First Real Non-2x5 Fic...
Sep. 25th, 2003 08:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tj_dragonbladeOkie dokie. For anyone who's interested, here's my little 1x4x1 fic. Now, let's see if I can get all the formatting right...
Pairing: 1x4x1
Rating: R
Warnings: Minor sappy-angst; yaoi lime
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is created by Hajime Yatate and Yoshiyuki Tomino, copyrighted by Sunrise/SOTSU Agency, and distributed by Bandai entertainment. In other words, I am merely playing with the boys for the entertainment of myself and hopefully others; in so doing I mean no disrespect or copyright infringement.
Setting: Post-EW by a few years. Assumes Quatre is running his family corporation & Heero works for the Preventers, probably in a semi-administrative/command-type function by now...
Notes: My first genuine venture outside the world of 2x5. I'd love to know what you think...
Home to You
By TJ Dragonblade
Administrative red tape was truly one of the greatest evils ever to plague mankind.
This was a conclusion reached by nearly every CEO since the inception of organized business, not the least of whom was one Quatre Raberba Winner. Many a day at the office was spent doing nothing more than plowing his way through the paperwork in front of him. Review this proposal, sign that hiring bonus, finalize this contract, approve that budget increase, another signature here, yet another there--it *never* ended. The paper stacked up, slow sure and steady; it seemed sometimes that he made his way to the bottom of one pile only to find three more waiting for him.
Relentless. Monotonous. Repetitive.
Evil. Pure evil.
But it had to be done.
Quatre sighed, laying aside his pen and the financial statements he'd been reviewing all morning before letting his head drop forward wearily. One hand lifted to the back of his neck, rubbing firmly in a futile effort to relieve some of the tension in those muscles. Tight; they were so damn *tight*; and his shoulders were stiff. If only Heero were there to give him a proper massage, maybe he could relax and focus enough to finish his reviews before the board meeting this afternoon.
But Heero was busy with work of his own, heading up development of the newest Colonial branch of the Preventers--a project that had kept him more than occupied for the past several months. Currently he was out meeting with Colonial delegates and officials from the L2 area, inspecting their colonies and discussing optimum locations for the new Branch in terms of visibility, accessibility, activity and effectiveness. He hadn't even been home for the past week and a half.
And truthfully, it had been far longer than that since Quatre had been able to spend any quality time with his intended. Their schedules had been in conflict for months. Heero's down-time and days off always seemed to coincide with Quatre's late nights and unfailingly ill-timed company crises; Quatre's rare holiday would fall without fail at the beginning of any of Heero's many off-colony trips. If they were lucky, they'd sometimes meet at the breakfast table; if they were luckier, they'd cross paths at the dinner table. On good days there might be goodbye kisses in the morning and brief phone calls at lunch; on bad days one would often end up unable to come to bed before the other had fallen asleep, or having to rise before the other woke. They saw very little of one another any more; it was slowly wearing on Quatre and he knew it was getting to Heero, too. They had decided to marry some time ago, but had not yet had any real chance to make plans or sort out any of the details. It seemed they were looking at a frustratingly long engagement indeed.
There was a brief knock on Quatre's office door; he straightened up and called out politely.
"Yes, come in!"
One of his sisters entered, bearing an armload of files that she laid carefully on the corner of his desk before handing him the one on top.
"Here's the finalized contract for the water systems engineering project on the new colony out at L5," she said, then indicated the rest of the stack. "I made copies for the board, too, so they can all keep up to speed on the project."
"I'll distribute the reports this afternoon," Quatre promised, a tired smile crossing his face. "They *were* all asking where we stood on it at the last meeting..."
"Oh, we stand very well," his sister offered. "The Colonial officials were very pleased with the quality of our work and personnel in past dealings; they made no secret of their preference for working with Winner Enterprises. The fact that our projected costs are well within their budget and we have a track record of keeping to schedule as well as consistently maintaining expenses a good 6.4% below our competitors just cinched us the deal."
"That's quite the pitch, Miriam," Quatre laughed. "Maybe I should let *you* handle today's board meeting; you seem to be more up-to-date on this project than I am."
"I probably am," Miriam admitted ruefully, smiling. "I'm very excited about it; I think it's a great opportunity for us as a company. I've been hounding everyone involved for the past month for as much information as I can get--I'd love to run through it all with the board, make sure they catch my enthusiasm..." She dimpled.
"Are you available this afternoon?" Quatre leaned forward, feeling a little of the weight lift from his shoulders. He hadn't had the chance to absorb all the details of this latest project yet, and Miriam was such an enthusiastic presenter...
"Available and willing!" Miriam snapped a jaunty mock-salute before turning back toward the door. "Just let me know when you'll need me. Oh, and before I forget, your mail is in that stack, too." She waved a hand at the new pile on Quatre's desk and shut the door again behind her as she left.
Quatre's smile felt much more authentic now. He shook his head and turned back to his work, then paused and reached for the mail. It really would be best to open it right away, wouldn't it? Maybe there was something urgent there, something that took priority over these damned financials...
Solicitation. Opportunity for charitable donation. Solicitation. Invitation to a leadership conference. Solicitation. Letter of thanks. Letter of complaint. Solicitation. Quatre tossed each piece aside for later consideration with a sigh. He was about to toss the last envelope atop the rest when the address caught his eye.
It was handwritten, a rarity these days, and there was no return label. 'Mr. Q. R. Winner', it read, the strokes bold and precise above the street address for WEI's main office. The postmark indicated that it had originated from one of the L2 colonies a couple of days earlier.
"Huh." Quatre's brow creased in a slight frown; he turned the envelope over and slit it open neatly.
The pages inside were inked in pen as well, in that same commanding hand. Heero's handwriting, Quatre realized abruptly, chiding himself for not recognizing it as such in the first place though it was rare indeed to see much of anything from Heero that wasn't typed. His heart rate picked up slightly, and he began to read.
Quatre,
It started simply enough--clear and straightforward, just like his Heero. Quatre smiled.
Quatre,
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
No. I'm not that unoriginal. Or that cliché.
For the record, thou *art* more lovely and more temperate.
I realized this morning that I couldn't remember the last time I said that I loved you. Unacceptable--completely unacceptable. I wanted to call, but the colony was having communications difficulties. I couldn't get a phone signal out. I decided to send this letter instead. There's no telling how much longer our schedules will keep conflicting. I am writing with hopes that these pages will be a comforting affirmation of your place in my heart through our present situation until I can marry you and spend the rest of our days proving that I mean every word.
I love you. You've changed my life forever. Everything that I've become, I owe to you.
I love you.
I wish I could say it to you in person. I love to see that light behind your eyes when you say it back. I love the way your voice sounds warmer when you say my name. I love the fact that life *feels* warmer just because I have you. You are my own private sunshine.
That sounds ridiculously cheesy; I'm sorry.
Never mind. I'm saying it anyway.
I love being seen with you. I love holding your hand. I love every public display of affection we've ever shared. I love the glances and stares that follow. I don't care if they're approving or disapproving or jealous or amused. I want everyone to know, to *see*, how happy you make me.
Tell the world--Heero Yuy is *happy*.
I love your smile. I love your laugh. I love the way your eyes crinkle at the corners when you do either. I love the way your lips quirk when you're trying *not* to laugh. I love the way you frown when you concentrate and it only shows between your eyebrows. I love your enthusiasm for trying new things. I love the cooking experiments we used to do. I loved the look on your face that time we accidentally blew up the oven. I loved dismantling the smoke alarm when it wouldn't shut off. I loved watching you smooth-talk your way out of a full investigation when the fire department showed up. I loved the serenely blank, innocent expression you gave Duo when he asked *why* he was procuring gundanium-reinforced siding for our kitchen 'remodeling' project.
I love spending time with you. I love our conversations. I love our silences, too. I love having you close to me and not having to say anything because words would disturb the sense of utter calm you bring to me. I love your devotion to those dear to you. I love your dedication to purpose, to this new world of hope and peace. I love your strength, your strength of will, your strength of heart. I love your physical strength. I love it when you lift me or carry me; I feel protected, valued, special. Like no one else will ever matter as much as I do.
I love the way you kiss me. I love the feel of your lips against mine. I love the taste of your mouth. I love the taste of your skin. I love the taste of *you*. I love the gentle strength in your touch. I love the trembling in my stomach when you lay me down. I love being held beneath you, comfortably helpless and completely at your mercy. I love watching the tenderness in your eyes while you drive me into the bed, slow and steady. I love the way you feel inside me. I love the way you make me feel. I love it when you lean down to whisper that you love me. I love your breath in my ear, the brush of your hair against my face, the way you smell.
I love it when you offer yourself to me. It's an honor that you trust me to make love to you. It's the most humbling feeling to hold you, to feel the closeness of your body impaled in my lap, and to know that I'm the only one who ever sees you this way. I love the feel of your skin against mine and your legs draped behind me. I love the way you move in my arms, that subtle roll in your hips that makes me forget to breathe. It feels perfect. Just...perfect. I don't know the words to describe it any better. I love it when your head falls back and your arms around my neck get tighter; you are so beautiful when you lose yourself in the moment. I love the way your eyes close and your lips part and the sounds in your throat tell me it's good for you too. I love that you are mine, and I am yours, and together we make one perfect soul.
Nothing in the world compares to loving you.
And there's nothing that I like better than sleeping beside you at the end of the day. Your presence puts me at ease with the world. Hearing you breathe next to me makes it so much easier to let go of everything I was taught as a child and just relax, just sleep. You keep me warm at night. And I know in the morning I will find you smiling down at me with your heart in your eyes. I love waking up in your arms.
I don't sleep well when we're apart.
I need to see you, for more than just an hour here or a meal there. We need a vacation together. Or...at least a coinciding day off.
I've just made a decision as I sit here writing this. It won't take me long to get back to the L4 area. They can do without me on the project for a day and a half. By the time you get this letter, then, I'll be home already. We can spend the evening and the night together before I have to leave again in the morning.
Hurry home, Quatre. I'll have dinner waiting.
I miss you.
I love you,
Your Heero
Quatre sat for a long moment after finishing Heero's letter; then, moving slowly, he laid the pages down and blinked the mistiness back from his eyes. He sat a moment longer, two fingers tapping absently at the arm of his chair, staring distantly into the empty space between his desk and the door.
Abruptly he moved, swinging his chair around and quickly dialing on his vid-phone's keypad.
His sister's face blinked into existence on the screen. <<Yes?>>
"Miriam, I'm afraid I won't be able to make this afternoon's board meeting at all. Do you want to take over the whole proceeding, or shall I just cancel it?"
Miriam's face lit up. <<Oh no, I'd *love* to take over! It's no problem, no problem at all!>>
"Wonderful." Quatre smiled. "You're a godsend, Miriam. Whatever would I do without you?"
His sister laughed. <<We'd see you on the evening news eventually, holed up in the top of some skyscraper picking off hapless nitwits on the street below one by one with a laser rifle...>> She winked.
Quatre laughed as well. "Probably so." He checked his watch. "I need to leave as soon as possible; can you come back this way so I can give you everything you'll need for the meeting?"
<<Sure thing. And I'll convey your apologies to the board members, as well. Do you want me to give them a reason...?>>
Quatre's eyes softened, growing distant once more. "Tell them...tell them that I must see to a personal matter of the greatest importance..."
<<Got it. I'll be right there.>> Miriam's face blinked out.
"The greatest importance," Quatre repeated to the empty air. "A matter I haven't been able to attend to in far too long..." He picked up Heero's letter again, refolding it and tucking it into the breast pocket of his suit, directly over his heart. He held his hand there an instant, fingers curled, head bowed, eyes closed, smiling.
"Heero...my Heero...I'll be home to you in just a little while..."
-----------------------
Beg: 8/19/03
End: 9/11/03
----------------------
So...I'd love to know what you think. Good or bad. But I'm pretty happy with it. (shrug)
Oh, and...(glances guiltily left & right to make sure Dani isn't standing by ready to inflict bodily harm)...there will be more quizzes & such this weekend. (quickly ducks out)
Pairing: 1x4x1
Rating: R
Warnings: Minor sappy-angst; yaoi lime
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is created by Hajime Yatate and Yoshiyuki Tomino, copyrighted by Sunrise/SOTSU Agency, and distributed by Bandai entertainment. In other words, I am merely playing with the boys for the entertainment of myself and hopefully others; in so doing I mean no disrespect or copyright infringement.
Setting: Post-EW by a few years. Assumes Quatre is running his family corporation & Heero works for the Preventers, probably in a semi-administrative/command-type function by now...
Notes: My first genuine venture outside the world of 2x5. I'd love to know what you think...
Home to You
By TJ Dragonblade
Administrative red tape was truly one of the greatest evils ever to plague mankind.
This was a conclusion reached by nearly every CEO since the inception of organized business, not the least of whom was one Quatre Raberba Winner. Many a day at the office was spent doing nothing more than plowing his way through the paperwork in front of him. Review this proposal, sign that hiring bonus, finalize this contract, approve that budget increase, another signature here, yet another there--it *never* ended. The paper stacked up, slow sure and steady; it seemed sometimes that he made his way to the bottom of one pile only to find three more waiting for him.
Relentless. Monotonous. Repetitive.
Evil. Pure evil.
But it had to be done.
Quatre sighed, laying aside his pen and the financial statements he'd been reviewing all morning before letting his head drop forward wearily. One hand lifted to the back of his neck, rubbing firmly in a futile effort to relieve some of the tension in those muscles. Tight; they were so damn *tight*; and his shoulders were stiff. If only Heero were there to give him a proper massage, maybe he could relax and focus enough to finish his reviews before the board meeting this afternoon.
But Heero was busy with work of his own, heading up development of the newest Colonial branch of the Preventers--a project that had kept him more than occupied for the past several months. Currently he was out meeting with Colonial delegates and officials from the L2 area, inspecting their colonies and discussing optimum locations for the new Branch in terms of visibility, accessibility, activity and effectiveness. He hadn't even been home for the past week and a half.
And truthfully, it had been far longer than that since Quatre had been able to spend any quality time with his intended. Their schedules had been in conflict for months. Heero's down-time and days off always seemed to coincide with Quatre's late nights and unfailingly ill-timed company crises; Quatre's rare holiday would fall without fail at the beginning of any of Heero's many off-colony trips. If they were lucky, they'd sometimes meet at the breakfast table; if they were luckier, they'd cross paths at the dinner table. On good days there might be goodbye kisses in the morning and brief phone calls at lunch; on bad days one would often end up unable to come to bed before the other had fallen asleep, or having to rise before the other woke. They saw very little of one another any more; it was slowly wearing on Quatre and he knew it was getting to Heero, too. They had decided to marry some time ago, but had not yet had any real chance to make plans or sort out any of the details. It seemed they were looking at a frustratingly long engagement indeed.
There was a brief knock on Quatre's office door; he straightened up and called out politely.
"Yes, come in!"
One of his sisters entered, bearing an armload of files that she laid carefully on the corner of his desk before handing him the one on top.
"Here's the finalized contract for the water systems engineering project on the new colony out at L5," she said, then indicated the rest of the stack. "I made copies for the board, too, so they can all keep up to speed on the project."
"I'll distribute the reports this afternoon," Quatre promised, a tired smile crossing his face. "They *were* all asking where we stood on it at the last meeting..."
"Oh, we stand very well," his sister offered. "The Colonial officials were very pleased with the quality of our work and personnel in past dealings; they made no secret of their preference for working with Winner Enterprises. The fact that our projected costs are well within their budget and we have a track record of keeping to schedule as well as consistently maintaining expenses a good 6.4% below our competitors just cinched us the deal."
"That's quite the pitch, Miriam," Quatre laughed. "Maybe I should let *you* handle today's board meeting; you seem to be more up-to-date on this project than I am."
"I probably am," Miriam admitted ruefully, smiling. "I'm very excited about it; I think it's a great opportunity for us as a company. I've been hounding everyone involved for the past month for as much information as I can get--I'd love to run through it all with the board, make sure they catch my enthusiasm..." She dimpled.
"Are you available this afternoon?" Quatre leaned forward, feeling a little of the weight lift from his shoulders. He hadn't had the chance to absorb all the details of this latest project yet, and Miriam was such an enthusiastic presenter...
"Available and willing!" Miriam snapped a jaunty mock-salute before turning back toward the door. "Just let me know when you'll need me. Oh, and before I forget, your mail is in that stack, too." She waved a hand at the new pile on Quatre's desk and shut the door again behind her as she left.
Quatre's smile felt much more authentic now. He shook his head and turned back to his work, then paused and reached for the mail. It really would be best to open it right away, wouldn't it? Maybe there was something urgent there, something that took priority over these damned financials...
Solicitation. Opportunity for charitable donation. Solicitation. Invitation to a leadership conference. Solicitation. Letter of thanks. Letter of complaint. Solicitation. Quatre tossed each piece aside for later consideration with a sigh. He was about to toss the last envelope atop the rest when the address caught his eye.
It was handwritten, a rarity these days, and there was no return label. 'Mr. Q. R. Winner', it read, the strokes bold and precise above the street address for WEI's main office. The postmark indicated that it had originated from one of the L2 colonies a couple of days earlier.
"Huh." Quatre's brow creased in a slight frown; he turned the envelope over and slit it open neatly.
The pages inside were inked in pen as well, in that same commanding hand. Heero's handwriting, Quatre realized abruptly, chiding himself for not recognizing it as such in the first place though it was rare indeed to see much of anything from Heero that wasn't typed. His heart rate picked up slightly, and he began to read.
Quatre,
It started simply enough--clear and straightforward, just like his Heero. Quatre smiled.
Quatre,
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
No. I'm not that unoriginal. Or that cliché.
For the record, thou *art* more lovely and more temperate.
I realized this morning that I couldn't remember the last time I said that I loved you. Unacceptable--completely unacceptable. I wanted to call, but the colony was having communications difficulties. I couldn't get a phone signal out. I decided to send this letter instead. There's no telling how much longer our schedules will keep conflicting. I am writing with hopes that these pages will be a comforting affirmation of your place in my heart through our present situation until I can marry you and spend the rest of our days proving that I mean every word.
I love you. You've changed my life forever. Everything that I've become, I owe to you.
I love you.
I wish I could say it to you in person. I love to see that light behind your eyes when you say it back. I love the way your voice sounds warmer when you say my name. I love the fact that life *feels* warmer just because I have you. You are my own private sunshine.
That sounds ridiculously cheesy; I'm sorry.
Never mind. I'm saying it anyway.
I love being seen with you. I love holding your hand. I love every public display of affection we've ever shared. I love the glances and stares that follow. I don't care if they're approving or disapproving or jealous or amused. I want everyone to know, to *see*, how happy you make me.
Tell the world--Heero Yuy is *happy*.
I love your smile. I love your laugh. I love the way your eyes crinkle at the corners when you do either. I love the way your lips quirk when you're trying *not* to laugh. I love the way you frown when you concentrate and it only shows between your eyebrows. I love your enthusiasm for trying new things. I love the cooking experiments we used to do. I loved the look on your face that time we accidentally blew up the oven. I loved dismantling the smoke alarm when it wouldn't shut off. I loved watching you smooth-talk your way out of a full investigation when the fire department showed up. I loved the serenely blank, innocent expression you gave Duo when he asked *why* he was procuring gundanium-reinforced siding for our kitchen 'remodeling' project.
I love spending time with you. I love our conversations. I love our silences, too. I love having you close to me and not having to say anything because words would disturb the sense of utter calm you bring to me. I love your devotion to those dear to you. I love your dedication to purpose, to this new world of hope and peace. I love your strength, your strength of will, your strength of heart. I love your physical strength. I love it when you lift me or carry me; I feel protected, valued, special. Like no one else will ever matter as much as I do.
I love the way you kiss me. I love the feel of your lips against mine. I love the taste of your mouth. I love the taste of your skin. I love the taste of *you*. I love the gentle strength in your touch. I love the trembling in my stomach when you lay me down. I love being held beneath you, comfortably helpless and completely at your mercy. I love watching the tenderness in your eyes while you drive me into the bed, slow and steady. I love the way you feel inside me. I love the way you make me feel. I love it when you lean down to whisper that you love me. I love your breath in my ear, the brush of your hair against my face, the way you smell.
I love it when you offer yourself to me. It's an honor that you trust me to make love to you. It's the most humbling feeling to hold you, to feel the closeness of your body impaled in my lap, and to know that I'm the only one who ever sees you this way. I love the feel of your skin against mine and your legs draped behind me. I love the way you move in my arms, that subtle roll in your hips that makes me forget to breathe. It feels perfect. Just...perfect. I don't know the words to describe it any better. I love it when your head falls back and your arms around my neck get tighter; you are so beautiful when you lose yourself in the moment. I love the way your eyes close and your lips part and the sounds in your throat tell me it's good for you too. I love that you are mine, and I am yours, and together we make one perfect soul.
Nothing in the world compares to loving you.
And there's nothing that I like better than sleeping beside you at the end of the day. Your presence puts me at ease with the world. Hearing you breathe next to me makes it so much easier to let go of everything I was taught as a child and just relax, just sleep. You keep me warm at night. And I know in the morning I will find you smiling down at me with your heart in your eyes. I love waking up in your arms.
I don't sleep well when we're apart.
I need to see you, for more than just an hour here or a meal there. We need a vacation together. Or...at least a coinciding day off.
I've just made a decision as I sit here writing this. It won't take me long to get back to the L4 area. They can do without me on the project for a day and a half. By the time you get this letter, then, I'll be home already. We can spend the evening and the night together before I have to leave again in the morning.
Hurry home, Quatre. I'll have dinner waiting.
I miss you.
I love you,
Your Heero
Quatre sat for a long moment after finishing Heero's letter; then, moving slowly, he laid the pages down and blinked the mistiness back from his eyes. He sat a moment longer, two fingers tapping absently at the arm of his chair, staring distantly into the empty space between his desk and the door.
Abruptly he moved, swinging his chair around and quickly dialing on his vid-phone's keypad.
His sister's face blinked into existence on the screen. <<Yes?>>
"Miriam, I'm afraid I won't be able to make this afternoon's board meeting at all. Do you want to take over the whole proceeding, or shall I just cancel it?"
Miriam's face lit up. <<Oh no, I'd *love* to take over! It's no problem, no problem at all!>>
"Wonderful." Quatre smiled. "You're a godsend, Miriam. Whatever would I do without you?"
His sister laughed. <<We'd see you on the evening news eventually, holed up in the top of some skyscraper picking off hapless nitwits on the street below one by one with a laser rifle...>> She winked.
Quatre laughed as well. "Probably so." He checked his watch. "I need to leave as soon as possible; can you come back this way so I can give you everything you'll need for the meeting?"
<<Sure thing. And I'll convey your apologies to the board members, as well. Do you want me to give them a reason...?>>
Quatre's eyes softened, growing distant once more. "Tell them...tell them that I must see to a personal matter of the greatest importance..."
<<Got it. I'll be right there.>> Miriam's face blinked out.
"The greatest importance," Quatre repeated to the empty air. "A matter I haven't been able to attend to in far too long..." He picked up Heero's letter again, refolding it and tucking it into the breast pocket of his suit, directly over his heart. He held his hand there an instant, fingers curled, head bowed, eyes closed, smiling.
"Heero...my Heero...I'll be home to you in just a little while..."
-----------------------
Beg: 8/19/03
End: 9/11/03
----------------------
So...I'd love to know what you think. Good or bad. But I'm pretty happy with it. (shrug)
Oh, and...(glances guiltily left & right to make sure Dani isn't standing by ready to inflict bodily harm)...there will be more quizzes & such this weekend. (quickly ducks out)
