Abduction? Exchange program? Vacation? Old relatives? Parents died? Pre-school program?
The ideas were endless while being more or less useful in Quatre's opinion regardless of what the respectful owner thought. After having stumbled over the tiny problem of explaining to Kenji WHY he was with them in the first place while kind of covering up his awakening in J's lab AND keeping his child brain stress free Quatre had decided that everybody should go clean up first. After an hour when everybody would be presentable, tempers calmed and food first priority in their mind they could think over breakfast for a solution.
The first to reappear in the kitchen was Quatre only clad in a bathrobe after a rushed shower obviously not taking any chances of Kenji going on another harassing trip for braided sleep deprived pilots. But Kenji was still sitting in front of the TV watching early morning cartoons which reminded Quatre funnily a lot of Duo who could often be found in the same place claiming he had to catch up on all the missed out cartoons in his childhood.
The blonde walked over to the fridge grabbed the ingredients he needed to start on Duo's breakfast: scrambled eggs and bacon, the only things he didn't manage to burn after having grown up in a house full of servants. Duo needed proteins now to regain his strength after the last mission and the braided pilot had assured him that he had improved a lot after his first try.
It was usually him who prepared the breakfast. Wu Fei refrained from doing any woman's work but he had found his duties in garding their surroundings. Nobody really wanted Trowa to cook, he was too much like Heero being used to the packed and practical soldier food which maybe had all the "right" nutritional values but usually tasted like crap. To everybodies amazement Duo was the only one who could cook. Not the great stuff Quatre had been used to but all the meals a normal family would find on their table. The braided teen had never explained where he had learnt it so it was still a mystery to the other pilots wondering how someone could learn cooking while growing up on the streets hunting for food. BUT yeah there was a but, Duo wasn't exactly a morning person. He usually needed food to become his normal unbearable cheerful self. So having a half asleep god of death make their breakfast was out of the question. They had tried it one time but after finding the kitchen half destroyed afterwards they decided that maybe Quatre would be the better choice after all.
Fifteen minutes later Quatre could hear Trowa's quite steps coming down the stairs. The tall Latin boy usually ate porridge, some fruits and a glass of juice for a drink. Trowa was dressed this morning in an extra sweater –broken heating remember- nodded his thanks to Quatre and settled on his place starting to eat. Quatre got Wu Fei's spartanic food next consisting of toast, butter and a glass of milk and put it on the opposite side of Trowa.
Quatre felt a bit queasy. Trowa was normally not THAT silent with him and normally they would have used the time to have a small chat until Wu Fei was done with his morning katas, Duo was able to drag himself out of bed and Yuy – well if he would have been here – had checked his e-mails and the security on the outside grounds.
Right now Trowa was awfully quiet and Quatre couldn't take it any longer, he needed to know what was on the other pilot's mind. If someone could pride himself of something like a sixth sense it was him. Taking his own breakfast, several english muffins & marmelade and his morning tea to the place beside Trowa, he sat down.
The uni banged boy looked up from his breakfast and eyed Quatre having idea of what was to come. The guys had been sharing safe houses for several months now so he was used to see the small blonde eat amounts of food which would have been enough for three grown men and Quatre's concern for his fellow pilots. Trowa sighed, he really had developed a weak spot for the Sandrock pilot and all those funny feelings inside him confused him to no end.
"Are you alright, Trowa? You seem eh a bit subdued this morning." Quatre asked carefully.
"Can I tell you a story Quatre?" Came instead another question.
'A story??? Now I'm getting really worried. Did the current situation awake some bad memories? Some hidden trauma?' Quatre's imagination was running wild and Trowa had to cough to get Quatre's attention focosed on him again.
"Oh, of course, Trowa." Quatre nodded encouragingly at a slightly frowning Trowa.
"There was this boy. Who was alone but living with a lot of people. They were working together. Let's say they sticked together but after certain rules. Now the boy learned to live after those rules but one day he's grown up and goes off to find a new purpose since let's say staying with the people wasn't possible anymore." Trowa halted seemingly deep in thought on how to proceed.
'My, that could be a hint to his past.' Quatre thought excited. Though they were all knowing each other for quite some time now Quatre had only come so far as figuring out that Heero was some kind of tin can soldier absolutely loyal to J and his mission, Duo a L2 street kid –he still hadn't figured out how he got across Deathscythe-, Trowa who had contacts to a circus he had used once for hiding as far as Quatre knew, he himself was from a rich family and Wu Fei was the last of his clan, from the destroyed L5 colony and very touchy on the subject of women. So this finally could be his chance to put some light in Trowa's shadowed past. For some unknown reason the tall guy interested him to no end.
"Quatre? Hey? Are you listening?" Trowa wore this frowing expression again and Quatre hurried to give him an apolegetic smile.
"Of course. Go on." Quatre nodded eagerly to hear the rest.
"Well, the boy was wandering for a long time before finding a new purpose, a new task to carry out. In his new environment though the rules he once learned are useless and now he isn't sure how to solve this problem."
Trowa looked expectantly at Quatre. He hoped that the blonde maybe had understood what he had wanted to say. That his actions not always seemed friendly and social but it was only because he didn't know it any better.
The blonde smiled. "Maybe the boy should try just to follow the examples of his environment. Learning by doing, you know? And trust me the rest will just fall into place. It will just take some time." The blonde grabbed Trowa's hand next to his. "And Trowa if you should ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me." Quatre's kind words –or was it his hand on his? – brought a nice tingling warm feeling in Trowa's gut and he shyly smiled back at the blonde.
"Errrm. Am I interupting something?" A grinning Duo stood in the doorway at the end of the staircase playing with his braid.
"Eh, no Duo come sit down. I think your eggs and bacon are ready."
"You mean whats left of them, Q." Duo snickered. Pushing himself of the door frame he sauntered to his place across from Quatre winking to Trowa before letting himself fall into his chair.
"What?" Asked Quatre confused. Then he smelled it. The eggs began to burn. "Oh Allah, Duo why didn't you say anything?" The blonde raced over to the stove trying to save Duo's breakfast.
Still wearing his "cat got the cream grin" he waved his hand dismissively. "Like I said Quat', I had the distinct feeling I was interupting something so I kept quiet and waited."
Duo who was now balancing on his chair was wearing comfortable grey sweat pants and a black tank top.
"Aren't you cold Duo?" Wondered Trowa.
"You see, when you just had a cold shower because of a broken heater you don't really mind the cold anymore. Besides it does wonders to wake you up."
"That might explain it." Trowa mumbled eying him warily.
"Hm?" Duo couldn't exactly Trowa's line of thought.
"Alright, Duo here you go. Where is Wu Fei? His toast is gonna be stone cold."
"Thanks, man. Don't worry. Mr. I-have-a-stick-up-my-ass will appear as
soon as Nataku will permit him to leave."
Quatre tried to look disgruntled at Duo's loose mouth but couldn't help a small grin.
"I wonder what it is with him and his gundam. I mean sure we all have a close relationship with our machines but Wu Fei?"
"Yeah, what does Nataku mean anyway? Ever realized that he refers to her as a "she" but otherwise he seems to despise women. Funny guy, I think." Duo wondered.
"I know what you mean. After his kata he goes and checks up on her every morning." Trowa added.
"Like Yuy and his laptop." Duo snickered.
"Errrm." Quatre coughed discretly.
Wu Fei strode into the kitchen from the back door.
"If you speak of the devil…" Duo put quickly food in his mouth.
Wu Fei stopped and frowned. "What's wrong with you Maxwell? Usually you need to be half through breakfast to get your act together a.k.a. getting on everybodies nerves in a one mile radius."
"Ya see Wuffie, I already had a great morning soap opera show. LIFE in the kitchen." Duo send Quatre a devilish grin who blushed in return.
Wu Fei looked up from his toast. "I didn't know you'd go for that junk." Before taking a bite from it.
Duo rolled his eyes. 'How dumb can someone be.'
Quatre hurried to change the subject before Wu Fei had a chance to catch on to what Duo was hinting at. He had no idea why he was so embarrassed. 'I mean nothing happened between us.' He wondered silently.
"So guys, did you came up with anything sensible for Kenji?" Quatre asked hopefully.
"Yes, Winner." All eyes went to the Chinese. "How about you give him some food?"
Quatre stared dumbfounded.
"He has a point you know Quat'. Starving the brat won't help us any although I appreciate the effort of getting us out of the situation. But you have to admit it would simply take too long. Trust me I know what I am talking about." Duo bit in a piece of bacon not realizing everybody staring at him.
Wu Fei shook the disturbing thoughts out of his head. "Anyway, Winner. You said about an hour ago you will see to his needs. So just give him some breakfast. Maybe I can get something useful out of him. J might have thought of an explanation already."
Duo seriously doubted that considering he let Heero Yuy loose on humanity.
Quatre who had recovered in the meanwhile from forgetting about a poor kid he was supposed to take care of and had Kenji ushered in the kitchen with some difficulty.
"Well, Duo. One thing is clear. Kenji is as much addicted to those cartoons as you." Quatre shook his head. Duo shrugged.
"Mark my words Maxwell. There is some higher force behind this."
Duo rolled his eyes not being able to reply with his mouth full with a fleeting image of J as the mastermind behind in his mind all this added with thunder and a mighty flash in the background.
In the next moment though his attention was averted by a five year old something slowly invading his personal space.
'What the heck? Quat' you better not make that brat sit next to me.' Duo sent a silent scowl to the blonde who quickly reconsidered and finally placed Kenji on a chair inbetween him and Trowa.
"Hm, Wu Fei. Can you ask him what he would like?"
Wu Fei who looked long enough up to see on what Kenji's eyes where hanging, said. "I think Duo has to share."
Hearing his name the Deathscythe pilots head jerked up. "Share? What?" Seeing Kenji's gaze lingering on his remaining eggs and bacon he protectivley hold his arm around his food. 'No way, if you think you can steal my food. Over my dead body.'
"Duo? Duo? I asked you something." Quatre's nose was very close to him and the bright blue eyes were shining with concern. It was like being hypnotized.
"What?" Duo whispered dreamily.
"Eh, I asked you to share some food with Kenji. I'd really appreciate it since I have no eggs nor bacon left."
"Sure, Quatre. Take whatever you want." Duo's head felt funny and he had the distinct feeling he said-waitasec-he had said that Quatre could take some of his breakfast.
"Q, what are you doing?! I never agreed to that." 02 had jumped up from his chair scowling at Kenji who had food piled up on his plate. HIS food.
"Maxwell, when we finally win the war I recommend you seeing a shrink beside a hairdresser."
Duo glared at Wu Fei. "What are you getting at Wuffers? You're just jealous that your fuzzy ponytail can't keep up with my shiny braid."
"Whatever you say."
Duo humphed and sat back down again refusing to eat the remainings of his food. He eyed Kenji who was happily shoveling food into his mouth watching him all the time. 'Damn brat. Never thought Yuy would have been such a trouble maker as a kid.' That reminded him.
"Hey Wu Fei. How about you ask him now what J had told him?"
"Good idea, Duo." Quatre seemed to have forgotten about that already. If he wouldn't know perfectly well that Quatre was their ace concerning strategies he'd never guessed it himself. The blonde boy would one day forget his head if it wouldn't be already attached to his neck.
Kenji was cheerfully relating all the stuff he knew to Wu Fei who blanched more and more with each phrase from Kenji's mouth. Finally Kenji stopped seemingly proud of his explanation.
"So? What did he say?" Ever impatient Duo demanded to know. "Or did you swallow your tongue?"
Trowa raised an eyebrow at the Chinese and Quatre gave him an encouraging nod.
Wu Fei took a deep breath. "J made us his godfathers."
Silence.
Then. "WHAT?!" – "?!" - "&@*$#"
"DUO! We have a child here!!!"
"So what Quatre he can't understand a word anyway!!!"
"Me neither." Added Wu Fei sarcastically. "And I'm sure I don't want to understand."
"Wu Fei don't get me wrong but for you and your honor tick it should be essential to understand when you have been insulted."
"Don't worry Maxwell. When it comes to your insults I'm sure I will always understand them and defend my honor to my best."
"We have been made godfathers?" Quatre was astonished beyond belief. Being a godfather was a very serious thing even if the circumstances were quite exceptionel.
"Interesting." Trowa took a sip from his juice.
Duo was once again out of his chair. "How can you be so calm? We were just made godfathers. Meaning since he has no family in this time line we will be stuck with him forever if J can't reverse this. Aaaahhh!!!!"
The Deathscythe pilot pulled at his hair.
"Damn it Maxwell, get that thing what you call hair out of my milk. Yuck!"
"Now calm down Duo. It's not so bad as it seems. Think logically. It's J we're talking about. Of course he'd want back his perfect soldier as soon as possible. So we will have to deal with Kenji only for a certain amount of time."
"But why that stupid godfather story?" Duo moaned. He remembered only to clearly what he had learned back as a child what the job of a godfather meant.
"I think J only wanted to make sure that Yuy stays with us. That we won't consider leaving him to another alternative." Trowa added thoughtfully remembering his time in the mercenary group who left behind the once who couldn't support themselves.
"Obviously J believed there's enough reason behind this to bind him to us."
Everybody sat quietly in their chairs.
"We don't really have to pretend we're his godfather now, do we?!" Duo moaned resting his face on his hands.
"I don't think so." Said Wu Fei. "We will just stick to our plan and try to get by. Let him believe what he wants and hope J finds a solution quickly.
We should all check our e-mails regularly. Duo that means you have to hack into Yuy's laptop, we also need the plans and information for upcoming missions he had saved there."
With that he turned to Kenji telling him something in Japanese. Duo could only nod quietly.
"What did you tell him Wu Fei?" Quatre inquired cleaning the table.
"I told him to get cleaned up. Try to find him some clothes Winner. We will need to go into the next city to find some clothes and other necessities."
"What about the sweepers?"
"Too long Maxwell. He can't run around in that hospital gown for the next week. I also need some other things so it's no problem."
Quatre seemed to think about something. "Duo didn't you say that you needed some electronics and tools?"
"Yeah, but not right away. Why?"
"I think it's better you join them. Wu Fei and Kenji don't look a lot a like. Me neither. You know we have to stay undercover."
Duo looked nonplussed.
"Trowa?"
The Latin boy shook his head.
"Have to finish the repairs on Heavyarms for my next mission." He smirked at Duo. "Looks like you're stuck with him. Again."
"Damn." Duo stood up from the table walking to the stairs. 'Damn. Damn. Damn.'
"Don't forget Maxwell. 9am at the front door. Not one minute later!!!"
'I have a feeling this day isn't going to be much better than yesterday.' Duo stomped up the stairs.
***
Hi guys, I think I got a bit carried away. It got way to long. Just wrote it today. I had so much on my mind this week it was hard to concentrate on writing. My friends in the US have trouble and my best friend here has to change families meaning she'd be almost half an hour away from Nice from January on. I think this fall is just soooo shitty. Can't wait for this year to be over. Hope you guys have more fun.