Final Mission Status 3/? Coauthored by Zapenstap and Mizaya

[zapenstap]

Final Mission Status

Chapter 3

Coauthored by Mizaya and Zapenstap



The table was set for dinner in the alcove adjacent to her kitchen, soft yellow lamplight blending with the moonlight streaming in from the floor-length windows separating the small dining area from the little garden behind her house. The table was covered with a blood red tablecloth matching the new curtains on the windows in the kitchen that Relena had seen from afar when she first came home. Her dishes were arranged simplistically, but the way they had been set was classic and elegant, the silver and glassware having been arranged with a precise hand. Heero?s hand.

Relena placed her cloth napkin neatly on her lap and stared at the plate of pasta Heero set before her. Typically, she would come home from work to her empty house, maybe put on some relaxing music, and eat a quick, simple meal before going to work on various proposals and drafts in her study. Often, she ate standing up. Having dinner waiting for her was a welcome innovation, and the deeper colors and softer lighting was strangely romantic. Her eyes strayed to watch Heero pace around to his side of the table, his movements exact and deliberate, yet undeniably graceful. She flushed as he sat and turned his penetrating eyes on her.

Due to her state of shock at finding her house renovated, she hadn?t even noticed the lovely smell emanating from the kitchen when she came home. She had been intent to inspect closely only her study and the bedroom at first, the most private places of her house where she never invited company. But then Heero invaded her in the bedroom, and their first greeting, the one that still had her neck tingling in the spot he had kissed, left her feeling flustered. When she regained her composure, he led her downstairs for dinner, seating her at this beautiful table overlooking her garden as he laid out before her eyes a meal that looked decent if not gourmet. The display of warm sourdough rolls, steamed winter vegetables, and bowtie pasta in a red sauce reminded her how poorly she had eaten today. Where Heero had learned how to cook, she had no idea, but she was not complaining.

As Heero sat down and met her eyes, she returned his stare with a light smile, lifting her fork experimentally. ?Do I get to expect this sort of service from you every night of our marriage??

Heero seemed a tad startled at her covert humor, but after a moment he merely laid his own napkin on his lap and then carefully and exactly began rolling his sleeves back from his wrists. ?Hn. Only for the first few months.?

Smiling coyly, almost feeling like she had won something, Relena began to eat her meal before her stomach grumbled itself into oblivion. In her present state of starvation, shoe leather would have been a delicacy, but after a few bites she decided that even had she been full, what Heero had cooked for her was exquisite. She was surprised, but after a sip of ice water and a few more bites of pasta, she told Heero as much.

?Hn.?

She felt her face contort in an expression of mild-mannered annoyance before she could stop it. She was really beginning to despise that noncommittal grunt of his. Even so, she was thankful for his silence. Her mind and body were still shaken up from the events of the day and something about Heero?s quiet predictability eased her nerves. After she began to calm down and her stomach started to feel full, Heero surprised her by speaking, not to merely tell her something, but as if to start up a conversation.

?How is your draft of the L3 proposal going? Did Gibbons say anything to you about it in your meeting this afternoon??

Her chewing slowed for a brief second. She wondered about the cameras, wondered what Trowa?s mole was going to read into their conversation and how she should talk about her day. Was she supposed to be honest and tell Heero what had happened before her meeting with Gibbons, when she had first learned about Cole from Une (excluding the counter mission and Heero?s part in it, of course) or pretend they had both known about the situation for awhile? Suddenly, this whole deceitful operation seemed more precarious. She understood why Une wouldn?t have wanted to keep her long lest someone become suspicious of her meeting with the Commander, but she wished she knew more of the details. How tapped was her house? What all could Cole?s agent see?

She decided to play it safe, hesitating only a moment before simply answering Heero?s question. His knowledge about her afternoon meetings indicated that he had definitely done his homework for this mission. That was to be expected of Heero of course, but she wondered if researching her boring business proposals in order to fake a prolonged interest in that aspect of her life had been a strange task for him as a Gundam Pilot or Preventer. She smiled as if she believed it were fantastically interesting to him. ?He mentioned it, but didn?t give any signs of support. I?m not sure he?ll take to it, not with the addition of the Generator Clause.? She sighed with more genuine feeling, thinking back over her frustrations earlier in the day, wishing she hadn?t been so distracted by Cole and thoughts of her fake marriage with Heero so that she could have given them more attention. ?I doubt those men even listen to me anymore. The last three proposals I?ve made have only passed because of colony endorsement, not because of anything I did.?

Heero?s silent response didn?t surprise her, but sometimes it felt nice to complain about her work and somehow she had always been comfortable around Heero. In this situation, with him posing as her caring, attentive husband, it was even easier to pretend that she could take such liberties. The sensation eased her and made her heart feel light, but a small part of her knew that she shouldn?t get attached. In a week, she would be alone again. She would fight her battles in business meetings and he would fight his on the field. Even if they were of the same mind, they led different lives; her dream come true was a bittersweet fantasy.

?I think you?re wrong.?

Heero?s answer took her off guard and she forgot to pay attention to her meal as he continued, staring at him with astonishment.

?Those proposals were flawless, but they passed because you wrote them. Maybe people claim that endorsements influenced their votes, but they?re mistaken. It?s because of you. Gibbons will support you, after he plays his political games. You should know that by now.?

Heero said no more on the subject. It was as if his silence had been merely reflective, gathering her reaction to matters and comparing it to the information he already had in order to formulate a perfect, encouraging answer. After he had given it, he seemed to retreat intellectually, as if all that could be said on the matter had been said and there were no fallacies in it. She blushed under the certainty of his assessment, but the compliment?if it had been a compliment and not merely an assessment?was soothing. She felt strangely warm.

But was it real? What if he were merely acting, even in this?

Laying her napkin on the table to signify that she was finished, Relena twisted in her chair to checking the silver wall clock. All this talk of business reminded her that even when she was playing Heero?s wife, she still had work to do in the larger world. The evening was rapidly dwindling down to her early bedtime and she still hadn?t started on her final draft of the dreaded proposal. Talking to Heero casually in her kitchen was indulgent, but not productive, and she needed to be productive now more than ever.

?I?ll take care of the dishes,? Heero told her, not looking up to meet her eyes as he sipped on his drink. ?There?s coffee in the kitchen.?

Blinking, Relena stood, thanking him as she excused herself. She found the coffee steaming in the coffee pot, freshly made and with just the right amount of strength. Filling a mug, Relena adjourned to her study and sank into the brown leather desk chair to look over her paperwork. The pile of drafts and copies and amendments was thick, but it had to be sorted through and at least this part of her day was routine.

She had just plunged into her reading and editing when Heero quietly opened the door and stepped inside her study, his own cup of coffee in hand. She stopped writing, corrective red ink pen poised above one stack of paper, as her body became suddenly warm from his presence. Without saying a word, Heero withdrew one of the books from the bookshelf that she had shelved earlier, switched on the gas fireplace, and settled into one of the two armchairs that faced it. He thumbed to a place in the middle of the book and immediately began reading, an expression of devout interest on his face, as if he had been reading that book for the past several days. Maybe he had been. It was a technical manual.

Reading her reports with him not five feet from her was distracting at first. Light sounds of him flipping pages or picking up his coffee had her ears pricking up, like they were the most beautiful sounds in the world and she would miss out on something special and important if she blocked them out. Sneaking glances at him out of the corner of her eye as she worked became much more intriguing than power system funding for the colonies, and she almost made a game of it. She thought ridiculously that if she glanced up at just the precise moment, he would catch her eye and something would happen. She had no idea what that might be and it was a silly game to begin with, but some small part of her was relishing in it. Maybe she would see something real in his gaze, something she could only catch unexpectedly, something that could sort out the tangle of thoughts and feelings she had of him in her mind and heart.

Heero didn?t look up, though. Apparently the inner workings of vernier engines were quite enrapturing, a thought that made her smile almost as much as her fantasy of catching him unawares. Content that he was simply here to stay and there was nothing she could do about it, Relena renewed her focus on her work. When she managed to control her preoccupation, Heero?s presence became a comfort and her stack of waiting documents grew shorter. When she worked in the past, she sometimes thought about Heero, wondering where he was in the world, knowing that he was somewhere protecting her so that she could do her job and make the world a fit place for him to live in, but having him protecting her in the very room where she was working was easier on her conscience.

Something about this whole situation was so perfect. Not one component of the environment cultivated her fair mood or the richness of her feelings, but everything together: the pleasantly crackling fire, the soft lighting of her desk lamp, the warm aroma of their coffee, the way Heero?s sharp eyes skimmed so fiercely over the pages. She couldn?t remember a time recently when she felt so relaxed or so alive. She liked it this way, even though it was a pretense, but she knew she could never say so.

Eventually, the particulars of her work pulled her into her familiar groove, Heero?s resonating presence fading into the background. She forgot about the time, writing incessantly as the last of her coffee grew cold and it became late without her noticing. While writing in the margin of a particularly jumbled rough draft of the Generator Clause, Relena felt warm air glide down her collarbone. She gasped, startled, and her eyes flew to where Heero had been reading only to realize that at some point he had gotten up. Somehow she felt the pressure of his hand as he gripped the back of her chair, his presence looming behind her shoulders. She stared straight ahead as he leaned over her shoulder, his face bending close to her own until the warmth from his skin heated hers. He talked an inch away from her, trapping her in her chair between his arms, his voice speaking softly close her ear. She began to shiver and could not explain it. His eyes were on her proposal. ?You should use R17 generators, not the TX380. They?re more expensive, but their efficiency will save money for the colonies in the long run.?

Somehow hearing jargon about generators sounded fascinating when he was close enough to feel his body heat. His whispers would have been sensual if he was reading the dictionary and her hands fell weakly into her lap as she fought to cling to the strength and composure she knew she had. Was he doing this on purpose? Did he even realize? ?We looked into those, but they aren?t compatible with the existing power supply,? she said.

?You would have to upgrade them with a 3-point magnum chip. It will still be cheaper,? he informed her, pressing his cheek against hers. Her eyes slid shut. Her stomach was trembling. ?You look tired,? he whispered, and this time it was in her ear. Her lips parted, her body reacting to the heated breath from his mouth, mindlessly taking in whatever he was saying. ?These aren?t due until next week. You should get some sleep before you wear yourself out.?

?Okay,? she said, and at that moment it hit her very strongly that she was going to be going to bed with Heero Yuy tonight. Eyes closed, her body tingling with living energy, she wondered how the hell she would ever be able to sleep.

Heero?s arm slid abruptly around the back of her chair to her waist and he leaned further over her, wrapping the front of her body in a hug that pulled her close against him. His head tilted slightly, his nose brushing into her hair until his lips tickled her ear. She fought to hold onto herself, mind racing, lungs trying to find air. But his voice, though the tone was still sensual, was like being doused with ice water.

?The extent to which this house is tapped is impressive. I?m talking here because I know where the microphones are and how perceptive they are to noises at what distances. It?s best you pretend that they can hear you at all times.? The words that tickled her ear were in sharp contrast to the way his hands stroked her for the sake of the voyeurs. She tried to ignore his hands, and fought to seem reactive while her mind struggled to separate the realities. ?If you want to get ready for bed out of the line of sight, go to the back of the bathroom. The camera in that room is only aimed at the counter area.?

Relena nodded dumbly as Heero kissed her temple and released her, and his going left a void like water rushing out of a dam. He offered her his hand and she took it, letting him lead her from the room on legs that wobbled only slightly.

Once they arrived at her bedroom door, Relena had managed to steady herself, her mind relaxing by sheer determination. She would just have to accept being close to him like this for now. She looked at Heero, tracing the lines of his body and the serious expression on his face. In a bold move, Relena wrapped her arms around his shoulders and stood on her toes to reach his ear. He caught her stiffly, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. She didn?t care, hugging him until he hugged her back. His back felt good to hold, and she took the opportunity to touch his hair, holding his head and body close to hers. ?Thank you,? she whispered, ?for everything tonight. You?re always so thoughtful.? She left him abruptly, pulling herself sharply away before she could get hurt, and walked into her bedroom to get ready for her first night as Heero Yuy?s wife.


*****


Lady Une couldn?t tear her eyes away from the screen. She had caught her breath several times over the last hour or so, intensely drawn to the scene playing out before her eyes in a way that she had never even considered. When Heero and Relena released each other and walked into the bedroom, her heart rate only eased a little bit. Heero began changing almost immediately, stripping of his clothes as stoically as if he were alone in a dim room rather than Relena?s bedroom with cameras watching him from several angles. Relena saw it too, watching for a moment with an expression that looked both lost and entranced. Then she blinked as if coming to herself from some stray thought and turned on her heel, striding into the bathroom. When she emerged back into the camera?s eye, she was dressed for bed, a cotton nightgown covering her from shoulders to shins. Well, that explained the heart-stopping scene when they appeared to nibble at each other?s ears. Thank God Zechs hadn?t been in the room then. Heero knew the layout of the mole?s surveillance in perfect detail. He must have told Relena what she had to be aware of and where she could undress privately without his suggestion being overheard. Une wondered if the mole would notice that Relena had chosen to change in the exact spot where his cameras couldn?t be seen, but she didn?t worry about it too much. For one thing, Zechs would have a fit if Relena started peeling off her clothes on camera.

Worrying was unnecessary. No matter how chaotic their thoughts and feelings might be, Heero and Relena were playing their roles in award-worthy brilliance. If she didn?t know the intense and complex history between them, she would have taken them for young lovers in a heartbeat. Their control over their movements and facial expressions almost fooled her a time or two, and the penetrating stares and momentous caresses conveyed a deep emotional connection that would be obvious to any observer, whether they knew the couple?s true history or not. With Relena, Une knew that the act was at least partially genuine. With Heero, well, no one ever knew what that boy was thinking. Either way, they were convincing. That was what was important.

It wasn?t unusual for Une to stay late at Preventer headquarters. As Commander, she often gave away any and all free time to ensure the peace of the universe. The world didn?t abide by any 9-5 schedule, and although she painfully missed various activities in Mariemaia?s life, she reminded herself constantly that her adopted daughter was kept safe because of her work. So there she sat, at a time when she should be in bed, watching the feeds from 35 micro-cameras and listening to the amazing quality of sound that 50 state of the art microphones provided. Benefits of uncovering a mole meant easy taps into surveillance equipment and it was important that they keep abreast of the situation in case something went wrong.

On the large vid screen in Trowa?s office, Une saw Heero knock on the bathroom door and be admitted by Relena. He was less than half dressed, bare chest and toned muscles magnificently sculpted, the shorts he slept him only a modest covering and not hiding much. Une clapped a hand to her mouth at the same moment Relena?s eyes widened, seemingly stunned. Walking past her, intense eyes unchanging, Heero grabbed for his toothbrush and hers, squeezing some paste onto both and handing her one so they could both brush together. He made it look practiced, like something they were used to doing, and Relena didn?t ruin the picture at all. After a moment, she just smiled.

Une couldn?t expect better if they were actually married.

?Did I miss anything juicy??

Duo?s voice from the doorway caused her lips to quirk into a smile. ?I?m not sure Trowa would appreciate you barging into his office, Maxwell,? she said dryly, keeping her eye on the vid screen as Heero and Relena bent over twin sinks to brush their teeth.

Duo waved a hand negligently, cavalier grin splitting his face. ?Nah, he went home hours ago. Besides, we?re old buddies, ya know?? Evidently that meant that Duo could take great liberties, like flopping into Trowa?s chair, propping his boots on the desk, and digging one hand into a bowl of popcorn he had brought with him under one arm. ?Want some?? he asked, catching her gaze.

Her raised eyebrows must have had the desired effect, because Duo paused around a buttery mouthful of kernels and looked sheepish. ?What? I?m just getting ready for the show. Geez.?

?Show??

He shrugged at her cutting tone. ?Yeah, you know, the Perfect Soldier and the Pacifist Princess enjoying marital bliss, tying the not, sealing the deal? consummating the union?? He winked on that last one, ignoring Une?s reproving glare. Duo laughed at her expression. ?Who would wanna miss that? Don?t act like that?s not the reason you?re here.?

Une turned back to the screen so he wouldn?t see the corners of her mouth rise up in amusement. ?You do realize that if Heero could hear you say that, you wouldn?t have long to live, don?t you??

His sputtering laughter was tinged with fear. Good. She liked keeping people on their toes. Back on the monitor, Heero and Relena had finished brushing their teeth in favor of washing their faces in the dual sinks. Duo was watching them with avid fascination.

?Man, he even has perfect hygiene. What a guy.? Noisy crunching of popcorn could be heard during his pause. ?I did a damn good job with the house, if I do say so myself. Maybe I should get a job in home decorating. Retire early, get my own TV show.?

Une ignored the braided annoyance and continued to watch in interest as Relena smiled at Heero, who bared his teeth back at her in some semblance of a smile and then took her hand again and led her to the bed.

Duo sat up, munching even more determinedly, as if it were some sort of sporting event. ?Here we go! Lights, camera, action!?

Duo?s wishes weren?t going to be fulfilled, though, seemingly. Une crossed her arms, leaning back in her own chair to watch more passively. Heero waited until Relena crawled under the covers and then he followed, taking the side nearest the door. Even after he switched off the lights, the night-vision cameras that Richardson had wisely installed in the bedroom still showed the couple clearly. They were somewhat stiff, although Une rationalized that it could be accounted to mutual exhaustion in Cole?s point of view. Still, they couldn?t afford mistakes. Relena, lying on her back, played with the coverlet idly for a few minutes until she seemed sure than Heero was settled beside her. He had already shut his eyes, a soldier trained to fall asleep quickly due to time constraints. Relena shut her eyes, too, their softly murmured goodnights heard through the microphone.

Une inwardly flinched, noticing how awkward it looked for two newlyweds to have such a chaste nightly ritual. Duo looked disappointed, but also worried, as if he was feeling the awkwardness too and had just now understood the complications involved in this charade.

But then, perhaps unsurprisingly, Heero seemed to catch on to what was necessary. In the darkness, he turned on his side and lightly reached his hand over the covers to slip around Relena?s ribs, pulling himself close to her back. Then he kissed her hair, all while keeping his eyes closed. At his movement, Relena?s eyes fluttered open, staring into the dark, but then she closed them, a tiny smile blooming on her lips. Une had to smile herself, letting out a breath as she watched the girl tilt her head to the side towards Heero?s. They looked like a couple in love.

?What a gyp!? Duo exclaimed, not with real anger, but a kind of excited confusion, sounding more than a little miffed. ?I can?t believe I stayed here five extra hours just to see that sappy bullshit!? His eyebrows lowered in consternation, watching Heero sleep with his arm around Relena as if trying to work out some puzzle. ?Aren?t they secretly in love? This is the perfect excuse.? He dug into his popcorn again, several kernels spilling over the side of the bowl. ?Man, sometimes I just don?t understand that guy at all.?

Eyeing him askance over her shoulder, Une smirked at the spattering of crumbs all over Trowa?s chair and desk. ?For one as stealthy as yourself, Duo Maxwell, you sure do know how to make a mess.? He glared and haphazardly brushed off the desk into his empty popcorn bowl as Une rose to her feet. ?Shall we go then?? She left no room for discussion as she switched off the vid screen. The feeds were all being recorded, of course, and right now Wufei was on night duty to actively monitor them for any trouble, but it was foolish to leave them playing on Trowa?s wall all night.

Grumbling, Duo stalked out ahead of Une with his arm around his popcorn bowl, not waiting for her to lock Trowa?s office with her master key. ?Night,? he said over his shoulder, tossing a hand in the air as a wave.

?Good night,? she called back. ?And Duo, you will be going home at a decent hour tomorrow.? The last thing she needed to worry about was Duo staying late every night to watch the ?show.?

?Yeah, yeah.?


*****


Relena could feel Heero beside her, his body molding to hers, hugging her as he rested. His breathing grew slow and regular, but she felt wide awake. Even though she felt safe and amazingly comfortable, she couldn?t stem the flow of wild, confusing thoughts that had her blood racing electrically.

She wondered if Heero was really falling asleep or if he was simply still and controlling his breathing. Staring into the darkness, trying not to like how good his body felt close to hers, trying to ignore how the excited feelings frightened her, she fretted over him, and their situation, and the reason she was in it.

It bothered her that they hadn?t discussed the incident with Cole yet. She wanted to acknowledge that the situation was being considered, that there was a reason for this mission, though she couldn?t mention that it was a mission in front of the camera. She assumed that she was supposed to know what was going on, and with the significance of the terrorist?s demands, it should be expected that they would talk about it, Heero supposedly being her husband and this situation being a very big deal if they were actually married. Shouldn?t they discuss something about it on camera? Of course, Relena was actually worried, and she actually wanted to know what Heero thought and felt about it. As the person most concerned, worrying was natural both on and off of the camera so there should be no problem telling Heero her real fears, though in point of fact she had just been told? this morning. Had so little time gone by? Five days left.

She dragged her hand from beneath the covers and touched the arm that rested heavily on her midsection. ?Heero?? she whispered into the night.

His eyes shot open. She could feel them looking at her. She could always feel it when Heero?s eyes were on her. ?Yeah?? His voice was quiet but attentive and alert, as if he really hadn?t been just drifting off, and she supposed he hadn?t at that. He was just pretending. Maybe he felt uncomfortable being physically close to her. She wouldn?t have been surprised if he stayed awake all night while pretending to sleep, though he would never mention it to her or let it show.

Smiling inwardly, she went on. ?I keep thinking about the situation with William Cole.? She paused. She had to choose her words carefully, to make it seem like they had known for days and that she was just looking for support, while at the same time trying being honest enough to relieve her real fears. ?We only have a week. Less than a week, before I have to make a decision??

?Nothing is going to change between us,? Heero told her in that sober, confirming voice that inspired so much faith in her. But did what he was saying have two meanings? And if so, did he mean that things between them would go back to the way they were before, or that things as they were right now would not change? Her heart sped up, wondering?

?He claims to love me, to desire me,? she said. ?What if he tries to keep me there against my will?? There was that danger too, that something in this mission would go wrong, and though she was not going to back down or run away, there was still a deep seeded fear within her.

Heero shifted behind her and she turned until she could see the shadows glance off the angles of his face, dark hair half-shrouding his eyes. He sat up on his elbow to hover over her, frowning intently. When he turned his eyes on her, they were serious, burning with a passionate blue fire that alarmed her and made her feel safe in the same moment. This man, she reminded herself, was dangerous, even when he was protecting her; perhaps it was then that he was at his most dangerous. But whether it was for the safety of a politician he deemed important or friendship or something more, she still couldn?t tell. It was the same as it had always been.

?Relena,? he began, ?I won?t let anything happen to you.? His arm pulled her tighter to meld his body even more closely to hers under the blankets, and he settled his head back on the pillow, his face buried in her hair. Her breathing became shallow. She could feel every inch of him, every muscle, including some she should most definitely not feel, but she couldn?t deny the feelings that swept through her, the sense of excitement and security and trepidation bowling her over at once. The arm graced up her torso and to her cheek, guiding her head to the side to face his. She turned her head at the neck, trying not to tremble or at least not let him know it. The look in his eyes was the same, but the effect it had on her heartbeat was magnified when at such close range. This close, it was almost like she could see past the hard shield and into something deeper and more mysterious, something that made her heart flutter. That had always been the same, too. Just like on Libra, before he had pushed her away, she was incapable of speech.

On Libra there had been no continuance. Here there was. Eyes stayed open as he moved his head even closer, tilting slowly. She didn?t have time to panic before their lips met, his warmth passing to her in a sudden exchange, nor control her reaction. She had always dreamt of their first kiss, a childish thing that teased her at inopportune times. She couldn?t decide if this counted technically, but she couldn?t ignore how it made her feel, the way her stomach dropped. But just like every emotion she had for Heero Yuy, this one was confusing and tinged with sadness. The kiss wouldn?t have come without the mission. It was simple and short, but his lips were soft and left her wanting, aching for more. She stared at him, fighting back a flood of emotions, reminding herself that this was just a dream. Just as soon as it had started, it was over, and she was left gazing into those amazing sapphire eyes, her heart thudding in her chest. .

?I?ll protect you,? he said.

?Heero?? She willed herself not to cry out in the dark silence, from pain and fear and a fervent, relentless wishing?

He reached out to touch her hair, and the gesture was seemingly abstract, because nothing changed in his face. His expression was all serious angles, digging into her heart and soul. When he spoke, it was with a finality that left no room for discussion.

?I?m the one who loves you, Relena.?


TBC


Mizaya: What should we talk about this time?
Zapenstap: Hmm, the story of how we met?
Mizaya: Yeah! First day of kindergarten, baby!
Zapenstap: And we sat next to each other.
Mizaya: And figured out that our names rhymed.
Zapenstap: What? You mean my real name isn?t Zapenstap?
Mizay: Um. Er, no. It?s Amy. And I?m Jami. The point was that they rhyme.
Zapenstap: ^_^ Which of course meant that we should be friends.
Mizaya: Of course! Rhyming is serious business when you?re five!
Zapenstap: And we realized that we both loved My Little Ponies.
Mizaya: Similar toy interests are a crucial part of any childhood camaraderie.
Zapenstap: -_- Right. Anyway, something must have worked.
Mizaya: ?Cause you still put up with me now!
Zapenstap: Well? you went along with my crazy MLP storylines. They were quite? involved, if I remember. Yes, *sigh* I was a writer even then. *Reminisces*
Mizaya: *Reminisces* You were always strange. By the way, was there a point to this?
Zapenstap: Yeah, uh, to thank the readers and ask them to review again?
Mizaya: Oh yeah. We?re totally appreciative of all the wonderful feedback!
Zapenstap: *Huggles reviewers* I?m so happy! T_T Keep ?em coming!

[BadPenny]

You know, there probably should be a law against this kind of torture. .. But I'm glad there isn't!
Is it me, or is it getting warm in here?
You guys better not wait too long to continue this story or you just might be guilty of causing your readers to die from withdrawals.
As usual, this was intense, and excellent!
~Bad Penny

[Eppes]

(Screams) He did it! He finally did and said it and I'm in love with this story. I was instantly hooked and now I'm dying for more. Poor Duo and Une leaving when it just got good. Bet they'll kick themselves later. Fab chapter!!!

[Wingnut]

(Screams) He did it! He finally did and said it and I'm in love with this story. I was instantly hooked and now I'm dying for more. Poor Duo and Une leaving when it just got good. Bet they'll kick themselves later. Fab chapter!!!

Well I doubt that Lady Une will, but Duo would certainly be upset with himself at missing Heero's declration of love for Relena.
I need to know what is going through Heero's head during all this. Obvously he can't really talk OOC with Relena, but Duo however should be able to pull a few choice thoughts out of Heero before he goes all 'Omae o korosu' on him.

Apparently the inner workings of vernier engines were quite enrapturing

They can be! I've spent literally hours looking over lineart of mobile suits in the varoius Gundam series trying to locate the exact position of the engines and to find every little vernier thruster and weapon mounting. For a tech geek like me it can be quite consumeing.


My Little Pony huh? Don't worry about the sillyness of it, for me and my friends at that time we did virtually the same thing, minus the fanfic writeing, with the Ninja Turtles.

[Caliborn]

Awww! That <i>better</i> not just be "In Character", Yuy . . .

I'm exstatic ( . . . I need a spell-checker . . .) that this chapter got put out so soon! ^_^ The cliffie was cruel because it makes me wait for the next chapter all the more impatiently . . . Still, the style of writing is wonderful; it's really emotional and I love how clearly the story plays out. You're doing a great job of keeping the two in character, also!

Keep up the wonderful work with this story! ^_^ I'm lovin' it!

[Akasha]

I love it! More...i need more...

[bookworm]

?I?m the one who loves you, Relena.?

*sigh*

[Lady Casper]

plz continue writing this is getting to good.

hopefully you get it done and i wont have to hold my breath!!!

[Stellar-Soldier]

This story's starting to get really interesting, though the conclusion to this chapter seems like it would move into a lemon-ish situation..

[Stellar-Soldier]

"Love in its own right is cruel, if one knows how to use it to its darker devices." -Stellar Soldier


Sure, the H-man may deserve this sort of emotional torture, but.... where do you guys draw the line?