HOROSCOPE

Chapter Two: Brotherhood

Duo awoke rather ungracefully the next morning. His limbs were tangled in the sheets and stiff from being incapable of movement for so long. The brunette always kept his hair bound while he slept to minimize the hassle of grooming it in the morning. However, the tie had somehow managed to become undone during the night, leaving the long tresses horribly snarled and knotted. The American grumbled and sat up. He jumped a bit when his vision cleared, not immediately recognizing his surroundings.

Then remembered he wasn't on L2 anymore.

He relaxed and let out a loud huff of air and threw his arms down on the puffy comforter in front of him. Another day of lectures and classes--well, his first full day. Surviving an hour or so of algebra would have been torture without Wufei. The sleepy brunette didn't want to think of how he would fair in his other classes without him.

Duo's attention was grabbed by a timid rap on the door.

"Duo?" An equally timid voice called out. "Duo are you awake?" He blinked for a few seconds, his sleep-clouded mind slowly processing the sounds.

I know that voice!

---

Quatre stood outside the oak door, staring at it almost impatiently as he waited for any sign of life from the other side. The Winner heir decided to escort his new friend from the dormitory this morning, fearing that the long-haired brunette would get lost in the vast halls. He was also concerned that the other wouldn't be used to waking up so early in the morning and would miss his classes.

Quatre Raberba Winner would not allow him to suffer like that---not on his watch.

The blond flinched when he heard the distinctive sound of something heavy suddenly colliding against the floor. There was a muffled curse before the door flew open at last, revealing a very disheveled looking Duo.

"Hey Quatre!" Duo greeted sleepily, throwing the blond a very lop-sided grin. "What'cha doin' here so early?"

Quatre couldn't help the tiny giggle that escaped after listening to Duo's sleep-induced slur.

"I wanted to make sure you made it to your first class okay," the blond supplied, still smiling at the other's foggy gaze. The brunette abruptly shook his head sharply and rapidly blinked his eyes, effectively clearing his vision.

"Right! School!" Duo practically shouted when he recalled he had been thinking about his classes before he, in his haste to reach the door, unceremoniously, and accidentally, threw himself off of the bed and knocked the thoughts out of his head. "I'm ready. S' let's go!" He made to walk out the door, but was halted by Quatre holding out his hand in a gesture to stop.

"Duo," the blond giggled again. "I don't think the instructors would appreciate you attending their lessons in your underwear."

Duo's cheeks flushed beet-red when he peered down and noticed that he, indeed, was still wearing the boxers and tank top that he'd went to bed in. He positioned his hands over his underwear in a vain attempt shield himself before hastily slamming the door in Quatre's face. Quatre shook his head and chuckled at the other's antics, waiting for him to finish dressing and return.

Duo reappeared a few minutes later. His hair was no longer a bird's nest and was neatly braided, but his uniform was a bit wrinkled from yesterday. The brunette offered the blond another silly grin.

"Okay, now I'm ready."

---

After Quatre had finally stopped laughing over the incident in the dormitory, the blond took Duo's time table and offered to help him find his classes. To both of their delight, they shared the first class together: Art. Duo initially grumbled about not being able to draw a straight line, let alone create art.

"That's okay," Quatre assured, leading them down the halls that were bustling with other students. A few of their stares lingered on the pair before returning to what they had previously been focused on. Duo didn't seem to notice. "The instructor is amazing. He explains everything perfectly, but leaves enough leeway in the method for our own personal styles."

"I wish the math teacher was like that," Duo mumbled to Quatre's amusement. "I'd be able to get every problem right that way."

Quatre giggled.

"I think it's because he used to be the fencing instructor. Styles in swordsmanship is very important," the blond elaborated. "But he decided last year that he would rather 'wield a brush and splatter paint, than wield a sword and splatter blood.'"

Duo nodded. The statement was quite noble, especially coming from a school teacher. The brunette still imagined the instructor to be someone small and reserved, as artists stereotypically were. Possibly a fan of poetry if what Quatre quoted had originated from them.

Within moments, the two were faced with the door. Quatre pushed it for the other, like he did before, and allowed the brunette to walk in first.

The art room was a great contrast to the math room. The walls were white, like the other, but were splashed with various bright colors of different hues and shades. Instead of risers, there were a series of round and rectangle shaped tables, offering ample space for the students to work and socialize at the same time. Different works, most likely student produced, were hung on the walls and taped to the doors of the supply cabinet.

Duo's mood instantly lifted from where thinking of his first school experience left him. His grin widened as he looked around the classroom. It wasn't stuffy or cold. It had personality. Duo sighed happily as he could feel his previous sense of trepidation melting from his body.

Quatre followed the other as he wandered around the room in exploration. The American would stop periodically and carefully study a piece he found on the wall. He was amused when he found a picture made by Heero posted by a window. All the colors were dark, of course, and stood out among all of the mostly colorful creations in the vicinity. To his surprise, he noted that several of the paintings in the room belonged to Wufei. Quatre explained that Wufei was in the same class last year.

"Where do we sit?" The brunette asked after he was done strolling through the room. He looked at the tables that were already being occupied by students. There were still quite a few minutes before the lesson began, so many tables held vacancies.

"Oh anywhere's fine," Quatre answered, walking forward. "I usually like to sit closer to a window. It's nice to look outside while you're working."

Duo nodded and took a seat at a rounded table near a window. He peered outside at the campus below. His violet eyes squinted as he tried to make out all the tiny specks moving below him. Okay, they weren't that small, but it was difficult to discern one student from another. The only advantage to this method of 'people watching' was that it was easy to tell which uniform belonged to a boy and which belonged to a girl. Duo blinked in confusion when one uniform, a blue one for boys, stopped and gazed back up at the window, seemingly looking at him.

The brunette was about to try to get a better look before the sound of a door swinging open and slamming shut, made him jump. Duo turned toward the noise just in time to see a tall man walk over to the desk and set down a stack of papers. The man's hair was light brown and slicked backed, one stray piece of hair brushing over his forehead in defiance. His thin brows were forked similar to Dorothy, but not as frighteningly defined as the latter. His eyes were soft and baby blue. Surprisingly, the eyes gave off a warm gaze despite their icy color.

The man cleared his throat, signaling the students to settle down for the lesson to begin. He looked around the room with a smile. His eyes met Duo's briefly before fixing back on the rest of the class. The man offered a good morning to his students, and nodded in approval when his gesture was met with an equally mirthful echo. He turned to the board behind him and picked up a white piece of chalk, quickly, but neatly, scrawling something in fine cursive across the board.

Duo quickly turned back to the window, raking his eyes over the expanse of the campus in hopes of a glimpse of whoever had caught him staring. To his disappointment, the area was completely clear of all the students who has been moving about before. The brunette sighed and returned his attention to the man who walked in. He noticed something had been written on the board.

Treize Khushrenada.

"I see we have a new face today so I feel the need that an introduction is necessary," Mr. Khushrenada elaborated as he set the chalk down. He looked down at the papers he placed on his desk prior. "Mr. Maxwell, is it? It's a pleasure to have to with us."

Duo nodded his head dumbly. He wasn't expecting someone like Mr. Khushrenada to be an art teacher. The man had the air like an aristocrat more than anything else. Suddenly, he could see how something so profound as 'splatter paint, not blood' had originated from this man. Just his presence itself radiated power and respect. Seeing him standing before the class as a teacher was almost---intimidating.

Why isn't this man in the military!? Duo thought. The war would be over by now!

As Quatre had said, however, the class was fun. Mr. Khushrenada only spent a few minutes explaining the basics of the art techniques before having the students dive right into painting. He set out an assortment of water colors, oil pants and pastels. Mr. Khushrenada floated about the classroom, peering over shoulders and offering words of praise and advice. Art is not a time of working, but a time of creating, was a written message he left posted to remind his students as they progressed in their creations. He never said that a skill was executed incorrectly, but that it had an interesting interpretation.

"Art is not defined by simply following a set of rules," Mr. Khushrenada said and he continued his rounds. "If that were the case, everything with rules would be considered art and then art as we know it now would no longer exist. Art is free and limitless and is not something to be restricted."

By the end of the class, Duo had managed to sketch out…..something on his canvas and was prepared to start painting on the next class. He had whined when he saw Quatre and the other students beginning to clean up the supplies. His outlook for the remainder of the day was looking bleak after having such a great experience. Angry nuns and textbooks did not sound very appealing.

"I'm afraid that's all for today," Mr. Khushrenada announced once all the materials had been replaced on his table. "When you return for the next class, there will be a student teacher joining us."

The students began to file out, some whispering excitedly about what the new teacher would be like. Duo, however, was uninterested. It was unlikely that the budding instructor would be as liberal as Mr. Khushrenada.

"Well, this is where we part ways," the blond announced sadly. "You have fencing lessons next. I can take you there if you want."

Duo promptly declined the blond's offer, waving his hand with a smile. The brunette insisted that he could find the way on his own.

"I don't want you to have to lead me by the hand all day."

Quatre brushed the idea off as nonsense, explaining that he enjoyed helping his friend. But Duo wasn't budging on the matter, so the blue-eyed blond had to settle for giving the other insanely specific directions of how to get to the gym.

Needless to say, if Duo managed to get lost, it would be no one's fault but his own.

---

Heero stood in front of his locker in the changing room. He removed his fencing clothes from the shelf before setting it on the bench next to him and starting to change. His body was on auto-pilot as he mind wandered slowly from the task at hand. The brunette wondered how his life had changed so drastically in the span of less than a day.

He was being awfully friendly. Well, he wouldn't call it friendliness, but he was a lot more accepting of behavior that normally would have had him pulling his hair out in frustration. The cobalt-eyed boy immediately thought of Duo. The way they had interacted during the basketball game was not how Heero would usually conduct himself. He couldn't explain it, but the violet-eyed boy stirred strange feelings in himself.

Heero shook his head harshly when he realized how perverse that would have sounded if he said it aloud.

It was close to what he felt with Quatre. The only thing that made it different was that the blond was passively pushy, while Duo chose to stand by an 'in your face' approach. Heero scoffed at himself when he realized 'passively pushy' did not make any sense. In a way, he supposed it wasn't hurting anything by having Duo and Trowa around. Trowa especially only because he was so quiet and attracted most of Quatre's attention.

Heero was suddenly pulled from his musings when Duo came bouncing into the changing room. His arms were laden with fencing gear and equipment, his eyes just barely peeping over the top of the heap. Duo stopped when his knee bumped into the corner of the bench. Carefully, he peeked around the side of the pile and was momentarily surprised to see the other boy glowering at him.

"Hey Heero!" Duo chirped happily, subsequently releasing his armful of goods. Both boys winced as the expensive pieces hit the ground with a loud clatter. Heero's frown deepened at the other when he smiled sheepishly and shrugged, emitting a soft 'whoops'.

"Duo," Heero started, looking down at the mess the other caused. Violet eyes looked up. "Do you even know how to fence?"

"Nope," Duo said proudly with his chin up and his hands on his hips. "But that's what these classes they make us go to are for, right? It'll just give me something else to beat you at!"

"And what exactly did you 'beat me at' in the first place? As I recall, I won the basketball game yesterday," Heero argued, continuing to keep his face neutral.

"Details, details," the brunette replied, waving a hand dismissively. "You cheated anyway."

Heero made a low growling sound in irritation. Ignoring the flaw with Duo's logic that he had been the one who cheated. Heero was amused by the American's attitude towards the entire situation. That was what made him irritated. He wasn't used to having so many people around him. Albeit four wasn't a big number, but in regards to friends, it was to Heero. Heero had no desire for friends, but he should have expected it once Quatre became a leading part in his life. Quatre was so kind and happy and like a damned magnet that could attract so many people seemingly effortlessly. Although, Heero almost prided himself at being the Winner heir's first challenge.

Another loud crash courtesy of Duo, once again disrupted Heero's thoughts. Cobalt eyes blinked slowly as he watched the brunette struggle to put the jump suit on. Duo had gotten his legs into the material, but was having issues pulling it the rest of the way up. It was impossible for the other to zip up the suit himself. Heero blinked again before laughing.

"Good luck getting that on."

Duo's head shot up, fully intent on glaring at the Japanese adolescent, but he was gone. The long hair boy grumbled, kicking his helmet that he had dropped again.

Oh, so he wants to play games, huh?

---

Quatre shook his head as he watched Duo run off towards the gymnasium. He had a feeling the other would still get lost no matter what, but he was glad Duo felt comfortable enough to wander on his own. The blond's brows wrinkled in thought. He wondered. Did Duo notice how the other students looked at him? At Trowa? The contempt was obvious to the Arabian. Quatre didn't encounter such ill-feelings before, but he had witnessed the same when Heero first appeared.

Children could be cruel for no reasons other than their own amusement. Most children who came from well-off families were raised around disdain for the underprivileged, despite not having any excuse for why. Quatre frowned at the idea of Duo or Trowa having to face the reality of their presence at the school. By most, they weren't wanted and considered a blemish on the academy. It was unlikely that anyone would say something to either personally, but actions often spoke louder than words.

"Why hello, Mr. Quatre Raberba Winner," an eerie voice whispered from behind him.

The Arabian jumped, not hearing the foot falls at had been following after him. He spun around quickly to face whoever had snuck up on him. Quatre wasn't shocked to see the equally blue eyes of Dorothy Catalonia gazing back at him.

Quatre was raised to be a respectful and proper young man. He was never rude or intentionally hurtful. He used appropriate grammar and titles when addressing his seniors and ladies. He always looked someone in the eye when speaking or being spoken to. He had all of these skills and manners drilled into his head by his father from the moment he could crawl. The blue-eyed adolescent was faintly aware of the goose bumps forming under his sleeves.

Quatre shivered involuntarily and forced his eyes away from the girl in front of him. His years of etiquette training did little to help him when he was afraid of the person. Well, he wasn't exactly 'afraid' of her. She just made him nervous. Along with good behavior, Quatre's father also stressed the belief of peace and pacifism. Dorothy was known for her unusual love and obsession for war and general conflict, and that concerned Quatre.

"H-hello, Miss Dorothy," the blond stammered. It was curious to see her without Relena and even more curious to see her with Quatre. "What can I do for you?"

Dorothy giggled behind her hand.

"Oh nothing," she replied, smiling as he leaned forward. "I just saw you walking all alone and thought maybe you would like a bit of company."

"How thoughtful…" Quatre swallowed nervously. He looked around, hoping to see Relena appear magically to whisk the other blond girl away. "But I was just on my way to class."

"As was I. Such a small world," Dorothy giggled again. She looked expectantly at the other. Quatre suppressed a sigh as he continued his walk down the hall from where it had been disturbed. He kept his face as schooled as he could, trying not to look as distressed as he felt.

There could be any number of reasons why Dorothy chose to seek out Quatre, none of which were good, most likely. Quatre wouldn't judge. He was taught better than that. He would walk with Dorothy until they made it to either his or her class and then that would be the end of it.

"I've noticed that you and Mr. Heero Yuy have taken the new students under your wings," she commented conversationally. "That is so very like you. So kind and generous."

"N-no not really."

He discreetly searched the hall, still holding out hope that Relena was flitting around somewhere nearby. To his surprise, he saw the familiar lithe form of Trowa making his way towards them. Quatre practically jumped for joy when the taller boy spotted him and walked over, eyeing the girl by his side wearily. His knight and shining armor!

"T-Trowa!" the blond greeted happily. "What are you doing here?"

The taller boy shrugged his shoulders and gestured behind himself with a tilt of his head. Standing quite a few paces from the brunette was none other than Wufei. Wufei stood near stiffly near the end of the hallway, his arms folded tightly over his chest. He fixed his gaze on Dorothy and watched her carefully.

"We were looking for you," the Chinese boy answered. He uncrossed his arms and walked forward. He gestured towards the European. "Well, he was. I just happened to bump into him."

Quatre nodded, easily accepting the answer if it meant he wouldn't have to continue to be alone with Dorothy. He hadn't realized how long he had been thinking before the Duke's granddaughter interrupted him. The blond smile softly when he realized that Wufei had said the other was looking for him. He didn't know why, but it made him feel happy.

"You were late for class," Trowa finally said, somewhat smashing Quatre's hope that he had been looking for him just for the sake of seeing him. It was too much too soon, he supposed.

"Oh!" the Arabian blushed. "I'm sorry for the trouble."

The walk was almost painfully slow for the Arabian, but having Trowa with him made it somewhat easier. Wufei had left shortly after delivering the brunette to the Winner heir, stating he had his own class to tend to. After a few minutes, the trio arrived at his next classroom door. The blond celebrated internally. He quickly apologized for not being able to escort her to her own class, but Dorothy brushed it off, saying she enjoyed the experience. With that said, she waved once to both boys and set off down the hall in the same direction they had just came from. Quatre watched her go, a thought look firm on his face.

Trouble always rode on her coat tails.

---

Fencing with Duo had proved interesting.

Duo was less experienced with the sophisticated sport than he was with basketball, but he was quick to learn the basics. It took a few tries, but the brunette was able to parry and block almost as well as the rest of the students. He had no really technique or style other than overwhelming his opponent by maneuvering quickly into their proximity, leaving no room for them to retaliate. It was a shaking strategy, but it worked against the less advance students for the most part.

The instructor had the students pair off and rotated them every ten minutes. The matches rarely lasted longer than that because of the level of the students. One by one the students faced each other. Some faired better than others, but most did not have a consistent winning streak.

Heero was the exception.

The Japanese boy was obviously more advance than the rest of the class. One by one, he flew threw the students. He didn't overwhelm them hastily as Duo had, but took his time and noted their movements. Once he knew their flow, he struck them down. It was fairly easy, considering before Odin became drafted in the war he had Heero take fencing and other combat lessons on L1.

"You never know when I won't be here and you'll have to take care of yourself."

The whistle blew, indicating it was time for the pairs to swap out. Heero turned and his brows knitted reflexively as he stared at the long-haired brunette approaching him from the other side of the room. A frown soon accompanied when he saw the cocky grin and sauntering steps the American made as he drew closer to his next opponent.

He thinks he's going to win, Heero thought with a hint of amusement.

Despite being involved in his own matches, Heero was able to observe Duo's behavior. He figured out the violet-eyed boys unreliable method of overpowering his opponent before they could make of move. That was his disadvantage. Unlike Heero, Duo's rash actions robbed him of the opportunity to know his challenger.

"Ready to lose, Heero?" Duo asked confidently, swinging the fencing foil in his hand absently. He tilted his chin up slightly to give the other a challenging look. Despite the signals, it was obvious that Duo's intent was harmless.

Friendly.

"Don't kid yourself," Heero responded. He shifted his body into an opening stance and positioned his sword in front of him. "This isn't basketball."

Duo gave the other a knowing grin as the whistled sounded.

Heero was the first to move, easily knocking the light weight sword away from the other's face. He quickly lunged while the American was off balance and made to strike at him. Duo hastily responded, barely managing to block the thrust aimed for his middle.

Their match progressed similarly for a few minutes. Heero aggressively moving forward, giving the other no other leeway but a quick block or dodge. Duo's technique was only effective if he was able to make the starting move. Without the boost, he was left at the mercy of Heero's assault.

In one short swoop, Heero knocked the foil out of the other brunette's hand and pointed his own straight at the tip of his nose. Duo's mask scraped against it lightly as he let out a breath before smiling at the victor.

The whistle blew.

"That's two for two."

---

"I was thinking. How would you guys like to spend the weekend liberty at my house this weekend?"

The newly formed group was seated in their usual spot in the cafeteria, amidst another pile of food courtesy of Duo. Quatre and Trowa arrived first as their class was the closest one to the dining hall. Heero arrived minutes later, shortly followed by Duo who was practically dragging a disgruntled Wufei in tow. When the long haired boy heard the blond's invitation, he was practically beaming.

"That sounds awesome!" Duo shouted, having finally released the dark haired boy once they sat down. "I've been dying to get out of here and stretch my legs a bit."

"You've been here less than two days," Wufei grumbled, causing the Arabian to laugh.

"Yeah, but I'm not used to being steered around indoors like this," Duo replied. He nibbled at the end of his fork. "A few days away sounds like a vacation."

Trowa nodded his head quietly in agreement. Quatre wasn't sure if the olive-eyed boy shared the same sentiments as Duo, but he was pleased that the other didn't oppose the idea. Wufei agreed, saying that he was mostly free during the liberty.

Heero was poised to decline, but a few factors halted his decision. The first and most obvious being that Quatre would never allow him to refuse an invitation to visit him. He had attempted to when the blond invited him to visit previously before they knew each other very well, but the word 'no', didn't seem to be a word the young heir understood. Unless he was the one wielding it, of course.

The second reason, was much stranger than the latter. Curiosity. He wanted to see how Duo would behave and be received in the environment of Quatre's home. Heero was certain he was the only friend the Arabian ever brought home, and his disposition was worlds apart from the bubbling American.

But there was more.

Unlike someone like Relena constantly pushing their way into his space, Duo was a surprisingly welcome change. It wasn't like he was expecting anything from Heero or trying to get something from him. He genuinely wanted to be around the other for reasons, frankly, Heero could not understand. He had not been as welcoming as Quatre had when they first met in the hall, and he certainly wasn't being entirely friendly now. Yet the stoic boy could not deny that he was starting to feel some odd sort of connection with the other.

"I'll go," Heero conceded.

Trowa and Wufei showed no signs of hearing the other besides a nod from the latter. Quatre and Duo's faces lit up almost simultaneously.

"What exactly would this visit entail?" Wufei asked. He had never been to the Winner home previously and therefore, had no idea what to expect. Would they simply hang around the house all weekend or would they go out?

"Well I was thinking that we could go to the new indoor amusement park that just opened up and maybe the aquarium too," Quatre began. "If that's okay with everyone." He quickly added.

"Anything's okay with me!" Duo replied excitedly. He never went to anything like a theme park before.

Trowa agreed. He was curious about what the experience would be like. Heero wasn't exactly keen on the mindless fun of a park, but he shrugged. It was better than staying in the dormitory all weekend doing nothing. And if he stayed, there was a chance he would be swept up by Relena.

"Great!" Quatre exclaimed, clapping his hands together happily. "I'll call my father immediately and let him know that we're having guests. It shouldn't be a problem."

---

The rest of the day did not pass quickly enough for Duo. Math was excruciatingly painful with the promise of Quatre's house taunting him just out of reach. Wufei's patient guidance did little to speed the impossibly slow ticking of the clock.

He was anxious to get through the remaining classes, but was also nervous of the reception he would receive at the Winner home. Would he be welcomed like Wufei would be? Or would he be looked down upon? Or worse: pitied. There was nothing that hit the brunette harder than someone feeling sorry for him. Duo was by no means ashamed of where he came from, but he didn't particularly like the idea of the family of one of his only friends not liking him or treating him differently.

When the final class block was over, Duo practically raced to his room then to the gates of the school where he was told to meet the others. He wasn't surprised that he was the first one to arrive. Eventually, and more calmly, the others trickled in, save for Quatre.

"Quatre went ahead," Heero informed the others when they started looking around for the blond. "He said he wanted to be sure everything was 'perfect'. He's sending a car for us."

The information was quickly accepted and they settled into silence as they waited for said car. Duo took the chance to look around at the others' choice of casual wear. Trowa was wearing the same military-style jacket and trousers he had been wearing the first day. Seeing as they didn't have any alternate clothes save their uniforms, Duo was in the same boat of wearing his stiff black priest-collared shirt and dark pants.

Wufei was dressed the most interestingly with traditional white Chinese pants with a matching over shirt and flat black shoes. Heero choose to keep things more simple with a pair of light colored jeans and a green tank under a jacket. Duo had never seen in the other in anything other than the academy's uniform. The American could say confidently that the almond-eyed boy definitely looked more natural and comfortable in his country's attire. It suited him.

Duo could feel the restlessness stirring in him, but thankfully the car didn't take long to arrive. If 'car' was the proper term for the vehicle that approached the gate. At first the brunette didn't think that could possibly be what Quatre sent for them, but when he saw Heero and Wufei walk towards it, he felt his jaw nearly hit the ground.

The 'car' that Quatre had arranged to retrieve them for their break was actually a sleek black limousine. The paint was flawless with an unbelievably bright luster. The windows were tinted a dark shade, making it impossible to see inside. It had to have been a few months old at the least , but save from the gravel and dirt stuck in grooves of the tires, the limousine appeared to be brand new.

A uniformed man stepped out from the drivers seat and walked around to the other side and tipped his hat to the boys.

"Hello, Sirs." In one fluid motion he bowed and pulled open the back door. He used a gloved hand to gesture them to step inside. "Master Quatre has instructed me to ensure that you arrive at his estate efficiently and safely."

The driver stowed their travel duffels securely in the trunk, before returning to his seat and pulling off.

Estate? Duo thought as he leaned back against the soft leather seats. Just how rich is Quatre's family?

---

Quatre only lived a short distance from the school. The ride itself took less than half an hour. Although, the stops at the two gates for security checks did slow down the process a bit. When they arrived, the driver opened the door for the boys and directed their attention to yet another gate. This one was not as tall as the other gates with a large silver 'W' sitting in the middle. The driver went up to the intercom next to the impressive gate and pressed the button.

"Master Quatre's company has arrived."

The gates buzzed loudly as they opened, allowing the boys full-view of the Winner home.

Well, mansion.

The large white building was the same, if not a larger size than the academy. There was a large marble fountain in the middle surrounded by miscellaneous shrubbery and flowers. Another marble structure led to the large doors from both sides. The path was narrow, making it impossible for a car to pass. With the go ahead from the driver, the four boys walked the path to the mansion. Duo was about to ring the bell when the door swung open.

The brunette didn't have time to think before he saw a large blur leap towards him and the next thing he knew, he was on the ground. Duo lifted his arms to shield his face and was confused as to why whatever had attacked him was now dripping on him.

"Sandrock, no!" called Quatre's voice from a bit further away inside the house. The blond appeared immediately at Duo's side and struggled to pull off the heavy weight from the other.

Duo thought he heard Heero chuckle.

When Quatre had finally removed the weight from Duo, the American didn't hesitate to jump up and furiously started wiping and rubbing his wet arms against his pant legs. Duo looked up to scold his assailant and blinked in surprised. Quatre had his hands wrapped firmly on the thick leather collar that was worn by a German Sheppard. The large beast seemed to be smiling at him with his tongue hanging out as he panted happily. His dripping tongue.

"I'm sorry about him," Quatre apologized. He tugged the dog back when he sniffed at Wufei and became interested in jumping on him next. "Sandrock likes meeting new people and gets a little excited."

Sandrock barked loudly in confirmation, still trying to get at the Chinese boy who wisely moved away from the dog.

"Jeez, why didn't he go for Heero or something?" Duo mumbled in irritation when he couldn't get the sticky canine saliva off.

"We've met," Heero responded casually.

Quatre managed to push the big animal back across the threshold of the entryway. Sandrock still lingered around the door, keen on becoming more familiar with his master's guests. Quatre propped the door open with his foot.

"Well, come in everyone," Quatre smiled as his friends nodded and stepped into his home.

Quatre's modest blue and white sweater and light jeans were deceptive. Despite the blond's casual street wear, the inside of the mansion was fantastically decorated. Everything was neat and clean and everything had its place. The foyer was brightly lit with multiple lighting fixtures, including one crystal chandilier hanging centered from the ceiling.

"Wow…" Duo breathed, taking in the décor. He scratched Sandrock behind the ear when the dog rubbed up against his leg. "Nice digs you've got here, Quatre." Trowa nodded in agreement.

Quatre thanked the other for the compliment. Suddenly, he seemed to notice what Duo and Trowa were wearing. An unknown glint appeared in his blue eyes. Trowa became nervous.

"Is that the only thing you have to wear?" the blond asked. It wasn't a superficial question.

The two nodded. The school system had only provided them with three uniform sets to wear. They weren't expected to spend much time off the campus grounds, and therefore, alternative wear was not prepared.

"That won't do at all," the blond decided. "I'll ask Rashid to take us shopping before dinner."

As if on cue, a tall, dark-skinned man stepped into the foyer. He towered over the petite blond as he stood over him. Duo 'eeped' softly. His attire was noticeably Arabic including his stern features. Brown eyes narrowed as he stared down at the group of boys. He placed a large hand on Quatre's shoulder.

"Shall we go now?"

---

Shopping was an interesting ordeal. Quatre insisted the two picked out at least five complete outfits to have whenever they were away from school and a new pair of shoes. He gave his input on some of the choices and fussed when the two instinctively went for the cheapest thing.

"Get what you want," Quatre insisted as he shooed Duo and Trowa back into their respective dressing rooms. Wufei and Heero only watched, not at all wanting to participate in the small spectacle that was growing.

After only an hour of Quatre-fueled shopping, Heero and Wufei somehow found their arms full of the brunettes' new clothes. With a satisfied smile, the Winner heir decided that they had purchased enough.

When they returned to the Winner estate, the five teens were immediately intercepted by three girls squealing and rushing at them. Heero quickly backed away from their line of fire. It was obvious that he had already been sucked into this situation before. Quatre smiled nervously as he watched his older sisters poke and prod at his friends.

Sandrock reappeared, summoned by he girls' screams. He jumped around the circle of bodies. He barked excitedly, hoping to be given some of the attention. His pressed his nose against hands and between bodies, barking louder.

"Oh my god, they're so cute!"

"Quatre, you always find the cutest friends!"

"What is this!?" Wufei shouted. He was blushing furiously as one of the girls was unconsciously pressing her chest into his face. He tried vainly to push the girls away from him and could see Duo in his peripheral vision attempting to do the same. His feet hit the parcels that he'd dropped once the assault had engaged.

"Girls, I think that's enough."

Immediately the squealing and the squeezing stopped and the girls retreated. Sandrock's ears fell and he trotted to hide behind Quatre. Behind them stood their father, Fyra Winner. His face was stern. His mouth was drawn in a tight line hidden slightly beneath his moustache.

Duo blinked. The man before them could only be Quatre's father, considering how easily he had stopped the 'Attack of the Girls'. It was hard to see any family resemblance between father and son. With Mr. Winner's dark hair and eyes, and Quatre's distinctly Aryan features, the brunette concluded he must take after his mother.

Duo snorted. It was easy to imagine that Trowa would be the spitting image of Fyra Winner in thirty years.

An elderly man in a suit appeared. His aura and stance screamed stereotypical help. As expected, he opened his mouth and a heavy British accent drawled out.

"Dinner, is served."

---

Over dinner, the girls who ambushed them at the door were introduced as Quatre's older sisters Anja, Tess and Gracia. A fourth, and immensely calmer one, Iria appeared a few minutes into the meal. Duo was beyond shocked to find out the four at the table were only a small representation of Quatre's twenty-nine older sisters. He didn't understand how anyone could have so many kids at once. But then, he noticed a lack of another parent at the table and decided it was a subject that need no further dwelling.

Once again, Heero found his attention had drifted over to Duo, who was sitting across from him at the table. The American's earlier anxiety of meeting the illustrious Winner family had melted away. He engaged Tess and Anja, who he noted to be twins, in light-hearted conversation. His personality seemed to thrive on these types of social situations. Heero decided that the other would most likely go insane if he were ever caught in a circumstance that didn't allow talking.

Trowa opened up a bit more. The relaxed air around the table seemed to ease all the building stress forming in his body that tightened his shoulders. Quatre directed most of his conversation to him. The tall brunette even gained a faint tint in his cheek when Quatre's eldest sister, Iria, offhandedly mentioned the uncanny resemblance between Trowa and their father.

Wufei laughed.

As the evening winded down, Mr. Winner excused himself from the table, followed shortly by Iria and Gracia. The boys discussed everything and nothing until finally, yawns spread contagiously around the table.

"We should get to bed," Quatre said around a yawn.

There was a consensus in the form of nods and grunts as everyone rose from the table and followed the blond's lead out into the next room. They trudged up the winding spiral staircase and into a spare room arranged specifically for their stay.

Duo immediately threw himself on the closest bed, not even bothering to shed his stifling priest's collar. The other's followed suit, but went about their own routines of preparing themselves for sleep. After a few moments, the room was filled with soft snores.

---

つづく

---

Author's Remarks: Terribly sorry for the delay! Between being sick, all that snow, work, and catching up with school, I didn't have much time for writing. Also, this chapter wasn't particularly interesting for me to write, so it was a bit slow goings. The title took most of the time to sort out, since Friendship would've have sounded.....queer. But now it didn't come from Fullmetal Alchemist! It's a thesaurus! However, the liberty trip that was supposed to be in this chapter will have to be pushed to the next one because I was going to go over my 7,000 mark. I think it would have been even longer to wait, so I made some interesting plot adjustments! It will be much more interesting now! I've changed my updates to monthly, but there may not be one for March because of my birthday and me leaving the state for awhile. But I will try my best!

And of course, a huge thank you everyone who read, reviewed, or even clicked on my story! It means a lot to me! And to my wonderful beta who actually edited the rest of the chapter while I was in school before they went to work! I wasn't expecting that surprise!