Heart of the Night Part 11
"Well, you were out late last night," Adrianne sat down at the table across from Quatre and leaned on her hands.
The blonde flushed slightly as he glanced up from the book he was studying.
"Could it be that Lord Roche finally succeeded in persuading you to accompany him out for an evening?" She tilted her head and chuckled as he turned even pinker.
"You know, Adrianne, you are nosey," Quatre murmured going back to his book.
"And you know what, Quatre? You're cute when you're embarrassed," she shot back reaching across the table and snatching the book from his hands. "So, he did, didn't he?"
"Yes,"
"Talk!" The woman demanded. "Don't make me dig for all the details!"
Quatre sighed and sat back in his chair. "There's nothing to talk about. We went to the theater."
"And?"
"And then I came home." The blonde said simply. "Can I have my book back? I have exams to study for."
"That's it?" Adrianne's eyes widened. "He didn't even try to k..."
"Adrianne!" Quatre stood suddenly. "Vachel Roche is the son of a very important man... the last thing he can afford is to be caught keeping company with someone of a lower class." He tucked his book under his arm and turned away. "And he really can't be involved with another man... no matter how he feels about it."
Adrianne watched the young man walk away her brows drawn into a frown. She knew Vachel Roche, god knows he was there often enough, he didn't give a damn what his father might think about his preference for other men. He'd even told her that he was willing to pass off his right to his father's title to his younger brother if it meant he could be with the person he cared most about. And she seriously doubted birth mattered much either. She knew for a fact that the young lord was completely infatuated with Quatre.
"If only you'd forget about him and give Vachel a chance," She sighed to the empty room.
~*~
"Will you be goin'?" Sebastian watched Trowa as the man read the letter.
"No," He said simply tossing the paper on his desk alongside a small box. The both of them had arrived that morning through his attorney. The letter he'd read in case there was something Quatre needed, he knew that his servant wouldn't open it because it was addressed to him. The small package he didn't intend to.
The last thing he wanted was a gift from the blonde. Another reminder of what he couldn't have... unless I find what Maxwell spoke of. And he wouldn't take any chances of causing Quatre more heartache until he was sure.
Sebastian humphed and scowled at him. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"If it bothers you so much then you go." Trowa said picking up his coat and shrugging it on. "It's during the day; you know that I can't attend."
"That's no reason; you could at least visit him." The old man snapped. "He worked so hard for you, not me! And I'm too old to be travelin' cross country."
"No," Trowa said again more firmly. "I'm going out." He said as he crossed the floor to the study door. "I won't be back until dawn."
Sebastian shook his head in frustration. He thought for sure that his master would at least see the boy when he graduated, but it looked like that wasn't even an occasion enough.
~*~
Quatre sat on a bench outside the huge brick building where he attended classes. Finally, his final exam was finished... it was over. He'd made it; kept the promise that he'd made all those years ago. The blonde was elated and relieved all at once as he sighed and stretched his arms over his head.
Stepping out of the building Vachel stopped and drew in a sharp breath. He wondered is Quatre had any idea what a picture he made sitting there on the bench, his arms stretched high over his head, back arched tightly, and the sun shining off his wavy blonde hair.
All the years he'd spent pursuing the blonde and Quatre had finally agreed to see him socially. They had gone several places since then and Quatre was no more approachable than he was when they met. As Vachel watched him relax and then open his blue eyes to gaze up at the clear sky, a faint smile touching his lips, the dark haired man came to a decision. It was time that he made certain that Quatre knew he was very serious about his pursuit of him.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he wasn't aware of Vachel walking up behind him until the man's hands came down on his shoulders. "How did you do?" He asked quietly, his eyes fixated on the way Quatre's hair curled softly around the base of his slim neck.
"Vachel!" Quatre twisted on his seat, moving out from under the man's hands. "As well as you said I would, I'll wager." He smiled up into the man's grey eyes. "You?"
"Good enough to please my father," Vachel sat down beside him, hiding his disappointment at Quatre moving away from him. "Thanks to you; if not for your tutoring I never would have made it." He smiled.
Quatre jumped to his feet. "Why don't you come by the boarding house for a few minutes, I have something for you."
Vachel stood, his surprise evident on his face, and followed the blonde around the University. The pair walked in silence, Vachel lost in his thoughts, trying to figure out a way to get his intentions through to the blonde.
When they arrived at the house, Quatre stuck his head in the kitchen and waved happily at Adrianne. She smiled and called out a greeting to him and winked at Vachel before turning back to the bread dough she was kneading on the large counter. Upstairs in Quatre's room, the grey-eyed man waited patiently while the blonde dug around in his desk until he came up with a tiny book.
Turning he pressed the book into Vachel's hands. "I was downtown a few days ago when I saw it. I remembered how much you liked Byron, I thought you should have this."
Vachel looked down at the small book, his eyes wide. "I'm the one who should have something for you." He replied. "Without your help I would have had to leave a long time ago."
"Nonsense, you would have figured it out." Quatre laughed.
"No," Vachel reached around Quatre and set the book on his desk. "I wouldn't have," Instead of stepping away he slipped one arm around the blonde's waist and lifted his chin with the other, staring into his wide, blue eyes. "No one else could have made me want to."
"Vachel..." Quatre said weakly, his hands coming up to push at his chest.
"I wanted to succeed in order to stay here with you," He lowered his head and carefully pressed his lips to Quatre's.
Quatre's eyes flew wide and then slid slowly shut as Vachel slid his hand around to twine his fingers through his hair, his mouth moving carefully against his. "Let me in," He whispered against the blonde's mouth.
Quatre reached up and clutched Vachel's shoulder's as the man quickly untied his cravat and slid it from his throat. "Vachel..." He gasped as his neck was suddenly bared and Vachel pressed his lips against the pale skin, his hand tipping Quatre's head back. Vachel's lips moved back up to claim his again, his tongue darting forward to explore the inside of his mouth.
This man cares for me... why shouldn't I allow myself to be cared for? The blonde started to hesitantly return the kiss. Vachel's kisses were gentle, exploring... completely different from the passion-soaked ones he'd experienced at Trowa's hands and he found that he liked them. His body responded almost the same, but he didn't feel so frightened... so overwhelmed.
Vachel made a strangled sound in his throat as he pressed Quatre back against the desk, his hands sliding the blonde's coat from his shoulders and going to the buttons on his shirt. He knew he should stop... he didn't want to frighten Quatre... but after all these years. After all the waiting... he was afraid to let go.
Quatre's arms went around his neck as his hands slid up the bared skin of the blonde's chest. Letting out a small moan, Quatre pressed forward against Vachel's body; his own body awakening and hardening at the man's touch.
The sound seemed to bring the dark-haired man to his senses. Lifting his head, he stared into Quatre's eyes. "Quatre..." He let go of the blonde and stepped back. "I-I'm sorry..." He ran his fingers through his black hair. "I... it's just that..." He looked at the blonde helplessly.
Quatre moved away from him and went to sit on his bed. "I think I understand," He said with a smile as he finished removing his shirt. "Have you heard me protest?" His smile brightened and he held out his hand.
"Quatre..." Vachel took a shuddering breath. "Do you have any idea...?"
Break all ties... "Yes,"
~*~
Trowa sat at his desk and glared darkly at the small box as if his stare would make it vanish. He'd avoided opening it for days now and every time he looked at it, he was nearly overcome with the desire to see what was in it.
With that thought he laughed bitterly. To think he'd be so curious over a gift... simply because it had come from Quatre.
With a low curse he stood and walked out of the study. He didn't realize where he was going until he found himself in the center of the garden. Looking up he gazed at the moon through the gnarled, dead branches of one of the oaks that stood in the center.
It was getting harder and harder to stay away. With each passing night, his desire to see the blonde grew... it was almost unbearable. A vision of Quatre's pale face, his blue eyes huge with pain flashed across Trowa's mind and he fell to his knees as blinding agony shot through the heart that he claimed to not have. Tears streamed down his face and his hands clawed blindly at the dirt below him, his teeth tearing at his lower lip. As he fought with himself he paid no heed to the breaking of his nails, the tearing of skin; he knew that by tomorrow night, they'd be healed completely. If only he could heal the hurt inside as easily. He felt as if he were going insane.
Swearing he jumped to his feet and rushed back into the house. Throwing open the door to his study he snatched the box from his desk and whirled around, driving the package into the fire. The flames leapt up to lick greedily at the box, the paper beginning to darken and curl. Turning away he froze as his eyes fell on the window behind his desk.
"Rhea," He whispered.
Her face was framed in the window with the dark night as her back drop; her dark hair fell in waves around her shoulders and the expression in her green eyes, sadder than anything he'd ever seen when she lived. Quatre was right when he said he saw her. Stepping back from the glass, the young woman placed her hands over her heart as her eyes fell on the fireplace behind him and her face grew sadder.
"Rhea!" Trowa surged forward and threw open the window, but she was already moving away, fading silently into the shadows of the garden.
He whirled around and moved swiftly back to the fireplace. His green eyes narrowed as he thrust a hand into the flames, hissing in pain as the flames singed his skin. Grasping the remnants of the box, he jerked it from the fire. The thin cardboard crumbled in his hand and his eyes widened in shock. Sitting in his palm was a perfect blood-red ruby pendant. In his lifetime, he'd only ever seen two others like it. Horror washed over him as he realized where...
Why did Quatre send this to him?
He'd said something in the letter about his graduating about returning a gift that he should have returned long ago.
Trowa grew numb as he stared at the red light glittering off the surface of the gem. It's too close to light... I can't leave now... tonight... tonight will have to be soon enough. Please let it be soon enough to get to him!! "Sebastian!!!!" The brunette yelled as he threw open the door to his study.
He'd never given such a gift to Quatre.
TBC...
*cuddles up with her muses... holding one out for protection* Please... PLEASE... Don't KILL me for the Vachel & Quatre scene!!!! Just hold off for the next chapter before you get out the swords... guns... ropes... forks... spoons... knives...
I'll make it all better! Promise... and I think I see a L... E... M... O... N... on it's way in *looks at muses* I think 2 or 3 more parts... at the very most... maybe sooner?
Just when I was saying to Cloudy that I knew what was going to happen in this fic... the bitc... er... muses... threw me a curveball... luckily... it was just a small one...
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