He stood in her doorway, apprehensive about what he was going to do next. He looked back at her, seeing her inquisitive stare–which, as it did when they were younger, always bore through him like his old Gundam's beam sword. "Well, Heero?" she asked softly without getting out of bed. "Do you want to be with me?"
He'd been asked a lot of questions before, but nothing like this. No matter how many times Duo teased him about this nonsense, "hooking up" with Relena Darlian was the last thing on his mind.
In the 2 years since the Mariemaia incident, Heero had been so busy with helping to keep the peace that romance was the furthest thing from his mind. And he'd kept it that way for those 2 years. He wasn't about to change that right now.
But he couldn't deny he and Relena had some kind of bond. He admired and respected her, and thinking about her gave him strength. Too bad he never bothered to ask Dr. J about it. "I don't want to," he said.
"I know you're scared, Heero," she said. He could hear her climbing out of bed. "And I don't blame you."
"Do you really?" he asked. It goes without saying that Heero had a hard time trusting people. Being turned into the Perfect Soldier can do that to a person.
"No, I don't," she replied honestly. "To be honest… I am, too."
He turned around. Now he could see that although her stare was still piercing, there was fear in those eyes.
Neither of them "needed" each other. They could both live without the other. And yet, it was obvious that Relena wanted their relationship to be something much more than friendship or whatever you might have called it before.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't," she replied.
"Are you sure you're afraid?" he clarified.
"Yes," she replied with a wavering voice. She was human. Two years of portraying herself as some sort of angel for peace were all a lie. Of course, he knew this all along. "And so are you, Heero. You don't have to lie to me."
"I'm not afraid," he said.
"Liar." As if to try and prove it, she strode closer to him and grabbed his hand. "You're shaking."
He didn't say anything because he knew she was right. In an attempt to hide his feelings, he squeezed tighter. But in the corner of his eye, he could see her softly smiling at him and she moved closer to him. The fabric of her nightgown was soft, just like her as she held him close to her, a gesture he returned.
"Yes," he replied after a long while.