01-Jan-2001
Title: Broken
Author: Christine (Devilkitty@speakeasy.net)
Fandom: Anime Gundam Wing
Pairing: 13x6, 11+2
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Language, mention non-consensual sexual activity.
Summary: Duo is bought by Une in an illegal slave market and she is surprised at the changes in him.
Disclaimer: I'll get the legal stuff out of the way. Gundam Wing property of Bandai, Sunrise and a host of other people I probably don't know about. Used for entertainment purposes and because the voices in my head tell me to write this stuff. Scary thought, eh? Not for profit. Characters acting OCC, but in an Alternative Universe you should expect that.
#... # Thoughts/Thinking
Notes: The Specials revolt that happens in Episode 8, never happened. Heero kills the Doves, but the Alliance benefits from that not Treize. Treize is still a Colonel in the Specials. He and Zechs are a little more 'open' about their relationship, they are mostly a troubleshooting team with Une, for the Alliance. Noin stayed at Victoria Base to rebuild it.
Une looked down and smiled reassuringly at her new 'acquisition'. She had received a call from some very special, very illicit people that had dealt with her family for years. They and their ilk had indulged her parents in their tastes for the odd, the bizarre and the outrageous. That it usually dealt with what once had been an intelligent human being was beside the point. So when she got a call that they might have something that would interest her, she reluctantly went there. She didn't want to cut all ties with them, they were a group to cultivate, as disgusting as these slaver traders were. They had methods of controlling people that were priceless and did have the most amazing network of informants. And she had gotten some interesting leads off of them in the past.
But even though the place made her skin crawl, she was fortunate that she went there. They did have something that interested her... but not what she had expected. Une was now the proud 'owner' of a Gundam pilot, one Duo Maxwell. Pilot of the DeathScythe, former terrorist and now an apparently semi-mindless 'pet' that had been broken to serve her or anyone that she told him to, to do whatever she asked of him. She wondered what had been done to him to make him this compliant, this submissive and did she really want to know the details?
Duo smiled back at her timidly and then kept his eyes on the floor, patiently waiting for whatever she would do to him. Or wanted him to do. Une tried to keep from screaming in frustration when the manager of the place came over and congratulated her on her purchase. She just wanted to get out of there and take a shower, she felt filthy just being there, spending time looking at all those people that she couldn't buy and get them out of here. She wasn't even sure what she was going to do with Duo, now that she had him. He had been so listless when she looked him over pretending to be thinking about buying him, when all she wanted to do was just grab him and run. Most of the others had shown some spark of spirit when they were shown to her, to see if she was interested in buying them. Duo just stared at the floor, sneaking the occasion peek at her to see what she was doing, to see if she was a threat. If she hadn't recognized him from the one very bad surveillance picture that they managed to get of him, she would have never thought that this had been Duo Maxwell, terrorist and Gundam pilot. He was too frightened, too meek for her to believe that. It had taken a while for her to remember where she had seen his face before, when she saw him serving her the refreshments, that she didn't even want to think about eating.
"Lady Une, it is so gratifying that you grace us with your presence." The fat pig cooed at her. He then casually dropped his hand down to lift Duo's head up, examining him as if he was a dog or a piece of art. "He is gorgeous. A good choice. A bit over spirited in the beginning, but that was soon curbed."
"I see." Une grated out. #A bit over spirited? The boy was a terrorist! He and his allies had OZ on the run before his disappearance of a month ago. I thought he was hiding, but intelligence had information that his 'allies' had no idea what happened to him either. And I don't have to be a genius to realize that you are angry that someone bought him, even looking like he does. Angry that you're losing one of your favorites? No one really expected me to buy him, that much I picked up on when he was presented to me. You spent more time praising food to me then showing me Duo, since you didn't expect me to be interested in the slave serving the food, even after you caught me staring at him several times. So why did you just tell me that he was a good choice? You usually aren't this much of an ass kisser, unless you don't want me to complain afterwards that I got sold a bad product, ruin your reputation with people.#
"We were very careful not to mar his beauty." The managed reassured her, letting Duo go. Duo gratefully went back to studying the floor, hiding behind his hair. "Unfortunately... the drugs were a bit ... destructive... to his personality, which is why he wasn't originally wasn't going to be shown to you. Not that it really matters, he is still able service you in any way and is very well behaved now. He will serve you well. But enough shop talk, I know that many people don't like the gory details of how we get our merchandise. But your mother thought that you would work well here with us, if you hadn't chosen a military career. And how is your commander going to react about this new purchase of yours? Not that I think that he would object, he is one of the infamous Khushrenadas."
Une smiled falsely, trying not to give into the urge that she had to rip the pig's heart out. That would frighten Duo. And ruin her nails. "He does understands these things... and since the child is not a threat... ." Une let her voice trail off suggestively, almost laughing as the pig stuttered his reassurances about Duo's trustworthiness.
"He's completely harmless. He will follow any order that you give him, no arguments. It was tricky but we did strike upon the right combination of pain and drugs to break him. After that... he was very well behaved. Not a murmur of complaint from him about anything." #He doesn't act like he enjoys it either, we were working on that before you bought him. But you don't seem to care about that, I won't tell you about that problem. But I wonder why he was the only one that caught your eye? Because we didn't flaunt him? Or do you see something priceless in our little serving boy? He is a diamond in the rough, I really don't want to let him go, but letting you go away empty handed might be worse, since you rarely come here and you never actually were interested in something before. And I don't think that we could get him to back to the level of intelligence that would make him an acceptable product for sale, not with the personality damage. #
"So I won't need a leash or restraints then?" Une asked casually. #If you say yes after all that... .#
"Not at all, but if you want some... ." he offered politely. Most new owners liked to keep their new pets on a leash, showed them really fast what their position was.
"What I want is some clothes for him. It's Fall and damn cold outside." Une almost snarled, finally giving into her temper.
Duo was covered only in his hair and some very odd body paint designs. He was lovely to look at, if one could ignore the lifeless eyes and the bruises that the paint didn't quite hide. And she knew how he got the bruises on his hips and thighs, the last person that had him was a bit too rough. That's why the body paint was needed when he was serving the food. He was too thin also. Duo had lost weight recently and it showed the way his bones pushed their way through his skin. Une was of the opinion that if she hadn't stood her ground and insisted that this was what she wanted, Duo would have never been sold to her. He didn't look like the elegant, subservient product that they turned out. He looked like a beaten kitten.
Duo looked sideways at her angry tone, but didn't move, even though he was frightened. The slight stiffening that she noticed in his posture told her that. Une gently caressed his cheek, to reassure him and then smiled at him some more. Duo relaxed at that gentle touch, reassured that his mistress wasn't angry with him. Une mentally sighed. She had no idea really what she was going to do with Duo once she got him back to her quarters. She didn't like boys and Treize-sama and Zechs liked them too much. Duo wouldn't fight off their advances if they made them and she wasn't going to let him be abused by those two.
Duo was still looking at the floor, wondering of this was a dream, when another slave brought over some clothes. After looking to Une for permission and receiving it, Duo put them on. They were too big, but they were warm and that was all that mattered to him. The fat man didn't like it if he was wearing clothes, so he didn't. He was usually cold because of that. He hated the cold and he was so vulnerable to the fat man naked. He touched him in places that he didn't like and did other things that felt wrong to him. That hurt him. He was the reason that he was all bruised. The fat man thought that no one would want him, bruised, so he had hurt him the last time that he had him, so that no one else would want him. But she wanted him, covered with bruises or not. She was kind to him and didn't hurt him, didn't mind that he didn't try to get her attention, like the others. And she was taking him away from here, he'd serve her faithfully because of that, because she was kind to him. No one else had ever been kind to him.
Une mentally went over a list in her head of things that she had to do. Get more clothes for Duo, warn off those two perverts that she served with about trying anything with him and try to figure out how she could pump Duo for information about his allies and the colonial network, if she could. Duo didn't seem to be 'there' anymore. The grin, the life, and his brain had been sucked out of him. If she could get that back, she might be able to get more information about the rebels.
That was what she told herself, that she had only bought Duo for the information that he would give her. That he would be useful for information, once she gained his trust. Une realize it for the lie that it was when she asked him his name. The answer haunted her the entire way home, after Duo fell asleep in the seat next to her. After she told him he could, because he had been struggling to stay awake, because the combination of the motion of the car and his exhaustion were putting him to sleep and he knew that he couldn't sleep without her permission.
"Mistress... it is whatever you chose for me... I have no name."
&&&&
Duo smiled cautiously at the pretty lady, his Mistress, the one with the strange name, that had bought him. She seemed severe, with her unsmiling face and stern eyes behind her glasses, but she was nice to him. No one here was nice to him and before here... he forgot. It hurt to think about before being here, so he didn't. Instead he thought about how happy he was that he was being bought and that the fat man would stop touching him, doing things to him that hurt and making him touch the man back. And telling him that he should be enjoying what he was doing to him, that's what he was made for. He hated that, it always hurt, so why should he act like he enjoyed it?
Then he'd get a name, because he didn't have one for some reason. The Mistress would give him one. That made him sad, not having a name, but then he stopped thinking about that, because he had to watch the Mistress, because he was hers now and she would take care of him.. Because he'd be hurt if he didn't belong to her, he knew that well enough. Not that it mattered, everyone always hurt him, even when he didn't fight back any more. He didn't like the pain of either fighting or just accepting what they were doing to him. But she didn't seem like someone that wanted to hurt him, he could tell those people, that wasn't hard for him, even though he didn't know a lot of things. It wasn't like he was stupid, like they told him he was, it was just that there was a point that he couldn't remember beyond. And it was hard to think about certain things, it was like everything that was important was just beyond his reach.
The Mistress wasn't angry with him, but she didn't like the fat man. He was the one that she was angry with, Duo just had to remember that so he wouldn't be scared of her. He agreed with the Mistress on that, that the fat man was...something, but he couldn't remember what word would apply to him. He didn't have to really, he just had to obey his Mistress and try not to think past the point that it hurt him. And she let him get dressed and didn't make him wear a collar, so he was so grateful for that and all he needed to do was make her happy, so she would continue to be nice to him. And he hoped that she wouldn't hurt him when she took her pleasure with him. That was the sole reason for his existence, he had been told often enough. That was the only thing that he was good for, being a sex toy, which was why everyone used him. He tried to stay awake in the car to watch her, so that he could please her if she wanted him, but he got all sleepy even though he tried to fight it but the Mistress told he that he could sleep, so he did.
Une pulled into the base. The checkpoint noted that she now had another person with her and that they would be living with her. Romafellers, the decadent bastards, didn't mind if an officer had a personal attendant. And if that person was there willingly or not. But she couldn't do anything else with Duo. Her family would treat him horribly and she had no friends that she trusted with him. Cancel that thought, she had no friends. He was no longer equipped, mentally, to be a terrorist, so if she found out where the others were, she couldn't send him to them, it would be too cruel for all involved, especially if they had meet him before this. So Duo would stay with her and she wondered if she should tell him his real name or make something up. She gently shook him awake, wanting to get him settled inside, he was still shivering a little from the cold in his sleep, even though she had the heater up full blast.
Duo woke up with a start, looking at Une with frightened eyes, wondering what he did wrong. He had fallen asleep but she said he could.
"We're at my quarters." Une said softly, stroking Duo's bangs back to reassure him. Touching him reassured him on some odd level, that puzzled her, because she thought that he wouldn't liked to be touched, not after being manhandled by those people. She had no illusions about how he had been broken. Physical pain and drugs. And afterwards... until he had been sold, use of his body was one of the perks of working there for many of the employees of that place. And she didn't doubt that they made use of it, she could tell that they had. The wealth of bruises that they left on him was a roadmap of what they had done to his body. "Why don't we get inside. I'll make us something hot to drink and get you settled in."
"Yes Mistress." Duo murmured. He got out of the car and waited for Une's next order. He wanted to show her that he could be good, that she wouldn't have to worry about him running and then collar him, because she couldn't trust him.
Une sighed and almost shook her head. Duo shouldn't be frightened around her, she wasn't going to hurt him. She might not know what she wanted to do with him, but she wasn't going to hurt him. But those bastards had drilled into him the form of address, the stance, everything that one wanted in a slave. In a sex slave particularly, submissive and docile. And it angered her. From the reports that she had read about Duo Maxwell, he had been a clever fighter, a decent tactician and lived up to his nickname, Shinigami. And those unspeakable and unprintable things had destroyed that person and left a frightened child in his place. And she wondered what blunder Duo had made to be caught by them.
"Come in" Une said, opening her door. "I'm not going to bite you."
"Yes Mistress," Duo murmured obediently, not sounding like he believed her.
"And call me Une."
"Mistress?" Duo questioned, faintly, afraid that he would get hit for questioning her. He didn't know if he was far enough away from her so that she wouldn't hit him. If he was out of reach she might not think that it was worth the effort. But she had been nice to him, she might not hit him for questioning her. Like the others had done. She didn't collar him and smiled at him. He didn't think that hitting was something that she would do to him, but his body moved to get out of her reach before he could stop it.
"Une, my name in Une. I may have bought you, but I don't own you."
"You're delivering me to someone else?" Duo asked in a slightly panicked tone.
She had been nice to him, she hadn't hit him for questioning her, he liked her a little but he was now going to be given to someone else? He shouldn't have thought that he'd be that lucky, that he'd get someone nice. The fat man had told him he was worthless, that all he was good for was fucking and he should thankful that he was used for that. He said that every time he had him. But that hurt and he didn't like the man, because he was cruel to him and always hurt him, shoving himself into him and hitting him. They all hurt him, but the fat man was the worst. Mistress, no Une, she wanted to be called that, wasn't cruel to him. She let him get dressed and smiled kindly at him. But he wasn't going to stay with her and he was going to get hurt again, because she was the only person that had been nice to him, everyone else just hurt him.
"No." Une smiled at Duo again, trying to calm him down. She could hear his breathing getting erratic, as if he was trying not to cry. Or scream. "You are staying with me. But I'm not your mistress."
"But what are you going to do with me?" Duo wailed. He then curled up in a ball on the floor and cried "I'm sorry. I shouldn't question you. I'm sorry, don't hurt me, please I'll be good. I'll obey. DON'T HURT ME!"
Une bit her lip at his reaction and went down to hug Duo. "I'm not going to hurt you. You are... safe... I guess, here." Une said, gently rocking Duo back and forth, rubbing his back. "I didn't expect to get you there. I have no idea what you can do. I just wanted to get you out of there."
"But if you did not want someone, why did you go there?" Duo asked, sniffing slightly. Then he realized that he had questioned her and she could beat him or worse for that. "I'm... "
Une tightened her grip around him, "I don't know why I went there." she said, cutting off his apology. "What can you do?"
"I can give pleasure to a man or a woman." Duo said shyly. "I have a high tolerance for pain."
"I thought that." she muttered to herself.
Gundam pilots had to be tough. Not as bad as that loon Yui, who had self destructed on her, but tougher then the average soldier. But certainly Duo was more then a toy. Une shook her head. This wasn't Duo Maxwell the terrorist, this was a boy that had been broken and abused. He might not know anything that was important anymore. And he was so skittish, he panicked any time that she got angry, even if it wasn't with him. #That's reaction that they beat into him. He gets hurt no matter who's angry, so your anger frightens him. Even if it wasn't aimed at him, because everyone took out their bad temper on a slave.#
"How can I please you? Do you want to test my limits?" Duo asked. #Please say no, I don't like pain, even though they were impressed that I could take so much.#
"How about cooking and cleaning? How good are you at that?" Une asked, ignoring his questions. "I like you little one, but I prefer my bed partners to be older then you are." #Mentally at least. You seem younger then you are because of your timidness.#
"I don't know. I did some personal service to the others... and... ." Duo's voiced trailed off. He couldn't remember if he was supposed to know anything else. It physically hurt him to remember beyond waking up in that place, learning about pain and being 'trained' to please people. Hurt until he submitted was more like it. But he must have done things before that, because he couldn't have just appeared, could he? He had to have had a name, a past, something beyond being a toy, even if he didn't remember it.
"Not to worry about it, now." Une comforted Duo. She was disturbed that they had managed to wipe out everything of his past, it hurt to see him struggle to remember. "Now let me make some cocoa. And then I have to check in with my commanding officer." #Who by now knows that I brought back a plaything from that place, his family and mine were their best customers for a while. And we both ran from that life into the military faster then you could say mobile suit, because we both hated what those people stood for. And he is wondering what I brought back with me. Duo looks like a girl, he's probably be listed as one on the personal list when I added him to it as my personal attendant. I didn't list a sex or a name, just noted that I had acquired a... personal attendant. Someone will fill that in eventually. A useful subterfuge to make him harder to find by his allies, because I don't think that they'll just let me keep him here. They'll probably just shoot him out of hand, but he really hasn't done anything to deserve that, he's been tortured enough, so I'll hide him in plain sight.#
"I'll show you how to make cocoa. And then, when I pick up some more clothing for you, I'll pick up a cookbook, hopefully you can still read. You can do the cooking and the cleaning in my quarters. Anything after that, I'll improvise but it's a start." Une said, leading Duo into the kitchen.
She was throwing together the ingredients for a couple of mugs of cocoa, when her video unit chimed. Duo had been following the process with an intense look on his face. Une was glad when they figured out that Duo could read the directions on the can of coca powder. He could take over the cooking chores from Une and she would be happy. She hated to cook, but she hated the food in the officer's mess more. She usually ended up eating in there because she was too tired to eat anyplace else. Laundry and cleaning would keep him busy and she'd make sure that he'd read when she wasn't with him. Or keep himself occupied in some productive way. Continue with his schooling and getting better.
"I'll get that," Une said, when he jumped at the noise. "Just keep stirring the milk and throwing in the powder a little at a time. This shouldn't take long."
Une walked into the other room to answer the vid, knowing that it was probably Treize trying to contact her. She smiled when his image appeared on the screen. "Treize-sama" she murmured respectfully.
"Lady, what on earth?" Treize started.
"I'll explain later," she said over whatever questions he was about to ask. She knew what he wanted to know. "Your office in fifteen minutes?"
"My quarters in an half hour." Treize said with a frown on his face. "Alone."
"Of course, Treize-sama." Une replied respectfully.
"Duo, I'm going out for a little while later, take a shower and keep yourself occupied, I'll bring back something for us to eat, after I meet with Treize-sama."
"Yes Mistress." Duo said meekly.
"Une, child Une." she gently corrected him.
"After the shower, how do you want me to occupy myself? Should I be ready for you or... ." Duo asked shyly, voice trailing off when he saw Une's eyes close.
"What do you want to do?" she asked Duo, trying not to scream in frustration.
"I have no wants except for yours. Your will is mine. I am nothing but a... " Duo said, falling on the floor to kneel at her feet. She had closed her eyes. He noticed that she did that when she was angry or upset about something. So he groveled at her feet so that she wouldn't hurt him. The fat man seemed pleased when he groveled, was easier on him, he didn't hurt him as much. She kept saying that she wasn't going to hurt him and he didn't think that she would, but he didn't want to take the chance that she might be lying to him, even though she felt nice.
"Stop." Une growled.
"Mistress?" Duo said in a terrified voice. #Please don't hurt me, I don't know what you want from me. Everything that they taught me means nothing around you. You're angry, it must be my fault, but I behaved how I should have, like they trained me to be. If you don't like me, like what I am, why did you buy me?#
Une looked down at Duo kneeling at her feet and swallowed her impulse to scream. "Little one, I'm not angry with you. I need to think about things and they will make me angry. So don't get frightened, I'm not angry with you."
"Yes Mistress Une." Duo murmured obediently.
"Why don't we drink our cocoa and then you take a shower and get some sleep. I can get some more clothes for you later." Une said, trying not to correct Duo again. He was frightened enough as it was. And he did say her name, just put that damn 'Mistress' in front of it. She felt that she should be standing around in a little leather outfit with a whip every time he called her that.
Duo took the mug of cocoa that he was handed and sipped at it, even though his stomach was churning. His mistress would be angry if he didn't drink it. But he was overwhelmed by the emotions that he was feeling and all that had happened to him today, all he wanted to do was try and think about it, figure out what was happening. And he still hurt from his session last night with the fat man and another one of the trainers. It hurt to move, he just wanted to sleep. He hoped that she let him sleep some more soon.
Une was upset that he insisted on kneeling at her feet, but she wouldn't scold him for that, she'd work on that latter. He hadn't been broken overnight, she wasn't going to be able to fix him fix him overnight.
After he finished his drink, Une showed him where the bathroom and the bedroom were. As he shyly looked around the room, she pulled towels and set of her sweats out for him to change into after he took his shower. They were about the same size.
"Child." Une said.
"Yes Mis... Une" Duo quickly corrected himself
Une smiled at him, because he remembered not to call her mistress. "Take a shower. Take as long as you want, wash all that paint off your body and out of your hair. After that you can go to bed. Don't bother to stay up for me if you're tired. You do look tired. If you are hungry, see what you can find in the kitchen. I am warning you that it isn't much. Just don't open the door or answer the phone."
"Yes Une." Duo murmured obediently. He wasn't hungry he just wanted to sleep right now, after washing off all that paint. It itched and he hurt.
"And little one, I am not expecting any pleasure out of you tonight. Or any time. I... I did not buy you for that." Une said quietly, "We're just sharing a bed, for now. All I ask is that you do not hog all the pillows or the covers."
"Yes Une."
Une laughed at the demure, confused tone and tousled his hair. Duo looked at her with wary eyes, not sure about how he should accept odd this sign of affection from new his owner. And wondering why she didn't want him, was she mad at him? The laughter left Une's face as she hugged Duo impulsively, disturbed that he was still afraid of her. "Don't be afraid of me. I may get angry with you, but I won't hurt you. I want to help you as strange as that seems."
Duo frowned and shyly met Une's eyes for a second, before dropping them down to stare at the floor. "Why?" he tensed up, waiting for her to get angry about his questioning her, but all she sounded was sad when she answered him.
Une sighed. "I'll explain later, little one. Just get cleaned up and rest for now."
Une took a deep breath and entered Treize-sama's quarters. He smiled up at her from the sofa that he was sitting on. The smile left his face as she sat down beside him. She usually wasn't that informal with him.
"Treize-sama... " Une began, taking a deep breath. "The child that I have in my quarters is none other then Duo Maxwell. I received word that there was something that might interest me at... that place."
"I understand." Treize said thoughtfully. He occasionally received the same calls. He managed to avoid going there, but that might change in the future, one never knew what the Gods might drop on your lap. They dropped a Gundam Pilot in Une's
"I didn't suspect that they might have him. I know that he had been gone for about a month or so, but I thought that he had just disappeared like the rest of the pilots, after 01 self destructed on me. But... I don't know what happened. Duo can't tell me."
"Duo?" Treize asked in amusement, "you that ah, friendly already?" #Child? Why do you refer to him as a child. None of them are, even though they are young.#
Une stood up and started pacing. "No, damn it! I am not that 'friendly' with him. He doesn't remember anything before that hellhole. The manager, that fat pig, Stalansty, said that they had managed to find the right combination of drugs and pain to break him. And he was very proud of the fact that he didn't ruin Duo's beauty when they were 'taming' him. " Her tone was raw and frustrated. "You saw the same reports that I did. Duo Maxwell was a danger to OZ. He was competent and ruthless. The child that I bought is neither. He is frightened if I get angry. He almost panicked when he thought that I didn't want him," Une looked Treize straight in the eye for her last line. "He doesn't know his name, who he was or what he was. You will not take advantage of this fact. Zechs will not take advantage of this either. And I am passing the word that anyone that touches him, dies."
"Maternal at last, my dear lady?" Treize teased her. He knew that she wouldn't share, even if she wanted Duo for sex. And it wasn't sex that Une was interested in from Duo. Not if she kept referring to him as a child. He just wondered what it was. She couldn't still think that he'd be useful for information about the other Gundam pilots, or was she using him as bait for the others? What was his dear Lady's plan? Did she even know what was going on?
"Treize, just pass the word that I don't want anyone to bother him. That he is off limits." Une said tiredly. Why the hell did Treize-sama find this amusing. That he discovered that she had a softer side? That she wasn't as ruthless as most people thought she was. That she actually could be nice to someone.
"He doesn't have to worry from either myself or Zechs. I don't think that we would 'take advantage' of Mr. Maxwell." Treize smiled at her.
"He doesn't know who he is." Une repeated softly. "Should I tell him his name? Would it do any good or will I be forced to kill him, later? He was an enemy, if anyone recognizes him, they will want to punish him, even if he doesn't remember doing any of those things."
"What has been done to him is criminal. You and I know that the Romafellers will do nothing to stop the underground traffic of pleasure slaves. Hell they encourage it! Relena and the other Gundam pilots might be able to do so, but I doubt it. Tell him his name. Treat him kindly and just hope that we can get something out of him." Treize said.
"Any military information will be worthless by now." Une said, confused by that request.
"Not military information my dear Lady, but how they captured him. Where their permanent training facilities are. Where he has hidden his Gundam, because I want to see the bloody thing up close." Treize told her.
"Why?" Une asked, but she thought she knew the answer, aside the fact that Treize wanted to see Deathscythe, but was the case boys and their toys at times. They all had to see who had the better, brighter, shinier toy. And Duo's Gundam was a very bright shiny toy for Treize-sama. She just wanted to hear it from him, reassure her that she had done the right thing.
"Because what those people are doing is an abomination before Earth and Space." Treize replied passionately. "You have to ask that? If we shut down their permanent headquarters, we might shut them down."
"But someone will always argue that its better that he's like this. He doesn't have to worry about dying in battle. He'll be taken care of for the rest of his life." Une said.
"A short, terror filled life if it is an abusive person that he ends up with. And as much as it angered me that the colonies were rebelling against us, I never wanted this to happen to the pilots." Treize replied passionately.
Une noted that his fists were clenched, he was so angry. "No one has the right to own another person, no one! That the upper class had gotten so jaded that they thought that slavery was acceptable, lead to half the problems with the colonies, it was a small step from thinking that you could own a person, to thinking that your governmental faction could own an entire colony, to play with that colony's citizens as it pleased you. It was one of the Romafeller Foundation's dirty little secrets, the trafficking of human flesh. And it will kill their government one day." Treize finished.
Both started at the sound of the outer door opening in Treize's quarters. "Treize it's been a bad day, how about I just order something from the nearest restaurant and have it delivered?" a voice called out.
"In a moment Zechs, I have company." Treize called back
"I know that... I checked the records before I entered here. Hello Une" Zechs called back. He walked into the room, shrugging off his uniform coat. "I thought that you'd be with your 'personal attendant'." Zechs's tone was decidedly bitter.
"That's why she's here." Treize said coolly, wondering what had upset his lover. He didn't really get along with Une and the feeling was mutual, but he was usually civil to her. "And... don't judge anything before you have all the facts, my light."
Une sighed. "I don't blame him, Treize-sama. Zechs has a right to be disgusted with me, it is disgusting what happened to Duo. Who I brought home with me is Duo Maxwell, pilot 02. But he doesn't remember anything about being a Gundam pilot or a terrorist. They were very... thorough... about that."
"So out of pity you brought him home like a stray kitten." Zechs taunted her.
"I bought him because, as much as you don't seem to like me, I am not the ogre that you think I am. I wouldn't leave a stray with half the clients of that place, never mind a soldier that I respected, Lieutenant." Une snarled back. "And I think that I'm through here."
"Can't wait to get back to play with him?" Zechs asked rudely. #God she is angry, if she's snarling, could it be that she actually isn't interested in Maxwell that way? That he is a 'stray kitten' to her? A soldier that she respected? I didn't think that she respected anyone except her beloved Treize-sama Certainly not me.#
"No. I want to make sure that he's comfortable. That he took his shower and hopefully is in bed and asleep, he looked exhausted. That I can figure out what I'm going to do with him, now that I got him." Une sighed. "And speaking of playing; I told Treize-sama and I am telling you. Hands and anything else -off."
"I wouldn't touch him if he was the last person in Space. And I will make sure that all of my people know that too." Zechs said coldly, insulted that she thought he would take advantage of Maxwell that way.
"Thank you. I don't know if he can protect himself anymore from any unwelcome attention." Une said in a calmer tone. "He's frightened a lot and he won't make a move without me telling him to do it. It's... " her voice trailed off, before she recovered herself. "I'll be going now. I'll see tomorrow morning at the staff meeting."
"Until tomorrow Lady Une." Treize said, escorting her to the door.
Une saluted Treize as she took her leave. After the door closed behind her, Treize returned to his lover, who was sitting on the sofa and staring off into space.
"What's wrong Mirialdo? And don't lie to me about it being a difficult day. You were very hostile to Une. More so then usual."
Zechs took off his helmet and shook out his hair before replying to Treize. "Do you know that I was hiding so close to those pigs that killed my father, that I could hear everything that they said?"
"You never mentioned that before Mirialdo." Treize said quietly.
"They had plans for me if they could catch me." Zechs said softly. "I... you know what Relena looked like when she was younger. I had always been the beauty of the family, as odd as that seems."
"And?" Treize asked, wondering where this was leading. He thought that he knew, but hoped that he was wrong about his guess.
"Beautiful boys, ones that are young enough to be trained without too much trouble are always in demand by those people." Zechs said. "And as soon as they found me, those assassins were going to turn me over to them, just so that I wouldn't be a threat to them in the future. No one would follow a King that was a boy toy at one time. If I lived to my majority."
"Oh my God Mirialdo. I had no idea about any of this." Treize said, horrified. No wonder he was so hostile towards Une. What happened to Maxwell was his worst nightmare. One that he had had for a long time.
Zechs shrugged. "I try to forget about it, I still have nightmares about it though."
"If Une was going to do anything with Maxwell, she would not have been in my quarters telling me that if I touched her Duo-chan, I would die." Treize explained to Zechs.
Zechs laughed. "I can not believe that she said that to you."
"She didn't tell me that to me face, straight out but I read enough between the lines to understand the threat. What Une is feeling towards Maxwell right now... I don't know. But something about the boy has wakened her maternal instinct."
"That is a scary thought by itself." Zechs agreed. "So I will stop sniping at her. In fact I will stop by in the morning to make my peace with her and I will try to make friends with our young terrorist."
"Une won't be happy about that." Treize said quietly.
Zechs shrugged. "She'll not always be available to baby sit him, if he is as broken and helpless as she thinks he is, he will need one for a while. I want to make friends with him so that he has someplace to stay, if she has to go out on an assignment. I know that is rare, but he should make more friends."
"Protectors. You are just trying to protect the boy too." Treize said. Giving back to karma or the fates what you escaped? Or are you lonely at times too, like Une? Your reputation isn't that good either and I think you want a friend at times, Duo might be that for you.
Zechs shrugged. "Une will understand if I explain it too her. That I am not going to hurt him. I just wonder what is going to happen when the rest of them hear about this. And they will, Une taking up with him will be the gossip for a lot of people, it will eventually get back to them. She has the reputation of being a loner."
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, because our Mr. Maxwell is no longer able to be a terrorist. Hopefully, whomever comes after him will realize that and he won't hurt Duo." Treize said, then sighed, "Unfortunately, I don't doubt that they'd shoot him before they realize that he is a harmless child."
"Because that's what he is right now, if I understand what Une said correctly. Duo Maxwell remembers nothing about his time as a terrorist. He in fact has no memories at all. So he won't know any of his former allies if they come to rescue him." Zechs said.
"Or kill him." Treize commented sadly.
Une made her way back to her quarters. She let herself in, surprised that her interview with Treize-sama only took a few minutes. She heard the shower going and peeked into her bathroom to see if Duo was all right. Duo was washing his hair, body bent back slightly, swaying to some song in his head. She swallowed, thankful that she had enough self control not to take advantage of the vision of lust incarnate that was washing his hair. Une cleared her throat, hoping that Duo wouldn't be too frightened by her unexpected appearance.
"Mistress?" Duo asked fearfully. He really couldn't see who was behind him and he didn't know if she lived by herself. It could be anyone behind him.
"Its just me, child, take your time, I was just distracted for a second." Une reassured him. #God he is beautiful. I can see why they did what they did to him.#
"I'm almost done. I'll see what I can find to feed you." Duo promised.
"You don't have to do that." Une protested. "I was planning on going out again. I told you that. I just thought that Treize-sama would have taken a bit longer."
"You said that I can cook and clean. So I want to do that." Duo insisted. He blushed and fell to his knees in the shower, "I'm sorry! You are correct, I will do whatever you tell me to!"
"Child... " Une sighed. "I should explain things to you a little. You might not like what I'm going to tell you, but you do have a right to know." #Wet, kneeling like that, you look like a vision, since your hair covers your bruises. You couldn't be sexier if you tried.#
"Mistress?" Duo asked, trying not to sound too curious. She was so good to him, she was going to tell him about himself. And he didn't care if it was the truth or a lie, because it was something that she told him, it was something that she did for him, like saving him from the fat man.
He turned off the water and started to dry himself off. Une smiled at the sight and then shook her head. It wasn't like she hadn't seen a wet, naked male before, Treize-sama had the habit of dictating his orders to her in the bathtub or shower. And while Treize was gorgeous, he had none of the appeal that Duo just showed, but she hadn't really been attracted to Duo in that way, after the first spike of lust. With Treize the only thing that was stopping her was the fact that he was taken and she didn't poach. And she didn't think that he was interested in women, which was a pity.
Duo was torn between trying to look his best and showing himself off to her, like he had been trained to do and just wanting to dry off and sleep, as she ordered him to do. He was so tired, so he knew what he wanted to do. As he put on the sweats and towel dried his hair, he felt more relaxed about Une looking at him. She was interested, he felt that and had seen the small flare of lust in her eyes, but if she had been really interested, he would have been ordered to service her by now, not getting dressed in warm clothing to go to sleep. She hadn't lied about that to him, she didn't want him for bed sport. But why did she want him? Why would she spend money on him, just to look at him?
Une smiled at his confusion and shooed Duo into bed. She handed him a brush and was thankful that he just started brushing his hair without a word. If he had offered himself to her, she didn't know if she could say no to him. And she knew that sex with Duo would be a mistake for both of them. He needed to know that he was good for something else besides that.
Une sat near him and sighed. "God you are gorgeous." All right that wasn't the best thing to say to him, but it just popped out.
Duo blushed. "Thank you Mistress." #Why aren't you using me? That's all I'm good for, being hurt and getting fucked. No past. No future. I'm just a toy until they tire of me and then... I wonder what would have happened to me, before you saved me?#
"Une, my name is Une. I bought you, but you don't have to call me Mistress."
"Yes Une." Duo parroted faithfully.
"And your name is Duo. Duo Maxwell."
"Une?" Duo asked in confusion. Why did she only have one name and he had two? And it was funny. She was number one and he was number two, he wondered if that was important. And how did he know that bit of information, what their names meant, that they were numbers?
Une smiled and patted his hand. "I knew of you before those bastards that ran that hell hole broke you." Her tone was sad. They ruined a vibrant young man, just to have something to fuck. What a waste of the boy's training. She knew that you don't just jump into a mobile suit and start taking things out. He must have had some training to do what he had done, the flashes of brilliance that he showed in his work were priceless. He had had a gift for what he had been doing, much as she hated to admit that. They ruined so much breaking Duo.
Duo cocked his head and frowned. "Knew, Mistress?" His tone was a mixture of confusion and curiosity. He hadn't seen her before, so how did she know him? Or was she part of his before time, the time that he couldn't remember?
Une sighed and shook her head. "I've got to work on that. I think tomorrow I'm having you repeat my name a hundred times after breakfast." #You remember at least once and then fall back into what was beaten into you, I wonder how you broke... and how I can fix you. I doubt if you will return to being Shinigami, but I hope to bring something of Duo Maxwell back into you.#
Duo blushed. It was just a reaction that had been ingrained in him. Everyone who wasn't a slave was to be addressed as either Master or Mistress, depending on their preference. "I'm sorry, Mistress."
Une waved her hand at him, dismissing his apology. She was disturbed that he flinched at the motion. He really thought that he was going to be hit by her. "I knew of you. I didn't know you, but I knew of you."
"How, Mistress?" Duo asked quietly, trying not to show the growing excitement that he felt. He had a past! A name! Something that showed he wasn't always a fuck toy. And his Mistress was willing to give that to him, to make him feel better.
"You were... a freedom fighter or a terrorist." Une said softly, noticing how wide Duo's eyes got.
"I hurt people?" Duo's tone was horrified. He hated people hurting him and he hurt people.
"You killed people." Une said seriously. God she shouldn't be telling him this, but he had to know. She had no right to keep his past from him. "There is a small revolution or war going on between the Space Colonies and the Earth. You were part of those that were fighting in that war. I can't tell you why. Or how you became a terrorist I can just tell you what I know."
"Thank you Mistress. I... I hated being nothing. Just a toy." #I was bad... I deserve this... the not remembering things and being hurt. Payback for what I had done. People that I must have hurt.#
"I don't know what happened. You have been missing for about a month, may be a bit longer. You were part of a small group that had disappeared. I thought that you were all hiding and then I see you there. I bought you for several reasons, none of which I can really tell you, because I don't know them myself."
"Thank you, Mistress. For buying me. I will be a loyal slave to you." Duo told her fervently. He would. She had been nice to him and now was telling him about his past. "But... you are in the military, doesn't that mean that I was fighting against you?" #Are you going to stop being nice to me? But you said that you knew me, so you already knew that I was a bad person.#
"You were. But... not now. Duo... they really hurt you in that place. You are not the same person that was fighting against us. That person is gone. I don't think that he's going to be found again, but you can stay with me. And not as a slave." Une replied, fighting the urge to grab Duo and hold him in her arms. He looked so lost, so vulnerable. #Duo you aren't a slave. I don't know what happened to you but I will let you grow into someone else if you can, to replace the you that those bastards killed.#
"Why, Mistress?" Duo asked. Meeting Une's eyes for a second before dropping them down to stare at his hands. Owners didn't like it if you met their eyes. He learned that fact early. He kept his eyes on the floor because he usually was too tired or too scared to lift them up any further, rather then the respect that they had demanded as owners and trainers.
Une laughed softly, "Because, I'm not innocent either. I have done things that are bad. I've hurt and killed people like you have. The only difference between the two of us is that I wear a uniform and do it. You wore no uniform, swore no oath to a government. I fought because of my loyalty and patriotism. You were fighting for the same ideals, just on another side."
"Thank you Mistress." Duo murmured. "May I go to sleep now?"
"Sleep Duo. And don't worry about the future yet, we'll try and work something out." Une reassured him, tucking him into bed, like a child. Duo impulsively kissed her on the check before he curled up into a ball and fell asleep.
Une stared down at Duo and smiled slightly. He was gorgeous, but that little kiss was like a child's innocent kiss. She wondered if he had ever been kissed before. If he had been a virgin before they had caught him. What kept the sweetness that was in him from being destroyed along with the rest of his personality. She tousled his hair again before she went out onto the other room. She left a short note to Duo telling him not to worry, that she would be back in a little while, she was just picking up some clothing for him and food, in case he woke up before she returned. She had told him that, but she wasn't sure if he would remember what she had said to him, because she had given him a lot to think about in such a short time.
She was humming to herself as she pulled out of the base, wondering why she was enjoying the thought of food shopping. Of any kind of shopping. She hated shopping, she ordered most of her clothes over the 'Net and didn't care about style or anything else. She was glad that she had to wear a uniform, she didn't have to worry about what to wear in the morning then. After a few hours she returned, glad to see that Duo was still asleep. She had picked up some cold cuts and was debating about making a sandwich for herself once she put away all the food, when she heard Duo come into the kitchen. She smiled as he sleepily blinked at her and rubbed his eyes. He just wordlessly started to put away the groceries, ignoring the other bags. He smiled when he came across the cookbook that she picked up.
"Thank you." Duo mumbled, leaving off any honorific, he thought that it would be easier, she wouldn't get upset with the fact that he kept switching between Une and Mistress.
Une smiled back at him and then dragged the bags with clothing in them back into the bedroom. She hadn't bought much, just enough to get him through the next few days. Then they could go shopping together, see what his preference in clothing was. For now she stuck with sweatpants, T-shirts and some sweatshirts, things that she didn't have to worry about the fit over much. Things that Duo would be comfortable in, that he could grow into when he gained the weight back. Along with a brush and a few other things. Little things to make sure that he felt that he belonged here.
She went back into the kitchen to finish watching Duo put the groceries away. She was surprised to see him kneeling on the counter, trying to put something on the top shelf. As she shook her head at his position, her eyes rested on the soles of his feet. And was horrified to see the damage that was there. The calluses that were on the soles were interlaced with scars that still looked a bit tender. She wondered how he had been able to walk with those injuries. Then it hit her, that was how they managed to break Duo without scarring him up too much. Not a lot of people would see the bottom of his feet, they all were usually too eager to see him on his knees in front of them. She shuddered when she thought about how much that must had hurt Duo, and involuntarily went over to gently touch his feet. Duo jumped a mile when he felt her hand on the sole of his foot, slipping off the counter, to land at a heap at her feet.
"Oh god I'm sorry Duo, I didn't think that it would startle you." Une apologized, feeling like an idiot. #They tortured him by beating his feet, of course he'd jump when you touched him. Even if he doesn't remember what happened, they probably are still sensitive. No wonder his toes looked odd, they were broken.#
Duo shook his head. "I'm sorry if I worried you, Mistress."
"You didn't worry me, I just feel like an idiot." Une mutter, helping him up. She was struck again at how small and fragile he was. How did he ever work his Gundam? He was shorter and lighter then she was. "Do you want a sandwich, I was thinking about making one for myself."
"I'll make you a sandwich." Duo said. "It does come under the heading of cooking doesn't it?"
"Only because you're up and out here." Une replied. "I wouldn't wake you up to feed me."
Duo frowned. "You can. I... I... that's what I'm here for. Since you won't fu... ." Duo's voice trailed off, his eyes on the floor, head bowed. He couldn't even finish the question because he was afraid that she would say yes, say that she wanted to hurt him.
"You... ." Une stopped. She sighed. "I don't think that you actually want that, do you?"
"They told me that was all I was good for." Duo said softly.
"You're good for a lot more then that!" Une said, fiercely. Of course they tried to kill any self esteem that he might have. Spirit was for horses or dogs, not slaves. "You were a damn good pilot! You had us on the run for a while."
Duo looked at her and smiled sadly, before dropping his eyes back to the floor. "You said were. You don't think that I could do that any more."
Une shook her head and snapped. "I didn't think that you should do it in the first place." #You picked up on my doubts fast enough. You aren't stupid Duo, just submissive.#
"That wasn't what I said." he retorted. Duo realized what he said and then blanched and fell to the floor, cowering. "Forgive me... I didn't mean to... don't... don't hurt me!"
"I'm not going to hurt you!" Une shouted in irritation, then she reached down and lifted Duo up so that she could hug him. She started to wordlessly stroke his back as he tried to get himself under control, waiting a few minutes before she spoke. "You lost the instincts that made you a good pilot. Not a lot of people have them, so that is a waste. But I didn't think that any of you should have been fighting. You're not stupid, just very fragile right now. We're going to have to work on that. I'm also going to see about getting some books, continuing your education. I didn't really buy you... just think of it as me adopting you."
"Any of us?" Duo asked in a small voice, seizing upon the one thing that sounded important.
"There are five of you. One from each of the colony LaGrange points. You were from the 02 cluster. We didn't have much information on you, just one very fuzzy photo and a bad voice print. We know a little more about the others, but nothing that could really help us stop them. The only reason I recognized you was from your hair." Une explained.
"Oh." Duo said in a small voice. This felt familiar. A woman hugging him. But he was smaller when it was happening. And it hadn't happened since then. Who was hugging him? His mother? A sister? But it was nice and comforting and he knew that no matter how much Une scared him, she wasn't really going to hurt him, she hugged him and it felt nice. She liked him a little. He tightened his grip around her for a second before stepping back and smiling at her, eyes meekly looking at the floor, like he had been trained to do. "What kind of sandwich do you want?"
Une sighed mentally. Duo was being skittish still. He wasn't meeting her eyes and she wondered what she would have to do to stop that. Besides time and building up his self confidence. "I bought some turkey, roast beef and ham. Along with a couple of different cheeses and rolls."
Duo repeated quietly, "What kind of sandwich do you want?"
"Turkey and Ham, with Swiss. On an Onion roll. And what do you want?"
"I'm not hungry." Duo said quietly.
Une sighed. And Duo started to stammer. He knew that those sighs meant that she was angry about something. He had to explain, because she was angry, even if she was nice to him. He shouldn't make her angry. "I... I didn't eat a lot there. I'm not hungry now, just tired. If you didn't need me, I was going to go back to sleep after making your sandwich. I... I... I'm sorry... " Duo fell on his knees and waited for his Mistress to stop being angry with him.
"I want you to eat. You don't have to tonight, but you're too thin. And you can go back to sleep. I fended for myself for a couple of years before you came to live with me, I can have one more night of making my own sandwiches."
"Yes Mistress."
"And is there a reason that you don't want to eat... should I have you make something that... " Une really didn't know how to put this. She felt her face get red and she decided to just blurt it out. "Are you torn?"
"Mistress?" Duo squeaked. He had no idea what she was talking about, except it was embarrassing to her and he was the cause of it. It was his fault. What was she talking about? Torn where? How?
"The men there. I know that they hurt you. I saw the bruises. Do you hurt anyplace else? Any place that... ?" Une asked quietly, wondering if she should just hope that the floor opened up on her and she got swallowed by it. Duo was a sex slave, but she thought that he was missing some important information about sex, besides enjoying it. She wondered if she could ask Treize-sama or Zechs to explain it to him. She thought she might be able to, if she found a copy of an anatomy book and didn't get too flustered about the explanation.
Duo looked at her in confusion, it always hurt during it. And it hurt afterwards for a while, was that what she was talking about? About it hurting because they shoved themselves in him, most of the time not waiting for it to stop hurting from the last time before they started with him again. Duo just stared at Une in confusion, before dropping his eyes back to the floor.
Une sighed. "I don't think that you understand the question. And I can't explain it to you now, because I'm not too sure about it myself. Just go back to sleep and I'll try and explain it to you in the morning."
Duo lifted his head to smiled sweetly at her, grateful that she wasn't going talk about it more to him. He already had too much information that he had to think about. "Thank you Mistress."
Une smiled back at him. "Shoo. Back to sleep or I will make you have something to eat. I also picked up a hair brush for you and a toothbrush. And some scrunchies if you want to pull you hair back."
Duo looked at her, overwhelmed that she bought things for him. That she cared enough to do so. Une saw the confused gratitude in his eyes, she was sad that they had striped him of so much that he was grateful that she bought him a brush for his hair. It was a long time before she went to bed, she wanted to make sure that Duo was asleep before she crawled into bed with him. And she tried not to think about what might have happened to Duo if she hadn't gotten him out of there.
Une woke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. She stretched and yawned, putting off wandering out for a cup of coffee for a few more minutes. She felt next to her on the bed. The little hollow that Duo had curled up into was cold. That meant that he had been up for a while. She smelled something else too, something delicious. Duo popped his head in the door and smiled at her, before kneeling down in the doorway. "Would you like breakfast in bed or out in the kitchen? I made some cinnamon muffins and coffee. I can make something else if you want, Mistress." he offered. "Your will is mine."
Une smiled back at him, reaching to put on her glasses. Duo looked better this morning. A lot more rested. He was still staring at the floor when he talked to her, but he sounded better, a little more confident. "Breakfast in the kitchen. I don't want to get crumbs in bed. And whatever you made is fine. It smells wonderful. We can work out a menu later. And Duo... you don't have to say that, what ever they thought that who ever bought you would like to hear. You are your own person with me."
Duo nodded and frowned slightly. That sounded awfully complicated, but if Une thought that he could handle it... he'd try, it was just he didn't know how to act like she wanted. She was his Mistress, not someone that he could treat casually. She had rescued him from the bad people and she deserved whatever worship that he gave her, just for being nice to him.
Une crawled out of bed and laughed. She and Duo were wearing the same color sweats, they looked like twins. She hadn't noticed that last night getting ready for bed, she didn't want to disturb him any more by turning on the light to see what she was doing. "I adore your taste in clothing." she said before walking into the kitchen. Duo looked confused for a second, then realized that Une was wearing the same thing that he was and she was making a joke. He smiled quickly, then followed her into the kitchen. When she sat down at the little countertop bar that was the table for the kitchen, Duo started to pour her coffee and set the plateful of muffins out in front of her, before kneeling down next to her chair. Une looked at them bemusedly and asked in a confused voice, "I have muffin pans?"
"Yes Mistress."
"Une" Une absentmindedly corrected him before biting into one of the muffins. It was wonderful. She took a sip of coffee and found that it was good too. Her coffee was either too strong or too bitter when she made it herself. Her lack of kitchen skills made her want to ask Treize-sama to see if he could have a simple cooking course added to the Academy's required courses roster. Duo was heaven sent if he could cook this well. And they told him that he was good for nothing more then sex? They must have never let him near a kitchen. She frowned when she saw him kneeling beside her chair, but didn't want to frighten him by insisting that he sit in a chair, no matter how silly she felt with him just kneeling there, waiting for her to tell him what to do.
"Duo... this is wonderful. Thank you for cooking." Une murmured, finishing off one muffin and starting on another one. She had muffin pans, she wondered what else was hiding in this kitchen. She hadn't cooked anything more then soup or made coffee since she had been here. Duo blushed, embarrassed by the compliments. It wasn't anything special. He had just fallen the directions in the book, after making sure that he had everything that he needed for muffins. The same with the coffee.
Une frowned at Duo's position. She didn't want him kneeling at her feet all the time, she should at least tell him to stop it or explain why he was doing that. "Duo?" she asked, not bothering to finish the rest of the question. He would explain himself.
Duo jumped. His Mistress was mad at him. About the where that he was sitting, that he was kneeling at her feet, like a good slave was supposed to. "It's more comfortable for me this way." he explained softly, not lifting his eyes off the floor. He didn't want her to be angry with him. It was just so hard not to do this, it had been so ingrained in him, that it was as unthinking reaction. Slaves kneel. Slaves obey. Slave is just another word for fuck toy. "I think that it might have something to do with what you were embarrassed about last night."
Une frowned. It wasn't good that Duo was still uncomfortable about sitting, was it? She really didn't know. And he should have some sort of physical exam, you never knew what untreated injuries he might have from those bastards. "I'm going to see if one of the doctors will look at you. #They will if I have anything to say about it!# See if there is anything wrong. I can ask one of them to fit you into her schedule today, she owes me a few favors."
"Yes Mistress." Duo murmured obediently.
"You don't mind, do you?" Une asked with concern. She knew if she ordered him to jump off a bridge, he would do so with the same obedient murmur of 'yes mistress'. "I have no idea if you should still be hurting, or if they did things to you that I can't tell that hurt you and they need to be fixed. The doctor will want to touch you where it hurts, you don't mind?"
Duo continued to stare at the floor. He couldn't believe that he had a choice about whether someone would touch him or not. "If I say no, that I don't want to go because I don't want that person touching me, I don't have to go?" he asked cautiously, shifting so that he was slightly out of reach from her. He still didn't think that Une would hit him for questioning her, but old habits died hard.
"I wouldn't like it, but I would respect your decision." Une said slowly. "I would have to have someone talk to you though, either Treize-sama or Zechs." She knew what he was asking, would he be allowed to make his own choice to be touched? She didn't miss the slight shift that he made so that he was not within reach if she wanted to hit him.
"I'll go to the doctor person," Duo said. "And who is Treize-sama and Zechs?" He wondered if they were people that she worked with or something else. Relatives? Other slaves had spoken of family, but he had just given them a blank stare, the same stare that he gave them, when they told him to relax and enjoy the attentions of the fat man and the trainers. They would be easier on him that way, if he did. But he couldn't because he didn't like it and it hurt him.
Une was glad that Duo decided to go to the doctor, she would chose one of the female doctors, it would be less stressful to Duo that way. "Treize-sama is the commander of the Specials, a mobile suit regiment that is part of the Armed Forces. I am his assistant or aide de camp. Zechs is one of the best pilots that we have, he managed to restore an ancient mobile suit called TallGeese, it's almost as good as your Gundams. Just it is not state of art technology, because it doesn't have Gundamium armor but Zechs can make that thing dance if he wants to."
"Dancing is a good thing?" Duo asked doubtfully.
"Dancing is a good thing," Une laughingly told him. "I'm going to get showered and dressed now. I'll be back for lunch about noon. If I'm late or something happens, I'll call you. We can discuss what we can have for dinner then. And depending on when I get an appointment for you, I'll come and escort you to the doctor's place. Other then that, just clean up the place and relax. I think I have some books that might interest you in the living room, you can read them. Just you can't touch the vid, the computer or open the door to anyone. I'll see about getting you added to my security, so that you can take a walk or leave on an errand and not get locked out."
"Yes Mistress."
"And Duo... repeat my name a hundred times. I'm going to make you do that every time that you call me Mistress. It might break you of the habit."
"Yes... Mis... Une." Duo caught himself in time and dutifully started to say Une's name as he cleaned up her breakfast dishes. Une shook her head and went into the bedroom to get ready for her meeting with Treize-sama. She was surprised when she got out of the shower, Duo was kneeling there to dry her off. She blushed as he silently started to dry her off. Thankfully he started at her feet and wasn't looking at her. "Duo what are you doing?" she squeaked.
"Helping you get dressed. Isn't it part of my duties?" Duo asked curiously. "I told you I was trained for personal service." He sat back on his heels and looked up at her quickly, before staring at the floor again
"Ah Duo, you don't have to do this... I can take care of myself." Une mumbled, wondering why she was so red. She peeked on Duo last night, may be he thought that turnabout was fair play? Une doubted it, not from a boy that panicked almost every time she sighed. Every time that he thought she would be angry with him.
"I can dry myself off." Une said quietly. "Why don't you lay out my uniform and then you can help me with my hair."
"Yes Mistress," Duo murmured dutifully.
"Duo, my name a hundred times." Une said gently, but firmly. "I want you to call me by my name."
Duo blushed and started chanting "Une, Une ,Une." as he went into the bedroom. Une let out her breath in a small 'whosh' and was glad that she managed to get Duo out of the bathroom before she died of embarrassment. She knew that she shouldn't be embarrassed, Duo showed as much interest in her as he would a Gundam. May be more so in a Gundam, they hadn't hurt or abused him. Duo had been roughly used by both sexes in his captivity, almost certainly. There had been a few female staff members of that place.
Une walked out of the bathroom to find Duo kneeling by the bed, waiting to help her dress. She hurriedly put on her uniform and then went to sit down in front of her dressing table. Duo came up and silently started to brush her hair out. Une relaxed at his gentle touch and closed her eyes. She was surprised that in a few minutes he had twisted her hair into her customary braids and tied them up.
"Thank you, Duo-chan." Une said, smiling up at him. Duo nodded his welcome and went over to make the bed. Une stood up and went out into the living room to gather up her work, not that she managed to get any of it done yesterday. Duo had finished cleaning up the bedroom and was starting in the kitchen again, when Une came over to him. He stopped what he was doing and knelt before her, waiting for her to tell him what she needed or wanted.
"I have no idea what is in here, for cooking items." Une informed him. "These quarters came fully furnished. That's why I didn't know that I had muffin pans." Une came over to him and stood beside Duo. "I must confess, I am very bad cook. If anything you make is as good as your muffins this morning, you are a very good cook."
"Thank you, Une." Duo said humbly, he was he to serve her, she didn't have to be polite to him, she had already done so much for him. She got him away from the bad people, let him wear clothes and gave him a choice about talking to a doctor. A choice about someone touching him.
Une smiled at him. Duo noticed that she had a very nice smile, she should smile more often. "That wasn't hard, remembering to call me Une, was it?"
"No Une." Duo agreed. But it was hard, he wanted to call her Mistress, even if it did upset her.
"Then after you figure out what you can make for dinner between what I have here and the cookbook, you can read for fun. I just will call you if I won't be home for lunch. Just let the 'phone go into message mode and I will leave you a message. You will hear it anyplace in the apartment if you listen for it. Unless you doze off, which you can. Also did you have anything to eat this morning? If you haven't, eat something that appeals to you. If you want the rest of the coffee you can have it." #I shouldn't have to tell you this, but I am afraid that if I don't tell you to eat, you won't.#
"Thank you." Duo said quietly. "Une."
Une leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Take care."
Duo smiled at her and nodded, careful not to meet her eyes. Une stood up and went out the door, glad to see that Duo waved good bye to her, before getting up to straighten out the rest of the apartment. She wondered what Duo would think of for dinner.
Une was surprised to bump into Zechs as he headed towards the meeting room. He fell into step beside her. "I apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was churlish and unbecoming a fellow officer in the Specials."
Une nodded briskly to him. "I accept your apology Lieutenant."
Zechs shook his head. "I also would like to get to know your 'stray' much better. I think that he might benefit from a male friend."
Une looked at him sideways, checking to see how serious he was and opened her mouth. She closed it again and then sighed. "You are right. I have already run into a minor problem. He... they weren't easy with him. And he mentioned that he was a little sore to sit down comfortably, that's why he keeps kneeling on the floor. Besides the fact that's what they trained him to do with his owner. I'm going to make an appointment for him with Sally Po, but if he didn't want to go, I was going to ask if you or Treize-sama could talk to him. I might still... some of the gaps that he has seems to be with basic things, like self confidence. "
"Let's see how the doctor goes... we can work on anything else later." Zechs said quietly. #You are worried about him. That is surprising, I thought that you were as inhuman and dedicated as pilot 01 to the cause. Just on the opposite side.#
Une nodded. "Why don't you have lunch with me?" she suggested. "It will only be sandwiches, but you can meet Duo. And he seems to know his way around a kitchen, he made the most wonderful muffins this morning for me. And his coffee is heavenly."
"So that's how one gets to you, good cooking." Zechs teased her. "I hope the rebels never find that out."
Une laughed at Zechs' joke, surprised that he wanted to tease her. They really didn't get along, she was uneasy about his relationship with Treize and he thought that she was an uptight prude, because of that. She was prudish about some things, all right a lot of things, but she was more worried that Treize would not be able to act the way the he should with Zechs because they were sleeping together. That Zechs might be a weakness to Treize-sama that others would exploit.
Treize frowned when Une and Zechs walked into the room together. That she looked relaxed and happy with Zechs. Une quickly put on her business face when she realized that some of the others in the room were not part of the Specials but the regular military. This would be an interesting meeting. Most of the other branches of the military thought that the Specials were too lax in their discipline. That they had a better success record then the regular military and the patronage of the Romafellers also was a problem with them. They had the reputation of being a group of spoiled aristocrats with the rest of the military.
The general that had been talking quietly with Treize looked up and frowned. "I see that everyone finally got here."
Une flushed and pointed out in an overly quiet voice. "The meeting is scheduled for 09:00. Since its 08:45, I don't see how the Lieutenant and I are late. Or are you having a problem with something else General Hicks?"
General Hicks flushed at the implied rebuke and sent a look at Treize, 'she's yours you discipline her'!
Treize shook his head and frowned. "Lady Une, the general is just a bit out of sorts. It seems that there has been some trouble with rebels in the NEAM Sector and they want to send us down there to check it out."
Une raised her eyebrow and nodded. "I haven't read this morning's reports, I was... distracted." General Hicks smirked at that comment. "But from what other intelligence that I have read, it seems like a small force of Americans have caused trouble. And that area has always been a problem for the World Government, something to do with its founding."
Hicks frowned at her information and then shrugged. He had no idea what she was talking about, his area has always been in Europe, and he knew nothing about the former United States. He worried about the here and now. And now those damned rebels were causing trouble.
Treize nodded. Une was always good for knowing the oddest bits of information. That's why she was his aide de camp. He had discovered her in the Academy, a shy girl with killer instincts in a mobile suit and an almost perfect memory, with the ability to put together the most amazing intelligence reports. "I think that we can be there in two days, we have to close down here and arrange for quarters in the new base."
General Hicks snorted. "The rebels torched the living quarters, most of them were empty, but we are short on housing space. I can arrange for one house, for all of you off base. Security will be expanded to that neighborhood, it was supposed to be a planned community, but we seized the property until we can rebuild."
"No wonder there is trouble, the locals aren't going to like that." Zechs murmured.
Hicks glared at him, wondering how lax was discipline in the specials if their leader allowed such comments, granted these two were Khushrenda's seconds, but still it showed that something was wrong. Your subordinates did not comment on every little thing. They took their orders and kept their mouth shut.
Une nodded. "Then I will start arranging to tie things up here. If the General could get me the information about the situation I can work up a report for you Treize-sama. Unless there is something else that you needed me here for? I also would like to work with your security person, to arrange for our people and yours to work together. "
"Are you implying that my people aren't good enough?" Hicks snarled.
Une shook her head, "No, its just that you might need the extra help if there is trouble. Overworked soldiers make mistakes that might get them killed. That would be a waste. Just make sure that we have enough room for a place to have staff meetings. And that it is furnished. I know that sound odd, but none of us have lived outside a furnished apartment since the Academy, we don't have anything that we would need. We don't care what it looks like so long as it's comfortable."
Hicks nodded, wondering if Une multitasked like this all the time, if she did, no wonder Treize was willing to put up with her. He was willing to bet that it would have been his head if they had showed up to an empty house.
"As usual Lady, I will let you organize my life."
"I am glad to do so Treize-sama." Une said, with a slight smile. "As usual."
Zechs shook his head. "What had been in the base to make it a target?"
Hicks frowned, he hated telling these people this, but they were helping him, "Mobile suit research."
"What kind of research?" Treize asked.
"We've found a way so that one pilot can control any number of suits. Suits that wouldn't have a human operator."
"Interesting." Zechs murmured. They had been working on that for a while. So why were the rebels going after it now? It seemed that the lull that had happened after pilot 01 self destructed was over. Like they had all gone into shock about his death. Or apparent death. They had found hints that the pilot might have survived and had been nursed back to health by someone. The others had scattered and were just coming out of hiding now. And Duo had been broken into a something terrible. Zechs wondered if he would ever find out what mistake Duo had made to be caught like that. Or had he been betrayed by his own people?
Une nodded and made her salute to the room in general. "I will be leaving now, I would like to get started." She turned to Zechs and nodded. "You can meet me at my quarters for lunch about noon."
"I look forward to it." Zechs replied warmly.
Une smiled back and saluted to the others in the room. Treize looked amused at the exchange, while Hicks smirked
"Should I arrange for two or three bedroom house?" he asked leeringly.
Treize raised an eyebrow and glared at the American General. "Lady Une," he said, emphasizing the title lady, "will want separate sleeping quarters for herself. #And Duo but I am not explaining that to you.# Are you implying that she and the Lieutenant are having an affair?"
Zechs stared stonily at Hicks while, Treize rescued Une's reputation. He knew what Hicks was thinking, the man practically had screamed it when Une admitted that she had been distracted this morning. That they had arrived together, meant in his mind that they were having an affair. Zechs knew that Hicks would not believe that Zechs and Treize were lovers. His record showed that he was a solid planner and not too imaginative, so unless he caught them in bed together, he would never think that it wasn't Une that was having the affair with him, but his superior.
Hicks smirked. "She admits to being distracted and you know how flighty women are. A pretty face or a pretty body will distract them."
"The lady and I met in the hallway. She asked me for help on a small problem and we are going to discuss it over lunch. I wonder how that indicates that we are having either a torrid romance or a casual fling?" Zechs asked calmly. "And I am not going to be the one that will challenge you at dawn about this... Lady Une will be the one defending her reputation. And she is a crack shot."
Hicks blanched and shook his head. "There will be trouble with the living arrangements. But I can't give her a house by herself. And I don't want her in the barracks. The rebels took out almost all of the housing in the area. I don't know if that was as accident or they were planning something else."
"Lady Une will take care of herself. She can handle any gossip that her living arrangements will produce. And if your soldiers don't have anything better to do that is their problem, not ours." Treize dismissed the other's concern, "But if you don't mention it, I won't."
"So I can have you settled into your new quarters inside of a couple of days?" Hicks asked, glad that he managed to avoid annoying the team that was coming into save his ass and his reputation. He didn't like the Specials, didn't like woman in the military and didn't like asking for help. He just had to put up with and do all three this morning!
"Just make sure that it has some supplies and the bare minimum for furniture. It doesn't have to look good, just be comfortable." Zechs repeated. "Lady Une wasn't joking when she said that we don't have anything to furnish a house."
End of Part One
Christine
Please send comments to: Devilkitty@speakeasy.net