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"Take a Chance"Written By: Honor Disclaimers: No, they are not mine. And I’m
not stealing them. I’m just permanently borrowing them for an
undefined stretch of time. Rating: NC-17 Warnings: lemon, AU, Romance, 3x4, slight angst (which I fix!) Pairings: 3x4x3 Summary: Quatre literally runs into the man of
his dreams but life isn't all plain sailing. Author’s Notes: Hiya, my fellow otaku! Our
favorite blonde showed up earlier last week and started stalking me
until I wrote all of this. It’s the entire thing, but of course
I have to cut it up to email it to you all. Enjoy! //phone conversations//
"Take a Chance " Chapter Six: What goes up… When the habitually even-tempered suddenly fly into
a passion, that explosion is apt to be more impressive than the outburst
of the most violent amongst us.
It took a minute for my sex-obsessed mind to notice that my father’s car was sitting in the driveway. Now this was extremely unusual. I’ve never seen my father come home spur of the moment like this. We usually have several days’ worth of advanced notice before he arrives. What caused this? I had barely made it into the entrance hall when Iria pounced on me and drug me back outside. I stumbled a little after her. “Iria? What—” She closed the door softly behind us. “Quatre, what have you done?!” She hissed. There was something in her face, not quite fear, not quite surprise, but some kind of combination of both. I spread my hands helplessly. “Sis, I have no idea where you’re coming from. Back up a little.” “Dad came home roughly two hours ago. He went into your room to talk to you, then came out again a few minutes later looking…well, looking like he wanted to murder someone. I’ve kept the girls outside ever since. He’s a short fuse right now and I didn’t want them to set him off.” She explained hurriedly, keeping a wary eye on the door. My room? What could possibly—my mind efficiently began cataloguing all of the damning evidence. The pad of paper I kept near the phone on my desk where I write short notes to myself. Most of them dealt with Trowa. The pictures that I have near the computer. I had been in the process of scanning some of them in when I was interrupted two nights ago. Heero had taken them without Trowa or I noticing. Anyone looking at those pictures would know instantly that we were more than just ‘friends’. And the clincher was the tube of lubrication that I had bought so that I could make love with Trowa. Plus the caller ID box on the phone that would give mute evidence to just one phone number… Allah shield me. I had to swallow against an uprising of apprehension. “Oh.” Iria knew just by looking at my face that I understood the missing pieces and had put everything together. “Quatre…just what is this about?” According to my internal clock, I only had about two minutes left to warn her before someone noticed that we were both missing. “The quick and dirty version of this is—I’m involved with someone.” “But why—” She didn’t get it. “—Iria. His name is Trowa.” Her eyes flew wide. “Oh my god.” That was precisely what I was feeling at the moment. “This is going to get ugly, Iria. Very ugly. Keep the girls outside. I don’t want them to see this.” She nodded weakly. “Okay. I can do that. Just tell me one more thing before you go in. Are…are you in love with him?” At that I had to smile, even though it was a trifle lopsided. “Completely in love with him. As he is with me.” “Good. I hate to think you’re in this situation just because he was hot. Um… should I call him?” “No. I don’t want this to touch him.” “Alright.” Her voice stated quite clearly that she didn’t agree with me on this point, but she didn’t argue further. “Good luck.” “Thanks.” I squared my shoulders and walked back in, trying not to feel like a man walking to his own execution. My father was sitting in the living room, just hanging up the phone. He looked up at me, anger burning clearly in his eyes, coming off in almost visible waves from his body. I hid my own anxiety and nodded to him. “I didn’t expect you home.” “I know.” His voice was cold. With strict politeness he waved me to a chair facing him. “Have a seat.” I wasn’t about to back down to this man in any
way. I nodded and took it, crossing my legs and leaning slightly back,
conveying an ease that I did not feel. “You obviously wish to
discuss something.” “You have not.” I could visibly see my father lose his temper. “What in God’s name do you think you are doing?!” I raised my hand slightly, forestalling another outburst. “To make this clear, I am not ‘in a relationship’ as you put it. I am in love with him. If you have any notions that this is a simple matter of lust, please put them aside now.” Alright, so, I had just added fuel to the fire. I knew it, he knew it, but I wasn’t going to be able to get out of this without losing some skin one way or another. If I couldn’t smooth this out peacefully, then I would meet him head on. His breathing became harder, like a pit bull readying itself to charge. “You have a great deal of gall to say that. I’m not sure if it’s bravado or stupidity.” I smiled coolly. “Perhaps a bit of both. Let’s get it out in the open, shall we? You think it is morally wrong for me to be in this relationship. That I have no business being involved like this with him, and that I must be some kind of sick pervert in order to look at another man that way.” “You’ve summed it up quite efficiently.” “Excellent. I do prefer that we’re on the same page.” My mother came into the room timidly. She kept darting looks between the two of us, trying to gauge the best approach. I stood and went to her, taking her hands in mine and managing a smile somehow for her benefit. “Mom, you don’t want to see this. Go outside with the girls.” She bit her lip, and for a moment I thought she would agree and leave. Then she shook her head. “No. I want to know what’s going on.” “Mom—” “Let her stay.” My father interrupted harshly. “She has a right to know what kind of bastard she gave birth to.” I felt her flinch at the words. I turned a glare on him. My mother is a delicate woman, and always has been. I’ve always taken extreme care with her, and was disgusted that my father wasn’t doing the same. With a comforting squeeze to the hands that I still held I murmured to her, “Please go. I don’t want you to witness this. I promise to tell you all about it later, alright?” She hesitated, then nodded. “Alright. Please…please try to be patient.” “I will.” I kissed her on the forehead and escorted her back into the hallway. As soon as I had regained my seat he continued. “You will stop seeing him. I will set up a psychiatrist to take charge of you—” I hit the arm of the chair with my fist, and the resulting sound echoed through the room like a gunshot. “This isn’t some condition that you can ‘fix’. I love him. Nothing will alter that. If you want me to go back to your idea of normal, then I suggest a heart transplant. Or a bullet. Nothing less than that will have any effect, I assure you.” “You will do as I tell you.” He ground out, eyes burning into mine. My reply to that was cut off by the doorbell. Whoever was on the other side of the door had my sympathy. It wasn’t a good idea to talk to anyone in this house at the moment. My father seemed to expect the visitor, however, and immediately went and opened the door. I flinched when I saw Trowa standing in the doorway, feeling all the blood draining out of my face. How dare he. How dare he drag Trowa into this. Trowa’s eyes went directly to me when he came through the door. I think he guessed what this was about in that instant. It was one of the things that I loved about him. I rarely had to spell things out. I stood as he came to me, taking me by the shoulders and giving me a half smile. “Breathe.” “I didn’t know he’d drag you into this.” I whispered to him urgently. “Quatre. Breathe. You’re going to faint otherwise. It will be fine.” “So it is you.” My father’s voice sounded sickly satisfied. I snapped my head in his direction, feeling an irrational rage course through me. I couldn’t care less what he said to me, but it was a different matter entirely when he brought Trowa into the mix. I stalked to him, stopping only a foot away. “You dare much, sir. You’ve crossed the lines of decency by bringing Trowa into this. If you have something that you want to clear with me, fine. I’ll listen. But don’t think that you can bring him into this and dirty him with your incriminations. I won’t stand for it.” I’ve never talked back to my father in my life.
It usually just wasn’t worth the effort. The shock stopped him
dead. Trowa came up behind me, settling his hands on my shoulders
and rubbing gently. “Quatre. Anger and recriminations bring nothing
but more anger and pain. I knew what he wanted when he called me,
and was prepared for it when I came here.” “Perhaps not.” He looked at my father squarely. Not many people can do that, and I felt extraordinarily proud of him that he did so effortlessly. “Sir, a lover has no business in coming between a father and his son. I’ll let you deal with this in privacy.” There was a soft smile on his face when he looked down at me for a second. “I leave something here that is precious to me. Please don’t hurt him any more than you already have.” You could have heard a pin drop in that proverbial haystack when Trowa walked calmly back out of the door. I felt like crowing. That was MY lover. The man that had handled this with more maturity and grace than all of us combined. I needed to send a prayer to every god I’ve ever heard of tonight and give thanks. I certainly do not deserve him. “What did he mean by that Quatre?” Darn. The moment was over. Well, it had to end sometime. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow coolly. “What did he mean when he asked that I not hurt you anymore?” I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. I had to wonder, just how much did Trowa hear when I thought I wasn’t saying anything important? I turned my attention back to the here and now. “Did you know that in the past fifteen years, you have spent on average six weeks a year in this house? This year alone you are actually below that average, considering that right now it is September and you’ve only spent two weeks and three days altogether. You treat this place more like a corporation than your family. You only stop in to make sure that everything is running smoothly, that there aren’t any new and unexpected developments that you need to take care of, then you go onto the next branch of your business.” “Watch it, Quatre.” “I’m sorry, Father, but this time I’m not going to back down. I’ve let you have your way for years, but on this matter I WILL stand firm. Who do you think makes this house run smoothly? It certainly isn’t your wife. After twenty-four years of marriage, that should be obvious to you. Iria and I have taken your place and mother’s in this house. We make sure the house is clean, the girls ready for school, their homework done. The children are taking care of the parents. That…is what he meant. He’s asking you to let me act like a teenager for once, instead of an adult like I’ve had to for the past ten years.” “You *discussed* this with him?” He looked ready to strangle someone. This time I didn’t fight down the rueful laugh. “He’s my lover. It wouldn’t be unusual to discuss a matter like this, all things considered. But no, I haven’t said a word to him about this. I didn’t need to. Trowa can see things that most people remain oblivious to.” “You talk about him like he is some kind of god.” “He’s no god. Not even close. But he is an incredible person.” And I was really wishing that he hadn’t left right about now. I could sorely use his insight and patience. My own was running a bit ragged. “I’m very disappointed, Quatre.” He frowned at me, forbiddingly. “That makes two of us.” I returned evenly. “I’m frankly surprised that you thought you had some right to interfere with this matter.” “I am your father—” “You sired me.” I denied flatly. “You provided for me. You certainly didn’t raise me. It’s too late to try to step in now and assume the father figure. The role ill suits you, being moth eaten as it is from disuse.” “THAT is enough. I want you to avoid his company from now on.” I suggested that he go fuck himself in several different creative ways. I’ve never seen my father go purple in the face. It really isn’t a good color on him. “QUATRE! What kind of language is that?!” “The strongest terms that I can muster, sir, to show how I’m feeling at the moment. You are suggesting that I walk away from someone that I love dearly. I refuse. Are there any other impossible demands that you wish to make? Or should I take this as my cue and leave the stage?” “You’re not large enough to avoid being whipped, boy.” He growled. I’m small, yes. And I look rather defenseless. I’m not. If he touched me at this moment, I’d snap his hand off at the wrist. “You’re welcome to try, sir. It’s your funeral.” He paced a step away, raking a hand through his hair in frustration. “This isn’t going anywhere.” “I could not agree more.” I spun on my heel, grabbing my jacket from the back of the chair as I walked away. “Don’t you dare leave, Quatre.” “It takes little daring, sir. I have a tougher one for you. I dare you to stay.” The door slamming behind me was an ominous sound. I hoped that it didn’t come back to haunt me later. + I drove blindly for roughly five minutes when my cellphone gave me a little ditty. I had a text message. The odds of my father sending it were about as high as a volcano in the middle of New York City, so it was probably from Trowa. I picked up the phone and flipped it open. NEED TO TALK? I never needed it more. I reversed directions and drove back the way that I had come, going to Trowa’s house. He must have been waiting for me, because he was standing in the doorway before I had fully pulled into his driveway. I got out of the car and walked to him, hugging him hard as soon as I was close enough. He held me just as tightly. “Come inside.” I followed him in, feeling drained. I hate confrontations, and I hate fighting. He led me into the den, and I snuggled next to him as soon as he sat down on the couch. Without a word he pulled me closer, guiding my head to his shoulder. I didn’t fight it. I needed the comfort he was offering. “Was it bad?” “Very.” Sighing, I relaxed against him and let my eyes slip closed. “It’s the first time in years that I’ve yelled at anyone. Actually, I can’t remember ever yelling at anyone. I was doing fine until he told me to stay away from you. I’m afraid that I snapped at that point.” Trowa tensed unhappily. “What did you say?” “Um…something that you shouldn’t say in proper company. I’d rather not repeat it. But the gist of it was ‘no’.” “Hn.” Trowa rubbed his chin against the top of my head. “I had thought that my presence would do more harm than good. It would have made things more awkward. Should I have stayed?” He was worried about leaving me alone to face my father. “No, love. It was a brilliant move on your part. The way that you handled yourself…I felt like crowing I was so proud of you.” Trowa relaxed again. “Good. How did it end? Did he say anything more?” “Actually, the fight didn’t really center on us. More on me, and the fact that I should obey him because he is my father. At the end, I just walked out. Nothing was being accomplished by our yelling at each other.” “No one communicates at the top of their voice.” Trowa noted wryly. “Truer words have never been spoken.” It felt so good to be held like this. We were rarely alone these days, and the times that I could just snuggle with Trowa were few and usually interrupted. The idea that I might never have a moment like this again shook me to my core. Hoarsely I whispered against his skin, “I can’t lose you.” “Shhh.” His arms tightened around me, possessive. “You won’t. You can’t, no matter what anyone says.” He was right. No one could stop us but us. Smiling, I pressed a kiss against his neck before relaxing again in the embrace. “I love you.” “Love you too.” We slept with each other that night in his bed, quite platonically. It might have been nice to have reaffirmed where we stood with each other, but it wasn’t necessary. In some ways, just being held said more to me than if we had made love. I knew he loved me. That was enough. ~ * ~ |
