Disclaimers: not mine, no money, don't sue, me is just a poor undergraduate, me owns nothing.
Notes: another fic to add to the other series ficcies I've been busy with. ^^;; it's 1 in the morning (this is the only time creative juices are flowing within me so I guess I'm kinda nocturnal) so coherent thinking and Kuroi Tenshi in the same sentence is very much unlikely. Please be warned accordingly. ^_^
And I was inspired by Lorena's fic, Chiaroscuro. But it's not the same thing, I'm just borrowing the idea of the nightmare in studying in a private school (which I'm currently experiencing). ^___^
Warnings: AU, Cross-dressing. Language. Lame attempt at humor. Lil' bit o' Shounen Ai? By me, 'nuff to scare you? ^___^
Notes: Uhm, this is going to have Shounen Ai in it, definitely, especially this part. But that's to be expected since this is taking place in an academy exclusively for boys. So… if you don't like that, there's the back button for you. But it's not really that detailed, just kissing and stuff, it's for the plot. ::grin:: Oh, well. Read at your own risk.
To The Infamous Shiro Kitsune: this one's for you. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm grateful and much, much happy for the review and suggestion. I'm using it in the fic (you'll see! ^_^) Thankies! ::glompies::
===========
Part 4
"What're you doing?"
Relena turned and flashed her companion a smile. She spread her arms around her then wrapped them around her lithe body, closing her eyes and savoring the moment. After a while, she took her seat next to him. "Relishing the moment," she replied.
It had been two weeks since her first encounter with Heero as herself on the cliff and it wasn't the second time they met at their sanctuary. Relena found Heero a pleasant company and she enjoyed spending most of the evening watching the waves and stars with him.
She looked up the sky and smiled. "Would you believe there was a point in my life I wanted to be an astrologer? I asked my father to buy me this high-tech telescope and I'd plead for him to let me stay up late just watching the stars," she confided.
"Don't you wanna be one now?"
"I still enjoy watching the stars but I feel my calling's totally different from that career path. I'm going to be a diplomat, just like father."
"Just like father," Heero repeated, his tone hushed. "I envy you…"
She paused and stared at him, studying his features. "I don't understand. You seem to me like the kind of man who's got his whole future ahead of him. You act so confident and sure of yourself. I'm just a silly girl, why would you envy me?"
"Because you're silly."
"Oh, I get the logic in that," Relena rolled her eyes. "I find it irksome that I've been sitting here with you for four nights and still I know nothing about you other than you study at SKA and that you don't like talking much. Oh, and you also talk weird."
"I talk weird?"
"'Because you're silly,'" Relena said, imitating Heero's deep voice then chuckling. "C'mon! I'm not going to spread it around. Keeping everything bottled up inside isn't healthy."
"You remind me of someone I can't get out of my mind lately," he commented.
"Does that mean you're interested in this person?" She asked, eyes twinkling.
The question caught him off guard. Did he like the person he meant? "Hell, no!" he said. "I can't get him out of my mind because he's too annoying, just like you are. You're like his female version."
"So he's a guy," she said. "What makes us seem similar? He's got to be cute if he's going to be likened to me."
"Other than being annoying, you're both cocky as hell," he replied, cracking a smile. "And he's open with his feelings, in a way… like you are. Though there are times I sense he's hiding something.
"He's always full of spirit. And he's always smiling…unless we're practicing basketball; he's always frowning then. But still… I admire his determination. I'm sure he doesn't realize it but whenever I see him practice with me, his eyes are always focused, as if he's giving it all that he's got. And I admire that in him."
"I'm sure he's fun to be with," she replied, smiling a little as she played with her braids.
"You don't know how much. He and my other friend have been in this constant prank war the past week. I'm just thankful the assistant principal finally put a stop on it. I was getting sick of waking up early in the morning with people screeching like mad.
"Just this Friday, they dyed two of the ones they were against with blue. I have to admit though, that was funny. Nothing could beat that," Heero chuckled a little at the image of Ryan and Patrick dyed blue still fresh in his mind.
When he looked at her, she flashed him a tender smile and sighed happily. "I'm glad," she said.
"Glad? For what?"
"That you're finally talking. I was hoping you'd open up to me one day and… my prayers have been answered at last. You're confiding in me like a friend does."
Heero blushed. "Does my friendship mean that much to you?"
For a moment, she only smiled in response than nodded. "More than you'll ever know."
~*~*~*~
"Why are we so cheery this morning?"
Relena shook her head and took a bite off her toast and looked around the table. "I'm not surprised that both Quatre and Trowa are missing but where's Wufei and Heero?"
"Wufei's at the library, doing some last minute research for his experiment this afternoon. He's happy it's gonna be his last as he's going to take tennis after Advanced Chem. Heero's probably doing some exercise. He's been unusually cheerful this morning. Something weird's going on, I'm telling you," Duo said, waving his fork in front of her. "Speaking of which, why are you so happy?"
"No reason, I just thought I'd start the day with a smile. Is that a crime?"
Duo studied her for a heartbeat or two before sighing. "Spill—or will I have to torture it out of you?"
She made a face. "Very funny. There's nothing to tell," she said, gulping her orange juice. "Hey, this juice is good. I can't believe the kitchen staff is learning to make decent meals now. There are miracles in this world after all."
Her friend stared at her then shrugged. "I'll find what's up out soon enough."
Relena turned, examining her reflection in the full-length mirror. She was wearing her usual jogging pants and a baggy hooded shirt. She took another one from her closet and placed it on top of the one she's wearing. She frowned, at lost whether she should wear the black shirt or the dark green one.
Shaking her head reproachfully, she threw the black shirt on the chair nearby and sighed, wondering what was wrong with her. She never cared about what she wore to practice before, why the sudden change?
Stupid, stupid, stupid! She hit her head, annoyed at herself. She couldn't believe how silly she was acting. All because…
Her mobile phone rang and she plopped down on the beanbag chair wearily as she answered it. "Hello?"
"Lena!"
It was Hilde. She felt guilty for forgetting all about them the past weeks. She hadn't even called her to give her daily progress report. And she had completely forgotten all about Cathy's brother! "Hilde! What a surprise," she said.
"A good one, I hope," her friend said at the other line. "I just called to check on you. We haven't heard from you in a while and Dorothy's been driving us up the wall saying you're having the time of your life getting jiggy with some boy there. She's crazy, I know," she laughed.
"Yeah, I see she's still missing a few screws," she laughed, ignoring the hot blush on her face. "So what's up with you guys? I hope you're having fun at the dorms…"
"So much fun, we wish you could come and join us. We've been partying in Dorothy's room all week—I'm surprised no one's busted us yet. We've been keeping the neighbors up all night—so they kinda joined the party as well," her friend laughed.
Relena nodded, though she knew her friend couldn't see. She missed her friends and Hilde calling and telling her all about their nightly escapades did nothing to quench her desire to be back at their dorms and join their partying.
"So how had you been?"
The question brought her back from her temporary reverie and Relena bit her lip. "I'm okay. I've had a run-in with a group of stupid people but that's all in the past now. It's been fun, actually. And I have friends who're helping me adjust to the school."
"And Cathy's brother?" When she was met with silence, Hilde laughed. "I knew it, you completely forget about him, didn't you? Admit it!"
"I still have three and a half weeks!" she tried to defend herself.
Her friend laughed. "No need to get all defensive on me, Relena. Besides, Cathy said you don't really have to tire yourself out anyway. From what she said few days ago, she talked to him and all that. He's okay, she's sure."
"But I still haven't done what I promised," she pouted, standing up and walking toward the window. She pushed aside the curtains and watched the track team run. "I'm sure I've met her brother before, maybe I just haven't realized it. I mean, we all eat together, right?"
"Don't sweat it, girl."
"But I wanna," she whined, smiling slightly. Reynald Dorian may never be caught whining but for Relena Darlain, whining like a child was one of her favorite things to do. One reason for it was because she knew it annoyed the hell out of people. And she liked doing that, acting like a small bratty girl, especially on Hilde. Only few people understood her and her twisted needs.
"I really miss you guys," she said earnestly, closing the curtains and going back to the chair. "It's been so long since I've had female companionship. If I'm asked to judge another Who-can-fart-loudest Contest this evening, I'm going to start tearing my hair. Why do guys have to be so gross?" she asked.
"It's all part of the charm," her friend answered. "At least you'll know who's really gross when they're not trying to impress someone. The scary thing about dating is that you don't really know how that guy is when you're not together. At least you get to see their true colors."
"I think I'll be happy just with their bogus front than be totally grossed out," she made a face. "But hey, I'm actually having fun. Hard to believe, isn't it?"
"Yes, Little Miss Sheltered from the World Darlain having fun in the company of members from the opposite sex." Hilde paused. "Have you met someone?"
An image of a certain obnoxious young man came to mind but she shook her head and frowned. "Nope, still uninterested in them…"
"You're lying!"
"What? Where'd you get that?"
"As your best friend, give me more credit than that. You've met someone, you just won't admit it… or you haven't realized it yet," Hilde said slowly, understanding dawning on her. "That's probably it," she said, ignoring Relena's sputtering protests on the other line. "That's just so like you not to realize you're interested in someone when in fact you are."
"I am most certainly not!"
"Darling, have you ever heard of the word SLOW?"
"Are you implying I'm slow?"
She was met with laughter. "This is too much," Hilde said, still laughing a little. "Dorothy's going to have a field day when she hears about this. And your brother—no, wait, he'll kill us—mainly me—once he finds out…"
"He won't," Relena assured her friend. "And like I said before I left for SKA, I'll be pleading on your behalf so it's most probable you'll live."
"That sounds really comforting," her friend snorted. "Anyway, keep me posted about lover boy, okay? We're playing tennis this afternoon, I need to get ready. I'll call you some time later tonight—what's his name again?"
"It's no one," the longhaired blonde insisted. "I wish you'd get it through that thick skull of yours—I'M NOT INTERESTED IN ANYBODY!"
"Sure, sure, I get ya," Hilde chuckled. "Anyway, here's Dorothy now. Have to go, bye!"
"Yeah, bye," she replied, although her friend had already ended the call. She stared at the phone in her hand and frowned. "I'm not interested in him."
~*~*~*~
"Guess what?"
"What?" Relena's brow furrowed. She was still a little vexed about the conversation she had with Hilde that afternoon. And Heero canceling on her that afternoon did nothing to make her feel better. She was hoping shooting some hoops would at least help alleviate the sudden adrenaline rush she was experiencing.
Duo sat at his usual place next to Relena on their table that evening. "Guess who's throwing a party later tonight in his dorm?"
"You're throwing a party?" she asked, eyes growing wide.
"No way, Heero will never let just anyone come in our room. He prizes the non-existent neatness and orderliness of our room. Rafael Ricci's throwing a little exclusive bash in his room late this night—and guess who's going?"
"Good for you," Relena cheered on her friend. "I know your name's never off the guest list of any party. Tell me all about it in the morning, 'kay?"
"No need for that," Duo said proudly. "'Cause we're all going."
Quatre's eyes widened. "Really? Cool! I've always liked the parties thrown by Rafe. …Though he didn't invite me last time since I kneed him for kissing me," he frowned. "You're coming, right, Trowa?"
Trowa nodded. "Ricci kissed you, huh? I'll be there."
"I don't like missing all the action and drama," Wufei said, eyeing the blond and the tall brunette. "I'm there."
"So am I," Relena said. "This is going to be the first guys' dorm party I'll attend. This ought to be interesting."
"First?" Duo asked.
"Home-schooling, remember?" she said, thinking fast. "Wait, what about Heero? Isn't he coming?"
"I dunno," Duo shrugged. "Heero's not really that much of a party animal. He doesn't like crowds that much. But maybe I'll convince him to go, who knows."
She nodded. "Yeah, who knows," she smiled, already counting the hours till the party starts. She couldn't wait!
"Will I be able to survive tonight?" she wondered aloud as she stared at her reflection for the second time that day. She was wearing baggy pants and a hooded black three-fourths. The shirt was a bit more fitting than her usual loose shirt but it didn't cling so her bound breast wasn't obvious. But still, she couldn't help but worry that something would happen and she'd be exposed.
She turned and eyed her reflection critically. "Have we achieved the head-turning, drool-worthy look now?" she asked the image and sighed. She fixed the wig and secured it in place using hairpins before turning in front of the mirror again. "Will we catch his eye with this?" she asked.
Then frowned. "Why do we care if we catch his eye anyway? He's not worth Relena Darlain or Reynald Dorian's time. He's cocky, obnoxious and so far, he's the defending champion of the Who-can-fart-loudest Contest. He's a boy. He's gross.
"But he's got the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen," she sighed, smiling slightly. Then shook her head fiercely. "Focus, Relena!" she reproached herself. "You're forgetting the reason why you're here. You're here because 1) you lost that darn poker game to Dorothy, 2) to check on Cathy's brother and 3)…NOT TO FALL FOR ANYONE. You're not here to look for a boyfriend. Boyfriends are useless, they're a waste of time."
She collapsed on the beanbag chair and made a face. Things were not going as planned. Her stay at SKA was already halfway over and she hadn't succeeded in any of the three aforementioned tasks. She still sucked at poker and she was still clueless at who Cathy's brother is. She hadn't realized SKA had that many students with the surname Bloom.
And now she was mooning over some idiot whose idea of intimate discussion is shutting up and closing your eyes. How vexing.
Someone knocked on her door and Relena shot up, straightening her clothes and hair before opening the wooden barrier just a peek. "Yes?"
"Yo, Rey, ready?"
"Duo! I'll be out in a while, give me a minute to get my keys then we can go," she replied, closing the door again. As much as she wanted to let her friend in to sit while he waited, she couldn't. Her underwear and clothes were strewn all over the room. There was no need to give him any ideas.
After a moment, the door opened again and Relena walked out, making sure to lock the door behind her. She greeted her friend then took a deep breath; she couldn't help but feel nervous and excited at the same time. "Shall we go?"
~*~*~*~
Relena looked around tautly. Around her people were dancing to the pulse of the music, shaking their bodies in wild abandon. She checked her watch and sighed. Three hours after arriving with Duo (who seem to have disappeared in search of food) and spending said three hours or if you want it in minutes, 10800, or if you want it in seconds, 648000 (yes, she was that bored and out of place) she was starting to slowly loose whatever little sanity she had left.
To her left, the guy occupying the room next to hers slumped against the wall, looking dazed and Relena need not be a rocket scientist to know he was wasted. He turned to her. "Dorian, right?"
She nodded mutely, subtly inching away. She didn't like the out of focus way he looked at her.
"Can you do me a favor?"
"Um… what ki—" She never finished whatever she was saying as the boy plummeted to the floor, barely missing baptizing Relena's Nike with his dinner and whatever food he ate after. She was grateful she moved away, even if just a fracture of an inch as it proved significant where her shoes were concerned.
She made a face and moved away, wondering if it was a sign from God that she leave now before something worse happens. "That was disgusting," she shook her head as she plopped down on the couch, sandwiched between people drinking themselves to oblivion.
Rafe's room was at the top floor of her dorm and it was more spacious than hers—about twice as big as the usual room of the other dorms. No wonder people loved going to parties thrown by him. His parties are always during the times when the assistant principal is out in town and the one left in charge is the pathetic excuse of a caretaker who'd turn blind, deaf and whatever else you'd like him to be if the price is right.
Said Rich Boy's parties are great because: a) there's no supervision, b) Rafe's secret stash of liquor is free for everyone who's invited and lastly, because since there's no one to supervise and the passport to La-la-land is for all, pretty much anything can happen. Summary: WILD PARTY.
Her friends, the ones who she had counted on, were missing. She saw Wufei few minutes after they arrived but she lost sight of him when Duo pulled her with him, making a beeline for the mini buffet table. And her trusty braided friend deserted her soon after. Quatre and Trowa—inseparable as ever—came in together but she never got the chance to greet them, or wave at them at least as they disappeared from her sight when another group of people came. And she wasn't betting on Heero to come either. From what Duo said, it was most likely that Heero was spending the night doing stuff on his own. "Heero's like that," Duo had said, shrugging.
"Which leaves me to go solo in the end," she sighed, closing her eyes as her head started to pound in sync with the techno beat of the expensive sound system. The guy next to her smiled at him. "Hey, I know you," he said.
"Yeah, from basketball," she said, smiling a little. The least she could do was have fun. She's already there, why not make the most of it? "Are parties here always like this?"
"Yeah, slammin', isn't it? I love Rafael's parties," the guy said. "Smash," he said, offering his hand but finding it already occupied with the shot glass. He looked at his hand then laughed before emptying its contents.
"Reynald," she replied, leaning back on the chair. "What's that you're drinking?"
"Tequila, I've got tons with me, wanna try?"
"Does it taste good?" she asked, studying the liquid intently. "I want mine in a bigger glass…"
The couch already had four occupants, Relena, Smash and two other where one was sleeping soundly at Smash's left and the other drinking on his own at the end. Smash pushed the boy next to him on the floor and grinned. "More space." Then turned to Relena, remembering what they were talking about. "That can be arranged," Smash smiled, reaching for the half-empty beer mug on the coffee table where his feet were propped. He emptied its contents and in seconds, it was filled with Tequila. He handed it to Relena.
She stared at the glass offered to her for a while. It was gross that she was going to use someone else's mug; for all she know, the one who used it could've had a disease and by sharing his mug, she could get it as well. But then… She's a boy right now, and she was supposed to be gross. "Ah, hell," she sighed, gathering all resolve and throwing away all thoughts concerning hygiene as she pretended to have balls and be plain gross. She took the mug gratefully and took a swig.
She half-emptied the mug and Smash's eyes went wide. "Holy shit," he said then smiled. "Seems like I've found myself a drinking partner."
Relena emptied the mug then grinned. "More, amigo, pour me more."
By one o'clock, the party was still at full swing. Although it became more exclusive. Only the ones ranked finest and among the best in the popularity scale were left. There was a commotion going on the center of the room, which served as the dance floor.
"So you got your name Smash 'cuz you liked getting Smashed," Relena laughed loudly, throwing her head around as she danced to the beat of the music. She still had her mug on the left hand but her right now held a bottle of her new favorite drink, tequila. Her new friend nodded, as wasted as she was.
"Oh, I just got an idea," she said, still swinging and generally throwing her dignity out the window. "I'll sing everyone a song!" she said before she made her way toward the stereo, tripping over her feet thrice and sidestepping those who've already passed out on the floor. She fumbled for the mic for a while before her alcohol-induced brain finally switched on semi-functional that she managed to turn it on.
"'ey, guyds, thisis Reydalddodian," she said, slurring as the people stopped dancing. "I jus thod dat since this id Happy hour, I'll grand y'all the privilege to hear me sing!" Then she laughed aloud. "I'm going to sing you a song that's meant do much to me…"
"Furimuite mo kurenai…. anata no hitomi… oi kakete mo kanashii… kokoro wa yurete…" She sang, off-key. "Ah... dakedo shinjite itai no … Ah... sunao na kimochi…"
"It's be better if you strip while singing!" someone shouted from the audience, all wasted; therefore all entertained by Relena's singing. To them, it was like an angel singing to them.
Strip?" Relena paused from signing then shrugged. "STRIP!" she giggled then resumed. "Ai wa mada nakanai… mitsumete iru dake demo," she sang, pulling the ends of her shirt teasingly, deliberately slowing her movements. "kono tokimeki ni… ima uso wa nai kara… setsunasa ni nakanai… anata omou koto de… kino yori watashi wa… tada tsuyoku naritai no…"
"TAKE THE SHIRT OFF!"
Relena nodded, taking a handful of the garment and preparing to lift it off her head when someone placed his hands on top of hers.
She saw beautiful blue eyes staring at her and she smiled. "Heedo! How nice of you do come watch my show!" She giggled again. "You're going to help me take it off?"
"I'm going to help you alright," Heero said as he pulled her away from the crowd.
"Hey, man! We're all enjoying the show!" someone shouted from the crowd. "It's not everyday Dorian takes off his shirt. Let him be! Sing more, Reynald!"
Relena smiled then nodded, only to have Heero yank her to his side. "You're not going to sing for anyone," he said gravely. Then turned to the people who were starting to lose interest as someone had taken over Relena's previous spot with the mic. "There's another one singing, listen to him." They all shrugged and watched as Smash took the floor, having no qualms in stripping and taking over Relena's show.
As for Relena, she allowed Heero to drag her to the nearest couch, too wasted to realize what's going on around her. She threw her arms around Heero and snuggled close to him. "Ne, Heero?"
"Un?"
Silence met him as his answer and when he turned to her, her eyes were already closed, head nestled at his lap. He shook his head. "I'm not your damn babysitter, Dorian."
She shifted in her sleep before suddenly bolting up and dashing for the bathroom. She kicked open the door and saw something she never expected to witness in her whole life.
Quatre and Trowa's limbs were tangled in a quite compromising position and it was obvious she had walked in on a heavy necking session. Trowa's shirt was lying forgotten on the bathroom floor while they were inside the tub. And the buttons of Quatre's shirt were already halfway unbuttoned.
"What's the matter, Dorian?" Heero asked, arriving at the door and frowning at Relena's shocked face. Then happened to glance at the two inside, both equally surprised.
"Rey? You okay?" Quatre asked, brows furrowing. His friend seemed to have stopped breathing.
Relena opened her mouth to respond but no sound came out. No sound but the sound of her dinner and all the tequila she drank making contact with Heero's combat boots, that is.
Tbc
Liked it? Hated it? Loved it? Lost your lunch? Gifts? Threats? Praises? Mail me and tell me! ^_^ Send 'em over at kuroi_22@hotmail.com