Ten Things

Chapter 5 – The Shoes You Wear

Alternate Title – In Which Duo Gets Caught; The Incident Revealed

By: Eternal Rose

            It was then that Relena, with great daring, joined her mouth once more to Heero's in a soul-searing kiss. Heero seemed stunned, his eyes continuing to watch hers. Then they closed softly as he passionately responded to the gift she offered him.

            From several feet away, Duo looked on and cheered.  Silently, of course, as to not arouse any suspicion.  Ever since Heero had confessed to him, he had been hoping Relena would get the courage to try again.  Duo did a little victory dance, thankful that the two were now so fully engrossed in one another that he would likely escape detection.

            "Ahh…"  Heero said, enjoying the magnificent sensation that rolled through him, boundless and unconquerable.  He inhaled the scent of her perfume, rich and as beautiful as she.  Her lips tasted like sweet strawberries, ripe and delicious.  Her face against his, gentle and soft, fitting as though it had belonged there all their lives.

            "Heero…"  Relena replied, kissing him again.  Her heart beat madly within her chest as she finally felt him giving in to the side he tried to hide, the side of himself that she loved so dearly.  She ran her fingers through his hair, feeling the smooth caress of his hair against her hand.

            He kissed her once more, with still more passion and love.  Feelings hidden below the surface for years burst forth once more in a tidal wave of the deepest and truest emotion that one can ever feel.  The more he tried to control it, the more his precious mask slipped away.

            "No!"  Heero cried suddenly, pulling himself away as a face passed through his mind.  He took one step back, then another, his eyes snapping open to rest on the face of the girl before him.  "No."

            "Heero?"  Relena said, her voice sweet and filled with concern.  "Heero, what's wrong?"

            "This."  Heero said.  His expressionless face shifted from its former position back to its normal façade.  "This is wrong, Relena, it's a mistake."

            "Heero, love is never a mistake!"  Relena exclaimed, advancing a step towards him.  "Don't you dare try and tell me that you don't have feelings for me.  I don't believe it!  You felt that every bit as much as I did."

            "That doesn't make it right, Relena."  Heero said.  His expression flashed with anger for a moment, then shifted back to its carefully crafted disguise.  Even still, a hint of sadness could not be hidden completely – for truly, Relena had known him long enough to see it even as he felt it in himself and tried to pretend it did not exist.  "I'm sorry."

            "Heero!"  Relena cried, reaching her arm out to grab his.  He jerked it away quickly from her lithe grasp, turning away.  He walked swiftly but surely back to the doorway separating the house and the garden.  As he stood in the doorway, he paused and looked back at her for a moment, his vision burning into hers.  As she stared deep into his fathomless eyes, she could sense a nameless emotion coming from him, and saw an echo of the longing she herself felt.  Then he spun around and was gone.

            "Heero…"  She whispered the name, sinking to her knees.  A hand reached out and retrieved the book and pen that she had heedlessly dropped when he finally reacted to her.  She pulled them into her chest, hugging them to herself and whispering his name once again.  She brushed a hand against her cheek, the very place where his had rested mere moments ago, and said, "Well, at least he didn't slap me this time."

~* Flashback *~

            It was the night before the pilots were due to leave for their next mission.  Relena knew it was unlikely that she would see them again any time soon, they were always traveling and always would be.  This mission would take particularly long, as they had been ordered to infiltrate the ranks of the enemy to attempt to discern the strength of the beliefs of those there.  Anyone who could be turned against OZ would be to there advantage, anyone.

            Heero looked just as handsome to her as he always did.  Locks of his chocolate hair floated along his forehead, his green shirt and spandex shorts clinging to his well-formed body with a tension that bordered on lewd.  His muscles stuck out impressively, and she once more somewhat objectified him by carefully studying his physique.  More than that, though, his deep blue eyes held that indefinable quality that called to every fiber of her being.

            "Heero…" She said quietly, walking up to him as he stood in the hall waiting for the others.  He turned immediately to look at her, curious.

            "Relena."  He acknowledged.  She walked up to him, drawing all her courage into herself, forcing herself to be brave in case she never saw him again.

            "There's something I'd like to give you, Heero.  A present."  She stepped up to him, leaned forward, and kissed him.  His lips remained unmoving against hers.  She drew back, wondering what was wrong.

            A loud crack echoed through the room as his hand came across her face in a harsh blow.  Her head recoiled sharply at the impact.

            "Heero?" she said, her voice brimming with pain – her eyes full of tears.

            "Never do that again, Relena.  Never."

            He turned and walked outside, leaving her life for what she thought would be the final time.  Leaving her, senses still reeling, to wonder once more why the only man she loved was the only man she couldn't have as the other pilots entered the room and saw the ugly mark upon her face of a man who would not let her have his heart.

~* End Flashback *~

            Never in her wildest dreams had she dreamed that he would come when she invited the others to join her for however long they could stay.  Nor would she would have imagined that he would find her like this – that she would kiss him like that – that he would respond as he had.  She sighed.

            CRACK!

            Relena looked up sharply as a twig snapped behind her.  She spun around, fearing that Heero would once more be proved right and an attacker would find her in her private garden.

            "Duo!"  She exclaimed.   "You scared me!"

            "Sorry, hehe, didn't mean to!"  Duo said, scratching the back of his head.  Ever since the kiss had started, Duo had been trying to gracefully make his exit – or at least, after he was done dancing in delight that Heero was finally responding to Relena, that is.  It had taken a while.  He had hoped that while she was thinking he could sneak out behind her – after all, it wasn't like Heero had stayed.  Even if he had, they'd have been way too distracted to notice.

            Then came the twig.

            Duo decided then and there that he hated twigs.  They were forever giving away great hiding spots – not that it wasn't nice when OZ was spying on you or when someone who wasn't supposed to be was following you – but they just really got in the way.  But for the twig, he'd have been free and clear.  He similarly cursed his boots for being as big as they were, causing him to land on the twig, and resolved to wear smaller shoes.

            "So, what're you doing out here, Relena?"  Duo asked, hoping to cut her off from realizing that he had been listening in all along.  Relena looked up at him and shook her head.

            "You don't have to pretend with me, Duo."  She said quietly, her soft blue eyes glittering with unshed tears.  "I know you heard the whole thing, just like I know that you, Quatre, Trowa, or Wufei has always been somewhere nearby whenever the two of us were near to one another.  In case he hit me again, I guess."

            "Well…"  Duo said, rubbing the back of his head.  "I guess there was really no point trying to hide with a Perfect Soldier and a Paranoid Princess, but you're wrong about the reason."

            "What do you mean?"

            "It's just…  aww hell… Relena…"  Duo paused, trying to determine precisely how much he could say without giving away Heero's secret.  Wondering how much he could say without having to lie to her.

            "Duo, could you just tell me one thing?"  Relena asked, her voice quiet.  Her hands clutched her precious notebook still tighter to her chest.  The white hat that earlier had entrapped Heero now captured Duo in its snare.  He nodded slowly.  She raised her eyes and looked at him for one more moment before quickly glancing away, saying, "Does Heero care for me at all?"

            "More than you'll ever know, lady.  More than he'll admit even to himself, sometimes I think."  Duo turned to go as she nodded her head.

            "Then why can't we be together?"  Relena wondered aloud.  Duo found himself torn between the equally awful choices of breaking a promise to Heero and leaving Relena to drown in all the pain his friend had caused her.  He hesitated just a moment.

            "Duo?"  Relena said, reaching out a hand to grab his as he made to leave.  "Duo, do you know why Heero acts the way he does around me?"

            Duo suddenly became fascinated with his watch, then pulled smoothly and gently out of her grasp.  He walked briskly towards the door, tossing over his shoulder, "Hey, it's almost time to eat.  I can't wait to finally get another one of those meals Pagan makes.  Man, he's a good chef.  Do you think we'll have – "

            "Duo."  He froze, turning once more to face her.  "Why won't Heero let me love him?  Is it something I've done, something I can fix at all?"

            "Trust me, it's not you at all.  Stupid jerk, acting like he doesn't know what he feels every time he sees you.  Just because –"  Duo cut himself off abruptly, realizing with a start what he'd almost let slip.  She could never know, Heero had been quite clear about that.  It just wasn't right.

            "Just because what, Duo?"  Duo turned to look at her for a moment.  "I would very much like to know why Heero avoids me, Duo.  Have I not the right to know?  Please, tell me what's wrong so that I can try to do something about it."  He looked away.  "Why won't you tell me?"

            "Hey, ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."  Duo said, starting once more for the door inside.  He glanced at the sky, then looked down and quickened his pace as her voice rang out behind him once more.

            "I know you know something, Duo!"  Relena yelled after him.  "What secret are you hiding for him?"

            "Heero's secrets are his own, lady.  What makes you think he'd tell me anything?"

            "You're his best friend, Duo.  If anyone knows, you do."  Relena paused, then spoke again.  "Why does Heero hide his heart so no one can touch it, Duo?"

            He shook his head, braid trailing along with it in a wave, and walked silently inside.  Relena sat upon the ground and allowed a few tears to fall.

            "I'll find out someday, Heero."  She vowed.  "Someday you will allow me inside your heart."

~* End Chapter 5 *~

            Well that was really depressing.  Guess that's what happens when my beta reader lives in NY and I go to NC for college.  ^^;;;  Oi, Cheryl – IM me when you read this so it can get officially beta'd, ne?

            Anyways, this story officially has a real plot curve now, so it WILL be finished, if not by me than be someone else.  Guess that's about all I have to say.

Hugs and Chocolate,

~ Rose