Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Even After ❯ 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Even After

By: Halcyon

Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam Wing or its characters.

Pairing: 3x4

Rating: R

Notes: This is my first fic and is still a work in progress. My writing is very green but I have had this story in my head for ages, and this my attempt to share it with you all. I hope you like.

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On a commuter shuttle blasting its way through the quiet void of space, the passengers aboard sat patiently in their seats awaiting their arrival on the large central colony of L4.

The rolling vista of stars and satellites outside the thick, round windows captivated the already weary travelers who had already begun dozing off due to the dark and tranquil atmosphere inside as well as outside the shuttle.

Despite the welcoming lure of sleep one of the commuters refused to submit to his tired body and mind, and continued to play with different scenarios and images of his eventual reunion with an old friend. Gazing out at the awesome expanse of space passing before his dreamy, green eyes, Trowa Barton, former Gundam pilot, now star performer for the Aurora Circus, was indulging in a wakeful dream, where his mind provided him with the pleasant vision of his friend, Quatre. And his body responded sincerely to the warm feelings provoked from his affectionate thoughts.

The last time they had seen one another was after they, together with the other Gundam pilots, had successfully stopped Marimeia Kushrenada's insurrection. During and after that battle they had little time to reminisce intimately but were able to settle into their familiar bond as friends. The next day they were expected to return to their respective homes and continue on their different paths, him with the Aurora circus and Quatre with the Winner Company.

At the Berlin Spaceport, he and Quatre first said their goodbyes to Duo who was eager to return to his junkyard on L2 and his partner Hilde. Then walked patiently together to the terminal of Trowa's shuttle, which was prepared for to take off in an hour. Quatre's own shuttle was awaiting his boarding at a nearby terminal, reserved for private spacecrafts, but he had wanted to say goodbye to Trowa first before heading off for his own flight, which Rashid would be piloting personally. In the brief time they had shared a brief conversation about their plans once they arrived at their homes and promised again to maintain communication as they pledged a year before, when they had won against the Whitefang and prevented Libra's crash on Earth. Except for a few emails, phone calls, and messages they had stayed true to their promise but knew how informal and inorganic such interaction with a close friend could be.

When Trowa's flight was announced over the intercom they stood up from their seats by the glass walls overlooking the shuttle docked outside. They said their mutual good byes and before he could leave to board Quatre embraced him and held it for as long as it seemed appropriate and separated with a sunny smile, masking the true feelings inside. He said his good bye with an awkward but sincere smirk and left to board the shuttle that would carry him away from the closest friend he had in the universe.

However as he reflected on the present, he laughed at the thought of him now on a shuttle that would be bringing him to his dear friend.

Looking outside the window once again, he saw Quatre's visage in a far off constellation, brilliant against the endless black, and before sleep could take erase that image from him, he closed his eyes, etching it into his mind until he could see it in person. All he hoped for was a safe and soon arrival on the central colony and the chance to uncover the truth about his deep feelings for the young man, he had befriended.

"Trowa, you still up?" asked Catherine sitting a seat away from him. " What you thinking about?" Her voice was sleepy and as Trowa turned to his right to glimpse at her he found her eyes shut, body reclined to the limit of the seat. He smiled at her concern over him when she was trying to go to sleep.

"I was thinking about L4, and meeting up with Quatre again," replied Trowa, bringing his gaze to the floor where his shoes shuffles softly on the carpeted surface."

"I'm sure you two will have loads to talk about. You're good friends and been through a lot together. All you two need is a bit of time and you will have a chance to actually talk like human beings, rather than soldiers. You two are kindred souls." She had said these last few words nonchalantly before finally found comfort in her slumber.

Edging a smile at the corner of his mouth Trowa looked back at the warm-hearted woman who he regarded as the closest family to him, and who cared for him like a surrogate older sister since he had first joined the circus. He had also come to learn that with many things Catherine Bloom was a person who spoke her mind and had an intuition about things that made Trowa always pay notice. So he found it unsurprising she would be able to see through his stoic facade.

"I hope so," he replied more to himself then his sister breathing evenly near him. "

Pulling up his green sleeve to glance at his black watch, only slightly illuminated by the constant glow of the aisle and overhead lights, he wished for the time barely displayed to progress faster and bring him to the destination that would hopefully define his destiny.

In the central colony of L4 the synthetic light of a new dawn reactivates with the start of a new cycle and awakens the slumbering city, home to millions of people.

On a large estate surrounded by green lawns and varicolored gardens, the mansion of the prominent Winner family gleams under the artificial sunshine rising from the east panel of the colony. The wide windows surrounding the home veiled with curtains to lessen the brightness of summer morning and the warmth seeping in. With each passing minute the alarm clocks started to set off respectively for each family member and employee, living and or working inside the grand home.

The young master of the Winner family was happily asleep in his own room overlooking the rolling expanse of grass and different flora behind the mansion. His alarm clock had already gone off minutes before but had with a well-aimed smack of his left hand hit the right button on the alarm clock to allow him a little longer to snooze.

Quatre Winner had just been ripped away from his pleasant dream and was vainly trying to linger in that tranquil state between the subconscious and conscious realm that was becoming harder and harder to return to. But then the sudden realization of the significance of the day hit him like a tidal wave of emotions.

Pulling out a white, feather down pillow from behind his head, he lifted it over his face and lowered it like it had just gained tons of weight. He moaned in the soft fabric stretched over his mouth and muffled the excitement and anxiety rising in his voice.

In his king-sized bed, which every day he awoke in it's cozy embrace Quatre was now the welcoming freshness of an early shower prompted him out of his bed and carried him on long, lazy legs to his bathroom.

Once inside he quickly removed the silky blue pajamas adorning his body and entered the shower, after setting it to warm-cool.

Happily immersed under the falling water Quatre let his thoughts focus on the afternoon when he would be free to meet up with Trowa, once his shuttle arrived at the spaceport. During his cleansing ritual he delved into more wishful thinking, which aroused his long held dreams and desires of what he wanted to show and tell Trowa once they were reunited. But before he got too enraptured by his reverie the hungry groans coming from his stomach diverted his focus so he finished rinsing away any shampoo or soap that might have clung his hair and skin, exited the fogged glass stall.

Wrapped in a large yellow towel he had reached the bay windows in front of his bed and pulled apart the bark brown curtains hiding the morning outside his window.

Basking in the subdued warmth of the morning and thick towel he was absorbed in, every trace of prior doubts had been cleansed away. In that serene moment he concentrated on the part of him that was always open, and receptive. And with the powerful reach of his gift found the vague presence of the heart that he felt the most close to. It was distant but distinct. And with his years of discipline and his natural sensitivity pinpointed the spectrum of emotions fused into one source of familiar feeling. "Trowa I am glad you are OK. Please arrive safely. I really missed you."

A final yawn forced its way out of his contented state, which induced a series of stretches that relaxed his stiff muscles and loosened rigid bones and joints.

Dressed and prepared for the day ahead of him Quatre finally found his sisters already in the middle of their breakfast outside on the porch. On brilliant mornings such as these they usually set up the outdoor table on the grand patio for them to eat together.

The steamy aroma of tea and coffee floated in the air and the sight of so much delectable food enticed Quatre to his seat, where he proceeded to dig in before greeting his sisters.

"Well you seem hungry this morning, little brother," said Liya, one his eldest sisters with an amused look on her face. She was wearing a white blouse and azure dress that accentuated her bronzed skin and wavy hair, giving her beauty a dignified and illustrious air that suited her position as one of Quatre's corporate advisors.

After swallowing a spoonful of cereal he replied, " I was busy reading over the L5 Proposal for tomorrow and by the time I had finished it was too late to eat anything, so I went to bed instead."

"And does everything seem okay with The Proposal, it's very important that you know the facts and all the details for tomorrow's meeting." This time it was Najid who spoke from the seat across from Quatre. Framed with straight black hair her brown almond eyes and shiny red lips angled in concern. She was another one of Quatre's corporate advisors but was slightly stricter than Liya when it came to her younger brother and their family business.

"Well I still need to learn more about the specified resources L5 will need but I am very optimistic we'll be able to provide the support systems they need for their new colony." He paused to take a cautious sip from his mint-blend tea then continued just as cautiously. "I only hope that the meeting will not take too long, Trowa's arriving today and we have a lot of catching up to do while he's here in L4."

Refocusing his attention back on the last traces of scrambled eggs and goat cheesed bagel he was blissfully unaware of the series of glances being flashed over his head and the occasional smirks forming on glossy lips. To everyone but the young man sitting at the oval glass table the message seemed clear enough.

"So Quatre," began Tashi, one of Najid's triplet sisters, "how long is Trowa going to be here, with his circus?"

Lifting his face back up to meet his sisters' he pondered over the question before answering. "Only 11 days I believe. The first two are used to settle in the performers and animals and to set up the circus big top. The following nine days, and nights they hold their shows."

"What a short time," stated Liya as she spread apricot jam on her slice of toasted bread.

"I would assume they would get very exhausted with that schedule. Do they get any days off or breaks?"

"I think they have one next Wednesday and the last day they are here, which I think is Sunday. By Monday they should be ready to depart?"

Quietly entering the dinning room was Quatre's beloved older sister Iria who had recently got back from the resource satellite she was now stationed at. "Quatre, did Trowa tell you why his circus hadn't visited to L4?" Her dirty blonde hair was tied in a bun revealing her gentle face, crystal blue eyes, and mature features. Compared to the more youthful faces of Yasmina, who shared many of their father's distinguishing features except for the long black hair and hazel eyes which she inherited from her mother, it was evident who were the older of the women gathered around the large table.

"I remember him once saying the circus hadn't visited here before because of the cost of green space to pitch up the circus tent and set up their trailers. With wages the circus gains they can't afford to tour the central colonies so they settle for outer colonies and travel the European countries of Earth."

"Well we all hope you'll have time to be with your friend and we can't wait to check out this show you rave so much about."

"Don't worry Liya, you'll all love it. It truly is an experience you don't want to miss." Cleaning the corners of his mouth Quatre rose with his empty piled dishes. "If you'll excuse me sisters, I really should be going."

"Have a good day," said Yasmin and the quiet and fair Baimen.

"See you at work, said the rest.

"Master Quatre are you ready to go?" The deep, familiar voice of Quatre's bodyguard, driver and oldest friend Rashid called out to him as he walked into the foyer.

"Yes, I just have get my briefcase upstairs and then we can go."

Running up to his office, he grabbed the black briefcase sitting on his desk and hesitated once he saw his favorite picture of himself and his father still standing in the picture frame his fathers had when this was his desk. Holding it up he smiled at his 6-year-old self, hanging from his father's strong arm on his birthday in their backyard garden. Feeling the fluttering of his heart he placed the frame back on to its place by the pen stand and left thinking fondly of those happy days when he was young and his father was still here for him.

At the bottom of the stairs Rashid was patiently awaiting him at the door. "I am ready now, lets go." Exiting the house and stepping down the couple of steps to the electric car parked in front of the house. Rashid outpaced Quatre to the back seat door, where the young heir slid in and sat down on the PVC seat.

Once they had accelerating at steady speed Quatre descended the shaded glass windows to take in the flowing current of air. Gazing out at the bright day the promising warmth and splendor gave his heart hope. "What a beautiful day it's going to be."