Making Amends

Chapter Two

~AIC

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its components.

A/N: I never really intended to add another chapter, but... oh well. Hehehe, enjoy.

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It was dark, darker than it had been a few minutes before as the light faded behind dark crests in the muggy distance, the sun slipping below the mountains for the hours of darkness to take hold. Wufei sighed and leaned back against the stone wall of the Preventers' main building, eyes closed in silent reverie. Patches of grass darkened from the absence of the sunlight struggled through the cracks in the sidewalk, which was fighting -and appearing to be losing- its own battle against the overgrown meadow that surrounding the secret location. A few flowers pricked up here and there, gold and blue and pink, and along the side of the building was an old rosebush. It was to this that Wufei turned, reaching out to pluck the one perfect rose free of any patches of black decay or torn imperfection, and lift it to his nose. It smelled lovely, and the soft petals brushed against his lips. He closed his eyes. Treize... damn you...

He felt a warm liquid on his skin and smeared it over his fingers, then looked down at the small crimson stain. A bit of green thorn was guiltlessly pressing inside a small, newly-made cut. So... your death was the thorn... I can't forget. I want to, you know that. But I can't.

He was lost in the lovely crimson petals and the scarlet shade of his blood, his eyes out of focus, so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't hear the soft, muffled steps, or the slight form that moved next to him.

"Wufei."

He looked up sharply at the mention of his name, the rose falling from his fingertips. Slightly shamed at his inability to notice her approach, the ex-Gundam pilot glanced towards the young girl and said, his voice unusually strained, as if coming from somewhere far away. "Yes, Miss Mariemaia?"

She knelt down next to him to retrieve the fallen rose, noting his fingers twitch as her own small hand closed around it. She handed it to him silently, her hand free of any thorn scratches.

As if Treize's death meant nothing to her of what it did to me. I wonder if Lady Une would be bloodied as well by this thorn. Or if she is already past that. Wufei hated the possibility that a woman was stronger than himself.

"It's getting dark. Sally told me to come out her and check on you." A few moon-spans before, she might have added a snort of indignation, noting that she, His Excellency's daughter, did not take kindly to playing messenger girl. However, hard, honest work had humbled her and she understood just what she'd been doing -and what she was now working against.

"Tell that woman I can take care of myself." He said. He glanced at the younger girl out of the corner of his eye; her gaze was locked onto the rose, which he had been absently twirling between his first finger and thumb.

She didn't say anything, her soft, washed-out blue eyes turning away to focus on some obscure point in the horizon. "I don't understand," She began slowly. He looked at her more carefully, eyebrows furrowed.

"How you can lock yourself away like you do," She continued, looking over at him. "and not confide in anyone? At first, I thought that you had someone close -Sally, I figured- but you don't even talk to her... you don't open up."

"And you want to know why?" His eyes were dark and they flashed slightly, meeting a twin glint in the blue depths of the fiery girl next to him.

"Yes, Wufei. I do." She sighed, pushing a lock of flaming hair behind her ear. "You seem to let the guys get to know you... to an extent. And I know that you can't be afraid of girls." She looked at him, smiling impishly.

He didn't smile. "Why do you want to know?" He glanced up, seemingly just realizing how late it was, and the small pinpricks of light peppered over the heavens like so much salt... or sugar, depending on your mood. Wufei stuck with the former. He stood. "It's late."

"So I've noticed." She looked up at him, her knees drawn to her chest with her arms roped loosely around them. He reached down and offered his hand, which she took readily. After hauling her to her feet, they made their way back inside, Mariemaia silently noted that Wufei's tanned fingers still held the rose tightly.

My father has left more of an impression on his soul than I think even he realizes... she mused to herself.

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A/N: I have no more inspiration for this. Ciao! ^_^

~AiC