Papa Zechs, part 4

By Caliko

Relena re-adjusted the strapless bodice on the ice blue velvet evening dress as she stepped back from the mirror to get the full effect. Her honey blond hair was upswept, reminiscent of the way she had worn it as the earth's queen. Dainty white pumps encased her feet, and a London blue topaz cut in a teardrop fell from a delicate silver chain at her neck. Matching bobs hung from her tiny lobes, swinging as she moved her head. She looked perfect.

Now... it was time to check on Heero, to make sure that he was dressed. It would be just like him to refuse to take her, just because she wasn’t speaking to him at the moment. Honestly, he had been acting childish, refusing to see that his stay with them was for his own good.

She walked down the hall to his room, and knocked on the door, grumbling when there was no answer.

:::He must be pouting!::: She thought, cursing under her breath at his behavior. :::Well, I’ve had enough! I don’t need that neurotic pain in the ass! I’ll make Wufei take me!:::

Moving back down the hall, she stood in front of Chang’s room and knocked. Wu answered the door in a pair of pants and an undershirt. His dress shirt was clasped in his hand, and he threaded his arms into it.

“Miss Relena? Is there something I can help you with?” He asked.

“Wufei.. I was wondering if you could escort me to the Valentine's Day ball? Heero isn’t answering his door.” She smiled, expectantly.

“Heero already left. Didn’t you hear his car?” Wufei told her, realizing too late that he just became the bearer of bad tidings...

“He left? Where did he go? He knew that he was supposed to escort me!” Relena was confused, as Heero never mentioned any other plans.

“He went to pick up Vivian.. He asked her to the ball when you two broke up.”

“We didn’t break up! I’m just not speaking to him right now. Wait...Vivian? Tiny brunette with big blue eyes? A stiff wind would knock her over? That Vivian?”

“I wouldn’t describe her that way...” he hedged, glancing anywhere but her glowing red eyes...”Yes.. that Vivian.”

“I’m going to kill him. HE KNOWS I HATE HER!”

Wufei started to sweat, knowing his duty but really wishing he could ignore it for once...

“Relena.. I’m escorting Hilde there since Duo can’t make it. It’s not a date, or anything. If you want, we can give you a lift.”

“Perfect. I know that you would love a front row seat for this, Wu.. especially since he’s the one that told Zechs where you were. Get your coat. We’re going to make Heero Yuy curse the day he decided to screw me over!”

“But.. I thought you were a pacifist?”

“That’s politics.. this is love.”

Wufei paused. “Um.... ookayyy.... Wait a second, did you say that HEERO told Zechs where I was?”

“Yes.”

“HILDE!" Flames begin to fuel up in Wufei's eyes. "Hurry up! We’re leaving!”

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Heero popped two aspirin into his mouth, wondering where his brain was when he called this particular girl. There were plenty of beautiful, QUIET girls in the school.. like Relena. They wouldn’t give him a headache by incessant chatter!

Vivian talked constantly, as if she had to fill in the quiet gaps he made with his lack of speech. Which was stupid. Relena wouldn’t make that mistake!

::::UGH!! Gotta stop this.. I have a mission, to show Relena that I don’t need her! I can’t fail!::: He thought, hardening his mind. :::I will NOT go crawling back to her! She will SEE that there are plenty of women out there, waiting in line for him! She’ll come running back to him, determined to defend her territory!:::

“OH Look, Heero! Doesn’t that gown look like a giant carnation? Ohhh Pretty!”

Vivian was at it again. Why can’t she have taste.. like Relena?

:::DOH!:::

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“Hilde.. are you saying that all of you knew about Heero and his” (shuddering) “date?” Relena was obviously very upset.

“Well, yeah, but we didn’t say anything, because we figured that you knew about it. We were under the impression that you two were broken up.”

“Someone’s going to be broken tonight...” The minister mumbled under her breath.

The limo stopped, and Pagan got out of the car. They were at the ball.

Relena quickly looked out the window and scanned the situation. Slowly she pulled her lips back into a smirk. She look back into the car gathering her troops near.

“Wufei.. it’s your job to get that witch away from Heero! I don’t care how you do it, just do it! Hilde.. you’re going to lure Heero to the balcony.. ask him who the guy I'm kissing is... that’ll make him run.”

“Relena.. he’ll run alright.. with a drawn gun!” Hilde stared at the former queen, her eyes round with worry.

“Relax, Hilde.. It will be fine. Just remember.. if Heero see’s Wufei with Vivian, he’ll know it’s a trap. We have to lure Heero away first, somehow..”

“Have him paged.”

“Who would page him?”

“If he thinks that someone’s looking for him, someone like Lady Une, he’ll go answer it.”

“A note, perhaps? In Lady Une’s hand?” Hilde suggested, grinning.

“That would be great, if we could get one.” Relena sighed, “No.. we’re stuck with a phone call.”

“Wait, Relena. Watch.” Hilde took out a notepad, and quickly wrote a message on it. Handing it over to Wufei, she asked, “Is this enough like Une’s handwriting to fool him?”

His eyebrows rose appreciatively, and he nodded. “...Yes. But don't do it more than once or else he'll start to notice.”

Hilde grinned. “Pagan!” Hilde called... “Can you have this delivered to Heero Yuy? Without telling him who is delivering it?”

“Miss Relena?” He questioned, hurrying on when she nodded yes.

“Now.. we just have to go and watch the show.”

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They watched as Heero excused himself from Vivian’s side, laughing that it was so easily done. Wufei instantly latched onto the girl's arm, smiling into her face as he led her into a waltz. Passing close to the broom closet, he pushed her inside and locked the door just as Heero came back shaking his head. Ignoring the pounding on the door, he gave the thumbs up sign to Hilde, who instantly went into play.

The pixyish girl ran up to Heero, shaking her head and waving her arms as she explained that some guy had Relena cornered in the garden, and was kissing her. Instantly, the ‘Perfect Soldier’ took command, spotting Wu from across the room and motioning him over.

Not wanting to let the plan slip, Wufei complied. He would have to be there anyway, to help tie him up. Together, they marched out to the balcony, Heero: to protect his "interests", and Wufei: to get even with Heero for a CERTAIN reason.

They were greeted on the balcony by a disheveled Relena. Her lace shawl hung free to the ground, and her hair was escaping it’s confinement. Her cheeks were flushed, her lipstick mussed, and her eyes had a brightness that made her boyfriend grit his teeth.

Wufei looked at Hilde with wonder, as Relena was NOT that.. messy when he had left. Hilde just blushed and looked up at the stars. There were some things that he did not need to know...

“Where is he?” Heero asked, walking around the balcony and looking over the edge into the garden.

“Where’s who?” Duo’s voice came from the ballroom.

“What are you doing here, Duo? Never mind.. help me find this guy!” Heero continued to peer into the bushes, determined to find the guy encroaching on his woman.

“Heero, ‘Ol buddy.. I can’t find someone if I don’t know who I’m looking for.”

“Dammit, did you see anyone running out from the ball?”

“OH!! THAT guy! He went that way.” Duo pointed towards the far end of the garden, towards the ocean.

Heero gave a maniacal laugh, leaping over the stone wall and onto the path below. Chasing after shadows, he ran out of the garden gate, and onto the beach, not stopping until he came to the edge of the water.

Choosing the direction of the town, he continued, just knowing that he would catch up with him, oblivious to the fact that the woman he came to the ball was locked in the broom closet, pounding on the door to be let out.

Wufei bowed to Relena, smirking with her as he offered the minister of peace his arm.

“Shall we dance, Madam?” He asked.

“That would be wonderful, Wufei. Thank you.”

They went back inside and joined the dancers, laughing each time they passed the noisy broom closet.

Watching them, Duo laughed. Relena got even with Heero without blood shed. Of course.. they still had to sit down and straighten out their problems. At least, now they were on even ground.

He turned to his fiance’, violet eyes twinkling mischievously as he fought to subdue a leer.

Opening his mouth, he started to say something, shook his head and ducked his head. Finally, he couldn’t just leave it be. He had to mention it...

“Hey, Babe?” he said, waiting for her to turn towards him.

“yeah, Duo?”

“Is Relena a good kisser?”

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