed at the confused expression on the screen. “Well, what if Trowa only wanted me in that way, only saw you as a friend. How would you feel? You’d feel left out and unwanted; you would start resenting me, maybe even him, too. If one link in the chain breaks, everything falls apart.” He pleaded with the heir to understand.

But the other was still too focused, his obsession taking full hold. “But you wouldn’t…not with Trowa; you don’t even like him. You wouldn’t, would you?” Pure panic littered his face, and Quatre looked horrified at the thought of the two of them together.

Well, that answered his earlier question. Duo sighed; Quatre missed the whole point of his statement. “For a chance to make this work, yeah, I would. I would do anything for you Quatre. How many times do I have to tell you that before you open your eyes to see anything other than Trowa?”

“I…” but Duo cut him off.

“I want this to work; Trowa wants this to work, but you’re the only one that seems to keep putting stipulations on it. You want Trowa? Then its all or none. The sooner you deal with that, the easier it’ll be for you.” Duo was starting to get angry again, but this time it was directed at his love. He couldn’t pull his punches anymore; it seemed nothing else was getting through to him. How could Quatre be so blind to the situation? His obsession was annoying and, more importantly, destructive to the happiness that they could all have.

Quatre shook his head. “Duo, I can’t help that I’m not attracted to you sexually; don’t take that out on me.”

“I understand that, Quatre, but you can at least act like I’m not completely repulsive to you in everyway except as a friend.” His head bowed, unable to look at the blond as he spoke what had truly been bothering him for years.

The silence seemed to echo off the walls; the white noise from the vid screen blaring in his ears was his only comfort for what seemed like hours.

“…I didn’t realize. I’m sorry, Duo.”

He nodded, eyes still riveted on the desk in front of him. “I know, Quatre, but you haven’t realized a lot lately.”

That seemed to shock Quatre out of his obsessed panic from earlier. “I’ll try to do better.” Duo looked up to see the face he loved so much, kind, gentle eyes staring back at him. This was Q, not that bipolar doll that he had been talking to previously.

Duo gave him a half-hearted smile and Quatre quirked one back at him, trying at levity. “What if I promise to fantasize about you at least once a day?”

A hoarse chuckle forced its way out of his throat at the attempt. “That’ll do.”

The blond looked nervous all of a sudden. “We’re all supposed to meet up tonight around six. Is that ok with you?”

“Yeah.” So soon? Duo felt like he had been wrung out to dry; he had to do this again today?

“I offered to bring dinner because he doesn’t have any dishes unpacked. Is there anything in particular you would like?” Quatre’s congeniality came back out. His manners were a place of comfort for him, where he hid when he wasn’t quite sure what to do or which direction to take.

“Nah, I’m good with whatever.” But Duo was never hard to please in the food department.

“Do you want to ride together?” He looked hesitant again; and Duo wondered how wrecked their friendship was after this conversation.

“I’d like that, Q.”

Quatre smiled at Duo’s use of his nickname. The blond hadn’t missed the fact that Duo hadn’t referred to him by any of his usual terms of affection since last night. “I’ll pick you up at 5:30. See you then.”

“Later, Quat.” Duo cut the feed, and threw himself back in bed. He wasn’t sleepy, just somewhat exhausted emotionally, and his covers were a nice place to hide for just a moment longer.
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Trowa worked through the night to get the house in some semblance of order for company. The hard wood floor in the living area wasn’t put in yet, but the sawdust was mostly taken care of, the tarp was off the countertops and table, the tile in the kitchen had been mopped to brilliance (which was rather pointless since the construction would just begin again tomorrow morning). But, well, he had quite a bit of restless energy, and it was something to do.

He collapsed into bed mid-morning, woke up a few hours later, forced food down his throat, and got back to work.

Too bad most of his furniture was still in storage. Fortunately, he did have three chairs: one for himself at the table and two to support the boards he’d been using as a makeshift tool table/saw horse. The boards had been moved and the chairs wiped down for use.

He wouldn’t admit it to anyone else, but he was nervous as hell.

Trowa had been trying not to screen potential outcomes for this meeting because, out of habit, he didn’t want to script anything. He had promised Duo, and he would do his damndest to support that promise, but he would do that everyday for months at a time. It was hard to stop.

About an hour before they were scheduled to come, Trowa put everything up, hit the shower, and got dressed…only to wait until they showed.

Duo was in a very similar state, almost bouncing from the tension running through his nerves as he and Quatre walked up to the door. Quatre seemed to be in a hurry, nervous, but absolutely thrilled to be there.

“Trowa, how did you find this place? Its so…out of the way, very hidden.” Quatre spoke as soon as the door was opened.

The quiet man showed them in, taking some of the bags from them, and leading them into the kitchen. “I like nature.” His voice was soft, like a secret spoken aloud. Quatre seemed not to hear, busy pulling out containers and rustling bags.

Duo watched the interaction between the two for a moment. Quatre was nervous and busying himself, something keeping his hands moving. Trowa was speaking something that seemed very important, and the blond didn’t even notice. They were both so nervous it was almost funny, but their ways of coping with the tension were not compatible.

Trowa was right, damn him. He didn’t speak well around Quatre, but it was more than that, Quatre didn’t listen well, not because he didn’t want to, but because the communication was not there.

Dinner was…awkward. Setting dishes up, getting the food out, preparing the drinks and such kept everyone busy, actively doing something prevented idleness. But as soon as they all sat down at the table, the lack of conversation was glaringly obvious. It became more and more tense until, finally, Duo just couldn’t stand it anymore.

He started laughing.

Trowa and Quatre looked up at him, and Duo just kept laughing. “This is ridiculous.”

Quatre chuckled nervously, and Trowa shook his head, trying to give them a subject. “What do you usually talk about?”

Duo went blank for a moment. When was the last time they talked, and what was it about? They used to gossip like old women. His smile went devilish as he realized the perfect subject that would make Quatre talk and might actually shock the stoic man a bit.

“So, any new drama developments in office 2324?” He leaned forward, like he was ready to pounce on Quatre’s words as they left his mouth.

Cerulean eyes widened before glancing briefly at Trowa, then he smirked, too. “Nothing much…” His eyes looked off to the side innocently as he finished. “…only that I almost caught them in the elevator a few days ago.”

Trowa choked a bit, choosing the wrong moment to take a drink, and trying not to spray his dinner companions.

“No.” Duo gasped like a little girl, and he was almost ashamed of it, except for the fact that his desire for details overruled all sense of pride.

“Yes.” Quatre forgot all pretense and submerged himself completely in the gossip he and Duo had been neglecting.

Trowa couldn’t help but interrupt. “Office 2324 is Yuy and Chang’s.”

The two looked at him with wicked grins, but Duo was the one who spoke up. “Yes, yes it is.” He let it sink into the former acrobat’s mind before turning back to Quatre. “How could you tell? What happened, I want details.”

Quatre, again, glanced hesitantly at Trowa, blushing before he continued. “Well, I was standing at the elevator doors, when this rush of pure lust nearly knocked me over. It took me a moment to recover, and as the doors opened, there they were. There was nothing out of place on either of them, completely composed except for one thing…” He let the suspense build up, and even Trowa leaned forward a bit. “…Wufei’s ears were bright red.”

Duo burst out laughing. “Damn, I would kill to know what Heero said to make him blush like that.”

The blond tried to speak through his giggling. “I know! Whatever it was, it was enough to push so much lust through Wufei to make my stomach clench.”

They laughed, and Trowa couldn’t help but smile softly at the two of them. As they continued playfully jabbing at the other two pilots, the stoic man just watched. Duo and Quatre seemed to sparkle when they were like this, and Trowa counted himself very lucky to be with them at this moment.

As they finished eating, the tension from earlier settled in again, it wasn’t as oppressive now, but it was there. Trowa busied himself with throwing the disposables into a garbage bag as Quatre and Duo packed up any leftovers and rinsed out the empty containers.

As they finished up, Quatre moved into the living area and took the time to look around. “There’s still a lot of work to do, isn’t there?” His head was tilted backward, looking up and around with his sense for the modern style echoing through his head.

Trowa was quiet, simply watching him from the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. Quatre started speaking about how the décor should be done, repainting the walls, drapery ideas, carpet colors, but Trowa was no longer watching him.

Green eyes were looking at the doorframe. His hand moved slightly against the polished wood under it lovingly, and his face was so soft. He was beautiful, and it hit Duo like a ton of bricks.

What he had said earlier, about nature…Violet eyes scanned everything again, like they had just opened. The ceramic tile in the kitchen was a pale brown color with red and orange hues pulled in, like sand on a beach at sunset. The color on the walls in the kitchen was a pale green, like looking at sparse beach grasses on dune. The countertops were granite with blacks, browns, whites, oranges all intermixed, like a thousand pebbles spilled over it. There were wood tones everywhere. He was in the process of staining the wooden cabinets, there was wood molding along the ceiling, and the base boards were wood, all just waiting to be stained to pull out their natural color.

In the living area, the color on the walls was a deeper, richer green, the color of sunlight on leaves. There were big, glass, double doors that led outside to a forest of trees.

He had picked out everything personally, lovingly chosen every color, texture, and Quatre was going on about how to change everything to make it more stylish.

And Trowa said nothing. He nodded every now and then as if listening and agreeing, agreeing to all the changes to everything he had done so far. He would let Quatre redecorate every aspect without saying a word.

Quatre would be horrified to know he changed something that Trowa loved, but Trowa wouldn’t say anything. Duo turned to fully face Trowa, not quite sure what to say to bring attention to it, but then his head turned back to wood frame, and he knew. “Trowa, what kind of wood is that?”

The blond stopped and turned, taking in Trowa’s expression as green eyes scanned the grain. “Its oak.” One of his fingers traced a knot in the wood.

Duo saw Quatre’s mouth open to say something, but he stepped near him enough to catch his attention before shaking his head slightly. He wanted to draw Trowa out, and Quatre made him nervous. “You like nature…” He repeated what was said earlier, trailing off and hoping Trowa would take over.

“Its enduring.” He paused and Duo reached over to squeeze Quatre’s hand as Trowa continued, eyes still trailing over the patterns in the wood. “I’ve seen bombed out buildings, the steel beams exposed, meant to be everlasting, without human tending, corrode and disintegrate into nothing in a few decades. But you can blast a hole in the earth and return three days later and grass has grown there. A week later, shrubs and hardy trees are sprouting; within a year, its hard to tell war ever touched that place. It is forgiving, enduring…pure and whole.”

Silence held for a second until Quatre gasped, trying to catch his breath. Green eyes snapped forward to the other two, as if remembering they were there. His head tipped down, hair hiding his face, preventing them from seeing so deeply into him.

Duo could hardly catch his breath, and Quatre wasn’t much better. It was Trowa’s soul, laid bare before them, war-ravaged and hiding in the places in which he found comfort.

“That was beautiful, Trowa.” Quatre spoke first.

Trowa shrugged and tipped his head up, but his hair was still half hiding his face. “It’s the truth as I see it.”

“I like what you’ve done so far.” Duo gestured to the space surrounding them. “You are wanting to put in hard wood floors, right?”

He nodded. “There is still a lot of work to do.”

Quatre picked up on Duo’s attempt to draw him into a conversation. “Have you thought about furniture?”

Trowa nodded again. “There’s a leather set that has carved wooden legs and armrests that I’ve picked out, but it would just sit in storage until I’m finished.”

“I like it.” Duo smiled at him.

“I agree. It will look great.” Quatre completely backed off the decorating topic.

Trowa smiled softly, his eyes traveling over the work he had done.

“Can we see the rest of the place?” The blond gestured to the hall behind him.

Trowa froze a bit. “The guest bedroom and bath are bare; I haven’t even started on them. The only thing left is my bedroom.”

Oh. The awkwardness returned, and Duo decided that the bedroom wouldn’t be such a bad place to have this little conversation. “Are there chairs in there? Because if we’re having a long heart to heart, I’d rather have some cushioning under my ass.”

The host nodded stiffly. “Its through that door.”

Duo and Quatre filed into the room. It was unsurprisingly bare, but there was a continuation of the colors found in nature. Besides his bed, there was also an overstuffed lounge chair and a huge bookshelf. The braided man flung himself on the bed, and Quatre sat on the edge of the mattress not too far from him.

They both expected Trowa in the lounge chair, but he appeared in the doorway a few seconds later carrying one of the chairs from the table. His eyes scanned the two on the bed then flicked to the recliner. He turned, set the chair down outside the room, then sat down in the recliner.

Duo tried to lighten the mood. “Damn, Trowa. You’ve got a really big bed.” He was smirking, tone daring but playful.

He just shrugged. “I’m tall. Mattresses get longer as they get wider unless you special order them.”

The braided man laughed. “I never thought of that. Guess you would look like a dork with your feet hanging out of your own bed.”

Trowa nodded and Quatre chuckled.

Silence took over once again, and Duo felt like it was becoming an enemy. “So…what now?” He propped himself up on his elbows, eyes bright under the fringe of his bangs.

Trowa remained silent, and Quatre coughed before speaking. “Are we dating, should we set up times for when we can all get together?” He suggested trying to be helpful.

“I think…” Duo spoke slowly. “…that we should set up some basic guidelines.”

“What kind of guidelines?” Quatre turned sideways so he could see both others.

“He’s right.” Trowa spoke up.

Duo nodded. “I think signs of affection would help bring this more to a relationship, but I don’t think that any sexual situations should happen without all three together.”

Quatre sent him a look that wasn’t particularly friendly as his cheeks pinked.

But Trowa nodded. “I’m not entirely comfortable with casual touching, but I’ll try. As for the last suggestion, I agree partially. I would like to alter it somewhat.” The other two looked at his expectantly. “I think all three should be present, but not necessarily involved, not every time.”

Quatre’s head tilted, curious. Duo’s eyes widened before he smirked knowingly.

Trowa shifted in his chair before continuing. “Also, I have no objection to having a one on one sexual situation, but I think it should wait until we are all more solidified in the relationship. It would have to be agreed upon by us all beforehand.”

The blond spoke up. “Aren’t we rushing this discussion, though? I…no offense, Duo, but I’m not really ready for physical relations with two others at the same time.”

Duo simmered; he really hated that Quatre decided to single him out in that sentence. Did he really think that it would be the three of them holding hands and walking through the park together? Call him anxious, but Duo wanted more of what he had a taste of the other day. He wanted to know Quatre in an intimate sense, and he was willing to wait but he really didn’t want to…

Duo wanted Quatre to see him as a lover, and that wouldn’t happen until they came together as lovers.

Quatre waited for a response but didn’t get one. “Maybe we should all state what we want from this relationship.” When nobody said anything, he huffed. “Fine, I’ll start. I want…” He looked hesitantly at Trowa. “…I want a chance to get close to you, to learn more about you.”

Trowa raised a brow. “And from Duo?”

Quatre was very firmly focused on Trowa, and Trowa, for his part, was trying to help redirect that attention to Duo. But it wasn’t working.

He looked to Duo. “I guess…I want to become closer, as friends.” He took a deep breath. “I want to learn how to see you differently.”

It felt forced, and Duo nearly growled with the futility of it all.

“Trowa, what about you? What do you want from this?” Quatre’s focus was back on the stoic man.

He shook his head. “I’m selfish. I want everything, from both of you.”

Blue eyes widened. “You want me?”

Trowa looked at Duo, ignoring Quatre’s question. “What do you want, Duo?”

“Maybe I’m selfish, too.” The braided man sat up.

“You want me?” A smirk painted Trowa’s lips as his voice mimicked Quatre’s, and the blond shot him a dirty look before shaking his head with lips quirked. It was a good impression.

Duo didn’t pay attention though. This was getting nowhere, this talk. Trowa was right again, damn him. He stood up, eyes intent on Trowa’s face. “I want this, so yeah, I want you.”

Trowa’s eyes widened; he glanced at Quatre then back, quickly, to Duo. He stood slowly. “Show me.”

Quatre gasped, but Duo paid no mind. It felt like he was moving through water, everything slowed down as he walked towards the taller man. He reached Trowa and tipped his head up, but Trowa didn’t move. So Duo did, he went up onto his tiptoes and sealed their mouths together.

Trowa moved then, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling them flush together. Duo’s hands settled on Trowa’s upper arms as his lips parted.

Trowa took advantage and deepened the kiss. Duo groaned deeply, partly because it was a very nice feeling; the quiet man had a very talented tongue, but partly because he wanted to draw Quatre in.

Duo pulled back, licking his lips and watching Trowa’s mouth.

“Duo?” Quatre’s voice echoed behind him; he had walked over as well.

The braided man turned, standing to Trowa’s side, making way. Green eyes followed Duo’s movement then met blue.

“Quatre.” Trowa’s voice slithered down his spine and made every hair on his body stand up. The blond couldn’t catch his breath, nervous and wanting. He took a step forward, standing where Duo had seconds before.

But Quatre was shorter than Duo; he couldn’t close that final distance. Trowa’s hand came up and rested against the side of his neck, long fingers running through fine blond hair, before he leaned down, mouth gently sliding over Quatre’s lips.

A small noise bubbled from Quatre’s throat before his mouth opened to Trowa.

Duo watched with mixed feelings. He was happy for them; they had both loved each other for so long, and they were finally coming together. But it was bittersweet because they loved each other, and he was the third wheel.

A hand slid into his as he watched the kiss deepen. Trowa’s long fingers had threaded into his own as he pulled away from Quatre, both were breathing hard.

Trowa took a small step backwards and used his hold on Duo’s hand to pull the braided man in front of him. Long arms wrapped around Duo’s shoulders as violet eyes met blue.

Quatre hesitated, and Duo’s eyes looked away. He had hope, but it was quickly vanishing.

“I’ve always loved watching two beautiful men together. Please.” Trowa’s voice was completely seductive, and Duo’s eyes came back to Quatre’s face.

Quatre scanned Duo’s face, Trowa’s arms around him, Trowa’s face over his shoulder, and back to Duo, focusing on his lips.

“Duo.” Quatre’s voice was a whisper. Duo couldn’t breath, didn’t dare move. He wanted Quatre so badly, had for ages, and maybe finally…

“Kiss me, Duo.”

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Dun,dun,dun! Kind of a cliffie, kind of. I don't think I've ever done that before. Go me! lol. Well, some citrus for you next time.

Really long chapter, but it took that long for me to get what I wanted out of it. Hope you liked!

Review responses have been posted (I was really behind on those, sorry guys!) and, if all goes according to plan, Merc will be updated within the next few days as well. Thanks again, and drop me a line if ya got the time.

XXXoooooooo

A