Unexpected Fic

[misanagi]

After not writing practically anything for quite a bit, this unexpectedly wrote itself at 3 am. Hopefully the writer's block is gone now...

White Canvas

Rating: PG
Pairing: Trowa and Quatre
Warnings: AU. Some sap
Summary: A work of art brings Quatre and Trowa together.

Thanks a lot to Anne for the beta.

_______

The white walls made the paintings stand out a bit. They looked more impressive if it was possible, but even so, Trowa didn't think he could live in a house where all the walls were white. He recognized his work in the living room, hanging over a low table on the large wall. The vivid reds, greens and yellow of his painting seemed to step out of the wall, commanding the attention of anyone who entered the room. The piece hadn't look exactly right when he had finished it, which was the reason he agreed to sell, but somehow, whatever had been missing, wasn't now.

The painting had found a home.

"It is magnificent," a voice said from the threshold of the living room.

Trowa recognized Quatre Winner immediately. The known billionaire had caught his attention back in the auction house. Trowa had spent most of the time looking at Quatre and noticing the way Quatre looked at the works auctioned. Trowa's art wasn't the only one being sold then, and Trowa had watched Quatre, waiting to see when would he bid. Quatre only bid once, and it was to purchase the painting that now hung in the living room. A painting that had gotten Trowa enough money to pay for rent for the entire year.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Barton." Quatre walked into the room and stretched out his hand.

There was nothing pompous about Quatre's clothing, but just the way he carried himself made Trowa feel uncomfortable in his jeans and simple white shirt. He took Quatre's hand anyway and offered a simple greeting.

When his agent had called two days ago saying that Quatre Winner wished to meet him, Trowa had immediately refused. He didn't like meeting people, especially those who called themselves "art enthusiasts". Heero, however, had insisted that someone like Quatre could help launch Trowa's career, and when Heero insisted on something, it was safer to agree.

"Can I offer you something to drink?" Quatre asked with a smile.

Trowa shook his head. "Mr. Winner—"

"Quatre," he interrupted. "I get enough of Mr. Winner in the office. I find formalities put a distance between people and I'd rather not have that at home."

The fact that Quatre had called him by a formal title didn't escape Trowa. He swallowed and tried again. "Quatre." It felt so natural to think of the other man as Quatre, but yet it felt inappropriate to use that name while speaking. "I don't know why you asked me to come here."

Quatre's smile didn't falter. "I wanted to meet you," he said, as if it explained it all.

"Why?" Trowa focused his eyes completely on Quatre, ignoring the white walls and his painting.

Quatre's eyes, however, drifted to the canvas and his look sobered a little. "I don't know what you are trying to say with this painting. There are no known shapes, no images I can recognize. I'm clueless as to what style you used or what artists might have influenced you. I don't know about perspective or composition." He shrugged. "However, I can hear it talk, I can sense it." His lips started curving a little. "This painting talks about passion. It tells stories of dreams, even parts of my dreams... And it's lonely."

Turning his back to the painting, Quatre looked at Trowa, quietly, much in the same way he had looked at the canvas.

It was a challenge not to wiggle under Quatre's stare, under those eyes that seemed to be able to see so much, to see right through everything Trowa wanted to project and straight into what Trowa wanted to hide.

"Do you know why I bought this," Quatre asked after a while, his eyes fixed on Trowa's.

Trowa answered with a soft shake of his head. He held his breath, waiting for Quatre's next words.

"There was something missing. Your work talks but it also has room to listen." Quatre licked his lips, slowly. "I asked you here because I wanted to know…" He paused and shook his head. "There's something missing in me." His voice was barely above a whisper. "I have room to listen."

"Listen…" Trowa repeated, slowly. His fingers were twitching nervously. He felt naked standing in front a man he just met and who seemed to be reading too much into the painting, except that he wasn't. He was seeing just what it was, and Trowa felt the desperate need to hide. "What makes you think I have something to say?"

Quatre gestured back at the canvas. "You are already talking. Your work is talking for you. All I had to do was listen."

Trowa took a step back. It was too much. Too sudden. "My work isn't me. Buying my art doesn't give you a sudden insight of who I am." But it did. Quatre could see.

With a small sigh, Quatre's head dropped. His eyes were hidden behind locks of golden hair when he said, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Of course you are free to leave."

But Trowa couldn't, not when he couldn't see Quatre's eyes, not with Quatre looking so sad with his painting, his art, as a background.

A minute passed before Quatre lifted his head slightly. "Would you let me show you something before you leave?"

When Trowa nodded, Quatre started walking out of the living room, pausing only long enough to make sure Trowa followed. After a few turns in the hallways, they entered another room. This one, surprisingly, wasn't painted white but a clear golden tone, and there wasn't a single painting on the walls. Instead, they were covered with books, shelved from the ground to almost the ceiling.

"Please sit," Quatre gestured to the large sofa before heading for a small table in the corner. When he came back, he was holding a small book. He handed it to Trowa and nodded, before moving to the other side of the room, giving Trowa space to look.

The book was brown leather bound and there were no markings. He opened the first page to find a picture of a woman who looked remarkably like Quatre. As Trowa turned the pages, he realized that that was the only picture of a person in the entire album, because that's what it was, an album. Each page had a different photograph and no writing. The corner of a room. The view from a window. A plush toy. A dead leaf on the ground. A desk, shot from such a low angle that it seemed incredibly tall. A sword on the ground. A black and white frame of a grave. And on the last page, a photo of Quatre's white living room wall, and Trowa's painting coloring it.

The sound of the book closing filled the room, and only then Quatre faced Trowa again, but didn't walk any closer. "You have the right to see too."

Trowa stood up, the album still in his hands. He was still naked, but now Quatre was naked too. "There's something missing in me, Quatre." This time, saying Quatre's name felt right. "I have room to listen to you talk too."

Quatre smiled, brightly, and took a few steps closer. "Do you want to stay for a bit… Trowa?"

And Trowa replied with a small smile and a whispered, "Yes."


- The End -

Comments

[meritjubet.livejournal.com]

I liked how you protrayed their relationship. I can just imagine Quatre's intense eyes, and Trowa's nervousness and both their art being reflections of themself. Lovely.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm really glad thaat you liked it, and that the boys came through as I wanted them too. Thanks for the comment ^_^

[merith.livejournal.com]

oh mis, so poignantly powerful! i love the set up and the drawing in of trowa. i'd love to read more, but won't ask (since i know you have a plateful of other promised works!)

thank you for sharing, and i hope the block has lifted!

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Merith! I don't think there'll be morem but I0m really glad that you liked this ^_^

I really hope the block is gone now. Those things are annoying.

[sharona1x2.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful! I really loved them in this. The connection between them is perfect. Very nicely done!

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Sharon! I'm so happy the connection came through well. I was a bit worried it would seem rushed since they just met ^^;; Thanks for commenting ^_^

[dentelle-noir.livejournal.com]

Super nice fic to give us! I haven't seen much of you in a while, so I'm glad to see your muse is reemerging in spurts!! ///.^

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Stupid writers block has been bad, so I really, really hope is gone now. I'm glad that you liked this fic. Thanks for the comment ^_^

[thejennabides.livejournal.com]

Oh, Mis! This is so beautiful. I had copied to clipboard the first mention of something being missing from the painting, but then so much of the story began to revolve around it and each line was better than the one that came before, and I wound up not knowing what to quote. But yes, that - and the accompanying "speaking and listening" of the painting, of the young men themselves - that is the heart of this. And you introduce and build it very nicely.

I can't tell you how much I love Quatre's "analysis" of Trowa's painting. The lack of formality and intellectualizing, just cutting to what is true and real. Absolutely wonderful.

♥!

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you, Muskrit. I started writing without really knowing where I was going with this, but the story built, little by little, so it makes me so happy that you think it works, and the threads that bind the story are visible to you ^_^

When Quatre talks about the painting, he doesn't presume. He doesn't say any of the things Trowa expects and hates. Instead, he tells what he sees, not what he's been taught to see. What the painting means to him.

Thank you so much for the feedback! Your comments are always so wonderful. I'm glad that you enjyed the story ^_^

[just-ruth.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad your writer's block is broken. This is a nice, very visual picture . .. but, forgive me for being picky.

Trowa stood up, the album still in his hands. He was still naked, but now Quatre was naked too.

Uhm. . . I've read twice and I can't see where Trowa took his clothes off?

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

I really hope the block thingy is gone. It is annoying as hell.

I played a lot with images here so I'm really happy the story came out as visual ^_^

Uhm. . . I've read twice and I can't see where Trowa took his clothes off?

He didn't. They aren't physically naked but spiritually. Earlier, Trowa says he feels naked, like Quatre can see too much, and now that Quatre has shown Trowa his album, then he's naked too. Even ground.

Thank you so much for the comment, Ruth ^_^

[bloodquartz.livejournal.com]

Your writing is so vivid! I can actually see the pictures, the setting and their expressions. Beautifully done. Its hauntingly touching, almost mournful but at the same time so sweetly hopeful.
Does that make sense? Probably not, sorry. Just wanted to say that I loved it.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy that you can visualize the images here! Your comments do make a lot of sense and it makes me so glaf that you feel like that about my fic ^_^

Thank you so much for the comment!

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

That was a beautiful fic both visually and in the flow of the words. I love the way the both let their work speak for them and how it opens them up completely to each other.

I find it intriguing that Trowa is an artist of sort in quite a few fics. There is something about his personality that lends himself well to it.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so happy it worked. Their works are very intimate and personal. Trowa trusted no one would see right into in, but Quatre did. That's why Quatre decided to let Trowa see too.

It's easy to see Trowa as an artist, isn't it? As you say, something about him makes it easy to accept him in that role.

Thanks for the comment, Lil ^_^

[kelkatan.livejournal.com]

My impressions of the album:

Love and joy
Alone, isolated
Separated and distanced
My only friend
Time is passing, alone
So much expected of me
Peace at all costs
The loss of all I had
Someone understands...

Did I see, too? Such is the power of a well told story. You're amazing, Miz. When I grow up, I wanna write like this, too...

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

*blushes* thank you so much! I love your interpratation of the album. I'm happu you were able to see too. That means a lot to me. Thanks for the great comment ^_^

[tyreling.livejournal.com]

Very interesting. There's this fascinating air about this fic, something hidden but shared between those two and yet not exactly. I can't even seem to grasp the words right. But I love the parallel mention Quatre talks about the painting having a missing piece, just like his own life, but he still offers to listen. It's quite a fascinating moment of encountering someone for the first time. I can understand Trowa for being rather hesitant and nervous, the direct the approach Quatre has taken (is it direct?) just to meet him. The picture album feels rather sad to me. Quatre took pictures of places, spaces, things that probably tell how he felt throughout his life. Nice job. ^_^b

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you! I have a soft spot for this fic ^^;; The album is a bit sand but it's Quatre and he wanted to share that with Trowa. I'm really happy that you enjoyed this and that you liked what the painting meant and stood for in the story.