~O'Malley's
6:37 p.m.~
The five former pilots continued to talk, though Heero Yuy remained more or less oblivious to the conversation. His own thoughts were keeping him plenty busy. Now that the war was over, Heero was left without a rightful place in the world. He had no job, no formal education, and lacked social skills as well as any money. He almost snickered at that. Heitai, heir to a massive fortune that had been accumulated over generations of hard work and duty, and he didn't have a single penny of it. Heitai, Heero decided, had died in AC 184 along with any hopes of a somewhat normal life.
He was not so lost in his thoughts, however, that he missed the movement off to his left. Barely moving at all, Heero soon had two girls in his sights. His hand crept for the comforting metal of his gun. Then his head snapped up. That was—Makoto!
As she walked closer to the table with Mako in tow, Angel tried to come up with an intelligent thing to say. She meant to come up with a quick joke or perhaps introduce herself and ask Quatre if he remembered her. She meant to sound like she was the twenty-year-old woman she had become, and not the four-year-old girl she hoped he remembered. But her brain refused to allow this. All she was able to say was, "Kitty."
Quatre's eyes opened wide at this. He stood, clumsily knocking his chair over. Duo blinked in surprise. Quatre had never been klutzy for a moment in his life—at least not in the five years they'd known each other.
"Who is she?" he whispered to Trowa and Wufei. Both shrugged in response.
"Boo . . . Angel?" Quatre managed, rapidly coming around the table to get a better look at her. "And Makoto!"
Mako and Angel found themselves wrapped in a tight, warm hug.
"Quatre . . ." Mako returned the hug but pulled away from his arms after that. She turned to look at Heero. " . . . Heitai."
He was standing by now as well. "Makoto."
"Heitai!" Without any further hesitation, Mako ran into his arms, pressing her face into his neck as she blinked back stubborn tears of relief and happiness.
Heero's four companions watched in shock as his face softened and he put his arms around the woman in his arms. But Quatre slowly began to smile. He knew Heero had found the one person in the world that would make him feel significant again. Maybe he'd begin to retain a humanitarian side now that his beloved Makoto was back in his arms.
Duo stared at his friend in shock. Heero Yuy had never shown any sign of such deep compassion in the five years they'd known each other, yet he held this woman as if she were his lover, or wife.
"Heitai," Angel smiled suddenly. "It's good to see you again." Then, turning, "Hello, gentlemen. I'm Angel." Duo shook hands with her, and watched as she bowed to Wufei and nodded to Trowa.
"Angel, it's been nearly sixteen years since . . ." Quatre started.
"I know," she answered, glancing at Mako. She and Heero were still wrapped in a warm embrace.
"Wait, wait, I'm lost," Duo cut in, speaking for himself as well as Trowa and Wufei, who were equally confused. "You haven't seen each other for sixteen years? And—You knew Heero back then?"
"Yes," Quatre said, smiling at his friends' confusion. "Though Heero's original name is Heitai. We've been friends since . . . well, birth, I guess."
"All four of you?" Wufei asked, eyebrows lifted.
"Yup. My father is his . . . I guess you could say bodyguard," Angel replied, smiling heartily. "Rasid Kurama."
"Oh, you mean that big dude!" Duo exclaimed, and Angel laughed and nodded.
Mako and Heero finally released each other to join the conversation.
"You two are awfully close," Trowa pointed out. Mako smiled.
"Yeah, well, he was my hero." She shook hands with everyone. Wufei gazed at her.
"Makoto . . . that means sincerity." It was not a question. Interest glittered in his ebony eyes. "Would you be the daughter of Senator Tanaka?"
"Yes," she answered.
"Your father was an honorable man. I had a deep respect for him even though I was only four when I met him. He did great things for my people, my clan. I am honored to meet you, Ms. Tanaka."
Mako blinked. She hadn't heard such formality directed her way in a very long time. Angel smiled at her.
She deserves it, she thought sternly, gazing at her best friend with pride. She deserves every ounce of respect she gets, whether she knows it or not.
"A-arigato, Wufei-san," Mako replied uncertainly. It was Wufei's turn to blink. He hadn't been referred to as Wufei-san since his wife—
Cutting off that painful train of thought, he gave her a smile and sipped his tea. Aisha, the waitress, had silently dropped it off a few minutes ago.
"So, the four of you are great pals, then?" Duo asked.
"Haii," Heero agreed, squeezing Mako's shoulder gently. She smiled at him.
"I guess you could say so," Angel agreed, stealing a sip of Quatre's tea with a wink. "So, Quatre—I heard you have a girlfriend."
Quatre flushed slightly, his smile quite a bit sheepish in his pleasure.
"Yes, Aki. She's fun, and very sweet," he agreed.
"Yeah . . . and she sure does look a lot like you," Duo observed. Angel blinked and glanced back at Quatre, who was rapidly turning red.
"Is that so?" she questioned with mischievous interest. Quatre laughed.
"You couldn't be more different," he assured her.
"No kidding," Heero agreed, his mood better than it had been in sixteen years. He actually felt like talking and becoming part of the group. Mako made him feel like he was human again. The rush of emotions she caused were confusing, but he knew he could deal with them as long as she was there with him. Which, he thought, nearly smiling, was confusing enough in itself.
"Is that a good or a bad thing?" Angel asked.
"Both," Quatre replied diplomatically. She laughed at that.
"I see. So where is Aki, hmmm? I'd like to know who stole my Kitty," she said.
"Stole him? Do I sense a old flame?" Duo asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Angel shot him a glance and laughed.
"Well, he proposed to me when we were four . . . does that count?" she replied saucily.
"Proposed?" Wufei, Duo, and Trowa turned to look at their blushing companion.
"Great, Boo. Now I'll never hear the end of this," he grumbled good- naturedly. Duo was already coming up with ways to blackmail the poor boy.
"Sorry Kitty." But Angel didn't sound sorry at all. In fact, she was chuckling. He laughed and pulled her into his lap for a hug.
Heero pulled Mako away eagerly, snuggling into her arms like a child. "I haven't let myself feel in a long time," he whispered.
"I know. I heard."
"Mako . . ." But Heero was unable to continue. Mako smiled and burrowed her nose into Heero's hair. Her hands stroked his muscled back, closing her eyes as his lips touched her jawline.
"Hey! Break it up!" Angel called to them, laughing. "This is a public place." Laughter answered her teasing remark as Duo waved Aisha over. She tossed off her apron, having finished her shift, and plopped down to join the conversation.
"Mm…O'Malleys! This is the place!" Aki chirped, stepping inside. She scanned the crowded room for her boyfriend, Quatre. She spotted him, laughing and talking, with a girl in his lap. Quickly, she walked over.
"Quatre? Who's this?" she asked sharply, anger flashing in her eyes. Silence fell around the table as she awaited his answer.
6:37 p.m.~
The five former pilots continued to talk, though Heero Yuy remained more or less oblivious to the conversation. His own thoughts were keeping him plenty busy. Now that the war was over, Heero was left without a rightful place in the world. He had no job, no formal education, and lacked social skills as well as any money. He almost snickered at that. Heitai, heir to a massive fortune that had been accumulated over generations of hard work and duty, and he didn't have a single penny of it. Heitai, Heero decided, had died in AC 184 along with any hopes of a somewhat normal life.
He was not so lost in his thoughts, however, that he missed the movement off to his left. Barely moving at all, Heero soon had two girls in his sights. His hand crept for the comforting metal of his gun. Then his head snapped up. That was—Makoto!
As she walked closer to the table with Mako in tow, Angel tried to come up with an intelligent thing to say. She meant to come up with a quick joke or perhaps introduce herself and ask Quatre if he remembered her. She meant to sound like she was the twenty-year-old woman she had become, and not the four-year-old girl she hoped he remembered. But her brain refused to allow this. All she was able to say was, "Kitty."
Quatre's eyes opened wide at this. He stood, clumsily knocking his chair over. Duo blinked in surprise. Quatre had never been klutzy for a moment in his life—at least not in the five years they'd known each other.
"Who is she?" he whispered to Trowa and Wufei. Both shrugged in response.
"Boo . . . Angel?" Quatre managed, rapidly coming around the table to get a better look at her. "And Makoto!"
Mako and Angel found themselves wrapped in a tight, warm hug.
"Quatre . . ." Mako returned the hug but pulled away from his arms after that. She turned to look at Heero. " . . . Heitai."
He was standing by now as well. "Makoto."
"Heitai!" Without any further hesitation, Mako ran into his arms, pressing her face into his neck as she blinked back stubborn tears of relief and happiness.
Heero's four companions watched in shock as his face softened and he put his arms around the woman in his arms. But Quatre slowly began to smile. He knew Heero had found the one person in the world that would make him feel significant again. Maybe he'd begin to retain a humanitarian side now that his beloved Makoto was back in his arms.
Duo stared at his friend in shock. Heero Yuy had never shown any sign of such deep compassion in the five years they'd known each other, yet he held this woman as if she were his lover, or wife.
"Heitai," Angel smiled suddenly. "It's good to see you again." Then, turning, "Hello, gentlemen. I'm Angel." Duo shook hands with her, and watched as she bowed to Wufei and nodded to Trowa.
"Angel, it's been nearly sixteen years since . . ." Quatre started.
"I know," she answered, glancing at Mako. She and Heero were still wrapped in a warm embrace.
"Wait, wait, I'm lost," Duo cut in, speaking for himself as well as Trowa and Wufei, who were equally confused. "You haven't seen each other for sixteen years? And—You knew Heero back then?"
"Yes," Quatre said, smiling at his friends' confusion. "Though Heero's original name is Heitai. We've been friends since . . . well, birth, I guess."
"All four of you?" Wufei asked, eyebrows lifted.
"Yup. My father is his . . . I guess you could say bodyguard," Angel replied, smiling heartily. "Rasid Kurama."
"Oh, you mean that big dude!" Duo exclaimed, and Angel laughed and nodded.
Mako and Heero finally released each other to join the conversation.
"You two are awfully close," Trowa pointed out. Mako smiled.
"Yeah, well, he was my hero." She shook hands with everyone. Wufei gazed at her.
"Makoto . . . that means sincerity." It was not a question. Interest glittered in his ebony eyes. "Would you be the daughter of Senator Tanaka?"
"Yes," she answered.
"Your father was an honorable man. I had a deep respect for him even though I was only four when I met him. He did great things for my people, my clan. I am honored to meet you, Ms. Tanaka."
Mako blinked. She hadn't heard such formality directed her way in a very long time. Angel smiled at her.
She deserves it, she thought sternly, gazing at her best friend with pride. She deserves every ounce of respect she gets, whether she knows it or not.
"A-arigato, Wufei-san," Mako replied uncertainly. It was Wufei's turn to blink. He hadn't been referred to as Wufei-san since his wife—
Cutting off that painful train of thought, he gave her a smile and sipped his tea. Aisha, the waitress, had silently dropped it off a few minutes ago.
"So, the four of you are great pals, then?" Duo asked.
"Haii," Heero agreed, squeezing Mako's shoulder gently. She smiled at him.
"I guess you could say so," Angel agreed, stealing a sip of Quatre's tea with a wink. "So, Quatre—I heard you have a girlfriend."
Quatre flushed slightly, his smile quite a bit sheepish in his pleasure.
"Yes, Aki. She's fun, and very sweet," he agreed.
"Yeah . . . and she sure does look a lot like you," Duo observed. Angel blinked and glanced back at Quatre, who was rapidly turning red.
"Is that so?" she questioned with mischievous interest. Quatre laughed.
"You couldn't be more different," he assured her.
"No kidding," Heero agreed, his mood better than it had been in sixteen years. He actually felt like talking and becoming part of the group. Mako made him feel like he was human again. The rush of emotions she caused were confusing, but he knew he could deal with them as long as she was there with him. Which, he thought, nearly smiling, was confusing enough in itself.
"Is that a good or a bad thing?" Angel asked.
"Both," Quatre replied diplomatically. She laughed at that.
"I see. So where is Aki, hmmm? I'd like to know who stole my Kitty," she said.
"Stole him? Do I sense a old flame?" Duo asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Angel shot him a glance and laughed.
"Well, he proposed to me when we were four . . . does that count?" she replied saucily.
"Proposed?" Wufei, Duo, and Trowa turned to look at their blushing companion.
"Great, Boo. Now I'll never hear the end of this," he grumbled good- naturedly. Duo was already coming up with ways to blackmail the poor boy.
"Sorry Kitty." But Angel didn't sound sorry at all. In fact, she was chuckling. He laughed and pulled her into his lap for a hug.
Heero pulled Mako away eagerly, snuggling into her arms like a child. "I haven't let myself feel in a long time," he whispered.
"I know. I heard."
"Mako . . ." But Heero was unable to continue. Mako smiled and burrowed her nose into Heero's hair. Her hands stroked his muscled back, closing her eyes as his lips touched her jawline.
"Hey! Break it up!" Angel called to them, laughing. "This is a public place." Laughter answered her teasing remark as Duo waved Aisha over. She tossed off her apron, having finished her shift, and plopped down to join the conversation.
"Mm…O'Malleys! This is the place!" Aki chirped, stepping inside. She scanned the crowded room for her boyfriend, Quatre. She spotted him, laughing and talking, with a girl in his lap. Quickly, she walked over.
"Quatre? Who's this?" she asked sharply, anger flashing in her eyes. Silence fell around the table as she awaited his answer.
