Protecting the Fox

Pairing: 1x2 (nothings better), 3+4 (nothing explicit), and another favorite 13x6x5 (ah, poor Wufei) but much later, more 6x5 though (I've come too really like that pairing and the angst and drama it brings).

Chap. 2 Making Plans

Isn't it funny when your still dreaming and part of reality suddenly seeps into your dreams like a black hole has appeared and is merging the two worlds together until you can' tell one from the other? Well, I have those dreams all the time. Currently there was someone pounding on my door in both my dream and most likely reality. But in my dream it wasn't really a door, so much as a wall. And the hand that was banging on it was mine. I started with a gasp and sat up, pushing the covers off my over heated body. Breathe was coming fast between my overly bitten lips most likely bleeding. I couldn't believe I had that dream again. It had taken me a year to fight it off and now its back to haunt me like bad breathe.

The banging had yet to stop and I glanced up at the shaking door. There was a gruff yell from the other side that I recognized as Heero's and sighed. I guess I gave him a scare. I'm known to scream or to talk in my sleep…guess I should have warned him. I stumbled out of bed, not caring that my hair had worked its way out of the braid and my shirt was hanging half on and half off my body. I unlocked the door, grumbling back at the intruder on my beauty sleep, although I could hug the man for interrupting…if I wanted to die a horrible death that is.

I blearily blinked up at the face before me, leaning on the door for support. "What?"

Heero looked stunned, face momentarily frozen as his eyes traveled over my appearance. I'm sure I could win the best looking wake up call award. That's for sure.

"You were screaming. You were telling someone to stop." Oh, so it was magical door number one…the scream.

"Oh, it was just a dream Heero, go back to bed." Before I could close the door he barged his way in, not taking my word for it. He was already dressed, although it appeared that he had stopped half way through the process. His sword dangling from his hip was slightly askew and his simple white shirt and dark black vest were partially opened to reveal…nothing but a clean hard chest. Look away from the eclipse Duo.

When he was satisfied with his inspection of the room he turned back to me, arms crossed over his chest. He really likes that position doesn't he? I would have laughed if I wasn't so damned tired.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Again all he did was stare. It was becoming monotonous in an infuriating Relena laughter kind of way. I groaned and ran my hands through my hair, only finding a few knots when I expected about a hundred. At least it wouldn't take me long to untangle it and put it into a semblance of order…later. I stumbled back to my bed and fell back into the nest of blankets. Opting for a light sheet to hide under.

"Now that everything is safe in Duo land, can you leave? I'm tired; I didn't get enough sleep last night. As you've heard." I grumbled already almost falling back into dream land, hopefully this one filled with food or a naked guard…I can dream you know.

I vaguely heard the sound of boots making their way closer to the bed before I felt the sheet being pulled off. I couldn't quite imagine what greeted him, especially since my shirt had scrunched up about my hips leaving my behind bare as the moon, but as much as I would have loved to see his face I had already drifted away again.

I'm not sure how much later it was, but I felt a hand nudging me awake, hard calloused hands pushing against my arm. I opened my eyes and owlishly blinked up at my…savior. No, that was a dream…this was Heero… Same thing, my brain supplied but I ignored it and rolled away from the guard placing my back to him. I could feel the sheet settled about my hips, and I couldn't help but smile. So he couldn't handle a half naked Duo could he? Got to remember that one.

"Duo…get up. It's near 9 o'clock." Nine o'clock!

"You're waking me up at 9? Are you insane, man?" I tried to pull the blankets back over my form but couldn't reach them as Heero had once again pulled them off. He really likes to do that doesn't he?

"I said get up. Your breakfast is waiting for you." I sat up, eyes looking about the room.

"Food?" Yep, I'm a sad individual when food is presented into the equation.

"Get dressed." He walked towards the door leaving me to stare after him.

Get dressed? Hah, like I'm going to miss any chance to make him uncomfortable. But just for some modesty I plucked my robe from the chair near my bed and shrugged it on, pulling my hair to the left side of my body and out of the way.

I ambled out into the living area, noise already noting the luscious smell of food. I was ravenous. Well, I should be since some idiot decided to barge in on me and scare the living hell out of me.

I plopped into the chair quickly uncovering the plate. I was going to hug the cook. It was my favorite. Scrambled eggs with cheese and the cook's specialty ham with a side of sausage, corn beef and hash and a slice of toast with strawberry jam. I eat only two types of breakfasts that cook prepares. The other is far simpler. The other being just a sweetened concoction of berries, grains and fresh milk. I'm not a big breakfast connoisseur but I take what I can get. I dug in then, not letting anything distract me from my mission of eating. I had hardly eaten the day before…or for the whole week actually. That's the thing really, I can go without eating for a time but when I'm presented with food I just can't say no…unless the atmosphere is extremely uncomfortable…aka family functions.

"I thought I told you to get dressed." Heero was leaning, again, against the window, watching me shovel as much food into my mouth as I could. I swear I had seen him smirk for about a millisecond before sourpuss returned with a vengeance.

"I did get dressed." I had taken a break to gulp down some milk, letting me free to talk. "When someone says to get dressed, that person then puts clothes on. I put this robe on meaning I got dressed. You never specified how much to get dressed." I smirked as I took in a forkful of hash and almost died in orgasmic bliss. I love hash.

When I had finished I sat back and groaned happily. "Oh, that was marvelous."

"If you eat when you're supposed to you wouldn't have to stuff yourself like this." He pointed out clinically, moving away from the window.

"What do you mean? I love stuffing myself like this. It's very nice. Plus, I like to eat in privacy."

"You ate in front of me." I stopped licking my fork and looked up at Heero, eyes strangely questioning.

"That's different. There's only one of you and multiples of 'them'." I stood up and stretched, no doubt pulling up the shirt scandalously close to certain revealing areas. How I do love to torment. "I guess I'll go get…'dressed' now. Why are you in a big hurry anyway?"

I traveled back to my rooms unconsciously checking for any visitors, while Heero stayed outside, putting my dishes in order. Freak…I had already made sure that there weren't any crumbs, stains or any other mess the chamber boy would have to clean up.

I picked out a pair of simple black cotton trousers, and a forest green tunic. Once that was put on I found a simple yet well made vest of silk and cotton, many different gray's on a dark and light scale dancing in the morning sun. I walked over to my…what do girls call them? Vanity's…I wonder what boy's call them? Oh well. Locating my allusive hair brush I waited for an answer.

"Mrs. Relena has invited you to go riding with her this afternoon and to tea afterwards." Crap…groaning I yanked the brush through my hair, only wincing three times as I savagely pulled the knots out. I knew I would get my come-upings sooner or later for leaving Heero with the girl. She had asked him to tell me that she had made plans and I wasn't there to say no. What a beast of a girl.

"Wonderful." I deftly braided the mass back into a neat braid and tied it off with a gray satin ribbon, looking myself over before grabbing my cloak, which was less frilly then the one from the night before. This one would surely have my father rolling around like a whale. Why would a prince ever want to look like a commoner in a gray cloak, with no adornments? I can just hear him now…it makes me almost want to laugh. Although, it was lined with fur, what I don't particularly care to know. I love animals, so it hurts to know I'm staying warm at their expense. "Just what I always wanted to do."

I swung the cloak on, pushing my arms through the sleeves and pulling my braid out to swing down to my behind. "Ready." I looked back at the other man, noting he was staring again. "Alright. I can't take it anymore. Why are you staring at me like that? Hm…? Is there something wrong, maybe a piece of food in my teeth or a stray hair out of place? Anything?" He looked befuddled before he frowned and walked up to me.

As wary as I was of the strange man I stayed my ground, chin held high. He plucked up my pendent and pushed it underneath my shirt, eyes resting on mine again. "Thought you'd want it hidden." He said briefly and walked past me, holding the door open, picture of the perfect and obedient guard. He was good. I placed my hand over my chest feeling the lump underneath the fabric and smiled. I could get used to a guard that saw things not even my father could see. It made me feel…visible again.