Spoonful of Sugar.

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Ryuniyo

A/N

1st GW fic, first fic from the past 3 years...how sad...Um please read and review.

Disclaimer- I do not own GW...I own a half eaten kit-kat bar but do you really want it? Do you? DO YOU?! The only thing I do own in this is probably the plot, characters you never heard of, and Nehkohs...enjoy.

Rating: PG...heh definitely gonna go up.

Summary:

AU Duo Maxwell is a man that swamps himself with his work to avoid going to an empty home. But how much will his life change once his home isn't quite that empty anymore? After a trip to a strange little pet shop, life isn't the same. 1x2, 3x4, 5x13 R/R

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Meet Duo Maxwell. Age 21, chocolate hair, amethyst eyes, and 5'9. Just ignore the fact that he looks like shit at the moment.

"Duo you're working too hard look at yourself!"

Meet Quatre Winner. Age 21, blonde hair, sapphire eyes, and 5'3.

"You-You look like...shit!"

Meet Duo Maxwell again. Still age 21, chocolate hair, amethyst eyes, and 5'8. And still unfortunately looking like shit. His usually neat braid was in disarray and bags hung from his dull amethyst eyes. He slouched deeper into his leather couch which felt plush as a marshmallow, and closed his eyes tuning out his friend's lecture. He knew Quatre had his best interest in mind but at the moment he really didn't want to deal with this.

"And your apartment! Look at it!" Quatre frantically gestured to the floor which was littered with magazines, c.d.s, books and what-nots. "I can't even see the carpet much less even know the color!"

Duo groaned and massaged his head with one hand while the other hung limply over the arm of the couch.

"It's wood."

Quatre looked shocked and began shoving things around with his toe to revel...a shiny oak floor.

"That just proves my point Duo." Quatre stated while shoving more things to the side with his toe. "Why are you even working so hard? Treize said you worked 20 hours just yesterday. There's nothing to even do! The office doesn't need you and everyone's getting worried about your health."

Duo groaned. Yesterday was hell. He drank probably 12 pots of coffee and probably went off to piss twice that amount. So why did he work to the point of exhaustion? Why did he stay up all night just filing and typing away files for the corporation? Maybe it was because he wanted to win employee of the month? Ha like hell...He just didn't enjoy coming home to an empty house, and sit down to eat a meal all alone, and retire to bed and have no one to say goodnight to. He just didn't like being alone.

Sure the brunette had plenty of friends but friends just weren't quite the same as having someone special in your life. And his love life? It's died and that's how it was going to remain. No miraculous resurrection was gonna be in the near future. But he did need someone. Someone to greet him when he come home. Someone who he can relax with and enjoy the rest of the day with. Someone...just someone...If he didn't why the hell would he spend most of his waking hours grueling over stacks of paperwork, reports, and files?

Gah I have no life

While Duo was mulling around in his thoughts Quatre had cleared enough space for himself to sit down. He looked rather ridiculous in a circle of waxed wood while all around him mounds of clutter surrounded him. He knew Duo was lonely but gave up setting him up on blind dates. The brunette was either not interested or things only lasted at the most a couple of months. Duo needed someone to love him unconditional, someone that would need his care and take up his time, someone-no...something! Quatre smiled mentally smacking himself for not coming up with this solution faster. Why it was so simple and perfect!

"Duo...You need a-"

"No I don't need a man, woman, or a mix of the two."

"Pet."

"WHAT?!"

- - -

"Oh come oooonnn." Quatre whined dragging the reluctant brunette to the suspicious and shady little shop. It was a small building towered over by the buildings surrounding it. It held a Chinese temple like quality and the red paint was chipped off in most places. "I'm getting one too!"

Once bold and elaborate designs were now faded away and impossible to see unless one was at the distance where their nose was touching the wall. There was an archway that led towards steps that descended down to a frosted glass door that made it impossible to see inside. It was on this door that held any indication to the building it led into to be a pet shop.

Abyss Pets and Supplies.: Greeted the two young men in bold gold lettering, Chinese characters ran down the whole length of the door and was foreign to both. Duo began to fidget. Did he really want to do this? Did he really have what it took to raise a pet? Would he even like it?! Quatre sensed the other boy's distress and reached over to squeeze his hand.

"We'll only look around, if you don't see anything you like then we'll just go." Quatre reassured but pleaded, "But Duo...please give it a try."

Duo nodded firmly before taking a deep breathe and grabbing the smooth gold handle, turned, and stepped in.

- - -

Duo and Quatre both gapped as they entered what seemed to be a palace. The small hallway lighted only by small paper lanterns gave away to a room with a high arched ceiling and a marble floor. Lanterns hung all around the vast room and pots of incense could be seen and smelled. Strangely there was no overwhelming perfume-like aroma dominating the air...instead it was more of a natural like quality...like a forest after a deep pure rain.

"Welcome."

Duo and Quatre quickly looked around and found a strange figure seated lazily upon a mountain of cushions on the other side of the room. Upon closer inspection they found it to be a girl with obsidian hair and catlike emerald eyes. She was pale in an ivory like way and was puffing away on a long pipe, clicking the metal mouthpiece now and then against her teeth.

"Are you here to buy a pet or supplies?" She drawled lazily gazing at each boy with a mildly curious stare. Her emerald eyes were inhumanly deep and seemed to change to a different shade every second.

"Um pet." Quatre answered seemingly also mesmerized by the different shades. Slowly the girl took out her pipe and pointed to a door on the far left, she wore a black robe with jade cuffs and stitched designs and it hung loosely on her arm as she pointed.

"Take the door and follow the corridor you'll find assistance there."

With that said and done she promptly ignored the two customers and resumed smoking, staring idly at the far end of the wall as if in deep thought. Duo and Quatre didn't move for a few seconds stunned at the oddity of the whole situation before snapping out of it and obediently making their way towards the high arched door. Like the entrance this door was also frosted yet blank. Duo pulled the knob and the door opened revealing another strange room. This time there was plush white carpet and a gigantic fountain in the middle of the room. The walls were littered with windows that seemed to lead to some kind of sunroom or greenhouse yet the strangest out of them all was the gigantic panda plushie in the corner of the room. It was probably 10 feet tall and was rather intimidating.

"Hi Hi Hi!" Came a cheerful chirp and a shock of white head popped up from the panda's head. "I'll be down in a minute!"

Duo and Quatre watched as the figure jumped down and gracefully landed down a foot from them. It was a boy probably around 18 with wild snowy white hair that was almost blinding to look at. Where the other occupant of the odd pet shop was pale the figure before Duo and Quatre was the exact opposite. He had a healthy gold complexion of someone who spent more time outside then inside and dazzling sharp teeth that was as bright as his hair. The only thing he had in common with the strange girl in the other room was his eyes. They were a deep pair of cobalt which swiftly changed to steel blue then back to a darker shade. They were also disturbingly deep and equally inhuman as the emerald pair the two had seen just moments before.

"Well well well." The strange boy grinned holding out his hand and shaking it with both of his customers. He was decked in a simple white t-shirt and loose fitting jeans with a blue and white apron on top. "What can I help you with?"

Quatre smiled back at the cheerful teen before replying.

"We-my friend and I- are looking for a pet."

"Wonderful wonderful wonderful." The strange boy seemed to have a habit of repeating whatever he said at the start of a conversation. Duo gave off a small smile as ocean blue eyes glanced over him, though the boy was slightly eccentric Duo liked him. "Do you have any clue what type?"

Quatre gave an apologetic smile.

"Not really." He looked over towards Duo who nodded in agreement.

"No prob no prob no prob." The boy grinned before dragging the two over to a table they didn't notice before. "Sit here and drink this." Two small teacups appeared once Quatre and Duo blinked and soon the white-haired boy began pouring a creamy sweet smelling liquid into each. He poured about halfway before indicating for them to drink. Duo carefully regarded his drink before tentatively taking a sip.

It was sweet. Yet not too sweet. Just the perfect amount. Duo swirled it in his mouth to figure out the taste. Peaches...milk...honey...peaches...milk...honey...peach--

"Cat."

Duo and Quatre both looked at each other in surprise as they both simultaneously said 'cat'. Both slowly turned their head back to the front where the strange boy smiled at them mysteriously...and for the first time he simply said.

"It's decided then."

- - -

Duo and Quatre followed the white haired teen as he happily hummed and walked down a sunny hallway. Both sides were purely made out of windows and gave their eyes access to a massive forest. From their short walk both boys witnessed animals from parrots to even an elephant. Strangely what puzzled Duo and Quatre later on when they found themselves thinking of their little trip was how...natural...it seemed at the moment. It wasn't odd that a shabby looking pet shop had elephants, or even a whole forest.

"This isn't exactly your normal pet shop."

Duo stared ahead and met sky-blue eyes that stared at him cheerfully with an underline of somberness.

"So don't be too surprised at what you see here..."

With that said he opened a pair of towering glass doors that led to something strange yet wonderful.

- - -

"HOLY SHIT!"

Neither Duo nor Quatre knew who said this out loud but it didn't matter, they were both thinking it. And at the moment it was all that needed to be said.

They were in a grassy field cut short filled with flowers, trees from birch to palm, and a playground?! While their surroundings would invoke such an outburst what shocked the hell out of both boys was the animals. Or could you call them animals?

Before them roaming the entire field, playing in the playground, and climbing trees were cats...no...little boys and girls...little cat boys and girls. All were various as regular children yet had tails that swayed, ears that twitched, and glove like paws. They romped and played with a kitten like innocence and all soon stopped as they saw the newcomers. Soon Duo and Quatre found themselves swamped with tiny bodies tugging on their clothes mewling to be picked up.

"Nehkohs. An adorable breed no?" The white haired boy cheerful grinned picking up 5 all at once and setting them comfortably on him. Two clung on to him from their perch on his shoulders while the other three happily glomped his arm. "The qualities of a child and a kitten. They may be a lot of work but they're worth it. I believe you two are fit for the job."

Quatre just nodded staring in awe and picking up a orange haired nehkoh who purred in pleasure and rubbed his cheek against Quatre's. The nehkoh was a male and wore an white tank and orange shorts with a hole for his tail free to wave about freely. Gloves the shape of paws adorned his hands, both were the same shade as his hair yet had a darker shade for stripes. His ears were pretty much the same and twitched in pleasure as Quatre scratched behind them, his big amber eyes closed contently and a soothing purr could soon be heard.

"Wow...they're...so...cute..." Quatre muttered continuing to scratch the happy kitten-boy. Duo muttered his agreement as he squatted down and petted and scratched a the Nehkohs that surrounded him. All were unique as a human and kitten and all...although cute...just didn't seem like the right one for him.

"Nehkohs are very friendly...well most."

Duo looked up and found their guide staring off in the distance at a small figure that sat against a palm tree. Duo squinted trying to get a better look. Something was different about that Nehkoh, something drew him to the lone little boy and without realizing it he found himself before the tree in front of the Nehkoh.

Duo fell in love on sight. The Nehkoh was perfect. Dark chocolate hair in a messy style slightly hung over narrowed cobalt eyes which coldly stared back at him. The Nehkoh's ears were a lighter shade then his hair and his paws were crossed over his chest. His attire was a loose green tank and a pair of spandex short, a cinnamon and coffee striped tail lay motionless next to him. The kitten more or less ignored him completely and just stared ahead watching the other Nehkohs swarming over Quatre.

"Che." he snorted glaring at the other cats with disgust.

Awwwwwwww...so cute...

Duo's brain screamed. Despite the Nehkoh's hostile attitude Duo knew he was the one for him.

"I see you've met Heero-chan." Duo nodded muttering 'he's perfect'. "Heero-Chan is quite quick tempered..."

Was it just Duo or did the kitten look pleased?

"You do know once you sign the contract there's no going back..." The white haired boy warned.

"I don't care. He's perfect. There's something about him that draws me in..." Duo stated firmly smiling at the Nehkoh who turned his cobalt eyes to stare at him curiously...and hopefully?

"Very well. Heero come here."

Heero looked up at him defiantly for a moment before lowering his head and giving in. He pushed himself up from his position and sulkily wandered over to the white haired boy. Both held eye contact with each other as if in communication and challenge ignoring their surrounding and the onlooker. Finally Heero lowered his head and huffed before slipping his paws out of the other boy's hands and slowly making his way over to Duo. He gently and seemingly reluctantly tugged on the other boy's pants while looking at the ground and scuffing the ground with his foot. Duo smiled happily as he picked up the other brunette and set him on his shoulder.

"DUO DUO!"

Quatre...Duo had forgotten about his shorter friend. Turning around he found Quatre running up to him happily waving.

"LOOK I FOUND THE PERFECT ONE!!"

Duo felt his smile grow even wider as a pair of paws tightened their hold on him.

"Don't worry Hee-Chan, it's only Quatre."

Duo heard an indigent cough. Like Heero had anything to fear. Egotistically little bastard isn't he? Duo cheerfully thought before scratching Heero behind his ears. Heero struggled not to purr but failed...badly...very badly.

Quatre finally made his way to Duo spending a few minutes to catch his breathe. As he was doing so Duo spied a small brunette cradled in the blonde's arms and watched as a head pop out and shake humorously in Quatre's direction. The Nehkoh was rather adorable but not as cute as Heero in Duo's opinion. It was a male with brown hair in an unusual shape, sharp emerald eyes, and a small kind smile. He gave Heero a little nod which Heero acknowledged with a small 'hn.'

"Isn't he cute?" Quatre cooed nuzzling the Nehkoh who cooed back. Duo grinned and gave them a thumbs up while Heero just stared at Duo's long braid flexing his claws.

"Ah Trowa-kun. Interesting choice you both made." The strange boy walked over to Trowa and ruffled his hair before turning back to face Duo. "So you ready to sign the contract?"

- - - - -

The contract was on an old price of bamboo parchment and held only 5 lines in thin spider like writing.

Do not harm you pet in any shape or form.

Do not sell or give away your pet.

Your pet may not be returned.

Follow the instructions given to you to take care of your pet.

Any rules broken shall be faced with a penalty.

"After you have finished looking over the contract please sign in the space provided." Using his hand the white-haired boy indicated to a line near the bottom marked with a large 'X'. Looking over Quatre's shoulder Duo found him to have an exact replica of his contract.

Could he really do this? Could he provide a good home for Heero? Would Heero be happy? Duo noticed his hand begin to shake and steadied it, he looked over towards Heero whose head was turned in the other direction trying to look indifferent to what was going on around him. Duo studied him. Looking past his cold attitude was Heero as lonely like him? Who knew? But he wasn't going to pass up the chance to find out. With that done Duo quickly signed his name and handed the contract back.

Quatre's was soon to follow.

"Excellent." Slate blue eyes narrowed, all cheerfulness gone from his voice. "The contract is signed and sealed. Follow all the rules and you'll be fine, if not...well let's hopefully never be in a situation like that."

As quick as the chill came it was gone in the next instant. The white haired boy smiled warmly before ushering both customers and their new pets down a new corridor and straight back into the marble room. He gave them a small wink and a thumbs tossed along with 'good luck' and shut the door. Leaving them alone to stand in awkward silence in the silent room...clink...well not entirely.

Clink...clink...

The strange obsidian haired girl was still there, smoking away while clicking her pipe against her teeth. She didn't acknowledge their presence for a few seconds but slowly she turned her head in Duo and Quatre's direction blinking sleepily a few times. Her eyes seemingly changed colors with each blink. First light cool forest green, then dark jade, and finally sea green. Lazily she raised her arm and took out her pipe pointing to a door exactly opposite from the one they had just exited.

"Supplies and Goods." She muttered, but her voice rang clearly through the spacious room. With that said and done she resumed her smoking and ignored them. Duo blinked curiously at the strange girl but forged on ahead his mind racking up various scenarios that his eyes may soon witness in the next room.

What would it be this time? A beach? Maybe a jungle with a huge banana plushie in its midst. Duo prepared himself for some of the weirdest scenarios his brain supplied but he wasn't expecting this...he wasn't expecting this at all...

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Not sure about Duo and Quatre's height...

Please R&R...gah I'm hungry...bye....