Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Divide and Conquer ❯ Chapter 1
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Arigatomina 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Hentai / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.08.2002 | Updated On: 12.22.2004 | Pages: 6 | Words: 6.7K | Visits: 2.5K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Hentai / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.08.2002 | Updated On: 12.22.2004 | Pages: 6 | Words: 6.7K | Visits: 2.5K | Status: Work In Progress
Category: Yaoi, anime, Gundam Wing, AU (alternate universe)
Warnings: none
Pairings: will be 1x2, 3x4
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com
Complete Archive: www . geocities . com / arigatomina
Divide and Conquer
Part 1
They came during the middle of the school year, on the same day, but they had never met before. Neither wanted to be there, and both were nervous when they were directed to the headmaster's office. Their looks garnered them stares both hostile and interested, but none friendly, and by the time the two boys were seated before the closed door, both were nervous.
Quatre Winner sat quietly, pale hands folded in his lap as he stared at his knuckles as if they would explain why he was there. But he already knew.
Scrawny was the word his father had used as he'd stood before the man's desk, watching him pace. Not to mention passive, but Quatre was certain the man would never say that out loud, since he'd be contradicting his own judgment. Having been born into a pacifist family, Quatre was naturally passive, to a point, and having a father who was used to people jumping at his orders did nothing to make the boy outspoken.
He hadn't been able to say a word in his defense when he'd been given notice of his departure. He'd simply stood there and taken the harsh words before being escorted out of the house.
Fingering the straight cuffs of his white shirt, Quatre couldn't really find fault with his father's accusations. He was thin, and he hadn't excelled at any sports. He was a musician, a poet, a thinker, not the brawny boy his father must have hoped to get from his only son.
With thirty sisters, Quatre was his father’s pride and joy. At least until he'd reached the age of fifteen and the man had realized his son wasn't filling out.
What could he possibly say in his defense? He'd tried to be athletic, had gone to the schools his father had sent him to, had joined the courses assigned to him. Yet his physique remained similar to his mother's, slender and pale. And short.
Although he hadn't given up on the hope that he might yet get a growth spurt, Quatre knew he would never be the athletic, macho son his father wanted.
He glanced at the boys walking past the window to the office, and he sighed as his eyes moved over them. No school was going to make him into an athlete. All his father had done by sending him here was make certain that he would be miserable for another year.
This school advertised teams of all sorts, from football, which was its main attraction, to tennis. It was evident from the students that only the best were allowed into the school, and Quatre knew the moment he'd entered the door that his father had paid dearly to ensure his torture.
He stared down at his hands, wallowing in his pity for another thirty seconds. Then he gave it up and he looked to the other boy in the room.
He had spent years getting used to this sort of thing, so he could no longer feel sorry for himself. Looking at the boy seated across from him, he felt compassion and reminded himself that it could be worse. He could be dressed in a priest's outfit with a braid of hair down to his waist.
Drumming his fingers on his knees, Duo nodded absentmindedly to the blonde boy sharing the room with him.
He didn't want to look at the other boy since he knew he wouldn't be here long and the boy had a nice aura to him. He was sure he could like him if he tried and had no intention of making a friend for such a short period of time.
It wasn't that he didn't think he could make it in a school of this sort, since he was athletic enough. No, that had nothing to do with it. He knew his stay would be short because he was only being let in out of charity and charity never lasted.
Having grown up in an orphanage run by the state, Duo Maxwell was well acquainted with the dark side of people. He'd seen them all in his time and he knew by the gazes he'd drawn during his trip through the halls that the school was not for him.
Oh, he was smart enough to make those jocks look like idiots in the classroom, but that mattered little when one was going to be playing against them. Sports were fine so long as the rules were followed, but he knew from experience that beating a guy who weighed twice as much was a bad idea. He could always play to lose, but he never did that since it meant lying to himself.
He smirked when he saw one of the boys staring through the office window at him.
He just knew he was in for trouble. But he was going to stick it out until he was either discharged from the school or carried out on a stretcher. He'd given his word when the church that ran the orphanage had been given the grant. One boy was to receive a free pass through the state's most illustrious institution and he'd been that lucky boy. There was no way he'd give up without a fight. He couldn't forget the others who'd missed this opportunity.
- - -
There was no justice.
Wufei Chang understood that the school was packed to the brim and that as one of the few students with a single room, his was needed. That didn't change the fact that he'd requested, and paid for, a room to himself. It was true that he'd be reimbursed, for what little that mattered since his family had money enough, but he would now have to share his room.
He wasn't selfish, that had nothing to do with it. No, it was the fact that he needed privacy and silence for his meditations, which were so important to his state of mind. Without being able to calm himself daily, he'd no doubt wreck havoc on the idiots that abounded in the school.
When he'd first come there, he'd been satisfied that the curriculum was challenging to a point and that there would be no irritating females to distract him from his studies. But upon arrival, he'd quickly found that while there were challenging courses, there were also classes for idiots. In other words, courses that enabled brainless boys who only excelled at sheer strength to graduate. And that meant there were plenty of simpletons in the school.
Still, he'd been content there for more than two years and the prospect of a third year hadn't looked gloomy; until now. He'd been notified that his room was now a double one and that his new roommate would be arriving this afternoon. Needless to say, he was infuriated and no amount of meditation had alleviated that. He simply didn't understand why the new student had to be placed with him when there was a vacant room right next to his.
Obviously, money wasn't the issue. He'd been informed that the room was already assigned to someone. That meant it was prestige, which irritated him even more. Wufei came from a prestigious enough family that had a strong sense of honor and he refused to believe he was being put out while a new student would get the vacant room to himself.
It took hours for him to calm down, and even then he was still fuming about it when the time came around for his new roommate to arrive. That was when the faculty man belatedly informed him that he was going to be placed with an American.
- - -
"Winner, this is your room. I trust things have been arranged for your arrival, but if you find anything amiss don't hesitate to inform me."
The man nodded to the blonde boy and watched him enter the room. Then he turned to Duo and stepped to the side, knocking smartly on the next door.
Duo’s eyes widened when a Chinese boy answered with dark, furiously glowing eyes. He fought an urge to groan and did his best to remain calm as the man introduced them.
"Wufei, this is your roommate, Duo Maxwell." He watched as the two boys stared at each other for a moment then turned sharply on his heels and walked away.
‘Well isn’t that great,’ Duo thought. ‘They don't even try to be polite to me, and they stick me with this guy.’
He managed a slight smile as he nodded to the boy who stood still in the doorway. "Nice to meet you, Wufei."
The boy didn't answer and Duo felt himself getting tense as he fought a surge of anger. They’d just met, so there was no excuse for the boy's attitude. But he forced himself to stay calm, his smile widening a bit. "Can I come in?"
Wufei flinched at what he assumed to be a sarcastic question. He turned away and entered the room. He sat at his desk as he watched the boy follow, shutting the door behind him.
"That is your side," said Wufei, glaring as he watched the boy set his bag on the bed.
He'd never get used to having his domain intruded upon, and he was determined to dislike the longhaired boy. Yes, he had definitely noticed the braid and he took it to be evidence of a lack of discipline he could imagine would drive him crazy within a day.
"Thanks, Wufei," Duo said lightly as he carried his bag to the dresser and started to unpack.
It was strange to have someone glaring at him when he hadn't done anything wrong yet, but he wasn't going to try to figure the boy out. The only thing he'd heard about Chinese people had said that they were serious and honor bound, and stereotypically ritualistic – whatever that meant. It didn’t help him now that he found himself sharing a room with a black-eyed boy who'd obviously already decided to hate him.
Duo stowed his belongings and took a deep breath. Then he turned to meet Wufei's gaze.
They stared at each other for a full minute before Duo gave in to his need for movement, breaking the look and he walking to his bed. With his legs folded under him, he gave a calculating look at the boy. He frowned when he realized it wasn't going to work. He simply couldn't keep silent.
"You know," he said slowly, noticing that the boy's eyes narrowed the moment he spoke. "I haven't done anything to you. You don't have to glare at me like that."
Shock, that was what went through Wufei as he blinked at the violet-eyed boy. It wasn't the crude comment he'd expected from an American, and the boy was being polite enough.
Not sure if he had misjudged him or not, Wufei found himself pausing as he wondered why he'd automatically disliked the boy. Then he knew; it was the room. He glared at the floor for a moment, then he managed to give the boy a nod. "Sorry."
It hurt to say, and Wufei turned quickly and opened one of his textbooks as if he had homework to do. A pitiful excuse, but when he glanced over his shoulder, he found the boy heading into the room's adjoining bathroom. Another glance showed the closet open and he nodded to himself as he realized the boy was changing into the school's uniform.
‘Discipline is a good trait,’ Wufei thought slowly, ‘I may survive this yet.’
- - -
"He's killing me."
Trowa smirked at the Chinese boy's wild expression, watching him pace about the small room. It wasn't the first time a student had gotten to Wufei, but he knew they had only shared a room for one night. He couldn't imagine what could have happened in such a short period of time to make Wufei so...flustered.
"Wufei,” said Heero, “you're pacing."
Wufei stopped suddenly. He groaned and clenched his hands into fists before glaring at Heero. "I tell you I've never met someone like this. He's..."
Throwing his hands up, he began to pace again, stalking back and forth in front of the two boys' beds.
"What exactly did he do?" asked Trowa.
He continued to smirk as he took in Heero's raised eyebrow. He wasn't the only one enjoying their friend's tirade. Wufei glared at him then looked away, folding his arms over his chest.
"Well?" Trowa prodded.
"He smiles at me.”
Heero snorted and Wufei rounded, glaring daggers at the Japanese boy and gritting his teeth.
"You don't understand," Wufei said quickly, feeling the need to defend himself. "He smiles constantly. Like he likes me. And he talks so much - he never shuts up!"
"Sounds serious," Heero said with a deadpan expression. His cobalt blue eyes glinted when Trowa smirked and his own lips twitched. "Maybe he wants to be your friend."
"I have to meet him," Trowa put in, his voice toneless as he was the new recipient of a black-eyed glare. "Any friend of Wufei's...."
"He is not my friend!"
"You're getting worked up over this,” said Heero. “Just tell him to leave you alone."
Wufei's eyes widened as he turned sharply to stare at Heero. For a moment he didn't move, then he blinked and turned on his heel. "Fine, I will."
Trowa didn't shift until the door was shut behind the irate yet determined boy. Then he looked to Heero. "I've never seen him so bad."
Having been in the school for a year now, Trowa had known the Chinese boy for a while and had seen his rants before. But something was different about this one. "I get the feeling he doesn't mind the boy as much as he's pretending to."
"That's what angers him," Heero said, nodding as he turned back to his desk, fingers flying over his laptop. "You know Wufei, any softness is a sign of weakness. I'd say he likes the boy."
"That way?" asked Trowa. Heero turned and pinned him with a stare, but he shrugged. "It would explain his reaction."
"No. Wufei hates women, but he hates men more."
The conversation was over when Heero turned away again, but he hesitated over Trowa's words. Heero had been sharing a room with the boy since he'd arrived a year ago, but he'd known Wufei for longer. He was almost positive the Chinese boy had no homosexual tendencies, but he wondered why Trowa had thought of it.
Trowa was quiet by nature as was he, but he had the feeling there was a reason behind the silence and emotionless tone. Thinking of his own reaction to puberty, he wondered if the green-eyed boy wasn't gay as well.
While it wasn’t a topic discussed in public, there were a number of boys at the school who were openly gay. The fact that Trowa had never hinted at his sexual orientation now made sense to him. He was surprised that he could have missed something so obvious.
Heero Yuy prided himself on his observational skills and he hadn't thought it possible for anything to get by him. Yet here he was, realizing that he didn't even know if the boy he'd called friend for a year was straight. Not that they really talked about their feelings, but it was still something he felt he should have noticed.
As for himself, he'd known for years. The knowledge had come to him when he'd been kissed by a girl at one of the basketball games in junior high. She'd caught him outside the locker room and had held him before he could react. He hadn't been as strong then, and she was much older and at least a foot taller.
She was still an attractive girl and he'd known from his complete lack of reaction that he was not interested in the female sex. Of course, he'd never looked at males either, but if it wasn't girls the alternative was obvious.
Looking to Trowa, who was now at his desk, his eyes narrowed as he wondered if his guess was accurate. Within minutes, however, he decided to save the guessing for another time as he quickly realized he had no evidence one way or the other. The fact that Trowa hadn't been bothered by the thought of their friend being gay didn't mean he was gay. All it meant was that he was tolerant of gays.
Heero turned back to his computer and blanked his errant thoughts, focusing on the report he was writing.
- - -
It was worse than he'd thought, as unlikely as that seemed. Quatre had never gone to an all-boy school before and while he had been expecting harassment because of his looks, he was unprepared for the way the boys stared at him. It wasn't all or even a majority, but three boys was enough to make him very uncomfortable. He barely kept from blushing.
Locker rooms were the same in any school and he'd changed clothing with other boys before, but not with them watching him do it. By the time he and the rest of the class filed into the gym, he was certain he'd set a new record in speed. Or maybe a close second.
He spotted the boy from the day before already outside the room. He hadn't even noticed him, having been distracted, but he recognized the braid immediately. Feeling as if they had something in common, he found himself sidling closer to where the boy stood away from the main group.
Arms folded over his chest, Duo nodded to the blonde boy before glaring again at the court as he waited for the instructor. He'd come very close to getting himself expelled and it was his first day. That was simply too much. He was determined to control his anger, so he pointedly ignored the boy who'd had the audacity to pull his hair.
He noticed that the blonde boy was closer to him than to the other students, and he looked at him for a second before glancing to the group. It didn't take long for him to spot three pairs of eyes on the boy and he couldn't fight his anger any longer. Turning, he gave the surprised blonde a quick smile.
"The name's Duo," he said, softly enough so no one else would hear him. "You're Winner, right?"
"Quatre," the blonde answered with a relieved smile.
He was relieved to have someone who knew his name, even if it was a person he'd just met. While he couldn't be sure if they'd be friends or not, it was comforting nevertheless.
"Well, Quatre, how do you like this school so far?" The blonde made an expression of extreme distaste and Duo let out a soft laugh. "Yeah."
"Hey newbie!"
Both boy's turned slowly, Quatre frowning and Duo glaring as they looked to see who it was. A tall boy stepped to them and Quatre blinked in surprise when Duo let out a whispery growl. The longhaired boy was glaring daggers and he was surprised by the violence he could see in his face. Turning back to the advancing boy, he let out a silent sigh as he spotted the instructor.
"All right class, we have two new students." With a dull expression, the man barely glanced at the two boys. His gaze swept to the bleacher behind them. "Yuy, they're on your team. It'll even things out. Do what you can with them."
"Yes sir."
Heero rose from his seat on the bleachers and moved toward the court, his eyes going over the two newcomers. He didn't mind the handicap being placed on his team since he saw it as a way to increase the difficulty of winning.
- - -
They'd never won by so much. By the end of the game, Heero had no choice but to admit the two boys worked very well together, and they worked well with him, too. He was even introduced to a strategy he'd never seen before as the American quickly took to guarding his own teammate. It made sense after he realized what the boy was doing.
As was the custom at the school, the 'newbies' were taking the brunt of the other team's players. This consisted of nearly continuous fouls. The instructor never called them unless someone was seriously injured.
Although he didn't like the tradition, Heero had grown accustomed to it, so when the blonde boy was knocked down twice in a row, he bit back his anger and continued with the game. Obviously the longhaired boy didn't take to the treatment and he moved fast. Heero was actually resigned to give him grudging respect as the boy was fast, enough so that the opponents had trouble catching him. Add to that the fact that he'd taken the defensive near the blonde, and Heero found himself paying the boy more attention than the game.
His first thought had been irritation as he assumed the boy didn't know how to play, but when the longhaired boy blocked a shove intended for the blonde he caught on in a hurry.
With his back covered, the pale boy actually showed some promise, as he too was a fast and an accurate shooter. As the unofficial head of his team, Heero quickly realized that the boy would no doubt be better if he wasn't knocked down so often. That was when he decided to find out what skills the other boy had and he subbed one of the boys from the sidelines to replace the blonde.
It was actually intriguing how quickly the longhaired boy switched strategies, automatically going to the offensive as he proved very efficient at stealing balls. The fact that he was shorter than most of the players gave him as much of an advantage as his speed and he made every shot he threw. There was still the problem of the other team's thugs as they did their damnedest to knock him down with every chance they got, but the boy didn't stay down long.
No, the two weren't bad players and what he'd expected to be a handicap quickly proved to be a bonus to his side. While neither of the boys was tall enough to block their opponents, there were other players on the team who were and their lead soon skyrocketed.
After the game, Heero slowed as he waited for the two boys to enter the locker room. As they approached the doors, however, he saw the brown-haired boy grab the other's wrist, halting him. The boy whispered into the blonde's ear and Heero's eyes narrowed when he saw the pale boy blush lightly. Then the two made a beeline to the instructor.
"What are you two doing?" the man demanded, frowning when the boys moved to him. "Get in there and shower."
"Sir,” said Duo, “Winner needs to speak with the headmaster immediately and he's requested my presence."
Eyes wide, Duo waited as he gave his most respectful expression. For a moment he didn't think they'd get permission, but then something flickered in the man's brown eyes and he turned to look down at Quatre.
"You're Winner?" Blinking sharply, he nodded. "All right then, you're dismissed."
"Thank you, sir," Duo said softly, inclining his head as if in gratitude as he shot a small smile to the boy beside him.
He'd expected as much when he'd seen how the boy had been treated the day before. Neither hesitated as they left the gym.
"Duo,” said Quatre, “are we really going to talk to the headmaster?"
Halting, Duo stepped to the side of the crowded hallway so they wouldn't be shook around as he looked at the boy's wide eyes. "You are. I never lie, Quatre. You need to talk to him."
"About what?" Quatre asked, swiping his bangs out of his eyes as he frowned.
"What are you, Arabic, right?" At the boy's surprised nod, he shrugged. "You have an odd name. Anyway, you're going to go in there and tell him it's against your religion to change in front of others. Tell him you must insist on being allowed to change and shower in your own room."
Duo glared suddenly, shaking his head. "It'll work. It even worked for me and I don't have a name in this school."
"But why?” asked Quatre. “I mean, I'd rather have the privacy but I don't-"
"You don't think those three guys were knocking you over just to be spiteful, do you?"
Quatre looked uncomfortably but honestly confused and Duo let out a soft groan, catching hold of the boy’s shoulders. "God, you did. Okay, listen. Just trust me, all right? If you go in there and act all arrogant and important and tell him what you want, you'll be given a pass from the locker room. Of course, the instructor might not hear about it for a while, but if any of them try to give you trouble just tell them that you've already talked with the headmaster about it."
The boy was vehement and Quatre found himself staring in surprise. Then he nodded quickly. "Okay. Thank you, Duo."
"Don't mention it,” said Duo. “Consider it common courtesy."
He shot a glance down the hall and glared suddenly. He quickly gave Quatre a light shove in the right direction. "Get going. Oh yeah, my room's next to yours on the right. Let me hear from you, okay?"
The boy smiled and nodded before turning to wade through the mixing students. Duo watched him go for a split second before ducking into the stream and disappearing with ease.
Heero frowned as he abruptly lost sight of the boy. He'd intended to speak to him about joining the actual team and he was confused by the boy's actions. Then he glared as he noticed the boys behind him. They called themselves Rauders since they'd been accused of being marauders by one of the intelligent students.
Remembering that boy, Heero fumed. The boy hadn't lasted long in the school and no one knew exactly when he left. As for the Rauders, there were four of them and they were the biggest bullies the school had to offer, literally with two of them on the football team and the other two alternating between football and basketball. Heero had no patience for them off the court and they were obviously to blame for the new boy's disappearing act.
One of them noticed Heero’s glare and grinned down at him. "What's the matter, Yuy? You look like someone just shoved a stick up your ass."
He gave a high laugh at his own joke. Then he looked to his comrades and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Mike, what's up?"
"Can't find him. I swear I saw him just a second ago, but I don't see him now."
Having turned, Heero was stalking down the hall when he halted abruptly at the boy's reply. His hands curled into fists, but he began moving again without giving in to his need for violence. Despite popular opinion, he didn't fight that often. Not unless the provocation was extreme.
He spotted Trowa ahead of him and his steps quickened till he caught up with him, walking in silence to their next class, which they had together.
- - -
The knock was soft, and for a minute Wufei wasn't sure if he'd actually heard it. Then the sound came again and he moved to the door, pulling it open to frown at the boy who stood there. Pale blue-green eyes looked at him in surprise, and the blonde boy gave a subtle smile.
"Hello,” said Quatre. “I'm looking for Duo Maxwell. Is this the right room?"
"He's not here." Wufei’s frown deepened when Quatre's face dropped and he was surprised when the pale boy took a quick step back.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Wondering if the boy was going to hit him or if he always looked so angry, Quatre took another step toward his own door.
"Sorry I bothered you," he offered quickly.
"Wait,” said Wufei. He realized he was still angry about the altercation that morning and forced himself to calm down. There was no excuse to take it out on strangers.
"Do you want to leave him a message or something?" he asked.
He noticed that the boy relaxed a bit and wondered if he really looked that intimidating.
- - -
Heero's brows lowered when Trowa halted abruptly and he nearly ran into the tall boy. Then he noticed that his friend's attention was caught on something further down the hall. He followed Trowa’s gaze, smirking when he saw Wufei.
He recognized the blonde boy from the gym and couldn't help but shake his head. Wufei actually seemed to be talking to him. The Chinese boy was leaning against the open doorway to his room, arms folded over his chest as he spoke and Heero could tell from the way the blonde boy's hand was over his mouth that he was either smothering laughter or hiding a smile.
"Do you think that's him?" asked Trowa.
Heero raised an eyebrow at the odd quality to Trowa's voice. He stared at him for a minute, then shrugged. "Maybe. Wufei seems to be getting along with him."
"Yes, he does..."
Trowa blinked and straightened suddenly, turning to look at Heero with sparkling green eyes. "Well, let's go meet his friend, shall we?"
"I've met him," Heero said in a careless tone, taking in the boy's frown before looking away. "But I don't know his name. He was in first period basketball with me, he wasn't that bad."
A sideways glance found those green eyes on the blonde again and Heero remembered his thoughts from earlier. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was just imagining the interest he thought he saw. "Come on."
- - -
Smiling, Quatre shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure what I expected from the courses here, but there were only five people in my history class."
"That's because it was an advanced course," Wufei muttered.
He wasn't sure how they'd gotten onto the topic of the school's curriculum, but he found it easy to talk with the boy. "Most of the students here are so stupid it's ridiculous. There are so few of us who come here to learn that the majority of the school is modeled for the athletes."
"Well," Quatre said softly as he took in the boy's sneer, "it is supposed to be the best athletic school around. I guess they have to lower the standards of some of the courses or the students would never graduate."
"Some still don't,” Wufei scoffed. “I've seen students who have to be at least twenty still going to this school. These people have no motivation."
"I guess they're content where they are,” said Quatre. “After all, the older they get the stronger they get and if all they care about is sports it would make sense for them to stay. That way they would never have to face a world where they aren't the best. I'm sure their peers look up to them."
Wufei frowned at Quatre's thoughtful expression. "I don't try to understand them. All I need to do is look at them and I know as much as I want to know. More even."
"What are you talking about?"
Wufei froze for a moment before slowly turning to meet Heero's gaze, eyes narrowing at the smirk on the boy's face. "Idiots."
"Is this your new roommate?" asked Trowa. He nodded to the blonde before shifting his eyes back to Wufei.
"No,” Wufei said sharply. “This is Quatre Winner."
Heero continued to eye him, and Wufei glared a bit as he gestured to the blonde boy. "Quatre, this is Heero Yuy, and Trowa Barton."
Blinking at Heero, Quatre gave a slow nod. "It's nice to know your name."
Not sure if he wanted to be reminded of his ill performance on the court, he took a subtle step toward his room. "Well, I should really be going now. I have homework and-"
"Quatre!"
Smiling widely, Duo made his way through the thinning hall to stop beside the blonde boy. Then he noticed Wufei and his eyes narrowed for a second before his face smoothed, devoid of any emotion. He turned his back on Wufei and leaned close to Quatre, whispering softly in the boy’s ear so he wouldn’t be overheard.
Quatre wasn’t sure what was wrong, but he sent a quick smile at Wufei as he turned to unlock his door. "Well, it was nice to meet you."
They were still watching him when Duo pushed him into his room and shut the door behind them. Staring after the two boys, Heero and Trowa exchanged glances before turning to Wufei.
"That," Wufei muttered, his eyes narrowed to slits, "is my roommate."
"Him?" asked Heero.
Wufei blinked sharply at the odd quality to Heero's voice and gave his friend a close look. "You know him?"
Heero gave a slow nod, his dark blue eyes locked on the closed door.
"What's his name?" Trowa asked, curiosity aroused by the anger radiating from the Chinese boy. "Wufei?"
"Maxwell."
"He's angry with you," said Heero.
He turned and raised an eyebrow at Wufei. "I thought he liked you."
Wufei didn't answer as he turned to his own door. He paused when Heero caught his wrist and glared at the floor. "I have work to do."
"What happened?" asked Trowa.
"What did you do?" Heero asked, his voice overriding Trowa's as he looked at the uncomfortable boy in surprise. Wufei rounded quickly and glared at him.
"Nothing,” said Wufei. “I just told him to leave me alone."
Trowa let out a soft groan, and Wufei scowled, folding his arms over his chest.
"Wufei, you didn't..." Smirking suddenly, Trowa turned and crossed the hall to his own room, his soft laughter reaching them as he unlocked the door. "You've dug your own grave."
"This is your fault," Wufei muttered as he saw that Heero also seemed amused. "You're the one who said I should just tell him."
"I didn't think you'd do it," Heero shrugged, following him into his room. "I thought you liked him. You were making a big deal out of nothing and I reacted accordingly."
"What? I don't like him,” Wufei protested. “Why would I?"
Heero raised an eyebrow at him and he glared, gritting his teeth. "Anyway, all I did was tell him to stop talking."
"And?" asked Heero.
"And nothing. He's leaving me alone."
Wufei glanced away as he sat in his chair.
"Well,” said Heero. “I guess you got what you wanted then, didn't you."
Heero smirked and didn’t bat an eyelash at the dark glare his friend shot him. He had realized he was right as soon as the longhaired boy had seen Wufei. His friend had actually flinched when those violet eyes glared at him.
"Shut up, Heero."
"Tell me, Wufei, before you made him angry, what was he like?"
"I don't know," Wufei admitted, shrugging when the dark-haired boy sat on his bed. "Cheerful maybe, he smiled a lot."
"You said he never stopped talking," Heero reminded him.
He wasn't sure why he was interested, but he'd never met anyone capable of getting to Wufei so easily. He’d also been caught off guard himself, by the boy's bright smile. He couldn't understand why that smile would bother Wufei so much. "Was that the reason he bothered you?"
"I don't know,” Wufei muttered. “He just seemed so...cheerful. Heero, I don't want to talk about it."
Wufei blinked and his eyes narrowed suddenly. "Why are you so curious? Where did you meet him?"
With an inscrutable look in his eyes, Heero stood slowly and moved toward the door.
"Heero?” asked Wufei. “Where are you going?"
"I have work to do, too," Heero said casually.
Fighting a surprisingly powerful urge to smile, Heero nodded to the wide-eyed boy before opening the door and heading to his own room. He wasn't about to tell Wufei that he liked the boy's smile. Besides that, he enjoyed irritating his friend. He didn't have a playful streak, but he took perverse pleasure in the way Wufei's face grew pinched when he was angry.
- - -
TBC
Warnings: none
Pairings: will be 1x2, 3x4
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com
Complete Archive: www . geocities . com / arigatomina
Divide and Conquer
Part 1
They came during the middle of the school year, on the same day, but they had never met before. Neither wanted to be there, and both were nervous when they were directed to the headmaster's office. Their looks garnered them stares both hostile and interested, but none friendly, and by the time the two boys were seated before the closed door, both were nervous.
Quatre Winner sat quietly, pale hands folded in his lap as he stared at his knuckles as if they would explain why he was there. But he already knew.
Scrawny was the word his father had used as he'd stood before the man's desk, watching him pace. Not to mention passive, but Quatre was certain the man would never say that out loud, since he'd be contradicting his own judgment. Having been born into a pacifist family, Quatre was naturally passive, to a point, and having a father who was used to people jumping at his orders did nothing to make the boy outspoken.
He hadn't been able to say a word in his defense when he'd been given notice of his departure. He'd simply stood there and taken the harsh words before being escorted out of the house.
Fingering the straight cuffs of his white shirt, Quatre couldn't really find fault with his father's accusations. He was thin, and he hadn't excelled at any sports. He was a musician, a poet, a thinker, not the brawny boy his father must have hoped to get from his only son.
With thirty sisters, Quatre was his father’s pride and joy. At least until he'd reached the age of fifteen and the man had realized his son wasn't filling out.
What could he possibly say in his defense? He'd tried to be athletic, had gone to the schools his father had sent him to, had joined the courses assigned to him. Yet his physique remained similar to his mother's, slender and pale. And short.
Although he hadn't given up on the hope that he might yet get a growth spurt, Quatre knew he would never be the athletic, macho son his father wanted.
He glanced at the boys walking past the window to the office, and he sighed as his eyes moved over them. No school was going to make him into an athlete. All his father had done by sending him here was make certain that he would be miserable for another year.
This school advertised teams of all sorts, from football, which was its main attraction, to tennis. It was evident from the students that only the best were allowed into the school, and Quatre knew the moment he'd entered the door that his father had paid dearly to ensure his torture.
He stared down at his hands, wallowing in his pity for another thirty seconds. Then he gave it up and he looked to the other boy in the room.
He had spent years getting used to this sort of thing, so he could no longer feel sorry for himself. Looking at the boy seated across from him, he felt compassion and reminded himself that it could be worse. He could be dressed in a priest's outfit with a braid of hair down to his waist.
Drumming his fingers on his knees, Duo nodded absentmindedly to the blonde boy sharing the room with him.
He didn't want to look at the other boy since he knew he wouldn't be here long and the boy had a nice aura to him. He was sure he could like him if he tried and had no intention of making a friend for such a short period of time.
It wasn't that he didn't think he could make it in a school of this sort, since he was athletic enough. No, that had nothing to do with it. He knew his stay would be short because he was only being let in out of charity and charity never lasted.
Having grown up in an orphanage run by the state, Duo Maxwell was well acquainted with the dark side of people. He'd seen them all in his time and he knew by the gazes he'd drawn during his trip through the halls that the school was not for him.
Oh, he was smart enough to make those jocks look like idiots in the classroom, but that mattered little when one was going to be playing against them. Sports were fine so long as the rules were followed, but he knew from experience that beating a guy who weighed twice as much was a bad idea. He could always play to lose, but he never did that since it meant lying to himself.
He smirked when he saw one of the boys staring through the office window at him.
He just knew he was in for trouble. But he was going to stick it out until he was either discharged from the school or carried out on a stretcher. He'd given his word when the church that ran the orphanage had been given the grant. One boy was to receive a free pass through the state's most illustrious institution and he'd been that lucky boy. There was no way he'd give up without a fight. He couldn't forget the others who'd missed this opportunity.
- - -
There was no justice.
Wufei Chang understood that the school was packed to the brim and that as one of the few students with a single room, his was needed. That didn't change the fact that he'd requested, and paid for, a room to himself. It was true that he'd be reimbursed, for what little that mattered since his family had money enough, but he would now have to share his room.
He wasn't selfish, that had nothing to do with it. No, it was the fact that he needed privacy and silence for his meditations, which were so important to his state of mind. Without being able to calm himself daily, he'd no doubt wreck havoc on the idiots that abounded in the school.
When he'd first come there, he'd been satisfied that the curriculum was challenging to a point and that there would be no irritating females to distract him from his studies. But upon arrival, he'd quickly found that while there were challenging courses, there were also classes for idiots. In other words, courses that enabled brainless boys who only excelled at sheer strength to graduate. And that meant there were plenty of simpletons in the school.
Still, he'd been content there for more than two years and the prospect of a third year hadn't looked gloomy; until now. He'd been notified that his room was now a double one and that his new roommate would be arriving this afternoon. Needless to say, he was infuriated and no amount of meditation had alleviated that. He simply didn't understand why the new student had to be placed with him when there was a vacant room right next to his.
Obviously, money wasn't the issue. He'd been informed that the room was already assigned to someone. That meant it was prestige, which irritated him even more. Wufei came from a prestigious enough family that had a strong sense of honor and he refused to believe he was being put out while a new student would get the vacant room to himself.
It took hours for him to calm down, and even then he was still fuming about it when the time came around for his new roommate to arrive. That was when the faculty man belatedly informed him that he was going to be placed with an American.
- - -
"Winner, this is your room. I trust things have been arranged for your arrival, but if you find anything amiss don't hesitate to inform me."
The man nodded to the blonde boy and watched him enter the room. Then he turned to Duo and stepped to the side, knocking smartly on the next door.
Duo’s eyes widened when a Chinese boy answered with dark, furiously glowing eyes. He fought an urge to groan and did his best to remain calm as the man introduced them.
"Wufei, this is your roommate, Duo Maxwell." He watched as the two boys stared at each other for a moment then turned sharply on his heels and walked away.
‘Well isn’t that great,’ Duo thought. ‘They don't even try to be polite to me, and they stick me with this guy.’
He managed a slight smile as he nodded to the boy who stood still in the doorway. "Nice to meet you, Wufei."
The boy didn't answer and Duo felt himself getting tense as he fought a surge of anger. They’d just met, so there was no excuse for the boy's attitude. But he forced himself to stay calm, his smile widening a bit. "Can I come in?"
Wufei flinched at what he assumed to be a sarcastic question. He turned away and entered the room. He sat at his desk as he watched the boy follow, shutting the door behind him.
"That is your side," said Wufei, glaring as he watched the boy set his bag on the bed.
He'd never get used to having his domain intruded upon, and he was determined to dislike the longhaired boy. Yes, he had definitely noticed the braid and he took it to be evidence of a lack of discipline he could imagine would drive him crazy within a day.
"Thanks, Wufei," Duo said lightly as he carried his bag to the dresser and started to unpack.
It was strange to have someone glaring at him when he hadn't done anything wrong yet, but he wasn't going to try to figure the boy out. The only thing he'd heard about Chinese people had said that they were serious and honor bound, and stereotypically ritualistic – whatever that meant. It didn’t help him now that he found himself sharing a room with a black-eyed boy who'd obviously already decided to hate him.
Duo stowed his belongings and took a deep breath. Then he turned to meet Wufei's gaze.
They stared at each other for a full minute before Duo gave in to his need for movement, breaking the look and he walking to his bed. With his legs folded under him, he gave a calculating look at the boy. He frowned when he realized it wasn't going to work. He simply couldn't keep silent.
"You know," he said slowly, noticing that the boy's eyes narrowed the moment he spoke. "I haven't done anything to you. You don't have to glare at me like that."
Shock, that was what went through Wufei as he blinked at the violet-eyed boy. It wasn't the crude comment he'd expected from an American, and the boy was being polite enough.
Not sure if he had misjudged him or not, Wufei found himself pausing as he wondered why he'd automatically disliked the boy. Then he knew; it was the room. He glared at the floor for a moment, then he managed to give the boy a nod. "Sorry."
It hurt to say, and Wufei turned quickly and opened one of his textbooks as if he had homework to do. A pitiful excuse, but when he glanced over his shoulder, he found the boy heading into the room's adjoining bathroom. Another glance showed the closet open and he nodded to himself as he realized the boy was changing into the school's uniform.
‘Discipline is a good trait,’ Wufei thought slowly, ‘I may survive this yet.’
- - -
"He's killing me."
Trowa smirked at the Chinese boy's wild expression, watching him pace about the small room. It wasn't the first time a student had gotten to Wufei, but he knew they had only shared a room for one night. He couldn't imagine what could have happened in such a short period of time to make Wufei so...flustered.
"Wufei,” said Heero, “you're pacing."
Wufei stopped suddenly. He groaned and clenched his hands into fists before glaring at Heero. "I tell you I've never met someone like this. He's..."
Throwing his hands up, he began to pace again, stalking back and forth in front of the two boys' beds.
"What exactly did he do?" asked Trowa.
He continued to smirk as he took in Heero's raised eyebrow. He wasn't the only one enjoying their friend's tirade. Wufei glared at him then looked away, folding his arms over his chest.
"Well?" Trowa prodded.
"He smiles at me.”
Heero snorted and Wufei rounded, glaring daggers at the Japanese boy and gritting his teeth.
"You don't understand," Wufei said quickly, feeling the need to defend himself. "He smiles constantly. Like he likes me. And he talks so much - he never shuts up!"
"Sounds serious," Heero said with a deadpan expression. His cobalt blue eyes glinted when Trowa smirked and his own lips twitched. "Maybe he wants to be your friend."
"I have to meet him," Trowa put in, his voice toneless as he was the new recipient of a black-eyed glare. "Any friend of Wufei's...."
"He is not my friend!"
"You're getting worked up over this,” said Heero. “Just tell him to leave you alone."
Wufei's eyes widened as he turned sharply to stare at Heero. For a moment he didn't move, then he blinked and turned on his heel. "Fine, I will."
Trowa didn't shift until the door was shut behind the irate yet determined boy. Then he looked to Heero. "I've never seen him so bad."
Having been in the school for a year now, Trowa had known the Chinese boy for a while and had seen his rants before. But something was different about this one. "I get the feeling he doesn't mind the boy as much as he's pretending to."
"That's what angers him," Heero said, nodding as he turned back to his desk, fingers flying over his laptop. "You know Wufei, any softness is a sign of weakness. I'd say he likes the boy."
"That way?" asked Trowa. Heero turned and pinned him with a stare, but he shrugged. "It would explain his reaction."
"No. Wufei hates women, but he hates men more."
The conversation was over when Heero turned away again, but he hesitated over Trowa's words. Heero had been sharing a room with the boy since he'd arrived a year ago, but he'd known Wufei for longer. He was almost positive the Chinese boy had no homosexual tendencies, but he wondered why Trowa had thought of it.
Trowa was quiet by nature as was he, but he had the feeling there was a reason behind the silence and emotionless tone. Thinking of his own reaction to puberty, he wondered if the green-eyed boy wasn't gay as well.
While it wasn’t a topic discussed in public, there were a number of boys at the school who were openly gay. The fact that Trowa had never hinted at his sexual orientation now made sense to him. He was surprised that he could have missed something so obvious.
Heero Yuy prided himself on his observational skills and he hadn't thought it possible for anything to get by him. Yet here he was, realizing that he didn't even know if the boy he'd called friend for a year was straight. Not that they really talked about their feelings, but it was still something he felt he should have noticed.
As for himself, he'd known for years. The knowledge had come to him when he'd been kissed by a girl at one of the basketball games in junior high. She'd caught him outside the locker room and had held him before he could react. He hadn't been as strong then, and she was much older and at least a foot taller.
She was still an attractive girl and he'd known from his complete lack of reaction that he was not interested in the female sex. Of course, he'd never looked at males either, but if it wasn't girls the alternative was obvious.
Looking to Trowa, who was now at his desk, his eyes narrowed as he wondered if his guess was accurate. Within minutes, however, he decided to save the guessing for another time as he quickly realized he had no evidence one way or the other. The fact that Trowa hadn't been bothered by the thought of their friend being gay didn't mean he was gay. All it meant was that he was tolerant of gays.
Heero turned back to his computer and blanked his errant thoughts, focusing on the report he was writing.
- - -
It was worse than he'd thought, as unlikely as that seemed. Quatre had never gone to an all-boy school before and while he had been expecting harassment because of his looks, he was unprepared for the way the boys stared at him. It wasn't all or even a majority, but three boys was enough to make him very uncomfortable. He barely kept from blushing.
Locker rooms were the same in any school and he'd changed clothing with other boys before, but not with them watching him do it. By the time he and the rest of the class filed into the gym, he was certain he'd set a new record in speed. Or maybe a close second.
He spotted the boy from the day before already outside the room. He hadn't even noticed him, having been distracted, but he recognized the braid immediately. Feeling as if they had something in common, he found himself sidling closer to where the boy stood away from the main group.
Arms folded over his chest, Duo nodded to the blonde boy before glaring again at the court as he waited for the instructor. He'd come very close to getting himself expelled and it was his first day. That was simply too much. He was determined to control his anger, so he pointedly ignored the boy who'd had the audacity to pull his hair.
He noticed that the blonde boy was closer to him than to the other students, and he looked at him for a second before glancing to the group. It didn't take long for him to spot three pairs of eyes on the boy and he couldn't fight his anger any longer. Turning, he gave the surprised blonde a quick smile.
"The name's Duo," he said, softly enough so no one else would hear him. "You're Winner, right?"
"Quatre," the blonde answered with a relieved smile.
He was relieved to have someone who knew his name, even if it was a person he'd just met. While he couldn't be sure if they'd be friends or not, it was comforting nevertheless.
"Well, Quatre, how do you like this school so far?" The blonde made an expression of extreme distaste and Duo let out a soft laugh. "Yeah."
"Hey newbie!"
Both boy's turned slowly, Quatre frowning and Duo glaring as they looked to see who it was. A tall boy stepped to them and Quatre blinked in surprise when Duo let out a whispery growl. The longhaired boy was glaring daggers and he was surprised by the violence he could see in his face. Turning back to the advancing boy, he let out a silent sigh as he spotted the instructor.
"All right class, we have two new students." With a dull expression, the man barely glanced at the two boys. His gaze swept to the bleacher behind them. "Yuy, they're on your team. It'll even things out. Do what you can with them."
"Yes sir."
Heero rose from his seat on the bleachers and moved toward the court, his eyes going over the two newcomers. He didn't mind the handicap being placed on his team since he saw it as a way to increase the difficulty of winning.
- - -
They'd never won by so much. By the end of the game, Heero had no choice but to admit the two boys worked very well together, and they worked well with him, too. He was even introduced to a strategy he'd never seen before as the American quickly took to guarding his own teammate. It made sense after he realized what the boy was doing.
As was the custom at the school, the 'newbies' were taking the brunt of the other team's players. This consisted of nearly continuous fouls. The instructor never called them unless someone was seriously injured.
Although he didn't like the tradition, Heero had grown accustomed to it, so when the blonde boy was knocked down twice in a row, he bit back his anger and continued with the game. Obviously the longhaired boy didn't take to the treatment and he moved fast. Heero was actually resigned to give him grudging respect as the boy was fast, enough so that the opponents had trouble catching him. Add to that the fact that he'd taken the defensive near the blonde, and Heero found himself paying the boy more attention than the game.
His first thought had been irritation as he assumed the boy didn't know how to play, but when the longhaired boy blocked a shove intended for the blonde he caught on in a hurry.
With his back covered, the pale boy actually showed some promise, as he too was a fast and an accurate shooter. As the unofficial head of his team, Heero quickly realized that the boy would no doubt be better if he wasn't knocked down so often. That was when he decided to find out what skills the other boy had and he subbed one of the boys from the sidelines to replace the blonde.
It was actually intriguing how quickly the longhaired boy switched strategies, automatically going to the offensive as he proved very efficient at stealing balls. The fact that he was shorter than most of the players gave him as much of an advantage as his speed and he made every shot he threw. There was still the problem of the other team's thugs as they did their damnedest to knock him down with every chance they got, but the boy didn't stay down long.
No, the two weren't bad players and what he'd expected to be a handicap quickly proved to be a bonus to his side. While neither of the boys was tall enough to block their opponents, there were other players on the team who were and their lead soon skyrocketed.
After the game, Heero slowed as he waited for the two boys to enter the locker room. As they approached the doors, however, he saw the brown-haired boy grab the other's wrist, halting him. The boy whispered into the blonde's ear and Heero's eyes narrowed when he saw the pale boy blush lightly. Then the two made a beeline to the instructor.
"What are you two doing?" the man demanded, frowning when the boys moved to him. "Get in there and shower."
"Sir,” said Duo, “Winner needs to speak with the headmaster immediately and he's requested my presence."
Eyes wide, Duo waited as he gave his most respectful expression. For a moment he didn't think they'd get permission, but then something flickered in the man's brown eyes and he turned to look down at Quatre.
"You're Winner?" Blinking sharply, he nodded. "All right then, you're dismissed."
"Thank you, sir," Duo said softly, inclining his head as if in gratitude as he shot a small smile to the boy beside him.
He'd expected as much when he'd seen how the boy had been treated the day before. Neither hesitated as they left the gym.
"Duo,” said Quatre, “are we really going to talk to the headmaster?"
Halting, Duo stepped to the side of the crowded hallway so they wouldn't be shook around as he looked at the boy's wide eyes. "You are. I never lie, Quatre. You need to talk to him."
"About what?" Quatre asked, swiping his bangs out of his eyes as he frowned.
"What are you, Arabic, right?" At the boy's surprised nod, he shrugged. "You have an odd name. Anyway, you're going to go in there and tell him it's against your religion to change in front of others. Tell him you must insist on being allowed to change and shower in your own room."
Duo glared suddenly, shaking his head. "It'll work. It even worked for me and I don't have a name in this school."
"But why?” asked Quatre. “I mean, I'd rather have the privacy but I don't-"
"You don't think those three guys were knocking you over just to be spiteful, do you?"
Quatre looked uncomfortably but honestly confused and Duo let out a soft groan, catching hold of the boy’s shoulders. "God, you did. Okay, listen. Just trust me, all right? If you go in there and act all arrogant and important and tell him what you want, you'll be given a pass from the locker room. Of course, the instructor might not hear about it for a while, but if any of them try to give you trouble just tell them that you've already talked with the headmaster about it."
The boy was vehement and Quatre found himself staring in surprise. Then he nodded quickly. "Okay. Thank you, Duo."
"Don't mention it,” said Duo. “Consider it common courtesy."
He shot a glance down the hall and glared suddenly. He quickly gave Quatre a light shove in the right direction. "Get going. Oh yeah, my room's next to yours on the right. Let me hear from you, okay?"
The boy smiled and nodded before turning to wade through the mixing students. Duo watched him go for a split second before ducking into the stream and disappearing with ease.
Heero frowned as he abruptly lost sight of the boy. He'd intended to speak to him about joining the actual team and he was confused by the boy's actions. Then he glared as he noticed the boys behind him. They called themselves Rauders since they'd been accused of being marauders by one of the intelligent students.
Remembering that boy, Heero fumed. The boy hadn't lasted long in the school and no one knew exactly when he left. As for the Rauders, there were four of them and they were the biggest bullies the school had to offer, literally with two of them on the football team and the other two alternating between football and basketball. Heero had no patience for them off the court and they were obviously to blame for the new boy's disappearing act.
One of them noticed Heero’s glare and grinned down at him. "What's the matter, Yuy? You look like someone just shoved a stick up your ass."
He gave a high laugh at his own joke. Then he looked to his comrades and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Mike, what's up?"
"Can't find him. I swear I saw him just a second ago, but I don't see him now."
Having turned, Heero was stalking down the hall when he halted abruptly at the boy's reply. His hands curled into fists, but he began moving again without giving in to his need for violence. Despite popular opinion, he didn't fight that often. Not unless the provocation was extreme.
He spotted Trowa ahead of him and his steps quickened till he caught up with him, walking in silence to their next class, which they had together.
- - -
The knock was soft, and for a minute Wufei wasn't sure if he'd actually heard it. Then the sound came again and he moved to the door, pulling it open to frown at the boy who stood there. Pale blue-green eyes looked at him in surprise, and the blonde boy gave a subtle smile.
"Hello,” said Quatre. “I'm looking for Duo Maxwell. Is this the right room?"
"He's not here." Wufei’s frown deepened when Quatre's face dropped and he was surprised when the pale boy took a quick step back.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Wondering if the boy was going to hit him or if he always looked so angry, Quatre took another step toward his own door.
"Sorry I bothered you," he offered quickly.
"Wait,” said Wufei. He realized he was still angry about the altercation that morning and forced himself to calm down. There was no excuse to take it out on strangers.
"Do you want to leave him a message or something?" he asked.
He noticed that the boy relaxed a bit and wondered if he really looked that intimidating.
- - -
Heero's brows lowered when Trowa halted abruptly and he nearly ran into the tall boy. Then he noticed that his friend's attention was caught on something further down the hall. He followed Trowa’s gaze, smirking when he saw Wufei.
He recognized the blonde boy from the gym and couldn't help but shake his head. Wufei actually seemed to be talking to him. The Chinese boy was leaning against the open doorway to his room, arms folded over his chest as he spoke and Heero could tell from the way the blonde boy's hand was over his mouth that he was either smothering laughter or hiding a smile.
"Do you think that's him?" asked Trowa.
Heero raised an eyebrow at the odd quality to Trowa's voice. He stared at him for a minute, then shrugged. "Maybe. Wufei seems to be getting along with him."
"Yes, he does..."
Trowa blinked and straightened suddenly, turning to look at Heero with sparkling green eyes. "Well, let's go meet his friend, shall we?"
"I've met him," Heero said in a careless tone, taking in the boy's frown before looking away. "But I don't know his name. He was in first period basketball with me, he wasn't that bad."
A sideways glance found those green eyes on the blonde again and Heero remembered his thoughts from earlier. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was just imagining the interest he thought he saw. "Come on."
- - -
Smiling, Quatre shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure what I expected from the courses here, but there were only five people in my history class."
"That's because it was an advanced course," Wufei muttered.
He wasn't sure how they'd gotten onto the topic of the school's curriculum, but he found it easy to talk with the boy. "Most of the students here are so stupid it's ridiculous. There are so few of us who come here to learn that the majority of the school is modeled for the athletes."
"Well," Quatre said softly as he took in the boy's sneer, "it is supposed to be the best athletic school around. I guess they have to lower the standards of some of the courses or the students would never graduate."
"Some still don't,” Wufei scoffed. “I've seen students who have to be at least twenty still going to this school. These people have no motivation."
"I guess they're content where they are,” said Quatre. “After all, the older they get the stronger they get and if all they care about is sports it would make sense for them to stay. That way they would never have to face a world where they aren't the best. I'm sure their peers look up to them."
Wufei frowned at Quatre's thoughtful expression. "I don't try to understand them. All I need to do is look at them and I know as much as I want to know. More even."
"What are you talking about?"
Wufei froze for a moment before slowly turning to meet Heero's gaze, eyes narrowing at the smirk on the boy's face. "Idiots."
"Is this your new roommate?" asked Trowa. He nodded to the blonde before shifting his eyes back to Wufei.
"No,” Wufei said sharply. “This is Quatre Winner."
Heero continued to eye him, and Wufei glared a bit as he gestured to the blonde boy. "Quatre, this is Heero Yuy, and Trowa Barton."
Blinking at Heero, Quatre gave a slow nod. "It's nice to know your name."
Not sure if he wanted to be reminded of his ill performance on the court, he took a subtle step toward his room. "Well, I should really be going now. I have homework and-"
"Quatre!"
Smiling widely, Duo made his way through the thinning hall to stop beside the blonde boy. Then he noticed Wufei and his eyes narrowed for a second before his face smoothed, devoid of any emotion. He turned his back on Wufei and leaned close to Quatre, whispering softly in the boy’s ear so he wouldn’t be overheard.
Quatre wasn’t sure what was wrong, but he sent a quick smile at Wufei as he turned to unlock his door. "Well, it was nice to meet you."
They were still watching him when Duo pushed him into his room and shut the door behind them. Staring after the two boys, Heero and Trowa exchanged glances before turning to Wufei.
"That," Wufei muttered, his eyes narrowed to slits, "is my roommate."
"Him?" asked Heero.
Wufei blinked sharply at the odd quality to Heero's voice and gave his friend a close look. "You know him?"
Heero gave a slow nod, his dark blue eyes locked on the closed door.
"What's his name?" Trowa asked, curiosity aroused by the anger radiating from the Chinese boy. "Wufei?"
"Maxwell."
"He's angry with you," said Heero.
He turned and raised an eyebrow at Wufei. "I thought he liked you."
Wufei didn't answer as he turned to his own door. He paused when Heero caught his wrist and glared at the floor. "I have work to do."
"What happened?" asked Trowa.
"What did you do?" Heero asked, his voice overriding Trowa's as he looked at the uncomfortable boy in surprise. Wufei rounded quickly and glared at him.
"Nothing,” said Wufei. “I just told him to leave me alone."
Trowa let out a soft groan, and Wufei scowled, folding his arms over his chest.
"Wufei, you didn't..." Smirking suddenly, Trowa turned and crossed the hall to his own room, his soft laughter reaching them as he unlocked the door. "You've dug your own grave."
"This is your fault," Wufei muttered as he saw that Heero also seemed amused. "You're the one who said I should just tell him."
"I didn't think you'd do it," Heero shrugged, following him into his room. "I thought you liked him. You were making a big deal out of nothing and I reacted accordingly."
"What? I don't like him,” Wufei protested. “Why would I?"
Heero raised an eyebrow at him and he glared, gritting his teeth. "Anyway, all I did was tell him to stop talking."
"And?" asked Heero.
"And nothing. He's leaving me alone."
Wufei glanced away as he sat in his chair.
"Well,” said Heero. “I guess you got what you wanted then, didn't you."
Heero smirked and didn’t bat an eyelash at the dark glare his friend shot him. He had realized he was right as soon as the longhaired boy had seen Wufei. His friend had actually flinched when those violet eyes glared at him.
"Shut up, Heero."
"Tell me, Wufei, before you made him angry, what was he like?"
"I don't know," Wufei admitted, shrugging when the dark-haired boy sat on his bed. "Cheerful maybe, he smiled a lot."
"You said he never stopped talking," Heero reminded him.
He wasn't sure why he was interested, but he'd never met anyone capable of getting to Wufei so easily. He’d also been caught off guard himself, by the boy's bright smile. He couldn't understand why that smile would bother Wufei so much. "Was that the reason he bothered you?"
"I don't know,” Wufei muttered. “He just seemed so...cheerful. Heero, I don't want to talk about it."
Wufei blinked and his eyes narrowed suddenly. "Why are you so curious? Where did you meet him?"
With an inscrutable look in his eyes, Heero stood slowly and moved toward the door.
"Heero?” asked Wufei. “Where are you going?"
"I have work to do, too," Heero said casually.
Fighting a surprisingly powerful urge to smile, Heero nodded to the wide-eyed boy before opening the door and heading to his own room. He wasn't about to tell Wufei that he liked the boy's smile. Besides that, he enjoyed irritating his friend. He didn't have a playful streak, but he took perverse pleasure in the way Wufei's face grew pinched when he was angry.
- - -
TBC