Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, Minister Johnson," the young blonde woman said softly. "It's Christmas Eve and this Peace Ball's not going to get itself off the ground."
"Of course, Miss Relena," the older man said, bowing slightly as he dismissed her.
"Heero," she called. "Will you hand me that box of decoration?"
Relena's bodyguard looked suspiciously into the box, his dark blue eyes reflecting the dark, vibrant greens. He lifted the box and walked toward the Vice Foreign Minister on a small stepladder, setting it down and sliding it toward her with his foot.
She turned her aquamarine eyes on him, observing as he took three large steps back and watched through narrow eyes. At first, Relena scoffed with unbelief, but his face remained stern. She studied the inside of the box, confused, and then watched him as she lifted the plants, one by one, to add them to the wreath.
"What is the matter with you?"
"Hn," he answered, noncommittally, as he turned away.
"Are you allergic?"
"No."
"Do you hate the color green?"
"No."
She laughed, nervously. "Then Heero, what is the matter?"
"What's with that collection?"
She looked into the box, again. There were holly, olive branches, mistletoe and dove appliques. "It's just decorations."
He narrowed his eyes, still more.
"Holly. For Christmas."
He said nothing.
"Olive branches?"
His eyes turned away in disinterest.
"They're a symbol of peace."
He showed no response.
"Mistletoe?"
His eyes shot back to her, his brows knitting in disapproval.
"You don't like mistletoe?"
His next breath almost sounded like a growl. Maybe it was just a groan, but it was hard to tell.
She picked up a small bouquet, secured with a red bow and started toward him. "Heero, what do you not like about mistletoe?"
Apparently, he was serious about his disdain for the herb, as he back away from her, matching her step for step.
"It's just like the others. Well, it's a symbol of peace, and a popular Christmas decoration—"
"You shouldn't use so much," he said, cutting her off in a firm voice.
With that, his back hit the wall behind him. He glanced at the doorway, a foot to his right, contemplating escape. Relena stopped, still a few paces off, staring at him with a perplexed look.
"Heero, it's not poisonous. You'll be fine if you get near it."
After a long silence of Heero studying her, then noting they were alone, he finally asked. "Do you really not know why I wouldn't want to be under the mistletoe with you?"
"Really," she said with an amused look.
He closed his eyes, thinking of the response and she started moving toward him, again. "I thought you knew everything there was to know about culture and traditions," he explained, as he opened his eyes. He jumped when he found her directly in front of him with that weed in her hand.
"I thought I did, too, but obviously I'm missing something."
Heero sighed, his face still straight as a board. "Mistletoe is a symbol of peace, yes."
Heero's Prussian blues met her innocently curious azures. He was suddenly relaxed by the thought that if she didn't know, and no one was around to see him ignore the tradition, she would let him walk away, even when he did tell her. Not to mention the fact that she was nowhere near tall enough to hold it over them.
Suddenly a man's hand reached from the doorway behind him and snatched the leaves from Relena's hand. "What have we here?" The voice sounded amused as a man came into view beside them, leering at Relena with violet eyes. His long brown braid swayed as he lifted the mistletoe as high as he could between the arguing pair.
"Oh," he exclaimed, looking pensively at the bunch of leaves. "Mistletoe!"
Heero's stare shot to him, and this time Relena was sure he'd actually growled. "Duo—"
Duo merely grinned at him through pure mischief.
Heero sighed in defeat and turned his attention to his charge. Before Relena knew what happened, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into an unexpected kiss. It wasn't deep or intimate, but it shot fireworks through her being. That was the only thing she felt, outside of pure surprise.
"Heero?" She expressed, pushing away from him.
"It's also called the kissing bow," he said, with a completely stoic expression. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the wide eyed princess staring at Duo in shock.
"The kissing bow?" She asked.
Duo laughed. "If you're under the mistletoe with a guy, tradition dictates you kiss him." Then he looked up at the seemingly harmless decoration. His hand did not release its hold. "And now you're still under the mistletoe with someone else." Duo winked at her.
Relena blushed.