Gundam Wing: La Femmes
A Fanfic by Lady Lye
(c)2001
Battle Chapter: Who Can Win The Stars (Part Two)
aka Chp 39
Rated for strong language on behalf of the characters. Remember- it's not the author w/ the potty mouth-it's her potty-mouthed characters.
Disclaimer: I do not own the whole GW thing... If I did I sure as h*ll wouldn't be here wasting my time writing fanfics about them- I'd be using them as my you-know-what slaves per my latest obsession. So don't try to sue me- it ain't worth it.
Note: rough translation for my rough use of Spanish can be found at the bottom of the chapter. This will include all previous phrases.
Welcome to the miraculously short BC. I have NO inspiration here. It SUCKS. The idea- get in, get the idea, get out, and go. T_T I hate leaving the middle empty like this… I'll HAVE to go back and fix it… *bitterly sarcastic* Course, no one seems to like Estelle and/or Quatre anyway… (See the website, where there are polls to vote for your fave Femmes!! And their men!!) *sigh* On with it…
________________________________
Gundame: (pronunciation varies between gun-dum-eh and gun-dam-ay, but never gun-dame.) The mobile suits used by the five new girls. They are made of gundanium alloy but are coated with a newly developed substance making their shell even tougher than the gundams. Their pilots are known as the Dames.
_________________________________
The butler supervising in the relatively small house Quatre had rented for his stay blinked as his master got out of a taxi and helped a girl nearly his height and with hair only a few shades darker out of the taxi.
"Master Quatre?" he asked.
"Rudolph, this is Ms. Brownlow," Quatre lead her up the steps. "She's an old friend of mine. She'll be staying in the house with us. She's to be given full privileges and will need to keep her own hours. Understood?" (AN: NO it's not Rashid. Get over it.)
"Yes, Master Quatre," he bowed uncertainly and let them pass. Who'd have thought he'd ever go for one of THOSE!?"
Inside, Estelle tried to cover laughter with her hands. Quatre gave her an odd look. "What's wrong?"
"Well, you know what they're going to think," she giggled.
"What do you mean?" he blinked, wide-eyed and innocent.
"They'll think I'm your pet whore or something," she laughed, mischief sparkling in her crystalline eyes. "Nothing further from the truth, hmm?"
Quatre went a few shades paler than normal. "Oh no," he muttered, blushing.
"Don't worry, it's not like we're going to fuel the rumors," she laughed again. "They'll think it's the oddest relationship ever! Come on, I want to get settled. There's a lot to do still."
"Uh, yeah, sure," he said dazedly. "Upstairs, third left."
"Thanks again, Quatre," she leaned over and kissed his cheek lightly, winking before heading upstairs.
Quatre sighed and let his head drop, but he was smiling. This WOULD drive the servants crazy, wouldn't it?
"Master Quatre?" Rashid of the Maganauc Corp was staring at him.
"Don't worry, Rashid," Quatre laughed, suddenly becoming aware of all the huge bruises he had sustained. Nothing more serious though, luckily. "We're just going to have an interesting stay here," he looked up the staircase fondly.
_________________________________
The next morning happened to be a Saturday and so they spent it quietly. Quatre spread out at a worktable in the spacious sitting room and Estelle sat in the window seat, drawing what she saw.
Quatre threw down his pen in frustration. The incredible wordiness of the documents lead to the same thing every time it seemed- someone trying to create a loophole for themselves. He had to read each one through to find the error, and if it sounded reasonable, he usually had to read it three more times to find the loophole which was guaranteed to be a thousand times worse than those that were obvious. He rejected document after document, knowing that if he didn't someone else might not catch the problems.
Estelle looked up briefly from her work. "What's the problem?"
"This business deal… if we bought out the company, we'd acquire our on ISP and would be able to give the product to all our employees at home as well as at work and could still make a profit selling it to others. But their lawyers have come up with the most insidious contracts," he sighed.
"Why don't you write one and present it to them?" she continued to sketch.
Quatre turned to look at her, blinking. "You know, I never thought of that."
"Just tell them what your requirements are and if they can't or won't meet them, then don't make the deal," she said sensibly.
Quatre took a moment to think about this. "Estelle, you're brilliant!"
"But of course," she smiled teasingly. The smile stayed as Quatre telephoned his people (AN: yes, they were WAY too stupid to think of this on their own… people tend to lose perspective when under pressure…).
The next few mornings passed similarly, with Estelle working on her laptop to try to hack into the network of the next base she was targeting. Quatre spent the afternoons in meetings but they had the evenings together to talk and to grow even closer than before. There was a real bond between them, one that would be hard to break.
The fact that it wasn't the sort of bond Quatre so obviously wanted was beside the point.
_________________________________
AN:
Lady: *WEEPS*
Duo: *pats her head awkwardly* There, there, it's ok… You're not a failure at writing…
Lady: But- but- it's WRITER'S BLOCK! I just cannot write this middle portion! And this is the second time this has happened!!
Duo: So just TELL THEM what's supposed to happen and get it over with! Jump to the good parts! Believe me, the other BCs are more than long enough! *pout* Except mine. Mine is too short. Wufei's is a lot longer.
Lady: You'll take what you get and like it. :p Ok, people, here's the deal:
Quatre has fallen deeply in love with Estelle- he traveled halfway around the world for her! Stelly, the amazingly unobservant artist, is completely unaware of his deeper feelings for her. Really, the casual, open friendliness between them is worse for Quatre, who is trying his best in this time to get to know her still better and win her heart. This is something you won't see often, people: A frustrated Quatre. He loves her- she's oblivious. He wants to protect her- he has no MS. He's constantly being bothered by work. He doesn't have any kind of outlet. When I say 'frustrated', I mean 'aggravated to the point of cracking if something doesn't happen soon'. And still she's oblivious. Oi, am I vicious or what? Yeah, I'm having trouble writing and showing all this… Let's jump to somewhere near the end of their stay here…
Duo: *coughs* Firstly- everyone, here is the great part about contacting Lady Lye- she actually listens to you. Show'em, babe.
Lady: *eyes shine* YEEEEEEES… Via the WONDERFUL MIRACLE that is Instant Messaging, Pagemaster suggested a song to help me bridge the gap here!! THANK YOU, PAGEMASTER-CHAN!! *hugs and hands Pagemaster a prize of her choice of La Femmes plushie* See? Contacting me is NOT a waste of time and I will NOT turn you down. The more real reader feedback I get, the happier I am.
Duo: You mean the bigger your ego is.
Lady: :p You kidding me? I get the most honest constructive criticism from people I IM cuz they get to know me! So don't be afraid- speak up!!
Duo: ^_^ It's ok to harass her into writing more, too…
Lady: BAKA! *bops him on the head* ^^; No threats, please… They aren't nearly as effective… Right, songfic time! Whoo hoo! ^_^ Ja ne, minna-chan! Wave to the people, Duo!
Duo: *waves feebly as the scene cuts*
_________________________________
(AN: The song is "Complicated" by Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Yes, I'm keeping track of all the music I use for a Femme-y soundtrack that will be posted on my website upon completion, along, hopefully, with lyrics and places to find it and stuff. So, here's a disclaimer- it ain't mine. It's from Quattie's POV, which might sound strange, but I like the gentle tone of it, and for those who don't know- Quatre's voice in the original Japanese is played by a woman. So it's really not that weird. :p)
I'm so scared that
The way that I feel
Is written all over my face
When you walk into the room
I wanna find a hiding place
*Quatre is speaking with Rashid while waiting for his breakfast to be served when Estelle walks in, cheerful as always, and plops herself into a seat, pleasantly inquiring after Rashid and the other Maguanacs. The conversation falls on Quatre's dead ears as he finds himself staring at her. He shakes himself out of it before either can notice and casually butters his toast.*
We used to laugh
We used to hug
The way that old friends do
But now a smile and
A touch of your hand
Just make me come unglued
*Estelle and Quatre are walking through the shopping district, several Maguanac attendants in the vicinity to keep an eye on them. She talks and Quatre listens= or tries to- he keeps getting distracted. She is pushed into him by a fellow pedestrian and apologizes, continuing as though nothing has happened, but Quatre is lost to the world; disjointed.*
It's such a contradiction
Do I lie or tell the truth?
Is it fact or fiction
The way I feel for you?
*Quatre watches Estelle from the doorway as she works at her laptop, bent over in concentration.*
It's so complicated
I'm so frustrated
I wanna hold you close
I wanna push you away
I wanna make you go
I wanna make you stay
Should I say it
Should I tell you
How I feel?
Oh, I want you to know
But then again I don't
It's so complicated.
*Quatre holds open a door for her, hurries ahead to open the door of the limo, brings her tea on another night where she is working and planning her next attack. She smiles up at him gratefully and accepts, thanking him, but there is nothing more.*
Just when I think
I'm under control
I think I finally got a grip
Another friend tells me that
My name is always
On your lips
*Rashid and Quatre are going over a new upgrade for the Maguanacs, when Rashid looks to Quatre seriously and asks him if Quatre's favorite cookie really is peanut butter. Quatre blinks in surprise and stammers a yes- how did he know? Why, Estelle told him.*
They say I'm more
Than just a friend
They say I must be blind
Well I admit that
I've seen you watch me
From the corner of your eye
*Quatre has fallen asleep at his desk, contracts and legal documents spread about him for a pillow. Estelle peers in, smiles fondly, and returns a moment later with a blanket and pillow, tucking him into his chair. She smooths his hair back, smiling, but turns away before she can see the sweet smile coming to the sleeping boy's lips.*
Oh it's so confusing
I wish you'd just confess
But think of what I'd be losing
If your answer wasn't yes
* "Master Quatre, why don't you say something to your lady friend?" Abdul of the Maguanac corp shot Quatre a knowing look.
"Wh-what?" Quatre stared at him, wide-eyed.
"We can all see the way you look at each other," Mohammad confirmed. "Go for it!"
Quatre was silent, staring at the window. Rashid came in to berate the errant two for leaving their chores, but Quatre heard none of it, staring into space and murmuring, "I couldn't do that… what if… No, I just… can't…"*
It's so complicated
I'm so frustrated
I wanna hold you close
I wanna push you away
I wanna make you go
I wanna make you stay
Should I say it
Should I tell you
How I feel?
Oh, I want you to know
But then again I don't
It's so complicated.
*Estelle gets to a closed door first, and opens it before Quatre can for her, continuing as she was, completely missing his barely visible disappointment. She also takes a chair for herself rather than giving him the chance to pull it ot for her and blocks all other niceties he might have the small pleasure of doing for her. She isn't doing it on purpose… she just… doesn't know.*
I hate it 'cause
I've waited so long
For someone like you
Should I say it
Should I tell you
How I feel?
Oh I want you to know
But then again I don't
It's so complicated
_________________________________
Concluding chapter to be posted 11/6...Stay tuned, minna-chan!!!
Love it? Hate it? Lemme know!
-Lady
A Fanfic by Lady Lye
(c)2001
Battle Chapter: Who Can Win The Stars (Part Two)
aka Chp 39
Rated for strong language on behalf of the characters. Remember- it's not the author w/ the potty mouth-it's her potty-mouthed characters.
Disclaimer: I do not own the whole GW thing... If I did I sure as h*ll wouldn't be here wasting my time writing fanfics about them- I'd be using them as my you-know-what slaves per my latest obsession. So don't try to sue me- it ain't worth it.
Note: rough translation for my rough use of Spanish can be found at the bottom of the chapter. This will include all previous phrases.
Welcome to the miraculously short BC. I have NO inspiration here. It SUCKS. The idea- get in, get the idea, get out, and go. T_T I hate leaving the middle empty like this… I'll HAVE to go back and fix it… *bitterly sarcastic* Course, no one seems to like Estelle and/or Quatre anyway… (See the website, where there are polls to vote for your fave Femmes!! And their men!!) *sigh* On with it…
________________________________
Gundame: (pronunciation varies between gun-dum-eh and gun-dam-ay, but never gun-dame.) The mobile suits used by the five new girls. They are made of gundanium alloy but are coated with a newly developed substance making their shell even tougher than the gundams. Their pilots are known as the Dames.
_________________________________
The butler supervising in the relatively small house Quatre had rented for his stay blinked as his master got out of a taxi and helped a girl nearly his height and with hair only a few shades darker out of the taxi.
"Master Quatre?" he asked.
"Rudolph, this is Ms. Brownlow," Quatre lead her up the steps. "She's an old friend of mine. She'll be staying in the house with us. She's to be given full privileges and will need to keep her own hours. Understood?" (AN: NO it's not Rashid. Get over it.)
"Yes, Master Quatre," he bowed uncertainly and let them pass. Who'd have thought he'd ever go for one of THOSE!?"
Inside, Estelle tried to cover laughter with her hands. Quatre gave her an odd look. "What's wrong?"
"Well, you know what they're going to think," she giggled.
"What do you mean?" he blinked, wide-eyed and innocent.
"They'll think I'm your pet whore or something," she laughed, mischief sparkling in her crystalline eyes. "Nothing further from the truth, hmm?"
Quatre went a few shades paler than normal. "Oh no," he muttered, blushing.
"Don't worry, it's not like we're going to fuel the rumors," she laughed again. "They'll think it's the oddest relationship ever! Come on, I want to get settled. There's a lot to do still."
"Uh, yeah, sure," he said dazedly. "Upstairs, third left."
"Thanks again, Quatre," she leaned over and kissed his cheek lightly, winking before heading upstairs.
Quatre sighed and let his head drop, but he was smiling. This WOULD drive the servants crazy, wouldn't it?
"Master Quatre?" Rashid of the Maganauc Corp was staring at him.
"Don't worry, Rashid," Quatre laughed, suddenly becoming aware of all the huge bruises he had sustained. Nothing more serious though, luckily. "We're just going to have an interesting stay here," he looked up the staircase fondly.
_________________________________
The next morning happened to be a Saturday and so they spent it quietly. Quatre spread out at a worktable in the spacious sitting room and Estelle sat in the window seat, drawing what she saw.
Quatre threw down his pen in frustration. The incredible wordiness of the documents lead to the same thing every time it seemed- someone trying to create a loophole for themselves. He had to read each one through to find the error, and if it sounded reasonable, he usually had to read it three more times to find the loophole which was guaranteed to be a thousand times worse than those that were obvious. He rejected document after document, knowing that if he didn't someone else might not catch the problems.
Estelle looked up briefly from her work. "What's the problem?"
"This business deal… if we bought out the company, we'd acquire our on ISP and would be able to give the product to all our employees at home as well as at work and could still make a profit selling it to others. But their lawyers have come up with the most insidious contracts," he sighed.
"Why don't you write one and present it to them?" she continued to sketch.
Quatre turned to look at her, blinking. "You know, I never thought of that."
"Just tell them what your requirements are and if they can't or won't meet them, then don't make the deal," she said sensibly.
Quatre took a moment to think about this. "Estelle, you're brilliant!"
"But of course," she smiled teasingly. The smile stayed as Quatre telephoned his people (AN: yes, they were WAY too stupid to think of this on their own… people tend to lose perspective when under pressure…).
The next few mornings passed similarly, with Estelle working on her laptop to try to hack into the network of the next base she was targeting. Quatre spent the afternoons in meetings but they had the evenings together to talk and to grow even closer than before. There was a real bond between them, one that would be hard to break.
The fact that it wasn't the sort of bond Quatre so obviously wanted was beside the point.
_________________________________
AN:
Lady: *WEEPS*
Duo: *pats her head awkwardly* There, there, it's ok… You're not a failure at writing…
Lady: But- but- it's WRITER'S BLOCK! I just cannot write this middle portion! And this is the second time this has happened!!
Duo: So just TELL THEM what's supposed to happen and get it over with! Jump to the good parts! Believe me, the other BCs are more than long enough! *pout* Except mine. Mine is too short. Wufei's is a lot longer.
Lady: You'll take what you get and like it. :p Ok, people, here's the deal:
Quatre has fallen deeply in love with Estelle- he traveled halfway around the world for her! Stelly, the amazingly unobservant artist, is completely unaware of his deeper feelings for her. Really, the casual, open friendliness between them is worse for Quatre, who is trying his best in this time to get to know her still better and win her heart. This is something you won't see often, people: A frustrated Quatre. He loves her- she's oblivious. He wants to protect her- he has no MS. He's constantly being bothered by work. He doesn't have any kind of outlet. When I say 'frustrated', I mean 'aggravated to the point of cracking if something doesn't happen soon'. And still she's oblivious. Oi, am I vicious or what? Yeah, I'm having trouble writing and showing all this… Let's jump to somewhere near the end of their stay here…
Duo: *coughs* Firstly- everyone, here is the great part about contacting Lady Lye- she actually listens to you. Show'em, babe.
Lady: *eyes shine* YEEEEEEES… Via the WONDERFUL MIRACLE that is Instant Messaging, Pagemaster suggested a song to help me bridge the gap here!! THANK YOU, PAGEMASTER-CHAN!! *hugs and hands Pagemaster a prize of her choice of La Femmes plushie* See? Contacting me is NOT a waste of time and I will NOT turn you down. The more real reader feedback I get, the happier I am.
Duo: You mean the bigger your ego is.
Lady: :p You kidding me? I get the most honest constructive criticism from people I IM cuz they get to know me! So don't be afraid- speak up!!
Duo: ^_^ It's ok to harass her into writing more, too…
Lady: BAKA! *bops him on the head* ^^; No threats, please… They aren't nearly as effective… Right, songfic time! Whoo hoo! ^_^ Ja ne, minna-chan! Wave to the people, Duo!
Duo: *waves feebly as the scene cuts*
_________________________________
(AN: The song is "Complicated" by Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Yes, I'm keeping track of all the music I use for a Femme-y soundtrack that will be posted on my website upon completion, along, hopefully, with lyrics and places to find it and stuff. So, here's a disclaimer- it ain't mine. It's from Quattie's POV, which might sound strange, but I like the gentle tone of it, and for those who don't know- Quatre's voice in the original Japanese is played by a woman. So it's really not that weird. :p)
I'm so scared that
The way that I feel
Is written all over my face
When you walk into the room
I wanna find a hiding place
*Quatre is speaking with Rashid while waiting for his breakfast to be served when Estelle walks in, cheerful as always, and plops herself into a seat, pleasantly inquiring after Rashid and the other Maguanacs. The conversation falls on Quatre's dead ears as he finds himself staring at her. He shakes himself out of it before either can notice and casually butters his toast.*
We used to laugh
We used to hug
The way that old friends do
But now a smile and
A touch of your hand
Just make me come unglued
*Estelle and Quatre are walking through the shopping district, several Maguanac attendants in the vicinity to keep an eye on them. She talks and Quatre listens= or tries to- he keeps getting distracted. She is pushed into him by a fellow pedestrian and apologizes, continuing as though nothing has happened, but Quatre is lost to the world; disjointed.*
It's such a contradiction
Do I lie or tell the truth?
Is it fact or fiction
The way I feel for you?
*Quatre watches Estelle from the doorway as she works at her laptop, bent over in concentration.*
It's so complicated
I'm so frustrated
I wanna hold you close
I wanna push you away
I wanna make you go
I wanna make you stay
Should I say it
Should I tell you
How I feel?
Oh, I want you to know
But then again I don't
It's so complicated.
*Quatre holds open a door for her, hurries ahead to open the door of the limo, brings her tea on another night where she is working and planning her next attack. She smiles up at him gratefully and accepts, thanking him, but there is nothing more.*
Just when I think
I'm under control
I think I finally got a grip
Another friend tells me that
My name is always
On your lips
*Rashid and Quatre are going over a new upgrade for the Maguanacs, when Rashid looks to Quatre seriously and asks him if Quatre's favorite cookie really is peanut butter. Quatre blinks in surprise and stammers a yes- how did he know? Why, Estelle told him.*
They say I'm more
Than just a friend
They say I must be blind
Well I admit that
I've seen you watch me
From the corner of your eye
*Quatre has fallen asleep at his desk, contracts and legal documents spread about him for a pillow. Estelle peers in, smiles fondly, and returns a moment later with a blanket and pillow, tucking him into his chair. She smooths his hair back, smiling, but turns away before she can see the sweet smile coming to the sleeping boy's lips.*
Oh it's so confusing
I wish you'd just confess
But think of what I'd be losing
If your answer wasn't yes
* "Master Quatre, why don't you say something to your lady friend?" Abdul of the Maguanac corp shot Quatre a knowing look.
"Wh-what?" Quatre stared at him, wide-eyed.
"We can all see the way you look at each other," Mohammad confirmed. "Go for it!"
Quatre was silent, staring at the window. Rashid came in to berate the errant two for leaving their chores, but Quatre heard none of it, staring into space and murmuring, "I couldn't do that… what if… No, I just… can't…"*
It's so complicated
I'm so frustrated
I wanna hold you close
I wanna push you away
I wanna make you go
I wanna make you stay
Should I say it
Should I tell you
How I feel?
Oh, I want you to know
But then again I don't
It's so complicated.
*Estelle gets to a closed door first, and opens it before Quatre can for her, continuing as she was, completely missing his barely visible disappointment. She also takes a chair for herself rather than giving him the chance to pull it ot for her and blocks all other niceties he might have the small pleasure of doing for her. She isn't doing it on purpose… she just… doesn't know.*
I hate it 'cause
I've waited so long
For someone like you
Should I say it
Should I tell you
How I feel?
Oh I want you to know
But then again I don't
It's so complicated
_________________________________
Concluding chapter to be posted 11/6...Stay tuned, minna-chan!!!
Love it? Hate it? Lemme know!
-Lady
