Chapter 4

As Relena entered the living room she saw Heero lying on the sofa by the fire. She smiled and her eyes drifted toward the clock. It read 7:34 pm.

'Wow, we've been running round since 10 o'clock!' Relena thought. She suddenly realised how hungry she was, since she hadn't anything to eat since that morning. Heero had distracted her too much to even think about food.

"Heero?" Relena questioned in a quiet voice. Heero turned his head towards her. "You hungry? It's just that I'm getting something to eat now, and I was just wondering...." Heero cut the babbling girl short with his usual answer.

"Hn."

Relena then disappeared off to the kitchen, leaving Heero alone by the blazing fire. He felt the warm glow against his face as embers brushed against it while he stared into the twirling patterns of the flames. His mind was lost in the reds and oranges of the fire, trying to think about the day that had just gone by.

'Why does it feel as if I'm meant to be here? Why do I feel so...so...calm when I'm here and around her? Everything is like I'm meant to be here forever, every day of my life. Am I meant to be here? Everything seems to be screaming out "Yes Yes Yes! Stay here forever"…but if I stayed here, that would only put Relena at risk, wouldn't it?'

Heero the heard the door to the kitchen open and Relena returned, and with her she carried their dinner. The princess came toward Heero and sat down directly in front of the fire. Her hand motioned for him to come and sit next to her. Heero rose slowly off the sofa, forgetting his previous thoughts, and came to sit down next to Relena.

The two ate in friendly silence, having the cracks of the fire as their only company. Heero finished his meal first and sat staring at the fire once more until Relena had finished. Every now and again, Heero would quickly look at the girl beside him. He noticed that her eyes were forcing themselves to stay open.

'She must be tired from our chase today.' Heero thought. Relena finished her dinner, and was about to get up to clear the things away, when Heero stopped her.

"Let me wash things up." The former gundam pilot said kindly.

"O…kay." Relena didn't know what to say. 'Why is Heero acting like this? Why is he being so human?' Relena thought as she stood up. Heero gave her a small push over towards the sofa, before disappearing off to the kitchen. When Heero returned, he found Relena asleep on the sofa. Heero smiled at the sleeping princess that lay before him. Her peaceful face was deep asleep as Heero gently picked her up in his strong arms, and quietly carried the young girl upstairs. He opened the door to her room, and silently laid Relena down on her bed.

'She looks so beautiful when she's asleep.' But while wanting to sleep himself, Heero couldn't bring himself to look away from the sleeping angel before him. His hand came to rest lightly on the side of her face. Desire overcame Heero and he gently kissed Relena on the forehead. Content, he rose and left her to sleep. As he reached the doorway, he turned to look back at Relena.

"Goodnight my princess." Heero said under his breath as he closed the door. He walked down the hallway and entered his own room.