Chapter Two

"What are we wearing for the costume party? And we, will not, be going as elves."

Relena understood Dorothy's frustration but there were only so many things that said Christmas. "Our options are limited it's a Christmas theme. It's either elves or Mrs. Santa Clause. Unless you have a reindeer costume?"

"Hey ladies."

"Mr. Maxwell." With a little more pitch and they could be a choir.

"I told you to call me Duo."

"Ok Duo. What or who will you be dressed as for the costume party?" Dorothy asked.

"An Elf." Duo waved his hands in the air. "I know, I know not very original, but I have plans on spray painting my hair white." He winked as if his idea was undeniably clever. "What about you?"

"We're stuck."

Relena eyed Dorothy as she spoke. The other woman was pouting, shamelessly, bottom lip protruding two inches from her face, pouting.

Duo rubbed his hands together. "Let's see if Duo can help. Hmm, what do you think of when you hear Christmas?"

Dorothy and Relena looked at each other then took turns naming what came to their minds.

"Elves."

"Reindeer."

"Snow."

Santa Clause."

"Presents."

"Candy canes."

"Candy canes." Duo winked. "I think you'd be pretty appetizing in red and white stripes, a pair of red heels and…. yeah that might be a good look."

Relena wasn't sure but he almost looked to be salivating and after a beat of awkward silence Duo excused himself.

Dorothy sighed loudly. "Did you see how he was looking at me as he was describing that outfit?"- "Like he could lick me from head to toe."

"What happened to off limits?"

"He's a distant cousin that doesn't apply to him."

"Distant? He's Odin's brother's son. That's not distant."

"Seriously?" Relena hadn't meant to say that out loud but she wasn't sorry about it either. She was in the elevator on her way to collect a package from the front desk but before the doors could close completely a hand shot out and stopped it. A hand, she would discover, that belonged to Mr. Yuy.

"I'm not allowed to ride the elevator because you don't trust yourself in such a small space with me?"

Relena turned away from him the best she could but thought better of it when she recalled the last time she had turned her back on him. She had to keep a close eye on him at all times. Was hard-work but a girl had to do what a girl had to do.

Standing there with his arms folded in a dark blue suit that at first glance appeared black, white shirt no tie and immaculately shined and polished black shoes it was hard to find a reason not to like him.

He threw a sideways glance at her, a glance that told her he knew she'd been looking.

She rolled her eyes and began to grumble.

"That's a bad habit, talking to yourself."

"You're a bad habit."

"What?"

"Nothing." Relena slapped a hand over her mouth. She had to get a handle on her mouth before it got her into trouble. From her corner of the elevator, she peaked at the display to check their progress. Fourth floor. Not much further to go. Soon she'd be free.

Soon she'd –

The cart jolted to a halt, only then did she register that he had moved.

"What, did you do?" Relena tried her best to sound annoyed but her shallow breaths made it impossible.

"I stopped the elevator."

Relena glared. How could one person be so at ease with himself? He had no qualms admitting that he'd basically just kidnapped her.

"This isn't an episode of grey's anatomy. You can't just corner me in the elevator whenever you feel like it."

Heero smiled as he approached her. "No, this isn't greys anatomy, this, is actually happening."

He kissed her without laying a finger on her it was light, tentative and infuriating. She threw her hands around his neck fusing their bodies together. She knew that shouldn't have been her reaction but she didn't care, not yet.

She was tugging him further and deeper into her mouth, the unexpected aggression catching him off guard. He braced one hand on the back of the elevator to steady them the other slid under her skirt and into her in one fluid motion. The wetness he found there robbed him of whatever semblance of self-control he was trying to hold. She knew by the way he grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her off the floor and by the guttural moan that hummed deep inside his throat when she wrapped her legs around him. He kneaded her breasts while overpowering her mouth. When he undid her blouse her back arched in response it was an open invitation he didn't miss and didn't hesitate to accept. His tongue licked her hardened nipples softly, before sucking hungrily at the mounds. Relena's head lulled back against the cold metal cart. Lost in the sensation. It was exactly as she remembered or maybe a little better.

It must've been thirty minutes at least that they were gone, yet no one seemed to notice. Not even the ever vigilant, private-I Dorothy. Not that she wanted people to know what she'd done. In fact, shouldn't she be relieved no one was curious? Why was this bothering her? But her suspicions wouldn't be dismissed. And the only way to find out was to go to the source. She'd get the answers along with something else that she had absentmindedly forgotten.

"Why was no one suspicious when the elevator stopped working?" Relena didn't waste time with pleasantries once given the go-ahead to come in and Heero obviously wasn't preoccupied with pleasantries either since he didn't even stop his typing when he responded.

"It needed maintenance."

The wheels in her head started to spin. Maintenance? "No, it didn't."

He looked up at her. "No one else knows that."

"You planned that?" She paused to wait for a denial but what she got was an admission of guilt that came in the form of an unapologetic smile. "I can't believe this."

"Are you mad because I planned it, or are you mad because you did it."

Relena marched to his desk, the effect diminished thanks to the stupid carpet on the floor. "I don't know who you think you are, but my name isn't Meredith. You," She jabbed a finger into his shoulder, "Are no McDreamy and you don't get to walk around with these," She jammed her hands into his jacket pocket to retrieve what was hers, "In your jacket pocket."

"Who did you get for the exchange?"

Relena and Dorothy looked down at their gifts they'd received from their secret Santas.

"Maggie. You?"

Dorothy rolled her eyes. "Veronica."

"Ouch. What did you get for a woman you hate more than," Relena made air quotes as she continued. "A rip in a newly bought pair of stockings."

"I got her tickets to a production of Cats."

"That's not so bad."

"She's allergic to cats, it was either that or get her a real one. What did u buy for Magz."

Sometimes Dorothy worried her. "Perfume."

Dorothy wrinkled her nose.

"What? You can't go wrong with fragrance."

"It's the gift that requires the least amount of thought whatsoever. I can't begin to tell you how much thought I put into my gift."

Relena snorted. "No doubt."

"Are you going to open yours now or later?" Dorothy asked.

"Is that a question?'

Dorothy picked up a pair of scissors and handed Relena a box cutter. "Shall we?"

Relena shook her box, a bad habit she'd had since childhood and hoped it was nothing to break.

"Bet it's a book." Dorothy teased.

"Bet it's a perfume."

She peeled open the gift wrap and unceremoniously dismantled the box inside.

She and Dorothy both held looks of surprise but Relena knew it was for totally different reasons.

"What the hell is it?" Dorothy asked.

"It's a manga."

"A what?"

"An anime comic-ish"

"Whoever bought you that should be shot."

Relena smiled, she knew Dorothy wouldn't understand if she explained it. Dorothy was more earrings and designer bags. A gift like this would have been thrown at the giver's head.

Relena made it a point to work late that evening. She wanted to speak to Heero without an audience. After everyone had left she walked into Heero's office, at this hour the door was wide open probably because he thought he was alone.

"I thought secret Santas were supposed to be anonymous."

He leaned back in his chair and gave her a quizzical look.

"I know it was you who bought that gift."

"Have you considered the fact that you just want it to be me?"

"No, so just admit you bought it and I'll be out of your hair."

"You win, I bought it."

"Thank you. Now as per our deal." Relena pivoted on her heels but she didn't make it out the door before he made a counteroffer.

"Have dinner with me."

"Hasn't anyone told you, you don't give to get?"

"You could say no."

"How could I say no to the guy that buys me limited edition manga. Just promise me nothing awkward or sexual or anything like that."

The pair headed for the elevator and Relena couldn't hide her hesitancy nor he his smile.

"Where are we going to eat?"

"My apartment."

"Nothing awkward or sexual, you promised."

He smirked. "I didn't."

"How did you know which one to buy." There were several hundred books that would describe how unladylike it was for her to be talking with a mouth full of shrimp, unfortunately for them, she hadn't read any. Relena knew she had disclosed part of her geek side to him in one of the conversations but she didn't think he would remember.

Despite have a large dining table and chef's kitchen, they had set up dinner on the living room floor.

"You told me, that night, that it was the only one missing from the collection."

Relena paused mid-chew. "What? Why would we have been talking about manga? I mean how much could two people possibly share in less than a day?"

"I can't answer that without being awkward or sexual."

Relena rolled her eyes. "Do you read any manga?"

"No."

Relena scowled. "Do you watch anime?"

"Don't care for it."

"Just when I thought we could be friends."

Her laugh died suddenly casting the room in an abrupt silence. "Oh my god how's your mom."

When she revisited that night, her memories were usually more of what they did and less on what they'd said but his comment jarred her more than convenient memory to recount one important detail. His mother had been ill at the time of the party and he was not feeling very festive.

Relena didn't know how she could forget that and she could only watch as his body stiffened, and his face went blank. "I'm sorry, I should-

"She' s fine. Thanks for asking a year later."

She threw a pillow at him. "Jerk."

"What is your favourite anime?"

"It's not like you'll know, you don't watch it."

He shrugged.

"Hmm, so many to choose from, would I be too much of a girl is I said sailor moon?"

"Yes."

Relena laughed. "What tuxedo mask was hot."

"Leave it to estrogen to fall in love with a fictional character."

"Whatever, moving on. Favorite book?"

"Playing 21 questions, are we?"

"Just answer the question."

He took a swig from the bottle in his hand. "The art of war."

"Really? I don't even consider that a real book."

"It is." He tilted the bottleneck in her direction with an expectant look on his face.

"Hmm, Too long a Sacrifice."

Seeing the slightly confused look on his face, Relena elaborated. "It's a beautiful love story about a woman who gave up everything, so the love of her life could have his dream job."

"No comment."

Relena laughed, she wasn't at all surprised by that response. "Your turn, ask me a question. Correction. Ask me a 'what's your favorite' question."

"What is your favorite movie."

Relena grinned wickedly. "Fifty shades of grey. Didn't read the book but definitely watched the movie. You have some things in common with him."

"I'm not an insecure man with the need to dominate women to bolster my own ego."

"He was not insecure. Unbelievable, where would you get that? He was …. Relena thought of a word 'controlling, obsessive,' somehow those words did nothing to challenge Heero's theory. "He was sure of what he wanted? Leave it to testosterone to ruin a beautiful story. Don't tell me, your idea of a good movie was 3000?"

"Last of the Mohicans."

"Seriously everything you've listed is about war and fighting."

"I believe in fighting for what you want. Life doesn't hand you anything."

"Some battles aren't worth fighting."

Heero shook his head. "That's usually the rhetoric of people standing on the sides line, afraid to fight."

"No, it's the view of the objective observer who can deduce that the sides involved don't realise that they're probably fighting over something ridiculous. Or at the very least ignoring a much better solution." Relena could feel her chest tightening and her face heating. This was a good time to change the subject. "Next question!"

"Why has it taken you a year to speak to me."

"Not that question."

They stared at each other for a moment but Relena could tell he wasn't going to budge.

"It's not like you've been trying to reach me. We went back to our lives I guess?"

"And now."

"And now…." She stood. "And now I should probably go." She looked at the door then back to Heero who hadn't moved from his position on the floor but instead of leaving she sank into his lap ran her hand through his hair and kissed him.

"Wow, we really do frequent the same places."

Relena startled at the sound of Duo's voice. He was dressed casually like he'd just come from the gym or was on his way. But who went to the gym at two am?

"Company meeting I wasn't invited to?"

Relena laughed nervously. "No, It's nothing like that. I was just—"

"Relax I know all about it."

Relena's eyes bulged but before she could form any sort of retort Duo was speaking again.

"You leaving? I can give you a ride."

Relena had had second thoughts about allowing him to take her home. A car with license plates that read scythe couldn't be a good omen, but Duo had assured her he was a completely safe driver. So, she relented, she figured he'd lasted this long, so the odds were in her favour plus she really wanted to drive in his car. It was black and shiny and smelt just out the showroom new. Who could resist the scent of new leather?

Relena wanted to ask where he was going. She couldn't wrap her mind around the idea that maybe he was on his way to work out at this hour. She hazard a glance in his direction and thought better of it. Despite his friendliness, he was still her superior and she didn't want to risk saying or asking anything that might offend him. Mostly, she didn't, but there was one question she desperately needed answered, boss or not. "So, when you say you know all about it?"

"I mean the only thing he didn't tell me was your bra size, something about it being T.M.I.

"What?"

"Kidding." Duo pointed to the road. "How far?"

"Weston."

"Oh, does Dorothy live around here?"

"An ulterior motive."

"No no, I like helping damsels in distress. You shouldn't be wandering around by yourself at," He looked at his dashboard. "two am."

Relena wasn't sure she believed him, but she wasn't going to press the issue. He was, after all, in many ways her boss.

"No, she doesn't, she lives over in High Grove."

"Ah, I see. She ever talks about me?"

"I should've known this ride had strings."

"In business, young grasshopper, you learn to seize opportunities as they come."

"I'm not helping you."

"Wait a sec, why am I driving you home?"

"You offered."

"Yeah cause its two in the am. Heero's not the type to let you just leave without making sure you got home safely. Even if you'd had a huge fight he'd still do the right thing."

Relena looked away at the accusation in Duo's eyes.

"He doesn't know you left."

It was more of a statement than a question so Relena didn't feel required to provide a response.

"Great."

They were silent until they stopped at her apartment building.

"You know he's a good guy. If you don't want him just leave him alone."