Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ When We Were Young ❯ Lessons Learned ( Chapter 5 )

A/N: here's the next part of my story!!! Not many people have been reviewing or anything…so I'm not sure if I will finish it…=( but…here's chapter 5!!!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything!! Sheesh….these disclaimers are very annoying…*mumbles*

"Lessons Learned"

Noin ran swiftly around the corridor, making a wide turn and stealing a glance behind her. Realizing he was nowhere in sight she allowed herself a victorious smirk. She slapped her hand to the wall beside a piece of paper, still looking behind her.

"I didn't know he was that far behind…" she commented softly to herself, breathing slightly heavily from the sprint.

"On the contrary…" she heard a familiar voice begin…

Noin turned around to stare into the silver mask of Zechs. She glared at him, punching his chest, but to no avail.

"Hey, you cheated," she said sourly. She knew she was whining but she couldn't help it.

Zechs looked thoroughly abashed, "How did I cheat?" he asked innocently.

Noin crossed her arms, pouting, "Because you took a short cut."

"Oh…that…" Zechs said, as if finally catching on, "It's not my fault you don't know any of the alternate corridors at the base."

Noin was about to retort when Zechs interrupted.

"But I was waiting for you to look at the scores, anyway…" he said, gesturing to the list he was standing next to.

Noin mentally smacked herself. Of course! That was the reason they had been racing anyway. All of a sudden Noin's dinner felt very heavy in her stomach, and her mouth felt like cotton.

Zechs looked perfectly calm, looking over the list with mild amusement, "Well, that was to be expected, I supposed," he commented listlessly.

Noin looked at him, horrified, "I failed, didn't I?"

Zechs chuckled, "Yeah, Noin, you got the worse scores in Lake Victorian history."

Noin looked at the blonde boy incredulously, "That isn't funny, Merquise."

"Well, take a look for yourself…" Zechs said, placing a hand on her back and shoving her lightly so she was standing in front of the dreaded list.

Noin placed a shaky finger at the bottom of the list, working her way up. She wasn't in any of the lower classes…or intermediate…she looked through some of the advanced before she finally found her name. It was under "Honors Classes." There were very few names under this list, but one of them clearly read "Cadet Noin." Noin held her breath, and glanced through the list, before finding another familiar name…Cadet Merquise.

Noin clapped her hands together, smiling joyously.

"We made Honors, Zechs!" she whispered excitedly. Her dark blue eyes were alight with happiness, resembling the stars she was trying so hard to visit sometime in space.

Zechs nodded, seeming unsurprised. Noin wondered at this. Did he know all along they were so far ahead of everyone else? She shrugged it off, knowing Zechs would always have his secrets, as would she. Noin looked over at Zechs. He was leaning casually against the wall, arms folded over his chest. He was looking straight ahead, his mouth turned down slightly. Noin found herself wondering what he was thinking. She knew it was none of her business, but she was curious at the thoughts that were swirling in his flaxen locked head. Whatever he was thinking, it was probably pretty serious. She bit back the urge to ask him what was wrong…she knew he would snap out of his thoughts, then casually reply with a "nothing important"…or something of the sorts.

Zechs turned to find Noin looking at him, her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and she was looking at him like he was a puzzle…something she wanted to try and figure out. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he offered her a half smile. She grinned at him, her thoughtfulness lost. He was glad he snapped her out of that…he didn't want to answer any questions.

Noin began walking away, and then turned back and looked at him, "C'mon," she said, "Let's go get something to eat."

Zechs looked at her, perplexed, "The mess hall is closed…"

Noin rolled her eyes and pretended to be exasperated with him, "I know that….but I have some junk food in my room that I…uh…snuck with me."

Zechs chuckled, but fell into step beside her, "But…" he began, "I thought boys weren't allowed in the east wing."

Noin looked at him, amused, "Do you ever cease to mock me?" she questioned, smiling.

Zechs let out a soft grunt, turning to the raven-haired girl, "Not if I can help it."

~*~*~*~A bag of chips and three candy bars later~*~*~*~

Zechs and Noin sat on Noin's bed, immersed in a close game of chess. Zechs stared at the game board, trying to uncover Noin's strategy. He wasn't sure whether she was trying to corner him with her knight and queen, or whether she was trying to bait him to take her bishop in order to take his castle. Zechs smiled to himself. Maybe it was both.

Noin sat across from Zechs, wondering if he was onto her yet. She was hoping he was too busy noticing her knight and queen to worry about her castle that had been moved strategically, so that all she needed was three more moves to call a checkmate. Noin bit her lower lip thoughtfully, wondering what he thought he could gain by moving his king one space to the left. Noin's eyes suddenly grew wide as she realized he discovered her strategy. Zechs gave her a half smile, glad that he had guessed right. Noin grumbled, moving her knight to intercept one of his pawns. Zechs held back from letting out a victorious smile. She had fallen into his trap. Noin suddenly realized this and groaned.

"Shimatta! Zechs, I demand a rematch!" she said, glaring at the boy across from her.

Zechs chortled, "I haven't won yet," he pointed out.

Noin rolled her eyes, looking at him skeptically, "But you'd have to be pretty stupid not to have set that up, and then not to use it once I fell for it."

Zechs shrugged, nodding at her statement, "But sometimes," he said seriously, "people set things up with the intention that the other person won't catch on, and when they don't they leave it. Then the whole purpose of even setting something up, is either to cause a blow to someone's pride, knowing that they lost but the other person never finishes the job, or to learn some stupid moral that some annoying guy has the indecency to point out."

Zechs stood up, walking over to the door, "G'night, Noin…" he said softly, and was about to walk out when he heard Noin call out.

"Zechs…"

Zechs turned around, hand on the doorknob and one foot out the door.

"You're not annoying," she said pointedly.

Zechs smiled at her, and then walked out the door. He leaned against the closed door, sighing audibly.

"You have no idea, Noin…" he whispered, before sneaking off to his room.

A/N: well…how was that for the next chapter? Zechs and Noin are going to be in the same level classes! *cheers* im not sure if im gonna finish this or not, tho…not many ppl seem to be reading it. Maybe I'll write it for enjoyment, but not post it…hmm….well please review!!!!!! Luvvies, KaT aka Mistress Shinigami