Flight of the Bumblebee
Part Eleven
Role Models

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Gundam Wing.

Warnings: Shounen Ai, sap, cute Harry--oh, that's normal. Nevermind.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5x6

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, everyone! Work just about killed me. I'm also planning a move in a little while, so my life is, well, insane. And then some. I'll try to update more often and more regularily, but I make no promises. This chapter has been beta'd (Thank to Tempest Rose. Thank you muchly!).

This chapter is dedicated to Reader in the Corner for pointing out a rather terrible lapse of my (admittdly short) attention.

To Reader in the Corner: Thank you for pointing out that flub in the last chapter. I can't believe I hadn't noticed it! I could have kicked myself. But it's fixed now and I give you a special shout-out!

To oOMomoOo: Sorry for the wait. Real life sucks. One of these days I'll just be a professional liar--I mean, writer. Lol.

To Dark Goddess of Fiery Tempers: Not sure if I made the deadline (doubtful, and I'm sorry), but I hope this gives you an outlet. I'm glad yout hink this is really good. It makes me happy. Preens.

To Summercloud: I wrote this with the idea in mind that some people wouldn't have any idea what Gundam Wing was when they read it (and some truely don't), much of the exposition is necessary. As for Harry's age, I know a lot of nine-year-olds that want cuddled and held. Some are boys, too. I was surprised, but kids of all ages like snuggled. And since Harry was abused, he will be a bit of a paradox. He had to grow up in some ways, but had his growth stunted in others.

To Lunan: I am truely honored. bows.

To Everyone: It seems like most everyone likes the story. I'm glad for that! I know several people have pointed out that Harry seems to act young for his age, but he was emotionally stunted by the abuse, and nine-year-olds are still pretty cuddly. I deal with them on a semi-regular basis. They liked picked up and swing around and played with, and they like cuddled and read to. I swear I'm not making it up. I was shocked to discover that because I don't remember being that way, though I supposed I probably was. In any case, I promise to try and update more often, and I'm sorry I dropped off the face of the planet for two months or so.

But I do ask for a last favor. . .
Enjoy chapter eleven!
oOooOo

Harry was quiet for lunch and the trip home, listening to the pilots babble about what they'd been doing over the past few weeks. He was still unsure of his place, with all these people. Trowa had been kind to him, and Quatre had been the same, but what if the rest of these people didn't like him? What if Trowa decided he just wanted to live with his friends and not Harry?

The boy nibbled his thumb, staring at the back of his cousin's seat nervously. What would he do if Trowa decided not to keep him? Where would he go? Would Trowa bother taking him somewhere or would he just end up on the side of the road like he'd seen puppies and kittens sometimes?

"Oi, green eyes!" Duo's voice made him start, and he stared at the violet-eyed pilot somewhat uncertainly.

"Y-yeah?"

"You look like you got some serious thinking going on in there," The braided teen tapped Harry's forehead gently. After lunch, Duo and Hiiro had climbed into the back and given Wu Fei and Zechs the middle seats. "Everything all right?"

Harry flinched. He still wasn't used to people like Duo, who had a tendency to be loud and brash. Duo gave him a gentle smile. "I'm fine," Harry whispered, not looking the teen in the eyes.

"If you say so, kid," Duo grinned over Harry's head to his lover. "Hey, Hee-chan. You and Harry are alike, why don't you see if you can pry it out of him?"

"There is no reason to." Hiiro's voice was oddly flat, and Harry looked at the Japanese youth sharply, surprised. "When he wishes for you to know, he will tell you. Right, Harry?"

Harry nodded, still looking at Hiiro, head tilted slightly. "Why did you help me in the spaceport?"

Prussian blue eyes blinked. "What do you mean?"

"No one else stopped to look at me, or help me, or anything. But why did you?" Harry wondered if Hiiro would hit him for asking a question, like the Dursleys used to.

Hiiro dropped a heavy hand on Harry's head, ignoring the tension as Harry waited for pain. "Why would I not?" Hiiro's voice was gentle. "You deserve someone to help you as much as anyone else does. So I gave what I could."

Hiiro's hand was warm and gentle, comforting. Harry sighed softly as it slid down his face, Hiiro's thumb brushing gently over his cheek. "We're always going to be there for you, Harry. Trust us on that, all right?"

Harry eyed him for a moment, then, finally, nodded. Maybe he wouldn't be sent back after all. Giving a contented smile, he leaned against Hiiro and rode the rest of the way in silence.
oOooOo

When they got home, Harry followed the pilots into the house and up the stairs, flitting from room to room to watch them put away their things. Wu Fei finally gave a soft sigh and plopped Harry on the bed. "You clearly have a lot of questions in that head of yours," Wu Fei teased gently. "Why don't you share them with me?"

"I'm not allowed." Harry watched him move around the room, placing things on the shelves. Once their suitcases were empty, the two sat next to Harry to look around. Wu Fei stopped for a moment, doing a double take once his eyes fell on the small shrine in the corner with the heavy, dragon statue sitting in the place of honor.

Dark eyes roved the statue, and Wu Fei did a double take. "Oh. . . Quatre, you didn't." Wu Fei breathed, moving to kneel in front of the shrine. Hesitant, trembling hands caressed the statue. "How did you find it?"

"Mr. Wu Fei?" Harry sat next to the man, looking concerned. "Are you okay?"

"It was a surprise to see this dragon here," Wu Fei explained. "My clan sold it at the beginning of the war to fund. . . well. . . never mind. They sold it at the beginning of the war. I never thought I would see it again. It is one of the few things I have of my clan."

Harry nodded, not understanding. "You're thinking of questions again," Wu Fei tapped the child's nose. "You may always share them with me."

Harry thought for a moment. "You said it was one of the few things you had of your clan?"

"My clan. . . died two years ago, to avoid problems with the government then. They destructed the colony they lived on."

"They killed themselves?" Harry gasped.

"It is an honorable death, in my culture," Wu Fei explained, wrapping an arm around the horrified child's waist. "Something like that saying, 'Death before dishonor' in English."

Harry wasn't sure what to think of that, but he nodded anyway and let Wu Fei continue to hold him. It seemed to make the teen feel better, and Harry liked it when people hugged him and held him. Like they actually wanted him. "So. . . what was so surprising about finding the statue?"

"Quatre must have bought it. But it's worth a lot of money. I'm not sure where he found it, actually."

"Quatre knows lots of people," Harry told the Chinese teen with all the conviction a nine year old could muster. "He must have gotten it from one of them."

"I will have to ask." Wu Fei smiled. "Come. That's enough reminiscing for one day, I think. Come on, let's head on downstairs. Duo and Hiiro are likely to be done. Knowing Duo, he'll be driving everyone else crazy while they wait on us."

"Okay!" Harry stood, heading toward the door where Zechs was kneeling. "What are you doing?"

"You want to ride pig-a-back?" Zechs asked. Harry's eyes lit up.

"Yeah!" Vernon used to carry Dudley like that, and Trowa had done it once or twice, but Harry wasn't used to people actually wanting to carry him. Vernon always got upset when Harry asked, because no one wanted to touch Harry and the child didn't deserve to be carried anywhere. He was supposed to walk and pretend he wasn't part of the family.

Zechs settled Harry carefully and skipped part of the way down the hall, leaving Harry cheering in delight. Thin arms wrapped around Zechs' neck, and Harry snuggled his cheek against the man's back. "Thank you, Mr. Zechs."

"Just Zechs, remember green eyes?" Zechs' voice was affectionate and warm. Something Harry wasn't at all used to. Harry nodded and smiled, resting his head against Zechs' back again. Wu Fei smiled at the content look on the child's face. Zechs bounded cheerfully down the stairs, and Harry lifted his head to laugh more, and then spit a little as he nearly ate Zechs' hair.

"What took you so long?" Duo demanded, grabbing Harry off Zechs' back and swinging him around. Harry squealed and flailed when Duo tossed him, clinging like a limpet when he was caught gently.

"Don't drop me, Mr. Duo! I didn't mean to make you mad," Harry whimpered, and grabbed Duo's shirt. Harry knew he'd likely be punished, but he couldn't help it. Vernon had tossed him once, like he often tossed Dudley, but he hadn't bothered to catch him. Just let him fall to the ground. It had really hurt, too, because Harry had really thought his Uncle would catch him.

"It's all right, I was just playing." Duo hugged him, pressing a kiss to the child's temple. "I'm not at all angry, and I'm never ever going to drop you."

"You won't let me get hurt?"

"Not if I can help it," Duo murmured, soothing Harry before putting him down. "All right?"

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye!" Duo winked.

"Ew!" Harry made a disgusted face. "That's so nasty!"

Duo tossed his head slightly, grinning. "Whatever."

"So what are we doing now?" Harry turned to his cousin. "Are we going to play? Can we go outside?"

"Not yet. Trowa and I want to catch up with the others, and we have something more to tell you. We were waiting until we were all together, but now that we are, you need to hear it." Quatre caught Harry's hand and led him to the den. "Then we can play."

"Okay," Harry agreed, reaching for Trowa's hand to. He looked startled when his hand closed around one that couldn't have been Trowa's, even though it was where Trowa had last been standing. The hand was too small to be Trowa's, and the calluses were in the wrong places. Harry paled, turning to see who he'd accidentally grabbed. Level blue eyes met him, and Harry shrank away from Hiiro, starting to release his hand. "I--I'm sorry."

Hiiro's hand tightened around his, and the man smiled at him. "You're fine."

"You're not mad?" It made Hiiro angry, the way Harry was so unsure about everything he did. As though no one could possible want his touch, or want him to be around. The way he automatically assumed that people wouldn't have him to be part of things.

"I am not mad, no," Hiiro murmured, wrapping an arm around the child and lifting him easily. "Why would I be?"

"Aunt Petunia didn't like it when I held her hand. She thought people might think we knew each other."

"I want people to know we know each other," Hiiro told him, smiling when Harry threw his arms around his new "brother" in a giant hug. Hiiro smiled, laughing a little, and Duo glanced at Harry with a thoughtful look on his face. It seemed as though having Harry around would benefit them all, not just Harry. The child's innocence helped make everything they'd done seem worth the price they'd paid for it.

"What were you going to tell me?" Harry curled up next to Trowa, head in his cousin's lap. "Are you sending me back because I'm bad?"

"Oh Harry, no," Trowa rubbed Harry's back. "Never ever. This actually has to do with me. Well, my friends and me. Do you remember when you were telling us about the mobile suits Lance was bringing to school?"

"The Gundams?" Harry nodded. "They were really, really cool! We pretended to be the pilots of them, because the pilots have to be totally awesome!"

"Good. You remember their names?"

"Yeah. Ali's favorite is Sandrock, and I like to play with Heavyarms and Wing, and Lance likes the Altron one, and Ali plays with Deathscythe lots, too, because Lance always wants to be Tallgeese." Harry grinned. "We we get to pretend we have lots of explosions and beat up the bad guys!"

"Good. Have you ever thought about who pilots the Gundams?"

"Kind of. They'd have to be really cool and Lance said the pilots are awesome because no one could beat them!"

"I don't know about that," Zechs muttered, but Wu Fei nudged him, making him fall silent.

"So, what does me playing with toys have to do with anything?" Harry glanced at Trowa.

"You're quite smart," Trowa praised. "You see, it's important because I'm going to tell you a secret that you can't tell anyone else unless we say it's okay. Not even Lance and Ali. Do you understand?"

"I won't tell! I'm good at not telling," Harry put his elbows on Trowa's lap to lean upwards. "So tell! Please?"

Trowa leaned close to whisper to Harry. "We're the Gundam Pilots."

Green eyes grew wide. "Really?"

Trowa nodded, smiling and pointed to each pilot in turn, giving Harry their numbers and which Gundam they piloted. Harry took it all in with wide eyes. "Wow," he breathed, twisting to stare at each of them in turn. "Lance says you're the best pilots ever. And Lance knows all about you. He said his mom even met one of you, once."

"What's Lance's name, then?" Duo wondered.

"Oh, it's Lancelot Noventa, but we never call him that." Harry grinned. "Mrs. Noventa is really nice, too. She said the Gundam pilot she met was very nice and that he's a hero."

Duo snickered into one hand. "He's a Hiiro, all right."

Harry gave him a blank look.

"She met Hiiro," Duo explained. "A long time ago. Hiiro made a mistake and was apologizing for it the only way he knew how." There was no reason to tell Harry Hiiro had told the woman to shoot him. He didn't need to to know that.

"Oh, so he's a hero because he's Hiiro!" Harry giggled. "You're funny, Mr. Duo."

"First time he's heard that, I bet," Wu Fei snickered.

"Hey!" Duo crossed his arms. "I'll have you know I'm quite funny!"

"In the head," Quatre joined in, winking at Harry who giggled harder.

"What's Ali's name, then?" Zechs found himself asking.

"Ali? Oh, he's Alistar Septum."

If Hiiro had been drinking anything, he would have done a spit-take. As it was, he did manage to choke on his own saliva and ended up half coughing up a lung. "What?" He squeaked out.

"Alistar Septum," Harry repeated patiently. "He's really nice, but I don't think Mr. Septum is. He grabbed Ali really hard last week, but he was at school the next day, so he must have been all right."

"Septum had spawn?" Duo coughed. "Oh, man. . ."

"Ali's really nice," Harry protested.

"Oh, I'm sure he is. It's just, we knew his grandfather during the war and. . . we didn't get on very well," Duo shrugged. "He was kind of. . ."

"Annoying." Zechs filled in. "But if you say Ali is nice, I'm sure we'll like him."

Harry nodded emphatically and squirmed a little. His new family was so much fun!
oOooOo

After a little more time chatting, Harry decided he was bored and asked to go outside. Trowa nodded his agreement, and Harry quickly pulled on his coat and gloves, rushing outside. Quatre grabbed him before he got out the door and forced his hat on, then smiled and waved him away. Harry grinned and rushed to the playground in the backyard, going wild for a while before he plopped on the swing.

He was. . . lonely.

Not like when he was lonely at the Dursleys, because he knew he had a family that loved him and friends at school, but he was outside, all by himself, and he was lonely. Dejectedly, Harry pumped his legs a little at the swing. He had gotten used to having playmates, and now he wanted one. He should want anything; because he didn't deserve anything, but people had been giving him their time like it was nothing. Like he deserved it.

And now he wanted it and he wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't used to feeling like this.

Hands suddenly wrapped around the swing chain, and Harry tensed. "Penny for your thoughts?" Duo asked, leaning against the chains to set the swing in motion. Harry leaned into the movement, shrugging a little bit. "I know there's something in there, green eyes," Duo told him softly, leaning down to press a kiss to his hair.

"How?"

"Trowa might be able to hide his thoughts, but yours show up in your eyes, kiddo." Duo smiled at him. Harry knew because he'd stretched his head back to see it. "So, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm lonely," Harry whispered, chewing his lip. Maybe Duo wouldn't mind Harry confiding in him? "Trowa's kept me, but I'm lonely." Harry struggled to give explanations to feelings he didn't understand and thoughts he didn't have words to describe.

"Are you lonely because you think no one wants you, or because you're out here by yourself?" Duo slid down the chain to hug the child. He knew Harry had started at the question, and smiled gently.

"Because I was out here alone."

"You want someone to play with," Duo chuckled. "That's all right. You want me to push you on the swing?"

"I don't know. I shouldn't want that," Harry's brows furrowed. "Because. . . because it'll go away and then it'll hurt, and I don't want to be lonely after you leave."

"It?"

"This. Trowa. And then it'll hurt."

"Trowa isn't going to go anywhere. Not if he has any say in the matter," Duo moved to face Harry, squatting so they were at eye-level. "And the rest of us aren't going anywhere either. So you don't have to worry about being lonely. We'll be here for you."

"But what if you decide you don't want to?"

"We won't decide that. And we'll do whatever it takes to prove it." Duo's eyes were level and serious. "Understand? You could set the house on fire and we'd still keep you. Not that I recommend that, but you get the idea."

Harry averted his eyes and nodded. Duo could tell the child still didn't believe him, but he also knew better than to push the issue. Harry would simply have to learn for himself. "Now," Duo's tone turned light. "How about that push?"

That earned a smile from Harry, though it was small. "All right."

Duo rose and pushed easily at the swing, giving in to Harry's demands to be pushed higher and higher. It was sad that Harry wouldn't believe that he was wanted there, and that all of them wanted him, not just Trowa--and Quatre, by proxy--but he was willing to wait it out. Willing to do for Harry what no one but the other pilots had ever done from him. As long as it would take for Harry to realize he was welcome there. That he was part of their family. Duo would wait.
oOooOo

When Harry and Duo tromped inside, Quatre sent them up for warm, dry clothes and had hot chocolate waiting when they re-appeared. Harry grinned at Quatre, taking the mug, then heading into the kitchen where Hiiro was cooking. Harry watched him move easily around the kitchen, handling knives as though he'd been doing it his entire life. Which, knowing Hiiro, he probably had.

Hiiro turned to see big, green eyes on him and hid a small smile, deciding to put on a little show for his curious little guest. Harry gasped, first in startled fear, then in delight as the knives became silver blurs in Hiiro's hands while they flipped and slid and danced while Hiiro worked. "Oh," He breathed, grinning when Hiiro winked at him.

"Would you like to help?"

"I would ruin it," Harry whispered.

"Nonsense. I will teach you." Hiiro's firm tone made Harry wonder if he could taught. Hiiro sounded as though he could, but Harry wasn't sure if he really believed him "Come on."

Harry jumped off his stool and timidly approached Hiiro. "What do I do?"

"For now?" Hiiro smiled. "Just chop the carrots. "I'll teach the fancy stuff when you've got the basics down, okay?"

"You think I can learn it?"

"Of course."

Harry nodded and went to chopping carrots under Hiiro's mindful eye. He loved to cook, and Trowa had said Hiiro did too, so maybe Hiiro would know. "The Dursleys didn't think so."

"The Dursleys are pigs." Hiiro didn't look up from his work, but Harry knew the intense teenager was paying attention. "I wouldn't hold their opinion for anything. It's worthless."

"But. . . everyone else seemed to think I was bad, too."

"Then they are also idiots." Hiiro snorted and tossed the onions into the pan, followed by the carrots Harry had cut. "You did a very good job. Very even and thinly sliced. I like that."

A low whistle made Harry tense. "It takes a lot to get a compliment from him," Zechs grinned. "You must have cut them perfectly! Good job."

"He is very good at it," Hiiro agreed. "Now get out of my kitchen. I remember the last time I let you dice anything."

"Yeah, you nearly lost a finger," Duo chuckled, snagging the back of Zechs' jacket. "Now give Hee-chan and green eyes a little bonding time. Oh, Hiiro, Q-bean says that if you let Harry use a knife, he'd better be supervised. He also says that if Harry loses any fingers he'll feed you to Cathy's lions." Duo gave a cheerful wave and left, Zechs in tow.

Hiiro and Harry blinked. "Who's Cathy?"

"Trowa's adopted sister." Hiiro returned to the vegetables. Harry nodded, remembering Trowa mentioning her several times, and grinned up at Hiiro.

"Does this mean I can learn a knife trick?"

"Not with real ones. I'll have some fake ones made for you, first," Hiiro ruffled his hair. "But you can help me more." Hiiro held up a bag of rice, and Harry eagerly went to help.

Hiiro was delighted to find Harry a good, competent helper in the kitchen, and Harry was delighted to be in there. "I love to cook," He told Hiiro. "Aunt Petunia always said she made the meals, so people told her they were good, but I knew I made them, so they were really complementing me. It made me happy."

"I'm glad for that," Hiiro stirred the stir-fry a little and started handing Harry plates and glasses, forgetting for a moment he was working with a mal-nourished nine-year old child and handed him one too many plates. The heavy stack slipped from Harry's small hands, crashing to the hard floor. The bottom three plates practically exploded from the force of the drop while two more broke. The top two had several chips, but were still good.

Hiiro winced. Quatre was going to kill him.

Harry gave a pathetic sniffle. "I'm sorry!"

"Are you hurt?" Hiiro stepped around the shards, feeling a few dig into his ankles uncomfortably.

"N-no," Harry sniffled. "But I broke all the plates."

"Believe me when I tell you that was not fine china," Hiiro soothed, checking Harry over for himself before washing his own cuts with soap and water. They could be dealt with later, since they were clean and had stopped bleeding. Hiiro lifted Harry out of the mess, setting him on a barstool just as Quatre and the others rushed in.

"Are you all right? I heard a crash!" Quatre saw the pile of dishes to late and Hiiro grabbed him off the ground before the teen could cut his bare feet on the broken ceramic.

"Shoes," Hiiro ordered, handing Quatre to Trowa. "I will handle this."

Trowa looked at Harry, who was crying softly, then nodded to Hiiro. It would be best for Hiiro to handle this, to prove to Harry that they could all be trusted. Hiiro nodded in reply, and gathered Harry in his arms. "It's all right, green eyes," Hiiro soothed.

Harry wiped his eyes. "But I dropped the plates."

"Did you do it on purpose?"

Harry shook his head rapidly, the wild strands tickling Hiiro's chin. "No!"

"And you are not in trouble. Accidents happen, Harry. Just like it was an accident that you got lost this morning. I handed you too many plates. The fault is mine. I'm just glad you're not hurt."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. Next time, just tell me when something is too heavy. I'm very strong, Harry; sometimes I forget that not everyone can hold what I can, all right?"

"But I'm not supposed to complain."

"You won't be. Knowing your own limits is important, all right?" Hiiro smiled at him. "You were afraid I'd be angry if you said something, and you were afraid I'd be angry if you dropped the plates. But I'm not angry you dropped the plates, and I won't be angry if you tell me you aren't capable of doing something. If you don't know how, I'll teach you. If you simply can't, then you can trust me to help, all right?"

Harry nodded and scuffed at his eyes, wiping away his tears. "Can I still help you cook?"

"Of course. You're a wonderful helper." Hiiro pressed a kiss to the boy's forehead. "Now then, I'll get the broom. Will you hold the dustpan? And then I'll run a mop over the floor and you can stir the food, all right?"

"You promise you aren't mad?" Harry clung more tightly to the small teen.

"I promise." Hiiro let him cling, standing and carrying Harry to the closet. "Will you help me clean it up? Since I suppose we're both to blame?" He smiled gently and Harry gave a shy nod, taking the offered dustpan and following him toward the pile and watching Hiiro trash the worst of it before sweeping it up. Harry continued to watch as he stirred, awed at the efficiency that Hiiro worked with.

"You're fast," Harry commented, and Hiiro smiled, and got out even more plates, handing half the stack to Harry and setting the rest on the counter.

"Take several trips," Hiiro told him, setting down glasses as well, and telling Harry to get cutlery from the drawer. Harry nodded and finished setting the table as Hiiro finished supper. "We make an excellent team." Hiiro ruffled his hair.

Harry started and stared at him, eyes brimming with emotions. Hiiro offered a gentle smile. "Get the others, please."

Harry started at Hiiro a moment longer, and then hurried off, calling for Trowa. "Hiiro said we made a good team!" Harry threw himself at his cousin's legs. "But Hiiro cleaned up the plates. You're not mad, are you? I didn't mean to drop them, and. . . and Hiiro said it was okay because it was just an accident. I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean to break the plates. And. . . and you won't be mad with Hiiro, right? For telling me it was okay because it was an accident? I mean, I know I'm bad but. . . but. . . Hiiro said it was an accident and--"

"Harry, it was an accident," Trowa stopped the fall of words, gently touching a finger to Harry's lips. "Remember what Quatre and I said about accidents? They happen. It's okay. I'm not upset either."

"Promise?" Harry unburied his face from Trowa's stomach and looked up to meet his cousin's green eyes. The sight of Trowa's eyes were comforting to Harry. It was something that connected them.

"Promise." Trowa took Harry's hand, calling the others to dinner and headed for the kitchen. Harry followed closely behind him, and blinked at the tasty looking dish on the table.

"We made that?" Harry smelled it, mouth watering. "Can I have some, too?" He knew he wasn't allowed to eat much, but maybe he wouldn't have to have dry toast, even though there were lots of people there. Maybe he'd be allowed to have some of the food he and Hiiro had made.

"This isn't the Dursleys, Harry," Trowa reminded him. "I'm not going to make you go hungry."

Harry slid into the seat Trowa indicated, watching as they served themselves, and Trowa put some of the stir-fry on Harry's plate. He looked uncertain for a moment, but after Hiiro took his first bite--the chef always started first in Quatre's house--then the others dug in. Harry quickly followed, savoring the taste. "It's good!"

"Harry did very well," Hiiro complimented. "If it is all right with you, Trowa, I wish to teach him some of my tricks."

Trowa rolled his eyes. "What the hell? Cathy'll teach them to him anyway. Just don't start with real knives."

Hiiro snorted. "Like I would."

"Have to say it. I am his cousin, after all."

Harry giggled a little and Wu Fei leaned toward him. "Just wait. I bet it gets worse. Trowa's over protective."

"I am not!" Trowa tossed a piece of carrot at Wu Fei, who caught it in his mouth.

"Yum. Thanks."

"Hey! Give me some!" Duo opened his mouth, waiting for Trowa to toss him a piece. Trowa ignored him, but Quatre obliged, and Trowa silently mourned Harry's guaranteed loss of table manners. Harry looked like he wanted to join in, and Trowa finally gave in, tossing a bit of broccoli his way. Harry managed to catch it, and Trowa grinned, miming for Harry to attempt to toss some.

He landed short, but Quatre just shrugged and grabbed it, happily munching it down. "That is quite good."

Harry looked unsure, but Trowa shrugged. "We're still teenagers, Harry. Our rules are bound to be as unconventional as our family. But, just like our family, they'll all work out in the end."

Harry considered that, and nodded. Maybe Trowa was right about that. Maybe Harry finally had a chance to have a family. Maybe Trowa wouldn't send him back even if his friends didn't like him. But, and Harry wished harder for his last thought than another other than night, but maybe, just maybe, the others would love him and want him, too.
oOooOo