Disclaimer: As much as I would love to change this, someone else owns GW. Not me.
C&C—bring it on!
From Forever to Forever
Part Four: To Love
Christmas Eve, A.C. 202—Heero Yuy—1:14 p.m.
I know WuFei’s going to say something as soon as he sees her. He’ll make some smart-ass, sarcastic comment, and Relena will be horribly embarrassed. And Duo will take one look at her and whoop with glee.
It’s his fault for inviting her to his wedding in the first place.
I clench the steering wheel with both hands, grinding my teeth together. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought her. Spending Christmas with her brother would be easier than this.
"Are you all right, Heero?" Lord, her voice is so sweet. It was her voice that finally won me, the August before last when I asked her out on our first date.
"I’m fine." I glance over at her, only to find her staring right back at me. She’s so beautiful.
"We don’t have to do this," she says hesitantly.
But I want to. How can I explain myself? I know the guys will tease me, but I want them to know about our relationship. I want them to know that Relena is what I care about. I’m fighting for her again. Not in the symbolic, idealistic way I did six years ago—but in a more personal manner. I know that my death will hurt her. So I fight to stay alive. That’s not all there is to it—but I can’t find the words that will tell her how much she means to me.
"Heero?"
"Hmm?"
"I-I just want you to know . . . that . . . I love you."
My heart seems to stop. Love? No one’s ever loved me before. Maybe the other pilots—but that’s not remotely the same.
Do I love her?
I look over at her. She’s staring straight ahead, her face an emotionless mask.
Do I love her?
We’ve been dating for a year and four months. Would we still be dating if I didn’t love her? Would we be sleeping together if I didn’t love her?
Her hands clench the fabric of her skirt, and gradually her head droops.
I’ve never loved anyone—how does it work? How do you know if you’re ready to tell someone you want to spend the rest of your lives together? I’ve felt that way since we were kids, since the Marymeia uprising. That was the reason I ran away from her—why I stayed away for four years. It terrified me.
"I understand." Her voice is low, dejected. "You don’t have to say it back."
I look over to see tears streaming down her cheeks.
And it hurts. It hurts like hell to know that I’ve made her cry. In all the years I’ve known her, I’ve never seen her cry.
"Relena." She looks up at me, her expression a strange mixture of fear and anticipation. "I love you, too. I should’ve said it months ago."
"Really?" She smiles at me radiantly, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.
I nod, returning her smile. "Really."
Christmas Eve—Hilde Schbeiker—2:22 p.m.
You know, there’s something about being with Silvia Winner that makes me act like a schoolgirl again. And Sally is probably the funniest person I know, next to Duo. But with Heero bringing Relena into the group, it’s like adding kindling to the fire.
We’ve been hanging out in the kitchen since Relena got here, gossiping and pretending to cook dinner. It’s nice to get away from the men, and the kids are all taking their afternoon naps. So it’s like we’re sixteen again.
"Do you want to know the strangest thing that ever happened at my school?" Relena asked, grinning wickedly.
"Oh, I doubt it can beat Hilde’s story about the cross-dressing boys at her senior prom!" Sally protests, crossing her arms and leaning against the counter.
"Believe me," Relena insists, in a serious voice, "this is even stranger than that."
I shake my head. "No way. What on earth could be stranger than seventeen year old boys in drag?" I ask skeptically.
She grins again. "Heero Yuy."
Silvia bursts out laughing, nearly dropping her champagne glass. I think she’s getting tipsy, and it’s not even three yet. "Yes! I agree—even high school boys in formal gowns aren’t stranger than Heero!"
I have to agree. I reach into a bowl of candy, pulling out a piece of Starburst. Duo’s favorite candy. "You know," I change the subject, "I remember hearing one time in tenth grade that if you could open a Starburst wrapper in your mouth, it meant you were a good kisser."
"Using just your tongue and teeth?" Relena asks.
I nod.
"Let’s find out, then!" Sally laughs; she grabs the bowl, marching out toward the hallway. We curiously follow her down the magnificent hall of the Winner mansion. Once she reaches the drawing room doorway, she leans against it. "Gentlemen?" she asks huskily. "We have a mission for you."
Silvia, Relena, and I snicker, each taking a piece of candy.
"Here’s the challenge," I declare. "We want to know who the best kisser is."
Duo stands up, grinning wildly. "Now this is my kind of mission!" He immediately heads over to Relena, preparing to kiss her.
Heero and I both stop him. Violently.
"What do you mean?" Trowa asks in a soft, curious voice.
Sally smirks, holding out the bowl of candy. "Apparently there’s an urban legend that says if you can open Starburst in your mouth, you’re a good kisser. Wanna try?" She offers the bowl to Trowa, who immediately takes one.
"No problem." He pops it into his mouth, wrapper and all, and within a minute he has the wrapper out again.
Relena cheers and Silvia claps; Sally begins making lewd offers.
He shakes his head, smiling and blushing a bit. "It’s not that difficult."
"Me next!" Duo shouts, grabbing the candy from my hand. He throws it in, and struggles for a moment. I can’t help but laugh as his face contorts and he starts making strange sounds. Finally he spits the still-wrapped candy back into his hand. "This is not right—you guys must’ve glued it shut or something." He fumes, but pops it back into his mouth and continues trying to open the wrapper.
"Will you try, sweetie?" Silvia asks Quatre, giggling. He gives her a strange look and takes the champagne glass from her hand, setting it on the table. With a sigh, he tosses the strawberry candy into his mouth. He struggles, like Duo, but manages to get the wrapper partially off before giving up entirely.
Silvia laughs and looks at Trowa, raising her eyebrows in a less-than-subtle invitation. "I knew I married the wrong one . . ."
Sally sits down next to WuFei. She hands him a piece of candy wordlessly. He looks at it and glares back. "You know I’m allergic to this."
"You’re allergic to Starburst?" I ask incredulously.
Sally shakes her head. "No—he’s allergic to lemons." She gives him a cherry piece instead, and he takes it. He fares even worse than Duo, if that can be said.
Relena crosses the room, orange Starburst in hand, and feeds it to her boyfriend. Heero’s expression remains the same, even when he pokes the empty wrapper out from between his lips. But Relena gives a triumphant smile.
"I guess Relena’s the winner," Silvia sighs, sitting between Quatre and Trowa. "Unless of course, Trowa wants to share his talent with the ladies?"
"Uhn-uh!" Duo cries, holding out his Starburst wrapper. "I did it!"
I pat him on the back and kiss his cheek. "It took you long enough—but you did it."
Sally snickers. "How many times have you heard that before, Duo?"
Christmas Eve—WuFei Chang—10:34 p.m.
The women are discussing politics. Good Lord, I thought this was supposed to be a relaxing evening with friends, not a political showdown between Quatre’s wife and Heero’s girlfriend. Thank God Silvia has sobered up—the afternoon nap did wonders for her.
It is actually somewhat relaxing, though. Duo, Trowa, and Quatre are playing with the kids. Good thing, since Duo’s the only one who has enough energy to deal with his hellions. Sally and Hilde are listening to the debate. Heero and I can’t help but listen—especially when Silvia stands up, slams her palms on the table and raises her voice to the former queen of the world.
"But life is different out here in the colonies," she insists. "We have to create new legislation that will keep people content."
Relena shakes her head. "But you’re forgetting that as politicians our duty is to do what the majority wants—a show of no-confidence is the last thing anyone needs."
"Relena," Silvia begins, her voice low and fierce. "I am speaking on behalf of the majority in the L-4 cluster. Our traditions are different here, due to the unique developments of these colonies.
"Unlike some of the other clusters, L-4 could not allow natural childbirth until AC 194. It was illegal because children and mothers had an extremely high mortality rate in labor. Because of this, birth control was a necessity. But as more accidental conceptions occurred, more doctors promoted abstinence. People chose homosexual intercourse for safer sex—and over the years it became a preferred way of life. Over half of this colony classifies themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Look at the Maganacs—fifty-two percent of them are homosexual!"
"Really?" Duo asks, looking up from his conversation with Trowa. "Is Rashid gay?"
I roll my eyes. What difference does it make?
Quatre scowls. "He’s married with three kids."
"That doesn’t mean anything, Quatre," Silvia sighs.
Trowa interjects. "I’ve known several gay men who didn’t realize it until after they were married."
"I understand that, Silvia," Relena articulates firmly, "and I think it’s perfectly normal and acceptable for there to be homosexual relationships. However, can’t people be happy living together? Why should the current law be revoked in order to satisfy a worldwide minority when there is an alternative? There are many other things we have to work on—so many issues have been unresolved since the war."
"Actually," I say, throwing myself into the argument, "I have to back Silvia. It’s not a matter of aestheticism. You’re forgetting that with marriage comes a multitude of benefits—insurance, inheritance rights, changes in taxation status. Common law marriages between heterosexual marriages allow for this—but the gay community isn’t given the right to have normal marriages, let alone common law."
Silvia nods appreciatively. "And unless we can have the legislature changed—at least to allow the colonies some sort of self-governing concerning homosexual rights—no politician from this colonial cluster will get the support from the people. It’s a part of our culture that the Earth Sphere isn’t permitting."
"Notice how she says ‘our culture’ even though she was born and raised in Sicily?" Quatre teases, crossing the room to plant a kiss on his wife’s cheek. He successfully ended the debate without letting them come to blows. Maxwell must be disappointed.
But still, it makes me wonder. I haven’t really been paying attention to politics. Listening to them rant and rave made me remember when Meiran and I would bicker over political issues. I used to pay so much more attention to the world around me.
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