He cried out as a lightning bolt blindsided him and shorted the navigation systems, sending him into a downward spiral that increased speed until the ground became a blur before he crashed. Fire burst out around the screen in the resultant explosion, and snow began to pile up around him despite the heat.

"Damn it!" he grumbled, punching one button with needlessly excessive force. A new screen came up, and he pressed the buttons necessary to start a new game. "Stupid damn programmers, sadistic little bastards." For the fifth time that night he vowed to continue playing until he beat the game, if only to read the credits, find said sadistic little bastards, and break their fingers with a hammer.

Outside, rain also continued to pour, leaving the day gray and overcast despite the sheer buckets of water that fell from the sky. A heavy breeze blew the trees and cracked a few dead branches off, littering the road with splinters and twigs. Real lightning struck a tall elm not too far from the window, and he looked up just in time to see the flash and the smoke as the tree split down the middle. Duo shivered and turned back to his game.

"Duo..."

He pressed the escape button and shut down in two seconds, pushing the laptop back on the desk. Duo pivoted in his seat and put on his best innocent face for his lover, who stood in the doorway wearing an irate scowl. "Oh, hi, Heero! I thought you were still in bed."

"It's noon. Not everyone sleeps in as late as you do," Heero said, as if he were merely discussing the rough winter weather. "What are you doing with my laptop?"

"Oh, just...a mission," Duo offered.

"A mission?" Heero blinked. "Now?"

Duo grinned and waved his hands. "Ah...it's all taken care of! I mean, I already wrapped it up."

Heero narrowed his eyes and walked in. He brushed by Duo and switched the laptop on again, then brought up the list of most recently used files. Duo watched his set facial features, wondering if Heero would get upset.

His eyes narrowed.

"Duo..." came the low growl.

"See ya!" Duo yelled as he bolted from the chair out of the room and down the hall.

Heero glared silently at Duo's retreating back, not bothering to try to catch him. Yet.

"Mission..." he sighed in exasperation. He runs, he hides, but he doesn't lie...he just bends the truth around until it doesn't look like truth anymore. He checked the time on the laptop. Five ten. He could hear the sound of a door slamming shut farther in the house and chuckled to himself. As if that would keep him out. Moving slowly, he pulled out his desk's bottom drawer and reached under the top, unlatching a hidden hook which allowed the drawer to slide the rest of the way out.

A feral grin, not unlike those of he'd indulged in during the first war, spread over his features, and he began pulling items out. No rope, Duo was always too squirmy to hold for the amount of time needed for knots. Four sturdy black cuffs with silk padding and metal rings in the sides that clipped together, so Duo wouldn't be pinched or bruised by handcuffs or ungainly chains. A purple bandana for a nicely sloppy gag, and...mmm...what else?

He shook his head to himself. Hard choice...feathers, riding crop, clamps, spreader bar, corset. Heero snapped his fingers. "Of course, I'll need the bar." He pulled out the little ten inch spreader bar and snapped it open, extending it to forty inches. Then, as an afterthought, he picked up the long ostrich feather and corset.

"Duo," he called out. "I'm coming."

On the other side of the house, Duo scrambled into the top shelf of the bedroom closet, taking great pains not to knock anything over or out.

Please don't let him come this way too fast! he prayed silently. It's my own fault. How much dumber could I get, showing the most psychotic terrorist teen on the planet what handcuffs are good for? Might as well give rabbits aphrodisiacs...

Somehow he managed to shut the closet again before leaning against the back of the closet, hidden by stacks of bedsheets and blankets. He closed his eyes and listened for Heero's footsteps, but to his dismay he heard nothing. Where on earth is he?

Heero lounged in his swivel chair, one leg over the right arm, while he quietly conversed with the person on the vid screen. "I'll go find him in a few minutes or so. I want him to imagine all the things I'll do to him before I get around to it."

Quatre smiled in appreciation. "You do that too? Wufei complains about that all the time." He turned around, and Heero had the perfect view into the blonde's bedroom. Heero wondered how Quatre had forced Wufei to his knees, since the Chinese boy obviously didn't want to be there, but then maybe the incessant squirming had to do with the round jaw spreader holding his mouth wide open. His tan arms had been drawn up by wrought iron manacles, while his legs were held down with tied weights around his ankles so he couldn't stand.

"Hearing them complain is part of the fun," Heero nodded. "By the way, Trowa's outfit suits him."

Quatre's smile turned into a flattered grin. "Thanks, I put it together myself."

Beside Wufei, Trowa stood with his hands in the same kind of manacles that fastened him to the ceiling. His ankles pushed far apart by the long bar between his legs, he silently stared at his blonde captor, unable to speak through the wooden bit gag. His long legs had been dressed in black nylons with stiletto heels on his feet, and a corset further cinched in his already narrow waist. Garters on the corset helped keep the nylons up, while black gloves ran several inches above his elbows.

Heero checked the laptop clock. Five twenty. "I think I'd better start after him now. And no, I don't think five times is too many. Put Trowa after you, so that if Wufei takes about ten minutes to do you, he'll have just enough time to take a quick breath before working Trowa another ten minutes."

Quatre giggled while Wufei could only strangle out a weak groan. "Oh, now I'm glad he can't bite. Or take care of his own...needs. You said a feather won't make him climax?"

Heero smiled. "No, just torture and frustrate him."

Quatre dug into an out of sight drawer and pulled out a heavy feather. "I hadn't tried it yet. I'm going to be in so much trouble once I untie them."

Heero waved a quick goodbye and turned off the vid. Gathering his chosen items together, he went straight to the bedroom and dropped everything off on the bed. "Duo..." he called again. "Where are you?"

In the closet, Duo shut his eyes.

"I know you're in here somewhere," Heero added. He went straight to the closet and flung the doors open, searching the floor first, then looking into the second shelf. When he stared at the top shelf, he noticed that everything was in order and even the dust seemed undisturbed.

Good job, lover, he thought with a wry smile. But I know you too well.

He quietly moved a few of the blankets in front aside, then took hold of the edge of a white blanket and threw it over what should have been empty space. Instead, it fell on top of Duo, who immediately knew he'd been found out.

"Let me go!"

"I don't think so."

Duo tried to squirm to the side and slip away, but Heero grabbed one arm and pulled him farther into the blanket, wrapping him up until his kicks and struggles only made him flop about.

"Ack! Heero, quit it! I'm sorry about the laptop--!"

"That's what you said last time."

Heero gathered his wriggling captive and dragged him down, setting him on the bed while he worked to tangle him up. By sheer luck, he managed to force one of Duo's arms down while the other already lay pinned under the heavy cloth. He pounced on Duo, straddling his chest with his legs so that he easily trapped his lover's arms against his sides. The braided pilot kicked and squirmed, but couldn't get his legs high enough to dislodge his captor.

"You look surprised," Heero chuckled.

Duo frantically writhed and bucked in the blanket, but all he did was tire himself out. He lay still, gasping for breath, while loose strands of hair fell over his face. Heero gently brushed them away and tugged the braid free, holding the very tip of it up and brushing it over Duo's lips and cheeks. His lover turned his face one way and another, trying to get out of reach, and Heero mercifully stopped.

"Are you going to cooperate?" he asked, using his fingertip to tease Duo's lips.

Duo snapped his teeth shut and nearly bit Heero's finger.

"I didn't think so." He picked up the bandana and twisted it a few times before forcing it between Duo's teeth. He had to hold up Duo's head so he could tie the knot, and he nuzzled his cheek a bit before standing back up.

Duo immediately tried to roll off the bed, but Heero kept a firm grip on his body and sat back down on him, facing the other way, before the American could get free. He pushed the blanket up past Duo's ankles and removed his lover's thin shoes and socks, replacing them with a pair of leather cuffs .

"All right," Heero told him, letting go, "now you can get up."

Duo wasted no time slipping away, falling to the floor in his haste. He yanked the thick gag out of his mouth and rushed towards the door until Heero stepped forward to stand right in front of him. Duo pushed himself backwards and landed hard on his rear end, wincing even though he didn't stop crawling away.

"Heero...don't you dare..." he growled. "I know I shouldn't have used your laptop, but I wanted to play a game and it's too nasty outside to play and you weren't paying attention--"

Heero smirked and dropped to all fours, placing his hands on Duo's shoulders. "You've got my full attention now."

A grin broke through Duo's angry indignity before he squashed it down again. Too late, however. Heero noticed and lay one hand on his lover's face, tracing his traitorous lips with his thumb.

"Careful," he whispered. "I might start to think you like this."

Knowing he'd been read, the braided pilot gave Heero a lopsided smile. "Maybe...but I'm still gonna get you back for this."

"I'm going to have to put your mouth to better uses than threats," Heero said softly. He pushed Duo back down onto the floor and undid the black pants, stripping them off and tossing them with the shoes. Taking a bit more time for Duo's shirt, he deliberately undid each button and kissed each bit of exposed skin before moving on to the next button. His lover made a little whimper, urging him to move faster, and Heero finally brought the shirt down Duo's shoulders and arms until it joined the pile.

"Stand up," Heero commanded, rising to his own feet.

Duo hurried to obey, losing every trace of his previous willfulness. He stood still as Heero moved around him and stared at his nude body, occasionally reaching out to brush his light brown bangs or give his hind end a little pinch. Feeling like a piece of meat, Duo almost felt relief when his lover walked to the other side of the room next to the rest of the sexual toys.

Heero picked up another leather cuff and looked at Duo. "Come here."

Duo went to step forward, but Heero raised his hand to stop him. "No, Duo. Crawl to me."

Duo obediently fell on his hands and knees and slowly made his way over the carpet until he could sit at Heero's feet. Heero held his hand out, and Duo lay his wrist in his lover's palm, watching as the Japanese pilot strapped the cuff over his skin. The same was done to his other wrist.

"Stand up."

Duo rose and was immediately whirled around by the arm so that his back faced Heero. Something sturdy pressed against his ribs, and he lifted his arms up out of Heero's way. He looked down and watched as the black corset was wrapped around his waist and gradually strung up. Behind him, Heero smiled ever so faintly. The tight material forced Duo's body into a cute, slight hourglass shape and caused his rear to spread out a little. He untied the bandana from around Duo's neck, then twisted it again and set it back in place between his lover's teeth, tying it extra tight behind his head so the cloth bit into the skin. The braided pilot mumbled an unintelligible complaint as he reached up to undo it.

Heero caught Duo's wrist cuffs just before his fingers could begin work on the knot. As expected, his slave groaned again and tried to jerk out of Heero's grip in vain. The stronger pilot forced Duo backwards onto the bed so that they both went down. With the wind knocked out of him, Duo had to fight the gag to regain his breath and in the meantime, Heero locked the metal loops in the leather wrist cuffs together. Regular metal chains would have been fancier, but that required too much time to hold a gundam pilot down.

Heero finished getting Duo's legs up on the bed and grabbed the spreader bar, clipping one of his lover's ankles to the end of the bar and ruthlessly forcing his leg outward until he could clip his other ankle. By the time he was done, Duo's hands were behind his back and his legs forcibly held open almost three and a half feet apart.

Assured that he couldn't do anything more than squirm, Heero walked around the bed, quietly examining his prisoner. Duo groaned through his cleave gag and shut his eyes, leaning his head back. This was the worst part. The waiting. Being scrutinized for the most opportune vulnerability. But at least he was gagged for the moment, which meant Heero would probably take care of his prisoner's needs first. If he was lucky.

Nothing too intrusive tonight, he thought, with more than a little relief. I love you, Heero, but I definitely need a break after the last few nights. He grinned around his gag as a thought cropped up. Mmm, maybe he'll let me take him for a change of pace.

As if reading his mind, Heero shook his head and leaned down. "Nothing like that," he whispered. "Not tonight."

Unable to answer, Duo gave a little questioning mumble and blinked, wide eyed.

And gasped when he saw the feather.

One terrorist with a feather plus one terrorist at his mercy equals one terrorist wriggling off the mattress onto the floor. The torture could only be multiplied by Heero's mission-mindedness, Duo's physical tolerance to torture, and the fact that Duo had actually shot him once.

"Yu oo hoariv ee hoar at, raat Heerho?"¹

Heero would have laughed, but the chuckle he was aiming for fell short of psychotic and too far from a smirk, so not possible. "Gagged, and you're still running at the mouth. And no, you're not forgiven yet." Not that he had any idea what Duo was trying to talk about.

He lowered the feather down to Duo's throat, gently stroking around his chin along his arms and ribs. Duo whimpered as the feather grazed his nipples, then forcefully ran circles around them until they were hard. Once his prisoner was sensitized, Heero poked the sharp little tip at them, never drawing blood but making Duo writhe around. He moved to the foot of the bed and tickled his lover's feet. Duo, since he couldn't kick, tried to bend his knees and push himself farther up the bed. Instead Heero grabbed the bar and dragged him back down, pulling the sheets with him.

And then the real torture began.

Strange squeals erupted out of Duo as the feather made its way between his legs, up and down his thighs and just higher, circling the tip before coming down to the base. Teasing without offering any kind of release, Duo groaned when Heero stopped and walked to the nightstand and pulled open a drawer. Clothespins came out in one hand.

The braided pilot shook his head rapidly and made several frantic noises, but Heero ignored him and gently clamped each pin down on his nipples. Duo slammed his head back on the pillow and was rewarded by more useless feather action.

"If you keep whining, I'll have to spank you," Heero warned.

Duo promptly quieted himself. That meant several minutes of inattention, with Heero leaving the room for the riding crop, several minutes back, and then lashes on his spread hind end. And the skin down there still throbbed from the last spanking and pounding, hence the earlier choice of Heero's chair to play video games on. That was comfy and padded.

"You realize I'm going easy you?"

Duo nodded meekly.

"And you want me to keep going easy on you?"

Another nod.

"And that you deserve this for using my laptop without my permission?"

Duo pouted and rolled his eyes.

Heero rose one eyebrow and tugged one of the clothespins. His captive squealed again and jerked to one side, but Heero grabbed the edge of the corset and centered him. "Maybe I should get the whip. I can't get to your ass, but I could certainly turn those thighs of yours pink."

Now Duo batted his lashes and made cute little puppy dog eyes at his lover.

Heero smirked. "That's it. I'm getting it. At least the small one."

Duo had to crane his neck to watch Heero open the bottom drawer of the nightstand and pick up a thick wooden handle with dozens of thin leather straps no longer than seven inches on one end. He breathed in sharply and did his best to edge away before Heero could get close enough to use it.

Heero lay his hand on Duo's corseted side, tugging a clothespin again before letting his hand glide down to his lover's knee to hold him still. "No struggling. You've used this on me enough times, now it's your turn."

The first stroke didn't hurt, but it certainly stung enough to make Duo buck his legs up and nearly knock against Heero's hand. After a few quick dodges, Heero kept one hand on his lover's bar to hold his legs down and used the other hand to develop a steady rhythm of strokes on the soft skin. Tiny welts rose and immediately fell. As soon as his legs were mostly pink, Heero gently lashed Duo's chest, removing the clothespins as he worked. With the tender skin brutally sensitized, the extra stinging kept them hard until Heero moved down to something even harder.

As lightly as he could, he beat an exceedingly gentle pace between Duo's legs. His lover's body quivered and shuddered until a warm liquid covered the whip in a quick spurt. Heero smirked and tossed the whip aside, heading to the side of the bed while Duo relaxed and closed his eyes, sighing in varying layers of relief. No more pain, only heady pleasure still heating his skin and easing some sore muscles, the weight pressing down on his chest.

He frowned. Weight? He looked up and found Heero, still mostly clothed, straddling his chest. Strong hands helped him raise his head and undid the knot, slipping the bitten, torn bandana from his mouth.

"You all right?"

Duo grinned and shut his eyes again. "Oh, yeah...feel good...go sleep now?"

"I took off the gag for a reason."

He snickered and stared up at Heero, deliberately snapping his teeth closed.

The dark-haired pilot unzipped his pants and pulled them just enough for his purposes, edging closer to his captive's mouth until all he could see was Duo's head. "No fighting. Or do I have to get the clothespins again?"

Duo raised his head and flicked his tongue out, licking Heero and laying down again with a broader grin on his face. Heero groaned at the brief sensation and felt sorely tempted to smack him once. He wondered who was torturing who, and the thought brought a slow smile onto his face. Duo blanched at the unfamiliar expression.

"Uh, Heero?" he mumbled, still not about to fully open his mouth.

Heero reached one hand back and pinched an already sore nipple. Duo cried out, opening his mouth wide, and Heero slipped right in, daring fate to close his prisoner's jaws on him. Fortunately his lover regained control of himself before nipping Heero's tip. He glared up at him and held still.

"Stubborn little..." Heero grumbled and thrust.

Duo finally grinned and gave in, working with his tongue and occasionally letting his teeth run along the length, telling Heero exactly who was in charge. He may be bound, but he certainly wasn't the one in the more precarious position.

It didn't take long. Both had been trained for efficiency. Duo hadn't finished swallowing before Heero had turned around and started releasing the spreader bar. The braided boy groaned in relief as he brought his legs back together, easing the tired joints. The ankle cuffs came off, followed by the ones on his wrists, and then Heero hauled him up by his shoulders.

"Go take a shower," Heero ordered. "I'll clean up here."

As Heero turned his back, Duo narrowed his eyes and pouted. Dammit, that was quick! What, I'm not good enough for a little cuddle afterwards? Without another moment's thought he grabbed the wrist cuffs and lunged at Heero, taking him by surprise and tackling him to the carpet. The cuffs went on easy compared to forcing them behind Heero's back, but Duo was a determined little terrorist and at last locked them up.

Not that it would take him long to escape. Heero shot a withering glare at his soon to be dead lover and began to strain his arms in opposite directions, forgetting how prepared Duo could be at times.

"You're not the only one with toys," Duo giggled, reaching under the bed. He brought out several yards of chains and began to wind them around Heero's arms, securing them with a heavy padlock just before Heero snapped one of the metal cuff rings. Tossing his captive on the bed, he finished off not with the spreader bar but simply by locking the ankle cuffs together.

Duo couldn't help his laughter as he stood, surveying his trussed up lover. "I'll be right back, dear. I have to ask Quatre where you put your stuff. Someone needs a whipping for forgetting to snuggle. And for beng a laptop hog."

"Duo, don't you leave--!"

Patting his rear, Duo left the room and returned to the den, plopping down in the empty chair as he turned on the vid screen. "Hey, Q', I need some help."

"He might have a problem giving them," came the wry comeback.

Duo snickered when he saw Wufei on the other vid, the boy leaning back in his chair while he watched a nude Trowa put the finishing touches on a freshly bound Quatre. On his knees in chains, Quatre mewled and yanked on the manacles, trying to escape the clamps Trowa was setting on his nipples. Of course he could only mewl with a cock gag firmly set in his mouth. The taller pilot had apparently removed his corset and placed it on Quatre, although Duo wondered how they'd managed to get the squirmiest pilot in black stockings.

"I see you got away from Heero," Wufei added.

Duo nodded and tilted his chair back. "Yup. Got him waiting for me back in the bedroom. He actually used clothespins on me!" He rubbed his still sore chest and realized he was still wearing his own corset. With a heavy sigh he craned one hand to start undoing the laces.

Wufei nodded once. "He convinced Quatre that swallowing five times was no problem for me."

"I didn't mind much," Trowa admitted.

The Chinese pilot narrowed his eyes, but didn't reply.

"Well, maybe you know," Duo started again. "Heero's got a secret stash of gear around here, and I can't find it. I specifically need that riding crop, since I kinda...messed up the little whip."

"I believe he keeps it in his desk," Wufei answered readily . "At least, he was pulling things out of there when he called Quatre."

Behind Wufei, Trowa picked up a heavy rope and crept closer, holding one finger to his lips, signaling Duo to keep quiet.

"Ah...thanks, Wu'," Duo grinned. "I'll look for 'em. Oh, and Wufei?"

"Yes?"

Trowa brought the rope up over Wufei's head.

"Behind you."

Duo had just enough time to see Trowa drop the rope, quickly binding his squawking lover's arms to his sides, before he turned off the vid. He started opening the desk drawers and noticed that one of them didn't pull out quite as far as the others. Reaching up under the desk, he found and undid the latch that allowed it all the way out, and he grabbed the riding crop.

"Perfect," he smiled, and ran back to the bedroom.

The End

Author's Notes:

1. Translation: "You do forgive me for that, right Heero?"