Oh bother.I don't own these characters.
Believe it or not, I'm not dead yet! I'm just swamped under piles of term papers and finals here in a couple of weeks. That, and I wasn't sure how to carry on this part.I have a bad habit of thinking ahead to far. ^_^; So, to make up for my poor showing as of late, I offer to you an enlightened Rei and a humbled Wufei.and a promise that Mina will come around too.
Enjoy!
Lita opened the door to the shrine, only to find one rather steamed Rei standing behind it.
"It's about time. Where have you been all day? I'm not your personal secretary you know."
Lita frowned. "First of all, it's none of your business where we've been all day. And what is this about being a secretary?"
"Heero got a call while you were gone. Quatre Something-or-other Winner. He wanted you to call him back as soon as possible. Just so you know, I don't plan on taking all these phone messages for you."
"Hn," Heero replied. "Can I at least use your phone then?"
Rei crossed her arms over her chest. "If you have too."
"Well, I do have too." So saying, Heero went to retrieve the phone, and promptly shut himself into the room Lita was staying in.
Rei rolled her eyes, heading for the kitchen, Lita following along behind. "Listen Rei.I'm sorry. Asking you to do this for me.it wasn't right."
Rei shook her head. "What's done is done. He's here and I'm not so rude as to tell him to take a hike."
"It means a lot to me to have him here.but not if it's going to cost me my friendship with you Rei."
"No!" Rei exclaimed, waving her arms. "I didn't mean for it to seem like that. I won't stop being your friend. It's just that Heero kinda rubs me the wrong way, if you get my drift."
Lita hopped up on the counter. "Yeah.I know he's bristly at times. But he's an awful loveable porcupine once you get to know him."
"I have my doubts about that," Rei said in reply. "But seriously.I am curious as to what activity could possibly keep him occupied all day.."
Lita sweatdropped. She couldn't tell Rei about the love they'd shared the previous night and telling her about the babysitting would like embarrass Heero to no end.
"Well?"
"Um.well.we spent the day with Serena." She then proceeded to tell the tale of the afternoon.
"Heero.babysitting?" Rei said, more then a little dumbfounded. Her expression quickly hardened into a slight glare. "That's so totally not fair! Last time I babysat Sammy, he filled my shoes with gum. I couldn't get them off for a week!"
Lita choked back a laugh. The thought of Rei dancing around trying to shake off shoes full of sticky gum was just a little amusing.
Rei was just about to comment on the lack of humor in the situation when she was abruptly cut off.
"The others will be here tomorrow."
"Others?" Rei asked sharply, turning to look at Heero who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "What others?"
"My friends," he said simply.
"How many others?"
"Four."
"I'm not running a hotel here. You're going to have to tell your friends to find someplace else to stay," she said coldly.
He raised his eyebrow slightly. "As a matter of fact, they won't be staying here and neither will I. I'll be moving in with them."
"You're.leaving?" Rei suddenly felt guilty. Was he leaving because of her?
Heero nodded. "It's best we stay together."
"Oh."
"If you'll excuse us, I need to talk to Lita."
"Oh, of course.." Rei answered, waving her hand towards the doorway.
Lita gave an apologetic smile at the interruption before following Heero back to her room. "Heero.what's going on?"
"The mission is over. All that's left can be handled by the regular soldiers we fought with. Some damage has been done.it will take a while to get everything back to the way it was. In the meantime, the others will be coming here. We'll get a couple rooms in the hotel until Quarter finds something a little more permanent." He paused for a moment. "They know about Relena.they're coming here to help me make sure nothing happens to you."
"Am.am I in trouble?"
"I don't know.but if Zechs gets involved, you very well could be and it's our job to protect you. That's part of the reason I'm leaving. Normally, a bodyguard would stay with the guarded. But in this case, that's a disadvantage. Zechs and I.we're very much enemies and he knows I hated Relena. Undoubtedly, this puts me at the top of the suspect list. If he thinks I'm associated with you, you'll be dragged into it too.which is exactly what we're tying to avoid. Not to mention it relieves the strain between you and Rei created by my being here."
Lita sighed. "This whole thing is just so complicated..You just got here, and you're going to have to leave again.won't I see you at all?"
"Maybe in passing on the street, but if that happens you're to show no signs of recognition. I know it won't be easy.but it's better for me to distance myself and know you're safe then to be with you knowing I could be putting you in danger."
"I appreciate your efforts," she said, smiling sadly. "I only hope nothing happens because of all this."
"Don't worry. It'll be alright."
So it was.for a few hours anyway. Next morning, Lita was out helping Rei sweep up the courtyard when she heard a voice call out. "Hey Lita! Long time, no see!"
She turned her head, looking back toward the shrine's entrance. "Duo!" she cried. "You're all here!" She waved at the four pilots, all uniformed identically to the way Heero had been when he came.
"Safe and sound," he grinned, as the group made their way toward her.
"Just a minute and I'll let Heero know you're here."
"No need," Heero said, making him presence known as he walked up behind Lita. "I could hear Duo's big mouth from all the way inside."
"Aww.be nice Heero," Duo pouted.
Lita laughed. "Let me introduce you guys." She grabbed Rei's sleeve and pulled her over. "Everyone, this is my friend Rei Hino. Rei.here's the others. The one with the braid, that's Duo Maxwell. He's the hyper one."
"I am not hyper.well, not all the time." he said. "Pleasure to meet you Rei.Lita didn't tell us her friends were so pretty."
Rei blushed. "Well.thank you."
"Just like Maxwell to hit on a girl right away.stupid Death."
"That's God of Death to you Wu-man."
"GRRR.don't call me Wu-man!"
"God of Death?" Rei looked confused.
"His nickname," Lita answered, sweatdropping as Quatre tried to interfere in the shouting match going on.
"Oh." Rei wondered how a god of death could be so happy. Somehow that just seemed.wrong.
Seeing that Duo and Wufei weren't going to cooperate with Quatre, she went over and gave them each a tiny electric shock. "Now.behave or you get worse next time. Understood?"
"Yes," the two chorused together.
"Good. Now then, the blonde is Quatre Raberba Winner.he's the kind one."
Quatre smiled. "Nice to meet you Miss Rei."
"Just Rei please. You're Lita's employer aren't you?"
He nodded. "That's right. We were quite lucky that we've been able to have her services."
"Quatre," Lita said, blushing a little.
"Sorry," he said with a sheepish smile.
Smiling, "Lita continued. "The one with the funny bangs is Trowa Barton."
There was a pause.a rather long one in which Trowa nodded. "He doesn't say much," Heero said.
"So I see," Rei replied.
"The crabby one with black hair is Chang Wufei," Lita continued.
"I am not crabby. Onna.I bet you can't get a turkey," he said, staring at Rei.
"Then what do you call it when someone goes shopping and buys a turkey? Tap dancing on a plastic cup?"
"Stupid onna.not that kind of turkey."
Rei growled. "You did not just call me stupid.you.you."
"He means a bowling turkey," Lita interjected, hoping to avoid another altercation.
Rei stopped suddenly. "Bowling?" She then doubled over laughing. "Bowling is a game for geeks!"
"ONNA! You dare mock Chang Wufei?"
"You better believe it turkey boy!"
"INJUSTICE!" Wufei whipped out his katana, which the Shinto priestess easily parried with her broom.
"Eat dust turkey boy," Rei said. So the battle commenced. The clash of metal against wood was drowned out by the high volume of the voices screeching insults at each other.
Meanwhile, as the battle raged around the courtyard, Duo went up to Lita to ask her some questions about Rei.only to stop when he caught something glinting off her finger. "Hey, what's that?" He grabbed her hand, looking shocked. "Lita! How could you?"
"Me? How could I what?"
"We all know you and Heero, well.but then this! You went and got engaged behind his back!"
"Stupid," Heero said in his typical flat tone of voice. "I gave it to her."
"Oh, well that's ok then," Duo said. He was about to start asking his questions when it sunk in. "Wait.you.her.Oh my god! Hey everybody, Heero's getting married!" Duo yelled.
Everyone, including Wufei, turned to look at Heero. "Thanks Duo." he muttered.
Just as everyone was about to congratulate him, there was a loud thumping noise. Rei, noticing Wufei's distraction at finding out his friend was engaged and his subsequent dropping of his katana, proceeded to make her move and began thumping him on the head with her broom. "Now give up!" Rei said.
"Never!" Wufei yelled, trying to dodge the hits to the head. "INJUSTICE!"
"You let your guard down turkey boy.now surrender!"
Growling, he finally caved. "Alright, alright.I'm weak, I'm weak.."
Rei smiled smugly, pulling her broom back from his head.
Wufei stood up, brushing broom straw and dust from his hair. "Damn you Lita.why didn't you tell me about her?"
"And spoil your fun Wufei?"
Grumbling, he returned his katana to its place. "Maxwell.this is your fault. I will get you for this.later. But first, what is all this business about Yuy getting married?"
"It's true!"
"I feel sorry for the dumb onna who agreed to marry him."
"Watching who you're calling a dumb onna Wufei." Lita said, glaring.
"You mean.." He looked at Lita, then at Heero, and then back at Lita. "NO! You mean you're going to be hanging around permanently?"
"That's right Wufei!" Grinning happily, she pounced on him, proceeding to give the already ego-bruised pilot a noogie.
Seeing the irate, indignant look on his face, the remaining pilots.Heero and Trowa included.laughed.
Even Rei had to smile. This group was certainly odd.bristly, crabby, silent, hyper, and kind. But the more she thought about it, the more it seemed these young men weren't too different from the scouts themselves. Serena and Mina could definitely be hyper.and Haruka could be very short tempered. Well, I can too at times Rei admitted to herself. Ami and Michiru were kind, and Hotaru and Pluto easily fit the silent type. As for Lita, she was kind of a conglomerate. Well, really, they were all conglomerates really. She was broken out of her revere by Wufei's irate rantings about his hair.
"Sorry about the.interruption," Quatre apologized. "We'll be going now."
"Wait." Rei said. These were Lita's friends. Anyway, there weren't really that bad.once you got to know them. "I've got a couple empty rooms, if you guys don't mind sharing."
"Rei.?"
She smiled. "I mean, you're all friends of Lita's.so.."
Everyone looked at the unofficial leader. Heero didn't really think it was a good idea to stay, but refusing her invitation might offend her. Then again, maybe if they were all here, it might actually be better. Having someone around all the time should avoid the possibility of her running into Zechs by herself, which wouldn't be good either. "We accept.thank you," he finally said.
Lita poked Heero. "I thought you said that wasn't a good idea," she whispered.
"This way has it's advantages. Trust me?"
She nodded. "I do."
Believe it or not, I'm not dead yet! I'm just swamped under piles of term papers and finals here in a couple of weeks. That, and I wasn't sure how to carry on this part.I have a bad habit of thinking ahead to far. ^_^; So, to make up for my poor showing as of late, I offer to you an enlightened Rei and a humbled Wufei.and a promise that Mina will come around too.
Enjoy!
Lita opened the door to the shrine, only to find one rather steamed Rei standing behind it.
"It's about time. Where have you been all day? I'm not your personal secretary you know."
Lita frowned. "First of all, it's none of your business where we've been all day. And what is this about being a secretary?"
"Heero got a call while you were gone. Quatre Something-or-other Winner. He wanted you to call him back as soon as possible. Just so you know, I don't plan on taking all these phone messages for you."
"Hn," Heero replied. "Can I at least use your phone then?"
Rei crossed her arms over her chest. "If you have too."
"Well, I do have too." So saying, Heero went to retrieve the phone, and promptly shut himself into the room Lita was staying in.
Rei rolled her eyes, heading for the kitchen, Lita following along behind. "Listen Rei.I'm sorry. Asking you to do this for me.it wasn't right."
Rei shook her head. "What's done is done. He's here and I'm not so rude as to tell him to take a hike."
"It means a lot to me to have him here.but not if it's going to cost me my friendship with you Rei."
"No!" Rei exclaimed, waving her arms. "I didn't mean for it to seem like that. I won't stop being your friend. It's just that Heero kinda rubs me the wrong way, if you get my drift."
Lita hopped up on the counter. "Yeah.I know he's bristly at times. But he's an awful loveable porcupine once you get to know him."
"I have my doubts about that," Rei said in reply. "But seriously.I am curious as to what activity could possibly keep him occupied all day.."
Lita sweatdropped. She couldn't tell Rei about the love they'd shared the previous night and telling her about the babysitting would like embarrass Heero to no end.
"Well?"
"Um.well.we spent the day with Serena." She then proceeded to tell the tale of the afternoon.
"Heero.babysitting?" Rei said, more then a little dumbfounded. Her expression quickly hardened into a slight glare. "That's so totally not fair! Last time I babysat Sammy, he filled my shoes with gum. I couldn't get them off for a week!"
Lita choked back a laugh. The thought of Rei dancing around trying to shake off shoes full of sticky gum was just a little amusing.
Rei was just about to comment on the lack of humor in the situation when she was abruptly cut off.
"The others will be here tomorrow."
"Others?" Rei asked sharply, turning to look at Heero who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "What others?"
"My friends," he said simply.
"How many others?"
"Four."
"I'm not running a hotel here. You're going to have to tell your friends to find someplace else to stay," she said coldly.
He raised his eyebrow slightly. "As a matter of fact, they won't be staying here and neither will I. I'll be moving in with them."
"You're.leaving?" Rei suddenly felt guilty. Was he leaving because of her?
Heero nodded. "It's best we stay together."
"Oh."
"If you'll excuse us, I need to talk to Lita."
"Oh, of course.." Rei answered, waving her hand towards the doorway.
Lita gave an apologetic smile at the interruption before following Heero back to her room. "Heero.what's going on?"
"The mission is over. All that's left can be handled by the regular soldiers we fought with. Some damage has been done.it will take a while to get everything back to the way it was. In the meantime, the others will be coming here. We'll get a couple rooms in the hotel until Quarter finds something a little more permanent." He paused for a moment. "They know about Relena.they're coming here to help me make sure nothing happens to you."
"Am.am I in trouble?"
"I don't know.but if Zechs gets involved, you very well could be and it's our job to protect you. That's part of the reason I'm leaving. Normally, a bodyguard would stay with the guarded. But in this case, that's a disadvantage. Zechs and I.we're very much enemies and he knows I hated Relena. Undoubtedly, this puts me at the top of the suspect list. If he thinks I'm associated with you, you'll be dragged into it too.which is exactly what we're tying to avoid. Not to mention it relieves the strain between you and Rei created by my being here."
Lita sighed. "This whole thing is just so complicated..You just got here, and you're going to have to leave again.won't I see you at all?"
"Maybe in passing on the street, but if that happens you're to show no signs of recognition. I know it won't be easy.but it's better for me to distance myself and know you're safe then to be with you knowing I could be putting you in danger."
"I appreciate your efforts," she said, smiling sadly. "I only hope nothing happens because of all this."
"Don't worry. It'll be alright."
So it was.for a few hours anyway. Next morning, Lita was out helping Rei sweep up the courtyard when she heard a voice call out. "Hey Lita! Long time, no see!"
She turned her head, looking back toward the shrine's entrance. "Duo!" she cried. "You're all here!" She waved at the four pilots, all uniformed identically to the way Heero had been when he came.
"Safe and sound," he grinned, as the group made their way toward her.
"Just a minute and I'll let Heero know you're here."
"No need," Heero said, making him presence known as he walked up behind Lita. "I could hear Duo's big mouth from all the way inside."
"Aww.be nice Heero," Duo pouted.
Lita laughed. "Let me introduce you guys." She grabbed Rei's sleeve and pulled her over. "Everyone, this is my friend Rei Hino. Rei.here's the others. The one with the braid, that's Duo Maxwell. He's the hyper one."
"I am not hyper.well, not all the time." he said. "Pleasure to meet you Rei.Lita didn't tell us her friends were so pretty."
Rei blushed. "Well.thank you."
"Just like Maxwell to hit on a girl right away.stupid Death."
"That's God of Death to you Wu-man."
"GRRR.don't call me Wu-man!"
"God of Death?" Rei looked confused.
"His nickname," Lita answered, sweatdropping as Quatre tried to interfere in the shouting match going on.
"Oh." Rei wondered how a god of death could be so happy. Somehow that just seemed.wrong.
Seeing that Duo and Wufei weren't going to cooperate with Quatre, she went over and gave them each a tiny electric shock. "Now.behave or you get worse next time. Understood?"
"Yes," the two chorused together.
"Good. Now then, the blonde is Quatre Raberba Winner.he's the kind one."
Quatre smiled. "Nice to meet you Miss Rei."
"Just Rei please. You're Lita's employer aren't you?"
He nodded. "That's right. We were quite lucky that we've been able to have her services."
"Quatre," Lita said, blushing a little.
"Sorry," he said with a sheepish smile.
Smiling, "Lita continued. "The one with the funny bangs is Trowa Barton."
There was a pause.a rather long one in which Trowa nodded. "He doesn't say much," Heero said.
"So I see," Rei replied.
"The crabby one with black hair is Chang Wufei," Lita continued.
"I am not crabby. Onna.I bet you can't get a turkey," he said, staring at Rei.
"Then what do you call it when someone goes shopping and buys a turkey? Tap dancing on a plastic cup?"
"Stupid onna.not that kind of turkey."
Rei growled. "You did not just call me stupid.you.you."
"He means a bowling turkey," Lita interjected, hoping to avoid another altercation.
Rei stopped suddenly. "Bowling?" She then doubled over laughing. "Bowling is a game for geeks!"
"ONNA! You dare mock Chang Wufei?"
"You better believe it turkey boy!"
"INJUSTICE!" Wufei whipped out his katana, which the Shinto priestess easily parried with her broom.
"Eat dust turkey boy," Rei said. So the battle commenced. The clash of metal against wood was drowned out by the high volume of the voices screeching insults at each other.
Meanwhile, as the battle raged around the courtyard, Duo went up to Lita to ask her some questions about Rei.only to stop when he caught something glinting off her finger. "Hey, what's that?" He grabbed her hand, looking shocked. "Lita! How could you?"
"Me? How could I what?"
"We all know you and Heero, well.but then this! You went and got engaged behind his back!"
"Stupid," Heero said in his typical flat tone of voice. "I gave it to her."
"Oh, well that's ok then," Duo said. He was about to start asking his questions when it sunk in. "Wait.you.her.Oh my god! Hey everybody, Heero's getting married!" Duo yelled.
Everyone, including Wufei, turned to look at Heero. "Thanks Duo." he muttered.
Just as everyone was about to congratulate him, there was a loud thumping noise. Rei, noticing Wufei's distraction at finding out his friend was engaged and his subsequent dropping of his katana, proceeded to make her move and began thumping him on the head with her broom. "Now give up!" Rei said.
"Never!" Wufei yelled, trying to dodge the hits to the head. "INJUSTICE!"
"You let your guard down turkey boy.now surrender!"
Growling, he finally caved. "Alright, alright.I'm weak, I'm weak.."
Rei smiled smugly, pulling her broom back from his head.
Wufei stood up, brushing broom straw and dust from his hair. "Damn you Lita.why didn't you tell me about her?"
"And spoil your fun Wufei?"
Grumbling, he returned his katana to its place. "Maxwell.this is your fault. I will get you for this.later. But first, what is all this business about Yuy getting married?"
"It's true!"
"I feel sorry for the dumb onna who agreed to marry him."
"Watching who you're calling a dumb onna Wufei." Lita said, glaring.
"You mean.." He looked at Lita, then at Heero, and then back at Lita. "NO! You mean you're going to be hanging around permanently?"
"That's right Wufei!" Grinning happily, she pounced on him, proceeding to give the already ego-bruised pilot a noogie.
Seeing the irate, indignant look on his face, the remaining pilots.Heero and Trowa included.laughed.
Even Rei had to smile. This group was certainly odd.bristly, crabby, silent, hyper, and kind. But the more she thought about it, the more it seemed these young men weren't too different from the scouts themselves. Serena and Mina could definitely be hyper.and Haruka could be very short tempered. Well, I can too at times Rei admitted to herself. Ami and Michiru were kind, and Hotaru and Pluto easily fit the silent type. As for Lita, she was kind of a conglomerate. Well, really, they were all conglomerates really. She was broken out of her revere by Wufei's irate rantings about his hair.
"Sorry about the.interruption," Quatre apologized. "We'll be going now."
"Wait." Rei said. These were Lita's friends. Anyway, there weren't really that bad.once you got to know them. "I've got a couple empty rooms, if you guys don't mind sharing."
"Rei.?"
She smiled. "I mean, you're all friends of Lita's.so.."
Everyone looked at the unofficial leader. Heero didn't really think it was a good idea to stay, but refusing her invitation might offend her. Then again, maybe if they were all here, it might actually be better. Having someone around all the time should avoid the possibility of her running into Zechs by herself, which wouldn't be good either. "We accept.thank you," he finally said.
Lita poked Heero. "I thought you said that wasn't a good idea," she whispered.
"This way has it's advantages. Trust me?"
She nodded. "I do."