Notes: Alright, let?s cut to the chase. This is slightly au I think, cause I doubt Relena would ever allow it to happen, but to hell with that ? I?m the author, hehe? but, yeah, here?s the basics: Endless Waltz never happened, this fic is taking place about three years after the end of the TV series, and Relena?s finally gotten a life.
Oops, that sounded mean, eh? But what I meant is that Relena finally got rid of those annoying pink dresses she used to wear, developed in some * ahem * parts of her body that Heero would just love to see bare, lost the braids, and she can dance ? but not that waltzing stuff. Nope. I meant the up-in-your-space-let?s-get-hot dancing
Hehe, I guess she?s a little OOC too? Have fun, sweets...
With the Flip of a Coin
written by: Nausica?
Chapter One: ?Hey, doesn?t she look like that ?Peacecraft? gal??
Within the boundaries of the Eve Memorial Park, a young and handsome brunette boy and an equally beautiful blonde girl sat by the edge of a sparkling pond. Their heads were close together as they shared a private conversation, oblivious to the other couples strolling by. Only when they took sips of their drinks did they ever part.
Occasionally, the girl would laugh and lightly touch the boy?s arm, indicating to anyone who happened to glance their way that their relationship was a close one. They looked like any other involved couple with the way they acted towards one another.
But no one cared to look, except for one. He watched secretly from across the pond, hidden from the couple?s view by the shadows of the willows that surrounded him.
Lowering a pair of slim binoculars from their face revealed dark blue orbs, alight with an unspoken emotion. They narrowed slightly as he watched the girl touch the boy?s arm again, but instead of removing her hand like she had done before, it stayed. Refusing to acknowledge that his chest hurt with an unwelcome but recognizable feeling, Heero Yuy turned his back from the happy picture that Duo Maxwell and Relena Peacecraft made.
Indeed, theirs was a close relationship. Duo and Relena had shared many a moment being comforted and held in one another?s arms, and when times weren?t as black for both, they spent their days laughing and reminiscing of good times spent in good company. But being as close as they were, friendship was often mistaken as more by their associates.
But the two paid no regard for the whispers and speculating looks sent behind their backs. They knew what was between them, and that was all that mattered. A close, lasting friendship is what they saw and gratefully maintained. If others saw something else, they were not going to waste their breath redirecting their conclusions otherwise.
After the end of the Eve Wars, Duo took it upon himself to get to know this woman who had held her own through what was literally, a war to save humanity. He had wanted to know how she had so much strength compressed into the small, fragile looking form of hers, and he wanted to finally pull off the mask that he?d put on for others, so that at least one person knew who Duo Maxwell really was.
What he found was more than he was expecting.
Relena Peacecraft wore a mask as well, keeping her piers and even her friends at a distance. She could not show any weaknesses to the preying vultures that were the people she worked with. If she did, she wouldn?t have lasted as long as she had. But once Duo came forward and took the chance at creating a connection that could be counted on, Relena took off her mask, revealing a side of her no one had seen before. They?d both shed their masks and reveled in the experience. And taking advantage of their newfound trust and understanding of each other, Duo and Relena became quite the best of friends.
Across the pond and unaware of what had transpired only a short distance away, Relena laughed again and laid her hand on Duo?s arm, struggling not to double over in her mirth. ?No way, that woman really said that to you? In front of Hilde??
Chuckling at his memory of a carnival he?d gone to with Hilde, Duo nodded. ?It?s the truth. She really said, ?I envy that snake? just because of where I stuck it.?
Relena laughed even harder. ?Well, of course. If you?re gonna put a stuffed toy snake in the belt of your pants because you didn?t want to hold it, you?re just asking for it. You swear you didn?t have a pocket to put it in?? she joked.
Duo held up his right hand. ?I swear,? he said. Mischievously, he added, ?It was embarrassing for sure, cause the lady was like ninety, but it was way worth it to see Hilde?s reaction.?
?I take it she had steam coming out of her ears?? Relena teased, nudging his shoulder suggestively.
?Huh, way more than that, Lena,? Duo replied. ?She looked ready to beat the crap outta the lady.?
As the figure of the unseen viewer walked farther away, the sound of a young woman?s laughter echoed again through the air.
Seeing Duo?s car disappear from her view, Relena sighed contentedly. Another day spent well. Duo and she had gone out to eat for lunch, and afterwards, they?d decided to take a walk in the park, ending their day resting at their favourite spot beside the park?s main pond.
They had sat there, talking about everything and anything, but inevitably, the vein of their conversation turned to relationships, like Duo and Hilde?s. They were not together yet, but Duo was making headway and Hilde seemed to be responding. Relena?s happy smile grew a bit bigger as she remembered Duo?s nervousness when he?d told her that he was planning to ask Hilde out. No one would?ve ever believed that the same guy could stare death in the eye without flinching, but be scared out of his mind about asking a girl out.
What a guy, Relena thought, shaking her head slightly.
Going inside her home, Relena said hello to her ever present butler, Pagan, and proceeded to head to her room. Once inside, Relena changed out of the sundress she had been wearing and put on a pair of mid-thigh black shorts and a white tank top. As she brushed her hair while sitting on top of her bed, Relena?s eyes wandered and landed on a framed picture set on the nightstand. Picking it up, she gazed at the picture, memories and a swirl of emotions flooding her in a split second.
It was a shot of what Relena had considered ?the group.? Taken in the back yard of her mansion, everyone was present and ? only now did Relena realize ? paired up. Her brother Milliardo and his fianc?e Noin were smiling, wrapped in each others arms, Duo and Hilde sat by one another making silly faces, Sally and Wufei stood together, stoic but content, Trowa and his sister Cathy were sitting on a blanket, grinning, and Quatre and Dorothy were laying down in recliners posing dramatically.
Well, almost everyone was paired up, Relena reflected bitterly.
Standing at opposite ends of the picture were she and Heero.
Even then, with the war over, Heero hadn?t opened up to her. His distance from her in the picture proved beyond a shadow of a doubt. Naturally, Relena hated it. She hated it because it provoked memories and wishes long since forgotten and abandoned. And if she had anything to do with it, Relena was going to forget Heero Yuy once and for all.
Feeling a surge of power, Relena put down the picture and opened a drawer of the nightstand. Reaching inside, she took out a stack of wrapped letters. All of them were addressed to Heero, written and accumulated over the past three years. In the next second, they were in the trash. Turning back towards her bed, Relena jerked to a stop, staring.
Sitting atop her pillows, it stared back, a silent symbol and reminder of all that they had shared.
Picking up the worn teddy bear, Relena hugged the only present she?d ever gotten from him, and painfully realized that no matter what she did, she would never let Heero go completely.
Never could and never will, I guess, she thought.
Feeling restless and a little bit oppressed by the sudden rush of memories that assailed her, Relena decided to go out again, but this time alone. Changing into hip-hugger leather pants and a tight, gathered grey shirt, Relena left her mansion. She was planning on going to a club and relaxing, and maybe even try a drink or two. Remembering a place that Duo had recommended, Relena got into her car and got on the road.
Heading down the street, Relena tried to shake her head free from thoughts of Heero and how heart broken she?d been when he didn?t remain in contact with anyone, leaving her to believe that he?d never had a single feeling of attraction towards her at all.
It?s gotta be true, Relena thought. It?s been three years and not one word of him came to me or anyone else for that matter. But damn, why do I still? love him?[i/]
Damn, why do I still? love her? Heero Yuy grouched silently. Three years away, and nothing?s changed. He slammed his empty glass hard on the counter, startling those at the bar nearest him. Crooking his finger at the bar tender, he ordered the slightly shaken man as he held up his glass, ?Another.?
Remembering the past events of that morning, Heero?s already dark scowl grew darker. ?Why did I even bother coming back? She?s with Maxwell now, and they looked pretty cozy together at the park. Their heads were so close together, and the way she touched his arm??
The refilled glass in his hand was emptied again. Being drunk might help him forget her and the ache in his heart.
Spotting the non-descript sign above two dark doors, Relena slowed down and looked for a parking spot. It was still early into the night, only about 10:00 p.m., and surprisingly, there were already many people inside the notorious Insomnia bar and club.
As she entered through the heavily guarded doors, Relena took a moment to look about the place. The windows were shuttered and the flash of multi-coloured lights obstructed her vision from seeing into the dark corners of the room. Instead of planning exactly where to sit, Relena decided to wing it, walk about, and explore for a while. Happening to walk onto the dance floor, Relena only then realized the thrum and beat of the bass. Music blared from strategically placed speakers, and theatre smoke was pumped out through small tubes placed at the edge of the dance floor. It gave the atmosphere an almost dream like quality, beckoning her to dance. Shrugging her inhibitions away, Relena gave in and danced.
At first, she felt rather awkward with not having someone to dance with, but it seemed that the other dancers surrounding her had no qualms with inviting a stranger into their midst to dance. One girl, a tall, leggy brunette grabbed her hand and pulled Relena towards her group. Feeling accepted, Relena closed her eyes and allowed her body to sway and twist with the heavy beat of the music. She was a born dancer, not missing a beat as the tone of the music changed, and she received many an appreciative glance from the male attendees of the dance floor.
The mystique of never being seen there before, coupled with her undeniable beauty and the fact that she danced in an unconsciously seductive manner, caused word to spread about the unaware Relena. And consequently, word of her spread as far as Insomnia?s bar.
?Hey, Alex, did you see the new girl in here?? one of the men near Heero asked. At his friend?s headshake, the nameless man replied, ?Heard she?s some piece of ass. Blonde, blue-eyed, and what a rack. Rumor is, is that she?s burnin? the dance floor right now. Wanna go get a look??
Apparently, Alex?s answer was a ?yes,? because they turned in their seats to view the dance floor below them. Heero had heard the entire exchange, but didn't bother turning around. He was still too caught up in his sour musings to care about some girl who could dance.
Giving a low whistle of approval and raising his eyebrows, Nameless turned to Heero. ?Hey, man, you gotta take a look at this girl. She is just goddamn hot.?
Heero didn?t even bother to speak. He just gave his customary glare and that was enough for Nameless. Raising his hands, he said, ?Fine, alright. It?s your loss though, she?s headin? off the ? hell, Alex, she?s coming to the bar!?
Heero had had enough of the two idiots beside him. He had come to the bar for the express purpose of forgetting about a certain blonde, blue-eyed girl with a body to die for, not listen to some lust crazed pair of losers who couldn?t get girlfriends. Besides, he was pleasantly seeing the edges of his vision blur. Just as he was about to get up, Alex?s next comment stopped him cold.
?Hey, doesn?t she look like that ?Peacecraft? gal??
What? Heero thought, eyes widening slightly. She couldn?t be here? but when he turned around to view the girl, Heero met the all too familiar and startled eyes of Relena Peacecraft.
Two words left Relena?s mouth, as she took her first look of Heero in over three years.
?Holy? shit.?
Not bothering to look where she went, Relena turned on her heels and fled.
Notes: You might be able to tell, but this is one of my earlier pieces, something that's been tucked away on computer that I just stumbled across. :-? It's not that bad, right?
