An Orphan's Life

Disclaimer: Not mine, wish it were, yada, yada, yada.

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Elysia woke up, feeling a bit confused on where she was. She then remembered where she was and looked around the tent.

The morning sun illuminated everything in a sort of ethereal glow. The bed Catherine slept in had been long ago made up and now looked as if it hadn't been slept in years.

She got of the bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, wondering why she was feeling so cold. Then the memory of Catherine handing her a somewhat see through silky nightgown the night before struck her. Catherine had apologized for not having anything warmer for her to wear, but assured her that nobody would see her in it.

Just as she looked up, her hand still rubbing her eye, she realized that Theo was in the tent and was looking at her.

Or, her chest, which could be seen through the nightgown.

There was a shocked silence, then she began to scream as he ran out laughing.

"Damn it! What are you doing in here?!"

Theo laughed harder as he said," My dad sent me to see if you were up yet. I didn't really want to come." There was a pause before he added," Now, I'm glad I did."

She yanked the blanket off of the bed she slept on and wrapped it as tightly as she could around herself. "You pervert!"

After another pause, he made a face. "Are you dressed yet? I'm really hungry and the bearded lady sure does eat a lot…"

Elysia looked around frantically for her bag, then froze when she realized that she left it at Quatre's house. She closed her eyes, trying to decide on what to do now. "I'm not hungry! Go away!"

"I can't, unless you're with me."

"Well, I can't go… Just leave!"

Theo frowned a little and turned from where he was standing. "Why not?"

Elysia looked around anxiously, struggling to give an answer that wouldn't give him any more ideas. "I… don't have anything to wear."

Theo blinked, then walked back into the tent. "You have no clothes?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

He made a face and crossed his arms. "What's wrong with what you have?"

"I have nothing to begin with. Your aunt took what I had on yesterday and didn't tell me what she did with them."

He frowned a little. "So, just go with that." He motioned to the blanket around her.

She made a face. "Don't you realize you're talking to a girl? We don't go prancing around half naked under blankets!"

"You really should. Makes you all more appealing."

Her eyes widened at this. She turned around and threw herself on the bed. "Go away!"

"What's wrong with the blanket? I sleep in the nude."

She blushed at the thought of him naked and was grateful for the blanket covering her face. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"If you haven't noticed, we're in a circus community. No one's going to care if you go out like that, just as long as you don't make a big show about it."

She stayed under the blanket, then curled herself into a ball. "Go away!"

"Get up."

"No."

"Don't make me do it myself."

"I'd like to see you try."

"I would, but I don't want to get yelled at if I touch something I'm not supposed to."

She thought that over and sighed. She stood up and turned to him. She frowned when he began to circle her, poking her here or there. "Hey! What's the big idea?!"

He ignored and went to touch her sides, but she slapped his hand away angrily.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

He looked at her, slightly annoyed. "I'm just measuring you." He studied her for a minute, then said. "Take off the blanket."

She backed away from him in shock. "What?! No!"

"I can't get your exact size with that big blanket covering you. You can cover whatever you don't want me to see with your arms." When she didn't move, he added with a slight grin," It's either that, or you can go out with just that nightgown on. I don't really care."

She made a face at the choices, then sighed. She took off the blanket, and quickly crossed her arms over her chest, not wanting to give him another free show.

He walked around her again, making her feel more uncomfortable, but scaring herself when she realized she didn't mind.

She was starting to calm down a little, until he said," Put your arms up."

Her eyes widened. "What?! "

He sighed and started to get a bit more annoyed. "Look, I'm right behind you. I'm not going to do anything. I just want to see if you're too big on top."

"Too big for what?"

He ignored the question and moved closer to her. "Don't make me remind you of what you could wear if you don't do what I ask."

She took a deep breath, and lifted her arms up. She felt his hands touch her upper back and move a little too close to her front, but he stepped back quickly and threw the blanket at her.

"Here. I'll be right back." He ran out as she covered herself with the blanket.

*His dad' may not be crazy, but he sure is! *

A few minutes later, he returned with clothes in his hands. "Put this on. It should fit well. I'll be outside." He then walked back out of the tent and waited like he said.

She looked at the clothes in her hands and smiled. * Crazy, but sweet and cute too. *

After she had finished getting dressed, they walked over to where Elysia assumed where the circus people ate.

They walked in an awkward silence, not knowing what to say to each other, both unaware that they were having the same thoughts about each other.

As they reached the eating area, Theo made a face and looked at her. "See what you're damn girliness did? Now there's nothing left to eat!" He sat down at one of the tales and began to pout.

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "As I recall, I told you to go on without me. You have no one to blame but yourself!"

He glared at her and looked away.

She smirked, knowing that she won.

"You two need anger management."

They looked behind them to see who talked.

Theo rolled his eyes and looked back at the table. "Go away, Gabe."

Elysia smiled at the younger version of Theo. *He's so adorable! *

He looked at her and extended his right hand to her. "Hi! I'm Gabriel. Theo's younger, but much more mature, little brother."

She smiled some more as she shook his hand. "I'm Elysia." *He's so much nicer than Theo. I wish I had a little brother. *

He looked at her, then his brother. "My brother really likes you."

She managed not to blush at that. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

"The way he's acting mean to you. He's only nice to girls he doesn't like. He has it bad for you. The meaner he is to you, the more he likes you." He shrugged and turned away. "Bye! It was nice meeting you!" He walked away, leaving Elysia to stare at him in bewilderment.

Later that night, Elysia was eating a spaghetti and meatball dinner with Trowa, Theo, Gabriel, and the girl she saw the night before, who was the youngest and named Rene.

She had just finished telling Trowa everything that had happened to her from the moment she was placed in the orphanage, up until she arrived to the Sanc Kingdom, when Gabriel and Rene decided to leave, obviously bored.

Trowa closed his eyes and thought for a while, leaving Elysia and Theo to look around uncomfortably.

Elysia stared at Trowa, unaware that Theo was checking her out again. When she looked at him for no particular reason, he looked away, arms crossed as if he were mad.

Trowa broke the silence by saying," I don't know where Zechs is at, but I think you should stop looking for him anyways. If he didn't want you, then it wouldn't be wise to go searching for him. There are a lot of unusual things surrounding your story, and I don't think it's safe for you to be looking for all of these people. But if anybody knows what's going on here, it's going to be Heero. He'll know what to do once you talk to him."

Elysia took this in and nodded slowly. "So, how do I find him?"

Trowa smiled sheepishly at the question. "To be honest, I don't know. I haven't seen him for nearly three years. But Duo Maxwell would know."

Elysia smiled at the sound of Duo's name. *That's the same name as the orphanage! How weird! *

"So, where does this Duo live?"

Trowa laughed a little. "I don't know where he lives either. But Wufei will know. A Preventer's thing."

Elysia stared at him blankly. "Please tell me you know where he lives."

Trowa nodded and leaned back in his chair. "I saw him a few months back. He should still be living in space as far as I know."

Elysia smiled, but shuddered at the thought at being in space again. After her experience with Caterina, she didn't think she liked to go out there again. " So, where does he live, exactly?"

Trowa waved a hand at her. "Don't worry. Theo knows. He'll show you around."

Theo stared at him in shock. "What?! I have to go with Stupid to space?! Why?!"

Trowa raised an eyebrow at his son. "I'm not going to allow a friend's child go to space without protection. "

Theo stared at him for a second, then started laughing, getting a different meaning from that sentence.

Trowa rolled his eyes, as Elysia suddenly understood what Theo was laughing at and began to blush really bad. "I need to exchange you for a girl.

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A/N: What'd ya think? Sorry if this dragged on, but I wanted to show how Theo and Elysia's relationship starts. I don't have much to say about this one, 'cept maybe R&R… Well, bye for now. ~_^