Author: Phoebe Otaku
Title: The Simple Explanation
Chapter 2:…Is Hollywood Ready For A New 'Power Couple'?
Disclaimer: If Gundam wing actually belonged to me, why they hell would I be writing 'fanfiction'?
Author's notes: Oh the insanity that is my life, oh woe is me….
I have so much work and yet I sit down and I write this stuff instead…AHHHH WHY ME!
Anyway I'm thinking this story is going to be a lot longer than I actually planned…bah! (I suppose it's good for the reader and bad for the writer…)
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Hilde sat at her gorgeous desk in the small luxurious waiting room outside of Quatre Winner's office. She had wanted to see the look on Quatre's face when he read the article, almost as much as she wanted to see Trowa look surprised, for once.
Quatre was a great boss. He often treated her more like a friend than an employee. Which was his only logical course of action…being that, as his secretary and personal assistant, she knew just about everything about the young billionaire. Not just schedule and coffee preferences, but height, weight, shoe size, friends, personality flaws, everything. Staying on her good side was in his best interest…not that there was any dirt to spill on Quatre. He was a model citizen in every way. None of the excesses of wealth had tainted him.
"Hilde?" came his pleasant voice after the familiar buzz of the intercom system.
"Yes?" she answered, eager to hear his reaction to the article.
"In light of the Romefellor Star's nomination of me and Trowa as the new 'It couple' try to consolidate meetings…I'm really not looking forward to explaining the misunderstanding to the board members one by one." He sounded half frustrated and half laughing.
"Your love life always does make for interesting party conversation." Quatre barely laughed in response.
"Funny that with all the speculation going around, no one ever gets it right. But then again person ads reading 'lonely billionaire seeks beautiful caring –Woman- with a sense of humor for long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, and long term relationship'…just don't get much credence do they?"
"That's too bad. Although, I think you and Trowa could have been really cute…" Quatre's sigh could have been a screamed 'WHY ME?' but Hilde refrained from commenting further on the issue.
"I expect Duo should be arriving any moment to do some damage control, please let us know when he arrives…Oh, and if any reporters manage to call me about this…"
"Tell them to shove it. Got it, boss." He knew she wouldn't actually use those words, or at least he trusted her to judge whether or not they were necessary.
"Thanks."
As usual Hilde wondered why Quatre has hired her when he could have had a secretary with more business experience and better typing skills. He would have told her that it was because she was good at what she did. And she was. Damn good, in fact. Despite her lack of confidence in her secretarial skills, she could tell the difference between what was important and what was bull. She was practical. And common sense was something Quatre valued highly.
"I really just need a job, I'm not looking for anything glamorous" she had told the young blonde gentleman she had mistakenly assumed was some minion interviewer at the time. She had debts from putting herself through school alone. She needed something that would pay the bills.
But that was only the simple explanation.
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"I AM Shinigami! Cower before me Mortals!" he yelled chasing some of Quatre's employee's away with a water pistol. Quatre's secretary, Hilde, rolled her eyes at his antics as he strolled to the desk.
"Good Morning, Mr. Maxwell, how can I help you?" she said with an indulgent air.
"Smile if you want me to take you right here on your desk." Duo said with a completely straight face. Hilde's eyes widened with shock, then lit with humor, Duo had a new one each time he saw her. However, it was becoming harder and harder to hold in the giggle that was fighting its way to the surface. Then came the puppy eyes. It was no use, Hilde burst out laughing.
"I knew it! You want me bad!" He said with a grin just before Quatre and Trowa emerged from his office looking for Duo, the inevitable cause of the laughter.
People wondered how he accomplished anything when no one could possibly take him seriously. No one really knew the answer, but Duo was damn good at what he did. Scratch that, he was in-fucking-credible. At least that was how Duo saw it. But, despite his seeming 'king of all slackers' attitude, things always seemed to fall into place at –exactly- the right moment, making everyone wonder just exactly how he managed it.
"Relax man; life's just a big party! Live a little!" He told his oft stressed companions. He always had everything under control…sorta. Sometimes he really couldn't believe this is what he did to pay the bills.
But that was only the simple explanation.
Spinning to face Quatre and Trowa he expertly brandished his innocuous weapon and pressed it against Quatre's temple. If they had been anywhere but their current location in Quatre's inner sanctum/office Duo would have been tackled by any number of Quatre's personal bodyguards. As it stood, Quatre got a face full of water but would never let it be said that he was defenseless. In the space of an eye blink the blonde had disarmed Duo and held his arm locked behind his back.
"Quatre, if you could refrain from breaking my agent's arm for the moment?" Quatre released Duo and managed to look so innocent that Duo began muttering things about psychotic billionaires. "I assume you've seen the tabloids this morning, Duo?" Trowa continued, successfully regaining his agent's attention and changing the subject.
"Yeah, and I'm not the only one either." He said pointing to the television suspended from a corner of Quatre's plush waiting room.
'….And next on Entertainment news: The latest scandal to sweep the Tabloids. Is Trowa Barton dating the Billionaire owner of the Winner Corporation or is this all a stunt to build up hype for Trowa's latest film, due in theaters just in time for the Christmas rush? Perhaps they've been breaking out the mistletoe really early this year, Bob…'
"Who writes such cheesy lines?" Duo interjected with disgust, ignoring the ironic look exchanged between Trowa and Quatre.
"I think that was a full hour" Trowa said, it had been longer than he thought it would take.
'…Mr. Winner has attended numerous events where Trowa has put in an appearance. Including several movie premieres. So we have to ask ourselves if this relationship is a new development or merely the first time anyone has noticed…' pictures of Quatre at movie premieres and benefits flashed across the screen. '…is Hollywood ready for a new 'Power Couple'?' By now Hilde was pulling out tissues to wipe the tears of laughter from her eyes while Quatre and Trowa just stared in disbelief.
'…neither man was available for comment as the story broke this morning in the Romefellor Star…'
"Of course they're not available for comment! They're never available for comment…" Duo muttered before turning to the rest of the room. "You've got to give them credit for making it sound like an innuendo." He added with a grin and a laugh.
"You sound so happy about all this, Duo?" Quatre raised his eyebrows as he asked.
"Look, like I always say, 'loosen up' just go with it…the media will work itself into a frenzy either way." Duo shrugged.
"And…why are we happy about it?" Quatre sighed, again. Getting a coherent answer out of Duo might be too much to ask.
"First off Q-man, it might keep some of those gold digging women off of your back for a while"
"Ano, what about gold digging men?" the thought was almost too frightening.
"Dude! Have you looked at Trowa lately? Who could compete with THAT!" he said gesturing to the tall man still glancing occasionally at the TV. "If they have a functioning brain cell, they won't even try."
"Secondly, I know that Trowa could care less about hype for the movie, that will take care of itself, but…" Duo paused for effect. "You DO care about causing hype for that benefit in a couple weeks…the one for… for…"
"…Orphaned and homeless children." Trowa supplied wondering how Duo could be so smart and such an idiot all at once.
"Yeah, whatever, I'm sure you wouldn't mind putting yourself through some embarrassing shit for a good cause. You're both already going. So just go like you normally would and the reporters will take care of the rest…especially that Dorothy Catalonia…I think she's smarter than her occupation suggests…" before Duo could continue on his tangent Trowa had to speak.
"I was planning on taking Cathie to the benefit." They all watched the 'Mad Genius' blink for a moment.
"Fucking Brilliant!" Duo said ecstatically. "Now, I'm off to confuse some reporters…" he paused and turned to Hilde. "I'll see you later, babe." She rolled her eyes, but despite herself Duo's antics were growing on her. And he knew it.
"Well, I suppose that Duo's right." Quatre admitted after he swept from the room. "The press will just do whatever they want. You up for this, Trowa?"
"Whatever you say, Q-Man" Trowa intoned with deadpan sarcasm.