"Oh come on John, where are they? Yes, I CAN walk to my room with the towel round my waist, but a bikini without the bottoms doesn't exactly work … and don't give me that puppy eyes thing when you are smirking at the same time!"

"Hehe, sorry… I was sure they would have landed over here? They have to be somewhere in this corner"

"You'd better find them John or…"

At that the door burst open and a very cheery Virgil bounded in.

"Good early afternoon John, where are the pan... cakes … OH, sorry for interrupting, Hi Kayo I didn't realise you were in here. "

"Oh, I was just trying to persuade John out for a swim ", she responded, then chided herself for probably answering too quickly and making it look as suspicious as it was. "Y'know, while waiting on you and Scott coming out of hibernation. A hopeless task it seems though, I'll leave you boys to it. John, remember that thing I said." And she scuttled out the door

Virgil shifted a pile of books and balanced on the edge of the chair

"Hmmm" muttered Virgil

"Hmmm?" asked John

"Well Kayo seemed a bit agitated … I know you can be a bit of a grouch with the gravity change, but Kayo usually lets you away with it. What did you say?"

"Errrr … who knows" answered a distracted John as he spied the illusive item of clothing that was now making itself visible below Virgil's left butt cheek … this could get tricky.

Virgil stood back up "Well as I was saying Spaceman, time for pancakes. Get a move on." The scrap of fabric tumbled off the chair and for John everything went in slow motion

He darted the few inches he needed to catch the bottoms, but Virgil had spied the movement and bent down to catch whatever it was that was falling … being so much closer Virgil got there first and confusion flashed on his face as he realised what it was he had in his hand.

"Joooohn? Is there something you haven't told us?"

John pounced to try and snatch them back, but Virgil was quicker. "Spill" he quizzed.

He breathed in and looked at the stars on the ceiling silently asking them for inspiration on how the hell to word this.

"You're not … ", started Virgil cautiously, "You don't… err.. like to wear…"

"NO!" Spluttered John

"I mean, you're my brother and all, and I'll still like, y'know love you and all, even if you have curious habits"

"God no Virgil, I do NOT get my kinks by putting on women's clothing" John made sure that was PERFECTLY clear although he wasn't sure if he should be worried that that was where Virgil's first thought went.

The furrowed eyebrows on Virgil's forehead slowly softened then turned to a wide-eyed look of realisation as a visual memory from a couple of minutes earlier flashed in his mind and confusion turned to glee

"OOOhhhh…. THAT is why she was in here … you, and Kayo were… have…how… I mean, I KNOW how obviously, but OH MY GOD this is FANTASTIC!"

John sighed in resignation knowing full well that there was no point denying anything and hoped he could appeal to Virgil's better side and get him to keep his mouth SHUT

"Please give me them, and PLEASE don't say anything yet. Verbalising this stuff is your thing, not mine, and before you ask no, I don't know where this is going yet. Please just … don't say anything."

*Spaceman's in deeper than he thinks* thought Virgil

"Okay, lips are sealed, pity though as ripping into you about wearing girls underwear would have been so much fun …. HA the look of horror on your face, DAMN I wish I had a camera at hand … and nope I am keeping THESE for blackmail. " He waived his prize just out of reach and snatched them back as John's arm twitched . "So I'll be expecting a pile of pancakes in half an hour, and no skimping on the chocolate sauce this time, I don't care how unhealthy it is." Virgil opened the door and started to go then paused and stuck his head back round to see John already sitting on the end of his bed, head in hands, muttering about how dead he was going to be.

"Oh and for the record … it's about bloody time too, you dog, been pretty obvious there was something between you two for ages"

Grinning from ear to ear Virgil turned to head back towards his room so he could stow the evidence but spied Kayo heading towards him. Funnily enough she was sporting a new full bikini set, and the towel now over her arm, but looking a bit guilty and embarrassed.

*Careful now Virgil, there is a fine line between teasing and death*

"Haven't managed to persuade him out to the pool, but pancakes will be happening soon."

"That's brilliant" she said without meeting his eyes, Virgil could sense that her smile was a little bit strained. He waited until she had just passed him and he piped up "Oh, and by the way Kayo…" she turned round to see bikini bottoms hanging off an index finger dangling just out of reach. "I found them for you"

The look of murder that flickered across her face was terrifying, and Virgil closed his eyes expecting Hurricane Kayo to break one or two of his limbs on the way past, but she just snatched the bottoms and stomped back past him

Sneaking one eye open to check she had gone he sighed in relief as for a split second he was worried he might have gone too far, but you don't get to be peacekeeper in a household this size without having a bit of dirt on EVERYONE.