|
"Standing Outside the Fire"Written By: Honor Disclaimers: Mine! Mine! Mine! Pairings: 2x5, 3x4 Warnings: AU, language, twisted humor, lime, lemon,
some angst, significant OC, brief moments of sap, romance, a bit of
violence Archived: On Gundam Wing Diaries Betas: Velvet *huggles* Author’s Notes: You know those dreams that
you keep dreaming over and over again for weeks? The ones that don’t
go away until you write them down? Yeah, that’s exactly what
happened. I passed the idea by one of my betas, to see if it was worth
putting on paper. Her response was “Write it. NOW.” So I
wrote it. The rest is…ah, what follows after my insane notes.
Feedback is my diet…and I’m getting
pretty lean so send me something to munch on, okay? Flames will result in me tormenting you for your
inability to read warnings. And I’m good at tormenting. Just
ask the boys. *emphasized* /thought/ //phone// "Standing Outside the Fire"
He who does not understand your silence will probably
not understand your words.
Wufei blinked, trying to wipe the last of Dreamland from his eyes. He looked again, but the scene didn’t change. Trowa’s arm was around Quatre’s waist, and even from this distance Wufei knew that the hold would be possessively tight. /Are they…but they don’t act like anything more than friends./ There must be something going on, though. Wufei couldn’t deny what was right in front of his eyes. All things considered, it was dangerous for the two to act in such a manner in Trowa’s home. /Unless Jamie knows about this and approves. I have a hard time picturing any parent approving of such a relationship, but Jamie isn’t exactly ‘normal’ either…/ The door opened and he closed his eyes instantly, pretending to sleep. He heard her soft approach, felt the weight of her eyes on him for a moment before they passed on. He dared to crack open one eye to see her reaction. Jamie knelt next to Quatre and Trowa, eyes tender. She lifted one of the afghans to cover their shoulders before turning to cover Duo and Heero as well. Satisfied, she went back out of the room. Wufei lay stunned. /She knows…she approves…/ All manner of comments and looks from the night before flitted through his head, and with this new perception they cast a whole new light on the situation. /When Quatre refers to this house as his ‘sanctuary’, how much of that is jest and how much is reality?/ Sitting up he looked at Duo for the longest time, eyes tracing every feature. /No. I cannot think that way. I am not free to do so./ Gaining control of himself once more he moved Duo’s legs off of him and exited the room as quietly as possible. + Quatre stirred slightly as he heard the door click shut. Moving wasn’t really on his list of Things To Do in the next five minutes, however. There was a warm body next to his, and a heartbeat under his ear. He didn’t even need to open his eyes to see who it was. The scent filling his lungs was one that he knew very well. Trowa. This would be the fourth weekend that Quatre had stayed over at his house. And every weekend, he always slept in Trowa’s arms. The other was usually gone by the time he woke up, but he knew that he was held while they slept. /What am I going to do about you, Trowa? I’m not even sure if you feel the same way about me that I feel about you./ He soaked in the feeling of safety and warmth that Trowa’s arms brought him for a minute longer. Then he forced himself to move. He got about an inch away from Trowa when the arms around him tightened abruptly, pulling him back down. Trowa muttered crossly under his breath, curling around Quatre to keep him more firmly in place. Quatre froze, not certain how to react. /This…this is more serious than a ‘like’. Can it…Can he possibly…/ He turned his head to rest against Trowa’s chest again, burrowing into the embrace. “I’m right here, Trowa,” he whispered breathlessly. “I’m not going anywhere.” The slight tension in the embrace relaxed. Quatre placed a kiss on Trowa’s collarbone, settling back with a sigh. /When he’s up, I’ll ask Duo. Maybe he can tell me how Trowa feels. I have a pretty good idea…but I need a plan if we’re to be anything more than friends./ A moment later he was fast asleep. + “Duo!” Duo jumped a little as Quatre slammed into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him. Around the toothbrush in his mouth he garbled out “Wha?” “Is Trowa…” Quatre swallowed nervously. He wasn’t sure if he should be asking this question, but not knowing the answer was driving him insane. “Does Trowa…feel more than friendship for me?” Duo rolled his eyes. Taking the toothbrush from his mouth he wiped the toothpaste off with a towel before answering. “Duh, Cat. He fell in love with you five seconds after he saw you.” Quatre’s knees went weak and he almost collapsed to the floor. “…in…love with me…” Duo’s eyes narrowed in consideration. “You honestly didn’t notice?” Quatre shook his head dumbly. “Q, you’re such a blond.” Quatre nodded, still somewhat in a daze. “I know. I didn’t realize that he thought more of me until this morning…Duo, what do I do? Do I just blurt out that I want him too?” “Ah…you’d probably give him heart failure. He’s none too sure that you *could* love him back. If I were you I’d become his personal hug-bunny.” Quatre wasn’t quite sure how to take part of that dialogue. /Not sure I can love him back? What’s that supposed to mean?/ “Okay. I can do that. You sure he won’t think I’m just being weird or clingy?” Duo dropped his head in both hands. “You really are a blond. He loves it when you touch him. You’re the only one he actually reaches out to in public. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed *that* either.” “Ah…” Quatre thought back over the past couple of weeks. “…hm. You know, you’re right…” “’Course I am. Now, go be clingy.” Quatre flashed him a co-conspirator grin. “Right.” + Trowa had no idea what had gotten into Quatre, but he liked it. It started Saturday, and hadn’t stopped Monday even though they were at school. The blond seemed intent on touching him or hugging him whenever the opportunity arose. Or even when it didn’t. In spite of himself, Trowa found himself hoping that perhaps Quatre did feel something more than friendship. For four days he wavered between being happy that Quatre was so close to him, and berating himself for wanting anything more. It was Thursday now, and he was no closer to finding a middle ground to this than he had been Monday. Trowa gave him a glance sideways, watching Quatre watch him. They were on the back patio, just waiting for Duo’s seemingly insatiable appetite to be satisfied before they decided what they were going to do that afternoon. Quatre knew very well what was going through Trowa’s head. His face didn’t say anything, but his eyes very clearly showed his own doubts and hopes. /How do I get him to see that what I’m offering is real?/ To ease the somewhat uncomfortable silence, he started talking. “Your birthday is coming up soon, right?” “Right. Mine and Duo’s and Heero’s.” “I’ve been meaning to ask about that. Why are all three of you on the same birthday?” “Well…Heero is the only one that knows his real one. When we had to fill out the paperwork for Jamie to adopt us, we had to fill in a birthday. I’ve never celebrated mine, so I have no idea when it is. Duo’s been an orphan for as long as he can remember, so he doesn’t know his either. We decided to just share Heero’s.” Quatre was somewhat confused by this explanation. /Duo I can kind of understand…but where were you that you weren’t allowed to celebrate your own birthday? What kind of life did you lead, Trowa, before you came to this house?/ “Why?” Trowa cocked his head in curiosity. “Well, I was wondering what you’d ask for. A car?” “Hm…” Trowa considered this for a moment. “It would be nice to have my own wheels. I’m pretty sure that Jamie wouldn’t buy me what I want though.” “What do you want?” “Carrera Camaro,” Trowa replied dreamily. “Preferably a 1969 convertible. Red. With a black leather interior.” Quatre snickered. “I see you’ve put some thought into this.” + Jamie peeked around the doorway, telling herself firmly that she was *only* going to peek, and then go away like a good little mother and let the boys take things at their own pace. Quatre was sitting a good half foot away from Trowa, both of them talking amiably but not touching in any form or fashion. And despite the conversation, there was an aura of anxious tension around them. With a growl Jamie stalked into the room. /Screw letting them take it slow. This is ridiculous./ “Quatre, stand up.” Confused, the blond stood, giving Trowa a glance that clearly said ‘what?’ Jamie gave him no time to ask questions, just yanked him by one arm until he was standing directly in front of Trowa. Then she pushed. Quatre landed in Trowa’s lap with a squawk, limbs flailing to catch his balance. Trowa instinctively caught him, arms around his waist. Jamie leaned forward to put Quatre’s arms around the other’s neck, nodding in approval. “Better.” Then she walked out again. Just outside the doorway she paused, listening intently and picking up her camera. There was a moment of stunned silence…then an explosion of laughter. “What was that?” Trowa’s voice held a definite tone of amusement. “I think that was Jamie’s version of a hint,” Quatre answered. “Subtle, wasn’t it?” “Not very, no.” The next words were so low that she almost didn’t catch them. “I’m grateful for it, though.” Judging it to be the right moment, Jamie sank down to her knees and scooted around the doorway enough to get her camera in the right position. What she saw through her lens was priceless. Quatre had leaned down, head angled, meeting Trowa’s mouth in a soft kiss. Trowa’s hands were splayed on the blond’s back, head tilted up to meet him. Jamie quickly snapped the shot, grinning as the kiss was taken deeper. /Yup. There is some definite tongue action going on in that one./ She took a picture of that one too, just for the sake of posterity. Getting up, she walked off, humming ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply’ under her breath. /I think I’ll title this ‘First Kiss’ and put it as a wallpaper on my computer. Or maybe I should print off a copy and hang it in my study?/ Unable to decide which, she shrugged. /Or I could just do both…/ + Quatre groaned as Trowa’s mouth descended down his neck, gently nibbling. “Did…” He drew in a deep breath in an attempt to get enough oxygen into his panting lungs, “Did you hear a camera go off just now?” “No.” “Mmm-kay.” Quatre willingly relaxed back into the window seat’s cushions as Trowa levered him down. He looked up into Trowa’s deep green eyes, melting at the love and tenderness in that gaze. “I love you.” Trowa’s breath caught, an incandescent smile taking over his face. Nuzzling against Quatre’s nose he breathed, “I love you too.” Quatre leisurely wrapped his arms around Trowa’s shoulders as their mouths met, tongues tangling languidly. Quatre never imagined that a kiss so soft could be so satisfying. With a soft purr of pleasure he lifted one leg up and used the leverage that granted him to rub his hips against Trowa’s. Trowa groaned, his tongue becoming more adamant and aggressive in Quatre’s mouth. He thrust back shallowly against Quatre’s erection, swallowing the blond’s sharp gasp. “You feel so good against me,” Trowa breathed over his love’s heated skin. “HEY GUYS!!! LET’S GO SWIM—oops.” Trowa raised his head, giving the braided menace a flat stare. “Right.” Duo grinned nervously, backing away. “I’ll just go away, okay?” “Do that.” ~*~*~*~ Shigeki: Honor?
|
