Just another one of my short Gundam fics. Like always I own nothing but the computer used to write this.

A Lesson in Etiquette

A certain check list was always gone through in the morning before one should ever leave. Boots and belts should be clean and polished so as to act like a mirror; Pants, vest, jacket, and shirt should be pressed in order to hang right; buttons should be polished to give a look as if they are made of glass; and lastly gloves should be starched to bring out the brightest of their color. Next before one can put the items on the body should be clean, and the hair brushed. Such a routine would have most skipping one or two things, but never Treize Khushrenada. Each one of these steps in a daily routine was something he followed with the obedience of a soldier and the etiquette of a gentleman. Nothing was ever out of place in his world, for that was the way that he felt it should be and how he liked it. The papers up on his desk were always organized before he left the office; his dishes washed once he was done using them; bed made with fresh clean linen that you could bounce a coin off of. Everything proper and in its rightful place, the way he liked it. He lifted his blue eyes some as he walked down the long halls of the office and looked into the few rooms whose doors stood open for the world to see. Clean and organized just as he demanded it all be kept, except for one. The office next to his whose desk was stacked high with paper work, some of it was even on the floor, sprawled in every direction after falling from top the high piles. A half empty coffee cup which was long past cold sat on the edge of the desk, a small ring forming around the wood where the liquid had dripped down from the edge of the cup. Books from the shelves lay open with pin and paper on top their pages, a few drops of ink from the pins mixing in with that of the book's pages. A uniform jacket was tossed up on the small couch that sat in the corner of the office. The fabric was wrinkled and the buttons were dull and worn, one was even hanging on by a few threads. Muddy boots sat by the legs of the couch, their heels and ankles caked in mud and grime which fell off in small flakes onto the plush rug on the floor, dirtying its fine pattern and color. His blue eyes narrowed at the condition of everything, knowing fully that there was only one person that worked with him that would dear do such a thing knowing he would catch them. His blue eyes shot in the direction of that said person who had just happened to walk out of their washroom at the wrong time. Standing in only his military pants and undershirt was a tall lengthy young man whose long platinum blond hair hung freely past his shoulders and down his back. His silver mask was the only thing that met the commander's contentions. It was freshly polished and gleamed like a mirror, the glass that hid his eyes shined brightly in the soft light of the room. Giving a soft 'ahem' sound towards the young man, who had clearly not seen his commander standing there in the doorway, the older male gathered his attention. All the young man did was give the other a simple smile before walking over to the couch and sinking down into it, ignoring the cold glare that followed him across the room. Blue eyes narrowed even more so at being ignored in such a manner.

"I'll clean it all up later." Came the grunted excuse

"No you'll clean it up now." The commander said in a voice filled with ice

"That defeats the purpose of the 'later' you know."

With a simple turn and click of his heels up on the floor the commander turned to leave the male to cleaning everything up. Though they were friends and had known each other for many years Treize would not have his office or any others his building looking like trash. That clicking sound was the last warning that was given to the young man before his friend and commander left. He knew that if he didn't want his head served up on a platter he had best clean things up before the male walked past his door again. Standing up with a small groan of pain and walking over to the large wooden door the male pushed it such smiling at the 'click' sound the lock made when he turned it. If the door was shut than no mess could be seen and if no mess can be seen no since in picking it up right now, his logic told him. How wrong he was for not moments after he locked the door and that 'click' echoed faintly throughout the hallway to the other's ears had the male been back at the door knocking on it with a soft 'tap tap'. At that point both men knew that this was going to be a long day, and it was only seven-fifteen in the morning. Blue eyes hidden behind a mask looked at the door for what seemed to be hours, though it was nothing more than mere seconds, before he unlocked it and took a few steps back, just to be safe. Once the door opened there they were, those pair of dark blue eyes looking at him like a predator does it's pray before it rips it apart. Knowing full well he was already clutched in its claws he quickly picked up his muddied boots and jacket, walking with them to the washroom, a small grumble falling from his lips as he did so.

"Once you are done in there would you please join me in a small discussion with some of the new officers before you become too busy with your cleaning, Marquise." The male ordered the other, rather than asked before once more taking his leave.

With another grumble falling from his lips he did as told, and cleaned up in a rushed manner. Boots still caked with bits of mud he made his way to where the new officers were standing at attention while hearing a lecture from a young lady with dark brown hair. He leaned against a wall while his eyes stayed locked on to her, watching her every movement. Her poise and grace as she walked was flawless, her words full of authority, the manner in which she presented herself was nothing more than the proper etiquette in which their commander demanded out of each and every one of them. She had only been there for two months and already was lecturing new officers. He straightened up when a pair of blue eyes behind her caught his attention; how long had he been watching him leaning against the wall? Silently he walked up to the front, joining the lady as well as his commander whose smile was making him second guess his coming to this lecture. A few whispers filled the air as he stood in front of the new officers, but they were quickly silenced when a white gloved hand rose up in the air. Treize's smile had him on edge; as well as the fact the male had his ridding crop in his hand as well. With a simple bow of her head the lady stepped to the side and out of the way leaving just the two males up front.

"As of today all of you are under my command and as such I expect you to follow a set of rules and guidelines. For starters, all uniforms must look their best at all times. Buttons polished." He said raising the crop and snapping it against Zechs' chest, hitting the one button that was about to fall off and sent it falling to the ground.

"Shirt and pants are to be pressed at all times." He said snapping the crop once more, this time on the male's arm hitting one of the many wrinkles in the red fabric.

"Gloves are to be starched to maintain their proper color." Zechs nearly cursed at the feeling of the crop snapping against his gloveless hands.

"And lastly boots clean and shined." The crop snapped against Zechs' boot, near his thigh causing him to bite down on his lower lip to keep from saying anything.

Everyone kept quiet as the last sounds of the crop snapping died off in the air. No one dared move, and some dared not even to breath. With a wave of his hand the lady walked back and continued up her lecture while Treize turned to leave.

"That office of yours best be clean before the next group comes in less I need to teach you another lesson in etiquette." He whispered softly towards the male

Zechs stood there for a few moments after the male left, still biting down on his lower lip to keep his temper in check. He would clean his office like he was told, as well as his uniform, but he would make sure to have a talk whit his old friend about his so called etiquette lesson first. As he walked off a pair of gold eyes mixed in with the new officers watched him for a moment or two before turning down to look at the person standing next to them.

"Good thing you are a perfectionist. I would hate to see you take a lesson such as that." They said, their blue eyes never once moving

"That I am. And one day I will be the commander giving the lesson and you shall be the one wearing the mask that is made a fool of." The male said before turning his gold eyes back up to focus on the last of the lecture


Hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know if you would like me to post any more of my gundam fics up. (I write for just about ever gundam series that has been made, Wing just happens to be my favorite. )