Disclaimer: I do not own GW. And I wish I did! I just wish I own Zechs and Noin, you know! But I don't. So please don't sue me. I just wanted to borrow the two for a while.
CATCHING UP
By: Lucrezia Noin-Peacecraft
:Lake Victoria Base:
Zechs Merquise sat on one of the couches in his friend and love's quarter. He was watching the daily news in her living room while Noin makes tea. It has been a year and he had missed the simple comfort of her place. It was just simply homey.
"So, how do you find the new recruits?" she asked as she emerged from the kitchenette, carrying a small wooden tray with two teacups and a plate of biscuits for a late night snacking and catching up.
Zechs looked up at her, and Noin almost felt her knees go numb. He didn't have his mask on - like there was really a reason for him to wear the silver thing, and the sight of the icy depths of his eyes just makes her mind totally blank. Well, of course, not literally.
"They're okay." Zechs said, after a couple of minutes of contemplation. "They're okay?" Noin repeated, raising a perfect dark eyebrow as she sat down beside him and settled the tray on the center table.
"I saw the result of their exams - I think it's okay. It was still above average."
Noin sighed and closed her eyes as she rotated her shoulders, going, "It's been an awful week, don't you think?" trying to change the subject.
Zechs looked at her as she stretched her strong, graceful arms before settling down on the soft cushion of the sofa. Zechs shrugged and focused his attention back on the TV, leaning forward to get his cup.
Noin sighed again and shifted on her seat so she was facing him. She brought up her legs and rested them on his thighs as she lay her head down on the armrest, "So, tell me, what are you thinking?"
Zechs looked down at her khaki-clad legs and laid his hands on one of them, the other resting the cup again on the tray, and started massaging her tired muscles, "The coup. The day for the coup is nearing." He replied as he looked at the concerned, yet tired face of his beautiful lover.
"And the day for the revolution is almost at hand." Noin added, almost jokingly, as she watched him fondly. "You know, I like it when you do that." She said, laughing softly as she sat straight up, then rested her head against his shoulder, reached up with her hand and stroked his hair. "I missed you." She said softly.
"I missed you, too, Noin." He replied.
Noin smiled and planted a small kiss on his cheek. "Remember how we always do things together? How our instructor would always let us demonstrate the correct way of doing stuffs?"
Zechs grinned and looked at her. "I remember."
"And that time when you beat me in fencing class?" Noin asked as she laughed softly. "You requested for a rematch after that." This time, the hand on his hair slipped and an arm suddenly hooked around his neck.
Zechs frowned a bit at the memory. "You didn't play fair."
Noin drew away from him and blinked, "I didn't play fair? Boy, shouldn't the loser be the one to say that?"
Zechs glared at her for a moment before his face softened a bit, "You didn't do your best." He told her sternly. "I only won because you let me. Everybody knows that you can do better than that."
Noin opened her mouth in protest, but instead, laughter escaped her throat. "Zechs, not again! Are we still going to argue about this? How many times do I have to tell you that I didn't do anything!"
Zechs smirked at her. "Well, you had always been better."
The young woman looked at him softly, smiled, and replied in a singsong manner "That's not true, Zechs."
Zechs pushed her away gently, his hands on her shoulders, "Prove it first."
Noin looked at him and slit her eyes, "Is that a call for challenge?"
"Yes."
Noin smiled and placed a finger on his lips, leaned forward and kissed him, "Yes."
Zechs smiled at her as she stood up and drew out her saber. "It's been a long time since we've done this again."
"Indeed."
* * *
Lunge. Thrust. Parry...
The sound of two metals hitting each other echoed in the room. Noin swung backwards as Zechs thrust forward. She gave him a blow of her own but he parried it just in time. Their 'fight' went on for almost half an hour, until Noin lost her guard and ended up with the blade of Zechs' saber near her ear.
Zechs drew away his weapon and said, "Again."
* * *
Noin dropped back on the couch with Zechs. "Damn, that was a killer." She groaned as she placed a hand on her forehead. "Obviously, you did better than me. We had three rounds, two of which you won, and one of which I won. Perhaps that clears everything now, Zechs."
Zechs rolled his eyes. "I'm too tired to argue."
Noin chuckled softly, "Oh, so the Lightning Count's too beat up, eh?"
"Noin."
She shook her head and grinned, "Sleep here?"
Zechs let out a low huff and replied, "Maybe."
"Stay here." Noin insisted, "You're room's far from here, and it's already eleven o' clock."
"I have no choice then." He muttered as he stood, "I'm going to the bathroom."
Noin nodded and motioned with her hand for him to go on. She looked at the tray and noticed that her tea had remained untouched and reached for it. She ate her share as she waited for Zechs to finish so she could go as well.
Zechs returned a little later, and found her lying on the couch. But she wasn't asleep, just humming to herself a familiar tune. "Oh, you're through." She exclaimed when she opened her
eyes and saw him looking down at her. Zechs nodded as Noin stood up and rotated her neck.
"You can go ahead," she said as she started towards the bathroom, "I still have to go to -" She hadn't been able to finish her sentence when Zechs pulled her roughly on the waist against him. "No..." he replied, "come with me."
Noin giggled softly, feeling his warm breath in her neck, "Look, I still have to..." Again, he didn't give her the chance to say what she wanted to say as he scooped her in his arms and held her tightly against him. He chuckled softly and kissed her lips tenderly before saying, "Come on. We still have to do lots of catching up."
With that, Noin's eyes widened and she laughed softy, reaching up to touch his cheeks, "Hmm...You one-track mind..." she raised her head and kissed him, "If you think so, then I won't argue, my love."
"Good girl." He murmured huskily as he closed the door behind them.
