Ok first I want to start by, apologizing once again for the delay in this chapter, and that it's so short, and that it's a major cliff hanger hides I'm not sure if I ever thanked you guys for reviewing! Thank you so much! It makes me so happy when I see reviews. I've been working 12 hour days at work to show that I'm capable of being a manager, and it's paying off. I start training the end of the month for the new manger position! yeay! Yeah so I haven't been getting home til like 12 and that's why I wasn't able to update sooner. But thank you for sticking it through with me, I'm enjoying writing this story very much So enough rambling, here's chapter 8!
"Wow did you two make up!" Hilde asked as the two entered. Dorothy resided with Relena in a far corner of the shop. Quatre hesitated to answer or move any further in. Trowa took Quatre's hand and laced their fingers together, pulling him to the table by the counter.
"More than," Trowa commented. The girls had wanted a show, well now they had one. Proof that Quatre was gay, and that they were together. He felt a deep seeded satisfaction when they blushed and turned away.
"I heard you were disinherited… Or read rather. I'm sorry," Hilde said.
"Well I'm not being cut off from the family. I just told my father I wasn't interested in running the business. My eldest sisters were always into business and they've been working there so long, it only seemed fair. I'm actually the only one in my family without a career of some sort right now. My youngest older sister just got a teaching job in Chicago," Quatre replied.
"Tea for me," Trowa mentioned in between their conversation. Hilde nodded.
"At least your dad is still talking to you right? You were afraid he might not like that too much," Hilde said while she made their tea.
"I also told him I'm gay and he said he figured that," Quatre said laughing. He heard a loud spitting sound from behind him. He saw Dorothy choking.
"They've been here all day," Hilde whispered. "I suspect trying to find you to get under your skin. Speaking of which, Trowa, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I had an accident earlier with some paint and I had thought I was bleeding. I started to panic but Quatre cleaned me up," Trowa said.
"Oh wow! You're painting again!" Hilde exclaimed. He could feel the girls staring at him.
"That's right; I was supposed to show you before I sold them huh?" Trowa said scratching his head.
"Well you don't have to… but it would be an excuse to get out, and I could even go visit my brother," Hilde replied.
"It's not a problem. They're a little graphic," Trowa said softly.
"Like…" Hilde said, holding out the I sound.
"There's no nudity Hilde. Don't worry," Trowa assured her. Quatre handed her some money as she put the drinks on their table.
"Are you able to have me over tomorrow night?" Hilde asked. Trowa looked at Quatre and they both nodded. "That's so cute! I think Duo and Heero have stopped coming in because I go on and on about it."
"I'm sure they've just been busy with work," Quatre said.
"Can I ask a favor?" Hilde whispered. Quatre nodded. "Go talk to them and see what they want so they'll leave. There was a guy here with them earlier but he keeps coming and going, he wasn't annoying me like they are." Quatre nodded again. They sat together at the girls' table.
"So I've got a willing artist here," Quatre said.
"I can see that," Relena said with a smile. Quatre turned red. "My apologies." At least this one pretended to be nice. Dorothy was very blunt.
"Aren't you going to make Milliardo jealous?" Dorothy asked with an evil gleam in her eyes. Quatre turned a deeper shade of red. "Are you alright, by the way, Trowa?"
"I'm fine now," Trowa mumbled.
"I heard you had an accident with some paint," Relena said.
"I had a panic attack," Trowa said.
"It's probably just like when you look for your glasses when they're on your face. You got paint on you and you just freaked out," Relena said. She was inadvertently trying to make up for Dorothy being rude. She might not be as bad as he thought…
"So you're going to enter some painting in the show? It's next Saturday, the entries should be in by Friday. I'll write the address down for you. How many pieces?" Dorothy interrupted.
"Three, possibly four," Trowa replied.
"I'm very much looking forward to it. I never actually got to see the one you sold to Quatre's father," Relena said. "My brother was in L.A. for the show you had there. He's regrettably unable to attend, but he said if I saw one he'd like, to get it for him. He said you're extremely talented."
"Speaking of Milliardo, where is he?" Quatre asked.
"Oh you know him. He bores easily of our company," Dorothy commented.
"He's losing himself in the city. He's probably trying to get laid in all honesty…" Relena said sighing and shaking her head. "I'm surprised he came here with us at all. I guess he thought he'd get to see you, but alas, he's missing again. You're taken now anyhow," she said with a smile. Quatre blushed.
"I didn't know him to be the type to sleep around," Quatre said.
"He's secretly trying to dodge another arranged marriage. We all know that when the up and coming rich girls are out of stock because he's seducing young boys, that they're going to force him and I to get married because I already know all his secrets," Dorothy said smiling at Trowa.
"Are you serious? You would go through with that?" Quatre asked.
"There's not much choice when it comes to the great General Catalonia," Dorothy said rolling her eyes. "At least I'll know he's good looking. If not Milliardo it would've been some barbarian under his wing. I don't know if I could've stood that."
"I suppose that's better than nothing," Trowa said.
"What about love?" Quatre asked.
"Ms. Peacecraft here has such luxury, but I do not. Love is for people who believe in foolish things like peace and fairy tale endings," Dorothy said rudely.
"Perhaps it's because you're incapable of feeling anything but arrogance and only able to belittle others," Trowa snapped. Dorothy raised her eyebrows.
"I won't deny I'm a bit hardened, but I do not believe in love. Life for the children of the rich is written before birth. You do what you're told or you're out on the street. Quatre was just lucky. Relena is also lucky," Dorothy said.
"My parents agreed that I may look for my own husband so long as Milliardo eludes marriage. He was gone for months at a time on trysts with random men. Once he was gone a whole year. Actually, interestingly enough, he came home after seeing your exhibit Trowa. He hasn't gone missing for more than a week or so since then. Maybe I should thank you," Relena explained.
"That should give her about another 5 years to get married, huh?" Dorothy joked.
"Can I ask a personal question Quatre?" Relena questioned. Quatre nodded. "Did you and my brother actually have a relationship, or was it just…" Quatre bit his lip and blushed.
"Relena had the misfortune of catching us in the hallway," Quatre said to Trowa. Trowa tried to hide a smile. "No, we didn't have a relationship. He's uh… very persuasive to say the least."
"I wish I could-" Dorothy began.
"Dorothy," Relena warned. Dorothy held her tongue and smiled at the couple. She took out a small notebook and wrote the gallery address on it.
"For you," she said, handing the paper to Trowa. "I look forward to seeing your pieces."
"Are you leaving?" Quatre asked.
"Yes, we're off to have lunch. Then we have to unpack our things at the hotel. You're both welcome to join us later for drinks."
"I thought you said they were leaving today," Quatre said.
"My father called and said we could stay in the city until after the exhibit was taken care of. I'm also supposed to catch a few plays and let him know what he should take mother to see when he comes up here next month. Sometimes I feel like I'm one of the help," Relena said with a sigh.
"I'll bet they wish they went everywhere for free," Trowa said. Relena laughed.
"They work hard for their wages and I work hard for mine as well I suppose," she mused absently.
"Where is Milliardo staying?" Quatre asked.
"Damned if we know. We're lucky we saw him once since we touched down," Dorothy commented.
"I'm gonna go to the art store. You stay and talk with your friends. Do you want me to meet you back here or at my apartment?" Trowa interrupted suddenly. He just didn't feel comfortable. He knew Quatre could handle Dorothy, and Relena would keep her in line if she went too far.
"Uh, at the apartment. Would you mind if I joined you for lunch to catch up?" Quatre answered.
"That would be nice," Relena said. She smiled at Trowa and stood to shake his hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope you'll join us later."
"It's not like we had plans for tonight right?" Trowa asked Quatre.
"No. Just that you were going to paint, but we'll have plenty of time for that," Quatre assured him. Trowa kissed Quatre's temple and shook Dorothy's hand.
"I'll give Quatre the name of our hotel, and I'll have a limo pick you two up. We'll work the details out later," Dorothy said. Trowa nodded.
"See you later. It was nice to meet you both." He smiled at Quatre and waved to Hilde.
"See you tomorrow," she called to him as he departed for the art store. As they continued talking about their families, Milliardo came in. He sat in the chair beside Quatre and lounged in it.
"Speak of the devil," Dorothy murmured.
"This devil is going to end up your husband one day, dear," he said. Dorothy rolled her eyes.
"Well, until then, I'm not your anything."
"Hello Quatre," he purred, smiling at the blonde. "And Relena," he added to his sister who was crossing her arms.
"It would be nice if you at least had your cell phone with you. I don't want to be blamed when you go missing," she said.
"Not even 'if I go missing.' Am I really that bad?" Milliardo asked. He could tell Dorothy was staring at him and he moved his seat right next to Quatre and put his arm around the smaller blonde. "Am I bothering you Dorothy?" he asked, turning to smirk at her.
"Hello Milliardo," Quatre said blushing.
"Yes, you are that bad. Not since you were 23 and in L.A. for a year doing god knows what with who, but you never know," Relena said.
"I was dating an artist," Milliardo said simply.
"Quatre's dating an artist," Dorothy said with a smirk.
"You're not single anymore huh?" Milliardo asked.
"No," Quatre said quietly.
"I was going to take you out drinking tonight, but I guess that's out of the question now," Milliardo said, keeping his arm around the blonde.
"You're so rude Milliardo," Relena said staring at his arm.
"If Trowa came back he might get jealous," Dorothy commented.
"I knew a Trowa," Milliardo said.
"Yeah?" Quatre asked.
"Yes, but unfortunately my father all but physically removed me from L.A. I went to his exhibit hoping to talk with him to explain everything," Milliardo began. Quatre's heart started beating faster. 3 years ago, he'd been in L.A. for a year, and he knew Trowa. He was a blonde…
"What ridiculous name did you use in L.A. Milliardo? You should hear some of them. Was it the one you picked that rhymes with sex?" Dorothy said.
"Dorothy, stop it," Relena scolded. Dorothy smirked at Quatre as she saw him start to realize everything.
"Zechs. I didn't pick it because it rhymes with sex Dorothy. Don't worry, you won't be getting any from me," Milliardo said.
"Can I speak with you outside?" Quatre requested, standing abruptly. Milliardo shrugged and followed Quatre outside. "Trowa Barton."