***I do not own Gundam Wing, I just use it for my own twisted purposes.***

Note: Reposted...

Summary - A college fic, not AU. 3x4 is the main pair, but this is going to be very Quatre-centric and Duo-centric. I dunno why, but in writing I released I concentrate a lot on Duo and his dilemma with college. After a bit though, I'll add Trowa in more.
Expect slight OOC-ness
Pairings: 3x4 (main), 1x2 (unsure, give me feedback if you want 1x2-ness), 5x? (undecided, but will be female)


Mission Accepted: Operation College

Chapter 1


A Friday in Late Summer, A.C. 198

"Tell me again why we're doing this?" Duo asked sulkily from his position in the front passenger seat of the Preventers van, hair blown back away from his face as wind raged in through the open window.

"Because it's a good idea," came Trowa's reply from the back seat where he sat, half reclined, legs resting on the seat next to him. The floor in front of him and the far back of the van was weighed down with boxes and bags of varying shapes and sizes.

Duo glanced back at his fellow Preventer. "I don't quite see how that's a reason."

"We have to, Une's orders," Wufei said, never removing his eyes from the road in front of him.

"Now there's a reason," Duo said, shuddering slightly, "even if it's not a very good one." He stared out the window still pouting slightly, a crease permanently fixed between his brows. "I just don't understand how she can order us to do this though. We're Preventers, how can she order us to go to college?

Trowa sighed and closed his eyes, resting his head on the side of the car. "Duo, just deal with it. It's a good idea and you know it. We can't be soldiers forever. Besides, she only made it an official order for you. You were the only one that had a problem with it. Just try it out. Quatre seems convinced that it'll even be fun."

"How can waking up early and…going to boring classes and…writing stupid research papers and…doing homework assignments be fun?"

"Shut it, Maxwell." Wufei ordered, still unflinching. "You're going. You have no choice. Try not to make the rest of us just as miserable as you are."

"Yeah, yeah…" Duo turned his attention back to the passing highway, watching the little white lines in the road pass by. Eventually, he began to feel bad for affecting everyone else's mood. He couldn't stand being the cause of the tension in the sun-warmed van. I can't help it if I don't want to go. College is not somewhere I thought I would end up. Maybe Quatre, but…Quatre… "Hey, where are Heero and Quatre? I thought they were coming right behind us."

Wufei answered. "They are. They had a few things to clear with Une and then they were leaving right behind us."

Duo let out a short laugh. "They're probably already there with the way Quatre drives…if they're not in an accident somewhere…"

"There's nothing wrong with the way Quatre drives," Trowa said, slightly defensive.

"You only say that because you drive worse than he does," Wufei said.

"Fast…does not mean bad," Trowa retorted.

"They have speed limits for a reason you know," said Duo.

"Like you're one to talk…" Trowa countered. "Besides, what cop in their right mind would give Quatre Winner a ticket? If they could even catch him that is…"

Wufei glanced up at his rearview mirror and caught the small smile on Trowa's face, his eyes still closed, head still resting back. "You seem proud of that."

Trowa laughed. "I taught him everything he knows."

Duo glanced back at him, a mildly surprised smile on his face. "When was this?"

Trowa just shrugged, still smiling. "About a year ago, I guess…when Une had me playing bodyguard for Quatre at that Peace Conference in Northern Spain. They have some nice curves up in those mountains…"

"You were only there for a week!" Duo gaped.

Trowa's smile grew, remembering that week. He'd never had so much fun on assignment before. "He's a fast learner."

Silence settled within the van again. Wufei could barely contain his excitement. Ok, he could contain his excitement, but the point is that he was excited nonetheless. He had always been more of scholar anyway. Here was the perfect opportunity to continue his studies with no restrictions. He was elated, even if he refused to show it.

Duo and Trowa, on the other hand, had their reservations about the whole idea. Trowa was still convinced that it was a good idea, but neither him nor Duo had ever had any real schooling, except possible when Duo hid in schools during the war, following Heero's example, but Trowa highly doubted Duo actually participated. Who knows what type of schooling Heero had been given but there was no doubt that whatever he did would be done perectly, whether it be piloting or homework. Quatre had obviously had the best teachers from all over the world and colonies. Trowa and Duo had reason to worry, no matter how much Une and Quatre told them that they had far more schooling than was needed in college. Trowa, despite his anxieties, at least had faith in Quatre. He knew his best friend wouldn't lie to him, and it wasn't as if any of them had to go through it alone. They had each other now. If anyone could have heard Trowa's thoughts, they never would've believed that the Silencer could have such optimistic expectations.

Shinigami, on the other hand, was wallowing in his apprehension. Trowa had been right; Duo had never really paid attention when he was hiding out in schools. Even the meager attempt Father Maxwell and later Professer G (author's note: I get them confused, someone tell me if this is right!) had made on educating him had failed where Duo was concerned. He never saw the point in learning, so he never tried. What was he going to do now when he had to do well? He could see everyone else excelling in at least one area or another, but he had nothing. Quatre had asked him weeks ago if he had any idea what he wanted to major in--he never gave an answer…

Wufei turned the van into the front of the campus and picked up Quatre's directions to the dorm. The one thing that Wufei had argued vehemently about was living on campus. He liked the idea of being close to his classes, but he was scared to imagine the type of people and the noise he would have to endure. Quatre was convinced it would be good for them to be around so many normal people they're own age, although there were probably a number of ex-soldiers here as well. The newly named and administrated Peacecraft University had given out several hundred scholarships to soldiers turned students. Four of those scholarships recently accepted at the urging of Quatre and Lady Une.

Wufei located the dorm without a problem and parked the van up on the sidewalk alongside another, identical one.

"I knew it!" Duo exclaimed, as he opened the door. "Quatre probably did 90 the whole way here."

"85 actually, but who's keeping track." Quatre called as peered from around the open back door of the van. "Glad to see you guys made it alright. I thought we'd be waiting for hours for Wufei though."

"I'm sorry I prefer to obey the laws, Winner." Wufei said with a smirk in Quatre's direction as he and Trowa approached the other van. "Where's Yuy?"

"He just took some boxes in--he'll be out in a minute. You wanna give us a hand unloading this one and then we'll do yours?"

"Way ahead of you." Wufei said as he turned toward the dorm, arms already filled with boxes.

"Can you two give me a hand with these? I don't know how all the heavier ones ended up in our van?" Quatre called to Trowa and Duo. He effortlessly lifted up a large box that made a sort of clinking sound as he settled it in his arms. Trowa, who had moved next to Quatre, grabbed a second box which made a similar sort of noise. Duo lifted a box that did as well, if less and little quieter. He recognized immediately the clanking of bottles and glanced sharply at Quatre, waiting patiently beside Trowa, who simply smirked and looked away.

"Hey Quat," Duo said with suspicion, "what do have in these anyway."

"Oh yeah know, standard college supplies."

"Quatre." Trowa said, a slight amount of humor slipping into his voice.

Quatre smiled and laughed a little, turning to Duo. "Well, let's see--I got a couple bottles of Skyy vodka, Smirnoff Vodka, Jack Daniels, Captain Morgan's, some sour mix, a couple bottles of Kahlua, some Smirnoff Ice, Bicardi--"***

"QUATRE!?!?" Duo yelled, shocked and almost dropping his box. He glanced between Quatre and Trowa and took note of the similar little smirking expression they both wore. Duo wondered what else they had done on that mission and what kind of influence having an ex-mercenary as a best friend was having on the somewhat sheltered life of the Winner heir. "What the hell? I thought you were 'Mr. Non-alcoholic champagne'…what happened?"

"Lots of things." Quatre said simply. Duo glared at him until he explained. "Ok, ok…I've wanted to go to college my whole life. I know what goes on in dorms and I plan to be a normal college student and do everything a normal college student does, that means I'll skip classes whenever I want, wait until the last minute to do assignments, go out to parties, and spend every weekend so trashed that I barely make it home where I'll stumble around, knock stuff over and pass out on the floor three feet from my own bed."

Duo stopped in his tracks and looked at the two with a shocked expression. "Sweet…"

As the three Preventers began walking up the stairs to their new home, Trowa turned to Quatre, "Did you remember to get the Pucker and the 99 Bananas?" Quatre nodded. "What about the cups and the beer? And the balls?"

It was Quatre's turn to stop and looked startled, but his was a false and comical look. "I would never forget those. How could you even think such a thing!" He replied as Trowa laughed softly at the look on his best friends face.

Duo simply looked back and forth between the two with more suspicion. "Cups and beer? Balls!?"

Trowa and Quatre looked at each other with that familiar smirk before turning to Duo and saying simply and simultaneously, "Beer Pong."

Duo's eyes widened. "Beer…Pong…" A small smile grew on his face. Trowa and Quatre tried to laugh without dropping their boxes. "You two are suspiciously well organized and well planned here, but have I told you how much I love you?"

"Not recently, no." Quatre replied.

Duo smiled and shook his head as they continued walking and entered the dorm. "Beer Pong…Wufei is going to kill you."

"Not if he joins in." Trowa said.

Duo gave a short laugh. "Your funeral."

~*~*~

Give me some feedback and we'll see where it goes. Thanks all.

***All of the drink names are trademarked and not mine.