Chapter 2: Breakfast

"Hello? Peacecraft residence." Pagan answered the phone, listening for a moment before blinking and looking over at the group of sleepy people eating breakfast, who gazed back at him with the eyes of lazily grazing cows as they chewed, sleep still evident in their faces. After a moment's more pause, he called, "Mr. Yuy?"

Everyone blinked as Heero, who had paid no attention to the phone, stood and walked over in bemusement. "Hn?" he grunted after putting the piece to his ear. As the person on the other end spoke, he suddenly looked much more alert, standing straighter, the sleep leaving his eyes, even some semblance of alarm entering them. "What?!" he said quietly, furious. "You told her what?!" He stood a moment more, muttered, "I see," then hung up slowly, sinking into the spindly-legged chair beside the phone table and hanging his head slightly, deep in thought.

"Um," Duo started, a piece of bacon hanging from his mouth as they stared at the usually imperturbable Wing pilot, who was sitting with his head between his knees. "What was that?"

"Something bad," Heero muttered between his legs.

Duo snorted, "Must be the end of the world. What's so terrible, man?"

Heero raised his head and halfway sat up. "My mother's coming to visit."

"You have a mother?" Quatre asked as Catherine patted Relena on the back, the latter having swallowed her muffin too quickly and gotten choked on it.

Duo grinned, "Well, that's great! We can meet the old lady!"

Heero's expression did not change. "She thinks I'm married. Dr. J told her I was . . . married. They're coming here."

"Well," Duo blinked, "just explain you're not when they get here."

"She'll kill me."

"Heero-kun," Quatre spoke gently, "she's your mother, she'll understand."

Heero only raised an eyebrow, but Duo said it for him. "Look at the son she raised."

"But I thought Dr. J raised you," Trowa commented, sipping his coffee.

"She gave me to him," Heero grimaced, "I still remember her, though. Very tough woman."

"What should we do?" Relena spoke for the first time, looking concerned.

Heero glanced up at her as if he'd just realized her presence. "I get out of here and try to keep alive," he replied, standing up.

"Nonsense," Milliardo stood up purposefully. "We'll help you. What all do you need?"

"You don't need to," Heero replied stonily, but was overwhelmed by protests.

"Of course we'll help!"

"You have to let us!"

Heero scowled, "I'm not getting married."

"You don't have to," Milliardo was thinking furiously, a hand to his chin. "We can just make her believe you are."

Heero let out a sigh and looked up at the other man without antagonism. "I'm not . . . good at that type of thing. Even if it's just pretending."

Milliardo nodded in understanding. "That's alright. Not all married couples are very affectionate in public. It's fine if you're not." The blonde man looked at Noin, who nodded.

Heero groaned and put his head on his knees again, "If it was anyone but my mother . . . alright, I'll do it."