Idle Chatter
Chapter 9; Trowa POV:
Warnings: Major animal craziness.
Author's Note: Italics means what the animals are saying in their own words.

I watched as I drove away, the tears falling from Quatre's beautiful eyes. I couldn't stand it. Charlie snarled at me and I stopped halfway between the gate and Quatre's home and turned to him. "What do you expect me to do, Charlie? He almost got me expelled. I have a right to be upset. I don't need him trying to run my life," I told him, my eyes filling with my own tears.

"But, he really was upset over you getting in trouble while he was trying to get into trouble himself. He said it was favoritism. Said no one had the balls to mess with him because he was too intimidating. He even felt really bad that those cowards would punish you for something he did. He was really upset and hurt, Trowa." I sighed and looked away.

"That doesn't sound like Quatre, Charlie. I don't think he knows how to get angry." Charlie seemed to glare at me for a moment.

"Are you serious? That boy has a serious other side, one that could possibly get him killed some day. I mean, he's got a mean streak a mile wide with extra room for the serious stuff." I blinked. Could that really be the same Quatre I loved that he was talking about. Then again, Charlie had no reason to lie, therefore there was obviously a lot more to my Quat than met the eye. Then again, he wasn't my Quat anymore. Not after what I had just done. I rolled down the window and looked to Charlie.

"Go back and keep and eye on him for me. Perhaps after I go on a Commune, I can come back and apologize." Charlie nodded and headed out the window and back toward Quatre. One good thing I knew about Charlie, he'd do whatever he had to in order to get back to Quatre, and that was what I was counting on. Seeing Charlie would at least let him know I still cared, even if I was an inconsiderate ass. Driving off, I headed back home.

I arrived at the circus with plenty of time to spare. Yet I wasn't interested in performing today. I had actually managed to get so upset that I had snapped at the one person who was always kind to me. Quatre had no clue what my life had been like. No one save Duo knew anything about my past. Not even Catherine and Jonathan knew about my life before I came to live with them. It was only Duo who had managed to get under my guard and find out the truth. But I wanted to make certain that Quatre was allowed to know that part of my life as well. I had to explain why I had snapped and why I had been so tight-lipped in crowds. He needed to know everything. If he still wanted to be with me, then that would be great. If he wanted nothing more to do with me, then I'd have to live with it.

"Jonathan, I have to go on a commune. I won't be here for a couple days." Jonathan looked at me with worry in his eyes.

"What! You can't. It's not enough time to find a replacement." I sighed.

"There's no choice. If I don't do this I'll fall backwards from every foreword step into interacting with others that Duo, Sister Helen, Catherine, and yourself have worked so hard to instill in me." Jonathan rolled his eyes and finally sighed.

"Fine. Go do your little commune, Trowa. Just don't be gone any longer than two days." I nodded and headed out the door, noting Jonathan was picking up the phone before I was even gone. I smirked softly before letting it fall from my lips and headed on out into the forest behind the circus, but not before telling the animals where I was going so they wouldn't worry. After that, I headed on out into the forest. Almost instantly, I was surrounded by two deer, several birds, Chip, Dale, Gadget, and a few rabbits. This was my true home. This was where I was most comfortable. This is where I belonged.

"Trowa, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be with your boyfriend," Chip asked, moving up onto my left shoulder as Dale moved onto my right. I found my favorite tree out in the middle of nowhere and slid down against it, my back resting against the comfort of nature while the animals seemed to swarm on up to me. The rabbits settled on my lap while the deer settled on either side of me. The birds took places right above me while a snake came down to wrap around my arm in a comforting manner. Gadget took up a place on the toe of my boot, looking at me with sad eyes. Out of all of them, she was my favorite.

"Things aren't going too well, Chip," I answered quietly. I then began telling them about everything that had happened. They all listened, some of them nuzzling closer when I got to where I had broke things off with Quatre. They couldn't believe how bad things had gotten. Maya, the older female deer nearest me, turned to grace my cheek with a kiss, wiping away my tears without me even realizing that I had started crying at all. I don't know how long we had sat there, but suddenly I felt someone climb up onto the top of my head and began chasing the other animals away. Charlie's strident voice seemed to yell at everyone and I blinked as I heard what he was saying.

"All right, nothing more to see here. All of ya, scram. There isn't anything that you can do. So let my pet take care of Trowa. He's the only one who can. So back off and let him through." I turned my hidden gaze in the direction Charlie was waving and my heart almost stopped. My emerald eyes widened while I seemed to be staring at Quatre, who was standing only a handful of feet away, the animals standing between him and me. He gave me a very shy smile, almost as if he was worried I'd turn him away. Instead, I waved a hand, motioning for the animals to clear a path for him. They did as I motioned and Quatre came over to me, coming to sit down beside me.

"I'm sorry, Quatre. I didn't mean to snap," I told him, my eyes going back to staring at my hands. He lightly leaned against me.

"I'm sorry too. I hadn't meant to get you into so much trouble. I also didn't mean to do something to offend you. I suppose we never did sit down to talk about how our lives would change." I looked at him, a small smile on my lips.

"I don't suppose so," I said. "It isn't that I didn't feel pride in you wanting to defend and help me, I did. Yet there is so much I want to be able to do on my own. I've always been threatened by being expelled. It's been that way since my first year there. Yet Dean Howell seems to think I'm rather bright and despite my animal friends always dropping by, he wants to see me graduate. If the teachers let me or not is another story." Quatre's lips fell into a dark smirk and Charlie looked at me as if to say: See, I told you. There was a darker side to my little Quat, and I think I'd love both equally.

"Not if I have any say," Quatre muttered. I smiled while he flushed.

"Quatre, you will not meddle in this. I want to do it on my own. This means no telling everyone I'm seeing you, no asking your brother-in-law for help, and keeping those who do know about us quite until we graduate. Can you do that?" I asked, lightly caressing his cheek as I looked into his eyes. He flushed softly before nodding.

"Yes. I can do that. I won't help. Yet I can't help but wonder why you don't want help."

"I suppose its because I'm used to doing a lot of things on my own." I drew a deep breath and pressed on. "When I was very little, I can't remember how old, I witnessed my family killed right before my eyes. I was then left entirely on my own. I stumbled into the forest and here is where I stayed, for about six years of my life. At least, that's what Maya told me. I wasn't good at keeping track of how long I was here. I just knew I was with those I understood a lot better than anyone or anything else. Eventually I found the circus. At first I had just wanted to be able to see the exotic animals they had. Yet that seemed to change drastically and eventually I found myself adopted by Catherine and Jonathan. I was still afraid to be near too many people. That was why I was so silent on our date. There were too many people there. Remember when that large group of tourists came toward us. I got all stiff because I was afraid of them" Quatre was silently crying. He moved over to sit in my lap and wrapped his arms around me, holding me close.

"I never knew," he whispered. "I never would have expected. . ." I placed a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I didn't want anyone to know. Duo was the only one I had ever told this to. Yet I find that I have to tell you. What kind of boyfriend would I be if the one I love didn't know the truth behind my life. I'm paranoid around large crowds, but I also realize I'll have to learn how to handle such things, sooner or later," I whispered. Quatre hugged me once more, before kissing me deeply. I returned the kiss enthusiastically. I then heard Gadget squeak at me and I broke off, answering. She then said something else and I couldn't help but hold my hand out to her. She then hugged my thumb, causing Quatre to 'Aww' in response. I then placed her onto my shoulder and cuddled her to my cheek for a second before letting her get down. I then wrapped my arms around Quatre's waist, holding him close. He placed his head on my other shoulder, and I breathed in the clean scent of him.

"Thank you for loving me so much to trust me," he said softly. I smiled and kissed his forehead. Charlie then shouted at me and I couldn't help but chuckle. Quatre looked up at him, a question in his eyes.

"Charlie said this is a change from how you were acting earlier before you two got here," I told him. Quatre's eyes glared up at him suddenly.

"Don't make me fry you rodent!" he growled. I laughed.

"I see he wasn't kidding. There is a sweet side and a dark side to you," I said in a soft tone. Quatre glared at Charlie for obviously telling on him and I simply found myself laughing softly, kissing his lips softly.

"Only my family knows that. I didn't want you to know in case you were bothered by it." I chuckled and shook me head.

"I'd never be bothered by it. I love both my Quatre's equally. This just goes to show that I have two Quat's to love." Quatre grinned despite the red that stained his cheeks and kissed me passionately once more. I then laughed once we needed to breath and we snuggled together against the tree. Eventually, Charlie chittered something and Quatre looked up at him.

"What do you want this time, you rodent?" he asked. I smiled while Charlie flipped Quatre off. Quatre smirked, unable to keep from being proud of Charlie, even if he was flipping him off.

"He can understand human language just fine, Quatre. He just can't answer you in it." Quatre looked up at Charlie.

"So you could understand everything I say?" he asked of the squirrel. Charlie nodded his head, his chest puffed out proudly.

"Hmm, I see. I suppose I'll have to watch what I say. But then again, won't you have to be careful as well?" I laughed and shook my head.

"I'm the only one who can understand them. Therefore I have nothing to fear." Quatre's eyes seemed to take on a gleam.

"What if there is someone else around here like you?" he asked. I shook my head once more.

"No chance of that. Charlie, have you met anyone else like me?" I asked. Charlie shook his head, as did Gadget, even though she hadn't been asked. Quatre glared at me.

"That wasn't funny." I cuddled him, nuzzling his neck. He calmed slightly, sighing into my touch. "I wish you weren't so afraid of crowds, otherwise I'd ask you over for dinner sometime. It's most certainly not a possibility of you joining a family picnic." I gave him a soft smile.

"If I hope to be a part of your life. . .then I'll have to get over my fear." I drew a deep breath and looked away. "I suppose, as long as you're constantly beside me, I can go to dinner at your place." I looked away. "Just don't leave me alone with all of them." He laughed.

"No, never. I'd hate for you to be traumatized by my family." I smiled and hugged him, being hugged in return.

"It was because of Duo and Sister Helen that I can handle school and the Maxwell Church. How Duo and I met I'll save for another time, but Sister Helen taught me the one thing that helped me out the most. She had knelt before me while I was standing outside, overwhelmed by the size of Duo's extended family, and low and behold, she told me some very special words. She said: 'It's a lot to take in all at once isn't it. That's just what I thought at first. Yet if you take it in small doses, a little at a time, you'll find you can manage things just fine'. To this day, I've kept to those words." Quatre looked down, almost as if he was afraid to look me in the eye.

"Was there ever anything between Duo and you? You know, romantically?" he asked. I shook my head, laughing softly.

"No, never. We've both known each was as gay as Duo's crazy, but we never had any romantic interest in each other." I smiled gently and raised his eyes to mine. I softly kissed his lips before whispering, "Besides, I'm in love with you." Quatre flushed cutely while he leaned into my embrace.

"I love you too," he said softly. I smiled brightly. Charlie then chattered and I felt my eyes narrow.

"Duo's what!" I exclaimed. Quatre looked up at Charlie.

"I take it he told you Duo was throwing knives for tonight's show." I nodded.

"Yeah, of which Jonathan had promised that he wouldn't have to do it to a human," I growled.

"That's odd. Jonathan had told Duo that it was in his contract to do it. At least, that's what I gathered from those I could talk to. Not to mention, Wufei will possibly be killed by Meiran, who had him in a death grip while watching Duo perform. I'm almost certain she's ready to kill Jonathan with you." I blinked at his words.

"Wufei and Meiran? They were together?" I asked. Quatre nodded.

"Yeah, although I'm not quite certain what all's going on with them," Quatre answered. I looked down for a moment.

"I'm uncertain as well. Duo knows Meiran far better than I do, although I've been friends with her since before she moved here." Quatre stood, holding out a hand to me. I took it and once I was on my feet I didn't let go. He smiled and together we began the walk back toward the circus.

"Trowa, thank you. For not giving up, on us." I laughed, pulling him close.

"I can promise you one thing, Quatre, things will never be boring. Because I'm a hermit and you're a social butterfly, we are bound to have our arguments. Yet I can promise you one thing, I will love you always and forever. No matter how many times we fight. Just know I'm sorry for them in advance." Quatre laughed and snuggled against my side.

"And I promise you the same thing," Quatre said, before kissing my cheek. Together we headed back to the circus, wanting to help Duo and Meiran before something really bad happened. Knowing Duo, I was certain something would come up.