Sorry I haven't been updating. ^^' I've been so lazy lately. I'm actually a bit worried about going forward. I'm paranoid that I missed something or forgot something...ech, I don't know...I think it's going swimmingly...do you? -_0

Chapter 37: Coming Together

"The pictures we took last year should be...right here," Naibun said as she folded open the photo album. Within it's pages were groups of people dressed to the nines! Not fancy, but freaky.

"Whoa!" Duo said as he examined all the page had to offer. "Where did you say this was again?"

"Harajuku. It's a small district in Shibuya, Tokyo. I think we were just sight seeing, there wasn't any convention at this time."

"This kicks ass!" Duo exclaimed and flipped though the images.

"These people are so colorful," Quatre admired the shots.

"We need to go here-and you cut all your hair off?!" Duo noticed a shot with her with waist length hair. "...or is it a wig?" he squinted at the photo.

"Nope. That was all mine." Naibun flipped the chin length section of hair framing her face. "I had to chop it off," she said with a hint of sadness. "I couldn't swim with all that on my head. It really slowed me down."

"Fair enough," Duo said, mirroring her hint of sadness.

"She donated it to a friend and it's been made into a wig. So it's not gone, it lives on," Kinsei assured him. Surprisingly, it did cheer him back up.

The guests began to show up shortly after. Everyone took solace in the uneasy peace that had been reached. Missy was to keep the conversation 'party friendly' and Quatre was to remain 'plain ol' friendly'. It helped somewhat that he finally gave in to the sake he sister carted out. "Kempai," he declared from within the circle of fringe friends from shared classes.

When it came down to it, Quatre was quite the social butterfly. He received a compliment on the behavior by Heero. "This-" he said, referring to himself, "-this is years of practice. You wouldn't believe the soiree's I've been to with the rest of the family and dozens of office parties as well. I don't know why I was worried, this is nothing," he said and placed his empty glass in front of Heero.

Shauna laid down an empty drink tray close by and retrieved the glass. "I'll say. And I'll also say: I'd much prefer this crowd to family gatherings."

Quatre nodded, agreeing with her.

"Problem relatives?" Heero queried.

"Nah," Quatre said and took his glass back, "There's a lot of us. It gets really crowded."

"There's lots of kids too," Shauna said and put the glass on the tray once again. "It get's really obnoxious after the first few hours," she said with insinuation.

"Hypocrite." Quatre shared a stare with his sister as they both held a side of the glass with a finger over the rim.

Heero quickly handed him a bottle of water from the bar that ended up being carted downstairs. "I'll mix the next one for you," he said, diffusing the disagreement.

Quatre paused and ceased giving his sister the evil eye. He took up the bottle. "Fine," he said and took leave.

Missy came back around. She was mixing with Heero, but also keeping a bit of distance between her and Quatre. The look on his face when she and the other two girls came in said it all: Displeased. "How many has that been?" she asked. Though she wasn't supposed to be intervening, if he was at a point he should stop, she was going to get someone to suggest it to him.

"He's had four," he said with certainty.

"That's quite a bit."

"He started around noon."

"That's...concerning."

"Not really."

"Does Quatre drink often?" she asked while eying him in her peripheral vision. He was chatting up some of the band members who had just arrived.

"No. He's not a fan."

"Ahh, a red flag."

"Excuse me?" He was hoping she wasn't insinuating he had a drinking problem. Whether or not if she had been down that road before or not, it was yet another harsh diagnosis.

"It's means that a certain behavior needs to be carefully watched."

"No disrespect, but drinking during the day doesn't count as a drinking problem. The same with Duo, just because he's lost weight doesn't make him anorexic." Heero felt the sting of the insinuations. He also recalled Trowa's warning about how he was the only one who wanted her here. He was starting to see why.

"All I'm implying is that if that attitude keeps up, it can lead to some really nasty habits. Once in a while we're all entitled to to let loose; it's when it starts being habitual that it becomes a problem. Watch him, that's all. And about Duo, update: Situationally induced anorexia."

"Meaning?"

"He's having a hard time buying food."

He looked at Duo sporting a drink now instead of the joint. From what he'd observed, he was indeed eating fine. "He's getting funded to go back to school, and on top of that, he's not paying rent. How can he not afford food?"

"Debt, I believe. He's also spending money without realizing it." She quickly explained the events that took place at the little corner shop. "Chances are, he's done it more than once. And corner store snacks will definitely put a dent in your budget."

"That seems a bit extreme." Heero was baffled. "Is that even possible? That's..." he counted in his head, "...at least four blocks. You're telling me he walked the whole way in his sleep?"

"That's right. I take it you didn't know he was a sleep walker." Missy hoped she'd have more luck with Heero regarding his friend's sleep patterns.

"No. Then again," he said and explained the night before last. "Hmm...come to think of it, if he's got the energy to put someone in a head lock for six hours, I guess a walk to the store isn't really that out of the question."

"Exactly," Missy said.

"What, exactly?" said Quatre's unamused voice.

"Settle. We weren't talking about you," Heero assured him.

"I said none of this tonight. I'm having fun," he said pointed a finger in Missy's direction.

"I was was only asking if Duo sleep walks. That's all."

Quatre looked at her funny, "Why do you care abou-you know what," he said and shared something he remembered.

In chemistry class, Duo had dozed off in the seat next to Quatre. The rest of the class was attending to their own individual assignments and the teacher had stepped out for a moment. That was more than enough time and silence to let Duo conk out. Quatre tried to wake his friend. "She's going to be cross with you, come on, get up," he said and gently jostled him to a waking state.

"I can't," he said in a drone, "They're stuck together. I don't wanna' lose anything, but they won't fit." This meaningless statement was followed up by an awkwardly weighted hug.

"Uh, hey? Hang on." Quatre was able to squeeze out of the death-god-grip and cleverly pawn him off on the classroom homunculus. It started to lean slightly. The guy held on for a solid five minutes before gravity brought the whole ordeal down."Are you okay?" he asked his friend on the floor.

Duo quickly picked himself and the model up, brushing both off. "And I don't want to hear any more smart-alec, backtalk from you." He played it up like he was roughing up the science equipment. "Can you believe this guy?" Duo comically asked Quatre as he pretended like it was meant to happen like that."The nerve." he said and hooked a thumb toward the learning aid. He went back to his seat and immediately fell asleep again.

"I thought he was joking, but do you think it could be-" Quatre pondered and paused in though, "No! I'm breaking my own rule. Not tonight," he said and waved the notion away.

"What are we talking about?" Duo had come up from behind when he noticed Quatre and Missy not butting heads, but rather, talking calmly.

"You," Quatre said without a hitch.

He gave them a smile. "...anything good?"

"Apparently, you sleep walk," Quatre followed up.

"That's news to me," he said.

"Tell you what," Quatre was in the mood to barter, "If Duo finishes his file for you, I'll give Missy here what I removed from mine."

"Why do I gotta' go first," Duo wined.

This confused him. "What? Why does it matter?"

"I wanna' go second...it's a thing," he assured them.

"O-okay then," Quatre corrected his stipulation, "Someone goes first, then Duo and finally, myself. And Heero, you don't count." Quatre was drunk, not stupid.

"Alright," Heero said with a devious smirk. He'd have no problem disclosing information, so his testimony wouldn't count.

All but Quatre looked at Trowa passing by; since Wufei was MIA, he was the only other possibility at the time. Trowa only held up a finger, signaling he needed a moment. He was doing a shot with the culinary class and wanted to attend to that first.

"He's not going to say anything the whole night, is he?" Missy asked the others.

"I wouldn't count on it," Heero assured him.

"I wouldn't blame him," Quatre cattily added in.

"Snap!" Duo called Quatre's burn.

Missy could only laugh. She was outnumbered. The laughing ceased when Trowa came back over. "Oh?"

He was silent, but asked for a pen and paper by means of scribbling something invisible on his palm. He was promptly given the requested items. Seconds later, he handed Missy said paper.

"Under...Triton Bloom...and...you're afraid of owl's?" She said and looked up to him. She watched him point to a now visible scar peeking out from his newly shortened hair. "I see, past trauma. Thank you. Um, why the sudden change of heart?" she asked.

Trowa tapped Quatre's arm and motioned something to him in sign language.

Quatre translated begrudgingly, "He said: I had no way around it, and I hate being followed. My file and something personal is more than you need."

Trowa snapped his fingers and pointed them both at Duo, then walked off.

"And: You're next," Quatre said.

This shocked him. "Bu...but...that's not fair. He didn't even say anything!"

"Actions speak louder than words," Heero assured him.

"You're not helping! Bah...fine! But can we talk tomorrow? I'm all in a good mood and I kind of want it to stay that way." Duo folded his arms.

"That's fine by me," she said and turned to Quatre, who was getting up to leave. "Does the same apply to you?"

"Maybe," he said and made himself out of ear shot.

The night progressed without too much hassle until sundown. What with the guest list topping fifty people, it was no wonder the food was waning. Shauna swore she only invited a few people, making the rest seem like they were tag along's. She suggested they grill some fish and skewers on the barbecue to compensate for the quantity of other prepared foods. She forgot that she singed the ceiling above said apparatus.

It was too late, Quatre noticed right away. "What's wrong with the wall here?" Right above the grill, the wall didn't look quite right. No one else seemed to notice, but both Quatre and Shauna were irked by the sight of the siding.

"I'm sorry. No more drunk cooking, I swear," she said.

He paused, sighed, then looked at her, "Does that mean I can't cook now?"

She chuckled, "I'll help."

Duo was staring hard at the wall, "I don't think we're seeing the same thing."

Quatre got close and traced a finger along the skewed line. "It bubbles out a bit."

He finally saw what he was referring to. "You can hardly notice."

"True, but when you drop several thousand on residing the house, you tend to prefer it in pristine condition. It kind of feels like the ghetto back here now. Shauna, quick, scatter car parts on the lawn. It feels in-authentic."

"I don't think so," Shauna said and clicked the ignition. A large backlash shot up and mirrored the first one she encountered. "Whoa!" Fortunately, it was pulled out further this time, so no damage occurred.

Quatre and Duo went silent and stepped back from the blast.

"Looks like I don't need a drink to mess that one up," she said with a light laugh, feeling her forehead. "Praise Allah, I don't have to draw my eyebrows on again." This only made the people in close proximity laugh. "Oh, you laugh, but I had to draw them on for a month last time that happened." This statement increased the volume of laughter.

Later on. "Who wants to see my peacock?!" Quatre asked loudly.

Everything in Naibun's filter stopped her from saying 'right here!' and she opted for, "You mean a 'bird', right?"

He smirked and stated, "Of course I mean my bird! Come, meet my peacock," he said and led a large group of the girls off, he held Naibun by the elbow.

"When did Quatre morph into Hugh Hefner?" Duo asked, jesting, from the hot tub.

"When the champagne got popped," Trowa responded from alongside him. Missy was in another part of the room, his voice was safe.

Kinsei knelt down next to them and held out the sake bottle and cups. "Another round?" They all shared a drink. Since the guests were beginning to leave, Kinsei no longer was needed as a server. Naibun was still on the clock till ten, she figured she'd chill with these guys for the time being.

The girl hadn't drank before, but now seemed like a good enough time as any to give it a try. She figured she wouldn't end up getting busted because they were spending the evening there. Kinsei chatted up the two boys and gave up caring about the one hundred odd pages she needed inked for the next week. There were too many worries on her mind regarding deadlines and lack of contact with her staff. Just then, her phone rang. Looking at the name she said, "Ooh, I need to take this," and headed into the hallway where it was quieter. Karaoke had broken out and Dorothy was wailing on the microphone with some other girls. They were good, but loud.

"Moshi-moshi-Minori," she said with glee. It was her close friend, and one of many of her inkers, finally calling her.

'Hello,' his voice came over the line. He had a vague British accent that mixed into the local cadence. 'Sorry I haven't kept in touch, I left my cell phone at home and I've been crippled by speed dialing. I wanted to let you know I finished the booklets you left with me.'

"Wonderful, and no prob. How's tricks?" Her eyes bolted wide open, "You had your interview already, didn't you?!" Kinsei sounded hopeful. "How did it go? Are you in?"

'It went great, I got in...but I'm having second thoughts.'

"How so? You've been going on about this all year. Come, join me and Naibun as we traverse the sea of the bourgeoisie!" She knew Minori was dying for an opening to get into their private school's art program. Why would he be backing out now?

'I can go home if I want that; at least I won't be getting jumped there.'

"Jumped? You got jumped? By who? One of ours?" She snapped right to anger. Minori wouldn't hurt a fly! He was prone to wining like there was no tomorrow, rendering him slap-able at times; but who could have wanted to actually hurt him?

'Some blond guy and his two lackeys.'

"This fucker's going down! Describe him better. Does he go to school with us?"

'I'll do no such thing. He'll be breathing down your neck next.'

"I'm not afraid of some little punk," she said and postured with a fist on her hip.

'Kinsei, the bloke laid me up in the hospital.'

"...what?"

'He chipped my cheek bone and bruised my ribcage. No concussion, surprisingly enough. The bathroom stall even dented when he threw me against it. My feet were off the ground too; it was like something in a cartoon. I bet my eyes bulged. I'll have to remember to draw that later on.'

"Come back to me, focus," she said with a touch of annoyance.

'I can't, they've got me on a lot of pain meds.'

"You'd better be pressing charges."

'And invoke another attack? Not even. Besides, I can't risk getting you involved any more than this.'

"I'm not involved at all. Not yet, anyway."

'He flew into a rage when he saw your comic. I think he may have thought he was the one actually 'in' the story; he did bare a resemblance to the cover. At least he let me wash my hands first. A gentleman at the core, really.' His sarcasm didn't go unnoticed.

"..." Her heart sank. "...what did you say?" It couldn't be.

'Not a thing. I didn't breathe a word; I'd die before I sold you out. It was rather serendipitous that I came across it in the first place. After my interview, I headed down to the café for something to eat. I happened upon some kids trying to break into the copy room and noted your brother right away. I took it from the little bastard, post haste. I was in the process of leaving you a message on your out of town number when, I guess, I was overheard by that neanderthal. Oh, I've dubbed him 'Thor' for the time being, so you know.'

"Thor? T-that was Quatre Winner."

'No way! Are you sure?' He laughed boisterously, 'I'm definitely not pressing charges against anyone in the Winner family. I'd have to be insane! Might as well dig my grave now and get it over with.' He began triumphantly humming the death march with loud booming 'bom's'; it couldn't be seen, but he was conducting an invisible orchestra as well.

Her heart was in her throat. She saw Quatre's swollen hand earlier in the week. Was this the reason? "...that's Quatre?"

He came back to her, 'You said that already. Pretty shocking. You'd never think the hire to the Winner throne would be that bloody loony, huh?'

"We're at 'loony toon's' house right now. Bunni's here with me too." Her vision snapped upward to see, down the long hall, Quatre fencing with a peacock. He wasn't using a sword, rather a croquet mallet. Apparently the bird was a tad testy with all the guests around.

'Oooh, you're in the den of Thor,' he laughed. 'Run, dear.'

Kinsei bit her bottom lip in terror. "Don't call him that. He's got a hammer in his hand." Quatre wasn't large by any standard. The very idea that he'd do such a thing was unimaginable. "Why didn't you tell him you were only returning it?"

'Dear, Kinsei, I'm positive I'd have swallowed my tongue had he not been holding my neck as such. I was lucky to defended your dignity as diligently as I did. Lots of D's in that last one.' He was exceptionally dozy from the meds. 'I suggest you get Bunni and get out of there. It's Friday, you can go to that sandwich cart that you like so much. It'll be fun.'

"I can't! Bunni's interested in him. And from the looks of things, it's mutual."

'That's quite the pain in the ass now, isn't it?'

"Have you seen this guy? To see him, you wouldn't think he was capable of hospitalizing anything." She gave it some thought. "...well...he was a mercenary. And I am always on people from judging what's on the outside...I didn't think it would work this way."

'A mercenary? At his age? I doubt it.'

"-You don't follow the news, like, ever, do you?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow.

'It's a tad depressing.'

"Breakdown: Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei; these are the names of the five Gundam pilots. They all go to the school we're attending. Two other comics were also leaked, and both doujinshi's starred the pilots. They found them. Bunni was in the one you found. And yes, that actually was Quatre on the cover. I made it for Bunni as a gift."

'...no joke?'

"None of it!" she snipped.

In a cool and collected way, '...Bunni is interested in, and attending a party of, a violent, possibly shell shocked, young man who could very well be thinking she's some sort of sexual deviant who's objectifying him...Kinsei, I still suggest leaving.'

"You know, you could start sounding a little more enthusiastic."

'I can't, they've given me Valium. Even in this, our darkest moment, everything is rather lovely. But Kinsei, focus, Bunni, she needs to know.'

"It'll break her little heart...I can't do that."

'Put her on the phone, I'll do it.'

"Get off the junk and think dummy!"

'I don't think so. If the Winner's are after me, then I'll need to watch my back. That means I'm going to be a nervous wreck. I'll never sleep again without these-oh, doctor? Excellent timing, I'm going to need some of these 'to go'. Thank you kindly.' The sound of a shaking pill bottle could be heard.

"Why'd they give you Valium anyway? That's not a pain killer."

'I'm aware. I have both. When they told me they were discharging me tomorrow, I was having none of it. Like I'd be caught dead looking this way in public, all puffy and swollen. It was all they could do to get me from hanging myself with a catheter.'

"Always a drama queen," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

'I'm 'over acting'. There's a difference.'

"I'm so sure it's acting," she said with an implication. "Whatever. When's your first day?"

'Monday. I doubt the bruising will be gone by then. That insufferable cow is going to make me go regardless, I gather. She can really be heartless at times.' He was referring to his 'house mother' and her strict attitude towards his studies.

"Leave this with me until then...I'll think of something. I hope. Later." She hung up with Minori. Quatre was following a small feathered animal down the hall, it's large tail feathers dragging behind it. They were getting closer and she didn't want him to overhear anything. "Hold the phone, why's there a peacock in the house?"

"He's a pet," Quatre assured her.

"Has he got a name?"

"Of course," he said and opened the door to the bath, "It's 'Pop'." He let the other girls back into the room first. Naibun was among them and gave a nod to her friend on the way past.

"Pop?"

"Get it?" he asked.

"Uh-I don't think so."

"Poppycock."

Kinsei laughed and face-palmed.

"Coming back in?" he said and held the door, hammer positioned across his shoulders. He noted her looking at the mallet. "This?" he said and looked at the head of the hammer, "I couldn't find the stick I usually use to guide him. This was all I could find."

Kinsei smiled warmly. "Cool. Thanks." It occurred to her that maybe he wasn't offended by the material in the comic, but he was trying to defend Bunni. It was a bit extreme, but maybe the force Quatre used was merely him compensating for the strength he thought he didn't have. Minori was rather tall. 'He overreacted...that's all.'

Later on. While things were grilling, Quatre caught a glimpse of something fun near some plain dishes. "Shauna. Old times?" he said candidly to his sister and nodded in the desired direction.

"You're going to piss people off." She scanned her guests. "Not to mention, people are going to be able to tell."

"That's the point. They're at least a drink or two in, I'm sure their senses are loose enough to enjoy the chaos briefly," he said and turned around with a small pellet rifle in his right hand. He dropped it's weight and cocked the gun. "It'll be amusing."

With haste, Shauna hooked up the slingshot and hit the lights. The back yard lit up, revealing a koi pond and a small, lush herb garden. The garage sat off to the side and trees blocked the road going further up the hill. The guests out back with them gave an 'ooh' or 'ahh' of admiration. They commented on the exterior design and adjoining garden. The display of the foliage and it's circular path, made of shale stone, was like a little slice of paradise. Quatre gave them a full run down of the set up and was sure to give credit to sister Tara for the concept. The upkeep was thanks to the hired hands.

"It's 'loaded', right?" Shauna asked with an awkward and quiet voice.

"Indeed," he said, tapping the gun.

"That makes two of you. You talk a lot. I'm ready."

"Heh," Quatre took her comment in stride. "I'm glad you all like it...pull!" he shouted and whipped around in time to shoot a flying saucer out of the sky. Not a space ship, a small tea saucer, compliments of Shauna and the electronic slingshot.

If there was anyone who wasn't 'wowed' by the landscape, Quatre's escapade was sure to peak their interests. One was so 'peaked' that she rushed back in the house to inform the others. A crowd quickly drew.

Duo was the closest and managed to get out there first. One of the guests commented on Quatre shooting the dishes out of the air three times in a row at that point. "Dude, what are you doin'?" Duo asked as he came within range.

"Spectacle," he gave a one worded explanation.

"I'll say. Mind cutting that out?" he said and tried to remove the device.

"Oh, no way. I'll give you a turn in a second. Pull!" A fourth piece of porcelain flew carelessly through the sky and was summarily picked off. "Ha!" He held the gun out to Duo and Shauna held up a plate for him. "Here you go," he said.

Duo looked at the gun, to Shauna and then to Quatre, who was giving him a wide smirk. Quatre whispered something to him and handed off the firearm. Duo nodded. "...alright." He cocked the gun and took his shot. The dish blew into tons of pieces. "It's a bad idea to use a gun when your drunk, right?"

"Right," Quatre agreed.

"So, this is a stupid thing to do?" he asked.

"Downright brainless," he confirmed.

Duo pointed the barrel at his head, "Let's check and see if there's anything in there then." This got the crowd to gasp.

Quatre's furthest hand held a plate. "Go for it," he said and held it up on the opposite side of his head.

Duo put the gun right to his friend's ear and pulled the trigger. The plate burst into pieces, identical to the rest.

Quatre pressed a finger to his ear and wiggled it, "That tickled a bit."

Duo laughed to his knees, faux gun in hand. The crowd clapped, and sighed in relief, at the 'spectacle' Quatre put on. Shauna showed off the little devices on the bottoms of the dishes. The gun served as a remote control that caused them to explode when turned on and the trigger was pulled. Cocking the gun did nothing, but it added to the show.

Kinsei watched on with her slightly dizzied head cocked off to one side. '...this guy is nuts.' She would later retract the thought, chalking his actions up to the drink. For the night, at least. 'Let's see how the circus goes.' She'd be able to accurately gauge what she was going to do next if she got a chance to watch him more.

*face/keyboard*

I haven't got the next chapter even close to started, but I have page upon page of plot notes to sift through. Then there's the bit where I lost some data and then re-found it, now none of it is sorted...such a pain.

The conversation with Minori was actually one of the things I lost. I found it today and decided to update. By the by, first male OC. Woot! XD

I can write for other people's male characters, but I'll be dammed if I can come up with one of my own. Honestly, I liked how he turned out. ^^ Did you?