Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any related characters.
I'm repeating myself, just so you know. ^^
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Collecting the Pieces - Chapter Ten
It wasn't something I usually indulged in, nor usually found the time for, but today had hardly been a normal day. I felt I deserved this one little luxury, after all.
And yet, as I unravelled myself from my confines of my clothes, and delicately slipped a pale foot into the boiling hot water, testing it, I felt a hint of guilt gnaw at me, if only for a moment. In the back of my mind, that little annoying voice reminded me of my duties and of my work. Did I really deserve this pleasure?
'Of course I do', I thought to myself stubbornly, pushing that ever-present and sometimes even annoying sense of responsibility away.
The temperature was perfect, the water calm and soothing. I sank the rest of my body into the steaming liquid, shooting fire up my spine. I sighed softly, smiling to myself, as I rested my head on the edge of the bathtub.
I loved the water. Its simplicity. Its purity. The calming effect it seemed to have on me as I sank away in it - swallowed and drowned within its depths. In a way it reminded me of Trowa.
I smiled at that thought. Trowa. Sometimes I could drown in his deep forest green eyes, or bathe in his subtle but loving smiles.
Cheesy, isn't it? But when you're in love, you're allowed to be cheesy.
Yes, I'm in love with Trowa Barton. I've finally admitted it to myself. When I think of him, I get that warm fuzzy feeling people always talk about. I get the butterflies and even the giggliness. And all I want... All I need is to hold him and for him to hold me.
I love him.
I wish he could be here, now. Now and ever after. And perhaps, I could get my fairy tale after all. Perhaps I have finally found my prince charming...
But... I also love Heero. Someone once said that, once you love someone, you can never stop loving them. And I suppose it's true. But I'm also over him. I have let go, and I don't need him anymore, as I have needed him before. I am fine with him being with Duo, or anyone else... as long as he is happy. I have finally realised that, as well.
I realised it when I spoke to him. Today, when I had come to visit. Heero's face was unmasked surprise as he entered their living room, seeing Duo and me having a little heart-to-heart.
"Relena..." Heero's voice was unsure, as he stood in the doorway. His eyes flickered from me to Duo, as a moment's silence washed across the room.
Duo cleared his throat, "I was gonna meet Quatre soon, so I'd, uh... better get going." He smiled sheepishly at his bad excuse, and made his way out of the room, gently touching Heero's arm on his way out as his private way of saying 'See you later'.
Once he had left the apartment, I smiled nervously at my ex-husband. We locked eyes for a moment, an eternity in my mind. All those emotions that hit me every time I looked into them, stung me - yet only faintly. It used to be that it felt as if they could kill me.
"Relena," he started, breaking the soft wave of tension that had clouded the room. "What is it that you want to say?"
I sighed, fidgeted, running words through my head. I looked down at my feet, and smiled.
"I love you. I always will - I hope you know that."
Pause.
"And you have hurt me more than anyone ever has in my life."
I felt his eyes on me, but I was too afraid to look him in the eye.
"But everything you did... I understand. And I wanted you to know that. I want you to know... I forgive you... and that I hope you can forgive me."
"Forgive you for what?" he asked quietly.
I broke my gaze off the blue carpet, and looked up at his face. I paused for only a second, then, "For hating you."
He shuffled his feet slightly, as if unsure on how to take this. Suddenly, he walked up to me, and simply hugged me.
After that, we didn't speak of it again. I stayed for coffee and lunch, but we only small talked. Even though I know he refuses to believe there was anything he should forgive me for, I understood it as such. And I must admit, I feel a lot... better about everything, now. I feel more at peace.
"Relena?" Trowa's voice jogged me out of my musings, as I sat upright in the bath. His voice was coming from behind the door. "Are you in there?"
"Yes, the door's open. Come in." I grinned to myself.
He entered, holding a brown paper bag in his arms, seemingly unfazed by my... uh, nakedness. He set the bag down next to the bathtub, and knelt down beside it to be at eye level with me.
"Want to join me?" I asked sweetly.
"I'd love to," a small small tinted his lips, "but I just wanted to give this to you first."
His hand rummaged around in the bag for a while, as he said, "I saw this, and thought of you."
Once his hand reappeared, it was holding a small, black jewellery box.
"Oh, Trowa... You really shouldn't have gone through all this trouble..."
"If you don't like it, I'll return it."
He opened the case, and inside was a small broach. It was a golden broach in the form of a twig with cherries and cherry blossoms attached to it. It was light and simple. Beautiful.
"Thank you so much, Trowa..." I whispered, and looked up at him. "I feel a bit guilty now, though. I want to give you something, too... "
His smile broadened slightly, "I'm sure that can be arranged. D'you think the bath's big enough for two?"
I grinned at him, and took his hand. "I'm sure we'll manage."
End.
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Author's Note: Yeah! It's done. Over and done with forever! Yayayayayay! XD Anyways, sappy ending I know. Very cliché, too. I know. I know I know I know. Well, what do you expect in a story that's a romance with Relena in it? ~_^
Anyway, I'd like to thank all those people who reviewed, even though you probably aren't even reading this anymore (don't blame you really), but you encouraged me anyway. A special thanks to my friend Rachel, who kept bugging me to finish this. I dedicate this fic to her, as well as Cherry Blossom purely because both Rachel and Cherry rule. ^_^