17-Aug-2000
Category: Experiment
Pairings: 13x4
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money being made or sought here.
NOTES: All right.. it's 2:30am.. and this sucker decided it wanted finished period end of sentance! As I've said before this is NOT a Companions of Fate arc fic. It's stand alone. I'll warn you now that the ending is not sweetness and light. No one dies but there is emotional angst that remains unresolved. Also please remember that Treize is 24 and in this fic Quatre is 17. Thank you Diane for staying up and betaing this for me. She did great work in keeping me from tumbling over my words.
Quatre was ready for the daily shove between his shoulderblades, only stumbling through the door, not falling onto his knees. He shifted his hands, settling the heavy manacles on his forearms, then looked up and around. It was already dark out, he'd noticed as he was marched along the hallways from the cell to Treize's suite. His pale brows furrowed a little as he looked around the room.
The chess board sat on the desk, as it always did but tonight Treize was not behind the desk. In fact he didn't seem to be in the room. Quatre looked over his shoulder as he heard the door snick shut. Taking a slow breath, he stepped towards the desk. Treize was starting the games early.
'He started the game when he didn't send for me at the regular time.' Quatre acknowledge to himself.
He stopped in front of the chess board and reached down, picking up one of the intricately carved knights. He stroked the warm rosewood between his thumb and index fingers.
"We won't be playing chess tonight." The smooth tones made Quatre jerk sharply, he almost dropped the knight, catching it at the last second by the grace of pilot reflexes.
He turned sharply, finding Treize standing in a doorway at the far end of the room. The Oz Commander had shed his tall boots and his surcoat. Dressed only in his white breeches and white shirt with the frothy cravat, he looked like the white king himself. Quatre turned and set the rosewood knight carefully back on the board.
"Oh?" He asked, pleased that his voice sounded conversationally normal.
"Mmm. I apologize for sending for you so late. I had business to attend to today. I am hoping that a substantial meal will help give my apology weight." Treize intoned urbanely.
Quatre turned back towards Treize, a pale brow lifting. "Apology accepted. No need for such measures." Quatre demurred politely.
Treize moved gracefully out of the doorframe and towards the heavy mantel that sat over the crackling fire. " A very proper answer. However, I promise the food will not be poisoned or drugged."
Quatre lifted his chin a little. " I would never suspect such a thing, " he returned smoothly.
Treize leaned negligently against the mantel and looked expectantly at Quatre. Quatre quirked his chin a little higher.
"If you wished us dead... you would simply have us meet an unfortunate accident in our cell. If you wished me drugged, you could have done it at any time. However, such methods are more Lady Une's style. They lack your sense of finesse."
One forked brow lifted slowly into auburn hair and then Treize's soft, low chuckle filled the room.
"Very cunning young Winner. I am impressed. Very well then, I will call and have them send dinner up. In the interim, perhaps you would like to avail yourself of the small bathing chamber that sits through that door. I doubt that you were raised to sit down at the dinner table... grubby."
Quatre flinched a little as Treize reminded him of his prisoner state. He looked down at the soot stains on his pale shirt and khakis. He felt Treize take control of the situation with those simple words, making him feel helpless. He looked down at the manacles on his lower arms.
Turning he lifted his arms and his head. "It's a little hard to keep neat, when your arms are bound together," he pointed out, perfectly reasonable.
Silence fell between them. Treize studied his prisoner, his aristocratic features betraying nothing. Silk rustled as Treize pushed away from the mantel and moved across the carpet with silent steps. He reached into the pocket of his breeches and pulled out a small metal strip. He caught Quatre's hand, pulling his arms up so he could trigger the lock mechanism with the strip.
The manacles and Treize's hand, fell away at the same moment.
Quatre caught his arms before they swung down to his sides. He'd gotten so used to the manacles, he'd forgotten how heavy they were. Rubbing cautiously at one arm with the hand of the other he looked up at Treize. Ice blue eyes were watching him very closely.
Quatre grew aware of how close Treize stood. He fought the urge to take a step back. He gathered his dignity around him and straightened his shoulders.
"Towels?"
"In there."
"Good." Quatre would not thank Treize, for anything.
Treize grinned inwardly. He was once again reminded of another blond man who faced his fears with the same bravado.
Quatre's muscles gave a small twitch as the young Arabian tried to move forward but realized that he was effectively trapped between Treize and the desk. He could have slipped past Treize but not without bringing their bodies into contact.
Quatre focused on the intricately tied cravat. He tried to think of a way around this without either brushing against Treize or asking the older man to move. Quatre gathered his courage and lifted his turquoise eyes up to meet the ice blue gaze of his opponent directly.
The two stared at each other. Treize used his height, age and position of dominance in an attempt to cow the younger man. Quatre thought of his four comrades, of Heero's intensity, Duo's mental agility, Trowa's quiet determination and Wufei's sense of justice and used their strength to augment his own.
He did not look away.
In the end, though he never broke the stare, Treize took a step back.
Acknowledging Treize's retreat, Quatre lowered his eyes first as he slipped past the larger man and disappeared into the bathroom.
Quatre closed the door slowly, calmly. However, once it was closed he slid down till he was kneeling on the floor. The bathroom was a small one, built for quick changes and freshing up. A shower stall stood one side, toilet and sink in the other. Quatre pressed his forehead against the cool tiles and let himself shiver. As he thought back to what Heero told him he had to scramble to the toilet where he lost the minimal contents of his stomach.
Quatre let the violet shudders take over his body, retching again and again till he felt like he was going to turn himself inside out.
'I can't do this... I can't do this...' He whimpered internally. 'You stepped forward... you walked into this. You have to finish it. Or you'll all lose.' Another part of his mind firmly lashed him. Quatre reached up and flushed the toilet, then fell back under the sink.
He lay there for a few minutes, until the worst of the shakes left his body, then got to his feet, walking to the shower and turning it on.
Out in the main room. Treize finished putting in the order for the meal. He could hear the silence coming from the bathroom. Smiling without humor, he reached forward and slowly tipped the black king over till it rested on it's side, rocking on the board.
Dinner had been delivered and laid out by the time Quatre surfaced from the bathroom. Treize had dimmed most of the daylights in the room till just a few lamps and the fireplace lit the space. Quatre brushed his fingers through his still damp hair, the longish blond curls falling in slightly disheveled waves back off his face.
"I could have sworn I left a comb in there." Treize remarked casually.
"I felt it would have been rude to go poking around your medicine cabinet." Quatre returned politely.
"Ah, of course." Treize motioned to the set table he stood next to. "Besides, you are just in time, dinner has arrived."
Quatre felt his stomach flip at the very idea but he forced himself to step forward without hesitation. A courteous smile graced his aristocratic features.
"Good, I would have hated to make you wait."
"It would have been no bother." Treize smiled inwardly as they exchanged the proper words complete with the proper tones.
Treize waited till Quatre had approached his chair, then both of them stood behind their chairs, each waiting for the other to sit down.
"Please... have a seat."
"You are older, sir."
"You are my guest."
"I am your prisoner."
"Good point."
Treize bowed slightly at the waist and moved to take his seat. As soon as he was scooting his chair beneath the table, Quatre gracefully took his own seat. Both men neatly unfolded their napkins, almost identically, then placed the squares of cloth on their laps. Catching each other in this act, they looked up and for a split second... both lost track of what the other was.
"I was 5."
" 4... but being the only son, Father wanted me on *display* early."
Treize nodded and he reached for a bottle of apple cider, pouring some of the liquid in the wine goblets. Water glasses also sat on the table. Treize set the bottle back into the wine stand and looked expectantly at Quatre.
Cautiously, they both reached for covers that sat over their plates. At the same time they lifted the covers and set them off to the side. The meal was surprisingly simple but perfectly prepared. Again, they regarded each other without words and for a moment, there was stillness and silence as each honored their sustenance in his own way.
Dinner then began with all the grace and elegance of a formal feast. Each man put on his best manners and as they had already acknowledged in each other, the manners matched perfectly. Treize opened up conversation with actual small talk. Quatre, finding no hidden hooks in the comments, answered politely and held up his own end of the conversation. Through some unspoken agreement, a sort of truce fell between them as they ate, the constant testing of each other's mental abilities on hold for the moment.
As Quatre set his utensils neatly on the plate, he lifted the napkin to his lips, patting them daintily before sitting up a little straighter in his chair. Treize finished not two bites behind him and performed the same ritual. They looked at each other across the table. The game began again.
Treize leaned back slowly in his chair, crossing one long leg up over his knee. The pose was casual, elegant and a touch sensual. He reached a long arm out to the table and took up his glass. Saluting Quatre gracefully Treize took a sip of the apple cider.
"Now, that is much better. Though I could use a little fresh air. Shall we retire to the balcony?" Though it was posed as a question, it was also an order.
"I'm certain it's a fine evening." Quatre answered in such a way that he neither capitulated to the order, nor did he refuse it.
Treize unfolded himself from his chair, waiting while Quatre stood as well and the two took their glasses and walked to the small stone deck that stood just outside of Treize's office. The night was indeed very fine. Warm and heavy with the scents of flowers and herbs from a nearby garden. Quatre filled his nostrils with the smells, he didn't know when he'd have a chance to smell fresh air again.
Treize watched the young blond man at his side. Again, he was caught by the similarities between Quatre Winner and Milliardo Peacecraft. Treize tightened his fingers around the stem of his glass, finishing off the liquid within in a quick swallow. Quatre turned the glass in his fingers slowly, trying not to think about the man standing beside him. The game was going to commence very shortly. He could feel it.
Quatre had defeated Treize, at least once, in all their encounters to date. He had made a strategic error in forgetting that Treize was in the position of completely power. That Treize could choose the battle grounds. Heero had gently reminded him of the fact earlier in the day.
// "A man like Treize, will use any weapon he feels he has an advantage with. You've unwittingly backed him into a corner. He'll use the weapon he feels you are the most inexperienced with. He'll use sex Quatre."//
Quatre had known his expression of incredulity had spoke more clearly then his strangled 'Wha??' Heero hadn't blinked as he continued.
// "It's nice that you think it's about love but it can also be about control. It can be the ultimate game of control. No... not rape. He'll try to control you through seduction. You need to turn the table on him. You need to turn it into his seduction, not your own. It's the only way you'll win this round."//
Quatre snorted inwardly. What the hell did he know about seduction? He was 17 years old and probably the only virgin running around in a Gundam at the moment. All his ideals about sex were romantic. Someone you loved... someone you cared about. He hadn't even thought about it really till he met Trowa...
Trowa...
Quatre fought down the hard lump in his throat. He trembled a little and once again he had to fight the urge to turn tail and run... to admit defeat before the game even commenced. Then he thought about Heero, Duo and Wufei. All of them... he couldn't fail them again.
Treize felt the slight tremble from the figure beside him. He looked down at the pale face and felt his lower gut tighten. The young man understood what tonight's game was to entail. Treize had hoped for the element of surprise but perhaps this was for the better. He despised the idea of forcing someone physically, he simply felt the need to control the small blond. Treize did not expect it to go all the way. He just wanted to hear the Arabian plead with him.
Turning, Treize took the glass out of Quatre's numb fingers. The Oz Commander felt completely in control of the situation. The little blond was shivering, very subtly but he was shivering. It wouldn't take long. Turning Quatre's face up to meet his, Treize studied defiant turquoise eyes. He smiled inwardly. He'd wipe that defiance away without ever lifting a violent hand. With that thought, Treize lowered his mouth, laying his lips across Quatre's.
And he got the surprise of his life.
He expected Quatre to cower, or tremble beneath the kiss. He expected to hear a little noise of distress, startlement, shock. He did not expect, the little blond to kiss him back. It was obvious that the blond was inexperienced as hell but the heat of him, as he parted his lips beneath Treize's and leaned forward until his body rested against the older man, drove the breath out of Treize.
Quatre hadn't a clue what he was doing. He'd heard the mechanics about kissing from his sisters and he figured that keeping your lips closed was something you did with a family member... so he let his lips part. The falling against Treize was not all together calculated, more a misjudgment of just how much force to put into the kiss. Quatre sort of over compensated and ended up tumbling against the older man.
Treize automatically reached up to catch and steady the smaller body. The Arabian weighed less then one of Treize's hunting dogs. For a moment, the Oz Commander was lost in a memory. A summer evening, youthful fumblings by a tree, the same sort of inexperienced heat coming from Milliardo. He shuddered and before he could stop himself, Treize deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue past Quatre's lips, wanting to taste that youthful summer heat once again.
Quatre fought the urge to draw away. This was what Heero meant.. he had to do this, he had to take the control back from Treize. At the same time, Quatre felt his 17 year old hormones waking up and taking notice of the situation. He moaned without thinking about it, willing his body to behave. He didn't realize that the sound coming from his throat was sensual and inflaming.
Treize was well aware of the fact however. His body shuddered hard in response to the low moan that came from Quatre's throat and he stepped into the young man, grasping him tighter against his chest. His lips and tongue continued to plunder Quatre's mouth as he lost himself in the feel and taste of the young blond. Without thinking, Treize broke the kiss and dropped his lips down, pulling Quatre off his feet as he searched out the soft skin of the Arabian pilot's neck.
For a moment, Treize was lost in his memories. He could remember the way Milliardo had fit, much like this, in his arms. He remembered the taste of youthful skin under his trembling inexperienced lips, the same taste that Quatre's skin carried. He felt Quatre's body respond to the touch on his neck. The little blond was unaware of how sensual his response was when he tilted his head back, giving Treize more access to his throat. Not knowing what he was asking for but knowing that he wanted something... anything more.
Quatre was barely aware that somewhere along the way, both of them were losing control of the game. His eyes opened and he looked up at the stars shining in space above. The colonies... his mission... their mission. Quatre fought to regain control of his spiraling senses. His body trembled in Treize's embrace, responding in ways he didn't understand to the touch of the older man's heated lips along his skin. Quatre found himself suddenly very aware of the powerful muscles holding him slightly off his feet and the incredible heat that seemed to burn through the fine silk and cotton of Treize's clothes.
'I want to feel his skin.' Quatre thought to himself and immediately he felt shamed by his own desire... Treize was his enemy... his opponent... //'You need to turn it into his seduction.. not your own. It's the only way you'll win this round'// Heero's words came back to him.
Quatre closed his eyes, confused and lost beneath the sensations his body was experiencing for the first time in the arms of the wrong man.
'Trowa...'
Quatre opened his eyes and looked at the way the moonlight played across Treize's auburn hair. Auburn.. like Trowa's. Closing his eyes one more time, Quatre grabbed ahold of his feelings of shame and embarrassment and pushed them aside. He ducked his head a little, reaching up with slender hands to catch Treize's face and turning it till their mouths once again collided.
Treize attacked the eager young mouth that sought his. He tasted the apple cider and Quatre's unique flavor as he lost more of himself into the kiss. He felt Quatre's hands move across his cravat, parting the intricately tied fabric with deft motions. Milliardo had known how to get past a cravat as well. Une could barely manage a Windsor knot. Treize groaned softly as he felt those small fingers brush across his heated skin as the cravat fell apart, letting the formal shirt part at his throat.
Suddenly, being out on the terrace was the last place Treize wished to be. He already held Quatre off his feet. It took little effort to lift the young man the rest of the way up into his arms without breaking the kiss.
'He's lighter then Milliardo was at that age.' The fleeting thought danced through Treize's thoughts, reminding him that it was not Milliardo he held in his arms but a young man he was trying to break.
'My enemy.' Treize thought to himself even as his long strides carried them both through the room that had witnessed so many of their battles, past the chess board and into the large chamber that held Treize's bed.
End Part 4
Laekin
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