Heero watched Duo from his desk across the room, agents blocking his view, now and again, as they went about their duties in Preventer headquarters. Duo was indeed frowning over his task, cutting the paper as he bent over the task in acute concentration.

"Bet it's something like, 'Fuck you'," Hilde snickered.

"I resign, Commander Bitch," another agent guessed.

"Take this paper and --" another began, but Heero glared at them all.

"Don't you have work to do?" Heero wondered icily.

They looked at each other, shrugged or sighed, and then moved to another spot of the large room to watch Duo work.

Heero tried to return to his work as well, but his eyes kept sliding from his mission report to Duo. He had offered to partner with the man the other day, submitted a paper to that effect to Une. Heero wondered if the paper Duo was so angry about was Une's informing him of the fact.

Duo had been so open and friendly, though. Heero had found himself intrigued by the man... no, he had to be honest, at least to himself, fascinated by him even during the war. When Duo had joined Preventers, the thought of anyone else partnering with Duo, had been intolerable. Heero wanted to be the one to watch Duo's back, to get to know him better. Duo had seemed just as eager to reconnect with Heero, more than eager, actually. He had been either at Heero's desk, or by his side, talking, since he had arrived two days ago.

Duo finished his project, looked it over critically, and then smiled as he put aside his sharp, combat knife. Only Duo would use a razor sharp, instrument of death, to do something so mundane. That was why Heero found himself drawn to the man. Duo was always so full of life, edgy, and unpredictable.

Duo stood and carried his handy work to Heero's desk. His smile didn't reassure Heero. Duo could smile for very dangerous reasons that had nothing to do with humor. Duo lifted his hands up, purple eyes glinting, and released... a shower of red, paper hearts onto Heero's desk.

Heero had tensed, seeing the lettering on the hearts. It was a red sheet of transfer; One Heero Yuy now assigned as Duo Maxwell's partner. Was this rejection? The hearts were jagged, the knife not as precise as scissors.

"Happy Valentine's Day, partner," Duo laughed as he snagged a chair and sat down. "What's our first case?"

Heero blushed and found a smile. "Valentine's Day?" he wondered.

Duo grinned and shrugged. "Yeah, a nice holiday observed by all partners... and lovers... everywhere."

He left it up to Heero to figure out which one he was, and Heero was eager to find out.