A/N 2014/11/11: I just realized I never uploaded the edit of this. Ahaha...

It started with a cough.

Duo had stiffened, his muscles tensing at the sound of the wet hacks, followed by a shuddering gasp for air. Trowa leaned over, placing a hand on Quatre's shoulder. Duo strode from the room, not glancing back once. Trowa hadn't thought much of it until the next morning, when Duo didn't show up for breakfast.

This was what alerted Trowa to the fact that something was wrong. Duo never skipped a meal unless he was physically incapable of attending. Whether it be on an assignment, trailing a target, or bedridden, Duo would show up at every meal with an empty stomach and ravenous hunger. A cursory scan of the cabin did not reveal where their stealth expert had holed himself away at, and he refocused his attention on Quatre for the time being, who was looking worse today.

Quatre's cough grew worse, being accompanied by congestion and a slight fever. A brief doctor exam - Trowa having learned enough basic field-training as part of his stint with the mercenaries - revealed that Quatre had congestion in his lungs as well. With that, Trowa hauled him off to bed, manhandling him under the covers and pressing a tablet into his hands.

"I'm fine, Trowa."

"You will be if you stay."

"I have work to do!"

"That's what the tablet is for."

"Trowa!"

"Quatre. Rest, heal, and then get back to work. Duo and I can… entertain ourselves for a few days without your presence."

"Where is he, anyway? I haven't seen him since dinner last night."

"That's not your concern. Rest."

After another few minutes, where Quatre tried to wheedle his way out of Trowa's demands, he finally relented, tapping the button on the side that would light up the screen and allow him to use the portable information system.

Trowa left to go find their third housemate, who had seen fit to vanish. When Duo was stressed, he would hide away, but never for this long. He was normally back by mealtime, if only to eat said meal before hiding away again. Trowa knew of three of the 'nests' he had, where food and basic supplies were stashed away in case he ever needed them. Those three were empty.

So Trowa had to start from scratch, a strong flashlight between the beams of the foundation revealing only a dead raccoon corpse and an alarming amount of rotting foliage.

The first floor didn't have many places where one could hide an intact body, dead or alive. The second floor, however, had more leeway.

It was where three of the 'nests' were at, but he was sure there were more. Duo was nothing if creative, and his small, lithe stature made some impossibilities a reality. He could fold himself for a good length of time, which was why he had made a rather deadly opponent when it came to assassination techniques. Moving around without making a sound, without a shadow of his presence, made it hard to keep a track of him, as he could move to a place that had already been checked.

Hide and Seek with Duo - intentional or not - was always a pain in the ass.

It was a slight current of air that lead Trowa to finding the small opening. It was a little square of wall, cut out for electricians and maintenance workers to access the wires and tubes that powered the house, but it had recently been moved, and not just once. Sliding it off, he could see how Duo had pushed his way inside, and looking up he could see something he didn't think was possible.

There was an attic.

He doubted it was an attic in the traditional sense, really only being the gap between the roof and the ceiling. But it was enough room for Duo to work with.

Luckily, Trowa was also good at maneuvering in tight spaces.

He pulled himself into the hole, using only his hands to pull his weight up. His feet helped keep him up as he moved his hands higher, steadily crawling the length of wall before he latched onto the short lip that would allow him to reach the small crawl space in the roof. He didn't pull himself up right away, however, instead giving three sharp raps against the wooden wall. It echoed into the expanse above him, and he waited for almost five minutes before he heard two soft knocks back, the returning signal that told him he had been successful.

"Go away, Barton," Duo muttered as Trowa pulled himself up. While the knock had let Duo know he was there, the returning knock had not been an invitation. It merely had acknowledged that Trowa would not have his head blown off if he stuck it in range of Duo's gun.

"You skipped breakfast," Trowa said blandly, scooting across the wooden planks until he was lying parallel to Duo's stretched out form. He was lying on a blanket, his arms serving as a pillow, and a single torch resting next to his head to provide a small amount of light. He could see the glimmer of a foil wrapper, showing that Duo had not gone without eating entirely.

Duo was frequently putting food into his stomach, but he still managed to look underfed no matter how much he ate. Sally had said that Duo's metabolism wasted nothing put into his body, and the more he consumed the more energy he had to use. It was the source behind his constant hyperactivity, as years of starvation and malnutrition in his most crucial years had forced his body to not retain anything he kept, instead converting it to use instantly to prevent death. Small, consistent meals throughout the day kept him from starvation, but nothing would fix the damage already done.

"Whad'ya wan', Tro?" Duo finally asked, rolling onto his side to look at the taller boy. Trowa was stretched out, eyes closed, and the picture of calm. If Duo hadn't been living with Trowa for months now, he would have assumed the lanky teen was asleep. But he was used to the sleeping habits of his housemates, and he knew that Trowa never fell asleep until an hour after his first attempt. It was a consistent pattern of insomnia and restlessness that Duo understood.

"You missed breakfast."

"What are you, my mother?"

"I didn't want Quatre to worry any more than he had to."

There. Trowa saw Duo's body tense, his lips tighten and his eyes darken. He rolled away from Trowa, looking to the other wall so that his face was hidden.

So it had to do with Quatre.

"He'll be well within a few days, no more than a week. Whatever problem you're having with him, get it resolved before then. I don't want him to carry any more stress than he needs to while he recovers."

"It always starts with a cough," Duo said quietly. "Normal, small, nothing to be concerned about. But then you'll notice other things. They start to sweat. Can't keep food down. They feel weak, shaky, and soon they lose the ability to grip and hold things with their hands. Their skin becomes discoloured, blotching with purples and greys, until it starts to fall off, leaving bloody patches that quickly die as well. No one lives from this, Tro. No one. I can't… I can't watch that again. Don't make me."

"He doesn't have a plague. He just overextended himself and caught a summer cold. With bed rest he will be fine."

"No he won't, Trowa!"

Trowa leaned up, throwing his body to drape over the shaking boy. With a knee planted on each side of his legs, and his elbows holding him elevated next to Duo's shoulders, he looked down into the pale face of the terrified teen.

"He's going to be okay. Do you think I'd merely put him on bed rest if it was anything more serious? I'd have his ass hauled back to Sanq and get him the best treatment possible."

"I'm scared," Duo whispered, and Trowa didn't doubt it.

"Just trust me."

"I do."

Duo showed him the easier way to get out of the attic space. It wouldn't let him back in - well, Trowa was sure he could manage, having a height advantage over Duo - but it was easier than trying to slide back down the wall and out the small maintenance hatch.

Quatre glanced up as Trowa stepped in to check on him, a cup of soup in one hand and a packet of crackers in the other.

"Did you find Duo?"

"How did you know he was missing?"

"You were distracted all morning, Trowa. I'm sick, not stupid."

"He will be fine."

"I feel so useless lying here," Quatre muttered, setting his tablet on the nightstand and accepting the cup from Trowa. "I'm supposed to be here to help you two, not the other way around."

"I'm sure society will be safe in the few days it will take to recover. Then you can go back to being our obedience trainer."

"I'm not— They were just worried. You two haven't been adapting well."

"I'm a mercenary, Quatre. It doesn't matter how the world decides to be, that will never change."

"An' I'm only good for shootin' people and stealin' shit. Ain't got me any other skills," Duo added, stepping into the room. "Kitty Cat caught a cold?"

"I'll be up and about in no time," Quatre said cheerfully, and Duo's body relaxed a little.

"You ain't gonna go droppin' dead on me, are ya? 'Cause that requires a two-week notice 'fore you're allowed t'do that."

Quatre's eyes roamed the tense lines of Duo's face, before giving a soft, understanding smile.

"I was vaccinated in 186."

Duo took a sharp breath, before giving a curt nod and turning suddenly to flee the room.

"Wufei and Heero will be here by noon," Trowa told the other two, pulling off his sweat-soaked shirt and tossing it in the hamper. "They informed me that they will be bringing lunch and dinner with them, so we won't need to cook again today."

He pulled off his jeans, also quite damp from sweat, and those quickly found their way into the hamper as well. Quatre was sitting upright in bed, tablet in hand, while Duo was curled up with a handheld game console at his feet. They both nodded absently at his words, and it was Duo who finally looked up to see a mostly naked Trowa.

"I don't think Quatre's recovered enough for that," Duo teased, and Trowa shot him a look as he pulled off his briefs, joining the rest of the dirty clothes. Duo raised an eyebrow.

"Not sure what you're doing, buddy…"

"I am not touching those again," was all Trowa said as he peeled off his socks. Quatre didn't even look up from the screen.

"There are clean towels in the dryer."

Trowa nodded, having already grabbed one and tossed it in the bathroom.

"What were you doing this morning anyway?" Duo asked, and Quatre was the one who answered.

"He got the idea stuck in his head to go clean out under the house. So, why not?"

"…That's fucking gross, man. Really?"

"I found a raccoon."

"Was it alive?"

"No."

"….Fucking sick, man."

Trowa smirked lightly, finally shedding the last of the filth-stained clothing. He strode towards the bathroom then, Duo's eyes never leaving his ass.

"There's a decaying animal on your front porch," Wufei said, pushing open the door to the bedroom. Heero trailed in silently after him, a couple bags of takeaway in each hand. Duo sat up, closing the lid to his game.

"It's a raccoon."

"It's mostly bones and some fur, how the hell can you tell?" Wufei asked, and Duo shrugged.

"Trowa said it's a raccoon. You'd have to ask him."

"Where is he?"

"Uh… good question."

"He's behind the house, or under it again. Or possibly on top of it," Quatre replied absently, tapping a few times on his screen before setting it to the side, giving the two newcomers a brilliant smile. Duo frowned, before his eyes widened with a terrifying revelation.

"…Shit. I think he's in the house. He found the maintenance hatch when he went looking for me."

"…Trowa's inside the house. As in…"

"The walls, the attic space, somewhere. He's usually messing with something or another. It's fucking boring as shit out here."

"You let him find out how to get into the house. Really, Duo? I thought I told you to hide that," Quatre said, appalled. "If we end up spending a week without power again because Trowa decides to—"

"We have satellite television now," Trowa said blandly, entering the now-cramped bedroom. He had dust on his clothes, some smudges of darker stains that smelled a little weird, but the satisfied look in his eyes was what scared the others. "Our neighbours are so kind as to share with us."

"That's illegal, Trowa," Quatre sighed, but the other boy shrugged.

"I was bored."

"Let's just eat," Wufei sighed, running a hand over his face.

The food was dished out, Duo sitting up to allow room for the others to sit with him on the bed as well. Trowa leaned against the wall with his plate, having no desire to get the covers dirty with the dirt and grime on his clothing. They didn't talk much as they were eating, but as the plates emptied, Trowa collected them along with the garbage to take back to the kitchen. Wufei trailed after him, a look in his eye promising Trowa that he wasn't going to like what was to be said.

"Is it easier out here?" he asked, leaning against the counter as Trowa turned on the water, placing the dirty plates next to the sink. The trash was placed in the bin, the top of the trash bag tied shortly after so that he could carry it out easier.

"You do know we only want to help. Duo would have gone to prison. You were in prison when we found you. This was the only way to help."

"I'm not your responsibility."

"You're my friend, Trowa. If you want me to get sentimental, you're my brother. I'm going to do my best by you even if you don't want it. That's what family does."

Trowa didn't respond to that. Instead, he concentrated on getting the plates and utensils clean. It was easier to hide the tremors in his hands that way.

"What the fuck, man?"

That was the only warning the other three in Quatre's room had before the sound of shattering glass sounded, followed by another shout from Duo.

"That's it," Quatre snarled, throwing off the blanket and getting to his feet. He wavered for a moment, the momentum making his head spin, but the sound of clattering metal had him moving towards the kitchen. He drew out a handgun, and the moment he turned into the doorway he aimed it at the back wall and shot.

The ringing gunshot served its intended purpose. Duo was ducked behind the table, while Trowa was next to the open cupboard, a large kitchen knife held in his hand.

"One day. One fucking day. That's all I needed. Duo, get the fuck out of the room."

"But—"

"Out. Now."

Quatre kept the barrel of the gun pointed at Trowa as Duo scampered around the edges of the room, bolting down the hallway as soon as he was out of range of Trowa. He could feel Heero hovering near him, but it was easier to block out so that he could give his attention to the armed mercenary in the midst of the chaos.

"You should be in bed," Trowa said softly, though his body didn't relax, and his grip on the knife was still firm. Quatre didn't lower his weapon either, keeping the loaded gun locked on his best friend.

"I would be, if I could just get a few days to actually rest. But you can't control yourself for that long, can you?"

"It's not your problem."

"You are my problem, Trowa! You and Duo! I'm happy to have you as my problem," Quatre was shouting now, though his hand never wavered, the gun never lowering from its place. "I want to help you, Trowa, both of you. Will you fucking let me do that?"

Trowa lowered the knife, his hand shaking. As it clatters to the table, Quatre flicked the safety on, passing it back to Wufei before rushing forward and pulling Trowa into a hug. He could hear a steady stream of mumbling, the words barely understandable.

"—He touched the glass, and I just cleaned it, he make it dirty again and I lost it—" he babbled, and Quatre ran his hand through his hair, humming softly.

"I know, Trowa, I'm sorry. It's going to be okay. It will get better, okay? It will get better."

Surprisingly, Duo did not vanish into the woodwork again, but instead buried himself in a pile of blankets in the corner of the bedroom. Trowa entered, rapping a couple times on the door to let Duo know he wasn't alone.

"Go away, Tro'."

Trowa ignored him, instead getting to his knees and crawling to the bundle of blankets. He pulled up one edge, revealing a dark glower.

"I said go away."

Trowa lifted up the edge higher, sliding under it and twisting around quickly. He was now pressed up against the back of Duo, his nose nuzzling the back of Duo's head and his arm draping over his waist.

"Why do you never listen to me?" Duo asked, but he was ignored, Trowa leaning down to press a soft kiss to the back of Duo's neck before pulling him flush against his chest.

"Dick," Duo muttered, but didn't try to pull away.

They stayed there, wrapped up in blankets and a tentative serenity until Heero hunted them down for dinner.

A dinner that was completely tailored to Trowa.

"Since lunch was about Duo's favourites-"

'Explains the takeaway,' Trowa thought, understanding the theme going on.

"-dinner will be about Trowa's favourites. Breakfast will be about Quatre, then we'll be leaving before lunch."

Dinner was a variety of light dishes: pasta, vegetables, cheese, and fruit. There was no meat or bread, and it didn't make a mess. No crumbs or splatters to clean up made Trowa feel calmer and quite pleased.

"Whose idea was it for the 'themed' meals?" Quatre asked, and Wufei gestured at Heero with his fork. Heero shrugged lightly, taking another bite of his pasta.

"Thank you, Heero, for your consideration."

"All three of you are here against your will. It's a distasteful situation for all of us, even if it is the best solution."

"Well, I cannot wait to see what you planned for breakfast," Quatre said lightly, letting the heavier manner of their pseudo-prison slide away. But neither Trowa nor Duo could raise their eyes from their plates.

"Do you think we'll end up being hidden away forever?" Duo asked, his head resting on Trowa's bare shoulder. It moved under his face as Trowa shrugged a response, his attention focused on running the brush through Duo's long hair. They were sitting chest to chest, Duo's arms loosely wrapped around Trowa's waist, with his chin resting on the taller boy's shoulder. It was soothing, the repetitive motion of the brush against his scalp, gently pulling as it smoothed through the strands again and again.

"I mean, I like not havin' to deal with people, or wonderin' where I'm gonna live, or what I'm gonna do for a livin', yanno, but… I want t'be able t'go out an' do somethin', go grab some take-out, shit like that. I jus'… wanna be normal."

"You won't stay here long," Trowa assured. "Wufei mentioned that they're making arrangements to have you move in with him and Heero, where you'll be on a probationary period before being released from the system entirely if it goes well."

"An' you?"

Trowa didn't answer, which said everything that Duo needed to know. There were no arrangements being made, because Trowa wasn't leaving anytime soon.

"You're fucking kidding."

"No, Maxwell, I wouldn't make light of this. The plans have—"

"Did you ever fuckin' ask if I wanted t'leave?"

"I wasn't aware that you would desire anything different."

"Well I do. I want Trowa to come too."

The silence was thick, Duo's demand throwing everyone else off. But before Wufei could refuse the offer, Trowa did.

"No, Duo."

"Why the fuck not? It ain't fair, Tro'."

"It's not an option. You will go with them, and you will deal with it. You'll listen to what they ask, jump through the hoops, so you can walk down the street and grab food for yourself. You can be normal, Duo. Don't pass it up for some twisted, misplaced sense of loyalty."

Duo stared at him, hurt shimmering in his unusually purple eyes. Trowa pushed off the wall, stepping forward to brush Duo's bangs aside.

"Go pack your things."