*~*~*~*~
It had been a few hours since Heero and Ikasu first arrived to the carnival. It turned out that Heero enjoyed many of the rides Ikasu did. Among many of his favorites was, yes the carousel. There were also bumper cars, scrambler, and the teacups.
Now the couple had wandered over to a shooting gallery. Heero grinned to himself knowing his own expertise at this particular event and turned to his brown haired girl and asked.
"Which prize do you want?"
Ikasu looked to her friend while eating her cotton candy he had so graciously bought her a few moments earlier and said, "I like the teddy bear the best." She obviously didn't doubt his talent either.
Heero nodded and picked up a rifle that sat on the wooden table in front of him.
"Now you gotta break the three bottles with the three bullets you have in your gun." the man behind the counter spoke.
Heero nodded his understanding to the man and then used one of his Prussian eyes to look down the barrel of the gun lining it up with the target. He fired each bullet with record-breaking speed and broke all the standing bottles.
Ikasu clapped and gave Heero a quick hug. "Great job!"
Heero blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "It was nothing."
The man behind the counter smiled and gestured to the prizes. "Which would you like?"
Heero pointed to the brown teddy bear on the highest shelf to the right. "I'll take the teddy bear."
The man nodded and took the teddy bear from its place and handed it to Heero. "Well done young man."
The ex-pilot nodded and then whispered something to the vendor. The vendor grinned and pointed in a direction. Heero thanked him and then turned to Ikasu.
Blushing he said, "I have to use the restroom I'll be back in a few minutes."
Ikasu laughed and replied, "That's alright Heero! I'll go wait by the Ferris Wheel ok?"
The Ferris wheel!! It wasn't night yet!! What was he to do? He thought for a few moments while Ikasu stared at him with a questioning look.
"Do you want to go on the Ferris wheel later?" she asked.
Heero nodded. "Yes, I heard they were great at night!"
Ikasu smiled. "Ok then! I'll meet you by the refreshment stand instead."
The brown haired boy nodded and then trotted off to where the man had pointed.
Ikasu smiled after Heero and then frowned. The bathrooms she remembered were in the opposite direction. So where was Heero going? Maybe there was another set of restrooms down that way. Yes that was probably it, but it still bothered Ikasu. What if Heero loved another girl? She sighed and began to walk toward the concession stand.
"I guess I could ask him when he gets back," she thought aloud to herself. "But then he'll think that I don't trust him." she sighed, "Being in love is so difficult."
Elsewhere Heero stood in a fairly short line that led up to an embroidery booth. He looked down at the bear he held in his hand and smiled. He didn't exactly make this bear, but it would still mean the same thing.
Eventually it was his turn and the lady at the booth smiled when Heero handed her the bear.
"For someone special eh?" she asked smiling.
Heero blushed and nodded. "Her name's Ikasu."
The lady nodded and took out a few spools. "Which color would you like me to sew her name in?"
Heero pointed to the blue one. That particular shade of blue reminded Heero of Ikasu's beautiful blue eyes, the ones that shined and glittered in the daylight and sparkled in the darkness.
"Her name is spelled I. K. A. S. U." He added.
Once again the lady nodded and began to sew. Within a few moments she had successfully sewn in Ikasu's name and had also added a little heart beside it.
"That's a little extra from me." The lady smiled. "I wish you both luck."
Heero smiled and thanked her. "How much do I owe you?"
The Embroiderer took Heero's hand and said. "Love doesn't cost anything. Remember that."
The pilot smiled to the woman and paid her anyway, " But good work does cost something."
Then he turned and walked toward the concession stand the bear resting carefully in the plastic bag he carried. (He got the back after winning a lot of prizes at previous games.)
Ikasu yawned while leaning against the concession stand window. A few strands of her brown hair had fallen across her beautiful face and she brushed them away. Then a smile crept across her features as her bright blue eyed gaze caught the Prussian blues of Heero's. She waved to him laughing and said, "So what do you want to do now?"
Heero's Prussians looked over at the setting sun. "I think we can start walking over to the Ferris wheel now." He stated holding out his arm.
Ikasu grinned and took Heero's arm. "Then lets go!"
The couple walked arm in arm joking and laughing the whole way to the Ferris wheel. The line wasn't very long, but it was long enough for Heero. He couldn't wait to tell her how he felt! But yet he was also afraid to tell her, cause he didn't want the answer to be negative.
His eyes looked down to the sweet face of Ikasu, which was resting on his shoulder. Her bright blues were closed and she looked so content. He gave a smile and then looked back up to the booth. Only two more people to go and then it would be time to tell her. Well, he looked up, as soon as he got to the top.
"Alright next in line!" came the gruff voice of the ticket taker.
Heero blinked and gave the man the two tickets and helped Ikasu board into the Ferris wheel chair. Then he too climbed in and the two sat back as they waited to ascend.
"Wow this has been a fun day Heero." Ikasu sighed leaning back.
Heero nodded in agreement. Nodding was all he could do. His tongue was held tight in the roof of his mouth as a big pang of nervousness took over his body. He couldn't stiff up now! He had come so far! And how could he get this nervous over a girl? He thought of all the close calls in battles and such, and wondered how this was far more difficult than that.
"Heero are you ok?" Ikasu asked her face worried.
The pilot looked to her blinking. Of course he was all right! Why wouldn't he be? He was with her alone one a "romantic ride".
"I'm fine, Ikasu." he said holding her hand. Holding her hand? Had he done that on his own? So maybe he hadn't choked up after all.
Ikasu looked down to Heero's tanned manly hand. Now he had gripped her hand. So maybe there was something there. Maybe it wasn't just her hallucinating! Heero could actually feel the same for her as she did for him!!
And now was the time to tell him. She looked to Heero her eyes shining.
"Heero?"
Heero's Prussian eyes were looking over the side. Almost halfway up and the stars were now twinkling. In just a few more moments Ikasu, hopefully would be his! Then hearing his name he turned to Ikasu.
"Yes?"
"I..I…"
Heero blinked. What was she trying to say? And she was leaning in close and her eyes were halfway closing. What was going on?!
"You what?" he asked blinking.
Ikasu sighed. He obviously didn't know what she was trying to do. What a bother it always worked in the movies! The guy, or girls would start to say "I love you" and end up kissing instead. She looked to Heero. But of course he would know nothing of it.
"I had a great time with you today." she recovered.
"And I had a great time with you."
What in the world was that about? Heero wondered looking off the side. It was almost time. The people down below looked like ants and waved up to Heero when they saw him looking over. He waved back just for the heck of it and jumped a bit when the Ferris wheel came to a stop.
"Wow look at the view Heero!" Ikasu said pointing to the city.
Heero leaned a bit forward and smiled. Duo was right; it was the most romantic spot in a carnival. A beautiful view, and you're all alone with your girl that was the definition Duo had given of a "romantic spot".
"Ikasu, there's something I have to tell you." Heero said.
Ikasu looked to the Prussian oculars that belonged to her beloved.
"Yes Heero?"
"I've had a great time with you these past few weeks." He said. "You've been a great friend to me, and I think that over that period of time, I've come to love you."
Ikasu blinked, that was the most words she had ever heard come out of Heero at a time. And he said that he loved her. He LOVED her!! She smiled and small tears formed in her eyes.
"I love you too Heero." she said hugging him.
Heero smiled and hugged her back. "I was so afraid you would say you didn't."He said.
Ikasu laughed, "I was afraid you didn't!"
The young boy released his new girlfriend and said, "You know when I told you that I was going to the restroom?"
Ikasu nodded. "Yes."
Oh boy here it comes. He's going to tell me there's another woman in his life and we haven't even gone on an official date yet!!
"Well I didn't really go, I got you this." he handed her the bear with her name embroided on to it.
Ikasu gasped. It was an old custom but still it meant the same thing! If a young boy or young girl made a bear and embroided their lovers name into the bear's chest and it would signify that the couple would be together for the rest of their lives.
"Oh Heero…." she said tears forming. "It's so beautiful!!" she threw her arms around him. "I'm so happy, thank you so much for everything!"
Heero smiled and held Ikasu tight. "No Ikasu, thank you."
Ikasu looked up into his face.
"You helped me crawl out of my shell." Heero continued. "You taught me to trust people again, to make friends, and to love. Thank you."
So she had done it! She had broken through the barrier that blocked Heero's heart! She had helped him out of his depressive state and helped the real Heero come through.
Her eyes quivered a bit, as they searched the no longer dark Prussians that served as the windows into Heero's soul.
And Heero's Prussians stared back and slowly closed as the two leaned in and gently pressed their lips together.
Ikasu smiled as they pulled away and blushed furiously, she had never been kissed before and she was glad Heero was her first.
Heero blushed as well and blinked at Ikasu. What was this? He had seen it done by other couples but he had never thought he would perform this himself. The he smiled realizing he thoroughly enjoyed it. He averted his eyes from the seat of the Ferris wheel the two rode in to Ikasu.
Ikasu was looking at him also and then laughed nervously as their eyes met.
"I had a really fun time." Ikasu said finally as the Ferris wheel started to descend.
"So did I." Heero agreed wishing that the ride could have lasted forever as he climbed out of his seat and then turned to help Ikasu out.
Ikasu thanked Heero and took his hand that he offered her. Then the two walked together off the Ferris wheel stand hand in hand in an awkward silence.
Why am I so afraid? Heero thought to himself. She has taken her own time to show me that there are people out there who do care for me, and that not all people are like my parents, not all people will leave me.
Heero smiled and then pulled his hand away from Ikasu's and hesitantly put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
Ikasu blinked in surprise and then looked up into her soldier's face. When she saw his smile she returned it and wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I love you Heero." Ikasu said.
"I love you too Ikasu." Heero replied.
And so the heart of the perfect soldier was mended and able to love and trust again.