Glasses perched on the end of his nose, Chang Wufei looked through the lenses and glared at the text rolling by the screen for a moment before finally stopping, pulling off the wire frames and rubbing both eyes. He'd been at it so long that his eyes were absolutely killing him, not to mention the stiffness of sitting still for so long.
/Part of the job,/ he thought to himself with a little sigh, glancing out the window at the remarkably blue sky.
The terraforming of Mars had gone off without a hitch thus far, largely due to the efforts of all those involved -- including the lover he'd left to join Mariemaia's army. /Stupid./
He wasn't sure if he meant *himself* or the fact that he'd left. Either way, it was well-covered with that single word
There hadn't been anything for it, though. Zechs had... made him feel wanted. Loved, even, and he wasn't ready for that. He hadn't needed that, then. Then, he'd needed to be punished, reviled... hated. The punishment was something Mariemaia could provide, bodily forcing him so far it was a miracle he hadn't cracked before she would accept him.
Joining her granted him the other two.
Now, though...
After the war, they'd *all* come to Mars -- himself, Sally, Quatre... Zechs and Noin. The occasional urge to snarl at the woman as they passed in the hall was difficult to resist, but he managed.
Barely.
He had a feeling she felt the same way.
The dream was a lovely one and he was enjoying every minute of it. They were in Spain, in the south along the coast, and it was summer. The heat was a palpable thing, shimmering in the distance and turning the small seaside town into molten silver in the distance. He was on a beach, laying on his back with his eyes closed, drinking in the warmth in the air. Then there was a shadow, and cool water dripping onto him and then next thing he knew Treize's mouth was on his and his arms slid around the dripping wet man as their kiss deepened and two hardened shafts rubbed together between them. "Ahhh... need you... c'mon, Treize. Give it to me... hard... fast... NOW."
His lover complied and, in the lovely way of dreams they were suddenly naked and Treize was pressing into him, long and thick, making him throw back his head and moan. "That's it," the silky voice intoned. "That's it... take it all... Ahhh..."
And somewhere in the middle of that pleasured sigh, the voice changed and it wasn't Treize inside of him. It was...
A sharp gasp escaped him as he woke, the comm unit buzzing loudly. He fumbled for the activation key and took a call from the chief engineer who was working on the far northern perimeter. His heart was racing and he was painfully hard. /I have to stop taking naps. They're too damned inconvenient... and frustrating./
After the call, he sat back and ran a hand through his hair, staring at the tower of iced coffee cans he and his coworkers had been amassing. /I'll be damned if I'm going to let that little bastard back into my dreams. I did it once and he showed me exactly what he thought of my offer. I'm *not* going there again./ And with that, he grabbed a sheaf of printouts and stretched out in the chair, and tried hard not to think about sex.
/I wonder if Noin's free right now.../
Almost as if in response to that thought, her husky voice came from the doorway. "Hey, you look sleepy..."
Zechs looked over his shoulder. Noin was standing in the doorway and he silently thanked God that he had the printouts in his lap. /Nothing like being obvious about where one's mind has been.../
"Hey. I thought you were off-duty an hour or so ago." He leaned back in the chair and stretched then smiled and grabbed her hand in a playful manner. "What are still doing here? And still in uniform, too? Go home -- save yourself while you still can."
"Ah, well. I needed to talk to Sally and you know how girl-talk can get... and then I thought I'd stop by and see if I couldn't keep you company for a bit," she said with a little wink, almost as if she KNEW what he was hiding beneath those papers.
"Unwise, dear Lady, very unwise." He winked back and drained his can of coffee. "I'm in a foul mood today, not fit to be around *anyone*, let alone a lovely person like yourself. But if you are offering your company then I certainly won't refuse it." He rested an elbow on the arm of his chair and propped his chin on his hand, gazing steadily into her eyes through long, golden bangs.
The smile that crept across her lips was personable, warm, and filled with the love she felt for him. "Ah, good. You get off in four hours, right?"
"Yes," he said, still staring. "That's if my idiot subordinate doesn't call in sick again like he has the last couple of night shifts. I'm not holding my breath about that time."
"Mmm, I *was* sorting of hoping you'd get home earlier," came the slightly chagrined response.
A single platinum eyebrow was raised. "I see," Zechs said in a low, silky voice. He ran his gaze over her body, tracing every curve before returning to stare into her eyes. "Just *why* were you hoping for this? Noin."
The flush that rose to stain the lovely light olive of her skin was enough to draw a smile from him and her gaze was fascinated by it. "Oh, I was.... hoping...." she began softly.
"Onna."
An immediate frown crossed Zechs's face and he turned to look at the intruder, although he knew exactly who it would be. Only one person at this base would even think of addressing Noin that way. Azure eyes bore into ebony as his feet came down to the floor with a loud slam, even though his voice was stunningly calm. "I suggest, Mr. Chang, that you use a little more respect when you address Miss Noin, and that you also knock before entering a room."
One delicate black brow arched slowly, Wufei's gaze heated as he looked right back. "Sally wants to talk to you... onna."
An almost angry sigh was heaved from Noin as she looked back at Zechs, her ardor fading as she frowned. "Sorry, love," she said softly. "Balding-boy here needs to learn a few manners, but he wouldn't outright lie... I don't think."
"I'll see you at home then, hopefully," Zechs replied, hand gliding across Noin's waist but never moving his gaze from Wu Fei. "And you -" he said to the younger man. "Get out of my lab." Having said it, he turned his back to the door and began to read the day's reactor stats.
The only footsteps moving away were Noin's however. "Afraid of me?" Wufei taunted quietly, moving farther into the room. "Or just hate me?"
Zechs considered for a moment, still leafing through his printouts. "I believe you had both of those bases covered long before I met you."
That was certainly discouraging but it was no less (and no more) than he'd been expecting. "We need to talk."
"Oh we do?" Zechs drawled, sitting up to key in the corrections they would need to make the next day. "Why? I understood the message loud and clear the first time. I don't need you to repeat it."
Wufei's suggestion, when it came, was infinitely practical. "We *do* have to work together, Zechs. It will only be difficult if you continue to hold a grudge without even hearing me out."
Zechs had had enough. It had been a long day, all he had wanted was an hour or so of very good sex and sleep, and at the moment he wasn't likely to get either anytime soon. It was making him cranky.
He keyed in the last few numbers and stood, walking close enough to Wufei to be able to really look *down* at him. "Let's get one thing straight. *You* were the one who left without a word and then came to this planet *knowing* that I was here." One step closer to increase the intimidation factor. "As for holding a grudge, if it makes you happy to hear it, I don't. There is *nothing*, Wu Fei, that ties you to me in any way." He leaned forward and managed to trap the Chinese pilot against the doorway, one hand on either side of his head. His face was only an inch from Wufei's and his voice was silky and seductive. "Nothing. Do you understand that?"
A husky breath parted Wufei's lips as his gaze turned hazy and dropped to the mouth that had been speaking absolute gibberish at him while he was being affected far too much by the presence of Zechs's body closing in on him. "What?" he asked, brows knitting before he moved forward swiftly, lips capturing the other man's momentarily.
The kiss took Zechs completely by surprise and that split second was enough to draw him into it. His hands were on Wufei's arms now, pinning the smaller man to the wall, and the kiss deepened. /So familiar... so damned good.../
He broke it slowly, and when he opened his eyes the previous year came crashing back to him. Once again the cynical tone crept into his voice as he leaned back a bit. "So. Did you get what you came for?"
Raven lashes fluttered up slowly as Wufei drew a deep breath. He could feel it throbbing inside of him -- the desire that felt too damned good, the want and need that only three people had ever managed to cause in him. /And two of them are dead.../
"Not yet."
Zechs held Wufei's gaze a moment longer and then turned and walked over to his desk. He picked up his empty coffee can and carefully set it down on the top of the pyramid with the others. "Go find someone else then," the blond man said bitterly. "Someone who'll be more like Treize, so you can go on pretending."
The pain of that statement cut him to the core and Wufei paled visibly beneath the warm caramel of his skin. "I've taken my path; I've found my redemption, finished my fight with him. I don't want to pretend anymore." The thought of how he'd almost killed Heero Yuy in his fit of madness, in his desire to finish his fight with Treize and lose, as he'd expected to do, sent cold chills down him. "That's not what I'm looking for... not what I want."
Turning slowly to face Wufei, Zechs folded his arms and leaned against the desk. His head was tilted to the side slightly, the look on his face bemused and disdainful. "Really?" he said, arching an eyebrow. "Well just what *do* you want then?"
Pink tongue darted out, nervously touching Wufei's upper lip as he sauntered across the room to stand before the tall blond, gaze cast up challengingly. /You./ "An opportunity to explain."
Zechs's face remained impassive. "You don't have to explain anything. I know why you left, but I can't do anything about that reason. I'm not what you're looking for, Wufei. I'm not him, and I don't really care to be a consolation prize."
"You don't know ANYTHING!" came the heated declaration. "You're making assumptions. You *always* make assumptions. You *always* assume it's something wrong with you! You *always* assume it's because you're not him!" Wufei's face moved from angry to solemn as his lips compressed. "And what if I tell you it *was* you? What then?"
The blond unfolded his arms and leaned back on them, hips resting against the edge of his desk. Bitterness gave way to anger and now he frowned sternly at the younger man. "Then I would ask you," he said in a voice so low it was nearly a growl, "why you are pursuing me. If it *was* me that made you leave, then it should be obvious to *you* that I'm not the one you're looking for."
Those ebony eyes narrowed to keep the tears gathering in them from falling. "Did it ever occur to *you* that maybe when I left it was because you were too good for somebody like me? And maybe now that I've done my penance...."
The sounds of footsteps moving towards the office stopped those words and Wufei turned stiffly to stare out the window.
"Sally wasn't in her office, justice-boy. What's your problem?" Noin asked, a bit belligerent.
Zechs was still frowning, but the character of it had changed and now he stared at Wufei in complete puzzlement. When there was no answer from the dark-haired man, he turned slowly to Noin. "He... he wanted to talk."
"Hn," came the grunted reply. "I don't know where she went." With that, he was moving, past the taller woman brusquely and back towards his own office.
Quizzical bruise-violet gaze followed after him. "Who whizzed in his cornflakes?"
There was a heavy sigh from Zechs, who lifted his gaze upwards, as if pleading for mercy then looked back at Noin. He needed to get away from this, to escape the thoughts the were crowding into his mind, bringing back images from the past that were sweet and erotic and so very, very painful. Standing for a moment, he leaned over and grabbed Noin's hand, pulling her to him as he sat back down on the edge of the desk. He stared at her,ice-blue eyes asking questions he couldn't give voice to as his hands roamed over her hips and pressed her closer. "Noin..." he murmured, brushing her cheek with his lips, "will you let me...?" He might have finished, but the taste of the skin on her neck and the softness of her breasts against him was too heady to ignore. "Please," he whispered, "Oh, *please...*"
The movements he'd made had been unexpected, but Noin had never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Her arms wrapped warmly about his neck and she tilted her head back with a sigh, leaning forward into him. "Yes," she whispered, her answer a certainty even before it was spoken. "Oh, Zechs, yes..."
The catch in her voice, and the swiftly-given assent was enough to make him stiffen. Still kissing her, Zechs fumbled for the control panel on his desk, hearing the door lock with a satisfying click. Then his hands were cupping her buttocks, squeezing them and pulling her against his growing erection. He let his tongue trail up to her ear, where he suckled the tender lobe. At the same time, his hands wandered down and began exploring the warmth between her legs, brushing up against the fabric until he felt his fingers pressing her open, soft lips on either side yielding to his pressure. "Uhhhhnn... so soft, Noin... so damned hot..."
Her head dropped back, legs opening for his fingers as one hand pressed warmly against his uniform pants, squeezing and pressing the erection throbbing there tenderly. "Nnn, Zechs... yes..." White teeth bit slightly at the line of his jaw as her legs shifted so that she straddled his thigh, his fingers still on her, though she wished they were in her instead. "God, it's so good..."
"Mmmnn... not good enough," Zechs murmured. He stood and then scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to the sofa that some lab tech had brought in to take naps on. Joining her, he sprawled across her body, one leg between hers, supporting his weight on an elbow. Her mouth was his again, and he claimed it with a fierce hunger as long, slender fingers unbuttoned her shirt and his leg pressed up against her. "Mmmm... so beautiful, Noin... lose myself in you... inside you..."
Her own hands fumbled quickly at buttons and zippers, Zechs's uniform jacket shoved off, the shirt quickly done away with as well in her urge to get to his skin. Each motion of his thigh pressed tightly against her and she groaned audibly as she rocked up to meet it, the pressure of her body against his never slowly as she began to kiss his throat, wandering soon to the heated muscles of shoulders and chest. The desire rising in her was a flood, a riptide, and she whimpered as a hand worked past the waistband of his pants. "Oh, yessss...."
Her shirt lay open and he kissed the rounded flesh just above her bra as his hands trailed upwards. Sliding his tongue down over the silky black material, he found a nipple through the fabric and nipped at it gently with his teeth before taking it into his mouth and sucking until the silk was wet. His hands roamed down again and found the opening of her trousers, beginning to work the clasp as his mouth moved on to the other nipple."Oh, *God*.... he whispered, as he felt her hands on him. His breath was ragged and he pressed himself into her palm, sucking harder on the pretty, black silk nub before him. Then, with one skillful move, her bra was open, the loose fabric barely containing the soft swellings of her breasts. He could only groan and his fingers dragged the fabric off of them. Out of everything Noin offered him, these were his favorite playthings and now he lowered his head and feasted on her like a starving man.
The soft sounds of enjoyment spilling loose from her were almost loud enough to be heard outside as she shuddered, rocking her hips up to questing fingers, her own sliding down and grasping the rock-hard flesh of his excitement with firm hand. "God, yes, Zechs... oh, YES!"
Zechs didn't want to wait any longer and suddenly two sets of uniform trousers slid to the floor followed by silky briefs and underpants. He pulled her arms up over her head, pinning her wrists down and looking down at her with half lidded eyes gone intensely blue. His knees were pressing her legs apart and now the sight of her that way, held down and spread open before him, sent a sweet, erotic madness through him. He gave out a low growl and positioned himself so that the tip of his shaft was nestled between blushing lips that were hot and wet, barely pushing in, just enough to let her know what was coming.
Her lips parted in a raucous sound of pleasure as she moved yearningly towards future impalement, back arching to offer the soft globes of her breasts to him even as a foot planted flat against the edge of the soft, pushing her entire body up to meet him. "Nnnn!!"
In one long, steady motion he pushed into her, pressing until the silky skin of his balls rested against her body. "Uhhhhnn..." He let out a deep groan of pleasure as his head fell back, spilling his hair over the tender skin of her thighs. A moment later, his head was bowed reverently over her, sucking gently at her breasts in rhythm with his thrusts. He let go of her wrists and trailed his hands down her body until he gripped the smooth, tight mounds of her buttocks. "Mmmmm... Take it, Noin..." he whispered over her heated skin while lifting her hips up off of the sofa and driving into her, harder, deeper.
"Ah, God!" came the groaned answer as she lifted to meet him, shuddering. Each stroke into her brought the mound of his pubis against her clit, the touch teasing at her deliciously as she shuddered, feeling his touch all the way to her core. "God, you feel so good, so deep, Zechs...!" Fingers trailed over golden shoulders, nails biting into tender skin as they clenched tightly against him. "Ah! Yes!"
Deep, so deep, and the sounds of their coupling pulling him in. Her voice, full of primitive pleasure, their breathing, ragged now and panting, the sound of his shaft thrusting in and out. She was so wet he could hear it, a sound so erotic it made him moan and shudder. And suddenly, he couldn't have enough so he lifted her legs and hooked them over his shoulders, pushing even deeper, something he hadn't thought possible. As he pressed her further, he leaned down to nuzzle against her breasts. His hands cupped them and long fingers pushed them up to meet his lips.
And now it was so close and he could hear how badly she wanted it. Keeping his thrusts hard and deep, he let a finger slide down to toy with the swollen nub that hid behind her labia, rubbing it in time to their movements while his other fingers spread her wider still.
It almost hurt, the angle and the depth of penetration, but Noin didn't mind that; it was Zechs, deep in her and pushing to the limits of her, his fingers riding her slick flesh, dancing over the trembling pleasureful core that made it so good, beyond heaven, and his tongue was on her breasts, teeth and mouth nipping. "God, oh, God, oh, GOD!" she moaned, almost shouting as she came, once and then a second time, rapid-fire orgasms that seemed to melt throughout her torso, arms and legs, every last tiny particle in her dancing with joy.
That feeling... that blessed feeling of her wrapped around him, hot and wet and pulsing in exquisite rhythm, not once, not twice, but enough for him to lose count. Even as he drifted near the edge of release he stayed deep inside of her, finger moving against her when she seemed recovered from the last and ready for more. And as he milked the orgasms from her, that gentle squeezing pushed him over into freefall and he was lost, closing his eyes, throwing his head back, and letting the waves crash over him. And as he did, he was transported to a small house in Luxembourg, where he lay on the floor with a dark-eyed boy beneath him, their lips brushing as he brought the boy to climax, hips rocking softly, rubbing that precious place deep inside. When he looked down, Noin's dark hair had become infinitely darker, her luminous violet eyes turned to glowing ebony, beautifully shaped, and hiding the quiet scholar behind the warrior. That was the boy he was fucking -- the one hidden deep inside who'd touched his heart more than he ever thought possible.
As his moans had quieted, he leaned down to kiss Wufei and found the heat of Noin's lips instead. So he dropped his head to her shoulder and held her close while he cursed himself and his weakness.
"My sweet man," her whisper came later, sated and warm with the delicious feelings feathering through her veins. "Oh, my sweet man."
The whine of the elevator brought Sally Po's attention back to the here and now. She'd been reading a report on a suspicious incident that had occurred in the oxygen farms wing of the complex and had forgotten all about calling the elevator. Now she pulled herself away from charges and countercharges being raised by the parties involved and stepped into the small car, pressing the button for the third floor.
/He probably doesn't want to see me. Been too damn prickly these days, even for him. But, sometimes we need what we don't want and what that young man needs is company... Even if he doesn't happen to hold that same opinion./
Leaving the elevator, Sally walked down the hushed halls of the engineering wing. It seemed at times that most of her life was spent between here and the medical complex. But, she reminded herself, determined to be cheerful, it was a life, and not a bad one at that.
She knocked briskly at Wufei's door. "Hey, open up in there! This is a medical visit! And you're damned lucky that this doc still makes office calls."
The lock slid loose, door opening to reveal Chang Wufei, calm and collected, staring at the scrolling characters of his screen as he typed away; the same thing he'd been doing the day before and the day before that, only those days he'd at least looked like he'd slept a little. Today, it was pretty obvious that he hadn't.
"What do you want, woman? I don't need..."
"Oh yes you *do,*" Sally interrupted, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. She gave him a long look up and down. "At least, you need *something.* Maybe I don't know what it *is* right now, but it's painfully obvious you need it."
She wanted to ask flat out what was wrong, but in the two and a half years she'd known the Chinese pilot, she'd learned the hard way that direct questions caused the subject being questioned to close up and scuttle away sideways. A little crab indeed. No, better to be circumspect about it. "How's the project going? Did you get the data you were looking for on the oxygen shortage?"
His answer was slow in coming but precise when it did. "The problem caused a slow-down in production by almost ten percent due to units 8 and 24 being off line for those three days before it was caught. I've got the name of the technician responsible, who still insists that they were working every time he came by to check their stability and his statement rings true so I suspect that whatever tampering there's been won't have come from him. I think we should take surveillance a bit more seriously around here, instead," and this was almost huffed, his lower lip pouting out, "of people having *sex* on the couch in the surveillance room."
She tried but couldn't contain the laughter that burst out at the comment and the look on his face. /Damn, he's adorable when he's miffed./
"What *are* you talking about? Were you the one on the couch?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him, just to see the lip again.
He didn't disappoint her.
"Don't be ridiculous! You have to know who I mean! Zechs and that... *woman*," he said crankily, a hand reaching up to tug at his ponytail. "They were wailing so loud the entire ~sectre~ knew what they were doing. At least they could be quiet!"
Her smile grew wider. "Oh, come now -- are you going to deny them some enjoyment? *If* anyone heard them then I'd bet they were all wishing they could get some, too." She picked up a clipboard that had a follow-up to the oxygen farm report on it. "Mars is good for lots of things, Wufei, but finding love is not one of them. Why get all bent out of shape because some people managed to buck the trend?" /Can't wait to hear what he says to that.../
"It wasn't *TRENDS* they were bucking!" he almost snarled before taking a deep breath and reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "Sorry. I'm tired, and... I'm going to leave here and go get some sleep in another hour or so. So you can stop worrying about me and worry about somebody else for a while."
"But I like worrying about you, Wufei. It's become an avocation of mine." She sat down in the chair next to him, facing the same way he was -- she knew better than to try and do this face-to-face. "We've all been working hard lately, and with this possible security breach there's a lot more tension. I'm sure that was the reason for the session between Zechs and Noin. They've been doing everything they could to track this thing down." He hadn't stopped her yet, so she continued to deliberately not look at him and went on. "But that's not what's worrying you, is it? There's something else behind that." At other times in the past, if she had acted as if it were perfectly reasonable that he have issues to deal with, he had sometimes felt safe enough to open up. She held her breath and hoped that this, too, would be one of those times.
"I..." Silence held out for several long seconds before he spoke again, slowly. "I don't like to talk about the time that passed between Treize's death and Mariemeia's coup..."
"You were in Luxembourg then, weren't you." It was a statement, not a question. Just something they could both agree on. "I can imagine that must have been very difficult for you. I mean, I know a lot of people who were disoriented by the end of the war. I was one of them! But none of them had been through anything near what you had. I think you showed an enormous amount of strength just getting through it."
Wufei snorted. "Don't coddle me, woman." Silence grew again for a moment before he spoke. "Yes. I was in Luxembourg. I wasn't alone."
Her voice when she spoke was soft but serious. "FIrst of all, I wouldn't say what I did lightly. As a physician I saw a lot of post-war trauma cases, so I know what experiencing war, even vicariously, can do to a person. It can be horrible as all of us know.
"As for your not being alone in Luxembourg, my first instinct is to say I'm glad to hear it, but it doesn't seem to have been a good thing for you. I wish only the best for you, so there's a part of me that wants to know why." She smiled down at her hands, resting on the clipboard. She still had yet to look at Wufei. "And if you'd like to call me a silly woman because of that, feel free. But I'd still like to know about that part of your life."
A hand reached out, decisively clicking off the screen. "I know what you're doing, woman. And... you make it very hard not to talk to you. You're very good at it."
/Not as good as I'd like to be.../
When she said nothing, he finally spoke again, so softly it was almost inaudible. "I went to Luxembourg because that's where *he* was. Where he'd been. And I went to the cemetery every day. Not just once a week or once a day, but every day all day. I took roses... everyone knows how much he liked them. That was how it all started, you know."
The strange, sideways communication was becoming more natural and she was content for a change just to let it go where it would, without directing. "Cemetery's can be very comforting. When my mother died I took a small apartment near where she was buried so I could be there every possible moment." /Not pushing, my sweet, prickly boy. And a disclosure for a disclosure -- that's my usual rule./
"Not that one," he said softly, shaking his head, a frown taking over his face. "That one was all green grass and white stone and all sorts of people came to visit it. Noin.... Dorothy... Zechs."
/Was it just my imagination, or did his voice catch just the slightest bit on that last name.../
"Ah, well, that makes a difference. Grief is unpredictable -- sometimes it responds to the same grief in others, and sometimes those others just make the loss more obvious. Sometimes grief needs to be private and sometimes..." she took a breath. It was a gamble but one that she needed to take. "Sometimes we can find comfort in the most unexpected places."
Wufei cast her a glance and a sad partial smile. "Zechs was sure as hell an unexpected place."
She allowed herself to return the smile, very briefly. "Oh, well... yes I can imagine he would be. Lots of chances for pain there, but... so much understanding as well." Her voice was almost a whisper as she gave voice to sheer speculation. "Someone who understood things it felt like no one else but you could possibly understand..."
"Or maybe didn't understand anything after all!" The answer was quick and bitter but he apologized quickly -- something he wouldn't do were it anyone else. "Sorry. Only... it's just hard. We spent a few weeks dancing around one another, you know. He hated me at first, I think, and felt guilty and responsible for me. I don't know. I hated being a burden. I hated not being as good as him." His voice lowered to a bare whisper. "I hated that he could think of someone else even in his grief when I could not."
A quick rub of his face granted surreptitious relief for tearing eyes and a deep breath was drawn. "And then I wasn't a burden anymore and it was shared grief and something completely beyond that..."
She couldn't say she had known it had happened, couldn't even say that she'd suspected it. At first blush the thought of Wufei with Zechs seemed ridiculous. They were rivals in a sense, each beloved by Treize it seemed, and each probably believing the other man to be better than he. Wufei had practically said as much and Zechs -- well, she had talked with Noin enough to know how Zechs felt about himself. But when one looked closer, there was a strange similarity to them... She leaned her head back against the headrest on the chair. "Maybe that's how he dealt with the grief. Maybe you weren't a burden, maybe he just needed to do what he did in order to get through it all. But then it sounds like at some point all that became irrelevant and it was... it was just the two of you, being yourselves with each other."
Wufei stood, moving quickly to the window in his office, overlooking a remarkably beautiful planet, a planet they were granting new life with every sep and every moment, even with all of their mistakes. "Maybe," he murmured quietly, brooding as he looked out the window. "Maybe."
Sally felt a little wave of emotion at the sound of his voice, part sorrow, part pride. /He's so close to getting things right... he can do it, I know he can... if he allows himself.../
When he turned, he didn't look at her; somehow, he couldn't look at her and say it. "Maybe it was two months after we met in the cemetery. A month after we started sleeping together... that *she* called. And I went. Just like that."
Now this Sally had thought about extensively. When it first happened the shock had been enormous and every bit of thought she could spare had gone into trying to figure out why -- why he'd taken that path. And late one night, while she was piloting, letting Noin get some much needed sleep, it had come to her. It was obvious. It was so very, very obvious...
"Because of Treize," she said, her voice almost dreamy. "Because of what he meant to you, but most of all... what you thought you owed him... what you felt you had to do penance for."
His voice was soft when he answered. "She said I owed her. Not in as many words, I don't think. No... she said, 'If you haven't forgotten him then you must know that I have taken up his cause. This is your destiny, as demanded of you by the last of the Khushrenadas.' And she told me to tell Zechs nothing. And I went."
The mood in the office was slow and calm and Sally allowed a thoughtful look to cross her face. "Was it easy, then? Or was leaving him a difficult decision?"
Half of what he said was lost to her, but the rest came out clearly. "...murderer like me, not good enough for..."
He stopped, speaking more clearly. "Hard.. Easy. I don't know. Both, maybe. I was looking for something. Punishment. Penance. Not understanding. That... was too much to ask for."
"Hmm," she said, softly acknowledging something that seemed to exist at the Chinese boy's core. The sense of unworthiness that she'd never been able to shake him out of. It seems Zechs hadn't been any more successful than she.
"And yet, he wanted to give that to you, so he must have thought you deserved to have it. It's just that... well -- the timing was off, I guess."
Slim shoulders shrugged and he turned to look at her, burning eyes red behind black lashes. "Look, it doesn't matter anymore, anyway, does it? I'm going to get some sleep before I collapse."
She nodded slightly and stopped him on his way out the door. "Wufei? You never know -- it might still matter. It might still matter very much." With that she stood, brushed past him out the door and disappeared down another corridor of the building.
The sun was setting on Mars and that always meant two things: heat and the promise of relief from heat. Of all the wonders that the workers from Earth had done with the terraforming project, one aspect of Mars still remained, tempered a great deal by human ingenuity, but felt nonetheless: heat. The atmosphere was temperamental and often differed in thickness over the course of the day, a puzzle that the engineering division was still trying to work out. The pattern was usually a thickening of the newly-generated layer of air near the time of sunset where the base was located. Because of this, it wasn't at all unusual for the temperature to rise nearly ten degrees as the sun went down, lending the base an odd atmosphere of sultry twilight.
Zechs was out on one of the observation decks, sitting on the ground with his back to the wall of the building. This particular deck was not especially good for viewing cloud formations or the frequent storms that were beginning to come through, so the tall blond could usually count on it being deserted, as it was this evening. He'd just come from inspecting the faulty seals that had been discovered at the oxygen farm and now was relaxing with a cup of cold water and and bottle of Wild Turkey. Because of the intense heat, his shirt was off, tied around the waistband of his work shorts, and he sat in the growing twilight, staring off in the direction of a setting sun that gilded his pale tresses with a soft, red glow.
/Somewhere over in that direction is Earth. But there's no use in going back there now. Hah -- that's good, Zechs. You know where you can't go but haven't a clue where you *should* go. Why stay here -- it only encourages Noin when I'm weak, and... and it hurts so damn much to keep having to see him.../
Pulling the bottle to him, he took a long swig and hoped the sweet numbness would come soon.
"Planning on getting drunk?" came a husky tenor question, the sound of the voice immediately recognizable without its owner having to be seen.
Chang Wufei moved out over the observation deck, strolling slowly to stand at the railing near where Zechs sat. He placed both elbows firmly on the ledge of the railing, looking out across what he could see of the sky and trying to ignore the fact that an altogether beautiful man who'd once been his lover was seated half-naked beside him. "How'd the trip to the oxygen farm go?" he asked, reaching up to rub the back of his head, trickles of sweat tickling at his scalp. It made him glad for the fact that shorts had been made a part of their uniforms.
/Don't look. You know it'll just make it worse. Just keep reminding yourself that he didn't want it. Not from you, at least. You offered and he walked away without a single word. Keep saying it. Surely one of these days it'll make the pain go away.../
"The seals on the main compression unit were damaged," he said quietly, not moving his gaze from the glowing red landscape before him. "Probably intentional."
Fingers moved to flick the rubberband loose from his hair, tossing black locks free and relieving some of the sweaty unpleasant feeling for a moment as he ruffled the hair at the back of his head, glancing sidelong at Zechs carefully. "So we have a saboteur. I knew it had to be, but I wanted to hear it from you instead of just going on my own suspicions."
The tall blond stifled a groan. /Why is he doing this? Does he know how hard it is to ignore him to begin with? And he knows how I feel about his hair.../
Zechs took another very long swallow from the bottle at his side. This was going to be a dreadful night, he could tell. "I think it may be one of the new workers in the Forestry division. A couple of them have been hostile about being sent here to work." His voice was as steady as he could make it, but luckily the alcohol was beginning to kick in and he didn't quite care as much.
"Nembule?" Wufei asked softly, kneeling down on one knee next to Zechs and looking at his face. "He's been doing a lot of fast talking in the living quarters, or so I've heard -- about how men aren't meant to live in space, about how terraforming isn't the same as living on good ol' Earth." A slight chuckle left him, humorless as his enraptured scrutiny fell on golden skin washed in the red of the setting sun. "A lot of these men are from colonies, so the trouble he's stirred up has mostly been for himself, I thought."
There was an ache in the blond's chest, having the other man so close. But he kept his gaze on the sunset, now being slowly taken over in soft purples and blues. Another swallow of liquor and he wiped a fine sheen of sweat from his cheek, letting his arm come to rest on his knee. He dropped his head to the side and into his upraised palm. "Well, if it was him, then he's getting much more dangerous. The damage was fairly localized, but it was in just the right place to shut down the entire block. If someone did that to half of the machines, we'd have a disaster on our hands." /Why? Why did you leave like that? Wasn't I even worth a goodbye...?/
"It's only a guess," Wufei admitted, glad that Zechs was busy watching the setting sun so that he could watch Zechs. "I think it's more likely that Nembule is following the orders of someone who's quite a bit more intelligent than he."
The desire to reach out and touch was there; Zechs was exquisite and real in every detail in a way that Wufei hadn't seen him for years -- half naked, beautifully sweaty. Restraining himself was almost an impossibility.
Long, golden lashes closed over eyes gone violet with the twilight. He could feel the younger man's eyes on him, making his heart beat faster and his fingers hungry for the feel of that smooth, caramel skin. /How would it feel in this heat, I wonder? Ah, don't go that way, Zechs. There lies madness.../ "Noin's on overnight. I'll have her do some background checks." He badly wanted another drink. The pain seemed to be staying at a constant level and all he could think about was release from it. But his tormentor seemed determine to break him down as far as possible.
Finally, in a voice made lower and softer with alcohol and hidden desire, he asked the Chinese pilot a question. "Why did you come here?"
That was a most excellent question. Ostensibly, it had been to talk about the oxygen farms, but Wufei had to confess that there was more than that behind it. /In for a dime, in for a dollar. Make a move, Chang. If you don't, you never will, and where will that leave you? Moping while he fucks a woman into insensibility instead of you.../ "I was looking for you," he said easily, tilting his head to the side.
Zechs drew a long breath and took another drink. A few moments passed before he opened his eyes again. "I meant... why did you come to Mars? You knew I was here. And you don't seem the type of person to suffer old lovers gladly. So why did you choose Mars?"
A hand rose, tangling in dark locks to push them back out of his face as they fell forward. It was a good question -- an excellent question. The only problem was how he was going to answer it.
To tell the truth, Earth didn't hold any particular fascination for him; that love had been Treize's and, while it was beautiful, the clear cold beauty of space was just as beautiful to him, and he'd always felt he belonged there. Earth only made him sad and lonely, angry. It left him longing for Treize, longing for Luxembourg... longing for Zechs.
And if Zechs was in space, what better place was there to be?
"Maybe I missed you," he answered truthfully, mouth puckered into a frown. "Maybe I wanted.... to do something right for a change."
Very slowly, Zechs turned his head, still leaning back against the heated stone wall of the building behind him. It was a languid movement, done only because the warmth of the liquor erased any care he had of acting rigidly aloof. For the first time since the Chinese man had come out to the deck, Zechs looked him in the eyes. "Do things right? You mean tell me to my face why I drove you away? What I did to make you leave the way you did, without a word?" His mind was a confused jumble of stinging pain, burning humiliation, and longing that made him despise himself. His voice, when he spoke again, was a throaty whisper. "Is that what you needed to do right, Wufei?"
The accuracy of some of those statements stung as much as the ones that were wrong. "You didn't drive me away," he said quietly, reaching out as if to touch that golden face. /I didn't leave without a word... I left a note... But that's really the same, isn't it?/ "I left a happiness I didn't deserve to expiate a guilt that had overtaken my entire life, only to replace it with another one... I want..." /I want a chance to be happy and you're the chance I want... the only one who'll fulfill me now.../
Zechs knew he should move away from the touch, but he couldn't bring himself to."Happiness?" he said, his voice quietly bitter. "If you were happy then why leave and say nothing?" He could feel his eyes grow heavy with unshed tears, brought on, no doubt, he told himself, by too much alcohol in too short a time. But the lovely numbness pushed all his worry about it away. He shifted his gaze to the ground. "I know I don't measure up to him," he said as the first tear slid down his cheek. "I know that his memory will always come first with you and that I probably reminded you of him just enough to make it hurt but not enough to help. I'm used to losing people. But you had a chance to tell me why and you didn't take it. It's been half a year and you've never said anything." He looked over at Wufei. "What is it you want, Wufei? What is it you had to have so badly? And is it worth what you must know you're doing to me by being here?"
Fingers rose, lightly caressing that heated wetness away. "You're pretty drunk," the former Gundam pilot said softly, "so you probably won't remember this tomorrow." He paused a moment, gathering his thoughts. "The morning you went out... the day I left... the comm rang. I answered it and it was her -- Marimeia. She said..." Another moment's silence. "That I owed her. A debt, a life for a life, her father's. And she said if I told you, your safety wouldn't be guaranteed, and she was right, about all of it. You've always been the prince on the white horse, haven't you? You'd have come charging to the rescue, been killed, all for the sake of somebody who's not good enough for you to begin with -- me. So I did the best I could... tucked a note in the center of those books and left... I figured you'd throw them away and never even see it, and I was right..."
Zechs's eyes burned into the younger man's. "You didn't tell me this... You didn't... *Damn* my safety! I've been living on borrowed time since the Eve Wars, it wouldn't make a difference if I died. She shouldn't have done that to you! Shouldn't have made you believe that Treize would have wanted that kind of sacrifice because he *wouldn't* have!" He was trembling now and the soft haze of the alcohol seemed far away in the sharp light of Wufei's words. "You should have told me, " he whispered hoarsely, "We could have worked out something... And I never threw out anything of yours. I put it all away because it hurt too much to look at it. And I never saw the note that you made sure I wouldn't read." He hadn't taken his eyes off of Wufei's face the entire time, and he didn't move them now. The dusk and heat had increased and it seemed forever that he simply stared at his former lover, eyes searching, breath held.
The obvious pain there was impossible not to read as the younger man opened his mouth and said softly, "I could never have survived if you'd died, too. Not after Meiran. Not after *him*..."
Zechs shook his head slowly, still staring at the dark-eyed boy next to him. WIth exquisite slowness, he brought a hand up and ran it through the stray hair that had fallen over ebony-colored eyes. "I thought you *had* died. It hurt that much when you left... Wufei."
"You're strong," Wufei whispered, giving him the barest tremulous quirk of the corner of his lips, a hand coming up to touch the fingers in his hair. "I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want you to die..."
If he were to be smart right then, he thought, he would leave it at that. But Zechs had never been the type to back away from unresolved matters. And there was something in the sun-heated air, the softly glowing twilight, that made his longing so keen that he brushed Wufei's lips with his thumb and then leaned forward and took his mouth, softly at first, but with a steadily growing hunger.
Every ounce of want behind it was returned with fervor as Wufei pushed him over onto his back, moving to straddle his waist so he could better kiss him, fingers rising and wrapping in silken locks gone limp with the heat. The taste of the liquor was on him, strange and pleasant somehow as he slid his tongue between those teeth, meeting Zechs's in that warm wet place, eyes closed with the pleasure of the movement. It was insane, it was in a very public place, and he didn't give three bloody damns *where* it was so long as it didn't stop!
Zechs wasn't at all prepared for the intensity of the desire that flooded him. His head was spinning and he knew it wasn't just the liquor but the heat and longing he felt from the one who held him down. He moaned softly, burying his fingers in silky black hair and pulling Wufei more tightly to him, almost as if he were afraid of the boy getting away a second time. Without even thinking, his hips pressed up softly and the contact swept fire through his blood, making him whimper as he ate at Wufei's sweet mouth.
Bruised lips lifted momentarily, raven's wing gaze looking down at him, serious seductive gleam glistening down at him before Wufei moved again, shifting down to settle his hips over Zechs's. His mouth moved down the strong cord of that golden neck, tasting the salt of sweaty skin, tongue dancing in the hollow between collar-bones. "Ah, Zechs..." he whispered, nose rubbing across one of those bones, fingers roaming. The tight grasp of the other man was heaven, infinite pleasure, and he closed his eyes tightly to imprint it entirely on his mind, just in case he never felt it again.
That touch... heated lips against damp skin and the feeling of open air around them... it was all so terribly erotic. Another soft moan, and Zechs's head fell back at the touch of Wufei's mouth against him. He pressed upwards again, this time letting his hands wander down to cup the tight little buttocks, squeezing them softly. "Dear God," he panted, "how I've *missed* you..."
"Desperately," came the tightly voiced response as fingers found a nipple. "I've been so jealous..." His tongue flickered out, lapping across the taut nub's mate and taking it between his teeth, rolling it delicately before giving a quick dose of tight suction, a hand sliding down Zechs's side to rub at a hip still covered by his uniform shorts.
A sharp little cry and Zechs arched up, pressing himself against the sweetly suckling mouth. Pushing Wufei's hips down firmly, he rubbed against the boy's groin, growing harder with each pass. "Ohhhh... no need to be jealous, he whispered, eyes still closed in pleasure. Nothing is like this... nothing..."
The groan that worked its way out of Wufei's throat was impossible to hold back as he rocked with increasing fervor, eyes shut tightly as he moved. Growing slightly frustrated, he shifted, moving down to press open-mouthed kisses to sternum, diaphragm, belly, fingers desperately working at the button of Zechs's shorts for a moment before he gave up. Tongue delved into navel as a shaking hand pulled open the zipper to find bare skin, teak-hard erection, the button miraculously coming loose that time even as Wufei wrapped his hand around it, holding it tightly. "God, yes..."
A harsh gasp came from the blond as Wufei wrapped his fist around him. "Ohhh... beautiful boy... what you do to me..." Long arms stroked Wufei's hair and a low, resonant voice murmured little encouragements. "I've dreamed about you, this way..."
And it seemed a dream, there in the heat, the glowing purple and neon pink left shattered across the sky by the sun as it ducked its drowsy head beneath the horizon. Carefully, Wufei leaned over and tasted, the tip of that heavy erection between his lips as he worked Zechs's shorts further down his thighs, wanting to reach beneath and firmly grasp the buttocks writhing so wantonly beneath his ministrations.
"Oh Wufei... how do you do this to me? How do you make me want you so much..." Zechs tightened a fist in Wufei's hair and bucked up against his mouth. His tongue seemed made of fire as it ran over the sensitive head of his shaft and his hips now seemed to have a mind of their own, moving in a rhythm that he had no control over. "Deeper... please..."
The rumbling sound that escaped Wufei was impossible to deny, pleasure feeding into that adoration. Mouth slid down, slowly, as far as he could go, the tip of Zechs's cock lodged against the back of his throat, but even then, he couldn't take the entire length of it. One hand rose as he moved, wrapping around saliva-wet flesh and stroking down to the base, fingers gently juggling the softness of the tall blond's balls before delving back between perfect cheeks as continued his steady suction.
"Ahhh!" More soft cries escape Zechs as wet heat consumed him. Surely he couldn't last -- not with that eager mouth feasting on him, not with those probing fingers that made his body spark with pleasure, legs falling apart at their gentle pressure. "Wufei... oh, Wufei... sweet boy..."
With a certain amount of satisfaction, the tip of a finger slid lightly into the tight clench of Zechs's body, a lusty sigh parting lips gone carmine, swollen with passion. Stopping his suckling, Wufei lashed out his tongue for a moment, teasing at the tip, playing lollipop games before kissing Zechs's belly. "Ah, tell me you want me," he whispered fervently, rubbing a cheek against the soft wet skin. "Tell me, Zechs, please..."
"Oh, yes... I do want you... Want you so much... inside of me, *now*..." Large hands pulled Wufei forward until their lips met. One of Zechs arms wrapped tightly around the boy's shoulders, the other smoothly loosened his work shorts, pushing them down to allow strong fingers to grasp the creamy buttocks beneath. Arching upwards, Zechs pulled Wu Fei towards him, groaning at the feeling of that hot, dripping shaft so close to him, so close to being inside. The blond head moved from side to side on the floor of the deck, and the older man panted heavily, "Please... oh please... Give it to me! Hard! I need it... hard! Uhhhnn..."
Burrowing close, half-clothed and sweating beneath the slowly-cooling air of the heavy atmosphere, Wufei shuddered, mouth finding one of those nipples again as he pushed inside slowly, groaning. God, it felt so good! Something he'd done with Zechs and never anybody else, clasped tightly inside a burning straining heat that left him a shuddering wreck, as it always had, eyes tightly shut. "Ah, God...!!! Zechs!"
Zechs gave a soft, shuddering cry as he was penetrated. Long, golden fingers tore at Wufei's shirt and pushed the material aside finding the boy's own nipples and rubbing them firmly. How lovely and taut they felt, more evidence of the ex-gundam pilot's desire. But the best evidence was buried deep inside of the tall blond, forcing waves of pleasure through him. As it always had, the feel of a rock hard shaft thrust up inside of him made Zechs feel utterly wanton and so blessedly used. Something about that fullness made him complete in a way that nothing else could, and all he could do was moan out his pleasure as he was taken.
Gasp after shivering gasp worked loose from Wufei, knees planted firmly on the concrete of the deck as he pushed deep, hands planted close to Zechs's torso. The feel of fingers on him, touching him, brought whimpers from deep in his throat as ebony eyes closed tightly, a shudder wracking its way through him. With a cry, he pressed himself against Zechs, head tilting up, reaching for Zechs's mouth even as his hands tangled once again in platinum locks. The golden god beneath him bent, moved, and then their lips met, meshing together with heat and force enough to shatter the world somehow contained tightly in the sphere that two bodies moving as one had formed.
The intimacy of the kiss, the connection it formed between them, was too much for Zechs and he cried out in Wufei's mouth as he came, the feeling of the squeezing the boy's shaft deep inside of him only intensifying the pulses that took him over. It seemed to last forever, and at last he had to pull away from those heated lips as the release reached its peak, throwing his head back and driving himself onto Wufei as hard as he could. "Ahhhhnn! Wufei...!!" And then all speech was lost to soft, rhythmic whimpers as the last of the orgasm shook him to the center of his being.
An inarticulate cry broke from the slim Chinese man as he felt that snug clenching, his entire body stilling as a pulse overtook him, body and mind freezing with the pleasure that flooded him to the very depths of his soul. "Zzzeeaahh!" It was too much -- too much, and he groaned wildly, pressing himself tightly to the golden body beneath him. An arm held Zechs close in those blissful post-coital moments, little shivers and tremors of pleasure still dancing down his nerve-endings for long moments. "God...."
Breath coming raggedly, Zechs wrapped his arms around Wufei and hugged him desperately. One hand stroked the damp, silky hair, the other tightened around lean hips. After several minutes this way, his breathing slowed and he raised his eyes to the blue-black Martian sky. The stars were brilliant, undimmed by Earth's more murky atmosphere, and for a moment the tall blond felt as if he were falling upwards into that vast sea of blue and silver. Then slowly, he turned to his side enough to look at the Chinese pilot, one hand stroking the soft cheek. "Wufei..." he whispered, "your eyes... Your eyes are the black of space... just as beautiful, just as infinite..."
"You're very eloquent when you're drunk," Wufei said slowly, rubbing his face against the palm of that hand with a tired little smile. The heat had lifted, somewhat, but he still felt deliciously drained and heavy as if it hadn't gone at all. That feeling all came from inside, though, a certain wonderful feeling mingled with nervousness and fretting. "Are you going to be upset with me when you're more sober?"
"Why should I be upset with you? I kissed you first." Zechs's voice was low and soft.
Wufei answered, "I don't know. Maybe because I came looking for you. Maybe because I left before and only now told you why. Maybe because if Noin ever finds out, she'll be hurt."
"Mmmnn... too many things to think about..." Zechs was nuzzling Wufei's cheek, kissing the corner of his lips and along his chin. HIs motions were soft and dreamy, his hands sliding down the younger man's back to caress hips and thighs and buttocks. "Mnnn... feel so good..."
A quiet sigh broke those lips, Wufei's hand stroking slowly across Zechs's bare side, chuckling a little to realize that they were simply laying about, shorts around their knees and less than half-dressed in a public place. "I missed you..."
Zechs trailed his tongue along Wufei's jaw. "Mmmm... missed you, too... So much..." At that moment in time, Zechs thought, the real world seemed very far away indeed. He had forgotten how much he loved the male body, loved holding it and tasting it and worshipping it with his hands. "Nnnn... Such a lovely little man... perfect, really... just perfect..."
"Nnn, you're turning me on again," came the low-voiced reply, Wufei sighing in enjoyment at the feel of Zechs's lips on his throat. "All you have to do is stand still for that, and here you are touching me. It's almost too much to bear..."
"Has it been so long that you'd forget?" Zechs murmured, turning over and kicking his shorts off. "Once is never enough for me..." With that he pushed himself up briefly and pulled Wufei's shorts off as well then stretched himself out over the black-haired angel, his knees gently pushing Wufei's legs apart. Hungry, open-mouthed kisses on damp skin, kissing everywhere -- down the side of Wufei's neck, along the tender skin inside of his arms, nuzzling into his armpit and delighting in the taste of sweat he found there. His own shaft was beginning to ache as he moved up and claimed Wufei's mouth fiercely, letting pale gold hair spill around them. "Say you'll let me," he said in a low, breathy voice. His lips brushed Wufei's and now he was staring into the deep pools of black. "Say you want me inside..."
"Desperately," came the sound of Wufei's voice, trembling violently as he arched up against Zechs's body. "Ah, God, you don't know," came the whisper, each caress and touch making it harder to speak, easier to just moan and enjoy. "I've dreamed of this, wanted and wanted..."
"Then let me give it to you," came the breathy reply. Zechs's hands trailed over Wufei's body with exquisite slowness. He nuzzled down Wufei's neck, stopping every now and then to suckle, making tiny bruises on the smooth, creamy skin. He slid his hands under the younger man's hips and lifted him completely off the ground for a moment, moaning softly and rocking against him as if he were a favorite toy. Then he set his plaything down again and got up on hands and knees, brushing his lips against Wufei's, teasing him with his mouth, his fingertips, his hardened shaft. Everything was dreamy, slow-motion, every caress drawn out for the fullest effect, every rub pressed just a little longer to heighten the pleasure and send fire through the Chinese man's blood.
Moved and touched and caressed, Wufei shuddered with each motion, the doll like feeling created by Zechs eerily pleasant. He could feel the touch, the taint, of bruises made by lips and teeth, his cries echoing back from the wall so nearby, the railing beside them. "Please, Zechs!" he moaned, the sound pure molasses as he trembled beneath the other man's touch, head dropped back against the concrete. "Oh, PLEASE!"
"Mnnn... love it when you beg..." Zechs wrapped his arms around Wufei and gently turned him over to lie on his belly. Running his hands over smooth, tight buttocks, he parted them slightly and slid down until he was at eye level with them. He groaned in pleasure as he lifted Wufei's hips from below and began kissing those perfect globes. His tongue trailed across them and he gave them little nips with his teeth, all the time making pleased little growling noises deep in his throat.
Finally he moved his tongue slowly down the cleft, gently nudging the Chinese man's legs further apart and nuzzling his way down to where a tender rosebud lay hidden, waiting for violation.
Chin cradled in the material of his own shirt, Wufei groaned, hips lifting, back arched. This was his favorite part, when Zechs did this to him. It was somehow simultaneously embarrassing and arousing and he hardened even further, impossibly, eyes wide as he whimpered beneath those ministrations. "Please," he whimpered once more, rocking on his knees as he buried his face entirely in his shirt, crying out as Zechs's tongue found him, teased at his core, driving him crazy. "Ahn!!!"
More pleasured sounds from the tall blond as he fluttered his tongue over the rough entrance and traced the outline of it before spreading Wufei wide and putting the lightest touch from the very tip of his tongue in the absolute center and just holding it there.
"ZECHS!" came the demanding cry, a violent shudder rippling through Wufei as he gasped, a hand reaching to caress between his legs. "Ah, GOD!!!"
The blond smiled to himself, rolled his tongue to a point and gave a hard poke at the fluttering entrance. He slid through, feeling the muscle twitch madly around him before beginning to writhe his tongue slowly, letting it wriggle deeper and deeper into the heated cave of Wufei's body. The deeper he went, the higher he lifted the younger man's hips off the ground until at last he was a deep as he could go. Uncurling his tongue, he flattened it against one wall of the tight sheath and began rasping at it, back and forth, all the time letting his fingertips trail down to Wufei's silky balls, rubbing them in rhythm with the warm, squirming tongue.
Raucous sounds of utter bliss were working their way loose from the smaller man, each motion of Zechs's tongue bringing with it a flood of ecstasy that made him want to spill his seed again, then and there. Hands were clenched into fists, eyes half-open, the dazed expression on his face reflection the pleasure giving him. "Zechs!" The other man's name seemed to be all he could think or say in that moment as he groaned again, melting beneath that touch. "PLEASE! I want you, I want you, please!!"
Zechs gave a heavy, pleasured sigh and moved his hands to where Wufei's were - running his fingers up and down that dripping shaft until they were quite wet. He rubbed the slick fluid on his own member, now long and very stiff, and then wriggled his way out of Wufei, giving the tender entrance a hard flick of his tongue as he pulled out.
"Please, Zechs," came the tremulous whisper as the dark-haired man shuddered, the deliciousness of of Zechs's hand touching his own, caressing him, having driven him to the point of such arousal that he wasn't certain he would last much longer at all, just as the removal of that touch left him with the desire to weep for more.
Now the smaller man was wet inside and ready to receive him. He got to his knees, lifting Wufei up off the ground until just his arms were left down there, everything else held up and held firm. He positioned the head of his shaft at the mouth of that lovely sheath and pressed a bit, and in one long, smooth motion, thrust in to the hilt. Moaning softly, he dropped his gaze staring at the place where he penetrated Wufei. The smaller man was spread wide open, Zechs's long member stretching him and it all looked so damned erotic. But now he needed more -- needed to feel the friction of Wufei's body along his length, needed to hear his little lover cry out in pleasure.
The moment that penetration had come, he'd stiffened, gasping for breath. The sheer depth, the feel of holding someone inside of him... he'd almost forgotten what it was like. Legs moved, dropped to wrap around Zechs's upper thighs, supporting the bridge of his body even as his hands moved to brace himself. "Deep..." he moaned wildly, throwing his head, inky strands of hair clinging to sweat-soaked flesh. "Oh, God, you're so deep!"
Zechs tightened his hold on Wufei's hips, but instead of pumping into him, he kept himself very still and slowly pushed the boy forward along the length of him. Just as slowly he pulled him back until his balls rubbed against Wufei's bottom. And soon, very soon, he found his rhythm, pushing and pulling the dark-haired beauty beneath him, all the time staring transfixed at the tender point of contact, watching closely as he impaled the boy on his own slender shaft. It felt like heaven and it looked devilishly wanton, primitive and possessive; the claiming of a mate.
The flex of thigh muscle, Zechs's arms cradling him safe, his own moving to allow that motion, felt utterly luscious. The sheer eroticism of being ~taken~, fucked thoroughly by a lover who knew just what to do to him, just how to make him react, the best ways for both of their pleasure... even with his shaft throbbing uselessly in the air, he was dripping hot little plopping drips of semen with each throbbing brush against the pleasureful spot Zechs found so perfectly deep inside of him, thrills working their way up, down and through him, and he knew it wouldn't be long -- knew there was no way to escape the complete rapture that tingled already at the base of his spine. "Unh!"
Zechs's eyes closed in bliss. Surely the lovely man below was made to take his shaft; designed to fit perfectly around him, a tight, compact little body perfect for fucking.
His hips refused to be still anymore and the pace of his thrusts picked up. As they did, he slid his hand down to catch Wufei's erection in one hand, stroking it so that his hand reached the base at the same moment he was deepest inside the former pilot. Faster and faster, as deep as he could go, until it felt as though every part of his body was straining forward with each thrust. As his release came, he leaned forward, his hands under the smaller man's shoulders, and lifted Wufei completely off the ground, pulling the lean body against his and flooding him with seed. A long, low cry came from deep inside of the blond as wave after wave of pleasure wracked him, leaving him weak and panting.
The very moment Zechs had touched his dripping cock, he'd almost lost control. Instead, he had held on by bare threads for as long as he could, gasping frantically with the pleasure forced into and through him, and when Zechs shifted him, brought him up, impaled him so utterly he could no longer thing... then, he came, his own loud wail mingling with Zechs's as the tall blond held him close and tight against his body, the trembling that overtook him with the violence of his orgasm incredible.
For what seemed a long, long time, Zechs was content to simply hold Wufei tightly against him, feeling the wildly beating heart through the smaller man's chest, and panting softly into his ear. He rubbed his cheek against dark hair and crooned his lover's name, voice nothing more than a low whisper.
Sprawled in that grasp, still trembling, Wufei finally managed to make a single panted statement. "Heaven..."
Slowly, very slowly, Zechs turned on his knees and sat down with his back again to the wall, the way Wufei had found him. But now he held the Chinese man on his lap, Wufei's knees resting on the ground on either side the tall man's legs. Through it all, Zechs stayed buried deep inside of the younger man, and now he pulled Wufei back against his chest, long arms encircling the narrow waist, and holding him in a snug embrace. Within a few moments, the long-haired blond was fast asleep.
"Zechs?" came the tentative whisper, Wufei turning his head with a certain amount of confusion as he realized that his lover, still drunk, had fallen asleep. "...I can't believe this..." he whispered to himself, kneeling there, the feel of those arms delicious around him as he sighed, still holding that softening erection inside of him. "Ah, well..."
Walking down darkened corridors, Quatre clutched his flashlight close, heading for the last of the observation decks. Usually, they didn't bother with turning on the electricity on that one -- it was rare for anyone to go up on it. /Well, it must have been someone with the clearance to turn on all the lights up there,/ he thought to himself, /so that means Zechs or Noin or Sally or Wufei, really./
At the thought of Zechs and Noin, a sad little smile creased his face, continuing footsteps bringing him closer to the upper deck. Trowa was still on Earth with the circus and Catherine, and he missed him. While he DID find the interesting sounds they'd been gifted with a handful of days before quite amusing, mostly it made him lonely again. /Ah, well. I love this project and it's something beautiful and useful,/ he thought to himself, pushing open the door and stepping out onto the concrete deck, soft lights brightening the area, /someth..../
His thought stopped dead in that moment, jaw coming unhinged with shock.
Across the way, cradled back against the long golden body of Zechs Marquise lay his fellow pilot -- most likely to shout at onnas, most likely to not ever ever do anything like what it looked like he'd been doing... Chang Wufei.
A fisted hand came up quickly to rub at an eye in disbelief before Quatre said, "Wufei!?"
The sound of his name came through dreams of being held close and tight and he blinked sleepy eyes open to consciousness before realizing that they weren't dreams, they were *real*... and he was as naked as the day was long with Quatre Raberba Winner staring at him in open-mouthed shock. "........."
The slight movements Wufei made as he woke were met by a little frown on Zechs's face. Still asleep, and dreaming of the raven-haired angel in his arms, dream-Zechs made it clear to dream-Wufei that he wasn't going anywhere. This had the effect, of course, of the real blond tightening his arms around his lover, nuzzling against his cheek and sighing deeply before drifting back to a deeper sleep.
Desperately flushed, Quatre whirled about and looked at the wall, trying to keep the sudden flood of humor out of his voice. "Ah, Wufei....."
The Chinese Preventer was an almost matching red as he squirmed slightly in Zechs's arms, to little avail other than a reawakening of the soft organ that had almost fallen out of him but was now beginning to press deeper once again --a fact that was more than a little uncomfortable due to circumstances. "Zechs!" he whispered hoarsely. "Come on, you have to wake up and let go! Quatre's here!"
"Mmmm..." Zechs tightened his grasp again and pressed up a bit. In his dream, the two of them were lying in bed in the small house in Luxembourg. A chilly breeze was blowing through the open window but Zechs didn't have the inclination to get up and close it. Didn't have the inclination because he could feel the boy beneath him squirm around the shaft inside of him. Tiny, erotic movements made him stiffen, desire rising in him again. As it grew his only thought was of pressing deeper into Wufei, body following pure instinct as he tightened long arms around the boy's waist and began a slow, steady pumping motion with his hips. It all felt so good and he could feel the small, sweet bump inside of his lover being rubbed with every thrust he made. "Uhhhnnnn..."
/Oh, God, oh, God, oh, GOD!/ Black eyes closed tightly as Wufei bit back a groan, trying not to grind his hips back despite the fact that it felt so incredibly *good*... *TOO* incredibly good! "Quatre," he said, trying to keep the sounds of pleasure out of his voice and from escaping. "I think you should go! I'll take care of the lights!"
"Yes!" came the blurted answer and then the little blond took off running, trying to get out of range as soon as possible. /Oh, Trowa's *NEVER* going to believe THIS!!/
Only half-awake, Zechs rose to his knees, lifting Wufei up with him. He stretched his arms out in front of him, supporting the smaller man's body and thrusting hard into him, finding a sweet, pulsing rhythm. He was long and rock hard and planned to make this coupling last -- he wanted Wufei to be reminded all day that they'd been together..."
All thoughts and embarrassment scattered to the wind beneath the delicious strokes taking him, making him moan softly. He planted himself firmly, moving back to each motion of Zechs's hips, eyes half-closed in wonder at the feeling of it. "Zechs..." he whispered, sore, exquisitely so, and wanting. "Ahhh, Zechs...!"
The tall blond became more awake with every thrust, and the reality of what he was doing to the dark-eyed boy he'd thought was just a dream made him moan loudly, pressing his knees harder against the ground to go deeper still. And all the while he pumped the boy, he whispered, low and hoarse, "Mine... no one else's... completely... and utterly... *mine*..."
"Yes!" came the hoarse agreement, stuttered out as he was rocked forward with the pressure of Zechs's movements. "Zechs... oh, God, I can taste you in my throat...! Golden... sweet... oh, ZECHS!"
A low growling noise was Zechs's reply and for awhile, he just closed his eyes and kept up the steady thrusts. It seemed as if he could almost feel them against his hand, pulsing into Wufei's body, as he cradled the lean belly in one arm. Then he let his fingertips wander downward to dark-eyed man's firm and dripping erection. One silky caress down its length, and then he cupped the soft, heavy sac in his palm, squeezing it rhythmically, loving the feel of it there.
He shifted, just slightly and watched over Wufei's shoulder as the force of him against the sweet spot pushed warm, slippery fluid out of his lover's pretty shaft. And every drop he caught, and rubbed along the smaller man, large hands working up and down, up and down...
Tears welled and dripped loose, the overwhelming emotions and pure shining exhilaration spilling inside of him, through him, down his limbs, into his very fingertips, leaving him a weeping aching shell. He was joined with Zechs, beyond joined; a part of the tall golden god, and Zechs was part of him, as well. The fingers between his thighs pushed him towards pulsing, his own hands almost ineffective in their violent trembling, breath completely gone, lost to the breadth and depth of adoration and sex somehow mingled together and making him wild. "Nnnahhh!!!!!"
Wufei shouted, full-scale bliss overtaking him as he collapsed beneath Zechs, sobbing for breath with tear-tracks staining his face, the absolute perfection of the moment not lost upon him.
That sound -- that primitive, sexual roar, was what Zechs had wanted to hear and now he bent over Wufeil, carefully letting the dark head touch the ground, so that the tight round buttocks and their hot little entrance were pushed up at the perfect angle. Now he could impale the boy completely. Both arms encircled Wufei's hips, pulling them upwards while the long, hard shaft pushed in, Zechs' balls flattening against the smaller man as he bent double over his lover and gave a long, drawn out cry -- sheer, throbbing pleasure in the taking of this beauty in his arms, at his mercy, who *was* being taken because Zechs wanted it that way. "Aaaahhhhnnnnn!!!!"
Impossibly, the peak rolled on even as Wufei sobbed desperately, Zechs's thrusts burying so deep that he felt the man at his core. The feel of concrete against a wet cheek was all that kept him grounded to this world, or so he seemed to feel, wildly, desperately, as he shook, still clamping in tight little squeezes even as he whimpered and continued to christen the stone beneath him with tears.
And now, sweet, blissful release washed over the golden man. Oh, surely, Wufei was his darkly beautiful god and Zechs, down on his knees, worshipped him in the most intimate way. Every pulse that came from him was both a branding and an offering. The god was his, as all gods are to ones who worship them so deeply, and he was Wufei's and the only gift he could give was the hot, milky semen that he flooded the tight body with.
Several floors down, in the main, underground section of the base, Sally Po was checking the surveillance cameras for Noin, who had gone to get herself a full pot of coffee. Everything looked peaceful, shut down for the night. Everything except --what? She was getting heat readings on the west side, one of the upper floors. Was someone locked out? A quick patch of the video feeds and she had a fuzzy picture. Adjusting the camera lens with the remote, she gradually brought into focus what looked like two people. A quick zoom in and -- /Oh my... something tells me Wufei was wrong about things not mattering anymore.../
At the sound of the door opening, and Noin's voice asking if she wanted coffee, she felt a race of panic and practically lunged at the video switch. In an instant, the erotic coupling on observation deck 11 was gone from the screen.
Putting on the best face she could, she said, "Sure, thanks," to Noin's question and began thinking seriously about how to ease the pain of what now so obviously lay ahead for Noin.
Coming back with two cups in her hands, Noin paused to hand the first to Sally. "That's a strange sort of look," she murmured as she sat down, purple eyes watching her friend curiously. "Did I miss something?
"No!" Sally said, just a shade too brightly. "Sure is quiet down here on nightside. How do you manage to keep awake?"
A little smile crept over Noin's face and she winked. "All sorts of interesting things happen in the halls... and there *are* cameras in Zechs's rooms," she teased.
Sally considered it very fortunate that she had not taken a sip of coffee at that moment. If she had they would probably both be covered with it by now. As it was she found herself asking, with a bemused voice, "Noin --you don't mean you really *spy* on him, do you? I hadn't even thought of doing that to Wufei." For a moment the surveillance camera image was forgotten and she had to laugh, imagining Wufei's outrage if he ever discovered something like that. Grinning back at her friend, she added, "What does he do?"
"Let me tell you..."
Outside, the Martian evening was quickly growing cold. The overnight temperatures on the planet were still only in the 20s on average, and often much colder. The rapid loss of heat from the planet's surface was especially dramatic shortly after sunset and now Zechs was shivering, the sweat on his body chilling him even further. He could tell Wufei was feeling it as well, so he carefully slid out of that warm body and leaned over, grabbing the younger man's shirt and shorts. "Wufei? We need to get inside. It's too cold to stay out here any longer. Are you..." He blinked his eyes several times to make the fuzziness around the edges of his vision go away. "Are you able to get dressed?"
"More able than you," came the slur of Wufei's response as he felt around and found shorts that weren't his. "I can't believe we just...." A heady sigh drifted from him. God, he was tired! Tired and hurt in some of the absolute *best* places...
"Give me... my shorts," Zechs said slowly and carefully. He made a grab for them and nearly lost his balance, even though he was on his knees. The second time worked better and he wriggled into them, standing when he was finished. That is, *trying* to stand. Between muscles that only pretended to cooperate with one, and vision that stayed focused for no longer than 7 seconds at a time, Zechs decided that leaning against the wall of the compound would be an altogether safer idea. He scooped his workshirt up and leaned back, grateful for the solidity of the cold stone. "Wufei," he said simply. "I believe I've had too much to drink."
"I do believe you're right," came Wufei's wry reply as he leaned over and pulled the other man partially over his back despite the fact that he felt like he was made of Jell-O. "Come on, let's get you in bed..."
Sally leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. "Yes?"
With a chuckle, Noin shook her head and smiled. "I don't really look in on him. Well, not often. Sometimes it's nice to see him putter around, though. I'm sure he probably knows about it.."
/Oh, dear God I hope so.../ Sally suddenly thought. The video image came back. A quick sideways glance at the monitor told her that Zechs and Wufei were no longer on the observation deck. /Damn! What if they decide to go back to Zechs's room? And Noin just happens to.../ No. That would not do.
Sally was fully aware of the high probability that Noin would be losing Zechs in the very near future. But to find out something like that by seeing an image an a vid screen -- it just wasn't right. Noin deserved better. It was up to Sally to make sure it didn't happen.
"Well, I've got a few rounds to make, so I'll leave you to it. Thanks for the coffee -- good luck staying awake!" Despite Noin's puzzled look she headed quickly for the door.
The hallways were blessedly warm after being outside. It was hard for Zechs to remember that just a few hours earlier he'd been sweltering. Now, however, the air was warm and fresh and the door to his quarters was in front of him. He leaned his head against the door frame and fumbled with the keypad to gain entry. Then he giggled. It was a rather strange sound, given that Zechs was in no way a person inclined to giggle. But there it was. "Wufei -- I can't open the lock."
More giggles.
"YOU are *completely* toasted, Zechs," Wufei frowned, shaking his head. "What's the combination? Do you remember it?"
Zechs managed a frown. "'m not completely toasted," he said in an offended voice. With great seriousness, and unsteadiness as well, he looked down at his shirtless torso and blinked several times. "Not completely toasted at all... 'm more of a lightly toasted golden color."
He looked carefully up at Wufei through long, blond lashes and then burst into laughter, leaning back against the wall and slowly sliding down, ending up sitting on the floor and blinking up at the younger man. "Oh, don't look so stern," he told Wufei. Then he raised his eyebrows and pointed up at his lover with a knowing look. "'f you keep doing that, you face will get stuck that way." So saying, he punctuated the warning with several nods that didn't much help the state of his vision.
At that moment, Sally came around the corner. "Thank god I got here before they got in," she murmured to herself. Coming up to stand beside Wufei, she crossed her arms and looked down at Zechs, who smiled up at her and gave a little wave.
She smiled and waved back, while asking Wufei man out of the corner of her mouth, "What's going on here?"
The flush that covered his cheeks was almost crimson. "Too much Wild Turkey," he said with a sigh indicative of what he thought about liquor in general, no matter *how* nice it tasted on Zechs's lips. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here as a friend to suggest that you and Mr. Prince here spend the night in *your* quarters, if you plan to spend the night together, that is." She arched her eyebrows and gave him a sly smile.
"Quatre TOLD you!" Wufei almost accused as his flustered expression grew, fidgeting slightly. The fact that he probably smelled like sweat and sex never once occurred to him.
Sally shook her head slowly. "No, Quatre didn't say anything to me. You two came up on the surveillance camera. Luckily I was the one doing the monitoring," she paused here for emphasis, "and NOT Noin." Leaning in closer, she lowered her voice. Not that Zechs was even paying attention. He appeared to be humming softly to himself, one cheek resting on his knees which were drawn up tightly to him.
Sally continued. "She's on overnight, she gets bored, one of the things she likes to do is check in on Zechs through the surveillance system. *You* do the math." She looked down at the wistful blond, then back to Wufei. "So -- are you two spending the night together? I think it's your call, because he's in no shape to decide on anything."
"I think I'm in very good shape," Zechs murmured, not moving his head from where it rested on his knees.
Sally gave him an indulgent smile, then looked back at Wufei. "Well?"
The flush had disappeared at the mention of Noin checking on Zechs, Wufei's expression becoming solemn. /Well, I *certainly* don't intend to leave him alone where just anyone can see him! He's MINE!/ That thought was somehow shocking and he chewed at his bottom lip, looking at Sally and then back to Zechs and the delightedly zoned out expression on his face. "He's going to need somebody in the morning... even if it's just to bring the aspirin and hold back all of that hair..."
His decision had been made even before then, though. "Come on, Zechs," Wufei said to him, hoping his own legs, wobbly from an overdose of pleasure, would hold out to get the two of them as far as his rooms. "You're coming with me."
"Mmm?" Zechs looked up a soft smile on his face. "Oh -- that's... really nice of you, Wufei. 'Cause I can' seem to... get into m' room." He stood up and frowned, blinking very deliberately to get the corridor to stop spinning. "Sheesh... worse 'n Zero..." Giving his blond head a little shake, he leaned down to Wufei, lips brushing the younger man's ear. "Jus' one problem... I don't know... the way to your room." He laughed softly and kissed the silky skin in back of Wufei's ear. It made him sigh and wrap his arms around the narrow hips, pulling the Chinese pilot close against him to nuzzle his neck and squeeze his buttocks.
Sally could only look on in shocked amusement.
"ZECHS!!!" The hands on his rear squeezed again and he groaned in embarrassment. "Ah... Zechs?" he asked before reminding him gently, "We're in public..."
Zechs lifted his head and looked around, seeing only Sally, who gave him another little wave. He smiled angelically at her and went back to kissing Wufei's neck. "Don't be silly... 's no public here. 's only Sally... Mmmm, you taste good..."
The shivers chasing down Wufei's spine made him want, rather badly, to get in. "Let's at *least* go to my quarters, all right?" he groaned, shaking his head. "Woman, are you STILL here and watching!?"
Sally couldn't help but laugh. Only Wufei could sound so damned cranky while being felt up by Zechs. "Well your friend didn't seem to mind," she said lightly. "But please -- do get him to your quarters, and don't take the direct route. It goes right by the main surveillance room and I really don't want Noin running into you two when he's like... this." Another laugh and she disappeared down the hall.
Zechs's hands were sliding up under Wufei's shirt and his sighs were getting longer. As his thumbs found tender nipples, he brushed heated lips across the younger man's mouth, taking it in a long, smoldering kiss. As it deepened, he pressed Wufei against the opposite wall, mouth hungry, fingers rubbing and pinching until those tender nipples became taut and sensitive nubs.
A slow panted groan parted Wufei's lips. "Zechs..." he whispered against those kisses. "You have to stop, we've got to get to my rooms.. not in the hall... ah, GOD, that feels good... come on, Zechs... come to bed, ok? Then... then we can..." A shiver worked through him. "And I'M on top." /Because I'm so damned sore I'll never sit tomorrow.../ "Oh, that feels nice..."
The tall blond pulled away for a moment to stare into eyes the color of deepest night. "Mmm... anything you say," he murmured against Wufei's lips, his voice low and breathy. "*Anything.* Take me wherever you want to, and do anything to me you desire...
Fighting back the temptation to simply push Zechs down onto his back there in the middle of the hall and have his wicked way with the other man, Wufei managed to somehow escape far enough away to tug Zechs after him. They moved down halls as quickly as Zechs's drunken disposition would allow, careful to avoid the cameras. /Noin.../
For a second, he fretted for the woman, but then he shrugged it off with a sigh. The woman was strong, after all -- not weak, like he'd said the first time they'd met. If Zechs didn't utterly revile him come morning... well, she was strong enough to take that, too.
Finally, they came to Wufei's rooms, the codes were tapped in, the door opened...
...and revealed the mass chaos behind it, books and clothes and sheets tossed everywhere, furniture and small objects broken. The sight of it had the same effect on him that an ice-water dousing might have and he drew in a deep breath of shock, standing there in the doorway. /And both of us without a gun./
Zechs, leaning against the doorframe for support, blinked at the ransacked room several times. "Wufei," he said, sounding almost sober, "either your housekeeping habits have changed a great deal since we lived together, or someone rather nasty has broken into your room."
For long seconds, Wufei stared in shock at the mess, ripped pages scattered here and there, glass shattered on the floor. His voice caught in his throat as he moved to the comm unit beside the wall, face pale. "I'm calling Noin. She'll get the security force here..."
After a few short words with the woman, his eyes wandered vaguely around the room before he leaned down and picked up one of the ripped pages. /'...or your pleasure...' My book..../
Zechs had, amazingly enough, picked his way carefully across the room to a section of the wall and was now crouched on the balls of his feet, examining something. His voice was soft as he said, "Wufei -- come look at this." Moving back from the wall so that the other man could see, he pointed to crudely written words, apparently printed in the ink from Wufei's calligraphy kit:
"Feel my wrath
Take heed of my warning -
This blasphemous place
Will follow your colony
Down to Hell"
The blazing anger that rose up with those words were cold, Wufei's face settling into an expression of icy fury that made him want to rip the words off of the wall. Instead, his fingers hovered lightly over them for a few seconds, thoughts running rapid-fire through his mind. /Aimed to make me give up... but what about the others? Surely it's not just mine.../ "Someone should check your rooms; yours, Noin's, Sally's... Quatre's. All of the Preventers officers quarters, anyone who's on night duty. We'll need to check for fingerprints, anything we can get our hands on..."
The realization that his statements were nothing more than fluff, words meant to give him something to say when what he really wanted to do was shout and perhaps throw a few things only irritated him worse as he turned away from the wall, almost stumbling over the remains of a medium-sized shattered porcelain box -- the box that had held his book... the box that had held....
"No...."
Black strands of hair had been in that box, a tiny lock of Meiran's hair he'd cut for memory before they'd buried her in his flower-field... black strands of hair wrapped up carefully with dried rose-petals, all he had to remember either of them. When he'd seen the page from the book, he hadn't thought about the other things at first, but now.... "No..."
Zechs had followed Wufei's movements across the room and now he walked over and knelt by him. His voice was low and quiet, but full of rage nonetheless. "I know it won't bring any of this back, but I swear to you I'll find the person who did this. I promise you with my life that they'll get what they deserve."
Arms wrapped tightly about his neck, Wufei's eyes clenched shut to keep tears from gathering. "I'll kill them if I catch them."
Zechs wound his arms tightly around Wufei, stroking the loose, black hair -- just holding him very closely. "We *will* find them. Don't you worry. We *will.*" Zechs could feel the trembling of the younger man's body, rage and grief trapped inside. He held on, soothing words and hands doing what they could. And gradually, he became aware of someone standing in the doorway. Looking up, he said quietly, "We've got quite a problem on our hands, Noin."
The sight of Zechs's arms wrapped around Wufei as they knelt there, men she'd always thought of as hating one another, was almost as disturbing as the sight of the room even as the slim Chinese Preventer pulled away slightly, face filled with shame and anger as he dashed his fingers across eyes that were barely damp. "When did you first find this?" she asked, moving into the room on careful feet. "Quatre and Sally are on their way."
"Five minutes ago, maybe," Wufei said, tone hard and nasal as though his sinuses weren't clear. "Maybe seven. Not more than that, surely."
All of the fuzzy, inebriated feeling seemed to have gone from Zechs's mind, wiped clean in the clear light of the threat that had finally made itself known. Keeping a hand on Wufei's back, he looked up at Noin again. "I'm going to take Wufei with me and check the other rooms. He had an idea that it may have happened to more than one of us and I think that's a good bet. Get a couple of the forensic specialists in here and tell them to be damned thorough." He looked down at Wufei again, the clenched fists and the rage just behind his eyes. "And tell them to save everything. Not one item from this room gets lost. Understand?"
Sally appeared in the doorway, breathing hard, having run from the other side of the complex. In her understated way, she survey the wreckage of Wufei's room and cursed under her breath. "Damn *bastards!!* Noin? Did you see anything on the northside surveillance cameras? Anything out of the usual at all?"
"Nothing," she reported with a frown. "I was watching all of the cameras, of course, and all data is recorded, but someone *could* have slipped in -- if they were quick and if they had the code."
"I want out of here." With that, Wufei was moving, past both women and into the hall, hoping to contain the anger that had built and built along with the shock of finding everything so completely ravaged. /'This blasphemous place Will follow your colony Down to Hell'... Bastards!/
Zechs stood, a bit too quickly, but shook off the small wave of dizziness and moved toward the door. He looked a bit odd, standing there with tousled hair and wearing only his word shorts and boots, but the air of authority came through anyway. "Noin, have a couple of the team members get started reviewing that camera data, and we'll need a group to begin checking personnel whereabouts. I also want Severns, Ewing, and Gao to head out to the oxygen farm. Tell them to take extra weapons and to be extremely cautious. Oh, and find out if any of the outer doors were opened after lockdown and if they were, who it was that opened them.
"Sally, you and Quatre take your two quarters and Wufei and I will do the same with mine and Noin's. Make sure you're both armed but don't take any unnecessary risks." He glanced from one woman to the other and said quietly, "It's very possible that we have a saboteur among us. This episode and the damage at the oxygen farm may well be related. If that's true then the situation could be extremely dangerous, so please don't give out any more information to non-cleared personnel than is absolutely necessary. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to see if Wufei's all right." With that, the tall blond nodded once and disappeared out the door.
Sally watched him go and then moved over to the comm unit to see if she could find Quatre. "Well," she murmured to Noin, "the man can certainly give orders well."
"He's a prince of a guy," Noin said absently, moving through the mess, careful not to step on anything as she did so. "Look at this," she murmured. "This is just incredible. Here, on the wall. Maybe we can get an analysis of the handwriting, too..."
She glanced over as Sally finished speaking with Quatre. "I'll call in everyone else. Is he coming here?"
"He's on his way," Sally said, taking a last look around the room. The amount of savagery was chilling and the words scribbled on the wall suggested that the intruder knew about Wufei's past. Hearing Quatre's footsteps outside, Sally headed into the hallway, looking over at Noin as she did. "Are you going to be all right in Security, Noin? Do you want us to walk with you back down there?"
"I'd DEFINITELY appreciate the company," the woman said with a slight shiver, moving towards the door. "Come on, Sal. Let's get out of here."
Quatre's gasp sounded from the doorway. "Oh!! What...!?"
"We'll tell you on the way to Security," Noin replied softly, sealing the door shut and adding in a code that would keep it locked to any but her until she returned.
Zechs and Wufei had arrived back at the door to Zechs's quarters. The tall blond had kept an arm around Wufei the entire way and was feeling somewhat worried that the Chinese man had let it stay there. It was hard to believe that just 30 minutes ago they had been kissing in this very spot.
The clarity that adrenaline had brought to Zechs allowed him to quickly enter his entrance code and as the door to the room opened, they looked upon an eerily familiar scene. Not a single drawer or cupboard was left undisturbed and the contents of all of them were scattered on the floor of the room. Strangely enough, a number of Zechs' shirts had been nailed to the walls and some kind of red paint thrown on them. Search as he might though, Zechs couldn't immediately see any message.
"NOTHING is sacred to them!" Wufei snarled as he found pictures tacked to the floor and up the walls in a pattern in one corner. There was a variety of them, but most seemed to be from the years just before the war of AC 195 had broken out -- photos of Zechs at the academy, in his red uniform, standing next to a man entirely in blue. "Whoever is either totally fucking crazy," he declared, "or he's playing a very intense sort of game."
Zechs stared at the pictures in silence. They were some of the few photographs he had of Treize, and now they were full of nail holes and some sort of brownish film was over them. he raised his hand to one of them, nearly touching it before his training kicked in and he pulled back, not wanting to destroy evidence. "Treize..." he murmured, his voice infinitely sad. "Treize..."
The sound of unhappiness in that voice echoed his own feelings and Wufei stood, moving towards the bathroom to compose himself and perhaps wipe his eyes. At the doorway, he stopped, looking in, and shuddered. "Oh, GOD..."
Zechs tore his gaze away from the ruined photographs and looked over the Wufei, standing braced in the doorway to the bathroom. "Wufei? What is it?"
"I think you might want to see this...."
Dangling precipitously from the shower head was a piglet -- one of the animals that had been brought for food had been a sow that had given birth to young, and this was one of them. Clad in little scraps of royal blue and gold, a paper crown upon its head, it swung from the little noose around its neck, rocking slightly in the air coming in through a vent nearby. On the shower tiles, again scrawled in that wet red paint, was a phrase much like the one from Wufei's room.
"Porcelain prince
In your little glass box
You'll be broken again
If the path is kept
And you'll burn and burn and burn..."
"Shall we check your quarters first?" Sally suggested to Quatre as they headed down a level. "I think it's closest."
"Yes," Quatre agreed softly, still shivering after the sight of Wufei's room. "I'm glad the others hurried so quickly to Noin. I wouldn't want her to be left alone with... whoever or whatever... is running about." He shook his head slightly, shivering. /What if Wufei had gone to his room instead of...?/ A light flush dashed across his face as they continued down the hall. /Best not to think of that./
WHen they came to the Arabian's quarters, Sally found it impossible to tell if anyone had entered the room. Outwardly everything looked completely normal. /That makes it eerier somehow. Like we're standing in the eye of a hurricane.../ She held her gun at the ready, just in case, and nodded at Quatre to open the door. When he did, they were faced with the same devastating landscape they had seen in Wufei's room. Photographs, clothing, papers, books -- even Quatre's violin lay in a huge pile on the floor. And everything in the pile had been covered in thick red paint.
"Oh, DEAR." Quatre looked at the mess with tourmaline eyes that had turned calculating, despite the almost old-lady-ish epithet. "Let's not even go in. Less chance of destroying evidence that way. We'll just move on to yours," he murmured. For a moment, his gaze lingered on the picture of Trowa stabbed to the wall with a throwing knife, but then he moved away and very gently tapped the keys to shut the door. Sally's quarters were on the same level in the next corridor over. She punched in her code and the doors opened to reveal -- a perfectly normal room. Nothing scattered, nothing broken or torn, nothing covered with paint. There was only one odd thing and that was a piece of pale blue paper that hung from the floor lamp by the bed. Sally walked towards it and looked at the words, written in red paint:
"Eyes that are wise
Should foretell the doom
Of hopeless human ignorance
Make them heed or lives
Will vanish like the smoke
Across your burning nation"
"Curiouser and curiouser," the slim blond murmured, shivering slightly. It gave him the creeps -- made him wonder if the perpetrator was still in the area. "I'm sure there'll be one like it in my room. I wonder about Noin's..."
Sally seemed as stunned to look around and find nothing out of place as Wufei and Quatre had been surveying the devastation to their rooms. "But why?" she said, her voice a bit hollow. "Why would they spare my room?" She gestured to the note. "It's obvious they've been here. They had every opportunity..." She shivered violently once and then turned, leaving the peaceful room abruptly. "Let's get back to Noin and find out if any more damage has been reported."
There was nothing left inside of him that could come out and Zechs now leaned back against the wall of his room, trying not to look at those photographs, trying not to think of what hung in his shower.
/Who? Who would do something like this? Why such hatred and against us? We haven't done a thing to anyone, how could someone hate us this much?/ His mind was full of questions and none of them had anything close to a good answer.
"Feeling a little better?" Wufei asked, pale from watching Zechs puke so hard that, for a while, he'd sworn the other man's toenails would be coming up at any moment. A shiver wracked him as he tried to ignore the smell and the urge to do the same simply out of sympathy. Coughing slightly, he glanced around at the mess, eyes stinging.
"I'll feel better by getting out of here," Zechs said quietly. He stood up, still trembling badly, and stumbled to the hallway. Taking several breaths of clean air and then leaned heavily back against the wall. "We need to get to Noin's room. See what happened there, if anything. Maybe she has some toothpaste I can borrow. C'mon." He reached out and grasped Wufei's hand firmly and began walking towards Noin's quarters at the other end of the hall.
"Wait." Wufei moved back quickly and set the code to lock it before hurrying back, shaking his head slightly as he reached Zechs again. "That... that's going too far," he murmured, sniffing and feeling a bit better now that they were away from the smell of paint and vomit, the sight of that tiny swinging body and its costume. "Much much too far..."
"This is obviously someone who's gone to the trouble of researching our backgrounds," Zechs said as the walked. "Either that, or it's someone who knows us well, which is even more disturbing to think about." He held a trembling hand up to his forehead. The events of the afternoon and evening were crowding together in his mind and he knew he was losing details. What if there had been something -- a clue to who this bastard was -- and he was forgetting it even now?
/No time to think, though. No time to sit down and sort it all out before it's gone from memory. But damn, I just know there was *something*, something I'm forgetting about.../
They had reached the door to Noin's quarters and, without thinking, Zechs entered the code. The door slid open before them and revealed another devastated landscape.
Golden effigies danced from the ceiling, little dolls tacked and taped so that they hung on fishing line in the most grotesque mockeries of human contortions -- the dolls of girl-children, their breasts filed away to make them appropriately flat enough to wear their little red coats and white pants, arms and legs missing here and there, and sometimes the long golden hair was shorn or the heads missing altogether. Pictures were plastered all over the walls -- but they were not pictures of Noin's. Instead, they were images of two bodies entwined tightly together, one dark and one sun-gilded, photos that had obviously been taken inside of the last few hours.
Wufei stared in horror at the sight of the contortions he and Zechs had been part of so shortly before. "Oh my GOD."
The tall blond's head was swimming, trying to understand who could have done it -- who could have been there to take the photographs. Whoever it was had taken something that belonged to he and Wufei, something intensely private, and had defiled it horribly. A flash of rage went through him and he stalked into the room, fully aware that he shouldn't, and began very methodically ripping the photographs off the wall. He wasn't prepared for the words he found underneath them, scrawled in red paint:
Little lady's love so true
Crushed to dust by what they do
Happy home and happy life
Poor bitch will never be his wife
So run before it's all too late
And leave them to their hellish fate
Zechs bowed his head, the torn photographs dropping from limp hands. Long, pale hair covered his face, a strange match to the dolls that hung from the ceiling. "How Wufei?" he said in a quiet voice. "How could they have possibly done all of this?"
A certain distance seemed to have filled him, the entire world roaring in his ears as he stared at the words, the last few pictures on the wall, mouth compressed until his lips were white. "I don't know," came the hollow answer, eyes blinking steadily. With care, he knelt down amidst the clothing and bedsheets that had been flung to the floor, hands moving to gather those images, horribly private and never meant to be shared with *anyone*, much less.... like this.
Quickly, he rubbed his face with a free hand and then looked up at Zechs, gaze caught between angry and horribly impossibly pained. "Whoever this is knows us, knows *all* of us. They know things about us that maybe we don't even realize ourselves, I think." A shiver chased down his frame. "I think they're very serious about these little rhymes of theirs."
"I believe you're right," Zechs said, voice half a whisper. He looked up at Wufei, long bangs shading his eyes. "You realize we're going to have to let the forensic team in here." He paused a moment and then turned and began to take the photographs off the wall. "Let's make sure we've got all of these before we go back to the control center." His hand hovered above one photo, a close-up shot of the two of them. He was behind Wufei, cradling the darker man in his arms, nuzzling his cheek. His eyes were closed, while Wufei's, half lidded with pleasure, stared off into the Martian dusk, the expression on his lovely face one of pure bliss. With a trembling hand, Zechs ran his fingers over Wufei's image and cursed the monster who'd stolen that moment.
One floor down, Sally and Quatre had reached Security's control room. They took seats near Noin, calmly working the command area like the professional she was, and Sally rubbed her face with a slightly trembling hand. "Well, they got to Quatre's quarters," she said in a grim tone. "But for some reason they left mine alone, just left a note that said I should leave, that the base would be destroyed, I guess --something like that."
Quatre pushed strands of blong bangs back ou of his eye and leaned back in his chair. "They got your room, too, Noin," he said softly. They'd gone in, seen the pictures on the wall... and very quietly backed out. Quatre hadn't even set the lock-code, he'd been so shaken. /Poor Noin... That someone could take pictures of that and put them there.../
"How bad is it?" the dark-haired woman asked grimly as she continued to check the surveillance videos.
"They're all bad." A heavy sigh escaped Sally's lips and she propped her head in her hand. We've got to nail whoever this is and do it quickly. This base is still so new -- we don't have a lot of cushion when it comes to air or water. If the person who did this decides to tamper with those, we'd be in real trouble. There's no way we could evacuate everyone in time..." She closed her eyes briefly against the gruesome images that came to her. "Now given that there were four rooms that were ransacked, and five that were broken into, are there any similarities in what was done in each room?" She looked at Quatre. "We've seen all five rooms, and Noin's seen Zechs's more closely than we have. What were the things that were the same? Of course, the ransacking itself is one similarity."
Tourmaline eyes darkened as Quatre chewed on his lip. "There were notes in my room, yours and Wufei's. I'd almost guarantee there are notes in Zechs's and Noin's, as well, only we didn't really go into Noin's and Zechs and Wufei aren't back yet..."
"There are notes in both," Wufei said from the doorway, a sheaf of papers clutched in one hand. He hadn't been able to leave them in Noin's room, despite the fact that they needed to be left. Instead, he'd gathered them all up, made sure none could be seen by turning them to face one another, and kept them.
They didn't pass Noin's attention, however. "What are those?"
Sally interrupted quickly. "Do we have the quotes themselves? So we can compare them? We should probably do that right away, along with a general description of any other unusual items that were in the rooms." She glanced at Wufei and what he was carrying. "Just a general description," she reiterated.
Zechs came into the room behind Wufei. "I've had forensic start with my quarters -- there was a dead animal in them and I didn't want the smell to get any worse." He could feel the very beginnings of a hangover starting -- a protesting stomach and a head that felt too tight. Walking to a dispenser unit built into the wall, he poured himself a large glass of water and downed it in one gulp. "From what Wufei and I saw, the notes seemed to be highly personal, attacks almost, about things that could hurt us.
Sally frowned and then looked over at Quatre. "Did your room have a note? I don't remember seeing one."
"I didn't see one at first, but if my suspicions are correct, one will turn up," Quatre said solemnly. /And, from the way things have been going so far, it'll say something about Trowa.../
Zechs was staring somewhat vacantly at the video monitors as Noin's team worked through them. "I told Jaggi in Forensics to make sure we had good photos of all of the notes before they were cleaned away. She said those should be ready within the hour. The data analysis for prints and fibers will probably take at least that."
"In that case," Sally said wearily, I suggest that some of us, at least, get some sleep. Why don't we take shifts of two of us sleeping, three awake. I don't like the idea of any of us getting caught without backup."
She looked over at Zechs and then at Wufei. "I'll take first shift with Quatre and Noin," she said. "Why don't you two get some sleep and join us in, say, 3 hours."
"Sleep WHERE is the question," came Wufei's slightly bitter reply before he reached up and rubbed tangled black hair back. "Damn. I just..."
"There are quarters over in the east quadrant," Quatre suggested quietly. "Plenty of other people have quarters near there, so you won't be alone. You'll want to sleep in the same place, w..." He stopped still before continuing, "Considering the situation."
Noin nodded, still distracted by the video tapes. "Right. It's best none of us be alone for the time being."
"Yeah, okay," Zechs said, wanting to protest and knowing he had absolutely no energy to do it. "But you have to keep those surveillance teams working," he added, not content that anything would go correctly while he was sleeping. "And the forensic data, make sure Jaggi's the one who's actually *doing* the analysis -- she's the best over there. And we need to keep all of the outbuildings secure -- especially the oxygen farm, so we'll need two extra teams out there at all times... Oh and do the same for the water plant, too."
"Yes, Lieutenant," Noin said, a bit of drollness creeping into her voice. "Go get some rest. I promise we won't let anything horrible happen if you have a three hour nap.
Wufei, in fact, was beginning to drift off where he stood, still smelling vaguely of sex and sweat --it was only luck they'd gotten no closer to Noin than they had.
"Oh, and Wufei?"
The voice of the woman speaking woke him and his head jerked up. "Huh?"
"You might want to leave those papers for Jaggi, hm?"
Zechs had been heading for the door but at that he stopped abruptly and turned, eyeing Wufei. "Oh -- well..." he began.
"Quatre and I stopped by Noin's room before you two got there," Sally said, staring at Zechs deliberately. "Why don't you give them to me and I'll tell her how they were tacked up."
Zechs got the message loud and clear and, much as he hated to do it, said, "Wufei, why don't you give them to Sally."
Reluctantly, the young man handed them over, glancing up at her and then at Quatre with a guilty flush. "I'm going to sleep," he said grouchily, turning sharply and walking out of the door.
"He DOES have a way about him," Noin said softly, rolling her eyes.
"Yes, well, I'll head over and get some sleep too," Zechs said wearily. "Please, all of you, be very careful if you have to move around the base. I want this damn thing solved but I don't want any of you endangered while we're investigating." He looked over at Sally once more, his expression uncertain. "Are you sure you can -"
"Oh for heaven's sake, *go* !!" Sally said. "We'll be fine, Mom, really."
Zechs frowned slightly and headed out into the hall.
"Well," Sally said softly, "the kids are in charge, what shall we do?" ~~~
The corridor was deserted by the time Zechs got there. /He certainly disappeared in a hurry... I suppose he must be thinking that he'd rather not renew his acquaintance with me after all. It seemed a little too good to be true, and those pictures... they must have made him change his mind. /
When he got to the wing Quatre had suggested for sleeping quarters, he looked in the few empty rooms there, but didn't see Wufei. Sighing heavily, he chose one of the unoccupied beds at random and sat down, pulling off his work boots and socks, shorts and underwear before padding into the bathroom and turning on the shower. Maybe the heat and the steam could soak all of the evening's filth out of his pores. Stepping in, he ducked his head under the water, long hair becoming a heavy curtain around him, protecting him from the demons outside.
From behind him, arms wrapped lightly around his slick waist, and Wufei felt the tremor that shook through him. "Startled you?" he asked softly, pressing his face to the now-wet hair.
Zechs let out a little gasp at the touch, then covered the slender hands with his own. "Oh yes," he answered, "but I'm also very pleasantly surprised." He stood for a moment, the hot water caressing him on one side, lovely Wufei on the other. In the midst of what seemed to be a growing nightmare, the tall blond gave silent thanks for stolen pieces of heaven.
"Good," Wufei murmured, kissing wet flesh sleepily. So tired... he'd been up for a very long time and done no more than doze with Zechs out on the observation deck. "I wouldn't want it to be an unpleasant one."
"Not at all," Zechs said, his voice low and soft. "And what would be even more pleasant would be to dry off and get into bed and fall asleep with you in my arms."
Hands moved lazily over the planes of Zechs's chest, lather from the bar of soap Wufei had brought with him following his touch. "Mhm," came the tired agreement, scent of sandalwood washing over the small enclosure. "That sounds about right."
They finished the shower and were drying each other off. Zechs rubbed a towel softly over Wufei's skin to dry it and then, with great tenderness, leaned down and kissed the younger man's shoulders and neck. "Hmmm... so nice," he breathed. "I'll get to smell like you all night."
A great sigh filled the Chinese Preventer and he almost purred, that kiss so very nice. "Mmm, I used to smell like you, you know. I'd lay awake, distracted by it..."
"Did you?" Zechs stroked a smooth cheek with his fingertips. "I could never tell what you were thinking. Sometimes I feel I know every inch of you, feel as if we've lived in the same soul." He smoothed back one silky lock of hair that was falling into WUfei's eyes. "Watching you... is so much like watching myself... what you love and hate... what you suffered through..." Slipping his arms around the younger man, he continued. "And at other times, you're a mystery... and I'm caught outside of you -- don't understand..." He pressed his lips to Wufei's forehead and whispered, "I want so much to have a chance with you..."
Relaxing into Zechs's grasp, Wufei drew a deep breath. "I'd like to have a few decades to solve the mystery of you, myself," he whispered. "You're easily as unfathomable to me as I am to you, and maybe that's part of what I like so much... the similarities mingled with the differences."
Pulling away slightly, he tugged, eyes drooping as he moved Zechs towards a bed. "Maybe this time will be better. There's no lingering guilt, no Mariemeia to stir it... maybe..."
"Mmmm... maybe," Zechs agreed. He allowed himself to be pulled into bed. It felt like paradise, warm and sweet-smelling, and safe. How could something this good not be safe? /Impossible... /
Two minutes later, he was asleep.
For a long time, Wufei laid awake beside him, burning eyes staring into the darkness. He couldn't believe they'd scattered Meiran's hair -- crushed Treize's dried roses...
Ripped apart the only thing he'd kept from Zechs.
/Bastards. Whoever they are... when I find them.../
He drifted off laying there beside Zechs, his own scent on the man, sore in body, aching in heart and glad, so very glad, to be clasped close, comfort in a world gone mad.
The silence in the room was like static electricity, crackling, bushy, singing as Noin very carefully stood from her chair and moved to stand near Sally. The photos were still in her hand, carefully arranged and hidden as Wufei had held them, and those photos taunted her.
There was something strange about the entire matter -- something that was *off*. Something that wasn't quite right, and she knew it, down to her skin, to the depths of her bones.
They'd all spoken of the other rooms --she knew about those -- but not about her own. That, she was almost certain, was where the pictures had come from, and her demand was quiet when she gave it. "I want to see them, Sally. They're from my room, aren't they." It was a statement and not a question at all.
"Noin," Quatre began softly only to be cut off by her voice.
"If they were in my room then they were meant for me to see. If there were rhymes and verses in the other rooms, surely the same was in mine. I want to see them."
Sally looked up slowly. "You don't Noin. I'm your friend. Trust me, please. You don't."
The sound of her voice was soft and even as she answered, clear with a precision that was felt to her toes. "What's wrong with Zechs?"
Sally blinked up at her friend. In a way she was almost relieved that she didn't understand -- it bought her some time. "I'm... not sure what you're talking about. What do you mean 'what's wrong' with him? Given the break-ins, he seemed like the same, lovely obsessive man to me."
"And Wufei?" she challenged quietly. /They were touching, Sally. Give me one good reason, show me the pictures, make me wrong.../ "Cranky 'onna' Chang Wufei? There's something wrong with both of them, isn't there?"
Wisely, Quatre kept his mouth shut, only watched with wide eyes.
"No, Noin... there's nothing *wrong*, really. It's just... She shook her head suddenly. "Just believe me Noin, you just *don't* want to see these. They'll only make you unhappy!" /Oh perfect! What have I said now? Stupid Sally -- very, very stupid.../
"Give me the pictures, Sally," came Noin's voice, hard with intent. "I know you're my friend. I know whatever they are will disturb me -- otherwise, all of you wouldn't be trying to keep them from me. But give me those pictures."
Sally sighed heavily. She knew how determined Noin could get. Looking down at the stack of photographs in her lap, she wondered briefly if whoever was behind the camera really wanted to destroy their cohesiveness as a group. "Please remember, Noin, that they had no idea these were being taken..." Solemnly, she handed the stack over to Noin.
Apprehensively, Quatre watched Noin's face as the first of the photos was turned over so that she could see it. She seemed almost to freeze completely and utterly as she stared at it, uncomprehending for long seconds before she turned to the next... and the next... and the next.
When she'd gone through them all, she very carefully sat them down, face pale as she drew in a bracing breath, eyes closed. "Did both of you know about this?" she whispered, tongue tracing her lower lip.
"I... when I went up to shut off the lights on the observation deck..." Quatre murmured guiltily. "They were there... you know."
"Noin, it won't change anything, you asking questions like this. I know you must be very hurt, and you have every right to be. I want to do everything I can to make things better. You're -" Sally broke off. The anguish was so apparent in Noin's large, expressive eyes. But there was anger there, too. Was it enough to derail what they were doing? Her dark-haired friend wasn't the kind of woman to walk away from conflict meekly. Could the base survive that kind of confrontation between two of its senior officers?
"I don't know if it makes any difference, but try to remember that someone took these pictures with the intention to hurt you. It was part of the plan they have, whatever that may be. Given what I saw in Wufei's room, the person who did this was targeting what he considered the weakest spot in all of you. So please, Noin, take Zechs to one of the underground bunkers and have a good screaming session. Or come to my quarters later and we'll burn him in effigy. But please, Noin -- don't let this tear everything you've worked, that we've all worked for -- apart. Please..."
Noin's answer came with hollow laughter. "Oh, no," she told Sally, shaking her head, "no, no... no." Turning away, a hand rose to touch her face, eyes squeezing tightly shut, tears gathering angrily at the corners before she dashed them away. "Treize, I could understand. I didn't want to, I didn't believe it was true, but it was, and that I could handle. But not *HIM*. Not Mr. 'I don't fight women and weaklings' Chang Wufei! Just... NO!"
Sally looked over at Quatre for support, then turned back to her friend. "Noin, I think the reason they first came together was Treize. But you need to be honest with yourself. Would it really make any difference? Or would it hurt just as badly, simply because you knew he felt that way about a man? Even when it was Treize, I think, you hurt just as badly. Or am I wrong?"
"This... is worse," she whispered, clearing her throat before speaking up again. "I wasn't *involved* with him before. I worshipped him from afar and it wasn't so close before... I could take anyone but *HIM*..."
Uncertainly, Quatre told her quietly, "Wufei is very good at hiding things, Noin. He doesn't let anyone see inside of him because he's lost so much and..."
"We've ALL lost things!" she returned sharply. "People we love, homes, lovers! All of us! That doesn't give him a special dispensation to walk right in and destroy something I've worked so hard to build!"
"Noin," Sally said in soft voice, "Wufei didn't do this on his own. This was obviously something Zechs wanted, too. And -- " She hesitated, needing to give her friend reassurance, but hating the task itself. "This wasn't the first time they were together, Noin. They met up with each other sometime after the Eve Wars, when Zechs had come back to Earth. They were starting to build a relationship back then, but the coup attempt by Mariemeia made that impossible." She stopped there -- Noin didn't need to know about the pressure Mariemeia and Dekim had put on Wufei, about the guilt they'd awakened in him. That was his to share or not, his choice to make. "The feelings between them came well before Wufei got to this base. I imagine that both of them thought it was over... but apparently it wasn't." Her last words trailed off miserably. Two of her favorite people in the world, Noin and Wufei, had been at odds since she knew them, but never had it been this intense, this personal.
"I won't -- can't -- forgive him, Sally," the other woman replied, trembling. "He's destroyed or taken everything that's ever meant anything to me. How could I ever forgive that?" The look of betrayal on her face as she turned was horrible to see. "I *won't* give up Zechs without a fight!"
"Noin..." Sally stared into her friends eyes, dark with anger and pain, and felt completely helpless to do anything, anything at all to take it away. Crossing the room, she put her arms around the trembling woman and prayed Noin would accept the comfort for what it was -- the only thing Sally could offer her.
"Oh, Sally!" With that, the dam broke, a wash of tears flooding from her, sharp and heavy, as Quatre looked on with sorrow. "I can't b... believe he..!"
I know," Sally whispered, stroking the short, dark hair. "And I understand the hurt, and the disbelief, trust me, I really do." She was thinking back on her own feelings for Wufei. She'd seen early on that, although she may have wished it to be different, he was never meant to be hers. And at the time it hurt like hell. But at least it had never gotten farther than her own fantasies. In her heart, she had known fairly soon after she'd met both Noin and Zechs that he would probably never be the kind to settle down with a wife and kids. He just didn't seem to be that type of man. But she had never said anything to Noin. She could have been wrong, and Noin was so deeply, nerve-shatteringly in love with Zechs that hearing Sally's thoughts probably wouldn't have made a difference anyway. /Why does this kind of thing happen? Why does it have to be that one person can love another with every fiber of her being, while the other person, try as he might, can't summon up that same feeling for her? It seems so cruel.../
She tried again to get through to the woman who'd become her closest friend. "Noin, what your feeling, even though it seems eternal right now -- it will pass. You just have to hold on until it does. And you need to remember that all of us love you, love you very much and that we want to help in anyway we can."
Arms wrapped warmly about her waist for a moment, seeking comfort before Noin pulled back, a hand rising to wipe away those tears. A few sniffs later and she said softly, "All right. It's not the end of the world and we've got a mystery to solve! It'll just have to wait until later. And as much as I hate that... as much as I dislike having to work with Wufei, we can't afford disunity."
It didn't seem right, somehow, that Noin couldn't have her time to grieve, to come to terms with things in her own time. It was always something else -- it was Operation Daybreak, or the defense of Relena and Sank. It was the Eve Wars, or Zechs' self-imposed exile. It was Dekim's coup, and now... this. Looking at her friend, trying to pull herself together, it all seemed too unfair to Sally. Why were Noin's hopes always the lowest priority? How much was one woman supposed to sacrifice, for gods' sake. Surely Noin had given enough...
"I think you should talk to Zechs," Sally said suddenly. "Quatre and I can handle the investigation with Wufei for long enough to let you two do that. It's the least we can do. So you two go after Wufei comes back, all right?"
"Thank you," Noin replied humbly, face settling into vague sadness. "Thank you, Sally. For now..." She sighed heavily. "We might as well get these to forensics, not that it'll do much good. I'm sure by now we have three or four sets of fingerprints on them of ours alone.... and I know Zechs and... Wufei will hate having them seen, but Jaggi is close-mouthed. It will be all right." Reaching out, she hugged her friend again, whispering quietly, "Thank you, Sally. You always seem to be around when I need you."
"Count on it, Noin," Sally whispered back, savoring the warmth and softness of Noin against her. "Shall I take them over?"
"I can take them over!" Quatre offered, the possible relief of stepping out of the tense room terribly tempting.
Letting go of Noin reluctantly, Sally smiled at the obviously uncomfortable young man. "Thank you, Quatre. I'm sure you understand that no one but Jaggi is to see these. Deliver them to her in person and make sure she understands as well. Oh, and... tell her to destroy them when she's through with the analysis."
A little smile tipped his lips as he took them and carefully turned them so that they were hidden. "Yes, Sally," he replied before turning and leaving the room.
It was a relief just to have them gone and Noin moved to sit down, taking a deep breath as her fingers flicked the switches. "Sally? You knew about them previously, didn't you? I mean, that they were... once..."
Sally took the seat -- and the set of controls -- next to her. "Not until very recently," she said quietly. "All I knew was that Wufei was acting strangely, getting really irritated over nothing at all, not that he hasn't done that kind of thing before, but this was... different. It took some doing, but I finally found out that he and Zechs had been together in Luxembourg last year. Just a few months I think, and then... Wufei had to leave. I think it hurt them both."
Nodding slightly, Noin continued going through the video tapes, concentrating on them rather than the woman beside her. "Sally... all I really want is for him to be happy. If Wufei can really make him happy..."
"Oh. Really? That's quite a change from just a few minutes ago. DO you need a break from this, hon? Because I can go through the tapes if you need a little time." The sudden change in Noin's demeanor was nothing short of drastic and it had Sally worried, as a doctor and as a friend.
"I don't know what I mean," Noin said, shaking her head. "I'm so confused. How... WUFEI, of all people. Why not Duo or Quatre or... ANYONE but him!"
"What is about him that gets to you so much? You've put the war behind you in so many ways -- why not with him?"
Noin bit her lip thoughtfully. "I don't know. It's hard to let go of that. What happened at Victoria... I knew every one of those boys *personally*. Every one. They were... they were my babies, really. *MY* boys. One of them died in my arms, you know. He was so sad that he'd never get to see space.... and then..." She paused and shook her head once more. "I need a little time to get myself together, Sal."
"Of course," Sally replied, her voice heavy with concern. "I'll be all right finishing these. We're nearly done anyway. Go on -- but don't go too far."
"I'll get us some coffee," Noin murmured as she stood and headed for the next room.
Confusion was a massive part of her --confusion, hurt, longing. /Wufei. How could Zechs... why *Wufei*? Anyone would be better than him. Anyone... not that I want it to be anyone but me./ She sighed, hands starting the pot carefully as she continued to think. /On the other hand, he never has committed to anything with me, has he? He never said he loved me... never said forever. And there was Treize.../
That thought caused her to become still for a moment before continuing. /Yes, Treize... he loved Treize desperately, I recognized that. With him dead, though, gone... there was a chance he could love me, wasn't there? Yes.../ The scent of the brewing coffee was pleasant, soothing. /But Wufei got there before me and I never knew. I wonder what happened... something must have driven them apart, for Wufei to fight in Mariemeia's coup, for Zechs to behave the way he did towards him. And if something must have driven them apart, what could have brought them back together?/
Not that it mattered, she supposed. They were obviously closer than her own level of comfort allowed her to admit, from the looks of those pictures, and a flush filled her face as she thought of them. Whether it was from anger or a certain curiosity-tinged embarrassment, she couldn't quite be sure. /Ah, Zechs. What makes *him* better than *me* to you? I love you so much... would sacrifice anything for you.../
And perhaps, she thought, therein lay the problem. /Would sacrifice so much.../ Wufei wasn't the sort to sacrifice his entire life and will to someone else's and she was. Maybe that was what he liked.
What a depressing thought!
Gathering cups, she poured the coffee and doctored them both with the appropriate amounts of cream and sugar before heading back to the small security room.
Sally was staring intently at the screen when Noin came back into the room. She had a small item on the screen and was zooming in on it as best she could. It appeared to be round and metallic but the resolution of the surveillance camera wasn't good enough to make out exactly what it was.
Hearing Noin approach, Sally looked back at her and gave a weary smile. "Wouldn't you know it --the security professional leaves the room and the know-nothing volunteer finds something. Take a look at this."
Sally switched to a different monitor and the screen glowed to life. "It's the same observation deck where the photographs were taken, but exactly 15 minutes after Zechs and Wufei came inside."
As they watched, a figure in a grey hooded coat darted from the right-hand side of the screen and scrambled onto the deck from below. It ran to back wall and appeared to put something there. With amazing speed, the figure then ran to the deck railing and leapt down from it. No face was ever seen, nor could the gender of the person be determined. "I got the forensic team all over this -- hopefully they can at least give us a height estimate. Anyway, the moment I came across this in the last tape you had, I sent two of your boys to the deck to check it out. Hopefully they'll be back soon and we can see whatever it is."
As she spoke there was a knock at the door and the two men entered the room. "Here you go, ma'am," they said to Noin. "This was fixed to the outer wall of the compound with some sort of glue -- we've already run a preliminary screening. It's not toxic."
Lying in Noin's hands was a small disk of silvery metal. On one side it was plain, but on the other, there was a picture of a group of monks in a small boat. Around the edges of the disk was inscribed, "St. Brendan protect all who go down to the sea in ships."
"Incredible," she said softly, touching it carefully. "I wonder what it means... who was St. Brendan, anyway? Do you know, Sally?" she asked, going over it centimeter by centimeter with her gaze.
"Yes, I know. Catholicism was really big in the neo-China nations. One of the many imports that we got from the West. I got the nuns, the Sunday school, the catechism, the whole thing. I think of myself as a 'Lapsed Catholic' now."
After confirming with the two security men that they had checked for fingerprints, she dismissed them and picked up the medal. "St. Brendan -- patron saint of mariners, fishermen, and 'all who go down to the sea in ships.' This is a protective medal worn by any person who wants to invoke the protection of the saint. Obviously one of our visitors this evening wanted us to make a connection between what happened and St. Brendan." She gave the medal back to Noin. "It's a little strange, though -- why would they need the protection of St. Brendan on a planet that has no seas?"
"Curiouser and curiouser," Noin said softly. "I wonder what sort of connection we *are* supposed to make? It seems too deliberate -- they knew we'd be looking there, once the pictures were found," she frowned. "So obviously we're meant to figure out what it means, but it seems too obscure a clue..."
No, there's something there," Sally murmured and then shook her head. "It's not coming right now, but I know there's something significant about that and I'm just not remembering it. Maybe after I've had some sleep." Looking at her watch, she yawned. "It's about time for Zechs and Wufei to get back. Are you going to talk to him?"
For a moment, Noin seemed to consider it before shaking her head. "I think I should wait until I get a grip on myself," she told Sally solemnly. "I want to be in full control of all my faculties when I speak with him." A wry smile crossed her face. "I'm sure I'll need them."
"Well, if that's the way you want it, I won't convince you otherwise."
Zechs sighed softly, fighting to stay asleep. It was so comfortable, so warm, and he was loath to do anything to change that. But his military training was not letting him do it. It had kicked in with a vengeance telling him he had an obligation and that the time didn't matter. It was a handy skill to have, if an uncomfortable one.
He opened his eyes slowly. Only the pale light from the baseboard nightlights was visible. Blinking at the clock near the bed, he confirmed that it was time to go back to work. And such a shame, because the lovely young man beside him was warm, his skin soft, and Zechs was very, very hard.
"Wufei? Wufei, wake up. We have to get back upstairs."
"Five more minutes," came the half-awake answer as Wufei sighed and shifted further into Zechs's grasp, still in the midst of the most wonderful dream in which he was surrounded by a warm sea of love that made him too content to want to wake just yet.
"Mnnn... I wish it could be hours, beautiful man..." Zechs's voice was low and breathy as he kissed Wufei awake, pressing his lips to the dusky skin of his cheeks and jaw. He came to rest on warm, sweet lips and brushed them a few times with his own before taking them more possessively in a long, deep kiss.
When their mouths finally parted, Wufei whispered into the barely-lit darkness, "I can't think of many better ways to wake up." A hand moved up to touch Zechs's chest, caressing across a pectoral and touching a nipple lightly, regretfully. "We have to get up and get dressed."
"Hmmm... yes," Zechs murmured, rolling to his back and pulling Wufei on top of him. He pulled the dark-haired man's head down for more deep kisses. "Have to get up... mnnnn.... get dressed..." The heat of Wufei's mouth made him harder and he pressed his hips upwards against body. "Oh, God...," he whispered against the soft lips, "you feel so good..."
He'd awakened with an erection and Zechs's kisses certainly weren't helping to do away with it as he groaned softly against that mouth, body sliding over Zechs's lean length. "If we don't stop, we'll be late..." Not that it seemed to bother him because his hands were now roaming the golden body he found so enticing, lips giving the same sweet succulent kisses that had passed between them before.
"Mmmm... not that late, surely..." Zechs's breathing was deep and ragged. He ran his fingers through the inky silk of Wufei's hair and his kisses grew hungrier. Letting his hands slide down the other man's back and hips, they came to rest cupped around small tight buttocks, which he kneaded, long fingers whispering over the lovely crease. "Ahh, want you..." he breathed in Wufei's ear. "Want you so much..."
The moan that passed Wufei's lips warbled in the air as he shuddered. "Maybe not that late," he agreed with a whisper, rocking his hips against Zechs's and purring with a promise of pleasure, deep and hard and perfect.
Zechs opened his legs, letting Wufei settle between them, all the time pressing the other man down on him. He trailed his toes up muscular calves and wrapped his legs around Wufei's hips, while his hands wandered up and buried themselves again in dark hair. "Give it to me..." he panted, breath hot against the damp skin under Wufei's jaw. "Give it to me *hard*..."
A very short time passed, only long enough for Wufei to spit in his hand and slick it over his erection, and then he was at that tender entrance and inside with a groan that seemed to shake his entire body. "God, you feel so good, Zechs..."
A raspy intake of breath was the only answer the blond could give. It felt as though the slender Chinese man was ripping him apart, pain and pleasure mingling equally within him. HIs hands dropped to Wufei's shoulders, fingers tightening on the caramel-colored skin, as his head tossed back and forth on the pillow. His eyes, clenched tightly shut as Wufei entered him, opened slowly and he watched his partner's face, so stunningly beautiful in ecstasy. This lovely feeling was his again -- the feeling of being taken and claimed -- used for another man's pleasure, and so getting pleasure in return. He could never have this with Noin, though other feelings were unique to his time with her. And having gotten this back -- at least a taste of it -- made him wonder whether it was possible for him to live without it.
"Beautiful," came the soft whisper. "Beautiful golden god and you're all mine. Please, Zechs... please, say it!" Wufei pleaded, kissing the underside of his jaw and nuzzling at his throat as he shifted only slightly, buried to the hilt, the exquisite feeling of being wrapped up in the taller man enough to drive him over the edge from the heat alone.
Zechs let out a long, low moan, the tiny movements deep inside sending sparks through him. As Wufei's mouth fed on the heated skin of his throat, one exquisitely small movement nudged the tender spot inside of him. A trickle of seed flowed out of his shaft as the spot was rubbed and his entire body trembled at the feeling. And at the same time, one small tear fell from behind long, golden lashes. "Yours..." he said in a rough whisper. "Only yours..."
"Yes!" came the exultant answer, hands reaching, fingers trembling down those long golden arms to find the wrists, pulling them up above Zechs's head and holding them there, the shorter body stretched out almost impossibly as Wufei finally pulled back and drove deep within the other man. "Ah, God, YES!"
It was all too good, too powerfully erotic, for Zechs to hold it any longer. The delicious aggressiveness of the younger man, the intensity of the penetration, the feeling of being held down, and oh, gods, the sound of him, panting and growling as he took what he wanted -- the ancient, primitive sound of sex. Zechs's body shook from the impact of Wufei's thrusts and at last the only thing he could do was whimper as release came, making him feel shameless and wanton and wide, wide open.
"Ahhnn!" The snug clench was utterly exquisite! Three more thrusts with shaking hips and Wufei followed Zechs over the edge into oblivion, collapsing upon the other man's chest, gasping for breath, thoughts scattered to the four corners of the wind and beyond.
/Perfect... he's so perfect... fits so well inside of me... will I have to beg him to take me back...? Knowing this is possible, can I give it up...?/
Zechs felt dizzy from pleasure. His arms were still held deliciously fast, so he used the side of his head to nuzzle against Wufei. His body was still trembling intensely and every time he thought about why, he could feel his muscles clench the slender man atop him. So he simply lay there -- recovering his breath, feeling well and thoroughly used.
With a soft vacant sigh, Wufei began to almost purr, hands stroking over Zechs's arms and down his sides. It was so deliciously pleasant to touch his lover, and he didn't want to miss a moment of it, just in case it didn't last or perhaps Zechs didn't mean it...
"We really need to talk," Wufei told him quietly, lips caressing across Zechs's even as he tenderly pulled out of the other man, wincing slightly. Lord, he was sore everywhere! And he was sure Zechs was, too... "But it'll have to wait. I think we're probably late," he said.
"Mmmm... yes, I believe this time we are," Zechs said is a soft voice. He reached up and cupped Wufei's cheek, long fingers tangled in the midnight black hair. "And yes... I know we need to talk... I've been enjoying you too much, haven't I? And technically we're not even speaking to one another..." He smiled softly and leaned up to take a gentle kiss from the dark-eyed man. "Shall we get cleaned up?"
"Yeah," came the quiet whisper back, the brush of those lips entirely too attractive. "I think we should."
Upstairs, Sally was yawning and rubbing eyes that had stayed open too long. Noin and Quatre were 2/3 of the way through their shift, so they weren't suffering as much, but Sally now found herself looking at her watch every few minutes and silently cursing the male libido, which she held personally responsible for the lateness of her relief workers. "Come on, guys -- " she muttered under her breath, "I know it's intoxicating but sheesh -- give a girl a break..."
"You know, none of those rooms have alarms," Quatre murmured quietly, glancing sidelong at both of the women. "Maybe someone should go wake them?"
"Zechs will be up soon," Noin informed them. "He probably already is. Internal alarm."
/Just because he's up doesn't mean he's out of bed... and aren't *we* getting cranky, Sally.../ "Why don't you go down and check on them, Quatre. I need to get to bed, and they need to..." She realized what she was about to say and broke off abruptly. "Just go and make sure they're on their way, please," she muttered, stealing a guilty glance at Noin.
Noin hid all outer reactions as Quatre rose with a solemn, "Yes, ma'am."
She knew what Sally had been thinking, just as she knew that Zechs's propensity for morning sex probably made her right. /Damn Wufei's hide. That should be.../
Shaking her head, she cleared it of those thoughts as Quatre opened the door and gave a rather surprised, "Oh!"
"Sorry we're late," Zechs murmured. He'd managed to snag a carafe of fresh coffee on their way over and now busied himself pouring for the four of them who'd be staying up. "Sally, you've performed above and beyond, and all that. Go to bed and enjoy."
Wufei rolled his eyes slightly and nodded at Sally as she rose, remaining quiet. He was still half-asleep, despite their morning 'exercise', and he yawned as he reached for a cup of coffee with a half-articulated murmur. "Nnn."
"You never WERE a very good morning person," Quatre said with a little smile. "You're the one who was late, right?"
"Nnn."
"Actually we both missed the wake up call," Zechs said matter-of-factly and sat down in the other video control seat, next to Noin. His eyes were fixed on the main screen where Sally had left the surveillance camera video. "What's this?"
Sally yawned and walked over to him. "The video captures we got from forensics -- they're all time stamped. Noin had some of your team go to find what you see being left behind."
Zechs was staring at the video segment, watching the solitary figure climb up to the deck and press against the outer wall of the compound. "Okay, so -- what was he, or she, leaving there?"
"This," Noin said a tad stiffly, reaching over and lifting a flat medallion to show Zechs.
"What is it?" Wufei asked, moving closer to them.
They were out in the corridor and headed for the forensic labs. Zechs looked over at the woman who matched him stride for stride. "Did you want to talk to me, Noin?"
The air seemed to crackle for a moment during her pause and then Noin replied. "Yes," she said softly. "I did. Zechs... I know what the pictures were."
He was silent for a moment. "Ah," he said at last. "Was it just the pictures, or were you told anything about Wufei and me?"
"I know that you and he were lovers -- before he left you," came her reply as she looked at him, the intimation that she would never leave him obvious.
"Yes, well... He was put in a rather unfortunate position and felt he couldn't stay." Zechs's head was bowed, eyes on the floor as they walked. "I certainly didn't expect him to show up here, and when he did, I thought we'd just be trying to avoid each other. And... I did. Try to avoid him..." Zechs voice trailed off and his expression softened. "But he didn't want to do that..."
"I see," Noin told him solemnly, glancing over at him. "Do you... do you mind that?" /Do you love him?/ she wanted to ask but couldn't.
He sighed and looked off down the long corridor into which they'd turned. Forensics was at the far end. "I'd be lying to you if I said I hadn't missed him. At first I thught he was just making sure we saw each other in order to bother me. But -- that was before I knew why he left. So, I guess I don't mind. I'm not sure exactly what we had between us in Luxembourg. We were both of us still very torn up about Treize's death... and about each other. I'm not even sure why anything happened between us, but it did." There was a long pause and then he looked over at Noin, taking her arm and stopping. He seemed to search her eyes for something. "Noin -- I don't want to hurt you. You know that I love you. We've been friends for a long, long time." Long, slender fingers stroked her cheek as he frowned down at her in concern. "I just... just never expected this to happen. His thumb brushed over her lips and his eyes followed it. "Those times, when we were together... I did mean what I said. You are beautiful..."
"But you don't love me the way you did Treize.. or the way you love Wufei," she whispered, tears welling up in bruise-dark eyes. "Do you?"
He gazed off onto the distance for a moment and then looked back at her. "It *is* different, somehow. It's not that I feel nothing for you beyond friendship. Obviously I do, or we wouldn't have... done the things we did." His voice was pure silk and his fingers trailed down to her throat. "It's just very different, when I'm with a man..."
"You can't have it both ways, Zechs," she murmured, pulling away from him. "I love you. I'd do anything for you, you know that... follow you into Hell's yawning gates, themselves... but..."
He felt a wave of unhappiness go through him, suddenly bereft of her closeness. "Yes," he said softly, "but even you have your limits. And I understand that, really I do... on one level. It's just very hard not to react to you, when you're close to me. Please forgive my weakness."
"Zechs..." She moved closer again, a hand going to touch his shoulder gently. "You know I love you, would do anything for you. Only... him... I simply don't understand."
Looking down at her, a soft, sad expression on his face. "Sometimes I don't understand it myself. But he and I are very alike in certain ways..." He reached over and clasped her hand, then brought it slowly to his lips, never taking anguished eyes off hers. "He understands what it means to lose everything you cherish -- to be the last of your kind. Something about him makes me feel that there's a lot I don't have to explain. It's just understood... But Noin, would it really make any difference if he were someone else?"
"....no," came the quietly tearful admission, her own eyes and face dropping away so that she could no longer see him. "It's only..."
With long, slender fingers, he reached down and raised her chin, looking into deep purple eyes that always seemed to see much more in him than he could himself. "Only...?"
"Only I wish that it was me you felt that way about," she murmured softly, a hand rising to press gently against his chest as her face lifted. "I wish..."
"Oh, Noin..." Zechs felt a wave of desire pass through him, having her that close. /Beautiful... as always, such a dark, lovely beauty... and those lips, so warm.../ His lips brushed hers, a brief moment of pressure, and then he exhaled sharply and pulled back, staring at her. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes wide and intensely blue. "Noin..." he said in a strangled whisper. "I just don't know about this... I need to think." A voice inside of him laughed. /Think? You need to think about whether to kiss this beautiful woman? That's ridiculous and besides -- it's obvious you're in no condition to think right now anyway!/
He took another step back and shook his head a little. "Let's just get the data we need," he murmured and headed off down the hall towards the forensic lab.
The little thrill that had chased through her with his kiss was still doing so as she followed him, his longer legs forcing her to hurry as they moved along towards the door at the end of the hall. Just as they reached it, it slid open, a slim chestnut-haired form walking out, face buried in reams of data. "Jaggi!"
Tonoushri Jaggi, better known on Mars as just Jaggi, peered around the stack at them. "Oh, hey! I was just coming to find you two. We've had another note, it was in Quatre's room, we almost missed it. And another weird thing, too. C'mon in." She turned around and re-entered the room, unceremoniously dumping her printouts on a small conference table and heading for the coffee pot. "It's fresh," she called back over her shoulder, "Can I get you guys some?"
"I suppose injecting it by IV is out of the question?" Zechs said in a weary voice.
Jaggi made a wry face and handed him a cup. "You'll have to ask Sally about that one, pretty boy. I just crunch numbers." She set a cup down for Noin and then took a piece of paper off the top of the stack. "Here is Quatre's note. It was found inside of his closet -- same red paint."
Little boys who kill their mothers
Should spend their days doing penance
On the worlds of their dead matriarchs
Who gave everything so ungrateful sons
Could be so highly-regarded.
Leave now and repay your debt...
Zechs could hardly believe what he was reading. "How the hell does this person know so damned much! And how can they care so little about what these bloody notes do to people they're left for." A brief spasm of anger crossed his face and he slammed his fist against table. He turned abruptly and walked to the far side of the room to calm his anger.
"And the note in mine?" Noin said evenly. "I've seen all of the others, but not that one yet."
Jaggi looked up sharply. "Oh, I'd just assumed -"
"Wufei and I went to check on Noin's quarters," Zechs interrupted. His back was still to the two of them, long hair like a cape down his back. "Noin -- you don't really need to see it. All of these were written to tap into things that make us feel vulnerable. They're targeted so well... Don't read it Noin. It'll just make you miserable..."
"No," she replied slowly. "I think maybe I do need to see it, Zechs. No matter how badly it might hurt, I think I need to see it."
Jaggi cast a nervous glance at Zechs and then found the paper it was recorded on. Handing it to Noin, she sat down at the table and took a long swig of coffee.
Little lady's love so true
Crushed to dust by what they do
Happy home and happy life
Poor bitch will never be his wife
So run before it's all too late
And leave them to their hellish fate
Across the room, Zechs stared at nothing, and waited.
Drawing a deep breath, Noin nodded slowly. "Seems to be SOP for them, doesn't it? They're digging at the things that will hurt the worst." She tossed down the paper coolly and promptly moved on. "So, we've got five notes and a medallion as well as a handful of other clues. The Barbie dolls and... other things in your quarters were *particularly* gruesome, Zechs," she said solemnly. "The only one they didn't really do anything too horrible to is Sally. What we have to figure out is why that's so. It's almost got to be someone who knows all of us. We have to ask ourselves who has a soft spot for Sally and a more vicious streak out for you?"
"Oh, that reminds me," Jaggi said suddenly. There was one other thing that was weird. Come and look at this." She sat down at one of the computer terminals as Zechs and Noin came to stand behind her. A few quick keystrokes and an image was brought up -- a photograph of a closet door. She zoomed in on one part of the doorframe and they saw what looked like a thin "X" anchored to the metal by a dab of red paint.
Zechs leaned in closer, frowning. "What the hell -- ?"
"Take a look at the closeup," Jaggi murmured. Zooming in a few more times, they could clearly see that the X was made from two inch-long, blue-grey fibers.
Standing back and scowling at the terminal screen, Zechs tried to come up with reasons why a person would do a thing like this. It seemed completely without meaning. "Okay, Jaggi," he said, "aside from the fact that it's just plain odd to attached fibers to doors, is there something else we should know?"
"Keep your shorts on, pretty boy, I'm getting there," Jaggi teased and clicked through several screens before arriving at one that read, 'UEN Fiber Database -- Results of Analysis 2.' "The government's database on fibers is huge, and has a lightning fast turnaround time. So I scanned in our little X and hit the send key. This is what I got back. She pointed to a line on the screen that read, 'No match found in any UEN database. Analysis program suggests: rescan sample and retry.'
"I've done it 7 different times, and it still comes up this way." She looked from Zechs to Noin and back. "I can see you're having trouble grasping the meaning of this," she said in a deadpan voice. "Let me put it this way, according to the single-most extensive database in existence, these fibers just... don't exist."
One hand reached up to rub the back of her neck and Noin yawned, frowning. "That's incredible. So we've got someone, some person, some... GHOST wandering around wearing a material no one's ever seen or sampled before."
"Not exactly," Jaggi replied. "This isn't a clothing fiber, it's far too rough. It's similar in its composition to industrial fibers that you might find on aircraft."
"It's from a plane?" Zechs said, more puzzled.
"Or a space ship -- could be either."
The blond folded his arms and stared at the screen again. "So we have a non existent fiber that comes from a plane or ship. Wouldn't that mean the plane or ship doesn't exist as well?"
Jaggi looked up at him, a frank expression on her face. "Well, in a word... yes."
"I've had better news," Noin quipped. "You're doing great, Jaggi. Even that is a tremendous help."
"Here are the other analyses," Jaggi indicated the stack she'd been carrying. I thought I'd have my team do a summary for you, since you probably wouldn't appreciate wading through all of this. I can have it brought up to you within the hour."
"Sounds good," Zechs sighed. "We really appreciate the work you and your people have put in. Make sure you're all resting when you can, yes?"
"Okay, Mom, we will." Jaggi's tone was dry as she rolled her eyes at Zechs then winked at Noin. "Now get out of my lab, both of you. How can I work with two damned security officers breathing down my neck. Although," she turned and leaned towards Zechs, "if you ever want to breathe down my neck when I'm *off* duty, pretty boy..." She wiggled her eyebrows dramatically and then laughed. "See ya." Still giggling, she headed into one of the small cubicles that the surrounded the main room.
Zechs rubbed his eyes and then looked over at Noin. "You know, you've only got an hour left on your shift. If you want to head to the new quarters and get some sleep, that's fine."
The tiny portable comm unit on his belt began to beep. He took it off and punched in his id code. "Yes, what is it?"
The somewhat scratchy voice of Quatre came on the line. "There's been a disturbance in the main hangar and they... they found another medal down there. Wufei's already headed that way, but I thought you might want to know, too."
"Right," Zechs said in a somewhat stunned voice. "I'll go." Looking over at Noin, he smiled weakly. "Looks like our friends are heating things up. That offer still stands. This might be the last chance to sleep for awhile."
"I think I'll go with you," Noin said easily. "I'm curious as to see what we've got on our hands." /And if Wufei's there, you can bet I'm going to be there, too./
They rode to the surface in the elevator, going through the airlocks into the hangar area. The main hangar itself was strangely quiet compared to its usual state of carefully orchestrated chaos. Wufei was standing near the far wall, talking to Maser, the Chief Mechanic. On the opposite side of the large building, a crowd of engineers and mechanics stood in groups, talking quietly among themselves. They looked up apprehensively as Zechs and Noin walked in.
Casting a glance at the workers, Zechs felt a wave of apprehension pass through him. "I don't like the feel of this *at all," he muttered to Noin as they approached Wufei and Maser.
"Zechs," Wufei said as the two walked up, deftly ignoring Noin entirely. "Look at this one. It's the same metal as the other -- Maser found it pressed to one of the walls in the back storage room."
Zechs took the round object from Wufei and held it up for Noin to see as well. It depicted a large wheel that had short spikes coming out from each spoke. Around the outside of the wheel, in the same manner as the previous medal, were inscribed the words, "Catherine of Alexandria: Mechanics & Engineers."
"Another Saint, I'm assuming," Zechs murmured. "Noin, can you please ring Sally? Looks like we'll need her religious expertise again."
Maser looked hesitant, but finally spoke. "There's something else we found," he said uneasily. "It's by the Planters that were damaged. But I can wait to show you until after Ms. Noin gets back."
Zechs thought for a brief moment, then shook his head. "No, show it to us now, the call to Sally can wait until we're done."
"All right," Maser took a deep breath and nodded. "It's over here."
They followed, ignoring the whispers that heightened and died down as they passed, Wufei's expression screwed into an intense look of suppressed anger and tension. A hand rose to rub at the nape of his neck as they moved towards the damaged machines, stopping as Maser came to a standstill. "Where...?"
The words were scrawled on side of one of the large Planters, machines designed to lay down huge quantities of grasses and other plants.
Can you feel the misery taking root?
Can you smell the burning fuel of war?
Can you taste the bitterness as more die meaningless deaths?
Can you hear the screams of those whose work was turned to evil?
Can you see the ghosts in these machines?
"It seems to be written in engine grease," Maser said, "but none of us has touched it to verify that."
Zechs stood back a little, trying to take it all in and failing utterly. "War?" he muttered. "Death, war, evil -- what's the purpose of putting this on a Planter? And Maser, you said these machines were damaged?"
"Yes, sir," the mechanic nodded. "All of them have had a crucial engine part removed and destroyed."
Wufei frowned as he read the new lines quietly to himself. "This makes absolutely NO sense at all..."
"No, it doesn't. And we have to get these back to work or else the entire development plan could be affected." He scrubbed his face with the palm of his hand and turned to Maser. "How fast can you get the repair parts into these machines?"
Maser looked anxious. "Well, sir --that's the weird thing about this particular damage. You know as well as I do that almost every part on these things is something we keep stocked here at the compound. The original designers did that intentionally with all the parts that were vulnerable to accidental damage or damage due to wear." He gestured to them to walk to the side of one of the Planters. Opening the engine case he pointed to a small box that had a cover. "This is the main power supply. It's very well-protected and has very little chance of suffering either of those types of damage." He flipped open the cover of the box and they could see the place where the power unit should have been. "When we checked these," Maser said, " the units that fit inside were very carefully smashed. The did it the same way in all five machines."
The mechanic sighed and looked back to Zechs. "You'll remember I said we had almost all the parts in stock? Well since this one was fairly well-protected, it was one of only three parts that would be ordered if it failed. It'll take at least three days to order the part and get someone to bring it out to us."
The word Wufei uttered was indelicate, at best, enough to make innocent ears flame, at worst, and naturally it was at that moment that Noin returned.
"Language, language," she told him loftily before winking at Zechs and smiling. "So what's got our justice-boy so much more uptight than usual?" Low of her, perhaps, she had to admit, but one did what one could in defense of one's heart... and one's pride.
"They destroyed a part that we don't stock here," Zechs said, trying to avoid the tensions that seemed to escalate whenever Noin and Wufei were in the same room. "It's going to take three days to get them. This has the potential to seriously compromise the development plan. With the damage that was done out on the oxygen farm, it's beginning to look as if whoever this is doesn't want us to get our work done." He ran a hand through his bangs and rested his chin on it. "That -- and they want to scare us away from the place. The questions now are who and why..."
"And the clues are bloody useless, unless you, o-brilliant-woman," Wufei snapped out sarcastically, "have something in the way of information the rest of us *don't* have!"
Noin's smile was smug. "As a matter of fact, you utterly crass little weasel, I do. I have... Sally."
Zechs looked from Wufei to Noin and back. /Wonderful. They hate each other. Should have seen that one coming. And if I'm not careful, they're both going to hate me...) Pulling himself back to the problem at hand, he turned to Noin. "Were you able to get through? Is she coming?"
"She's right here," a voice said from the doorway. Sally strolled over to the group, looking weary but awake. "What'd we get this time?"
Zechs handed over the medal. Holding it up, Sally peered at the writing. "Mmm -- St. Catherine of Alexandria. Patron saint of mechanics, engineers, and anyone else who works with tools or machinery. She's thought to guard against death as a result of machinery. Had a gruesome little story, too. Well, all of them have gruesome stories, but with hers, she was torn apart on a spike wheel like this one, and then beheaded."
Zechs smiled wanly, "Lovely. She sounds like quite a woman." He took the medal back with a slight look of distaste. "I think the five of us should just take a half an hour or so to sit down and piece some of these things together. Then maybe Wufei and I can work on the ideas we come up with while you three get some sleep."
"Sounds like a good plan to me," Noin answered, smiling at him slightly. "Let's all head up to the security offices, then? Quatre's still up there."
Wufei's only answer was fairly predictable. "Hmph!"
They all headed for the elevators, Zechs and Wufei last in line. Walking down the hallway, Zechs wrapped an arm around the Chinese man's shoulder and let a thumb graze lightly over the warm cheek. /Comforting... he's just so damned... comforting./ The urge to touch him was overwhelming and so he leaned over and quickly kissed the top of his head.
The movement startled the other man, but Wufei didn't mind. In fact, it brought a small but brilliant smile across his lips, only a flash and then gone, but undeniably there.
Sally, farther up ahead, was casting a shrewd eye over Noin. "How are you holding up, honey?"
"I've been better," she murmured sourly, a hand reaching up to rub at the short hairs at the nape of her neck.
"Well, you're nearly at the end of your shift and even a few hours of sleep will do wonders to your outlook." Sally smiled. They were in the elevator now, so she called out, "You two coming?"
"We'll take the next one!" Zechs's voice came from further down the hall.
As the doors shut, Noin's teeth clamped tightly together, hands balling into fists. /I will behave like a grown woman. I will not allow my temper to get the best of me. I will behave like a grown woman.... No matter how hard it is.../
End of Part One
(:./kumiko/mars1)
