Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, Oh! My Goddess or any of its characters. I wrote this fanfic for my own pleasure and purely entertainment.
Kimi no Kioku
Our first day was filled with surprises, fond moments and memories that always leave a smile on my lips.
I made a lot of blunder… I was overwhelmed with the new experience.
My clumsiness in handling the situation… didn't help at the least bit.
But still … we started to… know each other.
Chapter 2 – Knowing You
A goddess could never lie, the truth can be concealed but it would never be bent.
You found that out… in the most difficult way.
"Ok… this is certainly going to be… hard, if not impossible." Heero uttered before sighing.
Once again, the brown haired young man ran his hands across the invisible field erected by the Ultimate Force.
"Belldandy… we can't be away from each other at a distance no more than ten feet." He stated while knocking his fist at the unseen force field.
It gave off a sound similar to tapping at a glass panel.
"Yes… from what I've studied, the field's scope would only increase in proportion to the… uhm, amount of trust and level of devotion the granter and grantee have for one another." Belldandy meekly replied as she also ran her hands across the imperceptible surface of the barrier.
"I see… but how about… other persons… can they intrude this space?"
"Yes… the field only acts as a safety for both of us. It has no effect on other individuals."
"Then… we are truly inseparable."
"Y-yes. W-would that be a problem, Yuy-san?"
'It's definitely one huge problem, Belldandy.'
He heaved a long drawn sigh before shaking his head sideways.
They remained silent for the next couple of moments till he resigned himself to the sole idea that presented the best excuse for their situation.
"I'll have to take you with me wherever I go. As much as I hate to say it… but you must accompany me on my missions, Belldandy."
"Yes, Yuy-san."
"Is there anything else I should know… about our… circumstances?"
"Yes… you must know that… goddesses could never lie. We can be silent to conceal the truth but we could never state any lie."
'Now… that's a BIGGER problem.'
"Ok… thanks for telling me that… here's… our game plan." Heero exhaled as he presented the lone idea inside his head.
"Belldandy… from now on, you'll be working as my personal assistant and… uhm, housemaid. So we won't arouse any suspicion why we're always together. I will give you compensation for your work and provide the… necessary training for you to… survive, I mean, look normal during my missions."
"B-but… goddesses don't take compensation for their work…" She worriedly interrupted him.
"I'm not paying you as a goddess… but for doing your assignment as a personal assistant and housemaid. Don't worry, I will help you clean this house since I'm used to being alone. We need to do this in case someone asks - who you are and what you do. Tell them that… you're my personal assistant and housemaid. Since you're doing the part, it means you're not lying, am I correct?"
"Yes… that was brilliant thinking on your part, Yuy-san." Belldandy replied while smiling at him.
"Ok… of course, if they ask you where you're from… please don't tell them you're from the Heavens. Just point your hand up the skies… anyone would already assume that you're from the Colonies. In case someone asks specifically, I'll answer for you. Are you fine with that?"
"Yes… but… I am not really comfortable with hiding the truth…"
"We have to, Belldandy. If we are going to finish the contract and have you on your way home… we must do this. I will… lie on your behalf."
"Yuy-san…" The lovely goddess worriedly trailed.
"I don't usually lie… but I must protect your identity while you're here. I will do everything to make sure you live a quiet life during your stay here."
"T-thank you." She softly said before bowing to him.
"Here… you gave this to me… yesterday… this… bundle of papers…" The golden haired young woman remembered, offering the wad of bills to him.
"You have to hold on to that, Belldandy. That's your… first pay. I'll take you out later to buy some clothes and do some groceries." Heero replied.
"Uhm… Yuy-san… c-could you… p-please accompany me at least to the doorstep of your… comfort room. I-I need to…" Belldandy embarrassingly uttered while averting her gaze from him.
"Of…. Of course…" He answered as he felt his cheeks start to burn.
'This is going to be… no… hereon forward, everyday… is going to be a long, tough day…'
Present Day, A.C. 203
"Where is she, Victoria? Why is she… avoiding me?" Heero inquired after seeing the coffee shop owner finish her phone call.
"She… is not feeling well. Give her some time off today. You'll probably… see her tomorrow." Victoria replied while wiping the counter clean with a damp towel.
"Stella… she's… she's avoiding me." The Perfect Soldier softly grumbled as he exhaled disappointedly.
"You should know better, Heero. You've been very… so close to her, for you out of all people… to not tell her such matters. I understand you were caught unaware by the announcement… but even though Mariestella is just like a… big sister to you… you still consider her as your… closest friend, right? Just… imagine how she'd feel when she learns something big about you from another person first."
Heero was unable to say anything but instead nodded slightly in understanding at shop owner. Victoria Anaheim was a tall, beautiful and seductively matured woman whom he knew was already in her late 20s. She had a short length, jet black hair that fell just a few inches between her neck and shoulders. Her mauve irises seemed to conceal a suppressed passion but the mystery it holds made the woman all the more attractive to the opposite gender. Her pearly skin further accentuated her long thighs that seemed to go forever.
"I… know." He groaned.
"We're both adults here and I know it is definitely none of my business, but just between you and me, what is Mariestella to you? Is she just that big sister you wished but never had? Is she really that best friend you could only hope for? Or is she… something more?" The woman with mauve eyes probingly stated.
"She's…"
'Why am I answering this question… when I myself… don't have the answers? But… what is she in my life?'
He drew another long breath before finally responding.
"She's… someone who… who fills… certain parts of my life… that seems to be… missing."
The cobalt blue eyed young man saw Victoria sigh and cocked her sideways.
"Did you… ever got into an accident? That resulted into amnesia or something?"
"Nothing I'm aware of… it's just that… the last four years of my life… seems to be a puzzle that only feels strangely… complete when Stella… Mariestella's around me." He truthfully told her.
"Both of you… are blind… or much worst… pretending to be." Victoria ominously said to him as she went back to her chores.
"Just… press this control button to flush the water, while… this one is used to… clean the residue… well, you'll just understand that once you try it." Heero explained to her after the two of them went inside his comfort room.
"Y-yes…" She meekly answered while gently nodding her head.
"I'll be standing just outside the door… that should be just within the ten feet radius. Don't worry… I'll close the door behind me." The brown haired young man said to which she smiled embarrassingly soon as he locked the door.
'How do contracts between humans and gods work with such a predicament? Both me and Heero-san should work closely and have our emotions in synch with each other so that the barrier would eventually expand once we start trusting one another.'
She lifted her gown and pulled down her undergarment then proceeded with her business.
'Hmm… About his wish, I should support him on everything he wants to try. I should provide encouragement and be with him every step of the way so he could achieve it. Honestly, I'm not sure how we would do it, but I think… together, we'll be able to accomplish it.'
Belldandy had just finished when she remembered Heero's advice to press another button that would help in cleaning whatever residue left after she used the toilet bowl. However, the goddess being unfamiliar with such technology… misunderstood the former Gundam Pilot's earlier instructions.
She stood up and fixed her clothes before pressing the flush button. The golden brown haired young woman was pleased upon seeing that clean water replaced the previous she had used which eventually got drained from some sort of passageway. Still amazed, Belldandy curiously nudged her face closer at the bowl's opening prior to pressing the other button that Heero recommended to wash out whatever residue was left as he put it.
"EH?!"
A strong spout of water sprayed directly on her face, accidentally hitting her left eye causing the lovely goddess to stagger backward before slipping inadvertently on the small rug placed in front of the toilet bowl. Her body landed with a loud thud on the floor's surface.
"Ouch…" She mumbled.
Still dazed while sprawled on the floor, Belldandy was all the more horrified when the door suddenly shot open… hitting her squarely on the head.
"B-Belldandy? What happened?"
She heard Heero worriedly say while looking concernedly at her.
It was all black after that.
Once again… much to Heero's distress… Belldandy lay unconscious on his bed.
He had to carry her with him as he prepared an ice pack from the refrigerator found at the kitchen. Then he had to carry her back with him to the bedroom so she could rest comfortably on the bed after the accident she had encountered inside the comfort room. The brown haired young man silently sat on the chair beside his bed while contemplating of the recent mishap.
There was a… rather big bump on Belldandy's head after hitting the floor and getting banged with the bathroom door. The first incident was no doubt caused by her unfamiliarity with technology however he blamed himself for the second event. He got worried or rather… anxious after hearing a loud crash inside the comfort room as he stood at the other side of the door.
For the life of him… he never thought that her head was directly on the path of the doorway.
'I'll really get punished for this… earlier I saw everything about her… now I struck her head with a door… of all things.'
He carefully nudged the icepack on its position above the lump on Belldandy's head while worriedly gazing at her unconscious face.
'She's truly… a goddess… physically… her beauty is unearthly.'
Belldandy's beauty was the perfect definition of flawless, gentleness and purity combined into one. Even whilst she was out cold… her exquisiteness didn't abate, she was still radiant.
His cobalt orbs were still focused on her when the lovely goddess stirred and opened her powder blue eyes.
Both of their irises met one another.
'Belldandy…'
He didn't know how long it lasted but both of them remained quiet and contented themselves into gazing into each other's eyes.
The Perfect Soldier felt something like a lump seemed to have block his throat forcing him swallow subtly to clear his air passage.
"A-are… you ok?"
His cheeks… were burning, funny though, while he looked at her, he could also notice the redness emanating from her face as they continued to softly stare at one another.
"Y-yes… I… I got surprised from the water shooting out after pressing the button you told me…"
'Oh… so that's what it was…'
"I… I'm sorry if I got you worried." Belldandy excused.
"I'm… sorry too… I struck your head by the door accidentally when I heard a crash inside the bathroom."
"It's alright, Yuy-san. Thank you for taking care of me once again." The golden haired beauty told him before adding. "I'm… becoming a handful and quite troublesome for your sake."
"Think nothing of it, we're… in this contract together. I'll be here for you… always. Whenever you need me."
He removed the icepack and was astonished to see that the huge lump on her head was no longer there.
"You… goddesses… have an amazing rate of recovery."
"It is… one of our… abilities. I've embarrassed myself a lot of times already. Hope you'll be patient with me Yuy-san. You're my first assignment after all."
"Just rest for now, Belldandy, we'll go out for some shopping and groceries once you get better."
She only beamed at him and nodded gently.
"Yuy-san… I could just create clothes using my magic… we'll just use the giant television inside your house and flip through various channels while selecting the best attire for me." She reasoned out while Heero pulled out a baby blue spring dress from the rack.
Currently, they were inside one of the stalls inside a massive structure that the young man calls a "mall". The shop had a cool and exclusive ambience but prestigious feel to it when they entered. They were immediately assisted by a saleslady soon as they arrived at the stall. Heero was quick to work as he requested three matching pairs of formal work attire which the saleslady readily prepared for her size. The Gundam Pilot then directed her inside one of the changing booths and had her try out each of these "work" clothes while selecting other garments for her casual and daily needs.
For the past hour Belldandy had went in and out of the changing room fitting then showing each ensemble for the brown haired young man's approval. The business or work clothes felt stiff and too formal for her personal taste but still she found herself enjoying the experience while admiring each set in front of the mirror.
"No, Belldandy… I'd hate to be too dependent with your powers on trivial matters like this one. Besides, it would also consume time… like what happened earlier when you tried looking for a casual outfit." Heero replied before quickly throwing a glance at her.
The lovely goddess was currently wearing a black skirt and white blouse underneath a black vest, one of the formal work clothes he demanded she should have.
"It looks good on you." The cobalt eyed young man simply said before turning to the saleslady. "We'll take this one as well."
"Belldandy, try out this three next, ok."
Having said that, he handed her the blue spring dress he earlier picked, an off-white sun dress with floral designs and a soft pink sleeveless blouse paired with mocha shorts.
"Yes." She meekly said as she received the garments and closing the changing booth's door behind her.
"If I may say, your choices are really wonderful and on top of that your girlfriend has a wonderful figure, they cling perfectly to her body, sir." She heard the saleslady say to Heero.
'G-girlfriend… what's that?'
"Thank you for the kind observation, but she's not my girlfriend. She's… my personal assistant and… uh, housemaid." Heero responded.
"Oh… I… my apologies sir, it's just that, you two really look good together."
"It's… ok, no worries." Heero shortly answered.
She decided to open the door and display the baby blue spring dress for the Perfect Soldier's approval.
The golden haired beauty noticed that the saleslady smiled warmly while nodding in agreement. Heero had a different reaction… well, much different than the usual nods and grunts he has let out for every ensemble she tried out earlier.
His cheeks wore a faint shade of pink while his usual piercing eyes quickly averted their gaze from her.
"Wow… she looks… marvelous!"
"We'll… we'll take that."
'I… I think… he likes… it…'
"I'll… go try out the one with floral design next…"
"Uhm… there's no need… you look really… nice with anything you wear." Heero bashfully admitted before shifting his attention to the saleslady.
"We'd like two more of this style… probably in plain white and mint green. Then… get us one more of that sun dress with floral designs. Lastly, two more pairs of those shorts with sleeveless blouse using light shades. Put it all in here along with all the ones we selected earlier." The Perfect Soldier requested as he handed her a black card.
"Understood, Mr. Yuy. But are you sure you don't want to see her try the rest of the outfits?"
"N-no… we both know they fit her well." The brown haired boy replied before turning to her.
"I'll be… just waiting by the counter, Belldandy. You did good… uh… yes, you did well." Heero said with a flustered look.
She didn't know why or how but the lovely goddess found herself smiling warmly at the usually stoic young man's retreating form.
"T-this is hard… Yuy-san. My older sister wears something similar to this… shoes you call heels… but I never knew till I tried it that this truly requires effort."
"My apologies for demanding something like this to you, Belldandy. But these shoes are paired with the formal or business skirts we got earlier."
"Oh… don't worry, Yuy-san, I will do my best to get accustomed with these… heels." She gently replied.
Right now, they were inside what Heero refers to as a "shoe store". As the name goes, the stall specializes in all kinds of shoes available for women. They went inside the shop right after concluding their shopping spree inside the women's clothing boutique. The Perfect Soldier already got her one pair of leather shoes with mid heels which she'll be using in tandem with the business slacks. As of the moment, Heero is assisting her with the black high heels she'll need for the business skirts.
Slowly, Belldandy stood up from the couch and attempted to walk with the shoes.
She completed the first step uneasily and was about to take the next one when her right foot wobbled causing her to fall sideways.
'Eeekkk!'
The lovely goddess expected to hit the floor but instead she was caught by the alert and strong arms of none other than the young man she was bounded by a contract with.
"I'm here, don't worry. Just… just take it easy, Belldandy." Heero attentively told her as he held her in his arms.
'Heero… san…'
His face… was so close.
She could… feel his warm breath next to her.
His body… was pressed with hers.
She could… melt while encased in his arms.
His eyes… held hers in a powerful gaze.
She could… sense her heart skip its normal beating.
What was happening?
These moments no matter how fleeting they were seemed to have lasted a lifetime for her.
He didn't say anything… he just looked at her and held her safely in his arms.
She couldn't say anything… she was but a willing hostage to these weird and foreign sensations coursing through her body.
What was she feeling?
Did time really stop?
She felt her cheeks were burning… heat… prickling through her skin.
She was in his arms, he was supporting her weight.
She blinked repeatedly… innocently… while trying hard to comprehend their situation.
It was akin to the feeling of drowning… it was… delightfully suffocating in good sense.
'Belldandy… this is new… this is something… new…' Her thoughts raced just before Heero finally raised her upright.
"Don't worry, I am with you… we will have the time to practice this, Belldandy." He gently said with his Prussian eyes averting their gaze away from her.
"Y-yuy-san… o-of course."
"Miss, we will try the flats and sneakers she picked earlier but we'll also take this." Heero told the saleswoman, gesturing at the high heels.
"Yes, Mr. Yuy and here are the designs you requested." The young lady answered while handing him a pair of shoe boxes.
Heero gingerly led her back to the couch before kneeling in front then carefully removing the heels off her feet.
'O-oh my…'
"Does it hurt?" He asked while gently massaging her soles.
"A bit… probably when I twisted my foot earlier to maintain my balance…" Belldandy timidly responded as she felt her face turn deep red from getting flustered due to their earlier situation.
"You heal quickly, but we'll need to rest first so I can take care of you… don't worry." The brown haired young man told her.
"Thank you, Yuy-san."
"No… this is again, my fault… I'm demanding a lot from you in the short span we've known each other." He apologized while fitting a beige flat shoe on her uninjured foot.
She wanted to… tell him not to blame himself and it was alright.
But she could not.
She was already having difficulty in discerning her emotions and composing her thoughts to all the new experiences they were having together.
Belldandy only nodded and smiled slightly at him.
"It… fits you like a glove." Heero observed, taking a moment to further examine the flat shoe.
'I… I like it too.'
The Perfect Soldier carefully settled her foot down before going back to the one he was massaging previously.
She was surprised as he resumed massaging her heel and the soles of her injured foot.
"Good thing it's not sore. We can apply some ointment later if the pain persists." He noted.
The lovely goddess remained silent, discreetly stealing glances on him as he continued flexing her foot.
Her foot was already good… for some strange reason she still wanted to relish the current sensation that Heero had inexplicably evoked from her.
What was it?
Only thing she could say was that… it felt good.
But she was a goddess… she could never lie if asked.
When confronted with the truth… she was compelled to provide it accurately.
Fortunately for her, Heero was never the type to ask a lot of questions or demand a plethora of answers.
Her heart was beating furiously while her chest was drawing long breaths as Heero continued to massage her foot with soothing care.
Belldandy knew she was blushing feverishly from his actions… but she dared not do anything.
It's not that she couldn't… it's more of… she wouldn't.
Mac Grathz was a popular burger chain. It has over a thousand stores located not only in Earth Sphere but also in every major Colony. The Perfect Soldier had decided this would be their last stop for the day out of concern on her injury earlier. Though Belldandy had already informed him time and again that she was feeling ok now, Heero did not want to take any more chances. She knew that he did this out of worry with everything they just went through. The experiences she was exposed on this day had been different from what she was accustomed with and were too much for her to process in just one go.
The brown haired boy ordered a pair of big burger sets for both of them. It comprised of a double patty burger with bacon, mushrooms and melted cheese, a large serving of fries and a tall cup of soda. It had been… difficult again for both of them as they had to choose a table first before leaving all twelve bags that contained the clothes and shoes Heero had bought for her then going back to the counter to place their order.
She was once again… amazed at the establishment. The restaurant was also housed inside the mall but compared to the clothes shop and the shoe store - it had a lot of customers. She surmised that it was probably due to the exclusivity and prestige of the stores they went in earlier when compared to where they are now. The restaurant had a more relaxed and friendlier atmosphere. The golden haired beauty noted that the patrons were also much more diverse, ranging from groups of the same gender, pairs of the opposite sex and families with children.
Belldandy was in such observation when Heero started a conversation.
"I… I know, this may not be something you're used to… eat… up in the Heavens, but base from the breakfast I brought and you consumed earlier in the morning… goddesses also need nourishment like food to get by, right?"
"Oh… y-yes… you're right. I'm just really astounded with everything I'm seeing and experiencing right now. I'm sorry if I gave off the impression that I don't like the food. Honestly, I'm quite curious to try it." She replied before adding, "What are those plump things stuffed inside the bread with mushrooms and the sauce it's covered with?"
"Ah, those are burger patties, made from beef while the long strings inside the paper pouch are evenly sliced potatoes. The liquid inside the tall paper cup is carbonated beverage." Heero explained.
"I see." Belldandy responded before clasping both hands in front of her.
"What… are you… doing?" The Perfect Soldier inquired, curiosity plainly written in his cobalt eyes.
"Oh… I'm thanking the Almighty for the blessings in front of us."
"Of… course." He meekly said after putting down his burger and joining her in prayer.
"Almighty Father… thank you for the food in front of us and all the things we experienced together this day. Bless us and take care of us for the rest of the day." She entreated before opening her eyes and smiling at him.
He nodded subtly in return and began eating his meal.
'So… what should I try first? I think… I'll give the potatoes a taste first.' Belldandy thought as she pulled out a long strand of fries from its paper pouch then placing it inside her mouth.
The French fries were cooked just right, at least from her perspective, she was able to taste the hint of salt sprinkled on its surface while the potatoes were crunchy on the outside but soft from the inside.
'Oh… I like it… its good!'
She took another one.
'Yes! It tastes really good!'
Then another and another.
'I should learn how to cook this delectable meal… I'll ask Heero-san later…'
She was greatly enjoying the food called "French Fries" when her fingers came up empty after digging inside the paper pouch.
It was only then that Belldandy realized… she had already consumed all of her fries.
"Do you want some more? I'll get another for you?" Heero offered, looking gently at her.
'Ohh… this is… a bit… embarrassing… he'll think I'm a glutton of a goddess…'
"Ah… there's no need… I'm ok... I just… I never knew it tasted that good. Please excuse my behavior, Yuy-san." She excused while waving her hand lightly at him.
"Come on, it's ok… I put you into so much trouble today… it's the least I can do." Heero answered.
How could she refuse him? It was a kind gesture… and she also wanted to eat a few more fries.
Together, they went back to the counter, Heero ordered another large pouch for her and two more big servings for them to take home later.
"We'll have to do the groceries tomorrow… are you ok with having fries and burger again for the evening?"
"Oh… anything is fine with me, Yuy-san. I… I have yet to taste the food you call burger though."
"Please, Belldandy, try it… alongside the fries." The brown haired young man recommended.
"Ok." She answered while smiling at him.
The burger was… big, daunting even by her standards.
Belldandy opened her mouth wide and tentatively chomped on her food. Her powder blue eyes widened in disbelief the moment her taste buds were coated by the mixture of melted cheese, mushrooms, bacon and the beef patties. Her tongue and mouth was blanketed by a rich and palatable taste that left her craving for more.
However, she decided to compose herself first and avoid a repeat of her earlier incident with the fries.
"It tastes delicious, Yuy-san. Thank you for bringing me here."
"Think nothing of it, Belldandy." Heero responded before resuming with his food.
"Yes." The golden haired beauty confirmed while smiling softly.
The double patty burger with melted cheese, bacon and mushrooms was an entirely new experience for her. Its rich flavor exploded inside her mouth the instant she took her first bite. It was utterly different from the food usually prepared in the heavens. Following Heero's queue, she alternated eating the burger and her second serving of French fries. Feeling the need to push down the food she was consuming the lovely goddess took a sip of the drink Heero calls "soda".
The carbonated drink left a lasting flavor as it trailed down her throat.
However… as a goddess… its effect was different for Belldandy.
The sparkling drink tasted good. No doubt about it… but for her…
"Hic!" The golden haired beauty gently gulped.
Instinctively, she quickly covered her lips.
'Ohh… I've been embarrassing myself in front of Heero-san too many times already…'
She smiled nervously at him before taking another swig on the soft drink.
One… Two… Three… Four… Five… or was it six?
The lovely goddess guzzled the soda with apparent ease till she contentedly settled the tall paper cup on the table.
'W-why… does… everything… seem… to move… too fast?' She wondered as her eyes scanned their immediate vicinity.
Her world… seemed to be spinning slowly while the ground looks similar to the waves ascending and descending from the seashore.
'Eh… what's happening?'
"Belldandy? Are you ok?" The former Gundam Pilot curiously inquired.
"Oh… I'm fine… I… do feel a bit dizzy… though."
"You must be tired after everything we did inside the mall, try drinking more soda to at least replenish the liquid you've expanded earlier."
"That's a good idea, Yuy-san. Thank you." She agreed before taking a couple more gulps on her drink.
'Whoa… this is not good…' Belldandy mused after sensing that her dizziness got even worse.
She opted to remain silent and contented herself to observe her surroundings when Heero continued their conversation.
"Belldandy… thank you for coming with me today. I know I'm asking a lot but this is the only thing I can think of while the Ultimate Force delimits our movement."
The golden haired beauty switched her gaze to him and smiled in a mellow way.
'Well… now… if you can look past his stoic demeanor and daunting personality Heero-san is a good-looking young man. No… that's an understatement… he's a handsome guy.'
"Oh don't think about it. A goddess places her duty above everything else! We're bounded by a contract! We have to play our parts till we accomplish your wish!" She answered excitedly.
'I'm being too giddy… well… what can I say? I'm feeling light and good right now… no matter how strange it is… but I'm far too happy for no apparent reason.'
Again, she smiled at him while carefully observing his features.
"You know… I really like your hair… its thick mess and its color… chocolate brown!"
"B-Belldandy?" Heero anxiously blurted.
"Haven't you noticed? The salesladies inside the shops we visited… all of them were keenly gazing at you! I think I'm really lucky the Ultimate Force had us locked with each other for no more than ten feet!"
'Wow… I'm really honest right now! Or… may be too honest than I normally am…'
"Are… are you… really ok, Belldandy?"
"Oh, I'm fine… never the better, Yuy-san!" She gamely replied before chugging down what little remains of her soda.
'Whoa… everything's… spinning badly out of control now… and my reaction time is getting horrible…' Belldandy mused as she continued to survey her surroundings.
Everything looked glassy and time seemed to have slowed down considerably.
"Hic…" Belldandy unconsciously gulped once again.
The movement from the rowdy group of guys on the right corner table… the couple with two kids situated near the window…. and the lively trio of teenage girls to their left… everything appeared to be in slow motion.
'T-the… soda… it must have gotten me… tipsy… or rather… drunk…' She discerned.
"You know… I experienced a lot today… how things work here on Earth. The unique clothes… and nice shoes… eating… French… fries…" The lovely goddess struggled to say before everything came crashing down on her.
Belldandy thought her eyesight was like that of a television... one which has been turned off as everything else was sucked into oblivion.
The last thing she saw was Heero alertly rushing to her side before the entirety of her vision was snuffed out.
By all accounts, Heero Yuy is the epitome of a warrior.
He is a highly trained war specialist.
He is experienced in all theaters of war, knowledgeable in many forms of combat.
After all, he is considered as the Perfect Soldier.
Right now… the brown haired boy is using such skills and training on a rather… different matter.
It was entirely a new experience for him.
He held 6 shop bags filled with shoes and clothes on each hand which amounts to twelve in total.
That by itself was already completely out of character for him. He never carried shopping bags for anyone.
Lastly… he had a goddess, dead drunk on his back.
Belldandy was passed out and had been riding him piggyback since they left the burger joint.
'I need to keep in mind that… goddesses get smashed when they drink soda…'
Unfortunate for him, they still had a long way to go from where his car was parked.
They had been accorded either a funny look or a suspicious glare from everyone they passed while en route there.
He was carrying an out cold woman on his back in broad daylight after all.
"Hnngggnnnh…" He heard Belldandy softly grumble.
"Don't worry… we're on the way to the parking lot." Heero assured the golden haired beauty.
"Heero… I'm… s-sorry… I still feel… woozy after drinking… that soda…"
"It's ok… both us didn't know that goddesses and carbonated drinks don't match well"
"I… I must have been too troublesome for you… getting stuck with a… goddess like me…" She tried to tell him.
"No, it's not your fault, ok?"
"I'll… I'll make it up with you… together… we'll make you a person… a person who enjoys life…"
"Thank you, Belldandy."
"Together… we shall… find… ways to make you… enjoy… living…"
'She's… becoming too talkative… probably because she's drunk with soft drinks…'
"You… know…" Belldandy trailed as they continued on their way to the parking lot.
"I… had so much fun today… I'll never forget… the experience you imparted to me…"
"It's nothing, Belldandy, you just… rest on my back, ok?"
"I like… going to the shoe store and clothes shop with you… I… I felt… special…"
"You're one special woman… or goddess… that is, Belldandy." Heero assured the drunken young lady at his back.
"You… you bought me… a lot of things… you… you… even massaged my foot…"
'Belldandy…'
"I… I like the… way… you… hold my feet… your hands are… soothing… healing…" The powder eyed goddess admitted.
"You were hurt… I just did what anyone in my position would have done." He said in an attempt to downplay his actions.
"We… goddesses… we are… not… allowed to… lie… but I can't… bring myself… to stop you… I like… the way you massage my foot… that's why… I just… kept… silent…" Bellldandy disclosed in her stupor.
"Please… don't feel indebted to it. I wanted to help you get well."
'Finally, we're here.'
"Don't worry… I promise… I… won't leave you… even if Yggdrasil deems that the contract is finished… I'll make sure you… won't have any regrets… about living… ok?"
"If… If you say so, Belldandy." Heero replied before opening the car door after putting down the shop bags on the ground.
"Ok… we're here… I'll have to get you off my back first so I could settle you inside the car."
"Hmm…" He heard her grumble.
Heero kneeled slowly on the parking lot's floor as Belldandy carefully planted both feet on the car park's surface. He swiftly stood up and moved in front of her as the lovely goddess still had a lot of difficulty in maintaining her balance. He gently held her on one shoulder while wiping away the sweat off her face with his handkerchief. He proceeded to brush aside the stray strands of golden brown hair that landed near her powder blue eyes.
"Ohhmppfft…" Belldandy suddenly slurred.
'Uh… oh…'
It was as he expected because soon after that the lovely goddess vomited.
"Bllaarrrgggkkkhhh!"
'Damn…'
Right on target… right at the center of his chest… Belldandy poured out everything she had yet to digest.
The French Fries.
The double beef patty with mushrooms, bacon and melted cheese burger.
Only thing Heero could do was sigh and run his hands smoothly on her back as she gagged the food out of her stomach.
'Belldandy… a goddess… first class…' He thought while shaking his head sideways.
Present Day, A.C. 203
Mariestella had just ordered a double patty bacon, mushrooms and melted cheese burger along with a large serving of fries and soda. She decided to settle in one of the two-seater tables located near the store front that had a nice view of the main avenue. The restaurant or rather, food chain along with the food that was served… held a special place in her heart.
She smiled to herself before picking up and eating a long thick stand of French fries.
'French fries… and double patty burgers… they always remind me of that time. They became my favorite when I first arrived here. But most importantly… each time I go here and eat them… I'm always reminded of you.'
The lovely woman took a small bite at her burger.
She shook her head slightly after using a palm to cover the fond smirk appearing from her lips.
'It was so… embarrassing… I've made a fool of myself in front of you during our first day together.'
Barring aside her clumsiness in handling the situations she was foreign with… Mariestella had always reminisced of that first day with nothing but fondness. His subtle reactions on each piece of clothing she tried, him paying for all of their purchases, his massaging of her injured foot inside the shoe store and of course… him on the receiving end of her spewing incident at the parking lot.
'Even after we arrived home that evening… I didn't stop causing you a lot of trouble… I'm really troublesome back then…'
Mariestella took a bite at her burger, savoring its rich taste before taking a sip at the tall soda paper cup.
'How I wish… we could go back to those days…'
The lovely woman smiled lightly as she transferred her gaze at the streets just outside the burger joint.
To say that, "he stinks big time" was one way of placing an accurate description on his current state.
"Heero… let's drink... more soda…" Belldandy grumbled from his bed.
He exhaled a long drawn breath before taking off his dark navy shirt that had been soaked with her vomit earlier. They managed to get home safely despite his distress and bad mood that resulted from Belldandy's spewing incident at the car park. Still, Heero decided to be patient and sympathetic in consideration of the lovely goddess' familiarity with matters that involve human interaction and daily living conditions.
After he laid her down on his bed, he went to the comfort room adjoining his bedroom.
'Better wash the shirt with some soap… to at least remove some stench… I'll just clean it tomorrow using the washing machine... can't be further than ten feet away from Belldandy.'
He was in the process of cleaning his shirt with a regular soap when the thought hit him.
'Wait a sec…'
He was inside the bathroom.
She was on the bed at the adjoining room.
'Did… she… damn… better… take a look…'
The distance between both areas was around fifteen feet.
'What's she doing right now…?'
The Perfect Soldier carefully peered from the door and was reassured to see that Belldandy was sleeping comfortably on his bed.
He breathed a sigh of relief before once again making a quick estimation of the space between them.
'Hnn…' He grunted while moving around the bed towards the other side of the door leading to his living room.
He felt the invisible barrier hamper any further advance.
The brown haired young man gently knocked at the unseen wall, a sound similar to glass being tapped on originated from the field.
'It seems… we've been granted additional moving space.'
He decided to stop testing their maximum allowable gap from one another and instead went back inside the bathroom to take a shower.
Heero was all tidy and refreshed when he returned from to the bedroom. He was holding a hand towel soaked in some water and soap with the intent of cleaning up the drunken young woman on top of his bed. First he decided to change into a sleeveless shirt and boxer shorts before proceeding with what could be… another tough task at hand.
Gently, he began cleaning Belldandy's face, with the intent of removing the residue from her vomit that even got stuck on her disheveled hair.
'Her face… whether she's asleep or not… is so stunning.'
Soon as he finished, the Perfect Soldier debated if he'll change her clothes but decided against out of respect to the lovely goddess and their similar incident during the previous evening. Just as he was about to go back to the bathroom to return the hand towel, Belldandy spoke to him.
"Heero… it's… h-hot… in here…"
'I guess… that leaves… me… no other… option…'
Once again, same as he did the other night, he took an oversized shirt from his closet and began the process of removing her clothes.
Of course he turned off the lights inside the bedroom and only lit his small bed lamp in respect to the golden haired beauty's privacy.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
'Damn… I'll… never… ever… get used to this…'
He first took off her upper garments which were comprised of a buttoned checkered boyfriend's shirt and white camisole.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
'Ok… no need to remove her undergarments…'
He then proceeded to remove her skinny jeans.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
'Lucky for us… that commercial we watched on the TV while choosing her clothes was an advertisement for jeans.'
Despite coming out fresh from a shower… he was again sweating profusely.
His hands were still shaking.
He gulped repeatedly to clear his throat from an invisible lump that had seemingly formed due to his own inexplicable nervousness of the situation.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Soon as he was able to remove the skinny jeans from her long and silky legs, Heero quickly clothed her with the oversized shirt. He decided to just clean her arms and hands with a fresh face towel soak in warm water and soap.
'Why do we always end up in such a predicament… Belldandy?'
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Finally he was done.
Heero heaved a long exhale while wiping the sweat of his brows.
'Ok… mission… complete…'
The Gundam Pilot took out a thick comforter and an extra pillow from his closet before laying them down on his bedroom's carpeted surface.
'This was... one… very long… and eventful day…'
He was about to close his eyes and call it a night when he heard Belldandy softly utter.
"I've… been… nothing… but a burden… Heero…"
'Drunken into a stupor… is she talking in her sleep?'
The cobalt eyed young man initially opted to just ignore and let the lovely goddess rest but instead he found himself replying to her.
"No Belldandy, we're… bonded together by a contract, if you'll do everything in your power to help me, then the least I could do is ensure everything in my capacity to take care of you… while you're here."
"I'm… sorry… for my… ineptness…"
"You'll get used to your situation here Belldandy. I will… help you. I promise… now, get… some sleep." He guaranteed her.
"I'm… glad… to have… you as… my first assignment…" She softly mumbled.
"I am grateful as well, Belldandy."
"You're a… good… and honest… young man, Heero. I… deeply hope… and… pray we'll find your reason or purpose of living."
"And you're a kind and dedicated goddess, Belldandy. Together… we will find that purpose… I will return you back to where you belong so you can help more… deserving people."
"Mmm…"
"So, take a rest now. Good night."
"Yes…" She lightly uttered before drifting into sleep.
It didn't take him long to follow her as he closed his eyes and succumbing from what was a tiring yet very memorable day.
Author's Notes:
Ok, Chapter 01 was their first meeting while Chapter 02 showcased their first day and time inside the mall together. We couldn't consider it as a date yet, since Heero is treating Belldandy as his employee aside from their bond as granter and grantee. The events of the second chapter all occur within the span of one day as our main characters begin to get to know each other.
Lies vs. Truths – I placed emphasis on this subject as goddesses avoid (with a few exceptions like Urd) making or stating lies. Here we could see Belldandy keeping her silence in order to evade the matter when she is pressed to provide an answer.
Ultimate Force – I decided to use the invisible barrier as a major component in keeping Belldandy and Heero close to each other. Thus the need for Heero to come up with Belldandy's cover as his personal assistant and housemaid since they need to be next to one another due to space constraints presented by this delimiting field. The chapter showed just the surface of the many challenges they will face in maintaining a fix distance with one another which will eventually expand as we progress further with the story.
Soda/Carbonated Drinks – Well, we all know that alcoholic beverages doesn't have any effect on goddesses but Belldandy exhibits a rather unnatural reaction, which is getting dead drunk after unknowingly sipping soda on her first time.
To all the readers - Thank you for the support, interest and reviews that the story has so far generated. You could check my profile for updates on the next chapter as I regularly post the progress of the succeeding release.
In response to some of the guest review questions: there's a reason why she's using Mariestella as her name now. As for the other Norns or goddesses – we'll find out soon on the next installments of Kimi no Kioku!
Please don't forget to review! – EZ23
To say that she was irritated would be one of the biggest understatements on how she was feeling right now.
She was deeply concerned and truly agitated.
She wanted to do something… but the situation was out of her control.
But most of all she was utterly worried.
Angrily, she huffed and stomped on her way to their office, the Systems Administration Command Center.
Her purple eyes held every intention to kill or rather strangle to death whoever was responsible for the predicament she was currently struggling to grasp.
She swung the door open without any care and entered the office peevishly.
Mervina, the Senior Administrator looked at her nervously as she placed both hands on her waist while glaring at every occupant of the room.
"Any updates?"
The Senior Systems Administrator softly sighed and morosely shook her head sideways.
"I know, I've been asking this every day… every single day I come to our office for goodness sake. But you must understand where I'm coming from!"
"Please, have more patience… we've been doing everything that we can." Mervina replied in an attempt to somehow appease her.
"I know! And it only makes me all the more frustrated of our own inability to find her!" She furiously stated.
"It is really hard… but please, calm down, you're well aware that we've committed all our resources into tracking her." Leonora, the Chief Administrator explained while meeting her gaze.
"I know… but you can't blame me for feeling like this! Try putting yourselves in my shoes! I'm worried about my sister!" She seethed at Leonora and Mervina.
She was definitely in a foul mood.
She had every right to be.
"Belldandy's been missing for a month already! Ygdrassil has been unable to locate her!" Urd heatedly said while feeling her knuckles shaking with anger.
Next on Kimi no Kioku:
The early days I started to know you... the person you were.
I was definitely scared… I was utterly frightened.
Why would the System choose someone who has so little regard of life?
Your reasons and intentions… they are truly perplexing for me to comprehend.
Yet still… eventually… I came to love you like no other.
Thanks for the patronage! Don't forget to review! – EZ23