(Original) Author's Note –
A slight change of plan – this ISN'T the last chapter. I've quickly found out that what is only ten minutes in 'film time' is actually quite a lot when written. Plus I've decided to add a little epilogue of sorts, as the film (as films do), finishes quite abruptly so please be patient for the next, and definitely the last chapter!!
Warning – Don't be disheartened Duo fans. I know this chapter isn't exactly the best for him but as the saying goes: 'things can only get better'…
Some Kind of Wonderful – Part 13
Duo dropped the doggy bag Heero had given him onto the empty passenger seat. He was curious as to what exactly Heero had brought him to eat but pride prevented him from having a look. He wasn't going to eat Relena's leftovers, at least not in front of her. As Heero wasn't yet in the car, Duo spoke directly to Relena for the first time that evening.
"If my dinner reeks, let me know and I'll put it in the trunk," he muttered, although there was a tone in his voice that was almost daring her to say something.
"It's fine really," Relena snapped, aware of the hostility in the other's voice.
Before either party could say anything more, Heero had climbed into the car. He glanced across at Relena who smiled nervously as she inhaled the scent of the rose clasped between her fingers.
"Then we're off," Duo said in a less than enthusiastic manner as he put the car into first gear and pulled away from the kerb.
Once again, the journey was conducted in silence as Duo guided the car through the rain-slick streets onto the next destination in the 'Heero Yuy Magical Mystery Tour'. At one point, Relena decided to reapply her lipstick but her care in her appearance was only rewarded by Duo, who chose that exact moment to brake sharply, causing Relena to bodge the neat red line she had been drawing. Heero remained oblivious to what had just happened as Relena and Duo eyeballed each other via the rear view mirror.
"Pardon me," Duo said, sounding not the least bit apologetic.
"No problem," came the caustic reply.
"Good," Duo muttered as he floored the gas pedal causing the car to shoot forward jerkily.
At the sound of their voices Heero turned but didn't speak. Evidently his mind was too far away to notice the animosity between his two companions. When the car came to a standstill, Duo jumped out to open the door for Relena, who had been sat directly behind him, as Heero let himself out of the other side.
"Thank you," Relena said as Duo held the door for her.
In that split second whilst Heero was still out of earshot on the other side of the car, Duo leaned in to the blonde haired girl and muttered: "Break his heart and I'll break your face."
The ferocity in his eyes was replaced by fake cheeriness as Heero came to take Relena's arm, leaving the Japanese boy none the wiser as to what had just transpired. His date, still reeling from the threat that had just been issued, glanced back at the violet-eyed boy as Heero led her towards the building. She had sensed that Duo wasn't so keen on her but there was something other than dislike that had snarled across his handsome features just then. Hurt, anger… and jealousy? She didn't know a lot about Duo but it didn't take a genius to work out that it wasn't Heero he was jealous of. Before she could contemplate her observations any further however, they had reached the front of the building, which she was surprised to see was the city's Art Gallery.
"What are we doing here?" she asked, curious.
"It's an art museum," Heero replied, as if she should have expected him to bring her here.
"Yeah, but what are we doing here?"
"You don't like art?" the Japanese boy asked as they walked past the main doors and headed towards the rear of the building.
Relena laughed, her nervousness surfacing again. "I - I do like art, it's just that… isn't it closed?"
"Doesn't mean we can't go in."
Relena glanced at the young man to her left, entirely confused by his behaviour. For a moment she thought he was planning on breaking in before she realised that there was a light on behind the tradesmen's entrance.
"Oh… okay," she replied somewhat dubiously.
Offering her no more explanation other than a confident smile, Heero reached up and rang a bell next to the entrance. His finger had barely left the button when the heavy steel door swung opening revealing the last person in the world Relena would have expected to see at an art gallery.
"Helloooo!" the boy known as Wufei said grinning broadly as a grey-haired security guard stood just behind him looking suspiciously at the couple who wanted to come in at such a late hour. "We've been waiting for you a long, long time, my pop and I. Come on in! Right this way."
Relena and Heero made their way inside as the Chinese boy and his father stood back to let them through. Heero smiled at the older man who did not return the gesture as he grumbled about how he was missing his favourite show for this. The Japanese boy was slightly amused to see the Chang family resemblance mirrored between man and boy. Wufei's father evidently enjoyed a more sedate lifestyle than his son judging by his large overhanging belly and his grey hair, which had at one time been jet black like Wufei's, was thinning around the temples.
"Relena…" Heero said, gesturing towards his friend, "Wufei."
Wufei grinned and bowed. "Nice to meet you," he said in his best lady-charming voice.
Relena shook his outstretched hand and smiled anxiously, still unsure why Heero had brought her here at all. She knew Wufei from school and was well aware of his infamy so the fact that Heero was obviously a friend was yet another surprise. Impatient to get back to his comfy chair and portable television in the office, Wufei's father headed towards the service elevator to send the young couple on their way.
The buttons on his uniform strained, trying to hold the material together across his corpulent form as he punched in the code to activate the machinery.
"No monkey business in there," he warned grumpily.
"Dad please, freeze it okay?" Wufei said, gesturing at the older man not to worry as he ushered Heero and Relena towards the lift. "I told you before, it's gonna be all fine!"
"If I lose my job because of this you're in the dumper, Wufei."
"Absolutely pop, absolutely," he replied offering his father a jaunty salute.
The security guard shook his head and wandered away, leaving his son to activate the elevator for the young couple. Before he closed the safety gate on the Japanese boy and his date, Wufei grasped Heero's hand in a firm yet warm handshake.
"Just remember," he said earnestly. "Anything for a pal."
Heero smiled gratefully as Relena looked on, touched by this true display of friendship. As the doors started to close, Wufei pretended to serenade the couple with romantic music on an invisible violin, causing his audience to laugh as they disappeared from view.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The couple travelled to the first floor in silence. As the elevator ground to a halt, Heero held open the door for Relena, who stepped apprehensively into the darkened room.
"Have you ever been here before?" Heero asked as he joined her as they started to walk through the large open plan room.
"Yeah…" she said slowly before laughter escaped her lips. "Sixth grade… I – I don't remember."
"I come here all the time," Heero said quietly as he glanced at the paintings he had grown to know so well. "I've never been here at night though."
As their footsteps resonated across the hardwood floor, Relena started to giggle but she was quickly silenced by Heero, who frowned and put his finger to his lips.
"This place is my church," he explained, "I can come here and what anybody says about me doesn't matter."
Relena's eyes dropped to the floor, shame and guilt etched onto her features. She and her companions were often quick to judge those they deemed beneath them for whatever reason, be it they didn't wear the right clothes or drive the right car. She cringed as she thought about the cruel remarks they had made about the more distinctive students within school, including Heero, Duo and Wufei. The fact that she was finding them to be caring, genuine individuals only intensified her remorse.
"I'll have to come back here when I can spend more time," Relena said as she gazed at the artwork around her.
Heero smiled, pleased that she was showing an interest. "We have all night," he commented, happy never to leave this place.
They continued to stroll in silence, taking in the moonlight-bathed artwork but never verbalising their observations. Heero knew each and every painting thoroughly but he was still fascinated how the lack of lighting drew different elements from the canvas. So lost in wonderment was he that he almost forgot why they were there in the first place. As his purpose reaffirmed itself in his memory, he changed direction slightly.
"There's one round here I'd like to show you."
They walked around the corner with Heero studying the young lady at his side so that he would not miss her reaction to what she was about to see. The painting directly in front of them was a large canvas dominating the wall it occupied all to itself. It seemed to take a moment for it to register in Relena's mind that the subject staring out at them into the darkened gallery was herself. She glanced at Heero for reassurance that what she was seeing was correct before stepping forward to study the painting more closely. It depicted her leaning casually against a door wearing a blue silk blouse, black skirt and a somewhat melancholy expression. The likeness was startling and she was at a loss at what to say. Realising that Heero had sat down, she turned and joined him on the stone bench in the centre of the room. He smiled at her and she attempted to reciprocate the gesture despite her inner turmoil. For several moments, the two young people sat side by side in silence.
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As Relena was struggling to understand why Heero had gone to such lengths for her, another person not a million miles away was having difficulty comprehending his own feelings. Being here at the place Heero called 'his church' was affecting Duo more than he would have thought possible and after several moments alone in the car he began to cry silently; the tears slipping from his eyes as his mind contemplated the 'what ifs' and 'should ofs'.
Mercifully, the loud mechanical clanking of the service elevator that signified the couple's descent allowed Duo time to hide his grief before Heero and Relena emerged from the building. He opened the car doors for them in silence, unconsciously averting his reddened eyes should either of them care enough to pay any attention to him. He was glad therefore when they reached the second to last stop of the evening without any further conversation. Just once, as he stopped the car, Duo noticed Relena watching him through the rear view mirror although to his surprise, her expression seemed only to show concern. As he opened the door for her, their eyes met briefly. He was about to look away when he realised that she seemed to be communicating something to him via the hidden depths of her eyes. Was it pity? No, Duo thought, mentally shaking his head, it was understanding. He watched as Heero led the blonde girl towards the entrance of the large outdoor arena; another location that Wufei, with the help of Heero's money this time, had arranged to be open out of hours.
Relena, no longer surprised by anything any more dutifully followed Heero down the many steps to the front of the stage. He turned to her and smiled before offering his hand to help her up onto the dais. The backdrop was simple - layers of white muslin drapes left behind from an orchestra recital that had ended several days ago. As Heero sat down on the edge of the platform and Relena did likewise, the lights on the stage faded to a soft amber glow. Heero smiled, knowing that this was all Wufei's doing.
"So," Relena said, mirroring the Japanese boy's expression but blushing slightly, "What exactly do you see in me?"
"What do you see in me?" he replied as he studied her intently. "You first."
Relena laughed at his boldness and blushed even harder. However, seeing that he was deadly serious she paused, her eyes narrowed in thought, before her face grew more sombre.
"I don't think anybody ever thought anything about me other than I look good next to them," she paused and stared down at her feet "but I went along with it 'cause I'd… rather be next to someone for the wrong reasons… than alone for the right ones."
Heero looked straight at her, his own expression now serious. "I'd rather be right," he said quietly.
"I can't stand being alone," Relena replied, turning to meet his cobalt-blue stare.
Heero broke the eye contact to gaze far off into the distance.
"Nobody can stand being alone…" he said, frowning and then looking back at her askance. "The minute you stop thinking there's someone out there for you then it's over, isn't it?"
Relena shrugged and smiled sadly, her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I dunno…"
Seeing her emotion, Heero shifted his body so that he could face her properly.
"I've been waiting a long time…" he said slowly, "and I still don't have it, but I will."
The blonde girl's face creased into a frown of confusion.
"What are you talking about?" she asked anxiously, her nervous laughter surfacing once more.
Heero's stoic expression never wavered as his eyes searched her face. "You know what I'm talking about."
"No, I don't."
"Yes you do, it's not funny," he persisted, growing more annoyed. "I know you know what I'm talking about!"
"I – I don't!"
"This!" Heero said gesturing at them both. "Tonight. It was a joke, I was set up. You used me right?"
Relena stared at him for a moment. "You think I used you?" she said quietly.
"Didn't you?"
She opened her mouth to reply but the right words evaded her. "I don't know… in a way," she conceded eventually.
"In a way? Relena, there's only one way you use someone, you either do or you don't."
The guilt drained from Relena's features and was quickly replaced by anger.
"And you didn't use me?" she asked incredulously. "God, you hypocrite!"
She shook her head indignantly before resuming her piercing stare. "What's hanging in that museum, huh? My soul? No, it's my face." She paused as she inhaled sharply. "You're using me to pay back every guy with more money and more power than you. Paint it any colour you want… it's still you using me."
As Relena was no longer looking at him, Heero stared off into the distance. The silence that followed was tense before Heero spoke quietly, his voice contrite.
"You're right… I did use you, for all those reasons," he said glancing at her briefly, "I'm sorry."
Relena watched him for a moment, undoubting of his sincerity before a ghost of a smile crossed her features. "Can we call it even?"
Heero returned her smile as he took her hand and squeezed it gently. "We're even."
In the pause that followed, Relena allowed Heero to draw her closer to him with the hand that still clasped hers. She gazed at his handsome features until she became aware of something now resting on her occupied hand and when she looked down she realised that he had placed a small velvet box in front of her.
"This is for you," he said, smiling.
She laughed softly at yet another surprise. "What is it?"
"My future," Heero replied cryptically. "Inside this box is my future. Every cent I've ever earned. It's for you."
Curious, she pushed the lid back slowly to reveal the most dazzling piece of jewellery she had ever seen outside of a locked cabinet. The diamond encrusted white gold crucifix glittered under the powerful overhead lights reminding her of the similar necklace that she had borrowed once from Dorothy. Heero had seen her wearing it and she vaguely remembered telling him once that all of the trinkets she wore were only loaned to her. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she closed the box and handed it back to him.
"I can't take this," she said, her voice tremulous.
"You have to," Heero replied firmly "I know you like it, I saw you wearing Dorothy's, remember?"
Relena shook her head, struggling to find her voice. "This is insane, it doesn't make any sense."
Heero gazed at her sadly. "You… shouldn't have to borrow anything. You're too good for that."
Despite her best efforts to hold them back, the tears finally spilled across Relena's cheeks.
"Why are you crying?" Heero asked, genuinely confused.
"I feel so terrible for what I've been doing." She paused as she contemplated what to say next. "I hate feeling ashamed… I hate where I'm from."
Heero looked away, unsure how to respond as she continued to unburden her soul.
"I hate watching my friends get everything their hearts desire," she said angrily before she exhaled slowly. "I gave into that hatred and I turned on what I believed in. I didn't have to," she said suddenly looking ashamed. "You didn't."
"So you won't do it again," Heero replied, his voice reassuring. "You don't have to any more."
In response to his kind words, Relena smiled as she studied his open and honest face. Their eyes locked and without any conscious thought on either part, they leaned in and their lips met in a long, lingering kiss.
Far above the stage in one of the rear rows of seats, Duo had watched the entire encounter unfold before him. He saw Heero hand over the beautiful cross he had helped him choose and then, although he could barely watch any longer, he saw the two of them seal their union with a kiss. Knowing that simple act marked the end of his hopes and dreams, Duo stood and silently returned to the car.
TBC…