by Hex
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. And the GW boys thank God for that every day! ^_~
Warnings: Teenage pilots, teenage angst and insecurities, bad language and plenty 'o' innuendo.
Credits: Inspired by the picture "Bribing Kisses" by Fablespinner.
Pity: For the Gundam boys who ended up in my high school. For Trowa who because he played the flute would have been in my section in band^_^ Poor boy wouldn't have lasted a minute. He would have cracked! ^_~
It had been a week since Trowa had moved back to his hometown. A week since he had seen Quatre or talked to him on the phone. Quatre had even missed a band rehearsal on Wednesday when both of the classes were supposed to play together for practice before competition. He had learned why Zechs was giving him pity about the flute section. With the band of this caliber his initial fear had been that they were back stabbing and cruelly competitive. The opposite was true. They were supportive and very nice but incredibly weird. The flute section was entirely female. The section leader was obsessed with U2 and planning to marry the drummer. She told Trowa as much the first day he met her. The piccolo player was deranged and had mock light saber battles and fencing tournaments with the girl that sat next to her in fourth chair. He met the other flutes on Wednesday when they had full band. The band classes in this school were so large that in order to accommodate the student body's schedule and allow for full classes to still exist when band class was on the bands were split in two for one semester and together for the other. The semester they had split bands they got together at lunch to play one day a week as a whole band. That was something new to Trowa. In his old school the band program was held after school and was for extra credit. In this school it was part of the regular curriculum. The band program was one of the top ten in North America. Trowa loved it.
He liked his new school, his classes even physics with Dr. Flint who did in fact talk about peeing in the shower as Zechs had predicted. The only thing that was wrong was Quatre's absence. Trowa was beginning to feel like he was being avoided. Well today was going to be the end of that. Right after he talked to Duo. Trowa knew he was in over his head and Duo or Heero were the only logical choices to go to for advice. Duo's house was closer to his own, so that made life easier. Trowa had gone home directly after class in an effort to decide about exactly what it was that he wanted to ask Duo about. Luckily for him his mother hadn't started work for another week so he had access to the car and made it home in time to be able to filch it.
"I'm going to Duo's mom. I'll be home later." Trowa called as he bounced out the door.
"Call if you won't be home for dinner." Monique's voice came from her room.
"If you're cooking I won't be." Trowa declared and ran down to the car and got in before his mother tried to take her keys back for that little bit of bratiness.
The ride to Duo's was short but the walk would have taken about half an hour and Trowa wanted time to sort this out. He cut the engine to the car and got out. He ambled distractedly up the driveway his eyes on the ground. When he looked up to take in the house's bay windows he got quite the view. Heero currently had Duo pinned to the wall. Duo seemed quite happy with the situation his legs wrapped around Heero's hips. One of Heero's arms was supporting Duo's ass and the other was up his shirt. Both of Duo's hands were tangled in Heero's hair. Their lips and tongues were quite engaged with each other. Trowa turned right around and hurried to the car. Duo definitely would not be able to talk today. Trowa was pretty sure Heero had sucked his vocal cords out already so attempting to have a conversation probably wouldn't work out. Trowa drove for a while. He wanted to think, to sort out. He needed to know what to do next and that had essentially been his question for Duo.
"Well what now?" Trowa muttered.
Where Trowa ended up he hadn't really intended. He had originally wanted to go home but was too restless for that to sound appealing. He could have gone to see Wufei but he was pretty sure tonight Wufei was tutoring Sally. They were probably getting as much work done as Heero and Duo. Trowa sighed and looked at his destination again. It had been a long time since he had been inside Quatre's home. Trowa left the car and walked over to the front door. He gave a tentative knock. He really wasn't expecting anyone to be home. Quatre would probably still be at school and Papa Hareem would still be at work. The door opened to reveal the one occupant Trowa had not seen in nearly a full year.
"Rashid." Trowa could not have stopped the grin that split his face for anything.
"Master Trowa. It has been a long time." Rashid said before he picked the lanky youth up in a ribcage pulverizing bear hug. There was nothing quite like a good hug. Trowa couldn't help the breathy laugh that came out. He felt like he was ten again and being tossed around like a skinny rag doll by the bear of a man who was responsible for the protection of Hareem Winner.
"I believe master Quatre is in the guest house." Rashid stated happily. Rashid ruffled Trowa's hair like he had when Trowa was up to his knee rather than his chest. Trowa was teased about his tall thin appearance on a consistent basis but it felt like Rashid still dwarfed him by a few feet. Trowa lead himself into the backyard. He couldn't help but throw a soft smile in the direction of the Forbidden Forest and the stretch of lawn that had been his playground for so many years. He slipped into the "guest quarters", a more recent addition to the substantial Winner backyard.
It was pretty much a house. There were three bedrooms, a kitchen two full bathrooms and a basement with an entertainment centre and small gym. Trowa had a sneaking suspicion the house was built mainly to guilt his family into visiting more often. Quatre's father and Trowa's mother had been best friends since graduating from college with honors degrees in Business. Hareem had been Monique's Maid of Honor.[11] He still found that bit of family history odd but heaven forbid his mother do anything the normal way. He stood still and listened. There was an odd grunting kind of noise coming from the open door in the kitchen. Trowa followed it to the gym. The odd noise was coming from Quatre. His body pretty well glistened with sweat where it wasn't covered by a white tank top and black shorts. Quatre continued to grunt and pummel the large punching bag that dangled from the ceiling. His face was scrunched in concentration. He used his hands as well as his legs and feet to render damage. Trowa nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand came down on his shoulder. He turned to seen Papa Hareem standing behind him looking tired and sad. Trowa opened his mouth to say something but Hareem shook his head no a beckoned Trowa to follow him. Trowa cast a longing glance in the direction of the gym but followed his other father up the stairs.
Trowa and Hareem were sitting in the living room. They had rarely been in this room as children. It had always been the adult's room. There was no TV, no toys, no traces of children in the room. It lacked dark marks from spills and the obvious child wear and tear most objects experienced from little hands and feet. The room was large the only part of the house that really bespoke the Winner's level of fortune. The couches were leather and the tables wood. The carpet was lush and coordinated with the dark rich wood of the room nicely. The room had a beautiful view of the well kept front yard and park way.
"Trowa, I'm pretty sure why you're here." Hareem began.
"Really?" Trowa said, his voice cracking over the word in his nervousness. He loved Hareem Winner as much as he loved David. Before Monique had decided to marry David Trowa had often entertained the idea of Monique and Hareem marrying. At the tender age of six if Trowa had been allowed to choose his father it would have been the man that sat in the love seat opposite the couch he was currently taking up.
"I know how you feel about Quatre." Hareem said softly. Trowa felt the world tilt. He had never told any of the adults. His mother didn't know, David didn't know, none of the parents knew! Who told him? Would he think it was wrong? They were from an entirely different generation. Not that Hareem wasn't a very kind man but he was notoriously old fashioned with very strict morals. It had taken Monique nearly a year to convince Hareem that it was normal for kids to have sleep overs so Iria could have one then in turn Quatre.
"I. um. Quatre he's- He's my best friend I -----" Trowa felt himself choke on the words.
"Do you remember one of the last sleep overs you and Quatre had before you moved away? When Quatre was having nightmares?" Hareem asked gently.
"Ye-yes." Trowa answered wishing the floor would swallow him up right then and there.
"I knew he was having nightmares around the same time every night. Once I heard him start crying I went to his room. By the time I got there he had already calmed down. You were both in the bed asleep. It was hard to tell who's arms were who's you were tangled up so tightly. I knew then I think. The friendship you and Quatre had had always been different from other kids your age. It was closer, with a better understanding. It was more mature then it should have been. I can't even begin to understand it but there it was. The two of you have been in love long before you were able to conceive of it, let alone understand it." Hareem said leaning forward letting his elbows rest on his knees.
"I don't think that's entirely accurate." Trowa muttered looking out the front window.
"Things aren't going well I've noticed. You have to understand Trowa, with all that happened last year, Quatre is a little hesitant." Hareem replied softly trying to catch Trowa's eye.
"Why does everyone keep saying that? Duo said something along the same lines. What happened? And why in the hell didn't anyone tell me?" Trowa growled.
"Quatre never told you what happened did he? I'm not surprised. He probably didn't want you upset." Hareem said sighing at Trowa's petulant glare. "Although if he thought about it he would have realized finding out later would have only made you more upset. Quatre was attacked." Trowa's eyes snapped to Hareem's. The pained look told Trowa that Hareem had not made a syntactic error. Quatre had been attacked. "He was attacked during school. Apparently some of the older 'gentlemen' at the school did not appreciate having a gay male in the midst and made it quite apparent to my son. They did so in the most physical way possible. I pushed hard for them to be charged with assault but nothing much came of it. After that incident I pulled Quatre out of the school. I didn't even give him any choice but I wanted him out of there. I don't like the idea of controlling my son's life but I know what narrow-minded idiots can be like. I grew up in small town where I was the only person of Arabic heritage. I wanted Quatre out of there and somewhere safe. I put him in the same school as Heero, Duo and Wufei. It was probably the best decision I've made for him. He came out of it a little shy about what he is. I don't think anyone but the four of you and myself know for sure."
"He doesn't honestly think I'd hurt....." Trowa began a rock solid knot of nausea setting into the pit of his stomach.
"No. I don't think so, but it might hard for him to tell you the truth. When he told me he was gay he cried so hard I thought he was going to make himself ill. I think he was expecting me to be angry or afraid of him. He's scared Trowa. He just needs to come to grips with his fear and then the both of you can sort this out. I know he'll deal with it on his own. That's not what worries me. I am worried about you." Hareem said softly. Trowa had returned to glaring at the floor and raised his eye to Hareem after the last statement.
"But Quatre..." Trowa trailed off.
"Quatre is dealing with things on his own. He's frustrated now; I can tell by the way he's at the punching bag. He'll act one way or the other very soon. Quatre refuses to have his hand held through his problems. He does things on his own. What I'm worried about is whether or not you can wait for Quatre to pull himself together. You're a very patient boy, but not when it comes to Quatre. You're always so sensitive where he's concerned. I don't want you to get hurt or lose hope. Let him have today. Give him another day then hit him with it. He has to stop dragging his feet sooner or later." Hareem stated leaning back in the love seat reaching for his supply of cigars on the end table.
"Quatre would kill you if he knew you were smoking that." Trowa said pointedly. A heavy weight off his chest. He hadn't even realized how bogged down he was until Hareem had taken the burden from him.
"Yes well we've come to an understanding. I smoke cigars as long as he's not in the house and he can keep those vicious flesh hungry beasts he calls dogs." Hareem grumbled. Rashid had suggested that Hareem purchase Quatre a dog for when the pair was away on business. The few Quatre had picked out (two rather ragged looking Rotwielers and one downright mean Doberman) were totally and utterly intimidating to anyone but the blond. Once Quatre came near they were the pinnacle of puppy play. If anyone else came near them their hackles were raised instantaneously. Quatre however, had them well trained and they served their purpose quite well. No one Trowa could think of was brave enough to take on those dogs.
"Rashid and I will be gone for the weekend." Hareem said after letting out a perfect ring of smoke.
"Ummmm you do realize what you just implied...." Trowa trailed off. Hareem just smirked in response but said nothing. "Thanks Papa. I'm going home now."
"Have a good night kid. Only give him until Friday." Hareem said and grinned as Trowa stood.
"Don't worry. I won't let him get away with this." Trowa replied and left.
Trowa arrived home still feeling mildly dazed but a little more content and good deal more determined. He was ready. He had formed a plan of action. He was going to get Quatre cornered if it killed him. Then they could talk and hopefully everything would be all right. Yeah everything would be fine.
"Trowa phone for you!" Cathy hollered from her bedroom. Impressive. Trowa mentally muttered, She's home for once.
"Got it." Trowa called back as he snatched up and clicked on the cordless. "Hello?"
"Hi!" A bright voice chimed on the other end.
"Quatre?" Trowa asked the fog of swirling thoughts dissipating quickly.
"Yuppo. My dad is going away this weekend so I'm having a small get together, NOT a party no matter what Duo says. It'll be on Friday that way I'll have all weekend to clean up. So can you come? At about 6?" Quatre rushed out. Trowa blinked a few times.
"Ummm. Yeah of course I'm coming." Trowa replied. What the? He sounds nervous.
"Great." Quatre practically crowed. "Umm. I. ah, had better go but I'll see you on Friday right? Promise?"
"Pinky swear." Trowa said softly.
"Night Trowa." Quatre chirped.
"Yeah night" Trowa replied.
The line went buzzed in his ear. He couldn't believe how quickly that conversation had gone. Trowa knew that he talked a hell of a lot less than most people except maybe Heero but Quatre barely let him get a word in edgewise. That was usually more Duo's bit. A small grin blossomed on Trowa's face, it grew in proportion to look almost ridiculous. Now Trowa had the perfect opportunity to get at Quatre. Maybe he could get the blond alone before everyone else showed up.
[11] My older sister's friend had a guy for her Maid of Honor. They had been best friends for years and I thought it was cool. I had to include it.
And a special note: This *was* my high school flute section. The girl that talks about wanting to marry Larry Mullen Jr (U2's Drummer) is Amber. As well as being our section leader she was the Student Council President. Amber was the best. The piccolo player is me^_^ and I did have lightsaber battles in class with my friend Stacey. The year we were graduating was '99 the year Episode 1 was released and we're strange OK. That was what band was like for me. Despite all the clowning around I don't think we walked away from a competition without having won gold. The year I was in Wind Ensemble we even played a regular concert, not pieces for competition, for Music Fest Canada. We were the first high school band ever invited to do that. And I almost died I was so nervous playing the piccolo solo in the Phantom of the Opera medley. I'm planning 2 side fics to go with this story one is for the 5XS and the other is a day in band class for Trowa^_^ Hey I want to relive my favourite part of High School. Sue me.
Close window to return to Author's Index
Return to Dryer Space