A Double Dog Dare
a/n: I do not own Gundam Wing. This is an AU, and a prequel to my story "The Reason I Won't Be Coming". It chronicles how Quatre and Trowa got together. It is a one-shot.
Quatre Raberba-Winner heard it all day:
"Large mocha, no whip cream"
"Small non-fat latte"
"Large, half-fat, 2 sweetener, three pumps raspberry syrup, extra foam latte"
Quatre worked in the biggest coffee stand in the Student Union where he went to school. He worked Monday through Friday, usually in the afternoons and evenings, after his classes.
It was not like he needed to really work. His father was filthy rich, and lived in Saudi Arabia. He would pay for whatever Quatre wanted if Quatre would let him. Quatre let him go as far as paying for his books, classes, and dorm. Other than that, Quatre chose to support himself. He didn't want to be just another rich kid with a silver spoon in his mouth and a stick in his ass. He just wanted to be able to do things for himself.
The work could be annoying part of the time, and unrewarding most of the time, but three things made it fly by: Heero, Duo, and Trowa. They were all the same age and the same class. They all lived on the same floor of the same dorm house. They were fast and easy friends too. Heero and Duo had known each other since high school, and they had made a habit of coming here to get coffee whenever they could, the caffeine fiends. At first, Quatre had just served them and then let them be, but gradually they drew him into their conversations and their lives. And the other reason to stay working here was Trowa Barton, his co-worker.
Now, Quatre was not one to mix business with pleasure, but Trowa was an exception. The man was so gorgeous. Tall, with these exotic latin features. His eyes were green as spring leaves, and his hair was a shade of light brown that was very pleasing. Quatre could admit it, he had a huge crush on Trowa. He had ever since he first saw him, but Quatre did not even know if Trowa buttered his bread on Quatre's side. When Trowa spoke it was low, almost quiet. You sometimes had to strive to hear him. Believe it or not, Trowa came from a family of circus performers. He could balance on almost anything, and he could bend in all kinds of ways. Quatre often found himself imagining Trowa in all kinds of compromising positions, aided by that flexibility. Thoughts like that usually led to self-bestowed orgasms when he was alone, or dramatic sighs when he was not. Quatre was just a tad obsessed, but he tried to hide it.
It was Friday, and Quatre and Trowa were both working in the almost deserted coffee stand. On Fridays they closed at ten, but by the time eight o'clock comes around they are usually slow as heck. Most college kids go out on Fridays and have no use for the student union. Quatre was cleaning the steam wands when he heard a familiar voice.
"Hey buddy, do you serve coffee flavored coffee around here?" Duo joked as he stood at the register.
"Hey Duo! Heero," Quatre smiled at them both in turn, "The usual?"
"Yeah, the usual. Stupid damned term paper," Duo rolled his eyes and Heero just grunted.
"You know, Duo, if you did them sooner then you would not be stuck here on a Saturday night," Quatre commented. Just then, Trowa came out of the back, carrying two more bags of espresso beans for the grinder. Quatre grinned at Duo and then went to help Trowa. Duo and Heero sat down at a table usually used for larger groups. Duo started pulling out books, while Heero pulled out a slimmer volume and started reading.
Quatre grabbed one of the silver bags from Trowa and started to stow them beneath the monster of an espresso machine. Every time he went to grab a bag his fingers brushed Trowa's, and a spark traveled up his arm. Once the bags were stored, Trowa walked back to the storeroom, and Quatre moved to make Duo one white chocolate mocha, and Heero one irish cream latte. Quatre hummed as he worked. Release the grinds, tamp the grinds, pull the shot, steam the milk, pour the shot, pour the milk, scoop out the foam. Automatic movements to be sure. He carried the drinks over to his friends and sat down when he saw there was no one else around. Trowa was busy wiping a counter, casting a glance around every once and a while. Quatre was quite happy sitting in silence until Duo put his books down and gave Quatre an intense stare.
"Quatre, you are a good looking guy. You're available. Why aren't you out with some nice girl?" the braided boy asked.
Quatre blushed but did not lie, "I don't want to take out some nice girl," he said softly. Duo and Heero both gaped at him.
Duo looked around, and then he spied Trowa, who was equally good looking, if silent. He looked at Quatre, who was still blushing, and then back at Trowa. Quatre's constant working and staying late all of a sudden clicked magically in Duo's head, "So that's why!"
Quatre stared at him like he had grown a second head, and Heero just gave Duo an apprehensive look.
"Quatre, do you mean to tell me that you have never even kissed someone? That you have not ever been on a date?" Duo asked a little loudly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Trowa stop his wiping.
"Duo," Heero growled in warning. He had a clue what his roommate and best friend was up to, and it could not be anything good.
"That is just unacceptable! A crime against nature, that is what this is! Trowa, get over here!" Duo called out. Quatre was embarrassed and not a little shell shocked. Heero shook his head, but did not stop them. Trowa walked over, face impassive as he looked at them all in turn.
"Yes?" he asked.
"I have discovered that our friend Quatre here, has never been kissed! What do you have to say about that?" Duo asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"What Quatre does with his personal life is none of my business, or yours, Duo," Trowa stated simply. Duo smiled again.
"Ah, come on Trowa, I dare ya. Lay one on young Quatre here!" Duo grinned. Heero swore that the American's face was going to split he was so satisfied with himself.
"Duo!" Quatre gasped, blushing furiously.
"Come on, Trowa! I double dog dare you to lay a sweet smacker on our buddy Quatre!" Duo was practically jumping up and down in his chair while Heero glared at him.
And then everything was silent, because Trowa had accepted the dare. He had Quatre in his arms, and was in the middle of bestowing a sweet and simple kiss on Quatre's pink lips.
"Heero, I think we should go," Duo whispered fervently. Heero nodded, and they quietly left the student union.
The couple standing in the coffee shop had no clue that the two had left. It was only them, and the rest of the world did not exist. Quatre did not know how he got here. All he knew was that he was more than happy to be in Trowa's arms, savoring the first kiss he had ever had. Sparks traveled up and down his body, and he poured every single emotion he had ever felt for Trowa into that kiss. He only knew warmth and bliss for those endless minutes, only felt satin and softness from Trowa's lips.
The student union was empty when Trowa finally released him. Quatre looked around in surprise, and then smiled when he saw the unfinished drinks Heero and Duo had ordered. He looked back up at Trowa and saw the slight smirk that played across his features.
"Um," Quatre managed to get that one sound out.
"What are you doing after closing?" Trowa asked.
"Nothing," Quatre replied, blushing.
"You must have forgotten, you are going out with me," Trowa said softly.
"Oh, I must have forgotten," Quatre teased.
That was the first kiss Quatre and Trowa ever shared. It was not the last.
The End