[LOG] It's a Looooooong One

[truedeath02]

Characters: Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei
When: Right after Wufei's arrival (return? XD)
Where: Wing pilots' building
Rating: PG
Summary: Wufei stumbles upon a building he's drawn to for some reason. Little does he realize it belongs to the other former pilots from his own world. Reunited? Not exactly.

Trowa was down in the workshop. He stretched a bit then started looking for some things to work on the security system again.

"Hey, Tro'..." Duo said, coming into the room. "Find what you were lookin' for?"

Quatre was sitting on the stairs holding a glass of water in his hands. He had been coughing a lot lately.

Heero was in the apartment with some tools and nails, shoreing up some of the more rickity furniture.

"Not quite yet," Trowa called back. "I think I'm in the right section to find it though."

"What are you guys looking for?" the blonde asked setting down the glass. He watched as Shin came running down the stairs.

Duo crouched to rub the growing pup's ears playfully. "I dunno... Tro' was lookin'." He glanced at the taller pilot. "What exactly was it you needed?"

"Just something to keep working on the security system."

Quatre coughed a bit before sitting back down. "Alright."

"Rest, Quatre," Trowa told him.

Duo frowned at Quatre's coughing. "Yanno... you shoulda probably asked Jin about that while we were there."

Shin perked his ears at the blond and then ran past him again up the stairs to see Heero.

"It'll go away in a few days Duo. Don't worry abut it."

"If it's not, talking to Jin," Trowa told him.

Wufei walked down the streets, staying away from the windows of the buildings he passed. He still didn't understand where he was, or what had happened to put him there. War habits died hard, and he didn't know what might be in hiding.

Quatre just waved them off. He would be fine.

Heero paused in his work to rub Shin's head.

Duo shook his head. "Q... you're always yellin' at us 'bout stuff like that."

"Heero, come down and join us!" Quatre yelled up the stairs, purposefully ignoring Duo.

Shin wagged his tail at Heero, then picked up the screwdriver in his mouth when the Japanese pilot had put it down.

Milo peeked out from where he was napping in the workshop, then curled up and went back to sleep.

"Hey....hey!" Heero reached for the screwdriver.

Catching sight of yet another building, Wufei paused. While he was sure he'd never seen it, there was something almost familiar about it.

Shin woofed slightly around it, not dropping the tool. He backed away from Heero and headed for the stairs.

Duo walked over to the stairs, fluffing Quatre's hair with a look of, 'don't ignore me,' and then looked up. "C'mon, Heero!"

He looked at Duo and gave him a 'pfft' at his back. Oh yeah.. Quatre was turning into a mini-Duo...

Heero glared at the dog. "I could use a new hat," he told it. Then looked past him. "What do you want, Duo?"

Trowa glanced out the window of the workshop and blinked. Was that...? He walked closer to the window to see.

"The same thing Quatre does. Come downstairs!" Duo huffed.

Shin cutely wagged his tail, ears perked towards Heero in an expression, 'hat? what's that?'

Wufei started walking slowly toward the building, curiosity winning over caution for once.

"Please Heero!" The blonde begged from his spot on the stairs, "Come have fun!"

It was. "Guys..." Trowa remarked. "I think there's someone else here now."

"In a minute," said Heero. "I'm busy here."

"Heero!" Quatre whinned, "Please?"

"Who?" Duo turned away from the stairs, letting Quatre deal with Heero. He walked over to where Trowa was.

Shin turned and started down the steps, the screwdriver still firmly clamped in his teeth.

"Shin, give me the screwdriver." Quatre said sternly to the puppy, he hadn't really been paying attention to Trowa.

"What do you need me for?" Heero asked.

"Wufei," Trowa said.

Shin just held on to it.

"Don't make me come up there Heero Yuy!" He yelled.

"Wufei?" Duo looked out the window past Trowa. "Hey, guys!" he yelled. "Guess who's back!" Of course, because Wufei had been there before, Duo would naturally think he was back again.

Quatre turned. "What is it Duo?" He asked standing up. It was obvious the blonde debated either going upstairs to grab the Japanese pilot or go see Wufei...

Heero frowned. "What?"

Hearing the voice, Wufei looked up. "Maxwell?"

"C'mere!" Duo said.

"Heero Yuy! Get your perfect soldier ass downstairs now!" Quatre yelled, obviously not wanting to be argued with.

Trowa blinked at that comment.

Speeding up, Wufei reached for the knob immediately upon reaching the door.

Heero leaped to his feet, glowering. "What is so damned important, Quatre?"

Shin barked, dropping the screwdriver. Someone had grabbed the door. He ran past Quatre out to the front where Trowa and Duo were, barking.

"Wufei's here!" He said, "And don't give me that."

Heero went to lean over the rail. "What? Wufei?"

Wufei jerked back, hearing the barking.

"Shin!" Duo said, grabbing the dog's collar. "C'mon... back off."

Trowa stepped away for the moment and went back towards the shop. "Milo," he hissed. "Upstairs in my room. I'll explain later."

Quatre remained where he was, wanting to wait and see... If it really was Wufei....

~Okay~ Milo said only to Trowa as he got up and headed upstairs withouy question.

Shin stopped barking when Duo grabbed his collar.

Barking silenced, Wufei cautiously turned the knob and opened the door.

Quatre's eyes widened. "Wufei!" He cried happily. The blonde over to him and about tackled the poor pilot.

Trowa walked back over now that the telepathic wolf was safely out of sight.

"Winner?" Wufei almost yelped in surprise, eyes wide.

Duo frowned a bit, eyeing Wufei for a moment. When he'd first shown up, Wufei had actually been in his pijamas... not his Preventer jacket. So... he wouldn't have had it. Yet, now, he was wearing it. He glanced at Trowa in mild confusion. Something was weird here.

Trowa was also noticing this. Also the fact that he was surprised to see Quatre.

Heero watched in silence from above. Where had Wufei been all this time?

Stepping back, Wufei nodded to Trowa and Duo. "Is Yuy here as well?"

"Where the hell have you been?" Quatre asked angrily.

Looking back to Quatre, the Chinese pilot blinked. "Where have I been? Where have you been?"

Quatre blinked and pulled away. "We've been here..."

Trowa stepped forward and whispered to Quatre. "He doesn't remember having been here."

"Where is 'here?'" Wufei asked, confused. "Winner, what is it?"

"We call this place Adstringendum... You showed up before." Quatre whispered softly.

Duo frowned. Things just got about fifteen hundred times weirder.

Wufei shook his head. "I have never been here before. I was working right before I woke up in this place."

Heero was frowning too. What was going on?

"You weren't here before?" Duo asked quietly. "But... you had been..." He looked a bit shaken up by that.

Quatre stared at Wufei and then swallowed. "If... What's going on?"

"You tell me," Wufei said. "I haven't seen any of you since you went missing."

Heero did descend the stairs then. "That seems unlikely," he said, but not with any certainty.

"So... you know we were missing," Duo said.

"Yes."

"I also knew you guys were missing as well," Trowa reminded them.

Duo blinked. He hadn't known Trowa had. He looked at Heero as if to ask the same.

The blonde frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Duo and I arrived first... Then Trowa...." Quatre said as he chewed absently on his thumb.

"Well, not missing exactly...just I hadn't heard from you guys for sometime."

Heero said nothing, thinking this over. He hadn't noticed anyone missing. But then, he had been in the hospital.

"After Trowa," Duo said, turning back to Quatre after Heero's lack of an answer, "Wufei showed up... then Heero... and then Wufei disappeared." He looked at the Wufei now standing before them. "You didn't have your Preventer stuff before..." the American said quietly.

"How could I have been here before when I don't recognize this place at all?" Wufei asked, looking at each of them in turn.

"This place is odd," was Trowa's explanation.

"To say the least," Duo said, sounding a bit stressed at this point. Next to him, Shin lightly bumped Duo's leg in reaction as a way to comfort him. He let his hand drop to rest on the dog's head. "I don't think I've heard of something like this happening before..."

Heero glanced at Duo. "No?" he asked. This was particularly upsettling.

The American shook his head.

Quatre just shook his head. "I can't wrap my head around this."

"This place, has it always been like this?" Wufei asked, gesturing back toward the door with a hand.

"It's always been odd..." Quatre rubbed his arms, looking down.

Duo nodded. "And, yeah... it's always looked like a desserted warzone..." he said with a somewhat dark tone.

"And a place that kills..." the blonde added saddly.

Wufei laid a hand on his shoulder, concerned. "Winner, are you alright?"

"I... I'm fine. It's just this place Wufei." Quatre said looking at Wufei, a faint smile on his face.

Duo shook his head. "No... he just won't let us do anything... and insists on taking care of everyone else."

Heero frowned a bit but said nothing.

"You prat!" Quatre said turning and wheeling on Duo, a mock frown on his face.

Duo stuck his tongue out.

Wufei laughed softly.

Trowa put his hand on Quatre's shoulder.

He frowned and then poked Duo in a ticklish spot.

"Hey!" The American hopped away.

He smirked and chased after Duo.

Shin barked at them.

Heero crossed his arms, stepping back to keep from being run down. "Whether you remember or not, we kept your room for you," he told Wufei.

"Thank you," he said, nodding. He glanced down at the dog. "Maxwell's?"

"Yeah."

Trowa nodded. "His name is Shin. And Quatre has a cat named Aftab."

Wufei looked toward said two pilots. "Only Maxwell would name a dog 'Shin.' Things haven't changed much."

Duo ran into the back, into the workshop, to get away from Quatre.

Shin looked back at Trowa and Wufei in turn upon hearing his nickname, short for Shinigami, and wagged his tail a bit. He then ran after Quatre and Duo again.

The blonde laughed, but then started coughing again. He steadied himself as he coughed.

Heero shrugged and turned to go back up to the apartment. He knew Wufei and knew he would ask for whatever information he wanted. He paused on the stairs, however, when Quatre began coughing.

Trowa headed over to Quatre and wrapped an arm around him to help steady him.

Duo stopped and looked back. He frowned. "And that's exactly what I was talking about," he said, crossing his arms.

Shin stopped and looked up at Quatre.

"I'm fine." He said waving them off.

"How long have you been ill, Winner?" Wufei asked, frowning with his arms crossed.

Quatre looked at Wufei. "I'm not ill."

"You need to take it easy," Trowa remarked.

"You sound ill," said Heero.

"I'm not ill... Please, trust me." He whispered putting a hand on Trowa's hand.

"Hn." Heero continued up the stairs.

Duo frowned at him. "Q... Unless you developed allergies, you sound sick to me."

"I'll rephrase then, Winner," Wufei said. "How long have you been coughing?"

"A week and a half now... The others have only known since Monday..."

"A week and a half?" Duo sighed. "Quatre..."

Trowa sighed as well. "You need to see Doctor Uzuki."

Wufei bit back the rebuke, knowing that it would be pointless. "You should."

"No! I'm fine!" He protested.

"Quatre, you aren't. You couldn't even run an extended period without coughing so much you had to lean against something."

"Q... you'd make us go," Duo said.

Heero leaned over the rail. "You would never let any of us get away with that," he reminded him. "How do you think we feel?"

He looked up at the others and then nodded. "I'll go."

Shin wagged his tail at Quatre.

"Good," Trowa said. "Because otherwise I'd have to carry you there."

"You wouldn't dare Trowa Barton! I'd make you sleep by yourself for a week!"

Duo snorted.

"You'd make me carry Duo...you threatened him with that."

Quatre just pouted. "Remind me again why I put up with you lot?"

Trowa leaned over and kissed Quatre on the head. "Because," he said, even though he didn't actually answer that.

Wufei watched the two in amusement before glancing at Duo with a raised eyebrow.

Duo sighed. "Hey... turnabout's fair play," he reminded Quatre. He shook his head. "C'mon... we'll show you upstairs," he told Wufei, turning to head up after Heero. "Shin, c'mon."

The black lab barked and followed him.

Shaking his head, Wufei followed.

"Lets go upstairs!" He smiled at Trowa and then gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

Trowa smiled and guided Quatre towards the stairs.

He pulled away and then bounded up the stairs.

Trowa followed Quatre upstairs.

"What're ya doin' up here, anyway, Heero?" Duo asked, once he got up there and into the apartment.

"Fixing the furniture," Heero replied. "Some of these chairs are about to fall apart."

"Eh-heh..." Duo rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah... Q mentioned something along those lines the other day..." Admonishing him for flopping into it. He shrugged.

"Because Duo keeps flopping into them!" Quatre laughed as he walked in.

Trowa followed Quatre in.

Milo, being curious wolf that he was, poked his head out of Trowa's room as everyone came upstairs and entered into the living room.

Shin trotted past the group to go see Milo.

Milo wagged his tail, looking at the pup who had run over.

Wufei blinked, sure he was seeing things. "A wolf?"

"Come say hello to Wufei Milo."

Milo trotted out of the bedroom. ~Hello~ he called telepathically, sounding cheerful, to all of the pilots.

Wufei jumped, eyes wide.

Quatre laughed a bit. "Good boy Milo."

"Hey, Milo," Duo said nonchalantly.

Trowa shook his head. "He's a telepathic wolf, Wufei. He stays with us from time to time."

Heero gave Milo a brief nod of acknowledgement as he poked around, trying to find the screwdriver Shin had run off with.

Shin went to see what Heero was looking for, no longer in possession of said screwdriver. His tail wagged happily as he sniffed at Heero's hands.

The L5 pilot mouthed the words 'telepathic wolf' to himself before shaking his head. "Winner, I think your description of 'odd' was a vast understatement."

"Wufei... Welcome to your new life."

~Milo isn't odd~ Milo remarked, since telepathic wolves were normal to him. ~I'm a cute pup~

"That's what I've been sayin'..." Duo said with a shrug. "You gotta watch out for big bugs and killer rabbits... and a few other weird monsters." He actually shuddered a bit before trying to shake it off.

Heero snorted, finding the screwdriver on the stairs.

Quatre shivered in response to Duo. "I hope it never, ever comes back!"

"Killer rabbits?" Wufei asked, a bit strained. "This place sounds like something you would come up with, Maxwell."

Duo glared slightly at Wufei. "Killer rabbits, maybe... but not that freakoid in the pyramid helmet." He headed down towards the bedrooms.

"Wufei!" Quatre scolded, "Don't you dare start in on him! He's had it just as rough as the rest of us! If not worse..." The blonde looked down as he remembered the time he "died".

~Bunny-bun is a killer rabbit~ Milo remarked, though it was faded as though he were more talking to himself.

Trowa blinked at the wolf.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Wufei said with a sigh. "It's been a trying day."

Trowa nodded. "It has."

The blonde turned and went after Duo.

Milo looked up at Wufei, wagging his tail.

Wufei sighed again, looking down at the wolf. Might as well start getting used to the weirdness. "Pleasure to meet you, Milo."

"You didn't hafta go after him," Duo said to Quatre quietly.

~It's nice to meet you too~ Milo replied. ~What's your name?~

Quatre didn't say anything and hugged Duo tightly.

"I'm Chang Wufei," he said, extending a hand hesitantly.

Milo merely sniffed his hand then wagged his tail.

Heero smirked as he sat down on the floor beside the overturned chair he had been working on.

Shin came over and sat down, offering Wufei his paw. He was a bit more 'trained' in that sense.

Wufei shook the paw before rubbing behind the dog's ears.

Shin wagged his tail, panting happily.

Milo yawned a bit and trotted over to go watch Heero working on the chair.

Duo sighed. "Well... your room's over here," he said to Wufei, gesturing around Quatre's hug.

"Thank you for keeping a place for me," Wufei said with a nod. "This place would have been more difficult without one."

Duo nodded. "When you... well... the other you..." He frowned at how strange that sounded. "We kept it in case you came back... or... this... whatever." He shrugged a bit.

He pulled away and smiled.

"I think this is going to take some getting used to," Wufei said.

"It does... and I'm still not really used to it," Duo said. He had been there the longest... if only by a week.

Shin went back over to bug Heero, taking the screwdriver again as Heero put it down.

"Hey! Don't!" Heero snapped.

"Shin!" Quatre said as he came back into the living room.

Shin took it and ran off across the apartment.

Milo followed after Shin, not chasing him. He was honestly trying to get the screwdriver back.

"Would anyone like some tea?"

"Shin!" Duo shouted, nodding at Quatre. He cornered the growing black lab, wrestling the screwdriver from him. "Quit that... you have a toy." He handed it back to Heero.

Heero rubbed the screwdriver on his jeans before setting it back down, closer this time.

"Definately your pet, Maxwell," Wufei said with an amused snort.

Shin picked up said toy and dropped it in front of Heero.

"Hmph... I think we need to get him more stuff," Duo said.

"I think he wants to play Heero." Quatre said.

Trowa nodded. "We do."

Heero picked up the toy and moved it behind his back.

Aftab came out of Quatre's room and went over to Wufei. She began kneading on his leg.

Shin wagged his tail at the word play, then again when Heero picked up the toy. He watched, waiting for Heero to toss it. When he didn't, the lab crouched.

Wufei looked down at the animal. "Just how many pets live here?"

Heero tapped it on the floor behind him, out of Shin's line of sight.

The floppy ears twitched forward, and Shin barked, flinching towards Heero slightly, but not pouncing.

The kitten looked up and mewed at the new person. At least she wasn't biting him... Yet...

Duo flopped on the couch. "Just the two... Milo's not a pet."

~Nope~ Milo said cheerfully.

He crouched, reaching down to pet the kitten.

And Aftab bit his hand...

Wufei swore, jumping back from the little beast.

The kitten stalked after Wufei, tail twitching.

Trowa sighed.

Quatre poked his head out of the kitchen. "Aftab, stop trying to eat Wufei... He's too stringy."

Holding his injured hand, Wufei glared at the evil kitten.

Duo shook his head. "That seems to be Aftab's way of saying hi," he said. "There's a first-aid kit in the bathroom." He went to get it.

Heero tapped the toy again, flashing it briefly at Shin, then hid it behind his back again. He glanced at Wufei. "Yeah, it does that from time to time."

"Wufei, do you want tea?"

Shin barked again, moving towards where it had been, but stopping. His tail was wagging vigorously.

With one last glare at the fiend, Wufei nodded. "Yes, tea would be nice."

Aftab mewed innocently and padded over to Heero. She nudged Heero's hand with her head.

Duo came back. "Is it bleeding?" he asked Wufei.

"Trowa, will you come help me?" Quatre called.

Trowa nodded. "Of course." He stood up and headed to the kitchen.

"Doesn't look like it," Wufei said.

Heero scrunched the cat's ears, tapping the toy behind his back again.

The kitten moved her head and then chewed on Heero's fingers.

"Alright... I'll leave it out here in case she decides to attack again," Duo said. "She got me good a couple months ago." He put the first aid kit on the table.

Heero didn't pull his hand away. "Cut it out," he told her. He threw Shin's toy down the hallway.

Shin tore off after it, his nails scrabbling on the wood floor as he tried to find traction.

The kitten didn't let up, still gnawing on Heero's fingers.

Milo watched the pup, then turned to look at the gnawing kitten.

"Hey, Q... I think your cat's teething," Duo said.

"Okay... Thanks Duo." Quatre said absently... It sounded like he was distracted.

Shin brought the toy back, dropping it in front of Wufei this time.

"At least you don't have a taste for human flesh," Wufei said, addressing Shin as he picked up the toy and tossed it.

Trowa walked over to Quatre. "Are you alright?"

Shin ran after the toy again happily.

Heero gave the kitten a gentle but firm push away.

Duo just shook his head. He went over to extract the kitten from Heero's fingers.

"I'm fine." He replied as he poured water into the cups.

"C'mon, Aftab... humans are not chew toys," Duo said.

The kitten pulled away and then mewed at Duo.

"No... that's not nice." He had no idea if it would work, but Quatre talked to the cat like that. Maybe that was the problem. Either way, he put the kitten off to the side away from Heero.

Aftab mewed again at Duo and then padded into Quatre's room.

Duo sighed.

Finally free of animal attacks, Heero got back to work on the chair.

Shin came back with the toy and went back to Heero.

Wufei headed toward what he thought was the kitchen, intending to help with the tea.

Heero ignored the dog this time, wanting to finish what he was doing.

"Shin..." Duo sat down on the couch, figuring three people could easily enough handle making tea on their own. He put his hand out.

Quatre was just finishing up the tea.

Shin gave up on Heero and trotted over to Duo, tail wagging, and dropped the toy into his hand.

Milo walked over to Duo as well, wagging his tail.

"Oh... so now I've got ya both," Duo said with a chuckle.

~Yep~ Milo replied.

"Tea's done!" The blonde called cheerfuly.

Shin wagged his tail, watching the toy.

Trowa helped pick up some of the mugs of tea to take out to the others.

Wufei entered the kitchen a moment after hearing the call.

"Nice," Duo said, grinning a bit. "Caffeine..."

Quatre handed Wufei a cup of tea. "Here, it's a different blend, but really good. Dr. Uzuki gave it to me."

"What is it?" Wufei asked, taking an esperimental sniff.

"I'm not sure. But Duo likes it. It's got a lot of caffeine in it."

Duo grinned devilishly.

"Sounds like a Maxwell tea." Wufei took a sip, nodding in approval.

Quatre smiled and then took a sip of his tea.

Trowa handed out the tea he was carrying then took a sip of his tea.

"Thanks," Duo said. He tucked his right leg up underneath himself on the couch, using his left foot to push Shin's toy back and forth across the floor with the black lab in a game. "C'mon and sit with us, Heero..." he said.

"Soon as I'm done..." said Heero without looking up.

With a grin, he headed into the living room and settled happily next to Trowa. "Please Heero?" Quatre asked with an obvious pout in his voice.

Duo grabbed one of the beat up pillows they kept on the couch and tossed it at Heero's head. "C'mon."

Wufei returned to the living room after Quatre, prefering to sit on the floor over the couch that was getting crowded.

Heero ignored them, ducking the pillow without looking.

Duo huffed. "Spoil sport..."

Trowa shook his head.

"I'm glad we're all together again..." Quatre said honestly, "I feel better."

"That's good," Trowa said with a slight smile.

The toy rattled, jingled, and wobbled across the floor as Shin pushed it back and forth with Duo. "It's okay," the American said, watching the growing pup. He'd still rather be home.

"I know we'd rather be at home... But... We can only hope that the scientists fix it."

Milo walked over hearing the toy jiggle. He looked at it, then wagged his tail and nudged towards Shin.

"Scientists?" Wufei asked with misgivings.

Shin picked it up and playfully moved away from Milo.

"This place," said Heero, still without looking. "Scientists compressed space and time in some experiment. Don't ask me how. They're supposed to be trying to reverse it."

Wufei snorted. "Always meddling."

"Of course, everytime they try, this whole place goes into some weird state of flux or something... and that's how we end up with killer rabbits and giant bugs." Duo frowned.

Milo wagged his tail, chuckling a little too himself.

Shin put it down again, waiting to see what Milo would do.

Milo just watched, tilting his head to the side.

Shin tapped the toy with his paw.

Milo slowly walked closer towards Shin and the toy.

Heero gave the chair a shake. He was no carpenter, but the operation seemed straightforward enough, and the chair seemed more steady.

Shin laid down.

"Are you ready to join us now, Mr Handy Man?" Duo teased Heero.

Quatre laughed. "We should play a game!"

Milo walked over and laid down near Shin. He looked up as Quatre mentioned "game".

Shin's ears perked.

Heero threw Quatre an incredulous look. "Game?"

"Yeah! A game!"

Wufei looked at Quatre but didn't say anything, choosing instead to drink his tea.

"What...kind of game?" Trowa asked somewhat hesitantly.

The blonde grinned mischeviously, obviously having spent a little too much time with Duo.

Duo blinked. "Q?"

Wufei eyed the blonde a little nervously. That was not an expression he wanted to see on their strategist's face.

"Why... Truth or Dare of course." He said in a sing-song voice.

Duo'd only really heard of the game from Hilde before. "Truth or Dare?" he asked.

Trowa blinked. He didn't really know that game.

~Milo will play!~ Milo called happily, clearly knowing the game already.

Wufei cringed, trying to make himself as unnoticable as possible.

"Oh, why it's a fun game. I played it all the time with my sisters when we where younger." Quatre laughed.

Heero frowned at the chair as he stood up and set his tools on the table.

"That can exist as a game?" Duo frowned a bit. "Doesn't sound very exciting."

"Depending on who's playing... Dad always yelled at my sisters when things got... Interesting."

"That's probably a good thing," Wufei said.

"Stuff got too mature for the baby brother?" Duo smirked.

Trowa chuckled.

Quatre just smiled innocently. "Shall we play?"

"Um...sure?"

Duo crossed his arms, leaning back on the couch. "Alright."

"If we must," Wufei said, forcing back a grimace.

"I think some girls at one of the schools I attended talked about playing that," said Heero.

"I'm up for some entertainment." Duo looked over at Heero. "What'd they say about it?"

Heero shrugged. "I really didn't listen."

"So... Shall I go first?" Quatre asked mysteriously.

Duo shrugged. "Sure... since none of us really know what's going on."

"Okay..."

Heero picked up his mug and sat on the floor.

"Wufei... Truth or dare?" Quatre asked smiling rather innocently.

Wufei stared blankly at him. A boarding school kid, he was certainly no stranger to the game. "Truth."

"Have you ever done any drugs?"

"Other than medications or the sludge at the office they call coffee, no." Wufei eyed the blonde before turning away in favor of Duo. "Maxwell?"

"What?" Duo blinked. That was it? Dude, that was rather anti-climactic. "What...?" He looked at Wufei.

"Truth or dare?"

"Uh..." He thought about that for a second. Deciding to be safe to start, he nodded to himself. "Truth."

The black haired man smirked. "How many times have you had to crossdress?"

Quatre bit his lip to keep from laughing.

Heero knitted his brows.

"None," Duo said, glaring at Wufei slightly. Sore spot... not good.

"I think it is your turn to ask someone," Trowa remarked. He glanced at Quatre to make sure what he had said was correct.

Quatre nodded.

Duo looked at them for a moment, and then thought about it. "Heero." He smirked. "Truth or dare."

Heero lowered his mug of tea. "You want me to tell you the truth about something?" he asked.

"Or let me dare you to do something."

Heero blinked at him. "Why would I let you do that?"

Duo sighed.

"Heero, you have to be honest with this game or do what Duo dares you to do. It's the rules."

"So, c'mon... pick one. Truth or dare?" Duo asked again.

"I'll tell the truth," said Heero. "I'm not letting you dare me to do anything."

"Smart man," Wufei muttered into his tea.

Duo pouted at him for a second, and then thought about his question. "Hmm..." Deciding to be nice for the time being, he avoided the obvious Relena question. "How'd you get to be Wing's pilot?" he asked.

Heero gazed at him a long moment. "I don't know the exact criteria used to choose me," he replied finally.

Duo waited to see if there was more, but when Heero didn't offer anything else, he sort of shrugged. "Okay. You're turn."

"For what?" he asked.

"Pick someone."

Heero stared at him a moment before working out the proper pattern. "Oh." He looked at Trowa. "I guess you haven't been picked yet," he told him.

Trowa shook his head. "I haven't. Milo hasn't. Quatre hasn't."

Heero actually smirked at the idea. "You're right. Maybe I should ask Milo."

Milo wagged his tail. ~Okay.~

Shin was curled up and sleeping next to the wolf.

"So, you choose between truth and dare?" Heero glanced at Quatre to make sure he was asking the right thing.

~Dare~ Milo remarked, wagging his tail.

For a moment, Duo wondered just what kind of dare a wolf could do.

Heero blinked. "What, you want me to dare you to do something?" he asked, honestly not understanding why someone would make that choice.

Milo bobbed his head. ~Yep~

Heero stared at him. "What...what do you dare a wolf?"

"You could dare him to do a trick," Trowa suggested.

"Without opposable thumbs, it makes it kinda hard..." Duo mused.

Heero stared a Duo wide-eyed a moment before looking back at Trowa and Milo. "You mean like, a back-flip or jump something?"

~I can do either or both~ Milo said slowly getting up so as not to disturb the pup.

"You could dare him to fetch something from someone's room," Duo said a bit devilishly.

"Or drag you back to your room," Heero told him. "No, if you can do a back flip, I'd like to see that," he told the wolf, wondering how on Earth he ended up daring a wolf in the first place.

Duo stuck his tongue out at Heero.

In the meantime, Shin rolled flat on his side, stretching his legs out and sighing a big puppy sigh in his sleep, the toy tucked under his neck.

Milo, wagging his tail, moved well away from the pup. He paused for a moment to stretch and then did a quick back flip by pushing himself up on to his hind legs and jumping to continue the flip around. ~Done.~ He declared when he landed, wagging his tail again.

Heero nodded. "That was acceptable."

"Well... Hell... I'm impressed," Duo remarked.

Quatre nodded. "Milo's talented."

Still wagging his tail, Milo went and laid down next to Shin again, looking between Trowa and Quatre, since they were the only two left. ~Quatre, truth or dare?~

The blonde thought for a moment. "Truth."

Milo thought for a moment trying to think of a question. ~Have you ever...ever...Okay, aside from the event, have you ever dressed like a woman?~

"Event?" Wufei asked, curious.

Duo actually blushed for this one. He hadn't considered that crossdressing, so he'd technically answered Wufei's question of a similar nature from earlier truthfully.

Quatre turned bright red. How did... He looked at Trowa and then down. "Yes...." he whispered.

Trowa also blushed as well a little.

Duo ignored Wufei, staring at Quatre and Trowa with that little admission.

Milo blinked as well. He actually hadn't been expecting that to be answered yes.

Heero frowned a little but didn't say anything.

Trowa decided that the best thing to hopefully devert attention was to answer Wufei. "Something about this place, it messes with people. It turned some people into the opposite of their gender."

Wufei paled.

Duo bit his lip... hard... turning it white.

Heero stared into space impassively.

"Trowa... Truth or dare?" Quatre asked looking at the taller man next to him and quickly changing that topic.

"Truth."

"How old where you when you first piloted a mobile suit?"

"About...seven or eight. I don't quite know for sure."

Quatre nodded and then leaned against Trowa a bit.

"New round?" Duo asked, hoping to keep the talk of the last 'event' to a minimum. He looked at Trowa to see if he wanted to ask anyone.

"Does everyone else want a new round?" Trowa asked.

Quatre noded. "That sounds good."

Heero merely shrugged, sipping his tea.

Wufei nodded. "Sure."

Milo wagged his tail, indicating he liked that idea.

"Okay," Trowa said. "Umm...Duo, truth or dare?"

"Hmm..." Duo thought about it for a second, wondering how risky Trowa would get. "Dare."

Heero shook his head, still not quite understanding why someone would take a dare.

Trowa thought for a moment, trying to think of a dare for Duo. "I dare you to...eat a mushroom." He knew it was bad and Duo would probably get him for it later.

Quatre's eyes widened and he smacked Trowa's arm.

Wufei smirked, snickering.

Duo visibly cringed. "If we don't have any, I don't gotta..." he said.

Heero just watched. A mushroom?

"I'll go check to see if we have any." QUatre said standing up. He then went into the kitchen.

Duo watched Quatre go, hoping like crazy that they didn't.

Trowa chuckled. "We don't have to do that. How about you..." he paused for a moment to think. "Make a sandwich for Milo?"

Milo wagged his tail, liking the sound of that.

"Actually... We do have a couple of mushrooms!" Quatre called.

Duo facepalmed.

"We don't have to make him eat the mushroom," Trowa said with a sigh.

"Original dare, Barton," Wufei said.

"Fine... I'll eat the damn thing. They're not as bad raw anyway," Duo grumbled. "Less slimey.'

If a wolf could make a pouting face, Milo made it then.

Quatre brough the smallest mushroom he could find out to Duo.

Duo grumbled a soft thanks and tried to eat it quickly. He really hated mushrooms.

He went around and sat back next to Trowa.

"Bleh..." Duo made a face. Yeah, that was going to take a bit to get that taste out. "Okay, Wufei... truth or dare?" he said, trying not to look too grossed out.

"Truth," Wufei said. "I know better than to give you power over me, Maxwell."

Duo pouted a bit. "Fine..." he grumbled. "What's the deal with you and your justice obsession?"

"It was important to my wife," Wufei said. "I honor her by carrying on her ideals."

That was clearly something Duo hadn't been expecting. Wufei? Married? He blinked, studying the Chinese pilot for a moment. He nodded a bit. "That's cool," he said, suddenly serious in his own way.

Trowa was also a bit shocked by this, but it was also rather interesting as well.

Quatre looked down, silent.

Heero frowned a bit, also silent.

"Nataku was Shenlong's origonal pilot," Wufei said blankly. "Winner, truth or dare?"

The American thought about that for a second. Original pilot... He bit his lip, looking down.

"Dare." Quatre replied looking at Wufei. He didn't want to think about it... If Wufei's wife had continued to pilot... Then... He paled silghtly. Wufei would have been on L5 when it self destructed.

Wufei thought for a moment, trying to distract himself. "I dare you to let Duo pick out your clothes for the next two days."

Duo snorted a laugh*

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Fine."

Trowa chuckled.

Heero finished his tea and leaned back on his elbows. Poor Quatre.

"Heero, truth or dare?"

Heero gazed at Quatre. "I'll tell the truth," he said.

"Why do you freeze up when you see puppies?" Quatre asked seriously.

Quatre's words made Heero's insides clench. He visibly paled. "I...I don't, do I?" He looked at Shin.

The black labrador retriever was out cold, laying on his side. He twitched slightly in reaction to his dream.

"The others may not see it, but I do..." Quatre said softly, "There was a look in your eyes when you first saw Shin..."

Heero looked away. "The truth is I don't talk about it," he replied stiffly.

"Alright, fair enough."

Wufei nodded in agreement.

Duo seemed to slouch a bit as the topic of their Truth questions was starting to get a bit dark. That had been another reason he'd chosen Dare. He really didn't want to answer anything too personal.

"So do we want to give Heero another question or just let him chose?" Trowa asked.

Milo was quietly watching them from beside the pup.

Heero stood up rather suddenly, picking up his empty mug, and stalked off into the kitchen.

"I'm thinkin' we shouldn't play anymore..." Duo said softly.

~That might be good~ Milo replied, watching Heero go.

"That works just fine." Quatre whispered softly.

Wufei kept quiet, drinking the last of his tea instead.

The American frowned and got up to follow Heero, taking his own mug as well.

Trowa was silent, somewhat feeling like his comment had caused Heero to get up so suddenly.

Heero leaned on the counter a bit heavily as he rinsed out the mug.

Quatre stared at his lap, feeling guilty.

"Heero?" Duo stopped next to the other pilot.

"Yeah?" he set the mug on the counter, not really looking at Duo.

"You alright?" He leaned against the counter.

"Fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to..." he gestured vaguely towards the living room. He hadn't meant to upset anyone.

Duo gave Heero a small smile, putting his hand on the other teenager's shoulder. "Don't worry about it... Next time, just take a dare."

Wufei sighed, glancing away from his cup. "Winner, Barton, would you mind telling me a bit more about this place? Any information you've gathered would be helpful."

Heero shook his head. "Like I'd trust a dare from one of you."

"I'd say Quatre wouldn't be really bad, but..." Duo shrugged. "I beginning to think he's getting worse than me." The American laughed.

"It's complicated Wufei." Quatre said softly.

"I'm begining to see that," Wufei said.

Heero shrugged.

"I'm sorry Wufei, but.. I'm not up to explaining anything right now."

Trowa was still silent, lost in thought for the moment.

Wufei nodded. "Later then. It sounds like there'll be plenty of time for it."

"C'mon..." Duo nudged Heero. "Quatre's gonna feel all guilty if you stay in here too long." He straightened up and headed back into the living area, letting Heero be alone if he wanted.

Heero stayed a while longer, then shrugged it off and returned to the living room.

Quatre was already halfway down the hall towards his room.

"Q?" Duo asked.

"It's alright. I need to be alone for a little bit."

Trowa looked up, watching Quatre go.

Milo looked around. Everyone seemed to be depressed now. He got up and walked towards to the door to go back downstairs.

Heero watched him go, frownining. He shouldn't have reacted so badly. He went for his tools.

Wufei stood up. "If no one minds, I'd like to investigate the area a bit more now that I have a point of reference."

"That's fine," Trowa said.

"There's a map on these things," Duo said, holding up the small PCD.

Touching the pocket where he'd found his own, Wufei nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

The door to Quatre's room shut firmly.

Duo nodded and then sighed. He glanced at Trowa.

Trowa shrugged.

Wufei dropped his mug off in the kitchen before heading down the stairs.

Duo rubbed his forehead, flopping next to Trowa on the sofa. "Okay... future reference... Truth or Dare is not a good game for people with dark pasts." He gave the taller pilot a slightly sheepish smile.

Trowa nodded. "Apparently not."

Heero actually smirked as he shook a chair, deciding if it needed some work.

"Need a hand?" Duo asked, needing something to do now.

Trowa shrugged. "We could go work on the security system again."

Heero glanced up, eyes glinting with interest. "How is that coming?"

"Trowa's been doing most of the work recently... I've had some issues." He looked at Trowa.

"We could all go work out it," Trowa suggested.

Duo glanced between them. "Sounds like a plan..." he said.

Heero nodded.

"Then let's go do that." Duo got up. "It'll be a good distraction."

Trowa nodded and stood up.

Heero gathered up his tools.

Duo smiled a bit. He headed downstairs.