Somebody Save Me
    Relena ignored her friends as they threw things at one another. She was in the center of the dais making a speech. It was a required speech, which they all had to do. Both Hilde and Wufei had done theirs early and quickly, scoring high marks, Relena, however, had decided to plot and plan hers out. Every gesture she made had been memorized weeks before.
    Other than her two obnoxious friends, the rest of the class was completely entranced. She'd always found that a perk, and knew that her friends would be well pleased since they were not going to get in trouble for their fooling.
    “When society claims one way, but a section there-in defies, the friction will build,” Relena went on happily, smiling since Hilde had smacked Wufei in the middle of the forehead. “This splintering of society causes many issues, which carry even to small children…”
    Hilde was giggling quietly as Wufei swore near silently. The German girl had risen from her seat and was hovering over Wufei.
    Relena coughed, trying to hide her giggle, taking a quick sip of her water bottle. “Excuse me…” she muttered to the teacher, taking another breath and turning back to the class…
    Wufei shoved Hilde, who stumbled backwards over her chair and started laughing helplessly as Wufei jumped up, also laughing, apologizing and asking if she were all right.
    Relena knew her face was flushing as she raised her voice, trying to ignore them, but Hilde's hand slipped from Wufei's grip and she fell with a hard thud yet again, starting to laugh even harder as Wufei collapsed forward slightly with laughter.
    Unfortunately, Relena's voice wasn't enough to distract the people closest to the pair, who poked neighbors and turned to look.
    The teacher was a moment behind.
    She stood, looking mortally offended. “Mr. Chang! Miss Shbleiker!” she said loudly, which stopped Relena's speech and took the entire class’ attention.
    Wufei finally managed to pull Hilde up, laughing weakly without looking at the woman. “Yes, Mrs. Prior?” he asked, dropping back in his seat and wiping a tear from his eyes as he flashed a look at Hilde.
    “What were you doing?” she demanded.
    It was Hilde's turn to start giggling again and the woman focused on her. “Making out,” she replied easily, her face splitting into a huge grin.
    She knew the teacher had no clue what they'd been doing.
    Wufei straightened, staring at her in disbelief.
    Relena started laughing.

- -

    “So I told her we were making out, and now we both have detention. Relena barely got out of it,” Hilde was whispering to Duo later that day, having traded places briefly with Quatre to talk to Duo. Heero was obviously paying attention to the conversation, but Quatre knew that Duo would tell him at lunch. Not to mention he was taking notes. If he didn't pay attention and tell Duo later, then Duo would fail the test.
    Duo laughed quietly, eyeing the teacher a moment before meeting Hilde's eyes directly. “I should get you another detention,” he muttered, his eyes sparkling.
    “Don't you dare!” she hissed, starting to back off.
    Duo, however, had kissed her.
    This caught Quatre's attention instantly and he stared at them in horror. “What the fuck are you doing!?” he snarled in outrage, rising to his feet.
    “Mr. Winner!” the teacher turned in aghast horror, then spotted Hilde, who'd prolonged her kiss with Duo when he'd have stopped.
    Duo was staring at Quatre in a sort of regret, like he hadn't thought about what he was doing.
    “Mr. Maxwell! Miss Shbleiker!” she looked utterly at a loss.
    Heero started laughing.

- -

    Duo avoided Quatre's eyes as the Arabian continued to glare at him, feeling miserable. Two weeks before, he'd have been able to do what he'd done with no more than a reprimand from his friend, but the situation had changed so drastically since then that he knew his life would be hell until Quatre forgave him.
    And Heero!
    The Japanese teen had seemed all too amused at the look Quatre had given him.
    “Listen, Quatre…” Duo started, looking up to meet those angry blue eyes, “that didn't mean anything… Just…Hilde was saying…”
    “Saying what?” Quatre snapped sharply. “I thought you and I…that we were…”
    “We are!” Duo pleaded, grabbing his forearm so he stopped as the other students in the hall moved to avoid them. “I just didn't think about what I was doing…I'm sorry. I know it's not right…”
    “So next time it'll be another oversight?”
    “There won't be a next time…Quatre…”
    “You're right,” Quatre snapped, freeing his arm of the other's grip and storming off down the hall.
    Duo stared after him in consternation, spotting Trowa and moving to one wall as irritation worked its way through his system–irritation and a plan.
    He yanked Trowa from the flowing crowd and pinned him to the wall.
    “Duo, hi,” Trowa muttered, obviously taken aback, then confused when Duo pinned him. “Um…”
    “I'll give you twenty bucks if…”
    “I'm not a whore,” Trowa cut him off, then grinned. One thing he knew he could always count on was Duo's sense of humor.
    “I'm so not in a good mood right now,” Duo snapped, leaning forward so he and the other were nearly touching. “You do not want to fuck with me.”
    Trowa frowned, feeling distinctly uncomfortable.
    “I'll give you twenty bucks if you get Heero in detention.”
    Trowa raised an eyebrow.
    “Quick and easy cash, Trowa,” he added, then moved away from him, starting away after Quatre.
    Trowa stared after him, not pulling away from the wall as he disappeared into the crowd.
    “Well, then,” he muttered, smirking slightly, “I think I want some money.”
    He started in the opposite direction.

- -

    “Where's my twenty?” Trowa demanded of Duo as dinner came to a close.
    “In my wallet, in my room,” Duo replied, looking up at him, hoping he wouldn't say more.
    “What twenty?” Heero demanded bitterly.
    Trowa smirked at Heero, then glanced at Duo. “You think I'd get us both landed in detention for nothing?”
    Heero drew himself up.
    “What?” Quatre demanded, turning to Duo as Hilde and Wufei did the same.
    Duo laughed, knowing he was caught so there was no use denying anything. He met Quatre's eyes directly. “He thinks it's funny that we're having problems,” he explained. “It irritated me.”
    Quatre sighed, looking away.
    Heero was staring at Duo. “You are such a bastard,” he muttered, feeling very wounded.
    Duo turned to look at him, his eyes hard like agates. “And just think,” he muttered, backing away from the table, “you're jealous.”

- -

    Relena watched the silent group of people move around their house. She led the way out the front door when Hilde reached her and frowned as they stood on the porch, waiting for Wufei.
    “Duo gave Trowa twenty dollars to land Heero in detention because he'd laughed when Quatre got pissed,” Hilde muttered quickly under her breath. “Wufei and I are sort of keeping our heads down as the shit flies.”
    “I don't imagine Quatre's too happy with you, either,” Relena muttered, studying her friend.
    “He's been ignoring me, and I want to keep it that way.”
    Relena nodded. “How's Wufei fairing?”
    “Perfectly fine. He's had nothing to do with anything else.”
    Relena grinned.
    “We all have detention…and I have two.”
    Relena smirked at her. “I didn't do anything,” she gloated, turning and heading toward her brother's car. Zechs was sitting in it, staring at the ceiling with his music pounding. He looked bored.
    “I should put your ass in detention,” Hilde muttered as she slid into the front seat.
    “Morning, Hilde,” Zechs muttered, turning to face her better and raising an eyebrow. “I know you're not going to get my sister in trouble,” his tone was slightly reprimanding as he leaned toward her slightly, one elbow over the back of the seat, his blue eyes on hers.
    Hilde felt a rush of mingled embarrassment and thrill, looking away from his eyes as she felt herself blush.
    “That's what I thought,” he muttered, sounding amused and turning to look at his sister as she slid across the back seat. “Where's Wufei?”
    “I don't know,” she replied.
    “Zechs,” Hilde muttered after a moment, trying not to meet his eyes, “we both have detention tonight.”
    Zechs blinked at her a moment, then nodded. “I'll swing back by and pick you up, then.”
    “Thank you,” she muttered, looking away again.
    “What's the matter, Hilde?” Relena asked in a knowing tone.
    “Nothing,” Hilde snapped back, glaring at her.
    Relena laughed.
    “Here he comes,” Zechs muttered, focused on the front of the house as Wufei moved out the door and pulled it shut, looking around before running down the path.
    He slid into the car, grinning at Zechs. “Sorry about that.”
    “It's no problem,” Zechs replied, backing out. “I know what it's like to be your age.”
    “You're…what…four years older than us?” Relena asked in a honeyed tone.
    “Yes,” Zechs replied, glancing at Hilde again and frowning since she'd been looking at him and had looked away.
    “We managed detention,” Wufei muttered to Zechs, rolling his eyes. “Can you come back by and pick us up?”
    “No problem,” Zechs muttered, blinking at Hilde since she’d moved her knee away from the gear-shaft when his hand landed on it.
    Relena started laughing.

- -

    The day had passed quickly without incident. Quatre was very near to forgiving Duo, and Heero was getting over his irritation at Trowa, who kept flashing his twenty at random points during the day before laughing.
    The group of them entered together, to the chagrin of Mrs. Fergus, who thought she had enough without Wufei and Trowa added to the lot.
    Quatre took the back seat, and Duo sat in front of him. Hilde sat in front of Duo, so Wufei sat in front of her. Trowa took the back seat of the next row, even with Quatre, and Heero sat in front of him, ignoring the rest.
    “There will be no note passing,” Mrs. Fergus informed them as more people filed in, knowing the group was bad at that.
    “Right,” Wufei muttered, smirking at Hilde.
    “I'm serious, Mr. Chang,” she muttered, frowning at him. “You are here…”
    “Because we were laughing as we listened to Miss Darlian's speech,” he rolled his eyes. “She's been practicing it on us since November,” he made a few of the gestures she'd made with her speech and Hilde said the coinciding words.
    Both laughed.
    “I am not amused,” the teacher muttered.
    Hilde rolled her eyes, turning to Duo. “But you are, aren't you?”
    “I think it'd've been funnier if I'd seen the entire speech to begin with.”
    Hilde giggled.
    The remaining ten minutes passed with them all chatting happily together, falling briefly silent when she called the entire room to order, but picking up moments later.
    “Did you guys watch Labyrinth last night?” a nearby student asked quietly.
    Everyone fell silent, turning to look at him.
    He flushed slightly as even the teacher turned to look.
    Duo chuckled. “Sarah, beware, I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel.”
    The group sniggered. Duo’s imitation British accent had been far from impressive.
    “Generous?” Hilde muttered after a second. “What have you done that's generous?”
    “Everything,” Duo snapped happily, turning to meet her eyes before grinning. “Everything you wanted, I have done. You asked that the child be…”
    “Mr. Maxwell, Miss Shbleiker, that's more than enough.”
    “You can't say it's not amusing, though,” Quatre spoke up, grinning at the woman.
    She glared at Quatre.
    “I love that movie,” Hilde said dreamily, her tone quiet.
    “Miss Shbleiker…” Mrs. Fergus started, turning to her.
    Duo grinned. “You think I know the words because I like David Bowie?”
    She laughed. “I thought you enjoyed Jennifer Connolly's…”
    “You realize, of course, that she was only fourteen when she did that, don't you?”
    Hilde gave him a look. “She played sixteen like an angel.”
    He snorted.
    “You two,” Mrs. Fergus snarled, “one more word from either of you…”
    They both fell silent, sighing.
    “I still don't get what you like about that movie,” Heero informed her, watching the teacher carefully.
    Oddly enough, she ignored him.
    Hilde watched the woman a moment, then shrugged, raising her voice very slightly. “Jareth was very in love with Sarah,” she explained. “Everything that happened in that movie, he did to please her.”
    “He just wanted to get laid and you know it,” Wufei replied, smirking at her.
    “He was being possessive,” Duo countered.
    “He was playing with fire,” Trowa amended all of them.
    They all looked at him.
    Trowa grinned. “We all know that pissing a woman off leads to trouble.”
    Hilde gave him a venomous look, but the others nodded their agreement.
    Their conversation did end after another threat of more detentions, and they started doing homework, except for Duo and Quatre, who were having a very intense discussion through notes.
    'I was playing around. I didn't know it would offend you,' Duo protested. 'I thought you'd laugh because I got her another detention.'
    'You kissed her,' Quatre countered, frowning at him.
    Hilde and Wufei were playing a game of squares, and Trowa and Heero were doing homework.
    Duo sighed, turning to sit correctly in his seat and crossing his arms, bending his bed back so he could barely see the top of Quatre's head.
    Quatre sighed in disgust, shoving the note into his backpack and starting to dig out homework.
    “I can't justify what happened,” Duo muttered quietly, closing his eyes. “But I can promise it won't happen again.”
    “Mr. Maxwell, please,” Mrs. Fergus muttered in a stressed tone, then, “Mr. Winner, I will move him if you'd like.”
    Quatre, annoyed as he was, was sorely tempted.
    “Why is it always me that you move?” Duo demanded, his tone viscous as he jumped to his feet to glare at her.
    She looked completely taken aback.
    “I admit that I fucked with Heero a lot, but when he starts bother me, you never ask if I want him moved.”
    She stared at him, obviously uncertain.
    “Duo,” Hilde muttered, standing and placing a hand on his shoulders, waiting until he met her eyes. “Sit down, you know how she is.”
    He snorted. “So because I'm openly bisexual, and don't care what my peers think, I'm the one that needs moved? Everyone else doesn't want to be near me?”
    Hilde took a breath.
    Duo met the teacher's eyes again. “I'll have you know that Quatre is my boyfriend,” he was half afraid that Quatre would speak up and say he wasn't, or get mad for this, but Quatre didn't seem to be concerned. Feeling slightly reckless, Duo took another breath.
    “Don't go there,” Hilde muttered quietly, glancing at Heero, who'd hunched back in his seat and looked pouty. “You really don't want to go there.”
    Duo heaved a breath.
    “Come on, Duo, sit down,” Quatre added, placing his hand on Duo's shoulder.
    Duo turned to him, startled at how calm his tone was, blinking when his eyes no longer seemed angry.
    “You're…not...mad?” Duo asked Quatre in confusion.
    Quatre blushed very slightly, leaning forward and pecking Duo on the cheek. “Not anymore.”
    Hilde giggled, poking Duo in the stomach. “You've got it, but I don't know how. Sit down before you get yourself another detention.”
    “But you could use the company,” he protested.
    She giggled. “I'll have it, Relena got caught making out with Tarr at lunch.”
    Duo chuckled evilly.
    “Sit down,” Quatre whispered, his eyes were on Mrs. Fergus.
    Duo sank quickly into his seat, turning to meet Quatre's eyes.
    Quatre smiled slyly at him.
    “How much longer is there?” Heero demanded harshly, staring hard straight ahead.
    “Another half hour, Mr. Yuy,” she replied, moving back to her desk.
    He groaned, dropping his head back to stare at the ceiling. “Somebody save me,” he muttered, glancing quickly at Duo and Quatre who were staring at each other. “Somebody take me away from this awful place…”
    Hilde giggled. “Sorry, Heero, Jareth won't come running. You have to say the right words.”
    Heero glared at her.
    Hilde grinned at him. “Repeat after me,” she muttered. “I wish the goblins would come and take you away…right now.”
    He glared at her.
    She started giggling as Wufei coughed.
    “You really are something else, Shbleiker,” Trowa muttered, watching her.
    She flicked her hair and batted her eyes at him.
    He chuckled. “I didn't say it was anything good.”
    “Trowa!”