"Consponsata"

In the coming days, Quatre's back continued to heal and while it was still scabbed over, he was able to move around more without running the risk of reopening the wounds. Trowa finally allowed him to sit upright, though he still had to keep his back from coming in contact with anything and he had to sleep on his stomach. Heero spent much of that time keeping Quatre company. They talked about their lives, read to each other, and occasionally flirted.

Heero was charmed by Quatre's fascination about his own life, his easy smiles, and his delightful laugh. He realized he was falling hard for the boy and wondered what his father would think about his marriage to the Ghalian Prince. About him being a Ghalian Prince. There was some anxiety about going home tomorrow, not knowing how, or if he'd be accepted back into the arms of his village, or if he would be considered a traitor. Quatre sensed his trepidation.

"I think you'll be fine," he said as he closed the book he'd been reading, setting it aside. He noticed his husband had been quieter than usual and figured it was due to his return home.

Heero gave him a smile and shook his head. "I don't know. Saians are a stubborn race of people and my father is the most stubborn of them all."

Quatre pulled his knee up and rested his elbow on it, propping his chin on his palm. "We have that in common."

Heero laughed. "Yes, I noticed that."

Quatre stared at him, mischief written across the blue eyes. "So you're Sai's best hunter. Who knew I'd married a celebrity?"

He chuckled. "I don't think I'd consider myself either of those things, but...at least in my village, yes. Though Duo and Wufei come close."

"Tell me more about them."

"Oh, you'd love them and I'm sure they'd love you."

"I wish I'd had more time to get to know Wufei a little better when he was here. He seems like a wonderful friend."

"He is. So is Duo."

"What's Duo like?"

"Duo is a character," he laughed softly. "He’s got a great sense of humor. He’s a wonderful cook, he can make anything taste good. He's not a native to Sai. He's originally from Borsten, we think. He doesn't really remember. He was so young when he came to us."

"What happened to him?"

"His convoy was attacked by Ghalian forces. He was the only survivor. A few of our villagers found him wandering around in the wilderness."

Quatre's face flushed. "I'm so sorry." He looked down, ashamed, unable to meet Heero's eyes. "I hate what my people have done."

Heero tipped his chin up. "I know you have nothing to do with that. You were only a child yourself when that happened to Duo."

"I know, but they're my people. And I am their Prince. It brings shame upon us all."

"Well, we're going to change that, aren't we?"

"What can we do?"

Heero took a deep breath, not quite prepared for this discussion yet. He’d realized he was going to have to level with Quatre, he just wasn’t sure how. What he had to say would not be pleasant. It was horrendous even. But it was the only way. And Quatre had to hear it. "Quatre," he took the boy's hand, his own smoothing over the soft, pale skin. "You're not going to like this."

"I have a feeling I know what you're going to say, but I want to hear it."

Heero looked into his eyes, his voice hushed. "We're going to have to seize the throne."

Quatre's eyes widened, but only for a moment. Then he let out a breath and nodded and Heero could see he knew. Knew what they were going to have to do. "I know. It was a shock to hear it, but I know you're right. How though?"

"I'm not sure yet. I think I have your Lieutenant on our side -"

"Zechs?" Quatre looked surprised. "I know he's never been fond of my father, or Treize, but I'm not sure he would do anything to -"

"I think he would, Quatre." The blond looked up at him. "He approached me, just a few days ago. He told me there was talk of a revolution. He said we would speak again soon, when you're better. I think he's willing to do more than you think."

Quatre observed him for a moment. "Okay, but who does that leave us with? You, me, Zechs, who else?"

"Trowa."

"No. Heero, no."

"He wants to fight, Quatre. He wants to fight for you. He wants blood. He's already staked his claim on Treize’s life.”

Quatre narrowed his eyes. "He told you that?"

Heero dipped his head. "Yes."

"What else has he told you?"

"That he wishes he could have been the one to marry you. That he hates me because I have something with you he'll never have."

Quatre scoffed. "He shouldn't hate you. It's not your fault."

"I know, but he can't have the kind of relationship with you that he wants. I have that instead. Look, I don't hold it against him. It's okay." Heero had an almost uncontrollable impulse to ask Quatre if he and his servant had been intimate. Something told him they had been and it bothered him even though he had no right to be upset about it. He wondered if Quatre would continue sleeping with him even if Heero bedded him. He didn't know if he could ever tell Quatre that he couldn't be with Trowa. It was an extremely complicated situation and hearts were going to be broken no matter what happened.

"I don't know if I want him fighting," Quatre said. "I don't want to lose him."

"It's what he's bred for, Quatre. It's in his blood."

"But his heart -"

"His heart wants to fight. It wants to protect you."

"I want to protect him."

"I know you do, but you've got to let him have this choice, even if it's something you don't like."

Quatre gave him a dubious look and turned his head away, deep in thought. "If - when we take the throne, I'm going to free him."

Heero was encouraged to hear that. He only hoped Trowa would accept it. Being a servant was all he'd ever really known. He may not take to it kindly.

Quatre turned back to him, tears in his eyes. "It's going to be the hardest thing I've ever done. How terrible does that make me?"

"Quat," Heero was only mildly surprised to find that the nickname came easily to him. "It doesn't make you terrible."

He tried to stifle a sob and only partly succeeded. "What if he leaves me?"

Heero placed a hand on a soft cheek and swiped a tear away with his thumb. "That will be his choice and it would be a choice given to him by you. I know it will be hard if he does leave, but that's what freedom is."

Quatre stared at him, his eyes full of wonder. "You're so wise."

Heero laughed, could feel the heat in his cheeks. "Not really. I was just raised with a lot of common sense."

Quatre snorted. "And I was raised with none. We make quite a pair."

Heero smiled. "We do."

He couldn't have helped what happened next if his life depended on it. His eyes drifted down to Quatre’s lips. The lips he'd been dreaming about kissing since the first night he met him. The blond was staring back at him and without even realizing it, gravity seemed to pull them closer together until their faces were only centimeters apart, lips brushing against each other. Heero savored Quatre's warm breath against his mouth for just a moment and then he closed the tiny gap, capturing sinfully soft lips between his own. Quatre's eyes closed and his head tilted to the side, his mouth parting for more.

Heero cupped a hand against Quatre's cheek and dipped his tongue into the Prince's mouth, his senses on fire with an arousal he'd never experienced before. Quatre accepted his tongue, touched it with his own and whimpered into the kiss and Heero wanted him so damned bad, his body aching with desire. His hands twitched, itching to reach under the folds of Quatre's tunica and Quatre, sensing it,  grasped his hand and pushed it beneath the garment. Heero moaned as his palm made contact with the smoothest skin he'd ever felt and he surged up onto the bed, hand sliding higher beneath Quatre's tunica, arm wrapping around his waist.

Quatre broke the kiss long enough to whisper, "I want you. I want you inside me," against his mouth and Heero, nearly forgetting himself, almost pushed the blond down onto the bed, ready to plunder that beautiful body. Alarm bells went off inside his head at the last second and he cursed, pulling away, his body screaming in rage as it was denied. "We can't. Your back."

Quatre groaned, nearly wept in frustration. "I don't care. I want it. Want you."

Heero shook his head with some effort. A lot of effort. His erection pressed angrily against the soft silk of his tunica. The slide of fabric against his cock only heightened his arousal and he cursed every god he could think of that it just wasn't meant to be. He leaned up and nipped Quatre's lips, red and swollen and so irresistible. "I want you, too," he breathed. "So badly. But I won't risk your back. Not yet. Soon. As soon as you are fully healed."

Quatre gazed up at him with eyes desperate and so aroused for him. "Promise?"

He smiled and kissed him again. "Promise. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

They jumped apart as the door slammed. Quatre blushed and looked down at his lap. "Trowa," he said, looking guilty.

Heero watched the servant as he stepped closer and lifted his chin as fiery green eyes focused on him. "What's going on here?"

Quatre adjusted his tunica and said, "We were just talking," though his flushed cheeks gave him away.

Trowa's face was unreadable. "That didn't look like talking."

Heero sighed, "Trowa, look -"

"No, you look. I know exactly what you were doing. You were trying to seduce him."

"He wasn't trying, he was succeeding," Quatre murmured. Trowa turned on him.

"And you. How many men have tried to take advantage of you? How many men have I had to protect you from when they decided they wanted you? But now? Now you're just going to allow it?"

Quatre looked up sharply. "He's not trying to take advantage of me!"

"Then why is that exactly what it looks like from where I'm standing?"

Quatre looked at him with pleading eyes. "Trowa -"

But Trowa was already focusing his wrath on Heero again. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."

Heero raised a brow. "Trying to have sex with my husband?"

This time he was prepared for the blow when it came and he had no reservations about hitting back, though he was slightly disadvantaged due to Trowa's size and the fact that he had rage and jealousy going for him. Heero took several hits to the face and his head spun a little before he was able to strike Trowa in the cheek and jaw. The servant staggered back a little and then lunged, bringing them both down to the floor. Quatre climbed off the bed and shouted at both of them, but they were too far gone to listen. Heero knew it had to be done. This had been simmering for days and it had finally boiled over.

Trowa rolled over on top of him, sitting on his stomach, long fingers wrapping around his throat and Heero choked as his airway was cut off. Quatre was there in an instant, jumping on Trowa's back, pulling at the powerful arms without success.

"Trowa! Let him go!"

Trowa was spitting rage as he squeezed Heero's neck. "Should have been me. It should have been me!" Heero’s eyes rolled back into his head as his brain lost precious oxygen. He had to do something, or he was going to die. With a final burst of energy, he swung his leg up, knee connecting with the side of Trowa's head. Both he and Quatre rolled to the side and Heero was terrified the blond had ripped his back open. He pinned Trowa down, speaking with a reedy voice as he coughed and gulped in air.

"Do not make me send you away."

Trowa choked on a sob and turned his head. "I hate you. I hate you so much."

"Hate me all you want, but I will not stand for being attacked like that."

"He was supposed to be mine!"

"He's not supposed to be anyone's! It's his choice who he gives himself to! Why doesn't anyone around here understand that?" Trowa sniffled and blushed, his eyes widening. He seemed to realize the repercussions of his actions, the scope of what he’d said. He went limp, his expression shamed. Heero let him up and turned to Quatre who was sitting on the floor staring at him in surprise. Heero was afraid his back had opened up.

"Are you alright?"

Quatre nodded, still looking shocked.

"Are you sure? Your back - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to knock you over -"

"No! No, my back is fine. I just -" he shook his head. "No one's ever said that before."

Heero cocked his head. "Said what?"

"That it's my choice. I mean - I've always had the choice when it comes to Trowa. But, everyone else..."

Heero couldn’t believe that the concept was not widely known, or accepted, at least in Quatre’s case. His eyes hardened. "Well, I think it's disgusting how you've been treated. Your body is your own. No one else should have a say in what you do with it."

Quatre smiled, his cheeks pinking. "I knew I chose you for a reason."

Heero got up and offered his hand and Quatre took it, allowing himself to be helped up. He turned to offer his other one to Trowa. The servant stared at it almost grudgingly for a moment, then he reached up and grasped it and Heero pulled him to his feet, his body tensed in case he attacked again, though he was pretty sure the fight was over. Trowa's rage had been quelled and he was subdued, contrite. He turned to look at Quatre, his eyes full of grief.

"I - I didn't mean it like that."

"Trowa, it's okay. I know you didn't mean it like that." Quatre stepped over and caressed his cheek. The servant dropped his head onto the blond's shoulder and Quatre held him, rubbing his hand over his back. "But you must understand that Heero and I are married and we -" he paused, trying to find the right words. "We want to do this. I want to do this. That doesn't mean I love you any less."

"I don't want you to be hurt, or taken advantage of."

"I don't think you need to worry about that with Heero." Quatre glanced over at him and smiled. "He is a good man. He's not going to force me into anything I don't want to do." He pulled back and looked into Trowa's eyes. “I have the right to be with him if I want to be. Do you understand?"

Trowa squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. "I wanted to be the one - I thought I was the one."

"Trowa, we can't help who we fall in love with."

Both Heero and Trowa started, staring at the Prince with wide eyes. Quatre almost seemed surprised himself for a moment.

"You love him?" Trowa asked, his voice broken.

Quatre looked between them, then stared at Heero. "Yes. I think I do. But...I love you, too."

Trowa stepped away. "I need to be alone right now." He turned to leave. Quatre tried to stop him, feeling miserable about it.

"Trowa, I'm sorry."

He was out the door without another word and Quatre cursed, tried to go after him before Heero stopped him. "Let him be. He needs to think things over."

Quatre turned misty eyes on him. "I feel so terrible about this. I think I just broke his heart."

Heero tucked a blond curl behind Quatre's ear. "It's not going to be easy for him. Or you. But he has to learn to accept this."

Quatre looked deeply troubled, but relented, nodding sadly. "I suppose you're right." He sat down on the edge of the bed and Heero knelt down in front of him.

"Did you mean it?"

"Of course! I wasn't sure when I said it, but once I had, I realized it was true. I'm sorry I -"

He was cut off as Heero surged up, claiming his lips in a rough kiss. He cupped the blond's face between his hands, plunging his tongue into the welcoming mouth. Quatre whimpered and clutched his arms, trying to pull him closer. Heero slid his mouth over a soft cheek, down over Quatre’s jaw, and buried his face into the boy's neck, groaning at the overwhelming surge of emotions. "I don't want to leave you."

He closed his eyes as he felt Quatre's hand stroking the back of his head. "You must see your family, your people. They must know that you are well and are not here by force. I will be fine and I'll look forward to your return."

Heero smiled into the sweet skin and kissed the boy's pulse point, feeling the blood pump beneath. He yearned to take the Prince with him. To have him meet Duo, meet his family. He supposed there would be plenty of time for that. Once they took the throne, Quatre would be free to go wherever he wished and Heero was sure that his friends and family would be more than welcome at the castle. He could see the prospect of healing between the two kingdoms within reach and he felt a strong sense of hope for the future. He and Quatre, together as an unstoppable team would strengthen their communities and bring the region into a golden age of peace and prosperity.

Getting there wouldn't be easy, though. King Zayeed and General Treize wouldn't go down without a fight. But Heero was ready and if it was a fight they wanted, a fight they would get.