Okay, okay, I'm *really* sorry it took me so long to get this part up. I promise to try to get parts out faster in the future, I really do...
Thanks so much to all who reviewed: aka-kitsune-chan, mini-azn, GoldenRat, Small J, rd, Tini-angel, and Sanc.
A Change in Routine
by ReySolo
~~~~~~~
I lie on my bed, reading through the next chapter of my Psychology of Adjustment textbook. As the door to our room opens, I look up to see Duo enter with the largest smile I've seen in a while. "Have a nice day?" I ask somewhat needlessly.
His smile grows even more, as he drops his bag on the floor and drops onto his bed. "The computers at work were acting up again, and I nearly lost all the data I'd been working on for the past week," he states cheerfully.
I blink. "Um... and this explains your current good mood how?" His smile doesn't seem particularly sarcastic...
"We had to call in tech support, and the student they sent had to work on the problem for a good two hours, with me standing over his shoulder the whole time."
I realize that he's over-dramatizing this for some reason, but I might as well play along. "And..."
"The guy from tech support happened to be an intensely hot vision of utter manliness."
I laugh, realization dawning. "The Japanese guy from the athletic center?"
Duo nods, and his eyes become unfocused. "The Japanese guy from the athletic center. Heero..."
"Oooh, he has a name now?" I tease, grinning at my roommate's complete infatuation.
"Yes, he has a name," Duo replies indignantly. "And he recognized me, too."
"As the only guy on campus with a three-foot-long braid?"
"As the guy with the hottest ass on campus apart from his own."
"Nice to know you're just as modest as always."
He glares at me. "There's nothing wrong with having respect for my own body. Or showing it off. Or draping it shamelessly over hot tech support guys."
I sigh, shaking my head affectionately. "Why do I have the feeling it shouldn't have taken him the whole two hours to fix the computer problem?"
"Um..." He attempts to look innocent for a moment, but failing miserably, he gives up. "Okay, fine, I may have been a bit distracting."
"Duo, you didn't scare the poor guy, did you?"
"Scare? Moi?" Once again, the innocent look fails. "Hell no! First of all, I don't think anything could scare this guy. Secondly, he was so flirting right back."
"If you say so."
He puts a hand to his chest. "I'm deeply wounded, Quat! You don't believe that my sexual magnetism couldn't attract any person I wanted?"
I pause for a moment, as if deeply considering the question... "No."
He glares once again. "Anyway, it wasn't just physical. We actually talked for a lot of that time, too. I found out not only his name, but also that he's a double major in computer science and mechanical engineering, and that his parents are Japanese but he was born here in America, and that he's a black belt in tae kwon do, and that he..."
"And you two were both being paid for this time?"
Duo sighs dramatically. "And to think I tried to encourage you in your obsession with Mr. Silent in gymnastics. Thanks for the support here, buddy."
I roll my eyes. "Congratulations on actually finding out his name, Duo. So did you actually make any further advances, or just flirt for two hours?"
His expression changes to one of annoyance. "No, actually, he'd just finished fixing the problem when Dr. G. came back into the office, so we couldn't do anything more. But," he added with a grin, "He said, 'See you at the athletic center' as he was leaving. Now, does that mean he likes me or what?"
"Well, it means he's not going to stop working out there just to avoid you..."
Duo chucks his pillow at me. "So what's the status on you and Tro?"
I shrug, moving to lay on top of his pillow. "I dunno. I do try to talk to him a bit during gymnastics, and I say hello to him when I see him around campus, but... I can't just outright flirt like you do, especially since I really don't know if he even could see me as anything more than just a friend."
My roommate looks suspiciously contemplative. "Y'know, all you two need is a little push in the right direction..."
My eyes widen. "Please, Duo, don't do anything..."
He pouts. "Okay, fine. But if you don't act soon, you never know what'll..." He trails off, realizing something. "Hey, gimme back my pillow!"
I smirk, clutching it against my chest. "Nope. You gave it to me, remember?"
"Come on, Quat..."
"Nope."
"Give."
"Make me."
Duo comes over to my bed, and tries to grab it from under me. I resist. He tickles me. I giggle and shriek, but kick at him, keeping the pillow tight against my chest. He grabs at it again...
By the end of the fight, we're both on the ground, bruised and exhausted. "Here." Panting hard, I hand him the pillow in question.
Duo glares at me. "I hope you won't be this violent in bed with Trowa..."
Eyes widening, I indignantly shout, "Duo!" and smack him with my own pillow.
Which he grabs.
Here we go again...
~~~~~~~
When we show up at the athletic center the next day, Duo drags me over to the work-out area before we can put our bags down. "Come on, I wanna introduce you to Heero," he insists.
When we reach my roommate's current obsession, the Japanese boy stops using the exercise machine and stands. "Duo?"
"Hey, Heero!" Duo greets giddily. "Thanks again for the computer help yesterday."
"No problem," Heero answers. "Everything up and running now?" He states that so matter-of-factly, yet there's something in his eyes...
"Oh, yeah, up and in full working order; how's your own equipment?"
My eyes widen. If they're going to stand here and flirt like that... "I should go get changed..." I start to leave, but Duo grabs my arm.
"Hold up, Quat. Sorry." He pats me on the shoulder. "Heero, this is my roommate, Quatre Winner. Quat, Heero Yuy, computer god."
"Nice to meet you," we both say, then I head to go change. I don't want to be late, and besides, I really don't want to be there while they trade more innuendo.
Soon, Cathy starts, with Duo not there yet. "Okay, people, remember that we have a tournament coming up in a few weeks." Dang, I'd forgotten about that; I haven't decided whether I'm brave enough to go yet. "I need--"
She's interrupted as Duo enters sheepishly, wearing his leotard. "Ten laps, Maxwell," Cathy orders. He nods, then drops his bag and begins running.
"Anyway," she continues, "I need to know who's competing, so I can get the funding from Student Activities. It's only regionals, so we should be able to send anyone who wants to go. I know Trowa and I are competing; who else wants to go?"
"What day is it, again?" Hilde asks.
"The 25th; it's a Saturday."
Hilde sighs. "I can't go; my cousin's wedding is that weekend."
Cathy nods. "Okay, anybody else?"
Everybody else indicates that they want to compete. Even Duo shouts from his laps around the room, "I'm in, as long as I don't have to run in it!"
Everybody laughs, and Cathy shouts back, "Be on time, and you won't have to run, Maxwell!" He makes a face, but keeps running.
Cathy looks back at me. "What about you, Quatre; are you going?"
"Um..." I don't really want to be left out, but I really don't feel that I have enough ability or confidence yet. "Can I go just to watch?" I ask.
She nods. "If you want; but I do think you've gotten good enough to compete."
"Come on, Quat, you can do it!" Duo shouts. I can't help but wonder how he could even hear us from half-way across the room, let alone shout while not sounding out of breath at all.
I'm still unsure. "When do you need a final decision?"
"Not really for another few weeks; a tentative count should be okay for now. You need more time to consider it?"
I nod, grateful for the option.
"Okay, people," Cathy speaks to everyone again. "Start deciding what events and routines you want to do for the tournament; today you can work individually, and I'll come around to help if you have questions."
We warm up, Duo joining us when he finally finishes his laps. As both we each head to start practicing, I ask my roommate, "So, did you enjoy your little run?"
He glares at me, but the glare soon turns to a smile. "Well, it was worth it..."
I raise an eyebrow, silently asking a question.
"I got a date!" he announces gleefully.
I chuckle. "Congratulations, Duo." I then head toward the parallel bars, planning to take turns with Wufei. I pass Trowa practicing floor exercises, and find myself staring at his muscular chest, and lower... Stop it, I tell myself, and force myself to turn away before he catches me staring.
"Quatre," I hear from behind, moments after I turned. Oh, dear Allah, don't let him have noticed me... I turn back.
"You should compete," he states, "You'll do great."
Blushing, but glad I hadn't been caught, I reply, "Thanks," before continuing toward the parallel bars.
Maybe I should compete after all...
You know, I'm thinking maybe this decision-making based only upon Trowa's statements has got to be indicative of some psychological disorder. I'll have to look it up in one of my psych books...
~~~~~~~
To Be Continued...
