Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Theories of Revolution and Affairs of the Heart ❯ Public Secrets ( Chapter 21 )

Dorothy stalked in search of Pargan with a frown twisting her lips. Relena had been gone too long. It was high time that Dorothy got her back under her thumb again. She would have said the girl was doing the unexpected, but she'd always been impulsive. But her impulsive acts always involved Pargan in one way or another. The old butler would know, and he was going to tell her. "Pargan!"

The butler's head poked around the kitchen door frame. "Yes, Dorothy?"

"Where has Miss Relena gone?" She tapped one foot impatiently.

"I-- I know no more than you do, Dorothy. I haven't heard from her ever since she went and disappeared." Pargan looked nervous, more wrinkles than usual creasing his brow.

"Don't lie to me, Pargan. You aren't at all convincing." A saccharine sweet smile crossed her lips. Oh, yes, Pargan knew, and the cowering little man wasn't going to escape by telling her an obvious lie.

Pargan swallowed nervously, stepping out into the hallway. "I'm under direct orders from Miss Relena not to tell anyone of her whereabouts."

"I'm sure that didn't include me, Pargan."

"Actually..." The old man pulled at his collar nervously. "It included you especially."

Dorothy gave the butler a long look, enjoying his squirming. "Miss Relena needs direction, you know that. I'm sure it makes you nervous to have her out without any kind of supervision. It makes me nervous, too. Why don't you tell me where she is, so that we can bring her back here where she'll be safe?"

"Because I can't disobey Miss Relena," Pargan said firmly, pressing his lips together.

"Miss Relena is hardly known for her smart decisions. She puts herself in danger on a regular basis. Are you sure you want to risk that?"

Pargan grimaced. "Dorothy, I -- I-- Hilde Schbeiker's junkyard."

"Thank you, Pargan." Dorothy walked away, mocking laughter floating back to taunt him.

***

Standing outside the junkyard, Dorothy wrinkled her nose. She didn't understand how Miss Relena could have spent so long here. It was certainly outside of her normal kind of place. Relena could hardly be comfortable here. She sighed, brushed a hand over her hair in a long ingrained habit, and paced up to the door, knocking.

After waiting a few minutes with no response, she decided to simply go in. Besides, it would give her a chance to see how the other half lived. Dorothy smirked as she entered the house. She looked around with barely veiled curiosity until she caught sight of the couch in the living room. She froze. "Miss RELENA!"

Relena looked up quickly, recognizing the voice. "Dorothy," she acknowledged, snuggling closer into Hilde. The two were sprawled on the couch in a mass of limbs, fully clothed and with no sign of previous naughty activity, but definitely snuggling. A little more than friendly at that.

Hilde barely contained a smirk, which she promptly hid in Relena's shoulder.

Dorothy took a deep breath or two before she spoke. "This is quite a turn around for you."

"Is it?" Relena asked curiously. "Do tell, Dorothy."

"Well, a few weeks ago you were pining over Heero, and a few weeks before that utterly scandalized that your brother was gay." Dorothy looked over the snuggling pair with a raised eyebrow.

Relena sighed. "It was more of an issue with who Zechs was with than the gender of who Zechs was with. And besides, I know about Heero now. As Hilde said, the best of them are usually gay. What else am I supposed to do?"

Dorothy ground her teeth so hard that she could have sworn Relena and Hilde could hear it. She wanted to BE there when Relena's illusions came tumbling down. She wanted to be the one who caused it, not listen to Relena philosophically explain about the experience and her own change of heart about sexual orientation.

Hilde raised her head, acting miffed. "So I'm the what-else option?"

"Probably," Relena teased, poking Hilde's nose. She did her best to ignore Dorothy, hoping the blonde woman would get fed up and leave.

Hilde huffed. "Ungrateful girl."

Dorothy stood there, unable to believe that Relena would dismiss her like that. She stood there, close to spluttering, then thought about the latest intelligence she'd collected. Maybe she could get the chance to see Relena tumble down a bit. "Miss Relena..."

"Yes, Dorothy?" Relena chose to ignore that Pargan had obviously ratted on her. She couldn't blame the poor man, not with Dorothy antagonizing him for information.

Dorothy smiled, enjoying the moment. Relena's little idyl would soon be over. "You're going to have quite some damage control to do. Your dear brother is taking over the leadership of White Fang... as Milliardo Peacecraft."

Blink. Blink, blink. Then... "WHAT?!" Relena screeched, jumping out of Hilde's arms and storming up to Dorothy. "Don't lie to me."

"Why would I do that? Especially about something you can check on yourself?" Dorothy smirked.

"And why would he do a THING like that? My brother isn't stupid, Dorothy," Relena retorted, smoothing the wrinkles in her skirt.

"I don't pretend to know his reasons, Miss Relena. But he's gone to them... alone. I'd say that means he's serious, wouldn't you?"

Relena started to pace, gritting her teeth, ignoring the bewildered Hilde on the couch. "So what do you want ME to do?"

Dorothy watched her agitated pacing and smiled. "I just wanted you to know." She turned and left in a flurry of blonde hair and swirling skirts.

"But-- Doro-THY!" Relena called after her, clenching her fists. Sighing, she turned to Hilde and collapsed on the couch. "Great..." she muttered.

Hilde sat up. "What ARE you going to do? White Fang's been through here looking for Duo... they want to fight."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Relena mumbled darkly. "And I don't know what to do. I can't tell Zechs what to do, not that he'd listen to me anyway. Furthermore, I'm not involved with or in White Fang, but I feel like if I don't do something, I'm irresponsible!"

"You're not in a position to do anything at the moment. Let's get a handle on what's going on first. Maybe Duo knows what's going on," Hilde suggested softly.

Relena sighed again, then stood up. "Good idea." She walked over to Hilde's laptop, sitting down and sending a short email.

~~Duo, it's Relena. Call the junkyard ASAP, Hilde and I need to talk to you. We don't know where you are.~~

Hilde sighed softly. "I hope he'll respond... and that he knows something."

Twenty long minutes later, the video phone beeped. Relena turned it on and Duo's face filled the screen, creased with worry. "Ojousan? What's wrong? And... what the hell are you doing at Hilde's?"

"Staying here, what's it look like?" Relena controlled a faint blush, then she decided to cut to the chase. "Duo, why did Zechs go to White Fang?"

Duo frowned. "You think I'D know? Well, I do. Apparently he thinks he can make a difference over there. They offered the position and he took it. He thinks he can stop 'em, too. That's about all I know."

Relena blinked, then gave a relieved sigh. "Oh, good. I was afraid he was off looking for another fight."

"Who knows? He could be, and he was just lyin' to me. I have no idea." Duo sighed, brushing his bangs out of his eyes the best he could. "So who told you?"

Relena watched Duo with a certain amount of sympathy. The resignation in his tone... Relena understood him a bit better now. Or maybe she'd just unwound. "Dorothy paid me a call."

Duo grinned. "Oh great, psycho woman. I'll make you a bet, one hundred bucks that she joins Zechs over at Fang."

"I might be naive, but not dumb, Duo." Relena grinned.

"Fine, fine, ojousan, have it your way. Can I talk to Hilde?" A fly buzzed in front of Duo's face, and he swatted at it absently. "Woulda killed it but it woulda gotten the monitor all gory and bloody. Then I'd have to clean it up and I don't know if you have the stomach for bug guts, ojousan."

Relena gave Duo a Look as she called for Hilde, then pressed an absent kiss to her cheek as she left. Hilde settled in front of the monitor. "What's up, Duo?"

"Hiya, Hilde..." Duo said slowly, more than slightly bewildered. "Is there... something you're not telling me?"

She grinned. "I don't tell you everything, Duo. A girl's gotta have a few secrets, right?"

Duo rolled his eyes. "You and that saying again. It's hardly a secret when you're that blatant about it, sweets."

Hilde laughed. "Blatant? Me?"

"Maybe not you, but Relena's another thing. Well, congratulations and all that fun stuff. Does this mean Relena's no longer Heero's self-appointed shadow?"

"That's a fairly safe assumption."

Duo grinned. "Cool! Well, ladies, forgive my rudeness but I absolutely MUST be going," he said in a mockingly prim voice, lifting his chin. "Do have a lovely rest of whenever, and please, no sex in the champagne room."

"Hentai!" Hilde laughed fondly. "Take care of yourself."

"You too," Duo said, blowing a kiss. "Ja ne." The connection ended.

Hilde leaned backwards in her chair. "Lena-dear... you are becoming extremely naughty."

"I am not!" Relena protested, walking up behind Hilde and draping her arms around the other girl's shoulders. "Just braver."

"After watching you face down Dorothy, I believe it." Hilde turned to hug her.

Relena hugged back, smiling. "You know, Duo was probably right on the point of Dorothy and White Fang."

"Yeah, unfortunately. I'm more worried about her and White Fang than Zechs."

"Same here. If anyone's going to make an impression over there, Dorothy will likely be the one." Relena rested her chin on Hilde's shoulder. "But for now, I really can't do anything. We'll wait and watch, and if I have to do something, I will."

Hilde just nodded as she held Relena. "I hope that's enough."

OWARI