[Ficlet ~ PG] Pugilism

[wingzerosnuggles]

Title: Pugilism
Length: Ficlet
Pairing: 1xR
Prompt: Knockout
Teaser: "I promised I would protect you, remember? Nobody touches you like
that." "You do," she pointed out. "All the time." "I'm the one exception to the
rule."
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5141105/8/N ... al_Nuances

Disclaimer: GW = not mine

Author's Note: Prompt 9 is "knockout."

Nonsensical Nuances
by mistress amethyst une

Pugilism

"Heero, I may have been a princess but you're not a damned knight who needs to defend my honor. For heaven's sake, you already took it!"

"I won, didn't I?" he asked, grimacing in pain as she pressed the ice pack into his bruise with more pressure than was necessary.

"Didn't you think I could handle myself?"

"From what I saw, he was the one doing most of the handling. I promised I would protect you, remember? Nobody touches you like that."

"You do," she pointed out. "All the time."

"I'm the one exception to the rule."

"Lord Ashcroft was out cold, Heero. They had to rush him to the hospital. Can you take this more seriously?"

"That old bat isn't going to die. I also promised you I wouldn't kill anymore. I just took him out of commission for awhile."

"Still, there are legal consequences for your actions. What if he decides to press charges?"

"He won't. Not unless he wants his wife serving him with divorce papers. I have dirt on every guest that was at that gala. You don't have to worry."

"Weaseling your way out of the consequences doesn't make you right. Heero, I could have lost you."

"The old man wasn't a threat."

"If they put you away for this... I wouldn't be able to bear it. I'll be sure they let you know when I die of depression while you're serving ten to twenty-five for manslaughter."

Again, she pressed the ice against his face with a force that was enough to give his bruise a bruise.

"I already told you," he said, wincing but refusing to cry out even as his eyes threatened to tear. "He's not going to die or press charges."

"And Preventer? What are they going to say about this? It's unbecoming."

"They assigned me to protect you. I was simply doing my job."

"Heero, we're not fifteen anymore. I know you act on your emotions but think first!"

"I did. I considered all the worst case scenarios and found ways to avoid them."

"You didn't avoid that punch very well."

"I didn't expect you to have such a mean left hook."

[Elyn Yuy]