Woohoo, I'm finally updating! Thanks to everyone who read/reviewed the last chapter. Chapter ten was one of the hardest to write, let me tell you. I had to make their reunion believable, emotional, and all that other stuff. I couldn't very well rush through it and make it sound all horrible, could I? Well, I could have, but what fun is that? I ended up rewriting the end of this chapter a good four times, so hopefully you'll like it.
My Matchbox 20 concert last week was really awesome. Best concert I've ever been to, and I've been to a nice handful of concerts. Speaking of awesome, is anyone else reading the fifth HP book? I was thoroughly blown away by the ending! The death really depressed me... I don't want to wait another three years for the next book, wah! Ok, anyway, I'll shut up now. Read on and enjoy!
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"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--" Quatre spun on his heel and hurried off. He knew he shouldn't have gone over there! He should have just turned back around and told the guys he wasn't feeling well, or that he needed to head to the office, or--
"Wait."
It wasn't a command, or a plea. The word was neutral, and it was enough to halt Quatre's stride. He took a couple of deep breaths before turning and walking back over.
When he stood next to her once again, he couldn't quite make himself speak. He was relieved when she wordlessly offered him a seat by gesturing to the grass beside her. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who was nervous, and he was all the more happy for it.
Now that he was seated, she still didn't talk, and neither did he. They just sat there in silence, avoiding each other's gazes.
Usagi couldn't quite believe that he was in front of her. When she had opened her eyes and saw Quatre, of all people in this world, she could have sworn that her heart stopped then and there. She never expected to see him again; she hadn't wanted to see him again. Hell, who was she kidding? She was so ecstatic right now that she could have cried!
But she still didn't know what to say, and the fact that he was sitting next to her, within arm's reach to where she could actually touch him with her hands, well... It didn't do much for her already jumbled nerves.
Giving him a sidelong glance, she could see that he was nervously playing with the hem of his pants. He was staring at the grass in front of him, not daring to look up.
Oh, this was ridiculous! They hadn't seen each other in six months, and neither one of them were saying anything. Looks like she would be the one to break the ice between them.
"How have you been?"
The soft words startled Quatre, making him jump. He glanced over at Usagi and instantly regretted it. Her eyes were dark, darker than he remembered them, like they were clouded with something. What, he didn't quite know. But he did recognize a hint of shock, and he could feel the waves of nervousness radiating off of her. There was something else there, but he couldn't quite make it out...
Focusing all of his empathic energy on her, he completely forgot to answer Usagi's question. She stared at him quizzically, awaiting a reply. His eyes were focused on her, but somehow she felt like he were looking straight through her. It was unnerving, to say the least. "Quatre?" Still no answer. "Quatre?" she tried again, gently touching his arm.
At the contact of skin, he blinked and jerked his arm away at lightning speed.
"I'm sorry," Usagi muttered quickly, hurt at the recoil. Obviously he didn't want to talk. He probably felt obligated to come and say hello when he had seen her sitting there. He didn't want to sit down and catch up with her. She couldn't blame him.
Actually, she could. And she did! This entire situation was his fault. He was the one that left without so much as a goodbye, so why was she apologizing to him? Hell, why was she even talking to him?!? "So, you never answered my question," she spoke up again, although there was a coldness now in her tone.
"Question? Oh," Quatre's cheeks flushed slightly. "I've been good. Mostly working." And working now, he wanted to tell her. She was the person who was possibly after Miss Relena? He knew quite rightly that she wasn't. Didn't know how he knew, but he did. So that settled that little dilemma. Now for the one facing him... "So what about yourself?"
"Me? I've also been working most days."
"Where do you work?" he asked curiously.
"I bartend at a place downtown."
The answer astonished Quatre. She worked at a bar? Out of any of the occupations she could have held, he never would have guessed bartender to be her profession of choice. "But I thought you didn't drink," he said uncertainly, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Isn't that was she had said?
"I don't," Usagi answered, mystified that he had remembered that little detail.
Shrugging it aside, she continued. "I like the atmosphere. Meet all kinds of interesting people." Usually, she added silently.
Quatre nodded absently. She was different from what he remembered. He never would have pictured her working in a bar. Did he do that to her? No, maybe she really did like it there. Hell, maybe she had been working there when he met her. But somehow he had the distinct feeling that she hadn't. So what changed? He wanted to ask but was pretty sure he wouldn't get an answer. And if he did get one, it probably wouldn't be pleasant.
Usagi watched him, not letting any detail slip past her. From the way his eyes glossed over just briefly at her answer, the way he ever so slightly chewed on his bottom lip, hands clenching for the shortest of seconds before relaxing again... and all of these seemingly insignificant gestures confused her to no end. Why was he so interested, concerned even, with her answer? He should care. And he didn't, she argued with herself. He didn't care, not a bit. And that thought started to annoy her even more than she had been to begin with.
Trying to steer the conversation back on level ground, Quatre asked casually, "So, how is life treating you?"
"Oh, wonderful, just plain ducky," Usagi bit back sarcastically. Honestly, did he have no shame? He royally mucked up her life and then had the nerve to ask her how she was doing? "I usually thoroughly enjoy being thrown for a loop and having all things known to me turn upside down and stay that way, all because of a one-night stand!" She finished this in a shout, jumping to her feet.
"Now wait a minute," Quatre growled, now standing to face her. "I don't know what you're insinuating, but you had better choose your words carefully."
"Oh, I think the words I chose are perfectly suited for the situation," Usagi shot back venomously, hands balling into fists. She could feel all the suppressed hurt and anger now boiling, coursing through her veins and flooding her head with memories, and she didn't like it one bit. But she was determined to have her say. "Of course you don't like my wording, because it shows just how careless and cruel you are!"
"I believe you've got it the other way around there!" Quatre's voice rose dangerously high as he tried desperately to keep his anger in check. "I wasn't the only one there that night. If I recall, you were also present."
"Oh, so you're blaming this on me!" Usagi was fuming now. He was right; she had been there. She had been there, and she was witness to just how he played his games. All sweet and vulnerable one minute, and cold and callous the next. She was better off without him. "I'm not going to stand here and listen to this."
"Neither am I!" Turning on his heel, Quatre began to stalk off.
"I'm glad you never called me," Usagi said loudly to his retreating form.
"It's hard to call someone without a phone number," Quatre threw over his shoulder as he kept walking.
"But... I left my number."
The words were spoken so softly that Quatre wasn't sure he had heard them. But they froze him in midstep, his entire body suddenly heavy with the weight of confusion. "What?"
"My number. You had it."
Whirling around suddenly, Quatre accused, "You never left it. I didn't have your number." He didn't know why he was getting so angry all of a sudden. It was just easier to be angry than to try and figure out what exactly was going on.
"I did so leave it! On the nightstand right by the bed," Usagi answered in a huff.
"When I came back, I didn't see any number. I checked through the notepad and didn't see it." He had even gone back that night on the plane, checking and rechecking just in case he had looked over it, but he hadn't.
"I didn't write it on the notepad. I pulled off a sheet of paper and..." As she said this, a thought flitted across her brain as tiny alarms started going off. No, it couldn't have. It was him. He... But it did make sense... And he didn't seem like the type to... "Oh, no," she whispered, hand covering her mouth.
"What? What is it?" He was by her side in a minute, gazing at the shocked blonde worriedly. He was still confused.
"The paper. It must have... fallen off the table somehow," she spoke up, voice barely above a whisper. She could hardly breathe. Now that she thought about it, it was the most plausible thing that could have happened. She honestly believed that he had every intention of calling her, and he did. But, like he said, it had been difficult without the number.
Quatre opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He knew it was true. He could feel it, both through his empathic waves from her and deep in his own heart. How did things get so messed up so fast? He glanced over at Usagi, who looked both relieved and miserable at the same time. It wasn't her fault. It was neither of their faults. "I'm sorry," he apologized, raising a hand to her shoulder briefly.
Meeting his gaze, Usagi answered quietly, 'Me too." She gave a hollow laugh. "Looks like both of us decided to think the worst instead of looking for a good explanation."
That's what he got for never trusting people. Half a year's worth of misery. Granted, he had been too busy with the guys and Relena to come back and search for her, but he could have made some sort of effort. Oh well, no use dwelling in the past now. They had cleared everything up, and that was what mattered.
But where do they go from here? He knew what he wanted, and he wanted her. But it had been six months, six long months of self-doubt and bitterness on both sides that would take a while to wade through. Would they be able to do it? Would she even want to?
A wave of nervousness swelled over Quatre as he said quietly, "I missed you."
Usagi looked startled at the words, mostly because they were echoing her own thoughts. Kami, how she had missed him. She had never spent so little time with a person and become so attached. There was just something about him that made her want to stay with him forever. She could sense a lost innocence, like that of a child having to grow up way too soon. There was pain and bitterness, both at the world and himself. The strongest emotion she sensed was this distance that he had created from himself and the world, like he was afraid to live in it. She knew how that felt. It was almost like looking at a male version of herself; the emotions were mirrored in her own soul.
And she knew how much it hurt, how horrible it was to be in the world and yet be so detached, both from everything and everyone. She had been that way for too long, and so had he.
"I missed you, too," she croaked out, flinging herself into his arms and sobbing into his shoulder.
Pulling her more tightly into the embrace, Quatre rested his chin gently on the top of her head.
They stood there in each other's arms, weeping silently under the shade of the cherry blossom tree.
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And they reunite! I hope it was believable, emotional, and all that other stuff? I tried, I really did. I haven't started the next chapter yet, because I'm sorting options in my head on where this fic should be going. But I will start writing it this week, I promise. It may be towards the end of the week, though, since this is my last week of summer school, and I'm going to be a busy little bee with all of my work. But after that, I'll have copious amounts of free time (in-between work) to write!
Please review! Reviews mean the world to me. And I need one more to hit 200! Someone push the number over the edge, please! I love you guys, I honestly do.
My Matchbox 20 concert last week was really awesome. Best concert I've ever been to, and I've been to a nice handful of concerts. Speaking of awesome, is anyone else reading the fifth HP book? I was thoroughly blown away by the ending! The death really depressed me... I don't want to wait another three years for the next book, wah! Ok, anyway, I'll shut up now. Read on and enjoy!
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"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--" Quatre spun on his heel and hurried off. He knew he shouldn't have gone over there! He should have just turned back around and told the guys he wasn't feeling well, or that he needed to head to the office, or--
"Wait."
It wasn't a command, or a plea. The word was neutral, and it was enough to halt Quatre's stride. He took a couple of deep breaths before turning and walking back over.
When he stood next to her once again, he couldn't quite make himself speak. He was relieved when she wordlessly offered him a seat by gesturing to the grass beside her. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who was nervous, and he was all the more happy for it.
Now that he was seated, she still didn't talk, and neither did he. They just sat there in silence, avoiding each other's gazes.
Usagi couldn't quite believe that he was in front of her. When she had opened her eyes and saw Quatre, of all people in this world, she could have sworn that her heart stopped then and there. She never expected to see him again; she hadn't wanted to see him again. Hell, who was she kidding? She was so ecstatic right now that she could have cried!
But she still didn't know what to say, and the fact that he was sitting next to her, within arm's reach to where she could actually touch him with her hands, well... It didn't do much for her already jumbled nerves.
Giving him a sidelong glance, she could see that he was nervously playing with the hem of his pants. He was staring at the grass in front of him, not daring to look up.
Oh, this was ridiculous! They hadn't seen each other in six months, and neither one of them were saying anything. Looks like she would be the one to break the ice between them.
"How have you been?"
The soft words startled Quatre, making him jump. He glanced over at Usagi and instantly regretted it. Her eyes were dark, darker than he remembered them, like they were clouded with something. What, he didn't quite know. But he did recognize a hint of shock, and he could feel the waves of nervousness radiating off of her. There was something else there, but he couldn't quite make it out...
Focusing all of his empathic energy on her, he completely forgot to answer Usagi's question. She stared at him quizzically, awaiting a reply. His eyes were focused on her, but somehow she felt like he were looking straight through her. It was unnerving, to say the least. "Quatre?" Still no answer. "Quatre?" she tried again, gently touching his arm.
At the contact of skin, he blinked and jerked his arm away at lightning speed.
"I'm sorry," Usagi muttered quickly, hurt at the recoil. Obviously he didn't want to talk. He probably felt obligated to come and say hello when he had seen her sitting there. He didn't want to sit down and catch up with her. She couldn't blame him.
Actually, she could. And she did! This entire situation was his fault. He was the one that left without so much as a goodbye, so why was she apologizing to him? Hell, why was she even talking to him?!? "So, you never answered my question," she spoke up again, although there was a coldness now in her tone.
"Question? Oh," Quatre's cheeks flushed slightly. "I've been good. Mostly working." And working now, he wanted to tell her. She was the person who was possibly after Miss Relena? He knew quite rightly that she wasn't. Didn't know how he knew, but he did. So that settled that little dilemma. Now for the one facing him... "So what about yourself?"
"Me? I've also been working most days."
"Where do you work?" he asked curiously.
"I bartend at a place downtown."
The answer astonished Quatre. She worked at a bar? Out of any of the occupations she could have held, he never would have guessed bartender to be her profession of choice. "But I thought you didn't drink," he said uncertainly, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Isn't that was she had said?
"I don't," Usagi answered, mystified that he had remembered that little detail.
Shrugging it aside, she continued. "I like the atmosphere. Meet all kinds of interesting people." Usually, she added silently.
Quatre nodded absently. She was different from what he remembered. He never would have pictured her working in a bar. Did he do that to her? No, maybe she really did like it there. Hell, maybe she had been working there when he met her. But somehow he had the distinct feeling that she hadn't. So what changed? He wanted to ask but was pretty sure he wouldn't get an answer. And if he did get one, it probably wouldn't be pleasant.
Usagi watched him, not letting any detail slip past her. From the way his eyes glossed over just briefly at her answer, the way he ever so slightly chewed on his bottom lip, hands clenching for the shortest of seconds before relaxing again... and all of these seemingly insignificant gestures confused her to no end. Why was he so interested, concerned even, with her answer? He should care. And he didn't, she argued with herself. He didn't care, not a bit. And that thought started to annoy her even more than she had been to begin with.
Trying to steer the conversation back on level ground, Quatre asked casually, "So, how is life treating you?"
"Oh, wonderful, just plain ducky," Usagi bit back sarcastically. Honestly, did he have no shame? He royally mucked up her life and then had the nerve to ask her how she was doing? "I usually thoroughly enjoy being thrown for a loop and having all things known to me turn upside down and stay that way, all because of a one-night stand!" She finished this in a shout, jumping to her feet.
"Now wait a minute," Quatre growled, now standing to face her. "I don't know what you're insinuating, but you had better choose your words carefully."
"Oh, I think the words I chose are perfectly suited for the situation," Usagi shot back venomously, hands balling into fists. She could feel all the suppressed hurt and anger now boiling, coursing through her veins and flooding her head with memories, and she didn't like it one bit. But she was determined to have her say. "Of course you don't like my wording, because it shows just how careless and cruel you are!"
"I believe you've got it the other way around there!" Quatre's voice rose dangerously high as he tried desperately to keep his anger in check. "I wasn't the only one there that night. If I recall, you were also present."
"Oh, so you're blaming this on me!" Usagi was fuming now. He was right; she had been there. She had been there, and she was witness to just how he played his games. All sweet and vulnerable one minute, and cold and callous the next. She was better off without him. "I'm not going to stand here and listen to this."
"Neither am I!" Turning on his heel, Quatre began to stalk off.
"I'm glad you never called me," Usagi said loudly to his retreating form.
"It's hard to call someone without a phone number," Quatre threw over his shoulder as he kept walking.
"But... I left my number."
The words were spoken so softly that Quatre wasn't sure he had heard them. But they froze him in midstep, his entire body suddenly heavy with the weight of confusion. "What?"
"My number. You had it."
Whirling around suddenly, Quatre accused, "You never left it. I didn't have your number." He didn't know why he was getting so angry all of a sudden. It was just easier to be angry than to try and figure out what exactly was going on.
"I did so leave it! On the nightstand right by the bed," Usagi answered in a huff.
"When I came back, I didn't see any number. I checked through the notepad and didn't see it." He had even gone back that night on the plane, checking and rechecking just in case he had looked over it, but he hadn't.
"I didn't write it on the notepad. I pulled off a sheet of paper and..." As she said this, a thought flitted across her brain as tiny alarms started going off. No, it couldn't have. It was him. He... But it did make sense... And he didn't seem like the type to... "Oh, no," she whispered, hand covering her mouth.
"What? What is it?" He was by her side in a minute, gazing at the shocked blonde worriedly. He was still confused.
"The paper. It must have... fallen off the table somehow," she spoke up, voice barely above a whisper. She could hardly breathe. Now that she thought about it, it was the most plausible thing that could have happened. She honestly believed that he had every intention of calling her, and he did. But, like he said, it had been difficult without the number.
Quatre opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He knew it was true. He could feel it, both through his empathic waves from her and deep in his own heart. How did things get so messed up so fast? He glanced over at Usagi, who looked both relieved and miserable at the same time. It wasn't her fault. It was neither of their faults. "I'm sorry," he apologized, raising a hand to her shoulder briefly.
Meeting his gaze, Usagi answered quietly, 'Me too." She gave a hollow laugh. "Looks like both of us decided to think the worst instead of looking for a good explanation."
That's what he got for never trusting people. Half a year's worth of misery. Granted, he had been too busy with the guys and Relena to come back and search for her, but he could have made some sort of effort. Oh well, no use dwelling in the past now. They had cleared everything up, and that was what mattered.
But where do they go from here? He knew what he wanted, and he wanted her. But it had been six months, six long months of self-doubt and bitterness on both sides that would take a while to wade through. Would they be able to do it? Would she even want to?
A wave of nervousness swelled over Quatre as he said quietly, "I missed you."
Usagi looked startled at the words, mostly because they were echoing her own thoughts. Kami, how she had missed him. She had never spent so little time with a person and become so attached. There was just something about him that made her want to stay with him forever. She could sense a lost innocence, like that of a child having to grow up way too soon. There was pain and bitterness, both at the world and himself. The strongest emotion she sensed was this distance that he had created from himself and the world, like he was afraid to live in it. She knew how that felt. It was almost like looking at a male version of herself; the emotions were mirrored in her own soul.
And she knew how much it hurt, how horrible it was to be in the world and yet be so detached, both from everything and everyone. She had been that way for too long, and so had he.
"I missed you, too," she croaked out, flinging herself into his arms and sobbing into his shoulder.
Pulling her more tightly into the embrace, Quatre rested his chin gently on the top of her head.
They stood there in each other's arms, weeping silently under the shade of the cherry blossom tree.
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.
.
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.
.
.
.
And they reunite! I hope it was believable, emotional, and all that other stuff? I tried, I really did. I haven't started the next chapter yet, because I'm sorting options in my head on where this fic should be going. But I will start writing it this week, I promise. It may be towards the end of the week, though, since this is my last week of summer school, and I'm going to be a busy little bee with all of my work. But after that, I'll have copious amounts of free time (in-between work) to write!
Please review! Reviews mean the world to me. And I need one more to hit 200! Someone push the number over the edge, please! I love you guys, I honestly do.