Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Sitting in a Tree ❯ K-I ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2/7: Sitting in a Tree K-I

Summary: A series of one shots centering Relena, Heero and a kiss.

The pale autumn sun gleamed sorrowfully through the brightly colored leaves not yet littering the lawn.   A brisk breeze danced with the foliage, occasionally carrying off a leaf into a solitary waltz.  A blond haired woman walked slowly through her garden, occasionally marvelling at the strength of a resilient flower.  The familiar soft padding of following footsteps had returned to the house and for the first time in weeks she was left unguarded.  

She was somewhat bored.  No one was around to torment by tripping and almost falling into a rose bush as they dove to protect her; no one to annoy with ceaseless prattle about nothing of importance; no one for her to subtly imply they were gaining weight.   It was a game to see which guard would quit first, and she was sure she was wearing a few down to bitter distaste for their job.   She would do anything to spite (and in truth, to get the attention of) their boss, of whom she hadn't seen in two months, a week, three days and a number of hours.  

The carefree feeling of freedom was quickly overlaid by a surprising sensation of utter loneliness.   She did not wish to dwell on her solitariness, and briskly left the secure confines of her private garden and continued onto the vast lawn of her estate.   The wide patch of grass between the house and the trees was not only a lovely view, but also a nuisance to maintain and a primitive, yet effective, form of security.   It was more difficult to sneak across a large vacant field without detection than it was a forest.   Her lawn got the Heero grunt of approval.

Which was fine and dandy for her lawn, but when you got down to it, being jealous of some grass wasn't very healthy.

A chilling breeze created a wave effect through the grass, curling around her legs and wafting her hair.  Relena paused for a second to feel the brisk draft tingle on her fair skin, trying to numb her nose with a hint of frost.   Her breath condensed into puffy little clouds, giving her the urge to shiver, but also giving her hope for the first snowfall.

The grass was crisp beneath her feet but still neatly manicured and raked with pride.   Winter was coming and soon it would all be covered in a thick layer of snow.   The forest beckoned her with its shady secrets and fallen foliage.   She needed the dangerous fun of jumping and shuffling through leaves hiding threats of rocks and sharp branches.   It was the closest thing to a hazard she'd find on her property, and such a childish amusement.   She needed to prove that Relena Dorlian, Foreign Minister and former Queen could still be young.

It was too easy to slip into the forest.   She hurried the first few feet, trying to lose herself amid the bare trees.   The forest was thick enough to enable foliage cover after a dozen meters, and she stopped dead to listen to the sounds of the forest.   Leaves rustled, a distant dog barked, and her controlled breathing was low and shallow.  There was nary a whisper of sound in the peaceful woods.

She followed a natural path, created by branches and roots years before she had been born.   Occasionally, she would go out of her way in order to shuffle through a mound of dampened, yet crisp, beautifully hued leaves.   It was slightly warmer in the forest, the trees a barrier to the wind, but no longer stopping the sun from shining on the exposed woodland bed.  

Relena swung around a supple tree, laughing in surprise when she almost tripped over a root.   She came to a stop and stared when a scratching noise sounded on her right.   A few feet away stood a patchy dog of a chocolate color.   She felt her heart melt at its thinness and raggedy coat and she wondered if she could find someone to take care of a slightly-worn dog.

It growled nastily at her, drawing her attention to its mouth.   The blissful atmosphere changed.   Sickly white foam drooled from snarling lips, and her heart almost missed a beat.   Rabies.   The dog eyed her, remaining surprisingly calm and lulling her into a false sense of security.   It barked sharply.

Relena screamed.

The dog attacked.

She automatically took a step backwards, tripping over a root in her frantic haste.   The dog was practically on her already.   Quickly, she brought her arms up to protect her face.   The dog pounced on her stomach, snarling and snapping at her.   She could feel claws ripping at her thick sweater, and the teeth sank into the fabric of her sleeve, narrowly missing flesh.   She had to use all willpower she possessed not to try to buck it off and aggravate it more.  She couldn't remember what to do when faced with a rabid animal, but the thought that it didn't need to be provoked in order to attack kept taunting her as she waited for the pain of splitting flesh that would signify the passing of the virus.

The dog suddenly collapsed.

Blood sprayed in a violent art over the mossy ground and roughly barked trees.   It splashed in her hair, marring gold with deep red.   She could feel the warm liquid seep through her clothes, and she didn't know whether to feel horror or relief.   The dog had been shot down expertly, but she still retained the utter fear that coursed through her veins due to the attack.   She couldn't breathe, trapped, sprawled beneath the body as if she was the chalk delineation at the scene of a murder.   She was suffocating to death on the smell of fresh blood, a surprisingly familiar stench.

As suddenly as the initial attack ensued, the warm body was roughly grabbed from her inert form and viciously tossed aside.   She felt herself being gathered into gentle arms, cradled against the uncontrollable shivers wracking her frame from the inside out.

"You'll be fine after you take a postexposure prophylaxis."   A gruff, formal and oh-so-familiar voice informed her.

"Oh, do you think so, Mr. Doesntcareabou…"   She started bitterly, picking a fight to get rid of the bitter tang of fear empowering her senses.

He cut her off and pressed a kiss on her forehead.   It was a motion so uncharacteristic of him she forgot about everything, if only for a moment.   "Yeah I do."   He helped her to her feet, supporting most her weight as they twisted through the surprisingly deep forest of her estate.   "You'll have a new project to keep you company."

"Making sure I don't turn into a werewolf on the next full moon?"   She muttered sarcastically, trying to find out what he knew that she didn't.   He just smirked and set to work getting the rabies antidote into her system.

It wasn't until much later, after he disappeared like a wisp of fog in the heat of day, that she found the note he left her containing one insignificant name.   She stared at it, realizing this was as much of an invitation as she'd ever get into his life, an invite to come visit him.

She smiled, wanly touching her forehead, and went to sleep with an allowance to dream of the future.