Ice Hot 1/2 - Rated NC-17
Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:53 pm
This is for the ?Church of Lemons? contest/challenge. Part one of a two-part fic.
Disclaimer: Unless they draw my name from a hat and decide to give me Gundam Wing, I don?t own it.
Warning: NC-17.
Note: I?ll apologize in advance for this being so horribly short? I don?t like it either.
However, it was more convenient. I promise to more than make up for it on the 25th. Patience.
~ Ice Hot ~ Part One
Relena sat with perfect posture; back upright, legs together, head erect, hands folded upon the surface of the table in front of her. The designer Von Deau had constructed a business skirt and jacket just for her for this night. Specially hired hairdressers and makeup artists had perfected her features.
She was far from ready.
The pulse at her throat ticked in time with the thousand-dollar gold watch gracing her wrist, pounding against an age-old string of emeralds. She thanked God she wasn?t sweating. Even he seemed nervous; he was tapping his finger against his gun holster.
?Citizens of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation,? the speaker began, ?the assembly of the Council has gathered here tonight to inform you of the replacement for President Gavril upon his untimely death by heart attack. The Council voted between Foreign Minister Peter Martinez, as you know, and Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian.?
The speaker paused; Relena felt her skin crawl. Why would he dare halt his speech?!
?I will now inform you of the voting?s result. From this day, the ESUN will be governed by Madam President Relena Darlian.?
Even from the top floor of the ESUN?s presidential palace in Brussels, Relena could hear the cheering. A quick glance to the window showed people lined in the streets outside, calling her name, praising her. Relena?s gaze flitted to the camera that was suddenly before her and she smiled at the world.
The world that was now relying on her for organization and guidance.
Taking a deep breath, Relena accepted the microphone the speaker proffered to her, and dove into her speech.
?Thank you, Speaker Valum. It is my greatest honor to take the place of President Gavril, however, I can only say that I wish it were under different circumstances. I thank the Council for trusting me with this responsibility, and I want to thank you, Minister Martinez.?
Martinez smiled, and he looked relieved. Relena fought to keep from gritting her teeth.
Neither of them had truly wanted this position. But with Gavril?s death, there was nothing either of them could possibly do. The ESUN needed order, they needed a leader.
And everyone had known from the day Gavril had died who that leader would be. Queen Relena of Romefeller, Princess Relena of the Sank Kingdom, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation would take control of the Earth and its Colonies.
And there was no objection to any of it.
Relena quickly finished her speech to the sound of louder cheering, more enthusiastic encouragement. They wanted her love, her spirit, her life.
And she would have to give it to them, she thought as she was escorted from the building into a limousine that would take her to an airport. She very badly wanted to go home; she needed time to prepare for the imprisonment she would succumb to for at least the next eight years of her life.
When did she become so tired, she wondered almost desperately. When had she become so involved that she couldn?t just say ?no??
Gavril?s funeral had been yesterday. She hadn?t yet cried. She could still remember the day the man had come to her, thanking her for the peace she had so determinedly striven for. He had asked her to take her adoptive father?s place at VFM. . .
And he had died, leaving her with the most power; leaving her with a position she had never intended to take, whether by surprise or election.
Relena slid into the back seat of the limousine and rested her head against the seat, closing her eyes. She felt the presence next to her study her image carefully as the driver pulled the car forward.
?Congratulations.?
She kept her eyes closed. The voice, deep and toneless, sent her pulse thumping again. ?If you actually mean that, then thank you.?
She felt him withdraw, and Relena felt a twinge of guilt. She opened her eyes and turned to him. ?Thank you, Heero. Sincerely.?
He was silent, staring straight ahead of him at the back of the passenger seat. He was godly at twenty years old, strong and lean. And protective. Career-wise.
It was five-thirty when Relena finally got to her home in the morning. The plane ride had been long, and she had started on first-term paperwork, officially missing any sleep she really needed. Eight cups of coffee and headphones blaring very noisy music had kept her awake. Heero had done work of his own, typing up security reports that were due to Une that very day.
She sighed as she walked into the mansion, Heero ahead of her to scan the perimeter. She technically had a personal day tomorrow ? today ? but she wasn?t one to put off work that could get done at present rather than future.
She went into a half-doze, and when Relena was fully conscious again, Heero had escorted her up to her quarters. He gave her a look that ordered her to stay in the hall until he had secured her personal suite in the Peacecraft mansion, not bothering to turn on the light. Relena waited a long time; exactly five seconds.
?I?m too tired for this,? she protested in a half-grunt and dragged herself into the suit, quickly discarding an evil pair of high heels and half-limped into her bedroom.
Her looked up from inspected her bedroom window and gave a disapproving glare. ?I hadn?t finished,? he said lowly.
Relena spared him a sideways glance and shrugged, reaching behind her neck to work at the clasp of emeralds. ?You went too slow.?
?Relena??
?Heero, I need to rest. I?ve been running around the globe for the past fifty-three hours.? She began to yank at the pins that had held up her hair all night. ?No one?s going to try to assassinate Madam President yet.?
He didn?t miss the negativity in her new title. She shrugged out of her dark blue business jacket. ?Do you want me to leave now?? he asked, deliberately looking at the windowsill.
?Better finish the inspection,? she said absently, shimmying out of her skirt and working at the buttons on her dress shirt, revealing a skin-toned slip that was strapless around her chest and ended at mid-thigh. ?I don?t want bugs in my room.?
He had never seen her so?vunerable. Physically or emotionally. She looked positively drained while she sat on her blue satin-covered bed and slipped off her thigh-highs. Damn it, she wore thigh-highs?
?Do you often sleep like that?? Heero found himself asking, no emotion detectable in his voice.
Relena looked at him with annoyance flaring in her eyes. ?That?s hardly your business.?
?If Preventers happened to miss a bug,? he started.
?I pay Preventers to not ?happen? to miss a bug,? she interrupted with a tone that was not quite icy. She was too heartsick to be icy. ?They are to protect me, the Vice Foreign?the President,? she amended bitterly. ?The goddamned President of the ESUN.?
Heero scrutinized her, leaning against the wall, watching her pull down her own bed covers. The maids had neglected to do so before her arrival. ?You didn?t want the position,? he stated flatly.
?No, I didn?t want the position! Nobody wanted the position! But they wanted me to have it, because I am their prize, their gem.? Relena shot him a glare that would scathe stone. ?Hell, Heero, I was a fucking teen idol!?
?You are the best person for the job,? he told her firmly, folding his arms and continuing with his unblinking stare. ?Whether you think so or not.?
?Oh no, I know I?m the best person for the job.? Her voice had suddenly taken on a softer, practically yielding tone. ?I just wish I wasn?t. Presidency is hell. Look what happened to Gavril, God bless him.?
Heero waited a split-second to look at her for just another moment. Then he checked his watch. ?I?ll be in the hall.?
?No, wait. Dammit.? Relena ran a hand through her hair. ?I?m sorry; I?m being a pain, and I didn?t mean to whine. You?ve gotta be as tired as me.?
Tired. He was tired all right. Tired of the awful guessing games they?d been playing since they were sixteen and he?d gotten himself assigned to her guard detail. They?d both matured, physically well, but emotionally?not so well. They both had very work-oriented lives. He had his job; she had hers.
It was the in-between that drove them both mad. Because the in-between often involved each other.
?I?m fine,? Heero responded tersely. ?I?m your bodyguard.?
?I don?t have a room ready for you. I?d call Pagan, but I really don?t want to wake him. If you give me a minute, I?m sure there?s an extra blanket here, you can take the couch?? Relena stopped halfway out of bed. Heero tried to ignore that the slip had ridden all the way up her legs, and the edge of white lace panties was visible in the moonlight filtering through the window he had been observing.
?Hold on. Heero,? she sighed. ?I?m sorry. This isn?t at all proprietary, I know, but I am really dead on my feet. Can you just take my bed with me tonight??
He blinked, the only outward sign of surprise. Dear God, she hadn?t really asked him that. Had she? Jesus?
?Just for tonight. I know it?s awkward and really rather dumb, but? I don?t know, I feel bad about leaving you in the hall, and I just don?t have the energy to fix something up for you. And,? she added anxiously, ?you need sleep just as much as I do.?
He could have said no. He could quite easily have told her again that he was fine, that he did not need sleep. Machines, after all, did not need sleep.
But he had come to realize in the past four years that he was really not a machine. Whether she knew it or not, Relena had been forcing him to understand that bit by bit. The way she lived, the way she did what needed to be done wasn?t altogether unlike him. It was who she did it for ? the people, not the mission.
He dropped his pants.
Relena met his eyes gaze for gaze, not once blushing as he let his uniform jacket fall to the floor. He stripped from his shirt, and she didn?t move until he was clad only in his boxers and a pair of plain white socks, and she scooted over to make room for him.
The first thing he noticed between the sheets of her bed was the body heat. In the short time she had been under the blankets, she had managed to warm the whole mattress. Then he smelled her perfume, the shampoo in her hair, the champagne on her tongue.
He closed his eyes. He was just sleeping; half-sleeping. He was still on duty.
He knelt satin brush his knee; her slip. His eyes popped open. Relena hadn?t seemed to notice. She was lying very still, her back toward him, probably asleep already. Her hair flowed over her pillow and reached his, nearly touching his face. One of her arms was on top of the bedspread, lying across her hip. Her skin glowed purely white.
?I?m scared, Heero.?
Heero?s only reaction to her abrupt speaking was to wait a moment before breathing again.
?I?m so worried that I won?t do this right. The whole world?s trusting me to, and I??
She had trailed. Heero felt something like sympathy rise in his chest. It made him open his mouth and talk: ?That?s understandable.?
Relena was shaking her head, and when she flipped on her side to see him, a few strands of blond hair fell close to her eye. ?Maybe ? to some ? but it isn?t acceptable. I need to be proud, composed, and powerful-looking yet graceful.? She sighed and sat up. ?I can?t do this.?
Heero?s eye fell on the slip strap that had gone askew and clung to her outer shoulder. ?I think you?re being hard on yourself,? he said quietly, sitting up as well. ?You?ll get used to it.?
Relena met his eyes again and tried to ignore that he was practically naked beside her. It was Heero Yuy. Untouchable, unobtainable. He responded to no one. ?You don?t understand. After this year, I meant to resign from the ESUN. I didn?t even want to be Foreign Minister. I was hoping I could just live as another former politician who got coverage every so often but is basically forgotten.?
?The public can?t forget you,? Heero told her logically. ?They?re drawn to you and they can?t help it. They would do anything for you, even if they don?t know why.?
Relena studied him carefully. Her voice softened to a whisper. ?They should try to learn. Or maybe they shouldn?t be drawn to me at all.?
?You could push them away,? Heero said, turning his whole body toward her. The silence of the silver-tinged world surrounded them as Heero realized that he had covered her hand with his. ?You could say no.?
Relena?s breath shuddered out as the space between them closed. She didn?t know if that was her doing or his. ?But I don?t want to.?
The conversation had obviously gone beyond the public. They both knew it. They shared the same expression; carnal, wanton.
And she was suddenly in his arms, like lightning. The lightning had ignited a fire that quickly blazed, and he kissed her so hard that Relena wondered if her lips would be bruised. His touch went over her shoulders, her back and hair. Safe areas. Even at a time like this, Heero used precautions.
Her fingers brushed the back of his neck and he went dead still, jerking his head back though he didn?t relinquish his hold on her.
?I don?t know what I want from tonight,? he breathed huskily, desire barely in check. Relena could feel him against her thigh. She shook her head.
?I do,? she whispered, and her lips went to his neck first, savoring his throat and the underside of his chin. Relena could feel his fingers dig into her hips. Rising to her knees, she found his mouth and took it with force.
It would be hot, they both knew as his hand worked their way under her slip, skimmed her thighs and her stomach as he worked the material up to her shoulders. He was grateful of the slip?s built-in bra. The task of clever clasps was obliterated. He paused for a moment and stared at her breasts; they weren?t large, but they weren?t extremely small either. She was?decently sized.
He pulled the slip over her head. When she was rid of the undergarment, he grasped her shoulders and kissed the area between her clavicles.
And went lower.
And it would be fast.
His mouth closed over one pebbled nipple, laving it, then the other. Relena?s fingers gripped his hair, and with a gasp she arched like Hara against Zeus. He was that powerful.
Heero was so occupied with her ? the feel of her skin against his, of her hair in his hands ? that he only half-noticed when her hands traveled down the length of his back, around the front of his lower abdomen, and into his boxers.
He froze when her hands stopped their search. It was the first time anyone had rendered Heero Yuy motionless. Relena Darlian did so with a simple touch.
Or a not-so-simple touch.
Her fingers moved again, along the length of him. She stroked and explored. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, clenching the bed-sheets on either side of her body beneath him. It was when her hand closed around him entirely that he couldn?t hold back the moan anymore.
?Relena??
Relena smiled slightly, raising her head and kissing his neck. ?You need out of the underwear, Heero.? She assisted in their divesting. ?Much better.?
Better. Any amount of restraint he?d held onto snapped, and Heero?s hand came to her wrists, lifting them and holding them down on either side of her head. His mouth met with hers again, tongue invading, sweeping. Relena?s groan of pleasure and pain matched his.
A beat pulsed through both of them and intertwined through each other. The rhythm was not of any ballad. There was no soft melody, only a hard, pounding, throbbing song stretching for a finish.
?I can?t,? he said, burying his face in her neck. ?I can?t?I can?t hold back.?
Heero had no idea if she?d nodded, shook her head or if she?d done anything at all. She moaned ? or whimpered, he wasn?t sure ? and like a knife, he cut through, clean and sharp.
And then there was the pain. Oh God, the pain.
Relena sucked in a breath; Heero didn?t notice. He had already begun to move his hips without any sort of rhythm. His lips had found hers again, clumsily this time. His head swam, hers was full of colors too bright to be beautiful. There was pain, enough for it to be agony, but it ended quickly enough. Still, her body howled with need.
She could see his eyes. The deep blue of his eyes had darkened to a color that was practically black. He didn?t seem to really see her.
Heero soon collapsed atop her without a second thought to what she might be feeling ? or not feeling. Relena?s body still hummed for a few more minutes, but it stopped in time, and whatever song they had begun together had only completed a first part. The harmony had received no ending.
Heero had fallen asleep, Relena realized with astonishment only three minutes after the boiling, raging sex was over ? for him. They?d both been virgin?s only a half-hour ago, she realized.
They had been fast. Perhaps too fast.
She wasn?t a fool. Relena had learned years and years ago that a woman?s first time would not always be fulfilling. She had learned that it would hurt ? and hurt it had, Jesus Christ! She had learned.
Had he?
He hadn?t seemed to take note of the fact that she?d been in pain, nor that she wasn?t feeling any of the pleasure he had quite obviously gotten in that last outcry of her name.
Her excitement, though it had surged when he did find release, had quite bluntly died. No pleasure, no more pain. Nothing. Nothing at all.
Relena managed to pull away from Heero, sliding to the very edge of the bed and curling up into a fetal position, her back toward him once again. From her vantage point, she could see her slip puddled on the floor in a mass of now-ripped satin. His boxer shorts were lost something in the sheets they had kicked to the foot of the bed. She reached for them now, covering herself with them.
But Relena couldn?t quite keep out the chill.
***
She woke up the next morning to sunlight. A dull ache was between her legs. Lifting a very groggy head, she saw her clock ? and realized it was no longer morning at all.
After the initial panic had subsided, she was glad that she?d been given the day off with her new presidency.
The day that she had started with Heero?in bed?with her.
Heero!
Relena shot upright and twisted to look at the spot next to her. The place was bare and cool. Her gaze darted around the room as she shot up and moved through her suite. Everything was exactly the same as it had been the night before. Her heeled shoes were still awkwardly landed in the sitting room. Her purse was still hung on the chair by the door. The lights were still off.
Everything of Heero Yuy?s, both man and his clothes, was gone and had been gone for a while. But she was naked and shivering. Her arms wrapped around herself in a desperate quest for any warmth that might be left over.
But it was as though he had never been there.
***
Trowa Barton was shocked with President Relena Darlian burst out of her chamber, dressed in jeans and a plain purple T-shirt. White slippers covered her feet. She wore no makeup. Her hair was not brushed.
This was not the professional politician Trowa was on duty to guard.
?Where is he?!? was the first thing out of her mouth. Her voice was hoarse and she obviously hadn?t spoken yet today. ?He was still here at six-thirty this morning, where the hell is he??
Trowa only regarded her with a lifted eyebrow. The one visible green eye inspected her pathetic-looking image. ?Preventer Yuy got off at seven, Madam President,? he said curtly. ?I came at eight.?
?And he ran between those times.? Her voice was ice cold, and her face was pale. He watched as she fisted her tangled hair between her fingers. ?He ran. He fucking ran.?
Trowa showed no reaction to her cursing. He?d had little doubt it had been in there somewhere. ?You have nothing scheduled for today,? he began. It was business as usual. ?Pagan asked to let him know if you were hungry when you??
?I need to see Une,? she cut in, all at once furious. ?I need to know where he is.?
Trowa looked at his watch. ?I can have a car prepared in five minutes.?
?Make it two,? she commanded harshly. ?When I get my hands on him??
Barton stared at the door she banged shut in his face for a moment. She would probably take the time to brush her teeth and comb her hair ? hopefully -- but then she would expect her car to be ready. He turned.
It wasn?t really any of his business what Heero and Relena had done together last night. His business was the protection of the woman who was now the ruler of the ESUN.
But damn, he thought as he radioed the men stationed at the garage. Heero had just screwed himself over.
***
Une?s office door slammed against the wall. A whirlwind of frustration darted through it before it swung closed again.
?Tell me where he went.?
Lady Une of Preventers looked up and gave Relena a calm smile. ?Madam President, good morning. How may I help you??
Relena made a fist and pounded it impatiently on the surface of Une?s desk. ?I need you to tell me exactly where he is.? Despite her desperation for strength, she felt she would cry.
?He?? Une asked softly as she reached for a mug of coffee that an office aid had brought her minutes earlier.
?He,? Relena bit out, ferocity accentuating her voice. ?Heero Yuy. Your lead man. My night guard.?
?His shift was over at seven this morning, as I assumed you knew.?
Relena took a very deep breath. She did not need to start off her renewed career by shouting at the head of Preventers. ?He left, Une.?
Une?s interest did peak now. ?Before had had clearance to??
?No. I don?t know. Damn it, I doubt it, but when I woke up this morning, Heero wasn?t at my house.? Relena slowly began to realize how ridiculous and horribly unprofessional she sounded. And how scandalous her story was beginning to seem.
?Madam President, has Preventer Yuy ever been at your residence upon your waking??
?No.?
?Then I don?t really understand what the problem is.? Une tapped a finger against her cheek. ?Did you expect him there??
?I?? She bit her lip. Had she? ?I don?t know what I expected.?
?That answer is very vague. My agency is concerned with your physical self, Miss Relena. Your mental self is the concern of you and whatever professional you feel is necessary.?
Lady Une thought she was mad. ?There?s got to be something you?re not telling me. When did Heero Yuy last report in??
?Five minutes ago, Madam.?
?Excuse me?? She blinked.
Une nodded and stood up to face the window behind her. ?Much to the misfortune of us both, Relena, my best Preventer just turned in his resignation via e-mail. The details of why he did so were not included; that is private information we do not require of our resigning agents.? She turned back to the president with a strange look of sympathy in her brown eyes. ?If you wish, I can do a search for him. But as I?m sure you?re aware??
Relena closed her eyes and knew exactly what Une was going to say.
?If Heero Yuy does not want to be found, than we have very little chance of discovering his location.?
She held back a sigh and stood up straight, fists at her side. ?No search is necessary,? she said tightly. ?You?re right; we wouldn?t find him.?
Une sat down again. ?Mr. Maxwell will take over his position. My apologies. You chose a bad time, Madam President. Also, I would like to congratulate you on your position. Forgive me, but I hope you?re ready for it.?
Relena?s face widened with a smile that was as hard and smooth and fake as faux pearls. She no longer felt the need to cry. She no longer felt anything. ?Trust me, Lady Une. I am quite ready for it.?
The night before with Heero Yuy had been sex. Not the fairytale lovemaking silly women read about in romance novels. There was no magic, no glow, and no sparkles. There was sweat and pain and the smallest bit of blood that she had found on her sheets after her brief talk with Trowa.
There were mechanics, not roses.
Sex was sex. Love was love. The two didn?t meet.
And neither did ex-Preventer Heero Yuy or Madam President Relena Darlian meet.
Not for another six years?
Disclaimer: Unless they draw my name from a hat and decide to give me Gundam Wing, I don?t own it.
Warning: NC-17.
Note: I?ll apologize in advance for this being so horribly short? I don?t like it either.
However, it was more convenient. I promise to more than make up for it on the 25th. Patience.~ Ice Hot ~ Part One
Relena sat with perfect posture; back upright, legs together, head erect, hands folded upon the surface of the table in front of her. The designer Von Deau had constructed a business skirt and jacket just for her for this night. Specially hired hairdressers and makeup artists had perfected her features.
She was far from ready.
The pulse at her throat ticked in time with the thousand-dollar gold watch gracing her wrist, pounding against an age-old string of emeralds. She thanked God she wasn?t sweating. Even he seemed nervous; he was tapping his finger against his gun holster.
?Citizens of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation,? the speaker began, ?the assembly of the Council has gathered here tonight to inform you of the replacement for President Gavril upon his untimely death by heart attack. The Council voted between Foreign Minister Peter Martinez, as you know, and Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian.?
The speaker paused; Relena felt her skin crawl. Why would he dare halt his speech?!
?I will now inform you of the voting?s result. From this day, the ESUN will be governed by Madam President Relena Darlian.?
Even from the top floor of the ESUN?s presidential palace in Brussels, Relena could hear the cheering. A quick glance to the window showed people lined in the streets outside, calling her name, praising her. Relena?s gaze flitted to the camera that was suddenly before her and she smiled at the world.
The world that was now relying on her for organization and guidance.
Taking a deep breath, Relena accepted the microphone the speaker proffered to her, and dove into her speech.
?Thank you, Speaker Valum. It is my greatest honor to take the place of President Gavril, however, I can only say that I wish it were under different circumstances. I thank the Council for trusting me with this responsibility, and I want to thank you, Minister Martinez.?
Martinez smiled, and he looked relieved. Relena fought to keep from gritting her teeth.
Neither of them had truly wanted this position. But with Gavril?s death, there was nothing either of them could possibly do. The ESUN needed order, they needed a leader.
And everyone had known from the day Gavril had died who that leader would be. Queen Relena of Romefeller, Princess Relena of the Sank Kingdom, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation would take control of the Earth and its Colonies.
And there was no objection to any of it.
Relena quickly finished her speech to the sound of louder cheering, more enthusiastic encouragement. They wanted her love, her spirit, her life.
And she would have to give it to them, she thought as she was escorted from the building into a limousine that would take her to an airport. She very badly wanted to go home; she needed time to prepare for the imprisonment she would succumb to for at least the next eight years of her life.
When did she become so tired, she wondered almost desperately. When had she become so involved that she couldn?t just say ?no??
Gavril?s funeral had been yesterday. She hadn?t yet cried. She could still remember the day the man had come to her, thanking her for the peace she had so determinedly striven for. He had asked her to take her adoptive father?s place at VFM. . .
And he had died, leaving her with the most power; leaving her with a position she had never intended to take, whether by surprise or election.
Relena slid into the back seat of the limousine and rested her head against the seat, closing her eyes. She felt the presence next to her study her image carefully as the driver pulled the car forward.
?Congratulations.?
She kept her eyes closed. The voice, deep and toneless, sent her pulse thumping again. ?If you actually mean that, then thank you.?
She felt him withdraw, and Relena felt a twinge of guilt. She opened her eyes and turned to him. ?Thank you, Heero. Sincerely.?
He was silent, staring straight ahead of him at the back of the passenger seat. He was godly at twenty years old, strong and lean. And protective. Career-wise.
It was five-thirty when Relena finally got to her home in the morning. The plane ride had been long, and she had started on first-term paperwork, officially missing any sleep she really needed. Eight cups of coffee and headphones blaring very noisy music had kept her awake. Heero had done work of his own, typing up security reports that were due to Une that very day.
She sighed as she walked into the mansion, Heero ahead of her to scan the perimeter. She technically had a personal day tomorrow ? today ? but she wasn?t one to put off work that could get done at present rather than future.
She went into a half-doze, and when Relena was fully conscious again, Heero had escorted her up to her quarters. He gave her a look that ordered her to stay in the hall until he had secured her personal suite in the Peacecraft mansion, not bothering to turn on the light. Relena waited a long time; exactly five seconds.
?I?m too tired for this,? she protested in a half-grunt and dragged herself into the suit, quickly discarding an evil pair of high heels and half-limped into her bedroom.
Her looked up from inspected her bedroom window and gave a disapproving glare. ?I hadn?t finished,? he said lowly.
Relena spared him a sideways glance and shrugged, reaching behind her neck to work at the clasp of emeralds. ?You went too slow.?
?Relena??
?Heero, I need to rest. I?ve been running around the globe for the past fifty-three hours.? She began to yank at the pins that had held up her hair all night. ?No one?s going to try to assassinate Madam President yet.?
He didn?t miss the negativity in her new title. She shrugged out of her dark blue business jacket. ?Do you want me to leave now?? he asked, deliberately looking at the windowsill.
?Better finish the inspection,? she said absently, shimmying out of her skirt and working at the buttons on her dress shirt, revealing a skin-toned slip that was strapless around her chest and ended at mid-thigh. ?I don?t want bugs in my room.?
He had never seen her so?vunerable. Physically or emotionally. She looked positively drained while she sat on her blue satin-covered bed and slipped off her thigh-highs. Damn it, she wore thigh-highs?
?Do you often sleep like that?? Heero found himself asking, no emotion detectable in his voice.
Relena looked at him with annoyance flaring in her eyes. ?That?s hardly your business.?
?If Preventers happened to miss a bug,? he started.
?I pay Preventers to not ?happen? to miss a bug,? she interrupted with a tone that was not quite icy. She was too heartsick to be icy. ?They are to protect me, the Vice Foreign?the President,? she amended bitterly. ?The goddamned President of the ESUN.?
Heero scrutinized her, leaning against the wall, watching her pull down her own bed covers. The maids had neglected to do so before her arrival. ?You didn?t want the position,? he stated flatly.
?No, I didn?t want the position! Nobody wanted the position! But they wanted me to have it, because I am their prize, their gem.? Relena shot him a glare that would scathe stone. ?Hell, Heero, I was a fucking teen idol!?
?You are the best person for the job,? he told her firmly, folding his arms and continuing with his unblinking stare. ?Whether you think so or not.?
?Oh no, I know I?m the best person for the job.? Her voice had suddenly taken on a softer, practically yielding tone. ?I just wish I wasn?t. Presidency is hell. Look what happened to Gavril, God bless him.?
Heero waited a split-second to look at her for just another moment. Then he checked his watch. ?I?ll be in the hall.?
?No, wait. Dammit.? Relena ran a hand through her hair. ?I?m sorry; I?m being a pain, and I didn?t mean to whine. You?ve gotta be as tired as me.?
Tired. He was tired all right. Tired of the awful guessing games they?d been playing since they were sixteen and he?d gotten himself assigned to her guard detail. They?d both matured, physically well, but emotionally?not so well. They both had very work-oriented lives. He had his job; she had hers.
It was the in-between that drove them both mad. Because the in-between often involved each other.
?I?m fine,? Heero responded tersely. ?I?m your bodyguard.?
?I don?t have a room ready for you. I?d call Pagan, but I really don?t want to wake him. If you give me a minute, I?m sure there?s an extra blanket here, you can take the couch?? Relena stopped halfway out of bed. Heero tried to ignore that the slip had ridden all the way up her legs, and the edge of white lace panties was visible in the moonlight filtering through the window he had been observing.
?Hold on. Heero,? she sighed. ?I?m sorry. This isn?t at all proprietary, I know, but I am really dead on my feet. Can you just take my bed with me tonight??
He blinked, the only outward sign of surprise. Dear God, she hadn?t really asked him that. Had she? Jesus?
?Just for tonight. I know it?s awkward and really rather dumb, but? I don?t know, I feel bad about leaving you in the hall, and I just don?t have the energy to fix something up for you. And,? she added anxiously, ?you need sleep just as much as I do.?
He could have said no. He could quite easily have told her again that he was fine, that he did not need sleep. Machines, after all, did not need sleep.
But he had come to realize in the past four years that he was really not a machine. Whether she knew it or not, Relena had been forcing him to understand that bit by bit. The way she lived, the way she did what needed to be done wasn?t altogether unlike him. It was who she did it for ? the people, not the mission.
He dropped his pants.
Relena met his eyes gaze for gaze, not once blushing as he let his uniform jacket fall to the floor. He stripped from his shirt, and she didn?t move until he was clad only in his boxers and a pair of plain white socks, and she scooted over to make room for him.
The first thing he noticed between the sheets of her bed was the body heat. In the short time she had been under the blankets, she had managed to warm the whole mattress. Then he smelled her perfume, the shampoo in her hair, the champagne on her tongue.
He closed his eyes. He was just sleeping; half-sleeping. He was still on duty.
He knelt satin brush his knee; her slip. His eyes popped open. Relena hadn?t seemed to notice. She was lying very still, her back toward him, probably asleep already. Her hair flowed over her pillow and reached his, nearly touching his face. One of her arms was on top of the bedspread, lying across her hip. Her skin glowed purely white.
?I?m scared, Heero.?
Heero?s only reaction to her abrupt speaking was to wait a moment before breathing again.
?I?m so worried that I won?t do this right. The whole world?s trusting me to, and I??
She had trailed. Heero felt something like sympathy rise in his chest. It made him open his mouth and talk: ?That?s understandable.?
Relena was shaking her head, and when she flipped on her side to see him, a few strands of blond hair fell close to her eye. ?Maybe ? to some ? but it isn?t acceptable. I need to be proud, composed, and powerful-looking yet graceful.? She sighed and sat up. ?I can?t do this.?
Heero?s eye fell on the slip strap that had gone askew and clung to her outer shoulder. ?I think you?re being hard on yourself,? he said quietly, sitting up as well. ?You?ll get used to it.?
Relena met his eyes again and tried to ignore that he was practically naked beside her. It was Heero Yuy. Untouchable, unobtainable. He responded to no one. ?You don?t understand. After this year, I meant to resign from the ESUN. I didn?t even want to be Foreign Minister. I was hoping I could just live as another former politician who got coverage every so often but is basically forgotten.?
?The public can?t forget you,? Heero told her logically. ?They?re drawn to you and they can?t help it. They would do anything for you, even if they don?t know why.?
Relena studied him carefully. Her voice softened to a whisper. ?They should try to learn. Or maybe they shouldn?t be drawn to me at all.?
?You could push them away,? Heero said, turning his whole body toward her. The silence of the silver-tinged world surrounded them as Heero realized that he had covered her hand with his. ?You could say no.?
Relena?s breath shuddered out as the space between them closed. She didn?t know if that was her doing or his. ?But I don?t want to.?
The conversation had obviously gone beyond the public. They both knew it. They shared the same expression; carnal, wanton.
And she was suddenly in his arms, like lightning. The lightning had ignited a fire that quickly blazed, and he kissed her so hard that Relena wondered if her lips would be bruised. His touch went over her shoulders, her back and hair. Safe areas. Even at a time like this, Heero used precautions.
Her fingers brushed the back of his neck and he went dead still, jerking his head back though he didn?t relinquish his hold on her.
?I don?t know what I want from tonight,? he breathed huskily, desire barely in check. Relena could feel him against her thigh. She shook her head.
?I do,? she whispered, and her lips went to his neck first, savoring his throat and the underside of his chin. Relena could feel his fingers dig into her hips. Rising to her knees, she found his mouth and took it with force.
It would be hot, they both knew as his hand worked their way under her slip, skimmed her thighs and her stomach as he worked the material up to her shoulders. He was grateful of the slip?s built-in bra. The task of clever clasps was obliterated. He paused for a moment and stared at her breasts; they weren?t large, but they weren?t extremely small either. She was?decently sized.
He pulled the slip over her head. When she was rid of the undergarment, he grasped her shoulders and kissed the area between her clavicles.
And went lower.
And it would be fast.
His mouth closed over one pebbled nipple, laving it, then the other. Relena?s fingers gripped his hair, and with a gasp she arched like Hara against Zeus. He was that powerful.
Heero was so occupied with her ? the feel of her skin against his, of her hair in his hands ? that he only half-noticed when her hands traveled down the length of his back, around the front of his lower abdomen, and into his boxers.
He froze when her hands stopped their search. It was the first time anyone had rendered Heero Yuy motionless. Relena Darlian did so with a simple touch.
Or a not-so-simple touch.
Her fingers moved again, along the length of him. She stroked and explored. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, clenching the bed-sheets on either side of her body beneath him. It was when her hand closed around him entirely that he couldn?t hold back the moan anymore.
?Relena??
Relena smiled slightly, raising her head and kissing his neck. ?You need out of the underwear, Heero.? She assisted in their divesting. ?Much better.?
Better. Any amount of restraint he?d held onto snapped, and Heero?s hand came to her wrists, lifting them and holding them down on either side of her head. His mouth met with hers again, tongue invading, sweeping. Relena?s groan of pleasure and pain matched his.
A beat pulsed through both of them and intertwined through each other. The rhythm was not of any ballad. There was no soft melody, only a hard, pounding, throbbing song stretching for a finish.
?I can?t,? he said, burying his face in her neck. ?I can?t?I can?t hold back.?
Heero had no idea if she?d nodded, shook her head or if she?d done anything at all. She moaned ? or whimpered, he wasn?t sure ? and like a knife, he cut through, clean and sharp.
And then there was the pain. Oh God, the pain.
Relena sucked in a breath; Heero didn?t notice. He had already begun to move his hips without any sort of rhythm. His lips had found hers again, clumsily this time. His head swam, hers was full of colors too bright to be beautiful. There was pain, enough for it to be agony, but it ended quickly enough. Still, her body howled with need.
She could see his eyes. The deep blue of his eyes had darkened to a color that was practically black. He didn?t seem to really see her.
Heero soon collapsed atop her without a second thought to what she might be feeling ? or not feeling. Relena?s body still hummed for a few more minutes, but it stopped in time, and whatever song they had begun together had only completed a first part. The harmony had received no ending.
Heero had fallen asleep, Relena realized with astonishment only three minutes after the boiling, raging sex was over ? for him. They?d both been virgin?s only a half-hour ago, she realized.
They had been fast. Perhaps too fast.
She wasn?t a fool. Relena had learned years and years ago that a woman?s first time would not always be fulfilling. She had learned that it would hurt ? and hurt it had, Jesus Christ! She had learned.
Had he?
He hadn?t seemed to take note of the fact that she?d been in pain, nor that she wasn?t feeling any of the pleasure he had quite obviously gotten in that last outcry of her name.
Her excitement, though it had surged when he did find release, had quite bluntly died. No pleasure, no more pain. Nothing. Nothing at all.
Relena managed to pull away from Heero, sliding to the very edge of the bed and curling up into a fetal position, her back toward him once again. From her vantage point, she could see her slip puddled on the floor in a mass of now-ripped satin. His boxer shorts were lost something in the sheets they had kicked to the foot of the bed. She reached for them now, covering herself with them.
But Relena couldn?t quite keep out the chill.
***
She woke up the next morning to sunlight. A dull ache was between her legs. Lifting a very groggy head, she saw her clock ? and realized it was no longer morning at all.
After the initial panic had subsided, she was glad that she?d been given the day off with her new presidency.
The day that she had started with Heero?in bed?with her.
Heero!
Relena shot upright and twisted to look at the spot next to her. The place was bare and cool. Her gaze darted around the room as she shot up and moved through her suite. Everything was exactly the same as it had been the night before. Her heeled shoes were still awkwardly landed in the sitting room. Her purse was still hung on the chair by the door. The lights were still off.
Everything of Heero Yuy?s, both man and his clothes, was gone and had been gone for a while. But she was naked and shivering. Her arms wrapped around herself in a desperate quest for any warmth that might be left over.
But it was as though he had never been there.
***
Trowa Barton was shocked with President Relena Darlian burst out of her chamber, dressed in jeans and a plain purple T-shirt. White slippers covered her feet. She wore no makeup. Her hair was not brushed.
This was not the professional politician Trowa was on duty to guard.
?Where is he?!? was the first thing out of her mouth. Her voice was hoarse and she obviously hadn?t spoken yet today. ?He was still here at six-thirty this morning, where the hell is he??
Trowa only regarded her with a lifted eyebrow. The one visible green eye inspected her pathetic-looking image. ?Preventer Yuy got off at seven, Madam President,? he said curtly. ?I came at eight.?
?And he ran between those times.? Her voice was ice cold, and her face was pale. He watched as she fisted her tangled hair between her fingers. ?He ran. He fucking ran.?
Trowa showed no reaction to her cursing. He?d had little doubt it had been in there somewhere. ?You have nothing scheduled for today,? he began. It was business as usual. ?Pagan asked to let him know if you were hungry when you??
?I need to see Une,? she cut in, all at once furious. ?I need to know where he is.?
Trowa looked at his watch. ?I can have a car prepared in five minutes.?
?Make it two,? she commanded harshly. ?When I get my hands on him??
Barton stared at the door she banged shut in his face for a moment. She would probably take the time to brush her teeth and comb her hair ? hopefully -- but then she would expect her car to be ready. He turned.
It wasn?t really any of his business what Heero and Relena had done together last night. His business was the protection of the woman who was now the ruler of the ESUN.
But damn, he thought as he radioed the men stationed at the garage. Heero had just screwed himself over.
***
Une?s office door slammed against the wall. A whirlwind of frustration darted through it before it swung closed again.
?Tell me where he went.?
Lady Une of Preventers looked up and gave Relena a calm smile. ?Madam President, good morning. How may I help you??
Relena made a fist and pounded it impatiently on the surface of Une?s desk. ?I need you to tell me exactly where he is.? Despite her desperation for strength, she felt she would cry.
?He?? Une asked softly as she reached for a mug of coffee that an office aid had brought her minutes earlier.
?He,? Relena bit out, ferocity accentuating her voice. ?Heero Yuy. Your lead man. My night guard.?
?His shift was over at seven this morning, as I assumed you knew.?
Relena took a very deep breath. She did not need to start off her renewed career by shouting at the head of Preventers. ?He left, Une.?
Une?s interest did peak now. ?Before had had clearance to??
?No. I don?t know. Damn it, I doubt it, but when I woke up this morning, Heero wasn?t at my house.? Relena slowly began to realize how ridiculous and horribly unprofessional she sounded. And how scandalous her story was beginning to seem.
?Madam President, has Preventer Yuy ever been at your residence upon your waking??
?No.?
?Then I don?t really understand what the problem is.? Une tapped a finger against her cheek. ?Did you expect him there??
?I?? She bit her lip. Had she? ?I don?t know what I expected.?
?That answer is very vague. My agency is concerned with your physical self, Miss Relena. Your mental self is the concern of you and whatever professional you feel is necessary.?
Lady Une thought she was mad. ?There?s got to be something you?re not telling me. When did Heero Yuy last report in??
?Five minutes ago, Madam.?
?Excuse me?? She blinked.
Une nodded and stood up to face the window behind her. ?Much to the misfortune of us both, Relena, my best Preventer just turned in his resignation via e-mail. The details of why he did so were not included; that is private information we do not require of our resigning agents.? She turned back to the president with a strange look of sympathy in her brown eyes. ?If you wish, I can do a search for him. But as I?m sure you?re aware??
Relena closed her eyes and knew exactly what Une was going to say.
?If Heero Yuy does not want to be found, than we have very little chance of discovering his location.?
She held back a sigh and stood up straight, fists at her side. ?No search is necessary,? she said tightly. ?You?re right; we wouldn?t find him.?
Une sat down again. ?Mr. Maxwell will take over his position. My apologies. You chose a bad time, Madam President. Also, I would like to congratulate you on your position. Forgive me, but I hope you?re ready for it.?
Relena?s face widened with a smile that was as hard and smooth and fake as faux pearls. She no longer felt the need to cry. She no longer felt anything. ?Trust me, Lady Une. I am quite ready for it.?
The night before with Heero Yuy had been sex. Not the fairytale lovemaking silly women read about in romance novels. There was no magic, no glow, and no sparkles. There was sweat and pain and the smallest bit of blood that she had found on her sheets after her brief talk with Trowa.
There were mechanics, not roses.
Sex was sex. Love was love. The two didn?t meet.
And neither did ex-Preventer Heero Yuy or Madam President Relena Darlian meet.
Not for another six years?
Damn those two, circling around each other all the time. You'd like to bonk 'em on the head and tell them to open their eyes, wouldn't you? Great fic!
Yeah, great present from you, Gundam Girl! I love this fic! It was... the best! Luv your fics Gundam Girl! 
Rape is BAD.
Wow, nice to know that I have birthday the same day as yor best friend