A crossover of Jet Li's Bodyguard from Beijing and Gundam Wing, finally done; started out as a comedy, then becomes more dramatic as it goes along. It's an alternative parallel universe type of story where Sanq kingdom still exists and everyone has different jobs.

Bodyguard From L1 by Mobiusklein

"Aren't your methods a bit excessive. Pointing a gun at the one you're guarding to surprise the kidnappers while there could be camera crews... " Commander Jay lectured after showing the other bodyguards a tape of the mock kidnapping attempt used for training. Heero Yuy had been the one who was being tested. "What do you have to say for yourself, Heero Yuy?"

Heero stood up from his desk and said, "A bodyguard is supposed to do anything to protect the one he's sent to guard. It doesn't matter what tactics he uses, as long as the one he guards is safe. I can die, but I can't make a mistake. The worst publicity would be if he or she were to die because of the bodyguard's failure." His voice was cool and detached; his eyes unblinking.

After class, Commander Jay walks up to him and says, "You're the best bodyguard of us all. I had to upbraid you to make sure nobody got jealous. But your methods are extreme. That's why I've selected you for this mission on Earth."

"What is the mission?"

"All the information has been downloaded to your computer. It's only supposed to be for a month, so you should be able to go to the conference with the rest of us."

"Mission acknowledged."

He saw Trowa and Quatre walk by in uniform, arm in arm. He let a twitch of a smile affect hs face. Those two were partners off and on work; they'd probably treat going to the conference like it was a second honeymoon. They waved at him; he raised his hand back in greeting.

Then he went to his room and typed in his security ID and password on his computer. "The person you're going to protect is Relena Peacecraft. As you know, she's the younger sister of King Zechs of Sanc Kingdom. She is in serious need of a bodyguard she can trust. As there was an attempt on her life by one of her own bodyguards, she is getting the few ministers she trusts to create a new regiment of bodyguards from the ground up. This process should take about a month. However, while this is being done, she'll be at her summer vacation house."

"The police chief in charge of the local district will be Chang Wufei; however the person who'll be your liaison will be Duo Maxwell."

A picture of them popped on the screen. Chang Wufei was a handsome if grumpy looking man, very serious and business-like, his black hair tied back in a severe ponytail, his uniform crisp. But Duo Maxwell was smiling goofily in his uniform with his police cap askew and a long, brown braid slung over one shoulder. His violet eyes twinkled with mischief. The whole picture gave him pause. I can't believe they want me to work with this person, he thought. But a mission's a mission. He then shut off his computer and began packing for his trip.

From the airport, he drove directly to the address he was given. He was dressed in a green army-style uniform with black boots. He was also wheeling two large suitcases behind him.

Meanwhile, Wufei and Duo were standing outside the condominium. Wufei saw Heero park and walk towards them. "That is a professional," lectures Wufei.

"If you're so hot for him, why don't you ask him out? He seems to be your type."

"Kisama," growled Wufei.

"Oh, I see you're still hot for Treize even though he beat you in that fencing contest. Wufei, this is Duo you're talking to."

"Shut up and act like the professional you should be instead of... " Then he became quiet once Heero seemed to be in hearing range.

Duo smiled at the bodyguard with the cool blue eyes and the spiky brown hair. "Hey, you must be the bodyguard from L1. You look like such a professional. Glad to meet'cha." Duo extended a hand. He was wearing brown suit with a green shirt and a white tie, the most formal outfit he had.

"I'd like to see your ID." Heero said without taking the proffered hand. The corners of his mouth involuntarily twitched up, but then he pressed his lips firmly together in a straight line.

"Let me see yours first."

Heero reaches into the breast pocket of his uniform and flashes him the passport like ID.

Wufei took out his wallet and shows his. Duo reaches into his breast pocket, looks surprised, then digs in to one pocket, then another and then pulls out his own picture ID. If anything, the picture on it is even goofier than the one Heero had pulled up on the computer. "What next? Shall we show each other our guns?" says Duo.

Wufei was seriously starting to have steam come out of his ears. "I am the chief of police around here. I have an entire squadron of... "

"I don't think that'll be necessary." Heero looks at the large two-story condominium. "Pretty small for a Queen."

"Yeah, her mansion is just too big to secure. Besides, it hasn't been cleared of all the deathtraps from the last assassination attempt yet." said Wufei.

"This is her summer cottage. Huh, wish my apartment was this big. Summer cottage, hah!" said Duo. They walk into the condominium, well, Duo kinda bounced in. Heero looks around and sees nobody else.

Heero glares at the two of them. "From now on, I'll be in charge of this operation."

Wufei has a sour look on his face. "Would you like to meet the other cops?" He points to a large group standing right outside the windows.

"I don't need any help. Please dismiss them."

Duo chuckles. "You mean you're going to protect her all by yourself."

"Too many people walking in and out of the house creates a dangerous situation."

Wufei frowns and is about to say something when Heero looks to his right.

"Oh, are you Heero Yuy, the bodyguard sent by L1 colony? Were you sent to protect me?" Walking down the staircase is Relena Peacecraft. She walks up to him and raises her hand for him to kiss.

"Yes." He ignores the proffered hand. He had read her psychological file. She was prone to extremely strong, er, attachments if given the slightest encouragement. "I know who are."

"You're as handsome as your photo," she coos.

"I'm strictly here until your ministers select a new regiment of bodyguards, then I must head back to L1 colony for my next assignment," he reminded her.

She nodded, but she wasn't really listening. Her eyes were glazed over in a really peculiar way.

"The windows are bullet-proof as I asked?" said Heero to Wufei, turning away from his client.

"Yes, we've installed them a few days before you arrived. We've also swept for explosives, poisons and everything you asked for. I supervised it myself." said Wufei. "Are you questioning my competence?"

"I prefer to check everything myself."

"Mmmm, what are those things in the suitcases?" said Duo.

"Equipment."

"Are you sure you won't need my men?"

"I'm sure."

"Duo's staying here, though. I need someone here just to maintain a local police presence. You understand."

"Yes, perfectly. Where do I sleep?"

There are only two bedrooms in this house. I'm afraid you're going to have split a room with Duo." Wufei looks at Duo, thinking If that guy's grin gets any wider, the top of his head is going to come off. Then he notices the way Duo is looking at Heero. Wait a minute...

Duo wakes up at 4 o'clock in the morning. He turns to see Heero typing at his computer. "God, it's not even dawn."

"I know. Just checking to make sure all the security cameras are operational."

"Oh, man, that was one major fit she threw when you threw out all her shampoo and perfume."

"It had to be done. It could've been poisoned. The shampoo and soap I gave her will do the job. If she doesn't like it, she can send me back."

"And putting a security camera in her bedroom?"

"It's not like I want to." He grimaced at remembering her pout and calling him a barbarian, then taking a hammer to the security camera he'd installed. He ended up giving her a beeper that she could use to call him if she was ever in danger.

Nothing is said for a while. Then Duo says, "You don't approve of me, do you?"

Heero keeps typing. Without turning around, he says, "It doesn't matter, does it?"

"Yes, it does."

"I can do this myself. Just tell your chief that."

"Are you kidding me? He specifically told me to keep an eye on you."

"Jurisdictional squabbles don't interest me."

"Anybody miss you back at L1?"

"A few."

"Like who?"

"That's classified."

Is that a joke, thought Duo. But then he doesn't seem to be the joking type.

Heero says, "I noticed the other cops call you Shinigami when they left. That means god of death."

"Oh, that's a nickname I chose for myself. You see, I've been hurt, sometimes seriously. But when it comes to getting killed, something always happens to keep me from dying. Like the bullet whizzes right by my head or the car doesn't burst into flames until I'm well away from it, that sort of thing. Some people say it's because God is watching over me, but I have my doubts about that." He looked at the cross he wore around his neck with a frown.

Heero doesn't say anything, but continues to type.

Duo turns and tries to go back to sleep. This is going to be a tough month. Well, I might as well get out of bed and see what the heck he's typing. He hops out of bed, wearing only his boxers and puts his head on the guy's shoulders. Mmm, this guy even smells good like gunpowder and musk. "You aren't receiving any love letters from back home, are you?"

"Nobody loves me." Heero says. There is no self-pity in his voice, it is stated flatly. "At least not in that sense. Now get your head off my shoulder or... "

"Or what?"

Heero turns around, finally. "Omae o korosu."

"You really suck as a roommate. I'm going back to sleep." Duo tries to go back to sleep, but he keeps thinking, Yeah, I wish I could suck you, my roommate. He puts a pillow over his head. Even when he says he's going to kill me, I like the way he says those words. Stupid, stupid. And why does he have to type in those tight black biker shorts?

Duo wakes up a few hours later and sees that Heero is still typing. What kind of gibberish is he typing now? Then he notices that a picture of him is on the screen. Eh? he thinks.

"Hmmm, lots of commendations for outstanding bravery. Also been disciplined several times. Maybe we do have something in common."

What? He hacked into my personnel file? Why? Then he closed his eyes and breathed soft and regular when he saw Heero start to turn around. Something in common?

Duo woke up to find Heero already gone. Does he ever sleep, he thought. He slipped on a red shirt and black jeans, then quickly braided up his hair. He walked out to find Heero already eating rice with a little red blob on top.

"Good morning." Duo said. He took the corn flakes box and poured himself a bowl. He poured some milk on top of the bowl, then pulled a chocolate syrup bottle and began swirling it on top of the corn flakes.

"Hm." Then Heero looked at what Duo was doing. "Ugh."

"It's good, want some?" said Duo.

"I prefer my own breakfast."

Duo sat next to Heero. "What's that on top?"

"Mentaiko. Fish eggs."

"Sounds yummy." Duo said. Not, he thought.

Relena walked in, yawning, "I've spent most of the morning videoconferencing with various ministers and faxing signed documents over. How tedious! What's for breakfast, Heero?"

"Corn flakes." said Duo.

Heero pointed to the rice cooker without saying anything.

"You're not going to serve me breakfast? I demand you make me breakfast."

"No."

"You shouldn't have dismissed my maid." Relena manages to scoop out some rice, then puts a pat of butter on top. "Ugh, it clings together, that's better."

Duo watches as Heero's face quietly screws up in disgust as Relena put on another pat of butter, then another pat. He laughs.

Relena frowns at him. "What's so funny?"

Relena waits until 2:00 a.m. and puts on her favorite blue dress and heels. Quietly, she walks out into the driveway and turns on her car's lights. The minute she does so, she sees Heero Yuy standing in front of the car.

"What are you doing here?" Relena says.

"That's my question for you? If anything happens, I'll be the one responsible."

"I'm going to see a friend. She's positively suicidal. I have to go to her."

Heero says, "In that dress? I know it's a late night party being held by one of your friends."

"How did you... "

"Ojosama, he tapped your phone." She turns around to see Duo standing behind the car.

"Don't you know anything about invasion of privacy?"

"If your bodyguards were any good, you'd be used to this by now. It's only going to be a month, so be patient. The only reason I'm here is because you're rich and powerful enough to afford my services."

"It's not my fault that I hold the fate of the kingdom in my hands, so people want to hurt me. I didn't choose this. Why don't you understand" Then she proceeds to cry. They should be feeling sorry for me, damn it! Then a thought strikes her. "Heero, if you come as my date, I'll be protected. I'm sure she won't mind a guest."

Duo smirks and says, "I thought your friend was suicidal."

She glares at the both of them and stomps inside. Duo's shoulders slumped. "She's going to pull this kind of stuff all the time, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"And this is only the third night."

"Mei-chan, what's going on at the office?" Duo said to the Chinese police officer Meiran Shirin on the screen. She was really quite pretty and looked a lot like Wufei except she actually had a nice smile on her face. Of course, it's kinda hard not to smile at Duo Maxwell.

"Not much. The office pool on exactly when Wufei will go out with Treize has finally gotten over three thousand dollars. The people of Treize's station are also pooling in their money as well. Can you believe that? It's so stupid. It's all your fault."

"My fault? I just happened to mention they look like a really cool couple. I didn't say they were."

"Please don't bother Wufei!"

"Still have feelings for Wufei, huh. You were once engaged to that guy."

"Oh, that." She sighed. "We were children then and besides, we don't really match. I want a man who truly respects me and I don't think that Wufei does." She looked a little sad.

"I think he does respect you."

Her face got a little red. "Oh, yeah, then why does he continually pull me out of the big raids. It makes me so mad. I know he's just being chivalrous, but... Oh well, I'll try to send some stuff that'll make your stay more pleasant. I'll stop by and deliver some chocolate and some DVDs."

"That'd be great. Do me another favor, would you?"

"What now? You know how Wufei feels about personal phone calls during work."

"This is one cop to another. Tell me what my horoscope for the immediate future is."

She got an insulted look on her face. Wow, she reminds me of Wufei when she does that, thought Duo. "Please, Meiran."

Mei took out her tarot cards and shuffled them. "You're too cute for your own good, Duo Maxwell." She laid out a pattern. "Hmmm, your identifier is the Fool."

"What?"

"No, it's a powerful card. It means the guy who leaps into the unknown without regard to the consequences, which means that anything good or bad can happen. It's also matched with the Death Card, which means change. It's not a bad card. They just look bad."

"Well, it's fitting for me. After all, I'm Shinigami."

"As for your love life, I see Ace of Swords, which means passion. I see the Hanged Man, which means prolonged suffering." He sees her take out another card, but he can't see what it is. "Hmmm!"

"What do you see?"

"I see the... Oh, crap, I hear Wufei coming in. I'll give you a clearer horoscope later."

With that, the video screen shut off.

Duo sighed, turned around and then saw something that really made his eyes open wide. "What the hell are you doing?"

Heero was stretching and limbering up in just his shorts. "I'm about to do some yoga. It clears the mind and keeps the body limber." Then he proceeded to put his body through the most amazing contortions with amazing ease.

Duo watched with a mixture of amazement and lust. I can't believe he's just doing all these things right in front of me. The last straw was when Heero sat down on the bed and put one of his feet behind his head. Duo walked out of the room hastily, thinking, Who knew yoga could be so sexy? It took thirty minutes in the bathroom to make his hard-on completely disappear.

True to her word, Meiran packed the chocolate, DVDs and some Tupperware containers full of food into two huge shopping bags and drove over to the condominium.

She knocked on the door. A cold voice on the other side of the door told her to put down the bags. She did so. Then Duo opened the door. "Meichan, are all hose presents for me?"

"Call me Meiran. It's my real name."

"Yes, Meichan. Oh, yes, a five pound bar of chocolate. What no beer? Is this all food?"

"I figure that you must be tired of P&J sandwiches and chocolate syrup on cornflakes."

"Well, actually Heero's not a bad cook. Did you pack in my favorite meat buns?"

Meiran rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes."

"Is he your partner?" says Heero.

She takes a close look at the hunky Japanese bodyguard and thought, No wonder, Duo's asking about his love life. "No, he's just lives in the same apartment with me, Sally Po and Noin. Duo, your horoscope says that you should find love soon. I wonder who... "

Duo sticks a meat bun in her mouth. "Eat one to show Heero, it's not poisonous."

She takes a bite, then says, "Don't cram food in my mouth."

"Why don't you do Heero's horoscope?"

"I don't know."

"I don't believe in that superstitious nonsense." Heero stated coolly.

"It's just for fun," pouts Duo. "Besides, her tarot readings are really amazing."

"I already know what my fate is," says Heero.

Duo frowned at the remark, and was about to comment when Relena walked into the room wearing a skimpy blue bikini.

"Oh, Heero!" says Relena.

"What?"

"I'm going to be swimming in the pool. Aren't you going to watch me to make sure I'm safe?"

"Go ahead. I'll be right there. Duo, go and watch her while I help her put the food away."

"Is there any particular food you like? Duo's not picky, but... " Meiran says to Heero.

Relena narrows her eyes and glares at Meiran Shirin, which makes her nervous. Relena puts her hands on her hips and says, "Heero, you are the one who should be coming with me. I'm sure Duo will be just fine with Meiran."

Heero bends his head down a little and follows her out. Meanwhile, Duo starts to help Meiran put the food away. "So, how are you enjoying your job here?" Meiran says.

Duo made a pissed off noise. "It's hell living with Enema-sama. She keeps trying to running off to some party or another in the middle of the night. She keeps complaining about how important she is and what a pain her illustrious life is. She does absolutely nothing in terms of housework. She tried once and the vacuum caught on fire. Then she keeps flirting and cooing at him all the goddamn time. The only good thing is that I now know that Heero is a good cook. Last night's tempura was really good."

"You haven't been getting any, huh?"

"No, every time I try to start something, she presses her beeper button or there's something outside he has to fix. It's torture, I tell you."

"It's kharma for all the stuff you put Wufei through. By the way, he's still waiting for his report on this mission. You're late."

Duo smirks. "You still loooove Wufei, huh?"

"Shut up! I am not in love with Wufei Chang!"

Meanwhile, Heero is watching this through his pocket monitor and smiling because he can read their lips. Unfortunately, Relena has the very mistaken impression that he's happy watching her swim. This bathing suit is working, she thinks.

Duo finally walks out to the pool after seeing Meiran off. He stands next to Heero. After a moment of silence, Duo says, "Neh, Heero."

"What?"

"What do you do for fun?"

"Fun?"

"Yeah, when you're not working?"

"When I'm not working, I hone my skills. I fence, work out, and run. Read."

"How about basketball?"

"I'm not into team sports."

Duo smiles, "How about some one on one action? I think I've got a few balls with me."

Heero is about to say something when Relena walks out of the pool. "I'm done. I'm going in the house. Lets see if Duo's friend's food is any good."

Duo is about to pull out his hair out of frustration.

Later that night, just as Duo is about to go to sleep, Heero says, "Duo?"

"Yes?"

"You always have that cross around your neck. Yet I've never seen you pray or go to church."

What an observant guy, Duo thought. "I don't pray because I don't believe in God."

"Why do you wear that cross if you don't believe?"

"I guess... I guess it reminds me to live for the moment. It's a tribute to someone who's no longer here, someone who cared for me very much. Oh, I'm getting a bit gloomy. I should stop."

"No, I'd like to hear it. Really."

Duo then says, "When I was little, I used to be in a church orphanage. Father Maxwell told me that God loved everyone including me, no matter how much trouble I got in. He'd always speak up for me even when I didn't deserve it. I even considered becoming a priest myself. But God didn't keep him safe when someone knifed him inside the church. I was the first person to find him the next morning. I wanted revenge, wanted to find the perp who did it. They never did find the guy. I cried for a long, long time."

"But being sad doesn't bring back the dead. That's why I try to be cheerful, no matter what. You never know when Death'll take you, but even if it does, then you get to see the people you care about that left before you." Then he has a little wry smile, "God, I must be depressing you."

"Duo?" Heero said, stopping typing, but not turning around. "You don't have to be so relentless about being cheery. Why don't you tell me about that woman who came by today. Her name is Meiran, isn't it? A friend of yours?"

Duo chuckles. "I was one of the first people she met when she left L5 colony. She's nice, but she's just as hard to loosen up as Wufei sometimes. Now, there's a romantic couple if I ever saw one. Half the fun of calling her is waiting for Wufei to sneak up behind her, asking her what she's doing. She and Wufei were supposed to have gotten married at fourteen, both their parents' idea. She didn't care much for that so she left for Earth to live with a distant cousin of hers in San Francisco. She never expected to see him again after that, then he appears a year ago and becomes police chief of our station. Shocked the hell out of both of them. Funny thing is that they've come to like each other even though every single word that comes out of their mouths when they see each other is an argument. They could produce a whole bunch of scowling kiddies screaming, 'Justice, justice' if they both weren't so stubborn."

Heero frowns. "I'm not sure that's such a good thing."

Duo laughs at that. "Well, they look nice together, anyhow. Besides, maybe they stop being such a bunch of sourpusses if they got together."

"I think it's sad that they haven't told each other how they truly feel."

Duo frowns at that statement. "Well, I figure they'll eventually do it. I try to be an optimist about such things. I'm sure of it."

"You're probably right." He starts to type again. "You must be tired, go to sleep."

"Hey, Heero?"

"Yeah?"

"While you're checking all those surveillance cameras, how about putting up a basketball hoop?"

"Go to sleep!"

Duo puts his head down on the pillow, but keeps looking at Heero's back. I should've asked him something less silly, he thought before closing his eyes. Duo, you damn fool.

Heero is fixing one of the security cameras he's installed on the roof while standing on a ladder. The he notices Relena climbing after him with an umbrella in high heels. "Stay down on the ground, I'm busy."

She ignores him, of course, stands next to him and holds the umbrella over his head. "You shouldn't stay up here in the rain. You'll catch pneumonia."

Heero says nothing.

"It's wonderful all this effort you've been putting into protecting me."

"It's my job."

"Sure." Relena is smiling at him. "Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

"It's not important."

"Of course, it's important. I'm sorry about the troubles I've caused you. I can't help being a princess. But that means I have top secret clearance in my government. I won't breathe a word of whatever you say to me, Heero."

"You should go back into the house. I'm nearly done, anyway."

She's about to step down when she nearly slips. She lets go of her umbrella when Heero manages to grab hold of her waist. She manages to regain a foothold. "Oh, dear, you can let go now." Relena says, her own grip tight on his shirt.

Heero says sourly, "I can't, you might fall again. You better grab unto me while we both climb down." Relena smiles triumphantly as she can feel the warmth of his body through her dress.

Duo watches Heero help Relena down the ladder. Oh, I give up, he thought. He goes back in the house. He lies on the bed and listens to his music collection, singing along with his eyes closed. Then he feels a hand on his shoulder. He opens his eyes to see Heero standing over him. He takes off his headphones. "Am I bothering you?"

"It's dinner. Are you OK?" Heero puts a hand on his forehead as if expecting a fever.

Duo looks at that face. Hmph, he looks a bit worried, he thought. He's probably just worried he'll catch something from me. "Not hungry."

"Get up anyway."

Duo says, "Ah, you mean, you don't want me to butt out while you two have a candlelit dinner?"

"Don't be stupid. Get up!" Heero pulls him up to a sitting position.

"All right, all right. You mean you didn't enjoy holding her as you... "

"Why should I enjoy it?" Heero tugs at his tie and straightens it. "How do steak and croquettes sound?"

"Sounds good."

"Oh, yeah, there's a basketball hoop out back."

"I was just kid... Thanks. It was really nice of you." He gives him a hug and squeezes tightly.

"You're cutting off my circulation."

"Oops, my bad." He lets go, a little embarrassed.

During dinner, Relena announces, "Oh, by the way, I'm afraid I have to announce that your mission has been extended another month. It's taking a lot longer than I thought to get competent help."

Duo turned a nasty green, dropping his fork. "What?"

Heero said, "What did you say?" The spoon he's holding starts to bend.

"Your mission's been extended another month or so."

Duo could see the twitch in Heero's jaw. Oh, he must be really pissed, he thought.

"Chikusho! Wufei, you've got to be kidding. You can't make me wait while you lead this bust. I've been working my ass off for a year on this case. I've got to be there. I'm sick of babysitting this... "

"Duo, stop whining like the brat you are! You are a representative of this station and should act like such."

Duo could see that Wufei was just starting one of his famous speeches on how justice could be served if only he'd be more of a tightass. "Well, no need to go ballistic." Then he switched the phone off.

He immediately calls up Meiran. "Meiran."

"What now, Duo? You've been calling everyone in the station these past few days. I know how much you like to talk, but everybody's busy."

"Hell-ena-sama extended my mission another month."

"That is so unfair. That is the height of injustice."

"Now you sound like Wufei!"

"Shut up! I do not sound like him!"

"Tell him to take me off this job and make me part of the bust."

"You think I have any influence with that guy! I had to use up all my brownie points not to get kicked off the bust myself. That... man!"

Duo smiles because Wufei has walked up behind her.

"Meiran Shirin, what are you doing?" says Wufei.

Meiran turns a beet red. "Uh, I'm asking Duo where his report is. Right, Duo?" On her face is an expression that tells him that unless he agrees, she was going to gut him like a pig.

"Yes, report not done yet." Duo blurts out. That's all he can say lest he laugh his head off.

"Kisama," scowls Wufei. "This is a job, not a vacation. Meiran, I need to talk to you about the bust. I'm not sure you should... "

"Noin and Sally Po are going. I'm just as qualified as they are, Wufei!"

Wufei sees the video phone is still on, and clicks it off.

Meanwhile on a different phone, Heero is talking to Commander Jay.

"Commander, I must be released from this mission. I can't miss this conference."

Commander Jay says, "I'll get Quatre to do the keynote speech. Trowa'll only speak for a minute, then walk off. I'm sorry, but it just can't be done. If it was me, I'd do it in a second, but the higher-ups. . ."

Relena knocks on their door. Duo walks up to the door and opens it. She says, "I must absolutely go shopping. I have had absolutely nothing to wear but rags. I've been trapped in this condo for a month now."

"Fine." snaps Heero. "We'll go shopping."

Duo frowns and shakes his shoulder. "Huh?"

Relena smiles, then goes upstairs.

Heero turns to Duo and says, "She's tried to run off ten times already. I'd rather she has someone watching over her when she's going out rather than have her go completely stir crazy."

"I can't believe there were more than two dozen assassins at the mall." said Duo. He put away his guns and took off his bulletproof vest.

"It was a good thing you were wearing your bullet proof vest. You were shot in the chest twice. Anything broken?"

Duo winces a little. "A little bruised, but fine. Shouldn't you be with Relena?"

"I've been with her for the last half hour. I finally had to give her a sedative after she kept clinging to me, babbling that I was her guardian angel. You did pretty good today." He'd gotten to see Duo's marksmanship and it was even better than the personnel records had said. As goofy as the guy could be off duty, he was all business when need be.

"Now I know what bodyguards go through."

"There's one difference. In my line of work, you don't get second chances. If you're a cop, something bad can happen and you can still be one. Not for bodyguards."

"Then why are you one?"

"Because it's what I can do."

"No, I mean. Why did you become one?"

Heero looks at him. "Why do you want to know?"

"Look, we've been roommates for a month. Still don't know a thing about you. You just type into your computer or look at your pocket monitor checking your security cameras to make sure there's no intruders. Gee, at least, Wufei opens his mouth sometimes and rants about... "

"Well, it's because I failed to protect someone a long time ago. Someone who called me Oniichan." He closed his eyes when he said that.

"Oniichan means big brother, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." An image of purple eyes and an open smile flash before his eyes.

"I'd really like to know. You listened to me. Least I can do."

Heero was quiet for a little while, then said, "I used to be an army brat, my father wanted me to go into the military. He was an army guy himself. It was just my father, my little sister and I. I don't remember much about my mother; she died soon after my sister was born. People say that my sister looked a lot like my mom."

"We basically traveled around a lot. You have to if you want to become a career officer. It didn't make sense to make friends because you'd just be saying goodbye anyway. The only thing that was constant in my life was just the three of us. You forget people and they forget you. It was all I knew."

"We moved off world since that was where my father was assigned. Sis and I went to school right next to the base. Things weren't so bad at first, but you know how peace keeping is. You never know when something'll go wrong."

"One day, my sister had picked up a puppy someone had abandoned on the street. She'd been trying to hide it in her school bag. She was hoping she could keep it. I knew she had it, but I didn't want to rat on her. Later, that day, we had to evacuate the school because there'd been a bomb threat. The other times had been hoaxes, but you still had to get out anyway. This time it wasn't a hoax."

"She died, didn't she?" said Duo.

"It turns out she'd ran back into the school to save the puppy. There was nothing left of her to bury. My father died soon afterwards, killed in action."

"I didn't want to be a soldier, but I didn't know what else to do. I felt really lost after that. A friend of my father, Commander Jay, suggested I become a bodyguard. He said I had all the right skills and that by protecting the right people, I could prevent things like that from happening. It sounded like a good idea at the time. I guess you could call it atonement. I should've looked for her first before leaving school grounds. There were a lot of things I could've done differently."

"Is that why I've never seen you smile? Because you don't feel you deserve to? Don't be so hard on yourself."

Heero opened his eyes and looked at Duo. Duo was looking at him in a very serious and very concentrated way. "Just haven't found many things to smile about."

God, he looks so depressed, Duo thought. "Well, you probably would've laughed if you could've seen Relena's face as you spun her around so you could get all the assassins." He then made the silliest face with his mouth agape and eyes wide open in a mockery of shock, giving a little mock shriek.

Heero couldn't help but smile. He noticed that there was a flush over Duo's face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing at all." Damn, he's cute, no, he's beautiful, Duo thought. I thought a smile would break his face, but it makes him look even more. . . Shit. I just want to touch that face and...

"Oh, take off your shirt. I want to see how badly you're bruised."

Duo takes off his shirt and closed his eyes. Heero takes a jar of ointment and starts rubbing a little anesthetic cream on the area. Duo then notices that the hands putting on the ointment has drifted from the bruised area to brush against his nipples. Heero's hands then start massaging his chest. Duo wraps his arms around him and kisses him passionately, using his tongue to tease the other man's mouth open. He leans back on his bed, pulling Heero down, then rolling on top.

Duo whispers, "Hey, I thought you found me really irritating."

"You are irritating."

"Hey!"

"You're so distracting with those violet eyes and long hair." With that, he pulled the leather thong off his Duo's braid, freeing up his hair. "Hard to concentrate on work." He put his hand behind Duo's head and cradled it, feeling the wonderful hair.

"And you with your crazy yoga crap. You don't know what obscene thoughts went through my mind."

"Now's the perfect opportunity to show me."

Duo looks down at Heero's face and traces his bottom lip with his finger. He looks so sweet, he thought. His face softens and his eyes... He caresses his lover's face with his hands and kisses him on the lips. Then he wraps his arms around him and says gently in his ear, "I really get a kick out of the way you moan."

"Shut up!" But there's no real heat to this statement, just a kind of tired satisfaction with just a little irritation.

"I meant it as a compliment. It's so sweet. I want to hear it again and again. I'm serious." I want to hear it forever, he thought. Then he thought to himself, Now you've done it, Duo. You've gone and fallen in love.

"You'll probably get to."

"Mmmm." Duo thinks, This time I won't say any more. Raising his arm above his head, he shuts off the light.

Duo began pouring chocolate syrup over his corn flakes and milk when Heero puts a bowl in front of him. It has a cloudy brown liquid with veggies and tofu in it. "What the hell is that?" Duo asks.

"It's miso soup."

Duo takes a cautious sip. It's a bit salty and not what he's used to, but then he thinks, I shouldn't be rude. "It's good." He takes another sip, It's not bad.

Relena walks in and says, "Oh, Heero, thank you for saving my life yesterday. The way you fought for my sake, I must find a way to reward you."

Heero glares at her. "Don't you think you should be thanking someone else as well?"

"Hmm?"

Heero jerks his head over in Duo's direction.

"Oh, where are my manners? Duo, I also thank you," she says with a perfunctory detachment. "Where's my breakfast?"

"I already make lunch and dinner. Eat corn flakes." Heero immediately opens a newspaper in front of him, shielding himself from Relena's gaze. Such thoughtlessness, Heero thought. But I mustn't get mad.

Duo playfully touches his knee under the table. Heero, without lifting his eyes or turning to him, grabs Duo's wrist, takes his hand off his knee, dumps it in Duo's lap, but then takes one of his fingers and casually brushes the part of Duo's thigh that isn't covered by his shorts. All without a change in expression.

"Duo?" says Relena.

"Yes."

"Why are you turning red?"

"Me? I was just thinking of something funny."

"Oh, really what?"

"Um... ah." Just that one touch and my brain melts.

"Duo, we should go and wash the dishes," says Heero.

"Sure." he says. Both men get up and walk away from her. Duo can barely keep from bouncing around like Tigger from Winny the Pooh.

Duo sees that he has a message on his video phone. "Duo, call me at the police station. I've something important to tell you," Noin says.

He calls up Noin. "What is it, Noin?"

"Meiran went with Wufei on that last bust after she threatened to sue the police force. I'm sorry to say she . . "

"She's not dead, is she?" said Duo.

"No, but she did get hit by a bullet in the shoulder. Unfortunately, it pierced her bullet-proof vest, but it's only a flesh wound. She's going to be really sore for a while, though. Frankly, Wufei was hysterical. He was right behind her when it happened. So, in a sense if she hadn't been there, it would've been him."

"Wufei told me their parents have always wanted them to together even though they drove each other crazy. He must feel terrible."

"I think it's mostly her pride that's wounded. The doctor says she'll be released tomorrow. She's been given some time off. Wufei's been asking Sally and me how she is."

"What a pair of stubborn... " Then Duo smiled. "They match each other, huh?"

"Don't they, though? But as for all those assassins, Sally Po wants to talk to you about them. Let me transfer you."

Sally Po's face appears on the screen. She seems to be in a particularly bad mood. "Thanks to you and that bodyguard from L1, I now have more than two dozen corpses to autopsy."

"Well, the cause of death shouldn't be hard to find out. Bullet to the head, bullet to the abdomen, knife to the back... I don't think they drowned. Well, there was this one guy who fell into the mall fountain. Any IDs on the corpses?"

"From the few that we can identify, they're part of the terrorist group led by Dorothy Catalonia. She's a major proponent of the belief that human advancement can only come from constant warfare, therefore her major target are any members of the Peacecraft family."

"Just as I thought," murmured Heero.

"You knew?" Duo turned around to see Heero sitting on the bed, deep in thought.

"The kingdom has many enemies. Her group was just one of many suspects, I thought she was the strongest one, though."

"We should tell Relena this."

"I really don't think that's a good idea. Besides, she's probably used to having other people think about these things for her. It's not like she could do anything about it."

"Well, maybe, it would make her think about how much other people do for her instead of just thinking that other people wave their magic wands to make things easy for her."

"I'll talk to her today. She's more than overdue for a little client control speech. But in the meantime, let me show you something I've been working on... I noticed that there's a small crawl space under the house. I've got a camera under there, so nobody can sneak in, but it might be useful as an escape route. There're some things I have to install around the house."

"I'll help."

"All right, but a few things I have to do myself."

"Duo, do you know where Heero is?"

"He's busy installing a few more security systems. Why don't you leave him alone?"

"Why should I?"

"You keep getting in his way. He's not interested in you."

"Why else would he risk his life to protect me?"

"The other bodyguards didn't do this."

"It's only because he's from L1. Many of the other bodyguards from L1 would do the same thing for you if they were ordered to. His personal feelings are not involved in this. " At least, not the way you think, he thought.

"He put his body between me and my attackers! Shows you how much you know about Heero."

"Yes, yes, it does." With that, he turns his back on her and walks off.

She sniffs. That clown. What does he know about the mysteries of love?

Heero was watching all this on his pocket monitor. He scowled, then thought, I think I better talk to her.

"Relena, please sit down. I have to say a few things," he says, walking into the room.

Relena smiles.

Heero scowls. She probably thinks I'm going to say something mushy. "Now I've noticed that you seem to have feelings for me."

"Yes, I do." Yes, he finally realizes, she thought.

"You are mistaken. These types of things have happened several times in my career. You're romanticizing a very unpleasant situation. These 'feelings' of yours are interfering with my ability to safeguard your person. Are you listening to anything I'm saying?"

"Heero Yuy, do not presume to tell me how I feel. I know exactly I feel. It's just too bad you don't realize it. Even so, I've decided to make you head of security."

"I must refuse that position."

There's a look of shock on her face. "But why? I must say it's quite a promotion."

"I must go back to L1 and... "

"I've already talked it over with your government. They're willing to let you go and stay on Earth. It would be... "

"I know why you're doing this. You want me to 'fall in love' with you. But it's useless. There is someone else."

"Who is she?"

Heero smirks and says nothing.

"It's that Meiran Shirin woman, isn't it?"

He thought he'd been prepared for everything, but this one really takes him by surprise. "Who?"

"Please, I'm not stupid. She keeps smiling at you and saying how happy you're a friend of Duo's and if you'd like anything special. She's not a bad looking woman, I suppose. But I dare say that she and Duo are already involved."

A guffaw of laughter is heard from the dining room as Duo nearly has a seizure from what Relena has said. He slaps his hands several times on the table and his entire body shakes. God, I wish I could get Wufei to hear what she just said. Oh, hell, I'd give anything just to see Meiran's expression. He clamps his hands over his mouth, but ends up rolling on the floor.

Relena scowls at the dining room door. Stupid fool, she thought, laughing at the fact that his girlfriend has my Heero wrapped around her finger. Isn't he the least bit jealous or is he simply blind?

"It's really none of your business who I'm involved with. Besides, I wouldn't go out with you even if I wasn't involved."

"What did you say?"

"You don't treat the people around you with any respect. You demand things without asking. When's the last time you ever asked about somebody else's day? When I was thinking about your safety, you didn't listen to a word I said. I'm just a thing to you, not a person. That's what I hate. You think that all you have to do is snap your fingers and everyone is supposed to do as you say. You're in a position of power and that has responsibilities connected with it, but you don't seem aware of it. Most of the people I've guarded understood that much."

"You think I think of you as a thing? Is that how I've been treating you?" There is a look of utter astonishment on her face.

"That's how you treat everyone. I'm going to leave you alone to think about what I said." I hope that what I said actually sunk through, he thought.

An hour later, Relena threw her phone against the wall. That slut Meiran Shirin, she thought. I tried complaining to Wufei Chang, but I guess she's sleeping with him too because he just got mad and didn't listen to a word I said. Calling me Kisama instead of Relena-sama, how rude! I must complain to my brother, Milliardo!

"Her contingent of bodyguards have finally been formed. I just received word from the King today. He also said that he understands that Relena's complaints about Meiran are baseless."

"Oh, really." His heart began pounding in chest. I should be happy I don't have to put up with her any more, but... that means he doesn't have a reason to stay here. Shit, how do I tell him that I really want him to stay? That being with him is like being in heaven. That's kinda heavy thing to say, though. But if I don't say anything, he might think I took the whole thing pretty lightly.

"I'm glad that I can finish this assignment with a clear conscience."

"Yeah."

"Duo?"

"Yeah."

"I was thinking... "

"What?"

"How would you feel if I stayed on Earth."

"But how about your job?"

"Well, before my father died, he told me that I should follow my feelings. I feel that I want to stay with you." Heero looked away. "It's a little sudden and perhaps too... "

Duo grabs hold of him and says, "You couldn't have said anything better."

Then Heero's pocket monitor beeps. He takes it out of his pocket and looks at it. "Trespassers, armed, looks about a dozen in full body armor. You better call Wufei for back-up, then get Relena down here."

Duo hits the speed dial, and says, "Wufei, we need back-up all you can spare. I'm serious."

"Understood," says Wufei, who knew when Duo was dead serious.

Duo then runs upstairs and drags an irate princess downstairs. "OK, I've got her, now what?"

"That passage I told you about. There's a little trapdoor in the closet. Climb down there with Relena. I'll follow you in a little bit."

"I want Heero to come, too," whines Relena.

Duo frowned and was about to ask what had planned, when Heero gave him a headset. "Put this on and listen to what I tell you. I've got a plan, but you have to do as I say. I'm depending on you."

"Glad to hear it." He put on the headset and hustled the princess down the little hole in the closet.

Once Duo and Relena were in the crawlspace, Heero then took out his pocket monitor, pushed a button. There was a snap as the bolt lock for the trap door clicked firmly in place. He walked out of his bedroom and went upstairs.

Dorothy found the front door unlocked. "That's strange," she said. "I didn't think a bodyguard from L1 would be so careless." Then she laughed a little. "I daresay he's expecting us."

She and her dozen assassins walked into the condo, their weapons drawn. Dorothy was about to issue a command when she heard a thin, sharp knife whizzed by her head and strike someone through the eye. Several knives began raining down upon them. Her men were about to shoot when she raised a hand for them to stop.

"Dorothy Catalonia!"

"Heero Yuy, bodyguard from L1. Why not shoot?"

"Can't you smell the gas filling up the house?"

Dorothy and her men realize that he's telling the truth as the noxious smell fills the house. One man throws a chair at the windows, but it bounces off as it's bulletproof. Heero pushes another button and several clicks are heard through out the house. "I've just locked all the doors to this house. Nobody is leaving! And nobody can shoot unless they want to die."

"I see. Then let us all die together then!" Dorothy immediately pulls out her gun, but her thugs wrestle the weapon out of her hand. The gun flies out of her hand and unto the floor. Scowling, she pulls out a sword. "I hope your fencing is a little better than your fellow bodyguard Quatre."

"Duo, crawl forward, there should be a little trap door that leads out. I think everyone who wants to kill her is in the house. Your friends should be here within minutes." Heero glances at his pocket monitor. He smiles as Duo gets out with the princess safely out of the house. He pushes a button.

Duo turns to crawl back into the house when he sees a steel barrier slam into place where the exit was. "What? You bastard! You didn't tell me about this!"

"Duo, go and save him!" wails Relena.

He glares at the hopelessly oblivious princess. "What the hell do you think I'm doing? You think I'm going to let him get killed?" He kicks uselessly at the barrier.

"Duo?" says Heero's voice from the headset.

"Yeah?"

"You better get the hell away from here, and take her with you."

"You can't kill them all. You bakayaro!" Duo pulls Relena to a safe distance away, then tries running towards the house.

"Duo?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

Heero pushes the button that activates the explosives he had connected to the house's gas line as Dorothy runs up the stairs, sword in hand. The second he does, he sees something out of the corner of his eye.

Wufei arrived at the scene to find a bombed out condo, several ambulances driving off in the distance and Meiran's car empty. "Have any of you seen Meiran?"

"I just see her car," Noin says.

"What? Meiran, Meiran!"

"Wufei, I'm OK."

He turns around to see Meiran standing unhurt. "You're OK?"

"I just got here a few minutes ago myself. The condo was already on fire when I got here! From what the paramedics told me, Duo and Relena managed to sneak outside the condo. Unfortunately, Heero was still inside when he blew up the house. Duo rode with Heero to the hospital. Relena's being treated for a little smoke inhalation, but she's OK." Meiran shook her head. "I just don't understand how the guy could still be alive and in one piece!"

"Sally Po's going to have a fit when she finds out that she has to ID a whole bunch of corpses by their dental records." Then he sighs, and says, "Meiran, we need to talk privately. Do you mind?"

"But how about all this?"

"I'm putting Noin in charge of this. I really have to talk to you."

"All right."

They walk to his squad car and sit inside. Meiran closes her eyes, awaiting the inevitable lambast.

"Meiran, I'm sorry for giving you a hard time."

She pops her eyes open. "You're not going to yell at me?"

He scowls. "For what?"

"You usually find something."

"I don't feel like yelling today."

"Wufei, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"What?"

"Will you ever forgive me for leaving L5?"

"There's nothing to forgive. It was unfair to both of us, what happened. If I was strong back then, I would've gone with you instead of just leaving you here alone. I would've stood up for you, looked for you earlier. When you got short earlier this month, I thought, I don't want to lose you again. When you disappeared, it was like you were dead. When I saw you again, it was very unexpected to say the least. When you were shot, I felt responsible. I just didn't know what to say."

Meiran smiles a tired smile. "Wufei, it's just that I feel like we're in this endless waltz of fighting, avoiding each other, then almost touching before it starts all over again." Then her expression suddenly changes and tears begin to stream down her face. "I hate it, I hate it." Oh, great, Wufei's going to think I'm a hysterical female, she thought.

She is surprised to find a hand tilting her head up, then even more surprised to find Wufei kissing her gently on the lips. "Nataku, shhhh," he says, calling her by her childhood nickname.

Treize sighs, watching the couple happily necking in a squad car. Looks like the rumors about those two were true, he thought. They're straight. Damn. Then he notices a man walking towards him. It's Milliardo Peacecraft.

"Have you seen my dear sister, Relena?"

"I'll show you where she is."

"And what might be your name be?"

"I'm Police Chief Treize Khushrenada, working in conjunction with Wufei Chang."

"I'm very glad to make your acquaintance."

A couple months later, outside of the police station

"So, nervous on your first day at work?"

"Should I be?"

"Nah. With two justice junkies and Shinigami already at this one station, you'll fit right in." Duo squeezed Heero's knee. "I'm glad you decided to stay."

"I didn't consider leaving to be an option. I had unfinished business."

"And how long will this unfinished business going to last?"

"I don't know. How long do you plan to live?"

Duo puts Heero's face between his hands and gives a soft, deep kiss, then says, "Don't be blowing up any more houses while you're still inside."

"Do you know what I saw right when I pressed the button?"

"Did your entire life flash before your eyes?"

"No, I saw my sister standing with her puppy smiling at me. It seemed so real. I heard her say, 'Repeat after me, I'm not going to die.' I did as she said, then I woke up and saw you in the hospital."

"What do you think that was?"

"I don't know, but I figure it's a sign that I was making the right decision. If she can forgive me, maybe I can forgive myself." Heero's face is suffused with joy as is Duo's. They both get out of the car.

Duo then takes his hand and says, "Now lets go in and introduce everyone to my new partner."

The End

Epilogue:

Ah, Relena, what became of her? She was told by her brother the King that since Heero had quit the bodyguard he no longer had the right clearance to have access to her person. She wept and threw a tantrum, but the King was quite firm. He also told her that he was now living with a fellow police officer, which she assumed was Meiran Shirin. I can't believe that she beat me. She's just a cop while I'm a princess. That man has no taste, she thought. He'll regret it and comes to his senses.

After finally making sure her mansion was safe, a pair of bodyguards from L1 came to pick up where Heero left off.

"Oh, Trowa, you just saved me!" She clasps her hands in front of her, and gazes adoring at the quiet bodyguard who had just knocked her to the ground to keep her from being blown up by a missile from a rocket launcher.

An enraged Quatre puts his hands on his hips and yells, "Hands off my man, Relena Peacecraft!"

Meanwhile, in an castle several miles away, someone says, "You've really got to get her a job, Milliardo. How about deputy foreign minister?"

"Yes, yes, Treize. Now, come back to bed."

(:./mk/bodyguard)