Relena, Stand By Me (2/?)

[Calla Lily]

Relena, Stand By Me
Chapter Two: Oh, Pretty Woman

Summary: [2xH] Duo slammed down his root beer float and gasped, pointing to someone behind Heero, ?It?s her, it?s really her!?

- - -



?Heero,? a voice pleaded, ?I have to hang up now.?

?I won?t let you.?

?Please? I?ll get caught.? She tried her sweet voice.

?Hn.? He grunted, refusing her request.

Okay, sweetness gone.

?Oh, don?t give me that attitude, little man. I?ll call you back, okay?? All she heard was a grumble. ?Or call me back in five.?

?Fine.? Then their line was cut, and just in time. Milliardo knocked on her bedroom door.

?Relena? What are you doing? I heard voices, do you have a visitor?? he inquired with too much interest, ?You?re not talking to Yuy are you? Are you? Relena?.? The girl rolled her eyes and smiled to herself.

?His name is Heero, you?ve never gotten that right.?

?I don?t care what his name is? he doesn?t have one? wait, you?re talking to him?? The door opened and Milliardo burst in, expecting to see his mortal enemy making time with his little sister or worse. Oh, the horrors of being an older brother. Things used to be so simple, when did it all go wrong?

?Where is he?? He swiveled his head around, a crazed look in his eyes and grabbed the nearest object to him, ready to hurl it at the invisible adversary.

?Could you put that vase down? Mum actually likes that one. Besides, I was talking to him on the phone.? Putting the urn on her dresser Milliardo started to scour the bedroom. It wasn?t that he didn?t trust her word, but this was Yuy she was referring to.

?What did he want??

?And you want to know because?? Relena got off her bed and left the portable phone to recharge on her desk. Sitting at the vanity table, she removed the elastics from her tresses and un-plaited the braids that Lucrezia had done early this morning. Her hair had been wet and instead of the usual straight locks, they had a slight curl to them.

?What?s this?? He pointed to a highly offending object while his sister just cocked her eyebrows.

?It?s a toy, Milliardo.? Relena eyed him carefully as he picked it up off her bed.

?Where?d you get it??

?Heero Yuy.? She said all too casually for his liking. Her brother glared at the teddy bear. There was something purely evil in all its cuteness and fuzzy-happy-aura that girls seemed to love. It must be bugged. It must have some hidden sleeping gas in it. It probably had a virus. Maybe Yuy put a camera?

?My dear brother, don?t even think about hurting that bear.? She gave him an icy look. No one was going to harm her little muffins, not when she was around.

?But ??

?OUT!? Milliardo wrinkled his nose in distaste but he followed her orders anyway. Taking one last look at his enemy?s mechanism of wickedness, he walked out the door with hunched shoulders.

Relena hugged the toy closely to her body and lovingly played with Mr. Halloween-bear?s ears when something came off in her hand. That wasn?t there before. Taking a closer look?

?Milliardo, I said STOP with the MICROPHONES!?

~ * ~

A man with a ridiculously long braid down his back slouched in his chair as he conversed with his best man. He ran a nervous hand through his bangs and took another long draught from his drink. He wished it were alcoholic. But that would underline ?stupidity? which would eventually transform to ?carelessness? and after that, ?anger.?

?Thinking about Hilde again.?

That was an understatement.

?Yeah. And her temper.? Duo sighed and looked at the little caf? where they waited for Relena. ?Thanks man, for letting me stay at your place the past week.?

?You owe me.?

?You and the rest of the world.? Which was partly true. ?When?s Relena getting here?? Heero didn?t bother to glance at his watch and he didn?t seem all too worried about the fact that she was late.

?Soon enough, but that?s not your problem.? Duo cringed when he found himself at the receiving end of the trademark glare. ?We?re here to settle your issues.?

?What about my problem?? The other boy merely grunted to show that he had everything under control. ?Thanks bud.?

?Sure, just stop with the worship.?

~ * ~

Lucrezia Noin-Peacecraft opened the door carefully to make sure that her husband wasn?t anywhere near. Turning around, she gave the all-clear signal and Relena came up behind her, dressed in some casual clothes with her hair down from its braids. The older woman had also dressed-down with a purse clutched in one hand. Silently heading towards the front doors, they had to pass the kitchen where Pagan could usually be found cooking something. They would have to run for it.

?Ladies?? a voice sounded out and the two women froze. ?Where are you headed without saying goodbye to your mother?? Mrs. Darlian came out from the kitchen, a newspaper in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Relena looked anxious but her sister-in-law had it covered.

?We?re just going to see Hilde and Duo.?

?What about Relena??

?I?m going to see Heero, Mum.? The Minister didn?t want to lie to her own mother. She waited for the lecture to happen and squeezed her eyes shut.

?Be careful, then.? She could hardly believe her ears at what she just heard. She was alright with this? Since when?

?Don?t tell Milliardo where we?re headed.?

?Wouldn?t dare to Lucrezia, have fun then.? The elderly woman smiled and leaned against the frame. ?Oh, and tell Hilde and Duo that I said hello.? And she closed the doors.


- - -
Pretty woman, walking down the street.
Pretty woman, the kind I like to meet.
- - -


?Heero!? a voice hailed the blue-eyed man, ?Heero, I?m over here.? And Relena waved to him from the crowds that walked down the streets. Unable to pull through the multitude of shoppers, Lucrezia grabbed her hand and ploughed down the people in their way, the girl had to learn to be aggressive sometimes. Heck, how else did she get her husband to finally go out with her?

??Lena, how ya doin??? and he got up to pull out their chairs for them like a gentleman. ?Hey, Lulu, haven?t seen you in awhile.?

?Likewise, I?ve been talking to your fianc?e more in the past few weeks than seeing you two together in the past few years.? Then she crossed her arms and lay back in her chair, pursing her lips.

Oww.

?So?? Duo started to say, at a loss for what to do in his current situation.

?Do you even know why she?s mad at you?? He shook his head and the other three groaned in cacophony. Relena then took the initiative and explained the whole mess to him, taking special care on the details that Hilde?s phone calls consisted of. ?You see, she thinks that your behaviour is quite unacceptable, she has the idea that you don?t want to marry her anymore.? Duo could only look dumbfounded with this piece of inside information.

?She thinks I don?t love her anymore?? he stuttered and Lucrezia managed to give the tiniest sympathetic pout. ?Was I that bad to make her believe?? Heero nodded in agreement and Duo slumped back down in his chair.


- - -
Pretty woman, I don?t believe you,
You're not the truth.
- - -


?To continue? she says that you?ve paid less attention to the preparations and are purposely neglecting your wedding. But to cut it short, she?s upset that you won?t be doing anything for Valentine?s.? Feeling thirsty and uncomfortable with her friend?s situation, Relena raised her hand for a waiter but Heero gave her his lemonade drink instead. They shared a brief smile. Pilot 01 brusquely pushed his chair back, grasped her hand and pulled her onto his lap.

He wrapped his arms around her and she didn?t object, blushing under her sister?s impish smile.

?You know, I used to do that with Hilde?? the braided one moped seeing the two together and finished Lucrezia?s drink with one gulp without asking her first. The others assured him that it wasn?t too late to patch things up, he still had several months left to make things right. He grabbed his own glass and started to drink it all down?

Duo slammed down his own root beer float and gasped, pointing to someone behind Heero, ?It?s her, it?s really her!?

His Hilde.


- - -
No one could look as good as you!
- - -


Maxwell?s heart stopped beating when he saw her walking by her lonesome, on the other side of the street where the caf? was situated. She wore her favourite raspberry beret and by the looks of it, had been shopping by the evidence of several clothing outlet bags in her hands. She turned her head towards the bistro?


- - -
Mercy!!!
- - -


?Hide me!? and the long-haired boy looked desperately for a shelter.


- - -
Pretty woman, won't you pardon me?
Pretty woman, I couldn?t help by see.
Pretty woman, that you look lovely as can be.
Are you lonely just like me?
- - -


Panicking like some caged animal, Duo mouthed pleas of help from his friends. He wasn?t ready to face Hilde just yet; he had to think things over, to make sure that she still wasn?t disappointed in him. But he had to stop acting cowardly.

?Sorry, Maxwell. This mission is completely your own.? And with that, Heero shouted into the crowds, ?Schbeicker! Over here!? and Relena, who still sat on Heero?s lap, waved her arms around to catch the girl?s attention.


- - -
Rrrrrawwwwr!!!!!
- - -


Even with his nervousness, Gundam pilot 02 couldn?t get over the fact that his girl was gorgeous. He loved everything about her: from her short, cropped hair, to her eyes, to her hands, even to her toes. Memories of him and her on the bed, while he painted her toenails different colours placed themselves into his head. In specific, he remembered that she liked the way he choose the color of ice blue for her nails and how she had put little sequins on top once the paint dried. It gave the illusion that she held the sky in her hands.

Didn?t Hilde know she meant the world to him?


- - -
Pretty woman, stop a while,
Pretty woman, talk a while,
Pretty woman, give your smile to me?
- - -


Finding it hard to breathe, much less swallow, Duo tried to find something to occupy his time with but there was nothing. Sitting uptight, he stared at the empty glasses on the table.

?Hi everyone, Relena, how?s everything?? at least one of them was at ease.

?Just fine, but my brother doesn?t know I?m here.? The girls grinned.

?Have a seat, Hilde.? Offered Heero and he nodded towards Relena?s empty seat which was right beside?

Maxwell?s.

How would this turn out?

?Sure, thanks Heero.?


- - -
Pretty woman, yeah yeah yeah!
Pretty woman, look my way.
Pretty woman, say you'll stay with me.
- - -


The tension between the engaged couple was so great that Lucrezia could have sworn she saw a barrier between them as they sat next to each other. They didn?t look at each other in the face, didn?t make any movements, didn?t speak?

?So?? Relena tried to stir up a conversation, but with a warning glance from her man, she decided to leave the situation up to them.

Hilde ordered a club soda and drank it in silence.

They were all very good actors on their own accord, the scenario looked normal to any passerby; a couple of friends who relaxed in the morning light, sharing a quiet interlude in the midst of their shopping.

?We need to talk.? Duo said suddenly and turned towards his fianc?e with determined eyes. Hilde stopped sucking out of the straw and put her drink down uneasily.

?Okay.? He noticed that she resisted the urge to start biting her lip; she did that whenever she was tense with something.

?We?ll leave you two alone.? Lucrezia stood up and ushered Relena off Heero?s lap, silently giving them the order to let the pair work out their problems by themselves. ?We?ll meet you at the food court, in that mall over there.?


- - -
'Cause I need you? I'll treat you right.
- - -


Hilde and Duo just looked into each other?s eyes, reading them, before saying a word. She had kicked him out of their condo and he had to stay at Yuy?s place, much to the other man?s chagrin. Relena had been talking to Heero who secretly begged her to do something about these two; he couldn?t stomach Maxwell?s constant lamenting over his lost girl. The VFM herself was starting to fear answering Hilde?s calls and e-mails, telling her mother that whenever her friend called, say she was ill with the measles or had a case of the chicken pox of had pink eye or something?

But this was just the two of them now?

And they realized that it was all they needed.

?Hey beautiful.?

She laughed.


- - -
Come-with-me-baby-
Be mine tonight.
- - -


?I wonder what they?re doing right now.? Relena spoke her thoughts aloud as she walked hand-in-hand with Heero in the mall strip. ?Do you think they?re arguing or maybe that she?s crying? You know how Duo can be sometimes.?

?Hn.? Was all he said and craned his neck to the right, a store had caught his attention.

?How can you say such things, Heero? This is a big fight for them and everyone, including you, wants to see them reconciled.? She stopped walking and looked around. ?Where?s my sister??

?Right here.? Lucrezia materialized right behind them, face flushed and carrying multiple bags of what looked like colourful - - - -. ?Sorry, I had to make a quick trip somewhere.? The young couple exchanged looks for those shopping bags looked extremely suspicious.

?Well, what were you saying, ?Lena?? and seeing their faces, swiftly closed the bags to prevent them from seeing anymore than they needed to. All in due time, of course.

?Tell her she worries too much about other people.?

?I know, but she can?t help it, can she? Besides, that?s what attracted you to her in the first place, the fact that she cared.? She revealed without shame, glad to see them slightly uncomfortable under her watch. After all, she was Milliardo?s wife and had to keep things in check.

?Lu, what were those you bought??

?Nothing much, just some clothes.? Again, couple raised their eyes in interest and Lucrezia just glared at them. ?You saw nothing, okay??

?Sure.? Heero added sarcastically and pointed out a store of interest to his girl, she beamed in delight.

?I?m warning you two not to say anything or you?ll pay.? She followed Relena to the toy store and her eyes fell upon some stuffed animals. Somehow, the threat didn?t seem too effective when she held a giant giraffe that sang nursery rhymes in the cutest kid?s voice.

?Looking for something in particular, sis?? Relena teased. Lucrezia just huffed away to another section of the toy store.


- - -
Pretty woman, don?t walk on by.
Pretty woman, don?t make me cry.
- - -


Duo and Hilde held hands as they walked down the mall, just like their friends did, and headed towards the food court, just like their friends told them.

?So, when are we going to pick the cake? You like chocolate or vanilla or something else?? Such a hard choice. Chocolately goodness or the classic vanilla? It was like comparing warm brownies, freshly baked from the over with a fruity, smooth milkshake. Hilde bit her lip before they both said in unison, ?CHOCOLATE!?

?You know, we could always ask Mr. and Mrs. Peacecraft for tips for our own special day. Lulu seems helpful enough,? but his girl interrupted him.

?She didn?t feel that way when I talked to her, she was almost as mad as I was.? She laughed heartily.

?Really?? His lighthearted manner was back, but this time in check.

?Really really.?

?Weird.?


- - -
Pretty woman, don?t walk away, hey?
- - -


They bent their heads together for a quick kiss before entering the food court and looked for a table to hold five people.

?I know, and it?s not like her to get so touchy.?

?Did you see the way she glared at me??

?She must have hanging around Yuy too much.?

?Milliardo, more like it.?


- - -
Okay.
- - -


?Duo, did you really miss me that much?? He just squeezed her hand a little tighter as his answer. Yeah, he missed her alright. Hours of sitting in front of the tv, watching reality shows on couples, Matchmaker and A Wedding Story all implanted into his forlorn lover?s head? In actuality, Hilde had been doing the same, except when she talked to her girlfriends on the phone, Duo was at Heero?s breakfast table, drinking coffee and writing unsent love letters while sappy love songs played on the radio. It drove Yuy nuts.


- - -
If that's the way it must be, okay.
- - -


?Maxwell, you can?t do this to me!? Pilot 01 begged, scratching his neck where his rash was healing as opposed to banging his head to the wall in order to get Don McLean** out of his head.

?I miss her man.? He pined and reached for more chocolate chip ice cream in his friend?s refrigerator. The second one this day and it was making Heero insane; that was supposed to be for Relena!


- - -
I guess I'll go on home, it?s late
There'll be tomorrow night, but wait!
What do I see??
- - -


?You know what your problem is? You?ve wallowed in melancholy so much that it?s an art form.? Heero grabbed the spoon and ice cream from his comrade and put it back in the fridge. ?Get you act together, Duo, how can I be your best man when there won?t even be a groom??

?You got any more paper, Heero??

?What for??

?I need to write more letters.? The other man rubbed a hand over his face. He didn?t think he could watch The Wedding Singer for the 38th time in just three days. This was getting ridiculous.

He picked up the phone for reinforcements.

?Relena??


- - -
Is she walking back to me?
Yeah!
- - -


?Hey, over here you three!? Duo called out to their friends. His best buddies looked extremely pleased with themselves and Lucrezia a little dreamy?

Wait a minute?

?Look at what Heero got me,? The VFM showed Hilde once they all settled down into their chairs, ?it?s new teddy bear.?

?What?s the occasion this time??

?Valentine?s.? He replied and showed the box to them, two matching white teddy bears with pink noses and paws and little ribbons around their necks. ?Look at what they do.? He held one bear while Relena held the other. They made the bears face each other and put them together, noses touching. The little hearts on their bellies glowed. Relena laughed aloud when her man gave her a kiss of his own accord.

Lucrezia still had that glazed look to her eyes?

?Okay, everyone, I?m the oldest and I?m in charge.?

?Yes ma?am.? They answered.

?So, what do you all want to eat??

They all stared at the woman, was she treating them out?

?Do you understand how much Maxwell can store in that stomach of his?? She nodded.

?Of course, he and Hilde ate a whole tier of my wedding cake.? She replied off-hand, looking at nothing in particular.

?CHOCOLATE!!!!? and Lucrezia smiled absently.

But Relena thought that smile was for something else.

- - -

?So, am I forgiven for all those things I?ve done?? Duo hesitantly asked her as he wrapped his hand around her waist. Heero and Relena followed along behind them while Lucrezia acted as the chaperone, although she got distracted quite a bit by women happily pushing around strollers?

?Yeah, just make sure that you talk to me whenever you have worries, alright?? Hilde spoke softly as he squeezed her hand, she didn?t want to veil her reservations about each other and neither did he.

?Anything, Mrs. Maxwell.?


- - -
She's walking back to me!
Oh! Oh! Pretty woman.
- - -

Author?s Notes:
** I really don?t have a thing against Don McLean, it was the first musician that popped into my mind.
- There really are television shows aptly named Matchmaker and A Wedding Story[/b]. Go figure.
- Film: The Wedding Singer, doesn?t belong to me. Great movie. XD
- Featured Song: Roy Orbison?s ?Oh, Pretty Woman.?

On FF.net, a lovely reviewer by the name of Lei Xang drew a cute little picture of Noin and her giraffe. I hope the link still works: http://www.geocities.com/dragonfly7621/noin.jpg

And another BIG thank-you must go out to Hououza of FF.net for reviewing this chapter beforehand. I would have fried more brain cells than necessary without his help.

[Chibi-sitter]

i like this chapter going along to 'Pretty woman', yeah Roy Orbison!!!
i like the idea of Duo eating out the fridge, poor heero. its annoying when your friends come over and eat all your food.