Chapter 7: Counter Physics
Quatre couldn't help but feel like a mother. Seeing Heero and Trowa to the door was done out of etiquette and polite upbringing, but it still left a lingering taste of matriarchy. He at least managed to refrain from waving as the two walked down the street to join other students making the trek to their respective schools, bus stops, or trains. In fact, as soon as they were out the door, he glanced down the street and back, checking for anything that could be considered out of the ordinary before shutting the door and securing it.
The whole mother feeling came back full force when he returned to the counter where the two remaining pilots were bickering over breakfast.
"Shouldn't you be leaving, Maxwell?" Wufei sniped from his seat.
"Na-uh," Duo remarked, a piece of toast hanging between his teeth. He sat opposite Wufei on another stool. "Don't want to be too early."
"Epitome of a stand-up student." Wufei took a sip of his tea.
"You're just jealous."
"Of what?"
"Of my epitome of 'stand-upness'."
"Child," Wufei growled.
"Anal retentive," Duo shot back.
The two leaned forward over the counter, breeching the barrier with each immature insult.
Quatre pressed two fingers to the center of his forehead and heaved a sigh. "Wow, the professionalism here is just awe-inspiring. Can't you two just—ah, I suppose asking to tolerate each other would be asking the impossible."
Duo smirked. "Don't be like that, Quat, Wu and I can tolerate each other just fine." He picked up his coffee mug and took a drink.
"Don't call me that." Wufei flicked a crumb from the table at the braided teen before turning to Quatre. "And what are you supposed to be, my mother?"
Duo sputtered, a hand flying to cover his nose and mouth. Once he was sure he wasn't going to spray anyone, he began laughing in between fits of coughing. "Oh, God, they're going to be competing for that position."
Quatre eyed Duo as he tried to regulate his breathing. If he were to ask what he was talking about—and Quatre was tempted—the reply would probably be said in a way that would only further irritate Wufei. He needed to keep Shenlong's pilot in a good mood if he was going to comply with any of his suggestions.
Quatre hid a smile.
After a few seconds of silence, a series of beeps coming from the Command Center broke the atmosphere. It wasn't the alarm for any sort of security breech, but it still had Quatre bolting to the room. He hurried to the desk and closed out of the dialogue box, allowing for the notification to show up. It was a brief message, sent through a backdoor Quatre had created for the Maganacs' use to get in contact with him. The message contained a location and a signature of M.C. He typed a quick confirmation and went back to the kitchen.
Duo and Wufei watched him walk into the room, waiting for whatever news he had to give.
"Duo, Abdul is waiting for you at your rendezvous point," Quatre said as he walked over to the couch and picked up Duo's bag. "We'll have to leave now so you won't be late for class."
Duo heaved a sigh and walked around the counter. He took his bag from Quatre's grasp and slung it over his shoulder. As he made his way to the door, he patted Wufei's shoulder. "Don't forget about our race tonight."
"Like I would forget about a chance to humiliate you." Wufei made a show of brushing off the spot where Duo had placed his hand.
Quatre slipped on his shoes and didn't bother to wait for Duo to further taunt Shenlong's pilot. He pushed Duo out the door. "Wufei, keep an eye on things." And there was that mother feeling again. Shutting the door, he rubbed at his chest, a slight smile gracing his lips as he felt Wufei's grumbling.
Duo laced his fingers behind his head, waiting for him at the end of the sidewalk. "So, just how bad does Wufei have it today?" Quatre hummed a question as he walked by, letting Duo fall in step with him. "Oh, c'mon, Quat, at least tell me he's gonna have fun today."
"Yes, Duo, he's gonna have fun."
Duo pouted and dropped his hands back to his sides. "Why do I get the feeling that you're just humoring me?"
"Because I am." Quatre smiled as they turned a corner. "But I'm sure I can find something domestic for him to do."
They walked in silence for a few moments, turning down random roads and alleys. It was all done without a thought—training imbedded into the very core of their being—memorizing the route, making sure not to draw attention, and keeping an eye out for anyone tailing them.
"Well, one thing's for sure, I'm just glad Rashid isn't the one taking me," Duo said. "He's a nice guy and all, but I can't help feeling that whole 'oh-God-he's-gonna-snap-me-in-half-because-I-looked-at-him-wrong' vibe." He started walking along the edge of the sidewalk, balancing on the curb. "But I guess it comes in handy when he's commanding a ragtag group of nomads." He let his voice increase in volume.
Quatre rolled his eyes and turned around. "Abdul, thanks for doing this."
A man stepped out from the alley the two of them had just passed. He fidgeted in his outfit, tugging on the sleeves; sticking his hands in the pockets of the black slacks and pulling out the lining before shoving it back down. The buttons on the white undershirt were done up wrong, leaving one extra button at the collar to fend for itself as the black tie closed half-heartedly around it. "Hey, I resent that 'nomads' barb." He pushed the dark sunglasses further up his nose.
"But you're not going to argue the 'ragtag' bit, are you?" Duo smirked.
"Nope, because it's true. Can't get any more ragtag than us!" He tipped back his head and laughed. "Well, it's good to see you again, kid." Clearing his throat, he turned to Quatre and bowed. "Master Quatre, Captain isn't too pleased with this mission of yours." He straightened slightly and put a hand next to his mouth. "But you didn't hear it from me."
"Of course not, Abdul, he had already made it quite clear when I came with the request." Quatre smiled. "But that's for me to worry about."
"Right, right." Abdul turned on his heel and headed back down the alleyway he emerged from. "Well, the limo is this way." He led them to the next street over where car was waiting. He placed his hand on the top and gave it a pat. "Nothing like a mobile suit or Jeep, but for an extended cab, she handles nicely." The limousine was black with tinted windows. It was a simple six passenger brand, but knowing the Maganac Corps—especially Abdul—there had to be something extra about it. Especially with the praise he was giving it.
"Glad to hear it." Quatre placed his hands on Duo's shoulders and pushed him forward. "Now, the two of you should be off."
Duo exaggerated his stumble and glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. "But, Mom, I don't wanna go to school." He laughed and gave a cheeky wave, leaving Quatre no choice but to just shake his head and roll his eyes. "Well, Abdul, are you going to get the door?"
The sunglasses slipped down his nose and the rebel gave a few blinks. "If I must." He took the two steps to the back door and opened it with a flourish, ushering the braided teen in with a flick of his hand. "Come, Master Maxwell, we must be going." An attempt at a British accent laced his words.
"Alrighty, Jeeves." Duo slipped into the seat and pulled the door shut before Abdul could, almost catching his fingers.
"Abdul." Quatre stopped him before he walked around to the front of the car. "Make sure you are careful. It is paramount our identities remain a secret, we can't let anyone even begin to suspect that we're not who we say we are."
"I understand, Master Quatre."
"Good." Quatre gave him a grin. "You might want to make yourself more presentable though."
Glancing down, he noticed his state of dress and hurried to fix the buttons and tie.
There was a tap on the car window before it was rolled down. "Now who's the one making me late?" Duo asked, folding his arms on the frame and resting his chin on them.
"Yes, yes." Quatre shook his head. "I'll see you later."
Duo grinned and rolled the window back up and Abdul gave one last bow before jogging around the car to slide in the driver's seat. The engine started, turning over from the battery. The brake lights flashed as Abdul shifted from park and pulled out of the alley.
Quatre gave one last wave before turning around and heading back the way they came. The first time Duo had met the Maganacs, he had immediately hit it off with Abdul. It must have been because their similar good humor. Even though that time had been rough on them all—particularly the Gundam pilots, since the colonies were targeted—those two still managed to put a small smile on their faces and on those around them.
He blew out a breath, ruffling his bangs. There were still a number of things he had to do before his arrival at Ouran Academy the next day. Most of them were making sure Wufei and his rendezvous points were clear and fixed, the apartment was maintained in both security and cleanliness, and all the data complied on picked Romefeller families was coded and filed on a separate server—set up by Heero—protected by a number of firewalls, passwords, and hacker terminology for nigh-impenetrable.
Quatre would be the first to admit he was not proficient with computers, especially compared to the skills of Heero and Trowa. He had enough knowledge and ability to get into databases and cover his tracks after pulling what he needed, but he would not attempt to create a network system that could withstand a virtual attack equivalent to a beam rifle bombardment.
The five of them were still trying to figure out why they needed to get close to those children of prominent Romefeller officials. It didn't quite make sense. Duo's theory of them trying to influence the next generation to stop the current war was anyone's best guess. It was also a good way to keep them busy and stay under the OZ radar for the time being. But Quatre still didn't like the idea of them operating under such obscure circumstances.
He placed a hand on his chest for a moment, pausing on the sidewalk as he considered the emotions he could sense from the two he just saw off. He smiled and started walking again. Maybe having Abdul chauffeur Duo was too good of a match.
It came as an initial surprise for the class of 1-A to meander into their homeroom and find one of the desks missing. Immediately there were a number of conclusions drawn as to what could have happened. Most of them ranged from the unlikely to completely preposterous. Some such ideas were that the shuttle bringing the student from the L3 colony had been gunned down by rebel forces, or he was being held hostage by the mysterious Sweeper group, or the most half-wit, brain-dead, what-drugs-went-with-your-cereal guess of him being outed as a Gundam pilot trying to infiltrate Romefeller by any means—including that of becoming a student in a school full of Romefeller connections.
Even Heero scoffed at the rumor.
"The new—"
"—student?"
The twins sat on Haruhi's desk, their shoulders pressed together in a line. Haruhi huddled over her book—the one she managed to snag before the twins shoved it out of the way with the others—trying to ignore the way most of the class pressed in around her. Except at her back, where Heero's gaze pressed enough. The students refused to stand in direct line of his sight, so they crowded around the sides and behind the twins.
"Do you think his shuttle got gunned down?" one of the male students asked.
"I heard there was a riot on the L3 colony a few days ago; maybe he got caught up in it?" a girl suggested before cradling her face between her fingers. "What if he was seriously injured or worse? Oh, I wish this war would end!"
"No, nothing happened to him," the twins said with a shrug, placating the girl who was on the verge of tears.
"Milord called us last night to—" Hikaru said.
"—tell us that he had been moved up to—" Kaoru said.
"—2-A," Duo cut in.
The whole group jumped as Duo slipped behind the twins—somehow shouldering between a couple of students without being noticed—and wrapped his arms around their backs as he rested his chin on the shelf their shoulders made. He looked utterly pleased with himself, like a cat that got the canary, cream, and the mouse and was content to bask in a warm patch of sunlight.
Haruhi watched the lazy grin spread his lips and tried to fathom just how he managed to appear out of thin air—surely, there would have been reports if some sort of teleporter was built that could bend the laws of time, space, and physics. Even she didn't notice him until he had spoken and she was staring directly at the twins.
She had a strange feeling Heero had noticed since the tingling between her shoulder blades had shifted. She could almost feel the heat from his gaze above her head. It was how she imagined the residual heat from a beam rifle would be like.
"You seem to be—"
"—running a little late."
"Nope," Duo moved away from the two and curled around the others to get to his desk, "I'm right on time. Being early two days in a row is way too proper for me. After spending most of my time on the road—following my own schedule—I just can't get used to the idea of being consistently early. It'll hurt my reputation." He gave a shrug that slipped the bag from his shoulder. "Besides, coffee needs a purpose. And what better purpose than to perk me up in the morning so I arrive in the nick of time after sleeping in for as long as possible."
Haruhi watched him the whole way to his desk. "How did you hear about the new student?" She felt Heero's gaze on her again, lining her up in the crosshairs.
Duo hung his bag on the back of his seat before sliding in, his grin easy and slightly teasing. "Well, I ran into a 2-A student. She was in quite a rush, clamoring about how Milord was showing the new student around after a change in paperwork or something." He pulled out a paper and pen. "And then I come in, notice we're one desk short, hear the convo, and all the pieces just fit together into a nice little picture." Propping his chin in his palm, he continued, "Judging by your reaction, I'm guessin' the picture is more of a Raphael than a Picasso."
"Uh, what?"
"My guess was pretty realistic, right? Hence, a Raphael, because I don't know about ya'll, but I can't make head or tail of that Cubism stuff." He turned in his seat to face Heero. "You agree, right?"
"Hn."
"See, Heero even agrees with me."
I wouldn't call that agreeing, Haruhi thought.
As the twins moved to their seats, the group surrounding Haruhi's desk dispersed, taking the conversation away until it was little more than background noise. Kaoru plopped in his chair and turned, slinging his arm across the back. "So, any word on this new student whether he's material or not?"
Duo leaned back. "Well, I'm not sure. The girl I ran into seemed to like him, but it didn't sound like he was anything spectacular. Apparently Milord and Kyoya are in some sort of disagreement concerning the guy." He shrugged.
"Any idea why?" Kaoru pressed.
"Interrogate the messenger, much?"
"When it comes down to a bet between us and Milord," Kaoru trailed off as he gave a shrug of his own.
"Why is it so important?" Haruhi asked as she tried to ignore Hikaru making a few attempts at coaxing a smile from Heero. "It seems like it's rather troublesome if you ask me."
"Haruhi, Haruhi." Kaoru shook his head. "It is our integrity on the line. Public humiliation. We can't allow Milord to win and have ourselves publically disgraced. It won't matter so much if Milord loses because he makes a fool of himself on a daily basis."
"Why did you make the bet in the first place?"
"Because it was fun," Hikaru said from behind her, causing her to jump.
"Now, ain't that the best reason?" Duo asked, leaning back in his chair and lacing his fingers behind his head.
"The only," the twins said.
Haruhi glared over her shoulder at the grinning Hikaru, before shaking her head. The three of them were just rich bastards and that was the only reason echoing through her head. Only those with money could flaunt around and worry about something like 'public humiliation'. Being who she was, Haruhi didn't find the punishment all that bad. Sure, she would be embarrassed, but it felt to be more troublesome than actually ruining her image. Besides, she was a girl pretending she was a guy to pay off her debt. Things couldn't get more awkward than that and she really didn't care if she was found out.
"We'll just have—" It was Duo's voice that interrupted her thoughts.
"—drag them to—"
"—the cafeteria!"
Haruhi blinked. "Wha? Who?"
The trio smirked. "You and Heero!"
"I'm not being dragged anywhere," Heero said. He may have allowed it before but there wasn't going to be another time. Not now. Not ever.
Haruhi almost wanted to say he snapped at the three, but there was something about his tone that implied a fundamental fact of they weren't going to drag him, because it was physically improbable. He was a true object at rest compared to the twins and Duo's object of motion. No amount of force was going to make him budge.
She couldn't believe she just applied physics to the temperament of her class and clubmate. Luckily, the twins and Duo were too busy trying to bend the law of physics to notice her slip into a scrutiny of Heero.
It was true; she really didn't know what to make of Heero and had admitted it to his face the day before. But after she had told him, she started to watch him a little bit more than what was probably necessary and beyond what her own curiosity dictated. He had a few tics that—while barely noticeable—were obviously trying to be kept in check.
And it wasn't just Heero. Duo seemed to have the same reactions to some of the same things. Yesterday's time in the club room was one example. Tamaki had been up to his usual antics; his flamboyancy and love of all things deemed "common" resulted in a surprise of confetti poppers. Heero and Duo flinched with the rest of the club under the "ambush", but their hands were eased away from their sides instead of their ears.
Any further thoughts on the two students were interrupted when a girl burst through the door. "I saw him! I saw him!" She was blushing furiously and Haruhi was trying to decide whether it was because of her mad dash back to the classroom to report or the new transfer was just that good looking. The previous buzz of the room exploded again into loud chatter as many of the other students swarmed the girl with questions. Most of the Host Club regulars were eagerly awaiting to hear if the club was going to get yet another member.
"He was handsome and mysterious." The girl swooned, placing her hands on her cheeks. "Quiet, almost like Mori! His eyes were the prettiest dark green and his chestnut hair fell over the side of his face adding to his ethereal quality!" She sighed and dropped into a seat.
"I guess that answers the material question," Duo said.
"We'll still need to—"
"—see for ourselves, though."
Heero surprised them by speaking up, "It sounds like Suoh and Ohtori are showing him around. You can probably catch sight of him during lunch."
"Wow, Heero, didn't realize you were also curious," Duo teased.
"I'm not."
The twins slid over and placed their hands on top of Heero's head. "You're in denial," they sang until Heero forcibly removed their hands.
Haruhi watched Hikaru rub his wrist with a wince and Kaoru glance over his own hand. "Geez, Yuy, you sure got quite the grip," Kaoru said as he gave his hand an experimental flex.
Her brow furrowed when Duo wrapped his arm around Heero's shoulder and his only retaliation was a shrug. "Let's go check this guy out at lunch!" Duo grinned, distracting the twins from their sore limbs. "Ya think Milord and Kyoya will be taking the guy to the cafeteria?"
"No doubt."
The homeroom teacher finally walked into the room, seconds before the bell. He dropped a stack of books onto his desk causing a number of students with their backs to him to jump. Haruhi noticed how he avoided direct eye contact with Duo. The teacher's gaze scanned the whole room, but would avoid the braided teen as he tried to get the class in order. Despite how the Maxwell House heir may have impressed the other teachers yesterday, the homeroom teacher still kept a distance.
With the help of President Kazukiyo, the class finally settled down and they were able to begin. Haruhi couldn't help but wonder why she was becoming so curious about the new transfers. It really wasn't like her to considered things like new transfers so much, but with the two already in her class and the newest one in Tamaki and Kyoya's class she wanted to know more.
She would figure out what to make of not only Heero, but Duo and the other three she had yet to meet. Even if she had to deny the law of physics and relativity, she would make them budge and find out what draws her attention to them like gravity.
Once the bell toned for lunch, Trowa braced himself. He had been watching Tamaki literally twitch in his seat for the last five minutes before the students were dismissed. All of the blonde's "twitchiness" was directed at him. It wasn't any paranoid, soldier sixth sense that told him; it was quite obvious with the way Tamaki would swivel in his seat, like a rod was shoved up his ass to act like an axis for him to turn on as he glanced back.
Trowa made an "Hn," sound to pass as a withheld chuckle. Axis. More like "ass"-is.
And people believed he had no sense of humor.
It took all the time between the first and second chime for Tamaki to plant himself next to Trowa's desk, an eager look plastered on his face. "Let's go to the cafeteria, Barton!" He moved to grab Trowa's wrist, but ended up only jamming his fingers against the desk.
Trowa had pulled his hand away on reflex and stood up from his seat before Tamaki had time to process the movement. "I hope you weren't planning on dragging me there, Suoh."
The blonde fumbled, making his intentions of dragging the pilot away more than clear. "Well, I—" He was cut off when Kyoya dropped a hand to his shoulder. Apparently, the threat from earlier was still fresh in his mind since his mouth snapped shut and his skin went just a shade lighter.
"Ohtori," Trowa greeted. The man who can suck one's spirit with a single touch.
"If you would like, Barton," Kyoya pushed Tamaki to the side, a smile just brushing his lips, "we can show you the way to the cafeteria."
"I would appreciate it." Trowa watched Tamaki tip further over, frozen from the other teen's touch. Luckily, he caught himself before he went on a crash course into a desk. With a sweeping brush of his blonde hair, Tamaki visibly collected himself, practically picking up pieces of him that crumbled away when Kyoya warned him with a simple touch.
Kyoya was definitely the vampire to Tamaki's shiny, innocent virgin.
"If you would follow me." Kyoya started down the row, idly grabbing Tamaki by the back of his collar. "We will need to head down to the first floor in order to get to the cafeteria."
Trowa nodded to his back as they made their way out of the classroom. He walked a step behind Kyoya, watching the teen greet the students they past but never stopping to converse. It was a sight different than Tamaki, who would pause at every group and strike up a dialogue with extravagant hand gestures and smiles.
The stark difference between the two struck Trowa as rather intriguing. He wanted to say the two reminded him of Heero and Duo. The flamboyant and the subtle. The assassin and the joker.
Trowa shook his head. It really wasn't like him to make analogies but it seemed this infiltration had him getting in touch with his inner poet. And his inner comedian—which should probably be put back in his box of discarded identities. He might have to explore the novelist identity, though. It was a rather interesting venue to travel. But just like how Heero's and Duo's improbable relationship worked, Tamaki and Kyoya foiled each other in every sense of the idea.
Kyoya stopped in front a set of double doors. They were probably imported oak and hand carved. The handles were a shiny brass and the threshold was outlined with more of the same pillars Trowa encountered in the bathroom. Instead of opening them, he glanced over his shoulder. "It looks like I'll be able to introduce you to a couple other members of the Host Club."
Trowa looked past him to see a group of students walking towards them. Duo was sandwiched between two teens, his arms wrapped around the shoulders of the identical twins. They had to slouch to accommodate Duo's smaller frame, but the three were too busy laughing and finishing each other's sentences to pay too much notice. A petite boy followed a pace behind them and Heero was two paces behind him.
Trowa immediately felt something off concerning the boy; he just wasn't sure what. Maybe he was too soft looking—not just around the edges—but his whole self. Even with that air about him, Heero was still treating him like an unknown variable and that was enough to keep Trowa on his guard.
"Where's Milord?" the twins and Duo chimed together.
"We lost him on the way here," Kyoya answered and left it at that. He continued, almost managing to drown out the other boy's mumbled comment of, "Is he even allowed to wander on his own?"
"I have to give him some freedom, Haruhi, in order for him to learn." He made a gesture that should have been just labeled as a 'shrug' but with the way he did it made it something much more refined. "I would like to introduce you to our class's newest addition," he held out his hand, palm up, drawing their attention completely on Trowa, "this is Trowa Barton from the L3 colonies."
The twins slid out of Duo's hold and slinked up to Trowa. They splintered off from each other to circle around him before meeting again in front. They gave him one more thoughtful once-over before Duo slipped between them, taking up his previous position.
"I'm Hikaru," the one on Duo's left said.
"I'm Kaoru," the other said.
"We're the Hitachiin twins!"
"And I'm Duo Maxwell." He flashed him a grin with a wave of his fingers.
Even if Trowa was going to say something, he wouldn't have had the chance. The three left no room in their immediate rundown of his apparent looks, going into a huddle as they glanced over their shoulders. Maybe he should have felt flattered, but it was hard for him to when he felt he was on display. They must have gotten the habit from Tamaki.
"He's definitely good looking," the one who Trowa was sure introduced himself as Kaoru said.
"Nice eyes too." Duo actually winked at him.
"He has the same vibe as Mori, though," Hikaru—Kaoru?—said.
"Agreed." Duo and the other twin nodded.
As Trowa rolled his eyes, he caught Kyoya pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "That's why I suggested to Tamaki that we would refrain from instating him into the Host Club."
The three went off into a debate whether or not they would still take the bet, even dragging Kyoya into the discussion. Trowa's attention was torn away when the boy heaved a sigh and approached him.
"Since they're too caught up in their bet to actually bother explaining how you fit into it, basically if you're material, they are one step closer to winning, but if you're not, Tamaki is." The boy shrugged. "I'm Haruhi Fujioka; it's nice to meet you." He smiled.
Heero's wariness made sense; he felt it too.
It was an unease on a different level than what he felt with Kyoya. The Ohtori teen was a known VIP and his reputation for organization, calculation and borderline manipulation was obvious in the background file Trowa had gone over. It was a significant red flag. There was very little information on this student, though; just little notes Trowa remembered from the lists of being a scholarship student from a single parent family.
Trowa thought it was a little strange Heero didn't mention him—almost an oversight in Trowa's mind—but it could have been because Wing's pilot was still trying to figure out where the boy figured into everything.
"I think it's a good thing you won't be roped up into the Host Club," Haruhi said.
"Why's that?" Trowa raised the eyebrow hidden by his hair.
"Tamaki-senpai, Hikaru, and Kaoru already dragged myself and Heero into—" Haruhi trailed off. "You haven't been introduced yet!" He took the three steps back and grabbed Heero by the sleeve, trying to drag him forward. "C'mon, you should introduce yourself."
Trowa withheld a wince when Haruhi made the grab. He wasn't the only one; Heero did a full-body twitch he managed to mask as a stumble.
Duo was probably applauding the recovery.
"Heero Yuy, a pleasure," Heero said, his tone clipped.
Trowa dipped his head. "Trowa Barton. Oh, thank you for this morning."
Heero grunted a, "You're welcome."
Haruhi cocked his head to the side and Trowa felt the unease wind and tighten in his chest for a brief second. "Heero gave me directions to the chairman's office," he answered before the boy could voice his question.
Trowa noticed the trio split off from their discussion with Kyoya and was rather thankful for it. Trying to keep track of everyone in the vicinity was beginning to become annoying. Not that he would actually show it, but it did loosen some of the tension from his shoulders at having the four of them at his back.
"You saw him this morning?" the three asked Heero.
"Why didn't—"
"—you say—"
"—anything?"
Trowa decided that the "duo-Duo" speech was actually disconcerting, like watching a tennis match with one's ears instead of one's eyes. But he was rather amused by the newly christened language.
Heero crossed his arms over his chest. "You didn't ask."
Trowa's attention was divided again when he kept his eyes on the new group of four while his focus was pulled away to where Kyoya had asked Haruhi to come with him for a moment. He watched them in his periphery, knowing the other two pilots were doing the same.
"There you are!"
Heero's eyes narrowed, Duo's grin widened, and Trowa bit back a sigh. Tamaki sauntered up to them with a group of girls trailing behind a few steps.
"I've been looking for you, Barton." Tamaki clapped a hand to his shoulder. "I thought you may have gotten lost!" He slipped the hand to his chest and brought the other to his forehead. "It would have been tragic! The newest student getting lost in our great school only to be suddenly assaulted by a group of class D students intent on holding him hostage for ransom money, just to realize he is a mere scholarship student from the colonies and whose family could—in no way—pay the demanded sum." The girls behind him gasped, only to fuel the sparkling aura surrounding him
"Milord, you're being delusional," the trio accused, their tone flat.
"Ohtori was showing me the way; I don't think I could have gotten lost with him leading." Trowa rather prided himself on being one of the calmest of the pilots. If one wanted to tag an emotion on him, stoic would be in the top three with taciturn and apathetic. Far be it from him to not admit to himself that he did actually snap at Tamaki. How Kyoya put up with him was a mystery Trowa did not want to investigate. The air around the blonde seemed to be sucked away in an instant; probably drawn by the sudden creation of a black hole known as annoyance that replaced Trowa's apathy. Duo and the twins bit back laughter, masking it as a couple of coughs.
Tamaki swallowed, his charming momentum momentarily stunted. "Oh, well, why don't we make our way into the cafeteria?" Each word he said was a push against the inertia forced upon his charisma. By the end of his sentence he was able to pick up the velocity lost in the face of Trowa's immovable irritation.
"Lead the way," Trowa said, leaving the "If you can," unspoken, though clearly implied. Despite the order, Trowa turned to the double doors and opened them himself. He entered the room with Tamaki scrambling. Heero, Duo, and the twins followed, the latter trying to convince him to sit with them. Declining the offer, he ignored the way the trio complained and cajoled him into accepting.
It didn't take long for them to grow bored of the impassive—rather, lack of—response. Instead, they took it upon themselves to convince Heero to try one of the lunch selections as a treat from the twins since Haruhi had yet to return from his discussion with Kyoya.
Duo did most of the convincing, much to Hikaru and Kaoru's astonishment.
It took a bit more effort than his aloof personality to shake off Tamaki, who had made a full recovery and was picking up speed. He kept up with Trowa as the pilot looked for a distraction to shake off the Host Club king. He already had a target in mind, one that he had noticed earlier in class. He only hoped he would find the person in the cafeteria, lest he take up the offer to join Heero and the other three.
"Barton, if you'll notice—"
Trowa successfully tuned him out. One part of his mind did keep a tab on the one-sided conversation of the extravagant architecture, the menu made for those of sophisticated palettes, and the history of the actual dining hall.
There. Target located.
He lengthened his stride and made his way to the table occupied by only one person. "Excuse me, may I join you?"
The girl looked up from the book she was reading. Her dark hair laid flat against her back, pulled back from her face by a simple clip. Her dark eyes were stern and uncompromising behind her thin-wired glasses as she considered him. Before a word could pass her lips, she caught sight of Tamaki and her eyes narrowed. "I would not mind your company. But I'm afraid that there is a rather bothersome air that seems to be clinging you. I don't believe this particular presence is your fault, since you seem to be a considerate person, who knows that one shouldn't interrupt another without any reason. But I believe you have a particular reason for bothering me, and I don't necessarily find you to be a person who could be described with the word 'annoying'. Unlike some."
Trowa counted a total of two breaths through the whole dialogue and noticed that her voice went colder with each word spoken. He was surprised it didn't crack under the icy weight it held on the last two words.
Tamaki was completely frozen. His resolved shattered by deadpanned tone the girl indirectly directed at him.
The pilot nodded to the girl. "I understand." He glanced behind him. "Suoh, thank you for enlightening me on the history of this place, but I think I can handle myself for here on out." He watched the blonde numbly incline his head before turning on his heel to stagger away, his legs not quite wanting to function.
The atmosphere jumped up a few degrees once Tamaki had taken a seat with Heero and the trio. The girl returned her full attention back to Trowa. "Now that air seems to have taken a better turn, Trowa Barton, may I inquire as to why you would want to associate yourself with me, whom you don't even know?"
He took the seat across from her. "Maybe I needed to get rid of that tension."
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she considered his words. "So you would attempt to use me as a means to get rid of excess baggage? That hardly seems proper, especially since we're still strangers to each other."
"I wouldn't quite call us strangers, Ayame Jonouchi; we just have yet to be properly introduced." Trowa was quite surprised he was being rather talkative. "If you feel like I was using you, I apologize. But allow me to introduce myself to make amends for such a slight. I'm Trowa Barton." The way this girl seemed to rattle off sentences with hardly a breath seemed to rub off on Trowa as he held out a hand to her.
She took a moment to consider his offer before wrapping her own fingers around his in a delicate grip. "Ayame Jonouchi, Vice-chairman of the Student Council. Now I guess there's another reason why you wished to speak with me."
Trowa withdrew his hand. "I was curious to know if there are any positions open in the Student Council."
She tapped the side of her glasses' frame before smiling. "I'm sure we can find a job for you."
"What's the matter, Kyoya?" Haruhi asked as she watched the group head into the cafeteria. He had kept the conversation between them bland, sticking to subjects like how she was adjusting to the classes, how much she still had on her debt, and other things he would have already have known. She could only guess the reason was he had something to tell her that he didn't want to be overheard by the others. Whether "the others" meant the other Host Club members or just concerning the new transfers remained to be seen.
"What do you think of the two newest additions to your class?" He wasted no time, abandoning the distraction topics and went straight to the heart of the matter. "And Haruhi, please answer with as many details as you can and I will subtract from your debt depending on how helpful your response is."
She gritted her teeth with a thought of, Conniving, rich bastard, before she sighed and considered his question. "Well, there is something about them I can't quite put my finger on."
"What do you mean?"
"It's like… With Heero, he has this warning sign above his head that should mean something bad, but you can't help be attracted to his… I don't know what it is." She sighed and brushed back her hair from her eyes. "It sounds corny to say this, but he has this purity about him; a charisma on par with Tamaki-senpai. Just not as bright and annoying."
Kyoya propped his chin on his fist in thought. "Yes, I can see what you mean. Anything else?"
She went silent again, reviewing her own previous thoughts on the two. "It's strange…" she trailed off.
"Yes?"
"Heero is so cautious when it comes to casual touch but when Duo approaches him, he takes it almost grudgingly, accepting the arm around the shoulder or whatever. But he reacts harshly when it comes to other people."
"I've noticed that as well these past two days in the club, but I think it helps that you're around." Kyoya sighed. "I thought of convincing Tamaki to drop Yuy from the club because of that Dangerous Type, but his presence has increased revenue 17% so I hesitate on that decision."
"And then there's Duo."
Kyoya chuckled. "Yes, Duo Maxwell is a great addition to the club, adding a rather chaotic element to the twin's selling point." He tipped his head to the side, the smile still painted on his lips. "But I take it you've noticed something about him as well."
"The homeroom teacher is terrified of him," she blurted, the words tumbling from her mouth and bypassing the filter in her brain. "It's only been the second day he's been here, but I know there is something sharp beneath that exterior smile."
Kyoya didn't even look surprised by Haruhi's admission. "So you've noticed as well. I am certain Hikaru and Kaoru realized it and are sticking close to him as a result. But the fact you mentioned about Heero almost being comfortable around Duo is something that should be watched more closely."
Her hands tightened into fists as she dipped her head to stare at her shoes. "Kyoya? Why are you asking me all of this?"
"No particular reason."
Her head snapped up. "That's a lie."
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"You've already noticed something about Trowa, haven't you?" she pressed. "Do you think there's a connection between the three—"
"Haruhi." His voice stopped her. "I'm not trying to dig up any conspiracy about the new students and it would be wise for you refrain from doing so." His fingers reached into his uniform jacket and pulled out a small notebook and a pen. He took a moment to scribble something down before continuing. "I will ask you to continue to keep an eye on the new transfers, including the ones who have yet to arrive and report to me anything else you deem strange about them." He clicked the pen once to retract the point and returned it and the notebook to his inside pocket. "I have subtracted a set amount from your debt that will increase by a percentage depending on the information you will provide from here on."
Haruhi sighed and accepted the role of informant Kyoya had basically coerced her into. "No need to twist my arm," she mumbled.
"I'm glad you see things my way." Kyoya smiled brightly.
Jerk. Haruhi wanted to think more venomous insults, but was interrupted by the bell.
"I apologize for keeping you from your lunch, Haruhi. Will you be alright for the rest of the day?" Kyoya asked.
She couldn't tell if he was entirely sincere but she shrugged off his inquiry. "I'll be fine."
"Good, I would hate to see your performance decline in the club. Have a good rest of the day." He smiled as he slipped into the crowd exiting the cafeteria.
Not as sincere as she had thought.
Bastard.
Wufei had finally finished the chores Quatre had requested of him. The dishes were done, the pantry was organized, the refrigerator stocked, and all the security cameras and alarms were checked and double-checked. Instead of settling down on the couch with a book, he decided a better idea would be to meditate on the floor of the bedroom he shared with Quatre.
It felt good to cleanse himself of all the little stresses and to mentally prepare himself for the race he promised Duo. Even though it was still going to be a few hours before the other pilot would be back, Wufei knew that preparing now would help him counter any tricks Maxwell thought to throw at him.
He smiled at some of the retaliations he thought of to Duo's assured underhanded tactics. While he may outwardly fault and deem Deathscythe's pilot dishonorable for resorting to such tricks, he would be the first to admit that they came in handy for keeping him on his toes.
Now, what the hell was that annoying bell tone?
Wufei's eyelids flew open as he scrambled to his feet. Someone was actually ringing the front doorbell!
He heard Quatre curse from the Command Center. It had to have been bad considering Wufei could hear him through the shut bedroom door. "Wufei!"
Grabbing his gun from the bedside table, he held it against his thigh as he bolted out of the room to meet Quatre. "What is it?" His question was punctuated by another ring of the bell followed by a harsh tattoo of knocks.
Quatre had his own pistol out, holding it in a two-handed grip and keeping it pointed to the ceiling. "OZ soldiers!" he hissed.
"Damnit!" He slammed a fist against the wall. "Have we been compromised?"
The knocking continued followed by a shout. "We know there is someone here! Open the door!"
The blonde placed a hand on Wufei's shoulder, his brow furrowing in thought. The gun lowered until it was pointed at the floor. "No," he said carefully, "I don't think that's the case. If we've been compromised, they would have kicked down the door by now."
"What should—"
"Quiet!" Quatre snapped. "Give me a second."
Wufei kept himself from rising to the sharp order, knowing that Quatre was working on the best way to get out of the situation.
"Give me your gun, pilot." Quatre's voice went cold and his eyes were hard. It was a voice that Wufei would never dream of disobeying. "Answer the door. I'm sure you're a good enough actor to pull off being awakened from a sickness-induced nap."
Wufei placed his gun in Quatre's waiting hand and pulled out his hair tie. He ran his fingers through the strands, messing it up as best he could. Untucking his tank-top, he quickly toed off his shoes and went to answer the door. Before pulling open the door, he assumed a slouch, dropping his shoulders so one of the straps slipped down, and managed a grimace across his visage. "Yes?" He added a strained lilt to his voice, hoping it sounded pathetic enough to pass for a sick person.
The two OZ soldiers at the door winced when the saw they were dealing with a sick teen. "Sorry to bother you," one said, clearing his throat. "We were around the area recruiting for the Specials and heard there was an of-age possibility that had recently moved in here."
Wufei slouched against the door, hating himself for playing the role. "I'm only 15." He coughed into his hand, before wrapping his arm around his stomach. "I don't know if that's the legal age to recruit…" He allowed himself to trail off.
The two soldiers traded a glance. "When you turn 18, keep the Specials in mind," the other one said.
"Again, sorry to bother you." The first held out his hand but thought better of it when Wufei coughed. "Hope you feel better, kid."
"Thanks." He let his weight close the door. Reapplying all of the locks, he pushed off the door and stormed back to the Command Center where Quatre had barricaded himself to keep out of sight. "What the hell was that?" he demanded as he flung open the door.
Quatre was watching the monitors, making sure the two soldiers had left and also double-checking to see if they happened to decide to leave any types of bugs or transmitters around the perimeter. "That was you following my orders and ensuring that our cover wouldn't be blown."
"And why couldn't you do it?" Wufei jerked his strap back into place and did his best to fix his hair.
"I'm quite recognizable being the only son of the Winner family."
"And you think I'm not?" Wufei snapped. "I confronted Treize on his ship after the New Edwards's incident. I think they would have had footage of my duel with him."
Quatre actually laughed at him. "Trust me, Wufei, you were very impressive with your acting. Even if they had your description, with your performance it would have been hard to make the connection." He bit back another laugh. "I never knew you had it in you to be so pathetic."
"Winner, I respect you, but you're pushing it."
"And the best thing is," Quatre smirked, "I have the whole thing on the security footage."
"Don't you dare!"
Once lunch was over the rest of the day went by in a rather uneventful manner. Trowa walked with Ayame back to their classroom while she explained what job he might be given if he still wanted to be in the Student Council. From what she had described, it sounded like he would technically be the running dog for them.
The advantages of being an errand boy were too good to pass up. He would be able to have connections throughout the whole school, access to more files without having to hack into the server, and a direct line with the faculty. It was very promising.
By the time the final bell sounded, Trowa already had a good idea of what he wanted to do while working with the Student Council. He stood to catch up with Ayame, who was standing by the door at the front of the class. The two of them were going to head over to the room where the Student Council met. Before he could take another step, he felt Kyoya come up behind him.
"I see you found someone to help you around the school," Kyoya said with a smile.
Trowa nodded. "I appreciate the help, but I think I can manage now with the help of Miss Jonouhi."
"Very well." Kyoya turned and started to walk away. But he stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "Though I think Tamaki wanted to ask you to visit the club room, I don't know why. And I don't quite understand why he couldn't ask you himself." He looked over at the back entrance to the class.
Trowa followed his gaze and saw the blonde cowering in the hall, his fingers curled around the doorframe as he peered into the classroom.
"Trowa? Are you coming?" Ayame asked as she walked over to him. Her eyes followed their gazes. Trowa was positive the temperature dropped. A squeak came from the hall. It was a pathetic sound, like the noise one would expect to come from a Pomeranian puppy when it was stepped on. Trowa never liked the walking Pompoms in the first place. He was more of a cat person. A big cat person.
"I don't understand either," Trowa answered. "I suppose I could stop by and see what this place is about."
"If that is the case, I will go on ahead to the Student Council. If you need directions, I am sure that Kyoya would be able to point you in the right direction once you finish your business with the Host Club." When she saw Kyoya give an affirmative, she turned around and headed to the other door. "I certainly hope you will not become tangled in the dazzling façade that they deem to put on there." With the final parting shot, she walked out.
"I would like to thank you for accepting, Barton, I know Tamaki would not have stopped pouting if you had not." He waited for Trowa to catch up with him.
The two of them headed out of the classroom, greeted by Tamaki who had regained his composure. "I'm glad you've decided to at least see the Host Club. And this way we can get the final say on who gets the point in the bet."
Trowa didn't bother to reply. He followed the two of them in silence, allowing Tamaki to ramble about not only the merits of his club, but the whole history and purpose. It gave Trowa time to consider how Heero got dragged into such a place. If the pilot had to have so much social contact with the patrons of the club, he could only imagine how Heero had not gone into conniptions from his reflexes. Though it was a good thing Duo was there to act as a barricade to any potential "meltdowns". But Duo had his own reflexes that needed to be watched as well. Hopefully, there haven't been too many people who had insulted his hair, save the 1-A homeroom teacher.
Tamaki pushed open a door Trowa saw was labeled as "Music Room 3". It swung open easily, emitting an aura Trowa was hesitant to label. The sweet fragrance of roses and the accompaniment of lighthearted music distracted him from the bright, shiny glow of the room.
"Welcome to the Host Club!" chorused a group. The welcome was followed by another chorus consisting of 'squees', giggles, and "Tamaki!"s.
The blonde went to the closest girl and took hold of her hand. Dropping to one knee, he placed a kiss on her knuckles. "My dear, you are my North Star, with you, I can never be lost."
Trowa gagged.
"Barton, it would be prudent to leave Tamaki where his is; he's already lost himself in the inanity of his actions." Kyoya said and placed a hand on the pilot's shoulder. "I can introduce you to the two remaining Hosts. Then, if you would like, you may be on your way to the Student Council room."
Weaving through the group of swooning Tamaki fans, the two of them stood in front of the other Hosts who were politely conversing with some of the girls. Trowa watched the twins and Duo lead a group of three girls to a table, chatting and laughing amongst them. Haruhi stood next to Heero with a hand casually placed on his arm as he did most of the talking. He made eye contact with Trowa and gave a quick wave. The last two were a tall dark-haired teen with a young-looking blonde perched on his shoulders. The two girls standing with them were laughing at how the blonde talked about the sweets they were planning on serving.
Kyoya approached them and cleared his throat. "I apologize for bothering you, but Tamaki thought it would be a good idea to show the newest transfer the Host Club. Hunny, Mori, ladies, this is Trowa Barton."
The blonde jumped down from his perch, landing easily in front of Trowa. His wide, brown eyes looked up at him as a smile split his face. "Hello, Tro-kun!" He grabbed the hand of one of the girls and spun around with her once before facing Trowa again. "It's nice to meet'cha! Call me Hunny!"
"Nice to meet you, you may call me Mori," the tall teen said as he bowed slightly.
The girls greeted him with shy smiles, meek "hello"s, and, thankfully, none of the over-exuberant shrieks he witnessed from the girls around Tamaki and the one girl from that morning.
"A pleasure." He glanced over the two third years. Oh, yeah, those two were definitely a threat. It wasn't just the casual way they held themselves, but the way the two of them watched everything going on in the room. Almost like a tag-team effort. Hunny would provide the distraction—also making up for his partner's silence—while the other would keep closer tabs on the room.
If Tamaki was the king, Kyoya was the advisor, the twins were the watchmen, and Hunny and Mori would be the guardians. The only one who didn't quite fit into the dynamic was Haruhi.
"Did Tama-chan ask you to join?" Hunny asked, lacing his fingers behind his back as he leaned forward.
Trowa nodded. "I declined."
"Oh, that's a shame." The boy pulled out a stuffed bunny and proceeded to talk to it. "Right, Bun-bun?"
"I also decided it would provide too much competition for Mori's position," Kyoya interrupted. Trowa thought he caught a sigh of relief from the taller third year. "But I will have to give the twins the point for the bet. Unless you think otherwise, Mori."
Mori shook his head. "No, if Tamaki wanted him to join, then there must have been something that caught his eye."
"You don't have to worry about being replaced, Takeshi!" Hunny jumped up and clung to his arm, the bunny dangling from his fingertips.
Kyoya propped his chin in his hand. "Hm, I supposed I should break the news to Tamaki then." He blinked and seemed to realize that Trowa was still standing there. "Oh, I suppose you are probably free to head on your way."
Trowa wasn't going to ignore the casual dismissal. He knew Kyoya wouldn't forget he was still standing there; he just didn't understand what the other teen was playing at. It couldn't have been a test; there wasn't much to test him on. Unless he was waiting to see if Trowa would request directions to the Student Council room—which he already knew where it was—but if that was the test, it wasn't a very subtle one. He had expected better. "I suppose I should thank you for showing me the club room, but there really wasn't a need for you to."
Kyoya gave an elegant shrug. "Tamaki did request it."
"I should be on my way," Trowa said as he adjusted his jacket. "May I bother you for directions?"
Kyoya smiled. "I can have someone show you the way."
Trowa did not like the way the black-haired teen smiled. It was the whole spider-web-insect concept. It was like playing chess with Quatre. He forced a smile in return, hoping that it didn't crack along the edges. "If it's not a bother it would be appreciated."
"It's really no trouble at all."
If his smile curled any more, Trowa would be certain he had just signed his soul over to Satan unwillingly and with no recollection of what he was getting in return.
Putting Quatre and Kyoya in the same room would be awe-inspiring.
"Haruhi, can you come here for a moment?" Kyoya called over to the group on the couches. The girls looked slightly nervous with the thought of Haruhi leaving them in Heero's presence alone, but it was alleviated when the trio brought their group over.
"Did you need something?" Haruhi cocked his head to the side as he regarded the two.
"Yes," Kyoya gestured to Trowa, "would you show Barton the way to the Student Council room?"
"But I don't—"
Kyoya cut him off. "It's on the first floor, down the hall that connects with the middle school, third door on the left. You can't miss it."
Haruhi sighed in defeat. Looking up at Trowa, he gave a strained smile. "Well, we should probably get going."
Trowa nodded and glanced at Kyoya before turning to follow the other out of the Host Club room. He didn't miss the way Kyoya's eyes narrowed in scrutiny as the door shut behind him. Then again, leaving Quatre and Kyoya in the same room would be like having two nuclei come close enough together with all the energies of their particular personalities managing to fuse together. The results would be nothing short of creating a hydrogen bomb, which will then explode on the principle.
A nuclear meltdown that would cause the whole world to shudder.
Haruhi led Trowa away from the club room, glancing over her shoulder and back at him every few seconds. What does Kyoya want me to do? Draw my own conclusions about this guy? Even though he's the one who didn't want to start any conspiracies? Haruhi sighed and watched where she was going. Like I'm going to be able to figure anything out about him in this short of time.
"Ohtori is an interesting guy."
Haruhi tripped, startled by his voice. She stopped and turned to face him. He had stopped as well, waiting for her to make the next move. It was reminiscent of her encounter with Heero. "Yeah, I guess."
Trowa took a step forward and passed her. The main staircase seemed quiet as he proceeded to walk down it. He paused after a few steps, placing his hand on the railing. "You know, I believe I can find my way from here if you want to head back."
Haruhi shook her head and sprinted to the landing. "I couldn't do that." She met him on the step.
"Why?"
Haruhi thought about it for a moment before she figured the most likely course of action Kyoya would take if she didn't take Trowa all the way to the Student Council room. "I'll probably get more added to my debt."
He hummed in thought before continuing down the steps, making sure to stay in step with Haruhi. "So what is this debt of yours?"
Haruhi gritted her teeth. She really hated the thought of having to owe the Host Club for breaking that stupid vase. It really wasn't her fault; Tamaki cornering her and her accidently bumping into the pedestal in the middle of the room. She did promise to work it off, and despite how unintentional the deed was, she would stay true to her word and find a way to pay for it.
She relaxed when she realize that Trowa really wasn't judging her for her debt; he was a scholarship student too. He understood what it felt like being surrounded by rich people on every front. "I broke an expensive vase and agreed to pay for it by working in the Host Club."
Trowa nodded.
The two of them reached the ground level. Haruhi glanced around before pointing to the left. "It's this way." They continued in silence for another moment before she spoke up again. "Trowa, what are the colonies like? Is it bad up there with all the unrest?" She felt his gaze on her through the fringe of his hair. It was unnerving.
"It's not that much different. Just think of the world being inverted and then you have what the colonies are like." He shrugged. "Just how informed are you about the war?"
Haruhi looked down at her feet, watching them pad along on the tiled floor. "Just from what I catch on the military news reports; I don't hear much here from people who have connections. Maybe a few tidbits about a relative getting a promotion or some new technology." She felt him look away.
"It depends on what side you find yourself. If one is upset with the treatment of the colonies by both the Earth Alliance and OZ you will find that they see there is much unrest. But if one is on the other end of the spectrum, they'll say things aren't that bad and try to live their own life without getting involved." He lengthened his stride and stepped in front of her. "Those who don't know much are the ones content with their lives; the ones who are informed with what is going on will be the ones who are unhappy with the current Earth and Space affairs."
"And how informed are you?" She looked up at him.
Trowa held her gaze.
It was a moment where time felt like it stretched—thinning the layers of reality and distorting space itself—before crashing back in a rush.
Trowa walked away. "I can see the room. Thank you."
Haruhi watched him leave. She didn't need to press the issue. She didn't need to hear the words from his mouth. She didn't need to have him confirm if her conclusion was correct.
She needed to talk to Kyoya.
It seemed to be a start of a new custom for the pilots to gather around the counter once everyone was home after school and club activities were let out. Heero and Wufei were standing on the side in the kitchen while Quatre and Trowa took the other side. The only one they were waiting to arrive was Duo.
"What's taking him so long?" Wufei asked. He didn't want to admit it, but he was rather anxious to get to their race. Meditating and trying to practice katas in the small bedroom wasn't satisfying his need to do something. They could only provide so much for a time. The last major combat he had was when he helped Sally Po's rebel outfit against Bundt's rule and that was well over a month ago.
Quatre sighed and wrapped his hands around the mug of tea he had poured himself. "I'm sure Abdul is taking some precautions not to draw attention to them and to make sure they're not being followed."
The four heard the locks being quickly disarmed and the door swing open. Duo practically skipped in, kicking his shoes off as he went about reapplying every lock he undid. "I'm home!" he sang. He walked over to the end of the counter and spread his hands across it. "Briefin' time, right?"
Wufei noticed the braided teen vibrate with more energy than usual. He hoped it was just because of anticipation for their race, but his pessimism got the better of him, especially with the odd tension coming from the other two who returned from school.
"What happened?" Quatre finally asked.
"Retaining our cover at Ouran may be more difficult than we may have first thought," Heero answered, cutting straight to the point like a sharpened blade.
It was one thing Wufei respected the pilot for; he didn't allow for anything to be a distraction when it came to a mission. But it was worrisome when Heero admitted the possibility of trouble.
"Our movements are actually being closely observed." Duo leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "I know the Hitachiin twins are not sticking close to me just because of my charm; they've been keeping tabs on me. I don't know how secure my identity of being the Maxwell House Coffee heir is; because I know they're digging into it. Hopefully ole' Pestilence didn't just throw the cover together on a whim."
"Ohtori and Haruhi are watching us closely as well," Trowa said. "I believe they've picked up on something about us that doesn't match what students should be."
"Well, yeah, we're terrorists," Duo laughed bitterly. "I'm sure it's bound to stain us in some way."
"Is it enough that we should abort the mission?" Quatre took a sip from his cup, watching the others from half-lidded eyes.
"No." Wufei wasn't surprised that it was Heero to answer first and firmly but he was surprised when he continued, "I believe this mission is important. And I'm going to follow my emotions on this one. We need to stay and see this through to the end."
"And what end would that be?" Wufei shot.
Heero slightly turned his head and met his gaze. "Whatever end."
"In any case," Trowa interrupted, "while these few may be keeping tabs on us, I believe I have found a way to watch them in turn."
Duo leaned back on the counter. "Is this the whole thing with declining Tamaki and leaving with Haruhi?"
Trowa nodded. "I'm going to be a running dog for the Student Council. It'll provide me with a number of chances to get in contact with, not only students, but with a number of teachers. I believe I can use this to our own advantage."
Quatre set his mug down. "That certainly sounds like a good plan. But there are two VIPs that I wonder if we're paying enough attention to."
"Morinozuka and Haninozuka," Heero said.
Quatre nodded. "Exactly. Those two belong to families who actually train Special Ops for OZ; we need to find a way to connect with them."
"The only time I hang with them is during club time." Duo shrugged. "And even then, I usually have my hands full with the twins—even though there hasn't been much in their file despite having close ties to Suoh."
"I might have an idea," Wufei spoke up drawing their attention to him. He crossed his arms and walked away from the counter. "It won't work until I come, but it shouldn't be too hard to draw their attention."
"So, what's your big plan?" Duo asked.
"There is a Martial Arts club," Wufei said.
"And?" Duo tried pressing.
"I guess we'll see." He headed to the door and grabbed his shoes. "Come on, Maxwell, I've been waiting for this all day so get your ass over here and let's have our race."
Duo glanced down at his uniform and back up. "You're just gonna have to wait until I change."
"Be quick, or else I win by default."
Duo stuck his tongue out and bolted to the bathroom, grabbing his street clothes to change.
Wufei smirked. "Well, that's one way to distract him. Quatre, you might want to inform them of our little run-in with the OZ Specials." He laced up his shoes and opened the door. "Tell Maxwell to hurry up. I'll be waiting for him."
Before the door had the chance to completely close, Duo came running out of the bathroom, doing an odd skip/hop as he pulled on his shoes and managing to slip out the door before it completely closed, his question echoing behind him, "What run-in?"
"OZ Specials?" Trowa raised an eyebrow.
"Have we been compromised?" Heero demanded.
Quatre started to laugh. "No. Though highly entertaining, I promised Wufei I would only show the footage once before erasing it. Luckily he managed to get Duo focused on something else before bringing it up."
Heero and Trowa shared a look.
Author's Note: "Well, I'm here... sorta... at least I think I still am... My mind has been... well, here's the summary of last week: Freud motivation Erikson Piaget Rousseau Skinner adolescence children educational psychology psychosexual stages: oral,anal,phallic,latency,genital id,ego,superego research self-esteem cognitive learning in children in adolescents philosophy of the mind and relations to motivation in psychology morals school systems classroom sizes intentional teaching motives drives instincts behavioral naturevsnurture sociocultural socioemotional socio-dooooooo... system not responding.
"Yes, this past week I have started classes." cries "I was hoping to get this chapter up on the 30th, but it didn't happen. And I didn't meet my almost schedule of posting a new chapter every six months. Anyway, I'm sorry for the "dragginess" of the chapter - and the slow updates don't help either - but hopefully things will start picking up more. Hopefully.
"This chapter kinda threw me in for a loop. It wanted me to write things I didn't want to write until later, but I bowed down to its whim and went with it. But it seems like it's going to change what I had originally planned for this once again. Just like with updates, I can't seem to make any promised with this story. I'm happy that I'm getting in the more serious stuff; keeping up with the humor pace I set with this piece is wearing me down.
"Let's see, what else? Oh! I'm sorry about Tamaki. I honestly love the guy - even though he is the epitome of an idiot - but for some reason with the way I write Trowa, I can't help but cut him down.
"Speaking of Trowa; why did most of this have to be in his perspective! I guess that's the way RGB demanded to be written..." shrugs "Oh, but Ayame was fun to write. I hope to have more of her, before she turns into a Tamaki fan again. I like her when she cuts him down ^.^ But, then, realization hits me. If I want to write more of her, it means I'll need to be in Trowa's POV again.
"Mori and Hunny fans! I know I've been giving them the short end of the stick with air time, but with the way I have things planned out right now, they should be appearing more and more. With so many characters in one place and trying to juggle them all, it's difficult to focus on the main point when I'm worrying about where this character is floating or why did this character randomly drop out of the conversation or something. Hopefully it isn't too noticeable... ehh...
"Next chapter will be up in... no possible way to predict that. Please be patient with me! At least you get a long chapter to amuse yourselves with!" nervous laugh
"Umm... I know there's more that I wanted to say but I feel like I rambled on enough."
Acknowledgments: "As always, many thanks to Strata-Assassin for the beta-read and being the sound-board and the encouragement and the 'Okay, you have five minutes to write nonstop. ('Wait. wha-?') If you stop, I'll smack you with my pen. ('Hey! Hold on!') Starting now.' ('...Ow!')
Special thanks to SleepyStar as being another source of encouragement!
In typical closing fashion, leave critiques, suggestions, questions, ideas, criticism, whatever in either a review or PM. Much appreciated!
~Death