DISCLAIMERS: DON'T AND CAN'T OWN THEM.
A SECOND TIME FOR LOVE
by:sereace
PART IV

Heero woke up, and the moment he opened his eyes, he knew he wasn't alone. His hands dove discreetly under
he pillows to reach for his gun, when suddenly, he saw himself on the other side of the tip of a sword he
knew all too well. "Milliardo." He spat out the name. Though now brothers-in-law, their differences could
never be settled. There are only five things they have in common. (1) Their concern for the security of
Relena Peacecraft, (2) Their love for Relena Peacecraft, although in different states, (3) Thier
respect for Lucrezia Noin, (4) Their undeniably strong determination to kill again just to maintain peace,
and (5) To kill anyone who dare touches Relena Peacecraft. At this point, Milliardo is determined to
kill this one man... this one person who could make Relena falter in public, and make her a vulnerable
young woman.

>The young woman she should've been, if not because of you, you coward!< His conscience was
always at work everytime Relena gets in trouble. >If you didn't join the army, if you didn't join the Oz,
if you had just accepted your fate...she had always been there to accept the punishments you should be
suffering since you were kids...< He pushed his conscience aside. /I'm sorry, sister. It would really
be better if I would be the one suffering right now...I'm trained to be hurt, not to love, you're
not./

A smile fleeted across his face as a thought dawned on him, and saw the young man below him start
to stand. /But Lucrezia changed me... at least, those to whom I regard as people who matter./ >Just as
Relena had changed his "brother-in-law"< /Shut up./ He spat at his conscience. /This is beginning to be an
internal war...Come on, Milliardo, snap yousrself out of it!! You're mission is to beat this man up!!/ Heero
noticed that his attacker isn't as focused as he was...so he took prompt advantage of it. Before
Milliardo Peacecraft knew what was happening, his jaw made direct contact with Heero Yuy's knee, and another
uppercut when he lost his balance from the shock he had with the unexpected move of his ex-brother-in-law,
in the process, lost his grip on his sword.../Well..at least...soon to be ex-brother-in-law../ It was the
Lightnigng Count's last valid thought before composing himself, getting into his soldier stance, as the
Perfect Soldier eased his way out of the bed. When his feet touched the floor, the two ace pilots enggaged
themselves into a glare session. It would've lasted forever, if the Lightning Count did not smirk. The
Perfect Soldier narrowed his eyes hearing the irritating sound.

"You know, Yuy, you might want to wear at least a pair of shorts...." Now it was the
Perfect Soldier's turn to smirk.

"Surely...this wouldn't be the first time you would fight a naked man..." Zechs Marquise's
sword sheath split in to two. /How the hell did he know about that?/ ~~He was making
his way into Lucrezia's room when he heard a feminine scream. Oddly enough, it came form Une's bedroom.
Debating with himself wether he should drop in and check were cut off by another scream. The pain was
evident in her voice, so he rushed to her bedroom, it being only 10 rooms from Lucrezia's. Trying out the
door, he found it locked. So he literally banged his way in. Gun in hand, he pointed it towards the source
of the noise. The man also took out his. They were both ready to shoot until they recognized each other.

"Treize?!! What are you doing here?!!" he managed to mumble out. Treize was as good as blushing. He was at
the foot of the bed, stark naked, with Une in a state pretty much like his'. They both lowered their
respective guns. "I think I should be the one asking that to you..." Milliardo smiled, then apologized,
then left the room without further comment. He went on his way to Lucrezia's bedroom.~~

"Looks like you're lost in memory, brother-in-law." Heero always enjoyed torturing this man before him.
It was his way of getting back at Milliardo for not approving of his marriage to his sister. He knows everything,
and knows how to use it. Form the exact place, to the time, to the situtation. His goal was to irk the man older by
four years, and it usually works out. Normally, they wouldn't reach the point where they have to both use
their combatting knowldege, due to the presence of their women. At times, some jokes were even exchanged
and regarded as it should be, all thru their common link--Relena. But now that neither of the two was
present, their fight that has alwys been impending could finally be drawn to its conclusion. Heero again
smirked and picked up a pair of red boxers. The second his hands reached his waist, Heero jumped on the bed,
dove his hands into the pillow, grabbed his gun, rolled over and landed on his feet on the other side of the bed.
His gaze settled on the gun also held at arm's length by Zechs Marquise.

"Don't underestimate me, Yuy. I may not be a Perfect Soldier--thank God I'm not--but I'm one of the best there is.
Don't you ever forget that." Heero just narrowed his eyes, hearing the nickname Duo has given him. Milliardo smirked.

"Ahhhh...so you're not the same unfeeling demon from the war...who am I facing now? A broken man..." he
trailed off, nodding at Heero's bandaged left knuckle. "...with an even more broken soul, maybe?"

Heero flinched. /I hate this man. I really do. Damn, I should have killed him when we were at the Libra. Why
didn't he die anyway?/ >If you would've killed him, would you have lived with the fact that the woman you
love will never love you fully, with heart and soul, and you will forever be the cause of her subconcious
desperation and grief.< Heero's heart sank, or whatever's been left of it, since he knew that Relena
took it with her the millisecond she left his side. He decided he should fight this battle vocally, if the
older man insisted on doing so. He knew what certain points to hit, and how to deliver it.

"And who am I facing now? The new and refined Crown Prince of the lost Kingdom of the Cinq,
the newly appointed Vice Foreign Misnister? Or the guilty brother who would rather hide
and take care of his own personal interests, rather than take care of his own younger
sister, who, according to him, he loves very much..."

Milliardo pulled the trigger and the bullet, as intended, passed thru Heero's cheek. If the Perfect
Soldier even felt something, he never showed it. /I can do this forever, too, Milliardo. I'm not merely
one of the best. I'm the best. I'm the Perfect Soldier./

Milliardo visibly cringed. /What the hell is the Perfect's Soldiers weakness? He can't all be that
perfect...can he?/ Thoughts ran through his brain like rain pouring on a stormy night. /What the hell did you
do to this man, sister? How could you have been able to love this monstorous freak?/

"Thinking of the best way to defeat me, brother?" Heero had intentionally emphasized the word brother
to irritate his hopefully-not-yet-soon-to-be-ex-brother-in-law. /I can walk through hell bare naked and come back here on
earth to be with you, Relena. I'll do anything you want...anything...just have me back.../

"You want this to be the battle of wits Yuy? I can beat you into that."

Heero raised his left brow. "Very well. A challenge of your choice. But bear this in mind, Zechs.
I will STILL be you brother-in-law, whether you want it or not." Heero then let his shoulders sag.

Seeing this in motion, Milliardo took the liberty to lean on the door. Both of them were still gripping
their guns tightly that you could see their muscles straining for a break.

Milliardo sighed. "I don't want to be your brother-in-law, Yuy."

Heero shrugged. "I don't want you as my brother-in-law, either." Heero tossed his gun to the
bed and sat, the pressure still evident in his eyes.

"Then that's settled." Milliardo crossed the room, and sat on what was Relena's
dressing table. They sat, staring at nothingness, but senses still alert at any other advances
of the other, lost in their own thoughts and memories of Relena.