June 2000
Category: Adventure, Angst, Romance.
Pairings: 3x4 established, 1x2 getting there.. possibly something for Wufei.
Time frame: Say 2 years after the events of 195.
NOTES: Well, here we go. For the record this is my first fanfiction ever, though I
have read a lot both GW and others. I just really felt the urge to do
something with GW and well.. here is the begining of my attempt. I have an
idea of what is going to happen in the future but first I thought I'd put
this bit up and see if there was going to be a future for this.
(::Chuckles:: I.E if any body was interested in reading my little mental
ramblings.) So, I'll be interested to see how everyone things I do here.
I hope you enjoy.
Guess that's enough for now. This hasn't been betad so any and all mistakes are mine all mine and I'm sure there are plenty. :>
Trowa shifted his shoulders against the marble column and tucked his chin down further to his chest. With his arms crossed, the position allowed him to watch the proceedings through his bangs while shielding his face from curious eyes. What in the name of gundanium had made him come to a meeting of Colonial representatives and the United Earth Coalition?
Lifting his head a little, Trowa spied the answer. Moving through the crowd like water amongst rocks, Quatre Raberba Winner graciously stopped and greeted each politician with a smile and a hand shake. Trowa noted with no little amusement that the politicians stopped and greeted Quatre with broad smiles, deferential nods and hopeful expressions. While the young Winner heir was just shy voting age, he had already taken the reins to the Winner fortune and carried an enormous amount of political as well as financial clout.
Which was why they were here. Well, actually it was why Quatre was here. Meetings such as these were but one of many obligations that came with heading one of the Colonies most influential families. Trowa had come along for the ride just to be supportive. The tall boy let a small smile twitch his lips as he cast his mind back to the scene earlier that evening.
"Is my tie straight Trowa?" Quatre stood in front of the full length mirror fidgeting with the Windsor knot, getting it centered. Trowa looked up from the laptop where he was going over updates supplied by Sally Po about Preventer movements and allowed himself a quiet smile. The tie was perfect. The ensemble, for what else could you call Quatre's dressing habits, was the correct mixture of casual formal and yet Quatre still fussed. The young man who fought through dust, blood, sweat and flying bits of metal without so much as batting an eye, was making a scene about a simple tie.
It had become something of a ritual between them in the past months. Quatre, always on the edge of fashion sense, would tie the intricate knots then ask Trowa, who believed silk ties had only one good use, to help him adjust it. Whatever type of tie it was, bow tie, Windsor knot, formal cravat.. it would always be perfectly centered but still Quatre enjoyed having Trowa's long fingers work against his neck "fixing" any problems. For his part, Trowa enjoyed the moment of quiet, simple intimacy before the spotlight that was Quatre's life engulfed the blonde haired heir once again.
The only other times they had to be just themselves were in bed, or when on Preventer business. The former was often for no more then 4-6 hours and the latter really didn't lend itself to romance.
So, the lanky ex-pilot of Gundam Heavyarms stood with a mock sigh and crossed to the mirror. Quatre turned expectantly to him. That bright infectious smile making his blue eyes light up as he lifted his chin and stood a little on the tips of his toes. One corner of Trowa's mouth lifted in a small smile that was mirrored by the twitch of a chestnut eyebrow. The expression spoke volumes and Quatre chuckled softly, blushing a little and shrugging his shoulders in a soundless, sheepish answer. Trowa just made a sound in the back of his throat; a noise that passed for a chuckle from the taller boy.
Tie surgery successfully completed Quatre rocked back on his well shod heels and made to turn back to the mirror when Trowa caught his shoulders.
" You have a guest pass for this function? " The words spoken in that calm soothing tone that seemed to spread across the nerves like a balm.
Quatre's eyes widened and if anything his smile turned into a beam. "Well, yes of course but... You never want to go to these things and I don't really blame you, I wouldn't go if I didn't half to. " The quick, wry twist of his mouth the only indication the Winner heir gave to how badly he sometimes chafed beneath the mantle of his position.
Trowa reached up and brushed his thumb across the twist in his lover's thin lips, then stepped back. " Give me 20 minutes to get a shower and get changed."
Now, as painfully plain music crooned in the background, Trowa hid a grin. A person would have needed to apply various torture devices to get him to admit it, but the tall boy enjoyed watching his gregarious lover work the crowd. Quatre had a natural way with people. It had been one of the deciding factors back in war, helping the small blonde pilot coax 4 independent pilots into a working cohesive unit. Duo had a bright buoyant nature but that crazy baka tending to scare as many people as he made laugh. Trowa had long suspected Duo went out of his way to keep people on their toes, while Quatre worked at putting people at their ease.
Trowa was happily lost in his thoughts with the small beeper built into his watch began to buzz softly at him. Startled he looked down at it quickly and straightened from his lean on the column. Attentive to the taller boy's whereabouts at all times Quatre turned slightly from the conversation he was having with one of the L3 Colonial representatives and cast Trowa a questioning glance. Trowa quickly read the numbers and the message flashing across the lead crystal display..
~~03, contact immediately.~~
Both brows bounced for a moment, the only expression of surprise on Barton's features, lost behind his bangs. Looking up he met concerned blue eyes from across a roomspan and made a quick, soothing gesture with his fingers. He'd find out what Sally Po wanted. Quatre didn't need to worry, yet.
Stepping away from the crowded room, Trowa ghosted along the corridors till he found himself a quiet alcove. Pulling a small flat communication device from the breast pocket of his suit jacket, he flipped it open and toggled in the code that would scramble his signal. You had to admit one thing, the Preventers had some of the neatest toys. Another set of numbers and alpha codes were punched into the small phone and then he placed it against his ear. He got a response almost immediately.
"Why aren't you at your computer Trowa?"
"Good evening to you as well Sally. I'm here at the Colonial function with Quatre. What is the matter?"
"You're AT a function?"
Trowa didn't bother answering. Catching the hint Sally continued.
"Right. Well I need you and Quatre to report in, immediately. Duo and Heero are on their way and Wufei is already here. We have a situation."
"Of course. We should be there within the hour."
"Sooner if you can manage it. Sally out."
Trowa blinked looking down at the now silent phone. And people called him abrupt? Folding the little device back up, he neatly stowed it away. Stepping out of the alcove he went to an intercom and dialed into the colony launch bay tower.
"Tower." Came the immediate gruff response.
"Trowa Barton. I need clearance for the Winner shuttle immediately."
"Be five minutes Mr. Barton. We've got supply carriers launching now, then we'll taxi it into position."
"Thank you." At times it was gratifying to see the response the Winner name got.
Clicking off the intercom Trowa moved quickly back to the grand hall. It didn't take him long to pick out the bright blonde hair in the middle of a knot of people and Trowa was making a beeline across the floor when he was suddenly intercepted.
"Trowa! Trowa Barton!! Imagine seeing you here."
Trowa cringed inwardly. He simply did not have time to trade pleasantries with Relena Peacecraft at the moment. However, short of running over her, he didn't have much choice. Stopping he looked over to the richly dressed young woman as she glided towards him.
"A pleasant evening to your Miss Peacecraft."
"Oh, no need to be so formal. We're old friends after all. " Relena came up by his side and moved to take his arm. At about that moment a bright voice chirped.
"Miss Peacecraft, there you are. Why the Minister of Colonial affairs and I were just talking about the financial proposal you've brought up before the Earth Coalition. Isn't this fortuitous! I couldn't remember the exact details to explain it to the Minister but here you are to explain it yourself!"
Quatre beamed between the tall portly man accompanying him and the slender girl. Relena looked for a split second flustered then her political mask slid into place and she redirected her hand away from Trowa's arm towards the Minister in greeting. Without missing a beat Quatre continued.
"And Trowa, I wanted you to meet someone." Folding his small hands politely behind his back Quatre bowed slightly to Relena and the Minister. "Our pardons but I'm certain you two have much to talk about, if you would excuse us?"
Neatly outdone and knowing it Relena smiled tightly and nodded dismissively before turning back to the Minister. More amused then insulted by the young woman's action Quatre turned and placed his hand in the small of Trowa's back, expertly steering the taller boy through the crowd and out of the hall.
"Sally?" Softly spoken once they were on their way down the corridor towards the launch bay.
"Yes. Heero and Duo were already on their way in and Wufei was already in residence."
"All five of us then? Must be something big."
"I got that impression."
The Winner shuttle touched down smoothly into the Preventer landing base. Though Quatre had a pilot for regular travel, he had chosen to fly the shuttle himself this evening to give he and Trowa more alone time together. It worked out well since the pilot would not have been allowed to accompany them to Preventer headquarters anyway.
Bringing the shuttle neatly about into a loading zone, Quatre shut off the engines and unhooked the harness holding him to his chair. Beside him Trowa quietly went about the same course of action. The two young men sharing a quick glance before a muffled shout caught their attention. On the balcony across from the shuttle stood a bouncing Duo and a long suffering Heero. Quatre smiled brightly and waved through the shuttle window while Trowa muttered.
"We'd better get out there. Heero looks ready to commit murder."
"Heero always looks ready to commit murder. He wouldn't hurt Duo."
Something in the way his small lover spoke those words made Trowa look back at him. A lift of his brow made the silent query. Quatre only gave back an angelic smile that neither confirmed nor denied anything. Clearing his throat Trowa turned and headed into the back to open the hatch, studiously ignoring the amused chortle coming from behind him.
Stepping away from the ramp Trowa automatically adjusted his long stride so that he wouldn't outstrip his smaller companion. Duo came bounding down the stairs from the balcony and careened over to them.
"Trowa, Quatre! How you two been."
Trowa simply gave a small smile of greeting, tucking his hands into his pockets and sidestepping a little, letting Quatre breeze by him and take Duo's hand.
"We've been well Duo. You look good. Salvage life must agree with you."
"Always has, always will. I'm never happy unless I'm performing the impossible for little to no gratification."
Quatre laughed as he was meant to. Trowa grinned a little and looked over to Heero who was standing behind Duo. Heero's dark blue eyes seemed fixed on Maxwell's long braid, as if he were contemplating giving it a yank, but feeling eyes on him Heero looked over and exchanged a brisk nod of greeting with Trowa. Catching this out of the corner of his eye Duo bounced away from Quatre and wheeled so that he could look at both Heero and Trowa.
"How many thousands of years of evolution have we gone through and yet these two still communicate in grunts and gestures. Words gentlemen.. words. There are over 100 lovely languages to choose from!" Duo flung his arms wide as if he could encompass them all. Heero's eyes narrowed and he took a step towards the braided boy. Quatre stepped quickly between them grabbing Duo's arm and tugging him towards the lift chattering brightly about salvage work. Thus distracted Duo followed along easily enough leaving Trowa and Heero to bring up the rear.
"Quatre looks in good health." Heero intoned.
"MmmHmm."
"I'll have to thank him for steering Duo towards that salvage work."
Trowa looked over at Heero in surprise. Heero just looked back at him evenly. Clearing his throat a little Trowa looked away first. The fact that the salvage company Duo was working for was owned, a couple times removed, by Winner Enterprises was supposed to be secret. Trowa had tried to explain to Quatre that all of them were quite capable of taking care of themselves, but Quatre had fretted and worried about his fellow pilots. Wufei was taken care of with his martial arts work and the Preventers full time, Heero was also secure with his computer knowledge and Doctor J's under the table investments but Duo had been at loose ends. So, a small salvage company had been bought up by one of WEI (Winner Enterprises Incorp) satellite companies and Duo had found himself gainfully employed.
Quatre had gone to great lengths to keep the god of destruction from finding out where the job had come from. He hadn't meant anything derogatory by the gesture, he just wanted to make sure they were all safe. Heero and Trowa exchanged another glance and in that glance, Trowa read that Heero realized this fact and the taller boy relaxed nodding a little. Trowa also caught a little bit of something else in those dark blue eyes. A hint of contentment maybe?
Trowa took a stutter step as he placed the odd expression. It was the look of contentment he himself often wore when he knew that Quatre was safe and happy. Peering surreptitiously over at Heero, Trowa grinned inwardly. Could it be that Heero was finally beginning to care?
End Part 1
Laekin
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