The Arabian Doll [Part Three]

He had been staring at his cup of coffee for the most part of the morning, contemplating his next move. His model had yet to make his entrance through the door and the only company he had was a little less than agreeable at the moment. Once Duo had entered his apartment, he had decided to talk nonstop about his mundane day around town. If not for Trowa's lack of anything to do, he would have already kicked the man out the door. As it was, the same talkative friend needed to be there for that day's session. Trowa was not against it, but he did not welcome it either. It was bad enough that Duo's presence made his model go stock still.

"But I managed to drop by and ask him if he had any specific requests. He said no so I decided to come by and check up on how you were doing with the guy. Hey! Are you even listening?"

Trowa nodded although it was obvious that his mind was somewhere else. He did hear the words coming out of Duo's mouth, but he understood none of it. Still, he was not ashamed of such an act because Duo had known him long enough to appreciate that he had even been acknowledged. He was smart enough to understand Trowa's idiosyncrasies when it came to words. He never spoke very many but appreciated it all the same because the sounds were pleasing to his ears.

"Should I go on?"

"Go ahead," Trowa replied before picking up his cup of coffee. Duo was smirking at him, the knowing look declaring that he knew Trowa wanted to hear him speak. It wasn't so much as understanding the spoken words as it was the rhythm of his voice as it droned on and on about nothing in particular. Trowa appreciated it up to a certain degree. Over the years he had started to consider it as music, one like no other. It was the form of music only Duo could achieve.

"So I was thinking about this new guy. You think he's going to be able to open up a bit more with me hovering around you guys?"

"I don't think so, but it can't be helped. You have to be here as part of the contract," Trowa answered, finally sipping on the cup of coffee that had been cooling for the past few minutes. "Just make sure you make yourself unnoticeable when he gets here," Trowa warned. "Make no friendly conversations of any sort."

"Aww Tro," Duo whined. "You're going turn me into a grump like yourself."

"I think that being around you for years has proven that I can't exactly soak up your exuberant attitude. You haven't picked up my 'grump' either as you call it."

"Ouch! You're extra nasty today," Duo commented, picking up the muffin before him and chewing on it. "Does it have something to do with your new doll having a difficult personality?"

"He's not difficult Duo, just extremely complex."

"Ah, complex. I love how you choose your words. It sounds so appropriate without giving away what you really think. But, knowing you for so long, I'm sure I could come up with a decent explanation for your answer."

"It isn't necessary," Trowa managed to answer before they heard a soft and very controlled knock on the door. "It must be him," Trowa concluded, getting up to greet his model for that day's session. "Duo, I would advise you to stay quiet and try not to get in the way."

Duo made a motion with his hands as if pulling the zipper to his mouth so that it would keep shut for the rest of the day. Trowa knew it wouldn't last long, but nevertheless gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"Good morning," Trowa greeted when he opened the front door, noting that Quatre was once again nervous. There were just some things he had to get used to. If cowering at the sight of him was his first greeting, Trowa mused that the rest of their session would not go well.

"Good morning," Quatre answered as he was lead inside the apartment. The entity Quatre seemed to notice first was the person seated by the small breakfast table to the side. His response was to stiffen.

"Don't mind him," Trowa reassured the newcomer. "You won't even know he's there."

Duo waved at Quatre but continued to stay quiet, choosing to continue with his breakfast and pay them no heed. This at least caused some sort of relief on Quatre's part. Trowa noticed his shoulders ease a little as he shrugged off his coat.

"Are we going to continue where we left off?" Quatre started, taking a seat in the stool that was already left out for him. Even when he was not used to the job, Quatre was already used to their surroundings. Trowa had hoped he was used to him by now.

"No. Today, we're doing the legs," Trowa answered and simply looked at him. It meant only one word and Trowa deigned it necessary not to say it out loud while Duo was around. It would only embarrass Quatre further. After all, the one command 'strip' brought mountains of scandalous connotations when Duo wanted to make something of it.

Quatre hesitated for a moment before unbuttoning his shirt and setting it aside. He then proceeded to take off his shoes and socks before he turned completely red. Trowa was taken aback. It was only a day before when Quatre had chosen to talk incessantly as a response to nakedness. Now, all of a sudden, in the presence of a third party, Quatre had taken to blushing. It was certainly not him, Trowa decided. He had seen the real Quatre the day before and the person before him was definitely not one and the same. Duo's presence had without doubt shifted the air around them.

Trowa sulked inwardly. He hoped that he would have another gratifying conversation with Quatre, but it looked to be no longer possible with Duo watching over them a few feet away. He supposed Quatre's discomfort around him was demonstrated in a different way.

"I said the legs," Trowa elaborated when he noticed that Quatre was not going to attempt to get out of his pants.

Quatre blinked at him, unwilling to voice out his protest but still remained headstrong as his hand unconsciously flew to his belt as if to make sure that it would be kept in its place.

"We're never going to finish this way," Trowa said. "It's going to have to come off today."

Trowa watched as Quatre hesitated once again. Still not saying a word, the man reluctantly pulled out his belt and ever so slowly slid out of his pants. It was Trowa's turn to blink. True, he had seen hundreds of undressed bodies before, but one look at Quatre's not completely naked form and he was held in a trance.

He asked himself what was so different about this one. Why had Quatre held his interest when he had seen so many others who certainly held the same beauty as he did? Surely there was something about the small frame, the almost unnoticeable bone jutting out of his slim hips that called out for his attention. Perhaps it was nothing more than the distinctive navel he'd noticed the day before that had him examining Quatre as if a prostate frog on a dissecting table.

"Thank you," he managed to say despite the dryness in his throat. He swallowed once before looking at Quatre's form once again. He was delighted, so much that he could almost hear the lump of clay screaming at him to recreate the masterpiece before him. There was always some sort of unique quality that made each human body perfect despite conceived flaws. This, however, he could find no explanation for.

"Boxers," he said, once he'd found his voice again.

"Yes, boxers," Quatre answered, not understanding what Trowa had meant by it.

"They have to go," Trowa said simply.

"No!"

It was the first genuine reaction from Quatre ever since he'd entered the door.

"Briefs would have been more conducive," Trowa said, offering an explanation of why he wanted them off. It wasn't as if he had any malicious intentions of any sort. He knew that he couldn't very well slip his hand into Quatre's underwear without looking perverse.

"...or better yet, thongs!" Duo helpfully interjected from the corner he'd chosen to position himself.

Quatre turned to look at Duo and then whipped his head back to Trowa with a scandalous expression on his face. Duo really wasn't helping get Quatre through his fear of being exposed.

"I thought you promised to stay quiet," Trowa gritted through clenched teeth. He stared at Duo if only to hide from Quatre's equally penetrating stare.

"Eep!" Duo said, deciding to help himself and raid Trowa's refrigerator. That left Trowa alone with a very intimidating Quatre.

"Look, you could pull it up instead. The material does impede the movement of my hands but I'll manage."

"Can you really?" Quatre asked while eyeing him.

"No," Trowa answered. Nothing was easier than the simple truth.

"Look, I can't really do this right now," Quatre explained. "I'm not trying to be difficult. It's just that I... can't."

"Good," Trowa said. "Now let's start being honest with each other. Does Duo's presence bother you?"

"Yes."

"Does finally saying that make you feel better?"

"Yes."

"Hey, I hear evil things being said about me!" Duo shouted from the kitchen.

"He's Duo," Trowa explained. "You could tell him you hate his guts and he won't hate you for it. You could tell him to shove it and all he'll do is give you a toothy smile."

"I'm not scared of him," Quatre defended. "It's just uncomfortable when you're not the only one around. I've come to picture this relationship as one between two people held together by trust."

Trowa raised an elegant brow, retrieving a few materials from the drawer next to him.

"I find your take on this temporary relationship very critical."

"I'm surprised," Quatre answered, mildly irritated. "We're you not the one who said that your work is your passion. Am I simply the next piece of stone you're carving?"

"Of course," Trowa said truthfully, pulling the cloth over the lump of clay he had started molding the day before. There was certainly nothing wrong with being completely honest. Quatre deserved the honesty if only to inform him that such a relationship he envisioned was a mere illusion. It was a grandeur not wholly meant to be expected. After all, he was a professional and as the contractor who had acquiesced to the agreement, Quatre was too.

"I should have figured as much," Quatre said, a frown marring his perfect features. His plump lips had taken to pouting and his rounded cheeks puffed slightly in response. "The way you were heedlessly digging into my ribs yesterday should have been an indication that you didn't care what happened to the recipients of your actions. You merely care about the ultimate results, not necessarily of the person but of the masterpiece."

"Ouch!" Duo mock-hissed from the kitchen not too far away. Trowa was sure that he was enjoying their argument.

More than once had Trowa faced such accusations. He could almost go along with Quatre's words. It was like a rehearsed speech he had heard many times before simply because it happened often enough. He knew the claims were legitimate, but he also knew that he was still in line. It was how he worked and he hated it when his ethics were questioned by those who knew nothing about him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were an expert on me," Trowa said, the bit of sarcasm very uncommon when it came to him. He had been trained to never take the bait. In fact, Duo had dubbed him the master of the brick wall method for being able to take a hit without outwardly showing that it affected him in any way.

Then again, there were always exceptions and Quatre was different from any others he had dealt with before. It was not long ago that the man before him had so easily dissected his persona. It was but a day ago when Quatre managed to unnerve him with his accurate observations. Trowa thought that perhaps that was the reason why he was rising to the bait. It was possible that he wanted Quatre to see him for who he was. He was not just insulted by Quatre's words, he was excited as well.

Quatre, on the other hand, had taken to sulking. His frown since then had deepened and his arms were crossed across his chest, serving as an indication of his condemnation of Trowa's response and not as an indication of shame. The pose gave Trowa the chance to notice the hint of muscle that was exposed on Quatre's biceps, the shape of it defined without being sharp enough to trace. His arms, like the rest of his body, were subtly depicted in a soft, almost ethereal outline. Simply said, Trowa had never seen anything like it before.

"You're too pretty for Trowa to stay mad at," Duo interrupted his observations, very aware of what was going through his mind. If there ever was an expert on him, it had to be Duo.

"What?" Quatre asked, irritated.

Trowa did not protest Duo's statement, allowing him to continue. After all, Duo said the truth and the truth was of no shame to him. He appreciated beauty to a degree above common man and it was acceptable that Duo reveal just that.

"He started forgetting you insulted him five minutes ago. In fact, I can proudly guess that he started running his mental hands through you the moment you crossed your arms."

Still, Duo was a little too specific, causing Quatre to stiffen and then turn on his seat so that he was completely with his back to them. Perhaps they both lacked tact.

"Then you call tell him to keep his mental hands to himself," Quatre said. His back was turning red, probably a shade paler than his face was turning into.

Trowa, for one reason or another, was enjoying the exchange immensely. Being deprived of viewing Quatre's arm, he was instead given a full view of the man's back. Like a hungry beast to its prey, Trowa savored the lines on Quatre's spine. His back, Trowa was sure, was that of a trained aristocrat. His spine was set straight with his shoulders held back so that his posture was elegant and sophisticated. The subtle ridge that halved his exposed back looked like a valley of flesh, defining the connection between his back and neck.

"Stop ogling him Tro," Duo interrupted his inspection of Quatre's back. "I think he's just about ready to blow."

"What are you, the pervert of the art world?" Quatre said, turning to face them not one minute after Duo had warned him. He held Quatre's angry gaze but said nothing.

"Sorry Quat, this guy's libido died a long time ago. I'm afraid he only eats, sleeps, and sculpts."

"Duo," Quatre turned to face him. "Will you please shut it? I'm sure Trowa can speak for himself."

When Duo stepped back with wide eyes, Quatre seemed satisfied enough to continue. "I was referring to his inability to curtail his desires so that his object of desire is not an inanimate object, but a living, breathing person for once. I can't help but conclude that he has absolutely no respect for human beings for who they are but for the purposes they serve instead. That is not how people are supposed to survive."

"You're deep..." Duo murmured, turning from Quatre and looking warningly at Trowa.

At least, Trowa thought, Duo understood what he meant when he had mentioned that Quatre was a very complex person. Despite possessing the magnificence of a flawless being, Quatre disregarded any notions of vanity in favor of the human qualities he'd long since abjured. Perchance working with exceptional beauties, who just knew they were flawless, had disillusioned him. Vanity was not the only quality humans possessed.

"Are you suggesting that I befriend you for the weeks we will be working together and then relinquish the established relationship once our objectives have been met?" Trowa questioned for the first time since his sarcastic comeback. Already, he had proved himself to be a man of few words.

"You didn't understand a word I said," Quatre replied, retrieving his shirt so that he was now half-covered. "I can't work with someone who sees me as nothing but a doll."

"Shall I assume that you will be running back to your wealthy parents because this job opportunity did not work out?"

Quatre did not look surprised by his statement and instead retrieved his pants. Fastening his belt and arranging his clothes, Quatre faced him one more time.

"That was very mature of you Trowa," he said, grabbing his jacket and putting it on. "I did not expect you to be the bearer of such foolish assumptions. I am more than your next project and certainly far more than my affluent origins."

Excusing himself from Duo, Quatre exited through the front door not to return again that day. Predictably enough, Trowa's fingers curled and twitched. It was a reaction to his disappointment for not being able to touch Quatre once since their session started. It was near devastating that his beloved hands had been depraved the luxury of touch. Realizing that Quatre may not return, he tensed. His whole arm shook with panic, the immensity of the situation only then taking a hold of him.

"Tro, calm down," Duo called to him, taking a firm hold of both his arms so that they stopped shaking. "This obsession of yours is going to kill you one day."

"It's not an obsession. It's work," Trowa responded, closing his hands into fists so that he could control himself better.

"Uh huh, that's what you've been telling me and yourself for the past few years. It's about time someone like him grounded you to reality. I couldn't have done any better."

"Grounded me to reality?" Trowa asked him slowly, as if he did not know that he was not already grounded to begin with.

"Sit down Tro," Duo said, assisting him. "I'm going to ask you a loaded question and you're going to need to sit down for this."

Trowa, finding himself confused and still a bit shaky from shock, did as he was told.

"Has every model you come across come out as just another masterpiece?" Duo asked him and Trowa had to raise an eyebrow at the question.

"What was that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's just me trying to sound profound I guess," Duo answered nonchalantly without looking at him.

Trowa paused for a moment to examine his long time friend. Duo, despite his upbeat and almost outrageous character, was a very profound person when given the chance. It was the heedless, casual statements once in a while that stood out and those were the ones Trowa always looked out for.

"Being profound doesn't suit you," he said honestly.

Trowa let the statement roll in his tongue as if to examine how well it went with his mouth. Duo simply shrugged and smiled at him.

"I guess a masterpiece only lasts as long as its master wills it to last."

With that statement, Duo left him alone to think.