Notes: Hey, sweets! * waves * It's another short, one-shot coming from yours truly, so don't think you'll fall asleep reading this... But a warning, I must give you:
* sigh * As much as I'd rather not explain, since it will detract from the twist, I think I should so people won't mail me saying that I posted in the wrong forum. Relena's with another guy in this fic, but the focus of the story is on Heero and Relena.
Part of Her World
written by: Nausica?
?Milliardo??
?Hmm??
?Everything?s going to be all right, right??
?Yeah? everything will be just fine.?
A.C. 202
Silently amused, he let his eyes crinkle slightly at the corners, the dark fringe of lashes emphasizing the deep blue of the orbs they framed. She was making her way down the aisle, cheeks rosy with her excitement and dimples appearing whenever she smiled. But as she came closer, he corrected himself and knew that her blush wasn?t due to excitement alone. The gloved hand that clutched the arm of her escort in a white knuckled grip betrayed her true feelings to him. And maybe her brother too, he decided, from the look on his face.
She was nervous.
He didn?t blame her. Their engagement had taken the Sanq kingdom by storm and thus been the local newspapers? cover story for what seemed like a millennia. Critics and the like speculated on what an unconventional couple they had made: she, a pacifist by nature, former Queen of the World and present Vice Foreign Minister. And he, a man who lived by another?s name, a Preventer of an uncertain birthplace and an ex Gundam pilot to boot.
He remembered the flashing of light bulbs that had followed their every step, and with every turn of the street corner, another hand recorder or microphone had been shoved beneath their noses as questions were fired and hands scrambled to scribble their stilted replies down.
After a week of such activity, it was mutually decided that their wedding would take place sooner rather than later, as they had initially planned. They were both tired of being tailed by the paparazzi, the constant comments, and criticism about their life as a couple and apart. Everything from their work, who they socialized with, even so far as to what they wore, gave fuel to the fire.
They had thought it was a decision made for the good of themselves and everyone else involved, but as soon as word came out, what was once friendly observation turned for the worse. He remembered with clarity the first day they had found out about the rumors:
f l a s h b a c k
To the untrained eye, Relena looked as composed as could be, but it didn?t fool him. He?d seen her posture grow stiff as the reporter barbed her with an unexpected question. A very unexpected question.
?I am sorry,? she replied with forced tranquility. ?I do not believe I heard you right.?
The reporter swelled with pride, knowing he had a front-page article waiting on her answer. ?Forgive me for speaking too soft, Miss Peacecraft. There is word that your upcoming nuptials have been moved to an earlier date due to an unplanned pregnancy. What is your response to that??
From his position above and behind her, he saw that her folded hands clenched and unclenched as she struggled for poise. In the end, her upbringing brought her through.
?In response to your question, no, I am not pregnant. On behalf of my fianc?, we have both agreed to abstinence until we are married. With our positions in our workplaces, a child outside of wedlock would just complicate our lives ? although I?d like to say that even if there were one, we would raise it together.
Our wedding has been moved up because of,? Relena coughed delicately. ?certain irritable situations we found ourselves in contact with on a daily basis. They had only started up when our engagement had been announced, and we are sure that they will die down once our wedding takes place. I don?t believe that anyone could tolerate a camera and microphone trained on them for too long, don?t you agree??
Thus subtlety chastised, the tide of conversation turned back to the summit meeting Relena had just returned from, and he breathed a sigh of relief then grinned.
What a woman.
e n d f l a s h b a c k
Yes, he thought. What a woman indeed. And very soon, she would be his woman. His wife. His Relena.
And as the priest spoke the vows that would bind them for eternity to one another, he made a promise to himself that he would spend the rest of his life working to protect the love that they had found together. The gentle kiss they shared amidst raucous cheering tugged a melancholy smile from his lips, and for the first time in his life, he couldn?t arrange his face into an indifferent expression.
Buoyed by the post-nuptial organ music and the clapping of friends and family, Relena and Trowa walked down the aisle past Heero?s pew and out through the doors. He gazed after them, wondering at the tightness in his chest. A soft step sounded and stopped beside him.
?You?re sure about what you?re doing?? Milliardo asked.
?It?s kind of late to ask that, don?t you think?? he answered.
Milliardo sent him a sidelong glance. ?Knowing you, Heero, I wouldn?t be surprised to find Relena a widow within the next few weeks. But,? he continued when the younger man tried to interrupt. ?I also know you wouldn?t do that.?
?I wouldn?t?? he challenged.
Milliardo shook his head. ?You still want to be a part of her world, Heero. A blind man could see that. ?
?But,? Heero knew.
?But,? Milliardo nodded, ?you came back just a bit too late. Now that Relena?s married, you?ll have to take what you can get ? and that?s this covert protection of yours and her happiness. Even if it?s not with you, you wouldn?t do anything to jeopardize her new life with Barton.?
Heero slowly nodded back. ?All I can get. I can handle that.? He looked at the taller man for a short moment then turned to walk away.
Milliardo watched the resolute set of Heero Yuy?s shoulders and heaved a heavy sigh.
?I know you can handle it, Heero. But the question is: Is it enough??
Stepping out into the bright sunshine, Milliardo was immediately tugged into a group picture. Relena materialized beside him and arranged her train so that it fell in flattering waves around her. She looked up at him.
?Everything did go all right, right??
Milliardo looked around the sea of smiling faces, knowing that one was trained on them in quiet resignation.
?Yeah, Relena? everything is just fine.?
End
Notes: Bad? Good? Love it? Hate it? Tell me please! I won?t cry that hard
Oh yeah, just in case: Relena doesn't know that Heero had attended the wedding service (think of Heero in disguise). She believes that he's just out on his own, living his own life away from the Sanq Kingdom.
And yeah, the whole P.O.V. thing is real confusing in this one - sorry about that T_T '
I guess it was so confusing because I wanted to keep the twist and the identity of the groom unknown up until the very end. Kinda backfired on me, eh? Sorry...
