Standard warning Gundam belongs to Gundam and any scene or plot similarity to another person's story, movie or anime is purely coincidental.This a 1xR story if that thought makes you uncomfortable please stop now. Also within the context of this story 3X4 is alluded to if that thought makes you uncomfortable please stop now. And as always I hope you find something within enjoyable.
Darkness Without the Light
By: Amber
Relena slowed her steps as she reached the column. Her eyes darted around frantically seeking that familiar face. She dropped her political mask as panic spread she slowly turned in a circle looking for that familiar head of gold among hundreds. It was impossible.
"Trowa do you see him anywhere?" She worried her lip nervously, "that's not like him he knew I would be right back with you." "Relena he said soothingly, he's coming this way." Her shoulders slumped slightly before dredging up weak smile.
Trowa touched her shoulder drawing her attention. "Relena what is this all about?" She bit her lip. "Quatre had just gotten here when....."
"Ahh.." Quatre huffed holding up his new drink."I didn't think I was ever going to make it back." "Trowa." His smiled widened. "She found you that's great."
Relena smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes she offered the plate. "I brought enough even for Duo. I hope you're hungry." Quatre smiled. "Starving."
He glanced curiously at Trowa's plate. "Is it good?" Quatre's smile faded as he noticed Trowa's preoccupation. His gaze moved back and forth between them. "Trowa?" He turned to Relena. "Has something happened Relena?"
She looked down biting her lip. "Was it the note, Quatre asked intuitively?" Trowa pressed. "Relena?" She took a deep breath casually; "it could be nothing it's just that for a moment I felt.." She shook her head. "No this is crazy I need a vacation," she sighed exasperated.
Trowa stared piercingly at her. "There is nothing wrong with going with your feelings." Relena hesitated, "do you really believe that?" He looked down considering. "Someone I respect enormously gave me that advice. I've never regretted taking it." Her lips curved, "can I ask who?" He lifted his head his eye meeting hers. "Heero Yuy." Relena smiled sadly. "I don't think I've seen that side of Heero. I envy you that."
"Relena, what has upset you so Quatre said softly?" Her eyes closed, vacillating back and forth. "You know you can trust us don't you?" Her eyes opened and a smile lit her face. "I know I've always known. I can't tell you how much you all have come to mean to me."
She looked meaningfully at Quatre then Trowa, then slipped the note out from her sash and passed it to Quatre. "I confess I don't know what to make of it." Quatre looked at her intensely before skimming the note. He stared at her with a shocked expression. "But why he stammered I don't understand."
"Quatre.." He held out his hand,"let me see he said calmly." Relena stared blindly ahead.
"Several months ago I started receiving flowers, every week a dozen roses arrived. Last month chocolates started accompanying them. No note no one saw them delivered. Nothing."
She met their troubled gaze. "It didn't concern me oddly enough its rare that Relena Peacecraft is seen as a woman. And what woman doesn't adore candy and flowers. So I accepted," she shrugged gracefully. She shook her head to clear it of the dizzying confusion. "I don't know what this means I'll give it to the head of security tomorrow and I suppose they will investigate."
Trowa handed the note back to her and she slipped it back into her sash. "Is that why you asked me to watch out for Quatre?" Quatre gasped. "Relena?"
She stared at him apologetically. "I didn't want to create difficulties that might not be there. But I want you to be cautious. It maybe nothing but I've only spoken to a few people tonight in passing. I haven't danced with anyone. I arrived with Milliardo and Lucrezia. The only person I've talked to at any length was you Quatre. Shortly after that this note arrives. I wasn't going to say anything," she shrugged helplessly. "I know you are more than able to take care of yourself, yourselves" she amended. "But the more I thought about it the more it bothered me."
She looked at them both stubbornly resigned. "I would rather you think me hysterical than say nothing and something awful happen. Obviously I'm being watched but who ever it is either doesn't know us well enough to know our personal lives in depth or they don't care and are quite disturbed."
She started laughing her tone caused the hair on the back of their necks to prickle. Quatre worried frowned he saw a similar concern in Trowa's gaze. Trowa stepped closer shielding her from prying eyes offering her the silent support of friendship.Gently he clasped her shoulder. "Relena..." Her laughter stopped as abruptly as it had begun,she lifted her head tears making them more luminous than usual. Her eyes held such pain and weariness. "I have no life outside political function's, politicians and government official's now it seems someone is even trying to rob me of those few real people left in my life that I have managed to keep."
"Excuse me. Hey ojousan, I'm beginning to think your avoiding me."
Her eyes widened inhaling she met the silent question in Trowa's eyes. Relena nodded shakily as she lifted a trembling hand to surreptitiously check her appearance. Trowa stepped aside while Relena's demeanor became one of polite interest but it disappeared at the sight a braided pirate. She burst out laughing, a pirate how appropriate. "Duo.."
He grinned wiggling his eyebrows. "Let me take you away from these party animals before you dose off in boredom." He bowed. "May I have this dance milady?"
Her smiled faltered, "O Duo I don't think so.." Quatre interrupted. "That's a wonderful idea the music is too beautiful to waste you must dance once at least." "But Quatre..."
"Relena it will be all right Trowa said softly even Duo can waltz." They stared at one another until she finally nodded, Duo remained strangely silent through it all and for that she was grateful.
She smiled weakly. "OK just don't step on my feet their already killing me." He winked, "trust me I'm a regular Teddy Astaire." Relena glanced over her shoulder at Quatre and Trowa smothering a giggle. "I thought that was Fred Astaire."
"O yea him to.." Duo said as he offered her his arm and led her out onto the floor.
Quatre bit his lip. "Trowa?" "Hm?" He smiled gently,"don't worry Heero wont let anything happen to her. In the mean time we will be on guard in case her fears are justified."
~ ~ ~ ~
A roguish pirate strode through the swells of people grinning impishly here and there before pausing in front of a masked soldier. Duo turned crossing his arms he leaned against the wall. His jovial nature suddenly turned serious. He glanced at his companion from the corner of his eye. "Well your right as usual something happened there was enough tension to cut through gundanium. What I don't get is why you didn't dance with her?"
"Did you get it?" Duo released a frustrated sigh, "are you kidding me? Of course I did."
He discreetly passed the folded note. Heero took his gaze off Relena long enough to quickly read it before tucking it away. "Well?" Duo said impatiently.
"Hnn?" Duo rolled his eyes. "What did it say?" Heero straightened off the wall and started walking away. "Hey, Heero where you going?"
"To dance," he tossed back over his shoulder.
Darkness Without the Light
By: Amber
Relena slowed her steps as she reached the column. Her eyes darted around frantically seeking that familiar face. She dropped her political mask as panic spread she slowly turned in a circle looking for that familiar head of gold among hundreds. It was impossible.
"Trowa do you see him anywhere?" She worried her lip nervously, "that's not like him he knew I would be right back with you." "Relena he said soothingly, he's coming this way." Her shoulders slumped slightly before dredging up weak smile.
Trowa touched her shoulder drawing her attention. "Relena what is this all about?" She bit her lip. "Quatre had just gotten here when....."
"Ahh.." Quatre huffed holding up his new drink."I didn't think I was ever going to make it back." "Trowa." His smiled widened. "She found you that's great."
Relena smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes she offered the plate. "I brought enough even for Duo. I hope you're hungry." Quatre smiled. "Starving."
He glanced curiously at Trowa's plate. "Is it good?" Quatre's smile faded as he noticed Trowa's preoccupation. His gaze moved back and forth between them. "Trowa?" He turned to Relena. "Has something happened Relena?"
She looked down biting her lip. "Was it the note, Quatre asked intuitively?" Trowa pressed. "Relena?" She took a deep breath casually; "it could be nothing it's just that for a moment I felt.." She shook her head. "No this is crazy I need a vacation," she sighed exasperated.
Trowa stared piercingly at her. "There is nothing wrong with going with your feelings." Relena hesitated, "do you really believe that?" He looked down considering. "Someone I respect enormously gave me that advice. I've never regretted taking it." Her lips curved, "can I ask who?" He lifted his head his eye meeting hers. "Heero Yuy." Relena smiled sadly. "I don't think I've seen that side of Heero. I envy you that."
"Relena, what has upset you so Quatre said softly?" Her eyes closed, vacillating back and forth. "You know you can trust us don't you?" Her eyes opened and a smile lit her face. "I know I've always known. I can't tell you how much you all have come to mean to me."
She looked meaningfully at Quatre then Trowa, then slipped the note out from her sash and passed it to Quatre. "I confess I don't know what to make of it." Quatre looked at her intensely before skimming the note. He stared at her with a shocked expression. "But why he stammered I don't understand."
"Quatre.." He held out his hand,"let me see he said calmly." Relena stared blindly ahead.
"Several months ago I started receiving flowers, every week a dozen roses arrived. Last month chocolates started accompanying them. No note no one saw them delivered. Nothing."
She met their troubled gaze. "It didn't concern me oddly enough its rare that Relena Peacecraft is seen as a woman. And what woman doesn't adore candy and flowers. So I accepted," she shrugged gracefully. She shook her head to clear it of the dizzying confusion. "I don't know what this means I'll give it to the head of security tomorrow and I suppose they will investigate."
Trowa handed the note back to her and she slipped it back into her sash. "Is that why you asked me to watch out for Quatre?" Quatre gasped. "Relena?"
She stared at him apologetically. "I didn't want to create difficulties that might not be there. But I want you to be cautious. It maybe nothing but I've only spoken to a few people tonight in passing. I haven't danced with anyone. I arrived with Milliardo and Lucrezia. The only person I've talked to at any length was you Quatre. Shortly after that this note arrives. I wasn't going to say anything," she shrugged helplessly. "I know you are more than able to take care of yourself, yourselves" she amended. "But the more I thought about it the more it bothered me."
She looked at them both stubbornly resigned. "I would rather you think me hysterical than say nothing and something awful happen. Obviously I'm being watched but who ever it is either doesn't know us well enough to know our personal lives in depth or they don't care and are quite disturbed."
She started laughing her tone caused the hair on the back of their necks to prickle. Quatre worried frowned he saw a similar concern in Trowa's gaze. Trowa stepped closer shielding her from prying eyes offering her the silent support of friendship.Gently he clasped her shoulder. "Relena..." Her laughter stopped as abruptly as it had begun,she lifted her head tears making them more luminous than usual. Her eyes held such pain and weariness. "I have no life outside political function's, politicians and government official's now it seems someone is even trying to rob me of those few real people left in my life that I have managed to keep."
"Excuse me. Hey ojousan, I'm beginning to think your avoiding me."
Her eyes widened inhaling she met the silent question in Trowa's eyes. Relena nodded shakily as she lifted a trembling hand to surreptitiously check her appearance. Trowa stepped aside while Relena's demeanor became one of polite interest but it disappeared at the sight a braided pirate. She burst out laughing, a pirate how appropriate. "Duo.."
He grinned wiggling his eyebrows. "Let me take you away from these party animals before you dose off in boredom." He bowed. "May I have this dance milady?"
Her smiled faltered, "O Duo I don't think so.." Quatre interrupted. "That's a wonderful idea the music is too beautiful to waste you must dance once at least." "But Quatre..."
"Relena it will be all right Trowa said softly even Duo can waltz." They stared at one another until she finally nodded, Duo remained strangely silent through it all and for that she was grateful.
She smiled weakly. "OK just don't step on my feet their already killing me." He winked, "trust me I'm a regular Teddy Astaire." Relena glanced over her shoulder at Quatre and Trowa smothering a giggle. "I thought that was Fred Astaire."
"O yea him to.." Duo said as he offered her his arm and led her out onto the floor.
Quatre bit his lip. "Trowa?" "Hm?" He smiled gently,"don't worry Heero wont let anything happen to her. In the mean time we will be on guard in case her fears are justified."
~ ~ ~ ~
A roguish pirate strode through the swells of people grinning impishly here and there before pausing in front of a masked soldier. Duo turned crossing his arms he leaned against the wall. His jovial nature suddenly turned serious. He glanced at his companion from the corner of his eye. "Well your right as usual something happened there was enough tension to cut through gundanium. What I don't get is why you didn't dance with her?"
"Did you get it?" Duo released a frustrated sigh, "are you kidding me? Of course I did."
He discreetly passed the folded note. Heero took his gaze off Relena long enough to quickly read it before tucking it away. "Well?" Duo said impatiently.
"Hnn?" Duo rolled his eyes. "What did it say?" Heero straightened off the wall and started walking away. "Hey, Heero where you going?"
"To dance," he tossed back over his shoulder.