A/N: A special thanks to melodrama, bluefire, and, of course, goddesswing for the reviews. They really keep me going.
Warning: Lime!
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?Two days,? Relena sighed, ?two days until my trip is over.? Her blue eyes looked into the mirror and noted how tan she had become and smiled.
?Heero would be surprised to see me like this,? she thought. At home, she was always too busy working to be outside and never got tan. But now, the sun had given her once fair complexion a deep, healthy hue that contrasted with her hair. She had cut her hair, too. Her long, thick hair had been too hot and it was impossible to keep it in a ponytail. Her shoulder length bob was very flattering, and many of the crews? heads turned that day. Even the captain, who cut it, gave her several admiring glances. ?Of course, he had seen much more of her than that that day.? She thought, as a happy, almost girlish grin spread on her face as she remembered how her relationship with Hugh had changed that day.
**Flashback**
?My hair,? Relena complained to no one in particular, ?It?s so hot.? Her face was pink and she fanned herself with one hand as the other lifted her heavy, long hair off her neck. As she collapsed into a nearby chair in her room, Hugh appeared at the door. One glance at her pink face and her attempts to hold her hair as far away as possible from her neck told him the problem - her hair had to be cut.
?Relena, I can take care of that for you,? he said, leaning in the doorway.
?Take care of what? Is there some kind of fan around here?? She looked around hopefully, still trying to move as little as possible.
?No, sorry. Your hair, Relena, I can cut it for you.?
?Cut my hair,? a surprised look crossed her face, ?You can do that??
?Yes. I tell you what, give me a couple of minutes to find some scissors and I?ll be right back.?
?Okay.? A content smile crossed Relena?s face as Hugh left. ?Soon,? she thought, ?Soon it will be much cooler.?
A few minutes later, he returned with scissors and a drink for Relena.
?I thought you might want this,? he said with a small smile. ?Now, lets get this taken care of.?
Relena studied him, unsure if she should let him cut it. After all, in a few days she?d be back in the news again, and she wanted to make sure that she didn?t have an awful haircut. His face broke into a grin under her gaze, knowing exactly what must be going through her mind.
?I promise you will like it,? he said, startling her enough to cause her to look guilty. Laughing at her, he closed the door to her room behind him and instructed her to sit in front of her sink.
?Okay Relena, get the water comfortable for you so I can wash your hair.?
?Wash it?? She asked surprise written on her face.
?Of course, it must be wet for me to cut it. Besides,? he said, with a naughty grin on his face, ?I had this dream about you once and ever since then I?ve really wanted to wash your hair.?
Relena looked at him, her expression blank. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Strangely enough, she was not embarrassed ? she was flattered. Here was this handsome man that had obviously had a fantasy about her. ?Maybe its because I?m so glad someone finds me desirable after Heero?? she forced herself to stop the thought, furious with herself that she still thought of him and even more so that it still hurt.
Cool water soaked through her sun-bleached strands and refreshed her hot body. She relaxed as Hugh massaged shampoo into her hair. ?If feels so good. He certainly is taking his time? She thought.
Hugh was taking his time. He enjoyed the look of bliss that was etched on her face as he ran his fingers through her hair. Her eyes were closed, her mouth slightly open, as if it was waiting for a kiss. Once a small worry line creased her forehead but quickly went away. She was relaxed and happy. He had made her happy. He turned off the water, regretfully, not wanting to break the moment but needing to. He squeezed her hair, trying to get the excess water out and grabbed a towel.
Relena felt like she was yanked out of her trance. Her head shot up out of the sink before Hugh could put a towel around her, causing water to spill down her neck and shoulders. Her eyes opened to find him starring at something. He wasn?t looking at her face for once though. Glancing down, she found that the water had caused her shirt to stick to her chest. Her nipples were plainly showing under her white t-shirt.
He looked up at her, embarrassed that she had caught him starring, but was unable to keep the desire off his face. Instead of grabbing the towel, Relena pulled him close to her and kissed him. His body was rigid at first, but relaxed as she moved her hands over his muscular arms and back. She stopped kissing him long enough to look deep into his eyes and pull her shirt over her head, exposing her lacy bra. His hands cupped her breasts, noting how good they felt in his hands. He kissed her again, this time his kisses had a touch of need in them. Looking at her, he slowly bent his head down to take her nipples into his mouth. She watched him, fascinated as her nipples became even harder as his hot breath hit them. Inches away, she closed her eyes awaiting the sensations to come.
~~ Knock, Knock~~
?Captain! Captain, are you in there? Relena??
Hugh?s face changed from desire to anger, waiting only long enough for Relena to scramble and put her shirt back on, to storm over to the door and rip it open.
?WHAT!? he yelled.
?We need you sir, there seems to be a problem,? Juan said, surprised at the captain?s reaction but not afraid. He saw out of the corner of his eyes a rumpled Relena and surmised the captain?s behavior, a grin slightly crossing his face. Fortunately, Hugh had turned back to Relena and had not seen it.
?I?ll be back soon to finish your haircut,? Hugh stated as evenly as possible and then hurried to see what the problem was.
Relena met Juan?s gaze for a moment, then he turned his back to follow the captain. She moved over to her chair again, where Hugh had found her earlier, and relaxed, ready to take a nap. Her door was still open, and now combating some of the heat as a small breeze ran through the room. The sun still shined brightly in the room, but thankfully a cloud covered up part of it and darkened the room. Relena opened her eyes to find it was not a cloud, rather a person that was blocking out some of the sunlight. More specifically, someone that had spiky hair leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. It was Trowa.
He sensed Relena had acknowledged his presence, met her gaze.
?What do you think you are doing, Relena?? he asked, no expression crossing his face.
?Doing?? she questioned, confused.
?Hugh. You. I thought you cared for Heero.?
?I do. I mean I did.? Relena?s eyes flashed with anger and then quietened as she quietly added, ?He doesn?t return my feelings, Trowa. I have to move on and Hugh?s been, well, wonderful.?
?You don?t know anything about him.?
?Yes I do!?
?He?s not what he seems, Relena. Keep that in mind.?
Relena turned her head back to where Trowa had been standing to find that he was gone.
The problems with the boat had not taken too long, and Hugh returned within thirty minutes ready to cut her hair. This time, the door was open, as Hugh wanted to spare Relena from as much embarrassment as possible. He knew that rumors had already been circulating about them. He quickly cut her hair in silence and then disappeared, as it was almost time for dinner.
**End of Flashback**
?I?m almost ready.? She thought, combing through her hair one last time. She checked her appearance and then darted out the door. Hugh was waiting for her ? he made arrangements to have a special dinner with her before she left. He had wanted it to be the next night, as it would truly be their last night together on the boat, but it was impossible. As captain, he had too many responsibilities and duties that had to be taken care of to ensure the safety of their arrival, so tonight was the night. He made a picnic, of sorts, for the two of them, to eat as the sun went down. Hugh had arranged for the crew to be downstairs so he could be alone with her.
Hugh looked at Relena, nervously. She was even more beautiful, if that was possible, than when he first met her. He watched her walk slowly over to him, a self-assured smile reaching her eyes. She was graceful, kind, and everything he had ever wanted. But he had lied to her. Well, not exactly lied, but did not tell her things he should have. About himself and who he was, but he would tell her the truth tonight. He looked down guilty at the boards of the boat. Somehow, she would forgive him.
He pulled her down beside him and brought out the food. They ate mostly in silence, Relena thinking about this being their last night and the work that surely was waiting for her when she got home, Hugh thinking about what he wanted to say.
A sigh escaped Relena?s mouth as the sun went down for the last time they would be alone together, sharing this moment. Her head leaned on Hugh?s shoulder, then turned to kiss it, then leaned back. He put one arm around her and reached for a match to light some candles with the other. He held her for a few minutes like that, still in silence. Then moved again, removing her shoulder from his arm as he stood up. He held his hand down to her, quietly asking her to join him. She complied, wondering what he wanted, as he pulled her close to him, still holding one of her hands. He then looked deep into her eyes and put his other arm around her waist.
?Dance with me,? he asked.
The two danced together on the ship, without music, without anything but the stars and the candles flickering light on them.
A figure watched them, crouched in a dark corner on the ship. He noted that they said little to each other. ?Good,? he thought, ?this will be the last night I have to watch them.? It had been hard watching them together, seeing Hugh kiss and hold her. Even harder because of his emotions ? they wouldn?t let him watch impassively.
?Look how happy he makes her,? they whispered to him.
?Shut up? his eyes flashed angrily.
?Don?t tell me to shut up. It should have been you.?
?No, I?m nothing compared to her. She would be happier with someone else,? he argued.
?And he is? She?d be happiest with you.?
?No. She loves him now.?
?You should be the one kissing her,? the voice said to him, almost enjoying the pain that briefly flashed in his eyes.
?No.?
?Are the rumors true that they?ve been sleeping together?? It asked innocently, waiting for another stab of pain he would surely feel. But his body suddenly was very quiet except for that voice. It even seemed impassive now, as if they were both detached from the situation.
??.?
?Are they??
The hairs went up on his neck and he was able to finally ignore the voice and turn his full attention back to Relena and Hugh. The former gundam pilot was so distracted by his emotions, for the first time in his life, that he lost track of what the two were doing. Looking at them, he saw Hugh kneeling on the ground in front of Relena, who had tears in her eyes.
He couldn?t hear the words that Hugh said, but they seemed to shout at him as he read his lips.
?Relena, will you marry me?? Hugh?s face with was alive with anxiety and hope.
She looked at Hugh, a range of emotions on her face ? disbelief, surprise, relief, happiness, and then some doubt. She pulled Hugh up to her and whispered in his ear, hugged him and kissed him frantically. Hugh leaned over and blew out the candles and led Relena to his room.
The shadow was unable to hear Relena?s answer or read her lips. But he saw her response and guessed her answer. He wondered back to find Trowa, trying not to think about what the two were doing in Hugh?s cabin as the light went out in it. A lump formed in his throat. He had lost her. Heero Yuy had lost the only woman he could ever love.
The End ? (JUST KIDDING!
)Coming up - Trouble on the boat, Trowa gets some action, Relena's answer, and much more.
P.S. -- Will Beg for Reviews!!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Angeldreams on 2002-06-02 20:42 ]</font>
