Battlestar Andromeda Part 10
King's Ballroom
Palace of Aloria
That evening
The three moons around the planet of Aloria shone brightly, echoing the mood inside the palace. Inside the ballroom was shining, the tables groaning with food, Alorian wine flowed freely and the band played traditional Alorian music. It was going to be a night to remember for all.
Heero stood in the archway to the ballroom and looked out over the crowd. He really hated going to these functions. The only time he went to one was when it was for Council business and his father would make him go. He felt the tug on his arm and controlled the urge to roll his eyes. He had not offered to escort Relena to the ball, she just happened to show up at his door as he was leaving. She had latched herself onto his arm and there she had stayed.
"Oh Heero, this is so beautiful. I just love balls, the dancing, the food, and all the important people attending." Looking around she saw that the pilots from the Andromeda were also in attendance. "What are they doing here?"
Heero looked around with a frown, "Which they are you talking about Relena?" he asked.
"The pilots. Who would invite them here? I mean I guess I can understand why they had to invite the Commander of our ship. With his higher rank it would be considered wrong to exclude him from the ball but the rest of them? They are of such low rank that I am sure they feel very out of place among all of the nobility that is here." replied Relena with an arrogant tone.
Heero turned his head to look at Relena incredulously. Never in his wildest imagination had he thought Relena was a snob. He wondered what she would say if she found out that one of the pilots as she called them was actually the Winner heir and that their captain was really royalty. Heero shook off Relena's hand and turned towards her.
"First of all Relena, those pilots were invited by the King and his husband personally. He wanted everyone who came from the ship to join him this evening. Secondly, the Andromeda is not our ship. We are guests on that ship and you do well to remember that. Commander Maxwell is the Military Liaison and carries a rank equal to mine when we are in these meetings as you well know. And I don't know what problem you have with Duo but he deserves the respect of his rank. Now if you will excuse me I plan on greeting our host." Heero started to walk away but before he could take more than three steps Relena grabbed him and hurled herself at him. Surprised, Heero grabbed Relena about her waist.
"I'm sorry Heero. Please forgive me, I don't know what came over me. You know I will do anything to make you happy." She pulled back a little to look Heero in the face. "It's just that I remember how much he hurt you and I know that this has not been easy for you, seeing him everyday." She put her hand on his cheek, "I just worry about you that's all."
"I know you worry about me Relena." Heero said quietly, "But I am fine. I appreciate all that you do for me, you have always been there for me when I needed you." Heero's voice then took on a harder tone. "However, do not bring up the subject of Duo again. What happened is between Duo and I and I will deal with it. I do not need your help with this. Understand?"
Relena lowered her eyes and gave Heero a slight nod. "Yes, Heero."
"Fine, now as I said I need to go and greet our host. If you wish to come along fine, if not enjoy the ball."
"I will go and greet our host with you." said Relena. Heero nodded and Relena once again took his arm. Looking around she saw Duo standing on the other side of the room watching them. Smiling to herself she tightened her hold on his arm and let him lead her to the King. She had seen the look of pain on Duo's face and knew that her plan had worked. She had seen Duo watching them when they entered the ballroom and purposely said those unkind words to make Heero angry. That way when she threw herself at him it would look like a romantic gesture, placing her hand on his face would only add to the scene.
Duo stood next to Za-el watching as Relena threw herself into Heero's arms. Jealousy flared through him as he saw Heero wrap his arms around her waist. Frowning he push the emotion aside, determined not to let them ruin his evening.
"They make a striking couple, don't you think?" Za-el asked.
"Who?" Duo asked in return.
"The Ambassador and his assistant. You can see from here how much they care for each other."
Duo's heart felt like a sharp knife had cut through it at those words. As much as it pained him to see, Za-el was right, they did make a great looking couple. His mind went back to the kiss they had shared last night and he frowned. Why had Heero kissed him if they were now a couple? That kiss had been anything but innocent; in fact it had been very passionate. Duo felt his cheeks warm as he replayed over again in his mind. Looking away quickly, he noticed that Za-el was now watching him. He had spent time with the Captain of the Royal Guards today and found the man to very likable. He had noticed the appreciative looks the Captain had given to him when he thought Duo wasn't looking. Turing, Duo gave the Captain a wide smile and asked, "Za-el, may I have this dance?"
Za-el smiled as he replied, "I would be delighted Commander."
"Duo, please." Duo said with a smile.
The two walked out onto the dance floor, the band playing a slow song. Duo remembered the last time he had danced. It had been at a function that Heero had to attend. That night wrapped in Heero's arms the world had been perfect. However, it was only two months later that everything had changed. Now standing in the arms of another man as they turned on the dance floor, he thought of how awkward it seemed. Heero had been the only man he had ever danced with and he realized that no other man could compare to Heero Yuy. However, life went on and he was determined to learn to live again, the same as Heero seemed to have.
"You dance wonderfully." said Za-el interrupting his thoughts.
Duo looked up at the man, who was slightly taller than him, and gave him a flirty smile. "Why thank you kind sir." he replied, his eyes alight.
"You are most welcome kind sir." After a slight pause, both men started laughing at themselves.
After greeting their host, Heero turned to see Duo out on the dance floor. He struggled with the urge to yank Duo out of the Captain's arms and pull him from the dance floor. When he saw Duo look up at the Captain with that flirty grin, Heero's vision went red. He remembered those grins well and they had always preceded a night of wild passionate lovemaking. Just then the King spoke to him.
"Ah, I see Commander Maxwell and Za-el out on the dance floor. They look good together. Maybe I should see if Commander Maxwell would consider a marriage between them, as a way of binding our two planets together."
Heero turned and gave the King a hard look. "I have it on good authority that Commander Maxwell is not able at this time to marry anyone."
"Really." Ja-rel said with a thoughtful look. "Your assistant Relena told me that Commander Maxwell was single. I just assumed that it meant that there was no one special in his life. Forgive me for any impropriety toward the Commander."
Knowing that Relena was not aware that he and Duo were still married he let that comment pass. Turning his head once again to the King he said, "If you will excuse me Your Highness, there is something I must attend to." And at the Kings nod he walked away, heading for the same door that Duo had left from.
Outside Duo and Za-el walked around the grounds enjoying the peaceful night. Duo stopped and looked up at the three moons and thought how beautiful they looked in the night sky.
"They say," Za-el said, breaking the peaceful silence, "that when the three moons of Aloria are lined up in a straight row, such as tonight, it brings those who look upon it good fortune. Couples were known to take long walks on those nights and to ask for their lovers hand in marriage. It was considered a good omen."
"That's beautiful." Duo said. "I can see how they considered this to be very romantic. On earth we only have one moon but on certain nights of the month, it seems to be so much brighter and closer. Many people there consider it to be very romantic also."
"Yes, there is nothing like seeing a beautiful person, the moons making them glow..." Za-el said softly.
Duo felt Za-el gently pull him closer, wrapping one of his arms around his waist. Duo started to panic as he saw Za-el lower his head towards his. Duo put a hand on his chest, stopping Za-el from going any further. "Za-el.." he started. Just then he heard a throat clearing behind him. Jumping back quickly he saw Heero standing there watching them. He lowered his head, embarrassed that Heero had seen him in Za-el's arms.
"Am I interrupting something?" Heero asked.
Za-el looked from Heero to Duo and back again before saying, "Not at all Ambassador. Duo and I were just enjoying the night air and the full moons out tonight."
Heero glared at the Captain and said in a cold voice, "I need to speak with the Commander if you don't mind."
"Not at all." Za-el said smoothly. "I will leave you two to your conversation. I will see you back inside Duo." He did not see the death glare that Heero aimed at his head as he walked away.
After a few moments of silence Duo asked, "What did you wish to speak to me about Ambassador?"
"So we are back to that again huh Duo? After last night I thought we were back on a first name basis."
"I told you that was a mistake." Duo growled.
Heero slowly walked forward. "That was no mistake Duo. Not the way you kissed me or the way you melted into me." he said.
"Stop." Duo said, "I told you that must never happen again."
"And I said that I can't make that promise." Heero continued forward until he was right in front of Duo.
"Whatever. Look go back to Relena, I am sure she is waiting for you."
"I could care less if she is waiting for me. She means nothing to me."
"Well that's a great attitude to have towards your girlfriend."
"Whatever gave you the idea that Relena was my girlfriend? Relena is my assistant, that's all. That is all she has ever been." Heero said angrily.
"I see, so do you make it a habit of sleeping with your assistant?" Duo asked his voice cold and empty.
"What are you talking about? I have never slept with Relena, Duo. Not now nor in the past."
"Sure and I guess what I saw three years ago was just a figment of my imagination right?"
Heero grabbed Duo's arms and yelled, "What are you talking about? I never slept with Relena!"
Duo shook himself free, tears clouding his vision. "I saw you!" he yelled back, "Three years ago, in our bed, screwing Relena on our anniversary. I had come home early and there you were, both of you!"
"That's impossible." Heero said.
"Oh yeah, and why is that? I saw you Heero."
"It's impossible because I was at the hospital with my old tutor Dr. J. He passed away that night and I didn't make it home until after nine o'clock that evening. I left you a message on the machine telling you that." Heero said frustration evident in his voice.
Duo shook his head, "No, I saw you! I came home to surprise you with my news! You were there, with Relena! Dammit, I saw you!" hysteria rising in his voice.
"I don't know who you saw in our apartment, or how Relena was in there but I can prove it wasn't me. Dr. J's wife and son were there with me the whole time. They will tell you that I did not leave until later that night." Heero thought back to that time and wondered how Relena could have been in their apartment. He remembered telling her that he was going to the hospital after receiving the call that his childhood tutor was dying. He had left a message for Duo apologizing, saying that he would definitely be late and the he would make it up to him later. He had been rushing out the door when he remembered the flowers that he had already picked up to take home along with Duo's gift. Relena had been in the office at the time and he recalled that she had offered to take them to the apartment so the flowers would not die. He had thought at the time it was a good idea so that Duo would see them when he returned home from the base. Throwing her his keys he thanked her and ran out the door.
Looking at Duo he could see the tears now streaming down his face. "I gave Relena my keys so that she could take the flowers and gift I had for you home. I was so guilty about going to the hospital that I wanted you to see them when you came home. You may have seen Relena but that was not me in bed with her." Heero said anger and hurt evident in his voice.
"Oh my god." Duo whispered. "All this time I thought you had cheated on me and you weren't there?"
"No Duo, I wasn't there. And if you had stayed you would have seen that!"
"What was I supposed to believe! I never expected to find Relena and a strange man in our bed!"
"So instead you ran away. And instead of waiting and finding out for sure you just go and file for a divorce." Heero ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "For three years I have wondered why you did it, thinking that maybe if I hadn't stayed at the hospital you would still be with me. I had convinced myself that maybe if I had been a better husband you would still there. I loved you so damn much that I stayed in our apartment taking the blame for our marriage going wrong."
Duo felt his knees weaken and he fought to stay standing. "Heero..." he began softly, "I'm...."
"NO Duo!" Heero exclaimed harshly, "You can't just say I'm sorry and think this will end it. You walked out on me and our marriage without even looking back. I don't know what hurts the most right now, the fact that you believed I cheated on you or the fact that you didn't trust our marriage vows enough to confront me with this back then. I thought our love was strong enough to survive anything, obviously I was wrong." And with that Heero turned and walked away.
Duo watched Heero as he left, his knees giving out as he fell to the ground. Huge wracking sobs tore through his chest as he cried for all that he had lost because of his fear of losing Heero. He had loved Heero with all he had and he always feared that Heero would wake up one day and want to be with someone else. When he saw Relena in their bed it was his fear coming true, so he did what he did best, he ran away. He hadn't wanted to face the fact that maybe Heero hadn't loved him at all, that it was Relena who he really wanted. Now he realized that by running he had lost the most important thing in his life. Heero's love.
TBC...
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