Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing
Heero walked into his apartment, greeted by the sound of a blaring television. He walked lightly to the kitchen, but didn't manage to go unnoticed. As the water he'd placed on the stove bubbled to life, Duo and Jared greeted him with bright, childlike smiles.
"Did you kiss her? Did you kiss her? Did you kiss her?" Jared chanted, bouncing on his toes with excitement.
"No," Heero replied sternly. "Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"
Jared groaned, disappearing down the hall with a trail of complaints behind him.
Duo said nothing. He just leaned, arms crossed, against the refrigerator, watching Heero watch the teapot. Heero could feel the stair, but refused to meet the violet eyes.
"Sooo—" Duo dragged out, urging Heero to glance back at him. "Did you kiss her? Did you kiss her? Did you kiss her?" The grown man was now hopping up and down in place, like his godson had done moments before.
This time Heero felt himself responding to the assault. He couldn't battle the blush creeping up his neck and heating his ears, inside and out. He trained his eyes on the whistling pot and said nothing.
Duo gasped for effect, then slapped a heavy hand across Heero's left shoulder blade. "I knew you two lovebirds couldn't stay away from each other forever. Ya know, you can run and you can hide, but fate will find you. Always does."
With that, the other pilot flipped his braid over his shoulder and made his way toward his room. "Don't forget to turn off the lights," he called out.
:::
Relena found herself wandering through a busy children's park in Barcelona, shortly before noon on Saturday. Watching people of all ages, young and old, enjoying their weekend in the sun brought a smile to the politician's face. It was moments like these when she remembered why she did what she did. These young fathers would never have to go away to war. These women would never be widowed. These children would never be orphaned, the way that so many of her friends had been. People could believe in family, again. That made her life worth living.
Her feet stopped moving when she caught sight of them. Through the crowds, dozens and dozens of people, that unruly brown hair still caught her eye, after all these years. Relena felt a warm smile emerge as she watched him. His hands were in his pockets and Jared was looking up at him, pestering him about something that he didn't seem to want to agree to. Duo appeared behind them, apparently agreeing with the young boy. Heero's irritation was clearly visible as the "Braided Baka" butted in. With a nod of pure amusement, she folded her hands in front of her and continued forward, back straight as a board.
"But Dad," the boy's voice whined as she came into range. "It's been forever. She's still not here. And I'm hungry!"
Heero shook his head solidly. "It's been fourteen minutes. And if you were hungry, you should have eaten more of your breakfast. You let Duo eat most of it."
The boy huffed, crossing his arms.
"Besides, funnel cakes are not a proper breakfast."
Relena placed a soothing hand on his shoulder. He felt her kindness course outward, relaxing every muscle in his back. His posture remained steady, as though he'd known she was there all along.
"This seems to be my fault," she said, winking at the boy.
"No," Heero answered. "You've never been here, before. We'd be foolish to have expected you any earlier."
"Well, I'm glad you're showing me what I'd be missing," she said, looking around at her busy surroundings. She turned her smile back on Jared, leading the discussion. "Heero, I've been having a hankering for some fresh funnel cakes. What do you say?"
He narrowed his eyes on her, accepting defeat.
:::
The jovial veteran made his way toward the merry-go-round with the seven year old, throwing a suggestive wink back at the blonde on the bench. She shook her head with a sweet grin on her face, waiting for her escort to return. She understood Duo's obsessive pushing for a romantic relationship between the two, but Relena knew very well that it was best for her public image to move at Heero's pace, rather than Duo's, so she accepted the lack of physical contact between herself and her interest. The touches between them were steady and directional, rather than gentle and intimate. And yet, she was satisfied with what felt like the most natural relationship she'd ever been in.
Heero returned to her side with barely a sound, sitting next to her on the bench with a fresh cloud of cotton candy. "For you," he said, offering it like a bouquet of flowers.
Relena accepted with the most genuine smile she'd worn in a very long time.
He stretched his arms, instinctively, across the back of the seat, looking up at the clouds. "Mars?"
She smiled. "Good," she responded. "The development is going swimmingly. Milliardo's sent many pictures. I hope to go and see it for myself one day. It looks so beautiful. In the meantime, Lucrezia comes home whenever she has a pregnancy, and Milliardo visits for the birth, before taking his family back up there. She's spent about three different years with me, so far."
"So they've had 'about' three children?" His voice was solid and emotionless, but there was a slight twinkle in his eyes when he glanced at her, telling her that he was joking.
"About," she laughed.
Heero's eyes and demeanor became painfully serious, again, as he watched the metal horses bob up and down in front of them. "Are you thinking about children?"
"Hm," Relena opened, thoughtfully. "I had stopped thinking about it for a while, but seeing Jared did bring the matter back to mind."
His seriousness didn't falter as his eyes searched her own.
"I'm enjoying my time with him. So often when I think of children, I picture them small. I spent Lucrezia's pregnancies and births with her, but I've never truly been able to enjoy their personalities as they grew. Jared is giving me a glimpse at that."
"And—?"
Her eyes fell to the sugary treat in her hand, a blush filling her cheeks. "And I'm enjoying it."
Heero smiled, peeling his gaze away from her, again, to watch Duo and Jared returning from the far side of the ride. Relena found herself following his line of sight, watching his son, as well.
A small blonde girl, about four years old, came running toward the merry-go-round as quickly as her little legs would carry her, but stumbled to the ground, just in front of the boy. As she cried out in pain, Jared gently lifted her up in his arms, hugging the girl he'd never met to comfort her. "It's okay," they could hear him saying. "It's just a small scratch." He began pointing at small scars on his knees and elbows, showing her his own past falls. "See, it's not so bad. You're going to be alright." The girl's eyes began to dry as he shared his infectious smile with her. He was born to be a comforter.
"He's so kind," Relena observed, looking back up at his father. She smiled when he dropped his stare to her. "He gets that from you," she said, placing a hand on his knee. She blushed as she looked away.
She still believed in him, after all these years.
:::
"Where is she, now?" Broderick asked Relena's personal assistant.
"She's at a conference in Barcelona. But don't get your hopes up. I don't think she's ready to—"
"Barcelona," he repeated. His eyes sparkled with excitement. "Perfect."