Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters, I do not own.
One – Night Out
The fear of change will forever bare a burden on his soul.
"C'mon, Princess. You hardly go out anymore. All we ask is this simple night out with the gang on your birthday. Is that so much to ask?" Duo Maxwell pleaded with his usual puppy dog expression. The braided former Gundam Pilot was almost dragging Relena Darlian along with the group consisting of Hilde, Quatre, Trowa, and two reluctant Preventer soldiers by the names of Wufei Chiang and Heero Yuy.
She was turning 18. As much as she wanted to be with her friends, she knew that she had been avoiding them for the past few months. Relena couldn't help all the projects assigned to her under her pressing duties as Vice Foreign Minister. She felt that she owed this night to them and to herself.
"Well, I'm here aren't I?" She chuckled as Duo continued dragging her towards the bar called Joe's. Apparently it was one of the most popular locations for young individuals looking for a place to escape the bitter reality of their lives if but for a couple of hours.
The minute they walked in, a good portion of the seats was already taken and a young waitress carrying a tray full of drinks offered them a quick nod and informed the group to sit wherever they can find room. Fortunately for them, a booth at the far end of the joint remained empty and they claimed their seats in the order that they walked through the entrance. They were drowned in a cacophony of noises blasting from the live band playing on stage and from the hundreds of conversations thundering all at once.
Relena finally had the chance to take a good glance around the place and noticed that everything was furnished in dark colors: from the leather seating to the artistry hanging haphazardly on the wall. Even the lighting was dim and she had trouble seeing beyond their table. Despite the strange layout, she could see the craftsmanship that went into the design of the building. The birthday girl was sure she was the only person around the table who had never been to this bar. A new waitress with bleached hair and artificial breasts greeted all the members.
"So, what will it be tonight fellas?" She asked as she paid closer attention to the men. Relena noticed she was trying to get Heero to notice the cleavage that was barely contained in her hot pink halter-top.
"Just bring us a few round of beers, will ya? Hey, Hilde what do you want hun? You good with the beers?" Duo asked as he wound an arm around his girlfriend of two years.
"You know I am." She smiled at him and nuzzled closer to his side. The waitress went off to grab their order as the two lovebirds continued their public display of affection.
"Quit that you two. You're making me nauseous." Wufei complained. After years of combat in the battlefield, he had no idea how he could stomach the grueling deaths of thousands, if not millions of soldiers, but not the pitifully amorous scene before him. It was funny how the world worked sometimes.
They simply smirked at the Chinese pilot. Their drinks were later brought to them and three large pitchers of alcohol were placed in the center of the table. Soon all seven glasses were filled and placed in front of their respective recipients. Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei went off on their own conversations in heated discussion regarding the current political struggle between colonies L3 and L4. Duo was so wrapped up in Hilde that none of them noticed that Relena and Heero weren't doing much talking.
Relena noticed that everyone had at least touched their drinks and most of the men were close to finishing their first glass and she hadn't even brushed hers. What bothered her most was that she couldn't help her eyes from gazing at the young man sitting directly across from her. Duo was the culprit who set up the seating plan no doubt, ever playing the role of cupid.
Heero. He always looked so calm and in control of the situation. Dressed in comfortable navy jeans and a forest green shirt tucked beneath a leather overcoat, his fashion sense never missed the eyes of eligible women in the room. Aside from his stoic demeanor, Relena knew Heero had a weakness, a weakness of the heart. However, whenever they were together, the tension would be so thick that she couldn't possibly dream of breaking through his iron barrier, especially on that night.
On several occasions, she tried to capture his attention but to no avail, her voice was drowned out by the multitude of sounds in the bar.
"Heero…um…. Heero." She said louder. The music was too loud and the smoky atmosphere clouded her thoughts. The night wasn't turning out as she'd hoped and she refused to go anywhere near the alcohol. Soon after trying three more times, Relena stood up and walked out onto the patio.
"Hey, what's wrong with her?" Duo pointed out as she left the table. Heero raised his glass and swallowed three mouthfuls before slamming it down on the table.
"If you had half a brain, Maxwell, you would've noticed that bars aren't really her scene." The Perfect Soldier explained calmly. "Relena doesn't drink. She's allergic to the ethanol." With that, he walked off in Relena's direction.
"Duo, you didn't know she was allergic to beer?" Quatre asked, suddenly feeling guilty that he forgot such an important fact.
"I did. C'mon guys. I'm not that helpless. But look where the situation has taken those two pathetic romantics. I'm doing them a favor." Duo admitted while tilting his head in their direction. Heero opened the door to the patio and stood next to Relena who was admiring the night skyline. They were finally alone.
"Sometimes I worry about where your evil thoughts will take you one day, Maxwell." Wufei said, although he was still admiring his colleague's diabolical plans to make Heero and Relena realize their feelings for one another.
This was turning out to be a bad idea, coming out with her friends like this. Whenever she sees Heero, her stress level increased tenfold and the establishment wasn't really what she had in mind for her birthday. She knew her friends meant well.
Resting her arms on the wooden railing, she looked up to the night and remembered the first time she saw a shooting star hurtling toward earth. Now, she knew that it was Heero flying Wing Zero, on one of his missions. She wondered if the lives affected by warfare would ever resume any ounce of normalcy…
"Cold night…" Heero announced his presence as he opened and closed the door, blocking out most of the sounds and chatter from within.
"Yeah, I guess it is." She replied without turning around. He shook himself out of the jacket and draped it around her shoulders as he stood beside her.
"Thanks." She snuggled herself in his warmth, glad to share this moment with him. Now that they were alone, she couldn't think of anything to say. Relena cursed her brain for its inactivity.
"Did you say something?" He asked.
"Oh, no." Dammit! He must have heard her thinking out loud. "Well, I have been meaning to tell you something…" She didn't even have the guts to look at him. "Heero, after all that we've been through, I'm really glad you're still here." Relena wanted to physically kick herself for sounding so ridiculous.
"Hm."
"I just… I just wanted to say…." Relena couldn't believe she was choking on her own words. "Ah, let's just head back inside." She turned to head back inside but Heero stopped her attempt.
"Relena…" Heero reached into his pocket and pulled out a maroon-colored jewelry case. "Happy Birthday." Apparently they were both not too experienced in the relationship arena and she discovered that he was having as much a hard time in this as she was, perhaps even more.
"I… don't know what to say. Thank you, Heero." She whispered shyly as he placed the box in her hands. Opening the case, a silver encrusted necklace with a dove-shaped pendant greeted her. "A dove…" Relena said as she brushed her fingers across it. The jewelry seemed too beautiful to wear and he noticed her reluctance.
He pulled the shining thread from its case and wrapped it around her slim neck, centering the dove beneath her collarbone. Once the clasp was in place, he took a step back to see her with the jewelry. "Beautiful…" He thought.
She couldn't believe he would buy such a valued keepsake for her. As her fingers found the pendant once again, she didn't know how to react. She didn't know what it meant for them. "Heero?"
"This is my thanks." He began to explain refusing to give in to his nervousness. "You have endured so much and I want you to know that I will always be here for you."
TBC