Chapter Eight: Sweet Revenge

            "Are we there *yet*," Dorothy demanded impatiently, lowering her sunglasses to glare accusingly at Noin as if it were *her* fault we were still driving.

            Noin gritted her teeth, her hands on the steering wheel tightening enough so that her knuckles grew white. "No. We're not. We'll be there in about ten minutes," she replied in short jerky sentences, obviously trying to keep her temper under control. Not that I could blame her, Dorothy had been set on making this trip unbearable from the beginning.

            Rolling my eyes, I leaned forward and pulled on a stray strand of blond hair that had escaped from the confines of the huge black clip holding it up. "Chill out Dorothy. The sooner you relax, the sooner you can start having fun and then sooner the weekend will fly by and finally, the sooner you'll be back in your arms of your beloved Quatre."

            Dorothy raised an eyebrow at me, batting away my hand from her hair. "That made absolutely no sense, you moron."

            "You're the moron, moron," I replied, tugging at the loose strands of hair again.

            "Stop pulling my hair."

            "Stop being bitchy."

            "You shut up."

            "No, YOU shut up."

            "YOU!"

            "YOU!"

            "Children! Stop bickering," Noin chastised from the driver's seat, her normal warm and gentle smile back in place as she glanced at us, her dark eyes filled with amusement. "We're here."

            "We're here?" I repeated, leaning back from the front seat to peer out my window. Rising above us was a huge house, three stories high, gray and weather-beaten from being so close to the ocean. And standing on the front porch, crutches and all, was Relena, waving wildly and grinning like a maniac as Noin's car pulled into the driveway. Noin hadn't even fully parked the car when I threw open the door, nearly falling out as the three hours of not moving my legs took over.

            Dorothy smirked as she opened her door and stepped gracefully out of the car, "Excited to see someone, Heero?" she asked, pausing to reach up and pinch my cheek. "Isn't that cute? Our little Hee-chan's all grown up."

            "Bite me," I growled under my breath, unable to keep from smiling as Relena began the awkward descent down the stairs and Milliardo appeared from behind her, his reprimands obvious even from where we stood.

            "Relena! You shouldn't be on these rickety stairs, go sit down and wait for them to come to you! Damn it, you want Mom and Dad to kill me when they see you've broken your leg in TWO places? SIT DOWN DAMMIT!" Milliardo glared at her and she smiled, shook her head and hobbled back up the stairs, pausing to cough very noticeably and jerk her head in Noin's direction. Milli scowled at her but nothing could hide the happiness that lit up his face when he saw Noin and started down the stairs at a run, taking the steps two at a time.

            And I admit it. I was jealous at the way Noin's face brightened with a smile as Milli reached her, throwing his arms around her immediately and crushing her against him. They stood like that for a moment, Noin's smaller form molding perfectly against Milliardo's larger one, her hands resting on his chest as she leaned into him and his chin resting in her hair. It was…heartbreakingly sweet. The affection between them ran so deep, was so obvious, it was an almost tangible thing. And as I watched them, my heartbeat picked up and I wondered, if maybe, just maybe…that one day Relena and I would, could…look like that?

            At the thought of Relena, I turned and waved awkwardly at her. She smiled and waved back, calling down at me, "Are you guys gonna stay down there forever? Or is someone gonna come up here and talk to me?" She put a pout on, an excellent one as a matter of fact. "I'm lonely!"

            Dorothy sighed and forced a smile for her best friend, starting a slow descent up the towering staircase. I, on the other hand, raced up there and before I lost my nerve, enveloped her in a warm embrace, crutches and all. She giggled as I let go and said happily, "Did you miss me?"

            "Not in the slightest," I teased, the smile on my face canceling out any injury my words might have had.

            "Dorothy!" Relena's attention left me as her friend came up and the girls proceeded to have a shrieking, giggling, teary reunion.

            I don't understand women. I don't understand them at all. By the time the two girls had parted, they were both teary-eyed and smiling, wiping at their eyes with the back of their hands, laughing at the tears, and babbling on about things that made no sense to me. I felt very in the way, very confused, and above all, extremely outnumbered.

            Relena laughed as she turned back to me, obviously reading the look of bewilderment on my face. "It's…it's a girl thing, Heero."

            I blinked. "Obviously."

            She laughed again and held out her hands, gesturing for Dorothy and me to follow her. "Come on. I'll show you guys around."

@#@#@#

            I watched with faint amusement as Milli picked up first Noin, and then Dorothy and dumped them unceremoniously into the ocean. Relena sighed next to me and stared out the window, propping her chin up on her hands and looking for all the world like a six-year old child pouting in a corner as she watches her playmates outside. I smiled at her, asking softly, "Jealous?"

            Relena turned and glanced at me, her pout softening back into her usual gentle smile. "A little. I love swimming." She sighed and glanced down at her still encased ankle. "God, I've been so stupid."

            "What?" Clever response, Heero, very clever.

            "This whole summer…I've been stupid."

            Yes. Yes, you've been stupid we've clarified that. Now this is where you say you never saw what was right in front of you the whole time and I get to take you in my arms and – "I mean, what was I *thinking* with this whole Treize fiasco? When I saw Noin and Milli this afternoon…and I remembered how Anne and him looked…how could I *do* that to them? Oh, Heero I'm such a ditz." She sighed and smiled sadly. "At least I have a friend like you to keep me straight."

            My heart sank. She wasn't going to make a heartfelt confession. She was going to tell me I was like a brother to her. If I'd been the crying sort of guy, I would have wanted to cry. "Well…I'm glad I could, um, help."

            "You're such a great guy."

            "And you're a great girl." I forced a smile and awkwardly picked up a deck of cards lying forgotten in a corner of the table we were sitting at and began to shuffle it. "You want to play cards?"

            "I don't know a lot of games…" she said doubtfully, looking at the cards.

            "Well what do you know?"

            "Um…I know 'Go Fish'." She smiled guiltily at me and spread her hands apart helplessly. "Sorry."

            "No, that's fine. That happens to be one of my absolute *favorite* card games of all time. It's an oldie but goodie, a classic." I smiled at her as I began dealing cards. She laughed and leaned forward, her hands closing over my mine, pausing their dealing actions. Against my will, my breathing picked up and I had to take a deep breath before glancing up to meet her eyes.

            "You have been so wonderful this summer," she said softly, her light blue-green eyes darkening to a blue the sky turns sometimes when it's a perfectly clear night. "Heero, I'm serious. You've given up so much time for me and you've supported me even when you think I'm crazy…Heero you're my closest friend now. Thank you."

            "Oh…shit, I don't know what to say," I babbled nervously.

            She smiled again, leaning forward and pressing a gentle forefinger to my lips. "How about…you're welcome?" she suggested, a playful glint in her eyes.

            Oh no…what was she going to do? I wondered nervously, feeling the beginnings of a typical sweat drop coming on. My eyes closed and I swallowed nervously at she leaned closer still and…pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. I let out a long exhale of breath and stared at her with wide eyes. Had she and Dorothy switched places suddenly? Dorothy had become a person again, caught up in the wonder of Quatre, stars in her eyes and a blush on her cheeks. And Relena…now she was giving me the coy sort of smile Dorothy used to give a boy when she was sure he was becoming full enamored of her. And I didn't like it. I wanted Relena…the way she was before…the sweet, innocent, thoughtful girl with the bright eyes and the cheery smile. The girl who could make me laugh, the girl who could be friends with anyone…the girl I'd been falling in love with.

            "Heero?"

            "I-I-," I jumped up, trying to find an excuse. So I grabbed the first one that popped into my mind. "I gotta use the bathroom!"

#@ #@ #@

            I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. Closing my eyes against the image, I turned on the water faucets and ducked my head as I splashed the cool water against my hot face. I stayed like that for a long time, letting the water wash over my face and dampen my hair and trickle down my neck until the relatively cool water became frigid. Shivering slightly, I pull away from the water, fumbling around with my eyes closed for a towel. I found one and rubbed my face and neck dry. The wet hair couldn't be helped and I gazed at myself in the mirror again, clutching the towel between my hands firmly. I was crazy. Finally Relena was showing interest in me and I ran away? What the hell was wrong with me?

            I sighed and leaned forward, mopping up the splashes of water along the sink methodically. I knew what was wrong with me. I didn't want Relena when she was still caught up in the wonder of Treize. I'd seen her eyes when she'd spoken his name; there were still feelings for him. Maybe not quite as passionate as they'd been a month ago…but there were lingering emotions all the same. And I didn't want the dregs of Treize's affections bestowed on me. I wanted Relena – all of her. I wanted her eyes to light up when she saw me, I wanted to be the last thing she thought of before falling asleep, the first she thought of when she awoke, the person who heard all her thoughts and dreams. I wanted everything she had to offer and I wanted her to want me to have all that. I didn't want her to dump what was leftover from Treize on me.

            I wanted…I wanted her to feel for me what I felt for her.

            I lowered my head, my hands clenching the countertop tightly, and whispered to myself in a low voice, a voice that was nearly inaudible, "I…love her."

            I was young. I was young and crazy and inexperienced and stupid and immature and impressionable and all the other negative things adults use to describe youths. And still…I knew I loved her.

            A low moan escaped my lips at this realization. How could I *do* this? It was hopeless…not only was she still crazy for Treize, she was my best friend's little sister. Ten years of friendship with Milli counted more than one summer of unpremeditated feelings for Relena, right?

            I didn't know.

            But then, Heero Yuy is a master of concealing his feelings.

            So I straightened up. Ran my hands through my messy chocolate strands. Took a deep breath. And went to join Relena and the others who I could I hear coming in. I forced a light-hearted smile.

            No one would ever know.

#@ #@ #@

            "Not again!" Dorothy complained as the lights flickered out for the umpteenth time that night. We all looked up expectantly, waiting for the lights to flicker back on. They didn't. "Damn it! I think they went out for real this time," Dorothy cried, obviously irritated with the situation. She'd already been on edge watching Milli and Noin, this just added to her frustrations.

"Calm down," Noin advised from where she sat on the couch. She was smiling softly as she spoke, Milliardo's head was resting in her lap and she was playing with his long white-blond, evicting softly murmured comments from him. No one could hear what they were discussing but it was obvious enough that they were indulging in romantic nothings from the stars in Noin's eyes and the happy, lazy grin spread across Milli's features.

            "I'll go get candles," Relena volunteered, getting to her feet and limping across the room. She was okay for short distances without the crutches, but that didn't stop Dorothy or me from leaping to our feet and supporting her. She smiled weakly as my hands supported her left side and Dorothy's on her right. "Thanks. I feel loved!" Dorothy snorted disdainfully and eyed me suspiciously. I let go, figuring it was worth more keeping the peace rather than helping Relena back across the room. Instead, I began to light candles, sending a warm, gold glow throughout the room and shadows dancing about it, making the family room look different, exciting, and faintly sensuous.

            I wasn't the only one who noticed this change because the next words spoken were, "You two! Separate. Now!" Dorothy's eyes narrowed and she glared at Noin and Milli who laughed good-naturedly and separated as ordered.

            "Well, what now?" Milli asked cheerfully. "I don't know about you, but I'm not ready for bed yet. And we can't really do anything in this storm…"

            "Let's play a game," Relena suggested.

            "What did you have in mind?" Milli returned, arching an eyebrow at her. "Hide and Seek?"

            Relena laughed at the reference to our childhood pastime. Whenever there was a storm when we were kids, we'd go play Hide and Seek. And Relena was always the one getting stuck or frightened, much to the disgust of her older brother who was forced to drag her out of her hiding spot and home to their mother. "Nah…let's play something that doesn't require a lot of moving around." She nodded at her leg. "I'm open to suggestions!"

            "Let's play all the old games," Dorothy suggested slowly, a smile gradually spreading over her features. "You know, all the games we played as a kid at sleepovers and things."

            "Starting with your favorite- Spin the Bottle," I threw in dryly.

            She glared. "Shut up Heero. No one asked for *your* opinion."

            "I give it freely. I'm a wonderful person like that."

            "I said shut *up*," Dorothy snapped and turned away from me. I smiled. Dorothy and I seemed to be on the best of terms when I was teasing her and she was telling me repeatedly to shut *up*. "…A good game was always Truth or Dare," she suggested innocently.

            If I'd been smart, I would've realized that a game like that coming from Dorothy was *not* a good idea. If Noin and Milli had been smart they would've realized it also. And if Relena were not so trusting of her best friend, she would've realized it. But we weren't. She wasn't. So we agreed.

            Dorothy smiled, nodding happily at this turn of events in her favor. Sitting down cross-legged on the floor, she said grandly, "I'll go first since it was my idea." She looked at me, as if awaiting complaint. I gave none and she continued, "Okay…Milliardo, truth or dare."

            "Um…" he gave her a wary look and decided he couldn't chicken out in front of Noin. "Dare."

            She pursed her lips and looked at him thoughtfully, tapping one perfectly manicured finger against her chin in thought. "I…dare you to…" she smiled, a rather nasty sort of smile. "…To keep your hands to yourself and off of Noin for the remainder of this weekend."

            Milli's eyes widened. "You can't make a dare last longer than this whole game, can you?"

            "Yes you can," Relena reminded him. "Don't you remember the rules we made up ages of go?" Milliardo wilted noticeably. "…Sorry."

            Noin sighed. "Thank you Dorothy."

            "Always glad to be of help." She almost cackled, so self-pleased with herself she was.

            "Okay…my turn." Milli grinned at me. "Truth or dare?"

            "Truth," I replied immediately. I wasn't stupid, last time Milliardo had given me a dare I'd ended up booty dancing with Duo Maxwell.

            He frowned; obviously he'd had something equally embarrassing in mind. "Well then…um…" A bright smile filled his face suddenly; he'd had inspiration. "Who was your first kiss and did you enjoy it?"

            I glared at him. "That's two questions in one."

            "So?"

            Jerk. I said as much to him and he merely laughing, perfectly aligned white teeth flashing with his laughter. "It was Hilde Schbeiker. She was angry at Duo and said something like, 'HEERO'S a *real* man and *he's* not afraid of cooties'! And she tackled me, knocking me flat on my back and kissed me full on the lips. I…I went home crying. No I didn't enjoy it, I spent the rest of the day in bed, insisting I was dying of cooties."

            Dorothy snorted in obvious contempt while Noin and Milliardo laughed openly at me. Relena was kind enough to stifle her laughter even as she smiled widely at me. "Yeah, yeah, great laugh," I grumbled. "Okay, my turn. Dorothy, truth or dare?"

            "Truth."

            "When'd you lose your virginity?"

            She froze, her blue eyes turning as cool and remote as ice. "I don't choose to answer that," she said loftily.

            "No, you have to. It's the rules," Milliardo insisted. "Answer the question."

            To give her credit, she never lost her composure. Instead, she pulled herself up high, and answered calmly, her eyes piercingly cool and twin spots of color burning high in her cheeks. "I was fifteen. My turn again. Noin, truth or dare?"

            I should have known better than to provoke her like that. Dorothy was the type who'd get even, not mad, a faithful follower to the saying 'revenge is sweet'. And she got her sweet revenge eventually.

            "Heero, truth or dare?"

            I should have seen it coming. But I didn't. "Truth." I smirked at her, never thinking she'd come up with something as embarrassing as I had.

            Her expression calm, her tone collected, her eyes went to Relena and back to me. I still didn't read the signs.

            "All right then Heero…here's your truth. What are your *real* feelings for Relena?"

            The room suddenly got very quiet.

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Mwaha! Cliffhanger! ^_^ I'm so glad I wrote this chapter pretty quickly, normally it takes ages for me to write Heero's POV. But this chapter just begged to be written! Anyway, I'd love to hear what you all thought of this chapter. Chapter 9 should be soon in coming; I don't want to leave Heero in his agony after all. ^^;; Remember to review and now, I'll say good bye! *bows* Ja!