Author's Note: The third piece of the entire document. More to come. R&R muchly appreciated!
Italics: Characters' thoughts or foreign words.
Warnings: OC main character. Stuff that looks like Relena-bashing, but isn't.
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. (Sigh...) Except for Wing; she's mine. The story's mine, too, so if you want to post it anywhere else, ask or I will be forced to hunt you down and assault you with Vogon poetry.
Last Waltz
Part 1: Wing Gundam Zero
Chapter 3: Early Visitor
Wing sat bolt upright, suddenly and uncomfortably back in her body. How…why…she's two hours early!
"Heero, don't you remember our date at eight tonight?" She continued, oblivious to Wing's thoughts, "I just came by to visit until our shuttle is ready!"
Mind still whirling, the Gundam cringed. Remember? It was impossible to forget. Relena had taken to reminding them of it on a daily basis. This "date" was an official function for the Cinq Kingdom, and part of Relena's World Pacifism campaign. As the first step of her master plan, she had invited the warlords of fractured New Tanzania to one of Earth's most opulent restaurants to hash out a peace treaty over a formal six-course meal.
The World Nation Government had declared the War over and world peace restored immediately after Marimaia's surrender. But in truth, the peace was no more global than the President was more than a figurehead. Many nations were still embroiled in vicious wars. Fighting those wars without Mobile Suits, yes, since the factories had been shut down. But the lack of Mobile Suits hardly bothered them, or kept countries' governments from eyeing their neighbors as sources of new territory and resources.
Without the extensive network of treaties and alliances Relena had brokered, the Cinq Kingdom was pathetically defenseless against enemy invasion. New Tanzania, especially, had been hovering too close to Cinq's borders for anyone's comfort. Relena knew damn well she had to build the peace from a position of power…and Heero was a convenient trump card. No one had forgotten his successful single-man assault on the Presidential Residence in A.C. 196. And four years later, he was still an intimidating man. New Tanzania would respect his strength—or at least, his potential to do them great harm. Bringing Heero to this dinner was therefore convenient, not only because of the good it would do Cinq during the signing of the treaties, but because Relena had an absolutely valid excuse to get close to Heero that would leave none the wiser to a teenage crush only grown stronger over the years.
Relena's political supporters fully approved of her savvy escort choice. They knew that with Heero and the other Gundam pilots backing Relena, the leaders of the other nations wouldn't dare break the peace. Relena's political strength was growing as she got older, and having Heero as her personal bodyguard was proving to be a way of rapidly boosting her public approval rating. If this dinner was successful, Cinq would get the protection from New Tanzania it desperately needed and Relena would again be lauded for her brilliant politics.
Wing had dutifully stepped aside, as she always did. She'd fought hard for that peace, died for it, and she'd be damned if she wouldn't move aside for Relena tonight simply because the Vice Prime Minister had more than altruistic reasons to hang on Heero's arm. If Relena wanted Wing's pilot, she'd have him…if only for the dinner. Heero would never, could never, give her more. His heart was all ready focused on another.
Relena tapped on the door again, a little louder, when Heero still failed to respond. Wing struggled to keep her face impassive as she fought off dismay that lacked a visible source. She turned to her pilot, hoping he would know why Relena was at the door so soon.
"Why is she so early?"
Heero pitched his voice low enough that Relena couldn't hear it through the door. "You think I know everything the damned woman thinks?"
"But…" Wing let the words die, but finished the thought in her head, where he was certain not to hear it. But you have to know. She shares everything with you. So why would she be here if she hadn't consulted you first?
The Gundam rumbled low in her throat as the repressed memory of a strange phone conversation with Relena, three weeks before, inopportunely surfaced. And immediately, Wing grasped the reasoning and mechanics behind Relena's premature arrival. Relena had tried to get Wing out of the way so she could have the hour or so before the flight to Earth alone with Heero. Tonight she was going to try to seduce Wing's pilot, and fulfill a dream she'd been entertaining since the day the two had met. The revelation, like great, lead weight, tied itself to Wing's stomach and dragged it down.
"How are we going to handle this, sir?" She asked instead, throat suddenly dry.
Heero didn't respond, and Wing felt the first twinges of real fear shudder down her spine.
Years before Heero had agreed to appear with Relena in public, both for the good of her country, which had valiantly sheltered him from enemy eyes for most of the first War, and the peace he'd worked so hard to gain. He was compelled by his strict code of honor to repay the Cinq Kingdom's courage and dedication; and Relena, as its sovereign ruler, had everything to do with this obligation. However, it was in tribute to her people, not for the sake of her love, that Heero had taken staggering amounts of abuse for her in the past.
Relena didn't understand this. The princess-diplomat been enamored of Heero for years, and took his protectiveness as a sign of his affection. In the years since Wing's destruction Heero had grown from a striking boy into a heart-breakingly beautiful man, and no straight woman on this Colony had failed to notice it. Every week packages appeared on his doorstep—hand-made suits from the Colonies' best couturières, expensive colognes, home décor items, flowers, and lately, chocolates—mostly from Relena, tokens of her love. He refused all of it, whether the packages came from Relena or not. He was polite and distant and nothing more when he spoke with her. But still Relena chased him, and no other girl was as persistent as she was. She was obsessed with making the ex-Gundam pilot and the person first in Wing's heart "hers" unconditionally.
And if Heero didn't want her? Why, as unlikely as that scenario was, the remedy was obvious…she'd simply twist Heero's oath of honor, the same way he twisted assassins' arms. Wing remembered Relena's smile as she explained, "…It's either that or kill me, and I know I'm too important a figure to be his target anymore…"
But her persistence was beginning to grate on even Heero's steel nerves. The announcement of Heero's duty selection months before this dinner came back to Wing. The Gundam had to marvel at how perfectly arranged Relena's dangerous little subplot had been, and was equally forced to applaud the girl's dogged persistence. For five years she'd been chasing Heero, and for five years the mercenary had avoided, shrugged off, and even flat-out refused her advances with a patience and grace Wing had yet to master.
But Wing also knew Heero was human, and his patience had limits. Playing Relena's lover for the sake of world peace was one thing. Making good on the façade was nowhere in his plans.