Disclaimer: blah blah blah.... I don't own em never will. Such is life but I can sure dream up a storm.
Story: Building a Better Mousetrap 101
Being a Mouse doesn't mean you're helpless or weak.
Current Pairings: 1xR, 2+OC, 3x4, 5xS, H+OC, 6xN
Chapter 3 - Meeting the gang
Heero got up and headed to the cafeteria, where he and the others usually ate their lunch. Getting inline he saw Duo and 'Mouse'. Yes, that's what she said everyone called her, far ahead of him in line. The ex 02 pilot was babbling happily at her and filling his tray with everything he could get his hands on. She had her own tray and had a reasonable selection of items on it, more than Heero himself usually ate for lunch. Well at least she wasn't going to try and pretend she didn't eat in front of the others, that was a point in her favor already, at as far as Heero was concerned. He watched as Duo picked out a couple of deserts and not having any more room on his tray put them on hers. She was giving him shit about it too, Heero could tell from here. It wasn't like they had to pay for their meals, it was included in their tuition, but she was obviously teasing the baka on how much he intended to eat.
Looking over at their usual table he saw Relena and the others already there. Based on the speculative looks, she had obviously already filled them in on the fact that Duo was bringing his new 'friend' to meet them. Trowa's eyes narrowed as he watched the pair, a small smirk gracing his handsome face. If there was anybody quieter than Heero it was Trowa, and like Heero he was extremely observant. Grabbing his usual chef salad and Yogurt, Heero actually managed to beat the pair to the table. Sitting between Relena and Trowa, he gave Relena a quick kiss as he sat down.
He was learning, kiss girlfriend, then eat, otherwise girlfriend gets mad and cuts you off. Since discovering sex, Heero had become a very ardent fan of the activity. Especially as he wasn't allowed to blow up buildings anymore to relieve his stress. Relena smiled at him and whispered in his ear.
"I've seen her before, she has English Lit with me, Quatra and Duo"
"I checked her schedule she and Duo have all the same classes, a total fluke. She was enrolled and had her schedule long before he did."
"So she's not a crazy chick stalker then. Interesting, it's tactic I used on you a few times."
"I know."
"Be nice." Heero smirked, Relena had been an amazing stalker, it was like she had a built in Heero radar. For a while he'd been really annoyed about the whole thing, but he got over it. It just took some time for his conscious self to catch up with his sub conscious self already knew. He eventually realized the reason he could never kill her was because he liked her. Go figure. Duo and Mouse arrived at the table, Duo's tray dipping dangerously under the weight of all the food on it. Everyone sighed with relief once he managed to get it safely placed on the table, Sitting down he motioned for Mouse to sit beside him. Between bites of food he introduced her to everyone.
"Hey, Guys this is Mouse. Mouse these are the Guys. The skinny Chinese guy is Waffles."
"That's Wufei you asshole. And I am not skinny, I'm fit."
"Whatever. The tall silent guy next to Heero is Trowa. The one drooling on him is his boyfriend Q." The cute delicate blond rolled his eyes and smiled at the grinning girl sitting next to Duo.
"Quatre Raberba Winner at your service. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasures all mine." Mouse grinned at Q , who went back to drooling over his handsome boyfriend.
"The spunky gal to my left is Hilde, She's like my sister."
"Nice to meet you, Mouse."
"Same here." Mouse smiled warmly at girl with the black shoulder length hair.
"You already know Heero, and this is his girl Relena, the once Mighty Queen of the World. Owww, whatcha do that for?" Mouse gave Duo a dirty look as he introduced Relena, she saw the slightly hurt look that passed the other girls features. So she did the most obvious thing, she reached out and yanked on his braid.
"Stop being an ass." Everyone at the table stopped chewing, talking even breathing. Only Heero ever yanked on Duo's braid, and then called him names, well that was probably the end of this girl.
"I'm not being an ass." Duo rubbed the back of his head. A collective 'huh' went around the table. He wasn't exploding over her touching his precious hair?
"Yes you are, you hurt Relena's feelings."
"I did? Why'd ya go and pull my hair?" She reached out grabbed it again and wrapped the end of it around her wrist and grinned evilly. If they'd been paying attention to the rest of the table instead of being engrossed in each other, they would have heard the collective gasp, when she did that. Did the girl know no fear? Obviously not.
"Yes, you did. I have 14 male cousins, I learned to fight back using any means at my disposal. If you're gonna have that thing whipping around in my face, just keep being an ass and see if I don't yank it again." Duo blinked at her, '14 male cousins' and she lived? Damn.
"I think they called you Mouse cause you squeak 'and' your sneaky. Any other girls in your family?" He grinned at the audacious female. Damn he liked her spirit, no one but Heero ever tried to pull his hair. The table let out their collective breath. Mouse released Duo' braid so she could finish eating, and the two oblivious teenagers continued their banter. Relena was watching Mouse with an odd look in her eyes almost like adoration. Heero shivered, he knew that look. Mouse had just gotten a 'forever' friend. Trowa leaned in towards Heero, still smirking.
"She'd have made an excellent Mobile suit pilot, one I'm not sure I could beat."
"That's saying a lot Trowa."
"She extremely perceptive, even I almost missed Relena's flash of pain, and I know her."
"It was forced on her, she hates the title. What do you think?"
"I like her. Duo's done for."
"You think so too."
"This is going to be interesting."
"How so?"
"He doesn't realize yet what we already know. He can be pretty dense sometimes."
"You got that straight."
"Also she thinks she doesn't stand a chance with him, not that way."
"Yeah, I noticed."
"Heero, have you ever twisted Duo's braid around your wrist like that and threatened to pull it?"
"No." Trowa smirked at Heero's curt reply. That was so like him, one word and it spoke volumes. Interesting, the next couple of months were going to be 'very' interesting. This was no 'Mouse', despite her cute nickname. Then again, Elephants are terrified of the little creatures or so the old wives tale goes. Trowa wondered how long it would take Shinigami to realize the power a little Mouse held over him. And once he did, then he'd have to build a better Mousetrap to catch her, before she ran away.
Heero turned back to the table after his short discussion with Trowa to find Duo and Mouse entering their cell numbers in each other's phone. Duo was still messing around long after she finished. The braided baka was busy tapping away at the buttons.
"Duo what the hell are you doing to my phone?"
"I'm putting every ones numbers in here for ya."
"Huh? Don'tcha think you should ask them first before giving out their cell numbers to a complete stranger?"
"Naw, they trust me, and I trust you. You won't abuse em. Sides' it's a safety measure, that way if something happens to you, you'll be able to reach at least one of us." Heero wondered if his best friend, or the girl scowling at him even realized what he had just really said. Yes, they all trusted him and his judgment, at least in this regard. But Duo didn't trust easily, not anymore.
"That's beside the point." Relena watching the exchange leaped at the chance Duo made for her. Yes! she wanted this girls number, Relena could feel that they were going to be the best of friends.
"Don't worry Mouse I agree with Duo. In fact why don't you put your number in my phone. That would be fair, Right?"
"Really? Sure that'd be cool then." That started a rest of the table cracking out their cell phones and putting her number in. Most put it under Mouse, even Heero did. Duo smiled one of his Genuine smiles at all his friends. He was so glad they liked her, it meant he would be able to bring her around whenever he wanted. Heero was stunned, that was two genuine smiles in one morning and all because of this girl. She really was going to be good for his friend. It was Quatre who thought to ask her what her real name was.
"Hey, Mouse what's your actual name? I mean we can't just keep calling Mouse can we?"
"Well sure, everyone does, but it's Lisa Johnson, it no big secret or anything. Just don't be surprised if I don't answer. No one's called me by name in like forever, even my family calls me Mouse." Quatre look puzzled for a second then he blurted out...
"Mousetrap! You're the creator of that internet game that everyone's is playing around campus. I love that game, Trowa's threaten to disown me I pay it so much"
"Yeah, I got a free ride, thanks to a scholarship, but a gal still has living expenses, so unless I want live eat and breathe this campus I needed cash. Computer games are popular so I made one up." Duo looked a little surprised at first but then he grinned, that's right you had to be some kind of genius or a Gundam pilot, which was basically the same thing, to get a scholarship to this College.
"Awesome can you show it to me?"
"Sure why not, I don't have another class until 3 this afternoon."
"Hey yeah, that's right we have the same classes don't we. Come on we'll go to my room, it's closer."
Cleaning up their lunch mess, the two new friends headed off to play a few levels of the hottest computer game currently making the rounds on campus. Well Duo was, Mouse created it so it wasn't really fair for her to play. She kept hoping no one would wake her up soon, as this was a Hell of a good dream. Duo Maxwell was even hotter close up than across the room, and he was really nice too. If this wasn't a dream, she was going out to buy a lottery ticket tonight before her luck ran out.
"1 months stipend says Six Months." Relena was confused, what on 'earth' was Trowa talking about. The boy rarely opened his mouth and when he finally did he spits what sounds like a bet? Hilde had watched her almost brother walk out of the cafeteria her eyebrows knit. With a shrug she turned back to the table.
"I'll take that bet, but he's pretty dumb about this kind of stuff. I say a year." Wufei spoke up next.
"I think he's even stupider than that, 18 months." Quatre decided to stay out of it, he wouldn't bet against Trowa. But Heero would.
"9."
Relena was flabbergasted.
"What the... are you all betting on how long they'll be friends?" Hilde laughed and spoke to the one who had started it all.
"Hey Trowa, think Zechs and Noin will want to get in on this, after all they're here teaching at the school while they wait for the Mars terra forming project to get started and we can always fill them in after they leave." Obviously Zechs did want in, as he choose just that moment to lean over the table and winked at his clueless sister. He'd been watching the braided ex-pilot from a nearby table.
"Men are dumb creatures, 2 yrs at best." Noin who as usual wasn't far from her fiancé sighed.
"If he's as stupid as you, it'll be 5 years. I'm staying out of this one."
"Now pet, there were extenuating circumstances."
"Yeah, too much testosterone and stupidity. You're still making up for that or have you forgotten?"
"I am always you're ever faithful servant." Zechs swept a low and elegant bow and gave her one of his famous 1000 watt smiles.
"Damn you're annoying when you're in this mood. (sigh) But I can't stay mad at you when you smile at me like that." Relena was still shaking her head.
"What are you guys all talking about?" Heero smirked and answered his girlfriend.
"We're betting on how long it takes Duo to get a clue."
"Oh, Ohhhhhh I see. I'm in, 3 months, the annual Christmas bash." Relena smiled to herself and squeezed the cell phone she still had in her hand, with her new friends number. Heero sighed.
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AN: The fun begins....A plotting Peacecraft, 2 oblivious teenagers, and several interested parties in how it all play's out.