Chapter Nine: Bad Day
The usually placid Pagan was shocked by the loud sound of the front door slamming as it reverberated throughout the Winner mansion. The only thing that shocked Pagan more was the sight of a fiercely scowling Heero making his way like a storm cloud up to Quatre's office, tugging impatiently at his tie as he walked.
With nothing more than a curt knock that came with years of courtesy training, Heero stormed into room, threw himself down into a chair and folded his arms across his chest, glaring at the mahogany desk before him. Quatre, having looked up in quiet shock from his work as his friend entered, blinked slowly: once, twice, and thrice.
Heero gritted his teeth and threw a disdainful look in the direction of the briefcase he still clutched in his hand. "I had another job interview today."
Heero's expression turned from one of befuddlement to one of understanding. "Oh, Heero. You were turned down again?"
Heero nodded reluctantly, the hotter side of his temper beginning to fade. He suddenly felt very tired. "Yes. This was the fifth company I've tried, Quatre! It's ridiculous! I graduated top of my class! Earned my Bachelor's in three years, and my Master's in a year! I worked for one of the top companies in the country!"
He fiercely carded his fingers through his disheveled hair. "When I finished school, I had twenty different offers to start working right away, not even needing an internship. Now…now they won't even talk to me passed glancing over my portfolio. And I know I'm worth more to a company now then when I was younger, what with eight years experience…"
Quatre sighed, "Heero…"
Heero bared his teeth as he growled. "That bitch has a far reach!"
Quatre's eyes widened. "Heero Hajime Yuy, I've never heard you use such language, nor sound so vindictive. You shouldn't let yourself grow bitter. It will just mean Relena wins the war between you."
Heero's face softened at the gentle reprimand and he reluctantly nodded. "You're right, you're right. I'm sorry to come in here in such a huff. I…I just…I can't survive on temp jobs forever. Temporary positions as tech specialist, short repair and programming jobs," he made a face, "Monitoring the computer labs in schools. That kind of work isn't for me, Quatre."
"You know my original offer still stands, Heero. I can still find you a place in my company."
Heero snorted derisively, shaking his head. "You and I both know that your New York office is overstaffed as it is." He narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Sometimes you're too damn kind-hearted for your own good."
"Well, some of us have to be," he smiled, "Feeling better now?"
Heero sighed, rolling back his neck to relieve sore muscles there. "Yes, yes. Thank you for letting me vent."
"Any time. What are friends for otherwise?"
Heero managed a dry, small smile. "So, how about you? How is the youth center project going?"
"It's going." Quatre paused for a moment; the look in his eyes a strange mixture of amusement and bemusement that Heero could not understand. "Duo set up a meeting for me with his architect friend."
"Hmm…" was Heero's noncommittal reply, as he himself remembered his first meeting just a few days before with Trowa Barton. An interesting if quiet character, as much an opposite of Duo's open charisma as Quatre was to Heero's standoffish, silent nature. "Well," he leaned back in his chair with an uncharacteristic grin, "I have nothing but time on my hands."
Quatre eyed him wryly over the packet of papers he held in his hand. "Some of us have work to accomplish," he replied dryly.
"Some of us are workaholics."
"If you insist on interfering with my work, at least treat me to lunch."
Heero blinked. "Lunch?"
"Yes. I'd do anything to get out of this office."
"Lunch it is then."
xxx
"Duo!"
To say Duo was startled to hear the enraged bellow that resounded through his apartment would be the understatement of the year, especially as he recognized the shout as coming from his usually quiet and indifferent architect friend.
Duo barely had time to turn around before Trowa came into the kitchen, his mouth thinned into a disapproving frown and brows knitted with frustration. "Duo," he said simply, his voice a low near-growl.
"Trowa." His nerves were set on edge by the unnatural anger radiating from his buddy, especially with the strange way Trowa continued to glance at the set of kitchen knives in the corner.
"Do you remember how you kept blathering on and on about how great an opportunity you found me?"
"Umm…yes…?"
"And how fantastic the job would be? That I would be a fool to pass it up?"
"Err…uh-huh."
"You were right."
Duo felt like falling over with relief. "I was right? You got the job then?"
"Yeah, I got the job."
"Then why are you so pissed off?"
Trowa leveled a hard, flat-eyed stare in Duo's direction, and the other man's momentary relief quickly dissipated. "All you gave me was an address this morning, remember that?"
"…yeah…"
"You could have warned me about a few things: one, the fact that it was Winner Enterprises that I was interviewing for; two that it was QUATRE WINNER I was meeting with!"
Duo grinned, leaning back against the counter behind them. "Eh, so what happened? You didn't like him or something? That's a pity, since he's such a nice guy, not to mention he's one of Heero's best friends."
Trowa blinked. "He's Heero's friend?"
"Yeah."
Trowa paused a moment, seeming thoughtful. "I like Heero…"
Duo arched a brow. "I should hope so. Though I have no idea why…you two did nothing really but stare and nod at each other for nearly an hour."
"The communication of the quiet ones."
"Ah."
Trowa rubbed the back of his neck, regarding his friend clearly for the first time since coming into the apartment. He could not stop a small smile as he got as he spotted the apron around Duo's waist, the phrase Kiss the Cook printed above an animated bulldog wearing a chef hat with a spatula between its teeth. "Nice apron."
Duo glanced down at the object of attention and grinned, turning around to peek into the oven. "Thanks. It was a gift from Hilde last Christmas."
"She certainly knows how to match your taste." Trowa inhaled deeply as he caught a whiff of what was in the oven, the sweet aroma of baking crust and sugary apples filling his nose. "Your famous apple pie?"
"Yep. Hmm…maybe half an hour more." Duo shut the oven and straightened, grinning up at his friend.
"Who's it for?"
"Heero."
"I'm jealous. That pie is fantastic."
Duo winked at him. "Well, you know there isn't a man alive that can resist my apple pie. Sister Helen saw the gift of cooking hands in me and chose to pass on her secret recipe."
"That was because you were the only one of us that didn't burn water."
"Details, details." Duo waved his hand dismissively.
"Hmm…you know, Duo, a piece of that pie would be good leverage to getting my forgiveness in sending me blind into Warner territory."
"You suck at manipulation, you know that? The pie's for Heero. You got a job, didn't you? So what's the problem that you're trying to guilt trip me with pie?"
Trowa sighed. "You could have warned me about him."
"Who?"
"Mr. Winner."
"What about him?"
Trowa rubbed the back of his neck, sighing heavily. "He's pretty easy on the eyes."
Duo grinned cheekily. "Oh, come on, admit it. You liked him."
"Alright. I'll admit it. He's gorgeous."
"So, why are you cursing me, and not thanking me?"
"He might be a distraction."
Duo shrugged, bending down to pull the pie from the oven. "Yeah, yeah. Stop whining, do your job, and enjoy the view."
"Tactful as ever, Duo."
"Of course."
Trowa watched as he set the pie down to cool, pulling off his oven mitts and loosening his apron. "I'll make you a deal, Duo."
"What's that?"
"You give me some coffee and pie and I won't tell that boyfriend of yours about your first kiss."
Duo flushed. "Damn it, Tro. We were thirteen! That's blackmail!"
Trowa said nothing, watching him fluster, his lips curled into a smirk. Finally, Duo sighed, holding up his hands in defeat. "Coffee and pie?"
"Coffee and pie."
