Disclaimers: The song is Fiona's, the boys belong to some
production company somewhere, not making any money from this,
you know the routine.
Spoilers: None this chapter.
Notes:
Feedback: Pretty please? With little chibis on top? (You
pick which ones ~_^) Post here, or you can e-mail me at
insanewritinggirl@yahoo.com.
by quelirain
| I know tomorrow brings the consequence at hand
but I keep living this day like the next will never come --Fiona Apple, "Criminal"
|
When Relena awoke, the room was dark save the sliver of light that cut in under the door. She couldn't open her eyes for the crust that had formed on her lashes. Rubbing gingerly, she removed enough of the yellowing crumbs to open her right eye. The pillow was still pulled against her, a surrogate teddy bear pressing the warmed metal of Duo's cross into her skin.
//Duo.//
She wanted to call for him, but she didn't trust her voice. Instead, she lay in the darkness, clutching the cover to her. It was soft, fuzzy, like the teddy bear she still had from all those years ago, the one Heero had given her.
//Heero.//
Duo would have been at her side had he been in the building. He would have climbed into bed and held her as she slept, so she wouldn't wake up alone.
Heero would have been long gone by the time she arose. He would have respected her need to feign stability while her emotional world rocked. He understood that one misspoken word could wreak havoc, and he would have given her the time to piece together her mask. Yet he also knew when she couldn't perform up to standard. Those were the times when Heero became tender. Those were the times that she knew, without doubts, that Heero cared for her. That he loved her.
Duo would have kissed her tears away and soothed her shame. He'd done it before. He eased her soul.
But Heero understood her.
And Heero loved her.
//But Duo...?//
Relena jumped onto her feet and ran for the shower. Hot water, a long shampoo, and delicately scented soap would batter down the whispers in her brain. She was about to step into the shower before she remembered to remove Duo's cross. She unclasped the jewerly and, after opening the door a crack, threw the cross on the floor outside the bathroom.
The hot water of the shower made her feel more normal, washing away the redness in her eyes. After turning off the water, she scrubbed her body with a towel, then gooped cool lotion on her damp skin. She reconstructed her color-coordinated outer shell with the contents of the bag Wufei had left in the room. All the clothing fit, right down to the bra and panties. A call to Milliardo would have provided sizes and styles, but which of the pilots had actually gone and acquired the items? The image of any of them rummaging through lingerie made her smile.
She brushed out her hair and twisted it into a loose, damp bun, then returned to the bed to retrieve her shoes. Her stomach growled as she reached underneath the bed. She patted her neck absent-mindedly when Duo's cross didn't swing free of her shirt. She thought for a moment, then glanced at the floor in front of the bathroom.
No cross.
A chill settled in her heart. She crawled across the floor, examing every inch of the wood outside the bathroom. Nothing.
//I threw it out of the bathroom... it should be on the floor somewhere.//
She looked underneath the bed and the dresser, although she knew there was no logical way she'd tossed it that far.
"It's on the dresser."
Relena turned to see Wufei in the doorway. She stood.
"You left it on the floor. I moved it," Wufei continued flatly.
Relena swallowed. "Thank you." She walked to the dresser and saw the cross, its chain meticulosly folded underneath the metal crucifix on the end. She clasped the chain around her neck quickly, so that her hands wouldn't have time to shake. "What time is it?"
There was no answer. She looked up. Wufei was gone.
Crossing the hallway, she entered the dining area, where the computers and weapons had been stored when she first came in. The table was set for two and the smell of simmering seasonings filled the room, but Wufei was nowhere to be seen.
//Maybe he's feeding the reporters?//
Relena left the room and padded down the hall, pausing at each doorway to listen for sounds of conversation. Hearing none, she headed back to the kitchen. Wufei was setting a pot of rice on the table as she entered. "Sit," he commanded.
Relena sat. Her stomach churned, though she wasn't sure if it was a reminder that she hadn't eaten or a symptom of the growing tension within her.
Wufei left for the kitchen, and when he returned, he was carrying a sizzling wok. He set it on the table before spooning a pile of seasoned vegetables onto her plate. The aroma floated into her nose and straight to her complaining stomach.
"This smells wonderful, Wufei. I didn't know you could cook," she blurted.
Wufei eyed her levelly before pouring water into Relena's glass from the water pitcher on the table. "I was thoroughly trained to survive on my own." He sat in a third chair instead of at the other place setting. Relena looked at him inquisitively as she chewed.
"For Trowa." Wufei crossed his arms and leaned into the straight back of the chair.
Hurriedly, Relena swallowed. "Where is he now?"
"Feeding the reporters." He paused and looked at her. She stared down at her plate. He continued to speak. "Duo is out."
Relena reached for her water to cover her chagrin. //I didn't think Wufei was capable of subtle barbs... he's learned a lot at the Preventers.//
"Eat."
She obeyed, cleaning her plate before Trowa entered the room. He held two empty plates, which he took directly to the kitchen, not stopping to look at the two sitting at the table. Relena heard water running, then Trowa returned to where she and Wufei were sitting. He glanced at her, then at Wufei.
"Thank you."
Wufei just nodded.
Trowa ate with quiet efficiency. Relena sipped her water. Wufei appeared to be dozing in the stiff wooden chair. His arms were crossed and his eyes were closed. Yet somehow he knew when the meal was over, because he rose as Trowa finished eating.
Trowa and Relena both stood with their plates, but Wufei took the dirty dishes from their hands. "Sit. Talk." Wufei shot a meaningful look at Trowa, then left for the kitchen. He returned once more for the cooking appliances, then left the two there, each with a glass of water and the three-quarters full pitcher of the same.
Relena swallowed.
Trowa sat back in the chair, its pale wood creaking under his slight weight, his eye an impervious emerald circle with a single dark hole in the middle. It watched her with a cyclopic intensity. Relena swore Trowa wasn't even breathing, his gaze was so level. She swallowed again, then met that single, unflinching eye with both of hers. "I'm sorry, Trowa."
The gaze yielded for a moment, only to be replaced by a neutral coolness. "For what?"
Gathering her courage, she replied, "Quatre." Now his gaze faltered and fell to the glass of water in front of him. "I shouldn't have involved him. It's enough that Duo insists upon dragging Wufei into this, but you shouldn't have to be here." Relena looked down too, idly wiping the condensation from the outside of her water glass. "I am sorry."
The intensity returned to Trowa's studious gaze, but this time it wasn't directed at Relena. He opened his mouth as if to respond, but he was cut off by a shout from the hallway.
"Chang! We have a problem."
Relena raised her head in time to see a long brown braid whip past her on its way to the kitchen.
~owari chapter 9~