Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 1 Blood on the Window ❯ This Side of Paradise ( Chapter 14 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Heero's laughter was evil as the blood sprayed over both our faces, "I fuckin' love mid-August!" he informed me, tackling me suddenly so we both nearly fell to the ground, "You know why we had so many hits when you first showed up?" he asked me happily.

"Why?" I asked, trying to right the pair of us.

"Because of the heat," he laughed evilly again, moving away from me to grab his bullet and casing, taking a deep breath before meeting my eyes-it was that same evil look he was so good at.

"Oh really?" I returned, thinking back to what he'd said that first day.

'If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the fire.'

He nodded pleasantly at me, moving to take a paper-towel from the guy's dispenser and wiping his face off with it before moving up to me. When I went to take the thing from him, he avoided my grasp, his eyes glowing.

I narrowed my eyes at him, letting him wipe the blood away, "Have I ever mentioned that there are times when you truly disturb me?"

He laughed again, balling the paper-towel up and tucking it into his pocket, reaching into another pocket for his roll of dollar bills, "People are easily annoyed in the heat…and we live in a new form of 'sin city'." he dropped one down, "It's not like it's hard to find either me or Ace, you know?"

"Ace?" I asked blankly.

"He's the 'lunatic'." Heero explained as if this meant something to me, shoving me to the door.

"What?"

"The other assassin," Heero was blinking at me in astonishment.

"Other?"

"Yeah…we're the only ones."

I blinked at him, startled.

"Of course, Ace is willing to take out random passers-by," he added, making a face, "That works for the syndicates. He's got something like me, you know? He just goes out on his jobs, takes his money and leaves. He doesn't care which syndicate it's for. But you know me, I don't work for any syndicate."

"Unless Jesse asked real nice." I agreed, sliding into the car with him.

"No, that would be you." he gave me a look, "I won't compromise my position. I've balanced myself between the shit and will not be moving on."

"And what about me?" I muttered, frowning.

He chuckled, "I don't know, Duo. You're just my extra eyes-and when you've got blood on your face, it's just that extra excitement."

I shook my head.

He laughed, driving away from the scene of yet another cold-blooded murder, careless as you please.

I wondered about myself, seeing as I'd stopped praying for these people.

"Would you do it?" he asked, smirking at me, "Would you kill again?"

"I don't need to kill." I muttered, finding a programmed response.

He made a noise of consideration, "I said the same thing myself."

"And you were insane. Clinically."

He laughed again.

"I don't know…depends on why Jesse wanted me to kill."

"How about me?" he asked, meeting my eyes a moment, "Would you kill if I asked you to?"

"Again, it depends."

"And Wufei?"

"What?"

He smirked at me, "If Wufei asked you to kill someone, would you do it?"

"Probably. It's not like he'd ask me to if it wasn't something serious…I mean, he never even mentioned it with Jun, you know? He just said we couldn't do it."

Heero considered me a long moment, then pulled out his phone.

"What?"

"I'm going to see if Relena wants something special for dinner," he explained, "We're gonna head right by Safeway, after all."

"You realize that's the tenth guy you've taken out since I showed up?" I asked finally, thinking about this.

"You'd be amazed how little that means to me." he replied, "Hey, baby…do you want anything for supper?"

"Do you even keep count anymore?" I muttered.

He gave me a look.

"Shit…ten since I got here, and who knows how many before…"

"Shut-up." he muttered, then blinked, "No, not you! Duo's rambling at me! I know…well…no. I was trying to listen…Relena…" he sighed heavily, then snapped his phone shut, glaring at me.

"What?"

"She got pissed at me like I was telling her to shut-up."

I frowned.

He made a face, then turned into the Safeway parking lot, "Let's just hope she managed everything she needed."

.

Relena was tossing things around the kitchen when we moved into it, and I set the bag of things I'd picked up next to her, moving to kiss her cheek. She moved away from me, however, so I didn't press that.

"Hey," Wufei muttered petulantly from the living room to Duo.

"Hi." Duo replied with a sigh.

"I think I got everything," I muttered to Relena, studying her annoyed face.

"You better have."

"Did you tell me everything?" I asked, slightly worried.

"Yes."

"Then…I think I did." I muttered, backing away from her slightly and hesitating. I wanted to kiss her, but she didn't want me to touch her. "How was your day?"

"You care?" she asked, giving me a level look.

I frowned at her. I did care. She knew I cared. She knew I could name the three women in the office she hated the most and the three men-not only that, but I could tell her the three guys she thought were cute. I always asked her how her day was, "Did I do something?" I muttered finally, not sure.

"You told me to shut-up." she snapped.

"I was talking to Duo, he was being all…"

She gave me another look.

I sighed, backing off again, "I didn't tell you to shut-up. I'm sorry I wasn't more careful with how I said it."

"Just go away." she grumbled at me.

I stood there a long moment, knowing she really was pissed at me and not wanting to leave it lie. I knew, though, that sometimes that was best. I hesitated a moment longer, then moved into the living room. I wasn't startled to see that Wufei was curled against Duo's side, though it was slightly off to see Miguel sitting with his arms and legs crossed across the room.

He didn't say anything to me as I moved to sit next to him.

"How'd it go?" Wufei asked, blinking at me from his comfortable little hole.

I shrugged, "Well enough."

"Is she okay?" he asked, gesturing with his head to the kitchen.

I shrugged, "I did something to piss her off…and I don't know what."

Duo frowned, extricating himself from Wufei and moving to the kitchen. My show was on, though, so I wasn't paying complete attention.

Duo reappeared moments later, blinking in confusion as he sat next to Wufei again.

"Well?" Wufei asked.

"She told me to just leave her alone." Duo replied, still looking shocked.

I sighed, leaning against the edge of the couch to stare in at my girlfriend as she moved back and forth across the kitchen.

"Can't you talk to her?" Wufei asked twenty minutes later, when she was busily slamming pots and pans around.

"I don't know what's the matter." I replied just as quietly, then pointed at Duo, "Call Hilde."

He frowned at me, "I don't want to talk to her."

"Hilde is a fine lady." Miguel snapped at us.

"I know that." Duo replied, "But she's in the same state as Relena."

"Maybe Kayla?" Wufei suggested, his tone extremely hesitant.

Duo snorted, "She got pissed at me this morning and won't show up again until she needs laid."

"Well, that won't take too long," I muttered petulantly, watching Relena again.

Trowa sighed as he came into the living room, then looked at us, "What's up?"

"Relena's mad at Heero and doesn't want to talk to anyone about it." Duo replied instantly.

He gave us all curious looks, moving into the kitchen, "You want some help?" he asked.

"I'd appreciate it if you could get a side-dish ready," Relena returned, sounding a bit grateful.

The three of us exchanged disgusted looks as Miguel continued to stare at the television.

.

I watched Heero spread a liberal amount of salsa over the meat I'd just spent a half hour getting just right and glared up at him in shock.

He was laughing, however, talking to Duo.

Not that Duo wasn't putting the salsa on his food too.

"If you don't like what I've made," I snapped at all of them, "Then make your own goddamn food!"

Everyone stopped moving, focusing on me and blinking.

"I've been cooking for you assholes for three months now! You don't even thank me anymore! You just make my food better!" I knew I was about to start crying, but I didn't care. They deserved that much. They'd all feel bad about making me cry.

"What's the matter?" Wufei asked, all concern.

"Fuck you!" I snapped at him, "Just eat the goddamn food how I made it! It tastes fine without the salsa on it!"

Guilty looks were exchanged and Heero set the jar down, putting the lid on it.

"Oh, so now because you don't want me to feel bad, you'll do it!" I drew myself up, thinking over all the injustices in our relationship, "I hate you!" before I stared running from the room I had the pleasure of seeing him flinch as if I'd really hurt his feelings.

At least he'd put up that show for me.

"Relena?" it was Trowa, standing near the end of the stairs and frowning at me, "Is there something you'd like to talk about?"

"Fuck you!" I replied, shoving him as hard as I could, happy when he stumbled from my path. I was crying before I reached the bedroom, slamming the door behind myself and throwing myself onto the bed.

.

Heero sighed, setting his plate on the table, "And I'm hungry, too." he muttered to us before moving into the living room, "Sorry, Tro…I don't know what I did…" he added, moving around Trowa. A moment later we heard him on the stairs.

"He didn't do anything in particular," Trowa informed Duo, Miguel, and I.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He gave me a long look, "When was the last time you told her thank you for supper?"

I thought about that and shrugged, "She knows I appreciate it."

"Which is why she just ran up to her room crying." Trowa agreed.

I frowned at him.

"Is that what this is?" Duo asked, pointing at the salsa jar.

Trowa blinked at that, then at his burrito, which was open and slathered, then met his eyes again, "Why the hell did you do that?"

"It's…good?" Duo returned.

"Did you even bother trying the meat before you did that?"

Duo shrugged.

"If you're such an expert on women," I muttered petulantly at him, "Then why don't you have one?"

He blinked at me, his expression slightly incredulous.

"I mean…really…"

"This isn't about her being my girlfriend, dumb-ass. This is about you fucks taking her for granted."

"What about you?" Duo snapped.

"I help her every night." he returned acidly, "And I tell her that I like the food and I don't add shit to it."

We narrowed eyes at him.

"How long have you seen this coming?" Miguel demanded.

He shrugged, "A while now, really."

"Why didn't you warn us?" I demanded at the same time Duo demanded something similar.

"I like the food just fine!" Heero's voice carried to us from upstairs, annoyed, "You know that's my favorite!" whatever Relena said didn't carry down the stairs, but Heero's arguments did.

"He's going to wake up Alex." Trowa muttered, moving into the living room and pausing at the bottom of the stairs.

I sighed, closing my burrito without putting on the salsa, adding a bit of sour-cream to keep the T closed, then took that into the living room with me as Heero continued shouting.

I hated hearing males raise their voices like that…it was like my dad. I was never good enough in one way or another, and I'd only find out about it in tones that'd have blown anyone else's eardrums.

I was extremely grateful that Jesse was going to come get Duo and I and take us to La Frawn. I didn't want to have to deal with Heero like this.

.

I sighed as I ate at my burrito, feeling bad about the salsa I'd dumped on it. I couldn't honestly say if the meat was fine alone or not, even though Wufei didn't seem to be complaining. Actually, he was becoming more and more subdued as Heero and Relena continued their shouting match.

The thing was, I couldn't hear Relena.

I'd always known that Heero could get loud, but this was beyond that…this was…

"Fuck." Trowa hissed suddenly, setting his plate on the coffee table and darting up the stairs. A moment later I heard Alex wail.

I blinked at Wufei, then at Miguel.

"I'm gonna…go…rent movies." Miguel muttered, setting his plate on the coffee table as well and disappearing out the door.

I blinked at Wufei.

"What are you talking about?"

I sighed, taking another bite and trying to decide if I should call Jesse and ditch out on him.

"We should make dinner tomorrow night." Wufei muttered quietly to me.

I nodded, "And be sure to tell her how good this is."

"We have to eat it all first." Wufei agreed.

I nodded again.

.

I stared at Relena in shock. I knew she was on her period, so she was a bit more emotional than normal-but this was…was…insane.

"You know every time I've cheated on you!"

Relena gasped out a little cry, burying her face into her hands.

"Why are you crying now?" I snapped, losing my patience, "I just told you the truth!"

"You're lying to me! I bet you're still seeing her!" Relena started sobbing again.

I stared at her in shock, a dreadful realization twisting my stomach into knots, "Are you?" I asked quietly, "You are, aren't you?" I swallowed, studying her, "With who?"

"No!" she shouted at me, her voice rising to the height of female outrage, "You'd only think that if you were!"

I stared at her in shock.

"Is she dirty? You've been seeing her all along! Every time we break up you go back to her!"

"To who?" I snapped, "I told you, I'm not cheating on you!"

"Don't lie to me!"

I stared at her in dismay, knowing that my own anger was making it impossible to argue rationally. The fact that she was accusing me of something I hadn't done in a year hurt.

"Then why won't you marry me?" she screeched.

My heart twisted into knots as I stared at her.

She broke into truly heart-broken tears.

"Because I haven't asked you to marry me, I'm cheating on you?" I demanded, this incredulity taking place of common sense.

"I don't know," she snapped, "Are you?"

I took a deep breath, anger rushing into my system, "Maybe I don't want to marry you because you flip out on me for no reason! Maybe I don't want to marry you because you cheat on me! Maybe I don't want to marry you because…"

"You don't want to marry me?" she asked her voice suddenly small and her heartbroken eyes on mine.

"I didn't say that!"

"You just said…" she broke into tears again.

A small sound-like a baby birdie crying, caught my attention and I glanced to my bedroom door, listening again.

"Shh…esta bien…shh…" Trowa muttered something else soothing in Spanish as Relena continued crying.

I glared at her head a moment, then moved into the hall, pushing Trowa's bedroom door open to look in.

Trowa was holding Alexia, who was bawling, rocking her on the bed as he mumbled into her hair.

He stopped when he realized I was watching him, glaring at me and shaking his head.

"I don't want 'rena to leave!" Alex said tearfully.

I moved back away from the door, my own heart stopping as the possibility came to my mind. It wasn't like it'd be the first time she left me for something trivial.

I started down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Relena demanded of me, appearing in the bedroom door.

"I can't be here right now." I replied, controlling my tone and meeting eyes with Duo on my way to the door.

Relena wailed.

"I'll be back in an hour!" I snapped at her, "Two at the most!"

She sniffled slightly and I could see her at the top of the stairs, her eyes hopeful.

I glanced briefly at Wufei and Duo, then up at the crying love of my life, "I love you." I told her firmly, then started from the house, slamming the front door behind myself.

I had to find somewhere secluded.

…she wanted to marry me.

I needed to find something to release my irritation.

She'd only cheated on me because she thought I was cheating on her.

I needed something to take away my tension headache.

She'd only thought I was cheating on her because I'd stopped being so…passionate.

I needed somewhere where no one would look for me.

I'd only stopped because I thought she didn't want to marry me.

Maybe…Jesse's.

She wanted to marry me.

I stared at my own eyes a moment in the mirror, then turned right.

.

"Jesse is going to be here in five minutes." Heero informed me, his tone hard.

I couldn't meet his eyes, staring at the floor near his feet.

"He was wondering if it was such a good idea for you three to go out." Heero added, "I told him it didn't matter either way, because this was between Relena and I."

"It was all of our fault." I replied quietly.

"Well…she decided I was cheating on her again, which is a bit deeper than expecting her to make supper."

I didn't say anything.

"What's your problem?" he snapped at me.

I glanced up at his annoyed eyes again, then shook my head, starting for the living room.

He grabbed me by the arm, "Wufei…"

I broke his grip, getting annoyed.

"What is your issue?" he snapped.

"I don't have an issue." I snapped back.

"Then fuckin' meet my eyes!"

I glanced back at him again, reading the irritation clearly on his face a moment before looking away.

"Wufei!"

I jumped guiltily, meeting and holding his eyes.

He was staring at me in shock.

"Just leave me alone." I snapped, starting up the stairs in annoyance. I knew he didn't realize how like my father he was being. I knew he didn't know that my father had nit-picked at me relentlessly if I ever bothered going home.

On the bright side, he was easier to please than my father. He didn't expect so much of me…and my father was dead.

I moved into the room and hopped onto the bed, curling against Duo's side as he blinked down at me. He'd been reading a book with his club-shirt hanging over the end of the bed. This meant that I was against his skin.

I rolled away quickly.

"What's up?" he asked, setting his book down, "You okay?" he moved to pull me to him again.

"Wufei, what was that?" Heero demanded, opening the door to blink at us.

"Nothing." I snapped, rolling into Duo so he'd make it impossible for me to look at Heero.

"What's up?" Duo asked, his tone confused.

"I dunno…" Heero replied, stopping a moment and sighing, "Has Relena come out at all?"

"Nope."

"Trowa?"

"Nope."

"How long ago did Alex quit crying?"

"She'd started?" Duo's voice was confused. I heard the catch of our door and rolled away from Duo again, frowning. "What's…up?" he asked again.

I didn't meet his eyes, shaking my head.

It sat between us for a few long minutes before Duo sat up, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on, studying my eyes as he buttoned it slowly.

"That just looks dirty."

We both jumped, focusing on Jesse, who'd opened the door.

"What?" Duo asked.

Jesse laughed his naughty laugh, moving into the room to hop on the bed and study us both a moment, then frowned at me, "What's…going on?"

"I haven't got a clue." Duo replied, studying me a moment.

I stood up quickly, dropping my pants and stripping off my shirt-knowing that would end that topic immediately, digging into the closet and pulling out a shirt.

"Well…" Jesse muttered, his tone confused, "I can tell this house is paradise."

"Your jealousy amuses me endlessly," Duo agreed wryly, "We'll be downstairs." he added to me.

I nodded, not watching either of them as they started from the room.


.
E/N: I guess now is as good as time as any for a quick note. I don't fluently speak Spanish, though I've been around it for more than ten years. Both of my brother-in-laws speak it fluently, as well as one of my sisters. I'm not really using a translator for the Spanish Alexia, Trowa, and Miguel speak. Most of it is what I know from the two or so years of highshcool Spanish and the decade of affiliation. I apologize for those of you this may have annoyed. ...So, "Ya llege" translates to "I'm here"…sorta, and "Pinci guay" translates to something along the lines of "bull shit" at varying degrees of annoyance. Well, I'm not exactly sure what "Pinci guay" means. "Pinchi guay" sounds more like "Pinch-ee way", to help you put it into hearing…and two L's make a "y" sound so "llege" is "Yeh-gay" sorta. Well, so much for a quick note. Oh yeah, I don't own Gundam Wing. (just for those of you who thought I did...) *Grins* ja. -Kye