Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ All Roads Lead To You ❯ Love Fool ( Chapter 3 )

They said i laughed too much. Smiled too often. Cracked too many jokes that only i was ever able to laugh at. They said that i never took things seriously enough. They said a lot of things that were true. On the surface anyway. I bet my precious braid and my hide that those same people would never believe just how seriously i take some things. The important things that actually mean so much to me more than my life. They would have never believed that the smile i often flashed now wobbled at the sight of her drawn features. Mouth that beckoned for a quick kiss trembled slightly although she tried to still them. She sat reading a newspaper in one hand and holding a coffee cup in the other. I walked over to the cupboards and took out a mug for myself. After filling it with fresh coffee, i went to sit across from her, trying my best to sound jovial.

"Princess. Isn't it your day off?" Princess. She looked like one. Moved like one. With that unconcious grace and proud head.

"Hmmm..." she never took her eyes away from the newspaper, her gaze scanning for something. "Yes...yes it is."

"Are you planning on doing anything?" she wore a pale blue sundress, the hem rested just below her kness. Enough to tantalise. And boy, i was beyond that. "Where would you like to go? Just name the place and we'll be there." Just name the price and i'll pay. My soul Princess? My heart? My life? How much for the chance just to have the right to hold you?

Reluctantly, she placed the newspaper to the side and met my questioning eyes. Sapphire orbs that changed colors with the wind. Blue for deep passion and green for hidden shadows. At the moment, they were the color of grass dancing with the wind. Fragile and restless.

"I want to go see the birds Duo. I wanna sit underneath the shade of trees and eat icecream. I wanna pick flowers and lie on the grass like i'm nobody. And eat Duo. God, i wanna eat," she smiled slightly at the sound of greed in her own voice. "I feel like i've been starving for years. Missed a million meals."

I loved it when she opened like a full bloomed flower late in spring. It was always such a wonderful surprise and a beautiful revelation to have her thoughts actually be translated into words. And the tightening in my stomach eased as my smile returned full force.

"Then a picnic it is, your highness," excited at the prospect of enjoying a whole day with her, i jumped up and called for Paygan. "I'll have him pack us a picnic basket full of surprises, how about that?"

Her eyes showed her delight and it was enough to make me feel like i can own the world. Although someone else already did. Whoever said that life was fair?

I brought her paradise. An untouched park that was hidden from the public and untouched by the fastpaced industrialised city. It was a piece of heaven on earth. And the soft glow that the first view of the place brought to her eyes made me melt right down to my bones. She was so rarely surprised by anything. I wondered if the man who held her beaten heart had ever done anything to make her happy. But the answer i myself found was depressing. Of course he had done something to make her happy. All the stupid fool had to do was breathe. The fact that he was alive made her happy. That was all it took. And no matter how much i listed all the wrongs Heero Yuy had done to Relena, i was never able to bring myself to trully hate him. In fact, i loved him as a brother and a friend. War either made eternal brothers of soldiers or eternal enemies. We fought for the same reasons Heero and I. To protect a life more precious than ours. And that very object of our rare affections sat underneath the protective shade of tree with food surrounding her like an offering to a goddess. And i sat beside her munching on an apple and just watching. She had a smile on her lips. A smile so innocent and pure that it held my gaze until she looked up to find me in the same position that i have been for the past few minutes.

"Duo...are you ok?" her tone held light amusement and laughter. I smiled back like a moron. She reached into a bag she had brought along with her and took out a book. "Finally..."

I watched as she leaned her back against the tree and opened the page where her marker was placed. I smiled a secret smile and decided to take a little nap and let her enjoy the peace. I laid myself on the blanket to her right and closed my eyes. This day was going to be tattoed inside my mind forever. Long after my hair turns to gray and all my teeth falls out. Long after she no longer needs the protection i offer her. I never dwell on those thoughts for long. I sighed and let my mind be lulled to sleep by the wind and her silent breathing. It was enough that she was by my side.

I must have dozed off for an hour or so. I yawned loudly and stretched my back to work out the stiff muscles. My dream world was so predictable. Sapphire eyes and long legs. Smooth skin and soft sighs. And the words,"i love you" uttered by those warm lips. I sat up and looked to my right where Relena was. She had dropped her book as she had fallen asleep. Beauty held me spellbound for the longest time. She still leaned back against the trunk of the tree, her hands gathered around her lap and her mouth slightly opened as she let out soft sighs. It was almost as good as my dreams. Except that Relena was definitely awake when she made those sighs. I laughed in amusement at myself. I was so ridiculously in love with the girl. I grabbed a smaller blanket and draped it around her quietly, making sure not to disturb her. I wondered how long it has been since she slept without crying herself into exhaustion first. I guarded her door almost everynight. Her sobs had torn me apart more than once. I wondered if my heart had as many bruises as hers did.

Moving back to study her, i noticed that her peaceful features had turned restless. Her brows furrowed and her mouth moved to utter soft words although only sighs were able to come out. I frowned in return, wondering what was so disturbing in her dreams. Unable to help myself, i reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. And having felt her soft skin, i was tempted to discover more. Who cares that it was never me she wanted but Heero? Who cares that i would never have the right to touch her now if she were awake? Who cares that only in my dreams did she love me? with excrutiating tenderness, i touched one soft cheek with the back of my hand. She leaned into it. Unconciously, she turned her head to lay her mouth against the palm of my hand. I smiled and loved her even more. I positioned myself beside her and gathered her in my arms. Repressed tears gathered at the back of my eyes and stung. How could any man let go after holding heaven in his arms? Well, Heero always did have suicidal tendencies. she molded herself against me and relaxed. It was now or never. She wouldn't hear me anyway. Therefore i would have to pay no price just for borrowing a stolen moment. It would be enough to sustain me for a lifetime. Just this memory. And the smell of her on my skin. I let out a long breath and closed my eyes.

"I love you, Princess."

She stirred. And then lovingly called out, "Heero..."

I bravely swallowed the pain whole and almost choked on my tears. Nobody ever said that life was fair. So what if i would have done anything to be with her? So what if i would have gone through hell just for the chance to call her mine? So what if i knew that if i was the one, i would never leave her? None of it mattered. He held her heart long before i entered into the scene. Still, i gathered her closer to me and rested my head at the top of hers. It was enough that she was here. Stolen moments would have to do for me.

I'm a fool in love with a fool who is still in love with the biggest fool out of all of us. God, life just couldn't get any better than that.

They said i laughed too much. I wonder how they would react to seeing the tears that i felt ran a path down my cheeks.

My cellphone vibrated against my pocket and i reached for it. "Hello?"

"Duo! Thank god. Is Relena with you?" Quatre's soft voice was edged with panic.

"Yeah...what's going on? Is everything ok?" I felt the hair stood at the back of my neck long before Quatre uttered the words.

"Heero's at the hospital Duo. Tell Ms. Relena and meet us there,"then he added in a softer tone, "And Duo, prepare yourself for the worse. Prepare her."

Then the line was disconnected. I stared down at the woman lying so safe and warm in my arms. I had my moment with her. It would have to last me my whole lifetime.

I didn't know then that my lifetime was about to take a drastic turn. There were sacrifices to be made. And i had a role to play. All of it for love.