A Day in the Life
Wings Landing
Author's Note: Ahhh! Can you believe it?! Gundam Wing is 25 years old today! And I suddenly feel ancient. What are you doing to celebrate the anniversary today? I'm going to be doing a live stream at 7pm CST with a few friends, Dark Sharingan, ForgottenStorm87, and The Black Rose, on Twitch while we watch Gundam Wing. It's going to be so much fun!
As for this little one shot, I wrote it for the Gundam Wing 25th Anniversary Zine, "Rhythm Generation: Shooting Stars" and the Bonus Zine, "The Measure of a Year". This particular edition includes sexual innuendos that are not in the zine. I hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think by commenting and reviewing.
It's Relena's 40th Birthday and Heero has planned the perfect evening…
I felt a gentle shake on my shoulder before I heard his deep voice gently whisper, "Morning," into my ear. Not wanting to wake up just yet, I squeezed my eyes tight and snuggled deeper into the warmth and comfort of the cocoon I had built sometime during the cool spring night. Just five more minutes, I thought to myself. He whispered my name as he kissed my earlobe then my neck. Arching backwards into his embrace and loving caresses, I finally stretched and opened my eyes to look into his. Even after 25 years, their intensity still took my breath away.
"I brought you some breakfast," he said as a smile crept onto his handsome face as he rose to retrieve the serving platter behind him.
"Did you?" Curious and suddenly aware of my empty stomach, which began to growl quite loudly, I sat up. "Heero! You didn't!" I looked down in awe at the perfect teddy bear shaped pancakes and back up at him.
"Happy Birthday, Lena," he said as he pressed a kiss to my forehead and another against my lips.
He had always gotten me some sort of teddy bear since my 16th birthday and this year was no different. Smiling, I buttered my pancakes and poured a little too much warm maple syrup across them. Then, I devoured them in the most unladylike manner.
"Woah, slow down. You're eating like Duo," Heero cautioned.
I almost laughed but I was too busy enjoying my homemade meal. This was indeed a rare treat as Heero rarely made me breakfast in bed. I should have taken my time and savored every single bite but I was starving, plus I needed to finish up some work before I could celebrate fully with my family. Hopping out of bed, I gave him a quick peck on the cheek as I headed to our bathroom.
After using the facilities, I washed my hands and peered around the corner to see my husband already typing away on his laptop. Leaning against the door frame, I smiled and thanked him again for making me breakfast.
He ignored my thanks and instead replied, "You know, you don't have to work on your birthday."
"I know, I know." I threw up my hands as I re-entered the bathroom where I pulled out a toothbrush and toothpaste. Before I began scrubbing the sugary goodness off my teeth, I explained, "I want to wrap up the revisions to the treaty agreements for the President and I need to finish writing my speech for the benefit this Saturday." I paused to vigorously brush my teeth and spit out the foamy excess before rinsing my mouth. Wiping my mouth on a nearby towel, I examined my face. I remember thinking how in the world did I get to be this old and questioning when that wrinkle on my forehead appeared. Frowning, I leaned forward and took a closer look and immediately regretted that decision. There were fine lines galore.
His voice brought me out of my pity party. "You're beautiful." After all these years, he still possessed the uncanny ability to produce butterflies in my stomach. When his strong arms suddenly wrapped around my waist from behind, I couldn't help but fall back against him and breathe in his manly scent.
"You should take the day off. It's your birthday, afterall," he quietly said as he held me, watching me, watching him in the mirror.
"I'm already taking off a whole week for the wedding next month. I can't possibly take any more time off, Heero. I have too much to do."
I sighed, I always had too much to do and if I admitted that, we would just rehash the same conversation about me retiring again and I didn't want to do that. Not today. Not when he was holding me and gazing at me with those gorgeous, desire-filled Prussian blue eyes. I could tell he had something else in mind but I couldn't resist saying what had been on my mind for the past several months. "I can't believe our daughter is getting married. She can't be old enough."
Heero took a deep breath and gave me a reassuring squeeze. "She's older than we were when we got married."
I sighed, "But we were so grown up. She's just a baby."
"Relena… she'll always be our baby girl but she's 21. And we had to grow up faster than her generation. The world demanded it of us. Things are different now. They don't know what war is and hopefully they never will."
I slowly nodded and looked back at him, "You're right. I just wish time wouldn't go by so quickly."
His calloused fingertips brushed my shoulder length hair out of the way as he leaned down to give me a kiss. Our lips were just about to touch when a buzz in our bedroom drew my attention away from him. "Relena…" he groaned, one would almost call it whining, as I pulled out of his embrace and dashed into the room to answer the phone.
I shot a look back at my not too pleased husband who was leaning against the countertop, giving me his signature death glare. It wasn't nearly as effective as it used to be. "It's our daughter! I have to answer!"
I accepted the call with a quick tap on the vidscreen and watched as a younger version of myself, with the exception of her eyes, appear before me. Before I could even get a greeting out, she yelled, "Happy Birthday, Mom!"
"Thanks, sweetheart," I replied. Off to the side, I heard Heero muttering something about kids. He always hated being interrupted when he was on a mission, especially when it was one of a more personal nature. I waved him off as I stepped out onto the balcony.
A gentle breeze tickled my face and the morning sun warmed my heart as I took a few minutes to quickly catch up with my pride and joy before saying goodbye. As I ended the call, I took a deep breath inhaling the sweet smell of spring. This was my favorite time of year, not only because it was my birthday but also because spring represented a new beginning, a fresh start, and I for one couldn't be more excited for this new season of life.
In just over a week, the Royal Greenhouses in Laeken, situated just north of Brussels, would open to the public, showcasing a variety of rare flowers and exotic trees in a kaleidoscope of colors. King Leopold II, an ancestor of mine, commissioned architect Alphonse Balat to design and construct the complex of greenhouses, which amazingly still stood today. We typically visited the Royal Greenhouses before it opened to the general public but this year our daughter wanted to have her wedding there. Naturally, I just had to rent the entire venue for a long weekend for my baby girl.
Leaning against the stone railing, I propped my head up with my hand as I lost myself in a daydream about her wedding and incidentally lost track of time. Thank goodness for my husband who always keeps impeccable timing and keeps me on schedule. Within a matter of ten minutes, I was dressed, ready to go, and inside our well armored vehicle that could withstand an attack from a Gundam.
As we ascended the elevator to my floor, he casually hit the emergency stop button and looked back at me with stormy, dark blue eyes. I couldn't help but smile, my heart skipped a beat as he strode towards me and claimed my lips in a passionate kiss. We didn't have much time before my meeting with the President, but Dorothy would understand if I were a few minutes late on my birthday... So I happily and most willingly obliged my patient husband for an unexpected but quite pleasurable rendezvous.
I was still in a daze as I walked off the elevator. My legs were a little wobbly but my husband's firm hold on my ass kept me upright. Paper pushers and Preventers stepped aside as we walked to my office.
Like the Perfect Soldier he was aptly nicknamed, Heero opened the door with his gun drawn and did a full security sweep of my office as I chatted with my assistant. Only after he deemed the office safe, did he escort me inside my office. "Have a great day," he planted a firm kiss on my temple before heading to the door, only to turn back with that adorable smirk of his and say, "You missed a button." With that he disappeared, and I looked down at my askew jacket, cheeks flaming as I quickly reworked the buttons into their proper position.
Not a moment later, the President—my boss and long-time friend, Dorothy Catalonia—burst through my office doors with an all knowing look. "Apparently, our elevator malfunctioned this morning. Thankfully, you were in good hands," she insinuated as she plopped herself into one of the chairs in front of my desk. I tried to remain calm and collected, not wanting to give away the details of my favorite birthday present so far, but she leaned over smirking, knowing all too well what went down in the elevator. I felt my cheeks heat once more as I looked back at her. "That good, huh?" she said in her sultry voice and laughed. "Well Happy Birthday to you, Miss Relena."
"Thank you, Dorothy." I gathered a stack of papers off of my desk and pretended to glance over them, hoping she would change the subject.
I heard her sigh and leaned back against her chair. "I suppose we should get down to business then," Dorothy replied.
I sighed in relief and replied, "Yes, I have the revisions to the treaty for you to look over." Logging into the computer, I started another day at the office, doing what I do best… convincing others to do what I want them to, in the name of justice and peace.
And just like that three hours passed by. According to my stomach, it was lunch time and thankfully Heero had the forethought to bring me some food, my favorite sushi to be exact. I kicked off my heels and put my feet up on my desk as I ate. Heero gave me a rundown of everything he had been doing. These days he didn't do much, if any, fieldwork except for guarding Dorothy and he did that exceedingly well. Over the past several years, he began delegating the more physically taxing work to his agents, who he often referred to as spring baby chicks. Neither one of us like to admit it, but we are getting older. I couldn't believe I was forty.
I only realized that I must have said it outloud when Heero came around to my side of the desk, laid a hand on my ankle and carefully brushed them off so he could lean down and kiss me. "Forty never looked better," he smiled before sealing his words with a kiss. For a time, the talented man held me captive in my chair with only his mouth. Perfect Soldier, indeed. I accidentally got some cream on my skirt when we indulged ourselves with some dessert so I quickly changed into a new outfit, this time making sure all of the buttons aligned and secretly hoping that no one would notice my wardrobe change, before returning to work.
The afternoon whizzed by as I had back-to-back meetings. For once, neither of them ran over their scheduled time. That in of itself was a birthday gift but my fellow politicians and staff members showered me with an assortment of presents. By the time I returned to my office it looked like a proper floral and gift shop. The sweet aroma of the fresh cut lilacs and the eye catching color of daffodils surrounded me. Taking it all in, I was reminded how thankful I was for my job, the people I worked with, and the people I served for more than half of my life. Everything I have done, everything I do… is all for the sake of peace. I made a mental note to remember that line when Heero tells me I need to retire again.
With that, I logged off my computer, locked up my office and said my goodbyes to my assistant and the people I passed as I headed to his office. Just as I was about to open the door, it flung open revealing my handsome husband. He had loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button, making him all the more irresistible. I may have licked my lips subconsciously because he asked me if I was hungry. I smiled at him and gave him the look. I watched in delight as his eyes widened as he closed his office door, grabbed my hand and proceeded to pull me behind him as if we were late for some important event. When we rounded the corner, he pressed himself against me. "I have a surprise for you," he said, his hot breath tickling my ear.
I cocked my head to the side to get a better look at him in hopes of a hint of some kind and cooly replied, "Oh?"
"Come on," he commanded in that same tone he had on Libra all those years ago.
I had to run-walk to catch up with him. "Where are we going?" I asked, again hoping for a clue. However, he knew how much I loved surprises so he wouldn't dare spoil it now. Giddy with excitement and anticipation, I tried to quiet my mind of the thousands of possibilities running through my mind.
When we reached our car, he opened the door for me and slid in. Once he hopped in, he retrieved something out of the glovebox. A shirt? No… it was too small. I squinted at the object as I tried to piece together the puzzle. Finally it clicked as he snapped the fabric taut in front of me. It was a blindfold. I giggled and bit my lip. I may be forty but he still makes me feel like I'm twenty.
He held out the blindfold, grinning like a kid in a candy store, his eyes dancing with amusement as he leaned over to secure the thick black fabric over my eyes. Once it was properly positioned, Heero warned me not to peak or there would be serious consequences. Like all of his threats towards me, this one was also empty, but I obliged him. I was too excited to see where he was taking me. He revved the engine to life and away we went, to where exactly I don't know. He undoubtedly was covering his tracks and double backing to confuse me but I would never be able to guess where we were going.
Ten, maybe twenty minutes passed, when we finally parked. A few moments later, my door opened and Heero helped me out. He carefully led me for about a minute to only scoop me up in his arms. "This will be faster," he said. I didn't mind; in fact, I enjoyed being in his arms and immediately missed his warmth when he set me down. "I'm going to take off your blindfold now." He worked on the knot and added, "it may be bright so keep your eyes closed when I remove it."
Not a second later, the fabric disappeared and I could sense the light despite my eyes still being closed. Bowing my head, I slowly opened my eyes to look at my feet as I adjusted to the light. "You're right it is very bright." I shielded my eyes with my hands as I looked up and over to my right. It was a vanity, the mirror brightly lit to show every pore and every wrinkle. Just what I wanted… not.
Unamused, I looked over at Heero who was shifting through a rack of clothing. Now this was something I had never witnessed. If someone had told me that Heero would be picking out an outfit for me, I would have laughed in their face. Transfixed by his uncharacteristic interest in clothing, I stood there gawking at him. I almost jumped when he exclaimed, "Here it is!" He unzipped the white garment bag and maneuvered the hanger and clothing out of it to reveal a gorgeous deep blue gown with a sheer overlay that sparkled and shimmered as he hung it on a nearby hook.
"Heero! It's beautiful!" I snatched it out of his hands, giving him a thankful peck on the cheek, and held it up against my body while looking in the mirror.
"It will look even better when it's on you." He winked at me and grabbed another garment bag, flinging it over his shoulder, he added, "I'll be across the hall changing into my tux if you need me." I was about to protest when there was a light knock on the door and a familiar face with raven hair popped her head in.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Hilde smiled looking between me and my husband.
Heero opened the door and said, "Not at all. You two have fun catching up." With that he disappeared and I ran to my best friend, practically knocking her over as I gave her a big squeeze.
"Hilde! It's been too long! It's so good to see you! How are you? How's Duo? How are the kids?" Words couldn't come out of my mouth fast enough. I hadn't seen her in person for almost a year and I just couldn't contain my excitement. She laughed and led me back to vanity, "It's so good to see you too! Happy Birthday! I'll answer all of your questions but let's get you into your gown while we do."
We caught up on the latest details of our lives as she helped me into my evening wear, curled my hair to give me some wavy locks, and did my makeup. A knock on the door signaled our secluded girl time had come to an end. Heero, dashing as ever in his navy blue tux, appeared in the doorway and gave me a look that made my knees weak. Thankfully, I wasn't wearing stilettos, just two inch silver pumps, or else I probably would have toppled over. Smirking at me, knowing exactly the effect he had on me, he casually glanced at Hilde. She took the hint and made her excuses, giving me an air kiss as to not mess my fresh face. "I'll see you soon!" Slipping past Heero she disappeared into the hallway.
In a few strides, Heero stood before me with his eyes sparkling with all the love and affection that I first saw in his cockpit all those years ago. "You look absolutely stunning." I shyly glanced down as I felt my cheeks heat from his sweet words. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "And you look even more radiant when you blush." Tipping my chin up with his forefinger and thumb, he leaned down for a chaste kiss. Then he took a step back and silently offered me his arm, which I promptly accepted.
He escorted me through a maze of hallways that eventually led to a large corridor. At the end of the passage, two elaborately carved mahogany doors opened as we approached it, revealing a group of our closest friends and relatives. Everyone raised their glasses of champagne and shouted, "Happy Birthday, Relena!" Duo, the trickster and explosives-happy man, triggered a series of steamer canons off as we entered. All of my husband's former comrades were in attendance with their significant others: Duo and Hilde, Quatre and Dorothy, Trowa and Lady Une, Wufei and Sally. My brother, Milliardo, and his wife, Lucrezia even came all the way from Mars. But I was most surprised to see my grandfather, Marquis Wayridge, sitting with my mother. His health hadn't been the best recently so it was a pleasant surprise to see him out of bed. And it was also a shock to see Howard, not necessarily because of the Hawaiian attire that he was wearing, but because he too was getting up there in age. He still had a lot of spunk in him though. It was such a blessing to see everyone and to catch up on the moments that seemed to go by all too quickly.
After giving an impromptu thank you speech, we indulged ourselves in fine Italian cuisine and a little too much alcohol, courtesy of Silvia Noventa, who couldn't make it due to attending her grandmother's funeral in Sicily. I talked and laughed with old friends and reminisced about our younger days when we were reckless and didn't have a care for our lives. It was odd how those wartorn years seemed like yesterday but in actuality were twenty five years ago. I tried not to get too emotional as we spoke of our children, how some of them were getting married and others already had kids. I shivered at the thought of being a grandparent at my age. I simply wasn't old enough. As always, Heero came to my rescue, even if it was from my own thoughts and led me to the dance floor.
"I couldn't let this evening go by with dancing with you," he said as he signaled Duo to start playing our song, the one we first danced to at St. Gabriel's Academy.
"Well, I hope I don't have to tear this one. I really like this dress," I quipped.
I felt Heero's chest rumble as he lightly chuckled. "Well… I'm not planning on getting shot tonight, but I could see another scenario in which your dress might be torn," he playfully retorted.
I suppressed the urge to smack him and just shook my head. We waltzed our way around the dance floor in perfect form. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. Rising and falling, advancing and retreating in tune with the music. This was our endless waltz. Together, Heero and I had seen war, revolution, and peace. And as long as I lived, I hoped we would never have to witness another war, but maybe that was just the idealistic wishes of the pacifist in me talking.
Breathless from our dance, I walked over to the windows to catch my breath and glanced down at the square where a monument proudly stood. The spotlights glinted off of the razor sharp golden points on its head. This particular hunk of metal had been a weapon of mass destruction when it first fell to earth as a shooting star, but overtime the Gundam and its pilot had evolved into something much more. Gundams were no longer symbols of war, but of peace. While he had taken lives during the war and rebellion, Heero had saved many more. I recalled the look on his face, the mixture of relief and pure exhaustion from fighting, when he said he didn't have to kill anymore. He has kept his promise to himself and to those he declared it to for over two decades, but he hasn't stopped fighting. Together, soldier and pacifist, an oxymoron of a relationship, we forged a new world for the future, for our children. Smiling, I closed my eyes and allowed the waves of nostalgia to wash over me. From the moment I met him on the beach, to the first time he threatened me and tore up my birthday invitation and the first time he pulled a gun on me, seeing him restrained in the Alliance medical building and shortly after watching him jump to his death, or so I thought.
Arms wrapped around me from behind. I didn't even need to open my eyes to know it was him. I savored the moment, leaning against him and him leaning into me. Time flew by so quickly and I didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but all that I could hope for was another day with him.
END