A/N: Hello! I know I had kind of disappeared off the edge of the of fanfiction for awhile but I've just been really busy with my original story on fictionpress... Check it out if you have nothing better to do. Just message me if you're interested.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam or Tom's Diner by Suzzanne Vega
It was five until six when the three men took their seats in the rather small venue that was hosting the exclusive, invitation only concert. The most impatient of the men tapped his fingers anxiously on the armrest as he settled as far back in his seat as it would let him. This began to get on his more patient friend's nerves sitting next to him, calmly trying to ignore his annoyed companion.
"Duo, will you please have some patience? You're driving me crazy," Quatre asked as he finally turned to his braided friend.
"And that's a feat in and of itself," Duo said as he straightened up in his seat, after a pause he turned to his blonde friend. "Why are we even here?"
"Because, Duo, a little culture wouldn't kill you. Please just sit still and behave, if just for me," Quatre pleaded, "See, look at Trowa; he isn't complaining."
"Trowa never complains, hell he rarely speaks," Duo pointed out.
"Duo," Quatre implore him staring at him with crystalline eyes.
"Fine, what is this anyway? I mean, I know it said it was a concert, but I have a feeling it isn't the kind of concert I'm used to," Duo asked with a defeated sigh.
"It is a musical arts concert," Quatre answered pleasantly.
"Eh… Classical music?" Duo asked with a pained expression.
"Probably not, it's more dance forms and singing I think," Quatre explained to his distraught friend. Just as he finished the lights started to dim. "Well it looks like we're about to find out."
The first act was a piano player whose name none of the three knew, but he was good. The other acts passed fleetingly. They ranged from classical music performances to opera singing to ballet to tap and jazz. Duo's only positive comment was that the ballet performers were hot. Quatre sighed; he had hoped Duo would take something away from this other than a dancer's number.
"Trowa, are you at least enjoying this?" Quatre asked his silent friend hopefully.
"Yes, I like it very much," Trowa said; he added a half-smile for his friend's benefit.
"Good," Quatre replied pleasantly as the MC announced the next act.
"I regret to inform you all that this will be our last act," the middle-aged man said and Quatre could have sworn he heard Duo mutter a thanks to God. "This last act will be performed by Miss Alyssa Collins, please enjoy."
All the lights shut off and after a moment a single spotlight focused on downstage right where a young girl was leaning against a high stool with her right leg bent at the knee and her right hand holding down the front of her hat. She was wearing a black leotard that resembled a tuxedo with a two coat tails, a black top hat, black tights, black tap shoes, a red bow tie that matched the red stripe on her hat and the red buttons on her leotard and ivory white wrist gloves.
Then they saw her crimson lips begin to sing Tom's Diner. As the base finally started she pushed off the stool and began to tap her way toward downstage left, the spotlight following her flawlessly, where there was a small table with a bar stool at it.
I am sitting
In the morning
At the diner
On the corner
I am waiting
At the counter
For the man
To pour the coffee
And he fills it
Only halfway
And before
I even argue
He is looking
Out the window
At somebody
Coming in
As she progressed through these lines she proceeded to pantomime each action. During the musical interlude directly after them she stood and began tap dancing, going through many complicated turns and moves but without removing her hand from her hat that was still obscuring all of her face except her crimson lips.
"It is always
Nice to see you"
Says the man
Behind the counter
To the woman
Who has come in
She is shaking
Her umbrella
And I look
The other way
As they are kissing
Their hellos
I'm pretending
Not to see them
Instead
I pour the milk
She sat back down on the bar stool and continued to pantomime the actions displayed in the song as she sang but still shielding her face with the brim of her top hat. And yet again once this set of lines had finished she rose from the stool and began to dance.
I open
Up the paper
There's a story
Of an actor
Who had died
While he was drinking
It was no one
I had heard of
And I'm turning
To the horoscope
And looking
For the funnies
When I'm feeling
Someone watching me
And so
I raise my head
And as the lines said she continued to do and finally with the last line she raised the brim of her hat to reveal a pale, delicate face with fierce crystalline eyes that didn't seem to match her otherwise timid appearance. Quatre thought he heard an almost inaudible gasp from his stoic friend that he's was almost certain no one was supposed to notice. She again began to dance but the moves appeared to be getting more complicated now that she no longer had to keep her hand on her hat.
There's a woman
On the outside
Looking inside
Does she see me?
No she does not
Really see me
Cause she sees
Her own reflection
And I'm trying
Not to notice
That she's hitching
Up her skirt
And while she's
Straightening her stockings
Her hair
Has gotten wet
She also acted out these lines and it made a profound difference now that her face was visible. Her expressions were vivid and imaginative; Duo seemed to get a kick out of her pretending to hitch up her skirt and fix her stockings. She began her dance during the interlude but again the moves became more complicated and yet there was no sense of stress or strain from her.
Oh, this rain
It will continue
Through the morning
As I'm listening
To the bells
Of the cathedral
I am thinking
Of your voice...
Her voice faded off toward the end of the last line and she took on an almost mournful look before rising and performing another, shorter, round of dance, in which time a small black and white cane was placed on the table along with a small black briefcase. Then the music suddenly stopped and she picked up the cane and briefcase and proceeded to make her way toward upstage center during the next lines.
And of the midnight picnic
Once upon a time
Before the rain began...
I finish up my coffee
It's time to catch the train
Then once there she stood for a moment while looking out over the audience before turning on her heel and strolling slowly toward the back of the stage singing: Du-doo-du-doo-doo-du, du-doo-du-doo-doo-du, du-doo-du-doo-doo-du, du-doo-du-doo-doo-du, as the spotlight faded and the theater was plunged into darkness again.
Then the lights turned back on and she was at the front of the stage without the cane and briefcase. The audience erupted in applause, roses were thrown, people stood in their seats; it was obvious why they had chosen her to close the performance. She bowed deeply while pulling her hat off allowing a mass of scarlet curls to cascade over her shoulders. She threw her hat out into the center of the audience and it just happened to land on Duo's lap. She bowed one more time before waving and leaving the stage.
"Alyssa Collins, everyone," the MC announced yet again as he motioned to where she had exited the stage.
The applause slowly died down as people began gathering up their coats and purses and started to exit the theater. Quatre and Duo rose from their seats and began to exit when Quatre noticed Trowa was still sitting in his seat with his eye glued to the spot where Alyssa had exited.
"Trowa? Trowa, what are you waiting for?" Quatre asked as he shook his friend's shoulder lightly.
"Oh, huh? Sorry Quatre, just spaced out for minute," Trowa responded as he offered his friend a half hearted smile and rose from his seat and followed the other two out into the main lobby where people were all crowding around booths to purchase CDs and other paraphernalia related to tonight's performance.
As Trowa waited for Quatre to purchase a DVD of the night's performance he saw a shock of red hair moving quickly through the crowd of people as if trying not to be noticed. He quickly made his way toward who he knew was Alyssa. He was able to catch her just before she escaped into the sidewalk.
"Lysa," he addressed her as he put a hand on her shoulder.
At first she turned around with a start, not knowing who would call her Lysa instead of her real name. But then when she made eye contact with Trowa her memory seemed to kick into affect. "Trowa?" she asked with a broad grin.
"Yeah, where have you been? I haven't seen you in years," Trowa asked as he let go of her shoulder.
"I could ask you the same thing. I've been around, doing performances at various venues and finally working my way up to military and political formals. So, what have you been up to?" Alyssa asked with a chuckle.
"Preventer business, confidential I'm afraid or I'd tell you more," he replied.
"But then you'd have to kill me?" she joked back.
"Something like that," Trowa answered with an indifferent shrug.
Alyssa looked down at her phone and gasped slightly. "Sorry Trowa, I'd love to catch up some more but I really have to go," she said as she started to turn away.
"Wait. Lysa," Trowa said as he caught her arm, "I want to catch up to. What do you say you meet me for dinner tomorrow night?"
"Sure, where?" Alyssa asked.
"The diner on Second Street at eight-thirty?" Trowa asked.
"I'll see you there. Bye," she replied with a smile as she waved and ran off to catch a taxi.
Satta: So? I know it seemed quick but don't worry! It isn't even a Trowa pairing! I don't even know who I'm going to pair Alyssa with yet... Tell me if you have ideas! Please REVIEW!!
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam or the song Tom's Diner, that's by Suzzanne Vega. If you haven't heard the song just check it out on youtube.
