Gundam Wing: Angel and the Dragon

The Angel and the Dragon

Part 5

Well, not much to say. Isn't it sad where Duo has been left? And after Treize *said* he wouldn't get hurt!

Who does this guy think he is, hurting my Duo-chan like that! Don't worry, it gets better soon, no da!

Usual disclaimers apply na no da!

It took Zechs three days to get around to visiting his prisoner, with everything he'd had to do in the meantime. Of course, he'd passed on Treize's orders to the Lieutenant he'd assigned to oversee the pilot's interrogation. Nevertheless, he had a strangely disquieted feeling he couldn't dispel.

On the third day, as the soldier reported the same thing he'd said every day, Zechs looked at his schedule and realized he had a whole hour free.

"Sir, he still won't give me anything but his name. I still don't even know if Maxwell is his first or last name." Along with that statement came the unspoken complaint: 'What's the point of not torturing him for information?'

Zechs pushed his chair away from his desk and stood up. "Well, Lieutenant, why don't we go down there together? Maybe I can coax something out of the boy."

The other man's eyes widened. "Sir, that's not necessary, sir."

"No, no," Zechs waved off the protest. "I find myself with a free hour and I've been meaning to have a chat with him anyway. This is not a reflection on you."

"But, sir..."

"Let's go, shall we?"

Zechs, of course, knew every inch the base he commanded, so he didn't need the Lieutenant to come with him. However, he figured the presence of the other man might give him a clue as to what might coax the pilot to talk that wasn't being done.

"Has he recovered fully from his sickness?" Zechs asked conversationally.

"Hai, I believe so, sir." Under the mask, Zechs' eyebrow raised at the uncertainty in the other man's voice. They proceeded the rest of the way in silence.

As they approached the prison block, the nervousness of the Lieutenant increased until it was a palpable force. The two soldiers flanking the cell saluted Zechs and one turned and inserted his keycard into a slot beside the door.

The door slid open.

Zechs stepped into the dimly-lit room. In the far corner he thought he detected movement but he could barely see in the darkness.

"Lights," he called out. The computer registered his voice and the room flooded with light. A cry of terror startled him and directed his attention to the shivering mass of limbs in the corner.

Zechs took one look at the fresh bruises, the ripped and missing clothing, the shivering and shaking of a boy heavily in the grip of fever, and turned to the Lieutenant.

"You are disgrace. Consider yourself discharged." He ignored the man's attempt to stammer excuses and spoke to the other two guards. "He is under arrest for rape, assault, and failure to follow his superior's direct orders. Make the proper arrangements." His face was utterly unreadable under the mask as the two guards saluted and took firm hold of the man's upper arms.

Zechs approached the boy, amazed he was even still alive. He gathered the slight form into his arms, gasping at how little he weighed. His gorgeous violet eyes were wide with terror and glassy with fever. Zechs found himself murmuring soft, comforting words as he carried him out of the cell. The two guards had bundled the former Lieutenant into the nearest cell and were awaiting orders, staring at the Lightning Count in shock.

"I'm taking this boy to a cabin. Rig it up with a lock and surveillance equipment."

"Uh, yes sir."

They followed him as he entered the elevator and headed skyward. :Now, I seem to remember there being an empty cabin a few doors down from mine...: He located the cabin and entered, laying the boy down on the bed. He released the handcuffs and sat down in the room's only chair, pulling it up beside the bed. As he rubbed the boy's wrists to get the circulation going again, he ordered clothes and food brought, and sent for medical officers.

:Damnit,: he thought, :this is all my fault. I should have checked, I should have made sure!:

The doctors fussed over him and gave him a few injections, and then he found himself suddenly alone with the boy as everyone within earshot scrambled to obey his orders. Acting on impulse, Zechs reached out and brushed the boy's bangs out of his eyes. Maxwell sighed at the touch and smiled, whispering.

"Heero..."

:Kami-sama, he's beautiful. I can see why that disgusting creature wanted him.:

His mask was chafing. Absently, he reached up and took it off, reveling briefly in the cool rush of air that touched his face. He turned away to put it on the desk beside him, then turned back.

The boy was looking at him.

"Don't worry, you're safe now," Zechs hastened to reassure him.

The boy just stared at him. He had an expression on his face akin to awe. Zechs squirmed under his gaze.

"How do you feel?" he asked, then mentally kicked himself.

"Better."

"I'm glad." Zechs took the boy's hand; it had looked small and lonely on the regulation-issue white comforter. The boy glanced at his hand in startlement, then returned his gaze to Zech's face.

"Am I dead?"

Zechs rubbed his thumb gently against Maxwell's fingers. "No, of course not."

"That's funny." A lopsided grin settled itself familiarly on the boy's face. "And here I was wondering if God was on Oz's side too." He stared up at the ceiling. "Would explain a lot."

Zechs chuckled. "Why would you wonder that?"

Maxwell's eyes were closed, he said softly. "I never thought angels would wear Oz uniforms."

"Angels?"

"Aren't you an angel? You rescued me from hell, after all."

"No, I'm a man, just like you are." Somewhere along the line of this odd conversation Zechs had realized that this boy was far from being one. He was a man, in a child's body. Not that he was surprised.

"Isn't your commander going to be mad at you for this?"

"No. The man who raped you was acting against orders." Zechs sighed. "I'm sorry. He was told you weren't supposed to be hurt."

A gigantic yawn split Maxwell's face, then. "Don't worry about it. I wasn't expecting better, anyway."

A look of pain passed over Zech's features. "Is that so? Well, it's not going to happen again. I promise."

"Thanks, man. Don't put yourself out for little old me." The pilot looked like he was about to fall asleep, then seemed to change his mind, opening his eyes again. "Hey, who are you, anyway?"

Zechs winced. He didn't want to tell him yet. He had to admit, he liked being thought of as a saviour, not as one of the men this boy was trying hardest to kill. He struggled with himself for a moment, then, "My name's Milliard."

"Miiilliaaa~rd." The boy rolled that around his tongue for a while. "I like that."

"Will you promise me something?"

"Sure."

"Don't mention my name to anyone. Most people don't know my real name. Promise you won't reveal it to anyone?"

"I promise, Milliard."

"Thank you. What's your name?"

"Duo, Duo Maxwell." He grinned, his eyes becoming heavy with impending sleep again. "I'll tell *you* my real name, too."

"Arigatou gozaimashita, Duo." Zechs squeezed Duo's hand comfortingly. "Go to sleep, now."

"Will you be around later?" the pilot asked, somewhat plaintively.

"Yes, I'll be here when you wake. You should feel a lot better then."

"Mmmm, ok." Duo's angelic face smoothed as he sank into sleep, under the weight of sickness and tranquilizers. Zechs gazed at him for a moment, then put his mask back on.

He exited the room and discovered a troupe of technicians arguing about how best to wire the room.

"When you get that up and running, monitor him closely. No one but the doctors and nurses go in there without my express orders. If he starts to wake up, get me immediately. I don't care what time of day or night, got that?"

"Yes, sir," one said.

He strode back to his office and discovered that he'd arrived back just before the expiration of his hour. He sat down at his desk again and tried to concentrate on his work, but all he could see were huge violet eyes, gazing at him with a look of implicit trust. He hoped ferverently he wouldn't have to betray that trust again, too much.

Wufei lay, his head pillowed on Treize's chest. At some point, the sun had gone down and he wondered how time had passed so quickly. Treize's arm encircled his bare shoulders and rested lightly on his arms. The pilot thought absently that the other man was asleep and felt a perverse rush of pleasure. :Hah! I exhausted him.: He smiled, and wrapped his arms tighter around Treize's waist.

"What are you thinking about, little dragon?" He was startled by the sudden melodic tones of the general.

"Who says I'm thinking about anything?" Wufei said, cursing himself for his automatic defensive reaction.

"No one." Treize's voice sounded melancholy and Wufei, surprised at the tone, levered up to look at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, scrutinizing Treize closely.

"Who says there's something wrong?" Treize replied, making a passable imitation of Wufei's tone of voice.

"Hah!" Wufei scoffed. "That's my trick, you can't use it against me. That means that there *is* something wrong."

"I'll remember that for the next time you try to use it against me," said Treize, a mischievous note entering his voice. Wufei growled and settled back onto Treize's chest.

:Why? Why? Why can you manipulate me so well? Why do I let you?: Despite himself, he buried his face in Treize's chest and clenched his fists in frustration.

"Now what's wrong, dragon?"

Wufei looked up again. "Kisama! What do you want with me?"

Treize looked taken aback for a moment, then his face seemed to grow sad. He sighed. "I thought we had moved beyond this."

Wufei sat up, which effectively placed his back towards Treize. Suddenly, he didn't want to look at him. "I don't understand myself. Why do I come here, only to be seduced and insulted?"

"If you come here to be seduced and insulted, you are surely a fool, but somehow I don't think that description fits you, little dragon."

Wufei bit his lip and reddened. "You manipulate me with every word you say. I don't even know anymore if I come here because I want to, or if it's just because you want me to."

"I manipulate you?"

"Of course! You know just what to say to make me embarrassed, or to make me do whatever you want me to."

"Wufei." The sound of his real name coming from Treize was so unfamiliar that for a moment he didn't understand what he'd said. Then, he turned to look at his... the general. He was sitting up, looking at him with sad eyes, the corners of his sensual mouth pulled down in a frown. "If you truly feel that you are doing anything against your will, I apologize. Perhaps a lifetime of living as an aristocrat, of having to deal with politics and manipulators, has shaped the way I speak, so that it has that effect on you. Please believe me, Wufei: I never, ever meant to make you feel that way."

Wufei felt something inside him clench and he gazed at Treize for a long time in silence. Finally, he looked away. "That was the most sincere thing I have ever heard you say."

"I'm sorry."

Wufei looked up again and met those deep blue eyes. He thought about how they haunted his dreams, how he longed for them when they weren't together. :What do I feel for this man?:

He drew closer to him and then, slowly, deliberately, embraced him. Treize returned the hug with feeling, his head dropping onto Wufei's shoulder. "You haunt me when I sleep, do you know that, dragon? Sometimes I think I cannot bear to be apart from you for a minute." Treize tightened his grip. "*I* manipulate *you*? If you could only conceive of the hold you have on my heart, you would realize how laughable that idea is."

"What are you s-saying?" Wufei felt himself trembling and ordered himself to stop. :Weak! This is the man who's captured one of your best friends. You feel nothing for him!:

"Oh, dragon..." Treize seemed about to go on, then fell silent. After a long pause, he finally completed the sentence. "I do love you so."

:No!: His mind railed at him. :A soldier will not be seduced by the enemy! This is betrayal! Say nothing!:

"I..." he stopped, unable to continue as his mind roiled with conflict.

"It's all right, dragon. You needn't say anything you don't mean, just to spare my feelings," Treize said.

:No, you don't understand, I...: but he couldn't even finish the thought, let alone say it out loud. Instead, he buried his face in Treize's shoulder. "I... should go. The others will wonder where I am, and I really should be helping them rescue Duo."

"Yes, of course. Duty comes first."

Wufei disentangled himself and mechanically dressed. He leapt lightly out the window without breaking the silence, and headed for where he had concealed his motorcycle. All the while, his mind seethed with conflicting thoughts, but chief among them was guilt at leaving Treize, without saying anything to ease his mind.

:Weak! Weak! You're weak!:

But he wasn't sure which weakness he was berating himself for.

Heero threw Quatre's hand from his shoulder with a growl. :No! I haven't found him yet! You're interrupting!:

"Demo, Heero, you've been at that computer for almost 12 hours straight. You need to sleep! To eat! Onegai!"

"Leave me alone!"

Dimly, he heard the door slam as Wufei returned. Quatre left him briefly and despite his efforts to shut it out, he heard their conversation on the stairs.

"Okaeri nasai, Wufei. I was beginning to worry. Where did you go?"

Wufei snarled at the question and, as usual, didn't answer it. "I went to see if I could find something out but my sources didn't pan out, all right?"

"All-all right, Wufei. I'm trying to get Heero to go to bed, he's been on his computer since you left."

Wufei strode into Heero's room, followed closely by Quatre.

"Heero!" he thundered, deftly switching off the monitor with a flick of his finger.

Heero spun his chair around to confront him. "Kisama! Leave me alone!"

"Listen, Heero. I don't care if the two of you were screwing like rabbits the whole time you were pinned down in that warehouse." Heero saw Quatre, standing behind Wufei, drop his jaw in shock at his words. Heero had to agree, he'd always thought of Wufei as the nose-bleeding type. "I have it on good authority that Duo's safe and not being hurt, so we have some time. Go to bed. You'll be useless in two days at this rate."

Heero rose from his chair and increased the intensity of his glare. "How do you know that?"

"Trust me. It's true." Wufei matched his glare, crossing his arms for good measure.

"Onegai, Heero. Go to bed and get a fresh start in the morning," Quatre piped up.

Heero stared at Wufei for a long moment but couldn't detect any signs that the Chinese pilot was just trying to humour him. "All right, fine. If it will get you two off my back until dawn, I'll sleep."

"Good." Wufei said. "And my room is beside yours, so don't think that I won't hear you if you start typing again."

"I wouldn't think of it. Now, get out."

"My pleasure." Wufei made a little mock bow and strode out of his room. In the hall, he was halted by Quatre's tug at his arm.

"Were you telling the truth, Wufei? Do you really know that Duo's all right?"

"Yes."

"But..."

Wufei turned to face the blonde Arab. "Quatre, if you trust me at all, don't ask."

Quatre gazed up at him, then smiled nervously. "Of course I trust you, Wufei. It's just amazing that..."

"I'm just that good." Wufei summoned a reassuring smile, then turned away again. "Go to bed, Quatre. Oyasumi nasai."

"Oyasumi nasai," Quatre responded to Wufei's back as he disappeared into his room.

Heero lay on his bed, still clothed and his bed still immaculately made, and listened to the conversation. :Wufei, what the hell is going on?: He sat up and removed his tank top, then stopped, clenching his fists. :More importantly, what is wrong with me? That baka means nothing to me, I told him that. I showed him. He's just a good lay to me, and a decent enough soldier not to have to kill. Yet.:

Yet, a voice bubbled up within him, quiet still, but growing stronger. :You don't really believe that, do you, Heero?:

It had been two days. Zechs was exhausted, the last 48-hours had seen his every waking - and most sleeping - moments punctuated by visits to Duo's room, as his delirium brought him to wakefulness in order to scream out his past in the small cabin. Zechs held his hand when he could, and simply made an appearance the rest of the time, but he spent every free minute in the boy's room.

He'd spent most of the two nights dozing in the uncomfortable chair, figuring that was easier than jumping up every few hours to race to Duo's side. He'd taken to doing all of his paperwork on the desk in the room, bringing in a portable computer and setting it up. Obviously the room's computer had been removed and the jacks welded shut or removed completely, in order to prevent the pilot from using them. Once he was better, that is.

A few hours before, Duo had fallen into a restful sleep, far deeper then he had in the two days proceeding. The chief medical officer had half-begged Zechs to go to bed and he'd reluctantly complied, aware that his behaviour was bordering on obsessive.

Now, Zechs was being drawn reluctantly from sleep himself, by the insistent buzzing of the intercom. He rolled over and hit the button.

"Yes?"

"Sir, vital signs show the boy's waking again. The doctors think he'll be lucid, the fever's broken." Zech's eyes flew open and he jumped out of bed.

"I'll be right there."

He hadn't bothered to undress, so he just straightened his uniform, placed his mask securely over his face, and strode out of the room. Duo's room was only three doors down from his own, so it took no time to get there. Three techs were seated at a sort of folding table affair in the middle of the corridor. The table was covered in equipment and wires.

"Turn off the surveillance equipment. I'll contact you with my wristcom when I want to be let out."

"Uh, yes sir." A few buttons were punched on the machines and the whole thing shut down with a small sigh. Zechs punched the combination code on the door and it slid aside. He was about to go in, when he checked. Almost as an afterthought, he removed his sidearm and placed it on the table.

:Well, here goes.:

He sat in the chair again and took Duo's hand, waiting for him to come to full wakefulness. It happened slowly, but finally his violet eyes opened, taking in his shape in the dimness.

"It's you," Duo said softly, squeezing Zechs' hand. "I thought you were a dream."

Zechs chuckled softly. "Well, I wasn't."

"That's good." He groaned. "I'm still captured by Oz, aren't I?"

"Yes."

"Well, Milliard, I don't know how you bribed your superiors to let you stay with me so much instead of whatever else you're supposed to be doing, but how much longer can you keep this up?"

"As long as I like."

"Huh, you must be fucking *sleeping* with the guy."

Zechs chuckled again. "You might say that, though it's not really accurate."

"Hmph, whatever. Man, what you do with your private life is none of my business."

Zechs smiled in the dimness, then sobered. "I'm going to bring the lights up, now."

"Uh, ok. Hey, why are you so serious all of a sudden?"

"You'll see in a minute. Duo-" he cut himself off.

"Yeah?"

"Please... when I turn on the lights, please try to trust me."

"Uh, ok, sure." Duo laughed, his teeth flashing in the dim light. "Jeez, man, you're my fucking *saviour*. I don't know what you're so worried about, but I don't think I got any *choice* but to trust you. It's better than being back in that cell."

Zechs took a deep breath and squeezed Duo's hand one last time before letting go. "Computer, please bring up the lights to two-thirds strength." The computer acknowledged the order with a buzz and brought up the lights.

Duo yelled, throwing himself back against the wall and staring at Zechs fixedly.

"Z-Zechs Marquise! What the fuck-?"

Zechs sighed. :Oh well, can I really expect better?: He reached up and took off his mask, an action which made Duo's eyes widen in amazement.

"It *was* you! You took care of me."

"Yes, of course."

The boy glared at him. "You told me your name is Milliard."

"It is. Milliard Peacecraft is the name my parents gave me."

"Peacecraft!" Duo breathed the word, his voice tinged with wonder.

"I have hid my identity since the destruction of the Sank Kingdom, by changing my name and hiding my face behind this mask. There is no one watching us in this room, so my secret is safe."

"Why would you tell me?" Zechs shrugged, aware that he was wondering the answer to that very same question - had been for two days. He placed the mask reverently on the desk beside him to avoid answering. Since he'd turned away to do so, he was unprepared for what Duo did next.

Zechs suddenly found himself grabbed from behind, an arm snaking around his neck to nearly choke him. The other hand grabbed for his sidearm and grasped empty air, so Duo settled for using that hand as further support for the one holding him by the neck. Zechs grabbed the arm around his neck in both hands, but without any leverage he had to use all of his strength just to keep it from tightening further.

"All right, well if they can't see you, they won't be bursting in here to rescue you anytime soon, will they." Duo's voice said into his ear. "So now you're going to play nice and let me out of here."

"I can't do that, Duo."

"Then, I'll just have to snap your neck." Zechs could hear the note of uncertainty in the boy's voice, but didn't doubt his determination. He felt his heart clench and a wave of sadness hit him, despite his attempts to rationalize it away.

"Oh, Duo..." he said sadly. His tone must have startled the boy because he loosened his hold slightly. Zechs abandoned himself to the emotion and squeezed the boy's arm as if it was a hug, not a chokehold. "Please, Duo, don't kill me. I understand why you're doing this, and I can't blame you, but you must understand that I have duties too. I cannot let you go."

"W-what's with the pathetic act?" Duo said, trying to sound tough, but falling short.

"I really enjoyed being your saviour, Duo. It seems I'm at your mercy, now. Foolish of me."

Duo released him, sitting back on the bed. Zechs turned the chair and regarded the confused look on the boy's face. "Well... you'll find there's a lot of mercy, here."

"Thank you, Duo."

Duo looked away, his face reddening. "Don't mention it. To anyone."

"I won't." Zechs smiled at him, a little uncertainly, but Duo wasn't looking at him. "Is my secret still safe?"

"Huh?" Duo looked up at him again. "Sure, of course." He grinned, the mask slipping back over his face. "Hell, you saved my life, I can do a few things for you in return."

"Thank you."

They regarded each other in silence for a while. Duo fidgeted and Zechs just looked, finding himself memorizing Duo's angelic face. Finally, he sighed.

"You're the angel, Duo."

Duo's eyes widened and a blush crept up his collar. Zechs had dressed him in a spare uniform, since Duo's clothes had been destroyed. It suited him nicely. His thoughts were interrupted by Duo's uncertain voice.

"Uh, Milliard?"

"Yes, Duo?" Zechs felt a wave of relief and happiness as Duo used that name.

"Um... could I have some time to myself, and all? I need a little time alone."

"Of course." Zechs rose, placing the mask on his face again. He turned to leave and was arrested by Duo's next words.

"You know, you look a lot nicer without the mask."

Zechs turned back, a smile curving his lips. "So do you." He contacted the techs outside with his communit and the door slid open. He strode back to his room, intending to get a few full hours of sleep, feeling happier than he'd been in a long, long time.

Duo waited until the blonde angel he'd just realized was one of his deadliest enemies was gone and the door had slid closed and locked before throwing himself down on the bed and beating the hell out of the pillow.

:What the hell is wrong with me? Do I *like* this guy? I just got Heero, and now *Zechs* is making me want to jump him right there and then!:

:And what's with him, anyway? He's acting smitten, or something.:

He switched off the lights again and lay in darkness, staring up at the ceiling. :There's no way this is normal prisoner treatment, I mean, this is definitely crew quarters, and either I'm on one of the higher-ranking levels or Oz is treating their rank-and-file a lot better then I ever thought.:

:What the hell is going on?:

Return to Gundam Wing Page

Return to the Main Index

Email Chichiri no da