|Chapter Six|

Heero was unsure how to respond or feel when Makoto spilt the news to him early that morning. Continuously he stared across the room at Trowa, trying to imagine his friend with his woman. Heero never took Trowa for the type of man to keep a secret lover, but it didn't surprise him either from all the traveling Trowa did for the Sanq Kingdom. The conversation continued to push through his mind:

That morning, Heero had found Makoto looking down at him from leaning against the headboard. A soft smile graced her lips with a hint of sadness as her fingers pushed through his hair. Ready for a romantic morning, Heero quickly heated up their contact and found her suddenly stop before they got too far. Gazing down, Heero watched Makoto gaze away at the window for a moment before turning to gaze up at him.

"There is something important I need to tell you," started their conversation. Heero didn't want to ruin the mood he had tried to set as he moved in to kiss her throat.

"We can talk another time," he said with a chuckle only to feel her fingers push against his chest. Stopping dead in his tracks, and very much disappointed, Heero pulled back as Makoto moved to sit up.

"I wasn't going to tell you but I think it's important you know," said Makoto, pausing once again. Heero felt impatient but waited. "Back in Crystal Tokyo, Trowa and I…we were more than acquaintances. During his stay, since it was a long period of time, we became romantically involved…and I was supposed to be the guest he was bringing here to this meeting."

Heero felt uncomfortable as the anger surged through him while he wondered the intensions Trowa had toward Makoto now. He avoided Trowa's gaze and watched how he looked at Makoto when he thought no one was looking. It seemed as if her story was true, but this must had been a large shock for Trowa as well to see his lover suddenly married to his friend. Was their game going to be up? Seeing as how Makoto kept away from Trowa, Heero thought he might not have a problem. She looked as uncomfortable as him while staying next to Heero's side during the day.

Still, he couldn't push the truth from his mind while he sat waiting for everyone to gather ready for the ball. Trowa was the first one to make it down as he sat gazing at Heero for a moment.

"I see that she told you," commented Trowa, watching as Heero looked surprised at being found out. "How long has she had you fooled? If her story adds up, doesn't that mean she was considered cheating while in Tokyo?"

Heero couldn't deny that, it did look as if Makoto had cheated on him during their 'email correspondence' story of how they met. If she was so emotionally attached to Heero, then why would she have been with Trowa.

"I would like to request this topic never be brought up again," replied Heero, watching Trowa nod in agreement. Wufei and Duo entered together, still joking about peeking at Makoto.

"Peeking is probably as close as you can get to a real woman," came Makoto's voice as she strode in on Quatre's arm. Wufei let out a laugh at Duo's expense as he gave a nudge to Heero.

"You picked a great one," commented Wufei. Heero felt his worries heighten at how beautiful Makoto looked in her gown as jealous coursed through him since he knew Trowa had picked it. Makoto's mask was the only thing that added color to her ensemble with ebony based make holding gold designs with red, white, and green feathers. Putting on all their masks before entering the limo, the group started on the night with a toast on the ride there before exiting to join the ball. The Sanq Castle was swimming guests dancing to the music. Heero wondered how long it would be until he met Relena but decided to enjoy the ball as best as he could.

Taking Makoto out on the dance floor, he was surprised at how well she moved and found her best dancing partner to be Quatre. Leaning against the side lines, something sparked in him when he saw Trowa take his chance to cut in at the ending of a song.

"I don't think he's taking it very well," said Makoto in a low voice as she felt Trowa shift his hand to the small of her back. Makoto was thankful for the mask as she felt a blush push to her face. Guilt was plaguing her conscious as she tried to pull back only to have Trowa put a stone grip to keep her in place.

"It needs to end before someone gets hurt," answered Trowa, feeling Makoto give a small nod. A depression moved through her since she knew what he meant: before she got attached. He was right, it was best for herself and the kingdoms before this affair was found. "Tonight."

"There's no need to be in that big of rush," replied Makoto quickly. Trowa was silent for a moment, watching Makoto peek over his shoulder to Heero. Although he never wished to pain his friend, he knew it would be for the best. This was part of his job, but it would fly over with time.

"The way you gaze at him should be only for Mr. Peacecraft," whispered Trowa. Upon her silence and quickly gaze at his tie, he knew he had hit the nail on the head. He was late to fix the situation but knew Makoto would do the right thing in the end. "Tonight."

Parting ways, Heero stepped in to dance before anyone else claimed her. Already he was feeling insecure when he found her eyes wouldn't meet his. What was she thinking? What had they talked about? Tonight he felt he wouldn't be able to sleep with the fear of the old lovers meeting. Pressing his lips on the top of her mask, Heero felt how imbalanced she became and the mistakes made suddenly.

"I believe I need to sit for a moment," said Makoto. Heero followed her to the table and did his best to calm her uneasy nerves, pushing the thought out of his mind she would betray him. That night, Heero had been lucky to have not met Relena as the ball seemed to end a bit early. Strangely, he found Trowa came to the manor that evening but ended the night early for a warm bath with Makoto. Quietly they bathed and he found his advances were turned down by her having a headache. Doing his best, Heero gave her medicine before pulling her to bed. Trapped in his warm embrace with her head resting on his chest, Makoto felt as if she never wanted to get up but knew what had to be done. Waiting until the time felt right, she obeyed Trowa's words to stealthily leave but made sure a small noise alerted Heero awake.

Sneaking down to the garden, Makoto knew she was being followed. An arm reached out from the shadows, pulling her under the tree they met the evening before. Trowa switched masks, hoping someday he would be forgiven, as he pulled Makoto into his arms. Their roles began as Trowa pressed his lips against hers in a feverish manner. Taking a pause in their lip-locking action, Makoto felt Trowa pull back slightly to run his fingers through her hair.

"I didn't think I would ever be able to get you alone," remarked Trowa as he scanned the area with his eyes sharply. Noticing a form, he knew they were set. "Did you make sure you weren't followed?"

"I shouldn't have been," replied Makoto, tilting her head up to kiss him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. A cringe moved through her, feeling disgusted for lying and acting with Trowa. Trying not to ruin the role, Makoto laid it on thick. "I've missed you…all of you."

Swallowing the guilt, Trowa pushed a grin to his mouth as he held her against him again.

"We can't do this here," started Trowa and then heard a small noise. Trowa narrowed his eyes, wondering if it was Heero but decided to continue with the plan.

"Let's go away then," replied Makoto, crooning her neck to gaze up. A small chuckled moved through Trowa as he pet her hair once more.

"I don't believe that would be possible, seeing as how you're married," commented Trowa as Makoto let out an irritated sigh. Trowa pushed up another chuckle to brush some hair away from her face. "But then again, I don't know how longer I can resist not touching you."

A small gasped moved through as Trowa pushed his hands through her robe, almost disbelieved that Makoto wore no nightgown underneath. He had to give her credit for trying to fit into the role of a lover, seeing as how it would make sense for their nightly meeting to come in the least amount of attire. Feeling her back pressed against the tree, Makoto felt his light kisses start at her mouth before slowly moving down her neck. As his fingers moved to begin opening her robe completely, he suddenly pulled away. Flashing her eyes open, Makoto saw the impact of a fist push against Trowa's jaw. Stumbling back into the moonlight, Trowa gazed up with surprise.

"Throwing your friendship away for a woman is an injustice," came the voice, sending a chill to Makoto's bones when she saw the form of Wufei. Fixing her robe quickly, Makoto made a movement to rush to him but found her wrist tightly grabbed. Frozen, Makoto knew she wouldn't be able to escape his tight grip. Feeling dragged, Makoto stepped her pace up as Wufei lead them toward the house while Trowa followed at a reasonable distance. "I didn't believe Heero when he asked me to keep a watch, but now I see why. To think the one you love would do such a thing…I don't see how he holds it together."

"He knew I loved another before we married, Wufei…but I never suspected they would know each other," replied Makoto, feeling Wufei pause for a moment as his grip tightened. The pain surged up her arm, making her wish she had stayed silent.

"Who did you make your vows? The least you could have done was kept that mutual contract before sneaking into the night with a previous lover, and one of his friends," answered Wufei as he pulled her into the house. Stopping before the parlor doors, Makoto found a small light coming from the floor as the color began to drain. Was he waiting? Glancing over to Trowa, Makoto saw the small nod as Wufei released her grip. Lowering his voice to barely a whisper, Wufei motion toward the doors, "He's waiting for you."

Makoto felt the cold chill push through her as she paused at the door, unsure if she should enter but knew it had to be done. Seeing Wufei stand guard, she looked back over to Trowa once more to see his gaze in another direction. This was something she had to do alone. Entering the room, Makoto pulled the door tightly closed behind her as she gazed to Heero sitting across the room. Nervously moving in, Makoto took a seat on a small loveseat furthest from his reaches. A shiver moved through her in the silence as the urge to cry continued to bubble up. It hurt, thinking of how she must have hurt him and now realizing how deep she was in. Trowa was right to get her to end this, finding now that instead one being hurt…she was hurt as well. Over the past weeks, she hadn't noticed how her actions changed to feeling their marriage was real.

"I didn't know I stumbled on a great actress," commented Heero, gazing down at the surprised Makoto at his sudden closeness. When had he moved to stand in front of her? Makoto was unsure what he meant, as she watched him move into a formal bow. "Your highness."

The lump in the back of her throat gave way as she quickly pulled her hands over her mouth to muffle the small cry escaping. Heero was surprised by her sudden burst of emotion that he was unsure where they stood. Now that the truth was out, he thought she would be rather happy to find how quickly she would be released instead of sad.

"I'm sorry Heero," whispered Makoto as she blinked back the tears. Dishonor moved through her as she thought of how it would ruin her reputation if he ever spoke to the media. Not only would she be a laughing stock, but so would all those involved. Did he understand the risk levels of these situations? "I…I…"

Heero found her stop speaking when his hand reached out to caress her cheek.

"We have little time left until they become suspecting of why we're taking so long, how would you like to spend your last moments with me?" asked Heero, wondering where they stood. Although he knew her status, that didn't keep him from stopping his heart from loving her. He had followed her to the meeting with Trowa after he first arrived and braced himself for the separation that would come. Shocked at finding her real identity, he began to understand that this was for the best. How they ended it, having a witness such as Wufei, would give her the leverage she needed to escape to keep her obligations.

Makoto knew this would be her way of letting him go as she stood to her feet and felt her robe slide to the floor. Heero couldn't help but grin, a sense of happiness washing over him to know how she really felt. Closing the distance quickly, Heero had never felt so much passion spark a single touch. This moment, he would remember for the rest of his life as the first time admitting his feelings through actions.