This is a Gundam pilot? He wondered silently. Ever since entering the Sanc Kingdom and enrolling in school, he had shared breakfast with Quatre; and every morning, the same painted bunny face stared at Heero from the mug from which Quatre drank.
Presently, the Arab lifted his mug, bringing the bunny to peer over the edge of Heero's paper; smiling as it always did. If the Perfect Soldier didn't know any better, he would guess that the bunny was mocking him; taunting the fact that the mug decal annoyed him so greatly.
"Are you planning anything after class today Heero?" The Japanese boy didn't answer. He only lifted his paper higher; now trying to block both the mug and Quatre from view. "I was thinking that we could-"
"Why do you have that?" Heero finally asked, slightly aggravated behind his paper.
"Have what?"
"Nothing." That said, Heero folded his reading material and left it on the table as he exited the room. Quatre watched after him in confusion. He had been aware of the fact that everyday Heero had participated in a sort of fan dance with his newspaper; but he never understood why.
It was staring at him again. That same smiling face, with its never blinking eyes. The words before Heero smeared until they made no sense at all. Why was he so bugged about a stupid little decal on a mug? It was just a yellow bunny head with large black eyes and a goofy grin that appeared as if a child drew it there. Maybe it was the fact that Quatre, a Gundam pilot, was drinking from it. Trowa would never be caught dead with the mug, nor would Wu Fei. Duo, Heero assumed could, if he was feeling really goofy; but it fit Duo's personality to have goofy things.
Heero shifted and raised his news paper again. It was nearly an involuntary reflect now. He didn't even think of picking up the thin barrier as it found its way, attempting to block eye contact with the painted rabbit. As always, he could feel it watching him. Perhaps that was the reason. . .something was staring at him. He never really liked being under any sort of gaze for too long.
"Heero, would you like some more?" Quatre asked and Heero nodded. He lifted his paper enough to slide his empty plate under it for Quatre to take. The blonde boy stared at Heero for only a second before heading for a refill. Once at a distance, Heero lowered his paper and reached over to the mug. He quickly spun it around so that the piercing eyes were now facing Quatre's chair.
Strangely enough, it made him feel better. He stared at the mug a moment, noting that it no longer bothered him. Hearing Quatre's return, Heero lifted his paper again to act as if nothing had happened.
"Here you go." Quatre cooed and sat the plate on the table. Feeling better about the bunny, Heero laid down his guard and turned toward the food. All this time, all he would have to do was turn the mug around, and all was well? It seemed so simple. Why didn't he think about it before? Forgetting it for the moment, he began enjoying his second helping of breakfast that he really didn't want, but used as a reason to get rid of Quatre for a while.
Silence prevailed, and all was well, until Quatre reached for his mug. Perhaps it was from habit, or maybe the Sandrock pilot was out to merely annoy Heero as much as possible, but the damn bunny found his way to staring at Heero again. The Japanese boy swallowed hard the food in his mouth, half willing Quatre to return the mug as it was before it was picked up. However, that didn't happen. Even while sitting on the table, the bunny silently laughed and smiled at Heero with steadfast eyes. That only meant that greater means had to be taken.
The kitchen was silent. Heero slipped easily inside the small dinning area and began randomly opening cupboards. The cooks that prepared every meal surely would have been able to find the blasted bunny mug instantly, but with this being Heero's first time, it took him a few moments. When he finally found the nerve wrecking mug, he pulled it from the cupboard.
He cringed slightly. Even in the dim light caused by the moon drifting into open windows, he could see the bunny's head. It was even more creepy now than looking at it first thing in the morning. He reached into his pocket and pulled the item that would free him from the constant silent probing bunny eyes. The thought of merely breaking the mug had crossed his mind; but somehow, he felt that Quatre would only cry about it later. Then he considered hiding it, but someone would be bound to find it sooner or later and return it to the Arab for further torture.
No. . .this was the only way that Heero knew for sure that he would never be tormented again, and wouldn't cause anyone else problems. With his task completed, he replaced the mug; closed the cabinet, and just as silently as he came, he left the vicinity. Quatre didn't even hear his return to their shared room.
Heero smiled to himself behind his morning paper as he noted Quatre taking his usual place across from his comrade. He couldn't help but notice the absence of the yellow face with its unwavering black eyes. Quatre probably abandoned it, after discovering the state of the mug, and resorted to the plain brown ones that everyone else in the cafeteria was drinking from.
Feeling more relaxed, Heero discarded his newspaper, and for the first time since the appearance of the bunny mug, Heero enjoyed his meal without a paper barrier. He even didn't mind listening to Quatre's chatter about class and things that they should do later today, and that Heero had no intentions of partaking. All seemed well this morning, as it probably will for the duration of their stay until he suddenly heard Relena crying.
Curious, he turned around in his spot to find the princess standing over her chair, holding a familiar mug in her left hand. The unwanted familiar bunny face could plainly be seen, but had been altered greatly. The black dot eyes had been turned into 'X's. There was a pink tongue dangling from the bunny's mouth, and a red dot buried into the side of it's head as if it had been shot there.
A few of the girls sitting around Relena found it appalling; though Dorothy was chuckling behind her hand. Even Heero had to smile, while wondering how she ended up with Quatre's mug in the first place. Clearing his smile, he turned to the only person with the answer to such a question.
Quatre's jaw was slightly dropped at seeing the state of his mug. He then looked over to Heero with a slightly offended air about him. His blue eyes seemed just as confused with his own questions as Heero's.
"I gave Relena the mug because she liked it a lot and you seemed bothered by it." Hearing Quatre's explanation, Heero couldn't help but laugh out loud, causing the room to stare at him. It was the first that anyone had heard him laugh.