Remapping the History of You and Me
Chapter 2: Theirs
~o~
Relena was lying when she said that she would be sleeping the whole morning. Because she slept through the whole afternoon, as well. Or was intending to when suddenly 2PM struck, and she heard her door shut. Who was in her room? And why was it so damn hot? Realization dawned on her as she bounced off the bed in a hurry; she mentally noted to take lighter dosages of those drugs.
Two hours later, after going through brunch, a shower, and getting dressed, she relaxed a bit when she knew that they were still on track of the time. The princess sat in front of the vanity table as a blonde househelper, a girl who was probably three years younger than her, insisted that her hair should be curled when someone knocked at the door. Relena urged the guest to come inside, and when he did, her jaw dropped.
Heero Yuy standing elegantly straight in a black three-piece suit was the most dashing sight ever. And that scent. Heero had always carried this distinct scent that she was trying to get a hold of. Relena had always been invited in social gatherings and meetings wherein men of noble status, both young and old, and those who held high positions in the government attended, so seeing men in suits was normal. But Heero was in a class on his own, again attributed to the fact that he was oblivious of how he looked.
The Preventer Agent cleared his throat and raised a brow as Relena gave him a sheepish smile, bashful of being caught ogling him again.
"What is it, Heero?" she asked.
"We're leaving in fifteen minutes. Just informing."
"Yeah, sure. This'll be done by then," Relena confirmed as she exchanged nods and smiles with her househelper.
"Hn." Heero nodded, and was about to turn around for his exit when he suddenly asked, "Did you sleep well?"
"I did. I'm sorry for falling asleep against you, though. I'm pretty sure you were the one who brought me into my room. So, thanks."
Heero tried to ignore the househelper who bit her lip to hide her smile as she twisted the curlers handle; he was certain that what she'd been hearing could be a start of gossip.
Like he cared anyway. "No problem," he answered.
~o~
Two hours later, they were both walking along the red carpet, arms linked. This was the first time that Heero attended such an event as a guest and the escort of the Vice Foreign Minister, and not as a Preventer per se, hiding behind public view. The night was an exception since the event was the premiere of a two-hour documentary film about the Eve Wars to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the signage of the peace treaty between Earth and the Colonies. Heero was given a formal invitation by Marquise Weridge, one of the noble men who knew Heero's plight as a former Gundam Pilot and someone who also recognized the notable deeds that former Gundam Pilot had done in the war; he deserved to be invited a lot more than the other politicians.
Despite not wanting to attend such a high public event, Heero conceded out of respect for the aristocrat and also to accompany Relena. There had been numerous films produced about the wars, but Heero noticed that she had never watched any of those. And also, this film would be too personal for her as it claimed to be the most accurate and exhaustive film, for its filmmakers had scored rare interviews with the top officials involved, inevitably including Relena, the daughter of the Vice Foreign Minister Darlian, who was also the long lost Peacecraft Princess, and former Queen of the World.
"Who are you wearing?" reporters asked Relena as they walked through the red carpet.
"Aldjoza Botran." One of the top local designers in Sanc. Relena smiled so naturally in front of the cameras.
"It looks beautiful on you, Foreign Minister," the female journalist remarked.
"Thank you." Relena curtsied and pulled on Heero's arm to walk further along the red carpet before they get intercepted by other reporters.
Heero side-glanced at Relena's direction, checking out her floor length sleeveless and open back dress, as well as her curled hair, and ears and neck adorned with pearls, she was easily the most breathtaking in the venue. But more than her physical attributes, Heero admired the way she carried herself with so much grace and confidence that her earlier nervousness was not apparent. Relena had also been supporting the local industry of Sanc, patronizing their local products and local artists, as a way to reconnect with her birth origin.
"Who is this dashing young man with you tonight, Miss Relena?" asked another brunette female reporter with short hair.
Relena looked briefly at Heero for any sign if this was making uncomfortable. "This is Heero. He's a great friend of mine."
"Hmmm, a great friend, you say?"
Relena laughed, "Yes. Something like that."
Another reporter joined the scene, "How long have you known the Vice Foreign Minister?"
Heero didn't even bat an eye. "For ever since I can remember."
~o~
Inside the movie theatre, Heero and Relena sat in the middle of the third row.
"That was quite an answer. The reporters are going to have a field day with that," remarked Relena as she settled her elbows on the wooden arm rests, her hands clasped on her stomach.
"They'll get over it." Heero talking about his past and not caring about being seen with her in public? Wow, Relena thought.
"You really don't care?" she asked for good measure.
"Only if it bothers you."
"Is this seat taken?" a voice asked from someone standing on her left.
"Quatre!"
"How you doing?" the former Sandrock pilot smiled, also handsome in a blue three-piece suit and had grown taller over the years. He kissed Relena on the cheek and gave Heero a fist bump – another development for Heero.
"Got an invite, as well as the others." explained Quatre, waving the invitation letter card stuck between his middle and pointing finger.
The others. "Of course," Relena grinned. "It's good to see you again."
"How about us?" The three turned moved away from their seats to look at the people sitting behind them, though they already knew whose voice it belonged to.
"I was wondering when you love birds are going to notice us," remarked Duo, sitting directly behind Heero, with Hilde sitting beside him, behind Relena. "Yo, looking fine as always, Princess." he saluted, wearing an American cut all black suit, his hair still sporting his signature braids.
Wow. These Gundam pilots can be great models, too, if they ever wanted a career shift. Relena chuckled, "Oh, sorry about that. Thanks, Duo, for being charming, as always." She then clasped hands with Hilde excitedly, who was wearing a black dress for once, and she rocked it; Hilde had always been a shirt and jeans girl. "But I'm really glad you're here!"
"We are, too! It's like a mini-reunion for us!"
"Hey, Heero. Nice to see you again, man!" Duo leaned and punched an impassive Heero's shoulder, and fist bumped Quatre, "You, too, Winner boy!"
"Am I late for the party?" another figure entered the conversation, coming from Duo and Hilde's row.
"Trowa!" The party exclaimed. Fist bumps were exchanged between the guys, including Heero, while the former Heavy Arms pilot gave the ladies a peck on the cheeks before sitting beside Hilde, behind Quatre, looking mighty fine in a green suit.
"Or should I say Triton?" sneered Quatre.
"Trowa is fine. Only Cath calls me by that name."
"Where's Wufei?" asked Duo, looking around at the venue almost filling up with guest politicians, historians, and military officers involved in the war among many others. The rows that they were occupying were also filling up.
"Saw him outside with Ms. Sally," answered Trowa.
"There's really something fishy about those two." Duo leaned back on his seat.
"I agree," everybody except Heero replied, but gave a "Hn," which came close to saying that he agreed, too.
"I doubt he'll sit with us, though," said Quatre.
Just then the lights had been dimmed, indicating the start of the film.
Duo held Hilde's hand and whistled, "Our first movie together, niiiiice."
"Ssssh." The people around them hissed.
Hilde laughed when Duo sunk back on his seat even more.
"Do we get popcorns here?"
~o~
The film claimed to be an accurate retelling of the events, starting from when Dekim Barton ordered the launch of Operation Meteor, the start of the Eve Wars, until the last chunk of Libra was shot by Wing Zero. Real footages, re-enactments, and interviews with prominent figures in the war, like Lady Une and Relena Darlian. Neither spoke of the identities of the Gundam pilots, but talked about their integral part in the war, and how they have become involved and had redefined themselves as the leading female figures in the Earth Sphere Unified Nations' diplomatic affairs.
The film ran for two hours, just long enough to give the general retelling of the story of the war, not including the solo plights of the Gundam pilots and the rest of the stakeholders.
On Relena's side of the story, the death of her adoptive father was included, her travel to Sanc Kingdom when she learned of her ancestry and obligation to continue the advocacy of the Peacecrafts as her birth right, and her coronation as the Queen of the World. Somewhere along the film when she was being asked what she remembered when the bomb exploded in the conference room that held her father, Heero felt her sharp intake of breath and noted her hands continuously rubbing each other. In a second, Heero took one of Relena's hands in his. A surprised Relena gave a smile to her Preventer escort, and squeezed his hand, her grateful reply.
Behind them was Duo talking to Hilde about what happened next and where he was at the time whenever a new scene was featured. His enthusiastic story-telling took a different turn when he saw his worn down Gundam on the screen.
"I remember that. That was when Deathscythe was blown to pieces in Space…"
~o~
"Man, I can't believe it's been ten years already!" exclaimed Duo, who chugged his second beer from the bottle, "Gah, it's kinda weird reliving all those memories now."
"Yeah," the group agreed.
"Forgot how much I hated Treize, OZ, and Romafeller," Duo added, motioning his beer bottle to Trowa who sat beside him to his right in the round dinner table. "I didn't know that you blew up the whole Corsica Alliance Base! Pretty badass, Tro!"
Trowa clinked bottles with the Deathscythe pilot, snickering. "But I lost all my ammos for the day."
"So I stepped in to help," Quatre joined the conversation, sitting beside Trowa on the right, while slicing his steak, smiling at the memory. "That's when I first met Trowa, right?"
"Yeah," the Heavy Arms pilot confirmed, "Also the time when five Gundams had been confirmed."
"Too bad the film had more OZ zodiac suits featured than the Gundams," complained Duo. "And oh man, forgot how much I also hated Zechs!"
"You talking about my big brother, Duo?" Escorted by Heero, Relena arrived at the table, smiling sweetly at Duo with a hint of mischievousness in her eyes.
Duo choked on his beer and Hilde elbowed him on the ribs. "Oh, hi, Princess! I was just talking about… uh… how he is right now. You know, with Noin being pregnant and all."
Relena sat down beside Quatre with Heero settling beside her, next to Hilde. "Oh, Noin is due next month so he's pretty worked up. I'll send him your regards," she winked, which earned laughter from the party.
When the film ended and the lights came out, the crowd clapped, while the six of them remained at their places, unmoving. The moment the audience stood up, they did as well, and looked at each other with a smile – a smile that indicated shared secrets and stories lived together. They all felt it – what the others were feeling, being heavily involved in the war, and reliving the memories. But their smile was of relief. Relief that it was over. That war was already behind them. That peace, though still a struggle to maintain, was here to linger for as long as they can hold.
They met Wufei, Sally, and Lady Une with a seventeen-year old Mariemeia Barton, who had all been watching the film from the last row of the movie theatre. Greetings were given, while kisses on the cheeks had been exchanged by the ladies. They invited the trio to have dinner with them, but had prior commitments already set. When they all left the theatre, the former Gundam pilots fussed over how Sally had Wufei by the neck by pulling him to do their work immediately; it was refreshing for Wufei to take orders from a woman.
The party went to a local Sanc restaurant and were seated at the second floor at the round table nearest to the window, trying to catch up on each other. They arrived separately with Duo and Hilde arriving earlier, Trowa rode with Quatre only after the Winner heir had exchanged greetings with some of the top officials and businessmen in attendance at the screening, and Heero and Relena arrived late the most as the former Queen of the World also mingled for a while with other politicians, particularly the Foreign Minister of the Earth Sphere Unified Nations and the seventeen-year old Mariemeia Khushrenada herself, who had officially been adopted by Lady Une.
The group made their catch-ups the whole tonight. Quatre took over his father's company right after the war, and had started rebuilding the Colony X-1899, which had been completed a year ago. Trowa was still actively touring with his sister, Catherine, and the rest of the circus gang, and had taken a liking to theatre, as well. He had auditioned for a few roles for quite sometime. Hilde and Duo were still living together and had started a car repair shop and had started buy-and-sell business stint in the L2 Colony Cluster. Heero and Relena, on the other hand, relayed that Heero remained at the Preventers, while Relena was considering continuing her studies.
The night dragged on with heartfelt laughter and nostalgic memories shared, like childhood friends growing up together. It was amazing how war managed to bring people from all walks of life, not to mention just being teenagers during that time. But here they were – complete strangers at first, then comrades in battle, now friends for a lifetime.
"Stop drinking so much; you still have to drive, you know," reprimanded Hilde, wiping a trickle of beer from the side of Duo's lips.
"I love it when you fuss over me like that, but it's okay, Babe, I'm still good," answered Duo. "Hey, Princess, does Sanc have a drive-thru wedding place here?"
"I'm pretty sure we don't have one," an amused Relena replied.
"Bummer," he pouted, earning a punch on the arm from Hilde.
"Duo, before you get married you should put a ring on it first," Quatre teased, sipping his wine.
"What do you think of me? Not prepared?" Duo laughed when everybody's jaws dropped before he cleared his throat and stood. He then reached into the pocket of his jacket that was hung at the back of the chair, and brought out a small black velvet box.
"Oh my god," Hilde exclaimed, both her hands covering her mouth in disbelief.
Duo looked at her for a while, his smile fading, the playfulness in his eyes was replaced with a look so tender, Hilde was already tearing up. Nobody moved and dared bat an eye. Even the silent Heero paid great attention to the scene unfolding before them, his arms crossed on the table.
Everybody listened and watched as Duo professed his undying love for the German beauty in front of him, whom he had acknowledged as one of the strongest women he had ever known and whom he would cherish for all of his life. Nobody moved when Duo also went down on one knee, opened the box that revealed a platinum band adorned by a huge diamond at the top. Nobody moved. Not even when Hilde punched him on the cheek for being a jerk for surprising her like that, but still saying, "Yes" through her tears, and took Duo's face with both her hands and kissed him.
~o~
Author's Note:
So this is the end of Remapping the History of You and Me. Thanks for reading!
...
April Fool's! Yes, dear reader, this is NOT the last chapter of this story; don't worry. I would like to announce that there will be one more chapter for this. Actually, the original plan had always been to release two chapters for this. But in the course of writing the second chapter, I knew I just had to add the rest of the characters, and the concluding chapter will have to wait.
Also, this is precisely why I limit my usage of characters whenever I write my stories because it's hard to give each and every one a balanced exposure. )))) To the Wufei fans, I apologize. With Wufei's personality, I really find it hard to put him in the same room with these guys. :P
So there. Will update the final chapter soon!
Oh, and one more thing. I have an announcement to make!
Fellow Gundam Wing fanfic writer, Gray02, and I are planning to spearhead a fanfic (and probably fan art) challenge to commemorate Gundam Wing's 20th Anniversary! The challenge, or the project, will be open to everybody, and it will be an open genre and open pairing, as well, but it should revolve around the specific theme that we will be announcing soon. If anyone's interested for this simple, but meaningful project so far, please let me know via PM! :)