12-May-2001
Disclaimers: I don't own GW. I am poor. This fic is for entertainment only. It has a death at the beginning but don't worry... he gets better. ;) This is in response to a challenge. Hope I got the details right. Don't blame me if this sucks....my Muses are dead and I am so tired...of course getting about 3 hours of sleep a night doesn't help much. Sorry about all the crossposting.
Zechs stared at the papers in front of him desperately trying to find a hole. A mistake. A misprint. Something. Anything. Just enough to prove that the accusation against Duo was false. Yet he found nothing. The papers sent him by Lady Une were conclusive. All the pieces fit and the evidence was solid. Duo Maxwell, his lover of ten months, was behind the recent attacks on Relena.
In the past month, three attempts had been made on his sister's life and the last one came far too close. Heero just barely saved the young Queen. The would-be killers all knew too much about the security arrangements. So, Une herself began a secret investigation. What she turned up caused her to triple check every fact, but they were correct.
Duo's access code was on entries made to the files holding security details for Relena; files he had no valid reason for opening. The information hadn't been easy to obtain either. Une spent five hours hacking her own system to come up with the data. The former pilot was good at hiding his tracks.
From there, the Preventer head visited people and places connected with the dead assassins. In each case, witnesses told of a braided man speaking with the killers just days before they made their attempts. The last nail in Duo's coffin turned out to be a secret bank account. It was in the name of Solo Yuy. Money was transferred from it to the hired men's accounts.
Now all the proof was laid out before him and a choice had to be made. Une did not want Duo to stand trial. It would undermine public trust and crush his former comrades. The truth could never be revealed. Ever. To prevent this, she planned to have the longhaired man killed. At best, everything could be arranged to look like an accident. At worst, a violent crime. No matter what, the former rebel's name remained clean.
It didn't have to be strangers who ended his lover's life. That was why Une contacted him. She was giving Zechs the option of providing Duo with a painless, fearless death. The woman knew about the history between Relena and the American. In her opinion, the strain broke his mind; the actions taken were the result of that. Duo wasn't responsible for them. However, he had to be stopped.
Sending a quick note to Une, Zechs accepted her offer. He warned her not to send anyone by. The real Shinigami would claim his namesake before the sun rose. The only thing the blond Preventer needed was for someone to send an e-mail from Duo's account explaining he would be late. The message would justify the calls he was going to make to Duo and Une's offices and why he would later call Une in a panic. By initiating the search, the longhaired blond would be less of a suspect. For Zechs' plan to work, all the evidence had to point to a sudden, unexplained disappearance. Poor Milardo Peacecraft, waiting at home for his lost beloved.
At last all electronic trail was set. It would look like Duo started for home late and never made it. Their home was a cabin located 20 minutes out of the city. It was an hour drive to and from work, but both men thought the peace and quiet was worth the trouble. And of course, Duo loved the woods. Emotions threatened to drown the older man as he realized his love would spend all of eternity in the place he considered most beautiful.
Three hours later found Zechs putting the finishing touches on dinner. Whenever he worked, Duo cooked. When Duo worked, Zechs cooked. The meal wasn't fancy; such a change would have told the braided man something was up. A part of the Sank native wanted to make his lover's last meal special, not left over meatloaf and soda. Yet, that was what Duo expected. Changes could alert him.
A sudden wave of anger washed over the noble. For a year after the Eve Wars Duo and Heero tried to make a go of their relationship and might have succeeded except for Relena. The young woman constantly chased after the Japanese man, got in his way, refused to listen to her bodyguards, and endangered herself at every turn. The strain on the men's relationship finally took its toll and Heero left to guard Relena. If anything happened to her war would again tear the world apart. The former pilot was convinced of it. So he chose the World over Duo.
The action seemed to shatter Duo. No matter where the brash youth went, he was assaulted with pictures, new reports, articles, and gossip featuring the Sank Queen hanging all over Heero. And it didn't stop there. Duo wasn't allowed within the borders of Sank. His security clearance in the Preventers was downgraded to almost the lowest level. Guaranteeing he could not attend the same functions as Heero.
When Zechs learned of the continued harassment, he immediately went to apologize and see if there was anyway to minimize the damage done to what he then considered to be a worthy and brave young man. At first, Duo shrugged off the offers of assistance and reconciliation. Who could blame him? Heero had been his first love and betrayed him so deeply the wound was visible in the American's appearance. He'd lost wait and dark circles spoke of his inability to sleep.
Despite the brush off Duo gave him, the older man stayed closed by. Over time, the pair grew together and before either realized it, they fell in love. At least, Zechs thought it was love. Now he wondered if the relationship had never been more than a cover for Duo's plans. While that hurt, the deepest pain came from knowing he'd failed. Failed to heal the wounds caused by his obsessed, callous sister. And Zechs was about to do the same thing to Duo again. Choose the world over him.
The sound of the front door opening made Zechs jump and he quickly collected his thoughts. Now was not the time for recriminations. He finished mixing a deadly drug with Duo's soda and forced a normal expression onto his face. Smiling, the blond welcomed his lover home and served dinner.
Duo fortunately wasn't in the mood for talking and the only comment he made at dinner was
"Gah, diet soda again? You need to keep your mind off my body."
Zechs got a laugh past his lips, but knew the taste came from the poison. It took effect slowly. Duo would feel a bit tired, fall into a deep sleep, and eventually his heart would stop. No pain. No fear. Nothing unpleasant.
After dinner, he convinced Duo to join him on the couch and watch some movies. A bit unusual, but nothing all that strange. Halfway through the first film, the younger man began to yawn.
"I didn't know I was so tired," Duo complained. "Can barely keep my eyes open."
"Why don't you use me as a pillow, love," Zechs told him, pulling his lover into the crook of one arm.
For a few more minutes, the pair sat quietly. The scene was one they had repeated over time and enjoyed the closeness and comfort. Finally, though, Duo's voice cut through the familiarity.
"Why?" The shock and despair in the word ripped Zechs' soul open.
Looking down, surprised blue met tortured, knowledge filled amethyst.
"I thought you loved me," Duo rasped, fighting the poison's call to sleep. "Did Relena put you up to this? Is she really that petty?"
"Oh Duo," Zechs began to sob. "I know. I know everything. Une found your break-ins. Her investigation is flawless. She found you out, Duo."
"Zechs, I don't..." The taller man cut him off with a finger to his lips.
"No more lies, love. Please don't die with a lie on your lips." Tears slowly made their way down the crying man's cheeks. "I know you've been trying to kill Relena. I don't blame you. This is all my fault. I should have seen the pain you were in. I should have noticed you needed help. But I didn't. I didn't."
He clutched Duo to him as he noticed the light fading from the violet eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Duo." Zechs whispered brokenly into his lover's hair. "Please forgive me. I thought I'd be enough. I failed you. I'm so sorry. Twice I couldn't save those I loved. " The man's entire body shook. "I don't care that you never loved me. I will always love you. Always."
As Duo slipped away, the Sank Prince was reduced to sobbing his apology over and over.
Hours slipped by before Zechs moved from his position. Detangling himself from the now cold body of his beloved, the grief stricken Preventer went to the garage and got a shovel. It took thirty minutes to dig Duo's grave. The spot was well shaded and near a small waterfall they'd found together several months before. It was gorgeous.
Once the burial was done, the killer stared at the grave.
"Treize, please look out for Duo. He's special. I think you'll like him." Tears threatened the noble again. "I killed you both. Wait for me and I'll accept whatever you want to do. Just please keep him safe."
With that said, he returned to the house and made it look like Duo never made it home. The car was ditched over a cliff about five miles from the house. If it was ever found, the lack of body would make everyone think Duo had survived and tried to make it home. Not finding the body wouldn't seem that strange.
A quick set of phone calls to Duo's desk at the Preventers and Une's private line finished the plan. The name of Duo Maxwell was safe. No one would know what he'd done. The attempts on Relena would stop. The world was safe. Zechs Marquise cared for none of it. As far as he was concerned, life was over.
End Part 1
OK... so what do you think? I know...Duo is dead...but that was the challenge and you know I don't write sad endings so wait for it! It will ending happily with much lemon for all... except the bad guy who will suffer mightily!!!!!!!!!!!!
Phoenix
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