Brief Encounter

By Shempae

 

Midii was not in a good mood. Being cold, hungry, and wet had a tendency to make people upset. Not that it wasn't normal anymore. Since the war ended Midii was out of work and on the streets. If there was a good side to this, Midii hadn't found it yet. But she would. Oh, she would.

 

"Hey, do you want this?" a voice said from above her, interrupting her musings.

 

A cup of tea was being handed to her by a slightly bishounen boy. -Y'know, under different circumstances, I could think he was cute...- she thought, somewhat dazed. No one gave her anything but money, even if they noticed that her small hovel had a living person in it. "I thought you could use it more than me."

 

"Oh, really. No thanks, I'm fine," she replied. She had found that generosity got you nowhere.

 

"You look like you could use more than a warm drink. Do you want to come by my place? At least you'd get out of this dreadful rain."

 

The boy had a point. She decided against being curt, and instead nodded briefly. He smiled-although it was ruined a bit by long bangs he had pushed to one side.

-I'd be interested in finding out who he is...He might be of some value...-

 

He grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward a more secluded part of town. Along the way, he asked her what her name was. He said it lightly enough, but she could sense there where undercurrents of something. Fear? But no, this was a civilian, they had no fear anymore. Not since Mariemaia. Not since those damn Gundam pilots swept them all up into a revolution. He asked her again, this time stopping and facing her.

 

"Girl, what's your name? I should probably know so I won't have to call you Jane or something."

 

"Oh! Sorry, I was thinking about those Gundam Pilots." Not a lie, right?

 

He tensed, but pressed on. "What's your name? You've been dodging the question."

 

"It's....Miya Kana. What's yours?"

 

"That's not your real name, but I'll deal. My name's Trowa Barton." He walked on, pulling her again.

 

For the first time in a few months, Midii felt dread seeping over her. Barton?! If he figured out who she was, there was no doubt that she would be turned in. She had worked for the Barton family, long before Operation Meteor. After Nanashi had left her. -Why did I think that name? I haven't thought of him for years, why now?- Sadness she never knew she had bubbled up in her, and before she knew it, she was crying. Silently, thank God, but enough that Trowa turned around.

 

Trowa had been ignoring "Miya", except to make sure she hadn't slipped out of his hands. He _had_ been walking briskly, except that he felt the girl shake for a second. Concerned, he turned around and was suddenly face to face with a girl in tears. Crying, he remembered it being called. She noticed and smiling thinly, said, "Go on. I'll be alright. I always am."

 

He took her word for it.

 

*****

 

Trowa had ordered Midii into some of dry clothes as soon as they had gotten to his apartment. He was taking time off with his sister, and they had rented a small apartment. He had picked out some of Catherine's clothes, praying she wouldn't mind, and had given them to "Miya" to try on. They fit, except around the bust, causing some wrinkling that she constantly tried to fix. -Oh well, they're clean and dry, and that's all that counts.-he thought.

 

They where sitting at the table when all of a sudden, Trowa's eyes went wide. His voice was ragged when he said, "Midii? Yes, you have to be Midii...."

 

She was, in a word, shocked. No one should have been able to see through her. Least of all some stranger. "Um...do I know you?"

 

"We've...met," he answered tersely. Midii could see something was going on, but she didn't say anything. "So after all these years, the person I invite in is you....Ironic, eh?" He seemed to find it funny, since he smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. They where blank when he turned to her.

 

"So I am Midii Une. Will you turn me in? You are a Barton after all." She knew all at once that her life rested in this boys hand. He seemed to realize that. "No.....I won't. Only because if I did, it would be your life, and I couldn't deal with that. No, you'll live." She didn't notice the sigh that came from her lips.

 

"Tadima!" Enter Catherine, hair as wild as always.

 

"Oh, hey Cathy. Just entertaining a guest!" His reply was friendly, but Midii could sense that he was telling his -I think he said it was his sister- more than just what he said. Catherine nodded, further adding to Midii's suspicions. "Well, don't mind me then. Just carry on, and I'll go make some soup."

 

"You said earlier that you where thinking about the Gundam pilots." His face was calm, a mask.

 

"Yes. I was just thinking about how they were really brave, to go and fight not just Earth, but the colonies as well. I was actually hired to kill one of them. I trailed him that entire war, but I guess he's still alive. Pilot of Gundam 02. Duo Maxwell."

 

"He is." His words stopped her. How could he know?

 

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you know? Are _you_ one of those Gundam Pilots."

 

"No. Not me. But I have my sources. They were very profitable, you know." It pained him to say that, but he couldn't be turned in, not even when he held Midii's life too.

 

"Oh. You had me worried there. But I have to say, you remind me of someone, a long time ago."

 

Trowa's mask almost slipped. Was the person she remembered him? "Hm...what

happened to him?"

 

"He left. I never heard from him again. It's funny, the way love works. He's been gone for 15 years, and I still haven't forgotten the day he left..." She was lost for a second in her thoughts.

 

"I once had a friend like that. I had to leave though. I had to go back to what I knew, back to the battle grounds."

 

"You sound just like him. If you didn't have a name, I would have thought you were him...I wish I could see him again, after all of this. I know...that he hasn't forgiven me, but I still wish I could see him. Just once more before I die."

 

"Midii, look at me." She turned, giving him a fair view of her confused face. He could have sworn he saw a tear.

 

"But...why? I didn't even know you until today. Although apparently you knew me."

 

"Midii, I want you to go. I want you to leave this town. You've seen Nanashi, and you've been forgiven. But you have to go. For your own sake as well as mine. I know that we will meet again, and to make it even more certain, here's where I live." He scribbled on a magically-acquired piece of paper. "Now go, and take this."

 

Midii took a delicate cross from his hand. As soon as her hands touched it, she burst into tears. "Nanashi, I-I can't take t-this...It's y-yours...and a-always will be..." She ran to him and buried her face in his arms. She took in his scent, so clean-not like the alleys she was so used to. She heard his heartbeat, low and steady. How she wished that she could be here, wrapped in his arms for all eternity. She hugged him one more time.

 

"Trowa, give me one thing before I go. No, not the cross," She whispered, shaking away the piece of jewelry in front of her. "Give me a kiss, even if it isn't for real. I can pretend it is..."

 

She saw him smile. Such a good smile, she thought before she was wrapped in his kiss. It was so gentle, so kind. Like the giver himself. She opened her mouth some. She wanted to swallow him, make him hers forever. After what seemed an eternity, she stopped. She turned and walked out the door, her heart shattering more with every step.

 

The End