Archivist's note: This set of ficlets is based on a challenge in the Livejournal community, Stages of Love. The theme for this set is "Colors."

"Black isn't a color, it's the absence of color."

"Ah," Duo pointed out, "but if you've got a bunch of paints, and you mix them all together, what do you get?"

"Brown."

"You do? I thought it was black."

"You need black in the first place, Duo."

"Ah, then black must be a color if they make a paint of that particular pigment."

"Alliteration doesn't become you."

"Pseudo-intellectual-bullshit doesn't become you, Relena. You should really stop hanging around with all those college friends of yours."

She smacked him lightly. "And you should stop being a wise ass. Honestly, Duo, saying black is your favorite color is like saying you're a nonconformist free thinker who shops at Hot Topic."

Duo pulled on his T-shirt to show off the cartoon character on the front. "Where do you think I got this?"

Relena rolled her eyes and reached over the table to snag a French fry from his plate.

"Just don't double dip that."

She bit into it and then dunked it into the paper cup of tartar sauce on his plate.

"Relena, do your college friends know you can be a real bitch when you want to?"

"My college friends don't drag me out with them when they're hoping to pick up guys."

"Relena, if you think that, you're more gullible than I thought."

She sneaked the pickle off his plate next and bit into it thoughtfully. "You don't seriously expect me to go to a gay bar with you."

"Why not? You'd be perfectly safe. None of the guys will hit on you, and the girls will compliment your hair and your ass."

"Sounds great," she said with a shake of her head. "Don't you think that maybe bars aren't exactly the best place to meet someone?"

"I'm not looking to get married, Relena, I'm just looking to get laid."

"And I'd be happy to help you with that myself, but you've already told me I'm not your type."

"That and your brother would kill me."

"He's not the boss of me," she said with a grin. She slapped his hand as he reached over for one of her mozzarella sticks. "Hands off, you mooch."

Duo put a hand to his heart. "Relena, you wound me."

She ignored his theatrics. "Why don't you try to find someone that has something in common with you? Go to the gym or an internet chat room, take up bird watching or something."

"Right now finding a guy who's into guys is having enough in common for me. Come on, Relena. Every girl wants to go to a gay bar once in her life so she can talk about it to her friends and brag about how many times she got hit on and complain about how much prettier her gay friend's hair is than hers."

"What's in it for me?"

"I knew it! You want to go with me."

"I still don't think this is a good idea."

"You think that now, but just wait, I promise you that --"

A shuttlecock whizzed by his face and landed in the potato salad that had come with his sandwich, and seconds later a pair of bare, muscular legs entered Duo's line of sight. He raised his eyes to find himself looking at the most attractive man he'd ever seen.

"I'm sorry," the stranger said. "I didn't mean to hit it so hard."

Duo's eyes didn't leave the stranger's and he reached for the shuttlecock, groping at it blindly and handing it over. He had mayonnaise on his fingers, but he was more taken with the bits of green pepper and celery sticking to the rubber end of the birdie.

He was actually envious when the stranger put the end of the birdie into his mouth and sucked off the potato salad.

"I am sorry," he apologized again. His eyes were glued to Duo's.

"No problem at all," Relena said, far too cheerfully. "No harm done."

"I've ruined your lunch," the Adonis said. "I insist on making it up to you." He tucked his badminton racquet under his arm and held out his hand. "My name's Heero."

Duo accepted it and shook it firmly. "Duo."

Heero seemed to realize they weren't alone and he glanced down at Relena, giving her a nod of his head. "I'm usually here on Saturday afternoons. Next time you're here, I'll buy you both lunch."

"Oh, that's not necess-- OW! Duo!"

"What my sister means to say is we look forward to it."

Heero raised an eyebrow and saluted them with the shuttlecock. "Same here. Duo," he acknowledged with a tilt of his head. "Duo's sister."

He jogged away, and Duo took a moment to admire the view from this side.

Relena picked up another French fry and waved it in front of Duo.

"So, Duo, we still on for tonight?"

Duo didn't turn to look at her until Heero had returned to the badminton net and volleyed his birdie over to the other side.

"What? Oh, we're still on, but I think a change of venue is in order."

"Oh really." She knew exactly what was on Duo's mind, but it was more fun to get him to tell her. "Where exactly do you need me to drive you?"

Duo's eyes were back on Heero again. "Sports Authority. I need to pick up a racquet and a couple of shuttle. Cocks."

"Remind me what's in it for me."

"Free lunch, a week from today."

"You don't mind my tagging along?"

"Trust me. You're no competition when it comes to Heero."

"Has your gaydar ever been wrong before?"

"Relena, no straight man sucks shuttlecock like that."

Relena turned to watch Heero, and she had to admit Duo was right, because every now and then Heero would glance toward them just before the birdie came back over the net, backhanding it absently. She could see why Duo appreciated the entire package. Heero's shorts were shiny black, skintight, and left little to the imagination. They were more appropriate for bicycling than badminton but she was sure Duo didn't care.

She'd take Duo to Sports Authority, just like he wanted. The only question was whether she wanted him to keep it to himself when he finally got what he wanted from Heero, or if she wanted him to spill all his dirty secrets.

After all, every girl with a gay best friend earned at least that much.

It's the Thought That Counts (Theme: Pink)

"I still can't believe you're wearing that."

"What's wrong with it? It's hot out and this is comfortable."

"You're going to give the wrong impression."

"It's very sweet of you to worry," Relena said, patting Duo's cheek, "but I'm not the one who needs to impress."

"Ha," Duo said, tying off the end of his braid. "I've already impressed. You, on the other hand, look like you were attacked by a cotton candy machine. No matter, though. We both know you're only going along for the ride because it would have been rude to leave you out."

Relena untied the bow on the front of her halter and picked up a pair of scissors to snip it off. "I'm only going along because you need a ride."

"You could always let me borrow --"

"No."

"Well, then," Duo said, flinging his braid over his shoulder. "Shall we?"

Relena really had considered declining the invitation and letting Duo get to know Heero one on one, but he'd complained so much about his last few dates that she was getting a little worried. It was hard to say whether Duo was expecting too much or if his taste in men was getting worse the longer he went without sex.

She knew he hadn't, because whenever Duo got lucky, he sang along with the radio, and not just the ones he liked or the ones they'd sing a duet to as they drove, but to every single song that played whether he liked it or not.

She wondered if she could convince him to go with her tomorrow to pick out a new outfit for work, just so she could crank up the car stereo on the way over.

Heero was already there, waiting for Duo -- no matter how much she teased Duo she knew that Heero could have cared less if she'd shown up or not -- and she made a mental point in his favor for punctuality. Two, actually, considering that there had been no set time which meant that Heero had no way of knowing when they'd be here -- or if at all.

He wasn't alone, either, and the cute, if sullen, friend of his didn't look terribly happy to be there. She was tempted to mark Heero's total up to three for thinking of her and unofficially arranging a blind date, but she'd wait on that until she found out more about the sort of people Heero hung around with.

She wasn't sure what she expected them to talk about. That was one of the problems with first dates, unless you were friends with them first. Then there was the question of who would be left at the table and who would pick up the order when it was ready, but Heero took care of that by asking his friend, who he'd introduced as Wufei, to help him carry the food back.

"How much would it cost me to get you to take Wufei over to the paddleboats?"

"That depends. Am I just taking him there or am I expected to get on one with him?"

"I've got twenty bucks. How far will you go for that amount?"

"When you put it like that, Duo, you make it sound so dirty."

"Hey, I only want you to give me and Heero some alone time. What you and Wufei decide to do when you're on your own is up to you."

"They're on their way back," she murmured, and she smiled sweetly at him and reached over the table to pull a bit of lint from his hair.

"How long has that been there? Why didn't you tell me before we left?"

"Hope you like chili cheese fries," Heero said, putting a plate of them in the center of the table. "If not, Wufei has the plain ones."

Duo looked at her nervously and she felt a little sorry for him. He was worried he was going to go from Mr. Smooth to Mr. Wearing My Lunch. She snagged one of the fries, dragging half a tablespoon of chili along with it. If she dropped any of it on her lap, she'd just add a new short set to Duo's debt.

Once they'd squared away their drinks and burgers, Heero took care of breaking the ice, asking Relena if she'd restored the Camaro herself or if it had looked that good when she bought it.

She kicked Duo under the table before he could react to the first part of that question. "Actually it was neither. I won it in a raffle."

"With a ticket I bought you," Duo pointed out.

"For my birthday!"

"You bought her a raffle ticket for her birthday?" Wufei asked.

"I was broke," Duo said defensively, "and it was for a good cause."

"It's the thought that counts," Heero reassured him, "and it worked out in the end. It suits you," he said to Relena.

"Why thank you, Heero," she said. He had four, or maybe it was five, marks in the Pro column and none yet in the Con. She'd only finished half of her burger but she set it down and wiped her hands carefully on her napkin.

"Wufei," she said. "I've been looking forward to going on the paddleboats all week, and I'd ask Duo only I think he'd rather have someone else's company."

Duo was shaking his head and mouthing threats at her and Wufei rolled his eyes, but he tossed his napkin on the table and stood.

Heero's friend was willing to help him out. That meant either he owed Heero a favor or he liked him an awful lot. That point could go either way, but she was willing to give Heero the benefit of the doubt.

"Make sure you wear your lifejacket," she told him, and then she and Wufei left them alone.

She glanced over at her car as they headed toward the lake and decided that she'd use that twenty dollars Duo owed her to get it washed and waxed, and then maybe she'd scare him by telling him she'd decided to have it painted pink.

Wufei held out the lifejacket for her to slip her arms into and then assisted her into the paddleboat. She waved to Heero and Duo as she and Wufei pedaled backwards to move the boat away from the shore so they could turn it around. She could be wrong as they were a good distance away, but it looked like Heero had moved a little closer.

She was definitely going to blare the car stereo tomorrow.

Breaking the Ice (Theme: Blue)

His eyes were on Relena as she and Heero's friend walked toward the paddleboats, but his other senses were hyperaware of Heero's presence next to him -- the smell of the shaving cream he'd used, the warmth of Heero's arm next to his on the table, and the sound of Heero's breathing.

Duo hadn't expected to be nervous. He hoped Relena didn't find out because he'd never hear the end of it.

All week long he'd been bragging about how Heero was going to be putty in his hands, that no man failed to be won over by Duo Maxwell's charm and charisma. Relena had only hit him with her purse once and she'd seemed genuinely excited for him -- and why wouldn't she be? Heero was everything that Duo ever dreamed of in a man as far as looks went, and the guy played badminton. Anyone who looked like that and could play such a wussy game had to be pretty down to earth and not terribly hung up on himself.

He'd brought a friend for Relena, too. Duo hadn't been expecting that. He was nearly euphoric at the idea of spending some quality time, alone, with Heero, but all week, it had only been a fantasy that Relena would beg off at the last minute. Of course in his daydreams she'd also given him the keys to her Camaro -- there were no holds barred for Duo while he was constructing his dream date.

The problem was that now he'd gotten exactly what he wanted -- with the exception of the car -- and all the charm he exuded when he was with Relena seemed to have gone for a walk toward the paddleboats along with her. Now she and Wufei were just a red and white dot on the water and Duo turned toward Heero, a sheepish look on his face.

"It's tough when they leave the nest."

Heero smiled at him. "I owe Wufei a free oil change for coming with me today."

It made Duo feel immensely relieved, and he replied with the first thing that came to mind. "He looks like he could use his dipstick checked." He realized afterwards that he didn't know Heero well enough to kid about his friends that way, and although he'd never believed in pretending to be someone he wasn't, this was one of those times when he wish life had a rewind button.

Heero didn't seem to notice his discomfiture. "Maybe. I wouldn't know."

Yes. That meant Heero and Wufei were just friends, and not the kind with benefits. Not that Duo thought Heero would be the type to take his ex or current fuck-buddy with him on a date, but it was nice to have that confirmation.

It'd be even nicer to have a silver tongue so he could sweep Heero off his feet, but he seemed incapable of doing more than just staring. He just hoped he wasn't giving Heero the creeps. "So," he said, "badminton."

Heero propped his head on his hand and stared right back. "Great game. Ever play it?"

"I have." Every other night since they'd gone to Sports Authority to pick up the gear, and each of those nights had cost him a promise to top off Relena's gas tank. At this rate the gauge would never read below three-quarters. Looking at Heero sitting next to him, though -- it had been worth it.

"We should play sometime."

"We should."

The mutual staring continued for a while, and then Heero said, "Let's make this easy. I'm a Scorpio, my favorite breakfast is Berry Burst Cheerios right out of the box, I'd rather take a day off on Wednesday than have a three-day weekend, I'm ambidextrous, and my favorite color is red. Your turn."

It wasn't the best start of conversations, but the point was that it was still a start. Duo mirrored Heero's pose, his elbow squashing a fat french fry onto the table. He didn't care.

"I'm a Gemini -- Duo, get it? I like Western omelets for breakfast, but I prefer them for brunch. I'm looking forward to my next three-day weekend, I'm right-handed, and my favorite color..."

The grease from the flattened bit of fried potato served as a lubricant between his elbow and the table, and he felt his arm sliding away a little. Heero seemed more interested in what Duo had to say than in what was going on out in his peripheral vision, and Duo was lost in Heero's steel blue gaze. Without breaking eye contact, he sat up straight and wiped the mashed fry off his arm.

"My favorite color is blue."

At the Touch of a Button (Theme: Yellow)

By the time Relena and Wufei had rejoined them, Heero had learned a few things about Duo. He knew that Duo, for all his teasing of Relena, was a protective friend. He discovered that he and Duo both preferred their fries dipped in gravy rather than catsup. He even found out that while Duo had a ribald sense of humor, he tended to share it only with friends he was comfortable with.

Remembering Duo's earlier comment about the dipstick made Heero feel even more pleased than he had when he'd finally managed to bribe Wufei into coming on this date with him, and almost as much as he'd been when Duo had looked relieved to find out he and Wufei were only friends.

Honestly, although Heero and Wufei had been friends a while, he had no idea which team Wufei played for, or if he was a switch hitter, but it wouldn't have mattered. While he respected Wufei, enjoyed spending time with him, and considered him attractive, there had never been any chemistry between them. It hadn't ever crossed his mind that there should be, either, but it still made him feel incredibly happy that Duo had wanted to know.

Maybe he should have felt insulted that Duo might think he'd bring someone he'd ever been involved with along, but he supposed there was a certain logic to the idea. Someone he was close to, who knew Heero's quirks and tastes, might pick up on signs that he'd met the wrong person before he would, but Heero preferred to find out on his own and to make his own mistakes.

It was probably for that reason that he'd been single for as long as he had. He wasn't being overly critical of the men he'd dated once and never again, it was just that there had never been that spark.

It had been there last week, for the first time in a very long time, and Heero had issued the invitation almost before he'd realized what he was doing.

Wufei had been rather put out that Heero hadn't even set a time for this date, but he'd known how important it was to Heero to pursue this, even if there had been no guarantee that Duo would show up. He probably would have come along even if Heero hadn't promised him an oil change, but that would have meant they both acknowledged how important it was to Heero, and that would have made it even worse if Duo hadn't shown.

Heero had known, though. He hadn't been the only one to feel it, and while Heero didn't believe in love at first sight, he believed that there could be chemistry, a connection, after exchanging only a few words.

He stood up and reached into his pocket as Relena and Wufei approached the table.

"Here," he said, tossing his key to Wufei.

"What's this?"

It was obvious what it was, but Wufei liked to have things spelled out for him. Heero didn't mind, however. He'd been counting on it, and Duo did look like he was holding his breath waiting for the answer.

"It's a nice day," Heero shrugged. "I thought I'd walk home."

Duo caught on immediately. "You know, Relena, I've got all this french fry grease on my arm," he bent his elbow to show her the shiny streak. "I'd really hate to get it on your upholstery."

Heero was ready to offer Relena an oil change, too, when instead of suggesting he go visit the rest room and make use of the sink in there, she said, "Not as much as I would." She looked over at Heero and held his gaze for nearly a minute before nodding at him slightly.

"Just remember, Duo, red means stop, green means go, and yellow does not mean run like hell."

"Actually, pedestrians have to obey those little walk, don't walk signs, but thanks."

"Actually," Heero interrupted, "pedestrians can influence the timing of those lights by pressing a little silver button."

Wufei jangled the keys in his hand. "And actually," he said, "I'm taking off. It was nice meeting you. Duo." He turned, took Relena's hand, and bowed his head over it. "Relena."

He walked away and without turning around, yelled back at them, "Yellow also means coward!"

"Well," Duo said. "I hope he doesn't mean me, because I'm no yellow bellied coward."

If Relena was still standing there, Heero didn't notice. He turned to look at Duo and said, "Glad to hear that.

"Neither am I."

Go (Theme: Green)

Heero had meant it when he'd told Duo he was no coward. If he was the type who was afraid to act on impulse now and again he would never have dropped the elephant sized hint that he was interested in getting to know Duo. He didn't judge a person on physical attraction alone, but there had been something about Duo last week. He'd been smiling, and his body language around Relena had been relaxed, casual, and not intimate in the way that suggested they were more than friends or would ever be more than friends.

Handing his keys off to Wufei had been just as impulsive, but he'd been reluctant to end their date -- and it was, as he'd told Wufei, definitely a date. They reached a traffic intersection and waited.

"How long have you --"

"Where do you --"

They spoke at the same time, in a rush, and Heero smiled and shook his head. "You first."

"How long have you known Wufei?"

Heero rubbed his chin. "We've known each other for a while, but we've only been friends, if that's what you're asking, for a couple of years. We didn't exactly travel in the same social circles."

"Relena and I have known each other since junior high. She had a locker next to mine and she could never get it open." Duo motioned in the air as if turning dialing a combination. "Sometimes you just need the right touch."

Heero's eyes were still on Duo's fingers. They were long and slender, a piano player's hands -- or, he thought with a touch of amusement, a flutist's.

He realized he was staring and shook his head. "Where do you live?" he asked, moving his gaze back to Duo's face and hoping he didn't look too guilty.

Duo looked a little embarrassed. "Not very far," he hedged.

Heero knew he probably shouldn't be feeling this pleased, but he couldn't help it. If Duo lived too far to walk, that meant he'd really, really wanted to spend more time with Heero. At least he hoped that's what it meant and not something like Duo was embarrassed to show Heero where he lived.

"I was on the track team," Heero said as the light indicated that the pedestrians had the right of way. "I'll leave it to you to decide if it was for speed or distance."

Duo had to bite his tongue to keep from embarrassing himself with a very lame attempt at sexual humor. He was trying to impress Heero, not prove he was like any other guy desperate to get laid. He compromised and went with a compliment about Heero's legs instead.

"What about you? Any varsity letters hiding in your closet?"

"Me? Are you kidding?"

Heero looked over at him as they walked. "No," he said quietly. "I'm not."

No one had ever looked at Duo, with hair down to his ass, and assumed he might have been athletic, even if he'd had a good build and a bit of muscle definition on his arms. A musician, a hippy, an artist, or a rebel -- those had been on the list, but never an athlete.

"Yeah," he admitted. "Baseball."

They turned the corner and paused to look at a window display.

"I probably shouldn't admit how much I want to say something about bases and home runs."

"Nah, Heero, you can tell me anything. I've heard it all and you might not believe this, but half of it from Relena."

Heero looked thoughtful. "I'd believe it if you told me."

He meant it. He wasn't even sure why; he barely knew Duo, at least not in the conventional sense. You couldn't eat with someone and meet his best friend without learning at least something. He'd known that he could get away with a small hint that he was definitely interested in Duo physically, if the whole sucking-the-birdie routine hadn't suggested as much last week.

It had tasted terrible, too -- not the mayonnaise but the dirt that had come with it. It gave him a chill down his spine just thinking about the way it had crunched between his teeth. It had been worth it, though.

"So, Heero, why badminton?"

Heero watched their reflection in the glass. "With some sports it's about strength and skill. With badminton, it's something anyone can play, and that means that being the best means that you have to be able to beat them all. With finesse."

"You beat them all yet?"

"No, but I've won a few."

Duo cleared his throat. "What about last week?"

Heero met Duo's eyes in the glass. "I definitely came out ahead."

The light at the corner changed, and there was an audible, muffled click as it went from green to yellow, and another as it changed to red.

"So," Heero said, turning away from the window to lean back against it. "Where do you live?"

"A couple of miles, thatta way," he said, gesturing down the street. "What about you?"

"Would you let me walk you home if I said it was in the opposite direction?"

"No," Duo said, "but I'd walk you home instead."

"Would you? You don't even know me."

Heero hadn't meant to put his thoughts out there in plain English. Dating was an art, or a dance, and he was simply sweeping all the rules he knew to the side and cutting to the chase.

"I know enough," Duo said.

"But?"

Duo grinned. "You begging for compliments Heero? I know enough but...not as well as I'd like to."

The muffled click sounded in the background.

"One more question," Heero said, holding up three fingers. "Scout's honor."

Duo nodded.

"You kiss on the first date?"

Duo laughed. "Were you ever even a boy scout?"

"No." Heero looked amused. "But I believe in being prepared."

"Well, Heero, I gotta tell you, there we might have a problem." He pressed his hand against the glass next to Heero's shoulder. "Because I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kinda guy."

"Yeah?" It came out as a whisper, a sigh, a soft exhalation.

"Look," Duo said, pointing to the reflection in the glass. "It's no mistletoe and it's not Saint Patrick's Day, but, you know..."

Heero swallowed, and he felt his heart slam against his chest as Duo pushed away from the window. He'd been so sure Duo was about to kiss him, too.

"Hey, Heero."

"Yeah?"

Duo leaned close to his ear and nibbled it lightly. "With the right guy, I do a lot more than kiss on the first date."

Heero was really glad he didn't live as far from the park as Duo did, because they were inside the door in just under ten minutes.

Duo's tongue was in his mouth in ten and a half, and his hands found themselves under Duo's shirt in eleven.

When Duo talked to Relena the next day, she never did find out what happened after twelve.

Fair was fair, however. She never did tell Duo why her car, her pride and joy, never made it home that night either.