Mission Accepted: A Quiet Night
Relative disclaimers apply.

The only things in the Inn were a small bathroom, a small kitchen and the minimum of electricity and plumbing required to keep the two running.

Duo, the first one of the young people to enter the Magia, dropped his jaw and his gear.

"What is this?"

In his surprise he unintentionally ignored the Magnanac that had opened the door and the other three Magnanacs that were coming to take the young people's gear for them.

"What is this? There's nothing here!"

"If I didn't know you like I do, I'd be offended by that comment," Quatre said with a small smile. "Hello, Sam, Michel, Daniel, Ian...these are my friends. Including Duo, over there."

Everyone looked at Duo, who kept his head bowed as he picked his gear back up.

"Hello, Master Quatre. We remember that one," teased Sam, the bodyguard that had opened the door.

"Sorry," the sheepish Duo said. "I don't mind it, really. It's just that I'm used to seeing Quatre surrounded by, well, you know."

Trowa groaned.

Relena sighed.

Heero's lips twitched.

Quatre shook his head slowly.

"Oh boy....come on, everyone, let's get our things set up."

He had been carrying a laptop under each arm. Daniel took them from him and went outside, closing the door behind him.

Heero raised an eyebrow.

Quatre shrugged.

"I don't know and I won't ask. But I was told that it would be done inside. Doesn't matter, really."

"No, it doesn't—"

"Hey!" Mostly unnoticed, Duo had rushed into the little kitchen and was rummaging through the fridge. "When do we eat?"

"Duo!" Relena scolded.

Quatre exhaled, then pointed to the counter next to the fridge.

"Oh! A bakery box!" Duo exclaimed. "All right! What's in here...man, how come I didn't see that there?"

Trowa opened his mouth to answer that question. A quick warning look from Relena made him close it.

"Croissants!" Duo exclaimed. "And jam...and butter...and coffee...and...and...I'm in Heaven!"

"Now let's get our plans together," Quatre said.

The young people reviewed their plan over coffee and a variety of croissants around the table in the Magia's small kitchen.

"Here's how it goes..."

Quatre finished one croissant, reached for a blueberry-filled one and then nodded at Duo.

"He'll pick you up, Miss Relena."

She nodded, then sipped her coffee.

"Easy as pie," Duo said as he grabbed a plain croissant, one of the salted butter pats and one of the plastic knives. "And no one will pay much attention to you, milady."

She frowned thoughtfully and watched him slice open and then spread butter on his croissant.

"But they will be keeping an eye on me."

Trowa reached for a croissant dotted with chopped real strawberries.

"You're more important than you realize, Relena. They have to be careful. One phone call and they're permanently out of business."

She sighed. She knew that. But she didn't live like that.

"The conference'll make no difference. But it's okay," Duo said, and finished his croissant in three quick bites. "Mmmmm....delicious."

He reached for and buttered another croissant.

Heero glared at his half-eaten buttered croissant. He'd eaten two plain ones and they had been just fine. But at Duo's urging a few moments ago, he'd decided to spread butter on this third helping, just to see if it would be as enjoyable for him as it apparently was for Duo.

Instead, it hadn't agreed with him. Luckily, a quick sip of coffee had calmed his digestive system.

That was the last time that he would listen to any of Duo's menu recommendations.

However, this wasn't his predominant thought.

Why is she going along with this?

She glanced at him before taking a plain croissant.

Please try to understand. I want to know what Booth's is doing. But I'm not using any of you. Far from it.

"So we're agreed, then." Duo took a quick sip of coffee. "That's what we're going to do. Quatre, you and Heero are going to see that Booth's guy, while Miss Relena pokes around in her files. We can leave while the conference is going on, no one will notice us much in all the hubbub."

Quatre nodded.

"Right. Anyone have any questions? Suggestions? Other than 'more food please'?"

Duo frowned.

"That counts mine out."

"Figures," Trowa muttered, and took a plum jam-filled croissant.

Sam chuckled.

"I suggest a good night's sleep."

"I second that," Relena said. She hadn't realized how tired she was until he had made that suggestion.

Duo frowned.

"Oh come on. Let's have a round of 'Roll Out The Barrel'."

Heero showed him a fist.

"I'll roll you out," he threatened.

The others were surprised at this - then they suddenly burst out laughing, even Duo.

But not Relena, who merely blinked at him for a few seconds.

"Are you all right?" she quietly asked him.

He grabbed a cream cheese-filled croissant.

No, he wasn't all right. Not with her so close by.

So why was he resisting the urge to grin?

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