Chapter 1: Secrets [Prompt 10]

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I'm not entirely sure when it happened, or how really. I still remember the first moment I realized what it was. He became my bodyguard two years ago when Lady Une reassigned Sally strictly to medical detail and Heero was requesting a transfer to infiltration and intelligence. He had been reluctant when he first came to me and in the beginning I wasn't sure it was going to actually work out, we were at each others throats and some of my minor detail always seemed worried I needed the most protection from him.

Eventually we did manage to find a sort of middle ground that allowed us to tolerate the others presence. Still, never had I imagined simply being 'acquaintances' could actually have the potential to be something more.

It happened a few months ago...the first time. It was in the evening, long after a day of meetings and other such nonsense. I was seated in my study reading over a series of documents when he entered. I hadn't paid it any mind, nor him, simply recognized his presence as not being a threat and returned to reading my paperwork. I had been jolted from the words on the paper when a cup of tea had been placed at the edge of my vision, fresh and hot, with just the right amount of honey. I had glanced up, watching his retreating back as he perched himself on the couch on the far side of the room.

Had Heero done this, I wouldn't have thought much of it. With the ending of the war the once perfect soldier had begun to break from his shell and such thoughtful events had become common place for him. Wufei on the other hand, was another story all-together. General kindness wasn't a known factor for him, rather, he only did things for a specific purpose. With that in mind, it was in those moment that the words on the page before me faded away and I found myself wondering just why he'd take the time to prepare for me a cup of tea. Perfect, just the way I like it.

I did my best to study him from the corner of my eye with subtle glances, using everything I knew to judge his body language and behavior. Alas, I had no luck. I hadn't even realized the passage of time until his deep voice sounded from the room, "Your tea is getting cold."

I jumped, slightly, I couldn't help it. He'd never even looked my way once, I couldn't figure how he'd know my lack of touching the tea, but he was right. I couldn't let this one moment of kindness go to waste. The tea was indeed a little cooler than I preferred, but I had only myself to blame for that. The flavor was perfect, just the right mix of water and tea leaves and complimenting sweetness from the honey. The man was perfect in everything he did, it was just as much infuriating as it was relieving.

A few more sips and I set the tea down to focus once more on the paperwork demanding my attention and let the companionable silence fill the room. The rest of the night proved uneventful, the tea ran out, the documents were finished, and it was time for bed before I knew it. Of course, that wasn't the last time such a thing happened though, and when it came around again it was no less surprising.

It had been a couple weeks later when we were riding in the limo from the shuttle port to head to the hotel my detail and I would be staying in for the duration of the conference. Prior to arriving I had received the usual death threats, all of which Wufei took seriously, and this time I was certainly glad of his unusual paranoia. He must have seen something, or heard something, but in one moment I was reading over one of my files and the next I was sprawled against the back seat with his body protectively over me and a resounding thud from the impact of the bullet against the window was the only sound in the car. He barked an order to the driver and radio crackle sounded as the other detail was informed of the attempt on my life.

There was nothing unusual to his protection of me, but it was later that night when I experienced another of those odd, rare moments. Once things had settled and my detail was in place I ignored the speech I had been preparing on earlier in the limo and instead settled down to sleep. After informing Wufei that I was turning in I curled up under the sheets, rolled over and tried my hardest to get to sleep. A few hours later I heard the door open and the familiar scent of Wufei's tea, his steps were soft on the hotels plush carpets as he made his rounds in the room, checking the doors and windows with a careful graze of his fingertips. I didn't even realize I was watching him until his voice spoke in the darkness, "You have to be up in four hours, you need to get some sleep."

I stared up at his silhouette in that moment and never uttered a word. He stared back for a few long minutes before I could hear his feet moving against the carpet and his form getting larger in my vision. Without another word he reached out and placed his palm against my shoulder, giving it a gentle pat before letting it rest comfortably there, his words a soft murmur near my ear, "You don't have anything to worry about. I'll do my job, get some rest so you can do yours." He then stepped back and gave the room one final look over before disappearing back into the adjoining suite, leaving the door open a crack to cause a small sliver of light to beam across the floor and wall of my room. Not minutes later after his departure, I was asleep, and that odd tugging in my chest was growing stronger.

A small clearing of a throat brings me out of my thoughts and I look up from the paperwork I had been staring at, the words lost in my revelry. I stare into the annoyed eyes of my bodyguard, a heap of papers held in his hand, a hand outstretched towards me. I pray my face doesn't flush, if it does he gives no indication, and I reach out to take the papers, "Thank you, Wufei." I shuffle the pages into another stack as he walks away, hoping I've managed to keep that secret.

A secret growing so dear to me.