1Idle Chatter:

Chapter Eleven; Trowa POV:

After speaking with Jonathan, of which he profusely apologized and tried to make it up by saying he'd never ask it of Duo again, I had rejoined the rest of the group. The whole scene at the restaurant had been really fun, with Charlie providing the most interesting commentary I had ever heard from him. He was certainly lively and with Quatre handing him little sweet treats, I knew we were going to be in for a rather off the wall evening.

'It was interesting. Quatre was in between his sweet self and his dark self the entire time Heero and him talked,' Charlie told me as I seemed to try to distance myself from the rest of the group. I was still uncomfortable in crowds and like Meiran, I was also worried about Duo. He had taken a large risk tonight. . .of which I would forever be upset with Jonathan over.

I nodded in agreement, realizing my normally quiet little Quat was being a little more aggressive tonight. While a part of me found mean Quatre to be an interesting individual, I was more partial to the sweet Quatre. He understood me better than I did myself some days. As the evening had ground down to a close and I soon heard mention of Duo's latest stint with Meiran, I couldn't help but laugh. Even Charlie, who was passed out in my pocket from too much sugar, snickered in a little squirrel-like way.

Quatre and I stood up at the end of the evening. I moved over and gave Meiran a congratulatory hug, was well as one meant to reassure. She smiled at me as Quatre and Wufei watched.

"Time for us to leave as well. Goodnight you two. And congratulations," Quatre said as the four of us headed for the door, Duo and Heero having left just mere moments before us. Heading over to my beat up truck, Quatre and I got in, a soft look on both of our faces as I started it up and just began to drive.

After a little while, it became apparent that we would eventually have to decide where it was we were going. After all, it was a little late and we couldn't drive around all night, even if the companionable silence was heart warming. Eventually, Charlie took the decision from me.

'Tro. . .I wanna go home,' Charlie mumbled from inside my pocket. I froze for a second. Did he consider my place his home still, or was Quatre so dear to the squirrel that his home was Charlie's as well. I blinked and figured I would have to address the issue.

"Um, where's that Charlie?" I asked, my voice low. Quatre looked over at me at the break in the quiet.

"Where's what?" he asked, curiosity in his expression. Yet something about that look told me there was more than just a slight interest there. Quatre was calculating, even when he seemed to be nothing more than a sweet little angel. It was something I loved about him, even if it could be scary.

"Charlie wants to go home," I answered, stopping at a red light and looking around. Quatre's lips formed into a perfect little 'oh' that I found adorable. This angel was no saint. The devil hid himself behind those cute features, I knew it.

'Where ever Quat and you are, Tro. That's home to me,' he said in a quiet little set of squeaks and chirps that I almost didn't catch. I smiled softly at those words.

"What was his response to your question?" Quatre asked, still using his innocent act. I wondered how long it would take before he was as comfortable with me as he was with Heero and Wufei. How long it would be before he wasn't all innocent and sweet with me. I found it hurt that he felt he had to act around me at all.

"He said that where ever we are, he's home," I answered honestly, unable to lie about the kind words. Quatre flushed, obviously hearing something else in those words than what I had said. I didn't like that idea. Sometimes I think evil Quat liked tormenting the sweet side a little too much.

"So. . .where is home for you?" Quatre asked after what looked like some internal debate. "I suppose you live at the circus." I shook my head, already deciding that I would show him tonight just where it was I called home.

"No. I stay there when I feel one of the animals may need me in the middle of the night. Otherwise, I've got my own place. Duo used to say I was a loner of the worst kind. I couldn't even stand other homes next to me. Maybe he's right. I've always felt a little out of place." I couldn't help but look away. It had been quite possibly the most I had said all night. Quatre smiled softly at me then, touching my arm to get my attention.

"I would be honored to see your home," he said. I flushed and knew I was about to drag him into the worst place he ever could have gone to, and yet, I couldn't not show him. He would either like it. . .or he wouldn't. There was no other color to this.

"Sure. . .but let me know if you wanna leave," I told him as I now had a direction to go in. We once again drove in silence, of which I was fairly certain Quatre knew I needed at the moment. I swallowed nervously and wished I could just close my eyes for a moment. Why was it I had never worried about Duo or Meiran seeing my humble home, and yet I was terrified of Quatre seeing it?

I drove us out past the circus and toward a rarely used gravel rode that led up to one of the tallest and most oddest trees in the forest. There, with a single window lit to welcome me home, stood my humble home. Yet, it wasn't on the ground. It was up in the tree's large bulk. It wasn't a tree house either. This place looked almost like an actual home, except for the fact that it was hidden so well against the natural beauty of the ancient tree that one wouldn't have noticed it without that light on. A simple spiral staircase wound its way around the trunk of the large oak tree. If one followed the path of the stairs, which seemed as if they had been a part of the tree even before the home was built in it, they would then reach a front door of the likes that one would have never seen before.

It blended in so well with the leaves and branches that with even full daylight on the place on would have never found the door without knowing it's location. The home was obviously simple in design. Only a single story tall up in the large, billowing branches. Yet from the position Quatre and I were in, you couldn't tell it actually held three bedrooms, a kitchen, a fully functional bathroom, and even other amenities. It was fully wired and every design for it had been lovingly crafted in order to preserve the home as it was.

'We're really home,' Charlie chittered from his place in my pocket. I smiled softly at that. Apparently, even with Quatre's little world he had built for Charlie, this was still his home. It made me a little happy to know what. Looking over at Quatre, I was surprised to see awe and surprise battling for position on his angelic face.

"This. . .is home?" he asked, awe winning out and filling his voice. I nodded and led the way toward the steps and then up them to my front door. I stood there for a while, uncertain.

"Welcome to my home," I finally whispered as I opened the door and flipped on the rest of the lights. I watched Charlie rush off and find his little bed. A small hammock that I had strung between two small posts near his favorite window and his private acorn stash. Quatre's aquamarine eyes were wide and taking in the inside with as much surprise as he had the outside of it.

"It's. . .amazing. . ." Quatre eventually got out. The inside was just like the outside. None of the branches had been cut. They had been worked into helping build the different arches and areas of the sectioned off rooms. The living area had a single lamp that was lit, which had been the one I had left on and of which had been seen from outside.

The furniture was all made of various types of wood and it was obvious they had all been put together with love and lots of care. Quatre ran a slender hand over one of the rocking chairs I kept in the living room and I saw appreciation in his gaze.

"Do you like it?" I asked, realizing I was really worried he didn't like it. After all, he was used to such grand things and tall homes. My small little tree home wasn't anything compared to places like that.

"I love it. I wonder who designed these chairs. It seems like the same person who designed the home, and almost everything in it." I felt my cheeks warm at such words.

"I made every piece of furniture myself. The house was my design, but Jonathan had a private contractor come out to create it. This became my escape when I was younger and couldn't handle the crowds of people very well. It became a haven when tragedy seemed to strike Duo, Meiran, and I. Even now, this is my home. It will always be my home." Quatre seemed as if he wanted to know why Duo, Meiran, and I would need a haven, but then I was certain a part of him remembered the safe house Wufei, Heero, and him had bought and thought better of it. For that I was glad, for I wasn't in any position to talk of that night.

Like a dark cloud, it came back to me with startling clarity. Duo and I had been out enjoying ourselves. A scream had drawn our attention and as we had rushed to the aid of a young woman, who was being brutally raped, tragedy had struck. While I had taken one man out and had been beating up another man who was helping to commit the atrocity, Duo had done the unthinkable.

Duo had killed the man who had been in the process of raping the young woman before us as he had drawn a gun on the girl. Duo was visibly shaken. The girl, whom at the time Duo and I didn't know, seemed to have been more calm than the two of us, and she had been the one who was being violated. I had taken my jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders, offering to have her taken te the doctors. It was obvious Duo couldn't hear my offer.

He could do nothing more but stare at the two unconscious bodies that laid beside their fallen companion. The cops had been called and all had been termed self defense. The girl, with her appearance, had more than proven that. Yet it was her words to both Duo and I that night that rang the most through my mind.

"You are not a killer, Duo Maxwell. You are a savior. Although I wasn't fully spared the pain of what occurred, I was spared my life. I do not want it to come at the cost of yours."

After those words, of which had shown me a great inner strength from this girl, she had then turned to me, her ebony eyes serious.

"And don't even begin to think that if you had just been quicker at beating those men up you could have spared any killing. He was dead set on killing one of us before something occurred. This just goes to show that you at least cared enough to stop them in the first place. To me. . .that is worth everything."

It had been that night when we had forged our strongest friendship yet. It was then that our little duo that Duo and I made up had become a trio. In my mind, it would always be the evening Meiran Long had come into our lives and saved us. . .even as we had saved her.

"Trowa!" Quatre called, waving a hand in front of my face. I blinked and looked at him, my eyes wide. "Where'd you go? You weren't here," he said with a concerned look. I felt myself flush and little and shook my head.

"I was simply lost in memories. This place is fully of them." It was true. Meiran, Duo, and I had all learned to move on while we had been watching the various wild life from the small balcony from my back door.

"I see." He then kissed me softly. "I was merely saying that you are really skilled and that I would love to have one of those rocking chairs of your making for my own room someday. They are beautifully made. Very detailed." I smiled and nodded to him.

"I would feel honored to be able to make one for you." Quatre flushed a little that time and I pulled him close, kissing him sweetly, but with an underlying passion. While I wanted to sleep with him close to me, I couldn't being myself to ask it of him. Too much was at risk and if I awoke with him beside me, I'd quite possibly jump him in the morning, bad side ready to kill me or not. "So. . .where would you like to sleep?" I asked instead, faking the smallest yawn I had ever done and slowly I hated myself for it.

A small part of me wished Quatre would say 'With you', but for some reason, I just didn't see it. After all, there really wasn't any reason for him to share my room. Unlike the safe house, there was plenty of room for each of us to have our own room this evening. This, I would let him choose. All the while, trying to keep my own traitorous thoughts to myself.