Prompt: sunscreen

Takes place with the assumption that Heero is now Relena's bodyguard as she campaigns for presidency. Post-EW (obv.)

Absolute Magnitude

"All matter within the sun is either plasma or gas, due to it's high temperatures-" The nervous nine-year-old recited dutifully, her classmates arranged behind her in various costumes, holding up murals and charts. "It is the source of light that has made life on planet Earth possible, and therefore, life in the colonies as well."

Relena's eyes were glued to the young students' speech as firmly as Heero's were to her. One of the things she had been most amazed by in their colonial tours was the extreme difference in the educational systems between the space-bound colonies and their mother planet. On Earth, this would be considered a science report- here, on L3, it was a history presentation. Heero scrutinized her every expression, down to the slightest nuance. In truth, he had little connection to the schools in the colonies- of the times when he had attended, it had been mostly for the sake of cover rather than garnering knowledge. However, despite a lack of involvement, he still found himself anxious to know how Relena reacted to it- how fully she could accept the places where he had been molded into the person he was now.

He knew he had no reason to worry. She was open minded, curious, humble. She did not frown on the artificial weather, the mechanical urban sprawl, the uneasy truth that you were dependent on fickle technology for survival rather than the constancy of a solid ground and natural atmosphere. He shuffled through several interactions he'd observed while traveling with her- when she took lunch with a few kind elderly women (he had completely panicked), how sad her eyes became when she volunteered at L2's soup kitchen (he had shut his eyes so he wouldn't have to watch her heart break), her astonishment when he had explained some of the simpler life support systems in place on L1 (he had felt like he finally had something worth telling her). It wasn't uncommon to find a prejudice among earthlings towards the colonists, but Relena had been seemingly untouched by it. She embraced each new experience without judgement, she assessed each situation with a perspective devoid of petty criticism- lately he was beginning to think he had been more right than first thought when he had said he was nothing compared to her.. When he had finally realized she was...

"-it has a strong magnetic field, and drives the climate and weather on Earth, in addition to influencing..."

...completely amazing. He visually traced her lips as they mouthed a silent 'wow' in response to the children he had long since tuned out in favor of reflecting on their observer. He thought of the one time he had been reckless enough to act on his more personal impulses- he remembered the pressing of her hand against his heart, of his lips against hers, her surprised gasp ringing louder in his ears than the engines of the space shuttle. He didn't liked to refer to it as the time 'when he kissed her'. The term oversimplified an experience with more complexity and pieces than the mobile suit he had piloted. It debased it into a mere physical event. Kissing Relena had been more than that. It had been like...

"...it's extremely hot, it's energy made through fusion processes in the core..."

...dying, was the closest thing he could draw parallel to. That falling sensation, the juxtaposition of uncertainty and inevitability, the simultaneous rush of adrenaline and the serenity of acceptance, but most of all, the exquisite pain of tasting the forbidden. But still, the analogy felt wrong, because dying had felt like he was ending, whereas kissing Relena had undeniably felt like beginning...

"- from the greek word planetes, meaning wanderer. The planets orbit around the sun..."

Huh.

Heero blinked, hearing the students for the first time in the past twenty minutes. He brought his attention back to the individuals on stage, in the last cycles of a demonstration of the planet's orbits. The speech must be wrapping up.

"The sun is a complex and invaluable part of our solar system. It is a precious resource that we are continually supported by and learning about. In many ways, it is the reason for our existence."

He saw Relena smile out of the corner of his peripheral vision.

Yeah, that sounded just about right.

Relena applauded wildly, but Heero just nodded once- a quiet thank you for their insights. The class beamed in pleasure.

They didn't speak until they were outside of the building. Heero shoved his hands in his pocket, as Relena slanted a hand over her brow to protect her eyes from the artificial white light, turning to him with a grin.

"I'm so impressed!" She exclaimed, excitement humming in the air around her. "They're so well-informed! And to think, I never really thought of the sun beyond what SPF sunscreen I should buy. What about you, Heero?"

Hair like the corona, shaded eyes as dark and mysterious as sunspots, Heero considered how he really needed to try that kissing business again soon...

"Yeah." He replied nonchalantly. "I've thought about it."

Notes

Definition of Absolute Magnitude as per wikipedia-

"the apparent magnitude an object would have if it were at a standard luminosity distance away from the observer, in the absence of astronomical extinction. It allows the overall brightnesses of objects to be compared without regard to distance."

Though I can't say I had the official definition in mind when using it as the title ;)

I know next to nothing about the solar system or the properties of heavenly bodies. All information you find in here was leisurely researched on the wikipedia, so apologies if you're an astronomy whiz and it's inaccurate. I triiiiied!

Mayhaps you might feel Heero is a little too emotional in this. I figure as a result of his time with Relena, and seeing as his perspective was entirely in the privacy of his inner thoughts, it was a passable characterization- but tell me what your impression was. And yeah I know- cheap shot throwing in the prompt word at the end. IT WAS BETTER THAT WAY, TRUST ME. XD Hope you enjoyed!