Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Masquerade ❯ Masquerade ( Chapter 1 )

Masquerade

 

This one-shot songfic has not been beta'd.

 

Summary: Relena's obligated to attend a Halloween Formal Masquerade Ball as part of her duties as Vice Foreign Minister. What trouble could her mischievous bodyguard Special Forces Unit amass for her, mixed with a slight dose of alcohol? 1xR

 

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own, any part of Sumizawa Katsuyuki-dono's or Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's creations.

Rated: T

 

Ages:

All five Gundam pilots and Relena = 22

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

October 31, AC 202

 

Blackpool Tower

Blackpool, Lancashire, Northern England

 

“Woah…!” Duo sighed out in amazement.

 

“I'm glad I got time off from work for this!” Quatre smiled.

 

“It's beautiful,” Trowa commented impassively.

 

Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, and Relena all looked up at the brightly lit, massive tower-combined-building in awe. The night's festivities were well underway, crowds of masked people swarming around them. Feeling unusually insecure, Relena gracefully linked her arm with Duo's. He looked down at her quizzically, observing her staring at the multitudes.

 

She took a moment to look around in a circle, admiring the Preventers' Special Forces Unit's costumes for the night. All four men had dressed exactly the same, in simple, black formal tuxedos, accentuating their dashingly handsome looks. The only difference between them was the color of their bowties. Wufei's, of course, was a traditional black bowtie. Trowa wore a silky dark-green bowtie. Quatre sported an elegant, slightly off-white/cream bowtie, and Duo, the nutcase, dared to flash a brazenly orange bowtie.

 

Relena herself had contemplated long and hard on what costume she wanted which would show off her silly-side, yet still remain dignified as befitting her Vice Foreign Minister position. She decided to dress up jokingly as a princess, reminiscing the old title of her family's twice-previously destroyed Sanc Kingdom. However, to compound the joke, she picked the most un-traditional princess dress she had accidentally happened upon…

 

A couple of weeks earlier, she was in Japan at the latest world conference. Trowa's circus troupe was also performing there, so he was conveniently assigned to Relena as that day's shadow bodyguard. Walking the lower, less-populated suburbs of downtown Tokyo, she happened upon a hole-in-the-wall clothing shop. Relena meandered in, Trowa silently shadowing her inside with nary a sound. She'd looked at the various garbs when one piece caught her eye from the back of the little shop on a mannequin. It was a gorgeous, white formal kimono; however, that's where the conventionalism ended. Instead of a train, both the inner and outer dress-pieces stopped at the ankles. The inner-attached dress-skirt was plainly visible through the purposefully-parted, outer kimono. The slit widened from the upper-thighs down the front to the ankles. The top of the kimono was audaciously off-shoulder, flowing down to the traditional long, wide, hanging sleeves. The chest portion was designed to center attention on the overly-generous cleavage, compressing the bust tightly upwards. The collar on both breasts stopped a mere inch above where the nipples should be, maximizing the exposed skin's effect; however, what made this kimono striking was the color variation. While the outer kimono was stark white, the inner was an exact shade of blue. The ostentatious two-inch thick collar lined the entire outer kimono's, and sleeves', edges with a marbled white background showing faint blue highlights. She hadn't even needed to try it on… her decision had been instantaneous.

 

Relena looked down at her completed ensemble. She'd bought blue, only-straps, short heels and a navy-blue, velvet cape complete with hood. Her hair was done up ravishingly, long curls dangling alluringly from various places around her head and framing around her face. She looked every bit the part of an exotically seductive princess, the exact opposite of her personality. She shyly looked up to briefly meet Duo's eyes. He smiled in friendly understanding, and placed his hand comfortingly on top of hers.

 

“Time for you to have some fun, Princess,” he teased, making her giggle.

 

“Shall we go in, Miss Relena?” Quatre smiled and held out his elbow; Relena linked her other arm with his and they took off, Trowa and Wufei following closely behind the three. They walked around to the special side door reserved for the other Earth Sphere United Nations delegates and celebrities.

 

“Happy Halloween, guys,” she chirped out happily to her best friends, winking at them. The four men shared a private smile amongst themselves.

 

“What's going on?” Relena immediately asked, instantly suspicious at their strange antics. Duo and Quatre grinned wide, Trowa and Wufei smiled thinly, in answer to her. They pulled their half-face masks down from the tops of their heads to cover their faces. Relena sighed smilingly, entertained with their highly uncommon, yet youthful behaviour. It's futile to play twenty-questions with a Gundam pilot, much less four of them together in an obviously mischievous mood; she would find out whatever was their surprise for her soon enough. She pulled down her own half-face mask as they entered the building. The small group carefully navigated their way through the throngs of people in the illuminated, back corridors up to the breathtakingly decorated ballroom. Relena's mind swooned at the pleasurable sight of boundless colors flourishing brilliantly throughout the gigantic, window-laden room. She looked to her companions, sad to realize she couldn't clearly see their expressions through their masks…

 

Masquerade!

Paper faces on parade . . .

Masquerade!

Hide your face,

so the world will

never find you!

 

Relena took a moment to note she was very happy for an occasion where she would not be announced upon arrival… a rare chance to simply blend into the crowd, even if it was behind a mask. Trowa took her cape and purse, and paused. Relena noticed the sudden stop in movement from her bodyguards. She turned to them, seeing Duo's and Quatre's mouths gaping open, Wufei's and Trowa's eyes blinking stunned through their masks' holes. Deciding to tease them, Relena posed with one hand on her hip while the other flipped a long curl behind her back, and smirked at them. Duo, Quatre, and Trowa all laughed while Wufei smirked widely in amusement. Relena winked, then nodded her head in thanks to Trowa as Duo tugged childishly on her arm…

 

“I get first dibs on dancing!” Duo called out, pulling her away from the other three men.

 

“I don't think his plan will work if he gets tongue-tied with her dressed like that,” Trowa said to Wufei and Quatre.

 

“I'm sure of all people, he will manage. Besides, he owes me now…” Wufei huffed cryptically with a smile on his face.

 

“Well, if not tonight, there's always the morning…” Quatre smiled. The three ex-Gundam pilots visibly shook their heads in amusement and separated, spreading out around the vast room. Duo guided Relena to the middle of the dance floor where he whirled her up and around laughingly to the fast waltz swimming across the enclosed space.

 

Masquerade!

Every face a different shade . . .

Masquerade!

Look around -

there's another

mask behind you!

 

Where one waltz ended, another Gundam pilot began… Relena was elegantly spun into Quatre's arms. Quatre proved a slightly more-experienced dancer than Duo as he strongly twirled Relena through the crowd across the dance-floor. He danced her through the current song and the next…

 

Flash of mauve . . .

Splash of puce . . .

Fool and king . . .

Ghoul and goose . . .

Green and black . . .

Queen and priest . . .

Trace of rouge . . .

Face of beast . . .

Faces . . .

Take your turn, take a ride

on the merry-go-round . . .

in an inhuman race . . .

 

She felt herself slowly become wobbly, the ceaseless array of colors splashing her vision with their saturated rainbow. She turned from Quatre's arms to be pulled up into Trowa's. Relena laughed joyously, pleasantly surprised that Trowa danced as well as Quatre. Trowa also shared two dances with her. Soon enough, she heard the end of the song approaching, and she anticipated Duo's return…

 

Eye of gold . . .

Thigh of blue . . .

True is false . . .

Who is who . . .?

Curl of lip . . .

Swirl of gown . . .

Ace of hearts . . .

Face of clown . . .

Faces . . .

Drink it in, drink it up,

till you've drowned

in the light . . .

in the sound . . .

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

But who can name the face . . .?

 

Swept off her feet the moment Trowa released her, Relena turned around to find herself in the arms of… Wufei?! Her shocked expression remained successfully hidden by her mask. Wufei skillfully danced her into a flurry, this waltz as quick as the first. Relena's laughter soon rang out again, never imagining that Wufei, least of all people, would do something this sweet for her…

 

Masquerade!

Grinning yellows,

spinning reds . . .

Masquerade!

Take your fill -

let the spectacle

astound you!

 

Upon the song's end, she slightly leaned on Wufei exhausted, too out-of-breath to continue. He guided her to a table and chairs, holding out a chair for her to be seated. He silently sat down next to her, eyes subtlely scanning the crowd. Quatre mysteriously appeared with a strange, blue drink in his hands. Absolutely trusting of her bodyguards and uncaring what was the drink itself, she drank it swiftly, feeling the slight sting of the alcohol as it cooled down her throat. Although, there seemed to be more alcohol than juice in that drink…

 

“Aaaah, there you are, Miss Relena!” Senator Gordon Sherwhool sat down next to her, “Why, my dear, you look absolutely ravishing! Where ever did you find such an exquisite costume?”

 

“I was in Japan about two weeks ago and it just popped out at me,” Relena answered blithely. He smiled kindly.

 

“Aaaah, no wonder your young bodyguards are keeping you under such close watch tonight,” he laughed merrily, Relena laughing with him.

 

“These four are my best friends. They wanted to keep me company tonight,” she answered. Wufei quirked an eyebrow at her statement. Quatre returned and placed a second of the blue drinks into her hands. She looked up at him thankfully, downing this drink as she did the first.

 

“I see. Perhaps these strapping young lads wouldn't mind if an old codger like myself were to ask you for a dance?”

 

Relena laughed, “I'd be delighted, Senator!” She followed him back out to the dance floor, and they lightly pranced to a slow waltz. At the end of the dance, Senator Sherwhool graciously bowed to her, to which she curtsied.

 

Masquerade!

Burning glances,

turning heads . . .

Masquerade!

Stop and stare

at the sea of smiles

around you!

 

Coming up out of her curtsy, Relena was once again whirled up into Duo's arms. She hugged him close, laughing jollily into his ear…

 

“Duo! How many dances do you plan on stealing tonight?”

 

Duo spun her away from himself, and then pulled her back to him. He held her right hand aloft as he gently placed his right hand on the back of her ribcage and leaned down to her ear…

 

“I dunno what you're talking about, Princess?” he chuckled. Duo hogged her to himself for the next three dances, all fast-paced waltzes. The speed of the final waltz quickly escalated further, or was it the alcohol kicking in? Duo spun her dizzily in circles towards the outer-most edges of the crowd. He suddenly let her go…

 

Masquerade!

Seething shadows

breathing lies . . .

Masquerade!

You can fool

any friend who

ever knew you!

 

Powerful arms caught her, continuing to spin her as the speedy song ended. Soon, the warbles of a sweet, slow ballad filtered through the room. Breathing heavily and definitely tipsy, Relena unthinkingly hugged her arms around the shoulders of her current bodyguard. She didn't bother to look at the bowtie or his hair. It obviously wasn't Trowa, as he has always been the tallest of the pilots, and it wasn't Duo since the braid was missing. So then, she was dancing with either Quatre or Wufei. One arm from her ribcage moved down to her waist, pulling her closer. His left hand pulled her right hand to his chest. Relena sighed happily, feeling rare warmth infuse her.

 

Masquerade!

Leering satyrs,

peering eyes . . .

Masquerade!

Run and hide -

but a face will

still pursue you!

 

She slowly realized her dancer may not be whom he had seemed to be, or rather, whom she had predicted he should be. Regardless the large of alcohol on an empty stomach, her logical processes still worked full-rhythm. She blaringly grasped that Wufei would never hold her like this, much less Quatre. In fact, the only one of the four whom would dare dance with her like this would be Duo, since his marriage with Hilde was very secure…

 

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

What a night

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

What a crowd!

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

Makes you glad!

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

Makes you proud!

All the creme

de la creme!

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

Watching us watching them!

 

She lifted her head slowly, looking up at the darkly short, wild mess of hair on the back of her partner's head. Straightening just a bit more, she gasped in shock when she saw his bowtie...

 

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

And all our fears

are in the past!

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

@@@ Six years @@@

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

Of relief!

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

Of delight!

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

Of Elysian peace!

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

And we can breathe at last!

 

Her right arm rose in slow-motion from his chest, her fingers moving to caress the silky royal-blue material around his neck. Not paying attention to where they were going, she suddenly heard the door's push-handle click behind his back as he spun them out into a hallway different from the one she'd originally entered.

 

Masquerade!

Paper faces on parade!

Masquerade!

Hide your face,

so the world will

never find you!

 

Without a word, he released her, and then held her hand. Her silent partner guided her to one of the two elevators. She watched as he pulled out a key from his breast pocket, and plugged it into the wall with a quick rotation. He selected the “crow's nest” floor, the top-most platform of the tower; however, it's normally only accessible to the tower's working staff…

 

Masquerade!

Every face a different shade!

Masquerade!

Look around -

There's another

mask behind you!

 

When they reached the top, he removed the key and placed it back into his pocket. Casually, he pulled her out onto the small platform. Relena inhaled sharply, taking in the smattering of tea candles barely lining the tiny square. In the middle was a blanket with a bucket of ice, a bottle of champagne poking out from the top. Two glasses stood side-by-side next to the bucket.

 

Masquerade!

Burning glances,

turning heads . . .

Masquerade!

Stop and stare

at the sea of smiles

around you!

 

He walked them over to the blanket and steered Relena to a kneeling position. He then sat next to her and pulled her down off her haunches so that her legs were curled underneath, holding her snugly against his chest between his legs so that her lower half was sideways to him. He carefully disentangled her mask's ties from her hair and tossed it to the other side of the blanket. Relena smiled, and tugged off Heero's mask in turn to see his amused, smiling eyes. His mask landed somewhere near her own. Heero turned her top-half to face him. He hugged one arm around the front of her waist as his other supported them both. Relena looked up, noticing he had faced them towards the full moon. She smiled as she leaned back, laying her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. She felt him lift his hand from her waist, smoothly lowering her hand from his chest to her thighs, exposing her chest. He played with a long curl that had fallen across her bust, his fingers teasingly tickling her flesh as he twirled the hair around his fingers.

 

“Can't leave you Gundam pilots alone for a moment, can I? I turn my head, just to fall into yet another well-thought out plot,” she teased him.

 

“Over-analyzing is our specialty,” he joked back in his emotionless, deep voice, “though it seems some things require further analysis than others…”

 

She looked up to see his eyes locked on her cleavage in obvious appreciation, his now empty hand staying still in the air, hovering tantalizingly a hair's breath away. Heero's breath shallowed in an instant, her glorious visage apparently too much for even his iron-bound will to ignore; he gently cupped a mound, his thumb rubbing circles on her nipple through the thick collar. She moaned pleasurably, letting him have his way for a moment, before guiding his abnormally distracted hand back down to her waist.

 

“Speaking of over, I haven't seen you in that much of a year,” she idly commented, rubbing her hand suggestively up his chest to his shoulder. Seeing him only one-to-three times a year for the past six years did nothing to assuage their desire for each other's company, if anything, they'd wanted to see each other even more. This past year proved the most difficult as neither had had the time for the entire year for a visit. Relena left it as an open-ended question just in case Heero decided to actually answer it for once...

 

“I completed my mission,” he answered.

 

“Hmmmm,” she breathed deeply, carefully stretching out both of her legs on top of his right leg. She leaned over and un-strapped her heels, laying them off to the side; three hours of dancing in dress-heels was magnificently tiring. He bent his left leg, and she leaned her back against his knee, hugging him again. “Any further missions soon?”

 

“Yes, I've already begun my newest mission.”

 

She sighed disappointingly, though she should know better by now. Heero's hand came up from her waist, tilting her chin up to him. He kissed her tenderly, stroking from her cheek, down her neck, and over her bust, squeezing it once more.

 

“I take it you like my costume?” she flirted. In answer, Heero bent over and placed a kiss on top of the breast he was fondling. Releasing her, she watched as he popped open the champagne and poured a glass for both of them, handing her one. They clinked the two plastic goblets and sipped the delectably effervescent liquid. The young couple enjoyed their drinks together in comfortable silence, embracing each other with their eyes. When they finished, Heero stretched to place the plastic goblets on the ground off to the side of the blanket. Relena leaned on his shoulder, hugging her arms blissfully around his chest. He embraced her tightly, nestling his nose into her hair.

 

“Would you like to know what my new mission is, Relena?” he asked, his eyes sparkling in the soft candlelight. Stunned by his unusual question, she hesitantly nodded in the affirmative. He leaned into her, wrapping her closer to him.

 

“My mission is the same principal mission I've been working on for the past few years; however, its status changed as of yesterday,” he nuzzled her cheek with his nose.

 

“But I thought you just said you completed your mission?” she pulled back to look into his unfathomable eyes.

 

“I've been bogged down with a few different, simultaneous missions since the end of Mariemaia's war… I just finished the years-long reconnaissance portion of the overall mission. Now, I'm officially assigned to the primary mission, possibly permanent depending on the intelligence I gather tonight.”

 

“So you're here on only business tonight?” she asked as she downcasted her eyes, resigned disappointment lacing her voice. She looked back up to him, “Is it dangerous?”

 

“Depending on my informant's reaction, it could be the most dangerous mission of my life,” he smirked flippantly, pushing a strand of hair away from the corner of her eye.

 

“Gods Heero! Only you could be nonchalant about extreme life-or-death situations,” she sighed heavily, laughing at the same time.

 

“Relena, aren't you going to ask about my mission?” he asked.

 

“You've never wanted me to know before… why now?” she asked curiously.

 

Masquerade!

Grinning yellows,

spinning reds . . .

Masquerade!

Take your fill -

let the spectacle

astound you

 

“What would you say if I was now permanently assigned to Earth?” Relena sharply inhaled and became silent. He felt her contemplating his question through her alcohol-induced fog. Heero took that time to enjoy her sweet warmth in his arms…

 

“That's nice,” she finally answered with a straight face after quite some time.

 

Heero quirked an eyebrow and tilted her face up to his. His eyes sparkled in answer to the devilish glint in hers. “I'll be located in the rebuilt Sanc Kingdom.”

 

Relena openly smirked at that statement. “Where ever in the Sanc Kingdom would you stay, Heero?”

 

“Well, the Vice Foreign Minister recently moved back into the Peacecraft mansion since the rebuilding is complete. I already have permission from Zechs; however, he warned that I need permission of the current head of the Peacecraft family.”

 

“Hmmmm, I'm sorry my mother isn't here to give you that permission, but I'll be sure to ask her on your behalf,” she answered tongue-in-cheekily. Heero's lips ever-so-slightly quirked up in a smile.

 

“How about the current head of the Darlian family?”

 

“You're striking out tonight… I'm afraid the current head of the Darlian family is quite tipsy and rather indisposed at the moment… perhaps you should wait until the morning?” she continued jokingly.

 

“You're not making this easy,” he murmured amusedly.

 

“Oh? Strange, I thought I was acting the role of the informant quite brilliantly,” she giggled.

 

“Relena.”

 

She promptly sobered at the sudden seriousness in his voice. “I've been assigned to be your permanent, primary bodyguard. I would never leave your side again, but only if you so wish this. Lady Une requires your answer tomorrow at lunch,” he said gravely. Relena's smile outshone the full moon's light in its radiance.

 

“Very well, Heero. I understand, and accept, your mission. However, now I'd like for you to tell me what my true role is in your mission? Surely it's not the damsel in distress?” she tittered.

 

~~~~~ -- ~~~~~

Think of it!

A secret engagement!

Look - your future bride!

Just think of it!

 

Heero genuinely smiled as he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a jewelry-ring box. Relena gasped and held her breath. “Open it… I think it speaks for itself,” he said. Relena tenderly pulled out the engagement ring and looked up at Heero. He took the ring, put the box on the ground beside himself, and slid it onto her left ring-finger.

 

“Vice Foreign Minister Relena Peacecraft Darlian, former Queen of the Earth, will you marry me?”

 

Relena stared incredulously at Heero, and then burst out into wild laughter.

 

“I don't think that's a typical response,” he mocked a hurt expression, which looked absurd on his stoic features; Relena laughed harder. Heero chuckled with her, sliding the ring back off her finger. She contentedly observed as he pulled the velvet ring-holder from inside the box and lifted a hidden long, silver necklace. He ran the necklace through the ring, then clasped the necklace around her neck. She looked up at him questioningly as he tossed the box somewhere off to the side.

 

“Let's avoid the media nightmare for now; I'm sure you'd rather enjoy the rest of this week in peace until the Preventers can feed the appropriate rumours to the masses.”

 

“A secret engagement?” she giggled, lengthening to brief laughter once again. He waited patiently until her laughter died down, then pulled her face up to his. The young couple kissed; Heero sensually moved his lips over hers. He pulled back to look into her eyes.

 

“Relena, will you marry me?”

 

“Halloween is a rather strange day to propose marriage, but then again, I suppose it would look even stranger if I didn't answer “Yes” the way I've been dreaming of for all of these ye--,” his lips interrupted hers as he descended once again. This time when he pulled back, she followed him, renewing their timeless affections. The former Gundam Pilot and Queen of the World lovingly embraced each other, gazing up at the moon, its mysterious white mask forever watching over their endless waltz.

 

~ Owari ~

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

@@@ Author's Notes: @@@

1) I had to take a break from Chapter 15 of my Rurouni Kenshin fic “Never For the Public…” I'm having difficulties there, for some reason…

2) I LOVE The Phantom of the Opera with the Original Cast. I changed `months' to `years' on purpose; this verse was far too perfect for the GW Universe. :)))

3) The Special Forces Unit is the Preventers' elite shadow unit, comprising the five Gundam pilots, Zechs, Noin, and Sally Po.

 

Katajikenai, minna-san.

 

Glossary:

 

-san = an honorific pronoun suffix addressed to someone whom is older, or is a stranger

Katajikenai = Old Samurai language, now obsolete… Thank You formally; grateful; indebted

Minna = Everyone

Owari = Japanese traditional way of ending stories, “The End”