Title: #26 Not Exactly in the Job Description
Arc: Life With Heero
Author: Calic0cat
Story Completed: Jan. 31, 2003
Genre: Shonen Ai/Yaoi, Domestic, Friendship
Pairing: None yet
Rated: PG-13
Warnings: AU, OOC, Swearing
Archives: At Mediaminer.org under Calic0cat. Anyone with archive permission for my other fics can help themselves; anyone else, please ask.
Disclaimer: Duo and Heero and the rest of the GW gang aren't mine. This story is. Nuff said.

Notes: The arc begins between one and two years after Endless Waltz. Hilde POV in this story.

'Thinking'
"Speaking"
************ Time passing or scene change

Author's Notes: This is part of an arc of stories. I don't know for sure how many stories there will be or how often I'll be posting them. The length of each story in the arc will vary, anywhere from ficlet to multi-part. Warnings will vary from story to story as well, as will the genre. The arc *will* eventually be Shonen ai/Yaoi - but there's only one faintly implied pairing prior to Fic #23. Feedback is appreciated.

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"I'll be back to get them in around three hours, Hilde," the redhead said. "Thanks for watching them for me."

"No problem, Jennie," Hilde assured her.

"Now, you two behave for your Aunt Hilde, okay?" Jennie told the children. "Just play quietly in the corner and let her do her work."

"Okay Mommy," the brunette answered, nodding so hard that her ponytail swung wildly. "We'll be good."

Her auburn-haired little brother nodded too, echoing, "We be dood."

Jennie gave Hilde a rueful look. "I just hope they don't disrupt your work *too* much, Hilde. I wouldn't even ask normally, but..."

"These things happen," Hilde shrugged. "They'll be fine. Go on now, you'll be late for your appointment."

"Thanks again, Hilde. You and Rick aren't even married yet and I'm *already* taking my future sister-in-law for granted!" Jennie gave Hilde a quick hug, then hugged each child. "Bye, Beth. Bye, Donnie. Mommy will be back soon."

"Bye, Mommy!" the children chorused as their mother left the room.

In a matter of minutes, Hilde had the kids settled in the corner with paper and pencils, busily drawing. If she'd had a little more notice, she would have had a few toys, maybe a colouring book and crayons, on hand for them. But since she didn't exactly make a habit of entertaining a six-year-old and a three-year-old in her office, she didn't have anything on hand other than normal office supplies. And if Jennie had found out earlier that her babysitter wasn't available, she would have found someone else rather than dumping the kids on their future aunt while she was supposed to be working. 'One of the joys of being self-employed, I guess. Being available when someone's babysitter lets them down. Oh well, at least I don't have any clients scheduled to come in today.'

Keeping an eye on the kids, Hilde settled down to work. The salvage business had been really booming lately. So much so that even after the neglected paperwork was caught up, they had kept Heero on as a full-time employee. She hated to admit it, but Duo was right. Heero was working out just fine this time. Although initially she had only agreed to hire him on the condition that he only be in contact with Duo, she had - reluctantly - agreed to let him take over inventorying new deliveries of scrap together with Duo. That put him in at least occasional contact with some other staff, but there had been no complaints so far. 'Duo said that Heero could handle it now. Guess he was right.'

She and Heero still weren't exactly friends, but Hilde had a grudging respect for Heero now. He was making a real effort to learn how to deal with other people and while he was still far from friendly, he *was* at least polite. 'Now most people just assume he's shy, rather than either stuck up or socially incompetent,' Hilde thought, slightly amused. She supposed that, in a way, Heero *was* shy. While he was far from timid, he *was* reserved and wary of strangers. And he certainly didn't like to be the centre of attention.

'When I think about his behaviour in *those* terms, it doesn't seem so terrible,' Hilde realized with a jolt. 'Have I really been misjudging him all along?' Duo certainly thought she had.

Hilde's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door.

"Hilde? There's a Mr. Peterson here to see you," Heero told her. "He says he has an appointment?"

"What?!" Scrabbling through the papers on her desk, Hilde located her dayplanner and checked the date in it. She had Peterson down for *tomorrow* afternoon. Quickly checking her personal organizer, however, had a different result. *It* said his appointment was today. Either way, she was going to have to look after him.

"Umm, tell him I'll be right there," Hilde told Heero. Shit. What was she going to do with the kids? Peterson wanted a tour of the yard and there was *no* way she could take two small children out *there*. If Duo was here, he could have taken over the tour. Or the kids, for that matter. 'But Duo's out giving a quote to a company halfway across the colony. He won't be back for at *least* a couple of hours...'

Well, like it or not, there was only one real choice. "Beth, Donnie, Aunt Hilde has to go do some work somewhere else. You're going to have to stay with one of Duo's friends for a while, okay?"

"Tay."

"Okay."

Gently pushing the kids through Heero's office door, she told them, "His name's Heero. Be good for him, please."

Meeting Heero's confused gaze, Hilde shrugged and told him, "Try not to scare them. Their mom's due back for them in..." She glanced at her watch and winced. Over two hours still to go. Better not tell Heero that... "...um, a while. This isn't exactly in your job description, but - well, just don't make them cry, okay Yuy?" With that, Hilde got out of there while the getting was good. That look of dawning horror on Heero's face didn't bode well for her chances of escape if she gave him time to catch her.

As she hurried Peterson out the door, she heard Beth's cheerful little voice say, "Hi, Duo's friend! Do you know any games?" Hilde winced. Poor Heero. She was going to owe him a *very* big favour after this. She knew he wouldn't let anything bad happen to the kids, but they were probably going to be *very* bored and a real handful by the time their mom got back. And Donnie at least would be overdue for his afternoon nap. Bored, tired, cranky kids. Yikes. Poor Heero...