I do not own Gundam Wing.  This fan fiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this.

 

Chapter 10

 

            He was doomed, Duo decided, burying his face in his hands.  Heero was sinking fast and they were both going to end up in Antarctica by the end of the week.  "I guarantee he won't like wearing his tank top and spandex shorts in that weather." 

 

            Relena met Heero's unwavering gaze.  She wasn't hiding the pain she was feeling, and he suddenly felt that undeniable urge to protect her - no matter what the cost.  "I don't have all the answers you're looking for, Relena.  I'm sorry, I'm just as confused as you are."  That, at least wasn't a lie.  "But what you're accusing me of isn't true.  I've always cared for you, Relena."

            She blinked back disbelief.  She trusted this man with her life, but her heart was another matter.  "I'm sorry, I'm just confused.  I need to think." 

            Heero nodded.  From the sounds coming through his earpiece, he derived that he was out of mortal danger at this point.  His heartbeat slowed and his breathing deepened. 

            "Good night," she told him from the doorway.  It was then that he remembered his last mission objective.

            "Relena?"

            "Yes, Heero?"

            "You're forgetting my kiss."

            Relena gasped and blushed furiously.  Even in the dim light he could see the color in her cheeks, and smirked.  She would be an interesting study.  "A gentleman doesn't make such demands."

            Heero's smirk turned to a scowl.  Relena smiled slightly at the cute sulking look currently displayed on his face.  She stepped forward and placed her hands on his shoulders. The contact sent electricity through his body.  She had to stand slightly on tiptoe because he stood so much taller than she did now.  He felt her warm breath on his cheek and was surprised at how much she was affecting him.  He closed his eyes most of the way, but instead of the kiss he thought he was about to receive - and he supposed one on his cheek would still count for the mission - he felt her lips move against his ear as she whispered, "A gentleman asks for a kiss."

            She pulled away quickly, and his eyes snapped open.  He noted with irritation that she was already closing the door behind her.  When she was safely inside, Heero pulled the earpiece from his ear and threw it as hard as he could.  "Mission failed.  Dammit!"

 

            Duo's color had finally returned to normal after spending the better part of the last ten minutes hyperventilating about moving to Antarctica.  Hilde watched her husband turn a horrible crimson shade before he finally started breathing again.  "Oh, thank God, I'm not going to Antarctica, yet…"

            "Antarctica?"

            "Uh…" Duo groaned.

            "Duo Maxwell, you said you'd tell me what the hell is going on.  Now spill it!"

           

            After he was done with a rather lame explanation of what had happened that evening, it was Hilde's turn to be an unhealthy shade of red - an angry red. "I can not BELIEVE you would help him do this to her!"  She shouted at her husband.

            "But it's really not as bad as it sounds - really, babe, I swear," Duo protested, bringing his hands up to block any possible assault his wife might launch at him.  "He cares for her, he does - I think he cares for her a lot more than he lets on!"  He received a skeptical look, but she wasn't hitting, so he lowered his hands and said seriously,  "I don't know if he does it on purpose, or if he just doesn't know how he feels, but Hilde, I really think he loves her."

            "Hmph.  But Relena would still be hurt if she knew the truth."

            "I know," Duo sighed.  His expression was full of worry.  "We can't let her find out, and I hope I'm right about him."

            "Well, I still think you're going about this all wrong.  If this is going to work, he's going to have to admit these feelings you think he has," Hilde said, suddenly thoughtful.

            Duo shook his head.  "I don't think I can help you there, babe…"

            Hilde smiled. "Actually, Duo, I think you can."

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            Wu-fei walked into Heero’s office, arms over-stuffed with files, at Preventer’s Headquarters, completely ignoring the fact that Relena’s usual bodyguard was putting on his jacket and looking like he was about to leave.  He slammed the files down on Heero’s desk with a thud, and glowered at the former Zero pilot.  “The Colonel said these had to be done immediately.”

            Heero glared at the stack of paperwork and then at Wu-fei.  “I can’t stay,” he said flatly.

            Wu-fei shrugged, “I don’t care – it’s your ass, not mine.”

            “When is it due?”

            “Tomorrow morning.  The Colonel said she needed you to do it now.”

            Heero grudgingly hung up his jacket again, grieving the fact that he had hoped to continue things with Relena that night – to see if she wouldn’t go to dinner with him for real this time, and maybe complete the mission from the night before.  He didn’t know why he felt cheated out of his goodnight kiss.  He didn’t feel that way about her.  It was just that he had made it an objective, and he hated to fail any mission.

            Wu-fei didn’t say a word; he just left Yuy’s office with a smirk on his face.  “Justice will be served,” he thought with a wicked gleam in his eye.

 

            With Heero out of the way, Hilde called Trevor and pleaded with him to drop by Relena's office for an afternoon date.  He looked skeptical when she told him the plan, but after hearing how the others had sabotaged his first date with her, he decided a little payback wouldn't be out of order. 

            "So, you're setting me up with a girl that's in love with someone else?" He asked Hilde in a semi-teasing tone.

            "I'm sorry Trevor.  She had insisted she was over him, but I found out last night that wasn't true.  Maybe she wishes it was, but it's not.  But thanks to you, he finally has to admit that he feels something for her, too - so I want to push him just a little harder.  I didn't think you'd mind - I mean you didn't seem to really hit it off."

            He looked at her seriously.  "Actually, she's wonderful.  I think she's beautiful and intelligent - everything a man could ask for.  But there wasn't any chemistry.  I think we could be great friends, though - and if she wants this Heero guy, then I'll be happy to help."  Trevor said sincerely, then his eyes began to gleam with mischief.  "Especially if I get some small semblance of revenge for what they pulled the other night."

            Hilde laughed.  "You haven't changed a bit.  I'm SO glad!"

            Trevor smiled cheerfully.  "So are you going to call her, or am I?"

            "I'll call her and soften her up.  I'll tell her that you feel so awful about the other night, etc. etc.  and that you absolutely insist upon seeing her to apologize."

            "And so how does the jealousy part fit in?"

            "Oh, almost forgot.  Duo will be trailing you, camera in hand.  So make sure he gets some juicy pictures of you two together while soldier boy is covered in all that paperwork I got Wufei to dump on him at the last minute."

            Trevor shook his head with amusement.  "Remind me to never get on your bad side, Hilde.  I forgot how conniving you can be!"

            Hilde just rolled her eyes.  "Be glad you're on my side on this one."

            "No kidding.  I'd hate to be Heero about now!"  He said with a chuckle.

 

            “Ah, come on, Relena, its Friday.  Give yourself a little break!” Hilde pleaded with the image on her videocomm screen.

            Relena sighed, “But I really didn’t think we hit it off, Hilde.  What’s the point in continuing this?”

            “You’re just saying that because your bodyguard seems to have taken new interest in you,” Hilde said with a grin.

            Relena blushed, then recovered.  “But Duo’s your husband, Hilde.  I would never dream of …”

            “Oh, don’t play coy with me, Relena. I saw the way you looked at him last night – and I don’t mean Duo, either.  You know exactly who I’m talking about.”

            “It was the wine, Hilde, seriously.  I would have looked that way at you last night if you had asked me to dance.”

            “Lord I hope not!  And besides, you weren’t that out of it.  Now, either admit that you’re still in love with Heero Yuy or go out with Trevor this afternoon to prove me wrong.”

            “Fine, what time is he going to pick me up?” Relena asked stubbornly.

            “He’s already on his way over.  Thank me later.  Bye!” Hilde said and disconnected before Relena could protest.

            Knowing she had been set up, Relena sighed and leaned back in her office chair, and wondered for the hundredth time when was it that the world had gone crazy?