12 Jan 2001
Last chapter. *yay!*
DISCLAIMER: All Gundam Wing characters are property of Sunrise, Bandai Visuals, Sotsu Agency, and Asahi TV. This work is not written for profit, but for entertainment purposes only.
PAIRINGS: 6x5/5x6, 13x6/6x13, some very mild 4x9
WARNING: AU/modern day San Francisco; implied yaoi will turn to yaoi and eventual lemon in later chapters
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: To Alfred Hitchock who directed the incredible film, "Vertigo."
"Dreams are the Royal Road to the unconscious."- Sigmund Freud
Two Years Later
The clinic was crowded with clients when Treize stepped off the elevator and headed towards his office. Six months ago he had taken over a support group for gay teenagers, run out of the local community center, and it required him to be out of the office for a half day once a week. It was always a pain to try to repark his car when he got back to the clinic, but it was worth every ounce of frustration to be working with the population he was trained to work with. He wouldn't give it up for anything.
He nodded to Hilde as he opened his office door and spent an eventful moment trying to get out of his coat, which had decided to become entangled with his tie. He was just breathing a sigh of relief when he turned to his desk and saw a small box in the middle of it. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with postal string. The postmark read 'San Francisco.'
He stared at the box for a moment, but it wasn't forthcoming about who had sent it or what its contents might be. Walking to the door, he pulled it open and looked out at Hilde. "Did you put this package on my desk?" he said.
"Yep," she said, "sure did."
"And did it come by regular mail?" he asked in a suspicious voice.
"Nope - by bike messenger. Why? You think it's a bomb?" she said and winked.
He raised a forked eyebrow and gave her a witheringly dry stare that, ironically, she failed to appreciate, and closed his office door again. Sitting back down at his desk, he pulled out a pair of scissors and began, slowly, to take off the wrappings.
When he'd finally gotten all the paper off of it, Treize was left with a miniature steamer trunk, made of leather with real brass bindings. The small latch on the front turned easily under his fingers and he slowly opened the lid.
The first thing he noticed was the photograph on the underside of the lid. It showed a group of children, in some sort of school uniform, all dark haired and dark eyed, in a little square that looked as if it were in Spain or Italy. In the middle of them, looking like a flash of light in a lovely night sky, was Zechs, smiling. Each and every child was holding a handmade sign that read, "Ciao, Treize!" Zechs held a sign, too, that said, "How does this make you feel?"
Treize laughed out loud at it, bringing it closer and tracing his finger in the air over Zechs's face. The he pulled a neat stack of photos and postcards out of the box. There must have been over a hundred, some postcards from the various places Zechs had visited, with a brief note on the back mentioning the date and something interesting or funny Zechs had done or thought about there. The others were postcard sized photos, some of the scenery and special locales Zechs had been to and others, even more precious to Treize, of Zechs in various places around the world. One of them showed him in a trench coat, standing in a misty Trafalgar Square, in London. In another, he wore only a pair of shorts on a rocky outcropping of what looked like a stunningly beautiful Greek island.
He leafed through them all, becoming more and more enchanted, until he got to one that made him cry. It showed Zechs sitting in front of the Taj Mahal and in his hands was another sign. "Wish You Were Here."
The last in the stack was a postcard of San Francisco with a picture of Coit Tower. On the back, Zechs had written a date, three days hence, and a time 5pm. Treize smiled at it and then looked back at Zechs in front of the Taj Mahal. "This time," he said softly to the man in the photo, "I *will* be there."
The sun was beginning to set as Treize pulled into the parking lot at the foot of Coit Tower. There was one other car there, but it was a minivan with a child seat in the back and Treize was hoping against hope it wasn't Zechs's. Slowly, he climbed the stairs to the top, trying desperately not to tremble and being wildly unsuccessful at it.
/What's he going to be like? Will he still be interested in me? Of course he will - he sent you those pictures, didn't he! Yes, but they could have been just, well, *friendly* pictures... And what if he *does* just want to be friends? What if he met some woman in Paris and he's not gay anymore? Oh God, what if he cut his hair??/
He came up to the top level. No Zechs. The only people there were the family that must have owned the minivan in the parking lot: two parents, one older girl, one baby of undeterminable gender. They smiled at him as they headed back down the stairs and he was alone, looking out over the city. The Golden Gate bridge stretched out to the left and the old prison island of Alcatraz stood in the deep blue of the bay directly in front.
Fog was just beginning to creep into the city off of the ocean, curling misty gray fingers around the eucalyptus trees and Monterey pines down below. He gave a sudden shiver and then heard someone call his name.
"Treize?"
Turning around quickly he saw Zechs, standing at the door to the stairs. Hardly a thing about had changed at all, with the exception that he look well rested and his eyes were calm and no longer haunted.
"Zechs..." He could barely speak the name and a sudden lightheadedness made him grip the railing at his side. "You're really here." he murmured.
"So are you," the blond man said, smiling at him.
/That same voice, a breathy baritone... oh, Lord I've missed that!/
He realized after a moment that he was just standing there, stupidly, and Zechs had walked to within a couple feet of him. For the first time he could see the same excitement and anxiety in Zechs's eyes, too.
"Thanks for coming," Zechs said softly, "I hoped you would. So, how have you been?"
/How have I been? Who *knows* how I've been! Who *cares* how I've been! You're *here* and two years have gone by and if we wanted to we could kiss, we could get married, we could fuck like rabbits up here and the American Psychological Association would have *nothing* to say about it! (The San Francisco police maybe, but not the APA!!)/
"I've been fine," Treize said, "but... well *now* I'm *great.*" He tried to tame his smile into something that didn't look so... *predatory* and managed to come back with, "How are you? How was the world?"
Zechs was nodding and beginning to grin himself. "Big," he said and took another step closer to Treize, who gave up all pretense and flung himself at the blond, wrapping his arms around him and holding him so tightly that Zechs had to give a little squawk of protest so that he could breathe again.
For several moments they simply stared at each other, smiling like fools, hands tentatively reaching out to touch each other's face or arms or chests.
Then Treize gave the younger man a sly smile. "Hey stranger - haven't see you around here. You come up here often?"
Zechs grinned back. "Well, I'm kind of new in town..."
"Really?" Treize asked with an exaggerated expression of surprise, pulling Zechs closer. "Well, you know, I've lived her for quite some time and I'd be *happy* to show you *everything....*"
"Promise?" Zechs whispered, as their lips met and brushed.
"Oh yes," Treize answered beginning to kiss him, "absolutely *everything...*"
The rest of his words trailed off into a pleasured little hum and they kissed, eating slowly at each other's mouths, both their hands wandering up to tangled in each other's hair.
"Tell me you want me," Treize breathed in between them.
"I want you, Treize... I want you so badly..."
They didn't talk again for a long time after that.
They had left the tower after an hour or so and driven to Treize's apartment on Russian Hill.
"I'll make you dinner," Treize said. "Have you gotten used to all sorts of strange food now?"
"Gotten used to them? No. But I did *try* everything at least once... and regretted it on a couple of occasions."
"Ah, well," Treize said, handing Zechs a glass of wine and settling him on a stool at the kitchen counter, "I won't try anything exotic, then. Would you be willing to tear up lettuce for a salad?"
They worked together on the meal, Treize asking endless questions about Zechs's trip, and then sat down at the small table in the adjacent dining room.
"Where are you living now?" Treize asked, passing the food to Zechs.
"In North Beach," Zechs replied, "a little place about two blocks from Noin and Quatre's new place, actually."
Treize looked up at the sound of their names "How are they?" he asked. "How's the baby?"
"Jasmine - she's gorgeous," Zechs said, "and I'm her godfather. Here - I've got a picture of her."
He fished out a photo from his wallet and passed it to Treize. It was obviously at a christening and it showed Quatre and Noin looking ridiculously proud and Zechs holding a little girl, about a year old, with dark black hair and huge aquamarine eyes.
"She's beautiful," Treize said, smiling at the fact that Jasmine seemed determine to wrap herself up in Zechs's hair.
They talked for awhile about the couple and how their design business was going and then Treize took a deep breath and brought up the topic he'd been dreading.
"And how is Relena?"
Zechs had been holding his wine glass and before he answered he took a long drink from it. "She's a little better," he said softly. "Still at the same hospital in Mill Valley. I've only recently been allowed to visit her and they only let me come once a month..." He put the glass down and brushed his fingers along the stem. "It's difficult. I want so much for her to get better, but I don't know if that's ever going to happen. I think whatever did this to her was permanent - even though I hate to admit that."
"That must be difficult," Treize said, reaching for his hand. "Does she seem happy there?"
"Well, that's the only good thing," Zechs said looking up at him. "She *does* seem happy and really likes her doctor. So I'm trying not to interfere too much."
He looked down at their linked hands. "It's always scary to let new things happen, isn't it? So many things can go wrong..."
"That's true," Treize murmured, bringing Zechs's hand to his lips and kissing in with slow reverence. "So far, though, everything seems to be going right."
The blond man's eyes widened at the intimate touch. "Yes," he breathed. "That's true..."
"Hurry up and eat, Zechs," Treize said in a sultry tone. "You don't want to spend all evening at the table, do you?"
They smiled at each other and tucked into their food, none of which Treize could taste. /You're *here*, in my apartment, at my table... you're *here.* I'm eating cardboard but I'll gladly eat it if you're doing it with me. Oh, I *hope* I'm not sounding as stupid as I feel.../
Thirty minutes later, the meal done, Treize took Zechs's hand and led him over to the living room, and the fire. The fog was pressing around the windows now, and as far as Treize was concerned, the city outside had just ceased to exist.
He looked over at the blond man. Zechs was staring into the fire, the light turning his skin completely golden. "There's so much I've wanted to say to you, Zechs," Treize said softly, not touching yet, not wanting to presume.
"Things you wanted to say before I left?" Zechs asked.
Slowly, Treize nodded. "Things I felt when I first met you... and others that I came to feel as I got to know you better."
Zechs smiled and looked back at the fire. "What *did* you think when you first met me?" he said.
Scooting a little closer to him, Treize smiled back. "I thought you were a fascinating mystery. You had so much inside of you and you wouldn't tell me much about it... I knew you wanted to get help, but you were also hesitant about it. I have to admit, for me that's a fatal combination."
Zechs raised an eyebrow and gave him a sidelong glance. "Ah, but now you've solved the puzzle. I don't have anything left to fascinate you with."
Treize moved closer until his face was only an inch from Zechs's. "Blatantly untrue," he stated. "I believe I've only scratched the surface."
"Surely," Zechs murmured, looking back at him, "you can do better than scratch it."
The words made Treize's blood sing in his veins and he was suddenly grateful for the ruddy light of the fire. His cheeks, surely, had gone scarlet from sheer desire. A small move forward, and he had captured the blond man's mouth in a long, lingering kiss. "Ohhh... tell me you want this, too, Zechs," he said, lips brushing lips as they barely broke apart.
"Mmmm... did you know I fell in love with you in Paris?" Zechs whispered as their kisses continued.
"Did you?" Treize breathed, feeling his entire body tense at those words. /He *loves* me!!/ "Funny... I've never been to Paris."
"Well, you weren't there, but I fell in love with you anyway..."
"I knew there was a reason I always liked that city," Treize said, tangling his fingers in Zechs's hair and kissing him harder.
"Yeah," Zechs murmured, beginning to unbutton Treize's shirt, "I pined for you all through southern Europe... I wrote your name all over my room service menu in Turkey... and in Greece... I found a temple built to you."
"You did?" Treize said, pushing Zechs's unbuttoned shirt half off his shoulders.
"Yes," Zechs whispered against the older man's mouth. "You were Morpheus... the God of Dreams..."
Treize pushed the blond gently to the floor, straddling him and searched his face, finding what he'd been wanting to find for so long. Love, passion, desire - for *him.*
"I worshipped you there," Zechs said softly, staring back up at Treize, all yielding, no regret visible in the brilliant blue eyes. "And I want to worship you again..."
"Ahhh, *please,*" Treize moaned, pressing himself against the long, lean body beneath him. "Want you *so* much..."
Zechs's eye closed in pleasure as he arched against Treize, who was covering the golden man's neck with hot, open-mouthed kisses. Long fingers tangled in silky golden brown hair and their bodies moved against each other as if they'd been lovers all of their lives.
In a daze, they removed each other's remaining clothes, never stopping their kisses for longer than a minute. Treize rocked against his willing captive and the friction of the two hardened shafts made the pleasure bloom between his legs, making him feel completely wanton, almost frantic with desire.
"I *need* it, Zechs!" Treize whispered in a ragged voice as he moved his hips and nipped at the blond man's ear. "Let me? Please...?"
"Mmmm, *yes*," came the panted reply, Zechs's leg moving to encircle Treize's hips. "Put it in me... "
With a deep growl, Treize reached for the lubricant he'd put in back of the matchbox earlier in the day, in hopes that this moment might come. He slicked his fingers and watched them disappear into Zechs's body, making the blond man moan arch at the invasion.
Now a third finger slipped in and Treize couldn't wait any longer. He withdrew them slowly, positioning his own shaft at Zechs's entrance, holding the other man's legs apart and looking down at him. He wanted to see the beautiful face as he penetrated Zechs, to watch his reaction closely, and to know what he was doing to the golden man.
Another low growl was building in his chest and it came out, deep and slow as he thrust in. Zechs's head went back, and he tossed it from side to side as Treize began a deep, slow thrusting.
"You're so beautiful, Zechs," Treize whispered, and let his hands drop to either side of Zechs's head so he could look him in the eyes as they did it. "Are we really here, together? Is this all really true?" His lips brushed Zechs's moaned softly, the pleasure nearly unbearable.
"It's true," Zechs breathed, hands moving to the older man's face, eyes half-closed with desire. "Ohhh... never thought you'd feel *this* good..."
Time spun out before them, the world shrinking to an intimate universe of presses and sighs. Treize's lips found every curve and hollow along Zechs's throat and neck, trailing kisses over his shoulders as he whispered the other man's name, soft as a prayer. It seemed they were lost for ages in mindless pleasure and then Treize felt Zechs's arms tense around him. When he looked down the blond's eyes were closed and he was coming, flooding the space between them and his body clenching tightly around Treize.
The sight of him, lost in pleasure that way pulled Treize over and when release came it was in powerful waves. He held tight to Zechs and gave himself up to them, pressing in as deep as he could before dropping his head to Zechs's shoulder. His lips moved without thought to the blond man's jaw, trailing kisses upwards until he felt a tear.
"What's wrong, Zechs?" he whispered, pulling himself up to one elbow and stroking a few fine drops from the other man's face.
"Nothing," Zechs whispered and he lifted his own hand and brushed the same tears from Treize. "I think we just amazed each other."
Treize smiled slowly, placing a soft kiss to the corner of Zechs's mouth. "I think we did, indeed" he breathed in reply, brushing long bangs out of Zechs's eyes. "If that was they way you treat your gods then I'll never need another worshipper..."
"That was only the initial offering," Zechs said softly. "There's so much more..."
"How could I possibly deserve all this," the older man whispered, teasing at Zechs's mouth with his own before falling into a searing kiss.
"You do," came the soft reply. "You took the nightmares away... and gave me only sweet dreams to sleep with."
"You have *me* to sleep with," Treize complained playfully, "and I'm not a dream."
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that, Treize," Zechs said. "You look like one... to me."
"Kiss me again," Treize whispered. "Just kiss me again."
>>owari<<
(:./kumiko/rr20)
