A.C. 202

Over the six months of long winter, Heero visited the numerous gyms, fitness clubs, and dojos in New Port City. With the country's policy of welcoming ex-soldiers, many such facilities have popped up.

Of all the schools, the closest to Heero's style of combat was Krav Maga. He had sparred with Wufei occasionally back when they both served with the Preventers. The Chinese man was infuriated by Heero's blunt techniques, and often called him artless and uncultured. Heero preferred the term efficient.

As a man, Heero had a disagreeable temperament and was naturally competitive, which sometimes translated to physical aggression. There were times he felt he wasn't fit to be around Relena, too vigorous and in need of release. It wasn't a problem when he was engaged in hard labour daily, but now that winter had set in, his days were occupied with online courses and light chores. He itched for exertion, to sweat and strain and struggle, and he could satisfy that itch on the mat.

His favorite place was a dojo opened by a retired sergeant from Brazil, who taught "Aiki-Jujitsu". According to this sensei, Aikido and Jujitsu used to be one school, all he was doing was restoring it back to its origins. Heero didn't particularly care for the flashy flips or the fanciful throws, but the joint manipulation kept him keen. Surprisingly, training sessions also mandated meditation. He thought it pointless in the beginning, categorized it with the rest of the filigree that characterized this style. Soon however, he began to find it helpful, it focused his mind during practice, and even calmed him at home.

The Art of Peace, practitioners called it reverently. Peaceful resolutions to conflicts through harmonization of energies. The philosophy suited the Sanc Kingdom. Heero entertained the thought of inviting Relena to a practice session, she would enjoy the dance-like techniques, and he would enjoy... well, harmonizing with her. Though he was not quite sure how his classmates would react to the Princess stepping onto their sweaty tatami, nor was he eager to publish his acquaintance with her to others.

He had been temporarily put up in the grounds keeper's cabin at the Peacecraft residence with Pagan, to help the old butler with some of the more strenuous duties in the winter. The loyal servant was getting on in years, but was no stranger to the cold. After all, the Sanc Kingdom was his childhood home, and the old man felt glad to be spending his final years here. Brought into the service of the royal family in his teens, Pagan had three generations of Peacecrafts. Heero gleaned from local hearsay that the old servant was the one who rescued the infant princess from the burning castle, and delivered her to the then senator Darlian. This was the reason Heero allowed the man to put him up to seemingly ridiculous chores around the manor, ordering him around all the while calling him "Master" Yuy.

One frigid January morning, Heero climbed through knee-high snow banks just to get to Relena's door. The servants entrance he usually used, located conveniently behind the manor next to the cabin, froze shut. He could force it open but the antique door would be ruined by such brutish methods. Also, Pagan forbade it, so he shoveled his way from the cabin out back, around the large manor to the front door.

Relena did not work on the weekends, and always gave Pagan the Saturday off. Cooking was a leisure she had not been allowed to enjoy since she was a little girl, and now she never passed up on any opportunity to play the chef. This particular morning, Heero was lured in by the promise of pancakes and syrup, the smell vented out of her kitchen and floated around the garden. His stomach growled like a wild beast, and he shoveled faster, snow flung carelessly into the air over his head.

He was caked in the white stuff when he finally made it into her foyer, wild hair frozen into spikes and beard full of icicles. He stomped his boots and unzipped the front of his coat. She touched his exposed red ears with her warm-hot fingers, and fussed about him not wearing a hat in such dreadful weather. The collar of her definitively proper blouse folded just so with the upward motion of her arms. From his vantage, Heero could see the valley between her soft peaks under the silky fabric. Suddenly he was hungry for something else entirely.

His hands grabbed her smaller ones and his face descended to meet hers, icicles and all. His lips were cold from the outside air, but his breath and tongue was fire. Ice melted against her skin as she melted against him, and he pushed her towards the nearest wall with his lips, his torso, any and all parts of him that touched her. This was dangerous territory, something in his mind cautioned. He liked danger, another part of him replied rather smugly. He especially liked the way she felt all pliable and lithe against him, with her eyes closed and her mouth open.

Something in him burned and strained, he moved a knee between hers. Relena's eyes shot open, and she pushed him away with a yelp. Alarmed, he looked her up and down checking for signs of harm. Her face was flushed, panting lips swollen, and her hands were clutched over her heart. There was a seriousness to her eyes that sobered him up. He had crossed a line with her that he had no right to tread upon.

Some games you don't get to play unless you're all in.

Ever the diplomat, Relena offered him an olive branch. She feigned exasperation, diagnosed him with "a severe case of cabin fever", and prescribed that he shovel her driveway by hand. He was sent out with a ridiculous knitted thing on his head, and she watched him from her window as he cleared the previous night's snowfall from her ten-car driveway.

When he came back inside, Pagan greeted him at the door with a broom. Heero stood obediently still as snow was brushed off his coat, before joining them in the kitchen for breakfast.

He peeked at her through his bangs when she served him a tall stack of pancakes, and knew that his earlier transgressions were forgiven from the smile that dimpled her cheek.

Spring came slowly and then all at once. The canal roared with snowmelt from the mountains, migratory birds returned with new songs, and the ground of her garden was soft and yielding when he stepped off the stone path. Heero shed his winter coat with his winter beard, and presented himself to her freshly shaven. She grinned up at him with whimsy in her eyes, and kissed him chastely on his now smooth jaw.

"What's that for?"

"It's the first time I've seen your face in almost three years."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A note about the ending paragraphs of chapter 6, if you're confused, follow the link here. Lagrange points are a thing of beauty.

http/gundam./wiki/Lagrange_Points