Disclaimer: We don't own Gundam Wing or anything like that. We tried to lay a claim on them…Angel now has a missing shoe that she thinks that Bandai stole because they tried to claim it. So…they don't own it.

Chapters: 1/13

May 2004 – Angel & Piksi

This Is Home

Mornings are always bright in California.  My mother found it charming when we moved here from Japan twelve years ago; I found it annoying.

"Heero, honey, wake up.  You've got school.  Your lunch is on the counter, your father and I are off to work!"  Both of my parents work within the government.  Their pretty high up, but they don't act snobby.

"Hai, is Trowa here yet?"  Trowa's my best friend.  He's seventeen, a year older then me.  He drives a 1956 T-Bird, standard black, and his pride and joy.  The only think he loves more is Quatre, his boyfriend.

"Hai. And so is his little boyfriend.  Such a sweet boy, that one.  They're down in the kitchen."  I know she's standing at my door, and the next thing I know, she opens it.

"Heero, get up. And brush your hair."  My hair is always a messy brown mop according to my mother.

"Hai."  I state, and she nods, closing my door.  I go in search of my uniform, which is navy blue.  Most people in my school wear uniforms; the only people who don't are students from the orphanage.  Something to do with cost; they could go to the school, but the couldn't afford the uniforms as well.  It's a government thing, mom had said once.

When I finally get downstairs, both Trowa and Quatre are helping themselves to my breakfast.  Trowa's tall, with brown hair and green eyes, while Quatre's short, almost as short as me, with blonde hair and aquamarine eyes you can get lost in.  Quatre wears his soul on his sleeve, as my mother would say.  His father is the billionaire owner of some big corporation; he's got twenty-nine sisters and over seventy servants in his mansion.  It must be hard having so many sisters; we figure it's why he's so effeminate.  Trowa's parents own the Barton family circus; which makes his family pretty rich too.  His sister, Cathrine, is a cheerleader at our school.

"Hey!  Back off, scavengers!  That's my breakfast!"  Quatre looks up, piece of bacon sticking out of his mouth.  Quickly swallowing it, he blushes.

"Sorry, Hee-chan.  But it smelt so good… how about I make you something?"  Quatre is the sweetest person alive, he's so damn innocent.

"Nah.  Just let me have the rest and I'll be fine."  I take the toast and shoulder my bag.

"Yuy, you'd better not get crumbs on my interior."  Trowa states, standing up.  I roll my eyes as we head out the door, taking a moment to lock the door, then we head to the car.

"Sometimes I wonder about you and this car."  I say, getting into the back seat.  "Q-man, you may have some competition!"  Quatre blushes lightly; he's easily embarrassed as well.

"Oh, shut up, Heero.  You're just jealous because you don't have a hot car and boyfriend."

I shake my head.  "One, I don't drive, and why would I when I've got you?  And two, whether Quatre's hot or not has nothing to do with it.  No matter how hot he is, I'm asexual. So ney."  I know it's childish, but I stick out my tongue.  We keep driving and Quatre turns the radio on.

Our class isn't that big; twenty students in a large room.  I've heard of public schools with up to forty students per class, so I suppose we're lucky.  My homeroom is 10-A, while Quatre's 10-B and Trowa's is 11-D.  I don't have many friends in my class; Chang Wufei, a Chinese student I've known since I moved here and refer to mostly as 'Fei is one of them.  His hair is just long enough to put in a tiny ponytail, and whenever I sit down in my seat behind him, I flick it.

"Hey, Heero.  Did you hear?"  I raise an eyebrow.  Wufei, who states he hates women all things womanly, sure likes to gossip.

"Did I hear what?"  I ask.  He turns around completely in his seat, which means it's something big.  Behind me, I hear Relena Peacecraft, the daughter of the senator or something like that, sit down.  She's obsessed with me; I avoid her at all costs.

"We've got a new student today.  Some kid from upstate; Texas I think."  I grin.  A new student means no homework review first period.

"That's great, 'Fei.  Hey, did you finish out chemistry project?"  I have five classes.  Two are with Wufei, homeroom and chemistry.  I have physical education alone, and English and math with Quatre.  My third period lunch is with 'Fei, Quatre and Trowa.  As the teacher enters, we all go silent.  Mr. Smith has one of those presences you just feel.

"Okay, class.  We've got a new student in today.  He comes from Texas."  At this, Wufei turns around and grins.  He loves being right.  "His names Duo Maxwell, and he's a little shy, I've been told."  There was a knock at the door.  "That'll be him."  He goes to the door and opens it.  I swear I stop breathing as soon as the new guy steps in.  He's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen.  He's short, about my height, with the most brilliant eyes.  I haven't seen girls with hair that long and luscious, it's chestnut brown and down past his hips, tied in a braid.  He's clutching it in his hands.  He's wearing jeans and a black wife beater, which means one thing; he's from St. Patricks.  The teacher smiles warmly at him, but he just stands there, looking terrified; as is he's never been to school before.

"Duo?"  Mr. Smith asks, leaning over to place a large hand on Duo's shoulder.  Mr. Smith, might I add, is a very large man.  Not fat; he's six foot four and very muscular.  Duo squeaks, stepping back, then turns and runs from the classroom.

"Oh dear… they said he might do that.  Heero, will you go look for him while I call the office?"  I nod, standing up.  He nods, and I set off to find this… beautiful being.

It doesn't take me long to find him.  He's sitting on one of the walls outside, knees pulled to his chest.

"Hey."  I say, quietly, as I carefully sit down next to him.  He looks up, wide-eyed and scared.  "I'm Heero… are you alright?  You bolted from there pretty fast."  He shakes his head and I notice a scar running down the side of his face to his collarbone.

"I've never to high school before."  He says quietly, and I nearly melt from his voice.  It's deep enough to be sexy without being too rough.

"Hey, that's okay.  It can be pretty scary walking into a classroom with all those people for the first time."  He nods.  "Do you want to come back to class with me?  I promise nothing bad'll happen."  I offer up a smile, and he stares at me.

"Okay." He says, shakily, and we stand up.  As we head back to class, I try to talk to him.

"So, are you at St. Patricks?"  I ask, casually.  Duo nods.  "Oh. Uhm… then I'm sorry about your parents."  Duo's eyes flash, and he glares at me.

"Don't be." He states, almost angrily.  I stare at him and he blinks slowly.  "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." He says, looking at his shoes.  I shrug, trying to make his more comfortable in my presence.

"Hey, it's okay.  I shouldn't have asked."  He shakes his head, and we reach the door to our class, which is nearly over.  "Hey, let me see your schedule."  I say, and he hands over the piece of paper that's been clutched in his hand the whole time.  "Oh hey!  We've got chemistry, English and gym together too."  I say.  He nods and I see him glance at the door.  English is next for him, then lunch, which we have together as well.  After that he has chemistry, then economics and finally gym.

"Cool."  He says and opens the door.  The entire class looks up as we walk in.

"Ah.  You found him.  Thank you, Heero.  Duo, please have a seat by the window."  Duo looks at the window, then at me.  Returning his gaze to the teacher, he looks like ready to bolt again.

"Uh, Mr. Smith?  Maybe Duo should sit in Relena's seat.  He already knows me now and all."  I state, and Mr. Smith nods.

"Of course.  Have a seat there, then, Relena?"  Relena mutters a curse under her breath, but surrender the seat regardless.  "Alright.  Now, has everyone got their homework done?"

English class was full when I arrived, but somehow Duo found a seat near me.  As I sit down he looks up.  "Hey." I state, smiling at him.  He smiles a tiny smile, as if unsure he could.

"Hi.  I… uhm… asked where you sat… is that okay?  I'm just… nervous in big crowds."  I nod, and Quatre plops down in his chair at our table, trying to fix his messed up hair.

"Found Trowa, did you?"  I ask, and he blushes.

"So, who's you friend, Hee-chan?"  Quatre asks, looking at Duo cautiously.  Duo ducks his head.

"This is Duo Maxwell.  He's new."  I say, and Quatre smile at Duo.

"I'm Quatre Winner."  He states, extending a hand.  Duo stares at it, and I slowly pull Quatre's hand back down.

"It's okay, Duo.  He's my good friend."  Duo nods.

"Okay. Hello."  Quatre raises an eyebrow at me, but I just shake my head.

Once lunch rolls around, all three of us head down to the cafeteria, where Trowa's saving our table.  The eleventh-years get out of class five minutes earlier then us tenth-years.

"Hey, Trowa." I call waving.  Quatre bounces over, placing a kiss on Trowa's cheek.  They're pretty open about their relationship; Trowa's on the football team and the track team, and everyone loves Quatre anyways.  Duo stands behind me, clutching his braid still.

"And who's this?"  Trowa asks, as Quatre seats himself on his lap.  I roll my eyes at Quatre's seating choice, but sit down too, taking Trowa's beloved pudding.

"This is Duo Maxwell.  He's new."  I say, and Duo nods at Trowa, still standing.  There's something about the way he acts around people that's starting to make me worry about him.  You know, wonder if he's around people a lot.  Because he acts terrified of the thought of being in the over crowded cafeteria.  I think Quatre notices to, because he's looking at Duo with that look if his that says he wants to take the guy home and love him until he smiles.  And maybe Quatre could; he's unbelievable with feelings.

"Hey, lets go outside.  It's quieter, and we can show Duo the tree!  Maybe he can meet Hilde too, she's normally there with Sally."  Duo looks up.

"I know Hilde.  She lives at the orphanage."  He states, a little more emotion in his voice.  I nod at him.

"Yea.  Come on, do you want to go outside?"  He nods, and the four of us stand up and make our way outside and down to the grove of Sakura trees in the back of the school.  Hilde is there, wearing neon green overalls and a bright pink and yellow striped shirt.  I think I love her shoes the best, thought.  Their neon blue, the same colour as the clip in her short dark hair, and we've all signed them.  She's got her bubbles out; our Hilde's a real original.

"Hey, guys!  I see you've met Duo!"  She says, as soon as she spots us.  We nod, and sit on the ground made of stone tiles that sits in the center of the grove of trees.  I remember something like it back in Japan.

"He's my Bunkie, you know."  Hilde states, putting her arm around Duo's shoulders.  I notice as he tenses, then as he excuses himself.

"I need to talk to the principal about something.  I'll be back."  He says, getting up and leaving as I sit there and watch.  Without realizing it, I ask Hilde a question.

"What's wrong with him?  He's traumatized of people or something…"  Hilde frowns, placing the cap back on her bubbles.

"He just got out of Saint Augustans!"  She says, and Quatre chokes on his soda.

"The institution?" He asks frowning.

"Yeah.  Apparently, he was there when he parents were mercilessly slaughtered.  By, like, pirates or something.  He doesn't feel safe around a lot of people; I guess he's afraid of his parents' murderers.  And like, they weren't even his real parents at all, either.  Helen says he's been kicked out of every foster home he's been in; like, when they brought him back to all the other orphanages he'd been in, the people looked traumatized.  Or the people got killed.  He thinks it's his fault, Helen says.  It's awful."

Pirates are these people who hunt down people for money.  It's a pretty sick way of living.

"Man, that's awful."  Hilde nods, and all four of us sit silently.

Angel: Go on, review. I dare ya.

Piksi: is dead from typing

Angel: innocent whistle and hides the body All flames will be used to roast Relena. Over an open fire. Mmm. Roasted 'Lena…with sauce.