Chapter 14 / 37
Written by Jessi Maxwell - send C&C to Megami_no_Remon@hotmail.com
Zechs' eyes had lit up like it was Christmas. He was currently flipping through schematics and studying Treize's notes that the man had used initially to build Epyon.
Quatre pulled Duo to the side. "Erm...Duo. I know you trust Zechs. I do too. To a point. Do you really think it's a good idea to give him his mobile suit back? He's still technically our prisoner. And until Heero, Trowa, and Wufei get used to the idea of him siding with us and are willing to accept him..."
Duo sighed. "Yeah, I know. Q, you don't need to worry. And it wouldn't hurt anything for him to fix it up."
"You sure it wouldn't be better to keep him from temptation?"
Duo looked at Quatre with, quite possibly, the most serious expression Quatre had ever seen on the American pilot's face. "Quatre, I would trust him with my life now."
Quatre was taken aback. // What went on here? Duo doesn't trust anyone easily. But then, he has had a lot more time spent with Zechs being his guard and all...I guess they've had a chance to talk a lot more. // A smile spread across the blonde's face. "Ok, Duo."
Duo grinned and meandered over to the remains of Epyon. He let out a low whistle as he rested one hand on one of the suit's gundanium chest plates. Four jagged tears were ripped straight through, revealing a mess of torn wiring. // Claw marks. Holy shit. It's still so impossible to believe. //
Zechs walked over and squared himself up in front of Quatre. "Quatre...will you allow me to repair Epyon?"
The Arabian smiled. "Yes, of course. We'll get this moved into the hangar. At least it'll give you something to do."
Zechs smiled gratefully, understanding the trust being placed in him. "Thank you." // And thank you, Treize... // Zechs thought with a soft smile, looking over the remains of his Epyon. Treize had even thought to include the spare parts that he had left in the hangar back at the base, as well as full blueprints, data, and specs in printout and disc format. // He always pays attention to details. This will make the repair job much simpler. And then, of course, I COULD just bust my way out of here. // One look at Duo, however, quickly dissolved that notion. // Right. My life as a prisoner here has already been more fulfilling than most of the remainder of my life as a free man combined. //
The three of them soon had the parts to Epyon secured in Quatre's underground mobile suit hangar. Zechs dove into his work with a will and, having nothing better to do, Duo decided to help him. Quatre had other business to attend to.
The two of them ended up getting so lost in their work that they didn't even notice when evening rolled around. When the hangar door opened, Duo attempted to peek out of Epyon's cockpit, where he had been fixing some wiring, but he couldn't tell who had entered. // Must be one of the Maguanacs. //
Duo was wrong. A moment later he heard an enraged shout over a speaker - it was none other than Wufei. Altron stood there pointing accusingly at Epyon. Wufei flew out the door and stared at Duo. "What in the hell is THAT?!"
Duo turned his head to glance at the machine in question, even though he had thought the answer fairly obvious. "Sh' Emphyon," he responded around the wires he had clenched between his teeth.
"What the h--" Wufei stopped and stared, realizing that Duo was not alone in repairing the red suit. He stared at Zechs as the platinum blonde stood and stretched, running his fingers through his hair. "What's going on here?!"
Zechs glanced at Wufei, then at Epyon. "Well, Duo and I are repairing this suit."
Wufei leaped the distance from his cockpit door to Epyon's, leaning over to hiss in Duo's ear. "Maxwell, what the hell is he doing out here? What is EPYON doing here? And why are you fixing it? Who the hell is guarding him?"
"Mrmmrph rr--" Duo began, before Wufei yanked the wires from his mouth. Duo looked somewhat put out for a moment before he started again. "Fei, relax. Its f--"
"It is not fine! That is ZECHS MERQUISE, or have you forgotten that little fact? He's OZ! Treize's special little friend!"
Duo's eyes narrowed a bit. "He resigned from OZ. He's with us now."
Wufei stared at Duo as if he had gone mad., unable to even formulate a proper response.
"I mean it, Fei. Q and I watched him put the call in to Treize ourselves. And damn, man, that Treize is one slick bastard, I tell you what. H--"
"You...let Zechs...talk to Treize. With everything he knows."
"Yes. But Fei, seriously. He's with us now. I believe it and Quatre believes it. Give him a while, talk to him. You'll understand."
Wufei shot Zechs a look laden with daggers, although Zechs seemed entirely unaffected by the venomous gaze. "If we don't need him and he's all patched up, we should get him as far away from us as possible. Turn him loose and kick him out the door. He is NOT one of us."
// Oh, but he is...you'll understand eventually, Fei... // Outwardly, Duo merely sighed as Wufei leapt back to Altron and stalked his suit into its usual resting space. He leaned over to look down at Zechs and offered him a half-grin and a helpless shrug. Zechs simply smirked, unruffled, as the Chinese teen stalked out of the hangar.
"Duo, perhaps you should come down. Look at the time. No wonder I'm so worn out."
Duo tilted his head to glance at the clock and almost fell off the Gundam. "It's already two in the morning?! Jeez...I'm almost as bad as Heero now. Fix Gundam. Mission Accepted." Duo pasted on a blank, almost robotic face. Zechs couldn't help but snicker.
"Indeed. Come down. We can always work on it more tomorrow. For now, your prisoner needs sleep or I'll file charges of slavery and abuse with your superiors."
Duo snorted as he snagged an elevator cord and slid down to the ground. "Hah. They've given me full jurisdiction to do with you as I please. You are at the God of Death's tender mercies."
Zechs smirked and then strode forward, his arm snaking around Duo's waist and jerking the boy tightly against him before Duo could react. His voice was soft and husky and sent a shiver through Duo. "And just what is it that the God of Death wishes to do with me? I am...open to suggestion."
Duo attempted to squeak out a response with minimal success. The moment he found himself pinned against Zechs' lithe and powerful form, all the thoughts flew from his head, his brain turning to mush. "U...um...behave, you." Duo attempted to look cross. "Or I'll make you sleep in your own damn bed tonight."
"No you won't." Zechs smirked "I think you rather enjoyed last night a bit too much for that."
Right on cue, Duo was assailed with the memory of the previous night...of being pinned beneath Zechs, of countless smoldering kisses...the taste and feel of this amazing man, undoing all of his reservations...until they both fell into a breathless slumber, tangled together under the sheets.
"You fight dirty," Duo responded with a mock pout. "Here I am, just trying to be a good kid, and you just swoop in an--" Duo was cut off as Zechs, smirking, quickly descended and gave him a forceful kiss. Duo's newest tirade melted into a breathless 'mm' as he leaned against the taller man, his eyes flickering shut.
Zechs kissed him with a nearly bruising intensity, his hand slipping up to capture the back of Duo's head and hold him tighter. When he finally released the boy, they were both panting hard. Zechs turned his attention to moving down to kiss at Duo's throat, sucking and nibbling at the sensitive flesh. Duo managed a small whimper, his knees gone boneless as he clung to Zechs, his head falling back.
The platinum blonde withdrew a moment later with a devilish grin on his lips. "No...THAT was playing dirty."
Duo gave him a fuzzy, breathless look before glancing in the direction Zechs eyes had just turned. A piece of polished metal plating rested nearby gave Duo a clear reflection of himself...and the very obvious red mark on his neck. "Ack! Zechs, you ass!" he yelped, yanking his shirt collar higher. Zechs only laughed and sauntered towards the door.
"If accused, I may as well reap the benefits, my dear Mr. Maxwell. Though if you simply keep up a blush of that caliber, no one will be able to see the mark. It'll blend right in."
Duo whipped his hat at Zechs, though Zechs apparently sensed it coming and dodged. "Dammit, I'll get you for that!" the braided teen pouted as followed Zechs out the door, mumbling and huddling down as far into his shirt as possible.