I do not own Gundam Wing.  This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.  

Chapter 7

            “So which team do you want to play for next year?”  Duo asked Heero as a waiter delivered two beers to their table at ‘Donell’s Bar and Grill’.  The bar had a cheerful atmosphere with patrons’ favorite sports playing on the monitors scattered about the room.  Smoking was allowed, but not many people on the colonies smoked, so the air wasn’t hazy.  And though the place was known to be the college ‘hotspot’ on a Friday or Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon was more subdued. 

The restaurant portion was altogether totally different.  White tablecloths and tuxedo-clad waiters attracted professional types as well as those there to celebrate special occasions. 

            Heero shrugged in reply.  “Why did you come here?”

            Duo’s face fell.  “Gee, thanks.”

            Heero felt a slight twinge of guilt at his friend’s expression.  Over the last two years, he had purposely become more adept at reading the facial expressions of others and equating them with his own feelings.  One might almost refer to that as growing more ‘sensitive’, but the former Gundam pilot was still far from the meaning of the word.

“I haven’t decided on a team, yet.  They’re not technically allowed to start formal negotiations until my last college season is over.”

            “Oh,” Duo said and checked his watch.

            “Got somewhere to go?”  Heero inquired.

            “No, just wondering.  I’m supposed to call Hilde tonight.”

            “Hn,” Heero said and started to take a sip of his beer when something, or rather someone caught his eye.  He stopped his movement and just stared.

            Duo didn’t have to look to know what his friend was staring at.  Relena had a dinner meeting in the restaurant part of Donells; according to his watch, she was right on time.  It was a non-existent meeting for trade contracts that had already been signed.  He smiled to himself at his cleverness as he turned to follow Heero’s gaze.

            It was easy to understand why Heero was staring.  Dressed in a navy blue skirt that didn’t quite reach her knees, and matching double-breasted wool suit jacket, she looked every bit the accomplished, self-confident, and striking woman she had become.   Duo noted she was getting more than just his buddy’s attention, as several men nudged each other at her entrance.

            A hostess appeared and asked her if she would like a table.  She declined in favor of waiting for her ‘date’, and chose a seat near the door.  Duo smiled and excused himself, but not before saying something to the effect of, “Wonder what she’s doing here?”

            Heero watched from his vantage point at the table as Duo made his way over to Relena.  He drained his beer quickly, trying to douse the fire that had ignited in his chest. 

When he saw the greeting Duo received, however, his blood suddenly ran cold with a silent fury.  His lip curled up in a snarl as he watched the two exchange an intimate embrace.  “When did this happen?” Heero wanted to know; it was as much a question as to the nature of the ‘relationship’ between Duo and Relena, as it was a question to himself of when he had started to care so much.  He signaled the waiter and ordered another beer.

            “Relena,” Duo smiled and grabbed both her hands as she stood up.  She hugged him and pecked his cheek.  “Quatre just called.  Mr. Baker isn’t able to make it.  He said he would sign the contracts and forward them to you right away.”

            “Oh.”  Relena frowned.  “I guess I can go home, then.  This was my last meeting here.  I had to stay over an extra day….”  She sighed. 

            “Hey, but we got to go see Heero play!  If it wasn’t for this meeting….” He trailed off at her dark expression.  “Relena?”

            “I don’t know if that was such a good thing,” she said softly.

            “Why not?”

            She looked up at him with sadness in her eyes.  “It still hurts.  Even after all this time.”

            Duo winced.  “Relena, we’re having some drinks over there.  I was hoping you would join us.”

            Relena felt that sense of dread in the pit of her stomach.  “We?” She asked, afraid of the answer.

            “Yeah, Heero, and me.” He watched closely for her reaction.

            “Duo….”

            Heero could tell they were arguing about something and smirked.  “Good,” he thought and ordered another beer.

            Duo took her arm and led her to the table.  Heero was glaring daggers at him.  “This isn’t good,” Duo said to himself, and then noticed the glare had lifted somewhat as Heero’s gaze traveled to Relena.  They sat down.

            The waiter delivered Heero’s third beer and asked Relena if she would like anything to drink.  “Water,” she answered, smiling faintly.

            Duo knew that the burden of conversation would rest solely on his shoulders.  Heero was staring at Relena, who was in turn staring at her napkin, the floor, the window, anything but Heero.  “It’s a shame about your dinner meeting, Relena,” Duo began.  Relena shrugged.  “Mr. Baker is nice enough.  I’m just so busy that to have spent an extra day here for no reason is a bit… frustrating.”

            “Well, at least we didn’t spend it working,” Duo said smiling at Relena.  She didn’t smile back.

            “Yeah, we got to go see wonder-boy over here play in person.  Won’t Quatre be jealous?”

            Relena glared at him.  Heero stopped hating Duo long enough to wonder briefly about that exchange.  “Why would Quatre be jealous?” he asked Duo.

            “He’s a big fan of the Bulldogs,” Duo lied easily.  The waiter came back with Relena’s water and took her order.

            “I’ll have a dinner salad, thank you.”

            Heero frowned and stopped the waiter before he walked away.  He whispered something to the man that the others couldn’t hear.  The server nodded and scurried off.

            Duo didn’t pay any attention.  He pulled two envelopes from his jacket pocket and gave one to each of them.  Relena seemed to brighten immediately as she carefully opened hers.  Heero got his open first.  It contained a beautifully engraved invitation on cream-colored stationery.  “Duo Maxwell and Hilde Scheibecker cordially invite you to their wedding….” Heero’s eyebrows shot up, and instantly all daydreams about how to kill the loud-mouthed jerk touching his Relena stopped.

            “Congratulations,” Heero told his friend.  It came across gruffly, but he was sincere.

            “I, uh, well, I know you’re busy and all, Heero…” Duo stuttered sheepishly.  “But I was hoping you would be my best man.”

            Heero was shocked.  “I don’t know what to say.” He said as warmly as his monotone could convey.

            Duo smiled.  “How ‘bout ‘sure, I’d be honored.’?”

            Heero smirked and said the line.  Duo was speechless.  He almost felt like crying.  He turned his attention to Relena.  She was smiling and tracing over the lines of the engraving with her hands.  “Hilde wanted me to ask you if you could squeeze in a few days for her three weeks from now.”

            “Of course!”

            “Actually, we were really kind of hoping you might be able to stay the week.  You have to come for the final fittings on the bridesmaid dress, anyway, and she’d really like to have your advice on decorating and just to spend some time with you….” He noticed her expression turn melancholy with the mention of ‘bridesmaid dresses.’  She looked like she was going to cry.

            Relena ducked her head, using her golden hair to hide her eyes.  “Excuse me,” she mumbled, and got up from the table.  She walked quickly towards the restrooms located at the front of the dining area.  Duo went after her.

            He caught up to her quickly, blocking her path.  She hadn’t made it out of the bar area, yet.   Relena’s back was turned towards the table she had recently left, and Duo was facing her.  From his seat, Heero read Duo’s lips.

            Since he could only read one half of the conversation, Heero got little insight into the situation.  He picked up snippets like, “You won’t ruin the wedding.”  And  “That’s their problem.” 

            “Why would Relena ruin their wedding?”  Heero wondered, taking another sip of his beer.  He was pleased that the feeling to kill failed to rise within him when he saw Duo’s arms around her this time.  “Duo’s getting married….poor Hilde.”  Heero thought, shaking his head. 

            Duo pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to Relena.  Heero looked up and read his lips again.  “You still won’t let him see you cry, huh?”  Duo said and glared over at Heero.  Their eyes met, and Heero was surprised by the anger he saw flashing in those usually cheerful violet orbs.  Relena shook her head in answer to Duo’s question. 

“Why wouldn’t she want me to see her cry?”  Heero asked himself.

Duo led Relena back to the table.  She was still attempting to hide her face behind her beautiful honey tresses.  Heero looked at her intently, trying to find traces of those secret tears.  She was good.  Except for the slight glassiness of her light blue eyes, there was no other evidence that she had been weeping.

The waiter appeared with her salad.  She picked at it absently, ignoring the conversation around her.  This ‘new’ Relena that no longer seemed to need him or his attention perplexed Heero.  He could tell by her posture that she was much more confident and reserved.  Her eyes no longer told him her secrets.  She was so much more beautiful than he remembered, and so much more melancholy. He burned with desire to touch her hair, to hear his name on her lips.  He never realized how much influence she had over his thoughts and feelings.  Perhaps if she’d just look at him….

His self-reflection was interrupted by the waiter setting down a huge plate full of food in front of a perplexed Relena.  She was arguing with the server, saying she hadn’t ordered any of it.  The man gestured towards Heero, and three sets of eyes looked at him.  One set was the pair of light blue orbs in question.  He stared across the table into those eyes, wishing for the right words to say to her to make her love him again. 

“You can’t live on water and salad,” he said gruffly.

Whatever the right words were, those weren’t them.  Relena waved the waiter away, and grabbed her purse.  She pulled a few bills out of her wallet and slammed them on the table.  Shimmering blond hair danced away angrily as she stormed out of the restaurant, unaware of the Prussian blue eyes following her every movement.