Fire and Ice 4/?

[AngelOfDeath]

I find myself at a bit of a loss, as I know what is happening in each chapter but I don?t really know how it will end. It will be an adventure for all of us, I guess, as I write these introductions before I write the chapter. Yipee! Slight OOCness warning for this, I think, it's only for a moment, don't worry.

Disclaimer: Same as always. Gundam Wing not mine. I poor. No sue-y.

Chapter 4

?Puh-leeeeeeeze!? Only Duo knew how to be this annoying.

?No.? Heero didn?t even turn to face his friend. It had been a couple days since his date with Relena, and he had thrown himself into his work with vigor. It had nothing to do with the fact that she had been busy and couldn?t see him. Not at all. They weren?t rushing things anyway.

?C?mon Heero, it?s freezing in here and I need you to say yes so that you?ll have time to get presentable.? Duo was trying to get him to come to one of those stuffy functions, not as an artist, but just to keep him company. Apparently there were strange commitments that one had to follow through on in the business world. Meeting people, making small talk, exchanging cards. It was just the sort of forced behavior that Heero was worst at. Duo didn?t need anyone to back him up. He could close deals with the best of them, and was fairly well known for being easy going on the outside but a demon in negotiations. Having Heero there was totally to relieve his own boredom.

?Why do you assume I?ll say yes now, when I?ve been telling you know ever since you called an hour ago.?

?Mainly because, as I was going to tell you before you hung up on me, this is hosted by Dorlian Enterprises and Relena will probably be there.? If he had bothered to turn around Heero would have seen an expression smug enough to make him say no just on principle. Lucky for him, he didn?t turn around.

?. . .? Heero paused. ?I don?t have a suit.?

?I brought two of mine. We?re about the same size.? Damn Duo and his confidence. He knew that Heero wouldn?t be able to say no if Relena was involved. ?No shoes though. I?m sure you have something.?

?Hn.?

Duo ran out to the car and Heero brushed the frost off of himself, emerging from the freezer into the surprisingly warm afternoon air. It was the beginning of a heatwave, and soon he would have to get out the fans from storage. Except for little markers like that, all the seasons seemed the same from the inside of a windowless workshop. That?s why winter was the best season, he could pretend that the whole world was his freezer then. He shed his jacket quickly as he began to sweat already. The plastic covering obscured the suit, and Heero grabbed it and dragged himself upstairs (though not as unwillingly as he would have in other circumstances). At least Duo had chosen well enough, it was dark gray, almost black, and three pieces as well. When he got to the tie though. . .

?Duo, you?ve got to be kidding me! I?m not wearing this!? It was blue, powder blue, and tacky and obvious, as Duo liked to be in little ways. Odds were that anything else would be just as bad.

?I had to try. But Hilde actually anticipated that, here.? A piece of fabric slid under the crack at the bottom of the door. Dark blue. Close to the color of his eyes. Heero wondered how someone like him had actually caught someone like her. Truly she had a lot more forethought than Duo did.

Heero emerged, trying to find a comfortable length for the tie. It felt like it was strangling him and his whole body was already starting to sweat under all the layers of fabric. What he wouldn?t give to be in his shorts and a tank top. . . but instead he would get to see Relena. A more than fair trade.

?That is the smallest bathroom ever, Heero. Have I told you that before?? Duo had obviously had a bad time changing there. ?What do you think?? He posed dramatically in his suit. Heero?s eyes grew very wide as he took in his friend.

?White? All white?? Heero couldn?t believe Hilde had let him out of the house. ?Between that and your braid it?s amazing those lawyers and corporate leaders will actually speak to you. Here?s your tie.?

?Hey! Even better, I thought this could use maybe a little color. Don?t you want to comb your hair before we go?? He retied the new addition to his outfit.

With some consternation Heero was silent a moment. ?I did comb my hair.?

?Shall we go?? Heero nodded and they exited the building quickly to climb into the blessedly air-conditioned car. Relena Relena Relena, his mind chanted, and he tried to crush the litany with his plans for the week. That didn?t last long though, as his plans for the week could be summed up as ?work, sleep, eat, go shopping for food at some point.? Eventually they arrived, which Duo redundantly informed him of by singing a melodic ?we?re heeeere?, Heero smacked him once in the back of the head, but lightly as he was only being a little stupid. The Dorlian headquarters were large, but they looked like every other building of glass and steel in the downtown area so in the end there was not much to be impressed by. The two of them found parking at a garage nearby and made their way into the building. For a moment Heero suspected his stomach was upset, but then he realized he was nervous. Nervous? There was no reason to be nervous.

They got off at a floor somewhere in the teens and Duo led him though a hall, taking a right and stopping in front of a pair of open doors. Inside was a large open reception area filled with people in suits with some women in skirts or suits themselves interspersed throughout. There were maybe a hundred or more people there. It was a small gathering compared to the ones Heero usually attended. That was bad, for the fewer people there were, the more you were expected to talk to people. One could get lost at a huge event, but things were personal at these kind of get togethers. He needed to find Relena, and if she was not here and not coming, he needed to abandon Duo as quickly as possible. Being his manager may just be a part time thing for Duo, but it was his life to make his art and it ranked far above shmoozing with oily lawyers and various business people he didn?t know and didn?t care to. Relena didn?t seem to have any personal involvement with her family business, so Heero wasn?t that interested in it. It only took a few moments of concerted effort to locate Relena, who in the process of getting some fruit from the various snack trays out for people.

?Heero! What a surprise. I?m so happy you?re here!? It was an instantaneous change in aura. Before she seemed almost depressed but now she lit up in his presence. Having witnessed the change up close, Heero felt his heart start to speed up. It was like he was running while standing still.

?I came with Duo.? That seemed to explain that. He needed to add more, he felt for she looked a little confused at his short statement. ?He said you might be here.? Her face colored and she looked down a moment.

?You?re very handsome in that suit, but somehow I don?t think boots really go with it. Especially not beige ones.? Her head came up. ?But somehow it?s very you, so it works.? Heero shrugged. ?Talkative as usual I see.? As she spoke, he noted a man with long loose light blond hair making his way purposefully towards them. Relena followed his eyes, as he seemed very intent on something, only to find her shoulder supporting the arm of the very person Heero had been looking at.

?Relena. I see you?re well. Why didn?t you come say hello when you got here?? He was very familiar with Relena, Heero felt an instinct rising in him he couldn?t quite name.

?Milliardo, I was really hungry. I skipped lunch so I thought I?d get some food first.? She looked not unhappy to get attention from this man. ?Milliardo, this is Heero. We?re. . .? She searched for the word to describe what they were to one another. Heero was curious as well, but it wasn?t to be for him to discover.

?So you?re Heero. An artist right? I?ve seen your ice. . . things all over the place. You must be very busy.? If a man could sound catty, Milliardo did.

?Busy enough.? Heero?s lips pressed together so tight they became a single line where his mouth should have been. Who was this guy?

?Relena, Lu was looking for you, you should say hello.? Sensing tension between the men, Relena felt that seeing her sister in law would be a very good idea.

?I?ll be right back, ok? Don?t go anywhere Heero.? She grabbed a strawberry and scurried off to greet Lucretia and get back before things exploded over here.

?So how long have you and Relena been together?? That was a very odd question, Heero felt, but he answered it anyway.

?Maybe a week or so.? He wasn?t really sure himself. Does one date count as ?going out??

?She didn?t say much about you before. When did you meet?? The question was faster this time.

?A while ago, I suppose.? This was getting on his nerves.

?Why are you here? Whom did you come with?? Now Milliardo?s eyes were attempting to bore into him, or so he thought.

?I?m here with Maxwell.? There could be more than one. ?Er, Duo.? This man in front of him was far too intense. Why did he want to punch him so badly?

?Do you really think you?re good enough for her?? That shocked Heero out of generally irritated state into full righteous anger. This was too much.

?Excuse me?? Maybe he had just heard it wrong. He shouldn?t do anything to embarrass himself here, that would be counterproductive on many levels. But most of his concern was for Relena. It would be wonderful to just be able to let loose on this asshole.

?You heard me. Relena is a beautiful, intelligent, talented woman. I?d hate to find out you were just using her.? The tone was casual, but threatening. But that didn?t matter, because Heero had reached his limit. The punch was very satisfying, all things considered, and all that man?s pretty hair flew in the nicest way on his trip to the floor. The drink he had been holding flew backwards and splattered the carpet and some random people. The black eye he would sport tomorrow would look nice with his light hair. Suddenly they found themselves to be the center of attention, but the split second that Heero took to confirm this was enough time for Milliardo to spring up and punch him square in the jaw. They were circling one another, like they were in a bar?s back alley, and that was how Relena and Lucretia found them, pulled along by Duo who had witness the whole thing (much to his own amusement).

?Heero!? Relena did not sound happy.

?Milliardo!? Lucretia sounded similarly upset. Both men started and stood upright guiltily. Immediately their hands went to their bruised faces that, without the aid of high adrenaline, were beginning to hurt a lot. ?What did you say to him, and I know it was you because I know how you get about Relena.? Lucretia glowed with menace.

?And you Heero! I can?t believe you got into a fight with my brother!? Relena looked extremely cross.

?Brother?? Heero?s eyes threatened to pop from his head. In the background Duo began to laugh, breaking the silence, and all at once people began to talk to one another and disperse. Obviously many a person would know about this tomorrow, and whether that would be bad or good for Heero was yet to be known. Milliardo and Lucretia talked in low tones, with Lu occasionally raising her voice or pushing Milliardo in the shoulder. Relena just glowered at Heero. Even if he was provoked, he knew that he had done something very rash and childish. The worst part was that he knew he wouldn?t have reacted like that if he had known that the person he was talking to was not an ex-boyfriend as he as feared, but simply her overprotective brother. This was just horrendous. He had actually allowed jealousy to get the better of his control. Lucretia and Milliardo approached them.

?He told me what he said to you, and I think he should apologize, but that would be like pulling teeth. So maybe you can call it even and at least accept my apology.? Milliardo looked sullen but didn?t argue. He extended his hand, which Heero took. Everyone seemed mildly satisfied. Relena?s brother stalked away as soon as the handshake was over. ?I?ll talk to you later Relena, it?s been too long. Heero, it was a pleasure. Hopefully I?ll meet you again under better circumstances.? He nodded. After Lu left, Relena still stood there with that disapproving look that hadn?t left her face in a while.

Her foot tapped the carpet. ?I?d ask you what happened, but somehow I get the feeling you won?t tell me.? He refused to meet her eyes. With a sigh she grabbed his arm and began pulling him towards the bar. ?Let?s get some ice for that jaw.?

?I?d rather wait somewhere less, er, in the open.? Relena nodded and led him to the balcony. Only a few people were out here, and they were absorbed in whatever they were discussing and oblivious to anything else. As Relena left, a form melted out of the shadows. Even if he hadn?t seen him, Heero made no appearance of surprise.

?That was quite impressive.? Trowa seemed just as at home in the suit as he had in casual clothes in the country. This man was like a chameleon. ?I?ve never seen one of Relena?s suitors get the best of her brother. Though he?s made sure she hasn?t had many suitors.?

?What?? Heero was curious even as the thought of other men approaching Relena made him burn. At least he could be grateful to her brother for keeping the others away up until now.

?Milliardo has been like her father ever since she started high school. Being a father and a brother seems to have made him very protective of his last blood relative. I don?t think he would have reacted so extremely except that he sees it.?

?Sees what??

?He sees how you?re taking her away from him. She was already pretty far gone, but he can?t let go.? They were silent a moment. Trowa was a mysterious person, seems like he was all over the place lately. That could just be a skewed view of things, however, since there had been no reason to meet him before and he could have been there all along. Trowa seemed to sense his thought pattern. ?I?m a lawyer for Dorlian Enterprise?s rival?s company. She and Catherine grew up next to one another, so even though Catherine is a few years older they were friends.?

?Ah.? There were more questions he had, but Heero wanted to hear the answers from Relena, not a third party no matter how trustworthy he felt Trowa was. Something itched in Heero?s mind. This man was very like him. ?You used to like Relena, didn?t you??

Trowa looked startled a moment. ?That was a long time ago. We?re just friends now.? Heero nodded. He probably never told her and just waited for the feeling to fade. That was what Heero almost had done, what he was still arguing with himself to do, and the appeal of the option rose as Trowa didn?t look like he particularly regretted his choice. ?I think you?re good for her.? He walked off moments before Relena returned, ice in a cup in one hand and a washcloth in the other. She made a little ice pack and handed it to him to press against his jaw.

?I hope Milli didn?t hurt you too much. He?s normally very gentle.? The look Heero gave her was clearly skeptical. ?No really! He tried so hard to take care of me after,? her voice faltered and she cleared her throat. ?After the accident. He couldn?t be everywhere at once and now I think he?s overcompensating for lost time. I caught Lu a moment, she was getting ice too, and she told me the short version of what he said. I?m dreadfully sorry.?

?Just forget about it.? Heero didn?t want to think about it either. What he wanted to know was what this accident was, and why she seemed so moved by it. Now was not the time to ask though. ?I think I?m going to go home.?

?But you just got here. . .? As soon as she said it, she knew there was no way to get him to stay, but she really didn?t want him to go. ?Next Thursday, not this but the next, I think you should take me out. We?ll go wherever you want to go and I?ll give you the whole day. Do you have time?? He?d damn well make time. His wan smile was all the encouragement she needed. The hug was sudden and hurt his jaw, but he rather have her in his arms than anything else at that moment.

?See you then.? He began to walk off, but stopped a moment. ?Tell Duo I left.? It was almost an afterthought and he realized that he normally wouldn?t have said it. She was already changing him. Was it a good thing? Maybe it didn?t matter.

*
*
*

Normally a demon on the court, Duo felt he wasn?t putting much effort into the game today. Heero had been distracted for several days in fact, and the only reason Duo noticed was because he often forgot to be caustic and avoidant. This was a strange new Heero, but Duo didn?t mind it other than being very weirded out by it. Wiping some sweat from his brow, he grabbed the basketball and drove in to get closer to the basket. Half heartedly (for Heero), Duo found himself blocked and with a spin he pulled away and made the shot. It hit off the backboard a little too hard and came right back at them.

?Damn. 8-6 to you.? For a moment it seemed as if his friend hadn?t heard. ?I said it?s your ball.?

?Mm. Ok.? He blinked as if still not getting it.

?Ok. Stop. Time out, whatever you want to call it. We have to talk.? Duo pulled Heero over a side of the gym and set the ball down by his feet. ?Now, what the heck is up??

For a moment Heero looked dismayed. ?I?m going on a date next Thursday.?

?Well, you sound like you?re going to your own funeral.?

?She said I should take her somewhere. I have to choose.? Duo grasped the problem in a flash. He has no idea what to do. Besides a one night stand here or there, Heero had had not much contact with the opposite sex in the romantic sense. Dating was an entirely new concept. For once, perfect Heero had found something he couldn?t do well or easily and he was scared of messing up. This was not the time to laugh, but Duo felt the smile creeping at the corners of his lips, and they twitched just a little. Noting this, Heero pushed away. ?Never mind. It doesn?t matter. 8-6 right?? Heero tried to move back to the court but Duo caught his shirt.

?You?re not getting away that easily. I know just the thing. You can go out with Hilde and me tonight! This way you?ll see some of the nightlife, and I can escape talk of the,? he shuddered a moment ?wedding. It?ll be fun, c?mon.?

?I don?t really, er, do the whole nightclub scene.? What he meant was he didn?t dance. Ever. For any reason. Dressing up was silly too.

?I?ll help you. You don?t need to do anything but hang out and have a few drinks. I promise you it won?t be as bad as a root canal.? Duo?s eyebrows quirked up and down. ?Sooooo??

Anything for Relena. ?I guess.? Duo gave a whoop and grabbed the ball off the ground. Their game continued, this time with Heero being distracted by thoughts of that evening?s festivities.

*
*
*

Duo was wrong. Going out that night had been worse than a root canal, and he?d be glad to give his friend one himself just so he could have a taste of how horrible it had been. The main reason he was unhappy was not because of the clubs themselves. In some ways the music and the people had been entertaining, but ultimately not something he cared for. The drinks were overpriced and frilly, but again he was neither surprised nor upset by this. What made the night horrible was the women. All those pushy, scantily clad, overly made up women who had come up to him. They would talk to him and flirt with him and the more remote he got, the more they pushed. He knew he wasn?t bad looking, but he hadn?t ever considered himself particularly attractive. That night he was hit on by no less than eight women and one man, and Heero really hoped that man was simply totally drunk. He had been fondled, pinched, laughed at and he had had to sit through it all with a decent amount of patience until Duo and Hilde got off the dance floor and dragged him to another hole in the wall with the same overpriced drinks and pushy women. What a nightmare. He couldn?t see himself bringing Relena any of those places.

The date was tomorrow.

They could go to a movie. But that was overdone. Besides, he wasn?t that interested in movies. The things he liked just didn?t seem to be the sort of things that you did with another person. He liked his computer, his art, and basketball. Somehow going to an electronics store did not strike him as something she would want to do with him. Going to a museum could be nice. Minimal amount of talking he had to do with that one. It involved art, which he loved, and it could take a bit of time as well. Win! He knew at least that far. A meal at some point could be good. He knew several good Japanese restaurants that he enjoyed. But that couldn?t take up a whole day. The museum would close pretty early on a weekday. It was best not to worry. Things would work out somehow. He was good at improvising when in a pinch.

Once again his attention focus on his work, a Chinese style dragon that was only just starting to take shape. He had a lot to do before it was done, but at least he didn?t falter or have trouble visualizing his path. If only life were similarly so clear.

*
*
*

Heero seemed to be absorbed in the shape of one of the figure studies on display. His eyes roamed over it as if assessing its technique. Such a critical eye he had. Even with the masters he could find fault. Nothing was good enough for Heero Yuy, even if it was a masterpiece. Yet, as they looked at the first piece of sculpture an hour or two ago, he said that even the best could not be perfect. What made us human were our flaws. It was a particularly philosophical moment for him, but she attributed it to his rare open happiness at being able to wander among the exhibits. The paintings held a bit of interest, as did the photographs, but they went through those relatively quickly. Once they had hit the glass works he had gotten a glint in his eye. Relena had almost melted at his boyish bliss because of how adorable he was. This was his candy store, and he absorbed it all and incorporated it into his own works. But the mix was unique to him, and it was his creation and not a copy of someone else?s (unless the customer wanted a copy of some other work, and then it was remarkable the sort of reproductions he made.) Relena wondered if he had done anything else, where would he be? Whether programmer, lawyer, doctor, or assassin, he would have risen to be the best in whatever he wanted to do. Maybe it was a blessing that he had been gifted with the love of art, but her heart hurt when she thought of how the only real evidence left of most of his work was sitting on her living room shelf. That didn?t do him justice. Heero looked up, the most natural smile she had ever seen him give plastered all over his face.

?Let me show you something.? He pulled her into a room. There were statues all over, just as the previous room, but these seemed much older. He brought her in front of a Hellenistic piece. A man with curly hair and a beard sat clutching his hands together as if waiting, his face a mask of pain. ?This is my favorite piece.?

?Why?? Her word was a whisper as she searched for what Heero saw in it.

?I had just come to the city,? he said it in a low monotone, but she knew this was a special memory for him. ?I had been a failure for so long, and Duo had just found me again and told me to come live with him until I pulled myself together. I had nothing, but I still spent my money for food for the day to get into the museum. Right before it closed, this was the last piece I looked at. It seemed to be as if he was just like me. Waiting for something, unsure of his path. That?s when I realized there was no future in how I was living. I got Duo to loan me some money and he asked his friend for a favor to get me some work. . .? He closed up suddenly and Relena knew the soliloquy was over. She was touched that he was giving so much of himself today. It was just what she had wanted. Her hand found his and her fingers wound around his larger and longer ones as best they could. Startled, he looked down at her, then his face softened a moment. At once Relena?s breath caught and she wondered if he was going to kiss her but then the clack of shoes echoed through the hall and he pulled back his head. He didn?t relinquish her hand though, simply dragging her along on a continued tour of the pieces.

It was around five when he suggested they eat something. Relena wasn?t going to say anything, but she was quite hungry. Being the sort of person who often forgot to eat, she could have kept going, but it was nice that they were going to go someplace. They got into his car (which he had picked her up in so that she wouldn?t have to drive this time), a black indistinct thing with tinted windows and a spotless interior (probably from lack of use.) The place they went to didn?t seem that impressive on the outside, but the food was divine. They had their fill of sushi and rice after a nice light salad and refreshed, made their way into the early evening.

?What a nice night, even if it is pretty warm.? A hazy heat had enveloped the concrete that covered everything for miles. It would have been stifling if they had been in the sun, but they moved to the car fairly quickly. Once inside, Heero found that he wasn?t sure what to do. He had thought that he would think of something by now, but he had lost track of everything around him. She always did that. Even in the museum he head felt his attention wander and focus in on her. Every piece of art that she had stared overly long at, or something that seemed to spark her interest he had taken special note of as if to measure what her tastes were. As he had expected she liked the more complete pieces, like Greek goddesses and Egyptian queens and paintings of landscapes or people outside. The women were like her, radiating beauty and peace, and the landscapes captured the nature she loved so much. The one thing she seemed to linger at was a painting of Demeter crying over her lost daughter Persephone, her eyes had grown so sad. He had caught attention before she could begin to cry and he had a feeling that it was more than the painting that had moved her. Relena sat, head forward, hair blown back by the air conditioning that she was reveling in. She didn?t seem to be able to take the heat of the day. Maybe outside of the city it was cooler.

?Where to?? It was easier to admit he didn?t know what to do rather than go somewhere he didn?t want to just to have something to do.

?Well. . .? she looked shy. ?I want to, I mean if you don?t mind, I?d like to see, um, your workshop.? Her eyes were so clear today, like someone had tinted some crystal with a sky blue. ?Please? I am so curious to see where you spend all your time.?

Nononononononono his mind chorused in panic. ?Ok.? He found himself saying. Starting up the car, it was almost automatic the way he found himself going home. She wanted to see where he worked, and he knew it wouldn?t be all that impressive but he could indulge her. As he pulled up to the storefront it finally occurred to him: her statue.

Good God no.

She was already stepping out of the car with a smile as his face became unnaturally pale. This was a disaster. His head hit the steering wheel and a blaring honk brought him back to reality.

Damn it all.

[Eden]

Oh what a predicament our Heero has gotten himself into this time!! Well surly things will turn out alright in the end!

This just keeps getting better and better!!

~Eden

[melodrama]

Yay! You posted another chapter! I really am enjoying this fic AOD! Heero's career choice is most original and the interaction between Heero and Relena is just fascinating.

I can't wait to see what you have instore for us!!! Don't keep us waiting too long!

Thanks for sharing!!

Love Mel

[miyuchan]

WAI! Very nicely done.

Poor Heero. Everything was going so well this time...he even manage to get through dinner without a mishap.

Can't wait for the next part. ^^

[Cleo]

Heero's career choice is most original and the interaction between Heero and Relena is just fascinating.

I aqree with Melodrama, your approach is different from the other works I read and it was wonderful well written. I like Relena, cause she is very mature ( she knows many things about people)and lovely , and I like Heero cause he's cute trying to act human. Nice job, no. GREAT job.
...
very beautiful ^____^

[Beck]

*snickers* I so love reading good fights between Heero and Milliardo, especially when they get a chance to throw a punch or two before stopping. I like how Trowa makes those sudden appearances when you least expect him to be there.

I really like your intake with the characters for this fic. Seems to fit them perfectly. Its refreshing and really makes me enjoy reading fics again where there isn't too much detail and dragging out the relationships of "I hate you, I love you, etc etc etc" You get to the point without having to drag it out.