two sides to every story

"Pure Intentions" is back!

2007-02-04T03:54:31Z

Writer's block be darned! I've finally finished chapter six, everybody! Woot! ^_^ Um... does anyone even remember this story? ;) I hope you enjoy this installment. When I have some more free time, I'll happily post the next one. Happy reading!

Chapter Six:

Into the Dark

As she prepared to spend the evening with Wufei, Relena tried to forget about her confrontation with Heero. As long as she wasn’t thinking about it, she could concentrate on being an amicable companion. She wouldn’t want Wufei to suspect that something was bothering her, and she would do everything possible to keep him from finding out the truth about her and Heero.

Wufei was silent as he and Relena boarded the private shuttle they’d be taking to the colony. He sensed something was bothering his date; he could read the tension etched in her features.

“Relena.” His voice stopped her short as she prepared to take a seat. “We don’t… have to do this, if you feel uncomfortable.”

Relena felt her cheeks color. Have I been so transparent? She shook her head, dispelling the negative thoughts that had plagued her all afternoon. “No, Wufei, I want to go with you. I’ve honestly been looking forward to this.”

He smirked, playfully kneeling before her. “Honestly?” His warm obsidian eyes were drawing her in, helping her forget Heero’s steely Prussian blues.

“Honestly,” she whispered. She reached for his hand and squeezed it tight.

Wufei jolted in surprise, but he attempted to keep his cool. “So you promise this isn’t one of those manipulative games women play?”

Relena snatched her hand back, frowning. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

Wufei chuckled. “I know women, Relena. I work with a lot of them. And I’ve seen the way they like to twist men around their fingers.”

Her pout deepened. “You should know me better than that. I depend on sincerity.”

“How ironic,” Wufei mused, “a politician who prides herself on being honest.” He was prepared for the daggers Relena’s eyes sent him, and dodged them like a pro. “I’m used to that scowl, too; I invoke Sally’s wrath on a daily basis.”

Relena sighed dramatically. “Do you get a kick out of being so confrontational?”

He shrugged as he took his seat in the cockpit. “I’ve found that people come to expect it of me. But now that the war’s over – been over – I don’t see a need for any real confrontation.”

“That’s certainly refreshing,” Relena said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. The silky blonde tresses captured Wufei’s attention, and he gazed at her in fascination. “I tend to spend a lot of time with peacemakers, you know; confrontation doesn’t really work for me.” She shot him a meaningful look.

“Well, then…” Wufei edged closer to her. “I suppose you’ll have to help me tame my bad behavior.”

Relena released a peal of laughter. “Is that your attempt at flirting, Wufei?”

He smiled genuinely, reaching out to smooth back her hair. “Maybe. Is it working?”

“That depends,” she murmured, leaning closer, “on what you’re hoping to accomplish.”

“I’m hoping to get in good with the Vice Foreign Minister,” he said, his lips dangerously close to hers. “I hear it helps to have friends in high places.”

She laughed again, delighted. “Why, Mr. Chang, what a pathetic personal plug!”

“And what an admirable application of alliteration,” he shot back teasingly.

“Actually,” she interjected, “it was consonance.”

“Ah; it’s refreshing that you know the difference,” he teased.

“Since clearly you don’t,” she shot back. They both laughed again, and Relena could hardly believe that Wufei Chang, of all people, was turning out to be so companionable.

She settled comfortably into her seat as Wufei took control of the cockpit, expertly guiding their shuttle toward the colony. His skill reminded her of another certain ex-Gundam pilot she knew; the thought made her stiffen.

“Something wrong?” Wufei asked. He was so perceptive, it was beginning to put her on-edge. If only Heero noticed every mood of hers; they might have an easier time communicating. Relena mentally swatted herself for thinking that.

Wufei was eyeing her strangely.

“Oh, no, everything’s fine,” she recovered. She cleared her throat and began twisting her hair. “So, what’s the name of the restaurant we’re going to?”

He smirked. “Fire and Ice.”

“Hmm,” Relena mused. “Interesting title.”

Wufei tipped his head in her direction, still smirking. “I thought it was appropriate.”

Relena had to smile at that. “So… which one of us is fire, and which is ice?”

Her date’s eyes sparked. “Relena, you can be whichever one you want.”

“Is that your way of avoiding the question?” she teased.

“No,” he replied smoothly. “But maybe I’m waiting to find out the answer.”

She eyed him with a slight frown. “Regardless, you’re saying we’re opposites. Do you really think that’s true?”

“I don’t… think we’re complete opposites,” Wufei answered slowly. “But I think there’s a lot we can learn from one another.”

Relena nodded, considering this. Fire and ice… does that really describe our relationship? Her pulse quickened. And Heero…what would he be? Remembering the passionate kisses he’d bestowed upon her earlier, she knew the answer instantly. Her face burned. She tried to think of Wufei’s kisses instead. He had been slow, cautious, respectful… cold. She shivered.

Wufei glanced at her, concerned, but said nothing. Instead, he took one hand off the controls and reached for hers. She took it, and he meshed their fingers together. His palm felt cool against hers.

Against her will, she was thinking of Heero’s skin, of the warmth, the heat, the fire between them. Now, she was freezing.

Is this some sickness? She panicked. Why can’t I stop thinking about him? She forced herself to focus on Wufei, on the evening ahead of them. She had to do her best on this date, to give him a chance— he at least deserved a chance.

It would be hard, but she could, and would, forget about Heero Yuy.

Meanwhile, Heero and Duo meandered their way around the colony, trying to blend in with the nighttime crowd.

“Grouchy, grouchy, grouch,” Duo muttered for what Heero swore was the hundredth time. He finally whirled around to face his braided companion, speaking through clenched teeth.

“If you have a problem with me, Duo, we can resolve it later; right now, we’ve got some more training to do.” Heero spun back around, quickening his pace.

Duo shot a sympathetic glance over his shoulder. The four Preventers-in-training were plodding behind them. Heero had been in a sour mood all afternoon, and the recruits were suffering for it. With Sally’s approval, Heero had taken Heath, Landon, Kevin and Keiko to the nearby colony to practice some “night patrol.” Duo knew it was merely an excuse for Heero to take out his frustration on them while wandering aimlessly in the dark.

They descended further and further into the seedier parts of the city. As they passed a noisy bar, a rowdy group of young men whistled at Keiko. She waved back, smiling appreciatively. Kevin nudged her.

“Don’t pay them any attention,” he muttered. “You’ll only get yourself into trouble.”

“Aw, they’re not doing anything wrong.” She pouted, batting her eyelashes innocently. “They’re just pointing out beauty when they see it— what’s wrong with that?”

Kevin rolled his eyes. “You should just be more careful, especially when we’re on patrol.”

Keiko continued to pout but said nothing more on the subject. She and the rest of her recruits continued trudging behind their superiors.

Heero continued ignoring them. In his head, he was waging battle with Wufei. He thought back to their last major confrontation, but the one he knew was coming now was different. The last one had nothing to do with Relena. Or… Heero mused. Maybe it did.

“You and I are the same! We are only able to acknowledge our existence on the battlefield!” Wufei had shouted that at Heero as he challenged him in his Gundam.

Heero frowned as he picked up his pace. Are he and I really the same? The rest of their mobile suit battle played out in his mind.

“How many times, Wufei? How many times must I keep killing that little girl and her dog?”

Heero felt a jolt go through his body. He wasn’t a killer, or even a fighter, anymore. He had killed that instinct when he let go of his resolve to fight, allowing the Wing Zero to plummet into the ocean. He had resurrected it in time to stop Mariemaia and save Relena, but then, when he saw that Relena had made it through, he knew he was done. The soldier’s mentality that was fighting for his attention now wasn’t his anymore.

In his mind, he was fighting Wufei for Relena, but he knew now he’d never go through with that scenario. Relena wouldn’t approve, he decided. At the same time, he still considered her his, and was determined to find a way to show that to her without losing his temper… or defeating Wufei.

“The art of war,” Heero murmured, “is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” A smile tugged at his lips. He could win this war, and he could do it lying down.

Relena’s voice interrupted the soldier’s voice in his head. “You’ve had all this time to make me yours,” she reminded him. “Did you think I’d wait around forever, Heero?”

He growled and began to walk faster, trying to make the voice stop following him.

“Heero,” she called back to him. “What are you hiding from, Heero?”

“Damn it,” he cursed. He couldn’t find a way to please Relena, not now; he didn’t know what she wanted anymore. His chest twisted with unexpected pain. He didn’t know Relena anymore.

His steps led him down a dark alley; he had no idea where he was going. At length, he became aware of the fact that the recruits were no longer following him. Good, he thought. Maybe Duo took them back to the shuttle. That suited him— he was better off alone.

He was lost in his swirling thoughts when he heard a male voice calling his name. At first, he thought he was going crazy, having heard Relena calling him in his mind… was that Wufei challenging him? He spun around to see if the voice was real.

Kevin was running toward him, panic-stricken. Heero stopped dead, adrenaline surging through him. Something had happened, something bad. Was it… my fault?

“Heero!” Kevin called again, sounding breathless. He halted a few feet in front of his superior, panting. “It’s Keiko— she somehow got separated from us. We’ve all been looking for her.”

Heero frowned. This wasn’t all that serious. He shouldn’t have to deal with the new recruits’ insufficiencies. “Wasn’t she walking near you the whole time?” he asked Kevin. The boy nodded. “Then you should have kept better track of her.”

Kevin’s face fell. “I know… it’s because I was trying to keep up with you. I thought she was doing the same. I’m sorry.”

Heero felt bad, but tried to conceal it. “Well, we’d better start looking.” He turned from Kevin and walked briskly, and the boy fell into step behind him. Instinct led Heero further down the alley. In his head, he had heard a woman’s voice he’d assumed was Relena, but what if that voice was real, just like Kevin’s was? It could have been Keiko crying for help. Heero hated the fact that his infatuation with Relena was ruining his concentration… just like old times. I’ve got to get a grip, he scolded himself. I need to get her out of my head.

He heard Kevin gasp suddenly. “Heero— over there!” he hissed.

Heero swung his head to the direction Kevin was pointing in. Keiko was backing up slowly into the alley, being pursued by a leering man in dark, dirty clothing.

“Just leave me alone!” she screeched.

The man grinned, revealing yellow, uneven teeth. He reached for Keiko’s jacket. “Aw, come on, gorgeous, what are you hiding from?” he cooed.

Heero… what are you hiding from?

Heero’s eyes flashed. In the man’s jacket pocket, he could make out the outline of a gun. He ran forward.

“Keiko!” He screamed. “Run!”

The girl spun around. “Heero?” she called in disbelief. She spotted her fellow Preventer-in-training over her shoulder. “Kevin!” She began to run toward him.

Keiko’s stalker did not take the abandonment well. “Why you little…” He reached for his gun and aimed it at the girl’s retreating back.

He fired.

Keiko chanced a look over her shoulder, her eyes widening in surprise. Kevin moved to shield her, but Heero was faster than him. Suddenly, he was diving in front of both of his trainees.

And suddenly, his vision went black as he caught the bullet with his chest.

School, schmool...

2007-01-22T03:21:13Z

Aught seven is shaping up to be a difficult year thus far. I managed to get over the icky virus I have, even my disappoint over missing a youth retreat my band was scheduled to play at. I dealt with that, but then my school dealt me a major blow; I found out that I'm four credits short of graduating this spring. What to do? I weighed my options, and decided to commit academic suicide over the real kind. So I am now enrolled in 21 credits, plus a required non-credit course that feels like 2 credits. On top of that, I'm trying to keep my news editor job, because the thought of resigning makes me want to, well, contract another stomach virus. -_-'

I've been juggling all of this for the past few days, and thought that things could only get better from here. Right? Wrong. Yesterday, I went to move my car out of the art building lot only to hear machine gun noises instead of a roaring engine when I turned the key. My boyfriend gave my car a jump, but nothing happened. This means my alternator probably went, something I cannot afford to fix.

So now I'm perpetually stuck on campus during the week. The silver lining? At least I'll have plenty of time for those 21 credits. o_O

Update! Kind of... ^_^

2007-01-14T04:02:40Z

Aw, folks. I'm so behind it's ridiculous. I almost forgot I even have a live journal account... so much for being invovled in online community. :( How sad! I miss my friends here!

I know it's been forever and a day since I updated my current fan fic, but my last semester was so vicious that I had to put it off. Now that winter break is almost over, I finally dusted off the latest chapter. I hope to have it finished before classes start at the end of the week. But *cough cough* don't take my word for it! =D I'll do my best though!!!

I'm going to blame most of my 'unproductiveness' on illness. I was determined to write write write, but ended up getting an uber-virus and resting a lot. At least my brain's had plenty of time to cook up new ideas!

Since *not* working on my GW stories, I discovered some fun things over break, including the vampire novels of Stephenie Meyer and the amazing live-action Sailor Moon show. *_* I swear, it's incredible! I'm always a little behind on the trends though, so most of these things were cool ages ago and I'm only just getting on the bandwagon. -_- I'm such an old lady. Oh, well. I'll catch up one of these days! And that, my friends, is what coffee is for! ^.^

At Last: Part Cinq!

2006-09-30T20:03:59Z

Finally! I've finished chapter five of "Pure Intentions." Thank you all for your patience! I assure you, this chapter was worth waiting for! It's about quality work, after all, not quantity. I hope to close the book on this story soon, but as it stands right now, I have very little time to myself. I'm a full-time student and a newspaper intern, as well as the news editor of my school paper. Oh, and now I can add babysitting to my resume; once a week, I look after twin toddlers. ^_^ I'm keeping busy and having fun, as I'm one of those people who need stress in order to operate. However, sometimes I'm guilty of stretching myself a bit too thin. In light of all of this, I may not get to finish this story as soon as I'd like to, but I hope you'll continue to stick with it!

Without further adieu...

Pure Intentions
Chapter Five: A Knight Without Armor

Chapter Five:
A Knight without Armor

“Heero,” Duo panted, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. “Can’t we give it a rest already? I’m dying here!”

To his chagrin, Heero laughed, an almost maniacal sound. “When did you get so out of shape? I say we do at least another mile lap around the premises.” He flexed his lean, muscular arms, as if to emphasize his athleticism.

Duo’s face fell in disappointment. “But isn’t it time for breakfast? We’ve been at this for hours!”

“You already had breakfast, remember?”

“No, I don’t!” Duo wailed. “It was so long ago!”

Heero rolled his eyes. “Quit whining so much; the new recruits are going to have zero respect for you.” With that, he took off in another run, yelling at the Preventers-in-training to keep up the pace.

There were four of them, and they were quite the assortment—three guys and one very ambitious girl. One of the men, a few years older than Sally, was a police officer from L2; the other three were all former Alliance soldiers about the same age as Heero and Duo. One of the teenagers had a particularly hard time keeping up, but he tried his best to tough it out.

As they ran ahead of the small group, Heero said to Duo, “Who’s that guy trailing so far behind? He’s pretty weak.”

“His name,” Duo panted, “is Landon, and I hardly think he’s weak; just because he’s not as fast as you doesn’t make him a wuss.”

Heero snorted a laugh. “If you say so. What do you think of the rest?”

“I’d say they all have a lot of potential. The police officer… what’s his name… Heath? I wonder what the hell he’s even training for. He could easily beat me to a pulp.”

Heero chuckled again. “That’s no feat; that girl could easily throw you down.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Duo glanced behind him to see the girl quickly closing the distance between them. “She’s amazing! But I wonder what she was doing fighting in the Eve Wars, a pretty little thing like that?”

“People often ask the same about you,” Heero replied, smirking.

“Hey, that was uncalled for!” Duo angrily increased his speed so that he was nipping at Heero’s heals. “Take it back!” He screamed. “Take it back!”

“Look at that,” Heero said as he came to a halt. “You just ran a mile, no sweat.”

Duo crossed his arms and glared at Heero. “Sure, get me all angry so I forget I’m exercising; I see how it is.”

“It’s a good tactic,” Heero replied. “Perhaps I should try it on the new recruits?” He rubbed his chin, musing.

Duo shook his head emphatically. “I don’t think so, buddy. You’re getting a little out of hand while you whip them into shape; it doesn’t even look like they need it.”

Just then, the girl stopped short, the first of the new Preventers to finish the mile. She grinned triumphantly at the former Gundam pilots.

“Anything else, boys?” She ran a hand through her long, black ponytail. Duo’s eyes widened; Heero’s narrowed.

“Yeah,” he answered, “one hundred more push-ups. Get to it.”

The girl looked shocked but dropped to the floor nonetheless. When the next recruit reached them, Heero gave him the same instruction. He was answered with an unexpected, “Sir, yes, Sir!”

Heero eyed him strangely. “What’s your name?”

“Former Ensign Kevin Vincent, Sir!” The boy saluted, then dropped down and began the push-ups.

Heero shook his head. “Military habits are hard to break.”

The other two men completed their run just then and joined the other two. Heero watched the four with amusement twinkling in his eyes.

“You know what they say,” Duo murmured to Heero. “Power corrupts. I don’t like that look in your eye.”

Heero feigned innocence. “What do you mean? I’m just doing as I was told.”

“Hey, guys!” Sally called as she entered the room. “How’re we looking?”

“Not bad,” Heero replied, “though I think they could still use some work.”

Sally cast a critical eye over the group of young people struggling to finish their exercises. “It’s almost noon, you know. I think they’ve had enough.”

“Amen!” Duo pumped a fist in the air. “You tell him, Sally!”

Heero cocked his head and watched the trainees. “They’ll thank me for this later,” he said to Sally. “If they keep up this regimen, they’ll be stronger than ever; unbreakable. But to be unbreakable, they must first be broken.”

Duo shuddered. “That’s creepy, man.”

Sally eyed him warily. “No offense, Heero,” she said carefully, “but I don’t think these guys need to be broken the same way you were.” She continued in a more upbeat manner, failing to notice the pained look that momentarily graced Heero’s features. “This is not Preventers Academy! This may be seriously hard work, but it’s still fun.”

She blew a whistle, garnering the trainees’ attention. “That’s all for today! Great job, everyone!” The group looked up gratefully and halted their push-ups. Sally clapped each one of them on the back as they drudged past; all except the girl, who bounded up to them eagerly.

“Hi!” She squealed. “That was some great training; thanks so much for all the fun exercises!” She batted her eyes at Heero, who was unaffected by her prattling. Instead, he turned and started speaking to Sally again. The girl looked a little miffed, which Duo noticed. He chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

“He’s not exactly Mr. Social, so don’t blame him for ignoring you,” he offered. “I’m Duo, by the way.” He stuck out his hand, which she grasped excitedly.

“I already know you who are,” she gushed. “You’re famous!”

Duo blushed. “Aw, nah, no big deal; I mean, you fought in the war, too.”

“Yeah, but not as a Gundam pilot! How awesome is that?” She chattered on so quickly that Duo could scarcely understand her. Man. She sure has a lot of energy, he observed. “Even if I didn’t know you were a Gundam pilot,” she continued, “I’d know you from school!”

Duo’s eyes bulged. “Say what?”

“Yeah, that’s right!” She grinned unabashedly, clutching Duo’s arm. “We go to the same school! Isn’t that amazing?”

Duo looked perplexed. “Then why didn’t you say something before?”

“I was busy training, remember? I couldn’t let you break my concentration.” She gave him a shameless wink.

Duo shook his head, flabbergasted. “I don’t get it. How is it you know me, but I don’t know you? What’s your name?”

She gave him a little bow. “Keiko Sachihara. Hajimemashite!”

Duo’s face turned ashen. “Oh. My. God. Heero!” He turned and ran desperately toward his friend, leaving Keiko in confusion.

“What’s gotten into him?” She wondered aloud.

“Oh, don’t mind Duo,” Sally said, coming up beside her. “All Gundam pilots are a little… eccentric.”

"I see." Keiko nodded in understanding. “I heard that everyone who used the Zero System went crazy.”

Sally burst out laughing. “Duo was like that long before he ever went near the Zero System!”

The Asian girl wrinkled her nose. “And Heero? What about him?”

Sally cast a wary eye in Heero’s direction. He was scowling, head bent, as he stalked out of the room. “Heero’s… been through a lot. If I were you, I’d keep my distance.”

“Hmm.” Keiko didn’t seem to be listening, her bright eyes focused on the dark-haired Preventer.

Oh, great, just what we need, Sally lamented inwardly. Another heartsick, Heero-obsessed girl running around the ship…

Her thoughts were interrupted by the other “heartsick” girl entering the training room.

“Hi, Sally!” Relena called cheerily. Wufei followed closely behind. “Is now a good time for me to meet the recruits?”

“Sure,” the dark blonde Preventer replied, motioning to the girl next to her. “This is Keiko Sachihara. Keiko, meet Relena Darlian.”

Keiko’s almond eyes enlarged. “Oh my goodness, are you really Relena Darlian?”

Relena blinked. “Yes, of course.”

“That’s amazing!” Keiko bounced in excitement. “You’re, like, my hero!”

Relena and Wufei exchanged bewildered glances, but he gave her an encouraging smile. “Wow, Keiko, that’s really sweet of you. I’m glad to meet you.” Relena extended her hand, which Keiko grasped eagerly.

“Wait till I tell my friends that I actually met you!” she shrieked. “What a day! First, I get trained by two actual Gundam pilots—then I get to meet Relena Darlian!” She closed her eyes in bliss. “Being a Preventer sure has it perks!”

Wufei chuckled. “Let me know if you feel the same a few months from now.”

Keiko ceased her spirited bouncing. “Huh?”

Sally laughed. “Oh, ignore Wufei. He loves being a Preventer. Really.” She gave him a saucy wink, and his face reddened. “Come on Keiko, I’ve embarrassed him enough now. Let’s go meet up with the guys, shall we?” With that, she all but dragged Keiko away from her new idol.

“Do you ever get tired of people reacting like that when they meet you?” Wufei asked Relena once they were alone.

She shook her honey-blonde hair. “No. I hate to say it, but I’m pretty used to the attention.” She tilted her head as she gazed into his obsidian eyes. “Does it bother you that she didn’t mention you as a Gundam pilot?”

Wufei bristled. “No. Why would it?”

“I don’t know,” she answered with a shrug. “I just noticed that she was all hung up on Heero and Duo, but—”

“Those two tend to be a bit more conspicuous; I prefer to keep a lower profile.”

Relena nodded her understanding. “That’s wise of you. Celebrity definitely has its disadvantages.” She flashed him a genuine style. “That’s why I’m so grateful to escape my everyday life for a few days and hide out on this ship.”

Wufei smiled back and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You’re welcome to come back anytime, you know. I understand what it’s like to need to get away… This ship has become a sort of refuge to me.” Relena saw emotion burning behind his dark eyes and realized that, once again, he was counting his losses from the war. Her heart swelled with compassion; she leaned up and pecked him on the cheek.

“That’s sweet of you to offer.” She smiled warmly. “And I may just take you up on it sometime.”

Wufei’s face softened. “I’ve got another offer to make you. How about having dinner with me in the colony tonight?”

Relena felt her heart lighten. “Really? I would love to.”

Wufei smiled confidently at her acceptance and led her out of the room, unaware that an angry pair of cobalt blue eyes tracked his every move.

The remainder of the afternoon passed quietly. The new recruits were given a few hours to rest up before their next training exercise, which would take place on one of the L3 colonies. Wufei and Relena made plans to depart the ship in a separate pod for their dinner date. With a few more hours to spare, Relena decided to find a secluded spot and catch up on some reading.

After wandering around the ship, she managed to find an empty break room just big enough to hold a couch and armchair. Nixing both of these seats, she climbed onto the windowsill and gazed out at the darkness of space. There was something about the depths of space that allured her, even when she was struck by how empty it really was. Part of her couldn’t wait to get back to earth and once again gaze at mountains and seashores; the other part was content to hide here, so far away from everything else.

Everything except for the troubles that plagued her. She sighed as one name entered her mind: Heero Yuy. Whether or not the connection they shared was love had plagued her for nearly two years now. Relena knew what her feelings for him were; she’d been infatuated with him when they first met, and her feelings deepened and matured each time she saw him. As they each were more and more swept up by the events around them, they drew closer together, lending each other strength and comfort. But was it love they shared, or some kind of symbiosis?

Relena sighed aloud once again and tried to turn her attention to the book that sat idly in her lap. A reflection in the glass, however, diverted her attention once more; Relena looked up to see Heero’s face staring at her. She jumped.

“Heero!” She shrieked, whirling around to face him. “You frightened me.”

His eyebrows lifted momentarily. “Sorry.” Relena eyed him warily as he took a seat beside her.

“Are you sorry that you snuck up on me, or sorry for the way you’ve been treating me since you came onboard?”

He leveled her with his pained expression, his eyes searching hers. “Both,” he murmured.

Relena settled against the wall, satisfied with his apology. “I’m glad,” she said with a smile. “I didn’t think I’d done anything to deserve your contempt.”

Heero scowled at her remark. “Really? You didn’t think your kissing Wufei would bother me?”

She crossed her arms angrily, turning her gaze back to the window. “I don’t see why it should. It’s not like you and I—”

Heero lunged forward suddenly and grasped Relena by the back of the head, bringing his face mere inches from hers. “Relena,” he whispered, and the urgency in his voice surprised her. “Shut up.”

He crashed his lips into hers, holding her so tightly that she couldn’t break free, even if she’d wanted to. As their kiss deepened, she realized she didn’t want to. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his tousled hair. Heero kept one hand tightly fastened around her waist while the other raked through her golden tresses. They were completely alike in the way they kissed one another, each needing the other in the same way. Relena could feel the void that had been haunting her begin to fill.

Then something snapped inside of her, the reason he was suddenly paying so much attention to her. She broke away hastily, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Heero picked up on the tension immediately. “Relena.” He drew her back into his arms. “Talk to me,” he murmured anxiously. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Relena put her hand up against his chest, trying to create space between them before she could fall back under his spell. “Please, Heero. Don’t start.” She backed away cautiously, but he followed suit.

“Relena, whatever it is, I’ll fix it. Just tell me.” He leaned toward her again, this time stroking the side of her face. He tried to gaze into her sky blue eyes, but she wouldn’t look at him. He continued to touch her unabated, needing to feel her skin beneath his fingers. “Please,” he said, softening his voice. “Relena, I lo—”

“Why now, Heero?” She turned her face toward his as hot tears stung her eyes. “All of a sudden, you want to be close to me, but you’ve had chances before and you never—”

“What are you talking about?” He interrupted. He tilted her chin up so he could look at her directly. “I’ve always stayed close to you, Relena.”

She shook her head violently. “That’s not true. I haven’t seen you in months. You always kiss me and run. Why? What are you hiding from, Heero?”

“I’m not hiding, Relena. I’ve never hid from you. And I don’t understand why you’re acting this way.”

She glared at him. “Maybe,” she said hotly, “it’s because the only reason you want me now is because someone else wants me, too.” She stood, breaking their contact. “You’re jealous of Wufei, and you can’t stand to lose me to him. But you’ve had all this time to make me yours… Did you think I’d wait around forever, Heero?”

He groaned inwardly. It was his worst nightmare coming true; he’d figured that Relena would accuse him of something like that. Now he had to pick up the pieces of what he’d broken.

“Relena,” he began tentatively. “I’ve felt this way about you for a lot longer than you think… long before Wufei even met you.”

She crossed her arms defensively. “I understand that, Heero. However, it’s awfully convenient for you to decide to make a move on me now that I’m seeing someone else.”

He blinked. “You’re… seeing him?”

“That’s right.” She lifted her chin. “So that means this thing between us can’t happen anymore.”

He shocked her by letting out a low chuckle. “Relena… That’s impossible. I don’t think you could stay away from me if you tried.”

“But… you… that’s so arrogant!” She sputtered. Heero just shook his head.

“No, it’s the truth. And you feel the same way.” Once again, he began to close the distance between them. “We need each other, Relena.”

“No.” She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her back to him. “People don’t need one another, Heero; they choose who they want to be with.”

“You know that’s a lie.” He came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. “That’s not what you feel in your heart.”

She sighed, inhaling the scent that was so uniquely his. She knew how badly she wanted him near her; she wanted to hold on to him forever. But it still didn’t feel right.

“If this is what you’ve always wanted with me,” she murmured, “why did you wait until now to tell me?”

“I wasn’t waiting on purpose; this was the first chance I had to really be alone with you.”

She twisted around in his arms to look at him. “What about at Christmas? I thought we really shared a connection after that last battle, but it never went anywhere.”

Heero looked puzzled. “What do you mean? I kissed you.”

She laughed airily. “Oh, you mean this?” She brought their faces closer together, teasing his lips with hers. “I hardly think that counts.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Heero murmured, their lips so close that they brushed together as he spoke. “And besides, you know I can do a lot better.” He took her face in his and kissed her firmly. His heart sank as, once again, she pushed him away.

“No, Heero,” she whispered. “I won’t let you do this to me now… not when I’ve had to wait so long.” She took a step backward, closer to the door. “And now I’ve got someone waiting for me.”

Heero’s mouth dropped, and he struggled to regain his composure. Had she really just let him kiss her like that, and say all those things to her, only to dump him in the end? He never thought Relena was manipulative enough to do something like that. He struggled not to punch the wall or yell at her; instead, he addressed her in a low, icy tone. “So that’s it, Relena? You’re just going to walk away?”

She bit her lip and nodded slowly. “I’m sorry, but I—”

“But nothing,” he interjected as anger welled up inside him. “I won’t let you do this to me. You’re mine, Relena.” He grasped her arm and forcefully pulled her toward him.

“Heero, let go! You’re hurting me!” She looked up at him in horror as his fingers dug into her flesh. Heero dropped her arm, immediately sorry. He opened his mouth to apologize, but the damage had already been done. Like a terror-stricken doe, Relena bolted out of the room. Heero could only watch helplessly as she ran.

Drawings

2006-08-15T05:14:44Z

Since I posted a Wufei picture that I did not draw, I decided to post a mini collection of pictures that I did, in fact, draw. But it's not Wufei. Instead, here's a valentine to my fellow 1xR fans. ^_^ I hope you likey!

This picture is called "Couple's Counseling," and you can see why! By the way, Relena's reading a book titled "How to Communicate with Your Husband," while Heero clutches Sun Tzu"s "The Art of War." =D

Below is one of my earliest drawings of Heero and Relena, ca. 2001. It's called, simply, "My Heero." ^_^

The next drawing is based on a pose I saw in another Heero and Relena picture... I wanted to draw a similar pose in my own style. Also, I "designed" the clothes they're wearing!

I've saved my favourite drawing for last: this is from my story, "Daddy's Girl."

Part Quatre! (No, not that Quatre!)

2006-08-11T20:42:59Z

At last... here's chapter four! Those of you reading this didn't have to wait as long as the folks on Blissful Ignorance and fanfiction.net. 0=) So, sometimes I get a little lazy... Actually, writer's block hit me in the face, but I kicked its patootie! I know how this story's going to end, too! Yay! *Ahem* Well, brace yourself for some major goofiness and fluffy cuteness. Oh, and some more after-war angst, for good measure. Right, Wufei?

Wufei: Do not resist. >.< Give into temptation!

He's sexy, right? ;) Onward!

Chapter Four:

Spell of the Necromancer

Duo finished lacing his black combat boots and prepared to bolt out the door. It was the middle of the night and, as far as he knew, Hilde was fast asleep. He should have had no problem leaving their apartment undetected. Hilde, however, was wise to Duo’s late-night antics, which occurred far too often. Her voice stopped him short.

“Duo?” She emerged from her bedroom, rubbing her eyes. “What the heck are you doing?”

He turned to face her and grinned sheepishly. “What do you know? The Preventers called me. I got an invitation to stay on the new ship and help them start planning the next one. See?” He waved a pile of papers at her. “I got the blueprints right here.”

Hilde rolled her eyes. “You’re over-explaining, as usual, which means something’s definitely up. Let me see those.” She snatched the blueprints out of his hands and examined them closely. “These are the plans for the Aventinus, dummy, not a new ship.”

Duo shrugged. “Guess they liked the original so much, they decided to make a copy.”

She let out an impatient sigh. “No, see, that makes too much sense… and nothing you do ever makes sense, so I know you’re full of crap!” Hilde balled her fists at her sides. “You’re sneaking off to go sleep at Keiko’s, aren’t you?”

Duo chuckled. “You’re talking crazy, Hilde-babe! Who the hell is Keiko?”

“Don’t play innocent with me,” Hilde glowered. “She’s that cute new Japanese exchange student in our econ class. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed her?”

“Nope.” Duo grinned broadly. “Been too busy staring at you.”

“You mean copying my notes!” Hilde retorted. She peered at Duo closely. “If you’re not heading out to cheat on me, then what are you really up to?”

Duo sighed. “Okay, you win. I really am going to the Aventinus, but not because I was invited; Heero needs me.”

Hilde waggled her eyebrows. “Ah, so you are cheating on me!”

Duo shot her an incredulous look. “Are you serious? You’re gonna start with the gay jokes now?”

His girlfriend laughed sardonically. “Don’t expect me to pass by a great opening like that. Now, what’s really going on with Heero? Didn’t you send him off to woo Relena, with flowers and all?”

Duo leaned against the doorjamb and exhaled deeply, causing his bangs to blow off his forehead. “Yeah, but there’s been a slight complication…”

Hilde waited while Duo paused, tapping her foot impatiently. “Well, what is it?”

“Wufei beat him to it.”

Hilde’s eyes popped open in shock. “Wufei? That angry martial arts guy?” She wrinkled her nose. “How did he get to Relena first?”

“Simple. He told her he liked her and kissed her.”

“Yeah, but didn’t Heero do that months ago? Last time I saw Relena, she was practically swooning!”

“He did, but Mr. Perfect Soldier never followed through with his sweet talk... which for him, was probably no more than, ‘Relena…’” Duo shook his head sagely, lamenting his friend’s blunder.

“Wow,” Hilde breathed, running a hand through her short, dark hair. “Do you think Relena got sick of waiting for him?”

“Could be. But don’t worry; I know how to get them back on track.” Duo held up a large black duffel bag, grinning like a child on Christmas morning.

Hilde looked anything but impressed. “And what, exactly, is that supposed to be?”

Duo gaped at her, exasperated. “Come on, sweetheart! You’ve been with me long enough to recognize my bag of tricks when you see it.”

Hilde’s eyes went skyward. “Right… that thing. So, what’s your master plan?” Duo just kept grinning and opened the bag, inviting Hilde to view its contents. She fished her hand around until she found something that caught her attention. To her chagrin, she produced a pair of metal handcuffs. She eyed Duo warily, but he just laughed gleefully and snapped them around her wrists.

“Isn’t it the best idea ever?”

Hilde looked dismayed. “Whatever you’re scheming, I know Heero’s going to hate it. And probably try to kill you for it.”

“Are you kidding me? He’ll thank me for the rest of his life.” Duo jangled the handcuffs as he removed them. You see, these babies are gonna get him laid!”

Hilde sighed dramatically. “I was wrong; Relena’s going to kill you.”

“Not when she finds Heero cuffed to her bedpost! Or maybe her shower… Do you think the shower’s better? Ow!” Hilde had just smacked Duo on the side of his head.

“You pervert! Can’t you think of a better way to hook them up? Something less kinky?”

“Aw, come on, Hilde! Even the perfect soldier and Princess prim-and-proper need a little R-rated fun!”

“Yeah, right,” Hilde interjected. “What you have in mind is probably X-rated.”

“Hey, hey,” Duo said, holding his hands up in mock defense. “It’s none of my business what they do with the handcuffs; I’m just introducing them to the concept. I doubt they’ll have any trouble getting creative. Oww!” Hilde landed another blow.

“You can’t just tell Heero to take Relena out to a romantic dinner or something? Why do you have to be so over-the-top?”

“Because Wufei will probably try that kind of stuff before Heero works up the nerve. He needs to give her a message that’s powerful and direct. What’s better than, ‘Hey baby, I’m here. Come and sex me!’” Hilde went to strike again, but Duo had the sense to dodge. “Hey, darlin’, you’re edgy tonight! Maybe I should calm you down before I leave…” With that, Duo cupped Hilde’s face in his hands and kissed her full on the lips. She kissed him back but broke away scowling.

“Don’t think you can do that every time you get out of hand,” she scolded. “I won’t forgive you that easily.”

Duo gave her an exaggerated pout. “Come on, Hilde; don’t be mad. I’m just trying to help a friend here.”

“Yeah, by interfering,” she grumbled in response. “Why can’t you leave them alone? I’m sure the two of them could work something out. If not, maybe it’s not meant to be.”

“But I can’t leave them alone; Heero’s dangerous left to his own devices! I hate to think of the disaster this will be if he goes it alone.”

Hilde laughed dryly. “I have a feeling it will be a disaster, no matter what.”

“Aw, Hilde…” Duo placed his hands on her shoulders, gazing at her affectionately. “Everything’s gonna work out fine. You just gotta have a little faith.”

She shook her head, bewildered. “I doubt Heero or Relena will appreciate your meddling. Why can’t you just let them be? Maybe Relena really does want to be with Wufei.”

“Hah!” Duo’s staccato laugh rang throughout the small apartment. “No way. For her, it’s Heero or nobody.”

“How do you know that?” Hilde poked him in the chest. “Besides, why are you so hell-bent on keeping Wufei from Relena? What’d he ever do to you?”

“No, it’s not like that,” Duo protested. “I have nothing against the guy. But it’s clear that Heero belongs with Relena.”

Hilde rolled her eyes again, a practiced habit. “Again, you can’t know that for sure. It’s beyond your control. I think,” she continued, thrusting her finger at Duo’s chest once more, “that you’re just biased because Heero’s our roommate. You’re tired of seeing him sulk around. You probably want him to start dating so he doesn’t have to be our third wheel anymore.” She smiled and stepped back, satisfied with her analysis.

Duo scratched his chin thoughtfully. “It’s true that I’m sick of seeing him act like a miserable old man. But there’s more to it than that.” He looked at Hilde imploringly. “Heero loves Relena, Hilde. She alone has the ability to make him happy. And if I have the power to help Heero get that happiness, I won’t just stand idly by.”

Hilde opened her mouth to argue, but ended up relenting. “All right… I won’t stop you,” she conceded. “How long do you think this little escapade will take?”

Her braided companion grinned and pulled her into a bear hug. “I’m not coming back,” he murmured into her ear, “until somebody gets laid.”

“Duo!” Hilde gasped. She leveled him with another smack. “It’d better not be you!”

He laughed and kissed her forehead. “You’re so cute when you’re jealous.

“You won’t think I’m so cute after I’ve murdered you in a jealous rage!”

“Don’t worry, okay?” He chuckled. “I’ll be back in a few days at the most.”

Hilde gave him a mock scowl. “Fine. But you and Keiko better send me a postcard!”

After gaining Hilde’s reluctant approval, Duo headed to a nearby space port to rent a small civilian shuttle. Heero had given him the coordinates of the Aventinus’s current location, and Duo was determined to reach the ship before morning. It took him a few hours roving through space before he found the ship, bound for the L3 colony cluster.

Most everyone onboard was sleeping when Duo arrived, save for a few crew members. Duo, who knew the ship like the back of his hand, had no trouble finding a vacant room to crash in. First, he decided to head to the kitchen, where he found Heero pacing.

Duo glanced at his watch. Five A.M. He suspected that Heero hadn’t bothered to go to bed yet. The amazing thing was that Heero always looked the same, no matter how much or how little sleep he had gotten. Duo chuckled as he made his way over to his friend.

“Let me guess—you’ve been up all night agonizing over this whole Relena thing, haven’t you?”

Heero lowered his head. “It’s bad,” he muttered. “Nothing went according to plan. We need to do something… and fast.”

Duo began rummaging through the refrigerator. “Well, we can’t do anything about it now, can we? Everyone’s asleep, and you should be, too. You’ll be able to think more clearly after you catch a few winks.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Heero grunted. “Why sleep now when everyone will be up soon?”

Duo stifled a yawn as he poured himself a glass of milk. “They get up this early around here? Man. These Preventers must be working pretty hard.”

“I’ll say,” came a male’s voice from the doorway. Duo jumped, startled. Heero just casually lifted his head.

“Wufei,” he said tonelessly.

Wufei nodded at him, then turned to Duo. “And what, exactly, brings you here so early in the morning?”

Duo swallowed the remains of a donut. “Why, I’m here to volunteer, of course.”

One of Wufei’s black eyebrows lifted. “Don’t you have classes to attend?”

“Pssh,” Duo said, waving a hand dismissively. “Attending class is for goody-goodies. I’ll just get the notes from Hilde later,” Duo smirked, “like Heero does.”

“Do you skip often?” Wufei directed the question to Heero.

Heero took a swig of water before muttering, “Duty calls.”

Wufei opened his mouth to say more, but was interrupted by Sally entering the kitchen. She sashayed in wearing a blue silk bathrobe, her light brown hair tumbling over her shoulders in loose waves. In the midst of yawning, she failed to notice the boys until she opened her eyes.

“Oh!” She cried. She looked at the three young men’s faces, blinking. “Um… Good morning, boys. What are you all doing up so early?”

Wufei’s face was flushed red, and he was avoiding Sally’s gaze; however, he still felt obligated to answer her. “You mean up late, in his case.” He jerked a thumb at Heero.

Sally’s almond-shaped eyes, still heavy with sleep, widened marginally. “Is that true, Heero? You haven’t even gone to bed yet?”

Heero appeared to be studying the water in his glass. “I don’t need much sleep,” was all he said.

“It’s true,” Duo chimed in. “The man’s amazing; he gets less sleep than anyone I know, and still manages to be all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!”

Sally turned toward Duo, noticing him for the first time. “Duo! I didn’t know you were coming. Are you here to help with the new plans?”

“You bet, gorgeous!” He winked shamelessly. It cost him a hard nudge in the ribs from Wufei.

“Don’t talk to her like that,” he seethed. “She’s your superior.”

“Ouch! Sorry,” Duo winced.

Sally laughed airily. “It’s quite all right, Duo. I appreciate the compliment, especially since I just woke up and am hardly at my best. Speaking of which, I’m in desperate need of a strong cup of coffee.” She brushed past Duo to access the cabinet nearest the refrigerator, pulling out a can of coffee and paper filters. She hummed to herself as she scooped grounds into the coffee maker.

Duo caught Wufei staring at Sally unabashedly as she worked. There’s love in those eyes, he thought gleefully. How can Heero be so threatened by him? He’s obviously way into Sally. He made a mental note to point this out to Heero later.

As Sally made the coffee, Duo found himself faced with something he couldn’t stand—awkward silence. Wufei was staring at Sally, Heero was still staring into his glass, and Duo was stuck in the middle of it all. What to do? He asked himself. It was times like these when he decided that all there was left to do was sing.

Reaching for another donut, Duo belted, “Oh, what a beautiful morning! Oh, what a beautiful day!” He earned three faces staring at him in alarm, but continued undaunted. “Come on, Heero! Do the whistling!”

“Shut up, Duo,” the dark-haired stoic replied.

“Fine, party-pooper.” Duo’s tenor rang out as he sang, “I’ve got a wonderful feeling…”

“Everything’s going my way,” a female voice finished in a soft soprano. Everyone’s attention swung to the door, where Relena stood, clad in a red silk kimono, her blonde hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun. “Good morning, everyone,” she said with a sweet smile. She was greeted with a smile from Sally, but the guys just stood there staring, jaws scraping the floor.

Heero recovered the fastest and cleared his throat. “Relena,” he murmured by way of greeting.

She sent a dazzling smile his way. “Heero,” she said back. Then she made her way over to Duo. “Nice to see you again, Duo. How’s Hilde been?”

“Hey, Rel!” Duo grabbed her and hugged her tight. This caught Relena off-guard, but she laughed delightedly. “Hilde’s great!” Duo said as he released her. “You should come to L2 more often so we can all hang out… me, Hilde, you and Heero…” He winked at Heero, who said nothing; yet his eyes spoke volumes as he gazed steadily at Relena. Wufei looked slightly alarmed at the insinuation.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to visit lately,” Relena said to Duo. “Maybe after this I can make a stop there before I head back to earth.”

“What will you do when you’re on earth?” Wufei finally spoke up, stepping closer to Relena. Duo noticed Heero bristling. He, too, crossed the room, but bypassed Relena to pour himself a steaming cup of coffee.

“I hope you like it strong, Heero,” Sally said with a grin.

“Hn.” Heero began sipping it black.

“Well,” Relena was answering Wufei, “I have some public appearances to make, and then I’ll be having a party for my birthday in early April.”

“Party, eh? How come you didn’t say anything about that before?” Duo asked. “We’ll have to do something special for you. As I recall, last year’s birthday was pretty uneventful, right? All you got was a teddy bear from some guy…?”

Relena giggled as Heero turned red. “Funny, Duo,” he sneered.

“You don’t have to worry about my birthday, Duo, really,” Relena said, still giggling. “And the party’s hardly going to be anything fun; it’s really only for PR. A bunch of politicians are going to be there, so I’ll be playing hostess.” She rolled her eyes.

“If you let me in,” Duo said, his eyes gleaming, “I’ll find a way to liven things up.”

“That’s probably not a good idea, Duo,” Wufei broke in. “I doubt the guests would appreciate your gate-crashing.”

Duo pouted. “It wouldn’t be crashing if I was invited!”

Relena stifled a laugh. “If you really want to come, I can arrange it; but I guarantee you’ll be bored to tears. We’d be better off just doing something fun together after the big event.”

“Yeah?” Duo looked encouraged. “You mean it?”

“Sure,” Relena said with a shrug.

“All right, then… I’ll start planning the party of the century!” Duo grinned slyly as he helped himself to a third donut.

Wufei just shook his head and began searching for some breakfast in the refrigerator.

“Don’t bother Relena with future plans, Duo,” Heero growled from behind his coffee mug. “She’s too busy for that sort of thing.”

“Oh, really?” Relena moved closer to Heero. He edged backward until he was against the counter, looking hesitant; Relena only looked amused. “I make time for people,” she said, “who are willing to make time for me.” She looked at Heero pointedly. He blinked.

“Relena,” he began. “I just…”

“Well, I certainly have time on my hands today,” Wufei interrupted. He smiled warmly at Relena, but to Heero, it was a chilling gesture. “Is there anything in particular you’d like to see while you’re onboard with us?”

“You have a real opportunity to see the inner-workings of the Preventers,” Sally spoke up, stirring creamer into her coffee. “We’ve got new recruits starting today.” She turned to Heero and Duo. “Want to help me train ‘em?”

“Train? Am I allowed to do that?” Duo asked, scratching the back of his head. “I’m not even a full-fledged Preventer.”

“You’re a former Gundam pilot,” Relena said assuredly. “I’m sure anything you can teach new recruits will be invaluable to them.” She beamed at Sally. “I would love to meet the new recruits and observe their training, if that’s possible.”

“Of course it is! I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to be able to meet the Vice Foreign Minister, as well,” said Sally.

“Oh, dear,” Relena said with a light laugh. “In that case, I’ll try to be discreet. I wouldn’t want to get in the way.”

“You won’t be,” Wufei said kindly. “There’s a monitor room I can take you where you can watch the training without being seen yourself. Afterward, you can meet with the recruits, if you’d like.”

Relena touched her hand on Wufei’s arm and gazed at him affectionately. “Really? That sounds perfect!”

Wufei’s eyes locked with hers. “As you wish,” he said softly. Relena blushed.

Heero scowled. “That’s my line,” he muttered.

“Huh?” Relena whipped her head toward Heero. “What did you say?”

He took a slow sip of coffee before answering her. “I said that sounds fine,” he lied.

“You’ll help with the training, won’t you, Heero?” Sally addressed him.

He nodded curtly. “Whatever you say. I’m gonna go get ready.” Heero made his way to the door. Duo swallowed one last donut before bounding off after him.

“Catch ya later, Wufei!” He called, waving. “And I’ll see you around, lovely ladies.”

Relena laughed as Duo exited. “It’s so nice to be here with all of you. Thanks again for letting me stay.”

“It’s our pleasure,” Wufei said, bowing his head.

Sally smirked at him from behind her coffee cup. “Yeah… pleasure,” she purred. Wufei shot daggers at her with his eyes, begging her to keep quiet. She winked at him in compliance. Once again, Relena noticed the rapport between them but chose to stay out of it. She must have a crush on him, she thought. Will she be angry when she finds out that Wufei and I kissed?

“Training begins at eight o’clock sharp,” Sally was saying, “so you have about two and a half hours yet.”

“Wow,” Relena exclaimed. “I didn’t realize it was so early! I’m not used to having so much leisure time in the morning.”

“Would you… care for some breakfast?” Wufei implored. His dark eyes searched hers, and Relena could see the fear and nervousness he was trying to suppress. So who does he like more? She wondered. Me, or Sally?

“I would love some,” Relena replied.

“Good. I’ve got a recipe for hash I’ve been waiting to try.” Wufei rummaged through a drawer and pulled out mixing bowls, a skillet, spatula, and apron.

Sally grinned as she caught the stunned look on Relena’s face. “You didn’t know he could cook, did you,” she observed. “He’s a pretty mean chef.”

“Was that an attempt at a pun, Sally?” Wufei jibed. “What were you going to say next? That I whip the cream and beat the eggs?”

Sally laughed warmly. “No, but that was pretty cute, Wufei. I’m sure you’ve impressed Relena with your quick wit and charm.” She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Well, have fun. I hear the shower calling my name.” Sally refilled her coffee cup, then swept out of the room.

Wufei added butter to the skillet and fired up the stove. “So, what would you like? Can I make you an omelet?”

Relena smiled, leaning against the counter. “To be honest, I’m not much of a breakfast-eater. I usually just grab coffee on my way to morning meetings.”

“I figured as much. But you’re sort of on vacation now, so I think it’s acceptable to indulge a little.” Wufei pulled a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator. “Come on,” he urged softly. He gave Relena a small smirk as he leaned closer. “Give into temptation.”

Relena’s breath caught in her throat as Wufei brought his face mere inches from hers. She thought about the way Sally and Wufei teased each other, and the heated conversation she’d had with Heero the night before. Everything was already so complicated; should she risk getting romantically involved with Wufei?

Before she could make up her mind, he broke away, turning back to the stove. “How do you like your eggs?” He asked. “Let me guess—sunny side up?” He gave her a genuine smile, and her heart flipped over.

He’s so different than how I originally pictured him, she realized. Under that warrior’s exterior, he’s a real sweetheart. That’s the way I always thought Heero was… Could I have been wrong about him, too?

She realized too late that she was staring at Wufei; he caught her gaze and held it.

“Um…” She cleared her throat. “Sunny side up is fine.” She tried to control the heat rising up her neck.

Wufei nodded and got to work on the eggs. “You know,” he murmured. “You look really good in Asian clothing.” He gestured to her kimono. “It looks like it was made for you.”

Relena smiled, sweeping a loose strand of hair off her forehead. “That’s because it was; the prime minister of Japan presented it to me the last time I was there.”

“Oh?” Wufei quirked an eyebrow. “When was that?”

“You’re going to laugh,” Relena said, her eyes sparkling.

“No, I won’t,” Wufei said as he flipped the eggs with his spatula. “When was it?”

“Back when I was queen.”

Wufei smirked. “Now there’s a sentence you don’t hear everyday. Though I suppose the longer I’m around you, the more I’ll get used to hearing things like that.”

Relena stiffened. “Listen, Wufei. About that…”

“About what?” He turned from his cooking to give her his full attention.

“This… thing between us…”

Wufei let the spatula drop in the skillet. “This thing? I’m afraid I don’t follow you.”

Relena took a deep breath and step closer to him. “The truth is… I really like you. And I’m glad we have a chance to get to know each other.”

Wufei’s brow furrowed. “I feel the same. So what’s the problem?”

“I just want to be sure we’re not jumping into anything blindly… I don’t know if I’m ready to be in a relationship with someone.”

“Neither do I,” Wufei intoned. “You don’t have to worry about me pushing you into anything, if that’s what this is about.”

She shook her head frantically. “That’s not it at all! It’s just that, if you want to get involved with me, I think you have a right to know what you’re getting into.” She lowered her gaze to the floor. “You see… Recently I’ve been trying to get over someone I’ve been attached to for the past few years.”

“Oh.” Wufei nodded in understanding. “You just broke up with a boyfriend?”

Relena’s cheeks turned red. “Not…exactly. There was someone I was pretty infatuated with, but he didn’t seem to return my feelings. He actually started to kiss me once or twice, but never followed through.” She shook her head sadly. “I couldn’t be with someone who would jerk my heartstrings like that, so I decided to get over him.” She twisted a strand of hair around her fingers. “But that’s proving to be easier said than done.”

“Well…” Wufei set down his cooking utensils and placed his hands on Relena’s shoulders. “I’ve been trying to get over Meiran’s death, but that’s proving to be impossible.” He tilted her chin up with his hands, gazing at her sympathetically. “But sometimes you can’t force yourself to get over something. Your heartache is like the war that just ended; you’re not ever going to forget what it was like watching the final battle, are you?” Relena shook her head, and Wufei continued. “You can’t expect yourself to forget your pain. All you can do is accept it as part of you, and let it make you stronger.” He stroked her cheek gently. “I know there’s a lot of strength in you; don’t let this guy you’re talking about weaken you.”

Relena fought back tears, nodding resolutely. “You’re right. It’s time I put the past behind me.”

Before she could say anything else, Wufei brushed his lips against hers. This time, there were no interruptions.

Part Trois!

2006-08-04T14:02:54Z

Chapter Three:
The Dragon Slayer

“Idiot,” Heero growled into his portable vid-phone.

“Whoa, whoa!” Duo exclaimed from his end. His avatar blinked at Heero. Duo was fond of using animated images on his vid-phone instead of his own face; today, it was a black bat wielding a glowing green scythe. “What’d I do?”

“You told me to come here. You told me Relena would be on L2, visiting the Preventer’s ship, and that she would want to see me. You told me,” he seethed, “bullshit.”

“What?” The cartoon bat disappeared, replaced by Duo’s own face, which was white with shock. “That was not bullshit! That was very reliable information!”

“Like hell it was,” Heero retorted. “I thought you talked to her yourself.”

“I did! Everything was fine! What could have possibly gone wrong?”

Heero scowled. “What went wrong is that you screwed up. You let me think she was interested in me, and I made a fool out of myself. ”

Duo scratched his head. “I don’t get what you’re saying; she does like you, man! I’ve talked to her about it, and she says she cares about you!”

“Then why the hell was she making out with Wufei?”

“Chang?” Duo’s eyes looked wide enough to bulge out of his head. “Are you serious?”

“What does it look like?” Heero mumbled. He raked a hand through his hair.

“You look miserable to me. I’m pretty miffed myself… Wufei? Man! Who would’ve thought?” Duo shook his head. “He’s probably the last guy I’d ever peg to go after Relena.”

“Thank you for stating the obvious,” Heero snapped.

“My pleasure,” Duo quipped. “Now what are you going to do about it?”

Heero shrugged. “There’s nothing I can do.”

“Well, you’re not gonna just sit back and watch as Wufei romances your girl, are you?” Duo wagged a finger at Heero. “If you do, that’s just plain stupid.”

“She’s not my girl.”

“Of course she is! She has been from day one!” Heero merely raised an eyebrow as Duo rushed on. “When we first met, I saw the way you looked at her, all googily-eyed, when she ripped up her dress to wrap the gunshot wounds I gave you. Remember that?”

Heero rolled his eyes. “Yes…”

“And that time she followed you all the way to the school we were hiding in; she showed up outta nowhere, and you looked pretty happy about it.”

“Huh? I did?” Heero’s eyes widened momentarily, then narrowed back into place. “No I didn’t.”

“Whatever, pal—you weren’t fooling me! Then there was that time right before the last battle, when we were on Peacemillion and I told you Relena was on the Libra, and you were all, ‘she is?’, in that cute little gruff tone you use when you try to hide what a nice guy you really are, when we all know—”

“Point taken, Duo,” Heero cut him off.

“And then you rushed off to rescue her, and you guys were making out for hours in some remote part of the ship, and one thing led to another, and—”

“Duo!” Heero was gripping the vid-phone so hard, he thought it might snap in two.

“Okay, okay! Sheesh! You don’t have to go getting all mad when you know very well that I’m right.”

“Partially,” Heero allowed, relaxing his grip on the phone. “But we did not make out on Libra. End of story.”

“Okay, maybe not full-on making out, but there was at least some kissing, right?”

“Duo…” Heero warned.

His braided friend sighed. “Fine. We’d better get back to this whole Wufei thing anyway. Was Relena really making out with him, or were you just exaggerating?”

“I went to the kitchen, where I heard Relena was, to give her those stupid flowers you insisted I bring… And I walked in right when Wufei kissed her.”

“And…?”

Heero frowned. “And what?”

“Did she kiss him back, or not?”

Heero’s eyebrows knit together as he thought back. “Yeah…” He answered slowly. “Kind of.”

“Kind of? You can’t kind of kiss someone; you either do, or you don’t.”

Anger boiled inside Heero. “You can kind of kiss someone, and she kind of kissed him. Okay?”

“Yeah, right.” Duo waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t buy it.”

“Dammit, Duo…” Heero balled one of his fists.

“Give me an example of kind of kissing, then, so I know what the heck you’re talking about.”

All Heero could think about was the almost-kiss he and Relena had shared months ago. Their lives had been in danger, and he had been nervous as hell. He’d tried to hide that as she moved past him, but his emotions had gotten the best of him. He grabbed her hands with one of his and pulled her against him. She’d looked up at him, blue eyes full of unanswered questions, and he was rendered helpless. He wanted to kiss her. He’d thought about it nonstop since they sat side by side in the shuttle he’d piloted earlier, and she’d rested her head on his shoulder. As she fell asleep beside him, she looked like an angel. It struck Heero that he didn’t want to get off that shuttle, didn’t want to ever leave his seat.

It’s not a dream, is it? Relena had spoken softly. That you’re here by my side?

Knowing that she, of all people, actually wanted him near her touched him more deeply than he could admit. As they stood facing one another later, knowing the colony they were on was about to explode, all Heero could focus on were Relena’s eyes… eyes that had haunted him for the past year; eyes he could spend forever looking into. They conveyed her anxiety, as well as her shock that he was actually touching her. He lowered his lips to hers, and the only words he could muster were, “Relena…I…”

Their lips were about to connect when Quatre called out to them, breaking the spell. Heero dropped Relena’s hands, and she hurried off, calling something about hoping to see him again soon. Heero could only nod curtly in response and run to his own shuttle.

And that was it. He didn’t see her again until the infamous Mariemaia incident, when he used Wing Zero’s buster rifle to blast into the shelter Relena was being held captive in. When he finally saw her again, it was only briefly, as he collapsed into her arms. He could barely remember what followed; he recalled opening his eyes briefly to see Relena hovering over him, appearing angelic once more. He realized with a start that his head was resting on her ample chest, and he saw her blush as he nuzzled against her. He couldn’t help himself; she was warm, beautiful, and holding him tightly. He decided then and there, before falling into an exhausted sleep, that he would never stray far from her side.

The following morning, Christmas day, he awoke in a hospital to find Relena asleep in a chair next to his bed. The sound of him stirring woke her, and she was so happy to see him that she’d launched herself into his arms. Heero at last allowed himself to embrace her the way he’d been wanting to for so long, but he couldn’t work up the nerve to kiss her. Relena ended up staying with him for hours, chatting incessantly and sharing an awful hospital meal. Finally, as the day neared its end, they kissed… kind of.

Maybe it was his exhaustion from the battle, or maybe Relena was the cause of his undoing; either way, Heero could not get his act together. He clumsily brushed his lips against hers, bumping their noses and foreheads together awkwardly. In all his life, he had never felt more sloppy or embarrassed. He’d been told he was thorough in everything he did, and he’d been calculating their first kiss for months; how could it have gone so wrong? Relena had pulled away laughing; laughing at him, the perfect-soldier-turned-bumbling-fool. She looked sweet and sincere, reassuring him with a kiss on his cheek, but the damage was done; Heero felt like he’d failed the most important mission of his life.

Presently, Heero felt the insecurities he’d kept bottled rise to the surface. How could he tell Duo that Wufei had succeeded where he had failed? That Heero had kind of kissed Relena before, but that Wufei had just actually kissed her? It drove him nuts that his rival had gotten further with her, in spite of Heero’s history with Relena. He wondered if she had taken that into account while she wrapped her arms around that other ex-soldier.

“Heero? Yoo-hoo! Hello?” Duo rolled his eyes impatiently. “Snap out of it, man.”

Heero shook himself. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“I lost you there for a second,” Duo went on. “You were daydreaming about making out with Relena again, weren’t you?”

“No!” Heero said sharply.

“I guess that means you don’t have an example of kind of kissing to share with me, eh?” Duo chuckled, and Heero scowled at him.

“Cut that out. You’re not helping the situation.”

“Sorry! So, you’ve got to take a step back now and evaluate things. Are you willing to fight Wufei for Relena?”

“Fight?” Heero’s brows knit together. “I…”

“Of course you are! You need to let him—and Relena—know where you stand. But whatever you do, don’t go getting all moody, acting like, well… you.”

“Huh? Duo—”

“Now, I know you don’t like the sound of that, but trust me; you’ve got to lower your defenses a bit… or offenses, in your case.” Duo rubbed his chin as he thought out loud. “Don’t be offensive, got it?”

“Yeah, but I—”

“We don’t know what’s really going on between her and Wufei; all we know is that, somehow, he turned all sweet and sappy and got her romantic little hopes up, and now she’s putty in his hands.”

Heero snarled at this. Duo prattled on, unabashed.

“Wu-man’s bringing his A-game, and you’ve gotta step up to the plate... Otherwise, you might lose her.”

Heero’s head started to pound. He was growing weary of this discussion. “Duo, I’m not going to act like a sap just to get her interested. And anyway, it looks like she’s already made up her mind.”

Duo shook his head fervently. “You don’t know that! Maybe she was just being polite when he kissed her because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Doesn’t that sound like something Relena would do?”

“Yeah,” Heero mused. “It does.” Did she do that with me? He wondered.

“You can’t give up this early in the game,” Duo was saying.

“Could you stop with the sports analogies already?”

“Only if you’re willing to play hardball.” Duo winked at him. He only smirked at the steely glare Heero was giving him. Finally, Heero caved.

“Fine,” he lamented. “What should I do?”

“If I were you, I’d sabotage every romantic thing Wufei tries to do for Relena so that he ends up looking like a jerk. Then, I’d swoop in to pick up the pieces. She’s yours, just like that.” Duo emphasized his point by snapping his fingers.

Heero shook his head. “That’s disingenuous. I couldn’t do that to her. She’d see right through me, anyway.”

“Disin… what? Can you please use English when you talk to me?”

“I’m not going to lie, Duo. Period.”

“All right, then; if you’re gonna be difficult, we’ll just have to think of something else.”

Heero squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. “I’ve had enough of your ideas. I can handle myself.”

Duo laughed. “Yeah, right! No offense, but you oughta leave this one to someone who knows a thing or two about love. I happen to be an expert.”

“Hardly,” Heero snorted.

“Like you have any room to talk? Take it from the one who’s actually getting laid here, buddy.” Duo grinned broadly.

Heero grimaced. “I’ll pretend I didn’t just hear that.”

“See? That’s your problem—you have issues about sex… the main one being that you’re not getting any.”

“Duo,” Heero resumed his warning tone. “We’re not discussing this.”

“But you and Rel—”

“Drop it.” Heero heard footsteps from around the corner, heading his way. “End of discussion.”

“But wait—”

Heero didn’t wait; he snapped his vid-phone shut and slipped it into his back pocket. He had learned that the most effective way to terminate a conversation with Duo was to do so forcefully.

He decided to head back to the kitchen to clean up the mess he’d made with the flowers. The image of Wufei practically entangling himself with Relena crept back into Heero’s mind. He chased it away furiously; thinking about it sickened him.

As he rounded the corner, a smaller form plowed into him. He caught the tumbling female figure, a ball of blonde fury, and held her steadily. He knew instantly it was Relena, but said nothing. Instead he just stood there, holding onto her a beat longer than necessary before stepping back.

“Heero!” Relena gasped as she looked up at him. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to run into you like that.”

“I’m fine,” he muttered. He started walking away from her.

“Heero, wait…” She grabbed his arm, then pulled back shyly. He stopped in his tracks and waited for her to speak. “I just wanted you to know that… that I’m really glad to see you again.” She placed her hand back on his arm and squeezed gently. “It’s been a while.”

Heero stifled a laugh. “Yeah, five whole minutes. I saw you in the kitchen,” he snarled. To his satisfaction, Relena’s face paled.

“That was you?” She asked softly.

“Uh-huh.” Heero crossed his arms over his chest; for some reason, he felt defensive. To Relena, he looked like an injured child waiting for a band-aid and a kiss to make it better. She smiled.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, but it really wasn’t what it looked like…”

“Hn. I don’t believe that by a mile,” he snapped.

“Wufei and I are just friends, really,” Relena rushed on. “I mean, we’re still getting to know each other, and—”

“What makes you think I care?” Heero interjected. “You can do whatever you want; you don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

Relena looked shell-shocked. “I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I just thought…”

“Forget it.” Heero pushed past her, his shoulder brushing against hers. “I have some Preventer business to attend to. Perhaps you should find Wufei and get to know him some more.” He was throwing Relena’s words back in her face, and she winced at the sting it gave her.

“Heero…” He was down the hallway and out of sight before she could stop him.

In spite of his harsh words, seeing Relena had softened Heero. He decided to go clean up the mess he’d made in the kitchen earlier. Upon entering, he was stunned to see Wufei still sitting at the table, beer in hand, sulking.

Wufei’s head snapped up when he saw Heero enter the room. Their eyes locked, and Wufei felt a wave a shame wash over him. He dared not look his one-time adversary in the eye, but he couldn’t tear himself away.

Heero looked down at the floor, only to see that his mess had already been cleared. This left him no reason to stick around, but he couldn’t leave without confronting Wufei. He leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his arms.

“Aren’t you a little young to be drinking?” Heero motioned to the beer bottle.

Wufei cocked an eyebrow. “We were a little young to be warriors, too, but that didn’t stop us.”

“Hn.” Heero nodded sagely. “Good point.” He crossed the room to where the Chinese Preventer was sitting. “Wufei,” he said, lowering himself into a chair. “We’re friends… right?”

Wufei laughed dryly. “I don’t know. Apparently, you doubt that.”

“If I doubt,” Heero replied, “it’s because you’ve given me reason to.”

Wufei jerked his head up. “Listen, Heero, if this is about our battle…”

“Why would it be?” Heero was looking at Wufei expectantly, who only gave him a blank expression in response.

“But aren’t you angry at what I did?”

Heero closed his eyes. “What would be the point? You did what you thought was right at the time. You were following your emotions. I can’t blame you for that.”

Wufei’s eyes widened momentarily; then he relaxed, leaning back in his chair. “Hmm. I guess you’re right. Well, you’ve just lifted a burden off me.”

Heero’s eyes opened, and he smirked at Wufei. He almost looked like he would laugh. “Really,” he muttered. It was a statement, not a question. “I would think someone with as much pride as you wouldn’t care what anyone thought… least of all what I thought.” Heero rose to leave.

“That pride you’re talking about…” Wufei began, halting Heero’s steps. “I’ve been trying to empty myself of it for some time now.”

“Hn. Good for you.” Heero turned his back to him, indicating their conversation was over, but Wufei continued.

“Heero, were you the one you dropped the flowers earlier?”

Heero’s face fell, so he didn’t turn around. “Yeah,” he responded flatly.

“So you saw me with Relena?”

“Uh-huh.”

Wufei squared his shoulders. “Relena thought it was you. She took the liberty of cleaning up after you, by the way.” He took a few steps toward where Heero stood. “I have to know… Is it really that big of a shock, Relena Darlian with someone like me? Do you think everyone will react that way when they find out?”

Wufei doesn’t know… about me and Relena, Heero realized. He felt a sudden pang in his chest. If he didn’t hold the Gundam battle against Wufei, how could he hold the kiss against him? He could, however, be angry at Relena; after all, Heero had all but declared his feelings for her months ago. What could she be thinking?

After an awkward silence, Heero answered Wufei’s query. “I don’t know what anyone else will say, but I don’t think they’ll be expecting it… I wasn’t.”

“So that’s why you ran out like that,” Wufei surmised.

Heero squeezed his eyes shut. The image of Relena slipping her arms around Wufei’s neck came back to haunt him. “I… didn’t want to interrupt.”

Wufei chuckled. “Next time I’ll tie on a sock on the door.” He brushed past Heero and gave him a small smile. “Guess I’ll see you around the ship.” With that, he exited the kitchen.

Heero’s eyes narrowed to angry slits. There isn’t going to be a next time, he thought heatedly. I’ll see to it. He reached for his vid-phone and dialed Duo’s number.

“Duo,” he said when the bat avatar appeared on his screen. “We’ve got work to do…”

Part Deux!

2006-08-01T18:29:10Z

Summer is slipping away faster than I can grasp it. I'm excited about going back to school, but I love just lazing around in the heat, reading, watching movies, and working on my stories. Soon the free time I have will be devoured by a very hectic school schedule (18 credits!), work, and possibly cheerleading (I'm on the fence about whether or not to participate this year). That's why I'm trying to write as many fan fiction stories as I can before summer's end. Also, I've started drawing my own 1xR doujinshi. ^_^ I'm so excited about it, but it's taking time away from this lovely little 5xR story that I'm hoping to complete in the next week or two. Next week I'm going on vacay in New Hampshire, and I really want to be done with this story by then!

As much fun as I'm having writing 5xR, 1xR just seems meant to be. D-U-H, most of you are probably thinking. But don't you think Wuffy deserves a chance? Read ahead and see just how sweet he can be... That is, when he wants to... ^_^

Pure Intentions
Chapter Two:
The Princess & The Dragon

Wufei could hardly believe the effect Relena’s impending visit was having on him. Since getting the news from Sally, he had showered and changed twice. He now stood nervously in front of his bathroom mirror, debating whether to wear his hair pulled back or down. He hadn’t worn his hair down in years; for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what made him want to do so now. Perhaps he wanted to show Relena a softer, gentler side of him. He found himself smiling, then immediately scowled at his reflection. You cocky idiot, he chided himself. You’re nothing to her.

Still, he had to admit that his hair looked better down. He glanced over his ensemble one last time—a dark blue button-up shirt with tan slacks and black leather shoes. He looked casual, but not sloppy; sophisticated, but not overdressed. He had seen Relena on TV often enough to know that she preferred this kind of clothing to that of the stuffy aristocratic variety. Besides, there was no need for him to appear in uniform before her now when, according to Sally, the work day was over. Even so, for good measure, Wufei decided to don his Preventer jacket over his shirt. He looked at his reflection approvingly, nodding resolutely at the determined face he met in the mirror. It was time.

He headed for the bridge of the Aventinus, where he caught Sally just beginning to give Relena a tour of the ship. He couldn’t help it—his breath caught when he saw her. There she stood, blonde hair flowing around her shoulders, in an elegant lilac-colored power suit and high black heels. She looked every bit the perfect politician, or even like a movie star trying to appear astute and dignified, but his mind’s eye saw her differently. To him, she could be the pretty, popular cheerleader from just about any high school on earth or in the colonies, the kind of girl an entire school would rally around. And indeed, the whole world had rallied around her. Wufei checked himself mentally. And men everywhere were undoubtedly clamoring to be with her. What am I thinking, approaching her like this? Yet like a moth drawn to a flame, he couldn’t help himself. Feigning a confident stride, he walked over to where she stood.

“Miss Darlian,” he said, amusement twinkling behind his seemingly haughty tone. “I hear you’ve traded your high-class living to be on board with us for a couple of days.”

Type your cut contents here.

His teasing took Relena by surprise, and it showed. She quickly recovered from her initial shock to grace him with a smile. A rather beautiful smile, he thought.

“Chang Wufei,” was all she said. She extended her right hand, which he took in his own immediately. “I’m happy to see you again. It’s been ages, I think.”

He stood there dumbfounded, still clutching her hand, marveling at how small and soft it was. A memory of his late wife, Meiran, flickered across his mind; her hands had been just as petite, though somewhat rough in comparison. Relena’s skin felt like silk, and Wufei swore he felt the oxygen draining from his brain.

Relena was looking up at him expectantly, and he wasn’t sure why. He was enjoying the fact that, even in heels, she was a few inches shorter than him, when he realized he was still grasping her hand. Tightly. He let it drop and redness colored his face.

“I… it’s good to see you, too.” He jammed both of his hands into his jacket pocket. To his chagrin, Relena actually laughed. She had noticed his embarrassment and found it endearing. Wufei was practically floored when Relena laced her arm through his.

“You’re so different than when I saw you last,” she said cheerily. “Perhaps you’ll join us as Sally shows me around? I’m sure you could add a thing or two about the Aventinus, since it’s practically your home.”

“I, uh… I’d be happy to,” he finished lamely. Happy to? Ugh. I’m such a fool! Mentally he was screaming at himself, but he kept his cool as he led Relena around, much to Sally’s amusement. Wufei swore that he could see Sally’s eyes glinting mischievously. He could only pray that she wouldn’t start laughing at him again.

After Relena had seen most of the ship, Sally suggested that she get something to eat. She directed Relena to the mess hall.

“The grill’s closed for the night, but the kitchen's open twenty-four hours. Certain night owls prefer it that way…” She coughed as she said, “Wufei.” He tightened his eyes at her, but said nothing. He refused to start one of his many bickers with Sally while Relena was right there.

Sally continued, “Why don’t you help Relena find something, Wufei?” She looked at him pointedly. Relena noticed a silent communication pass between the pair, but couldn’t discern what either might be thinking. Amazingly, words seemed to pass between their eyes, as if they could read each other’s thoughts. She was wondering if the two of them were a secret item when she heard Wufei sigh.

“All right,” he relented. “Let’s go.” He spun his heel and led Relena down the hallway. She shot Sally a quizzical look, but the Preventer only smiled back teasingly.

“Have fun, you two!” Sally called. Wufei waited until they had passed her before rolling his eyes. Relena caught his annoyed his expression and laughed.

“You two are really good friends, aren’t you? I can tell.”

“Huh?” Wufei cocked his head to look at her. “Are you serious? Sally? We work long hours together and nearly drive one another insane. I hardly think that qualifies as a friendship.”

“Of course it does! It’s the best kind.” Her eyes danced up at him.

Wufei shook his head. “I guess there’s a lot about you I don’t understand. You think arguing with someone makes them a good friend?”

“Yes. You probably wouldn’t be so gruff with a perfect stranger, would you? People usually act the most themselves when they’re with family or close friends. Sally’s someone you can let your hair down around.” She grinned at him, taking in his loose black locks. “Literally.”

Wufei had almost forgotten that he’d changed his hairstyle at the last second. “Oh, that. It’s nothing. I usually wear my hair b—” Why am I talking about this? His thoughts cut through his babbling. “Ah, forget it.”

Relena giggled. “I’m sorry; I don’t mean to poke fun. I’m just used to you always being so business-like. But I like seeing you like this; you’re more real to me now.”

Heat crept up his neck. “More… real?” What on earth could she mean by that? He fumbled mentally to change the subject. Thankfully, they had just reached the kitchen. “Can I offer you something to eat?”

“Well, I’m not very hungry. Something small would be fine.” She settled herself down at the kitchen table and folded her hands in her lap, waiting. Wufei gaped at her. Did she really expect him to serve her, just like that? She had been the queen of the world, he knew, but he still had a lot of pride as a former Gundam pilot and the strongest of the Chang clan. He smirked at her.

“I suppose you expect me to fix you something, your highness?”

Her smile faded. “Well, you just offered…”

Hah! He had her. Or did he? Wufei realized he’d just foiled himself. All he could do in response was grin at her like an idiot. “I did, didn’t I? I just find this predicament amusing.”

Relena’s smile reappeared. “I think,” she said, leveling him with a cool gaze, “that you find everything amusing.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t think you catch my meaning.”

She raised an eyebrow, a challenge in her eyes. “Try me.”

He sighed. “Here we are, a retired soldier and former queen of… well, everything. Your politics rocked my world, and now you’re in my kitchen, waiting to be fed. It’s all so strange… surreal.”

He didn’t expect his words to shock Relena; he thought perhaps she’d be amused as well. Then again, he realized too late that she wasn’t a cynic like him. She ran a hand through her long, straight hair, staring pensively at the floor. She bit her lip and seemed to be concentrating on what to say. At length, she raised her blue eyes to Wufei. He was stunned to see sadness behind them.

“Is that how it’s really going to be?” she said wistfully. “Finally, the earth and colonies exist in peace, side by side… but you’re still letting the former era dictate your daily life?”

Wufei opened his mouth to say something, then abruptly clamped it shut. Before he could change his mind, he knelt before her and took both of her hands in his.

“Hey,” he said softly. “I didn’t mean to upset you. The truth is, I’ve been following your political career for sometime, so it’s had quite an effect on me. I’m not trying to stay bitter over the events of the war, but it’s been difficult for me to live as anything but a soldier. But that doesn’t mean…” His eyes wandered from her face, down to their entwined hands, and back up to her eyes. “Please, don’t take my words so seriously. You’ll just have to excuse the way I voice my thoughts at times. I’m still… trying to find myself in this new age.”

Relena drew in a breath, and Wufei waited for her to speak. He didn’t know that his words had reminded her of Heero. She was wondering how that particular soldier was handling the new age he’d helped her bring about. Was he as cynical about it as Wufei? Did he blame Relena for his lack of purpose, even jokingly? She realized Wufei was still waiting for her to speak, so she forced a smile.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so used to making speeches that, every time someone states their opinion, I seem to treat it as an opportunity for a political debate.” She shrugged one of her delicate shoulders. “Will you forgive me?” She glanced down at him through long, dark lashes and waited.

He found himself smiling back. “There’s nothing to forgive. I’m afraid I was the devil’s advocate, in this case. I’ll try to watch what I say from now on.” He released her hands, somewhat reluctant to let go of their softness, and stood.

“So… I assume you’re still hungry. In all seriousness… can I get you something?”

Anhour later, they were still sitting at the kitchen table. Their serious conversation from earlier had given way to teasing and laughter. Wufei had experienced plenty of banter with Sally, but he had never felt so at ease with anyone as he did with Relena. He sensed that she was skilled at making people feel comfortable; of course, as a world leader, she would have to be.

“How do you do it?” He mused out loud. He hadn’t meant to, but it had slipped out. He colored, but Relena didn’t seem to notice; or, if she had, she pretended not to.

“Do what, exactly?”

Wufei struggled to think of an articulate response. “How is it that someone so young can shoulder so much responsibility?”

Relena stifled a laugh. “What made you think of that? Weren’t we just in the middle of making fun of Duo?”

Wufei found himself laughing with her. “I know, it’s random. I guess I was just thinking about how you’re so good at making people feel at ease. I chalk it up to your political skills, and wonder how you learned that so quickly.”

Relena folded her hands thoughtfully. “I was raised in the political arena, you know… practically thrust into the spotlight my whole life. Should it surprise you that I know the protocol?”

He shrugged. “I was raised to be a warrior, but spent most of my life trying to be otherwise.”

Surprise crossed her features. “Really? But you’re so…”

He cocked his head at her, frowning. “What?”

She leaned forward and poked his arm. “Aggressive. Vindictive. Righteously angry.”

Wufei seemed to grow distant for a moment. Then he leaned forward, too, scooting his chair closer to hers. “The war… changed my priorities.”

Relena’s chair inched toward his. “How so?”

“You… want to know the whole story?” He asked. She nodded eagerly. Wufei finally allowed himself to delve into the story he had only previously shared with Sally. He told Relena of his upbringing on L5, of his resistance to fighting in favor of his private schooling, of his love for books and knowledge over martial arts. Hesitantly, he filled her in on his brief, arranged marriage, and how the loss of Meiran had turned him into an embittered warrior. He rushed through the story, leaving Relena wide-eyed and breathless.

“Well, then,” he murmured. “Perhaps now you see why I have trouble fitting in these days. I still don’t know what my place is.”

“Oh, Wufei…” Relena rested a hand atop his. “If only I had known this sooner; I would have been more understanding.”

He shrugged off her sympathy. “It’s not your fault. I don’t go around sharing this stuff, you know.” He offered her a small smile. “You should feel honored that I breathed a word of it to you.”

Her eyes were swimming with emotion. “You’ve been through so much. Why is it you don’t hate me for uprooting you from your life as a Gundam pilot when that was all you had left?”

Wufei squeezed her hand. “Do you regret the decisions you’ve made, Relena?”

She drew in a sharp breath. “No…” She shook her head solemnly. “Even though I know some of those have hurt other people, I… I can’t take anything back. Overall, I did my best to help the greater good. And even though it may not always seem like it, you and all the other Gundam pilots and ex-soldiers are better off living out your lives in peace now.” Her blue eyes looked at him profoundly, a look that pierced his soul. “Do you regret supporting my decisions?”

This time, he was the one to shake his head. “Not at all,” he answered.

She blinked. “Why is that? What gave you a change of heart?” She was astounded when Wufei moved his face close to hers, tipping her chin up with his fingers.

“After losing my wife, my family, my friends, my… home,” he began, “I know what it is to live an empty life, bereft of feeling. And I don’t wanna live that way anymore. Lena…” The nickname stunned Relena, and she let out a small gasp as Wufei’s hands cupped her face. “You’ve had more of an impact on me than you even know,” he went on. “I need to be close to you, to absorb whatever it is that gives you such goodness. Then, perhaps, I can better understand these times.”

“Wufei…” Relena found herself closing her eyes.

Wufei closed the remaining distance between them, pressing his lips firmly against hers. Relena’s head was spinning; she didn’t know whether she should kiss him back or not. He had opened up to her so much, and he was surprisingly sweet. And his kiss was so strong and sure… Before Relena could stop herself, her arms were wrapped around his neck, and the kiss deepened. Then, suddenly, a loud crash reverberated off the kitchen walls.

Wufei and Relena abruptly tore themselves away from one another. Shards of broken glass littered the tile floor, swimming in a puddle of water with a scattered bouquet of white roses.

Relena looked around frantically and saw a dark shock of hair disappear around the corner. Her heart slammed into her stomach.

“Damn it!” Wufei was surveying the mess. “Where did all this come from?”

“Oh my God,” Relena moaned, burying her face in her hands. “Heero!”

Pure Intentions

2006-07-26T17:05:16Z

I've decided to post the 5xR story I've been working on for, oh, the past month or so. It's called Pure Intentions, and is currently posted on both fanfiction.net and blissfulignorance.com. But for those of you too lazy to head over there and look me up, you can just check it out here. So far I've completed three chapters and am currently trying to write the fourth. If you have any ideas about where this should go, please let me know! I've done very little planning for this story, which is both a good and a bad thing; I like when the characters take me for a ride, so long as it doesn't get out of control. o_O Without further adieu, here is chapter one. Enjoy! And if you read it, please take the time to review. Thanks! (Wufei and Relena picture courtesy of orphen_kitten)

Pure Intentions

After the events of Endless Waltz, Wufei is reluctant to ever face Heero again... Especially when Heero learns about Wufei's feelings for Relena. Will the perfect soldier finally crack? Or will he let the dragon steal away his princess?

Chapter One: The Lovelorn Dragon

Chang Wufei draped his black Preventer jacket over the back of his chair and sighed. “Well, Sally,” he muttered to himself, “another day, another dollar.” The muscles in his back twitched, and he reached a hand back to massage his neck. He surveyed the dark room and flipped on his desk light. Were it not for his presence, the Preventer offices onboard the group’s ship, the Aventinus, would be abandoned. That suited Wufei fine; he liked working late, and often made a habit of it. It kept his mind off of other things, namely the events before and during the Eve Wars that still haunted him.

A year after the wars’ bloody conclusion, the fragile peace he and the other Gundam pilots had worked tirelessly to attain had been threatened by Mariemaia’s appearance in the political arena. Wufei had bought into the lies of Dekim Barton to give soldiers like him a purpose in life, and wound up facing Heero Yuy, saviour of earth, on the battlefield. It was not an incident Wufei liked to remember.

He hadn’t seen Heero since the humiliating affront months ago, nor did he want to. Even the thought of it was more than he could stand. Wufei slammed a fist on his desk. That Yuy, he thought. He saved the world again. People are gonna keep falling all over themselves around him. Especially...

He flicked on his computer screen to reveal an image of Relena Darlian, Vice Foreign Minister of the Earth Sphere United Nation, smiling as she gave one of her many speeches on peace.

…Her.

A sharp rap on the door interrupted his thoughts. “Wufei?” he heard Sally call. “Are you in there?”

“Yeah,” he answered half-heartedly. He heard the door creak open, but didn’t bother to look up.

“Staying after hours again, I see,” she teased, walking toward his desk.

“There are no after hours for Preventers,” Wufei retorted more sharply than he meant to. “We work whenever we’re needed.”

“I realize that,” Sally answered more softly, clucking her tongue. “But your team did a great job uncovering all that data today, so I think you deserve a rest. Go on, get out of here; you’ve more than earned it.”

Wufei felt his shoulders sag as he continued to stare blankly at the screen in front of him. The image’s pixels seemed to blend together into one large, pink blob. His head started to droop.

“Really, Wufei, you should go get some sleep.” He felt Sally’s hand on his shoulder and bolted up.

“I’m fine,” he snapped. Without another word, he switched off the computer monitor and stalked out of the room. Sally stayed behind, shaking her head.

“That guy’s been in this funk for weeks,” she murmured. “I wonder what’s set him off now?”

Wufei could hear the concern in her voice, but kept walking to his quarters. He wasn’t fine, and he knew it; he was never fine. He could ignore his memories, his emotions, when he was in the middle of an assignment; but afterward, when he was alone, he couldn’t face the silence. Emptiness ate at him, creating a void in his being.

“Agh!” He cried, once again slamming a fist into an inanimate object. “There’s gotta be something worth fighting for!”

And, once again, as if on cue, he heard another knock on his door.

“Wufei,” Sally was trying again. “I know you really don’t want to talk right now, but I have something important to tell you.”

He sighed, but forced himself to open the door. He had no reason to be angry with Sally, anyway—none of this was her fault. She stood in the open doorway, light brown hair pulled back, smiling at him.

“What is it?” He asked in as personable a tone as he could manage.

“Vice Foreign Minister Darlian has arranged for us to receive a government grant from ESUN. She’s coming here personally to see our operations up close. I thought you should know that I’ve invited her to spend a few days with us on the ship. She should be here later tonight.”

Despite his efforts to conceal his surprise, Wufei’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “Relena Darlian? Are you serious?”

Sally cracked a tiny smile. “Am I detecting a more than professional interest in her? Or is this purely political?” She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for his reply.

“What?” Wufei’s dark eyes widened. “You know I have no interest in politics, Sally. And as for any other kinds of interest…” He smirked. “I barely know the girl. So I really don’t know what you’re getting at here.”

Sally rolled her eyes. “I’m more astute than you think, Wufei. And I’m a woman. We may be the ‘weaker’ sex, but we definitely have instincts for this kind of thing.”

“Huh?” Wufei shook his head. “I still don’t know what you’re talking about… and I don’t think I want to, either. Just let me know when Miss Darlian arrives and I’ll do my best to accommodate her… all right?” He looked pointedly at Sally. She met his stern gaze with an unwavering one of her own, as if waiting for him to admit something. Finally, she relented with a sigh.

“All right, all right. You can keep living in denial all you want. But I bet that, when Relena gets here, you won’t just do your best to accommodate her—you’ll trip over yourself trying to.” She leveled Wufei with a mischievous grin.

Wufei all but slammed his door on her. “We’ll see about that. I’m telling you, I have nothing but pure intentions. Now just drop it, okay?” Before Sally could answer, he shut his door. It was all Sally could do not to laugh out loud. She walked away biting her lip, one hand clutched over her stomach. She didn’t even make it down the hall before she burst into giggles.

Wufei could hear her from his room, and anger welled up inside of him again. Or was it anger? He was full of emotions, but he couldn’t place them. All he knew was that Sally’s merciless teasing about Relena was driving him crazy. She was implying that he had a crush on her; a silly, teenage crush. What does Sally know about anything? He thought incredulously. His eyes narrowed. Just because she’s older and a former Alliance officer doesn’t give her the right to be so condescending. I fought my battles hard, too, even harder than she did. So why does she still treat me like I’m a child?

His thoughts turned to Relena. “And what about her?” he mused aloud. “Wonder what she thinks of me… after I turned on her ‘hero’ and all.”

A few short hours later, Wufei would find out. After a dinner meeting with some colony representatives, Relena arrived on the Aventinus.

“Wow,” she breathed as she surveyed the state-of-the-art vessel. “This is the first time I’ve seen your new ship. It must aid you well on your missions.”

“Having a ship definitely helps,” Sally said with a small chuckle. “And with this grant of yours, we’ll be able to hire more hands, maybe even start working on another ship.”

Relena beamed at her. “I’m so glad I could help.” She gestured to the ship with an outstretched arm. “So, where did you get this one from?”

Sally surprised her by laughing. “That’s a funny story, actually. Duo collected discarded mobile suit armor from his scrap yard. Quatre donated funds so we could buy more parts, and then Duo, Trowa, and Heero all helped build it.”

Relena’s dark lashes fluttered. “Heero?”

Sally lowered her eyes. Of course, she’s still stuck on him, she thought. Poor Wufei.

“That’s right,” she answered Relena. “He’s pitched in with a few Preventer assignments here and there; other than that, I haven’t seen him much. Duo says he’s been hanging around with him on L2 quite a bit. I think they’ve been going to school together."

Relena smiled warmly. “That’s so good to hear.”

“Yeah,” Sally continued. “I hear he’s… different now.”

One of Relena’s eyebrows crept upward. “Who—Duo, or Heero?”

“Heero, of course. Duo’s the same happy-go-lucky guy as ever. But Heero…” Sally’s eyes darted across the room. She leaned toward Relena and whispered conspiratorially. “Duo says he… whistles.”

Relena gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “No…” She giggled. “That can’t be true. I mean, Heero’s capable of doing amazing things, but… whistling?” She shook her head firmly. “I just can’t see it. That’s not the Heero I know.”

Sally threw her head back and laughed. “It’s not the Heero anyone knows. Then again, who really knows him? He’s always been an enigma.”

Relena sighed. “You’re right. I guess, deep down, he really is a kindhearted person… who likes to whistle.” She placed a hand over her face and laughed again. “Oh, I can’t believe it! I’m going to have to investigate this myself to find out if it’s true. Do you think Wufei would know anything about it?”

Abruptly, Sally stopped laughing. “Wufei… hasn’t seen Heero since the Mariemaia incident.”

“Oh…” Understanding dawned on Relena, and she nodded. “I suppose that makes sense. I’d better not pry, then.”

“Well, he seems anxious to see you, so maybe he’s gotten past the whole Heero thing.”

“What? Wufei’s… anxious to see me?” Relena’s wide-eyed stare showed her disbelief. “I’ve always thought that he can’t stand me… I mean, he has good reason to dislike me; I’m part of the reason former soldiers like him struggle to find meaning in their lives.”

Sally let out a low whistle. “Wow. You really are on top of things, aren’t you? You seem to understand the perspectives of so many different people affected by the war and resulting peace.”

Relena flashed another smile at her. “That’s very kind, Sally, but it’s part of my job description to try to understand people. Besides, the next time I see Heero…” Her eyes held a far away expression. “I want to let him know that I’m doing my best for him.”

Sally winced. She really has it bad for that guy, doesn’t she? I wonder how Wufei will take it?

A deep thought...

2006-07-24T21:18:55Z

I'm feeling deep and pensive today. Is anyone familiar with this quote from Ronald Reagan? Well, Ronald Reagan once said that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." I disagree. I think the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: "I have a chainsaw, and I'm gonna kill you."

So there you have it. Any thoughts?

SuckyBack

2006-07-21T18:26:16Z

For those of you who didn't know, Justin Timberlake is bringing "sexy back." Or so he says, vis-à-vis his latest song. My question is, can it really be called a song? Or is it just a bad David Bowie impersonation looped over the same redundant baseline and Mortal Kombat-style synthesizers?

I love how all these pop stars like to pontificate about how their brand of bland will change the face of pop music. Change it from what, exactly? Cheerily manufactured to blissfully manufactured? Our friend JT claims that he has a "platform" to change where music is headed. He said that "SexyBack" sounds like David Bowie and David Byrne (who?) covering James Brown's "Sex Machine." I differ; I think it sounds like David Bowie drunk as a skunk. And on crack. With that other David guy yelling drunken expletives in the background. Thinking they're singing "Sex Machine," but really singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm." On crack.

Please, Justin Timberfake, leave David Bowie alone. What did he ever do to you? I'd rather listen to Paris Hilton attempting to sound like Gwen Stefani ("Stars Are Blind." No duh; they don't have eyes), or Jessica Simpson trying to be Madonna ("A Public Affair" that has absolutely nothing to do with an extramarital affair leading to her divorce from Nick Cliché), any day. Provided I have enough booze to get me through it.

By the way, JT's album title is FutureSex/LoveSounds. If anyone can decipher that for me, I'll gladly share my booze. Aha! An epiphany... the booze is probably the key to understanding that title. So, the next time I have some Goldschläger, I bet I'll be pretty freaking enlightened.

Writing stories, songs... my brain is gonna explode!

2006-07-07T14:30:47Z

A fan fiction update: I'm currently working on a 5xR fic. o_O I know, it pretty much defies everything I stand for! It's actually got some 1xR moments, too, or I wouldn't be the writer that I am. Still, I posted the fic in the Alternatives forum on Blissful Ignorance, and it's getting almost zero attention. :( I really want to post it in the 1xR forum because of where the story's going, but I don't know if I can do that because I spend so much time in Wufei's head... Arrghhh! *Screaming in frustration; one of the many things Wu-man and I have in common!* Fighting my writing muses makes me feel so... empty afterward.

Anyway, my story's called "Pure Intentions," for lack of a better title... Actually, that title's kind of grown on me. It's supposed to be ironic. I used to suck at irony, but now I think I've got a pretty good handle on it. Por ejemplo, "a traffic jam when you're already late," and "a 'no smoking' sign on your cigarette break" are pretty poor uses of irony. Too bad nobody told that to Alanis Morisette... and too bad (for struggling singer/songwriters like me, at least) she was actually able to craft a hit song showcasing her poor understanding of irony. Isn't it ironic?

Speaking of singing and songwriting... my little "band" is playing a coffee house tonight. That means free food and coffee, two of my favourite things in life... it also means opening for another local band I've never heard of. =/ It's okay, no one's heard of me, either. We're all in the same proverbial boat here. I'm actually nervous about playing some of my songs tonight, one of which I wrote only a week ago. I feel like we're a tad under-practiced... I just hope the audience doesn't notice. -_-' I'm not worried about Amber (the better half of our folk/country duo and my subsequent partner in crime), because she sounds amazing even when she's screwing up. She plays violin, which is an instrument people around here aren't used to hearing with guitar much; since they don't really understand country and bluegrass music, they can't really judge it or tell when it sounds good or bad. ^.^ Believe me, we use it to our advantage! I'm not gonna lie, though; I think we sound pretty good. I'm just praying for no major screw-ups on my end; sometimes I get nervous and flub my strumming a bit. Eeek! I'm psyching myself out! It's gonna be awesome, and we're gonna rock the house! Yee-haw! There, I feel better now... ^_^

Gundam SEED!

2006-06-29T12:21:19Z

Well, I didn't end up having any margaritas the other night... Oh, well. I can live without them; at least until Saturday, when I'm throwing Zack a surprise party. I got a bunch of his best guy friends together, and we're going to kidnap him and drag him to Dave and Buster's. Woot! It'll be sooo much fun! ^_^

In other news, I decided to watch Gundam Seed recently so I could find out what everyone (okay, at least everyone in my little Gundam circle) was talking about. Zack warned me that it was better than Gundam Wing, which I declared to be impossible... but let me just say that Mu La Flaga did, in fact, "make the impossible possible!" I bawled my eyes out while watching this show! It was just... incredible... ohhh, there really are no words. But if you haven't seen the show, I strongly recommend that you rectify that as soon as possible! Gundam Seed, to me, takes elements from every good Gundam series, but does it one better. There are places where Gundam Wing seriously lacks raw human emotion and has a twisted and convulated plot... In comparison, Gundam Seed is like a valentine to the fans. It's beautiful. It's brilliant. I think I'm still crying over it... *sob* Excuse me while I regain my composure... :)

I... must... imbibe... _

2006-06-27T21:25:25Z

I haven't updated in, like, what... a week? I dunno. I figured I was due though. Today's my boyfriend Zack's birthday (he's 21!). We're about seven months apart (I turned 21 last November), and I made him this little promise that I would wait to drink again until he could legally drink (I owed it to him after a particularly tipsy St. Patrick's Day we spent with some friends, when he was our reluctant designated driver). So that means I can finally have a margarita tonight! Woot! *_*

And my fellow 1xR fans reading this are probably like, "and we care, why?" Good point. A change of subject is in order. So, here's some fanfic news... I've given myself too many little projects to work on and am a bit overwhelmed. So, for the sake of my sanity, I'm going to continue turning out oneshots for now... They're usually quick and painless, and they're great practice to boot! My chapter stories will have to wait. I'm working on one about Relena and her daughter that brings tears to my eyes... but, it will have to wait, along with my sequel to my action/adventure romance, "Kismet or Chaos." Also, I have this action story I started co-writing with my cousin (Heachan, on ff.net) years ago called "At All Costs" that I never finished; she wrote her own ending, but I never came up with a satisfying conclusion. The story's been nagging the back of my mind for years now. So, does anyone have any suggestions for curing writer's block? My advice is always, "sit down and force yourself to write," but that doesn't always work... especially when you're as lazy as I am!

On that note, I'm off to drive to Zack's house... Margaritaville, here I come! *.*

My Domestic Bliss story

2006-06-16T20:02:53Z

I labored over this for precisely two hours. Without further adieu, I give you my own answer to my 1xR domestic bliss ficcie challenge... (dramatic pause)...

Curtains

Heero Yuy took a break from fixing the pipes beneath the sink to wipe the sweat off his brow. He had been working steadily in the kitchen for the past few hours. The two-story house needed its share of remodeling, and Heero was doing all he could to ensure that everything would work properly. Why Relena had decided to buy a fixer-upper after she turned the Peacecraft castle into an orphanage, he didn’t know; as the former Queen of the World Nation, he figured she could afford to buy any home she wanted.

But I want this house! He remembered her pouting in protest. It’s not that Heero wanted to live in a palace; he just didn’t see what was so special about this dilapidated domicile. Sometimes, he thought to himself, Relena takes her desire to be like “everyone else” a little too far… Lately, she’d grown fond of thrift stores and discount warehouses. Heero shook his head as he lowered himself back under the sink, once again tightening the rusty pipes with his wrench. It didn’t matter how odd some of Relena’s habits were… He had to admit that he was crazy about her.

“Heeeero!” The sound of her voice caught him by surprise, and he jumped up in alert, ready to protect her from any and all danger.

“Damn it!” His quick reflexes caused him to ram his head against the sink’s bottom. Rubbing his head angrily, he raced out of the kitchen and up the old, creaky staircase to see what could possibly be troubling his love.

He found Relena struggling as she attempted to hang new curtains on rods that had seen better days. She teetered haphazardly on a stepping stool, struggling to get the lacy curtains to fit on the rods. Her face was flushed, and she was muttering to herself in frustration.

Heero raised a skeptical eyebrow. “This is your big emergency?”

Relena looked up from fiddling with the lace. “I didn’t say I had an emergency.” She blew out an exaggerated breath, puffing her bangs up. “Really, Heero, you’re so dramatic sometimes." She rolled her eyes.

Heero frowned at her antics. “Then why did you scream for me like something was wrong?”

“Because I just love knowing that you’ll answer my every beck and call,” she replied with a saccharine smile. Now Heero was the one to roll his eyes. “Seriously,” she went on, holding the mismatched curtains and rods out to Heero. “I can’t get these to fit. And since you excel at everything you try your hand at, I figured I’d let you take over from here.” She batted her eyelashes coquettishly, her arms outstretched.

“What makes you think I know anything about curtains?” Heero glowered. “I’m supposed to be doing all of the ‘guy’ jobs in the house… You’re the one with the feminine touch here.”

Relena pouted. “But I can’t figure these out…” She demonstrated her frustration, attempting to fit the too small curtain openings on the rods.

Heero grabbed the curtains away from her. “They’re too small, Relena; you either need to get new curtains or new rods. Or both.”

“But these are antique curtains from my family’s estate! They’ve been passed down from generation to generation. I simply couldn’t bear to replace—”

Rip. Heero looked down sheepishly at the torn curtains in his hands. He hadn’t meant to rip them, but he’d been trying to emphasize to Relena that they simply would not fit. He bristled under the look of rage he saw pass over her face. Just as quickly as it appeared, however, her anger vanished. Relena bit her lip to keep from saying anything she’d regret later, and concentrated on making her face look serene.

“Heero…”

His eyes were downcast. “Sorry…” He mumbled.

“It’s okay.” Relena exhaled slowly. “You’re right about the size… they are too small. I don’t really know what to do now…”

“Do you… want to go shopping for new ones?”

Relena brightened. “Did you say shopping?”

Crap, Heero thought. There goes the rest of the day… He squeezed his eyes shut, resigning himself to his fate. “Yeah, I guess,” he muttered.

Relena beamed at him. “Well, if you insist… I would love to buy new curtains!” She bounced out of the room, leaving the Peacecraft heirlooms on the floor, forgotten. Heero trudged after her, dreading the horrors that lay ahead.

***

After spending close to three hours in Curtain World, Heero rejoiced inwardly when Relena was finally ready to head back home. His arms were weighed down by the bagsful of curtains Relena had cheerfully purchased, and they still had a long walk to their car. Relena had promised the shopping was over for the day, but Heero saw her eyes gleam as she looked in various window displays.

“Ooh, Heero! Look at this!” She cried more than once.

“Yeah, hun, that’s great. Whatever.” Heero never bothered to actually look; he could barely see over the mound of bags he carried.

“You’re not paying attention!” Relena finally noticed. “Don’t you care when I’m talking to you, Heero? Doesn’t anything I say matter?”

It’s times like these when I wish I still carried a gun, Heero lamented to himself.

“Heero!” Relena tugged on his arm for attention, and he had to shift his weight to keep the top bag from falling.

“I’m a little preoccupied here, Relena,” he muttered.

“Oh, I see.” She smiled sweetly. “Then how about you take a little break?”

“Really?” Heero felt relief wash over him.

“Uh-huh… You can sit there on that bench while I go into this thrift store!”

Dear God. Not now. “Relena…”

“Please, Heero? It will only take a minute...”

His eyes narrowed. “That’s what you said three hours ago.”

She leaned closer to him and pecked him on the cheek. “I love you…”

“I know,” he growled. “That’s beside the point.”

“No, it’s not.” She traced a finger along his jaw line. “I’ll make this up to you when we get home…” She gazed up at him, smiling seductively.

Damn. Not her feminine wiles… “All right,” Heero gave in.

Relena grinned. “Thank you, baby…”

Heero felt his face grow hot. She only called him that during their most intimate exchanges. Her words brought back memories of the little shower-for-two they had taken earlier that morning. Suddenly, he felt weak in the knees.

“I… I’m gonna sit down,” he muttered.

Mission accomplished, Relena thought satisfactorily. She was well aware of the paralyzing effect her words could have on him. She giggled. “Okay. I’ll be back soon!” She practically skipped into the store as Heero sank down on the bench.

Ten minutes after “only a minute,” Heero decided to infiltrate the thrift shop. He had no clue what the old store could possibly have that could entertain Relena for so long, but his patience had worn thin. He found her in the back of the store near the dressing rooms, browsing a rack that said, “Just In.”

“Ohhh,” she was muttering. “Why don’t they have any size fours?”

“Relena,” he mumbled from behind her. She nearly jumped.

“Oh, Heero! You surprised me.” She flashed an innocent smile. “Is something wrong?”

“I’d say so. You’ve been in here long enough. We should get home and start hanging all these curtains. And then…” He inched closer to her. “It’s payback time.”

Relena’s face turned scarlet. “Payback?”

“Uh-huh. You owe me for these torturous hours.”

She fanned her long, black lashes. “But shopping was your idea. And you owed me for the antique curtains…”

He glowered at her. “True, but I also cooked dinner last night, and you said you owed me for that.”

Relena smiled coyly. “And I already made up for that last night… twice,” she reminded him.

Heero felt a bead of sweat on his forehead, but he refused to back down. “But I was making a sacrifice for you today. You know how much I despise shopping.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean that I owe you anything…” She knew she was driving him crazy; she could see the emotion burning behind his eyes.

“But outside, you said you’d make it up to me.” He gazed at her steadily. “I take a promise like that seriously, Relena.”

“A promise?” She laughed delicately. “But we never shook on it…”

He looked at her dangerously, his dark eyes smoldering. “Oh, we’re going to shake on it…”

Relena let out a squeal as he grabbed her by the waist, causing many of the other customers to eye them disdainfully.

“All right,” she laughed, “we will. But first I want to try a few things on…”

“Relena…” He warned.

“Please?” She pouted, knowing it was a foolproof way to wear him down. “I promise when we get home…” She whispered in his ear. “And then we’ll…” She whispered some more, and Heero actually smiled. It was more like a smirk, but Relena couldn’t be too picky when it came to his facial expressions.

“Okay, you win. Just this once.”

Yeah, right, Relena thought gleefully.

Heero released her, and she pulled a few items off the rack to take with her. “Don’t be long,” he murmured. He swatted her rear, and she squealed again.
“Point taken, Heero,” she laughed. “I’ll be right out!”

“Excuse me,” a female voice interrupted the lovers’ banter. They turned to see a young woman, slightly taller and thicker than Relena with dark brown hair. “Are you trying that on?” She pointed to a cream-colored sleeveless blouse Relena was holding.

“Yes… Yes, I am,” Relena answered, clutching her items more tightly. Was this woman trying to take the top away from her? She felt her defenses go up.

“Okay,” the woman said, disappointed. “Well, let me know if you decide to buy it or not; if you don’t, I’m going to buy it.”

Relena’s eyes widened. This had never happened to her in a store before, and she didn’t quite know what to do. Should I be nice and surrender the top to her? She glanced at Heero for help, but he looked just as bewildered as she did. She realized that the woman was making a bizarre request; after all, Relena had seen the blouse first, and it was up to her whether or not she should buy it.

“Yes, I’ll do that, thanks.” With that, Relena turned and let herself in one of the dressing rooms, which was only concealed by a pink floral curtain. Heero leaned against the wall and waited.

Moments later, Relena emerged wearing a purple halter dress. “What do you think of this, Heero?” She twirled around, awaiting his approval.

He grunted. “You look good in everything. What’s the point in trying stuff on?”

She sighed. “Okay, okay. I’ll just try that blouse on so we can go.”

Heero brightened inwardly, but his steely gaze remained the same. “Good. We have a lot to do when we get home, so we need to get started right away.” His composure broke for a split second, and he smiled wickedly at her. Then his expression returned to perfect stone.

“Message received, Heero Yuy. Just let me change and we’ll be on our way momentarily… okay?”

He smirked again. He secretly liked when they did military talk. “Roger that, mission.”

She gave him a wink and drew the curtain closed. It took all the self-control Heero could muster to not rip the curtain open and sneak in there with her, but he stood his ground. After another minute, Relena peeked out at him.

“Heero… Could you take a look at this?” He was at her side instantly. She opened the curtain and shyly revealed the blouse she’d tried on. “Is this too… transparent?”

Heero’s eyes widened. It was the most of her skin he’d seen in hours, so he was easily impressed at this point. The sight of her pink lacy bra underneath the shirt tantalized him. The only problem was that the blouse was a little too big on her, but that was hardly an issue; the looser it was, the easier it would be to remove.

“Hn. I don’t know if I could let you leave the house in that… but you look beautiful.”

She beamed. “Thank you… but I don’t know.” She bit her lip. “That other girl really seemed to want it, and I… Well, if I really wanted this, I could always buy it at full price, but maybe she doesn’t have that option…” She looked up at Heero sadly. “Maybe you were right about me shopping in thrift stores when I have the means to do otherwise. I could be robbing less affluent customers of the only clothes they can afford!” Her blue eyes widened dramatically. Heero wanted to laugh, but he could see that she was deeply troubled by this. That was his Relena; always more concerned about others than herself. She didn't have a selfish bone in her body, and that made Heero love her even more.

He gathered her into his arms. “You do what your heart tells you, and don’t worry about anything else,” he murmured into her hair. “I love you no matter what. But let me warn you that, if you do buy this shirt, it probably won’t last long around me.” He fingered the flimsy material. “You know how I tend to be a little… rough when it comes to clothing removal.”

“Heero!” Relena gasped. She swatted him playfully. “All right, then… I won’t buy it. I guess I’ll get changed...”

“Good.” Heero stepped further into the dressing room, pulling the curtain tightly closed. “Now let’s get you out this thing.” He slipped the blouse over her head, and Relena couldn’t help but giggle. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a full kiss on the lips. Heero responded hungrily, pushing her against the wall. Relena had to fight herself to keep from moaning out loud as Heero’s lips traveled down her neck, en route to her…

The lovers were interrupted by a sharp rap on the wall. “Only one in the dressing room at a time!” The fitting room attendant barked.

“Hmph,” Heero grumbled. “And I thought being married would give us more privileges.” He reluctantly disentangled himself from Relena.

She giggled and gave him a little push. “Out, you. I’ll be done in a minute… and I mean it this time.”

Heero stepped outside the dressing room, being careful to shut the curtain on his way out so as not to expose his wife to strangers. He found the attendant standing outside with her arms crossed over her chest. She stared him down angrily; he gave her his trademark death glare. She whimpered and shrunk away, scampering to the front of the store.

Thankfully Heero didn’t have to wait long for Relena this time. She emerged with the few items she’d taken in and hung them back up. No sooner had she done so than the eager woman from earlier appeared, snatching the cream-colored blouse and practically sprinting to the register.

Heero noted Relena’s shocked expression and took her face in his hands. “Are you okay?” He murmured tenderly. “Have your shopping dreams been crushed?”

She glared at him. “Heero, don’t make fun…”

“Seriously,” he softened his tone. “Do you want to go find another one at a different store?”

Surprise crossed her features. “I thought you’d had it for the day?”

He shrugged. “I could endure a little more, if necessary. I was a Gundam pilot, after all. Besides, you revived me in the dressing room…”

“Heero…” She smiled and slipped her arms around his waist. “I don’t need to do anymore shopping. I already have everything I could ever need.” She tilted her face up at him. “What do I care if that girl bought the top I liked? She doesn’t have her very own Heero Yuy to take home.”

“Hn. Good point.” Heero offered her a small, seductive smile. “I’m all yours.” He pulled her against him for another kiss.

Relena stepped back, laughing delightedly. “Well, let’s get home and get started on these curtains… then we can enjoy the rest of our evening.” She gave him a teasing smile.

Heero raised an eyebrow. “I like the sound of that. What do you have in mind?”

“Well..." She traced a finger along his lips, and Heero writhed in inner torment. His body felt like it was on fire. "I’m thinking that the blue curtains will look best in our bedroom, while the white valances should go in the living room," she finished with a wink.

Heero groaned. “Relena…”

END

The Domestic Bliss Ficcie Challenge!

2006-06-16T14:48:24Z

I'm at work all day today, and there's nothing to do. So, I'm giving myself two hours to compose a 1xR fic. I'm going to post this challenge on one of the communities I've joined... so get those typing fingers ready! You don't have to complete it in two hours; I just like to compose work under constraints because I'm at my best when stressed! Anywho, I had this idea rolling around in my head to write some Heero and Relena domestic fluff. Requirements for the story: You must include a scene in a store dressing room, shopping for curtains, and... Heero doing the cooking. ^_^ Oh, yes. I hope some fan fic writers respond to this and post it either on your personal journals or in the community... I think it will be really fun! If I get to complete mine while I'm sitting here at work, I will post it later today. On your marks... get set... write!

Here's what enables me to complete these little tasks in short amounts of time...

You Are an Espresso

At your best, you are: straight shooting, ambitious, and energetic

At your worst, you are: anxious and high strung

You drink coffee when: anytime you're not sleeping

Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Beautiful Disaster

2006-06-13T19:50:53Z

I haven't done much on this site, yet, so I suppose it's time I post one of my fan fics on here. This is what I like to call a "lemony-fresh" oneshot; it is a lemon, but not the dirty, icky, your-mama-wouldn't-let-you-read-it kind (for all you pre-teens out there, hehe). This is called Beautiful Disaster. Yes, this story was inspired by the Kelly Clarkson song of the same title, but it is not a songfic. However, I think I should post the lyrics before the story to help lend a deeper understanding as you're reading. If you're already familiar with the song, feel free to skip ahead; but I highly recommend listening to it as a soundtrack while reading, if you have the means. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think! As always, I value the opinions of 1xR fans above anyone else's in the universe... except, perhaps, God's... and I think God would highly approve of this story. In fact, He wants you to read it... For serious. ;)

He drowns in his dreams
An exquisite extreme, I know
He's as damned as he seems
And more heaven than a heart could hold

And If I try to save him
My whole world would cave in
It just ain't right, it just ain't right

[Chorus]
Oh, and I don't know
I don't know what he's after
But he's so beautiful
He's such a beautiful disaster
And if I could hold on
Through the tears and the laughter
Lord, would it be beautiful
Or just a beautiful disaster?

He's magic and myth
He's strong as what I believe
A tragedy with
More damage than a soul should see
But do I try to change him?
So hard not to blame him
Hold me tight, baby hold me tight

[Chorus]
Oh, and I don't know
I don't know what he's after
But he's so beautiful
He's such a beautiful disaster
And if I could hold on
Through the tears and the laughter
Would it be beautiful
Or just a beautiful disaster?

I'm longing for love and the logical
But he's only happy hysterical
I'm searching for some kind of a miracle
Waiting so long
I've waited so long

He's soft to the touch
But frayed at the end, he breaks
He's never enough
And still he's more than I can take

[Chorus]
Oh, and I don't know
I don't know what he's after
But he's so beautiful
He's such a beautiful disaster
And if I could hold on
Through the tears and the laughter
Would it be beautiful
Or just a beautiful disaster?

He's beautiful
Lord, he's so beautiful
He's beautiful...

Beautiful Disaster

Heero Yuy stepped off the airplane in the Sanc Kingdom airport and straightened his dark jacket, a man on a mission. It felt like ages since he’d been here last, and far too long since he’d seen the only person he ever visited in this small European country. He was returning to Earth after an extended undercover assignment in space. He hadn’t been able to contact Relena, and he knew instinctively that she would’ve been worried about him after all this time. But that wasn’t the only reason he came.

Spending months in an obscure colony had given him ample time to think. For the first time, he found himself not only dwelling on the blonde Vice Foreign Minister, but missing her. Terribly. When she wasn’t around, he had no one to really talk to; she was the one person who seemed interested in his inner thoughts. Without her, there was no one to comfort and take care of him. A man could protest his feelings all he wanted, but there was no denying that he needed a woman in his life to provide certain things he would never find elsewhere. God did not create man to live alone, he recalled reading somewhere.

He no longer intended to live alone. Relena would probably be shocked to hear that confession from him, if he could ever bring himself to say the words. His feelings for her would hit her out of nowhere, and he preferred it that way. This is why he didn’t bother to call her and alert her of his return; if she had time to prepare for him, she would only fuss getting her home ready. Then she’d have more time to prepare for him emotionally, as well; when she knew she was going to encounter him, she cloaked herself in a detached and cool demeanor, steeling herself against him. He knew, for whatever reason, that she didn’t want to get hurt. As if he would ever hurt her. Sure, he had threatened to kill her, long ago, but the years had stretched between that time and now. Now he was no longer a brooding teenager on a mission to kill anyone who discovered his true identity—now he was willing to share his identity, his life with her.

Just as he didn’t pause to call Relena, Heero also didn’t bother to check the area weather report, and was unprepared for the torrential downpour he faced as soon as he exited the airport. A little disappointed, not to mention soggy, Heero plodded through the rain to the taxi he’d hailed, undaunted. Nothing short of a hurricane could deter him from his objective. He would make his declaration to Relena and, if necessary, he would do it soaking wet.

As the taxi sloshed through the rising water on the streets, Heero could only hope he’d catch Relena at home. She still lived in the Peacecraft Castle she’d inherited, but the ornate structure sat unoccupied most days of the year. Relena traveled extensively around the world and colonies to attend conferences and give speeches on pacifism. Her efforts had kept the Earth and colonies out of war for years now. However wonderful her work was for the rest of the world, it wreaked havoc upon her personal life. She hardly had time for anyone, something that used to suit Heero fine; his work as a Preventer also left little room for relationships. But now, he’d decided that things were about to change. If they both had to be busy, he reasoned, they might as well be busy together. Heero had heard on the news that Relena was supposed to be in Sanc this week and hoped the rumor was true. He could easily call and find out, but that would ruin his surprise.

At length, the taxi pulled up in front of the castle gate. The driver had eyed Heero suspiciously when the Preventer had told him the destination.

“Pull forward,” Heero urged him now. “I need to punch in the code, then you can take me through the entrance.”

The driver’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. He took in Heero’s casual, slightly dirty attire and looked him up and down disdainfully. “And how would you know something like that?”

He obviously didn’t recognize Heero as the “saviour of Earth” and Relena Darlian-Peacecraft’s personal protector, which was fine with Heero; he preferred to keep a low profile as much as possible. For the most part, he kept in the shadows, but once in a while people surprised him by coming up to him randomly and thanking him for all he did as a Gundam pilot during the Eve Wars. Apparently, that wasn’t about to happen now.

“Relena Darlian is a good friend of mine,” he explained, “and I’m here to pay her a visit.” Heero could tell that the driver didn’t believe him by a mile. “Now if you’ll excuse me…” He gestured to the electronic box affixed to the gate. The driver grudgingly eased the cab forward, and Heero rolled down the passenger window and punched in Relena’s password: the numeric value for INROSE. The driver was shocked when the gate swung open, admitting them inside. The driver dropped him off outside the castle door, just as Heero had asked. Heero paid him a generous tip and the cab sped off.

“Here goes,” Heero murmured, taking a deep breath. He pushed the doorbell and was taken aback when the door flew open, almost immediately. An immaculately-dressed butler that Heero didn’t recognize stood there and greeted him.

“Ah, you must be another one of the refugees,” the elderly man spoke in a British accent. He, too, gave Heero the once over. “Right this way.”

Now Heero was confused. “Refugees?” His eyes tightened into a glare, but he tried not to appear too threatening. “What are you talking about?”

The butler blinked at him. “Why, surely—” He dropped his words, scratching his head in bewilderment. “Er, one moment if you would, Sir.” The butler ran frantically into the grand hall, leaving Heero alone in the foyer. “Miss Relena!” He could hear the man call.

A moment later, Relena joined the butler walking back into the foyer as he bumbled in his explanation about the young man he’d found at the door.

“Really, Miss Relena, your security guards should better regulate the kind of riff-raff that just show up around here…”

Relena smiled and said nothing. She knew exactly what kind of “riff-raff” he was referring to—his description had sounded like the only person she ever wanted in this castle with her. Sure enough, she entered the foyer to find Heero standing there, eyes downcast and looking a bit perplexed. She couldn’t help it—her heart skipped a beat. She stopped short just a few feet from him.

“Heero.”

He looked up at her, expressionless. “Relena.” A small smile tugged at his lips, betraying his true feelings. Relena broke into a grin and flung herself forward. One step, and he caught her in his arms and drew her close. One arm enveloped her small waist while the other grasped her shoulders, and he raked his hand through her long hair.

The butler looked surprised, to say the least. He quickly turned his heel and went back into the hall.

“Heero,” Relena whispered, “how long has it been?”

“Too long,” he answered in his deep, rich tone. Relena laughed lightly and pulled away from his embrace to look him in the eyes. “My mission is complete now,” he continued.

“Thank goodness,” she breathed. “I was getting so lonely…” she gestured to the hall where the butler had disappeared to. “I’ve started filling my home up with other people.”

Heero raised his eyebrows in alarm. “What… kind of people?”

“The kind who don’t have homes of their own. It’s an idea I’ve had for a while now—I’m planning on moving out of here soon and giving this castle back to the people of Sanc.”

Heero nodded in understanding. He knew Relena had a big heart, and this was exactly the kind of thing she was known for doing. Now he knew why the cab driver and the butler had been so wary of him—they thought he was a homeless person seeking shelter.

“That’s generous of you, but you do have to be careful what kind of people you let in your home,” he spoke gently. “People you can trust. I don’t want anything happening to you.”

“Don’t worry, I’m very careful. I do have other bodyguards, you know,” she teased. “And it’s not all the time; just for emergencies like this.”

“What’s the emergency?”

Relena blinked in surprise. “You mean you don’t know? I thought perhaps that was why you came here—to make sure I was safe.”

Heero frowned as his inner alarm went off. “Safe from what?”

Relena gazed at him, wide-eyed. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard. Our city is one of many along the coast that have been given flash flood warnings; we’ve had them for a few days now. Didn’t you notice all the water?”

He had, but hadn’t paid much mind to it. He just thought it was unusually tempestuous.

“So, you’re sheltering people?”

“Yes. I hate to think that there are people outside in this who have no way to stay safe and dry. And look at me, I have all this space, and all these warm beds…” Her statement stirred something within him, and he grasped her close to him, wanting to tell her why he’d come. “Oh, that reminds me,” she said, interrupting his flow of thoughts. “Normally I don’t let anyone in your room, but in this circumstance…”

“Understood. I can find somewhere else to sleep.”

Relena smiled up at him, her eyes dancing. “I’m sure you’ll have no trouble doing that at all.” She stepped out of his embrace again, this time reaching for one of his hands. “Come on, let’s go get you settled.”

Heero’s heart pounded as he and Relena headed into the castle’s grand hall. He knew they were probably headed to her room, where they could finally be alone, and he could finally tell her…

What he saw in the hall made him stop short. There were people everywhere. Some were milling about and chatting, some sat on the furniture, most were eating, and many were spread out in sleeping bags.

“When you said filled with people…” Heero began.

“I meant filled,” Relena finished. “Isn’t it amazing how many bodies can fit into this place?” She looked delighted.

“Yeah. Amazing.” So much for being alone, he thought. The storm and approaching flood had certainly put a damper on his plans. Likewise, the stench of the wet and grimy crowd didn’t exactly help create the romantic atmosphere he’d hoped for. How was he supposed to confess his intimate feelings for her with all these people around?

Heero followed Relena across the hall, stepping around the vast number of bodies as they made their way to her tall staircase. To his chagrin, there were people all over that as well. To Relena, each one of these people was an individual, precious jewel, and she greeted as many as she could as they made their ascent. Normally Heero would find this endearing, but right now he found himself annoyed. Finally, they reached the solace of her bedroom. Heero noticed as Relena shut and locked the door behind her.

“See? I’m keeping myself safe,” she pointed out.

“Good,” he replied, setting down his small suitcase. Relena plopped down on her large, four-poster bed and watched him. “What?” he asked after a minute.

“Nothing…” But the gleam in her eyes revealed that there was, indeed, something on her mind. Heero took a seat beside her.

“So… Is it safe to assume that we’re staying together?” Relena nodded as Heero went on. “I don’t want to state the obvious, but…”

“But what?”

He blinked. “You won’t… find it awkward?”

Relena started playing with her hair. “No, not at all.” She wasn’t looking at him anymore, but Heero could see the flush in her cheeks. He reached out a hand and caressed one, and the color deepened.

“You’re nervous,” he murmured. He moved a little closer to her, and she stiffened.

“Why should I be?” She met his penetrating gaze, her sky blue eyes flashing defensively. But he could see right through her. He used to be the one who kept his guard up around her, because she always seemed able to read him; now he had developed her gift of discernment, and she was no longer a puzzle to him.

“You tell me. I figured we were past this stage.”

“Past what? We’ve never slept together before.” The words flew out of her mouth before she could reconsider them, and she blushed even more.

Heero was amused. “So, that’s what you had in mind…”

“Heero! I didn’t mean it that way.”

“How else could you mean it? We’ve fallen asleep next to each other before, so in that sense, we have slept together. This situation shouldn’t embarrass you… unless, of course, you were thinking of the term in a less literal sense.”

She glared at him. “I was only being literal, and nothing more.”

“Then you were wrong. We have slept together, and more than once.”

“But never for the whole night.” She whirled to face him. “You’ve never once stayed with me. You’ve fallen asleep next to me, and are always gone by the time I’m awake. I hardly think those times count.”

His eyes continued to search hers. “Are you angry with me?”

“No,” she sighed. She went back to twirling her hair. “I guess I am… a little nervous.”

“Don’t be.” He tilted her chin up with his hand and leaned forward to kiss her. She trembled a little, but met his lips with a light kiss. Their kisses, few and far between over the years, had never been deep or passionate… until now.

Relena wasn’t prepared for Heero’s blatant desire. His kisses grew deeper until it seemed like he would devour her. He held her closer against him than she had ever been, until she swore she could feel every inch of him. He became increasingly aggressive and tumbled on top of her. They were now horizontal on her bed with Heero straddling her, missionary-style. And Relena was terrified.

Where had all of this come from? The last time she had seen him, he had barely kissed her goodbye, and he was gone for so long. Perhaps all that time away had made him lonely, even aching for her. Was it possible that he needed her now? Relena couldn’t see how that was possible. He was so strong. Sure, he was only human, but since when did he depend on her so much? She found the whole situation disconcerting, and a little suspicious. She abruptly stopped his hands as they began to wander.

“Heero.” He halted immediately and looked down on her, questioningly. She decided to pose her question to him. “Where is all this coming from?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.” She pulled herself up into a sitting position and ended up face to face with him. “You never…act like this. Why now?”

Relena saw emotion burning behind his eyes, but she couldn’t sense what it was—Happiness? Passion? Anger?

“I’ve missed you,” he answered simply.

“Haven’t there been other times when you’ve missed me? You’ve never come back to me like this before.”

His dark eyes clouded over. Again, she couldn’t detect what his expression was trying to convey to her. She drew in a sharp breath and decided to face her worst fear.

“Is there something you’re not telling me? Did something happen in space?”

“I don’t follow you, Relena. Explain.” His eyes were back to being expressionless. He continued to peer at her with his face mere inches away, awaiting her answer.

“I have to know…” She started to shake. “Did you meet someone else?” His eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to reply, but she kept going. “Have you… been like this with another woman? Because you certainly didn’t learn this from being with me.”

He shook his head. “Relena, you’re taking this far too seriously.”

“Oh, so this isn’t serious to you?” she retorted. “Is this just some kind of game? Am I just some sort of plaything to you?”

He reached out a hand to pull her back to him. “Relena—”

“What am I to you, Heero?” She jerked away from him. “You think you can just show up here after being gone for months and expect to seduce me? What were you thinking?”

“Relena, that’s not why I came here. I came to see you. Period. Stop overreacting.” Frustrated, he ran his hand through his dark shock of hair.

“I hardly think I’m overreacting,” she fumed. “You can’t possibly know how I’m feeling, when you’re the one who all but attacked me like an animal and—”

“Like an animal?” Now he was the one who was furious. “Is that what I am to you, Relena?” At that moment, he almost felt like one—he could have howled like a wolf for the pain her words caused him. Perhaps coming here was a bad idea; perhaps he was destined to remain a lone wolf.

Tears filled her eyes, and she spoke more softly. “No, Heero. I didn’t mean it that way.” She reached out to touch him, but this time he was the one to jerk away. “Heero, please. I’m sorry. You just… caught me off-guard. I wasn’t ready.”

He didn’t answer her. He could hardly believe what was happening. Here he was with the one person he thought understood him better than anyone, and she’d been terrified when he touched her. And here he thought she had been leading him up to this point with the way she looked at him and teased him. He had been wrong—he didn’t know how to read her after all. He had tried to show her how he really felt for her, and she had turned on him. He didn’t know how to respond. He only hoped he could find somewhere else to sleep tonight.

Relena didn’t know how to convey her feelings, either. She felt so lost. She knew how deeply she cared for Heero, but she wasn’t ready to throw caution to the wind and make love to him. She needed to have something solid to base their relationship on; she needed to know that he loved her. He had never told her if he did, but she didn’t want to sleep with him until she knew. Ideally, she had hoped to remain a virgin until marriage, but now that Heero had made a move she no longer felt it was possible.

And if I don’t sleep with him, she thought, panicked, someone else will. But would he really do that to me? Would he go to someone else to get whatever I don’t give him? Fresh tears sprang into her eyes. He can’t… I need him.

She turned toward him again, but he was cold, unreachable. “Heero…” She whispered his name, and her voice caught in a sob. Before she knew what she was doing, she leapt up and ran out of her bedroom, clumsily unlocking the door before she bolted down the hallway.

Heero looked up. “Relena…” But it was too late. She was gone, and he didn’t think he had the heart to go after her. He never thought that she would reject him like that. If she wasn’t ready for intimacy, she could’ve said something—they’ve could’ve talked about it. But did you even give her a chance? His thoughts nagged him. You idiot. You were supposed to tell her you loved her. Then you could’ve seen where things went from there. You didn’t come here to jump into bed with her. His eyes widened. And that’s exactly what she thinks you did. She thinks… you’re here to use her. You’re a fool.

Heero raced out of Relena’s room to find her, come hell or high water. In this case, it was going to be the latter; as Heero searched the castle for her, he was certain that she had to have gone outside in the pouring rain. This thought was met with a sinking feeling—her being outside in this squall was beyond dangerous. He went out the castle’s back entrance and saw her standing at a distance in the garden, soaking wet and shivering.

“Relena!” He called to her as he ran in her direction.

She shook her head at him. “I don’t think I can talk about this anymore, Heero.”

“Please.” He came to a halt a few feet away from her. “Let me explain.”

Her blue eyes regarded him sadly. “What is there to explain? I know why you came here now, Heero…”

“Relena, wait. If you think I’m trying to use you, you’re wrong.”

“Then why… were you so aggressive with me? You’ve always been so gentle and cautious before.”

“Because… I was afraid.”

She blinked at him in disbelief. “You? Of what?”

He took another step toward her. “Afraid of letting anyone get too close. Anyone I’d ever allowed in died. So I’ve always kept you at arms length.” He finished closing the distance between them. “But I don’t want that anymore. I’m tired of feeling like I have to continue living like a soldier. The war has been over for years, and yet we’ve both denied ourselves the everyday happiness that we fight to protect for other people.”

Relena’s eyes narrowed. “So your idea of happiness is…”

“Love, Relena,” he interrupted. Her eyes flew open as she gasped, and she quickly placed her hand over her mouth to conceal it. But Heero took her hand away and brought it to his lips.

“I love you.” He stared at her, his chest heaving from the emotional effort it had taken to finally speak the words out loud. “That’s what I came here for,” he finished. “That’s all.”

She wanted to say something, but she could only stare at him in wonder. The rain was pounding them, and his wet, dark hair hung in his eyes. Those deep blue eyes that looked like the color of outer space as he gazed at her in the cool, wet darkness. Her breath caught in her throat as fresh tears mingled with the rain on her face.

“Heero,” she whispered, at last. “I love you, too.”

He gave her small, knowing smile and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her to him for a slow, tender kiss. As the rain continued to cascade over them, their kisses grew more and more fervent. They could hear thunder rolling in the distance, but were too absorbed in one another to realize it was growing closer. They were completely unprepared when lightning struck the ground around them.

Relena abruptly ended their kiss with a shriek, and Heero tightened his hold on her protectively. Sparks danced around them like blue fire. It lasted for only a brief moment, and when they realized they were safe, they looked at one another and began to laugh—Relena with her girlish giggle, and Heero with a barely perceptible chuckle.

Heero could care less that they were standing in the middle of the worst storm he’d ever seen. All he wanted to do was continue holding her like this. But at the same time, he still felt it was his job to keep her safe.

“We should get inside before it gets any worse,” he murmured.

“Do we have to?” Relena’s eyes glinted mischievously.

“Yes.” With that, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her back into the castle. She laughed as she held on to him, enjoying the way her hands felt on his wet shoulders, wishing this feeling would never end.

Heero and Relena could hardly stop kissing one another as he made his way to her room, still carrying her. He took one of the castle’s back staircases in an attempt to evade her guests; he could only hope that he’d succeeded, because he was too preoccupied with Relena to notice anything else.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the refuge of her bedroom. This time, as they tumbled onto the large bed, Relena was the one who knocked Heero down forcefully; he didn’t mind, to say the least. His mind grew hazy as she straddled him with her hips, and pulled at the fabric of his shirt. She lifted it gleefully over his head and ran her fingers over his chiseled chest and abs. Her light touches were driving him crazy, and he longed for something deeper. The laces of her summer dress were undone in just one tug, and he could easily slip it off of her. She was beginning to shrug out of it herself when something held Heero back.

“Relena.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “Relena, wait.”

She seemed shocked that he had stopped her. “What is it, Heero?”

“Something’s not right,” he said, shaking his head.

She blinked. “But… I thought you wanted to do this?”

“Yeah, I do. But not if you don’t.” He tipped her chin up with his hand. “And besides, I already told you—that’s not what I came here for.”

“So… you really came all the way here just to tell me you love me?”

“Yes.”

“Then,” she slowly trailed a finger down his chest, “what did you expect in return?”

He caught her hand in his. “Nothing.”

Her eyes widened. “Didn’t you at least hope I would say it back?”

He shrugged. “I hoped you would, but I didn’t know what to expect. I thought you might be angry with me for staying gone so long.”

“Oh, I know better than that,” Relena said pointedly. “Work is work. We both understand that. I knew you’d be away for an extended period this time. How did that undercover thing go, anyway?”

Heero gave her a small, seductive smile. “If I told you,” he murmured, kissing her hand, “I’d have to kill you.”

She laughed and settled against him. “Well, that’s nothing new... But how about we finish this first?” Her eyes sparked with desire, and she leaned forward to kiss him.

“Wait, Relena.”

Her eyes flashed again, and this time she looked slightly hurt. “Why do you keep doing that?”

“Because I don’t want you to compromise yourself. I want you to be sure.”

“Compromise myself? Heero, I know you’re not trying to force me.”

“You thought I was earlier,” he pointed out.

“No, I didn’t,” she sighed. “I just thought that was all you were after. All I wanted to know was that you loved me first. If we do it this way, we can let things progress in a more natural order.”

Heero shook his head. “It still doesn’t feel right. I need to give you more than this.”

Relena raised a delicate eyebrow. “Why? I know you love me. Why don’t you think that’s enough?” She rested her head against his bare chest. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted, Heero. Honestly.”

“I do love you, Relena,” he murmured as he began to stroke her hair. “But I don’t want you to do anything you’d regret. So let’s relax for a while; see where this goes.”

“Relax?” He could practically feel her temper flaring up, something he was beginning to find amusing, since usually she was so serene. With this newfound temper came fireworks they had never shared before. He decided that he could get used to arguing with her, even enjoy it. “What do you mean, relax?” she continued.

“It’s getting late. We should probably just sleep.”

She exhaled, blowing her bangs off her forehead in the process. “If that’s what you want, Heero. But I think we’ll have a hard time sleeping beside one another tonight.”

With that, she crawled off her bed, clutching her nearly discarded dress against her. She grabbed a nightgown out of a dresser drawer and slipped into her adjoining bathroom. Heero dug out the few items he needed from his suitcase, changed into dark blue pajama pants, and waited outside the bathroom door. When Relena opened it a few minutes later, her jaw nearly hit the floor.

“Heero! You can’t sleep next to me wearing that.”

He glanced down at his attire and shrugged. “Why not?”

She rolled her eyes. “Because if you’re only wearing that, I might as well sleep naked.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Not if you want to keep your virginity intact.”

She met the challenge in his eyes and smiled. “Maybe I don’t. I thought that was the point.” To her delight, his face turned red. “Oh, wait. You wanted to spend a chaste night sleeping together, not sleeping together.” She spun her heel and sashayed back into the bedroom.

Heero watched the womanly figure walking away from him, the silk nightgown hugging her every curve. This is going to be harder than I thought, he realized.

They spent the next few hours tossing and turning in the large bed, each consumed by inner torment. Finally, Relena turned to him.

“Heero,” she said hotly, “remind me again what we’re waiting for?”

He placed a finger against her lips. “Go to sleep,” he murmured.

“I mean it! I don’t see why we need to torture ourselves; I don’t know about you, but I’m going crazy over here.”

“Relena…” His eyes studied her, even in the dark. “You may not think you want something more now, but you will.”

“What do you mean by something more?”

“I mean a deeper commitment.”

“This would be a deeper commitment.”

“Not enough.” He shook his head solemnly. “Not for me. I want to be able to provide for you.”

She started to laugh, but then she realized he was serious. “But Heero, you don’t have to earn my love.”

“I know. But I want to. I have to be able to give you more than just… myself.”

She slipped her arms around his neck. “But you’re all I want.”

He pulled her against him, suddenly, and gripped her tightly in his arms. “Then marry me.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” He kissed her neck softly. “I told you—I love you. I’m tired of being separated from you. It’s as simple as that.” He kissed her face, going from her forehead to her nose and, lastly, to her lips. “Let’s get married.”

“Heero.” Relena didn’t know if she had whispered his name, or just thought it. Her voice seemed lost somewhere inside of her. She opened her mouth, but became speechless once more as she saw that Heero was holding a small velvet box. He opened it to reveal a traditional, princess cut diamond solitaire. Even though most of her room was obscured by the night’s darkness, Relena could see the ring reflecting the moonlight from her window. She blinked. “Heero… Where did you get that?” She hadn’t realized his pajama pants even had pockets. She reached down and felt for herself… There were none. “Seriously, Heero. How did you pull that out of nowhere?”

He smiled. “The same way I pull out my gun. Now… will you?”

She was so dazed by his surprise that she had forgotten to answer him. Tears misted her eyes as she whispered, “Yes, Heero. A thousand times, yes!”

Then, once more, they became lost in the sea of one another’s kisses. And that night, the fiercest storm couldn’t part them as they began their new future as one.

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm,
For love is as strong as death
Its jealousy unyielding as the grave
It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame
Many waters cannot quench love;
Neither can floods drown it...
(Song of Songs 8: 6-7)

END

aeris_eithne @ 2006-06-08T13:03:00

2006-06-08T17:03:57Z

I love this new journal; it's so much more fun than xanga, even though I don't have any friends on here yet... but I shall soon convert them. Mwuahaha! Anyway, today has been good so far. I went out with my newlywed brother earlier. I treated for lunch at Mickey D's (Fancy, eh? Their iced coffee is actually pretty decent), then we went to EB Games and spent money that we shouldn't have. He bought- count 'em - twelve Gamecube games, because they were having a buy two, get one free sale. I bought two myself - "Soul Calibur II" and "Return of the King," and got "Metroid Prime" for free. I know these are pretty basic games, but I've played my brother's copies for years now; now that he's out of the house, I needed my own copies for my Gamecube. I also bought three movies for $10 - "Spiderman," "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton," and "Sweet Home Alabama." ^_^ Fun fun! It must be in my Scottish and Jewish blood, but I just love a bargain. I'm actually quite the penny pincher; normally I wouldn't splurge on all that stuff, but I spent less than $30 for all of it. Come on, that's just way too good to pass up!

All right, this is supposed to be different than my usual blog, where I just talk about my day, my life, blah blah blah... So, here are some story updates (not that any of you care... yet). I posted the final chapter of "Kismet or Chaos?" on fanfiction.net and blissfulignorance.com last night. Eventually I want to post the entire story on here. First, I'm going to post my one-shot, "Beautiful Disaster." Look for that later tonight, or maybe tomorrow. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to post it on this page, or on the 1xR community page (there's a link to it on here if you're interested in some 1xR fluffy goodness!). Perhaps I will just post it on both...

Until then... Peace,

~Erin

Greetings

2006-06-07T20:30:19Z

This is the beginning of something new. I have accounts with xanga, myspace, fanfiction.net and Blissful Ignorance; why not start a live journal? I will primarily use this page as a place to discuss my writing, and hopefully bounce ideas off other authors.

Currently, I'm a college senior studying Communications Journalism. I've spent the last few years concentrating on non-fiction writing (creative non-fiction is especially fun). At work right now, I'm learning how to write and edit technical documents, a skill I could actually turn into a career. I also write my own, original short stories and have completed a young adult novel with a mystery novel on the way. But my love, my guilty pleasure, is writing fan fiction. There's nothing quite like taking existing characters and breathing life into them, making them your own. I love continuing the story of Heero and Relena from "Gundam Wing"... In fact, I have *gulp* several stories written about them. They're just too darn cute to ignore...

I've created my own princess and soldier-type characters in a comic book series I hope to publish one day. I'm actually thinking about taking some art classes while working on my graduate degree in writing so that I'm more equipped to have my own comic. I'm very excited about the process and will keep those interested posted.

I plan to start posting my stories, both original and fan fiction, soon. Please enjoy what you read and give me constructive criticism; I can never have too much of that!