Disclaimer: I do not, just for the record, own Gundam Wing.

Note: Thanks to KS, as per usual, for proofing my pronouns and punctuation. This one is for Maskelle, with best wishes for the big adventure. The flamingo is for Snow.

Uptown Guy:

There was no way that a car like that belonged in our neighbourhood. Not that it was the worst area in Sanque by any means, but it wasn't the sort of place that customarily saw those sort of cars. Too shiny, too expensive, too sleek.

The guy who owned it didn't look like he belonged either.

In the normal run of things, the car would most likely have ended up in a backstreet garage with a new set of plates and a spray job. Instead, the blond guy had been lucky enough to park directly opposite my bookshop, a couple of hours earlier.

I'd made a point a few times during the afternoon of standing in the Circus's doorway, and watching Blondie unload the car. Nothing too overt; just a little signal to anyone who might think the guy was an easy mark.

I tended to get respect. As wild teenager, I'd run with a gang called the Mercenaries. I was still tight with the leader, Kurt. My older sister was a professional knife-thrower, and one of my best friends ran the local Martial Arts club. It didn't hurt that I was tall and worked out and had been a member of the Sanque National Rifle Team. I had the requisite number of tattoos and piercing, and a back yard full of rusty motorbikes that were being slowly restored. Not many people wanted to cross me, even with the gay thing.

I kept the shop open later than usual, casting surreptitious glances over at Blondie every so often. Then I decided I could watch the guy just as well from the diner's window.

'Cute, huh?' Duo looked up from wiping a table; the one with the best view across the street, naturally.

'The guy or the car?'

'Both. You want coffee? I've got some apple pie left if you're hungry.'

'Sure.' I sat down and Duo filled a tray and slid into the booth beside me.

'What d'you reckon he's doing?'

'Moving in by the looks of it. He's dragged about a dozen suitcases up there. And taken down the 'to let' sign.'

Duo nodded. 'Wonder what he's doing slumming down here?'

I took a slurp of coffee; the caffeine buzz almost as good as drooling over the blond. 'Brightens the place up, anyway.'

As if he knew he was being watched, Blondie glanced across the road. He was really, really cute. Nice body in preppy, designer clothes topped off by that shock of gleaming gold hair.

'Toss you for him?' Duo suggested and then grinned wickedly. 'Or we could share?'

'Yeah, right. Like he'd be interested in us.' Well, he might be interested in Duo, who wasn't just gorgeous, but funny and talkative and charming. 'He's probably straight, anyway.'

'Uh huh.' Duo shook his head. 'No way, Tro. Not in those clothes. And he's got a whole set of matching luggage.'

'Not conclusive.'

'OK, then. He never batted an eyelid when Hilde walked past in her shortest skirt. And there's a rainbow sticker on the back bumper. What's more, I'll bet he's just walked out on his boyfriend.'

'You know that how?' I dug into the apple pie, which was probably all the satisfaction I'd be getting that evening, far too used to my friend's flights of fancy to take him seriously.

'Work it out.' Duo leaned over and dipped a finger in my whipped cream. 'I'm guessing he has all his worldly goods, and then some, in the car. And if he wasn't in a hurry to find a place to stay, there's no way he'd have taken that place. Come on, it's been empty for nearly six months, ever since that old guy died up there. Bet you anything Blondie had a row with his boyfriend and stormed out. You could be his rebound guy.'

'Thanks a lot,' I muttered dryly. 'That's all I've ever wanted.'

Probably the only way I'd ever get someone like that, though…

'Aw, Tro. I'm kidding. Why don't you go over and say hi? Help him carry his stuff upstairs? Into the bedroom?'

I just shrugged, letting my hair fall over my face. What was the point? I wasn't the sort of person that someone like that would ever go for. If Duo was right, and Blondie was guy, he probably had a boyfriend. No one who looked that good could possibly be single. He probably had a whole queue of guys wanting to take him out to fancy French restaurants.

'Oh, look, he's got a giant pink flamingo!'

'What?'

It was true. Blondie was currently wrestling what looked like a larger-than-life stuffed flamingo out of the back seat, juggling it together with a violin case and a laptop bag. It wasn't going too well, either. The bird's beak, from what I could see, was wedged between the back seats.

'Watching the blond guy trying to drag it out was just too entertaining for words. Especially when he straightened up, flung off his jacket, tossed it in the back seat of the car, and bent down again.

'Oh, cute ass,' Duo whistled.

I didn't say anything, which was the normal state of affairs for our friendship. Duo never stopped talking; I rarely bothered unless I had something to say. Besides, I was too busy admiring the cute ass as it wiggled its way into the car. Oh, God. If he didn't get the flamingo out in sixty seconds, I'd go and help. I really would. Really. I just needed to store every detail of that perky little butt in my mind for future fantasies.

Oh, gotcha,' Duo cheered, as Blondie emerged from the car, prettily flushed and flustered and with one arm wrapped around his flamingo's neck, and slammed the car door. 'This is pretty cool. Like watching street theatre. D' you suppose he's going to start a shop selling huge toy birds or something?'

'He's only got one, so far. Won't be much of a shop.'

'Could be more on order, though. And he's taken the lease on the shop and the flat. He must be planning to start some sort of business.'

Across the street, Blondie draped his violin case and laptop bag over one shoulder, hoisted the stuffed bird in the other arm, and headed for his front door, which he'd prudently shut. Duo was right; it was a bit like watching a street performance. He tried the door handle, which didn't give an inch, whirled back to his car, tried the door of that, and then twigged that the jacket was shut inside the car, presumably with his keys inside.

'Ooops.' Duo muttered. 'What's the betting his 'phone's in the jacket pocket as well? And maybe his wallet? Doesn't look he's got room to store anything in those jeans. Anything that's not natural anyway.'

'I'll see if I can help,' I stood up and headed for the door.

'Tro, give him a sec,' Duo followed, laying one hand on my arm.

I swung around to stare at him. 'He's in trouble. Either of us could open that car in a second. Or the front door.'

'Sure we could. But d'you really want to introduce yourself and then show him your talents at B and E as a conversation starter?'

'Oh!'

'Give him ten seconds, tops. He'll come over. Look at it this way; it's getting dark, he's locked out of his car and his home; we're just across the road and we're the only place open. Where else can he go, really?'

Blondie seemed to come to the same conclusion, after looking up and down the street, and making a few more aborted attempts to open the car door. It took him a few more minutes to gather the rest of his belongings.

'Good evening,' he said formally, his tone very polite even though he was obviously taken aback by us both. His mother had probably warned him about guys like us. 'I wonder if I might possibly use your telephone for a moment.'

''Course you can.' Duo produced his and held it out. 'Everything OK?'

'Well, I'm having a spot of bother, actually,' Blondie informed him. 'Thank you. So stupid of me; I've managed to lock myself out of my car. I just need to call a friend who has a spare set of keys.' He reached for Duo's phone, sending the flamingo soaring over his shoulder, and almost dropping the violin, which Duo just grabbed at the last moment.

'Oh, I'm so sorry.' Eventually, they got everything stashed neatly in my booth, the violin on the table and the flamingo sitting between me and Blondie. Duo went for a brush to sweep up the china that had got broken by the flamingo's flight across the table. Among profuse apologies, he called his friend, left a message and then apologised to us both again. 'This really isn't my night. I'm not normally so clumsy as all this.'

God, I sincerely hoped he wasn't planning to start a shop selling anything breakable. 'Ah, don't mind me asking, but why the flamingo?'

'Isn't he absurd?' Blondie reached up to stroke the curved beak affectionately. 'Flamingos are my favourite bird, and my sisters gave him to me for my last birthday. He's called Sandrock.'

'Cool,' Duo approved.

'My name is Quatre Raberba Winner.' He looked enquiringly at us both.

'I'm Duo and this is Trowa. He runs the bookshop next door.'

'I saw you this afternoon.' Quatre bestowed a sunny smile on me, and I immediately felt my knees go weak. Then he turned back to Duo, and I decided I hated my best friend. 'Do you own this restaurant?'

'Uh, not really.' Duo floundered, obviously startled by anyone describing Howard's Homestyle Diner as a restaurant. 'My uncle does; I just help out sometimes. I work in the garage at the end of the street.'

'Really?' Quatre beamed at him like he'd actually said something fascinating. Damn. Why couldn't Duo just go and do something constructive instead of hanging around all the time? I was glaring at Duo, hoping he'd take the hint and get lost, when Quatre swung around to me.

'It's so lovely to meet some new neighbours. I'm planning to start a music shop. You don't sell music books, do you, Trowa?'

Oh, he had a lovely way of saying my name. 'No. No, I specialise in fantasy and sci-fi. No music books.' And if I had, I'd have burned them.

'Perfect. Then we shan't be competition for one another,' Quatre enthused happily, but I was starting to get the feeling that this dizzy guy had a certain amount of shrewd business sense. 'I love fantasy books! I'll come and browse around tomorrow if that's all right?'

'Oh, Tro loves browsers,' Duo cut in, giving me a wink. 'You're seriously planning to set up a music shop, are you?' He sounded a bit sceptical. 'You know, I'm not sure if there's much demand for a place like that here.'

'What do you know about it?' I demanded, upping the glare by a few notches. 'I'm sure Quatre knows what he's doing.'

Quatre rewarded that comment with one of those radiant smiles. 'Actually, I think there is demand in this area. I've done a lot of research. All of the local schools have music programmes, but the students need to travel into the city to buy books and instruments. I thought I could maybe give classes as well, and perhaps invite local musicians to give recitals.'

'Sounds like you've really thought this through,' I approved, making him flush happily. He was just so cute. God, I'd have to make sure the shop was a success, even if I had to threaten everyone I knew to patronise it. I didn't want him running back to whatever uptown mansion he'd come from….'It could succeed, you know. I've got a speciality business, but I get customers from all over. And I do a lot of mail order.'

'I really hope it works,' Quatre told me. 'My father thinks I'm insane; he wanted me to go into his business, but I inherited some money and I really want to do this.'

'I'm sure it'll work out,' I said firmly, wondering if Quatre worked out himself. He looked like he was pretty fit, under those spiffy clothes. Maybe he'd be interested in joining my gym. That would be nice… 'I get a lot of customers who are into music. I can point them across the street to your place.'

'Oh, would you?' Quatre gifted him with the most radiant smile. 'That would be marvellous. And I can recommend your bookshop. We could have a reciprocal relationship, don't you think?'

I wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but any relationship with Quatre would be great. 'Sure! I'll show you 'round my shop tomorrow. And I'm pretty good at carpentry and stuff if you need any work done.'

That comment led to a whole flood of effusive thanks, and how relieved his parents would be that he'd already made some new friends. Between him gushing about how kind I was, and Duo smirking at me from his corner, I badly needed to change the subject.

'So, you play the violin?' Wasn't that the world's stupidest question? No, he was probably just carrying it around for fun.

He nodded. 'It's practically my favourite thing in the world.' Well, hadn't he just led the most deprived life ever? 'I love music. Do you play an instrument?'

'The flute. I'm not very good though,' I admitted.

Duo, the bastard, sniggered out loud. I knew exactly what he was getting at; our friend Wufei had told us that 'playing the flute' was a Chinese euphemism for oral sex.

'Don't listen to him, Quatre. He's really good, so I've heard.' Duo grinned over at me. 'Maybe he'll perform for you sometime.'

'I'd like that,' Quatre said happily. 'Perhaps we could try playing together sometime? I have some really good duet pieces and it's so much more fun with someone else.'

'Yeah, I've heard that. ' Duo grinned at me. 'I need to go back to the kitchen to clean up a bit. Trowa can entertain you for a while, right, Tro? Quatre, d'you want a coffee or something first?'

'I'd love some lemon tea, please. That's so kind.'

Duo cast me an agonised WTF look, and I just shrugged. Let him embarrass himself with whatever pathetic attempt he made to produce lemon tea. At least, it would keep him away for a few minutes.

'His hair's amazing, isn't it?' Quatre whispered as Duo sashayed behind the counter.

Fuck.

'I didn't mean it like that!' So what did that mean; that he wasn't attracted to Duo in particular, or guys in general? 'It's just so unusual. I don't think I've ever seen a man with such long hair.'

'Yeah? Wait 'til you meet our buddy Zechs. His is even longer and he wears it loose. I think he'd sort of like to cut it, but his boyfriend loves it.'

Those pretty blue eyes widened slightly at the 'boyfriend' bit. Maybe he wasn't gay, then. Better go it over with before I fell for him any more. 'I'd better tell you now, in case it freaks you out or something. I'm gay too. So's Duo. '

'So am I,' he said matter of factly. 'I have twelve older sisters; it would have been a miracle if I'd turned out straight! I don't think I got to wear proper boys' clothes until I was about five or six because my mother kept getting me to wear my sisters' castoffs. The girls used to tease me about how I'd probably get periods too when I was old enough!'

'Twelve sisters!' I grimaced at the very idea. 'I've got one and she's bad enough. Ah, I'm guessing you never got the period?' Well, I hoped not.

'Fortunately, no,' he trilled with laughter. 'Every time I had a stomach-ache as a child, they used to say it was my time of the month. They were all terrible bullies, really. They still are, in fact.'

'Don't you have a nice boyfriend to defend you?'

He shook for his head. 'Not for over six months. He thought I was insane to walk out on the family company so he walked out on me. Since then, I haven't really had time for anything but getting my shop started.'

Yes!

Cute and single and cute and funny and cute and interested if those cute little sidelong glances were anything to go by. Now, I just needed to reel him in.

'I really like your tattoos,' he said admiringly. 'Are they Celtic designs?'

'These ones are runes.' I touched a finger to the pattern on my right bicep. 'Ancient Norse. It's an incantation to the god, Thor.'

'Cool, aren't they?' Bloody Duo deposited a mug on the table. 'You should get him to show you his other tattoos, Quatre. They're really interesting.'

I showed him one finger, out of Quatre's line of sight, and he waltzed off grinning broadly.

'You don't have to drink the tea,' I whispered. Quatre was looking at the dark liquid with a half lemon floating in it, rather as a foreign traveller might regard a delicacy pressed on him by his host. He plainly didn't want to give offence, and he just had plainly had no intention of drinking it. 'If you want, I live over my shop, and I've got loads of different herbal teas. You can come up for a drink.'

'I don't want to be any trouble,' Quatre said uncertainly. 'It's getting late, and I don't want to impose on you.'

'You're not any trouble. Listen, if you haven't had dinner, I know a great Vietnamese place. Would you fancy getting something to eat?'

'Absolutely. I just need to find somewhere to leave my things.'

'Leave them here,' Duo said at once, materialising by our table. 'I'll be open 'til ten, and if you're later than that, Tro's got a key. And you can call your buddy and ask him to drop your car keys here, OK? I'll put them with the rest of your stuff.'

'Thanks, Duo.' I grinned at him as I pulled on my leather coat. 'See you later.'

'You kids go and have a nice romantic dinner.' He winked broadly and swanned off into the back.

OK, that was it. I was officially going to kill him. Quatre was blushing fierily, eyes fixed on the chipped chrome tabletop.

'Look, just ignore him, all right? He's insane. Probably certifiable. Don't listen to a word he says.'

'Oh.' Those big blue eyes peeked up at me shyly through long lashes. 'Does that mean you're not interested at all?'

'Yes! God, yes! I am, but I didn't want Duo scaring you off before I'd even had a chance to spend time with you.'

'I don't scare that easily,' he murmured, still not looking up, but with a saucy little smile dancing on his lips.

'I guess you don't, at that. So you want to go and get dinner and discuss our favourite fantasy authors?'

'Yes, please.' That coy little smirk deepened. Shit, he even had dimples. I'd never be able to resist the dimples. 'For a minute there, I thought you were going to suggest that we discuss fantasies, pure and simple. I could do that too, if you liked.'

'Uh…really?'

Oh, shit. The cute, not-so-innocent little blond flung me a devastating smile and I had the sudden sensation that I was way, way out of my depth. Still, they do say drowning's a good way to die. I could just tumble in those eyes and never bother coming up for air.

'Hey, wait a sec!' Duo yelled after us as we walked out. 'Quatre, this friend of yours who's coming to get the keys. What's his name?'

Quatre swung 'round, his hand banging against mine, and didn't protest when I grabbed him.

'His name's Heero. Heero Yuy.'