Pairings: It could be a 2x5, but it might turn out differently. There's definitely 3x4 in it, and maybe 1xR, because I like Relena.

Constructive criticism only, please, or if you have something nice to say. I don't need poorly thought out, badly spelled flames. I'm already nervous enough about this fandom's reputation. Thanks.

Black Tea, Green Tea

Katie Sarson

Someone had once told Wufei that he drank tea like he was having sex with it. He put it under his nose, and breathed it in, he knew that, but he'd never really associated it with sex. It was more like a comfort thing. He'd smelled tea on his mother, and grandmother, and they were the only ones in his remote childhood that had ever bothered to hug and cuddle him, even if that had been for just about six years, so if he liked to savor his sips of tea, then...

"Shut up, Wu."

"Excuse me, Maxwell?" Wufei raised an eyebrow.

The American leaned forward, grinning. "You're not sipping that tea, okay? I know sipping. I've sipped, drunk, swigged, gulped, slurped and swallowed more liquid than you'll ever put down-"

"I don't like the implications of that."

That was Quatre, seated on a counter that Heero had warned him to get off of several times already. Duo ignored him.

"- And that ain't sipping. It's nowhere close to that. It's about as far from sipping as you can get." Duo laughed. "I could sell your version of sipping to a porn store."

Wufei hid a smile in his cup, by taking another sip of his tea. Finding it had cooled off, he gulped down a mouthful. Duo leaned back in his chair, laughing. Quatre shot him a mildly disapproving glare, and took a bite out of the cookies Trowa had left on the counter, with specific instructions that no one touch them.

Both the other boys ignored their blond companion. Quatre watched Wufei pour himself another cup of tea, noting the coiled stress of three hours of Duo-talk. Duo didn't even move to take his own cup, filled with the world's most terrible coffee, watching Wufei, instead.

Quatre finished the cookie, and watched Wufei himself. Strong fingers lifting the delicate teapot, amber liquid filling the round, perfect cup. Those same fingers held the tea, steaming hot, close to pale, but perfect lips, and onyx eyes closed to ellipses over the dark liquid. His lips parted, and-

"Quatre."

Quatre looked behind himself nervously. Trowa raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't say WHY I couldn't eat them," Quatre squeaked.

Quatre swallowed as his lover walked into the kitchen, glaring fit to beat Lady Une's worst, and took off through the window behind him. The last Wufei and Duo saw of him, he had jumped into the pond, and ducked under.

Trowa threw himself through the window after him, flipping, landing and chasing after the smaller boy like a terrier after a rabbit.

For a brief moment, there was peace in the kitchen.

Until Heero came in, and saw the muddy footprints Trowa had left on the counter.

Duo stood up and left. Heero had already threatened to spray the next person who stepped there with bleach, and regardless of much Quatre, and anyone who'd ever brought bleach around him reassured him, he still worried, just a bit, about his hair.

In other words: "Bleach so bad!"

Wufei got roped into re-cleaning the entire kitchen.