Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Shot at Normalcy: University Life? ❯ A Friday Night ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: - I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the other anime series. I write this purely for my amusement and for the entertainment of others. I earn just about $0 every time some one reads this. ^_^

Note: This chapter is long again. Aargh! I hate school. I know this chapter is a bit crappy, but please cope. I know it's confusing too. Sorry for that. But please read and review. Anything is appreciated. Feel free to flame, curse, swear or comment on this chapter and its contents. If you think I should stop writing, say so. Love, Devil.

Chapter 7: A Friday Night.

We now move on to the second week of life at University. That evening after the classes were over, our friends were free to go back.

Today is Friday, Duo decided to look for Hilde and Heero decided to spend time with his trusty laptop. Trowa wanted to go back and read something. He also wanted to be a bit friendlier with his room mate. Hilde and Dorothy had Drama in the afternoon and they enjoyed it. Hilde immediately agreed to go with Duo somewhere and Dorothy went back alone. Jade had asked Quatre if he would like to accompany her to the Grocery and General store after they left their class and since he had nothing better to do he agreed. He didn't feel that awkward with her as he did with other girls. She reminded him of his sisters.

_______________________________________________________________ _

Heero was happily typing away at his laptop, when Duo burst in.

"You won't believe what I saw," he exclaimed.

Heero was still typing away, as though he did not hear what Duo had to say. Duo decided to continue anyway.

"I saw Q-man with Jade."

"So?"

"So nothing. I just saw them."

"What's so unbelievable in that?"

"Quatre was walking and talking with a girl, without blushing. That's what's new."

"Hn."

Heero just looked up at Duo with his expressionless face and then resumed typing. A long silence followed. It was broken by Duo.

"Watcha typing buddy?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

Silence. Apparently Duo had nothing better to do.

"I'm hungry. What's for dinner?"

"It's your turn today."

"'k. I'll go make something to eat."

'Good. Silence for sometime now,' Heero thought to himself. Then he thought about what Duo had just said.

"That girl sure has a way to put people at ease," He muttered under his breath.

"You said something?" Duo's face peeked out from the Kitchen.

"Nothing. Get back to cooking. And make sure there's no hair in the food."

Duo just grinned foolishly and went back in. Heero smiled to himself. It was good to have Duo around.

________________________________________________________________

"Wo uld you like to come with me to the General Store? I have to get a few things."

Quatre thought about this for a while. He had nothing better to do and he would probably bore himself to death all by himself at his apartment. So he agreed.

"Sure."

When the two of them reached the general store, she asked," Do you have to buy something or would you like to accompany me?"

"No, I don't have to get anything."

"Do you cook?"

He blushed. "Why do all girls have to ask me that?"

"So I take it that you don't cook?"

"Yes…I mean, no. No, I don't cook."

"So what do you eat?"

"Take out?" he offered helpfully.

She laughed.

"Do one thing. Why don't you come to my or rather my shared apartment for dinner tonight? It would be fun to have friends over."

They were now at the Cashier's.

"I couldn't impose on you," he answered with his head bent. He was blushing slightly.

"You don't have to pretend Quatre," she reminded him.

It did sound like a good offer and he hadn't had home made food in the last few days.

"And I rather pride myself on my culinary skills. So rest assured."

After a long while, he finally said, "Ok."

They left the building together.

"So how about 8.30?" She asked.

"Fine." It was four in the afternoon right now.

They reached Quatre's apartment first.

"Would you like to come in?"

"No, thank you. I have to go somewhere actually. Some other time maybe?"

"Sure, anytime."

"I should be going. See you later."

And before he could say anything she left.

________________________________________________________________ < p>Trowa was sitting on the couch reading a book. He heard the door open.

"Hi Trowa." And without waiting for a response, she went and dropped the bags that she was carrying in the kitchen. She then went to her room, picked a duffel bag and left with a, "Bye Trowa."

"Uh…Jade?"

But she was already out of the room. Then he heard the door open.

"We are having a guest over for dinner. 8.30. Be back in two hours."

And before he could say anything, she left again. He just looked at the door for a while and shrugged. What she did was none of his business. He was still deeply engrossed in his book when she returned. He hadn't moved.

"Still reading?"

He looked up to see her smiling at him, her long braid wet with sweat. He smiled in response.

"I'm done reading the book. You can have it if you want."

"Ok. I'll take it when I am done reading this book."

"I'm going to take a shower and I might take a while." And with that she disappeared in the bathroom.

He was expecting her to take at least an hour or so, but she was out in fifteen minutes. Wearing a bath robe and a towel tied around her head like a turban. She went in her room and locked the door. When she came out, she was dressed in her pyjamas and a T-shirt and her long wet hair hung down upon her back. She flopped down on the couch beside him. And a strand of wet hair slapped his arm.

"Hey watch it."

"Sorry."

"What's for dinner?" He asked her, finally looking up from his book.

"Food."

"What food?"

"Spaghetti and Meatballs, with salad for starters."

"Sounds good. So who's the guest?"

"Quatre."

He gave her a quizzical look and then realisation dawned upon him. He could not cook. Suddenly, they heard a loud band, but both of them ignored it.

"Need help?" he asked her.

"No thanks, I can manage. I think I should start actually. It's already six thirty."

"Where did you keep the book?"

"It's on my table," she answered while disappearing in to the kitchen.

He was getting up to go to her room when he heard the door knock. He answered the door. He found Duo standing in the doorway, covered in soot, with Heero pointing a gun at the back of his head.

"Uh…Trowa…can you help me please?" Duo asked nervously and rolled his eyes in Heero's direction.

Jade had now come out of the kitchen and was leaning against the doorjamb.

"Care to explain what happened?" she asked the three.

"Baka blew up the kitchen," Heero answered in a monotone, still trying to bore holes in Duo's head with his eyes.

"Come in." Trowa said. "And you can put the gun down Heero."

"Hn." But he put down the gun nevertheless.

"Take a seat," Jade told them.

"No thanks," Duo replied.

"So what exactly happened?" Trowa asked.

"HE BLEW UP THE ENTIRE KITCHEN!" Heero yelled, reaching for the gun again.

"Hold it!"

Heero looked up and sat back down.

"How did he blow up the kitchen?" Jade asked. Trowa went to get the book from Jade's table. He looked at Duo. Duo looked like a deer caught in the headlights and then he looked at Heero. A vein in Heero's temple was throbbing. Trowa just shook his head and entered Jade's room. Duo always managed to tick Heero off. He was now in Jade's room.

"How exactly did he blow up the kitchen?" Jade's voice reached his ears.

Her table had papers piled in one corner and a laptop on the major portion of the table, but he could not find the book.

"Well…you see, the oven stopped working and I opened it up," Duo started nervously.

"He blew up the goddamned kitchen," Heero yelled.

"Just a sec Heero. Let me hear what this baka has to say," Jade said.

"That's right buddy. Let me speak."

"DUO!" it was Jade who yelled this time.

"Yes, Sorry. And I was trying to fix the oven and start it up, when the whole thing went 'BOOM'."

"You tried to 'start it up'?" Jade asked in disbelief.

"Well…yeah."

"Duo fixing an oven is not like hot-wiring a car. So what do you want?"

"Jade, where is it? It's not on the table," Trowa spoke up. He was standing in the doorway to her room.

"Check the cupboard above the table. Should be there." She then turned to Duo and repeated her question.

"Well, could you let us use your kitchen by the time our's is fixed?" Duo made big puppy dog eyes and gave the best innocent look that he could give.

Heero was still glaring at Duo. Jade just watched the two of them and then laughed. Heero finally stopped glaring at Duo and looked at her.

"Of course I can. As a matter of fact, you can eat here till you fix your kitchen, but on one condition. STAY AWAY FROM THE OVEN."

Duo breathed a sigh of relief and Heero smirked. It was as if all was well, when

"Wha… ACK!" and a loud thunk, thunk, thunk.

It was Trowa. All three of them rushed to Jade's room. He room was a sight. Trowa was trying to hold up a big pile of papers and other things that were falling down on him. There were papers on the ground and two fifteen pound dumbbells and a ten pound one, the other ten pound one was in Trowa's hands, among the pile of papers.

"Help…me," Trowa managed to say from under all that.

"I guess, I should really organise this stuff," Jade said to herself and Duo started laughing and Heero smirked but soon followed suit.

"Just let everything fall, I'll give it to you when I find it." With that she walked out of the room. He did as he was told and an even bigger pile of things collapsed onto the floor.

"Holy…That was something," Trowa muttered when he got out of the way of the falling papers and other stuff. A stiff silence followed, when everyone was surveying the mess.

"What were you doing in her room anyway? And what was that 'it' you were talking about?" Heero asked Trowa slyly.

"Trying to find a book?" Trowa offered.

"Hn."

"Way to go Trowa," Duo muttered.

"Don't even go there," Trowa muttered to Duo menacingly.

"Why does she have weights in her cupboard?" Heero asked.

"Weight training?" Duo offered.

"15 pounds?" Heero asked.

"Fifteen pounds in not a lot."

All three of them turned around. She was standing behind them.

"You heard our conversation?" Duo asked.

"The last part," she answered.

"You done your cooking already?"

"Yes. The last part can be handled when you people are ready to eat," she answered. She then climbed up on the table and turned to the three, who were staring at her.

"You three can help me organise this stuff. Call it repayment if you like."

With that she started removing the rest of the things from the cupboard. She took out a few extra weights and handed them to Duo.

"What do you have all this for?" he asked her while taking the weights from her.

"Weight training?"

"A girl does not need to train with weights this heavy."

"And since when have I started behaving like a normal girl?" she asked Duo.

"Sorry, I forgot you were Jade."

Trowa and Heero looked at each other and just shrugged.

"Don't bother."

"Yeah, right. Don't bother. This girl has always been weird," Duo told his friends.

"Too true."

She had now jumped down from the table and was organising the papers on the floor into piles. All of them were sitting on the floor cross-legged trying to help her.

"Why do you have accounting books for Jade?" Duo asked her.

"Just an interest," She answered nonchalantly.

Heero was looking at another book and a pile of papers.

"What's this?" he asked her.

"A secret?" She offered.

"Hn."

"I found the book." Trowa was going through the first few pages of the book.

"Good, keep it."

"You have many good books here. You like reading?"

"Why else would I have so many books?"

Duo snickered and Heero snorted. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Can anyone of you answer it?"

Duo jumped up and went to answer the door.

"Duo?"

"Hey Quatre, come on in."

Quatre entered.

"Am I in the right place?"

"You sure are," Trowa told him. Every one of them was now out in the living room.

"These two are unexpected guests," Jade told him. "I guess I should go and get the food ready. I'm hungry." With that she walked into the kitchen. The four of them just looked at each other. It had been a while since they had made new friends and their newest friend was a girl.

"I can't wait till she meets Wufei," Duo said with a grin.

"Come and get it!" Jade yelled from the kitchen.

Nobody needed telling twice. They entered the kitchen and were pushed back out.

"Duo Maxwell, do not enter the kitchen," Jade yelled at Duo and Heero started laughing. "Anyways, there isn't enough place for everyone. It's just a table for two or three people at the most. I think we would be better off outside."

She picked up a place and started ladling the spaghetti out on her plate. Trowa followed suit, while the others just looked at the two. She turned around and said, "Help yourself. Don't expect me to do the serving and wash the plates after you are done and there's salad too if you want."

"You are supposed to serve your guests," Duo told her.

"You are not guests, you are friends," and with that she walked out of the kitchen. The three looked at Trowa and he just shrugged. He walked out too. Heero, Duo and Quatre helped themselves to the spaghetti and meatball dinner and headed out of the kitchen. Jade was sitting on the carpet, leaning against the wall, with legs out in front of her and had switched on the television; Trowa was sitting on the couch.

"Make yourself at home and I hope you like the food," Jade said when she saw the three of them enter the hall/living room. She was way too free with strangers. Well, almost strangers. She had the no one can harm me attitude and Heero couldn't help but ask, "Don't you feel threatened with four guys around the house?"

"Give me a good reason to feel threatened," she replied, looking him directly in the eyes. Her eyes held some sort of a challenge, a question maybe.

He went and sat down beside her. Like right beside her and continued eating. Duo settled himself on the carpet and was leaning against the couch and Quatre sat down on the couch beside Trowa. Everybody was silent and were watching the television. Quatre broke the silence.

"This is really good Jade."

"Thanks," she replied.

"Can I have seconds?" Duo asked

"Since when did you start asking?" Trowa asked Duo.

"Of course you can. As a matter of fact I am going to have seconds too." And she got up. "Anybody need anything to drink? Drinks are in the refrigerator. Take anything you want."

She went into the kitchen and Duo followed.

"You really are a good cook. What's the secret?" He asked her

"I like eating good food, so I cook good food."

"Sounds logical." Heero had followed the two.

"Seconds?"

"No, I am done." He walked over to the sink and washed his dish. He then walked over to the fridge and picked a can of beer. After Duo had heaped his plate for the second time, he too picked up a beer and Jade took out a bottle of water. All three of them walked out together.

"Jade, could I have some iced tea?" Quatre asked her.

"And a beer for me please," Trowa told her.

"You live here. Get it yourself."

Quatre snickered. She left her plate on the coffee table and went in to get Quatre's iced tea. Trowa followed. She hadn't noticed.

She opened the door and looked for a can of iced tea. She found it. She was about to reach fro it when Trowa's hand reached forward to grab a beer.

"Hey."

"What? I'm just getting my beer."

"Ok. Ok."

"Could I talk to you after they leave?"

"Sure. Now if you'll please excuse me."

He moved a just a bit to give her room to leave. He then left the kitchen and went back to eating.

Jade was sitting in her earlier place and Heero was sitting beside her. Trowa thought it was strange for a person who preferred to be alone to sit beside Jade.

"So you still do not feel threatened by the four of us?" Heero asked her again.

"No, why should I?" She asked him.

"Would it make a difference if I told you we were Gundam pilots?"

"I knew that already. And give me a good reason to fear the Gundam pilots. You are human, aren't you? Albeit different." This time she looked him straight in the eye and he just nodded. There was something about her intense gaze, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Most of the girls he knew would be terrified out of their wits to be with four seeming strangers, but she carried on as though she dealt with such a thing everyday.

"You are right."

"Huh?" he was shaken out of his thoughts.

"I said you were right, I am used to living with boys. I grew up in an orphanage where almost all the residents were boys. And I trust you people to not do anything funny, if you know what I mean."

He nodded.

"And fending for and defending yourself on the streets for so long also teaches you a few things. But you should know that well."

"Hn."

After Dinner was done and they had ice-cream for pudding, Quatre, Duo and Heero got up to leave.

"I think I should be going now. It's pretty late," Quatre said finally getting up.

"It's Saturday tomorrow. You could stay a bit longer if you want," Trowa said.

"Thanks, but I am sleepy. Sorry."

"We could stay if you want," Duo said.

"Sure. Just don't fall asleep here."

"Hn."

Before Quatre left, she gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear.

"You don't mean it?"

"Of course I do. See you tomorrow."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. The more the merrier. Good night."

"Good night everyone."

After he left, she turned to the others.

"So what do you want to do?"

"Just chill," Duo replied.

"I'm going to go and clean up the mess in my room. Do whatever you like." And she left.

After she had left, the two turned to Trowa.

"That's some room mate that you have," Duo remarked.

"I know. But I doubt if she is really that carefree," Trowa replied now staring at the closed door.

"Same thing that I was thinking. She is different," Heero said.

"Very different," Trowa replied.

"She always was different. She was the only girl who got into fights with guys at the orphanage. She was the tomboy if there ever was one. She still is in a way. Jade."

"Did Hilde meet her?"

"No, she will meet her when the time comes. I think I'll introduce the two tomorrow."

"Guess we should be leaving."

"She knows. Knows what we have been through. I know that," Heero said.

"She is different," Trowa agreed.

"Yeah… Good night. I would like to say good night to Jade," Duo said and went to her room. Heero followed. He opened her door just a crack and found her typing away at her laptop.

"Good night Jade," Duo said.

"Leaving already?" Jade looked up from what she was doing. She then came out of the room.

"Thanks for the food, Jade," Duo said and gave Jade a big bear hug. She returned the hug.

"Don't mention it Duo."

"Thank you Jade," Heero said.

"Anytime Heero, anytime. That's what friends are for."

She then gave him an unexpected hug and he found himself returning it.

"I'll be there if you feel like talking," she told him.

"Hn."

"Good night."

"Good night."

The two left.

"Jade, I have to talk to you," Trowa told her.

"Yes, let me just get my laptop out. Then we can talk here."

She returned with her laptop.

"It's unlikely for you to start a conversation," she said and jarred him from his thoughts. She took a seat beside him on the couch.

"So what is it that you wanted to talk about?" she asked him.

Silence. She turned and found him looking at her as if in a trance and she snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. He just shook his head.

"So what is it that you want to talk about?"

"Nothing. Anything."

"It's ok. I understand. You don't have to try hard to be friends with me," she told him.

"It's not that. It's just that…I don't know what it is."

"I understand. It takes time. It takes time to change and accept things. But you learn to do it eventually," She spoke wistfully. He noticed.

"You have been through a lot, haven't you?" Trowa asked her.

"So have you," she told him. "I can feel it within you. You find it hard to trust people and I don't blame you."

"…"

"We can talk about it when you are ready. Better go get some sleep." She then gave his hand a friendly squeeze and then went to her room.

He went to his room and got into his bed. He lay tossing and turning. He could not sleep.

'She is different. I feel a connection with her. The same kind that I share with the other pilots, especially Quatre. Is it something to do with empaths? No, those two aren't the only empaths. But she is different. She understands. It's as though she has been through what we have been through. But why am I running away?' he thought. He was trying to think of answers to the last question. He had never told anyone about his life. No one understood him. No, that was not true. Catherine and Quatre understood him. He hardly remembered his life. And so on. He even came up with the thought that he was attracted to her, but dismissed it, blaming it on the hormones. His train of thoughts was interrupted by a noise in the kitchen. He checked the luminous dial of his watch. It was three in the morning. What was she doing up so late? He heard another noise, this time a louder one. She sure as hell couldn't expect him to sleep through this noise. He got out of bed. He didn't bother to put on a shirt. He went to the kitchen and saw her making something.

"What are you doing up so late?" He asked her.

"I couldn't sleep. Sorry I woke you up with all this noise," she said apologetically.

"Don't apologise, I wasn't able to sleep either."

"So I have company."

He just smiled.

"Would you like some warm milk?" she asked him.

"No, thanks."

He was still watching her. She was in her pyjama pants and a loose T-shirt. Her hair was not in the usual long braid and he had a sudden urge to stroke those ebony curls. They looked so soft and shiny. He decided not to do anything of the sort when she came up to him with a steaming hot mug of milk and looked at him.

"Would you like to come to my room? We can talk there. It's much more convenient than standing in the kitchen like this."

He was inclined to agree. He followed her into her room. The mess from the evening was gone. He just stood there. She went and sat on the chair and booted up her laptop.

"You can sit on the bed if you like. It's better than standing," she told him.

He went and sat down on the bed. Reclined actually.

"Would you like something to read?" she asked him.

"No."

"Then what would you like to do?"

"Talk."

"Ok."

"…"

"So what kept you up?" she asked.

"Hn?"

"People don't normally stay awake unless their minds are working overtime."

"I was thinking about what we talked about to night."

"Ey?"

"Or rather what you said tonight."

"Oh! So that was keeping you up?"

"Yes."

"Sorry, I guess it's my fault that you are up."

"No. It's not."

"You are confused."

"What?"

"You are confused."

"I guess you are right. I am confused."

"You need time to figure things out."

"I need help."

"Stop running away."

"You are right. But I don't know how."

"You won't know unless you know what it is that you are running away from. Do you know that?" she now had the same look in her eyes that she had this evening. The same intensity. It was as though she could see right through him. He just nodded.

"Ask yourself that question. Do you know what you are running away from?"

"I am running away from everything."

"That is not true. There is a lot to live for even if your life seems empty at the moment." She sighed.

"I believe you."

She just smiled.

"So why were you up?" He asked her.

"I don't know. I couldn't sleep."

"People don't normally stay awake unless their minds are working overtime." He mimicked her exactly.

Jade laughed.

"You really want to know?" she asked him.

"I want a fair exchange."

"Ok then. I was thinking about you."

"Me?"

"Yes you."

"…"

"I'll tell you when I am ready to tell you."

'I just want to see you happy Trowa. I want you to be a complete person and I will do what I can to help you,' she thought to herself.

"Hn."

She just continued to type away. No one spoke for a long time. Jade finished her milk and was going to put away her mug.

"Trowa, I'll be…" Trowa was sleeping soundly on her bed. She smiled to herself and covered him up with a blanket.

============================================================= < p>Author's note: And that's for chapter 7. I know it's not much. It's confusing and leads nowhere. But please be patient. Reviews help. As a matter of fact reviews help a lot. I don't know when the next chapters will be coming out. I'll try my best, but School does not help. It really does not. But anyways, I'll try my best. Please, please, please review. Love ya, Devil.