Just Like Her: Part 6
Heero had returned to his apartment dazed and confused. He would have been just fine if he ignored the picture, but he didn't and curiosity got the better of him. Heero paced anxiously in his living room, random thoughts fluttering through his all ready busy mind. 'This is all too weird for me. What the hell is going on? I think I need some fresh air.' Heero grabbed a light coat and went outside for a walk, if he was inside that building any longer, he would explode. So far that building had been the source of his anxiety and a bit of fresh air would hopefully relieve him of some of it.
It was a relatively quiet Saturday afternoon as the streets were scattered with a few people here and there going about on their business. Heero ventured down a few blocks to the town square, the hub of town. 'Maybe a good book will keep my mind off of things,' he thought the moment he looked at the town library. The town library was created when the building caught fire a couple hundred years ago, completely hollowing out the insides, leaving only a stone shell. Birds littered the steps and flew away the second he ascended the short staircase. Heero had not yet visited the town library, he found the one at the university to be more resourceful. If he wanted to find a good book however, this apparently was the place to go. Heero slowly parted the large wooden doors and quietly entered. An old smell filled the room, one of old parchment and wood, it was a nice aroma. The room had two floors, the top floor lined with a wrought-iron railing, both levels filled wall to wall with wooden bookcases and books old and new. "May I help you find something sir?" Mr. Fitzgerald asked politely.
Heero grinned slightly. "I'll know it when I find it, thank you."
The old librarian nodded and went on with his work. Heero lingered through the rows of books, slowly scanning the titles on the worn leather bindings. He knelt down a bit to take a look at the bottom shelf when he heard the hushed sound of two women talking. Heero ignored it and continued glancing in wonder at the marvelous array they had. "Can I help you with something?" a girl's voice quietly sounded next to him.
The words caused Heero to turn his head. What he saw was a petite woman with raven-colored hair tied back in a long braid and whose face carried small lenses that framed her turquoise eyes. Heero figured she must have been one of the librarians. "I'm fine but thank you," he responded politely.
Relena immediately recognized that voice from the other row and slid the books apart to see if her assumption was right. 'Heero, what's he doing here?' Hilde left Heero and came back down the aisle. "Hey Relena, there's a gorgeous looking guy over there, I think you should meet him," Hilde said dropping her friend a not so subtle hint.
Relena was still standing there speechless when Hilde grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the aisle. "Excuse me sir, maybe my friend here can help you find what you are looking for," Hilde chimed as Relena tried to turn away, but to no avail.
Heero looked up and was astonished to see Relena standing there. 'Geeze, I go out of the house to get away from the anxiety and it just seems to follow me wherever I go,' Heero commented to himself. Silence ensued between them for a moment before Relena finally spoke up. "Hi Heero."
Hilde's eyes went wide and she looked over at Relena who was starting to blush. 'So this must be her neighbor,' she thought as a wicked grin crossed her face. "Well Relena, are you going to invite him or not?"
It was Relena's eyes that went wide this time and she glared at her friend, wicked thing. "Would you like to come over to my place for dinner tonight. Hilde and Duo will be there as well."
Hilde nudged Relena in the ribs. "Oh and by the way, this is Hilde."
Hilde gleamed and Heero just nodded. He wasn't sure how to respond to Relena's invite, especially since what had happened earlier that day. The picture really freaked him out and he wasn't ready for anymore surprises. He decided to take the chance though, what else was there to worry about, he had seen it all as far as he was concerned. "Sure."
Hilde smiled. "Great, dinner will be at seven. See you then," Relena responded before turning to go back to work, Hilde right on her heels.
Relena quickly moved out of earshot before confronting her friend. "You weren't kidding about your neighbor Relena, man, he's gorgeous."
"What are you talking about? You all ready have a gorgeous man of your own. Oh and Hilde, if he hadn't been standing there, I would have killed you," Relena teased.
"Awe come on Relena, I took the liberty of doing it for you."
"I would have done it eventually," Relena retorted.
"Right, I believe you there. Well anyways, you're welcome," Hilde said with a wide smile and twinkle in her eye.
"And I thank you Hilde, for putting me on the spot like that," Relena remarked sarcastically.
Hilde flung her arm around Relena's shoulder. "Well, that's what friends are for."
The girls giggled and returned to their work.
Heero just stood there for a moment, trying his best to collect his thoughts as he peered through the book shelves at Hilde and Relena who were chatting away over at the book cart. 'What have I just got myself into?' Heero thought with a smirk before moving on to another aisle.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hilde called Duo at work from the library and relayed to him what was going on. When she told him that Relena's neighbor was a man, a good looking one, he was even more eager to attend. It would be a nice change for him to have a guy to talk to, girlish chit chat was not for him. The girls stopped by the market down the street from Relena's apartment to pick up some food for dinner. With bags in hand, they made their way back. "So Relena, what's the situation with Heero?"
"There really isn't a situation Hilde. I just met him yesterday and that was only for a brief moment."
"But you did talk today didn't you?"
Relena sighed. "Yeah, we did. Of course I did most of the talking, rambling mostly. He must think of me as a complete idiot."
"Hardly. If he didn't like you, he would not have accepted your invite," Hilde retorted.
"I guess you are right."
"Of course I am silly! Besides, you're way to hard on yourself. Anyone who chooses not to know you is missing out," Hilde told her friend.
"Thanks Hilde, you're a great friend," Relena replied with a sincere smile. "Duo is a lucky guy."
"Yeah but let me tell you, I didn't give him many options. It was either be mine or have a swift kick to the head!"
"That sounds like you all right Hilde. For someone as strong as him, he sure is afraid of such a small woman."
"He better be," Hilde commented as she flexed her arm muscles jokingly.
The friends laughed and before they knew it, they were at Relena's place. Sitting on the doorsteps was Duo, awaiting their arrival. He was dressed in a pair of loose khakis and a snug black shirt. His brown hair was neatly tied back in a braid as a few strands of hair fell over his violet colored eyes. "You're here early Duo," Hilde said with surprise.
"Well hello to you to!" Duo replied with a grin.
"Hi sweety," Hilde answered with an equally bright smile.
"Hi there Duo, hungry?" Relena commented.
"Hell yeah! I'm starved."
"Well as soon as you remove your carcass away from the door, your girlfriend and I can go cook something," Relena teased. She had a subtle way of getting things across.
Duo stood up and opened the door for the two girls. "So Relena, where's your neighbor friend?"
"Probably up in his apartment, I told him to come over at seven, he still has an hour," Relena replied as she unlocked the door to her apartment.
"Finally, a man to talk to," Duo said before flopping down on Relena's sofa.
"What's wrong? Are we boring or just not good enough for you?" Hilde teased before chucking a pillow at Duo's head.
"Believe me when I say I enjoy your company babe, and yours too Relena. It's just going to be nice to be able to talk about man stuff," he answered quickly after evading the pillow.
"What exactly is man stuff?" Relena asked, cocking her eyebrow as she stood behind the kitchen counter putting the groceries away with her friend.
"Yeah, please tell us Duo. We women must know these kinds of things."
"Geeze, I should have just kept my big mouth shut," Duo sighed as he sank down in the cushions.
The girls giggled and went to work cooking. At Heero's place, he sat there patiently on the sofa staring at the clock on the VCR. He had taken shower and cleaned himself up a bit, he didn't realize how ragged he looked that afternoon. He had thirty minutes to go and he could hear them bustling around next door. Heero could still remember the look on Relena's face when she saw him at the library, it was rather cute he thought. The surprise in her eyes at her friend's audacity and the slight blush that came to her cheeks. He smiled at the thought. Time passed rather quickly as random thoughts traveled through his head. Before he knew it, it was finally time for him to go over there. 'I hope there won't be anymore surprises today,' was his final thought before he knocked on her door.