By West Wind
Disclaimer: I have no claim to any of the GW characters. Only thing that is mine is the story line and any non GW characters.
They arrived twenty minutes early. Christine enthusiastically welcomed them at the door and showed them where to put the gifts. Christine claimed Marimeia's hand and pulled Marimeia toward Heero's apartment for she wanted to show Marimeia what she had made Nathan for his birthday.
"I wanted you to help me wrap it," said the little girl as she showed Marimeia the clown doll. "You always make the prettiest bows."
Marimeia examined the doll. It was about ten inches tall and dressed in green pants with yellow suspenders and a white shirt. Stitching on the hand created the illusion of fingers. To top it off was brown hair sticking out from under a pointy, floppy hat with a white fuzzy ball on the end. It reminded Marimeia a bit of Trowa.
"You made this? It is very good," Marimeia commented.
"Heero helped," pointed out Christine. "He put it together and I put the stuffing in," she said proudly.
Heero entered the room carrying a box, paper, and ribbon and placed them on the table. Marimeia directed a warm welcoming smile his way.
"I didn't know you were so talented, Heero," teased Marimeia. "You cook, you sew, you blow thing up. Is there nothing you can't do?"
"No," was his reply.
Marimeia laughed as she placed the clown in the box. Christine climbed in the chair to help wrap the gift. Soon there was a beautifully wrapped box with curling ribbons draping down the sides and a large bow on top. An excited Christine grabbed the box and ran out the door to put it on the table with the other gifts.
Marimeia watched as Heero gathered up the scraps to through away. She so wanted to feel his arms around her and taste his lips again, but that was not going to happen. He had barely talked to her. He usually at least asked how she was doing.
"We should probably go to the party," Marimeia said.
Heero agreed and they walked out the door.
In the little time Marimeia had been gone the other guest had arrived. It was quite a house full with all the gundam pilots, their wives and children, Lady Une, and Milliardo, Noin and family. Children of varying ages ran through the house. The oldest being Duo. Once Relena got Duo under control with help from Wufie, she directed the children into a couple organized games before they had cake and ice-cream. The adults watched the youngsters play and aided where needed.
Soon the party was over, the guests had left, the house was in shambles, and the children were wore out. After putting the children down for a nap, Relena, Trowa, Heero, and Marimeia collapsed in the living room. Since something urgent had called Lady Une away and Trowa had promised they would get Marimeia home, she decided she might as well help get things back in order.
"You don't have to do that," stated Relena. "I can get it later."
"I want to."
Soon Heero got up and helped with the clean up while Trowa covered his sleeping wife and went to see about dinner. By the time Marimeia and Heero had the house back in some resemblance of order, Trowa had returned with Chinese takeout.
The four adults sat around the kitchen table eating dinner. Marimeia would peak at Heero from the corner of her eye. He acted like he didn't even know she had romantic feelings for him. He seemed to have resurrected the detached person he had once been when ever she was around. The frustrated Marimeia pondered Heero's coldness and decided to have some fun with him even if it was a bit out of character for her. After a discreet peek under the table, she started with gently nudging Heero's shoe with her socked foot. There was no reaction from Heero, and she had not expected one. She slowly moved her foot up and down his leg. Having never done such a thing before, Marimeia barley managed to appear like everything was normal above the table while she concentrated on causing mischief under it. Heero moved his leg out of her reach and glared at her. Marimeia smiled innocently at him before continuing to eat. At least, she got a reaction out of him, which was her goal.
Trowa was taking Marimeia home when he asked, "What were you doing to poor Heero at dinner?"
"What makes you thing I was doing anything?" she asked innocently.
Trowa gave her a fatherly 'I see through your excuse' look, and she came clean.
"I was assaulting his leg with my foot," she admitted.
There was a slight smirk at the corners of Trowa's mouth.
"I was just trying to get a reaction out of him," she muttered.
"That you did," said Trowa flatly, "and not a favorable one at that."
"I didn't expect it to be. I just wanted some form of response from him instead of the unusually quiet treatment I have been receiving."
"Marimeia, dear, you should cut him some slack. He knows your feelings for him, and my bet is, he is doing every think he can to discourage you from those feelings short of running the other way when you show up or telling you off."
"Am I that wrong for him? What do you think?"
"It doesn't really matter what I think, it is what Heero thinks, and he thinks your infatuated with him and it will pass in time."
"It seems like I have loved him my entire life," lamented Marimeia.
"I know," comforted Trowa, "but if your not careful, you might rune the friendship you do have with him. Be patient. Heero isn't going to be snatched up by the next female to pass his way."
Marimeia thanked Trowa for the ride and advice before
going to her room to contemplate his words.