Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Theories of Revolution and Affairs of the Heart ❯ Contentions ( Chapter 4 )

Heero was moodily silent as he physically dragged a very reluctant Relena up the steps of her house. His grip on her arm was probably going to leave bruises, but he didn't appear to care. In fact, any normal human being would have been moving as far away from him as possible, given a choice. His death-glare would have been enough, but add to that his dirty, bruised body, with a shallow gash bleeding on his arm and he looked truly frightening. Not that his companion seemed affected in the least.

"Won't you come in, Heero?" Relena said politely, tugging at Heero's shirt with her free arm. "You seem like you're awfully tired, and in need of medical help. I can get you a doctor..." In the mean time, her head was churning. 'Zechs? My brother... is gay? And with Duo? Why DUO? Duo shot Heero, and I don't li--' She cut off that thought abruptly. It wouldn't do to dislike anyone whom Heero seemed to be partial to. She allowed herself to be dragged up the steps, fully intending on making Heero stay once they were inside.

Heero grunted noncommittally. As the door opened to reveal Relena's butler, 'Pargan, Pagan, something like that,' his mind identified, he thrust Relena at him immediately. "Here."

"Miss Relena!" Pargan exclaimed, catching Relena's shoulders so that she wouldn't fall. Relena, however, had another agenda.

"HEERO! Where are you going, Heero?" she cried, seeing Heero turning to leave.

Heero gave her an incredulous look. 'Away, far away from here.' "Home."

'But you don't HAVE a home, Heero. Stay here... with me...' "That's nonsense. You're in no shape to go anywhere." She reached forward and grabbed his arm, pulling him through the door and shutting it behind him. "You're staying here until you're well, Heero." She looked at him, trying to show him with her eyes that she meant well. Besides, she knew about what was between them, that special, unspoken bond they shared. Heero would understand.

Heero looked at Relena with rising horror. He had to get out of here. He looked at Pargan with appealing eyes, begging him for help. "Relena, I can't." 'I won't.' "It wouldn't be safe for you." He improvised quickly.

Pargan blinked, seeing the threat behind those appealing eyes. They shouted clearly, 'If you don't get this girl away from me and let me leave NOW, I will rearrange your face. Slowly and painfully.' He was suddenly torn between obeying Miss Relena's wishes and staying in one healthy, happy piece.

"No," Relena said loudly, "it's quite all right, Heero. Nobody will know you're here. And I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. It will be fine." 'Why are you trying to leave, Heero? Why aren't you staying? What's wrong? Tell me, Heero...'

Before Heero could respond, the cool, measured tones of Dorothy Catalonia floated down to them. "Miss Relena, you know that a hero's work is never done. I'm sure there are things he needs to do." Dorothy smirked. She didn't think it would be easy to talk Relena out of clinging to Heero, but she definitely did not want him around. Relena tended to forget she was there when the dour young man was present.

"Dorothy," Relena said absently, as if the fact wasn't obvious. Heero looked at Dorothy, wondering whether to bother asking WHY Catalonia was on his side, or just be grateful and hope that her persuasion would work better than his own, or the butler's.

Dorothy fairly bristled at the absent tone. She wanted Relena's full attention so she quickly crossed over to her, taking her arm. "I'm sure you've had quite a shock, Miss Relena. Why don't we get you a cup of tea?" If she left Heero out of the invitation, no one but Relena was going to mind. Pargan almost looked visibly relieved, while Heero had definitely edged a foot closer to the door. Dorothy controlled her smirk with an effort.

"That would be lovely. Heero, would you like to join--"

"Miss Relena," Dorothy cut her off firmly. "I'm sure Heero needs to see to the rest of his mission." Dorothy threw a significant look at Pargan, silently ordering him to help with the dismissal.

Pargan hesitated slightly, then went to the door and opened it for Heero. "Good day, sir," he said, clearly indicating that Heero had better leave now, or there might not be another chance.

Heero wasn't one too look a gift horse in the mouth, and fled with a nod of goodbye to Relena and an almost grateful look to Catalonia.

"But, Heero..." Relena said weakly, reaching out a hand to Heero's retreating figure.

Dorothy wrapped an arm around Relena, drawing her gently into the parlor. "He has other priorities, Miss Relena." Another meaningful look, and Pargan left the room to fetch some tea.

Relena walked stiffly to a chair, sitting down, folding her skirts about her. She crossed her arms and refused to look at Dorothy.

Dorothy patiently waited out Relena's silence until Pargan brought the tea. Then fixing a cup for Relena, she passed it over. "Why don't you tell me what's bothering you, Miss Relena? I'm sure it would help you feel better."

"It's none of your business, Dorothy."

Dorothy resisted a smirk. 'So Miss Relena's growing a backbone. That makes this much more interesting.' "Come now, Miss Relena. Heero has the fate of the colonies resting on his shoulders. He can't attend you all the time, even if it would be pleasant for him to do so after he rescues you."

"I know. It's just..." Relena stiffened, realizing that she was giving in. But she had to tell someone. She continued with a sigh. "I wish he would open up to me. He acts so distant, but I know that he cares... he must care. I just don't understand why he won't talk to me or let me take care of him."

Dorothy fought the urge to throw up. These fluffy pink princess dreams of Miss Relena's were truly nauseating, in their naive look on life. But she couldn't tell Relena to shut up when she'd just tried to get her to talk. She sighed. It looked like she was going to have to feed Miss Relena's delusions a little longer. "He's a warrior. And to fight, he must keep a certain distance from those things he fights for in order to protect them. Perhaps when the war is over..."

Relena nodded slowly. "Yes, that's right. When the war is over..." But the troubled look didn't leave her eyes.

Dorothy leaned over and lightly touched Relena's arm. Perhaps sympathy would gain her an account of today's events. "Miss Relena, what happened today?"

"Zechs--" Relena started, then stopped immediately. blushing in spite of herself. She wrinkled up her nose in contempt for-- "Duo..." She fell silent, sipping her tea, staring into the porcelain cup.

Dorothy eyed Relena's blush. 'Zechs? Duo? Zechs and Duo? Was she implying?' Dorothy leaned forward, unable to hide all of her vicarious interest. "What were they doing?"

"They..." Relena said helplessly, making vague hand gestures in the air, obviously flustered. "You know..." She blushed further, still scowling.

'She WAS implying that, how marvelous.' Dorothy noted Relena's flustered state with satisfaction. She needed to remember that it upset Relena so much. She really was in a delightfully maleable state. Dorothy widened her eyes and looked shocked. "They didn't!"

"They did," Relena said, finally looking at Dorothy. "And forget that I have personal issues with it, Zechs being my brother and all. If this EVER got out..." She buried her head in her hands. "That would be a FINE reputation for the Sanc Kingdom..."

"Scandalous, absolutely scandalous." 'Little Miss Relena is more concerned about the Sanc Kingdom's reputation than her brother's morals?' Dorothy fought the urge to cackle. This was wonderful.

"How can I make sure this doesn't get out, Dorothy? So many people saw. I saw, though I'M not going to say anything, and Heero saw, but he'd know anyway since he knows Duo and Duo would tell him, most likely. Besides, Heero won't go telling anybody. I'm not worried about Treize, either." She stopped to catch her breath. "I'm more worried about Noin and Une. Noin might say something because she's jealous, and Une might say something because she never liked Zechs in the first place. Oh GODS, what am I going to DO!"

"Lady Une would most likely not go against Treize. She does live for his approval. And Noin...Noin doesn't have the strength of will to do something that would hurt Zechs." Dorothy hesitated. "But Miss Relena, why do you think Duo would... kiss and tell? Surely Heero would not wish to hear of Duo's... peccadilloes."

Relena shrugged slightly. "Maybe Heero wouldn't WISH to hear of them, but Duo strikes me as the type of person to... well, kiss and tell, as you said."

'Ah, so Miss Relena recognizes Duo as a rival.' Dorothy nodded reluctantly. "I suppose. Though I think the secret will be safe."

"Yes. I suppose you're right, Dorothy. But... political issues aside... Dorothy, Zechs is my brother, and..." She trailed off, not really knowing how to explain.

"It disturbs you that he would do this." Dorothy nodded again, a knowing look sliding briefly across her features. "I suppose that it was inevitable. Something about the warrior's life has led many great leaders to seeking companionship from their fellow man."

Relena blinked. "Fellow man? I hardly--" She stopped, but then decided to just say it. Why not? "I hardly see how Zechs finds a fellow *man* in Duo."

Fixing Relena with a steady look that said 'you're not being truthful with yourself,' Dorothy answered, "Come now, Miss Relena. All of the Gundam pilots carry the worries and responsibilities of a man. Not to mention they are quite attractive, not just your Heero."

Relena had to stop herself from grinning widely at Dorothy's last two words. "No, that isn't quite what I meant," Relena said, knowing that it WAS what she meant. "I mean, Duo is, what, 15? Yes, 15. And Zechs is 19. That's... not right! Duo is still just a child, just like Heero! How could Zechs POSSIBLY want...a child?"

"Does that mean you also want a child, Miss Relena?" Dorothy immediately retorted, fighting her laughter. Relena was so easy to manipulate, it almost took the fun out of it. Almost. "Or are you also still a child?"

"Yes, but I'm the same age as Heero! It's different with Zechs!" Relena replied, narrowing her eyes. "It's natural for people of the same age to like... want... each other. But this is a different situation entirely, Dorothy."

"Zechs really isn't that much older, and he's that much more aware of his...wants." Dorothy shrugged. "If it weren't for the war and the responsibility that Treize puts on him, Zechs would hardly be considered an adult either."

"Certainly more than Duo or any of the Gundam pilots are! For one thing, Duo is a minor, while Zechs certainly isn't!"

"Ah, so being a minor immediately reduces one's ability to choose." Dorothy smirked at the opening. "That belittles your own actions, Miss Relena."

Relena fought back her glare. "Ability to choose and way of the law are entirely unrelated things."

"In reality they are very much the same thing. Since you are legally a minor, Mrs. Dorlian could, by rights, keep you locked in this house and away from the war until you're 18. Your ability to choose would be negated by the way of the law. Think about the problem the way of law presents for Heero and all of the Gundam pilots. The law stands in their way for more than just rights." Dorothy barely resisted the smirk this time.

"Yes. In the original instance, Duo's right to choose IS negated by the way of the law, because he is a minor. You're right on that point." Relena took another sip of her tea, chewing on her lower lip. "However, I fail to see how that belittles my own actions, if I was not the one who created these laws."

"You say that Duo and Heero, who are the same age as you, despite doing great things are nothing more than children. You fall under the same category. And what right thinking adult takes the actions of children seriously?"

Relena poured more tea. "Whether they do great things or not, the point is that they are legally still children. They, and I, are only children by legal age. This does not hamper or leaden our actions and abilities in any way, outside of things such as drinking. And we can do even that, though it's technically illegal."

Dorothy rolled her eyes. One of these days she was going to take a great deal of joy in crushing Relena's naive outlook, but for now, she would indulge her. "I agree about abilities, but you are in a unique position, Miss Relena. Ordinary children of 15 or 16 could not even begin to do what you do, their lives are not that unhampered. Neither you nor the Gundam pilots could be said to fit into the normal world of a child. In practical terms, you are no longer children."

"In practical terms, yes. I was only talking about legal matters in regard to age." Relena's eyes widened suddenly. "Oh no..."

"Oh no?" Dorothy leaned forwards. Anything that suddenly upset Relena was bound to be interesting.

"Dorothy... you know at least a little about Heero, right? Well... knowing what you do, do you think he knows anything about..." She blushed. "...that? As in the Duo and Zechs that...?" She looked away, still blushing. "Do you think he knows anything? Or is he innocent about it...?"

Dorothy had to fight hard to contain her laughter, but a snicker still escaped. "I believe that Heero is like most 15 year old boys, Miss Relena."

"I'm just worried that... maybe, after what I've seen, Duo might try to...oh GODS, what if Heero... no! Heero has such a hard time communicating, he might not know how to say no! What if Duo... TRIES something?!" Relena's grip on her teacup was deadly, but not strong enough to shatter it.

Dorothy stared at Relena in disbelief. 'Is she truly THAT oblivious?' Recovering, Dorothy forced herself to respond slowly. "I think Heero would find it... easier to communicate his... displeasure to Duo."

"You really think so?" Relena asked, face lighting up.

"Yes." Dorothy said firmly. 'Easier than he finds it to tell you no.'

Relena looked much more at ease. "Well, that's a relief. If that ever happened..." With a violent shake of her head, Relena scowled. "But it won't happen. Heero would never let himself be... USED like that." She gave Dorothy a half-smile. "You said so yourself."

Dorothy choked on her sip of tea. 'Used? She doesn't know the half of it.' She had to bring this to a close or she wouldn't able to hold back on saying some things she wasn't yet ready to say. She leaned over and took Relena's tea cup from her hand and set it on the table. "It's been a long day, Miss Relena, and I'm sure you're tired. Why don't you go to bed?"

"I guess you're right, Dorothy." Relena stood up. "I'll go to bed. Thank you, Dorothy, for talking with me. I feel better now." She smiled graciously and left the room. "Sleep well, Miss Relena."

Dorothy sat and stared after the girl, shaking her head slowly. 'Oh, Miss Relena, one of these days your ivory tower is going to come tumbling down, and I truly wish I'll be there to see it.'

~OWARI~