Title: "Study"

Theme: #8 Wall

Rating: PG-13 (for language)

Word Count: 1,296

Characters/Pairings: DY; Cagalli, mention of Athrun

Author's Note: This is how I rationalized procrastinating on studying for my AP European History exam. I wrote a story that has some facts in it, and some dissing of the French, and jokes about the history textbook we used and the guy who wrote it, Palmer. So I do go off on tangents. Much sorry. And sorry to the French. please take no offense (or not much, anyways XD)

start-

His fingers twitched with the urge to fling the cursed book out of the window, as Yzak Jule did his best to try to memorize the different stages of the French Revolution.

"Stupid fucking Robespierre had to fucking mess things up and get replaced by the fucking Directory, and then those idiots fucked everything up and let Napoleon set up his fucking Consulate! And then Napoleon names himself fucking emperor and tries to take over fucking Europe! Europeans are just so smart," he muttered to himself, glaring fiercely at the book nightmares were made of: A History of the Modern World by R. R. Palmer. That book could make a grown man cry, especially if they particularly disliked reading about the overrated French, who Palmer loved to talk about, and all their over touted successes and their continuous failures.

Across the table, Dearka raised an eyebrow at him, head lifted from the pages of his AP European History review guide, where he'd conveniently been taking a nap. "Now what are you muttering about?" he asked, covering a yawn with his hand and brushing a stray lock of blonde hair from his face. "Complaining again?"

The Duel pilot glared at him. "It's not my fault the French are idiots and mess everything up," he pouted. "Why did I even take this stupid class?"

Dearka shrugged, leaning back with a sigh. "You're the one who wanted to take it and forced me into it too. You said something about how, if Athrun could do it, you could too."

Yzak scowled, slamming the thick book shut and earning glares from the others around them. He glared right back, getting to his feet in annoyance. He was tired of studying people who'd been dead for hundreds of years. He was tired of studying events that didn't matter anymore. He was tired of being forced by the Plants to go to school just because he'd missed a few years while fighting in the war. It wasn't the pretty, expensive walls of this school that were causing him to feel a bit…trapped. It was the invisible walls he couldn't run through to escape that were the problem. Like this stupid AP test he was being forced to take. He had no desire to spend four hours answering questions and writing three separate essays. But he didn't have a choice, since he'd signed up for the damn class. Stupid Zala! Why'd he have to take it? With a huff of anger, he stormed out of the small room, leaving a crowd of annoyed people behind.

"Can't you try to control him?" one of them, who happened to be none other than Cagalli, demanded of Dearka.

The blonde just shrugged. "No one can really control him except for his mother, but that's just because she's one of the most intimidating people I know. But I suppose I should go make sure that he doesn't burn that book. Not that I wouldn't mind doing that, but I don't think he'd want to pay for a new copy."

Cagalli winced slightly. "That book's insanely expensive," she commented with a shudder. "Probably over a dollar per pound, and it does weigh quite a bit, since good old Palmer's words carry so much weight."

Dearka chuckled as he gathered up his things. "Well, damn Palmer then," he said with a smirk, saluting the bunch lazily before meandering out of the door into the stark, white halls. Yzak shouldn't be too hard to spot. He had a thing for wearing red. Probably wanted to emphasize the fact that he'd been an ace pilot in ZAFT during the war compared to most of the common ZAFT and Earth Alliance soldiers that now attended this school. The vain idiot.

The Buster pilot squinted, seeing no sign of movement in the deserted halls. It was a bit creepy to see the normally bustling halls empty of any living soul beside himself. If this was what it was like being forced to stay after school all the time, then it was definitely something to be avoided. He would've called Yzak's name had he not had that sinking feeling that it'd echo horribly. Wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong ideas…well, anyone to know about it, rather.

With a sigh, Dearka dragged himself over to the ledge along the windows, which overlooked the back entrance four stories below. It was a bright, clear day, with no indication of the torture that was the AP test, which wasn't even a day away now. He shuddered at the thought. 20 hours from now he'd be writing away on how Bismarck united Germany or how more factors than the Alliance System started World War I or some other random topic in European history. He could understand Yzak's resistance. Dearka didn't want to take the test either, but he at least took it with feigned good humor. Yzak…didn't.

A flash of movement outside caught his eye. Yzak was stalking out onto the pavement, swinging his book violently. Dearka gulped. Ezaria would be furious at her son if she had to buy him another book. And she's probably be mad at Dearka too for failing to stop him, a position he wanted to avoid at all costs.

Grabbing his things, the Buster pilot ran for the stairs, jumping steps as he hurriedly descended three floors, quickly making his way out of the back doors and jogging until he caught up with the silver-haired boy.

"What do you want?" Yzak snapped as he stepped off the curb in the direction of the back parking lot.

Dearka scowled, grabbing the other boy's arm and sitting on the curb, pulling Yzak down next to him. "I know you don't want to take this test, but no need to go around acting like a bitch about it."

Yzak groaned, trying to get up, held down by Dearka's iron grip. "There's no reason for me to be all fake and nice like you are. That's the coward's way out!"

Dearka raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, so sticking it out is more cowardly than bitching, complaining, and running?"

Yzak almost punched Dearka for that remark, because it was true and he knew it. He just refused to admit it to himself. Instead he sniffed in disdain, turning away like a spoiled child.

Dearka sighed. What a stubborn ass. "Why can't you just act responsible for once? With the exception of your attitude towards Naturals, you're too similar to how you were when we first stole our mobile suits, when we were both complete jerks. I know I don't like who I was back then. You must have though, since you're acting like that again."

The Duel pilot's fists were clenched as they flew out, hitting Dearka in the jaw. He grunting, his teeth cutting creating a shallow cut in his lip, which he ignored as he gave Yzak that unnerving lavender stare. An awkward silence arose as Yzak shifted guiltily, trying to avoid that penetrating gaze. Finally, even though it killed his pride, he ducked his head. "Sorry," he muttered.

Dearka shrugged, wiping away the blood that trailed from his split lip. "It's not a big deal. We've both had worse." The blonde paused. "But I do want you to know I'm here for you. I think you've had all this resentment and annoyance bottled up in you for a while now. You need to let it out."

Yzak rolled his eyes. "And who made you the psychiatrist here? Though…I suppose…you're right…" The last part was said reluctantly, Yzak wincing as he said it.

Dearka smirked, putting an arm around the Duel pilot's shoulders. "They always say the first step to healing is admitting you have a problem."

Yzak snorted. "Yeah right. You wish, you idiot."

-end

Yes, i need to study. A lot. 4 days until the AP test. -hides-

xxravenwingxx