Of Laptops and Love Letters (Prologue-2)
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:15 pm
~ Hey everyone! I'm starting a new Gundam fic. I'm going to try my hand at some romance. Tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, and that's it.
Of Laptops & Love Letters
Prologue
By: Penybright
It had started out like any other ordinary day. Heero had woken up to the annoying buzz of the alarm clock, showered, dressed and scraped together a breakfast mostly consisting of coffee. The weather looked promising for a fall day. The air was crisp and cool, a soft breeze playing with the multicolored leaves scattering the ground. The sun peeked out from behind an occasional cloud, offering some warmth to the cool day.
Heero walked to work at a leisurely pace, enjoying the morning silence. Few people were up at this hour. Crossing the street, he pushed open the large glass doors to Preventer Headquarters. He turned right, walking down a small hallway to another set of doors. The doors opened with a small whoosh, and he began to climb the stairs before him. After climbing eight stories, Heero stopped, and pushed open another door to reveal a hallway similar to the one on the ground floor. He walked down that hallway to a set of metal doors with a keypad on the left.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, Heero withdrew a small card, swiping it through the slot on the keypad. The machine gave a small blip, and Heero effortlessly typed in his nine digit code. There was a click, and Heero pushed open the doors, stepping into another hallway. He walked five doors down, then stopped. Pulling out a key, he unlocked the door and stepped gratefully into his office. It was definitely a chore to get to work in the mornings, especially when your office was under heavy security.
Placing his jacket on a hook on the back of the door, Heero walked behind his desk. He picked up a leather bound book, flipping through it's pages till he reached the current day. Normally, he would have pulled his schedule up on his laptop, but that was currently in the possession of Duo Maxwell. Heero heaved a sigh looking at his duties for the day. One duty in particular made him groan. He had to deliver important sealed documents to the Vice Foreign Minister.
"Relena," Heero murmured out loud, a picture of the young woman surfacing in his mind.
He hadn't admitted the fact to anyone, not even her. He still tried to deny it himself, but he knew it was true. He loved her. The revelation would have been a godsend several years ago, when Relena was interested in him. The Minister had moved on with her life though. She had found someone else to love. Her current boyfriend was proof of that.
Every time he saw her, Heero struggled to keep his raging emotions under control. She was happy, and if her ignorance of his love kept her happy, then he would sacrifice his happiness. Still, he couldn't help but wish that she still held feelings for him. It was an odd twist of fate, really. It had always been Relena who pined after Heero. Now Heero knew how she felt all those years, and was still trying to find a way to apologize to her.
Shaking his head, Heero tried to clear his mind of Relena related things. He had work to do, and if he didn't get it done, he'd be pulling another late night. Lately, Heero had found himself increasingly submersing himself in his work. He was regressing into his old habits, and his friends had noted the change. The only problem was, they didn't know why. Duo thought he had found the answer, though, and along with the rest of the pilots, he was going to rectify the problem.
"Hey Heero!" Duo called jovially, sauntering into the somber man's office. "Lady Une said you had delivery duty today," Duo grinned, dropping the three inch stack of sealed envelopes onto his desk. Heero glared at the manila colored envelopes, before turning that glare on his friend.
"Hey," Duo protested, backing up a step. "I'm not the one who acquired the wrath of the boss!"
"Hn."
"Oh great," Duo said sarcastically. "Back to the monosyllable language."
Heero ignored Duo's comment, standing up and gathering the stack of documents. He paused at the door, waiting for Duo to exit his office. Duo scampered out quickly, not wishing to further his friend's bad mood. Once Heero turned his back to leave, a wide grin spread across Duo's face. He couldn't wait to see how his friend handled the situation he was about to encounter.
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
Heero trudged along the hallway to Relena's office. He wanted to see her, really. He just didn't feel like making an idiot of himself, which he generally did in her presence. Why she still tolerated him, was beyond Heero's comprehension. He would have either killed himself, or permanently maimed himself if he were in Relena's position. Lucky for him Relena was a pacifist... most of the time. She did have little bursts of temper...
Heero was announced by Relena's secretary before he turned the knob and entered her office. As soon as the door shut behind him, Heero paled considerably. Relena sat at her desk, an unreadable expression on her face. She carefully watched Heero's every move, and scrutinized him like a bug under a microscope.
"I brought the documents for you to review and sign," Heero began, but was cut off by Relena.
"Heero, since when have you become a poet?"
Heero looked at Relena in shock.
"A- a poet?" he asked, swallowing nervously. "I don't think I understand."
"Perhaps this will refresh your memory," Relena said, handing him a sheet of paper. Heero accepted the paper apprehensively, knowing that whatever was on it spelled his doom.
"Now, normally I would be very faltered that someone would send me poetry," Relena began as she watched Heero read what she had handed him. "But, from you, I just don't find it quite as romantic. What are you trying to pull Heero?"
"I- I... Relena, I don't know how you got this, but I didn't send it to you. I mean, I don't think I sent it to you. I'm sorry if I've offended you. I really am. I---"
"Heero, it's all right," Relena interrupted him. Not that she didn't mind watching him babble. It was kind of cute to see him so flustered.
"I don't care if you sent me the poem or not. I think it's sweet, and I'll treasure it."
Relena was rewarded by a very unexpected blush reddening Heero's face. Before Relena could ask further, Heero wrenched open her office door and fled down the hall. Relena's secretary looked at her curiously. Relena only smiled whimsically, shutting the door behind her softly. Could it be that Heero actually liked her?
~ Hm... why does Duo have Heero's laptop, and how did Relena get that poem? The answer will be revealed in chapter one!
~ Chapter one is mostly a flashback. It sort of gives some back information, and hopefully explains a few things. Anyway, I hope this chapter is as enjoyable as the prologue.
Disclaimer: Guess what, the characters aren't mine. *mumbles* Big surprise there...
Of Laptops & Love Letters
Chapter 1
By: Penybright
After fleeing from Relena, Heero escaped to the solitude of his office. Sitting down, he allowed his head to sink into his hands. This couldn't be happening to him! It just couldn't! How had Relena gotten that poem? It was impossible! The only way to get that poem was to... With startling clarity, Heero remembered the events of the past two days...
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
Five young men around the age of twenty-one were seated around a circular table. Three of the men watched the battle unfolding before them. Duo grinned from behind his fan of cards at his opponent. Heero stared back blankly. With a malicious grin, Duo threw five more chips onto the table, looking at Heero expectantly. Heero glanced down at his pile of chips before glaring at his friend.
"What's the matter Heero, not up to the challenge? Or are you just afraid you're going to loose to me?"
"Hn."
Heero did some quick calculations in his head before grimacing.
"I'm going to have to fold. I don't have the money to meet your bet," Heero deadpanned.
"Is that all?!" Duo exclaimed, earning a wary glance from Heero.
"I'll tell you what. You can use your laptop as temporary collateral for the money."
"Duo..." Heero growled.
The other three pilots watched in rapt attention. Would Heero sacrifice his precious laptop for a game of poker?
"I'm waiting," Duo sing-songed.
Reluctantly, Heero reached behind him, pulling out his black laptop. He paused, glancing at Duo before placing it lightly on the table.
"Watch got?" Duo asked eagerly.
Heero laid down his cards to reveal a straight.
"Ha!" Duo exclaimed. "Read 'em and weep!" he cried joyously, throwing down his cards. Heero groaned when he saw Duo's hand of a full house.
"Looks like you're out a laptop until you can pay up," Duo said smugly.
Heero resisted the urge to strangle the braided baka. It wasn't that bad, right? Duo didn't have the password so everything would be fine...
'Everything is not going to be fine!'
'Shut up!'
'No! You know he'll find a way to drag that ridiculous password out of you.'
'I won't allow that to happen.'
'Yeah, I remember last time you said that...'
"Heero? Are you still in there?" Duo asked, waving his hand in front of Heero's face.
"Huh?"
"What's the matter Yuy? Did you go into shock because you lost to the loudmouth?" Wufei challenged.
"Wufei, please. We don't need your neighbors calling the police again," Quatre sighed, earning him a glare.
"I think we should call it a night," Trowa interjected before all hell broke loose. There was a mutual consensus, and everyone filed out of Wufei's apartment.
"See you at the office tomorrow, Heero!" Duo called cheerily, waving Heero's laptop about. Heero cringed at Duo's treatment of the device.
"If there's even one scratch on that when I get it back Maxwell..."
Duo responded by grinning widely and scampering off to his car.
Heero sighed heavily, throwing his keys on the coffee-table. Glancing at the digital clock on the wall, he noted that it was one-fifteen a.m. Their weekly poker game had run late again, and he had to get up at five for work. Not bothering to turn on any lights, Heero traversed through his small efficiency apartment to the bedroom. Sitting down on the mattress, he removed his boots, dropping them on the floor. Deciding some sleep was better than none, Heero flopped back onto the bed and was instantly asleep.
The annoying buzz of the alarm clock roused Heero from his pleasant dreams. With a groan, Heero rolled over and slapped the snooze button, burying his face in the pillow.
"I'm going to kill someone," he muttered as the alarm sounded again. Unwillingly, Heero dragged himself out of bed, slumping moodily to the bathroom.
After a hot shower and a mug of steaming coffee, Heero felt rejuvenated. The wonders of caffeine were an excellent boon in the mornings. Breakfast consisted of orange juice, coffee, and some bland cereal. While eating his morning meal, Heero allowed his eyes to roam over his sparsely furnished apartment.
It wasn't that his job with the Preventers didn't pay well. On the contrary, the job paid quite well. Unfortunately, Heero had a large debt to pay. After the wars, it had been decided that the Gundam pilots should help to pay for the damage they caused. That meant a lot of money for Heero. A large chunk of his weekly paycheck was taken to pay that debt. Thankfully, Heero only had a few more moths of "payments" left.
Heero groaned when he looked at the clock, quickly scrambling to put his dishes in the sink, before sprinting out the door. Fate didn't seem to be with the pilot that morning as he realized a fatal error.
"Shit!" Heero growled, realizing that his keys were locked in his apartment, along with some very important documents. Today was going to be a long day.
Headquarters was within walking distance of Heero's apartment building, which was one of the reasons for his lack of a car. The other reason was that he couldn't afford the payment on a new vehicle and the insurance that went with it. Being late, Heero dashed to work, managing to skid into his office just on time.
Two minutes later, Lady Une walked in. She noted Heero's slightly ruffled appearance and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Almost late again, Yuy?"
"Almost," Heero sighed, slowly moving around behind his desk.
"You do realize that I'm here for a reason lieutenant?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Well?"
"There's a slight complication."
Lady Une's expression became grim. Heero knew he was in trouble. Why this morning out of every other morning he had lived, did he have to lock himself out of his apartment? It just wasn't fair. When had his life gone down the drain? During the wars, he had been anal about being on time and handing in mission reports. Now he was lucky if he made it to work on time.
With another sigh, Heero ran a hand through his unruly sepia hair. He might as well face it, today was going to be hell.
"I'll have the documents on your desk by noon," Heero said, keeping his voice neutral. He couldn't let her know why he didn't have them now, and he fervently hoped Lady Une would drop the subject.
"On my desk by twelve p.m. sharp, or there will be severe repercussions, Yuy."
That said, Lady Une briskly walked out of his office. As soon as the door shut, Heero's head sunk to his desk. For a full five minutes, he mentally berated himself. He had to keep this job. He couldn't afford to screw up. Without even a high school education, Heero's employment opportunities were very limited.
Heero's self loathing was interrupted when his door slammed open. Duo Maxwell waltzed into Heero's office, grinning broadly. Heero instantly went on guard, knowing something was up.
"Duo," Heero nodded in greeting, watching the braided young man carefully. He seemed exceptionally exuberant today.
"You always manage to amaze me, you know that Heero?" Duo began, a glitter in his eyes. "With the knowledge I have now, your life is definitely going to become more interesting."
Heero's eyebrows shot up before his expression changed to a glare.
"Duo," Heero warned. "What are you up to?"
"All in good time my friend, all in good time!" Duo called cheerily, scampering away before Heero could catch him.
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
Everything suddenly clicked into place. Heero's heart sunk to his stomach. To late he realized his screw up. He had been to inebriated that evening to remember. Duo did have the password to his laptop. The exuberant pilot had managed to blackmail it out of him only a few weeks prior. If Duo had the password, then that meant...
Heero's head sunk to his desk with a thud, and he began to bang his head against the wooden surface.
"Kill me now, and end my misery," he muttered to the walls, knowing his life was going to be a living hell from now on. The poem incident that day was only the beginning, he knew.
~ Well, how was the first chapter? I promise that the next chapter will have more humor in it. This chapter was kind of necessary though.
~ First of all, I'm sorry for the confusion. I have no idea why this was in the Escaflowne section... Weird twist of fate, I guess. Second, I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter. I'm kind of typing one handed right now. I think I broke my finger, but I have to get it x-rayed and all that good junk. I'll try to get the next chapter out soon, but I can't promise anything. Lastly, thank you all so very, very much for the wonderful reviews! To say the least, I was shocked I got so many. Anyway, on with he fic!
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing's characters do not belong to me. I do however, own this twisted plot I've created!
Of Laptops & Love Letters
Chapter 2
By: Penybright
Drastic times called for drastic measures. As much as Heero hated to admit it, he was terrified of what Duo would try. He knew the braided pilot delighted in torturing him. Anything that flustered or embarrassed him was Duo's goal to find. That left only one option open to Heero. He had to get his laptop back before Duo stumbled onto certain other... documents. The only way to get his laptop back, was to pay up. Heero could only think of one solution to his money problem. As much as he loathed the idea, Heero had to get a part time job.
He knew a new set of problems would arise from his decision. It would only be a matter of time until someone discovered where he was working, or he was fired. Heero opted for the later, considering that it was far less humiliating. Heero could only imagine the fun his fellow pilots would have at his expense if they were to find out.
Decision reluctantly made, Heero began to covertly search for job openings. It wouldn't do him any good to get caught searching for a job. After about three days of searching, Heero found an opportunity. He was interviewed, hired, and given his uniform that same day. He would start working the following evening, after a brief "training" session that evening.
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
Heero's first day on his part time job was a learning experience. Actually, it was his first evening. He looked out at the sea of people dinning in the large restaurant. It wasn't the best pay, but it was something. He didn't think he'd be able to find anything much better in such a short amount of time. Of course, Heero never was one for big crowds, and his people skills were a bit lacking. He didn't think he'd have the job for long.
Was he ever wrong... The female patrons in particular seemed to enjoy his company. Often they would request for him to wait on their table. He supposed that he should see it as a good thing, because it allowed him to keep his job. It had already been a week, and he was still working in the restaurant. Of course, having women fawn over you all the time was extremely annoying.
On the way back to the kitchen, Heero scowled darkly. His recent table of guests were exceptionally annoying. God, why did some women have to be so clingy? He'd already had five women ask him out this night alone. He had, of course, turned them all down. They didn't seem to catch the hint though. Thankfully, Heero only had two hours left till closing. What he didn't know, was that a certain someone had just walked in with her friend Dorothy Catalonia, and they were seated at one of his assigned tables.
Heero walked over to the newly occupied table, menus in hand.
"Good evening ladies, welcome to---"
He never finished his monotone greeting.
"Heero?" Relena asked in shock, seeing him standing there with a deer caught in the headlights look.
"Re- Relena?" Heero stuttered, almost dropping the menus in his hand. This was not good. This was bad, very bad. Why was Catalonia looking at him with that evil smirk? Oh, god no...
"So Heero," Dorothy began, "I understand that you've taken up poetry," she said smoothly, enjoying Heero's discomfort.
"You... told her?!" Heero accused, looking at Relena incredulously.
"I had to tell someone," she defended herself.
"But..."
"I believe that you are to take our orders, not question our judgment, Mr. Yuy," Dorothy interrupted. "We will continue this conversation later."
Grudgingly, Heero let the issue slide. Silently, he handed the women their menus, quickly taking their drink orders before escaping to the kitchen.
As soon as the door swung shut behind him, Heero slumped against the wall.
"Well, this job lasted all of one week," he commented dryly to the wall. "I guess it's back to job hunting," he sighed. There was definitely some force working against him. Of all the luck, it had to be Relena that showed up. Heero groaned, remembering that the two women were waiting outside to be waited on. This evening was going to be one of utter humiliation. Dorothy would make sure he squirmed.
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
A very grumpy Heero walked into work the next morning. He had a feeling today was not going to be good. Something was going to happen that would make his life even more troublesome. A half hour later, he found out what that something was. Heero was asked to present himself promptly in Lady Une's office. That was never a good thing to begin with. when Heero walked in the door and saw Relena standing there as well, he immediately went on guard.
"Mr. Yuy, the Minister has brought to my attention that you have been keeping a part time job," Lady Une began.
Heero inwardly cringed. That information would be through the whole building by the end of the day...
"Since you find it necessary to obtain another job, besides your position as a Preventer, I must assume you are having financial difficulties." She paused before going on. "The Minister has been kind enough to offer a solution. She has agreed for you to be her personal in residence bodyguard."
Heero looked at his superior sharply.
"Excuse me?"
"You will live in the Minister's home, escort her to all social functions and, or outings, and be in charge of her personal security."
"Lady Une---" Heero began to protest.
"You start today. A limo is waiting downstairs to take you to your apartment. Gather your belongings and get set up at the Minister's residence. Dismissed."
Heero remained frozen in place until Relena tugged on his arm. In a daze, he allowed himself to be led downstairs to the waiting limo. Numbly, he packed what he needed, not sure if this was a dream, or some cruel joke. In his shocked state, Heero hadn't noticed, but Relena seemed highly agitated. She seemed very jumpy, and in her own little daze. Of course, Heero noticed none of this as his brain tried to process the information it was receiving. He was going to live with Relena as her personal bodyguard...
A sudden thought jerked him into reality. Zechs...
"Relena?"
This time, he noted her jumpiness.
"Y-yes?"
"Does your brother know of this arrangement?"
"Actually... no. He's on Mars right now. Why?"
"Promise me you'll tell him about this before he gets back."
"Heero, I don't understand---"
"If you don't tell him, there's no telling how he'll react. I, for one, do not feel like dealing with a homicidal, overprotective brother."
"Oh..." Relena gasped, realizing what Heero was getting at. "I'll make sure to explain everything to him very clearly. Millardo does have a tendency to... overreact when it comes to you," Relena smiled, a faint blush tinting her cheeks.
Heero nodded and quickly turned away, not wishing for her to see his face flush. She had that effect on him sometimes, and here he was, stuck in a car with her sitting beside him. The proximity alone was enough to make him blush. Realizing that he was blushing, Heero pondered the occurrence. Since when did he ever blush? It used to be impossible to get him to even smile.
Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Heero watched Relena's profile. She had some sort of disabling effect on him. It was like she had put a spell on him, and try as he might, he couldn't break it. Of course, he wasn't really trying to break it. Who ever knew that Heero Yuy would fall in love... willingly?
~ Poor Heero, nothing seems to be going right for him. And, why is Relena so jumpy? Is Heero's financial dilemma the only reason for his new position? And what has Duo cooked up this time for his friend?
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, and that's it.
Of Laptops & Love Letters
Prologue
By: Penybright
It had started out like any other ordinary day. Heero had woken up to the annoying buzz of the alarm clock, showered, dressed and scraped together a breakfast mostly consisting of coffee. The weather looked promising for a fall day. The air was crisp and cool, a soft breeze playing with the multicolored leaves scattering the ground. The sun peeked out from behind an occasional cloud, offering some warmth to the cool day.
Heero walked to work at a leisurely pace, enjoying the morning silence. Few people were up at this hour. Crossing the street, he pushed open the large glass doors to Preventer Headquarters. He turned right, walking down a small hallway to another set of doors. The doors opened with a small whoosh, and he began to climb the stairs before him. After climbing eight stories, Heero stopped, and pushed open another door to reveal a hallway similar to the one on the ground floor. He walked down that hallway to a set of metal doors with a keypad on the left.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, Heero withdrew a small card, swiping it through the slot on the keypad. The machine gave a small blip, and Heero effortlessly typed in his nine digit code. There was a click, and Heero pushed open the doors, stepping into another hallway. He walked five doors down, then stopped. Pulling out a key, he unlocked the door and stepped gratefully into his office. It was definitely a chore to get to work in the mornings, especially when your office was under heavy security.
Placing his jacket on a hook on the back of the door, Heero walked behind his desk. He picked up a leather bound book, flipping through it's pages till he reached the current day. Normally, he would have pulled his schedule up on his laptop, but that was currently in the possession of Duo Maxwell. Heero heaved a sigh looking at his duties for the day. One duty in particular made him groan. He had to deliver important sealed documents to the Vice Foreign Minister.
"Relena," Heero murmured out loud, a picture of the young woman surfacing in his mind.
He hadn't admitted the fact to anyone, not even her. He still tried to deny it himself, but he knew it was true. He loved her. The revelation would have been a godsend several years ago, when Relena was interested in him. The Minister had moved on with her life though. She had found someone else to love. Her current boyfriend was proof of that.
Every time he saw her, Heero struggled to keep his raging emotions under control. She was happy, and if her ignorance of his love kept her happy, then he would sacrifice his happiness. Still, he couldn't help but wish that she still held feelings for him. It was an odd twist of fate, really. It had always been Relena who pined after Heero. Now Heero knew how she felt all those years, and was still trying to find a way to apologize to her.
Shaking his head, Heero tried to clear his mind of Relena related things. He had work to do, and if he didn't get it done, he'd be pulling another late night. Lately, Heero had found himself increasingly submersing himself in his work. He was regressing into his old habits, and his friends had noted the change. The only problem was, they didn't know why. Duo thought he had found the answer, though, and along with the rest of the pilots, he was going to rectify the problem.
"Hey Heero!" Duo called jovially, sauntering into the somber man's office. "Lady Une said you had delivery duty today," Duo grinned, dropping the three inch stack of sealed envelopes onto his desk. Heero glared at the manila colored envelopes, before turning that glare on his friend.
"Hey," Duo protested, backing up a step. "I'm not the one who acquired the wrath of the boss!"
"Hn."
"Oh great," Duo said sarcastically. "Back to the monosyllable language."
Heero ignored Duo's comment, standing up and gathering the stack of documents. He paused at the door, waiting for Duo to exit his office. Duo scampered out quickly, not wishing to further his friend's bad mood. Once Heero turned his back to leave, a wide grin spread across Duo's face. He couldn't wait to see how his friend handled the situation he was about to encounter.
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
Heero trudged along the hallway to Relena's office. He wanted to see her, really. He just didn't feel like making an idiot of himself, which he generally did in her presence. Why she still tolerated him, was beyond Heero's comprehension. He would have either killed himself, or permanently maimed himself if he were in Relena's position. Lucky for him Relena was a pacifist... most of the time. She did have little bursts of temper...
Heero was announced by Relena's secretary before he turned the knob and entered her office. As soon as the door shut behind him, Heero paled considerably. Relena sat at her desk, an unreadable expression on her face. She carefully watched Heero's every move, and scrutinized him like a bug under a microscope.
"I brought the documents for you to review and sign," Heero began, but was cut off by Relena.
"Heero, since when have you become a poet?"
Heero looked at Relena in shock.
"A- a poet?" he asked, swallowing nervously. "I don't think I understand."
"Perhaps this will refresh your memory," Relena said, handing him a sheet of paper. Heero accepted the paper apprehensively, knowing that whatever was on it spelled his doom.
"Now, normally I would be very faltered that someone would send me poetry," Relena began as she watched Heero read what she had handed him. "But, from you, I just don't find it quite as romantic. What are you trying to pull Heero?"
"I- I... Relena, I don't know how you got this, but I didn't send it to you. I mean, I don't think I sent it to you. I'm sorry if I've offended you. I really am. I---"
"Heero, it's all right," Relena interrupted him. Not that she didn't mind watching him babble. It was kind of cute to see him so flustered.
"I don't care if you sent me the poem or not. I think it's sweet, and I'll treasure it."
Relena was rewarded by a very unexpected blush reddening Heero's face. Before Relena could ask further, Heero wrenched open her office door and fled down the hall. Relena's secretary looked at her curiously. Relena only smiled whimsically, shutting the door behind her softly. Could it be that Heero actually liked her?
~ Hm... why does Duo have Heero's laptop, and how did Relena get that poem? The answer will be revealed in chapter one!
~ Chapter one is mostly a flashback. It sort of gives some back information, and hopefully explains a few things. Anyway, I hope this chapter is as enjoyable as the prologue.
Disclaimer: Guess what, the characters aren't mine. *mumbles* Big surprise there...
Of Laptops & Love Letters
Chapter 1
By: Penybright
After fleeing from Relena, Heero escaped to the solitude of his office. Sitting down, he allowed his head to sink into his hands. This couldn't be happening to him! It just couldn't! How had Relena gotten that poem? It was impossible! The only way to get that poem was to... With startling clarity, Heero remembered the events of the past two days...
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
Five young men around the age of twenty-one were seated around a circular table. Three of the men watched the battle unfolding before them. Duo grinned from behind his fan of cards at his opponent. Heero stared back blankly. With a malicious grin, Duo threw five more chips onto the table, looking at Heero expectantly. Heero glanced down at his pile of chips before glaring at his friend.
"What's the matter Heero, not up to the challenge? Or are you just afraid you're going to loose to me?"
"Hn."
Heero did some quick calculations in his head before grimacing.
"I'm going to have to fold. I don't have the money to meet your bet," Heero deadpanned.
"Is that all?!" Duo exclaimed, earning a wary glance from Heero.
"I'll tell you what. You can use your laptop as temporary collateral for the money."
"Duo..." Heero growled.
The other three pilots watched in rapt attention. Would Heero sacrifice his precious laptop for a game of poker?
"I'm waiting," Duo sing-songed.
Reluctantly, Heero reached behind him, pulling out his black laptop. He paused, glancing at Duo before placing it lightly on the table.
"Watch got?" Duo asked eagerly.
Heero laid down his cards to reveal a straight.
"Ha!" Duo exclaimed. "Read 'em and weep!" he cried joyously, throwing down his cards. Heero groaned when he saw Duo's hand of a full house.
"Looks like you're out a laptop until you can pay up," Duo said smugly.
Heero resisted the urge to strangle the braided baka. It wasn't that bad, right? Duo didn't have the password so everything would be fine...
'Everything is not going to be fine!'
'Shut up!'
'No! You know he'll find a way to drag that ridiculous password out of you.'
'I won't allow that to happen.'
'Yeah, I remember last time you said that...'
"Heero? Are you still in there?" Duo asked, waving his hand in front of Heero's face.
"Huh?"
"What's the matter Yuy? Did you go into shock because you lost to the loudmouth?" Wufei challenged.
"Wufei, please. We don't need your neighbors calling the police again," Quatre sighed, earning him a glare.
"I think we should call it a night," Trowa interjected before all hell broke loose. There was a mutual consensus, and everyone filed out of Wufei's apartment.
"See you at the office tomorrow, Heero!" Duo called cheerily, waving Heero's laptop about. Heero cringed at Duo's treatment of the device.
"If there's even one scratch on that when I get it back Maxwell..."
Duo responded by grinning widely and scampering off to his car.
Heero sighed heavily, throwing his keys on the coffee-table. Glancing at the digital clock on the wall, he noted that it was one-fifteen a.m. Their weekly poker game had run late again, and he had to get up at five for work. Not bothering to turn on any lights, Heero traversed through his small efficiency apartment to the bedroom. Sitting down on the mattress, he removed his boots, dropping them on the floor. Deciding some sleep was better than none, Heero flopped back onto the bed and was instantly asleep.
The annoying buzz of the alarm clock roused Heero from his pleasant dreams. With a groan, Heero rolled over and slapped the snooze button, burying his face in the pillow.
"I'm going to kill someone," he muttered as the alarm sounded again. Unwillingly, Heero dragged himself out of bed, slumping moodily to the bathroom.
After a hot shower and a mug of steaming coffee, Heero felt rejuvenated. The wonders of caffeine were an excellent boon in the mornings. Breakfast consisted of orange juice, coffee, and some bland cereal. While eating his morning meal, Heero allowed his eyes to roam over his sparsely furnished apartment.
It wasn't that his job with the Preventers didn't pay well. On the contrary, the job paid quite well. Unfortunately, Heero had a large debt to pay. After the wars, it had been decided that the Gundam pilots should help to pay for the damage they caused. That meant a lot of money for Heero. A large chunk of his weekly paycheck was taken to pay that debt. Thankfully, Heero only had a few more moths of "payments" left.
Heero groaned when he looked at the clock, quickly scrambling to put his dishes in the sink, before sprinting out the door. Fate didn't seem to be with the pilot that morning as he realized a fatal error.
"Shit!" Heero growled, realizing that his keys were locked in his apartment, along with some very important documents. Today was going to be a long day.
Headquarters was within walking distance of Heero's apartment building, which was one of the reasons for his lack of a car. The other reason was that he couldn't afford the payment on a new vehicle and the insurance that went with it. Being late, Heero dashed to work, managing to skid into his office just on time.
Two minutes later, Lady Une walked in. She noted Heero's slightly ruffled appearance and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Almost late again, Yuy?"
"Almost," Heero sighed, slowly moving around behind his desk.
"You do realize that I'm here for a reason lieutenant?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Well?"
"There's a slight complication."
Lady Une's expression became grim. Heero knew he was in trouble. Why this morning out of every other morning he had lived, did he have to lock himself out of his apartment? It just wasn't fair. When had his life gone down the drain? During the wars, he had been anal about being on time and handing in mission reports. Now he was lucky if he made it to work on time.
With another sigh, Heero ran a hand through his unruly sepia hair. He might as well face it, today was going to be hell.
"I'll have the documents on your desk by noon," Heero said, keeping his voice neutral. He couldn't let her know why he didn't have them now, and he fervently hoped Lady Une would drop the subject.
"On my desk by twelve p.m. sharp, or there will be severe repercussions, Yuy."
That said, Lady Une briskly walked out of his office. As soon as the door shut, Heero's head sunk to his desk. For a full five minutes, he mentally berated himself. He had to keep this job. He couldn't afford to screw up. Without even a high school education, Heero's employment opportunities were very limited.
Heero's self loathing was interrupted when his door slammed open. Duo Maxwell waltzed into Heero's office, grinning broadly. Heero instantly went on guard, knowing something was up.
"Duo," Heero nodded in greeting, watching the braided young man carefully. He seemed exceptionally exuberant today.
"You always manage to amaze me, you know that Heero?" Duo began, a glitter in his eyes. "With the knowledge I have now, your life is definitely going to become more interesting."
Heero's eyebrows shot up before his expression changed to a glare.
"Duo," Heero warned. "What are you up to?"
"All in good time my friend, all in good time!" Duo called cheerily, scampering away before Heero could catch him.
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
Everything suddenly clicked into place. Heero's heart sunk to his stomach. To late he realized his screw up. He had been to inebriated that evening to remember. Duo did have the password to his laptop. The exuberant pilot had managed to blackmail it out of him only a few weeks prior. If Duo had the password, then that meant...
Heero's head sunk to his desk with a thud, and he began to bang his head against the wooden surface.
"Kill me now, and end my misery," he muttered to the walls, knowing his life was going to be a living hell from now on. The poem incident that day was only the beginning, he knew.
~ Well, how was the first chapter? I promise that the next chapter will have more humor in it. This chapter was kind of necessary though.
~ First of all, I'm sorry for the confusion. I have no idea why this was in the Escaflowne section... Weird twist of fate, I guess. Second, I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter. I'm kind of typing one handed right now. I think I broke my finger, but I have to get it x-rayed and all that good junk. I'll try to get the next chapter out soon, but I can't promise anything. Lastly, thank you all so very, very much for the wonderful reviews! To say the least, I was shocked I got so many. Anyway, on with he fic!
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing's characters do not belong to me. I do however, own this twisted plot I've created!
Of Laptops & Love Letters
Chapter 2
By: Penybright
Drastic times called for drastic measures. As much as Heero hated to admit it, he was terrified of what Duo would try. He knew the braided pilot delighted in torturing him. Anything that flustered or embarrassed him was Duo's goal to find. That left only one option open to Heero. He had to get his laptop back before Duo stumbled onto certain other... documents. The only way to get his laptop back, was to pay up. Heero could only think of one solution to his money problem. As much as he loathed the idea, Heero had to get a part time job.
He knew a new set of problems would arise from his decision. It would only be a matter of time until someone discovered where he was working, or he was fired. Heero opted for the later, considering that it was far less humiliating. Heero could only imagine the fun his fellow pilots would have at his expense if they were to find out.
Decision reluctantly made, Heero began to covertly search for job openings. It wouldn't do him any good to get caught searching for a job. After about three days of searching, Heero found an opportunity. He was interviewed, hired, and given his uniform that same day. He would start working the following evening, after a brief "training" session that evening.
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
Heero's first day on his part time job was a learning experience. Actually, it was his first evening. He looked out at the sea of people dinning in the large restaurant. It wasn't the best pay, but it was something. He didn't think he'd be able to find anything much better in such a short amount of time. Of course, Heero never was one for big crowds, and his people skills were a bit lacking. He didn't think he'd have the job for long.
Was he ever wrong... The female patrons in particular seemed to enjoy his company. Often they would request for him to wait on their table. He supposed that he should see it as a good thing, because it allowed him to keep his job. It had already been a week, and he was still working in the restaurant. Of course, having women fawn over you all the time was extremely annoying.
On the way back to the kitchen, Heero scowled darkly. His recent table of guests were exceptionally annoying. God, why did some women have to be so clingy? He'd already had five women ask him out this night alone. He had, of course, turned them all down. They didn't seem to catch the hint though. Thankfully, Heero only had two hours left till closing. What he didn't know, was that a certain someone had just walked in with her friend Dorothy Catalonia, and they were seated at one of his assigned tables.
Heero walked over to the newly occupied table, menus in hand.
"Good evening ladies, welcome to---"
He never finished his monotone greeting.
"Heero?" Relena asked in shock, seeing him standing there with a deer caught in the headlights look.
"Re- Relena?" Heero stuttered, almost dropping the menus in his hand. This was not good. This was bad, very bad. Why was Catalonia looking at him with that evil smirk? Oh, god no...
"So Heero," Dorothy began, "I understand that you've taken up poetry," she said smoothly, enjoying Heero's discomfort.
"You... told her?!" Heero accused, looking at Relena incredulously.
"I had to tell someone," she defended herself.
"But..."
"I believe that you are to take our orders, not question our judgment, Mr. Yuy," Dorothy interrupted. "We will continue this conversation later."
Grudgingly, Heero let the issue slide. Silently, he handed the women their menus, quickly taking their drink orders before escaping to the kitchen.
As soon as the door swung shut behind him, Heero slumped against the wall.
"Well, this job lasted all of one week," he commented dryly to the wall. "I guess it's back to job hunting," he sighed. There was definitely some force working against him. Of all the luck, it had to be Relena that showed up. Heero groaned, remembering that the two women were waiting outside to be waited on. This evening was going to be one of utter humiliation. Dorothy would make sure he squirmed.
*_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_*
A very grumpy Heero walked into work the next morning. He had a feeling today was not going to be good. Something was going to happen that would make his life even more troublesome. A half hour later, he found out what that something was. Heero was asked to present himself promptly in Lady Une's office. That was never a good thing to begin with. when Heero walked in the door and saw Relena standing there as well, he immediately went on guard.
"Mr. Yuy, the Minister has brought to my attention that you have been keeping a part time job," Lady Une began.
Heero inwardly cringed. That information would be through the whole building by the end of the day...
"Since you find it necessary to obtain another job, besides your position as a Preventer, I must assume you are having financial difficulties." She paused before going on. "The Minister has been kind enough to offer a solution. She has agreed for you to be her personal in residence bodyguard."
Heero looked at his superior sharply.
"Excuse me?"
"You will live in the Minister's home, escort her to all social functions and, or outings, and be in charge of her personal security."
"Lady Une---" Heero began to protest.
"You start today. A limo is waiting downstairs to take you to your apartment. Gather your belongings and get set up at the Minister's residence. Dismissed."
Heero remained frozen in place until Relena tugged on his arm. In a daze, he allowed himself to be led downstairs to the waiting limo. Numbly, he packed what he needed, not sure if this was a dream, or some cruel joke. In his shocked state, Heero hadn't noticed, but Relena seemed highly agitated. She seemed very jumpy, and in her own little daze. Of course, Heero noticed none of this as his brain tried to process the information it was receiving. He was going to live with Relena as her personal bodyguard...
A sudden thought jerked him into reality. Zechs...
"Relena?"
This time, he noted her jumpiness.
"Y-yes?"
"Does your brother know of this arrangement?"
"Actually... no. He's on Mars right now. Why?"
"Promise me you'll tell him about this before he gets back."
"Heero, I don't understand---"
"If you don't tell him, there's no telling how he'll react. I, for one, do not feel like dealing with a homicidal, overprotective brother."
"Oh..." Relena gasped, realizing what Heero was getting at. "I'll make sure to explain everything to him very clearly. Millardo does have a tendency to... overreact when it comes to you," Relena smiled, a faint blush tinting her cheeks.
Heero nodded and quickly turned away, not wishing for her to see his face flush. She had that effect on him sometimes, and here he was, stuck in a car with her sitting beside him. The proximity alone was enough to make him blush. Realizing that he was blushing, Heero pondered the occurrence. Since when did he ever blush? It used to be impossible to get him to even smile.
Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Heero watched Relena's profile. She had some sort of disabling effect on him. It was like she had put a spell on him, and try as he might, he couldn't break it. Of course, he wasn't really trying to break it. Who ever knew that Heero Yuy would fall in love... willingly?
~ Poor Heero, nothing seems to be going right for him. And, why is Relena so jumpy? Is Heero's financial dilemma the only reason for his new position? And what has Duo cooked up this time for his friend?
