Chapter 4: Relena
"Duo, you're back!" a graceful young woman bounded down from her plane, throwing herself on the braided young man who grinned and hugged her back.
"Ohayo, 'Jousan!" he replied, grinning at the vibrant girl before him. "Hope ya didn't get married while I was gone!"
"No, but leave again and she may."
Relena turned to smile at a golden-haired man as he dismounted the plane's steps behind her.
"This is Ryo," she hurried forward to take his hands in hers, leading him over to her bodyguards and friends. His skin was too tanned and his teeth too white, Duo noted as Ryo came over to greet them.
"Pleasure," he murmured, shaking a few hands as Trowa sent Duo a cool, probing look. The tall Preventer had known the nature of Duo's little journey, and knew also the turmoil it would bring to the Prime Minister's life if Heero showed up. Duo nodded slightly and confirmed the other young man's fears.
"Where is he?" Trowa asked when they had a moment away from the others.
"Checking the limo," Duo murmured back. "Had to bring his family, but we put them up in one of the safe hotels."
Trowa raised an eyebrow cooly, "Family, hm?" but said nothing more.
"Shall we go?" Relena asked, clasping her hands behind her back and smiling around at them all. Ryo slipped his arm about her waist as they walked toward the cars. Aiden wiped his hands on a greasy towel and sat on the side of the car's open front, making sure he had gotten everything. Glancing at Pagan, he gave as much of a reassuring look as he could. The older man looked a little sick at the items he was holding, and gladly gave them back to the handsome young man when he asked.
"Yo! Got anything?" Aiden heard Duo call, and the former felt his heartbeat increase at the thought of who Duo was probably with as he smoothed out his expression and walked around the side of the pink limousine to greet the group.
Relena expected another one of the Preventers bomb squad when the young man came from behind the hood of her limousine – really, expected anyone but the tallish young man with wild brown hair and fierce blue eyes who stepped out, dirty black machine parts in his hands.
"C4," he handed them to Duo to inspect, not even glancing in her direction. She was partially glad he did, for her cheeks were flushed and she could feel herself staring. But she was also annoyed that he did not look at her. A voice in her head wondered at his return, and another just pondered what the hell she was going to do now. "It's pretty touchy, I wouldn't drop it," he advised, then watched Pagan shut the car hood before he glanced at her, only to give a curt nod of acknowledgment before turning back to Duo again.
Emotionless.
Relena felt the tears coming to her eyes, but then two strong arms surrounded her slim waist and she turned, realizing Ryo's presence for the first time in what seemed like hours.
"What's wrong, honey?" he asked, pulling her to him in a hug.
"Sorry," she smiled wanly, trying to be convincing, "just some old war memories."
"We'll just have to get rid of those," Ryo murmured in her ear, and she smiled at the pleasant sensation as his breath tickled her ear.
"I need to wash up," Heero was telling Duo, looking at the black grease spots on his hands. "We'll wait for you," Duo replied, and Heero nodded, going inside the small building nearby to wash his hands.