Shelter
By: Sachie
Warnings: none, unless you are allergic to sap
Pairing: 1+R! ^_^
Gray rain pours down upon a gray city. Evening approaches, and people are scurrying home, the collars of their coats turned up, their eyes turned down, trying not to get their feet wet. Even the color of the neon signs and traffic lights seems to have faded, leached out by the constant drizzle.
Heero stands alone at an intersection, an island of isolation, while the rush of pedestrian traffic flows over him like a human tide. Ebb and flow. No one looks up to acknowledge or greet him, and he greets no one. The stream of traffic passes by, ignoring him, ignored by him.
"Heero!"
Someone calls out his name in a rich girlish soprano. He turns toward the speaker, and she is running up from behind him, carrying
a pink umbrella. She seems surprised to see him there, and her serious blue eyes bore into him, as if she were afraid he might vanish if she looked away. Its been months since he's seen that face, heard that voice. But its a face that's haunted his dreams, and a voice that he's heard countless times in his head."Its good to see you." She says simply. She long ago gave up asking him questions. It would be meaningless anyway. She holds her umbrella over him, and the fading light filtering through the fabric casts a warm pinkish glow over him. She smiles.
"Relena." Its the first word he's spoken to her. The only thing he seems to be able to say when he's in her presence. He turns away from her to watch the crowds hurry by. Gray coats, gray umbrellas, gray mud-spattered shoes. And suddenly, its as if Relena and her pink canopy are the only spot of warmth and color in the whole gray world.
"I was waiting for you," he says finally. Waiting for someone to call his name. Waiting for someone to offer him respite from the bleakness of the world. Waiting all his life.
"I'm here now." She still holds the umbrella over him, and he realizes the rain is soaking her shoulders and back. He takes a step toward her, so that the umbrella shades them both. They stand close, their bodies not touching, until Heero leans in and presses his cheek against hers. She feels warm and soft against his chilled skin. He feels her startled breath tickle his ear.
"Attakai [1]," he murmers. He had not noticed how cold he was until then.
Wordlessly, she wraps her free arm around him pulling him closer. His own arms seem to move of their own accord to circle around her waist. To a restless wanderer it feels like coming home.
Gray rain continues to pour down upon a gray city. But under a pale pink canopy, two lovers find shelter in each others arms.
---------the end-----------
[1] warm
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