"In The Stars" Chapter 3

Wufei sat quietly beside Duo as Treize lectured on the impacts of war. He already knew those first hand, death and destruction. Milliardo hadn't so much as looked at them since the incident in the grove three days ago. Duo still hadn't told the other about his real origins, it actually surprised him. The braided man was speaking quietly with the blonde beside him. Quatre only nodded choosing to keep his mouth shut for fear of getting in trouble. Wufei couldn't help but snicker when Treize looked right at them; he also elbowed Duo to give him a heads up. The braided man snapped his head around to look at Wufei about to say something when Treize spoke.

"Mr. Maxwell I didn't think my lectures were that boring." This caused the entire class to laugh before Duo could make some kind of response.

Yet when the man did, everyone was listening. "Well you know, got to do something to keep up."

Wufei knew the final word in that statement had a double meaning, he wondered if Treize did as the man kept looking at them. "That would make passing the test easier," Treize pointed out causing the class to laugh again. Wufei knew immediately the man had caught the double meaning.

"I will try to remember that," Duo said holding his pen to his forehead.

"Good, now as we've gotten off track does anyone have any questions about what we've covered so far?" Treize asked getting the class back under control.

Duo looked at Wufei a moment before smiling. "Thanks for the warning," he whispered with a wink.

The rest of the period went on without any more interruptions. Just before he let them go, Treize reminded the class of their test next time they met. Wufei perked up in his seat at those words until he felt Duo's hand on his arm.

"We'll study together," Duo suggested before putting his notebook away.

"Thanks," Wufei whispered only loud enough for the man beside him to hear.

"Not a problem, come on before the profess decides to reprimand me," Duo said getting up.

Wufei shoved his never opened notebook into his bag before standing up. He shouldered it on his right side before following after Duo, who was trying to make a quick exit.

"Mr. Maxwell may I speak with you about your comments today," Treize's voice said just as they reached the door to leave.

Duo sighed before turning to Wufei, "Would have been too good, I'll meet you outside in a few."

Wufei shrugged and started to go through the door when someone came up behind him and pushed him off balance. His bag fell to the floor as he caught himself from falling. He looked up but whoever had run into him was long gone. With a sigh he reached down and grabbed his bag, not realizing the front pocket had been unzipped.

Duo joined him in the hall a few minutes later with a frown on his face. "He couldn't just be cool and let it go!"

"That bad?" Wufei ventured to ask.

"I hate his classroom etiquette lectures," Duo replied starting down the hall. Wufei walked beside him to their next class.

The five boys decided to get together and pull an all night study session the day before the test. Duo had filled Wufei in on the topics they had been discussing since their last test. Wufei used Duo's sketchy notes to try and get a general idea on the subjects. Although Duo had told him most of Treize's tests were opinion short answer, but some kind of evidence had to be provided. He had also made sure to mention that sometimes he would do multi-choice tests to make sure his students were paying attention.

The next morning Wufei slept in until he only had an hour before class. Climbing out of bed he dressed quickly before shoving his books into his bag and leaving the room to check on Duo. The braided man had to be drug out of bed by Wufei's knocking. He too flew through getting ready almost forgetting his books in the process. The pair made it to class only a few minutes before Treize arrived. The other three laughed as they sat down with a slump in their seats.

Treize passed out the test with a good luck. Wufei almost laughed as he looked at the multi-choice questions, he knew he was going to fail this test. Yet as he started reading the questions, he thought about the logical answers, those that made sense to him. Duo had actually finished the test before him, causing Wufei to look up. He realized that in face most of the class had already finished and were gone.

Finally he came upon the last question, after reading it he was shocked to see his comment from before listed as one of the answers. Yet he chose another feeling it answered the question better. Getting up he grabbed his bag and went to turn his test in When Treize had stopped him. "Mr. Chang would you please wait, I need to speak with you."

Wufei looked at the man before sitting in one of the seats in the front row. Several minutes later the last student had finally turned his test in, leaving the two alone in the lecture hall. Wufei stood up from the chair when Treize held up his hand to tell him to be silent.

"Someone has put forth serious accusations against you. They claimed you stole the answers to the test," Treize said without preamble causing Wufei to take a stumbled step back.

"I'm not a cheater!" Wufei finally said in reply.

"May I see your bag?" Treize asked.

Wufei knew he hadn't done anything wrong so he didn't care if the man looked. "Sure," he said placing it on the table.

Treize went through the main pocket, checking all of Wufei's books and notebooks. Then he checked the front pouch to pull out a folded piece of paper. He opened it and then showed it to Wufei, it was in face the answers. Wufei was beyond shocked at the discovery. "I don't know how I got those, I never open that pocket."

"This is serious," Treize said in reply.

"I'm telling you I didn't take them. How could I? I don't even know where your office is!" Wufei blurted out trying to prove his innocence.

"Hey..." Duo had started to say when he popped his head into the room.

"Leave Mr. Maxwell," Treize told him, only Duo stepped into the room not liking the look on Wufei's face.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"He thinks I stole the answers and cheated," Wufei hissed.

"What but that's not possible..." Duo suddenly stopped talking as he'd almost said too much.

"Not that this concerns you but I found the answers in his bag," Treize said.

"Someone must have put them there," Duo replied quickly before his eyes sparkled. "Someone who wanted to ruin Wu in front of a certain person."

"Milliardo!" Wufei hissed remembering the blonde's threat.

Treize looked between the two before interrupting, "You think Mr. Peacecraft planted it to get you in trouble? And just what was your comment about Mr. Maxwell?"

Duo looked at Wufei before shrugging his shoulders. "It would seem they've both come to like the same person. Sad really that Mil thinks he has a chance with the man," Duo snapped his mouth shut when he realized that, that time he had said too much.

Wufei couldn't believe his ears as Duo had almost told Treize of his supposed crush. Wufei then realized in reality he had, if Treize pieced it all the statements together. "I bet he was the one who told you," he said hoping to divert the man's attention enough to forget.

"You honestly think he planted it?"

"Yes I do," Wufei said before dropping his voice to mumble to himself. "Just because I wouldn't fight his ass."

"What proof do you have?" Treize asked startling both of them.

"Well other than he has access to all the offices, since he works with the janitors," Duo pointed out. "While Wu here doesn't even know where your office is, having never been there. And I'm gonna assume you found it in the front pocket that he doesn't even unzip. Not to mention I saw Mil bump into him two days ago when he was leaving class, you know when you were scolding me."

"I will look into this and question him as well," Treize said not completely clearing Wufei.

"Like he's gonna admit to setting someone up or that he in fact took the answers," Wufei growled in frustration.

"I said I would look into it," Treize answered unfazed by Wufei's anger.

"Whatever!" Wufei snapped grabbing his bag off the table.

"I did not excuse you Mr. Chang," Treize said stopping Wufei.

"I told you who did it, so why am I getting in trouble?" Wufei demanded dumping his bag on the floor.

"Wu, calm down," Duo said stepping in. "We both know you didn't do anything but they still have procedures to follow because of the accusations."

Wufei looked at Duo before letting the air he held out in a rush. "Yeah it just ticks me off. If I had just told him that I'm ---"

Duo shook his head again stopping Wufei from finishing his sentence. He was perplexed why the braided man was so adamant about this little detail. Going over to the seat he had sat in before to wait, he slumped down in the chair.

"Thank you Mr. Maxwell but this does not concern you any longer," Treize said requesting Duo to leave.

"Of course it does," Duo disagreed. "I'm the only person who can back-up his honesty."

Treize pulled out his cell phone, speed dialing someone. He spoke quietly on the phone for several minutes before hanging up and putting it away. "All right Mr. Chang you are excused."

"Huh?" Wufei asked in confusion.

"It seems one of Mr. Peacecraft's friends couldn't stop himself from gloating about the whole thing," Treize explained putting the tests in his briefcase.

Wufei picked his bag up from the floor where he'd dropped it. He turned back to Treize getting the older man's attention. "Sorry about the outburst and thanks."

Duo tried to hide his smile when Wufei joined him in the hall. "So you're apologizing to the man now. Of course I've always wondered why he calls up Mister and Miss, like he doesn't even know our first names."

"To show respect," Wufei said absently as his mind was too busy trying to understand why he had apologized.

"Oh so now you're defending him," Duo pointed out. "You're starting to sound more and more like the Wu I knew."

"What? No way, I was just saying----"

"Yeah whatever," Duo said before bursting out laughing at the look on Wufei's face.

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