The dinner bell rang. A smile lit up the face of Duo Maxwell as he leapt
up from his seat in a flurry, maniacally thrusting the papers and books
into the bag he carried around during the school day, many other students
doing the same. The teacher had already left the room. Duo didn't even
notice as he ran out of the room towards the lunch hall. He skidded a
couple of times in the hall but continued to run, ignoring the giggly
titters of a couple of girls who called out things like 'Calm down Duo, you
have an whole hour to eat,' and 'Gosh, he must have a real appetite, huh?'
Duo didn't care that much about his appetite. What he did know for sure was that his silent partner in war always ate early. His class room for today was very close to the dining hall, so he always ate early. Where he went after than, he had never cared to disclose. And Duo realised with some self-berating that he had never cared to ask, either. Then again, he supposed he was pretty insensitive. He had enough problems to deal with on his own, without shouldering the burden of Heero's also. When he got there, as predicted, Heero sat. Eating mechanically as always. His routine went something like this: Lift, spoon into mouth, chew, lower, repeat, pause, drink. Duo went to pick up a tray. Heero noted him entering, but did not speak. Duo fetched spaghetti with little thought and steeled himself, before walking across to the empty table, which Heero always sat at.
Duo had noticed, the pilot had an uncanny ability to somehow manage to drive people away from the two seats opposite him and the one beside him without so much as even a glance, word or gesture.
Duo sat opposite him.
Heero's almost religiously followed eating routine screeched to a halt. His gaze rose, fork still half way to his mouth. He saw who it was, and for a moment confusion grew across his features. Duo smiled brightly, his own impudent nature breaking through as his salvation. 'Hey there, Mr Happy. I saw you sat here all by your lonesome and I thought, hey! Why not give the guy some company!' Heero gazed at Duo silently for a moment. Duo's smile faded just slightly, but not to a tempo lower, or out of any upset. Just to put more sincerity behind it. Duo only just managed to stop him self from gawking as Heero's lips quirked just for a split second and then the eating routine restarted. Like a robot, Duo thought to himself quietly, twirling his fork around in the almost squirming mass of spaghetti. He wished he'd played it safe and ordered chips, but there was no turning back now.
He'd have to starve all day, eat the gunk, or fling it in the bin and live of dessert.
Silently he began to stand. 'You shouldn't waste that.' Duo frowned a little. 'Why the Hell not?! I wouldn't feed my damn dog junk like this!' Heero shrugged his shoulders. The inhaling of food for him was very nearly over. Duo wondered if Heero ever did anything against the system. Duo doubted it. Heero was wild alright, but only when it came to disarming bombs, beating the crap out of a man to steal his car, or fighting against multiple Leo and Cancer.
Heero was wild for the colonies. But outside of the war, Heero had nothing. Duo felt a wave of pity. 'Stop gazing at me.' Heero muttered irritably. Duo sat back down and ate his spaghetti. He kept his head bowed. This time Heero spoke, under his breath. 'We have a mission coming up soon.' Duo nodded his head quickly. 'Should we talk about it here?' Duo whispered lowly, his eyes raising slightly. The violet tinted blue shade surprised Heero for a moment with its intensity. His own eyes always remained the same. A splintering mix of grey and blue, harsh and cold at all times. 'You're right. We'll talk about it later. Lunch is almost over.' There was a pause between them. For a bizarre moment, Duo was quite certain Heero wanted to skip school. He was quite certain Heero didn't care. The words left his mouth in a rush.
'We only have two lessons left, we don't need to do them, well I probably do, but you don't.' Another silence filled the air between them. Duo felt certain now that Heero didn't want to do his last two lessons. Then, he confirmed it. 'You're right. We don't. We have far more important things to worry about.' Heero's lanky form rose abruptly from the table.
Duo felt like he was corrupting someone again. Like back when he persuaded his friends of child hood to aid him in stealing food.
He had always liked the feeling, and it was no different now as he watched Heero walking the stiff backed, upright walk which he had adopted. He could walk the walk, and he could talk the talk, Duo mused dryly to himself.
Just not what most normal people would call the walk and the talk.
Duo followed him quietly. Their trays clattered onto the pile with all the others. They both walked out, what Duo didn't know, was that Heero was a regular skipper of classes. Just not usually for the Hell of it. His truancy always, with no exceptions, until this moment in time, where for mission purposes. Heero mulled this over in his mind, and looked to Duo. His grin was bright and carefree, his gaze wandering. Heero knew he couldn't emulate that. But he fed of the confidence anyway, gaining some of his own. And they continued to walk, clear out of the school gates, and just like always, no one stopped them.
Duo didn't care that much about his appetite. What he did know for sure was that his silent partner in war always ate early. His class room for today was very close to the dining hall, so he always ate early. Where he went after than, he had never cared to disclose. And Duo realised with some self-berating that he had never cared to ask, either. Then again, he supposed he was pretty insensitive. He had enough problems to deal with on his own, without shouldering the burden of Heero's also. When he got there, as predicted, Heero sat. Eating mechanically as always. His routine went something like this: Lift, spoon into mouth, chew, lower, repeat, pause, drink. Duo went to pick up a tray. Heero noted him entering, but did not speak. Duo fetched spaghetti with little thought and steeled himself, before walking across to the empty table, which Heero always sat at.
Duo had noticed, the pilot had an uncanny ability to somehow manage to drive people away from the two seats opposite him and the one beside him without so much as even a glance, word or gesture.
Duo sat opposite him.
Heero's almost religiously followed eating routine screeched to a halt. His gaze rose, fork still half way to his mouth. He saw who it was, and for a moment confusion grew across his features. Duo smiled brightly, his own impudent nature breaking through as his salvation. 'Hey there, Mr Happy. I saw you sat here all by your lonesome and I thought, hey! Why not give the guy some company!' Heero gazed at Duo silently for a moment. Duo's smile faded just slightly, but not to a tempo lower, or out of any upset. Just to put more sincerity behind it. Duo only just managed to stop him self from gawking as Heero's lips quirked just for a split second and then the eating routine restarted. Like a robot, Duo thought to himself quietly, twirling his fork around in the almost squirming mass of spaghetti. He wished he'd played it safe and ordered chips, but there was no turning back now.
He'd have to starve all day, eat the gunk, or fling it in the bin and live of dessert.
Silently he began to stand. 'You shouldn't waste that.' Duo frowned a little. 'Why the Hell not?! I wouldn't feed my damn dog junk like this!' Heero shrugged his shoulders. The inhaling of food for him was very nearly over. Duo wondered if Heero ever did anything against the system. Duo doubted it. Heero was wild alright, but only when it came to disarming bombs, beating the crap out of a man to steal his car, or fighting against multiple Leo and Cancer.
Heero was wild for the colonies. But outside of the war, Heero had nothing. Duo felt a wave of pity. 'Stop gazing at me.' Heero muttered irritably. Duo sat back down and ate his spaghetti. He kept his head bowed. This time Heero spoke, under his breath. 'We have a mission coming up soon.' Duo nodded his head quickly. 'Should we talk about it here?' Duo whispered lowly, his eyes raising slightly. The violet tinted blue shade surprised Heero for a moment with its intensity. His own eyes always remained the same. A splintering mix of grey and blue, harsh and cold at all times. 'You're right. We'll talk about it later. Lunch is almost over.' There was a pause between them. For a bizarre moment, Duo was quite certain Heero wanted to skip school. He was quite certain Heero didn't care. The words left his mouth in a rush.
'We only have two lessons left, we don't need to do them, well I probably do, but you don't.' Another silence filled the air between them. Duo felt certain now that Heero didn't want to do his last two lessons. Then, he confirmed it. 'You're right. We don't. We have far more important things to worry about.' Heero's lanky form rose abruptly from the table.
Duo felt like he was corrupting someone again. Like back when he persuaded his friends of child hood to aid him in stealing food.
He had always liked the feeling, and it was no different now as he watched Heero walking the stiff backed, upright walk which he had adopted. He could walk the walk, and he could talk the talk, Duo mused dryly to himself.
Just not what most normal people would call the walk and the talk.
Duo followed him quietly. Their trays clattered onto the pile with all the others. They both walked out, what Duo didn't know, was that Heero was a regular skipper of classes. Just not usually for the Hell of it. His truancy always, with no exceptions, until this moment in time, where for mission purposes. Heero mulled this over in his mind, and looked to Duo. His grin was bright and carefree, his gaze wandering. Heero knew he couldn't emulate that. But he fed of the confidence anyway, gaining some of his own. And they continued to walk, clear out of the school gates, and just like always, no one stopped them.
