Disclaimer: It would be nice if I owned Gundam Wing. I don't. So don't
complain, sue, etc.
Quatre stared thoughtfully out the window of his room, taking in the darkness of the night as he pieced his thoughts together. What he had just heard from Dorothy had deeply disturbed him, enough that he now worried that she might be in danger. Something did not seem right about the whole thing. He trusted his instincts, especially after his contact with the ZERO System. He felt wrong now, and was confused as to why. He paused a moment before exiting the room to join the others at the kitchen table for Dorothy's meal.
The meal was simple, while at the same time elegant. It consisted of small pieces of duck, cut into fine strips and glazed with a sauce, what kind he did not know. It came with a small salad with a homemade dressing that smelled slightly of vinegar and pepper. To drink there was carbonated water in small elegant glasses that Quatre did not know he had.
Trowa looked up as he came in. "Care to join us for dinner? We're waiting only for you, and that out of politeness."
Wu-fei nodded his agreement. "We were very close to starting without you. It looks delicious."
Dorothy blushed slightly at this, but did not turn her head. Instead she watched Quatre, probing his face with her eyes, looking for any sign of disturbance. Satisfied when she found none visible, she pulled his chair out and offered him his place to sit. When he was seated, she took her place next to him and waited for everyone else to take a bite before she did. Her head was bowed slightly, concealing her face. She was hiding her fear that this offer would be rejected and she would be living in the streets again, on the run again. When she heard no action, she looked up and found that all the men were watching her, waiting for her to take a bite first.
"Why are you waiting for me to eat first?" She was genuinely confused.
"Why are you waiting?" Quatre countered. "We are generally very acceptable of old-fashioned traditions. One of those is that the lady is always first." The others nodded their agreement.
She smiled her feminine smile again. "Where I was raised the woman was considered inferior. We had to wait for the men to do everything and we got whatever was leftover. Sometimes we went hungry for days at a time. But you know that already, Quatre."
Trowa turned and looked at Quatre. "Care to elaborate? Sounds like you've spent some time with Dorothy, alone." He raised his visible eyebrow, seeming to make a sick joke. Dorothy didn't catch it, but Quatre did and had nothing to say to counter it. He just gaped a second before turning a deep red and beginning his meal. The silence was only broken by the clink of utensils on glass plates as the four of them enjoyed their meal. When they were finished, Dorothy quickly stood to gather the dishes. Quatre gently touched her shoulder, stopping her from rising out of her seat.
She glanced sideways at him briefly, catching his eye. "You cooked. I'll clean. While I do this feel free to do whatever. If you want, Trowa and Wu-fei can show you around."
"But what if I want to help? Will you hold that against me?"
Trowa began to snicker quietly. Wu-fei glanced at him and Trowa motioned him out of the room. When they were gone, Quatre stood up and began to gather the dishes. Dorothy took the napkins and other garbage from the table to the trash can. When she opened the garbage, she glanced at the door, looking for a lock. When she found it, she glanced out to see if the other two were still around. Not seeing them, she quietly closed the door and locked it. Quatre, however, had good ears and turned to see what she was doing.
"When I told you my life story this afternoon," she began, "I left out something I find to be very important. For me at least."
Quatre only glanced at her quizzically.
"For me, love has come difficult. It seems whenever I become close to someone, they wind up dead. It saddens me and eventually, I learned not to love. But one day, I fought someone who changed something within me. He struck a chord in my heart, breaking the cage I had put myself in. It hurt me to discover he was truly my enemy." She was no longer looking at him, instead staring at the ceiling, remembering. "I hoped that of all the soldiers in the war, he would survive. Then he was part of the foolish attack on the space fortress and I feared the worst. After I escaped from the doomed war zone, I turned and watched its fascinating descent into oblivion. I cried, however."
Quatre slowly walked over to her. He gently touched her chin, getting her attention. "Cried?"
When she turned to face him, he saw two glistening lines along her cheeks. She was crying now, as well. "Yes, I cried. I was afraid the man that had changed my heart and taught me to love again had died in the fight. I swore then that I would love no man until I was sure he was either alive or dead. It has been several years now, and I have been looking for him ever since. And that's why the government wants me and I was living in the streets. I had hired a hacker to break into the government's computer. When he was caught, he turned me over for immunity."
"Who are you talking about? What kind of man deserves the sacrifices you made?" He was geniunely confused, and wanted to help in any way possible.
She normally porcelain skin flushed a bright red and she hid her face. She mumbled something but it couldn't be heard.
"If you don't tell me, I can't help you. Maybe I know him." He was starting to get slightly upset. Maybe her mood was beginning to rub off on him.
She looked up suddenly, the tears still slowly dripping from her eyes. "If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh." She gazed morosely at him.
He was again confused, but did not say anything about it. Slowly he answered. "Okay, I won't laugh. I'll do my best to, anyway. I am not one to guarantee anything, though."
She turned a bright red again and mumbled again. Seeing his look she took a deep breath before answering. "Quatre, it's you."
So much now rested on the way he responded. If he rejected her admission, she did not what she would do. However, if he accepted it, she would be one of the happiest young women in the world. But now she had to wait. The tension in the air was burning a hole in her heart.
Slowly he let out a breath of air. He had been holding it in for several seconds, listening to her story and her admission of love. He now wanted only some time to think. "Please, can I have some time to think things through? You've given me a lot to think about." He smiled at her, but there was something different in his grin now. It seemed friendlier, more welcoming. Her tears slowly dried up. She turned around to unlock the door and quickly slipped outside, going to her room. She glanced back at the kitchen once before disappearing behind the closing door. She was smiling, the fear now gone from her mind.
The kitchen seemed much emptier when there was no one to share it with. Quatre stared where Dorothy had been standing, thinking over everything she had just said. It surprised him that he had had such an impact on her. He didn't know how their minds had become so alike. The only time they had had mental contact was in space, fighting around the Space Fortress. They had been dueling with ZERO Systems during the fight, and they had instinctively known each other and the thoughts of the other. Perhaps then was when she had learned from his mind what it meant to be compassionate in battle, showing pity and mercy. Some things were strange. He began to laugh silently, knowing know what she said was true, not some ploy to get him to allow her to stay. He had to go talk to her.
"Quatre." Dorothy lay with her head buried in the guest room's pillows, crying again. He had not come yet to talk. She knew it was selfish to want him so bad, but she couldn't help herself. Had he turned her down? She picked her face up out of the pillow and glanced around. The lights were out and she could not see much except the crack in her door. She slowly got up, wobbling on unstable legs and slowly walked over to the door, pushing it to and flipping on the light switch. She blinked several times to clear the tears from her eyes and looked up. Quatre stood, eyes closed and leaning on her closet.
"You could've warned me." He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. Seeing the hurt and confusion in her face, he stood straight and walked slowly over to where she stood. He opened his arms. "Come here."
She was confused before leaning in to his arms, feeling his warmth as he folded his arms around her in a comforting embrace. She began to sob quietly, feeling the hidden strength of his arms. She could only ask one question. "Why?"
He looked at her, momentarily leaning back before letting her rest her surprisingly little weight on him again. "I've never told anyone about this, but I've always had a sort of respect for you. Respect, and something more. I never told anyone because I was afraid that people would laugh at me."
She looked at him, her eyes more comfortable now. They were also dry. "Laugh?"
"A lot of people have very biased opinions about you. They've never met you before, so their opinions are unfounded. Personally, I think you're a very nice, charming, and beautiful person." He smiled at her gently. She readjusted herself more comfortably. She curled up, sitting in his lap and listening to him talk. She found his voice very melodious, very soothing. Soon she was drifting to sleep. When Quatre finally noticed she was asleep, he picked her up and placed her gently on the bed and paused a moment. He gently pulled the blanket up and placed it under her chin. He then slowly leaning down, kissing her gently on the cheek. In her sleep, she sighed happily. He turned and walked out the room, pausing only to say, "Goodnight, Dorothy, my love."
Author's Corner
I have hit a dilemma with the writing of this fic. Maybe you, the readers can help me out of it. You see, the problem is that I don't know if I should continue writing or not. If you leave a review, please also leave your opinion on whether I should continue or just stop where I am. Thank you for your time.
Colonel Tobias Tndarion, retired
Quatre stared thoughtfully out the window of his room, taking in the darkness of the night as he pieced his thoughts together. What he had just heard from Dorothy had deeply disturbed him, enough that he now worried that she might be in danger. Something did not seem right about the whole thing. He trusted his instincts, especially after his contact with the ZERO System. He felt wrong now, and was confused as to why. He paused a moment before exiting the room to join the others at the kitchen table for Dorothy's meal.
The meal was simple, while at the same time elegant. It consisted of small pieces of duck, cut into fine strips and glazed with a sauce, what kind he did not know. It came with a small salad with a homemade dressing that smelled slightly of vinegar and pepper. To drink there was carbonated water in small elegant glasses that Quatre did not know he had.
Trowa looked up as he came in. "Care to join us for dinner? We're waiting only for you, and that out of politeness."
Wu-fei nodded his agreement. "We were very close to starting without you. It looks delicious."
Dorothy blushed slightly at this, but did not turn her head. Instead she watched Quatre, probing his face with her eyes, looking for any sign of disturbance. Satisfied when she found none visible, she pulled his chair out and offered him his place to sit. When he was seated, she took her place next to him and waited for everyone else to take a bite before she did. Her head was bowed slightly, concealing her face. She was hiding her fear that this offer would be rejected and she would be living in the streets again, on the run again. When she heard no action, she looked up and found that all the men were watching her, waiting for her to take a bite first.
"Why are you waiting for me to eat first?" She was genuinely confused.
"Why are you waiting?" Quatre countered. "We are generally very acceptable of old-fashioned traditions. One of those is that the lady is always first." The others nodded their agreement.
She smiled her feminine smile again. "Where I was raised the woman was considered inferior. We had to wait for the men to do everything and we got whatever was leftover. Sometimes we went hungry for days at a time. But you know that already, Quatre."
Trowa turned and looked at Quatre. "Care to elaborate? Sounds like you've spent some time with Dorothy, alone." He raised his visible eyebrow, seeming to make a sick joke. Dorothy didn't catch it, but Quatre did and had nothing to say to counter it. He just gaped a second before turning a deep red and beginning his meal. The silence was only broken by the clink of utensils on glass plates as the four of them enjoyed their meal. When they were finished, Dorothy quickly stood to gather the dishes. Quatre gently touched her shoulder, stopping her from rising out of her seat.
She glanced sideways at him briefly, catching his eye. "You cooked. I'll clean. While I do this feel free to do whatever. If you want, Trowa and Wu-fei can show you around."
"But what if I want to help? Will you hold that against me?"
Trowa began to snicker quietly. Wu-fei glanced at him and Trowa motioned him out of the room. When they were gone, Quatre stood up and began to gather the dishes. Dorothy took the napkins and other garbage from the table to the trash can. When she opened the garbage, she glanced at the door, looking for a lock. When she found it, she glanced out to see if the other two were still around. Not seeing them, she quietly closed the door and locked it. Quatre, however, had good ears and turned to see what she was doing.
"When I told you my life story this afternoon," she began, "I left out something I find to be very important. For me at least."
Quatre only glanced at her quizzically.
"For me, love has come difficult. It seems whenever I become close to someone, they wind up dead. It saddens me and eventually, I learned not to love. But one day, I fought someone who changed something within me. He struck a chord in my heart, breaking the cage I had put myself in. It hurt me to discover he was truly my enemy." She was no longer looking at him, instead staring at the ceiling, remembering. "I hoped that of all the soldiers in the war, he would survive. Then he was part of the foolish attack on the space fortress and I feared the worst. After I escaped from the doomed war zone, I turned and watched its fascinating descent into oblivion. I cried, however."
Quatre slowly walked over to her. He gently touched her chin, getting her attention. "Cried?"
When she turned to face him, he saw two glistening lines along her cheeks. She was crying now, as well. "Yes, I cried. I was afraid the man that had changed my heart and taught me to love again had died in the fight. I swore then that I would love no man until I was sure he was either alive or dead. It has been several years now, and I have been looking for him ever since. And that's why the government wants me and I was living in the streets. I had hired a hacker to break into the government's computer. When he was caught, he turned me over for immunity."
"Who are you talking about? What kind of man deserves the sacrifices you made?" He was geniunely confused, and wanted to help in any way possible.
She normally porcelain skin flushed a bright red and she hid her face. She mumbled something but it couldn't be heard.
"If you don't tell me, I can't help you. Maybe I know him." He was starting to get slightly upset. Maybe her mood was beginning to rub off on him.
She looked up suddenly, the tears still slowly dripping from her eyes. "If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh." She gazed morosely at him.
He was again confused, but did not say anything about it. Slowly he answered. "Okay, I won't laugh. I'll do my best to, anyway. I am not one to guarantee anything, though."
She turned a bright red again and mumbled again. Seeing his look she took a deep breath before answering. "Quatre, it's you."
So much now rested on the way he responded. If he rejected her admission, she did not what she would do. However, if he accepted it, she would be one of the happiest young women in the world. But now she had to wait. The tension in the air was burning a hole in her heart.
Slowly he let out a breath of air. He had been holding it in for several seconds, listening to her story and her admission of love. He now wanted only some time to think. "Please, can I have some time to think things through? You've given me a lot to think about." He smiled at her, but there was something different in his grin now. It seemed friendlier, more welcoming. Her tears slowly dried up. She turned around to unlock the door and quickly slipped outside, going to her room. She glanced back at the kitchen once before disappearing behind the closing door. She was smiling, the fear now gone from her mind.
The kitchen seemed much emptier when there was no one to share it with. Quatre stared where Dorothy had been standing, thinking over everything she had just said. It surprised him that he had had such an impact on her. He didn't know how their minds had become so alike. The only time they had had mental contact was in space, fighting around the Space Fortress. They had been dueling with ZERO Systems during the fight, and they had instinctively known each other and the thoughts of the other. Perhaps then was when she had learned from his mind what it meant to be compassionate in battle, showing pity and mercy. Some things were strange. He began to laugh silently, knowing know what she said was true, not some ploy to get him to allow her to stay. He had to go talk to her.
"Quatre." Dorothy lay with her head buried in the guest room's pillows, crying again. He had not come yet to talk. She knew it was selfish to want him so bad, but she couldn't help herself. Had he turned her down? She picked her face up out of the pillow and glanced around. The lights were out and she could not see much except the crack in her door. She slowly got up, wobbling on unstable legs and slowly walked over to the door, pushing it to and flipping on the light switch. She blinked several times to clear the tears from her eyes and looked up. Quatre stood, eyes closed and leaning on her closet.
"You could've warned me." He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. Seeing the hurt and confusion in her face, he stood straight and walked slowly over to where she stood. He opened his arms. "Come here."
She was confused before leaning in to his arms, feeling his warmth as he folded his arms around her in a comforting embrace. She began to sob quietly, feeling the hidden strength of his arms. She could only ask one question. "Why?"
He looked at her, momentarily leaning back before letting her rest her surprisingly little weight on him again. "I've never told anyone about this, but I've always had a sort of respect for you. Respect, and something more. I never told anyone because I was afraid that people would laugh at me."
She looked at him, her eyes more comfortable now. They were also dry. "Laugh?"
"A lot of people have very biased opinions about you. They've never met you before, so their opinions are unfounded. Personally, I think you're a very nice, charming, and beautiful person." He smiled at her gently. She readjusted herself more comfortably. She curled up, sitting in his lap and listening to him talk. She found his voice very melodious, very soothing. Soon she was drifting to sleep. When Quatre finally noticed she was asleep, he picked her up and placed her gently on the bed and paused a moment. He gently pulled the blanket up and placed it under her chin. He then slowly leaning down, kissing her gently on the cheek. In her sleep, she sighed happily. He turned and walked out the room, pausing only to say, "Goodnight, Dorothy, my love."
Author's Corner
I have hit a dilemma with the writing of this fic. Maybe you, the readers can help me out of it. You see, the problem is that I don't know if I should continue writing or not. If you leave a review, please also leave your opinion on whether I should continue or just stop where I am. Thank you for your time.
Colonel Tobias Tndarion, retired