His assignment was to guard Relena. A particularly vicious death threat had been received, and she was to have one-on-one protection. Heero strolled around the gardens, restless and moody. The sun did little to help his disposition. He sat on a stone bench, looking with unseeing eyes at the beauty around him. He thought only of another beauty. Relena walked by, smiling at him. He lifted a hand in greeting, but remained silent as she continued past. He watched her walk away, his thoughts continuing to drift.

I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say.
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be.
But if you'll wait around awhile, I'll make you fall for me,
I promise you, I promise you I will.

He wanted. He wanted so much that he ached inside and out, day and night. He needed to know that the want was mutual. The hair, swaying from side to side, a river of silk. The eyes, such a shade of blue that words couldn't describe them adequately. The body, lithe and trim, walking with an internal rhythm that made his knees weak. The personality, unique and full of light. A light he wished he could have, but accepted that he didn't. It only made him treasure it that much more in his beloved. A childlike innocence combined with a worldliness and a sharp intellect. He loved everything, inside and out, finding something new to treasure with every new day.

When your day is through, and so is your temper,
You know what to do, I'm gonna always be there.
Sometimes if I shout, it's not what's intended.
These words just come out, with no gripe to bear.

It was a bad day all around, one of those days where everyone involved wished they had stayed in bed. Relena had a day filled with meetings, leaving them both exhausted and short tempered. She snapped at him, he glared at her, and they had both stalked off. He almost forgot about watching her, and had to turn around and storm after her, his near-omission raising his fury to a dangerous level. Sitting in her sitting room as she slept in the bedroom, he checked messages on his laptop, hearing about a failed mission that nearly left Duo and Wufei in Oz's hands. Their e-mails reflected frustration and anger at the failure. Slamming the computer shut, he growled as he paced around the room.

Why was this interminably long day continuing? What fresh hell was this? He longed to leave the room, and make his way to his beloved and offer and accept comfort. He knew that understanding was there if only he asked for it, but he couldn't bring himself to. Slamming his body into a chair, he buried his face in his hands, tormenting himself with images of what could be.

He'd reach up, cupping whisper-soft skin and caressing it carefully. Anger, exhaustion, frustration would all be forgotten as those eyes washed away all the negativity, and replacing it with a smile and hope. Lips would brush, then brush again before exploring each other to the fullest extent possible. Words of love would flow from both of their lips as their hearts opened.

With a start, he forced his mind back to the present, and snarled as he made his way to his bed.

I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say.
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be.
But if you'll wait around awhile, I'll make you fall for me,
I promise you, I promise you...

The next day, Heero's laptop beeped, indicating an incoming call. Checking on Relena's location, he accepted the call. The familiar face of Duo popped up, trademark grin in place. "Heya buddy!"

"You're rather cheerful, considering." Heero remarked.

"You win some, you lose some." Duo shrugged.

Heero noted the shadows beneath his eyes belying his words, and simply nodded.

Duo continued. "So, how's life in the palace? Any news? Like an engagement or something?" He snickered as he watched Heero's eyes narrow.

"I am here in the capacity of bodyguard, Duo, and you know that. Please do not insult me or Relena by implying otherwise." The Heero Yuy Deathglare (tm) was firmly in place now, though Duo's smiling eyes remained unaffected by it.

"Whatever you say, buddy. All I know is that you're alone in the palace with a young blonde princess. Who knows what's going on there? Still waters run deep, don't they?"

"Is there a point to this call, Duo? I have things to attend to."

"Still no word on the search party that went out after your sense of humor, I see? Oh well. I called to let you know that your mission will be over in two weeks. There is a suspect in custody, but for safety's sake, they want to wait and be absolutely sure he's working alone. We should have another mission shortly after that, you and I, but we'll be briefed on that once you get back here. See ya soon!" And with that, Duo signed off.

Heero stared at the computer screen for a few minutes. Shutting it, he walked back to Relena. He was determined to express his feelings before the two weeks were up. He had to, for the sake of his sanity, and for the sake of the safety and success of future missions.

I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say.
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be.
And if I had to walk the world, I'd make you fall for me,
I promise you, I promise you I will.

I gotta tell you, I gotta tell you, I need to tell you...

He took pen in hand, determined to write out his feelings. Words had never been his strong point. He tended to use them to express facts, and often spoke in a terse fashion that others mistook for indifference. He wanted no such misperception in this case.

"I need to tell you something. I don't know how you will react, but I cannot hold it in any longer. I've had almost a month to think about this, and I must tell you. It may damage the relationship that we have now, but that's a chance I have to take. I'm not sure..."

He scratched out the words, and began again.

"I've found myself in a difficult situation. I need to tell you how I feel, and I realize that this may affect the relationship that we have now."

Growing more frustrated, he ripped the paper to shreds, and began again.

"I love you. Hate me if you will, but I had to tell you."

Growling, he tore that piece in half, crumpled it, tossed it in the trash, and returned to the gardens to pace out his frustration.

I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say.
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be.
But if you'll wait around awhile, I'll make you fall for me,
I promise you, I promise you...

He had to do something. He couldn't just go on knowing that he loved so much and not doing something about it. He had never been in love before, had no clue if his love was reciprocated, and struggled to find the words and actions to express his feelings. He couldn't hold it in any longer. If he got the words wrong, then he would just have to try again. But he had to say something.

His assignment was finally over. He was in his room packing when he heard a knock on the door. Opening the door, he started as violet eyes smiled back at him. "Jumpy, Mr. Perfect Soldier Man? That's not like you." Duo smirked, and leaned against the doorframe. "Going to ask me in or are you ready to go?"

"No, I'm not ready. Come in. There is one more thing I have to take care of before I leave here."

I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say.
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be.
And if I had to walk the world, I'd make you fall for me,
I promise you, I promise you I will. I will. I will.

"Sure. Whatever." Duo shrugged, and walked over to the window. "So, how did it go?" he continued, slouching into a chair. "Did your month with Ms. Perfect drive you nuts or did you kill her before her would be assassins could? Is she the last thing you have to take care of? One last undying profession of love?" Duo snickered, and then realized that he had gotten no response. He continued, undaunted. "Hello? Heero? Are you going to say anything at all? I did come all this way to pick you up for our next mission."

Heero simply stared at Duo. Those eyes, deep pools of blue-violet that had haunted his dreams. That hair, long, thick and silken. The trim, compact, toned body. The sense of humor. Everything. He loved everything about the other boy. And he still didn't know what to say.

Duo's next words went flying out of his mouth as he was lifted out of the chair. Shocked into silence, he stared at Heero, their eyes inches apart, Duo's filled with questions.

Heero pulled him closer, taking one hand from his shoulder and moving it to caress Duo's face. Still speechless, Duo could only watch as emotions played across Heero's face. Pulling Duo closer, eyes still locked, Heero kissed him. Both sets of eyes drifted closed as they leaned into one another and allowed their lips to do what both had wanted for ages.

Finally, Heero pulled away, still searching Duo's eyes. He closed his own, gathering courage, and then opened them, and took a deep breath, and blurted out what he had been needing to say for months.

"I love you."

Duo smiled, and pulled Heero back to him for another lengthy kiss. Nuzzling the short haired boy's neck, Duo whispered into his ear. "Took you long enough. I've loved you for what seems like a lifetime now."