"The Icing on the Cake"

Written By: Waterliliylf

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. All rights remain with Bandai, Sotsu and associated parties. No profit being made here.

Rating: R

Warnings: Romance/Friendship

Pairings: 1x2

Summary: Trowa does his best to forget a certain blue-eyed guy he's been dreaming about, trying to date an interesting customer instead, but things don't quite work out as planned.

"The Icing on the Cake"

Chapter 2

'Oy, Maxwell,' Trowa grumbled, without any real expectation of being listened to. 'Stop eating my fondant violets.'

'I need a sugar fix,' Duo, who considered the bakery his own private pantry, popped another one into his mouth. 'You've got zillions anyway.'

'Yeah, because I spent all morning making them. And Lady Sylvia Noventa will be pissed if there isn't a tumbling cascade of flowers on her wedding cake.'

Duo sniggered. 'I can't believe you just said that.'

'I was quoting the specs for the cake. It's supposed to be a 'Springtime Fantasy'. She originally wanted real flowers, but Cathy thought some of the guests might be allergic or something so I've been up since four making fondant.'

Another snicker. 'I wish the guys at the bike shop could see you like this. Just as a matter of interest, how do all these society ladies like having their wedding cakes made by a tattooed biker guy in leather?'

'One tattoo,' Trowa said mildly. 'And I can hardly wear leather in a kitchen. Way too hot.'

'Oh, yeah,' Duo grinned, pretending to fan himself. 'In every way.'

'Yeah, yeah. Damn it, Duo, stop eating those.' Trowa prudently removed the tray from the table. 'I thought Heero was taking you out to lunch.'

'He did. But he only had an hour and it was either have dessert or have a few minutes to make out in his car.'

'You actually chose him over food?' Trowa marvelled. 'It must be serious.'

'I really like him,' Duo said, serious for once.

'That's obvious. And it's pretty damn obvious that he really likes you.'

Duo glowed with sheer happiness; the way he hadn't looked in months. 'It is, isn't it?'

'Blindingly. Listen, I have to get the cake from the back. If you eat so much as one flower, I'll know. And I'll get it back if I have to open you up. Got that?'

'Wouldn't dream of touching a single petal.' His friend gave him a smile of patently false innocence.

Oh, well, he did have zillions; he could spare one or two.

When he came back into the kitchen, Duo took sticky, sugary fingers out of his mouth and gasped. 'Wow. You really made that yourself?'

'Yep.' Trowa placed the cake, very carefully, on the table. 'No, don't touch it.'

Duo's half-extended finger drew back immediately. 'Sorry. It's just – totally amazing. I know you used to help out in your parents' bakery, but I didn't think you could do all that fancy icing and stuff.'

Trowa grinned. 'What can I say? I'm a multi-talented metro-sexual. You really like it? I haven't done anything this fancy for years.'

'I love it. I think you should change careers. And I want to book you to make my wedding cake!'

'Bit soon for that, no?' Trowa lifted an eyebrow at him. 'You've known Heero, what? Two weeks?'

'Sixteeen days,' Duo said proudly. 'I know. It's way too soon to be thinking of stuff like that, isn't it?'

'Who knows? I'll definitely make your cake. Just give me plenty of notice.'

'Will do.' Duo glanced at his watch. 'I'd better go. Oh, hey, I meant to ask you, Heero suggested going to the movies tomorrow night. D'you want to come along?'

'I hardly think you want me coming on a date.'

'It's not a date, really. A friend of Heero's is coming along.' Duo made a face. 'The one who doesn't like me. I could kind of do with some moral support.'

'What?' Trowa put a tray of fondant flowers on the table and looked up at him. 'Not one of the guys we had lunch with last Sunday? They seemed fine.'

'Oh, Wufei and Zechs are cool. It's not them. It's this other guy; Heero's best friend. It's pretty obvious that he can't stand me.'

'Then he's an idiot. And I'm surprised Heero puts up with him behaving like that.'

Duo shrugged, absently taking a sugared primrose. 'I've only met him once. He was OK, actually, but since then he keeps making these really lame excuses not to meet me. He was supposed to come to lunch with everyone on Sunday but he cancelled at the last minute and said he had to go to Lake Victoria with some volunteers group. There'd been a landslide on part of the trail and they were trying to get it cleared.'

'What's wrong with that? I help out there most weekends. I'd have gone that day if you hadn't set up lunch.'

'Yeah, but Cat's never done anything like that in his whole life, as far as I know. And then we were supposed to have dinner during the week, and he called and said he had to work.'

'Well, maybe he had,' Trowa said fairmindedly.

Duo snorted. 'Hardly. His dad owns the company he works for. And he never seems to have problems getting time off for anything else. It's just me.'

'Then he's an idiot, like I said. Anyway, Heero doesn't seem like the sort who's going to let someone else have any say in who he dates. You don't need to need to worry about – what did you say his name was? Cat?'

'Oh, he's got some weird foreign name I can't say properly. I don't know. I thought he was nice, the time I met him. I thought we got on OK, but I guess he was trying, for Heero's sake. He's made it damn clear since then that he doesn't want to be anywhere around me. It sucks. Him and Heero are really close; they've known each other since they were little kids. Kind of like me and Solo used to be, I think. He's the closest thing to family Heero's got.' He sighed. 'I suppose he's just protective, and I can't really blame him for thinking I'm not good enough. Or for not wanting his best friend to date an ex-stripper.'

'Exotic dancer, it said on your website,' Trowa said, trying to make him smile. It didn't work. He shoved the tray of crystallised lilies across the table instead.

'Whatever. As far as some people are concerned, that made me a whore, and I think Cat's one of them. It was bad enough when total strangers treated me like that, but it's really horrible when it's someone you know, someone you sort of liked. And I hate that Heero's going to realise it, and maybe feel he's got to choose between us. He's meeting Cat for dinner tonight, actually, and he didn't tell me. I just overheard him talking on the phone when I got to the restaurant.'

'Look, this guy may be Heero's friend, but if he's not intelligent enough to see what an amazing person you are, then he's not worth you worrying about him for two seconds. I don't know anyone else in the universe who'd have done what you did, just to help out a friend.'

'Yeah, well.' Duo grinned suddenly, mumbling around a mouthful of sugar-paste snowdrops. 'It's great not having to do it anymore. Hilde likes her new job; Ben loves his pre-school. All good.'

Trowa nodded, just a bit grimly. Hilde was one of the few things he and Duo disagreed about. 'About time she got off her ass and started doing something.'

'That isn't fair, Tro,' Duo said quickly. 'It's not like she asked for Solo to die, and leave her with a toddler to look after and no money.'

'Nearly a year ago,' Trowa pointed out. 'She just sat back and let you do that fucking job for over three months while she moped around bitching about how unfair her life was.'

'She was depressed. Look, it wasn't just for her. It was something I could do for Solo, you know.'

'Whatever. I wish you'd just accepted that loan from me in the first place.'

'It was enough that you offered,' Duo said quietly. "Honest. I couldn't let you get another mortgage just to help someone you don't even like all that much. Anyway, the reason I met Heero in the first place was because I took that one last job, so it all came out aces. Look, I'd better head off. I told Howard I'd be back at three.'

'In which case you're already late,' Trowa mentioned. 'OK, see you. Let me know what time the film's on tomorrow. I'll beat up that Cat guy if he's not openly worshipful.'

Duo laughed. 'Not sure if that would go down well with Heero. Nah, you could just tell him how amazing I am. He might even believe you; you being a respectable business owner and all.'

'Respectable, really? Trowa flicked his hair out of his eyes, grinning. 'Not sure if I've ever been called that before.'

'Well, respectable, now,' Duo amended. 'Who knows? You guys might even get on.'

'Sure. 'Cause I have a real thing for stuck-up guys with sticks up their asses.'

'Well, you never know.' Duo jumped off his stool, heading for the door. 'He's kind of cute. I'll call you about the movie, OK?'

The kitchen was quiet after he left. Trowa started to assemble the cake decorations, called Cathy who was out catering a little girl's birthday tea, and was flicking through radio stations when the phone rang. Just as well. He needed to keep focussed these days; letting his thoughts drift off invariably meant they floated to that guy he'd met a couple of weeks before, the one who'd vanished.

'Cake, by Catherine,' Trowa said politely, wishing his sister had chosen a different name for her business. 'Hello? Hello?' he repeated, when there was silence on the other end of the line.

'Oh, hello!' A male voice said breathlessly. 'I'm so sorry. I took my eyes off my kitten for two seconds and she was trying to climb into my violin.'

Nice voice; vaguely familiar. Posh accent, but with a laugh in it.

'I know; I've got two cats and they've got a genius for going where they're not supposed to. Can I help you?'

'I hope so. You made the most wonderful cake for me a couple of weeks ago. A chocolate one shaped like a race track.'

'The one with the model cars? I remember.' That was why he was familiar then; just a client. No other reason. 'Did the little boy like it?'

The other man laughed. 'Oh, it was for a friend of mine actually. But, yes, he did love it. Anyway, I was wondering if you could help me with something. It's my sister's twenty-first birthday on Friday and my parents just had a call from the company that was making the cake. They had a fire in their kitchen last night and they'll be closed for the next two weeks. Do you think you could make something or would you need more notice?'

'Friday? You mean next Friday, don't you? The twelfth?' Trowa flipped open Cathy's laptop to check dates. 'That's kind of short notice.'

'I mean this Friday. The day after tomorrow. The party isn't until the evening, if that's any help to you.'

'Evening, right.' Trowa rolled his eyes. Still, one cake for a family party wouldn't take too long. 'Yeah, we could just about manage that, if you don't want anything too fancy. How many people are coming to this party?'

'Oh, that's fantastic. Thank you. I'd have to check the guest list for exact numbers, but I imagine a couple of hundred. Is that a problem?'

Trowa whistled. 'Then you're going to need a couple of cakes. At least.' Shit. OK, that was Thursday gone, day and night. But the business was only six months old; Cathy couldn't afford to turn down a job like that, not when it might attract so many potential customers. Plus he didn't really want to disappoint this cheery guy.

'Now, what sort of cake? We've got dozens of models on the website.'

'I'll have to look. I wanted to check you could make it before anything else. Jasmine loves chocolate, and the one you made for me before was delicious, but I think a very feminine design.'

'How about you look at the site, and call me back if you see something you like? I'll need to know ASAP in case I need to order special stuff.'

'Yes, I can do that straightaway. Oh, Mitra! No! No! Bad kitty!'

'Violin again?' Trowa asked, wishing he could see what was going on. A kitten, a violin and a guy who sounded like he laughed a lot.

'Laptop, this time. I'd better go. May I call you back?'

'I'll be here.' Trowa dredged in his memory for a name; they'd spoken once, very briefly, about the order for the first cake, and otherwise communicated by email. 'It's Quatre, right?'

'That's right. I'm sorry. I don't think I got your name the last time?'

'Trowa.'

'Trowa,' Quatre repeated softly. 'I'll try not to be too long.'

He rang back in fifteen minutes. Trowa found himself smiling just at the sound of his voice. Odd. Odder that he'd been looking forward just to hearing it. Not at all like him.

'So. You saw something you liked?'

'Something I loved,' Quatre said emphatically. 'I'm not sure if it's going to be suitable for a birthday though. It was in the wedding cake section, but I saw the photo and it's perfect. The round cake covered in white roses.'

'Oh, yeah. That one's nice.' Trowa thought about it. 'I wouldn't worry about it being a wedding cake. A lot of people choose cakes out of different sections. Let's see. I could make one big one for your sister to be photographed with and stuff, and then a few smaller ones, that we could have sliced in advance. Does that sound OK?'

'Absolutely,' Quatre breathed.

'Good. Now, you want a chocolate sponge like I did for your friend, right?. What sort of fillings?'

'Jasmine's favourite desert is white chocolate mousse.'

'Fine. Check. And you want the fondant icing with the roses?'

'If you could possibly. I know it's a ridiculously short amount of time.'

'I could, possibly,' Trowa said. 'Look, how about I run through the costs and send you an invoice?'

'Oh, the money's not important,' Quatre said at once. Well for some. 'Honestly. My mother spent the whole morning ringing around to try to find someone to do this. I thought I'd end up trying to make a cake myself!'

'You don't cook then?' Trowa flicked the 'phone onto speaker and went to check the fruit cakes he had in the oven.

'Cooking, yes. Baking, definitely not. I have tried a couple of times, but it always ends in disaster.'

'People poisoned?' Trowa ventured, sliding on a pair of oven gloves.

'Not yet, thank heavens. But many, many cake tins ruined, along with the contents. I'm hopeless at remembering for how long they're supposed to stay in the oven.'

'You don't have a timer?' Trowa carefully lifted out the first heavy tin, sniffing appreciatively.

'Well, yes, but it's not very loud and I just blank it out if I'm on the computer or playing music.'

Trowa laughed, and then the phone he'd left on the table beeped. 'Sorry, Quatre. I've got a call on the other line. Would you mind if I put you on hold for a sec? Or do you have stuff you need to do?"

'I don't mind waiting,' Quatre said quietly. 'Unless you're busy? I don't want to keep you. You probably have a million things to do.'

'Nothing that can't wait a bit. I'll try to make this quick.'

He couldn't though. It took almost fifteen minutes to convince Lady bloody Sylvia Noventa that yes, the silk ribbons on the cake were an exact match for her flower girls' sashes and hair ribbons, and yes, the fondant icing had been hand-made and Trowa could personally vouch for the fact that no nuts whatsoever had been used. Trowa fumed his way through every minute, sure that Quatre would have got bored and hung up. Who the hell would stay on hold for that long?

Quatre apparently.

'It's fine,' he said, when Trowa started to apologise. 'Mia's gone to sleep on my lap so I couldn't get up anyway.'

'What sort of cat is she?'

'I think maybe part-Siamese, because she has blue eyes. I just got her from the shelter last month. She's adorable. What are your cats like?'

'Maine coons. Like big fluffy cushions, really.'

'Oh, gorgeous.'

'Yeah, they're cute. Can you wait for two minutes? I just need to get something from the back room.'

'I should probably let you go.' Quatre said when he got back, sounding rather reluctant. 'You're working.'

'No, it's OK. I've got you on speaker. Where are you? At home, or do you take the kitten to work?'

'God, no. She'd create chaos. I'm at home, supposedly working but not right now. Obviously.'

'What d'you do?'

'Merchant banking. I would have liked to have been a professional musician, but I was never really good enough. Did you always want to be a chef?'

'I'm not. I'm just helping out. It's my sister's business, but her assistant broke her arm last month, and Cathy can't really afford to pay extra help. Our parents had a bakery so I can do most stuff.'

'You grew up in a bakery?' Quatre asked excitedly. 'That must have been so much fun. Could you eat all the cakes you wanted?'

Talking about their very different childhoods took them up to Trowa emptying the cooled cakes out of their tins; Quatre was just as fascinated by Trowa's holiday jobs at a circus when he'd been a student, as Trowa was by Quatre's account of how his family had moved all around the world when he'd been a child. The discussion about favourite films and food lasted until Sylvia's wedding cake was perfect, trailing silk ribbons and all, and Trowa washed up while they talked about music.

'Goodness, it's almost seven!' Quatre exclaimed. 'Trowa, I'm terribly sorry, but I'll have to go. I'm supposed to meeting a friend for dinner.'

'No problem. Hey, I was just thinking. If you'd like to see an example of what your sister's cake will be like, I'll be putting together something very similar tomorrow for an anniversary party. It's the same model but with lilies instead of roses.'

And it would mean actually getting to meet him in person.

Time to stop dreaming about some guy he'd met for all of ten minutes. To stop dreaming about a pair of blue eyes shining at him. If he'd been remotely interested, he would have hung around; Trowa had only been gone for a couple of minutes, helping one of the other volunteers to move a log. But he'd got back and the guy'd taken off, a few footprints and tyre tracks on the muddy path the only sign he'd ever existed.

'I could probably do that. The bakery's on Victoria Street, isn't it? My office isn't too far away. I could take an early lunch break.'

'That'd work.' Trowa grinned broadly. So. Cute-sounding guy who worked close by. 'If you're not in a rush to get back to your office, we could go and get a sandwich or something after you see the cake?'

'I'd like that very much. It's a date then!'

'Is it really?'

'Oh! I didn't mean to say…..that just slipped out. I don't know. Is it?'

'If you want, yeah.'

'I'd like it to be, yes.' Quatre laughed suddenly. 'Is this silly? We might hate each other on sight.'

'Maybe.' Trowa leaned against the table, picking up the phone. Idiotic, but it made him feel a little bit closer to this person he'd never met.

'That's not very optimistic,' Quatre chided.

'You started it. And I really don't think I'll hate you.'

'I don't think so either. I'm sorry, but I really should go. I don't like making people wait and my friend's always early.'

'Just a friend, I hope?' Trowa asked. 'Is it too early for me to start asking stuff like that?'

'Not at all. He's a very good friend, but nothing else. You've nothing whatsoever to worry about.' He laughed. 'Actually, he just met the man of his dreams a short time ago, and he's planning a wildly romantic trip next month. That's why we're meeting up tonight. I've been to most European cities, so I'm going to help plan the itinerary.'

.

'Lucky guy. OK. Enjoy your dinner. I'll see you tomorrow morning.'

He didn't, though.

Quatre rang at nine on Thursday. 'Trowa? I'm so sorry. I won't be able to make lunch today. I have to attend a meeting. Would it be all right if I called in later this afternoon?'

'Sure,' Trowa tried not to sound too disappointed. Stupid. He didn't even know this guy. 'No problem. I'll let Cathy know you're dropping in.'

'Oh.' Quatre didn't even bother to hide the disappointment in his voice and Trowa suddenly cheered up. It wasn't just him then. 'Won't you be there?'

'Afraid not. I have to drop a wedding cake off, and then I've got work this afternoon and then get back here to make your sister's cake.'

'I hope I haven't messed up any plans you had for the evening?'

'It's not a big deal. I didn't have anything definite on.' He did feel a tiny twinge of guilt at abandoning Duo to the evil Cat-guy, but Heero would look after him, and work had to come first anyway. 'Are you going to be around later? I could call you.'

'I'd love that! And no, I don't have anything definite plans either. A couple of friends did ask me to go out with them, but I think they'll be just as happy if I cancel.'

'Right. About sevenish? Will you be home from work then?'

'If I hurry, yes. I'll talk to you then. And maybe we can arrange another time to meet for lunch?'

'I think we could do that.' Trowa beamed into the phone. 'Or dinner, if you'd like?'

'Yes, please,' Quatre said happily. 'Dinner would be lovely. And I'll talk to you tonight.'

Trowa made it 'til three before calling Cathy, dying to know how she'd got on with Quatre. 'So? Did everything go OK?'

'All's fine, so far. And I've got a big new job for next month; a wedding cake, and a selection of deserts.'

'Cathy, for God's sake, you know what I'm talking about. Quatre. Did he show up?'

'Oh, Quatre. Yes, he did. And he loved the cake, so I'm afraid you're going to be baking all night.'

'Just throw me a bone, will you? What's he like?'

His utterly evil sister laughed at him 'Not sure if he's your type. Very corporate. Designer suit; very expensive looking.'

'I don't give a damn about his clothes!'

Cathy chuckled. 'Only what's under them, right? OK, he's blond, cute, looks fit. Very charming. Talked about you a lot. How you'd offered to help him out with the cake, saved his sister's birthday, blah blah blah. Seemed keen. And very sorry he didn't get to meet you for lunch. I assume you've made some other arrangements?'

'Yeah. Sort of. I'm calling him tonight.'

'Good,' his sister said firmly. 'About time you had someone.'

Maybe it was. Trowa enjoyed his own company most of the time, and he had Duo and Cathy when he wanted someone to spend time with. He didn't even know if he and Quatre would get on in person.

Four hours to go 'til Quatre would be free. It was insane, getting this excited over just talking to someone who was basically a stranger. He still spent most of the afternoon checking his watch. In the end, Quatre called a little early, just after Trowa arrived at the bakery.

'Hey,' Trowa said cheerfully. 'Good timing; I was about to call you. Cathy said you liked the cake. I'm just getting the mixing bowls out now.'

'It was perfect.' Quatre said, much more subdued than he had before. No laughter or exuberance at all this time. 'Trowa, I'm sorry. There's something I need to tell you. I – last night, I think I got a little bit carried away. I don't normally talk to people like that, people I don't know. '

'Right. It's OK. Nor do I. People usually complain I don't talk at all.'

'Um.' Quatre cleared his throat. 'I think….I know, I shouldn't have flirted with you last night.'

'You've got a boyfriend?'

'No! Not exactly. I – there is someone I've met a while ago, but I don't think anything's ever going to happen with him. It's all rather complicated. Anyway, I'm just not sure…I don't think I'm in the best place to start any other relationships right now.'

'I see.' Trowa said heavily. 'Right. Thanks for telling me. Good luck with the other guy, OK?'

He hung up before Quatre had a chance to reply.

Great. Bloody universe playing tricks. Of course someone as brilliant as Quatre sounded would have someone else. Probably a queue of guys. Dozens of them.

The cakes turned out perfect. Not so perfect was having to deliver the damn things on Friday evening, but Cathy was out on a job, and he didn't trust couriers.

The Winner house – mansion – was insane when he got there. After getting directions from five assorted people, he finally found the kitchen, and a place to leave the cake boxes. Then he got lost on the way out, thanks to a stupid giggly girl who pointed him up the wrong staircase. Moving fast, wanting to get out of there, Trowa took a corner too quickly and walked smack into someone coming out of a doorway.

'I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was…OH!'

'Oh,' Trowa echoed stupidly. It was him; the guy from the bike trail. He looked a bit different in a snazzy pale grey suit with his fair hair perfectly combed, but it was him. No question.

'I looked for you!' Bike Guy blurted. 'I've been on three of those volunteer days at the park but you were never there, and no one seemed to know who you were.'

Trowa propped himself against a wall. 'I tried to find you too. I've been to every damn bike shop in Sanque but none of them stocked that model you were riding. And I've cycled along that trail God knows how many times in the past couple of weeks.'

'My bike was imported from Switzerland.' The blond raked a hand through his perfectly neat hair, tousling it. Much better. It had looked that way when he'd taken off his helmet. And when he'd gone, there'd been one bright gold hair caught in a branch above Trowa's head.

'Why'd you take off like that?'

'That girl…I thought maybe she was your girlfriend. I didn't think there was any point in waiting.'

Trowa shook his head. 'No. She just wanted some help with lifting something. I got back two minutes later and you were gone. What are you doing here? Are you going to this party?'

'Yes. It's my sister's birthday. What are you….?' His eyes were suddenly huge. 'Trowa?'

'You're Quatre?' Of course, he was.

'Nice to meet you, finally, properly.' Trowa held out one hand, and Quatre tumbled into his arms.

'It's very nice to meet you,' he said, several minutes later, breathless. 'That was quite the introduction.'

'It's about time.' Trowa kissed him again. 'Listen,' he added, wanting to get things straight. 'That other guy you were talking about, that was me?'

'Well, of course it was!' Quatre leaned up and swept Trowa's hair out of his eyes. 'I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since then. So ridiculous. And then I really liked talking to you on the telephone, and then I started to feel guilty, and it all got horribly confusing.'

Trowa burst out laughing. It didn't matter. Everything was all right. 'Tell me about it, would you? I thought maybe if I met you – Quatre, I mean, the guy on the phone – I'd be able to stop thinking about you - the guy on the bike. God, that makes no sense whatsoever.'

'Oh, but it does,' Quatre assured him, snuggling closer. 'It makes perfect sense. I'm so glad we've finally met. And everyone I know will be overjoyed. I've been driving them mad the past few weeks, going on and on about you.'

'I didn't tell anyone,' Trowa confessed. 'It sounded so stupid, that I was hung up on some guy I'd met for only a few minutes.'

'I don't think it sounds stupid at all, but then I was just as bad.' Quatre's blue eyes shone up at him. 'Goodness, I can't wait to ring Heero. He's the one who convinced me, really, that I should keep looking for you.'

'Heero?' Trowa stared at him. 'Heero Yuy?'

'Well, yes. He's my best friend. How do you know him?'

'I don't, really. But I've known Duo Maxwell for years.' The last gear suddenly clicked into place. Quatre. Cat. His charming blond was Duo's evil Cat-guy? What the hell?

'Oh, Duo! He's marvellous, isn't he? The best thing that's ever happened to Heero in his whole life, I think. I can't wait to get to know him properly, but the past couple of weeks have been insane for me. We've had all kinds of problems at work, with the situation in the Middle East, and then I've been rushing around trying to find someone.'

'And now you have.'

'And now I have,' Quatre echoed. 'This is perfect. You can stay for the party, can't you?'

Trowa ducked his hair, hair tumbling back over his eyes. The idea of spending time with Quatre was more than appealing; meeting his whole family was less so. 'I don't know, Quatre. Your sister won't want some strange guy gate-crashing her party.'

'Oh, nonsense! She'll want to thank you for saving her birthday.' Huge blue eyes gazed up imploringly. 'Please stay. It's going to be fun. There's a band and fireworks and everything. And I hear there's going to be a wonderful cake, if that's any incentive. Hand-made fondant icing, made by the top pastry chef in Sanque!.'

God, he'd never, ever be able to say no to this guy. 'OK. Sounds good. So long as I get to feed you some of it. Creatively.'

Quatre, charmingly, blushed. 'Well! Maybe not in my parents' house. But I don't live too far away and I believe there might be enough cake left over for us to steal a couple of slices, if you'd like to come back and have some afterwards?'

Trowa lifted an eyebrow at him. 'I'd like that a lot. You're sure you want to invite me home so soon?'

The blush deepened slightly. 'Um. I just thought we could talk a little bit,' Quatre said, flustered. 'I didn't mean…'

'Hey, it's OK.' Trowa bent and kissed the top of his golden head. 'I was joking. That sounds great, really. I loved talking with you on the 'phone the other day; it'll be even better when I can look at you too. And we can plan that dinner we were talking about.' He grinned. 'But of course if you did feel like giving me a goodnight kiss, that would really be the icing on the cake.'

~ * ~

 

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