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Trouble |
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Part Nine |
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Highjinks Arc: Green? |
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by Liewe |
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Rated R for language and sexual situations! <><><><><><><><> "Wufei why are you doing something so childish?" Quatre asked, leaning against his friend’s desk. "It is not childish." "Yes it is, not to mention cruel." "How is it cruel?" "You're going to befriend this woman on false pretences." "I don't plan to befriend her." "So you're not taking Trowa's bet then?" "I didn't say that." "I don't understand then. Enlighten me please." Quatre's voice was becoming colder, more emotionless as the conversation continued. "I said that I would be able to deal with her without going insane as Barton surely has." The soft continuous tacka-tacka of the keyboard coloring the silence that followed his words. "Then how will you deal with her?" "I will offer to spar with her. It will kill two birds with one stone." "You usually don't talk this much Wufei." "I am explaining my plan. I am not as ignorant of the outside world as people believe. I realize that neither you nor Lady Une will want me to befriend the girl under false pretenses and in this manner I can win the bet and satisfy my curiosity." He continued to type away on his computer not turning to regard the Winner Heir. "Curiosity?" Quatre finally asked, skeptical. "Yes. After Barton's antics I felt it was best to familiarize myself with the enemy. Her file is restricted. Of course I hacked the restrictions but the file under that was blacked out. She was something in the war, I would almost say she was a spook but she is our age and that is impossible." "Why is that impossible? We would be considered spooks." "Yes but she is a woman." Quatre sighed. He couldn't believe that Wufei held to his antiquated ideas about a woman's strength. He supposed that they should be thankful that he at least tolerated Lady Une, Sally Po and Noin. But still... <><><><><><><><><> "Green looks good on you." "Very funny, go ahead and laugh, you'll bust a gut trying not to." She glared at him as he followed through on her suggestion. His laughter bouncing off the walls of the Preventer HQ lobby and surrounding her. She winced as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. Day-Glo green was not her color. She doubted it was anyone's color. "So is it ah... permanent?" She sighed as her fingers moved up to touch the now bright green strands of hair that clashed with her new Preventer's jacket. "Marie said it wasn't, but then she also admitted that it should have washed out by now." She took a deep breath reminding herself not to be too angry at her young cousin. It was not like she hadn't pulled similar pranks on her brothers and fellow soldiers and of course the odd enemy soldier. They were always in need of a nice wake-up call. She was actually somewhat proud that the young girl had felt at ease enough around her to pull a prank on her. "And?" Duo prompted, breaking her out of her internal musings. "Well the bottle doesn't claim that it's permanent, but I think she added a bit more than recommended. I hope it isn't permanent." "Poor baby." She glared at him the anger she had felt when looking at the mirror to find her normal hair color replaced by something resembling...well she didn't know what it resembled, but it wasn't good, suddenly came to the surface and became directed at him. "You know at times we sound like an old married couple. We've already gone past the honeymoon phase and we're in the argumentative and bitter stage." A small part of her regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. "Where did that come from?" He said, taken aback at the abrupt about face. "I don't know. Sorry, I'm in a bad mood. I'm happy that she felt comfortable enough to pull a prank on me... but no one touches the hair." She wormed her way into her arms. Marveling at how natural it had become to seek shelter in his arms. They had only known each other for days, but to her it felt like years. Maybe it was the masks they both wore, she mused. "You know you sound like me." He was so forgiving, she didn't deserve him, a small voice whispered in her ear but she ignored it. If she had listened to what everyone said she would have given up years ago. "Really?" She asked softly as she disentangled herself from his arms. "Yup, messing with the braid without permission is taboo." She shook her head smiling. Of course. "So, if I grabbed it right now that would be taboo?" She asked mischief in her eyes. "Well you have permission to touch the braid. It would be silly if you didn't." He said this with the utmost seriousness and she couldn't help breaking out in laughter. A full blown belly laugh that had her curled up in a ball, tears streaming from her eyes. "Anyway, you were saying?" He was non-plussed at her reaction. Everything he had said was true. It would be silly if his friend slash sorta-girlfriend wasn't allowed to touch his hair. "Oh yes, I can't yell at her about it. And if I think logically about it, I was pulling these kinds of pranks when I was her age and younger. Of course, I used to do it to fellow soldiers and enemy soldiers. I didn't really have a family to pick on after I left home. And I can't see her being able to pull a prank on Lady Une. It's just hard being on the other end of it. I did of course give her a tickle attack, which I think she was expecting. And well I'm planning my revenge. I just..." She trailed off unable to voice her feelings. She loved that her cousin felt comfortable around her but she could argue with her cousin's way of showing it. "You do have to admit it is rather amusing." "Well yes, but I start work today and I hardly cut a respectable figure with day-glo green hair now do I?" She asked annoyed, piercing him with a glare worthy of Heero. "Neither do I with a braid that just about brushes my knees," he pointed out. "You're different." She retorted. "How so?" "You just are." "Nice argument there doll face." <><><><><><><><><> Ami smirked as her com-unit dinged. Another buyer. She almost cackled with glee, barely remembering the other occupant of the small filing room. "You do realize that it's an abuse of company property to check your mail." Trowa all but growled. The ding was beginning to get on his nerves. "There's a slight loophole though. I'm getting work done and not slacking so it's allowable." "I would contest that you're not getting work done. This filing room is in an awful state." He retorted as he reached up to grab another box. "Well, yes, ordinarily that would be so but Lady Une charged you with sorting this out not me." She smiled as he continued to strain her mind calculating the amount of money the latest photos would bring in. <><><><><><><><><><> Wufei grimaced as he heard Maxwell and the young woman, who had managed to turn Barton into a jealous Neanderthal, moving closer to his desk. He had meant what he said to Quatre when he admitted his curiosity about the young woman's skills. He wanted to know if she was good enough for Preventer and the rank Lady Une had given her of if she was merely using her family connections to get her places. "Ah, Maxwell, Ms. Une," he called out as they passed his desk. Eyes narrowing as he caught Duo's surprise. Surely he wasn't acting that out of character. "Yes Wu-man?" He ground his teeth at the nickname. "I was wondering if Ms. Une would like to spar at some point." He asked gritting his teeth. "I'm sure I would be no match for you Mr. Chang," Midii responded eyeing Wufei warily. "With a file like yours?" It was her turn to grit her teeth at his demeanor. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you're trying to imply." Duo watched as the two squared off. He had a bad feeling about the whole thing but he already knew Midii well enough to know that she wouldn't appreciate his interference and Wufei never listened to a word he said. Well hardly ever. "You are either very good or very bad given that your file has been protected with every means available to man. I would like to test that theory for myself." "You will regret it," she responded her voice going dangerously soft. "We shall see." "Yes, we shall." <><><><><><><><><> -to be continued... |
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