The Game of Hide and Seek (Part Twenty-One)
With a few quiet weeks having passed without him being scrutinized by the public eye, Quatre was fairly disappointed when he was disturbed from his idle drinking by a quick but very obvious flash. The perpetrator of the crime, he presumed, was a neophyte with a very expensive looking camera. With the way he'd fled the scene after giving away his location, his face, and his method of attack, Quatre was sure that he had yet to be warned about such graceless tactics used against him. Soon, that boy was going to find himself unable to sell his photograph because not only did he take only one picture, he also failed to adjust the settings of his camera for daylight.
Quatre only frowned as he continued to drink his glass of water. Really, did the guy think that he was going to be able to sell the photograph? What juicy news was there to talk about with a picture of him drinking a dull beverage in front of an ordinary restaurant? The guy should have at least waited for his companion to arrive.
"Still being followed around by pests, I see."
"That's strange coming from a guy who works in the same profession."
Looking up, Quatre smiled at his newest companion, someone who he hadn't seen in years. Heero Yuy looked a bit more filled out and a lot more stern than he was when they were teenagers. The same wild aura of brown hair seemed to follow him through his adult years and his eyes still held the intensity Quatre often admired when they were younger.
"You should know better than to put me in the same category as them. I have a better camera."
"How have you been Heero?"
"More or less busy," Heero answered, pulling up a chair before depositing himself on it. He then signaled for a random waiter. "Although, compared to you, I'll always be a bit too lazy."
Quatre leaned back on his chair and placed his glass on the table before shamelessly taking inventory of his companion with a calculating stare. Heero didn't mind, choosing to do the same.
"You look like shit," Heero concluded after more or less two minutes of staring. "I didn't know growing up was going to turn you into this."
"On the contrary, the media people seem to be fond of the way I look and so does our server," Quatre said, unmindful of the way their approaching waiter blushed from his disclosed attraction. The young man fiddled with his notepad and pen, looking anywhere but at the two seated.
"You're still very aware of the way you look. Not very much has changed about you, Quatre," Heero responded before mercifully turning his attention to their fidgeting server. He glanced at his menu sparingly as if he already memorized the contents within. "I'll have the ribs," he said as he crossed his arms and waited for Quatre to order.
"Poached salmon," Quatre said next without looking at what the establishment had to offer. "Steam the vegetables. Don't fry them."
"Uh, any appetizers?" their waiter asked next after scribbling down Quatre's order. "We offer fried calamari, Italian style nachos, three cheese quiche platters, fried shrimp balls..."
"Raw carrots, no dip," Quatre interrupted and then picked up his glass of water. "Anything else that sounds good to you, Heero?"
"Luckily, I also share your choice of appetizers," Heero responded before looking up. "That will be all."
Their sever nodded politely before leaving them alone, probably traumatized with the way they had turned down the most mouth-watering of their appetizers. Just the sound of the appetizers usually had their patrons salivating for a few and gorging on more than one.
"And you still eat like a health nut who's scared of becoming diabetic next week," Heero said when they were left to talk. "So tell me, what would a powerful, very busy man need from me?"
"I haven't seen you in years Heero," Quatre said, leaning forward so that his hands were folded before him. "I expected a friendlier welcome. Do I always need a reason?"
"You always have one. You're the most scheming guy I know. Spill it."
"You make it sound like we didn't leave in good terms."
"I wasn't exactly the happiest of teenagers when I last saw you."
"I didn't break your heart now did I?"
A light cough resounded from somewhere between them, causing Heero to withdraw whatever he had to say in favor of turning his attention to the interruption. He looked displeased, especially with the way his cold blue eyes turned away from Quatre.
"Your appetizer, sirs," their uncomfortable server said, placing the platter of carrots down on the table. He then placed a glass of water in Heero's side of the table before refilling Quatre's. The process took less than five seconds. Quatre sensed unease.
"Quatre, I highly doubt that the reason why we're meeting here is to discuss what was in the past. You consider those a waste of time if I remember correctly."
Quatre considered Heero's answer and method of delivery. He was annoyed, highly annoyed. If Quatre didn't move quickly for the save then Heero would most likely leave. That in itself was unacceptable. He'd invited the other out to lunch for a very good reason.
"I'm sorry. I was being a brat," Quatre said, choosing the word that was most prominent in his mind. It was also the word Heero had more than once associated with him.
"Damn right you are," Heero responded. He looked put out for a while before the scowl on his face gave way to a nonchalant kind of calm. "One of these days you're going to find yourself wanting someone you can't have. It'll serve you right for putting everyone else through shit."
What Quatre knew was meant as a snide, off-handed remark somehow sounded like a curse. Quite uncharacteristically, Quatre pulled back as if stung by truly hurtful words. He found himself withdrawing from his position, placing his hands on his lap before looking down at them. He couldn't figure out, for the life of him, why the statement struck a nerve.
"Jesus, it's not like I wanted to make you cry," Heero said immediately, leaning forward into their table in an attempt to breech the distance between them.
Quatre shook his head. He wasn't about to cry or at least he didn't think he was. He was simply caught off-guard by an odd statement coming from the most unlikely guy he thought was capable of such declarations.
"Excuse me?" Quatre asked, startled. "Whatever made you think that I wanted to cry?"
"I know how you look like when you cry. I've seen it once before," Heero responded. He sounded knowing and a little smug, but he was obviously concerned. The way he unconsciously leaned forward and let his hands wander so that they were as close to Quatre as possible was a good indicator.
"Heero, you saw me crying at my father's funeral. I highly doubt anything bothering me right now would constitute the same depth of emotion to make me tear out in front of you, especially outside a busy and very public setting. Might I remind you that I stay discreet in these settings?"
"I'm usually right about these things," Heero said, sounding unsure. He directed a wary glance Quatre's way as if the logical explanation was not enough to satisfy him.
"The word you used was 'usually'," Quatre clarified. "In this case, you're wrong. I do, however, have a favor to ask of you."
"Quatre, I'm not going to off someone for you," Heero said in the most serious tone of voice Quatre had ever heard from him.
"What?" Quatre said suddenly before covering his mouth to stop his laughter. "Why is it that my requests always have to do with some manufactured Mafia-style dealings you have in your imagination?"
"I read a lot of books, alright," Heero said. "You know how I interpret these things. It's always been that way," he added.
His defense wasn't working much because Quatre's contained laughter came out in the form of chocked snickers. Quatre was pretty sure it looked like a piece of fruit was lodged in his breathing hole. Some of Heero's ideas were too ludicrous to consider even slightly sane.
"Alright, so you've had your fun," Heero said. Gone was his concern to be replaced by embarrassment that was well-hidden within his ever-scowling face. His discomfort was further accentuated by the way he crossed his arms against his chest, the bulging muscles in his arms exposed for all to see. To anyone else, it would have looked threatening.
"What I was saying was," Quatre said after composing himself. He cleared his throat and then sipped on his water for good measure. "I was wondering if you were interested in dating someone I know."
Not even two seconds after he'd said it, Heero's chair scraped against the pavement. His companion looked irate as he stood, ready to leave. It was obvious enough to Quatre that Heero didn't like what he heard. It made Quatre wonder if he'd gone about it the wrong way. Was it asking too much? He wasn't even forcing Heero into anything. He was just asking.
"Leaving already?" Quatre asked, showing none of the alarm he felt at having his perfect choice for Trowa reject his suggestion.
"Quatre, since when were you a matchmaker?" Heero said while he remained standing. He didn't look like he was going to sit back down anytime soon. "Are you serious?" he asked more gravely.
"I know. It's completely out of character," Quatre replied, raising his hands up in the air in defeat. He was willing to admit it. He was becoming something he didn't even know he was capable of becoming. Why was it that Trowa always brought out the strangest in him?
"Fine. I'm giving you five minutes to explain yourself. If I don't like what I hear then I'm leaving," Heero said, pulling his chair back out before sitting down. He crossed his arms again to further emphasize his point.
"There's this guy Trowa..."
"The guy in the paper," Heero dully supplied.
"Yes, the guy in the paper. I wanted you to..."
"You need to keep him preoccupied because he's probably slobbering all over you, so you're throwing him my way."
"Heero, I would appreciate it if you let me finish my sentences."
Quatre had always stayed calm despite several trying instances with the public and the many who hated him with a passion. Still, it was always Heero who managed to bring out the impatient brat in him. Perhaps it was because he felt more comfortable with Heero or maybe it was because his once best friend had spent years getting past his composure to end up successfully picking on his vulnerable innards.
Quatre could not forget the day they met at his father's burial of all places. Back then, he'd managed to hide himself within the Winner family mausoleum despite the insistence of the press to hound him. He was a scared, orphaned, 15 year old boy who was in need of someone to share his sorrow with. His sisters had been no help in the matter, simply pushing several different lawyers his way to handle the odds and ends of the family business. It had been a difficult time, enough to cause a few droplets of moisture to gather in his tear ducts.
Heero had found him then, hunched between a shovel and crate, stuffing his face into his arms because there had been no other way of hiding his tears. The other teenager, upon finding him, commanded him to look up. Quatre had readily agreed back then because he was unsure of who had called him. Heero's voice of authority demanded attention. He did lift his face eventually only to be attacked by several flashes and rolls of film. Heero had always been an insensitive jerk even way back then. The bastard had made quite the reputation as the only person who had managed to take pictures of him in his most vulnerable. Not even the older professionals had succeeded in that aspect.
"Quatre, throwing that poor fool my way won't solve your problem," Heero said, jerking Quatre out of his quiet reverie.
Quatre watched Heero's scowl turn into one of deep annoyance, reminding Quatre of the many instances when Heero had threatened to kill him. But perhaps kill wasn't the nicest word to use. Heero had used the term destroy specifically. He'd threatened to destroy Quatre's reputation with pictures several times despite never going through with it. Had Quatre slept with him, he was sure that Heero would have tapes of those lying around as well, waiting to be distributed just in case Heero finally decided to follow through with 'destroying' him. As it was, Heero thought Quatre was involved in some illegal business and would never be swayed no matter how much convincing he did.
"Trowa is not an object nor is he a fool. He's not a minor disturbance either. He's done a lot to help my family. All I'm trying to do is find him a date. He's a lonely guy. God, why does it always have to be so hard with you?"
Heero smirked at him and then made a gun motion with his thumb and index finger before pointing it directly at him. That caused a few gasps of horror to be directed his way. After all, it was scandalous to threaten one of the richest and most powerful men around. Surely a hoard of bodyguards would follow in his wake, taking down the person who dared to try such a thing. Quatre was sure their audience was waiting for an action sequence akin to those seen in movies.
However, Quatre was going to disappoint. He was very used to such displays by Heero, so he ignored the threat, the people gawking in their direction, and the fact that he didn't have any bodyguards.
"Oh, grow up," Quatre said with a roll of his eyes. "What do you say? He's gorgeous, he's sweet, and he'll take you out on really romantic dates. He's perfect."
"And he's not with you why?"
"Because I gave up on relationships a little while ago."
"You couldn't get over me, can you?"
"Oh, please," Quatre replied, finally picking up a carrot from the untouched platter. "Don't flatter yourself. It's just an issue of me turning all the guys I've ever been with into paranoid psychopaths, not that you weren't already one to begin with, Heero" he continued, ending his statement with sugar-laced sweetness.
"I see you're capable of actually being in relationships," Heero said in response.
Having counted six minutes since Heero attempted to leave; Quatre was satisfied that he still had his audience. It was then that their still nervous waiter arrived with their order. Two large platters were put down on the table before the usual pleasantries of 'do you need anything else' and 'call me if you need anything' were robotically delivered.
"What's this about? Are you trying to save him the trouble of getting involved with you or something?" Heero asked, immediately working on his dish. A napkin was tucked in the collar of his shirt before he picked up a very large, barbecue laced rib.
"He's a valuable asset to my family," Quatre said as he picked up his fork and knife. "Trowa's uncanny skill will ensure that my sisters will remain healthy. I have every reason to make sure that he's happy at all times."
In fact, Quatre had been working hard to make sure that Trowa was and remained happy. Everything he did - skipping work, taking Trowa out for food, bringing him to his vacation home, showing him all the secrets to his house, performing a strip-tease for him - was done to gain Trowa's trust. It was manipulative to some degree, but it fit perfectly within his scheme of things. True, Trowa had managed to confuse him with his thoughtful little ways, but Quatre was still set on his goal. His family's well-being came above all else. Too much energy was already being expended trying to keep up with Trowa's demands, so it was only natural that he offset Trowa's attentions to someone else.
"I see. You're using him," Heero said. He raised an eyebrow at Quatre while holding a rib close to his mouth. Quatre had yet to touch his food.
"You're entitled to your opinions," Quatre replied. Staring with sudden distaste at his lunch, he reluctantly began consuming the fish and the over-steamed broccoli on his plate. It was best to keep in shape with the kind of work he did.
"How many people have you used so far?"
Duo came to mind, although now that Quatre thought about it, the very protective lab technician had willingly submitted himself to his plans.
"Like I've already said, think what you want Heero."
"Very well then. I'll make sure to use this opportunity to my full advantage. Think of this as my way of getting back at you. Although, if he's as nice as you say he is then I just might fall for him."
"Do as you will," Quatre said as he continued to consume his meal. "I'll send you all the details later. Just don't try to hurt him because I'll be the first one to hunt you down."