Disclaimer - Read chapter one
Dedication - To Lynz, who's helping me with this piece of junk fic
Hours passed. Aine looked out her window, taking note of the darkness that had befallen the ground.
"Quand obscurité chute," she said to herself. Checking her clock, she sighed. She couldn't believe the time--11: 52 p.m.
She sat on the queen size four-poster bed, which had once belonged to her parents, just listening. Silence. Aine determined that the boys had all gone to bed since silence once again filled the empty house. Sliding off the bed, she grabbed her guitar. Aine never noticed it until now, that her bed had come up to past her knees, she was short for her age - 19 and 5 feet 5 inches.
Her bare feet padded against the hardwood floor, and the door creaked slightly, as she pushed it open. She walked down the hall, passed the stairs and walked into the living room. She decided that she wasn't going to turn on any lights, so she walked over to the fireplace and proceeded to light a fire. Momentarily the fire was lit. She sat in front of the fire, hard wood cool on her bare feet and legs. Listening to the golden silence, she closed her eye and sat motionless, guitar on her lap.
Meanwhile, Trowa lay awake in his temporary residence. Moonlight crawled across the floor in attempt to banish the darkness. He heard the faint sound of footsteps from the basement. Sitting upright, he listened, and could hear a guitar being played. He rose and walked over to the door, pushing it open. Peeking his head outside the door, he saw nothing but darkness. He walked down the hall and descended the stairs, the guitar sounds becoming louder.
Leaning on the doorframe of the living room, he watched Aine play the guitar. He took note that she was wearing the same thing as earlier in the day; a tight white t-shirt and black Capri pants, minus one thing - the black velvet band around her neck.
"You know, if you want to sneak up on someone, know your surroundings." She started opening her eyes and looking at him through the darkness "The third last stair creaks."
The fire gave her an orange hue and he could see that she was smiling at him slightly.
"So, what are you doing up?" she asked looking back at the fire. She realized that it was the boy who had pinned her to the wall earlier.
"Couldn't sleep," was all he said, looking at her. Now there was a calm about her that captivated Trowa. It reminded him a lot of him.
"Join the club," she replied, as she plucked the guitar string absentmindedly.
"I heard you playing your guitar," he said not moving from his spot. "You're good at that"
"I try," she said, not breaking her gaze on the fire, as if she was having a staring contest with it.
"Please sit down, it bothers me when people stand and I sit."
Hesitantly, he obeyed and seated himself down next to her.
"This is the longest anyone has ever stayed, no one bothers to come here." She stared, looking down at the floor. "People say that this place is haunted."
"Why are you still here then, all alone?" he asked. "Why don't you move into town?"
"Because this is all I've got left, besides a spineless aunt and an abusive uncle," she replied. He could easily pinpoint the pain in her voice, deciding to change the subject he spoke up.
"You know, I never caught your name..."
"That's because I don't know my real name. The sisters at the orphanage called me Aine."
"You lived in an orphanage?" he asked, looking at her. She brought herself to look at him and nodded.
"My parents died when I was younger, after that I was put in an orphanage. Then my aunt and uncle took me in. I had to leave there because my life was in danger.."
"Why?"
"I . my uncle, he almost killed me," she started, looking away from him; she didn't see his eyes grow wide in surprise.
"How?" he asked. After a long awkward silence she opened her mouth and replied to his question.
"I broke curfew . in a drunken stupor, he slit my throat and left me for dead. Thankfully my aunt called the ambulance . my uncle told her if she told the cops he did it, he'd do the same to her so she told them that it was attempted suicide. The scar is still there," she finished, looking back at him with one eye. She lifted her hair from her neck, making the scar visible.
By the looks of the scar; it was not a clean cut. A thick piece of hair fell from her grasp, blocking the scare, he gently reached up and went to push it away. She gasped in surprise and backed away from him, gray eyes looking into his.
"You don't have to be afraid," he said calmly.
"I'm not," she replied, "its just that I don't know how to act when someone touches me like that. I'm not used to . to a gentle touch"
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be, I'm the one that should be sorry," she said, releasing her hair, letting it cover her scar. At night was the only time she didn't wear her velvet band.
"So what's you're name?" she asked.
"Trowa, Trowa Barton"
"Charmed, Trowa," she said looking to him and smiled.
"The pleasure is all mine, Aine," he replied. She looked away from him, there was something about how he said her name gave her the chills, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. There was a strange Feeling Trowa was giving her. She wasn't supposed to feel this way, it just made things more complicated. In all her 19 years she had never felt like this.
"How old are you, Trowa?" Aine asked after a long silence.
"20, what about you?"
"19," she replied. Trowa sat staring at her, there was so much that he felt he had in common with her, she was cool and calm, but yet there was mysteriousness about her.
"Where are you from?"
"L3," he replied simply.
"You're from a colony?" she asked. He nodded, that was all she needed to know, she didn't have to know about his battle oriented past. He didn't want to her, he felt it was best, for her protection.
"How did you know about the colonies?"
"Hey, just because I live alone doesn't mean I am misinformed," she said. He smiled slightly and his eyes fell to her hands, which were closed, into fists.
"You always keep your hands balled into fists; I've noticed that about you."
"If your hands are closed, than no one can take anything from you." There was a silence then he said:
"But you can't give anything either."
She looked to him. Was he challenging her? Or was he making it a game?
"If you hold on tight, you can't lose anything."
"Then you can't reach for anything." He was challenging her, but there was something about the look in his eyes. Then she thought.
"Keeping your hands tight means you're always ready to defend yourself against an attack." She smirked; she wanted to see how he could turn this around.
"Then you can't hold hands with anyone."
The smirk was wiped from her face and she furrowed her brows. What did he mean? When she looked at him, she saw that he was looking into the fire. He looked to her with one eye and raised an eyebrow, seeing the confusion play across her face.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Just think about it." She broke away from his gaze and stood up, leaving her guitar on the floor.
"Where are you going?" he asked, watching her.
"To think about it," she replied, walking from the living-room. Trowa sighed and stood up, following suit, but going up to his room. He'd see Aine in the morning.
Aine walked through a pair of double doors into a dark room; she flipped on the light. The room was large and had mirrors all along the walls and a large mat on the floor. Here was where Aine could find solace; she called it her martial arts room. Where she practiced hours on end for the day when she could get revenge on her uncle for giving her the disfiguring scar.
She remembered when she was younger, her father teaching her in this very room.
Sunlight bathed all the rooms in the house and woke all the occupants, except 1, Aine. She had been in the kitchen preparing some breakfast, stopping as she felt her cat rub against her legs.
"Good Morning Byzantine" she said picking the cat up and cradling her in her arms.
"Good morning to you too but you're calling me by the wrong name" Duo said. Aine looked over to him and raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly is your name?" She asked sitting down at the table.
"Duo Maxwell at your service my fair lady" he replied taking her closed fist and kissing it lightly. A look of pure shock crossed over her face. Was this what Trowa meant?
"Please sit Duo," she said removing her hand from his. He sat down and immediately helped himself to the plate of English muffins that she had set out. Shortly after everyone else entered the dining room.
"Good morning Guys!" Duo said through a mouthful of food.
"Its not polite to talk with a mouthful of food in front of a Lady Duo" Trowa said taking a seat next to Aine, smiling at her subtly.
"There you go with your standards for women Trowa" Wufei said with a hint of disgust in his voice as he sat on the other end of the table across from Aine.
"At least he has some Wufei" Quatre said.
"He's right, that's more than we can say for you" Duo piped up. Wufei stayed silent and closed his eyes. "Oh yeah" Duo said again, "That's Trowa, Heero, Quatre, and Wufei, guys this is." he stopped short realizing that he didn't know her Name.
"Aine" she replied, taking a sip of water.
Dedication - To Lynz, who's helping me with this piece of junk fic
Hours passed. Aine looked out her window, taking note of the darkness that had befallen the ground.
"Quand obscurité chute," she said to herself. Checking her clock, she sighed. She couldn't believe the time--11: 52 p.m.
She sat on the queen size four-poster bed, which had once belonged to her parents, just listening. Silence. Aine determined that the boys had all gone to bed since silence once again filled the empty house. Sliding off the bed, she grabbed her guitar. Aine never noticed it until now, that her bed had come up to past her knees, she was short for her age - 19 and 5 feet 5 inches.
Her bare feet padded against the hardwood floor, and the door creaked slightly, as she pushed it open. She walked down the hall, passed the stairs and walked into the living room. She decided that she wasn't going to turn on any lights, so she walked over to the fireplace and proceeded to light a fire. Momentarily the fire was lit. She sat in front of the fire, hard wood cool on her bare feet and legs. Listening to the golden silence, she closed her eye and sat motionless, guitar on her lap.
Meanwhile, Trowa lay awake in his temporary residence. Moonlight crawled across the floor in attempt to banish the darkness. He heard the faint sound of footsteps from the basement. Sitting upright, he listened, and could hear a guitar being played. He rose and walked over to the door, pushing it open. Peeking his head outside the door, he saw nothing but darkness. He walked down the hall and descended the stairs, the guitar sounds becoming louder.
Leaning on the doorframe of the living room, he watched Aine play the guitar. He took note that she was wearing the same thing as earlier in the day; a tight white t-shirt and black Capri pants, minus one thing - the black velvet band around her neck.
"You know, if you want to sneak up on someone, know your surroundings." She started opening her eyes and looking at him through the darkness "The third last stair creaks."
The fire gave her an orange hue and he could see that she was smiling at him slightly.
"So, what are you doing up?" she asked looking back at the fire. She realized that it was the boy who had pinned her to the wall earlier.
"Couldn't sleep," was all he said, looking at her. Now there was a calm about her that captivated Trowa. It reminded him a lot of him.
"Join the club," she replied, as she plucked the guitar string absentmindedly.
"I heard you playing your guitar," he said not moving from his spot. "You're good at that"
"I try," she said, not breaking her gaze on the fire, as if she was having a staring contest with it.
"Please sit down, it bothers me when people stand and I sit."
Hesitantly, he obeyed and seated himself down next to her.
"This is the longest anyone has ever stayed, no one bothers to come here." She stared, looking down at the floor. "People say that this place is haunted."
"Why are you still here then, all alone?" he asked. "Why don't you move into town?"
"Because this is all I've got left, besides a spineless aunt and an abusive uncle," she replied. He could easily pinpoint the pain in her voice, deciding to change the subject he spoke up.
"You know, I never caught your name..."
"That's because I don't know my real name. The sisters at the orphanage called me Aine."
"You lived in an orphanage?" he asked, looking at her. She brought herself to look at him and nodded.
"My parents died when I was younger, after that I was put in an orphanage. Then my aunt and uncle took me in. I had to leave there because my life was in danger.."
"Why?"
"I . my uncle, he almost killed me," she started, looking away from him; she didn't see his eyes grow wide in surprise.
"How?" he asked. After a long awkward silence she opened her mouth and replied to his question.
"I broke curfew . in a drunken stupor, he slit my throat and left me for dead. Thankfully my aunt called the ambulance . my uncle told her if she told the cops he did it, he'd do the same to her so she told them that it was attempted suicide. The scar is still there," she finished, looking back at him with one eye. She lifted her hair from her neck, making the scar visible.
By the looks of the scar; it was not a clean cut. A thick piece of hair fell from her grasp, blocking the scare, he gently reached up and went to push it away. She gasped in surprise and backed away from him, gray eyes looking into his.
"You don't have to be afraid," he said calmly.
"I'm not," she replied, "its just that I don't know how to act when someone touches me like that. I'm not used to . to a gentle touch"
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be, I'm the one that should be sorry," she said, releasing her hair, letting it cover her scar. At night was the only time she didn't wear her velvet band.
"So what's you're name?" she asked.
"Trowa, Trowa Barton"
"Charmed, Trowa," she said looking to him and smiled.
"The pleasure is all mine, Aine," he replied. She looked away from him, there was something about how he said her name gave her the chills, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. There was a strange Feeling Trowa was giving her. She wasn't supposed to feel this way, it just made things more complicated. In all her 19 years she had never felt like this.
"How old are you, Trowa?" Aine asked after a long silence.
"20, what about you?"
"19," she replied. Trowa sat staring at her, there was so much that he felt he had in common with her, she was cool and calm, but yet there was mysteriousness about her.
"Where are you from?"
"L3," he replied simply.
"You're from a colony?" she asked. He nodded, that was all she needed to know, she didn't have to know about his battle oriented past. He didn't want to her, he felt it was best, for her protection.
"How did you know about the colonies?"
"Hey, just because I live alone doesn't mean I am misinformed," she said. He smiled slightly and his eyes fell to her hands, which were closed, into fists.
"You always keep your hands balled into fists; I've noticed that about you."
"If your hands are closed, than no one can take anything from you." There was a silence then he said:
"But you can't give anything either."
She looked to him. Was he challenging her? Or was he making it a game?
"If you hold on tight, you can't lose anything."
"Then you can't reach for anything." He was challenging her, but there was something about the look in his eyes. Then she thought.
"Keeping your hands tight means you're always ready to defend yourself against an attack." She smirked; she wanted to see how he could turn this around.
"Then you can't hold hands with anyone."
The smirk was wiped from her face and she furrowed her brows. What did he mean? When she looked at him, she saw that he was looking into the fire. He looked to her with one eye and raised an eyebrow, seeing the confusion play across her face.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Just think about it." She broke away from his gaze and stood up, leaving her guitar on the floor.
"Where are you going?" he asked, watching her.
"To think about it," she replied, walking from the living-room. Trowa sighed and stood up, following suit, but going up to his room. He'd see Aine in the morning.
Aine walked through a pair of double doors into a dark room; she flipped on the light. The room was large and had mirrors all along the walls and a large mat on the floor. Here was where Aine could find solace; she called it her martial arts room. Where she practiced hours on end for the day when she could get revenge on her uncle for giving her the disfiguring scar.
She remembered when she was younger, her father teaching her in this very room.
Sunlight bathed all the rooms in the house and woke all the occupants, except 1, Aine. She had been in the kitchen preparing some breakfast, stopping as she felt her cat rub against her legs.
"Good Morning Byzantine" she said picking the cat up and cradling her in her arms.
"Good morning to you too but you're calling me by the wrong name" Duo said. Aine looked over to him and raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly is your name?" She asked sitting down at the table.
"Duo Maxwell at your service my fair lady" he replied taking her closed fist and kissing it lightly. A look of pure shock crossed over her face. Was this what Trowa meant?
"Please sit Duo," she said removing her hand from his. He sat down and immediately helped himself to the plate of English muffins that she had set out. Shortly after everyone else entered the dining room.
"Good morning Guys!" Duo said through a mouthful of food.
"Its not polite to talk with a mouthful of food in front of a Lady Duo" Trowa said taking a seat next to Aine, smiling at her subtly.
"There you go with your standards for women Trowa" Wufei said with a hint of disgust in his voice as he sat on the other end of the table across from Aine.
"At least he has some Wufei" Quatre said.
"He's right, that's more than we can say for you" Duo piped up. Wufei stayed silent and closed his eyes. "Oh yeah" Duo said again, "That's Trowa, Heero, Quatre, and Wufei, guys this is." he stopped short realizing that he didn't know her Name.
"Aine" she replied, taking a sip of water.