Beauty is in the Heart of the Beholder
By Kawaii Dragoness

Notes: New year (2002), new fandom (Gundam: 08th MS Team), new fic (this one)! *grin* This is just Michel/Kiki sap, with some Eledore/Karen and Shiro/Aina thrown in for good measure. And if B.B.'s not what you expected, blah you. In this fic, Michel and B.B. are French. I watched the CN Midnight Run edition of 08th Team, so don't mind my dub references. I have Kiki's mother here, if she is dead let me know; and if you know Kiki's official last name, let me know too. Excuse my French grammar, and enjoy! Happens between Duty and Ideals (ep 8) and FrontLine (ep 9), if such is possible.

C&C: Always welcome. kawaiimae@loveable.com or the review box below!

"speech" thoughts emphasis message text [Author's Notes/Definitions]

~*(~*~)*~

"I don't understand why." Kiki sighed. The village had been rebuilt, and she sat upon her new bed in her new room in her new house...with the golden afternoon sunlight brought in through the gracious window. "I just don't understand." She stared at the picture Michel gave her of him. It stared back, the expression unchanging. "He isn't even that cute!" She flopped back onto the bed. "So why is he driving me insane like this?! He only left a picture...a friggin' picture!"

"Maybe you're in love, o doubtful child," Kiki's mother said, entering the room. Her red-orange hair fell to her shoulders gracefully, and her bright eyes said absolutely everything. To be honest, the two looked exactly alike. "I used to be just like you. Your father may not be the most handsome man in the world, but he is one of the kindest."

"Ah--mother--ano...." Kiki blushed. "But--he's--and I--"

"Admit it, Kiki. You had a crush on that Feddie commander, but can't forgive him for not saving your father, may he rest in peace. And this person--Michel, you said his name was?--is driving you insane just by the look in his eyes in that picture."

"Mother...there's more than that. He has a girlfriend, from his home at Side 2. He'd never abandon her--"

"--unless, Kiki," the older woman interrupted, "he found his heart yearning for another. Trust me. How much harm is there in admitting your feelings?"

"My heart, mother."

"Better to know the truth than never knowing anything."

"I hope...." She thought back to her conversation with Michel, which seemed like ages ago.... "'Sometimes people can feel far away from someone they're right next to.' I said that once to him...he felt so far away from his girlfriend; she wanted to break up with him because they weren't close anymore. And...and...I was right next to him."

Kiki was held in her mother's arms, only dreaming that they were the arms of another.

~*(~*~)*~

"Hey Michel, you got another letter. It's not from your girlfriend, though...." Eledore shrugged and handed it over. It was a plain white nondescript envelope, with simple hirigana. By the handwriting, it was obvious that Japanese was not the writer's language of choice, the international one it may be.

Hmph, me too. Michel thought. French is much easier to one's tongue, n'est pas? [am I right?] At that, Michel climbed into the hovertruck to find a private corner. Once he found a relatively comfortable one at his normal seat, he opened the envelope and began to read.

Dear Michel,

Hi! It's Kiki, don't mind that I have horrible Japanese grammar. I barely learned the language, since I barely went to school at all. The war kind of got in the way of my education. Anyway, I want to meet you at the new village, in my house, Saturday at 3 PM if you can. The directions are attached, and I hope they're right. I hope to see you then. If you can't make it, just send a letter back.

Thanks,
Kiki

He looked at the other sheet, with detailed instructions. Michel stuffed them both into his pocket and started to wonder--why then? Why in a letter? Why did she want to meet him, anyway? "Only one way to find out..." he thought aloud. "No harm in trying."

~*(~*~)*~

Kiki stared at her watch. 4:30, and he's not here? Oh God, don't tell me he's late...or worse, lost! She paced back and forth at her porch. He said he'd be able to make it!

"KIKI!" Michel shouted, running to her. "Sorry I'm late, the Commander wouldn't let me leave in time. Karen convinced him otherwise, though."

The young lady smiled at that. "Michel, I--"

"Wait. Before you say anything, I was really late because I was getting you this." He handed her a black velvet box, slightly larger than one used for a ring. Kiki opened it to reveal a silver necklace with a tiny heart pendant made of diamonds.

"Michel...it's beautiful...this must have costed a fortune, thank you...." she put it on in gratitude.

"Anything for you, mon cur [my heart]," Michel replied softly. He bent in to kiss her, but she stopped him.

"Before that--Michel, I--I...."

"No need. Je t'aime, et tu j'aime. [I love you, and you love me.]" He smirked. "I got a letter from B.B. Friday night. She has a new boyfriend. To be honest, I was just waiting for that to happen so I don't break her heart."

"Oh Michel, you're a gem," Kiki said, throwing her arms around him.

In the window, a woman was chuckling. "And I thought she said he wasn't cute...he's not that bad, really. If he can weasle his way into my daughter's heart, he's got to be some good."

~*(~*~)*~

"You WHAT?!" Eledore nearly fainted. "With that insane guerilla girl Kiki?! Michel, you're crazier than I thought."

"And you're not? For God's sake, Eledore, you're hitting on KAREN! If you even breathe wrong, she'll pound you!"

"At least she's on our side!"

"Well, what's between me and Kiki is outside the war. It has nothing to do with the battle.

"Yeah, and so is the fling between Commander Newbie and the Zeon pilot. Tell that to the officers."

"Why would the officers care that a mere hovertruck operator is with a citizen? They don't know she's a guerilla leader. The Commander has some rank, ad did that Zeek pilot Aina, and she's really the enemy. For God's sake, let me live my life! Now good night!" And with that, Michel turned off the lights and promptly fell asleep.

"You're impossible. I still don't get why they stuck us together in this hovertruck." Eledore flopped back onto his own bed and fell asleep as well.

~*(~*~)*~

"Mother, why are you always right?" Kiki asked sadly. "I mean...." She touched the pendant on her neck. "He loves me after all...."

"Mothers always need to be right, dear." She smiled and picked up the picture that had started this whole mess. "I saw everything, you don't need to tell me a thing."

"YOU WERE SPYING ON ME?!"

"Not so loud, everyone'll wake up. But yes. I was knitting before the window, watching you pace back and forth. Then I saw the whole thing. Much more interesting than a soap opera, if you ask me."

"Mother!" She sighed, then noticed the picture in her mother's hands. "Oh. That picture. I still don't understand those eyes...it's an old picture. He didn't know me back then, and he didn't know his old girlfriend either--and she was his first." Her eyes darted back to it. "And yet his eyes are full of hope, full of joy, full of..."

"Full of love, am I right? Kiki, I am inclined to believe that it is fate. This picture--and Michel himself--were made to find their way way to you, and your heart." The older woman smiled. "Don't tell me you don't like it that way!"

"Oh, but I do! With all my heart and being!" She sighed again. "Father would be proud, may he rest in peace."

~*(~*~)*~

A few years later....

"It'd better be worth it, Michel," a young woman stated. Her dark blond hair was in a complex bun, and her ocean-blue eyes shone. Her pale complexion was offset by a light blue bridesmaid dress, with extra golden trim to prove she was the maid of honor. "You sure waited long enough."

"Oh, it shall indeed, B.B.," the groom replied loftily, adjusting his bowtie. "It will. Je suis sûrement. [I'm sure of it.] Kiki, elle est mon cur...elle m'aime...et j'elle aime...." [Kiki, she is my heart...she loves me...and I love her...]

"Je comprends, mais elle?" [I understand, but her?]

"Non, mais elle n'a pas besoin de comprendre." [No, but she does not need to understand.]

"Je sais." [I know.] At that point, Shiro ran in. [Shiro in a tux! Fan service...well, yes, I DO want to see him in a tux...mreh!]

"Michel, it's time. I'm walking you down...." Shiro reminded him.

"I know. And don't remind me why." Michel's eyes darkened. "My parents died during the war.... Oh, and B.B., this is Shiro Amada. He was my commander in the war. Shiro, this is Beatrice Bellencourt, or B.B. for short. You'll understand in time. Now, now." They went off.

~*(~*~)*~

Before the altar...

Kiki sat radiantly in her wedding dress. It was simple and seductive, white satin clinging at her curves. It was almost a bit of a joke--she chose it without him knowing, and when he found out...let's just say that if you thought those eyes couldn't get bigger, they can.

And even now, Michel was in awe at her. Kiki never ceased to amaze him, even years after the war was over. And there had always been one question he had that could never be answered--until now. "Kiki," Michel whispered into her ever-beautiful sweet-smelling hair, yet another thing that never ceased to please. "At times I wonder...why me? Why do I deserve one as radiant and amazing as you?"

"You are beautiful, Michel," his love replied mysteriously. "And though you are indeed beautiful to the eye, your true beauty is in your heart."

"Je ne comprends pas--oops, I mean...."

"I know what you said. You are a kind heart, a loving heart--and it can only be found in the heart of the beholder."

"But...your heart, it could be said, is mine."

"Precisely. And that, love, I shall never regret." She winked at him, and they stood for their vows.

~*(~*~)*~

owari

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Please review, even if you flame!