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"Carpe Diem"Written By: Dentelle_noir Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing AC or the
characters. They belong to Bandai, Sotsu and associated parties. This
is a work of fiction and written for fun, not profit Rating: R Warnings: Fluff, Get-together. Un-beta'd. AU Pairings: 3x4 Summary: They say it's fate when you meet the
same person three times in one day. Trowa Barton,though, just can't
seem to get the timing right when it comes to the beautiful blonde
he keeps bumping into. "Carpe Diem" Part 2: Plenty of fish in the Sea. “I’m wondering why you keep starting in the kitchens...you hardly touched the food you ordered.” Wufei remarked dryly, his brow lifting in that condescending way that only he could pull off and still have people like him. He had been promoting my books since I was first sighned and I though thought that he had a special place in his heart for me. He seldom asked any of his other clients personal questions, let along meddled in their daily lives. I liked to think that Wufei Chang and I could be called ‘friends’. Both of us were not inherently emotive, so many onlookers thought we were barely acquaintances, but Wufei Chang was probably the only person I felt close enough with to even tell about that chance meeting this morning with the blonde of my dreams. “So...now you’re looking in the kitchens because you think...what? He just might be here?” “How uncharacteristically optimistic of me, I know.” I replied dryly and sighed, “Plus, I’ve already seen just about every cook, waiter, and bus boy. He’s not here.” “Perhaps you’re regretting not asking him out this morning and that’s why you’re so hooked on him? There’s plenty of fish in the sea, Trowa. I keep telling you! Carpe Diem! You have to take opportunities as they arise, not just write books about the might have beens!” “I DID Carpe the damn Diem, Wufei!” I snarled back—perhaps I was short because I was disappointed that I had listened to that little Wufei-voice, because sometimes a ‘could have’ was better then the reality. “He’s taken, Wufei.” “All the good ones are taken” Wufei said in condolence. Why? What was the purpose of that catch-phrase-advice? It wasn’t even helpful, or even logical—“If all the good ones are taken, does that make us single guys undesirable?” Wufei glared and hissed, “Smart ass. I don’t know about you and your hermit tendencies, but I’m perfect.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Typical Wufei ego, yet he never failed to make me feel better when he poked fun at himself—I knew it wasn’t easy for a guy like him and it reminded me of how good a friend he was. W had finished up the party details, and our lunch was long finished, so I excused myself to the ‘gentleman’s room’ as stated in a restaurant as fancy as this as Wufei handled the cheque with his corporate platinum card—There were certain perks to writing a widely popular book about hot teen pilots and explosions. When I got into the bathroom, though, I was immediately concerned. One of the stalls was closed...and an eerily familiar gym bag was hiding the shoes of the person inside. But most jarring of all was the wracking sobs coming from the only other gentleman in the washroom. What were the chances of any other male carrying that same generic gym bag in the city? When put that way what he was about to do seemed a little ridiculous, but he did it anyway. Carpe Diem, right? “Quatre? Is that you in there?” The crying suddenly stopped, but no reply came. “It’s Trowa. Trowa Barton? We met earlier today...you gave me your shirt? Is that you in there, I’d feel very stupid talking to anyone else...” There were a few sniffles, and a sound or two, then shaky and full of stops, the person in the stall got out “Hello, Trowa... You- You didn’t tell me your name earlier.” It was Quatre. No matter the chances, I had WON! “I know I didn’t. Stupid me. It’s Trowa Barton, anyway...” “I know it is. It was on the invitation you gave me” Quatre said, a little smile obvious in his tone, even though the tears were still audible. I leaned against the wall of the stall, and in the softest most soothing voice I could muster, I tried to open up. “Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong? Why are you upset?” Quatre was leaning against the wall too. Unconsciously, unknowing, just the difference of half an inch of steel and they would have been embracing. But neither knew. “I broke up with Dan. Well... He wanted to “see other people” namely, everyone at the fucking bars downtown who’d let him screw them. He’s done it before...I caught him a few times-“ “And you STAYED! Quatre?! What the hell! Drop his cheating ass!” I said before I even processed all the information. Quatre snorted, “What happened to ‘stand by your man’?” “It was replaced with ‘I ain't no holler-back girl'...who EVER wrote those lyrics? What does that even MEAN? It seems a little ridiculous to have become a saying.” “All the world’s full of stupid sayings, and all the men and women merely players, parroting the mindless quotes instead of thinking for themselves.” Quatre replied, smiling slightly if his voice was anything to go by. It seemed he was starting to open up to me just a little. Perhaps there was a chance? “I have to admit... I was thinking of you during lunch. Did you ever hear? It’s an old superstition...if you randomly meet someone three times in the same day...they’re destined to be important to your life.” “How’s that any different then the recycled old phrases?” Quatre replied. “And this is just TWICE. Don’t be so cocky Mr. Trowa Barton.” I laughed, “You’re QUITE right. And I’m not even really meeting you, am I? I’m talking to a stall.” The door opened, and rather confused Wufei entered, a tall dashing brow-haired man behind him, “And that IS crazy, Trowa.” “Is this him, Trowa Barton! Hello! I’m Dan Wethers; I wrote Passion in Polynesia. Won the Freedrck medal this year.” Lovely... Another egotistical writer. And if I remembered correctly, he was one of Wufei’s other clients as well. “Hello Dan--Dan?” And I shut the hell up before I gave away that Quatre was in the stall right beside me... But it was too late. He had spied the gym bag on the floor and must have recognised it. “Quatre! Don’t be so silly! Get out of there! I bet you don’t even know who’s here! It’s Trowa Barton! You love his book!” and then Dan turned embarrassed eyes to us, “do forgive him... He’s very...’emotional’...Takes things out of context and makes a mountain out of a mole hill,” he said, rolling his eyes and saying the last bit to the stall, chastising him from outside. I wanted to clock him. I bet that would have wiped the smirk off his face. Wufei seemed to realise who was being talked about, and tried to steer me out of the bathroom before I DID clock him... Of anyone, he knew that when it came to me, the whole “it’s always the quiet ones you have to worry about” saying was completely true. The stall door opened and out walked the blonde of my dreams—and Dan put his hands around him, kissing the top of his head as Wufei herded me out the door before I did something stupid. And I nearly laughed when I got a look at what he was wearing. Wufei got me all the way to the parking lot before he shook me hard, half-panicked eyes looking at me asking “Have you completely lost it?” “Did you see what he was wearing!?” Apparently Wufei had not. OH the IRONY! “He IS a waiter at that restaurant.” That side slung black apron and the thin red striping on the collar of that crisp white shirt were unmistakable. If we had been in there maybe an hour earlier? Fate? You’re timing is FUCKED UP. I was seething. I turned on Wufei as soon as we got outside, glaring, “Why’d you pull me out of there!” “You looked like you were about to punch out a perfectly respectable client of mine simply because he made a person you barely know cry. You don’t know that blonde from a hole in the ground.” “How does one know a hole in the ground?” I retorted, just to be a smart-ass and make him drop the subject. “Well…” drawled a self-confident voice, emerging behind us, and I didn’t need to turn to know that it was Dan. “One knows what a hole in the ground IS, and not to step in it, of course. But one also knows the function, the creation, and the repercussions and results of a hole in the ground, do they not?” I didn’t think more pompous, self-righteousness could roll off a person than what was coming off Dan right now. If I hadn’t instantly disliked him because he got Quatre first, I would have disliked him just for that haughty tone and being a smart-ass back to my smart-ass-ness. I hoped dearly that I didn’t come off like that when I said similar things; I had a feeling that Wufei would have told me, rather loudly, if I did. “How do you really know anything, though, Dan? Do you know me?” Quatre’s bright voice asked, coming out from the restaurant’s front doors, leaning against the frame with his untied apron dangling from his fingertips. “Does knowing what I look like, how I was born, and what my job is mean that you ‘know’ me? That’s creation, function, and appearance.” “But not result,” I picked up immediately and glanced Quatre’s way…and he was looking pleased that I had caught on, so I continued, “No one knows the future of another person...If it’s about the ‘repercussions’ as you said, Dan, then you can’t truly know another person...” “On the other hand, though,” and at that, Quatre did the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. He held out his other hand and moved them up and down as if balancing the ideas, “If you need to know the future to know a thing, then no one can truly know themselves either, because no one knows the future.” “Perhaps knowing something’s future isn’t a necessity," I said, perfectly willing to change the rules of the debate. “That’s STUPID, Quatre. People know themselves!” Dan said at the same time as I, his voice louder and speaking completely over mine. But Quatre blinked at Dan and rolled his eyes upwards, turning to look at me instead...and smiled softly. Dan glared at me, then covered his look with indifference. I had an urge to re-invite Quatre to the book launch, then specifically say that Dan was bnot/b invited, but that was a tad too grade-school for me. And it would put Quatre on the spot; I really didn’t want to do that. From the snippets I had caught, Dan was in the doghouse...and he made Quatre cry today...But I refused to be the jack-ass that made Quatre choose between Dan or I before he was ready, because I did NOT want to drive him back into Dan’s arms. The prick didn’t deserve Quatre, I was sure. Another waiter—looking grumpy and frustrated—came to the side door of the restaurant and peeked out at us; he pointedly looked at Quatre, then pointed to his watch, giving him a look like 'are you ever coming back?'. Quatre blushed in embarrassment, gave him a 'one moment' finger, and turned to us in apology. “Have a good day, Quatre.” I said. He smiled brightly, “WELL! Mister Barton! That almost sounded as casual as ‘how are you’! How the mighty have fallen, hm?” he was teasing me—that was an accomplishment! “That's my third fall of the day!" I teased back, and it was true. I fell into Quatre, fell for Quatre, and now I was falling again? Somehow, I didn't mind so much. "Please. You know how I hate meaningless ceremony. Just “Trowa” is fine. We do seem to keep falling into each other and all...” I chanced, and won. Quatre smiled even brighter, a dusting of blush on his cheeks, “If you chance to meet the same person three times in a day...they say it’s fate.” I just about cheered! He was reminding me of our conversation in the bathroom... That meant he thought there was something between us too. Right? Dan cut in viciously before we could flirt any more, “Perhaps ‘Trowa’ should invite us to his fancy book launch tonight. I’ve been trying to get a ticket for you, Love, out of Wufei here. I know how you already asked if I could get you an advanced copy of that book...” Quatre looked uncomfortable for a moment, and I glared, “I’m sorry Dan, but inviting yourself just won’t work this time. You need an actual invitation to attend,” which Quatre already had inside that gym bag of his, but Dan didn’t know that, and I had no intention of telling him. I’d leave the decision in Quatre’s court. “I’m sorry, Dan. It’s a fairly small launch.” But I really wasn’t sorry. Not in the LEAST! Actually, it felt GREAT, and I think Dan could tell as my lips began to lift into a smirk little by little. That other waiter came back to the door, looking frustratedly at Quatre, and the blonde squeaked, scurrying back inside with a fond farewell to us. Dan huffed off to his car, muttering a little under his breath, and I just watched Quatre talk to the man with a serious face until he turned a cornor, and I couldn't see him anymore. Wufei waited until Dan was gone to glare at me and freak out, “Why, WHY of all people you had to pick a fight with, did it have to be Dan Wethers! He won the Freedrick medal! Why do you have to go ga-ga over HIS guy, Trowa?! Are you trying to give me an aneurysm?” “There may be plenty of fish in the sea, Wufei, but they are not all created equal. That’s why men risk their lives to fish Alaskan Salmon, and Tuna comes in a can.” TBC
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