by Windsor Blue
Notes - Written for the GW500 community at Live Journal...the challenge word was "ten". Part of the "Favorite Uncle" series. Word count: 711
This fic revolves around an ongoing OC. Her name is Giselle, or Gigi - as Trowa calls her, and she's one of Quatre's many nieces. I've written a quite few fics now about Giselle and her sister Charlotte. Anyway, even though Giselle is technically Quatre's niece, Trowa is most definitely her favorite uncle.
"You'll be here, won't you Uncle Trowa? You'll get here on time, won't you?"
Trowa smiled, gently but genuinely. "Of course we will. We wouldn't miss your birthday party for anything. We'll be landing first thing in the morning, and I promise we'll come straight over."
"Okay - I'll see you tomorrow. Kiss Uncle Quatre for me!"
"I will. Good night, Gigi."
Trowa stood in front of the view screen for a long time, staring at nothing, lost in his thoughts. He shook his head slightly and turned away from it, moving back through the shuttle to flop distractedly into the co-pilot's seat.
"How's your best girl?" Quatre asked with a smirk.
"Hm? Oh. She's fine. She's excited about her party."
Quatre nodded. "Ten years old - she's getting to be quite a young lady now."
"Mm. Did you know Iria let her get her ears pierced?"
"Did she?"
"Yeah. She should have talked to us first, don't you think?"
Quatre gave Trowa a sidelong look. "What for? Neither one of us is the girl's father - what business is it of ours? Besides, what's the big deal about her getting her ears pierced?"
"The big deal is, that's kind of a grown-up thing. I mean, Gigi's still a kid. Isn't it a little early for permanent body modifications?"
"Permanent body modifications?" Quatre cocked his head to one side. "That's a bit melodramatic for a couple of little holes in her earlobes. Besides, she's ten years old now - that's quite old enough to be able to take care of them."
"No, it's not," Trowa grumbled, his face darkening. "She's still a little girl."
"Not anymore," Quatre replied quietly.
Trowa whirled abruptly in the chair. "Do you know what she told me just now? She said one of the girls in her class at school started getting her periods last week. Another one is already wearing a bra, and one of her friends has a boyfriend. A boyfriend! These kids are ten! Why the hell does a ten-year-old need a boyfriend?"
Quatre shrugged a little, keeping his face impassive. "They're growing up, Trowa. What did you expect?"
"I expected for her to be a kid for a few more years! I expected for her to have a nice, long childhood! I expected - "
"You expected her to be your little Gigi forever," Quatre interrupted.
Trowa crossed his arms over his chest, frowning deeply. "There's nothing wrong with that," he growled.
Quatre snorted softly, reaching out to lay a hand over Trowa's arm. "Are you upset because she's growing up too fast for your liking, or because you just realized that someday you're going to lose your best girl to another man?"
"Don't mock me."
"I'm not. I'm almost as unhappy as you are," Quatre sighed. "She'll be in high school soon. She'll have friends who smoke and she'll fight with her mother and she'll date boys we don't approve of, and there isn't a damned thing any of us can do about it. But it could be worse." Quatre squeezed Trowa's arm until he looked up. "After all, think about what your life was like when you were ten."
Trowa held Quatre's gaze for a long moment before allowing a tiny smile to crack. "Or your life, for that matter."
"Exactly. Thank heavens she's not being groomed for power right about now."
Trowa shook his head. "I'm being stupid."
"You're being protective. And you're right - there's nothing wrong with that. But, you know, she'll always be your best girl, even after she's grown and married and made us grand-uncles."
Trowa gave Quatre a rueful smile. "I guess I should take the doll I bought her back to the store tomorrow."
Quatre smiled and nodded. "That might be a good idea, yes."
"I'd like to return this, please."
"Of course, sir. Is there anything wrong with it?"
"No. The doll is fine. It's just...the girl I bought it for is too big for dolls anymore."
The saleslady smiled gently. "I understand sir. Would you like cash back or a store credit?"
"Cash. No, wait - does this store have a jewelry department?"
"Yes, sir - down those stairs and to the right."
"Store credit, then - I think I'd like to get her some earrings instead."