First and foremost I would like to thank all of my reviewers, you guys
have been a great help. Thanks for all the critics and comments; please
feel free to send them in. To tell you the truth I started this fic with no
clear idea of how it would turn out and now I pretty much got it all in my
head. It turned out to be a lot more fluff 'n'stuff than action but I'm
hoping your all ok with that. Don't worry the antagonist isn't a big
threat, he just has his little role to play. I'm not going to bring in a
whole organization aimed on killing Relena or something on her vacation so,
no worries . ( Enjoy!
I don't own Gundam Wing.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvv
He wanted to strangle himself...no...shoot himself...yes much faster. He couldn't believe he let his emotions get the best of him. He couldn't help himself, the rage that burned inside him at every word the man spoke about her. How the stranger's eyes and thoughts wandered into areas he had himself marked forbidden. So it was only natural for him to be disgusted and all out furious enough to knock some sense into the psychotic stalker. He had let his feelings lash out at the civilian instead of keeping them bottled inside as usual.
'Great, I picked out a fight with a civilian, the people Relena protects with all her power. God I'm a mess.'
The cold night air danced across his flustered cheeks as he walked towards the mansion. He wasn't ready to turn in just yet so he decided to enter the main garden and calm down a bit.
'The nerve of that guy. I should have pummeled him a real good one when I got the chance.'
His fists clenched at the mere memory of the stranger. It had been a while since he ever felt such rage, and he knew he was beginning to lose control of his feelings.
'How is she doing this to me?'
He stopped to stare at the night sky. The serenity of it all captivated him as he gazed at the liter of sparkling jewels scattered messily on a cloak of darkness. Each shining with such exuberance only an angel could muster. He felt himself drowning in that sea of shadows and suddenly all felt at ease. The thought of being down beneath its black coat, unseen by others so that he wouldn't have to confront them about the events that took place earlier slowed his heart's pace.
'Coward.' His conscious was not so merciless, as it dragged him out of his dreamlike gaze. Suddenly he remembered the way the man smiled, almost like a snake, ready to strike its next victim.
- If it's a fight you want it's a fight you'll get...but don't count on winning next time because I assure you that you will be outnumbered-
His words echoed through the chambers of his mind, as if he was working hard to solve an impossible riddle. There was no secrecy in his statement; it was just an empty threat, one he knew he would have to look out for. Whoever this man was, he did not know much about, and that itself was a big security risk. Any sane man would have run at the mere glance of Heero's gaze, but this one held his ground and fired back with equal violence. This vacation was indeed going to turn out different than he had hoped for, and he realized that Relena was in a greater danger than he had first assumed.
Heero walked through the extensive garden, now lit by soft moonlight. The petals of the rose bushes glistened like pearls glazed with a most holy light. He walked aimlessly, wounds already numb from the lack of care. He sat down at the edge of a fountain and gazed at his reflection. There were blotches of dried blood all over his face, under his eyes, at the corner of his mouth. A cut on his forehead was still fresh with moist blood. And he still felt the numbness of his arm, remembering how shards of glass had sliced at his skin, right through his newly borrowed shirt.
'Damn I look like hell.'
He could just imagine Relena come up to him in a furious manner over his actions and soften at the mere sight of his injuries. That's the kind of person she was. Ready to treat the wounded all the while guiding them. Such care and mercy, but such strength. He shuddered at the thought of anything damaging her fragile ways, but he knew that her stubbornness had no limit, and she was just as strong as she was emotional. Quite a complicated person, but that made her seem even more desirable.
He sat there for what felt like forever before his body resumed motion and gathered itself to head towards his room. He hoped he wouldn't meet anyone in the halls just yet, not until morning. He would definitely have to apologize to Anna for the mess he made, along with everyone else.
vvvvv
'ding dong'
Relena pressed the doorbell to Heero's room for the third time. She had heard nothing from him since he stormed out of the club and she was beginning to worry about his whereabouts, as well as his condition. She felt an armrest on her shoulder and turned around to see Duo. She smiled at him in acknowledgement.
"Hey babe, still trying to get him to come out? You know, I don't even think he's in there." He said scratching the back of his head.
"I know, I was just making sure. No luck though."
"Hey don't sweat it, he's fine. A few scratches won't hurt that guy. He just needs some time to cool off and until he's ready to talk about what he has to say, I think its best we leave him alone."
Relena smiled at his words and nodded..
"Trust me, I'm speaking from experience. Every time I nag him about something nonstop, I end up going home with a blue eye. And to tell you the truth, it ain't too pleasant!"
"Learned your lesson eventually though huh?"
"Heh heh luckily. But still, sometimes you gotta push him a little so he can let it out."
"Thanks Duo I'll try and remember that."
"Hey, just letting you know. Seeing that you're probably the only person he'd truly open up to, its best to stay on his good side." She smiled at his childish wink and threw her arms around him in a hug.
"Thank you Duo."
"No problem. Sleep tight princess."
"Goodnight."
With a small salute, he marched off back to his room at the end of the hallway. She stood there watching his form until it was out of her eyesight. Sighing she turned to heads toward her room but came face to face with a very bloody and mangled Heero Yuy.
She gasped in surprise as his eyes looked into hers sternly, evidently telling her to move aside. Yet she refused to back down for the moment.
"Heero are you alright? You look like horrible."
Her eyes traveled over him, looking carefully at every wound. She reached to move away the bangs that were hiding a half visible cut, but his hand caught her wrist halfway.
"What do you want?" His tone was cold and firm, as was the grip he held over her wrist.
"I-I just wanted to talk to you, see if you were alright."
"Hn"
He took out his room key and unlocked the door, swinging it wide open. She watched him enter halfway then stop and look back, holding the door open with his shoulder.
"Well? Are you coming in or what?"
She was completely shocked by his question, though her face remained calm.
'Is Heero Yuy actually inviting me in? He must have hit his head harder than I thought.'
Heero watched her enter and walk into the bathroom, presumably looking for a first-aid kit.
"If your planning on talking about what happened tonight you might as well forget about it."
'Why am I inviting her in? Didn't I just want to avoid everyone till morning? Well, too late to turn back now.
"That's fine." She replied from her place in the bathroom.
He walked into the bedroom and his eyes caught his reflection in the full-length mirror. He really did look horrible, cuts and bruises lined his body, covered with torn clothes. He heard her fidgeting in the bathroom, but began walking towards one of the comfy chairs in the middle and sat down, slowly beginning to take of his shoes. His arm began biting with a sharp pain and the sight of Relena coming in with a first aid kit ran relief through his whole body.
He watched as she approached him, determination in her step. Sitting down on the armrest next to him, she observed him keenly from her slightly elevated view. He reached for the box, but she stopped his arm from advancing further.
"Don't move, I'll take care of it. You'll only hurt yourself more if you shift too much."
He didn't bother rebelling, partly because he was too exhausted to and also because he slightly enjoyed having her take care of him. Ok, so maybe he enjoyed it a lot.
She began by cleaning the dried blood on his face with a wet towel, careful as to not go over the clotted wounds. Next she soaked a cotton ball with alcohol and gently rubbed it over the several cuts on his face. He felt the sting of the healing liquid, but ignored it, regaining concentration on her gentle movements and close proximity. He could feel her breath fanning the side of his face in a rhythmic manner, bringing his attention to her rosy lips. As he watched her work, Relena brought out bandages to secure over the cuts. Luckily they weren't deep enough to require stitching, and she easily patched them up.
Next she looked towards his arm, which was painted with dry blood.
"You'll have to take off your shirt."
He obeyed her and stood up to remove the blood soaked cloth, revealing his well built upper body and flexing muscles. Relena stared as he walked to throw the shirt in the laundry basket, though he doubted much could be done to save its mangled appearance. He turned in time to see her gaping at him and smirked in return. Snapping out of her dream-state, she motioned to the chair, forcefully pulling her eyes away from his addictive appearance.
He sat back down and she immediately began working, first removing every shard she located. The cuts were so spread out that at one point she had to position herself in his lap to reach some of the pieces. He was of course enjoying this, while she was trying to stay focused and ignore the fact that she was practically in his lap, on his shirtless body...He watched her as she worked, hypnotized by her every movement. Her arm was now touching his exposed chest, sending chills through his body. He was trying hard to resist the powerful temptation to engulf her in his arms and bring her closer to him...
"There, you're all patched up! Just don't move your arm too much or some of those cuts might reopen."
She got up at an almost sudden pace, and went to the bathroom to put the kit back, all the while avoiding his gaze. She felt her cheeks burning and she sure as hell didn't want him to notice the effects he had on her.
Heero shifted his arm slightly, looking over the very well applied bandages. Though slightly sore, his arm was now void of much of the pain from before. All he needed now was a warm shower and some sleep. Keeping the bandages from getting soaked might be a bit of a challenge but he was up for it. Getting up, he walked to the bathroom where Relena was now exiting. Their bodies came to a halt 5 inches away from each other at the bathroom door, eyes now locked in contact. Her violet orbs twirled with emotions he could not deduce at the moment, as they flashed one after another. Suddenly a faded texture covered her eyes... sadness.
She broke her gaze and her head sunk slightly to the side, looking away.
"I was really worried about you today..."
Inside he felt a sensation of mild shock, followed by the sudden desire to hold her tight and never let go. To keep her away from any worry or pain she should ever encounter. Seeing her like this made his heart drop, splashing in his gut. Yet, he ignored these churning thoughts and continued staring at her. Eyes softening ever so slightly.
"Was it him Heero? The same person who was outside the restaurant? I felt something when I was sitting there, a feeling like I was being watched."
His gaze regained its hardness at the mention of the incident. She had ignored his request and managed to bring it up. Relena truly was a politician, but Heero was in no mood to play games.
"You should go, it's getting late."
His sudden coldness startled her, as he brushed past her to turn on the bath water.
"Something's wrong I know it. You'd never snap that easily over an argument, especially over a complete stranger."
"And you know me so well to assume that?" He was beginning to get annoyed and sarcasm dripped in his tone.
"Hmph, maybe we'd all know you a little better if you'd just talk to us. You're always hiding something Heero and I know it's eating at you. Please I want to help, we all do, you can't keep carrying everything on your shoulders alone."
"And why not?" He snapped back, turning away to adjust the water.
".....Because its hurting you." She looked at him angrily, tone more forceful than before. Her head sunk lower, eyes staring at the tiles on the floor. "...it's hurting all of us...its killing me..." It was practically inaudible, but he still felt the words stab at his heart, as if they had been carved into his chest. She turned and walked out, heading towards the living room door. He stood in his spot for a moment, letting it all sink in. He snapped back suddenly and dashed out after her.
"Relena wait!"
The living room door closed and she was nowhere in sight. He was too late.
Letting out a deep sigh, he ran his fingers through his messier than usual hair and leaned his back on the wall. Did his seclusion hurt her that much? Was it wearing down on his friends as he held on to all his burdens to deal with himself? He had opened up over the years, sharing things he never even thought about to himself before. But whenever they would lend a helping hand he would shut them out completely. He just felt it unnecessary to get the innocent involved, as he had done during the war.
He moved sluggishly towards the shower. Problems just kept on piling up and he wasn't sure how much more he could take on this so-called 'vacation'. He was in on it all by himself anyway.
vvvvvvvvvvv
Back in Duo's room...
"Yo Trowa, did you hook up the tape?"
"All done Duo, where's Quatre?"
"On his way." Duo entered the room with a few drinks. Wufei, who was leaning on the wall, came closer as Trowa began rewinding the tape.
"Jeez, this place has everything. Who ever thought VCR's were in use anymore." Duo gulped down some more cool liquid before turning his attention to the blonde who casually walked in through the door.
"Sorry I'm late guys, Dorothy was trying to find some yellow sandals and she wouldn't let me out until I helped her find it." He blushed at his excuse.
Trowa smirked and motioned him to take a seat. The tape finished rewinding and everyone gathered around, eyes bearing into the screen. Trowa pressed the play button and they watched carefully as the stranger made his way next to Heero. It seemed that the pilot showed no interest at first, until something the man said caught his attention. Within moments Heero had him by the collar, raising him several inches off the floor.
"Damn he looks pissed..." Duo watched intently as Heero struck the man, who lunged back after gathering himself up. "Woo! Go Heero!"
Wufei looked at the braided pilot in irritation.
"Silence fool."
Duo stuck his tongue out at the Chinese man before resuming watching the video. Trowa stopped it right after the smoke bomb was set, and turned to the others.
"So, what do you think?"
"I think Yuy should avoid beating up complete strangers." Wufei said in annoyance.
"Come on Wufei, you know he had a good reason for it. Since when has Heero been one to stir up unwanted attention?" Quatre's words were truthful, and Wufei couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for misunderstanding his comrade.
"I think we might be heading for a little bit of trouble here. We should keep an eye out, until Heero actually tells us what's going on." Trowa deduced, turning to Duo who seemed to nod in agreement.
"Ya, he'll tell us soon enough, but I have a feeling I know what its about."
The others looked at the braided man quizzically.
"Don't give me that look! C'mon, what is Heero so protective of ? Something that makes him loose control of his emotions? Hello? Anyone!?"
"Are you saying he got in a fight with someone who was admiring Relena?" Wufei stated not amused.
"Admired, eyed, threatened, looked at, whatever! Its all the same to him." Duo threw back his arms over his head, sinking into his comfy couch.
"He may have a point, and if its true then I think there may be more than just security getting tighter..." Quatre smiled as he looked at his fellow companions before continuing. "I think Heero may actually start realizing his true feelings for her, and hopefully do something about it."
All the faces in the room broke into evil smiles...
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
The sun had barely begun to light the night sky, and Heero was already up and dressed. His sleep had been restless, so it was no use going back to bed. Instead he threw on some clothes and headed out for a walk around the mansion before breakfast. Having memorized the place (just another one of his security measure habits) he had no problem getting around. The outside hallways were lined with small lamps and endless paintings. Some of the passages were lit by dim sunlight, coming from the large windows that took the place of walls. This gave him a perfect view of the ocean, tides calm and misty blue.
His walk led him to an enormous room filled with exotic furniture and a set of windows forming one of the walls. Behind the glass Heero saw the backyard patio and the trail leading to the beach. Elegantly designed glass doors opened up to the outside and just beside them he saw a figure of a female standing, staring out into the sea.
Seeing his reflection from the window, the woman turned around and smiled.
"Good morning Heero"
He nodded to Anna and walked over to the window, enjoying the closer view of the ocean.
"Today's going to be a beautiful day I just know it."
He looked over at her dreamlike gaze, as her eyes rolled onto all the features outside. He felt a sudden guilt weigh down in his gut, and remembered the apology he owed her. She had treated them so hospitably, and yet he had gone ahead and caused a mess in return. Apologizing wasn't included in his long list of skills but he figured he had to try.
"I-I wanted to apologize about what happened yesterday. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble." He kept his eyes locked on the crashing waves as he said this. It was already hard enough to say it, and looking her straight in the face wouldn't help out any more.
She looked over at him, slightly amazed by his rare and generous words, a beautiful smile stretched across her glowing features.
"It's alright Heero, we're just glad you weren't badly hurt."
"I can pay for the damage, it's no problem."
"No, no Charlie said he would take care of it. I'm sorry if he was a bit rough, he gets like that sometimes when it comes to his club. He worked very hard to get it up and running after the war."
Heero looked at her quizzically.
"He was a soldier during the war, graduated form the military academy before joining OZ. He was in the factors that started the assault on the Allied forces, before the Gundams came down."
Her features softened, sadness seeping in from her past memories.
"We were close friends before it all happened. Went to high school together, started dating as juniors and stayed together until senior year finished. I remember how we would always go surfing at night, it was so pleasant though a little risky, but we would never mind. No one else would be around and we would just enjoy our time together. Everyone called us the night sharks because of that."
'Hn. That explains the club's name.' Heero continued listening intently.
"He followed his plans to go to a military academy, so we grew rather distant, but he promised he'd come back for me once he graduated. But he was recruited for an operation, the one to attack the Allied Forces, and before I knew it, we lost communication completely."
Her eyes started tearing up, and Heero couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Charlie was an OZ soldier, one he could have easily killed like the others, and shattered this poor girls heart into pieces. How many people lost their loved ones to his hands, he wondered.
"Those were the hardest times for me, not knowing if he was alive or dead, whether he had forgotten me. I prayed every night, I cried and prayed he'd make it out alive. And then came the news of father's death and Quatre's disappearance. I was so lost, so hurt. I didn't know what to do anymore. Charlie was all I had left, and I fought to keep my faith in him alive. I searched every database on any news I could find but it was hopeless. Too many casualties, so many unidentified bodies. All I could do was wait, and I did."
She looked up at Heero with such sincerity and her smile displayed such thankfulness.
"Then you Gundam pilots finally ended the war. And a few weeks later, I heard a knock at the door and opened it to find him standing there, staring at me, features much rougher than before but nonetheless Charlie. He had changed, war does that to you, but he still held a large part of his old self. He dedicated everything to rebuilding his life again, and sharing it with me. That's why he opened the club NightShark, after our little nickname, a business of his own. We took things slowly after that; there was some conflict because of his changed ways. He hid a lot from me, and never talked about his experiences. I didn't force him to, but I gradually nudged him a little to open up and slowly he did. I can tell he regretted many of the things he had done, and followed orders he rather had not. As if he wished he never joined OZ.We've become so much closer after that, it's like he needs me for his sanity and I need to him to keep breathing."
Heero stared at her with a solid expression, though his mind was whirling with thoughts and emotions her story brought up. She looked at him and giggled slightly, knocking him away from the many voices buzzing in his head.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to keep babbling, but it kind of makes me feel better when I talk about it."
He looked at her softly and smirked.
"Don't worry about it."
"You're a great listener, must be a great comfort to your friends huh?"
His expression saddened at her comment, remembering the argument he had with Relena before...
-...it's hurting all of us...it's killing me ...-
She noticed his uneasiness, but before she could speak the doorbell echoed through the house.
"Oh! That must be Mr.Milliardo and Mrs. Noin!"
She rushed out of the room towards the door, Heero following behind. When they got there the rest of the guest were already down and gathered by the door where Milliardo and Noin stood. Relena ran up and hugged the two greeting them with excitement. They all turned to see Heero and Anna walk in. Zechs nodded at Heero in acknowledgement, as did Heero in return. There was a mutual understanding and respect between them, though they weren't the closest of friends.
"Oh Zechs, Noin, this is my sister, Anna."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Milliardo, Mrs. Noin."
Noin and Milliardo smiled politely at the woman who was exactly their age and shook hands.
"The pleasure is all mine, and please just call me Zechs."
"It's a pleasure, and no need for formalities, Noin will do."
Anna smiled in return and led them over to the dining table that was now aligned with numerous plates of breakfast foods. Everyone was busy listening to the married couple discuss their findings and progress on their latest project, as well as conversing about the latest news from Preventors. By the time they had eaten their fill, a butler arrived, informing them that their steeds and picnic lunch had been prepared, and were awaiting them at the stable.
"WOO HOO! PICNIC!" Duo jumped up, followed by his other comrades. They walked to the stables, where each person was assigned their horse.
"Aw, look at them Relena they're just adorable." Hilde patted her Thoroughbred's neck, causing it to nibble at her hair affectionately.
"Eek! Haha! Hey, cut it out!" She giggled in delight. Relena laughed at her silly friend.
"Yeah cut it out! Only I'm allowed to do that!" Duo's horse trotted forward at his master's command, allowing him to take Hilde's horse by the reigns, holding it steady.
"Thanks Duo." She smiled at him, walking over to the saddle. She settled herself on her seat and patted her chocolate brown horse's neck.
"Sorry about that Cinnamon, he gets s little jealous sometimes." She teased all the while looking at Duo, who made a face in return.
Relena had no trouble with her appaloosa, nor did Heero his dark mustang that stood still and stern, snorting angrily at Duo's palomino every time it bumped into him playfully. Trowa, a natural animal magnet, seated himself without a word, his American albino as quite and calm as its rider. Quatre's gentle golden Arabian snorted at Dorothy's electric Belgian warmblood, who constantly tried nipping at it. Middie and Sally watched from their pintos, as Wufei grumbled at his quarter horse, who kept trying to bite the Chinese man's ankles. (AN hee hee vicious beasties). Zechs and Noin both received percherons, one black and one gray, while Anna and Catherine mounted clydesdales. The picnic packages were tied on to a thoroughbred, which Anna led by the reigns, next to her own horse.
"Quite a variety of horses you have here. Do you breed them all yourself?" Trowa asked in amusement.
"No. Most of them were sent in from other locations. Here we breed mostly thoroughbreds, appaloosa's, and American albino's." Anna petted the thoroughbred carrying the packages as a servant tightened its saddle load. "Well then shall we get going? The picnic spot is three hours away. We can make stops along the way; there are lots of waterfalls and rivers to check out."
And with that, they all embarked on the three-hour trail to the lunch spot. Their first track took them through a vast field, blanketed with green grass dancing with the flowing breeze. It was a sunny day, several cottony clouds floated in the sky casting tiny shadows across the land. Green trees and flowers could be seen in every direction and their trail became a stream of shadows and sunspots as they entered the heavily wooded bamboo forest. Everyone observed the serenity as they passed through, though the girls would begin chatting and giggling once on a while. Heero, who was riding near the end of the group, was enjoying the scenery himself, even though he found Relena's avoidance of him slightly bothersome. His eyes caught Zechs slowing down in front and placing himself by Heero's side.
"Nothing out of the ordinary while you were here?" Zechs kept his voice low, making sure that none of the women would hear.
"Nothing yet."
"Hm, good." He began to quicken his pace to resume his spot by Noin, but was stopped by Heero's added comment.
"Though there is a certain individual we should keep an eye out for."
Zechs looked at him with a questioning gaze.
"I caught him stalking us twice yesterday."
His eyes hardened in what seemed to be slight hints of anger.
"His attention was directed towards Relena."
Zechs felt sudden uneasiness and fury. He swore he would not let anyone ruin his little sister's long deserved vacation, and this last bit of news was not too pleasing to hear.
"Possible assassin?" Zechs questioned, fearing the worst.
"Not sure. More like perverted stalker if you ask me."
Milliardo looked at the younger man whose face had now become as unreadable as a stone.
"Did you get a good look at him?"
"Yeah, mid twenties. Dark blonde hair, brown eyes, scar above his left brow. About 6"2.Haven't run an identity check on him yet, have to find some access to a computer with ISP (Identity Search Program)." (AN. I made it up...well come on! Its not like he could go finding the life stories of people off the Internet or something.)
This last bit of information was slightly funny to Zechs, since he had known Heero Yuy to never travel far from home without his trusty mechanism.
"You can borrow my laptop. I'll hand it over as soon as we get back." He smirked, knowing the younger soldier felt slightly embarrassed accepting his help. "Did he make any open threats?"
"Just one. Said if it's a fight I want it's a fight I'll get...but I shouldn't count on winning next time because he would have me outnumbered." Heero repeated those poisonous words with his usual stoic face and monotone.
Zechs gave him a twisted look.
"A fight? You didn't attack the guy did you?"
"Hn."
The blonde frowned.
"Your suppose to remain inconspicuous."
Heero said nothing, eyes frozen on the trail and landscape before him.
TBC...
vvvvvvvvvv
Ok, ok before you rant about the cliché 'Relena heals Heero' scene, let me just say, I couldn't help myself 'over happy smile' I'm such a sap.
I'm not very informed about horse breeds, so I had to look them up (tried to match each horses personality with its owner but I couldn't find a personality for all of them. Why you ask? I don't know, I just felt like it.) Anyway sorry if there are any horse fanatics who are cursing me for making a mistake. Heh heh...eep don't hurt me! 'huddles in corner'
PLEASE REVIEW!!
CLICK V V
I don't own Gundam Wing.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvv
He wanted to strangle himself...no...shoot himself...yes much faster. He couldn't believe he let his emotions get the best of him. He couldn't help himself, the rage that burned inside him at every word the man spoke about her. How the stranger's eyes and thoughts wandered into areas he had himself marked forbidden. So it was only natural for him to be disgusted and all out furious enough to knock some sense into the psychotic stalker. He had let his feelings lash out at the civilian instead of keeping them bottled inside as usual.
'Great, I picked out a fight with a civilian, the people Relena protects with all her power. God I'm a mess.'
The cold night air danced across his flustered cheeks as he walked towards the mansion. He wasn't ready to turn in just yet so he decided to enter the main garden and calm down a bit.
'The nerve of that guy. I should have pummeled him a real good one when I got the chance.'
His fists clenched at the mere memory of the stranger. It had been a while since he ever felt such rage, and he knew he was beginning to lose control of his feelings.
'How is she doing this to me?'
He stopped to stare at the night sky. The serenity of it all captivated him as he gazed at the liter of sparkling jewels scattered messily on a cloak of darkness. Each shining with such exuberance only an angel could muster. He felt himself drowning in that sea of shadows and suddenly all felt at ease. The thought of being down beneath its black coat, unseen by others so that he wouldn't have to confront them about the events that took place earlier slowed his heart's pace.
'Coward.' His conscious was not so merciless, as it dragged him out of his dreamlike gaze. Suddenly he remembered the way the man smiled, almost like a snake, ready to strike its next victim.
- If it's a fight you want it's a fight you'll get...but don't count on winning next time because I assure you that you will be outnumbered-
His words echoed through the chambers of his mind, as if he was working hard to solve an impossible riddle. There was no secrecy in his statement; it was just an empty threat, one he knew he would have to look out for. Whoever this man was, he did not know much about, and that itself was a big security risk. Any sane man would have run at the mere glance of Heero's gaze, but this one held his ground and fired back with equal violence. This vacation was indeed going to turn out different than he had hoped for, and he realized that Relena was in a greater danger than he had first assumed.
Heero walked through the extensive garden, now lit by soft moonlight. The petals of the rose bushes glistened like pearls glazed with a most holy light. He walked aimlessly, wounds already numb from the lack of care. He sat down at the edge of a fountain and gazed at his reflection. There were blotches of dried blood all over his face, under his eyes, at the corner of his mouth. A cut on his forehead was still fresh with moist blood. And he still felt the numbness of his arm, remembering how shards of glass had sliced at his skin, right through his newly borrowed shirt.
'Damn I look like hell.'
He could just imagine Relena come up to him in a furious manner over his actions and soften at the mere sight of his injuries. That's the kind of person she was. Ready to treat the wounded all the while guiding them. Such care and mercy, but such strength. He shuddered at the thought of anything damaging her fragile ways, but he knew that her stubbornness had no limit, and she was just as strong as she was emotional. Quite a complicated person, but that made her seem even more desirable.
He sat there for what felt like forever before his body resumed motion and gathered itself to head towards his room. He hoped he wouldn't meet anyone in the halls just yet, not until morning. He would definitely have to apologize to Anna for the mess he made, along with everyone else.
vvvvv
'ding dong'
Relena pressed the doorbell to Heero's room for the third time. She had heard nothing from him since he stormed out of the club and she was beginning to worry about his whereabouts, as well as his condition. She felt an armrest on her shoulder and turned around to see Duo. She smiled at him in acknowledgement.
"Hey babe, still trying to get him to come out? You know, I don't even think he's in there." He said scratching the back of his head.
"I know, I was just making sure. No luck though."
"Hey don't sweat it, he's fine. A few scratches won't hurt that guy. He just needs some time to cool off and until he's ready to talk about what he has to say, I think its best we leave him alone."
Relena smiled at his words and nodded..
"Trust me, I'm speaking from experience. Every time I nag him about something nonstop, I end up going home with a blue eye. And to tell you the truth, it ain't too pleasant!"
"Learned your lesson eventually though huh?"
"Heh heh luckily. But still, sometimes you gotta push him a little so he can let it out."
"Thanks Duo I'll try and remember that."
"Hey, just letting you know. Seeing that you're probably the only person he'd truly open up to, its best to stay on his good side." She smiled at his childish wink and threw her arms around him in a hug.
"Thank you Duo."
"No problem. Sleep tight princess."
"Goodnight."
With a small salute, he marched off back to his room at the end of the hallway. She stood there watching his form until it was out of her eyesight. Sighing she turned to heads toward her room but came face to face with a very bloody and mangled Heero Yuy.
She gasped in surprise as his eyes looked into hers sternly, evidently telling her to move aside. Yet she refused to back down for the moment.
"Heero are you alright? You look like horrible."
Her eyes traveled over him, looking carefully at every wound. She reached to move away the bangs that were hiding a half visible cut, but his hand caught her wrist halfway.
"What do you want?" His tone was cold and firm, as was the grip he held over her wrist.
"I-I just wanted to talk to you, see if you were alright."
"Hn"
He took out his room key and unlocked the door, swinging it wide open. She watched him enter halfway then stop and look back, holding the door open with his shoulder.
"Well? Are you coming in or what?"
She was completely shocked by his question, though her face remained calm.
'Is Heero Yuy actually inviting me in? He must have hit his head harder than I thought.'
Heero watched her enter and walk into the bathroom, presumably looking for a first-aid kit.
"If your planning on talking about what happened tonight you might as well forget about it."
'Why am I inviting her in? Didn't I just want to avoid everyone till morning? Well, too late to turn back now.
"That's fine." She replied from her place in the bathroom.
He walked into the bedroom and his eyes caught his reflection in the full-length mirror. He really did look horrible, cuts and bruises lined his body, covered with torn clothes. He heard her fidgeting in the bathroom, but began walking towards one of the comfy chairs in the middle and sat down, slowly beginning to take of his shoes. His arm began biting with a sharp pain and the sight of Relena coming in with a first aid kit ran relief through his whole body.
He watched as she approached him, determination in her step. Sitting down on the armrest next to him, she observed him keenly from her slightly elevated view. He reached for the box, but she stopped his arm from advancing further.
"Don't move, I'll take care of it. You'll only hurt yourself more if you shift too much."
He didn't bother rebelling, partly because he was too exhausted to and also because he slightly enjoyed having her take care of him. Ok, so maybe he enjoyed it a lot.
She began by cleaning the dried blood on his face with a wet towel, careful as to not go over the clotted wounds. Next she soaked a cotton ball with alcohol and gently rubbed it over the several cuts on his face. He felt the sting of the healing liquid, but ignored it, regaining concentration on her gentle movements and close proximity. He could feel her breath fanning the side of his face in a rhythmic manner, bringing his attention to her rosy lips. As he watched her work, Relena brought out bandages to secure over the cuts. Luckily they weren't deep enough to require stitching, and she easily patched them up.
Next she looked towards his arm, which was painted with dry blood.
"You'll have to take off your shirt."
He obeyed her and stood up to remove the blood soaked cloth, revealing his well built upper body and flexing muscles. Relena stared as he walked to throw the shirt in the laundry basket, though he doubted much could be done to save its mangled appearance. He turned in time to see her gaping at him and smirked in return. Snapping out of her dream-state, she motioned to the chair, forcefully pulling her eyes away from his addictive appearance.
He sat back down and she immediately began working, first removing every shard she located. The cuts were so spread out that at one point she had to position herself in his lap to reach some of the pieces. He was of course enjoying this, while she was trying to stay focused and ignore the fact that she was practically in his lap, on his shirtless body...He watched her as she worked, hypnotized by her every movement. Her arm was now touching his exposed chest, sending chills through his body. He was trying hard to resist the powerful temptation to engulf her in his arms and bring her closer to him...
"There, you're all patched up! Just don't move your arm too much or some of those cuts might reopen."
She got up at an almost sudden pace, and went to the bathroom to put the kit back, all the while avoiding his gaze. She felt her cheeks burning and she sure as hell didn't want him to notice the effects he had on her.
Heero shifted his arm slightly, looking over the very well applied bandages. Though slightly sore, his arm was now void of much of the pain from before. All he needed now was a warm shower and some sleep. Keeping the bandages from getting soaked might be a bit of a challenge but he was up for it. Getting up, he walked to the bathroom where Relena was now exiting. Their bodies came to a halt 5 inches away from each other at the bathroom door, eyes now locked in contact. Her violet orbs twirled with emotions he could not deduce at the moment, as they flashed one after another. Suddenly a faded texture covered her eyes... sadness.
She broke her gaze and her head sunk slightly to the side, looking away.
"I was really worried about you today..."
Inside he felt a sensation of mild shock, followed by the sudden desire to hold her tight and never let go. To keep her away from any worry or pain she should ever encounter. Seeing her like this made his heart drop, splashing in his gut. Yet, he ignored these churning thoughts and continued staring at her. Eyes softening ever so slightly.
"Was it him Heero? The same person who was outside the restaurant? I felt something when I was sitting there, a feeling like I was being watched."
His gaze regained its hardness at the mention of the incident. She had ignored his request and managed to bring it up. Relena truly was a politician, but Heero was in no mood to play games.
"You should go, it's getting late."
His sudden coldness startled her, as he brushed past her to turn on the bath water.
"Something's wrong I know it. You'd never snap that easily over an argument, especially over a complete stranger."
"And you know me so well to assume that?" He was beginning to get annoyed and sarcasm dripped in his tone.
"Hmph, maybe we'd all know you a little better if you'd just talk to us. You're always hiding something Heero and I know it's eating at you. Please I want to help, we all do, you can't keep carrying everything on your shoulders alone."
"And why not?" He snapped back, turning away to adjust the water.
".....Because its hurting you." She looked at him angrily, tone more forceful than before. Her head sunk lower, eyes staring at the tiles on the floor. "...it's hurting all of us...its killing me..." It was practically inaudible, but he still felt the words stab at his heart, as if they had been carved into his chest. She turned and walked out, heading towards the living room door. He stood in his spot for a moment, letting it all sink in. He snapped back suddenly and dashed out after her.
"Relena wait!"
The living room door closed and she was nowhere in sight. He was too late.
Letting out a deep sigh, he ran his fingers through his messier than usual hair and leaned his back on the wall. Did his seclusion hurt her that much? Was it wearing down on his friends as he held on to all his burdens to deal with himself? He had opened up over the years, sharing things he never even thought about to himself before. But whenever they would lend a helping hand he would shut them out completely. He just felt it unnecessary to get the innocent involved, as he had done during the war.
He moved sluggishly towards the shower. Problems just kept on piling up and he wasn't sure how much more he could take on this so-called 'vacation'. He was in on it all by himself anyway.
vvvvvvvvvvv
Back in Duo's room...
"Yo Trowa, did you hook up the tape?"
"All done Duo, where's Quatre?"
"On his way." Duo entered the room with a few drinks. Wufei, who was leaning on the wall, came closer as Trowa began rewinding the tape.
"Jeez, this place has everything. Who ever thought VCR's were in use anymore." Duo gulped down some more cool liquid before turning his attention to the blonde who casually walked in through the door.
"Sorry I'm late guys, Dorothy was trying to find some yellow sandals and she wouldn't let me out until I helped her find it." He blushed at his excuse.
Trowa smirked and motioned him to take a seat. The tape finished rewinding and everyone gathered around, eyes bearing into the screen. Trowa pressed the play button and they watched carefully as the stranger made his way next to Heero. It seemed that the pilot showed no interest at first, until something the man said caught his attention. Within moments Heero had him by the collar, raising him several inches off the floor.
"Damn he looks pissed..." Duo watched intently as Heero struck the man, who lunged back after gathering himself up. "Woo! Go Heero!"
Wufei looked at the braided pilot in irritation.
"Silence fool."
Duo stuck his tongue out at the Chinese man before resuming watching the video. Trowa stopped it right after the smoke bomb was set, and turned to the others.
"So, what do you think?"
"I think Yuy should avoid beating up complete strangers." Wufei said in annoyance.
"Come on Wufei, you know he had a good reason for it. Since when has Heero been one to stir up unwanted attention?" Quatre's words were truthful, and Wufei couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for misunderstanding his comrade.
"I think we might be heading for a little bit of trouble here. We should keep an eye out, until Heero actually tells us what's going on." Trowa deduced, turning to Duo who seemed to nod in agreement.
"Ya, he'll tell us soon enough, but I have a feeling I know what its about."
The others looked at the braided man quizzically.
"Don't give me that look! C'mon, what is Heero so protective of ? Something that makes him loose control of his emotions? Hello? Anyone!?"
"Are you saying he got in a fight with someone who was admiring Relena?" Wufei stated not amused.
"Admired, eyed, threatened, looked at, whatever! Its all the same to him." Duo threw back his arms over his head, sinking into his comfy couch.
"He may have a point, and if its true then I think there may be more than just security getting tighter..." Quatre smiled as he looked at his fellow companions before continuing. "I think Heero may actually start realizing his true feelings for her, and hopefully do something about it."
All the faces in the room broke into evil smiles...
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
The sun had barely begun to light the night sky, and Heero was already up and dressed. His sleep had been restless, so it was no use going back to bed. Instead he threw on some clothes and headed out for a walk around the mansion before breakfast. Having memorized the place (just another one of his security measure habits) he had no problem getting around. The outside hallways were lined with small lamps and endless paintings. Some of the passages were lit by dim sunlight, coming from the large windows that took the place of walls. This gave him a perfect view of the ocean, tides calm and misty blue.
His walk led him to an enormous room filled with exotic furniture and a set of windows forming one of the walls. Behind the glass Heero saw the backyard patio and the trail leading to the beach. Elegantly designed glass doors opened up to the outside and just beside them he saw a figure of a female standing, staring out into the sea.
Seeing his reflection from the window, the woman turned around and smiled.
"Good morning Heero"
He nodded to Anna and walked over to the window, enjoying the closer view of the ocean.
"Today's going to be a beautiful day I just know it."
He looked over at her dreamlike gaze, as her eyes rolled onto all the features outside. He felt a sudden guilt weigh down in his gut, and remembered the apology he owed her. She had treated them so hospitably, and yet he had gone ahead and caused a mess in return. Apologizing wasn't included in his long list of skills but he figured he had to try.
"I-I wanted to apologize about what happened yesterday. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble." He kept his eyes locked on the crashing waves as he said this. It was already hard enough to say it, and looking her straight in the face wouldn't help out any more.
She looked over at him, slightly amazed by his rare and generous words, a beautiful smile stretched across her glowing features.
"It's alright Heero, we're just glad you weren't badly hurt."
"I can pay for the damage, it's no problem."
"No, no Charlie said he would take care of it. I'm sorry if he was a bit rough, he gets like that sometimes when it comes to his club. He worked very hard to get it up and running after the war."
Heero looked at her quizzically.
"He was a soldier during the war, graduated form the military academy before joining OZ. He was in the factors that started the assault on the Allied forces, before the Gundams came down."
Her features softened, sadness seeping in from her past memories.
"We were close friends before it all happened. Went to high school together, started dating as juniors and stayed together until senior year finished. I remember how we would always go surfing at night, it was so pleasant though a little risky, but we would never mind. No one else would be around and we would just enjoy our time together. Everyone called us the night sharks because of that."
'Hn. That explains the club's name.' Heero continued listening intently.
"He followed his plans to go to a military academy, so we grew rather distant, but he promised he'd come back for me once he graduated. But he was recruited for an operation, the one to attack the Allied Forces, and before I knew it, we lost communication completely."
Her eyes started tearing up, and Heero couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Charlie was an OZ soldier, one he could have easily killed like the others, and shattered this poor girls heart into pieces. How many people lost their loved ones to his hands, he wondered.
"Those were the hardest times for me, not knowing if he was alive or dead, whether he had forgotten me. I prayed every night, I cried and prayed he'd make it out alive. And then came the news of father's death and Quatre's disappearance. I was so lost, so hurt. I didn't know what to do anymore. Charlie was all I had left, and I fought to keep my faith in him alive. I searched every database on any news I could find but it was hopeless. Too many casualties, so many unidentified bodies. All I could do was wait, and I did."
She looked up at Heero with such sincerity and her smile displayed such thankfulness.
"Then you Gundam pilots finally ended the war. And a few weeks later, I heard a knock at the door and opened it to find him standing there, staring at me, features much rougher than before but nonetheless Charlie. He had changed, war does that to you, but he still held a large part of his old self. He dedicated everything to rebuilding his life again, and sharing it with me. That's why he opened the club NightShark, after our little nickname, a business of his own. We took things slowly after that; there was some conflict because of his changed ways. He hid a lot from me, and never talked about his experiences. I didn't force him to, but I gradually nudged him a little to open up and slowly he did. I can tell he regretted many of the things he had done, and followed orders he rather had not. As if he wished he never joined OZ.We've become so much closer after that, it's like he needs me for his sanity and I need to him to keep breathing."
Heero stared at her with a solid expression, though his mind was whirling with thoughts and emotions her story brought up. She looked at him and giggled slightly, knocking him away from the many voices buzzing in his head.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to keep babbling, but it kind of makes me feel better when I talk about it."
He looked at her softly and smirked.
"Don't worry about it."
"You're a great listener, must be a great comfort to your friends huh?"
His expression saddened at her comment, remembering the argument he had with Relena before...
-...it's hurting all of us...it's killing me ...-
She noticed his uneasiness, but before she could speak the doorbell echoed through the house.
"Oh! That must be Mr.Milliardo and Mrs. Noin!"
She rushed out of the room towards the door, Heero following behind. When they got there the rest of the guest were already down and gathered by the door where Milliardo and Noin stood. Relena ran up and hugged the two greeting them with excitement. They all turned to see Heero and Anna walk in. Zechs nodded at Heero in acknowledgement, as did Heero in return. There was a mutual understanding and respect between them, though they weren't the closest of friends.
"Oh Zechs, Noin, this is my sister, Anna."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Milliardo, Mrs. Noin."
Noin and Milliardo smiled politely at the woman who was exactly their age and shook hands.
"The pleasure is all mine, and please just call me Zechs."
"It's a pleasure, and no need for formalities, Noin will do."
Anna smiled in return and led them over to the dining table that was now aligned with numerous plates of breakfast foods. Everyone was busy listening to the married couple discuss their findings and progress on their latest project, as well as conversing about the latest news from Preventors. By the time they had eaten their fill, a butler arrived, informing them that their steeds and picnic lunch had been prepared, and were awaiting them at the stable.
"WOO HOO! PICNIC!" Duo jumped up, followed by his other comrades. They walked to the stables, where each person was assigned their horse.
"Aw, look at them Relena they're just adorable." Hilde patted her Thoroughbred's neck, causing it to nibble at her hair affectionately.
"Eek! Haha! Hey, cut it out!" She giggled in delight. Relena laughed at her silly friend.
"Yeah cut it out! Only I'm allowed to do that!" Duo's horse trotted forward at his master's command, allowing him to take Hilde's horse by the reigns, holding it steady.
"Thanks Duo." She smiled at him, walking over to the saddle. She settled herself on her seat and patted her chocolate brown horse's neck.
"Sorry about that Cinnamon, he gets s little jealous sometimes." She teased all the while looking at Duo, who made a face in return.
Relena had no trouble with her appaloosa, nor did Heero his dark mustang that stood still and stern, snorting angrily at Duo's palomino every time it bumped into him playfully. Trowa, a natural animal magnet, seated himself without a word, his American albino as quite and calm as its rider. Quatre's gentle golden Arabian snorted at Dorothy's electric Belgian warmblood, who constantly tried nipping at it. Middie and Sally watched from their pintos, as Wufei grumbled at his quarter horse, who kept trying to bite the Chinese man's ankles. (AN hee hee vicious beasties). Zechs and Noin both received percherons, one black and one gray, while Anna and Catherine mounted clydesdales. The picnic packages were tied on to a thoroughbred, which Anna led by the reigns, next to her own horse.
"Quite a variety of horses you have here. Do you breed them all yourself?" Trowa asked in amusement.
"No. Most of them were sent in from other locations. Here we breed mostly thoroughbreds, appaloosa's, and American albino's." Anna petted the thoroughbred carrying the packages as a servant tightened its saddle load. "Well then shall we get going? The picnic spot is three hours away. We can make stops along the way; there are lots of waterfalls and rivers to check out."
And with that, they all embarked on the three-hour trail to the lunch spot. Their first track took them through a vast field, blanketed with green grass dancing with the flowing breeze. It was a sunny day, several cottony clouds floated in the sky casting tiny shadows across the land. Green trees and flowers could be seen in every direction and their trail became a stream of shadows and sunspots as they entered the heavily wooded bamboo forest. Everyone observed the serenity as they passed through, though the girls would begin chatting and giggling once on a while. Heero, who was riding near the end of the group, was enjoying the scenery himself, even though he found Relena's avoidance of him slightly bothersome. His eyes caught Zechs slowing down in front and placing himself by Heero's side.
"Nothing out of the ordinary while you were here?" Zechs kept his voice low, making sure that none of the women would hear.
"Nothing yet."
"Hm, good." He began to quicken his pace to resume his spot by Noin, but was stopped by Heero's added comment.
"Though there is a certain individual we should keep an eye out for."
Zechs looked at him with a questioning gaze.
"I caught him stalking us twice yesterday."
His eyes hardened in what seemed to be slight hints of anger.
"His attention was directed towards Relena."
Zechs felt sudden uneasiness and fury. He swore he would not let anyone ruin his little sister's long deserved vacation, and this last bit of news was not too pleasing to hear.
"Possible assassin?" Zechs questioned, fearing the worst.
"Not sure. More like perverted stalker if you ask me."
Milliardo looked at the younger man whose face had now become as unreadable as a stone.
"Did you get a good look at him?"
"Yeah, mid twenties. Dark blonde hair, brown eyes, scar above his left brow. About 6"2.Haven't run an identity check on him yet, have to find some access to a computer with ISP (Identity Search Program)." (AN. I made it up...well come on! Its not like he could go finding the life stories of people off the Internet or something.)
This last bit of information was slightly funny to Zechs, since he had known Heero Yuy to never travel far from home without his trusty mechanism.
"You can borrow my laptop. I'll hand it over as soon as we get back." He smirked, knowing the younger soldier felt slightly embarrassed accepting his help. "Did he make any open threats?"
"Just one. Said if it's a fight I want it's a fight I'll get...but I shouldn't count on winning next time because he would have me outnumbered." Heero repeated those poisonous words with his usual stoic face and monotone.
Zechs gave him a twisted look.
"A fight? You didn't attack the guy did you?"
"Hn."
The blonde frowned.
"Your suppose to remain inconspicuous."
Heero said nothing, eyes frozen on the trail and landscape before him.
TBC...
vvvvvvvvvv
Ok, ok before you rant about the cliché 'Relena heals Heero' scene, let me just say, I couldn't help myself 'over happy smile' I'm such a sap.
I'm not very informed about horse breeds, so I had to look them up (tried to match each horses personality with its owner but I couldn't find a personality for all of them. Why you ask? I don't know, I just felt like it.) Anyway sorry if there are any horse fanatics who are cursing me for making a mistake. Heh heh...eep don't hurt me! 'huddles in corner'
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