BREAK UP, MAKE UP

Sutoomu

Okay. So this is a fanfic which is longer than a one shot, but shorter than a long story. I don't know how many chapters it'll be, but it's entirely finished, so there should be no waiting period. If I can get the internet working faithfully every day and can manage to find time, the updates should be every other day, or even every day. If I forget, because I usually do curse my brain, then just insist I post another chapter in a PM or something and I should be jolted back into fanfic life! My real life takes up waaaay too much time. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this fic. I don't know how good it will be, because this started as just a random snippet I was fiddling with, and turned into this. I hope you like it, though, and please review.

Duo smiled and snuggled into Heero's chest as much he could. Heero lovingly reached out and tucked the fuzzy blanket around Duo's pulled up feet, then sipped at his hot chocolate as he rubbed a hand down Duo's braid. The fire crackled and sparked, setting a warm glow around the room, perfect for the tender moment. Tonight was an incredibly kawaii night, and both Heero and Duo enjoyed it as they sat on the plushy couch, hot chocolate with marshmallows-Duo's idea, of course-at the ready, staring at the fire in each other's embrace. A perfect end to an especially cold, winter day, with an even colder winter night accompaning it.

Heero felt Duo's breathing slow as the braided angel 'dozed away to slumberland', as Duo put it. The flames were begginning to fall a little, and an unconscious thought that he should add another log pricked Heero's mind, but he ignored it in favor of Duo's comfort. The Deathscythe pilot was very warm and pleasant to cuddle with, and Heero loved it.

Duo's sleep was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. A bleary violet eye peeked open and Heero withheld a sigh of annoyance with whoever was at the door. Duo sat up and yawned, then blinked sleepily. The doorbell rang again, three more times in a row.

"What time is it?" he asked Heero.

"Two fifty two in the morning," was Heero's reply.

The doorbell began to ring incessantly, and Duo cringed against the offensive noise at such a late time. Duo didn't mind noise much-hell, he made more than half of it-but interupt his sleep, especially if it was a warm Heero he was with, and he was cranky. His face formed into an odd combination of frowning, scowling, and pouting as he stood up, scratching his head. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" he yelled at the door, then grumbled. "Who the hell is here at three in the frickin' morning?" Heero followed him silently, thinking the same question in his head as the bell rang four more times. There was a small yell and a loud thump just as Duo put his hand on the knob, and he opened it, blinking, then looked down. A gasp parted through Duo's lips, and Heero saw him stiffen in alarm. He moved forward, soldier instincts clicking in automatically and in full force.

"Quatre!" Duo's cry was strained as he knelt down on the porch, cradling the small boy's figure.

Heero looked at Quatre, quickly assessing the situation. The small blonde was lying on the porch. He wore no shoes or coat, having only a simple pair of pajamas on. His lips had tinted blue as well as his ears and eyelids, and he huddled, shivering violently against the cold. His feet seemed to have a layer of ice on them and he was pale. Quatre had pale skin naturally, but he was nearly white now. He had obviously fallen on the ice on the porch, which Duo had forgotten to spread salt on, and there were small cuts on his hands which had landed on the broken ice when he tried to break his fall.

Heero did a complete u-turn and grabbed the enormous bear blanket he had bought Duo, bringing it to the door. He wrapped Quatre in it, enveloping him completely, and brought him in, Duo following with anxiety. Heero placed Quatre as close to the fire as he could so the boy could thaw out and ordered Duo to bring hot liquid and then the aid kit. Duo rushed off in a hurry as Heero began rapidly rubbing Quatre's hands and feet between his hands, trying to bring some life back into them. Quatre seemed to be out of it right now, as he just huddled and shivered and didn't respond for now.

After Duo had poured some warm liquid into Quatre and Heero had bandaged the smaller boy's hands, and the rosiness began to come back to Quatre's cheeks, he opened his eyes the full way and met Duo's violet eyes. His eyes scanned over to Heero, noticing the warm boy laying another large log on the fire, and he seemed to remember where he was.

"Duo…," he croaked, and Duo comforted the still-a-bit-chilly boy.

"Quat," Duo started. "I don't want to sound mean, but…what the hell were you doing outside at this time of night in this kind of weather with nothin' but pajamas on! You could've killed yourself. You could've died, a frozen corpse out in the wasteland of the city!" Heero placed a hand on Duo's shoulder gently, alerting the boy to the fact that Quatre was cringing, huddling into the blankets, with tears streaking his cheeks. Duo sat back down beside him, feeling very guilty. "Sorry, Quatre. I shouldn't have yelled at you. You just worried me. I was scared to death when I saw you like that." Duo was rubbing Quatre's back slowly as the blonde sniffled.

"No, Duo," Quatre whimpered. "It's okay. I understand. I should have put on a coat and some shoes before I left home to come here."

"You walked three and a half miles in this weather like that?" Heero asked. Quatre nodded. "Why? And why didn't Trowa stop you?"

"Oh, shit," Duo slapped a hand to his head. "Trowa's probably worried sick about you. We gotta call him and tell him you're alright, or he's liable to kill someone."

"No-o," Quatre wailed, tears falling heavily as he pulled the blanket over his head.

"Hey," Duo blinked, leaning over Quatre to pull the blanket back, revealing Quatre's anguished crying. "What's the matter, Q?"

"He's gone," Quatre cried into the blankets. "Trowa's gone!"

"What do you mean?" Heero sat up attentively, worried for his silent friend's safety.

Quatre sniffled, trying to contain his sobs so he could talk clearly. "We…we had a f-fight, and I g-got angry at him, and…!"

"Oh, Quat," Duo said consolingly, taking Quatre in a hug.

Heero blinked. He understood somewhat how Quatre was feeling. Heck, he and Duo were everything but a peaceful couple. Heero still pointed his gun at Duo and 'omae o korosu-ed' him and called him a braided baka, and Duo still annoyed the hell out of Heero and argued stubbornly. They had had a number of fights, but Heero or Duo had never packed their bags and left completely. They normally just went for long walks alone to vent or locked themselves in their room. "So, because you and Trowa argued, he packed his bags and left and you nearly froze to death walking three and a half miles in below zero weather in pajamas," Heero stated, then added after a bit of thought. "Which sounds like something Duo would do."

"Hey!" Duo protested. "I ain't that insane. Not that you are, Quat…"

"He didn't pack," Quatre interrupted.

"Hn?"

"He didn't pack his bags," Quatre repeated.

"Why are you so worried, then," Heero asked.

"Because he didn't come back!" Quatre buried his face in his hands in despair.

"Huh?"

"Maybe you should tell us the whole story from the beginning, Q," Duo suggested, glancing warily at Heero. "Heero isn't fully un-soldierized yet. I think you're confusing him."

Quatre took a deep breath. He composed his face, as if telling a story. "For the past three weeks, Trowa has been staying out later than he usually does. He normally gets home a bit after five, when the circus closes, just in time for dinner. And if he does stay out longer than usual, he normally calls me to tell me. This past week, he hasn't gotten back until ten. And he never calls me. I've asked him numerous times where he's been but he always just shrugs my questions away or makes excuses. We never see each other anymore because he's always away at night, the only time I have off work, and he never has lunch with me anymore.

Tonight was our nine month anniversary. Every monthly anniversary we have dinner at home with just the two of us. He never showed. I got it all ready, but he forgot. He didn't come home until just before two, and I…I…" Quatre swallowed, and his story telling mask fell for a moment. "I asked him. I told him I wouldn't let him in bed until he told me where he was and what he was doing. He said he couldn't tell me and I yelled at him and…" Quatre buried his face in Duo's chest as the tears came anew. "I a…accused him and I…I…"

"You said some things you shouldn't have," Duo finished for him with a knowing sigh at Heero. Quatre nodded.

"And then he glared at me and he…he yelled and…I…hit him."

"You hit him?" Heero repeated.

"I was just so angry," Quatre seethed, remembering the rage from earlier. "I took my cell phone and I threw it at him…"

"Not the one he gave you?" Duo cried out.

Quatre nodded and choked back a sob. "Yes. I threw it at him and ran outside and he followed me and grabbed my arm. I told him to leave and not come back and he drove away and I came here…and now he's gone!"

"You told him to leave," Heero defended the absent Trowa.

"Heero!" Duo groaned. He sent his lover an extreme 'you're not helping' look.

"I didn't mean it," Quatre wailed. "I was just angry and upset and…I…he hates me now, I know it! He hates me and he's gone and he'll never come back and it's all my fault!" Heero noticed Quatre was trembling and still shivering slightly.

"You're exhausted and cold and tired," he picked Quatre up, still wrapped in the thick bear blanket, and carried him to the guest room before he could protest too strongly. The few mild protests he got through his tears just seemed to tire him out more. Duo tucked the sheets around Quatre as the small blonde's body seemed to overcome his head for the moment. They sat there until he fell asleep, tears still streaking his cheeks as he breathed slowly. Then Heero picked up the before and now exhausted Duo and carried him to their own room.

"Hee-chan," Duo whispered when they were snug under the covers amidst each other. "I love you. I don't ever want you to leave, okay?"

"Why would I want to leave?" Heero whispered back as Duo fell into 'slumberland'. "I've got everything I'd ever want." Heero felt an extreme sense of loss and pity for his two friends, who didn't have what he had right now as they should.

Well, review and tell me your input. I estimate this will turn out to be about four chapters or so. Anyways, I await your reviews. Please be nice to me.

Storm