Disclaimer: Yay! Updates! I know you all like updates! So, without further
ado (?), here we go! Oh, and the song lyrics in this chapter don't even
belong to me! They're owned by Janis Ian, Toni Braxton, and Mariah Carey
(yes in that order!)
Braided
They were all so damn perfect.
Every one of them: None of them had acne, none of them had money problems, none of them had hard times finding romance, none of them were unpopular, none of them even farted! It was like living in a house full of every insecurity problem in the world!
Areina punched her pillow again, knowing that if it were alive, it'd be bruised. It was the fifth night in a row that she hadn't gotten any sleep, and again for the same reason. Hilde and Duo were together, Quatre and Trowa were in love, Wufei had his Sally, and even Heero had found a boy! Aside from herself, the only other single person in the apartment was Relena, and God knew she could find love easily.
She hated it. Areina didn't think she could take being surrounded by these disgustingly faultless people while she was looking for success!
She sighed, her head flopping back helplessly on the pillow.
- - -
Sally smeared the peanut butter onto the paper-like white bread. With the amount of noise coming from Duo and Hilde's bedroom, sleep was impossible. She shrugged and stuffed the bread into her mouth in one motion.
She nearly spat it back out when she heard footsteps outside the kitchen. She warily got a knife out of the cupboard and readied it.
As the door eased open, Sally threw the knife on instinct. As the blade left her hand, she realized all too late that Areina had been her target! She closed her eyes in fright, knowing the horrible consequences of her nerves.
However, upon not hearing a cold and hollow bang on the ground from a dead body, she cautiously opened her eyes.
Areina stood in the doorway, with the knife blade in her hand.
Sally would have apologized sooner, but she was too shocked. "How...How did you do that?"
The Canadian whose face was awkwardly red shrugged. "Standard training from where I come from."
Sally nodded frightfully. If this girl was fast enough to catch a flying knife from that distance, her possibilities on the battlefield were...
Sally shook these silly thoughts from her head. "I'm sorry," she began. "It's just that I'm so used to the war that sometimes I have...episodes."
Areina nodded in acceptance. The girl sat down sleepily, looking like she would nod off any moment.
"So what's your history with men?" Sally questioned, trying to change the subject. "Aside from hating them, I mean."
"I do not hate them!" Areina shot back sharply, a liveliness suddenly springing in her eyes. Sally had touched upon a tender subject, and winced at her own stupidity.
"I mean, how have relationships been in the past for you?"
"Not so good," Areina replied dully as the sleepiness came back.
"Really?" Sally responded. Although she did not find it in any way surprising: Women with her beauty were often unappreciated by men. "What's the most you've ever done?"
Areina flinched at this. Another touchy subject, Sally thought as she mentally kicked herself.
"A hug," Areina mumbled with embarrassment.
Sally sputtered, then regained her self-control. "I see," she said, amazed at the response. "...Only a hug?"
"I guess it's because men are afraid of me," Areina began, shrugging disappointedly. "On account of my toughness and the nasty habit I have of biting off the head of anyone who tries anything funny."
Sally nodded in full empathy for the girl. After a few minute, Areina bid the former-lieutenant goodnight, and exited into the hall.
- - -
He wanted a glass of water? Only five minutes had past since they kissed good night, and Trowa wanted a glass of water?
The blonde Arabian muttered sleepily under his breath, and walked through the hall toward the kitchen.
He bumped into something soft and tall, about his height. A forest of green covered his face, and he took a step back to find what he had bumped into.
Areina stood, panting and wide-eyed. She stared at him through the moonlight from a nearby window. He looked back to see her in her velvety blue robe, the bump revealing a shoulder from underneath the loose fabric. Her silky green eyes sparkled in the light of the moon.
Quatre searched for a word to apologize, but she did so for him in a soft murmur. He nodded, and she sneaked off.
The youth stood in the hall, pondering the event that just took place. He reluctantly admitted to himself that she had looked beautiful, flawless even, and that his eyes had been captivated on hers.
He sluggishly shook these ideas from his head and continued to the kitchen to retrieve his love's beverage.
- - -
Hilde, Sally and Relena had decided to go shopping. Quatre loved to shop for literally anything, so he willingly joined. Trowa therefore had gone as well, and Heero was supposed to be meeting his new man at the mall.
Areina and Wufei didn't like shopping, so they had stayed back. Although Duo enjoyed shopping, he was flat broke, and didn't want Hilde to pay for him.
This left Areina alone with Duo and Wufei. However, the Chinese boy decided to work out in the building's gym.
So now Areina was alone in the apartment with Duo sitting in the love seat across from her. Great, she thought, the one person in the apartment that I fight with the most.
Duo shifted uncomfortably, a very awkward trait for one so flamboyant. He attempted to make eye contact with Areina, but failed miserably each time and had to turn the other way.
"Why so nervous?" Areina said softy.
Duo jumped at the sound of her voice. "I - I'm not nervous..." Duo stuttered. "I just can't get in a good position."
Areina was not an imbecile. She knew that Duo was obviously attracted to her. Although he pretended to hate her through words, his actions spoke deafeningly louder to the point where even a complete knucklehead would have guessed.
This, however, made her quite nervous as well. Duo was nice, but he was crafty. She had to watch her back, or he'd be on it in seconds flat.
"So," Areina began lightly, desperately searching for a different subject. "Am I still considered a guest?"
Duo grinned at the opportunity to make one of his cheesy jokes. Although his childish puns weren't at all humorous, they had a funny way of making anyone laugh. "Of course not!"
Areina giggled tensely, trying not to seem too fidgety. However, the shoe was now on the other foot, and she was in a corner she couldn't get out of.
A few more tight moments of silence filled the air that surrounded them, until, finally, Duo blurted something out.
"Areina, I have to tell you something," Duo said in a hesitant voice. "I..."
"Yes?" Areina inquired.
"I...there's this thing. I can't for the life of me describe it, but there's this...mild...okay, maybe not mild, more like Emergency-Room hot..."
This was quite strange. Duo never had a loss of words, even in the furious arguments they were always involved in.
"Attraction that I have, for you I mean."
Although Areina had expected this, it still came as a surprise. She hadn't expected him to come out so openly and quickly. Then again, that was the only way to come out, wasn't it?
Duo's breath was labored as he stood and edged toward her chair. She stood up, trying to escape the situation. His eyes were now fully locked with hers, a strange flare in them that was rarely seen.
"I love you," Duo murmured, leaning in for a kiss.
Areina's virgin alarm went on berserk as her lips leapt out of the reach of Duo's. "Whoa! Easy there, tiger!"
Duo's face was at first shocked. Then, in the blink of an eye, an idea seemed to come to him. His lips curled into a sly grin. A low purr arose from the back of his throat. He took a step toward her, and she backed away, out of the door to the room.
She was now in the main room, with a recliner, a television and a couch. Duo stepped through the same door, following her with a sly, cat-like smile on his face.
This could not be good.
As he stalked her further, step after fierce step, his purrs grew into low growls. She gasped for air and began moving backward again. Stumbling, she fell into the recliner, whose footrest promptly flopped up. She drowned desperately in a combination of desire and abstinence, trying to catch her breath.
Duo leaned over her, his hands on either arm of the chair. It made Areina even more nervous to know that all he wore was his boxers, and she only her robe.
Duo's growls were now savage roars, and his knees had found their way beside hers. Now fully upon the recliner - and nearly upon her - his roars lowered once again to growls. As he leaned in to kiss her, they became purrs once more.
His lips grazed hers briefly, and attacked for a full-throttle kiss.
Their lips seemed to dance feverishly against one another, an expression of their anger and undeniable love for one another.
As he broke the silent promise, the braided boy reached slowly for her robe's opening.
Virgin alarms once again on full alert, Areina quickly slashed the horribly delightful dream-like romance, grabbing his hand sharply.
"Duo, stop!"
"Why?"
"Maybe you don't remember, but you have a girlfriend! Her name's Hilde, not Areina."
"But you have no idea how much I need this," he sighed in a low, weak moan. "Don't you, too?"
"I," Areina began hesitantly. "I do, but you have Hilde. She's, like, my best friend! It's an unwritten rule that best friends don't kiss other best friends' boyfriends."
Duo began to respond when he heard keys in the doorknob. Jumping off of Areina, he quickly seated himself in the couch just as the door opened.
- - -
The club was dark that night. A sign outside advertised some girl's performance, "Past and Present." Even inside, the lights were barely on.
He'd had a rough day. It was unbelievable! The one techno artist he had finally found - the one that showed individuality, promise, and a great voice - had been caught with a load of drugs in his attic. Danny simply could not believe it.
Now he had to find another singer within the next week, or his job was toast. How could he possibly find a performer with as much talent, as much raw energy as the one before?
Impossible.
Auditions for the next performer to promote hadn't gone too well, either. No one had any talent these days; it was a proven fact! And to find someone was barely possible!
Impossible.
So, he had come to this, his favorite club in this city, to see some good talent. And now all he was getting was a bunch of old people living up the old songs on Karaoke night?
Impossible!
- - -
The third night, and Areina still hadn't worked out the choreography for her performance! Not only was it her third public performance ever, it was also her first solo performance ever. None of her friends would be with her onstage, not even...Duo.
However, the curtain lifted before she could think of anything else.
- - -
Relena watched with anticipation as the curtain rose slowly from the stage. Areina was all that was revealed, the spotlight on only her. Instrumental backup stood behind her - drums, violins, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, and even a piano. The green-haired girl stood onstage in a tastefully tattered pale blue skirt and a white sports bra. Her hair was straight and combed to the right, her bangs covering her right eye. She looked quite homely.
Shyly, she began.
"I learned the truth at Seventeen, that love was just for beauty queens," the first line sounded. Already Relena felt like sobbing. The tone of her voice was so melancholy, a quality that Relena had never seen in the Canadian.
"And high school girls with clear skinned smiles who married young and then retired," she continued. The song seemed to ache and bleed as it was emitted from her lips, a sad and seemingly true tale. "The valentines I never knew, the Friday night charades of youth."
Areina's face was despondent, almost distant, as she went on. "Were spent on one more beautiful, at Seventeen I learned the truth.
"Un-break my heart," Areina began. This song always made Relena cry, and she could feel tears emerge quickly. "Say you'll love me again. Undo this hurt you caused when you walked out the door and walked out of my life."
The sorrow of the voice seemed to increase with each note. It was too much for Relena, who burst into soft sobs immediately. "Un-cry these tears I've cried so many nights. Un-break my heart."
The song burst into the finale as Areina swayed her hips almost painfully to the music. "Un-break my heart, sweet darling.
"Without you I just can't go on," the notes rang. The final word seemed to go for an eternity until Areina ran out of breath and the music stopped.
The entire club was silent, aside from Relena's soft sobs. New music came from the background, and Relena felt more tears come on at the thought of the next sad song.
This song began on a deafeningly loud note by Areina. "If we believe that true love never has to end," the last note of this line was once again held out. "Then we must know that we will love again," she sang with a smooth, soulful flow in her voice. She crooked her head on the last note.
"I still believe," she commenced into the chorus beautifully. The room was almost entirely dissolved by her mellow yet expressive tone. "Someday you and me will find ourselves in love again."
As she sang, she seemed to be looking at someone to the left of Relena. Relena turned to see that Duo was staring straight back into the singer's eyes.
"I had a dream," the lovely girl sang, hitting a high note with a passion in her throat. "Someday you and me," she continued with soul, looking like it pained her to sing.
"Will find ourselves in love again," she finished, ending the song by kneeling on the floor with her hands in her lap.
The audience gave a standing ovation, and mingled sobs could be heard. Relena's were among them, the blonde crying her eyes out.
She turned to her left to find Duo still sitting down, staring at Areina's figure onstage.
Braided
They were all so damn perfect.
Every one of them: None of them had acne, none of them had money problems, none of them had hard times finding romance, none of them were unpopular, none of them even farted! It was like living in a house full of every insecurity problem in the world!
Areina punched her pillow again, knowing that if it were alive, it'd be bruised. It was the fifth night in a row that she hadn't gotten any sleep, and again for the same reason. Hilde and Duo were together, Quatre and Trowa were in love, Wufei had his Sally, and even Heero had found a boy! Aside from herself, the only other single person in the apartment was Relena, and God knew she could find love easily.
She hated it. Areina didn't think she could take being surrounded by these disgustingly faultless people while she was looking for success!
She sighed, her head flopping back helplessly on the pillow.
- - -
Sally smeared the peanut butter onto the paper-like white bread. With the amount of noise coming from Duo and Hilde's bedroom, sleep was impossible. She shrugged and stuffed the bread into her mouth in one motion.
She nearly spat it back out when she heard footsteps outside the kitchen. She warily got a knife out of the cupboard and readied it.
As the door eased open, Sally threw the knife on instinct. As the blade left her hand, she realized all too late that Areina had been her target! She closed her eyes in fright, knowing the horrible consequences of her nerves.
However, upon not hearing a cold and hollow bang on the ground from a dead body, she cautiously opened her eyes.
Areina stood in the doorway, with the knife blade in her hand.
Sally would have apologized sooner, but she was too shocked. "How...How did you do that?"
The Canadian whose face was awkwardly red shrugged. "Standard training from where I come from."
Sally nodded frightfully. If this girl was fast enough to catch a flying knife from that distance, her possibilities on the battlefield were...
Sally shook these silly thoughts from her head. "I'm sorry," she began. "It's just that I'm so used to the war that sometimes I have...episodes."
Areina nodded in acceptance. The girl sat down sleepily, looking like she would nod off any moment.
"So what's your history with men?" Sally questioned, trying to change the subject. "Aside from hating them, I mean."
"I do not hate them!" Areina shot back sharply, a liveliness suddenly springing in her eyes. Sally had touched upon a tender subject, and winced at her own stupidity.
"I mean, how have relationships been in the past for you?"
"Not so good," Areina replied dully as the sleepiness came back.
"Really?" Sally responded. Although she did not find it in any way surprising: Women with her beauty were often unappreciated by men. "What's the most you've ever done?"
Areina flinched at this. Another touchy subject, Sally thought as she mentally kicked herself.
"A hug," Areina mumbled with embarrassment.
Sally sputtered, then regained her self-control. "I see," she said, amazed at the response. "...Only a hug?"
"I guess it's because men are afraid of me," Areina began, shrugging disappointedly. "On account of my toughness and the nasty habit I have of biting off the head of anyone who tries anything funny."
Sally nodded in full empathy for the girl. After a few minute, Areina bid the former-lieutenant goodnight, and exited into the hall.
- - -
He wanted a glass of water? Only five minutes had past since they kissed good night, and Trowa wanted a glass of water?
The blonde Arabian muttered sleepily under his breath, and walked through the hall toward the kitchen.
He bumped into something soft and tall, about his height. A forest of green covered his face, and he took a step back to find what he had bumped into.
Areina stood, panting and wide-eyed. She stared at him through the moonlight from a nearby window. He looked back to see her in her velvety blue robe, the bump revealing a shoulder from underneath the loose fabric. Her silky green eyes sparkled in the light of the moon.
Quatre searched for a word to apologize, but she did so for him in a soft murmur. He nodded, and she sneaked off.
The youth stood in the hall, pondering the event that just took place. He reluctantly admitted to himself that she had looked beautiful, flawless even, and that his eyes had been captivated on hers.
He sluggishly shook these ideas from his head and continued to the kitchen to retrieve his love's beverage.
- - -
Hilde, Sally and Relena had decided to go shopping. Quatre loved to shop for literally anything, so he willingly joined. Trowa therefore had gone as well, and Heero was supposed to be meeting his new man at the mall.
Areina and Wufei didn't like shopping, so they had stayed back. Although Duo enjoyed shopping, he was flat broke, and didn't want Hilde to pay for him.
This left Areina alone with Duo and Wufei. However, the Chinese boy decided to work out in the building's gym.
So now Areina was alone in the apartment with Duo sitting in the love seat across from her. Great, she thought, the one person in the apartment that I fight with the most.
Duo shifted uncomfortably, a very awkward trait for one so flamboyant. He attempted to make eye contact with Areina, but failed miserably each time and had to turn the other way.
"Why so nervous?" Areina said softy.
Duo jumped at the sound of her voice. "I - I'm not nervous..." Duo stuttered. "I just can't get in a good position."
Areina was not an imbecile. She knew that Duo was obviously attracted to her. Although he pretended to hate her through words, his actions spoke deafeningly louder to the point where even a complete knucklehead would have guessed.
This, however, made her quite nervous as well. Duo was nice, but he was crafty. She had to watch her back, or he'd be on it in seconds flat.
"So," Areina began lightly, desperately searching for a different subject. "Am I still considered a guest?"
Duo grinned at the opportunity to make one of his cheesy jokes. Although his childish puns weren't at all humorous, they had a funny way of making anyone laugh. "Of course not!"
Areina giggled tensely, trying not to seem too fidgety. However, the shoe was now on the other foot, and she was in a corner she couldn't get out of.
A few more tight moments of silence filled the air that surrounded them, until, finally, Duo blurted something out.
"Areina, I have to tell you something," Duo said in a hesitant voice. "I..."
"Yes?" Areina inquired.
"I...there's this thing. I can't for the life of me describe it, but there's this...mild...okay, maybe not mild, more like Emergency-Room hot..."
This was quite strange. Duo never had a loss of words, even in the furious arguments they were always involved in.
"Attraction that I have, for you I mean."
Although Areina had expected this, it still came as a surprise. She hadn't expected him to come out so openly and quickly. Then again, that was the only way to come out, wasn't it?
Duo's breath was labored as he stood and edged toward her chair. She stood up, trying to escape the situation. His eyes were now fully locked with hers, a strange flare in them that was rarely seen.
"I love you," Duo murmured, leaning in for a kiss.
Areina's virgin alarm went on berserk as her lips leapt out of the reach of Duo's. "Whoa! Easy there, tiger!"
Duo's face was at first shocked. Then, in the blink of an eye, an idea seemed to come to him. His lips curled into a sly grin. A low purr arose from the back of his throat. He took a step toward her, and she backed away, out of the door to the room.
She was now in the main room, with a recliner, a television and a couch. Duo stepped through the same door, following her with a sly, cat-like smile on his face.
This could not be good.
As he stalked her further, step after fierce step, his purrs grew into low growls. She gasped for air and began moving backward again. Stumbling, she fell into the recliner, whose footrest promptly flopped up. She drowned desperately in a combination of desire and abstinence, trying to catch her breath.
Duo leaned over her, his hands on either arm of the chair. It made Areina even more nervous to know that all he wore was his boxers, and she only her robe.
Duo's growls were now savage roars, and his knees had found their way beside hers. Now fully upon the recliner - and nearly upon her - his roars lowered once again to growls. As he leaned in to kiss her, they became purrs once more.
His lips grazed hers briefly, and attacked for a full-throttle kiss.
Their lips seemed to dance feverishly against one another, an expression of their anger and undeniable love for one another.
As he broke the silent promise, the braided boy reached slowly for her robe's opening.
Virgin alarms once again on full alert, Areina quickly slashed the horribly delightful dream-like romance, grabbing his hand sharply.
"Duo, stop!"
"Why?"
"Maybe you don't remember, but you have a girlfriend! Her name's Hilde, not Areina."
"But you have no idea how much I need this," he sighed in a low, weak moan. "Don't you, too?"
"I," Areina began hesitantly. "I do, but you have Hilde. She's, like, my best friend! It's an unwritten rule that best friends don't kiss other best friends' boyfriends."
Duo began to respond when he heard keys in the doorknob. Jumping off of Areina, he quickly seated himself in the couch just as the door opened.
- - -
The club was dark that night. A sign outside advertised some girl's performance, "Past and Present." Even inside, the lights were barely on.
He'd had a rough day. It was unbelievable! The one techno artist he had finally found - the one that showed individuality, promise, and a great voice - had been caught with a load of drugs in his attic. Danny simply could not believe it.
Now he had to find another singer within the next week, or his job was toast. How could he possibly find a performer with as much talent, as much raw energy as the one before?
Impossible.
Auditions for the next performer to promote hadn't gone too well, either. No one had any talent these days; it was a proven fact! And to find someone was barely possible!
Impossible.
So, he had come to this, his favorite club in this city, to see some good talent. And now all he was getting was a bunch of old people living up the old songs on Karaoke night?
Impossible!
- - -
The third night, and Areina still hadn't worked out the choreography for her performance! Not only was it her third public performance ever, it was also her first solo performance ever. None of her friends would be with her onstage, not even...Duo.
However, the curtain lifted before she could think of anything else.
- - -
Relena watched with anticipation as the curtain rose slowly from the stage. Areina was all that was revealed, the spotlight on only her. Instrumental backup stood behind her - drums, violins, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, and even a piano. The green-haired girl stood onstage in a tastefully tattered pale blue skirt and a white sports bra. Her hair was straight and combed to the right, her bangs covering her right eye. She looked quite homely.
Shyly, she began.
"I learned the truth at Seventeen, that love was just for beauty queens," the first line sounded. Already Relena felt like sobbing. The tone of her voice was so melancholy, a quality that Relena had never seen in the Canadian.
"And high school girls with clear skinned smiles who married young and then retired," she continued. The song seemed to ache and bleed as it was emitted from her lips, a sad and seemingly true tale. "The valentines I never knew, the Friday night charades of youth."
Areina's face was despondent, almost distant, as she went on. "Were spent on one more beautiful, at Seventeen I learned the truth.
"Un-break my heart," Areina began. This song always made Relena cry, and she could feel tears emerge quickly. "Say you'll love me again. Undo this hurt you caused when you walked out the door and walked out of my life."
The sorrow of the voice seemed to increase with each note. It was too much for Relena, who burst into soft sobs immediately. "Un-cry these tears I've cried so many nights. Un-break my heart."
The song burst into the finale as Areina swayed her hips almost painfully to the music. "Un-break my heart, sweet darling.
"Without you I just can't go on," the notes rang. The final word seemed to go for an eternity until Areina ran out of breath and the music stopped.
The entire club was silent, aside from Relena's soft sobs. New music came from the background, and Relena felt more tears come on at the thought of the next sad song.
This song began on a deafeningly loud note by Areina. "If we believe that true love never has to end," the last note of this line was once again held out. "Then we must know that we will love again," she sang with a smooth, soulful flow in her voice. She crooked her head on the last note.
"I still believe," she commenced into the chorus beautifully. The room was almost entirely dissolved by her mellow yet expressive tone. "Someday you and me will find ourselves in love again."
As she sang, she seemed to be looking at someone to the left of Relena. Relena turned to see that Duo was staring straight back into the singer's eyes.
"I had a dream," the lovely girl sang, hitting a high note with a passion in her throat. "Someday you and me," she continued with soul, looking like it pained her to sing.
"Will find ourselves in love again," she finished, ending the song by kneeling on the floor with her hands in her lap.
The audience gave a standing ovation, and mingled sobs could be heard. Relena's were among them, the blonde crying her eyes out.
She turned to her left to find Duo still sitting down, staring at Areina's figure onstage.
