Christmas Present

[Rose of Betrayal]

Disclaimer: I asked everyone who was in favor of me being the owner of Gundam Wing. . .only Duo raised his hand. *hugs Duo to death*
Authoress notes: This is a little something that just popped into my head. Which category does it fall in, I ask you? And you can always tell I have a certain weakness for anything chocolate. . .

Christmas Present
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some people loved Christmas for food. Some people loved Christmas for gifts. Some people loved Christmas because of snow. Heck, some people even loved Christmas for the decorations.

Me? What did I love it for? I loved it because of the warmth of the fireplace, the hot mug of chocolate in my hand. There was still something I wanted more than a gift from Santa. But at the time, I couldn't place it. I took a sip from my mug and brushed away a strand of honey-blonde hair out of my face, as it irritated my vision of the fireplace.

"Pagan?" I asked, my voice sounding loud in the small room. There was a split second as the fire place crackled warmly, and Pagan's voice drifted out from the corner of the room.

"Yes, Miss Relena?" He looked tired and old as I examined him closely. The shadows falling across his face, dancing about his wrinkled lines made him seem older if anything. He had been working in the family for as long as I could remember, and I treated him dearly, like a father, perhaps. And he treated me the same way. A little overprotective, but then again, nothing like Milliardo.

I almost giggled at the thought of Milliardo. Somehow, I found him quite hysterical because of his overprotective nature. While it sometimes irked me, I found it quite amusing. Only Noin could possibly calm him down. . . Thank god she was on my side. If Milliardo ever got into one of his temper tantrums and long-winded lectures, it was certainly Noin who brought him down to earth. He wasn't in the house at the time. . .he'd taken Noin for a little drive. Maybe a couple of snogging sessions. I didn't mind at all. I preferred being alone, and Pagan didn't mind the quiet. He was a bit on the quiet side himself.

I handed him my mug. "Please take this to the kitchen, and you can retire to your bedroom for now, Pagan. It's almost past midnight."

He bowed as he took the white chocolate rimmed mug. "You need your sleep, too, Miss Relena. Do you need anything else?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine." I smiled at him. "You can go now." He obliged, and I heard his fading footsteps echo up the stairs. There was a final thunk and a latch clicking of his bedroom door, and I heard the slight creak of the floorboards as he got ready for bed. My attention drifted from the sounds to the fireplace, and I watched it as it flung shadows across the room.

I glanced out the window and smiled. Snowflakes danced across the screen lightly, but no one was outside despite the newly-fallen snow. I was sure some children would go outside the next morning to play. It was expected. They would wreck the lawn - I smiled - and I would let them. Some Christmas spirit would be in order.

Sinking into my chair and missing the feel of the mug in my hand, I closed my eyes against the merry crackle of the fire and the endless swirl of falling snow outside. I stopped listening and relaxed with a sigh, drawing my legs up to my chin. Soon, my head drooped to the side of the chair, and I was somewhere else completely.

*

An hour later, I awoke abruptly, and after a few minutes of sitting on my cramped legs in the dark, I wondered what had woken me up. The answer came as the doorbell sounded again. Who could be calling this late at night?

I leapt up and started toward the door, but jumped slightly as it sounded again. Instinctively, my hand crept toward the umbrella stand and found a long thin stick. It was good enough to wack someone on the head with if I swung hard enough. And I could swing hard enough.

I glanced toward the dying embers of the fire and watched it burn away to a single glowing coal in the dark. The bell came again, more impatiently this time, and I took a deep breath. . .and wrenched it open. "Re-"

I swung. Hard.

And only heard the swish of empty air. I blinked as the side of the stick collided with the side of the door, knocking me backwards with the force. I glanced up just in time to see a huge chip of the door being hacked away - 'OH MY GOD, MILLIARDO IS GONNA KILL ME!' - before I hit the floor. Well, I didn't exactly hit the floor. Next thing I knew, the stick had been grabbed out of my hand, and someone was holding me upright, balancing me with a knee between my legs from behind.

Two arms encircled my waist in a vise-like grip, and I struggled to get free. "Relena, stop it." That voice. Heero.

I stopped struggling, my shoulders shaking with the shock he had given me, and his grip relaxed, somehow. I was squishing him between the wall and me, apparently, but before I could turn around and take a look at him, he had removed his arm from my waist and flipped on a switch, illuminating the hallway. He wasn't breathing hard like I was - my pants for air were practically filling the hallway.

"What the heck are you doing here?" I hissed. Then suddenly, I was very, very aware of something between my legs. His knee.

He seemed to be thinking along the same line, too, as he suddenly pulled it back and his arms left my waist. I turned around at him. He was leaning with his back to the wall, a slight scowl on his face, but some thinly-veiled humor in his eyes. "Where did you learn to swing a bat like that?" He indicated the bat he had snatched from me, which was lying on the floor.

"Uh, trying out for the League?" I offered weakly. I turned and walked to the kitchen, retrieving my yet unwashed mug from the sink and preparing to drop some more chocolate powder in it. I heard him follow me from close behind, and I switched on the kettle.

"Isn't that your third mug of chocolate for the evening?" he asked in a strained voice.

I turned around and looked at him. "Have you been watching me all night?"

"Hn."

Once again, I was painfully aware that I had been dreaming of him all night long, and if he had, indeed, been watching me, I was pretty sure I had called out his name a few times. I must have resembled something like that of a flaming apple. I busied myself at the sink, washing out the mug and wiping it dry, before turning to face him. . .hoping that he had gone to the living room to stare at the fire.

No such luck. He was still there, staring at me, snow in his hair. He didn't look cold, even if his clothes certainly didn't look cold-proof. "Um, what are you doing here?" I asked him, my mouth too dry to say anything else.

"I came to see you."

"After all these years?" I was so surprised, I practically dropped the slippery mug on my foot. I turned quickly back to the counter to hide my red face. I was sure that if I spoke any longer, it would be in a small croak that would somehow seem to belong to a bullfrog. When he didn't answer, I turned back to him and asked one question that seemed, at least, safe. "Chocolate, coffee, or . . . um, tea?"

"I'll have chocolate."

My mouth went dry. It looked like anything he said was a danger. Even if he said something like 'I need the toilet' I would probably turn red again. . . Not that he would. Say something like that, I mean.

"Relena." He was right behind me. I steeled myself not to scream as he went even closer, so close, in fact, that I could smell a faint musty smell of pure Heero. "Is there something bothering you?"

"No gifts."

I turned around to see him shoot a slightly amused smile at me. I smiled back, quite timidly, and suddenly felt my eyes water. He frowned slightly at me. Then I shook my head, making the tears spill down my cheeks. "I'm being silly, I just. . ."

I was cut short as Heero suddenly took hold of my chin and tilted it up firmly to look into my eyes. He brushed a tear away with his thumb, and I could feel his rough skin over my smooth cheek. His other hand slipped under my hair and to the hot skin at my neck. His hand was warm. He leaned in closer, until I could see his pupils spread out in front of me like the deep sea. A sea that held things I would never have dreamed of. Dark brown hair obscured them slightly, hooding them.

His breath was warm against my cheek, and suddenly, my eyes slid shut, intoxicated by the smell and sight of Heero. "I haven't given you your present yet." Feel was all I needed next. "I love you."

The kiss was sweet and gentle, Heero's tongue slipping into my mouth and tasting, withdrawing, exploring. My hand curled around his neck and pulled him in deeper. His hand stroke the side of my cheek gently. "I love you, too, Heero."

He withdrew slightly, and I smiled. Short, sweet, and simple. He was gone. But he would be back. Perhaps on New Year's Day. I smiled to myself and turned back to the sink. Christmas was all about love.

*

Heero watched from outside as Relena switched off the lights to retire to bed. He would return. Perhaps more than just a kiss. More than a gift. And with that, he turned and strode away, the snow under his feet cold, but warm, nevertheless. As warm as the tingling feeling inside him.

Owari
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Merry Christmas, ppl! ^^

[Elyn Yuy]

Oooh!!! So wonderful!!!

sappy!! Lovin it!!



keep it up Rose of Betrayal!

Elyn Yuy

...you stole my avatar... kidding

[Rose of Betrayal]

I didn't steal your avatar. . . I only got it because I couldn't find anymore. Do you have a good avatar? *searching*

[Eienvine]

Oh, all cute and Christmasy. Gets me in the Christmas spirit! (although Christmas was two days ago). And score for Relena with the baseball bat! You tell that door! All told, a very cute story.

[bookworm]

Nice. Very nice indeed. So sweet and fluffy. And X-mas...not that I had anything against the holiday, but it is surely a holiday fic.

[Nausica?]

* sigh *

I love Christmas, and what made it even better was this fic. Short and sweet, and perfect for my Christmas holiday!

Awesome work.

* muah *


- Naus