Seven

Late Night Visiting

      I dug through the pile of clothes, then smiled.
      No wonder Heero had knocked on the door. His jeans were on the bottom of my pile. I set the belt of the robe down.
      He knocked again.
      “I’m not decent.” I called, grinning. I was wearing a robe and about to towel dry my hair.
      “You’re full of shit, is what you are.” he said, opening the door, “It’s a good thing I did take my shower first. It’s eleven-fifty.”
      He was wearing boxers and a very annoyed expression.
      I laughed and tossed him his jeans.
      He pulled them on as I dried my hair.
      “You can be impossible, you know.” he informed me as I flipped my hair back.
      “You can deserve it.” I replied looking at him coyly from his reflection.
      He rolled his eyes and went to the tub, not explaining, and rinsed his hair, then pulled my towel from my hand to dry it.
      “Hey...” I started.
      There was a knock on the door before I could properly protest. We looked at each other blankly and I followed him out, stepping over the towel after he dropped it.
      Trowa and Kat were walking in. Heero ran his fingers through his wet hair in surprise.
      Trowa raised his eyebrows, looking at us as we came out of the bathroom, “Bad time?”
      Kat just grinned at me, her eyes twinkling.
      I studied Trowa, did he really think we’d... “No, of course not. Feel free to walk right into my room at any time without permission...” I knew it sounded like confirmation of his thoughts, and less than polite, but really...
      Heero threw a hand back to silence me as Wufei walked in, followed by Duo.
      They stopped and stared.
      “We seem to be missing someone...” I said bitterly, running my fingers through my hair. I suddenly realized I hadn’t put the belt on...I didn’t react, knowing that would make it an issue...sort of...
      Trowa and Heero stared at each other.
      There was a seemingly long silence. “Well, what do you expect me to think when you both come out of the bathroom with wet hair, and you with no shirt on...” Trowa said defensively, already noticing my robe’s state, “Especially since they’re not buttoned...” he gestured to the jeans, acting as if I weren’t there.
      There was an unsure pause.
      Duo seemed smug, “No wonder Omaesan...correct?”
      I sighed heavily, “No, Duo, that’s not why Omaesan...you know us better than that.”
      “Looks like it to me.”
      How could he be so smug...
      “You seem a bit short-sighted, I’d noticed.” I gestured at Heero, “Do you think I’d be ashamed if I were fucking him?”
      Trowa and Wufei exchanged a look.
      Duo grinned at me, “No, of course not...”
      I pushed passed Heero and went to the vanity, grabbing the brush and sitting down. “Oh, by the way, Omaesan,” I said pointedly to Heero, “Thank you for not using all the hot water, and I’m sorry I grabbed your pants. They were at the bottom of the pile and I didn’t see them when I went in.”
      Realization hit them all as I brushed my hair.
      Suddenly the brush was pulled from my hand and someone started brushing my hair.
      “My wife had long dark hair, too... She’s dead now, though...” Wufei’s voice was quiet.
      I sat still in shock, not knowing what to say. He had a wife?
      I met Heero’s eyes in the mirror and he shook his head once, very slightly.
      “So what are you guys doing in here, anyways?” I asked, closing my eyes. I always loved it when guys played with my hair...they had a way of doing it gently...always afraid they’d hurt you...
      “I had an idea, and they were just nosy.” Trowa replied, seeming amused.
      “Mmm?” I didn’t want to muster the energy to talk.
      “What?” Heero asked at the same time, a slight edge in his voice.
      “Well, I thought that maybe Lieutenant Nikol might have lived.”
      “Nikol?” my heart skipped a few beats.
      “Yes. Nikol.” They knew my past. “If he lived...”
      “He would take the time?” Duo asked.
      “Yeah, I think so.”
      “So this is my fault...” Quatre’s voice came suddenly from the door.
      Everyone turned to him, noticing Sam, who was standing just in front and to the right of him.
      “No, Quatre...” I started, trying to reassure him.
      “Yes, Nikki. That’s the truth. If it was Nikol, then it’s my fault.” he walked fully in and closed the door as Samantha walked to Kat and they started a hurried whispered conversation along the lines of ‘What’s going on?’
      I searched for another protest, “Did he know your name? Did he know anything about you other than you were zero-four’s pilot?”
      Quatre’s brow wrinkled, “He’s Sandrock, Nikki.”
      “Sorry...” I muttered, not really caring. I was stuck on the whole Nikol bit...
      Nikol had once been one of my best friends. He and Suretta had teased me constantly for knowing...I covered my face with my hands...Suretta...
      Suddenly, someone’s hand was on my shoulder. I pulled my hands away and was pulled gently to Heero’s chest. I buried my face into his neck.
      “Nikki...” Wufei’s voice was soft and I turned to look at him as he set my brush down, “Did Nikol live?” he squatted to be looking up to me.
      I shook my head, trying to remember, “I don’t know...he was confined, and it was big news...but then the Trieze faction and the Gundams...the dolls...I didn’t stay on to know for sure...” I shook my head, not wanting to think about it any longer and relaxing against Heero.
      Wufei nodded. “We were a bit distracting.” he smiled.
      “Do you think he lived, Omaesan?” Heero asked.
      I pursed my lips, “I don’t know...” I hadn’t been there, after all.
      “Were there any other officers who knew us?” Duo demanded.
      I blinked and looked at him, “I don’t know.”
      Why weren’t they understanding this?
      We were silent for a long time, thinking about that.
      “Guys, it’s almost twelve-thirty.” Quatre said suddenly.
      Everybody roused themselves, Trowa shook his head slightly, “Good night.” he headed for the door.
      “Good night. Good night, Kat.” I smiled at her slightly and she nodded, following him out the door.
      Duo was close behind, muttering his good night but looking as if he’d prefer not to leave.
      Quatre smiled slightly, “Good night.” he and Samantha walked out.
      Wufei stopped at the door and looked back to me, “You know Romefeller will fall again, right? Romefeller always falls. They have no integrity, only cold want of power.”
      I said nothing.
      “Remember,” he muttered, stirring haunting memories, “They are wrong.” he walked out.
      “Nikki...” Heero started quietly.
      At the sound of his voice, the emotions I was fighting, won.


      Something about Wufei’s words made her freeze, “They are wrong.” he walked out.
      “Nikki...” I said quietly, wanting to ask her about it.
      Suddenly she began to sob. Wrenching sobs that tore at the soul. I hugged her to me, not exactly sure why she was sobbing like that...
      Slowly, I lifted her and carried her to the bed.
      What we both needed, was sleep.
      Nothing was said for a long time...I just lay there holding her, wishing for something more than friendship...wishing I could tell her and she’d believe me...
      She shifted and lay her head on my chest. Slowly, I started running my fingers through her long, soft, and silky hair. She didn’t seem to notice.
      I sighed once, still running my fingers through her hair, feeling her eyes close.
      We’d always been closer than friends. It had pushed some of her friends away. The ones that had introduced us, the ones who thought me too removed to be her friend...the ones who weren’t really her friends...the ones she tolerated...
      She had helped me live a normal life after the fighting had stopped and I’d thought of killing myself, and...she trusted me.
      I owed her a lot. So very much...but she didn’t seem to realize...
      Someday, somehow...I would pay her back...someday...


      Sighing, I shut my door behind me. Nikki was right. Nikol would do something like that.
      I hadn’t made it public knowledge that I was Sandrock’s pilot, though...not everyone needed to know that and I had enough to deal with without adding that to the plate... So Nikol must’ve had a time figuring it out.
      Samantha made her way to her room as I stood there, thinking.
      I’d had a direct link with all of them. Nikol must have followed the links.
      It was my fault.
      Everyone was too kind to actually admit it, though.
      I would need to make amends...
      Romefeller was the first order of business, however. Bringing the Gundams and Relena to space would help. The battle had to stay between Romefeller and the Gundams.
      It had to.


      Time passed unnoticeably. I didn’t realize I’d even fallen asleep until I could hear people walking quietly in the halls. The changing of the guard.
      “What’s the matter?” Nikki’s voice was barely above a whisper.
      When had she woken up? “Changing of the guard.” I told her quietly.
      “Mmm...” she seemed to fall back asleep, “Heero?” she asked suddenly, rousing me from the half doze I’d fallen into.
      “Hmm?”
      “What did Wufei mean, about a wife?”
      I started trailing my fingers through her hair again, “He was married before Meteor. But she died. I think it was because of the mobile suit she was in, it was an older version of Tallgeese...I think.”
      “How horrible...” her arm, which was draped across me, tightened slightly.
      “That’s why he’s like that. That’s why he doesn’t like women fighting.”
      She shook her head, “I guess I’ve been a bit of a bitch to him, huh?”
      “Mhmm...” I nodded slightly.
      She sighed deeply, “I’ll apologize...”
      “Don’t, it won’t change anything.”
      “But...”
      “Shh...don’t worry.”
      She sighed, conceding.
      I felt her slip back into sleep, then followed her.
      She was, after all, the reason I could relax at all....


      I couldn’t believe she’d actually let me brush her hair. Great trust was implied in a woman allowing a man to play with her hair... When I’d taken the brush from her, I hadn’t actually expected her to let me brush her hair...she’d enjoyed it...
      It was amusing how annoyed Heero had gotten when she’d closed her eyes..
      Not that I’d expected any less.
      I wondered what that made me...


      The changing of the guard woke me. My slumber had been light and I didn’t completely trust Quatre’s people.
      Kat was tossing and turning in her room, which also distracted me. She was probably scared. A lot of stuff...more than likely unexplained, was happening.
      She was innocent...


      The changing of the guard...What an annoying...
      So now, I was awake.
      With Romefeller on the rise again, the wars would come...again. The tradition-loving organization was continuing with their damned tradition of power-lust.
      With Sally, Noin, and Zechs here to protect Relena, it wouldn’t take too long before they realized they weren’t getting the Gundams.
      Maybe this time no colonies would be destroyed.
      Quietly, I stood and opened the door to the hall.
      Silence.
      Trowa and Heero were lucky. They, at least, had someone to talk to.
      That’s what I needed. Someone to talk to.
      Maybe Krystal...I hesitated, not sure.
      I started down the hall, would she want to talk to me? We hadn’t seen each other since...since Hildy had asked me to come back to L-2.
      I stopped outside her door, hearing the soft sound of her sleeping.
      No. It wasn’t worth it to wake her.
      I hated being lonely, but waking someone up from sleep, ‘specially Kris...I sighed quietly, feeling as Heero and Trowa woke. Wufei had the instant I’d opened my door.
      I hesitated, thinking about that. Heero was awake...I crossed the hall and tapped lightly on the door.
      “Yeah?” Nikki’s voice was quiet and tired.
      I opened the door hesitantly, waiting for my eyes to readjust to the darkness of the room.
      “Can I come in?” I asked.
      “Of course...” there was movement, “What’s the matter?”
      My eyes finished adjusting and I shut the door. They were both sitting up now.
      I sat on the bed, “What are we going to do?”
      “What do we always do?” Heero returned, his tone understanding.
      “Since when has twice become ‘always’?” I asked, slightly peevish.
      He sighed, “I know. Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out. We always do.” his teeth flashed in the darkness as he grinned at me.
      Nikki shifted, “Couldn’t sleep?”
      I nodded, deciding not to tell her ‘obviously’. I didn’t need to be an ass. “So we’re just going to make it up as we go?”
      He nodded.
      I sighed, looking at Nikki, “I don’t suppose you could give me a massage?”
      She yawned, stretching, “I guess...” she stood and came up behind me, starting with my shoulders.
      “Thanks...” I muttered, relaxing.
      “No problem...” she yawned again.
      “You realize I’m still uneasy about this?” I asked Heero.
      “Yeah. So am I.”
      “That’s reassuring.”
      He chuckled slightly, “Isn’t it though.”
      We were silent a while, “So what’s going on with you two? What happened to your face?”
      Nikki sighed heavily.
      “I...” Heero started, but didn’t go on. That was enough.
      “Why?” I demanded, looking up to him.
      He shook his head, averting his eyes, looking out the window, “I couldn’t help it.”
      “How does that make sense?”
      “He had a fever.” Nikki informed me.
      I looked over my shoulder at her, obviously she was all right with it...
      “I didn’t mean to...” Heero repeated, his teeth clenched.
      I glanced at him quickly...he had tears in his eyes...
      “Okay...”
      Nikki squeezed my shoulders in a slightly pointed way. She was going to talk to him.
      I stood, sighing, “I think I’m going to bed...”
      Nikki had already reached him as I reached the door. I closed it behind myself as I heard her start murmuring to him. I felt sort of bad...
      I returned to my room and closed the door behind myself.
      Trowa and Heero had no idea how lucky they really were. Even though Trowa didn’t know Kat, she already trusted him. She was very trusting and would talk to him.
      I’d almost kicked myself when I’d thought about it...I sighed as I sat on my bed.
      Of course, Nikki and Heero would talk...had talked...yeah. Sam and Quatre would more than likely talk too, though he didn’t seem to be in a very talkative mood.
      They were lucky, whereas Wufei and I had to deal by ourselves or wake people up...Maybe later Krystal would talk, well, it was Kris. She would. She was sweet like that...
      For all the good it did me now.
      Quatre, Trowa, and Heero were too damned lucky...why hadn’t I asked Kat...
      Actually, I still could...wait, I didn’t have an extra room like he did...my room wasn’t quite as large as Heero’s...wait, technicalities. Nikki’s room.
      I smiled slightly, it could get interesting if he pissed her off...someone else might end up sharing a room with him.

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Kyeian