Unbreakable
April 14th, 3:00 PM
"Well, if we just woke up, wouldn't it be breakfast?"
"No, it's the afternoon, if anything it would be lunch. Or a snack maybe."
"But, it is breakfast food. Pancakes count as breakfast..."
Trowa picked up the syrup and poured it for Quatre who kept rambling on about the food that had been prepared for him.
"...I don't know how long you've been up, but I just woke up and I didn't eat before this, so I think..."
Trowa reached over to the rambling Quatre and pulled his chin up so he could look him in the eye. "It's not important. Eat."
Quatre felt himself fluster as he nodded and turned to his plate. Almost animalistically, he began to shovel food into his mouth. After he's cleared his mouth, he commented: "This is very good Trowa, thank you."
Trowa sat down and began serving himself. "Your very welcome."
Quatre smiled to himself and he drank almost half the glass of milk in one swig to clear his mouth for the food that would be coming soon again. Then he glanced over to Trowa who was eyeing him suspiciously. Quatre blinked twice. "What?"
Trowa cocked his head to the side and raised his brow. "I thought you were raised in a rich and well-bred family."
Quatre smiled. "When I'm relaxed, I forget my table manners."
Trowa smiled back. "You don't have to use them in front of me. I just never met anyone with such a healthy appetite before."
"Well, I haven't really eaten since..." Quatre dropped his glance, and ultimately his smile, and looked to the floor.
Trowa's eyes smiled at the young boy. "It's okay. You couldn't be expected to have an appetite after what she..."
"Let's not talk about this anymore," Quatre asked quietly as he cut Trowa off, keeping his eyes averted to the floor.
Treize stared at the elf-like figure in his doorway as though it had grown a second head. Duo came knocking at the Kushrenada's suite, apparently urgently and impatiently requesting audience with Treize. "It's okay if that Chang man is there too," he approved. Treize had come right away, expecting everything but perhaps this.
"Weeeelll...?" Duo oozed with all sorts of excitement.
Treize sighed and smiled at himself. He couldn't believe he was going to do this. He pinched between his brow and nodded a few times before verbally replying. "Yes."
Duo slammed his hands together in his excitement and grinned widely. "Yes!" he exclaimed before he noticed how much that slap between his hands hurt and winced. "ow..."
Treize put his fist before his mouth as he chuckled. "How am I supposed to remain unrecognized?"
Duo cracked his knuckles. "I can help with that."
Treized nodded. "Wufei will come with me," he stated in a half question, half order manner that few people could pull off.
"Sure, why not? The both of ya get to play dress-up for the night."
Wufei raised his brow a bit and Duo noticed he was not approving, but Wufei didn't voice any objections. Duo almost giggled at the sight of him.
"Okay you two, go on and sneak down to my room, say, half an hour after dark. We'll take it from there."
Treize nodded, still chuckling. "I'll see you then."
Trowa stared oddly at Duo.
"A party?" he said.
Duo nodded. "I swear, everyone who's everyone is coming. I even convinced that Kushrenada fellow to come! He's going to dress down and party with the best of them!"
Trowa raised his brow. He's only met Treize Kushrenada once when he was filing a report with security. A below-deck party was something Trowa couldn't imagine somebody as regal as Treize attending.
Then again, with Duo, anything was possible.
"I shouldn't. Neither should Quatre. He's in no state to go to a party."
"I wanna go!" Quatre yelled from the other room.
Trowa then regretting having left the bedroom door open.
Duo ran past Trowa and pointed into the bedroom. "See, he thinks it's a good idea, and he's the screwed up one!"
"Duo!" Quatre exclaimed with a giggle.
Duo gave his best puppy dog eyes. "Pleeeze Trowa!?"
"Pretty please!?" Quatre yelled from inside the room.
Trowa sighed. "I do not think this is a good idea. Yes. If it'll make Quatre happy."
"It does!" Quatre confirmed.
Trowa suppressed the urge to giggle. His arm was broken and he almost died, but he wanted to party! Trowa never knew what to expect.
Duo patted Trowa on the chest."Good man! Our room, one hour after dark, okay?"
"I'll be there," Trowa confirmed.
Duo left and Trowa contemplated not going at all. Quatre was in no shape to be doing anything, but he was so intent on going. Even now, he was babbling about how he'd never been to a real party before, and he wanted to meet all the nice people. However, Trowa would do anything to keep Quatre happy. He didn't like the way his newfound lover was acting when he tried talking to him seriously. With a sigh, Trowa walked into Quatre's bedroom.
Quatre was sitting there as happy as could be, holding his blanket up to his chest and smiling. "Thank you so much Trowa. I don't think I can stand another minute being cooped up like this!" He then giggled musically, his laughter filling the room.
April 14th, 7:00 PM
Quatre gaped with his mouth wide open as he stared at the figure inside Duo's room. He was tall, with Auburn hair, and held himself with a regal pride. With how regal he looked though, he was dressed as a pauper and one that wouldn't have two cents in his pocket. It was Treize Kushrenada.
"But...but...but..."
"I said Treize was coming, didn't I?" Duo answered for Treize. "I never said it was like any party you'd ever been to."
Quatre nodded, still gaping. "I just never though..." Quatre smiled. "I forgot my manners, I'm sorry Mr. Kushrenada."
Treize waved his hand in front of his face. "It's quite alright. I reacted in the same manner as you when I saw myself in the mirror. Though I must say, I'm rather comfortable in these clothes. I might make it a habit to wear them when I'm not around people."
Quatre craned around to peer at Wufei. He was still wearing what he always did, only this time it was a black pair of pajama's and he wore a long coat and a hat. He looked forward, and if he was uncomfortable, he held it inside.
Quatre waved at Wufei smally before turning back to Treize. "Why are you going, Mr. Kushrenada?"
"I suppose...because I've never been."
Quatre nodded. "Me too."
Duo pointed to Trowa. "Take off that officers hat and coat, and you'll be fine."
Quatre held his jacket up. "I'm dressed normal right?"
Duo nodded. "You're good." Quatre smiled, rather pleased with himself.
Trowa peeled off his officer's hat and jacket and tossed them on his own bunk.
"Let's go!" Duo squealed.
She sat in her large chair, stroking the dolls hair. It had a china face and seemed to stare out into some unseen world that humans couldn't see, no matter how hard they looked. The doll's silky black hair was adjusted and brushed and smoothed out by small hands that were expertly arranging the hair.
"Are you sure you've seen that?" a voice said behind the girl and the doll. This voice belonged to a boy the same age as the girl, but who has already in mind matured into a man.
The girl in the chair nodded. "I saw it in my dreams. We will all die here."
The boy nodded. "That's fine with me. I am ready to die."
"No, you will not die," she said. "Neither will I. And it will be at the price of blood."
The boy went silent.
"Do not be afraid, Heero." The girl then ripped off the doll head in a strength that was not a young girls.
"I said I was not afraid."
"But that's what you always say, my love."
"Relena." Heero scolded. He did not like her stating terms of endearment.
She giggled again, her laugh seeming to be that of a monster's.
"Goodbye Titanic. You truly were the ship of dreams."
April 14th, 10:00 PM
The night was full of revelry of the best kind. The band played a jolly Irish jig as people danced, stomping their feet musically in a quick-paced dance that filled every inch of the room with noise. Those sitting clapped their hands to the beat, adding to the festivity even as passive onlookers.
Duo picked up the mug of ale and downed it in one quick swig.
"Oh my god!" Quatre exclaimed. "Duo, is that healthy?"
Duo slammed the mug on the table. "Who cares? It gets me pissed quicker!" Sure enough, Duo had gone red across the face and seemed to be even more loud and obnoxious than usual.
Quatre eyed the mug in front of him. He'd been taught that drinking wasn't okay unless you were older and it had to be fine drinks, like brandy and wine. The entire experience made for a waivery Quatre. But that life was not going to be his life anymore, he had decided this when he fell in love. This beer thing couldn't be so bad anyway, could it?
"Okay, here I go..." Wearily, he picked up the mug and took several gulps. "Ugh!" he said, putting the mug down. "That's terrible!"
The whole table laughed and Quatre got a few pats on the back.
Wufei, who was standing behind Treize, felt a little tug on his pant leg. Wufei looked down to see a little girl holding a rag doll. He kneeled down to face the girl.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"You look like a doll," the girl said.
"I do?"
"Yes. You're very beautiful."
Wufei at first looked shocked but then a small part of his lips curved up in a smirk.
"That's very kind of you," he said, standing up again.
He found his pant leg being tugged on again. Sighing, he dipped onto one knee again. "Yes?"
"Can I dance with you?" the little girl asked.
Wufei looked shocked again. "I can't, I..."
Wufei felt Treize tap his shoulder.
"Wufei, dance with the girl."
Wufei stared at the older man, seeming to be puzzled. Then he nodded in compliance. "Yes sir."
He turned to the girl who was now smiling and hugging her doll.
"Oh, and Wufei...?" Treize began.
Treize smiled warmly. "Do have a good time."
Wufei actually chucked as he turned and followed the little girl to the dance floor. She was practically dragging him to the center of the room and simply spun around and bounced while Wufei tried to keep up.
Treize sat and talked with Quatre and the other members of the table about very small things, things one wouldn't think Treize Kushrenada would be good at talking about; work, children, family and small politics. The evening passed and Quatre, unconsciously, kept getting more and more ale as the night progressed, simply sipping it as though it were a cup of tea.
Quatre giggled a bit then suddenly felt very brave. Perhaps it was an after affect of the ale. Or maybe he was just being Quatre.
"I wanna dance!" he exclaimed.
The table roared in laughter again at the obviously drunken Quatre.
"I serious!" Quatre said, beginning to slur his words. "Trowa! Le's dance! I wanna see you dance!"
Trowa smirked a bit while the table pointed and laughed drunkenly at Trowa. They shoved him up and towards Quatre, who then grabbed Trowa's arm and dragged him to the dancing platform.
"Quatre, I really don't think..." Trowa began.
"Shh, Trowa, be quiet," Quatre demanded as he took Trowa's hand and faced him, standing straight. "I never jigg'd before, and I need you here so I don' fall down an' hurt mah arm."
Trowa smiled and nodded as he held Quatre's hand to balance him. Quatre looked around him at all the people dancing the same jig and copied them. Although he was intoxicated, he wasn't that intoxicated and managed to find good footing and tapped his feet along with the music well.
"Trowa, I can do it!" he squealed.
Quatre squealed loudly and spun and spun as the music pounded faster and faster. He spun so fast he didn't notice which way he was going and he fell straight into Trowa. As Trowa dragged him up, Quatre giggled and blushed. "Tha' was reeeal clumsy, wasn't it?"
Trowa laughed. "Yes, it was."
Quatre winced. He'd fallen onto Trowa, putting a lot of weight on his broken arm.
"Oh damn. Are you alright?" Trowa asked.
"Ow," was all Quatre could say.
"Come on, we gotta sit down," Trowa urged.
Quatre just nodded, obviously going through a mood swing. He slumped against Trowa and put his head in the other boys chest. Trowa just smirked and gingerly stroked the other's hair and guided him to a small table in the corner.
Trowa propped Quatre on his lap and tugged on his clothes as though he were tending to a small child. After a small silence, Trowa barely made it out, but he heard Quatre whisper: "I'm sorry."
Trowa bowed his head down to listen more closely to Quatre. "Sorry for what?"
"I ruined your evening. I ruin everything."
Trowa stroked Quatre's hair some more. "No, it's okay. We can dance any time."
Quatre balled his hands into a fist. "No, I ruin everything. I'm so sorry."
"Quatre, you've had too much to drink. Let's go outside."
Quatre just nodded and stood with Trowa to walk outside, his head still hanging low.
"What's up with him?" Duo asked, pointing to Quatre as he watched him and Trowa leave.
"Stress," Treize offered, elegantly sipping at his own ale.
Duo shrugged and collapsed back into a chair, almost falling over as he did so. "So, Treize," Duo began, but then took another drink of ale. After he set the cup down, he continued. "You've never been to one of the 'normal' parties before?"
Treize shook his head.
"wow. You're acting like you know everybody and you're waaaay nice."
"I have a way with people," Treize offered.
"'Way With People'...I gotta try that."
Wufei came stumbling back. He looked as though he'd been running around in circles all night. Which in all fairness is what he had been doing, to keep up with the little girl he now knew to be little Sally Po.
"Welcome back!" Duo screamed, flailing several limbs.
"Yes..." Wufei said before taking up a seat and resting.
Duo nudged Wufei in the shoulder. "That Sally, she's a tough one to get off ya. How'd you manage?"
Wufei shrugged. "I guess she tired herself out."
"That doesn't happen very often," Duo said.
"There was one condition though," Wufei said in a regrettable tone.
"Eh?" Duo asked.
"I have to see her again, on our wedding day," he said, smiling widely.
Duo fell back in variable howls of laughter.
April 15th, 2:13 AM
"Do you feel better?" Trowa asked Quatre as they stood at the edge of the boat, Trowa gently stroking Quatre's back to relax him. Quatre only nodded, not wishing to disturb Trowa's evening more.
"You know, I wasn't upset. It was my fault more than yours. I should have been watching over you more closely. That dance was way out of..."
"No," Quatre interrupted. "Everybody makes excuses for me."
"It's not an excuse. It was just an accident Quatre."
"I'm rather accident prone don't you think?" Quatre said forcefully.
Trowa was taken aback at Quatre's tone, almost expecting Quatre to start frothing at the mouth. "Quatre... It wasn't that big of a deal, honestly..."
"Please don't touch me," Quatre said, his body stiffening up against Trowa's.
Doing as he was told, he wordlessly unwrapped his body from Quatre's after taking a pause to try to understand why, or to see if Quatre was serious. Quatre instinctively shivered and wrapped his own arms around himself, trying to compensate for the lost warmth. "I just..." Quatre began. "I just don't feel like being touched. Everything I touch just..." Quatre hung his head lower to subside the hidden shame and clung even harder to his shoulder.
"Nothing was your fault here Quatre," Trowa offered before going silent again.
The two of them shared another agonizing silence. They stood in the freezing cold ocean air, seemingly unbothered by it. Quatre was actively searching his feelings, each emotion contorting on his face as he bit into the tips of his fingernails, while Trowa was unreadable as the first day he came aboard the ship with nothing but himself and his uniform.
Quatre began walking down the deck slowly, only faintly hearing Trowa take a few steps towards him every now and then to keep an eye out for him. He didn't mind Trowa being nearby, but if Trowa was too close to him now, Quatre could go in any direction. Right now, he had to sort out his own feelings. The best thing, Trowa knew, was for the effects of the alcohol to work it's way out of Quatre's system. Then he could be reasoned with. Then he could be thinking straight.
Then the thought occurred to Trowa that perhaps it wasn't the alcohol at all. Terrified, Trowa wrapped his own arms around himself, trying to comfort himself when he knew later he would have to be the strong one.
Quatre was sick. Mentally ill in some way or another. Trowa didn't know psychiatry, but the shock of watching all your family die within a month of each other must be the most terrible thing for a young boy to experience. And whatever torment he was feeling, he hated to show it, hated to disrupt the happiness of the people around him. Or at least that was what Trowa could gather.
A party definitely had been a bad idea.
Ignoring logic, Trowa strode up to Quatre. When Quatre heard him pacing quickly towards him, Quatre pulled his legs into his chest and buried his face in his knees. But seconds after he'd done this protective gesture, he found himself being pulled up by his waist.
"Hey - Trowa - let go!" Quatre violently outburst. He pounded his good arm into Trowa's arm ineffectively.
Quatre's words were muffled as Trowa roughly pressed his mouth against Quatre's. Quatre at first fought back, but the kiss somehow seemed to have tamed him, so Quatre stopped kicking and screaming, but did not however, kiss back.
Trowa pulled back to look at Quatre in the eyes. "I love you. You know that."
Quatre nodded, still seeming to be angry.
"Whatever you're feeling, I don't care how much you think I won't want to hear about it, I never ever want you to feel like you can't talk to me."
Quatre seemed somewhat befuddled, so Trowa elaborated.
"Nothing you tell me could make me love you less. Everything about you is wonderful, even your darker emotions. Just because they're yours, they are that much less dark because it's you. Just talk to me whenever about whatever. Please?"
Quatre's face cleared as he understood what Trowa was saying. "I'm sorry."
"No more apologies."
Quatre nodded.
The two of them slid their lips together and kissed as bells rang in the background. Even with Trowa's instincts as a soldier he blocked everything out that wasn't Quatre and just was at that moment.
Suddenly, the world around them was jarred and everything shook. Trowa and Quatre parted, but still clung to each other as they tried to keep their feet from going out underneath them. As the world stopped shaking, Trowa and Quatre looked around them to see what had happened. Chunks of ice littered the deck all around them, still skittering about as the boat balanced itself back with the water. But perhaps what was most impressive was the giant white iceberg that floated by, seemingly too quickly for it's size. One could still hear it scraping along the side of the boat before it disappeared completely, out of sight of the boat. Trowa and Quatre could only stare a moment in an imposing silence.
"Trowa?"
"Yes."
"I'm scared."
