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Chapter Seven
Que sera, sera

There is little to choose
Between the pen and the sword.
Too often, both write in blood.
~Diane Duane

____________________


My dormitory housed half geeky university students and half soldiers taking specialized military training. It was an interesting and occasionally volatile mix, but, despite our differences, a certain camaraderie had arisen between all us guys living together. And since I was at least 2 or 3 years younger than most of them, they all treated me like a younger brother or something. And they didn't usually gossip much, so half of them didn't realize I was Meiden Fassa's son. But they all knew something had happened to me. I'd caught concerned glances flung my way whenever I'd ventured out of my room the previous evening. So I got up half an hour early, so I could miss the bathroom rush.

Someone was there already though, vivisecting geese in the shower. I mean singing. "Hi, Gadeth," I said.

"How did you know it was me?" he called.

"Oh, believe me, I knew." His singing voice is unmistakable. And his complete lack of pitch...

I tried to brush my teeth, but discovered two were loose and my gums bled when poked. I could look forward to a nice blood- flavored breakfast. Yuck.

Morning has broken. Yeah. No shit. I touched my cheek. "Ow!"

Gadeth was standing behind me with a towel wrapped around him. He met my gaze in the mirror. "You look terrible."

"You should see the other guy," I said, which was pure unadulterated bullshit. I mean bravado. Whatever.

"Ya-huh. You tried cold compresses?"

"Yeah, I did. That's why I don't have two black eyes." I swiped at the fogged mirror.

It's hard to tell, but I think my eye is even blacker than yesterday. Well, damn. My cheek is definitely green. And purple. Yellow in there, too. Sheesh! Is there actually a giant handprint on my face? Wonder if that means that if he'd hit me with his fist that he'd have broken my jaw. Hmmm. I rather think Dad's earned himself a practical joke. Maybe I'll have Tandy mail him a dead squirrel from Basram. Giftwrapped for sure.

"Um, Dryden, do you need any help with the snotty little Caeli or... uh, whoever did this to you?"

"It wasn't Allen," I said. Which was true. And like I'm going to tell this yahoo to go beat up my dad for me. As if. "It's all under control," I said. Well, it is. Just not mine.

Gadeth didn't look convinced. "Uh-huh."

"Thanks, though."

"Sure, kid. ...I hope you feel better than you look."

"Yeah. Yeah, I feel okay. I feel grand!"

"Well, take it easy today. Stay out of trouble," he said.

"No. Today I'm kicking some ass."

Gadeth takes his RA responsibilities seriously."Greeeeeeeattt," he said and leaned against the sink, clearly intending to talk some sense into me.

I cut him off before he could start. "Ha! Not bravado, here! I am going to ace these exams! As an emperor knows each member of his harem thoroughly, completely and with no mercy, so shall I make my way through the cute little exams they'll set before me today. I'll take it all on and like it!"

Gadeth bit his lip trying not to smile. "Oh. Have fun."

I made faces at the mirror. "You damn betcha. Grrrrrr!"

Gadeth gave it up and laughed openly at me.

"You shut up. Bet you a billion dollars your psyche-up is equally stupid."

He grinned. "True." Gadeth clapped me on the shoulder and left me to it. I finished getting ready and started my exam day from hell with the thought of my entire dorm beating up Allen. A pleasant fantasy. I think it helped......


Read the rest of this chapter here:
http://www.lizardlounge.com/Natasha/Didodikali/boyswillbe/08boyswillbe.html


My other Escaflowne story, Four Minutes, picks up more or less right here. Now's your chance to read it again if you'd like, but paying more attention to the interactions between Allen and Dryden. Heh heh. I've not changed a thing, but now that we know Allen better, their interactions feel rather different. A kiss, you know, is just a kiss...

The next chapter of Boys Will Be will encapsulate the Four Minutes timeframe and then move on past. Remember? A young man steps off a cliff...

Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be...

...eventually. Promise.

Boys Will Be Intro to Escaflowne Chapter One: No shit, there we were. Chapter Two: In the Details... Chapter Three: Doomed, I Say... Chapter Four: Nervous in the Service Chapter Five: Water to Whine Chapter Six: String or Nothing Chapter Seven: The Vapor of Nuance Chapter Eight: Que Sera, Sera Goodies for You! (Wallpaper) Didodikali's Lemonade Party (Links)

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