(no subject)

[3nanashi]

Trowa's settled at a corner table with a book and an empty glass. Eventually he might bother to get another drink, but he hasn't yet.

The glass contained lemonade, for the curious. The book is in Japanese; it's a collection of speeches by a professor and would-be demagogue named Sugimoto Hayao.

Trowa doesn't look as if he's paying much attention to the rest of the room, but he probably is.

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

X passes by Trowa's table on her way to the bar.

When she comes back, she's got a pitcher of lemonade with her.

That, and an empty glass.

She settles down at Trowa's table, setting the pitcher within easy reach of both of them.

Only then does she tilt her head, studying the cover of his book.

[3nanashi]

. . .

Trowa's amusement doesn't show. But it probably does, to X.

He tilts the book so she can read the cover more easily, closing it around his finger like a bookmark, and he placidly reaches for the pitcher to pour for them both. (One could say that Cathy has him trained, except that Trowa only has manners when he feels like it.)

[cutting_edgex23]

X is not a great fan of lemonade, but it is less sweet than many things, so she will cope.

Which is to say, once Trowa has finished pouring, she reaches out for the clean glass, picks it up, and takes a sip.

Then she looks at his book cover again.

"You speak Japanese, too?"

[3nanashi]

Trowa nods.

Informatively.

[cutting_edgex23]

"[I did not know.]"

Switching to Japanese at this point only makes sense, right?

[3nanashi]

Seems logical to Trowa.

"[Some of the other soldiers were Japanese,]" he says.

Because this is X, and she's a friend.

And because there's nothing that's a giveaway of feelings -- old, and complicated, and therefore largely ignored -- in what he says or in his matter-of-fact tone.

[cutting_edgex23]

"[My sensei was Japanese.]"

She takes another sip of lemonade.

[3nanashi]

Trowa accepts that.

And has some lemonade too.

She hasn't mentioned a sensei before. But she'll volunteer more if it's relevant. (Normal people, Trowa, would think 'if she wants to.')

[cutting_edgex23]

X appears content to sit in silence, at least for a while.

Then --

"[They were your friends?]"

Beat.

"[The other soldiers.]"

[originalbruce.livejournal.com]

"What the devil is that?" a very tall man asks in consternation, leaning over Trowa's shoulder without any invitation whatsoever.

[3nanashi]

"A book."

Says Trowa, helpfully.

And deadpan, because Trowa makes a habit of noticing approaching people before they attempt to read over his shoulder.

[originalbruce.livejournal.com]

"But... where are the words, man?" Percy asks, still in consternation.

He's clearly far too oblivious to have noticed Trowa noticing him. Besides, most people notice Percy. He's loud and obnoxious, so it's not unusual.

[3nanashi]

"It's in Japanese."

Maybe the man isn't from a world that has other writing systems.

Or maybe he's just an oblivious idiot. There are many options!

[originalbruce.livejournal.com]

"But... where are the words?" Percy asks again, clearly confused. Even the Japanese people with their foreign tongue had to have an alphabet, right?

[3nanashi]

"Right there."

You know, in all those vertically-arranged columns.

[originalbruce.livejournal.com]

"I'm looking, and I don't see any words!" And Percy is an excellent reader, too!

[3nanashi]

Trowa shrugs.

Unhelpfully.

Sorry, dude.

[04_after]

It's about 4am Quatre's time, but he can't really get back to sleep. He needs to be up in an hour, anyway. Which is why when he finds the door to Milliways in his bedroom door, he props it open with a chairleg, and changes out of PJs into a pair of slacks, a sweater, and some loafers. He can't access his restroom in order to shower and make sure he looks perfectly put together, but he does use his mirror in his bedroom to straighten his hair.

Not long after, he sits down at Trowa's table with a bowl of yogurt-and-muesli, and a large-ish mug of coffee. He's focusing on the coffee, first.

[3nanashi]

Hey, Quatre.

Trowa doesn't smile -- visible emoting is for other people -- but he's quietly pleased anyway.

[04_after]

The coffee's about half-gone when Quate glances up to him, and smiles, setting it down in favor of mixing his yogurt and muesli together more with his spoon.

"How are they?" he asks, tilting his head fractionally towards the book.

[3nanashi]

"He's a good speechwriter."

Trowa disagrees with Sugimoto, as a rule. He prefers a pithy quote and a simple dichotomy to accuracy, which of course is why he's popular.

And becoming somewhat more popular in a couple of the circles it's worthwhile to pay attention to; they're mostly full of ineffectual blowhards and armchair analysts, but you never know.

"So far he's pretty internally consistent. I haven't read all the translations yet to compare."

[04_after]

"I only really know about him through Relena," Quatre admits, "but he sounds like a hassle."

[3nanashi]

Trowa doesn't shrug, but the sentiment is there. And audible, if you're used to listening for really really subtle cues.

"He's been quoted a lot recently on some of the Smith discussion boards."

Adam Smith is probably rolling in his grave at half the beliefs of the political movement currently bearing his name, but that (like oversimplification and uninformed analysis) is a proud political tradition.

Anyway, Trowa likes to keep an ear to the ground.

[04_after]

Quatre snorts, and says in French: "Speech is the instrument of ambition?"

It's in French because he's never read Smith in English. Probably a shortfalling, that, but he was young enough to take the easier option.

Hello, breakfast.

[3nanashi]

It's a quote Trowa only knows in English, and only because he's run across it on these same boards. (Mostly criticizing current politicians, frequently for doing the exact same thing Sugimoto does but with different opinions.) Still, French and English are close enough that the reference is pretty apparent.

He fails to disagree.