Thank you to all of those who are patient with me and continue reading this story. It really means a lot. ^_^
All the usual disclaimers apply.
Wufei sat on a mat on his living room floor, inhaling deeply of the incense that burned at his feet. Opening his eyes, his vision adjusted to the dim lighting, the only light emanating from the small bulb above his stove. Glancing at the clock, he noted that he'd been meditating for over an hour, yet still, his mind was not fully able to rest.
After Relena had left, he'd spent some time doing some mindless work on his laptop, but that had not settled the restlessness he'd felt all morning. So, frustrated, he had gone to the gym to do some of the most complicated katas he knew. That had succeeded in easing the tension from his body, but not his mind, so after dinner, he had sat there on the floor meditating. But he knew he would have to do something more if he were to get a good night's sleep.
Going over to his window, he looked down briefly at Walnut Avenue before his gaze lifted to the seventh floor of the adjacent building. There, he saw Relena sitting on the couch in her living room, facing the window. Her hair fell loosely about her shoulders as she sipped from a mug, her knees drawn up close to her body. He realized that he was rather rude to her that morning, but at the time, he could not act otherwise. His emotions were still confused over what had happened the day before. Perhaps it was in defense that he had behaved the way he did. But whatever the reason, he realized the need to apologize.
Making up his mind, he grabbed his keys and left, heading for her apartment.
* * *
Relena sighed wearily as her fingers traced around the edges of her mug. Glancing up at the window, she thought she caught a flutter of movement near Wufei's apartment. Getting up, she gazed up at his darkened window. Perhaps I had been wrong about Wufei, she thought sadly. She knew this had all started out on a whim, taking a chance to get to know someone who would ordinarily be her polar opposite; but she genuinely enjoyed her time with Wufei, and could think of few other people who made her feel so at ease with herself, allowing her to discard the formalities that came with being in politics.
Hearing the sound of a motorcycle, Relena's eyes fell to the street below. As she suspected, it was Heero, pulling up by the curb across the street. Relena watched with a heavy heart as Heero sprang off his motorcycle in a way he'd never done before, shaking his tangled brown locks loose of his helmet - she swore she could almost see his smile. A moment later, he disappeared beneath the maroon awning that hung over the other building's doors.
Relena sighed and closed her curtains, suddenly feeling cold despite her flannel pants and the cocoa she just drank. Turning away from her window, she switched off the lights in her living room, then made her way into her kitchen to rinse out her mug.
* * *
Emerging from the cover of the maroon awning, Wufei paused by the curb, next to a brown and mocha motorcycle. Pensively, he looked toward Relena's apartment. He couldn't say for sure, but it looked as though she had turned her lights off and closed her curtains. Anxiously waiting for a break in traffic, Wufei sprinted across the street, disappearing a moment later into the lobby of 527 Walnut Ave.
The elevator seemed to take forever. Shifting uncomfortably on his feet in the beige and emerald green decorated lobby, Wufei repeatedly pressed the button again and again, even as he watched the arrow move across the arc of numbers that showed the elevator's slow descent to the ground floor. Finally, the dark green doors opened, groaning slightly as if to protest his impatience. Sliding inside, Wufei pressed the button for the seventh floor and held it, not letting go until he was lifted well past the ground floor.
Several moments later, Wufei stepped off the elevator onto the seventh floor. The elevator doors creaked shut behind him, leaving the dim hallway in sudden silence. Turning to the left, Wufei made hardly a sound as he moved toward Relena's apartment, his steps muffled by the dark green carpet. This hallway seemed narrower and darker than the one outside his apartment; the dark green carpeting and cream-colored wallpaper seemed to absorb the light given by the small overhead bulbs, giving the illusion of shadows hanging everywhere.
Wufei slowed his pace as he neared Relena's door, his impatience suddenly fading away. His plan--if it could be called that--was to get this over with as quickly as possible without being rude: knock on her door, wait to make eye contact, apologize, and leave. Easy. Simple. Right? Then why was he still hesitating?
I *hate* making apologies, he grumbled to himself. Which was true. It took a lot for Wufei to admit that he was wrong or made a mistake. Nonetheless, his code of honor made sure that he did so, without fail. Raising his hand to knock, he straightened himself to his full height before rapping softly on Relena's door, then waited.
She didn't come as soon as he thought she would. Standing in the dim hallway, Wufei felt the seconds tick by as he waited, wondering if she had already gone to bed. This can't wait until tomorrow, he told himself. If I can't sleep tonight, neither will she. Raising his hand again, Wufei was going to pound this time until she opened up. But before his fist made contact, he heard the click of the lock and the drag of the chain. Calming himself, Wufei took a step back as the door slowly swung open, filling the hallway with light. A moment later, Relena peered around the door, her features spreading into a welcoming smile when she saw him.
As Relena came fully into view, Wufei nearly forgot what he was going to say. She had turned on a lamp before opening the door, and its yellow light seemed to cling to her, highlighting her golden hair and skin so that they seemed to shine. She made the dim hallway he stood in cold and black in comparison. A strange emotion began forming within him. It was a warmth that started in his belly and spread, not unlike what he had felt the night before, standing in Relena's kitchen. But this was different somehow. There was a sense that he was looking at something he could never touch. Like forbidden fruit. Always wanted, but never recieved. Then he realized, it was longing.
"Wufei?"
Suddenly remembering his purpose, Wufei swallowed and licked his lips, smashing down the warmth inside him as he clenched his newly damp palms to his sides. Relena's smile faltered slightly at his serious demeanor, but he forced himself to focus. This had to be said, and the sooner he said it, the sooner he could leave. "Relena, I need to apologize. I realize that I was rude to you this morning… well, I want you to know, I am sorry." His voice was firm, but came out almost as a whisper. "It was dishonorable."
Relena blinked, seemingly at a loss for words. "Wufei, I--"
Stepping back, Wufei dipped into a short bow. "Goodnight, Relena." With that, he turned, taking several steps down the hall before Relena could react.
"Wufei, wait!"
He slowed to a stop, pausing for a moment before turning halfway around. Seeing her surrounded by her pool of yellow light, everything else looked almost black. She was gripping the edge of the doorframe, her face a mirror to the thoughts that churned within her. How this woman could ever hold her cards in politics, he did not know.
"Wouldn't you like to come in for a moment? I mean, since you're here anyway…"
Wufei looked at his feet, his hands still clenched at his sides. He could think of a dozen reasons to keep walking, the main one being that disconcerting feeling that kept invading him. He refused to believe it meant anything, but at the same time, he seemed frozen in place because of it. He wanted to tell her goodnight. He wanted to go back to his apartment where a cool shower and a warm bed awaited him. But that pool of light was so inviting…
He looked back at her to say the words that would let him leave her and these strange thoughts behind, but it was she who managed to speak first. "You don't have to, Wufei, but… I thought you should know… I bought some more ice cream today."
Wufei's farewell froze in his throat. He willed himself to say goodnight, but as if from far away, he heard himself ask, "Cherry ice cream?"
She nodded.
Wufei closed his eyes. He honestly didn't know which way to go. He looked toward the elevator. It seemed so far down there, and it was so dark. Oddly enough, he realized he actually liked the idea of spending some time with Relena. She was a refreshing change, after spending so much time at Preventers worrying about protocol and procedure. He also realized that their pillow fight the night before was one of the rare times he had allowed himself to have fun in a long time. Perhaps he needed to indulge a little more often.
Before he really consciously knew what he was doing, Wufei turned back towards Relena's apartment. Her smile grew brighter as he walked toward her, and she leaned back against the other doorframe to let him enter. "Alright," he said, pausing briefly at the threshold, "but no pillow fights tonight."
Relena rolled her eyes at him as he passed. "As I recall, Wufei, it was you who started that fight." Following him in, Relena shut the door.
Wufei shook his head as he made his way to the couch. "I was merely reacting to the way you were teasing me. I think it was a natural response. And as I recall, I did warn you to stop." Relena stood with one hand on the doorknob, the other on her hip as she glared at Wufei, who was now comfortably ensconced on her sofa.
Laying his head back on a pillow and closing his eyes, Wufei waved a hand back toward the kitchen. "You can get me that ice cream now. I'll take mine with nuts sprinkled on top if you've got 'em."
Relena shook her head, tapping her fingers against her hip and her foot against the floor. Then, quickly closing the distance between them, she ripped the pillow from beneath his head and hit him with it before promptly turning toward the kitchen. "Get up and get it yourself!" Behind her, Wufei grinned, casually rising from the couch in one fluid movement. Relena definitely had spirit, he had to admit.
In the kitchen, Relena didn't hesitate in being overly dramatic, making as much noise as possible as she dug the bowls out of the cupboard, along with the cherry ice cream and the small container of chopped nuts. "Hmph," she mumbled under her breath. "Pig."
* * *
Sally got up to answer the knock at her door, wandering just what Wufei could possibly want from her so late in the evening. Sighing to herself, she set her book aside and tramped over to the door, stifling a yawn as she stretched her tired muscles. Opening the door, her drooping eyelids widened in surprise when she saw Heero standing there, a strange grin on his face. "Heero? What're you--"
"Hey, Sally," he greeted, the grin not wavering from his face. His eyes held a mischievous sparkle as he cocked his head toward the elevator. "Wanna go for a ride?"
Sally's brow crinkled in thought for a moment as she shook off the last vestiges of sleepiness, then nodded. "Sure, Heero. Just let me get my jacket…" Luckily, she was still dressed in the jeans and tee-shirt she had worn earlier to go to the repair shop. Now, grabbing her jacket from its post by the door, Sally turned off the few lights she had on before heading out the door.
Moving down the hallway, Heero's gaze remained focused straight ahead. Shrugging into her jacket as they walked, Sally couldn't help but look at him, still not sure exactly what he was up to. He was still smiling a little, and… he was wearing cologne. "So, Heero, where are we going?" she asked as they reached the elevator.
"Nowhere in particular," he said coolly, reaching forward to press the down button. "I just thought I'd show you the city, since you're so new in town."
"Oh." Now it was Sally's turn to look straight ahead. She was still suspicious, though she didn't know why. She had every reason to trust Heero. But this was just so unlike him. Or rather, it was unlike the Heero she used to know.
Heero glanced at her briefly, but refrained from speaking. A moment later, one of the elevator doors chimed open and they stepped inside, startling a young couple leaning against each other in the corner. The pair immediately straightened up and separated a bit, though the girl--probably 16 or so--could not hide a sudden blush that turned her face bright pink. Sally and Heero remained in the front of the car, turning around to face the shiny gold interior of the elevator doors. Sally could see the young couple's hazy reflections in the doors and smiled. They seemed so young and innocent. The war had taken a great deal of innocence from her, spending much of her youth in military training. She was glad to see that things had changed so much for the better. Glancing at Heero, she found those dark blue eyes already fixed on her, echoing the same thoughts that played in her own mind. When he didn't look away, she found herself being pulled into those eyes, so deep with emotion she thought she could fall forever if he ever let her inside...
With a small dip of the car, the elevator doors again chimed open, exposing them to the ground floor. Startled almost as much as the girl behind them had been when they had entered the elevator, Sally broke the stare, feeling the warmth of her blush as she followed Heero through the brightly lit lobby. Once outside, she relaxed a bit as the cool night breeze lightly tickled her skin. Coming to stand beside the curb, her smile grew brighter as she looked over Heero's motorcycle, it's polished chrome finish gleaming as the traffic passed.
Grabbing hold of the handlebars, Heero swung his leg over the seat, settling himself before looking up at Sally expectantly. She hesitated only a moment before holding on to Heero's shoulder for balance as she did the same, settling in stiffly behind him. The musky scent of his cologne washed over her, and she breathed it in with a sigh. Leaning forward, still hesitant, she took a loose grip around Heero's waist, making sure she had a firm foothold. "You'll have to hold on tighter than that," he warned, revving the engine.
"Don't worry about me, Heero, I'll be fine." Heero gave a curt nod, then gunned the engine and took off with a recklessness that made Sally grip him tighter.
Sally squinted against the wind as they sped along Walnut Avenue, letting her gaze roam over the various shops and restaurants they passed. It had been a long time since she had ridden as a passenger on a motorcycle. It reminded her of her days as a rebel in old China during the last year of the war. Riding close behind that thought was the memory of the first time she met Wufei. He had seemed so independent and distant then... Actually, she realized, he really hadn't changed much in that regard. In fact, he hadn't really changed much at all. Yet he was different, now that he had learned to make his own path instead of trying to follow someone else's ideals. It was amazing that they had ended up working together for the last few years. Of course, it was also amazing that she was riding down the street with Heero on his motorcycle--a far cry from the insolent young soldier she had examined at the hospital five years ago.
Several minutes later, as they came to a stop at a red light, Sally sat up to stretch her back and take a better look around. They were entering an older part of town where most of the shops were owned by local retailers, and they all took pride in adding their own personal touch to everything, making the displays as diverse and eye-catching as possible.
"Sally."
"Hm?" Sally leaned forward to hear Heero over the hum of the engine.
"Have you been by any of the shops along Main Street?"
Sally shook her head. "Not yet."
Heero grinned, that odd little smile he'd shown earlier. "I'll take you by there then."
Sally nodded, leaning back again. "Okay."
"Oh, and Sally," Heero said, drawing her close again.
"Yeah, Heero?"
"You really should sit closer. I don't want you to slip off if I get over some uneven road." Heero turned around again revving the engine so that she couldn't respond. A second later, the light changed, and he took off almost before she could get her grip around him.
She didn't scoot any closer though. For some reason, she couldn't make herself close the tiny gap between her stomach and Heero's back. In her mind, she remembered the close living conditions she'd endured in old China, when she and the other rebels had camped out wherever they could to escape OZ's army. She had been one of the few females, but had quickly learned to set her modesty aside--she'd had to, for reasons to numerous to count. So why was she now so squeamish? She didn't know for sure…
Before she could question herself further, Heero took her around a corner to what looked like the heart of the old shopping district and parked the bike near several wooden posts that separated the main street from the shops. Killing the engine, he looked back at her, waiting for her to get off. Unwrapping her arms, she stood up and smoothed her hair, then looked to Heero. "Where are we, Heero?"
"Westport Plaza. The streets are so old here, they don't allow traffic."
Looking around, Sally saw that the streets were made of cobblestone. Interspersed between the trees that lined the streets were old, lantern-style streetlights, their milky, yellow-white glow mingling with the lights cast from the large store windows. Small, delicate flowers seemed to be planted everywhere, hanging in baskets from the light posts and gathered around each tree trunk. And, when she watched long enough, she could catch the fleeting glow of a lightning bug. "Oh, Heero, it looks like something out of a book!"
Sally barely caught his smile in the dim light. "Come on," he said, motioning her forward. "There's something I want you to see."
He led her down the crowded street, passing many couples as they walked, but pausing to admire the window displays in several of the shops. Several mouth-watering cakes were on display at the Cheesecake Factory, but Heero shook his head and pressed her onward. A large crowd was gathered outside the pet shop, watching puppies of all kinds frolic in the window. They stopped there for a while, laughing when one overanxious pup tried to walk on its hind legs, but ended up tumbling into a few of his companions. "Oh, Heero, they're so cute!" Sally said, laughing along with the rest of the crowd. Heero nodded, smiling along with her, then pressed onward.
The toy shop was by far the most fun to look at. Filling its window was a large mosaic of the four seasons and every holiday, displayed on a miniature landscape with miniature dolls and a few model trains that zigzagged in and out of tunnels and bridges and over winding roads. The dolls themselves were animated too; in the winter quadrant, there were dolls gathering snow for a snowman, some more decorating a Christmas tree, and one making an angel in the snow, moving its tiny arms and legs up and down, back and forth.
Once she believed she had looked over all the dolls at least once, she looked up at Heero. He was wearing an odd, almost nostalgic smile on his face that didn't entirely disappear when he looked at her. "Ready?" he asked, turning to resume their walk.
Sally nodded.
It wasn't much longer before Sally became aware of the soft, steady sound of falling water. Moving her gaze from the windows to peer down the street, she thought she caught a glimpse of a fountain, but she couldn't tell through the crowd and the trees. "We're almost there," Heero said, leading her toward the center of the wide, cobblestone street.
As they moved away from the crowd and the trees, the sound of rushing water grew louder, until Sally finally saw its source. "Heero, it's amazing!" Sally stopped, raising her head to take in the full height of the intricate marble statue depicting the sea god Neptune and a loyal following of mermaids and fish. Arcs of water flowed from each of the fish's mouths, and each mermaid was surrounded by her own miniature fountain as smaller arcs of water flowed around them in the shape of flower petals. All the lights in the fountain were under water, lighting each of the statues with the reflections of the waves.
"You like it?"
Again, Sally nodded, letting Heero guide her to the fountain's edge.
"This is the oldest fountain and statue in the country," Heero stated, as though he had suddenly become her tour guide. "This whole area was one of the few places hardly touched by the war, though it did come pretty close. You can see, on that hill up there," Heero continued, pointing at a large hill that rose away from the shopping district behind the fountain, "there used to be a large forest up there, from what I've heard, but it was burned down in an attack by the Alliance."
Sally looked from the hilltop to Heero's cerulean eyes. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"
"I wanted to show you something that wasn't affected by the war. Sometimes, I feel like everything around me is tainted by so many years of fighting. But here… I can escape from all of that. And I wanted you to see it too."
Sally was momentarily speechless. "Thank you, Heero." They stood looking at each other for a few moments, listening to the steady splash of the fountain. "Come on," Heero said at last. Taking a step back, he waited for her to follow.
"Where are we going now?"
"Just to this café over here," Heero said, walking beside her. "I thought you might be thirsty. And they've got good pastry here, for your sweet tooth."
Sally gave him a doubtful look. "What do you mean, 'for my sweet tooth?'"
Heero didn't answer, leading her toward a gathering of small, black iron tables and chairs that marked the boundary of the café. Most of the tables were occupied, but Heero managed to find a corner table that was free. Sitting down, Sally looked out over the square, then focused on the fountain. From this angle, she saw Neptune in profile, the arcs of water seeming to flow over the doorways and windows of the shops across the street.
From somewhere high above, a clock began chiming the hour, its resonant chords echoing for several moments after they ended. Sally noticed a movement at the edge of her vision, and turning her gaze toward the warmly lit café, she saw that a string quartet was setting themselves up to play. "They play here four nights a week, 10 to midnight," Heero ventured. "Although sometimes, if they're in a good mood, they'll stay 'till one."
Sally smiled. "Friends of yours?"
"We've had some late night conversations."
All at once, the quartet began to play. Sally didn't know music very well, but she thought it sounded like a French lament--subdued, but very romantic. She and Heero sat in silence, listening to the music as the waiter came and went, then returned a few minutes later with their coffee and pastries. Sally noticed that the waiter also left a small, white paper bag.
"What's the bag for?"
"To take our pastries with us."
"We're not staying here?"
Heero eyed her over the rim of his cup as he sipped his coffee. Setting the cup down, he leaned back and regarded the quartet. "We can drink our coffee as we walk back." Turning, Heero looked Sally straight in the eye. "Ready?"
Not waiting for her reply, Heero stood up. "Heero, wait a minute!" Sally yelped, getting to her feet. "Don't I at least get to know where we're going?" she demanded as Heero bagged the pastries.
"I told you, I want to show you the city." He looked at her with a blank expression, as though he were waiting for further objections, but there was a gleam in his dark eyes that prevented Sally from saying anything more. Heero took her lack of reply as agreement. "Ready?" he again asked. Sally only nodded in mute reply.