Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters or particular things connected to them from either universe. They all belong to J.K. Rowling or studio Sunrise. Any other possible characters, as in OCs, are all mine.
Summary: Harry lives with his successful parents in London and is on the road to becoming a world-class player in tennis. Having been homeschooled all of his life he jumps at the opportunity to attend a public High School and experience regular teenage life. Will he be able to fit in or will his past get in the way of that?
Pairings: Heero/Harry.
Warnings: SLASH. AU as in another universe, meaning there will be no magic or Gundams in this story. If you have to have your Harry gifted with magic and your G-boys mecha crazed; then I suggest looking for another story. Oh, and another thing; this is not a 'Harry is an unhappy and abused orphan' fic. His parents and god father are all well and alive in this; just slightly altered to suit my plot, so I'm sorry if I mess up any persons' perceptions of any characters. Just to be clear; it would be better for you to expect most, if not all, characters to be, more or less, OOC with the altered conditions.
Author's note: Sorry for the long, loooong, wait, but here it is finally. Another chapter of SC. Hope you like it. /Lin
Second Chances
Chapter 5
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me."
Dudley Field Malone
Harry slumped, exhausted, across his bed and groaned from both delight and fatigue. Sirius had made him do several extra push-ups and sit-ups than his usual workout plan, under the sweltering sun no less for being late. He was almost sure his pale British skin was going to get a permanent sunburn from being forced to do the exercises without a shielding shirt. He'd remember to use sun block the next time.
He pushed himself around to lie on his back. He took a few deep breaths as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with the wrist sweatband. Perhaps resting his sweaty body on the clean bed linens wasn't such a good idea, but it was too late now. He would rest for a few minutes more before taking his shower and eating dinner. Emerald eyes switched to the alarm clock on his nightstand, the numbers telling him it was a little bit after half past eight. Usually his practice would end at eight.
After resting Harry showered and got dressed in cotton sweatpants accompanied with a simple t-shirt. As he came down the stairs his nose caught something burnt and entering the kitchen he saw Sirius grudgingly dousing a hot and steaming skillet in the sink. He sat down at the table just as Sirius turned off the faucet. From beside the stove the man grabbed a plate and a bowl which he put down on the table. Looking at the dishes Harry had to assume that Sirius had been trying to fry some pieces of meat (they were rather black though) and some mixture he guessed were supposed to be mashed potatoes. Well, at least the man had tried right?
The man fetched another smaller bowl and Harry was happy to see that the fresh vegetables seemed to be mostly unharmed. Although, the cut sizes were of a wide range of variety.
"I and the new stove don't get along very much." Sirius stated with thoughtful eye on the food he had prepared.
"I think cooking in general don't get along with you." Harry parried.
"Don't make me order you another fifty." Sirius warned, pointing a finger in the teen's direction and Harry shut his mouth.
Sirius had to cook this time when he had extended Harry's practice. Usually Harry was the one who cooked for them for obvious reasons as shown here before them.
Having scraped off the burnt surface on the meat it was edible enough, though dry, the potatoes were okay, despite their appearance but a bit too salty, and you couldn't do much damage to the vegetables in the first place. Altogether, he was impressed. Counting every time Sirius had cooked this had to be the most successful one of them all and that was saying something.
"Why were you late today?" His god father threw him a short look out of the corner of his eye as he inspected the meat and then took a cautious bite out of it. Seconds later he hummed appreciatively and dug in, clearly surprised by the success of his own cooking.
Harry winced inwardly; he had been hoping Sirius wouldn't ask him that, or at least forget about it given enough time.
"I forgot the time when I was with some friends." He said, trying to sound casual.
It wasn't a lie, technically that is, but why then did he feel this light twinge in the pit of his stomach?
"Friends? That's nice to hear Harry!" Sirius smiled, face lighting up. "But try and not be late the next time, alright? We have to think about keeping up your practice." He continued with a semi stern voice.
"Yes, I'll do that." Harry replied and couldn't help breathing a small inner sigh of relief.
Finished eating Harry offered to wash the dishes, leaving Sirius to slouch in front of the TV, and then went up to work on his homework before going to bed.
Harry threw his bag on the bed and watched it bounce lightly before settling down. Eyes kept staring at it. He still hadn't figured out what excuse he was going to tell Sirius. He certainly had a problem. He'd sort of (or rather made into) promised Duo that he would help the soccer club, but he also had a old and long standing promise with Sirius that he would give his all with tennis. Somehow he didn't think Sirius would be very happy hearing about him offering to help the soccer club, however noble the gesture, since it was the man that had pulled him out of soccer to begin with to be able to focus on tennis. His devotion would be in question, but Harry could do both things. How hard could it be?
He would have to keep it a secret from his god father though; there was no other way around it. He wasn't sure Sirius would understand. And what Sirius didn't know wouldn't hurt him now would it? Harry was just going to help Duo for a little while until they found a proper goalkeeper to join the club. He was sure it wouldn't take too long. They would surely replace him with someone better in no time, so why couldn't he have some fun with it while it lasted?
Sirius was sitting in the leather couch in front of the TV again in the living room when Harry found him. The man clicked between the channels listlessly in search of something worth watching, while silently contemplating whether he should take a trip into town. He stopped on a news channel shortly to hear the news and weather report.
"Sirius?"
"Yes?" Sirius kept his eyes on the TV, clicking once when he tired of the gloomy news and settled down for some old classic movie.
"I, was just wondering if it was alright for me to go and meet some friends at school, today."
"Sure, we're done with practice today and as long as you don't forget your homework, I see no problem." The man turned around from the TV to look at Harry. "So how long will you be gone?"
"I was supposed to meet them at one o'clock…they didn't tell me how long it would take though."
"Well, call me if it becomes any later than six alright?" Sirius replied and then grinned mischievously. "Stay out of trouble and don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"Sure. Not like that's going to be a problem." Harry mumbled the last part.
"What are going to do at the school anyway?" The man asked offhandedly, switching back to the TV. "Don't young people go to the, 'mall' or something around here rather than school on the weekends?"
"Uh…I don't know." Harry hesitated, wracking his brain for an answer. "Just hang around…I suppose." He tried.
"Okay." Sirius cracked a laughter when the male character fell on his face when he was about to propose to the female protagonist.
"I should be going then." He said and turned to leave.
"Good, good…" Sirius repeated absentmindedly and laughed again when the man once more tripped on the carpet and knocked a flower vase to the floor.
That was easy enough, Harry thought a bit surprised, somehow having expected a stronger opposition. There was no way his parents would ever have allowed him to go out alone like this. He was surprised really, that it had been that easy but he wasn't about to complain about it either.
He went out into the hall and quickly grabbed his backpack where he'd left it earlier. Harry clutched his hand on the doorknob, opened the door and slipped out while trying to hide his loaded backpack. He didn't want for Sirius to see it and start asking questions why he would need it. And he most definitively didn't need the man to see the content of said backpack.
Retrieving his bike from the garage he jumped on and veered out of the driveway onto the street. So far so good, he thought, feeling a little giddy about his, in Harry's opinion, great accomplishment in tricking Sirius.
He parked his bike at the school entrance and was in the process of locking it when another bike's brakes screeched to a halt behind him.
"Hey Harry! Great to see you here!" Duo said, getting off and pushing his bike into the stand next to his.
"Hi Duo." Harry smiled.
He waited patiently for the other teen to lock his bike and unload his bag. Duo seemed high in spirits like always. The school was pretty much abandoned except for the two of them, he noticed, as he let his eyes stray over the vicinity.
"You're feeling ready to get some serious work and sweat going?"Duo asked him, coming up sideways with him and they started walking in the direction of the fields.
"I guess…" Harry answered.
"No no," Duo shook his head at his response, interrupting him. "Put some energy and feeling into it! 'Yes, I am!'" The teen near shouted, thrusting an arm into the air.
"I'll do the best I can." Harry amended with another smile.
Duo's arm lowered, pursing his lips.
"We'll do something about that attitude later, but for now let's focus on getting you used to being in the goal again." He said and stepped up a pace, Harry hurrying along after him.
They reached the fields, Duo swinging himself over the railing with practiced ease and Harry choosing to duck under them. Straightening up again he was surprised to see that the school hadn't been as abandoned has he had initially thought.
Bouncing a ball repeatedly from first one foot to the other was Heero, as he practiced his volley coordination. Harry couldn't help but to be impressed by the small show of technique, the teen seemingly having perfect control over the ball as he switched from low to high volleys in quick succession.
"Nice of you to come Heero!" Duo called out to his friend.
Heero kicked the ball once more before deftly catching it in-between his hands. He nodded once at Duo before turning to Harry, eyes meeting briefly, and then inclining his head slightly as in greeting.
Heero was here too? He'd thought it would be only him and Duo.
"Well, since everyone's here already, let's get on with it okay?" Duo said, deposing his bag next to another black one that had to be Heero's.
"I'll just get changed then." Harry said, dropping down on the ground along with his bag, as he began fishing out the equipment he'd gotten to borrow from Duo earlier.
"Right, we'll start some light running as warm up then. Jump right in when you're done changing Harry."Duo said, then turning back to Heero. "You warmed up yet Heero?" He asked.
"Just about finished." Heero answered, before starting up his volleying again.
"Would you mind setting up the goal after you're done?"
Heero nodded an affirmative to the request, eyes on the ball, after which the braided teen took off running in a light pace.
Harry managed to get the soccer shoes and protectors on quickly enough and was soon seen joining Duo jogging around the field. He dimly noted at one time Heero's discreet eyes on him, said teen in the process of moving one of the goals, as he passed another corner and coming into his third lap around the field.
He came to a stop where Duo had paused to do some stretches, sitting down to do the same. Meanwhile Heero had pushed one of the goals onto the field from where they usually stood on the sidelines when the fields weren't being used. It also made it easier for the caretaker to see over the grass properly.
Again he wondered why Heero was here, he'd thought it would only be him and Duo but the teen obviously must have asked Heero to come along too, he supposed. He had been there when Duo asked Harry about it after all. But why would Heero take precious time off to help Harry, time he could spend on his own practice, and wouldn't Duo be enough?
Fastening the gloves onto his hands, Harry occupied himself with making sure they were tight enough to stay in place, but not too tight for comfort. He was curious about Heero. The mostly silent teen was miles away from the outspoken Duo, and he had a way about himself, somehow keeping others from getting too close to him. Keeping them at a certain distance, present but not quite, caught in his own little bubble surveying the world around him. Who was he as a person really?
It made Harry frown, when it suddenly reminded himself of Chris and Danny, as he was trying so hard to fit in; talking and laughing at jokes that he didn't really think was that funny. But what did he know? Having grown up with no friends to talk about and home tutored without a chance to make any. Maybe it was something wrong with him? What did Harry know about what friends were and making them anyway? He was just a rich boy…
"Harry! Come on, that's enough with stretches!" Duo shouted from where he now stood besides Heero, impatiently waiting for the raven haired teen.
"Coming." He called back, getting to his feet.
They spent a good three hours practicing, well Harry mostly. He'd been drilled by both Duo and Heero, the pair switching between shooting and giving him coaching and advice from the sideline. Things like where his hands should be, how to look for signs in the player's posture where the ball would go and his stance just to give a few examples. He'd gotten frustrated on more than a few occasions; while he got one thing right, he always seemed to be doing another wrong. Which, Heero was quick to point out to him, in his very direct and blunt way. Harry knew he was right, in turn making him further frustrated, but that didn't mean the words hadn't stung. He wanted to do good, show them he could still play well. He wanted to show Heero and make him say something positive.
He also became to understand why the two teens were so good at the sport, and no wonder, they reminded him much of himself in that respect. Both proved to be hard working and he respected them for that. That still didn't mean he enjoyed being ordered and pushed around though, he got plenty enough of that from Sirius, but he'd been the one to agree to this, no matter how persuasive Duo had been. It was fun all the same though, he could put up with it as long as it continued to be that way.
It was when the time got close to a quarter passed five that Duo called them to a stop. Harry helped Heero push the goal back to where it'd been before, Duo picking up the ball and going over to their bags.
"You're getting better." Heero surprised him by saying all of a sudden, as they swung out the wheels under the metal frame.
"Thanks." Harry said, smiling and feeling happy at the other's words.
"Don't get cocky though. You're nowhere near the level of a high-schooler." The teen was quick to shoot him down.
Well, that for sure put a damper on his mood and his smile was replaced with a glum frown. No matter it was true, but he didn't have to come right out and say it like that, Harry thought. What was his problem anyway? Would it really hurt him that much too, to just give him a compliment and leave it at that?
They finished putting the goal away in silence, changing out of their gear and putting them back into their bags that Duo brought over for them.
"Can I use your club's showers?" Harry asked, tugging at his soaked shirt that was clinging uncomfortably to his frame while shielding his eyes from the overhead sun.
"They're locked on the weekends when there are no matches." Duo replied. "We're going over to Heero's house for that."
Harry frowned. Heero's house?
He cast a furtive glance at the Asian teen that was busy with packing down his soccer shoes. Uncertainty found its way onto Harry's features. He'd never been to another person's house, only his grandparents, and now he was going to Heero's house.
"That's okay with you, right?" Duo asked, apparently noticing his lack of response.
Harry lingered on his reply.
"Yeah… sure. If, that's okay with you?" He asked, not sure if he was seeking permission from Heero or giving the other a way out.
"Wouldn't have said it if it wasn't, right Heero?"
Heero hummed noncommittally.
Harry felt awkward as he followed the two back to Harry's and Duo's bikes, Heero waiting for them and then leading the way back to his house. It wasn't that far from the school it would seem, taking only under ten minutes or so of walking, explaining Heero's lack of a bike. Harry stayed out of the talk, Duo having a mostly one way conversation with Heero, who offered short responses every now and then.
Heero lived in a semi-modern house. It could be compared in size to the house Harry and Sirius was living in at the moment, except that theirs was a third larger and had all those extra facilities. Conservative was one word for it and not one you normally would threw a second glance. Harry could just imagine his mom gasping at the lack of style and design, immediately demanding to make it her next project.
"Parent's not home?" Duo observed, but it came out more like a statement, as Heero put his key in the front door's lock.
"Work." Heero said in way of explanation and Duo nodded.
'On a Saturday afternoon?' Harry thought quietly to himself. Even if his parents did work on some weekends as well, they usually made it a point of doing so at home, enabling them to still stay close to their son.
Chugging of his shoes with his feet in one hurried motion, Duo dumped his bag on the ground before taking a leaping step and rushing up the stairs to the second floor.
"Dibs on the shower!" He shouted over his shoulder.
Heero shook his head.
"He always does that."
It took Harry a moment to realize that he'd been left alone with Heero, in the teen's house, and that he had absolutely no idea what to do with himself. He couldn't very well stay at the front door but at the same time he couldn't just walk right in without an invitation. The situation didn't get any better when he couldn't bring himself to say anything as well.
It was Heero that eventually broke the silence, removing his shoes and exchanging them for a pair of slippers. He cast a glance over his back at the still not moving British teen, observing him for what felt like minutes but which only lasted a mere few seconds.
"Want something to drink? It'll take Duo a while." He said, apparently not waiting for the other boy to follow him as he turned to walk away.
Harry was thirsty; playing for over several hours under a sweltering sun would leave your throat completely parched.
Heero ventured further into the house, Harry clumsily removing his shoes and bag before trailing after him. He took in the sparse furniture here and there. Not much to comment on, not many colors if any at all. On a small drawer, though, in the hall they passed there was an inconspicuous photo of a couple, an Asian male standing beside a dark haired woman.
Harry stopped at the sight, curiously bending down to get a closer look. She had the same shade of eyes as Heero he noticed at once. Must be his parents, Harry concluded. He found it odd though, how there seemed to be a small distance between the two, even though they stood close together, the woman's hands were clutched together in front of her and the man kept his behind his back, a serious expression etched deeply into his features. Although the woman had a very soft and gentle smile that reminded him of his own mother.
His eyes traveled to the other lone photo standing next to the other. This one was of a little boy of six years or so, maybe eight at the most, dressed in a black suit much like the one the father wore in the first photo. What caught his interest though was the radiant smile the boy had, his eyes alight as they focused on something to the right of the cameraman. Almost like he was about to burst into laughter any second…
In the next a hand reached out and near slammed the front of the photo frame down on the wood. The sudden motion made Harry jump back and his eyes met those of Heero who stared, no glared, at him. Harry's throat got even dryer than it had been before and he realized he must have done something really wrong. Was there something special about that photo?
"That's private." Heero said, his voice weirdly lacking of any emotion despite the force in his eyes. There was no trace of the little boy in the photo in the person standing before Harry except for the physical features.
Not being able to bear that glare any longer, Harry's eyes fled to the side and shifted to staring at the floor.
"Sorry." Harry replied quickly, feeling smaller under the weight of Heero's gaze.
There was a shuffle of feet, and then Heero was walking away leaving Harry standing alone in the hallway. He noticed now how his heart was hammering away inside his chest, his shoulders sagging as he exhaled.
That had scared him a little. Scared and surprised by the abrupt action and it left him unable to follow Heero at first. Should he stay or would Heero want him to leave now? He must have made Heero angry but how, by looking at a mere picture? Harry thought it was a nice photo. Nothing especially wrong with it; was he embarrassed about Harry seeing him as a child perhaps?
Maybe he better leave, he felt like he'd stepped over an invisible boundary, or more like intruded. What was the way back again to school? They'd taken the opposite direction, from the one Harry usually took so… Wait, did they take a left at that crossroad, or would that be right now when going back? It was no use, he couldn't remember. From school to Harry's house the way was mostly just following one long road, taking a right and left and then arrival. However, going to Heero's home was filled with turns and corners that he hadn't really paid any attention to, and which he started regretting now.
Despite his struggling insecurity he slowly tripped along the small hallway, casting a last glance at the downturned photo frame, before coming to stand in the kitchen opening. Heero had his back to him, busying himself with removing some glasses from an overhead cabinet. Harry stopped there, carefully observing the other youth as the boy fetched a pitcher from the fridge and deposed his load on the bench separating the dining area from the rest of the kitchen.
Heero's eyes never strayed away in Harry's direction, seemingly unaware or ignoring the other's presence Harry weren't sure off, but it was probably the latter.
It might have been a few minutes, or even up to ten, without any noticeable changes made between the two. Again Harry didn't know what to do with himself; he might just as well have been part of the furniture for all the non-existent attention he was getting from Heero. At the same time he didn't know if he should be relieved or frustrated by that. What slightly unnerved him now was the fact how Heero just stood there, looking down at the empty glasses, and the few droplets of fluid on the surface forming there from the heat permeating the air. Eyes clouded and face devoid of any emotion.
Heero moved again then, disrupting the stillness, reaching out for the pitcher and poured the contents, juice of some sorts, into two of the glasses. Shoving the glass across the bench he, without looking up even once, spoke lowly.
"Drink."
Harry carefully made his way closer, closing the distance and then grasping the glass between his fingers. The coolness of the drink tingled in his fingertips and he soundlessly took a small sip, mindful of how Heero did the same.
After that the silence had been tense, to such a degree he had been able to faintly hear the sound of a shower running in the background. They didn't engage in any further talking and when Duo was finished Harry was offered to use the shower next. Meanwhile he was in the bathroom Duo had apparently gone home, leaving him alone in a house with a guy he guessed had to be angry with him with no way of getting home without help. He now wished Duo would have said something about leaving earlier without him so that he could've asked the braided teen to wait for him, but it was too late now. Sure, he could call Sirius to fetch him but he didn't trust the other teen to not let anything slip out about their activities and surely Sirius would start asking question about why he had his backpack with him, filled with soccer equipment, and why his hair was all wet.
The house was eerily silent now again with the rambunctious long haired teen gone and Heero having gone to take a shower himself. He wasn't brave enough to take Heero's absence as an opportunity to check in the rest of house, he felt he'd intruded enough as it is. He subjected himself to waiting near the front door, sitting down to lean against the wall there, knees to his chest, just by his backpack and where the floor dropped a step separating the rest of house from the front entrance.
Resting his forehead against the soft cotton of the cargo shorts he had on, he let his eyelids fall shut.
"What are you still doing here?"
Harry's head shot up, Heero was standing at the last step of the staircase, a towel hung over his head while a few tendrils of wet hair were sticking out from beneath the soft fabric. He was barefoot, wearing simple shorts and a white t-shirt that clung to his damp chest and shoulders.
Harry swiveled his head away from the sight of the newly showered teen, now feeling strangely weird for some reason rather than worried about Heero's anger.
"I can't remember the way home." Harry mumbled embarrassedly.
"Oh." Heero said after a while, sounding surprised. "I thought…" He cut himself off, taking the last step down and then he seemed to be hesitating.
"I'll, take you back to the school." He finally said, catching Harry off guard at the unexpected offer.
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Harry replied, but made no move to stand up. He scrunched his eyebrows together. "Listen, I'm sorry about before, didn't know I was doing something wrong, I promise I won't do it again."
Heero frowned lightly, again hesitating before speaking.
"No, I'm sorry for reacting like that. That, it's private; I just don't want people seeing it."
"Okay."
Heero turned around, his bare feet thudding lightly across the floor boards. He was back within a few minutes, hair dryer and towel gone. He soundlessly stepped past Harry and put on his shoes. The British teen stood up, grasping his pack with one hand and following the Asian teen when the other held the door open for him before locking it behind them.
He secured his pack to the bike, leading it out of the driveway where Heero stood waiting for him. The slightly taller teen kept a few steps ahead of the other while leading the way. They stayed silent the whole way back, neither offering up a start to a conversation. Finally at the school Heero stopped before saying.
"The bus departs at noon. Don't be late."
The teen sent him a final small nod before turning around again, leaving Harry alone watching the slowly retreating back of the boy.
He got back home just a bit after six, quickly slipping past Sirius offering a halfhearted reply to the man's called greeting before secluding himself in his room. He absentmindedly emptied the bag of its contents, his thoughts on the photo of a small Heero and the boy's reaction to him having seen it. He couldn't get it out if his head. It bothered him and he wanted to know why it did so.
Later he went down to start on the dinner, mind still on the Asian teen trying to figure the other one out. He managed to get Sirius' permission to stay out with his friends again the next day without too much trouble that had him thinking the god father was almost being too lenient with him going away for almost the whole day. Although he was the last person to complain about that and it made it easier keeping his extra activities a secret from the man, you know?
While asking for permission had been easy enough, actually leaving the house the next morning without Sirius seeing his entire luggage proved to be more difficult. He'd decided on bringing some sandwiches and drinks along in case they were gone for a longer time. The other boys had failed to mention whether how far away the school in question they were playing against was located, or for how long they possibly might be gone. He knew enough, and remembered, that he would need some extra nutrients in-between game play to stay focused. An even matched tennis game could go on for hours, and while soccer games used fixed time perimeters, excluding stoppage or injury time, or penalties for that matter, they could go on for over an hour and three quarters at the least.
"Having a good time are you Harry?" Sirius asked Harry just as he was in the process of swallowing another piece of his scrambled eggs mixed with vegetables.
"Uh, yes, I am." Harry said and discreetly used his foot to shove the small bag with the sandwiches he'd prepared earlier further beneath the table out of the man's line of sight.
Sirius leaned against the kitchen top, coffee mug in hand.
"Good to hear. I'd hate it for me to have to deliver bad news to your mother. Can't seem to get anything past her even while on the phone." The older male half mumbled to himself.
Harry smiled shrewdly. Didn't he know it.
"I'm off then." Harry said, taking the last bite and pushing the plate away from him. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Look at the time, Sirius, could you take the dishes this time for me? I don't want to be running late."
The man raised an eyebrow at his nephew's speech.
"Oh, alright, don't want to keep your friends waiting for too long. Just don't expect this service every time." His god father joked.
"Thanks Sirius."
The plate was picked up by Sirius, turning his back to the teen, and in the meantime Harry sneaked a hand under the table, retrieving the small package and quickly went to stuff it into his big one he'd hid under the staircase in the hall. He threw a short look to see that the coast was clear before pulling out the bag and hurrying past the kitchen, getting his shoes on and hollering a last good bye before closing the door behind him.
At the school entrance there was a black and white bus waiting with a smaller crowd just outside of it. He immediately recognized one group of people standing a bit to the side. Having parked his bike he made his way over to them and waited for them to notice him, which didn't take long.
"Harry! So happy to see you man!" Duo exuded and flung an arm around the British teen's shoulders, ushering him closer to the others.
"Hi again." Harry said, while righting the bag that had slipped a bit at the other's rough movement.
"Are you sure you're okay with this, Harry?" Quatre asked while smiling. "It's not too late to say no and we won't hold it against you. I heard from Duo that you also have extra tennis practice, outside of the club's, don't you?"
"No, it's fine. I'm completely free on Sundays anyway."
Duo rolled his eyes.
"Stop your worrying Quat. Just accept the help for once and say thank you."
Quatre shook his head good-naturedly but left it at that.
Harry noticed in the corner of his eye the annoyed stare he was getting from Wufei, but ignored it for the sake of observing the other Asian teen standing next to him having a small conversation with the tallest of the bunch, Trowa.
He let himself be ushered by Duo again when the elderly soccer coach called out for all of them to board the bus. He sat down in the back by a window with the braided teen at his side, Heero and Trowa sitting opposite to them in the other line and Wufei and Quatre in the seats in front of them. Almost right away he was pulled into a conversation concerning today's game strategy and tactics, leaving him to only catch a few glimpses of the cobalt eyed teen every now and then during the bus ride.
At one point in time the coach had strolled down the aisle and had Duo introduce Harry to him, while also thanking the teen for the help he was giving them for acting as their stand-in goalkeeper. When the coach heard from Duo that they were going through the tactics he joined them and soon Harry was kept busy trying to remember everything they were telling him. The talk and tips he was given was meant to help him but Harry just felt his nervousness building the closer Duo said they were getting to their destination. He began wondering if he really was up to this. This wasn't like tennis and just because he was good a swinging a racket at a ball didn't mean would be as good as catching a ball, no matter that it was larger.
Heero's words from earlier popped into his head, 'don't get cocky'. Had he been getting cocky? Was he too confident in his skills or had Duo's praise gotten to his head? But it would all work out wouldn't it? It couldn't be that hard catching a ball with your hands, right? It was just another sport just like tennis; just do his best, and it would be alright, nothing more to it, so keep your cool.
Yeah, it would all be alright.
Wouldn't it?
AN: I'm finally getting more into the story itself and the beginnings of Harry's and Heero's starting friendship that will hopefully lead into a more romantic relationship. I've realized that it won't be easy getting them there. Heero is way too stubborn to just fall head over heels in love, and with another guy to boot. Harry will have to work hard, same goes for Heero, if they will ever get to experience their first love. :shakes head: