At the name, whispers ran through the crowd like ripples in water.
"Heero Yuy- he was one of the gundam pilots during the war, right?"
"Wow, I can’t believe we have such a famous guy coming to our school!"
"Yeah! He’s cute, too!"
"I think he looks kind of scary."
"Anyway, I hope he’s in my class. I bet he’s got lots of stories to tell!"
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But everyone was disappointed by this war hero of the past. He was quiet in all of his classes, never offering an opinion or interacting with anyone. He spent his free time exercising- fencing, running, playing basketball. He spoke as little as possible. After two weeks, Heero had become a shadow in the life of the school. No one noticed him anymore.
Except Relena. She worried about him. He had changed so much since she had known him during the war. That spark that had attracted her to him, whatever part of Heero that made him a person had dimmed farther than even Doctor J could have dulled it. It was as though someone had removed the armor from a knight and found that the armor was but an empty shell.
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The moonlight shone onto the lone figure in the courtyard. Heero walked the winding paths in silence, stopping every now and then to absentmindedly examine a flower or plant. His thoughts raced, chasing each other in endless circles around his head.
What’s wrong with me? He thought. It’s been over three years. Why can’t I just forget what happened? Heero shook his head in frustration. He never used to think about things so much. There was no time. It was always complete the mission, fight the enemy, train, kill. He had had no time for such things. But now, he had the freedom to think. Freedom to think about everyone who is dead, because of me.
Unnoticed, a pair of green eyes watched the boy make his restless circles.
It’s been almost three years now- can’t I just make peace with myself? Everyone else who was in the war has. They no longer dwell on the deaths. They remember, but they can think of other things. Heero sat on a nearby bench and continued his uneasy thoughts, the questions so familiar but the answers still unknown. I can’t just forget, though. How come I’m still lost when everyone else has moved on? Tears began to roll down his cheeks. But I can’t forget. I can’t forget how many people have died, at my hands. Innocent civilians. Like that girl and her dog. What was that dog’s name? Oh yes, Mary. She wasn’t even a human, to get mixed up in our human wars.
Suddenly, a small form leaped onto the bench. Heero didn’t notice until it rubbed itself against his face, rubbing Heero’s tears away. He sat up in suprise to look at it. It mewed at him, then purred, rubbing against his chin, asking to be petted. It likes me, Heero realized. It doesn’t know that I probably killed cats, too, during the war. "Cat, you don’t want me for a friend. I’ve got a bad history." But the cat continued to rub against him. Heero, surprised, scratched the cat between its ears. It doesn’t care. And it’s a three-colored cat, he realized. Maybe it will bring me luck. He continued to scratch the cat’s ears as he thought, but his thoughts began to brighten.
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The next day, a loud meowing awaked Relena. She sat up to find her cat on the bed.
"Tsuki! You’re in here again? I thought I told you to stay in the kitchen!"
"Nyao?" Tsuki’s face was too adorable to ignore.
"I’m sorry, Tsuki," said Relena, "but really, the students aren’t allowed to keep pets. I’d love to let you stay, but you aren’t mine, you belong to the cook!"
"Nyao," Tsuki disagreed. She rubbed her head against Relena’s ankle, as if to prove that she did belong to Relena. Relena sighed and got up. She would have to walk the kitten back to the kitchens again.
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The staff were used to the sight of Relena walking Tsuki back to the kitchens by now. She always did it first thing in the morning, so none of the other students would notice, but there was always a maid or teacher up early enough to see the strange sight of the lucky cat following the great Relena down the halls.
However, this morning one student was up early enough to see them. Heero had awoken early and been unable to get back asleep, and so decided to take a walk before breakfast. He walked moodily with his head down and his hands in his pockets, but for once he didn’t feel melancholy. As strange as it was, that cat had improved his outlook on life and he almost felt that he was doing something worthwhile.
Relena had turned her head to check that Tsuki was still following her when she turned a corner and ran into Heero. He grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling and stepped back when she regained her balance.
"I’m so sorry, Heero," she said, bowing.
"That’s alright," he said. "But a great leader shouldn’t be tripping over her fellow students in the hallways."
Surprised at his light tone, Relena looked at Heero’s face. He was smiling slightly, which surprised her even more.
"Heero, you’re in a good mood this morning." Relena smiled at him. "It’s a nice change."
Heero was about to reply when a loud "Nyao" interrupted him.
"Oh, Tsuki!" said Relena.
"Tsuki?" asked Heero. He looked at the small cat that began to twine herself around Relena’s ankles. His eyes widened. "It’s... that cat..."
"Have you met?" asked Relena.
"Yes," replied Heero. "I saw her when I was walking in the garden last night. Is she yours?"
Relena laughed. "No, students aren’t allowed to keep pets. She works to keep mice out of the kitchen. But she thinks she’s mine. She keeps coming back to my bedroom, and I have to take her back to the kitchen. That’s where I’m going now."
Heero fell into Relena’s warmth, and the ice surrounding his heart began to melt. "I was headed that way anyway. Should we walk together?"
Relena and Heero went towards the kitchens, Tsuki following. Relena was privately delighted to see this new side of Heero, completely different from either the cold, anti-social soldier from the war or the silent shadow that she had seen the past two weeks. She had to work a little, but Heero had become warmer, and was willing to converse with her, when earlier he had kept any communication to one-word answers. Maybe, she thought, he’s finally recovering from the war.