Seriously, thanks for sticking with this story, even though I still don't completely know how it's going to end or how often I can update! But your thoughts and suggestions have helped me along, so please keep it up! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter Five:
A Knight without Armor
?Heero,? Duo panted, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. ?Can?t we give it a rest already? I?m dying here!?
To his chagrin, Heero laughed, an almost maniacal sound. ?When did you get so out of shape? I say we do at least another mile lap around the premises.? He flexed his lean, muscular arms, as if to emphasize his athleticism.
Duo?s face fell in disappointment. ?But isn?t it time for breakfast? We?ve been at this for hours!?
?You already had breakfast, remember??
?No, I don?t!? Duo wailed. ?It was so long ago!?
Heero rolled his eyes. ?Quit whining so much; the new recruits are going to have zero respect for you.? With that, he took off in another run, yelling at the Preventers-in-training to keep up the pace.
There were four of them, and they were quite the assortment?three guys and one very ambitious girl. One of the men, a few years older than Sally, was a police officer from L2; the other three were all former Alliance soldiers about the same age as Heero and Duo. One of the teenagers had a particularly hard time keeping up, but he tried his best to tough it out.
As they ran ahead of the small group, Heero said to Duo, ?Who?s that guy trailing so far behind? He?s pretty weak.?
?His name,? Duo panted, ?is Landon, and I hardly think he?s weak; just because he?s not as fast as you doesn?t make him a wuss.?
Heero snorted a laugh. ?If you say so. What do you think of the rest??
?I?d say they all have a lot of potential. The police officer? what?s his name? Heath? I wonder what the hell he?s even training for. He could easily beat me to a pulp.?
Heero chuckled again. ?That?s no feat; that girl could easily throw you down.?
?Yeah, you?re probably right.? Duo glanced behind him to see the girl quickly closing the distance between them. ?She?s amazing! But I wonder what she was doing fighting in the Eve Wars, a pretty little thing like that??
?People often ask the same about you,? Heero replied, smirking.
?Hey, that was uncalled for!? Duo angrily increased his speed so that he was nipping at Heero?s heals. ?Take it back!? He screamed. ?Take it back!?
?Look at that,? Heero said as he came to a halt. ?You just ran a mile, no sweat.?
Duo crossed his arms and glared at Heero. ?Sure, get me all angry so I forget I?m exercising; I see how it is.?
?It?s a good tactic,? Heero replied. ?Perhaps I should try it on the new recruits?? He rubbed his chin, musing.
Duo shook his head emphatically. ?I don?t think so, buddy. You?re getting a little out of hand while you whip them into shape; it doesn?t even look like they need it.?
Just then, the girl stopped short, the first of the new Preventers to finish the mile. She grinned triumphantly at the former Gundam pilots.
?Anything else, boys?? She ran a hand through her long, black ponytail. Duo?s eyes widened; Heero?s narrowed.
?Yeah,? he answered, ?one hundred more push-ups. Get to it.?
The girl looked shocked but dropped to the floor nonetheless. When the next recruit reached them, Heero gave him the same instruction. He was answered with an unexpected, ?Sir, yes, Sir!?
Heero eyed him strangely. ?What?s your name??
?Former Ensign Kevin Vincent, Sir!? The boy saluted, then dropped down and began the push-ups.
Heero shook his head. ?Military habits are hard to break.?
The other two men completed their run just then and joined the other two. Heero watched the four with amusement twinkling in his eyes.
?You know what they say,? Duo murmured to Heero. ?Power corrupts. I don?t like that look in your eye.?
Heero feigned innocence. ?What do you mean? I?m just doing as I was told.?
?Hey, guys!? Sally called as she entered the room. ?How?re we looking??
?Not bad,? Heero replied, ?though I think they could still use some work.?
Sally cast a critical eye over the group of young people struggling to finish their exercises. ?It?s almost noon, you know. I think they?ve had enough.?
?Amen!? Duo pumped a fist in the air. ?You tell him, Sally!?
Heero cocked his head and watched the trainees. ?They?ll thank me for this later,? he said to Sally. ?If they keep up this regimen, they?ll be stronger than ever; unbreakable. But to be unbreakable, they must first be broken.?
Duo shuddered. ?That?s creepy, man.?
Sally eyed him warily. ?No offense, Heero,? she said carefully, ?but I don?t think these guys need to be broken the same way you were.? She continued in a more upbeat manner, failing to notice the pained look that momentarily graced Heero?s features. ?This is not Preventers Academy! This may be seriously hard work, but it?s still fun.?
She blew a whistle, garnering the trainees? attention. ?That?s all for today! Great job, everyone!? The group looked up gratefully and halted their push-ups. Sally clapped each one of them on the back as they drudged past; all except the girl, who bounded up to them eagerly.
?Hi!? She squealed. ?That was some great training; thanks so much for all the fun exercises!? She batted her eyes at Heero, who was unaffected by her prattling. Instead, he turned and started speaking to Sally again. The girl looked a little miffed, which Duo noticed. He chuckled and scratched the back of his head.
?He?s not exactly Mr. Social, so don?t blame him for ignoring you,? he offered. ?I?m Duo, by the way.? He stuck out his hand, which she grasped excitedly.
?I already know you who are,? she gushed. ?You?re famous!?
Duo blushed. ?Aw, nah, no big deal; I mean, you fought in the war, too.?
?Yeah, but not as a Gundam pilot! How awesome is that?? She chattered on so quickly that Duo could scarcely understand her. Man. She sure has a lot of energy, he observed. ?Even if I didn?t know you were a Gundam pilot,? she continued, ?I?d know you from school!?
Duo?s eyes bulged. ?Say what??
?Yeah, that?s right!? She grinned unabashedly, clutching Duo?s arm. ?We go to the same school! Isn?t that amazing??
Duo looked perplexed. ?Then why didn?t you say something before??
?I was busy training, remember? I couldn?t let you break my concentration.? She gave him a shameless wink.
Duo shook his head, flabbergasted. ?I don?t get it. How is it you know me, but I don?t know you? What?s your name??
She gave him a little bow. ?Keiko Sachihara. Hajimemashite!?
Duo?s face turned ashen. ?Oh. My. God. Heero!? He turned and ran desperately toward his friend, leaving Keiko in confusion.
?What?s gotten into him?? She wondered aloud.
?Oh, don?t mind Duo,? Sally said, coming up beside her. ?All Gundam pilots are a little? eccentric.?
"I see." Keiko nodded in understanding. ?I heard that everyone who used the Zero System went crazy.?
Sally burst out laughing. ?Duo was like that long before he ever went near the Zero System!?
The Asian girl wrinkled her nose. ?And Heero? What about him??
Sally cast a wary eye in Heero?s direction. He was scowling, head bent, as he stalked out of the room. ?Heero?s? been through a lot. If I were you, I?d keep my distance.?
?Hmm.? Keiko didn?t seem to be listening, her bright eyes focused on the dark-haired Preventer.
Oh, great, just what we need, Sally lamented inwardly. Another heartsick, Heero-obsessed girl running around the ship?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the other ?heartsick? girl entering the training room.
?Hi, Sally!? Relena called cheerily. Wufei followed closely behind. ?Is now a good time for me to meet the recruits??
?Sure,? the dark blonde Preventer replied, motioning to the girl next to her. ?This is Keiko Sachihara. Keiko, meet Relena Darlian.?
Keiko?s almond eyes enlarged. ?Oh my goodness, are you really Relena Darlian??
Relena blinked. ?Yes, of course.?
?That?s amazing!? Keiko bounced in excitement. ?You?re, like, my hero!?
Relena and Wufei exchanged bewildered glances, but he gave her an encouraging smile. ?Wow, Keiko, that?s really sweet of you. I?m glad to meet you.? Relena extended her hand, which Keiko grasped eagerly.
?Wait till I tell my friends that I actually met you!? she shrieked. ?What a day! First, I get trained by two actual Gundam pilots?then I get to meet Relena Darlian!? She closed her eyes in bliss. ?Being a Preventer sure has it perks!?
Wufei chuckled. ?Let me know if you feel the same a few months from now.?
Keiko ceased her spirited bouncing. ?Huh??
Sally laughed. ?Oh, ignore Wufei. He loves being a Preventer. Really.? She gave him a saucy wink, and his face reddened. ?Come on Keiko, I?ve embarrassed him enough now. Let?s go meet up with the guys, shall we?? With that, she all but dragged Keiko away from her new idol.
?Do you ever get tired of people reacting like that when they meet you?? Wufei asked Relena once they were alone.
She shook her honey-blonde hair. ?No. I hate to say it, but I?m pretty used to the attention.? She tilted her head as she gazed into his obsidian eyes. ?Does it bother you that she didn?t mention you as a Gundam pilot??
Wufei bristled. ?No. Why would it??
?I don?t know,? she answered with a shrug. ?I just noticed that she was all hung up on Heero and Duo, but??
?Those two tend to be a bit more conspicuous; I prefer to keep a lower profile.?
Relena nodded her understanding. ?That?s wise of you. Celebrity definitely has its disadvantages.? She flashed him a genuine style. ?That?s why I?m so grateful to escape my everyday life for a few days and hide out on this ship.?
Wufei smiled back and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. ?You?re welcome to come back anytime, you know. I understand what it?s like to need to get away? This ship has become a sort of refuge to me.? Relena saw emotion burning behind his dark eyes and realized that, once again, he was counting his losses from the war. Her heart swelled with compassion; she leaned up and pecked him on the cheek.
?That?s sweet of you to offer.? She smiled warmly. ?And I may just take you up on it sometime.?
Wufei?s face softened. ?I?ve got another offer to make you. How about having dinner with me in the colony tonight??
Relena felt her heart lighten. ?Really? I would love to.?
Wufei smiled confidently at her acceptance and led her out of the room, unaware that an angry pair of cobalt blue eyes tracked his every move.
The remainder of the afternoon passed quietly. The new recruits were given a few hours to rest up before their next training exercise, which would take place on one of the L3 colonies. Wufei and Relena made plans to depart the ship in a separate pod for their dinner date. With a few more hours to spare, Relena decided to find a secluded spot and catch up on some reading.
After wandering around the ship, she managed to find an empty break room just big enough to hold a couch and armchair. Nixing both of these seats, she climbed onto the windowsill and gazed out at the darkness of space. There was something about the depths of space that allured her, even when she was struck by how empty it really was. Part of her couldn?t wait to get back to earth and once again gaze at mountains and seashores; the other part was content to hide here, so far away from everything else.
Everything except for the troubles that plagued her. She sighed as one name entered her mind: Heero Yuy. Whether or not the connection they shared was love had plagued her for nearly two years now. Relena knew what her feelings for him were; she?d been infatuated with him when they first met, and her feelings deepened and matured each time she saw him. As they each were more and more swept up by the events around them, they drew closer together, lending each other strength and comfort. But was it love they shared, or some kind of symbiosis?
Relena sighed aloud once again and tried to turn her attention to the book that sat idly in her lap. A reflection in the glass, however, diverted her attention once more; Relena looked up to see Heero?s face staring at her. She jumped.
?Heero!? She shrieked, whirling around to face him. ?You frightened me.?
His eyebrows lifted momentarily. ?Sorry.? Relena eyed him warily as he took a seat beside her.
?Are you sorry that you snuck up on me, or sorry for the way you?ve been treating me since you came onboard??
He leveled her with his pained expression, his eyes searching hers. ?Both,? he murmured.
Relena settled against the wall, satisfied with his apology. ?I?m glad,? she said with a smile. ?I didn?t think I?d done anything to deserve your contempt.?
Heero scowled at her remark. ?Really? You didn?t think your kissing Wufei would bother me??
She crossed her arms angrily, turning her gaze back to the window. ?I don?t see why it should. It?s not like you and I??
Heero lunged forward suddenly and grasped Relena by the back of the head, bringing his face mere inches from hers. ?Relena,? he whispered, and the urgency in his voice surprised her. ?Shut up.?
He crashed his lips into hers, holding her so tightly that she couldn?t break free, even if she?d wanted to. As their kiss deepened, she realized she didn?t want to. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his tousled hair. Heero kept one hand tightly fastened around her waist while the other raked through her golden tresses. They were completely alike in the way they kissed one another, each needing the other in the same way. Relena could feel the void that had been haunting her begin to fill.
Then something snapped inside of her, the reason he was suddenly paying so much attention to her. She broke away hastily, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
Heero picked up on the tension immediately. ?Relena.? He drew her back into his arms. ?Talk to me,? he murmured anxiously. ?Tell me what?s wrong.?
Relena put her hand up against his chest, trying to create space between them before she could fall back under his spell. ?Please, Heero. Don?t start.? She backed away cautiously, but he followed suit.
?Relena, whatever it is, I?ll fix it. Just tell me.? He leaned toward her again, this time stroking the side of her face. He tried to gaze into her sky blue eyes, but she wouldn?t look at him. He continued to touch her unabated, needing to feel her skin beneath his fingers. ?Please,? he said, softening his voice. ?Relena, I lo??
?Why now, Heero?? She turned her face toward his as hot tears stung her eyes. ?All of a sudden, you want to be close to me, but you?ve had chances before and you never??
?What are you talking about?? He interrupted. He tilted her chin up so he could look at her directly. ?I?ve always stayed close to you, Relena.?
She shook her head violently. ?That?s not true. I haven?t seen you in months. You always kiss me and run. Why? What are you hiding from, Heero??
?I?m not hiding, Relena. I?ve never hid from you. And I don?t understand why you?re acting this way.?
She glared at him. ?Maybe,? she said hotly, ?it?s because the only reason you want me now is because someone else wants me, too.? She stood, breaking their contact. ?You?re jealous of Wufei, and you can?t stand to lose me to him. But you?ve had all this time to make me yours? Did you think I?d wait around forever, Heero??
He groaned inwardly. It was his worst nightmare coming true; he?d figured that Relena would accuse him of something like that. Now he had to pick up the pieces of what he?d broken.
?Relena,? he began tentatively. ?I?ve felt this way about you for a lot longer than you think? long before Wufei even met you.?
She crossed her arms defensively. ?I understand that, Heero. However, it?s awfully convenient for you to decide to make a move on me now that I?m seeing someone else.?
He blinked. ?You?re? seeing him??
?That?s right.? She lifted her chin. ?So that means this thing between us can?t happen anymore.?
He shocked her by letting out a low chuckle. ?Relena? That?s impossible. I don?t think you could stay away from me if you tried.?
?But? you? that?s so arrogant!? She sputtered. Heero just shook his head.
?No, it?s the truth. And you feel the same way.? Once again, he began to close the distance between them. ?We need each other, Relena.?
?No.? She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her back to him. ?People don?t need one another, Heero; they choose who they want to be with.?
?You know that?s a lie.? He came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. ?That?s not what you feel in your heart.?
She sighed, inhaling the scent that was so uniquely his. She knew how badly she wanted him near her; she wanted to hold on to him forever. But it still didn?t feel right.
?If this is what you?ve always wanted with me,? she murmured, ?why did you wait until now to tell me??
?I wasn?t waiting on purpose; this was the first chance I had to really be alone with you.?
She twisted around in his arms to look at him. ?What about at Christmas? I thought we really shared a connection after that last battle, but it never went anywhere.?
Heero looked puzzled. ?What do you mean? I kissed you.?
She laughed airily. ?Oh, you mean this?? She brought their faces closer together, teasing his lips with hers. ?I hardly think that counts.?
?It wasn?t like that,? Heero murmured, their lips so close that they brushed together as he spoke. ?And besides, you know I can do a lot better.? He took her face in his and kissed her firmly. His heart sank as, once again, she pushed him away.
?No, Heero,? she whispered. ?I won?t let you do this to me now? not when I?ve had to wait so long.? She took a step backward, closer to the door. ?And now I?ve got someone waiting for me.?
Heero?s mouth dropped, and he struggled to regain his composure. Had she really just let him kiss her like that, and say all those things to her, only to dump him in the end? He never thought Relena was manipulative enough to do something like that. He struggled not to punch the wall or yell at her; instead, he addressed her in a low, icy tone. ?So that?s it, Relena? You?re just going to walk away??
She bit her lip and nodded slowly. ?I?m sorry, but I??
?But nothing,? he interjected as anger welled up inside him. ?I won?t let you do this to me. You?re mine, Relena.? He grasped her arm and forcefully pulled her toward him.
?Heero, let go! You?re hurting me!? She looked up at him in horror as his fingers dug into her flesh. Heero dropped her arm, immediately sorry. He opened his mouth to apologize, but the damage had already been done. Like a terror-stricken doe, Relena bolted out of the room. Heero could only watch helplessly as she ran.
Someone just has to make him angry... 