"Puppy Love"

Written By: Waterliliylf

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. All rights remain with Bandai, Sotsu and associated parties. No profit being made here.

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: sap, angst, fluff, Alternating Trowa/Quatre POV, AU

Pairings: 3x4 get together, Background 1x2, 5x6

Summary: quatre gets a new puppy and has to take it to the vet.

"Puppy Love"

Quatre's POV:

Chapter 6:

As usual, I'm attacked as soon as Duo opens his front door; Shinigami explodes outside, body-slamming me against the door frame. Duo looks on indulgently as his dog leaps up and down, swiping his tongue across my face and trying to reach Maggie.

'Aw, that's cute. He's been missing his mommy.'

'I'm not that creature's mother!' I manage to get a stranglehold on Shinnie's collar with one hand and make him sit down, holding Maggie away from him with the other. 'And he saw me last night.'

'He's a dog, Quat,' Duo explains carefully, giving me a quick hug and then taking Maggie from me, laughing when she squirms happily in his arms, and tries to lick the tip of his nose. 'He doesn't understand about time, do you, Shin? And how's my little princess then? Who's the most beautiful girl in the world?'

'Isn't she gorgeous?' I lean over to stroke her, and Shin chooses the perfect moment to make a break for freedom; he's the world's only collie/kangaroo hybrid and he dashes upstairs in a couple of bounds. 'I thought Heero was taking Shinnie to obedience training.'

'Yeah,' Duo says unconcernedly, putting Maggie down and letting her frisk her way down the hallway after him. 'He's very good when Heero's around. But he does miss you. We both do.'

'You know you can move back any time,' I offer, following him into the kitchen. 'Your room's still empty.' I know it's not going to happen; he's blissfully happy with Heero but the house still seems so empty since they moved out.

Duo grins. 'Tempting, but living with Heero does have some side benefits. Plus a few top and bottom benefits as well.'

'Duo!'

'What? It's true! And he's doesn't hassle me nearly as much as you did about tidying up all the time.'

I'd been to Heero's house a few times before Duo officially moved in; back then, his kitchen had looked like an operating theatre, albeit one designed and equipped by NASA. Now, the refrigerator door is plastered with photographs, Shinnie's toys are all over the floor, and there are several layers of Duo-inspired cluttered on the table.

'I can't believe he lets you mess up the place like this.'

'It's good for him to learn to put up with it,' Duo comments airily, sweeping a pile of books off a chair so I can sit down, and switching on the kettle. 'I'm determined to cure that obsessive cleanliness of his.'

'Oh? So you're only messy as a form of therapy for your boyfriend?' I tease and he laughs along with me.

'Something like that. He's even stopped complaining about hair in the shower.'

'You're joking!' When we shared a house, most of our rows were about Duo's hair. A couple of mornings, I'd even dumped a sodden lump of soapy hairs down his shirt, but nothing worked.

Duo grins. 'Nope. The first time he complained, I said the easiest thing would be for me just to cut it all off and that was the end of that. The man has such a hair fetish.' He pulls his braid over one shoulder and regards it complacently.

'You're evil, Maxwell. Where is Heero anyway?'

'Upstairs, communing with his brand-new laptop.' Duo rolls his eyes. 'I think it's true love this time. He'll be down in a bit. Now,' he hands me a cup of tea, and sits opposite me. 'Tell me all about the hot vet. Have you kissed him?'

'I'm not telling you that.' Drat. I can feel myself going red as I speak.

'Hah! That means you did. More than kissing?'

'No! Of course not. We were in a restaurant! And then we went for a walk on the beach and there were lots of other people around.'

'So?' He waggles his eyebrows suggestively. 'He didn't sweep you off to his place to have his wicked way with you?'

That makes me laugh. 'He's been staying with his sister for a couple of weeks, and he's going to start looking for an apartment tomorrow.'

'Really?' Duo's gaze turn speculative. 'And you've got an empty room? Wouldn't you like a nice roommate to help pay the bills?'

'Um.' I take a sip of tea and try not to look at him. It had - briefly - occurred to me. 'I don't think so. Not this soon. We've only just met and I don't want to rush things that much.'

'I suppose you're right. You do like him though?'

I nod emphatically. 'Oh yes.' I hadn't really meant to say that so soon. 'I do; it's just….you know.'

'Yeah, but he's not Simon. He seems like a really nice guy; you should give him a chance. When are you seeing him again?'

'On Thursday. We're going for dinner.'

'Not 'til then? That's weeks away!'

'Four days, actually.' As I say it, I realise just how far away that is. Still, we did say we might try to meet up for a drink if we both have some free time during the day. 'He's working tomorrow, I'm meeting Dorothy on Tuesday and I'm going to the movies with you on Wednesday.'

'Well, we could skip it this week, if you'd rather see Hot Vet Guy.'

'He's called Trowa, and no, I can wait a couple of days.'

'That's so cute; you're all defensive of him.' He considers for a moment. 'What are you meeting the wicked witch of the west for?'

'Because she's my friend!' I say, just a shade too defensively.

I've known Dorothy Catalonia since we were children. We dated a couple of disastrous times when we were teenagers, simply because our parents fixed us up, and to be honest, we don't exactly have very much in common, but she's always been supportive and loyal. She's also friendly with two of my sisters, so she passes on family news. 'You've got female friends; I don't complain when you spend time with Hilde, do I?'

'Yeah, well; Hilde doesn't want to date me.'

'Nor does Dorothy. Come on, Duo; she's perfectly aware I'm gay.'

'And she's perfectly aware that you're a Winner, and she'd like that sort of luxury lifestyle your money could buy.'

'What money?' I wonder. 'You make way more that I do. My family cut me off, remember?'

Duo shrugs. 'So? I bet they'd take you back in a shot, if you started going out with a girl. Plus, she'd probably knows about the trust fund your grandmother set up for you, and that she's likely to leave you everything. That's not exactly small change.'

'That's nonsense. She's a nice girl and I happen to like her. And she was really sweet to me when Simon and I broke up.'

'Sure, probably hoping to get you on the rebound. And stop glaring at me like that. None of your other friends like her; not even Relena and she likes everybody. And Zechs really doesn't like her.'

'Zechs didn't like Heero very much when they first met,' I remind him, and it's his turn to sound defensive.

'That was different. Anyway, let's go outside; I finished the bench this morning and I want to show you.'

'It's amazing.' I say sincerely; Duo started working on this project a couple of weeks ago, and I've seen it as a work-in-progress a couple of times, but the finished product is stunning. The actual design is very simple but it's decorated with masses of intricate carvings. 'I can't believe you and Heero did this by yourselves.'

'Yep,' Duo runs a finger along the gleaming wood proudly. 'Design by Yuy; practical work by Maxwell. I added a few little touches of my own, though. Listen, I know I said we'd do a barbeque, but we didn't get to go shopping this morning. D'you mind if we just order something? I'll get the menus.'

While he's gone I find their initials entwined between all the Celtic knot work, and a sequence of eight numbers.

'What's the date for?' I ask when he comes back. 'The first time you went out together?'

'The day we met,' He hands me a sheaf of restaurant fliers. 'I thought it would be nice to include that. Now, what do you fancy? Do you mind if we don't get Thai? Heero's not crazy about chilies.'

'Indian's fine. What's he doing upstairs anyway? He not working on a Sunday, is he?'

Duo nods, grinning mischievously. 'Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you. We both skived off work on Friday; he called Howard and said he wasn't sure exactly what was wrong with me, but he thought I should spend the day in bed.'

'With him, I take it? Very subtle,' I comment and Duo laughs.

'Well, Howard was laughing when he rang later on. It's quiet right now anyway; I could have just asked for the day off but it was more fun that way. Anyway, 'Ro has some things he needs to catch up on so he's trying to get it done now.' He reaches over to look at the Indian menu. 'I could order him Prawn Balti, not that he needs to eat shellfish or anything; he likes that, and maybe some Nan breads.'

'That sounds good.' I lean back against the sun-warmed wood, and can't help a little stab of envy. I want what they have; a boyfriend who'll drag me back to bed on a workday, or deliberate over my favourite foods.

I can't help wondering how good Trowa is at carpentry.

'Yeah. What are you having; that chicken thing as usual?' Duo kicks off his shoes, and tucks his legs up on the seat; Maggie, who adores human skin, immediately pounces on his bare toes with her tongue.

'Maggie! Ow, that tickles. Quat, your dog has a foot fetish! Stop, princess; that's Heero's job.'

'What's Heero's job?' Heero asks, wandering outside with Shinigami at his side, the picture of a perfectly-trained dog.

'Sucking my toes.' Duo grins as Heero bends down to kiss him.

'And all the other parts of you. Hello, Quatre. How did you get on with the Hot Vet Guy?'

'He's called Trowa,' I say, grinning goofily. 'And I got on wonderfully. He's intelligent and kind and funny and he's actually done voluntary work with orphaned llamas in Chile.'

'Excellent,' Heero says, totally straight-faced. 'I always think that llama-based work should be the first criterion for choosing a partner.' He nudges Duo. 'Haven't you ordered food yet? I'm starving.'

'You'll steal my seat, if I get up.'

'Possibly,' Heero admits, 'but then you can sit on my lap.'

'Good point,' Duo gets up, pinching Heero's butt as he walks past. 'Back in a sec.'

Heero sits down beside me and gives Maggie his hand to sniff. 'How are you coping with her? I thought we should ask you first if you wanted a dog, but you know what Duo's like when he gets an idea into his head.'

'It's OK,' I pull one of Maggie's ears gently, and she turns her head to look at me. In all honesty, if they'd asked me first, I would have come up with a hundred reasons why it wasn't practical for me to have such a demanding pet, but now I can't remember any of them.

And I wouldn't have met Trowa.

'Good.' Heero's expression, which is usually on the stern side of impassive, softens as he looks down at Maggie. 'You know, I should come over and adjust your security system, before she sets it off inadvertently.'

I nod. 'You can come over any time, you know that.' Heero set up my house alarm shortly after he met Duo. We'd had an attempted break-in, and he installed an insanely complicated security system, as a convenient excuse to spend time with Duo.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how it works. For an architect, Heero possesses vast amounts of esoteric information about surveillance and security; his step-father runs one of the biggest security firms in the country, and before that he worked for some sort of shadowy government agency, doing some sort of classified, top-secret assignments. I'm not supposed to know that bit, actually, but Duo and I tell each other everything.

He even tells me things I'd prefer not to know. It can be a little difficult to look Heero in the eye, sometimes.

'Fine. It won't take long; I'll just need to calculate Maggie's body mass index, and probable weight gain over the next few months and modify the lasers not to react to her.'

'Lasers? You put lasers in my house?'

'They're a perfectly standard piece of equipment in all modern security systems,' Heero informs me calmly.

'In museums and casinos and the Royal Mint, maybe! What if I'd set them off by accident?'

'You're overreacting, Quatre. There's absolutely no danger, provided you have the alarms set correctly.' Heero throws me a quizzical glance.

Oh. Oh dear. On the bright side, I suppose I've been doing something right since I've never been blasted or burnt or skewered or whatever it is that lasers do. It might be an idea to flick through the manual again, though, just in case.

'Now,' Heero says briskly, 'about this vet. How much do you actually know about him?'

'Not a lot,' I admit. 'but we did talk for a couple of hours this afternoon. You haven't met him, have you?'

'Not yet.' He gives Shinnie, stretched out blissfully on his feet, a speculative look, and I imagine they'll be visiting the veterinary surgery fairly soon, on some pretext or other. 'So basically you know nothing about this person. Hmmm.'

'Hmmm what? Heero, he's a vet. He helps sick animals. I like him. Maggie likes him. He's a nice guy.'

'Possibly,' Heero concedes. 'But the fact remains he's a stranger. It might be a good idea to look at his police record. And possibly run a credit check.'

'No! That would be like spying on him. I'm not doing something like that.'

'It's just an elementary precaution,' Heero tells me.

'And I'm not doing it,' I say firmly, wishing Duo would come back and rescue me. How long can it take to order a meal? Of course, in Duo's case, he's probably sharing life stories with whoever took his order. It's not that I don't like Heero; he's intelligent and kind and loyal and he adores Duo, but he still scares me sometimes when he goes all over-protective. 'I'm sorry, but no. I refuse to do something like that.'

'Honestly, 'Ro,' Duo chooses that moment to whirl back outside, scooping Maggie into his arms, and sliding onto his boyfriend's lap. 'I keep telling you to stop propositioning Quat. He's not interested in you.' He winks at me. ''Specially not now he's got the cute vet, right, Quat?'

Heero ignores this. 'I'm trying to convince Quatre to conduct some elementary checks on the vet. You talk to him.'

'Sheesh, Heero!' Duo rolls his eyes. 'Trowa's OK. Shinnie liked him, and he spent the last year doing work with orphaned camels or something.'

'Llamas, actually.'

'Whatever.' Duo takes a handful of Heero's dishevelled, dark hair, and tugs. 'Give it a break, love. Quat doesn't want you interfering in his love life. He's happy; Hot Vet Guy's happy. Let them work the rest of it out between them.'

 

~ * ~

Chapter 7

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