Gundam Wing
Falling Raindrops
Chapter 2
Trowa reached into the lion's cage and stroked its mane, softly.
"Ummm, Trowa?"
He turned around to see Kana standing there, her hands behind her back. His heartbeat began to quicken.
"What is it? You should be in the tent, practicing. The show will be on in a couple of hours."
"Catherine gave me a break for a few minutes. Listen, I wanted to tell you something."
The beat was growing faster, and his face felt hot.
"What do you want to tell me?" He was hoping for a certain answer. The one that would unbind the tension within him. Trowa looked at Kana, hopeful of that answer.
"About, about the way you took care of me a couple of nights ago, I just wanted to say."
This was the moment that Trowa had hoped for.
".thank you."
Not the answer he wanted to hear.
"Huh?" was the only reaction he managed to say.
"Thank you. No one's ever been that kind to me before. I just wanted to show my appreciation of all that you've done for me."
He looked down, disappointed. With a heavy sigh, he said, "You're welcome."
She smiled and walked towards him. She placed her hand gently on his shoulder, and planted a soft kiss on his left cheek.
His eyes widened as Kana walked away. He held his hand up to his cheek, unable to believe what she just did.
"I'll see you inside, okay?"
"Yeah."
She walked inside the tent, leaving him standing there, speechless.
Inside, everyone had gone out for a few minutes, and Kana had gone to her room to change. In the middle of the arena, a mysterious man in black climbs up the ladder leading to the tightrope. With a pair of steel clippers, he cuts part of the wire so that no one would know it had been partially severed, not even the one who was performing.
~*~*~*~
"And now!" the Ringmaster announced, "Our newest performer, Kana! The Tightrope Walker!"
The roar of the crowd grew as Kana, in her tight, aqua blue gymnast-style outfit climbed up to the platform. When she got there, she looked down at the crowd, then to the curtain hiding the back room, where Trowa as the clown, and Catherine as the knife-thrower watched, waiting for their turn to go out.
Trowa was still red from his encounter with her just a few hours ago. Unknown to him, a friend of his was in the stands, watching. Catherine didn't notice this, but instead kept her eyes on Kana.
She placed one foot on the wire, and began walking. Then, Trowa noticed something wrong with the wire. It had become a little looser from before. No one else seemed to notice it. Not even Kana.
"Oh no," he said.
"Trowa, what's wrong?" Catherine asked.
Before he could answer, he dashed out of the back room and into the ring.
"Kana! Get off of the rope! It's going to snap!!"
She looked down at him, but it was too late. From where it had been cut, the wire snapped under the pressure of Kana, sending her falling from mid- air.
Trowa ran to a trampoline, which was nearby, and jumped on it, sending him hurling towards her. His friend stood up and watched this.
He grabbed Kana before she hit the ground, and landed safely a few meters away. The crowd clapped and cheered as Catherine and the Ringmaster came running towards them.
"Are you two all right?" Catherine asked, alarmed.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Trowa answered.
He still held a shaking Kana in his arms.
"Kana, are you all right?" he asked, concerned.
"Y.yeah. I'm fine.'
She tried to stand up, but stumbled. Catherine caught her in time. "Thanks, Catherine."
"Let's get you backstage so you can sit down."
They all went in back, and Catherine sat Kana down.
"Stay her until the end of the show, okay?"
"All right." Kana answered.
Trowa stood there for a while longer before both he and Catherine had to go out there and perform. But instead of the usual expressionless clown, his face showed concern. Not many people could see it, but his friend could.
As the speeding knives hit the backboard, Trowa couldn't do anything but think about Kana.
"I wonder if she's really fine like she says she is?"
The sound of applause snapped him out of his train of thought. He walked forward, unscathed, and took a bow along with Catherine. Then they both walked off stage.
Sitting there, gripping her shoulders, sat a shaking Kana. She appeared calm, but obviously didn't feel that way.
"Do you need anything?" Catherine asked after the show.
"No, I'm fine." She stood up. "I'm going outside for a bit." Kana walked out of the room in a hurry.
Trowa followed her. A few minutes later, Quatre appeared at the entrance to the back.
"Hey, Catherine!" he called. She walked out of the next door room.
"Oh, Quatre! How've you been?"
"Great. Have you seen Trowa anywhere?"
"Yeah, I think he's still behind the tent with Kana. Poor boy..."
"What?"
"He's been worrying over that girl so much lately. And now this. I afraid he's going to worry himself to death."
Quatre gave a nervous chuckle. He had never heard of Trowa worrying over a girl of all things.
"Thanks Catherine." He walked to the back.
Meanwhile, behind the circus tent, Kana was petting the lions, unaware that Trowa had even followed her.
"Uh, Kana?"
She turned around to look at him. Trowa was surprised by this. He saw her face, sad, and her eyes streaming tears down her pink cheeks.
She wiped her eyes to hide the tears. "Oh, i...it's you, Trowa." She stood up and walked to him.
His heart cried out to her, wanting to make her happy again.
"Thank you, Trowa. You saved me. I...I don't know what I would've done without you." She started to tremble. The tears she tried to hide before came streaming from her eyes once more. Kana cried.
Trowa held out his arms to her. She saw this, and willingly embraced him, the force pushing him back a bit.
She sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. He hugged her tightly, wanting to be even closer to her.
"I..."
Trowa looked down at the crying girl.
"I was so scared," Kana said, trying to control her sobbing, but to no avail.
He stroked her smooth black hair gently.
"It's all right," he said softly in her ear, "You're safe now."
Her crying gradually slowed down, to the point where there were only a few tears streaming down her face.
She rested her head on his warm chest and said, "I can hear your heartbeat."
Trowa blushed.
"K...Kana..."
She looked up at the young man holding her. Her cheeks were still pink, but she wasn't crying anymore. Instead, the expression on her face was calm, and her blue eyes were glossy.
He stared at her with his sharp, green eyes and drew closer to her. She didn't move away, or object to what he was doing. She just stood there, ready to feel his kiss.
He pressed his lips gently against hers, soft and tender. They stood there for what seemed like a long time. He slowly took his lips away from her.
Trowa unlocked his arms from around her and stood there, looking at the ground. Kana looked away from him, as if she were ashamed. Then she quickly started to walk away.
"Wait!" He grabbed her arm to make her stop. She stared at the ground, unable to look him in the eyes. "I...I wanted to say..."
Quatre came from inside the tent, only to witness the scene that would change Trowa's life forever.
"...I love you, Kana."
She just stood there, not moving, her arm still in Trowa's firm hand. Quatre hid behind some boxes, watching them.
"I.I need to think about it," was all she could say.
Trowa's eyes widened as she pulled her arm out of his grasp. And she walked away into the tent, silent, staring at the ground.
He stood there for a few minutes, trapped in that moment in time.
"Trowa," Quatre said, breaking the silence and revealing himself from behind the boxes.
"Quatre!" he said, shocked by the sudden appearance of his best friend.
"Are you okay?"
"Y.yeah. Fine. I'm just fine."
He looked at the ground, a sad expression on his face. Quatre put his hand on Trowa's shoulder.
"You know, there may be still a chance that you can win her over."
Trowa looked at him in amazement. "Quatre."
"Whatever you do, don't give up. She's your chance at true happiness."
Falling Raindrops
Chapter 2
Trowa reached into the lion's cage and stroked its mane, softly.
"Ummm, Trowa?"
He turned around to see Kana standing there, her hands behind her back. His heartbeat began to quicken.
"What is it? You should be in the tent, practicing. The show will be on in a couple of hours."
"Catherine gave me a break for a few minutes. Listen, I wanted to tell you something."
The beat was growing faster, and his face felt hot.
"What do you want to tell me?" He was hoping for a certain answer. The one that would unbind the tension within him. Trowa looked at Kana, hopeful of that answer.
"About, about the way you took care of me a couple of nights ago, I just wanted to say."
This was the moment that Trowa had hoped for.
".thank you."
Not the answer he wanted to hear.
"Huh?" was the only reaction he managed to say.
"Thank you. No one's ever been that kind to me before. I just wanted to show my appreciation of all that you've done for me."
He looked down, disappointed. With a heavy sigh, he said, "You're welcome."
She smiled and walked towards him. She placed her hand gently on his shoulder, and planted a soft kiss on his left cheek.
His eyes widened as Kana walked away. He held his hand up to his cheek, unable to believe what she just did.
"I'll see you inside, okay?"
"Yeah."
She walked inside the tent, leaving him standing there, speechless.
Inside, everyone had gone out for a few minutes, and Kana had gone to her room to change. In the middle of the arena, a mysterious man in black climbs up the ladder leading to the tightrope. With a pair of steel clippers, he cuts part of the wire so that no one would know it had been partially severed, not even the one who was performing.
~*~*~*~
"And now!" the Ringmaster announced, "Our newest performer, Kana! The Tightrope Walker!"
The roar of the crowd grew as Kana, in her tight, aqua blue gymnast-style outfit climbed up to the platform. When she got there, she looked down at the crowd, then to the curtain hiding the back room, where Trowa as the clown, and Catherine as the knife-thrower watched, waiting for their turn to go out.
Trowa was still red from his encounter with her just a few hours ago. Unknown to him, a friend of his was in the stands, watching. Catherine didn't notice this, but instead kept her eyes on Kana.
She placed one foot on the wire, and began walking. Then, Trowa noticed something wrong with the wire. It had become a little looser from before. No one else seemed to notice it. Not even Kana.
"Oh no," he said.
"Trowa, what's wrong?" Catherine asked.
Before he could answer, he dashed out of the back room and into the ring.
"Kana! Get off of the rope! It's going to snap!!"
She looked down at him, but it was too late. From where it had been cut, the wire snapped under the pressure of Kana, sending her falling from mid- air.
Trowa ran to a trampoline, which was nearby, and jumped on it, sending him hurling towards her. His friend stood up and watched this.
He grabbed Kana before she hit the ground, and landed safely a few meters away. The crowd clapped and cheered as Catherine and the Ringmaster came running towards them.
"Are you two all right?" Catherine asked, alarmed.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Trowa answered.
He still held a shaking Kana in his arms.
"Kana, are you all right?" he asked, concerned.
"Y.yeah. I'm fine.'
She tried to stand up, but stumbled. Catherine caught her in time. "Thanks, Catherine."
"Let's get you backstage so you can sit down."
They all went in back, and Catherine sat Kana down.
"Stay her until the end of the show, okay?"
"All right." Kana answered.
Trowa stood there for a while longer before both he and Catherine had to go out there and perform. But instead of the usual expressionless clown, his face showed concern. Not many people could see it, but his friend could.
As the speeding knives hit the backboard, Trowa couldn't do anything but think about Kana.
"I wonder if she's really fine like she says she is?"
The sound of applause snapped him out of his train of thought. He walked forward, unscathed, and took a bow along with Catherine. Then they both walked off stage.
Sitting there, gripping her shoulders, sat a shaking Kana. She appeared calm, but obviously didn't feel that way.
"Do you need anything?" Catherine asked after the show.
"No, I'm fine." She stood up. "I'm going outside for a bit." Kana walked out of the room in a hurry.
Trowa followed her. A few minutes later, Quatre appeared at the entrance to the back.
"Hey, Catherine!" he called. She walked out of the next door room.
"Oh, Quatre! How've you been?"
"Great. Have you seen Trowa anywhere?"
"Yeah, I think he's still behind the tent with Kana. Poor boy..."
"What?"
"He's been worrying over that girl so much lately. And now this. I afraid he's going to worry himself to death."
Quatre gave a nervous chuckle. He had never heard of Trowa worrying over a girl of all things.
"Thanks Catherine." He walked to the back.
Meanwhile, behind the circus tent, Kana was petting the lions, unaware that Trowa had even followed her.
"Uh, Kana?"
She turned around to look at him. Trowa was surprised by this. He saw her face, sad, and her eyes streaming tears down her pink cheeks.
She wiped her eyes to hide the tears. "Oh, i...it's you, Trowa." She stood up and walked to him.
His heart cried out to her, wanting to make her happy again.
"Thank you, Trowa. You saved me. I...I don't know what I would've done without you." She started to tremble. The tears she tried to hide before came streaming from her eyes once more. Kana cried.
Trowa held out his arms to her. She saw this, and willingly embraced him, the force pushing him back a bit.
She sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. He hugged her tightly, wanting to be even closer to her.
"I..."
Trowa looked down at the crying girl.
"I was so scared," Kana said, trying to control her sobbing, but to no avail.
He stroked her smooth black hair gently.
"It's all right," he said softly in her ear, "You're safe now."
Her crying gradually slowed down, to the point where there were only a few tears streaming down her face.
She rested her head on his warm chest and said, "I can hear your heartbeat."
Trowa blushed.
"K...Kana..."
She looked up at the young man holding her. Her cheeks were still pink, but she wasn't crying anymore. Instead, the expression on her face was calm, and her blue eyes were glossy.
He stared at her with his sharp, green eyes and drew closer to her. She didn't move away, or object to what he was doing. She just stood there, ready to feel his kiss.
He pressed his lips gently against hers, soft and tender. They stood there for what seemed like a long time. He slowly took his lips away from her.
Trowa unlocked his arms from around her and stood there, looking at the ground. Kana looked away from him, as if she were ashamed. Then she quickly started to walk away.
"Wait!" He grabbed her arm to make her stop. She stared at the ground, unable to look him in the eyes. "I...I wanted to say..."
Quatre came from inside the tent, only to witness the scene that would change Trowa's life forever.
"...I love you, Kana."
She just stood there, not moving, her arm still in Trowa's firm hand. Quatre hid behind some boxes, watching them.
"I.I need to think about it," was all she could say.
Trowa's eyes widened as she pulled her arm out of his grasp. And she walked away into the tent, silent, staring at the ground.
He stood there for a few minutes, trapped in that moment in time.
"Trowa," Quatre said, breaking the silence and revealing himself from behind the boxes.
"Quatre!" he said, shocked by the sudden appearance of his best friend.
"Are you okay?"
"Y.yeah. Fine. I'm just fine."
He looked at the ground, a sad expression on his face. Quatre put his hand on Trowa's shoulder.
"You know, there may be still a chance that you can win her over."
Trowa looked at him in amazement. "Quatre."
"Whatever you do, don't give up. She's your chance at true happiness."