The time I'm seeing you

By Neesah

Chapter 2: Heero

He kind of had a routine life, like this weekly visit to the Peacecraft Estate for instance. Every weekend, he would leave the Yuy Estate early in the morning to come here and check the entire premises himself. Once that was done, he would meet the retainers and tenants and discuss estate matters with them, just like what he was doing now. He listened attentively at them, though he couldn't help but glance at the kitchen window a few feet away from time to time, where he caught a brief glimpse of something golden flickering through the glass. Relena.

There wasn't anything wrong in wanting to catch a glimpse of her now and then, he told himself. She was his wife afterall. And he hadn't seen her for a whole week, both of them having agreed to live separately to be able to manage their estates more effectively and efficiently. Like him, she also went to the Yuy Manor once a week to make sure that it was in perfect shape. If he was the laird of two estates, she was the lady of two manors, and it was her duty to oversee everything with regards to both households. It was hard, he knew that from experience of running two estates and going to and fro every week, but as far as he could tell, she was doing a splendid job on it. He had always known she would be splendid in everything she would set her heart into.

Was that the reason why he married her? He didn't really have to vie for her hand, competing with the sons of the other lairds who were of marriageable age. Nor did he need to accumulate more wealth. They were wealthy enough as it was, the wealthiest in fact, and his responsibilities (including the ones he would have in the near future) were more than enough that he wasn't aspiring to add another estate as big as the Peacecraft's to it. But hearing the news of Anthony Peacecraft receiving tons of marriage proposals for his only daughter caused him to ponder things. Most of those men were ambitious, greedy and arrogant, not to mention, lecherous too, that the thought of just leaving Relena to their paws made him sick to the stomach. He thought about it for the longest time and remembering what happened in the ball 4 months prior helped him made his decision.

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He wasn't the party-type and his cousin, Duo, knew this well enough, but as persistent as the braided teen was, he managed to drag Heero with him to the ball. Heero was bored and ready to leave the moment he stepped in but Duo wouldn't let him so he contented himself in avoiding people, talking only if necessary and just blending in the shadows. He stayed by the balcony, peering through the dark when he heard footsteps coming towards him. He didn't bother moving, the darkness hiding him well.

He was surprised to see whose footsteps he heard. Relena. Curious too. Relena hadn't come to parties for a long time now but not because she was as anti-social as he. She was just not in the mood to party when she was supposed to take care of her father. Well, maybe because it was Hilde's birthday that she decided to come, Hilde being one of her closest friends. But it was clear in the way she walked, the tension in her shoulders and the bland expression on her face that, like him, she wasn't having a great time He was about to step out of the shadows to talk to her when he heard another set of footsteps.

"Relena, babe, wait up," 19 yr old Daniel Wise said, son of Laird Gondor Wise. 

Heero saw that Relena drew a deep breath before facing the guy. "What is it, Daniel?"

"You still owe me a dance."     

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I'm tired and I don't remember agreeing to dance with you," she replied in the most polite voice she could muster.

Daniel walked closer. "You didn't have to. After blowing off all those guys who asked you to dance, I just assumed that you were waiting for me." He then grabbed her hand.

Relena shrugged it off. He tried to reach for her again but she swatted his hand away. "I didn't dance with them because I didn't feel like dancing, not because I was waiting for you." Heero almost smiled. He knew she could take care of herself.

"Don't be coy now, Relena. I know you have the hots for me."

"You're sadly mistaken," she said, her voice like steel, her blue eyes afire. "Now, please leave."

"No, I want to prove that you want me." Saying that, he grabbed both her shoulders then crashed his mouth to hers. Heero was about to reveal himself and intervene when just a second after Daniel's lips touched Relena's, she kneed him at the groin, only missing his 'asset' by a few millimeters. When he let go of her in shock and tried to protect his lower extremities if ever she decided to attack him again, she slapped him.

"In your dreams," she said, trying to be calm and almost failing. "Leave me. NOW."

Daniel's eyes turned into slits. "Why, you, little wretch---" His hand was poised to strike her when Heero jumped out, restraining him.

"Don't," Heero said. It was just one word but it carried a lot of threat to it.

Daniel froze, recognizing the voice. He was clearly taken a back and a little fearful too though he shouldn't have been. He was a lot older, Heero being just 15, and a lot taller too. But Heero's grip was strong and the look in his eyes was frightening.

Daniel pried his hand away and snorted. "I'll leave Ms. Prude here with you now, Yuy. Hope you enjoy her better than I did." With that, he left.

Heero glared at his retreating back before turning his attention to Relena. His glare then turned to concern when he saw her shaking. "Are you ok?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When she opened them, she smiled. "I'm ok now. Thanks."

"Hn. Tell me if that jerk bothers you again."

"It's alright, Heero. All those jerks had been bothering me since I hit adolescence and they would continue bothering me 'til I marry one of them," she said in a matter-of-fact voice, though both of them felt the underlying bitterness in it.

He nodded, knowing that it was the truth. Truth or not, he couldn't stop feeling sad and angry, but there wasn't anything he could do, was there? So he remained silent.

After a while, she asked, "Can I stay out here with you, Heero? I…" she paused. "I don't want to go back in there."

"Hn." He saw her smile again and they spent the entire night by the balcony, content in enjoying each other's company.

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She was the strongest woman he had ever known and there was no doubt that she could hold her own but like what he had witnessed at that ball, a woman could only do so much. She was surrounded by vultures and hyenas that would take advantage of her given the chance. She would never be happy. He thought that, if she really needed to get married, wouldn't it be better if she married someone who would have her best interest at heart? They were friends, good friends. Wouldn't that be better than marrying a complete stranger? Arriving to this conclusion, he went to his father to tell him of his decision. His father just looked at him carefully, as if studying him, not asking any questions. Afterwards, his father agreed and the two of them went to visit the Peacecraft Laird, saying that he also had some other business to discuss with him.  

He met with the Anthony Peacecraft a lot of times before but this time, he couldn't help but feel tensed. The meeting went smoothly though, with Anthony asking him questions and he answering them in all honesty. The old laird seemed to be pleased with his answers, not surprised at all that he would also propose, but he still felt nervous. He would only stop feeling nervous when Anthony announced his choice for his daughter's hand.

And believe it or not, he was the choice. He was surprised and a little relieved too. He and Relena met the next day to make the engagement official and start preparing for the wedding. It was unbelievable the way things seemed not to change between them as if nothing monumental was about to take place. They treated each other like they had before, no awkward moments, no tensed atmosphere, nothing. He was right, they really were friends. Two friends getting married.

They were married three weeks after. And he had heard people saying that it was the grandest and most controversial wedding to date. But he wasn't concerned about that. All that mattered to him was that Relena seemed happy and content and that things had been going the way he hoped it would be. That didn't mean that everything went smoothly. Adjusting to the changes was hard, especially trying to learn the workings of a whole, new estate (large too, if one might add) and the going back and forth between estates. But he was determined to do it and at the end he did. Though not without any hardships, especially with regards to the Peacecraft estate's decline.

His assessment of the estate's current status was pretty bleak. The estate wasn't getting any profits even if, according to his opinion, the crop and livestock yields were ok. He was certain that there was foul play involved, with his father catching some of the Peacecraft's retainers stealing goods and crossing over to their territory. He couldn't really make any changes yet since Anthony was still laird and all that he could do was act on his behalf. Still, he had to know what was happening.

He talked to everyone, even the old ones, the women and children. Most of them were careful, as if afraid that they might slip. He had talked to the Head Retainer first, Orlando, but he didn't learn anything significant, only that he was somewhat connected to all the bad things happening in the estate. Finally, he met the youngest of all the retainers there, Trowa, who was as young as he was and was living with his older sister Catherine. The first time he interviewed Trowa, he said the same thing the others said, though the way he said it made Heero realize that he was somewhat sending him a coded message. So he waited.

A few days after, Trowa caught him while he was going to the Yuy estate and there, he told him the truth. That since the laird got sick and wasn't able to monitor the estate's activities, Orlando and more than half of the retainers were taking everything for themselves, making their own transactions and dealings and only leaving enough for the laird's household not to be suspicious. They turned into a band of bandits now, thinking that they were the real lairds of the estate and they threatened the others who at first refused to follow them. With Heero marrying Relena posed a problem since being the next laird, he would have to monitor the estate's activities from now on but the bandits thought that it might take him a while to learn how to run the estate. They also thought that they could manipulate him according to their wishes, since he had to ask them to teach him the ropes.

Heero listened, his mind's wheels turning. With all the cover-up that was going on, why would this be any different? But there was something about Trowa that made him trust his words. Fine honed instincts maybe, or it might be just that he recognized a kindred spirit in the young retainer. The reasons didn't matter, what mattered was that he believed him and that he had to think of some way to turn things around. He couldn't do anything 'til he officially became laird and he couldn't possibly tell Anthony about what was really happening for it would surely hasten his death so he was kinda stuck. All that was left was to wait. He bid Trowa to act the usual but he also asked him to be his eyes and ears when he wasn't there. He would also continue to pretend asking the other retainers for pointers and lessons, but it would be Trowa who would give him the real lessons. Since then, he and Trowa became good friends. And that wasn't the last time Trowa came to his aid.

Three months after their wedding, he and Duo went to the annual horse trade. It was early on the second day of the fair when Heero saw Trowa galloping towards them, the bearer of bad news. Anthony Peacecraft was dead and Relena was left on her own.  

Upon hearing this, he immediately set out to go back home, leaving his unfinished business to Duo's capable hands. He and Trowa rode like the wind, only stopping when they were so weary they couldn't ride anymore. And because of that, the usual three-day travel, they turned into just two days. And after seeing the condition Relena was in when he arrived, he was glad that he came as fast as he could.

He did everything he could to help out Relena during her time of crisis, sleeping with her every night to fend off the nightmares and after a month she was back to her usual self. The nightmares had stopped so she could sleep alone in her own room while he, as the new laird, got the master's bedroom for his own. It felt weird the first night he slept alone, having gotten used to sleeping with her but he shrugged the thought away, thinking that he had more important stuff to worry about.

He had a long talk with all the retainers and tenants, telling them that he knew what was happening and that they had to stop it and change for he wouldn't tolerate any of it. If they couldn't follow his orders, then they were free to leave. If they decided to stay but had the idiocy to repeat what they were doing or had the nerve to plan on continuing it in secret in the hopes that he would be stupid enough not to notice then he would make them leave, or if they wouldn't give him any choice, bury them where they stand. Most of them stayed, accepting the new laird's conditions and changing their ways back to what it was supposed to be. Those who got really scared left, having heard of Heero's marksmanship and no-nonsense, I-never-bluff attitude, but there were a few who were utterly stupid that they didn't take the threat lightly. But Heero made sure that they learn their lesson. Things took on a more positive turn after that.

Relena was supportive throughout all of this, and she was also eager to learn what she could to help Heero out. They both learned quickly and with Trowa's help, who was the new Head Retainer, and everybody's hard work, the Peacecraft estate recovered within a year. By that time, he felt that everyone in the estate was getting along quite well and he and Relena were as happy as they could be. They still slept in separate rooms but aside from that, they were partners in everything. Actually, they managed the estate together, which was unheard of during their time. Husbands usually just gave their wives power only over their own household but Heero wasn't an ordinary husband, nor did he treat Relena as an ordinary wife. He would never think of her as ordinary nor would he ever dream of treating her as one. She wasn't just a very pleasant bonus that came with the Peacecraft estate, which was the real prize, like what those other men were thinking when they asked for her hand. For him, she was the real prize and the estate was just an extra. The estate didn't come with her, she came with the estate, because in all reality it was hers. And he believed that since she was the real owner of the estate, he was just there to help her manage it, to act on her behalf when tradition prevented her to do otherwise.

Managing their household was a joint venture too, though Relena had the bulk of it, being the woman and all that. But the Peacecraft manor wasn't the only household she was responsible for. His father had allowed, actually begged was a better term, Heero to ask Relena if she could also oversee the women and their chores in the Yuy manor once in a while, even if Arren was still Laird. It was in preparation for the day when Heero becomes Laird and Relena, the mistress of the whole house, his father reasoned. Well, that and the fact that the manor really needed a woman's touch, a woman's command, he added. His reasons were sound, truthful too so to speak, but Heero knew, and most probably Relena also, that the main reason for his request was that he didn't want anything to do with overseeing household chores, which had been inadvertently added to his responsibilities since his wife's death though truthfully, he had unconsciously (or not so unconsciously) passed this on to his son for quite a while now. The couple agreed that was why every other week, the two of them would stay at the Yuy Estate for two days, giving Relena ample time to work her magic.  

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They also seemed to have grown even closer during this time, if that was possible. They would spent the nights gazing at the stars while naming the constellations or in the study by the fireplace, reading in companionable silence but more often than not debating ideas 'til Relena fell asleep on her chair and he had to carry her up to her room. With his mile-high responsibilities and busy schedule, he was always bone-tired by the end of the day and this quality time with her was the only thing he was looking forward to every night, somewhat energizing him for the next day. Seeing her happy and content was the only motivation he needed to continue on what he needed to do. He couldn't help thinking how things would have been, both to him and to her, if he hadn't thought of proposing, or if her father hadn't chosen him for her. Because of reasons he couldn't fathom, he couldn't imagine Relena being married to another guy, nor could he imagine himself being married to another girl. They could read each other's thoughts, sense each other's moods perfectly and most importantly they could count on each other to stay by the other's side through happiness and despair. He promised to take care of her but in her own way she was taking care of him too. She had been his rock when his father died a year and a half after their wedding.

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It came like a shock, no preliminaries, no warning, not even a single sign that this was going to be the day his father would die. Arren Yuy was as strong as he had ever been, as healthy as an ox and as stubborn as a mule. But the morning Heero came to the Yuy Estate to start his usual day, he was greeted with a very unusual news—his father was still in bed.

Everybody, including him, thought it weird, for the Yuy Laird had never woken up later than six in the morning. But they let it pass, wanting him to get the rest he richly deserved. But when it was already lunchtime and Arren still hadn't woken up, everybody became concerned.

Heero sent Sally, the majordoma, to wake his father up and tell him of lunch. But Sally returned saying that the laird never answered her knock. Heero then stood up and went to see his father personally. He knocked twice. "Father, it's Heero. It's already noon and lunch is served." When he didn't get any answer he said, "I'm coming in." He then turned the doorknob and entered the master's bedroom.

He saw his father lying peacefully on the bed. He walked towards him. "Father, wake---" his voice trailed off when he touched his bare shoulders. It was cold. Dead cold. The sudden realization was like a tidal wave that came crashing down at him, causing him to struggle for air. His throat and chest tightened, his eyes started to burn. But with one shake of his head, he swallowed his grief and went out. When he reached the dining room where everyone awaited them, he announced, "The Laird is dead," then quickly left when the women started their wailing. He couldn't grieve yet, it was a luxury he had to put off 'til later. He still had important things to do.

The news that Arren Yuy had died spread quickly. He just finished making final preparations for the burial tomorrow afternoon when he heard someone call his name. He looked up and saw Relena by the door of his father's study, his now, carrying a tray of food. "Sally said that you haven't eaten lunch yet," she said, walking towards him. She sat down the tray on his desk and sat down. "I came as soon as I can. I'm so sorry, Heero."

"You didn't have to," he told her, meaning both the meal and coming all the way there. He had sent one of his retainers to go to the Peacecraft Estate to tell Relena that he wouldn't be able to be home by dinner because of his father's death and that he would be gone for a couple of days, leaving her and Trowa in-charge of the estate.

"I want to," she answered simply. She touched his hand gently before standing up. "I'll go help Sally prepare for the wake. You just eat here and rest for a while. People would be arriving soon."  And before he could say anything or thank her, she was gone.

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He was his usual silent self during the wake, politely accepting the condolences said to him, graciously giving his thanks and offering refreshments. He seemed calm and collected, which he usually was, that most people thought that he was either taking his father's death very well or that he was a cold-hearted son of a bitch. But it was a mask. Those who knew him well knew that and even he, deep down, knew that also. He fulfilled his duty as the head of the house and host for the whole duration of the wake quite well, which might be attributed to the fact that it was the shortest one ever in their history, starting that night and lasted until the afternoon of the next day. Still, there were times when he felt trapped and claustrophobic with all those people. But whenever he was tempted to yell and tell everyone to leave him alone, Relena would be there to calm him down with a touch or a word, even a look. She had been by his side the whole time, fulfilling her duties as his wife and lady of the manor. She only left when she had to take care of something important, but she would always come back to him. Maybe she was waiting for him to break down, he thought. But he wouldn't. He said to himself that he would never ever lose control, and so he didn't. Still, having her near him was a welcome relief. All the voices, the faces, the movement, the condolences, the murmurs--- they were all a blur and all he knew was her. In the whole world, all he knew was her, there by his side. He didn't know what would have happened if she weren't there, and honestly speaking, he would never want to know.

They buried Arren in the Yuy Family graveyard, beside his wife. After the burial, Heero went straight to the stables, took his horse and went riding through the woods. He didn't want to be inside the manor. As a matter of fact, he dreaded coming back, he dreaded coming back to a house that would never feel the same again. But unless he wanted to sleep in the woods he had to go home.

It was way past dinnertime when he came back. He expected the house to be empty, knowing that with everything that had happened, the servants would be exhausted and already in their beds. He knew that they wouldn't wait up for him, knowing his moods and all. But they would store the food inside the stone oven to keep it fresh and hot, if ever he came home hungry.

That was why he was surprised when he saw Relena sitting by the couch in the living room, reading a book and apparently, waiting for him.    

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"What are you still doing here?" he asked. He thought that after the funeral, she would have gone back to the Peacecraft Estate.

He saw her close her book and placed it on top of a nearby table. "I still have a lot of things to put in order here so I stayed," she told him. In a way, she was telling the truth, being the Laird's wife and Lady of the house, though they both knew that wasn't the whole truth. She was worried about him, and she didn't want to leave him the way he was now.  He hadn't broken down yet and she wanted to be there when that happened. She knew how proud he was, how he wouldn't accept pity from anyone. It was her way of saying that she would be there without making him appear weak, that she would stay willingly without making him ask. Because with all honesty, he wanted, no, he needed her to stay. He just couldn't make himself say it.  "Have you eaten?"

"No," he replied. "Have you?"

She shook her head. "I was waiting for you."

He looked at her. Since his father's death, he had lost his appetite and it was only because of Relena's machinations that he ate. "Let's go eat then."

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For the next few days, he immersed himself in his work. He was laird of two estates now. But he was groomed to become this estate's laird from the very beginning so it wasn't that hard, though he still had to go to and fro between estates. He didn't mind, actually he was glad. It was sort of an escape for him, a distraction. But work ended at night and he had to come home. That was why after dinner, he would go horseback riding in the woods then come home late. And always, Relena would be there in the living room, waiting for him, no matter how late it was. She would be reading, or knitting but more often than not, dozing off on the couch for he had this habit of coming back past midnight. He would gaze at her for a heartbeat before lifting her in his arms, murmuring 'I'm home' to her ear. As a response, she would smile in her sleep and snuggle closer to him as he carried her to room. Only then would he proceed to his room, not the master's bedroom like what it should be but his old room. He didn't feel right sleeping in the master's bedroom, thinking that it was still his father's, even if the servants had already cleaned it and had taken the former Laird's and what remained of the former Lady's belongings out of the room after the funeral. All that needed to be done was for him to move all his stuff there. But he just couldn't seem to claim it as his own. He hadn't even gone inside the room since that fateful afternoon. He just couldn't. 

But one night, he came home way earlier than usual. After he had walked Relena to her room and was now inside his own, he felt restless. He jumped out of bed and started walking back and forth. After a while, he felt claustrophobic so he went out. He passed by Relena's room first then the master's bedroom. He paused on his tracks then turned back, stopping by the door of the master's bedroom. He put his hand on the knob, debating whether to go in or not. He didn't know how long he had been standing there, being immersed deeply in his thoughts. That was why he was caught unaware when he felt a pale hand on top of his own, tightening his grip around the knob.     

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He turned his head and found sky blue eyes staring back at him. She gave him a nod, urging him to open the door. Her eyes told him that this was right, that it was the right thing to do. She squeezed his hand one last time, and he finally made his decision. Together, they opened the door.

He was hesitant to enter at first. But when his gaze fell on the bed, he unconsciously took a step, then another, then another. He stopped when he reached the side of the bed, the same spot where he stood when he went to wake his father up 10 days ago. Relena went to stand beside him.

"I found him here, you know. I was the one who found him." Relena listened but never answered. "I thought he was just sleeping, he looked so peaceful lying there but when I touched him…" he reached a hand towards the bed, then jerked back as if burned. "He was cold. So cold. I knew he was dead." Saying that, he felt something like a tidal wave came crashing down at him, causing him to struggle for air. His throat and chest tightened, his eyes started to burn. It was like he was reliving that exact same moment though this time he did what he didn't dare let himself do that day. He grieved.

He fell on his knees, his hands gripping the bed's comforter. His chest felt so tight as if a hand was squeezing his heart as hard as it could that he couldn't breathe. It made his eyes burn like hell that he had to squeeze them shut. He gasped. Finally, the tears came.

He cried quietly but fiercely. She knelt down beside him, one hand comforting his shoulder, the other lightly touched his thick hair soothingly. They stayed that way for a while until he had no more tears left. His grip on the comforter loosened, raising one hand to wipe his eyes. "You shouldn't have seen me like this, Relena," he told her in a hoarse voice.

She continued to run her fingers through his hair.  "It's nothing. You just lost your father. I think you're entitled to feel anything or do anything that would make the pain go away."

He loved the way she was touching him, comforting him. He welcomed it, craved it but he pulled away. "I'm supposed to be the strong one. How can I take care of you if I couldn't even take care of myself?"

"Then we'll take care of each other," she replied.

He shook his head.

"Don't be silly. Heero, look at me." She leaned closer to him, touching his chin lightly so he would her eyes. "You don't know how well you have taken care of me all this time and I don't think one night of mourning would change that. Nor would crying and mourning make you weaker in any sense. Actually, you're doing yourself a favor. Grieving is healthy, both to your mind and soul. See, you're capable of taking care of yourself afterall." She then gave him a warm smile. "But even if you're not, you still don't have to worry because taking care of you is my job. That's why I'm here. You're not the only one who made a promise, you know. Whatever happens, we'll always take care of each other."   

She pushed a part of the comforter off, revealing the soft white sheet underneath. She took his hand and tried to pull him towards the bed.

Heero jerked back. "No… I can't…"

"This is your room now, just like this estate is yours now. Your father had passed it on to you. It's part of your inheritance." She sat on the bed, not letting go of his hand. "I know how strange it feels. How you feel out of place when it had felt so familiar before. How it feels different when just days ago it's not. But the only thing that anyone can do is to make things feel familiar again. You taught me that."  She tugged at him again. "Come on, Heero. Let me help you."

He didn't know if it was his overwhelming need to be comforted or the pleading he heard in her voice that made him finally give in. He climbed on the bed, curling into a ball underneath the covers. Relena put her arms around him, settling his head against her chest as she lied down beside him. Lying there beside her not only eased his soul but also freed it, causing the exhaustion that he had been running away from for the past week or so to catch up with him at last. He closed his eyes and had the most soothing sleep he ever had.

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The next day, Relena asked him if he would like her to help him move his stuff to the master's bedroom and, surprisingly, he agreed. He slept again in the master's bedroom the following night, then the night after that, then the next, and with each passing night, the uncomfortable feeling had slowly slipped away, being replaced by the feeling of ease and belonging. Well, having Relena there when he slept might be the primary reason for it, she being the last thing he ever see when he closed his eyes at night and the first thing he ever see when he open them in the morning. Her warmth was so familiar that she made everything familiar to him and within a week he finally felt that it was really his room. Everything in his world had now worked into a pattern, a routine of his choice, making things more familiar and comfortable. One of these said routines was that between the two of them, whoever woke up first would end up gazing at the other's sleeping face 'til the said person woke up. He never felt this content in his entire life but there was something… he couldn't point a finger to it. Things were changing --- around them, between them, words left unsaid and deeds left undone. Something was happening, he didn't know what and he kind of knew that Relena was as clueless and as unsure as he was. It was like they reached a certain point where they hang in a balance, and whether the balance would tilt was all up to them. They could either go back, move on, or change nothing. At the end, it was Relena who took the initative, the first step.      

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He woke up one morning, greeted by the sight of brilliant sky blue eyes watching him. He smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she smiled back. She studied him for a moment. "You look well."

"I'm feeling it," he replied, not breaking eye contact. "I feel like my old self again."

She acknowledged him with a nod. He saw something flicker in her eyes for a brief second. "Heero, I…" she suddenly sat up. "Do you think it's time for me to go back?"   

Hearing what she said, he also jerked up into a sitting position. It was his turn to study her, and partly himself. She stayed with him for a little more than three weeks. Both of them were here, in the Yuy estate, leaving Trowa to take care of the Peacecraft estate by himself. Well, he always went there to check up on them whenever he could but it wasn't the same when he and Relena or either one of them were there to oversee everything. Besides, wasn't her only reason for staying her concern for him? And now that he was back to his usual self, there wasn't any reason for him to ask her to stay, was there?

"I think it is. They need you there." Again, he saw something in her eyes. Relief? Joy? Fear? Sadness? Uncertainty? Or a mixture of them? "I need you to be there. You know that you're the only person I can count on to help me." He wanted to say that he needed her here too but he couldn't be that selfish.

Their eyes met for the longest time. Her eyes were the clearest blue he had ever seen. "You're right. I'll talk to Sally first then I'll be going."

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That was how their current arrangement was settled. She went back to manage the Peacecraft Estate in his stead and he remained in the Yuy Estate. He visited weekly though, staying there overnight then taking her with him the next day to the Yuy estate where it was her turn to oversee her other household. She would also stay overnight then he would take her back the following morning. They wouldn't see each other again until the end of the week. So far, this arrangement worked for them, having done it for the past 1 ½ years. But sometimes, he felt that that weekly visit wasn't enough, for him at least.

He then heard Elija, one of the older retainers, said something about seeing pink elephants. "Pink elephants my ass. I'm still listening, you know."

Male laughter erupted. Since the estate was doing great, these weekly discussions, which supposedly tackled estate matters, ended up being a male bonding session. It was fun hearing the stories that his retainers and tenants waited a week for to tell him. "Just checking, boss. You seemed a bit distracted." He grinned. "Can't wait to see the misus, eh?"  

"The pitfalls of living apart," Tony added. "Effective in some ways, frustrating in others. Right, boss?"

Heero just shrugged. Everybody laughed again. Frank, the oldest among them, raised a hand. The laughing stopped. "But the deepest pitfall of all is that everybody knew that you are living apart. And a woman whose husband is away for an indefinite time is a source of temptation to many," he said in a serious tone.

"You mean to those who doesn't have morals," Ali snorted. "Vultures. Hyenas. Pigs."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" He glanced sharply at Trowa. But Trowa fixed his gaze over Heero's shoulder and didn't answer his question. Instead he said, "Lunch is ready. I think the women needs our help."

Heero turned around and saw Relena with the other women, carrying food and setting them down on the long table outside the house. Relena lifted her head and saw him looking at her. She gave him a little wave then went back inside. "Trowa's right. We better help them." But a quick glance at Trowa told him that he still wanted to know what was going on. Trowa nodded in reply and all of them walked towards the direction of the table.