Hello there ! It's my first time at anything about GW, and even if I was helped for the grammar by Ingvild, English isn't my native language, so you can fear for the worst !

The rumor

As always, Heero came in unannounced and went straight toward to the vice-minister's office, without any glance for the poor man behind his desk in the anteroom who tried desperately to stop him, or more likely, to slow him down just to gain enough time to warn his boss of his arrival.

Heero never even knocked when he sprang up from nowhere, and today was no different. He was in very bad mood and he didn't feel like waiting. He came for an explanation and surely as the sun, he was going to have one!

Relena was talking to a diplomat when she saw Heero at her door, and by the frown on his face, she knew it was not a courtesy greeting of an old friend.

Before the former pilot could utter a word, Sean, her personal assistant began his apologies, bowing low and speaking a thousand words the minute, only gaining a deathly glare from Heero and a polite smile from his boss.

"It's ok, Sean, don't worry. You know I always have time for mister Yuy." And with a smirk, she turned to Heero: "How may I help you today, Heero?"

The former pilot crossed his arms and waited a few seconds just to be sure Sean couldn't hear him anymore. In a low and somehow dangerous voice he said: "We're not lovers."

It wasn't really asked, but Relena could feel it wasn't just a statement either.

She blinked once, and then waited for something more, but it never came.

Sighing, she looked at her screen and regretted had to cut short her talk with L2's head representative for that.

"Indeed."

She sat down and with as much boredom as she could manage, she glanced at the man in front of her.

"And it was for some stupid, well-known and obvious fact like this you made me hang up?!" Her tone wasn't aggressive, but neither very kind.

"Sorry to tell you that Heero, but I thought even someone like you would know we have to be two to be lovers. So you don't need my confirmation. Unless you want that fact to change. Was it a proposition?"

"No." Heero answered without thinking. He didn't come to ask her out and he never planned to suggest anything like that. He just wanted an explanation and a way of clearing their names.

"That's what I thought. Thanks for reminding me..." She mumbled to herself and Heero seemed a bit confused by her habit of speaking to herself whenever he was around.

"So what's the problem?" she finally asked.

Heero sat down and looked at her directly in the eye.

"People think we are lovers. Everywhere I go, I hear them talking about us and..." He trailed off, but it was easy to tell how upset he was about it.

Relena didn't really see his point, so even if she didn't like the idea of prying, she asked: "And your girlfriend doesn't like it? She fears you cheat on her with me?"

"No! I don't have a girlfriend."

Relena let out a deep breath. Somehow, she was glad to learn he had no one in his life. But in the back of her mind, something else came out.

"Is this rumor preventing you to have a relationship with someone? I mean, maybe, hearing we are a couple could be a problem... so that's why you seem so upset..."

"It has nothing to do with me! Do you really think I have time for a love life?!"

"Honestly, I don't know, Heero. I only see you twice a month in a good month and you can disappear for weeks, so I can't guess anything personal about you. Besides, you're not one to tell and I'm not one to snoop around, so I have no clue of what you're doing in your spare time. Sorry."

Part of her wanted to use the opportunity and asked him for details, but she feared to have the answers.

So, as always, she stayed focused on the subject.

"Anyway, what do you what me to do? I can make a public announcement that there's nothing between us and we don't have any feelings for each other, but it wouldn't be exactly true and it would only convince more of those who think that there is some affair we're trying to hide."

"You don't seem to mind at all about this, I don't understand. Aren't you mad people talk behind your back about something like that?"

She shrugged.

"Well, it's not like I was described as a whore. The only lover I am supposed to have is you, and it could be far worse."

"Yeah, but..." He stopped when he realised what she just said. Far worse. Could she mean? That could be a solution... No, he shouldn't think about it. Shaking his head, he repeated: "It's not true and you should be offended by dirty comments like that."

Relena stared at him.

"Why? You can't do anything against gossip. People like talking and making assumptions. It's human. Seriously, I don't care and I can't understand why you do."

She blushed a bit and with a mischievous smile, she added: "And if I am completely honest with you, I enjoy this rumor."

Heero looked at her in disbelief, clearly confused.

Relena felt her cheeks becoming redder but she kept her voice steady. "It's very useful, you know... that way, many men are discouraged from making any move on me, because they think I already have someone. And even if you're not with me at all those events I have to attend, they all know who you are, so they're not reckless enough to do anything like hitting on your girl."

He stayed silent for a moment then came to the conclusion that her idea made sense. Nonetheless, he still didn't understand where that rumor came from. And when he asked her, Relena couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you serious? You don't see?"

At his look of total cluelessness, she started to explain what people saw in their relationship.

"First of all, you're a privileged one. And everybody knows that."

"What do you mean? I don't see where I have any privilege. I only do my job and..." Relena raised her hand to make him stop.

"Yes you have. Do you think anyone can storm in my office like that, and without an appointment? Do you think I'd hang up a call with a senator for the first one who has something to ask me? Or I'd change my schedule every time an old friend comes to town to be sure to see him?"

Heero was speechless. Of course, she couldn't let her door open for everybody, and of course, she never changed anything in her schedule, unless she was asked for months before. And it had to be for a good reason.

Nonetheless, for him, she always did.

"You know, Heero, you are the only one who can cross that door whenever he wants, and you don't even have to knock, I always greet you the best I could because I know you won't waste my time and if you turn up at my office, it's for something important that couldn't wait."

Again, she smiled and if he wasn't Heero Yuy, he would have felt ashamed by her implication and for not seeing how she always treated him kindly even today where he was actually wasting her time for some useless gossip. But if he felt anything, he didn't show it. Though, he was still confused on why that rumor began.

"Ok, you are more accepting with me than you should, but it's because we've known each other for a long time. I don't see where in your behavior, nor in mine, there is any ambiguity. We just work together, nothing more."

It wasn't true, and the both knew it, but Heero refused to mention it. He always claimed he was nothing more than her bodyguard, and Relena only considered him as a friend. Or so he thought until she nearly confessed.

"Heero, everybody knows we have deep feelings for each others. Or I have for you. And as you're always there to protect me, well, you may..." She trailed of, not really wanting to begin a theory about what he may or may not feel about her.

Oddly enough, he confirmed.

"Yes, I do, but I don't see why respect and interest lead to..." this time he stumbled on his words, not knowing how to say it. It wouldn't be fucking, nor plain sex, but he couldn't say make love in front of her.

" To bed?" Relena suggested and Heero nodded without looking at her.

"Well, I think it doesn't go that way so easily, but it could. Anyway, you're not here to listen to my vision of love, and how it grows from respect to something deeper. So..."

She straightened her jacket, looking as professional as ever as she concluded.

"I have a few ideas about why the gossip began, but I'm not sure you'd agree with them, and it's not really that important, is it? If you're upset by that rumor, all I could suggest is you stop acting like you have every right when you're with me, and maybe, it would disappear by itself. It would be easier if I find a boyfriend, that way you wouldn't be disturbed anymore, but I'm afraid I don't really want a real one." Heero twitched when she mentioned another man in her life but Relena never saw it.

"So there's nothing we can do?" he asked in a low voice.

Relena took a pen, and began writing a few words on her notepad; clearly showing their discussion was over.

"Nope. Sorry." She took a folder but didn't have time to read it.

"I don't like it."

She sighed and looked up from her document.

"Listen Heero. Whatever we do, we'll be considered as lovers, so you just have to live with it, it's not a big deal. As I already told you, it could be worse, or is the idea of being intimate with me that repulsing for you?" She raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer, but of course, he only hmphed in a very Heero-like manner before standing up.

She waved her hand and was about to bid him goodbye when she saw he wasn't exactly leaving. He only stuck his head out of the door and muttered something to her assistant.

Then, he turned around and deadpanned: "I don't like false information running about me. So if we can't stop it, we should make it true."

Relena was taken aback but managed to keep a straight face when she asked: "So, it was a proposition after all?"

Crossing his arms, Heero answered:

"Not really. The proposition concerns where you want the first place we sleep together to be. I send Sean on lunch break and I'm sure he'll take all his time."

Walking to her desk, he leaned over the top, his face only an inch away from hers and demanded with a smirk: "So is the couch ok with you or do you prefer the carpet?"