Well...here I go with Act III...also known as, When It All Goes Wrong. Hee hee!
I really hated to do this to poor Howard...but I just couldn't think of anyone else to fill the role of Bottom. I was originally going to use Zechs, but he just didn't quite work out the way I wanted. Oh well.
Heero came to with a start. His head ached slightly. He took in his surroundings, and he realized that he was still in Duo's house. He realized that he had been lying with his head in someone's lap. He brushed hurriedly at the small puddle of drool, hoping whoever it was wouldn't notice. He looked up.
It was Relena. Her eyes were closed, eyelids fluttering slightly as her eyes moved beneath them. Her face had smoothed out; there was no tension, no pain, no worry. Heero swallowed as his heart leaped into his throat. Why hadn't he noticed how beautiful she was before now? Better yet, why hadn't he told her so already? All his former inhibitions fell away as he gazed at her.
"Relena..." he whispered, and reached up to stroke her cheek. The gentle touch startled her awake. She looked down in surprise, confusion etched onto her features. She reached up to touch his hand. "Heero...?" He touched a finger to her lips, then leaned up, brushing his lips against hers.
Sally groaned as she opened her eyes. Good Lord, where was she? What had happened? Her chest tightened as she took in her surroundings and realized who laid next to her on the bed. Why had she woken up in a strange bedroom with Wufei? She soon relaxed as she realized that there was no way anything could have happened during a drunken stupor between them from the way he was lying on the bed.
"Nataku..." Wufei muttered, then punctuated the word with a loud snore. Sally smiled fondly, then stood up and stumbled out of the room, searching for the bathroom.
"What did I do last night? It feels like I was dancing on the edge of a cliff..." she muttered as she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
The sound of the door closing caused Wufei to awaken with a snort. He immediately cursed his weakness at having passed out, then took in his surroundings. He decided that he was still in Duo's house. He got up, searching for the bathroom. Occupied. Damn. Well, might as well go find some water or something...He turned toward the kitchen.
"Would you like some water?"
"Yes please, Heero."
He stood up, letting his hand slip from hers, and turned toward the kitchen.
A moment after he turned into the kitchen, Wufei rounded the corner into the living room. Relena sat there, her head resting against the back of the couch, her eyes closed. She was humming quietly, a small smile on her face.
Wufei was stopped dead in his tracks. Her face...her body...her beauty was so natural, so...He could not even find the words to describe it. He slowly started to walk toward her. He had never felt this way about anyone before...he had not even thought that he would find someone like this, had feared he would have to settle for second best. But this...this was not second best. He slowly stepped closer to her....
Relena could feel herself being watched. She smiled fondly, thinking it was Heero. Instead, when she opened her eyes, she found herself staring into the dark, intense eyes of Wufei. "Wufei? What's wrong?" She shrank away from his disturbingly focused stare. "Why are you staring at me?"
"Because I never realized before that all the world's collection of beauty was right here, in you," he said intensely.
"W-what?"
Wufei knelt in front of her and took her hand in his. "Relena...your beauty is like the sun streaming through clouds at sunset. Your face is the very essence of serenity and beauty. When I look at you, I feel that I am gazing into the eyes of the universe..."
Relena squirmed uncomfortably, trying to think of a way out of this mess. "Wufei...I don't understand...."
When Sally returned to the bedroom, she found Wufei gone. He must have woken up, she mused. She was about to search for him when she heard the tinkle of broken glass coming from the living room.
"Son of a...Wufei!"
Heero stood in the doorway of the living room, one glass of water gripped tightly in his left hand, the other shattered in a puddle of water at his feet. Wufei stood next to the couch, holding Relena's hands protectively in his. Relena was leaning away from him as if looking for a means of escape. "Wufei..." Heero growled.
"Heero!" Relena gasped pleadingly.
"Stay back. You have no right," said Wufei menacingly.
"What in the name of Peacemillion is going on in here?!?" shouted Sally. She hurried over to Wufei's side and put her hand on his shoulder. "What are you doing, Wufei?"
He turned and glared at her. "Do not interfere with me, woman! I have not the time nor the patience to deal with the likes of you." He twisted his shoulder out of her grasp and turned to face Heero. "As for you...Relena is my concern now. I suggest you leave at once."
Sally's jaw dropped open. "Relena??" she asked with shock. "What on earth..." She turned to look at Relena accusingly.
Relena stared back at her, alarm and panic in her eyes. "Sally...I..."
Sally turned, grabbed her jacket, and stormed out of the house.
"Sally!"
"Well hello there, Miss Noin. Fancy meeting you here."
Noin laughed. "Likewise, Duo Maxwell. What brings you here?"
"Oh, no reason. My house is, shall we say, occupied at the moment."
"Occupied? With who?"
Duo smiled innocently. "Oh, no one in particular. Let's just say the rats and the roaches decided to throw a party, and I wasn't invited."
"Ha, ha. I'll be right back." Noin excused herself, leaving her drink behind. Duo glanced mischievously at the half-full glass, then at Noin's retreating figure. "Hmmm..." he wondered. Well, what harm could it do? Quatre hadn't necessarily told him not to try the powder on anyone else.... He carefully tugged the pouch out of his pocket, glanced around to see if anyone was looking, and sprinkled a little bit into her glass.
"Duo! Man, are you ever a sight for sore eyes!"
Duo turned in surprise at the familiar voice. "Howard? Howard! What are you doing here?" Duo fairly gaped as the rangy, older man ambled toward the bar where Duo was sitting.
"Ah, you know. Business and stuff. I'm in the area returning a favor to a friend, and thought I'd take a little break. Never thought I'd see you here!"
"Tell me about it, pal."
Howard motioned to the second glass sitting next to Duo. "Got other company? Is Hilde with you?" Howard craned his neck, searching for the petite brunette.
"Nah, she's elsewhere. This is Noin's glass. Oh, speak of the devil...." Noin returned at that moment. "Hey Noin, you remember Howard, don't you?"
She glanced at the older man. "Yes, I remember him. How are you, Howard?"
"Oh, can't complain, can't complain. How about you? Been keeping yourself busy these days?"
"Of course!" she laughed. She sipped delicately from her glass, frowned, and drank again, draining it. She glanced at Howard, then fairly gaped at him as if seeing him for the first time. Duo was impressed. Guess Quatre was wrong about the sleep part...the stuff seemed to be working on Noin just fine without it.
"Well, I'd better get back to the house and see how everyone is doing...you two going to be okay?"
"What?" Noin said absently. "Oh yes. Another, please." She pushed the glass across the bar toward Duo.
Duo chuckled and headed out the door.