"Sea of Stars"
A Gundam Wing Story
by Trekkiexb5
Category: Drama, Romance
Couples: 1xR, 2xH--the normal match-ups
Rating: R for language. Heero has a potty mouth and so does Zechs. It's a bit lime-y in parts, too.
Caution: part of this story is about rape, though it is really never described in detail.
Posting: I'm posting at fanfiction.net, but anyone can post it, as long as my name stays attached. AND you write me and tell me how bad (or good) it was.
Summary: Relena told him to get a life, so he did, of sorts. Now, it's her turn. But the past often shows it's ugly head at the worst of times. Are they ready to handle a past when they are just getting grips with the Present?
Gundam Wing isn't mine. If it was, you would be watching this, not reading it.
Author's notes: (Fox Mulder approaches the mic) someone make her happy so she will finish MY story, where I'm the exciting dashing gorgeous hero and...
Scully: Mulder!! knock it off! You're bothering people who are trying to read. (Picks up paper fan left over from last chapter) OOOOhhhhh, MuuuuDDer!!!!
Mulder: Shit. (Runs)
HEY!! Free virtual Cheesy-doodles if you find quotes and situations from other shows and songs. The story's loaded with them.
No?
Fine, I'll give my cheesy-doodles to Scully.
Special dedication to the feedback people. Thanks, guys. I make a copy of every feedback and read then before I start writing. Especially to Hououza, whose brains must of been addled when he read my Author's Notes. I'm sorry!! g R&R is for all the people who haven't done it. Do it, DO IT NOW!!!!! g.
But DON'T STOP!!! It's nice to know that there's at least somebody is reading every week.
***IMPORTANT!!!***
Those who have read the first half of the story, just drop down to the line of plus signs. I went ahead and corrected the mistakes in the first half, but they are all spelling and grammar issues. For those haven't, remember to feel pity for those that have when you reach the plus signs. That was what they got for five days.
NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!
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*** Serious nasty icky rotten lime warning, again. Sorry. This one may be a lot worse than the last, if there is such a thing. You've been warned. Heero's "Four Wedding's and Funeral" opening scene potty mouth alert.
"Sea of Stars"
Chapter 6
A Crack in the Wall part 2: Skating on Thin Ice
I knew this sense of peace wasn't going to last. Conflict and pain has always surrounded me, so I shouldn't be surprised when the quiet times end.
Also, I should realize that she couldn't be healed just like that. All I need to answer that is to look in the mirror. Poster boy for screwed up life, what makes me the resident expert on everything?
Sorry, ranting.
Actually, things went downhill when we reached the Caribbean Islands. It was had been going smooth (too smooth) until then.
The days leading up to setting sail were pretty frenzied. Relena helped in any way possible, getting more and more knowledgeable on how the ship works. She was also glad that the Mohlers, Dave and Anton were going to sail to South Pacific at the same time. She had become great friends with Mary, often walking or shopping with her after Mary gave her music lessons. And Dave, welll, he often accompanied the two women on their trips and could be found in the 'Sea of Stars' kitchen showing Relena recipes.
Then Disaster # 1.
Well, for me, it was a disaster.
An embarrassing disaster.
Remember the piano thing I mentioned? She found out.
Shit.
Looking back, I had set myself up for this disaster. The guys in Security were throwing Anton and I a going away party. I didn't mention it to Relena. I don't know why. I take that back, I do know why. What happened next is why. She had retired early that day, so I went out to the Rotunda to the little get together that I was conned into. Don't ask.
Even though I wasn't finished with my prescriptions (and you think I would learned my lesson in what happened in the Sanq Kingdom), I still partake of a few alcohol beverages.
OK, beer. I like beer.
After a few rounds, the guys managed to convince me to set down in front of the bar's baby grand and plunk out some tunes. I was under the influence of alcohol, meds and a bunch of drunken security types who somehow know how to push my buttons when I'm in this condition. Again, don't ask. I wasn't worried; this wasn't my first performance to this crowd.
It was in the middle of 'Piano Man' when I noticed...Shit! Shit! Shit! How long had she been standing there? She moseyed (I cannot for the life of me think of another word to described how she moved) over where I was and sat next to me on the bench. She had one of those smirks she used to wear when she was about to ditch her security detail.
Did I mention, Shit?
"Well, Heero," She drawled. God, I felt like making a hasty retreat. That voice. "You keep unfolding like a flower. When did you learn how to play the piano? And sing?"
Shit, Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, and shit! She heard me sing? That means she's been here for about a an half an hour when I sang my last solo...
I must have been expressing my inner turmoil and surprise because she laughed and gave me a roguish grin. "'Fess up, Heero!"
FUCK!!!
Shit was getting old. I needed a new word.
I looked away from her. "I...I...don't recall, really. I guess I've always known."
She touched my shoulder, causing me to look at her. All the gaiety that was on her face was replaced with a solemn expression. "I'm sorry, Heero. I didn't mean to hurt you."
My reply was cut off by Anton. "Here's your beer, Heero. You better start playing or you're not gonna get any more free rounds. Here, Relena,' handing her a glass bottle. "Here's one for you." With a slap on my back that nearly sent me sliding on top of the piano, he walked off.
Relena took a sip then made a face. "How can you drink this? It tastes like...like..."
"Like piss?" I helpfully suggested.
She stuck her tongue out at me. "Yes, exactly. But how YOU know that it does, I don't really want to know." I smirked and she took another sip. Her face scrunched up again.
It was...cute.
Did I just say, cute? I can hear Mini-Duo's drunken laughter echoing from the back of mind.
"It is an acquired taste," I quipped.
"So how many beers does that take?"
I smiled at her and started to bang out the opening measures to 'I go to Extremes.' Billy Joel night. Yes, again, don't ask.
But I answered her. "I don't know how many, I haven't drank enough, yet. But I'll let you know when I get there."
I received her laughter as an answer.
I guess it turned out ok.
We packed the ship for the voyage and said our farewell three days later. The voyage started well. She was interested in everything in handling a yacht. I showed her the basics of navigation, communications, marlinspike, and sailing. I showed her the controls in the Pilothouse, and how to use the abbreviated holo controls and the wheel that was on top of the pilothouse. She even steered the ship a couple of times and released the sea anchor at night, making sure we were not anchored too close to the 'North Star' and the 'Southern Cross.' She soaked it up like a dry sponge.
Another thing that was unexpected but welcomed was her interest in my morning routine.
When I first came to the Seaweed Nations, I had little knowledge and little interest in martial arts. Wufei was the man to see about that. Yes I did know a little from several disciplines but nothing formal. So when an eleven-year-old karate student threw me during a demo, even though I was prepared to stop him, well, it made me think.
I signed up for several lessons that day eventually branching out to more disciplines. I even took Tai Chi. I quickly advanced many levels in Aikido, Karate, Kempo, and others.
Every morning at sunrise I would put on my gi and go through some of those lessons for a morning workout. She watched me for several days when I restarted my regime.
Finally she asked to be taught. I was glad at first; I've been trying to get her to learn self-defense for years. But she was almost...aggressive, pushing herself as far as she could go. I didn't think about it at the moment.
Then Disaster #2.
All of us decided to eat out at this pub on the Island of Puerto Rico. Some place with good food Dave had found. There we were, sitting around the table talking and eating, when Mary paled and stared behind me.
I whirled around to see the newscast being played on the overhead on the bar TV. It was a newsbreak. It was about Relena. They had a positive ID on her attacker via DNA samples. Furthermore, he was wanted for several more attacks and murders.
All women. His MO is to decide if they were worthy, then cut their wrists and allow them to die slowly.
Thank god Relena wasn't worthy.
They flashed his picture up, along with his name. I had the fucker's name. Daniel 'you're a fucking dead man' Halstine. I heard a gasp from Relena. I turned back to see her face go from tanned to white in a matter of seconds
Her eyes widened at the picture on the television. "It's him," Relena breathed.
Party over.
I stood up, intentionally blocking Relena's view of the flashing screen. Everyone else joined me. Dave went to the bar to pay our bill. Anton waved for a taxi, then stuffed Relena and I inside.
We rode back to the harbor in silence. She clutched my hand so tightly I though she was going to break it.
I got her aboard the 'Sea of Stars.' Then...well I didn't know what to do. She made the decision for me by saying she was going to bed. She went to her cabin and shut the door.
I could her the sobs.
I was left on the outside, with not a clue what to do.
I spent the next couple hours feverishly hacking and e-mailing. I contacted the other Gundam pilots and Colonel Une with some information I'd gathered. They told me (in no uncertain terms) to take care of Relena. They have everything under control.
Fuck!
I didn't sleep that night.
The next morning Doll face Relena made her reappearance. This version had a snap to here voice. After a week of dealing with the self-absorbed, pitiful, pissy Relena- I was reaching my breaking point.
It takes fourteen hours to traverse the Panama Canal.
Fourteen hours of hell.
This time I broke first and wasn't pretty.
Sitting around doing nothing and watching Relena do nothing but stare at her water sneakers is far worst than sailing around and watching her. At least then I was occupied and could ignore her.
Fourteen hours of it broke me. I sailed to the port where we were all going to meet. I made dinner. I sat the plate in front of her and watch her stare ate it, again.
THAT'S IT!
Using my arm, I swept both her and my plates off the table. With a loud crash dinner decorated the linoleum and the hatchway door. Relena jumped off the barstool and started to back away from me, eyes wide in fear.
Yeah, you should fear me, doll face.
I stalked around the table and grabbed her by her shoulders. I then pushed her down into the couch.
It wasn't a very wise thing to do. But, dammnit, she want to come here, I didn't force her. This healing will be on my terms, and my terms are Strong-arm Physiology.
Mini-Duo was screaming that not everyone does well with brand of medicine. I shoved him into a corner of my mind so I didn't have to hear him.
I started to pace, then stopped. I turned to face the shaking, tearstained Relena,
"What the fucking hell are you doing?" I growled, seething inside. 'Why do you let that asshole do this to you? Why do you let him WIN?" Her eyes widened but she didn't say a word to me. "DAMNIT, ANSWER ME!!!!"
"He...He..." she stuttered.
"What-RAPED you? Outside taking your virginity from you, what did he really do to get you to turn into a robot? What has you REALLY terrified? Answer, THAT, Relena!"
I thought she would shake herself to pieces. But she answered. "He FORCED me to give away my virginity to him!" The last words were spat out. Fear was leaving and anger was showing.
Good. I can handle an angry Relena. "No. He took you CONTROL. Rape is control..."
She broke through my tirade, standing up. She was still shaking, but her fists were clenched in rage. "How the hell do you know? You're not a shrink!"
"Why do you think you're the only one who has been raped, whose be through that?" I snapped back leaning towards her, making use of my six foot height. "You don't have the corner market on that kind of fear and humiliation..."
Oh god- what am I saying? No one knows this- I don't want this out.
Damn. True to my description of her, she put two and two together and got...
"Oh, god, Heero," she gasped, anger fleeing from her eyes. "You?"
I turned to retreat, stomping off. I didn't want her to know. I didn't want to discuss this. I wanted to leave it where it was in the back of my mi...
She stopped me. With a touch of her hand, she stopped me. How can she do that?
"Tell me Heero, please." She wrapped her arms around my waist, her head between my shoulder blades. "The best thing you have done for me is making me talk about it. Please Heero, follow your own advice."
Hell...
"I was eleven, I think. It was after Odin was killed and I started to work for Project Meteor." She knew this much about my past; Odin and Dr. J. My voice changed to my classic monotone. "They...They needed information from this politician. He had a fetish for little boys. I went and let him..." My voice broke a little but I continued. "Let him have his way with me and when he slept, I crawled out of the bed, got the information and left."
She started sobbing. "Oh Heero, you were just a child. How could they prostitute you?" Her voice got harder through the sobs. "What a FUCKING monster! What happened to him?"
"Six months later, I put a bullet through his forehead."
I took a deep breath and turned to face her. "Look, Relena, I have never been a child. I have as long as I remember been a soldier, an assassin. I knew what was going to happen if I took that mission. I could have refused and ran away but..." Why didn't I? I thought for a moment. "But I know is my duty, my mission. There was no emotion for me to express, I didn't feel it."
Liar! The girl, the puppy. But that was later, much later.
She gasped and starred at me, wide-eyed. "You have emotions-"
I interrupted. "I know, but I...suppressed them, like I was trained to do." who trained you? Odin? No. "I still repress them, but I'm learning. I'm angry about it now but back then..." I took a shuddering breath.
I don't want to be here I don't want to talk to her I don't want to discuss this, retreat.
"Look, I'm going to take a walk. We'll...we'll talk later."
I fled.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I spent two hours wandering the streets aimlessly. I thought if I got away for a while I could think of something to fix this. That was not happening. My temper cooled, though. However I knew there will be a round two when I returned. I couldn't avoid it. This time, it will be about the both of us.
When I stepped into the living quarters, I noticed that dinner was cleaned up. I also noticed that her door was closed. I took a deep breath and went forward into battle, praying I would come out unscathed this time. I doubt it. I went up to Relena's door and knocked.
"Done sulking," was the muffled reply
"Apparently you're not," I snapped back. My anger was on the rise, again.
Ding, ding round to, anyone?
She threw open the door. Relena glared at me, hands on hips, and anger storming on her face. "WELL, I can do ANYTHING you can do. After all, we share SIMILAR experiences."
The sarcasm in her voice proved what I suspected. Bitchy Relena had finally made her appearance. I could deal with her, too.
I think.
"Good," I shot back. "Now we can agree that I might have SOME CLUE what I'm an talking about, MAYBE we can get back to the topic." I was determined not to have this focused on me. "You're angry that he took your control from you."
Her eyes narrowed. "At least I didn't VOLUNTEER myself to be a whore. I didn't ask for this Heero." She crossed her arms and took a step past the threshold of her cabin door. "But, you-YOU allowed it to happen."
I growled back. "What the hell was I supposed to do, I was a..." I stopped myself. What was I?
Sensing the advantage, she took several steps forward forcing me to backpedal into the bulkhead. I know that my eyes were wide in surprise and Relena gleefully took the upper hand.
"What?? You were a CHILD? You told me that you were NEVER a child. Make up your mind, Heero Yuy."
I gaped. My mind went blank. What was I? I...I couldn't answer that. I had no way to explain why I did what I did, and she knew it.
"You know what I think," she said, her voice low. She accentuated each word with a finger poking my chest. "I think you WANTED it to happen. I think you wanted to feel something any thing. Pain. Because you think you are this cold unfeeling soldier and wanted to prove to yourself that you were not. So you became Project Meteor's little whore using the excuse that it part of the MISSION. Did it make you feel real Heero?"
Is she ...right? I didn't know the answer to this. But my anger flared bright white. Emotionless whore, am I? "I am so SICK of your fucking preaching, Relena. Because you are God's gift to Peace makes you always right? All it has done is BRAINWASH you into thinking that you are INFALLIBLE. NO ONE could come and touch your glory. Then this bastard takes that power away from you in fell swoop."
I pushed her violently against the opposite bulkhead. By god, if I'm going down, she 's coming with me.
bitch.
"Now you're not perfect. You lost power and you cannot accept it. So you lash out on others to make yourself feel SUPERIOR to you. You are so used to being in the center of everyone's universe, controlling everything, only to find you are just like the rest of us." I had an idea. I leaned up against her, our noses almost touching. "How does it feel that one man can take that control away, Relena? Is that why I was fired, huh? That I wouldn't take your bullshit and wearing your ability to be in control down?" I though I heard Duo's voice say to LOSE control. " Did you feel helpless Relena? Did you feel afraid? Did you feel human?"
Her eyes widened, and then narrowed.
A point for the home team. The score was tied.
I smirked. She pushed me away and I let her. I knew what she was going to do next and I let her. After all, she hurt me; I 'm the Perfect Soldier.
"You FUCKING bastard!" She screamed and her fist connected to my eye and nose.
My over-confidence was misleading. All that workout she had been doing over the last couple of weeks had paid off. I fell against the bulkhead with a bang and slid down, dizzy. I could feel the blood leaking out of my nose and pain around the eye socket.
I would thought she would stomp off. But, like me, there are habits even anger could not erase. Hers was taking care of me whenever I got hurt. Though, this was first time I got hurt directly from her.
"Oh, god, Heero," she fluttered. There is no other way I could describe what she was doing. "Stay here. Don't move." I wasn't planning to, Relena.
She ran to the head a returned less than a minute later with towels (some wet) and the first aid kit. She knelt beside me and gently wiped my face.
"Come on Heero, let's get out of the passageway." She stood and opened the door to my cabin. After helping me up and helping me lie down flat on my back on the bed, she scampered to the kitchen. She returned quickly, with a baggy full of ice, a glass of water and aspirin.
Relena sat next to me and continued to clean my face. "I hope it doesn't scar, " she murmured.
"Vat Scarb?" Was my intelligent-sounding question.
"I cut you above the right eye." She answered, holding up her hand and pointing out the gemstone ring on her finger. Ah. That's why I was still bleeding after my nosebleed had stopped. "I am so stupid for hitting you like that."
"I probably deserved it after what I said," I mumbled, wincing in pain at her attempts to clean my face. I could feel the right side of my face slowly inflating. "Nice right hook, by the way." I added.
She smiled. "A compliment about my fighting ability. Thanks Heero. Coming from you, that says a lot."
I think it was a compliment.
"Why do we do this to each other?" She continued. "We are so good at hurting each other but we loath to be away from each other."
I shrugged, then hissed when she placed the ice on my eye. "Glutton for punishment, perhaps?" I answered. I got a smile in return. "I don't know. I could have said what I did in a nicer way; sugar-coat it?"
Her nose scrunched up. "You. Sugar-coat? God Heero that's not you. The first weeks with you, when you were so polite and nice, I thought aliens had kidnapped you and replaced you with a pod person." She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "No, this is more like it. Except, now I know how to hit." She smiled. "You can't sugar-coat and quite frankly I can't stand it. I hear it from politicians and professionals and over-zealous brothers everyday. I like your brand of honesty. Though, I could live without the physical violence." She grinned. "After all, I'm the 'Dove of Peace.'"
"So we agree to disagree?" I hedged. I was glad we were talking. I was surprised and even gladder that she liked our fights.
"No," she answered. "We agree that both of us, despite different backgrounds and public behaviors, are the most stubborn people on the planet. We agree we are both control freaks. We may have different ways of dealing with our loss of control, but we both agree that they are major issues still in our lives. And finally, we agree we can't move on until we deal with this...thing...between us."
"Thing?"
"Thing."
"Would you quantify that, Relena?"
"I would but then I would haveta kill ya, Mr. Yuy."
"hn...bitch."
"Ass."
We stared at each other then started to laugh.
"God, Heero. We are so sick!" she snickered.
"hn. I wonder what the adoring public would think if they knew that the Vice-Foreign Minister had a filthy mouth."
She gave me a roguish grin. "That's not the only thing I have that's filthy."
God. I am so dead. Mini-Duo was laughing his head off. Shit! And I didn't know why. But what a way to go, the Mini-Duo snickered.
"Hey, you guys awake?" Our thoughts were interrupted with the appearance of Anton and Dave's faces in my cabin. "Hey there you are! Chris and Mary went some fancy restaurant, their Anniversary or something, and we wanted to know if... What the hell happened to you, Heero?" Anton's voice was very loud in my ears. I winced.
Relena and I looked at each other guiltily.
"Oh never mind. Relena, sweetie, could you move that cute butt for me?" Dave asked briskly. Well, his version of briskly. She obediently got up off the bed. "Your pupils are the same, no concussion. God, what it cut! I hope it doesn't mar those handsome looks of yours," he said after removing the ice pack. "We came over to see if you have eaten yet." I must have looked guilty because he shook his head and let out a dramatic sigh. "Anton, babe, could you go and get the beef stock in the frig. It's on the second shelf. Oh, and get the fresh bread that was just pulled from the oven. It should be cool now. And get the blue bottle out of the medicine cabinet. The one I take when that bitch Devin calls to show off his latest cooking trophy. And, oh, Relena, sweetie, could you be a dear and go with him? Other wise Anton might squish the bread." He winked at Anton.
Anton stuck his tongue out at Dave but they both nodded and left me with him. Alone. In my cabin. With the man who has made it clear he wants me. On my bed. I don't need this.
Dave rummaged through the abandoned first aid kit, pulling out some antiseptic cream, gauze, and medical tape. "Oh, stop fidgeting, Heero. I'm not going to jump your bones." The surprise must have been on my face, for he answered, "I can firmly grasp the concept that you are clearly heterosexual."
He placed a dollop of the cream in the middle of the gaze square and placed it on my cut. It felt cold. I felt confused. Have I always read him wrong? "Then why do you always flirt with me?"
He chuckled, ripping a piece of tape off the roll. "'Cause, I like to watch you squirm. It's so cute." He gently smoothed the tape over the gauze, making sure it adhered to my skin. "Why should care Heero? Why should it bother you so? I never picked you as a homophobic." He ripped another piece of tape off.
Am I? Why is everything suddenly revolving around me? No. Despite what happened to me in my past, I am not homophobic. Hell, I roomed with Anton for months after he told me he was interested in sleeping with me. But Anton doesn't...act gay, while Dave acts like a...like a...girl.
"Ow." He had surprised me by placing another piece of tape on the gauze.
"Do you know why I act the way I do, Heero?" He tossed the supplies back in the kit and latched the lid firmly in place. "To be honest, I'm not really sure of my place in this world, or my sexuality. You and Anton are very confidant of who you are and what you are, you make me jealous, sometimes."
If he said that yesterday, I would agree, but today has been a nerve-rattling day.
Dave cocked his head at me. "You want to know a secret, Heero Yuy? Anton isn't as confidant in himself as he puts on. He wears that self-assurance like a facade that hides his insecurities. Like I use my 'Openly Gay' facade to hide mine. In order to see behind that barrier, you need to give trust. In other words, you can't trust a person unless they trust you. It's a vicious circle. Sometimes the awards are worth the risk bearing your soul, sometimes not." He grinned at me. "As for me, I like my facade. And I rather not get hurt. That's why I am the way I am."
I learned more about Dave in the last ten minutes than in the last two years. I think he's hinting at something, maybe several things. Stuff about his relationship with Anton, may be trying to help me with Relena. Is he saying Relena has put up a facade? Did I? Or is it a wall?
What the hell am I talking about?
Dave stood up, hands on his hips. "Oh don't be so gloomy. You've got a woman who can knock you flat on your ass-literally and figurative." Huh? "You'll figure it out eventually," He crossed his arms. "Or you both will kill each other. Either way, I've got great seats to the show."
Ok, Relena must have hit me really hard, because I have no clue what he is saying.
He shook his head, finger spread across his face, eyes closed. "You are a little dense aren't you? Never mind." He brought his hand down. "Awesome left hook."
At least I knew that was about. "It was a right," I answered, a little proud.
"Oh yes, the ring." He noticed. Dave is very observant, I finding out.
"Dave," I smirked, sitting up against the headboard. "You have more layers than a onion."
He nose wrinkled, but he gave me an answering smirk. "I prefer cakes, myself. Unless its Vidalia onions."
We sat in companionably in silence until the sound of the hatch shutting and Zero barking alerted us to the return of Relena and Anton.
The conversation at dinner was animated. Even I occasionally joined the fray, talking through the headache. I had a lot to think about, but I put it aside for a good night with good friends and excellent food. Dave can certainly cook. Anton and Dave were concerned about my ability to pilot 'Sea of Stars' out the harbor. So did I. They had agreed to have Anton stay aboard for the six days to South Pacific, but I deterred. I told them Relena could do it. It wasn't Sydney or New York, but I was confident she could do the job.
"No" answered the repeated offer. "Thank you, but no. I know Relena can do the job."
Relena just stared at me.
They left hours later. They finally noticed that I was finally feeling the throb in my head. I took the medicine Dave left for me and retired. But I couldn't sleep. The day kept repeating itself without any resolution. There was no resolution, I think. First we were screaming at each other then I run away. Then I come back and we are screaming at each other and she then hits me. Dave places nurse and I get a glimpse behind the flat 'flaming gay man' stereotype I made him out to be. Relena and I stop screaming at each other, with no discernable reason. I know what happened, and that was the worse thing about it all.
So Here I was at night, curled on my side staring at the bulkhead in the moonlit cabin, when there was a knock at my door. "Heero, are you awake?" Was Relena's muffled voice.
I hesitated before replying. Oh hell, Heero why not? "hn. Come in." I answered softly.
She closed the door behind her. I heard the scuffling of bare feet on the thick blue carpet and then the bed dipped with her weight.
I didn't move to look at her. Quite frankly, she was disturbing my thoughts and in wanted her to leave as quickly as possible.
"Heero."
"hn."
"Busy day."
There's the understatement of the year. "hn."
"I cant...cant sleep. I've been thinking. I guess I owe you an apology. You were right, of course, that I'm a control freak."
"No," I mumbled. "You're right. We are both control freaks. But in wasn't thinking of that" Why did in say that? Its none of her business what I was thinking about, right? Right? What is wrong with me? "I was think about the 'thing.'"
"What 'thing?'"
I rolled to my back. She was sitting on the bed. Her toes grasping the blanket. "The 'thing' you mentioned. The one you said that was between us."
"OH." She paused. "Have you figured it out?"
I sighed. "No." We sat silent in the darkness. "Why did you come to my cabin?" I finally asked.
"Well, uhm, I just needed to reconnect with you, to see if you weren't still angry and apologize..."
She was babbling. There was an 'and' behind that run-on sentence. "And?" I pressed.
"What and?"
"And-this is the real reason you came in here, Relena."
"Uhm, well, I wanted to ask, uhm..." She sounded flustered. "Well, why are you letting me pilot 'Sea of Stars' tomorrow?"
"Why, don't you want to? Or do you think you aren't capable?"
"No, NO! I thought uhm, I want to, of course, but I ...uhm."
I found her hand in the darkness. "Relena, I trust you," Dave's words came to haunt me. Well the ones I could understand. "I know you can do it."
I heard her sniffles. Great. I made her cry, again. But like the other times, apparently it was good. She flopped down on the bed. She then snuggled up next to me, laying her head on my shoulder. I could feel her tears on my bare chest. "Thank you, Heero," she sniffled.
I sighed. I guess she's here for the night. I adjusted the blankets so she was underneath them. She soon fell asleep, her hand splayed on my chest and her head tuck on my shoulder.
I wrapped my arm around her waist and placed the other one over her hand that was between my pectorals. I don't what's going on, again. This project was rapidly spinning out of control-my control. But was that really a bad thing, I mused. I sighed, playing with her hair glowing softly in the moonlight. My mind drifted, my heart bet slowed in time with her breathing. The sounds of the gently lapping water lulled me towards sleep.
My last thoughts before in joined her was, regardless of everything, this moment was perfect.
END OF CHAPTER
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Glossary-
Marlinspike--the art of ropes and wires; caring of, tying, spicing and the like.
R&R pleez!!!!