Disclaimer: Don't own G-Wing, so you don't sue, please!
AN: Umm, yeah, so thank you to everyone who reviewed (Or should I say both of them :P)! You are the best! And those few seconds you took to type a review has been rewarded. Second chapter of Black Hair and Gray eyes is here!
Black Hair and Gray Eyes
Chapter 2
"Hey! Aki! Wake up!" Someone was shaking her. Her eyes opened groggily to see Nightsky, or Chantelle hovering over her. "Up sleepyhead!"
"Hey, Nightsky, what's wrong? Are you hungry?" Her eyes were half open as she talked to the younger girl. "And why'd you call me Aki?"
Chantelle giggled and and flicked Aki's forehead. "No silly, we're in the orphanage, remember?" She jumped off the bed and took a few spaces back. "Are you sure you didn't drink any wine yesterday?" She stuck out her tongue and smiled. "Now get up! Breakfast time!" She pulled Aki up and led the half-wake girl to the shared cabinet. "Please don't tell me you didn't notice the blanket," She hugged her herself. "and this comfortable clothes."
"Half-sleeping, I couldn't notice." She said briskly, and yawned. Chantelle sighed an disappeared behind a door. Aki sighed and looked at the cabinet. She opened the one that was labelled her size and pulled it open. The door was slammed again but she ignored it. She was skimming through the shirts when water was thrown on her face. "Ack!"
Gremlin, or Christie, stood there smiling smugly as Chantelle stood with her hands on her hips, struggling not to laugh. "Are you awake now?" She asked. Chris crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.
"And did you not notice us because you were half-asleep?" Chris's smile broke into a grin as she watched her long time friend wipe water from her face. Aki sputtered and gave them both an indignant look.
She grunted. "False sense of security, I suppose." She turned and picked out a light yellow t-shirt and jeans. Finding the bathroom quickly, she disappeared into it.
*~*~*~*~*
The meal hall was huge. It stretched from the front door to the back of the building. Painted in soft colours, it gave off a welcoming sense of comfort. About eighteen long tables were aligned down the massive hall.
In the middle, each side of the room had a door, a playroom to the right and a study room to the left. Two doors were placed at the end and front, both leading to the dorms, which continued upstairs. The girls and boys were seperate, of course. In another building, joined to the main one, was a place for the staff, kitchen and other things the kids were left out of. A nursery for babies was in another building, always supervised by at least two people. An adoption centre was upstairs, and an outdoor playground was in the back. Out front were some gardens planted by Miss Relena herself, and some of her friends.
Breakfast was indoors. A few buffet tables lined the walls, filled with breakfast foods. The children sat down hungrily and ate at their food. They were all expected to clean up after themselves, and some had to wash dishes and other chores.
After breakfast was a free time. They could do about anything they wanted. Aki and her two friends ventured outside, where they met up with the other two boys from Aki's group. Cameron was formerly known as Ice, and Quicksilver was Sequin. They toured the orphanage together, and met up with a few of other members from their old home.
There old home was sometimes mistaken for a gang's hideout, but in fact was nothing of the like. Alex and Jean, the oldest male and female, ran the place on their own money. At least thirty orphans had lived there, trying to survive in the warehouse for years. The older ones would work for all they could, sometimes decent jobs, other times, not so lucky. The younger ones were free to roam the streets, as long as they made it back alive. They always went in groups, like Aki and the other four.
Some of the kids took to theiving, and others begged, but one way or another, they made income to support themselves, and as many as they could afford. Very few were too young to go out much, and were the only ones who would actually make no income. After the orphanage opened up, all but two or three came. They had been waiting for years for a home, and many had prayed for the day. Aki was glad to see so many running around, laughing happily.
*~*~*~*~*
Relena worked on her sleek, metal laptop. Heero sat a bit away, typing furiously his black one. She smiled. Their own accessories proved exactly how opposite they were, and asked herself why the others had been so bent on getting them together, before going back to work.
Ten minutes later, Relena shut her laptop and sighed. "Heero, I'm restless. Can we go visit the orphanage?" She gave him her best puppy face, despite the fact it didn't phase him at all. It never did.
He did, however, look over at her and thought for a moment, before sighing loudly and shutting his laptop too. Relena smiled at him and and got up to get her coat. She would find Aki again, and maybe, just maybe, find some way to learn about her. Something just seperated her from the other kids. There was so much to learn about that little girl, she thought, and the idea of adopting the child even crossed her mind.
*~*~*~*~*
Aki and the others were talking to Jase, third in command at their old home, when two more people entered the room. Aki, in curiousity, turned her head to look at who they were.
It was Miss Relena and her bodyguard, Heero Yuy. Aki raised an eyebrow at the two before turning back to the others. She heard light footsteps before someone called her name.
"Aki, it's nice to see you enjoying yourself." Aki turned and Relena smiled down at her.
She nodded at the two and excused herself from the others. "Thank you, Miss Relena. I trust you are doing well." Relena nodded and walked her off.
"The way you talk, I find it hard to believe you are and orphan." Aki wasn't entirely focused on her though, her eyes lingered to the waiting bodyguard, who was looking at Miss Relena intensely. When he seemed to notice he was being watch, his eyes averted the politician and scanned the room.
"I pick things up easily." She lied. There was no point in telling this woman her life story, though she was wondering about the relationship between the two adults she walked with. Didn't Relena have a boyfriend already?
"An interesting girl, aren't you?" Aki nodded curtly as they continued their way. "What's your full name, surely Aki couldn't be it."
The young girl looked at the woman oddly. Why would she want to know? Still, it was best to answer someone of high stature. "Akira, Akira Tamishia. Japenese decendant."
Relena smiled gently as she thought about it. "How do you like it here?" It was sudden, Aki wasn't ready for that.
"It's more than I thought the orphanage would be..." She started. "I don't think I can find anything wrong with it just yet." They were outside now. The breeze played wit her hair and made some strands smack her face gently. Relena stopped and looked at Aki for a bit, before kneeling down to look at her straight in the eye.
Something inside of her was screaming at her to adopt the child, though why she wasn't sure. She reminded Relena of so many people, too. Last night, while she was playing with some of the younger children, she had seemed so much like Quatre. Her hard, gray eyes were like Wufei's and her stoic behaviour mirrored Heero's. She had seen Aki fight too, and it reminded her somewhat of both Duo and Trowa's styles combined. And her eyes held some kind of deep pain, though securely hidden, of her past.
She was interesting indeed. Complicated and confused, though only a child. She needed a better home. "How would you feel about being adopted?" She could feel Heero stare at her in amazement, and the words caught her offguard as well. Aki was surprised, too. Her eyes widened and she stumbled back a bit, before composing herself.
"I- uh- why?" Relena smiled as the child stuttered.
"I have my reasons." Aki looked down and considered the offer. Her face contorted into a frown, and she began to pace.
"Give me some time," She looked up at Relena. "I'll get to you on that tommorrow." Relena nodded and watched her walk inside, before she began to walk in too. But Heero's hand grasped her arm, holding her back.
"Why?" Just like him to say so little.
Relena shrugged a bit. "Do you remember when you lived on the streets, or perhaps with Dr.J?" His grip on her loosened, but his questioning glare was still there. "No matter how good this orphanage is- I mean it has food and beds, but nothing is better than a real family itself." He dropped her arm completely, and let her walk away.
*~*~*~*~*
"Something wrong Akira?" Chris turned over to look at her. Aki was laying on her back, wide awake, her head resting on her hands.
"Hn." Christie was about to turn over when she heard her name being called.
"Yeah?" There was a moment of hesitation.
"What if you were offered a home? Would you leave?" Chris smiled at her old friend's quarry. She knew exactly what was holding her back.
"A few day ago, I would've stayed. But now, we're all being cared for, Akira. There's no need for you to stay behind. Of course we'd miss you, but we'll be okay. There's no real danger anymore." She paused, waiting for an answer, but there was none. "Look, we love you, but we don't want you to pass this opportunity up, ok? Enough with being noble, take something for yourself for once."
Again, silence overtook the room. "Thanks. I'll think about it." Chris heard some Aki's sheets ruffle, and let herself fall asleep. "Hey, Christie?"
"Yeah?"
"Take care of the rest of them for me, will you?"
She smiled. "No problem."
*~*~*~*~*
"Relena? You're still awake?" Heero entered Relena's room through the door ajoining their rooms.
"Yeah. Just some things I have to finish up." It was nearly one now. She just needed a bit more time to finish these files. Then, after a night's rest, she'd go back to the orphanage. Hopefully, Aki would say yes, and she'd have a daughter to remind her of all the things she usually missed. She'd have someone to go riding with. Someone to keep her company. Someone to be her family. Finally, after so long on her own.
She tipped a picture of the pilots, their female counterparts and her brother, Noin, Une and Marimaia. Of course, there was also her. They seemed enough like family, except, she never got to see them often enough. Even her brother and his wife, whom were family. She mildy wondered if they had found a child to adopt themselves.
"Are you done?" She snapped out of her reverie.
"Wha? Oh, nearly." She scribbled on a couple more papers and tucked them away in her briefcase. She then tucked the briefcase under the desk and walked to her closet. "You know, I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself. You don't have to stand there." But as she turned around, Heero was gone from the doorway.
*~*~*~*~*
"What am I to you?
Do you see me?
Or do you see her?
What am I to you?
Do you hear me?
Or do you hear her?"
Chantelle's voice carried through out the hall from the stage at the end.
"Last time you walked right past me,
Did you see her or did you see me?
Called her name whilst we were leaving,
But ran to me, are you okay?"
Aki listened to the song as the rest of the kids danced and laughed. It was six, and they were just having a day of fun, which they would have to clean up later anyways. They, being the orphanage staff, let kids line up to sing instead of hiring someone to do the songs.
"When was,
The last time you saw me?
When was,
The last time you heard me?
Are you sure you weren't looking at her?
Are you sure you weren't loving her?
Do you know,
Who I am?"
The kids cheered and applaused as the song came to an end. Chantelle bowed deeply and laughed.
"Thank you! Thank you! Now, for another song someone suggested, since no one wants to go after me..."
The doors of the great hall opened and two figures stood by it. 'About time.' Aki thought as she moved over to the doors. She left the hall to the outdoors as Chantelle started to sing again.
"That friend of yours, Nightsky, she's good." Relena whispered to her after they got out of the music.
"Yeah, she'll go far, now." The older woman smiled down at her and she returned it.
"So, I'm curious, did you have time to think about it?" Aki looked back towards the door that seperated her from the only family she knew for the last few years.
"Yeah. " Relena looked down at her curiously. "I'm going with you." She outstretched her hand and Relena took it. Heero, who had been watching them curiously, let them in the door and led them up the stairs to the adoption centre.
*~*~*~*~*
Okay, this was a weird little chapter that I used to get the story going. From here on, the story may switch from first person to third every now and then. I'm hoping this picks up in the later chapters. And about the little song in there, it was just something to fill up space. It was something I kinda thought of while reading some other fics.
AN: Umm, yeah, so thank you to everyone who reviewed (Or should I say both of them :P)! You are the best! And those few seconds you took to type a review has been rewarded. Second chapter of Black Hair and Gray eyes is here!
Black Hair and Gray Eyes
Chapter 2
"Hey! Aki! Wake up!" Someone was shaking her. Her eyes opened groggily to see Nightsky, or Chantelle hovering over her. "Up sleepyhead!"
"Hey, Nightsky, what's wrong? Are you hungry?" Her eyes were half open as she talked to the younger girl. "And why'd you call me Aki?"
Chantelle giggled and and flicked Aki's forehead. "No silly, we're in the orphanage, remember?" She jumped off the bed and took a few spaces back. "Are you sure you didn't drink any wine yesterday?" She stuck out her tongue and smiled. "Now get up! Breakfast time!" She pulled Aki up and led the half-wake girl to the shared cabinet. "Please don't tell me you didn't notice the blanket," She hugged her herself. "and this comfortable clothes."
"Half-sleeping, I couldn't notice." She said briskly, and yawned. Chantelle sighed an disappeared behind a door. Aki sighed and looked at the cabinet. She opened the one that was labelled her size and pulled it open. The door was slammed again but she ignored it. She was skimming through the shirts when water was thrown on her face. "Ack!"
Gremlin, or Christie, stood there smiling smugly as Chantelle stood with her hands on her hips, struggling not to laugh. "Are you awake now?" She asked. Chris crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.
"And did you not notice us because you were half-asleep?" Chris's smile broke into a grin as she watched her long time friend wipe water from her face. Aki sputtered and gave them both an indignant look.
She grunted. "False sense of security, I suppose." She turned and picked out a light yellow t-shirt and jeans. Finding the bathroom quickly, she disappeared into it.
*~*~*~*~*
The meal hall was huge. It stretched from the front door to the back of the building. Painted in soft colours, it gave off a welcoming sense of comfort. About eighteen long tables were aligned down the massive hall.
In the middle, each side of the room had a door, a playroom to the right and a study room to the left. Two doors were placed at the end and front, both leading to the dorms, which continued upstairs. The girls and boys were seperate, of course. In another building, joined to the main one, was a place for the staff, kitchen and other things the kids were left out of. A nursery for babies was in another building, always supervised by at least two people. An adoption centre was upstairs, and an outdoor playground was in the back. Out front were some gardens planted by Miss Relena herself, and some of her friends.
Breakfast was indoors. A few buffet tables lined the walls, filled with breakfast foods. The children sat down hungrily and ate at their food. They were all expected to clean up after themselves, and some had to wash dishes and other chores.
After breakfast was a free time. They could do about anything they wanted. Aki and her two friends ventured outside, where they met up with the other two boys from Aki's group. Cameron was formerly known as Ice, and Quicksilver was Sequin. They toured the orphanage together, and met up with a few of other members from their old home.
There old home was sometimes mistaken for a gang's hideout, but in fact was nothing of the like. Alex and Jean, the oldest male and female, ran the place on their own money. At least thirty orphans had lived there, trying to survive in the warehouse for years. The older ones would work for all they could, sometimes decent jobs, other times, not so lucky. The younger ones were free to roam the streets, as long as they made it back alive. They always went in groups, like Aki and the other four.
Some of the kids took to theiving, and others begged, but one way or another, they made income to support themselves, and as many as they could afford. Very few were too young to go out much, and were the only ones who would actually make no income. After the orphanage opened up, all but two or three came. They had been waiting for years for a home, and many had prayed for the day. Aki was glad to see so many running around, laughing happily.
*~*~*~*~*
Relena worked on her sleek, metal laptop. Heero sat a bit away, typing furiously his black one. She smiled. Their own accessories proved exactly how opposite they were, and asked herself why the others had been so bent on getting them together, before going back to work.
Ten minutes later, Relena shut her laptop and sighed. "Heero, I'm restless. Can we go visit the orphanage?" She gave him her best puppy face, despite the fact it didn't phase him at all. It never did.
He did, however, look over at her and thought for a moment, before sighing loudly and shutting his laptop too. Relena smiled at him and and got up to get her coat. She would find Aki again, and maybe, just maybe, find some way to learn about her. Something just seperated her from the other kids. There was so much to learn about that little girl, she thought, and the idea of adopting the child even crossed her mind.
*~*~*~*~*
Aki and the others were talking to Jase, third in command at their old home, when two more people entered the room. Aki, in curiousity, turned her head to look at who they were.
It was Miss Relena and her bodyguard, Heero Yuy. Aki raised an eyebrow at the two before turning back to the others. She heard light footsteps before someone called her name.
"Aki, it's nice to see you enjoying yourself." Aki turned and Relena smiled down at her.
She nodded at the two and excused herself from the others. "Thank you, Miss Relena. I trust you are doing well." Relena nodded and walked her off.
"The way you talk, I find it hard to believe you are and orphan." Aki wasn't entirely focused on her though, her eyes lingered to the waiting bodyguard, who was looking at Miss Relena intensely. When he seemed to notice he was being watch, his eyes averted the politician and scanned the room.
"I pick things up easily." She lied. There was no point in telling this woman her life story, though she was wondering about the relationship between the two adults she walked with. Didn't Relena have a boyfriend already?
"An interesting girl, aren't you?" Aki nodded curtly as they continued their way. "What's your full name, surely Aki couldn't be it."
The young girl looked at the woman oddly. Why would she want to know? Still, it was best to answer someone of high stature. "Akira, Akira Tamishia. Japenese decendant."
Relena smiled gently as she thought about it. "How do you like it here?" It was sudden, Aki wasn't ready for that.
"It's more than I thought the orphanage would be..." She started. "I don't think I can find anything wrong with it just yet." They were outside now. The breeze played wit her hair and made some strands smack her face gently. Relena stopped and looked at Aki for a bit, before kneeling down to look at her straight in the eye.
Something inside of her was screaming at her to adopt the child, though why she wasn't sure. She reminded Relena of so many people, too. Last night, while she was playing with some of the younger children, she had seemed so much like Quatre. Her hard, gray eyes were like Wufei's and her stoic behaviour mirrored Heero's. She had seen Aki fight too, and it reminded her somewhat of both Duo and Trowa's styles combined. And her eyes held some kind of deep pain, though securely hidden, of her past.
She was interesting indeed. Complicated and confused, though only a child. She needed a better home. "How would you feel about being adopted?" She could feel Heero stare at her in amazement, and the words caught her offguard as well. Aki was surprised, too. Her eyes widened and she stumbled back a bit, before composing herself.
"I- uh- why?" Relena smiled as the child stuttered.
"I have my reasons." Aki looked down and considered the offer. Her face contorted into a frown, and she began to pace.
"Give me some time," She looked up at Relena. "I'll get to you on that tommorrow." Relena nodded and watched her walk inside, before she began to walk in too. But Heero's hand grasped her arm, holding her back.
"Why?" Just like him to say so little.
Relena shrugged a bit. "Do you remember when you lived on the streets, or perhaps with Dr.J?" His grip on her loosened, but his questioning glare was still there. "No matter how good this orphanage is- I mean it has food and beds, but nothing is better than a real family itself." He dropped her arm completely, and let her walk away.
*~*~*~*~*
"Something wrong Akira?" Chris turned over to look at her. Aki was laying on her back, wide awake, her head resting on her hands.
"Hn." Christie was about to turn over when she heard her name being called.
"Yeah?" There was a moment of hesitation.
"What if you were offered a home? Would you leave?" Chris smiled at her old friend's quarry. She knew exactly what was holding her back.
"A few day ago, I would've stayed. But now, we're all being cared for, Akira. There's no need for you to stay behind. Of course we'd miss you, but we'll be okay. There's no real danger anymore." She paused, waiting for an answer, but there was none. "Look, we love you, but we don't want you to pass this opportunity up, ok? Enough with being noble, take something for yourself for once."
Again, silence overtook the room. "Thanks. I'll think about it." Chris heard some Aki's sheets ruffle, and let herself fall asleep. "Hey, Christie?"
"Yeah?"
"Take care of the rest of them for me, will you?"
She smiled. "No problem."
*~*~*~*~*
"Relena? You're still awake?" Heero entered Relena's room through the door ajoining their rooms.
"Yeah. Just some things I have to finish up." It was nearly one now. She just needed a bit more time to finish these files. Then, after a night's rest, she'd go back to the orphanage. Hopefully, Aki would say yes, and she'd have a daughter to remind her of all the things she usually missed. She'd have someone to go riding with. Someone to keep her company. Someone to be her family. Finally, after so long on her own.
She tipped a picture of the pilots, their female counterparts and her brother, Noin, Une and Marimaia. Of course, there was also her. They seemed enough like family, except, she never got to see them often enough. Even her brother and his wife, whom were family. She mildy wondered if they had found a child to adopt themselves.
"Are you done?" She snapped out of her reverie.
"Wha? Oh, nearly." She scribbled on a couple more papers and tucked them away in her briefcase. She then tucked the briefcase under the desk and walked to her closet. "You know, I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself. You don't have to stand there." But as she turned around, Heero was gone from the doorway.
*~*~*~*~*
"What am I to you?
Do you see me?
Or do you see her?
What am I to you?
Do you hear me?
Or do you hear her?"
Chantelle's voice carried through out the hall from the stage at the end.
"Last time you walked right past me,
Did you see her or did you see me?
Called her name whilst we were leaving,
But ran to me, are you okay?"
Aki listened to the song as the rest of the kids danced and laughed. It was six, and they were just having a day of fun, which they would have to clean up later anyways. They, being the orphanage staff, let kids line up to sing instead of hiring someone to do the songs.
"When was,
The last time you saw me?
When was,
The last time you heard me?
Are you sure you weren't looking at her?
Are you sure you weren't loving her?
Do you know,
Who I am?"
The kids cheered and applaused as the song came to an end. Chantelle bowed deeply and laughed.
"Thank you! Thank you! Now, for another song someone suggested, since no one wants to go after me..."
The doors of the great hall opened and two figures stood by it. 'About time.' Aki thought as she moved over to the doors. She left the hall to the outdoors as Chantelle started to sing again.
"That friend of yours, Nightsky, she's good." Relena whispered to her after they got out of the music.
"Yeah, she'll go far, now." The older woman smiled down at her and she returned it.
"So, I'm curious, did you have time to think about it?" Aki looked back towards the door that seperated her from the only family she knew for the last few years.
"Yeah. " Relena looked down at her curiously. "I'm going with you." She outstretched her hand and Relena took it. Heero, who had been watching them curiously, let them in the door and led them up the stairs to the adoption centre.
*~*~*~*~*
Okay, this was a weird little chapter that I used to get the story going. From here on, the story may switch from first person to third every now and then. I'm hoping this picks up in the later chapters. And about the little song in there, it was just something to fill up space. It was something I kinda thought of while reading some other fics.