Author's Note: Well, I didn't really disappear (been insane with moving, work and travel), nor did I abandon CD. In fact, it is written and being edited, which is always a challenge with my stuff.
A huge thanks to Sylenctone for editing and providing feedback, and a huge thanks as well to those who kept sending little notes for more.
There are five more chapters after this one, they are done, but need to be edited, but I can't guarantee any more will go up until after y-con this weekend.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing isn't mine, and no money is made by writing this. I do this for the simple joy of playing with the pilot's lives.
Chapter 17 – Information Gathering (Trowa POV)
Around one on Sunday afternoon I literally fall out of bed, which I must say, is an accomplishment since the bed is king sized and I'm a gymnast. I groan and roll, trying to get my feet underneath me. It is dark in the room save for the daylight peaking in around the curtains. From the bed, I can hear snickering, and I know that Quatre is awake and way too cheerful for having been up until dawn.
"Did you just fall out of bed?" He asks between giggles.
I grumble 'yes' and plod the few steps over to the switch that controls the lamp on my side of the bed. The room lights up, and we both blink rapidly trying to adjust to it. Quatre flops back down and puts his forearm over his eyes. "Why'd you just do that?"
"Because I'm starving and need food." I motion to myself all the while keeping my eyes on Quatre's lithe, naked body. "And to get food we need to get dressed. I'm not exactly one for parading around naked."
"Why not?" Quatre gets on his knees and moves over to the end of the bed and grabs my hand. "You're stunning naked. I don't think the other guys would mind." He grins, pulls me close and rests his head on my chest.
"I'd rather leave it to their imaginations." I say, somewhat distractedly, looking for my bag. I think I am still somewhat out of it because nothing quite seems real, I got enough sleep, but I feel incredibly stupid right now, like my brain is overly hazy. Maybe a shower will help. I wander into the bathroom, close the door and use the facilities. As I am about to start the shower, I realize that I forgot my bag in the bedroom and open up the door.
Quatre is standing there, with my bag in hand, very naked, handsome, beautiful, hot, sexy… I could go on. Hopefully, he'll still want to talk to me in a week.
He hands me my bag and walks past me into the bathroom and behind me, sliding his arms slowly around my chest while he presses himself flush with my back. "Need the bathroom?" I ask.
"Nah, got up a bit before you did. Need a shower though." He says quietly.
I let out a soft moan as his hands play across my chest, but I break away from him so I can brush my teeth and go start the shower. In the mirror, I can see Quatre smirking and reaching around me as I move towards the shower. Between vigorous teeth scrubbing, I figure out which facet is hot and which is cold. Sometimes, multitasking early in the morning just doesn't work. I hear Quatre brushing his teeth and by the time I get the water running at a comfortable temperature, he is next to me waiting for the ok.
I put my toothbrush down on the counter and we both get into the large luxurious marble shower stall. We try to keep it innocent, and by trying I mean we manage to behave long enough to get soap on our hands. Between the amazing feeling of slick hands over our bodies and just being guys with healthy libidos, we give up trying to behave and jerk each other off. We're not exactly gentle about it either. Rough and needy, I'm pretty sure that if we were having sex, one of us would be crushed up against one of the walls getting our brains fucked out. But we're not, so we're settling for another option that yields similar results.
After our wash and romp, we behave long enough to get dressed and pack our things back up. My stomach growls loud enough to be embarrassing and Quatre laughs, grabs me by the hand and starts leading me out of the room. "Come on, we'll finish packing in a bit, food time."
Downstairs, in the kitchen, we find everyone, save for Relena and her entourage, nursing cups of coffee and generally looking like they had been up all night partying. The couples all seem too wrapped up in each other and their coffee to take notice of our arrival. Not that I mind, really. It is nice to be surrounded by people who honestly care for each other. Even Sally and Brad, who seem to be as new in their relationship as Quatre and myself, appear to have genuine feelings for each other.
The established couples amaze me. It is fairly clear, even for a dense asshole like me, to see that each partner looks upon their other as the most important thing in the world. And that is exactly the thing I am desperately trying to avoid now, since I am uncertain if my relationship with Quatre is going to last much longer. I don't want him to become the center of my world and then have my heart completely ripped out when everything falls apart. But, God, I hope it does work out. I look at him, and I feel so safe and comfortable around him, I would give so much to hold onto that.
We chit chat with everyone a bit, but we're all somewhere between sleep and waking, that none of us, even Duo, are very good conversationalists. Eventually, we all head home so we can get ready for Monday and our return to the 'real' world. I spend the rest of the day with Quatre, and though I want to spend time with him, I also want some free time so I can go over the contents of the folder Heero gave me. It is gnawing at me, and I keep looking at the bag expecting the folder to burn a hole through the canvas bag like the Ark did to the crate in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
At nine pm, eight measly hours after we woke up, we are back in bed and fast asleep.
When the alarm sounds at ten to six, I bolt upright and Quatre grumbles and turns over trying his best to ignore the persistent ringing. I climb over him and snag his phone from the nightstand and shut the alarm off. "Come on Quatre. Time to run."
"Don't wanna. Come back to bed." He holds out his arms to me and I take one of his hands and pull him out of bed.
"Nope, we're going running. We had off yesterday." He mumbles something incoherent and runs his hand through his mop of golden hair.
"I need clothes." Quatre actually manages to vocalize and the vision of Quatre running our circuit in nothing but running shoes causes me to blush fiercely. As quickly as possible, I push the thought from my mind and turn the lights on. My boyfriend growls and flops face first onto the bed. I sigh, pull out his running clothes and throw them at him.
"Get dressed." I give his perfect ass a light slap, he gives me a death stare as he turns over and begrudgingly starts to get dressed as I pull my shorts on.
We meet up with the rest of the guys outside and go for our run. There isn't much in the way of conversation as I think everyone is still trying to get over having partied until the sun rose in the sky Sunday. Though, I will admit it is funny to see Zechs flanked by Heero and Duo to talk about the wedding, causing Wufei to run a bit ahead by himself. He looks sour for the entire run and keeps looking over his shoulder to see if he can take his place next to his boyfriend again. It is actually kind of cute, in a overly possessive sort of way.
Once back from our run, we get ready for the day and head off to class. Quatre informs me that he won't be back until late, as he has a meeting to attend to between his last class and marching band rehearsal. I am sad that I won't see him until later, but at the same time I count it as a small blessing, since it will allow me to sit down with the folder and look over all the contents.
As my professor dismisses my last class, I bolt out of the room and run to my apartment. I had made sure to put my bag back in my room yesterday so that I could keep it hidden from Quatre. Not that I really want to ever keep anything hidden from him, but if my gut is correct, I don't want him seeing the folder and its contents just yet.
Once secure in my haven, I remove the envelope Heero had given me from my bag and take a seat on my bed. I stare at it for some time and the more I stare at it, the more I find myself shaking. With a deep breath, I take out the oak tag folder and place it in front of me. Before I toss the envelope aside, I notice there is still something in there and shake out the rest of the contents. Several pictures fall out on top of the folder.
With shaking hands, I pick up the pictures and look through them. They are all of Tristan at a different ages, all carefully labeled on the back. I look through them all, noting everything about them that I can. They look like the pictures my parents have around the house. I bite at my lower lip, not liking what the photos are leading towards. There are also a few pictures of Tristan and Quatre. God, he was stunning then too.
Placing the pictures on top of the empty envelope, I open the folder and my shaking increases exponentially. The first page is simple: Name, age, current known location and picture.
Name: Tristan Alexander Barton
Birthday: September 16, AC 180
Current Known Location: Sanc University
Peacemillion Building
Apartment 224
The accompanying picture is the same on my student ID. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck! FUCK! I can't fucking be Quatre's first boyfriend. It is not fucking possible. I bolt off my bed, flip through my binder of music and pull out Mutter. Angry, harsh Germans will hopefully help this situation. I dig out my portable CD player and speakers and put everything together, then jack the music up to a mind numbing volume when the disc starts to play.
I sit back down and go through the file some more. Everything is in here. Including my parents' names, their birthdays, the address for our house in Massachusetts. The file goes over my accident and the trip to University Medical Hospital for a doctor that specialized in head trauma. It also mentioned the reconstructive surgery I had right after the accident. The file even displayed my Sanc identification number, and a copy of my birth certificate. Every single fucking piece of information points to me. There is nothing in here that I could disagree with. FUCK!
I feel my heart begin to race, and I need to move. I need to be free, so I shut off my player, change into a pair of tumbling shorts and a tight sleeveless tee and grab my tunes and head outside to the large grassy area in back of the apartments. I place the player and speakers down and survey the ground, making sure there aren't any dangerous divots. I turn the music back on and sit down to stretch.
When I finish loosing up, I start the music from the first track and begin moving, clearing my mind of everything but flying. I start off with simple moves. Some cartwheels, round offs and somersaults, letting my body limber up some before I begin some of the more complex moves.
I let the anger and every other emotion I have coursing through my body add power to my moves. When I begin tumbling in earnest, all thoughts leave my head except for where to put my hands and feet and how far the ground is before I land.
I tumble back and forth over the green until I miss a landing on, thankfully, a simple back handspring. Picking myself up from my face plant into the thick grass, I hear cheers and applause coming from all around me. It appears I have gathered an audience while I was off in my own world. Close to thirty people appear to be watching me, and I quickly gather all my things up and retreat to my apartment, managing to say as little to those who are watching me as possible.
Once in my apartment, I throw the player and speakers on the futon and fall down to the floor, breathing more heavily than usual due to the physical exertions in the early September heat. I fall to the floor with considerably less grace than I just had outside and begin to stretch out my already protesting muscles.
As I stretch out, I remember the offer Heero had given me on Saturday when we talked, and I realize that I do need to talk to someone. And since I don't have any friends here save for the ones who are also friends with Quatre, I swallow my pride and call Duo's number, as I do not have Heero's yet.
"Hello Trowa."
"Heero?"
"Yes, Duo's in the shower." There is a moment of uncomfortable silence and before I can say anything Heero continues. "I was just in the middle of making dinner. You are more than welcome to join us."
"I wouldn't want to intrude."
"You wouldn't be. I always make too much." He pauses again. "Do you know how to get here?"
"No."
Heero proceeds to give me directions to their house, and I tell him I'll be over after I change. Their house is maybe a five minute drive from campus, and I realize that I could have walked there in about the same time it took me get my car and drive over there.
I know I have arrived when I see Heero and Duo's cars parked in the driveway. I pull in behind Duo's car and get out, taking a long look around. The house is newer, by Sanc standards, which means it is probably about one hundred years old, but it appears to have been overhauled quite a bit. It is a quaint two story house that appears to have at least an acre of land. From the front it looks to be completely brick and there is a large front porch.
As I approach, the front door opens and Heero waits for me to enter. "Found it without any problems?"
I nod as I walk into the house and Heero closes the door behind me. The air conditioning hits my skin and I close my eyes happily. "I could have walked here about as fast as it took to drive."
Heero laughs. "You could have, but it is fucking hot out and that makes the walk much longer." He leads me into the kitchen, and on the table there are three place settings as well as a large bowl of salad and something that looks like Mexican food. "You like chicken?" I nod. "Mexican?" I nod again. "Good, we're having chicken enchiladas." He says with a smile and walks past me to the base of the stairs. "Dinner's ready."
"Be right down." Duo hollers back and Heero nods to no one in particular and walks back into the kitchen.
"Help yourself to anything in the fridge. I'm not sure what you want to drink. The ice tea in there is unsweetened.
Nodding, I take the offered glass from Heero and open the fridge door. There are several pitchers of drinks and I grab the one that looks like ice tea. "Ice tea?" I hold up the pitcher to Heero, he nods and I pour myself a glass. "You read it didn't you?" I say quietly.
"Yes." Heero nods as if it were nothing. "We'll talk about that specifically after dinner."
"God 'Ro that smells good." Duo praises as he walks to Heero and wraps his arms around him from behind. "Hey Trowa, glad you could join us. Sometimes its fun to have company." Duo kisses his partner soundly and then turns to me. "We've just got to behave a bit more."
"Sit down you two, time to eat." I wait for Duo and Heero to claim their places and sit down in the remaining one while Heero doles out the food. We eat in relative silence, since we all appear to be on par with starving. I for one hadn't realized I was as hungry as I am until I start eating.
As Duo finishes his enchiladas, he begins to pile salad on his plate the conversation begins anew. "So Trowa, what brings you here tonight without Q-ball?"
Before I can say anything, Heero cuts in and answers, and not in any language that I know. So my guess is that it is Japanese. I watch the exchange between partners and Duo's face morphs several times as they speak I hear my names mentioned as well as Quatre's, and I wait patiently for their conversation to end.
Suddenly, but not angrily, Duo pushes away from the table, quickly dumps some salad dressing onto his plate and politely excuses himself. Heero sighs heavily. "I'm sorry, that was really rude."
"That didn't get you in trouble with your husband to be, did it?" I ask a bit concerned, since I saw what happened last time Heero withheld information from Duo.
Heero chuckles softly. "No. I promised him a full report after you left as long as he didn't mention a single word to Quatre, as that would be your job. Not his." He takes a moment to load his plate up with salad. "So?"
So? God, I hope this conversation goes well. I take a deep breath and begin. "So, I think that there is a ninety-nine point nine percent chance that the person in the folder is me."
"What about the point one percent?" Heero asks calmly between bites of his salad.
"Well that's the problem." I take another deep breath. "I don't remember." He raises his eye brow, but doesn't say anything, so I continue. "The accident mentioned in the report and overview write up left out one crucial bit of information. That being, I don't have any solid memories from before I woke up in Massachusetts. I remember things like the names of my family, how to speak and school stuff, but past that I'm practically a blank slate." I run my hands through my hair in frustration. "I can't tell you the names of any of my friends in school, nor could I tell you where I lived or what town I was born in. There is nothing."
"You haven't shared any of this with Quatre?" Heero asks, appearing completely calm, as if none of this was surprising to him at all.
"No. I don't know how to talk to him about it."
"So how do you plan on getting one hundred percent accuracy with this?"
"I haven't a fucking clue…." Maybe I do have a fucking clue.
Heero chuckles. "I'm pretty sure you do."
"My parents and Quatre need to meet. My parents can't know he's coming with me, and Quatre can't know that I'm probably his Tristan."
Heero frowns. "That's a bit underhanded, isn't it?"
"Yes, but I can't think of another way to get the most genuine reaction from either one of them. They're the three people that can answer the questions that I can't answer."
The frown remains on Heero's lips. "Trowa, you're playing with fire."
I sigh. "I know." I run my hands through my hair again. "God Heero, the last thing I want to do is make him unhappy. But I don't think either of us will be happy unless we both know for certain, because I think part of him is still looking for Tristan. 'What-ifs' don't build solid relationships and the only way to make sure that Tristan's path actually leads to me is to close the loop and have the people that don't have memory issues meet each other."
"As much as I hate to say it, I agree with you. I don't like the idea of tricking Quatre, but at the same time, I understand what you mean by getting a genuine reaction. When are you thinking about going ahead with having the three meet?"
"I think the sooner the better. I'd like to move past this as soon as possible, and I'm sure he does as well, whether he realizes that there is something to get over or not."
"Agreed. Mention it to Quatre tonight. Oh, and don't try to be the 'man' and suggest buying tickets. He's leaving Sanc so his guard will be with him. Unless all the Winner jets are occupied, you'll be flying in style along with a handful of elite bodyguards."
I pale at the mention of elite body guards. I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with that side of Quatre yet, but it seems that I will have to. "I forget that he's the heir to the richest family in the world."
Heero chuckles. "Believe it or not Trowa. That is a very, very, good thing. Most people have a hard time not forgetting, which is why, up until you, he's ended up with shit heads." He stands and starts to collect the dirty dishes. "So what are you going to tell him to get him to go across the pond?"
Good question. I let the thoughts race through my mind and almost everything sounds highly suspicious save for, "I want to introduce him to my parents."
"And when he makes a point that they don't know that you're a fag?" Heero asks with a devilish smirk as he starts to load the dishwasher.
"I'll ask for his support. I think that no matter what, I'll need that."
"How do you think you're parents are going to take it?" He inquires, looking over his shoulder at me.
"Horribly. Seeing as, if I am really Tristan, I've never fucked a woman prior to losing my memory and my parents say that I have."
Heero makes a face that looks to be contorted in pain. "Ouch. You're definitely going to need someone there with you if that is the case."
"I have a bad feeling about this." I bury my hands in my hair and rest my elbows on my thighs.
"Trowa, all you can do is go into it with a positive attitude and don't let anyone try to tell you that you feel something that you really don't."
"I know." I mumble into my lap and then look up quickly. "How did it go for you?"
"What go for me?"
"Outing yourself."
Heero laughs heartily this time. "My father found out when he came home a few days early to the sight of Duo and I have sex on his living room floor. Duo told the heads of the orphanage when he moved in with me after my father died. Supposedly, Quatre told his father right after he and Tristan started dating. Duo found out by walking into the off limits boys locker room at his eighth grade dance. Says he found Quatre and Tristan making out in the back, by the showers." He gives me a cheeky grin. "Chang and Zechs just one day became an item, no real announcement, though Quatre knew since the beginning. None of us know whether or not Tristan ever told his parents. So I don't know how that might affect you."
I let out a long slow breath. "So, for the most part no one really had to find a way to verbally come out."
"More or less." He shrugs and sits back down. "If you decide to do it this weekend, let me know and I'll have Wufei on standby for Quatre if things do not go in your favor, which I hope they do."
"Why is he going to call Wufei?"
"Because, despite how Wufei acts most of the time. He's been through a lot of shit in his life and has all of that Chinese wisdom handy. That, and Quatre ended up being his confidant in the early stages of his relationship with Zechs because he felt uncomfortable talking to Duo and I because we were already together. If you decide to go after we get back, then he'll call Duo first."
"I'm thinking maybe we should head to the airport when you and Duo do. We'll get out there in the morning. I'll talk with my parents, and then we fly home in the early evening. I don't have much faith that the conversation it going to be a good or long one."
He nods. "Let me know when it is definite and then I'll let Wufei know what is going on in case Quatre does call.
I nod again and give Heero a weak, but gracious smile. "Thanks."
Heero smiles gently and sits back down. "You're a good guy Trowa, and I hope this all goes well for you, and for Quatre. But if all hell breaks lose, just go with the flow. If you two are meant to be together, then everything will work out. If you aren't, then this will probably be the event that decides it." He chuckles. "But, by the file, you are Tristan, which makes me believe that the invisible red string between you and Quatre has never been broken. Just remember that before all of this you found each other…again, without knowing it." Heero pauses for a moment. "The only really shitty thing is that if it doesn't work out, we're all loyal to Quatre first. I'm not going to beat the ever living shit out of you for this, but none of us are going to be able to support you through it. So I hope that there will be no reason to shun our new or old friend."
I nod, knowing Heero's right. "I pray that the choice never has to be made." I say solemnly and stand. "I should get back…" I look at my phone quickly for the time. "… Quatre should be getting back soon."
Heero nods. "Tell him I invited you over for dinner since I knew he had practice tonight. No need to lie about where you were." With a brief nod of understanding, I walk towards the door. "And Trowa." I glance over my shoulder at him. "Let me know how it goes." Heero offers me a genuine smile and walks past me to the door to let me out.
I offer a 'goodbye Duo' from the door and after a similar reply I leave, but not before Heero offers me another reassuring smile. As I climb into my car, I muse on Quatre's friends, who were more than likely my friends from a life I can't remember. In unguarded moments Heero is a stunning man, with a smile that could easily make you fall head over heels in love with him. He hides behind a fierce scowl and prickly aura, but after speaking with him when all walls were down, I think I understand a bit of what Duo loves about the quiet, stoic Japanese man.
My thoughts drift from Heero to Heero and Duo and their relationship. Thinking about it for a mere moment sends an ache through my chest, and I suddenly need to see Quatre. To see his smile. To feel his lips against mine and our bodies pressed close. I want to have as much Quatre as I possibly can before I might lose him. I'll ask him tonight if he'll join me on my fool's quest to out myself to my parents. God, I hope he'll go along with heading to the airport after the reception. My heart and head feel like they are going to explode if this mystery isn't solved soon and the secret is revealed.
As I set my car in park, I finally realize that I am back home and pushing my distressed thoughts to the back of my mind, I shut my car off and head upstairs. I try Quatre's door to see if it is unlocked and it swings open with ease. I peek inside, looking for him and I see his things, but I don't see him.
"Hey, you going to stand there letting the AC out, or are you going to come inside?" My eyes dart around looking for the source of the voice and I see a bodiless hand wave from the couch. He must be lying down.
"I think I'll come in." After shutting and locking the door, I lean over the back of the couch to kiss Quatre, only to be kissed first. He practically grabs either side of my face and pulls me to him, lips meeting halfway in an electrifying, arousing kiss.
Quatre wastes no time making it clear what he wants right then and hell if my body didn't agree with him. "I want to brush my teeth." I murmur.
"I like Mexican," was the only response my boyfriend utters before occupying his perfect mouth with something extremely enjoyable. Vaguely, I am aware of Quatre pushing the coffee table away from the couch with his foot, but I'm far more interested in what his hand is doing down my shorts.
Then the hand leaves, followed by the lithe body beneath me and I whimper in protest until I see Quatre has slid to the empty space on the floor. I have absolutely no clue what the hell he's up too, but I shrug and slide off the couch as well.
I lose count of how many times I come after the fourth orgasm. I cannot even tell you how long we have been on the floor writhing in pleasure. I do know though, that the carpet needs to be steam cleaned and we smell. Without saying anything, Quatre pulls me to the shower for a quick rinse. Getting up proves to be a challenge. I was fine on the floor, but my legs feel boneless and don't seem to want to move any more. Quatre tugs a bit harder with a maniacal little chuckle, and I begrudgingly get up and follow him to the shower.
It does feel wonderful though, the water streaming over our sticky, smelly, tired bodies. We wash each other clean, kissing the entire time, and get out to dry off. As we do so, I let my eyes wander over his perfect body. Is it possible for anyone to be put together that perfectly?
"What?" I register Quatre inquiring after a moment.
"Just enjoying the view."
He smirks and his eyes caress my body. "You are not the only one." He licks his perfect, reddened lips and his eyes gleam with a hunger.
"So where did you have Mexican?" Quatre changes the mood as he hangs his towel up.
"Heero invited me over, knowing you had practice tonight. So I had dinner with him and Duo."
My boyfriend spins quickly looking somewhat upset. "I am so jealous. I love Heero's cooking. What did he make?"
"Chicken enchiladas."
"Fuck!" Quatre mock storms out of the bathroom to his bedroom, trying desperately trying to hide a large smile.
"So what was that for?" I ask, following him.
"What was what for?" He turns, his turquoise eyes glowing with false innocence.
"The ambush."
"Oh that." He blushes practically everywhere. "I could stop thinking about you all day and by the time I got home, the only thing I could think about was getting you naked and doing naughty things to you." He pauses and flashes me a mischievous smile. "You didn't seem to mind."
I walk up to him and wrap my arms him, pulling our naked bodies together. "Not at all." Our lips meet together in another fierce kiss and my mind wanders to when I should ask him about going to the states with me when he pulls away.
"What's wrong?" His brow is furls in concern.
"You amaze me."
The furl doesn't disappear. "Why?"
"Because you picked up on that so quickly."
"So what is wrong?" He urges.
"I want to go to the states to see my parents." I stop at that.
"There is more to it, don't be stubborn." Quatre gives me a reassuring squeeze.
"I want to come out to them." I mentally cringe at the thought.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
Oh god, please, yes. I can't do this without you there. That is what I want to tell him, but I do not. "I would like it, if you could, but if you can't that's ok too."
"When do you want to go?"
"The sooner the better?" Quatre raises a questioning brow. "Maybe go to the airport after the reception?" God, I sound desperate.
"Oh, that's not that bad. I thought you were talking about tomorrow." He says with a smile. "That shouldn't be that hard to do." Quatre starts looking around and strays out of the bedroom and into the living room. Moments later, he proudly holds up his cell phone and makes a phone call to Rashid.
After a quick exchange, Quatre hangs up the phone and walks back to me. "All set. We'll fly out on my jet, along with Rashid and four of his top men. We'll arrive there in the evening so we'll have to stay over night and then in the morning we can go visit them."
Butterflies dance in my stomach as he gives my insane plan the thumbs up. "You sure you're okay with this? Especially with it being with almost no notice?" My voice sounds almost distant as I ask him, and he simply smiles and wraps his arms around my waist.
"I remember making the decision to tell my father, and I couldn't wait either. So I understand the 'now' bit. I also dragged Tristan along with me for moral support. Because as much as I wanted and needed to tell my father, I needed the extra support to do so." His plants a row of airy kisses on my neck, and ends with a nip on my shoulder. "So I have no issues what so ever."
"God, I'm so lucky." I say in a hushed whisper and pull him into a deep hug.
"It is mutual." Quatre leans back a bit putting a space between our faces. "And now I think we should go to sleep. I'm exhausted and we have to be up early."
I nod in agreement, though I am not sure I'm going to be doing much in the way of sleeping the next week. But, maybe, since Quatre is with me, I'll be able to. And after a few minutes of shutting everything down and brushing our teeth, we climb into bed, curled up next to each other, bare skin to bare skin.