Noin was a bit worried when she knocked on Zechs door and no one answered. Funny. He's always at home when he's off duty. Catching up with his sleep and typing up reports. Or, he'd just dozed off in the couch with his favourite book over his face. She entered her security clearance and stepped into the room. Its immaculate as ever. But there's something amiss. The bed had not been slept, probably for days, the sink is terribly dry and the curtains drawn in. Where's Zechs? If he'd left he would've told her.
But she rememebered the times when he didn't say a thing to her and just disappeared. But she knew. Treize was with him. *was* Treize had asked her to search for Zechs, somehow. Somehow, the platinum haired pilor disappeared into thin air, and Treize wasn't comfortable at all
She had this urge to ask Treize of where Zechs was, but figured out that the man wouldn't know either. Their relationship had been severed for some particular reason, best not said, making them fidget in the other's presence.
A few minutes later, Noin found herself standing on the pavement outside Zechs' flat, walking to nowhere in particular. Just walking. Trying to sort out her feelings. One part of her felt pity for her friend, the other kind of leapt with hope. She felt bad.
Two turns and she found herself in a clearing. The field glistens with the slow droplets of rain, and the scent of spring runs in the air.
Its just the start of spring, and things are really beautiful. Then..
In the middle of the clearing there's a mansion. A delightful one, it seems. With golden archway that leads deeper into a dreamlike place. Everything were so well kept in that place. And she walked in. The winter peonies, and the blooms of sakura blend into the greens of willows and the shimmering stream.
Then she saw a shadow cast from a large bay window. A shadow she knew.
"Zechs" she called as she knocked softly on the glass. Zechs, who was buttoning up his red uniform jacket spun around and saw the violet haired woman. He reached to the small glass handle and opened the window, slid it open, so that Noin could come in.
"Noin?" his brow creased with question.
"Zechs. What are you doing here? What is this place? this is just so gorgeous" she can't help but expressing her utmost fascination.
"I don't think you would want to know what this place is."
"Can't be that bad can it?"
"Well, I don't know what you'll say." Zechs started, as he placed himself on a dragonbone chair, "This place is a brothel."
Noin could only stare into the cold blue eyes of her friend. "You must be joking."
"Of course not."
"But why? You seek pleasure in this kind of place?" she sat opposite to him.
"I am lonely, Noin. Or at least thats what I feel. Very."
"And you search for women here, as if its going to be any better?"
"Hell no, Noin. What made you think that way?" Zechs placed his forehead on his palms. "I came here just for the scenery, the tranquility. There's no one else here but me. And some occasional visitors."
"You're the.." Noin couldn't bring herself to finish it.
"Most of the time, yes. But they are people with integrity, Noin. They are.. they feel the same way I do. Our lovemaking is more of.. keeping each other's company, rising up one's spirit."
"The hell you do. You look as dejected as ever."
"They don't. That made me feel better, you know. Helping someone to get over their weight. Gave me a sense of
purpose."Noin grew impatient. "You're naive Zechs. When people finished fucking someone, especially someone like you, they'd feel better. You're like.. like.. a whore."
Zechs' head snapped up. "You don't understand Noin. They.. I don't know what to say. Please, don't doubt me."
For once, Noin could see Zechs, without the restraints of his mask, his eyes sparkled with emotion. "I am sorry Zechs. I just don't know that you feel this low. Felt so useless."
"Am I not?"
"No you're not." Noin moved closer to her friend and held his hands. "Your presence alone meant much to me. I think I know what your.. visitors think of you. You shouldn't feel so low. You aren't"
Zechs could only smile. "Thanks" And he walked towards the pantry. "What do you want to drink?"
"Just tea."
"Sure" as he poured a cup of tea for Noin, and handed it to her.
"You 'work' with your service uniform? Aren't you afraid that one of those might be colony's people?"
"No. I don't work with these. We had a different outfit. The reason why I am using this now is I am going back. I haven't finish writing my report yet, I don't want Treize to get upset." By the mention of Treize, his eyes grew clouded. Noin could feel her heart wrench a bit.
"And all of the visitors so far are Colonies' people."
"What?!"
"Don't tell anyone."
"You just got to tell me all about your adventure."
"I don't think so."
"Oh yes you will. By the way, could you show me your outfit, on you?"
"No." came the short reply.
"Well, can I at least see what its like?"
Zechs could only point to the sofa, where the silky fabric laid.
"This is so beautiful. You must be irresistable!"
"I'm going back, Noin. You could stay here or come back with me."
Zechs was ready to leave when Noin's voice stopped him, "Wait. I want to talk about something."
"About?"
"You, and Treize, basically, and me too."
Zechs sighed, and sat down again. "Noin, you do know he's the last subject on earth or in space I would want to talk about."
**
"Well, everything seemed to go fine enough for me." Noin said, as she bit her second tea biscuit of the day. "New cadets running around and creating some damages. But nothing I can't handle."
Zechs looked up from his tea and found Noin's lips twitching to suppress laughter. A slender platinum eyebrow raised with a slight inquiry. Then a series of infectuous laughter.
"Mmmph.. They.. they learn considerably fast!" Zechs said between laughters.
"Rule no.1, if you can erk anyone, start with the Headmaster!"
"Oh, surely General Yoqwien understood that by now already! Cadets, running around, destroying thing, Headmaster.. can't he see where it all fits?"
"And who started that, Zechs?"
"Us! Oh I still remembered." Zechs tried to swallow his laughter, for his stomach started to be very painful.
"Yep! The best cadets Lake Vic ever produced."
"Uh.. enough laughing already, my stomach hurts."
They spent a few minutes to regain their composure and ended up catching their breaths.
"God, that is a laugh that I hadn't had for years." Noin said, as she picked another biscuit from the plate.
Then silence. Zechs stared out into the garden, smiling a bit. Noin looked up involuntarily and caught a very pictoral glimpse of Zechs. She bit her lower lip. Zechs looked so beautiful. Did she feel jealousy? She chuckled a bit.
Then,"Zechs, I really need to talk to you about some serious matter."
He turned his head and looked into Noin's eyes. "What was it about?"
"Treize has been turning the base up side down, looking for you."
"And?"
"Don't you see? He needs you, and you ran scurrying trying to escape him?"
"I don't remember me saying running away from him. I just don't want to spend my day off with him around. It just felt.. uneasy. And he probably needs me for the paperwork. Tell him not to worry, I'm doing it."
"Its not that." Noin shook her head. "You well know that its not that."
"And I don't want to talk about him."
"Hey, I understand." Noin started again, munching her tea biscuit, trying not to be so intimidating on Zechs. "We all know who had been sneaking into the general's room every odd weeks."
"And?"
"Well, I just wanted to.. I don't know. We're the same I guess."
"What do you mean the same?"
"Unrequited love?" Noin asked lifting one eyebrow.
Zechs stared into the space between him and Noin. "Guess so."
"So, I understand how you feel."
"I don't think so. The 'watching from the sideline' part I think yes. But the whole thing? I don't think so. Do you know how it feels when someone actually throw you out of the bedroom one night, just because he's not up to it already? Just because I'm too used up and now having to leave?"
"Its.." Noin struggled to find the right word for this. "No. You don't understand."
"What ever else do I need to understand?"
"You and Treize. You're both too alike. Too close to each other's being. You're like his shadows and he yours. Don't deny it, how many times had your thoughts went out to search for him during your nights here? And Treize too. Not until you left, did he start feeling the gap in his day. Damn, Zechs.. Don't go around fooling yourself."
"Women intuition."
Noin tried not to laugh, but she couldn't supress her bitterness too, "You sounded like that Chinese guy that Treize had in his bedroom. Always underestimating women."
"How do you know?"
"I duelled with him once."
"Oh."
"Now listen here, Zechs Merquise. Don't 'oh' me. Do something. As they said, 'don't be sorry, get it right'."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Go to Treize. Talk to him. You both need that. Can't always stay in the dark now, can we?" Noin said. "Can I have another cup of tea?"
Zechs smiled and start pouring tea into Noin's almost empty cup. "I'll try, okay.. Just to get you off pestering me. Old Nanny."
"Oh I remembered that! When we're three weeks in our induction to the Academy! You called me Old Nanny!"
"Yes, I remembered. Wonder why."
"I walked too slow."
"Slowpoke, turtle, tortoise.."
"Hey quit that already!"
** "So, what do you want to talk about?"
"Huh?"
"You said, I quote: 'You, and Treize, basically, and me too.' So spill already."
"Oh that one. No, I just need to talk. About anything thats all. I went to your apartment today and couldn't find a soul. Your rooms are just so empty. It kinda felt melancholy actually. I realised how lonely you are."
"As if you're not."
"Hey, but I lived near the compound, at least I got to stay with the soldiers who were as loud as the endtimes."
"So?"
"Mind me moving in? You got a spare room right.."
"Its for.."
"Treize?"
Zechs shot a glance towards Noin, who continued, "Whatever for? Treize could just fall out in your bed. Thats what a kingsize in your room is for, right? Don't worry, if you do make up in bed, I'll pretend I don't hear a thing."
"Its not that,"
"And I'll cook too. Your tea is the most icky thing I've drank today."
"But you drank two cups of it. And I bet you haven't drank anything but water today anyway."
"Whatever. But seriously someone had to keep an eye on you for Treize."
"What does that amount to?"
"Nothing. I get to be near you thats all. By the way the biscuits are nice."
"I don't know. Maybe. and thanks. And.. do you want to have a walk in the garden? Its nice outside."
She looked into the sunfilled garden and smiled, "I'd love to. But would we bump into some other beings.. let alone those.. doing some.. productive things?"
Zechs laughed heartily, "No. Not if we don't do it. We're the only two here, I think."
"Quit it, soldier boy."
<>< JejeFish!