Around This Life chapter 7
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 5:18 pm
AN:Told ya you'd be surprised at how fast this came out!
Readers: *throw eggs at Litia for making them take the poll*
Litia: Ow! OW! Hey! I just wanted to know what you thought!
Readers: Check the responses, IDIOT!
Litia: ...Oh.
DUO FANS, PREPARE TO SWOON. AHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I just love to write. A lot.
Around This Life
Chapter Seven
The morning after my shouting match with Mother was both pleasant and painful. I didn?t want to accept the fact that she?d been right about my conforming so rapidly, but her reasoning was all wrong. At least, that?s what I thought.
When I began to wake up, I kept my eyes closed to shelter myself from the world. Facing anything remotely like the night before would no doubt send me over the edge.
One day. One stinking day.
The sun was so bright in my room that I could see yellow behind my eyelids, but I didn?t open them for fear of what I might see.
It wasn?t until I felt an odd tickling on my nose and caught the scent of roses that I began to stir. At first I was confused, until the tickling drifted down and landed on my lips, allowing me to breathe in the scent without any question of what it was.
A smile spread across my face. ?How did you get in??
?Your window was unlocked.?
I took another deep breath and opened my eyes, being instantly treated to Duo?s handsome face and gorgeous smile.
??bout time,? he said, lifting the rose from my lips and tapping it gently against my forehead. I lifted my hand to his face and caressed his cheek with my thumb.
?I missed you. Even before I woke up,? I said. He smirked.
?Really? Were you dreaming??
?Maybe.?
?About what?? He winked.
I laughed. ?Harp.?
?Harp??
?Yes,? I said, sitting up. ?I dreamed that I was playing the harp for you, and you asked me to dance. It was a difficult piece and I tried to keep playing without my hands, but it wouldn?t work.?
?Obviously.?
?Hey!? I swatted him on the chest. ?It was a dream. It?s not supposed to make sense.?
?Sorry! Sorry. Go on.?
?Well, I kept trying to play without my hands, but it just wouldn?t work. So, eventually, you came over and sat down behind me.?
?Oooh, I like it.?
?Duo!?
?Sorry.?
?Anyway, you sat down behind me and helped me play. Then, I took my hands away at the same time you did, and it kept playing.?
?Nice.?
?Then you asked me to dance again, and we started dancing.?
?Really??
?Yeah.?
?And then what??
I blushed. ?And then we?did something.?
?Oh??
?Yeah.?
?What was this ?something???
My blush deepened. ?We...got close.?
?Close??
I bit my lip. ?Yeah.?
?All right!?
?Duo!? I gasped.
Now he laughed. ?Sorry! Sorry. Just doing a little dreaming myself.?
My head bowed to hide my ever deepening blush.
?You?re so cute when you do that.?
A sort of half-cough, half-curse word escaped my mouth.
?What was thought??
?Nothing.?
We were both silent for a moment.
?Hm.?
??Hm? what?? I asked.
??Hm? as in ?Hm, I can?t dance.?
?You can?t??
?Nope.?
I gaped at him.
?What??
?I didn?t know you couldn?t dance!?
?Well, I never had a chance to.?
?Would you like to learn??
?Sure. But only if we do whatever it was we did in your dream.?
I laughed again. ?Hm.?
??Hm? what??
??Hm? as in ?Hm, maybe I can teach you at my engagement party.?
?Your what?!? His face went from nonchalant to utter surprise.
?My engagement party. Mother told her wonderful friends about my engagement to Mr. Barton, and they were more than willing to throw me a party for it.?
Duo mumbled something. Something highly inappropriate.
After a while he bumped our noses together and said, ?Ok.?
Once again, I was confused. ?Ok??
?Ok. You?re havin? a party. No big deal.?
I remembered my entrance coming down the stairs the night before. In my yellow dress.
?No big deal,? I repeated softly.
?What is it?? Duo asked, his expression full of concern.
The memory of my mother?s hand across my face swept through my mind.
?Nothing,? I said, standing up. Duo looked up at me with confusion and apprehension, probably wondering whether or not he should push it any further. Thankfully, he didn?t.
?I guess you need to get dressed then??
A quick glance at my clock made me cringe. 9:30. ?Yeah.?
?Can I watch??
My eyes widened at him.
He put his hands up in the air. ?Fine, fine, I?ll take that as a no.?
I giggled as he stood up. He wrapped his arms around me, his warmth flowing into my skin, and at last I felt safe.
I was safe. ?I love you,? I whispered.
He kissed me softly. ?I know.? He kissed me again and added, ?I love you more.?
As he made his way over to my window, I couldn?t help but feel increasingly vulnerable and helpless.
?Duo?? I asked suddenly. He turned his head around with the window half open. ?Will you be back tonight??
He gave me his signature grin. ??Course I will.? And with that, he was gone.
Quite a few minutes went by with me just standing there, my mind completely blank. There wasn?t anything I wanted to do, or even think about. I just wanted Duo to come back in and make me feel safe again.
Slowly, I made my way back over to my bed to pull the covers up to the pillows and noticed the rose still lying on top of the blankets. A soft smile made its way onto my face again as I picked it up and breathed in its fragrance one last time, then let it slip down to rest against my heart.
One day down. Just twenty more to go.
* * *
Throughout the entire day, I tried to deny the fact that Mother had been right. Admitting any attraction to Mr. Barton would be no better than complete and utter betrayal of Duo?s feelings, and trust. I couldn?t imagine hurting him that way, and I couldn?t even fathom the possibility of liking someone else.
Yet, already, a part of me was beginning to feel the guilt of lying to Mr. Barton, and accusing the rest of me of an even bigger form of betrayal.
When I?d gone down to breakfast, Peagen told me that Mother had taken off with Mr. Barton earlier in the morning and that they weren?t due back for several hours. Words could not express my relief over this news, as I immediately ran back upstairs to change out of my dress and into a pair of jeans. It felt odd to be wearing my regular outfit again after all that had happened the day before, but it felt extremely comforting at the same time.
As I buttoned up my blouse, the fabric kept brushing against the back of my hands and I would shiver every time.
?How does it feel?
My fingers rested on the last button and I stopped, examining myself in the mirror.
?What?
My right hand slowly rose up to the cold surface, tracing the lines of my face through the reflection.
?To be free??
Quickly, I pulled my hand away from the mirror and fixed the last button. With several hours of freedom, it might be possible to sneak away and see Duo.
Something in my stomach suddenly twisted, but I couldn?t identify what it was.
?What is wrong with me?!? I asked the mirror, but my only answer was silence.
I rubbed my temples and counted backwards from ten.
Mother.
This was all her fault.
I glared at my reflection as Mother?s voice repeated how much more useful I would have been if I were a whore.
A whore. How could she say that to me?
The numbness I?d been feeling since Duo left was beginning to fade, and I didn?t want to face my feelings just yet. Remembering that I?d rented a movie, I decided to distract myself by watching it, but then remember that it was a horror film. Not something I was in the mood for.
Instead, I decided to take a walk to my neighbor?s house. The owner was quite young, but very noble. Also very rich. He?d made an offer of marriage to me once, but to Mother?s dismay I turned him down. He wasn?t in love with me, or vice versa, but he felt that we?d make a good match. That?s why we had remained such good friends.
I felt confident that he could keep me distracted, or at least keep my thoughts on a positive level.
?Miss Relena!? the butler said in surprise, ?How wonderful it is to see you! Master Quatre will be most pleased.?
?Thank you, Rashid,? I said, stepping inside. The tall, well built man bowed and made his way toward a set of large doors, which I knew led to the study.
Quatre had made his offer to me in there.
?Master Quatre, Miss Relena is here to see you!? Rashid said with excitement in his voice. By his physical build and sometimes intimidating posture, I had long suspected that he was more than just a butler. I never dared question him about it, though, because serving Quatre seemed to be all he required to be happy.
Sometimes, it seemed like he also admired my defiant stance against my mother.
?Relena!? Quatre said as he appeared, wearing his typical outfit; a black business suit. ?It?s so good to see you!?
When he was close enough I gave him as tight a hug as I could without looking inappropriate. ?It?s good to see you too,? I breathed. ?I?ve been in dire need of a friend this morning.?
He extended his arm and I took it as we began to walk. Toward the gardens, as usual. ?Well, I?m your friend, and I?m here now. Tell me what?s troubling you??
?So many things, Quatre. So many things.?
?Start with the biggest.?
I took a deep breath. ?Mother.?
?Ah,? he said, smiling a little. ?Mrs. Darlian is quite the creature.?
I laughed. ?She?s something, all right.?
Quatre made a joke in reference to a hyena and patted me lightly on the hand, the contact causing me to flinch.
He stopped. ?What?s the matter??
I looked at over at him and there was kindness in his eyes, which I?d always found fitting to his gentle features and soft blonde hair. To think that if Mother had her way, I?d be married to this man right now. But it would be a marriage without love or felicity, and I would be living my life as some form of trophy.
Like a whore. ?Quatre, what do you think of me??
He seemed puzzled by my question, and asked what I meant.
?Do you think?do I seem foolish to you??
?Never, Relena, you have never seemed foolish to me,? he said, sounding stunned.
?Not even when I refused your hand??
At this he smiled. ?Absolutely not. In fact, I was quite relieved. I didn?t want to burden you with a loveless marriage, but it seemed necessary that I at least make an offer.?
I laughed at him. ?Quatre! How could you ask me to marry you when you were hoping that I would refuse??
He unhooked our arms and gently grasped my hands. ?Because you deserve much better than me, Relena.?
Something cold washed over me, and the slight mirth I?d just begun to feel was swept away.
?I don?t see how.?
?You?re not supposed to,? he said quietly, giving my hands a little squeeze before we were on our way again.
We walked along one of the wide stone paths behind the manor that led through the beautiful and elaborate gardens of the Winner estate. Quatre took a lot of pride in one particular section, which he tended to himself. It was a collection of rare and magnificent flowers, called Pulsatilla vulgaris, or Pasque Flower. They weren?t supposed to bloom in this time of year, but Quatre took special care to make sure there was always one to be seen in his garden year-round. By looking at him, you could never tell that he had a green thumb. But that was just Quatre.
After an hour or so of conversation and touring his elegant grounds, I decided it was time for me to leave. Quatre made me promise that I would visit him again the following the week, and that I give him a full explanation of my troubles next time. I left his house feeling relaxed and at ease, but dreading each step as I made my way home.
When I was rounding the corner of the garage I heard a car door close from inside. Briefly I wondered who it might be, and winced when I realized that Mother never drove herself.
That meant that it was Trowa.
Wanting to avoid him, I tried to hurry past the garage door without being seen. I rushed by the door and turned the corner to head for the house, but collided with something tall and solid on the other side.
I took a step and lifted my head to see what it was. Trowa stared back at me.
?Good afternoon,? he said quietly, and at once I began to blush. I?d just had my face and chest up against his own.
Oh Dear Lord. What a scene!
I opened my mouth to speak but couldn?t think of anything to say. The interactions between him and I the night before had left me confused as to whether we were friends or?or not friends.
Anything else was not a possibility. No matter what Mother thought.
Realizing that he hadn?t said anything else, I noticed with a bit of timidity that he was studying my profile. I was about to ask him what he thought he was doing, but he spoke first.
?It fits you,? he said, as calm as ever.
For a moment I was confused, then remembered that I?d changed back into jeans that morning.
?How so?? I asked.
He stared at me for a moment more, then walked around behind me without giving me an answer. I stood there, rather miffed and thinking up ways to tell him off, until I heard him returning and he appeared in front of me again.
There was a yellow Daffodil in his hand, which he examined briefly before looking back up at me. He lifted a hand to brush the hair back on one side of my face, then brought up the other to place the flower atop my ear. I was completely shocked by his actions and didn?t move, and at last he pulled his hands away and stared again at my face.
Several moments later he said, ?Just like before,?
My brows furrowed as I breathed out, ?Huh??
His eyes drifted shut and he turned away from me, walking towards the house. I had no idea what had just happened, or what he?d meant, and I was thoroughly confused about his character.
The only thing clear to me was that I, once again, couldn?t breath.
* * *
?You know, when you call me and tell me that your day?s freed up, you should start to expect these things,? Duo was saying as we reached the edge of the pool.
?Well,? I said back, having to speak loudly to be heard over the roar of the waterfall, ?When I call you and tell you that my day?s freed up, you should warn me that I?m going to need my bathing suit.?
?Ha ha!? He grabbed my hand and twirled me around, pinning my back up against his chest with his arms. ?But then, how am I ever going to convince you to just jump in naked??
?Hey!?
When Trowa had walked away from me, I didn?t know what I was feeling. All I knew was that I didn?t want to go back into that house, and risk coming face to face with Mother again. Instead, I decided to call Duo from the phone in the garage, and he arrived a few minutes later to pick me up. Before we left, I put the Daffodil on a shelf so I could come back for it later. Like usual, Duo took me to the waterfall so we could spend some time alone together. It was supposed to be a picnic, but all we had was a small amount of fruit.
Our picnic resulted in one of the best hours of my entire life.
A cherry appeared in front of my face. ?Hungry??
?Not really,? I hummed out, resting my head on his chest. My eyes turned toward the sky to admire the endless blue, completely free of clouds and as bright as any day could be. In a way, it reminded me of Duo. Always bright and always there, day after day. The sky never left forever, never betrayed or lied, and never ceased to show up again in the morning after a beautiful starry night.
Even when the sky was cloudy, it was still so beautiful to me.
?Relena?? Duo asked quietly.
?Hm??
?What are you thinking??
A sigh escaped me, and my voice matched my faraway mood. ?I?m thinking about you.?
?Reeeeeally?? he teased, placing a soft kiss on my neck. ?What am I like in these thoughts??
Warmth flooded through me at the touch of his lips. ?Endless,? I breathed, closing my eyes. I heard him inhale deeply and felt him kiss my neck again, his hands dropping from their locked position around my shoulders to my slender waist, holding me affectionately and with a certain amount of restraint. That hold allowed me to drift away from all my worries just long enough to be at peace with myself, but it didn?t last long as Duo suddenly pulled his head up and pushed me slightly away.
Needless to say, I was baffled. ?What?s wrong??
?Nothing,? he said quickly, putting a hand on his forehead. ?You?re just?really somethin?, that?s all.?
?Everybody keeps saying that,? I replied, ?But I?m not sure what all of it means.?
?Well,? he said, rubbing his thumbs next to each of his eyes as though trying to clear his vision, ?Maybe it means: don?t wear a white blouse if you?re planning on swimming with your clothes on.?
I looked down and noticed, to my embarrassment, that my wet blouse was completely see through and quickly crossed my arms over my chest.
?What made you notice that?? I mumbled.
?Gee, I wonder,? he chuckled back, pushing on my shoulders to turn me around. When we were facing each other his body stopped moving.
?God, you?re so beautiful,? he murmured, a heavenly gleam in his eyes. I blushed from feeling so flattered and tilted my head down. The back of his hand brushed lightly against my cheek, and for a moment I was reminded of Mother striking me. But the thought disappeared soon after, as Duo and I were kissing again. We kissed for a long, long time before I remembered that I had to go home before three o?clock, since that?s about when Mother was due back. Duo didn?t say anything cross for once, but asked me again if he could convince me to swim around naked.
Such playfulness was the perfect block for the evening I knew was ahead of me. After all, this would be my third night in the company of Mr. Barton.
A man who I felt owed me some answers.
~~~~~~~~~~
*little kid voice* Nah nah! You thought Duo was gonna get some! Ha ha!
Ok, so I might have overrated how happy Duo would be in this chapter, but hey! He's a lot happier than Rel's mom is gonna be!
*hides secret plot notes*
Another little sneak peak since I don't know how long it'll be until I update again:
Next Chapter: Relena finally gets some answers
Future Chapters: Relena's mom gets told off...and not by who you think.
Well, I guess that'll do for now. I decided to post both chapters this week instead of leaving a larger gap because I made you wait so long, and like I said, I don't know how long it'll be until the next one. So, I hope you enjoyed it, and remember not to burn doggie poo until I am waaaaaaaaay over there.
~Litia
*runs from Turq*
Readers: *throw eggs at Litia for making them take the poll*
Litia: Ow! OW! Hey! I just wanted to know what you thought!
Readers: Check the responses, IDIOT!
Litia: ...Oh.
DUO FANS, PREPARE TO SWOON. AHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I just love to write. A lot.
Around This Life
Chapter Seven
The morning after my shouting match with Mother was both pleasant and painful. I didn?t want to accept the fact that she?d been right about my conforming so rapidly, but her reasoning was all wrong. At least, that?s what I thought.
When I began to wake up, I kept my eyes closed to shelter myself from the world. Facing anything remotely like the night before would no doubt send me over the edge.
One day. One stinking day.
The sun was so bright in my room that I could see yellow behind my eyelids, but I didn?t open them for fear of what I might see.
It wasn?t until I felt an odd tickling on my nose and caught the scent of roses that I began to stir. At first I was confused, until the tickling drifted down and landed on my lips, allowing me to breathe in the scent without any question of what it was.
A smile spread across my face. ?How did you get in??
?Your window was unlocked.?
I took another deep breath and opened my eyes, being instantly treated to Duo?s handsome face and gorgeous smile.
??bout time,? he said, lifting the rose from my lips and tapping it gently against my forehead. I lifted my hand to his face and caressed his cheek with my thumb.
?I missed you. Even before I woke up,? I said. He smirked.
?Really? Were you dreaming??
?Maybe.?
?About what?? He winked.
I laughed. ?Harp.?
?Harp??
?Yes,? I said, sitting up. ?I dreamed that I was playing the harp for you, and you asked me to dance. It was a difficult piece and I tried to keep playing without my hands, but it wouldn?t work.?
?Obviously.?
?Hey!? I swatted him on the chest. ?It was a dream. It?s not supposed to make sense.?
?Sorry! Sorry. Go on.?
?Well, I kept trying to play without my hands, but it just wouldn?t work. So, eventually, you came over and sat down behind me.?
?Oooh, I like it.?
?Duo!?
?Sorry.?
?Anyway, you sat down behind me and helped me play. Then, I took my hands away at the same time you did, and it kept playing.?
?Nice.?
?Then you asked me to dance again, and we started dancing.?
?Really??
?Yeah.?
?And then what??
I blushed. ?And then we?did something.?
?Oh??
?Yeah.?
?What was this ?something???
My blush deepened. ?We...got close.?
?Close??
I bit my lip. ?Yeah.?
?All right!?
?Duo!? I gasped.
Now he laughed. ?Sorry! Sorry. Just doing a little dreaming myself.?
My head bowed to hide my ever deepening blush.
?You?re so cute when you do that.?
A sort of half-cough, half-curse word escaped my mouth.
?What was thought??
?Nothing.?
We were both silent for a moment.
?Hm.?
??Hm? what?? I asked.
??Hm? as in ?Hm, I can?t dance.?
?You can?t??
?Nope.?
I gaped at him.
?What??
?I didn?t know you couldn?t dance!?
?Well, I never had a chance to.?
?Would you like to learn??
?Sure. But only if we do whatever it was we did in your dream.?
I laughed again. ?Hm.?
??Hm? what??
??Hm? as in ?Hm, maybe I can teach you at my engagement party.?
?Your what?!? His face went from nonchalant to utter surprise.
?My engagement party. Mother told her wonderful friends about my engagement to Mr. Barton, and they were more than willing to throw me a party for it.?
Duo mumbled something. Something highly inappropriate.
After a while he bumped our noses together and said, ?Ok.?
Once again, I was confused. ?Ok??
?Ok. You?re havin? a party. No big deal.?
I remembered my entrance coming down the stairs the night before. In my yellow dress.
?No big deal,? I repeated softly.
?What is it?? Duo asked, his expression full of concern.
The memory of my mother?s hand across my face swept through my mind.
?Nothing,? I said, standing up. Duo looked up at me with confusion and apprehension, probably wondering whether or not he should push it any further. Thankfully, he didn?t.
?I guess you need to get dressed then??
A quick glance at my clock made me cringe. 9:30. ?Yeah.?
?Can I watch??
My eyes widened at him.
He put his hands up in the air. ?Fine, fine, I?ll take that as a no.?
I giggled as he stood up. He wrapped his arms around me, his warmth flowing into my skin, and at last I felt safe.
I was safe. ?I love you,? I whispered.
He kissed me softly. ?I know.? He kissed me again and added, ?I love you more.?
As he made his way over to my window, I couldn?t help but feel increasingly vulnerable and helpless.
?Duo?? I asked suddenly. He turned his head around with the window half open. ?Will you be back tonight??
He gave me his signature grin. ??Course I will.? And with that, he was gone.
Quite a few minutes went by with me just standing there, my mind completely blank. There wasn?t anything I wanted to do, or even think about. I just wanted Duo to come back in and make me feel safe again.
Slowly, I made my way back over to my bed to pull the covers up to the pillows and noticed the rose still lying on top of the blankets. A soft smile made its way onto my face again as I picked it up and breathed in its fragrance one last time, then let it slip down to rest against my heart.
One day down. Just twenty more to go.
* * *
Throughout the entire day, I tried to deny the fact that Mother had been right. Admitting any attraction to Mr. Barton would be no better than complete and utter betrayal of Duo?s feelings, and trust. I couldn?t imagine hurting him that way, and I couldn?t even fathom the possibility of liking someone else.
Yet, already, a part of me was beginning to feel the guilt of lying to Mr. Barton, and accusing the rest of me of an even bigger form of betrayal.
When I?d gone down to breakfast, Peagen told me that Mother had taken off with Mr. Barton earlier in the morning and that they weren?t due back for several hours. Words could not express my relief over this news, as I immediately ran back upstairs to change out of my dress and into a pair of jeans. It felt odd to be wearing my regular outfit again after all that had happened the day before, but it felt extremely comforting at the same time.
As I buttoned up my blouse, the fabric kept brushing against the back of my hands and I would shiver every time.
?How does it feel?
My fingers rested on the last button and I stopped, examining myself in the mirror.
?What?
My right hand slowly rose up to the cold surface, tracing the lines of my face through the reflection.
?To be free??
Quickly, I pulled my hand away from the mirror and fixed the last button. With several hours of freedom, it might be possible to sneak away and see Duo.
Something in my stomach suddenly twisted, but I couldn?t identify what it was.
?What is wrong with me?!? I asked the mirror, but my only answer was silence.
I rubbed my temples and counted backwards from ten.
Mother.
This was all her fault.
I glared at my reflection as Mother?s voice repeated how much more useful I would have been if I were a whore.
A whore. How could she say that to me?
The numbness I?d been feeling since Duo left was beginning to fade, and I didn?t want to face my feelings just yet. Remembering that I?d rented a movie, I decided to distract myself by watching it, but then remember that it was a horror film. Not something I was in the mood for.
Instead, I decided to take a walk to my neighbor?s house. The owner was quite young, but very noble. Also very rich. He?d made an offer of marriage to me once, but to Mother?s dismay I turned him down. He wasn?t in love with me, or vice versa, but he felt that we?d make a good match. That?s why we had remained such good friends.
I felt confident that he could keep me distracted, or at least keep my thoughts on a positive level.
?Miss Relena!? the butler said in surprise, ?How wonderful it is to see you! Master Quatre will be most pleased.?
?Thank you, Rashid,? I said, stepping inside. The tall, well built man bowed and made his way toward a set of large doors, which I knew led to the study.
Quatre had made his offer to me in there.
?Master Quatre, Miss Relena is here to see you!? Rashid said with excitement in his voice. By his physical build and sometimes intimidating posture, I had long suspected that he was more than just a butler. I never dared question him about it, though, because serving Quatre seemed to be all he required to be happy.
Sometimes, it seemed like he also admired my defiant stance against my mother.
?Relena!? Quatre said as he appeared, wearing his typical outfit; a black business suit. ?It?s so good to see you!?
When he was close enough I gave him as tight a hug as I could without looking inappropriate. ?It?s good to see you too,? I breathed. ?I?ve been in dire need of a friend this morning.?
He extended his arm and I took it as we began to walk. Toward the gardens, as usual. ?Well, I?m your friend, and I?m here now. Tell me what?s troubling you??
?So many things, Quatre. So many things.?
?Start with the biggest.?
I took a deep breath. ?Mother.?
?Ah,? he said, smiling a little. ?Mrs. Darlian is quite the creature.?
I laughed. ?She?s something, all right.?
Quatre made a joke in reference to a hyena and patted me lightly on the hand, the contact causing me to flinch.
He stopped. ?What?s the matter??
I looked at over at him and there was kindness in his eyes, which I?d always found fitting to his gentle features and soft blonde hair. To think that if Mother had her way, I?d be married to this man right now. But it would be a marriage without love or felicity, and I would be living my life as some form of trophy.
Like a whore. ?Quatre, what do you think of me??
He seemed puzzled by my question, and asked what I meant.
?Do you think?do I seem foolish to you??
?Never, Relena, you have never seemed foolish to me,? he said, sounding stunned.
?Not even when I refused your hand??
At this he smiled. ?Absolutely not. In fact, I was quite relieved. I didn?t want to burden you with a loveless marriage, but it seemed necessary that I at least make an offer.?
I laughed at him. ?Quatre! How could you ask me to marry you when you were hoping that I would refuse??
He unhooked our arms and gently grasped my hands. ?Because you deserve much better than me, Relena.?
Something cold washed over me, and the slight mirth I?d just begun to feel was swept away.
?I don?t see how.?
?You?re not supposed to,? he said quietly, giving my hands a little squeeze before we were on our way again.
We walked along one of the wide stone paths behind the manor that led through the beautiful and elaborate gardens of the Winner estate. Quatre took a lot of pride in one particular section, which he tended to himself. It was a collection of rare and magnificent flowers, called Pulsatilla vulgaris, or Pasque Flower. They weren?t supposed to bloom in this time of year, but Quatre took special care to make sure there was always one to be seen in his garden year-round. By looking at him, you could never tell that he had a green thumb. But that was just Quatre.
After an hour or so of conversation and touring his elegant grounds, I decided it was time for me to leave. Quatre made me promise that I would visit him again the following the week, and that I give him a full explanation of my troubles next time. I left his house feeling relaxed and at ease, but dreading each step as I made my way home.
When I was rounding the corner of the garage I heard a car door close from inside. Briefly I wondered who it might be, and winced when I realized that Mother never drove herself.
That meant that it was Trowa.
Wanting to avoid him, I tried to hurry past the garage door without being seen. I rushed by the door and turned the corner to head for the house, but collided with something tall and solid on the other side.
I took a step and lifted my head to see what it was. Trowa stared back at me.
?Good afternoon,? he said quietly, and at once I began to blush. I?d just had my face and chest up against his own.
Oh Dear Lord. What a scene!
I opened my mouth to speak but couldn?t think of anything to say. The interactions between him and I the night before had left me confused as to whether we were friends or?or not friends.
Anything else was not a possibility. No matter what Mother thought.
Realizing that he hadn?t said anything else, I noticed with a bit of timidity that he was studying my profile. I was about to ask him what he thought he was doing, but he spoke first.
?It fits you,? he said, as calm as ever.
For a moment I was confused, then remembered that I?d changed back into jeans that morning.
?How so?? I asked.
He stared at me for a moment more, then walked around behind me without giving me an answer. I stood there, rather miffed and thinking up ways to tell him off, until I heard him returning and he appeared in front of me again.
There was a yellow Daffodil in his hand, which he examined briefly before looking back up at me. He lifted a hand to brush the hair back on one side of my face, then brought up the other to place the flower atop my ear. I was completely shocked by his actions and didn?t move, and at last he pulled his hands away and stared again at my face.
Several moments later he said, ?Just like before,?
My brows furrowed as I breathed out, ?Huh??
His eyes drifted shut and he turned away from me, walking towards the house. I had no idea what had just happened, or what he?d meant, and I was thoroughly confused about his character.
The only thing clear to me was that I, once again, couldn?t breath.
* * *
?You know, when you call me and tell me that your day?s freed up, you should start to expect these things,? Duo was saying as we reached the edge of the pool.
?Well,? I said back, having to speak loudly to be heard over the roar of the waterfall, ?When I call you and tell you that my day?s freed up, you should warn me that I?m going to need my bathing suit.?
?Ha ha!? He grabbed my hand and twirled me around, pinning my back up against his chest with his arms. ?But then, how am I ever going to convince you to just jump in naked??
?Hey!?
When Trowa had walked away from me, I didn?t know what I was feeling. All I knew was that I didn?t want to go back into that house, and risk coming face to face with Mother again. Instead, I decided to call Duo from the phone in the garage, and he arrived a few minutes later to pick me up. Before we left, I put the Daffodil on a shelf so I could come back for it later. Like usual, Duo took me to the waterfall so we could spend some time alone together. It was supposed to be a picnic, but all we had was a small amount of fruit.
Our picnic resulted in one of the best hours of my entire life.
A cherry appeared in front of my face. ?Hungry??
?Not really,? I hummed out, resting my head on his chest. My eyes turned toward the sky to admire the endless blue, completely free of clouds and as bright as any day could be. In a way, it reminded me of Duo. Always bright and always there, day after day. The sky never left forever, never betrayed or lied, and never ceased to show up again in the morning after a beautiful starry night.
Even when the sky was cloudy, it was still so beautiful to me.
?Relena?? Duo asked quietly.
?Hm??
?What are you thinking??
A sigh escaped me, and my voice matched my faraway mood. ?I?m thinking about you.?
?Reeeeeally?? he teased, placing a soft kiss on my neck. ?What am I like in these thoughts??
Warmth flooded through me at the touch of his lips. ?Endless,? I breathed, closing my eyes. I heard him inhale deeply and felt him kiss my neck again, his hands dropping from their locked position around my shoulders to my slender waist, holding me affectionately and with a certain amount of restraint. That hold allowed me to drift away from all my worries just long enough to be at peace with myself, but it didn?t last long as Duo suddenly pulled his head up and pushed me slightly away.
Needless to say, I was baffled. ?What?s wrong??
?Nothing,? he said quickly, putting a hand on his forehead. ?You?re just?really somethin?, that?s all.?
?Everybody keeps saying that,? I replied, ?But I?m not sure what all of it means.?
?Well,? he said, rubbing his thumbs next to each of his eyes as though trying to clear his vision, ?Maybe it means: don?t wear a white blouse if you?re planning on swimming with your clothes on.?
I looked down and noticed, to my embarrassment, that my wet blouse was completely see through and quickly crossed my arms over my chest.
?What made you notice that?? I mumbled.
?Gee, I wonder,? he chuckled back, pushing on my shoulders to turn me around. When we were facing each other his body stopped moving.
?God, you?re so beautiful,? he murmured, a heavenly gleam in his eyes. I blushed from feeling so flattered and tilted my head down. The back of his hand brushed lightly against my cheek, and for a moment I was reminded of Mother striking me. But the thought disappeared soon after, as Duo and I were kissing again. We kissed for a long, long time before I remembered that I had to go home before three o?clock, since that?s about when Mother was due back. Duo didn?t say anything cross for once, but asked me again if he could convince me to swim around naked.
Such playfulness was the perfect block for the evening I knew was ahead of me. After all, this would be my third night in the company of Mr. Barton.
A man who I felt owed me some answers.
~~~~~~~~~~
*little kid voice* Nah nah! You thought Duo was gonna get some! Ha ha!Ok, so I might have overrated how happy Duo would be in this chapter, but hey! He's a lot happier than Rel's mom is gonna be!
*hides secret plot notes*
Another little sneak peak since I don't know how long it'll be until I update again:
Next Chapter: Relena finally gets some answers
Future Chapters: Relena's mom gets told off...and not by who you think.
Well, I guess that'll do for now. I decided to post both chapters this week instead of leaving a larger gap because I made you wait so long, and like I said, I don't know how long it'll be until the next one. So, I hope you enjoyed it, and remember not to burn doggie poo until I am waaaaaaaaay over there.
~Litia
*runs from Turq*
Did I just say that?
Please update ASAP!!
(Ooops!! Didn't I just said.... Never mind.....)
*sigh*
