"Catherine, are you ready?"
Catherine heard Heero's voice beckoning her. They were to go to the city today. It would be her first time in public without putting on a show...her first time in a carriage...her first time in a department store...her first time buying clothes instead of making them...
And her first time with any other man other than Trowa.
She had always kept such a close eye on her brother. But when he'd walked into the room yesterday with Heero, in a gentleman's suit...she knew he had grown up before her eyes, and she hadn't even noticed.
"I'll be right out!" Catherine called back, pulling her one and only pair of hose over her slender legs. It was a tannish color that made her legs itch...but no matter. She would be going into the city with Heero Yuy, a refined, respected man of New York. She, a "lowly" gypsy would go where no other of her kind had gone before.
Into the arms of a gentleman.
She stepped outside of her room, dressed in the afore-mentioned hose covered by an ankle length dress that swept the floor with it's dusty rose colour. It complimented her auburn hair, and her green eyes sparkled with excitement. She'd put her hair up into a style that all the ladies of the city were wearing, and she loaded every piece of jewelery she owned onto her neck, her arms and fingers.
Heero smiled at Catherine's efforts to look like a gentlewoman. Indeed, she dressed the part; women these days were extravagant and bulky in their clothes and jewelery and makeup. What set Catherine apart was her aura...no one had an aura like that of the gypsy. Behind the clothes and the jewelery was mystery and intrigue that Heero appreciated-and had found in Trowa.
"So?" Catherine smiled shyly, and twirled around, her dress swooshing in the air and settling as soon as she stopped twirling.
"You look lovely, Catherine," Heero complimented, taking the woman's gloved hand and kissing the back of it lightly. "Shall we go?"
Catherine nodded, blushing at the gesture. She looked back to wave at Trowa who stood at the kitchen table, still in his nightclothes. He waved in return, smiling awkwardly.
"Be good, okay, Trowa?" said Catherine; she then turned around and walked out the door arm in arm with Heero, Sebastian following them close behind.
Trowa sat in the emptiness of the house. //It certainly is large,// he thought, noting that the only sound that resounded throughout the house was the ticking of a small clock on the mantle. It was only six o' clock at night, but the days were getting shorter and the sun had already gone to rest. Heero insisted on not taking Catherine out during the day, complaining of the crowd.
//He doesn't like to be out during the day,// Trowa pointed out to himself and sipping the cup of coffee from the brew Sebastian had made right before Heero's departure. //I wonder why that is.//
He stretched above his head, noting that he hadn't gotten dressed all day; he felt incredibly dirty and unclean. He decided to take a bath, a luxury unknown to him until he had come under Heero's wing. Letting his clothes fall to the floor, he sat on the toliet next to the bath and watched as the water filled the tub slowly, the water pouring from the faucet forming violent ripples in the surface.
Trowa took a moment to observe his body, which had been through much more activity than recently the past few days. His skin seemed firmer, like he'd discovered muscle he never knew he had. His arms and legs seemed stronger, less dirty. He felt better inside...Heero made him feel that way.
He turned off the faucet, stepping into the bathtub with cautious, as not to slip. He eased his body into the water, breathing out a sigh in the inviting, womb-like warmth of the water enveloping his skin. He soaked for a few minutes, letting his muscles relax and loosen.
It was indeed a luxury, a luxury many didn't know they had. Trowa handled a bar of soap, running it over his arms and watching as a slick lather developed. He let his arms drop to the sides, some of the lather choosing to float on the surface and the rest slowly dissolving to turn the water a murky white. He gave the same treatment to his legs, what he and Catherine had called "gypsy legs"; legs that were a rich dark caramel that bended and flexed at will and were never-ending in length. They were virtually hairless, as was most of Trowa's body; the only hair present a soft, fine blond that hardly showed itself. His elegant fingers rubbed his legs which ached for no real reason; they'd ached since he started doing shows for their gypsy train.
//Perhaps they'll begin to not ache so much anymore,// thought Trowa, letting his head rest on the side of the tub again. He thought of Heero and the two brilliant, erotic, radiant nights they'd spent together, worshipping each other's bodies and the way their structures reflected in the candlelight as it flickered and danced across their faces that demanded need and attention. He recalled Heero's face as it twisted in extacy, as it grimaced with severe concentration, as it relaxed in utter pleasure. He wondered how he looked during their lovemaking, which was intense and compulsive and urgent-but loving and adoring and glorifying.
Quickly, he dove his head under the water and sprung back up to the surface, letting the water that dripped from his bangs slowly dribble over his face. It was refreshing.
----------
Meanwhile, Catherine and Heero arrived at the department store in the city where all the finest women bought and tailored their clothes. Catherine's stomach was full of butterflies as Heero got out of the carriage, offering his hand to assit Catherine out of the carriage as well.
"Come, Catherine," he beckoned, a small smile forming on his lips.
//He's so beautiful,// thought Catherine, grinning as she took Heero's hand and hopped out of the carriage, making sure her dress was still intact. He watched as the cool night breeze blew Heero's bangs over his eyes and how his alluring cobalt blue eyes closed slightly as he took in the scene at the department store.
It wasn't too crowded, and Heero liked it that way. He nodded good-bye to Sebastian, who was to stay at the entrance and wait for their return.
"I'll be seeing you, Mr. Yuy," Sebastian parted, and tipped his hat as he sat back in the driver's seat of the carriage. //I hope Mr. Yuy will finally settle down,// the old man thought, smiling to himself.
Catherine walked into the entrance of the store, her heart beating rapidly. //Why am I so nervous?// she wondered to herself...she knew the answer. Never in her life had she been among the prestigious, the distinguished...would they recognize her in gentlewoman's clothing?
She entered the store, her nose immediately drinking the smells of imported leather, of freshly pressed shirts, and of a cleanness she was uncertain of. Looking around, she was surrounded by racks and racks of clothes; more clothes than she'd ever seen before.
Observing Catherine, Heero noticed the sparks and glee in her innocent eyes. He was glad he opened up this world for her, a world full of extravagence she'd never known. Without saying a word, he led her to a rack of dresses, a dark, velvet green one catching his eye. As an artist, he'd always had a lair for choosing what was right for anyone's body structure.
"Do you like this one?" asked Heero, fingering the thick material that was perfect for the cool weather that was surfacing. "It will keep you warm. You're quite small, and the empire waist will make you appear taller. The green compliments your eyes well."
Catherine blushed at all the attention she was receiving from Heero. She took the dress in her hand as it still hung from the rack, toying with the fabric and rubbing its richness between her fingers. Her finger caught the price tag of the dress and she nearly cried out with astonishment.
"Heero, no!" she whispered, price tag still in hand. "I will not let you pay for this! This costs more than all the clothes I own!"
Heero put his hand over the price tag and removed it from Catherine's hand. He took the dress off the rack, holding it up in front of Catherine's body. "It doesn't matter. What only matters is that you feel happy wearing it. Would you like a dress like this?" A mirror outlined by a golden frame hung on the nearby wall, and he took Catherine by the waist, guiding her to her reflection. He stood behind Catherine, holding the dress like before. He spoke to her, his breath tickling her ear.
"Look Catherine. Do you like what you see?" he said.
Catherine peered into the mirror and saw the dress against being held against her bosom. She imagined dancing in this dress, in a grand ballroom with hundreds of onlookers admiring her. Dancing with Heero. She was drunk with wonder.
"Yes," she said, swallowing.
"Then we'll get it." He folded it carefully over his arm. "Pick out others that suit your fancy. We can get them as well. Sebastian can hem them and tailor them for you if they're too large. You're very slender, so these dresses may be too large for your frame; but we'll fix that." Heero smiled at Catherine's innocent delight in permission to get whatever she desired; he figured she hadn't had that opportunity too often before.
Catherine, on a new quest, scanned the rows of dresses that came in all different colors and sizes. She was awed by how many different kinds there were; even more awed by their prices. But Heero insisted it would be taken care of. Nevertheless, Catherine picked only three dresses; the green one they'd first chosen, a plain black one made of wool with silk underlinings, and a white low neck gown that Heero had chosen for her, saying that it would fit her nicely.
"Your neck and shoulders are exquisite, Catherine," Heero said to her, holding up the dress. "This should show them off well. Perhaps I can take you dancing at one of Governor Letchford's banquets."
//Oh my...he's offering to take me with him!// thought Catherine excitedly. She blushed shyly. "I'm afraid I don't know how to dance...I mean, I know how to dance...as I do. But at a ball...with formal dancing...I'm afraid I just don't know how."
Heero smiled. "That's quite alright. I can teach you." He smiled as he laid the white dress over the two others they'd chosen. "Now, shoes?"
"Oh, no, Heero, the dresses are enough, I assure you-"
"Nonsense. All the finest gentlewomen have shoes to match their dresses." He smiled again. "Let's go, shall we?"
Heero smiled even bigger inwardly as he held Catherine's dresses in one hand and felt her arm lace around his as they turned the corner to where the shoes were sold. He liked the feeling of pleasing another. Sebastian was always egging him to court someone; but what Sebastian also didn't know of was Heero's distaste of women. But he found such happiness around Catherine; everything was a wonderful, new, innocent experience, so different than the other women he knew. The other women acted like everything was theirs to own, the same thing, day in and day out, like life was just another thing to buy. Catherine took pleasure in acknowledging the world as a fragile thing, something to care for and nurture. Perhaps it was the gypsy spirit within her and Trowa that attracted him to the siblings so much, he didn't know. He chuckled as Catherine immediately ran to a pair of shoes on display, a pearly white that matched her new white gown.
"Oh, Heero, they're perfect!" Her smile turned into a blush as she said, "but...I've never worn shoes with heels before...I'll fall flat on my face!" She laughed a little, and Heero took the shoe from her hand, along with its pair.
"You'll learn in time. I hear it's terribly uncomfortable, so we'll get the next size up so they won't muder your feet, alright?"
Catherine smiled. "Alright," she agreed.
They chose a conventional pair of black flats and an interesting pair of green heels to match the dress before going on to the jewelery section of the store. Diamonds and gold and various other precious gems shined and glistened in Catherine's eyes and she looked away from it sadly.
"Heero, I can't," she said. "I just can't. I've never had so much before. I'm afraid I'll start to like it."
"What's wrong with having what you're able to have?" Heero said softly. "You haven't had many material things before, and I want you to indulge now. I can afford it, I really can. I want to give you these things, these things you weren't able to have before."
He touched Catherine's shoulder lightly and turned her towards a mirror on a nearby wall. Catherine felt something lying coldly against her neck. She opened her eyes to find a glittering diamond necklace around her swanlike neck. She gasped and touched the necklace softly, retracting her fingers as soon as she touched it as if she willed not to mar its beauty. "Oh, Heero, no!" she whispered.
"Yes," said Heero, looking at her in the mirror. His face was warm and kind as he fastened the necklace onto Catherine's neck, her hair tickling the backs of his hands. "What do you think?" he asked.
"It's...it's absolutely beautiful, Heero," said Catherine, still astonished that such a priceless piece of jewelery was circled her neck. HER neck.
"Would you like this?" Heero asked.
Catherine swallowed. "Yes. But you have to promise me one thing." She turned to face Heero and touched the necklace lightly. "This is the last thing we get...okay?" Her voice was meek and humble. Heero appreciated her plainness; any other woman he would take out like this would have already thrown fifty dresses and ten pairs of shoes in his hands and be well on their way to snatching the diamond necklace in their hands and demanding it heartily. Instead...Catherine continued to touch the necklace and view her surroundings as if she were walking in a dream.
They left the store contented, and Sebastian waved pleasantly as he saw the bundle in Heero's arms and a splendidly gleeful Catherine by his side. He hopped off the driver's seat and helped Heero load the various bags of clothes into the carriage, and assisted Catherine as she stepped into the coach. Heero nodded his thanks as he climbed in beside Catherine. Sebastian shut the door lightly and hopped back onto the driver's seat, hitting the reins against Lucy's legs. The powerful horse fidgeted a bit before beginning to set its pace back home.
Catherine yawned soundly, causing her to shut her mouth tightly and blush at her rudness. "I'm sorry, I'm just so sleepy," she apologized.
Heero smiled. "It's fine. You woke early. When we get back home, you can take a nap before Sebastian makes us dinner."
She nodded sleepily. "I think I will."
----------
Trowa sat up from his slumber as his acute ears picked up on the sounds of Lucy's hooves smacking against the cobblestones street that lead to Heero's house, and the roll of the carriage wheels as they hit the street as well. Trowa looked out the window in time to see Sebastian stop Lucy from heading on down the road any further, and watched as the door to the carriage opened, Heero stepping out first.
"I'll go start dinner, Mr. Yuy," Sebastian said, tying Lucy's bit to the nearby hook on the house. "I assure you'll help Miss Catherine make it inside safely."
Trowa watched as Heero stuck out his hand into the carriage and pulled Catherine out, his sister looking almost like a stranger in her unusual clothing. He couldn't make out what they said, but his breath caught in his throat as he realized they weren't talking at all.
They were kissing. Heero's mouth on Catherine's, kissing her as Catherine's obvious innocent attempts to kiss were made on Heero's lips. Heero had his arms wrapped around Catherine's waist, Catherine's arms linked about Heero's shoulders.
Trowa looked on in astonishment. He turned away from the window quickly as the door to the house opened.
"Mr. Barton?" called Sebastian from downstairs. "Mr. Barton, dinner will be in half an hour."
"Thank you, Sebastian," Trowa called in return. Trowa was experiencing fifty different emotions at the same time, all of them swirling in his head and making him dizzy with the thought process. //He was...but he's...last night we...she must be...he must be...is he.?//
----------
Later that night, Trowa, dressed in a pair of loose-fitting pants only, knocked softly on Heero's door at the stroke of midnight.
"Come in," he heard Heero beckon from the other side of the door.
Trowa slowly opened the door, getting his first magical glimpses of the candlelight in Heero's room that enchanted him so deeply. Heero was sitting at his easel, looking Trowa up and down as he had done the first two night they'd bedded together.
"You're exquisite," said Heero, standing to greet Trowa, the skin on Trowa's chest stretched across incredible muscle that glowed in the candlelight. Trowa bent his head down for a kiss, and Heero pressed against Trowa's lips tightly, each recalling the sanctity held in their lips' touch.
While kissing Heero, his lips warm and welcoming, Trowa recalled the scene outside on the street, of Heero kissing Catherine only hours before. He pulled away.
Heero looked at Trowa with concern embedded in his eyes. "Is something wrong?" Heero asked. "Did I do something wrong? Are you alright?"
Trowa shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm just...tired I suppose. I don't want to fall asleep on you."
Heero smiled. "Yes." He brought Trowa to the loveseat they were both quite familiar with now, and Trowa lounged upon it like a lethargic cat, his long legs stretched out so that one was folded beneath the other which hung over the side of the loveseat. His arm stretched over his head as well as a cushion to his head, the other arm cradled against his chest. He was comfortable and really was tired; his eyes began to droop.
"Are you too tired?" asked Heero, sitting down at his easel after filling a jar with water from the nearby sink. "We can do this tomorrow, if you'd like."
Trowa shook his head again. "No. I can stay awake. Just...talk to me and I will."
"Alright," Heero agreed. He took a minute to survey the beautiful man that lay spread out on the furniture before him. God, he was beautiful. The fact that he didn't even acknowledge or seem to realize how beautiful he was made him all the more appealing. Heero knew he had to capture that innocence...that humble awareness...that virginity he found in Trowa.
"I have a better idea," announced Heero, continuing to stare down Trowa with a look that made Trowa hungry for more.
"Yes?" Trowa asked.
"Do close your eyes. It won't matter if you fall asleep then or not."
"Alright." Trowa said. He closed his eyes and took cover into the darkness. //It's safe here,// he thought.
The only senses Trowa now relied on was his smell and his hearing. The only thing he could smell was the thick smell of candles, the wax burning and the way the wicks would sometimes blow out because of the small breeze that whispered through the window. He heard every one of Heero's brush strokes as it slowly left a trail along the canvas.
All was quiet when he began to speak.
"Heero?" he said slowly.
"Yes?" Heero answered, his mind concentrating solely on his brushwork.
"Are you fond of Catherine?" Trowa asked.
"Yes, I am," said Heero simply. "She's a very wonderful person. A lot like you, I suppose. I've befriended her quite nicely."
Trowa paused. "No, I mean...would you want to court her?"
Trowa heard Heero's paintbrush cease and heard it land in it's tray with a small "clang." He heard the squeak and groan of Heero's chair as he heard Heero stand. //He's leaving me,// said Trowa, his eyes shut tightly. //He's going to ask me to leave. He's going to-//
All thoughts suspended as he felt the safe embrace of Heero's arms around him, so tight and powerful; it gave him a kind of excitement he'd never experienced before, knowing that the man that held him could very well crush him, but chose instead to relish the feel of their skin's contact. He heard Heero's words as they ghosted over his ears.
"I wouldn't court Catherine," he heard Heero say softly and lovingly. "Not when I have you to love. Even if I were to court Catherine, I would ask for your permission first." Heero continued to hold him tightly amidst the twenty-three candles that encircled them cozily against the soft breezes which continued to nip at Trowa's face and shoulders.
Still, Trowa couldn't help the image of Heero and Catherine's kiss from slowly and achingly invading his mind.
--to be continued--
Catherine heard Heero's voice beckoning her. They were to go to the city today. It would be her first time in public without putting on a show...her first time in a carriage...her first time in a department store...her first time buying clothes instead of making them...
And her first time with any other man other than Trowa.
She had always kept such a close eye on her brother. But when he'd walked into the room yesterday with Heero, in a gentleman's suit...she knew he had grown up before her eyes, and she hadn't even noticed.
"I'll be right out!" Catherine called back, pulling her one and only pair of hose over her slender legs. It was a tannish color that made her legs itch...but no matter. She would be going into the city with Heero Yuy, a refined, respected man of New York. She, a "lowly" gypsy would go where no other of her kind had gone before.
Into the arms of a gentleman.
She stepped outside of her room, dressed in the afore-mentioned hose covered by an ankle length dress that swept the floor with it's dusty rose colour. It complimented her auburn hair, and her green eyes sparkled with excitement. She'd put her hair up into a style that all the ladies of the city were wearing, and she loaded every piece of jewelery she owned onto her neck, her arms and fingers.
Heero smiled at Catherine's efforts to look like a gentlewoman. Indeed, she dressed the part; women these days were extravagant and bulky in their clothes and jewelery and makeup. What set Catherine apart was her aura...no one had an aura like that of the gypsy. Behind the clothes and the jewelery was mystery and intrigue that Heero appreciated-and had found in Trowa.
"So?" Catherine smiled shyly, and twirled around, her dress swooshing in the air and settling as soon as she stopped twirling.
"You look lovely, Catherine," Heero complimented, taking the woman's gloved hand and kissing the back of it lightly. "Shall we go?"
Catherine nodded, blushing at the gesture. She looked back to wave at Trowa who stood at the kitchen table, still in his nightclothes. He waved in return, smiling awkwardly.
"Be good, okay, Trowa?" said Catherine; she then turned around and walked out the door arm in arm with Heero, Sebastian following them close behind.
Trowa sat in the emptiness of the house. //It certainly is large,// he thought, noting that the only sound that resounded throughout the house was the ticking of a small clock on the mantle. It was only six o' clock at night, but the days were getting shorter and the sun had already gone to rest. Heero insisted on not taking Catherine out during the day, complaining of the crowd.
//He doesn't like to be out during the day,// Trowa pointed out to himself and sipping the cup of coffee from the brew Sebastian had made right before Heero's departure. //I wonder why that is.//
He stretched above his head, noting that he hadn't gotten dressed all day; he felt incredibly dirty and unclean. He decided to take a bath, a luxury unknown to him until he had come under Heero's wing. Letting his clothes fall to the floor, he sat on the toliet next to the bath and watched as the water filled the tub slowly, the water pouring from the faucet forming violent ripples in the surface.
Trowa took a moment to observe his body, which had been through much more activity than recently the past few days. His skin seemed firmer, like he'd discovered muscle he never knew he had. His arms and legs seemed stronger, less dirty. He felt better inside...Heero made him feel that way.
He turned off the faucet, stepping into the bathtub with cautious, as not to slip. He eased his body into the water, breathing out a sigh in the inviting, womb-like warmth of the water enveloping his skin. He soaked for a few minutes, letting his muscles relax and loosen.
It was indeed a luxury, a luxury many didn't know they had. Trowa handled a bar of soap, running it over his arms and watching as a slick lather developed. He let his arms drop to the sides, some of the lather choosing to float on the surface and the rest slowly dissolving to turn the water a murky white. He gave the same treatment to his legs, what he and Catherine had called "gypsy legs"; legs that were a rich dark caramel that bended and flexed at will and were never-ending in length. They were virtually hairless, as was most of Trowa's body; the only hair present a soft, fine blond that hardly showed itself. His elegant fingers rubbed his legs which ached for no real reason; they'd ached since he started doing shows for their gypsy train.
//Perhaps they'll begin to not ache so much anymore,// thought Trowa, letting his head rest on the side of the tub again. He thought of Heero and the two brilliant, erotic, radiant nights they'd spent together, worshipping each other's bodies and the way their structures reflected in the candlelight as it flickered and danced across their faces that demanded need and attention. He recalled Heero's face as it twisted in extacy, as it grimaced with severe concentration, as it relaxed in utter pleasure. He wondered how he looked during their lovemaking, which was intense and compulsive and urgent-but loving and adoring and glorifying.
Quickly, he dove his head under the water and sprung back up to the surface, letting the water that dripped from his bangs slowly dribble over his face. It was refreshing.
----------
Meanwhile, Catherine and Heero arrived at the department store in the city where all the finest women bought and tailored their clothes. Catherine's stomach was full of butterflies as Heero got out of the carriage, offering his hand to assit Catherine out of the carriage as well.
"Come, Catherine," he beckoned, a small smile forming on his lips.
//He's so beautiful,// thought Catherine, grinning as she took Heero's hand and hopped out of the carriage, making sure her dress was still intact. He watched as the cool night breeze blew Heero's bangs over his eyes and how his alluring cobalt blue eyes closed slightly as he took in the scene at the department store.
It wasn't too crowded, and Heero liked it that way. He nodded good-bye to Sebastian, who was to stay at the entrance and wait for their return.
"I'll be seeing you, Mr. Yuy," Sebastian parted, and tipped his hat as he sat back in the driver's seat of the carriage. //I hope Mr. Yuy will finally settle down,// the old man thought, smiling to himself.
Catherine walked into the entrance of the store, her heart beating rapidly. //Why am I so nervous?// she wondered to herself...she knew the answer. Never in her life had she been among the prestigious, the distinguished...would they recognize her in gentlewoman's clothing?
She entered the store, her nose immediately drinking the smells of imported leather, of freshly pressed shirts, and of a cleanness she was uncertain of. Looking around, she was surrounded by racks and racks of clothes; more clothes than she'd ever seen before.
Observing Catherine, Heero noticed the sparks and glee in her innocent eyes. He was glad he opened up this world for her, a world full of extravagence she'd never known. Without saying a word, he led her to a rack of dresses, a dark, velvet green one catching his eye. As an artist, he'd always had a lair for choosing what was right for anyone's body structure.
"Do you like this one?" asked Heero, fingering the thick material that was perfect for the cool weather that was surfacing. "It will keep you warm. You're quite small, and the empire waist will make you appear taller. The green compliments your eyes well."
Catherine blushed at all the attention she was receiving from Heero. She took the dress in her hand as it still hung from the rack, toying with the fabric and rubbing its richness between her fingers. Her finger caught the price tag of the dress and she nearly cried out with astonishment.
"Heero, no!" she whispered, price tag still in hand. "I will not let you pay for this! This costs more than all the clothes I own!"
Heero put his hand over the price tag and removed it from Catherine's hand. He took the dress off the rack, holding it up in front of Catherine's body. "It doesn't matter. What only matters is that you feel happy wearing it. Would you like a dress like this?" A mirror outlined by a golden frame hung on the nearby wall, and he took Catherine by the waist, guiding her to her reflection. He stood behind Catherine, holding the dress like before. He spoke to her, his breath tickling her ear.
"Look Catherine. Do you like what you see?" he said.
Catherine peered into the mirror and saw the dress against being held against her bosom. She imagined dancing in this dress, in a grand ballroom with hundreds of onlookers admiring her. Dancing with Heero. She was drunk with wonder.
"Yes," she said, swallowing.
"Then we'll get it." He folded it carefully over his arm. "Pick out others that suit your fancy. We can get them as well. Sebastian can hem them and tailor them for you if they're too large. You're very slender, so these dresses may be too large for your frame; but we'll fix that." Heero smiled at Catherine's innocent delight in permission to get whatever she desired; he figured she hadn't had that opportunity too often before.
Catherine, on a new quest, scanned the rows of dresses that came in all different colors and sizes. She was awed by how many different kinds there were; even more awed by their prices. But Heero insisted it would be taken care of. Nevertheless, Catherine picked only three dresses; the green one they'd first chosen, a plain black one made of wool with silk underlinings, and a white low neck gown that Heero had chosen for her, saying that it would fit her nicely.
"Your neck and shoulders are exquisite, Catherine," Heero said to her, holding up the dress. "This should show them off well. Perhaps I can take you dancing at one of Governor Letchford's banquets."
//Oh my...he's offering to take me with him!// thought Catherine excitedly. She blushed shyly. "I'm afraid I don't know how to dance...I mean, I know how to dance...as I do. But at a ball...with formal dancing...I'm afraid I just don't know how."
Heero smiled. "That's quite alright. I can teach you." He smiled as he laid the white dress over the two others they'd chosen. "Now, shoes?"
"Oh, no, Heero, the dresses are enough, I assure you-"
"Nonsense. All the finest gentlewomen have shoes to match their dresses." He smiled again. "Let's go, shall we?"
Heero smiled even bigger inwardly as he held Catherine's dresses in one hand and felt her arm lace around his as they turned the corner to where the shoes were sold. He liked the feeling of pleasing another. Sebastian was always egging him to court someone; but what Sebastian also didn't know of was Heero's distaste of women. But he found such happiness around Catherine; everything was a wonderful, new, innocent experience, so different than the other women he knew. The other women acted like everything was theirs to own, the same thing, day in and day out, like life was just another thing to buy. Catherine took pleasure in acknowledging the world as a fragile thing, something to care for and nurture. Perhaps it was the gypsy spirit within her and Trowa that attracted him to the siblings so much, he didn't know. He chuckled as Catherine immediately ran to a pair of shoes on display, a pearly white that matched her new white gown.
"Oh, Heero, they're perfect!" Her smile turned into a blush as she said, "but...I've never worn shoes with heels before...I'll fall flat on my face!" She laughed a little, and Heero took the shoe from her hand, along with its pair.
"You'll learn in time. I hear it's terribly uncomfortable, so we'll get the next size up so they won't muder your feet, alright?"
Catherine smiled. "Alright," she agreed.
They chose a conventional pair of black flats and an interesting pair of green heels to match the dress before going on to the jewelery section of the store. Diamonds and gold and various other precious gems shined and glistened in Catherine's eyes and she looked away from it sadly.
"Heero, I can't," she said. "I just can't. I've never had so much before. I'm afraid I'll start to like it."
"What's wrong with having what you're able to have?" Heero said softly. "You haven't had many material things before, and I want you to indulge now. I can afford it, I really can. I want to give you these things, these things you weren't able to have before."
He touched Catherine's shoulder lightly and turned her towards a mirror on a nearby wall. Catherine felt something lying coldly against her neck. She opened her eyes to find a glittering diamond necklace around her swanlike neck. She gasped and touched the necklace softly, retracting her fingers as soon as she touched it as if she willed not to mar its beauty. "Oh, Heero, no!" she whispered.
"Yes," said Heero, looking at her in the mirror. His face was warm and kind as he fastened the necklace onto Catherine's neck, her hair tickling the backs of his hands. "What do you think?" he asked.
"It's...it's absolutely beautiful, Heero," said Catherine, still astonished that such a priceless piece of jewelery was circled her neck. HER neck.
"Would you like this?" Heero asked.
Catherine swallowed. "Yes. But you have to promise me one thing." She turned to face Heero and touched the necklace lightly. "This is the last thing we get...okay?" Her voice was meek and humble. Heero appreciated her plainness; any other woman he would take out like this would have already thrown fifty dresses and ten pairs of shoes in his hands and be well on their way to snatching the diamond necklace in their hands and demanding it heartily. Instead...Catherine continued to touch the necklace and view her surroundings as if she were walking in a dream.
They left the store contented, and Sebastian waved pleasantly as he saw the bundle in Heero's arms and a splendidly gleeful Catherine by his side. He hopped off the driver's seat and helped Heero load the various bags of clothes into the carriage, and assisted Catherine as she stepped into the coach. Heero nodded his thanks as he climbed in beside Catherine. Sebastian shut the door lightly and hopped back onto the driver's seat, hitting the reins against Lucy's legs. The powerful horse fidgeted a bit before beginning to set its pace back home.
Catherine yawned soundly, causing her to shut her mouth tightly and blush at her rudness. "I'm sorry, I'm just so sleepy," she apologized.
Heero smiled. "It's fine. You woke early. When we get back home, you can take a nap before Sebastian makes us dinner."
She nodded sleepily. "I think I will."
----------
Trowa sat up from his slumber as his acute ears picked up on the sounds of Lucy's hooves smacking against the cobblestones street that lead to Heero's house, and the roll of the carriage wheels as they hit the street as well. Trowa looked out the window in time to see Sebastian stop Lucy from heading on down the road any further, and watched as the door to the carriage opened, Heero stepping out first.
"I'll go start dinner, Mr. Yuy," Sebastian said, tying Lucy's bit to the nearby hook on the house. "I assure you'll help Miss Catherine make it inside safely."
Trowa watched as Heero stuck out his hand into the carriage and pulled Catherine out, his sister looking almost like a stranger in her unusual clothing. He couldn't make out what they said, but his breath caught in his throat as he realized they weren't talking at all.
They were kissing. Heero's mouth on Catherine's, kissing her as Catherine's obvious innocent attempts to kiss were made on Heero's lips. Heero had his arms wrapped around Catherine's waist, Catherine's arms linked about Heero's shoulders.
Trowa looked on in astonishment. He turned away from the window quickly as the door to the house opened.
"Mr. Barton?" called Sebastian from downstairs. "Mr. Barton, dinner will be in half an hour."
"Thank you, Sebastian," Trowa called in return. Trowa was experiencing fifty different emotions at the same time, all of them swirling in his head and making him dizzy with the thought process. //He was...but he's...last night we...she must be...he must be...is he.?//
----------
Later that night, Trowa, dressed in a pair of loose-fitting pants only, knocked softly on Heero's door at the stroke of midnight.
"Come in," he heard Heero beckon from the other side of the door.
Trowa slowly opened the door, getting his first magical glimpses of the candlelight in Heero's room that enchanted him so deeply. Heero was sitting at his easel, looking Trowa up and down as he had done the first two night they'd bedded together.
"You're exquisite," said Heero, standing to greet Trowa, the skin on Trowa's chest stretched across incredible muscle that glowed in the candlelight. Trowa bent his head down for a kiss, and Heero pressed against Trowa's lips tightly, each recalling the sanctity held in their lips' touch.
While kissing Heero, his lips warm and welcoming, Trowa recalled the scene outside on the street, of Heero kissing Catherine only hours before. He pulled away.
Heero looked at Trowa with concern embedded in his eyes. "Is something wrong?" Heero asked. "Did I do something wrong? Are you alright?"
Trowa shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm just...tired I suppose. I don't want to fall asleep on you."
Heero smiled. "Yes." He brought Trowa to the loveseat they were both quite familiar with now, and Trowa lounged upon it like a lethargic cat, his long legs stretched out so that one was folded beneath the other which hung over the side of the loveseat. His arm stretched over his head as well as a cushion to his head, the other arm cradled against his chest. He was comfortable and really was tired; his eyes began to droop.
"Are you too tired?" asked Heero, sitting down at his easel after filling a jar with water from the nearby sink. "We can do this tomorrow, if you'd like."
Trowa shook his head again. "No. I can stay awake. Just...talk to me and I will."
"Alright," Heero agreed. He took a minute to survey the beautiful man that lay spread out on the furniture before him. God, he was beautiful. The fact that he didn't even acknowledge or seem to realize how beautiful he was made him all the more appealing. Heero knew he had to capture that innocence...that humble awareness...that virginity he found in Trowa.
"I have a better idea," announced Heero, continuing to stare down Trowa with a look that made Trowa hungry for more.
"Yes?" Trowa asked.
"Do close your eyes. It won't matter if you fall asleep then or not."
"Alright." Trowa said. He closed his eyes and took cover into the darkness. //It's safe here,// he thought.
The only senses Trowa now relied on was his smell and his hearing. The only thing he could smell was the thick smell of candles, the wax burning and the way the wicks would sometimes blow out because of the small breeze that whispered through the window. He heard every one of Heero's brush strokes as it slowly left a trail along the canvas.
All was quiet when he began to speak.
"Heero?" he said slowly.
"Yes?" Heero answered, his mind concentrating solely on his brushwork.
"Are you fond of Catherine?" Trowa asked.
"Yes, I am," said Heero simply. "She's a very wonderful person. A lot like you, I suppose. I've befriended her quite nicely."
Trowa paused. "No, I mean...would you want to court her?"
Trowa heard Heero's paintbrush cease and heard it land in it's tray with a small "clang." He heard the squeak and groan of Heero's chair as he heard Heero stand. //He's leaving me,// said Trowa, his eyes shut tightly. //He's going to ask me to leave. He's going to-//
All thoughts suspended as he felt the safe embrace of Heero's arms around him, so tight and powerful; it gave him a kind of excitement he'd never experienced before, knowing that the man that held him could very well crush him, but chose instead to relish the feel of their skin's contact. He heard Heero's words as they ghosted over his ears.
"I wouldn't court Catherine," he heard Heero say softly and lovingly. "Not when I have you to love. Even if I were to court Catherine, I would ask for your permission first." Heero continued to hold him tightly amidst the twenty-three candles that encircled them cozily against the soft breezes which continued to nip at Trowa's face and shoulders.
Still, Trowa couldn't help the image of Heero and Catherine's kiss from slowly and achingly invading his mind.
--to be continued--