The First Day

by: thejasonresno

10:00am

It was ten o' clock on a crisp Fall Saturday morning and the house was bustling. In the kitchen Quatre ran to and fro trying to get a solid breakfast prepared for the rest of the guys. He was alone in this endeavor, of course, but he was getting used to it. Apparently any work in a kitchen was 'sissy' work and Duo just couldn't have that. Quatre would always furtively believethat laziness had a bigger part to play than any shady sexist remarks.

Speaking of the young braided boy, he was in their living room—still in his pajamas—under about four comforters he insisted on having this morning.

"It's really cold Wufei. You just don't understand." Duo chided as he threw a body pillow at his Asian friend.

"You know I think you're weak, right?"

Duo gave a nod of silent assent and turned his focus back to the latest episode of Pokemon on the KidsWB. "I just love these little fellas, Fei. I want one. Get me one?"

Wufei sighed and reclined in the lazyboy, his slender legs dangling over the arm of the chair. Duo noticed this.

From the kitchen Quatre heard a yelp and then the crashing of the two boys wrestling in the other room. The Arabian shook his head and flipped the pancakes.

"Morning Quatre," Heero had stalked into the room—carefully avoiding the tornado of wrestling that he almost had gotten sucked into.

The perfect soldier took a seat at their small round dining room table and laid his head in the crook of his arms, face down on the table.

"Wonderful night, Heero?" Quatre inquired. For the platinum haired boy was certainly curious as to that. Often times when the guys were at home Heero would disappear for the night and the re-emerge the next morning looking as ill rested as ever.

Ever since the war had ended and they had settled into this house Heero had been plagued by what Duo called "nocturnal missions". Quatre never understood what that meant and instead believed that Heero was secretly going out and seeing Relena.

Quatre shook his head, 'What was a nocturnal mission anyways?' He sighed and chalked it up as another phrase he would never quite understand out of Duo.

Heero grunted a nondescript reply into his arms and awaited the rest of the guys to find the table. He was hungry.

At that moment Trowa managed to walk into the room looking calm and poised. The boy had his trademark hair cleanly unibanged and was dressed entirely free of wrinkles. Duo didn't even have real pants on.

Trowa grabbed the pot of coffee and poured himself a cup. He glanced at Heero and then poured another one. The silent soldier then turned and placed a cup next to Heero, momentarily ruffling his hair, and took his seat next to the pilot. In their years together Trowa had attained a certain affinity towards the dark and silent pilot. He actually grew a bond with the guy that they could share (or not).

Heero sat up and wiped his bleary eyes. He cradled the mug in his hands and took gentle sips from the tip as if his lips were made of glass and they could break. Trowa gave a circumspect glance at this and shook his head.

"Kids!" Quatre shouted. "Come eat!"

The young men in the kitchen heard the lazyboy almost overturn as the two other pilots fought to become the first to the kitchen. Duo beat him out narrowly by sliding on his socks on the hardwood floors and doing his best impression of a baseball slide, ending under the table and accidentally looking up Heeros' shorts.

"Ahh...I'm not so hungry anymore.."

Heero placed his foot on Duos' head and shoved the younger pilot out from under the table. "Eat Maxwell."

Wufei sniggered under his breath and took a seat at the table. He dished up sever amounts of hash browns. Quatre rolled his eyes, took off his apron, and fell into a chair. It was barely ten thirty and he was already exhausted.

Duo plopped into a chair backwards and dished up a few pancakes. He noisily began to decorate them with syrup and other necessities before finally deciding that they were garnished enough to please his pallet. He took a few noisy bites.

"So," he began through a full mouth. "What's goin' on today?"

Quatre shrugged, "Not too much I'm afraid. The yard work is done and there are no jobs to do." He folded his hands in his lap. He never ate with the other guys. "I'd say today should just be about relaxing. Maybe rent a movie or something?"

Wufei shoved a slice of crispy bacon into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully, "A movie isn't a bad idea. Maybe we could have people over?" He added another crisp of bacon to his mouth.

Heero groaned and cradled his coffee, "Anything to keep me in this house." The ex soldier took another sip and returned his head to the crook of his arms.

Duo and Trowa conferred a secret glance and an eyebrow of worry was slightly raised. Neither of them said anything.

"Then it's decided, slumber party!" Quatre added unable to hold the excitement out of his voice.

As it would be most obvious...their quarters were slightly cramped and not always hospitable to visitors. So anytime that they decided to have people over it was indeed a special occasion and break away from the mundane routine they had acquired since settling down.

It would be more than they bargained for.

8:00PM

"Definitely get this dude, this is awesome." Duo was brandishing the latest George Romero film titled 'The Living Dead of the Night'. "How could this not be good?"

Wufei shrugged and took it from the exuberant pilot. He read over the back and nodded, "That works for me, Maxwell."

Across the store Quatre was nestled in to the romantic-comedy sections, quite alone, with Trowa and Heero quietly scanning the wall of action movies. Heero idly picked up 'Rush Hour', read it , and put it back.

"Alright people!" Duo shouted from across the store, "We got our flicks let's get outta here." The braided man waved his zombie movie back and forth despite the odd locks the other people in the store were giving him.

Quatre looked at the movie, sighed, and reluctantly set down his favorite Hugh Grant film. The rest of the guys followed them to the checkout.

"Good choice fellas, good choice." The teenager behind the counter gave a braces filled grin. His teeth were yellowing and Trowa was quite sure the youth needed more than braces. He read his name tag, 'Todd'.

Todd stooped slightly and took a long pull of Mt. Dew and finished typing in their information.

"Looks like you boys have a late fee on---"

Duo cut him off, "Ah, yeah, I'll take care of that." Duo slipped the teenager a twenty, gave him a severe look, and quickly grabbed Quatres arm and lead him to the door. "It's time to go guys, 'sides they'll be at our house soon..."

They, as Duo mentioned, was actually a few close female friends of the group. One Hilde, Relena, Sally, and Cathy. During the war the Gundam Pilots had become quite close to a few people and even graced them by staying in touch. That honestly meant a lot to the girls who knew how completely these pilots had vanished off the radar of most people.

For a brief time the pilots held a shallow celebrity status with the peoples of Earth but their fifteen minuets faded after five as they sought refuge in the cover of regular people. They still caught glances full of meaning from civilians but for the most part, they went ignored.

A wave of popcorn exploded into the air accompanied by a shriek of pure terror. Duo yelped a loud 'Dammit, my popcorn!' and was answered by a slap from Hilde and a reminder to watch his language.

Relena looked over Heeros chest, the one she was now nuzzling into, and gave Duo a wide innocent frown. "I'm sorry Duo! It, it, it just scared me is all. I'll make you more!"

Hilde pulled Duos braid, "You'll do no such thing. If he wants to pig out he can eat it off the floor!"

Hilde, Duo, Heero, and Relena had amassed themselves onto the couch and became quite ensconced in comfort. Quatre sat at Heeros feet, his knees up to his chin, and his eyes wide.

Wufei, as always, was reclined in his lazyboy with Sally sitting on his lap. Wufei appeared shamed by this public display of attention but oddly pleased.

Trowa sat on the floor next to Quatre, his arm around the young aristocrat, next to Catherine. Cathy held Trowas hand and didn't ask much more. Catherine knew how much Trowa cared about her so no amount of PDA was necessary.

Duo felt completely against that sentiment and often times his hands would wander down to give Hildes butt a nice pinch. Usually returned by a slap or a shove.

"No, No, get away! Don't...aghhh!"

The zombie on the television collapsed onto the girl in the movie. It's green flesh making her pale supple skin look oddly off base. With a roar that sent Quatre burrowing into Trowa, whom received an affectionate pat on the head, the zombie bit into her neck and tore a bloody chunk of flesh off.

"That's some hickey huh Hilde? I've done better though..." Duo bent down to nibble on her neck, mocking quiet roars like the zombie.

Wufei was merely stunned at the dishonorable methods the creature used to fight. Biting? Attacking women? "This is ridiculous," he asserted. Sally stroked his head with a wry grin.

Relena again buried her head in Heeros chest, and the perfect soldier was quite sure it wasn't always in fear of the film. "Oh my it's so..so..terrifying Heero. Would you protect me from a zombie?"

"Oh it's not real lady!" Duo callously piped in.

The television flickered and the image disappeared and reappeared.

"Power surge." This from Trowa.

"I'll show you a power surge," Duo leaped deftly from the couch and tackled Trowa from behind. The two soon became entangled in a wrestling match that threatened to ruin the gravity of their horror movie.

In between Trowas headlock Duo watched as the electricity cut out momentarily again. "What the heck?"

"T...Trowa please come back...me and Miss. Catherine are...scared." Quatre peeped from behind his knees.

"It's nothin' Q-Tip!" Duo grumbled from behind Trowas knee. "It's just---"

The American youth was interrupted by a shrill beeping sound emanating from the television. The DVD ejected and the television suddenly shone brighter.

Relena sat up next to Heero and Hilde averted her eyes from her boyfriend to the television. Her small smile faded.

'Good evening ladies and gentlemen', an older man stated from the television. 'This is Channel 9 News. And we have news.'

"What's going on...weather?" Heeros voice was as steely as ever but question was beginning to raise in it.

'We have an emergency men and women of the broadcasting area.' The man stared into the camera. His suit hastily thrown on and sweat pooling around his forehead. 'Please, I implore you, PLEASE---'

From the television a scream was heard in the background of the news set. The camera fell bodily to the floor.

Heero instinctively held Relena tighter to him as if to protect her form the very cold that was seeping into their veins.

'If you can still hear me...' the mans voice was breaking up but fear was undoubtedly in his voice. 'If you can still hear me...oh God. Oh God!'

Another scream.

The power in the house shut off and their world went dark.

So I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! I know it was long and maybe boring but it'll get better, I promise! I began writing this story intending it to be lighthearted and fun...but I got hit by inspiration. I know this first chapter may sound too funny but...things will get more intense. As always, read and review!