Author: Honor A. De'Mandoren
see part 1 for warnings, notes, disclaimer

Matchmaker + Part Three
Sources of Information

My sources are unreliable, but their information is fascinating.

+

Monday morning, and the cycle with my grandmother started all over again. It started with a guilt trip for not going to the informal dinner and leaving poor what's-her-name without a dinner partner. Then it went to the infamous reasoning of 'I'm not getting any younger, and its past time that you settled down and really start to find your own love'. That's when things took an interesting turn.

<<Quatre, I heard a rumor that you were with someone at the Chinese Garden.>>

How does she know things like this? "When?"

<<Don't play dumb with me, it was on Friday. You were with a man Quatre, and you were flirting with him.>>

Yeah, I was. It had taken willpower on my part not to kiss him too. "I was with a man, yes -- "

<<QUATRE RABERBA WINNER! YOU HAD BETTER NOT MEAN THAT!>>

I winced at the volume and put an inch between me and the phone. "Grandmother, I did not say that I was out on a date." And I wasn't about to own up to that either. I wanted to live another fifty years. "You asked if I was out to dinner with a man, and I was."

<<What's his name?>>

Whatever her source was, they weren't much on details. "I won't tell you that."

<<Why not?>>

"Because you'll harass him, and I like him too much to have you on his trail."

<<Quatre, that is a mean thing to say.>>

"Mean, but true. In case it has escaped your attention, I have few male friends. I need a night out with one of the guys just like every other male on this planet." Of course, that wasn't all there was to it, but I wasn't about to allude to anything more. Color me coward if you would, but when she finds out that I'm gay, I'll never, and I mean NEVER hear the end of it. I want to at least be involved and committed to a serious relationship before she knows. At least that way the grief she'll give me will be worth it.

Maybe with Trowa... that will be soon. God, I hoped so. I couldn't imagine being with someone better than Trowa. Sunday had been an incredible day.

<<Well, if that's all there was to it that's fine. At least you were out with someone besides Amee. Now, there is a little informal gathering on Thursday. I want you there.>>

I automatically turned my palm pilot on and checked the day. Not a thing scheduled. "Sorry, grandmother, but that day is packed solid."

<<Its always packed solid when I want you at something,>> she complained.

Yes, well, that's because you're trying to set me up. "Sorry, grandmother. I can't talk more, I have another call coming in. Bye." I barely set the phone back on its cradle when it started ringing. Hm. I hadn't meant for that excuse to be prophetic. "Winner speaking."

<<Hey.>>

"Trowa!" I sank back into my seat with a smile. "You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice. So how are you?"

<<Hungry and bored. I was hoping to talk you into meeting me at Panda Palace.>>

"I'm always up for Chinese food and sexy men," I returned with a laugh. "The one on Lexington Blvd right?"

<<The very one. Twenty minutes?>>

"I'll meet you there."

+

My conversation with my grandmother was still in my mind when I met Trowa at the Panda Palace. I think he sensed something was up, but he waited until we were seated in the back of the restaurant with our food before bringing it up.

"Something wrong?"

"A few things," I sighed. "In order, my grandmother wants me married, doesn't know that I'm gay, and will have kittens when she does find out. Oh, and she somehow found out that we went out on a date Friday."

Trowa just... shut down. His face went blank. "And?"

"I managed to dance around it." What did that facial _expression signify? Did he really think I would drop him? "I can't keep doing that, I know. I just didn't want to mess with it now. I want... "

Trowa took a long sip from his cup before he spoke. "And what will you say when she does figure out that you're seeing someone?"

"The truth. There's no point in denying it at that point." He only relaxed a fraction. Just what was going on here? "Trowa?"

His eyes evaded mine. "I don't want to cause problems for you."

"You're not the problem," I assured him softly. Mentally I was kicking myself. Of course he would see it like that! What had I been thinking? "I hope... I hope you're the solution."

The wariness dropped a notch and his eye flew back up to mine. "What do you mean?"

"I keep putting off acknowledging the truth for a reason." Be careful how you put this... "I wanted to be involved with someone, really committed to them, before I told anyone. At least that way I would have the support I need to put up with all the other crap I'm likely to get, and have the benefit of having a partner to balance out the hassle."

"... you want me to be all that?"

I really hope I'm not making a mistake with this. I really couldn't tell what he was feeling. "Yeah. I do. I'm not demanding it from you right this minute -- " the sentence dwindled when he stopped me with a gentle brush of fingertips against my mouth.

"Shh. I don't... I want to be all that. The only thing that I don't want to do is walk away from you."

I sagged in relief. Oh god, I was so glad to hear him say that! "Good."

He gave me this little sexy grin, with a touch of shyness to it. After that heavy exchange of words, we just ate lunch and watched each other. Of course, watching Trowa is a turn-on all by itself. Before I realized it I was having a delightful fantasy about dragging him somewhere private and investigating what color of underwear he was wearing. I'm sitting in Panda Palace, the remains of Chinese food in front of me, and a hard on that was becoming very uncomfortable. This is not good.

My face must have been doing something because he looked at me in concern. "Quatre?"

"I don't suppose," I murmured in a low tone, "that you have an office with a lock on the door?"

"... no."

"Damn."

His voice went husky. "But I do have a suburban with a seat that folds down. It's parked in the back of the parking lot."

It was suddenly imperative that we get out as quickly as possible. I snatched up my tray, Trowa right behind me. I think we broke walking records as we moved with all speed toward his suburban. He unlocked it quickly, climbing in first and doing something that made the middle seat fold down flat. I was inside as soon as he gave me enough room to maneuver, shutting the door behind me. Trowa yanked me down onto the bench, kissing me feverishly. I collapsed over him, kissing him back, yanking at his shirt until I could put my hands on some of that smooth flesh.

I could feel him quiver a little under me. One thigh worked up until it was pressed directly into my crotch. I rubbed against it, torturing myself with the friction.

Hands fell away from my hair and dropped down to my pants, yanking at the belt until it was out of the way. I helped him wrestle pants and boxers down to my knees. When he wrapped a hand around me, pumping slowly, my mouth broke from his to gasp "Yessss."

"You feel so good in my hand," Trowa rasped.

It was suddenly vital that I touch him too -- give him the same pleasure I was receiving. I yanked at his clothes until I could draw him free of the boxers. He groaned and gave a little thrust as I wrapped a hand around him. He went from semi-erect to hard in my hand, and somehow it penetrated through my passion-fogged mind that my boyfriend was extremely well hung.

Oh goody!

As much as it killed me, I pulled Trowa's hand away.

"Babe, what are you doing?" he protested, sitting up a little.

"I want to taste you," I defended as I bent down and took him into my mouth. I notice he stopped protesting as soon as my mouth touched him. He was starting to leak precum, the taste of it salty and bitter on my tongue. I've never given someone a blow job in my life, and was judging what was good and what wasn't entirely on the sounds pouring out of his mouth, and the way he moved under me.

He liked it when I stroked the perineum right behind his balls, hissing sharply between his teeth. I kept a finger there, idly circling, sometimes venturing upwards to stroke his balls. He tasted so damn fine, I was even getting used to the taste of precum.

"Quatre, gotta stop -- "

Was he kidding? I was enjoying this way too much to stop now. Driving Trowa crazy with pleasure was fun.

"Babe, please, I'm going to come any second -- "

That's the whole point of the blowjob, right? Hell, if that was his excuse, I wasn't stopping. Maybe he was worried about whether I would swallow or not. I upped the pressure on him, sucking hard.

Trowa shook like a leaf in a hurricane gale, thrusting up sharply, clenching his fingers around my shoulders. I barely kept from gagging, a thin trail of seed spilling down my chin. It was definitely... a different taste. I think I liked it, though. I definitely liked the sensation of having him hard and coming in my mouth. Slowly I let him slip out, grinning like the infamous Cheshire Cat.

It took a few seconds before he was breathing normally again. He opened stormy green eyes and tugged me to him. "My turn."

Take the pleasure of giving someone a hot blow job. Multiply times ten. That's what it felt like when Trowa deep throated me in one smooth motion. Fire seared right through me, destroying rational brain cells as it went. I hunched over him, snaring my fingers in his hair and gasping with pleasure. His mouth was so hot, and wet, and his tongue were doing all these interesting things I never imagined a tongue could do. It was all I could do to ride out my climax as it ripped through me.

When I recovered (by my best estimation it was roughly five hours or so later) I was laying in Trowa's arms sideways on the bench, clothes done up again. "You are too good at that," I told him seriously.

"I can say the same about you." He shifted me closer to him, smiling like a gambler with the winning hand.

"Have I mentioned how glad I am that you have tinted windows?"

"No. I'm glad that Duo talked me into them, though." He nibbled at my bottom lip. "Can we just call in sick the rest of the day?"

My cellphone chose that moment to ring. Groaning, I dug it out of my pocket. "Hello?"

<<This is Charlene. Sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Winner, but there is something of a situation here.>>

"Right," I sighed. "I'll be there in ten minutes." Clicking the phone shut I shrugged at Trowa. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he assured me but I could see the disappointment in his eyes.

"Maybe we can do this again tomorrow?"

The light came back on in his eyes. "Chinese again?"

"How about hamburgers? It's faster that way." I winked at him. "We can find a nice quiet spot and eat in the car."

"I do like how your mind thinks."

+

My grandmother's sources do not extend to the local Panda Palace, so we were able to have a fantastic make-out session in the car Tuesday during lunch without any serious conversation necessary. I was falling for Trowa, hard and fast, and I knew by looking at him that he felt the same way about me. As terrifying as it was, I was just as enthralled with the idea of loving someone, and being loved in return. It wasn't something that I brought up, though. We'd known each other a little over a week, and I wanted more time with him before I took a chance with my heart.

Wednesday came and Trowa showed up at my townhouse for dinner. I went for something that even I can't mess up -- roast, potatoes and carrots done by crockpot. Easiest recipe in the book and it tastes fantastic.

Trowa put up a good front through dinner, but I could see something was up. There was a tightness around his eyes that I didn't like. As soon as dinner was over I sent Amee to her room with homework and dragged him into the living room. "What's wrong?"

He just seemed to deflate, looking weary and older than he should. "I'm sorry, I'm trying not to bring this with me, it's just -- "

"You're only human, Trowa," I assured him softly. "C'mere." Stretching out on the couch, I brought him down with me. He went without protest, laying half on me so that his back was against the couch and his head was on my shoulder. He let out a huge sigh and just went boneless in my arms.

"You have no idea how good this feels," he murmured against my neck. "I needed this."

"All you have to do is ask," I assured him softly. Hoping to relax him even further, I ran a hand up and down his back in a soothing rhythm. "Do you want to talk about it?"

There wasn't an answer for a few seconds, then almost haltingly he started to speak. "There's this little boy... maybe five years old. His mother brought him in because she thought he had the flu. The symptoms were close, but he had a tendency to black out sometimes. That didn't fit with flu, and I had a few tests done. Turns out he has a brain tumor."

That poor little boy. "How dangerous is it?"

"He'll live," Trowa assured me in an exhausted voice. "We caught it early enough. But it's such an ordeal to go through at his age. He's only five. His mother broke down into complete hysterics when I told her, and he was upset because she was upset. I had to explain to him what was going on... god, Quatre, it tore me apart to have to tell him everything and he just looked at me with so much trust in his eyes and asked if he'd be okay. Dr. Morelli said that I need to learn how to deal with this, just let it go, but... "

"You wouldn't be human anymore if something like this didn't bother you," I assured him gently. "You became a pediatrician because you care about children. I'd be more worried if this didn't bother you."

"Thanks. I needed to hear that."

I pressed a soft kiss against his forehead. "You want to stay here tonight?"

"I really wish I could, but I need to be in the office early tomorrow and I don't have a spare change of clothes here. Just let me lay here a bit longer."

"I'm not kicking you out," I parried dryly. "I like you all cuddled up with me."

Ten minutes later, he was fast asleep, warm breath ghosting across my skin. I didn't have the heart to wake him, just carefully picked him up and carried him up to my room. I tucked him into bed, and set my alarm for six. If that was later than he expected to be in, tough. I wasn't letting him go home in this state. I curled in around him, feeling a little giddy and wicked about having a handsome man in my bed.

Somewhere around an hour later the Sandman came by and clobbered me over the head, sending me straight into erotic dreams.

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