Two Princes (1 OR 2 x R), 1/15
Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:37 pm
I can't believe I'm posting this...
Rose: *scowls darkly* Neither can I! This is THAT FIC!
*sheepish grin* Um...I realized tonight that I promised Beck a LONG time ago that I would post this fic, once I got settled in. Considering that I've been settled in for a while now, and have completely forgotten about it, I think it's high time that I posted it.
This is an older fic, written quite some time ago, so my voice is a little different than it is now. It was supposed to be this BEEEEG surprise, when I wrote it, that no one would know who Relena ends up with until the end of the story (hence the choice of song). Of course, those of you who have read this already know who wins, but try and look surprised, anyway.
And--*gasp, shock* this fic is actually FINISHED! Complete with hidden lemon chapter. I'll try and post this with some regularity. Now that I've finished with the babble.... *grins*
~*~
Relena made her way through the gardens, passing all of the other delegates, various prime ministers, and numerous sycophants. Their greetings swirled around her, and occasionally, one would filter through.
"Good afternoon, Miss Relena."
"Ahh, Vice-Foreign Minister Darlian. If I could have but a moment of your time..."
"Good day, Miss Dorlian."
"Lovely day, isn't it, Miss Relena?"
"Hey, gorgeous!"
Relena stopped dead in her tracks. She turned to track down the owner of that last voice. He stood against the low outer wall of the gardens, grinning like an idiot. Even though he was dressed in a formal guard's uniform, there was no mistaking his identity. The long, chestnut-colored braid that trailed down his back removed all doubt.
Relena inclined her head gracefully. "Hello, Duo."
And that's how this whole mess started....
Two Princes
A pseudo-songfic, loosely based upon the song "Two Princes" by the Spin Doctors
by Sara
Pairings: 1 or 2 xR...and I'm not telling which one wins out yet, so don't ask! ^_~
Rating: At this point...PG, though it does venture into PG-13 territory (and a hidden lemon chapter) further into the story.
Warnings: Unless you count indecisiveness as worthy of a warning...none, as of yet. Subject to change without warning.
Disclaimer: I do not own them, no matter how much I dare to dream. The Gundam Wing characters are the legal property of Sunrise and Sotsu Agency. "Two Princes" and its lyrics are the property of the Spin Doctors. I don't own that, either. I'm only borrowing them indefinitely, but I promise to return them, more or less in one piece, when I'm finished.
~Marry him, or marry me,
I'm the one that loves you, baby, can't you see
I ain't got no future or family tree
But I know what a prince and lover ought to be
I know what a prince and lover ought to be~
Relena sighed, and buried her face in her hands, propping her elbows on the desk. She stayed that way for a moment, before spreading her fingers and staring critically at a small object, lying on the desk in front of her.
"How nice," she muttered sardonically, "an engraved invitation."
It was indeed an invitation. In silly, flowery script, it simultaneously announced and invited her to a celebration, and a grand celebration, at that. Not that she really minded balls, all that much. Well, that wasn't quite accurate. If she was lucky, she was treated to an evening of fine food, pleasant music suitable for dancing, and an ample supply of willing dance partners...and no political players jockeying for a position to get an 'exclusive' session with the Vice-Foreign Minister in an unguarded moment.
Unfortunately, she was rarely that lucky.
This, however, was not the reason for her dilemma. Miss Relena Dorlian, formerly known as Relena Peacecraft, sister to Milliardo Peacecraft, and former Queen of the World, could not decide whom to ask to accompany her as her escort for the evening.
It wasn't that she was afraid her preferred date would turn down the offer. Her reality was far from it. She was certain that both of the two men she had in mind would gladly accept the invitation. Well, one would probably be a little more willing and eager than the other, but.... She scowled, disgusted by her own indecisiveness. I should just invite Quatre and be done with it, she thought angrily.
A knock at the door interrupted her reverie. "Miss Relena?" a familiar voice queried, followed by an inquisitive face poking around the edge of the door.
Relena quickly sat up, folding her hands in front of her on the desk, fingertips resting lightly on the invitation. "Yes, come in. Oh, hello Dorothy." She tried to give the other girl as convincing a smile as possible.
But Dorothy was no fool, and a most observant person in the first place. She immediately noticed Relena's mood. "Why, Miss Relena, what is the matter? Certainly you're not still worried about the Naples matter?"
Relena shook her head. "No, of course not, Dorothy. I was just...thinking...about things...not really related to anything important."
Dorothy's shrewd eyes caught a glimpse at the object under Relena's hands, and before Relena could react, the other girl had snatched the invitation out from underneath her fingertips. "Aha!" she crowed, a triumphant expression on her face. "I knew it! You're worried about that ball, aren't you?" Her expression softened, just a little bit. "Why, Miss Relena? You know this event is mostly for the aristocracy. You won't have to deal with as many of those nastier politicians, who don't know when to quit. They're not invited."
Relena sighed, resigning herself to eventually have to tell Dorothy what was bothering her. "No, it's not that, Dorothy. It's just...well, I'm not quite sure who to take along as my date for the evening."
Dorothy raised her eyebrows slightly. "Well, that's not an issue, right? You'll go with Heero, of course."
Relena paused, not quite sure how to word her response. Dorothy didn't wait for one. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Don't tell me..." Her voice trailed off. Relena just looked at her, misery etched into her features.
Dorothy sat down heavily in the chair in front of Relena's desk, and critically appraised her friend. "Is it Duo?" she finally asked. Relena only nodded. Dorothy released a gusty sigh.
"You do realize that he'll not be accepted, in the least, among this circle," she commented carefully.
Relena looked up sharply. "And why not?" Her voice was tinged with acid.
Dorothy smirked slightly. "Well, for one thing, he's hardly refined enough to blend in, much less fit in with that crowd. They'd pick him apart like a flock of harpies in mere minutes...not to mention upbraiding you for bringing such a commoner into their midst."
Relena's ire rose at Dorothy's words. "You know nothing about Duo!" she snapped. "I don't understand why everyone is so against him. After all," she leveled an icy stare at Dorothy, "it's not as if Heero is any higher on the social ladder than Duo is."
Dorothy shrugged slightly. If she had been affronted by Relena's outburst, she didn't show it. "That's true," she said lightly. "But you must keep in mind that Heero is...well, only slightly more accepted than Duo."
Relena said nothing. She only folded her arms across her chest and stared out the window, eyes cloudy with repressed anger.
"Not only that," continued Dorothy smoothly, "but you'll have to dress Heero up in a Preventer's uniform, at the very least, in order to get them to even consider letting him through the front gate. I mean, think about it. What would they say if you were to bring in a man who looks like he just got dragged in off of the--"
"I think I've heard quite enough, Dorothy," Relena interrupted coldly. "Now, did you have a purpose for coming here...?"
Dorothy smirked slightly, hiding it by glancing away. She knew she'd hit a tender spot, but decided not to press the matter. "As a matter of fact, I did," she said, totally unruffled by the subject change. She pulled a stack of folders out of a briefcase resting on the floor next to her chair. "I want you to take a look at these, and tell me what you think. These are from the embassy in...."
Relena glanced over the files, but her mind was wandering. Even though she hated to admit it, Dorothy had a very good point. Duo didn't exactly fit in among the prim and proper crowd that Relena was used to dealing with. What would they do, were she to bring Duo instead of Heero? She knew everyone was expecting the latter. What would they say when she proved them wrong?
In her heart, however, she knew her mind was already made up.
"...and the Prime Minister mentioned that he would prefer it if we could make certain that the Embassy has at least one--Miss Relena? Are you listening to me?"
Relena looked up, startled. "I'm sorry, Dorothy?"
Dorothy sighed. "I see your mind's not in this right now." She stood up. "I'll leave these files with you, and let you look them over. I'll be back in a few hours, to discuss them with you." She turned and excused herself from the room.
Relena flipped open the first folder, and shuffled halfheartedly through the pages. Her mind started to wander, back to that day in the gardens....
*
It had been a summer garden party, hosted by Marquis Brekenridge. The weather had been nice, and the Marquis' groundskeeping staff had put a great deal of effort into making the garden beautiful. Although it was no great secret that the Marquis would be hiring outside help to augment his own security staff, Relena had still been shocked to see Duo, of all people, wearing the house uniform.
She had been wandering the gardens, lost in thought, mostly ignoring the other delegates and dignitaries. To most, it seemed the young Vice-Foreign Minister was most likely concentrating on the latest crisis that threatened the peace, trying to find a way to mutually satisfy both sides, as was her uncanny talent.
In reality, Relena had been thinking about Heero.
She sighed inwardly. When the Barton Foundation had fallen, and peace had been reestablished, Relena had been there to pick up the tatters and restore hope to the people of Earth and the colonies. And right by her side, for reasons known only to himself, was Heero.
His official title was that of personal bodyguard. For whatever reason, after the smoke had cleared, and he had recuperated, Heero silently appeared before her, and had stayed there ever since.
At first, Relena couldn't have been happier. For how many months had she dreamed that he would one day come to her? She had tired of seeking him out. She had begun to question her reasoning, her emotions. Why was she so attracted to the dark-haired, enigmatic youth?
She snorted softly, and shook her head. She knew that therein lie the answer to her question. She was attracted to him because of his enigmatic nature. Where she sought answers, he provided more questions. Never before had anyone piqued her curiosity as much as Heero did. He intrigued her. Most of her friends and classmates' lives were open books, eagerly waiting for her undivided attention. But not Heero; rather, he had hoped that she would turn a blind eye to his activities.
So, for a time, she followed him. She watched his strange comings and goings. She kept tabs on him when he moved on, and untangled the trails he left behind. She clenched her fists in useless frustration as she watched his failures; held her breath as he gained slight toeholds here and there with his successes.
Somewhere along the line, she juxtaposed her curiosity for love, and made the mistake of assuming he felt the same way for her.
She frowned slightly, and stooped to breathe in the fragrance of a peony, running a fingernail along one soft petal. Had she been mistaken? She wasn't so sure, now. When he came back, she had been thrilled. He was at her side again! How wonderful!
But it seemed whenever she tried to bring up the issue of their relationship, even when she used her most roundabout and innocuous means, he would either skirt the issue, or give cryptic responses. Frankly, Relena was getting frustrated. Escapism and riddles were not love, of that she was certain. Perhaps she was mistaken...after all, hadn't he said as much? That the peace was the most important thing, even if it meant protecting it through her?
She sighed, and moved away from the main group of party-goers, still lost in thought. Heero did not treat her as a significant other, or even a friend. He treated her like a precious object, something to protect and guard. She snorted softly. Who was she kidding? They had never even been out on a date.
She frowned slightly. No, that wasn't wholly it, either. Part of the problem was that the public at large had gotten so used to seeing him at her side, that they began to assume that they were a happy couple, not to mention the fact that they tended to get a little...testy when presented with the notion that Relena and her bodyguard might just be only that, and nothing more.
Not that Relena could blame them. They did put up quite a facade, when out in public, good enough to fool the world. In doing so, Relena had also managed to fool herself, apparently.
I must be totally delusional, she mused inwardly. Then again, am I really the first girl to try and plant love in a rock garden? Can anyone really blame me? I'm only trying to follow my heart.
Later on, she would wonder if some greater power had decided to get its hands snarled up in her personal life. For there certainly had to be a good reason why she ran into Duo that day. As fate would have it, Duo also chose to do the one thing that Heero had never done, either in voice or through body language.
Duo had called her gorgeous.
That had stopped her short, more than anything. More than his looks, more than his attitude, more than any other combination of things.
Of course, Relena was used to hearing compliments like that one. After all, she had had to deal with many, many politicians who dealt in flattery, as opposed to honesty. But perhaps that it had been _Duo_ that had made the comment...perhaps that had caused her to pause.
After all, Duo Maxwell may have been many things, but no one ever accused him of being a liar.
. . . .
He had her attention, and he had no intentions of letting it go; at least, not until she saw things his way.
Lords, she was beautiful. He sucked his breath in through his teeth, and hoped she wouldn't notice him staring at her. Did she even know how beautiful she was? She had to be completely blind in order to miss the looks she got from the other guys around her. From the teenaged waitstaff, not trying to hide their gawking, to the dirty-old-men politicians trying to ogle her inconspicuously from behind their cocktail glasses...she turned heads.
His expression soured. No, she wouldn't notice. These people use flattery like Wufei uses his sword. In some ways, their weaponry was much more cruel. Words could cut a wound more deeply than any blade.
He snorted. Getting philosophical in your old age, eh Maxwell? This caused him to chuckle involuntarily. Old age. Huh. Hell, I'm barely eighteen. Old age is reserved for octogenarians wearing straw hats and Bermuda shorts hiked up to their armpits, playing shuffleboard on some commercialized cruise ship puttering out in the ocean somewhere off the coast of Tahiti or something. Then again, he never once considered that he'd live to see the age where he'd end up dressing like that, so he decided he could consider himself old of age....
Shitshitshit--here she comes! Dammit, now what do I do? He scowled inwardly. How many chances had he blown in the past? How many opportunities to talk to her, and he let them trickle through his fingers? Not this time. Yuy might think he controls her, but he only holds the key to the security system. He grinned. Maybe, just maybe, if he were a lucky SOB--but then again, I always have been too damn lucky for my own good--he could succeed where Yuy had patently refused to even try.
She was within earshot now--what do I say, what do I say? This was never this tough before. Then again, the usual cadre of girls he attracted didn't need a whole lot in the area of sincere flattery. A few well-placed words, and they were eating out of his hand.
Dammit Duo, you sound like a goddamn Casanova! But there was no time to worry about that now--if he didn't say something, she'd be past him, and he'd have ruined yet another chance to talk to her. So he blurted out the first thing that was on his mind.
"Hey, gorgeous!"
Inwardly, he cringed. Gorgeous??? What had he been thinking?? He prepared to either be ignored or upbraided for his blunder.
But much to his amazement, she did not get angry. She stopped slowly, processing his comment, then turned to face him. "Hello Duo," she said, cheerfully enough.
I must be the luckiest damn guy in the universe, sometimes.
. . . .
Relena quickly covered her surprise at Duo's unorthodox greeting. "How have you been, Duo?" she asked.
Duo grinned. "Ah, you know. Busy busy. Do some work for the Sweepers when I can, then pick up the odd security job here and there in the meantime." He gestured to the gardens casually. "Not my typical gig, but it buys groceries." He tugged at the stiff collar of the guard's uniform. "Though this monkeysuit leaves much to be desired."
Relena giggled. Encouraged, Duo continued.
"I'm sure this is nothing compared to the getups you have to wear," he grinned. "What do they expect a pacifist to wear these days?"
Relena smiled. "Whatever is modestly acceptable," she said.
There was an uncomfortable pause. Well, what the hell, thought Duo. Might as well make sure the field is open before setting up for a picnic.
"So how about you and Heero. Must be practically married by now, eh?"
Relena stiffened, and Duo winced. Damn, he thought angrily. Now I've done it. Had to open my big mouth and...wait a minute....
"Hey, where is Heero, anyway? I thought he was always on your arm for these events."
Relena gave him a dry look. "Heero had some other business to take care of today. He felt that this little party was the best chance he'd have to update the security systems at the Sank Kingdom. Besides," she said dryly, "he doesn't want people to get the impression that we are a couple or anything."
Bingo. Knew it! Duo cheered inwardly. He gave Relena a half-smirk.
"Aw, no big loss. I'll bet he's a boring date, anyway. All security this and safety that. I'll bet the guy doesn't even loosen up for himself!"
Relena looked straight ahead as they wandered past a bed of lily-of-the-valley and nasturtiums. "I don't think you're being fair," she said diplomatically.
Duo knew an opening when he saw one. "You mean you two've never even been out on a date?"
"We're not a couple, Duo," Relena explained stiffly. "He's just...head of security for the Sank Kingdom, and my personal bodyguard."
"Who has conveniently managed to make himself scarce for this event," Duo countered. "Face it, 'Lena, the guy's a moron. I mean, any self-respecting guy I know would give his eye teeth to be able to spend the afternoon with y--" He stopped himself. Relena glanced at him curiously.
"What was that, Duo? I'm afraid I didn't catch all of that..."
"Nothing," Duo covered hastily. Damn, I almost blew it again! "I'm sure he's a fine security guard. But I'll bet he's boring in every other aspect."
If Relena agreed, she didn't let Duo know. He moved in for the kill.
"In fact, I'll bet you've never been on a fun date. I mean, none of this political diplomatic nicey-nicey bullshit. A real date, one where you laugh so hard your sides hurt for a week."
Relena didn't say anything at first. When she did speak, her voice was stiff and controlled. "I have too," she said, eyes fixed on a point on the horizon.
"Have not," countered Duo lazily.
"I have too!" Relena's voice had an edge to it. Her resistance was wearing.
"You're lying," Duo drawled.
Relena whirled on him angrily. "I am not lying, Duo Maxwell!"
"Prove it."
Relena was at a loss for words at first. "I...I mean...how do I prove something like this?"
Duo grinned. "Go out on a date with me," he suggested. "If it's not the best time you've ever had, then you win, and I'll leave you alone. If not, I win."
"And what do you get if you win?"
"I'll have to think about that," he said thoughtfully. "How about a second date?"
"You're on," said Relena, and offered him her hand to shake on it.
Duo shook her hand enthusiastically. "Great. I'll pick you up...say, next Thursday at 5:00?"
Relena mentally ran through her schedule. "That should work fine for me," she said.
"Good! See you then. Oh, and remember to dress casual," he said casually, and wandered off to oversee another part of the garden.
Relena stood there for a moment, silently seething at his audacity. Then something caused her to pull up short.
"Wait a minute...did I just agree to go out on a date with Duo Maxwell?"
~*~
TBC
As always, C&C is greatly loved and appreciated! ^_^
--Sara
Rose: *scowls darkly* Neither can I! This is THAT FIC!
*sheepish grin* Um...I realized tonight that I promised Beck a LONG time ago that I would post this fic, once I got settled in. Considering that I've been settled in for a while now, and have completely forgotten about it, I think it's high time that I posted it.
This is an older fic, written quite some time ago, so my voice is a little different than it is now. It was supposed to be this BEEEEG surprise, when I wrote it, that no one would know who Relena ends up with until the end of the story (hence the choice of song). Of course, those of you who have read this already know who wins, but try and look surprised, anyway.
And--*gasp, shock* this fic is actually FINISHED! Complete with hidden lemon chapter. I'll try and post this with some regularity. Now that I've finished with the babble.... *grins*
~*~
Relena made her way through the gardens, passing all of the other delegates, various prime ministers, and numerous sycophants. Their greetings swirled around her, and occasionally, one would filter through.
"Good afternoon, Miss Relena."
"Ahh, Vice-Foreign Minister Darlian. If I could have but a moment of your time..."
"Good day, Miss Dorlian."
"Lovely day, isn't it, Miss Relena?"
"Hey, gorgeous!"
Relena stopped dead in her tracks. She turned to track down the owner of that last voice. He stood against the low outer wall of the gardens, grinning like an idiot. Even though he was dressed in a formal guard's uniform, there was no mistaking his identity. The long, chestnut-colored braid that trailed down his back removed all doubt.
Relena inclined her head gracefully. "Hello, Duo."
And that's how this whole mess started....
Two Princes
A pseudo-songfic, loosely based upon the song "Two Princes" by the Spin Doctors
by Sara
Pairings: 1 or 2 xR...and I'm not telling which one wins out yet, so don't ask! ^_~
Rating: At this point...PG, though it does venture into PG-13 territory (and a hidden lemon chapter) further into the story.
Warnings: Unless you count indecisiveness as worthy of a warning...none, as of yet. Subject to change without warning.
Disclaimer: I do not own them, no matter how much I dare to dream. The Gundam Wing characters are the legal property of Sunrise and Sotsu Agency. "Two Princes" and its lyrics are the property of the Spin Doctors. I don't own that, either. I'm only borrowing them indefinitely, but I promise to return them, more or less in one piece, when I'm finished.
~Marry him, or marry me,
I'm the one that loves you, baby, can't you see
I ain't got no future or family tree
But I know what a prince and lover ought to be
I know what a prince and lover ought to be~
Relena sighed, and buried her face in her hands, propping her elbows on the desk. She stayed that way for a moment, before spreading her fingers and staring critically at a small object, lying on the desk in front of her.
"How nice," she muttered sardonically, "an engraved invitation."
It was indeed an invitation. In silly, flowery script, it simultaneously announced and invited her to a celebration, and a grand celebration, at that. Not that she really minded balls, all that much. Well, that wasn't quite accurate. If she was lucky, she was treated to an evening of fine food, pleasant music suitable for dancing, and an ample supply of willing dance partners...and no political players jockeying for a position to get an 'exclusive' session with the Vice-Foreign Minister in an unguarded moment.
Unfortunately, she was rarely that lucky.
This, however, was not the reason for her dilemma. Miss Relena Dorlian, formerly known as Relena Peacecraft, sister to Milliardo Peacecraft, and former Queen of the World, could not decide whom to ask to accompany her as her escort for the evening.
It wasn't that she was afraid her preferred date would turn down the offer. Her reality was far from it. She was certain that both of the two men she had in mind would gladly accept the invitation. Well, one would probably be a little more willing and eager than the other, but.... She scowled, disgusted by her own indecisiveness. I should just invite Quatre and be done with it, she thought angrily.
A knock at the door interrupted her reverie. "Miss Relena?" a familiar voice queried, followed by an inquisitive face poking around the edge of the door.
Relena quickly sat up, folding her hands in front of her on the desk, fingertips resting lightly on the invitation. "Yes, come in. Oh, hello Dorothy." She tried to give the other girl as convincing a smile as possible.
But Dorothy was no fool, and a most observant person in the first place. She immediately noticed Relena's mood. "Why, Miss Relena, what is the matter? Certainly you're not still worried about the Naples matter?"
Relena shook her head. "No, of course not, Dorothy. I was just...thinking...about things...not really related to anything important."
Dorothy's shrewd eyes caught a glimpse at the object under Relena's hands, and before Relena could react, the other girl had snatched the invitation out from underneath her fingertips. "Aha!" she crowed, a triumphant expression on her face. "I knew it! You're worried about that ball, aren't you?" Her expression softened, just a little bit. "Why, Miss Relena? You know this event is mostly for the aristocracy. You won't have to deal with as many of those nastier politicians, who don't know when to quit. They're not invited."
Relena sighed, resigning herself to eventually have to tell Dorothy what was bothering her. "No, it's not that, Dorothy. It's just...well, I'm not quite sure who to take along as my date for the evening."
Dorothy raised her eyebrows slightly. "Well, that's not an issue, right? You'll go with Heero, of course."
Relena paused, not quite sure how to word her response. Dorothy didn't wait for one. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Don't tell me..." Her voice trailed off. Relena just looked at her, misery etched into her features.
Dorothy sat down heavily in the chair in front of Relena's desk, and critically appraised her friend. "Is it Duo?" she finally asked. Relena only nodded. Dorothy released a gusty sigh.
"You do realize that he'll not be accepted, in the least, among this circle," she commented carefully.
Relena looked up sharply. "And why not?" Her voice was tinged with acid.
Dorothy smirked slightly. "Well, for one thing, he's hardly refined enough to blend in, much less fit in with that crowd. They'd pick him apart like a flock of harpies in mere minutes...not to mention upbraiding you for bringing such a commoner into their midst."
Relena's ire rose at Dorothy's words. "You know nothing about Duo!" she snapped. "I don't understand why everyone is so against him. After all," she leveled an icy stare at Dorothy, "it's not as if Heero is any higher on the social ladder than Duo is."
Dorothy shrugged slightly. If she had been affronted by Relena's outburst, she didn't show it. "That's true," she said lightly. "But you must keep in mind that Heero is...well, only slightly more accepted than Duo."
Relena said nothing. She only folded her arms across her chest and stared out the window, eyes cloudy with repressed anger.
"Not only that," continued Dorothy smoothly, "but you'll have to dress Heero up in a Preventer's uniform, at the very least, in order to get them to even consider letting him through the front gate. I mean, think about it. What would they say if you were to bring in a man who looks like he just got dragged in off of the--"
"I think I've heard quite enough, Dorothy," Relena interrupted coldly. "Now, did you have a purpose for coming here...?"
Dorothy smirked slightly, hiding it by glancing away. She knew she'd hit a tender spot, but decided not to press the matter. "As a matter of fact, I did," she said, totally unruffled by the subject change. She pulled a stack of folders out of a briefcase resting on the floor next to her chair. "I want you to take a look at these, and tell me what you think. These are from the embassy in...."
Relena glanced over the files, but her mind was wandering. Even though she hated to admit it, Dorothy had a very good point. Duo didn't exactly fit in among the prim and proper crowd that Relena was used to dealing with. What would they do, were she to bring Duo instead of Heero? She knew everyone was expecting the latter. What would they say when she proved them wrong?
In her heart, however, she knew her mind was already made up.
"...and the Prime Minister mentioned that he would prefer it if we could make certain that the Embassy has at least one--Miss Relena? Are you listening to me?"
Relena looked up, startled. "I'm sorry, Dorothy?"
Dorothy sighed. "I see your mind's not in this right now." She stood up. "I'll leave these files with you, and let you look them over. I'll be back in a few hours, to discuss them with you." She turned and excused herself from the room.
Relena flipped open the first folder, and shuffled halfheartedly through the pages. Her mind started to wander, back to that day in the gardens....
*
It had been a summer garden party, hosted by Marquis Brekenridge. The weather had been nice, and the Marquis' groundskeeping staff had put a great deal of effort into making the garden beautiful. Although it was no great secret that the Marquis would be hiring outside help to augment his own security staff, Relena had still been shocked to see Duo, of all people, wearing the house uniform.
She had been wandering the gardens, lost in thought, mostly ignoring the other delegates and dignitaries. To most, it seemed the young Vice-Foreign Minister was most likely concentrating on the latest crisis that threatened the peace, trying to find a way to mutually satisfy both sides, as was her uncanny talent.
In reality, Relena had been thinking about Heero.
She sighed inwardly. When the Barton Foundation had fallen, and peace had been reestablished, Relena had been there to pick up the tatters and restore hope to the people of Earth and the colonies. And right by her side, for reasons known only to himself, was Heero.
His official title was that of personal bodyguard. For whatever reason, after the smoke had cleared, and he had recuperated, Heero silently appeared before her, and had stayed there ever since.
At first, Relena couldn't have been happier. For how many months had she dreamed that he would one day come to her? She had tired of seeking him out. She had begun to question her reasoning, her emotions. Why was she so attracted to the dark-haired, enigmatic youth?
She snorted softly, and shook her head. She knew that therein lie the answer to her question. She was attracted to him because of his enigmatic nature. Where she sought answers, he provided more questions. Never before had anyone piqued her curiosity as much as Heero did. He intrigued her. Most of her friends and classmates' lives were open books, eagerly waiting for her undivided attention. But not Heero; rather, he had hoped that she would turn a blind eye to his activities.
So, for a time, she followed him. She watched his strange comings and goings. She kept tabs on him when he moved on, and untangled the trails he left behind. She clenched her fists in useless frustration as she watched his failures; held her breath as he gained slight toeholds here and there with his successes.
Somewhere along the line, she juxtaposed her curiosity for love, and made the mistake of assuming he felt the same way for her.
She frowned slightly, and stooped to breathe in the fragrance of a peony, running a fingernail along one soft petal. Had she been mistaken? She wasn't so sure, now. When he came back, she had been thrilled. He was at her side again! How wonderful!
But it seemed whenever she tried to bring up the issue of their relationship, even when she used her most roundabout and innocuous means, he would either skirt the issue, or give cryptic responses. Frankly, Relena was getting frustrated. Escapism and riddles were not love, of that she was certain. Perhaps she was mistaken...after all, hadn't he said as much? That the peace was the most important thing, even if it meant protecting it through her?
She sighed, and moved away from the main group of party-goers, still lost in thought. Heero did not treat her as a significant other, or even a friend. He treated her like a precious object, something to protect and guard. She snorted softly. Who was she kidding? They had never even been out on a date.
She frowned slightly. No, that wasn't wholly it, either. Part of the problem was that the public at large had gotten so used to seeing him at her side, that they began to assume that they were a happy couple, not to mention the fact that they tended to get a little...testy when presented with the notion that Relena and her bodyguard might just be only that, and nothing more.
Not that Relena could blame them. They did put up quite a facade, when out in public, good enough to fool the world. In doing so, Relena had also managed to fool herself, apparently.
I must be totally delusional, she mused inwardly. Then again, am I really the first girl to try and plant love in a rock garden? Can anyone really blame me? I'm only trying to follow my heart.
Later on, she would wonder if some greater power had decided to get its hands snarled up in her personal life. For there certainly had to be a good reason why she ran into Duo that day. As fate would have it, Duo also chose to do the one thing that Heero had never done, either in voice or through body language.
Duo had called her gorgeous.
That had stopped her short, more than anything. More than his looks, more than his attitude, more than any other combination of things.
Of course, Relena was used to hearing compliments like that one. After all, she had had to deal with many, many politicians who dealt in flattery, as opposed to honesty. But perhaps that it had been _Duo_ that had made the comment...perhaps that had caused her to pause.
After all, Duo Maxwell may have been many things, but no one ever accused him of being a liar.
. . . .
He had her attention, and he had no intentions of letting it go; at least, not until she saw things his way.
Lords, she was beautiful. He sucked his breath in through his teeth, and hoped she wouldn't notice him staring at her. Did she even know how beautiful she was? She had to be completely blind in order to miss the looks she got from the other guys around her. From the teenaged waitstaff, not trying to hide their gawking, to the dirty-old-men politicians trying to ogle her inconspicuously from behind their cocktail glasses...she turned heads.
His expression soured. No, she wouldn't notice. These people use flattery like Wufei uses his sword. In some ways, their weaponry was much more cruel. Words could cut a wound more deeply than any blade.
He snorted. Getting philosophical in your old age, eh Maxwell? This caused him to chuckle involuntarily. Old age. Huh. Hell, I'm barely eighteen. Old age is reserved for octogenarians wearing straw hats and Bermuda shorts hiked up to their armpits, playing shuffleboard on some commercialized cruise ship puttering out in the ocean somewhere off the coast of Tahiti or something. Then again, he never once considered that he'd live to see the age where he'd end up dressing like that, so he decided he could consider himself old of age....
Shitshitshit--here she comes! Dammit, now what do I do? He scowled inwardly. How many chances had he blown in the past? How many opportunities to talk to her, and he let them trickle through his fingers? Not this time. Yuy might think he controls her, but he only holds the key to the security system. He grinned. Maybe, just maybe, if he were a lucky SOB--but then again, I always have been too damn lucky for my own good--he could succeed where Yuy had patently refused to even try.
She was within earshot now--what do I say, what do I say? This was never this tough before. Then again, the usual cadre of girls he attracted didn't need a whole lot in the area of sincere flattery. A few well-placed words, and they were eating out of his hand.
Dammit Duo, you sound like a goddamn Casanova! But there was no time to worry about that now--if he didn't say something, she'd be past him, and he'd have ruined yet another chance to talk to her. So he blurted out the first thing that was on his mind.
"Hey, gorgeous!"
Inwardly, he cringed. Gorgeous??? What had he been thinking?? He prepared to either be ignored or upbraided for his blunder.
But much to his amazement, she did not get angry. She stopped slowly, processing his comment, then turned to face him. "Hello Duo," she said, cheerfully enough.
I must be the luckiest damn guy in the universe, sometimes.
. . . .
Relena quickly covered her surprise at Duo's unorthodox greeting. "How have you been, Duo?" she asked.
Duo grinned. "Ah, you know. Busy busy. Do some work for the Sweepers when I can, then pick up the odd security job here and there in the meantime." He gestured to the gardens casually. "Not my typical gig, but it buys groceries." He tugged at the stiff collar of the guard's uniform. "Though this monkeysuit leaves much to be desired."
Relena giggled. Encouraged, Duo continued.
"I'm sure this is nothing compared to the getups you have to wear," he grinned. "What do they expect a pacifist to wear these days?"
Relena smiled. "Whatever is modestly acceptable," she said.
There was an uncomfortable pause. Well, what the hell, thought Duo. Might as well make sure the field is open before setting up for a picnic.
"So how about you and Heero. Must be practically married by now, eh?"
Relena stiffened, and Duo winced. Damn, he thought angrily. Now I've done it. Had to open my big mouth and...wait a minute....
"Hey, where is Heero, anyway? I thought he was always on your arm for these events."
Relena gave him a dry look. "Heero had some other business to take care of today. He felt that this little party was the best chance he'd have to update the security systems at the Sank Kingdom. Besides," she said dryly, "he doesn't want people to get the impression that we are a couple or anything."
Bingo. Knew it! Duo cheered inwardly. He gave Relena a half-smirk.
"Aw, no big loss. I'll bet he's a boring date, anyway. All security this and safety that. I'll bet the guy doesn't even loosen up for himself!"
Relena looked straight ahead as they wandered past a bed of lily-of-the-valley and nasturtiums. "I don't think you're being fair," she said diplomatically.
Duo knew an opening when he saw one. "You mean you two've never even been out on a date?"
"We're not a couple, Duo," Relena explained stiffly. "He's just...head of security for the Sank Kingdom, and my personal bodyguard."
"Who has conveniently managed to make himself scarce for this event," Duo countered. "Face it, 'Lena, the guy's a moron. I mean, any self-respecting guy I know would give his eye teeth to be able to spend the afternoon with y--" He stopped himself. Relena glanced at him curiously.
"What was that, Duo? I'm afraid I didn't catch all of that..."
"Nothing," Duo covered hastily. Damn, I almost blew it again! "I'm sure he's a fine security guard. But I'll bet he's boring in every other aspect."
If Relena agreed, she didn't let Duo know. He moved in for the kill.
"In fact, I'll bet you've never been on a fun date. I mean, none of this political diplomatic nicey-nicey bullshit. A real date, one where you laugh so hard your sides hurt for a week."
Relena didn't say anything at first. When she did speak, her voice was stiff and controlled. "I have too," she said, eyes fixed on a point on the horizon.
"Have not," countered Duo lazily.
"I have too!" Relena's voice had an edge to it. Her resistance was wearing.
"You're lying," Duo drawled.
Relena whirled on him angrily. "I am not lying, Duo Maxwell!"
"Prove it."
Relena was at a loss for words at first. "I...I mean...how do I prove something like this?"
Duo grinned. "Go out on a date with me," he suggested. "If it's not the best time you've ever had, then you win, and I'll leave you alone. If not, I win."
"And what do you get if you win?"
"I'll have to think about that," he said thoughtfully. "How about a second date?"
"You're on," said Relena, and offered him her hand to shake on it.
Duo shook her hand enthusiastically. "Great. I'll pick you up...say, next Thursday at 5:00?"
Relena mentally ran through her schedule. "That should work fine for me," she said.
"Good! See you then. Oh, and remember to dress casual," he said casually, and wandered off to oversee another part of the garden.
Relena stood there for a moment, silently seething at his audacity. Then something caused her to pull up short.
"Wait a minute...did I just agree to go out on a date with Duo Maxwell?"
~*~
TBC
As always, C&C is greatly loved and appreciated! ^_^
--Sara
