Chapter 2 - Roommates from Hell

This was the plan: Since they would be allowed to disembark once they landed on the colony, they would check into individual hotel rooms "reserved for Lacus Clyne's guests", which would actually be secretly reserved beforehand by Athrun. Nicol and Yzak would check in an hour earlier than Athrun and Dearka so the two enemies don't know they're staying in the same hotel. If they did, it was sure that one of them would be suspicious of the entire set-up.

In the evening Nicol would take Yzak to the hotel bar to wait for "Lacus Clyne". He would get Yzak as drunk as possible while waiting. Athrun would meanwhile bring Dearka to the other end of the hotel bar to wait for Lacus, and likewise get the blond plastered. When the two enemies were drunk enough, well, things would play out as expected.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Once the voice over the public address system announced it was safe to disembark, Nicol broke into a huge grin. His night in Yzak's room had been uneventful save for one scary episode in the middle of the night.

Nicol had been sleeping curled under the covers when Yzak stormed in and hurled a thick bundle of instruction manuals at Dearka's bed.

"The nerve! Why should I take care of the messes this fuckin idiot makes! Am I his fuckin nanny?! People!" He began kicking the mattress and spewing profanities.

Nicol started when a heavy object came crashing onto his pillow, missing his head by mere inches. By the light that spilled from the hallway into the room, he saw a livid Yzak kicking the bed in a rage. Nicol sat up and frantically waved his hands in front of him.

"Yzak! It's me, Nicol!" he shouted. "Stop it!" Yzak had looked stunned when Nicol spoke and promptly stopped in mid-kick. His brows had furrowed and he turned and left the room in a huff, but not before a venomous "Fuckin idiot!" spewed from his lips.

Nicol had slept fitfully since then.

The younger boy grabbed his overnight bag. "Yzak, are you ready? Let's go!" He smiled at his roommate and all he got was a sullen look in return.

"What kind of idiot suffocates himself under the covers anyway?" Yzak bristled.

Nicol felt his smile falter. "I like to sleep that way," he replied. The youth knew this was the closest thing to an apology Yzak would give him. "Uhm, I'll wait for you outside." With a tentative wave he left the room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Athrun did not fare well last night either.

Dearka's restlessness prevented Athrun from any decent sleep. Dearka would not, or could not, sit still. He flitted from his bed to the desk, then to window, staring out for a few minutes, then he left the room and promptly came back to pace, muttering to himself. This kept on for ten minutes until Athrun, who had been reading on his bed, politely asked him to sit down as he was getting distracted. Dearka complied and picked up a magazine, but he kept picking up and putting down magazines one after the other, just flipping through them.

Athrun had been trying to ignore the racket Dearka was raising but deciding he couldnt he turned to sleep, but then Dearka decided to play his radio. It was soft enough, but it was tuned to a heavy metal station, and Athrun could hear the thunderous beats of the drums and bass as well as the screeching vocals. It didn't help that Dearka was singing along. Thoroughly annoyed now, he sat up.

"Why don't you just go talk to him?" Athrun asked through gritted teeth.

"Huh? Talk to who?" Dearka asked innocently..

"Yzak!" Athrun stressed, exasperated.

"What?" Dearka raised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that? Like he's worth my time," he replied in a huff.

Athrun rolled his eyes. "All right fine. Would you turn down the radio instead? I can't sleep."

"Oh, this is bothering you? Sorry." Dearka turned the radio off…and promptly began through his magazine-flipping again.

Athrun groaned, pulled a pillow over his head, and vowed to get Dearka back in Yzak's room ASAP.

Athrun sighed as he saw the mess on Dearka's side of the room. Magazines were lying on the bed and scattered on the floor. A tumbler lay on its side. Headphones were tangled around the unmade blanket. His roommate wasn't anywhere in the room.

"I'll be glad when this is over!" he said, picking up his bag and heading out the room.

TBC

How was it? I hope you liked it! Reviews are appreciated! ;p Extra thanks to Lord Ma-koto and Shuri-san ;p