Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, or any of its characters.
A.N.: Okay, here is the start of the revision I have planned. I hope everyone likes this new edition of A Weekend to Remember as much as they liked the original. I feel that that this version is far better than the original since it is more descriptive and more in-character. Well, have fun, read, and enjoy!
A Weekend to Remember
Chapter One: Hilde's Gift
It had been a wonderful day, but it was almost over. Relena had thrown Hilde a surprise party for the twentieth anniversary of her birth, and Hilde was still trying to contain her excitement at getting to see everyone.
It had been a year since the two of them had become roommates. The decision to move in together came after the Preventers called the Gundam pilots to move in to the main headquarters. Hilde wanted a roommate after Duo had to leave, and Relena seized the opportunity to move out of her family's mansion to live on her own. It was supposed to be a temporary move. The five pilots were mainly needed for help with some of the specific aspects of the new recruits' training as well as the occasional 'special' mission. Their mandatory twelve-month station at PHQ was supposed to end in a couple weeks, but now there was the possibility of an extension.
Of course Hilde felt disappointment upon hearing this particular bit of news, but since Duo only lived about an hour away she could not bring herself to get overly upset. Besides, her current living arrangements were fine. She and Relena had become the best of friends fairly quick. They lived in an old two-story country home that the two of them had fallen in love with at first sight. It had six upstairs bedrooms each with its own bathroom and balcony. The downstairs had a kitchen, living room, dining room, library, and an office that Relena used quite often since she worked out of home a lot.
Zechs, Milliardo to his sister, supported Relena's decision to move out of the mansion as long as she agreed to have security measures stationed around the house. Relena was still the Vice Foreign Minister; therefore, she still needed protection from would-be assassins and kidnappers. Relena agreed, but only on the stipulation that she and Hilde would be granted privacy. She got tired of servants waiting on her every whim at the mansion, so why would she want security shadowing her every move within her new home? The end result was the most highly advanced electronic surveillance equipment in and around the house in addition to a few of the most highly trained Preventers stationed around the perimeter. The two of them felt safe living out in the country with the Preventers living nearby and keeping a close watch over the house.
Normally, they would be under surveillance, but tonight was an exception. Relena had given her bodyguards the weekend off. It was pointless for them to stay when five very capable bodyguards were staying at their house over the weekend. Everyone except Sally, Noin, and Zechs had been able to attend, and Relena had arranged for everyone to stay for the weekend. They did have a six-bedroom six-bathroom house. It could work.
"Hey Hilde, where are you?" A voice called from within the room.
"I'm out here, Relena."
Relena walked out onto Hilde's balcony and took a seat in the chair next to her. "Why are you out here all by yourself?" She asked. "I thought you were just coming up here to change your shirt." They had been playing cards when Duo had accidentally knocked his drink over. Since Hilde was sitting next to him, she was the one unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of the beverage.
"Oh, I did, but I decided to get a breath of fresh air as well. Then, I sort of got sidetracked." Hilde answered and laughed at her own inability to keep track of time. She could not help it though, she loved sitting out on her balcony. "By the way, thank you for my party. I really enjoyed seeing everyone."
"No problem. It was the least I could do." Relena smiled and turned to face her. "Hilde, you have been a great friend to me. So, think of today as my way of saying thanks." Hilde smiled back.
Relena looked up at the sky and stared out in wonder at the number of stars twinkling in the sky. For some reason, the view was always so much more spectacular from Earth, especially out here in the country where the lights of the city were not able to dim the effect, and it was also a shame that the same could not be said for when she was on one of the Space Colonies. "Wow, the sky sure is beautiful tonight."
"Yes, it is." Hilde agreed.
"It is one of those rare nights when the moon is full, thousands of stars twinkle in the sky, and there is not a cloud in sight to block the view." Relena sighed in appreciation, and Hilde looked just as content as she was to be sitting out in the cool night air.
A sudden sparkle caused by the moonlight reflecting off something on Hilde made Relena take specific notice as to what she was wearing around her neck. It was the gift she had given her only a few hours earlier. "You're wearing the amulet I gave you. I thought you might like it."
"Of course I like it, did you think I wouldn't? It's such a unique piece. I just had to see what it looked like on." It was a silver moon amulet with the image of a dragon's face on the inside. The eyes of the dragon were an emerald green, and they always seemed to be watching. It was an intriguing antique, and Relena knew it was the perfect gift for Hilde the moment she set her eyes on it.
"Hey! Look! It looks like it is glowing in the moonlight. You did not tell me it could do that." Hilde exclaimed as she got a closer look at her gift.
"I didn't know it could do that." Relena answered in awe as she leaned in closer to get a better look at the amulet as well.
"Wow. The glow gives it a mystical and mysterious look, don't you think?"
Relena leaned back in her chair as she rolled her eyes at the comment. "Hilde, you really are something for the books."
"Yeah, I know, but I also know someone who is worse."
"I have no idea who you could possibly be talking about." Relena drawled.
"I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count."
"Oh geez, let me guess. Does he cringe at even the thought of a haircut?"
"Maybe." Hilde got a mischievous gleam in her eye.
"Oh. You are hopeless."
"I am not, besides, you are one to talk Miss. denialis just a river in Egypt."
Relena grinned innocently. "What?"
Hilde laughed. "See, I knew it. You can't fool me because I'm a genius." Relena could not help snorting in protest to the genius part, and even though she did not speak the words aloud, Hilde knew what she meant. "What are you trying to insinuate?"
"Nothing." Relena smiled innocently once again.
"Yeah right." Hilde snorted in protest herself at Relena's attempt at feigning innocence.
After a few moments of silence, however, Hilde sighed in resignation because she really knew Relena was only joking with her.
They sat quietly each reflecting upon their own thoughts, but after a little while Hilde grew tired of the silence. She was tired on contemplating, especially since certain things had been on her mind recently due to the possibility of Duo's stay at Preventer Headquarters being longer than originally expected. She was tired of keeping her wandering thoughts to herself, and there was one question in particular that she could not get out of her head, which made her curious as to whether or not any of her friends ever felt the same.
"Relena, do you ever wonder what it must be like for them?"
The sound of Hilde's voice was so unexpected that Relena was startled out of her own quiet reverie. She jumped in her chair. "What brought that question on?"
"I mean, you're the Foreign Minister, he is a Gundam pilot. And, while you were raised to be a pacifist, he was being raised to become a soldier perfect in every way. Have you ever wondered what it must be like from his perspective?"
"If you mean being able to read his mind, no thank you. I think he has way too much going on in that head of his. So much so, that no one will ever have a hope of analyzing it."
"No. You misunderstand me." Hilde sighed frustrated at not getting her point across. Besides, who in their right mind would want to read Heero Yuy's mind? That would be like… Well, she did not know what to compare it to, but the main thing is that it would be a pointless endeavor.
"Then, what do you mean?" Relena asked trying to understand the original question.
"I mean switching roles. If you could, would you switch places with him? You would get to see how the other half lives. For a change, you would get to be something other than a politician, and you would be able to understand what it must be like for him. Even if it was only for a day or two, would you want to see the world through his eyes?"
"Do you mean seeing the world through the eyes of the Gundam pilots?"
Hilde looked heavenward. "Please give me patience." It was not her strongest attribute, and it was apparently going to take some work to get a decent answer out of the girl sitting next to her. "No." She grumbled under her breath. "Stop being evasive, you know I'm asking about one pilot in particular. So, stop trying to beat around the bush like you normally do with those idiotic ambassadors and answer the damn question."
"Oh, I don't know." Relena nervously looked at her hands in her lap as she tried to come up with an acceptable answer without giving away too much information. It was not easy hiding from the one person who probably knew her better than anyone else. "I never really thought about it." Which was a truthful answer, she really had never thought about trading lives with Heero. Sure she had wondered about what his life must have been like in the past. She had even enjoyed thoughts of what he was doing at any given moment, but she had never gone as far as to wonder what it would be like should their roles be reversed.
"Well, think about it." Hilde glanced at her seeking a real answer.
Relena sat there for a few moments in contemplation, but she quickly learned that she did not want to inquire as to where her stray thoughts were leading her.
She stood to walk back inside. "Not really." Relena then placed her hand on Hilde's shoulder in a comforting gesture. But, whether it was for herself because she did not want to acknowledge the truth, or for her friend in a means of pacifying her, Relena could not be certain. "I need to make sure everyone has a place to sleep. Come back down when you're ready."
"You lie!" Hilde quickly stood up as well, effectively stopping Relena's attempt at avoiding the subject.
Relena's hand fell back down to her side. "No. I'm serious. It's late. I'm tired, and I'm sure everyone else is too."
"Oh yeah, we do need to tend to that, but first things first." Hilde said facing Relena and not allowing her any room for escape.
"What?" Relena replied a little wide-eyed and surprised by her best friend's determination to get an answer out of her.
Hilde lightly grabbed Relena's arm. When she did, the face of the dragon inside the amulet slowly began to smile. The two of them, however, were completely unaware to its change. If they had been, they might have also noticed the amulet's glow becoming a little brighter in the moonlight.
"I know you're not truthfully answering me."
"Oh, all right. Yes!" Relena threw her arms up in exasperation, effectively loosening Hilde's grip upon her arm. "So, maybe sometimes it would be nice to have a different role in life. There, are you happy?"
"I am now." Hilde replied satisfied at getting Relena to admit her true feelings.
Relena then crossed her arms determined to get the same answer. "What about you, do you ever wish to trade places with Duo?"
"Now that is a silly question. Why would I have asked you, if I never thought about it myself?"
"Enlighten me." Relena said raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
Hilde rolled her eyes. "Well, think about it, Relena. For one, I would have gotten to fly a Gundam and a pretty cool one at that. Two, I would be a lot stronger, and three, which is the best one, I would be able to legally walk into the men's locker room on the Preventer base." She finished her reasons smiling at the conflicting emotions that crossed Relena's face. Her facial expression changed from confusion, to shock, to finally hysteria in a matter of seconds.
Relena laughed out loud Hilde's straightforward answer. "Who can argue with that kind of logic?" She then gave Hilde a sideways hug. "I think I am prone to agree with you on all three accounts, but right now we need to go tend to our guests. I'm afraid we've been gone long enough."
The amulet returned to normal, but the two friends still no longer paid it any attention.
"Yeah, you're right. Let's go see to things downstairs."
They then walked into Hilde's room to go back downstairs but came face to face with the two young men they were just discussing. Both men stood there as they pretended to be unaware of the surprise on Hilde and Relena's faces at being discovered talking about something they obviously did not want anyone else to hear. Duo was grinning wickedly with his hands tucked behind his head, and Heero was giving a semi-stern look with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Uh. Oh." The two women said in unison.
"We were wondering what was keeping you two. We started to worry since there are no guards on duty tonight." Duo said.
"Well, you see we kind of got side-tracked. You know girl talk and all." Hilde stammered out and silently prayed that the two men standing in front of her and Relena had not heard their conversation.
"And, I would of thought you guys had better things to do than listen to women's chatter." Relena said trying to sound confident.
"Usually yes, but your conversation sparked our interest." Duo answered.
'Rats! So, they did hear.' Hilde cringed at the thought.
"Interesting is one way to describe it, especially the part about wanting to enter a men's locker room." Heero cut in. He and Duo had only walked in on the end of their conversation, so they did not know Hilde's reasons for getting to walk into their locker room at PHQ.
"Oh, you two didn't take all that seriously now did you?" Hilde said trying to lighten the mood in the room and keep from laughing or turning red all at the same time. Whenever she was really nervous, she had a strange tendency to laugh. She did not know where she got the trait, but at this point Hilde only wanted to keep herself from looking foolish. She also could not help the panicky thoughts that continued to race through her mind. 'Oh damn, I can see that Duo is never going to let me hear the end of this one. The look on his face is nothing but mischief. Damnit, sometimes life is just not fair!'
Standing next to Hilde, Relena could already feel the flush in her cheeks, and they were in danger of matching the color of one of her favorite red fruits very soon. 'How much did he hear? Wait a minute I can handle stuffy politicians all the time, so I can definitely handle a couple of nosy pilots, even if one of them is admittedly very handsome. A very rugged, handsome, dangerous, wonderful . . . Darn it! I can't let myself get distracted. If I was smart, I would change the subject, and turn the tables on these two idiots who should not have been eavesdropping in the first place!' Relena soon felt some of her normal self-assurance returning. She has been put in worse situations, this was nothing in comparison.
"Well, whether or not they took our conversation seriously, they should not have been listening. It's rude, and it's called eavesdropping. However, all can be forgiven, if they will kindly step aside like the nice gentlemen I know they are and let us pass."
Her words, though spoken with confidence, did nothing to make either man move.
Duo's smile threatened to spread across the entire width of his face. It was fun watching his girlfriend squirm in her nervousness, but he had something more important on his mind. "Alright I'll move in a second, but first I have a question." Maybe now that he had her cornered, he could get the answer he desired. He would be sure to get answers to any other questions later when he had her all to himself. Right now, there was only a single concern foremost in his mind. So, he walked up to Hilde and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Which room do I get?" He never said it was a complicated question. He was after all a man a simple needs.
Hilde momentarily blinked in confusion. That was it. No, 'what the hell are you scheming now?' Or even a, 'how in the hell are you going accomplish that?' Didn't he hear their conversation? She looked more closely at his expression. Wait. There it was, a slight twitch to an otherwise convincing smirk. Yes, he had heard them, but, whatever his reasoning, he was going to wait before extracting any other information from her. Her Duo could be patient and calculating when he wanted to be, and it looked like this was going to be one of those times. Hilde shivered because she had a pretty good idea of what he had in mind. She had a feeling she would be doomed before their conversation even began. Well, she could only take it one question at a time.
"Mine." She finally answered secretly proud of the positive tone in her voice.
"Yes!"
"Cool your jets lover-boy because those two are sleeping in here as well." Hilde smiled. She never said Duo was the only one in their relationship who could be calculating. If he wanted to get answers out of her, he was going to have to work for them.
"WHAT?" Three voices protested at the same time. Maybe a better explanation was in order.
"We can't all fit in your bed! Besides, it's bad enough that I have to share living space with Heero and the others at headquarters, now you are asking me to cuddle up next to him? I think not." Duo stepped away from his girlfriend shocked at the mere idea, and Heero and Relena were not looking any happier.
"You didn't let me finish you baka and you two stop looking so surprised. Just hear me out."
"By all means continue." Heero answered for everyone, since he was the first to recover from the unexpected suggestion.
"All four of us are just sleeping in the same room not the same bed. I have a pop-up bed underneath mine. I'll just fix it and put it on the other side of the room for you two." She said indicating Heero and Relena.
"Well that explains one misunderstanding, but why do we have to share a room. I kind of thought . . . well . . . you know that . . ." Duo leaned closer to nuzzle Hilde's ear, but he only got as far as a single little nibble before his head was forcefully yanked backwards. "Ouch! What was that for?"
White spots briefly danced across his vision before it cleared and the whole length of his braid felt like it was throbbing. His girl could really pack a wallop when she wanted to. "What's the deal, Hil? You know the braid is sensitive." He glared at her and rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head.
"You're being selfish." She glared right back at him. "Besides, it won't kill you to be celibate for a couple nights."
"Celibate!" The word had to be foreign because it was definitely not a part of his vocabulary. "Are you kidding me? I may have worn a priest's garb during the war, but I can guarantee you that I never took a vow of chastity!"
Hilde sighed. He was overreacting, and she was not feeling particularly patient at the moment. She rubbed her temples to release some of the tension. "You and I are the only two who are officially a couple and those two are not far from it, even if they are loath to admit it. There are five other people in this house who are unattached, and I am sure they would prefer to have a room to themselves. Since my room is the one with the trundle bed, someone has to share it. So, think about it, Duo, do you really want to share our room with anyone other than Heero and Relena? Because if you really feel up to explaining to Wufei why he has to not only share a room with us, but his bed with another body, then by all means feel free to change the sleeping arrangements around as much as you'd like."
"Aw Hil… it wouldn't have to be Wufei, we could…" Duo would have continued but he noticed the glares he was receiving from his girlfriend and best friend, which shut him up rather quickly.
"Besides," Hilde continued as if she had not been interrupted. "They are our guests, and it's the least we can do to make sure they are comfortable while they stay here."
"Hey, we are your guests too." Duo pouted slightly offended that she would not want to see to his comfort as well.
"Baka." She was starting to see why Wufei constantly called her boyfriend an idiot. "You are here at least every other weekend; therefore, you passed the title of 'guest' a long time ago. You practically live here when you are not at headquarters, and you know it. As for Heero, he comes here often enough as well, since he is Relena's head bodyguard. Since I can count on one hand the number of times everyone else has been here, it is only appropriate that we see to their comfort first."
Duo sighed. She was right, but that did not mean he had to like it.
Hilde once again continued in her explanation trying to remain firm in her resolve. Despite her frustration with him, she could not help thinking that Duo looked cute with his lower lip slightly protruding the way it was.
"That being said, I figured Dorothy could have Relena's room, Catharine could have the room next to Relena's at the end of the hall. Then Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei could each get one of the three rooms across the hall."
Hilde then looked toward Heero and Relena. "Besides, you two should thank me. I'm giving you a chance to sleep next to each other without arousing too much suspicion from everyone else, since you won't be sleeping in a room alone with one another."
No matter which way he looked at it, Heero knew Hilde had a very valid point. He and Duo had passed the point of being guests a long time ago, but that did not mean he had ever slept in the same room as Relena much less the same bed. This would be a huge step in their relationship, if they even had a relationship. They had never really defined it. Regrettably, their life had become more of a routine than anything else. She was the defender of peace, and he was her protector. It had been that way for over a year now, ever since he joined the Preventers. Well, if he wanted to be technical, it had been this way for almost five years. If one did not count his substantial absence after the Mariemaia incident.
There is one thing, however, that Heero knew for certain, and that is he was not going to let anyone make light of the situation, especially Duo. That is, once Duo got over mourning the loss of his nightly activities with Hilde and realized what else these sleeping arrangements entailed. For now, Heero would agree to go along with Hilde's scheme, but no one ever said he could not make a few stipulations of his own.
"You are forgetting a few things. For starters, I am not very fond of having to listen to Duo snore. It is bad enough having to listen to it through the walls at HQ. And two, I'll have to find a way to kill him, if he insists on making jokes about the situation all night."
"Can you think of a better alternative?"
"No." He had to grudgingly admit.
"Well, then let's go downstairs. I'm sure everyone is by now wondering where we are. And, don't worry too much, Heero, I can get Duo to behave, and if he starts snoring all I have to do is stuff a sock down his throat." Hilde giggled as she walked out the room.
"HEY!" Duo said defensively as he followed Hilde out and leaving Relena and Heero alone.
"Heero?" Relena called to him as he turned to leave as well.
"Yes?"
"If these sleeping arrangements bother you, I can find somewhere else to . . ."
"No, it's alright." Heero replied not letting her finish. If there was ever going to be any hope of breaking their monotonous routine, then now was a good a time as any. Sleeping next to one another should not be too difficult. If Relena could handle the situation, then so could he.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, now let's go downstairs." He then turned around and walked out of the room without another word.
Relena sighed as she followed him back downstairs to the living room where everyone else was waiting.
In the living room, Wufei and Trowa were sitting at the table playing chess, while Quatre sat nearby watching the intense game. Trowa had Wufei in check, but their battle was far from over. From his position, Quatre could see the Wufei had a strategy, but he did not think it would be enough since Trowa had such a strong advantage. He was, however, curious to see whether or not Wufei was going to pull it off.
On the other side of the room, Dorothy and Catharine were sitting by the fireplace drinking hot cocoa.
"I wonder what is keeping them. I hope nothing is wrong." Catharine was starting to get concerned since it had been almost an hour that Hilde went upstairs to change her shirt.
"I am sure everything is fine." Dorothy said to reassure her.
Just then Duo and Hilde walked in and the two of them breathed a sigh of relief. They watched as Duo walked over toward Quatre to check on the ever-going chess match, while Hilde headed their way.
"Where is Miss. Relena?" Dorothy asked as Hilde sat down next to her on the couch.
"Oh, she's coming. She and Heero are right behind us."
Catharine and Dorothy leaned in closer. By the tone in her voice they could tell that Hilde was insinuating something more than a protector and protectee relationship, and they, of course, wanted details.
"Heero and Relena? Come on, you can't throw us a little piece of information and then intentionally omit the juicy details." Catharine pleaded.
"You mean you guys have never noticed." Hilde inquired feigning innocence.
"Notice what?" Dorothy began rubbing her hands together in anticipation and a faint gleam of wickedness started becoming visible in her eye.
"Oh come on. I have been catching those two looking at each other all day and it is not the first time I've caught them doing it either."
"What?" Dorothy and Catharine's eagerness to get a straight answer caused their voices to travel across the room, which gained them four inquisitive looks.
Hilde flashed the guys an apologetic smile for interrupting their game then leaned in closer to whisper to the other two girls. "Well, of course they weren't making goo-goo eyes at each other, or anything like that. This is Heero and Relena we are talking about, but I've caught them looking at the one another at different times during the day when they thought the other wouldn't notice."
"You're kidding." Catharine whispered excitedly.
"No, I'm not. And, yes, I know the two of them sneaking glances at one another isn't exactly a declaration of love. It is, however, a hint of something more, and I don't know about you guys, but I'm curious as to how much more."
"Oh, this is too rich." The wicked gleam in Dorothy's eye went up a notch.
"And, do you two want to hear the best part?" Hilde asked enthusiastically.
"Do tell." Dorothy encouraged.
"Yes, the suspense is killing me."
"I've rigged the sleeping arrangements tonight to where they are sleeping next to one another."
"How the hell did you manage that?" Dorothy could not help being awed at the devious streak Hilde usually kept hidden within her.
"They get to sleep on the spare bed in my room and the rest of you, since you are our guests, get your own bedroom."
"But, won't that cramp you and Duo?"
"Oh, he can be good for a couple nights. I'm on a mission. Besides, it's all I could think of on short notice."
"Oh, you really are devious. I love it." Dorothy could not help feeling proud of Hilde's plan to give their two friends a slight nudge in the right direction. A little nudgenever hurt anyone. Plus, this could prove to be quite entertaining. "I want to be a part of this mission as well."
"Why Dorothy, I didn't know you cared about other people's relationships?" Catharine teased.
"I don't really, but when it calls for the use of clever tactics, I want a part of it."
"I want to a part of this mission as well."
"Sure, I could use all the help I can get."
"Help with what?" All three girls turned around to see Relena standing behind them with a curious look on her face.
Hilde nervously smiled as she looked at Relena. She prayed Relena had not heard their conversation. "Oh, I was asking for help to get all the rooms set upstairs." It was not a total lie since it was what she had originally intended to ask. The fact that, that was not what they were discussing was beside the point.
"Oh." Relena frowned. She knew Hilde was not being completely truthful with her. 'Somehow I doubt that's the truth. Hilde has that look she gets when she is up to no good. Oh well, how bad could it be?' Having decided that whatever they were talking about could not be as bad as it sounded, Relena shrugged her shoulders and turned to walk upstairs now that they had the extra help. Hilde would tell her whenever she was ready.
"Yeah, well come on girls we got work to do. You know the guys aren't going to fix the beds, and it needs to get done somehow." Hilde encouraged Catharine and Dorothy to get up and follow Relena. All four of them then walked out the living room and left the guys to themselves.
Quatre looked up a few minutes later and noticed that they were alone. "Hey, where did the girls go?"
"They probably went to get the beds ready for the night." Heero answered.
"Yeah, I'm sure you're looking forward to sleep tonight. Huh, pal?" Duo enthusiastically put his arm around Heero's shoulders, which only earned him a very serious glare from his unenthusiastic friend. "Okay, okay I can take a hint." Duo sighed as he removed his arm. Some people just could not take a joke.
"Maxwell, you idiot, would you shut that humungous mouth of yours. Some of us are trying to concentrate." Wufei grumbled as he moved his knight to take Trowa's queen.
"Well, excuse me. It's not like I was trying to distract you."
"Well, you did."
"Checkmate." Trowa declared.
"WHAT? Impossible! How did you? Damn it!"
"Uh! Oh!"
"Maxwell! You have five seconds." Wufei's voice was low and deceptively calm letting Duo know that his fellow Preventer was deadly serious, which meant he really only had about five seconds left to live. Duo's saving grace was the fact that Wufei's katana was on the other side of the room, but he was not looking forward to finding out how much damage Wufei could do without that katana. Well, as the saying goes, 'He who runs away, lives to fight another day.'
"Eep!" Duo screeched just as Wufei moved to grab his shirt. Wufei missed, but only by centimeters, since Duo was quick to dodge out the way.
Just as Wufei was getting up to run after him, Heero stood in his path. "You shouldn't let distractions bother you in battle." There was no arguing that point.
"Besides, Wufei, it was just a friendly game of chess. It should not matter who the victor was." He sighed. It seemed that even Quatre was in agreement.
"Plus, it is not honorable to place blame where it doesn't belong. Duo had nothing to do with that last move." Wufei cringed. Trowa just had to mention the one thing that would make him back down.
Wufei knew when to admit defeat, but it didn't mean he had to take it lightly. And, it definitely was not going to prevent him from demanding another match. "Fine, but I want a rematch." He turned to face Trowa. "Tomorrow will determine the real victor."
Trowa smirked. He would not mind a rematch at all. Besides, it is not like he could not defeat Wufei a second time. "Sure."
Wufei smiled. Tomorrow was another day and another battle, one that he was going to win.
Slowly a brown head peaked around the corner it had dashed around moments earlier. "Is it safe to come back now?" It had gotten quiet, so Duo figured the coast was clear. Heero nodded his head confirming his suspicions. However, despite Heero's reassurance, Duo thought it would be best to keep some distance between himself and Wufei.
As Duo reentered the room, he saw the glare Wufei was giving him, which made him quickly rethink his decision to rejoin his friends. The girls had to be finished setting up the rooms by now, and it would probably be wise to give Wufei the entire night to cool off. Besides, he was tired anyway. All he really wanted to do was curl up next to his girl and get a peaceful night of sleep. Maybe it was a good thing that they had to share the bedroom with Heero and Relena. He was almost too tired for a little bit of excitement before bed. Almost but not quite, and it is not like he would ever admit that aloud.
Duo yawned and turned to walk upstairs. "I think I'm ready to hit the sack. See you guys later."
"Well, the other rooms are ready. Now, all we have to do is make up Heero and Relena's bed." Hilde emphasized as she gave Relena a playful wink, but Relena only rolled her eyes at her antics. She could already tell that it was going to be a long night.
Relena wanted to retort, but a cry for help from across the room stopped her before she could open her mouth. "Hey you guys, I could use some help over here." Catharine was trying to move Hilde's nightstand aside so they could pull out the trundle from underneath Hilde's bed, but the strain she was exerting as she tried to budge the nightstand was a testament to the amount of a paraphernalia Hilde had stashed around her room. "Hilde's crap is heavy."
"My stuff is not crap." She could not help being defensive since some of her things went all the way back to her childhood.
"Well, whatever you want to call it, it needs to be moved, but it's too darn heavy." In order to staunch any further argument, Dorothy stepped forward to help Catharine move the nightstand, while Relena helped Hilde pull the trundle out. With their combined efforts, the nightstand was moved aside and the trundle bed was easily pulled from underneath Hilde's bed.
Now that it was out, the trundle needed to be moved to a different corner. Relena may have to share a bed with Heero and a room with Duo and Hilde, but by no means were they going to sleep in the same vicinity as the other couple. "So, where should we put it?"
"It can go over there." Hilde pointed to a corner on the far side of the room, apparently thinking along the same lines as Relena.
"Okay, that will work."
After the bed was in its corner, Hilde pulled a lever under the bed and it popped up to a normal bed height. She smiled. So far, her plan was working. Heero and Relena were going to be in their own little corner, giving both couples a modicum of privacy. She was giving one of the two a chance to finally make a move on the other. Even if it was just a verbal admission, something was bound to happen between the two tonight. They would be sleeping the same bed for crying out loud. If nothing happened, then they were both more emotionally challenged then she originally thought.
But, since there was nothing more she could do this night without looking pushy, Hilde decided to let events play out by themselves. "Well, the hard work is done. Catharine, you and Dorothy can go to one of the other rooms, if you are ready for bed. I thank you for your help, even if you do think my stuff is crap." She teased despite the fact that she gotten defensive at the earlier comment. The truth was that she knew she had a lot of stuff and she could joke about that.
Catharine briefly thought about returning the playful gibe, but thought better of it. She was too tired to think of a good comeback, which was made obvious by her sudden jaw-cracking yawn. "Okay. We'll see you guys in the morning. Goodnight."
Catharine's yawn was proving to be contagious, so Dorothy decided she had the right idea and turned to go to bed as well. "Yes. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." Hilde and Relena responded.
A few moments after the two girls left, Relena realized that she still needed to make the bed her and Heero would be sharing. She suddenly froze at the thought. She was sharing a bed with Heero. Why was she just now starting to think about this? It probably had something to do with the actual bed that was now oh-so-innocently starring back at her. What was she getting herself into? She quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts. She was not going to let any wayward thoughts ruin her chance to finally get the one person her heart had always desired. She would make it through the night, and everything would be fine when she woke up in the morning. It was that simple, was it not?
What she needed to do was distract herself away from the bed. "You can have the bathroom first. I'll go get the sheets and extra pillows to make the bed." 'Argh!' That is not what she wanted to say. 'Yes, that's just what I need to do. Walk away from the inanimate object that is the current cause of my stress in order to retrieve something else that will only add to said stress.'
"Nonsense. I'll go get them."
Should she let it show how much she liked Hilde's idea better? "But, I should be waiting on you. It is your birthday."
"Oh pish-posh, you've done enough for me today. Besides, it is no longer my birthday. It ended half an hour ago."
Relena looked at the clock to see that was indeed half past midnight. Quickly giving thanks to small favors and friends who were helpful even they were unaware of it, Relena decided to accept Hilde's offer. Maybe a nice soak in a hot tub would help clear her head. "Okay, fine. You win." She turned to walk toward the bathroom, but stopped when another thought occurred to her. 'When it rains, it pours?' "Hilde?"
"Yes."
"Since Dorothy has already gone to bed in my room, and I didn't think to get my things out for the night, can I use your bath stuff and borrow a pair of your pajamas?"
"Sure. No problem. All of my gowns are on the second shelf in the bathroom closet, and you will see the towels are on the first one. I also have some extra toothbrushes in the second drawer by the sink, and my face soap is probably on the side of the tub along with the shampoo and bodywash."
"Okay. Thanks."
Hilde then walked out the room just as Relena shut the bathroom door behind her.
Hilde was getting the pillows, sheets, and blankets from the hall closet, when she saw the guys coming down the hall each of them carrying their own duffel bag. "Well that just figures, you guys would make an appearance after all the hard work was finished." She playfully scoffed at them.
"We apologize, Miss. Hilde. We didn't know you had any need for us." At Quatre's remorseful look, Hilde found that she could not hold onto her serious facade.
"Oh, don't worry about it. I was only teasing you."
"Oh." He smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, then I guess it's okay to ask where we each get to sleep."
She smiled back at him. "Take your pick. You, Trowa, and Wufei each get one of those rooms." She said as she pointed toward the three unoccupied rooms.
"Thanks. Goodnight, Miss. Hilde."
"Goodnight you guys. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite."
Quatre chuckled, while Trowa and Wufei only nodded goodnight to her before all three of them went into a different room.
"You two come here and give me a hand." She motioned toward Duo and Heero. She then gave Duo a big blanket and Heero two big fluffy pillows to carry back to the room while she grabbed the sheets.
Hilde had the beds made and ready while Relena was still in the bathroom. Now, Duo was sitting on Hilde's bed watching television, Hilde was sitting next to him reading a book, and Heero was laying down on his and Relena's bed all the while staring up at the ceiling lost in thought.
'What the hell am I doing?' Heero thought unaware that he and Relena were experiencing the same misgivings. The sudden sound of laughter, however, interrupted any more thoughts he may have had about their current situation. He welcomed the distraction as he turned his head to see Hilde trying to wipe mirthful tears from her eyes as she tried in vain to continue reading her book.
Duo turned to stare at his girlfriend as well. The tears were pouring down the sides of her face despite her best efforts to contain herself. He could not help the perplexed look he was giving her. To him, no book had ever been that funny. "What is so funny, babe?"
Hilde knew they had to be thinking she had gone crazy, but she could not help herself. "Oh, this book is hilarious." She would tell them that they could borrow the book once she was finished reading it, but she seriously doubted that either one of them would want to read one of her romance novels, even one as funny as the one she was currently holding in her hand. There was also no point in trying to explain to them the reason she was laughing so hard anyway because they would need to read the book in order to get the joke. So, she just smiled at the two men who were giving her inquisitive looks and went back to reading her book as soon as the blurry images on the page began to once again form words.
After Hilde managed to settle down, the room became relatively quiet once again with the only noise in the room coming from the television. Then, just when Heero was about to unwittingly get back to his silent musings, the bathroom door opened.
Relena stepped through the doorway, and Heero could only stare at the image she portrayed. She looked like an angel standing there with the glow of the bathroom light shinning behind her.
He was so caught up in staring at her that he failed to notice that he was not the only one appreciating the view. There was, however, someone else who did notice.
"Ouch!" Duo cried out and cringed at the slight pain in his side where he had been pinched. He would have argued his defense that he was innocent of any wrongdoing and he was not openly staring at his girlfriend's best friend. He was merely curious as to where he had seen that nightgown before. It was an acceptable defense, was it not? After all, he was only a man and far from blind, but the stern expression on Hilde's face convinced him that perhaps now was not the time to argue, which left him with only one possible means of escape without further bodily harm. "Sorry." He mumbled a quick apology and turned around to continue watching television.
Heero, on the other hand, continued to openly stare. Relena was wearing a light blue silk gown that matched the blue of her eyes. The gown went down to mid thigh. It had spaghetti straps and the neckline went down in a v-shape. The gown did not show off any flesh it should not, but it fit in all the right places showing off sensual curves and smooth legs. 'Get a grip, Yuy.' He had to mentally slap himself. Maybe sharing a bed with Relena was going to be more difficult than he originally thought. There was no way he was going to be able to keep his hands to himself, if she was going to be sleeping next to him wearing nothing more than a slip.
After a few tense moments, Hilde managed to break the silence. "Wow. I'm jealous. That is one of my favorite nightgowns, but it never looked that good on me."
If Duo and Heero's staring was not enough to make Relena blush, Hilde's last comment was enough to make her turn beet red. "Well, I'm finished. Who is next?" She tried to conceal her nervousness, but for once she was unsure as to her success. Maybe the flannel button-up she spied in the back of the closet would have been a better choice.
"Heero, you can go next. We'll go after you." Duo turned away from the television to wink at Hilde.
She gave a frustrated huff at his antics. He just did not get it that she was not going to let him be free with his hands, or anything else, when there were two other people within hearing distance. She was not a prude, but she was not an exhibitionist either. "Duo-darling," she emphasized with extreme patience, even though she had about reached her limit. "You are not getting anything from me for the next couple nights, so you might as get used to the idea." She stared into his eyes to show that she was serious, and she lightly flicked his nose to drive her point home.
"Ah, but Hilde!" He could not believe his ears. He could not even get her in the shower with him. He just wanted to get some alone time with his girl. It had nearly been two weeks since the last time he had seen her, and he could not even get her alone to himself for ten minutes. Sometimes life was cruel.
"No, buts." She was determined to stay firm in her decision, and the kicked puppy expression Duo was currently exuding was not making her decision any easier.
Duo was flabbergasted at her determination and could not help feeling rejected, which left him with only one other possible reaction; sulking. "Damn it." He huffed and turned back around to glare in the direction of the television, completely ignoring everyone else in the room. Two could play her game.
Hilde sighed. Duo was taking this worse than she originally thought he would. She was seriously going to have to make this up to him later. For the moment, she would just have to pretend that she didn't notice the glare intended for her. "Heero, you are more than welcome to go next."
Heero nodded and tried to ignore the lovers' quarrel on the other side of the room. Keeping his head turned away from something that he felt was none of his business; he got up, grabbed his overnight bag, and walked toward the bathroom. He came to a sudden stop, however, when his reached the doorway. Damn, he temporarily forgot that Relena was still standing there. That is what he got for sticking his nose were it did not belong and for not being more aware of his surroundings.
"Oh, sorry." Relena tried to step aside so he could pass, but the two of them caught eye contact and they both seemed unable to look the other way.
"Relena." He breathed in a husky whisper.
"Heero." She could not help blushing further as he breathed her name in such a sexy tone. He hardly ever talked to her in such a way, but every time he did, it always left her breathless with a tingling sensation running up and down her spine. On second thought, maybe she picked the right nightgown after all.
"Um . . . Excuse me. There are still two more people who need a bath." Duo shouted from across the room his frustration getting the better of him. He was ready to get a bath and get back to bed. If he was going to be given the cold shoulder for the rest of the night, then it was best to just get the night over with. "Ouch! Hilde that hurt! You know the braid is sensitive, so why do you keep yanking on it?"
"Well, you deserved it. You ruined the moment they were having."
"Huh?" He knew it was not a very articulate response, but for the life of him he could not imagine what he had done to deserve a yank on the braid this time. All he saw were two idiots standing in the doorway of the bathroom.
"Oh! Men! They just don't get it." Hilde threw her hands up in exasperation.
"Get what?" He scratched his head in genuine confusion, which made him momentarily forget the pain in his head and his frustration.
Half an hour later, everyone was snuggled up in their beds and trying to go to sleep for the night. Considering Heero was in and out the shower in a record five minutes, the other two were able to get in and out the shower fairly quick as well.
"Well, goodnight everyone sleep well." Hilde cheerfully announced. With any luck her plan would work and they would finally start to see some progress in Heero and Relena's relationship.
"Yes, now you two kids be good over there." Duo teased. He could not help it. Sometimes old habits died hard.
"I've already warned you once, Duo, so don't make me repeat myself." The veiled threat within the monotone voice did not go unnoticed.
"Well, goodnight to you too, buddy." Duo sarcastically replied. "No one can take a joke nowadays. They always have to get so damn defensive." He grumbled under his breath.
Even though his mumbled words were only intended for himself, Hilde could not help overhearing as she was lying next to him. "Oh, don't take it so hard, sweetie. I'm sure he did not mean to be as threatening as he sounded." She whispered as she turned to face him.
"You do not know Heero very well, do you?" He looked into her eyes. The moonlight coming through the balcony door gave them an ethereal quality.
"No, not really, but hey I don't have to because I have you." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He wiggled his eyebrows at her, even though he figured she could not see the action. "You better believe it." He answered her hug with one of his own and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.
Hilde giggled. Despite her limited vision, she knew he was making a funny face at her, and she could envision his antics. It seems he was no longer angry with her, but she still felt the need to make it up to him as well as apologize for not being more forthcoming with him sooner about her plans for the night, which more than likely left him feeling deprived and dejected. "Duo," she breathed his name as she tightened her arms around his neck. She then leaned in closer to gently whisper into his ear. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"
Duo grinned as he pulled her closer to him and rested his forehead against her own. He knew his girl well enough to know that this was her way making up for their earlier disagreement. He could never really stay upset with her for long. All she ever had to do was smile at him, or hold him the way she was now, and he could forgive her for anything.
Not wanting to go to bed with anything between them, he leaned closer to show her that he was over their earlier dispute. A simple kiss would say everything without him even having a say a word, but the small hand that was suddenly placed in the center of his chest stopped his lips, which were only about a centimeter from their destination.
"Um . . . Duo-honey, you haven't forgotten, have you?" It was not as if Hilde did not love the feel of his lips against her own, but even the simplest of kisses usually turned into something a whole lot more. If she did not give into temptation, then everything should be fine.
He let out a frustration breath. Damn Heero for cramping his style. "Not even a kiss goodnight?" He did not want to sound like he was pleading with her, but damn it this was the first time he has seen her in weeks and at this point he could care less as to who heard him kissing the woman he loved.
Hilde did not need any artificial lighting to see the pout marring his face. The moonlight coming in through the balcony door was illuminating it just fine. She sighed. She knew she was doomed. She could no more deny him such a simple request than she could deny the air she breathed. "Only if you can promise me that you will behave yourself."
He made the motion of crossing his hand over his heart, and then he held two fingers up in front of her face. "I promise scout's honor."
"But, you were never a boy scout, so how can you . . ."
"I know." He cut her off mid-sentence then silenced her further by sealing his lips over her own.
As she feared, the simple kiss quickly became more passionate. The moment his tongue slipped in to caress her own, she forgot all her reasons for denying him anything in the first place. The feel of his lips as they nibbled a path down to her chin had her writhing in anticipation. When he nipped the skin on her neck, she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms and legs around him. Then when he moved to nibble and lick the skin on her sensitive earlobe, she became lost to everything except for the feelings coursing through her. In that moment, no one else existed but the two of them.
Reality was like a cold bucket of water, when a loud noise on the other side of the room shattered her illusion. It took every ounce of control she possessed, but she managed to pull away.
As they struggled to breathe normally, all either of them could do was stare into one another's eyes. It took a few moments, but Hilde was finally able to regain a semblance of composure. She gently brushed her hand over his cheek as she smiled at him sweetly. Duo closed his eyes and leaned his face into her hand savoring her touch. He smiled back at her when she took his face into both of her hands and brought it down to her own.
She then kissed his cheek before gently whispering in his ear. "Goodnight, my love." Unable to handle the intensity of his eyes any longer, she forced herself to roll over unto her side. She frowned and silently prayed that he would forgive her because she could already envision his reaction to her turning her back on him.
Duo stayed in the same position for a few moments as her starred at her back. It took him a little while to get his scattered brain in order. Had he just been dismissed? It had to be a physical anomaly of some kind because in all the years that he had known her she had never turned her back on him. He once again cursed his best friend. 'Damn it all.' He briefly considered making her turn around to face him, but he quickly dismissed the idea. She was more than likely embarrassed that she had nearly lost control with Heero and Relena on the other side of the room. He could sympathize with her feelings, but that did not mean he had to share her embarrassment because he did not feel as if he had done anything to warrant embarrassment. He could, however, respect her wishes, but again that did not mean he could not get something that he wanted out of this situation either.
He had lost count the number of nights that he had laid awake in his cold and lonely bed at headquarters, and now that he was finally getting to sleep next to his Hilde, it looked like it was going to be another one of those nights. 'To Hell with that.' Determined to finally get a good night's rest, he reached over and pulled her closer to him.
Hilde felt Duo as he spooned up behind her and let out a relieved sigh. It seems that he was not as upset with her as she thought he would be. This plan of hers was quickly becoming more trouble than it was worth because this was the second time in only a few hours that she felt guilty over her actions. She did not like denying Duo anything, so Relena better appreciate all she was doing for her.
Her best friend was quickly forgotten in the next instant as she felt her boyfriend's legs become intertwined with her own. He then wrapped an arm around her waist and slipped a hand beneath her tank shirt to gently fondle her breast.
Duo blissfully sighed as he snuggled into her. He breathed in her scent and slowly started to relax as he enveloped himself in the feel and scent of her. He elicited a contented groan as he finally managed to get comfortable.
Hilde giggled to herself as she compared him in her mind to an overgrown teddy bear. 'This is how he always likes to sleep.' Actually, if she was completely truthful, she would admit that she also found it hard to sleep without his arms wrapped around her at night.
As if reading her thoughts, Duo leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I hope you can forgive me, but I can't sleep at night without you in my arms."
She smiled fondly and lightly stroked his arm. "There is nothing to forgive. Besides, I'd be lying if I didn't admit to the same."
He lightly chuckled and laid his head back down upon their shared pillow. "Goodnight, Hilde, I love you."
"Goodnight, Duo, I love you, too."
Finally content, the two of them quickly started drifting off to sleep, but the same could not be said for the other two occupants laying side-by-side on the other side of the room.
"I think they're asleep." Relena whispered out loud, more to herself than to anyone else, but the body lying stiffly next to her could not help overhearing. A grunt seemed a good a response as any. "Heero, you are still awake, too?" Guess she was not the only one who was finding it difficult to sleep two in a single bed. Wasn't there an old song that went something along those lines? Well, they could sleep two in single bed all they wanted, but she was not finding the experience particularly satisfying at the moment and the unmovable block of steel lying next to her was not helping the situation. It would not be so bad if Heero would just relax.
"Yeah."
"You know I think we were set-up." Maybe making him talk would loosen him up a little bit. It could not hurt. Besides, even though she would never attempt it aloud, she loved listening to the baritone of his voice.
He turned his head to face her direction. Despite his usual bravado to remain impassive, he could not help feeling bewildered that the thought of a set-up had just then crossed her mind. Relena, the Vice Foreign Minister who is normally under constant scrutiny, had just realized that this entire arrangement was a set-up from the start. "What was your first clue?"
The sarcasm in his voice was not lost on either of them. Well, so much for the idea of his voice soothing her nerves. "Don't start pointing fingers at me, Heero Yuy. You could have backed out of this sleeping arrangement just as easily as . . . I could have." She staggered through the last part, when she realized that the two of them had plenty of opportunity to back out of this particular arrangement, but they had both chosen not to. What did that mean? Did Heero secretly share some the same feelings as herself? It was too overwhelming a thought to believe. But, right now she just wanted to make it through the night without looking like a complete fool. A sentiment easier said than done. Well, they could at least try to make the best of an uncomfortable situation.
She smiled as she leaned over to gently whisper in his ear. "You know we can make this work."
"How?" He asked skeptical as to how the situation could possibly get any better and a little uneasy as to what she had in mind.
"Well, for starters, how do you prefer to sleep?" What kind of question was that? Now she was starting to weird him out. He was not sure whether or not she could see his bewildered expression, but he sure as hell could feel the surprise written all over his face.
Relena cringed at his answering silence. Obviously she should have phrased her words differently. "No. What I mean is, do you prefer to sleep on your back, your side, or your stomach?"
Sheepishness was not an emotion he was used to. Why couldn't she have just said that to begin with? But in all fairness to her, it is not like she could have meant anything else this is Relena he was talking to. Maybe he was spending too much time around Duo. Maybe he should ask for a change in room assignment to somewhere on the other side of headquarters.
"My back." He answered after a momentary pause.
"Then lay on your back." He did as she requested, but he was unable to control the tightening in his lower regions when he felt her luscious curves crawling over him. Obviously his brain was not the only part of his body that was communicating its enjoyment to the sensation.
"What are you doing?" He managed to ask when she finally settled on the other side of the bed.
"I prefer to sleep on my left side, so I'm getting over here." And she said it oh so simply too. Was she not even aware of what she had physically done to him?
Then just when he thought she had finally settled down completely, he felt her snuggle into him further. He felt like his insides were going to explode. Wait. He was supposed to breathe, wasn't he? Such a natural function, but now all he could concentrate on was trying to once again breathe normally. His body stiffened further and hands gripped the sheets even tighter as he felt her right leg intertwine with his own.
With her right side completely draped over him, and his chest being used as her pillow, Relena squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she tried to calm her own breathing. 'What am I doing? I hope he is not mad at me. This is a little more forward than what I originally intended.' She opened her eyes when she realized Heero had not moved an inch in the last few minutes. 'Is he even breathing?' Just as she was about to look up to see if he was okay, she felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest. She smiled. He must not mind this new position too terribly, if he did, he would have pushed her away by now, wouldn't he? Well, whether or not he eventually pushed her away, this is much more comfortable than how they were trying to sleep earlier.
'A girl could get used to this.' She thought as she breathed in his scent and rubbed her cheek into his chest.
Heero's heartbeat eventually slowed down to a normal beat and his breathing finally returned to a normal rhythm. Who would have ever thought that this one little slip of a girl could make him feel so many different things at once? He knew this was Hilde's scheme all along. With the two of them sleeping next to one another in such a confined space, one of was bound to eventually make a move upon the other at some point during the night, but who would have thought that the one to make the first move would be Relena? 'She has more guts than anyone gives her credit for.' He smiled. He could get used to this. With his blood pressure slowly decreasing to a more normal level, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.
When it finally felt like he was not going to let her go any time soon, Relena lifted her head. "Is this better?"
"Yes." He answered and the side of his mouth formed a half smile.
Heero then lifted her face up closer toward his own and gave her a gentle kiss. Relena's eyes widened before they closed to enjoy the sweet sensation of his lips against her own. It did not last very long, but Relena found herself longing for more.
She smiled down at him as she rubbed the back of her hand against his cheek. She really did not want this moment to end, so she leaned in closer to give him a kiss of her own.
Where their first kiss had been sweet, this one was anything but. Relena may have meant for it to be continuation of that first taste, but all those pent up desires began clamoring to the surface all at once.
Relena barely acknowledged the sensation of her back being pressed into the mattress as Heero rolled over putting her beneath him. The only thing she had any awareness of was his hands as they caressed her thighs, as they gently fondled them along the edge of her nightgown. She was lost to the sensations he was creating inside her body as his hands worked their way further up, the hem of her nightgown moving along with them.
She struggled for air when his mouth left hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and her fingers tangled in his hair. She never knew hair could feel so soft beneath her fingertips. His mouth trailed kisses around her neck to nibble on her earlobe. His hands then wandered even further up her body. She arched her back when she felt a gentle flick across a sensitive nipple through her nightgown.
Her hands left his hair to travel along the contours of his lean back. Since he was only wearing a pair of boxer shorts to begin with, she was free to explore. His muscles flexed and bunched under every touch, and she marveled at the feel.
Heero could hardly believe this was happening. In his wildest fantasies, he never dreamed he would actually have Relena writhing beneath him. So, he completely ignored the little voice of reason in his head that was trying to tell him this was not the right time or place for this to happen. The feel of her soft hands as they molded themselves along his back had him thrusting his hips into hers before he even realized what he was doing.
His mouth found hers again just as Relena let loose a soft moan of pleasure. It was music to his ears, but there was also a constant buzz trying to break through the back of his mind that was not so pleasant. In fact, it was starting to get annoying, but he chose to ignore it.
Relena was the one who reacted to the buzzing sound when it finally penetrated her senses. At first, it was hard to tell what the irritating noise was, but Duo's light snoring on the far side of the room eventually broke through her hazy mind.
Her sudden reaction left Heero reeling and it took him a few moments to realize that her hands were no longer caressing his back but pushing against his chest. And, her body was no longer moving pleasurably beneath him, but laying there stiff as a board. He had to blink his eyes a couple times to bring them back into focus, and the sight before him was not a very welcome one.
They were both panting for breath, but her eyes were the size of saucers. He could only hope that he had not just scared her off. He knew she only meant for it to be a kiss goodnight, and look at what he had gone and done. He normally had better control of his emotions. How could he have let this happen?
"Um . . . I'm . . . I'm sorry . . ."
"SSSShhhhhh." She whispered reaching up to pull his face back down toward her own. "It's all right. You did not do anything wrong." He obviously thought he had scared her. She was not scared of him per se, but she did find her reaction to him startling.
"Huh?"
She smiled wanting to reassure him that she was okay. She pulled his head closer and whispered in his ear. "I would be lying, if I said otherwise."
Her words helped set him at ease, but they did not help his current predicament. How was he going to keep his hands to himself while she slept wrapped around him for the rest of the night? This night was definitely going to be a true testament to the strength of his will. On second thought, her hands had not been idle either. He smirked. Maybe the princess really did have more fire in her than anyone ever realized. It was a thrilling thought.
He kissed her forehead then rolled over unto his back pulling Relena with him. She snuggled into the crook of his arm and he wrapped his arm around her waist.
Relena smiled Heero really did make a comfortable pillow. "Goodnight, Heero." She snuggled further into her 'pillow' and began falling asleep almost immediately.
Heero could not help the instinctive smirk that came across his face. Yes, it had been a good night, which means it could only be a better morning. "Goodnight, Relena." He pulled her closer as he too settled down to sleep.
To Be Continued
Well, there it is. I bet some of you thought I'd stepped off the face of the planet. In case anyone has been wondering where I've been the last few years, I was in graduate school. I graduated last summer, but after I was finally done with school I couldn't bring myself to write anything for a long while. After devoting the last part of grad school to writing a thesis – which was done on top of everything else due for all my lecture classes and seminars – writing was last thing I wanted to do.
I posted a work-in-progress of chapter fourteen a little while ago. It contains an author's note at the beginning of that chapter that goes into further detail concerning my plans for A Weekend to Remember, so be sure to read it if you want to know some of what I have planned for this story.
Also, if anyone is interested in seeing just how different this version is in comparison to its predecessor, you may find it at the original fanfiction archive of Blissful Ignorance at blissfulignorance(dot)com(backslash)fanfiction1(dot)html. It will remain there forevermore, since the original archive is no longer receiving updates. Just scroll down till you get to 'Carebear.' All the authors are listed alphabetically.
I want to thank you all for your continued patience with me in regards to my lack of updates in the past. I also hope everyone enjoys these new installments.
I also want to thank my cousin, who is my BETA. I appreciate her taking the time to proofread, and pointing out the areas that were still in need of work. Her help was greatly appreciated, especially since she is not the biggest Relena fan. But hey she has me proofreading her Hiei/Kurama fic, and I am not a big yaoi fan, so I guess that makes us even.
Well, that's all for now.
Hugs and Kisses,
Carebear-chan