Disclaimer: I don't own GW, and I'm getting nothing but a kick and a head ache from this, so there is no need to SUE. Seems like that is what everyone is turning to nowadays. . .
-----
Wings of Last Impression
Part 2
"Miss Darlian! Miss Darlian, please, wait a moment!" an urgent voice called out to her.
Relena smiled at the figure running towards her, pausing in her steps. She waited patiently as the young man who flagged her down catch up to her, out of breath. He grasped at his chest, which was heaving a bit too much.
"Miss Darlian! The other representatives and I were wondering if you would like to celebrate the new treaty. After all, you were the woman who pulled it through," he said, winking at her.
Relena brushed it off as she nodded her consent to their invitation. The man whooped for joy and took her hands into his.
"Alright, Miss Darlian, meet us in the Stardust Complex Hotel. We'll be waiting for you!" and he took off down the same path he ran up towards her.
Relena smiled absently, in particular to no one. With each step she took to her hotel, Relena recounted the past events in her mind. That fateful night when she had delivered Heero from that girl's crazy grasp. She did admit, though, that she would have done the same thing back when she was fifteen, if the opportunity ever presented itself, which didn't at the time. The only real pleasure she had felt in a long time was in Heero's gentle grasp, still leaving invisible imprints on her face undoubtedly.
When Relena woke up, she didn't see Heero anywhere. Ah, she thought to herself, gone again to fight that battle, Heero? Relena wouldn't set herself up for that treacherous downfall, hoping that somehow he had reclaimed his humanity. Relena let out a little bitter-sweet laugh as she realized it'd take more than one night of pure sleep with her to permeate into Heero's shattered soul and glue it back together.
As the days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, and months into years, Relena forced herself to forget about Heero. There was no way on earth or in space that she had a way to contact him, but it didn't stop her from whispering his name at night, eyes glinting as bright as the stars, full of hope. The fire that lit her eyes returned little by little as she found a little pleasure in her work for peace. Finally, her routine returned to normal, busy and bustling as usual. She didn't mind the distraction at all, and took in the different people and environments around her.
Relena reached her room, not realizing it. A bellhop was immediately at her side, asking if she had trouble getting into her room. Relena snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at the boy. She shook her head no and thanked the boy for asking. The bellhop smiled back at her. She opened the door and threw her briefcase into the bed, flopping on the big comfy bed. Reluctantly, she got up and took a long hot bath, aromas of roses and lilacs tickling her nose. Feeling her tensed muscles relax, she closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the luxurious tub. Water sloshing and splashing about her body, she remembered the invite she received from Antoine DeBois, another fellow representative of the colonies. He was quite young for someone his age to hold such title, but then again she had to remember her own self.
Sighing, Relena didn't want to leave the serenity her bathtub offered her. She dried herself off, walking around in a big fluffy towel to her closet.
"Hmm," she wondered aloud, "what should I wear to this party?"
It's been a long time since she had the sole pleasure of fussing over herself. Her hands skillfully rustled through the rich materials, stopping on a black satin gown. She wriggled herself into the dress, adjusting the left strap of the dress comfortably on her shoulder. Relena smiled at her reflection, which didn't betray the tiredness of her body, the aching but healing heart, the scars of personal battle. 'No one understands me, no matter how hard they try,' she thought. 'Is this fakeness really worth all the trouble of attaining peace? Of course it is,' she scolded herself. 'Whatever made you think like that, Relena? Think of how hard Father had tried to do what I had done. . . Father.' She didn't know much about her Father, just like she didn't know much about Heero.
Relena went to her jewelry case and fingered the deep sapphire necklace that the Count de Luxembourge had given to her on her twenty-first birthday. It was an overwhelming present, but at much of his insistence of her accepting it, she reluctantly took it. The precious stones reminded her of his eyes. Eyes that dared to show her his true self, to express his confusion, loneliness, trembling love, and innocence. All within a heartbeat, his eyes could shut those out.
Hastily sighing as she slipped out of her thoughts, the black material smartly exposing her slender legs. The dress was cut to bring out her womanhood, which did such a job. It had only a left strap that hugged her shoulder, that slimmed her waist and then over her hips, flaring out around the knees and ended softly a few inches on the ground. Relena felt as though as if she forgot something important as she stepped out of her hotel room.
That thought flew right out of her head as the elevator doors slid open, revealing her two sturdy bodyguards. Feeling squished between them, they went down the thirty-four floors to the lobby, where her limo was waiting to take her to the dinner. Stares and gasps didn't escape her hearing as she gracefully entered the Stardust Complex Hotel.
"Miss Darlian?" a voice asked her. Relena looked about in minute confusion, her eyes finally resting upon a-handsome, she did have to admit-young man.
"Miss Darlian," he said again, "I was sent to escort you to the party."
"Thank you. . ." Relena trailed off.
"The name is Montel Azukayaru. I am a representative and delegate of colony L1. How are you feeling tonight, Miss Darlian?"
"Please, Mister Azu-"
"Montel, please."
"Alright, then, Montel, I'm fine. Thank you for asking," she said, staring placidly down at her feet.
Walking towards the elevators, she had learned some interesting things about Montel. At her own insistence, she had ordered him to call her Relena instead of the stiff and formal name of Miss Darlian. 'Darlian is for work,' she thought as the elevators went up, 'Relena is for the fun and parties. But do I really find the purpose of fun in these stuffy "parties?"' Her thought was interrupted with a 'ding' from the elevator, which called out their destination. Already, Relena could tell this was going to be a long night. She was lead to the double oak doors, which Montel pushed open. It was dark in there, mysteriously quiet.
"I thought-" Relena began as she turned towards Montel. Montel smiled at her, placing his hands upon hers in a reassured way.
"SURPRISE!!!!!" Relena turned again towards the door, her mouth hanging open and eyes wide. The lights were turned on now, revealing a birthday adorned room, with the words HAPPY 23rd BIRTHDAY!
Relena buried her face in her hands, shaking. Montel gently guided her through the door, into the crowd that anxiously waited for her arrival.
"I can't believe I forgot my own birthday was today!" she sniffled as Hilde came up with Duo behind her.
"Oh, Relena, stop that sniffling! It's a time to celebrate for crying out loud," Hilde said as she hugged Relena tightly.
"My turn, my turn," Duo said, showering her with many of his radiant smiles. "OWW!" Duo protested as Hilde pinched him playfully.
Nonetheless, it didn't stop Duo from hugging Relena tightly to him and saying a few rash comments. Relena blushed mildly as Hilde scolded Duo. Duo, seeing another fellow pilot, took this chance to find cover. Hilde dismissed him as she stood there, talking with Relena.
"Isn't he cute?" Hilde asked.
"Who?"
"Montel!" Hilde hissed in her ears, her hands grabbing onto Relena's.
"I suppose he is quite the looker," Relena mumbled.
"You have got to get over him. Look, I know it's hard. But you're making yourself unhealthy with all this business and thinking. Please consider this chance, Relena. If not for yourself, then for your friends who are constantly worried about you. Alright?"
"You know I'll try, honestly, I will, Hilde. Thank you," Relena said. Hilde released Relena's hands as Montel walked up to them.
"Girl talk, I can safely presume," Montel said with a sly wink.
"I'll leave you two to talk. I think I hear Duo calling my name!" and with that, Hilde excused herself and bounced to Duo.
"So, Relena, you are twenty-three. You do not look a day over eighteen," Montel said, smiling at her.
"It isn't necessary to say such empty words to someone as I, Mister Azukayaru," Relena addressed him coldly.
"Relena!"
The calling of her name had interrupted what Montel was going to say to her. A familiar voice shouted to her through the crowd. Platinum-blond hair was followed by a crop of dark blue-ebony hair.
"Relena! Sister! It's been a bit too long since I last saw you!" Milliardo Peacecraft said, giving his sister the biggest bear hug.
He lifted her off the ground, and eventually put her back down as she protested that she was a grown woman now. Noin smiled and laughed, being trailed after their son, Zeshyn. He looked up at Relena with huge icy blue eyes, finally crinkling his nose and squeaking out a 'Hello.'
Relena laughed and scooped up the little boy of three into her arms.
"He's grown up since the last time I saw him!" Relena exclaimed, kissing Zeshyn on the tip of his nose.
Zeshyn let out a laugh as he clapped his hands together.
"Pwetty Auntie Lena," Zeshyn said before Relena put him down.
"Your nephew has a good eye," Montel interrupted.
"Oh, Milliardo and Noin, please meet Montel Azukayaru. He was kind enough to escort me to this little surprise bash," Relena said, nodding her head gracefully in Montel's direction. "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. And Mrs. Peacecraft," Montel said, bowing. The orchestra started up and began playing the Waltz. 'An age-old melody that still haunts my past since the first day I-NO! I can't think about him. He's happy somewhere, and he's telling me to be happy too.' And with that drive in her mind to forget everything that he was, she accepted Montel's invitation to dance. The simple dance was meant alone for her, for they were the only couple on the floor. Getting into the steps, Relena threw all her grace into Montel's rhythm.
Somehow, Relena ended up in Montel's arms, which were squeezing her tight and holding onto her securely. Finding the position a bit awkward, Relena straightened up with a brush of crimson across her cheeks. The room exploded into hoots and hollering, the men whistling and shouting. Relena looked at Montel, who stared straight back at her. They both took a bow to the crowd.
Hanging back in the shadows, a pair of Prussian blue eyes focused their attention on a certain young lady in the room. She stood there to his pride, to his emotions. He wanted to caress her slender arms, wrap himself up in her essence, to feel the forgotten warmth she always emitted. He shook his head violently, knowing that he'd only end up hurting her and himself.
"Oi, you're not as quiet as you think you are," an American voice said behind him softly. Heero didn't flinch at the familiar voice; instead, he kept his gaze upon Relena.
"Still the same old Heero Yuy, ne? Come on man, why don't you just tell her? Sometimes you're worse than Justice Boy over there," Duo said, waving a hand towards a Chinese man who watched amusedly at Relena. Duo smiled as Sally came up to the man and yanked him on the floor, watching Wufei stumble through the dance at first but then blowing everyone away the next minute.
"Hn."
"Heero, If you really want her, go after her. Standing in the shadows can definitely do nothing for you. I see a couple of guys eyeing her everyday, Heero. If you had half a brain, you'd know to sweep the lady off her feet and ride off into the sunset before anybody else gets the chance," Duo said persistently.
"What much do you know about fairytales, Duo?"
"I-"
"To my knowledge, you know nothing much. A fairytale of "riding into the sunset" happens when two people find content with each other. And mostly, it can only occur when each person feels that they are worthy of such a relationship. Do you know much of me? What else do you know about me, Duo, that makes me so worthy for someone as Relena Darlian?" Heero asked with an edge in his voice.
For once, Duo was at a loss. Heero had strangely made a point. "Good luck and good-bye," Duo said as he sighed, returning to the melee of the party. 'How heartbroken Relena would be if she ever found out Heero was here at her party and didn't even know it! But heck, I value my life, so I ain't gonna say anything.' With that in mind, he swept Hilde off her feet and joined Wufei and Sally and the others on the floor.
~~~~~
I'm sorry-no, I'm not sorry-if the charas are OOCky. Please e-mail if you have any comments or flames.
