Elitist Theory

Chapter Nine

Enjoy

X-_X-_X

"Did you try to enter?" Trowa asked in his usual quiet manner as he and Heero stopped in front of the dorm's large double doors.

Heero looked at the doors, the multi-colored poster adorning them the object of his interest not the cedar objects themselves. The wind swept his bangs aside and he kicked an autumn leaf off his uniform loafers before answering. "Slots are full."

"Mm," agreed Trowa, crossing his arms, his full shoulder bad bumping against a hip. "That's what they said when I tried to enroll too."

The annual fall fencing tournament was a highlight of St. Gabriel's social engagements. It took place just before the Thanksgiving break, and pitted the best of the school's fencers against one another. It also drew many of the financially well-endowed parents to the school for the day and talent scouts as well.

However it looked like neither of them would be participating that semester.

"Oh well," murmured Trowa, pushing through the doors and into their dorm building.

"Hn," Heero agreed, following.

X-_X-_X

Treize sighed into his tea happily as he noticed a familiar curly haired brunette approach. He smiled up at the sun briefly, and wished that he had some bird calls to form ambience for his victory.

"Otto," Treize greeted the man smugly.

"Kushrenada," the other man spat. He threw a folder onto Treize's table, nearly dislodging the tea cup that sat there.

Treize very simply picked up the folder, scoffing at the stereotypical manila color, and opened it nonchalantly. Otto stood across from him, eyeing the man's sneering visage with disdain.

Treize felt his breath stop. His eyes widened and he didn't even notice as the tea cup he thrust away sloshed over its rim and onto the ceramic topped table he was seated at.

"Oh, Otto," said Treize, a malicious chuckle working its way forward. "You've done very well."

Otto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it was such a great honor."

"I expect it was," Treize responded with seriousness. He closed the folder and kept a protective hand atop it.

"You know," said Otto, gritting his teeth "I like Zechs a hell of a lot more than I like you."

Treize's eyes narrowed, but other than that his hedonistically happy façade didn't change. "Is that so?"

"Yeah," Otto blustered "For your entire supposed honor, he's a much better man than you; I hope he succeeds in getting away from you."

Otto saw Treize's back stiffen, and stifled a smirk of his own. If there was one thing Treize Kushrenada couldn't handle it was losing some of his control over others.

"We're done," Otto iterated "I've paid back the favor."

"Yes, fine," Treize snarled out gutturally "You're dismissed."

"Why thanks so much," Otto said back sarcastically, giving the other man a fake bow and stalking out of the room in a few bounds.

Treize watched Otto's figure disappear out of the door, sniffing at the peasant attitude that the man demonstrated. However he looked back down at the folder underneath his hand and felt a wicked smile spread across his face once more.

"It seems we have a player for the game now," he murmured to himself. He ran a cloth napkin around the base of his tea saucer and then sat back in his gilded chair.

He imagined the triumphant sound of nature behind him and looked back up at the glass roof.

"Posession," he said gleefully, his voice rising "Posession!"

X-_X-_X

History of Debate was a class that boasted excellence and nurturing of political spirit in its summary, but as every student taking it soon found out it was nothing more than a half historical lecture aimed at perpetuating a conservative attitude. Heero detested the class.

However Heero may have detested the class but he was one of the only two students who were still taking notes the last few moments left to the class. Unfortunately the only other studious pupil in the room was Relena Peacecraft, less than twenty feel away from him.

Heero's eyes drifted lazily across the room before securing themselves back on the instructor, who was preaching the benefits of corporate debate. Most of the other students were doing other work, right under the oblivious nose of the teacher, or simple sitting and wiling away their time as best they could.

"What about in terms of Human Resources?" Heero nearly jumped at the sounds of the bell like voice. Relena had her arm in the air and the proud gaze of the teacher. He missed the instructor's reply, letting his pen drop atop his notebook and sitting back to rub a tired hand across his face.

It was times like these he wished Duo were there to liven up the atmosphere. He would no doubt have some sort of highly entertaining scheme for this class and its monotony.

However Duo wasn't there and Heero had to face the fact that he still had little over three minutes left to the class before he could escape out to his next.

His eyes swept themselves over his carefully detailed notes, but even after rubbing a casual hand across his eyes they didn't make much sense to him. Or rather, perhaps, it was simply his own mind protesting against the dull work, either way; he'd have to restudy the current section before the next quiz.

The following two minutes were whiled away as he mentally planned his free time for later that day. There was only a single common factor in between all the plans: Duo Maxwell. Heero felt fairly confident that as the other boy was his roommate he'd be able to spend just as much time with the boy as he planned on.

As soon as the bell rang the majority of the other students hurried from the room, having partaken in the usual student ritual of slowly packing up just a few moments before the class actually ended. Heero stood and moved to stow his own notebook away in his bag but a lace cladded hand rested itself on his own, stopping him.

When he followed the offending appendage up to its owners face he was unsurprised to see the honeyed smile of Relena Peacecraft staring him back. He nearly sighed.

Instead of inquiring to her needs in a civil manner he grunted once and waited for her to speak, letting her know with his facial expression that he was only being passably civil.

"I was just wondering how you've been," she said, continuing to smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes however; they remained alert and imploring the entire time.

"I've been fine," Heero surrendered to her, sounding the slightest bit exasperated, he then paused and in a slightly more polite tone said "You?"

"Quite well, actually," Relena beamed. Her hand hesitantly lifted from Heero and he moved to drop his notebook in his bag without taking his eyes off her.

Relena didn't give him pause to reply with the normal sort of polite drivel, not that he would have, but she continued on. "I have heard through many agreeing sources that you excelled quite well at the fencing symposium. Did you enter the tournament?"

Heero's brow furrowed, his short conversation with Trowa from that morning coming back to him. He shrugged at her "The slots were already filled."

Relena made a noise of discontent and then clasped her hands together, turning to eye something behind her.

Heero took the opportunity to grab up his bag and push his chair in, moving to dismiss the conversation by attempting to pass her. The soft pressure of her smaller hand against his chest stopped him.

Heero stopped, but it was probably only to satiate his own curiosity about the fact that this was the first time Relena Peacecraft had ever dared to touch him.

"I think I have a solution," she said softly, the skirt of her uniform swished slightly as she turned. "Andrew?" she called to the near empty room.

A blond haired boy snapped to attention, turning to look at Relena immediately. His gaze travelled up and down her appreciatively before hurrying over to stand at her side. He had a confident grin, and Heero knew his name from a few classes. He conceded that at least this student was similar to Relena, while being confident he was far from arrogant, and was genuinely studious as was Relena.

"Yes?" he proffered gallantly as he came to a stop by her side.

"Andrew," she said again, her soft tranquil tone bordering on a gush "Heero here, you've met Heero before, yes? Well, he wanted to enter the fencing tournament."

Andrew eyed Heero suspiciously, or rather the firm hand that Relena still had placed against Heero's chest, barring his from moving along the row further. It seemed he didn't like the contact very well.

"Well," he said after a moment "The slots have been filled."

Heero stared at the two of them, not quite understanding Relena's motivations in the conversation. He didn't need her to find a solution to anything, and he didn't care about the fencing tournament as much as she seemed to think. It would have been a nice extracurricular, but he could think of other ways to spend his time quite easily.

"But I thought Dorothy had to back out just this morning?" Relena inquired in a tone that suggested she already knew her sentence to be factual. She eyed Andrew with a firm glance.

"Ah," said Andrew. He paused, his lips curving distastefully "I guess that is true," he turned to nod his head at Heero in an insincere manner "Must have slipped my mind."

"Must have," agreed Heero dryly.

"Relena," Heero said, turning to her "I have a class to get to."

"Of course, Heero," she said, moving her hand "Don't let us keep you."

Heero raised an eyebrow and tightened his grasp on his bag, but before he could take two steps away from them Relena intoned another statement hurriedly.

"And don't worry about the fencing tournament, I'll take care of your entrance form," Heero turned. She was smiling.

"That's quite alright—," he started to protest.

"Nonsense," Relena waved it off without another word. 'Treize was right,' she thought 'I simply need to introduce Heero in the school society, I'm certain he'll feel much more comfortable after a while.'

"Alright," Heero muttered to himself, throwing a last glance at the two of them before making his way down the rest of the row.

He shook his head as he stepped out in the dwindling hallway; he wasn't going to be able to take much more of these diplomats at this rate.

X-_X-_X

Wufei felt utterly discontented "It's not right."

He more felt than heard Zechs sigh next to him in agreement. "You'd think there'd be alternate coordination."

Wufei shrugged and tossed his keys onto the kitchen table as he shut the door to their suite behind them. To say that the afternoon had been dissatisfying would be quite the understatement, not a single thing had sought to go their way. They had been challenged at every turn.

Zechs looked wearily around the suite, quite obviously checking to see if their lately surly roommate was around. He was not.

They'd gone to Housing and Residential Life that day; they had scheduled an afternoon appointment to inquire about changing their rooming assignment. Arriving was probably their first indication that not all was going to go according to plan. Their appointment had been double booked, making them wait an additional half hour, then their Residential Counselor had been unable to access their file for some time. Then, at the pinnacle of frustration, he informed them that he would be unable to move them to a new rooming assignment until after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Wufei huffed and tossed his bag against his chair's legs before tossing himself in it. "They could have attempted to be more accommodating."

Zechs took a seat on the couch, running a half distracted hand through his long mane, Wufei's eyes following him all the while. "I don't know," he murmured "It might not be within their range of abilities to be actually considerate."

Wufei snorted.

"Perseverance will no doubt be our greatest ally for the next month and a half." Zechs rubbed his chin. He halfheartedly noted to himself that he forgot to shave that morning.

"Look at it this way," said Wufei "Another month and a half and you never have to see Treize Kushrenada again."

Zechs paused a moment before sliding to rest in a more comfortable position on the couch. "That may not be entirely true."

"Why not?" asked Wufei, honestly surprised "I would have thought that once you graduate if would surely be easy to avoid the man."

"I was accepted," Zechs' tone was muffled "Into the Romefeller Foundation College of Medicine."

"That's amazing," Wufei's eyes went wide "That's the most prestigious school for medicine!"

"It's also where Treize intends to go."

Wufei's wide smile soured instantly. "You must have intended to go together?"

"Foolishly, yes."

Wufei struggled for a moment. He couldn't imagine Zechs' predicament, with his ridged sense of obligation he never would have banked higher education on a place that his love interest was attending. He couldn't imagine Zechs not being genuinely happy to get into Romefeller based on its merits.

"Well," he said finally "It's not still too late to apply elsewhere."

Zechs' eyes shifted away "I have applied to another institution."

Wufei waited, and then let out an impatient sigh when Zechs didn't offer anything further. "Well?" he asked, one slender Asian brow raised "Which one?"

"The Epyon Academy," Zechs sounded strangely defeated.

Wufei attempted not to show his genuine surprise, but when Zechs offered a wry chuckle he knew he hadn't been successful.

"Yes," Zechs admitted "Quite less prestigious. My parents will be thoroughly galled."

Wufei distracted himself by asking a different question than the one that was blaring scalding on his mind "You want to get back into your parents good graces?"

Zechs snorted, quite undignified. "Not particularly."

"Then why care?"

"I guess I don't."

It was a few more minutes before they spoke again. Wufei rose and got a drink, and was nearly hip deep in physics work before sound permeated the air again. He had returned to the couch to do his work, as opposed to the arm chair that he had been in before, and he didn't really notice when Zechs shifted subtly closer.

"The Epyon Academy," Zechs started softly, a very electric tone of near excitement in his voice "Teaches natural medicine as a degree."

Wufei's eyes had to stare at the white walls to shake the physics equations from his mind before he could answer Zechs. "Natural medicine?" Wufei thought it sounded like a witch doctor dancing around a hot fire.

It must have showed on his face.

"Nothing bizarre," Zechs said "I assure you. It's medicine that is removed from the beaurocratic multi-billion dollar industry of today's medicine."

"How can it remove itself?" Wufei asked, not bothering with the politeness of an acquaintance. He used skepticism, as a friend would.

"It focuses on doctor patient relationship, on organic medicines, and on what nature based methods a patient can focus on during outpatient procedures."

"Hm," grunted Wufei. Well if that was what Zechs wanted to study he could go ahead and study that, Wufei would stick with physics.

"It's not a great school," Zechs murmured "But it's a good school."

Wufei felt a chill creep up his back. He turned to Zechs. "Zechs," he said, serious "Do you want to go to The Epyon Academy?"

Zechs had the chance to deflect the question, and he had the ability to not look into Wufei's coal burning orbs. However in the face of the Asian man who had become such an important friend to him he had the will to do neither.

"Yes."

"Then don't let Treize, your parents, or hellfire stand in your way."

X-_X-_X

"Someone dropped this for you," Duo distractedly shoved a thick paper packet into Heero's arms the minute he walked through their dorm door. Duo was a torrent of activity, he hadn't changed from his uniform yet, and his hair was near to forming a chestnut halo around his face, which sweat clung to. He looked the same he had during the entirety of the three minutes he had been present at dinner.

Heero held the package up with one hand, there wasn't writing on either side, but it was thick and the envelope it was stuffed into was a school mail room one. Heero glanced away from the envelope to put his bag down and turn to Duo "Going to clue me in on why you've decided to impersonate anxiety itself this afternoon?"

As far as Heero could tell Duo wasn't even doing anything productive. He was turning from one end of the room to the other, rearranging books, organizing papers, and going so far as to smooth the cover on his bed. Not typical Duo activity.

Duo paused when Heero spoke, clapping his hands together and watching Heero as if he were trying to figure something out.

Heero sighed and turned away, shaking his head. The chestnut haired boy may now be his boyfriend (at least he thought he was…they still hadn't told their friends) but that didn't mean that he had the ability to understand the moods, thoughts, or emotions that the boy went through on a daily basis.

He stacked one book on his desk, then another, and even managed to turn his bag upside down looking for a pen before Duo managed to force his vocal cords.

"I think I'm being watched."

'Yeah,' Heero thought to himself 'I don't understand him whatsoever.'

"I see," Heero managed to say aloud, waiting for Duo to elaborate, which he did after yet another jittery moment.

"All day, 'Ro," Duo said, moving his weight from one foot and then the other "I'm sure someone's been watching me, and it's not the usual 'Oh dear, there's that street rat' it's something else."

Heero furrowed his brow. Duo may take the littlest things to an extreme, but being so convinced that he was being watched that he was tangibly nervous did not seem to be one of Duo's usual extremes.

"Heero," Duo stepped closer "It's intense."

"Why would someone want to watch you?" asked Heero. First step: motive.

"How the hell would I know?" Duo's voice moved fast but his body began to slow down. It seemed being near to Heero and his logic was a useful stress relief.

"Piss anyone off?" hinted Heero. He shrugged off his blazer and hung it over his desk chair.

"You mean beside the school's population in general?" snorted Duo. "It's freaky, 'Ro, and when I say all day I mean all day."

When Heero tugged his tie off and sat down on his bed to take his loafer's off as well Duo sat next to him. When Heero turned to look at Duo he caught the violet eyes, and the begging question behind them.

"I don't know, Duo," Heero admitted, which was the truth. There was no logical reason that anyone would decide to tail Duo. The boy emitted a since of come hither friendship, and anyone that didn't want to approach Duo for information probably didn't even know who Duo was.

Duo sighed and flung himself backwards on Heero's bed. "Neither do I. Fancy that."

Heero turned and twisted his body up against Duo's, brushing a hedonistic hand through his bangs. "I'll protect you."

Duo snorted and sat up from the bed, strutting over to his side of the room. "The day I'm a freaking damsel in distress is the day I eat my braid."

Heero chuckled to himself and let out a half contented puff of air. Duo not anxious and smiling? Mission accomplished.

"Hey, Yuy," Duo said, rising from the floor and picking a clump of dust and hair of a small pack "Want to learn how to play strip poker?"

Duo relaxed and their night planned was always an accomplishment, but it still didn't answer the question of the day.

Who was tailing Duo?

X-_X-_X

Trowa repositioned his easel as he tried to maneuver both his supplies and his equipment across the wide art room. After dinner was the best time to do personal studying in the Art Class room, there were rarely any students, and when one did come in it was never expected of Trowa to make conversation.

He hadn't been to the room in a few days; he'd been spending more and more time with Quatre. However there did come a point where it was necessary that Trowa purge Quatre's smiles and round eyed looks from his mind and remember a point in time where more than just his happiness remained.

Trowa came to the art room to remember pain, or depression, or anxiety. It was what he did.

However before he could even settle himself properly onto his stool the creaky wooden double doors of the art room cranked themselves open and submitted another student to its midst.

"Zechs?" Trowa's surprise startled his voice out of him and he looked at the other, older student in observational surprise.

"Trowa Barton," Zechs conjured a smile up onto his aristocratic face. "I thought I'd find you here."

X-_X-_X

I do apologize for the lengthy space of time in between updates. Who knew that summer would actually be a slower update time? Not I, that's for sure.

I went back and edited every chapter of this fanfiction before this one, so little mistakes should now be corrected, and maybe a few better lines added. I realized that when I first set out with this fic I had aspirations for it, and I was letting them down. I also realized that this didn't have to be a supremely serious story, I can play with it. So I've decided to.

Thanks so much for reading! Hopefully you drop me a line and let me know what you think!

-AnimeSiren