#3xr

A little Valentine's gift to my fellow rabid 3xR shippers, wherever you are! Should we maybe have a convention or something?

Summary: A safe house. One diplomat. One Gundam Pilot. One bed. One shared t-shirt. One ridiculous tabletop RPG. What could possibly go wrong?

Did I heard 3xR??

the mirror cracked, silver and exact by gemstonecircles

Sylvia Noventa/Relena Peacecraft, Chang Wufei, Heero Yuy, Post-EW, FT what FT, pre-1xR, no infidelity, lesbian!Sylvia, bi!Relena, Drinking, Smoking, ditching public events, issues with being a public figure, issues with being a professional woman, Light Angst, gratuitous ballgowns, Sylvia likes food, Relena needs a vacation, making out and petting, sorry no sex, just sexuality, Wufei is here too, blink and you’ll miss it mention of cannabis, Mild body image issues, everyone is happy with their bodies, but the people around them aren’t necessarily

Sylvia was staring so hard that it took a moment to realize that Relena was holding out the bottle to her, and she took it, took a quick swig and then coughed as the bubbles caught in her throat. How had everyone failed to notice, how had she failed to notice that Relena Peacecraft was, in her own way, honestly, really, not just pretty but… hot? Alone Together by @relenaforpresident

Trowa Barton/Relena Peacecraft, Relena Peacecraft/Heero Yuy, Eventual Romance, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/LoveMale-Female Friendship, Awkwardness, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Friends With Benefits, Slow Romance 

Relena and Trowa are snowed in, sorta. Awkward attempts at flirting ensue. Killing Me Softly by @mumuinc

Chapter 7: Naïveté

Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Trowa Barton/Duo Maxwell, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy, Relena Peacecraft/Heero Yuy, Assassins & Hitmen, Manipulation, Dead Dove: Do Not EatPrisonPrison Sex, Everyone is awful

Holy SHIT! A Cocktail Friday submission? Jeez, it’s been forever. Written for this post.

Plunked out just in time! Enjoy! 

@thisweekingundamwing @gwcocktailfriday

Trowa suppressed a sigh as he looked over the room. “Remind me again why I agreed to this?”

His companion snorted delicately, hooking her hand around his arm. “Because you look damn good in a suit and get to drink for free.” Relena glanced up at him with a knowing smirk before pulling him further into the room.

Trowa fell in step obediently, feeling like he had stepped into a time warp. The theme for the party was pre-colonial 1950s, complete with period style furniture and dress. It was basically a fancy Halloween party in mid summer, all in the name of whatever charity suited the host’s mood.

Relena had requested his presence, even though he normally didn’t attend events like this. Heero and Wufei were the first picks for protection during formal events, and in the event that either of them were unavailable, Duo stepped in, though he had been dropped lower on the list following the events during his last party with her. Relena had argued vehemently for his place to be restored, claiming it had been as much her idea as his, but her pleas had fallen on deaf ears.

Duo had merely shrugged, telling her she didn’t need the excuse of a stuffy party to get together for a real shindig. Relena had been thrilled at the open invitation; Heero and Wufei, not so much.

Thus Trowa had been added to the list, the wisdom of which he was still debating.

He casually noted more than a few admiring looks, and didn’t have to glance at Relena to know she found the attention amusing.

“I’m not going to say it,” he murmured to her.

She chuckled lightly, pulling closer to him as she squeezed his arm. “You don’t have to,” she smiled up at him, all charm, her voice like honey. “Their reactions say it all.”

He bit back his reply, knowing it would be pointless to draw her attention to the looks she was getting. As a prominent politician, she was used to being the center of attention, and as a beautiful young woman, used to the less than innocent leers.

Trowa glared over her head at one such expression, allowing himself a twing of satisfaction when the man paled and turned away as he took a hasty sip from his drink.

“See? You’re already enjoying yourself,” Relena commented, still wearing her polite mask, but her eyes were sharp. She knew exactly what he had been doing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Trowa sniffed.

She huffed a laugh and stepped away from him. “Any preference on drinks?”

Trowa arched an eyebrow at her, then pointedly looked around the room, catching sight of the various martini glasses clutched in the hands of the guests. “I’ll let you take a wild guess.”

Relena rolled her eyes and left, leaving him to entertain himself with watching the effect she had on the other guests.

She, like everyone else here, was wearing a dress appropriate for the theme, a dark green knee length cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline. The back of the dress was cut lower than some of the more conservative version he’d seen, swooping just above the small of her back. Her hair had been coaxed into thick waves, clipped carefully out of her face, leaving the rest loose down her back, highlighting the exposed stretch of skin. The dress flared out at her hips, accenting her trim waist. She finished the ensemble with simple, low heels. She had forgone wearing gloves, something he hadn’t realized was unusual until he noted how many others wore them.

Trowa watched her move through the crowd, grateful for his height, and made his way to a sitting area set in the corner of the room near the bar. He nodded to her when she turned to scan the room, then settled on the couch, angled to keep her in his sighs.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

He glanced up at the woman who smiled at him in what he assumed was a charming manner. She twirled a finger in her hair as she cocked her hip, holding her glass delicately in the other hand.

“Yes,” he replied, dismissing her.

“I haven’t seen you before,” she pressed, sitting down regardless, blocking his view of Relena. He narrowed his eyes at her slightly, annoyed by her insistence. She crossed her legs delicately, carefully adjusting the folds of her dress to drape just so, then leaned forward. “I’m Amelia.”

“A pleasure,” Trowa answered flatly, glaring down at her before glancing over her head, trying to catch sight of Relena.

“I’m sure it is,” Amelia purred, inching closer with a sultry smile. “You’re quite the handsome picture. Most men here can’t quite pull off the look.”

Trowa returned his attention to her, not bothering to suppress his frown. He was dressed in a dark charcoal suit, the cut slightly different from the ones he owned, but the kicker had been his hair. Relena had insisted he style his hair appropriately, which meant a lot of hair gel. He had parted it on the side and slicked back his bangs, finishing it off with a polished sheen. He’d gotten more than a few looks and comments when he had arrived to escort Relena to the party.

To his surprise, Duo had been in her office, the two engaged in conversation when Trowa had entered. Relena had immediately voiced her approval, showering him in compliments, but Trowa internally braced for a comment from Duo. He had hoped to finish the evening without having to face any of his fellow ex-pilots.

Instead of a snide comment, Duo had studied him from top to bottom with a curious expression. He had risen from his sprawled position in his chair, murmured something to Relena before giving her a kiss on the head, then left, leaving Trowa more off-balanced than expected.

“Did you come here alone?”

Amelia’s question pulled him back to the present, noting she had moved closer during his lapse and was now nearly in his lap. Just as he opened his mouth, another voice cut in.

“He’s currently occupied.”

Trowa quirked a grin at the icy tone, standing to accept the drink Relena held out for him. She smiled back then turned a frosty glare at the woman still seated on the couch. “I thought I saw your husband in the other room,” she said sweetly. “I’m sure he’s terribly lonely.”

Amelia stood quickly with a huff, and marched off, disappearing into the crowd.

Trowa shook his head, smirking slightly as he watched Relena glare after her. “My hero.”

She turned to him, all traces of her glare gone. “She’s a leech,” she said bluntly, shocking a laugh from him. “I don’t know what her husband sees in her.”

He shook his head and motioned to the couch and settled down beside her. They sat in comfortable silence as they sipped their drinks when a thought occurred to him.

“Why did you ask for me?”

Relena finished sipping her martini before answering. “It was Duo’s idea.”

Trowa frowned slightly, not expecting that bit of information. “There were others who could have done this,” he said. “Jones and Turner were both ahead of me.”

“True, but they’re not nearly as nice to look at,” Relena said as she leaned back, laying an arm over the back of the couch, her empty glass hanging loosely in her grip.

“You’re saying Duo suggested I take you to this party just so you could see me dressed up?”

Relena hummed an affirmative as she smiled. “He has excellent taste.”

Trowa turned over the new information, thinking back to Duo’s watchful eyes, the way he had looked him over, his closeness with Relena, how the pair, despite their obvious differences, seemed drawn to each other. Trowa would be the last to admit, especially to himself, that he was a little jealous of their bond, how comfortable they seemed together.

“And you?” He finally asked, draining the rest of his drink.

“Our tastes often fall in line,” she answered, leaning her head back to stare at him with hooded eyes.

Trowa inhaled a shaky breath and set his glass on the coffee table. He had assumed, given when he had seen and the rumor mill, that the two were together in some capacity. She wasn’t really offering, was she? “What about Duo?”

Her smile stretched into a grin, and Trowa suddenly found himself pulled forward by his tie. He followed her willingly, until he was leaning over her, his heart in his throat as he realized what was happening.

(It IS Wednesday right???)

Something I’ve been taunting @kangofu-cb with today.

Hopefully the entire thing will be finished tonight and I can start posting over the next few days. 

Anyway, enjoy some 3xR ( @maevemauvaise @simulacraryn you ladies might be curious)

This was my first attempt at a true blue 3xR. It’s posted over on fanfiction.net and now AO3. Hope you enjoy! I can’t get enough of this pairing lately, so expect much more to come... 

Relena shivered as the fog around her mind gradually lifted, and her body stirred from her sleep. The smell of coffee immediately assaulted her senses, and she couldn’t help but smile as she breathed it in, with a yawn and stretch. She realized immediately that she felt sore, her throat was dry and scratchy, and her head had that floaty, swimmy feeling that suggested she had imbibed -- perhaps a little too much -- alcohol the night before.

Ah. So it had been one of those nights.

Still wrestling with sleepiness, Relena pulled her blanket more tightly around her, only to realize that it wasn’t her blanket. She fingered the unfamiliar fabric. Was that… flannel? She frowned and reached down to feel what she wore beneath the blanket and realized with a start that it, too, felt foreign. Why, it felt as if she were wearing nothing more than a t-shirt, which was something she never wore, and…

Relena’s hand drifted down further, and she gasped.

Nope. That was all she was wearing.

Relena bolted upright, fully awake, her eyes hurriedly taking in her surroundings. Where was she? Was she hurt? Was that why she felt so sore? Had she been drugged?

Her light eyes needed a moment to adjust to the bright light streaming in from the single window in the small, cramped room she found herself in. Which, aside from the cot she was on, contained only a large trunk and a wooden desk with a mirror perched on top -- it was much too sparse and masculine to be called a vanity.

And that’s where a dark-haired male currently sat, huddled over a coffee maker. Relena frowned in the man’s direction, her hazy mind gradually recapturing the events of the night before.

“Good morning.” His even baritone wrested her from her frantic thoughts.

Relena watched as Trowa turned in his seat and smiled at her, his face partially obscured by his long, auburn bangs.

Trowa?! Her mind screamed at her, racing to remember the events of the previous night...

She’d first seen the poster for the Traveling Colony Circus in downtown Brussels a few days ago. The colorful, cheerful design had caught her eye, but as the work week wore on, she’d all but forgotten about it.

But then she’d left work that night, plagued with anxious thoughts of going home, alone. Again. It had been three months since the breakup, and at that point, Relena felt as if she had cried all of the tears she had to give. And even though she was mentally and emotionally exhausted, as she stood outside of her office building, gazing up at the twinkling lights of the city at night, she remembered the flyer and had to wonder… was this the same circus she thought it might be?

Would he be there?

Not an hour later, she found herself standing in line to buy a single ticket, reminding herself that she was only there to see a friend. An old friend, yes, but a friend nevertheless.

Besides, she thought as she took a seat, all alone, in the stands. There was never anything between me and Trowa.

Or so she thought.

But then… she’d watched him perform, mesmerized by his gravity-defying stunts and perfectly choreographed routines. Not to mention those finely-tuned acrobatic muscles.

There was a new, strange fluttering in her heart that refused to die down during the entire show. Trowa didn’t even need to stand in the spotlight; Relena could focus on nothing and no one else.

At one point during the performance, she was certain that he saw her. His one eye that was visible, unmasked, seemed to find her in the midst of the crowd, and focus solely on her. Relena realized she could have been imagining things. Even still, when he looked in her mere direction, it was as if lightning struck her on the spot.

Calm down, Relena, she chided herself. Even if she did go to find him after the show -- Because how could she not? They were friends. Sort of -- she knew she needed to remain aloof. Cool. Casual.

“Oh, hey, Trowa… Long time, no see.” Something like that. No big deal.

But then the show ended, the lights went down, and the people around her started leaving their seats and filing out of the tent. Relena felt panic squeeze her chest -- what if she couldn’t find Trowa after the show, and she came out all that way for nothing?

Wait -- why did she care?

She found him standing casually outside of the big top, leaning against a wooden post and chatting cordially with a group of young women who had him surrounded. They were all rather pretty, Relena realized in annoyance, and giggling as they practically toppled over one another to get close to the acrobat. Relena was about to keep walking by and pretend she didn’t see him, when she heard his voice.

“Relena!”

She turned to see him jogging up to her. Without another word, he smiled and pulled her into a hug, as if he, too, was grateful to have found a long lost friend.

But really, Relena wondered as they embraced… Who were they kidding? In all the time she’d known Trowa, they’d exchanged maybe a handful of sentences. Mostly about Heero.

She noted, as Trowa invited her back to his trailer for a drink, so they could “catch up,” that he didn’t ask her about Heero now.

But, then, he must have already known…

Scenes from the rest of their night together collided in Relena’s mind as Trowa leaned forward and handed her a tin camper’s mug. The trailer was small enough that he didn’t have to stand up to reach her. Relena took the mug from him, but it was hotter than she expected.

“Ouch!” she cried as she continued to grasp the mug, despite the heat. She didn’t want to drop it and make matters any worse.

“Sorry.” Trowa snatched it back from her and returned it seconds later, this time with a handkerchief folded around it. Relena couldn’t help but laugh.

“Why, how fancy.” She lifted the mug toward him in a mock toast before taking a cautious sip of the warm, dark brew.

“Only the best for you...” Trowa’s voice trailed off, and gave her an easy smile. Relena flushed under his steady gaze. His green eyes seemed to convey more emotion than she thought the stoic acrobat was capable of revealing. He almost looked as if he was about to confess his undying love for her, which would have made the situation even more awkward. Relena tried to hide her deepening blush behind her coffee cup as she cast about for something to talk about. Anything.

“How did you sleep?” she asked him before taking another sip of coffee, willing her brain awake.

“I just asked you the same thing,” Trowa said with a knowing smile.

“Oh. Right.” Relena’s flush darkened as she realized she hadn’t been listening. “Sorry; my mind is all over the place…”

“I take that to mean you didn’t sleep well.” Trowa leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, bringing him closer to where Relena sat. “I’m sorry,” he added, frowning. “That cot is a steep downgrade from your bed, I bet.” He said it in a way that suggested he was very much hoping to find out. Relena cheeks burned even more at the thought. But she managed to maintain her composure.

“It’s fine,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I slept pretty solidly, actually.”

Trowa shook his head, chuckling. “You don’t have to put on airs with me, Relena. I know it’s terrible; I sleep here every night, pretty much.”

“Where did you sleep last night, then?” There was no way the two of them would have fit on the thing, side by side; that much was obvious. She had to wonder if he’d just curled up on the floor.

“I didn’t.” Trowa paused and stretched in his seat. “I caught up on some research.”

Relena’s heart fluttered. He had given up his bed for her. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said softly, clutching his coffee mug more tightly.

“It’s all right; I’m no stranger to all-nighters.” Trowa shrugged. “Besides, I had a lot of work to do.”

Relena wanted to ask him what kind of work, but she knew that as a part-time Preventer, whatever it was he was researching was probably too sensitive to discuss. Given her own vocation, she could appreciate that. She decided to focus on his other job.

“Don’t you have shows today?” Relena pointed out, frowning at him. “You should be well-rested.”

Trowa just chuckled again. “I can do those routines in my sleep. And anyway, I can always just grab a nap later.” He reached over and patted the cot. “This thing’s good for that, at least.”

Relena sighed before taking another sip of coffee. “As much as I appreciate the act of chivalry, you should have at least tried to sleep.”

“Believe me, I would have loved to have spooned with you all night.” Trowa smiled, tipping his head toward his laptop. “But I really did have work to do. And anyway, you would have woken up even more cramped and uncomfortable than you already are.” He reached up and squeezed her shoulder. “Happy to give you a back rub, if it would help.” His eyes glittered at her in the morning light.

Relena blinked at him from behind her cup, trying again to control the flush that crept up her neck. “I…” She cleared her throat and used that as an excuse to drink more coffee. Trowa’s eyes seemed to laugh at her. “You’re enjoying this too much,” she murmured.

Trowa’s chest rumbled as he laughed more deeply. “Oh, I could be enjoying myself a lot more. Believe me.”

“Easy there.” She let out a nervous laugh. “It’s probably best if we keep our clothes on, for now.” She gave Trowa a pointed look. He shrugged easily.

“If you insist.” He swiveled in his seat and turned his attention to his laptop. Relena gaped at his back.

“Wow, so I say no to sex and you instantly turn your back on me? Is that how it’s going to be?”

Trowa chuckled from his seat.

“No, this is me trying not to annoy you. I got the sense I was starting to get on your nerves.” He turned his head to glance at her over his shoulder. “I know how much you value your alone time. Pretend I’m not here.”

“Right, like I can do that in a two by four trailer, or whatever this is…” Relena muttered.

“It’s ninety square feet,” Trowa said flatly. “You could turn cartwheels in here.” Relena wasn’t sure whether he was being serious or sarcastic.

“Hmm, tempting, but no, thank you.” Relena pulled back the blanket and rose to her feet, tugging down her t-shirt -- or rather, his shirt -- as she looked around for her handbag. She found it to the side of the cot, picked it up and placed it on top, then started rummaging through its contents. After such an uncharacteristically wild night -- at least for her -- she was dying to freshen up. “Mind if I use your shower?” she asked over her shoulder.

“Not at all.” Trowa stood and opened a slim door to the right of his desk. “Right this way.”

Relena peered inside what was, for all intents and purposes, a cupboard containing the type of toilet and sink that would fit inside an airplane’s restroom. And across from those commodities, wedged into the opposite wall, was an actual metal bucket, with a shower head affixed to the wall. Relena gawked up at Trowa.

“Um… wow.”

He stood with his arms crossed over his chest and flashed a grin at her. “You’re wondering how I can stand to live in such squalor.”

“No...” Relena’s eyes scanned the tiny space, then darted back to Trowa and his tall, muscular form. “I’m wondering how you fit…”

“Want me to show you?” he offered, smiling down at her. Relena’s face colored at the idea of squeezing into such a tight space with Trowa. Naked. Now, that would be quite…

“No, that’s quite all right,” Relena all but shrieked. “But if you wouldn’t mind telling me how to work these things…” She gestured at the facilities.

“Right.” Trowa cleared his throat. “Well, the toilet is compostable, but it flushes normally; you might just have to press down a little more than you’re probably used to, with your automated everything.” His eyes twinkled at her. “The shower lever is right here.” He leaned over to the makeshift shower and twisted the lever to demonstrate. “Left for hot, right for cold. Pretty standard.”

“Okay.” Relena tried not to pull a face as she stepped around Trowa and into the tiny restroom, hoping he wouldn’t think her a total snob. She glanced around the small space and realized she’d forgotten something. “Towels?”

Trowa reached up to open an overhead cabinet and pulled down a large green towel. “Here you go.” Relena thanked him and ducked back into the bathroom. “Let me know if you need anything else,” he added with all the debonair charm of a concierge. Then he chuckled, and it was clear that, again, he was teasing her.

“Sure,” Relena said with a curt nod. “Thanks.” Before Trowa could ooze out another drop of charm, she shut the door and surveyed her new, compact surroundings.

“Well…” she muttered to herself as she approached the toilet warily. “This is going to be interesting…”

Relena managed to complete a somewhat usual morning routine, and found the shower was rather decent, despite the cramped space. Luckily she wasn’t claustrophobic. After she’d scrubbed herself using Trowa’s woodsy-smelling body wash, she dried off with his green towel and nearly had a laugh at herself.

It’s like he lives in a forest, which she thought seemed quite appropriate for the famed lion tamer. He is one with nature…

She stifled her giggles as she exited the bathroom, keeping the towel wrapped tightly around her. She padded past Trowa, where he sat at his makeshift desk, clacking away at his keyboard, back over to the cot where she’d left her sundress and undergarments from the night before. As she picked up her lingerie, she saw Trowa’s head swivel her way.

“Turn around, please.” Relena swirled her pointer finger in the air. Trowa arched a brow.

“You do realize I’ve seen everything…”

“That was different,” she said. “This is out of context. I’m not going to parade around naked for you.” He gaped at her for a second before letting out a hearty laugh.

“Fine. Whatever makes you comfortable.” Trowa obediently turned in his seat, and Relena dressed quickly. She knew she was probably being overly fussy, but then Trowa didn’t actually seem to mind giving her privacy. Despite their… encounter the night before, there was something very gentlemanly about Trowa’s behavior that Relena found reassuring.

She fished into her purse and retrieved her makeup bag, then turned back toward Trowa and his desk. “May I borrow your mirror?”

“Of course.” Trowa shifted from his chair to the cot, taking his laptop with him. Relena sidestepped him and sat down at the desk, grateful for his easygoing, accommodating manner. His typing provided the morning soundtrack as she quickly applied her powder foundation before adding a few swipes of mascara, finishing with a dab of tinted lip gloss. She was grateful she’d thought to tuck her makeup bag into her purse before leaving the house last night; she hadn’t planned on staying somewhere else, but then she did always like to be prepared. She only wished she’d had a spare pair of panties, but she’d have to wait and change as soon as she got home. At least, she thought wryly, she hadn’t been wearing last night’s pair for too long… The thought brought a fresh rush of heat to Relena’s cheeks.

She finished up at Trowa’s desk and tucked her makeup away, then got up to put everything back into her purse. Trowa glanced up from his laptop.

“You look beautiful,” he said without any preamble, as if he was stating the most obvious of facts. Relena laughed off the compliment.

“You don’t need to say that,” she said, tipping her head toward him. “But thank you.”

“Why wouldn’t I say it?” Trowa countered. “Can’t a man admire beauty when he sees it?”

Relena gave him a sharp look as she organized her belongings. “You’re too much. Really.”

Trowa’s eyes gleamed up at her before he lowered them to his screen. “Striking a nerve again, I see. I’d better keep quiet.”

“Yes, please.” Relena huffed dramatically, secretly enjoying their repartee. “You talk more than I do,” she teased. “And since when, anyway? I thought you were the strong, silent type.” Trowa let out a husky laugh.

“I guess you’ve opened me up.”

“Well, stick a cork in it.” She tilted her head to the side and looked at him expectantly, although an errant smile tugged at her lips.

Trowa snorted at what Relena knew was a rather rude suggestion -- or was she flirting? She had to wonder if there was even any point in flirting with him, now. They’d already gotten everything else over with…

Now, she just had to think of a way to exit Trowa’s trailer with her dignity intact.

“Anyway…” She dipped her head shyly before scooping to pick up her things. “It’s been…” She searched her mind for the right word. “Eventful.”

Trowa huffed out another laugh before rising to his seat. “Wow. Should I take that as a compliment? Or can you really not wait to get out of here?”

Relena blushed and dropped her eyes to the floor. “It’s not that. I just…” She looked up as soon as she felt Trowa’s finger under her chin. His eyes were kind, but questioning as they seemed to sift her.

“If you really want to go, I won’t keep you,” he murmured. “That said, I don’t want to give you the impression that I do this sort of thing often.”

“What? One night stands?” Relena tried to sound breezy, as if she did this sort of thing all the time. When, in fact, she didn’t. Actually, she never had.

But, there was a first time for everything. Right?

Trowa was smirking at her. “When I said ‘one night only,’ I was referring to my performance in the tent… not in here.” With that, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers in a slow, gentle kiss.

Relena tried to remain cool and collected, but her body instantly betrayed her. Her heart raced and her knees buckled. She allowed herself to lean into Trowa as his hands came up to steady her back, holding her firmly against him.

And Relena felt the same way she did last night, the moment their lips connected for the very first time -- and that little spark between them, that may have been there all along, ignited in full force. And then her whole body felt like it was charged with electricity.

The only problem was, she didn’t want it to stop.

But Relena needed it to stop; she needed to get a hold of herself, so she could take a breath and assess what had happened between them, and how she felt about it. And, ultimately, what she wanted to do about it. Even though Relena knew she liked Trowa -- of course she did -- she wanted to think things through with a clear head before jumping into something new.

And, tempting as it was in the moment, she wasn’t quite ready for a repeat performance.

After another heartstopping moment, Relena gently broke away from Trowa, giving a playful shove to his well-toned chest. She tried to laugh it off, but kept her eyes downcast, not wanting Trowa to see how conflicted she was. But Trowa was far more astute than she gave him credit for. He frowned and took a step back from her.

“I’m sorry,” he said, lowering his hands to his sides. “I’m not normally like this.”

“Like what?” Relena asked, arching a brow.

“Clingy.”

His candor made her laugh. “This is your idea of clingy? Kissing a girl you just spent the night with?”

Trowa shrugged. “If it’s a girl I can tell would rather not be bothered.”

Relena sighed and ran a hand over her bangs, parting them. “I really don’t mean to come off that way, Trowa. I’m… just in a weird place right now.” She shrugged her own shoulders and gave him a thin smile.

“I know. And I don’t want to make it any weirder for you.” Trowa gave her a look that suggested he understood far more than he’d let on. Relena wasn’t sure how to interpret that.

“You have nothing to worry about here,” he added. “I’m leaving Brussels tomorrow, anyway, and I travel for work all the time...”

“Me, too,” Relena said quickly.

“I know,” he replied.

Relena frowned. He was looking at her as if he could see right through her -- right down to the conflicting desires that tugged at her core; raw, naked emotion she wasn’t quite ready to bare.

But, then, she had already bared a lot.

Too much, maybe.

She tucked another stray lock of hair behind her ear, her fingers shaking along with her nerves. “I’m sorry… I’m just not looking for anything right now.”

“Neither am I,” Trowa said evenly.

Relena wasn’t sure how to respond to that, either. “All right. Well.” She gave a nervous laugh and spread her hands. “Still friends?”

“Of course.” Trowa fixed her with that self-assured smile of his -- on anyone else, it would look cocky -- and stuck out his hand. “Should we shake? Or would it be weird if I kissed you again?”

Relena sputtered a laugh. “This is definitely getting weird...”

“Right.” Trowa stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Then I’d better let you out of here before things start getting even weirder.” He motioned toward the trailer door.

“Right,” Relena echoed him. “I’d better get going, anyway.” She stepped around Trowa, careful not to bump into him and reignite all of that pesky electricity, all over again. If they were going to stay friends, one thing was certain… she was going to have to find a way to keep her hands to herself around him.

Which shouldn’t be that difficult. One would think.

Trowa opened the trailer door, and sunlight flooded the tiny space. Relena squinted out into the morning light and moved halfway outside, then turned back, realizing she needed her sunglasses. Which were in her purse, which she’d forgotten. But when she turned around, Trowa was already holding her bag and handing it to her.

“Here you go,” he said casually. Like that was that.

Relena gaped at him in disbelief that he could actually be that dismissive, after everything that had transpired. “So, that’s it then? We just walk away and act like none of this ever happened?”

Trowa gave a shrug. “If you want.”

She huffed in frustration, peering at him in the glaring sunlight. “What do you want?”

“I’m easy.” His smile was disarming. Damn him. “And I like this, because if feels easy,” he added. “I didn’t want to be presumptuous, but I would like to see you again, if you’re open to it.”

Relena’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected that. He was so straightforward, it threw her for a new loop altogether.

“Well, I…”

“If you don’t mind…” Trowa disappeared back inside the trailer for a moment, emerging with his mobile in hand. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least get your number.”

He held the phone out to Relena. She looked down at it in his outstretched hand, dumbfounded, and hesitated just a beat too long. She glanced back up to Trowa’s face to see him frowning. He stuffed the phone in his back pocket.

“Right,” he said stiffly. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked. It’s too soon, huh?”

Relena turned her face to the side. “Trowa… I’m sorry,” she fumbled. “I didn’t mean…”

“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Relena looked back at Trowa to see that he was looking past her, into the field where several trailers similar to his were parked. In the near distance, the striped big top was a kaleidoscope of colors against the impossibly blue sky. The scene was so oversaturated, so unlike the monochromatic urban jungle where Relena spent most of her days. So unlike her.

She felt a stab of pain in her chest when she realized what she was doing. It was exactly what he had done to her.

“I’m sorry, Relena. I can’t stay… This isn’t me.”

Something broke inside of her. But this time, it wasn’t her heart.

Relena turned around and smiled up at Trowa.

“How about… we do this the old-fashioned way?” she said, peering up at him. He looked positively baffled, for once.

“Huh?”

She grinned and fished inside her purse for a pen and pad of paper, but realized too late she was out of paper. Which was just as well. She held a hand out to Trowa, palm facing up.

“Give me your hand, please.”

Trowa looked at her quizzically, but complied with her request. Relena uncapped her pen and proceeded to write her phone number across the back of his hand. She beamed at him when she finished and capped her pen.

“Voila,” she sang.

Trowa surveyed his new temporary tattoo, and gave her another disarming smile. “This was rather… unnecessary,” he teased. “There’s this thing nowadays, called technology…”

“Well.” Relena gave him a satisfied smirk. “Now you definitely won’t forget to call.”

Trowa arched a brow. “And you definitely want me to?”

Relena rolled her eyes playfully. “There you go, getting all clingy on me again, Barton.” Trowa barked out a laugh.

“All right, then, but fair is fair. Let me see your hand.”

Relena surrendered hers willingly, along with her pen. “Matching tattoos, already?” she gasped as soon as Trowa finished inking his number onto her skin. “Who are we, anyway?”

It was impossible to miss the fondness in Trowa’s eyes as he looked down at her, still holding her hand in his.

“You’re that crazy girl who flew a jet into the middle of a mobile suit battle, in fucking Antarctica,” he quipped.

Relena’s brows lifted. “Oh, you remember that?”

“I was there, remember?”

“Right.” Of course, Relena remembered, although she’d been a little preoccupied trying to track down that other Gundam pilot that day. And then learning that the mysterious man he was fighting happened to be her long lost brother…

Yeah. There’d been a lot going on then. But she did remember briefly meeting Trowa. And how… normal he seemed. Completely unflappable in such a bizarre situation. He was a sea of calm as battle raged around them. And Relena found herself in the middle of it all, in a civilian aircraft, of all things. Just the thought of it made her cringe at her brazen younger self. But Trowa had been completely nonplussed at the entire situation. Almost as if he accepted her, and her lofty idealism, right from the start. She had to wonder if he’d ever even doubted her before agreeing to take up her cause, and fight to protect her.

Relena flushed at the memory and the realization, but turned teasing eyes back up to Trowa. “So if I’m the crazy girl in the jet, who are you in this scenario? The crazy Gundam pilot who didn’t bother to try to stop me?”

Trowa grinned at her unabashedly. “I’m just some guy who thought you were hot.”

Her jaw dropped. “You did not. We didn’t even see each other.”

Trowa shrugged. “Didn’t have to. I heard your voice. I could tell. And then Heero was so flustered--” Trowa immediately cut himself off. Relena felt another stab of pain in her heart.

“I’m sorry,” Trowa added, his eyes softening.

“That’s all right.” Relena waved his apology away with her hand. “Unfortunately it’s going to come up every now and then. Shared history and all.” She gave a small shrug. “Might as well get the awkward conversation over with.”

“Today hasn’t been awkward enough for you?” Trowa replied with a gleam in his eyes.

“I was going to say, it’s been fun,” Relena shot back. “But now you’ve gone and ruined it.” She gave his chest a poke. It was hard. Which made her flush all over again. Damn.

Trowa’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “Who are you kidding? This has been awkward as hell.”

“Hey, thanks a lot!” Relena swatted playfully at him. “Now I’m going to be ruminating over this my whole drive home, agonizing over how awkward you thought I was…”

Trowa snatched her hand mid-air, and pulled it back to his chest. “Or,” he said with a lazy smile, “we could just have sex again.”

Relena flushed all the way to her hairline. “I’m… afraid we’re going to have to take a raincheck on that. I really do have to get going.”

“All right.” Trowa acquiesced, still holding her hand. “But just so you know, I’m leaving for Paris tomorrow.”

Relena brightened and panicked all at once. “Paris?”

“Yeah, that’s where we’re headed next.” Trowa nodded toward the big top. “You could join me, if you want. Unless you’re worried things might get… awkward.” His green eyes glittered at her.

She was dying inside, but she couldn’t let Trowa see that, and gain the upper hand. Or had he already? Relena was almost too flustered to think straight. But she couldn’t just throw caution to the wind and go to Paris… with Trowa.

Could she?

“I have work,” she said immediately, but Trowa was already rolling his eyes.

“You always have work,” he said.

Relena managed to wrest her hand away from him, and planted it at her hip. “Yes, well, it’s not the kind of job where I can just take off for a few days--”

“You mean like, most jobs?” Trowa arched a brow. “It’s called the weekend, Relena. You’re entitled to one.”

She was quickly losing this battle, and she knew it. But she had to reason with Trowa. Because this was just crazy talk.

“We hardly know each other,” she protested, although she knew as soon as she said it how wrong it was.

“I’d say we know each other pretty well,” Trowa countered. “And anyway,” he added, his face and body hovering closer to hers, “it’s not like I’m asking you to elope with me.” He cocked a brow.

Relena let out a huff of exasperation. “No, but it sounds like you’re asking me to to run away and join the circus.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Trowa splayed his hands. “It’s not a bad gig, actually. Perhaps you should tag along and see for yourself. I could get you in on the act… ever try juggling?” She could tell he was teasing her, yet again.

“Tempting,” Relena teased back. “But I’ll have to take a raincheck on that.”

“On what, Paris? Or the sex?”

“Either,” she answered. “Both.”

Trowa feigned a heavy sigh. “Well, it was a nice thought, anyway. I guess we’ll always have Antarctica...”

Relena just laughed and shook her head. “A raincheck doesn’t mean ‘never,’ silly.”

“No, it’s more like ‘someday,’ which is just as bad,” Trowa retorted.

“You always have to hit the nail on the head, don’t you?”

Trowa gave a shrug. “I prefer to keep things straight and to the point, that’s all. Either you want me, or you don’t. Why waste one another’s time?”

Relena had to agree with him on that. Such clear-cut honesty was refreshing to hear, at this point. And after years of trying to make a relationship work with someone who kept her at arm’s length, and avoided honesty to spare her feelings… well. Relena felt as if she’d been wandering in a wasteland for years, and this conversation was like stumbling across a stream in the desert.

She smiled and tapped on the back of his hand, where her number was scrawled in her loopy handwriting, whorls of blue ink staining his slightly tanned skin.

“I’m not going to waste your time, Trowa.”

He frowned down at her. “But--”

“So you had better call me.” With that, Relena stepped onto her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Trowa’s lips. “And don’t keep me waiting too long,” she added as their lips parted.

“Only for the requisite three days,” Trowa replied with a smile, before he cupped Relena’s face in both of his hands and kissed her soundly. Relena leaned fully into the kiss, wanting to memorize the way his lips felt against hers. Of course, they had only had the one night, and this morning, but they had plenty of time to get to know each other. Relena had no reason to fear that this was, in fact, a one-time-only thing.

And yet he was leaving. And she was used to that. Being left.

She pulled back from the kiss, her arms looped around Trowa’s shoulders, and fixed him with a stern expression.

“Don’t break my heart while you’re off in Paris,” she said, deadly serious. Trowa lowered his hands to her waist, and grasped her tightly to him.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, equally serious. “There or anywhere else.” He kissed the tip of her nose before pressing another to her lips.

“Good.” Relena felt her features relax against his touch. “Otherwise... I’d have to track you down with my jet.”

Trowa’s eyes sparked. “Now, that I would like to see…”

At length, they broke their embrace. Relena descended the trailer steps and made her way across the field as gracefully as she could, although her heels kept sinking into the ground. She swore she could feel Trowa’s eyes on her back for her entire trek to her car, no doubt laughing at the awkward way she was forced to walk. She didn’t even bother turning around to wave goodbye one last time, knowing she’d have to see that smug expression of his...

Once Relena made it to her car in one piece, she opened the driver’s side door and tossed her purse onto the passenger seat. No sooner had she sat and placed her key in the ignition than she caught a glimpse of her hand, and Trowa’s own, surprisingly neat script seemed to wink up at her.

She decided she’d better save his number in her phone before she started driving, just in case the ink got smeared before she got a chance. She pulled her phone from her purse and started punching in the number. And groaned when she saw what she was doing. She wasn’t entering it into her contacts… she was dialing.

“Miss me already?” Trowa answered before the phone even had a chance to ring. Which suggested he had already been on his as well. Relena couldn’t help but smile.

“No. But I forgot my underwear…” she teased. Trowa let out a husky laugh, and Relena instantly loved the sound of his voice over the phone.

“You don’t know how badly I wish that were true,” he said with a slight edge to his voice. It was almost a growl. “Did you… forget something else?”

“Yes,” Relena sighed. “You.”

There was silence for a beat, and all Relena could hear was the wild pounding of her own heart.

“Where are you?” Trowa asked gruffly.

“In the parking lot, still.”

“Changing your mind about Paris?” he asked. Relena could hear noises in the background as he moved around.

“No, I still can’t go. But you said you’re leaving tomorrow. So…” Relena paused, her heart continuing to hammer in her chest. “I was wondering. What are you doing today?”

“Blowing off work, apparently.” She heard more movement, and the sound of a door opening and closing, and wind rustling as Trowa walked across the field, toward her car. “And, surprisingly,” he added, “so are you.”

“Yeah, well someone told me I ought to take some time off every now and then,” Relena said. “I figure one day can’t hurt…”

“Then one day it is.” This time Trowa’s voice was much closer. Relena looked up to see him standing at her driver’s side door. “But, eventually,” he added, hanging up the call and pocketing his phone as he spoke, “I’m going to want more than one.” His lips spread into a smile. “You know. Someday.”

Relena returned his smile. “I’d like that, too… Someday.”

“I’ll take it,” said Trowa. He leaned through the open car window and bent down toward Relena where she sat, and she tilted her face up to his to make it easier for him to reach her. And then and there, she knew it was useless… She could no longer deny the fire that sparked the instant their lips connected.

It was about as obvious as a jet in Antarctica.