The smells of Chinese food, commercial cleaning solutions, and coffee mixed with the generic hotel-room smell as the room's two occupants ate their meal. Dorothy looked at her companion over her take-out box and smiled. After they left the venue, the two had originally intended to go to a restaurant and talk, but instead, they got a little sidetracked. Two rounds of amazing sex later, they both showered and settled on ordering Chinese to be delivered. They ate in relative silence, sharing Kung pao chicken, fried rice, mu shu pork and chicken lo mein. It was a comfortable silence; one she hesitated to break but she needed to discuss her earlier train of thought with him.

She was surprised how much she dreaded his answer.

"It appears as though we keep ending up like this." She stated as he passed her the noodles.

"Eating Chinese food?" He picked up one of the pork pieces with his chopsticks.

"Aren't you funny?"

"I am a clown." He stated as he stuffed some rice from the container into his mouth. She nearly rolled her eyes.

"What if I told you that I have a proposition for you?" He looked up at her, brow raised.

"A proposition?" She nodded, trying not to focus on the way that the simple act of his raising a brow affected her.

"You see," she began, "I find myself quite puzzled in regards to you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you." She took a breath. Could she really go through with it? It was a new idea; different than she'd ever attempted before. "I want you to be my regular 'plus one'." His eyes widened, head cocked slightly to the side.

"As in a date?"

"Nothing so formal." She smiled. "Whenever I have a special function I need to attend, it is always so dreadfully tedious to find someone to attend with that does not expect it to turn into something more."

"Your escorts aren't happy being a one-night stand." She frowned at his matter-of-fact tone.

"You make it sound so crass."

"Isn't it?"

"Are you lecturing me about one-night stands?" She sat up straighter. She wasn't sure why this upset her. "I noticed no shortage of women throwing themselves at you and from what I have heard you are no stranger to the practice." He didn't even flinch. His expression remained as calm as his voice.

"I'm an entertainer. You are a public figure. People will expect more of you." He closed one of the take out containers.

"I can do whatever I wish!" He looked at her, eyes still peaceful.

"I am not saying you can't and I'm not shaming you. It's just that a woman like you is usually expected to look for a rich husband." He locked eyes with her. "Not strings of casual partners."

"A woman like me?" He nodded.

"A socialite." He stated, but his eyes softened. "An intelligent, ambitious." He reached out and brushed hair behind her ear. "Beautiful… socialite." She felt her cheeks heat. She had never been one to blush. Such sensitivities were lost to her long ago and yet there was something in his gaze… his voice… that made her feel...

'What is wrong with me? He's just a man like any other…' She knew she had to break the mood. Turn things around.

"But not as beautiful as Relena." His eyes widened. She had struck a nerve.

"Relena is… unique." He sighed and ran a hand through his bangs. "Beautiful inside and out."

"And you still love her." He frowned, clearly displeased at her observation.

"Whether I do or not is irrelevant. I've always known her heart belonged to Heero. I knew I could never change that." He looked down for just a moment and she almost felt sorry for him before his eyes raised to hers. "What about you? Do you still love Quatre?"

Love Quatre? Did she ever really love him? Certainly he had intrigued her. His kind heart and forgiving nature was unlike any she had ever known. She had wanted to test him; play with him and find out what made him tick… but love?

"I don't believe I've ever been in love." She admitted. "Not even with someone as interesting as Quatre." He nodded and she waited for more commentary but none came. However, the look he gave her cut her deeply. It was a look that tried to see into her heart… a look of pity. "What?"

"The woman who can't cry also can't love…" his words forced her to remember that moment on Libra after she and Quatre dueled. She frowned.

"I can cry. I choose not to." She answered coolly. His brows knit and his lips tightened. "Tears do not change anything. It is truly a foolish waste of one's time to cry."

"And to love?"

"Don't be absurd." She looked at him. "Like the will to fight, love is, perhaps, the most noble of all of our emotions. It can be spoken, but it can just as easily be shown in many different ways."

"And you are an 'actions speak louder than words' sort of woman." His gaze didn't flinch. She felt her ire rise. She always prided herself on being unshakable; on being the one to shake people… but this man!

'How? How can he read me so easily?'

"We are well off of the intended topic" She redirected. His face fell into a slight frown.

"You're avoiding the subject."

"There is nothing left to say." He studied her for a moment and she tried to figure out what he was looking for… what he could see. Finally, he shrugged.

"Then, I guess I should hear the rest of your proposition." His eyes were completely unreadable.

"Very well." She prepared for his answer. "I would like to propose an arrangement that is mutually beneficial."

"Go on?"

"Whenever I have a special event to attend, then you will be my date for the night." She watched him carefully. "In addition, whenever we are available, we allow ourselves to… indulge in each other's company." She ran a manicured nail gently down his chiseled chest. He raised a brow, his lips curled into a smirk.

"Are you asking me to be 'friends with benefits'?"

"Not exactly." She stroked her eyebrow. "It's more like filling a need for companionship when it is convenient."

"Sounds like 'friends with benefits' to me." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Not that I'm opposed to the idea. But what will it require? How will it work? It sounds far more convenient to you." He sat completely up. "You can't expect me to stay celibate waiting for you to call and we don't exactly live on the same colony."

"All of these are excellent points." They were. She hadn't really thought things out that far. "Of course we wouldn't be exclusive. And, the arrangement is for when we can, not whenever we want."

"Aren't we already doing that?"

"If you don't want to agree, all you have to do is say so."

"Let's do it." She paused. Stared at him.

"What?" His answer legitimately surprised her. She didn't know why, but it did.

"I said 'let's do it'." She blinked a few times, then noticed his cocktail smile.

"You're serious?"

"You aren't?"

"No, I am." She suddenly felt quite… flustered. "I just… didn't expect you to-"

"Then why ask?"

"Because." She paused to consider her reason. "You… intrigue me, Trowa Barton." He raised a brow as a small smirk curled at the corner of his lips. "That, and you are a fabulous lover." His smirk widened into a grin.

"You're not so bad yourself." There was that heated look again. She blushed, shivered, and turned away, trying to ignore the way the light of the hotel room glistened off of his muscles…

"I should be heading out soon." She stated and began to rise to her feet. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her back down and crushed his lips to hers.

A low moan tore from her throat as her hands found their way around his neck. He easily maneuvered his way above her and began to nibble her neck as his hands on either side of her kept her pinned down. She moved her hands to fist in his hair as he continued to lavish her tender skin with tiny bites. She would need a turtleneck at work on Monday, but this was too delicious to stop. When they regained their breath, she stood and walked to the shower, well aware of his eyes on her naked form. When she emerged, dressed and toweling her hair dry, she found him sitting up with the sheet covering his lower half. She smiled.

"I'll be contacting you as soon as I need you." She stated. He nodded and stretched his lithe body. He was such a beautiful specimen of masculinity that it was tempting to jump back into bed.

"I look forward to it." There was that smirk again. She reached for the door and looked back at him. This was going to be a strange and unique arrangement but she found herself looking forward to it.

"Until then." She blew him a kiss, winked and left him lying in the bed.

In spite of everything, she had a strange feeling about their new relationship. Not a bad feeling. Just strange. Trowa really was a puzzle to her; intriguing if only because of the affect he seemed to have on her. He was, for all intents a purposes, a free spirit like herself. He didn't seem to need anyone… but there was something in his eyes… something in the deep emerald pools spoke to a need. A longing; haunting and real. It wasn't a physical need. He had what he needed, that much was clear. No, this need, this desire went deeper and it spoke to her. Loud and clear. It tugged at her, nagging and urging her to meet that need. What bothered her most about it was the way it made her feel because… deep down…

She felt that same feeling too. A feeling she fought hard to never acknowledge.

Loneliness.

And so far, being with him was the only way she'd ever felt it leave...