Part Thirteen
First Dates
I had a lot of trouble with this chapter. It's very sappy. I'm not good with sap.
Anyway, I think it turned out okay, and I hope you enjoy it.
Try not to drown in all the sap, and prepare yourselves--
there's plenty more in the next chapter. ^_~
All the usual disclaimers apply.
Sally watched as Heero picked up yet another brownie from the plate between them. "Is that your fourth or fifth?" Sally asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Seventh," Heero countered, "if you count the one I tried before we ate."
"You're gonna make yourself sick, Heero."
He shook his head, momentarily unable to speak around the bite he just took. "Iron stomach," he said finally, barely swallowing before popping the rest in his mouth.
Sally shook her head, grabbing her dishes as she stood up. Heero followed her with his eyes until she disappeared into the kitchen. He sat for a moment, thinking as he licked the icing from his fingers. He decided it was time. Rising, he took his dish into the kitchen as well.
Sally was already at the sink, bent to the task of cleaning up her mess. He stepped beside her, adding his dish to the pile. "Thanks for the lunch, Sally. It was really delicious."
She smiled. "That's the third time you've said that, Heero."
"Then it must be true."
Sally raised her gaze to his, ready to meet sarcasm with sarcasm. She was surprised at the unbridled sincerity she found in his features. There was something else in his eyes as well -- something she had noticed almost as soon as he had arrived. It was a certain point of focus, as though his mind were centered around some vast revelation that she should know about yet was kept secret from her. The thought was somehow unsettling. Turning from that dark blue gaze, she again focused on scrubbing her dishes.
"Sally?"
"Hm?"
"Did you have any plans for the day?"
She thought a moment. "No, not really. Why?"
"I'd like to take you to a movie."
She smiled. "Okay. Just let me clean up first."
"Well, there's a condition."
"I'm listening."
"I'll only take you if you consider it as a date."
Sally stopped scrubbing.
"A date?"
Heero nodded, his eyes unwavering.
Sally rinsed her hands, then grabbed a towel to dry them. "You're sure about this?"
He nodded.
"You're willing to date a co-worker?"
A smile played at the corners of his mouth. Again, he nodded.
Sally could hold back her smile no longer, letting her elation take over. "Alright, Heero, you've got a deal."
He gave her a smile to match her own.
"But we've still gotta clean up first, and I'll have to get ready."
"Get ready? But you look fine as you are."
Sally turned a reproving look on him. "Now Heero, one of the first things you must learn about females is you must never deny them their right to be feminine."
It took over half an hour to travel to the south side of town and reach the hills, but it had been well worth the trip. Wufei was amazed at how quickly the scenery had changed from the dull, boring landscape of the city into the lush greenery and sloping land that marked the boundary of the hills. The trees seemed to creep up all at once until suddenly their branches blanketed the sky, filtering spatters of sunlight across the pavement. Houses barely visible from the road dotted the land, interspersed with an occasional set of cabins or Bed and Breakfast inns for tourists. He found it easy to imagine he truly was miles away from any city. It was a relaxing thought.
Soon enough, however, the trees gave way to the small town of Spring, the epicenter of the nature parks and reserves that blanketed the area. Banners and flyers were strung upon every possible edifice announcing a week long festival that appeared to usurp the town's activities. People were everywhere, milling about a number of concession stands that had been erected for the occasion and slowing traffic to a crawl. Wufei scowled at the congestion -- until he saw what he was looking for.
Veering out of the line of cars, Wufei made his way toward a large open road, the wooden sign above it reading "National Park" with symbols detailing hiking, biking and camping. Beyond the signs, all he could see was forest.
The paths were manifold throughout the thick woods, and he realized if he didn't keep his wits about him, he might soon be lost in this maze. Trusting his instincts, he followed the upward paths over hills and through narrow brush that made him glad he was doing this on a motorcycle and not in his Jeep.
At last, he came to a larger, open area dotted with elms and pines, along with an occasional white birch. He was relieved to finally shut off the noise of the engine, escaping the confines of his helmet with a sigh. A welcoming breeze eddied among the leaves, flowing over him like a cool shower. It was wonderful to be outdoors again, away from all the office clutter and cramped space shuttles with their recycled air. As much as he loved his job, he found it kept him from the one place he truly felt at peace: outside, surrounded by trees. With his work bouncing him between cities on Earth and the colonies, it seemed like years since he had been able to relax and enjoy nature. Perhaps Lady Une had been right about his need for a vacation. For the first time, he was truly beginning to appreciate her choice in relocating him.
He surveyed the greenery around him, stretching a bit as he took in the sounds and smells of the forest. It was a shame Relena couldn't be here just then. He was sure she would enjoy the calm.
Shaking his head, he banished his rising thoughts about the girl, stepping over the soft earth to get a feel for his surroundings. Taking deep breaths, he focused his mind, raising his arms to begin a kata.
Sally stepped into the living room, trying hard to hide the butterflies that seemed to make her whole body tremble. Heero rose at the sight of her, his eyes wordlessly appraising her. "How do I look?" she asked, hoping she managed to keep the tremor out of her voice. It was funny, she mused. All these years training hard in the military, and now she was nervous over a little date -- even if it was with the amazing Heero Yuy.
"Beautiful, as always," Heero said without hesitation.
Sally smiled, surprised to feel herself blushing. "Shall we go then?"
He nodded.
It hadn't taken long to clean up the little amount of food left over from lunch, but Sally had insisted on changing. She had still been wearing the clothes she wore for her quick run to the store that morning, and though Heero felt they were fine, Sally convinced him that if she were to truly treat this venture as a first date, she would need to find something more appropriate to wear. All she really did was change into a better pair of jeans and a nicer shirt (one that didn't have a soy sauce stain on the bottom), though she also put on a bit of makeup and smoothed her hair. She wouldn't have felt right otherwise.
"Do you know what's playing?" she asked, grabbing her purse.
"Not really. But there's a nice theatre a few blocks from here. They always have something good this time of day." After making a final check of the apartment, Heero went to the door and opened it for her. "Ladies first."
Sally smiled. "Thank you, Heero." As they stepped into the hall, Sally held out her key to lock the door. "But don't start thinking that favors now will get you favors later."
Heero didn't need to say anything. His look of total embarrassment as his face turned bright red was comment enough.
Relena stared absently at a tile three rows down from the ceiling. She was relaxing in her bathtub, lavender scented bubbles up to her chin as she leaned back, knees bent, toes idly playing with the plug in the drain. Her hair was coiled on top of her head, set with a deep conditioner; her legs were freshly shaved. When she was done with her bath, she thought she might paint her nails.
She wasn't doing this for Wufei, of course. She just needed to pamper herself after the day she'd had. She deserved it, after all.
That morning seemed like an eternity ago. Had it really been so short a time since her conversation with Heero? Since she realized… she had been fooling herself all this time about her love for him?
Relena sighed. Over and over these thoughts kept circling in her mind. Why wouldn't they just leave her alone? Dark eyes surfaced in her thoughts, their depths fraught with concern. She couldn't believe she had cried in front of him. Not him. At least, she thought, Roger and Steve hadn't seen. But really, that was only a minor consolation.
She remembered the way he had touched her, as though she might break in his hand. For one so strong, his touch had been quite gentle -- a bare breeze against her skin. Yet it had made her feel so… A grin split her face. She touched her cheek, her heart momentarily racing as it had in her memory.
Again, Relena sighed. When was she going to stop torturing herself? She knew this strange infatuation with Wufei needed to end, yet somehow it only seemed to grow stronger.
It had been the same way with Heero.
Relena's breath caught in her throat. Now that she thought of it, Wufei was a lot like Heero. They were both reclusive, that was obvious. And blunt, and socially maladapted at times. Yet, despite their differences, they were two of the strongest people she had ever met. They each came through difficult pasts, and overcame their trials with a determination that Relena found incredible.
She thought hard for a moment. She hadn't forgotten her penchant for latching on to strong people for support, but there was something different in her admiration of Wufei. She truly felt at peace when he was around her, the way she once had with Heero, so long ago when she had fancied herself in love with him. I can't be falling in love again… can I? Relena puzzled over the thought, a slow smile creeping over her features.
No, this is ridiculous, she thought, shaking her head. Besides, there's no way to know what Wufei might be thinking. He might be barely tolerating me, afterall.
Yet she knew that wasn't true.
She thought back to her first visit to his apartment. He had been so surprised to see her. Yet their time together had been pleasant… And that pillow fight they'd had together -- she nearly laughed at the memory of it. She had never known Wufei could be so much fun.
Her expression sobered as she thought back to Heero. Heero had never been so frivolous with her. While she had loved him, it was a love that kept her waiting, forever waiting for him to show his feelings toward her, to tell her how he felt. She had waited years just to see him again.
But with Wufei… Wufei was always surprising her, first turning up at the police station, and then…
She was suddenly anxious for his appearance that night, relishing the thought of being on that motorcycle with him, riding through the city as though she didn't have a care in the world. She wished she could see him right then.
"Go on, Wufei. Surprise me again and come knock on my door."
But of course, there was nothing.
Relena shook her head, scoffing at her own stupidity. This was preposterous. Wufei was not in love with her, and she was not in love with him. How did she know? Because people who barely knew each other after five years could not suddenly fall in love in three days. That sort of thing was for fairy tales.
She sighed, blowing at the bubbles in her bath. Her fingers were getting pruny. She was unsure what she might do for the next four hours until his evening arrival. The answer came as a yawn overpowered her, forcing her to remember how tired she was. Well, all the better to be refreshed for the night.
She wondered what he was doing right now. Just how was he spending his vacation?
She asked herself why she cared. Wufei's actions had never mattered to her before.
She wondered if he was thinking about her at all. Perhaps the dragon could succumb to the charms of the princess within his grasp… In her mind, dark eyes were gazing at her, a mischievous grin fixed upon tanned Asian features.
She sighed.
"Relena, you stupid girl. Have you become a hopeless romantic?"
A smile graced the corners of her mouth.
With his kata completed, Wufei felt refreshed. He loved the way he felt after his exercises -- he was tired, but he felt so alive, so awake that sleep was the farthest thing from his mind.
Going back to the bike, he checked the time before digging out his bottle of water. It was barely 3 o'clock; plenty of time to stay a bit more and still have time to shower and be ready for Relena.
Relena. He wondered what she was doing just then. He took a sip of his water, thinking over the last of their conversation that afternoon. She had joked with him willingly enough, yet her manner had been greatly subdued from that of a few days ago. He had never really thought about it -- actually, he had never really cared -- but it seemed the job of the Vice Foreign Minister had more than it's fair share of burdens. Or rather, Relena was the one with the burdens to bear. And they just kept growing.
His face darkened as he thought about those letters Roger had shown him. While it was true they could find no true link between the letters and the ERA, Wufei could think of few others who so despised Relena's terraforming project on Mars, and fewer still who might actually send her death threats over the matter. But all who had traced the history of Ms. Elana Robertson, the avid new leader of the ERA, had come up empty handed. Her record was as clear as a mountain stream -- even those linked closest to her had no major offenses against them. And, Wufei knew, they were all being watched like ants in a bug jar.
Which was why this all had him so worried. He knew the ERA had to be up to something, without a doubt. He had never believed the cleanliness of Ms. Elana's record, believing like many others that her history had been forged. But any organization that could hide its tracks so completely was an entity to be feared. It was like trying to fight a monster with a cloak thrown over your eyes. They could strike from anywhere, detected only by the damage they inflicted.
A shiver came over Wufei. Just the thought of anything happening to Relena made his stomach turn. He had a sudden urge to see her just then, to turn around and see her standing there, smiling, giving him proof that she was fine. Yet he was alone in these woods, and his concerns went unassuaged, leaving him with an unfamiliar emptiness that burned in his heart.
Relena…
He leaned back on the bike, thinking. The breeze wafted over his skin, tugging at the few strands of hair that had come loose of his ponytail. It seemed he hadn't realized just how important she'd become to him. He lifted his eyes, watching the leaves sway against the sky. She was definitely something, this Relena Dorlian. She had such fire, and a spirit the likes of which he hadn't seen since… He sighed. Since the colonies.
Since her.
Wufei stared at his feet. In his mind's eye he could see Relena's face, the way she had looked in Roger's car. There had been such sadness in her features… He knew that behind her fiery façade -- behind the mask of the Vice Foreign Minister -- the heart of a very tender girl was suffering. Her tears had been proof of that. He looked down at his hand, absently running his thumb across his index finger. He could still imagine he felt the softness of her skin, smelled the gentle scent of her perfume…
He sighed.
"Chang, you idiot. What do you think you're doing, fantasizing about this girl?"
A smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Sally and Heero emerged from the theatre, blinking in the sudden afternoon light. "What time is it?" Sally asked, unwilling to let go of Heero's arm to check her own watch.
"It's just after four. You're not tired yet, are you?"
"Not at all."
They took their time going back to the car, chatting about the movie as they walked arm in arm. At his insistence, Heero again took the driver's seat, letting Sally enjoy the scenery.
"So, where to now, Mr. Yuy?"
Heero considered. "Well, it's a nice day… Why don't we sit outside for a while? Besides, I'm in the mood for some ice-cream."
"Ice-cream? Are you always this hungry for sweets?"
Heero grinned. "Not always. But I need something to go with all those brownies."
"Hm. Alright, Heero, lead the way."
Nelson Park, only three blocks from Sally's building, was three blocks wide and seven blocks long. It had a playground, a lake, an aviary, and several fountains and statues to its credit; it was also adjacent to the city's art museum. But perhaps one of its greatest assets -- at least to hungry people around lunchtime – was its steady supply of vendors serving good food from their carts -- including an Ice Cream Man. Sally and Heero found this man wondering near the playground, relieving him of two large vanilla cones.
"Wanna walk for a while? There's some interesting stuff here."
Sally nodded, trying to capture a bit of ice cream that was trying to melt over the side of her cone.
They walked the tangled stone paths that wove in and out of the trees, stopping occasionally to sit and watch as people played with their pets, or to admire the different birds that seemed to be everywhere.
Eventually, their wandering led them to the small lake that covered the southwest corner of the park. "It's beautiful," Sally breathed, taking in the sculpted stone waterfall overshadowed by a mammoth willow tree, the carved bridges that crossed the water at either end, the fountains that sprayed arcs of water across the surface, and the array of flowers that lined the water's edge.
Heero led her to a bench overlooking the scene so she could sit and take everything in. The afternoon sun sparkled with a million facets from the water, casting ripples of light and shadow on the foliage near the lake's edge.
"This is nice, Heero. Tell me, how is it you seem to know where to find all the best places?"
Heero shrugged. "Three months with nothing to do gives you a lot of time to fill, and it's a big city, so I went exploring."
"I see. Ever think about becoming a tour guide?"
Heero smiled. "No, that's too boring. Besides, all the places I know are best for as few people as possible."
"Hm. Mind showing me a couple?"
Heero regarded her. "I guess I can play tour guide for just one person… especially if it's you."
Sally smiled. She felt herself blushing again.
"How about dinner? I know a great place where we can watch the sunset."
"Dinner? So soon? It's barely after five."
"I know. But it'll take a while to get there, and there's more than just food. Sound good?"
Sally beamed. "Sure."
"Then let's go." He stood up, then gave her a hand and offered his arm, which she gladly took. She was a little embarrassed at her inability to keep from smiling around this man, but it didn't really bother her. She was just happy to be happy.
As for Heero… He felt he could finally be the man he'd always wanted to be, living his life as any other normal person.
By the time Wufei left the woods, he had already convinced himself it would never work -- he could never be seriously involved with Relena. They were just too busy, both of them. As it was, he rarely saw his apartment aside from sleeping, eating and grooming (though he'd done each at work as well), and he was sure it was the same for her. These are not just excuses, he told himself, despite the fact that he knew both his and Relena's extra hours at work were purely voluntary, no matter how necessary.
Besides, as he had reminded Sally only hours before, it was never a good idea to get involved with those you work with. And while he didn't exactly work with Relena, she was on the Preventer Board of Directors, which in a way made her his boss. And getting involved with one's superior could cause all kinds of unpleasant situations.
Yet despite his own admonitions, his return to the city filled him with thoughts of her, as well as an unsettling edge of anticipation for the evening. He tried to shrug it off, but it was there in his mind, swinging thoughts and questions back and forth like a pendulum. Where should he take her tonight? How far should they travel? It might be nice to take her to dinner as well, but wasn't that too much like a date? The truth was he had no idea what to do in this situation. How could he? He'd never been on a date in his life.
But then, this wasn't supposed to be a date, was it?
He agonized over these questions for the entire ride home, and they hadn't stopped when he threw open the door to his apartment, launching his keys at the table next to his couch with such force that they slid off the smooth surface, landing with a thud several feet away.
"I need a shower," he grunted, realizing how hot he was now that he was out of the fresh air outside. Stripping off his shirt, he stormed toward the bathroom. He had less than an hour to be at Relena's, and he knew that as long as the minutes would take to vanish, they would do so all too quickly.
Relena sat with her legs up on the couch, idly flipping through the pages of a magazine. The bath and her nap had calmed her considerably, though that calm was disappearing as the time drew closer and closer to six.
She had decided to put Wufei out of her mind for the time being. Afterall, obsessing about him wasn't going to solve anything. For now, it was best if she valued the friendship they were developing and not try to turn it into something more.
A knock came at the door, startling her heart into triple time.
"Relena? It's Steve."
She sighed, feeling a bit foolish as she got up, holding a hand over her heart in an effort to slow its pounding rhythm. She opened the door to his familiar boyish smile and sparkling hazel eyes.
"Am I interrupting anything?" he asked with a furtive glance inside.
"Not at all." She swung the door wide to emphasize her point. "Wanna come in?"
He nodded, stepping through the portal. She noticed he was holding something behind his back. "I wanted to give you something for your ride tonight," he said, noting the path of her gaze. Bringing his hands forward, he presented her with a plain white helmet. "It's nothing fancy, but I didn't think you had one. And you gotta be safe, you know."
Relena smiled, taking the helmet into her hands. "Thanks, Steve."
He dipped his head in response, not knowing what else to say. "So," he said, clearing his throat to get past the awkwardness, "he should be here soon, right?"
Relena nodded, her patient smile never wavering. "Very soon."
"Well, I should be going then. I'm starting to feel like a chaperone."
Relena laughed. "You know, one day you'll be going through this with Abby."
Steve shook his head. "It's too soon for me to start worrying about that. You're making me feel old."
"Sorry, Steve."
"Eh, it's alright. Just be careful tonight, okay?"
"Okay, Steve. I will."
"You've got your watch, right?"
Relena held up her wrist, giving the gold chain a jiggle.
"Good," he nodded. "By the way, I'll be staying late tonight, so don't hesitate to signal if anything…"
"I'll be alright, Steve," Relena stated, her eyes emphasizing that she was not a child in need of scolding. "Besides, I think Wufei will be able to handle anything that comes up."
Steve nodded, his sheepish grin apologizing, but not conceding. The man looked as though he wanted to linger, but he moved toward the door, unwilling to impose. Pulling the door behind him as he stepped into the hall, he paused. "Take a sweater, Relena. The night's getting cool."
She nodded, waiting until the door was closed to turn back toward the couch, rolling the helmet in her hands.
When she heard the knock at the door only moments later, she thought that Steve might have forgotten something. The clock perched on her stereo gave one small chime. It was six o'clock exactly.
Wufei.
Relena froze. Somehow, she couldn't feel her legs at all. He's just a friend, she reminded herself sternly. But if that were true, then why couldn't she stop smiling?
Wufei was fine on the way to her apartment. He had decided that he would leave it up to her where they would go and what they would do. Afterall, this was her night out. She should enjoy it.
He was fine as he stepped out of the stairwell into her hallway. From the edge of his vision, he glanced at the wall opposite Relena's door. The security camera Roger and the others had installed must be hidden in the emergency floodlights there near the ceiling. Very clever.
Standing outside her door, he raised an even hand to knock, calmly waiting for her to answer. He hoped she was ready. He hated waiting.
It was not until she opened the door that his breath caught in his throat, his heartbeat quickening just a bit as those blue eyes held him, stripping him of all logical thought.
"Wufei," she greeted. "You're right on time."
He nodded, momentarily unable to make his vocal chords produce a sound. He realized he had never seen Relena wear jeans before. It made her seem… ordinary. Beautifully ordinary.
"I'll just get my things…"
The scent of lavender and jasmine spilled from her apartment, enveloping him like a warm blanket. He knew if he were to hold her close, her skin would smell the same way.
He waited patiently as she turned to lock her door, silently cursing and praising the camera behind him that he knew Steve and the others were watching. If her nearness here was causing him so much trouble, how on earth was he going to manage riding on a motorcycle with her? He shook his head, cursing his fate. Perhaps now he understood the true reason why Yuy had never done this before.
"Thanks for doing this, Wufei," Relena said, stepping toward the elevator. "I really do appreciate it."
Wufei cleared his throat, finding his voice at last. "It's nothing." He walked behind her down the hallway. Her long hair was pulled back into a braid that snaked its way down past her waist. And here he thought that baka Duo was the only one who could pull off such a feat. Wufei grinned. He wondered what Duo would make of this situation…
Relena peered up at him as they waited at the elevator doors, unsure what she should say. She was trying to be strong, and outwardly, at least, she was succeeding. But on the inside… She felt awkward. He was a friend she couldn't be friendly with, because there was something underlying their friendship that she was not comfortable with. So for now, she would have to resist the urge to touch his arm, or pull him closer to inhale the scent of his cologne that was teasing the edge of her senses…
"How far should we go?" he asked suddenly, startling her out of her thoughts.
She blinked her surprise, his dark gaze making it hard for her to think. That was a dangerous double entendre. "How far…?"
"I mean travel," he corrected, his complexion warming as he looked away. His jaw flexed -- he was bad at hiding his embarrassment.
Relena smiled, relaxing. "I'm not sure. Why don't we just see where the road takes us?"
Wufei's gaze retuned, his brief look of wonder melting into a smile.