Recreate Me (I Crumble), Chapter Five
AC 207, 15 August
Relena cursed herself as she rushed into her office thirty minutes late for work. For whatever reason, Heero had though it would be a good day to abduct her from her work early last night. He accosted her to her living room for a movie and a bottle of wine and Chinese take-out. He'd given her no warning of what to expect, though she did remember him leaving after the movie. That was before she had woken that morning in bed without hearing her alarmclock. Evidently, she had accidently unplugged it upon her unsteady tumble into bed. She made up for the lost time by splashing her face with water, changing clothes and tying her hair back with a stray chopstick.
Her secretary smiled nervously at her as she asked for an agenda and any messages. She was handed a clipboard with a stack of pink message-notes pinned on top of her day's schedule. She signed and was so busy sorting through them that she didn't hardly notice the vase of two-dozen red roses on her desk until she was seated behind them and the scent devoured her nose. Curious, she raised her head and breathe the perfume in deeply. She searched for a card with a clue of the admirer's identity.
Nestled in the middle was a small card with Heero's name written neatly across it. She sat back again and sighed. The flowers were lovely and made her feel tingly like she had last night: tipsy and snuggled against Heero while they watched whatever movie it was he'd brought over.
His attention made her feel young. Not that she was really old. Twenty-seven was actually very young. She felt old–very old since Quatre's death. Heero took away that load...filled the void left by Quatre's absence.
Her eyes focused on the red flowering brilliance in front of her, and it drifted to the first time Quatre had gifted her with such a bouquet.
She and Quatre did not begin dating for years after the war, but saw each other from time to time when one was visiting the other's home region. They would have dinner and discuss business and politics. Often though, they left such formalities in favor of more fun and intimate subjects. They always enjoyed each other's company.
After a few years of this they began to grow closer and correspond more frequently through email and phone.
One day, Relena was getting ready to leave work when she received a vid-phone call from Quatre's earth-side car. He said that he was in the neighborhood and that he would pick her up from her home in an hour. It was nothing fancy, he had said–dinner and a show. He told her to dress as she would for any normal date.
She rushed home to freshen and change, she remembered (though most of the events and emotions before Quatre's arrival were a blur. She could only recall them as quick, jumbled mess.) She settled on a plain, short black dress and loose hair, as it was the simplest and quickest. She wandered what he'd meant by telling her to dress as she would for a date. She didn't really go on many dates, and besides, she had thought, she hoped to impress him, as she had been harboring a growing love for him over the years.
His car arrived, and he came to her door with a bouquet of two dozen red roses. She'd taken them and carefully set them in a large vase in her living room, expressing her pleasure in their beauty and aroma.
She remembered the rest exactly. Quatre had come behind her and placed his arms around her waist as she admired the gift. She had started, but did not protest. He hugged her to him, smelling her hair. Relena relaxed into him, realizing fully that his feelings reciprocated hers.
"I've missed you," he whispered.
She smiled, "And I you."
He then crossed in front of her, raising her right hand to his lips. "Will you do me the honor of accompanying me out this evening, Lady Relena."
"It would be my pleasure," she had beamed. He escorted to her his car by the arm, where his driver opened the door for them.
He had taken her to dinner in a small French bistro where they could sit at a small table in the back and be left alone. He addressed her now in French, one of the tongues she grew up speaking. (The others being German, English, and Spanish, though French was her favorite.)
Business had barely entered their conversation. Politics though, were a different story. Though both had a hand in the political arena, between the two of them, it made for a lively, stimulating conversation rather than a dull, tedious one. Their ideas were much the same, both leaning toward the more liberal side of the spectrum, yet he was just conservative enough for them to discourse without goading the other.
Of course, they journeyed through politics until they grew comfortable enough to meander through the more personal subjects. Quatre learned that Relena's favorite color was not indeed pink, as he had assumed, but violet. He also learned that she had a tranquil love of cats, but refrained from purchasing one as she was the only one of her household not allergic to their dander. Even Milliardo is allergic to them, she had said, though, not that it mattered, as he was on Mars. He did not miss the bitterness in her voice. As they left dinner for the play, he uncovered Relena's confused emotions toward her brother. He discovered that she felt awkward and strained, but also abandoned, unworthy, and horribly selfish. Quatre assured her that this was only natural, and equated it to his relationship with his sisters, which was also mostly non-existent. However, he did amend that at least Milliardo had watched out for her and acted concerned most of the time. He told her that her brother had a good heart, and was willing to go to great lengths for her. She smiled, wishing she could believe what he said about Milliardo.
Relena did not go without learning a few things about Quatre that night either. She steered clear of mentioning the war, as she had made the mistake of freezing him over once before. It wasn't that he was not willing to talk about what happened. He was just not wanting to drag down the conversation with his own dark moments. One thing she did find shocking was that even though Quatre had a talent for the violin, he was also a proficient pianist. In addition, he could play both upright and electric bass. And, even though he enjoyed classical music very much, he could often be found playing jazz, and even oftener listening to some colonial punk. He said that all types of music represented the world well with their blending of sounds and meter, and that these three, he thought, were the ways in which he felt the world worked together. Classical was nature and space, Jazz was all life, and punk was the liberty and the restraint of the human spirit.
She learned that he loved stupid comedy films, and the his favorite place to hid was the top level of the Winner Group labor-mech hangar, where he could secretly tweak the machines, and no secretary could bother him. She learned something she always seemed to forget between their meetings: he was just a regular guy underneath all the money, and the business infamy and the Gundam Pilot from so long ago. And she was just a girl he had charmed without her permission, but she didn't mind.
They saw a comedy that night. Quatre said it was a classic, even though Relena had never heard of it. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde was an ancient play, set in England close to seven hundred years before they sat down to watch it. It was about silly Victorian women and vain Victorian men making a mess of themselves in a very entertaining fashion. All of this was wrapped up in a the classic Victorian way with a happy, somewhat predictable, somewhat satirical, somewhat awkward way. Either way it was good for a little though and a lot of laughs.
Afterward, not wanting the night to end quite yet, Relena asked Quatre over for some tea. He promplty asked if there would be any cucumber sandwiches, for which he received a playful shove.
Upon returning to her manor, Relena found the servants had retired. She apologized for having to lead Quatre to the dark kitchens. He said he didn't mind at all and leaned against a stainless steel counter top, watching the slender Relena rummage through a floor-level cabinet.
He appreciated that she had shed her shoes upon entering the house. He had as well, and now the both stood barefoot in the spotless kitchen. He enjoyed the meeting of her foot with her leg and the delicate swell of her ankle. He made no show of watching her, but she moved as though she knew his eyes were upon her.
Finally, she popped up, holding a loft a simple red box. All I can seem to find is a Breakfast Tea. It will be rather strong, do you mind?"
"Not at all," he chuckled. She set the water to boil and quickly gather two blue-flowered teacups with matching saucers. Though she was aware of Quatre's eyes following her, they did nothing to unnerve her. She smiled at his attentions and wondered why he'd ever looked upon her in the first place. What got his attention? And how long had he watched her?
"You never did tell me what business brought you all the way here from space, Mr. Winner," Relena said coyly as she dropped tea balls into the pot of steaming water. "It must have been something terribly important, and yet I have heard of no major goings-on that would concern you greatly."
Quatre moved to stand over her shoulder on pretext of taking in the tea's aroma. "Miss Relena, you insult me. Business is not the whole of my life."
Relena poured the tea.
"Well then, why are you in the neighborhood, Mr. Winner? If I may be so bold as to ask?"
"Mr. Winner, indeed! Oh, Relena, you were so relaxed with me all night, and now you turn to me with formalities that I am unaccustomed to sharing with you!"
"It must be the aroma of the tea that has invaded my senses," she said with a smile. She handed him his cup, which he promptly set aside. He did this with her's as well.
"We will not drink then, if it alters you in such a way, Princess."
"Don't be silly, the tea is the whole reason I asked you in." She moved to reach for her saucer. His hands, gentle on her elbows, stopped her progress. He pulled her against his chest.
"Relena," he pouted. "You make me feel unwanted. Tea? I refuse to believe that you only wanted company while you drank. Surely, you must know that you are my entire reason for coming to earth this weekend." His voice quieted and softened as his faced neared her's. "I could not stand to be parted from you another day. I believe I have fallen in love with you."
He kissed her then, it really was him that lead the kiss, as he was the more aggressive. She took his gesture in willingly, if not longingly. It ended in no short time. After it followed another embrace more heated that then first, and after that, another, until the two had ventured upstairs to Relena's bedroom, busying themselves with each other far into the night.
The tea was left to cool and fester on the counter.
A small smile graced Relena's face as the vision of waking up with her head on Quatre's bare chest for the first time faded into the bouquet of roses in front of her eyes. She'd never have guessed Quatre as one to sleep with someone on the first date–but then again–had it been anyone else but him, she would have felt herself horribly dirty. They were in love, even then, so it didn't seem to count.
Her eyes found the card once again. That solitary word chilled and warmed her simultaneously. The tornado within caused her to shiver and she wondered what Heero wanted with her. He had pursued her since their encounter at the book store. He seemed interested in dating her. He was cautious though.
She chewed her lip. They were more or less dating in her book. She knew that he filled her with exciting sensations that she liked. She knew that she wasn't lonely when he was around. She liked that...but she supposed that he held back because of Quatre.
She looked down at his ring. She still wore it. It bothered Heero, but putting it away seemed too final. It was too soon yet, she thought. However, she was getting impatient with Heero's chastity. She was rather ready for him to at least attempt to sleep with her. Whether she would deny him or not, she had yet to decide.
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AC 208, 21 July
Wufei impatiently drummed on his desk with a pencil, waiting from a call from Po. Only minutes before he had finished the paper work to have every line in Relena's–the Vice Foreign Minister's home bugged and monitored round the clock. If Yuy contacted her, he would know it instantly. He grimaced to himself at the thought.
He knew Yuy would contact her. If all reports were correct, he'd been banging her for at least the past couple of months. (Grimace the second). Yuy was smart. There was no doubt that he knew what he was doing. From Wufei's own few dealings with Minister Darilan since Quatre's death, he knew she thought she was in control. She had no idea that Yuy had reverted to a terrorist; she didn't realize that he was far more dangerous than he was the first time around.
Wufei wanted to tell her; he wanted to warn her of the destruction Heero was capable of. Wufei wanted to inform her of the death Heero had caused. He yearned for her to realize his mistakes. No, his intention, he told himself, was not to cause her pain, for he wished pain on no one; he only wished for her to see that she had been deceived by a disturbed man. He wanted her to see those people in Africa. Whether Yuy deserved to be killed or not was not up to him. No, his job was to locate the man and bring him in. Wufei wouldn't lay a finger on him if it wasn't necessary to keep him in line. No matter how angry Wufei became, he knew he could control himself. He would not play God to Yuy. If Yuy died, he vowed now, that it would not be by his hand.
Though, even as he vowed his blood boiled with the injustice of Yuy's crimes. The disgusting viciousness in which they had been perpetrated had been unnecessary. It made Wufei's lips curl maliciously. He wondered what had happened to Yuy to pervert his sense of honor so much.
He wanted to ask Relena, but again he was sure she knew nothing. She was innocent and most likely believed herself to be in love with him. If Yuy asked her, she would tell him and they would flee together. They still might.
Yuy would hit the manor eventually and that would be his downfall.
Wufei's comm buzzed. "Chang, speak quickly," he answered.
Sally reported hastily, much to Wufei's satisfaction, that a team in Hungary had spotted the target (Yuy) near the Balaton Museum in Keszthely.
Wufei began packing his files. "Draw him away from the tourists, and the college, if possible," He said. "Otherwise, follow protocol."
"I'll do what I can, but you know the tranquilizers won't work on him."
"Do whatever you have to do, but keep him alive–unless he turns homicidal."
"You got it, Wufei." Sally saluted and smiled endearingly.
"I'll be touching down there in a couple of hours."
"We'll be looking forward to it." Wufei cut the comm without a farewell, and sighed. He allowed himself to ponder on his relationship with that woman as he hurriedly (though neatly) finished packing his things into a brief case. She was a good officer, a good partner, a decent friend, and a strong women. He might have smiled to himself had his mission been any less grim.
He radioed for a jet to be readied immediately, and left a message for Zechs, his immediate superior. He also called in, on his way to the hangar, for reinforcements to be sent on a jet directly behind him, aided with extra ammunition and restraints–god knows he'd need it.
The plane flight should have taken just over an hour, but the minutes stretched out as Wufei calmed himself. He cleared his thoughts to focus on the space around him. He conserved his energy by going into an almost trance-like state. His breathing slowed, and he concentrated on the beating of his heart until he could hear it clearly. The space around him, which at first he had expanded, not contracted, and only his pulse was left. He counted–fifty beats in a minute, and then forty. It leveled out at thirty, and kept the pace. His world throbbed with each palpitation. Again his universe expanded and he was laying in a green pasture, dotted with wildflowers. There was a clear, cloudless sky above. The sun heated his skin, and the warmth calmed him further. A vision danced before his eyes, and he saw three nymphs, frolicking in the grass. One was Chinese, and wore an exquisite silk dress, and Wufei pined for her to come near. Yet nymphs are allusive, and evanescent. However, he was used to only one nymph haunting him in his peace. The two others were new, and tantalizing. The second was tall, and strong, She had a Chinese face and wore an olive tunic. She smiled into his eyes, and tugged his heartstrings. He watched her with devotion and love. The final nymph was more translucent than the other two. She was a small, winged, blonde thing, with rosy cheeks and a thin mouth. Her face looked worn and sad, as if she were ever suffering. He reached out to her, moved to compassion. Just as his fingers brushed her shimmering pink robes, she spread her wings and took flight, leaving his sanctuary. "Relena..." he whispered as his phone removed him to the real world.
He answered it calmly, expecting to hear Sally say that he had been apprehended successfully and they were en route to the airport. Instead it was a grim Zechs.
"Do you have a news screen in that plane, Chang?" He didn't wait for Wufei to answer before continuing. "Every channel out of Hungary is broadcasting about a totaled chemical truck in the middle of the free way. It's blocking up the highway for miles. This driver is dead." Wufei was silent.
"The news is saying that it was a truck carrying chemical waste, which is enough to get people into a panic, obviously. However, the news isn't saying that it is really an undercover Preventer rig. Inside were six preventer agaents and Heero Yuy. All Preventors are confirmed dead. Names were, Allain, Allen, Brent, Chatless, Stefen, and Po. Yuy escaped. Our current presumption is that he killed them all and caused the truck to crash in order to flee."
Wufei hardly allowed himself to blink, let alone reveal his rage. "Mission: failure. I'll have them turn the planes around. It won't happen again, Sir." "You're correct, Chang. The next Preventer Yuy sees will be you. All other soldiers are to avoid him, only radioing in any sightings. If we lose any more men, it will be your neck."
"Yes, Sir," Wufei said. Zechs terminated the call.
Sally was dead. Wufei hung his head, rubbing his temples. Yuy had killed his only true friend.
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AC 207, 27 September 27
Heero stood back, slinging the stained washcloth over his shoulder. He admired the shining black truck in front of him. It was a beauty: shiny, clean, and powerful. It was the closest thing he could have now to a Gundam. He wanted a plane, which would be the next closest thing. However, now was not the time to be purchasing a jet. He would have eventually. Perhaps, he thought, one would be convenient when he and Relena were married. She would like what it offered. He could fly her around to any place on earth for a picnic, or a weekend away. She would find it romantic. He just wanted to fly.
She was getting impatient with him, he acknowledged as he climbed in the truck's cab and set out for her house. They were going to have dinner there. She was wanting, as she had said, to get to know more about him as a person. She wanted to share herself with him–to have a defined relationship. He supposed that meant that she wanted to be able to publicly say she was dating someone, and that someone was Heero Yuy: Mysterious Military Type.
That was the objective, however much he scoffed at the title, boyfriend, or fiancé. They were destined to be together. They should live together and bring balance and children into the world. That was definite, but he was leery of divulging too much. He knew she wouldn't be angry about Rene. If anything, she would be sympathetic. It would encourage their bond to grow. He hadn't loved Rene. She was an inconsequential whore, and he had treated her as such. Relena was different; he had never been inclined to treat her the way he had Rene. (That's why he hadn't slept with her yet) She was Earth, and he was Space. He loved her. He had to. He was amazed by her kindness and idealism, her warmth and strength, her easy forgiveness and quick acceptance. Heero was convinced that all of this would only aid his mission.
The feelings he had when he was with her ran deeper than lust, he thought. Perhaps, if she asked to have a "better defined relationship" with him, he wouldn't be angry like he head been with Rene. He wasn't afraid he would be–he was going to propose to her soon. He should allow her to think of him as a boyfriend first. Most women don't like that much of a jump; it is likely to startle them into a no. He would propose after this mission to South America. There was no use in proposing before leaving for six months. No, when he came back, he would have a ring more beautiful and suited to her than Quatre's. He hated that ring.
"Tonight, she will have what she wants," Heero smiled. He loved her, after all.
- Heero's love though, was not a pure and romantic love. He felt himself connected to Relena by the soul. It was a true love, but his motivations for pursuing the relationship were tainted. This is not a love story, but a deception: planned and plotted. This manipulation has been stirred for years. All was set into motion the night Zechs asked Heero to assassinate the head of the Winner Group. Up to that point, the villain with the ironic name had been lost and floundering. He felt as if the world were dying and he could do nothing to stop it, because he had no means–and a plan without means is nothing. But, for that magnificent opportunity he left with a light heart. A chance to return the world to a peaceful balance was within his grasp. His political contacts were just as they had to be. Worldly decisions were given to him to be made through his gun, and manipulations of the government to be made through his love for Relena.
It is true, this man had good intentions once. He had saved the Earth Sphere and her Heroine multiple times. He had fought for peace and life for all at the cost of his own. Watch this man act and take note of his perversion. He says his goal is peace and balance, yet his means are underhanded and deceitful. His love is clouded with the allure of power, his justice mixed with bloodlust. He never before had been perched in a place of such power as he had now–and the offering had perverted his purity. The long wait and the helplessness he had endured while Relena was enamored with Quatre (and caring nothing for politics). The ruined man with tainted love as he arrives at the house of his victim. He has such soft blue eyes, full of genuine care. And such a gentle touch, ready to be reveled in. Oh, how can it be a happy ending for this innocent when all are against her? How will she endure and come out better in the end? Is it even possible?
:
Relena was greeted with a swift, sweet kiss. She gave Heero a playful squeeze and led him to the garden, where they would be dining. She wore a brown dress with an olive sweater, and sandals. The dress was short and showed off the legs Heero had recently told her he was so fond of.
She smiled as he squeezed her hand. He pulled her chair out for her and then seated himself. Dinner was served immediately. The two discussed nothing of consequence for most of the meal. It was not until a desert of berry cobbler-like pastry was being served that Relena felt comfortable speaking what was on her mind.
"Heero," she said. He looked her directly in the eye, anticipating her words. "How would you classify our relationship?"
He smiled, though he made it appear forced. "Why do you ask?"
She blushed and looked down. "Oh Heero, is it so much to want to be able to say that I've been dating you exclusively for the past few months, and that I am very much enamored with you?"
This time Heero allowed a blush to appear on his face. "Did anyone ever say that you couldn't?" He asked. "You can say whatever you like about our relationship. We have nothing to hide."
"But what do I say you do? All you work seems to be classified."
"What does it matter? All who you would tell about me know who I am, I would think at least by now. And, if they're curious, just tell them I'm a soldier who does a lot of computer work and travels often."
Relena stood, and Heero followed, offering his arm to travel the dark garden paths. Small lanterns lined the lanes, just barely highlighting the green foliage. Still, the trees stood high and created a canopy that diminished the light, but enriched the atmosphere. It was an exquisite garden.
"You are mysterious, Heero." She smiled at his eyes. "I'm glad I have you to myself now, aren't you?"
He was silent, though he offered her a reluctant grin. Hurt and concern marred her face and erased her quiet bliss. Just when she was about to seek the matter, Heero began to explain himself.
"Relena, you have to understand that before I moved her to be with you I lived in a hold. I was miserable–and since the chance has arisen to be with you, I have been happier than I ever could have thought possible in the past. I am wholly glad that you share yourself with me. I am only sorry at the way it came to be. You suffer for my happiness. Oh Relena, don't cry, please."
He seater he on the bench swing, hanging from a bough. He sat beside her, encircling her with his arms as she wiped her eyes. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"No, I'm sorry," she said meekly. "I didn't mean to cry. I can only imagine now how difficult your life has been, Heero, and I don't think anything I've been through could easily compare. Tell me, please?" She said. "Tell me what happened to you when you disappeared after the war; what did you go through?
He shifted and he pleading eyes seemed to soften him. "Alcohol mostly. I drank a lot the first couple of years I was in L1. I went there because it was the closest thing to a home I've ever had, but it was harsh to me. I worked myself to physical exhaustion during the day, and then drank at night. Sometimes, there were drugs, but most of the time it was just the liquor. I was not healthy. I am surprised I have no diseases. I stopped all at once when I woke up to a girl I had never seen before in my life. It scared me. I didn't want to end up a disgusting mess, which was where I was heading: all because I had nothing better to do.
"I moved to a better part of the colony–got a job in a mechanical repair shop and went to school for awhile. I dropped out pretty soon though. It was boring, and I preferred my work. Though, school was where I met Rene."
He paused to gauge Relena's reaction. She didn't stir. Concern was all he saw in her eyes. He swallowed and continued feeling satisfied that Relena would not be jealous of Rene. She loved him.
"Rene, I suppose you could call her my girlfriend, though I'm not sure we had much of a relationship. I lost myself in her, I remember that. She stayed over every night, and I hardly let her out of my sight. We lived together for two years, but I don't think I ever loved her. She was mostly just someone around that was available for a regular fuck. That's all I was to her until she asked if we could try to be anything more. She said she was sick of living like we were. She said we either tried or she left. I told her to pack her bags I didn't think that kind of relationship was possible between the two of us"
Relena was silent as they swung themselves back and forth slowly. She contemplated what she heard, but felt nothing change in her feelings for him. "What happened, why couldn't you love her?"
"She left and was killed in a car accident about two hours later. I still feel guilty for that, but I was honest. I couldn't love her, Relena. I tried, but I couldn't. I've only ever loved you."
"Oh, Heero!" she gasped and kissed him hard. In moments he had forgotten about his past. She whispered that she was in love with him, and that she was sorry he had gone through so much.
As she led him into the house, she said that she wished she could have been there to help him through all of that. As she led him to her room, she said that if it were in her power, she would never leave him to loneliness again. As he unzipped her dress and let it slide to the floor, he told her that he had to leave for a mission that could take up to six months. He was leaving in a week. As she coaxed his pants to the floor she told him that it was all the more reason to do this now. Who knew if they would have another chance before he left?
She kissed him and ran her nails down his bare back to emphasize her point. He pushed her naked body back onto her bed and covered it with his.
Relena learned quickly that he was not a gentle lover, but she did not want him to be. His aggression fueled her desire for him. She reveled that she was making love with Heero Yuy. It was a fantasy come true. Heero said he felt likewise.
Heero slept over every night until her left to begin wrangling drug cartels in South America.
AC 207, 15 August
Relena cursed herself as she rushed into her office thirty minutes late for work. For whatever reason, Heero had though it would be a good day to abduct her from her work early last night. He accosted her to her living room for a movie and a bottle of wine and Chinese take-out. He'd given her no warning of what to expect, though she did remember him leaving after the movie. That was before she had woken that morning in bed without hearing her alarmclock. Evidently, she had accidently unplugged it upon her unsteady tumble into bed. She made up for the lost time by splashing her face with water, changing clothes and tying her hair back with a stray chopstick.
Her secretary smiled nervously at her as she asked for an agenda and any messages. She was handed a clipboard with a stack of pink message-notes pinned on top of her day's schedule. She signed and was so busy sorting through them that she didn't hardly notice the vase of two-dozen red roses on her desk until she was seated behind them and the scent devoured her nose. Curious, she raised her head and breathe the perfume in deeply. She searched for a card with a clue of the admirer's identity.
Nestled in the middle was a small card with Heero's name written neatly across it. She sat back again and sighed. The flowers were lovely and made her feel tingly like she had last night: tipsy and snuggled against Heero while they watched whatever movie it was he'd brought over.
His attention made her feel young. Not that she was really old. Twenty-seven was actually very young. She felt old–very old since Quatre's death. Heero took away that load...filled the void left by Quatre's absence.
Her eyes focused on the red flowering brilliance in front of her, and it drifted to the first time Quatre had gifted her with such a bouquet.
She and Quatre did not begin dating for years after the war, but saw each other from time to time when one was visiting the other's home region. They would have dinner and discuss business and politics. Often though, they left such formalities in favor of more fun and intimate subjects. They always enjoyed each other's company.
After a few years of this they began to grow closer and correspond more frequently through email and phone.
One day, Relena was getting ready to leave work when she received a vid-phone call from Quatre's earth-side car. He said that he was in the neighborhood and that he would pick her up from her home in an hour. It was nothing fancy, he had said–dinner and a show. He told her to dress as she would for any normal date.
She rushed home to freshen and change, she remembered (though most of the events and emotions before Quatre's arrival were a blur. She could only recall them as quick, jumbled mess.) She settled on a plain, short black dress and loose hair, as it was the simplest and quickest. She wandered what he'd meant by telling her to dress as she would for a date. She didn't really go on many dates, and besides, she had thought, she hoped to impress him, as she had been harboring a growing love for him over the years.
His car arrived, and he came to her door with a bouquet of two dozen red roses. She'd taken them and carefully set them in a large vase in her living room, expressing her pleasure in their beauty and aroma.
She remembered the rest exactly. Quatre had come behind her and placed his arms around her waist as she admired the gift. She had started, but did not protest. He hugged her to him, smelling her hair. Relena relaxed into him, realizing fully that his feelings reciprocated hers.
"I've missed you," he whispered.
She smiled, "And I you."
He then crossed in front of her, raising her right hand to his lips. "Will you do me the honor of accompanying me out this evening, Lady Relena."
"It would be my pleasure," she had beamed. He escorted to her his car by the arm, where his driver opened the door for them.
He had taken her to dinner in a small French bistro where they could sit at a small table in the back and be left alone. He addressed her now in French, one of the tongues she grew up speaking. (The others being German, English, and Spanish, though French was her favorite.)
Business had barely entered their conversation. Politics though, were a different story. Though both had a hand in the political arena, between the two of them, it made for a lively, stimulating conversation rather than a dull, tedious one. Their ideas were much the same, both leaning toward the more liberal side of the spectrum, yet he was just conservative enough for them to discourse without goading the other.
Of course, they journeyed through politics until they grew comfortable enough to meander through the more personal subjects. Quatre learned that Relena's favorite color was not indeed pink, as he had assumed, but violet. He also learned that she had a tranquil love of cats, but refrained from purchasing one as she was the only one of her household not allergic to their dander. Even Milliardo is allergic to them, she had said, though, not that it mattered, as he was on Mars. He did not miss the bitterness in her voice. As they left dinner for the play, he uncovered Relena's confused emotions toward her brother. He discovered that she felt awkward and strained, but also abandoned, unworthy, and horribly selfish. Quatre assured her that this was only natural, and equated it to his relationship with his sisters, which was also mostly non-existent. However, he did amend that at least Milliardo had watched out for her and acted concerned most of the time. He told her that her brother had a good heart, and was willing to go to great lengths for her. She smiled, wishing she could believe what he said about Milliardo.
Relena did not go without learning a few things about Quatre that night either. She steered clear of mentioning the war, as she had made the mistake of freezing him over once before. It wasn't that he was not willing to talk about what happened. He was just not wanting to drag down the conversation with his own dark moments. One thing she did find shocking was that even though Quatre had a talent for the violin, he was also a proficient pianist. In addition, he could play both upright and electric bass. And, even though he enjoyed classical music very much, he could often be found playing jazz, and even oftener listening to some colonial punk. He said that all types of music represented the world well with their blending of sounds and meter, and that these three, he thought, were the ways in which he felt the world worked together. Classical was nature and space, Jazz was all life, and punk was the liberty and the restraint of the human spirit.
She learned that he loved stupid comedy films, and the his favorite place to hid was the top level of the Winner Group labor-mech hangar, where he could secretly tweak the machines, and no secretary could bother him. She learned something she always seemed to forget between their meetings: he was just a regular guy underneath all the money, and the business infamy and the Gundam Pilot from so long ago. And she was just a girl he had charmed without her permission, but she didn't mind.
They saw a comedy that night. Quatre said it was a classic, even though Relena had never heard of it. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde was an ancient play, set in England close to seven hundred years before they sat down to watch it. It was about silly Victorian women and vain Victorian men making a mess of themselves in a very entertaining fashion. All of this was wrapped up in a the classic Victorian way with a happy, somewhat predictable, somewhat satirical, somewhat awkward way. Either way it was good for a little though and a lot of laughs.
Afterward, not wanting the night to end quite yet, Relena asked Quatre over for some tea. He promplty asked if there would be any cucumber sandwiches, for which he received a playful shove.
Upon returning to her manor, Relena found the servants had retired. She apologized for having to lead Quatre to the dark kitchens. He said he didn't mind at all and leaned against a stainless steel counter top, watching the slender Relena rummage through a floor-level cabinet.
He appreciated that she had shed her shoes upon entering the house. He had as well, and now the both stood barefoot in the spotless kitchen. He enjoyed the meeting of her foot with her leg and the delicate swell of her ankle. He made no show of watching her, but she moved as though she knew his eyes were upon her.
Finally, she popped up, holding a loft a simple red box. All I can seem to find is a Breakfast Tea. It will be rather strong, do you mind?"
"Not at all," he chuckled. She set the water to boil and quickly gather two blue-flowered teacups with matching saucers. Though she was aware of Quatre's eyes following her, they did nothing to unnerve her. She smiled at his attentions and wondered why he'd ever looked upon her in the first place. What got his attention? And how long had he watched her?
"You never did tell me what business brought you all the way here from space, Mr. Winner," Relena said coyly as she dropped tea balls into the pot of steaming water. "It must have been something terribly important, and yet I have heard of no major goings-on that would concern you greatly."
Quatre moved to stand over her shoulder on pretext of taking in the tea's aroma. "Miss Relena, you insult me. Business is not the whole of my life."
Relena poured the tea.
"Well then, why are you in the neighborhood, Mr. Winner? If I may be so bold as to ask?"
"Mr. Winner, indeed! Oh, Relena, you were so relaxed with me all night, and now you turn to me with formalities that I am unaccustomed to sharing with you!"
"It must be the aroma of the tea that has invaded my senses," she said with a smile. She handed him his cup, which he promptly set aside. He did this with her's as well.
"We will not drink then, if it alters you in such a way, Princess."
"Don't be silly, the tea is the whole reason I asked you in." She moved to reach for her saucer. His hands, gentle on her elbows, stopped her progress. He pulled her against his chest.
"Relena," he pouted. "You make me feel unwanted. Tea? I refuse to believe that you only wanted company while you drank. Surely, you must know that you are my entire reason for coming to earth this weekend." His voice quieted and softened as his faced neared her's. "I could not stand to be parted from you another day. I believe I have fallen in love with you."
He kissed her then, it really was him that lead the kiss, as he was the more aggressive. She took his gesture in willingly, if not longingly. It ended in no short time. After it followed another embrace more heated that then first, and after that, another, until the two had ventured upstairs to Relena's bedroom, busying themselves with each other far into the night.
The tea was left to cool and fester on the counter.
A small smile graced Relena's face as the vision of waking up with her head on Quatre's bare chest for the first time faded into the bouquet of roses in front of her eyes. She'd never have guessed Quatre as one to sleep with someone on the first date–but then again–had it been anyone else but him, she would have felt herself horribly dirty. They were in love, even then, so it didn't seem to count.
Her eyes found the card once again. That solitary word chilled and warmed her simultaneously. The tornado within caused her to shiver and she wondered what Heero wanted with her. He had pursued her since their encounter at the book store. He seemed interested in dating her. He was cautious though.
She chewed her lip. They were more or less dating in her book. She knew that he filled her with exciting sensations that she liked. She knew that she wasn't lonely when he was around. She liked that...but she supposed that he held back because of Quatre.
She looked down at his ring. She still wore it. It bothered Heero, but putting it away seemed too final. It was too soon yet, she thought. However, she was getting impatient with Heero's chastity. She was rather ready for him to at least attempt to sleep with her. Whether she would deny him or not, she had yet to decide.
----------
AC 208, 21 July
Wufei impatiently drummed on his desk with a pencil, waiting from a call from Po. Only minutes before he had finished the paper work to have every line in Relena's–the Vice Foreign Minister's home bugged and monitored round the clock. If Yuy contacted her, he would know it instantly. He grimaced to himself at the thought.
He knew Yuy would contact her. If all reports were correct, he'd been banging her for at least the past couple of months. (Grimace the second). Yuy was smart. There was no doubt that he knew what he was doing. From Wufei's own few dealings with Minister Darilan since Quatre's death, he knew she thought she was in control. She had no idea that Yuy had reverted to a terrorist; she didn't realize that he was far more dangerous than he was the first time around.
Wufei wanted to tell her; he wanted to warn her of the destruction Heero was capable of. Wufei wanted to inform her of the death Heero had caused. He yearned for her to realize his mistakes. No, his intention, he told himself, was not to cause her pain, for he wished pain on no one; he only wished for her to see that she had been deceived by a disturbed man. He wanted her to see those people in Africa. Whether Yuy deserved to be killed or not was not up to him. No, his job was to locate the man and bring him in. Wufei wouldn't lay a finger on him if it wasn't necessary to keep him in line. No matter how angry Wufei became, he knew he could control himself. He would not play God to Yuy. If Yuy died, he vowed now, that it would not be by his hand.
Though, even as he vowed his blood boiled with the injustice of Yuy's crimes. The disgusting viciousness in which they had been perpetrated had been unnecessary. It made Wufei's lips curl maliciously. He wondered what had happened to Yuy to pervert his sense of honor so much.
He wanted to ask Relena, but again he was sure she knew nothing. She was innocent and most likely believed herself to be in love with him. If Yuy asked her, she would tell him and they would flee together. They still might.
Yuy would hit the manor eventually and that would be his downfall.
Wufei's comm buzzed. "Chang, speak quickly," he answered.
Sally reported hastily, much to Wufei's satisfaction, that a team in Hungary had spotted the target (Yuy) near the Balaton Museum in Keszthely.
Wufei began packing his files. "Draw him away from the tourists, and the college, if possible," He said. "Otherwise, follow protocol."
"I'll do what I can, but you know the tranquilizers won't work on him."
"Do whatever you have to do, but keep him alive–unless he turns homicidal."
"You got it, Wufei." Sally saluted and smiled endearingly.
"I'll be touching down there in a couple of hours."
"We'll be looking forward to it." Wufei cut the comm without a farewell, and sighed. He allowed himself to ponder on his relationship with that woman as he hurriedly (though neatly) finished packing his things into a brief case. She was a good officer, a good partner, a decent friend, and a strong women. He might have smiled to himself had his mission been any less grim.
He radioed for a jet to be readied immediately, and left a message for Zechs, his immediate superior. He also called in, on his way to the hangar, for reinforcements to be sent on a jet directly behind him, aided with extra ammunition and restraints–god knows he'd need it.
The plane flight should have taken just over an hour, but the minutes stretched out as Wufei calmed himself. He cleared his thoughts to focus on the space around him. He conserved his energy by going into an almost trance-like state. His breathing slowed, and he concentrated on the beating of his heart until he could hear it clearly. The space around him, which at first he had expanded, not contracted, and only his pulse was left. He counted–fifty beats in a minute, and then forty. It leveled out at thirty, and kept the pace. His world throbbed with each palpitation. Again his universe expanded and he was laying in a green pasture, dotted with wildflowers. There was a clear, cloudless sky above. The sun heated his skin, and the warmth calmed him further. A vision danced before his eyes, and he saw three nymphs, frolicking in the grass. One was Chinese, and wore an exquisite silk dress, and Wufei pined for her to come near. Yet nymphs are allusive, and evanescent. However, he was used to only one nymph haunting him in his peace. The two others were new, and tantalizing. The second was tall, and strong, She had a Chinese face and wore an olive tunic. She smiled into his eyes, and tugged his heartstrings. He watched her with devotion and love. The final nymph was more translucent than the other two. She was a small, winged, blonde thing, with rosy cheeks and a thin mouth. Her face looked worn and sad, as if she were ever suffering. He reached out to her, moved to compassion. Just as his fingers brushed her shimmering pink robes, she spread her wings and took flight, leaving his sanctuary. "Relena..." he whispered as his phone removed him to the real world.
He answered it calmly, expecting to hear Sally say that he had been apprehended successfully and they were en route to the airport. Instead it was a grim Zechs.
"Do you have a news screen in that plane, Chang?" He didn't wait for Wufei to answer before continuing. "Every channel out of Hungary is broadcasting about a totaled chemical truck in the middle of the free way. It's blocking up the highway for miles. This driver is dead." Wufei was silent.
"The news is saying that it was a truck carrying chemical waste, which is enough to get people into a panic, obviously. However, the news isn't saying that it is really an undercover Preventer rig. Inside were six preventer agaents and Heero Yuy. All Preventors are confirmed dead. Names were, Allain, Allen, Brent, Chatless, Stefen, and Po. Yuy escaped. Our current presumption is that he killed them all and caused the truck to crash in order to flee."
Wufei hardly allowed himself to blink, let alone reveal his rage. "Mission: failure. I'll have them turn the planes around. It won't happen again, Sir." "You're correct, Chang. The next Preventer Yuy sees will be you. All other soldiers are to avoid him, only radioing in any sightings. If we lose any more men, it will be your neck."
"Yes, Sir," Wufei said. Zechs terminated the call.
Sally was dead. Wufei hung his head, rubbing his temples. Yuy had killed his only true friend.
-------------
AC 207, 27 September 27
Heero stood back, slinging the stained washcloth over his shoulder. He admired the shining black truck in front of him. It was a beauty: shiny, clean, and powerful. It was the closest thing he could have now to a Gundam. He wanted a plane, which would be the next closest thing. However, now was not the time to be purchasing a jet. He would have eventually. Perhaps, he thought, one would be convenient when he and Relena were married. She would like what it offered. He could fly her around to any place on earth for a picnic, or a weekend away. She would find it romantic. He just wanted to fly.
She was getting impatient with him, he acknowledged as he climbed in the truck's cab and set out for her house. They were going to have dinner there. She was wanting, as she had said, to get to know more about him as a person. She wanted to share herself with him–to have a defined relationship. He supposed that meant that she wanted to be able to publicly say she was dating someone, and that someone was Heero Yuy: Mysterious Military Type.
That was the objective, however much he scoffed at the title, boyfriend, or fiancé. They were destined to be together. They should live together and bring balance and children into the world. That was definite, but he was leery of divulging too much. He knew she wouldn't be angry about Rene. If anything, she would be sympathetic. It would encourage their bond to grow. He hadn't loved Rene. She was an inconsequential whore, and he had treated her as such. Relena was different; he had never been inclined to treat her the way he had Rene. (That's why he hadn't slept with her yet) She was Earth, and he was Space. He loved her. He had to. He was amazed by her kindness and idealism, her warmth and strength, her easy forgiveness and quick acceptance. Heero was convinced that all of this would only aid his mission.
The feelings he had when he was with her ran deeper than lust, he thought. Perhaps, if she asked to have a "better defined relationship" with him, he wouldn't be angry like he head been with Rene. He wasn't afraid he would be–he was going to propose to her soon. He should allow her to think of him as a boyfriend first. Most women don't like that much of a jump; it is likely to startle them into a no. He would propose after this mission to South America. There was no use in proposing before leaving for six months. No, when he came back, he would have a ring more beautiful and suited to her than Quatre's. He hated that ring.
"Tonight, she will have what she wants," Heero smiled. He loved her, after all.
- Heero's love though, was not a pure and romantic love. He felt himself connected to Relena by the soul. It was a true love, but his motivations for pursuing the relationship were tainted. This is not a love story, but a deception: planned and plotted. This manipulation has been stirred for years. All was set into motion the night Zechs asked Heero to assassinate the head of the Winner Group. Up to that point, the villain with the ironic name had been lost and floundering. He felt as if the world were dying and he could do nothing to stop it, because he had no means–and a plan without means is nothing. But, for that magnificent opportunity he left with a light heart. A chance to return the world to a peaceful balance was within his grasp. His political contacts were just as they had to be. Worldly decisions were given to him to be made through his gun, and manipulations of the government to be made through his love for Relena.
It is true, this man had good intentions once. He had saved the Earth Sphere and her Heroine multiple times. He had fought for peace and life for all at the cost of his own. Watch this man act and take note of his perversion. He says his goal is peace and balance, yet his means are underhanded and deceitful. His love is clouded with the allure of power, his justice mixed with bloodlust. He never before had been perched in a place of such power as he had now–and the offering had perverted his purity. The long wait and the helplessness he had endured while Relena was enamored with Quatre (and caring nothing for politics). The ruined man with tainted love as he arrives at the house of his victim. He has such soft blue eyes, full of genuine care. And such a gentle touch, ready to be reveled in. Oh, how can it be a happy ending for this innocent when all are against her? How will she endure and come out better in the end? Is it even possible?
:
Relena was greeted with a swift, sweet kiss. She gave Heero a playful squeeze and led him to the garden, where they would be dining. She wore a brown dress with an olive sweater, and sandals. The dress was short and showed off the legs Heero had recently told her he was so fond of.
She smiled as he squeezed her hand. He pulled her chair out for her and then seated himself. Dinner was served immediately. The two discussed nothing of consequence for most of the meal. It was not until a desert of berry cobbler-like pastry was being served that Relena felt comfortable speaking what was on her mind.
"Heero," she said. He looked her directly in the eye, anticipating her words. "How would you classify our relationship?"
He smiled, though he made it appear forced. "Why do you ask?"
She blushed and looked down. "Oh Heero, is it so much to want to be able to say that I've been dating you exclusively for the past few months, and that I am very much enamored with you?"
This time Heero allowed a blush to appear on his face. "Did anyone ever say that you couldn't?" He asked. "You can say whatever you like about our relationship. We have nothing to hide."
"But what do I say you do? All you work seems to be classified."
"What does it matter? All who you would tell about me know who I am, I would think at least by now. And, if they're curious, just tell them I'm a soldier who does a lot of computer work and travels often."
Relena stood, and Heero followed, offering his arm to travel the dark garden paths. Small lanterns lined the lanes, just barely highlighting the green foliage. Still, the trees stood high and created a canopy that diminished the light, but enriched the atmosphere. It was an exquisite garden.
"You are mysterious, Heero." She smiled at his eyes. "I'm glad I have you to myself now, aren't you?"
He was silent, though he offered her a reluctant grin. Hurt and concern marred her face and erased her quiet bliss. Just when she was about to seek the matter, Heero began to explain himself.
"Relena, you have to understand that before I moved her to be with you I lived in a hold. I was miserable–and since the chance has arisen to be with you, I have been happier than I ever could have thought possible in the past. I am wholly glad that you share yourself with me. I am only sorry at the way it came to be. You suffer for my happiness. Oh Relena, don't cry, please."
He seater he on the bench swing, hanging from a bough. He sat beside her, encircling her with his arms as she wiped her eyes. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"No, I'm sorry," she said meekly. "I didn't mean to cry. I can only imagine now how difficult your life has been, Heero, and I don't think anything I've been through could easily compare. Tell me, please?" She said. "Tell me what happened to you when you disappeared after the war; what did you go through?
He shifted and he pleading eyes seemed to soften him. "Alcohol mostly. I drank a lot the first couple of years I was in L1. I went there because it was the closest thing to a home I've ever had, but it was harsh to me. I worked myself to physical exhaustion during the day, and then drank at night. Sometimes, there were drugs, but most of the time it was just the liquor. I was not healthy. I am surprised I have no diseases. I stopped all at once when I woke up to a girl I had never seen before in my life. It scared me. I didn't want to end up a disgusting mess, which was where I was heading: all because I had nothing better to do.
"I moved to a better part of the colony–got a job in a mechanical repair shop and went to school for awhile. I dropped out pretty soon though. It was boring, and I preferred my work. Though, school was where I met Rene."
He paused to gauge Relena's reaction. She didn't stir. Concern was all he saw in her eyes. He swallowed and continued feeling satisfied that Relena would not be jealous of Rene. She loved him.
"Rene, I suppose you could call her my girlfriend, though I'm not sure we had much of a relationship. I lost myself in her, I remember that. She stayed over every night, and I hardly let her out of my sight. We lived together for two years, but I don't think I ever loved her. She was mostly just someone around that was available for a regular fuck. That's all I was to her until she asked if we could try to be anything more. She said she was sick of living like we were. She said we either tried or she left. I told her to pack her bags I didn't think that kind of relationship was possible between the two of us"
Relena was silent as they swung themselves back and forth slowly. She contemplated what she heard, but felt nothing change in her feelings for him. "What happened, why couldn't you love her?"
"She left and was killed in a car accident about two hours later. I still feel guilty for that, but I was honest. I couldn't love her, Relena. I tried, but I couldn't. I've only ever loved you."
"Oh, Heero!" she gasped and kissed him hard. In moments he had forgotten about his past. She whispered that she was in love with him, and that she was sorry he had gone through so much.
As she led him into the house, she said that she wished she could have been there to help him through all of that. As she led him to her room, she said that if it were in her power, she would never leave him to loneliness again. As he unzipped her dress and let it slide to the floor, he told her that he had to leave for a mission that could take up to six months. He was leaving in a week. As she coaxed his pants to the floor she told him that it was all the more reason to do this now. Who knew if they would have another chance before he left?
She kissed him and ran her nails down his bare back to emphasize her point. He pushed her naked body back onto her bed and covered it with his.
Relena learned quickly that he was not a gentle lover, but she did not want him to be. His aggression fueled her desire for him. She reveled that she was making love with Heero Yuy. It was a fantasy come true. Heero said he felt likewise.
Heero slept over every night until her left to begin wrangling drug cartels in South America.
