Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing
Chapter 10
It was a beautiful day in the middle of March. The birds were singing. The sun was shining. The weather wasn't too hot or too cold. Fluffy white clouds littered the blue sky. A gently spring breeze was in the air. Yet no one was outside to enjoy the day. Relena was in the training room, practicing her skills under the watchful eye of her instructor. Zechs and Noin had gone out to the city to do business.
"Remember, Miss Relena. Never attack until it is absolutely necessary," her instructor, Otto, reminded. "Dodge and block until you can see an opening."
Relena nodded and continued to circle with her opponent, Walker. Silence filled the air along with heated tension. She had to be careful. Walker was a fairly skilled fighter, and he could be tricky at times. He gave her a quick smile, and in a blink of an eye he attacked. Relena blocked his kick and dodged the next one. She kept on doing that just like Otto told her to. Just then she saw her opening. Walker's punch whisked by her head, and in that second Relena crouched down and with one swift and hard kick knocked him down. Walker fell flat onto his back and felt the air knocked out of him.
Relena grinned almost smugly and straightened up. She looked down at Walker and asked, "Are you hurt, Walker?"
"Only my pride, Miss Relena," Walker replied pleasantly, propping himself up on his elbows.
Suddenly there was a loud bang that sounded like a door closing heavily, echoing throughout the house. Otto grimaced at the intensity of it and then sighed. "I believe that marks the end of our session, Miss Relena."
"Thank you, Otto. Take care, Walker," Relena said with a small smile at the man who was still on the mat.
"Goodbye to you, too, Miss Relena," Walker smiled rubbing the back of his neck. Relena bowed slightly and left the room. "What do you think that was about, sir?" Otto made no comment. He just sighed again and shook his head.
Relena took a quick shower and then went downstairs. She found Noin in her brother's office, talking with someone on the vid-phone. Noin smiled when she saw Relena and motioned for her to come in. Relena stood patiently as Noin finished her call. "You're early," she said when Noin closed the line.
"Well, the meeting didn't go as well as I thought. We didn't get the deal," Noin explained, folding her hands on the desk.
"Why not? I thought everything was perfect. Was it because I should have done my own presentation?" Relena questioned.
"No," Noin replied, shaking her head. "Your presentation was flawless. However, I can't say the same for Zechs."
"Is there something wrong with him?" Relena asked with concern evident in her eyes.
Noin saw the concern and realized Zechs was right. Relena had changed. They were small changes but that made them more noticeable. "He's waiting for you up on the terrace." Relena didn't know what to say. She stared at Noin for several moments before leaving the room. She made her way up to the roof.
The roof was enormous and flat with stone railing all around it. At each corner, there was a marble statue and in the center was a large stone fountain. Off to one side was a greenhouse left by the original owners. Relena had decided to grow plants and flowers in there since she had a passion for gardening just like her mother had. On the other side there were metal tables and chairs fastened to the roof once again by the original owners.
Relena looked around and spotted Zechs sitting on the swinging bench and facing the ocean that was not too far from the mansion. Next to him on a stone table was a bottle of red wine and a glass half full. Something was wrong. Relena knew that her brother rarely drank. She moved to stand next to the table and stood there, waiting for him to acknowledge her presence. Zechs made no move to indicate that though. Out of the corner of her eye, Relena noticed a sketchbook on Zechs' lap and a pencil in his hand, tapping it lightly on the pad of paper. His eyes were narrowed as he gazed forward with the gentle ocean breeze whispering through his long hair. Relena continued to wait. She didn't know what he was thinking with his stoic expression on.
Finally Zechs moved. He reached over and picked up the glass and took a sip of the wine. He placed the glass down again and started to sketch. Relena watched with fascination as the pencil flew across the page, and an image began to form. Slowly a picture of a young girl appeared. When he was finished, Zechs set the pencil down and gazed at the drawing.
"How was your session with Otto?" Zechs asked quietly, finally speaking and greeting her.
Relena looked up, startled by the sound of her brother's voice. She had been drawn captive by the drawing. It was her that he had sketched, a younger version of her though. "I knocked Walker down," she replied.
"Very good," Zechs praised her. "Your skills are improving quite well."
"Thank you, brother," said Relena. She folded her hands in front of her. "Noin told me that the deal didn't go through. Why?"
"That is correct, but that is not why I asked you up here," Zechs declared. "Do you know why?"
"No, I don't," she answered quietly.
"I've noticed something, little sister. I wonder if you have as well," he said softly.
"Noticed what?" Relena inquired, her brows drawing together in confusion.
"You."
Relena was even more confused at his answer. "I don't understand, Milliardo."
"I didn't think you would."
"Are you angry with me, brother?" Relena had to ask. Zechs was acting too strange for her.
"What makes you think I'm angry?" Zechs questioned, looking up. Relena didn't answer. "I can never be angry with you, Relena. You know that."
"Are you going to explain?"
Zechs sighed. "You have been spending a great deal of time with that boy, your friend, and I've noticed...changes in your behavior."
"My behavior?"
"You're not the same girl that came here with me nearly three months ago. He has influenced you," Zechs explained softly.
Relena's eyes widened at her brother's statement. "Influenced me? In what way?"
"Your control over your emotions has slipped. You probably do not realize it, but you're smiling more. Your eyes reveal what you are thinking, and your actions have become predictable," Zechs finished.
"And all that has displeased you, brother?" Relena said, shocked. "Why?"
"I didn't say you displeased me. You can never do that, Relena, but you're letting your guard down too often. This is an important period. We can't make any mistakes, and we can't let anyone interfere," Zechs declared, his voice raising a notch.
"Heero isn't anyone, Milliardo. He is on our side. I know it," Relena stated strongly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"You're defending him," Zechs grounded out, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"He is my friend," Relena reminded him.
"Then you do care for him, don't you?" Zechs spat out, his eyes narrowing this time into dangerous slits and tossing the sketchbook onto the ground.
"Yes, I do," exclaimed Relena, whipping her head around to look at Zechs. Suddenly she gasped when she finally gazed upon her brother's face. Hurt and something else flashed in his icy blue eyes. 'Oh, Milliardo!' Relena quickly moved and kneeled down in front of him. With his face closer to hers, she could clearly see the hurt in his eyes. There was something else she couldn't place. "Is this what it's all about? Heero?"
Zechs looked into his sister's eyes that were exactly the same as his. Icy blue. "I was the only one you cared about."
"Oh..."
"I guess I was feeling a little hurt and...jealous that someone else was in your heart besides me," Zechs explained in a husky tone. He gently touched and caressed Relena's cheek.
"Oh, brother. You can be an idiot sometime, you know that?" Relena said with a choked laugh. She smiled at him and then laid her head on her arms that were folded on Zechs' lap.
Silence filled the air as Zechs absentmindedly stroked her hair. He smiled faintly as he remembered how her hair had grown to a darker color over the years. When Relena was very young, her hair was as light as his is now. Her eyes had grown lighter though because he remembered how they used to sparkle like sapphires whenever she smiled or laughed. She had changed so much. Not that he wanted her to stay the same forever, but the thought did make Zechs sigh sadly.
Relena heard him and looked up. She smiled sweetly and in a soft and quiet voice, she said, "Milliardo, you hold an important and exclusive place in my heart. No one will or could ever replace you. Big brothers get a special part of their little sisters' hearts. So don't worry. I think it's written in stone somewhere."
Zechs suddenly laughed out loud. He reached over and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "You always could put a smile on my face."
"And a very handsome face it is according to the girls at school," Relena declared with a mischievous grin.
"Really? What else did they say?" Zechs asked as Relena picked up the fallen sketchbook and sat down next to him.
"Oh, let's see. Dreamy, mysterious, and oh, incredibly sexy," she finished, placing her hands over her heart and pretending to be one of the many girls who adored her brother.
"Oh, do go on," Zechs sighed. He placed his hands behind his head and leaned back on the bench with an arrogant smile.
"Sorry. Don't want to inflate your ego anymore," Relena replied, folding her hands primly on her lap. Zechs chuckled and then wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Relena relaxed and rested her head on his shoulder, scooting closer to him. "All right. Anything else we have to talk about?" (Okay, here Relena and Zechs do seem a little too close for brother and sister, but there is nothing weird going on. Remember they spent ten years together and in those ten years they have gotten real close to each other. I'm sure there are some brothers out there who are extremely protective of their younger sisters. Zechs happens to one of them in this story. So, nothing weird, got it?)
"Well, there is one more thing. There wouldn't happen to be a hidden meaning behind my birthday present, would there?" Zechs asked. He lifted up his other arm to show her the watch.
"Hm...maybe."
"Relena..."
She sighed and a solemn look passed over her face. "I want to go home, Milliardo."
He squeezed her shoulder lightly. "I know you do. I want to as well. Soon, Relena, soon. You'll see."
Relena sighed again. "Do you remember, Milliardo, how we used to go on a picnic every weekend, and Mother and Father were never too busy to go with us?" she asked with a thoughtful smile.
"I remember. We always went down to that lake where I taught you how to swim. Oh, what a day that was! You were so scared that you wouldn't even go near the water," Zechs declared with a laugh.
"Hey, I was only four. Give me a break," Relena said with a grimace.
They continued to talk about the past and good time until the sun was setting. Zechs was talking when he noticed that Relena's eyes were closed. Her breathing was steady, so he knew that she was asleep. He didn't wake her up. Instead, he gazed at her sleeping face and smiled. 'What was I thinking? She's still my sweet little sister. She's still here,' he thought. Then he heard footsteps and looked up.
Noin was there with warm smile on her beautiful face. She leaned over a bit and gently brushed Relena's hair away from her closed eyes. She glanced at Zechs and asked, "Is everything okay now?"
"Yes, dear," Zechs replied with an adorable smile that was reserved only for her. He slowly picked up Relena in his arms while Noin grabbed the sketchbook. He carried his sister back to her room and gently laid her down on the bed. Noin pulled the covers over her and closed the curtains. She walked over to the door where Zechs was. He gazed lovingly at the sleeping figure (in a strictly brother sister sense. Remember nothing weird)
"Now I remember why I love you so much. Hard and cold on the outside but warm and soft hearted on the inside especially when it come down to the ones you love," Noin declared with an affectionate sigh.
Zechs pulled her into his arms and gave her a kiss on the lips. "I'm not the only one, my love." He closed Relena's door, and they walked back to their room.
Inside Relena's room, a content girl snuggled deep under her blankets, dreaming of the day that she and her brother could finally go home.
Kind of short. I know that I said I had writer's block but this just came up and I wrote the whole chapter in one day. So please read and review.