Behind Darkness' Mask 7/?

[Gundam Girl]

Gundam Girl: Made it to chapter seven. I?m beginning to wonder if this fic will ever end, even though it?s only less than ten chaps so far.

The Black Rose (my overseer for this fic): NEVER! It will go on FOREVER! *wapishes with Noodle of Death*

GG: *cries*

Note: This will be my last update of anything until the middle or the end of January. I have a couple 1xR fic projects due for the Love Reflection ML in February to save SINNER?s, aka, Loyce?s immortal soul.

And her body from a burning at the stake.

Disclaimer: Don?t own it.

*~Behind Darkness? Mask~* Chapter seven.

He was buying far too many clothes, was Heero?s train of thought Saturday afternoon. He?d hoped to ?win? Relena, as they had so easily termed his mission, but he hadn?t expected to be purchasing a whole new wardrobe in the process.

?Nice, Heero,? Hilde commented from her spot on his sitting room couch. Her legs were crossed as she gulped from a mug of the bitter coffee he kept at his apartment. ?You?ll look snazzy at Relena?s thing.? She grinned. ?I?m so happy the blue fit.?

Heero turned away from his reflection in the mirror. Hilde had persuaded him into buying the dark blue suit for Relena?s private party for Damien Valrino.

?Another thing I?m pleased with you for,? she added cheerfully, ?is getting yourself assigned to her night guard. Now you won?t have to worry about those ridiculous laser-hiding roses Catherine told me about.?

Heero raised his eyes to the ceiling to show of straining impatience. ?What time does the damn thing start tonight, Hilde??

Hilde grinned. ?Hold your horses, pal,? she told him, sounding remarkably like her husband. ?The party begins at ten. Relena?s ? or rather, her mother?s ? social ring are rich night owls. It?ll end around four.?

?Isn?t that a kind of ridiculous ending time for a party,? he stated more than asked.

She shrugged. ?Those people live close enough to the palace. None of them are from outside New Port. There really should only be a handful of guests; less than fifty. Now, listen,? she went on, making sure he was paying close attention. ?Wufei has the day shift for Vice Foreign Minister Darlian today. He knows your plight??

Heero shot her a dark look.

??and he agreed, with some coaxing from Sally, to help you a bit. When you switch off at ten, since he?s going home an hour early ?cause you?re ?new?, he?ll get you in unnoticed. Relena doesn?t know you?re her new night guard yet, and since you?ll be in a very public place, she won?t make a scene.? Hilde frowned a little. ?I hope you know how far everyone is going for you. I don?t want to lose my friendship with Relena, but I am going behind her back ? so are the rest of us.? She hesitated a little. ?Will you tell her tonight??

Heero schooled his features into a rock-hard mask of indifference. Would he tell her tonight? Tell her that the man she had claimed to love was a myth, that he didn?t exist, and that only a brokenhearted soldier had played the role of her dream man?

?No,? he muttered tensely.

?Why not? This can?t go on forever. Better to get it out now. I?ve seen how its been eating at you?? Her eyes narrowed. ?Remember, Heero, this Prince of Darkness thing was just a test to see if she could love you.?

?I?m not the guy she thinks I am!? he exclaimed, suddenly angry. ?The test proved she could easily forget me.?

?No. It proved that there are sides to you she can love. The real you,? Hilde told him. ?Heero, you are not the soldier fighting for the colonies. Not anymore. Now, in Relena?s time of peace, you are simply a man in love.?

He snorted. ?Simply.?

?Yes, simply,? she gritted out between clenched teeth. Men were idiots, Hilde thought, nearly wanting to scathe Yuy. Yet. . . She lightened up. She loved the biggest idiot of them all. And Duo was a great guy. She knew Heero was, too.

Sighing, she looked at her watch. ?I?ve got to go,? she said, standing up and picking up her light coat. It was a beautiful fall day, with only the slightest chill outside. ?I?m supposed to help Sarah put together her baby?s crib today. Have fun tonight, and I mean that.?

Heero didn?t bother with a goodbye, only turned to leave the room since she would no longer be there.

Hilde waited a beat at the door. ?Later, then.?

Heero heard the door close behind her. When his enhanced hearing heard her footsteps on the stairs as she descended to the ground floor of the building, he sprinted to his kitchen and turned on the faucet, cupping and spilling cold water over his face.

He had exactly five hours before he needed to be at the Peacecraft palace for the party Relena was giving Damien Valrino.

He frowned even more darkly. Duo was probably making a comment about him being a party-goer lately.

Heero sighed and headed for the shower. Hilde had also left orders to look his best.

***

Marita was frazzled. The band she had insisted her daughter hire for the evening was a half-hour late. Relena had told them that there was no need to show up until nine-thirty, but if the musicians had any proper sense of propriety, they would arrive at least an hour early.

She lifted an immaculately manicured nail and tapped it against her chin. Relena had at first wanted to watch the caterers prepare, but Marita had insisted she had over the reigns to dear mother and use the extra time for get dressed; or, she had said more persuasively, to get some extra sleep. She had taken a late night and an early morning, and it would have been very indecent of her to be a sleepy host.

Marita scowled as that despicable Asian man, Chang Wufei, walked across the marble floor of the ancient ballroom. In her eyes, he marred the elegance and charm that absolutely dripped from the castle. Her eyes became a little teary. If she peered at the room through her eyelashes, she could remember this room in its original glory.

The last time she had stood in here, King and Queen Peacecraft had been celebrating the birth of their newborn daughter, Relena. In her mind, she saw the marvelous portrait of the Peacecrafts, now restored and hung again at the top on the gleaming grand staircase. The country?s former monarchs were immortalized in that picture, along with the ageless faces of a little boy with platinum blond hair, and his gold-headed toddler sister, who sat on her father?s knee.

Marita smiled. She adored showing off her adopted daughter and Relena?s long-lost older brother. She had implored that they act on their titles for once, since most of tonight?s guests would be of aristocratic society. The two were to meet at the top of the staircase, and Milliardo ? or Zechs, as his wife so casually called him, bring to mind old war days ? would escort his sister, the former Queen Relena, down to Damien, and he would join Luchrezia Noin, his spouse.

His pregnant spouse, she thought with a touch of venom.

Of course, Marita consoled herself hurriedly, the child would not be the heir to the family fortune. He or she would not get this wonderful palace and all of its antiquities. That would be left to Relena?s children, who would be the offspring of a respected, upstanding man of society over the world.

A man like Damien, she thought firmly. Not that vagabond boy she had chased around as a girl when the war had first began. He?s been a Gundam pilot, for God?s sake! And even then, she was supposed to have started dating Damien that year, when she was fifteen and Relena?s father ? her husband ? had approved.

Little matter. So the courting had been delayed for a decade. They could see each other now as esteemed, mature adults; with steady careers that made both of them quite an amount of money.

Marita smiled smugly. Relena may be a high-sitting political figure, but she was still very na?ve. Marriage rarely had anything to do with love. It was all about benefit. She had married a Sank Kingdom senator, who had later become the Earth Sphere Alliance?s Vice Foreign Minister of Affairs. She had been benefited well, and now it was Relena?s and Damien?s turn to be treated in such a way.

How fortunate, too, that Damien still possessed an adorable schoolboy affection for Relena.

***

?Hurry in here, Yuy,? Wufei said tersely as Heero followed a group of musicians into the castle. ?I have to go check on Darlian one more time, but then I?m outta here. My original position for the start of the party is on the second floor, by that pillar, overlooking the ballroom. I suppose you?ll do your scanning thing and walk around.?

Heero gave him one curt nod. ?Do I need to say thank you?? he asked, rather tonelessly.

Wufei snorted. ?If I ever liked anything about you, Yuy, it that was you never did anything that wasn?t absolutely necessary. I assume you realize that I require no thanks.?

Heero nodded again, and Wufei turned to go see Relena once more before he left for the night.

?Wufei,? Heero said, and the Chinese pilot halted mid-stride. ?Thanks.?

After a moment, Wufei?s head bent forward in the slightest nod of respect. ?Barton will never let you live this down, you know.?

Chocolate eyebrows lowered over irritated blue eyes. ?I know.?

Wufei walked away. So did Heero.

But Wufei was the one who was smirking.

***

?You have fifteen minutes, woman.?

Relena forced a smile, as in Wufei was actually in her chamber instead of outside the door that led to the entire half-wing she had to herself. ?Thank you, Wufei.?

There came no reply, only a scuffle of feet that slowly faded.

The VFM sighed and sat in a chair near the door. Her hair had been done by Noin?s hands, with her sister-in-law?s assistance that she could make her look beautiful. Relena and Noin weren?t especially close, but it seemed that Noin had been putting forth more effort to become so as of late. Relena supposed it was because Noin didn?t want her thinking that she was a strange woman who had married her brother and had stood as her imperial guard during the war.

Of course, she had never thought of Noin that way, but she didn?t blame the woman for being extra kind, although the movement wasn?t necessary. She liked Noin, had always liked Noin ? she was a loyal, spirited, strong woman that was to be admired.

And she had a talent for fixing hair, which was piled tightly on top of her head and held up by diamonds.

Relena had opted for a sequined dress, midnight blue. The gown?s hugged neatly from her hips to her knees, where the material went loose around her claves to her ankles. The bodice was strapless, and came to a short V between her breasts, showing off the proper amount of cleavage that would leave her desirable, but not indecent. A thick string of diamonds surrounded her neck and dangled at her ears.

Marita would be thrilled, she thought angrily, that her daughter knew how to buy the right dress and accessories for an evening with a bunch of powerless aristocrats.

Relena, with a bit more strength to her step than necessary, exited the wing and nearly knocked both herself and her brother to the floor.

?Whoa,? Zechs said on a half-laugh. ?Didn?t know there could possibly be so much power in that small build of yours.?

?Sorry,? she said earnestly. ?I?ve been. . .energetic lately.?

?So I see,? he said. ?That?s good. You?ve looked tired lately. I?m happy to see you?ve finally got some strength back.?

She offered him a smile and watched as his gaze traveled to the head of the staircase they were supposed to walk down, showing off the royalty they were born to.

?Is this really necessary, Relena?? Zechs asked lightly. ?I gave this world up. If I had meant to live on this way, I would be sitting on that throne in the next room as a useless monarch right now.?

Relena blinked. ?It means a lot to Mother,? she began, ?but if you really don?t want to do this, I?m sure I can??

?Forget it,? said Zechs abruptly, taking her hand and setting her palm upon the back of his own hand in the manner of a proper escort. ?It?s just this once.?

She smiled, hoping she was conveying her immense gratitude at least fractionally. ?Thank you. Mother will??

?I?m doing this for you,? he interrupted with a slight edge to his voice. ?Personally, I really can?t stand your mother, Relena.?

He started leading her to the stairs before she could say more.

***

Heero watched Damien Valrino finish talking to Luchrezia Noin just as the section of trumpet players went into an exaggerated announcing tune, and the original Peacecraft heir appear at the top of the stairs with his sister.

Zechs was distinguished in a rather expensive-looking suit, but Relena was breathtaking. The way the skirt of the dress tightened around her waist and chest left little to the imagination. Heero straightened his shoulders and kept his mind in check. He was still protecting her, after all, and he glanced around the ballroom.

He scoped out Damien watching Relena with a bit too much appreciation in his eyes, and a ridiculous surge of jealousy sprang to Heero?s heart.

He shook his head as he looked once more at Relena, who was looking a little too sexy as they reached the bottom of the stairs to a smatter of applause and took her childhood friend?s hand.

He headed to a smaller, less-noticeable set of stairs so he could get to the ballroom floor and see at a better angle. He would never get through this night, Heero thought as the music started up again.

******************************************************************

Gundam Girl: Okay, so this chapter was basically a set-up for chapter eight. But chapter eight will be very good, I promise! Please be patient with me, and thanks for reading! Review!

[blackrose]

That's not a full chapter. You should have labeled it chapter 6.5. You need to post the rest of the chapter.

*taps foot*

I'm waiting GG. Don't make me get out..THE PROD! *ZAAAAAAAAAPPPPP*

GG: O_O But! But! I have to write 2 1xR lemons in Feb.

Rose: Oh all right. But just the lemons. Then the rest of ch 7.

GG: You mean 8.

Rose: SEVEN!!!!

GG: -____-;;;

[Gundam Girl]

I expected some rebellion from you. Which is why I brought this, just in case! *pulls detonator stick from pocket* It will make your soap box explode.

Just remember, boss, I'm writing TWO lemons! Granted, it'll be a two part thing, but it'll still have a lemon in EACH part.

And then I'll write the next chapter, which WILL be known as 8.

Although I was kinda upset that I wrote six pages of practically nothing. I swear the next chappie will be good. SWEAR IT.

[Morganeth]

An excellent chapter, hope the next one is out soon! I really like the way you've taken Hilde's character and made her an adviser to Heero...I don't think I would ever have considered using her in this way.

Of course I can't wait for more! and I hope things get resolved with Heero and Relena...but depending on how long this story is...that could still be a while

Morganeth Taren'drel

[Gundam Girl]

Thanks, Morganeth! I'm so happy YOU like this chap. *glares at Rose*

As for it taking a while for Heero and Rel to get together... I *know*! *bawls*

GG: Why can't you just love each other and live happily ever after already?!

Relena: He was wearing a mask! I don't even know it's him! (Yet.)

Heero: She doesn't love me! She doesn't love me! *cries*

GG: Technically, popular fanfiction belief says you'd rather her not love you so she's safe. It SHOULD be your every wish come true.

Heero: Whatever. People like me don't get laid without a serious affection factor.

Rose: EXACTLY.

Relena: Whoa...I am NOT having sex with you.

GG: Um...

Relena: 0_0

Thanks again, Morganeth!