Written for my Wufei/Relena claim on LJ. Theme #2, success.
Relena slumped on the couch, tired eyed and irritable. Wufei moved quietly around her, giving her some space and her few moments of self indulgence before he went to sit beside her, taking her hand gently in his. "How did it go?"
She just sighed, and he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, trying to get her to relax. He knew from experience how she was feeling, caught between relief that it was over and impotent anger that she couldn't do better. She loved the people, hated the politics. Hated the necessary duplicity and trickery and dancing round things, and the concessions that should never be made but had to be for something more important. He'd attended some of her meetings with her, before their relationship really took off, and he had found them boring, frustrating and often ridiculous.
But she was born to be a politician. The thing that made her brilliant at what she did - or, as some people said, stunted her potential to rise to the top - was her honesty. She'd work as hard as she could, she'd never lie, and she'd never promise something she couldn't give. It made her popular, true, and people trusted her, but if there ever was a situation where she couldn't do something, then there was a problem, because she would tell the people so. A true leader needed to be prepared to tell some lies.
She shifted, taking a breath, and he looked back at her, a gentle expression in his eyes.
"It went okay, we got what we wanted," she said quietly, and he moved one hand behind her neck, massaging the tense muscles gently. He'd never pictured himself in quite this position. After all, he'd never really pictured himself with a woman, or anyone, at all. And he'd never thought he'd be so anxious to take care of, please and be loved by a woman.
"Hard bargain?"
She shrugged slightly, shifting under his hand, a tiny smile breaking through. "You know I don't like any of it."
"I've never understood why you don't just stop."
"People need me, Wufei."
"So do I," he said, barely a breath, leaning closer to her and resting his chin on her shoulder, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair and her perfume, letting his breath tickle her neck until she laughed softly, shifting closer to him, relaxed. He took her in his arms and held her, running his hand up and down her arm, soothing, calming.
"Thanks," she whispered, and he just smiled, lifting his head to kiss her softly.
"Now you've stopped being grumpy, do you want to go out anywhere to celebrate your success?"
Duo had told Wufei he was completely wrapped around this woman's little finger from the start. Looking at her now happier face, he had to agree. He didn't think he could deny her anything she wanted. And he really had never pictured himself being like this with a woman... loving a woman like this.
She smiled as well, bringing him closer by wrapping her arms round his shoulders. "I'd rather stay in and spend time with just you."
He smiled, held her a moment longer before pushing her away a little. "Then what do you want?"
"For now, nothing, just to sit down for a little while." As she said it, she was kicking her shoes off, tucking her feet up under her, and resting her head on his shoulder.
"You do too much for them."
"It's worth it," she said quietly as he slipped his arms more comfortably around her, marvelling at her slender body, her fragility. Enjoying the way they fit so well together, her against him, as if they were meant to be like that. Of course, he didn't believe anything of the sort - but there was something nice about the idea.
"I don't know how you can be so strong, so persistent." She just smiled at his words, not answering.
Wufei never lost his sense of wonder at Relena. He hadn't liked her at first, it was true, but he hadn't liked any women. After seeing the likes of Sally Po and Lucrezia Noin, he had begun to change his mind, and when he met Relena again it was with a more open mind. And from that moment on, he'd been enamoured with her; with her femininity, but her strength, her compassion, her skills, her naivety that was suddenly strength rather than a weakness, her willingness to make a sacrifice. Really not the kind of woman he could despise; one he could love. And love her he did.
Sometimes he wished he could tell her that better. She never seemed to realise how special she was, how wonderful she was. She said it was simply how she had to be. But he saw so many women who weren't like her at all.
Maybe if more women were like Relena Peacecraft, he wouldn't have doubted them so much. True, Relena would be nothing in a Gundam, but her strength wasn't in that. It was her strength of mind and character, her morals; everything she did she did thinking of other people.
He raked his fingers through her hair gently, stopping to untangle it now and again. "I admire your patience with all this. I'd have lost it by now."
"I nearly did," she said, modest, but smiling in delight at his praise.
"Truly, people are lucky to have you as a politician," he ploughed on, trying to find the words. "You care; you spend your life for them..."
She hushed him with a finger to his lips. "I try, and that's all. Don't make me out to be some kind of angel, Wufei. One little success at a time is all I can do."
"But it's success," he protested, unable to resist kissing her finger lightly.
"Wufei," she said warningly, and he just smiled, still running his fingers through her hair.
"You really are wonderful."
"Not really. Stop saying such ridiculous things." She leaned in to silence him with a kiss this time, and he smiled, conceding the point... for now.