TITLE: Pussycat, Pussycat
AUTHOR: kumiko
PART: 14
FANDOM: Gundam Wing
PAIRING: 6x2/2x6, hints of 13x6 and 13x5
WARNINGS: yaoi
DISCLAIMER: Gundam Wing belongs to Sunrise, Bandai, and Sotsu Agency.
Duo didn't sleep well that night. Both he and Zechs were tired from the evening's events and their lovemaking was slow and sweet, rather than fiery as it had been of late. Zechs fell asleep while still inside Duo, and the braided boy had held onto him as long as he could before the blond man sighed and turned in his sleep. For long moments, Duo simply stared at his back, stroking the long, silky hair that looked silvery in the moonlight coming from the window.
/I'm afraid, Bunny,/ he thought. /Treize left a letter for you... and what will you do when you read it? I'll bet anything it will say that he loved you more than life... that he never stopped loving you, just the way I know you never stopped loving him, even in the darkest times. Will it change the way you feel about him? God, Bunny, will it make you want me less...?/
With those uncomfortable thoughts, he fell into a fitful sleep, and dreamed of watching Tallgeese fight Wing Zero, and not knowing which he wanted to win.
Hours later, Zechs was awake and brooding over the conversation with Dorothy. /"Then you *did* want to kill him? You really wish I hadn't stopped you? Can you tell me that honestly, Milliard?"... God, no, Treize! At that instant, all I wanted to do was stop the insanity of what was happening... but that same insanity had taken over me, and nothing I did was right... even then, even when things looked the blackest, I still loved you... angry as hell at you for not understanding things my way, but *damn* it! You made sure that I would love you, worship you, even, back when I was only a child and you took me under your wing. You wanted me to kill you, didn't you? And when I failed -- as I inevitably failed at all I tried -- you found someone who would not fail you. You took him as your lover and your gave him the highest honor at the end of your life... /
He felt hot tears escaping his lashes and then, a tug on his arm. Well, less than a tug really, more just an urging. Sitting up in bed, he tried to determine just what it was the urge was calling for and then felt something warm and strong against him. He found himself lying back down on the bed, unable to determine if he had done it himself or been pushed and now the warmth was all around him, soothing but tinged with sadness.
/ "I called your name as I was leaving, Milliard... gave you my promise..."/ Zechs eyes went wide. Had he just *heard* those words, or had they come from inside his own head? "Treize..." he whispered, and Duo stirred, murmuring something incoherent in his sleep.
Suddenly, Zechs was feeling very tired indeed. It was if a warm and steady hand lay over his heart, soothing and familiar, chasing the dark thoughts away until he felt himself slide into sleep. "Treize..."
Wufei was having trouble sleeping, as well. He kept seeing images of Treize's death and then scenes from the dream he'd had earlier, Treize smoothly dismissing him as the General threaded long, elegant fingers through Zechs Marquise's hair.
"You didn't love me," he whispered into the darkness of his room. "You never forgot him, even when we were together. I know it. I could always see it, written all over him, how confident he always was about you, and how you felt. And why shouldn't he have been? He knew you nearly all his life -- had your love just as long, no doubt. Who was I but some little nobody to fill in the gaps before you got him back again..."
The bitterness of it was almost too much to bear, and Wufei covered his head with the pillow, making sure his sobs wouldn't be heard by anyone else.
/"Never, my dear boy... you are someone infinitely precious to me..."/
The sobs quieted and Wufei sat up, looking fearfully into the night darkened room. "Is someone there?" he whispered. He could have sworn at that moment he felt the sweep of cloth against him, and a sudden warmth where before there had been a chill. Shivering, he nonetheless lay back down, sad but comforted in a strange way, and soon, fast asleep.
Perhaps it was the difficult night they had all had that contributed to the events of the next morning, but Duo would always think later it had just been plain fate.
He had woken from a fitful sleep at 6am, dressed, and slipped out of the room, padding softly down the stairs as only a former god of death could do. Settling into the chair in front the comm unit in the small study, he went to work finding the whereabouts of Ms. Felicity Lyons of Surrey. It took some work, given that it appeared Ms. Lyons had moved shortly after her brother had died, and once or twice the hacking skills Duo had learned as a pilot came in handy. At last, though, he found a current address, in St. Albans, *north* of the city, instead of south in Surrey.
"Right," he muttered, copying the address, "I'll stop somewhere for breakfast and then it's on the see Felicity."
"Who's Felicity?" a voice said, making him leap from his chair.
Zechs was leaning against the door way, wearing sweatpants and nothing else, his arms folded in front of him.
"B - Bunny... what are *you* doing up at this hour?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," the blond answered, a calm smile on his face. "You looked positively furtive over there."
Looking rather sheepish, Duo murmured, "Well, I was *trying* to be... oh, I suppose I have to tell you *now*..."
Zechs walked into the room and perched on a sofa arm. "Tell me *what*?" he demanded.
/How much do I say...?/ "I... I have to go get something... for Mouse. There's someone who has something that he needs and... well, he can't leave the house - his mother won't let him - so I need to go get them *for* him." /Please be satisfied with that!/
"Oh," Zechs said, blinking. "Well, where does this person live?"
"St. Albans," Duo answered. "I thought I'd just hitchhike - take me a few hours and I'd be back."
Zechs stood up abruptly. "*Hitchhike*??" he said in disbelief. "I'm sorry, but you will *not* hitchhike! I won't allow it!"
Duo had to smile at the sight of Zechs being a mother bear. "Zechs... I *am* an adult, you know. I know how to handle myself."
"It's dangerous," the tall blond countered, resolve still firm. "I'll drive you."
"No!" Duo said, feeling panicked. "No, really! It's best if you stay here!"
"Why?" Zechs interrupted. "You act like you're on some secret mission." His eyes narrowed. What's going on, Duo?"
"Yeah, what's going on?" a sleepy voice came from the doorway.
They both turned to see Wufei standing there, hair mussed from sleep and eyes rather bleary. He looked sleepy but defiant.
"It's *nothing*," Duo said, feeling his spirits sink to zero. /I get up early to sneak out of the house and suddenly the two people who really *don't* need to know about this yet are here acting like bodyguards!/
Zechs kept his eyes on Duo, but answered Wufei. "Our mutual friend here needed to go someplace secretive this morning and was going to hitchhike. I told him that was unacceptable - that I would drive him in my car and then he got panicky."
Wufei scowled, first up at Zechs, then over at Duo. "What are you up to, Maxwell?" he said suspiciously. "Out with it!"
"Oh, *look*," Duo said, "it's only a little errand, really." He smiled over at Zechs. "If you want to be *really* helpful you'd just lend me your car..."
Zechs's face took on an amused but incredulous look. "How stupid do you think I am, Duo? Let you go walkabout with *my* car? I think not. Let me get dressed and we'll go together. We can pick up some breakfast on the way so we arrive at a *civilized* hour."
The Chinese man looked quickly back and forth between them. "Ohhhh, no! You aren't leaving me with those two women all day! If you two go somewhere, *I* will go with you!"
"Noooo..." Duo said weakly and buried his head in his hands, but his fate, he knew, had all ready been decided.
They had stopped at a restaurant just off the motorway, where Zechs insisted on lingering over breakfast so that they would arrive in St. Alban's around ten o'clock. Since he was the smallest of them, Duo had insisted in sitting in the little cargo area which is what passed as a back seat in Zechs's car. Now they were driving slowly along the streets of the neighborhood to which the American had navigated them.
"Okay, it's number 7," the braided boy was muttering, "and there's number four, so... aha! That brick house on the left, Zechs. That's the one. Now how about I just run in and grab the thing and you two stay right here."
Zechs looked at Wufei, who looked back at him. Then they both looked back at Duo.
"Either we get to get out, or *you* don't," Wufei said simply.
Duo gave him a scowl. "Oh, all *right*," he said petulantly. "You were bound to find out anyway..."
"Find out what?" Zechs said, peered at him from the rear view mirror.
"You'll see when we get inside," he lover muttered. "Now *please* get me out of here!"
Zechs and Wufei opened the doors, stood, and let Duo out of the cargo hold. He was complaining under his breath about lovers who look pretty but fight dirty.
"All's fair," Zechs murmured, and they all walked to the front door.
The woman who answered was a kind-looking soul with salt-and-pepper hair and a matronly dress. She peered at the young men standing on her doorstep and said finally, "Are you three selling something, then?"
"Ah, no ma'am," Duo said quickly. "You're Mrs. Felicity Lyons?" he said tentatively.
"Yes," she said, "but... I don't think we've met, have we?"
"No ma'am," he said, "but...I... I have a favor to ask you. It concerns your brother."
A look of pain crossed her face and she said, "You... knew Arthur?"
"No," Duo said, trying to smile kindly and not knowing at all if he was succeeding, "no, not personally. But..." Oh, how to explain it! He hadn't thought out this part at all! "I understand that, when he died, he left an envelope with two letters in it - to be given to two different men... Do you know which envelope I'm talking about, ma'am?"
Her face went pale but she nodded. "I have that envelope," she said quietly. "I've never known whom to give the letters to."
"They belong to these two men, ma'am," Duo said, keeping his eyes on Mrs. Lyons, while waiting for the impact of his statement on Zechs and Wufei.
Zechs was staring at him, a look of utter bewilderment on his face. "Duo...?"
"I believe," Duo said quickly, before Zechs could ask him about it, "that one letter was addressed to 'Milliard' and one was addressed to 'Wufei'? Well, this gentleman is Milliard Peacecraft," he said gesturing to Zechs, "and this is Wufei Chang. I... I was wondering if we could possibly have their letters. It's been a long time, but I really think they need to be delivered. Ma'am."
He smiled again at her and prayed.
"Why don't you gentlemen come in," she said slowly and ushered them into the front hall.
Following Mrs Lyons to the living room in silence, Duo could feel Wufei's eyes upon him. He was as mystified with what was happening as Zechs was, and scowling to boot, but luckily said nothing.
Zechs appeared concerned , but was taking most of it on faith.
She motioned to them to sit on the large brocaded sofa.
"May I ask how you knew of these letters Mr. -"
"Duo, ma'am. Duo Maxwell. And I knew about them because... I'm staying in Treize Khushrenada's house."
Both of his companions turned sharply to look at him.
"Your brother was Mr. Khushrenada's lawyer and he was at Treize's house in Berkeley Square the day he died..." /Come on, Duo, think! Think of *something - *anything!*/
They were all staring at him now and he could feel sweat running down the back of his neck.
Suddenly, an idea came to him.
"The people in the house still talk about it at times," he said. Sure, it was only Mouse that talked about it, but at least it wasn't a lie! "They knew he was there that day to collect the letters and they were wondering what happened to them, so I... I decided to do a bit of sleuthing - as it were..."
He tried a winning smile on her and it seemed to work.
"Well, you certainly seem to know the facts of the matter," she said, smiling sadly. "I remember Arthur telling us about his visits there. He was fond of the cook's son, I believe, because he was going into law school..." She shook her head. "Anyway, let me get the envelope for you." She rose from her chair and left the room.
"Letters?" Zechs said quietly. "Letters from *Treize*?" He turned to the braided boy. "How did you know about these, Duo. How on earth -" His voice trembled and he stopped speaking. On Duo's other side, Wufei was staring silently at the floor.
Felicity Lyons came back in, carrying a large, legal envelope. "This was in his case, when he was struck..." She handed Duo the envelope. "I assume you will want to read the contents in private," she said to Zechs and Wufei.
Neither of them said a word. They were both staring at what Duo held.
"Yes, ma'am," he said, "I guess we'll be going now..." Duo stood, as did Wufei. Zechs, however, seemed to be far away. Slender arms went around his shoulders as Duo leaned over him and said gently, "Come on, Zechs - let's go."
The blond rose and Duo slipped an arm through his, walking with him to the front door. As they left, Duo turned around and smiled one last time at Mrs. Lyons. "I know your brother will rest much more peacefully, with these delivered properly."
She smiled back, a soft, sad smile, and nodded.
Duo waited until they were back at the car to open the envelope. Inside were two letters, both in creamy white envelopes. He handed one to Zechs and one to Wufei. "Do you... want to read them now?" he asked softly. "There's a park around the corner - I saw it when we drove in. You could... have some privacy there. I'll wait in the car, okay?"
Zechs looked up slowly, his eyes fixing on Wufei. "Yes," he said slowly, "that's fine with me..."
Wufei hesitated for several moments and then nodded curtly, so they all piled back into the car and Zechs drove down the road to the pretty little park.
Wufei opened the door and strode off immediately, but Zechs lingered for a moment, turning the letter over and over in his hands. "I'm afraid of this," he said, voice nearly a whisper. "I'm afraid that all the horrible things I've thought since the end of the war will be in here - in his words... his hand..."
Duo's arms were around his beck immediately and he nuzzled the golden man's cheek. "He loved you, Zechs. Whatever is in that letter will only reflect that, I'm sure." /Don't leave me, Bunny... don't fall into the past again.../
"You're right," Zechs murmured, opening his door. "Whatever is in this, I can take it." He looked back at Duo before leaving. "Thank you, love." There was a flash of smile, and then he was gone.
End of Part 14
(:./kumiko/2road31)
