One Night Part 5
Trowa awoke the next morning and found himself alone in bed. A situation that was disappointing, but not particularly surprising.
He sat up, squinting at the light that was making its way through his curtains, and then winced slightly as sore muscles made themselves known.
He put his head in his hands and wondered what the hell he had been thinking.
Well, the answer to that was simple- he hadn't been thinking at all. Quatre seemed to rob him of all logical thought. One kiss and all of his principles just disappeared...
Not that it hadn't been worth it...
That delightful feeling of being filled, taken, giving himself over to someone else... he had never done that before and Quatre seemed to know it. He went slowly, his mouth on Trowa's throat, pushing deep inside...
Trowa shuddered and shoved the memory to the side. It was just one time. Just once to get rid of the heat that had flared between them when they'd met. He couldn't be more than that, not to one of the men that controlled the sphere. Not to his employer... He knew that without Quatre telling him.
This morning- he'd clean up, get dressed and go find something to eat. By that time he should be settled in his mind enough to face Quatre... to face Winner in his office and be his professional self again.
No matter that his private self was willing to do anything to get another night of that...
Trowa groaned and fell backwards into the sheets. What was wrong with him? He'd been off balance since he'd joined Winner's side. He needed to regain his old balance...
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The scent of Quatre's cologne rose off the sheets, filling his senses and invoking the memories of a few hours ago...
One hand tight at the base of his neck, tugging at his hair, the other tightly fisted in the sheets, the small sounds that rose up from his throat...
Trowa shook himself, banishing his thoughts. He slid out of bed and grabbed clothes from the dresser before heading to the bathroom.
He was showered, shaved, dressed and brushed when someone tapped on his door.
"Good morning!" Duo greeted him cheerfully. "I realized you might want to eat breakfast sometime before we had to work today, so I came to get you."
Trowa smiled his thanks and joined Duo in the hallway. "Where's Heero?"
"Oh, I sent him down to eat already." Duo grinned. "He needs his fuel this morning."
Trowa knew what that meant. He rolled his eyes. "I hope we're not doing anything too strenuous today..."
"Hey! Heero's got a fast recovery time. Don't worry about him!"
"Like that time in Montreal where he could barely get out of bed because you..."
"Please!" Duo interrupted, waving his hand in the air. "He was already tired that time. Plus he got to nap in the back of the jeep!"
"He lost consciousness Duo. You're going to kill that poor man someday."
It was Duo's turn to roll his eyes. "Like I haven't already tried?" He opened a door and ushered Trowa inside.
Heero was there, sitting at a small table, sipping at a cup of very black coffee and reading a paper. He had faint dark circles under his eyes, but he managed to give Trowa a smile of welcome and point at another table that held a variety of breakfast items.
Trowa headed for the table. Duo sat down beside Heero and picked up his coffee cup. "Trowa says that I'm going to kill you."
"Did you tell him you already tried?" Heero shook his head. "Hurry up and eat. We have to meet Mr. Winner in half an hour. You know how he feels about being on time."
~*~
They were ushered into Winner's office at ten exactly. He was waiting for them, leaning against his desk, a folder in his hands.
"Good morning gentlemen," he said with a smile, waving them to the overstuffed chairs in front of his desk. "I have an interesting job for you today."
Heero sat down in one chair and Duo perched on the armrest. Trowa took the other, carefully avoiding Winner's eyes. He had thought he could handle this, but the look Winner had given him when they'd walked in had undone all his good intentions.
"Interesting is good," Duo noted. "What is it?"
"As you know, we have two new players entering the game, ones that alliances with will be the focus of this particular game. One of them, I'm afraid has already decided who he is going to align with..." Winner paused, frowning.
"And it's not you." Heero finished.
"Exactly. So... I'm going to need to undermine him a bit... make him a bit vulnerable- find the weak part in his armor- so that I can present it to the other new player and perhaps win her favor."
"She hasn't made any moves that tell us where she'd like to be aligned?" Duo leaned back on Heero's shoulder.
"None. She was with the Queens- but I'm afraid they have fallen out of her favor recently- and some new events haven't helped much." Winner glanced at Trowa. "I think we have a good chance to get her on our side- if we make it worthwhile."
"What do you need us to do?" Trowa asked.
"I suspect some of it might be done already." Winner handed the folder to Heero.
Heero flipped it open, Trowa and Duo leaning over to see.
There was a photo inside. One that made Heero's eyes widen, Trowa snort and Duo collapse with laughter.
"It's our old boss! I knew all that retirement stuff was just crap!"
"Indeed." Quatre nodded. "He never really left. He merely handed your organization over to one of his lieutenants and went to set up another one. And so on..."
Heero shook his head. "That was unwise- the one he left in charge of ours is not up to handling the responsibility. Did he make the same mistake with all of them?"
Winner shrugged. "Some yes, some no. Like any large organization it has troublesome areas."
"So... you need us to infiltrate our own organization?" Trowa frowned. "You should've left me alive then..."
Winner shook his head. "No. Nothing so complicated. I need you three to do some snooping for me. I suspect that our Mr. Chang has been trying to take over some of his rival's organizations. Small attacks, things like that... nothing she has been able to prove. I need the proof of it- but at the same time, he cannot find out that you three are still alive."
Heero nodded. "Where is he staying?"
"With Merquise."
"Tricky, but not impossible." Heero looked at Trowa. "Can you still walk a high wire?"
"Of course."
"Then we have a good chance- unless Merquise has changed some things since the last time I looked." Heero met Winner's eyes. "When?"
"Not more than two days."
"Got it." Heero rose to his feet. "Updates?"
"Every four hours?"
"Done." Heero headed for the door, Duo in his wake.
"Stay a moment Mr. Barton?" Winner's voice stopped him as he was starting to rise out of his chair. He sat back down obediently as the door closed behind Duo and Heero.
Winner moved away from his desk and stalked towards Trowa. "I wanted to apologize..."
"For what?" Trowa was startled enough to look up. Winner's eyes met his and the blond gave him a faint smile.
"I don't make a habit of running out- I had some early meetings." Winner sounded apologetic. "I didn't want you to think that it was because I didn't want to stay."
"I understood," Trowa managed to reply. "I wasn't surprised..."
Winner's fingers touched Trowa's chin, tilted his face up. "I'm still sorry. At the very least, I should've said thank you." His smile turned faintly mischievous. "And told you that I'd like to do it again sometime." He bent slightly and kissed Trowa's mouth, sending the now familiar heat through Trowa's body. "So please make sure you come back in one piece?"
"I'll do my best," Trowa assured him, getting to his feet as Winner moved away.
"Thank you. And please remind Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Yuy to be careful as well?" Winner rolled his eyes. "I'd like to get them both home in one piece this time."
Trowa nodded and let himself out. Duo and Heero were in the hall waiting for him. Heero was studying the folder. Duo met Trowa's eyes and smiled knowingly.
"And you complain about me wearing out Heero?" He said teasingly in a soft tone.
"Shut up Maxwell."
"Jeez, nothing lightens up your attitude, does it?"
Heero closed the folder. "Ready to get started?"
TBC...
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