My Dearest Enemy - GeminiFourth AU

14. First task

“Boys, I have a task for you”.

No, they definitely didn't expect to hear that.  P'Off approached them as they ate breakfast.  Fourth sat at one table with Pahn, Poon, Mark, and Phuwin.   Phu moved away from their table for a moment before P'Off approached them.  Gem still hasn't shown up yet.

«He's probably still in the bathroom getting dressed up.  I don't know what for and why, as if the fate of the whole world depended on his perfectly styled hair, but let him have it », Fourth thought, resigned and still a bit sleepy.  He certainly didn't sleep well that night and all he wanted was to go back to his room and sleep away those few hours while he tossed senselessly in his bed, thinking about Gem's mysterious doppelgänger.

“Task?  For us?  But we don't have any runes assigned yet.  Are we allowed to...?”  Mark expressed doubt.  Pahn and Poon continued to eat in silence, only glancing occasionally at the head of the Institute, who was resting his arms on his sides.  He was wearing his typical expensive suit, this time in emerald, which, combined with his large, almost square glasses with also emerald frames, a signet ring on his finger and a white, perfectly ironed shirt, looked quite funny.  Fourth thought he would like to put a pink bow-shaped clip in Off's hair.  He almost smiled as he imagined it.

“If I'm the one giving you this task, you can take care of it, because no matter how you look at it, I'm still the head of this Institute, unless there's something I don't know about?  Other than that, it's nothing very complicated so far.  It's just stealing a Formula 1 car. I heard that you, Fourth, are an F1 fan?”

«Wait, since when is stealing an F1 car 'nothing complicated'?» Fourth wondered, wrinkling his nose and eyebrows playfully.  Pahn looked at him and almost choked on her bite of breakfast.  Mark patted her on the back as she began to cough.  Poon just smiled indulgently.  Phuwin, who had gone to get a drink, sat down with them and looked around, wondering what had just happened.  Fourth shrugged and spread his hands as if to say, «Well, bro, I don't know what's going on either, but I'm eager to see what comes of it.»

P'Off had to repeat what he had already said, especially for Phuwin.

A typical morning at the Institute.

Around them, other candidates for the Knights of Light and the Knights themselves were absorbed in their own affairs.  It was bustling, loud and cheerful.  The atmosphere was light.  Some of the Knights had just returned from night patrols and after breakfast were able to retire to their quarters for a well-deserved rest.  Others had just woken up and welcomed the new day with a cup of coffee, tea, cocoa or another drink.  No one paid attention to the appearance of the head of the Institute.  And P'Off, as always well-informed, knew exactly who to delegate this task to.

“Yes, yes, I love Formula 1!” Fourth nodded passionately, his eyes lighting up with excitement.  Despite his overwhelming joy and pride (after all, they had just been given their first official task!), Fourth still couldn't muster a sincere smile.  The grimace that appeared on his face was more ghastly than cheerful, but fortunately no one but his boss was looking at him.  Pahn didn't want to risk choking on her food again, Poon was staring at the breakfast disappearing too quickly in front of her, and Mark preferred to watch Pahn.  Only Phuwin looked at Fourth and laughed quietly and briefly, covering his mouth with his hand.

“Great, then come to my office right after breakfast and I will explain everything to you.  Oh, and Fourth, go get that insufferable friend of yours quickly, maybe he'll learn something along the way, although I have some doubts about that.”

“For my insufferable friend?  Who does the boss have in mind, boss?”

“Gemini, who else?  He was the one I meant.  He's an urchin, but maybe he can still be straightened out”.