3nanashi | (no subject)

Shuttle rides are boring. This is a fact of life; every traveler who's ever been on an inter-colony or atmo-breaking trip knows this. But it is, perhaps, especially boring when you know exactly what this engine can do (not as much as many machines, but a lot more than this commercial pilot is asking of it) and which trajectories it could take to L4 (several, of which this is the most staid that has any speed at all). Trowa keeps himself occupied with his computer, and tries not to spend too much time mentally calculating alternative routes and contingency plans for various attacks that will never come. He doesn't expect them, but it's something to do. And it never hurts to be prepared.

When they dock, he waits through the excessively slow cross-check -- double-checks and triple-checks are how you keep your equipment in order and yourself alive, but this crew's clearly never done this under fire -- and then slings his duffel bag over his shoulder and files dutifully off the shuttle with the other passengers. Time for the Immigration And Visitor Registration paperwork. Trowa tells them the truth, nowadays, although occasionally in rather targeted wording.

All that's ahead after that is a much shorter (and, privately, less irritating) trip by ground transport to the rich district of this colony. He'll call Quatre when he's close.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

04_after

Quatre left work fifteen minutes back; he checked out with Pelle for the day (Pelle's staying on until the end of the day, as he takes his weekends on Saturdays and Sundays), when Trowa let him know he was close by. He's had just enough time to put his suit jacket in the hall closet when Trowa shows up at the door.

Quatre answers it before he can ring the bell, so he swings the door open and says "Hi," smiling, before Mr. Kalns walks into the main hall and pauses. Quatre dismisses him, amiably.

From:

3nanashi

"Hey."

Trowa's not quite smiling; it's a fairly open expression by Trowa's standards, though. Good to see you, Quatre.

He has a duffel slung over one shoulder. It's on the small side for two weeks' visit, because Trowa packs light, but nowhere near as spartan as it could be.

From:

04_after

"How was your trip?" he asks, as he moves aside to let Trowa in. "Do you want me to take your laptop?"

From:

3nanashi

"Sure," he says, invisibly amused, and passes over the laptop case. "It was fine."

It's no trouble to carry the laptop, of course. But Quatre likes to be a helpful host.

And he's on the short list of people Trowa doesn't mind passing his computer to on general principles, too.

"How did your day go?"

Evidence says well, since Quatre's actually off work. Unless this is a temporary break. (In theory, Quatre mentioned once, he works half-days on Fridays. Quatre's half-days are a new form of arithmatic, though, which bears very little resemblance to a standard half.

To be fair, some years ago Trowa had to discreetly research what a business work day was meant to be. He didn't exactly grow up around a lot of people working 9-to-5s. So a workaholic's hours aren't as startling as they could be.)

From:

04_after

"I still have some e-mails to take care of," Quatre says, glancing over with a grin (the laptop case is on his right shoulder) as they walk back, "but that's about all."

(It's 4 p.m. Quatre's normal work day is about 6:30 am - 7pm, plus several extra hours devoted to industry magazines and e-mails, so this is getting off early, for him.)

They pass by the sunroom on their right side, but at this time of day it's empty of all but two of his nephews, working on a puzzle on the floor. Neither of them glance up for more than a moment, but he gives them a quick wave.

From:

3nanashi

Trowa accepts that.

(He also accepts the presence of the nephews, equally placidly. Hello, small children; continue about your business.)

From:

04_after

Quatre laughs, quietly, as they continue back past the kitchen, and reach the elevator. It's the easiest way to get around in the central wing, which doesn't have a central set of stairs.

He hits the button for the second floor, and leans lightly against the wall of the elevator.

From:

3nanashi

There are stairs -- Trowa believes in knowing his exit routes, even in a friend's house -- but they're not particularly convenient.

He rests his own shoulders against the wall next to Quatre. Even though it's a brief trip.

From:

04_after

Quatre smiles down at his feet for the moment they're standing together, and leans to the side slightly before the door opens.

The walk past two meeting rooms and a currently dark breakfast nook, before they're in a hallway of several doors. Quatre puts his hand on the first door, and waits a moment before opening it up.

"It's already been keyed to you," he says, as he walks in and sets Trowa's laptop case on the breakfast table to the left of the door.

From:

3nanashi

"Okay."

He's stayed in this room once before; it's been a couple of years, though. He drops his duffle a couple of steps past Quatre, between the bed and the closet. He'll unpack a few things later; the rest can stay in the bag anyway.

From:

04_after

"Would you like anything to drink?" Quatre asks. The minifridge has already been stocked for his arrival, along with a bowl of fruit set on the table.

From:

3nanashi

"I'm fine."

He'll check out the minifridge eventually, when he's thirsty. But he isn't yet, and he's already gone along with Quatre's compulsive hosting habits once.

From:

04_after

Quatre turns so that he's facing Trowa a little more directly, instead of half-towards the minifridge. He smiles, slow and unselfconcious, raising his right hand to rest the back of his fingers gently against the side of Trowa's jaw, below his ear.

"I'm glad that you're here," he says after a moment, however unnecessary it might be.

From:

3nanashi

Trowa's smile, barely visible, warms his eyes in answer.

"Yeah," he says, which means me too. (It means me too for any number of things; if you know each other long enough and well enough, you get very efficient about private shorthand.)

He tilts his head against Quatre's fingers, the motion as small as his smile.

From:

04_after

Quatre's terribly pleased; his smile can't really brighten much from where it was, but it's true.

He takes a step closer, bringing his left hand to Trowa's side. There's a brief moment of hesitation, before he tilts his head the small distance to close the gap between them. His right hand opens gently to splay against Trowa's jaw and neck.

From:

3nanashi

Trowa lifts a hand to rest, light and comfortable, at the small of Quatre's back, as he tips his head into the kiss.

It's a greeting kiss, soft and without urgency, and Trowa's smile is just a tiny bit more present when Quatre draws back.

It's good to visit, yeah.

From:

04_after

Quatre's right hand drops to Trowa's shoulder, and his eyes are mostly closed for a moment as he takes a breath.

They crinkle with happiness when he opens them and sees Trowa's smile.

"Do you know what classes you're sitting in on, yet?"

From:

3nanashi

Trowa shakes his head slightly.

"I've looked over some descriptions. But I'll play that mostly by ear."

He'd already mentioned to Quatre, when asked, that he plans to spend some of the time when Quatre's at work in exploring the nearby Qasim University.

What he didn't bother to mention -- not so much concealing as because there wasn't a need to say, and Quatre can probably guess -- is that it's not really of an interest in the collegiate experience per se. That's not uninteresting, but the real point is that Trowa's getting old enough that it's worthwhile to gather some material for potentially passing as a college student, and firsthand experience is always more useful.

From:

04_after

"I hear their engineering courses are fairly interesting," Quatre murmurs.

He's always been somewhat interested in attending the college for at least a class or two, but he's never found the time. The longer he stays at the company, the more he sees it as unlikely to ever happen.

From:

3nanashi

Trowa accepts this information.

Good to know! (Though the interest level of the course's subject matter is only one of several relevant factors.)

From:

04_after

"What other ones were you looking at?" Quatre asks, after turning his head to the side to laugh slightly.

From:

3nanashi

Trowa tilts his head fractionally in lieu of a shrug. "There are several large lectures, mostly at introductory levels. They'll be the easiest to go unnoticed in."

He could, of course, pretend to be a prospective student and request outright to sit in on a class -- and maybe he will at some point, but for the beginning it's more ~~fun~~ interesting to improvise.

Besides, observing basic college teaching might be interesting. (Normal pedagogy has largely passed Trowa by. This isn't something he feels as a lack, to be honest, but he's mildly curious what most people's assumptions are.)

From:

04_after

"I doubt anyone will be on the lookout for someone trying to come to class without the teacher noticing," he says, entertained.

From:

3nanashi

Trowa, amused, grants the point.

"The stakes aren't very high," he allows, deadpan.

(He'll find his own fun in spite of that fact.)

From:

04_after

Quatre grins, and his eyes drift semi-closed for awhile. He's in no danger of falling asleep, he just --

It's nice to stand here with Trowa, his hand a light pressure on Quatre's back and he himself warm beneath Quatre's hands.