Relena was the type of person that always conducted herself with dignity. Despite circumstances, however dire or distressing, she was rarely prone to being outwardly emotional. Even from a young age, she wasn't prone to emotional outbursts; it just wasn't in her temperament. Hence, the slight of laugh of excitement she uttered as she opened a decorated envelope in her office caught her bodyguard's attention.
"Did you just laugh?" Heero asked suspiciously, craning his neck to read the printing on the gold embossed cardstock.
"Yes!" Relena said, her excitement measured as ever. "I've been invited to the North America Trade Union ball in six weeks."
"You get invited to balls all the time," Heero grunted.
"No, this is so much different," Relena said, standing up from her desk. "This is my chance to re-establish trade agreements for the colonies with the Americas."
He couldn't help but admire both her ambition and altruism.
"I'll have to brush up on all my Latin dances, and get a dress," Relena's voice became more rapid and erratic. She picked up the phone and paged her secretary: "Sophie, I'm going to need travel back to earth…Cuba…And I'll also need accommodations for myself, my assistant, and my security detail." She shot Heero a mischievous wink that he couldn't resist, his scowl curling into a tiny smile. "Thanks, Sophie." She placed the phone back on the receiver. "The plans are down, but I'll need to look into if we have to get any shots or any updates to our paperwork. I think they have a pretty strict rule about bringing certain things in or out of the country. And I'll probably have to brush up on my Spanish."
"Relena, you can slow down. It's not for another six weeks. There's no need to get worked up."
"But this has to be perfect for me," Relena said, her face becoming grave. "If we can get the US to agree to a trade of goods, then the rest of North America will follow and South America will only get on board if North America is." She leaned back on her desk, sighing, realizing the gravity of the opportunity. "Don't you see? This is the chance to re-introduce colonization now that we've proven it can be done. Every nation in the Western Hemisphere pulled out of the colonization program after the diseases and the financial setbacks."
"That was a hundred and twenty years ago, I'm sure you'll be able to alleviate that fear." Heero reassured her.
"I just want to make the best possible impression. So, authentic clothing, authentic food, and authentic dancing for us."
Heero blinked. "What do you mean, us dancing?"
"Well, you are my boyfriend slash security detail," she stood up, running her fingers along the fabric of his sleeves up to his shoulders, "and I'm not going to be attending by myself. The invitation says I am supposed to bring a plus one. So, you'll be stuck with me the whole time sitting through tiny portions of multiple course dinners and boring table talk, and then we'll actually get to have some fun dancing."
"Fun," Heero repeated with no enthusiasm.
"Yes, fun. Dancing is so liberating. You'll love it. Trust me." Relena said, lacing her fingers into his. "I'm going to RSVP the two of us to this ball and then we're going to find a nice Latin cuisine restaurant to whet our palate for Havana." She stood on her tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. "Sound good?"
"It sounds great." He agreed. He smiled as they discussed the upcoming trip over lunch, even going so far as to add his idea of what he could do to keep her as secure but as free to enjoy the event as possible. But the entire time, there was an uneasiness in the back of his mind.
It couldn't be described as panic: the feeling was not intense enough, nor could it be described as dread: the feeling wasn't nearly negative enough. Apprehension was the best word to describe how he felt. Once he was done for the day, he made his way from Relena's office at the colony's embassy building to a local bar.
"I did not think you'd actually take me up on my offer," a familiar voice said as he entered the small pub. A man about his height and build approached him. While Heero had looked like a thirty-year-old since his thirteenth birthday, his friend was the exact opposite, youthful looking through the cheeks and wiry frame: his hair extending in a braid down his back. "You never responded to my text messages." Duo chided.
"I actually had planned on ignoring you," Heero admitted.
"I'm not sure if I should admire your honestly or be offended you had every intention of blowing me off while I was in town."
A passing waitress took his order and returned with a whiskey, neat and from a good year. Once they'd each taken a few sips of their drinks, Duo leaned back, resting his arm on the chair next to him.
"So, what made you change your mind?" he asked.
"I need your help," Heero said. "Relena has gotten an invitation to some big fancy ball and is expecting me to go with her as her plus one."
"Ok…" Clearly there was more to this. "And you have safety concerns?"
"No, not that," Heero replied, clearly agitated. He drummed his fingers on the table and took another sip, trying to find the right words.
"What is it? Just spit it out, will ya?" Duo said, growing impatient with his introverted friend's antics.
"I'm going to need you to teach me how to dance."
Duo laughed. "You're worried because you don't know how to dance?"
"You don't understand," Heero sighed. "This is a trade agreement specific to the Western Hemisphere. Mostly North and Central America."
"Where is it?"
"Havana."
"So?"
"They do all the Latin dances in Cuba."
"Why are you so nervous? You've danced with Relena once before. That's practically the beginning of your fairy tale romance." Technically, Duo was wrong. He'd danced with her twice before: once at the school dance just days after they'd met, and at her inaugural ball.
"It's not the same," Heero insisted.
Duo waited for a moment to give Heero a chance to continue but the stoic remained silent.
"Different how?"
"In high school, I couldn't dance. I was coordinated enough to not step on anyone, but everyone, especially Relena looks back on that memory with a…romantic filter on it. I threatened to kill her. She was in her school uniform. The school got attacked by OZ. It wasn't what our young minds perceived it to be."
"Dancing is still dancing. You managed" Duo shrugged.
"It was five years ago and we danced two dances. Both were slow, and one was a waltz. Waltzes are easy."
Duo folded his hand behind his head. "…and you think I magically know all the ballroom dances…because?"
"Because someone has to teach me. This means a lot to Relena."
"Hmmm…." He tipped back further in his chair, thinking of a possible solution. Heero remained quiet, pensively waiting for an answer.
"Listen, buddy, I know you want to make Relena look good, but she's a vice foreign minister and you're…well, you're a perfect soldier. But I don't know what to do to help you. I wasn't exactly in boarding school learning fancy table manners and playing polo. Honestly if anyone knows about high society, it'd be Quatre."
"Quatre?"
"Yeah." Duo leaned back forward in his seat, bringing the chair back down on all four legs. "He was raised rich and fancy. He'd probably know all those dances, even the Latin ones. I'll tell you what, I'll call him and see if he can help. It'd be great to have a meet up with the old gang...at least some of them."
"Thanks," Heero said flatly. He was sincere, his voice just didn't often exude emotion.
Duo pulled his phone out and dialed a number. The line only range once before the other end picked up. "Duo!" Quatre's boyish voice and enthusiasm could both be heard clearly, even by Heero.
"Hey, buddy! How you been?" Duo asked, silently ordering another beer from the waitress.
"Everything's going great! How are the L2 colonies?"
"Still trying to stop drifting, but otherwise fine. Heero and Relena are going to be here for another few weeks."
"Wow! Are you planning to meet up?" The Arabian youth sounded genuinely interested.
"Already have." Duo said, waving his had dismissively. "In fact, Heero told me he's got a fancy ball in Havana here in a few weeks and was wondering if you could give him some pointers on the dances."
"I'd love to!" the voice beamed through the bustle of the bar even as it filled with more patrons.
"I knew you'd know that stuff. I'll pilot him over on a shuttle to L4, and we'll be there by the end of the week? How does that sound?"
"Amazing! I'll have Rashid make you up guest rooms and everything! It'll be just like old times."
"Thanks, bud. We'll see you then."
"See you, Duo! I can't wait!"
Duo hung up the phone, a confident smirk on his face.
Heero squinted at his friend and scowled. "You two are way too excited about this."
