Chapter Five - The Day After
Rated: T
Warnings: shounen-ai
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
Summary: Trowa Barton works at the Public Library and is very happy with his new found job. One day at work, he meets a young man named Quatre, and that's where all the 'trouble' starts… AU, Trowa x Quatre.
A/N: Dear readers who are still sticking with the story: I am TRULY SORRY! I haven't updated in ages, knowing the fact that stories that aren't being updated regulary, are very irritating. Main reasons for not updating: school, writers block, school, my mum complaining about school, writers block, school. Need more explanation? Anyway, please don't hurt me too much for not updating...
This chapter was an absolute killer for me. Damn, I just didn't know what to write! It's still not fully like I wanted it to be, but I just posted it, since it would be rather awkward when I'd delete it for the 100th time and rewrite it again. Well, uhm... enjoy?
Chapter Five - The Day After
"You were saying…"
"Where do I actually sleep?" Trowa repeated, folding his pajamas over his left arm. He tilted his head a little in question at Quatre, who didn't move at all and plainly stared at him.
Trowa, maybe that wasn't too clever of you to ask. You ask I guy you absolutely like where to sleep when you're standing next to his… bed. Trowa almost shook his head at his thoughts.
"Well, uhm… The guestroom's already occupied and Wufei's on the couch and I don't know if I… if I've got a spare bed somewhere…" He gestured vaguely around the room with his right hand and the blush on his face could be seen even in the dim light of the room.
Trowa got closer and gently placed his hand on Quatre's shoulder. "Hey. I didn't mean to scare you away. I…"
"You didn't scare me away," Quatre answered, smiling a little nervously.
"Then why do you look like you're being scared away?" the other man said, catching one of Quatre's bangs between his fingers.
Quatre let out a little sigh. "I like you!"
Trowa blinked at that sudden outburst from the young heir. "… I like you too."
"That's not the point!" Quatre said, looking at the ceiling. Then, he noticed Trowa's expression. "Wait, that's not what I mean! I mean, I know that, I just wanted to tell you…"
"Yes?"
"What I mean, is that I don't want things to be awkward between us, and I… I don't want to move so fast with this relationship. I know you for a few weeks now and there are so many things I still want to do with you before we take the big step, you know," he mumbled, his head down.
"Was that a warning or an explanation?" Trowa asked with a soft chuckle.
Quatre looked up at him, a little bewildered. "Hey! I was trying to say everything the best I could and you…"
His words were stopped by the green eyed man who pulled him into an embrace. "Quatre, I didn't even think about the 'big step' just yet. Well, maybe I did think about it," he added with a light smile, "but I don't want to. Yet. Not now everything is going so well between us."
"Hmm. Well, I think this whole thing is rather awkward."
"Awkward or not, we've got it sorted it out now, right?" Trowa nudged the man in his arms to look up to him. "Right?"
"Sorta." Quatre looked up and smiled. "But I feel like something's missing."
Trowa quirked his eyebrows. "I believe we've had everything. The saving in the library, the presents for your birthday, your party, meeting your friends, your friends meeting me, the awkward situation which we could also call 'The Talk'," - this caused Quatre to smirk a little - "so what do you think that's missing?"
"If we're officially in a relationship now, then I'm very disappointed."
Trowa made a face. "… Why?"
"We never kissed along the way," Quatre said softly, moving his face a little closer to Trowa's. "Didn't you miss that?"
"I just never-…"
The sudden feeling of Quatre's lips on his silenced him immediately and he totally forgot what he was going to say. The arms of the blonde man where locked around his shoulders, his body pressed lightly against his… Their lips moved over each other, tongues barely touching, teasing a little for not taking full advantage of their mouths. Trowa moved his arms up and down the other man's back, loving the feeling of Quatre in his arms, so close, so warm… Who would believe that the young Winner could kiss… like this?
Quatre broke the kiss, panting a little for air. "Now we've had everything."
Trowa could only smile at him and ruffled his hair. "You sure know how to kiss, Mr. Winner."
"Oh come on, don't count yourself out now," the other said with a laugh. He smiled brightly at Trowa and the latter one tried to suppress the heat that went up to his cheeks. "Let's go to sleep. I'm tired."
"…" Trowa gave a nod and both men changed into their pajamas, standing next to Quatre's bed.
"Uhm…" Quatre turned to his new boyfriend and smiled. "Goodnight." With a soft click, he turned off the lights and glided underneath the blankets.
Trowa joined him on the other side and when they were both in bed, he wrapped his arms around the warm body next to him. "Goodnight," he whispered back in Quatre's ear.
0o0
During the next early hours in the morning, someone knocked harshly on Quatre's bedroom door.
"Guys?"
Both Trowa and Quatre didn't react, exhausted because of the party the other day. Quatre snuggled a little closer to Trowa and wrapped his arms around his waist, still with a semi-smile on his face, even when he was asleep.
"Hello? Guys, open the door!" The voice got more and more demanding every second.
Who the hell…? Leave us alone… Trowa thought, with a heavy head from sleep. He muffled his head into the pillow next to Quatre's shoulder, trying to ignore the urging voice by the door.
"Open the door… Come on, damn it!"
No response.
"Damn it, I'll let myself in now." The door opened and a figure appeared in the bedroom, only his silhouette seeable in the dark room. He moved closer to the bed and shook Quatre's shoulder. "Hey, wake up!"
"What…" Quatre turned away from the figure's hard grasp and moved closer to Trowa.
"Quatre! You have got to let me sleep in here, if necessary I'll sleep on the damn floor!"
What the hell is he doing here in the middle of the night… "… Go away."
"Damn it, listen to me! I don't want to sleep in the living room anymore! It's a complete injustice that I have to sleep in there, with all that… stuff!"
"… What d'ya mean?" Trowa asked sleepily, draping his arm over Quatre's chest and trying to lift his head.
"Barton, is that you?" The face of Wufei was revealed when he moved closer, by the light that came through the curtains.
"… Who else?" Trowa grunted.
"Quatre, for example," Wufei said, quirking his eyebrows. "But what I was trying to say is that I want to sleep in here!"
"Why?" Trowa said with a sigh, rubbing his eyes.
"There are noises."
Silence.
"Wufei… Just go away. We all need our sleep."
"Yes, as do I! I can't sleep in the living room!"
"…" Trowa didn't reply anymore and let his head fall down again on the pillow. Quatre mumbled contently and pressed his cheek against Trowa's.
"Barton, you're being unreasonable. Where's Quatre? Take me to him, he'll understand. I can hear noises, damn it! Their noises, to be exact!" he added, starting to sound really frustrated now.
"… I'm not gonna wake him. He's exhausted."
"Where is he? Damn it, tell me!"
"You really want to know? If I tell you, will you go away then?"
"Yes, tell me. Now. I want to sleep anywhere but there."
"At the moment, he's in my arms."
"WHAT? Are you two in one bed?"
"No, we're in separate beds." This is annoying. So annoying. "Now go away."
"I'll get you for this, Barton. You just wait! I'll sleep in the damn bathtub! It's a complete injustice that you didn't even…"
Trowa made a dangerous sounding grunt and pointed with his free arm at the door.
"You are all lunatics! Normal persons like me cannot even get a good night of sleep…" Wufei's muttering was cut off when the door closed.
And then that Wufei's talking about crazy…. He should take a look at himself. Trowa smiled to himself, drifting off to sleep again, with his new love close to him, right in his arms. Peace. Finally.
0o0
"Good morning."
"Tro, it's already afternoon," Duo said with a big smirk. "Had a nice sleep?"
Trowa nodded and rubbed his head, still a little sleepy. He looked around the room and noticed that it was still an absolute mess. Plates, cups, leftovers, a few cans of beer… Everything was scattered across the floor, couch and some small tables. Duo had settled himself on the couch, almost disappearing in all the cushions and blankets that Wufei had probably used to sleep on.
"… Is there anything…"
"To eat? Heero's getting something some fresh bread and stuff at the supermarket. And there're still some leftovers. And beer." With a grin, he held up a can to Trowa. "Cheers."
"Duo… Where's Wufei?"
"I am right here, thank you very much." Wufei appeared, holding up a warm cup of coffee. "And I'm very, very awake."
"Oh, Fei, just shut up man. It's nothing to fuss about."
"It is! You and Heero, it was terrible to listen at! And Barton over there was maybe even worse." Wufei glared daggers at Trowa and gulped down his coffee.
"Tro, please tell me what you did to make him so angry. I never, ever, in my whole life, heard him say that there was anything worse than to listen to mine and Heero's night activities." He winked and beckoned Trowa. "C'mon on, tell me! Then I'll have a spare prank for later."
"Good morning everyone!" came a cheerful voice, and Quatre entered the room, drying his still damp hair with a towel. "Did you all sleep well?"
"Oh, I did sleep just fine!" Duo said, sticking up his thumbs. "But Mr. Justice over here had a rough night in the bathtub, right, eh Fei?" He smirked.
"Quatre, listen to me. You're my friend and I don't intend to harm you one little bit because you were asleep last night," Wufei said, coming closer to Trowa while talking to Quatre.
"What are you talking about?" Quatre folded up his towel and started to collect all the garbage to put it in the container.
"Your nasty and irritating boyfriend!" Wufei spat out. "I know, you can't help it, but I'm personally gonna kill…"
"Oh my god Wufei, you're jealous!" Duo squealed with a wink at Trowa.
Everybody looked at Duo in complete surprise and Quatre dropped a plate.
"What?"
"Yeah man, I've seen this behavior hundreds of times before." Duo stood up and wrapped his arm around Wufei's shoulders. "Don't worry, it's perfectly normal. I know that ya see Quatre as your best friend, but you should accept that he has needs of his own. He's gonna settle down some time and you really shouldn't be upset about that. Poor boy. I know how you feel."
"You don't know how I feel!" Wufei backed away from Duo. "You're insane!"
Duo shook his head and sighed. "I'm so sorry Quatre. He's still in the state of denial."
"I am not! What are you waffling about? You're crazy! The only thing I want to do is let Barton be chained to a bathtub for the rest of his life… What the hell are you staring at me!"
"Is it true, Wufei?" Quatre asked, his brow frowned a little. "Am I neglecting you as a friend?"
"NO! You're all crazy!" Wufei screamed, turning around with his hands in the air. "I'm leaving, right now!"
"But Wufei, you should just tell that sort of things to me. I mean, we're friends!" Quatre followed Wufei to the door. "Come on, what's wrong?"
Duo tried desperately not to choke on his braid, which he used to stifle his laughter. He walked to the window and didn't even dare to look at Quatre's attempts to let Wufei talk about the non-existent jealousy.
"Uh, Quatre…"
"What is it, Trowa?"
"Maybe it helps when you let Wufei think about… it… on his own, alright?" Trowa shot a glance at the choking Duo and grinned in himself. That Duo's really a clever guy, all right.
"Oh, okay. Are you sure you're alright, Wufei?"
"YES!"
The door opened and Heero appeared. "Hey. I brought food."
"Heeeeroo!" Duo flew to his boyfriend's side and hugged his arm. "Did you bring baozi's?"
"No. Here."
"Oh, you're so cruel. I bet that Wufei would've liked some, right Fei? Oh, thanks for the sandwiches!"
"I do not talk to you anymore." Wufei turned his back to Duo and the latter one smirked.
"Come on guys, I'll make the table ready." Quatre moved forward with clean plates and cups. "Who wants coffee? I've got tea and milk too."
"Here, I'll help you." Trowa touched Quatre's hand and handed him the coffee pot.
"Thanks."
"So… Are you getting over it already, Wufei?"
"I'm not listening."
0o0
"Whew… I'm happy that you stayed to help me clean up. I'm still surprised at what a mess five guys can create on a simple birthday party…" Quatre sat down on the couch with a sigh and looked around the room.
"Yes, quite a lot it seems." Trowa also seated himself on the couch, and then turned to Quatre. "Quatre?"
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Have you been befriended to these guys for a long time?"
Quatre nodded. "Yes, it's really a long time now. I know Wufei since kindergarten school, and Heero is with us since high school. Duo came later on, when we were seventeen or so, but there immediately was some sort of 'click'." He smiled at the memories. "It didn't take a long time for Heero and Duo to get together."
"Funny. They're sometimes the complete opposite of each other…"
Quatre burst out in laughter. "You don't know about Sally, do you?"
The green eyed man quirked his eyebrows. "No."
"Wufei and Sally… were in a relationship last year, but it kind of ended when Wufei was too stubborn to really do things with her. He doesn't really like romantic things, like going out for dinner, but she does. And he didn't want to give in, so they got a huge fight."
"Did they ever got into their relationship again?"
"No, but they still like each other. And in that one thing, they're very similar: they're both too stubborn to go to the other to apologize and maybe try to restart their relationship again." Quatre smirked. "And the worse part is, that they see each other every day. At work."
Trowa chuckled softly. "I can imagine, if she's like him on that part, that the whole building burns from their glares to each other."
"Yeah, exactly! They both work at the building of International Business: Sally as a consultant and Wufei is a reporter."
"And how about Heero and Duo?"
"What kind of work they do?"
Trowa nodded.
"Well, Heero is considered a novelist, since he wrote quite a few bestsellers. Like all the books of 'The Gundam Saga'. He always says he doesn't see himself like that and, by the way, he stopped writing. He has opened a garage, which has always been a great dream of him. And with the money from the books, he can do that now. He's a master with machinery, you know? Cars, computers, high technology, security… Ask him and he can do it."
"His descriptions of the machinery in 'The Gundam Saga' are indeed very accurate."
"Yeah, that's right. And Duo… Well, Duo is absolutely like Duo in his jobs: you'll never know when he works at another job again. Last month, he worked at the Ice Cream Store, and now he works in a bookstore. But he's probably going to end up in Heero's garage," Quatre said with a wink.
Trowa smiled silently.
"What about you?" Quatre suddenly asked. "I know you work at the library, but you mentioned something about a circus and your sister too."
"Ah, yes. The circus. My parents got killed in an accident when I was still very young… Catherine, my sister, was somewhat older and we ended up at the circus, having no home or other family members that could take care of us. I got trained as an acrobat, and Cathy has a most wonderful knife throwing act."
"She still works there?"
Trowa nodded. "She has a fairly high position, right under the head of the circus. And I… I wanted to see some more of the world, so I left the circus two years ago. Now I live in a very small little flat and I work at the library." He turned his head to Quatre. "But I'm very happy, although I miss Cathy a lot."
"Do you have good contact with her? Maybe you could visit her sometimes in the weekends, when the circus isn't too far away."
"We send letters to each other… But not much, maybe one in a month. And… we call each other, of course."
"Well, if you miss her so much, then just go visiting her!" Quatre said with a smile. "When you always know where she is, that shouldn't be such a problem."
Trowa bent his head and looked at his hands. "It's just… I don't know if she'd like it to see me."
"Of course she would," the other man said, placing his hand on Trowa's shoulder. "You haven't seen her in a long time, have you?"
Trowa shook his head. "Last time was a year ago. But I just feel a little… awkward, going to the circus and knocking there on the door… Hi, all remember me? I was the acrobat that was with Cathy, but I never said a word."
Quatre shrugged. "You could try."
Trowa didn't answer him. I'm not so sociable as you are, Quatre.
"Oh, come on, Trowa! I can come with you, if you want." The blonde man stood up, brushed off his clothes, and walked to the mirror.
"… Do you want to?"
"Well," Quatre said, checking his hair in the mirror, "I think I'd like to meet her. Does she know of my existence?"
Trowa shook his head. "No."
"Now you've got an excuse to go to her!" Quatre exclaimed, grabbing Trowa at his arm and pulling him up. "You can introduce me to her."
"Quatre, I don't really think…"
"Well, I do think that you need to visit her. Remember this well: I always know how others feel," he said with a grin. "Now come on, put on your coat and call her to ask where the circus is."
"Do you want to go right now?"
"Of course. You're in my grasp now."
"But…" Trowa started, but was silenced by a finger on his lips.
"Be quiet. Trust me, this'll be a good idea."
"And if I don't trust you?" Trowa said, one hand on his hip and his head tilted to the right.
"You do this on purpose, don't you?" Quatre said with a soft sigh, letting his head hang a little.
"I'm sorry, but I have absolutely no idea…"
Quatre almost smashed his head forward to meet Trowa's lips in a mind fogging kiss, that was over far too soon for Trowa's likes. Oh my GOD, do that again.
"Well, are you coming with me, or not?"
Trowa grinned. "Actually, I think… yes."
0o0
Looking out of the window of the car, Trowa suddenly felt some sort of longing to see his sister again. He looked beside him, at the young man that so suddenly had appeared in his life. Quatre was staring out of his window too, and seemed deeply lost in thought. With a small smile, Trowa turned his head back to his own window again. How was it possible that Quatre seemed to pick up small things about him that he thought that were important?
Actually, since the first time he'd seen Quatre in the library, something had been switched on in his head. He'd always been a loner, and didn't always enjoy it to talk to others. Of course, there were exceptions, like Emily for example. She was nice and funny, and she never judged people on their outer behavior or looks. So, when he'd first entered the library, looking very gloomy and grumpy, she'd just come up to him and started to talk. Since then, they'd become sort of friends.
The other exception was Quatre, of course. Conversations with him were always nice, or turned out to have a nice outcome. In their ways of talking, Trowa and Quatre were the complete opposite. Social Quatre and loner Trowa. Maybe that is what binds Heero and Duo too. What the one doesn't have, the other does. I already know that Cathy will be surprised when she sees Quatre… He's different from any friend I've ever had.
"Trowa? I think we're here," Quatre said, breaking off the other's thoughts.
Trowa looked up and spotted the big, yellow with green circus tent. "Yes, this is it."
"Rashid, you can stop the car. You know what I told you, right? I think we'll stay here for sometime, so you'll be able to visit Ahmed in the nearby town."
Rashid turned off the engine and smiled at his young boss. "I shall give him your greetings, Quatre-sama."
"But of course!" Quatre said, a beaming smile on his face. "Tell him that he should come back into duty soon; we all miss him at the office."
"I was already planning to say that," Rashid said, grinning widely.
Quatre got out of the car and pulled Trowa's door open. "C'mon," he said with a light smile.
When they were both out of the car, Quatre waved at Rashid, who turned around and drove back to the town that they'd come through on their way to the circus. The town where Ahmed lived, of course.
Suddenly, without the roaring engine, it had become very quiet on the big pasture where the circus tent was placed. Trowa looked up at the clouds: that definitely predicted rain for that evening. Suddenly, he felt Quatre's hand close around his and looked up, seeing a smiling face looking at him.
"C'mon, Trowa. With me around, you've gotta face your sister sometime."
Trowa smiled, tightened his hand around Quatre's, and started to walk into the direction of the tent. He still wondered about what Catherine would think about his new boyfriend…
0o0
A woman with beautiful, curly auburn hair placed another box with food next to the lions' cages, wiping the sweat off her brow. Finally finished with the job, she cleaned her hands and walked out of the tent, in the direction of the trailers, but stopped right in her tracks when she saw them.
They were walking towards the big circus tent, but suddenly, the brown haired man stopped. He turned towards the somewhat smaller, blond haired man, and held both of his hands between his own. His mouth was moving, but she didn't hear his words. She did saw the smiling face of the blond haired man, and the gesture of affection when he ran his hand over the brown haired man's cheek.
Blinking a little in shock, she stared at her brother who slowly stepped forward and took the other man in his arms, gently stroking his bangs out of his face. Then, he leaned forward, pressing his lips to the other's. They both closed their eyes and got lost in their own little world, not noticing her, of course.
When Trowa broke the kiss, he took the other's hand in his again and turned around. When he saw Catherine, his eyes grew big and he let out a soft gasp of surprise.
"Cathy!"
End Chapter Five
A/N: Gasp, people, gasp. Chapter five is finally finished. In this chapter, I tried to give all the Gundam boys a little more background in what they do in this world. I mean, if you make an AU, at least try to make a good one, right? Sorry about the lack of romance in this chapter, but expect more in chapter six.
Oh, yes: does everyone agree with the Wufei x Sally pairing? I thought they were really funny to watch during the show. And about the age difference: come on, love is love, right? Please tell me your opinions.
Efreak.
Thanks to: DutchDuelist, fruits of eos, Maskelle, Ed-N-Envy's Matchmaker, jess-eklom, shikonjewl, joyce, Setg'-in, Lain-sama, ChopStickGirl120, The Tears of Ages and O.Forgetful.O. for leaving their reviews on this story.
Extra thanks to all the readers (and I also mean those who don't review) for sticking with the story, even when I don't update in ages. Thank you.