Behind Darkness' Mask 4/?
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2003 5:46 am
Notes: This fic seems to be getting popular on BI. I?ve come to the conclusion that even though we all say we love Heero, we just want to see him tortured. How cruel we are!
Disclaimer: In the words of Krieli, ?Yes, there is one.? Nor do I own Sarah Tanacky-Winner, she belongs to the great and wonderful Kiki Tigerclaw, blah, blah.
*~Behind Darkness? Mask~* Chapter Four
She felt like shit. Really, truly, felt like shit.
It sucked, she thought as the phone rang. She didn?t know anyone could possibly feel so terrible. She didn?t know anyone, either, who went around dancing with guys they?d never met and couldn?t see the faces of, or at least not well, and kissing him right off the bat.
Or confessing love to him.
Relena slapped the washcloth onto her face once more to refresh her memory. She had not fallen in love with any ?prince.? And she had not meant it when she had claimed to. It was an infatuation that had led her to a dangerous flirt. And she had not flirted since she was fourteen, Jesus Christ. She?d been way too forward for her liking ? or her brother?s for that matter.
She smiled softly. His lips were magic.
She rolled her eyes. Ridiculous. She was not a wanton teenager, damn it, she was a twenty-five year old Vice Foreign Minister whose, she knew, sex appeal was fine. She didn?t need to be attracted, she needed to attract.
Maybe Noin was right. Maybe she should have gotten a shorter skirt. She wondered what Prince would have thought of her legs. . .
Sighing, ?This is impossible!? she shouted and stormed into her bedroom, open robe trailing behind her. Muttering a stream of curses that would have shamed Duo, she slammed the door shut and flopped onto the bed.
Pressing a pillow to her mouth to muffle the sound, she shrieked.
There was a thundering of feet on the stairs, and finally Noin burst in with Zechs on her heels.
?Honey, we heard a scream! Are you okay?? She was pale and a hand was pressed to her probably sprinting heart.
Relena looked at them stupidly, then gave the pillow an even dumber look. Good job, she thought to the pillow, then sighed. Waving a hand, she smiled. ?I?m just fine. I?was mourning over paperwork.?
Zechs smiled an expression very similar to hers, then looked at her organized desk, nothing touching the surface except for a pencil cup and a stack of manila envelopes carefully filled with ESUN documents.
?Seems the paperwork?s under control. Or is it you that?s in chaos??
Relena raised an eyebrow. ?A mighty personal question.?
?Only out of concern for my mighty beautiful sister. Can we come in, or should we leave so you can scream some more and not let any of us rest??
She grinned. ?The latter sounds tempting, but please, take a seat. Although I have no idea what you intend for us to discuss.?
?Don?t use that political air with me,? Zechs said lightheartedly. ?I?ll strike you with a lightening bolt.?
She nodded as the pair seated themselves on the small couch in the massive bedroom.
?How are you feeling, Relena?? asked Noin. ?We left early tonight ? you said you weren?t feeling well.?
Did she? Well, how could anyone be expected to feel well with such turmoil inside them? Hell, she?d be worried if she felt any better. . .like Noin looked, pale and. . .glowing?
?Noin,? she said quietly, ?why are you so happy??
Noin?s face lit up even more. ?I was just coming up to tell you.? Her fingers laced with Zechs?s as she spoke. ?The phone call was from my doctor, Relena.?
Zechs?s eyes softened. ?You?re going to be an aunt in seven months, little sister.?
Relena blinked. ?An aunt? As in, aunt of niece or nephew??
?Or both.?
?Say WHAT?!? exclaimed Zechs.
Noin brushed a hand at his shoulder. ?Hey, it?s a possibility.?
She grinned, and Relena jumped up to kiss both of them. ?You guys, that?s great! How long do you want me to sign the no-press contract for? If it?s anything like what happened to Sarah. . .?
Zechs relaxed against the back of the couch. ?My baby isn?t going to have reporters lining up at our door.?
?Nope,? Noin agreed. ?But when Relena?s pregnant, watch out.?
Zech?s eyes narrowed. ?Pregnant. Feh.?
***
?I am highly convinced?? Quatre began.
?That she?s in love with me?? Heero guessed. Throwing up his hands, Heero stalked out of the kitchen. ?Big deal. It doesn?t even matter anymore, now that I?ve lost her to my alter-ego.?
Having dealt with resistance from politicians and worse, his own wife, Quatre chose the well thought-out phrase. ?There is high probability that Relena loved you before you left her after the Mariemaia coup and didn?t realize it. Nor does she now, as nothing has happened to her to awaken those feelings. When I met Sarah, it took both of us quite a while to truly understand our own hearts.?
?I don?t need your sob story, Quatre.?
?Yes, you do,? Winner objected. ?Think about who I am, Heero. I can identify emotions better than anyone in this world.?
Though it irritated him, Heero didn?t deny it. ?I understand that. What I don?t understand is what the hell happened last night.?
Quatre sighed and helped himself to more coffee. ?Well, I don?t really have the time to explain it to you in detail. I?ve a meeting on L9 in three hours. But briefly put, Relena?s been longing for your love, and now that she finally has it, she?s afraid.?
?Of me?? he asked in what would have been an incredulous tone if he could think of how to express it.
?Of course not, that?s silly,? he said in an unintentional you?re-an-idiot tone, like he used with economic opponents. ?She?s just afraid of your love; what you have to offer her. Whether she?s good enough for it, or if it?ll hurt her. No one likes being hurt, Heero. And Relena, whose biological parents and foster father were both taken from her, has been hurt too much. Not to mention Marita Darlian?s latest flare. . .?
?Marita Darlian?? Heero questioned, referring to Relena?s adoptive mother. ?What did she do??
?You didn?t hear about it? I was certain Duo had told you. . .?
He would have, Heero thought, if Maxwell had known where he?d been.
Quatre shrugged. ?It wasn?t a great time for Relena. Marita told her?? His pager beeped, and he smiled at Heero. ?My shuttle takes off shortly. I?ll talk to you later. Don?t hesitate to ask Sarah for advice.?
Heero?s lips drooped in a frown. ?I?d rather hand over my life.?
?Well.? The representative shrugged on his coat and turned to the door of his friend?s apartment. ?That?s exactly what you?ll do if you don?t get it together and talk to Relena again. Bye.?
Heero?s shoulders slumped as the door shut, but he wouldn?t allow himself be weak enough to sigh.
It was too soon to see Relena again. She?d made it obviously clear that she didn?t want to see him again, at least not for awhile ? she wasn?t hostile enough to hate anyone. But he didn?t understand. He?d already been through the appropriate options; he had caught her at a bad time; she was reading one of those dramatic romance novels and intended to act as the heroine and play hard-to-get. . .
Or she just did not love him. And as much as he hated to admit it, that was the most likely of cases. So now, there was only one thing to do. He didn?t need Sarah Winner to figure that out.
He simply had to help her realize her love for him.
On the table by the door, ?Prince?s? mask caught his eyes. There would be a full moon tonight, and it would be darker outside than usual.
If he was going to act, tonight would be the night to do so. Now the only question remaining was how the hell to go about it.
And he wished to whatever god there was that he knew how. . .
***
?What, you want to break into her house??
?That isn?t what I said,? Heero told Catherine, bending to dip into the trailer?s low doorway. ?I said I wanted to get to her tonight. Without waking anyone else up.?
Catherine smiled as she sat in an armchair, gestured for Heero to do the same, and picked up her crocheting project. ?One would see that act as breaking and entering.? Unlike the other women in her colony, she had never feared the Gundam pilot notorious for millions of deaths. In fact, she was fairly certain she intimidated the one who had took Trowa back to the battlefield after he?d killed those pacifists.
?Look, I?ll admit that this isn?t easy for me. . .?
Because this confession interested her, Catherine folded her hands into her lap and smiled at him. ?All right,? she said patiently, waiting for him to go on.
Heero glowered at her happy expression. ?I?ve asked for your help.?
Bloom didn?t press the issue, though she would have accepted begging, and it would speed the meeting along. However, she doubted someone as strong-willed as Heero Yuy would grovel for assistance. He?d just as soon figure it out on his own ? and screw up.
?Well, Heero, Relena is a politician. She won?t be easily fooled by endearments or promises; she?s had enough of them within the ESUN circle. You?d have to do something very personal and very persuasive to convince her of your feelings.?
?I could?ve gone to Quatre for advice like that,? he spat, ?and he wouldn?t be so annoying.?
Catherine wagged a finger in warning. ?Be polite, Mr. Yuy. I?ve got knives I could be practicing with. I would like the target to be your rude tongue.?
Heero slumped in the armchair, and the door clacked open.
?Oh, Trowa, you?re back early. How?s Deirdre??
Trowa shot her a slanted look. ?Made off with some chump from L5. Why are you sitting with Yuy??
Heero, who was naturally not offended by such greetings, nodded in his direction. ?Trowa.?
?You?re just the person I was hoping to see,? Catherine said.
?Delighted,? replied Trowa, flopping down on the couch. ?What?s wrong, Catherine??
Smug, Catherine crossed her legs and smirked. ?It?s not me. Heero?s having trouble with Relena.?
Trowa gave a small smile of his own. ?So I?ve heard. Couldn?t make the cut, eh, Yuy? I?d be happy to try my hand at her.?
A low growl erupted from 01?s throat. ?I?ll quite efficiently?? He continued to tell Trowa how efficiently he would perform an act too terrible to be spoken of in this fic.
Trowa?s brows arched. ?Very well.? He stood. ?I?ll get you a beer, and we?ll try to detangle you from this mess by six. I know your current plan already. Quatre is no stranger to informing others of one?s train of thought. You?re not a mystery when it comes to Peacecraft, Heero.?
Thinking he would choke the blond snitch, Heero shook his head and stopped him. ?No beer,? he said.
When Trowa turned back, he saw the odd glow in Heero?s eyes. There was more to his love than what he had spoken of, and Trowa had seen the animalistic gaze of a man in his own eyes many times.
?Just tell me how to get her.?
********************************
Gundam Girl: Bwahahahaha! I brought (a horny?) Trowa in. *scans page* There?s a lot of sexual innuendo? I?m not usually a hentai? Ah, well, more fun for Beck.
Beck: *drops Alucard/Integra doujinshi* Eh?
REVIEW!!!!!! Please?
Disclaimer: In the words of Krieli, ?Yes, there is one.? Nor do I own Sarah Tanacky-Winner, she belongs to the great and wonderful Kiki Tigerclaw, blah, blah.
*~Behind Darkness? Mask~* Chapter Four
She felt like shit. Really, truly, felt like shit.
It sucked, she thought as the phone rang. She didn?t know anyone could possibly feel so terrible. She didn?t know anyone, either, who went around dancing with guys they?d never met and couldn?t see the faces of, or at least not well, and kissing him right off the bat.
Or confessing love to him.
Relena slapped the washcloth onto her face once more to refresh her memory. She had not fallen in love with any ?prince.? And she had not meant it when she had claimed to. It was an infatuation that had led her to a dangerous flirt. And she had not flirted since she was fourteen, Jesus Christ. She?d been way too forward for her liking ? or her brother?s for that matter.
She smiled softly. His lips were magic.
She rolled her eyes. Ridiculous. She was not a wanton teenager, damn it, she was a twenty-five year old Vice Foreign Minister whose, she knew, sex appeal was fine. She didn?t need to be attracted, she needed to attract.
Maybe Noin was right. Maybe she should have gotten a shorter skirt. She wondered what Prince would have thought of her legs. . .
Sighing, ?This is impossible!? she shouted and stormed into her bedroom, open robe trailing behind her. Muttering a stream of curses that would have shamed Duo, she slammed the door shut and flopped onto the bed.
Pressing a pillow to her mouth to muffle the sound, she shrieked.
There was a thundering of feet on the stairs, and finally Noin burst in with Zechs on her heels.
?Honey, we heard a scream! Are you okay?? She was pale and a hand was pressed to her probably sprinting heart.
Relena looked at them stupidly, then gave the pillow an even dumber look. Good job, she thought to the pillow, then sighed. Waving a hand, she smiled. ?I?m just fine. I?was mourning over paperwork.?
Zechs smiled an expression very similar to hers, then looked at her organized desk, nothing touching the surface except for a pencil cup and a stack of manila envelopes carefully filled with ESUN documents.
?Seems the paperwork?s under control. Or is it you that?s in chaos??
Relena raised an eyebrow. ?A mighty personal question.?
?Only out of concern for my mighty beautiful sister. Can we come in, or should we leave so you can scream some more and not let any of us rest??
She grinned. ?The latter sounds tempting, but please, take a seat. Although I have no idea what you intend for us to discuss.?
?Don?t use that political air with me,? Zechs said lightheartedly. ?I?ll strike you with a lightening bolt.?
She nodded as the pair seated themselves on the small couch in the massive bedroom.
?How are you feeling, Relena?? asked Noin. ?We left early tonight ? you said you weren?t feeling well.?
Did she? Well, how could anyone be expected to feel well with such turmoil inside them? Hell, she?d be worried if she felt any better. . .like Noin looked, pale and. . .glowing?
?Noin,? she said quietly, ?why are you so happy??
Noin?s face lit up even more. ?I was just coming up to tell you.? Her fingers laced with Zechs?s as she spoke. ?The phone call was from my doctor, Relena.?
Zechs?s eyes softened. ?You?re going to be an aunt in seven months, little sister.?
Relena blinked. ?An aunt? As in, aunt of niece or nephew??
?Or both.?
?Say WHAT?!? exclaimed Zechs.
Noin brushed a hand at his shoulder. ?Hey, it?s a possibility.?
She grinned, and Relena jumped up to kiss both of them. ?You guys, that?s great! How long do you want me to sign the no-press contract for? If it?s anything like what happened to Sarah. . .?
Zechs relaxed against the back of the couch. ?My baby isn?t going to have reporters lining up at our door.?
?Nope,? Noin agreed. ?But when Relena?s pregnant, watch out.?
Zech?s eyes narrowed. ?Pregnant. Feh.?
***
?I am highly convinced?? Quatre began.
?That she?s in love with me?? Heero guessed. Throwing up his hands, Heero stalked out of the kitchen. ?Big deal. It doesn?t even matter anymore, now that I?ve lost her to my alter-ego.?
Having dealt with resistance from politicians and worse, his own wife, Quatre chose the well thought-out phrase. ?There is high probability that Relena loved you before you left her after the Mariemaia coup and didn?t realize it. Nor does she now, as nothing has happened to her to awaken those feelings. When I met Sarah, it took both of us quite a while to truly understand our own hearts.?
?I don?t need your sob story, Quatre.?
?Yes, you do,? Winner objected. ?Think about who I am, Heero. I can identify emotions better than anyone in this world.?
Though it irritated him, Heero didn?t deny it. ?I understand that. What I don?t understand is what the hell happened last night.?
Quatre sighed and helped himself to more coffee. ?Well, I don?t really have the time to explain it to you in detail. I?ve a meeting on L9 in three hours. But briefly put, Relena?s been longing for your love, and now that she finally has it, she?s afraid.?
?Of me?? he asked in what would have been an incredulous tone if he could think of how to express it.
?Of course not, that?s silly,? he said in an unintentional you?re-an-idiot tone, like he used with economic opponents. ?She?s just afraid of your love; what you have to offer her. Whether she?s good enough for it, or if it?ll hurt her. No one likes being hurt, Heero. And Relena, whose biological parents and foster father were both taken from her, has been hurt too much. Not to mention Marita Darlian?s latest flare. . .?
?Marita Darlian?? Heero questioned, referring to Relena?s adoptive mother. ?What did she do??
?You didn?t hear about it? I was certain Duo had told you. . .?
He would have, Heero thought, if Maxwell had known where he?d been.
Quatre shrugged. ?It wasn?t a great time for Relena. Marita told her?? His pager beeped, and he smiled at Heero. ?My shuttle takes off shortly. I?ll talk to you later. Don?t hesitate to ask Sarah for advice.?
Heero?s lips drooped in a frown. ?I?d rather hand over my life.?
?Well.? The representative shrugged on his coat and turned to the door of his friend?s apartment. ?That?s exactly what you?ll do if you don?t get it together and talk to Relena again. Bye.?
Heero?s shoulders slumped as the door shut, but he wouldn?t allow himself be weak enough to sigh.
It was too soon to see Relena again. She?d made it obviously clear that she didn?t want to see him again, at least not for awhile ? she wasn?t hostile enough to hate anyone. But he didn?t understand. He?d already been through the appropriate options; he had caught her at a bad time; she was reading one of those dramatic romance novels and intended to act as the heroine and play hard-to-get. . .
Or she just did not love him. And as much as he hated to admit it, that was the most likely of cases. So now, there was only one thing to do. He didn?t need Sarah Winner to figure that out.
He simply had to help her realize her love for him.
On the table by the door, ?Prince?s? mask caught his eyes. There would be a full moon tonight, and it would be darker outside than usual.
If he was going to act, tonight would be the night to do so. Now the only question remaining was how the hell to go about it.
And he wished to whatever god there was that he knew how. . .
***
?What, you want to break into her house??
?That isn?t what I said,? Heero told Catherine, bending to dip into the trailer?s low doorway. ?I said I wanted to get to her tonight. Without waking anyone else up.?
Catherine smiled as she sat in an armchair, gestured for Heero to do the same, and picked up her crocheting project. ?One would see that act as breaking and entering.? Unlike the other women in her colony, she had never feared the Gundam pilot notorious for millions of deaths. In fact, she was fairly certain she intimidated the one who had took Trowa back to the battlefield after he?d killed those pacifists.
?Look, I?ll admit that this isn?t easy for me. . .?
Because this confession interested her, Catherine folded her hands into her lap and smiled at him. ?All right,? she said patiently, waiting for him to go on.
Heero glowered at her happy expression. ?I?ve asked for your help.?
Bloom didn?t press the issue, though she would have accepted begging, and it would speed the meeting along. However, she doubted someone as strong-willed as Heero Yuy would grovel for assistance. He?d just as soon figure it out on his own ? and screw up.
?Well, Heero, Relena is a politician. She won?t be easily fooled by endearments or promises; she?s had enough of them within the ESUN circle. You?d have to do something very personal and very persuasive to convince her of your feelings.?
?I could?ve gone to Quatre for advice like that,? he spat, ?and he wouldn?t be so annoying.?
Catherine wagged a finger in warning. ?Be polite, Mr. Yuy. I?ve got knives I could be practicing with. I would like the target to be your rude tongue.?
Heero slumped in the armchair, and the door clacked open.
?Oh, Trowa, you?re back early. How?s Deirdre??
Trowa shot her a slanted look. ?Made off with some chump from L5. Why are you sitting with Yuy??
Heero, who was naturally not offended by such greetings, nodded in his direction. ?Trowa.?
?You?re just the person I was hoping to see,? Catherine said.
?Delighted,? replied Trowa, flopping down on the couch. ?What?s wrong, Catherine??
Smug, Catherine crossed her legs and smirked. ?It?s not me. Heero?s having trouble with Relena.?
Trowa gave a small smile of his own. ?So I?ve heard. Couldn?t make the cut, eh, Yuy? I?d be happy to try my hand at her.?
A low growl erupted from 01?s throat. ?I?ll quite efficiently?? He continued to tell Trowa how efficiently he would perform an act too terrible to be spoken of in this fic.
Trowa?s brows arched. ?Very well.? He stood. ?I?ll get you a beer, and we?ll try to detangle you from this mess by six. I know your current plan already. Quatre is no stranger to informing others of one?s train of thought. You?re not a mystery when it comes to Peacecraft, Heero.?
Thinking he would choke the blond snitch, Heero shook his head and stopped him. ?No beer,? he said.
When Trowa turned back, he saw the odd glow in Heero?s eyes. There was more to his love than what he had spoken of, and Trowa had seen the animalistic gaze of a man in his own eyes many times.
?Just tell me how to get her.?
********************************
Gundam Girl: Bwahahahaha! I brought (a horny?) Trowa in. *scans page* There?s a lot of sexual innuendo? I?m not usually a hentai? Ah, well, more fun for Beck.
Beck: *drops Alucard/Integra doujinshi* Eh?
REVIEW!!!!!! Please?
:o 
............... yaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy baby peaccrafts *happy* KAWAIIIIIIIII