Relena turns back to me, her expression even angrier than before. I no
longer know who I want to strangle more right now: her, or Duo. Why did
she have to follow us? Why did he have to go and make things more
difficult for me? Maybe I should just get it over with and strangle them
both.
"Heero, you must remove this boy from my property immediately!" she says haughtily, stamping one foot. The effect is ruined as a 'squish' sound emerges from the wet carpet. She's not phased, but behind her, Duo is laughing even harder.
"No." I reply, my voice firm but emotionless.
"No?!? Why not? This is my home, and I say who stays and who goes!"
"And you have accepted me as your bodyguard, so I overrule you in this matter. Having another Gundam pilot on the premises will increase your safety, so I say he stays."
She stares at me in disbelief. Duo has stopped laughing for a moment, but I know that it's only a temporary reprise.
"No! He will not stay here!"
"Yes, he will."
Silence for a few moments. Then she gives up. Wise decision. "Fine… But he'll have to stay on the fourth floor, at the end of the hall."
I quickly survey the mental map I have of this compound. The fourth floor… Those are the servants' quarters. Not so bad a thing, the rooms are better than many of the ones we've had at some of our safe houses… But something's not quite right. Then it hits me.
"The room you are talking about," I begin, putting as much ice behind my voice as I can manage, "Is a storage closet."
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
"You will not force my companion to sleep in a storage closet!"
"That's the only room I'll allow him to stay in. I don't want him to contaminate any of the others; they're all too good for him."
That does it. She's gone too far. My eyes narrow, and I feel myself getting angry. Very angry, to be more precise.
"Fine." I snarl hatefully. "Duo," I say, looking over Relena at the American pilot. He isn't laughing anymore; he looks hurt and angry, among other things. "You'll be staying in my room for the duration of your stay here." I glare at Relena, daring her to challenge my decision. She doesn't; she merely pushes past me, stomping out of the room.
I lock the door behind her, not wanting her to come back in, then turn back to Duo. His normal grin is already back in place. Not a good thing, in this case; it tells me just how upset he really is.
"Heh… I guess she really hates me, ne Hee-chan?" he asks, tilting his head to one side. His tone is joking, but I can see the half-buried hurt in his eyes.
"Heero, you must remove this boy from my property immediately!" she says haughtily, stamping one foot. The effect is ruined as a 'squish' sound emerges from the wet carpet. She's not phased, but behind her, Duo is laughing even harder.
"No." I reply, my voice firm but emotionless.
"No?!? Why not? This is my home, and I say who stays and who goes!"
"And you have accepted me as your bodyguard, so I overrule you in this matter. Having another Gundam pilot on the premises will increase your safety, so I say he stays."
She stares at me in disbelief. Duo has stopped laughing for a moment, but I know that it's only a temporary reprise.
"No! He will not stay here!"
"Yes, he will."
Silence for a few moments. Then she gives up. Wise decision. "Fine… But he'll have to stay on the fourth floor, at the end of the hall."
I quickly survey the mental map I have of this compound. The fourth floor… Those are the servants' quarters. Not so bad a thing, the rooms are better than many of the ones we've had at some of our safe houses… But something's not quite right. Then it hits me.
"The room you are talking about," I begin, putting as much ice behind my voice as I can manage, "Is a storage closet."
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
"You will not force my companion to sleep in a storage closet!"
"That's the only room I'll allow him to stay in. I don't want him to contaminate any of the others; they're all too good for him."
That does it. She's gone too far. My eyes narrow, and I feel myself getting angry. Very angry, to be more precise.
"Fine." I snarl hatefully. "Duo," I say, looking over Relena at the American pilot. He isn't laughing anymore; he looks hurt and angry, among other things. "You'll be staying in my room for the duration of your stay here." I glare at Relena, daring her to challenge my decision. She doesn't; she merely pushes past me, stomping out of the room.
I lock the door behind her, not wanting her to come back in, then turn back to Duo. His normal grin is already back in place. Not a good thing, in this case; it tells me just how upset he really is.
"Heh… I guess she really hates me, ne Hee-chan?" he asks, tilting his head to one side. His tone is joking, but I can see the half-buried hurt in his eyes.