Disclaimer: is in the first chapter. Don't bother me about it. [YYH characters don't belong to me either...]

AN Um... hi? Eh... I have no excuse for the long wait between this update and last time, except that this fic was put away on a shelf [or, you know, in my hard drive] while I desperately spent two weeks writing a YYH fic. I know, I'm a horrible person and I should have made that one wait. [If you want to read that fic, it's called "The Best Thief" please read it.] And, I kind of added Hiei and Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho. If you don't watch/read that anime, don't worry. I just needed names. They probably won't come back. No badgers were harmed in the making of this chapter.

I think the Hn Wars were recreated in this chapter. ^__^

If you have the time, I have a live journal that I post all my updates in. And every once in a while, I post sneak peaks to chapters not yet finished or stories not yet posted. You might get lucky.

Dedication: Saaski-chan - because she actually likes this story. [hugs]

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Chapter 4

Trowa walked into his kitchen, looking for something decent to eat. The teen made a beeline straight for the ice box, hoping that perhaps his mother had hidden frozen pizzas, or something similar. After a moment of searching, the freezer door slammed shut, thus, revealing the sticker there that read: "The deaf can do anything - except hear." Trowa ignored the sticker and began searching through the cupboards.

His mother walked in a few moments later and began rummaging to get dinner ready. Mrs. Barton was a fairly attractive woman. She was tall, though not nearly as tall as her son, and assertive. She had short brown hair and green eyes that were just as beautiful as her sons. In fact, her only flaw was that she was deaf, the outcome of an accident back in her youth. And her being deaf wasn't as much as a handicap as most people thought it to be. She could still speak and hold conversations. She was a pro at reading lips and was an expert in sign language, which is where Trowa learned it. To tell the truth, for a single, working mom, she was very well off.

"Wait until dinner to eat." The woman said firmly, finally pulling out a couple of pans before turning to her son with a stern glare in her eyes.

"But mom..."

"I might be deaf, Trowa, but I'm not stupid. Put that away now and wait until dinner. I promise that you can eat all you want after dinner." She paused, thinking. "Is Veggie Stir-fry alright?"

The boy sighed, nodded and returned what he had managed to scrounge back to where it had come from, hidden behind the flour jar. As much as he loved his mother, there were some times that he wished she weren't so mother-like. Other parents let their kids eat before dinner, right? His grumblings about an empty stomach were ceased when the phone rang. Thinking that perhaps talking to somebody would lessen his hunger, Trowa headed for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Mr. Naturi, from the windshield factory... We're conducting a survey concerning accident prone drivers. Is your mother home?"

Trowa looked into the kitchen where his mother was now slicing vegetables. "Yes."

"...May I speak to her please?"

The teenager held back a snort of dry humor before presenting the man with his answer. "No."

And he hung up. After that, he took a grand total of one step before the accursed communication device rang again, its shrill siren call forcing him to cringe. With a sigh, the boy turned back to his new enemy and picked it up.

"He-"

"Trowa! I made it into the competition!"

"-llo..."

There was a pause while Trowa attempted to put his brain back into his head. After a moment or so, it clicked. "Wufei?"

That one word seemed to open a dam in Wufei, and the teen began speaking at rapid speeds, probably to burn up his sudden surge of adrenaline. And Trowa just stood in the hallway until the verbal onslaught ended. Ten minutes later, the Prep was finally able to offer his congratulations to his brainy friend. After all, the competition that Wufei had been ranting about was in fact, one of the most important martial arts competitions in the entire state of Maine. Only a select few people got in and for Wufei, who had been hoping and practicing for nearly two years, to get in - it was a big deal.

"You can come, can't you?" Wufei asked, in a way that seemed to be bordering on pleadingly hopeful.

Trowa answered right away. "Of course!" He assured his friend. "I'll ask my mom at dinner and tell you tomorrow for sure." He could practically hear his oriental friend's grin.

"Alright, I'm going to call the others now."

Click.

Trowa spent about two minutes staring at the now dead line in his hand before hanging up the phone. He turned back to his mother, who was still happily chopping vegetables. His stomach growled.

===

"Hey Fei, I've got a question." Duo said casually during the two boys' Latin class. He glanced around quickly to make sure that nobody was listening and switched into Arabic, just in case. "Why are you suddenly teleporting more now?"

Wufei tensed slightly, the grip he had on his pencil tightening minutely. "No reason." He answered tersely, not relaxing his grip. "I just figured it might come in handy."

"Boys!" Mr. Otto snapped, turning away from the white board he had been writing verbs on. "Care to share your conversation with the class?"

It wasn't a request.

Duo, at least, had perfected the fake embarrassed look. He clumsily began an excuse in his flawed Latin. Mr. Otto dismissed it, not wanting to get in between another argument of Duo and Wufei. At least, what he assumed was an argument. The teacher turned back to the white board, missing the shared look of relief between his two students.

===

"So, I was thinking that because the competition is Saturday night, and it will take us two hours to get there - we could leave Friday and hang out until my parents arrived on Saturday morning."

"One problem." Duo broke in, pausing in his "let's-see-how-much-food-I-can-shove-down-my-throat-at-once" game. "Heero and I are working Friday night until eleven."

"And I have violin lessons at four." Quatre put in.

"Flute lessons." Trowa couldn't help but add.

Wufei muttered dark threats under his breath about having friends with social lives that didn't work with his own plans. He bit into his egg-roll and chewed angrily.

"Wufei..." Heero sighed. "If you want, we can leave after the party on Friday. Haven't you always wanted to go cruising at night without your parents?"

The boy in question perked up, and his friends heaved collective sighs of relief.

"So, that's settled." Trowa said. "What now?"

Silence blanketed the five boys.

"Hn." Heero finally grunted, reaching over and stealing some of Wufei's beef-jerky.

And thus began a wrestling match that entertained them all until the bell rang.

===

"Duo, I swear, if you don't shut up I'm going to throw you out of this car!" Heero growled, sending his vicious death glare towards his boyfriend. Duo eeped quietly. His message having been said, Heero turned back to his computer, where he was checking his e-mail.

"Gods, how did she get my e-mail address this time?" He muttered a few moments later.

Duo, who was sitting right next to Heero in the Chang family's jeep, sighed, turning off his portable CD player, finally ending his singing. The others sighed in relief.

They had been in the car for just over an hour, steadily making their way towards Wufei's martial arts competition. Not that the trip was particularly exciting. In the back seat, Quatre was sleeping, leaning against the window as comfortably as his seatbelt would allow. Heero was sitting in the middle, working on his computer and Duo was right next to him, being entertained with music and comics. In the front of the jeep, Wufei was driving; most of his attention was focused on that. And in the passenger seat, Trowa was alternating between reading a book and talking with Wufei in quiet voices.

The group had left right after the Beach Party had ended, like they planed. Wufei's family would arrive sometime the next day, around midday, and attend the tournament that afternoon. They would all leave the day after that.

The car was silent for two minutes.

"Mou..." Duo finally whined, "This is boring! Fei, turn on the radio or something!"

"I thought you brought your diskman," Trowa said, turning around slightly.

"It would explain his singing." Wufei added.

Quatre chose that moment to insert a very audible snore.

"..."

"The batteries died, didn't they?" Heero sighed, glancing over at his boyfriend.

"..."

Wufei sighed and turned on the radio, fiddling with the knob to find a decent station.

"-After last weekends "Mutant Find", after which the five scientists disappeared from their lab, taking with them nearly everything related to their find, a team of specialists found what appeared to be notes on the subject and a few blood samples. After a few tests on the blood, and carefully reviewing the notes, teams discovered that the "Mutant Theory" just might be plausible. It is still unknown as to how to decide who is a mutant and who is not. Nothing is known as to how this happened, or why, or even what sorts of mutations there are. Very little is known about possible dangers that these Mutants pose for Humans, but the threat is very real. Researchers are working around the clock to bring you more news.-"

Wufei switched off the radio.

The car was silent for the rest of the drive.

===

"Fighting next will be long time fighter, Chang Wufei! His opponent will be first timer Minamino Shuuichi. Both fighters are skilled, but it seems that Chang will have the upper hand in this fight..."

"Yeah! Go Fei!" Duo screamed, waving his hands over his head.

Next to him, Heero hid his face in his hands. On the other side, Quatre cheered as well, while Trowa simply clapped.

The group quieted as their friend walked into the center of the mat to meet the red head already waiting there.

"I thought that the boys weren't allowed to fight the girls," Quatre said suddenly, taking in his friend's opponent.

Quatre's mistake was plausible. Standing in the middle of the mat with a tall and slender body the fighter did look like a girl at first glance. With long red hair tied back in a simple ponytail, and wide green eyes, Minamino Shuuichi did look very feminine.

"Minamino is a boy." Somebody said from behind Quatre. "He just refuses to cut his hair."

"Sounds like somebody we know," Heero mused, turning around to look at the person who had just spoken. This boy was short and young looking, though his voice had been very deep. He had very Asian looking eyes, and spiky hair. He wore black, no other colors.

"Hn."

"Hn." Heero returned.

The boy scowled at him.

The group of boys nodded politely at each other, but didn't engage in any more small talk.

"Fight!" The referee shouted, and thus, began the fight.

It was a very impressive fight; both Wufei and Shuuichi were very evenly matched. However, in the end, it was Wufei who won - however narrow the victory was.

"Yeah! Fei rocks all!" Duo shouted, thrusting one fist into the air.

He at least had the decency to wait for the two fighters to bow to each other before rushing his friend and glomping him from behind.

"Kurama!" A voice called.

Minamino turned and smiled at his small friend. His friend being the boy who had commented about his long hair. "It was a good fight ne, Hiei?"

"Hn. You should have won."

"Please excuse me," the red head said, bowing once more before hurrying off with his small friend. "Really Hiei, Chang was a good fighter - the best man won."

"I suppose you'll just have to work harder to beat him next time..."

"Work harder?!" Kurama protested, hurrying after his smaller friend. "Next time?"

The two disappeared into the crowd.

"You were great Fei!" Duo exclaimed, leading his friend off the mat and back towards the others. "I've never seen you fight so well!"

"I had a good opponent..." Wufei tried to explain, his cheeks tinted a slight pink from the excitement of winning such a fight.

"Don't sell yourself short, Chang." Heero said, walking up to the two and wrapping an arm around Duo's shoulders. "That was pretty impressive."

"Yes," Quatre chirped, dragging Trowa over and joining the conversation. "I've never seen you so intent on a fight."

Wufei blinked, unsure if that was a compliment or an insult.

===

"So... what do you think of this whole Mutant thing?" Quatre quietly asked his friends.

Silence rang at the restaurant table while the five boys sitting together debated on the best words to use.

"They make it sound like it's not human." Duo finally said, staring down at his silverware. "I've only heard two reports on it - but they make "Mutants" sound like specimens in a science lab."

"A good reason to hide it." Trowa declared. "It probably will be legalized to test them."

He said 'them' as though he and his four best friends weren't mutants themselves.

"Is there really any other way to take it?" Heero mused finally, also not making eye-contact with his friends. "There can hardly be an upside to the public learning about this. It will bring fear - and fear turns quickly to hatred. There's no reason for them not to be afraid."

Their soft conversation was interrupted by the arrival of their meals.

===

"Par-tay!" Duo cried, swinging himself over The Shack counter and rushing off to mingle in the larger-than-usual crowd.

It had been a tough week for Duo. After the Open House the weekend before, two children had been adopted - and an infant had been taken in. It always happened that way. An Open House wasn't always for kids that were up to be adopted, but a check in for kids who needed a place to stay. The youngest girl had been taken; the oldest boy had been taken. And a two month old child had been brought in. Sleepless nights were guaranteed - either because of his crying "siblings" or the screaming of a baby.

Naturally, after a week of that, anybody would need something to relieve all the stress. For Duo - it was the Friday night party at The Shack.

"Duo!" Heero shouted after the disappearing boy. "You still have to work!"

"I'll be back in ten minutes, Hee-chan!" Duo called back before disappearing completely into the crowd.

Heero sighed, turning back to the cashier. It was only eight; there was another hour before the Dance Contest and other beach contests were to start. And another two hours before the task of clearing out the beach would begin. He was tired too. Football season had just ended and basketball season was about to begin. Plus, it was almost time for Mid-terms, a time when most of his classes had their "half way through the first quarter" exams.

He knew that Duo would keep to his promise and be back in ten minutes. But he also hated working the front alone.

Duo, on the other hand, was now weaving his way through the crowd, talking, laughing and dancing as he went. Though most people didn't like the top punk at Gundam High, his high spirits and easy going attitude were easy to be trapped by. Duo could engage in conversation with just about anybody and leave with a smile.

It also helped that people were afraid to insult him to his face because he hung out with a group of tough thugs.

"Maxwell!" A voice shouted over the music.

Duo turned and stared in shock at the girl standing just behind him. Hilde scowled at him, clad in her black clothes and chained glory.

"I've been trying to talk to you all week but you keep skipping off." The girl accused him, grabbing his arm and dragging him away from the party. She finally stopped moving once they were hidden near the dumpster behind The Shack. It was probably the only abandoned place on the beach at that moment, and only because of its stench.

Duo cocked an eyebrow at his stalker, encouraging her to talk. He added an easy going smile to the mix and watched as she forgot what she was about to say. /You can change your outside appearance but you can't change the girl inside,/ he thought to himself.

Hilde used to be a very quiet girl, liked by everybody. He sudden turn to the Goth look had been because of the death of her father, and the fact that she had developed a crush on Duo. In true fashion, she changed who she was in hopes that Duo would notice her. Duo didn't want to hurt her feelings by telling her, but he thought that Hilde had been a much nicer person before her change. And he pretended not to notice her crush because he was already dating Heero - however much of a secret that it was.

"I wanted to ask you," Hilde said finally, shoving her hands deep into the pockets of her baggy pants. "If you'd like to go to a poetry reading with me tomorrow night." She chanced a hopeful look at her crush. "And then maybe for coffee."

"You still go to poetry readings, Hilde?" Duo asked, surprised. "I didn't know that. I thought that you had stopped going."

"You go to poetry readings?!" The girl blinked, obviously not expecting that.

"Eto... I have some friends that drag me there..."

"Wow, I've only ever seen Quatre Winner at the Poet House," Hilde said, missing Duo's sudden wince. Yeah, that was the friend that dragged him down there.

For a few moments the only sounds were the buzzing of flies around the dumpster.

"So," Hilde said, regaining her tough girl attitude. "Will you come with me?"

"Like a date?" Duo hedged, trying to think of a way to let the girl down gently. He did have a boyfriend after all.

"Well... yeah."

"Hilde," Duo sighed. "You're a great person and all, but I'm already seeing somebody." He flashed a grin. "We've been together for years - I don't think we'll break up anytime in the near future either. So, I can't go on a date with you because I don't want to be a two-timer."

Hilde's shoulders slumped forwards. "Oh." She said softly. "Well, thanks anyway."

Duo embraced the girl in a hug. "Gomen nansai."

The nice-girl-turned-punk sighed. "Tell me who she is?" She asked, sounding pathetic.

Duo tensed. He knew full well what people at Gundam High thought about homosexuals. There had been a freshman who was openly homosexual that didn't even last a month in the school. Duo was used to people hating him behind the back, but could he take it when thrown directly in his face? Could he take the teasing and mocking and pranks that were sure to follow if he revealed to Hilde that he wasn't dating a girl, but a boy? Taking one look at the girl, he decided that he could. Since when did the great Duo Maxwell care about what people thought about him? He could take pranks and teasing.

"Unless you can't tell me," Hilde continued, obviously having taken Duo's silence for reluctance.

"No, it's not that." Duo spoke hesitantly, releasing the girl form his hug. "It's just - I'm not dating a girl..."

Hilde gasped and stumbled backwards. "You're..." she whispered.

Duo clenched his eyes shut. "Bisexual." He admitted.

When he opened his eyes again, Hilde was gone.

===

The weekend went by too quickly for Duo's tastes. He spent the entirety of it with Heero, at Heero's house. They worked on homework together, ranted in various languages about various subjects, and spent time catching up after a week of not being able to show their affection for each other.

And Duo told Heero about what he had said to Hilde.

So, needless to say when both boys arrived at school that Monday, they were both worried. Neither of them wanted to have rumors circulating about them. For surely, Hilde had spilled Duo's secret - or somebody had overheard their conversation.

It was the second theory that proved to be true. But only Duo was affected.

"Fag." Somebody whispered in his ear as he walked down the hallway, skillfully avoiding thrust out legs and backpacks to remain on his feet and not trip.

"Freak."

"Queer."

"Pillow biter."

"Fairy."

Nobody was actually brave enough to physically attack him. Everybody knew what Duo was capable of, after his display of rage freshman year. Nobody knew that one of Duo's best friends was a Martial Arts nut, or that his boyfriend was a strong boxer. Duo had picked up his own fighting style after playing "punching bag" for the two for years on end. He was quick and strong, and packed a mean right hook. Especially when he was threatened.

Though physical attacks were scarce, his pride was smashed. His locker had been kindly decorated with shaving cream. His gym clothes had been switched with a leotard. Spit wads were flying towards him left and right.

But the biggest blow came right before lunch. By Solo, and the rest of his punk friends. They had rejected him as well. Harshly, cruelly... and very publicly.

Monday, it seemed, didn't want to end. Monday, it seemed, was Duo's new nightmare.

That day after school he rushed home to the orphanage and locked himself up in his room. He refused to come out for even Quatre. Wufei was the only one able to get into his room.

And Duo let him stay, because though Heero might have been his boyfriend - Wufei was his best friend. His fist friend. The only friend he had even cried in front of.

Duo cried that afternoon.

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AN Eto... was it worth the wait? So, Kurama and Hiei probably won't come back unless people want them to. And now: THE VERY SECRET... SECRETS OF: TROWA! Trowa is a vegetarian. Trowa doesn't have a father. Trowa is a changeling and can take the form of any living animal [including humans]. Trowa was born in Greece. Trowa will do anything for his friends. Towa plays the flute. Trowa is in gymnastics.

Review plea: review and I'll try to update faster? [hopeful]

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