Title: Cherry Blossom 4/13
Author: Haruka
Disclaimer: I don't own GW.
Pairing: 1?
Rating: R
Warning: OOC, AU, angst, sap
Note: Thanks to my great beta silver-eyed! Enjoy and please read & gimmy feedback!
( ) means they are speaking in Japanese.
They arrived at the newly built restaurant where the press was already swelling and attention-hungry politicians and such hogged the cameras. Heero got out of the Cadillac and he turned around to help Ayako out as well. They hurried inside to avoid the lesser known media and bystanders.
Inside the restaurant, a sea of guests, media and socialites waited for them. People cleared a path for the kimono-clad couple as they made their way to the small stage. Heero walked up to the microphones, still holding a shy Ayako's hand.
"Thank you all for coming," he started. After a few more words explaining about the restaurant, he then proceeded to answer many questions about the new restaurant. Then came the question he was waiting for.
"So who's the young lady?" A reporter asked. Heero smirked at the reporter, and he turned to Ayako, pulling her closer.
"This is my beautiful fiancée," he announced, making Ayako blush and timidly tried to hide behind him. "I am also giving her this restaurant as a wedding gift, and she will choose how this restaurant is run, and which cuisine she'd like for this place," he continued, surprising everyone, especially Ayako.
She looked up at him confused, he just smiled at her. Many of the reporters had more questions, but Heero had already told the hired DJ to start the music. The chosen music was of a slow waltz. Heero took Ayako to the dance floor and gently held her in his arms and started to dance. "Husband, this gift is too much..." Ayako started. Heero silenced her with an intense look.
"Ayako, I want you to have this," he told her with no room for her to refuse. Ayako smiled and nodded. They danced in a lovely, elegant way, almost in a trance with each other for close to an hour. Many other couples had joined them on the dance floor. Eventually, Heero took Ayako to mingle and introduced her to his acquaintances.
Then once again, they returned to the dance floor. "You look amazing tonight... so beautiful," Heero murmured, making Ayako blush wildly. "Ayako... " he began, she looked up at him.
"May I kiss you?" he asked. She quickly looked away shyly and turned even redder in the face, then finally, she nodded. Heero's hand came up to caress her face. He gently tilted her head up towards him. She looked up at him and slowly closed her eyes. Heero continued to caress her soft cheek a bit longer, then he lowered his lips to hers. Ayako tasted sweet, like raspberries. Wanting more of her taste, he slowly deepened the kiss, which Ayako slowly, but gladly responded to. Slowly they parted, eyes lingering on each other's lips, and they continued to dance.
Ayako smiled then laid her head against Heero's shoulder as they danced. Her dreamy expression was interrupted by a voice.
"Excuse me, can I cut in?"
Heero and Ayako turned to see violet eyes looking at them. Heero immediately glared at the intruder.
"Ayako, this is Duo Maxwell, a friend of mine," Heero said curtly. She gracefully bowed. Duo, ignoring his friend's death glare, playfully pushed Heero aside.
"You don't mind if I dance with your sexy fiancée, do you?" Duo said, already starting to dance with Ayako who looked amused. Heero silently grounded his teeth, not wanting to share Ayako, even if it was his best friend. He went off the dance floor and was watching them dance when he felt a presence next to him.
"Well, well, don't you look adorable? Did she make you wear that?" The annoying voice said, sarcastically.
"What do you want Relena?" He asked, irritated. Darn it, he had forgotten that if Duo was here, she'd be here too. The victim of Heero's countless mental tortures, aka Relena, stepped closer to him, pressing herself against his arm.
"You look lonely, perhaps I can keep you busy while my hubby entertains your... bride," she suggested slyly.
"Relena, I will never be interested in you. And Duo needs to work at what you call your marriage," he snapped, then walked away. He didn't like her hounding him and he didn't like watching Duo make Ayako laugh either. Duo was a friend but when it came to women it was a different story. He and his wife didn't mind the other having affairs which Heero didn't agree with in the least.
He made himself turn from the dancing Ayako and Duo and found familiar faces and started to chat with them. He managed to understand some of what they were saying but his attention, despite his best efforts, kept darting back to his bride and his friend.
An hour or so later, Heero, Ayako and a few invited guest went on their way to Heero's home for the after party.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Heero asked Ayako.
"Yes.. it's different," she said, smiling at him. He smiled back and took her hand and kissed it, holding it till they reached their home. There were about 20 people at the after party. Heero had catered food and a full bar for the guests. Everyone mingled and was having a good time. Heero stayed away from the hard liquor and talked with friends, Ayako sticking next to him.
"Husband? May I perform something for you and your friends?" Ayako asked shyly.
"Of course, do you need help? What is it that you want to perform?" He asked turning towards her.
"Shamisen," she said, then excused herself. Moments later, she returned downstairs with a 3-stringed musical instrument. Heero had told everyone to watch the performance. He sat down on the sofa and watched as Ayako sat in the seiza formal kneeling position and rested the do on her right leg and held the instrument in place with her right arm. She then held the sao with her left hand with the plectrum in her right hand. She started to play with forceful strokes that not only pluck the strings but hit the wood of the body of the instrument to produce a percussive sound.
She played beautifully, holding the guest captive at this rare sight in America. Heero watched intently. She was so beautiful, everything she did was beautiful to him. She was gentle, yet strong in her playing. Once she finished playing and bowed, applause was heard across the room. Again Ayako excused herself, putting away her instrument, then returned to Heero's side.
"That was very enchanting," he told her, caressing her cheek. She smiled and placed her hand over his. The moment was again lost when the voice interrupted them.
"Hey guys, Ayako baby, you're amazing. Would you mind dancing with me again?" Duo asked, wiggling his eyebrows and making her laugh lightly. She looked at Heero, as if asking permission. He bent towards her ear.
"You don't have to ask my permission," he said smiling at her, secretly planning on pulling Duo aside and having a 'talk' with him before the night was over. She smiled back and took Duo's offered arm.
"Duo seems to like Miss Kimono."
Heero heard the bitchy voice and sighed. He'd never get rid of her tonight politely. Instead he walked away from her. Relena watched him walked away from her, smirking at his back. She glanced at her dancing husband, who looked back her. She smiled wickedly and as did Duo.
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"How long has Duo been dancing with Ayako now? 3 songs now?" Relena asked, casually leaning against the bar while she ordered a strong, stiff drink. Heero looked angry.
"Here, drink this," she offered, handing him the drink she had ordered.
"What is it?" he asked, taking the drink.
"Just try it."
He looked at her then downed the drink in one go. It was extremely strong, but very good.
"You like?"
He nodded, then ordered another one. He's gonna get it in the morning, but he kept drinking anyway.
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"Thank you for the dances," Ayako said, bowing to Duo. She turned to look for Heero, only to have Duo turn her back around towards him, pulling her closer to him than necessary.
"What's your hurry? Let's go in the kitchen, its more 'private' in there," Duo suggested. Ayako started to get very uncomfortable as he pulled her into the kitchen.
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Heero had had five drinks so far, all of the same high quality. Relena watched him contently, knowing he didn't hold his liquor very well. A few of the guest had came over to them and were talking. Relena joined in while Heero kept quiet.
Relena suddenly leaned over to him and whispered, "I wonder where they are going," pointing to Duo and Ayako heading into the kitchen. "Excuse me," Heero said, handing his drink to Relena as he started for the kitchen with a dark look on his face.
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"Mr. Maxwell, please stop this," Ayako pleaded as she backed up only to hit the wall. Duo continued to walk towards her.
"I just want a taste of what Heero has, that's all," he said, grabbing her and pinning her against the wall with his body.
"I thought you were my Husband's friend," she said, tears welling up in her eyes. He smiled cruelly then kissed her hard. His hands picked her up and pulled at her kimono, trying to touch her legs. Just then Heero looked into the kitchen.
He saw Duo and Ayako kiss and Duo was lifting her, wrapping one of her legs around him. Heero quickly turned away, not noticing the tears falling down her face. Pain and anger were boiling inside of him, threatening his iron control. He quickly walked back to the bar, grabbing 3 champagne glasses from a passing waiter and downed all 3 quickly.
"Give me something strong," he told the bartender as he approached the bar. Moments later, Heero stood with a much stronger drink and was pretending to listen to the few guests next to him talk.
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Heero had had five drinks so far, all of the same high quality. Relena watched him contently, knowing he didn't hold his liquor very well. A few of the guest had came over to them and were talking. Relena joined in while Heero kept quiet.
Relena suddenly leaned over to him and whispered, "I wonder where they are going," pointing to Duo and Ayako heading into the kitchen. "Excuse me," Heero said, handing his drink to Relena as he started for the kitchen with a dark look on his face.
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"Mr. Maxwell, please stop this," Ayako pleaded as she backed up only to hit the wall. Duo continued to walk towards her.
"I just want a taste of what Heero has, that's all," he said, grabbing her and pinning her against the wall with his body.
"I thought you were my Husband's friend," she said, tears welling up in her eyes. He smiled cruelly then kissed her hard. His hands picked her up and pulled at her kimono, trying to touch her legs. Just then Heero looked into the kitchen.
He saw Duo and Ayako kiss and Duo was lifting her, wrapping one of her legs around him. Heero quickly turned away, not noticing the tears falling down her face. Pain and anger were boiling inside of him, threatening his iron control. He quickly walked back to the bar, grabbing 3 champagne glasses from a passing waiter and downed all 3 quickly.
"Give me something strong," he told the bartender as he approached the bar. Moments later, Heero stood with a much stronger drink and was pretending to listen to the few guests next to him talk.
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Ayako couldn't push Duo off. She tried desperately to escape him. She reached around on the counter as Duo bit her neck and found a frying pan. She grabbed it quickly and hit Duo over the head with it as hard as she could. He went down with a thud, Ayako dropped the pan, she didn't bother to see if he was dead or not, she just ran for the door. As she stepped out she quickly searched for Heero. Finding him in a corner, speaking to two women and a large man, she fixed her clothes and cleaned her face and made her way to him.
As she reached him, he ignored her. She could smell the alcohol on him and thought he just hadn't noticed her. She stayed behind him the rest of the night, wondering if she should tell him.
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All the guest were now going home. Ayako watched as Duo and Relena left, he was rubbing his head. Once everyone left Heero slammed the door, making Ayako jump. She had started cleaning but now stopped as Heero looked at her angrily.
"Husband... ?" she asked quietly and unsure. Heero's brows frowned even more. He walked over to her and slapped her. She fell on the floor, covering her cheek. She carefully looked towards him as tear started down her cheek, he grabbed her and pulled her upstairs roughly. "Husband please... " She cried, as he pulled her harshly towards his bedroom. He threw her on his bed and he removed his clothes, leaving himself only in his boxers. Ayako could only look up at him scared, past events coming to her.
"Please, Husband... " she continued to cry. She loved him... She knew it. She didn't know why he was being this way, like the others, but she didn't want him to find her out her secret or he would leave her. She didn't want him to go.
"You can offer yourself to Duo in one night, but you can't give anything to me for months?" He barked angrily. Before she could make sense of his angry words, he suddenly grabbed her painfully has he kneeled onto the bed over her. He pulled hard at her kimono. She fought pitifully against him, outmatched in strength, her vision blurry from her tears. Impatient that it was coming off that way, he turned her over and pulled at her kimono, ripping the garment.
Baring her back to him, he suddenly saw them... Scars. Lots of them, most of them were deep and angry ones. He looked at her back as if in a trance. Her sobbing and pleading brought him back to the present, and to what he had been about to do to her. Ayako was shaking, she kept her face in the mattress and desperately held on to her torn kimono.
Heero stood from the bed, looking at Ayako, crying, crying because of him... He felt sick.
He dashed for the bathroom and emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet then he flushed. Getting up, he then stepped into the shower, making sure the water was cold. He stood in the shower, cold water poring over him in his boxers, thoughts racing threw his mind. I saw her with Duo... I hit her... All those scars... Where did they come from?. . . What the hell am I'm doing?
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Ayako cried. He had seen her with Duo and thought... She didn't want to loose Heero, but he believe she had cheated on him... And now he had seen her scars or else he wouldn't have stopped like he did... But he still didn't know her secret... And now... She didn't know what would happen. She could hear him in the shower. She didn't know what to do. She probably disgusted him, she had heard him vomiting. What should she do? Should she stay in the bed, or leave his room? What would anger him most? She didn't know, she had never seen him so angry, not that she could blame him, thinking what he was thinking.
She started to sit up, covering herself with her ripped kimono. She then heard the shower turn off. She looked at the bathroom door fearfully, unsure of the mood he'd be in when he walked out. Heero now stood in the door way with a towel around his hips. He was so handsome, even in his anger he was handsome. That thought frightened her.
A beautiful, handsome, caring man that she would now loose. More tears fell from her eyes as he only stood there looking back at her.
"Do you love Duo?" he suddenly asked. She shook her head and answered quietly, "No." She didn't think he would believe her. After all, Duo Maxwell was his friend... And she... just a girl that he had bought.
Heero continued to watch her, she looked so sad, scared and vulnerable. Kneeling on his bed, covering herself with her torn kimono, her hair messy and wild, looking at him pleadingly. Torn with wanting to believe her but seeing them together with his own eyes, he decided to leave.
"Goodnight," he said. She looked as though she wanted to say something but held her tongue. She stood from the bed slowly, heading towards the door warily. She dared a glance at him. He was looking out the window, ignoring her.
"Husband," she started only for Heero to cut her off.
"Goodnight Ayako," he said firmly. Tears began down her cheeks again, but she looked away from him, and went to her room.
In her room, she closed the door behind her and slid down against it. Why did things go so wrong? Ayako cried herself to sleep by the door.
TBC