A Matter of Heart: Heirs to the Legacy
By: Andrea Readwolf
Email:
Rating: YA/Mature
Families: YMC Fam (Yuy-Maxwell-Chang Family: Trinity, Mara Jade,
and Dylan);
Winner Fam (Quatre + Trowa, Triton&Tristan, and little sis
Calista)
Peacecraft Family (Zechs Marquise/Milliard + Lucrezia/Noin
Peacecraft,Kit/Katarynna, Adrian, and Nicolette/Nicole)
Mazzolla Family (Mariemeia + Jake Mazzolla {OC}, Julian)
Catalonia-Dorian Family (Dorothy Catalonia + Relena Dorian,
Regina)
Une-Po Family (Lady Une + Sally Po, Marie Une*, Michael Braddocks,
Mark Braddocks, Matthew Braddocks)
Pairings: Trinity + Adrian, Mara Jade + Tristan, Kit + Triton (hoped
for), Calista + Dylan (hinted at)
plus: 1+2+3+4+5
Archive: Yes-- www.gwaddiction.com
Warnings: The following story contains scenes that are humorous,
sappy,fluff, with Incoherence, random PoV switching, and
Sexual innuendos abound.
Original Characters are presented; all characters are IC according to
the author's interpretation of them. Mainly heterosexual
situations, with hints of YAOI and YURI.
Spoilers: Previous Matter of Heart Series Arc stories: "Dance of the
Heart" Arc and "Oh Baby, Baby" Arc. Built off of "Traditions".
Feedback: C&C is always welcomed and adored.
Acknowledgements: There have been some wonderful people who have
made my sojourn in GW-fanfiction more than just enjoyable and have
inspired me to write, write, and write some more. Thank you.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to Bandai, Sunrise
and Sotsu Agency and are only being used for non-profit entertainment
purposes. References to printed texts, films, sitcoms, musical
pieces, and/or other fanfictions don't belong to the author either.
Original Characters, including but not limited too, the Berh
Siblings, Jake Mazzolla and "the chibis", are original and hence, the
author's own creation.
Notes: This is the story of the children, the nine children of the 6
gundam pilots (Heero--Zechs) plus the grandchild of Treize
Khushrenada. This story will not focus primarily on the characters
from the series, but rather, the generation after them. This story is
not for all die-hard fans, but runs along the lines of a more
original piece.
Additional Note: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 often times refer to each other as
"husband"; please refer back to "Promise of the Rings" Part 15 if this
causes confusion.
Additional Note 2: The chibis often times refer to their parents'
friends and partners as "Uncle" or "Aunt"--in this case, the
term is used simply as one of respect since, with the exception
of Kit & Adrian's relation to Relena and all of Quatre's sisters,
none of the parents have siblings.
***These stories and the ideas contained within are copyright of the author. No reprinting or posting without permission of said author. ***
~ December 13, 227AC~
Hands slipped around her waist, pulling her back against his chest, and she smiled and allowed herself to go.
"Don’t you know it’s not polite to look more beautiful than the bride on her wedding day?" Tristan teased against her ear. She’d already melted back into his embrace.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about," she whispered, turning her face towards his, her eyes shut as she allowed him to support them both. "…I don’t think I’ve ever seen her more beautiful than she was today…" Mara Jade peeked out over the snow-covered garden. It had just started snowing an hour ago, and already everything looked white and pristine. "Beautiful…"
"Mmm," Tristan buried his face into her throat, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Yes… you are."
Mara Jade pillowed her head on his shoulder and looked up into his face. "Why do you say such things to me?"
"Because they’re true," he replied, dipping to kiss her lips.
But she turned away, and lips brushed against her cheek instead. "How can you believe that?" she whispered hoarsely, eyes furiously blinking at the tears that threatened.
Tristan titled her chin up, to look back at him... and he was smiling. "I don’t have to believe," he whispered, inching closer to her lips. "The proof is looking me in the face."
"You should be inside dancing."
Dylan grinned over his shoulder—the special smile that he shared with only her. "Shouldn’t that be my line to you?" he asked as Calista Winner leaned against the railing beside him.
"I could use the break," the blonde girl replied, fingering a rose bloom she nipped off one of the tables inside.
The young man nodded but didn’t say anything. They stayed like that for several minutes, until Dylan noticed her shiver. "Here," he said, shrugging out of his coat jacket.
"I don’t need it," Calista protested.
"You’ll catch a cold and then I’d have to listen to you bitch," Dylan replied. "Just take the damn thing."
The Winner heiress smiled and took the offered attire. "You know me too well," she commented as she slipped into the warm coat. Dylan didn’t answer so she continued. "Sometimes I feel like I don’t know you at all."
Dylan tipped his head to the side to glance at her before looking back out over the snow-dusted grounds. "Do you really believe that?" he asked softly.
"No," Calista smiled, "But it sounded good, don’t you think?"
He couldn’t help himself. Dylan smiled too. "Not really."
She flipped around and stared back at the castle. "Tell me what’s on your mind?" she asked, leaning back against the railing.
"Don’t you know?"
"No," she frowned. "You’re too closed off…. I don’t like it when you try to hide things from me."
Dylan turned and started walking along the railing. "I’ve been thinking… about a lot of things, really."
Her eyes followed him, though she remained where she was. "Oh?"
"Mmn." He stopped, turned, and looked back at her. "A lot of things are changing. In my family, in me, and… and I’m not really sure how to handle them."
Calista turned towards him. "Dylan…."
"I mean, I know it’s a part of life, change, but…. I don’t know, I guess I’m just not okay with the idea of my big sister leaving to go live somewhere else and never coming back, you know? And then there’s the stuff with Mara Jade... she’ll be leaving soon, too…"
"Dylan…" She went to him, wrapped him in her arms like a child needing comfort. "Dylan…" she whispered again.
"And… I… I think I’m falling in love with you…"
Calista froze—a terrible fear lacing through her chest… through her heart. "Don’t," she whispered hoarsely. "Don’t fall in love with me. We both know I’ll only break your heart… We’re best friends, Dyl… Let’s not ruin that."
"Callie…"
"Shh…" she whispered, pressing her lips to his. "Please don’t make me hurt you."
Dylan just held her tighter, burying his face in her shoulder. Calista closed her eyes and prayed things would work out for them, all of them.
"I hear you’re getting a divorce."
Zechs sighed. He knew the information would come out, but he was still unprepared to deal with it. "Nothing’s been decided yet," he replied calmly, continuing to pour himself a drink.
"Hn."
Zechs smiled. You could always count on Heero to be blunt without excess. He turned, catching the Japanese man in his sight. "Every marriage has its rough spots…It just looks as if I won’t be able to smooth this one over."
"Fucked it up somehow."
Zechs snorted. "Years’ worth of fuck-ups, yes." He sighed lifting his drink but then rejecting a sip. "What really irks me is… she knew…" Blue eyes shut as if to trap in the pain. "She knew, she’s known.. Who I am, how I am…. And she still…. She still married me."
"People change," Heero replied, refilling his own glass. "Living changes things. It’s dealing with the changes that can be hard. Although you may not realize it, you’ve changed, Zechs. So has Noin. We all have. And sometimes those changes force you apart."
The blond man chewed on that for a moment and then sent an appraising look at his companion. "You seem awfully informative on this matter…."
Heero sipped from his glass, looking over across the room at his loved ones. Quatre was teasing Duo about something, while Trowa and Wufei were looking on amused. "I am." Another sip of his drink. "A while back… Duo and I… were in a rough spot. We almost… We almost didn’t smooth it over."
Zechs looked on, shocked.
"It was a little after Dylan was born," Heero continued. "I was putting in extra time in training the new recruits, and Duo…. He was trying to raise more funds for Maxwell House Child Care Services. We kept getting farther and farther apart, and Wufei kept trying to bring us together again… but it wasn’t working. Duo and I, we got into a huge fight and decided one of us should leave, but… we didn’t want to leave the kids or Wufei, and really, we didn’t want to leave each other. We worked it out finally, but it wasn’t easy"
Heero looked at Zechs. The other man looked sad, but that was supposedly to be expected. "Sometimes, though, I guess there comes a time when you can’t work it out anymore."
"I suppose so," Zechs murmured, watching the four men on the other side of the room and then scanning the faces around him for the one belonging to his wife. "If you’ll excuse me….?"
Heero smiled as he watched his rival-friend trot off. With any luck, he’d indirectly provided his daughter and her husband a small but important wedding gift. Soft, twinkling laughter caught her ears, and he looked over to see Trinity and Adrian dancing out on the floor. They looked good together, he though…. But damned if he was going to let them know that. He grinned and weaved his way back to his four husbands on the other side of the room. He’d worry about empty-nest pangs later.
~That Evening Cont.~
It was *well* passed midnight when Adrian murmured in Trinity’s ear, "Are you ready to call it a night?"
The dark-haired young bride looked at him, surprised, her crown twinkling in the dimmed lights like a milky way of stars.
"Call it a night?" she questioned, a small frown tugging at her lips. "Already? But no one has left yet!"
Adrian couldn’t help but smile when he looked at her. "It’s late, and many of our guests are tired." He brushed a dark curl off her face. "And besides, they cannot leave until the bride queen retires."
"What?!"
He kissed away the aghasted look from her face. "Decorum and all that," he murmured, kissing her again.
"Oh! Why didn’t you tell me sooner," Trinity cried. "I must look like an ungrateful hostess!"
"Not at all," the young king continued to smile. "You look beautiful and gracious, and you look like you were having too much to interrupt."
"Oh, but Adrian—!"
He touched a finger to her lips, silencing her protests. "Shall we retire now?"
Taking a calming breath and smiling back at him, Trinity nodded. "Yes, let’s."
Despite all the talk of wedding nights, the only thing that happened in the royal bedroom was some cuddling and sleeping. It was about the only bedroom that didn’t have something going on that night. Whatever didn’t happen that night was easily made up for come the morning as gentle kisses woke Trinity.
"Good morning, my queen," Adrian smiled, kissing her lips.
Trinity smiled back, threading her arms around his neck. "Good morning, my king," she greeting pulling him down to her for what she considered a proper waking ritual.
Hey! She didn’t grow up with three daddies and not learn a thing—despite their efforts!
It was time to leave all too soon. The morning brunch and afternoon picnic in the green houses did little to keep the approaching hour away. Indeed, it only served to eat up the time—albeit in an enjoyable way depending on who you asked. And if Calista and Tristan and Mara Jade suspiciously disappeared for a time, well…. As long as you don’t get caught, right? Quatre and Trowa could attest to the same opinion. Heero, Duo, and Wufei weren’t letting their oldest out of their sight—too aware of how soon the time to leave would come. And Nicole was in a blissful state with both Dylan and Julian to entertain her—who knows where her mother or father took off too.
Still…. Evening was approaching. All too fast. Way too fast.
Heero held Wufei while Duo engulfed the young queen in a long-lasting hug. Trinity didn’t seem to want to let go either. All too soon….
"Okay, okay," Mara Jade griped, playfully pushing her father aside. "Give her up, it’s my turn now!"
Somewhat surprisingly, Duo obeyed, and Mara Jade replaced him in hugging her sister tightly. "You take care of yourself, you hear?"
"Same to you, little sister."
"Don’t forget to do your morning forms." Blue eyes shut tighter as she held on tighter, almost desperately.
"Don’t *you* forget, lazy-bug." Someone sniffled.
"Please be happy."
Trinity pulled back, unmindful to the tears in her own eyes as she wiped at the tiny rivlets running down her sister’s cheeks. "I will, but you have to promise me the same thing."
"I will," Mara Jade forced a smile to her face, swiping a palm over her wet cheeks. "Look at me, crying like a sissy."
Trinity laughed and sniffed. "Don’t try to be too tough, Mara J. It’s okay to be soft sometimes." She leaned her forehead against Mara Jade’s. "Being soft doesn’t make you weak," she whispered. "Nothing could ever make you weak without your permission. Remember that, will you?"
"I will," the younger sister promised, pulling away when she felt a hand brush over her back.
"And you!" Trinity tried to say sternly, turning to Tristan who’s stepped up behind Mara Jade. "You better not hurt my sister!"
The blond boy smiled. "Despite popular belief, I don’t have a death wish," Tristan replied, wrapping Mara Jade up in his arms as he reached out and pulled Trinity to him, too, for a hug.
:"Be good to him, eh?" Tristan whispered. "Don’t let him overwork himself, okay?"
"I won’t," the young queen promised, smiling.
"Your Majesty? The plane is ready to depart," a middle aged attendant came to announce.
The party hummed with tension. True, it was only Quatre, Trowa, Heero, Duo, Wufei, Triton, Tristan, Calista, Mara Jade, and Dylan leaving, but…. It was her family…. And they were leaving. She had a new family, here, in Sank. She couldn’t go with them anymore. She wasn’t going home with her family. She was home. Her new home…
Trinity forced a smile onto her face. "Have a safe flight," she said. "And, Daddy, let the pilot do her job, okay? Don’t try to kick her out of the cockpit, okay?" And then she chocked a bit on a sob, trying desperately to turn it into a laugh.
And then, before she knew it, her family was engulfing her in one massive bear hug. Everyone. Uncle Quatre and Trowa, Triton and Tristan and Calista plus her fathers and sister and brother. They were all holding her and wishing her well.
And then… Uncle Trowa was leading her fathers onto the jet, and Tristan and Triton was escorting her sister away, too. Dylan gave her one last hug before he and Callie took off to find their seats. And then it was just her Uncle Quatre left.
"Everything’s going to be alright, you know that, right?" Quatre said softly, taking her shoulders in hand.
"Are you sure?"
He smiled. "Yes, I can feel it. This is where you belong. And you’re going to do wonderful things here, too. Sank’s a beautiful country. You fight right in."
Trinity smiled, too. "Thank you, Uncle."
"Don’t forget to save time for you music," he cautioned her. "You have a great gift, and… I think you’ll find… that music will help you when you feel overwhelmed or just soul-tired."
"You’re just worried about our duet," she teased, and he laughed.
"With rightful reason, I think."
"Thank you," Trinity repeated. "And… please… take extra care of them," she added without specifying ‘who’. "They’ll play it tough, I know, but this will hurt them, too."
Quatre nodded. "Of course. Changes are never exactly easy, but as always, they have my love and support."
"I know that means a lot to them." Trinity sighed, hugging Quatre tightly one last time. "You’d better go, too, before someone comes out after you."
Quatre smiled, hugging her tightly, too, and then pecking her on the forehead before ducking into the loading ramp.
True to prediction, Quatre met Heero on his way. "What was taking so long?" the Japanese man frowned.
Quatre smiled, taking Heero’s hand in his as he led the other man back to their seats. "I was receiving an extra commission to take special care of you," the blond said as he scooted past Wufei to slip into his seat next to Trowa.
"Special care?" Wufei commented, one dark eyebrow rising over suspiciously red eyes.
Quatre pillowed his head on Trowa’s shoulder as the jet’s engine hummed for take off. "I’ve decided I don’t want mine to ever get married," he said as they started their take off run.
"Oh?"
"Mmm." Quatre sighed, his eyes already shut as his body contemplated sleep. "That or else everyone would just have to move in with us."
Wufei smiled, but there were tears in his dark eyes as he leaned against Heero and held Duo’s hand. "Sometimes that’s just not possible, though," he whispered before hiding his face, and his tears, against Heero’s chest. He see the tears also trailing down the other two men’s cheeks.
End Part 38
Andrea Readwolf
Please send comments to: andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com