Unpredictable
Chapter 15: Foreshadow
Birds sang merrily in the cloudless sky above the ship that was gracefully drifting across the ocean surface. The rays of sunlight drifted in through the closed windows, reflected by the crystallized glass. The light crept into the room, caressing the sleeping figures entangled in the thin, silk bed sheets. The light moved up Trowa's sleek, toned body, highlighting his tanned skin. Gradually it moved to the other side of the bed, spreading across a head of golden blonde hair before drifting across smooth, creamy-white skin as if teasing it. Quatre moved gently, the sheets sliding off around his legs, leaving most of his nude body for the sun to feast on.
Blinking sleepily, Quatre opened his eyes and rested on his elbows as he lifted his body to a sitting position. He shook his bangs out of his face and turned to look at the clock by the bed. It was only seven in the morning. Sighing and rubbing his face, he wondered why he had woken up so early. He hadn't woken up early since before he and Duo had set out on their adventurous vacation. He yawned while unconsciously rubbing his chest. For some reason he felt a little disoriented and he wasn't sure of the possible cause.
Sighing heavily, Quatre ran a hand through his hair to try and neaten it, though it still fell into his eyes a bit. He lay back down but found that he didn't feel tired anymore. He sat up again, wondering what he could do to calm his restlessness. He felt the bed shift and heard a soft rustle of fabric. Turning, Quatre caught sight of Trowa moving gently, turning to lie on his back. The thin sheet was barely covering him between his legs and Quatre felt a sudden jolt pull at him, causing him to stiff and rub his chest again.
I might've pulled a muscle or something.
Shaking his head of the strange feeling, he smiled softly as the sunlight caressed Trowa's face noting how peaceful his features were when he was sleeping. Carefully, so as not to disturb him, Quatre slid to his knees and began crawling to the other side of the bed. He gently lay right next to Trowa, pushing against him and laying his head on the same pillow. Trowa didn't seem to notice anything for he continued breathing evenly.
Smiling, Quatre moved his hand to lightly move Trowa's bangs from off his face. His hair was in disarray from their previous nightly activities. Just thinking of the previous night made his spine tingle. It wasn't a painful tingle, but more of a remembrance. He remembered everything, from their lingering hands to their aroused moans, it was fresh in his memory. And Quatre would certainly cherish it. He hoped his relationship with Trowa would last long, if not everlasting, but only time would tell. So far he was the happiest he had been in a while. Duo had always made him feel happy and positive, brightening his day with his jokes and laughter. It made every day feel easier to get through, especially when he had been surrounded in work and the ghostly presence of his father.
Now, pleasing his father didn't haunt him anymore. He hadn't thought about him once or what he would think if he saw Quatre now, lying naked in bed with a young man he had just recently met. Duo was always there for him, and would always be, as a best friend, but there had been a particular place in Quatre's heart that he couldn't fill. And after last night, Quatre was sure Trowa was that person to fill the empty space there. Although he had not been very experienced or looked forward to any relationship, it was still missing in his life; that sort of love which a friend couldn't give.
He never would've imagined a love so strong that it would make him regret wasting several years off his life to try and impress a father who was rarely ever there for him and always forcing him to walk in his footsteps; a love so strong it made him want to do something he loved with his life; a feeling and bond so strong he couldn't ever imagine being without it.
Perching on one elbow, Quatre stared down at his sleeping face with adoration. With his other hand he lightly caressed Trowa's cheek, feeling the velvety-soft skin beneath his fingertips. He leaned down and pressed his cheek to Trowa's, still touching his other cheek with his fingers. Turning his head he brushed a sweet, lingering kiss across Trowa's skin. The bed shifted a bit as Trowa stirred, eyebrows furrowing ever-so-slightly as he turned his head to the side, keeping his body in the same position. Quatre watched, loving how his muscles flexed every time he moved in the slightest.
Tracing the contours of the clearly toned muscles in his arms, Quatre moved his body so that the sheets were no longer covering him as he lay atop. He slipped a leg over Trowa's partially covered leg, being careful so as not to wake him, and lifted Trowa's arm so that he could place the rest of his body against him with the arm around him. Quatre shifted so that he was partly lying on Trowa's arm with his leg wrapped in between his atop the sheets, resting his head partly on his shoulder. For several minutes he just stared at Trowa, wondering how he could've missed meeting him if things hadn't gone the way they had.
Quatre watched as Trowa's chest rose and fell serenely with each breath. The way the rays of light danced across his tanned skin, making it look smooth and flawless, Quatre was tempted to touch every place it hit. He moved again, only this time he up righted himself so he was hovering over Trowa's face, blocking out some of the rays. Carefully, he leaned down, watching as he descended closer until his lips kissed the firm, smooth lips that were warm from the touch of sunlight and velvety-soft like the rest of his body. Quatre pressed his lips closer so it was more than a ghostly, chaste kiss but one that was firm and loving. His lips felt warm when he pulled up, the soft caress of the kiss making him yearn for more.
Closing his eyes, Quatre lowered his head again, covering Trowa's lips with his completely. This time, Trowa stirred, the arm that hung loosely around Quatre tightened and his body shifted just as his eyes opened. Quatre's eyes fluttered open as he lifted his lips slowly off of Trowa's just in time to see emerald green eyes gazing into his own. Quatre smiled softly, moving his hand up to move Trowa's bangs from his eyes so that he could see both of them.
"Good morning," Quatre whispered, with a small, sly smile. "Sorry to wake you."
Trowa shifted slightly but gazed up at him serenely, "It's fine. How long have you been up?"
"Just a few minutes," Quatre said, adjusting his position. "But I got distracted by admiring you," he said, brushing his fingertips across his cheek.
Trowa stared back at him and smiled softly as Quatre leaned his head down in the crook of his neck, keeping a firm hand on his cheek as he did so. Trowa's hand rose up as he lightly touched Quatre's arm to show his affection. Quatre shifted his body so that he was completely lying atop Trowa on the sheets, entirely uncovered. They lay in silence for several minutes as the sun began to rise higher in the sky. After a moment longer, Quatre rose himself up, leaning on Trowa's chest as he stared down at him.
"Trowa, when you come back with me, how long will you stay?"
The answer wasn't immediate, but Trowa gazed up at him with the same calm, peaceful expression he had on when he was sleeping. His hand remained on Quatre's arm.
"I don't know," he replied honestly.
Quatre began playing with a loose strand of Trowa's hair as he stared at him evenly, "When does Catherine want you to visit?"
"She said whenever my mission was complete to contact her so she could set up a way for me to get there," Trowa answered.
Quatre was silent for a moment before he moved his arm in order to grasp Trowa's hand, pressing it to his face.
"Trowa…I've been thinking. I know it seems crazy for everything to be happening so fast when we haven't known each other for very long, but I was wondering if you and Heero would like to…stay at my place, since I have so much extra room," he added quickly. "And I know you and Heero don't have your own place, since you move around so much during missions and now that it's over well…," Quatre hesitated, trailing off. "What do you think?"
"Quatre, I would love to stay with you," Trowa said quietly.
He could all ready feel his heart plummet, knowing there was a "but" coming in. Everything had seemed to end too perfectly, so of course there had to be another obstacle. Quatre could feel his doubts and disappointment growing, but kept his face calm and neutral.
"But…?" he inquired gently.
"I promised Cathy I would see her right when I got back from my mission. Even though I leave every now and then there's still a place for me in every act," Trowa said, as Quatre listened intently. "If I just left it might bring trouble financially for the circus, and I don't want to cause trouble for them when they've kept a place for me to stay."
"So…what does that mean?" Quatre asked quietly, his fingers rubbing gently against Trowa's hand, which he kept firmly pressed up against his cheek.
"I'll have to get things worked out with Cathy and see if there is someone able to take my place, if we decide to make our living arrangements permanent somewhere," Trowa explained quietly, his eyes never leaving Quatre's face. "Heero and I still have our old lives to tidy up. I'll have to talk to him as well and see what he wants to do. We've always done everything together, not only as partners but friends. If he decides to go back as a soldier…"
"Then you'll go back to the circus," Quatre finished wistfully, his eyes clouding.
He couldn't plaster a fake smile on his face, or make it seem like he wasn't disappointed. It was obvious, but truthfully Quatre hadn't thought it out. He had gone with his instincts, an urge to keep this fantasy-like happiness a reality. He never wanted to let Trowa go, and the only way was to have him live in or around the same place. Quatre hadn't wanted the vacation to end. That's why he had gotten upset that fateful night when he and Trowa had both let down their guard and followed their emotions. He was afraid that when the vacation was over, so would be the new happiness he had found in his life. Trowa made him want to enjoy every moment and not waste a single second.
I'm still going to quit my job and find something I like. And I'm still going to get together more often with Duo and Hilde and try and go out to meet new friends…in order to live life to the fullest. But I'll still have a place missing if Trowa isn't there in my new life.
Quatre smiled weakly, trying to force himself to be strong despite how he was feeling. He held Trowa's hand against him more firmly and righted himself so he was sitting gently upon him, the warm morning sun on his skin.
"I understand, Trowa. I knew it was too sudden, and I didn't think that it would be asking you to sort of leave the life you've always known," Quatre bit his lip. "But…when we get back, you and Heero can stay a while, as long as you like, and I can set up a ride for you. That way you can go see Catherine and have time to talk to her and Heero. But I don't want you to have Catherine go through the trouble of getting you transportation. I'll do that for you."
Trowa nodded, his eyes softening, "Thank you, she'll greatly appreciate that."
Quatre nodded, forcing a small smile before sliding off him and releasing his hand, "I think I'm going to go see if Duo's up. We could use some time together as well, which will give you time to talk to Heero about how he feels."
He slid off the bed and approached the chair that he had left his clothes on from the previous night. He had to turn his back because he was unable to face Trowa. He of course respected his decision and knew that it was too early to be asking something like that. Not even couples who had dated for a year or so asked that and they hadn't even known each other more than a month. For some reason or another, it didn't feel too quick for him. He slipped back into his clothes, trying not to let his disappointment dampen the rest of their vacation. They only had a couple days left and they'd be spending it back in their lush suites at the five-star hotel where he and Trowa had bonded intimately.
He heard a rustle of sheets and hesitated before slowly glancing over his shoulder. Trowa had silently gotten out of the bed to get dressed himself. His back was turned so that Quatre could watch him without having to face him. He knew he was upset, but the last he wanted was to get emotional again. He had learned to control it for so long, putting on a brave face for work or when being interviewed. With Trowa it was different and he couldn't seem to think positively. It wasn't a definitely no; there was still a chance Trowa would work things out with Heero and Catherine and decide to live on colon L4, hopefully with or right near where Quatre lived.
At the moment though, he was indecisive which was filling Quatre with doubts and fears again. He needed a friend to talk to, and Duo was the perfect friend for that. He just hoped that for the rest of the time there wouldn't be a tension hanging in the air between him and Trowa. It would only make it harder. Quatre took a deep breath and placed a small smile on his face as Trowa turned around, completely dressed.
"Do you want some breakfast?"
"No thank you. I'm not used to eating so early," Trowa said calmly.
Quatre nodded, his smile wavering, "Um…well, I guess we can go see if Duo and Heero are up then."
Trowa nodded wordlessly in agreement and silence befell them.
XXXXXX
The feeling of warmth was comforting, but the intensity of the light aroused him from his sleep. Duo cracked his eyes open to the blinding light of the morning sun. He groaned and tried to roll over away from it. Unfortunately, the entire room was alight with the sunlight streaming in through the window that it was hard to ignore. He sat up, stretching tiredly as he glared at the rays, feeling too exhausted to be annoyed.
He turned his head to the side to read the clock and caught sight of Heero, who was stretched languidly out on the bed. The sheets were entangled low around his waist, allowing his body to shine in the light, his skin appearing silky. Duo's lips curled into a smile and he shifted closer to him, admiring how his features looked when he was fast asleep. He traced a finger down Heero's chest, loving the feel of the warm, sultry skin beneath him.
Heero's breathing became slightly heavier, which meant that he was easy to wake. Duo had barely touched him and he had somehow felt it somewhere deep in his unconscious. Leaning down, Duo brushed his lips across Heero's, feeling his lips move slightly from the gentle caress. Duo placed a soft, chaste kiss on his lips and moved down to his neck where there were all ready subtle marks where he had kissed and sucked the several nights previously, including during their rock climbing excursion. Duo turned to look at the small medal and smiled. He hadn't thought they would win the entire round after having tied with two other teams, but somehow despite being exhausted Heero had gone even faster as if he had been holding back until the last round.
Smiling, Duo let his fingers caress Heero's abdominal muscles, watching with interest as they flexed involuntarily. He kept his hand on Heero's stomach even as his eyes caught sight of the laptop sitting idly across the room. A sly expression flickered across Duo's face and he turned to look down at Heero to see he was still sleeping peacefully. Sliding his hand off Heero's stomach, Duo creeped slowly toward the other end of the bed and slipped off it. He tip-toed across the carpeted room, watching Heero the entire time even though he wasn't making any noise, before he grabbed his jeans, slipping them on and approached the laptop.
Duo glanced at Heero again before he sat down, touching the small mouse pad on the keyboard to awaken the sleeping computer. Luckily, it seemed to be on mute for it made no sound as he began searching on the computer. Duo's eyebrows furrowed as he saw that there seemed to be nothing on the desktop nor in any of the files. Frowing, he clicked to make sure the internet and everything was working. It was like nothing was stored on the computer.
But that can't be! With how long Heero's had this thing in all his missions, how is that possible? Unless…Of course! Everything stored in it must be protected in case it got into the wrong hands. How clever…which means that the files are probably hidden.
Duo grinned as he went to the main control panel and selected for files to be revealed. Several folders popped up, which also seemed to have nothing in them. Duo frowned again, wondering what he'd have to do to open them, or get them to reveal something. He sighed frustrated, knowing that Heero was extremely clever, and wouldn't tell him anything if he asked. He turned, folding his arms, and caught sight of Heero's jacket on the chair. Looking at it thoughtfully, Duo slid out of the desk chair and approached it, feeling like a child looking for santa on Christmas eve.
Licking his lips, he reached his hand into one pocket and pulled out a foldable knife, some lock-picking tools and some pieces of papers. Upon opening the slips of paper, he realized he didn't understand anything. It was all numbers and letters of which he had no idea what any of them stood for. Smiling slyly, he took the slips of paper, in case he ever needed to make a deal with Heero in order to find things out, in return for his pieces of paper, if they were important at all. He reached into the other pocket and pulled out what looked like a microchip of some sort.
Feeling even more curious, Duo quickly tip-toed back to the laptop and examined it. He wasn't an expert when it came to computers, but when he was younger he had learned to pick locks and get into things that he shouldn't have. As he grew up he began to regret what he did, finding that earning things was much more satisfactory, but now he was thankful he had some practice. He frowned and studied the chip, wondering if it even went to the laptop.
Maybe if there was some type of opening.
Duo's eyes narrowed in thought and he lifted the laptop up before turning it over. Looking aroung for something like a screwdriver, he instead used one of the lock pick tools to help him unscrew a part of the back that looked like the place where the memory was stored. Duo examined the space before reaching out his hand to touch the memory chip that was all ready placed in the laptop. He tugged on it several times and was shocked when it came out with a sharp click. Feeling excitement cloud his judgment he put the other chip he had found in it and put the laptop down. He went to the control panel again and this time there were many files.
I can't believe it! I just figured out how to unlock Heero's secret files! Wow…I never knew I could do that. Maybe I should be a soldier too.
Duo grinned widely at the thought but focused on the task at hand. He took him several minutes to find out how to access the new memory chip installed, but when he did he found hundreds of folders that popped up. Duo's eyes widened, staring at them all noting how they were all listed by dates. Not knowing where to start, Duo randomly selected a folder and opened it, finding that it read:
Mission I.OZ
AC 195
OBJECTIVES: Undercover mission. Find out plan against colonies. Infiltrate and steal design for new nuclear weapon. Report back in 3.4 hours.
Duo read it with wide eyes, realizing it was one of Heero's missions. It was dated before the war had ended, which meant it was an old mission. He scrolled down to where it read more information, describing the clothes worn by the enemy, how many were guarding the front doors, back doors, and down each hallway of whatever building was going to be infiltrated. Then it showed a blueprint of the weapon they were supposedly designing. Duo was amazed at how clever and knowledgable Heero's instructors were. Each of the folders must've been a mission. Duo scrolled through from top to bottom, almost choking when he realized how early Heero had started his mission.
He couldn't have been older than thirteen! That's incredible! Why would he start out so young?
Duo wondered why Heero wanted to keep everything a secret, especially since the missions were all ready completed.
Unless perhaps they're required to keep all their data from previous missions. I don't know why they would do that though. What if an old enemy force found it?
He sighed, shaking his head. He knew there wasn't anything to worry about. Just some of Heero's old files that he just probably kept for safe-keeping. He scrolled down, past hundreds of files, to the very end where it stopped. He saw another folder there and opened it. He heard something behind him and glanced over his shoulder to see Heero stirring.
He glared at the computer, tapping his finger impatiently, as he waited for the laptop to stop its command. It stopped and he found that he had opened yet another mission file.
Great, like I need to see yet another one of these. Time to put this back where I found it before Heero wakes up. I'll have to ask him sometime later why he keeps all his old files.
He went to close the file but his finger slipped, accidentally hitting the scroll button on the keyboard, which ended up scrolling to the very last page.
Oops…Guess I'm not used to working with laptops. Maybe that's a sign I should stop now and talk to Heero about his missions instead of sneaking into his private folders.
He shrugged lightly and went to close it again, but he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Even with all the words and data on the file he was looking at, one word seemed to stand out among all of them. The word, or name rather, that was in italics, but not bold so it was almost hard to notice, was Heero Yuy. Duo stared at it, tilting his head to the side as he stared at the name.
So that's what his last name is. I was wondering what H.Y. stood for on the note he wrote to Trowa.
Duo smiled and moved the mouse toward the name in order to highlight it so he could remember his full name. When the mouse hovered over it, a hand appeared signaling that it was a link. Duo blinked, his smile fading into curiosity as he clicked on Heero's name. A new page appeared with more words that were in italics, except this time Duo could read it. It wasn't full of numbers, facts or figures of data from missions, but rather it was a note. Duo leaned closer in order to read it.
Heero Yuy,
The mission to seize and destroy the OZ military base during AC 196 was a success. The colonies were freed and Treize Khushrenada had stepped down from leader of the sub-group OZ. However, the peace has only lasted a couple years. New information has been found that the Romefellar Foundation had more than just the sub-group OZ that had branched off of it. It was found out that another secret organization called Libra had been on the verge of coming together. Not much is known about this new group, since it wasn't listed and as far as we know was stopped before it could be finalized when OZ was taken down. However, the Peacecraft Kingdom has been rebuilt with a new leader: Relena Peacecraft, the youngest daughter of King Peacecraft. We fear she will be a victim in this, just like when OZ destroyed the Sanc Kingdom before. New mission is in progress for organization Gundam. Information will be sent via top-secret mail. Hopefully it won't be intercepted. If it does, you'll know what to do. Be on standby for now.
Duo finished reading, staring at it blankly. He had heard about the organization OZ that had been destroyed during the war. He had also known that it had been a section of the Romefellar Foundation, but it was also known that during that time OZ was destroyed. Duo knew that Quatre's father was involved and had helped take them down, but neither of them had thought much on it. Quatre had moved on and taken over his father's place, temporarily since he was finally beginning to quit that job and leave it to the colonies, but otherwise the thought of the war had vanished.
Staring at the note thoughtfully, he wondered why there wasn't a date on it like the rest of the files. Shaking his head, he quickly turned over the laptop, pulling out the chip and placed it on the table. He put the blank one back in and snapped it shut, grabbing the full memory chip in order to put back in Heero's jacket. He got up, slipping the lock-picking tools back into Heero's jacket and hesitated as he stared down at the chip, ready to put it back.
"So small yet so valuable and full of information. It's amazing," he whispered to himself.
"What are you doing?"
Duo jumped nearly a foot in the air and spun around while quickly shoving his hand, with the chip enclosed in it, into his jean pocket.
"Heero! You startled me!" Duo said, slapping on a grin. "When did you get up?"
Heero stared at him, having somehow slipped his clothes on while Duo had been examining the chip.
"Just a few minutes ago. How long have you been up?"
"Same," Duo answered, grinning and approaching him. "So…did you have a good sleep?"
"Fine," Heero nodded. "You?"
Duo laughed lightly, "Fine. And what's up with this small talk now? I thought we were past all that."
Heero blinked, unfolding his arms, "We are. I don't talk much in the morning."
Duo rose his eyebrows, inwardly gulping. He knew Heero was suspicious of him. Although he didn't see the chip he had been holding, he was definitely curious as to why Duo was standing by his jacket. Heero most likely still thought what he kept in his pockets was a secret, so seeing Duo by them made him nervous.
But why? Why wouldn't he trust me, and Quatre too? Does that mean Trowa is hiding a chip of his own, or some information from their past? Why wouldn't they want to share it with us? It feels like something is missing from all this. I'll have to talk to Quatre.
Smiling brightly, Duo walked over to the bed and slipped his hand out of his jeans, that was still enclosed around the chip. He began to make the bed, pretending to bend over to adjust the sheet, where Heero couldn't see him, but instead dropped the chip into one of his shoes and quickly slipped his shoes on. He inwardly winced at the feeling, but ignored it. When he lifted back up, smoothing out the sheet he turned and jumped to see Heero right behind him.
"Heero…is this a day where you sneak up behind me and scare me?" he asked in his joking tone.
Heero's eyes seemed to darken, but his expression was calm, "There's no reason why you should be jumpy."
Duo pretended to frown out of annoyance, but it was really out of uncertainty. He wasn't sure how Heero would react to him finding and using the chip. So far, it wasn't looking good, seeing as how he had turned right back into soldier-mode. Even though Duo wasn't an enemy, it was still classified information that he had read, so he opted not to give anything away.
"What's this about Heero?" Duo asked, his eyes boring into his.
Heero appeared to be studying his features carefully before folding his arms casually again.
"Nothing," he answered.
Duo stared at him, his heart racing and slowly approached.
"Are you mad at me?" Duo asked.
Heero blinked, "Why would I be?"
"I don't know. You seem…different now. Almost like you were when we first met. You were suspicious and not very talkative," Duo said, letting a small grin show.
"So do you."
"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy last night," Duo said, raising his eyebrows to try and get the subject going so he wouldn't be cornered.
Heero stared at him seriously, "I'm not talking about that, Duo. I need to know…," he started, before a knock sounded at their door.
The two of them turned and stared at it for several minutes before Duo finally went over and opened it. The door was the joining door between the two suites so they all ready knew who it was. The door opened and Quatre appeared beside Trowa. He glanced up at Duo, and Heero who had taken to standing beside him, and smiled.
"Good morning," Quatre greeted them.
Heero nodded in return to both Quatre and Trowa, who nodded back silently.
"I was hoping we didn't wake you. We heard some talking so we figured you two were up," Quatre said. "We thought since the ship would be docking soon that we should spend some time together."
"That sounds fine," Heero answered him.
Quatre nodded, smiling again, "Great."
Duo remained passive throughout the exchange, studying Quatre carefully. He knew his friend better than either Heero or Trowa and knew that his cheerfullness was reluctant, which meant that something was bothering him as well.
"I've got an idea," Duo spoke up suddenly, and Quatre glanced at him. "Why don't Heero and Trowa go and see if the breakfast buffet is open."
Quatre stared at Duo, who wasn't taking his eyes off of him. Quatre slowly nodded, keeping his eyes locked into Duo's.
"That's a good idea," he said, finally breaking the eye contact and turning to Trowa, then Heero. "You two wouldn't mind, would you?"
Heero studied Quatre for a minute, "No," he said calmly.
All of them walked back toward the main living room area that they shared, and Quatre and Duo watched as Heero and Trowa left the room silently together. Once the door was closed and their footsteps died away, Quatre slumped down onto the couch, putting his head in his hands. Duo sat down carefully beside him and gently put an arm around him.
"What's up?" Duo asked.
Quatre sighed heavily, "Trowa and I had a discussion this morning. It seems that he's not sure they'll come back with us. He says he has to check with Catherine, this girl that works at a circus where he would stay in between missions. He just seemed…I don't know, reluctant to come with me."
"Heero was that way too," Duo said slowly. "When I asked him he said he'd see about it, but the way he said it…I never thought about until now. There was some edge to his voice."
Quatre stared up at his friend, a hurt gaze in his eyes, "Do you think…maybe they don't really want to come with us? Maybe this was just some sort of fling?"
"Hey," Duo said softly, cupping Quatre's face, "don't sound like that. It has nothing to do with you. I don't think it has anything to do with us. I think that maybe it's something they have to deal with. Maybe they're not ready, or maybe they just have to tie up a few loose ends."
"Like what?" Quatre asked.
Duo shrugged, "I have no idea. But I'm pretty sure they don't open their heart to just anyone. In fact, I bet they've never opened their hearts at all. So we're definitely lucky. But I do think they haven't told us everything," he said thoughtfully. "I'm not sure what they're hiding, or what they haven't told us, but if you think about it we really don't know them that well, at least not their pasts. They might still have to heal from whatever battles they fought."
Quatre nodded in understanding, "I know. I told him I understood and that if he decided to go see Catherine right away I'd set up a shuttle for him. I just hoped that it wouldn't end right after vacation. This is what I was dreading…," he lowered his eyes.
"Quatre," Duo lifted his chin so he could lock gazes, "this isn't over. Just because it hasn't ended in a happily-ever-after sense like a fairy-tale doesn't mean it still can't in the near future. They probably just need some time. But while they're figuring things out we'll look around for jobs for them, or a place that they can live, in case they feel like they'd be intruding in your home. And we'll make sure they keep in touch. Trust me, we'll hunt them down if they don't," Duo smiled.
Quatre smiled softly, "You're right, Duo. I can't keep looking at every situation grimly. I've got to be stronger. Trowa probably thinks I'm so weak."
Duo's eyebrows furrowed, "Don't say that, Quat. You're not weak, in fact, you're stronger than you think. Someday you'll realize that."
"Yeah, well, it'll probably take saving the world for me to realize that," Quatre grinned.
Duo rose his eyebrows, "Did you just make a joke? Quatre Winner made a joke?"
Quatre punched him lightly in the arm, "Very funny, Duo."
The two of them laughed together, their doubts and worries slightly eased.
"You know what I think? I think we shouldn't worry about the future so much, but live every day as it counts. If Heero and Trowa do go back to pick up a few loose ends temporarily then that's more of a reason to spend the rest of the time together as best as we can, right? Besides, they wouldn't do anything to purposefully hurt us. I can tell they care. They just need some time to think."
Quatre nodded, smiling brightly again, "You're right, Duo! I'm so glad I have a friend like you!"
"Don't say that just yet," Duo said, his voice turning teasing as he grinned slyly.
Quatre stared at him suspiciously, "…Why?"
"Remember our bet?"
Quatre's eyes widened, "Duo! You can't be serious?"
"Yes, I am! What, did you think I was kidding?" Duo asked, grinning widely.
"Yes! I mean, no, well, it's hard to tell with you," Quatre said truthfully.
Duo smiled again, "No excuses. And this time you get to give me the full scoop first. Details count as extra bonus points," he added.
Quatre's cheeks began to turn pink, "Well, I…I don't know what to say."
"Start from the beginning. What happened first when we left you two alone," Duo said, getting into a comfortable position.
Quatre willed his embarrassment down in order to speak correctly without stuttering, "Well, after you two left we went to get a drink and then to the pool. It wasn't that crowded, which was nice. And…," Quatre trailed off turning pink.
Duo rose his eyebrows, "Go on."
"Well, the old couple left and Trowa snuck into the pool behind me. I mean, I was surprised. I didn't sense him or hear him at all! And next thing I know he's got his arms around me, holding me up out of the water. He's so graceful in the water," Quatre added with a wistful smile.
Duo smiled, "That's sweet. You two are definitely a sweet couple. I just hope it's not so sweet it gives me a cavity."
Quatre mock-glared, "Do you want to hear the rest or not?"
Duo gave him a grin that told him to continue. Quatre began fiddling with his shirt as he spoke.
"Then we, um, went out for a little while exploring the ship. Trowa came with me to watch people sing karaoke. For some reason, it just always cheers me up a lot to watch people sing."
"And some of them try to sing," Duo grinned.
Quatre laughed lightly, "Yes, well after that Trowa seemed to glance over at a table and noticed some guys playing poker. I guess he liked it or knew he was good at it, because he asked if we could watch them for a bit. We watched them play a game, so I know now how to play," Quatre smiled, "but then one of the guys caught sight of Trowa and me and asked us to play. I declined but I said Trowa could play. I just sat next to him, watching him play. He was so…I don't know how to explain it. Perfect, maybe. Every move he made counted and he somehow knew when someone had a good hand and when they didn't. I couldn't tell who was bluffing and who wasn't."
"Did he win anything?" Duo asked, leaning closer.
Quatre nodded enthusiastically, "Oh yes, he did! He won a lot! I think he won a new watch, and almost five hundred dollars! They were betting with loose cash and coins. Trowa only played one game, but it had gone on for a while with people just continuing to bet. So he definitely got a good pile. Then we went to get something to eat. He didn't talk that much, but he wasn't uncomfortable when I…," Quatre blushed, "I leaned over the table to kiss him."
"If he didn't mind, why are you blushing?" Duo asked with a grin.
"No, it wasn't that. It's just that our waitress came over while we were kissing," Quatre blushed again. "She didn't seem to mind. In fact, she said she's glad she gets to see couples together. She said we were both a cute couple. I was afraid mostly that Trowa was uncomfortable…publicly, you know, but he wasn't.
"Then we went back to the room and…," Quatre faltered, his cheeks turning red again, "well, I wanted to try out the huge bathtub that was supposed to be like a Jacuzzi. I…I figured that would relax us, you know, since that's what you do on a vacation."
"Uh huh," Duo urged him to continue. "So, did you have sex or not?"
Quatre blushed red and put his face in his hands. Duo grinned widely at his embarrassment.
"I'm guessing that's a yes. All right, spill the details!"
"Duo!" Quatre exclaimed, pulling his hands away.
"We had a deal, Quat," Duo said, leaning closer. "So, how did it start?"
Quatre sighed heavily, not able to stop blushing as he spoke, "Well we, um, started with just relaxing. But it was hard since we had asked for the specialty, which I didn't know happened to be some honey-moon romance theme. Silvia," Quatre said and Duo rose his eyebrows, "was the one to do the specialty and she showered rose petals everywhere and left us chocolate-covered strawberries."
"Ooo! An aphrodisiac, how thoughtful," Duo winked.
"Yes, and then…well, I told Trowa how I told you about how we…you know."
"Come on, Quat, you can say it," Duo grinned.
"Fine. How we had sex the first time, and he was fine with it."
Duo nodded, "Yes, apparently Trowa and Heero talk more than we thought."
Quatre nodded in agreement, "Well, I was so happy that he wasn't mad at me that I hugged him. And then…well, we kissed…"
"With or without tongue?" Duo asked.
Quatre looked up in surprise and blushed, "Without…the first time. And after we ate the strawberries I told him I really liked being with him, and he said the same and we kissed again…with tongue."
"How did it feel?"
"What!" Quatre stared at him wide-eyed.
"Details, remember?" Duo grinned.
"Um…it felt, good…and hot. His tongue was really smooth, and he's the one that began rubbing his against mine. But I put my tongue in his mouth first," Quatre said, feeling absolutely embarrassed about explaining a kiss. "And, um…I really liked the feeling a-and I wanted to feel more. I thought about what you said, about knowing how sex felt when being aware of it and I asked him to make love to me again."
"Wow, you were that bold?" Duo asked.
"Yeah…and at first I thought he didn't want to, but then he explained to me he was worried he would…tear me if we did it again too soon. But I told him I was fine and then we…did it."
"Uh huh, more details," Duo said.
Quatre sighed heavily, "We did it in the Jacuzzi. He had me leaned up against the tub with my hips angled out of water. And he pushed in slowly, and it didn't hurt. And," he glanced at Duo's expectant expression, "it felt really good…almost as intense as the feeling of going on a roller coaster for the first time, except it's a different kind of excitement. And it felt more natural than the first time, although I admit I was scared I'd do something wrong, or that he wouldn't enjoy it." Quatre sighed, "So, how did I do?"
"Pretty good," Duo grinned. "Sounds like a bath was a nice idea."
Quatre smiled, "All right then, your turn."
"If you must know," Duo grinned, "Heero and I spent some time out on the deck looking out at the ocean and talked. That's when I found out Heero all ready knew about me telling you about us and everything. Then we went out to eat, like you and Trowa, but afterward we decided to enter into this rock-climbing competition."
"Oh, yeah! I heard all about that. Trowa and I were going to check it out after dinner, but I was a bit too tired," Quatre said sheepishly. "I wish I could've gone to see you two."
"Ah, don't worry about it, Quat," Duo said, patting his back. "It was great though. Heero and I make an excellent team. We won first place."
Quatre's mouth dropped open in surprise, "You did! Duo, that's unbelievable!"
"Trust me, I know," Duo grinned. "I can't believe it either, but he was so focused. In fact, we had enough time in between rounds to…touch each other in interesting places. At least that way we seemed as out of breath as the rest of the people."
Quatre laughed at that, urging him to continue.
"Then of course we had to celebrate. I figured it was time for us to…change positions if you know what I mean."
Quatre's eyebrows furrowed in thought, "What do you mean?"
"I wanted to know what it would feel like to take him. Of course I had been waiting all day for us to be alone and naked together in our room. And Heero adapted so quickly, it was like a normal thing for me to be inside him, even though it was his first time. At first I went slow, waiting till I found the right angle, but he just looked at me with that challenging expression, knowing that I wanted to know how he could handle things so well that…well, I basically screwed the hell out of him," Duo grinned.
Quatre choked as he tried to swallow normally, coughing instead. Duo just smiled at him.
"Oh, yes, and for details, he knows how to move his hips when thrusting into him…"
Quatre held up his hand to stop, smiling while blushing, "That's, um, good Duo. Thanks."
Duo grinned while leaning back, "No problem. If ever you two want to have a competition, let me know," he winked.
Quatre blushed crimson and opened his mouth to say something, anything against doing that. He was all ready embarrassed enough to explain everything in detail, but showing him everything was much worse! Before he could say anything, the sound of the loud-speaker came on, preventing him from replying.
"Attention passengers! The ship will be docking in twenty minutes."
Duo glanced at Quatre with a small grin, "Looks like this boat ride is almost over. Maybe we should go see if Heero and Trowa are stuck in a long line at the buffet," he said, standing up.
Quatre stood up as well, fighting down his blush after their talk, but grabbed onto his arm before he could head for the door.
"Duo," he waited until Duo had turned around, "is something wrong? I sensed something when you answered the door and I know you'd tell me if you wanted to, but I just wanted to make sure everything was all right."
Duo's smile faded slightly but he put his arm around his shoulders, "I'll tell you later. And no, it's not anything Heero did or said," Duo said, catching the look in his friend's eyes. "Let's go get some food."
Quatre nodded, smiling and hoping that he wasn't still blushing, and let Duo lead him out with his arms around his shoulders, pushing his doubts and concerned temporarily in the back of his mind.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Hey, last chapter coming up next!
To Reviewers:
Ashen Skies: hehehe, I'm really glad you thought the previous chapter fluff/yummy stuff made up for the torturous action. Well, in the sequel you'll be happy to know that what I have in store for our boys will have major suspense/action with fluffy and humorous moments. Oh, trust me, it'll be nothing like what happens in this story. That's all I'm going to say. Oh yes, love will certaintly be proven in the sequel. I know this chapter had some tension, but it's just to lead up to the sequel. Next chapter is the last chapter!
Kathy stgqvk: Awww, I'm really glad you love it! That makes me so happy! Well, the ending won't be exactly happily-ever-after as they all make their way together out in the sunset holding hands, but that's only because there's a MUCH bigger plot to come in the sequel. Have no fear, the romance and happy-mushy stuff will be very prominent. And I am a fan of happily-ever-afters. So you can expect a good ending. However, what I have in store for the boys is very exciting…hehehe. And in the sequel, to kind of hint for you, it won't be a vacation this time. And I do realize that everything happened to Quatre and Duo in this story, which is why I WILL tell you the sequel will be nothing like this story. But trust me, all the characters will get their fill of adventure.
Shinigami4ever: Aww, thanks! I'm glad the last chapter was your favorite (since I spent SO much time on it!). I figured the climax had to be good. And I know there's some tension between our wonderful couples, but trust me there's a good reason. And the ending won't be bad, but it won't be complete. I promise it won't be a huge cliffhanger, but it's supposed to leave room for the sequel. I will get the sequel up hopefully either by the end of or right after I come back from vacation (check my profile for dates on that). I promise you much more of everything, including a much more complex plot in the sequel! Till the last chapter, or next one!
Mycahey there! Just wanted to let you know about the site with my GW pics, I don't think the password will work for you anymore since I made it public. But I left the site up on my profile so you can check out the pics anytime! I'm going to be updating some more good pictures Friday. Anyway, I'm glad you thought the pool scene was good. I wasn't sure how to go about Trowa showing his feelings, but that seemed to work. Awww! I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed my fic, especially for someone so new to yaoi. And no, I don't think that makes you a pervert. I mean, since I'm the one writing it, what does that make me? O.o I'm glad you like my writing though! That makes me feel good. To be honest, this is my very first yaoi fanfic. The sequel will of course be my second. And I promise much more suspense, action and lovey-dovey moments. You'll meet some more of the characters too, which you know really well by now! E-mail me when you get the chance!
Shin-chan: Well, I posted the link in my profile for the site where I have pictures up. Really good ones! I'm going to post more soon. Sorry the scene with telling each other about their nights wasn't a big part of the chapter. It's just something entertaining, hehehe! But anyway, there will be much more of a chance for romance with the sequel, but it'll be mixed with fluff, much action/suspense and some humor. Hopefully I'll have the sequel out soon after the last chapter, which is coming up next!
Anna may: Oh no no! Trust me, I haven't EVER killed off a character in any of my stories. Most of the time not even the bad guys get killed. I'm definitely a happily-ever-after person, but that doesn't mean I'll make it easy for our wonderful couples. The sequel has a lot in store for them! Hehe, and don't worry, more sex too! Mostly fluffy moments in the sequel and some limey moments before it leads up to more sex. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll enjoy the suspense/action that's coming up, especially if you enjoyed this story. But trust me, the sequel is completely different. In fact, I think I might end up liking it better than this story (except for how our beautiful couples met).
Youkai girl: Aw, thanks! I'm glad you like my writing style! I hope it's original and not like other people's out there. Half of the yaoi stories I've read are all so alike, that's why I wanted to write my own. But also because I love writing and of course with all my favorite couples it's great! The sequel will have so much more in store for them! There will be plenty of moments for Quatre and Trowa (plus Heero and Duo), don't worry! And it won't all be romance, mushy stuff, nor sex. The plot will be much more complex. Hopefully it'll turn out better than this story!
Wolf Riku: Thank you! I'm glad you chose to read this story even though I have been tending to focus a bit more on Quatre and Trowa. In the sequel it'll be much more even and trust me there's a lot more in store for them! There will be plenty bits of romance involved, but it'll start out slow and lead up to the intensity. The plot I'm hoping will be better in the sequel. It's nothing like this story, as I hinted in the note above. I have a lot stored so I hope it'll be good! I'll get out asap! The ending to this story will be complete, but it'll leave room for a sequel. I won't make it a horrible cliffhanger and if I have to I'll post the sequel on vacation.
Sxybichic18: hehehe, thanks a bunch! You really should write more often! Some day we should just get together and write, and help each other. What about that story we want to do together? I still have the outline. We might have better ideas by now. But anyway, thanks a lot for the review! I'm glad it didn't gross you out or anything. Hehehe! And guess what? Yep, there's going to be a sequel! MUAHAHHA! Yeah, so I'll force you to read it, if you forget.
Fiery-icicles: Oh, don't worry, there will definitely be a sequel to this! In fact, I have more planned for the sequel than I did this story! I'm hoping the sequel will turn out better; we'll see.
TinyvoiceAwww, thanks! That makes me feel happy! I'm glad you like it! Your story is good, don't worry! Sometimes, if you change the summary that might help. Trust me, I've had to do that before. I also feel that updating as quickly as possible is always the best. Keeps the readers from thinking you've abandoned the story. But yours was definitely good! You've just got to find a way to catch people's attention! Trust me, when I first started writing fan fiction I wasn't that good. I've learned to grow not only from reading and writing more, but also from what people have said. This is my first GW fanfic but I took time preparing for it. Don't worry, it'll come to you! You've definitely got a spark of a talent, it just needs to grow!