Diclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing... If I did, I wouldn't have to write fan fics, because all my ideas would be animated to begin with!!
WARNING!! Contains material graphic in nature!
Pairings: 1xR, slight refrences to 2xH
Rating: NC-17
Also, some OOCness from Heero
Be Gentle, please!
A Beautiful Thing
A thick cover of mist lay over the water of the nearby lake, obscuring the view of the horizon. Relena Peacecraft, Queen of the Sanc Kingdom, sighed as she looked out the window of her manor. It had taken nearly three years to re build and restore the ancestral Peacecraft home, and now it was finally done. Tomorrow night, dignitaries from all over the Earth and from several colonies would be gathering here to show their support of the re-establishment of the Sanc government.
Relena sighed again. She knew it was necessary; her family was known for it's pacifism and was the largest supporter of the Preventer Force. It was imperative that the world knew that the Sanc Kingdom had the resources needed to keep the system going, but oh, how she hated these stuffy, formal events!
Relena smiled at that. How much she had changed! Remembering how much she used to enjoy just such events, she thought of the impetus of those changes, and smiled again. At least she'd have some much-needed company in her misery. All five of them would of course be there. Heero and Duo certainly; they had been assigned as her special bodyguards for the weekend. She could imagine the indignant grumbles from Duo, as well as the silent acceptance of Heero. Quatre would be there as the representative from his colony. Wufei would no doubt consider it his duty to be there, and so would attend. And Trowa- well, Trowa always seemed to show up whenever the other former Gundam pilots did.
Well, if they were all there, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all!
***
The following afternoon, Relena dutifully dressed in her Sanc Kingdom uniform to greet the arriving guests. Protocol dictated she be in uniform when greeting foreign dignitaries, but later, for the dinner and "ball" afterwards, she would be able to wear the delicious confection she and Hilde Schbieker had picked out for the occasion. Contrary to popular belief, she did not often get to choose what she wore, due to protocol, so this would be a special treat.
Heero and Duo, as usual, had arrived precisely on schedule, an hour ago. Aside from the brief meeting they'd had to discuss her safety for the evening, she had had little contact with them. They were now downstairs, double-checking the security set-up, preparing to greet the guests at her side.
It had been good to see Heero. After the Mariemaia incident, the two of them had spent almost an entire night just talking about whether or not they had a future together. It had been mutually decided (with much regret on both sides) that they should wait until things were somewhat back to normal before they explored their feelings for each other. While they saw one another quite frequently through dealings with the Preventers, there was never anything more said about the subject. A reliable friendship had blossomed, however, and underneath, the faint hint of something more. Now, when things were finally beginning to calm down, there seemed to always be an underlying current of excitement when they saw each other. Perhaps after tonight... Relena broke off her musings at a knock on the door.
"Miss Peacecraft, the guests are starting to arrive. You ready?" Duo Maxwell, his Preventer uniform immaculate and his trademark braid hanging over one shoulder, offered her his hand.
"Oh, please Duo. I would think that by now we'd be on a first name basis! And drop the Miss, it makes me feel like I'm twelve." Relena brushed past him and headed down the hall, her diplomat face on.
"Just practicing for tonight, Relena. I have to call you at least Miss in front of these guys here. You are a queen, after all." Duo's eyes sparkled mischievously. He knew very well how much Relena hated such titles now.
"Oh, shut up, Duo, before I do something very UN-queenly, and pull your braid!" Relena laughed when Dou's hand went protectively to his braid. She knew his weaknesses too!
"Heero is downstairs, and in a bad mood... you know how he hates these things. I've been having to remind him of his orders for the past half an hour. This is probably the only thing he would ever consider disobeying orders for." Dou sighed. "Our little perfect soldier. I wonder if he'll ever realize the war is over?"
"The war is never really over, Duo. It's just that now it is fought more with words than with swords. I always thought this was better though. Far less people have been killed by words" Relena stopped as she said this, checking her appearance once more in a mirror at the top of the stairs. Straightening her cravat, she sighed and turned to Duo.
"Here goes nothing. I hate these things too!" Relena turned and ran directly into a very stern-looking Heero Yuy.
"What the hell have you been doing? There are twenty impatient foreigners milling around waiting for you downstairs! Hurry up so we can get this over with." Heero grabbed Relena's arm and all but dragged her down the stairs. Only when they reached the halfway point did he slow down and arrange her arm so he looked like he was escorting her.
Relena felt a small thrill as she felt the heat of him through his uniform, but only had time to look at him for a moment before they came within sight of the guests. Heero propelled Relena through the large open doors of the ballroom. She nodded greetings to those she knew, catching sight of Quatre and Trowa standing against the wall near the back and Wufei managing to look both uncomfortable and dignified at the same time near the front. She reached the podium that had been set up for her in the front and realized with some surprise that Duo had managed to keep up with them. Heero let go of her arm and stepped back to flank her, with Duo on her other side. She began the speech she had written for this occasion.
"Thank you all for coming. We of the Sanc Kingdom are honored by your support and hope you will find your stay here to be a pleasurable one." Relena automatically shifted into her public persona and proceeded to deliver the rest of the speech perfectly.
Half an hour later, she circulated through the guests, performing her diplomatic duties as she had been taught. After the formalities were taken care of, she went to greet her friends. Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei stood near a table of refreshments in the back of the room, talking to a small group of other people. As Relena, Heero and Duo got closer, Relena realized that her brother, Zechs, and his wife, Lucrezia were among them. She also recognized Sally Po, Dorothy Catalonia, and the Commander of the Preventers, Lady Une.
"Relena! It's been too long!" Quatre Raberba Winner greeted her as the three of them joined the small crowd. Quatre went to embrace Relena, being the most affectionate of the group, but then pulled back. "I guess I shouldn't hug you when you've got your uniform on. It would probably shock some of the honored guests." He grinned.
"Thanks for thinking about it, Quatre. You're probably right. My goodness it's good to see all of you again!" Relena looked around at her friends, most of whom she hadn't really seen since starting her restoration. "I feel like I've been in a box for the last few years! You have no idea how glad I am that this is finally done!"
The group laughed, and Relena briefly greeted each of them. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the reception, she felt she couldn't spend too much time with any one group. She moved on, promising everyone they would get to see more of her later, at cocktails. She circulated through the crowd, until she was satisfied that she had greeted each and every guest. As this took a good deal of time to accomplish, she was not surprised at all when the time came for her to announce that cocktails would be in an hour.
"Please feel free to view the grounds and refresh yourselves in any of our facilities in the meantime. I hope to see you all at cocktails in this same room at 7." Relena said, then stepped down form the podium.
"Phew! That was pretty exhausting. Guess I should go get ready,"she said in an undertone to Heero and Duo.
"Yeah, better get you upstairs. I can't wait to get out of this uniform!" Duo tugged at the collar of the uniform. "Hey, I thought Hilde was going to be here. Did she tell you she wasn't coming, Relena?"
Relena looked at her watch as they headed towards the stairs.
"Actually, Duo, she should be here any minute now. She
promised to help me get ready for cocktails and the ball,"she said as she began to climb the stairs. "Come to think of it, Duo, could you wait for her down here? She'll need someone to get her through security and up to my room."
"Sure!" Duo bounded back down the stairs, braid bouncing.
"Sometimes I have to remind myself that he's 19 years old." Heero said quietly from Relena's side.
Relena laughed. "Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm 19 years old! I can't believe it's been 4 years. Remember when we met?"
Heero smiled sheepishly. "I told you I would kill you. Sorry about that."
"Well, I'm still here aren't I? So there's no need to apologize!" They reached the door to Relena's room and both reached for the knob at the same time, causing their hands to meet.
Heero looked down at their hands together, her creamy skin beneath his tan fingers. Then he looked up to meet her eyes.
Soft blue met steely blue with something like an electric shock. Heero pulled both their hands off the doorknob and twined his fingers with Relena's. It always amazed him how much pull she had on him still. She made him forget his duties, his orders, himself. No matter what anyone else thought of him, she had always been able to bring out something different, something better.
"Relena, after tonight I-" he began, but she stopped him with a finger on his lips.
"Don't, Heero. We'll talk after the ball. I have to get ready." Relena knew she should break away, go into her room, but she couldn't.
"All right. I won't talk then." Heero said determinedly, then pulled her towards him and kissed her.
Relena felt herself melt into him, her lips parting on a sigh. God, how she'd longed for this! Heero growled in his throat at her acceptance, then plunged one hand into the neatly pulled back hair at the nape of her neck, tugging free the tie. Her honey-blonde hair cascaded around them, brushing over his other hand, which held her ever closer.
Relena's hands crept up to tangle in his hair, then to trace delicious patterns through the fabric of his uniform on his back. Unthinkingly, she whimpered and pressed herself more firmly against him, feeling his hard arousal against her belly. Heero groaned and slid the hand on her back up and around to cup a firm breast through the thick material of her uniform. Relena's breath caught in her throat as he began to slowly knead the sensitive flesh.
"Ahem,"said an amused voice from behind them. Relena and Heero broke apart instantly to find Duo and Hilde both leaning on opposite walls, arms crossed, wry smiles on their faces.
"I should have known better that to leave you two alone," Duo said, raising his eyebrows at the disheveled couple. Relena blushed. Heero scowled and shoved his hands in his pockets, as though to keep from hitting something. Or someone.
"Well, I seem to remember catching the two of you behind the Preventers head-quarters once or twice. So I don't need to be scolded by you!" Relena, struggling to put her hair back to rights, said defensively.
"Don't worry about it, we're just teasing. However, in the future you might want to be a little more discreet, especially with a house full of world leaders. I don't suppose you would want any of them to see the Queen of the Sanc Kingdom making out with her bodyguard in the hall," Hilde chuckled.
"You're right, of course. I'll have to be more careful," Relena looked at Heero and blushed again. "Like I said, we'll talk after the ball."
"Hn," Heero said, nodding"I'll wait here for you to get ready. Then Dou and I will have to go change. I'll arrange for someone to guard you while we are dressing."
Heero turned to Duo and gestured for him to take up position on one side of the door. He then moved to stand on the other side. Relena hesitated for a moment, then beckoned to Hilde, who was still smirking at her and went into the room.
Once inside, she let out a long, shaky breath. Her heart was still pounding from the kiss, but she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. Moving to her closet, she pulled out the pale pink silk gown she would wear and turned to Hilde. The other woman was watching her expectantly. Hilde's indigo eyes were shining with un-asked questions. Relena sighed.
"Okay, what?"she said to Hilde.
"Well, what happened? What was it like? What did he say?" Hilde always chattered when she was excited about something. "I want to hear it all!"
"Oh, all right! Seeing as you are my best friend, I'll tell you. But while you help me get ready," Relena said in a defeated voice.
"Okay, okay. Just let me get your stuff all laid out," Hilde went to Relena's chest-of-drawers and rifled though it. She cried out triumphantly when she found what she had been looking for. Turning to see what she was so excited about, Relena blushed yet again.
Hilde was holding up a set of nearly transparent black under-things like they were her national flag. There were panties and a bra, of course, but also a garter belt and a pair of sheer black stockings. Relena had bought them the year before, on a whim, and never wore them.
"Put those back! I can't wear that under my dress tonight! I'd feel like such a, well, slut!" Relena tried to grab the scraps of silk from Hilde, but the black-haired girl eluded her.
"Of course you're wearing them! They'll be perfect for later tonight." Hilde waggled her eyebrows suggestively at her friend, who's blush deepened.
"What on Earth are you implying? You think I have some wanton tryst arranged later?"Relena continued to chase Hilde around the room, frantically grabbing at the underwear. Finally, she grasped an edge and let out a triumphant "Ha!"
This quickly turned into a cut off cry as she lost her balance. The two women tumbled to the floor, Hilde under Relena. Relena, sill holding the edge of the panties, managed to get herself tangled in the stockings, while the strap of the bra hooked over her ankle.
The door suddenly burst open to reveal a tense-looking Heero, while Duo peered from behind him curiously. Relena froze, a shocked look on her face, while Hilde began to laugh in great whoops. Heero quickly took in the scene before him, and after ascertaining that both women were unhurt, quietly closed the door. Duo was leaning on the wall next to him, doubled over with laughter, but only after the door had completely shut did Heero permit himself a smile. The sight of Relena, clutching panties, on top of another woman, both of them wrapped in stockings and a bra binding their feet together, was indeed an image to savor. Poor Relena! But the thing that had caught his eye was the under garments themselves. Just imagining Relena in such things had him hard as a rock!
"Did you see her face?" Duo gasped.
"Yes, Poor thing. She's mortified. I doubt she'll ever live that one down with Hilde. Or you for that matter." Heero permitted himself a small chuckle.
"You're probably right." Duo paused to catch his breath. "So, how'd you two end up all hot and heavy in the hall, anyway? Relena doesn't seem like the kind of girl that would normally do that."
"Well, if you must know, I was the one to kiss her. We were just reminiscing, and I couldn't help myself. I've told you how I feel about her. This has been building up for 3 years now, maybe more. It's just that we haven't been alone since that night after the Mariemaia incident, and I don't seem to have much control when it comes to her," Heero looked down as he explained to his best friend. He still couldn't help but be ashamed of his lack of control where Relena was concerned.
"Heero, you've got to get this resolved. I mean, look at me and Hilde. Once we got things straightened out between us, it just got better and better." Duo clapped his friend on the back.
"I know. Tonight. I'll tell her tonight. I will take care of this once and for all" Heero said, looking up.
Dou sighed. "Go on, say it. I know you want to."
"Mission accepted." Heero said, and if he sounded a little sheepish, Duo didn't comment on it.
***
"Okay, almost done. There, perfect!" Hilde stepped back to admire her handiwork. She whistled.
"Well, let me see!" Relena pushed past Hilde so she could see the mirror. "Wow, thanks, Hilde! I look, well, amazing."
Hilde laughed. "Come on, let's go make some jaws drop!" She pulled Relena out the door, startling Duo and Heero from an apparently deep conversation. Duo caught sight of Relena first. His mouth fell open as he nudged Heero in the side. Heero looked up.
And saw a vision in pink. He had never really liked the color, but he hadn't known that it came in this shade. It was pale, only a slight contrast to her own cream-colored skin, making her appear fragile and beautiful at the same time. The bodice was low, showing a hint of cleavage, but covered enough skin to be considered modest. It laced up the front, the pale pink silk turning to spaghetti straps at the shoulder. Attached to these thin strips were sheer white belled sleeves that floated around her delicate wrists. The bodice tapered to a slim waist, then flared into a flowing silk skirt that nearly hid the silver shoes peeking out from beneath it.
Heero knew that he should say something, but found himself rendered completely speechless. In all the time he'd known Relena, he'd never seen her look like this. He'd seen the diplomat and the politician; the school girl and the rich man's daughter, even the queen. But never had he seen the girl-woman now before him. The gown hugged her curves deliciously, hinting at the woman, but the color and flow of it gave her an air of innocence. Her hair, coaxed into waves, trailed down her back almost to her waist, giving her the look of a guileless maiden. The top was twisted into an intricate crown of curls and braids, reminding all of her royal status. Her face was accented by only the slightest amount of makeup, and, Heero noted, the faintest of blushes. He realized he must be staring, and dropped his gaze through no small effort.
"Do I look all right?" Relena reached a hesitant hand up to touch her hair. "I thought it looked nice, but maybe it's too much?"
"No, You look beautiful." Heero reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. She smiled and their eyes met and held.
"Uh, Heero, we've got to go change. We've only got 20 minutes until 7." Duo once again elbowed his friend in the ribs.
"R-right. Relena, you stay here. Your brother and his wife are on their way to take over while Duo and I change," Heero reluctantly released Relena's hand and turned to go. "We'll be back in 10 minutes," he threw over his shoulder as the two men walked away.
"Well. I'd say that was a success," Hilde remarked, grinning. "Heero was totally stunned. And I think that's the first time I've ever seen Duo at a loss for words!"
"Really? You think Heero liked it?" Relena asked hopefully.
"Are you kidding? He wanted to peel it off you right here!" Hilde laughed.
Relena blushed. She was somewhat nervous about the dress. It had seemed perfectly chaste in the store, but now it seemed to be very low cut and very tight. And the naughty lingerie Hilde had finally convinced her to wear ("Come on, no one's going to know you're wearing it unless you show them") didn't help. She had exchanged the black stockings for sheer white, but she still felt as though anyone looking would know what she had on underneath. The worst part was that the dress, with its transparent sleeves, made it necessary to go bra-less. The lacings were tight enough to keep her covered, but she still felt outrageously bare.
"Relena, you look ravishing!"
Relena turned to see her brother and Lucrezia walking towards her. Both looked happy and were dressed formally as well.
"Noin, Zechs! I hardly got to talk to you earlier. How have things been going?" Relena said.
"Well, Lu, do you want to tell her or should I?" Zechs looked down smilingly at his wife.
"I'll tell her." Lucrezia said.
"Tell me what? Is something wrong?" Relena looked from one smiling face to another.
"Well, we wanted to tell you in person and we couldn't tell you at the reception, so when Heero needed someone to cover, we volunteered," Zechs said.
"What? Tell me!" Relena cried impatiently.
"Well, come next year, you are going to be an aunt, Relena!" Lucrezia said, patting her stomach.
"Oh my goodness! Congratulations!" Relena exclaimed, leaping forward to embrace first her sister-in-law, then her brother. "How far along are you?"
"About 2 months. Thanks to the new tests, we already know it's a boy." Lucrezia looked at Zechs. "We're thinking of naming him Treize."
Relena smiled at the happy couple, albeit a little wistfully. She wished very much for a family of her own. But until recently, she'd barely had time for friendships, let alone romantic involvement. Her cheeks warmed as she thought of the earlier kiss. Maybe after tonight that would change. She tried to imagine Heero as a father, and the image she found brought unexpected tears to her eyes. She quickly blinked them away before anyone noticed. ~Concentrate on the task at hand, Relena~ she thought to herself.
"Well, are we all ready?" Duo and Heero had returned. This last was said by Duo, who was trying in vain to straighten his bowtie. The two pilots looked dashing in black tuxedos. They also both looked exceedingly uncomfortable.
"This damn thing is so stiff!" Duo tugged at his sleeves as Hilde fixed the bowtie. "I never thought I'd want to put my uniform back on!"
Once everyone had stopped laughing, Heero stepped over to Relena and offered her his arm.
"Shall we, Your Majesty? The guests are waiting," he said softly, looking into her eyes.
"Don't call me that," Relena whispered, mesmerized by the look in his eyes. It was a promise, though she didn't know of what.
The group moved down the hall, paired into couples. They descended the stairs and entered the ballroom. All eyes fell on the Queen and her escort. There was a smattering of applause as they crossed the floor, then conversation gradually returned.
Heero guided Relena to the bar and got them each a flute of champagne, then the two of them joined the rest of their friends. Trowa and Quatre both looked devilishly handsome in black tuxedos identical to those on Relena's bodyguards. Wufei, on the other hand, had chosen to dress in traditional Chinese attire, as usual. Lady Une, having changed into her dress uniform, was congratulating Zechs and Lucrezia on their impending parenthood. Sally Po stood arm in arm with Wufei, talking to Quatre and Trowa.
"Now I can hug you, although with the way you look, I'm almost afraid I'll break you." Quatre stepped forward and embraced Relena gently.
"It's good to see you looking so relaxed, Relena. While the restoration was still in progress, there were times when I thought you could benefit from some Valium!" Lady Une chuckled as she shook Relena's hand.
"You look lovely, Relena-sama." Wufei bowed and nudged Sally. Sally rolled her eyes, but curtsied reluctantly.
Trowa didn't say anything, as was his fashion, but nodded to Relena.
The group spent the next hour or so catching up. They hadn't all been in the same room since the Mariemaia incident. There was a round of excited congratulations to Zechs and Lucrezia concerning their news. Even Trowa smiled and hugged Lucrezia when he heard. Relena was enjoying herself so much that she was surprised when Heero caught her attention by pointing to his watch, indicating that it was time to start the dancing.
Relena excused herself and went to the front of the room where instruments had been set up for the orchestra. She announced the music, then introduced the conductor, leaving the stage in his competent hands. Heero met her at the steps and extended his hand to her, which she took. As the first notes of a waltz drifted across the room, the two of them glided onto the dance floor.
Relena was excruciatingly aware of his hand on her lower back as he expertly maneuvered them through the steps of the dance. She felt his warm breath on her cheek and closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in the music. She had always loved dancing, and being able to do it in Heero's arms held a special thrill. The couple gradually drew closer, Heero's chin resting on the top of Relena's head.
Across the dance floor, Hilde nudged Duo and drew his attention to Heero and Relena.
"You'd better go cut in, Duo, before they scandalize all the guests." She nudged Duo in the direction of the couple.
Duo walked over and tapped Heero on the shoulder, bringing him back to his current surroundings. He had been lost in the smell and feel of Relena, daydreaming about the kiss they had shared earlier. He started to growl at Duo, then remembered where he was. Probably shouldn't get too friendly with Relena here. She was a queen, and he was only her bodyguard for now. There would more than likely already be whispered about how close they had been during this chaste waltz.
"Mind if I cut in?" Duo asked, taking Relena's hand from Heero's.
Relena began to protest, but then she too remembered her duties. She must dance with anyone who offered, so as to not offend any of them. So she reluctantly let Duo spin her away from Heero.
"Don't worry, Queenie. I'll make sure you two get some time alone later tonight," Duo whispered in her ear.
"Thank you. But really, don't call me that either, Duo. I'm still not opposed to yanking that braid of yours." Relena whispered back, giving his braid a discreet tug with the hand that rested on his shoulder.
Duo winced. "Okay, okay. Sorry."
Relena quickly lost track of how many dance partners she had, and by 11 o'clock, her feet were throbbing. As she twirled in the arms of her brother, she stifled a yawn with one hand. Zechs leaned closer to her.
"You know, you can leave anytime you want to. Just announce that you are going to retire, then leave graciously. No one will say anything," He whispered to her.
"I suppose you're right. Will you stay and make sure everything keeps running smoothly? After all, you are a Peacecraft, too." Relena held back another yawn.
"Go make your excuses. I'll keep an eye on things here," Zechs pushed her gently towards the stage.
When the current song ended, Relena excused herself, inviting those who wished to continue dancing to do so. Then she collected her bodyguards and headed back upstairs. When the trio reached her door, Duo turned and winked at Relena.
"Hey, do you guys mind if I go back down and party some more" he asked, eyes twinkling.
"I suppose that's all right. If you can really call it a party." Heero replied. He realized that Duo was giving him the opening he needed. He also knew Duo well enough to be sure that within the next 15 minutes, he and one of the others would be guarding this door, just in case Heero wasn't in a position to do any guarding.
Relena nodded her assent as well, then watched as Duo walked quickly back down the hall. Once he was out of earshot, she turned to Heero.
"I know there are a million reasons why I shouldn't be doing this, but please come in. No one will come into my private rooms with out my permission, and it's time we talked." She opened the door, walked in and waited for Heero to follow before closing and locking it.
For a moment, the two of them just looked at each other. It was Relena who glanced away first, walking to one of the plush chairs in the room and sitting down. She let out a sigh of relief as she kicked her shoes off.
"God, it feels good to be off my feet! I was beginning to think they would fall off from dancing!" she leaned back and placed her feet on the ottoman in front of her.
"Yes, no one could resist you tonight, Relena. You looked like a princess out of a fairytale." Heero's voice was soft and husky. He watched the light from the fireplace near the chairs play on her skin and hair, making her look as though she were made of gold.
"I did not. I'm not that pretty." Relena protested.
"Oh, but you are. You're beautiful, Relena."
Relena looked up at Heero. His eyes were darkened with some unknown emotion, appearing almost black in the firelight. He stepped closer, then bent and lifted a section of her hair. He let it sift through his fingers.
"It's like silk," He whispered, then fell to his knees. "Relena-"
Heero leaned in to kiss her. Relena found she was holding her breath. Their lips were scant inches apart. She could feel his warm breath. As he began to close the short distance between them, she found the will to stop.
"Wait, Heero." She whispered against his lips. "If I kiss you, I'm not going to want to stop, and we need to talk first."
Heero fell back on his heels, looking somewhat dazed. He shook his head as if to clear it, then nodded.
"You're right. When I';m alone with you, I can't seem to think straight" He stood and walked to the chair opposite hers, sitting down.
"You know there's something between us, Relena. It's like electricity every time we touch. I think it's finally time for me to be honest with you." Heero ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. "When I see you, it's like the heavens opened up and sent me my own guardian angel. You saved me, Relena."
Relena opened her mouth to reply, but Heero held up a hand to stop her.
"No, let me finish. When I met you, all but the last traces of humanity had been taken from me. I was purely and completely a soldier, I lived only to follow orders. But that first day, when you stopped to help me, even when you knew nothing about me, something came alive inside me." Heero stood and walked to Relena, kneeling once again before her. He took her hand.
"You reminded me of true human emotions. I suddenly knew compassion, tenderness..." he kissed her hand. "Love. I love you, Relena. I owe you more than you can ever know. Thank you." He stayed there, his head bent over her hand.
Relena sat in stunned silence until she felt a warm wetness on her knuckles. She lifted Heero's head until she could see his face. His Prussian blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears. This was even more shocking to her than his words had been. In all the time she had known him, he had never looked like this. She had seen him angry, in pain, passionate, and on rare occasions, laughing. But she had never, never seen Heero Yuy vulnerable. He was trusting her with a side of him she doubted even Duo had seen. The magnitude of that trust brought tears to her own eyes.
Relena slid off the chair to kneel in front of him, his face still cradled in her palms. She kissed the fallen tears off his cheeks and put her arms around him.
"I love you too, Heero,"she whispered in his ear, then kissed his lips.
This was a gentle kiss, lips brushing lips sweetly. Heero sighed her name against his lips, then let his hands creep up to pull pins from her hair, freeing the curtain of it to spill over both of them. His lips left hers to cover her face with light kisses, then trailed down her jaw line to the soft skin of her throat.
"I've wanted this for so long. It seems like a dream." Heero murmured, his lips tracing the edge of Relena's bodice.
"I know. But it's real, my love. We're together, and here alone, and we have the whole night." Relena pulled Heero up and kissed his lips. "We can finally let ourselves go."
Relena kissed her way down to Heero's collar and undid the bowtie of the tuxedo. Then she pushed his jacket off his narrow but toned shoulders. Her attentions then turned to the buttons of his dress shirt. She unbuttoned them one at a time, laying her lips to each new bit of skin she exposed. Heero groaned as she reached the button over his navel and kissed him lingeringly there. His hands tangled in her hair as she continued to kiss him, simultaneously tugging his shirt free of the waistband of his trousers. When Relena rose to push his shirt off as well, Heero captured her lips and pulled her roughly against him.
Heero's hands went to the lacings of her dress and began to loosen them. His fingers efficiently undid the stays and he then stepped back to admire her body as it was revealed. Relena kept her gaze on Heero as he gently pulled the dress open, then began to slowly slide it down and off her upper body. The silken material caught and hung at her hips, leaving her nude from the waist up. Heero caught his breath at the perfection before him. Relena's creamy-white breasts were high and firm, tipped with pert pink nipples that hardened as he watched. Her golden hair curled about her, hanging unfettered to her waist, giving her an ethereal look. He traced a finger down the valley between her breasts, causing her to shiver.
"Beautiful," Heero whispered.
Relena stood trembling before him, feeling his burning gaze take in her nakedness. She watched his pulse , beating almost imperceptibly in the hollow of his throat. He seemed dazed, so she stepped to him and finished sliding the shirt off him. Relena let her hands wander over his chest, tracing the wiry muscles and trailing down to the thin line of dark hair that disappeared into his trousers. She slowly unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned the pants, letting them drop to the floor as she stared into his eyes. Heero's hands made their way to Relena's hips and pushed her gown the rest of the way off. The two of them now stood nearly naked, chest to chest, staring into each other's eyes. It was Heero who made the first move.
"I was hoping you might have this on tonight..." He said, hooking his hand under the elastic of her garter belt. He was rewarded by a blush that crept down from the roots of Relena's hair and spilled over the curves of her breasts. Heero smiled, tracing the edge of Relena's garter belt around to where it clasped in the back and with a deft flick of his fingers, released it. The black silk fell from Relena's body to the floor, dragging her stockings with it. Heero knelt and helped her to step out of the stockings, then kissed up the inside of her left leg to her panties. Relena felt a warm tingling pool in her groin as Heero's hot breath fanned the center of her being. She closed her eyes as Heero began to gently caress her through the silk. She suddenly felt boneless, resting her hands on his shoulders to hold herself up. Heero smiled smugly and then stood, lifting Relena in his arms. He carried her to the massive bed on the other side of the room and gently set her down. Relena lay complacent, waiting for Heero's next move.
Heero stood by the bed for a moment, looking down at Relena laying there, her pale skin a surprising contrast to the deep burgundy sheets beneath her. He was struck again by how fragile she could look. Feeling a wave of fierce protectiveness sweep over him, he lay down beside her and gathered her in his arms. Heero kissed her, gently at first, then with rising passion. As they kissed, his hands slid between them to cup a firm breast once again, this time feeling the nipple pebble in his palm. Relena whimpered and arced into him, pressing their bodies tighter together. Her own hand was stroking his back as he kneaded her breast, but it gradually moved over his buttocks, then around to find his hot hardness through his boxer shorts. Heero groaned and pulled away from her to give her better access to his erection. Relena bent her head in concentration as she sought to pleasure him, forgetting her own pleasure altogether. Until Heero's lips closed around her left nipple, his warm tongue swirling the sensitive peak before beginning a gentle sucking. Relena sighed and brought her free hand up to hold him closer to her breast. Heero, taking advantage of her momentary preoccupation, shed his boxers, then slid his hand over her stomach, circling ever closer to her most intimate part.
When Heero's hand found it's way beneath her panties, Relena gasped and threw her head back. Heero moved his lips to her other nipple, caressing the abandoned one with his free hand. His fingers parted Relena's thighs and dipped into her wetness. Relena let out a moan that caused Heero's groin to tighten. As he slipped his fingers over her inner folds, Relena's moist hand drifted down to grasp his throbbing penis. Now it was Heero's turn to gasp. Relena's hand quickly matched the rhythm of Heero's fingers and the two of them were soon panting in unison.
Only moments later, Heero forced himself to stop Relena's hand, not wanting to reach his climax too quickly. He stopped stroking her, only to slowly penetrate her with his middle finger, drawing a keening moan from Relena. Heero began to slowly thrust in and out, while he started to kiss his way down her body. When his lips brushed her lower abdomen, Relena began to writhe beneath him. He traced a line with his tongue from her navel to the beginnings of her downy hair, then placed a delicate kiss at the very top of her cleft. Relena abruptly stilled, her breath coming in great gasps, eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of what was coming. Heero looked up at her passion-strained face, then parted her with his fingers and kissed her where she throbbed for him. Relena screamed, her hands fisting in the sheets, her head thrashing on the pillow. Heero licked her with unerring accuracy, his devilish tongue flicking, swirling, and driving her to a frenzy. When his lips closed over her clitoris and he began to gently suckle her, she held herself perfectly still, concentrating solely on the sensation. Suddenly, her vision bust into kaleidoscopic colors. She tensed, then went limp, her passion having reached its peak.
Heero rose from between her thighs to kiss her lips. Relena tasted herself on his tongue, inflaming her once again. Without warning, Relena rolled so that she was on top of Heero, then began to kiss her way down his body. She let her hair trail down his chest, then mimicked him by running her tongue from his navel to the base of his shaft. Looking up at him, Relena then placed a teasing kiss on the tip of his throbbing member. Heero watched as she lowered her mouth towards him, then opened her lips to let his hardness slip in. Heero let out a cry and fisted his hands in her hair, urging her on. Relena took as much of him in as she could, then began to apply suction as she bobbed her head. The feel of his maleness pressing against the roof of her mouth was exquisite, making her feel both wanton and tender at the same time.
Heero could only take a few moments of this before he had to stop Relena again.
"Please, I want to finish inside you." He said to Relena as he rolled her onto her back, his eyes pleading. Relena smiled and pulled him to her.
The two lovers stared into each other's eyes as Heero's penis nudged Relena's opening.
"Are you sure, Relena?" Heero asked, searching her face.
"I've never been more sure of anything, Heero." Relena reached down to guide him into her.
Heero's eyes closed and his head fell forward as he felt himself slide into her warm depths. He opened his eyes and watched Relena's face as he thrust himself fully into her. Relena gasped as her virginity was shattered by Heero's thrust. There was a brief flare of surprise in Heero's eyes and he stopped moving. Relena opened her eyes to see him watching her with concern. She smiled reassuringly at him.
"I had hoped I would be your first, but... are you all right? Should I stop?" Heero's voice was thick with restraint. He was obviously holding himself back.
"I'm fine. Just a little uncomfortable, but it will pass. Please, don't stop!" Relena punctuated this last by pushing her hips up at him, causing him to slip even deeper into her.
Heero groaned, then began to thrust gently. Relena was aware of a small amount of pain, but with Heero's every stroke, it faded. The pleasure was building quickly again, her body starting to tense again. Heero quickened his pace, his hips slamming into Relena's as she moved to meet him. Both of them were gasping, Relena clutching at Heero's back. Suddenly, Heero felt Relena's inner muscles clench around him as she cried out his name. The force of her climax sent him over the edge. He sank himself to the hilt in her and yelled her name as he spilled his seed into her. The two of them collapsed, Heero pulling Relena over to lie on his chest.
The two of them lay there, letting their heartbeats slow and their breathing return to normal. Relena was just beginning to drift off to sleep when she felt Heero's chest start to shake. Thinking he was crying, she quickly sat up, only to discover that he was laughing.
"What?" she asked him, smiling.
"If you tell Duo that I cried-" Heero began, but Relena stopped him.
"I know. O maeo korosu, right?"
The two of them fell asleep in each other's arms.
Epilogue
Relena Peacecraft-Yuy stood on the balcony of the Peacecraft mansion, looking out at the lake in the distance. Her hand rested on the swell of her newly enlarged abdomen, and a smile graced her face. Heero Yuy watched as his wife walked back and forth on the balcony, talking softly to the unborn child inside her. When Relena suddenly stopped, looking down at her stomach with alarm, Heero rushed to her side.
"What is it?" he asked, the concern evident on his face.
"What?" Relena looked up distractedly, then smiled. "Oh, Heero! She's kicking! Here, feel."
Relena took Heero's hand and placed it on her abdomen. Heero jumped when he felt the movement, then grinned and kissed his wife.
"I love you, Relena. And I love this little one too. What are we going to name her?" Heero asked, putting his arms around Relena from behind, cradling her swollen belly in his hands. Relena leaned back against him, then looked at him slyly from the corner of her eye.
"Well, I was thinking maybe we should name her after Duo. After all, it was partly because of him that she came into being." Relena said, struggling to keep a straight face.
"Ha! I take all responsibility for that! At least, from the male end."
Relena laughed, causing Heero to glare at her. He couldn't hold it for long, though, and soon he too was laughing.
"We'll think of a name soon enough. After all, it took us 4 years to decide to get together, so she can wait another few months for a name." Relena rested her head on Heero's shoulder and looked back at the lake. The sun was setting there, lighting the water with colors. It was the start of a beautiful thing.
:o
